Buffy stroked Spike's back as he collapsed against her. Her hand trailed along his skin at the slayer's command. It was so, so wrong to enjoy this. She should be screaming and fighting, but that didn't feel right either. She shuddered as he moved aginst her body. His skin was like silk under her fingers.
He was purring. That was weird. Vampires purred? How was she just finding this out? The slayer stroked him again, and ran one foot down his leg. The rumbling in his chest was oddly soothing.
Buffy curled her fingers in the soft hairs at the nape of his neck. Her body ached. The bare mattress was scratchy against her back. None of it really mattered. She could feel the slayer, still separate from her, struggling for control. Fighting herself was just so weird. It was strange to take control again, to own her body again. Things were so much simpler from the back seat. She had watched and experienced all of it, but the slayer had made all the decisions.
She closed her eyes and rested as her mate's rumbling purr comforted her. Her eyes popped open. Her mate. Spike, William the Bloody, Slayer of slayers, was her mate. Her heart started to race.
"So, you're driving again then, Love?" He rolled them over and smiled up at her as she blushed at the wet sound of his body sliding from hers.
"You knew I wasn't me?" She bit her lip. Part of her wanted to be angry, but the lassitude of the moment was more appealing.
"Was you, just not all of you." He stroked her neck with the pad of his thumb and her body tingled. "Wouldn't have worked if it hadn't been you."
"Oh." She lowered her head on to his chest. He wrapped her in his arms. "So, what are we gonna do?"
"Live with it. Not much else we can do, Pet." He stroked her back. "No way to undo it, no divorce, and any distance is gonna be a bitch to handle."
"What does that mean?"
"Means we'll be setting up house or doin' it in the streets. Your choice really." He shrugged the shoulder she didn't have pinned. "I'm not fussy."
"Not fussy? What are you talking about?" Buffy pushed up and stared at his smirking face.
"Mean I'll shag you anywhere, Pet. If we don't live together the bond will force us to copulate like rabbits on Spanish Fly. It's just the way of it. Don't have to worry about the sunlight anymore, so anytime, anywhere."
"You've got to be kidding me." She sat up and glared at him. "I am not going to fall all over you like that. I have something called self control."
"Not saying you don't, but if we aren't staying together the claim will have to be renewed. There's no fighting it. Self control means nothing to the claim." Spike pushed up and sat back against the headboard.
"I live in the dorm with Willow." She hated the strange pleading tone in her voice. "I'm eighteen."
"Age means nothing to the bond. Living with your little witch wouldn't bother me. I'm surprised by the choice though. Not exactly safe for either of you right now. Is it? What with those soldier boys hunting you?" He stroked her bare calf. "What was going on this morning, Love?"
Fear jolted through her as she considered what had happened. The soldier guys knew all about her. She could remember that much. They had said she was the first one strong enough. God, they would be after her. She could not go back there. Most of it was blurry, but there had been pain and needles. God, she hated needles.
"Come here, Pet." Spike opened his arms and she surged into his embrace. Trusting in him seemed natural. This was all too weird. Her stroked her back, comforting her. "I won't let the bastards get you, but I need you to tell me everything."
"I was on a date with this guy, but he was trying too hard. I just wanted to go back to my room. I remember him walking me home, but then everything goes blank." She shivered. "They took my clothes and sprayed me with a hose. The water was really cold and the pressure was so high it stung my skin. Then they did things, took my blood, tested me. They put me in a tiny room. They made the room really hot and cold in turns. I thought I was going to die. It was awful, but nothing like that last room. They gave me some kind of drug that held me still while they did stuff to me."
The low rumble of his growl was comforting. His arms tightened around her. She swallowed. How fucked was her world if Spike was the one keeping her safe?
"The slayer is always there, ya know? It's a part of me, but when things get bad that part kinda gets stronger. This is the first time it took complete control."
"Saved you." His voice was gravelly.
"Yeah, got me out of there. I think I might have really hurt some of them, but I had no choice. Right? I remember the panic. I needed a safe place to hide, but they were everywhere."
"How long had you been running when we crossed paths?"
