WARNING: Contains issues of rape and violence. If you are under age or bothered by these issues, DO NOT READ.

NOTE: **INDICATES THOUGHTS** / *INDICATES EMPHASIS*

Chapter 0

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

The multiverse is composed of an infinite number of 'possible' universes.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

They exist very close to one another.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

Some of these universes dwell in 'packs' where they are separated and distinguished solely by time.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

Events that have transpired in the universe at the 'lead of the pack' will, in time, come to pass in the rest.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

When someone receives a premonition, they have perceived events from another universe in the 'pack' that is ahead of their own. Whether by a few minutes, hours, days or years. Or seconds.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

If one knows how, those events can be altered by the time they occur.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

Creating a sudden deviation by forming a new branch.

"I wish Buffy Summers had never come to Sunnydale."

Anyanka could feel the power of the 'Wish' moving through the multiverses. She could sense her other-selves releasing the power to warp reality and reform their universe in order to grant it. The 'Wish' was the same as it cascaded down through the line of universes like an avalanche.

"I wish..."

Suddenly, she felt something else. Astonishment. Bafflement. Confusion.

"...Buffy Summers..."

The Anyanka's from the time lines that were just a few seconds in the future were panicking. Something was wrong. Their alterations were coming undone. The new universes, resetting themselves.

"...had never..."

What had gone wrong? They had all made similar adjustments to their universes. Briefly, she could feel, there had been an alternate world in each of these universes where 'Buffy Summer's' had not 'come to Sunnydale'. But now those alternate worlds were fading like shadows, as each universe returned to how it existed before the 'Wish', except that the Anyanka's on each world were now mortal and powerless.

"...come to..."

But this Anyanka had not made her alterations yet. And she had no intention of losing her powers. This wish apparently would require more than just a quick alteration of one event.

"...Sunnydale."

Anyanka spun about, her demon visage shocking Cordelia Chase. In a microsecond, Anyanka could see what simple alterations needed to be made to grant this wish. Ignoring the simple changes, she probed further until she had found what she was looking for. A smile crossed her face.

"DONE!"

And a new universe was born.

*****

Chapter 1

When the arrow flew towards the Master's heart, only his lightning fast reflexes saved him. He grabbed Xander and pulled him in front to block the arrow. The Master looked up and saw her. It was the Slayer. The one he had heard about. She was strong and beautiful, and while he was filled with rage at her attack upon his factory, today of all days, he was also filled with a terrible lust and desire to have her. He knew in that second that he had to have her. As the fighting broke out, his only goal was to catch her and possess her.

He watched as many of his minions fell to both the Slayer and those humans who had escaped. He did not worry though, for he knew that 'He' would win this fight. Finally, she seemed to notice him. They fought their way towards each other. The Master was for a moment pleased to see the pathetic Angelus fall whilst trying to protect her, but then he saw Xander fall to the Slayer, and this made him very angry. Finally, the two opponents came face to face. Buffy hit the Master and he her. They fought back and forth, for quite a while. The rest of the battle was over, what few humans who had survived were long gone. The remaining vampires watched in awe as the Slayer and the Master fought. No one dared to interfere. Then, the Master struck Buffy hard across the face, she stumbled backwards over debris and was distracted for a moment. In that moment, he was on her, biting her, and draining her just enough for her to loose consciousness.

The fight, for now, was over.

The Master was certain that the Slayer, when turned, would make a great replacement for the lost Xander. He turned to Willow, who was draining one of the White hats.

"Willow, my dear, bring her to my room. She will awake to a whole New World tomorrow, and you will have a sister to share everything with. The rest of you, clean this place up." Turning, he headed back to the Bronze. Willow soon followed carrying an unconscious Buffy.

*****

Buffy awoke, as Willow threw her on the bed. She moaned and opened her eyes. The blood loss had left her too weak to fight. The Master sat by her head and looked down at her. Buffy attempted to back away, only to find Willow sitting on her other side preventing her from moving away. She was terrified that they were going to turn her. Death she could handle. It was an occupational hazard as far as Slaying went and she had expected it to come when the Master had bitten her. But now here she was, still alive.

"You are a pretty thing," said the Master as he moved some stray hairs from her face. Buffy flinched at his touch. The Master and Willow laughed at her reaction. **Oh Please God!** Buffy silently prayed. **Don't let them turn me. I don't give a damn if they want to torture me. I'm the Slayer. I can take anything, but that. Please, Help me!**

"What's your name, Slayer?" he asked her.

"Buffy" she answered without really knowing why.

"And your age child," asks the Master

"Eighteen," she replied softly, her voice weak.

The Master rose to his feet, crossed the room, and grabbed several pieces of wire from a table. Returning to the bed, he handed the wire to Willow. Buffy began to trash about, trying to struggle, to fight, but her arms and legs felt like leaden weights. Swiftly, Willow tied Buffy's hands and feet with the wire, lashing her body spread-eagle to the bed.

"No, NO!" She started to yell. "You fuckin' Bastards. Aargh!" she cried out as Willow pulled the wire tight enough that it sliced into her skin. Buffy glared at the two of them, pulling at the bonds and panting from her exertions. "You ugly fucks had better kill me now, because I'm not gonna stop until I kill all of you!"

"Oooooohh! Scary!" Willow said sarcastically as the Master thrust a filthy rag into Buffy's mouth and tied it around her head. Willow stood up, looked at Buffy and, with a grin, turned to ask the Master, "Are you going to have some fun with 'IT' first?"

"You know me. I like them young," said the Master smiling at Willow. "Although, she is almost too old. But the fact that she is a Slayer adds such an interesting spice to the moment, don't you think?"

Willow pouted, "You didn't take me, when I was brought to you. You turned me first. And then later I had Xander to play with. But you haven't played with me since."

"A mistake I plan on rectifying soon, My Dear," he said pulling her to him and kissing her, deeply.

"Can I...play with her too?" Willow asked staring devotedly into his eyes.

He looked down at the wide-open eyes of Buffy and said, "How can I refuse such a request? Hum? Slayer? You don't mind do you? No? Good."

Slowly, Buffy began to realize they meant to rape her, and she started to feel sick. **They're trying to break me, but I won't give in,** she thought. **I'm the Slayer. I'm tough. I can take it. It means nothing.** Over and over she began to repeat that in her head. Like a mantra, trying to prepare herself for the horror that was about to occur, not wanting to show any response to them. However, she was unable to prevent a single tear from escaping and sliding down her cheek. Seeing this, the Master laughed.

"Ah your tears make you even more appealing to me," he said as he slid onto the bed. He leaned over Buffy and licked the tear off her face. She flinched away.

"You know Buffy, do you mind if I mind if I call you Buffy? I have not had a living woman in a quite a while." He looked at Buffy who was still struggling against the wires that bound her to the bed, her skin torn and bleeding. Willow had moved to lap at the tiny rivulets of blood from her wrists. The cold tongue on her flesh made her breakout in goose bumps, it was so disgusting and creepy feeling. The Master continued, "Yes, I think I would like to start again. With you."

Willow and the Master began to strip her clothing off of her. Feeling her clothing being torn from her body, some of the barriers in her mind began to crumble, and Buffy began to cry like she had the day that her parents were murdered. She had never cried after that day. Until now.

Finally, when they had finished stripping her naked, the Master looked her over and admired her body as Willow moved to undress him. When he was naked, he climbed on top of the Slayer and began to suck on her right breast. Willow quickly stripped herself before joining the two on the bed. She began to suck on Buffy's left breast, but unlike the Master she began to bite, letting her fangs pierce the skin and draw blood. Buffy grunted in pain, trying to pull away.

"Gently, gently at first, My Dear," the Master chided. "It is more fun when they are first forced to enjoy it. Her guilt and shame over her body's response will sweeten her blood. Be assured there is not much else more you can do that will fill her with as much self-loathing as receiving pleasure during one's own rape."

In her mind, Buffy was screaming, **...nononononononono! Oh God, help me! Please, oh please, ohplease, ohplease. Nonononoooo. Get away from me! No, God, please help me! Stop this. Don't touch me. Don't, please don't, don't...**

The Master moved to position himself to enter her. He was pleasantly surprised when he hit a barrier. "Saving yourself for me Slayer," he leered, and then he thrust himself into her.

Taking her innocence.

Willow leaned next to Buffy's ear as the Master raped her. "How does it feel Slayer? Still think your going to kill us? Hmmm? You're gonna save the world from us right? Poor little delusional Slayer. Doesn't look to good for you. Nope."

As Willow and the Master continued to defile her, Buffy felt as if she was becoming detached from her body. She knew she was not dying, although she wish with all her being that she was experiencing a heart attack. They would periodically bite into her to take a small drink and weaken her further. When the Master had finished with her, Buffy thought it was over and they would kill her now. But then Willow climbed on and mounted her with a strap-on dildo. With sadistic delight, she continued Buffy's rape for what seemed like hours, staring into the Slayer's eyes and watching the fire and defiance in them slowly dim and die out.

When Willow was finished with her, the Master moved again to bite into Buffy's neck. This time, however, he drank from her until she was at the point of death. He then bit his own wrist and forced the blood down Buffy's throat. When she finally passed out, the Master rose from her body and looked at Willow.

"Ah, there's nothing like the power of a Slayer's blood to invigorate you. Did you enjoy that, Willow?" he asked.

Willow smiled and moved to rub her body up against that of the Master's, 'Oh yes indeed, Master. Thank you." Then she frowned, "But I missed hearing her screams. I like it when they scream. Xander used to like it too. I miss him, Master." She sighed and rubbed her face on the Master's chest, looking at the ground.

"I know and I'm sorry. Is there something I can do to make you feel better? Humm?" he asked, tilting her face up to look at him

An evil smile lit up Willow's face as she spoke, "Well, you did say something about rectifying a certain situation." Then in a little girl's voice she continued, "And I don't like to sleep alone. There's all sorts of monsters out there that might like to eat a little girl."

The Master chuckled as he said, "Yes, and you're one of them."

"You know me. I like them young," Willow replied with a shrug and a smile.

The Master gave a louder laugh at hearing his own statement from earlier given a new twist.

"Come then, let us retire to your room. I don't wish to disturb your new sister as she joins the family."

Willow frowned at that and then looked speculatively at the body of the former Slayer as it lay on the Master's bed.

"She did seem rather quiet towards the end, there," Willow pondered aloud. "I wonder what she was thinking about. I wish I could listen in to their final thoughts. That would be just so delicious."

The Master said nothing as he led Willow from the room. For the next night, he was certain that where once there had been an enemy, a new and powerful minion would be born.

This Slayer was his. Now and forever more.

*****

Chapter 2

The following night, Buffy slowly awoke. Detecting voices not too far away she did not move, pretending to still be asleep, while straining to discern what they were saying and who they were.

"Willow, I want you to watch her carefully." It was the Master. "She was a Slayer, and they don't always turn right. If she is as I hope, you will have gained a powerful new sister to play in the night with, and I, a wonderfully, powerful new disciple. But sometimes, quite rarely, a few of them continue to behave as if they were still Slayers and try to kill their Sires. It's as if they had somehow managed to keep their souls. If she should turn out to be one of these, well.... I think it would then be quite enjoyable for you to see her suffer for what she did to Xander, perhaps a replacement for Puppy."

Buffy shuddered involuntarily. Listening to the Master, she realized that while she now felt very different from what she had been, she did not feel as if she were a part of these vampires. Indeed she still felt all the hatred and disgusted she had ever had for them. The possibility that she was still en-souled shocked her. She had never heard that such a thing might be possible. It had never been mentioned in any of the Watcher Diaries that she had read, and, most certainly Merrick had never mentioned such an event occurring in the past. She realized that was probably because any Slayer in the past who had been vamped would never have been listened to let alone been trusted to be telling the truth.

Assuming they ever even got back to their Watcher.

One thing was for certain; she did not want to experience whatever it was that the Master planned to do to her should he discover that she had kept her soul.

For the moment, Buffy decided, she would play along and bide her time. She would play the evil sycophant to the Master, acting like the fawning and obedient little minion that he wanted her to be.

For the time being.

But now she had to eat.

She had been feeling a terrifyingly, powerful urge to eat from the minute she had awoken, but had been stifling it whilst she planned. But her hunger pains grew worse the longer she lay there. It was almost a physical pain. It reached the point that she involuntarily let out a faint growl.

The Master's keen hearing picked up her growl, and he smiled cruelly. "Ah! Awake at last. And hungry, no doubt. Willow my dear, bring up one of our guests for dinner." With a sullen glare at the former Slayer, Willow left the room, whilst the Master moved over towards Buffy.

Buffy opened her eyes to find herself naked and still tied to the bed with wire. Forcing down the surge of panic that she felt start to well up inside of her, she instead concentrated on acting hungry and confused, as she had seen other fledglings act. Since she was starving and still disoriented, there was not really much acting to do. She felt her Vampiric face rise to the surface and slid her tongue across her teeth. **Fangs! Oh God, I have fangs!**

"Hello, my Childe, did you sleep well?" asked the Master as he crossed the room and sat on the bed. Knowing that she could not give him a smart-mouth quip, as she would have liked to, Buffy was frozen by indecision about what exactly to say. She stared at him in silence, her fear making her mind blank.

Misinterpreting Buffy's silence as insolence, the Master angrily slapped her hard across her face, splitting Buffy's lip. Mistaking his slap to mean that he knew her secret already, Buffy began to loose control of her panic and frantically tried to move away from him. As she struggled, the wire cut into her still bound wrists. The sharp pain brought enough clarity to her confused mind for her to hear the Master say, "When I ask you a question, Childe, you will answer me. Is that understood?"

Buffy stopped her frantic struggles and in a small, terrified voice whispered, "Yes." Relief swept through her making her body go limp. Then he struck her again.

"Yes, what?" he asked harshly.

"Yes...Master," she replied meekly, lowering her eyes.

The Master laughed and then stroked her face, "That is correct. You are to always address me as 'Master' or 'Sire'. It will help you remember your position here. Under Me. I am your Sire and Master and you will obey me in all things. At all times."

"Yes, Sire," Buffy quickly replied.

Willow returned with a teenage girl in tow. The girl's hands and feet bound with duct tape and a gag in her mouth. "Here," she said as she casually tossed the girl across Buffy's lap as if she were nothing more than rag doll.

To one part of Buffy, to the young girl whom she had once been, the idea that she was going to feed off of this girl made her want to scream in rage and despair. To another part of her, the new Demon part, the desire for the blood that she could heard pulsing through the terrified girl's vein's exacerbated the already overwhelming hunger that she felt. Finally it was the Slayer part of herself who took control. The part that could look at her situation without emotions to cloud her judgement; the part which knew that if she did not feed on this girl . . . did not pass this first test of the Master's, then she would have no hope of escaping. Or of surviving.

Trying to scream through the gag in her mouth, the girl looked in desperation at Buffy but saw no hope for rescue from her. The Master and Willow watched Buffy for her reaction. Cocking her head to the right, she looked up at them questioningly.

"Master, may I?" she softly asked.

With a smile, the Master nodded, "You may, my Childe." He then waved to Willow to untie Buffy's hands so she could feed.

Buffy bent over the girl, all the while silently praying to God for forgiveness for what she was about to do. As quickly as possible, she sank her teeth into the girl's neck and began to feed. The feeling was overpowering. She knew at that moment, that even if she had been left alone with this girl, she would not have been able to stop herself from feeding. The girl died quickly as Buffy finished draining her body.

Her hunger sated for the moment, Buffy concentrated on remaining calm. Suddenly, she was startled to feel her face shift as it changed back into her normal human visage. Buffy looked up to see the Master smiling at her.

"Very impressive," he said looking towards Willow and rubbing his hands with glee. "You see? Such rapid control over her appearance so quickly. If her cunning and intelligence are unaffected by the transition, she will truly be a wonderful new addition to our family."

"Oh yes, very nice," Willow said with a cold toneless voice. Glancing past the Master, Buffy saw the redheaded Vamp looking at her, but with an almost expressionless face. Buffy had the feeling that she looked vaguely familiar but it passed when the Master addressed her.

"Get yourself dressed. I will introduce you to the rest of your new family here."

He intended to keep an eye on Buffy for a very long time. He would not truly trust her until she had proven herself to him. But before she could be allowed the freedom to do even that, he would have to break her to ensure she did not get any ideas about rising above her station. He had not existed for this long without learning to take pre-emptive action against those who might seek to unseat him as their supreme ruler. The now ex-Slayer was currently weak from her transition to vampire, but that would change, in time. She would gain her strength back and eventually might become even stronger than she had been as a Slayer. He planned to keep her on a tight leash and keep her weak for a while. Until he felt more certain of her loyalty towards him. Until he had properly trained her.

He left Buffy alone with the expressionless, redheaded vamp. "Who are you?" she asked. Willow tossed her the clothing she had brought earlier onto the bed and walk over to stand as close to Buffy as possible, without actually touching her.

"My name, as the Master has already mentioned a number of times by now, is Willow. Are you stupid or just hard of hearing?" she spat out at Buffy. Willow grabbed Buffy's chin and glared directly into her eyes. "I don't like you. You killed my mate. Do you remember him? He was the striking one in the black leather jacket." Willow released Buffy's chin and backed off, all the while continuing to look at Buffy in pure hatred. "If the Master did not desire you as his Pet I would rip your heart out with my hands," she hissed in tightly controlled fury. "Hurry up and get dressed! The Master is waiting. Though what he sees in you is beyond me." With a snort of contempt, she left the room.

As Buffy hastily dressed, she cast about in her mind to come up with a plan to keep the Master and Willow from discovering her secret. **The simplest way,** she thought to herself, **is to pretend to be crazy. That way, if I make any mistakes, they can be blamed on me being psycho-girl. No one ever questions the crazy ones, and I know just how to do it.**

*****

Chapter 3

As Buffy finished dressing she caught sight of the body of a little girl, perhaps not even 7 years old, which she had failed to noticed before. At first the sight saddened her, but then she noticed the doll still clenched in the child's arms. **Perfect, ** she thought to herself, **I could use that.** She walked over to the child and bent over to get the doll just as Willow re-entered the room.

"What are you doing?" she growled seeing Buffy bent over the dead little girl in the corner.

**Showtime!** thought Buffy as she slowly straighten and turned.

"She needs me," said Buffy, smiling as she faced Willow

"Who?" asks Willow as she steps closer threateningly.

"Mary," replied Buffy while holding the doll close to her chest. "She needs someone to care for her. I want to take her hunting." Buffy hoped that her words would sound as crazy to Willow as she thought they were to herself. She smiled at Willow then quickly lowered her eyes as if in subservience, but in reality, she was afraid that Willow would see the truth in her eyes.

"Whatever," said Willow in contempt and disgust at the rapid display of servitude that Buffy was showing. Normally, a minion with this attitude would have pleased her. But in this girl . . . the Slayer who had managed to kill her beloved Xander, such groveling only filled her with rage that someone so weak could have destroyed someone as strong as her Xander had been.

"Come," she ordered curtly, "the Master awaits." Willow led the way towards the Master without even a backwards glance to see if Buffy was following. Buffy followed, her hopes rising both in her plan and in her ability to pull it off. Clutching the doll to her chest and silently saying prayer of thanks, she moved forward to face the Master, and hoped he would be deceived as well.

Willow led Buffy to the Master's throne room. She strode with confidence and ease right up to the Master, ignoring the other vampires who were present.

"Master, there seems to be something wrong with your new toy."

Before the Master could ask Willow to explain further, Buffy slowly strolled into the room. Hugging the doll, she gazed around the room. She cocked her head, as if she was listening to someone. "Your right Mary," she said to the doll, "everything is so very beautiful here." Stepping into the room, she looked up at the Master for a moment before again lowering her head in the same subservient gesture that she had done to Willow, earlier. "Master, will Mary and I be allowed to go out hunting?" She began to softly sing to the doll.

As the Master looked on at Buffy's antics, he groaned inside. **Great, just what I need,** he thought sarcastically, **another Drusilla.** Despite her flair for creating terror and bloodshed, the Master considered Drusilla's continual ramblings to be enough to drive the sanest vampire crazy. But at least Drusilla kept Spike occupied, though the Master was still puzzled as to why he had remained devoted to the insane vampiress for so long, it wasn't as if she were even his sire. He knew that with Spike's ruthlessness and intelligence, he could have easily been the head of a huge vampire kingdom. **Possibly one even rivaling my own,** he thought, **so it is probably just as well that Spike was distracted by having to care for Dru.**

"How disappointing," he murmured.

He stood and called over to Buffy, "Childe, come forth."

At first Buffy froze in panic. However, when she saw the Master start to become angry she rushed over to his side. Only to find herself on her butt after being struck by the Master. Stifling her desire to strike back, she whimpered and cowered at his feet in order to stay consistent with the crazy character she was portraying.

With an angry glare, the Master coldly told her, "When I give you an order, you will obey without hesitation. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Master," Buffy cried out, trying to sound as frightened as possible while in reality, she was livid with anger.

"Good," the Master smiled evilly at her. "Sit," he then ordered while pointing to an empty spot on the floor by his feet.

Obediently, Buffy quickly moved to the spot and sat down. She was about to continue her charade of playing with the doll, when she was startled by the feel of the Master placing his hand on her head. The Master chuckled as he felt her jump and then he began to stroke and play with her hair. Ignoring the thought that he was treating her like a pet dog, Buffy settled back and began to enjoy the sensations stirring within her from his stroking of her hair. She found herself leaning into the Master's caress, much to his delight. Surprising both herself and the Master, Buffy suddenly started purring with a low throaty rumble.

**How the hell am I doing that?** she thought to herself. **Why am I doing that? Why does his touch feel so good to me? I hate him. I should feel disgust at his touch, but instead I'm feeling so good . . . Oh, God! It's making me horny! What is going on with me?** The only plausible explanation that she could come up with was that the demon now inside of her was responding to the touch of its Sire.

Suddenly, she sensed the approach of someone or something that brought a tingle of familiarity to her mind. Buffy sat stiffly upright and ceased purring. The Master chuckled again at her response. He pulled Buffy up into his lap and then turned her chin to face him.

"I have had a surprise brought here for you, Childe," he said with a wicked grin. Three vampires entered the room, two of them dragging the unconscious body of a human. Buffy could not make out who it was, but she braced herself as her thoughts gave rise to a horrid possibility. She knew this was going to be another test.

"Master, we have brought the one you asked for," the vampire in the lead said as it knelt before the Master and bowed his head. When the other two vampires dragged the human into view, Buffy could finally see who it was.

It was her Watcher. It was Merrick.

****

Buffy knew why they had brought him. It was a test. She had managed to pass this test the first time, but it had been a stranger then and she had been starving for blood, having been a newly risen vampire. But now the test would be harder, because now she was not starving, and yet, she would, no doubt, still be expected to feed on this man whom she knew from her past. This man, who had been the closest person to her for every day of the last 5 years, ever since her parents had been murdered by vampires. The one who had trained her in her duties as a Slayer.

She realized the Master was watching for her reaction. That he would be suspicious if she did not react properly to Merrick's presence. She worried about what would happen to herself if she did not show the correct response. He watched as Buffy lips slowly formed an evil grin.

"Is that for me, Master?" Buffy asked with as much awe and wonder as if she had just been presented with a diamond necklace.

"I thought you might enjoy a little treat," he told her. Knowing that Merrick would be killed no matter what she did, Buffy frantically cast about in her mind for any idea or plan to avoid having to do the deed herself. If this was to be her treat, she would rather have the punishment.

Willow, who had been watching from the back of the room, slowly strolled forward to press herself close to the Master. She growled at Buffy who, in turn, growled back.

"Now, now girls," admonished the Master, "there will be no fighting in public over me. That should be kept in private. In any case, Childe, you had best respect your elders," he said looking pointedly at Buffy. "You are too young to be challenging anyone." Pulling Buffy closer to his chest, he turned towards Willow, "What is it, My Dear?" he asked as he began stroking Buffy's hair, again.

"Bored now," she pouted to him. "No Puppy to play with, and Xander is gone." She reached out and started to play with Buffy's hair as well. Annoyed at her touch, Buffy tried tilting her head to pull her hair away from Willow's hand. Willow paid no attention and continued toying with Buffy's hair. "Wanna play a game?" she said. She leaned against the Master in order to whisper into his ear, low but loud enough that Buffy could still hear her. "How about we chain her up in his cell, and then she will have to convince him to unchain her, before she can eat him. Maybe even pretend to still be his little Slayer," Willow finished with a sneer at Buffy and a yank on her hair. Buffy let out another low growl, a plan of her own forming in her mind.

"How delightfully deceptive," the Master complimented Willow. She smiled and continued to wind Buffy's hair in her fingers. "Throw the Watcher into the cell," he ordered the two vampires holding Merrick.

He was about to dismiss the rest of the vampires, when Buffy let out a snarl, jerked her head around and bit into Willow's hand. Willow screamed in pain, yanked her hand away and took a step back in shock at having been attacked. Once she recovered from her shock, she would have attacked Buffy had the Master not been there.

The Master was enraged. He grabbed Buffy around her throat, stood up and threw her to the floor. "Enough!" he shouted. When Willow stalked forward, intent on tearing into Buffy, he lashed out at her, striking her face with the back of his hand. Willow froze in shock again, stunned that the Master would hit Her. Then she noticed his face and saw his rage. She took a step back.

"Leave" he told her, and then addressing the remaining vampires he shouted, "Everyone Out!" Every vampire fled the room as rapidly as they could; any and all desire to see what punishment the Master would inflict on Buffy, was stifled by the fear of being near him when he was this angry.

When the last vampire had left the room, the Master turned to glare down at Buffy. She was staring at him with eyes wide with fear, no longer having trouble faking it. She knew she was in serious trouble now. She had bit Willow intentionally, hoping that the "treat" of letting her feed on Merrick would be withdrawn and given to someone else. But now Buffy was terrified that she had made a mistake, that she had overstepped her limits by too much, and that she might not survive her coming punishment.

"I'm sorry, Master!" she screamed and groveled on the floor as the Master approached her. Saying nothing, he drew his leg back and kicked her in the chest. Flying across the floor, Buffy let out a scream of agony as she felt several of her ribs break. The Master glared down at her, and Buffy could feel the waves of rage flowing from him. Lying on the floor, she curled into a fetal position in pain and terror.

The Master reached down and grabbed her by her hair. Pulling her to her feet, he proceeded to drag her along after him through the deserted hallways to his personal chambers. Upon entering his chambers, he threw Buffy to the floor once again.

"What did you think you were doing?" her yelled while kicking her in her back.

"I'm sorry, Master," she sobbed in fear. "She was hurting me."

"Rise up and strip," he snarled at her. Buffy scrambled to obey, fighting to stifle the pain radiating from her chest. Knowing she had no choice but to obey. She had never known as much fear as she was currently experiencing. It was a humbling new experience. In all her time as a Slayer, she had always fought with absolute confidence against any demon that she had encountered. She would, on occasion, experienced a sensation of some stomach churning tension, but only in anticipation of a big fight. Until now, however, she had never really known just how horrible fear could be. How powerfully it could affect her. Incapacitating her by freezing her thoughts and making her feel weak and helpless. She could only obey the orders that she was given and pray that she would survive.

Grabbing a whip from a trunk in the corner, the Master watched as she removed the last of her clothes and stood trembling before him. "Against the wall," he ordered in a soft, low voice. Buffy turned around and placed her hands against the wall. She whimpered in anticipation of the coming pain.

The first lash struck down the center of her back, and she let out a shriek of pain. But she did not move from her position.

"You will remain silent," the Master said simply before raising his arm to administer the next lash. Buffy clenched her teeth, desperately trying not to enrage him any further.

The Master proceeded to slowly whip Buffy, pausing between each lash to allow the pain to sink in. After she has received over two dozen lashes without a cry, he began to speak to her. He punctuated every sentence with another lash from the whip.

"Childe, you will learn respect and obedience to me."

* CRACK *

"You will respect and obey any and all whom that I tell you to."

* CRACK *

"You are never to fight against any punishment that you are given."

* CRACK *

"You are nothing but a fledgling."

* CRACK *

"No, you are less than a fledgling."

* CRACK *

"You were a Slayer."

* CRACK *

"You lived by killing our kind."

* CRACK *

"For that you should suffer for all eternity."

* CRACK *

"As a Vampire, you have nothing to contribute, to make amends for your crimes against Us."

* CRACK *

"You are nothing now but a disappointing, weakness."

* CRACK *

"So, until I can find a use for you, you are a toy to my minions and myself."

* CRACK *

"You will suffer, and enjoy it."

* CRACK *

"Is that understood, Childe?" he asked as he lowered the whip.

"Yes, Master!" Buffy cried out, her searing physical agony being matched by the screams of despair in her mind. As the Master's words sank in, she realized that she had made a huge mistake. Vampires enjoyed tormenting the weak and were careful to avoid offending the strong. By playing a lunatic, she had inadvertently given a green light to be the focus of attention for the pack to torment, rather than be ignored, as she had expected. And it was too late to do anything to change it. Any change in her behavior now would surely give away her deception to the Master. No, she would have to continue to play the fool, and pray that they didn't break her before she could escape or get her revenge.

The Master looked at his handy work. Buffy's back was raw with welts and cuts from the whip. It had been a while since he had indulged himself with a whipping session and he was quite pleased with the results. In fact, he was extremely aroused by it.

"On the bed. On you hands and knees. Facing the wall," he said simply. Buffy quickly moved into position as instructed, biting her lower lip to keep from whimpering from the pain in her back. She heard the sound of a zipper being pulled down and then felt the Master step into position behind her.

Without preamble, the Master rammed his cock forcefully into her. Her recently virginal passage still dry and tight, Buffy cried out in pain at the sudden invasion. Ignoring her outburst, the Master continued to thrust into her, his hands clamping down on her waist, rubbing at the freshly torn skin on her back, sending even more waves of pain coursing though her body. As her body adjusted, and the constant pain began to dull, Buffy felt her vagina finally begin to moisten in defense against the Master's punishing thrusts inside of her. Before he finished, he pulled out of her and moved around the bed until he was in front of Buffy's face. Without a word, he grabbed her by her hair and began to pump his cock into her mouth and throat. Buffy could taste her own blood, as she started to lick and suck on it. Her mind had shutdown, numb from the pain and despair and shock over her situation. Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity, he climaxed inside her mouth and forced her to swallow his cold seed. As he stepped away from her, Buffy bowed her head in exhaustion, pain and humiliation, but remained on her hands and knees.

"Much better," he said with a chuckle. "You may rest for a while, now Childe," he said as he left Buffy in the room alone. Buffy collapsed into tears until she finally dropped off into a healing sleep.

*****

Waking sometime later, to the feel of someone once again playing with her hair, Buffy slowly opened her eyes to see the Master sitting by her head. She tried to quickly move away, but found herself in too much pain to move in any fashion except very slowly. She lowered her eyes from the Master's and softly queried, "What does my Sire request of me?"

Pleased with her response, the Master smiled and only said, "It is time. You must be dressed, properly." He pointed her to a pile of clothing on a table. They were the same clothes that she had been wearing when she arrived in Sunnydale just a few days ago, although it now seemed like ages. She began to dress, not daring to question why he wanted her in them.

"What are we going to do now, Master?" she asked when she had finished dressing.

"You are going to see an old friend," he replied with a smile.

Buffy froze as she recalled Merrick. **Oh God, No!** she thought. After all that she had endured, and they were still going to make her kill him. She cursed her stupidity at thinking that would have gotten her off the hook. All it had done was get her a severe whipping.

"What is wrong, Childe?" the Master asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice. "Don't you want to say 'Hello' to your old Watcher?"

Realizing she had been caught, Buffy played dumb. "W- Watcher?" she asked while trying to look confused.

"Yes, your Watcher. Whom you are going to eat, or is there something wrong with that?" he said as he grabbed her chin and tilted her face towards him.

With a bewildered look on her face, Buffy stared back into the Master's eyes and asked with a slight whine to her voice, "But- But what about Mary?"

