Chapter Six: Draw the Line

Spike groans silently as Buffy pulls his Desoto into the mall parking lot for the second night in a row. Like last night the lot was just about empty. A few cars were still in the lot, but all of them had been there the night before as well. Buffy had been hungry last night so Spike didn't think those cars were going to leaving anytime soon.

One thing Spike had noticed over the past two nights was that Buffy was an extremely ravenous vampire. Last night she had eaten nearly a dozen people and tonight she was already up to eight so far. Six at the party and two while teaching Angie how to hunt, and they were only five hours into the night.

"Didn't you get enough clothes last night?" Spike questions as Buffy pulls the Desoto up close to the building.

Buffy gives Spike an incredulous look as she glances at the bleach blonde while turning off the engine. "I can't believe you've been alive for more then a century. Hasn't Dru ever told you a girl can never have too many clothes," she remarks with a sly grin. "Besides tonight we're here to pick Angie up a new wardrobe. Can't have your little girl running around looking like an eighties punk reject, now can we?"

"Why not?" Spike questions.

A heartbeat later Angie sits up in the back seat asking, "what's wrong with my clothes?"

"There's nothing wrong with your clothes," Spike tells the purple haired girl. "You can go on dressing any bloody way you please. Don't have to pay no never mind at all to bloody gits who have no appreciation of your style."

"I appreciate your style," Buffy replies seriously though she has a slight grimace marring her features. "I appreciated it a lot when it went bye, bye."

Spike smirks at Buffy's comment as he tells Angie, "that there is a chit that just doesn't like the classics."

"Like you well enough," Buffy retorts sassily.

"That's only because I invented the entire look," the bleach blonde responds. "Or did you really think Billy Idol was smart enough to come up with this all on his own?" He questions as he gestures to his own black assemble

Buffy rolls her eyes at Spike before asking, "you're trying to tell me that you know Billy Idol?"

"It was back when the bloke was still calling himself William something or other. Before he founded Generation X, back when he still hung out in Liverpool a lot."

"Isn't that a comic?" Angie asks from the back seat trying to get in on the conversation.

Spike shakes his head lightly as he says, "before your time ducks. Seventies punk band, before I bagged me my second slayer so it had to have been seventy-five, seventy-six," he finishes with a shrug.

Angie gives Spike a confused look as she asks, "what's a slayer?"

The century old vampire pokes a finger at Buffy saying, "she used to be a slayer."

The library was quiet despite the four people sitting around the large mahogany table. Giles was finding that fact alone disturbing. Less then a week ago with only two of the youngsters at the table there would have been talking and joking and laughter going on. He would have been coming out of his office to reprimand them, remind them for the umpteenth time that this was a library and not the playground and to treat it accordingly. He'd give his right arm to hear even a glimmer of the laughter that use to resonate in this room.

Now the loudest sound that could be heard was a soft sigh, or the gentle creak of the chair, or the turning of a dry page in one of the dusty books the four people were reading.

Willow concentrates on the simple task of reading one word at a time, then the next one, and the one after that, and the one beyond. Taking those individual words and turning them into sentences and forcing those sentences to make sense. She had to figure it out.

Buffy was counting on her. Xander was counting on her, even if he didn't know it. Everyone was counting on her. She couldn't allow herself to fail. Not now. It was far to important.

Jenny suddenly pushes her chair back from the table toppling the piece of wooden furniture to the hard tiled floor with a loud crash causing Amy to give a slight start at the sudden, intruding noise breaking the smothering silence. The teacher turns away from the table running her fingers through her thick black hair. Within a few seconds she's taken half a dozen steps from the table. She lets out a low, desperate growl and continues to walk away.

There wasn't any use to this, she could see that now. They weren't going to find anything. The spell had been last a century before. She wasn't even a witch, just a techno pagan. She had a computer with an attitude.

It was nothing more then a fancy title for somebody who didn't have the ability to become more. How was she suppose to, not just recreate but modify her clans most powerful spells.

