Title: The Soulmatchers
Author: Sunglow999
Pairing: Spike/Buffy
Rating: R (Just to be on the safe side)
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon & Mutant Enemy, except Cassie and Orion – they belong to me.
Spoilers:- Up to Dead Things, things are different from there on in. Crossover with Angel later on. This is my first ever fanfiction so reviews would be helpful, email me at sunglow999@hotmail.com
A/N Almost there, this is the last but one chapter. I would also like to thank moonglow11066 for being my beta reader, she's helped me over my writers block and encouraged me to continue this even though I haven't had any reviews for the last chapter (hint hint).
The Soulmatchers
Chapter 12. That Old Black Magic
"Who's Rack?" Angel asked.
"Black magic dealer. E's the reason why Red's off the mojo; got 'er addicted."
"He's pretty powerful. Spike, I can't hurt Amy."
"I know I can't, looks like it's up to you, Peaches." Spike turned to Angel. "Let's 'ope 'e's just drawin' on 'er energy, don't wanna piss 'er off, she's on the same scale as Red."
"Willow said she's pretty much hooked, like a heroin addict. If she's high she may not be a problem." Buffy took a deep breath. "Let's go."
"Right behind you, luv."
It didn't really surprise Buffy that as soon as he said it he leapt straight through the skylight, glass, wood and aluminium flying everywhere, disrupting the ritual which was just about to start. Unfortunately he landed on Amy, sending her flying and knocking her unconscious which also activated the chip. He writhed on the ground, clutching his head in pain. As much as she was worried about him Buffy couldn't afford to waste the time to check that he was alright and followed Angel through the skylight.
Furious at having the ritual disrupted and losing his link with Amy, Rack turned on them, lightening shooting out of his hands. They were able to dodge just in time, each going in different directions. Rack no longer looked human, his eyes black, and veins pounding in his neck and forehead as he drew on Amy's powers even though she was unconscious. The air suddenly crackled and it seemed that from out of nowhere two fireballs came rushing towards Angel. Buffy raced across and pushed him out of the way just in time but one of the fireballs hit her side. She screamed and ignoring the danger, Angel rolled her, snuffing out the flames.
"Pathetic creatures, as if you can stop me! Me!" Rack sounded insane and to Buffy it looked like he was. Spike groaned suddenly and drew Racks attention to him. "What a pathetic excuse for a vampire." He raised his hands again and fire started flickering at his fingertips.
"NOOO!!" Buffy launched herself at Rack just as he released another fireball. Spike somehow managed to roll out of the way, pulling Amy with him and the fireball missed, exploding on the floor and setting light to oil soaked rags piled in the corner. They went up in a roar of flames.
Buffy and Rack landed on the table holding Orion and it went skidding across the floor towards the rags. Buffy carried on going and landed on her back to the left but Rack landed on top of the rags. His screams filled the room as he also caught light and although Buffy tried to reach him the heat drove her back.
"Buffy, we've got to get out of here!" Angel yelled. "The whole place is going up!"
"Help me get Orion!" She realised there was nothing she could do for Rack; his screams were echoing in their ears.
Buffy and Angel managed to undo the straps holding Orion to the table and Angel slung his unconscious body over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Spike managed to pick up Amy and they all made a dash for the fire escape. The fire had now taken hold and the air was thick with black smoke. They flew down the stairs and headed across the parking area to the neighbouring warehouse. Spike and Angel lowered their burdens to the asphalt and Buffy checked Amy for a pulse.
"She's still alive but we'll need to get her to a hospital. Angel, make sure everyone's out of there. Spike, can you get the car?"
Both vampires nodded and went to do their assigned tasks. Buffy knelt next to Orion and placed her ear against his chest then berated herself for trying to find a heartbeat – he was a vampire for God's sake. As she sat up again a strong lean hand grasped the back of her neck and pulled her down again, this time in the direction of his face.
"Hey, babe, knew you'd find me." He sounded drunk, but he was able to unerringly pull her down for a toe-curling, knicker drenching kiss.
'Oh, wow!' She thought and for all of five seconds let herself be kissed before pulling away, horrified. She scrambled away from him and stared at him, instantly seeing the resemblance to Spike in the hair colour, natural, as Cassie had said, and the cheekbones, oh those cheekbones that were to die for. He managed to open his eyes, green like Cassies, and smile sweetly at her before falling back into unconsciousness. It was the smile that did it though. The smile was pure Spike, the Spike that loved her wholeheartedly and without reservation, and there was absolutely no way she was going to let him anywhere near Dawn. He would only have to smile at her like that once and Dawn would be a goner, the way she was a goner on Spike.
In the distance she could hear the sirens of approaching fire engines and looked around frantically for any sign that the car and the others were on their way. As if her thoughts had conjured them up, Angel, Gunn and Wesley came racing towards her and from the opposite direction came Spike in Angel's car.
"Where's Xander and the girls?" She asked.
"They've gone back in Xanders car." Wesley gasped, unhooking the flame-thrower from the strap round his chest.
"We'd better get out of here before those fire engines get here. We need to get Amy to the hospital."
Spike leapt out of the car and helped Angel manhandle Orion into the back seat whilst Gunn picked up Amy. The weapons were loaded into the trunk and Amy placed beside Orion.
"Get Amy to the hospital and take Orion to Spike's crypt." Buffy gave them the directions. "Spike and I will meet you there."
Angel nodded and seconds later they were speeding in the opposite direction to where the fire engines were coming from. They needed to avoid both them and the cops who were sure to be on their way.
"Come on, Spike." Buffy set off at a dead run and Spike soon caught up with her.
"We goin' back to my place?" He asked.
"Yeah. I don't want Dawn to get a peek at him."
"Should I have left 'im alone with you?" Spike asked jokingly.
