Chapter 6

"Hey Spike."

The blond vampire nodded his head in greeting as he put on his black apron, washed his hands and began to prepare vegetables. When Spike had seen the advertisement for "Lenny's Pizza" needing more nighttime workers, he had decided it was too good a chance to miss. He worked 6 hours every night and made enough money to keep him and the slayer going until her chums got back in Sunnydale.

As long as the Slayer didn't find out exactly how William the Bloody was getting money, then he could not think about the fact that he was a vampire and vampires always just take what they want.

Ha. If the slayer found out about it she would laugh her pants off. Not that he would mind the last part.

Just then he heard a loud clattering sound coming from outside and his head snapped in the direction of the window at the back of the shop. But he couldn't see anything there. Shrugging, he got back to work.

Buffy lay on her back after falling off the garbage can, her mouth open in a perfect O of surprise. First Buffy thought: How is it possible for Spike to look so incredibly HOT in a apron?! Then she became confused, Why didn't her tell me? Anger soon took over, doesn't he think I could get a job? I can make money to! and last, she felt adoring: but it's so sweet of him to do this.

Spike returned to the motel at around 11:30 and slipped quietly inside incase the slayer was asleep. He was surprised when he saw her sitting up on the edge of the bed, a small smile on her face. "Hi spike."

Buffy was feeling a strange whirl of emotions. She had been quite rude to Spike before and she felt maybe she should apologize. He was going to help her kill Erimoir after all. Why was he being so nice to her? It was annoying. It was scary. She missed having someone. Someone to hold. To talk to. Her heart was still broken from Angel and suddenly all she wanted to do was to be comforted. It was too much. She burst into tears.

Spike was at her side in an instant. "What's wrong Slayer?" He asked in concern. One minute she was saying "Hi" all happily and the next minute she was crying!? He was even more surprised when the tiny slayer crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms around him saying, "I just wanted to thank you Spike. You're so different from other vampires and you have been so nice to me over that past few days even though you hate me."

He stroked her hair lightly and though, I don't hate you Slayer.

Buffy was quiet for a moment but then she said "I don't know if that demon Erimoir will ever find us, but I hate Angel for doing this to us. Making me feel so helpless. I'm not use to sitting and waiting. I . . . I used to love Angel and he tore my heart open. Not literally, though I think that would be less painful."

"Angel took away my Dru. . . right in front of me.." Spike said quietly wondering why he didn't care as much as he used to.

"Love is dangerous stuff Spike. And I think everyone is safer if we don't let anyone into out hearts." Buffy whispered.

She looked up at him almost shyly, and then, inching closer, she brushed her lips against his.

"Goosouoogherereoooooooeroooiuouiewrwerwebnbnmsdsadiuioeqrqerbewbnmboo!"

Two blond heads snapped up and looked in the direction of the unusual roar.

"Erimoir." They said in unison.

In a flash Buffy was on her feet and sending a sharp kick to Erimoir's knee. She cried out in pain. It was like kicking a brick wall. "Spike! We need weapons! Do you have any weapons?"

Spike glanced at her anxiously "I think I might have some in my car."

"Well go get something – anything and hurry!"

Erimoir had been standing there, grinning at the slayer and letting her attack him. Spike dashed out of the room and down the stairs with vampiric speed, his leather duster billowing out behind him.

The ancient demon made a strange noise that was long and drawn out and high pitched and short at the same time; it sent chills down Buffy's spine.

The demon lunged. His long black arm shot out and Buffy ducked, swerving to the right, but she had miscalculated Erimoir's speed.

He looked as if he was moving in slow motion but even as Buffy ducked, his arm connected with her face and she was sent flying into the wall with such force that a nearby lamp fell and shattered to pieces.

If Buffy were a normal human, she would probably look like that lamp after just one blow from Erimoir.

Buffy got back on her feet grimacing and sent a series of punches and kicks the demon's way. They did not seem to have any effect and Buffy was becoming very worried. She hoped Spike had some deadly weapons in his car – a sword perhaps…or maybe a chainsaw would be better.

The fight went on, and Buffy found herself having to duck the demons blows more often than she got to send her own. The only time she managed to hurt him was when she grabbed one of his long fingers and twisted it back hearing a satisfying crack. But what was that going to do anyways? The demon barely noticed the pain.

Where are you Spike?

Spike let out a stream of curses as he searched his car. He looked in the boot, the glove box and under the seats. Nothing. Not one bloody weapon! The only thing he found was his silver lighter on the front seat.

"Bloody no use this is gonna be", he muttered slipping it into his pocket.

Spike had always been one to improvise weapons as he fought, use whatever was on hand. He didn't usually carry them around, even if they made him feel manly.

Maybe there would be some butcher knifes in the kitchen, he thought desperately and sprinted back up the stairs.

Erimoir grabbed Buffy's arms and in one motion twisted them behind her back, breaking them both. She screamed out in pain, falling to her knees. Erimoir squeezed her broken arms tightly, increasing the torture and her mind started to cloud over.

My legs, she thought. I have to use my legs. As if reading her mind, Erimoir chose that moment to sit on her legs. God for such a skinny thing, it feels like there's an elephant on me. She gasped in pain

Suddenly her eyes became huge and she found herself staring into Erimoir's larger eye. A green spiral shot out from the iris and moved around the sclera, the eye seeming to grow even larger. Suddenly, Buffy couldn't move at all!

Buffy knew it was all happing very quick, though it felt like time had stopped. She was paralysed, and yet, she felt as if all her insides were moving, bubbling, heating up and about to ooze out of her eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Even worse, there was something else, something inside her, trying to stay but quickly loosing the battle to a stronger force tugging on it, tearing it, sucking out . . . her soul.

Buffy's mouth fell open in a silent scream of horror as she continued to stare into Erimoir's eye and saw the hell dimension she would end up in. Her feet began to burn. The burning sensation crept up her legs, over her hips and stomach, spreading heat faster and faster . . .

If Spike had a heat beat it would have stopped as he dashed back into the room and froze at what he saw. There was the slayer and as he watched before his own eyes her chest slowly disappeared and all that he could see was her head and he face scrunched in excruciating pain, though her eyes were still wide and staring.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Spike roared and without even thinking or realizing what he was doing the lighter appeared in his hand, he flicked the flame on and when Erimoir turned his head to see who had interrupted him, Spike slammed the lighter, flame first into the demon's eye.

Spike pulled his arm back and his lighter slowly sank into Erimoir's eye until he couldn't see it anymore.

For a moment nothing happened.

Then the eye began to bubble and change colours until abruptly it exploded, gooey matter splattering everywhere. The demon stood there, a big empty hole where his eye used to be. He swayed slightly and crashed to the ground; upon contact his skin cracked as if it were as thin as an eggshell. Black blood sloshed out in a huge wave sinking into the floor and disappearing. Finally Erimoir's bones erupted into fire and crumbled to ash, before even the ash vanished as if it had never existed.

Spike however, hardly noticed any of these events. He ran to Buffy's side and a quick wave of relief washed over him when her body appeared again and thumped to the floor. His relief was slowly replaced by dread when he realized she wasn't moving. Her eyes were shut.

"Luv, wake up." Spike whispered.

He brushed his hand against hers. Her flesh was cold.