Part One
Buffy slowly struggled to consciousness, her whole body
protesting at the thought of coming back from oblivion. She tried
to move her hands, but found they were tied behind her. *Ut-oh,
not good,* she thought, prying her heavy eyes open. She saw wood
in front of her nose. Carefully, she turned her head. More wood
to the left. More wood to the right. More wood with holes in the
top. *Im in a crate. Why am I in a crate?*
Working on the rope that held her wrists behind her back, she
concentrated on the noises she heard outside of the crate. She
didnt recognize any of them. "Giles is so gonna kill
me," she moaned. "He told me to wait, but did I listen?
Nooo. Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
There had been a new character in town who had been following
her for the previous few weeks. Human, as far as she could tell,
but always there, always watching. It had wigged her out, big
time. So, one night she followed him instead, against Giles
better judgement, and ended up getting stuck in the arm with a
very long needle. And here she was. In a crate. Somewhere.
With one more yank, her wrists came apart, the broken rope
dropping uselessly to the wooden floor. Buffy put her eye to one
of the air holes and saw trees. A lot of trees. Not being able to
deduce where she was from inside the box, she pushed up, the lid
coming off with ease.
"I dont think were in Kansas any more,
Toto," she said out loud, looking around her. Everywhere
there were trees and plants and greenery. The sun barely pierced
through the canopy, bathing the area in shadows. The only thing
out of place was another crate sitting next to hers with a large,
white envelope duct taped to the top. Pushing herself up to the
lip of the crate, she scrambled over and sat on the top of the
other, removing the envelope from its confines. It had Slayer
written on it.
Looking around her once again, she opened it and took out a
type written letter. "Slayer," she read to herself.
"Welcome to the Jungle, weve got fun and games,
weve got everything you want and we know your name
I
want to watch you bleed. Come on, I want to hear you
scream."
She frowned. This was not a friendly letter she was reading.
"Welcome to the Jungle, Slayer. This is a game where we
shall see if you can survive. The object of the game is to make
it alive to the finish line. Other players are on the
island
and yes, this is an island, oceans on all
sides
who are competing against you and your partner. And
what better partner for the best Slayer than the best Vampire?
Unless you kill each other, first. Good luck! And remember - the
first to arrive will stay alive."
Folding the letter carefully, Buffy started off into the
trees, wondering when her life turned into a movie. She took a
deep breath and sighed, then knocked on the crate. "Hello?
Mr. Vampire? Anyone home?" She didnt receive any
response. "Great. If I wait until dark to see whos
behind door number one, Ill probably get a permanent case
of death."
Thinking rapidly, she hopped off the crate and sent a well
placed kick at the one shed been transported in. The wooden
side fell off as expected, creating a large plank. She lifted it
up and placed it on top of the other crate, creating a
sun-awning. Looking around, she found a few heavy rocks to lay on
top to hold it in place. "Time to see whos home,"
she muttered, squatting under the make-shift shade.
She carefully examined the wall of the crate, noting the
position of the nails. Relieved that she did it correctly the
first time, she reached out and grasped both edges of the wall
and pulled. The nails groaned as they came out of the wood. Using
her head as a prop so the wooden awning wouldnt fall, she
lowered the wall of the crate towards her, scooting backwards as
it descended. As soon as she could, she dropped it, then steadied
the one on her head. When she was certain it wasnt going to
fall, she looked into the dark interior of the crate.
"Hello?"
No answer.
Buffy blew at an errant piece of hair that fell into her face,
then crawled forward, her senses on the alert for an attack. She
could make out a figure curled into a ball on the floor of the
crate, facing away from her. "Hello? Anyone alive
er,
undead?" She tentatively reached a hand out and shook the
vampire lightly, then with more force until he flopped partly
onto his back, head lolling towards her.
She let out an agonized groan when she recognized the vampire
unconscious before her. "What did I ever do to deserve this,
huh?" Buffy asked to the world. "I mean, Im
good
most of the time. I do my homework when I can. I slay.
I help little old ladies cross the street." She looked down
at him, again, then sighed. "Why does it have to be
Spike?"
