Chapter Four

The clothes Spike had picked out for Willow were daring and dark, very different from the fuzzy pink jumper he had ripped from her the previous night. She wore them without complaint, she suspected if she protested Spike would have her walk around naked. She had changed into a pair of figure hugging black jeans and a tight top which scooped below her shoulders leaving her neck and shoulders bare. She looked considerably fresher, the only hint that something was amiss was the bruise on her right cheek from where Spike had backhanded her. As soon as the sun set Spike shepherded her into the car handing her a bottle of water to keep her hydrated. She took a sip from the bottle as a thought suddenly struck her.

"When did you erm...f – feed last?" She glanced nervously at Spike and rubbed her hand self-consciously over the bite marks he had inflicted on her in the factory.

"Yesterday. Don't worry love I'm not going to be feeding off you; you'll need your strength for Brazil." She clenched the bottle of water tightly; she had to get away from him before they crossed the border and were out of America.

"How long will it take to get to Brazil?"

"We should be crossing the border to Mexico tomorrow, obviously we have to stop while the sun is up which will add to our time." Spike shrugged carelessly and grinned suggestively at Willow, "but I think I know how we can fill that time." She turned her face away from him blinking back tears. "You did not seem upset yesterday," he teased reaching over to stroke her cheek. "In fact you seemed to enjoy it."

"Don't." Willow whispered blushing, she had been horrified at her body's response to his touch yet she had desperately yearned for it.

"It will be a week at least before we're in Brazil." Spike squeezed her leg and inched away from him on the car seat.

"What if she's not there anymore?" Spike fell silent as he contemplated this, eventually he shrugged. "Spike...let me go home. Xander will tell Buffy where we're going, they'll get a plane to Brazil and find us." He nodded in thought and put his foot down further on the accelerator. "Then perhaps I should turn you before Brazil." Don't panic, Willow told herself, he's started giving you food and water...build your strength up and gain his trust. Mentally she nodded to herself, when she was at her full strength she could try to use her magic on him. "Willow?"

"I don't want to talk about that," she whispered unable to meet his gaze. "Please Spike...you know I don't want to die, but I really don't want to be a vampire." She didn't try to hide the tears and Spike laughed at her.

"I think if someone had told me what I was to become I would have been frightened. But it is a gift Willow, and think of your powers. You'll be an unbeatable witch," he took her hand and brushed his lips along it.

"But I won't be me." Spike sighed and patted her knee, when she remained silent he reached into the glove compartment to retrieve his cigarettes.

"Love, stop whining." He said as he inhaled, "I'm going to turn you and that's that. But first..." He smoked his cigarette lost in thought. "Have you ever been to Las Vegas?" He asked her with a sly smile on his face, Willow shook her head and looked at him nervously. "Perfect. We'll take a detour before we cross over to Mexico,"

"Why?" Willow asked nervously.

"I'm sick of staying in these grungy motels, and there's nothing quite like a stay in one of the Venetian suites." Spike glanced over at her and flicked ash out the window. "For Chrissake love at least smile I'm trying to do something nice for a change." Willow forced a smile but it didn't reach her eyes, did he think a night in an expensive hotel would really make up for the fact he was going to kill her? After a few hours of driving in silence he pulled into a twenty-four hour diner and wrapped an arm around Willow's shoulders. "Do not give them a reason to be suspicious," he warned her, "or I will feed you myself." Willow blushed at the memory of her hungrily sucking burger grease from his fingers. She nodded and hugged herself tightly. "You look too tense love," Spike took her hand and thrust it into the back pocket of his jean, when she made a motion to pull her hand out he squeezed her arm painfully. "I need you to look convincing," he whispered. "If anyone should grow suspicious...I shall have to kill them." Willow swallowed a lump of fear and nodded, forcing herself to smile as they stepped into the small diner. There was one waitress in a sky blue knee length dress with a stained apron tied around her waist. She was propped up half-asleep on the counter, an old jug of coffee beside her and a cigarette smouldering in her left hand.

"What can I ge' ya folks?" She asked half-heartedly through a yawn, behind her a small screen played a news channel.

"She'll have a burger and beer, I'll just have a beer." Spike ushered Willow into a booth and observed the empty diner. "Not much business," he remarked to the waitress as she brought over their beers. She didn't give Willow a second glance or ask for ID, Willow peeled the label off her bottle but couldn't bring herself to take a swig from the bottle. She wasn't much of a drinker and she wanted to keep her head clear.

"Nah, we ge' jus' enough to keep ticking by." The woman returned to the counter where she dozed off until the cook rang the bell for Willow's food. She didn't care that this was her second fast food meal in as many days, she'd not eaten since the previous night and once again she was ravenous. She devoured her burger while Spike swigged at his beer, his head turned sharply at something on the TV and Willow looked at him confused.

