Author's Note: Other than the characters this story uses very little from Buffy, Angel or Highlander. I don't believe you need to know anything about these series in order to enjoy the story.
PART I:
They circled, distorted reflections of one another, like images you might see in a fun-house mirror where you are fatter or thinner or wavy like a Ruffles potato chip. His platinum hair reflected her platinum hair. Her black leather coat reflected his black leather coat. He smirked; she smirked. But where she could see her movements mirrored in blue eyes; he couldn't see his at all. He had the slight advantage in height but she had the sword. She was an immortal; he was a vampire.
Spike's intuition told him she was an ally but knew it wasn't necessarily true. Her sure, competent moves and confident smirks were kindling sparks of lust throughout his body. She could feel it too--the pulse beating between them. She wasn't letting it affect her proficiency by a whit. She was making him hop in self-defense and she was deadly serious.
'What the hell.' He hoped the throbbing in his groin wasn't affecting his judgement too much.
"Here now. This isn't how it looks. I'm one of the good guys." Spike wiped the blood from his mouth and attempted to gain a little distance.
"Mmhmm." Amanda followed, keeping him in range of her sword but not immediately pressing the attack, "I believe you."
She smiled with sweet sincerity, whirled and sent the blade slicing toward his neck.
Earlier that morning.
Spike's nose wasn't being titillated.
The night was almost day and the scent of eggs and sizzling bacon should be flirting with his nose. He should be hearing doors. Screen doors banging, garage doors cranking open and car doors slamming shut. He should be seeing people, joggers huff-and-puffing around the block, youngsters hurling newspapers, residents dressed in nightclothes scurrying to pick them up. Squirrels skittered up and down the bark of the oak trees that lined the street. Birds sang, "Morning! Awake! Fly!" but dogs weren't barking and cats weren't meowing plaintively as they pranced around their food bowls. People weren't pacing from room to room, singing in their showers or rustling newspapers as they inhaled their breakfasts.
Spike smelled nothing, heard nothing, saw nothing indicative of human life. Houses stood silent. Lawns spoke of abandonment, choking on dandelions, sputtering with overgrowth and coughing up over the sidewalk. The neighborhood wheezed with must and dust.
And it smelled of blood.
For hours, Spike had walked the shadows that wove up and down and around the homes. He'd peered through windows and seen neat, tidy rooms, haphazardly dusted, showing only the bare bones of occupation. Not abandoned, not lived in, just occupied. He hadn't seen a single, living person. He hadn't seen anyone.
He and Dru had frequently set up in houses like this while they rested from extensive travel or healed wounds taken in battle. He knew how middle-class American neighborhoods should look, should sound, should smell. And this was no middle-class American neighborhood. The faint but persistent smell of blood battered his nerves, sent thrills of alarm from the back of his neck down to his fingertips and to the tips of his toes.
That blasted soul of his harped at him like the robot from 'Lost In Space', "Danger! Danger! Must Save!"
He just wanted a decent fight. He'd come across a corpse, an obvious vampire leftover and followed the trail left by the bloodsucker, hoped it'd be a bruiser, capable of putting up a rousing defense. Instead he'd found a mystery.
Bugger.
Spike considered smashing his fist through the window just to feel the glass break. He was not a mystery-type guy. Give him deeds of daring, damsels in distress, all the clichés that came with being a hero. That was the life. Mysteries meant research, patience, boredom.
Spike tried convincing himself that he could just leave. 'Morning's breaking and all. Can't stay.'
He pulled the folding knife out of his pocket, tried to release the blade, and swore. Evidently permanent lubrication mixed with the slime from a Chaos demon wasn't permanent any more.
Balls. Forget to clean up after a fight just once ...
Damn soul was painful in ways he hadn't yet begun to imagine. Vampires didn't worry about clean up. Period.
Vampires took what they needed, used it and discarded it when they were through. Now his soul bit at him when he stole unnecessarily and money was hard to come by. Had to take care of what he had and wasn't that a royal pain in the buttocks. Wasn't like this was a fine blade--just a little pocket affair. Shouldn't require maintenance.