*****
Buffy shivered as night descended on the island. She had
managed to scrounge around for what she hoped was non-poisonous
food, finding exotic fruit hanging from some trees. No water,
though. Earlier, she had moved the crate she came in opposite
Spikes, the wooden plank held up between them, as well as
dug small fire pit which glowed from the flames shed
created using the lighter he had in his pocket. He still
hadnt come to, and she was getting worried. Not that she
would admit it.
Arms hugged around her knees, she sat in the back of her
crate, listening to the noises of the jungle-like area
surrounding her. She thought she recognized a few birds and once
a loud roar of a wild cat, but most were unfamiliar for someone
who grew up in Los Angeles. Granted, she could probably hold her
own against the smaller predators, but she was wary about the
larger ones, especially the unconscious vampire less than ten
feet from her.
She shivered again, then eyed Spike lying in the other crate.
Or more specifically, eyed his leather duster. "He
doesnt need it," she said, crawling across the dirt
between the two crates. "Vampires dont feel cold,
whereas Buffy does."
Carefully, so as not to jar him or knock him any further into
oblivion, she pushed him back onto his side, tugging the coat
down his left arm and bunching it as far as she could under him.
Another shiver ran through her body, and she hurried, sliding him
partially on her lap so as to get the leather off his other arm.
With a happy sigh, she slid the long coat over her arms,
feeling the warmth and softness of the old leather, loving the
smell of it. "Much better," she murmured, looking down
at the vampire whos body was covering her crossed legs.
"Are you ever going to wake up?"
As an answer, Spike moaned from somewhere deep in his chest.
Buffy jumped slightly, startled, jarring him with her legs. He
moaned again, bringing a hand up to press against his forehead.
"Bloody hell," he muttered, his eyes squeezed tightly
shut. She didnt move, her breathing and heartbeat becoming
more rapid as she waited for him to open his eyes and see her.
And hopefully not kill her.
Spike felt like the inside of his skull was going to split in
two as he swam back from the darkness. He forced himself to try
and concentrate on the world around him. He heard the sounds of
night along with other, unfamiliar animal sounds. He also heard a
heartbeat. A rather close heartbeat.
Wondering if Drusilla left him another one of her gifts that
he always ignored, he opened his eyes. And immediately closed
them again. "Please tell me Im having a bloody
nightmare," he said out loud.
"Nope," Buffy answered, to his dismay. "Sucks,
huh?"
He took a deep, un-needed breath and sighed, opening his eyes
once again to see her peering at him, upside down. "Any
particular reason why Im laying here in your lap?"
"I was cold," she answered, as if that explained
everything. Which it did, once he noticed she was wearing his
duster. His favorite duster. The duster hed had for over
fifty years. His duster.
"Youre wearing my coat," he said angrily.
"Duh," she responded. "Its not like you
need it."
"But its my bloody coat," he ground
out, his head pounding as his teeth clenched.
"Dont worry, I wont hurt your precious
coat," Buffy said snidely, pushing him off her lap. He fell
back on the ground with a smack to his head. Tossing the envelope
at him, she crawled back into her make-shift shelter, hugging the
coat around her body. She was glad she decided to wear pants the
other night, rather than her usual Bronzing clothes.
Cursing, Spike rubbed his head again, trying to stop the
little men hammering it, then picked up the envelope she threw at
him. Opening the single sheet of paper, he quickly read it, then
swore again, this time with more detail on what he was going to
do to a certain blond Slayer as soon as his head stopped
pounding.
Buffy snorted as she listened to his tirade, fingering the
stake she had hidden in the waistband of her pants. She also had
five more stashed on her body, along with the gold cross she wore
around her neck. If push came to shove, shed fight him and,
hopefully, stake him. But shed had all afternoon to come to
the realization that if he was dust, shed be alone,
wherever it was that they were.
"Slayer?" Spike called to her, breaking into her
thoughts. She raised her head, meeting his gaze full on as he sat
across the dirt from her, leaning against the side of the crate.
"How long have I been out?"
She shrugged. "You were out when I opened the
crate."
"And how long ago was that?" he asked, exasperated.
"Since around three," she replied. "At least,
thats what my watch said. It could have been noon for all I
know."
His eyes narrowed, then he looked at the make-shift shelter,
realizing shed built it to block the suns rays.
Blocking them for him. "Are you saying that
youve had all bloody afternoon to kill me, and you
didnt?"