"Shit," he murmured turning to look back at her. Willow tried to hear what was being said but the volume was too low for her human ears. She glanced at the waitress and caught the woman staring at the two in horror.

"We should go," she murmured. She was desperate to escape but she didn't want this woman to die for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The woman picked up the phone, but before she was able to dial the second number Spike had pounced on her burying his fangs deep into her neck. "Spike, no!" She cried but it was too late and the woman's corpse dropped to the floor. A door to their right banged open and a large man with arms covered in tattoos came towards Spike with a knife. Willow screamed as Spike snapped the chef's neck leaving him lifeless on the ground. He took her hand and pulled her from the restaurant and pushed her into the car, he pulled out before she even had her seatbelt on.

"Fuck!" He hissed hitting the steering wheel with his fists. "You're on national news." Willow felt hope swell up, all she had to do was be spotted somewhere crowded! She could have laughed with joy! That was until she heard Spike laughing; she looked at him nervously and saw that he still wore his demon face. Blood smeared his lips making his twisted smile seem all the more grimmer. She didn't dare ask what he found so funny, but the hope that had just swelled up was suddenly dead. When they pulled into the next motel he left her locked in the car while he booked them into a room, when he came to retrieve her he was still grinning. He pushed her on to the bed and picked up the phone from the bedside cabinet. "You're going to call your little slayer friend," he ordered as she took phone. "You're going to tell her she has twenty four hours to call off this search for you. If she doesn't..."

"Why do I care whether they call it off or not? You're going to kill me anyway!" Willow threw the phone onto the floor and cried out as Spike leapt behind her and twisted her arm roughly behind her back.

"Do you want more deaths on your hands?" He growled in her ear, "the more people who spot you and recognise then the more people I have to kill. Which I don't mind to be frank love, I quite like killing." Fighting back tears Willow retrieved the phone and dialled Buffy's number. Please don't answer...please don't answer...

"Hello?" A deep male voice answered the phone and Willow almost dropped the phone in shock.

"Angel?" What was he doing answering Buffy's phone?

"Willow! Where are you?" Before she could reply Spike snatched the phone from her.

"Angelus!" He cheerfully chirped down the phone, "even better. Listen mate, you couldn't do us a small favour and get the slayer to convince the police Willow is safe and well? Only...I hate to be a bit of a bother but a lot more people will die."

"Angel help me!" Willow screamed desperately, "he's going –" Her pleas were muffled as Spike clapped a hand over her mouth and dragged her closer.

"She's gone and spoilt it," Spike sighed. "Tell the slayer she has twenty-four hours to get this search called off, otherwise she'll find her friend in a less then pristine condition." He pulled the phone cord from the wall and hurled it across the room. He locked the door and tore off his jacket and shirt, running his hands through his cropped blonde hair he stared at Willow thoughtfully. His eyes flicked to the bedpost and she shook her head desperately.

"Please don't." She whispered, she couldn't take another night of humiliation. "What if they trace the call and we have to leave quickly?" Spike nodded and peeled off his fitted black t-shirt and jeans, Willow stared at him shocked and blushed. She'd not seen him undressed before and she closed her eyes terrified that he would remove his boxers.

"If you try to escape I'll break your legs," he warned her settling onto the mattress and putting his right arm behind his head while he stretched his left arm out. He gestured for Willow to come towards him, she contemplated making an excuse but knew he wouldn't accept it. Timidly she slipped over to his side of the bed, she curled into a tight ball and turned her back to him. "Aren't you going to undress?" He teased moving onto his side and slipping a hand up her shirt.

"N – No...it's too cold." A small moan escaped her lips as Spike cupped her breast and slipped a finger beneath her bra. "Spike, please...I can't..." She'd just watched him murder two people, did he really expect her to sleep with him now?

"Well then perhaps you ought to do something for me." Smirking Spike took hold of her right hand and guided it beneath his boxes. She was repulsed by his actions but too frightened to protest, she grasped his member in her hand and moved her hand back and forth with his guidance. She watched as his eyes closed and his face went from handsome to demonic, there was still a trace of blood that was more prominent when his demonic face was present. He began to convulse and Willow almost stopped but he held her hand firmly in place encouraging her to go faster. He gave a cry of pleasure and Willow felt something warm and sticky in her hand, unable to look at him she bolted from the bed and into the bathroom. She scrubbed furiously at her hand trying to erase every trace of his essence. When she looked up in the mirror she could see only her own reflection, but she knew he was there, behind her. As his hands touched her shoulders she burst into tears and slumped to the ground.