Love In Vein: Book Two - Chapter 15

Spike watched Buffy closely as they stood outside the Espresso Pump in the fading twilight. Willow had done the good thing and dragged Xander into the coffee shop under the pretence of getting them all something to drink, but he knew that in reality she had done it to stop the boy's sharp comments that had been directed at him. He tried to remember to pay her back sometime.

As Buffy started to rub her bare arms, he frowned and then looked down at the long leather duster wrapped snugly about his frame. His brows raised in surprise as he realised what he was about to do. In all the time he'd had his trademark coat he'd never offered it to anyone other than Drusilla.

Drusilla.

If she could see him now she'd laugh at him, the long low cackling laugh that always let him know that she felt her insight proven.

He remembered her parting words to him about how he was surrounded by the Slayer only he was too blind to see it. He'd denied her allegations with the vigour of one who believed with all their heart that they were in the right, but now he saw how very wrong he'd been.

Letting the worn leather slip from his shoulders, he wrapped it gently around his mate and gave himself a moment to bask in the surprised but thankful look that appeared on her face.

Buffy pulled the duster tighter around herself and tried to quench the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her. She couldn't quite bring herself to believe that what Spike had done for her had really happened. It seemed so surreal and dreamlike to see him coming towards her and offering up his precious coat for her to wear.

It seemed so caring.

So deeply affectionate that she felt like he'd reached in and touched her soul in that one little deed.

As her fingers stroked the leather lapels of the jacket, she wondered if he'd ever let Drusilla wear it and something in her instantly knew that he had. No matter how much she hated the thought of it, or how jealous it made her, she couldn't eradicate the woman he'd loved before her. Part of him would always love Drusilla whether she liked it or not, like part of her would always love Angel.

She caught Spike's frown and for a moment widened her eyes and wondered if he had known who she was thinking about.

"Guys?" Willow looked at them both and then down at the coffee she was offering to them. She'd been standing there for almost a minute in the same position and neither of them had noticed--they had just stood mutely transfixed with each other. "Hello?"

Buffy shook her head like she'd just come out of a spell and looked at her friend.

"Sorry…did you say something? Totally spacing here." Buffy looked apologetic and then saw the coffee in Willow's hand. "Oh…thanks."

Willow just gave her a look and a sigh that said she understood all about spacing out and it was okay.

She held another paper cup out to Spike. He frowned at it for a moment and then held his hand up in a refusal.

"Caffeine's not my scene, pet. Stays in the blood…for weeks…"

Buffy giggled. "You mean you get more hyper than you are usually?"

Spike gave her an unimpressed look and then raised his eyes to the heavens.

"It's not coffee." Willow said quietly and tried to smile as blue questioning eyes shot down to rest on hers. She shrugged. "It's hot chocolate."

Spike tried not to look as floored as he felt by her words and her offer. He stared intently at her for a few seconds before taking the cup from her and bringing it up to his nose. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes as the delicious scent of sweet chocolate filled his senses.

Willow smiled at Buffy as she giggled--the sight of Spike drawing so much pleasure from a cup of hot chocolate was the strangest thing they'd ever seen.

Buffy opened her mouth to say the amusingly witty comment that had popped into her head when she found Giles and Xander standing next to her.

"Glad you could all come." Giles gave them a nervous smile and they all stared back at him, giving him the kind of looks that said they were bored of waiting for the big surprise and would he just get on with it now.

Buffy quickly realised that no one was going to speak and took the plunge.

"So…what's this all about?"

She stepped closer to Spike when Giles didn't answer; he just started walking away from them.

Buffy gave Spike confused look.

"I guess we follow, sweetheart." Spike looked at Giles' back and then frowned as he realised just where he was heading.

The Magic Box.

Buffy felt Spike's hand tense in hers and when she reached out, she could sense that all of a sudden he was apprehensive and unsure. She looked into the distance at Giles where he was stood outside the old magic shop waiting for them.

Something told her Spike wasn't going to like going in there. The last time she'd been anywhere near that place with him, he'd killed the owner and was holding her friends hostage. Either Giles didn't realise the history of the place he was standing in front of or he did and he was up to something bad.

She noticed the slight edge of impatience that was beginning to write itself in the lines of her ex-Watcher's time worn features and started moving towards him, bracing herself for the revelation of his surprise.

"Buffy, Willow…Xander, Spike…Anya…" Giles held the key shakily in his hand as he addressed them all in the dimly lit street. He brought the key to the lock and slid it in with ease, turning it sharply and opening the door to his new life.

His new purpose.

Buffy looked stunned.

Spike looked both wary and confused.

Willow smiled with enthusiasm and the air of a proud mother.

Anya was bored and wondering just when the surprise came.

Xander opened his mouth.

"I don't get it."

"Giles bought the Magic Box." Willow hissed at him and then looked over at Buffy and Spike.

