I just love the ending of this chapter. I hope you guys will, too!
Chapter 25
Friday night, continued…
Sebastian pulled back to breathe, resting his forehead on Buffy's.
"Well…that…this…I…"
"Speechless, huh? Damn, I'm good."
He chuckled, her comment providing needed levity to his thoughts. "This has never been this much-"
"Fun?"
"Yes…I…what do we do now?"
"Well, we could make out some more, which you're very good at, by the way; or you could take me home, or, I guess we could think of something else," she proposed. "Unless you're turned off by the slutty-Buffy approach…which I hope you're not, because I don't just go around kissing my friends…and…"
"Buffy…darling…I would never think of you as 'slutty', and I probably would have kissed you soon enough if you hadn't kissed me when you did."
"Really?"
"Absolutely…you have bewitched me, probably from the first moment I saw you, with the moonlight caressing your features as you fought in the cemetery. And I wish I didn't have to go so soon." He shifted away from her, sitting up and gaining a little safe distance. "This isn't fair to you. I shouldn't be taking advantage, anyway. You've only just broken up with Will…I've been so careful to remain a good friend to you, Buffy."
She crawled closer to him, placing a hand on his cheek to turn his face towards her. "Sebastian, you've done nothing wrong by me, okay? I knew exactly what I was doing tonight, and it has nothing to do with being on the rebound. I think rebound would have happened a couple months ago, but not now. I have a little confession to make, too."
"What could you possibly have done, Buffy?"
"I've thought you were hot for a long time. And you were so easy to talk to right away...it was…disarming. I've been comparing you with my now ex since we first went out for coffee. So…you weren't the only one thinking things," she replied, blushing brightly.
"You're not just trying to boost my ego, are you?" he asked, half seriously.
"Scout's honor…I swear I've had genuinely lusty thoughts for one Sebastian Pierce. Is that clear enough for ya?" she said, almost teasing.
He visibly gulped, eyes wide. He hadn't dared to imagine…what should he do with her declaration? Did she want him to do something about it? He cursed inwardly for being such a git right now. Just ask her! "Definitely," he croaked. "A-and now?"
She sighed, looking unsure for the first time that evening. "I don't know."
"Buffy, as much as the idea appeals to me, I can't be in a relationship, not without consequences…and I don't think I could do anything with you without wanting more," he said frankly.
"Uh, thank you? No, I know. That's not what I'm looking for immediately, anyway. Okay, one question: If we ever spent the night together, where would you be in the morning?"
"Still next to you, of course, barring the call of nature. Why?" he wondered, puzzled by her query.
"Just checking," she replied, smiling. "Well, I guess you should get me home…"
"Yes…it is quite late. After you, my dear."
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They stood on her porch, whispering to not call any attention from those inside the house.
"Our plans still stand for this weekend?" Sebastian asked.
"Yup. Baseball game with Anya and Xander tomorrow, and anything else we forgot to do on Sunday."
"It was a lovely evening…"
"Mmm hmm…"
"May I kiss you good night?" he murmured.
"Please…"
He was not nervous now, like before, and lifted his hand to cup her chin, lifting her face as he bent down to claim her lips. The added height of her heels helped to make it an easier distance for both of them. It was sweet, unhurried, and touched with just a hint of longing. For that minute, Buffy felt more cherished then she ever had in her life, and it nearly made her weep from the beauty of it. 'Wow,' was all she could think, as he slowly pulled away again. He really did care for her, want her, and she wished again that he wasn't leaving. She held back the sigh for what could never be, not wanting him to think he upset her.
Buffy gave him a dazzling smile after a brief hug, and slipped inside the house before she was tempted to tackle him with kisses until the sun came up around the porch.
Sebastian watched for her bedroom light to turn on, then off again, before driving away.
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Kara awoke – too early, she was sure – Saturday morning feeling uncomfortably warm. When did I burrow under the covers? She hastily threw them off her body and got out of bed, heading for the nook that masqueraded as a bathroom in the tunnel. She poured some water into the basin and splashed her face with its coolness. Kara allowed the water to run down her chest for a minute before blotting her skin with a towel, then drying her hands. One of her rings snagged a loop in the terry. Huh – haven't done that before – what is this! That wasn't the same ring she fell asleep wearing. She was waking Spike up right now, 7 AM be damned.
