Disclaimer applies, as always. It's been 3 weeks since the trip to Ossiriand. Surprises and sexy stuff await…
Chapter 9
May 10th continued…
"Luv? I picked up dinner," Spike called, as he came into the house. His sensitive ears picked up noise coming from the music room. He put the take-out on the kitchen counter, and went in search of his girl.
Kara had been in the process of building a soundproof recording booth since she came home from New York. She had called Wesley at Angel Investigations the day after to tell them to pick up their previous client load again. She wouldn't be in L.A. for quite a while. Then, she had picked up the materials, and proceeded to construct the booth. She was tacking up sound deadening foam today.
"Hey, dinner's in the kitchen. It looks like you're almost done."
"Yep. I just have to move the equipment in here, and then I can hang the door." She climbed down the stepladder she'd been on.
"Let me know if you need an extra hand."
Kara gave him a quick peck on the lips before continuing to the kitchen. "Will do."
She started pulling out containers while he got two plates from the cupboard.
"I was thinking we should do something this weekend. Go to the beach tomorrow? You haven't left the house since starting your construction project," Spike suggested.
"I guess we could go down to the pier around sunset. There's a Ferris wheel."
"And I'll fill you up on cotton candy and hot dogs. Sound good, luv?"
"Yeah. You can win me a bear," she said, softly smiling. She did everything in a softer fashion these days, and he wasn't sure if he should worry about it, or not. Every move she made was more subdued, quieter, even her speech. She had recovered her energy after some good rest, but he hadn't seen her use her abilities since she came home.
"Wanna put in a movie?"
"Okay." She sat down on the sofa across from the TV, her plate on her lap.
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Whatever you pick is fine, as long as I get to eat. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I smelled this."
He smiled as she wolfed down chow mein, and turned back to the DVD collection. They were ten minutes into an action comedy when the phone rang.
"You eat. I'll see who it is," Spike offered. Kara smiled with her mouth closed, mid-chew. He came back a minute later with the phone. "It's Glinda. She's inviting us to The Bronze tonight."
"Uh…"
"It's alright, kitten. We can head up there after you finish eating."
"But…"
"Glinda? Yeah, we'll meet you there in a couple hours. Ta, pet. Bye." He sat back down and un-paused the movie. "Eat up, luv. We'll have a good time tonight. You haven't seen your friends in a while."
Bewildered, she just nodded, and picked up her fork.
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"Please come? I'll even find you a girl to dance with," Buffy entreated, talking on the phone with Sebastian.
"That's not necessary. Alright, you twisted my arm. Would you be offended if I brought ear plugs?"
She laughed. "In your case, no. You're so old, you should protect the hearing you still have," she punned.
"Oh, very funny, Slayer," he responded dryly. "I should be dipping your braids in inkwells for such talk."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Just a reference to my school days. What time would you like me to show up?"
"8-ish? We're going to dinner first, just us girls, so that should work."
"8 o'clock, it is. I look forward to seeing you again. Until later, sweet lady." He hung up, and she was left with that feeling of warmth she got from his polite words. He said things like he meant them, like it was important to be sincerely genteel. He seemed to have perfected a mix of being contemporarily casual while keeping his old-fashioned manners. It made even Tara swoon on occasion, and she'd never been in to men.
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"Kitten, we should go. Your mates will be there at eight!"
"I don't have anything to wear!" she yelled from inside the closet.
Spike rolled his eyes. "You just bought a ton of stuff. Pick something out of that."
"Pick something out of that. Easier said than done, doofus," she muttered. "I can't decide. I'm not going."
Oh, for the love of- "Kara…here, skirt, top, shoes. Let's go."
"Hey! I can-" She stopped, noticing that he had actually made a good choice, even with her shoes. That was a little frightening. After shooting him a weird look, she pulled on the denim mini, tank top, and low-heeled sandals he had handed her. She put in a pair of silver earrings and walked out of the closet.
"You look gorgeous. Can we go now?"
Kara walked out ahead of him, grumbling. She didn't really want to go out tonight, but he was insisting on it. At least she had a full stomach before they left. She tossed him her keys as they approached the garage.