"Dumb, huh?" Buffy said, pushing her hands into her
borrowed coat pockets.
"Why?"
She shrugged again. "Maybe I figured wed had a
truce before, we can have one again, since it would be mutually
beneficial to both of us."
"Hows that?" Spike asked, actually curious as
to why she would believe he wouldnt kill her as soon as his
head stopped threatening to explode at the slightest movement.
"Look, they gave me a partner for whatever game this
is," she said sharply. "The best Slayer paired with the
best Vampire, though where they got that idea is beyond me."
"Funny, pet."
"Anyway, its obvious they wouldnt have teamed
me up with anyone unless this game was way harsh and they were
sick enough to want to give me a sporting chance," she said.
"Unless they wanted me to kill you," he added,
bringing his hands up to rub his temples. "Cor, what the
bloody hell did they do to me?"
"I got drugged," Buffy supplied. "My bet is you
did, too." Their eyes met again, and they both shuddered at
the thought of a drug powerful enough to effect, let alone knock
out, a vampire. She brought out the cigarettes and lighter she
replaced in his pocket and tossed them to him. They landed in the
dirt at his side with a soft plop.
"Thanks," he murmured, extracting a cigarette and
lighting it. He inhaled the smoke into his dead lungs, glad for
the feeling of something to do with himself as he thought about
what she said. Thats the main reason he smoked to begin
with, to busy his hands, the action bringing him some sense of
calmness so he could think. Hed picked up a shrink one time
that told him he exhibited classic signs of Attention Deficit
Disorder and hyperactivity before he killed her. Curious as to
what that meant, hed taken the time to read up on it,
finding it fit him to a T and gave some ideas how to control
himself even more than taking care of Drusilla had given him.
But now he no longer took care of his Black Queen, and all his
excess energy had no escape. His minions could attest to that,
once they were able to speak again. Or any of the Brazilian night
clubs he visited where he tried to lose himself to the hard
music, feeding off the patrons, sometimes getting high from the
drugs they had taken. Or any of his victims which he singled out
for a long hunt, scaring him into running, then chasing him down
like a fox does a rabbit. It was always a male, never a female,
and he had to have done some crime that went against Spikes
sense of immorality, which was extremely hard to do, but
thats what made the hunt exhilarating.
Thinking about the hunt caused his blood lust to flare, and he
closed his eyes to let his other senses take over, seeking
nourishment. He could hear the Slayers heartbeat and
breathing as if she was less than an inch from him, the thick
blood rushing through her veins. Forcefully, he pushed his senses
beyond her tantalizing body and out into the jungle which he
found himself in. There, about fifty feet away, another life was
stalking quietly towards them.
Buffy watched him as he smoked, not breaking the silence
between them. His eyes closed and he sat still as death, the
cigarette burned down to the filter. She tensed as his game face
appeared and he opened his yellow eyes to stare at her. *This is
it,* she thought, making sure the stake was free of her
waistband. But he did not attack her. Instead, she watched as he
moved in a slow, fluid motion, almost rolling to a crouch and
peering out into the darkness. Thats when she realized she
was seeing a predator. A predator on the scent of his prey.
He moved so suddenly it was almost as if he was never there,
and she heard the sounds of two creatures fighting for supremacy,
for the right to survive. Then silence.
Buffy let out a shriek when Spikes head popped around
the corner of the crate, and he laughed at her. "Startled,
pet?" he asked, settling back down on the ground on her side
of the fire pit.
"Dont do that!" Buffy snapped.
"Theres all sorts of big bad things out there that
could kill me."
"And Im not one of them?" Spike said, arching
an eyebrow at her.
She scowled at him, then thumped her head against the back of
the crate. "Why me?"
"Got me, luv," he replied to her rhetorical
question. He reached out and snatched the letter from where he
dropped it on the ground, re-reading it slower this time.
"Welcome to the Jungle
Guns N Roses," he
muttered.
"What?" Buffy said, confused and wary of him.
"The first paragraph is from the song Welcome to the
Jungle, by Guns N Roses," he told her. At her blank
look, he explained further. "You know - Sweet Child of Mine,
Dont Cry, Sympathy for the Devil?"
"Oh! Is that the one that goes Please to meet you,
wont you guess my name from the Interview with the
Vampire soundtrack?"