With a sigh the Master released her chin. **She must be mad** he thought to himself. To Buffy he replied, "Do not worry about your doll, Childe, she is fine. You will have her back when I am satisfied that you have learned proper respect for your betters."

"Yes, Master," Buffy replied softly, her head bowed to hide the slight smile that had formed on her lips. She realized that the Master did indeed think that she was touched. **It may be a stupid plan, but I sure as hell am going to try to pull it off** she thought to herself.

In a surprising move, the Master picked Buffy up off of her feet and began to carry her draped across both of his arms. Buffy was startled, but bit her lip to keep from admitting the pain that was coursing through her, due to his arm pressing into her back. She knew it was supposed to be an honor for the Master to carry her thusly, and she didn't need any more punishment if she were to complain.

Finally, they reach a room that Buffy had been to once before. Where she had met the strange vampire Angel, who had told her that he had been waiting for her to come to Sunnydale. And now, lying there, where Angel had once been, was the unconscious form of Merrick.

The Master carried Buffy into the cell. "Do you remember the plan?" he asked as he chained her up to the wall.

"Yes, Master," she softly replied. "I am to pretend to still be his Slayer and get him to release me before I kill him."

"Very good. If you do well, I may go easier on you the next time. I have always thought that the end of a relationship should be a private matter, and since this one is about to end in the most permanent manner possible, you will be left alone here until sundown. No one will come here during the day. Oh and do watch out for the sun coming through that window. We wouldn't want you becoming a pile of dust now, would we?" The Master exited the cell and locked the door. After placing the cell key on a hook on the far wall, he then placed the key for Buffy's chains on a conveniently positioned table near the cell. Within easy reach of its occupant

"Remember Childe, the longer you play, the more fun it is." And with that last piece of advice, the Master left Buffy alone with Merrick.

With a horrible feeling of despair and dread, Buffy stared over at Merrick wishing he would stay asleep but sensing him beginning to stir to consciousness. **What am I going to do? ** she thought to herself. She slumped down against the wall and began, once more, to cry.

And, as the new day's sun began to rise, Merrick awoke.

*****

Chapter 4

Merrick slowly stirred to consciousness and let out a groan. He raised his hands to his head and let out a hiss of pain when he touched a gash on the side of his head. He pulled his hand away and looked at his fingers. Not seeing any blood, he guessed that he must have been unconscious for several hours. **Was I mugged?** he thought to himself. He then began to look around and wondered where he was. **A jail?** he thought when he saw the bars. **Why would I be in a jail cell? I didn't do anything wrong. I was attacked. I was...** he froze as he caught sight of the shape of someone huddled in a corner. He struggled to sit up, gasping at the sharp stabs of pain from the right side of his ribs and his back. As the pain eased, he looked across the cell at the figure again.

From the length of hair, he guessed the person was a woman. She was dressed in what might once have been military fatigues but now was more like rags. From the rips and holes and stains that looked a lot like dried blood, he thought she must have been in some sort of a brawl. She was crouched down on the floor, her head and shoulders slumped forward with her hands covering her face as if to hide herself. He then noticed that she was in shackles that were attached to a chain from the wall. She was also trembling.

"He-, Hello? Excuse me, Miss?" he asked as gently as possible.

Slowly, the woman lowered her hands and raised her head to look at him.

"Buffy," Merrick gasped. "Dear God child, are you OK? What are you doing here?" Pausing as he looked around, he added, "For that matter, where is 'here'?" Merrick rose unsteadily to his feet and started to walk over to Buffy, but he stopped as she raised a hand to wave him off. "What happen, child?" his voice almost a whisper.

"The Master," she replied, her voice quivering.

Merrick paused as the memories began to come back. Sunnydale. They were in Sunnydale. **Oh God, the prophecy.**

Merrick had been out of town, while Buffy and his assistant had remained in Cleveland, searching through various ancient texts for prophecies. Buffy had been bored, hating "book worming duty" as she called it, and she tended to take her frustration out on Wesley. When a call for the Slayer had come in from Sunnydale, Wesley had sent her off immediately. Merrick had been so angry when he had learned that the fool had passed *that* message on to his Slayer. He knew that Wesley Wyndham-Price had been confused by his tirade, but he hadn't cared because Buffy was going to Sunnydale. And Merrick knew that should she go there, it would be inevitable that she would learn about the Master, and would go to face him.

He moved again towards Buffy. "We have to get you out of here, Buffy. Before he kills you."

"It's too late," Buffy murmured.

"No. No it's not too late. We just have to get you out of those manacles." He squatted down in front of her, and reached for her hands.

"Don't," she cried out in alarm, startling him as she pulled away. She was frightened of what his reaction would be when he discovered her secret. Backing away from him, she whimpered as her injured back rubbed against the stone behind her.

"Buffy, what is wrong? Please, let me help." He could see she was in a tremendous pain, and his concern for her made him press on in spite of her reluctance to allow him to touch her. He rose up. "Can you stand, child?" As he bent over to help her up, a small crucifix tumbled out from under his shirt.

The cross swung onto her brow, touching her just below the hairline, and burned her. Buffy flinched back away from the cross and hissed in pain. Her vampire face emerged as she lost control of herself.

Merrick jerked away in surprise and shock. He stared in horror at Buffy's features, "My God. They turned you." His voice was barely a whisper.

"I told you it was too late," she sobbed and then fell back against the wall, her head in her hands, sobbing in despair. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Merrick stumbled backwards in shock until he was against the far wall, then slid down to the floor. He sat there and simply stared at her. In spite of his shock, his mind was racing, as memories began to rise and connections were suddenly made.

**She didn't attack me,** he thought. **She's actually ashamed of being a vampire. She cares about what I think of her. How can she...?** Suddenly he remembered a brief conversation he had had once with Carter Ramsey, the Records librarian at the Watcher's Council House. The old man had been talking about some records he had come across that indicated the possibility of a turned Slayer continuing to fight against the vampires. The entry had not provided much information, apparently she had been staked shortly afterwards while fighting the vampire master who had turned her. While the account raised questions, it was generally dismissed as mistaken information that had been given to the scribe who had written the entry down. Especially since the idea that someone would have made such an entry falsely was unthinkable. **But if it were true...** Merrick's eyes widen in amazement, **Buffy might still have her soul!**

Slowly, he began to arrive at some conclusions and not all of them were pleasant. In fact, when contemplating what he had been told by Rupert Giles, Merrick was beginning to have a nasty feeling that he had really messed things up. **No. That's too light a term for what I've done. I've betrayed the world. Not to mention Buffy.** He rose back to his feet, removed the crucifix from around his neck, and dropped it to the floor. Buffy looked up in confusion at the sound of the cross hitting the floor, and was even more surprised when Merrick stepped over towards her and then squatted down in front of her.

"Merrick," Buffy queried, "why aren't you trying to stake me? I'm a monster now. A vampire. Just like those you taught me to kill. But you're not. Why?"

"Why aren't you trying to feed on me?" he asked, tossing her own question back at her. "For that matter, why do they have you in chains here with me?"

Buffy grimaced and then said, "I'm supposed to be duping you into releasing me by pretending to still be alive. The Master left the key over on that table. It's just a God Damn game to those bastards."

"But not to you, right? You still value life, don't you? You don't want to kill me, do you child?" he said looking straight into her eyes.

"Don't," she said sharply hold up her hand. "Merrick, could you please not call me that anymore? I know you've called me that since I was 13, and I've always liked it before. It made me feel close to you, like I was your daughter. Especially after my parents were . . . But, he calls me that now . . . and I don't really like the sound of it much, anymore."

"It's O.K. It really isn't correct anymore, anyway," he said soothingly. "You're a grown woman-"

"I'm a fucking, walking corpse, Merrick," she interrupted harshly. "A vampire. I've got a demon in me that is screaming for your blood. I can smell it. No, Merrick, I don't *want* to kill you. I don't want to hurt any human. Even Wesley" she added with a slight grin. Then she looked down, "but I'm still a monster."

"The hell you are," Merrick said firmly. She looked back up at him, surprised at the sound of anger in his voice. He grabbed the key from the table, then moved back in front of her and unlocked the manacles. "You are a miracle, Buffy Summers. You have somehow managed to keep your soul. As a former slayer, you might have become something that . . . that might have overwhelmed the world and destroyed humanity. Yes, I know things have been looking pretty grim and dark for the world for the past few years. But we haven't lost yet. Even as a vampire, you can still fight the darkness if you still care. Because so long as there are people who care, there is still hope for the world."

"I may still have my soul, Merrick," Buffy remarked. "But I'm not the same person I was. I'm not the slayer anymore . . . my strength is gone . . . I . . . I'm weak. And I don't think I'm going to be much use . . . At first, when I realized that I was different, that I still had my soul . . . I had some idea that maybe I could get revenge . . . but now. . . I . . . I never thought I could ever be as frighten as I have been over the last few days. I thought . . . Oh God, I was so stupid . . . I thought that if I pretended to be crazy, they would lose interest in me, they wouldn't think I was worth any attention. But I was so wrong. The Master seems to be personally offended that I am not Buffy the Super-Vamp, and as for Willow . . . I killed her mate before I got caught . . . she wants revenge. Merrick, I don't think I can make it."

"Of course you will make it," said Merrick. "You will just have to give it time. You're a new vampire, it is only to be expected that you would not be at full strength. You've kept your head. Hidden what you are from them. Yes, you have suffered greatly, child, and I can in no way express my sorrow for what has happened to you or what will happen. But you must continue."

"I can't Merrick," Buffy started to sob again. "Don't you understand why they stuck you in here? They expect me to kill you. It's a test for me. He's raped me, killed me, vamped me, beaten me. Now he wants me to kill you. My former Watcher. The most important person in the world to me. I can't do that."

"Yes you can. You can do it because I was dead the minute I was captured. You can do it because if you don't, then most certainly one of them will. And if my death can have some meaning by helping save you, then I freely, willingly give my life to you. Finally, you can do it because. . .," he paused, reluctant to tell her anything that would cause her more pain, but she deserved to know the truth before he died. "Because, I think that I am responsible for the world being in as much trouble as it is, and therefore I am also responsible for you being a vampire."

"Ego much, Merrick?" Buffy said with a harsh, bitter chuckle. "I was the idiot who decided to go face the Master on my own. I was the fool who rushed into battle despite the warnings from Jeeves."

"Jeeves?" asked Merrick.

"The local Watcher's Council Rep here. Nervous Brit, kept going on about a demon who made wishes come true, said he was supposed to have been my Watcher," scoffed Buffy.

"Giles," corrected Merrick absentmindedly, "and he may have been right. I'm afraid I owe him an apology that I will never be able to give him. And no, Buffy, I am not being egotistical. Rupert Giles said that he had received information that you were supposed to be here in Sunnydale-"

"-and that the world was better, yadda, yadda, yadda," interrupted Buffy. " I know. I heard the fairy tale. I didn't believe it then. I don't now."

"You should. It is entirely possible that he was correct, Buffy," he countered.

Buffy stared at the set look on his face. "Your serious."

Merrick sighed. "I have always tried to be faithful in my duty to you, as your Watcher. But because I loved you as if you were my own daughter, I fear that I have been duped into betraying everything I swore to protect."

Merrick began to tell her how, years ago he had begun receiving information from a mysterious woman, who claimed to see visions of the future. At first he had been suspicious of her, but her information had always turned out to be useful and accurate. The woman had led him to Buffy when she was 13 and had told him that she would become a slayer. Trusting her warnings, he had kept a careful watch on Buffy, and so he was nearby when the vampires attacked. Her parents were killed immediately, but she had managed to hold off the two vampires long enough so that Merrick could shoot each of them with a crossbow. He could see right then, the great potential she had as a future Slayer. He had used his influence on the council to make arrangements for him to become her guardian and had begun training her. At 15, she became the Slayer. When she achieved her first victory just weeks later, destroying Lothos and his clan, he had been so proud of her! But then, the woman had returned, and what she had brought him this time filled him with doubt and worry for the first time in a long time. All due to one book.

The Pergamum Codex.

It had been lost for decades, maybe even centuries. But she had found it, brought it to him, and shown him 'The Prophecy'. It had been unusually straightforward. The Master would rise and he would kill the Slayer. Merrick had been horrified. He refused to accept that Buffy might be taken from him so soon. Then the woman suggested a way to avoid it. Keep the Slayer out of Sunnydale and away from the Master. And then she had left again, and he had never seen her since. He justified it as part of his duty to protect Buffy. He also rationalized that since there were vampires everywhere he could be excused for taking the Slayer to another city, after all, the people she defended in that city were just as important as the people in Sunnydale. At least this way she could still continue to fight. And the world had so needed a trained and experienced Slayer these last two years. Suddenly, it seemed that demons were popping up everywhere. And so, for the last 3 years, he had succeeded in avoiding the prophecy by keeping Buffy away from Sunnydale. Buffy didn't know what to think. She was stunned by the confession, yet at the same time she was touched by his desire to protect her. Then a nasty question formed in her mind, "So what you're saying is, that the world would have been better if I had died 2 years ago."

"No," he said quickly, and then added, "I'm not certain anymore about whether you would have died. Maybe something was changed in the Codex and I didn't catch it. I am now only certain that I should have been more suspicious of that woman and her motives. Especially now, after hearing Giles' story. Because you see that woman's name was 'Anya'. And I have a sick feeling in my heart that she was really this 'Anyanka' whom Giles was talking about. I'm sorry, Buffy, but I now think that I have betrayed you, by betraying the world that you were fighting to save."

Buffy and Merrick sat in silence as each pondered the possibilities of the question 'What if?' and wondered about how the world might have been different.

After a while, Merrick roused himself and said, "Buffy, promise me you will never give up. I know you are suffering terribly right now, and this is the last thing you want to hear from me now, but you must continue the fight. There are so many demons on the loose now, and the world desperately needs your help. Yes, there is another Slayer now, but I think you've been given this chance to help her by a miracle of God. And miracles seem to be in short supply these days."

Buffy nodded her head. "I'll try," she told him, recognizing the truth in his words.

Merrick moved towards her, "Now I think it's time. We wouldn't want them to get any ideas about you if they were to come in and see me still alive."

Buffy nodded and stood to embrace him. "I love you, Merrick," she whispered softly in to his ear. "I'll never forget you. You were the best Watcher a Slayer could have ever had."

"I love you too, Buffy," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her to hug her for the first and last time. "You were the greatest thing in the world to have ever happened to me. It was a privilege and an honor to be your Watcher. I have always been so very proud of you, my dear. But now it's time to say 'Good Bye'." He turned his head upwards, exposing his neck to her.

"Good Bye," she whispered, fighting to keep from bursting into more tears, wanting to give him as much dignity as possible in these final moments. Her face morphed as she allowed the demon to rise to the surface. Then, pulling him as tightly to her body as she could, she leaned forward and sank her teeth into his neck.

She fed quickly, wanting to make it as painless to him as she possibly could. Soon she sensed him lapse into unconsciousness. A few minutes later, she felt his heart slow and then stop. Gently she lowered his body to the floor, positioning him as if he were simply resting briefly against the wall.

"I'll make them pay, Merrick," she said as she looked at his body. "I swear it."

She sat back down on the cell's floor, again, and closed her eyes, not wanting to look anymore. Praying for the escape of sleep. After a while, she slipped into a dreamless slumber.

*****

She awoke to the sound of the Master and Willow opening the cell door. "Well done, Childe," he said to her before turning to Willow, "I told you she could do it. These Watcher's are all such trusting fool's where their Slayer's are concerned. It must have been 'Child's Play' for her," he paused to smile at his pun.

It took Buffy a moment to realize he had been talking about Merrick unchaining her, and stifled her desired to shoot back an insolent remark. **No. I'm not going to let Merrick's sacrifice be in vain,** she thought as she smiled up at the Master. "He was very surprised, Master," she said sweetly. **Well, that was true anyway.**

"I'm certain he was, Childe," he said smiling at her again. "But now that you have had your fun, Willow is still most upset about your behavior towards her earlier. In spite of my assurances that I have punished you enough to teach you proper respect, she is still unhappy." He moved behind Willow and wrapped his arms around her. Willow was smirking at Buffy, "You see, Childe, she is such a hands on person that, unless she has done it herself, she just can't be satisfied that every little detail has been taken care of. And I can never refuse my favorite." Willow's smile grew as she looked adoringly up at him.

"Now remember, Willow," he said turning her to look into her eyes, "I don't want to see any permanent damage. And nothing on her face."

"Yes, Master," she replied demurely.

"Very well. I will be back tomorrow for you, Childe," he said to Buffy. "Have fun,' he then said to Willow as he left.

Buffy stared in fear at Willow. **I can do this,** she thought to herself, **I will survive. It's only pain. I can cry and scream but I will not break for these, bastards.**

Willow slowly turned towards Buffy and drew out a box of matches. She shook it and smiled at the sound of the matches rattling inside. She continued to smile as she slowly strolled over to Buffy, until she was directly in front of her. She held up a single match and looked at it. Buffy felt a shiver coarse through her as she looked at the match as well.

"Puppy used to bark for me when I would play with him," she said in a wistful tone of voice. Then she looked back at Buffy, "Let's see what you can do."

With single flick of her nail, Willow lit the match.

*****

Chapter 5

Six months had passed.

Six months of hiding her secret, enduring horrendous degradation and pain, all the while pretending to be insane. At least she thought she was pretending. She was beginning to worry about the various personas that would flit about in her mind. At first they had been simply a means of distancing herself from the daily horrors that she had to endure, but as time went by and they each became more distinctive and separate. In the same way that the Barbie dolls she had once played with as a child had been given names, she gave each one of her personalities their own identifying name. Only these names were not as pleasant or happy as those had been.

The primary persona that she exhibited for all to see was 'Little Lunatic' Buffy, who would hold conversations for hours with 'Mary'. Then there was 'Victim' Buffy, who did little in the outside world except allow herself to be beaten, but inside Buffy's mind she was essential in keeping the demon and slayer instincts from rising up and fighting back whenever Willow was allowed to torture her. Allowing her demon some freedom had been necessary for the creation of 'Slut-Vamp' Buffy; who, to the outside world, delighted in being the Master's sexual plaything and striving to please him or whom ever he would pass her to, while on the inside she was seething with rage and disgust. Finally, there was 'Secret Agent' Buffy who never was seen by the outside world but was always watching from the inside, patiently plotting and waiting.

It was the 'Slut-Vamp' personality that had, of late, begun to worry Buffy the most. She had begun to feel that 'Slut-Vamp' was starting to enjoy herself entirely too much the past few weeks. Buffy knew that a good portion of her sexual behavior was from her demon's desire to please its sire. At first, she had pushed her sexuality solely to avoid being whipped or tortured by Willow, to whom the Master would frequently hand her if he were otherwise occupied. But to Buffy's dismay she found herself welcoming the sexual attentions of the Master or one his underlings, coming on to them as if she was a bitch in heat and performing in bed with them as if she were a high-price call girl. The Master had even commented on how "maybe she wasn't such a waste" after one session where she had worked very hard to please him. Even with Willow, she found herself having the occasional hot sex fantasy. Although these fantasies mostly involved 'Slut-Vamp' Buffy tying up Willow and whipping her, it was still disturbing to her that she was dreaming about it at all.

Willow. Never had Buffy imagined that she could ever hate anyone as much as she hated that bitch. For first week after Merrick's death, Buffy was given to Willow every night after the Master had enjoyed her pleasures. Willow, having been given strict instructions, went about devising tortures that would not permanently mark or disfigure the Master's new toy. She would use leather belts, cat-o-nine tails, bull whips, holy water, matches, needles, electricity... She'd had over two years of experience with torturing Puppy so she knew what would last and what would fade on a vampire. The only item the Master had specifically forbidden her from using was a crucifix. He had been enraged when he discovered the mark on Buffy's brow from Merrick's crucifix.

+++++ (The Day after Merrick's Death) +++++

"What is this?" said the Master grabbing Buffy's chin and tilting her head.

Buffy had just been given a shower to clean her hair and body of the blood from Willow's cruel torments. Her hair was wet and slicked back against her head. And the Master was looking intently at her brow.

"WILLOW!" he bellowed down the corridor. Before 10 seconds had passed, the red-haired vampiress stood in the Master's doorway.

"Yes, Master?" she inquired tentatively.

"Willow," said the Master in an tightly controlled tone of voice, "did I not tell you that you were not to use crucifixes on her unless I so instructed?"

"You did, my Lord," she looking directly at him.

"Well then, could you explain what this mark is doing on her brow?!" he demanded angrily.

"No, Master, I can not," she looked at Buffy's brow and frowned. "Did she say I caused it?"

"No," he looked at Buffy. "Well, Childe, who defiled your face with a crucifix?"

Buffy had just been through 8 hours of the most horrendous torture and torment she had ever experienced. All from Willow. And here was a chance to strike back. But at this moment she was terrified about to being caught in a lie. "M-Master, it was not her, it was Merrick, my-my former Watcher. He had one in his pocket, when I attacked him he tried to get away from me, and hit me on my forehead with it. I'm sorry. . ."

"Yes, yes," said the Master waving her to silence. "My apologies Willow. I should have known better than to think you would have defied me. It was hidden in all that hair of hers. Damn! Now it will be weeks before that mark is gone."

"Actually, Master, there maybe another way," Willow offered. "A simple modification of the healing spell you had me researching for Druscilla. It should fix that mark within 24 hours. It will only require a small amount of your blood."

"Excellent then. Begin the preparations immediately." He turned to Buffy, "Now as for that hair... Sit there, Childe." Buffy moved to a chair as the Master rummaged through a drawer. When he turned towards her with a pair of long scissors in his hand, her eyes went wide.

"Master . . . please, not my hair," visions began to fill Buffy's head. Memories of watching WWII movies with her dad where certain women in France would have their hair chopped off by members of the resistance as a sign that they were collaborators with the Nazi occupation force. It was a mark of shame, like a scarlet letter. The Master silenced her with a glance and began to cut at her hair.

She sat in silence as the Master proceeded to cut off her long hair. She knew it was futile but inside she wanted to protest some more. It was at this moment that 'Victim' Buffy emerged and took control. She would do whatever was necessary to avoid punishment, and so what if her hair was gone. It wasn't as if she would be looking in anymore mirrors. **Shit, I haven't given a damn about what I looked like in years, why should I care now?** she wondered. But inside, the remaining vestiges of what had once been Buffy Anne Summers cried at watching every clump of her hair that fell into her lap or on the floor. She felt as if she herself was being trimmed away with every snip of the scissors, and that she was being replaced with someone new.

Someone she didn't want to be, but had no choice. And as the Master finished, she came to the realization that it was true. She had become somebody else. Now and forever

Buffy Anne Summers, beloved daughter and Slayer was dead.

Long live . . . who?

+++++ +++++

Every day, Buffy was presented with a minimal amount of blood in a bowl. The Master would set the bowl on the floor, and she was expected to wait for him to give permission before feeding. Most days, the Master would wave his hand and allow her to feed immediately. On some days though, he would withhold permission for her to feed for up to an hour. One lengthy punishment session was enough to teach Buffy to hold her demon back from grabbing the bowl. Sometimes, the Master would pet her head and tell her he was pleased with her, and to her shame she could not stop her demon from purring its pleasure at his display of affection.

In her mind, she knew that the Master was training her to view him as the source for everything she needed. He began to have Willow meet out any punishment that he deemed necessary whereas he would only provide the 'treats'. He was the source of her food and pleasure and if her response pleased him she was rewarded. What frightened her wasn't the knowledge that she was being trained to perform like an animal, but rather, the idea that when the time came for her to stop behaving like a trained dog, she might not be able to.

She had been given a tiny room where she was instructed to stay "when she was not needed", and the Master had personally handed Mary back to her, with the warning that should Buffy behave badly, Mary would be taken away. Buffy pretended to be concerned, making promises to obey, begging him not to take Mary from her. In order to add a new twist to 'Little Lunatic" Buffy's personality, she would only treat Mary as if she was real. When she was given other dolls, Buffy would say that she hated dolls. If the person referred to Mary as a doll, Buffy would look blankly at them as if she did not understand. This simplified matters for Buffy as she occasionally had a hard enough time maintaining a two-way conversation with Mary, she did not want to have to work on a multiple conversation with three or more dolls.

In spite of everything, she was secretly pleased that her deception had been successful. She knew that in her current weakened condition, there was no possible way that she could have fought Willow, let alone the Master. Frequently, it was only her "Victim" Buffy persona who would keep the demon inside of her from lashing out at Willow. She was, however, growing tired of waiting and watching. She silently prayed every night for the opportunity to get her revenge, and wondered at the same time whether God would even listen to her, now that she was a demon.

Then one day her prayers were answered, although, at first, she had no way of knowing it.

*****

Someone was coming.

She had overheard whispered conversations regarding 'Him'. She had wondered about all the contradictory comments about him. He was, by all accounts, a vampire who cared nothing for authority figures in the vampire world except for himself, and yet he had gone to LA as a favor for the Master to establish control over the various vampire gangs which had sprung up. Frequently the topic of the discussions centered on how viscous and powerful he was, and yet he apparently had chosen a weak, Vampiress for a mate and whom he had treated as gently as a kitten. However, she had wasted away, and it was rumored that he was going to make a request of the Master for a new mate, possible even Willow, as payment for the job he had done in LA.

The Master was agitated and concerned. He had no desire to lose Willow and yet, at the same time, he could hardly refuse such a request in light of what had been done for him in exchange. He therefore, had been quicker to anger lately and Buffy had been the one to suffer for it, enduring extensive whipping sessions from both the Master and Willow. Then, the day before the guest was to arrive, she was shocked when the Master brought TWO bowls of blood for her to feed on. He re-enforced to her that she was to obey him at all times and never question his orders. He then commented to Willow, about wanting her cleaned up for the party tomorrow. Later that night, she was even more surprised when she was brought another two bowls of blood and a group of Vampiresses under the direction of Willow, came and took her measurements.

The following evening, the same group of Vampiresses brought her another two bowls of blood, then marched her to the showers and bathed her. Next, they did her hair and manicured her nails, before marching her naked to Willow's room. She was then dressed in a very old-fashion style full-body dress. The dress was made from dark blue velvet, and had intricate silver beaded designs. It was gorgeous, and for the first time in months she was slightly depressed that she was no longer able to see herself in a mirror. When they had finished with her, she was ordered to sit in a chair and wait. She was startled when Mary was handed to her dressed in a matching outfit. As she waited, she watched as Willow was dressed and primped by the Vampiresses in a shimmering green silk gown. It was a shock to see her in something other than her normal leather pants and bustier, and Buffy had to admit that she looked stunning.

When they were finished, the group of Vampiresses left to go make their own preparations, and Willow ordered Buffy to follow her to the Master's chambers. The Master was still wearing black leather, but his outfit seemed to gleam with polish. He looked up from a book he was reading as Willow entered his chambers.

"Willow, My Dear, you look absolutely ravishing," he declared. "Truly you are fit to be the consort of only a Great Vampire."

Willow smiled with pleasure at his compliment and said, "Thank you, My Lord. I seek only to please you."

He then turned to inspect Buffy.

"Yes. Very good, Child. You will do very nicely," he murmured as he rose and circled her.

"Yes," murmured Willow, "I know what you mean. Even I wouldn't mind playing nicely with her for a little while. She looks so edible." Willow moved up to press herself against Buffy's right side, leaned forward, took Buffy's earlobe into her mouth and gently sucked on it for a minute. Buffy closed her eyes with a moan, reveling in the erotic sensation of having her earlobe sucked on, even if it was by Willow. She groaned in bitter disappointment when Willow stopped and backed away for the Master.

"Now listen to me very closely," he said in a firm cold voice, while grabbing her chin in his hand and looking into her eyes. "The vampire who is coming here tonight is very important to me. You will not do anything to embarrass me in front of him or I will teach you that what Willow has done to you in the past is nothing compared to what I can do. And Mary will end up in the furnace."

"Yes, Master," Buffy replied, her eyes round with fear. "I'll be good. Please don't hurt Mary. She'll be good too."

For the next hour, Buffy sat and was ignored as the Master and Willow discussed a number of different items; from the operations of the factory where Buffy had been captured, to the need for more humans to be shipped in from outside of Sunnydale. Finally, a knock came at the door, and a vampire announced that the Master's Guest had finally arrived. Taking Willow's hand, the Master proceeded to the main room where they were awaited. Buffy followed close behind them.

Conversations quieted when they entered the main room, and all eyes were on them as they proceeded across the floor to the Master's throne. It had been positioned on the stage with another ornate chair near-by and at a slight angle to it. A small table with two crystal goblets sat between the two chairs. The Master sat down on his customary throne whilst Willow stood on his left-hand side and slightly to the rear. Buffy was instructed to sit to the right of the Master's feet so she knelt into position, her back ramrod straight, the Master resting his hand on her head. Buffy was very nervous and felt as if she was ready to jump through the roof. The last time she had been in this type of position was when Merrick had been brought in.

A murmuring commotion began by the door, and all turned to observe the vampire entering the Bronze. Buffy watched as the crowd parted to admit him.

Dressed in a black leather jacket, her first thought was that he looked like a punk rocker, and with his bleached blond hair and sharp angular features he looked very much like that '80's singer, Billy Idol. But he was far sexier looking and Buffy knew that if she had had a pulse, it would have been racing a-mile-a-minute. 'Slut-Vamp' wanted to come out and play, and she had to clamp down hard to keep from letting her out. Something important was going down here tonight, and 'Secret Agent' Buffy was on full alert, watching everything. As he drew closer to the Master's throne, Buffy felt sure that had she been alive, she would have been panting. She made a mental note to keep her mouth tightly shut, so she wouldn't be seen drooling like an idiot. She was startled when the Master arose to greet him as he ascended to the stage.

Stretching out his hand in greeting, the Master finally spoke, "Welcome back from LA, Spike."

*****

Chapter 6

Spike had never been the sort of vampire who was known for being patient. He was brash, impulsive and headstrong. He was a dare devil, known for taking risks that other vampires would never think of attempting, just to say that he "had the biggest pair of wrinklies on the block." The only thing that he would never risk was his Drusilla. Unfortunately, Dru had taken her own risks and had nearly been killed by an angry mob in Prague. He had rescued her from them, but she had been injured. Slowly, she had been getting progressively sicker and unable to eat. Spike had frantically tried to find a cure and had finally come to the Hellmouth and made a deal with the Master. Spike would go to LA and gain control of all the vampire gangs for the Master. In return, the Master would see about finding a cure for Dru. Only it hadn't worked out that way. They had gone to LA almost a year ago, and Dru had seemed to be stabilizing, or at least not declining as rapidly as she had been. Spike had quickly established a base of operations in an extremely posh mansion in Beverly Hills and began establishing his control over the city. He took control of several gangs within the first month, either by intimidation or direct killing of the head vamp, and continued in this fashion, slowly building a network of control. Then disaster struck.

All had been going well until six months ago, when Drusilla had suddenly collapsed. She began sobbing and wailing that "Daddy" was gone and all was lost. Later, after Spike had carried her to their bed and when she had finally stopped weeping, Spike tried to talk to her.

"Come on then, Luv," he said sitting next to her on the bed. "Talk to me. What happened?"

"Spike?" her voice was barely a moan.

"Yes Baby, what did you see?"

"I saw Daddy, Spike. He was in a fight. But he wasn't strong anymore. The Master had him locked up. Just like my birdies. But he got out of his cage and was being a 'Bad' Daddy. He went to hurt the Master. But the dark boy got him instead. And he went poof. And he's gone now." Drusilla began to softly cry again.

"Baby, I'm so very sorry," Spike said while stroked her hair. He then leaned over to gently kiss her. "But there's nothing we can do now. We're almost done with this bloody town. We'll get your cure and then we'll get out of this rotten country."

"...cure, Daddy's..." Dru whispered. It was so soft that he almost didn't hear.

"What was that, Luv?" Spike asked leaning in put his ear near her lips.

"No more cure, Daddy's gone," she murmured.

Spike felt a wave of cold sweep through him. As a vampire, he had never been scared before, but for the first time in over two centuries, he was afraid. In a barely controlled voice, he asked, "What do you mean 'No More Cure' Dru?"