"Drive mine. It has a full tank of gas."
Kara nodded off on the way to Sunnydale, so Spike took the advantage to drive faster than if she had been watching. What was normally a two-hour drive in evening traffic took an hour-fifteen. He gently shook her as he pulled into the parking lot for The Bronze.
"Did I sleep the whole way?" she asked, confused.
"Pretty much, luv. You want to walk about a bit before going inside?"
"I'm fine, I just need some fresh air to clear the cobwebs." Unfortunately, the first scent to grace her nostrils was alcohol vomit from the dumpster a few feet away. Her stomach lurched at the smell, threatening to expel her dinner. "On second thought, let's get inside before that stench makes me hurl."
Spike chuckled behind her as she raced for the door. The bouncer nodded them in without the usual cover charge. Spike had saved the man's life from a vamp a while ago, so he hadn't had to pay on a Friday night since. Kara covered her ears as they went further in, the thumping music deafening after being in the solitude of the house for weeks. She felt Spike soothe her through the claim, reminding her how to block out the noise so it wasn't painful. Her tolerance grew, but she could still feel a headache coming on.
"Better, luv?"
"Yeah, but it still hurts. Maybe I'm just extra sensitive today." She spotted their friends at the usual table, with a man she didn't recognize.
Tara saw her first, and stepped forward with a smile and a hug. "We've missed you."
"Same here."
"Are you alright?" Tara asked more quietly.
"Yeah, why?"
"You look a little pale."
"Oh, it's from the smell in the parking lot. Somebody puked in the dumpster, and it almost made me do the same. Who's the guy?"
The girls suddenly noticed that Spike and Sebastian were staring at each other like they'd seen a ghost.
"Uh, guys? What's with the fish-out-of-water impressions?" Buffy asked.
Spike shook himself off first. "What are you?" he asked suspiciously.
"I could ask the same about you, sir, though it appears you are a vampire?"
Buffy turned to her friend. "Sebastian, what's going on?"
"Is it really you, William?" he said, ignoring Buffy's question.
"Once upon a time. How is it you have a heartbeat, and yet, still look the same? What's your interest in the Slayer and Sunnyhell?"
"Hey, Bleach boy, if you bothered to check in at the Magic Box more often, you'd know this is Sebastian, the Shadow Knight. Lay off, before I kick your ass outta here." Buffy glared at him, until he sprawled onto a chair, waiting for an explanation.
"Isn't that sweet, mate? Slayer's got her knickers in a twist trying to protect you from me. She got you by the bits and bobs, yet? Slayer likes to keep a short leash on her honeys."
Sebastian surprised the girls by laughing. "I always knew there was a sarcastic ass buried in there somewhere. I'm proud of you, William."
"Um, hello? Still confused here 'cause you guys won't share," Kara interjected irritably.
"Luv, meet Sebastian Pierce, my cousin."
"Cousin?"
"Yes, our mothers were sisters. I'm ten years older than William, but we got along fairly well, back in the day," Sebastian replied.
"That we did, mate. This explains why you didn't come home from the Army after a while. How did you get recruited?"
"Our carriage was attacked en route to the country estate by vampires. The Knights were in the area and came to our rescue, but not before Annabelle was killed. I failed in my promise to protect my little sister…"
"So you pledged yourself to the Order to avenge her death. I remember not seeing you at the funeral. I guess that makes sense now. Christ, Bas, where have you been hiding all these years!" Spike asked, grinning.
"Not hiding, dear cousin. Just doing my job. Come, let me buy you a drink." The two men headed to the bar, leaving four women not knowing what to say in the wake of this new revelation.
"Well, I never would have bet on that surprise tonight," Kara said first.
The others laughed, thinking along the same lines.
"Think they'll be right back?" Willow asked.
"Nah, they'll be catching up for a while. They have at least 120 years to fill each other in on," Kara stated knowingly. She could feel what Spike was feeling right now.
