Title: C6 Freedom
Disclaimer: If you hadn't gathered by now…
Notes: Thanks to SurvivalHorror for the idea of Buffy vs. Pack. I had a vague thought like it and it's just been confirmed!! Ok so it's not a show down cause I don't want to kill anyone and I think that would happen big time if they fought, so more a sort of… well read and find out! 'Hold Me' by Four Star Mary off the album 'Welcome Home' (and yes I'm aware of the irony!).
Asara picked at her bandage, wishing it was off. She was glad that it was smaller than it had been but she still couldn't get around very much and she'd been strictly ordered to stay inside or at least with someone else. I can't even go out and kill things to alleviate my boredom! Thankfully the bandage was limited to one leg now but it still pissed her off more than she let on. Unable to bend her knee and so not walk properly chaffed at her freedom and her leg was heavy and clumsy. Since sex had been allowed back on the menu Asara and Spike had encountered many difficulties. He couldn't put any weight on his injured arm and hand and she couldn't bend her knee which ruled out a lot of positions and just thinking about it was turning Asara on.
"God damn it!" she yelled, hurling her pillow across the room.
"You alright pet?" Spike muttered from his pillow.
"Yeah. This is frustrating as hell you know that?" Asara sighed, still angry.
"I get it," Spike sat up as well. "How long do you reckon?"
"Juidon wants this bandage to stay on for another week," Asara replied.
"Same for my hand," Spike waved the offending limb.
"I don't think my patience is going to wait that long," Asara growled, fingers going back to her leg.
Spike knew he should stop her but he hadn't seen her leg since the fight and he was curious. Plus if she took it off he could take his off as well. Asara had pulled the tape off the top of her leg before she glanced up at Spike, bemused,
"You not gonna stop me?"
"Hell no luv. I want mine off too," Spike told her, setting to work on his.
Asara watched him struggle to do it one handed prior to brushing his fingers away and doing it herself. Spike watched the way Asara gently pulled the strips off and revealed his arm, then hand. Both were very bruised but well on the mend.
"What's the hand like?" Asara asked, knowing pretty much every bone in his hand had been broken.
Spike slowly made a fist, wincing slightly,
"It's stiff."
Asara offered up her own hand,
"Squeeze. That'll be the big test."
Spike braced himself for pain as he took Asara's hand and was glad he had done.
"Bloody hell," he swore.
Asara didn't need to ask.
"My turn," she said turning to her leg.
Spike flexed his injured limb, strengthening it again as he observed Asara undo her bandages. She struggled when they passed her knee and Spike carefully lifted her leg onto his lap and finished the job. Asara leg was heavily bruised as well but she still had faint white scars trailing all over her leg. Both knew they would fade in time but Spike was still shocked at how much damage Asara had sustained and survived. Instinctively Spike bent down and gently kissed her leg. She hissed and he raised his head, eyes questioning. Asara shook her head and lifted her leg bending the knee. Spike watched her bite her lip as the leg rose, foot closing in on her thigh and he knew it hurt her to do it. Then he caught sight of her fingers digging into the bed and knew it hurt a lot more than she letting on.
"Asara stop. You don't need to prove anything," Spike touched her shoulder.
Asara shook her head again and slowly lowered her leg back down. When it reached the bed she let out a pained breath. Spike glared at her, letting her know it was a stupid idea to push herself that far but she glared back.
"You're so stubborn woman," Spike growled.
"Yeah so what you going to do 'bout it?" Asara crossed her arms.
"This," Spike answered before he kissed her.
Asara moaned happily, pulling him in close and deepening the kiss. Spike cupped the back of her head with his bad hand whilst his stronger arm moved Asara into his lap, legs either side of his waist. He broke the kiss,
"This ok?"
Asara lifted her hips experimentally and curled her good leg round behind him. Spike stayed still, good arm bracing her back and he would back off at any minute if Asara couldn't do this. Asara put her hands on his shoulders and grinned,
"Very ok." Then her face changed and her voiced dropped, "I want you Spike. Now!"
