Spike looked up at familiar faces, Angelus in a fury, Drusilla in another world, and Penn in a jealous rage. They took the never changing bit a bit too much to heart. He looked to his left to see Sophie's eyes flash golden, a feral grin played along her mouth. Buffy squeezed his hand. The player's were familiar, but the lines had changed. He looked at his mate, saw the love and acceptance in her eyes. He saw the gleam in her eyes and knew they would be fine.

"Can't run off to your little hideaway now, Boyo." Angelus kicked a rock down from the wall.

"I don't sense any humans about, Angelus." Buffy made a production of sniffing the air. "How are you planning to take me down without tranquilizers?"

Spike felt a surge of pride. Buffy amazed him. There was no fear, no doubt, despite what she had endured.

"Do you think you can take me?" Buffy slid the stake along her cheek seductively and Spike had to bite back a laugh. Sophia snorted.

"Face it, Peaches. The numbers aren't in your favor." Spike watched Angelus, looking for the moment when his sense of self preservation would outweigh his rage. Angelus didn't fight battles if a win wasn't assured. He wasn't a risk taker. He also wasn't backing down.

"You're playing with your food, now?" Angelus asked smoothly. "Thought you said that was beneath us."

Angelus jumped down and leaned back against the wall. Buffy stiffened, and he felt her fingers tighten on his hand.

"Do you think about those slayers you killed when you snack on my little left overs?" Angelus examined his nails.

Spike felt a tremor run through his mate. She slid closer to him and pulled him closer to her.

"I make sure he doesn't think about anything but his cock deep inside me and my fangs sunk in his neck." Buffy licked him over his suddenly throbbing pulse. He smiled at the prick of her delicate fangs on his skin.

"Three pretty drum beats we can't ignore." Drusilla stepped back again. "We can't take their music without joining in their song."

"I didn't know slayers had fangs." Penn's eyes were fastened on them in horror. "I thought they were just stronger and faster."

"Most are." Sophie stepped forward with a smile. "But this one is special."

"Did I give you leave to talk?" Penn snarled and lunged for her landing in a crouch just a few feet away from Sophie.

Spike stiffened as Buffy turned to eye the new threat. Drusilla wasn't going to fight. He could see her standing in the shadows arguing with her pixie friends. Angelus' attention was riveted on Buffy. Spike smiled and stroked her golden hair. She was his.

"You can snack later, Love." He smiled as the flat of her tongue glided on his skin once more.

"I intend to do a lot of stuff later." Buffy bit his ear lobe and released it. He grinned and smacked her rump as she sashayed around him to glare at Angelus.

Angelus shifted his weight, obviously assessing his chances. Spike stared at the older vampire. They couldn't let him walk away from this battle. He might find a way to follow them. They couldn't risk endangering their human family. Spike could sense Buffy tensing, waiting for the perfect moment.

Sophie slid back and away, drawing Penn away from his sire. Spike flashed a grin at her deft handling of the situation. He felt Buffy leap at the same moment he saw Sophie attack. He turned to find his mate at his side again.

Angelus' stood clasping his stomach with both hands. A knife protruded from his pelvis in a sickening imitation of arousal. He looked to see his mate smile.

"Stupid blade got stuck on a bone." She shrugged. "It's not like I cut it off."

"I wouldn't blame you if you had." Spike said as Angel yanked the knife free and blood arced out, splashing against him before turning to ash. He dusted his shirt and let the ash drift down, smiling. "I've certainly wanted to do the honors a time or two."

Buffy turned to him and kissed him. The press of her lips and teeth on his was a fierce promise of what was to come. He stoked her gently.

Angelus' enraged bellow drew them apart as the older vampire charged. They moved together Buffy sweeping the bastard's legs while he knocked him back with a punch. He landed five feet from them with a satisfying thud.

Penn and Sophie were spinning about, trading blows. Spike eyed the fight, seeing that she needed no assistance. Sophie was getting some of her own back. He smiled as she tossed back her head and laughed.

Angelus growled as he regained his feet. Spike refocused on the battle at hand. Buffy was moving to the side, trying to draw Angelus' attention away from him. He winked at her and moved in an arc trying to get behind their prey.

"Do you want me Angelus?" His mate's sultry voice addressing the other vampire pricked at him. "Do you think I could ever want you after I've had him?"

"You little cunt," Angelus roared and sprang. Buffy giggled and spun as he landed driving another blade into his shoulder. She played with the idiot, lodging a blade in his shoulder and leaving his arm to hang limply at his side, useless.

Spike watched as she spun back with a toss of her head. He was going to have to figure out where she kept these weapons. She seemed to conjure them from thin air. It was just too alluring to imagine stripping her down, worshipping her body as the blades and stakes clattered on the floor around them. He grinned, anticipating another wonderful night.

Drusilla moved forward, leaving the trees and her pixies behind. The flash of her white petticoats caught his eye, as he turned to guard his family. Penn was a bumbling fool and Angelus depended on his size far too much in battle. The real threat was always Drusilla. She could take the mind and leave the body vulnerable. He looked at her, remembering his devotion as she jumped down from the wall and swayed toward him. He smiled at her.