Well, I tried to have a look-see. Didn't work. No fault if I leave.
The key ring grudgingly opened the knife to his continued efforts.
He forced the blade between the window and sill, jerking it in and out. Bits of paint and wood and accumulated crud twirled and collapsed in little piles on the sill.
His patience frayed as much effort produced little result. The knife was just too short. He thought regretfully of the weapons and tools that had been available at Wolfram & Hart. Water over the bridge. He had nothing now that would help him pry open the window.
Everyone's probably long dead. Best to just go ... come back tonight.
The window hadn't been opened for years judging from the way it resisted. The blood smell made him hungry, made him antsy. He wanted a fight. His nerves sizzled with impatience but he reined it in.
Think the problem through now. Window stuck that hard is going to screech like a Wahai-loi-oi demon when it opens. Same thing if I pop the frame. Don't want to break the glass--still too much noise. Is there anything 'sides my knife useful for prying it open? He glanced around briefly; all ready knowing nothing was suitable. Right then. Might as well be off.
Blood spurted from his fist as he shattered the window. Sod the noise. He licked at the blood on his hand, used the other to clear glass away so he could brace himself on the sill while he crawled into the house. He wanted to be over the sill and balanced for a fight if anything came running in response to the noise. His entry met no resistance, confirming his suspicion that no human lived here. The house seemed forlorn and empty.
Not empty. He heard the whisper of a sword whiffling through the air.
He dodged her thrusts, blocked her kicks, and moved away as she came at him. Now this was fun. She was saucy, savage and striking - he liked that in a lady.
"Hey! You said you believed me! I'm one of the white hats."
"I lied." Amanda's sword whistled through the air with a power that belied her slight frame.
Spike ducked and rolled beneath a nearby table, sprang to his feet, and acquired a chair. He was momentarily undecided - throw it or keep it as a shield. He appreciated his opponent's efficient moves. He knew about immortals; had fought them in the past. Knew they didn't have vampire strength but would only die when their heads went flying from their bodies. Knew the older ones were fantastic warriors. Immortals spent vast amounts of time trying to kill one another--the old ones had to be good or they would be dead. The warrior confronting him wasn't ancient, but he smelled age in her blood--she was good.
He wanted to make her fear for her life. He wanted to see her leaping, thrusting, her body gliding smoothly from one stance to the next, the sheen of sweat shining on her skin. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to meet her in ferocious battle. He wanted to taste the power in her blood.
He decided the chair was best used as a shield.
Amanda moved toward him. Spike moved in tandem, keeping the distance.
"I know it looks bad, but it's my own blood. See." He waved his bloodied fist to show his wounds. He realized, ruefully, they had healed; he was just flashing a blood-splattered hand.
Balls." He stumbled, fetched up against a footstool, but used the downward momentum to send a cabinet crashing in front of her.
She jumped out of the way easily "Vampires can't wear white hats. They don't fit. Blood ... vamp coming in the window...no people. That doesn't add up to good guy by any math I ever learned."
He grabbed his chair again, keeping it in front of himself as gained his feet. If the sword stuck in the wood, she would be vulnerable for precious seconds. She was good--she'd know that, he'd take advantage of it. They had homed into each other's movements, reading cues from the slightest twitch of the eye, each anticipating where the other would go. No longer mirroring each other they now moved as one, locked together in their steps as surely as if they were touching. Spike realized he was breathing in the same rhythm she was.
"Right, I came in the window ... you know anything about vamps, you know I can't do that unless the owners are already dead."
"Unless you got an invitation earlier...came back later. Sneaking in to take them out one by one, taking your time to give each one a nice, slow death."
Bugger, she did know vamps.
"You saw me come in the window--all this noise we're making...the owners are already dead or they'd have called the cops. Besides, I've got a soul. Don't do that kind of thing anymore."
Amanda's sure glide hitched for the briefest of seconds. "Which one are you then?"
"What?" Spike hadn't expected the question.
"Which souled vampire are you. Only two I know of."
"Right. Spike and Angel. I'm Spike."