His lips curled up in a smirk when he heard the movie title.
"Yes, pet, thats the one," he answered.
"Stupid movie, great soundtrack," she said.
"Although that whole adult stuck in a childs body
thing with Claudia was really well done. God, that must have been
terrible."
"Thats why we dont make vampires out of
children," Spike told her. "They have a tendency to
turn on their masters."
"I know I would," she replied offhandedly. Then she
cocked her head, realizing that she wasnt dead. "I
take it we have that truce?"
"For now," Spike said, giving her an evil grin. She
rolled her eyes, making him chuckle, then went back to the
letter. "I wonder where this finish line is?"
"I think thats the whole point of this stupid
game," she said. "To find it first."
He gave her a look, then continued. "I know that, Slayer.
I was thinking out loud."
"Sorry," she replied, clearly not apologetic. She
laid down and curled into a ball beneath the long, leather coat,
resting her head on an extended arm. She went to say something
else, but yawned instead.
"Tired?"
"Yeah," Buffy answered. "I went exploring
earlier today. Found food, but no water or other shelter from the
sun."
He nodded. "Get some sleep." At her wary look, he
sighed. "Im not going to eat you, Slayer. Truce,
remember?"
"How do I know I can believe you?"
"You dont," Spike replied. "Youre
just going to have to trust me to keep my word."
"Like you did when you came back to Sunnydale?"
Buffy said with fake sweetness.
"Hey, you said to leave, you didnt say I
couldnt come back," Spike said.
Giving him one final inspection, she nodded and closed her
eyes, knowing that she wouldnt sleep anyway. But the days
events and the drug belayed her thoughts, and she slipped into
sleep.
When Spike heard her breathing change, he stood and walked
away from the low fire shed built, allowing his human mask
to slip away so he could see better in the darkness. It was time
for him to go exploring himself.
*****
Buffy awoke a few hours later to the delicious smell of
cooking meat. Opening her eyes, she saw Spike sitting on the
opposite side of the fire, working with something in his hands.
Stretching, she sat up and was about to speak when her stomach
let out a loud growl.
"Hungry, pet?" Spike asked with a chuckle, looking
up from what he was doing. "Theres some meat on those
sticks there."
Without a word, she scooted forward and picked up one of those
sticks, sinking her teeth into the juicy meat. Much better than
the fruit. "Mmmm," she hummed, licking her lips before
taking another bite.
Spike slammed his mouth closed with a loud clack when he
realized he was staring at her lips, his movements becoming
jerky. *Bloody hell, Ive havent had a woman in way
too long,* he thought angrily.
"What are you doing?" Buffy asked between bites.
"Processing the wild boar," he answered.
"Huh?"
"Cleaning off the bloody bones and skin so we can use
them, Slayer," he snapped.
"Cranky much?" Buffy said. His head shot up and he
shot her a murderous glare. "Jeez, sorry."
Spike rubbed his forearm across his brow in a gesture of
frustration. "No, Im sorry, pet. There are a million
things Id rather be doing right now than sitting here in a
jungle."
"With me," she finished, setting the now empty stick
down.
"Now, Slayer
"
"Well, ditto," she interrupted, climbing to her
feet, his long duster swirling around her as she stomped off.
"Great going, mate," Spike said to himself.
"Get her brassed at you so shell leave and youll
be stuck here, alone." He had spent the past few hours
thinking as he explored the surrounding area, thinking that it
was about time someone acknowledged he was the best vampire
around, thinking about how he could have possibly got to wherever
here was, thinking about the blond Slayer that had been the bane
of his existence, thinking about how she stole his duster.
He finally decided that it would be better if they worked
together, rather than him killing her, and had spent the
remainder of the time stripping the wild boar hed fed on,
waiting for her to wake up. And what did he do when she did?
Chased her off. With his coat.
"Listen, you bleached bloodsucker," Buffys
voice shot out at him from the darkness surrounding their little
camp. "Do you really think I want to be here? Do you really
think I chose to get drugged, tied up, shipped off to god knows
where in a crate to participate in some stupid game?" He saw
her come into the light, the flames creating highlights and
shadows on her features. "Now, Id rather have your
help than to be stuck out here all alone, but if you want to
fight, then well fight."