Wrapping her arms around herself she shudders slightly as her thoughts run wild. Giles places his large hands on her shoulders pulling her into his strong body in an effort to calm her. "Its going to be alright," he assures her gently with his naturally confident tone.

Jenny scoffs by saying, "you don't know that."

Giles rubs her shoulders as he answers. "No, but its what I need to believe. More importantly its what I need them to believe," he tells her in a hush, but stern voice.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she whispers. "I feel like I'm trying to put a white jigsaw puzzle together. That spell was lost over a century ago," she whines plaintively

"If the spell is beyond our ability to recreate then perhaps we should think about constructing our own," he suggest.

Jenny shakes slightly feeling a wave of guilt wash over her. She couldn't help feeling that this entire mess was all her fault. That she was somehow responsible for what her people had done more then a century before. That everything that has happened here in Sunnydale was a direct result of those actions. Or maybe it was just karmic justice. "I'm so far out of my depth," she honestly tells Giles confiding the truth to the man she loves more then anything.

"That's what we're here for," he tells her wrapping his arms around her, squeezing her tightly from behind.

"I just hope I can do this," she replies in a soft nearly inaudible whisper.

Quietly, while Giles was being distracted with calming Ms. Calendar, Amy flips open the newspaper the librarian had been reading earlier. His face had been extremely pale as he read the local publication.

A quick glance at the front cover and the young witch knows why. Seven Bodies Found At Sunnydale Mall. Ten Killed In Freak Accident. Police Officer's Body Found In Dumpster. Outstanding Members Of Sunnydale Community Die In Tragic Fire.

All over the front page she saw one violent death after another. Brutal deaths. Most involving massive amounts of blood loss and sever trauma to the throats. The only ones that differed were Xander's parents. They had died when their house burnt down at two o'clock in the morning. Amy didn't have any doubt though that Xander was the one responsible.

Amy glances up at Willow who was still intently reading through the ancient text while her right hand was quickly scribbling down notes in a pad. Even more quietly then she had open the paper she refolds it, then folds it again and slips it into her backpack. This was definitely something she never wants Willow to see.

Over thirty people had died in the past two nights. Thirty people that still might be alive if she hadn't buckled under Xander's pressure. Thirty people that would still be alive if Buffy was alive and not out killing them.

Buffy's blood burns with desire as she saunters hungrily through the throng of young bodies at the Bronze. Still a good half hour before dusk and the building was still packed to the rafters with young kids. The aroma of sex was nearly overwhelming inside the close confines of the club.

It was practically driving her mad with hunger as she weaves in and out of the hot throng of hard bodies pressed in tight around her. She could take anyone she wants, right there in front of everyone else and nobody would say a word. She wasn't looking for any old thing though.

She was looking for something perfect.

She still had a half hour to find her mid morning meal. If she knew Willow, which she did, the redhead would be pushing herself to the very limit. Rushing to get home at the last possible moment before dark no matter how often she had been told that vampires can be out during the day. They just had to avoid direct sunlight.

As her eyes scan the crowd again she spots him. Tall. Lean body. Dark, slightly wavy hair. He was older then Xander looking more the age Angel must have been when Darla turned him. He was just what she was in the mood to sink her teeth into.

Her black mini skirt was already low enough to be considered indecent exposure in most states. As she sways through the crowd Buffy unties a couple of the laces of her light rose colored blouse exposing more then hint of her cleavage. The tiny girl draws nearly every eye towards her as she exudes her own, nearly pure, sexual energy.

Her body moving in sync to the beat of the music in a way it never has before she dances first closer, then around, melting into her intended meal. She was hot, she could feel her temperature begin to rise as she dances. She could feel his body temperature rise, among other things, as he runs his hands over her body.

"You are like so hot baby," he husks out in a low voice.

Buffy turns to face him, pressing her body into his, a hungry glint in her eyes as she asks him in a overly suggestive voice, "wanna help me cool off?" As she grinds her hips into his, gyrating slowly just in case he didn't get the meaning behind her words.