Judging their reactions was difficult in the semi-darkness. Buffy's face wore the expression of one stunned into silence; her eyes were widened and her mouth hung open slightly as she stared sightlessly at the open door of the shop. Spike, on the other hand, looked agitated, as though he didn't quite trust that this was the full extent of Giles' surprise and there was more in store for them.

Her mind searched for a reason that he would be so unsure about Giles' intent and she hit on it when she remembered the last time Spike had come to Sunnydale. She remembered coming here, buying ingredients from the kind woman that owned the shop--the same woman that she had probably been the last person to talk to before Spike had brutally drained her of blood.

She gave him a weak smile as his eyes came to rest on her and then fidgeted with her coffee cup.

"So…is there a tour?" Buffy found her voice in amongst the muddled emotions spinning like a vortex inside her. She could sense that Spike wasn't the least bit happy about being back there and that he wanted to do anything but set foot in the shop.

Reaching her hand out behind her, she groped around until she found Spike's and held onto it firmly, letting her thumb brush against it in a tiny show of support.

Spike stared down at the small hand in his, her slim fingers interlocked so tightly with his that it looked as though even a crowbar wouldn't be able to pry them away from him. He frowned as he found himself being led into the building and tried not to the let the conflicting feelings he was experiencing gain control over him.

History was staring him in the face.

The shop had been rearranged somewhat but he could still feel that night, could see it all as though it had only happened yesterday. His eyes darted around in a desperate attempt to see just what had changed and what had remained the same, and all the while, he could feel himself in the room.

Like a ghost.

A shadow of the man he was now.

Or was he the shadow?

Was he the ghost of the man he used to be, the strong vampire brought to his knees, weakened by his love of the Slayer and broken by a cruel twist of fate?

Spike growled, a low enough rumble in his chest that only Buffy heard him. She responded by squeezing his hand even tighter than before.

It didn't soothe him like he thought it would.

He narrowed his eyes as he swung his head this way and that, suddenly feeling like a caged animal that had spent so long in captivity that he had grown used to it and now a memory had sparked the desire to be free again.

Feeling a sudden need to revolt against his captors, Spike growled louder and yanked his hand free of Buffy's as he breathed heavily. The conflicting feelings inside him burnt like a wild fire and he found himself unable to ignore them as they consumed him.

Buffy turned to see Spike sliding into game face and her eyes widened as he roared at her in an obvious show of defiance. She screwed her face up in frustration as she silently pleaded with any god listening to calm him down and searched for the reason he was suddenly so upset. Casting a quick glance around her friends, she found their faces full of horror and held her hands up to Spike in a calming gesture.

She felt like a trainer trying to soothe an angry animal as she stood in front of him with her arms raised and a gentle look on her face.

"Spike…" Buffy said calmly, hiding the more timid side to her that told her to run. "It's okay…"

She realised that telling him that everything was okay wasn't going to do a thing to quieten him.

Taking a cautious step towards him she looked deep into his amber eyes and tried to reach out, to sense what had him so wound up and had made him turn on her.

Spike roared.

Buffy flinched and desperately hoped he wouldn't see it as an act of weakness. Vampire's preyed on weakness.

She took another step towards him and slowly reached out a shaky hand, her expression turning placid as she tried pointlessly to hide the fear that he could so easily sense in her.

When her fingers were mere centimetres from his face, Spike moved his head towards them sharply and searched for a reaction in her. She remained steady, her heart beating out a mesmerising rhythm that seemed to sing to him and her fingers continuing their course towards him.

Buffy held her breath as she made contact with his jaw, her shaky fingers glided smoothly up to his cheek. From there she grew more confident and ran them over his ridged brow.

She visibly relaxed a notch as he closed his eyes and let her stroke his face. The feelings inside him seemed calm again, all the rage and disharmony nothing more than a distant sensation that was fading with each passing second.

Spike closed his eyes and leaned slightly into her touch. It seemed to soothe his emotions and gave him a moment of clarity in amongst a raging storm.

His ghost came back to haunt him, his closed eyes giving him the blank screen on which to play the lingering images of that night.

Buffy.

Angel.

He could still hear his own words to them.

You're not friends, you'll never be friends. You'll be in love till it kills you both. You'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends. Love isn't brains, children, it's blood…blood screaming at you to work its will.

He frowned and flared his nostrils as he breathed out through his nose.

He could still see their faces, the stunned expressions they both wore like he'd hit a perfect bulls eye with his words and had caused them the kind of pain that lasts forever.

He saw Buffy, his Buffy. Her hands holding onto Angel so sturdily, supporting him in his weakened state. Her eyes full of concern and love as she watched him closely to ensure he was okay.

Spike felt his upper lip quiver with anger over seeing his mate so in love with his grandsire and hating himself so much. Her words rang as clear as a bell in his head.