Amanda stopped but didn't lower her sword. "Anyone could use their names. Give me more reason to believe you."
Spike ripped a leg off the chair, sent it hurling in Amanda's direction. She ducked as he knew she would and the vampire creeping slowly behind her burst into showers of ash.
"Will that do?"
"It's a start."
Part II
"So you're snooping about hoping to find a trace of the immortals--Rusty and Martin--that have gone missing?" Spike drawled his words, slid his tongue over his teeth. He slouched against the kitchen wall, draping himself into Spike-seductive pose No. 3 - guaranteed to lure women, young and old, into his waiting arms.
He was distracted, aroused by the blood in the air, by the scent of her blood, her sex, her arousal. He had enjoyed the fight but was frustrated, feeling hamstrung by the soul, unable to fully participate in the violence. Vampires didn't have adrenalin; they didn't need it. The same magic that allowed them to exist, to fuck, to procreate, acted to give them the rush when bloodshed, sex or mayhem was in the air. His nerves were jangling.
He knew he should pay more attention to his surroundings; he was in a dangerous situation but he found it difficult to focus on anything but Amanda. She had been aroused by their fight as well--her scent, her breathing, her coy looks told him so. They were both jittery, their concentration like their blood, settling below their belts.
"Yes, Restick and Martin--but I'm checking out anything that looks interesting." Her eyes danced beneath lowered lashes.
His heart didn't thump but other portions of his anatomy did. He moved closer until he stood over her. They were mirroring one another again--heads tilting, eyes sparking and lips smiling hungry smiles that asked to be kissed away.
"That so...and you found anything that needs further exploration?"
"Oh definitely ... rigorous probing... you found anything?"
"Yeah ... found something...needs deep.."
They both jumped when the front door slammed open.
"What the hell is taking you so long?" said a voice. Footsteps pounded in their direction.
"Shit!" "Bugger!" They swore under their breath.
Even though morning was well underway, the shady trees and overcast skies were evidently allowing vampires to move about freely if they were prepared to dodge random sunbeams.
Moving quickly but silently Amanda grabbed her sword, Spike the chair. He positioned it so he could easily snap off another leg but waited for his moment, not wanting to alert the intruder. He pointed his chin to the other side of the kitchen door. Amanda understood and moved without sound, lithe and deadly. Spike approved. He wanted to take care of this berk and move on to more important matters.
He slid into gameface.
"Harvey! Where are you?"
The intruder barely cleared the door before Amanda had one arm behind his back and her sword at his throat. The vamp snarled, his yellow eyes blazing but he didn't fight. Spike could see him taking in his situation. The vamp wasn't much taller than Amanda, but his girth was considerable--he might have tried to throw her off if it weren't for the wooden chair leg that Spike held over his heart.
"Who the hell are you?" The vamp held his free arm up, palm out in a gesture of submission.
"What do you want?"
"Your bloody, painful death. Whaddya got that we might want more?"
"Give me a break. I just came to see what my buddy was up to"
'You aren't going to try and convince us that you're just a friendly visitor and Shirley Temple would feel right at home here, are you?" Spike was incredulous.
"Shirley who? " The vamp goggled in bafflement.
Spike snarled and pressed the stake harder. Didn't they teach kids anything these days? Hadn't this bozo ever watched the Movie channel? He hated it when younger vamps made him feel like he wasn't up with the times. Judging by the thin line of blood at the vamp's throat, Amanda had similar feelings.
"I want to know what's up with the empty houses and why the bloody hell I smell blood!"
Amanda said, "Where are Restick and Martin"
"With Shirley?"
"Spike, can I remove his head?"
"If you can do it before I get this stake all the way in."
"Wait, wait, wait. I don't know any Shirley or Rusty or Martin, honest. But I can tell you about the empty houses."
"And the people. You can tell us about the missing people."
"Sure, I can do that."
"Here's the thing. I think you're a sniveling, lying pipsqueak who's going to try and string us along until someone comes looking for you. Only they'll be more careful since two of you have gone missing. That means we're in kind of a hurry. So this is the deal. I really want to kill you. I really do."