He looks her over with hungry eyes. His smile wasn't the only thing growing by leaps and bounds as he grinds back into her. If she had an interest in satisfying that desire he still wouldn't have been close to what she needs. No human would ever be capable of quenching that appetite.

"Oh yeah hot stuff. I'd love to be your ice cream man."

Buffy ignores the inane comment as she works their way back into a dark secluded section of the club. The entire time her small hands are running over his sculpted body, her nails scrapping along his sensitive flesh. Her lips suckle hungrily on his bare chest first, before working their way to his neck.

She can hear him moaning and whimpering softly under her heady touch. His large callused hands were roughly gripping, caressing her tiny shoulders, trying to push her top off her petite frame.

Shifting to her vampire face she wrest his hands off her as she sink her fangs deep into his throat draining him completely before he ever has the chance to cry out for help. As his blood slides down her throat, spreading throughout her body she can feel her temperature returning to normal. She didn't know why she needs to feed so much, but it seems to be the only thing that was capable of maintaining her normal body temperature.

A fact that she was keeping strictly to herself. It was just one of many deviations from normal she was keeping to herself.

Pulling a pair of long thick headed nails out of her knee high boots she pushes one through her meals right wrist and into the wall behind. Then does the same to his left wrist allowing the body to remain upright with out any other support. "Thanks," she says patting his cheek. "You were great, you really know how to cool a girl off," she quips lightly.

Glancing over her happy hooker outfit, as Spike likes to call it, she smiles to herself as she reties the laces of her blouse. She puts on her sunglasses, wipes a tiny drop of blood from the corner of her mouth, and strides through the crowd without a care in the world.

Reaching the door she pulls it open ignoring the irritating itch the sun causes her sensitive skin. Stepping out into the sunlit street she starts off towards Willow's house whistling a new song she heard on the radio.

The factory was quiet. Most of the minions were keeping out of everyone's way. They could sense the tension between Angelus and Buffy and were trying to stay clear, not wanting to get caught in the fallout that was bound to happen once the two of them had it out.

Angel was getting antsy, it was nearly dusk. A half hour to go until it was completely safe to go outside. When there wasn't any chance of getting trapped by the sun.

Spike was sitting in his chair flipping individual cards into a hat propped against the wall. One card after another whizzing lazily through the air. His face a mask of the boredom he feels.

"Where's Buffy?" Angelus wonders aloud as he paces behind Spike. He hates the fact that at times she can completely vanish from his sense of her.

Spike shrugs as he tosses another card, "do I look like her bloody keeper?"

Angelus grins at Spike's back, "handmaiden maybe," he mocks lightly. It had been amusing the night before seeing Spike come in with something other then his normal black tee and red flannel shirt on.

Granted the dark clothing Buffy had picked out for him actually made Spike seem even more dangerous then he normally did. Even with the fact that he was stuck in a wheelchair. It was that reason alone that Angelus felt confident enough to openly mock the younger vampire.

"Jealous?" Spike questions lazily being sure to keep his voice equally light.

The elder vampire glances at the two vampiress' sitting on the table talking quietly with each other. The Golden Labrador between them lying on her, her legs pumping wildly in the air as the two women scratch her belly. "I think its about time someone got to training your childe, show her how things work around here, and since you're not up to the challenge guess that means I'll be the one responsible for her education."

Spike growls internally, he knew the double meaning behind Angelus' words. That Angelus was doing this just because he could. Because he wasn't up to meet his challenge and Angelus delighted in taking things that belong to others when they couldn't fight back.

Spike knew he was no where near strong enough yet to put the grand poofter in his place. He also knew there was someone that was more then capable of keeping him in his place even when she wasn't here. "Wouldn't if I were you," he says still sounding as if nothing matters to him as he tosses another card. "Slayer would take it personal if you interfere with her training."

"Her training," Angelus scoffs. "She's a fledgling herself."

"Yeah," Spike agrees with a whimsical smile as he tosses another card into the hat. "But she's got a bloody knack for it. Maybe cause she was a slayer first," he shrugs again. "Who knows?"

