DISCLAIMER: All Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters belong to Joss W.  Sorry for warping them so. – Saff)

Blood and Velvet

Part Five: Hey Mickey!

  The streets were dark, as they always were in this secluded suburban area. He considers briefly calling out her name. Perhaps she would show herself then because there was no doubt in his mind the she knew he was there. Mickey was always aware of everything around her, only she didn't care as long as that everything left her alone. Strange bird she was. She used to be a part of Odessa's camp, called him sweet once, because while hunting with her he had killed the husband of the woman she was feeding on so that her meal wasn't disturbed. Now he was standing on the street outside her house not wanting to enter her territory with out her permission. He needed to be on her good side for the favor he was planning on asking.

  "Mickey" He calls out, his voice low, meant to be heard by her and her alone. "I've come for a visit I have, luv."

  He peers at the small single story house. It's décor was cottage like and quaint, much like Dawn's, only buried deep in the earth below was a mansion built decades ago by her sire who's name he had never been told. He smiles slightly, some of his worries forgotten at sight of Mickey who appeared at the door her wild blonde curls framing a young face. She studies him for a moment, the coldness of her gaze sends chills though him and he fears that Odessa has already been here, turning her against him. She motions with a single movement of her hand for him to enter.

  "It's been a while." She comments as Spike approaches, a hesitant smile warming her features. "I'm glad to see you alive."

  "You expected me to be dead?" He asks, wondering if he should feel offended or pleased that she was pleased.

  "You have made quite the mess of things haven't you?" She asks, her eyes narrowing slightly as images from spike's mind flow through her. "Odessa is angry. Have you been bad?" She asks, grinning ever so slightly.  "To anger her so you must have been."

  "I never meant for her know. I never even -  "

  "Meant for it to happen?" She runs a tender hand along his cheek and smiles at his forlorn expression. "You have never been a great one for self-control." She turns from him, her movements unhurried and smooth. She closes the door, and leads him to the living room, or rather a room designed to maintain human façade if ever a mortal was to enter. "I don't know what happened exactly. All I see is pain and rage in the form of the pretty young girl you murdered."

  "Her name is Charlotte. Or Chuck. Or Lily."

  "Her name means nothing to me William."

  "Sorry." He kicks himself mentally a few times over. He didn't know what it was but this woman always had this effect on him. She looked much like a child, but he saw her more as an all-knowing mother figure, who, as the child he wanted desperately to please. Plus, he couldn't hide things from her and it put him at a great disadvantage.

  "Don't apologize. I just want you to understand a few things before you even begin to explain yourself. I don't care about her, I don't care about this human-like creature your so infatuated with, or the slayer. But I do care about you, and about Odessa, and I want this sorted out before it becomes something it doesn't have to be."

  "Right then. I understand and agree." Spike sits down, not to close but not to far from his possible savior.

  "So . . . Explain. Sort out these pictures in my head."

  "Well . . . "He hesitates realizing he hadn't thought this out as well as he should have. "There's this girl, the in-human human one you saw, and like you said I have . . . feelings for her. But it's  complicated because she's the little sister of the slayer that I once . . . "

"Shagged?"

"Among other things."

"You should have been staked just for that. I don't want to hear about the other things." She eyes him, more amused than angry but angry none the less.

"Well, in my defense the other things mostly involved trying to kill her."

"You certainly weren't very successful at it."

"Well rub it in why don't you."

"I am."

He chuckles despite his bruised ego and continues. "Yeah well . . . I tried. I got close a few times too and then I went and  . . . fell for her and it all went to shit after that. I did something wretched as we vampires are prone to do, and then I left. Thought I could put it all behind me but . . . "

"Tell me the truth about why you left. It doesn't have as much to do with the slayer as it has to do with the sister."

  Spike glares a bit. He really didn't want to remember that night. Dawn had told him she loved him and it had nearly broken his heart. He felt the same, and had for a while but how was one supposed to deal with that? It would only mean pain for the both of them. He was no good for her.  "The sister told me something and I couldn't deal. So I left. Managed to stay away for a few months with minimal trouble. And then in LA, while doing that broody depressed vamp with a soul thing." He stops short as Mickey nearly squeals.

"I knew something was different!" She exclaims. "You poor thing. A chip AND a soul."

"How do you know about the chip?" He asks dumbly, than he shakes his head at his own stupidity and continues. "I heard this music the sister used to always play at this bar. So I went in and there she was. She was beautiful. Still is too I imagine. I watched the rest of the show, and followed the band to the next one. There she noticed me, and she gave me this look that I can't even begin to describe. She knew what I was and she wasn't afraid. It was like she was curious to know what I was doing there, daring me to come closer and yet warning me to stay away at the same time.  Of course I had to go closer and it was the strangest thing. I felt like she knew who I was, like she could see me that way you can only not as clearly. It felt good, after all the time, it was only a month I know but it felt like forever, to be seen for what I was by someone I didn't intend to kill."