"Spike!" she barked, standing next to his side of the bed. He opened one eye at her, taking in the vision of her nude body. Her hands were on her hips, though, indicating he might be in trouble.
"Yeah, pet?"
"Where's my ring!"
"You're wearin' it, luv."
"No, this is not the one I was wearing last night! This one's very different!"
"Well, it's pretty, anyway. Can we discuss jewelry at a later hour, luv?"
"Stop playing around, Spike, or I'm tossing this thing across the room, and I doubt it will be found again," she growled. His hand shot out to grab her wrist.
"Don't you bloody dare," he warned, but without malice.
"Ah, so I didn't just have a visit from the ring exchanging fairy?"
He tugged her back on the bed, rolling so she was under him. "You're cute when you're mad, kitten. Or is it just too early in the mornin' for you to be reasonable?" he teased.
"Spiiiiike, I want an answer. Where is my ring?" she asked, exasperated.
"I expect," he started to say between kisses. "…you…to be patient…until I tell you." His last kiss ended up on his mark, and he paid extra attention to that particular erogenous zone, feeling her melt beneath him.
"No fair…prick," she scowled.
He shifted his hips, nudging her intimately. "No, that's a prick. I'm a vampire, luv, and this vamp is getting hungry," he replied, curling his tongue behind his teeth in a practiced leer.
"Too bad. You're getting nothing from me unless you explain where this came from." She held up her hand in front of his face so he'd have to look at the ring. "Well?"
"Nah…I'd rather go back to sleep first. It's bloody early, pet." He shimmied down slightly and laid his head on her breast to accentuate the point.
"Okay," she sighed like she was giving in. "I'll just go get some things done while you sleep." Kara pushed him off her and got up from the bed, putting on her clothes.
"You're leaving now?" he asked, surprised.
"Well, yeah. I hadn't planned on staying here when I came up last night, so the cats will be out of water by now, and I have to feed them all. Steph is coming by today, too, so…there's stuff I have to do," she replied simply. "See ya later, honey."
Kara snapped her fingers, and teleported away in a blink.
Spike frowned at the room. "Well, that didn't go as planned."
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Kara reappeared at her car, grimacing at the bright sunlight. Okay, so she'd lied about her sister coming over, but the rest was true. She just wasn't going to play along with his "be evasive until it drives Kara insane enough to cast a truth spell" plan. Well, she was wide awake, now, so the first order of business was a change of clothes; then she needed food. She kept a spare set in the trunk, so she just needed to find a place with privacy. An idea came to her as she turned the key in the ignition.
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Bloody buggering hell. Now, he'd have to wait until sundown to get to his car, since he'd left the charm in the glove box. Unless Kara's curiosity gets the better of her, and she comes back. Yeah, she definitely won't be able to stay away for long. Comforted by that line of thought, Spike went back to sleep.
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Kara knocked softly, not wanting to disturb anyone more than necessary. A minute later, Tara opened the door.
"Hey," Kara whispered. "Sorry it's so early. I was wondering of I could get the key for the shower?"
"Oh, sure. Here's some soap, too. Stayed at Spike's, huh?"
"Yeah…I woke up at 7 and couldn't go back to sleep. Do you want to go to breakfast after I get changed?"
"Uh, sure. I'll just bring something back for Willow," Tara whispered. "She's going to be sound asleep for a while, still."
"Okay. I'll be back in a bit."
Kara clipped back her hair before stepping into the shower stall. All she wanted to do was have a quick wash, then turn the water to cool, and chill her heated flesh. She didn't think pregnancy was supposed to make you feel hot until your belly was swollen, but she felt like she was burning up. The new ring caught her eye while she was lathering her stomach with the soap. Where did he find this? It really is pretty. This morning was probably just his way of being cute. The design was very unique, and she wondered who the artist might be. Well, questions would have to wait until later, as Tara shouldn't be kept long after being woken up at 8 AM on a Saturday.