Angelus growls as he strides back across the floor. "I'm getting sick and tired of Buffy dictating what goes on in this family."

"Maybe you should've thought of that before turning her," Spike replies as he turns to face his elder. "She isn't like anything else you've ever seen before mate. Dru is right about her. She going to burn everything in her path."

Angelus turns away. For the first time he considers the possibility that he might have made a mistake turning her when he did. He should have taken the time to break her as he did with Drusilla.

Trying to break her now was going to be a lot like running through a mine field blind folded.

But thanks to Harris that was what he was going to be doing. He smiles at the thought of what Buffy was going to do to Xander after he had turned Willow. Hopefully the young fool wouldn't stop screaming for days.

Willow glances up slightly at the rapidly sinking sun with worry. It was barely hanging above the tree tops as the shadows lengthen mockingly across the ground.

Buffy had warned everyone to be in before dusk. It was the one thing she had been adamant about, but the redhead couldn't help being out so late.

Ms. Calendar was on edge, having a hard time keeping it together.

Which left Willow trying to hold everything together herself. Which left her doing everything herself. Which left her with too much to do and no time to get it done.

Turning into her back yard she walks up the paved stone walkway feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She was home. She had made it.

"Hey Wills," Xander says stepping out of the heavy shadows. The dark clothing he was wearing blending almost perfectly with his surroundings. It was a little thing that Willow notices right along with the big thing. That he was standing between her and the safety of her house.

Willow backs away from him and her bedroom. There was a decidedly dangerous air hanging over her one time friend. He was completely different now. Her childhood friend, the class clown, the boy she had played doctor with, was gone. In his place was this cold blooded killer.

"Wills," he says disappointedly as he takes a step forward while she stumbles back away from him. "You're gonna make me think your not happy to see me. You are happy to see me aren't you?" His voice becoming stern as he makes his inquiry.

"I'm so sorry Xander," she murmurs softly.

Xander smirks at her. "Why? Its incredible Willow. I've never felt so alive, so powerful in my entire life," he tells her as he continues to stalk forward. "You're going to love it Wills. Nobody's ever going to have power over you again. We'll take what we want when we want it."

"You can't," Willow sputters shaking her head as she takes another step back. "I don't want to be like you," she adds in a stronger voice. She knew she couldn't let Xander turn her. She doubts if she'd be overly concerned with cursing herself with a soul if she was a vampire.

Xander grins smelling her fear. Hearing her heart hammering away in her chest. This was what it was all about. The build up was almost as electrifying as the kill. "Well then, its a good thing its a good thing you don't get a choice in the matter isn't it?" He questions moving even closer.

Willow looks around, franticly searching for a way out of this situation. Only there wasn't and she knew it. Xander knew it. She was pretty sure just about everyone knew it.

Turning quickly she does the only thing she can.

She doesn't even take two steps before Xander grabs her spinning her around to face him. She screams seeing his vampiric face for the first time.

She struggles valiantly, but ultimately in vain. "You're going to thank me for this," he says leaning forward and plunging his fangs into her soft, supple flesh. He drinks slowly as she continues to struggle, savoring the taste of her blood.

Xander suddenly feels strong finger dig into his neck. "Let go Xander," Buffy's soft voice hisses in his ear. "Let her go now or I snap your neck."

Reluctantly he lets go of Willow.

The tiny redhead drops to her knees.

Buffy hurls Xander the length of the backyard. The tall vampire crashes into Willow's glass French doors shattering them even as he bounces back several feet after hitting the barrier that prevents him from entering. She's on him in an instant hauling him back to his feet. "I told you she wasn't to be touched! None of them were!" She rages hurling him into the wall.

"Buffy!" Willow cries out struggling to her feet.

The vampiric slayer turns golden eyes on her best friend. She could smell Willow's blood on the air. Her fear, adrenaline, anger. It was taking all her control not to pick up where Xander left off while the two side of her nature wage war within her.

Willow gasps soundlessly, a small hand flying to her mouth as she sees Buffy's face. "Don't," she still manages to plead. "He doesn't know what he's doing."

