She called Giles first thing the next morning. He was up, of course, and listened to her describe the scene from the graveyard, minus the orgasmic ending.
"Buffy, that was a very stupid thing to do."
"You yourself said I could take a fledgling. And it's not like I went looking for one, he fell into my lap pretty much."
"I'm still disappointed. You should have called me."
"There was no time. He was above ground by the time I got to the grave." Giles sighed.
"Please, just don't do it again. I have enough to worry about trying to train you, much less keep you alive while you patrol." He snorted at the thought of breezy Buffy patrolling the way he'd routinely done in his younger Protector years (it hadn't been much fun. Find, stake, fill out Council paperwork), and Buffy decided to keep mum about her career choice, for a little while at least.
"So you say Willow and Xander saw you?"
"Yea. I was hoping you'd help me figure out what to say to them." Giles sighed again.
"I will write the three of you hall passes to come see me today, and I'll help you explain there."
"Thanks Giles, you're the best!" He smiled despite himself as he hung up. Even when he was mad at her, Buffy could still cheer him up.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Spike hummed a Nirvana song to himself as he flipped through the channels, looking for something good. There was a blonde actress on that show, and she reminded him of Buffy. He changed it to the Cartoon Network. Billy and Mandy was on, and Mandy was blonde like Buffy. He switched it to Animal Planet, where they were showing a dog show. That dog had shiny blonde hair, just like Buffy.
It was obvious he had Buffy on the brain, and probably wouldn't get over it anytime soon. So he muted the television, and folded his arms behind his head to think.
She was threat. If allowed to train with the Protector, unchecked, she'd soon become yet another thorn in his side. She'd learn the ancient pesky art of Protecting, slay his minions, and foil his evil plans. She had to be stopped before it was too late.
Like he was actually going to kill her. So what if she had to potential to undo his evil operation, he couldn't get enough of her. She apparently felt the same way- Riley's smell was fainter than usual, and this was the first time she'd initiated anything. She may have been inexperienced, but Spike's only goal at that point was to remedy that. And who really cared if she was a white hat? He'd seen her in action, and though he still winced when he remembered the foot stomp, she was an animal. Giles had chosen his pupil well; Buffy had excellent reflexes, she was resourceful, and she was determined. Spike had originally written her off for a fighter, but the previous night she'd proved him wrong. Which was why he had seriously considered turning her then and there last night, while inside her, with a simple bite to her exposed neck. He hadn't though, because the sound and feel of her heartbeat against his extraordinary senses had been amazing. Never before had Spike been with a willing human. His partners tended to normally be dead, or occasionally reeking of fear and pain that coated all other effects. Never the telltale heart pounding its climax in his ear...in his veins...in his own unbeating heart... Spike had developed a kink for heartbeats, it seemed.
And the Vampire who had fallen for a human, much less a dangerous human, and discovered that he in fact liked her better alive than dead, was about to fall even further in the eyes of Hell. Because he had a date, for lack of better term, tonight.
He un-muted the TV, and watched the dog show until sunset.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
"Mirror mirror, on the wall," Buffy asked with a twirl and a pout, "who's the fairest of them all?"
"Why, it's you, Buffy Summers!" she answered herself in a high, squeaky voice. Then she decided that if her mirror could talk, it'd probably sound cooler than that. "You are, Buffy Anne," she said, deeper and throatier this time. That was better. She looked down at her outfit: a black halter top borrowed from her Mom, who'd been acquiring hotter close since beginning to court Giles, and black pants, a hand-me-down from Xander of all people. He'd tried the pleather-y look in previous grades, and had been mercilessly mocked for it. When he'd officially outgrown them, he passed the tight pants along to Buffy. To that day, he still had the habit of running his fingers along the pants and sighing whenever Buffy wore them. He loved those pants. But Buffy was loving them more at the moment, because they showed off her legs without placing too much attention on her shapeless butt.
She picked up an eye pencil from her dresser, and went over her makeup one more time. It had started quite faint, and grown darker and darker over the past thirty minutes. She wasn't sure if Spike like natural looking girls, being born in a time where mascara didn't exist, or putschy looking girls, as would be complimented by his own eye makeup and interesting hair color. Of their own accord, her nervous hands had chosen to go thick and dark.
She was meeting Spike in fifteen minutes, as had been agreed before the left the cemetery the night before, her declining his invitation to walk her home. She'd have liked his company, but didn't want either of them falling into the trap of thinking she was defenseless. If being friends, possibly with benefits, with Spike was going to work, she'd have to continuously strive to prove herself. She didn't want to be automatically labeled the weak one in the relationship, though she knew she technically was.
They were going over a few towns to a club, because according to Spike, despite Sunnydale being a Hellmouth, "There's no decent parties." They were meeting at the park where she'd given him a ride not so long ago. Adding another smudge of lipstick to her already colorful lips, she bounced down the stairs.
"I'm out, Mom! I have my cell phone!"
"Where are you going?" Joyce called from the kitchen.
"Bronze. I'll be back by eleven."
"Ten-thirty."