The vamp screamed as Spike began pushing wood into flesh.
"Oh come on. I know what this feels like. You younger vamps have got no stamina."
"Please, man, don't kill me."
"Well, as I was saying. I do want to kill you - so I'm going to push this stake in very slowly until you tell us something we want to hear. You have until I reach your heart."
Spike pushed harder. "Better talk fast."
"All right! All right! Stop!" The vamp grabbed Spike's wrists and tried to push his hands away. He was frantic as he discovered he might as well have been pushing on stone.
"Stop!"
"Not saying what I want to hear."
"WE'RE HOLDING THESE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T DIE PRISONER AND WE'RE USING THEIR IDENTITIES AND BUYING THESE HOMES AND WE'RE LIVING OFF THEIR BLOOD!"
Spike blinked and drew back the stake. "That was too easy. I'm truly ashamed for you, Mate. Appalled even."
Amanda stirred impatiently. "Where are the immortals being held prisoner?"
"Immortals?"
Spike brightened and slammed the stake back into place. "That's the idea! Toy with us a bit. Show us you're a man--well, a vamp."
"THIRD HOUSE ON THE LEFT! THE GREEN ONE. 101 SW.."
Amanda cut off his head, turning her own to avoid the dust. Spike took a face-full, choking and sputtering as he attempted to stop his breathing and talk at the same time.
"Hey! I wasn't through with him yet!"
"You said it. Someone else will be coming soon. We need to get the lay of the land and figure out how many vamps we're up against. Besides I was tired of breathing BO."
"You could have given me a little warning. Don't have to breath but a snoot full of vamp dust is still uncomfortable!" Spike's pout was adorable even in gameface.
Amanda smiled and patted him on the back. "Poor baby! Is the poor little vampire all choked up? Maybe you better stay here while I go fight the big bad monsters."
Spike snarled. "You're just afraid I'll get more of them than you will."
"You don't even have a sword."
"I don't need a sword. I always have my weapon handy."
"Yeah," Amanda's eyes narrowed and she pointedly stared at his groin, "I was noticing that earlier."
Spike grinned, sliding his tongue across jagged vampire teeth, "That was only the teaser. You haven't seen the full..." he broke off as Amanda slowly ran a finger along the tip of one of his fangs.
"They're very sharp. Like little daggers." Her eyes were dilated and Spike could hear her heartbeat speeding up, smell her arousal.
"Penetrating..."
They both jumped at the sound of footsteps pounding up the sidewalk.
"Thought you said the next batch would be more careful."
"What can I say? Not all vampires hold to my high standards."
"Sounds like there are more this time. Can you go outside?"
"I can if they can. Long as the sun stays behind the clouds and I stay in the shade."
"Spike snapped off the remaining chair legs. "There's three of them. We planning on asking any more questions?"
"Nah. I'd rather trust my scouting abilities. Let's dust 'em and go do some sleuthing."
Spike nodded agreement but thought privately that sleuthing wasn't really what he had in mind. "Let them all in. We don't want any of them taking off and sounding the alarm."
Amanda made a face at him. "Who died and made you boss?" She took her place beside the kitchen door.
Spike laughed silently. "Don't worry. I know when to take command and when to do what I'm told...so long as I want to do what I'm told ... I'm betting you can make me want to." His voice was pitched low and it wasn't only to avoid being overheard. His head tilted as he burned his gaze into hers.
"Harvey! Jed!"
Spike and Amanda sighed without sound and turned to business.
Spike felt contempt and anger. The vamps acted secure even knowing that three of their nest were missing. They trod through the house without trying to hide their presence. Spike thought of the things he could be getting up to with Amanda. Something was already up and it was getting damned impatient. A good fight would have made for interesting foreplay but this was just going to be a slaughter. His grip on the makeshift stakes tightened as he steeled himself to wait until the trio entered the kitchen.