Spike was beginning to feel his world start to crumble around him. **No cure.** Her words seem to echo in his mind. Dru's visions were never wrong, just difficult to interpret. Most of the time. They were very easy to interpret after it was too late. And this vision seemed extremely easy to interpret. He grabbed the telephone and called the Bronze but there was no answer. He ran out to the main hall, grabbed the first two vamps he came across and ordered them to get to Sunnydale as fast a possible. They were to find out what had happened and to call him back in LA.

Two hours of pacing later, he received the call he had been dreading. Angelus was indeed dead. A Slayer had set him free and together they had attacked the Master at the grand opening of his new "Blood Draining Factory." Angelus had been slain during the battle by Xander, who in turn had been slain by the Slayer before the Master had finally stopped her.

Spike allowed himself to rage for an hour. He destroyed everything in the living room, the dining room, the game room and the kitchen. He was about to set fire to the library, when he remembered that Dru was sleeping in the master bedroom and that if he set the house on fire, he would have to disturb her. The thought of disturbing Dru from her rest hit him like a bucket of ice water. He ran to the bedroom and was relieved to find her still asleep. Closing the door, he slowly walked back to view to destruction he had wrought on the house.

Slowly, tentatively his minions emerged from where they had fled to escape his wrath. Spike stared blankly at the floor for a few minutes before speaking.

"Dalton?"

The terrified bookworm vampire cautiously stepped forward, "Ye-Yes, my Lord."

"Do any of those books of yours mention any details about Dru's condition being painful," Spike voice was very low and steady.

Dalton nervously swallowed, "Uh- Uhm . . . I believe I remember some mention of pain, yes, but-but there are ways to alleviate it-"

"Get on it," Spike interrupted. "Whatever you need. Whoever you need. You will have it." Spike looked up at the rest of the vampires standing around, "Is that understood by everybody? Whenever Dalton tells you to get something, you jump to it, immediately."

"Yes, Spike," they all chorus to him.

Dalton hesitantly stepped closer to Spike to whisper to him, "Wha-What about the cure? Willow said that she-"

"There is no more cure," Spike hissed in a pain filled voice to a startled Dalton. He raised his head to look directly into Dalton's eyes, "Dru is going to die, and there is nothing I can do to stop it. But I won't have her suffering."

Tearing himself from Spike's hypnotic blue eyes, Dalton backed away, "I-I-I'll get a list together. Immediately." He fled to the library, shuddering from the memory of the emptiness and despair he had glimpsed in Spike's eyes.

A month later, Drusilla was gone.

*****

Every Vampire in the mansion was on alert. They lived in fear of what Spike would do when Drusilla died. When it did happen, Spike again surprised them all by not exploding in a rage. Instead he sat in the room for a whole day staring at the ashes that remained behind after Dru had passed. When evening came, he stood up, picked up his jacket, retrieved his car keys and walked out of the room. Closing the door behind him, he found Dalton waiting, fidgeting in the hallway.

"Seal it," Spike said, and then he walked away.

*****

Spike returned to establishing his control over the vampires of LA, picking up where he had left off a month ago. It was almost as if nothing had happened. But every vampire who had known Spike before, knew he had changed, and they walked on eggshells whenever they were around him. He had been deadly before with his cocky arrogance and eager joy for getting into a good brawl. Now, however, Spike was a terror of controlled ruthlessness. When he entered a room, other vampires would feel as if a wave of freezing cold air had entered with him. No longer did he ever raise his voice in anger or ever laugh or ever joke. And he no longer bragged. He also no longer made threats, he simply stated the outcome if what he desired did not happen. Within three months he had complete domination over LA. All that remained was to establish how things were to run.

**Founding a goddamn bloody bureaucracy, ** Spike had thought disgustedly. He had wanted to leave when Dru had died. **Fuck the Master and his wonderful 'New World'** he had said to himself. But for some reason he couldn't leave. So he had continued with the original job. Take control of LA. And when he had completed that, the Master had sent a message requesting Spike to remain in LA for a while longer and organize a Vampire Council that would manage the city in the Master's name. A few months ago, such a request would have been enough to make him go out and paint the town red with blood, after telling the Master to 'sod-off'. But now it no longer seemed important what he did and the emptiness inside prevented him from getting worked up enough to even complain. So he proceeded on to perform the latest request with a silent resigned acceptance.

Although he was ruthless in his enforcement, striking down all who dared to oppose his orders on how things were to run, Spike no longer felt any joy from the violence, no lust for the kill, only a great emptiness inside. Even his thirst for blood was gone. He fed only to sustain himself, and frequently found himself not even bothering to kill his victims. It wasn't that he had anything against killing them, it was just that he saw no point anymore. Without Dru, it just wasn't fun, and, lately, Spike would feel full after feeding on smaller amounts of blood these days. After raiding a blood bank one evening, he found himself giving up the 'Hunt' entirely.

He began spending his time watching humans. In larger cities like LA, humans still went out at night. Even though there had been an increase in the number of people killed at night, the general population was still for the most part unaware of the growing threat. Only in smaller cities like Sunnydale were curfews imposed in an attempt to deal with the high nighttime mortality rates. Spike had gone out one night with the idea to massacre a dozen or so human lovers, feeling that since his love was gone, no one else should enjoy it either. But as he watched various couples, he found himself feeling nothing about them. No rage, no jealousy, no hate, no hunger. The only thing he felt was a longing for the emptiness inside him to be gone. He began to watch them in malls, restaurants, theaters, clubs and even stadiums. However, as he watched the humans go on about with their lives, he noted that he occasionally was being watched, although he never could quite catch a look at who it was.

Then one evening, when Spike had gone to a baseball game to watch the people around him, a poorly dressed, little man casually strolled up, plopped himself down in the seat beside Spike, and said, "Hello, Spike. Good game?"

Spike turned to stare at small man beside him who had begun eating a hotdog and drinking a beer.

"It's a bloody ridiculous game. I suggest you leave now," Spike said in a flat steady tone.

"Or what? You'll kill me," a grin cross his face, "Oh my! Horrors! A vampire." He gave a chuckle, "You know I said the same thing to your sire several years ago? When I first met him. Name's Whistler by the way," he said, before he took another swig of his beer.

"Yeah, well he's dust now, and I don't care who you are, go away."

"I know. There was a screw-up somewhere. He was supposed to help the Slayer stop the Master," Whistler took another bite of his hotdog.

Spike stared at Whistler as he chewed, "And I should I care because...?"

"Are you looking forward to a future of starvation, Spike?"

"What are you goin' on about?"

"Do you have any idea just how long the humans are going to last if the current growth of vampires continues?" Whistler asked.

"Don't know and don't care."

"Well if we neglected other factors, and based on an exponential growth rate of vampires and an overfeeding on the human population, we're thinking that in about 23.3 years, the human race is gonna be extinct. Soon after that, there is going to be a lot of vampires running about making Calista Flockhart and Kate Moss look like the poster children for over-eaters anonymous."

"Other factors?"

"Oh all sorts of possibilities and permutations. Here's one to think about: Vampires are becoming more prevalent everyday. Soon enough, every human will know the truth and then they will start fighting back in fear. Fear makes 'em stupid. Soon they are pushing the buttons to eliminate their largest cities that have become chock-full-o-vamps. Enough of these bombs go off, and we're into a wonderful nuclear winter, not to mention the atomic fallout. That scenario is expected as a possibility in about 10 years."

With a blank face, Spike looked at Whistler but said nothing.

"OK. Fine. So your not interested in joining a 'Save the Humans' campaign, how about we try something a little more up to your demon alley," he leaned forward to look directly into Spike's eyes. "How about a little pay back at the Master for betraying your deal on the cure for Drusilla."

Whistler never saw Spike move his hand, but it was suddenly wrapped tightly around his throat. "What?" Spike said through clenched teeth and with a growl that almost muffled the question. Whistler simply continued to stare into Spike's eyes even though they had changed from his normal piercing blue to a fierce yellow. He did not try to struggle, he knew it would be of no use. He was treading on extremely dangerous ground and the wrong word would get him killed in an instant. After a minute, Spike relaxed his grip from around Whistler's throat but kept the claws that had extended from his fingers rested there.

"Willow had the cure two weeks after you came to LA. He knew it."

*****

Spike was on his way back to Sunnydale.

It had been five weeks since he had met Whistler. Five weeks of planning, plotting and making preparations. He could hardly believe it himself. The old Spike of six months ago would have hopped into his car and gone after the Master that very night. **And probably would have gotten my arse staked as well,** he thought to himself. He had, instead, talked with Whistler for the remainder of the night. Then he had gone back to the house, and said nothing.

With the forces that he had put together here in LA, he could have easily organized a mass assault on the Master's stronghold in Sunnydale, but that would have lacked the personal touch, in as much that he wanted to personally shove the stake through a certain demon's heart. Additionally, he was certain that in spite of the fear that his underlings held for him, were he to say anything about organizing an attack on the Master, it would get back to him within an hour, and then there was the possibility that his prey would escape. And Spike had no desire to become involved in a vengeance pursuit that could last for decades or centuries. No, he wanted vengeance soon and with certainty. And to go up against the Master, by himself required a trickery and subtlety he had never before exhibited.

He had first started a rumor by one day mentioning off-hand that he had lived for too long with Drusilla constantly at his side and that he felt he the need for someone to fill her place. Then a few days later, while discussing the qualities and attributes of various vampiresses, he had mentioned how a certain redheaded vampiresses in the Master's clan had caught his eye. Soon enough, he was making preparations for his return to Sunnydale, and he knew the rumors were already there, festering away and waiting for him.

He knew the Master was attempting to figure out a way of keeping Spike from making a request for Willow. Spike had performed a huge service for the Master and as the original requested item for the service was no longer available, Spike's anticipated request could not be ignored. For him to refuse or ignore such a simple request, especially considering the service and sacrifice from Spike, the Master would risk losing the support of his followers. It was one thing to punish somebody who had failed, but Spike had not failed.

And now, as he approached the city of limits, he caught sight of a vandalized sign saying 'Welcome to Sunnyhell'. His lips turned up into a tight little smile, the first one to have crossed his face in six months. And so, while humming his favorite Sex Pistols tune 'Anarchy in the UK,' Spike returned to Sunnydale on his way to meet the Master.

*****

Spike strode into the Bronze and up to the stage where the Master was seated. Spike saw a number of vampire masters amongst the crowd and realized that this was more than just a display of appreciation for Spike for a 'Job Well Done.' **No,** he thought, **the Master is taking full advantage of the situation to show all these Wankers how well he rewards those who serve him. Must be wanting to make the most of the situation and thinks if he impresses them, a few might want to join.** He noted Willow standing to the right and slightly behind the Master, while at his feet sat a blonde vampiress who was staring intently at him. The Master rose to greet him as Spike ascended the stage.

"Welcome back from LA, Spike," said the Master as he stretched out his hand in greeting.

"Thank you," Spike replied as he extended his hand. His voice was low and clear, "Master, LA is now under the command of the Order of Aurelius." Playing the Loyal Lackey, Spike had purposely said the Order's name rather than just the Master's. The Master smiled, pleased with the emphasis on who was controlling what, before the packed room.

"Wonderful. Wonderful. Spike you have performed a grand service for me. I am very impressed by the reports I have heard. And I was so very sorry to hear about Drusilla. I know how much she meant to you."

Spike did not say a word. He simply gave a half nod and kept his eyes on the Master the whole time.

"Very well," the Master continued, "sit and have a drink with me first. There are so many things I wish to discuss with you." Spike and the Master sat and Willow moved to pour blood in the two crystal goblets. The rest of the vampires began to mingle and talk amongst themselves. The Master raised his goblet and to Spike said, "Today LA. Tomorrow the World." Spike again said nothing, only nodding his head slightly and raising his goblet in a return gesture to the Master's toast. Taking a sip from his goblet, the Master smiled and said, "Ah. Fresh from my factory. Yes, with LA under our control, we can begin operations down there. Till now we have been operating the 'Machine' only sporadically, testing, making modifications, and gearing up for an 'expansion'. And now that we have ensured there will be plenty of raw material available for 'Phase Two', we should be ready to begin transferring equipment to a suitable location in LA within a month."

As the Master continued to talk about his plans for the future, Spike listened with only half an ear to what he was saying. Mostly he was observing the behavior of the two vampiresses on the stage with the Master.

The red-haired vampiress, Willow, he had met before, when he had first come to Sunnydale. She had oozed of sexuality and strength and had an unquenchable desire for murder and mayhem. Just his type of vamp in fact. But she had belonged to Xander then, and he had not really been interested, because of his concern over the state of Dru's health. Now, as he studied her and watched as she served the Master and him, and occasionally mentioned a small point for the Master to elaborate upon, he was slowly able to perceive the malicious, greedy and deviously intelligent demoness that resided there inside of her.

The blonde vampiress on the floor was another matter. She was dressed in a dark blue velvet gown with a subtle silver beaded design. She had a doll in her arms that wore a similar dress. **The Master's 'Toy',** he thought to himself. He had heard the accounts about the insane former slayer and how she, like Dru, talked to dolls. The fact that the gown was some thing similar to what Dru used to wear was not lost on him. He knew the Master must have purposely ordered this arrangement to throw him off balance, but the girl looked nothing like Dru. Dru had been quite tall, whereas this girl was petite in comparison. Where Dru had long raven hair, this waif had closely cropped blonde hair. The list went on and on.

Still he could sense something about her that kept drawing his attention. It wasn't because she was beautiful. Spike had known thousands of beautiful women during the years, as either a sexual partner or a meal, and sometimes as both. Something about the way she behaved was nagging at him. He knew she was fascinated by him. He had caught her eyes several times staring at him. She would always avert them and look elsewhere as soon as she realized he had caught her looking at him, but as soon as he returned his attention to the Master, she was watching him again. Once he had winked at her, and her eyes had opened wide, before she could look away. He was sure she would have blushed if she could have at that moment. She was an intriguing little chit and perhaps after he was finished with his business here, he would take her with him. After all, the Master wouldn't be around then and neither would his little sidekick bitch, Willow.

He returned to listening to the Master, contemplating how best to press his request for Willow as a part of a suitable reward for his efforts and compensation for his losses. Willow was now an unattached vampiress and the Master could command her to submit to Spike. He intended to take Willow away and then dominate her by torture. He would get a full confession from her about the Master knowing that she had the cure, and then doing nothing to helping Dru while there was still time. After he exposed the Master's deal breaking before all, Spike would challenge the Master as leader of the Order of Aurelius, to single combat, as would be his right after such a betrayal. Lastly, Spike would then proceed to torture Willow for a very long, long time. He knew the Master would attempt to try to weasel out of having to give up Willow to Spike, but there was nothing, that Spike could think of, that would not leave the Master looking like a very poor leader if he refused. **Especially in front of all these buggers. Tut. Tut. Very bad show...and all that rot,** he thought to himself.

*****

The Master had called for attention again and all had quieted to hear his announcement.

"My Friends..." he began and Spike's mind began to immediately wander.

**I wonder if the old blow-hard was as long winded when he was alive,** thought Spike idly.

"...long policy of ruling alone..."

**Look at them. Bunch of bloody sheep, the lot of 'em. All set and ready to be led by the nose into the Master's 'Brave New World of Vampire Bureaucracy and Mass Production'. Probably not a set of brass balls amongst the lot of 'em anyway. Oh sure, put one of 'em against a load o' defenseless humans and they're as fierce as can be, yeah that's a real show o' strength. Hell they're probably too stupid to realize what they're getting' into. Pretending to be interested in something that...Holy Shit!** bits of random information suddenly coalesced in his mind to present him with a conclusion startling enough to make him sit up a bit straighter in his chair.

"...which is why..."

Spike's eyes shot over to the blonde vampiress on the floor. She glanced away as soon as she noticed his eyes on her again, but it was too late. **She's bloody fakin' it,** he thought to himself. **All this time she's been here, pullin' the wool over their eyes. Nobody knows, including the Master and Willow,**

"...decided to take a Queen to rule by my side as we bring about the domination of the world by vampires in the 21st century."

**Say what?** Spike rapidly shifted his attention back to the Master who was extending his arm.

"And because of her intelligence, beauty and devotion to me, I have decided that Willow will be my Queen." Willow stepped forward to clasp the Master's hand and face the applauding crowd.

**Shit**

Spike was able to retain his presence and clap politely when the Master turned to beam at him. Spike knew he had been outmaneuvered, and would have to rethink his approach toward revenge. Still, as he sat there he knew that while he may have lost this round, he had something that the Master did not. He had knowledge of a potential Ace-In-The-Hole. He looked again at the blonde vampiress, and, for the first time that night, she met and held his gaze.

**Oh yes.** Spike thought. **Things are gonna get very interesting around here.**

*****

Chapter 7

A small part of Buffy was watching from the stage as the Master and Willow mingled and talked with various representatives of other clans in the crowd of vampires. To all observers, she was engaged in a conversation with her doll, Mary. Buffy had become quite proficient at holding her strange conversations while in reality she was paying attention to what was going on around her. Right now, she was especially paying attention to the bleached-blonde vampire still on the stage with her.

Spike had remained in his chair, sipping at his goblet of blood while various vampires had tentatively approached him in an effort to gain his favor. While many of the various clan leaders were hoping to entice him into coming to work for them, the females were hoping to entice him into their beds, looking at him as a potential mate. However, although he never said or did anything to drive them off, each and every one of them eventually had fled due to the intensity of his presence. It was as if something was radiating off of him in waves. Most vampires were drawn to another vampire that emanated such a powerful presence; but in Spike's case, the power also seemed to warn of danger, death and destruction to anyone who stayed near him for too long.

Buffy eventually found herself to be the only one left on the stage who could stay near the quiet, intense vampire. She could feel his power as well, but rather than fear it, she felt oddly drawn to him. When she had looked into his eyes after the Master's announcement, she had seen such a deep and abiding sadness in them that she had to hold herself back from the urge to go over to him and hold him. **Yeah right,** she thought, **now I'm wanting to give comfort to a vampire. Maybe I really have finally gone insane.** It was truly bizarre, and she could not explain it, but there was something about him that felt so 'different' to her.

Another reason Buffy had focused in on Spike was that it helped distract her from the 'entertainment' that was occurring in the back area. A family had been captured while driving through Sunnydale that evening. The father was already dead; having been hung upside down, his throat sliced and the blood drained into a punch bowl, from which the assembled vampires were being served. The mother, already traumatized from watching her husband murdered, was now being tormented by being given the decision of which of her two children would be next. The twist was that which ever one she decided on would be killed quickly and as painlessly a possible; while the child who had not been chosen would be tortured. It was a game that Willow had devised. Her favorite part came toward the end. Each time a new torture was to be applied to her child, the mother would be given a choice: She could take the torture in exchange for sparing her child. The tortures were always the same and applied in an established progression, slowly increasing in severity and pain. Various vampires were wagering upon how long the mother would continue to agree to be tortured before she would breakdown and allow her last child to be hurt just to avoid anymore pain herself.

It was horrible and sickening. And to Buffy's everlasting shame, she could feel the desire of the dark demon inside her slithering around like an evil, oily worm inside her mind.

Wanting to come out and play.

*****

Willow felt ecstatic. She had thought it would be years before she was in a position of such power. Queen to the Master. Ruling the Hellmouth today, and, with her help, the World tomorrow. Power over all life and un-life on this planet. And power was what she truly desired these days.

When she had been human, all she had desired was knowledge and the love of one boy. She had been weak. Pathetic. A spineless, meek little girl who had allowed everyone to walk over her. But when she had been turned, she had discovered a whole new world of power, full of blood and murder and fear and terror. She had reveled in it. And when Xander was turned, she had been thrilled to introduce him to the world of vampiric sex. When she had been human, she had been in love with him but too shy to ever say anything to him. As a vampire, though, her shyness had disappeared along with her inhibitions and the pure sweet love she had once felt for her former 'Best Friend'. All that was left were her lusts and desires for more power.

It had been Willow's desire for more power that had led to her becoming one of the Master's favorites. Xander had just been along for the thrill ride. As in the short life she and Xander had lived before, it was Willow who was the brains behind the operation. Xander would provide the muscle and entertainment. Together the two of them had risen rapidly in the Master's ranks to become his favorites. And then Xander was gone.

At first, Willow had been upset. But the Master had 'consoled' her, and she realized that Xander had really just been holding her back. Yes, she could control the humans, but she wanted more. She set her sights on the Master, realizing that what she really wanted was the power of the 'Ruling Class of Vampires'. And tonight, after only six months of effort, he had declared that he would take her as his new Queen.

The ceremony would be in about two months. Upon the 3rd anniversary of the Master's release from the Hellmouth and her own glorious re-birth as a vampire. Certainly a date worth celebrating.

Un-life was so sweet.

*****

The Master was quite pleased with himself as well. He had, rather neatly he thought, avoided what could have been an embarrassing quarrel between Spike and himself. He simply could not give up the fiery little vampiress who had done so much for him. Without her, the factory would barely have been operational, if at all, and the entertainment that her sadistic mind could devise was truly inspired. The idea that Spike had wanted to lay a claim on her had filled the Master with quite a bit of trepidation. The Master had realized that teaming Willow with Spike could produce an extremely dangerous duo, particularly in light of what Spike had achieved by himself in LA. Considering all that she had done for him of late, the decision to name her as his Queen had been an easy one to make. Spike would be envious, but then so were most of those assembled here tonight. He knew that as they were shaking his hand, they were wishing that they had the strength to overthrow him and seize all that was his.

The various clan leaders were nervous. Vampires were convoluted creatures who, on the one hand, did not like to be ruled over but, on the other hand, they loved to rule over others. To become a part of the Master's 'Grand Plan' and to place themselves under the command of the Master would be a humiliating step down from having absolute authority over their respective clans. But, better to endure a little humiliation and still remain amongst those in command, than to fight the inevitable and become a pile of dust. The Master knew that he had made a large number of conquests tonight. All that was required, now, was for them to have sufficient time to realize it. When they did, they would come back and beg and scrape and bow as they pledged undying loyalty to him.

Spike, however, remained as a problem. The Master had been uncertain what to do with him because he was uncertain of what Spike's motives were these days, and where his loyalties were. This new quiet, respectful Spike had him baffled and a little nervous. The old Spike had been an anarchist, a rabble-rouser. The type of vamp who would incite a rebellion just because of all the carnage and destruction that would result. Not the sort of vamp who would remain under anyone's authority for very long. But while that Spike might have taken control of a small gang of vamps, he was never the type who was interested in grabbing power on the level that the Master wielded. This calm, steady vampire who was here tonight, was nothing like the old one. This was a vampire to be reckoned with and dealt with very carefully. Spike looked like a vampire who, if he put his mind to it, there was no telling what he would be capable of. Just look at how fast he had finished in LA.

Drusilla had been a distraction for the old Spike, but she was gone now. Willow had found the cure shortly after Spike had come to the Master for help. The Master had simply been keeping it a secret until Spike had completed their agreed upon deal. **How was I to have known that cursed little Slayer would free Angelus, and then get him killed. It's all her fault,** he thought to himself. **The dumb bitch couldn't even become a proper vampire.** The Master had taken it as a personal insult that her mind had been broken as she had become a vampire, leaving him with another weakened minion instead of the powerful Slayer-Vamp he had been hoping for. **Perhaps the next one,** he had mused, **but for now maybe she can be of some use in fixing the trouble she has caused.**

The Master was considering giving Spike the 'Childe'. He had become bored with Buffy. She had taken up too much of his time and provided little of value in return. The truth was, if it hadn't have been for Willow's enjoyment of torturing her, he might have destroyed her months ago. He still might, if Spike did not respond to her as the Master hoped he would. He figured that if Spike had another insane mate to care for and occupy his time he would not get any ideas about overthrowing his leadership. If he still did, well the Master would have a talk with Buffy before he handed her to Spike, and impress upon her the need to contact him should Spike start talking about anything of a subversive nature.

There was something about Buffy that still bothered him. If Spike wanted her, fine, she would become his problem to deal with. If he did not, well then perhaps Willow would enjoy being allowed to kill her.

He really did not care.

*****

Oddly enough, Spike was feeling rather calm. He had not been upset when the Master had torpedoed his original plan. In fact, after a while of thinking about it, he had actually felt slightly relieved, that he would not have to pretend to desire the little viper. And his curiosity regarding the blonde was growing by the minute.

He knew the Master was trying to manipulate him. The dress on the girl had been rather blatantly obvious, in Spike's opinion. But it did not matter in the least to him. He was interested in knowing what she would do when he confronted her about her behavior, but more than that; there was something about her that was drawing him to her. If Dru had been here she possibly might have made some comment about the girl 'glowing with power'. When he had finally caught her eyes, it had been so obvious. The power that lurked inside of this tiny young vampire was like a tiger waiting to burst from its cage and consume everyone who had thought they had tamed the beast. No, she was not the meek little 'Master's' toy that everybody had said she was.

He was the only one who could see it.

She had been a Slayer once. Maybe not one of any great importance then, but she *still* had been a Slayer. Who was *now* a vampire. Slayer-Vamps were reputed to be incredibly dangerous and deadly to their enemies, both human as well as vampire. And they were fiercely loyal and dedicated to their friends and loved ones. Willing to do anything for them, in fact

Spike looked around. Aside from the few male vampires who had come sniffing around looking to maybe get a shag from the Master's Toy, nobody had been interested in her. Spike had scared them off with a low rumbling growl, and had been pleased to get a rather surprised but grateful look from the girl. It had been very fast, and she had rapidly glanced away again, but he knew he had seen it.

When he knew the girl was looking over at him, he lifted his right hand and with his fingers, indicated to her to come over and sit by him.

**Time to make a friend.**

*****

The girl stood and walked slowly over to him, the doll clutched protectively to her chest, head cocked at a slight angle as she looked at him. Spike remained seated in his chair.

"Hello Cutie. What's your name?" Not an especially grand opening line but it seemed appropriate for some reason. The girl said nothing, however. She simply remained there, studying him, swayed slightly to the music that was playing and humming a completely different tune. **Yes, she is good with the act,** Spike thought as he looked at her eyes. The tiger was hiding. "Can you talk to anyone besides your friend there, luv?"

Allowing a little of 'Slut-Vamp' out, Buffy started to stroll around Spike, reaching out with one hand to caress him in his black leather duster; up one of his arms, across his back and down the other.

"I can but..." she spoke in a slow, soft but clear voice, "the Master doesn't like me to speak unless I'm spoken to." She leaned in to whisper sensually into his ear, "And besides, most of the time, they aren't interested in what comes out of my mouth. Only what they can put in it." She pulled away and gave a little giggle, as she finished walking around him. Suddenly she become serious, "The Master calls me 'Childe'. He never calls me by my name. Everybody calls me 'Childe'."

"I don't think I fancy that pet, you hardly look like a child to me. What's the name your mum gave you?" he asked.

Buffy stiffened and for a second Spike caught a glimpse of the tiger, **Touched a nerve there, didn't we, luv?** Buffy stood there, rocking her body back and forth, looking like she was trying to decide if she was going to divulge some big secret. **What is going on in that devious little mind of yours,** Spike pondered as he watched her. Leaning forward, hands clasped in front of him, he pressed on, "Come on now. It can't be that bad. Tell ya' what. You tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine. 'Spike's' just me nickname you know."

She quietly said, "My name used to be Buffy. Buffy Summers."

Spike smiled at her and leaned back in his chair, "Buffy, hmm. It suits you, you know. All perky and bright, even if you don't always feel that way. I swear girl, for a vampire, you practically glow with life." Spike paused before murmuring almost to himself, "It's very beautiful."

If Buffy could have blushed, she would have. He was starting to confuse her. She wanted to switch the topic of conversation to him. Then she remembered his promise. "So, what's yours," she asked.

"William. William Darrow. But me mum used to call me Liam," he said with a small grin.

"Why'd you change it?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Well, Buffy, it's like this. As time goes by for us vampires, we tend to collect names. From the humans. From each other. I was known for a while as William the Bloody, up until about 130 years ago, then I became Spike." He stopped suddenly. He did not want to finish the story. He knew she would not approve of it, and for some bizarre reason he did not want her to be disappointed in him. However, at Buffy's quizzically arched eyebrow, he sighed and continued. "I spent a couple of months terrorizing a couple of villages near the railways, Luv. I used a couple of railroad spikes to torture some people with and the name sort of stuck. Dru came up with it. We had a bloody wonderful time." Spike voice tapered off as memories floated through his mind. He closed his eyes and softly added, "Drusilla never called me anything else after that."

Buffy looked away from Spike, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment between Spike and his lost love. When Spike opened his eyes he saw her gazing out at the milling crowd, an expression on her face that he could not quite figure out.

"Care to join them?" he asked Buffy. She glanced back at Spike as he rested his head on one hand and looked at her.

"N-no. I told you, they don't like talking to me." She suddenly smiled at him, "But Mary likes to talk to me, and she knows lots of secrets."

"I bet she does. And she'll only share them with you."

"No. She might share with you. If she likes you."

**OK so that's how we're going to play it,** Spike thought.

"Why wouldn't she like me? I'm a likable chap."

"They didn't like you," she said indicating the crowd of vampires with a flip of her chin.

"What do you mean? They love me! You saw them all trot up here to chat with me."

"They fear you."

**Simple, direct and the unvarnished truth,** Spike thought with a smile as he leaned forward to look directly into her eyes and in a low voice said to Buffy, "That's because they're all a bunch of Nancy boys. They have good reason to be afraid of me, Luv."

"Because of LA," she stated simply, "Because of who you are. Because of what you are."

Spike chuckled, "Who I am, Luv?"

She shrugged, "The Master's Chief Enforcer."

Spike smiled at that, then asked, "If that is who I am, then what am I?"

"A demon whose heart is aching for his lost love," she whispered. **Oh My God! Did I just say that aloud? Oh shit!**

Spike stiffened and Buffy closed her eyes expecting the blow to fall any second. When none did, she opened her eyes to see him staring at her. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I meant no disrespect. I'm just...I'm sorry she died. I wish-"

Spike held up a hand and Buffy's babbling stopped. He looked at her eyes and saw the sincerity within. "It's OK. You're right though, I do miss her. We traveled the world for over a hundred years. She was my 'Black Princess'. Everything I did, I did for her. But in the end, it wasn't enough. She died before I could get the cure she needed."

Buffy was shocked at how clearly his love for the dead vampiress came though. And the depth of his sorrow over her death. She had never thought that demons could feel such 'human' emotions. A single blood red tear fell from Buffy's eye. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

**Cor, she really does care,** thought Spike in wonder.

"Of course you didn't know," he said gently, "How could you. We demons aren't exactly known for our Shakespearean love stories, despite all the tragedy we inspire."

In a sudden move that completely took Spike by surprise, Buffy hopped onto his lap and said, "Tell me a story about her."

A small smile crept across his face as he looked at Buffy sitting on his lap. **Daring little thing, too.**

"OK, Luv. Let's see. Where to begin?" he took a sip of the blood in his goblet and then handed it to a surprised and wide-eyed Buffy who, after his nod, gratefully drank the rest. He astonished her further when he refilled the goblet before proceeding. "Right! Once upon a time..."

*****

The party was winding down. Dawn was in a few hours and many of the various clan leaders had left already. Going home to contemplate their futures.

Spike had spent the better part of the night telling stories to an enthralled Buffy. He had told her about Dru & Angelus in the old days and many of the places they had gone. He told of caring for Dru when Angelus had disappeared because of what Spike later discovered was due to Angelus being cursed with a soul by a clan of Gypsies. He told of saving Dru from one Slayer, and then facing another during the Boxer rebellion. Despite a pang of sympathy for her predecessors, Buffy was drawn into the tale by Spike's masterful story telling technique. She loved his voice and she loved the feeling of being held in his lap. For the first time in months, she was experiencing a feeling of being safe and secure. For a brief while, the rest of the world just disappeared as he spoke to her and her alone.