He'd gone another twenty yards before he realised that she had stopped. He jogged back to her and saw that she had a guilty look on her face.
"What's up?"
"Promise you won't get mad?"
"Depends on what you 'ave to say to me."
"Orionkissedme."
"Say that a bit slower."
"Orion. Kissed. Me."
"When?"
"When you were getting the car. He was still out of it and he woke up, pulled me down and kissed me."
"Enjoy it, luv?"
"Oh yes." She suddenly realised what she had said. "No, no, not at all."
"Liar." He smirked and pulled her into his arms. "Buffy, it was your blood."
"What?"
"Cassie explained it to me the other night. They know when they're in the presence of their soulmates because their blood starts tinglin', magnifyin' their senses and makin' everythin' seem brighter, 'otter and more alive. Your blood is the same as the 'Bits blood, so Orion naturally was drawn to you. Same way that you were turned on a bit by 'im. I'm your soulmate, so your blood responds to me. You responded to 'im because e's related to me by blood, understand?"
"You're not mad?"
"Course not."
"Good, because I much prefer your kisses."
She was rewarded with one of said kisses and it was only when they were hooted and yelled at by a group of teenagers driving by that they stopped.
"Come on, luv, let's take this where we can finish without interruptions."
***
They were unable to finish it anyway because by the time they got to his crypt Angel had brought Orion and had laid him out on Spikes bed downstairs. Even though he didn't want to, Spike volunteered to stay and keep an eye on him whilst Buffy and Angel went back to her house for a post mortem of the battle.
As soon as she knew where Orion was, Cassie insisted on going to him. Tara and Willow were already asleep on the couch, drained of energy from the strain of getting the wards down. Dawn was bouncing around, totally overexcited and Buffy wondered if she'd ever had that much energy at her age, and how had her mother coped? Then she realised; at Dawns age she'd been slaying for nearly a year, almost all of her bounciness had been channelled into trying to stay alive every night. She shook off her introspective mood and checked everyone out for injuries. It was Dawn who then spotted the burn in the side of her jacket.
"Buffy, you're hurt!"
"Not really, Dawnie, slayer healing has kicked in and it's almost better." Buffy felt the sting of the burn and suddenly wanted Spike with her, soothing her with his cool hands.
"Better make sure it's clean though." Dawn pushed her in the direction of the shower and she obediently trudged upstairs. Now that it was all over, exhaustion was setting in and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep for twenty-four hours straight.
Once she'd showered and changed into more comfortable clothes, Dawn spread antiseptic cream over the now almost healed burn and then they went downstairs. Nearly everyone had crashed as well; Xander and Anya were curled up in one of the armchairs, fast asleep and Gunn and Wesley were on the floor, having appropriated a cushion each for their heads.
"Just turn out the lights, Dawnie, it's too late to wake everyone up now and move them."
Arm in arm the two sisters went back upstairs and went to their respective rooms after a quiet goodnight to each other and a hug.
"Miss me, pet?" There, lying on her bed playing with Mr Gordo, was her vampire soulmate. Suddenly all traces of exhaustion fled and her blood started racing, a fact that Spike picked up on immediately.
"Who's minding Orion?" She joined him on the bed and snuggled up to him.
"Cassie. She needs to have that chat with him about Dawn."
"Oh."
"She gave me this as well." He leaned over to where his duster was draped over a chair pulled a thick packet out of one of the pockets.
"What is it?" Sitting up, she took it from him; it felt heavy.
"Open it."
Gingerly, she lifted the flap of the envelope and gasped. She pulled out the contents and spread them on the bed. She picked up the brand new passport and looked at the picture. It was unmistakably Spike, and his picture looked better than hers did. There was a social security card, a birth certificate and a driving licence as well as a bankbook.
"That's your name? William Galenson?" She gulped then when she spotted the balance in the bankbook. "Three and a half million dollars?!"
"Grandma's been very generous." He smirked and then handed her the other, smaller sealed envelope, which was lying under the birth certificate. "Open this one."
She tore it open and found she was holding a great wad of money, a mixture of hundred, fifty and ten dollar bills.
"Oh. My. God."
"That'll tide you over won't it, pet?" He asked anxiously.
"Spike, what's this all about?" Buffy could hardly take it all in.
"You can't go back to that fast food place, luv, it's killin' you. This way you can pay your bills an' think about goin' back to school."
"I can't let you support me." She had that stubborn look on her face which he recognised only too well.
He sat up and grasped her hands, removing the cash which was in danger of being crushed.
"Buffy, I love you." He looked at their linked hands, knowing he'd have to word this so that she didn't take offense. "When I was alive it was the mans duty to look after his women. Although I looked after Dru for over a hundred years it wasn't the same. I want the chance to look after you and Dawn; I want to take care of my family, if you'll let me."
"Oh Spike." As she looked into his eyes she saw the man he used to be, decent, loving and desperate to care for her and Dawn, his family.
She threw her arms round his neck and burst into tears, sobbing into his neck.
"Uh, luv, wasn't expectin' this reaction." Spike tentatively patted her back.
"I love you." She mumbled into his throat.
"Love you too, pet." He stopped patting her back and closed his arms tight round her. "So, you'll let me take care of you?"
"Only if you let us take care of you too." She pulled away and allowed him to wipe her eyes before kissing him softly on his mouth.
Before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled away.
"No taking any crap from Dawn though, and no giving in to her puppy dog eyes." She insisted, knowing that Dawn could wrap Spike round her little finger. "What? What have you promised her?" He had a guilty look on his face.
"Those leather trousers like Cassies."
"Spike!"
Laughter echoed through the room. Outside, under the tree, two shadows heard and smiled before melting into the darkness, knowing that for the time being all was well.
The End
A/N Epilogue to come.