A/N : So grateful for all the support I'm getting on this story which continues to make me very nervous. Spuffy in Season 2 is definitely a challenge, but it helps to know you guys think I'm doing okay with it! You all rock! Excuse me if I'm a little hyper - it's my birthday today! Anywho, without further ado, here's the new chapter...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 7 - I Had A Taste For Danger
"What am I doing here?" Buffy asked herself as she stared into a glass of something alcoholic, knowing she was an idiot if she drank it.
It was Giles fault she was here, him and possibly Angel, and maybe even William. They were all to blame in some small part for her idiocy she was sure. They were her reasons for standing here in her little black dress, watching as supposedly mature college boys got drunk, pulled pranks on each other, and took full advantage of any female flesh on display.
Cordelia was one of the girls with whom a certain boy was getting a little touchy-feely, but she didn't seem to be protesting much as she leant on him heavily. Maybe she was drunk, Buffy didn't care either way, she was just happy for Cordy to have left Xander alone because the idea of those two together was overly disturbing. The only person who was possibly more freaked out than the Slayer by the situation was poor Xander himself.
Buffy sighed. He was just about the only guy not driving her crazy lately. Giles had done nothing but complain about her lack of dedication to her job, despite the fact she had tried to explain she never chose the occupation and it wasn't as if she even got paid or anything. The only way she was ever going to get a break was if she died and that wasn't exactly a fun way to earn a vacation.
Then there was Angel. Since running in to him a few nights ago and explaining she no longer felt anything stronger than friendship towards him, the souled vampire had apparently disappeared. She could have used his help tonight, covering patrol whilst she partied, if one could call what she was doing partying. As it was the cemetaries were not exactly safe tonight as neither the Slayer or any other being was out there to check for evil.
The final issue Buffy was having was with a man she hardly knew at all, and yet had such deep feelings for it almost scared her. William, some British bleached blond bad-ass looking guy who had been nothing but sweet and complimentary and charming on all three occasions he'd been around Buffy. The Slayer herself was very impressed by the man she knew so little about, and found herself dreaming about him both night and day. It was insane, she knew that, but there was just something about him. when he looked at her she got these unidentifiably wondrous feelings inside, and they'd only intensified when they danced together at they Bronze last week.
Buffy had been so sure he was going to kiss her and yet her duty had gotten in the way... again! Her destiny as the Vampire Slayer had forced her to walk away from him and fight Sunnydale's latest supernatural villain. When she'd returned to the dance later, William was long gone and she hadn't seen him since. Each day and night that passed without a glimpse of him only made her bad mood worse and with Angel's hissy fit and Giles' complaining thrown in, Buffy was in the mood for a little rebellion.
When Cordy had asked her to attend a frat party with her, she'd barely hesitated, deciding it was time she had a little fun. She'd left Xander and Willow helping Giles research the bracelet she'd found and the possible linked disappearance of young girls in Sunnydale and the surrounding area. They could deal without her and fill her in later tonight - no big.
"Buffy, hey" Tom smiled as he came over to her. He was a sweet guy, or so he seemed, but Buffy really wasn't interested, still it seemed he planned on talking to her, and talking, and talking... So bored with it all, Buffy downed the drink in her hand and asked Tom to fetch her another.
Spike shook his head as he watched Buffy down her drink and send the boy to fetch her another.
"Easy there, Slayer" he said to himself, "Wanna end up legless in the arms of that wanker?" he said crossly.
The girl he'd caught a few nights ago just a few yards from this frat house would not stop yammering as he tried to get her back to the lair to share her with Dru. Rambling on about the frat house and the boys in it being monsters or something. It barely seemed to register in her tiny mind that Spike himself was a sort of monster too, and she was going to die at his hands just as easy as she would've at the fraternity house.
Dru had gone into some sort of fit just at the sight of the girl he brought home, body spasming as she held her head and foretold a night in which the Slayer would be endangered, a perfect night for taking advantage and killing her. The night of the full moon was when it was to occur and Spike stayed out of Buffy's way until then. He was developing some sort of feeling for the stupid chit, he knew it and he hated it. He was hoping if she was vulnerable enough he'd be able to just kill her and be done, and apparently tonight was the night.
As much as he wanted her vulnerable for himself, he didn't fancy any of the lads of the fraternity having a go at his prize before he got a taste. He moved around the building, staying mostly in the shadows. By the back entrance there was just the one boy, presumably assigned to keeping the rabble out. He was a skinny little runt, and more drunk than he ought to have been, still that all worked to Spike's advantage and he easily caught the boy off guard, snapping his neck and tossing him aside. He sneaked in through the door, trying to hang back in the crowds. If the frat guys spotted him they'd try to chuck him out and as much fun as it would be to take them all on, he'd much rather just find Buffy and get out. He risked showing off his skills too much, or even his demon face if he got into a punch up and it was best if Buffy thought he was still some innocent young lad with a crush for now.