Spike burst through the doorway as the first vamp drew near and drove the chair leg into her heart with deadly accuracy. The vamp was dust before she knew what was happening. Spike thought he heard a squawk of protest from Amanda but he was too busy sliding across the kitchen table to be sure. Vamp No. 2 wasted time gawking in surprise and was easily knocked off his feet. Spike was over him and had the second stake planted within seconds. He surged to his feet and swung around to find the third vampire but saw Amanda standing in a cloud of dust and relaxed.
He was surprised when Amanda spun and placed her sword at his throat.
"Hey!"
"Wait until they're all in. That was the plan."
Bugger. She was in a snit.
"Well, yeah ... I got tired of waiting."
"I can't fight with you at my back if I have to guess what you're going to do."
Spike glowered but her argument had merit. He'd learned to let Buffy take the lead when he fought with her. Buffy didn't trust him with her back until he had. But Amanda wasn't Buffy. He felt the sword cutting ever so slightly into his flesh. She was quite the lady though.
"Was only three vamps."
"Not the point. If I'd known we were going for the attack I would have been ready."
"You did just fine ... " Spike started to purr at her but was cut off as she increased the pressure at his throat.
"Not-the-point. If we go into this together I call the shots from here on out, you follow orders and you don't get creative."
Spike grinned and narrowed his eyes, easing himself into Spike-seductive pose #1, shifting slightly so Amanda could feel the swelling at his groin. "Can promise the first two, love, but you'd be missing out if I didn't get creative. I can be very creative."
Amanda gaze softened, the pressure let up somewhat. She shook her head.
"We can't do this now. Promise me I can trust you to be where I expect you to be and let's go kick some butt."
Spike reined in his lust, and stared clearly into her eyes. "I promise."
She stared back. "All right. Let's go boogie."
He'd have to travel five houses down. Spike studied the sky, took note of the trees and shade cast by the houses.
"I'm going to have to go in from behind the fence. It's the same route they'd have to take. This is a pretty sloppy lot. If we walk in like we belong there's a good chance they'll assume we're the lost sheep coming home and we can take them before they realize what's happening."
Amanda shook her head. "That's assuming everyone is in the same place. We don't have any idea how many we're up against. How well known are you?"
"You thinking I could walk in, act like I wanted in on their little homemade meals?"
"Would it work?"
"Might. I'll tell 'em I met Harvey, we're old friends, and he sent me over. Won't work for long, though. They've got a good thing going. Won't want to share."
"You find out what you can. I'll prowl around outside and see what I can find out. Are they likely to have guards?" Amanda tucked her sword into its sheath. Spike watched appreciatively.
"Doubt it. Our victims walked about like they owned the place. They aren't expecting trouble. You going to need me to let you in?"
"No. Once I get the lay of the land I'll find a way in. If I think we can't take them I'll come to the door and we can run for it. Otherwise, when you hear the sound of fighting you take out the vamps in your way and come join the fun."
"What are we waiting for?" Spike didn't think it sounded like the best plan but it should lead to fighting and if he wasn't going to fuck then he really wanted to fight.
He gave Amanda a few minutes to get out of sight and headed for the house.
Part III:
The sun viciously chose to peek out a moment before he reached the door giving his entrance a touch of real emergency that probably helped to allay suspicions.
"Hello all. Harvey sent me over. Said he'd be here in a tic but looks like the sun's come out to play."
Spike felt a moment of despair. The five vamps that stared dumbly at their new guest reeked of stupidity. Not one had moved out of place.
Would he ever get a decent fight?
His potential foes certainly didn't impress. A redheaded girl with a face full of freckles sat next to a boy on the couch, thighs and shoulders touching, their hands entwined as though they were lovers. They looked to be about sixteen. Spike suspected they were about sixteen.
Another sprat with mean, piggy eyes sprawled in a reclining chair, legs flapping over the side. He was in command of the TV remote, obviously relishing his power as he flipped through the channels. The last two were lying on the floor, pushed up on elbows to face the Remote Commander, complaining loudly about his television choices.
"Harvey's not supposed to be inviting people over," said the Remote Commander disinterestedly.
"Edgar's gonna be pissed."
"Ah, well. Old friends, Harvey n me."