Spike groaned and thrust upwards into the tight heat he'd missed.
-
Spike dropped out of the second floor window and landed neatly on the ground outside. Asara followed him, landed on her good leg, wobbled and Spike steady her. Grinning at their success the pair moved silently out onto the street and into Sunnydale proper.
-
"God I've missed this," Spike said, spinning round.
Asara smiled at his exuberance as he bounced around the graveyard, spoiling for a fight and clearly glad not to be housebound anymore. Spike knocked down a crypt door, rushed in and then back out when he found it empty. All he has to do is start singing… Asara thought the instant before Spike broke into 'Hold Me'. Both liked the small American rock band and so Asara joined in, her voice blending well with Spike's but Asara preferred his voice so she changed her throat. Spike paused for the instrumental parts and Asara filled them with the correct noises, scaring Spike the first time but he was soon bouncing enthusiastically.
A vampire heard the noise and ventured over to see what was going on. He got neatly dusted by Spike in time to the music as Asara moved through all the songs on the album. They kept attracting demons this way so the pair kept it up, taking it in turns to kill. Spike was hopping from headstone to headstone when he caught sight of a familiar blonde head.
"Slayer," he muttered.
"Where?" Asara asked from her tomb.
"Coming this way," Spike answered, watching her progress. "I think she's spotted me."
Asara sat up and turned face the direction that Buffy was coming from and hoped they liked each other. Spike may not of admitted it but he missed 'the scoobies' and Asara wanted to combine their two lives so that they got the best of everything. Just a little meeting with the ex-love of Spike's life. Nothing to worry about!
Buffy had indeed caught sight of Spike's bleached head in the moonlight and as she hadn't seen him in nearly a week, was curious to see what he'd been up to. Walking over she was quite close before she noticed the woman sitting next to Spike, watching her approach warily. Buffy could sense that the woman wasn't human and wondered if this was the Asara Spike had talked about.
"Slayer," Spike greeted her before jumping off the grave marker, placing himself between her and Asara.
"Spike where you been?" Buffy asked, ignoring the other woman for the moment.
Asara slid to her feet and limped to Spike's right side, where she waited quietly, watching the Slayer. Spike took her hand and she smiled softly.
"I've been living with Asara. I told you that," Spike answered.
"Yeah but I normally see you skulking around town. No show this last week," Buffy pointed out.
Asara's hand tightened in Spike's when Buffy castigated him but he warned her not to do anything by squeezing back.
"We went away. Family business," Spike waved his hand.
Asara grinned, so happy he thought of the pack as family but Buffy spotted his hand.
"What happened? Run into some demons you owe kittens to or just some humans," Buffy mocked.
Spike growled.
"Oh come on," Buffy laughed. "I noticed her limp as well."
"It's what happens when your species is racist," Asara informed Buffy.
Buffy frowned,
"So who are you then?"
"My name is Asara," Asara nodded, maintaining eye contact.
Spike caught the signs. Asara considered Buffy an equal, an Alpha, a predator but she wasn't frightened by the Slayer. Buffy didn't get the display and continued,
"So you're like that other one I saw?"
"Yimila?" Asara asked, remembering what Spike had told her.
"Sounds bout right," Buffy nodded.
"Not quite. Yimila is a Souswit shifter whilst I'm a D'ewain but we are both pack, family," Asara explained.
Buffy blinked. She hated names but she could deal with violence,
"Let me get this straight. You left on family business so that's pack business and got beaten up by your species?"
"Yeah. We went to a meeting with our pack and the rest of the shifters there objected to Spike being my mate," Asara nodded.
"Whoa. Back up a bit! Mate? Spike? What are you on?" Buffy asked incredulously.
"Yeah Slayer mate. As in for life," Spike answered smugly.
""This is way too weird. I've so got to tell Giles! He'll freak!" Buffy turned on her heel and left.
"What you think luv? What to hear this?" Spike asked turning to Asara.
She snuggled up to him,
"Yeah. I think we night need to explain it again."
"Mmmm," Spike agreed.