Buffy looks down at Xander, "get out of here," she snarls. "Get back to the factory and pray... Pray that I'm in a better mood when I get there." He body trembles as she tries to keep her rage from exploding and destroying everything around her. "Don't make me hunt you down Xander," she adds warningly as the brunette staggers to his feet.

"Buffy," Xander begins, "it was..."

Her backhand spins him around nearly dropping him to the hard paving stones. "Get!" She roars.

Stumbling he quickly runs as only a vampire can leaving the two girls- one human, one vampire- standing alone in the back yard.

Buffy's body still trembles. Only now for a completely different reason. Willow's blood was still in the air. She could practically taste its sweet nectar.

She wants the redhead. Wants to taste her blood for real. Wants to turn her, have her for all time. Spend endless days showing her all the wondrous treasures the night holds.

The tiny blonde can feel friend moving closer to her. Stretching her hand out to touch her friend. The was no fear in her scent.

Buffy's breath comes in short gasps as Willow gets closer to her. "Don't," Buffy warns softly.

"Buffy," Willow pleads needing her friend to tell her everything was going to be okay. That they were going to be able to get through this no matter what happens. Until seeing Buffy Willow hadn't allowed herself to feel just how much she has been missing her best friend. Now that she was here Willow needs to hold her, feel her, just to know that she was real. That it wasn't her mind playing some trick on herself.

"Get away from me. Get inside your house where your safe," she orders harshly.

"I'm not afraid of you," she responds defiantly.

Buffy whirls, grabbing a hold of the petite redhead's shoulders. Her movements so fast that Willow never even saw them. This close she could see the struggle taking place inside her friend.

"You should be," she murmurs softly leaning forward. The blood was so close to her lips, barely a hairsbreadth away. A quick dart of her tongue and she would have what she was craving. "You should be very afraid of me Willow. There's nothing to stop me from taking you."

The redhead's heart, beating like a trip hammer was a symphony to her ears, but still there was no fear lacing the air. No matter what Willow's trust in her was that complete. "You won't," she says confidently.

Buffy knew it would be so easy. Lean forward a fraction of an inch. Not even that much.

She was so close yet so far away.

With a savage shove, feeling almost like she was ripping off a limb, Buffy hurls Willow the ten feet into her room through the shattered door. With a last, wanting look she whirls away. Moving quickly she fades into the darkness.

Her anger quickly reaching a new simmering boil.

Xander was going to learn when she gave an order it had better be obeyed in the future. He was going to learn it if she had to spend the next millennium beating it into him.

Nothing was going to stop her. She'd break anyone foolish enough to try.

She was really hoping Angel tried.

"Would you relax," Angelus orders the young vampire as he worriedly paces the factory's concrete floor.

"Easy for you to say. You didn't see her," Xander mutters. "I thought she was going to kill me. She might've if Willow hadn't been there."

"Wouldn't that be a shame," Angelus murmurs too softly for Xander to hear as he rants.

"What?"

"It's been hours since then," he answers smoothly. "Sure she was angry at the time of the incident, but you know how she has that whole no harm being done to family."

"Does this look like no harm to you?" He demands pointing to the holes in his neck.

"She's probably out right now slaughtering some pour shmuck to take the edge off," he answers. He didn't think that was the case for a minute. The tiny blond was probably feeding right now. That part was true. It was a way to build up her strength for what was to come.

It was hard for him to keep the gleeful smile off his face as he waits for Buffy to get back. It would have been better if he had actually managed to turn Willow, but just making the attempt was going to result in a punishment that legends would spring from.

It was the beginning of his plan in breaking Buffy.

Drusilla looks up suddenly from where she had been sitting quietly for a surprising amount of time. A fraction of a second later a crashing thud reverberates throughout the building. "What was that?" She asks Ms. Edith. "Someone's been a naughty boy that needs to be punished." She looks up directly at Xander as she continues saying, "sister's very cross with you. Wicked spankings in store for trying to break the little tree that bends," she tells him in that nearly sing song voice of hers. The bright gleam in her eyes tells Angelus all he needs to know.