"Time was wonky down there. I have no idea." Buffy bit her lip. "Does it matter?"
"Could figure out how much they want you if we knew, maybe." He hummed and stroked her shoulder.
"I was only above ground for a few minutes when I saw you."
"So, you came to me?" He smiled and shook his head. "I might have killed you for the fun of it."
"Yeah, but you would have just done it. You're fair about it." She stroked his chest. "They were getting me ready for some sort of implant. My psych professor was there and I knew some of the guys."
"We will take care of this." He rubbed a hand down her back. "Whatever they have planned, it can't be good."
"I was so scared. It hurt and I couldn't fight." She curled in closer to him. "I can't stand to be powerless. What if I hadn't gotten away?"
"You got out. That's what matters." He kissed her temple. "You survived."
Spike played with her hair. His fingers were so gentle as he dealt with all the tangles. She sighed. He was being sweet, and it was freaksome. The whole situation was out of control.
"I might have killed some of them, and they were human." She shivered. "The slayer side didn't care. It just wanted to get us out of there."
"Understandable. They were going to hurt you. You did the right thing. They weren't innocents." He made it sound so simple.
"Do you think I'll go crazy? That's what happened to Faith. She killed a human and took a quick ride to psychoville." She shuddered. "I don't want to be like that."
"You won't be. Too full of regret to be evil. You're still you more or less." He squeezed her gently. "Tell me the rest."
"I got out through some sort of air shaft, but they were on my trail. I'd duck one, incapacitate another, but I couldn't lose them." She felt the hot spill of tears on her cheeks. "Then I saw you."
"So, this other part of you decided it wanted me?" He smirked.
"You looked so beautiful in the sunlight and so strong." She bit her lip. It wasn't a good time to explain how safe she had felt when he took out that commando. "How were you out in the sun?"
"Found a little bauble." He shrugged. "Best thing with a slayer for a mate. Be at your back when you need me, yeah?"
She nodded, but the whole mating thing was more than she could handle.
"I'm gonna need you to tell me about this mating stuff. I know you'll keep me safe. I know you're mine, and I know I'm yours. I just know it, but I have no idea what it means." She blushed as he chuckled.
"No, Pet, I'm laughing at the situation not you. I've wanted someone to chose me all of my life. I thought Dru had when she turned me, but I was a convenience to her. Now, I get the mate, but again it's the convenience of it." He shook his head. "It's bitter, but I'll live."
She looked up at him and felt a twinge of guilt. She had done this to him.
"You didn't force me, Pet. Don't fret yourself." He kissed her forehead. "I wanted it. My demon may have made the actual choice, but I wanted it. Hell, I would have begged you for it if you had made me."
"So, we're married vampire style, right?" She touched his chin lightly, tracing her fingers along his smooth line of his jaw. "That's why you said divorce wasn't an option."
"Yes, Pet." He swallowed and turned his head, looking away from her.
"Mom's gonna be pissed, and Giles will have kittens, rabid ones." She splayed her hand over his stomach and pressed down against his defined muscles. "What the hell are we going to do?"
"We'll do our best. Adapt. It's what we do. It's why fighting you was always so much bloody fun. Gonna have to do something about those humans hunting you. Can't have that." He looked at her, and she saw the possessive gleam in his eyes. "We'll go see your watcher and let him weigh in."
"We can't go to Giles." She covered her breasts. "I don't have any clothes."
Spike laughed, a loud bark of joyous noise, and she smiled at him. The part of her that wanted to be angry was diminishing. Her slayer side was never wrong. She bit her lip. She had to trust her instincts.
Spike pulled her tight and kissed the tip of her nose.
"I'm not gonna let you go about starkers, Pet." He stroked her sides. "This is mine. No one else gets to see this delectable body of yours."
"How very Neandervamp of you." Buffy giggled as he rolled her under him and growled against her neck. She kissed his cheek. It felt like the right thing to do.
Spike froze.
"Are you okay?" She ducked her head down beneath his to stare into his eyes. They were closed tightly, and he was panting. "Spike, are you okay?"