The vamps stared at Spike as though he had two heads.
"Harvey tells me you got a good thing going on here. Renewable food source, tasty stuff. Promised me a treat I wouldn't forget." Spike noticed that Miss Freckles and her boyfriend were making out. Not fair.
"Yah, well Harvey was supposed to bring back one of the snacks that was alive. Both ours have died again so nobody's getting no treats until he gets back." Remote Commander lost interest in Spike and went back to channel flipping.
Spike smiled stiffly and rubbed his hands in simulated interest. "Well, I'm really looking forward to trying out some of this special brew. You got anymore? One the houses nearby? I could make a dash for it if they're not too far away."
"Harvey's got the keys. You couldn't get the cell doors open." One of the vamps on the floor began sucking loudly on his teeth. Each slimy, sucking sound made Spike's nerves jangle as though he had been struck.
Spike swore to himself. This was like pulling teeth and not nearly as fun.
"Well this looks like a lovely place. How many of you are there all told?"
Remote Commander eyed him with malice, "Look, I'm kinda busy here. You got questions, leave them for Harvey."
Spike bit his tongue. "Yeah, I can see you're busy. Maybe I should introduce myself to Edgar. Where might he be." Maybe he should just ask these morons to stake themselves. They were stupid enough; they might do it.
"Back bedroom with Anna, last I seen him. You don't wanna go in there." Remote Commander didn't bother looking at Spike as he answered. He was surprised when Spike's hands wrapped around his head.
"Thanks for the warning, Mate," Spike said just before he pulled the head from its shoulders. The TV remote clattered on the floor, covered in dust.
With shouts of alarm the two vamps on the floor jumped to their feet. Spike grabbed their collars before they made it all the way up, slamming their heads together with a crash, and dropped their unconscious bodies back to the floor.
He swung around to face Miss Freckles and friend only to see them dashing out the door. The sun was well and truly up and he saw their dust swirling in the light. They couldn't have been more than sixteen. He doubted they had been vamps for more than a day or two. So much for eternal life.
He broke the legs off the coffee table and staked the unconscious vamps and kept an eye out for anyone who might have heard their cries. He went through all of the wooden furniture in the room, snapped off the legs and created a stockpile of weapons. He placed them in his pockets. He was really being hell on furniture today.
When he was sure that no one was coming, he shook his head. How had this lot survived long enough to set up a deal this sweet? The vamps he had just killed were so dim it was criminal. There had to be a brain behind this somewhere.
Amanda should have been here by now. He couldn't just stand here and wait for something to happen. He shrugged his shoulders. What difference would it make whether he was in the living room or not? He set off to find the back bedroom, Anna and Edgar.
He assumed this was the back bedroom since it was the only room with two vampires rutting away on the bed.
Tilting his head in amusement he watched the action. He doubted he would have found it titillating under normal circumstances but he was honed to a sharp edge. Grass growing was enough to make him horny at the moment.
This was Edgar? You could never go by appearance and some guys never learned how to pleasure a woman, but Edgar had the moves of a young stud with the experience to believe himself God's gift to women without actually having much experience at all. Anna was moaning in pleasure, but Spike would have bet good money that she was faking it.
Bored, Spike grabbed an exceedingly startled Edgar by the hair and dragged him off the bed. He slammed him up against the wall, and perched one of his crude stakes against the vampire's chest.
"Hey!"
"Don't hurt him!"
Spike was sure of it now. Whoever was behind this didn't want any competition. He was turning youngsters, tadpoles trembling on the brink of adulthood. Minions that wouldn't give him any trouble. He felt disgust. Even as his soul sent waves of angst through his body, there was part of him that applauded wise planning. It didn't pay to trust your minions.
"Where are the other keys?"
"What keys?" Edgar's eyes twitched.
Spike snorted. "Don't even try." He hoped Edgar wouldn't hold out. There was no fun in torturing the hopeless. If he'd been doing his job he might have stumbled on this sooner--Edgar and Anna might have been making out in the back of their car or visiting with their college mates. Too late now. They were just another pair of vamps. Killers.