"Pretty amazing, huh, Buffy?" Willow asked. The Slayer was extra quiet, which meant her mind was some place else.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course. A family reunion after 130 years. Gotta be one for the record books. Anybody wanna dance?" Her hazel eyes pleaded with the other three. Please distract me from the bad Buffy brain…eww, Sebastian's related to Spike, but they're really different, aren't they? And why do I even care…just because I have a teensy, weensy crush on my hot tutor…who's too old, and British, and I have a steady boyfriend, anyway, so it doesn't even matter. God, I need a drink. "Whew, it's hot! I'm getting a refill."
Buffy squeezed through the crowd at the bar and slapped her money on the counter. "Strawberry daiquiri, please." She didn't see how Sebastian's eyes softened when he noticed her, barely disguising his growing adoration. His cousin noticed, though.
"Oh, Bas, you aim for trouble. That girl's got issues flowing out her ears," Spike said, thrilled to have something to tease his cousin about.
"Hmm? No, Buffy's been no trouble at all. Her company is quite delightful."
"That's because you're a white hat. Try being a demon for a day, and she'll show her true colors."
"You don't like Miss Summers?" It truly confused him.
"Well, she was fun to fight, before I got the chip. I'll say this much – I respect her, and I keep to myself because she's Kara's friend, but I wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she gave me a good reason to. We have a truce because I help keep the demon population down, but that doesn't mean we're going to end up good chums. Her mother and sister are a different story. If you've had the pleasure, you know what I'm talking about."
The Knight smiled. "Yes, they remind me a great deal of your mum and my sister. Dawn is nearly the spitting image of Annabelle at that age."
"I know. I've watched over her for years. Bit was never afraid of me. Should have been, too, with all the bloody stories the Slayer could share. Instead, she's too curious for her own good. She's going to be an amazing woman. How long are you in town?"
"'Til they call me back. I'm using long accrued holiday time. Is Sunnydale your home?"
"Nah, more like a temporary stop along the road of immortality. Home is where Kara is."
"For what it's worth, William, I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you." From dying was left unspoken.
"No worries, Bas. I like being a vampire a hell of a lot more than I liked being a human, and I wouldn't have met my girl, if you'd been there. We all have our destinies, mate. Let's be glad we have longer than most. Cheers." Spike downed his last swallow of Jack and slid off his stool.
"Cheers. We've probably left the ladies long enough, eh?"
"They're on the dance floor. We've got at least 20 to play pool before they think about sending a search party."
"You're sure we're not being rude?"
"Absolutely. Kara says they don't want to be bothered yet." Spike smirked over having the inside scoop.
Understanding dawned in Sebastian's eyes. "You've claimed her. I didn't know it was possible between a vampire and a human for the human to still have free will."
"She's a goddess."
"Yes, she's lovely, but-"
"Bas, she's really a goddess." Spike took his first shot, breaking the balls and sinking three in the pockets.
"You're serious? Which one? How?"
"Yes, Kalari, and through a ritual. Number 6 in the corner pocket."
"The library will have to be updated. Do you think she'll tell me about it?"
"Ask her yourself, but you better have only the best intentions. You'd hate to be on her bad side," Spike replied, flashing an evil grin. "Your turn."
"Good Lord, William! You only have one ball left."
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"Kara and I are taking a bathroom break," Tara said to Willow.
"Okay! I'll be here with Buffy."
"Three Cokes in a half hour will really go through you," Kara said, when she came out of the stall. She pulled a mini gloss tube out of her pocket and re-applied the color.
"When did you get bit on patrol?" Tara asked, concerned.
"I didn't. It's Spike's mark."
"Are you mated now? You should have called me," her friend admonished.
"You didn't miss anything. I'm the only one claimed."
"Oh. What does that mean for you two?"
"Well, we're connected, obviously. The mark is a general deterrent to other demons. We can feel each other's feelings; send a mental picture with concentration. Oh, and the mark tingles when he touches it. It's either soothing, or stimulating, depending on the intent."
"Can I ask why you haven't claimed him back?"
"Long story. It's complicated, and definitely too private to talk about here. We better get back out there."
Tara stopped her before Kara opened the door. "I'm worried about you."
"I know. It's what makes you a good friend."
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Buffy snagged another onion ring. "Doesn't it bother you that he's abandoned you all night?"