"Mom, loosen up a little. You probably won't be back by ten-thirty."
"Well, now that you're not with Riley anymore, I don't know who you're flirting with at that club. I want you home before the wierdos come out."
"It's been a week, Mom! I'm not on the prowl yet!" Technically, that was true. Though Spike was very prowl-y, with his cat-like reflexes and such.
"Ten-forty," Joyce said after a minute of silence. Buffy rolled her eyes, giving up the fight.
"Have fun with Giles. And if he asks how I am after the Riley thing AGAIN, tell him I am on the prowl." Not knowing much about girls, Giles had been cutting her all kinds of slack the past few days, believing her to be mopey. Not really true, as she'd had a damn good reason for breaking up with him. And she'd be late in meeting that reason if she didn't hurry up.
She'd gone with wedge heels tonight, black of course, and the clicked along as she made her way to the rendezvous point. As she walked, she thought back to the events of the day. She'd pretty much been daydreaming about her cemetery sexcapade, but Giles had called her, Willow, and Xander to the library as promised. He'd sat the two friends down, while Buffy paced behind him for lack of anything else to do. Willow had stayed up most of the previous night doing research in her junior magic books about Vampires, so she was very receptive. Xander had watched a few black-and-white Vampire films, and was even more terrified than he'd been the night before.
"No Xander, the only Vampire who is capable of that is Dracula himself, and that's because of a Devil's Deal he made with a renegade vengeance demon in the 13th century. Real Vampires are less show, more blunt strength."
"If that's true, why hasn't anyone I know gotten turned into a Vampire?"
"I'm willing to bet dozens of people you know have been sired, starting with your friend from the other night."
"Jesse was not a Vampire!"
"Oh, excuse me, he was just a high school boy who died from a mysterious neck injury, then rose from the dead a few days later to be met with the stake of a Protector, people sworn to demolish his kind, and perished into dust." Buffy smiled and mouthed the word 'Protector,' but Giles seemed to realize what he'd said, and gave her a look that clearly meant 'don't get any ideas.'
"I don't know why everyone thought he was dead, but he couldn't have been."
"So what happened to him, in your eyes?"
"Like that story we had to read the other day, the one by Edgar Allen Poe,"
"The Fall of the House of Usher," Willow supplied from beside him.
"Yea, that one. Where they thought the chick was dead, and they put her in the coffin, but she was actually just sick, and she came and killed the dude that put her in there. Jesse wasn't dead, and he was angry and disoriented when he got out, so he attacked Buffy, and then..." Xander trailed off. Giles prompted him to go on. "I guess Buffy was the one that killed him." In horror, Buffy's hand flew to her mouth before.
"NO," Giles answered, trying to remain calm. "Buffy did not kill him. He was already dead. You have known Buffy for a long time, and you know she is not a murderer."
"Well, I also didn't know she a Fearless Vampire Killer."
"Xander, if Buffy had truly killed Jesse, would he have burst into ashes?" Xander thought about that for a minute, still very white.
"I'm guessing not."
"Jesse was turned into a Vampire, and Buffy slayed him before he could do the same to others. As you were in the graveyard that particular night, you would have been one of his first victims."
"Jesse wouldn't do that. We weren't best friends, but we were buds."
"But Jesse was dead. That was a demon in Jesse's body and mind."
"It doesn't make sense."
"Well I'm sorry, Xander, but I can't explain it further. I don't think you're willing to understand. Willow, did you have any questions?"
"How did Buffy get mixed up in this? She's just a girl. Is it because you're dating her mom? Does Joyce know?"
"No, Joyce does not know, and she will not know. Am I clear?" He glared at the two sitting in front of him until they nodded. "Buffy stumbled upon one of my targets, who took her hostage for a few days." Willow and Xander gasped, remembering the kidnapping. "I felt it best, after this incident, to prepare her for possible similar occurrences in the future." Willow nodded, and Giles moved toward his desk to pick up their passes, and write more on them. "Even though things still probably seem quite confusing to you, please don't worry about it. This doesn't concern you, and there is nothing you can do to help me or Buffy. Just forget about things, and most certainly don't tell anyone. That would make our job much harder." Once again, he was speaking like she was one of the Protectors. This time he didn't notice, and didn't give her any looks.
She fell out of her memory as she reached the park, the tingling hairs on the back of her neck clueing her in that he was here already. Pretending she didn't notice, she made her way up one of the ladders, and slid her legs into the opening for the orange slide. She pushed off, and sailed down several feet until she hit something hard.
"That's my head, baby." She giggled, then spread her legs so she slid down further, and ended up with Spike's head in her lap.
"Is this better?"
"You tease, bint." He placed a little kiss on the inside of her thigh, wincing at the sappiness. It just wasn't something he could help.
"How was your day?"
"Slept most of it, then did some important decision making. Staked a minion who wouldn't get in line. Actually used the stake I bummed off you for the job; nice piece of work's wot it was."
"You didn't BUM it from me, Spike, your minions STOLE it from me. And don't use Mr. Pointy for evil, he's got quite a history."