I violently dislike you.

Buffy didn't have time to react as she felt the sudden uprising of rage inside him, nor did she have the time to get out of the way of the backhand that so violently caught her across the cheek.

Spike roared loudly at her as she flew backwards, landing awkwardly in a pile of cardboard boxes, crushing their contents.

Buffy swore she had moved in slow motion, time had seemingly slowed to a crawl as she flew through the air, her cheek stinging madly where he'd struck her. As she started her descent it was as though time felt the need to speed up in order to get back into line with the rest of the world and she fell with a crash that knocked the wind out of her.

Part of her felt as crushed as the boxes below her.

She didn't know what she'd done to deserve such a harsh retribution and that made her heart ache all the worse.

Struggling to get up from the boxes, she felt a sense of urgency as she saw Giles moving to intervene. Her heart picked up speed as she watched Spike's predatory gaze move to rest on him and she reached an unsteady arm out towards Spike in a hope of drawing his attention back to her and away from her friend.

"No…" She wheezed through the discomfort of the pain burning inside her. The last thing she wanted was for Spike to lash out at her friends. She could take everything he had to throw at her but she couldn't watch him wreck her chances of getting them to accept him by attacking one of them.

Buffy looked horrified as she saw the piece of sharpened wood held so determinedly in Giles' hand. She could see his back shaking with anger over seeing her treated so brutally and for a brief moment she was quietly thankful for his show of solidarity towards her--even if it was her mate he was defending her from.

She swallowed painfully.

Her mate.

This was about them.

If Giles defended her then Spike would see it as an attempt by him to move in on his territory, trying to steal his mate away from him.

"Giles." Buffy whispered hoarsely and tried to find the strength to walk towards him. She gritted her teeth and took a small step in his direction. "Don't…"

That one word seemed to catch his attention and force him to realise what he was doing. The look in his eyes as he turned to face her said it all--he'd reacted on instinct the second she'd been struck and hadn't considered the consequences of his actions.

He was no match for Spike.

Buffy looked on in amazement as he turned away from her and tightened his grip around the stake.

She couldn't believe he was going to go through with it, even though he knew Spike would kill him.

She stumbled towards him, her eyes warily fixed on Spike and monitoring his movements while her senses monitored his emotions. He was angry as hell and there was something familiar about it. It triggered a memory in her and she cursed herself for not seeing it earlier.

Angel.

This was all about Angel and the last time they were here.

"Giles…" Buffy reached out towards him but just as she was about to touch him a loud roar filled the room and a cold chill swept up her spine.

Bad move.

Bad, bad move.

She froze to the spot and looked up at Spike. He was leaning forwards now, his teeth fully exposed as he growled at her where she stood with her arm still outstretched to Giles.

Slowly retracting it she quickly realised that the damage had already been done and her simply not going through with what she had intended to do wasn't going to make a difference in her mate's eyes.

She bit her lip.

"Giles…" Buffy hissed and he looked down at her where she stood behind him. "Please…he's just conflicted…he's just remembering the last time he was here and he doesn't like it…let me talk to him."

"I can't do that, Buffy." Giles said with quiet determination and part of her wanted to ask him whether he cared about her feelings and if he'd go through with it no matter what she asked.

A low threatening growl and the creak of old floorboards told her she didn't have time to get lost in contemplative thoughts. Spike was getting restless, and the longer Giles stood between him and his mate, the more likely he was to make a move and kill him.

She took a step out to the side and away from Giles, exposing herself fully to her mate's gaze, hoping she would draw him away from the others in the room.

Spike settled his eyes on her and bared his fangs. The feeling inside him was freeing, almost euphoric. He felt like he was a caged bird suddenly released into the crisp morning air of a beautiful day and he never had to go back if he didn't want to.

He looked at the door behind him for a moment before bringing his eyes back to Buffy's.

He could leave.

Walk out the door and become the man he used to be, put the ghost he was to rest and embrace the world he'd put behind him.

Something pushed up through the angry emotions inside him and lodged in his throat, constricting it and causing his feet to root firmly to the floor.

The look in her eyes.

It was fearful but he knew she wasn't scared of him, she was scared of the divide placed between them and the fact he'd just looked over his shoulder at freedom.

She was scared of him leaving her.

Spike clenched his jaw and rolled his head to one side in frustration as William clawed his way to the surface with a fervour he'd never seen in him before. He raised his face to the ceiling and half roared, half yelled as he tensed every muscle in his body in an attempt to stop his feelings for Buffy from welling to the surface of his dead heart.

"Don't move." Giles spoke in a hushed tone and took a step towards Spike.

Her eyes widened in horror. Spike's chest was exposed as he flung his arms back and shouted his anger out at the ceiling.

She had to protect him.