The feeling of peace and safety disappeared as she sensed the Master and Willow had returned to the stage. She started to rise from Spike's lap, but he stopped her by placing an arm around her stomach. She nervously started to play with 'Mary'.

"Well, well, Spike. It appears that you've made a friend tonight," said the Master.

Willow smirked, "It does look like she's grown attached to him. Of course, she's so good at that."

Spike ignored Willow and instead looked at the Master, "Yes, she is very easy to talk to."

The Master smiled and said, "Indeed she is. She is good at a number of things. Spike, why don't you keep her for the day? I am going to be out until tomorrow night. I have some things to do, and I want to spend some time alone with my Queen-to-be here. I think my 'Childe' here would only be in the way, and I don't trust the others with her. Sometimes they tend to get a little...over-enthusiastic."

Spike nodded his head, "Thank you, Master. I will try to...keep my enthusiasm in check."

The Master chuckled briefly, before addressing Buffy, "Childe."

Buffy looked up at him with a gleam in her eye, "Yes, Master?"

"I would like you to go with Spike here for the day," he instructed. "Show him the main guestroom and make certain that he is well provided for. I will be back tomorrow evening and I expect you to have been well behaved."

"Yes, Master," Buffy replied, nodding her head before returning to 'Mary'.

The Master and Willow then proceeded to leave the Bronze.

Spike looked down at Buffy in his lap as she fidgeted with her doll. **Time to get some answers,** he thought.

"Come on then, Buffy," he whispered in her ear. "Let's go somewhere more private."

Without a word, Buffy rose from Spike's lap and led him to the guestroom. Spike looked around, clearly unimpressed. "This is it? Not much to look at now is it, eh?" He began to check behind the few pictures on the walls and inspect the lights, while at the same time he placed marks on the walls with something in his hand. "What?! No cameras? No bugs?" he asks looking briefly at a bewildered Buffy, who shook her head. "Well, I, for one, am insulted. I would have thought I had inspired a level of envy to make a few people want to spy on me. That's the trouble with lechery these days. Nobody keeps up the high standards."

As he said this, he pulled out a small box from his duster's inside pocket and placed it on a low table. From inside the box he removed a small knife with intricate etchings and an odd looking little white candle, that reminded her of a birthday candle. Spike waved at Buffy to move over to his side, silencing her questions with a look. He held out a hand towards her, and she hesitantly extended hers. She tensed up, when he lifted the knife and placed the edge against her palm, but he did not cut until she had relaxed enough to lift her eyes to his and nod at him to go ahead. He next sliced his own palm, then set the knife down, grabbed the strange candle and quickly placed it between their bleeding palms while interweaving his fingers through hers. Buffy was jolted by the sensation of the Candle moving between their hands. She was even more shocked as she realized that the Candle was growing because of the blood from their palms. Soon the Candle was extending beyond the span of their hands, and to her horror the Candle was now a deep dark red in color. Finally, Spike released her fingers and peeled the Candle from between their two hands. Buffy stared at her palm. The cut was sealed with wax. She looked at Spike, wanting to dig the wax from her hand but he shook his head as he busied about setting the candle up in a hole in the box on the table. The Candle was now just over a foot long and about an inch wide. Spike then pulled out a Zippo lighter and clicked it on. Moving to light the candle, he whispered a chant:

As the Candle began to burn, Buffy felt a tingling sensation as the magic began to take effect. Looking at the walls she could see the marks that Spike had made earlier, start to glow and spread across the walls, the roof and the floor. Soon the entire room was covered with a faint glowing web of light. Light which was the same deep dark red color as the candle.

"Wh-what's going on?" Buffy asked tentatively.

"Well, you see," began Spike, "I wanted to have a 'private' talk with you. And I don't really trust the Master not to have a few 'ears' hidden in the walls. Now, however, all that anybody listening in is going to hear, will be the sound of the two of us having a great shag."

Gently Spike moved Buffy over to sit on edge of the bed. He then grabbed a chair, spun it around and straddled it with the back facing Buffy. She was nervously clutching the doll. Spike looked at her for a long time before he spoke. When he did, Buffy felt her heart jump into her throat.

"Alright Buffy, you can drop the crazy act. I know you're as sane as I am. It was a good act, Luv. You've got all them buggers fooled all right. But when you've known someone who is truly insane for as long as I have, well... I'm not quite so easy to fool. I know when someone is hiding something from me. But the big question is 'Why?'"

Spike leaned forward in the chair towards Buffy.

"I think it's confession time."

*****

Chapter 8

Buffy was squirming under Spike's uncompromisingly steady gaze. His icy blue eyes had seemed to be relentlessly penetrating through all of the inner walls and defenses, which her mind had so painstakingly constructed to protect the secret of the existence of her soul. Almost five minutes had passed since he had told her that he knew she was faking her insanity, though to Buffy it had felt like an eternity. She had been desperately casting about in her mind to figure a way out of this mess, but those damn eyes had kept on staring at her and she could not come up with a plausible lie to tell him that did not sound bogus to her. 'Mary' had fallen to the floor, and she had wrapped her arms about her chest, attempting to make herself as small as possible.

At first, as she realized that she was trapped in a corner, her questions and thoughts, had zipped through her mind at such a frantic pace that she could barely keep from panicking. **Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! He knows! He Knows! Oh Shit. What am I gonna do? What is he gonna do? I need to get the fuck outta here. Shit! How the hell am I gonna get away? I could try and kill him. Idiot! You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag in the shape your in! They've kept you weak for so goddamn long. Oh God. Oh Fuck! Maybe I could make a break and escape. Yeah, sure, and get fried by the fuckin' sun! Why is he just sitting there? He should be trying to kill me. Why is he just looking at me? Maybe he just likes fuckin' with my mind. What's he thinking? Hold on. Slow down. Why did he do that thing to seal the room? If he's gonna give me up, he could have already done that. What is he waiting for? Why was he being 'nice' to me? Was he being nice to me? Or, was he just trying to trick me? Well it was 'nicer' than I've ever been treated by a fuckin' demon before. What does he want?...** Slowly, as she calmed down, her thoughts separated until it seemed as if her different secret persona's were having an argument over what to do.

**Maybe he wants to see how good I can perform under pressure,** that was 'Slut-Vamp'.

**Maybe this his way of torturing me,** said 'Victim'. **If I try to run or fight, he'll start breaking bones.**

**Maybe he wants to see what I'll try to offer him,** Secret Agent suggested. **I told him I knew secrets.**

**Maybe he wants a friend,** whispered 'Little Lunatic'.

The suggestion of that possibility was bizarre enough to give her pause. How would she even know if he were a friend. It had been years since she had had a friend even as a human. Slayers weren't supposed to have friends. They were potential weaknesses that the forces of darkness could exploit.

**Shit Girl, he's a fuckin' vampire.** that was Slut-Vamp again. **Hell, he's a master vampire, who has just kicked a shit-load of butt in LA for the 'Master'. Why the hell would he need us as a friend? You saw them tonight. Climbing all over each other to beg for his favor. That 'I wanna be your friend' BS was never true when you were a human, and it sure as hell ain't gonna be true with a vamp. If he says anything otherwise, it's only so we'll be all grateful and climb into his pants. Put on a good show in bed, try to convince him not to tell anyone.**

**His girlfriend is gone. He just wants a good hard fuck to forget her,** 'Victim' chimed in. **Remember how broke up 'Queen Bitch' was over her old 'boy-toy's' dusting. The one you killed when you were a 'Slayer' and that she then used as an excuse to whip us for two weeks. Hell, she was snuggling up to the Master that night. This guy just wants a slut for the day, and he'll be beating us this evening. Or worse.**

**He could have gotten fucked without saying anything,** observed 'Secret Agent'. **He was with Drusilla for over a hundred years. Devoted to an insane vampire. Maybe he is different. Fact is, we don't have shit for options. The only way we're gonna find out, is if we place our trust in him and tell the truth.**

She looked once more at those eyes and took an deep breath to steel herself for what she was about to do

**Oh God, please let me be doing the right thing,** she added in a silent prayer.

"W-when you first became a vampire... d-do you remember how you felt when you died, and then later, h-how you first felt about your Sire?"

Spike arched an eyebrow at her question, "When I died...let's see...um...I remember feeling terror and then everything faded away. When I woke up, I was hungry and confused but I knew my Sire would help me. I was afraid of him but also I worshipped him. Took me a hell of a long time to break that I can tell you. But why, luv? What does it matter what I felt?"

"Because you see, I didn't feel different," Buffy said hesitantly. " I felt the same way about the Master after I woke up, as I had before he killed me. In fact, I felt the same way about Vampires in general afterwards, as I did before he killed me. I never lost my soul. I thought that if I played the fool, acted insane and all, he would lose interest in me. Toss me out, and then I could get away, heal up and get strong. But it didn't happen. And I couldn't just stop or they'd know something was going on. And then..." she gave a little, ironic laugh, "Oh then...I mean if they knew...oh Christ...the torture he's let Willow put me through now... just because I'm supposed to be insane..." she trailed off, uncertain of where to go. How to say 'It'.

Then Spike said it for her.

"You've still got your soul." It was a statement. She thought he sounded amazed.

Buffy nodded and stared at the ground. For a second, she felt as if she was going to start begging him not to tell the Master, that she would do anything for him. But then a sensation passed through her, like a wave. And suddenly she was feeling better than she had in months. Her mind was clear.

She would not beg. She would not plead. If Spike was going to hurt her, beat her, kill her so be it. She was sick of the hiding and cowering and degradation. Sick of being the weak victim and playing the whore to make her miserable existence a teeny-tiny fraction-of-a-bit better. She may not have a chance in hell of beating him in a fight but she was going to do her damn best. Her sudden resolve seemed to energize her in a way she hadn't felt since she had been turned. She had been a Slayer once for crying out loud. OK, there had definitely been a slight setback becoming a vampire and all, but she still felt the call of 'Slaying' within her. It was a need to protect others who were truly the weak and innocent from those who would prey on them. Slowly she unfolded herself, stood up and faced Spike.

If Spike had been surprised by her revelation, he was amazed at the transformation that had come over her. It was almost as if she had suddenly grown from a little girl into an amazon warrior. He had been mistaken about one thing, **That's no little pussy-cat of a tiger inside her, she's a whole bloody animal kingdom. With an emphasis on the real nasty buggers. A one-woman battalion ready to unleash a scorched-earth-take-no-prisoners-I'm-not-gonna-stop-until-I've-killed-everyone-whose-pissed-me-off campaign on the world.** He smiled and rose from the chair, just in case she decided to try and start with him, **Oh yeah. She is a 'Slayer-Vamp' all right, maybe a little weak right now but with time, training and regular feedings she be able to back-up that image she's projecting. Now, if I can just convince her that I'm on her side.**

"So," she said with a confidence in her voice that had long been missing, "the Question now is 'What are you going do?' Tell the Master, or try to kill me? Well, go ahead." Her vampire face rose to the surface, "Make my Millennium."

It was such a bizarre statement to come out of her, that Spike couldn't stop from bursting out laughing. In response to the glare she gave him, Spike held his hands open making what he hoped would be placating gestures towards her while he continued to chuckle.

"Now, luv. Let's not get excited here and do something rash. Listen Buffy, that little spell I just did works fine for covering the two of us having a nice little chat and all, but if you start playing Xena Warrior Princess right now, they're going to be in here in no time."

Buffy said nothing, but she made no move to attack. Her vampire face slowly faded. Spike was again looking into her eyes, her spirit finally showing itself in those luminous green orbs. Her defiant glare filled him with a strange sense of pride about her. He did not care whether she had a soul or not. It made no difference to him. Only her now apparent hatred of the Master and Willow mattered. And Spike felt a slight twinge of pleasure at the irony of the thought of the Master unwittingly handing over the means of his own downfall. Her life here, under the Master, had been oppressive and restrictive. She'd obviously not yet had the opportunity to explore the full potential of her vampiric abilities. **But when she does...It's gonna be bloody glorious.**

"OK. First thing, luv, is that I have no intention of hurting you or telling them anything. On the contrary, I want your help."

"For what?" she said suspiciously.

"Destroying the Master and Willow."

A smile curled across Buffy's lips as she thought, **He wants control of the Hellmouth.** Out loud, she simply asked, "Why?"

Spike expression grew somber. "I have my reasons. Suffice it to say that I want them dead."

"Oh no, you don't," now she was annoyed. "You aren't gonna get out of it like that, buster. It's 'Confession Time' remember? No way, Mystery Man. You started this. You 're the Big-Bad-Brit-Boy Vamp who just took control of LA for the Master. Now, what I want to know is 'What's the sitch?' Why would 'You' want to go up against the Master and Willow. What are you expecting to get out of it? How do you expect me to trust you?"

Before she could react, Spike had moved into her face and had grabbed her by her forearms. His eyes blazed with a yellow fire. "All right girl you listen to me and listen good. I have my reasons and that is all you need to know. I don't expect you to trust me, I expect you to obey me." He knew as soon as the words had left his mouth, that it had been the wrong thing to say. **Great, just bloody great. Way to make friends.**

"Certainly, oh Master the 2nd. So tell me, am I to remain your little concubine after you become the new Lord of the Hellmouth?" she spat at him.

"The Hellmouth can rot for all I care," he snarled back. "You think I'm some power-hungry little upstart who wants a palace revolution just so I can take the Master's position. If that was all I wanted I could have brought a thousand minions up here from LA and made this place a wasteland. But I didn't because this is personal. The Master and I had an agreement and I more than kept my part of it. He didn't and she knew. So now I've got a special message to give to those two. It requires payment on delivery, and I don't take any bloody American Express or Visa, baby."

Buffy's emotions were racing all over the place. He had been telling the truth, that much she was certain. He was after revenge and when she thought about it, so was she. Still she wanted to hit him. By forcing her to drop her mask, he had stirred up in her a desire to strike out after so many months of repressing herself. She was also very annoyed that she was still feeling as much attraction for him as she was. Her demon had known why those other vampiresses had wanted him. She had felt it as well.

"Fine, if you won't tell me 'Why?' how about answering 'Why Me?' Why did you select me when you had all those other bitches in heat out there to choose from. I'm nothing special. I'm just his fucking Pet, with an emphasis on 'Fucking'. No wait! Hold on. Let me guess." Buffy raised her hand to her head and closed her eyes, as if she were trying to read his mind. You picked me because you needed someone to get close to the Master and, when he's not looking, stick a stake in his back. Oh my, how clever. Not!"

Spike arched his eyebrow, the prospect of Buffy being this obstinate when he started training her was beginning to raise some concerns.

"You want the truth? Fine. Truth is you weren't my first choice. I was going to ask the Master for Willow, take her home and give her a Holy Water enema until the bitch confessed for me. Then with her confession I could have challenged that deceitful, old gas-bag to single combat. Even if I lost, everyone would know him as an 'Oath-Breaker". Nobody would ever again make a deal with him, and his 'New World Order' would crumble to dust before him. But no, the sneaky bastard pulled a move I wasn't expecting and pfft...I'm left standing with nothing but my knickers on. Then I saw something I never expected. A little ex-slayer-turned-vampire, who was pretending to be something she was not, right under the bastard's nose. Pretending to be insane. Pretending to be weak."

"I am weak. Hell, sometimes I feel like I'm weaker than I was before I became the goddamn Slayer," she said bitterly.

"Only physically."

"What?"

"I said 'only physically'. I've seen enough of your spirit, girl, to know how strong it is," he added. "You've been kept on a restricted diet haven't you?" At her nod he continued, "When you became a vampire, your strength should have at least doubled. As we get older, a vampire's strength continues to grow or he develops other abilities or powers. They vary from vampire to vampire, but the point is this: Lunatic or not, you should be stronger than you were as a Slayer. Vampires are afraid of other vampires who are stronger than them because most of the time that other demon wants dominion over them. This is why Slayers are usually killed instead of turned. With the right feeding and training, you could be the most powerful vampire in the world."

Buffy was feeling a sense of unreality. If she had still been alive her heart would have pounding in her chest. The many shocks and surprises of the evening were beginning to make her think that she was either having a *really* great fantasy dream, or that she had finally had a complete mental breakdown after all of the months of degradation and pain.

"Tell me, Buffy, what do you want more than anything else?" Spike asked.

"To see them dead," she murmured.

"Then how about it? You help me. I help you. Afterwards, we go our separate ways."

Buffy stared at Spike mulling his offer over and over, but one phrase kept on repeating itself, **...most powerful vampire in the world...** In her mind, she had a series of images of herself torturing Willow, staking the Master and sitting on his throne as a large assembly of vampires bowed before her. The decision was simple.

"No."

Spike looked shocked, "What?!" Buffy held up a hand indicating she had more to say.

"I want...," she paused as she saw his face harden at her words. "I *need* you to do something more for me, and I want an Oath from you that you will do it. When it's over. When the Master and Willow are dust."

"Do what?"

"I want you to stake me."

*****

Chapter 9

It was two o'clock in the afternoon.

Spike was leaning back in the chair, smoking a cigarette and watching the girl sleep. He had instructed her to get some rest, picked up the evidence of his earlier spell casting, returned the box to his jacket and had kicked back in the chair with his feet on the table in order to 'Have a Think'. 'Having a think' was something he had excelled at these last few months. He had already reviewed the events of the party the night before and was now contemplating what he had learned about the little blonde vampiress.

She had been full of surprises. She still was, he'd wager. He knew she did not think of him as a friend yet, but for now, her thinking of him as an ally would be sufficient.

Her claim to still possess a soul hadn't bothered him in the slightest. **Hell,** he thought, **it was probably a damn good thing that she did.** She was a vampire who had been a Slayer. She would be very powerful, and her having a conscience would keep a rein on her. Stop her from committing the foolish excesses other Slayer-Vamps had indulged in. Excesses which had eventually resulted in their destruction.

However, her request for him to kill her afterwards had bothered him. It had disconcerted something inside of him, and he did not know 'Why?'. He had considered suicide after Dru had died, but he'd been unable to stake himself, and he'd had no intention of asking anyone else to do so. Instead, he'd gone into battle after battle in LA with a vague hope that each fight might be his last, and he would finally come up against someone 'better' than him. Not someone who was stronger, for there were plenty of 'Muscle Vamps' about. Spike, however, could not shake his pride enough to lose a fight to some rube who could probably be outwitted by one of the 'Three Stooges'. No he wanted someone, who would be able to beat him in a fight because they'd been able to out-smart him. So he would make them work for it, by being as ruthless and cunning as he could be. In the end though, when the final battle was over and done, it was Spike who remained as the 'Last Vampire Standing'.

In the end, it was for the 'Memory' of Drusilla that he had decided not to 'end it all'. He had once seen some movie where some bloke had died. Everyone had been all weepy and upset. Then some blighter had started preaching about how as long as people remembered, then somehow the dead bloke would still 'live on'. At the time, Spike had thought it was the biggest load of rubbish he'd ever heard. But when Dru was gone, the concept had made him want to keep on going. If he left as well, there would be nobody left who would *care* enough to remember her. Who would 'keep her alive' in their memory. He did not understand 'Why' he felt he *had* to do this. Memorials were something that humans kept, not demons. But, all the same, he still did it. Wishing, all the while, for an end to the ache he felt so keenly inside.

Then Whistler had appeared and had given him a reason for living that he *could* understand as a demon.

Revenge.

From the looks of things, the girl could understand revenge quite well.

When Buffy had said she had been tortured by Willow he had put it down as simply whippings and beatings. However, when Buffy had removed her dress in preparation for going to sleep, Spike had been stunned by what he saw had been done to her. Hanging from her back, were row after row of small steel rings. Several lines of rings also extended down the back of each of her arms and legs. The rings were so numerous, that for a minute Spike had thought that she was wearing some kind of metal mesh undershirt. Upon closer examination, he saw that each ring was attached to another metal loop poking out from underneath her skin. Willow, he learned, had taken to placing the rings in Buffy with the idea of being able to literally 'hang' her up. She had drilled a few larger rings into strategic positions along the rib cage to carry the majority of Buffy's weight. Then Willow had imbedded hundreds of other rings deep beneath Buffy's skin. Weak as she was, Buffy's combined vampire/slayer healing abilities rapidly sealed the rings within her body, leaving only a small loop protruding to which the outer rings had then been attached.

He was of two minds about the rings: on the on hand, as a demon, he found them to be incredibly erotic, arousing him with thoughts of torture, pain and blood...and they were beautiful in a twisted sort of fashion. On the other hand, they enraged something inside of him that looked on them as a defilement...a mutilation of an incredibly gorgeous vampire, simply to torture her. It was like a senseless vandalism of a beautiful work of art and, at the same time, it was a horribly beautiful and twisted work of art, in and of itself.

He stubbed out the butt of his cigarette, rose and stripped. He had been up for almost twenty hours now and he needed to get some rest. The Master would no doubt be wishing to meet with him in the evening, and he had no desire to make a mistake due to a stupid thing like being over tired.

He carefully slipped into the empty side of the king-sized bed, not wanting to wake the girl. He had just been about to nod off when 'She' showed up. She hadn't been to see him in almost two months. After last night, he had been expecting her to show up sometime soon, but not now...not here.

He watched as she slowly danced about the room, holding her arms up in the air as she spun around, her long dark hair fanning out behind her.

"'ello, my lovely, lovely Spike. Mummy heard that you had found someone special last night. Is that her?"

"Dru..."

A smile flickered across Drusilla's face as she drifted to the side of the bed where the girl slept.

"Shshsh...don't want to wake her." Leaning over her, Drusilla brought her hands near Buffy's head and closed her eyes to concentrate. Suddenly she let out a gasp of pleasure and pulled back grinning like a Cheshire cat, "Oooooooooooooo."

She was excited.

"She's got power..."

Dru had always had a thing for power vamps...

"...and so much pain, it's delicious. And she's clever. She knows secrets. Lots of secrets..."

Turning back to Spike, the left side of her lip curled up in a knowing smirk.

"...and now she has another."

She backed away from Buffy, her smirk turning into a smile.

"But my Spikey-Dear is clever too. And now you know some of her secrets."

He knew better that to get up and go to her. She would come to him when she was ready. She returned to dancing about the room.

"Do you remember dancing with me under the stars, luv?"

She stopped and stared at the doll 'Mary' sitting on the table. Finally, she turned back to Spike.

"Mary says that 'She' wants to dance with the Devil," Dru said nodding towards Buffy.

She returned to the bed. Spike reached out to pull her to him. She resisted slightly, but did not try to struggle against him. She had always preferred to be forced, it gave her the sense that he was dominating her. But it was she who had always ruled him. He gently but insistently moved her to his side, turning slightly so that he could wrap one arm about her body as she lay with her head on his shoulder. He vaguely remembered to move slowly and carefully so as not to awaken the other occupant in the bed.

He pulled Dru tightly against him and whispered, "I miss you, Luv." As if the words had finally released the hold he had been keeping on his emotions, a few tears leaked out from his eyes.

Then he felt her gently kiss him, whisper, "Hush," and tell him to rest.

Holding her in his arms, he slowly drifted off to sleep.

*****

Buffy stared at the face of the strange blonde vampire as he slept. She had awoken the instant she had felt him climb into the bed with her, and had expected him to wake her up for a quick fuck before he went to sleep. Instead, he had rapidly passed into a deep slumber and was now apparently dreaming. She had heard him murmur Drusilla's name.

She was about to try to get back to sleep when she felt his hand on her. **Here we go,** she had thought with resignation. But he had only pulled her to his side and wrapped his arms protectively about her. She realized that he was still dreaming.

Hearing his whisper the words, "I miss you, Luv," she had lifted her head and gazed upon his face. The bloody tears that had slipped out from the sides of his closed eyelids were too much for her. She'd had nothing but hatred and contempt for every vampire that she had ever known. Including herself.

But this vampire was so very different from any one she had ever met. He had obviously loved this 'Drusilla' with a passion and tenderness that she had never known. She had never even been able to date. Never had wanted to, after her parents had been murdered, all her spare time went into training with Merrick. It was drilled into her that slaying was a full time gig with terminal consequences for being distracted. So she had never gotten the chance to have a boyfriend let, alone a lover.

Hesitantly, Buffy leaned forward to kiss him gently on his lips.

"Hush now. You need to rest," she said softly in his ear.

When she saw a faint smile cross his mouth, she rested her head back on his shoulder.

Joining him in sleep.

*****

Buffy was having a nightmare. Not that that was unusual. She'd often had them, even before she'd been turned. She would watch herself move through events as if she was watching a movie.

The first part of her dream was one that had been haunting her for years. It was nighttime. She and her mom had just gotten home from shopping. Her mom had gone into the house first while Buffy was getting the rest of the packages from the car. She had just stepped into the living room when she saw her dad lying on the floor, his neck torn open. Standing near his body, her mother was weakly struggling in the grasp of a vampire who was biting at her neck. She saw her mother reaching out towards her, gasping...pleading for help. Buffy screamed in a sudden rage and, dropping the packages, charged at the vampire and leapt on him. But even if he had been a human, she would have had no chance against him. She was only a thirteen-year-old girl. She had not the physical strength or skill to fight this creature, but she had to get him away from her mother. So she bit his arm.

The vampire had let out a yell of pain and had flung Buffy across the room into a glass curio cabinet. A piece of the shattered glass front sliced into her face. It would leave a terrible scar across her mouth, a visible reminder of this night, and why she was fighting, for the rest of her life.

Then the nightmare got weird.

Buffy felt her perspective change from being an observer to being a participant in her dream. As she got up from the floor, she found herself in a cemetery. Merrick was there and he shoved a stake in her hand and pushed her forward. She stood in front of her parents' graves, and the ground was moving. Hands emerged from the ground as the vampires clawed their way up from their graves. Buffy froze again as the two vampires turned towards her and she saw instead of her mother and father, the Master and Willow standing there.

She wanted to fight but felt as if she were paralyzed.

"Merrick," she cried out, "Please help me."

"Now, now Childe," said the Master. "He's dead, you killed him." Buffy spun about and saw Merrick's body slumped on the floor in the prison cell.

"Bored now," Willow said to the Master, "Can I play with the Pup-'pet'?" At the Master's nod, Willow snapped her fingers and suddenly dozens of wires snaked out and attached themselves to the rings in Buffy's arms, legs and back. Willow raised her hands and Buffy could see she held a couple of sticks with wires extending off of them. As she moved the sticks, Buffy was suddenly moving forward, her arms and legs jerking and twitching to the sudden jerks Willow gave the pair of sticks. Buffy looked up to see Spike standing in front of her. He was holding two glowing white orbs, one in each hand, and he seemed to be trying to make some sort of decision about them.

"What are they?" she asked.

"The future," he replied not looking up.

"Why are there two of them?"

"Only one is mine to keep."

"Whose is the other?"

"I don't know. I'm supposed to give it to someone. Do you want one?" he extended both orbs towards her.

"Maybe. I...I don't know," she stammered, backing away slightly.

"Who does, if you don't?"

"I...I'm afraid," she finally admitted.

"Of what?"

"I'm afraid of what I'll do. Who I'll hurt. Who will hurt me," she offered.

"Who you'll help. Who you'll save. Who will love you," he countered.

"I don't know if I can do it."

"You'll have to take a chance in order to find out," he said finally looking up. As Buffy gazed into eyes, she suddenly felt that maybe there was something worth fighting for besides revenge. The clear blue orbs of his eyes filled her with hope for the future and a promise of love.

However, as Buffy started to reach forward, Willow began to tug on her wires, again. Buffy watched in horror as her right arm slowly rose up with a stake in its hand. Frantically, she fought against the wires while Willow attempted to direct her to stab at Spike. Abruptly, a ring in her left shoulder tore out from the skin. Gasping in pain she lunged forward to grab one of the orbs with her left hand. The orb she touched flared brightly, blinding her for a moment, and in relief she felt the wires detach themselves from her body.

Her joy at being free of Willow's control was short-lived as her sight returned and she saw Spike standing in front of her with her stake protruding from his heart. She barely had time to gasp, before he exploded into dust.

"NO!" she cried out, as Willow's evil laughter echoed around her.

She looked down at her hand and saw that the blood from the wound in her shoulder had dripped down her arm and was covering the orb that she had taken from Spike. In dismay, she watched as the light from the orb slowly dimmed until it was dark, cold and dead.

"Did you really think you had a chance against me?" she heard the Master say from behind her. Unexpectedly, she felt an impact on her back, and, looking down, she saw a stake protruding from her chest.

She watched as the orb slipped from her fingers, fall to the ground and shatter into a thousand tiny shards of glass.

Then she woke up.

*****

Chapter 10

Spike had drifted awake to find Buffy clinging to his side. He did not move her, preferring to remain still and let his mind slowly start to function. Answering those questions foremost on his mind: 'What was he doing here?', 'Where was here?', 'Why was this girl here?' and most importantly 'Who the hell was he going to kill to keep her there?'. The questions were quickly answered as his brain woke up and began to function. Most of them. That last one he was a bit uncertain about, and it had spawn a couple of nagging little ones that would not go away.

With a sudden twitch the girl abruptly woke up.

"Bad dreams, luv?"

She stared at him, her eyes wide and wild for a few seconds as she came to consciousness. Then her eyes became guarded and cautious. She nodded briefly.

"I think we had best carry on this charade by hitting the showers, eh luv. After all, I'm supposed to have spent the better part of this morning proving my 'manliness' to you."

Buffy nodded again and rose from the bed. Spike's eyes followed her sleek naked form, "Not that I wouldn't mind you realize..."

Buffy turned with a smile on her face, "If you want, you could take me right now..." She spread her arms, offering herself to him. The words sounded inviting, but Spike was sure she was testing him.

"None of that, pet," he admonished rising up from the bed and moving to stand before her, equally exposed. He grasped her shoulders, and spoke firmly in a low voice, "Be assured, there will have no games between us, Buffy. If we are to do this together, faith will be necessary."

"Faith?" she asked arching her eyebrow.

"Faith," he said with a slight growl for emphasis. He pulled her body close his own, leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "Faith in me, faith in yourself and faith in us." Then he let her go, turned to the bed and began to strip the sheets.

Buffy stood there trying to collect her thoughts. The offer had been genuine. She would not have been bothered if he had wanted to fool around. **It wasn't as if he'd be doing anything that hadn't already been done to me. That I wasn't expecting him to do.** She stopped at that thought as a sudden realization swept through her. **Because I didn't have faith in him. Because I'm still thinking of him as *just* another vampire and not as my ally.** For some reason, this cause her to feel a surge of irritation at the peroxide-blond vampire even though she knew it was irrational. "Okay", she drawled out slowly while staring at his ass as he bent over. She cursed herself for being drawn to him in such a fashion and then she cursed him, **Goddamn-clever-fucking-vampire! I just hope he's as smart as he is good looking. Down Girl! Why the hell did he have to be so fucking *hot* looking anyway?**

Finished with bundling up the sheets and pillowcases he turned back towards Buffy. "I'm not going to pull my punches and lie to you," he whispered. "I'm going to be tough as hell on you and you're going to hate me. But if you want to achieve your goals, I am probably going to be your best chance. Now, I am well aware of that stubborn streak in you as an ex-slayer. However, in order for this to work, you are going to have to obey my orders immediately, unquestioningly and without fail. Do you understand me?"

"Aye, aye. Captain Bliegh," she muttered in return with a quick salute.

Spike looked very seriously into her eyes. "I'm going to try to take you out of here tonight, Buffy. But, until I do get you out of here, don't do anything different from what you normally would. You've done a smashing good job thus far, Luv. Don't blow it now."

At his glare she subdued her desire to give a flip remark, **Time enough for that later.** Instead, she whispered back at him, "Look, I understand. It's OK. Chill. I've done the bow-and-scrape yes-Master thing for this long."

Spike watched in fascination, as her eyes seem to glaze over briefly and change from the strong, guarded, intelligent look that he approved of to that of a docile, meek and spiritless slave.

"Did, my Lord, desire me to bath him?" she asked in a voice dripping with honey.

"That he did, pet," he said with a sigh, "That he did." He lifted his hand indicating for her to lead the way. Buffy grabbed the bundle of sheets to drop in the laundry. He followed her out the door, wondering why the sight of her behaving in such a submissive manner gave him such an unsettling feeling.