Spike slid into gameface and snarled horribly, breathing heavily into Edgar's face and pressing down on the stake.
"Where--are--the--keys."
"I-in the kitchen. Left hand drawer." Edgar saw his death but gave up the information hoping without hope it would be enough to save him.
Spike threw him on top of Anna, taking them both out with the same stake so neither would see the other die.
Spike's mood was growing increasingly worse. He still hadn't heard Amanda and he didn't like killing children--vampire or not. It wouldn't have bothered him that long ago. He thought maybe the soul was working on him--making him softer.
He retraced his steps to the living room. Maybe Amanda had come in. He sped up--if she had and he wasn't there...
She stood over one of the piles of dust, a desolate look on her face. Light from the lamp gleamed where a tear trailed down her face. Spike felt a pang. He'd expected anger not sorrow. He'd really screwed up. He brought his arguments to mind but decided he wouldn't use them. He'd left because he was looking for a fight. He hadn't discovered this place sooner and people had died, he hadn't stuck with the plan when he'd promised--he deserved what Amanda was going to dish out.
Amanda smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling with concealed emotion when he entered the room. "I thought you were dead. I saw all this dust where you promised you'd be, and I thought you were dead."
Spike knew it was coming but he didn't duck when Amanda expertly applied her fist to his nose. Why did women always go for his nose?
They found the keys and headed for the basement to look for prisoners. Amanda had her arm wrapped around his and she was clinging tightly. It would interfere with their ability to fight if they came across more vamps but Spike wasn't complaining. She'd scolded him thoroughly, in no uncertain terms, leaving Spike in awe of a vocabulary gained over decades of living. He'd been uncertain at first, believing he had destroyed any chance of trust but once she run out of steam, she'd let him off the hook.
"I'm never going to be able to trust you to stay out of trouble, am I?"
"No, but that means you know where you stand."
"Twisted vampire logic, but I'll go with it for now. Let's go a-rescuing."
They moved two temporarily dead immortals to the bedroom, making them more comfortable in case they should arise before Spike and Amanda got back. Amanda doubted they would.
She explained the delay. When she had circled the house she had seen a couple of vamps feeding through the window of the house next door. She had gone over and rescued the victim, Enrique. After Amanda had stopped his bleeding she'd returned to see how Spike was doing. She hadn't actually expected him to be in the living room after she'd been gone for so long but when she'd seen the dust and hadn't heard any fighting she'd assumed the worst.
"Evidently, this has been going on for some time. A couple of vampires stumbled across a watcher's journals. They learned about the challenges, how an immortal is vulnerable after killing another immortal, stupefied by the immersion of power they gain from the quickening. They had names, places to start. They began following immortals, waiting out the fight and taking the victor prisoner when he lay stunned afterwards."
"What's with the neighborhood take-over?"
"The vamps wanted some place they could keep the prisoners. Immortals always have several identities, bank accounts in various places. They used the funds to buy up houses in the neighborhood under different names, and bit by bit, scared the other inhabitants into selling. If anyone had investigated they might have noticed an unusual number of sales but everything looked legal and above board."
Spike whistled. "Sweet set-up. Going sour somehow, though. All the vamps here were new-turned. No expertise, no brains. They've been hunting and none too carefully. Led me right here. Didn't give you much trouble finding it, either."
"Enrique thinks they've been turning too many vamps. Even with the renewable food supply there isn't enough for everyone. They go out hunting in the nearby neighborhoods and they're still bringing in new recruits even though they can't feed what they already have."
"I'm thinking something happened to the original brains behind the plan. Falling out maybe and some of the young studs thinking they could hold it together. All spoon-fed since they been turned and no clue what the dangers really are. Fledges are a pretty stupid lot. Takes a decade or two before they grow a brain and most of em don't make it."
"Well, that's just as well. It sounds like there are a lot of them throughout the neighborhood. We'll have to go house by house. Or I will. Sun's out so I guess you'll have to wait here."
"Nah. Houses are close enough together. I'll keep my coat over my head and make a dash for it. I didn't think to try earlier but I suspect the doors are unlocked."