Buffy stared down at him, her whole body tense, waiting for
his answer. There had never been anyone who could piss her off as
much as he did. Not even Xander on his Angel bashing days.
Spike, on the other hand, was anything but tense as he stared
back at her. All he could think of was how strong and powerful
she looked in the flickering light, much like the character in
his favorite comic book, with her wide stance, her fists
clenched, her angry glare, his coat moving slightly in the
breeze. All she needed was a wooden staff in her hands and he
would have sworn shed stepped right out of the pages.
"Are you going to answer me?"
He shook his head, startled. "Sorry
um, no. I
dont want to fight you," he managed to get out,
looking back down at the pelt in his hands. *Ive gone
completely daft,* he thought as she sighed.
"Good." Buffy sat down on the opposite side of the
fire, crossing her legs underneath her, the coat practically
swallowing her up. "Now that thats settled, lets
get down to business."
They decided, more out of necessity than want, to spend
another day where they were. Spike had found that the set up of
the crates was quite adequate to keep the suns harmful rays
from him, and he was able to stretch his legs out to sleep. Buffy
had drifted off about half an hour before he did, her entire body
buried beneath his duster. His last thought before he fell asleep
was that hed have to get that back from her when he woke
up.
"Damn," Buffy swore, climbing quickly to her feet as
the noise of running feet grew louder. She grabbed one of the
makeshift weapons Spike had created the night before, holding it
in the ready position as her eyes searched the fading day.
The animal was huge, gray with wicked looking horns. When it
saw her, it snorted loudly, pawing at the earth with its hooves.
She didnt know what it was, only that it was about to
charge at her. And at the temporary home.
With a sudden yell, Buffy ran to her left, pulling the animal
into a chase away from Spike and his shelter. She could hear it
clomping after her, its hooves undoubtedly kicking up clumps of
dirt in its wake. Low hanging branches scraped at her skin as she
ran further into the jungle, her enhanced speed keeping her well
ahead of it.
She never saw the root that tripped her, the incline she
rolled down, or the rock that smashed into her skull.
*****
Spike woke just as the sun went down, absently noting that the
fire had gone out. Pushing himself to a sitting position, he
looked over to where he expected Buffy to be, only to find her
gone. "Slayer?" he called out, moving from under the
wooden awning. He stood and turned in a complete circle, scanning
the trees for the missing girl. "Slayer, where are
you?"
Frowning, he extended his senses, hoping to hear the familiar
rhythm of her heartbeat that hed listened to the night
before as she slept. Nothing but the sounds of the animal life
seeking shelter from the predators of the darkness could he hear.
With a small growl of annoyance, he left the area for something
to eat.
Stealthily, he made his way into the jungle, his game face
prevalent as he sought out his prey. He smelled the blood first,
the tangy odor which was dried, but definitely human. Then, he
heard the heartbeat he had been searching for, low and steady as
if in sleep. Or unconsciousness. Picking up his pace, Spike
followed the invisible trail until he practically stumbled over
the Slayer, lying face down on the hard earth.
"Bloody hell," he swore as he knelt, carefully
turning her over. He noted the large gash in her head, the
unnatural pallor of her complexion in the moonlight.
"Slayer? Can you hear me?" She didnt answer, not
that he thought she would, and he scooped her up into his arms.
He tried to unsuccessfully climb back up the incline, but it was
too steep. With a growl and a curse, he turned in the opposite
direction and carried her off into the night.
*****
It was a stroke of luck, really, to have chosen the one way
that led to a stream, then a pool of water with an outcropping of
rocks with enough recesses to hide from the sun that was slowly
approaching. Spike gently laid Buffy down, then hurried back
outside, stripping off his red shirt and dunking it in the cool
water. He returned to the shaded area and carefully wiped the
dried blood away to find that the gash was pretty much gone.
The bloodlust swelled in him as he continued bathing the cuts
on her hands, but he ignored it with the centuries of practice
under his belt. When he finished, he went out to the pool to
rinse his shirt out, then laid it out to dry on a rock during the
coming day. Running a weary hand over his once more human
features, he sat down next to her to wait.