"Spike? Nah. He's still thinking about me while he talks to Sebastian."
"What, are you telepathic now?" Buffy joked.
"More like empathic, where Spike's concerned," Kara responded.
"Huh?"
"It's part of being claimed, Buffy."
"You let him bite you? Are you insane?"
"Yes, and no. 1) He can't hurt me, as in it's impossible because he's not an Ossirian Immortal like me. 2) I like it. There are lots of kinds of bites, Buffy, and Spike makes it good. He's also not the only one with fangs," Kara said, grinning.
"Now, you're seriously creeping me out. What happened to normal, human behavior?"
Kara let her fangs drop and eyes glow. "You forget, honey. I'm not really human anymore. And the Slayer essence in you is just as primitive." She held her hand out, close to Buffy's. "Care to learn? Give me your wrist."
"Here?" Buffy squeaked, her eyes wide.
"I only know what I heard about, Buffy. The truth is in your Slayer essence. We don't have to do it now. Think it over. You're already the oldest lived Slayer, but you still don't know what you are truly capable of. Drop by the house this week if you're interested."
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"You are a very naughty girl, pet," Spike murmured, as he wrapped his arms around Kara on the dance floor.
"What did I do?"
"I'm not sure what you were up to, but I felt you show your power, and I smelled Slayer fear on the air. That's a very potent combination, luv." He ground against her ass to show just what the effect had been. "I want to drag you into a dark corner and see if I can't make you scream."
He sucked on his mark, driving her insane. "I won't scream," she whispered.
"I don't know, kitten. You're not known for being quiet at home."
She turned in his arms, pressing her body into his as she did. "That's because it's home. This – has higher stakes." Kara took his hand, leading him through the crowd and upstairs. She pressed him into the wall, devouring him with a kiss while her hands worked on his belt.
She turned around once he was free, swaying her hips against him like she was just dancing to the music. One arm wrapped around her waist, while the other hand went wandering under her skirt.
"You want me, Kara? Does the danger of getting caught make you hot, pet? Tell me, or I'll just keep teasing you," he whispered hotly in her ear.
She tilted her head back to kiss his neck. "Want you, baby. So much!" That was all he needed to hear, plunging into her depths in one motion. Kara put her hands on the back of the chair to steady herself.
Spike pulled her up flush to his chest, rocking his hips in time to the sultry beat currently playing. She had expected hard and fast, but he'd had the sneaky approach in mind. If anyone saw them right now, it would just look like sexy dancing.
"Oh, gah," she moaned.
"Shhh, luv. Don't want to give us away. You like this angle, don't you? Hitting all those nice little spots that make your knees weak. Will you scream if I bite you? That's the ultimate test, luv. Keep control with my fangs deep in your neck while I'm buried in your hot-"
"Yes! I need you," she whispered desperately.
She felt his face shift against her neck and his cool tongue lick the mark, raising the blood to the surface. She felt like she was going to explode, her skin too hot, her heart about to escape her chest. Then, his teeth were piercing her throat, and the first pull on her blood sent her flying, her muscles clamping on him almost to the point of pain. The second pull kept her going, and his release followed. Once he was still, Spike removed his fangs and licked the holes closed, purring against her back. He parted from her, and she whimpered. She heard him refasten his jeans and belt, while she caught her breath, leaning against the chair.
He gently kissed her, still amazing her after all these kisses with the softness of his lips.
"Don't fret, kitten. There's plenty more of that for you when we get home," he promised.
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"We're going to take off, guys."
"Oh, so soon?" Willow said.
"I was on my feet all day with a project at home, so I'm kinda tired. It was very nice meeting you, Sebastian. We'll have to have you to the house for dinner."
"Likewise, Kara. Thank you for the invitation. William knows where I'm staying."
Kara hugged the girls, and then they left, Spike stopping her for a couple kisses before reaching the car. They ended up at the crypt, the drive to Kara's seeming too long tonight. He was just glad that the passionate woman he'd known was back for a night.
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Reviews? Don't make me beg - it isn't pretty. Please, don't be shy, I don't bite - that's what Spike is for.