Amanda laughed. "It almost seems like cheating to go through the door."
Spike smiled. He was going to get a fight--at last. And afterwards ...
Amanda ran a finger across one of Spike's fangs and smiled a promise before she turned and went through the door.
Spike's eyes glowed as he wrapped his coat over his head and dashed behind her.
Spike wouldn't consider this one of his more glorious fights. Too damn many fledges. His soul wasn't supposed to tweak when he was killing bad guys. After a while he tuned it out in favor of watching Amanda. Now she was glorious, a whirligig of motion, plying her sword as easily as if it were an extension of her hand.
Spike found a sword, a cheap replica, but sharp enough and he matched her frenzy as they moved like clockwork, sweeping through the house. Splitting up would have been faster but Spike felt as though they were tied somehow. He couldn't bear to be out of her sight. Vaguely, he noticed they had begun to mirror one another again. She swept her sword to the left; he swept his to the right. They moved in circles back to back. Smiles of almost manic ferocity lit their faces. She slashed her weapon through the neck of the last vamp and turned to Spike, her eyes glowing almost as brightly as his. They crashed together as though they were magnets, irresistibly pulled together. The fact that they still held their swords as they fumbled at each other just increased the intensity of their passion. The incidental wounds were spice to their blood. He poured words like honey into her ear, whispered kisses along her skin. She pulled at his hair and chewed at his neck. All too soon, Amanda pushed him away. Her voice was strangled.
"Not yet. There are more. Take em out before any of em figure out what is going on."
Spike just stared, befuddled with lust and followed behind like a puppet on a string.
They moved from house to house finding it increasingly more difficult to let go of one another and move on after each fight. Spike was shirtless, although he'd kept his coat for his mindless dashes through the sunlight. The burns that spotted his torso were emblems of his carelessness. Pain was just a spur to his bloodlust now. Spike thought the scent of their arousal was probably stupefying the vamps before they even attacked. He was so immersed in bloodlust and longing for Amanda that he no longer cared who he killed. His limbs trembled with fury and exhaustion and suppressed desire. He knew Amanda's were trembling as well; it resonated through him as though they were on alternating frequencies.
Somehow he felt it when Amanda stopped trembling, even though his back was to her at the time. He heard her voice speak softly, "Martin," and he felt her start trembling again but it was different somehow. He turned to see her staring at a mutilated body. The gits had been playing with their food. Spike wished he could kill them all again. He placed his arm around her, holding tight, offering comfort.
Amanda leaned into him for a moment then shook free. "I've got to find them all. Get them medical care, let them know they're free."
Spike snarled in frustration, then shook himself and moved past it. He'd had plenty of lessons in controlling sexual frustration when he was with Buffy.
He went into the bathroom looking for medical supplies.
"You need help getting this lot to Hospital - or wherever you plan on taking them? There's a sewer entrance not far from here."
"No, thanks. I've called for help. They'll bring transportation, supplies." She hesitated. "They'll be here soon."
"Right. Guess this is good-bye then." He looked at her. Buffy was still out there. She had someone else at the moment but he didn't. He didn't want anyone else. But Amanda - he could see them having a grand affair--burning bright and burning out, parting as good friends, they would enjoy that. He could also see them bonding into something more. Amanda was as immortal as he was, as immoral as he was, strong, beautiful, intelligent. Life with her would be exciting, dangerous, tempestuous. That was the life he wanted with Buffy. But he wasn't going to have a life with Buffy.
"There anyway I can get in touch with you," he said, opting to give her the choice--turn away now and never look back, or let the dice roll and see where they fall. He hoped she would say yes. He hoped she wouldn't.
They stared at each other for long moments. Staring into her eyes, he could imagine the thoughts running through her mind as they occurred. He is a vampire. It would be stupid to get involved with a vampire. But God, he's hot...he's dangerous ... he's perfect. What the hell.
She pulled a card from her pocket. "There's a place -Joe's bar. If you happen to be in the neighborhood..."
Spike's smile was almost shy. He took the card.
The End