"Mr. Pointy's for killin' Vamps, right? 'Swhat I did with 'em." He chuckled, but saw the look in her eyes. "Why's the piece of wood so bloody important?"
"He belonged to Giles' pupil who died. Then he belonged to me, and I lost him after only having him a few hours." She hung her head.
"Kendra?" Spike asked, surprising her.
"How'd you know?"
"Protectors know things on us, we know things on them. I don't twiddle my thumbs waiting for Rupes to attack us; he's a major pain in my ass that I have to deal with. Vamps aren't nonchalant about Protectors, 'specially not the good kind like your boy there."
"So it's kind of like grudging respect?" she asked.
"Kind of, only more like hateful respect." He snuggled his head between her thighs, quite enjoying the compromising position she'd literally slid into. "How much does it bother you that you lost the hunk 'o wood?"
"Immensely. I feel like I let him down, and took something valuable away from him." They were silent for a few more minutes before Spike sighed. He reached into his duster, and took out a curved stick of wood.
"I'm not givin' it back, if that's what you're thinkin'." He snapped it in half, careful to hold it away from his chest, and flung it down the slide. "But if you don't want it in my bloodstained hands, I'll respect that."
"Thanks. I think."
"Get down here, you're making my mind go places, pet." She unhooked her legs, and slid down again so this time she was flush against him. They both slid down a few inches with her added weight, but he wrapped his arms around her waist, and began to smooch her neck. She started to giggle, but it turned into a gasping sound when she felt his fangs tickle her.
"Eh-eh, no biting!" She felt his tongue replace the sharp teeth. "Much better. Much much much better."
They lay tangled in the tube for the next few hours. She had no idea how they'd managed it, but Spike's duster was at the bottom of the slide, along with her shoes. They'd continued slipping lower and lower until they finally joined the objects, and continued to explore each other with their hands and mouths. When she felt his fingers intrude her womanhood (far more than Riley had even dared to do; he was a penis-in-vagina guy, period) she actually screamed, hoping the families living in the houses around them didn't hear and come to investigate. If they did, Spike would probably kill them. That knowledge should have upset her, but she was too far gone to particularly care whether Spike did any killing tonight or not.
There wasn't an inch of either of their bodies the other's roaming fingers didn't touch upon. As her hand twisted up his black shirt to tweak his nipples, he pulled his mouth away from hers with a little groan.
"You're so pretty," he commented with a grin, as her fingertips worked faster and harder around the raised buds.
"So are you," she teased back. He knew he should be objecting to this; when was the last time he let a little girl tell him he was PRETTY, and live? He couldn't recall ever doing that. Yet Buffy did it, and all he wanted was to respond by telling her that she was ridiculously beautiful, and he could never hope to match that. His ego barely reigned that statement in, but it would teeter on the tip of his tongue for the rest of the night.
When ten-thirty was approaching, he insisted that he be allowed to walk her home, and she agreed without thinking. Dominant, he draped his arm around her shoulders, just so that if anyone drove by with a certain glint in their eyes for Buffy, they'd know just how much they couldn't have her.
"We never made it to that club," she said as her house came into view.
"To tell truth, I forgot about it." She grinned.
"Me too." They reached her front porch, Spike wondering what the next move would be. He watched Friends, Dawson's Creek, and other such shows with a hidden passion; but he'd never actually dropped a girl off, and he didn't know where fiction ended and reality began. He WAS supposed to kiss her, right? Screw it; he was a Vampire Master, and if he wanted to kiss his girl, he'd fucking well do it.
'My girl,' the thought echoed in his mind as he bent down to give her a far more chaste kiss than the kind they'd been exchanging all night. But in that simple, pure kiss was a kind of adoration he'd never experienced before, not even with Drusilla. Feeling suffocated, though the need to breathe had been extinguished long ago, Spike kissed her again and again, feeling her smile underneath his attentions.
"...lously beautiful," he mumbled as he finally pulled back. She didn't catch the whole thing, but heard more than he'd wanted her to. Cursing himself for turning into a pussy, he didn't notice himself take her hand, plant a tiny kiss on the knuckles, and say "Goodnight, fair maiden." She glowed, more so than she ever had with Riley or a previous boyfriend. But he kicked himself for the wussiness, and decided it was time to say something sexy and charge-taking, before he threw out anymore doomed lines.
"Midnight. I'll be the one knocking at your window." Well, so much for no more lines. "I mean, I'm taking you out of your window whether you agree to it or not." Good; throw some of the old, pre-Buffy Spike in there. She smiled.
"Don't you need an invitation to get in?"
"I'll threaten it out of you." Stay...evil...
"Oooh, wook at de mean, scawy Vampire!" She winked as she went through her front door.
Spike journeyed home, feeling deflated and elated at the same time. She collapsed against her door, panting from the intensity of the night. Suffice to say, this had never happened before. She was suddenly falling for a Vampire, throwing away all her morals to feel things with him, and planning to invite him in tonight. Why? Why?
Because she wouldn't have it any other way.