He kissed Asara deeply and they stood for a moment, lost in each other before Asara broke free and Spike cleared his throat.
"Right. We'd better be going otherwise we won't get there in bloody time to save our arses," he stepped after the Slayer.
Asara grinned. He was going to be ruing that kiss all evening and Asara was feeling cruel enough at the moment to play on it. Well just until she was just as uncomfortable. Asara caught up with Spike and took his hand, leaning into him to help keep her stride even.
-
"And it's so wiggy Giles. I mean Spike has a mate!"
Asara pushed the door to the Magic Box open so Spike wouldn't have to let go of her hand and they both heard the Slayer's statement.
"Yes thank you Buffy. We heard that the first time," Giles motioned at Buffy to sit down before he turned to the newcomers. "Well I can see that some of the garbled story Buffy has told us is at least true."
Spike sat himself down on the table, feet resting on the bench and Asara sat between them, slightly tense so he rested his hands on her shoulders.
"So the Bleached Wonder has a woman," Xander commented from the other side of the room. "Would have said gotta see it to believe it but now I see it, still not big with the believing."
"Well you'd better start believing whelp," Spike glared at him.
Xander glared back before grinning slightly,
"Alright Spike I'll give you something. You've got great taste in women."
Spike grinned back,
"'Course I have."
Anya looked puzzled,
"Xander you are not looking at another woman. I give you good orgasms."
"Yes Anya," Xander soothed her feelings.
Asara was smiling at the complement but she didn't say anything, just watched the group carefully. Her senses picked up on the power emanating from the two witches in the corner and also took note of the prepared stance that most of the group had fallen into.
"So what's the Slayer mucked up this time Watcher?" Spike asked, casually.
"Buffy was trying to explain why we hadn't seen you in so long. I'm afraid I got lost when she started on the names because I don't believe she was saying them right," Giles sighed.
"Near enough!" Buffy complained. "Asara is a Dewayne and the Ymila is a Sooit."
Giles looked at Spike and Asara.
"Partially right," Asara was hiding her smile at the mispronunciation. "My name is Asara and I'm a D'ewain and Yimila is a Souswit shifter."
"Ahh so you're descended from the Cainemon and Yimila from the Feliemon," Giles understood now.
"Yes. Not many people know the true roots of our heritage," Asara frowned slightly at the man standing opposite her.
"That comes from having ones roots buried in the Watcher tradition," Giles replied and Asara grinned.
"For the less knowable here," Xander held up his hand. "She's what now?"
Spike grinned suddenly, forestalling Giles's answer, and leant forward to whisper in Asara's ear. She listened before shaking her head,
"No my leg is isn't healed enough for that."
"Just the face and hands then," Spike tried.
"Ok that I can do," Asara nodded before standing and turning to the group. "I'm not going the whole hog here. Just a quick preview."
Asara took a deep breath and let go of the control every shifter wore when in other form. She started with her hands, losing the five digits, regaining her normal three and she watched the shock and surprise pass over their faces. Spike grinned at her, liking the consternation she was causing and she shifted her face. Her jaw lengthened and deepened to take the new teeth before the top of her skull pulled back and her ears grew longer, picking up above her hairline.
Buffy had grabbed a dagger when the claws had appeared and now she bounded across to Asara, acting on instinct. Before she got there Spike knocked her aside, growling as his face slipped into its vampire planes and Buffy stood ready against both of them.
"Touch her and I will kill you," Spike swore.
"How? Chip would stop you," Buffy pointed out.
"I'd find a way," Spike said in a low voice.
"I'd dust your ass first," Buffy told him.
"Try it and you're dead," a voice growled.
The group turned their eyes back to Asara who had spoken. She was hunched over, claws out and teeth bared.
"Buffy don't," Giles called out. "D'ewain are known to be very protective and because they are descended from Cainemon they are partially vicious about seeing it through."
Buffy glared at the couple before answering Giles,
"So you're saying she's dangerous?"
"Only to the wrong people," Giles walked towards the three of them. "Asara is simply protecting Spike and he her, which makes me believe they are mates. I have made no threats towards her or Spike so if I…" Giles held out his hand, palm up showing her it was empty.