Of course, waiting had never been his strong suit. He tried to
smoke, but found after the first three the only thing it was
doing was running him out of cigarettes. He played with the
lighter for awhile until he burned his fingers, then started
throwing rocks out of the small cave like area at the pool, each
landing with a small plunk. Hed even sunk to counting the
number of ripples the stones made as they landed, but that only
lasted until one hundred. How he ever survived being stuck in a
wheelchair was beyond comprehension.
"Ow." He suddenly heard the moan coming from the
blond Slayer at the back of their hiding place. The sun had long
since crested the horizon as he scrambled to her.
"Slayer?"
Buffy forced her eyes open to see Spike peering down at her, a
worried expression on his face. "Did you get the number on
that cow?"
"What?" Spike asked, wondering if her knock on the
head caused brain damage.
"The cow thingy
oh, never mind," she sighed,
bringing a hands up to rub her temples as she looked around.
"This doesnt look like wood."
His lips quirked in a half grin. "Thats because
its not, pet. I couldnt get back up that bloody hill
you fell down."
Buffy pushed herself to a sitting position. "Well, next
time you get the big animal to chase you and fall down the bloody
hill," she said, mimicking his accent with the last words.
"Why did you go and do something like that?" Spike
said.
"Oh, I dont know. There was nothing on TV, so I
figured, hey, why not save Spikes worthless hide by luring
the big bad charging animal away," she replied
sarcastically.
Spike was both relieved and amazed at the same time. Relieved
that she wasnt hurt worse, amazed that shed put
herself in danger for him. "Thank you," he said
quietly.
"Youre
youre welcome," Buffy
replied, unsure of how to take his words. Shed never been
thanked for saving someones life before, especially not
when that someone was a vampire. Usually it was just stake and
poof, all part of her sacred duty.
He smiled at her. "Theres a pool down there,"
he said, gesturing outside. "I cant tell you if
its fresh or not, though."
"Really?" she said, hurrying past him on all fours.
She let out a whoop, then practically leapt down the rocks, the
leather coat billowing out behind her. He watched as she knelt
and scooped some water into her hands, tasting it cautiously,
then more greedily.
"I take it its fresh," he called down to her,
chuckling as she nodded enthusiastically, still drinking. He
settled himself down near the mouth of the enclosure and shut his
eyes, his body exhausted from the long night and partial day of
worrying about her.
When he opened his eyes again, the suns position in the
sky changed and was shining down on the pool of water.
Fascinated, he watched as the light caught the small ripples in
the pool, highlighting them with colors he hadnt seen in a
long time. The beauty of it could have stolen his breath away.
But what happened next, did.
Inhaling sharply, Spike gazed upon the water nymph that rose
up out of the water, sun glistening on the drops of moisture that
ran down her body. She raised her arms, brushing back her hair,
her heavy breasts lifting with the movement. His eyes trailed
down her flat stomach and over her curved hips which the water
caressed with small waves. She began to walk towards him, her
fingertips dragging along the surface, and his mouth became dry
as each step brought her closer to the shore, closer to him.
She turned suddenly, breaking his tantalizing view as she
hopped up backwards onto the rock that jutted out over the water.
She pushed herself to her feet, and he hissed through his teeth
as his hungry gaze roved over the strong lines of her back, the
curve of her buttocks, the muscles of her thighs and calves. She
bent and he almost died again right there as she picked up his
discarded red shirt and used it to dry herself. He had never
envied a piece of clothing before, but he did now.
Covering that beautiful body seemed blasphemous and he ached
to go out in the sun to take her in his arms and prevent her from
redressing. But, he couldnt, instead he sat there and
watched until she was fully clothed, then turned away with dark
thoughts and a throbbing erection under his black jeans.
*Shes the Slayer, mate. Dont even think about
going there,* he told himself as he heard her footsteps up the
rocks. *Even if shes the best looking creature youve
ever seen.*
Spike pretended to still be asleep when she entered the
shelter, hands in his lap to hide the obvious bulge. When
hed given her enough time to settle down, he faked waking
up. "Hello, pet."
"Hi," Buffy replied, running her fingers through her
wet hair. "Sleep good?"
"Like the dead," he quipped, earning a giggle from
her. "I take it you took a dip?"
"Yeah," she said. "It felt really good. After
the sun goes down, youll have to try it."
"Maybe I will," Spike replied, his eyes watching the
drops of water trail down the back of her hand onto her wrist and
under her sleeve. "Then we really should get started with
the plan."
