Chapter Eleven

"Home" was an abandoned underground station crawling with rats, spiders and other nasties that made Willow's skin crawl. She looked at Spike horrified.

"You expect me to live down here? I'll die!" She cried feeling hysteria bubble deep inside her, threatening to burst free and drive her insane. "Spike please, please can we stay somewhere above ground? Please?" He lit a few candles which were ensconced in the wall, but rather than settling her nerves it drove her fear into overdrive. The flickering candle flames sent shadows dancing across the curved ceiling and walls. Calm yourself, she tried to take control of her emotions and holding her hand up she summoned a ball of light to keep close to her. When a rat took an inquisitive step near her she flicked nodded at the ball and sent it skidding towards the rat, it hissed but scampered away. Spike watched her with an amused glint.

"Love...you'll be a vampire soon. Being above ground will kill you." He gently took her in his arms and brushed his lips along her neck. "You smell delicious...I haven't eaten since we left the states." He nipped her neck and Willow pushed him away,

"Not yet...I'm not ready." She was so close to freedom...

"Why delay it love?" Spike pulled her close and began undoing the buttons on her blouse. Willow felt a whimper escape her throat and she tried to pull away but his grip on her arms was tight. "No one knows where you are...everyone thinks you're dead. Surely you just want this to be over with?" He dropped her blouse to the ground and cupped her chin, his free hand moving behind her back to unhook her bra. "This is home," he whispered brushing his lips against hers. "Embrace it." He circled her nipples with the pads of his thumb smiling to himself as her breath hitched in her throat. He knelt and brought her nipple into his mouth, suckling gently.

"Spike," she gasped as her hands grasped his hair and her back arched. "Oh Spike," He'd not had sex with her since her first time and he forced himself to be gentle. He ripped his clothes off and tore her own jeans and shoes away. His bed hadn't been slept in for over two decades and the mattress was moulded and ruined, instead he laid her on his duster. His eyes met hers and for the briefest of moments he felt the first pulls of pity. Here was a girl all alone in a foreign country; her family believed her dead and her best friends would kill her should they find her. Her eyes shone in the candlelight, a mixture of desire and lust but over powered by sadness and fear. "Don't..." She whispered, "don't turn me..." Spike silenced her with a kiss, pinning her hands above her head he plunged into her barely able to hold his release.

Spike watched as a rat crept closer towards them, his right foot flicked out and kicked the rodent away. Angelus was in London. He'd obviously come for Willow...but why not take her there and then? Gently he moved his arm out from under Willow, she stirred but didn't wake and Spike draped his shirt over to keep her warm. The candles were beginning to die out, but her ball of light still burned steady and the pale golden light washed over her, Spike's eyes were instantly drawn to the pulsing at her throat and his face hardened into his primal mask. He had to hunt now. He'd not lied to her when he said he'd not eaten since the States, in fact the last person he'd taken blood from had been her. If he didn't eat soon then he would drain her die and kill her properly when the time came to turning her. He slipped his jeans on and his fitted t-shirt, his feet brushed against her jeans and he stared at them for a few moments. Sniffing curiously he bent down and picked them up, he could smell Angelus on her. He rummaged through the pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. On it was scrawled an address, he looked over at the sleeping girl and shoved it back into the pocket of her jeans. He had thought about waiting a few days before turning her into a vampire, but the more he thought about it one question bounced in his mind; why? Surely it was crueller to make her wait. She was human; she was not made to be living in an abandoned underground station. She was made for light. Tomorrow, he thought to himself, I will turn her tomorrow. He gathered her clothes up and made his way towards the exit, he stowed her clothes away out of sight. Just in case she should wake up, he did not want to have to chase her around London.

"This is the only time I help you, demon." A small red haired spat at Angel's feet and glared at him in pure loathing as she closed the door behind him.

"I will never ask your help again," he replied coldly. "I do this for a friend."

"Vampires should be killed, with or without a soul." Alessandra sat at the table and glared at him. "Tell me about this girl. Tell me why I am risking my life for a stranger. An undead one at that."

"She is not undead. At least not yet." Angel took a seat opposite her and glanced around the small dingy kitchen. There were mouse droppings scattered around the floor, a moulding loaf of bread sat on one of the rotted kitchen counters and the smell of burning made his nostrils itch. "She is a close friend of the slayer, kidnapped by an enemy. She is a powerful witch. That is why you are helping me. Should she become a vampire, her powers will know no boundaries – only her conscience will protect you. Protect us all." Alessandra drummed her fingers across the tabletop.

"Why not just kill her?"

"She does not want this life."

"Nobody wants your life. You are turned by force; even you did not ask to become the monster you are. Just stake her and be done with it." Angel hardened his face and glared at the witch. "You won't kill me – you can't." Her voice wavered and her blue eyes darted about looking for a weapon.

"Having a soul doesn't stop me from killing," he reached over and took hold of her wrist in a vicelike grip. "You will do this for me. I will not ask for anything from you again and in return you will be paid." He gave a pointed look around the room, "or would you prefer to live in this hovel for the rest of your life?" He relaxed his face and sat back, "besides...there's always the chance she will arrive tomorrow." Deep down he didn't believe that, he felt a stab of guilt. He could have taken Willow from the airport; he could have taken her home. But Spike would have come back for her. He would have killed her friends while she watched before turning his fangs onto her.

Alessandra watched him in astonishment, rumours of this vampire had been passed down through her family. He had brutally murdered her ancestors shortly before he was cursed, the only reason she sat before him was one had managed to escape. How could this be the killer? "I'll help her," she said quietly. "But after tomorrow I want you gone. And the girl."