Asara sniffed it before shifting back into human form and nodding,
"Again you know our customs."
"I think I would worry the younger generation if I'd greeted you properly," Giles smiled slightly.
"Worry us how?" Xander asked. "You gonna sniff butts like dogs do?"
"Xander," Giles warned him.
Asara watched him,
"Your status as Watcher gives you the rank Keeper in my society and you know it."
Giles accepted her point.
"What's a Keeper luv?" Spike asked, moving to her side, face smooth again.
"Elder known to be clever, collector of information. A bit like a human Watcher. Like Juidon Keepers are highly prized because there aren't a lot around," Asara filled him in.
The door burst open.
"Speak of the devil," Spike muttered.
Juidon swept down the steps and angrily attacked her Alphas,
"I've been looking everywhere for you. I told you not to leave and then you leave without telling anyone! Let me see what damage you've done to yourselves."
Asara stepped away from her and spread her hands,
"Juidon. We're sorry. We needed out."
Juidon ignored her as she grabbed Spike and manhandled him into a chair after pulling off his duster. Xander snorted at the 'Big Bad' as he complained but still had to suffer the probing of his arm. Eventually she relented when she found nothing damaged but then she turned on Asara who shook her head.
"Ah ah. Not here," Asara refused to let Juidon take off her jeans. She wasn't bothered by the nakedness but she simply knew Juidon wouldn't find anything and it was hard work getting trousers on.
Juidon frowned and crossed her arms,
"We are going home and I will tie you two to the bed if necessary."
"We can manage that by ourselves," Asara retorted without thinking.
"Anyone else suffer that unwanted mental image?" Buffy asked.
"Right there with you," Willow grimaced.
"Juidon I'd like you to meet some people," Asara interrupted their thoughts by turning Juidon to them. "This is Juidon and she is part of my pack."
"What sort of shifter are you if you don't mind me asking?" Giles questioned.
"Caratter," Juidon answered.
"Equinemon then," Giles said to himself.
Juidon glanced at Asara, surprised at his knowledge but kept quiet as the others introduced themselves. Buffy settled down when Asara and Juidon didn't act threateningly towards her friends and actually began to warm to the new comers. Juidon was fielding a question for the moment and Asara took the opportunity to whisper in Spike's ear,
"I like them."
"Good," Spike kissed her cheek, still listening to Juidon.
"… Alphas are…"
"Alphas?" Giles raised his head sharply.
"Yeah. They are my Alphas," Juidon nodded at the couple.
"You accepted Spike as your Alpha?" Giles frowned.
"Yes," Juidon nodded. "Well our pack did but some of the others didn't."
Asara stiffed in Spike's arms and he thought it was the mention of Wmor so he began stroking her back soothingly but her hand snaked round and stilled his.
"Pet what is it?" Spike asked worried.
Asara sniffed the air and Juidon copied her before they exchanged glances. Standing Asara grabbed Spike's hand and began to pull him towards the front of the shop. Juidon followed them and the rest of the gang frowned at each other confused by the strange behaviour. Spike followed Asara's gaze out the window and snarled when he saw and understood. Asara pulled her coat off and Spike copied her wordlessly before they filed out the shop.
"What is going on?" Buffy asked of Juidon's back as she stood in the doorway, clutching her Alphas coats.
"I hope it's not what I think it is," Juidon whispered.
Giles moved to her side, having heard her,
"What do you think is happening?"
"A take over bid," Juidon cast worried eyes up at him before they turned back to the four standing outside.
The rest heard her words as they came up to see what was going on. As there wasn't enough room in the doorway they stepped out onto the pavement but Juidon warned them to go no further. Buffy tried but Giles caught her arm and told her this wasn't her fight. They stood behind Asara and Spike watching as a man and woman approached them. Neither Asara or Spike let the cold chill of the wind bother them and neither did they talk as Wmor and his mate, Shaneewa, approached them.