Several more loud thuds echo throughout the structure during Drusilla's little spiel. Xander looks crossly at Angelus. "So much for taking the edge off."

"Just remember. Whatever she does to you, will pale in comparison to what I'll do if you breathe my name," he warns the fledgling.

Buffy seems to simply appear on the catwalk overhead. A large black duffel bag in one hand. Something small, that glints silver, in her other hand.

Below half a dozen minions enter through several different doors as Buffy drops the bag to the floor below. Even through the thick material of the leather duffel bag whatever was inside still makes a soft thunk as it hits the concrete.

A moment later Buffy drops to the floor. Xander instantly backing away from the cold light burning in her eyes. A soft hissing sound was emanating from her left hand along with a thin stream of smoke. Angelus recognizes the small silver cross he had given her.

"You want to disobey me?" She asks in a deceptively calm voice.

"It was..."

Buffy moves forward quickly backhanding him again. This one sends him staggering several steps to the side. "That's twice you tried to give me Angel on a silver platter," she says in that same tone of voice. "Did you think I didn't know... That I couldn't hear the two of you plotting. Fact is he plotted, set you up, and you fell for it and went after Willow," she continues backing him into the wall.

Angelus was slightly impress that she had been able to see that. He was also slightly worried that she hadn't done anything about, and even now didn't seem to care that he had set the whole thing in motion. More so he was more then a little nervous by the fact that she was going after Xander even though she knows its what he wants.

Drusilla was almost giddy with anticipation. There hadn't been any good torture since Spike brought her Daddy home to her when he had been noble, with a soul. She had tried showing her Daddy that it matter to her if he had a soul, she would still love him just the same.

"Angelus was the one..."

Her left hand shoots forward jamming the cross into his flesh beneath his clothes. He grimaces, a slight twitching to his lips as smoke begins to rise from his stomach. "Seeing how you like silver so much I figured I'd share some of mine with you. A gift Angel gave me a long time ago." She grins widely at Xander, a smile that most would see as bright and joyful as she adds, "a gift that just keeps on giving."

Sweat begins to bead on his brow, all over his face, as the pain quickly builds to agony. Buffy pulls the cross out causing Xander to gasp. "Never felt so alive," she says echoing his words from earlier when he spoke them to Willow as she shoves the cross back in, being sure to stay well away from his heart, "never felt so powerful." Xander begins to shake as smoke rises from the second hole.

Buffy pulls it out and quickly goes to shove it back in. Xander grabs her arm with both of his hands trying to stop her. "That's it Xander. Fight me," she growls as her eyes seem to light up at the prospect of him struggling against her. With each passing second the cross inches closer to his stomach. "Let me show you just how powerful you are," she hisses. With a hard shove she slams the cross home as if his hands weren't even there.

"Buffy please. Don't do this," he whimpers

A cold, malicious smirk slips across her lips as she sneers, "ya know. Its a good thing this ain't up to you."

________________________________________________________________________

Draw the Line - Aerosmith

Checkmate honey
Beat you at your own damn game
No dice honey
I'm livin' on the astral plane
Feet's on the ground
Your head's going down the drain
Heads I win, tails you lose
To the never mind

That's where I Draw The Line

An indian summer
Carrie was all over the floor
She was a wet net winner
And rarely ever left the store
She'd sing and dance all night
And wrong all the right out of me
Pass me the vile and cross your fingers
It don't take time

Nowhere to Draw The Line

Hi we were singin' on your cowboy song
You told Carrie
And promised her you wouldn't be long
Heads I win, tails you lose
Lord it's such a crime
No dice honey
You're salt, you're the queen of the brine
Checkmate honey
You're the only one who's got to choose

Where to Draw The Line

Checkmate, don't be late
Take another blow
That's right
It's possible to wreck it
Cuz' you kill yourself
When you rock to the top
Your the boss of yourself
So suffer
Now Draw The Line
ooo-Yeah