Chapter One – Key of Darkness
Buffy stared dumbly at the two brothers who looked at her with identical smirks. A brother, who could Spike have a brother? This just wasn't right; too much was on her plate right now.
"Your brother?"
"A bit dim an't she?" James smiled.
"That may be kid, but she packs quite the punch – I should know. Maybe we should go and let the slayer catch flies with that open yap. I have a okay crypt on the other side of town" Spike grinned back and they turned to leave.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Buffy shouted after them, causing the two to stop. "I want an explanation. What does spiritually joined mean? What is going on here? I know that I have enough on my plate, but this is something I need to know, now"
James sighed and looked over at his brother. Spike nodded, so the eternal teen went on to grant her wishes.
"Where should I start slayer"
"How about the begging"
"Sure pet, the begging. Well I'm sixteen years old, but if you want more, you could that I really am one hundred and twenty one. When Drusilla sired William here in 1880, I experienced a strange change. I didn't know what it was and at the time I didn't really care, all I cared about was that my brother came home safe. Then William did come home. He then went and sired our mother, whom had been dreadfully ill for the last few years. He was still so human, even though he had become a demon. He still loved her"
He gave Buffy a few minutes to process what he had just told her before he continued.
"But mum didn't of course, she was a true demon. He staked her because he knew the horrid truth that she wasn't his caring mother any more. Anyway that was when he noticed that I had witnessed it all. Drusilla attacked me, but I was able to defend myself against her. She knew that there was something special about me, so she said the stars shown upon the both of us. To be spiritually joined is a spell that takes the power of a person or being's soul. Our parents did this for us when I was born – premature, they knew that William could save me if our spirits were joined. So there you have it slayer. I have all the powers of a vampire, with no part of the curse. I can walk in daylight, don't need to drink blood, don't age and I won't die unless someone kills me"
Buffy was silent and they both knew that the slayer was really having a hard time taking it all in. after a pregnant pause, she finally found her voice in which to speak with.
"I'll have to tell the others"
"Oh great, so you're going to call in the good ship Scooby to keep tabs to my brother?" Spike mocked angrily.
"I didn't know I was so special," James added. "Come on William, I think we should leave before she pops"
Now without the interruption, Spike and James left Buffy this time standing alone as they walked away down the deserted streets of Sunnydale. The slayer watched their retreating forms until they were out of sight and then decided it would be best to go back to the Magic Box and call the gang.
"You are so smitten for her bro"
"What? How dare you say that!"
"If you could still blush Will, you'd be redder then a beat"
"You'll be living with me, so shut your mouth"
James and Spike entered the graveyard that housed Spike's crypt in silence minutes later and James snickered when the lights were finally turned on.
"Well I see that you have the telly – you still into Passions?"
Spike just growled at his brother, so wanting to smack him upside the head, but not wanting to experience to pain of it.
"So what kinda mess did you get into this time James. I know that your human and all, most of the vamps around here are stupid. What did you do that caused that gang to attack you?"
"Same old. Met an annoying girl, she blew me off, kicked a couple trash cans, one of those cans hit a feeding party, the pray got away, so I was to become their substitute dinner" James sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Well you don't really expect me to take care of you now do you?" Spike finally asked the one question that had been on his mind since James had shown up.
"Not really. I need a place to live and a guardian to meet with the Social Worker every two months, but all in all, I should say yes"
"That's going to turn out well. As you see, I live in a graveyard, I have to annoy the slayer and her friends to get blood and then I have to help then kill demons in order to vent my rage and steal money"
"Why do you need to get blood from them?" James asked, now curious to why his vicious older vampire brother would need to go to a slayer for blood.
"Bloody commando boy rammed an electronic behavior chip into my head that sends shock waves through my brain every time I inflict pain upon a human. I've been de-fanged, can't kill for my food any more"
"You mean those sodding pillocks took away your pride? Damn them to hell!"
"Thanks, at lest someone is on my side. There comes time that I so want to pound on the slayer's whelp, but I don't want the massive migraines"
"I still think that you're smitten for her"
"Bite you tongue boy! I can't seem to stop the dreams, they're driving my crazy!"
"Ooh, tell me"
"Not on you life! God, I'm stuck with a kid that'll be stuck in his hormone crazed teens for eternity"
"Don't you just love it?"
Spike growled again and then tossed a pillow at James's head, paging the teen dead on. While Spike received a mild twinge from his chip, James just laughed his fool head off till he was crying with pain.
"You remind me so much of the nibblet, such a pain in the arse. But I just don't want you to meet Harmony... I just don't know why I put up with that pathetic bint"
Buffy had gathered up Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya short notice. Giles was still there so he was 'bought and paid for'; while everyone else was just glad that Riley had left town for a few days
"So what's wrong Buffster?" Xander asked, lounging back.