When he caught sight of the Slayer, she had a second glass in her hand and the boy from before was leaning into her, pinning her back against the wall. She didn't look overly impressed and batted his hand away as he moved to touch her. Something in Spike flared angrily at the thought of this trumped up snotty little kid laying a hand on his Slayer, not that she was his in any real sense but he felt it nevertheless.
"There you are" he said, smiling as he reached her side, "I've been looking for you, baby" he told her, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her to him, his lips on hers before she had time to process what was going on. Spike was a little surprised to find that Buffy actually kissed him back after a moment of initial shock. They were locked there in a passionate embrace for a while until the boy from before cleared his throat and they pulled apart.
"Sorry, mate, didn't see you there" Spike told him, recovering first. Buffy was still trying to get her breath back, something that vampire didn't need to worry about.
"Buffy" the boy shifted awkwardly, "I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend"
"I... I don't" she said, head swimming terribly as he glanced between Tom and William, "William is, well... we had a fight" she lied, "and I guess now we just made up" she laughed nervously, "So he was my boyfriend, and then not so much when we fought, and now, boyfriend again" she said, still smiling at Tom and then casting William a 'What the hell!' look as soon as the frat boy glanced away.
"Well, I should probably... leave you two alone" Tom said at last, before walking away. Buffy looked at William expectantly and he shrugged.
"Looked like you could use saving, pet" he told her, leaning side ways on the wall and staring at her, "Thought you'd sooner me come over and kiss you than Slimy McFilth there"
"I could've handled Tom" she said firmly, remembering that despite the feelings William had evoked in her with that kiss, she was supposed to be mad at him. He'd disappeared days ago and she hadn't seen him since.
"Think the point was, luv, that he fancied handling you" William pointed out, "Thought I was doing you a favour is all" he said a little more harshly than perhaps he meant to, but then he was very uncomfortable right now. The kiss he shared with the Slayer should have meant nothing to him, even if it did something for her. As he felt her respond to his kiss and his touch he found all kinds of feelings were evoked in himself too. A sensation like fire in his heart and hot blood pumping through his veins, it was like being alive for the first time in over a century, and he knew how wrong it was.
"I appreciate what you tried to do" Buffy sighed, "It's just... You haven't been around lately" she admitted that was her problem as she stared down into her second drink which so far remained untasted.
"Had some stuff to deal with" he told her, "My, er, sister. She's got some problems, mentally mostly but her body's not what it was either, takes up some of my time" he lied, using Drusilla's condition as a cover.
"I'm sorry" the Slayer said, looking immediately apologetic as her hand went to his arm, "I had no idea. I guess I just missed seeing you is all. I never even got to say goodbye that night at the Bronze and..." her hand gripped his arms tighter as her head spun, making it impossible for her to get the rest of the sentence out, "I... I have to go to the bathroom" she said suddenly staggering away from him across the room.
Spike watched her go, his suspicions confirmed. He'd tasted the alcohol as his tongue explored her mouth but there was something else in there too, a drug of some kind to bring down any unsuspecting girl the frat boys fancied a go at he assumed.
"Not my girl you don't" he said under his breath.
Spike decided if Buffy wasn't back in five minutes he'd go and find her, get her outside somewhere on the pretence of some fresh air helping her condition, then he could take full advantage of her situation, get some decent fun out of her and then... he knew the next part should be her death but the longer this went on the more Spike started to wonder if he really could kill this girl or if his feelings for her were developing too fast...
Five minutes passed quickly and Spike pushed through the crowds, mindful of being caught by the frat boys and encouraged to leave. Still, that Tom thought he was Buffy's other half, it was unlikely they'd make him leave without her, not without causing all sorts of trouble.
As Spike reached the bathroom door it opened and a drunken red-head came stumbling out, apparently having just thrown her guts up, but Buffy was nowhere to be seen. He was about to start searching for her when he overheard two lads down the hall behind him.
"Tom's taking the blonde down, that makes our three" Frat Boy Number One told his friend.
"You want me to start clearing the place?" Frat Boy Number Two checked and the first bloke confirmed that he did before disappearing through a door and by the sound of it down some steps.
This was clearly more than just boys drugging girls for a gang bang, this was something more than likely demon related, Spike realised as he snuck along the corridor and prised open the door to what seemed to be a basement.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?" a drunken lad asked, grabbing the back of Spike's coat and hauling him round to face him, "Party's over, BleachBoy" he said as if the bleached blond were some kind of moron.