Kara rinsed, dried off with the towel from her gym bag, and fished out the change of clothes. She slipped on the tank top and cotton shorts, added the canvas Keds also in the bag, and shook out her hair. A little lip gloss from her purse, and she was presentable again. She tapped on Tara and Willow's door once more and handed the key and soap back to her friend. Tara locked the door, then started walking down the corridor to the elevator.
"Where do you want to have breakfast? I didn't think you liked eating this early, especially lately?" Tara asked.
"Anywhere's fine. If I'm awake long enough, I'm hungry, so I'd have to find something, anyway. Is it hot this morning, or is it just me?"
"No…it's nice, actually. Let me feel your forehead." Kara stopped walking. "Geez, Kara. Do you feel okay?"
"Yeah, just…warm! I turned the shower to cold before I got out, but it's wearing off."
"Well, you definitely feel warmer than normal. Let's go find you something healthy for breakfast."
"Okay, 'Mom'," Kara teased.
"Hey, someone has to look after you."
Tara insisted on driving, and they ended up north of Sunnydale in the next town. She stopped at a little café nestled in a strip mall.
"This is your healthy place?"
"Yup. Everything they make is with organic ingredients, and most of it is vegetarian. Go sit down!"
"Okay, okay…don't have to get bossy."
Tara placed an order for two smoothies, extra vitamins in Kara's, and two egg-white omelettes filled with grilled veggies. She sat down at the table and waited for them to call her number.
"So, what kind of rabbit food did you order me?" Kara asked.
"I didn't get you rabbit food. I ordered smoothies and omelettes. Lean closer so I can feel your head again."
"I probably just need to eat. I get hot sometimes when my blood sugar drops."
"Well, you feel about the same. If it's not better by the time we get back to the dorm, I'm getting out the thermometer. And maybe you should start keeping an energy bar with you at all times?"
"Eh, maybe. I'm usually not hungry until 9 AM, or so."
"That's what you get for engaging in aerobic activities all night," Tara teased.
"Hey…it wasn't all night, just a couple hours. It's not like I'm doing jumping jacks." One look at Tara, who was trying not to laugh, showed what her next thought was. "Don't say it! You're not the only one who can come up with lame jokes."
"Order #7."
"That's us. Excuse me." Tara hurried up to the counter to get the tray, still giggling.
Kara shook her head, smiling despite being the object of amusement for her friend. "You know, your look is deceiving. I never would have guessed you would have such a dirty mind when I met you, Tara. I'm telling Giles you're trying to corrupt me."
"Ha! Like he'd believe you. His first response to that would be to look at Spike, instead. Here, this side is yours. The smoothie has an extra shot of vitamins and protein."
"You're going to be a great mom some day, if you're this bad with me," Kara said, grinning. She reached for the salt and pepper, and the new ring caught the light coming in the window.
"Oh, goddess! When were you going to tell me? This is beautiful!" Tara exclaimed, grabbing Kara's hand.
"Oh, that? Here, look at it. It was on my hand this morning. It's a nice little thing, but Spike wouldn't tell me where he put my ring."
"'Nice little thing'? I don't understand…"
"It's not like it's real. If it was, he would have said something, made a big deal about it."
"You really don't think it's real?" Tara asked, an odd expression on her face.
"Nah…Spike can be generous, but he's not that generous."
"Hmm…well, how do you know when jewelry is real?"
"Well, there's a tester jewelers have for the stones, but for the metals, there's always a stamp or engraving on the underside indicating the purity. With gold, you'll see 10K, 14K, or 18K, and with platinum, it will say PT or PLAT with a percentage number for purity. Sterling silver has .925 stamped on it, possibly with 'SS' or 'sterling' after the number."
"Oh. Good to know. Here's the ring back. When is your appointment Monday? I don't think you told me the time," Tara said.
"I didn't? Heh, I'd probably forget my head if it wasn't attached. It's at 11 AM, in West Hollywood, so it'd be great if you could meet me there. Otherwise, I'll have to leave the house at 8 to come pick you up in time."
"No, it's fine. I can meet you there as long as I have directions. What exactly are they going to do?"
"Well, I'll have an ultrasound probe stuck you-know-where, then they'll start taking pictures and stuff. The 3-D thing is supposed to be really sophisticated. I was reading about it on-line. And, I'm far enough along to hear the heartbeat, so we'll be doing that, too."