"Everything" Buffy gripped. "I just found out that there is a crazy hell goddess out to get my sister, because she's not really my sister, but a mystical key that was sent to me for protection and Spike's little brother just moved to town"
With the last bit out, chaos erupted. Dawn wasn't even a thought as her friends launched into frantic conversation about their resident vampire's younger sibling.
"Spike has a brother? How's that possible?" Xander shouted.
"But if he had a brother, that would make him ancient or a vampire. Is he a vampire?" Anya added.
"Oh, no this kid is human" Buffy confirmed.
"That can't be right" Willow mussed. "I don't know of any spell that could do something like that"
"What about Religieux Jointif?" Tara whispered.
The chatter suddenly died.
"That's what Spike said" Buffy remembered. "And his brother said that he was an immortal human"
"Then – then that would make sense" Tara smiled. "The spiritual joining of two or more individuals that form a bond that can only be broken by a true death. If what you are saying is true, then when Spike was sired, his brother sorta came along for the ride"
"So that means?" Xander questioned the blond witch.
"It means – " Buffy started. "That Spike's brother is human with the strengths and gifts of a vampire, with out the curse of being one"
"Basically he'd be like an immortal male slayer?" Anya asked puzzled.
"Oh dear"
They turned to face Giles who had now only made himself know. He had an old book, the one that he had showed Buffy about Dawn's keyness, and was thoroughly rubbing his glasses. That was not a good sign.
"Giles, what is it?"
"You said that Spike has a younger brother?" the watcher asked.
"Yes. His name is James" Buffy replied. "But what's wrong?"
"Well it appears that I was wrong about Dawn in a sense" he sighed looking down at the open book. "The text here speaks of a splitting of the key – creating two halves; the side of Light and the side of Darkness. One was sent to you Buffy, the side of Light in the form of your sister Dawn"
"Sure you already told me about that"
"Well apparently the other half was sent to the past"
"So...?"
"So that means that we have another key Buffy. From what you have just been discussing, proves that the other side was sent to a vampire. It appears that Spike is somehow a champion, because Spike is the protector of the side of Darkness"
Hey, what'd ya think? I know that I might be rushing things a bit fast right now, but I plan to slow down in a bit. Also James will be explianed in more detail in the chapters to come. Please review. Later!
Buffy stared dumbly at the two brothers who looked at her with identical smirks. A brother, who could Spike have a brother? This just wasn't right; too much was on her plate right now.
"Your brother?"
"A bit dim an't she?" James smiled.
"That may be kid, but she packs quite the punch – I should know. Maybe we should go and let the slayer catch flies with that open yap. I have a okay crypt on the other side of town" Spike grinned back and they turned to leave.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Buffy shouted after them, causing the two to stop. "I want an explanation. What does spiritually joined mean? What is going on here? I know that I have enough on my plate, but this is something I need to know, now"
James sighed and looked over at his brother. Spike nodded, so the eternal teen went on to grant her wishes.
"Where should I start slayer"
"How about the begging"
"Sure pet, the begging. Well I'm sixteen years old, but if you want more, you could that I really am one hundred and twenty one. When Drusilla sired William here in 1880, I experienced a strange change. I didn't know what it was and at the time I didn't really care, all I cared about was that my brother came home safe. Then William did come home. He then went and sired our mother, whom had been dreadfully ill for the last few years. He was still so human, even though he had become a demon. He still loved her"
He gave Buffy a few minutes to process what he had just told her before he continued.
"But mum didn't of course, she was a true demon. He staked her because he knew the horrid truth that she wasn't his caring mother any more. Anyway that was when he noticed that I had witnessed it all. Drusilla attacked me, but I was able to defend myself against her. She knew that there was something special about me, so she said the stars shown upon the both of us. To be spiritually joined is a spell that takes the power of a person or being's soul. Our parents did this for us when I was born – premature, they knew that William could save me if our spirits were joined. So there you have it slayer. I have all the powers of a vampire, with no part of the curse. I can walk in daylight, don't need to drink blood, don't age and I won't die unless someone kills me"
Buffy was silent and they both knew that the slayer was really having a hard time taking it all in. after a pregnant pause, she finally found her voice in which to speak with.
"I'll have to tell the others"
"Oh great, so you're going to call in the good ship Scooby to keep tabs to my brother?" Spike mocked angrily.
"I didn't know I was so special," James added. "Come on William, I think we should leave before she pops"
Now without the interruption, Spike and James left Buffy this time standing alone as they walked away down the deserted streets of Sunnydale. The slayer watched their retreating forms until they were out of sight and then decided it would be best to go back to the Magic Box and call the gang.