"So we find you here," Wmor sneered, stopping. "With the Slayer and her lackeys. Trying to find some allies in the weaker species since you deserted your own?"
"What do you want Wmor?" Asara asked, tired of him.
"We couldn't kill you at the meeting so I'm trying a different tack," Wmor told her before straightening. "We are here to claim your pack."
"You will not have them," Asara was very still and quiet.
"You're going to stop me?" Wmor sounded sceptical.
"We are going to smear you across the floor," Spike promised.
Wmor's mate growled low in her throat and Spike switched his gaze to her,
"I can't believe you're mated to this cruel, useless piece of meat."
She snarled at that and her face and hands transformed into her natural form. Spike shot a look at Asara who was facing off against Wmor.
"Any advice?"
"Everything goes. This is for your life," Asara answered.
Spike nodded and Shaneewa attacked him. Acting on instinct, realising this was the only way he would win the fight, Spike dropped back and let the shifter sail over his head before he rolled to his feet. The woman skittered to a halt, turned and pounced again and this time Spike only managed to defect the attack partially and he received a deep score across his chest. Thank god I took my duster off!
Asara and Wmor circled each other slowly getting closer until Wmor lunged in, transforming in that blink-of-an-eye instance and snapped at Asara's throat. She neatly avoided it, losing out over her face and hands as well before head butting him away as his attack had brought him in close. He blinked but stayed on his feet and out of Asara's grasp. Asara had seen him fight before and knew he was a vicious opponent and cunning schemer. Wmor outweighed Asara by nearly a hundred pounds but that made Asara quicker on her feet and she knew he would tire sooner, if her leg didn't give up first.
The shifters and vampire moved with blurry speed and their watchers were blinking as they tried to keep up. The fight was quickly turning bloody as the rivals scored hits but none of them could gain the upper hand so the fights were lasting longer than anticipated.
Spike lashed out with his right foot and it caught Shaneewa's attention, just as he had hoped and it gave him time to smash her head into the floor. Rapidly Spike flattened her whole body to the floor, pinning her down and keeping out the way of her jaws and claws. Shaneewa bucked up, her animal instinct lashing out against the imprisonment and Spike didn't weigh enough to keep her down. She sat up, trying to shake him free but Spike clung on, legs round her waist and arms locked over her shoulders. Biting at his bad arm, which she could reach, Shaneewa sensed it was his weakest point and Spike knew he had to act quickly. Shifting his good arm he jerked her head back by the hair and buried his fangs into her neck. Shaneewa screamed in pain as her neck was bent back at an impossible angle. She whimpered for her mate.
Wmor heard the scream and looked for his mate. Seeing her vulnerable and defeated he howled and moved to attack Spike but Asara blocked him.
"We've won Wmor," she told him.
"No!" he snarled.
"Spike," Asara said simply and Shaneewa cried out as Spike tightened his grip.
"Stop!" Wmor ordered but Spike growled at him, sound muffled.
"We have you," Asara stepped in front of Wmor, blocking his path but not his view of the pair. "If you value your mate's life, back down."
Wmor stared at the terror in Shaneewa's eyes and was torn. He wanted this abomination to be stopped, even it meant killing Asara as well but he loved his mate. Everyone knew he was a bully, tyrant and egotistical bastard but he and his mate were the true thing and he wouldn't see her die if he could avoid it. Wmor stepped back and lowered his head but Asara gave him a warning rumble from deep in her chest. She wanted the whole thing. He stiffened but still dropped to the floor and supplicated himself at her feet, begging for her mercy. Asara watched him but didn't let the show go on too long as Spike couldn't hold Shaneewa indefinitely.
"I want you to leave my pack alone Wmor," she told him.
He raised his head, surprised,
"You… I can keep my pack?"
He had expected to lose everything. Pack rules dictated that overthrown Alphas gave up their pack but if the challengers didn't succeed then their pack was at the victors mercy. Normally the winner took the pack to be part of their own.
"Yes but you will always back me up Wmor. Try anything else and I will kill everyone you hold dear," Asara glanced meaningfully at his mate.
Wmor nodded. He had no choice.