***

The showers were a community affair set up in the back basement area. As the sun had only just set, not many vampires were up yet, so there was nobody else using the showers when Spike and Buffy entered. Turning on the water, Buffy picked up the soap, turned to Spike and began to clean him. She worked up the soap's lather first on his chest and then proceeded to clean his entire body from head to toe, front and back. When Spike turned to rinse she began to soap up her own body. Unexpectedly, she felt his hand again upon her shoulder. He took the soap from her and began to clean her body. Buffy closed her eyes and relaxed as his strong hands massaged her body.

Until a voice cut in. A sarcastic, harsh voice that Buffy knew too well, dripping with poison.

"Oh my. How cozy. Is this a private party or can anyone join?" Willow strolled into the room, naked as well.

Spike paid no attention to the red-haired vamp, continuing to soap Buffy instead. He finished and indicated for her to rinse before looking at Willow. Finally, he asked, "Did you need somethin', pet?"

Pretending to ignore Spike, Willow sauntered over to Buffy as she stood under the shower spray and began to stroke the rings along her back. Buffy remained still, nervously wondering what Willow's game was today. Finally, Willow addressed Spike, "Did you like my artwork? I must admit I never was one for art before, paints and clay were just so dull to me." She sighed. "But once I found out what I could do with flesh and blood...well, I just turned into such a fan of the National Endowment for the Arts." She paused to flick each hoop as she stroked her index finger along Buffy's right arm. "I sent then a contribution you know. After I was enlightened. My parents. Well parts of them, anyway. It was more of a collage of the male and female forms. Caused quite a stir, I believe. Mom and dad being so liberal and all, I thought they would appreciate it."

"I'm sure they were overcome with joy," Spike said sardonically.

Willow glanced at him then back at Buffy's left shoulder where she was now toying with the rings there. "But they were just human. And I have found that I can do so much on a canvas such as Childe here. So tell me Spike, cause I really value the opinion from such a worldly and important vampire such as you. Do you like my artwork or..." she grasped a ring and suddenly ripped it from Buffy's upper arm, "...should I just take them out and start over?"

Buffy let out a shriek of pain, jumped away from Willow and clasped her hand over the wound. Spike moved to grab her and pulled her close to him, placing his arms about her back in a protective embrace.

"Was that really necessary?" Spike growled and glared at her, his eyes flashing yellow.

"But her screams are so lovely. Oh are you concerned about the wound?" Willow laughed and returned his gaze daring him to challenge her. "Don't fret, *Pet*, she'll heal soon enough, and without even a scar. That's just another one of the joys of working with Childe here. One of the few benefits of her being a former Slayer. Well that, and her blood still tastes very sweet." She moved to lift Buffy's hand from the wound, it was coated in blood. Never breaking eye contact with Spike, Willow leaned in close, extended her tongue and slowly licked Buffy's palm clean. She moaned in pleasure and her face shifted to show her demonic visage. When she was finished, she released the hand and allowed her human face to resurface

"You have not tasted her? I see no marks on her neck. Childe would not have minded."

"She offered, I didn't feel like it."

"She must not have performed very well then."

"On the contrary, she performed very well. Well enough to make it unnecessary."

Willow's smile broadened. She moved close to Buffy's ear, "Childe."

"Yes, Mistress," Buffy spoke in a soft tone.

"I think you have a champion, here." She traced a sharp nail around the wound, "Did that hurt you?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Well, perhaps if you asked your 'White Knight' nicely, he will kiss your wound and make it feel better." Although she phrased it as a suggestion, Buffy knew it was an order.

"P-Please, my lord, w-would you k-kiss my wound?" she said keeping her head turned down.

Spike continued to glare at Willow for several seconds before softening his features and reaching to tilt Buffy's head up to look at him. He bent down and tenderly kissed the torn flesh on her forearm, tasting the blood that was already slowing as the wound began to heal. Gentle as it was, Buffy still had to repress a hiss of pain at the touch. The sweetness of her blood was delicious and it hit Spike hard, but he retained control and did not allow his demon face to emerge. Instead he straightened and then moved to kiss Buffy on her lips. Buffy opened her lips to allow him to plunder her mouth. After a minute he broke the kiss and she lowered her eyes back to the floor.

"Better?" she heard him ask.

"Yes, my lord," she managed to say without a stammer.

"Go back to the room and I will be along shortly," he said. With a quick nod Buffy left the room, grabbing a towel as she ran out.

Spike moved to get his own towel only to find Willow blocking his path, "Was there something else?"

Willow smiled and reached out to stroke Spike's chest. "Oh there is always something else," she said in a breathy tone of voice. "But for now, I simply wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Spike queried.

"Mmm huh," she smiled. "You see, if it were not for you, I might be decades away from the position of power that I am in now." Spike said nothing. Willow's hand moved first to his stomach and then lower. "So I just wanted to express my...gratitude."

Spike snatched her hand away and stepped back, "Little Girl, you like to play games, don't you? Well the game you're playing right now is one that I don't particularly care for. It's very dangerous and unpredictable. Let me give you a word of advice. Don't play it. Messalina was executed for it."

Willow frowned as she contemplated his obscure reference. Suddenly, remembering where it was from, she drew herself up angrily, "How dare you compare me to that slut!" Her anger then dissipated just as quickly, "Besides, if there was anyone from that time that could compare to me it would be Livia."

**Is that because she murdered everyone including her husband and got away with it?** Spike thought. Bowing slightly he said, "Many pardons, if I have offended. Please accept my apologies for having misunderstood your intentions."

Willow smiled, "On one condition..." Spike raised an eyebrow as she slid her hands down along her body before she continued, "I want you to bath me."

***

Buffy hurried back to the room in a panic. She hadn't had a prophetic dream since she had been turned. It was just one of those things she thought she had lost now that she was no longer a Slayer. But when Willow had yanked the ring from her shoulder, it had taken every ounce of willpower not to freak. Remembering the rest of her dream she shivered. The Master and Willow had toyed with her, and then the Master had killed her. They had lived on, while everything she had endured had been had been for nothing. She wanted to scream, to rage, to breakdown in hysteria. Instead she had huddle in Spike's arms, and let them think her tears were from the pain. Yes, Willow had hurt her. But after six months of enduring various levels of pain, she had developed an incredible tolerance for it. True pleasure, on the other hand, was something she rarely had experienced even before her turning, but when Spike had kissed her, everything bad had briefly seemed to fade away. For a second, she had felt what could only be described as a sense of peace and happiness. When the kiss had ended, a chill had swept through her as the memory of her dream-self killing Spike returned.

When she reached the room she found the Master waiting for her. He was sitting in the chair and sipping his usually evening espresso in a demitasse cup. When he saw her pause at the door, he waved her into the room. As she entered she saw a new dress lay on the bed.

"Ah Childe, good, I wished to speak to you," he said then frowned as he saw the wound. "Did you do something to anger Spike?"

"N-no Master. It was Willow," she told him.

His frown changed to a smile, "Ah good then, is she keeping him occupied?"

"Yes, she is, Master," Buffy said, bracing herself as she wondered what was going on and trying to keep her fear from clouding her thoughts.

"I wanted to have a private chat with you before seeing him this evening." He rose from the chair and then indicated for her to sit. As he moved behind her, she heard him opening a drawer and then a cabinet. Buffy was straining to discern what he was doing. Her memory of the dream had her so worked up that when he walked back towards her, she had tensed up in preparation for leaping out of the chair and making a desperate break for freedom. When instead he moved to her left side and began to bandage her wound, she closed her eyes and berated herself for almost blowing her cool.

"Did you enjoy your time with Spike this morning?" the Master asked as he began to cut a piece of gauze.

"Y-Yes, Master," she replied with some hesitation.

"Good. Good. Do you think that Spike enjoyed his time with you?" He placed the gauze carefully over the wound.

"Yes, Master."

"Excellent. Would you like to go with him when he leaves here?" He tore off a piece of tape and placed it on one side of the gauze.

Unsure exactly how to answer this, Buffy cocked her head and decided to play dumb. "Does my Sire want me to go away?"

The Master smiled as he finished placing a second piece of tape, "It appeared to me that Spike seemed to have developed a keen interest in you last night, as I hoped he would. I am...concerned for him. He has been very...different since he lost Drusilla."

The Master had moved to pick up the new dress and held it up for her to get in. This dress was made out of silk and was, like the one from last night, designed in an older style of fashion. It was a pale purple in color and had a delicate hand-woven lace pattern on the skirt. Buffy stood and raised her arms and he slipped the gown over her head. He buttoned up the back, as he continued to talk to her.

"He is a...very useful vampire...if a bit strange. I think that if he were to team up with someone as strong as my marvelous Willow, he would be quite a potential threat to me. Instead, however, he seems to have a need to take care of someone weak such as yourself. Therefore, should he request it of me, I intend to let him have you."

**Yes!** thought Buffy as a surge of excitement passed through her. She moved to pick up Mary and pulled her close to her chest. A smile began to creep across her face.

"However, there is a problem."

The smile disappeared, **Shit! Now what?** She turned back to find the Master had sat back in the chair, and was finishing his espresso.

"When Spike came to me some time ago he was hunting for a spell to help Drusilla. She was ill you see. So I made an agreement with Spike that if he assisted me with the LA situation, I would obtain and provide a cure for Dru. We had all of the required elements. But then you came and set Angelus free and he had to be 'put down'. No doubt you remember him?"

Buffy did not like where this story was going.

"Unfortunately, this spell required the blood of the Drusilla's Sire in order to work. Angelus. But because of your interference, Angelus was no more. The spell could never be performed. Dru had a sudden turn for the worse and before we could find an alternative spell, she was gone. Because of you."

Buffy felt sick inside, **Oh God no.**

"Because of his service to me, I owe him a debt. You are going to be a part of that payment. You will care for him like you care for Mary, there. But I want you to remember who you serve. Me not him. You will have a job to do and if you fail me, I may decide to inform Spike about your part in Drusilla's death."

He looked at Buffy to be sure she was listening well. Her eyes were fixed upon him. She felt as if she had just been handed the stake that would be used to kill Spike.

"I want you to keep an eye on Spike and, not that I expect him to, if he should ever talk about opposing me, I want you to report it to me. Is that understood Childe?"

"Yes Master," Buffy replied steadily. Inside she was feeling not only extreme pangs of guilt from being, however unintentional, responsible for Drusilla's death, but also, guilt from feeling guilty over a dead vampire. **How typical. My entire existence must be one big cosmic joke. Somebody, somewhere, must really be laughing their celestial ass off at my expense, cause this is sure as Hell too fucked-up a situation to just be a coincidence.**

*****

When Spike returned to the room he found Buffy and the Master waiting for him. At the Master's wave, Buffy moved to get Spike's clothes for him.

"Good evening, Spike," the Master greeted.

"Master," Spike nodded in return. "Had I known you were waiting, I would have been back sooner to be more...properly attired." He took the pants from Buffy, dropped the towel from around his waist and began to pull them on.

"It matters not. I simply wanted to discuss our 'situation' in private,"

"Situation?" Spike asked

"Well a cure is no good for one who is already 'gone', and while a cure is what our original agreement was for, I am not without sympathy for your loss. I am quite willing to modify that original agreement," the Master said magnanimously.

The cold rage that filled Spike burned in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to jump on the bastard and kick the shit out of him. But knew he would not have the time to kill the Master before his personal guards would be in the room, and Buffy was still to weak to be of any use. Instead, he accepted his shirt from Buffy and, being careful to keep a neutral tone of voice, he said, "Since you've brought it up, I do have a request of sorts." With a nod of his head in Buffy's direction, "I want her."

The Master affected a surprised look, "Are you certain? She is such an inferior vampiress, one of my less successful children. I was quite disappointed with the results after I turned her." He let out a sigh, "Yes, she is enjoyable in bed but...you do not need to rush into your decision. Perhaps you would like to wait till later when you've had more time to think about such a choice."

"No," Spike said firmly, "I want her. She intrigues me. I think there is quite a bit of potential there that you have not exploited. My Dru taught me a lot of things, but the first was to never under estimate what an insane vampire can do."

"Of course not," the Master said, "but I wouldn't wish for you to be disappointed in her the way that I was. She may act like Drusilla, but she has no 'gift of sight'. And in this case, her insanity precluded her full development into a Slayer-Vampire."

Spike smiled, "No, but she could be 'trained' to a certain degree. I seem to have quite a bit of free time on my hands these days. She'll be an interesting 'experiment' for me."

The Master smiled and nodded, "Very well. She is yours then, to do with as you please."

*****

Buffy had been sent to gather what few items of clothing she possessed from her room and was instructed to meet Spike in the main hall by the pool tables. He had remained behind with the Master to discuss 'other' matters. As she waited, she busied herself with Mary, blocking out the various vampires around her as they began their evening fun and games with a few unfortunate humans. After waiting for about 45 minutes, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Expecting to find Spike, she looked up with a smile, but instead, she found a vampire dressed like a cowboy.

"Well hey there lil' missy," it was Lyle Gorch. He and his brother Tector had been in town for the last month. This was not the first time that either one of them had approached her. However, they were not on the Master's VIP list of who got to play with the 'Master's Pet'. But that had not damped their pursuit of her during times when he was not around. "Now, what's a pretty little thing like you doin' all by her lonesome? 'Specially when you and me could be havin' a good ol' time in the back of my truck right now?"

**Why waitin' for a really stupid, red-neck, hick of a vampire to come along and treat me like Norma-Jean the Trailer Trash Queen,** she thought sarcastically. Aloud, in a little girl's tone of voice, she simply said, "Waiting."

"Waitin'? Well shoot lil' darlin'. No need to be waitin' any longer. Howzabout you and me goin' someplace a little more private," he said with a leer.

"I'm supposed to wait *here*, and, besides, Mary doesn't want to go with you," Buffy said petulantly while huddling away from the large vamp.

Lyle leaned in towards Buffy and spoke in a low voice, "Well that's OK, darlin'. I ain't all that interested in her." He grabbed her injured left arm and Buffy gasped in pain as he yanked it towards him.

"I don't believe the lady desires to go anywhere with you," Spike's sharply accented voice cut in. "If you wish to keep that hand, I'd advise you to remove it from *my* bird. Mate." The coldness of his voice caused the vampires nearby to quiet down, move away and start making wagers on the impending fight. Lyle slowly turned around to face Spike still holding Buffy's arm in his right hand.

"You lookin' for trouble, mister?" Lyle said with a sneer at Spike.

Spike stepped closer. Lyle was about eight inches taller and at least a hundred pounds heavier than Spike.

"I am trouble, mate," Spike growled back. "I told you to her go. Are you deaf as well as being dumb and ugly, or do you just like to hide behind women?"

Lyle's eyes widened in shock at the insult and then narrowed into a determined glare. Shoving Buffy away towards the pool tables on the side, he said, "I'm gonna crush you like an armadillo on the freeway at rush hour."

The two opponents moved to circle one another. Hands raised in a defensive posture. Looking for an opening to attack. Lyle made a couple of tentative punches with his right that Spike easily dodged. Spike, however, made no counterattack. Buffy watched as Lyle tensed up, bracing himself for a more serious attack; but when he made his move, Spike was already in motion. Spike leapt into the air, grabbed hold of an overhead beam and lashed out with his steel-toed boots at the larger vampire's face. Lyle's downward swing had left his head exposed, and Spike managed to land three hard kicks on his head before Lyle staggered out of range, hands protectively clutching his head. Spike released his hold on the beam and dropped back down to the floor. Not waiting for the other vampire to recover, Spike pressed his attack with a hard right-left-right combination to Lyle's now unprotected stomach. As Lyle bent forward now holding his stomach, Spike followed up with a hard sweeping kick that sent Lyle to the floor. Before Lyle could move, Spike had delivered a rapid series of hard kicks to his ribs, breaking several of them as the crowd of vampires around roared in approval of the violence.

As Buffy watched admiringly of Spike's technique, she could see where his reputation as a brutally, ruthless fighter had come from. He never gave his opponent a chance to recover if he did not have to. Suddenly, she was distracted as a vampire on her left bumped against her. As she staggered and braced herself against the pool table, she abruptly caught sight of Tector Gorch moving though the crowd behind Spike. He was holding a pool cue and she realized he intended to stake Spike. She wanted to yell a warning but did not think Spike would hear her over the noise of the crowd. Time seemed to slow for her, as she saw Tector step out of the crowd and raise the cue behind Spike's back. She acted on pure instinct. Feeling an object by her hand on the pool table, she scooped up two billiard balls and with all of the speed and strength she could muster, hurled first one then the second at Tector before he could thrust the cue into Spike's back. Tector saw only a black blur as the eight ball sped across the room and struck him on the bridge of his nose, shattering it. As he dropped the cue to clutch at his broken nose the second ball impacted dead center in his crotch. A gasp went up from the crowd, and every male vampire in the crowd who had seen it, flinched and instinctively placed a protective hand over their own crotch area.

If the sound of the first ball hitting and breaking Tector's nose was not enough to alert him, then Tector's scream of pain from the second one was. Spike spun about to find Tector bending over, holding his bleeding nose with one hand and his groin with the other. The pool cue lay on the floor beside him forgotten, while an eight ball and cue ball rolled about on the floor. Without a moment's hesitation, Spike bent down, grabbed the cue and whipped it up across Tector's chin. Tector staggered backwards and Spike moved to his side. Wielding the cue like a baseball bat, Spike swung it at Tector's head with enough force to snap the cue in half. Tector sprawled out on the floor next to his brother. Spinning the half of the pool cue that he still held in his right hand, Spike knelt quickly and snatched up the other half in his left. He then moved to position himself between the two brothers and set the broken tips over their hearts.

Dead silence filled the room as he calmly scanned the room until his eyes found the Master, now seated back in his throne on the stage with Willow again standing by his side. The Master looked inquiringly at Spike.

"Your House, Your Rules," Spike said impassively.

The Master smiled and said, "If you don't mind, I have still some use for them."

With a curt nod Spike, rose up and stepped away from the two prostrate brothers. When he snapped his fingers, Buffy darted over to stand attentively at his side where he handed her the broken pieces of the pool cue. She grasped them in her right hand, her left still holding onto Mary. Spike then bent down to pick up the eight ball and the cue ball, one in each hand. Buffy clenched her teeth at the sight of him holding the two balls in the same fashion as he had in her dream. **Please, don't give them to me,** she prayed. Spike looked at her and arched an eyebrow in a questioning look. Buffy shrugged, looked down at Mary and simply said, "The Master said we were supposed to take care of you, My Lord."

Spike smiled at her, before he turned to face the other vampires. "Is there anyone else who would like to go a round with me?"

Silence greeted his challenge.

"The Master," he announced slowly, calmly and deliberately articulating each word as if he were addressing a group of children, "has given this girl to me. From now on, Buffy now belongs to me and me alone. Is this understood? I do not like to repeat myself, people, and you would not want to see me when I am angry."

A low murmured acknowledgement of his claim to Buffy seemed to satisfy Spike. He turned back to Buffy who was staring at the billiard balls he still held with an odd expression on her face. She seemed to flinch slightly as he raised them towards her, so he moved to set them on a nearby pool table, and took the broken cue stick from her tightly clenched hands. He told her to grab her stuff, and she rapidly move to get her small bag of belongings.

Many eyes followed them as they left the Bronze. Many of the conversations that broke out after they left seemed to center on how Spike had fought without ever letting his demonic face rise, and all agreed that they never, ever wanted to see him when he was angry. At least not when he was angry with them.

On the stage though, two pairs of eyes that had followed Spike and Buffy out simply met in a shared acknowledgement.

*****

Chapter 11

When they had first gotten into the car, Spike had given her a quick look with a finger raised to his lips to indicate for her to remain silent. She had obeyed without any objection, preferring to sit and sadly watch out the windows as they drove through the silent town. There were heaps of garbage everywhere, broken windows fronting empty shops, and steel doors with sliding peephole devices on the few that still were in business. When they passed houses, she sadly saw that many of them had steel shutters on the windows along with steel doors. **They're already living in cages,** she though to herself, **because I failed.** What dismayed her even more was that despite the obvious dangers, she still caught a glimpse of a few humans running about, hiding in the shadows. She was fairly certain that they were humans since there was no longer any need for the vampires to hide. Spike continued to drive until they were again on the outskirts, on the opposite side of town from where the Bronze was. Buffy was surprised when Spike pulled up to a gate leading to a large estate. She was even more surprised when he reached into the glove box, pulled out a remote and opened the gate with it. Spike drove on to the estate grounds and up to the house therein.

The house was a huge sprawling ranch style affair with an attached four-car garage. There were seven bedrooms, a formal dining room, a breakfast nook in the kitchen, a living room, a den, a study with a library, and in the basement there was a theater room, a game room, and an indoor pool. Spike had bought it for a song. Real estate in Sunnydale was a steal, if there was anyone interested in it. Spike had been the first client the agent had known in almost a year who wanted to *buy* property in Sunnydale. Spike had detailed only three requirements: 1) that it was isolated; 2) that it had an operational, state-of-the-art security system and 3) that all windows were to have the steel shutters installed that were now all the rage.

As he pulled up to the garage, Spike glanced over at Buffy, "Well luv, here we are. Home, sweet home." Buffy started to reply but he held up his hand again, shook his head to indicate for her to wait, and then used the remote to open the garage.

After parking inside the garage, Spike led Buffy to the door where he invited her into the house. It was the first time since becoming a vampire that she had experience with needing to be invited into a home. It was one more bitter reminder of what she now was. What she had lost. What had been taken from her.

The previous owners had left behind many of their larger furnishings. There were a number of packing boxes and crates everywhere. Spike had Buffy leave Mary and her bag in the large den, then led her further into the house to the master bedroom where he began opening a couple of the moving boxes there.

Spike pulled out and handed Buffy a T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, "Change into this then bring everything to the den." He grabbed a second set of clothes and left the room. When she returned to the den, she found that he had changed his clothes as well. He had spread out the clothing he had been wearing along with the items from her bag, and he was going over them with some type of hand held device. She handed him the dress she had just taken off and, after a brief inspection, he placed everything in a box, including Mary. Without a word, he then carried the box out to the garage.

When he returned, she looked at him quizzically. "Just taking a few precautions, luv," he said, "I wanted to make certain they didn't leave any bugs or other nasty surprises."

"And I thought 'I' was paranoid," Buffy commented.

"I've underestimated the Master once already," he said quickly. "I won't do it again. Especially, where that Willow is concerned. She's entirely too clever and devious for my liking."

"Your right. I didn't mean anything by that," she apologized. "It's just...," she shook her head, "I've been stuck there for so long...I don't know... ." She let out a wry chuckle, "I should be dancing with joy right now, you know."

Spike turned to look at her, "So why aren't you?"

Buffy bit her lip. She thought about telling him about what the Master had told her, **Better tell him now,** she thought, **and get it out of the way. Otherwise, it will probably come out at the worst time.** But she was still to uncertain about everything to tell him yet. **Later,** she decided. Looking around room, she decided to change the subject, "This sure wasn't the sort of place I was expecting to end up at tonight." Buffy wandered about the large den area, wondering what Spike had in all the large crates.

He watched Buffy gaze about the room, "Fancy it, Pet?" He decided not to pursue his previous question, as it was obviously a sore point with her.

"It's beautiful. I haven't lived in a real home for so long," she said wistfully, "and I was wondering what happened to the people who used to live here."

"I don't know, luv. I didn't ask the realtor."

"Your saying this place is yours because you *bought* it? It wasn't abandoned and...and you didn't just...just kill the family, and move in? Not that I'm objecting, but...Why? And why a place like this? And how? No offence, but you don't look like the GQ type vamp, and I'm thinking this seems a tad on the expensive side."

"Yes. Well, considering what I was planning on doing, I didn't want the type of place where I would be expected to go," Spike said. "If I had set up shop in a warehouse, or underground like most vamps, I would have run the risk of some nosy yahoo, coming along and stumbling across what I was going to be doing. Here, I don't have to worry. As for the cost, well my little trip to LA was not just to take down the vamp street gangs. There were a lot of upper crust wankers who didn't think I could touch them." He looked about and shrugged, "To the victor belongs the spoils."

"Why don't you go and take a look around. I need to order some equipment," he looked up at her, "and I think your going to need some other clothes..."

*****

Buffy had wandered around the house for about half an hour while Spike gave orders to someone on his cell phone. She had poked about in a half-hearted interest, but her mind continued to dwell on the bleach blond vampire and her reactions towards him. Soon, she found herself wandering back to the den where Spike sat on the couch by the fire, finishing up his calls.

"Hungry, luv?" Spike asked looking up from his notepad.

Buffy braced herself. She was hungry and had been wondering what she was going to do about it. "I'm not going to kill to feed, Spike. Killing humans may not matter to you," she paused, staring down at the ground as the memory of killing Merrick and the girl after she had first been turned resurfaced, "but it still does to me."

"Relax, pet. No need to get your knickers in a twist. I've got baggies in the fridge, so there's no need for you be fretting about huntin' humans. OK?"

The smile Buffy gave him was the first indication of any real happiness he had seen on her face. She suddenly seemed to brighten and glow. "Thank you," Buffy said with clear relief in her voice, "I...I don't know what to say." A sudden wry, chuckle burst forth from her. "Are you certain you're a vampire. 'Cause you are, to me, without a doubt, an-," she froze as she realized she was about to say 'angel sent from Heaven.' Quickly recovering, she continued, "...answer to my prayers."

Spike was not fooled. The expression on her face had not shifted. She was too good at wearing masks, but he had heard the change in her voice. "What is it, Buffy?" he asked softly. "It's been eating at you all night." He paused as he reflected on what had occurred, "Something happened with the Master before I got back, didn't it?"

Buffy nodded silently and began chewing on her lower lip. It was tearing her up inside, the more she discovered about this strange vampire, the more she wanted to protect him from harm. But here she was about to deliver a punch in his gut and hoped he would not kill her...at least not yet. She had figured his anger at the Master and Willow stemmed from the loss of Drusilla's cure, a loss that she now knew herself to be partly responsible for. "Um, what I'm going to tell you...it's going to really piss you off...and uhm, if you want to kill me...you might want to remember I've already asked you to do that after we deal with the Master and Willow." She looked at the ground, took a deep breath, then looked straight into his face, "I'm-responsible-for-releasing-Angelus-and-getting-him-killed-and-therefore-losing-Drusilla's-cure-and-I'm-sorry-but-I-really-didn't-know-that-last-part-until-the-Master-told-me-today."

Spike again surprised her. He did not jump-up, he did not hit her, and he did not yell. Instead he pulled out a cigarette, and lit it up. Buffy waited for the explosion. Instead she heard Spike start to chuckle. When he saw the look that Buffy was giving him, he shook his head and waved at her to sit down. He stopped chuckling when instead of sitting on the couch she sat subserviently on the floor at his feet.

**He did a hell of a job beating her spirit down, and he didn't even know she had one,** Spike thought. Aloud, he said, "He's a right bloody bastard, no doubt about that. Pet, you have nothing to be saying sorry for. I knew the night it happened and I didn't blame you then. You were a Slayer, and you did what you thought you had to do. You had no clue that Dru needed Angelus. Hell if you did, you might have staked him yourself to prevent her from getting the cure, in which case then I might have cause to rip your head off. But you didn't. The Master, on the other hand had Angelus for two years, and, according to my sources, he knew of the cure two weeks after we made our agreement, and he lied to me!" His voice seemed to get colder, angrier, "He let Dru *suffer* for a year, feeding us just enough tidbits of information in order to string us along, waiting for me to finish in LA because he didn't trust me. Didn't believe that, once Dru was well, I would FINISH HIS FUCKING JOB!" He jumped up and started pacing, trying to keep control, but now that he had finally started venting his rage, it seemed impossible to stop. His demon face emerged as Spike began to angrily mutter and growl about how every month he had asked what their research had uncovered, only to be told that it was 'showing great promise' and that the Master 'was positive Willow would have it soon.'

While Spike paced back and forth, Buffy was again trying to resolve her emotions. She was relieved to find he did not blame her and confused as to why it should matter so much to her. Watching and listening to him, she stood up and moved to stand in his path as he turned around. Spike stopped abruptly when he found Buffy right it front of him. With a sad look on her face, she reached out to stroke the ridges on his forehead. Spike's growling slowly eased and then stopped as he stared at her. Then she startled Spike by moving closer, sliding her arms around him and hugging him. She made no sound, she simply held him. Spike allowed himself to take comfort from the embrace, his human face once more emerging as he slowly placed his own arms about the girl and pulled her close. His rage, which had seemed ready to burst forth and drive him out into the streets in search of someone to slaughter, slowly seemed to evaporate. The few minutes of calm silence was disrupted by a sudden growling noise from Buffy's stomach.

Buffy ducked her head, embarrassed. "Uhm, you were saying something about food?"

*****

Over the next four days, Spike had Buffy do nothing except feed and exercise. Spike refused to make any comment to her about what she was doing, right or wrong. He would simply watch her move through her practice routines and take notes. The last six months had left it's mark on her, but she still remembered most of her training. Merrick had taught her or had others teach her as many fighting techniques as possible: Aikido, Boxing, Fencing, Karate, Kenpo, Kickboxing, Kung fu, Judo, Jiu-jitsu the list went on. Spike watched with some interest at the mishmash of styles and techniques she displayed. It was not quite the normal Slayer textbook training. Spike wondered about why her Watcher had spent so much time with so many different styles. The two slayers he had slain had shown only a textbook style of fighting. Not this girl. But for all her knowledge of different styles, her skill had not been enough to defeat the Master. Spike had never seen the Master fight, but his age and reputation was enough to prove he had an impressive knowledge of fighting techniques. His age also gave him an increased strength and speed that Buffy would need to match. But six months on a restrictive diet had left a definite impression upon her.

Spike was certain that her strength would return with time and feeding. Whether they had the time was one thing that worried him. The Master was planning on having a 'Celebration Coronation' in LA in two and a half months. It was a party that would mark the third anniversary of his escape from the Hellmouth. It was a party that Spike intended to crash, and then burn everything to the ground.

Spike was also concerned about her reflexive speed. Precise and powerful techniques would not be enough in the coming showdown. She had to develop her abilities to be able to react with lightning speed and to be able to respond with the proper defense to an attack. As a slayer, her speed and strength had been a match for most vampires due to her genetic make-up, but as a vampire, her demon should have given her the ability to surpass any and every vampire on the planet.

When some of the equipment Spike had ordered arrived, Buffy began weight training and gymnastics, and soon her strength began to show its return. Spike began working out with her and sparing with her. He quickly and easily took her down time after time. But each time she would get up and face him again. They would fight hand-to-hand and using swords, Bo sticks, staffs, daggers, etc... After two weeks, he was pleased when she was able to stand against him for between twenty and thirty minutes. However, she had yet to defeat him once, and this gave him a great deal of trepidation.

It occurred to him that the problem was that Buffy's soul was keeping her demon in check. She could not take advantage of the additional speed and strength the demon would have given her because she would not release her control over her demon. Spike needed to break her down enough to get her to let her demon out a little, and beating her would not do it.

One night an idea came him. It was a cruel idea and she would really be pissed at him. He made a phone call and began ordering what he would need. Two days later, Buffy awoke to the sound of an electric saw coming from the living room. When she came out of her room to investigate she was surprised to find Spike in the living room installing a doorframe in front of the wall alcove that housed the stereo equipment. When she inquired as to what he was doing he told her nothing except that her workout music would be on hold for a few hours and to go put on her 'weight suit' and begin jogging.

Buffy sighed and went off to change. She hated the 'weight suit'. It was bulky, and lined with lead pellets. A lot of lead pellets. The first time she had put it on, Spike had casually pushed her into the swimming pool. Undead though she was, Buffy's first reaction was to panic, attempt to swim and scrambled to avoid drowning. However, after a minute or two, she had realized the stupidity of what she was doing. She allowed herself to sink to the bottom of the pool where she let her eyes shift and discovered that her underwater sight improved while she wore her demon face. Turning around, she found Spike waiting for her wearing nothing but his Speedo's, a pair of weighted boots and a grin. He held out a foil to her, and she spent the next half-hour fencing with him. While Spike hardly moved, Buffy was never able to touch him with her weapon, whereas Spike managed to score her several times, leaving nasty cuts on her arms, legs and three small holes near her heart. Buffy had wanted to grumble about the awkwardness of wearing the suit but instead, said nothing. Spike had gently treated her wounds, as he always did, meanwhile telling her that periodically she would perform her workouts whilst wearing the suit and that as she grew stronger, more weight would be added.

As she completed her fifth hour of exercising in the hated suit, she heard the sound of the stereo system buzz to life. Suddenly, music began to pour forth from the wall speakers. Buffy raised her eyebrow at the type of 'music' playing and grinned. The stereo could be heard from hidden speakers wired though out the house. She expected it to be switched-off and to hear a colorful stream of curses about the lineage and heritage of a certain so-called musician and a graphic description of what Spike was going to do to him someday. Every so often Spike would lose his quiet calm exterior, and burst out with a very inventive string of curses. Buffy took it as a sign that he was becoming relaxed around her. When the music continued to play after several minutes, Buffy stopped her workout and moved up stairs to investigate why Spike hadn't changed the channel.

Walking into the living room she was surprised to find a steel door installed in front of where the stereo alcove had been. When she went to open it she found there was no handle, only a lock.

"Did you need something, Buffy?" Spike asked as he walked into the room. Buffy looked over at Spike. The tone off his voice set off little warning bells. He was up to something.

"Uh, yeah. I wanted to change the channel, this music isn't exactly that great to workout to. Fact is, it sucks. Big time. So can I, like, change the channel? And why is there a door here now, anyway?" she asked peevishly.

Spike smiled and pulled a long chain out of his pocket with a key at the end. Looking calmly at the key, he spoke, "Well, pet. It's like this. We're going to have a little competition, and the winner will get to decide what gets played. See? I've beaten you every time we've fought love. So I've decide to have this selection played."

Buffy stared at him in shock, "I thought you only listen to punk! You...You *like* this...this...this *crap*?"

Spike let out a sharp laugh and waved his hand, "Oh Gods no girl! No, no. I have no intention of listening to this."

Buffy let out a sigh of relief, "Good, you had me worried there that you might actually like this.

Then Spike pulled out a portable CD player with earplugs. "That's what I've got this for." Buffy's face fell. "No girl, *You* are going to listen to this."

"WHAT! WHY?!" she yelled out.

"Because," Spike said slowly and patiently explained as if to a child, "I won, so I choose what gets played. When you defeat me, You can take the key and change the CD. Until then, this gets played. Continuously."

Buffy stared with her mouth open.

*****

Buffy lay in her bed. It was three in the afternoon. She should have been asleep, but the accursed music was still playing through her speakers. She could have ripped them out of the walls, but she had agreed not to after Spike had threatened to chain her up at nights after she had punched out the first set of speakers. "The key is your objective," Spike had chided her, "not destroying my home."

So she lay there. Wide-awake. Agitated. Frustrated. Pissed.

It had been eight days since Spike had started this torture. She had shrugged it off initially, figuring he would drop it after a few days when he saw it was having no effect on her. But it was having an effect. By the third day she had taken back every nice thing she had ever thought about him. By the fourth day she was constantly swearing and cursing at him. Spike just smiled and went about listening to his own CD. That infuriated her, and she began losing her temper during their sparing sessions, which in turn allowed Spike to defeat her even more easily.

After wasting two days, Buffy realized that she wasn't getting anywhere, and started controlling her anger. Still, she knew she needed to get that damn key and soon. So on the seventh day she tried to sneak into his room to steal it.

He had been waiting for her.

With a tazer gun.

It had taken her an hour to shake off the effects of that encounter.

So. Here she was. In the dark.

Exhausted and unable to sleep.

**This is ridiculous," she thought to herself. **Why can't I defeat him?**

**Because, your fighting me, Golden Girl,** said her demon.

**Shut-up,** Buffy snapped. **I don't need you. I can do this with out you. I did it before.**

**And look where that got you,** countered the demon.

**What do you want?,** Buffy asked exasperated and was instantly sorry that she did as hundreds of images flashed through her mind of death and misery and herself on a throne. **No! Stop it! God damn it, you know what I mean!**

An evil chuckle and then Buffy found herself standing in a circle of light in a large empty room. It seemed almost like a warehouse but she couldn't tell because the light didn't illuminate far beyond her circle. And that damned music was still playing.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Your dreaming, you idiot," came her voice from the shadows. "Am I going to have to spell everything out? 'Cause we don't have the time." Buffy watched as a figure that looked like her, except it wore a vampire's face. It was her Demon. It was also wearing an outfit that belonged to Willow. "Hey don't blame me for looking like this, it's your dream." The demon did a quick perusal of her outfit and gave Buffy a twisted smile, "The Bitch knows what she looks good in, but it ain't really us. Ya know? I think we'd look better in a leather mini and a little shear halter-top deal. Think you could whip that up for me instead?"

"That's it. I have finally gone insane," Buffy grumbled.

"No, but if you want I can help there. Sure, I didn't enjoy our time with Willow, but some of the things we did to get away from her were fun," the demon grinned at the memories.

"Great. My inner vamp is really a Ho," muttered Buffy darkly.

"'Sticks and stones, will break *Your* bones,'" the demon sang back at her. "Just because I don't suffer from your shame and guilt, there no need to resort to name calling. K?"

"Look, what is this about?" Buffy hissed.

"This is about me wanting you to quit dressing me up in Willow's clothes," the demon replied. "This is about you realizing that I'm not her. Lastly, this is about how I'm not going help you get us dusted."

"In the words of...," Buffy paused as she drew a blank, "somebody, 'What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?'"

The demon sighed, "I don't intend to die, Soul Girl. I've got too much I want to do, including a certain hunky, blonde vampire who, I know, gets you all hot and bothered."

"And your gonna stop me, how?" Buffy asked, ignoring the comment.

"By doing nothing, deary, nothing at all," said the demon, as she pulled out a nail file and began filing her nails. "Spike wants us to be a Slayer-Vamp to help him when he's kickin' some ass. If you can't defeat Spike, your are not going to be of any help to him against *our Sire*. At least, not in time for the ceremony. Unless I help."

"I don't need *you*," Buffy repeated.

"You just keep on saying that," the demon said with a smug grin. "Maybe if you keep repeating it, you'll convince yourself. Remember Merrick?"

"Of course I do. I killed him," Buffy replied bitterly.

"Correction, we killed him," if it was possible the demon's smirk grew wider. "It's just that I enjoyed it. But that wasn't the point. Remember your promise to him? 'I'll make them pay, Merrick. I swear it.' So what's more important to you? Your 'I-can-do-it-by-myself' pride or your promise?"

Buffy said nothing.

"Look, I'm gonna admit it," said the demon, "I got a kick out of your suffering when I first got here. 'Specially since I never got the chance to have any fun. But it got old real fast, ya know? I'm not a masochist and when Willow was hurting you, she was also hurting me. That and your constant whining and moaning about 'Why me?' and -" noticing Buffy's glare the demon chuckled.

"Anyway, for the most part, I like the way we've been living the last month, this Spike, he knows what's-the-what, see? And I've been thinking he might want some company after all this is done. You've done a real smooth job with the comforting shoulder crap. You're in a prime position to take over for his lost ladylove. "

"Will you *please* get to the point?" Buffy said in exasperation.

"OK. Here's the deal: I help you with your abilities so you can take down Willow and our beloved Sire, and in return you keep us alive and, periodically, I get to have control of our body and have a little fun. You tell Spike, you're releasing him from his oath, and we'll take it from there."

Buffy shook her head, "I won't let you kill humans."

Demon-Buffy cocked her head, "Why not? You're gonna want to kill demons because they kill humans. What about humans who kill humans? What about child molesters? What about rapists? Think humans are better than demons? How about all of the wonderful ways humans have devised to 'love thy neighbor'? Holy wars, the inquisition, concentration camps, genocide, ethnic cleansings... It's a long fucking list."

"I don't care," Buffy backed away. She knew the minimal amount of sleep was having its toll on her mind, but everything was sounding so...reasonable. "You...You're trying to confuse me."

"Too late," said the demon sarcastically. "But, I'm willing to compromise," it said with a sigh. "We'll just leave the issue of killing people to another time. Maybe it would be best just to take these things on a case-by-case basis."

"No," Buffy insisted. "No killing people. No torturing people. No 'I'm gonna be Queen of the World' bullshit!"

Demon-Buffy stuck out its lower lip in a pout and said, "Spoil my fun." It quickly switched back to a smile, "Look I told you. I'm not Willow. I'm a part of you. You can't do it without me."

Buffy spun about and put her hands over her ears. She was confused. She knew the demon was lying to her in some manner, she could sense it. Just like she could tell when Spike had made his offer, he had been honest with her. He had believed she could be the most powerful vampire and that had scared her. It had been strange hearing someone again say they believed in her, in what she could do. **He's wrong, of course. Just like Merrick was wrong and look were that got him.**

Merrick's face seemed to flash before her. Unexpectedly, she remembered something she had forgotten. She had made another promise to Merrick, before she had killed him. His voice seemed to drift back to her, "...promise me you will never give up... you must continue the fight...the world desperately needs your help...you've been given this chance to help her by a miracle of God. And miracles seem to be in short supply these days." Buffy felt as if she were suddenly hit by a bucket of ice water.

It was a simple but essential factor to any warrior who sought to do battle. And with all that she had gone through, she had forgotten it. **Well, no more.**

Buffy dropped her hands from her ears, straightened up and turned to face the demon with her face.

It wasn't smiling anymore. It looked worried.

Buffy smiled. "I can't do it with out you, eh?"

The demon looked even more worried. The demon started to back-up.

Buffy let her teeth show with a big smile before saying, "Where do you think your going?"

*****

Spike arose around seven in the evening. He'd had no trouble sleeping as the speakers in his room were turned off. Turning on his portable CD player before he left the room, he strolled out to the kitchen expecting to find a brassed-off Buffy eating and glowering at him.

She wasn't there.

Spike sighed and went to get her out of bed. He was surprised to find she was not there. Curious, he ventured down to the game room in the basement and found her already hard at work moving through her routines.

"Evening, Luv. Sleep well?" he asked with a cocky grin. She did nothing but indicate that she was ready fight if he was. Spike nodded and removed his CD player and inserted a pair of earplugs. He stretched a little before taking a fighting stance opposite her.

Spike made the first attack with a roundhouse kick, followed by two swift back kicks. Buffy dodged and blocked them then returned to her ready stance. Spike attacked again, this time with a flurry of sharp hard punches that Buffy again managed to deflect or dodge. When Spike moved in close to grapple with her, she seemed to just slip out of his grasp and dance away. Spike snatched up a quarter-staff off of the ground and swung in an attack. Buffy dodged with a back flip then continued with two more flips until she was near the far wall where she grabbed another quarter-staff.

"Tricky, pet. But a little showy. Don't you think you should be saving that energy for the fight?"

Buffy said nothing. She held the staff in her right hand and rested it along her right arm and over her shoulder. Her left hand she stretched out toward Spike and curled her fingers to indicate for him to 'Bring it on'.

As Spike advanced he began spinning his staff. Buffy countered by setting her own staff in a spinning motion. Spike stopped in front of Buffy watching her intently, but she gave no indication as to what she was planning. Suddenly, Spike stopped spinning his staff as he swung it down towards Buffy's head. With a sharp *CRACK*, Buffy's staff moved to block Spike's. Spike began striking out with his staff at Buffy - high, low, low, left, left, right, low, low, low, high. Buffy moved to block each blow with her own staff. After about five minutes, Spike realized that Buffy had yet to make a single attack. He backed off towards the middle of the room.

"What's up, Luv? Not feeling quite up to it." **Where's that fire I saw before, Luv,** he thought. In an arrogant manner, he dropped his staff and stood with his hands on his hips. "Tell you what. I'll give you a chance. Hit me with your best shot."

Buffy smiled and began to advance. When she was about five feet from him, she suddenly planted her staff firmly on the ground and swung herself in the air, with her feet heading for Spike's head.

Spike had seen it coming. The girl's body signals had all but shouted out what she was going to do. He raised his arms to block her feet...which were not there anymore. Somehow the girl had managed to twist herself at the last second and have her feet move to kick him in his unprotected chest. Hard.

Spike flew backwards for about fifteen feet before the wall stopped his flight. Stunned, Spike struggle to get up. The one thought, **What the fu-,** managed to cross his mind just before her fist connected with his face and scattered the rest of his thoughts.

Spike's demon tried to rise and defend itself, but the fight was already over. Three more blows and he was unconscious.

Buffy stood with a smile on her face. Then she bent over and removed the key from around his neck. Leaving Spike where he lay, she danced up the stairs, and skipped up to the steel door. Unlocking the door, she yanked it open and hit the 'Off' button on the CD player. She sighed with blissful relief as silence descended for the first time in eight days.

"MMMBop this, you little shitheads," Buffy snarled.

She punched the open button and the CD player ejected the shelf wherein it held the CD's ready to play. With a disgusted look on her face, she picked up the accursed CD and raised it up to look at it before snapping it in half. As she stared at the prismatic effect of the light across the back of the CD, however, she paused when she saw the box that it along with 9 other CD's had come in, sitting on top of the player. She flipped it around to look at the titles, and began to smile again.

*****

Spike groaned as he slowly regained consciousness. He felt a cool hand gently stroking his cheek, and heard a soft voice talking to him. "Come on Spike. Wakey-wakey...That's it...easy now...don't move to fast." Cautiously opening his eyes, he saw Buffy hovering over him with a grin on her face. "Hi," she said.

"What happened," Spike asked as various points on his body began to inform him that he had been hurt.

"Uhm, I sort of kicked your ass," Buffy told him, trying to sound humble and failing miserably.

Memory returned. "Finally got in touch with your inner vamp, eh pet? Knew you had it in ya. Damn, I'm good." He tried to sit up, struggled for a second then let out a groan and slumped back to the floor. "Maybe a little too good."

Buffy smiled at his words and decided not to debate what he had said. **Besides,** she thought, **it is true, in a way.** Her smile grew slightly as she thought she heard the faint sound of someone muttering **Bitch** inside her head.

She leaned forward, and gently placed a soft kiss on Spike's lips.

"Thank you," she murmured as she pulled back to look at his surprised face. "You've helped me find my faith in myself again."

"Sure thing, Luv. Anytime." Spike relaxed figuring he really didn't need to get up too soon, "Just give me a day or two."

"Here, this'll help you," Buffy said, holding a straw to his lips. Spike tasted the warm blood and slowly drank the whole bag as Buffy sat and watched him. When he finished, she took the bag and placed it in the wastebasket. She moved back to sit on the floor beside his head. Her hand returned to stroking the side of his cheek. Spike sighed and closed his eyes, concentrating on blotting out the pain as he drew comfort from her touch.

"Spike." she said finally.

"Yes, Buffy?" he asked, looking up at her.

"You remember your Oath to me?"

Spike felt himself grow suddenly cold. But he has agreed. **It's such a waste!** he wanted to scream.

"Yes, Buffy," he sighed closing his eyes in resignation.

"I'm releasing you from it..."

Spike eyes snapped open. She was looking at him with a very serious expression on her face.

"...in exchange for another."

Spike nodded, bracing for what she wanted now.

Buffy leaned close to stare directly into his eyes. "If I ever, *ever* lose my soul... if I start torturing and murdering people...if you ever see me turning into the type of vampire that...that...that Willow is...then you will do anything and everything to kill me, as soon as you possibly can. This is what I want you to promise me."

Spike felt as if a weight had been lifted. He felt an irrational surge of joy and tried to repress the sudden urge to smile. He raised his right hand to cup her cheek and told her, "That I can do. Without reservation." He moved his right hand to his mouth and bit into the palm. Buffy did the same and then they clasped their bleeding palms together.

Buffy spoke first, "I, Buffy Anne Summers, release William Darrow from his past Oath to me, in exchange for a new."

Spike responded with his vow, "I, William Darrow, vow to enforce this Oath: Should the vampire Buffy Anne Summers lose her soul and seek to harm humanity or achieve dominion over it, I will, faithfully and without hesitation, seek out and execute her. Even at the cost of my own existence."

Together they spoke, "Of my own free will and with my Blood, I accept the Binding of this Oath."

They were each reluctant to break the silence that fell between them after finishing their oath. Instead, they stayed there, for several minutes. Looking into each other's eyes. Not moving. Hands still clasped together. Buffy finally noticed when a drop of blood leaked out from their palms and dripped onto her leg.

"Whoops. Oh, yuck. Maybe I should have gotten a towel first?" she said rising up and moving to get a towel. While her back was to him, Spike raised his hand to look at his palm, then licked at the blood on it. He smiled at the taste of it.

"Here you go," Buffy said as she returned with a small towel for him to bind his hand with. Spike moved to get up and managed to stand without falling down. Buffy moved to grab his arm, but he waved her off. By the time he made it upstairs to the couch he was feeling better except for the bruises. And the cracked sternum. And the crack behind his head.

"Can I get you anything?" Buffy asked in a deceptively sweet tone of voice. "More blood, coffee, cocoa...?" She leaned forward eyes wide, fluttering her eyelids at him.

"Not a thing, Luv," he said, wondering what was up.

"I know exactly what you need," she suddenly said in an incredibly perky tone of voice. Spike tilted his head back, on the couch and closed his eyes.

"And what might that be," Spike asked.

Music began to suddenly play and Spike's head jerked up in recognition and he stared in horror just as Buffy closed and locked the door.

"No way!" he shouted and tried to jump up, "No fuckin' way!"

Buffy turned and looked at him with an innocent expression on her face. "But Spike, I won the fight. So I get to choose the music."

"I thought you weren't into torturing people, Luv," he pleaded.

"That's correct-amundo," she said with that irritating perky voice. "No torturing people...people meaning human beings. You don't qualify. Besides you should be happy, I've decided to give you a little variety."

"What else?" he asked with dread.

"Well, besides this lovely tune from the '70's, we have from the '80's Diana Ross and Lionel Richey with 'Endless Love' and from the '90's Areosmith's 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing'. Enjoy!" she smiled at him as she lifted her hand to display the earplugs she had lifted from his pockets before inserting them in her ears and bouncing off to the kitchen.

Slumping back in the couch, Spike let out a groan. He knew this would could back and hurt him somehow. **Fuck it. I can hold out. She did.**

He sat there as the music played on.

He really was in a lot of pain.

He was also feeling incredibly proud and happy. Even this hideous music couldn't squelch that.

At least for an hour or so.

*****

End Chapter 11

You Light Up My Life

-Artist: Debby Boone

-the # 1 Billboard song of the 1970-1979 rock era

-was # 1 for 10 weeks in 1977

-Words and Music by Joe Brooks

Chapter 12

Something odd has happened.

After living in the sewers and back alleys of New York for years, the vampire Angelus has moved to a small town in California by the name of Sunnydale. I do not know what has brought on this sudden change. It began in early January, when without warning he disappeared from New York. Grandmother's tracking spell enabled me to following him; first to LA, where he stayed for a week, and then up to this town where he has apparently taken up residence.

He has dramatically changed his appearance, so much that at first I did not recognize him. When I finally realized that the wretched creature that I had watched for years in New York was suddenly cleaned up and looking extremely handsome. I immediately feared that the curse had somehow been broken, and that he was stalking people again. However, the orb that Aunt Tatiana gave me continues to glow indicating that he still carries his soul. What he is doing here, I do not know, but he has taken up residence in an apartment. He seems to be waiting for someone or something.

*

*

I have obtained a job at Sunnydale High School as a computer teacher. It was surprisingly easy. They assured me that my lack of a California Teaching license could be remedied over the summer.

*****

The Watcher's Council has requested that I assist them by taking a long-term position in a town named Sunnydale in the States. In California. I am to monitor the situation and make recommendations as to the need for the Slayer. They have arranged for me, a position as Head Librarian at the local high school.

*

*

I have only been here a week, and a terrible slaughter has occurred last night in a local club known as 'The Bronze'. Local authorities have tried to cover-up what has occurred but with so many dead...there is no doubt in my mind that it was the work of vampires, but I have never heard of so blatant and public attack as this. I have advised the Council of what has occurred and requested the presence of the Slayer to oppose whatever dark force has come to this town...

*****

The new school year began today. Everyone is still in shock and upset over the massacre at the Bronze just two weeks ago. The media has moved on to other stories as the police simply keep repeating the same tired story of a gang disputed gone tragically out of hand. I suspect there was more, but doubt that the Sunnydale PD will ever catch or convict anyone for this horrible crime. The victims were buried as fast as possible. Almost as if the faster they were buried, the faster everything would go away. Many of them were students from this high school. A few of them I even knew.

*****

There have been surprisingly few incidents since the attack on the Bronze. Perhaps it was 'gang related' as the police have classified it. But I doubt it. I believe that there is something in this area which draws evil things to it. I have been researching this town's history and have discovered an astonishing number of incidents that may have been paranormal related. In fact, the early Spanish settlers' original name for this area was 'El Bocca del Inferno' or 'The Mouth of Hell'. If this 'Hellmouth' is the source of the mystical energies that draws the creatures here, I believe the Slayer is most definitely needed here. However, the Council seems to be dragging its feet about sending her here. I shall gather all the reports that I can and pass them on. Hopefully, that will get them to act.

****

I was nearly caught by a vampire two nights ago only to be rescued by, of all people, Rupert Giles. He is the librarian at the high school where I work. I confess I have never taken the time to get to know him at school. During the faculty meetings, he had always struck me as an arrogant and pompous English snob. I had wondered what he was doing in Sunnydale. I hacked into the personnel files and discovered that he had worked as a curator to The British Museum. 'Quite a step down,' I thought. 'He must have screwed up royally to have been forced to take such a lowly position amongst us colonists,' I assumed. Boy am I an idiot. As it turns out, I'm the one who has been a snob. He hasn't confided in me yet, big surprise, but I now believe he is here because of the vampires. Though as one man, what he expects to do... mild mannered Liberian by day, fearless vampire hunter by night. I have invited him over for a Thanksgiving dinner. He tried to say no but I sort of bullied him in to it. He spends too much time alone in that library as it is.

*****

Still no word from the Council. On the plus side, the vampire activities remain low. I have managed to hunt down and kill a few of them by myself. Risky, yes, but I just cannot sit by and do nothing. It has had one positive result. I rescued a Miss Jenny Calendar, a computer teacher at Sunnydale HS, from a vampire. Although she was shaken, she seemed remarkably calm for someone who had just seen a mythical demon for, what I supposed to be, the first time. In a rather forward, yet typical American manner, she invited me over for a holiday dinner. Out of curiosity, I attended and found her to be both a rather charming and intriguing woman. Although she evaded my tentative inquires, I believe that she knows much more about vampires than she has let on. I also believe that I may have found an ally to assist me in my research.

She has asked me out on yet another date. To what the Americans call a football game.

*

*

We have another ally. Despite her somewhat explosive temper, Catherine Madison has been exceedingly useful in our fight against the vampires. From talking with Oz who has grown somewhat close to her daughter Amy, I am aware that she and her mother have had some difficulties in the past. Amy blamed Catherine for driving off her father. Her mother was so hurt and embittered by his departure that she sought to mold Amy in her image to somehow relive her glory years as a cheerleader. However, with the rise of the vampire threat, and the cancellation of nighttime sports and therefore cheerleading, they appear to have patched up their differences. Or at least she has discovered a useful outlet to vent her anger.

*****

School is has ended for this year. A slow steady increase in the number of dead and vanished people has occurred all year. I have not seen Angelus all year, though I know where he is staying. Perhaps I should say being held. In the past, he has always avoided his kind, due to his soul. But there is a large force of vampires inhabiting the building where he is. But then, why haven't the other vampires killed him? I don't believe he has lost his soul, as he surely would have made an appearance on the street. The thought that has filled me with worry is that the other vampires are attempting to remove his soul in order to regain Angelus, The Scourge of Europe.

I am leaving Sunnydale next week next week in order to talk to the Elders in person. I shall be happy to get out of this town for a while. Although, I will miss Rupert.

*

*

I have returned to Sunnydale with news for Rupert. The vampires are increasing everywhere. It's just that nobody wishes to talk about. As if they think that by not believing, they will go away. I spent the summer scanning as many scrolls, texts, and family diaries into my laptop as I could. The Elder's of several clans have banded together and have ordered everyone to search and gather as many ancient texts as they could find. They are looking for spells to protect the families. Trouble is, many of the texts that have been found are still useless, since they have been written in a language now forgotten. I hope that perhaps Rupert might be able to help me with their translation. But he will hate the fact that I only have copies on my computer.

*****

Jenny is quite upset over a discovery she has made regarding her family's curse on the vampire Angelus. It seems that the curse was designed to end should he experience a single moment of true happiness. Revenge was the motivation, but it was foolishly shortsighted of them to allow such a creature to be free again to roam the earth without a soul, rather than let him be happy again. I have read some of the old watcher's diaries, and he was truly a horrific beast. Jenny intends to research and try to modify the spell. She is convinced that the Master would like to break the spell and that is why they have not killed him.

*****

Another school year is over. I am returning to my family, again to see what more they have found. Rupert will continue to remain here, doing what he can to help, waiting for this Watcher's Council of his to send the Slayer out here for even a few days.

I am so afraid that I will never see him again.

*

*

I will not be going back to Sunnydale.

When I return to my family I found them organizing in preparation of going into hiding. When I was finally able to get in touch with Rupert, he said I should stay away from Sunnydale. The vampires have seized control of an army storage depot, a nightclub called the Bronze and several other spots. An attempt to attack them by the townspeople resulted in a slaughter. I was shocked. I had heard nothing about it on the news. I shouldn't have been. Most people still don't know what is going on, and the government wants to keep it that way. I wanted to beg him to come with us, but I knew his answer would be 'No'. He told me once about his father lecturing him on responsibility and sacrifice. Until now, I never really believed that line about boys growing up and becoming their fathers.

I pray every night now for the Goddess to watch over and protect him.

*

*

I am racing to get back to Sunnydale in time. The orb went dark sometime last night. Angelus is free of the curse. I shall attempt to re-curse him but I must get close enough. I am flying to LA and I should arrive about noon. I will then drive to Sunnydale. I should get there by 3 PM. Leaving me 2 hours to get Rupert to help me cast the spell before nightfall. Although, I haven't spoken to him since August I know he is still there. It's strange. The past few months that I've been with my family, with the people I grew up amongst and have known all my life, I have felt like a stranger. Knowing that Rupert is in Sunnydale, I feel like I am coming home.

*****

So much has transpired these past few days. Nancy and Larry are dead. The Slayer, a Miss Summers, is probably dead as well. The only good news for me is that Jenny has safely returned, and however much I wish she was safe somewhere else, I am extremely happy to see her after almost 6 months. It began on January 7th. We had rescued a student, one Cordelia Chase...

*****

The vampire Angelus is dead. I will write my family. My duty to them is over.

I am staying with Rupert.

*****

Despite the crowding, I have asked Oz to stay in my apartment with Jenny and myself. He has family, but they have left town. I believe he stayed behind due to his feelings of guilt about escaping when Larry died.

*****

I am to be married in less than a week. Rupert proposed to me and I accepted on the condition that it be as soon as possible. We have settled on the first day of Spring as hopefully an auspicious date.

I have received two of the strangest messages yet from Brother Luca today: 'The Warrior of Rings is being forged in the Vale of the Sun' and 'The balance shall be restored if the bearded Lord of the House of Downy saves the Warrior of Rings.'

The reference to the 'Vale of the Sun' Rupert says is possibly Sunnydale but we do not know who the 'Lord of the House of Downy' is. There are or were four families of that name in town according to the phone book.

*****

Jenny and I were married today, the first day of Spring. It was a small ceremony. Actually it was two small ceremonies. Father Gregory Stone conducted the first ceremony in the format of that given by the Church of England. The second, a Wiccan ceremony, was performed in the park at noon, rather than at night. Catherine Madison, who leads the local witches' coven, officiated this ceremony as a favor to Jenny.

*****

I am kicking myself. Amy was over visiting with Oz, and they were poking about on the web when Amy giggled, turned to me and asked how it felt to be 'Mrs. Downy-Bearded'. When I asked what she was talking about, she pointed to the web site she was looked at which posted the meaning of old English names. Apparently, one of the meanings of Giles is 'downy-bearded'. If I ever do see Brother Luca in person, I have this incredible urge to beat him with my laptop. Now, if we can just figure out who this 'Warrior of Rings' is. I asked Amy and she said it sounded vaguely familiar and she would ask her mother.

*****

It is confirmed Jenny is pregnant. I am thrilled and terrified at the same time. I want to take her and flee to someplace safe, but I don't know where that might be. Jenny is also insistent that I am somehow needed here, in this place, to help the one referred to as the "Warrior of Rings". A side note, Mayor Wilkins has disappeared.

*

*

The vampires have burnt down our apartment complex. I have lost many of my texts and Jenny's computer was destroyed during the fight with the vampires. While some of her files were stored on a 'diskette(?)' at the library, she has lost many of her families scrolls and spells that she had copied into it. Father Stone has helped by placing us in contact with a Mrs. Amber Johnson. Her own husband was killed late last year. At the urging of Father Stone, she had opened her very large home to provide shelter for several of the orphaned children and forgotten elderly of this town. The children were able to hide when their families were attacked, and the vampires do not care to eat the elderly when there are better pickings more easily available. Except to torment. Including her daughter Harmony, there are 34 of us living here...

*

*

We have discovered the reason for the disappearance of several of our S&R teams. I have in the past related how we have rescued several potential victims from by hitting the transport vans the vampires were using as cattle cars. But after three teams disappeared over two nights, I asked Oz to follow, remain in the shadows and report back on what happened. The team had come across a van full of prisoners and moved in to free them. But when they opened the locked doors, instead of 'prisoner's' there was a group of vampires who attacked and overwhelmed the team within seconds.

Last night when we found a van, instead of releasing the 'prisoners', we sprayed holy water through a crack in the wall. When we heard screams confirming that the 'prisoners' were really vampires, Oz lit a pipe bomb next to the truck's gas tank before any vampires could breakout.

****************

Rupert Giles looked up from his Journal and scanned for a crucifix when the young boy entered the room. It was practically an autonomic reaction now. Like breathing. If he had not been able to see a cross touching the boy's skin, he would have had the crossbow that now rested in his lap aimed at the boy's heart ready to fire, until he had proven himself human. Despite the wards and other protections on his house, paranoia was the best defense, and children were just as likely to become vampires as adults.

"It's eight o'clock," the boy said quietly. Giles rose up, moved to his pregnant wife on the couch and bent to kiss her goodbye.

"I love you, Jenny," he said.

"I love you too. Please, be careful, Rupert," she replied, knowing it was useless to protest his leaving. It was his night to lead the search-and-rescue team. The futility of such excursions was never raised. Everyone knew they were fighting a losing battle. But they continued to fight: some because they refused to go quietly; others simply because they were too stubborn; a few because they refused to give up hope. Rupert was one of those few, or at least he had been a few months ago. Jenny was concerned that his worrying about the future for her and the child she carried was wearing on him, diminishing the light that had once shown so brightly in his eyes.

He nodded and turned to leave. Jenny remained sitting on the couch. The others in the house would come by to check on her soon and find her, as always sitting with a crossbow to her right, a set of Tarot cards to her left. But she would be gazing at neither, looking instead at her belly, and wondering about the child growing within her. Contemplating whether she had done the right thing by not getting an abortion, when she still could. Wondering what right she had to bring a child into this world of darkness and fear that she now lived in. Wondering if there would even be that much left by the time the child was born.

*****

Spike watched Buffy as she slept.

It had been almost two weeks since Buffy, had first managed to defeat him. Spike had subsequently succeeded in dropping Buffy a few more times, but they were getting fewer and farther between as Buffy's strength, speed and confidence continued to grow. The last couple of times Buffy had grumbled that he had cheated, and when he pulled the Tazer gun on her she actually screamed at him after she had recovered. Spike had calmly listened to her vent for 5 minutes before pointing out that in a real fight, there were no 'fair play rules' and that she would have to expect that her enemies might use a gun on her to 'take her down' before staking her.

They began to practice outside at night, stalking and hunting each other around the estate. Buffy took to climbing and leaping from tree to tree like a squirrel. The first time Spike saw her do it, he was extremely upset. With a very colorful rant, he pointed out the dangers of crazy vampires impaling themselves when leaping into unknown trees. To his dismay, Buffy had laughed, told him 'not to worry' and proceeded to circle the estate via the treetops. He sighed went back into the house and got a book, came out to the porch and waited. He recognized the signs. She was getting restless. The tiger wanted out of its cage.

When she finally returned, she was covered in pine tree sap and grinning unrepentantly from ear to ear. Spike took one look at her and decided it wouldn't be worth arguing with her.

"Alright Rocky why don't you go shower up," he said disgustedly.

"OK," she said in her perky voice. Buffy started to bounce away while sing the theme to 'Rocky', "Gonna fly noooowww, da-da DA daaaaa..."

"That's not the Rocky I meant, Luv," Spike called after her.

*****

Giles entered the kitchen to find Harmony smothering her current boyfriend with kisses.

"Harm it's OK. I'll be fine," said Mitch Paulsen in between kisses.

"I know you will, sweetie," she cooed. "You're the greatest Vampire hunter in the world. I just want to give you an incentive to come back to me, Baby."

"Not necessarily always a plus when talking about vampire hunting," came a quiet voice from the breakfast nook area.

Harmony glared at Oz who sat by the table. "Oh look, the 'silent wonder' speaks," she sniped. "Just don't go leaving my Mitch behind when you drive-off."

Giles winced at that remark. The girl had just scored a far deeper cut than she realized.

"Hey. Hey. None of that. Oz is solid. He never panics," countered Mitch.

Oz said nothing and continued to sharpen his stake.

*****

Spike watched Buffy as she slept.

He liked to watch her sleep. In a strange way, it soothed him. The new confidence she was showing appeared to have even extended to her sleep. Although she was still troubled by them, Buffy seemed to be less upset by her many nightmares when she awoke.

Every night after practice, she would dart off into the trees. Spike would sit down in one of the deck chairs, pull out either a book on commando tactics and training, or a weapons catalog and wait for her to return. Usually she would be back within 30 minutes, however, one night after two hours had passed, she still had not come back and Spike began to grow concerned and called out into the darkness, "OK, Rocky, where are you?"

"Bang! Your dusted," replied a voice from behind him, which made him spin about to see...nothing. "Up here," came Buffy's voice again. Spike looked up and found Buffy resting on the roof of the house above him pointing a crossbow at his heart. She was very accurate with them, he knew that from practice. She was also deadly with wooden throwing knives, but that was only to be expected.

**How the hell did she do that?!** he thought. Calmly, he said, "Your stealth abilities are certainly vastly improved over what they were."

"You sound like a Vulcan," she said as she leaped down. She attempted to mimic Spike's voice, "'I see no bloody point in any enthusiastic displays of compliments. It is illogical to engage in such reckless behavior.' Come on, I've been sitting up here for the last 20 minutes waiting for you to detect me."

"Twenty minutes, eh?" with a small smile.

"Yup," she said with pride.

"Fine. How about an extra bag of blood?" he asked.

"Hah! Like you weren't going to give me one anyway," she countered. "Nope. I get to pick the movie tonight. Besides, I think I'm starting to get fat."

"You should be grateful for that blood. There are little starving vampires in China who would kill for that blood," Spike deadpanned.

Buffy stopped and stared at him. "Oh, ha ha. That was, like, so *sick*." She shook her head and walked off while muttering darkly about demented vampires who thought they were comedians. "And stop calling me 'Rocky'. I am not a flying squirrel."

*****

Harmony had finally left when her mother, Amber, had come and asked her to help get the children ready for bed. There were currently 8 children in the house, ranging in age from 4 to 11 years old.

"I talked with Father Martin today," said Giles as he inspected his weapons. "He said Daryl, Jonathan, Scott and Percy were almost caught last night. It was a 'Trapper Van'."

Oz and Mitch nodded.

Mitch finished inspecting his bow and arrows. He was one of the better archers in their group. Oz wielded a crossbow and had become a bit of a homemade explosive expert under the tutelage of Henry Stevens, one of the elderly residents who had been a demolitions expert in WWII. They were fortunate to have his knowledge. The Master's forces had swept down on the local military base shortly after the 'Harvest' and had seized or destroyed any weapons that might have been a threat to them, including tanks, bazookas, mortar and rocket launchers, etc.... It had not been re-staffed.

*****

Spike watched Buffy as she slept.

Every time she defeated him, he went to sleep with a sense of pride, and a worry that he had missed something. He was certain she could defeat the Master in a simple one-on-one combat situation. The trouble was he was also certain that they would not face a simple one-on-one situation.

The Master intended this gathering to be big. Spike planned to challenge him in front of the whole audience. Some would no doubt challenge Spike, seeking to curry favor with the Master. Champions would be chosen to face Spike or his champion if he had any. Spike could not wait to see the expressions on the Master and Willow's faces when he brought forth his Champion. They would be shocked first that he had a Champion to fight in his place, it would double when he had Buffy come forward. They would then settle back in smug certainty that their former 'plaything' would fall, only to be surprised again as she defeated Champion after Champion. The surprise would turn to anger, and the Master would finally step forward to crush his errant childe only to find Spike waited for him instead. Spike had been concerned that they might realize that Buffy was not insane during her fight. So he had taken to coaching her on how to act insane and still fight effectively.

Buffy awoke with a start. "It's alright, Luv. Your safe," Spike reassured her gently when she suddenly sat up. As usual, she didn't reply to him at first, but instead grabbed her journal to record the new details of her dream. She had lately been having basically four re-occurring dreams. In her first dream, she was falling from a great height, in the second, she was drowning in an underwater cave and, in the third, she was running from a great fire. Finally, in the fourth and oddest of her dreams, she was trying to rescue a dark skinned girl who was sinking in quicksand. Buffy did not know who the girl was but she had been trying to sketch her picture.

She had other nightmares such as her parents being murdered, her time at the Bronze, being tortured by Willow. However, while none of these other dreams bothered her nearly as much as 'The Four', she wouldn't talk to Spike about them, and he found himself becoming irrationally angry about the way she had been treated. He didn't understand why it bothered him so that she had been abused. As her Sire, the Master had been within his rights to treat her in any way he saw fit, including killing her. **Hell, I've done a shit load of mistreating minions myself.** Although he was pleased that the Master had failed to realize the true potential hidden in this slip of a girl, more and more, he found himself growing angry with the Master and Willow for their mistreatment of her. Spike wound now find himself anticipating revenge, not just for Drusilla, but for Buffy as well.

Buffy finished adding to her sketch and got up. "Spike, I want to go out," she said abruptly. "I mean, I want to go into town. Tonight. Alone."

Spike sighed. He knew this had been coming. She was restless. He had hoped she would wait until after the ceremony but had suspected she would not. She was looking at him with her eyes wide, a pleading expression on her face. She was good with that, just the right amount of eyelash flutter to melt a lesser man. Or demon.

**But not me,** he thought. **I'm *Spike*. Yes sir. Killer of two Slayers, the 'Meanest, Baddest Ass-kickin' Vampire of LA and soon to be the slayer of 'The Master'.**

"Please?" she pleaded.

**No. No way. It's asking for trouble.**

The eyelashes fluttered again.

"Sure, Buffy. No problem," he said in a steady calm tone of voice. Inside his mind, he was still screaming denials and had added several curses at himself for being an idiot and not saying 'No'.

She beamed 'The Smile' at him. He had seen it a lot lately. Especially after she first defeated him. It was addictive. He really liked seeing it on her.

"Yes," she said, clenching her hands excitedly. She moved toward the bathroom, but as she passed Spike, she impulsively bent down to hug him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she said as she pulled back to look him directly in his eyes. Then, just as quickly, she let go and moved into the bathroom to shower and get ready.

It was the 'please' that had really sunk him. At this point, she could have kicked his ass and left on her own. She could have jumped the fence one night while he sat on the porch waiting for her to return from the trees. Instead she had come to him and requested his permission. If he had said 'No' she would have obeyed. Of that he was certain. She just would have been very upset at his denial; angry at his apparent lack of trust in her and resentful of his own occasional trips into town.

He sighed as he realized that, like Dru, she was slowly becoming someone for whom he was unable to deny any request.

******

Jenny stared at the cards and sighed. She had not received any helpful insight into the future in months. Casting of bones hadn't helped either. Catherine had theorized that it was because vampires were immune to certain types of magic that the readings were failing. Since the vampires were so prominent in whatever was to happen in the future, the cards could not perceive them. On the other hand prophets and seers were able to perceive vampires very clearly. Jenny wished she could contact her clan. Since she had returned to Sunnydale, she had not been able to contact her family for advice. She did not know if it was due to them going into hiding or worse.

A knock at the door made her look up in surprise at the two women there.

"Catherine. Amy. What are you doing out at night?" she asked leveling her crossbow at them.

Amy raised her crucifix to show Jenny it was safe. Catherine still refused to wear one. She prided herself on not needing one to defend herself and steadfastly refused to be wear one in deference to her Goddess who had been so oppressed by the 'Christian God'. Jenny sighed and lowered the crossbow. They had argued over this point for months. Oz had dryly referred to her stubbornness as her 'born-again, Wiccan feminism'. Finally, Catherine had agreed that she would take Amy with her when she left her house, so Amy could hold a cross to show they were not vampires.

"We found something that Amy said you might have been looking for," said Catherine. She held out a book.

Jenny looked at the ancient and well-worn cover, then opened it to read the title. 'The Completely Inaccurate Prophesies of Agnes Nitt'.

*****

When Buffy emerged from the shower, she found that Spike had laid out a set of clothes for her to wear. A dark blue, long-sleeve turtleneck, black jeans, a pair of Doc Martins and black leather jacket. The close fitting, knitted turtleneck would mold itself to her body and prevented the rings on her back and arms from making jingling noises as she moved. She quickly dressed, then brushed back her hair, wishing she could see herself in the mirror. Her hair was still extremely short, having grown only a few inches since the Master had cut it. She was sure that the slicked back look, which Spike liked, would look silly on her. However, without a reflection she was dependent upon Spike telling her what looked good and what did not.

Buffy had never spent much time worrying over her appearance when she had been a Slayer, but now she caught herself at the oddest times wondering even if she was attractive as a woman and not just as a prize for being a former Slayer. Spike had seemed to like her, but he had not made a move on her since they had met. At first, she had put it down to his devotion to Drusilla, but after almost two months she was beginning to have doubts as to whether that was the only reason.

Spike returned to Buffy's bedroom to find her glaring futilely at the mirror as she sat in thought over something. Her pensive look left her face as she turned towards him, set her hands on her hips and asked, "Well, how do I look?"

"You look smashing, Luv," he told her quickly. In truth, he was wondering what had gotten into him to set out such an outfit. The jeans looked painted on, and the top.... He turned away before he did something he would regret. In his mind, he had begun to go down in alphabetical order the words he wanted to use to describe her. She looked arrogant, brash, cocky, domineering, edible, foxy.... He stopped that train of thought before he hit ravishing and sexy. He wanted her, but he did not want to force her. Well, truthfully, he did want to force her, but he wanted her to desire him afterwards, and she'd had more than enough of being forced to last several life times.

They moved down to the kitchen where Spike prepared two mugs of blood in the microwave. She watched him and wondered what was bothering him, but figured better to wait for him to tell her rather than pry. They drank in silence, and then Buffy got up to leave, "Don't worry, Spike, I'll be good. Keep a low profile and all that."

"Hold a moment, Buffy," Spike said. He was gone for only a minute. When he returned he handed her Mary. "Here you go. Just in case. I don't want any problems, pet. Just behave the same as you did before and no one will suspect a thing. But try to keep a low profile. And be careful, OK."

Buffy stared first at the doll and then at Spike. He was acting strange. Like a mother sending her child off to school alone for the first time. She decided not to protest and took the doll.

"OK. I'll be fine," she said reassuringly. "I'm just going to take a stroll around town. What could go wrong?" She walked over to the kitchen door and exited the house.

As the door closed, Spike pulled a small device from his pocket and watched it intently. About five minutes later, Spike followed Buffy into the night.

*****

Mitch fired off his last arrow then turned and ran. He crashed through a deserted shop's door and continued through the shop to the rear where he slammed the backdoor open and kept running into the back alleyway as it slammed closed behind him. Not looking back while running away was important. It distracted you from the important object of fleeing one's pursuers, which was to escape. A glance behind him would do nothing to help that and in fact could distract him. He had learned that in football. One of the few truly useful things that high school had ever really taught him.

As Mitch ran up the alley he tried to avoid the heaps of garbage that could cause him to slip and fall. A stray thought crossed his mind wondering if Giles or Oz had escaped or been captured. He stopped that thought immediately. It was irrelevant at this moment. He would find out later, one way or the other. A crash from behind told him that the vampires had followed him through the store. He dodged down another alley hoping they had not been looking his way, and began looking for another shop to dash through or hide in.

*****

Oz was in the sewers breathing as quietly as he could through his mouth. He was looking through the sewer drain opening that he had slipped through and watching the feet of vampires who had remained behind at the truck as they argued over who had screwed up. Oz, Mitch and Giles had ambushed a truckload of people from out of town as it had passed through the downtown on its way to the 'Factory'. They would hide and wait for a truck to come by then shoot out the tires. If they got lucky, the truck had people in it who they set free once the driver and any other vampires were disposed of.

Giles had shot out the tires, Mitch and Oz had taken care of the driver and the two other vamps. Then they had gone to check the truck and free any human captives, and then lead them to a safe house where they would wait until daylight. Only tonight, as Oz had opened up the truck, a van had roared up behind them and eight vampires had poured out. Giles had yelled for everyone to run, but Oz had gotten knocked down as the people had poured forth from the truck. He rolled under the truck to avoid being trampled and had seen the sewer opening in front of him. He scrambled to the gutter and squeezed inside, hoping that none of the vampires had seen him. Then he waited. Hoping that Giles and Mitch had made it.

*****

Giles was in trouble. He was out of breath from running, and currently, he was holding two vampires at bay with a cross in one hand and a bottle of Holy water in the other. He was also trapped in a dead end ally.

The tall Mexican vampire smiled, pulled out a length of chain and began twirling it over his head. The shorter white vampire picked up a board off of the ground and held it like a bat. They stalked closer.

**Oh, Bloody Hell,** thought Giles. He hurled the bottle at the vampire with the chain and charged toward the one holding the board with the cross in front of him. The vampire swung the board and he ducked. Giles jammed the cross in his face and lashed out to kick him between the legs. The vampire growled and slashed at him with his claws. Giles tried to get past him, but then he felt the claws on his back indicating the second vampire was still in the fight. He dropped to the ground to try and grab a stick or a board, but pain lanced through him as the claws gouged down his back. He rolled and grasped for the stick he felt his fingertips brushed against. The cross slipped from his fingers, and he frantically tried to slam the stick towards the vampire's chest. But he found his arm pinned.

"Enough play, gringo!" snarled the vampire as he leaned in towards Giles' neck. Giles let out a gasp of pain as the vampire bit into his neck.

**Jenny, I'm sorry,** was Giles' last thought before he blacked out.

****

Chapter 13

The demon lord Balthazar screamed in rage as his troops were cut down in front of him. "This is unacceptable!" he screeched and extending his flabby hands towards the leader of the attackers and concentrated. With an irritated wave of his hand, the Master deflected the magical force extending towards him, trying to draw him closer to the obese behemoth who floated in the stagnant pool.

"Without your little trinket, your powers are weak," the Master sneered. As he dangled Balthazar's amulet before him, he taunted the demon. "Did you really think you could challenge me? I control the power of the Hellmouth."

Seeing a member of his own special guard fall to the cut and thrusts of three of Bathazar's Eliminati, he angrily added, "And I can use it against those who would challenge me." Raising his hand he reached out towards the sword bearing vampires who had turn towards him. The vampires stopped and their faces glazed over. They turned towards Balthazar who watched in fury as his men were turned against him. They stepped into the shallow end of the stagnant pool and continued to advance towards him in the deep. With a shriek of anger, Balthazar submerged his vast bulk beneath the dark, fetid waters. Their armor weighting them down, the three vampires strode mechanically forward to the deep end and disappeared beneath the scum on top.

Within a few seconds the water became turbulent as Balthazar became embroiled in battle with the three mind-controlled vampires. After a few minutes, Balthazar's corpulent head reappeared above the now still waters. He looked around, only to see the last of his men fall to the Master's special guard.

They moved to stand on either side of the Master. Each one of them had once served in the US military as a Green Beret officer. The Master had studied and selected each one before personally turning them. He had wanted the best for his own guard and they were loyal to him alone. There were eleven of them with him now and another dozen in LA getting proceedings ready for the ceremony. The loss of one man verses the three dozen enemy who had been destroyed was an acceptable ratio for the Master. He had considered occasionally turning them loose on the White Hats who seemed to somehow remain as a constant thorn in his side. But then he would reconsider as the resulting destruction and devastation would no doubt frighten the rest of the populace into fleeing from the area. The Master knew human nature. Feed on them slowly, one-by-one, gradually increasing the severity of the attacks and the local populace would cower in fear, but remain right where they were thinking it won't happen to them. However, a sudden attack that killed too many people in a search for the White Hats would probably scare the people into abandoning their homes and fleeing the area. Besides, setting the new minions to hunt the White Hats, was an excellent means by which he could watch for any particular vampire's who truly had talent and whom he could groom for better positions.

The Master again lifted the amulet. "Wilson," he called out, " Dispose of this." The guard to his immediate left took the amulet, walked over to the house wall and propped it on the window ledge. He then backed off ten feet, raised his pistol and shot the crystal.

The shattering of the crystal released a large fireball of mystical energy melting the wall of the house in a blinding flash of amber light.

Balthazar realized that he was defeated, but he would not go easily. "You may control the Hellmouth today," he spat, "but when the Sisters open the Hellmouth you will be nothing to the Lords who come forth then. A gnat to be crushed. Revel in your power now, because the day of your destruction is coming soon."

"Oh dear, I am so frightened," scoffed the Master. "Willow!" he suddenly called.

Striding confidently forward, Willow approached the pool carrying a glass jelly jar. She stood with the jar at the edge of the pool and smiled at the Master. Balthazar could see only a dark writhing mass inside the jar. "What is that?" he demanded.

"Diner guests," said Willow simply, turning the jar and gazing in fascination at its occupants. The energies of the Hellmouth occasionally had an unpleasant tendency to produce mutations that would terrorize the local human populace. This particular mutation however was a terror to demons instead of humans. Borer Worms looked like fat earthworms with an average length of 5 inches and half an inch in diameter. They were brown with yellow rings along there length. They also could eat through all types of demon flesh like a hot knife through butter, but would completely ignore human flesh. Willow had been experimenting with them to see why they ignored humans, but thus far, all she had discovered was that they were an extremely painful and messy way for a demon to die.

She looked to the Master. At his nod, she carefully unscrewed the lid, then dropped the jar into the murky water. The worms swarmed out of the jar and towards Balthazar at the far end of the polluted pool. He flailed and screamed, but the worms were too small and fast to hold off, and he was too fat to escape from the pool.

Willow rose and moved to the Master's side to eagerly watch Balthazar's gory demise. The Master coiled an arm about Willow as the obese demon screamed in pain while the worms ate their way into his grotesque, fleshy body. Blood poured forth from hundreds of holes where the worms had penetrated. His screams were gradually becoming incoherent gurgles, and his thrashing became weaker.

"Willow, my dear, you constantly amaze me. That was a delightfully, horrid way for him to die," commented the Master as Balthazar finally stopped screaming and thrashing except for a persistent trembling.

"It was over to soon," pouted Willow, "I thought with that much fat, he would have lasted at least thirty minutes. He barely made ten."

"Yes, but it was wonderful while it lasted," countered the Master with a grin. "Now, the late, unlamented Lord Balthazar referred to some 'Sisters' who wished to open the Hellmouth without my permission. I believe he meant the Sisterhood of Jhe, yet another irritating Apocalypse Cult. They have a reputation for causing trouble, and I believe this might call for an expert in dealing with troublemakers.

*****

Oz was in trouble.

Oz was learning how difficult it truly was to remain absolutely silent and motionless. His feet had sunk into the sludge at the bottom of this sewer drain. He did not dare to lift them for fear of making any suction noises. He was surprised the vampires hadn't discovered him yet. It seemed like every faint noise he accidentally made was amplified. He could not exit to the sewers as there was a grate blocking the drain hole. So he waited.

Five of the original vampires were now embroiled in an argument over what to do. It seemed this truckload was an offering to the Master as a gesture of good will from a vampire master in Modesto. Now with nothing to offer, they were debating over whether they should go report back to 'Master Chavez' or run as fast as possible to get out of California and possibly the Western Hemisphere.

Oz felt a small jolt of joy surge through him when one of the vampires had returned to report that the boy with the arrows had not only escaped, but had managed to kill a vampire named Big Jim. **Good job, Mitch,** he thought with a smile, **at least he got away.**

His happiness was short-lived as he caught sight of the last two vampires returned. Dragging a body. **Oh God no, not Giles!**

*****

Henry Carson had been a big man. Now he was a big vampire. Six-foot-five and weighing 327 pounds it was not a good thing to get him angry. Right now he was pissed. His sire, Master Chavez, had been very clear about whose head would be on the chopping block if the were any screw-ups. The night was not only a total bust with the loss of their cargo, but to add insult to injury, they had not recovered any of the escapees to feed upon. Tommy had come skulking back to report that the archer, who had subsequently escaped, had killed Jimmy. He had just decided that it might be a good idea to just keep on heading south to Central America and maybe get lost for a few decades, when Jose and Pez had brought back one old man, on whom they had apparently already snacked.

"Are you morons?" he screamed. "He's no good to us now! What the hell did you think, 'We'll just bring the Master our leftovers'!"

"Well, you see...he was fighting...uhm...and he..." started Jose but he trailed off as he noticed the glare Henry was giving him.

The ensuing embarrassed silence was broken by the sound of singing and approaching footsteps. **Now what?** thought Henry.

The group of vampires turned to look down the street and see a small girl strolling casually down the street. Swaying her hips from side-to-side in an exaggerated fashion, the girl walked down the center of the street while singing softly to herself and gazing at something in her arms.

"Who the hell is that?" murmured Henry.

*****

Buffy strolled through the deserted streets of Sunnydale. She did not know why, but the urge to go into town when she had awoken this evening had been practically overwhelming. Now that she was here, she wasn't sure where she should go or what she should be doing. As she walked down the quiet streets, she vigilantly watched for either humans or other vampires. She did not really have much interest in meeting either.

Only knowing one other place in town, she had decided to peek in on the Sunnydale Watcher whom she had met when she had first arrived there. It was not that she wanted to meet with him. Since another slayer had been called, he would know she was a vampire, and she certainly did not feel like dodging crossbow bolts. No, she just had an odd need to check and see if he was still alive and fighting. However, when she wandered by the apartment complex where the Watcher had lived, she found it burnt out and deserted.

Disappointed, she wandered aimlessly about the eerily quiet town. After walking for several hours, Buffy faintly heard the sound of someone fighting in the distance. Having promised Spike that she would stay out of trouble, she was not certain why she had continued to proceed towards the sound. As she cautiously neared an alley, she heard the sound of people approaching. Buffy quickly moved to the shadowy side of the street and leapt up into a nearby tree. From the alley, two vampires emerged dragging a body. Oblivious to her presence, the vampires passed under the tree in which she had hidden.

**Ah crap,** thought Buffy as she saw the body they were dragging. It was the Sunnydale Watcher. **Why can't anything be easy?** She dropped from the tree as the two vampires moved down the street and turned the corner. As she began to shadow the two vampires, she debated what she should do. She wasn't even sure that he was alive. **There were bite marks on his neck. I could kill both of those vamps only to find that he is already on his way to becoming a vampire right now. Shit! Spike is gonna be really pissed, but...what if he is still alive?**

She continued to debate whether she should do anything or not, when she saw the two vamps meet up with five others outside a truck in the street. **To hell with this,** thought Buffy as she moved out into the open and began to walk towards the group of vampires. **Spike can be pissed if he wants, but he's the one who told me to trust myself.**

As she approached the group, she cradled Mary in her arms while singing softly to her. "The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout..."

Although she appeared to be concentrating solely on Mary, in truth she was looking over the vampires in the group in front of her. She didn't recognize any of them from the Bronze, but that did not mean that they didn't know of her. When the group turned towards her she was able to make out what they where saying about her.

"It's the Master's slut," said Pez. "I saw her three months ago. She's supposed to be a loco but a real wild cat in the sack. Except he never lets her out."

"So what's she doing here," said Henry.

"Maybe he got tired of her and kicked her out," said Tommy.

"Maybe the little Chiquita wants to play with someone new," suggested Jose as he adjusted his pants and smoothed his shirt.

"Yeah well you can wait till after your betters are done," snarled Henry, not forgetting that Jose had already had a bite to eat, and thinking that some female company might not be a bad idea on his up-and-coming trip south of the border.

Buffy slowly strolled up to seven vampires. The body lay to the side near the back of the truck where it had been dropped. In her 'little girl' voice she spoke to the doll, "Look Mary, new friends." Her eyes moved to the body and she looked hungrily at it. "And they have food. Do you think they might share?" She looked at the largest vampire, tilted her head to the side, and then shifted to her pleading sultry voice. "I'm sooooo hungry, and there is just nobody around anymore. All the little people just hide away at night."

"Well I don't know little girl. What do you think you can *do* for us if we give him to you?" Henry asked suggestively.

Swaying her body back and forth and thrusting her chest out, Buffy eyed the seven leering vampires. "You want me to *Do* you?" she asked and slowly wet her lips with her tongue. The seven vampires all nodded at her.

"All at once?" she queried with a frown. Suddenly, she smiled brightly. "Sounds fun!" she chirped, but then she paused and said, "Mary can't watch though. She's too young."

"That's all right girl. Why don't you put her in the truck there? She'll never see a thing," said Henry with a smirk.

Buffy seemed to consider this for a few seconds before saying, "OK." She moved to the back of the truck, shrugged off her jacket, set it on the truck bed and then placed Mary on it. Turning around, she found the vampires closing in around her.

"No!" she said sharply while holding her hand up. "Eat, first!" she demanded while glaring at the vampires that surrounded her. At Henry's nod, the other vampires backed up, leaving the way to the body open for her.

Buffy moved quickly to the side of the man. This close to him, she could now hear his heart slowly beating, low but steady. He was still alive.

From the sewers, Oz watched in horror as the strange vampiress leaned over Giles and her face morphed in preparation to feed. Never had he ever felt so helpless. As much as Oz desperately wanted to do something, anything, to save his friend and mentor, he could think of no way to stop her. If there had been the slightest chance for Giles to escape, Oz would have sacrificed himself without hesitation to draw the attention of the vampires away from him. But Giles was unconscious, and the only thing that Oz could do was watch in silence as he was murdered in front of him.

The vampiress suddenly sat back and looked up with an angry expression. "He's been chewed on," she pouted. "Who did it?"

Pez pointed at Jose, and Buffy glared at him. Looking back at Giles' neck she grimaced, "Eww. Gross. You got spit all over his neck."

"Don't you be worrying about that, Chiquita," said Jose. "By the time we're done with you, a little spit will be the least of your problems."

"You go last," she said sullenly, and the other vampires laughed. Turning back to Giles, she pulled on the sleeve of her shirt and moved to wipe his neck. Watching from the sewer, Oz was startled when he saw the girl adjust a stake that was just peeking out of her right sleeve.

"Oops. I forgot," Buffy said as she suddenly stood. "Mommy always said to give thanks before eating." Still showing her demon face, she moved to Henry and pressed her body against his. More then a foot shorter than him, Buffy stretched her arms around his neck to pull herself up along his body. "Oh, my. Is that a stake in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she cooed as she wriggled against his crotch.

"Oh yeah, baby. I'm really happy to see you," he said with an approving rumble in his voice while grabbing her hips and lifting her up to wrap her legs around his waist.

"Well guess what?" she said coyly as she curled her arms around his neck, leaned up towards his right ear and flicking her tongue out to tickle lobe.

"What, baby?" Henry asked lustfully, tilting his head back and towards the left to elude her tickling tongue. The other vampires had closed in around them wanting to get their own 'Thanks'.

Buffy leaned up and whispered into his ear, "I'm not happy to see you." Suddenly she sank her fangs down into his neck and yanked backwards removing a large portion of his trachea.

Before Henry could even raise his hand to clutch at his throat, Buffy was moving to thrust a stake which she had slipped out of her right sleeve into the hearts of 'T-Bone' and Frankie, the two nearest vampires on either side of her. The minds of the four remaining vampires were still trying to register what had just happened when Buffy turned to leap at them. Momentarily frozen in panic, Buster was easily staked by Buffy as Jose, Tommy and Pez stumbled backwards away from the crazed vampiress.

"Jesus-fuckin-Christ!" screamed Tommy just before a twinge in his chest made him look down to see the stake she had flung into his heart.

Pez fell backwards, rolled and scrambled to get to his feet in order to run away. A sudden weight slammed into his back and smashed him to the ground. A hard kick to his head left him stunned, and Buffy yanked a new stake from her left sleeve and rammed it into his back. She then spun about to face the last vampire.

Jose dove into the van, slammed the doors shut and locked them. For the first time since he had become a vampire, he was in a blind panic. **Fuck this shit,** he thought as he scrabbled into the front seat. **I'm outta here,** he reached to start the engine and was horrified to discover no keys in the ignition. He looked up to see no one outside the van in front of him except for the body of the man he and Pez had caught. He fearfully looked out his side window and then quickly turned around to look out the rear. Suddenly, the driver's side window exploded inwards. He spun to see Henry's head and upper body had been rammed through the window. Jose leapt to the passenger side. Frantically, he clawed to unlock the door, opened it and tumbled out of the van.

"Hey!" a voice called out and he spun about to see the vampiress leaping towards him from the top of the van. Her boot caught him in the face and he fell to the ground. Jose let out a scream of pain as he felt a stake plunge into his stomach from behind. In agony, he rolled over trying to get on top of the girl, but she was already standing at his side. "Looking for these?" she asked jiggling a set of keys in the air.

"What the fuck is your problem, bitch?!" the terrified vampire screamed as he tried to crawl backwards away from the deranged vampiress.

Without a word Buffy reached down and grabbed Jose's left foot and with a sudden sharp twist snapped the ankle. As Jose writhed in agony in the street, Buffy left to walk around the van, humming. When she reappeared she was dragging Henry, while singing in a low voice, "...Better not pout I'm telling you why, Santa Clause is coming, to town..."

*****

As Spike strolled through the town he began to feel a nagging unease in the back of his mind. He had followed Buffy's trek through the town by placing a homing bug inside of the doll, Mary. The tracking device was one of several new 'toys' that he had recently acquired from various mercenary magazines. When Buffy had asked to go out, he'd had the sudden thought that this would be a good chance to test the thing.

It was child's play to follow the girl. Every so often he would stop, let her get out of range, and then move in to locate and track her down. The hard part was making sure he remained far enough back to avoid her detecting him. With this device, he was able to keep his distance but still follow.

Most people who still lived in this blighted town were hiding in their homes like frightened rabbits. Here, in the street, he could smell their fear as they huddled within. The sense of terror reminded him of times past with Drusilla, and he was startled to realize that while it still hurt to think of her, he was no longer overwhelmed by the feelings of loss, pain and despair. He was also startled to realize that the local populace's terror did not bring him any joy. Because deep inside he knew, Whistler had been correct. With the large growing population of vampires, the saying 'I'm gonna seize the world, and drain it dry' was no longer an empty boast.

They were an idiot's last words.

Spike did not like the way things were going.

He also did not like what he was seeing at the moment. Buffy had stopped moving, and Spike had glanced around the corner of the street just in time to see Buffy move into the arms of one large vampire as several others pressed in close about her. A low feral growl escaped from his chest as he watched the other vampires start to paw and grope at *His* Buffy. Shear rage flushed through him. He was about to storm out and start breaking some bones and removing some heads. Suddenly, however, Buffy was in motion, and blood and dust were all over the place. Spike's rage vanished as quickly as it had arisen and was replaced with admiration and pride in her. In a matter of seconds, five of the seven vampires were dust, one was apparently incapacitated and the last was trying to hide in the van.

Spike watched with pride as Buffy drove the last vamp from the van and proceeded to incapacitate him. She then went back grabbed the unconscious vampire's legs and hauled him over to where she had left the other one. Suddenly, Buffy turned about and swung the large vampire over her head and down on top of the other one. He chuckled in amusement at the sight of the tiny girl wielding one vampire, like a bizarre sort of club that was large than herself, and proceeding to beat the hapless vampire on the ground with it.

When the vampire Buffy was using finally lost his head and exploded into dust, Buffy proceeded to continue to kick and pummel the last vampire. After several minutes, and no sign of her stopping on her own, Spike finally decided to make his presence known.

*****

She had not meant to get so carried away; however, once she had begun to vent a little of her anger, eight months of suppressed rage began to pour forth from her which she could not seem to stop. Visions of the Master and Willow and a hundred other vampires who had used and abused her while she lived at the Bronze flashed in front of her eyes and incited her to punch or kick harder. Jose just happened to be the unfortunate vampire on whom she had decided to vent.

Not wanting to be accidentally staked, Spike stopped about 10 feet from her. He had expected to hear her swearing or growling as she pummeled the vampire. Instead he was startled to hear her finish singing 'Frosty the Snowman' and proceed into 'White Christmas'.

"So! This is your idea of 'Being Good' is it, Luv?" asked Spike loudly. At the sound of his voice, Buffy snapped out of her fight-induced trance. She spun about to see Spike standing in the street. Spike lit up a cigarette before he continued. "Pet, enlighten me here. As a foreigner in your country, I realize that there are certain words and phrases which have different meanings here than they might in my country, but I really thought that the phrase 'Keep a low profile' meant avoiding fights."

"Well...," Buffy stalled for time while trying to kick her brain into gear **Come on, think verbal**. "It wasn't really much of a fight."

"Oh I know that, Luv," Spike said before he took another drag on his cigarette. "What I saw was more like a bloody slaughter-fest, but you get my point."

Buffy looked down at the bloody vampire lying, or rather, smeared on the ground before her. She felt an immediate surge of regret and remorse for letting her rage get so out of control. She pulled yet another stake from under her shirt and quickly ended his suffering. The demon inside of Buffy however was enormously pleased with her actions and was not about to let Buffy's conscience rain on her parade.

**It was fun and you can't deny it,** came the demon's thought.

**No...I can't. But it doesn't make it right,** countered her conscience.

Buffy looked up to see Spike looking at her with a frown. She realized he was still waiting for her answer. "I...I know...it's just..." she let out a deep sigh and lowered her head in shame. Not for killing the vampires, but she hated that Spike had seen her loose control. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disappoint you, but...something just sort of came up," she finished lamely.

Spike moved towards her, reached out one hand and tilted her head up to look into her eyes. "You didn't disappoint me, Luv. I thought you were beautiful. I just wanted to know 'why the ultra-violence?' "

Buffy grimaced, "I think I have some issues with rage that I still need to work out. Maybe I need a couple of anger management courses. It's just...when I got started, well, everything just sort of came pouring out, and it felt so good...Do you know how long it has been since I fought to actually kill someone. It's ...It was incredible. Did I mention how good it felt?" Buffy was beginning to get aroused just remembering it. **I cannot believe that I am getting turned on right now.**

Nodding, Spike smiled reassuringly at her, "I know, Luv. It's the violence. Gets you all worked up." Hesitantly Spike moved closer to her. Watching her eyes rapidly move up and down his body. He thought that she looked as if she wanted to jump him and have her wicked way with him. Which would have suited him just fine, except for the fact that he kept wondering if he was not just projecting his own wants and desires on her. **Dammit, what the hell's wrong with me. This isn't how I used to think. Look at 'er. Fresh from a nice scrape, standin' there all covered in blood and lookin' like she needs me ta lick 'er clean. Take her. Take her now. She'll be delicious.** But instead he stood there and watched the way she stared back at him with her green eyes wide open and the way her tongue kept peeking out as she wet her lips. He moved his eyes lower.

Buffy realized that she was breathing heavily and it was not from the fight. Spike seemed to be intently watching the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath she took. His eyes again move up to meet her. He dropped the cigarette.

**Hello! He obviously wants you. Just throw yourself into his arms and get busy on him. He'll melt in your mouth like the yummy piece of white chocolate that he looks like.**

She moved closer to him. They were now standing so close now that they were barely a fraction of an inch apart. Buffy barely had to tilt her head to keep staring into his icy blue eyes. **He's going to do it. He wants me and he's going to take me right here in the street and I want him to. Hell it's not like anyone else is around, it might as well be a bedroom. Just him and me and the stars...OH!**

Spike could feel the bucket of ice water come splashing down on him when he saw her eyes suddenly widen, take a step backwards from him and heard her exclaim, "Jeeves!"

"Who?" Spike muttered darkly, still trying to work out how he had lost control of the moment.

"Jeeves," she said again simply as if that name explained it all, and suddenly, she did a summersault over to Giles and then bent down next to the unconscious man.

"What do you think you are going to do?" asked Spike. "You know you can't keep him, and I know you aren't going to kill him. Just leave him, pet. I'm sure someone-"

"He was all ready bitten when I got here. I'm not leaving him out here, Spike," Buffy said instantly as she checked on the condition of Giles.

"Didn't your mum ever warn you about taking candy from strangers?" Spike asked with a grumble.

Buffy ignored that and went on, "He's a friend of mine...or used to be a friend when I was alive."

A nasty thought began to creep out from the back of Spike's mind. "When you were alive."

Buffy nodded.

"When you were a Slayer."

Another nod.

"A Slayer. With friends," he said doubtfully.

"Well...actually, more of a passing acquaintance."

"How passing?" asked Spike with a grim look.

"OK. I met him for like an hour or two when I first came to this damn town, and he tried to stop me from going to face the Master alone, but I didn't listen, and that really doesn't matter, and why the hell are you bothered over my knowing him anyway?"

Spike sighed in relief. Local chap. "Sorry, Luv. I just was concerned you were gonna insist on bringing home someone from the bloody Watcher's Council or something," he said with a laugh. "I mean, from what I know of the handbook and all, Slayers are only allowed to associate with Watchers."

Buffy cleared her throat. "Uhm...well..."

Spike stopped laughing and looked at Buffy. She gave a weak smile. He closed his eyes, "Who is he?"

Bracing herself for the coming storm, Buffy said in a quite voice, "He is a Watcher."

Spike did not explode. Instead his voice became very low and intense. "No. We are not taking him home. No strays. Look after we've dealt with the Master, then you can play all you want to with whomever you want to but until then...What are you...Are you listening to me?"

As Spike had talked, Buffy had stood up gone over to the van, unlocked and opened the side door and gone back to the unconscious man. She then proceeded to gently pick up Giles, carry him to the van and carefully set him into the back seat of the van. She then went back to the truck and picked up Mary and her jacket.

Spike was still talking to her, "What is with you girl? Are you out of your mind, Luv? We hunt them or they hunt us, so kill him or dump him. What are you planning on saying? 'Hi there. I used to be your pet Slayer, but I'm a vamp now. But it's OK. I still have a soul and don't feed on people.' He won't believe it. Even if he does, what's to say he won't get himself caught again and is turned. He'll run straight to the Master first thing, he will, and there goes everything wot we've been workin' for."

Buffy held up the keys, "Do you want to drive or shall I?"

Spike snatched the keys from her hand, "Give me that." He moved to the driver's side door opened it and glared at the glass all over the seat. After sweeping the broken glass off of the driver's seat, Spike got in the van, "This isn't over yet, Luv."

"Of course not, Spike," Buffy said with a smile as she shut the sliding door.

Spike started the engine, paused then turned to look at Buffy sitting next to the unconscious man in the backseat. "And another thing, Pet. What's with the Christmas carols?"

Buffy shrugged, "Well, I didn't know all the lyrics to 'Singing in the Rain' so..."

*****

Oz scrambled to get out from the sewer. The strange behavior of the two blonde vampires had him completely baffled. On the one hand he was extremely relieved that the female had not killed Giles but the question was 'Why?'. The male had seemed to want to leave Giles, but the female who had butchered the first group of vampires had refused to leave Giles and had seemed to want to protect him. He had not been able to make out more than bits and pieces of their conversation, but what he had heard made no sense.

**What the hell is going on?** he thought as he watched the van disappear up Gingham Street. He began running to get to his van. If he could follow them, find out where they were taking Giles, maybe he would have a shot at rescuing him. He had written down the license plate number on his arm. Gingham Street led to only three areas: the Oakwood Apartments, the El Camino Condo's or the more exclusive homes of Sunnydale, the Gold Ridge Estates.

*****

Giles slowly awoke to pain. His neck throbbed, and his back burned. He could feel dozens of scrapes, cuts and bruises on his arms and legs. Terror coursed through his mind as the memories resurfaced. Vampires had captured him. **Oh, Bloody Hell!** he thought as his eyes snapped open.

It was dark. He was in a van. He was feeling cold and weak as a kitten. **Blood lose** came the analytical thought from some part of his mind that was functional and not gibbering in terror.

Buffy watched the man as he woke. "Hello, Jeeves," she said in a soft voice as she turned on the overhead light.

Giles stared in horror. The face was slightly different, devoid of the terrible scars that he had seen on it the last time he had seen her. Her hair had been drastically cut back to about three to four inches in length. Most of all, the eyes that had been so jaded now seemed filled with a haunted longing. It was, without a doubt, the Slayer whom he had last seen going to face the Master. Who was now dead. **...or rather undead as it turns out,** he thought in dismay as he realized that the red on her cheeks was blood on the outside of her face.

"Miss S-S-Summers," he stammered out.

She gave him a wry crooked smile, "Relax, Mr. Giles. You're quite safe now."

"Forgive me if I don't share your attitude," he stated coldly, his voice surprisingly steady. He may have been doomed, but he was damned if he would give them any satisfaction of toying with his emotions. He knew that was what they were doing. They were demons after all. Offer him hope now, and, once he was convinced that they were going to let him go, they would then snatch it away and laugh at his despair.

A male voice with a definite British accent suddenly spoke up from the front of the van. "I wouldn't make any bets on that either, luv."

Buffy looked out the front window as Spike approached the estate. Two large black Cadillac's and a black stretch limousine were stopped in front of the gate. A brilliant flash of red hair on the vampire lounging on the limo left no doubt as to who was waiting for them.

"Bitch," hissed the former Slayer. Although he was already cold, Giles would swear he felt the temperature drop even further inside the van.

Spike slowed the van to pull over and stop. "Pet," he said quietly. "There's no need to panic. Stay calm, follow my lead, our plans haven't change. Right?"

Buffy nodded, "Gotcha. Right. Vacuous bimbo-Buffy coming right up."

As Spike exited the van, Buffy turned to Giles. She stared at his worried and frightened expression for a few seconds while chewing on her lower lip. "Listen up," she said in a firm low voice. "We have no time for explanations and whether you believe me or not, I don't want to kill you or see you vamped. Believe this, however, the vampires out there would just as soon have you for a quick snack as look at you. Particularly the nasty bitch with the red hair. She's the Master's chosen, gonna be made his Queen in a couple weeks. If you want to live, do not say anything to antagonize her in any way. And whatever you hear just go with the flow. Got it?"

"W-What?" Giles figured that he must be delirious from the blood lose.

"Look, I'm trying to save your life here. Do you understand?" she hissed insistently seeing Spike waving at her to come out of the van. She snatched up a doll that he had not noticed from the floor.

"Yes," he answered quickly even though he was still confused about what the hell was going on.

"Show Time" she muttered as she open the sliding door.

*****

Willow lounged across the hood of the limousine. She enjoyed the heat from the engine and the knowledge that she looked good while doing so. She knew she looked good because anyone who said otherwise would find themselves experiencing a horribly, painful and final death. She relished teasing and flaunting her body just to torment others who knew they could not have her because she belonged to The Master. That thought brought a smile to her face. While many of the older vampiresses seethed with jealousy and hatred for the position of power which she had achieved, they did nothing but watch and wait, certain in their belief that the Master would eventually grow tired of Willow's obvious unfaithfulness and dispose of her in an appropriate fashion. In truth, Willow was quite happy to be his exclusively and had absolutely no intention of letting her new position of power slip away. She kept notes on who responded to her advances and how susceptible they were to the idea on encroaching on the Master's property. Most had turned her down due to their fear of the Master. A few had accepted her advances and had been disposed of.

Only one had turned her down in favor of another vampiress.

Spike. Who had claimed to desire the pathetic 'Childe'. Willow couldn't even remember what her actual name had been. Muffy? Fluffy? It was not really important.

Of course, she knew he had done it to save face.

Having the Master snatch her from Spike's grasp must have burned his pride terribly. He could not have publicly challenged the Master, and had therefore grabbed for the first thing that Spike had thought would strike back at him. The 'Master's Pet'. The day after, when she had noted the lack of a bite mark in the showers had proven to Willow how little Spike had really wanted Childe. His pride was what had made him make the request for her from the Master. The fury he had been suppressing was evident in his fight with the Gorch Brother's. To Willow, it had simply shown how much he had wanted her.

Although she had been disappointed in no longer having Childe to torture, she had found other amusements to occupy her time. The Master had taken to instructing her in certain dark magics, and she was thrilled by what the Master had shown her in just the few short months since he had announced that she was to be his queen. He had been educating her in the use of a few of the powers that he had harnessed from the Hellmouth, and she had been a very eager and attentive student.

Still, Spike's refusal of her in the shower had grated at her in the back of her mind. He had insulted her. Mocked her. And she would never forgive that. She had decided to take advantage of every chance to throw herself in his face and impress upon him what the Master had denied him.

She'd had her limousine block the drive so that he would have to meet her here in the street rather than in his home where he would have the advantage. When Spike had arrived home, she smiled at his ill-concealed anger at seeing her.

"Hello, Spike," she purred seductively.

"Willow," he said nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Having a spot of trouble with your car, or is there some reason you are blocking my driveway?"

She noted his tone with a smirk, **Definitely still bitter.** "Heinrich wanted to see you," she said with an uninterested tone of voice. She had purposefully used the Master's first name to remind Spike to whom she *now* belonged.

Spike did not show any reaction except to say, "So what he's got you playing messenger girl."

Willow smiled while thinking, **Bastard! OK let's see what damage I can do to his 'Pet project'.** "No. I wanted to see how you had been treating Childe. Is that her in the van? Why don't you bring her out here?" she inquired.

Spike saw her smile and knew she was looking for trouble. He hoped Buffy could hold herself together long enough to not rip the bitch's head off. After her earlier performance, he was a bit concerned. He waved to Buffy to join him.

A second later he saw the sliding door opened and Buffy emerged with the human. She held on to him as if he might attempt to run, even though in his weakened condition it was obvious that he would not get more than a few yards before collapsing. Buffy dragged the man over to where Spike stood with Willow. She growled at him to keep his head down and forced him to his hands and knees. Looking up at Spike she smiled with that empty eyed gazed that he hated.

"You beckoned, my Lord?" she asked in her most subservient voice. Spike barely repressed a smile. **Damn, she's good. If I hadn't seen her at that moment...what I might have missed.**

Willow slid off the car and approached her. "Hello, Childe. Has Spike been taking good care of you?"

"Yes, Mistress," Buffy said with a subdued tone and a lowered head.

"I have so missed our times together," she sighed dramatically while moving close to Buffy. "Hum, you've been out playing I see." She tilted Buffy's chin with the tips of her fingers. "But my, my you are a messy eater," she commented, noting the residual blood on Buffy's face and shirt.

She stepped back rubbing her fingers as if to flick some dirt off of them. "And I see you brought home a doggy bag," she added as she looked at the man on the ground. Something about him disturbed her. Without a word, she kicked him hard in his ribs. The man let out a grunt of pain and fell over, clutching his side. Willow grinned evilly as she saw who it was. Thoughts of tormenting Childe and taunting Spike vanished. She could do that anytime. This was going to be special.

"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here," she cooed as she used her foot to push him fully over onto his back. "It's 'Watcherman'."

*****

The driver hardly noted the vandalized 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign as he sped past it. Beside him, the girl however stared with sadness and a touch of anger at the word 'Hell' that had been painted over 'dale'.

The world should never have been this way. She could feel it in her bones. They had failed to hold back the tide of darkness, and it was now her duty to some how stop it. But she did not know where to start, and she was beginning to suspect that neither did anyone else.

She shifted about in her seat and looked at the man driving the car. They had been moving from city to city for months. Staying for a few weeks, reducing the local vampire population, and then moving on. They had been in San Francisco for the last two weeks and were now heading to LA where a meeting was to take place about more effective methods dealing with the vampire threat.

"Hopefully, we will be able to locate Mr. Giles at this address, and then we can be on our way to LA with a minimum of trouble," said the driver.

The girl nodded. She didn't want to say anything. This town was obviously in need of help, but she would not be allowed to stay. So many of her illusions had been shattered over the past several months that she no longer argued about where she was sent. She was supposed to be saving these people.

Watching the shuttered houses pass by, the sense of wrongness deepened. She was needed here. Someone had to help those who had lost hope.

But they would not be staying to help. The man had been insistent that they needed to be in LA soon to prepare for the meeting.

**Maybe we could come back afterwards,** she thought to herself. But deep inside, she knew it was wishful thinking.

*****

Wincing in pain, Giles looked up at the red hair vampiress. The night's events had taken their toll on him, but he easily recognized Willow. He clearly remembered the last time he was this close to the demon. Apparently, she did as well. Apprehensively, he watched as she moved to squat down on him. "The last time we met, you were in a big cage," she said as she settled on his chest. "It doesn't seem like your position has improved any. For someone who is supposed to be a Watcher you don't seem to be doing to well."

Giles didn't know what to say. The vampire who had been the former slayer had said she wanted to save him. At this point, he had no choice but to hope that she had not been lying to him. However, whether or not she had lied was irrelevant. The advise she had given him about not upsetting Willow was sound. The problem was she had focus in on him like a cat on a mouse. She wanted entertainment and he apparently was it.

Willow bent forward, her demon's face emerging, her fingers extending into claws. She placed the tips of her claws near his eyelids. "Perhaps if we remove these, you'll be able see better."

Spike had watched Buffy as Willow began to climb on the human. No one else could have noticed the subtle shifts in her body as Buffy readied herself to attack. Spike had no doubt that she could have taken out Willow and the eight guards by herself, but that would screw-up his plans. The ceremony would be cancelled. He needed to issue his challenge in front of an audience that would demand the Master face him. As Willow leaned in to remove the man's eyes, Spike caught the gleam in Buffy's eyes and knew he had to stop her.

"Willow, Luv," he said stepping forward. "I was under the impression that you were here because the 'Master' wished to see me. Not to raid my larder."

Willow looked up and smiled. "Oh don't worry. He'll be alive afterwards."

"Yes, but without his eyes, pet. And they won't grow back after I turn him."

Willow looked surprised. "You planned to turn him? Why? I wouldn't think he'd be your type at all."

Spike chuckled, "Simple. He's a Watcher. He's got all sorts of interesting little tidbits of information inside his brain for me to sift through."

Willow allowed her demonic features to recede and frowned at Spike. She hated when she had to restrain herself. However, she doubted that the Master would be pleased with her if Spike refused his request because she had wanted to indulge herself. Still, there were other ways to torture a human, and this one really didn't give her the impression that physical torture would have much of an effect on him. "Alright then," she said with a shrug.

Willow swiftly stood up, grabbed his hair and pulled him up into a kneeling position. He let out another grunt of pain but again said nothing. She moved behind him and again knelt down. She then slid her hands along his chest and placed her chin on his right shoulder so that her mouth was near his ear.

"Well then, I suppose I should say 'Welcome to the family'. Hmm?" She flicked her tongue to lick at the blood that still trickled from his neck wounds from earlier. "Tell me 'Watcherman', what do you think your wife will do the next time she sees you?"

Giles said nothing, but Willow could feel as his breath caught for a moment. Willow grinned; she knew his soft spot.

"Do you think she'll scream and run. Poor little wifey, all alone. And with a baby on the way." Willow heard Giles gasp when she said that. "Yes we know all about your baby," she purred as she felt his heart beat begin to increase. "We've kept tabs on you. I wonder whether you will want to just kill her or turn her. Hmm?" She felt Giles began to shudder in horror at that thought. **Time for the coup-de-grace,** she thought. "Of course, you won't appreciate the thought now but later you will understand. If you capture her, and wait for the baby to be born..." she moved her lips until they just barely brushed against his earlobe, "...then it can be her first meal after you turn her."

It was too much for Giles. He yanked his head and twisted his body to get away from the vile demon. He found himself falling face forward onto the street, however, as Willow had suddenly removed her arms from his chest. He rolled onto his back, sat up, and glared with fury at the grinning red-haired vampiress.

"You-, You-," he sputtered trying to think of a curse vile enough to spit at Willow. "Goddamn bi-aurgh," he gasped as he was kicked in his left kidney from behind. As he fell again to his side he felt a foot press down on his throat. He stared into the face of the former Slayer.

"Naughty, naughty," she scolded while wagging her finger in front of his face. "If you use the dirty words then we have to wash your mouth out with soap. Right Mary?" She said the last to the doll she was still holding. He stared at her, still confused by what was going on, but he held his tongue as his rage from a moment ago slowly dissipated.

Willow sighed. This was not turning out to be as much fun as she had wanted. Yes she had gotten a reaction finally but she really wanted to tear someone's arms off.

Then Spike spoke up. "Buffy, Luv. Please take our guest inside and secure him. I need to go see the Master. It may be a while, so 'No Feeding'. Understand?"

Buffy turned to smile at Spike, "Of course, My Lord." She then bent to grab Giles by his arm and lift him up into a standing position. "Come on," she snarled yanking him towards the entry gate that led onto the estate.

Spike turned towards Willow and lifted his hand towards the limo.

"After you, my Queen," he murmured softly.

Willow smiled upon hearing those words. **Perhaps there still is some fun to be had,** she thought with a purr.

*****

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- Excerpts from 'The Completely Inaccurate Prophesies of Agnes Nitt'

*

Jenny read with fascination the book that Catherine and Amy had brought over. Agnes Nitt had been a very strange seer. For 350 years, not one of her prophecies had come to pass. Miss Nitt was a woman who claimed to have been plagued with visions of things that, according to her prologue in her book, would not or should not ever come to pass. Agnes had written that if by some chance any of her prophecies did come true, they would then continue to come true until the original mistake had been corrected.

Jenny looked at the clock 12:48 am. Rupert would be home soon, and, despite the exhaustion of staying up, he would no doubt want to immediately start reading this. She briefly thought about hiding it until he was rested. **No,** she thought with a smile. **A few hours with a new book will probably be more restful to him than a week of sleeping.**

A sudden pounding at the front door roused her from her musings. By the time she got up and reached the hallway, Derrick, Glenn and Chris had unlocked the door. Mitch tumbled into the house drenched in sweat, gasping and panting for breath. Glenn and Chris bombarded him with questions: 'What happened?', 'Where's Oz?', and 'Where's Giles?' being the primary ones. Mitch tried to explain what happened but he was too out of breath to speak.

Jenny stepped forward to take control of the situation. "Derrick go get some water. Glenn, Chris, back off give him some room. Mitch, are you injured?" she asked, crouching down next to the boy. Mitch shook his head to indicate 'No'. Jenny stood up and looked at Glenn and Chris, "Help him to the den." As they moved Mitch out of the foyer, Jenny closed and locked the door. As she slid the last bolt into place, she leaned her head against the door. **Oh, please Goddess. Don't let him be dead,** she prayed. Bracing herself, she straightened up and moved into the den.

*****

Buffy punched in the code to unlock the front door. Helping Giles inside she closed and reactivated the lock. Leading Giles though the den, she tossed Mary on to the couch and directed him into the kitchen.

Giles was utterly confused. The vampire was seething with rage. He could feel the anger radiating off of her in waves. However, as soon as they had been out of sight of the other vampires, she had released the painful grip on his arm by which she had been pulling him and had slipped under the arm to help support him. She was a vampire. So why the act which she had put on in front of Willow? Could she really have meant what she had said in the van? He needed time to think. He was still very weak, but his chances for escape from one vampire were a lot better than from two.

Entering the kitchen Buffy jerked out a chair. "Take off your shirt and sit," she directed before moving to the sink. She opened a cabinet pulled out a pot and began to fill it with warm water. Turning she found Giles still standing, leaning on the back of the chair for support and looking as if he was getting ready to make a break for it.

"Oh, please," she said in exasperation. "Would you just sit down before you fall down?" When he made no move, she sighed, picked up the pan of water and moved it to the table. Leaning over, she opened a drawer and snatched a hand towel from it. She dipped the towel in the water then rung it out and looked at the baffled man. "I'm going to clean your wounds. I hope you've had a tetanus shot recently 'cause I can't help you there."

"Why are you helping at all?" asked Giles with suspicion.

"Strip. Sit. And I'll tell you," she said firmly. He stared at the vampire standing in front of him. Even though she was almost a foot shorter than he was and probably closer to half his weight, he knew she could break him in two if she wanted to.

Hesitantly, Giles began to unbutton his shirt. **What the hell. Might as well play along,** he thought with resignation. **Hang in there, Ripper, old man. We're not dead yet. Wait a bit. Get your strength back. Look for the opportunity.**

When he had finally sat down in the chair, Buffy moved in to start cleaning the wounds on his neck first. Giles clenched his teeth to brace himself against the pain, but the girl was surprisingly gentle. Watching her face as she cleansed the bite area, he saw that she showed no emotion, no hunger, but rather, only a cool professional look. From another cabinet she pulled out a first aid kit. At Giles arched eyebrow, she simply shrugged and said, "Vamps get injured, too."

She got out a large bandage and some antibacterial ointment. Placing a large dollop of ointment on the bandage she carefully placed it over the bite wound. She rinsed out the towel and began to gently clean the numerous wounds on Giles' back.

The silence was beginning to grate on Giles' already frayed nerves.

"You...You said-," he started to say.

"-that I would explain all," she finished. At his nod, she hesitated for a second before continuing. "Well, let me see, where to begin. Once upon a time there was a cocky slayer who though she could fight anyone..."

*****

Oz swore as he sped out of the driveway for the El Camino Condo's. First the apartments had been a bust, and now here. That only left the estates. This was going to be difficult. Not for the first time he wondered if he should have gone back to the house to get help. But that would have taken time. No. Better to first find out where Giles was, then go and assemble the A-Team.

The fences around the estates were a problem. Some were electrified. Plus, some of the estates had a lot of plant growth that made it difficult to see the houses therein, not to mention the driveways. Additionally, how would he see the van if it was in a garage? Oz decided to not stress on that possibility, yet. He would move as fast as he could, scanning each house and move on if he didn't find the van right away. He would have to get the others, if he didn't find the van soon.

Oz had parked the van near the fence of one estate in order to climb on the roof and look onto the grounds. The moon was bright enough that he was able to scanning with his binoculars and saw there was no van. As he moved off the roof, he heard the sound of approaching vehicles and crouched down. A few seconds later a limousine and two Cadillac's passed. He waited till he was sure they were well and truly gone, before getting up and getting back in the van to move to the next house.

"Hang in there, Giles," he whispered aloud. "I'm coming for you."

****

Every one in the house was up.

Not for the first time, Jenny wished she could have a drink. Instead she sipped the tea which Mrs. Johnson had fixed for her. On the outside, she was calm and in complete control. On the inside, she was a wreck.

Mitch had not been able to tell them what had happened to either Oz or Giles. After hiding for half an hour he had attempted to get back to the van, only to find it missing. Mitch had expected to find either Oz or Giles or both here at the house. Now, however, he didn't know if they had taken it or maybe one of the rescued 'victims' had stumbled across it and had hot-wired it to get away.

When a knock was heard at the door, Jenny was the first on her feet. Derrick & Chris had their crossbows out and ready. As Jenny held her breath, Glenn unbolted the door. As Glenn yanked the door open, he held a cross out before him to face...a tall, nervous looking man wearing a three-piece suit and a scowling, dark skinned girl holding a crossbow at the ready.

"What do you want?" demanded Glenn suspiciously.

"Um...I do apologize for the lateness of the hour, but we saw the lights were on and figured that someone might be up. We are looking for a Mr. Rupert Giles and this was the last address that was giving to me." He spoke hesitantly eyeing the large number of people looking at him. And the subtle array of weapons pointing in his direction.

"I can assure you that we mean you no harm." The man spoke with a very polished English accent.

Jenny stepped forward. "You're from the Watcher's Council, right? Is she the Slayer?" she asked. The man and girl exchanged glances. They looked surprised that she knew about the existence of the Slayer.

"Yes," he replied. "To both your questions. May I inquire as to how you would know of such things, Madam?" the man asked suspiciously.

"Because Rupert is my husband," she explained. "Enter if you are able to do so. My name is Jenny," she said stepping further back inside the house and pointing to the large crucifix on the wall next to the door.

"Of course," said the man as he stepped forward and placed his hand on the cross. Without a word the girl followed and repeated his actions.

"Well," said the man as Glenn closed the door behind them. "I suppose some introductions are in order. My name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and this is Kendra, the Vampire Slayer."

*****

"...and so, for the last few months, Spike has been training me, building up my strength, preparing for a show down. Come September, the Master is going down, once and for all." Buffy pressed a last bandage onto a cut on Giles' stomach, "There. As good as...Well, let's just say you'll survive. Which is a lot considering who you've been playing with tonight." Turning she began to gather up the bloody towels and other items.

Giles sat in the chair in a state of shock. She hadn't told him everything. It didn't matter. What she had told him had been enough. Her discovery of Angel at the Bronze. Their valiant but vain attack on the Master at the factory. Angel's death and what it meant to Spike. Her own death and rising the next day with a soul. Her life under the Master and her 'rescue' by Spike. Their plans to eliminate the Master. It was quite fascinating and he would really need for her to tell him it again when he was in a more coherent state of mind.

Because the one point that kept on buzzing about in his mind was that she had risen the next day, January 8th, with a soul. The day Jenny had returned. The day they performed the spell to...

"Oh, my lord," he whispered aloud.

"What?" asked Buffy turning back to see him staring off at nothing.

Giles blinked and refocused on the girl. He took a deep breath, "Tell me Miss. Summer's, how do you truly feel about the fact that you are a vampire with a *soul*?"

Buffy gazed levelly at Giles. She stifled the flip remark that she was about to say when she noticed how intently he was watching her. "Well, I have to admit it was pretty hellish while I was the Master's Pet. If it wasn't for Spike," she shook her head and looked down, "I would probably still be there or be dust. I had to...I've done things...to survive...that I never dreamed I was capable of doing...horrible things...but...at the same time...if I hadn't kept my soul...I might have become a worse monster than Willow." She shuddered at that thought and was silent for several moments. Finally, she looked up and notice the way Giles was watching her. "Why?"

Now it was Giles turn to hesitate, "Because, it's just too much of a coincidence. You rose with a soul? The demon was never in control? The following evening?"

"Check, check and check," she said. "Now why is that important? Aside from the obvious."

Giles licked his lips and swallowed. "Er, well, it is important, you see, because, uhm, well, I believe that, quite possibly, I, and my wife, might be responsible for your still having a soul."

*****

End Chapter 13

TBC