"You are so smitten for her bro"
"What? How dare you say that!"
"If you could still blush Will, you'd be redder then a beat"
"You'll be living with me, so shut your mouth"
James and Spike entered the graveyard that housed Spike's crypt in silence minutes later and James snickered when the lights were finally turned on.
"Well I see that you have the telly – you still into Passions?"
Spike just growled at his brother, so wanting to smack him upside the head, but not wanting to experience to pain of it.
"So what kinda mess did you get into this time James. I know that your human and all, most of the vamps around here are stupid. What did you do that caused that gang to attack you?"
"Same old. Met an annoying girl, she blew me off, kicked a couple trash cans, one of those cans hit a feeding party, the pray got away, so I was to become their substitute dinner" James sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Well you don't really expect me to take care of you now do you?" Spike finally asked the one question that had been on his mind since James had shown up.
"Not really. I need a place to live and a guardian to meet with the Social Worker every two months, but all in all, I should say yes"
"That's going to turn out well. As you see, I live in a graveyard, I have to annoy the slayer and her friends to get blood and then I have to help then kill demons in order to vent my rage and steal money"
"Why do you need to get blood from them?" James asked, now curious to why his vicious older vampire brother would need to go to a slayer for blood.
"Bloody commando boy rammed an electronic behavior chip into my head that sends shock waves through my brain every time I inflict pain upon a human. I've been de-fanged, can't kill for my food any more"
"You mean those sodding pillocks took away your pride? Damn them to hell!"
"Thanks, at lest someone is on my side. There comes time that I so want to pound on the slayer's whelp, but I don't want the massive migraines"
"I still think that you're smitten for her"
"Bite you tongue boy! I can't seem to stop the dreams, they're driving my crazy!"
"Ooh, tell me"
"Not on you life! God, I'm stuck with a kid that'll be stuck in his hormone crazed teens for eternity"
"Don't you just love it?"
Spike growled again and then tossed a pillow at James's head, paging the teen dead on. While Spike received a mild twinge from his chip, James just laughed his fool head off till he was crying with pain.
"You remind me so much of the nibblet, such a pain in the arse. But I just don't want you to meet Harmony... I just don't know why I put up with that pathetic bint"
Buffy had gathered up Willow, Tara, Xander and Anya short notice. Giles was still there so he was 'bought and paid for'; while everyone else was just glad that Riley had left town for a few days
"So what's wrong Buffster?" Xander asked, lounging back.
"Everything" Buffy gripped. "I just found out that there is a crazy hell goddess out to get my sister, because she's not really my sister, but a mystical key that was sent to me for protection and Spike's little brother just moved to town"
With the last bit out, chaos erupted. Dawn wasn't even a thought as her friends launched into frantic conversation about their resident vampire's younger sibling.
"Spike has a brother? How's that possible?" Xander shouted.
"But if he had a brother, that would make him ancient or a vampire. Is he a vampire?" Anya added.
"Oh, no this kid is human" Buffy confirmed.
"That can't be right" Willow mussed. "I don't know of any spell that could do something like that"
"What about Religieux Jointif?" Tara whispered.
The chatter suddenly died.
"That's what Spike said" Buffy remembered. "And his brother said that he was an immortal human"
"Then – then that would make sense" Tara smiled. "The spiritual joining of two or more individuals that form a bond that can only be broken by a true death. If what you are saying is true, then when Spike was sired, his brother sorta came along for the ride"
"So that means?" Xander questioned the blond witch.
"It means – " Buffy started. "That Spike's brother is human with the strengths and gifts of a vampire, with out the curse of being one"
"Basically he'd be like an immortal male slayer?" Anya asked puzzled.
"Oh dear"
They turned to face Giles who had now only made himself know. He had an old book, the one that he had showed Buffy about Dawn's keyness, and was thoroughly rubbing his glasses. That was not a good sign.
"Giles, what is it?"
"You said that Spike has a younger brother?" the watcher asked.
"Yes. His name is James" Buffy replied. "But what's wrong?"
"Well it appears that I was wrong about Dawn in a sense" he sighed looking down at the open book. "The text here speaks of a splitting of the key – creating two halves; the side of Light and the side of Darkness. One was sent to you Buffy, the side of Light in the form of your sister Dawn"
"Sure you already told me about that"
"Well apparently the other half was sent to the past"
"So...?"
"So that means that we have another key Buffy. From what you have just been discussing, proves that the other side was sent to a vampire. It appears that Spike is somehow a champion, because Spike is the protector of the side of Darkness"
Hey, what'd ya think? I know that I might be rushing things a bit fast right now, but I plan to slow down in a bit. Also James will be explianed in more detail in the chapters to come. Please review. Later!