"I will honour everything you ask of me, unless it orders my pack into death," Wmor answered.
"I do not do meaningless death, you know that. Besides where would you go?" Asara asked. "You know you would be forever outcast, no territory, no home."
Wmor dropped his head, defeated.
"Spike let her go," Asara turned back to her mate.
Spike slowly raised his head and uncoiled from around Shaneewa. She didn't move, except to wrap her hand round her bleeding neck, as she knew she was no longer their equal and was at their mercy.
"Go home," Asara ordered.
Wmor moved to his mate's side and helped her up before they stumbled off into the night. Silence reigned as they watched them disappear but when they were gone the tension broke and Juidon ran to them. She dropped the coats and yipped happily as she was reassured by her Alphas. Both rubbed at her, comforting her with their touch and smell before she grew professional and began tending to their wounds. Buffy led the others out onto the street but was at a loss as to where to begin and so was everyone else including Giles. Unfortunately Spike and Asara were content not to say anything and were too tired to care if they were leaving everything hanging unexplained.
"We're going home now and you two are going straight to bed," Juidon broke the silence. "The rest of them are going to pester me to death about what has happened to you two."
"It's alright. Just tell them we'll give them a blow by blow account tomorrow," Asara smiled softly.
"I can't take this any longer!" Buffy broke in. "What just happened?"
"We fought for dominance with another pair of Alphas over our two packs and now we've come to an 'agreement' over our situations," Asara told her.
"Huh?" Buffy blinked.
"They were the bad guys Slayer. We beat 'em and now we own their arses," Spike summed it up crudely.
Silence greeted the remark until Xander grinned,
"Cool."
Spike grinned too. Somehow the boy wasn't as bad as he'd once thought. Asara shook her head at the rough statement and shared Giles' look of despair.
"Well it was nice to meet you Asara," Giles nodded. "You too Juidon."
"Yeah. Hopefully I'll see you again sometime," Asara looked round the group.
"We could go to the Bronze sometime," Willow perked up suddenly.
"Ohhh what sort of club is it?" Juidon asked.
"Well usually a band is playing and you can dance. There is also pool tables, food and drink," Willow listed the Bronze's better features.
"They have these really neat onion flower things and Buffalo wings," Spike joined in.
"Plus it's a great place to pick up vamps before you dust them," Buffy grinned.
"Sounds great!" Juidon almost bounced. "Can we all go together?"
"Yeah sure. Just let me and Spike sleep first," Asara smiled. "You tell the others and get it organised."
Juidon loved going out and was already arranging things in her head. They all said goodbye and spilt up to go home. Asara and Spike walked, arms round each other whilst Juidon walked ahead, planning and watching for danger. Asara yawned sleepily and Spike kissed her forehead.
"Mmm," she mumbled. "That's nice."
"I'm glad that's over," Spike murmured softly so Juidon didn't overhear them.
"Me too. Now we're much safer," Asara lifted her head from his shoulder.
"It's been rough, being round you," Spike commented.
"Sorry," Asara glanced at the floor.
"Hey pet look at me," Spike waited until Asara had done what he'd asked. "Don't do that. I love you and I have to say it been a bloody bit more exciting being round you than turning into the bleedin' pouf in my crypt."
"Love you too," Asara smiled, happy he was ok with what had been happening.
Spike smiled before he kissed her. Both stopped walking as the kiss deepened and they pressed themselves together, moulding their bodies to each other.
Juidon paused and glanced over her shoulder, alerted by the silence and heavy scents coming from behind her. She grinned at the couple standing under a street light, oblivious to the world around them. Walking back to them she coughed loudly causing Spike to lift his head and glare at her.
"You know I love it when you guys start but wait 'til we're home alright?" Juidon grinned, not phased by Spike.
Spike muttered something before Asara whispered in his ear and he brightened.
"Right! Home it is!" Spike set off quickly, Asara glued to his side.
Juidon rolled her eyes at the quickly disappearing pair as she followed them. Got to remember to call the sound proofing people tomorrow or we really won't get any sleep.