"It's been years hasn't it?" She interrupts softly, her expression one of wonder. Spike looks at her questionly "Since you've have a real meal." She clarifies.

"Yeah. It really is quite grotesque now that I have this guilt thing working. Bloody unreasonable emotions." She laughs and then motions for him to go on. "Where was I?"

  "You were trying to work around telling me you like nice friendly human contact involving girls much younger than yourself."

  "Can we pretend like I at least did that successfully, luv? Help save this once great no pathetic vampire's ego." Mickey nods, laughter sparkling in gray eyes. "After that night I followed her, not just to the next city like I did the time before but in the creepy stalker sense. She knew too, I can almost swear to it. About a week after I first saw her she had this fight with her husband. He thought she was cheating on him. Apparently they've known each other forever and he'd seen her cheat on a few other blokes. She got upset and that night, when she was leaving the bus, where she had been sulking she called me out. So we talk, she nearly stakes me, which of course turned me on immensely, and then we got to talking again which eventually led to other things, I'm still not sure how but it did. I bit her while we were having sex, an army couldn't have stopped me I wanted it so. Before I could stop myself she was almost dead and because I liked her well enough and I didn't want to kill her I turned her." He stops to make sure Mickey was still with him. "When I realized what I'd done I left. Ran my cowardly ass off I did. Then I heard she was looking for Dawn, or Buffy, or me so I went back to the hell mouth to check it out. Nothing had come of it so I let it go. Figured she wasn't smart enough to work it out."

  "And that's when Odessa got involved?"

  "I suppose. I don't know for sure. This young Maya wannabe showed up at J's, a bar in LA, and started rambling on about how if I didn't deal with her, settle her down a bit, then they were going to help her get one of my girls."

  "And you didn't go?"

  "And walk into a place with three pissed off female vampires'? 'ell no. She could have been anyone."

  "Her name is Alicia, she's Maya's fledgling. Just 10 years old if I'm remember it correctly."

  "You've met her?"

  "No but I had a brief visit with Odessa just last year. Maya found her in Ireland, had great fun corrupting the young thing before turning her."

  "She looks like a mini Maya."

  "Odessa said the same thing. I'm to see them all come this winter, if you're not dead you should come for a visit."

  "I'm not sure if that's wise, luv. Odessa sounds fairly pissed off."

  Mickey rolls her eyes, patience not being one of her virtues. "Don't be such a coward. Your blood is in that girl and she deserves answers."

  "But she doesn't want to ask questions. She wants revenge."

  "Then don't hide out here while she's out there looking for those things you've become so attached to."

  "I can't fight Odessa."

  "She doesn't want to fight you either I'd wager. She just wants to see that girl happy. You know how she is with newborns."

  "So I should just waltz right up to her and what?"

  "Ask to see this Charlotte girl."

  "And then?"

  "I'm interested in meeting this creature you found so intriguing. Why don't you bring her over here and I'll take care of her."

  "Odessa's already doing that."

  "I don't know if that's that best place to leave your childe when she hates you so. Odessa knows enough about love to know that killing the girls will hurt you the most with out actually having to kill you, which she doesn't want to do. Killing you seems better to me but that's just me, she has mental torture in mind."

  "Which she?"

  "Charlotte. You killed her and so now she wants to kill you."

  "In Mini Maya's words – I gave her a new life. I didn't kill her."

  "You took her away from the people she loved. How does she know their names and places anyway? She should only have seen images in your blood."

  Spike looks down, embarrassed to have to admit to his follies knowing she would see right through any candy coating he covered them in. "I told her."

  "You really are an idiot. I always thought Odessa was being a little harsh but you really are. You're lucky you have May on your side."

  "May hates me."

  "She respects you. Or at least she did once." Mickey stands, smoothing her white dress over slim hips. "It's late Spike. I haven't fed tonight, will you hunt with me?"

  "Chip." He answers flatly.

  "Even for raccoons?" She asks sounding surprised and disappointed.

  "You're hunting raccoons?" He asks. Back in the day she refused anything but fresh from the body human blood.

  "Yeah. Humans are treats only in this place. I try to keep a low profile."

"Well, a rodent for dinner sounds lovely." And it did. Warm fresh blood was rare and hunting with her was always a riot. He would ask later if she would come with him to face Odessa.  But first he wanted to find a none-I-have-no-balls way of asking. Dawn, after all, needed power on her side and Mickey had more than just the physical kind. Only thing was, she wouldn't be all that eager to come between Odessa and something Odessa wanted. Even for him – her favorite hunting companion.