Spike soon proved it was the boy who was more stupid as he knocked him away into the wall. He slid unconscious to the ground just in time for two other lads to see. They both made a run at Spike who spun into action, expertly kicking and punching the two before grabbing them both at the back of the neck and slamming their heads together. They landed in a heap with the first 'attacker' and fortunately no more came and tried their luck as the party was broken up. The noise of the mini-brawl hadn't even managed to attract any attention over the defiant yelling of boys and girls who didn't want to leave the gathering just yet, and Spike snuck down into the basement without further interruption.
"Accept our offering, Dark Lord, and bless us with your power" a familiar voice yelled in the darkness as Spike used a centuries worth of practiced stealth to creep down the staircase without being noticed.
"Machida!" the frat boys said together and Spike got to the bottom of the stairs just in time to realise what was going on.
Tom, the idiot frat boy who'd been feeling up the Slayer, or trying to, tossed three stones into the well at the centre of the basement one at a time and a rumbling sound began from below.
"Come forth, and let your terrible countenance look upon your servants, and their humble offering" Tom continued and Spike's eyes flitted to the opposite wall. Buffy and two other girls were chained to the wall and even her Slayer strength wasn't helping against the binds. She was probably still weak from the drugs, Spike guessed, and it seemed that Machida was about to make a snack out of her.
"We call you, Machida" Tom yelled one more time.
"In his name. Machida" his fraternity brothers said after and Spike closed his eyes, internally cursing himself for what he was about to do. With severe concentration he promised himself his game face would remain hidden as he picked up the elaborate candlestick that stood five or six feet high beside him.
As the rumbling continued and it became clear the old snake demon Spike had heard all too much about was about to spew forth, the vampire ran at Tom, knocking him backwards into several other blokes and sending them all sprawling. Buffy was stunned to see him but mostly pre-occupied with trying to free herself from her chains, as Cordelia and another nameless girl whimpered and screamed in alarm, knowing their deaths seemed imminent.
"William, look out!" Buffy yelled as he fought one boy and another lunged at his back with a knife. Spike was a blur as he knocked away one boy then the other with such force they were unconscious when they hit the walls and floor.
With the other two girls still screaming in her ears and the rumbling of the approaching Machida increasing, Buffy concentrated on centring her strength and pulling herself free from her chains. With a loud crack she finally snapped her bonds from the stone ceiling. Though her wrists were still joined together, the chain was long enough it was not a hindrance as she grabbed a fallen sword from the ground and rushed into the fray
With all the brothers soon knocked out, Buffy faced William, a frown on her face as she tried to catch her breath.
"What the hell is going on?" she asked, "How did you...?"
"We'll play twenty questions later, luv" Spike interrupted, yelling over the horrendous noise of Machida's approach, "Kill the demon first, Slayer"
The snake demon finally burst forth into the open and Buffy wasted no time in attacking, with William at her side. She was surprised by his fight skills, but pleasantly so. As strong as she was the drugs and alcohol she'd consumed had left her feeling more woozy than she liked and a fight partner was a handy thing to have right now. Swords in hands the pair attacked, hacking and slashing until Machida slumped forwards with green blood oozing from too many wounds - it was dead.
"Well, that was a fun" Spike said honestly, but Buffy barely noticed he'd spoken.
"You knew" she said almost accusingly, "That I'm the Slayer"
"Yes, pet" the bleached blond nodded, "I know this world, demons and what-not, Sunnydale bein' on the Hellmouth"
"What are you?" she asked as she looked him over. He seemed human, he was so incredibly sweet, and gorgeous obviously, and she really liked him. If he turned out to be something awful, she couldn't bare it.
"A fighter" he half-lied, "Just doin' my bit, y'know, helpin' where I can" he shrugged, the lie falling from his lips as if it were a the most natural string of syllables he ever uttered.
"You didn't tell me" Buffy shook her head, "If you knew I was the Slayer, why didn't you tell me?"
"Wasn't sure how you'd take it" he told her, glad the dark hid his face in half-light, made the lying a lot easier when she couldn't see the eyes that might betray him.
"I could've died tonight if you hadn't..." words escaped her as she realised the truth of her own statement and she stepped forward, sword dropping from her hand as she reached up and kissed him, chains jangling from her wrists as her arms wrapped around his body, inside his coat.
Spike couldn't believe this was happening. His plan had gone so completely to hell, his cover was almost blown, he was getting deeper and deeper into a web of lies that he worried he would not be able to keep up with, but worse than all this he knew right in this moment as he kissed this beautiful girl, that he was possibly the biggest idiot to ever walk the earth - he was the vampire in love with the Slayer.
To Be Continued...