"That would be a good way to show Spike this is really happening," Tara suggested.
"Tara…I already made up my mind not to tell him until I'm sure that there aren't any problems. I'll tell him after I see the doctor."
"When you get home?"
"Maybe…by Sunday, at the latest. And I'll never doubt your breakfast choices again. This is really good."
"I'm glad you approve."
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"Okay, let me feel your head one more time."
Kara sighed and rolled her eyes, but leaned over, just the same.
"Normal this time," Tara pronounced.
"See? Told you it was just from needing food."
"Well, until you include others in your pregnancy, I'm the chief worrier about your health. You're just going to have to deal with it."
"Okay. I love you for trying, even if you're driving me nuts. Hurry in and give Willow her breakfast. I should drop by Spike's again before I head home."
They hugged, and Kara drove back to Restfield.
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Kara quietly opened the crypt door and entered the room, only to have it flung shut behind her. The next instant, she was pressed against the door with Spike's mouth on hers and one of his hands up her top. She gasped, allowing his tongue into her mouth before she responded – completely surprised by his onslaught. His hand wormed under her bra to cup her breast, and she moaned. Kara hadn't even realized he had removed her shorts until she felt his erection bumping her entrance. He moved to kissing her neck to allow her to breathe.
"I take it you missed me?" she asked, gasping.
"Had a bloody fantastic dream – been pacing up here waiting for you ever since. Let me in, kitten," he begged. "Hop up and take a ride."
Kara complied, and moved into place with the help of his hands supporting her ass. She eased down onto him, getting accustomed to being stretched and filled again before starting to move. He pressed her back against the door as he fractionally swirled his hips.
"Ohhh…"
"Like that, luv? God, Kara…I could stay here forever, you know that? Never get enough of you…love you so bloody much. Tell me…tell me how I make you feel."
"Good – I…oh, hell." Kara sunk her teeth into his neck and let what she was feeling pour through the claim.
"Oh, luv…" he murmured, awed by how much she let through all at once. "Kara, be mine, sweetheart-"
"What?" she asked, raising her head.
"Be my girl," Spike repeated.
"I am your girl," she said, a little confused.
"No," shaking his head. He clarified, "Be mine…my mate, for always."
"You're serious?"
"Cross my heart and hope to dust. I had a whole thing planned, but you can be so bleedin' frustrating, and then-" He was cut off by Kara's lips fusing to his, passionately. "Is that a yes?" he asked when she released him.
"Not yet."
"Not yet! Wha-" Her hand over his mouth cut him off this time, and he glared at her.
"Let me explain. Not yet, as in I want to do this right, so not today, right now." She moved her hand away.
"When?" was the immediate question.
"Umm…Oh! Sunday."
His eyes lit up. "Tomorrow?"
"No, a week from tomorrow. I want to do the Ossirian ceremony, on our anniversary."
"Why?" he asked, in a slight whine.
"It's nothing complicated, trust me. Can we, um, finish here, and then I'll tell you about it?"
"On one condition: This is it, right? No taking it back when you wake up in the morning again, no backing out before Sunday. You'll be my mate for eternity."
"Yes, Spike, I'll be your mate, body and soul."
He whooped gleefully, then claimed her lips in a breath-stealing kiss. Their coupling had paused during the conversation, but he now picked up the pace in earnest, Kara's back thudding against the door on every thrust. His fangs found home once he felt her muscles fluttering around him, and he sipped lightly on her blood before licking the wounds closed as she came down from her climax.
"Bed?" he asked.
"Mmm hmm," she responded, still wrapped around him.
Spike carried her to their bed and laid her gently on the mattress. He pulled off her shoes and her top, then unhooked her bra and tossed that to the floor, too. His jeans slid the rest of the way off, and then he was sliding under the covers to join her, pulling her close. Kara rest her head on his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his smooth skin.
"Sleepy, kitten?"
"Mmm hmm, and you're a good pillow," she mumbled.
He kissed the top of her head. "Nap, then, for a bit. I'll wake you for lunch."
"Okay." Kara tilted her head around to look at his face. "I love you, Spike."
He smiled, and cupped her cheek with his hand, placing a quick kiss on her lips. "Love you, too. Always."