Buffy made a dash for him. She could feel the conflict inside him and wanted to soothe him so he didn't feel it anymore. She wanted to push away the anger for him and give him peace. Wanted to save him from Giles' blind attempt to protect her.

"I said don't move." Giles pushed Buffy backwards with a little more force than he'd anticipated and she fell into one of the cabinets, causing the glass to shatter and rain down on her as she landed clumsily on the floor.

He could feel Spike's eyes on him without even turning around.

Spike breathed heavily and let out a long growl as he dashed towards his fallen mate. He could smell blood on her and as Giles bent to check on her, he grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and tore him away.

Giles fell hard onto the cold tiles of the shop floor, the stake he'd held in his hand clattered and span as it skidded away from him.

Buffy murmured quietly as she felt strong hands checking her over and almost smiled as she heard the low rumbling purr by her ear.

Spike.

She furrowed her brows and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, not caring if he was still angry with her or if he lashed out at her again.

He was sniffing continually as she held onto him and it was only then he realised that he'd come to her because she was hurt.

She was bleeding.

Buffy concentrated and tried to figure out just where she was wounded. Releasing Spike, she searched over her body and raised her brows as she found a small cut on the back of her hand.

Spike's hands immediately latched onto hers, drawing it to him as he inspected the wound in such a caring and concerned manner that she felt he was reacting as though she was mortally wounded, that the tiny scratch that was barely bleeding was a knife wound in her chest.

She placed a shaky hand over his and gave him a look that conveyed she was going to be fine.

Spike dipped his head and ran his tongue over the thin red line that marred her skin. He frowned as she stared down at it and then let a low growl escape his lips as he turned his head slowly to face Giles.

Buffy caught his arm as he went to move, the fear on Giles' face would be retribution enough for his actions right now and she knew if it went any further than that her chance to keep the Scoobies on the path to accepting her mate would be gone.

"Spike…" Buffy whispered in a hushed intimate tone that caught his attention wholly and he turned to face her.

She watched in relief as the bones of his face shifted and his vampire guise receded, amber eyes gradually replaced by crystalline blue ones that seemed full of remorse for his actions.

She gave him a shaky smile that belied just how much he'd scared her. Opening her arms to him, she watched the confusion flicker across his features as he surveyed her. "Come here, baby."

Spike gave one last, deadly look to Giles and then settled his arms around Buffy's waist, lifting her up and holding her gently as he helped her stand.

She could see how muddled he was, his emotions felt like they were all over the place and she knew he wasn't as stable as she would have liked him to be. One wrong move and he could easily turn against them again.

Buffy peered around him at her friends. Willow was helping Giles stand but paused briefly to give Buffy a look that reassured her that at least she hadn't lost her best friend due to Spike's outburst. Giles looked somewhere in between anger and sorrow. She wasn't sure which she would have preferred, but she was thankful that he hadn't received any injury worse than a bumped head for his misguided trouble. Anya still looked bored but a little more entertained than she had done earlier. Xander wore an expression similar to someone in the movies that had just wet their pants from being scared to death.

She heaved a long sigh and returned her attention to her mate, who was currently being over affectionate and smothering her in what she could only think was an attempt to show her how sorry he was.

Spike met her eyes for a split second before dropping his own to the floor. Whenever he looked at her all he could see was the pain he'd made surface in her eyes when he'd considered leaving her. He stared intently at a crack in one of the tiles and tried to ignore the way her fingers were tenderly stroking the back of his hand.

Buffy couldn't quite believe what she was witnessing in him. He seemed genuinely embarrassed and ashamed--it was a side to him she'd never thought existed and it completely floored her. That he was feeling such deep remorse for his actions made her desperately search for a way to show him that there was no real harm done, that she had already forgiven him for his outburst and any damage done to her relationship with her friends wouldn't be permanent.

She locked her fingers tightly with his and turned him around to face the room.

As her friends all looked over at her--one by one--she noticed their eyes moving to linger on Spike. He was still staring at the floor with the air of an embarrassed schoolboy and he clearly hadn't noticed that she wasn't the only one seeing him do it--if he had then he would have shut down those feelings and put on his poker face.

Buffy was struck most of all by the look on Giles' face, the hard lines of anger were rapidly disappearing as he watched Spike and she knew that, although there was damage control to be done, it was only a minor setback and they would get through it.

The Scoobies would accept her mate eventually.

Buffy met his eyes and gave him a brief smile as he managed a twitch of his lips in return.

She looked around the room at her friends where they stood opposite her in a long line that was reminiscent of the night Spike had dropped her off at Giles' apartment.

Willow flashed her a little supportive smile.

Buffy felt a little more positive.

It was only a matter of time.

Her other friends would accept Spike and things in this little section of her usually tumultuous life would be back in order.

She hoped.

Review This Story/Chapter!

It only takes a minute to send me feedback, but it makes my whole day. Simply fill in the form below: