GRAVEYARD SHIFT
by Melissa R

Buffy walked slowly through the darkened graveyard.

It had been six months since she had sent Angel to hell. She felt like she'd gone with him, too; gone through hell and back again. But now, six long months later, she felt that maybe the scars were beginning to heal, and maybe, just maybe, she was moving on.

"Nice night, eh, luv?"

She cringed at the familiar british accent. "Hey there, Spike," she said as she turned, taking in his leather-clad form. "Long time, no desire to see."

The platinum-pated vampire winced as though she had stabbed him. "Ouch, luv, that one hurt right HERE," and he pounded a fist over his chest where his heart would have been if Buffy had ever thought he had one.

She stared him down, not at all in a mood for games. "What are you doing here, Peroxide Boy? I thought I told you and your little slut girlfriend to leave town and let the door hit you in the ass, thank you very much?"

Spike visibly prickled at the reference to Drusilla. "Yeah, well, ducks, I'm back." He moved towards her from where he stood leaning against the side of a mausoleum. She tensed and dropped into a battle stance, a stake appearing as though out of nowhere in her hand.

Spike held up his hands in peace. "I don't want to fight you, Slayer. I'm really not in the mood tonight, ducks."

Buffy eyed him suspiciously. "Don't tell me: you're washing your hair."

He sneered at her. "I didn't mean to run into you at all, Slayer. I just happened to be in the neighborhood, and I decided to check out the old haunts, maybe catch a bite at some of my favorite places- the homeless shelter, the mall...."

She cut him off. "Great, Spike. I'm pleased. Really. Of course, you know I'm going to have to kill you now that I've seen you. You and you're little psycho bitch of a girlfriend." Buffy cast an alert gaze around the otherwise empty graveyard. "Where is Drusilla anyway?"

Spike tensed again at the mention of his Black Goddess. "She's gone."

It was stated so matter-of-factly that Buffy almost missed it. "Gone? What do you mean gone? Cause if you mean mentally, newsflash, Billy Idol, she's been gone a LONG time."

Spike growled low in his throat, and Buffy saw the flickerings of his vamp face as he fought to keep control. "No, pet, I mean GONE. G-O-N-E. As in she left me."

The danger at hand forgotten for the moment, Buffy straightened. "Left you? What on earth for?"

Spike sat heavily on a nearby tombstone. "My precious Angel," he said, perfectly mimicking Drusilla's whine. "Why has Spikey taken away my daddy? I want to go back! I want my Angel!" He broke off suddenly, and Buffy realized to her horror that he was crying.

"She ran off," he sobbed. "I tried to stop her, but she just flew out the door. It was just before sunset. I watched her......." He couldn't finish, and Buffy watched as his sobbing doubled in intensity.

It was rather an uncomfortable situation, her the slayer and he the vampire, as she stood there and watched him wallow in misery. //What the HELL am I supposed to do now?// she wondered, thoroughly discomfited.

Finally, moving slowly, she edged up to the weeping vampire and laid a hand on his shoulder. "There, there," she said awkwardly.

He looked up at her, and she saw the blood red lines where his tears had streaked his cheeks. "Over a century, Slayer. Over a century I cared for her. I kept her safe when no one else would. And this is how she repays me. She leaves me." He lowered his head again, burying his face in his hands. "That bitch."

Buffy didn't know why, but for some reason, seeing Spike so emotionally out of control as this angered her. He had always been so strong, such a worthy opponent; she hated to admit it, but she actually ENJOYED fighting him. //And the fact that he's actually kinda babelicious doesn't hurt. What the hell am I thinking?// She shook the thought out of her head and forced his head up so that he was looking at her.

"Stop crying, Spike. The look doesn't suit you. And with the way you dress," she said, eyeing him up and down, "you need all the help you can get."

Spike's eyes clouded in confusion. "Wha-?"

But Buffy cut him off. "I thought you were a tough guy. A real bad ass vampire. But you sit here and cry. Over what? Over a psycho chic who wouldn't be able to tell you how many eggs were in a dozen if you had the answer pasted to your forehead!"

Spike stood, and she saw he was wearing his game face. "Are you calling me weak?" he demanded.

"No, Spike," she replied, "I'm calling you a sissy."

He roared and lunged for her. She ducked in time and delivered a kick to his midsection. He doubled over in pain and she went to give him a swift jab with her elbow when he whirled around and grabbed her wrist, twisting it so that it was behind her back. His other hand twined in her hair, and he yanked her head back painfully.

His face was close to her's now, his body pressed against her's. //Nice toning.// she thought absently, immediately followed by, //What the hell am I thinking? He's gonna kill me, and I'm impressed by his abs?// But she let none of her fear show as she stared up at him, eyes defiant. Instead, she said, "Well, Spike, aren't you going to do it?"

The blonde vampire gazed down at her, and slowly his vamp face melted away. He smirked. "No, luv, I'm not done with you yet." Buffy felt her heart rate start to slow, but only a tad.

//Not done with me yet?// "So, what do you have planned, Spikey."

He pressed her back, slowly moving her towards the mausoleum he had been leaning against earlier. Never did his eyes leave hers, brown focused on green. And she could not tear her gaze from his. Little as she wanted to admit it, this was turning her on. //Get off it, girl. This is seriously not good.//

But then her back was pressed up against the wall of the mausoleum, and Spike was leaning in towards her, saying, "I'm going to show you that I'm not a sissy." And with that, he kissed her.

A long, hard, passionate kiss. Something girls wrote about in their diaries. Something Rhett and Scarlet would have envied. Buffy fought against it at first, but then the sheer eroticism of it, of his cold lips plundering her warm ones, was too much, and she returned the pressure.

It lasted a long time, and when they separated, both were gasping, Buffy from the necessity, Spike because he just wanted to.

The petite blonde looked up at the vampire who held her against the stone wall of the mausoleum. //Man, he looks sexy!// She didn't bother to scold herself this time. "Is that all?" she asked, surprised at the innuendo in her own voice.

Spike's hands released their grip on her, but Buffy did not relax her muscles. Anything could happen now. But somehow, she didn't think she would mind the consequences.

"Oh no, pet," Spike almost purred, cupping her cheek with one slender-fingered hand. "The fun is only beginning."

With a deft move that she hadn't seen coming, Spike had Buffy up and thrown over his shoulder, carrying her towards the entrance to the mausoleum.

"Hey!" Buffy called in frustration, pounding on his back. "Put me down!"

She continued her assault on him, but he didn't set her down until they were in the crypt. Then, moving quickly, he threw her down on the stone slab of the tomb and pinned her arms down with his hands. "Fight all you want, luv. But didn't your Watcher ever tell you that violence just makes a vampire more horny?"

Buffy gazed up at him with understanding dawning in her eyes. "So that's what you want, huh? A quick lay with the girl who laid the guy that laid your former love bunny?" The noticeable hurt in his eyes at her comment was enough to make her believe he had a soul, enough to make her want to bite back her words.

Spike's grip tightened on her wrists. "You are going to pay for that, Slayer," he hissed, and, leaning down, laved her neck with his tongue.

Buffy grimaced. "Ewwwww!" she sputtered, but was surprised at the lack of vehemence in her own voice. Surely this should have been less..... pleasant?

Spike looked down at her. "What, ducks, Angelus never did that to you?" At her lack of response, he just grinned. "Well, well. Guess that one night stand he was always bragging about wasn't as memorable as he always made it out to be." He leaned in again, and this time his lips brushed hers as he spoke. "Well, there are a lot of things he didn't do, luv, and I'm going to do them all to you tonight."

He kissed her again, forcing his tongue between her lips. She felt the silky pressures of it as he explored the contours of her mouth. She tried to fight him off, but it was useless. His position was too good; she couldn't move. //And this isn't really too bad, actually// she thought, fighting back the scolding side of her brain. //In fact, a girl could grow to like this.//

No one could have been more surprised than the unlikely couple in the mausoleum when Buffy's tongue slid into Spike's mouth.

She felt him tense above her, then he renewed his own explorations with double the force. Not one to be outdone, Buffy did the same.

Finally, they parted.

"Well, well," Spike drawled. "It seems the Slayer knows more things to do with her mouth than shoot it off."

Buffy grinned up at him. "Hey, what can I say. You're not so bad yourself."

He beamed at the compliment.

"Now, are we going to get on with this shebang, or are we going to stay like this all night?"

Spike's smile widened. "Well if it's a she-BANG you want, ducks, it's a she-BANG you'll get." He started to loosen his grip on her wrists, then paused. "If I let you go, are you going to go darting off like some wily little fox? I only ask because you've got me so horny right now, I'd have to kill you if you did."

Buffy gazed up at him. The thought of running off when he released her had crossed her mind, but part of her had quashed it right away. The part of her that wanted to feel him. "I won't," she said in a husky voice.

Spike looked at her for a moment, hard, as though assessing her trustworthiness. Finally, his grip loosened. "I think I believe you," he said.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her legs dangled over the end of the stone slab, and sitting as she was, Buffy was pretty much eye to eye with the platinum blonde vampire. "So, let's get the show started," she prompted, amazed at her own lack of modesty.

He grinned, and without further ado pulled off his shirt. Moonlight filtered through high windows in the crypt, and it reflected off his alabaster skin. Unable to resist, Buffy reached out and ran a hand up the unnaturally cool flesh, leaving fiery trails behind.

Spike growled with pleasure, and Buffy looked at him, glad to see his eyes closed with the enjoyment of her touch. Leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to the hollow of his throat, her warm lips seeming to burn against his chill. He shuddered with pleasure, then tilted her chin up with surprising gentleness. She looked into his eyes.

"Let me do this," he whispered, and something in his eyes made her nod.

Buffy felt his hands, cool against her ever warming flesh. They played around the hem of her tank top, then, with deft fingers, he pulled it up. She raised her arms to allow him to slip it off over her head, then lowered them again, bringing her hands down on his shoulders.

Spike's eyes roved over her, and he raised an eyebrow in appreciation. All that covered her breasts at all now was a thin, white, lacy bra. "You sure know how to turn an undead bloodsucker on, don't you, luv?"

She just smiled at him.

With no further words, Spike leaned forward, touching his cool lips to the feverish skin of her neck. This, of all times, should have been when Buffy felt most afraid. But she felt nothing; nothing but burning desire. A tiny moan seeped past her lips, and she felt Spike smile against her skin.

"I can do more than this, pet, don't you worry," he murmured against her flesh, moving slowly down to her collarbone, flicking his tongue across the hollow at the base of her throat. Then he moved to her chest, before finally reaching her breasts. Slowly, he undid the forward clasp, letting the scrap of cloth fall to the floor. Gently, almost tenderly, he laved each nipple with his tongue.

Buffy gasped, and her hands went reflexively to the back of his head, pulling him closer. "Spike!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide from the unexpected pleasure.

He slowly pulled back, and looked into her wide, luminous eyes. "I told you I'd show you what Angelus neglected to," he whispered, slowly pushing her down against the stone slab, pushing her back a little so that her legs no longer dangled over the edge. Quickly, he hopped up beside her, his bare chest hovering near hers. Buffy's hands reflexively ran up his torso, coming to rest on his shoulders. She trusted him implicitely now, though she couldn't imagine why she would. There was just something in his eyes that told her he wouldn't hurt her.

//Still, girl, good to cover all the bases!// "You bite me," she warned, "I will chase you down with a very blunt stake and make sure you feel it as it goes in."

Spike grinned devilishly, then rolled so that he lay atop her. "I won't bite, luv," he chuckled, leaning down to nibble lightly on her earlobe.

Which was why she heard him when he whispered, "At least, not hard."

But Buffy didn't say anything. She was too fired up from the all consuming feel of his hands on her. //He's so cold. So cold.// She ran her own hands up his back, feeling the warmth being pulled from her to be sucked down into his icy flesh. He moaned with pleasure and began dropping kisses down her neck and chest again, stopping once more at her breasts, only this time, he gently pulled one into his mouth and suckled it.

Buffy sucked in a breath, and felt herself arch against his pale body. Still he took deep pulls on her nipple, and she felt sure that she was somewhere she'd never expected to see a vampire.

She was sure she was in Heaven.

Eventually, his mouth moved away, and he began trailing kisses down her belly. She silently thanked everything she held dear that he had left off when he did; she was scared at how her body reacted to his touch. Buffy could feel the wetness between her thighs already, and had he continued for much longer, she was almost positive that she would have orgasmed right then and there.

His mouth was approaching the top of her short leather mini-skirt, and he paused, looking up at her. "May I?"

Buffy gazed back down at him. "If you don't, I'll kill you."

"Reason enough for me," he grinned. He sat up for a moment, quickly unzipping the zipper on the side of the skirt. Then, hooking his fingers into the top of the skirt, he pulled, peeling the leather away from her flesh. Buffy raised her hips enough for him to be able to pull the material from her and watched as he tossed it aside.

Spike looked down at her white bikini underwear and tsked lightly. "Looks lovely, pet, but it will have to go."

Buffy sat up then, slowly, taking her time. Her breath was still coming in short pants from his time at her breast. "Well, go ahead." She knelt before him, hands resting on his shoulders, eyes looking down into his with blatant desire.

Spike slowly pulled himself up onto his knees in front of her, his gaze never leaving hers. "Never argue with a hot and wet slayer, that's my motto," he said.

"Good advice."

He didn't respond, merely lowered his head to press his lips against hers. She met him halfway, pulling him closer so that their bare chests molded together.

Spike let his hands roam down the creamy flesh of her back, teasing along the line of her panties. Buffy grunted with need and gripped his wrists, forcing his fingers into her panties, then guiding them down so that the thin cotton slipped down her legs, pooling at her knees.

"Easy, Slayer," he murmured into her hair. "We got all night."

"I don't care," she moaned, and forced her lips onto his again. Her fingers slid down his chest, finding his belt buckle and undoing it with surprising speed.

She had unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped the fly before Spike grabbed her hands and pulled them up to his chest. Buffy brought passion-filled eyes up to meet his dark gaze.

"No, Slayer," he said softly. "Slow. Like this." Still holding her hands, he slid them down his torso, hooking her fingers into the waist of his jeans and helping her slide the pants down his legs.

He shifted position long enough to kick off the black jeans, then knelt before her again. "And like this," he murmured against her ear, sliding his hardness between her legs.

Buffy gasped. The feel of him, of his cool length nestled along her feverish folds was maddening. She tried to grab his face, to pull it down to her own, but he stopped her.

"Uh, uh, no, Slayer. This is MY demonstration, remember?" She nodded, and he released her wrists. Slowly, oh so slowly, he trailed his fingers down her body, from cheekbone to clavicle, from breast to belly, then lower. His hand left an icy trail on her burning skin, but she forced herself to remain still, letting him touch her.

But when his fingers found her swollen center, she gasped, stiffening, and grabbed him, as much to steady herself as anything.

Buffy heard him chuckle at her reaction. "Like that do we, Slayer? More where that came from." Then he was rubbing her, his finger making quick circles around her clit, and she was gasping, her vision blurring from the exquisite sensations that were raging through her.

Spike's cool fingers explored her, rubbing her, pinching her lightly, making her gasp and moan. So it was to be slow torture. "Oh, please, Spike," she begged, "please. I need.....need....something......" Her back arched again, and her eyes fluttered closed as his hand brought her ever closer to the brink.

"Look at me, luv."

Buffy forced herself to open her eyes and look at the blonde vampire. She was surprised to see that he seemed almost as turned on as she was. "I want to see you come for me," he murmured.

"I will, just, please, oh Spike, please, I need....." But she couldn't talk. //Oh, now, PLEASE!// she begged silently.

His eyes softened slightly, and without a word, he leaned forward, placing a featherlight kiss on her lips even as he plunged his fingers inside her, rubbing his thumb once more over her clit.

"SPIKE!" she screamed, pulling back from him, rearing up even farther on her knees, arching her back, digging her fingernails into his shoulders.

The shudders tore through her body, bringing waves of unbelievable pleasure with them. Her muscles failed her, and she collapsed forward against his chest, panting. Buffy could feel his fingers still buried within her, and she maneuvered her lower body a little so that he sank a little further into her. She moaned with renewed pleasure.

"Th-that was....." she couldn't finish.

"Wow," Spike concluded for her.

She giggled against his chest, feeling the cool wash of her own breath as it blew over their sweat-skimmed bodies.

Something hard pressed against her leg, and she realized that it hadn't been a mutual orgasm. She forced her face up, and looked into his face. She could see the restraint he was practicing; it was evident in his dark eyes.

Buffy reached up and stroked his cheek, hearing a low, guttural growl come from his throat as his eyes drifted closed. Slowly, forcing her ultra relaxed muscles to work, she pushed herself up his body, silky skin caressing alabaster flesh. Finally, she found herself eye to eye with the vampire. "Spike?" she whispered huskily.

His eyes drifted open. "Yeah, Slayer?"

She lowered her lips to his, kissing him so tenderly that she felt tremors run through his body. Pulling back, she murmured, "Make love to me."

Not screw me. Not fuck me.

Make love to me.

Spike watched her, and Buffy felt her body begin to melt under that gaze. Then, moving as though through water, he began to lower her down to the cold stone slab beneath them. She sucked in a breath as the cool stone touched her hot flesh.

"Are you OK?" Spike asked, and Buffy was surprised at the concern in his voice.

She gazed up at him, and smiled. "Cold," she murmured.

He grinned. "I can warm you up again, luv." Then his lips were on hers again.

She groaned with loss as she felt him withdraw his fingers from her sheath. "No-" she choked out against his lips, her hands reflexively going to his, trying to keep him buried within her.

Spike chuckled. "Don't worry, pet. You shan't be empty for long." Buffy looked at him, insecurity in her gaze.

Until she felt him slip inside her.

All else disappeared.

//Cold. So cold. Moving. So slick. So slow....//

In. Out. In. Out. As slow and steady as breathing. Buffy felt her body building ever closer to climax. She forced herself to watch him.

Spike's eyes were closed, his face set with concentration as he moved within her. //He's so beautiful.// she thought dazedly through a haze of passion.

His pace began to quicken, and Buffy felt her hips move with him. "Spike," she whispered quietly.

"Luv?" he could barely talk, and she saw the wonder on his face as his lower body rocked with hers.

"Say my name." Buffy didn't know why, but above all else, that simple thing was what she wanted more than anything. To hear him speak her name, here, in the throes of passion.

His eyes opened, and she nearly gasped at the emotion that roiled within them. "Your name?"

She nodded. With each thrust, she drew closer to orgasm, and speech was beyond her now.

He said nothing for a moment, and she felt her muscles beginning to tighten around his shaft. "Please, Spike," she moaned with the last of her willpower.

"Buffy."

It was whispered. So low, she almost couldn't hear it. But then he repeated it. "Buffy." Louder now. His thrusts quickened even more. The edge was in sight now.

"My Buffy," he moaned

She flew over the cliff, spiralling up and up toward something so bright and so beautiful she couldn't describe it. She felt him stiffen against her, felt his shuddering cry as his release came, felt him come down to rest upon her, his weight a sweet burden to her.

They lay like that for a long time, neither moving, breathing in shallow gasps.

Finally, Spike rolled off her. Buffy didn't want to lose the feel of his flesh against her's, so she rolled with him so they lay on their sides, chest to chest, her face buried beneath his chin.

"Thank you," she managed to gasp out.

"My pleasure."

His arms were looped around her waist, and his hands were gently stroking her back. Buffy'd never felt so comfortable, so safe before in her life. Even that one night she had shared with Angel could not compare to this. She pressed herself against Spike a little tighter, raising her head so that she could look straight at him.

Their eyes locked and they stayed that way for a long moment. Then, not knowing why, Buffy slid a hand up his side then onto her own neck. She moved the hair aside and bared her neck to him.

Spike's eyes latched hungrily on her pulse point. "Buffy?"

She felt a shudder of pleasure go through her as he said her name. "You gave me what I wanted," she murmured, "now I'll give you what you want."

His eyes came back to meet hers. "Buffy," he said, "I don't know if I could stop. I might suck you dry. I-I don't want-"

But she cut him off, laying a slim finger across his lips. "I trust you," she whispered.

He gazed back at her for a moment, then his eyes moved down to her neck. He moved even closer to her, bringing his lips down to the junction of her neck and shoulder. She felt his lips gently touch the spot, and she moaned with pleasure. Then, he bit.

She had expected a sharp pain, but all she felt was a sting, then.....bliss.

Her body seemed to be soaring. Buffy felt herself flexing against him, almost mimicking her movements from when they had made love shortly before. His body tensed and untensed as he sucked lightly on her neck- not drawing deeply, but enough to taste her. The pleasure of the experience was intense. She couldn't even see anymore. Bliss ran through her body as he drew from her.

Suddenly, he took one long pull on her neck, and she felt her body shudder with a totally unexpected orgasm. She cried out with the wonder of the feeling.

Spike gently withdrew his teeth from her neck, tenderly passing his tongue over the bite mark. Buffy forced her eyes to open and look at him. He was gazing back at her with gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you," he murmured.

"My pleasure," she echoed his earlier statement.

He grinned. "You're not going to chase me down with a very blunt stake now, are you?"

She smiled back. "Not this time."

"So there will be a next time?"

"If there's not, I'll kill you."

"Reason enough for me."

"Shut up and kiss me."

And there was no more talking for a long time.

*****

THE NEXT DAY

Willow looked at Buffy with ill hidden curiosity. "Buffy," she asked quietly, "why are you smiling like that?"

The Slayer looked at her friend, beaming. "Am I smiling?" She raised a hand to her lips, and grinned even broader. "Oh, gee, guess I am."

Willow jabbed the blonde girl with her elbow. "Come on. Why?"

Buffy looked around at the other teenagers milling around the cafeteria. Grabbing Willow's hand, she tugged the girl towards the girl's room. "I'll tell you in here."

"It's that secret?"

Buffy just looked at her friend and raised her eyebrow in an "oh yeah" look.

The door slid closed behind them.

There was silence.

Then a resounding, "You did WHAT?!" rang through the cafeteria.

A figure standing in the nearby corridor smiled, and slipped away unseen. "So it begins," he murmured softly.

The end

(or is it........)