"Right, the plan," she confirmed, tucking her wet
hair behind her ears. "Im figuring it doesnt
make a difference that were starting from here."
"Not at all, ducks," Spike said. "In fact, I
wouldnt mind if we stayed here for awhile." *So I can
see your gorgeous body again,* he added silently.
"Sounds good to me," Buffy agreed, laying down on
the rock floor, using his leather duster as a pillow. "Wake
me when its time to go."
*****
Spike was gone from the entryway when Buffy woke up.
Shivering, she slid his coat over his arms, then moved to the
mouth of their shelter, searching for him. She didnt have
to search far.
Moonlight glittered through the trees, bathing the pool in a
soft glow as she watched him emerge from the water, his alabaster
skin catching the light. Her eyes traveled down from his chiseled
face to his lean, muscular chest and stomach, and felt her toes
curl as the shadows made him more defined, more beautiful, like a
moving statue.
He stepped out of the water and she swallowed heavily, her
vaginal muscles clenching in excitement and arousal. She let her
gaze follow the planes of his body, the corded muscles in his
legs as he bent to retrieve his jeans before landing on the
forbidden. To her disappointment, he was soon redressed in his
pants and she scrambled back from the entrance, not wanting to
get caught blatantly ogling her mortal enemy.
Buffy heard him climbing back up the rocks and tensed, forcing
an
I-didnt-just-see-your-gorgeous-body-and-really-really-like-it
smile on her face. "Hey. Where did you run off to?"
"For a dip and a something to eat, luv," Spike
replied, running a hand through is short hair. Buffy watched as
the water ran down his hand and under the cuff of his red shirt
which had finally dried. "I have some fruit for you down by
the water."
"Thanks," she replied, willing her mind away from
her naughty thoughts. "I can eat and walk at the same
time."
"Shall we then?"
"Lets do it."
"Give it to me baby, uh-huh, uh-huh. Give it to me baby,
uh-huh, uh-huh," Buffy was singing as they traipsed through
the jungle in the dark. They went north, or at least what they
thought was north, on their first combined foray for the
mysterious finish line. The moon peering through the
thick canopy was the only light source, but both creatures of the
night - one out of necessity and one out of duty - had no trouble
making their way through the trees. "Give it to me baby,
uh-huh, uh-huh. Uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, cinco, seis."
"Slayer, what in the world are you singing?" Spike
asked, watching her dance as she walked in front of him.
"A song I heard on the radio the other day," she
replied with a little hop and a skip. "Its called
Pretty Fly for a White Guy by Offspring."
"And thats music?" he said sarcastically.
"Its better than whatever it is you listen
to," she replied. "Bach, Mozart, Chop-in."
"Its pronounced Sho-pan and thats
not what I listen to," he corrected. "I like the Sex
Pistols, Radiohead
"
"
Bands I never heard of," she finished. He
scowled at the back of her blond head. "How much more time
do we have before we gotta head back?"
"Another hour, at least," Spike replied to her
change of subject.
"I wish I knew what we were looking for," Buffy
said. "We could have passed it and not even known."
"I think itll be obvious when we find it,
pet," he said.
"You sound so confident that we will."
"Of course," he bragged. "Youre with the
best vampire."
Buffy snorted. "Can we say overblown ego?"
"Watch it, ducks," Spike warned. "I can still
kill you and take my duster back."
"Aww, is wittle Willy missing his coat?"
"Dont call me that," he growled at her.
"What? Little or Willie?" Her laughter rang out in
the night as he growled at her again, and unbeknownst to them
catching the attention of another team coming towards them from
the west.
"Bugger off," Spike said, pushing past her into the
lead.
She chuckled as she watched him stomp away. He looked
different without the leather, younger, less tough but still very
masculine. Deep in thought, she missed the branch that snagged
her hair, catching her off guard. "Ow," she gasped,
reaching up to free herself.
The two humans came out of the darkness, one tackling the
Slayer to the ground, ripping her hair from the branch. They both
fell hard and the wind was knocked out of her as his hands
reached for her throat.
Buffy swore and grabbed his wrists, pulling them away from her
neck and rolling so she was above him. She brought back her fist
to punch him when the second human grabbed it. Using her Slayer
strength, she yanked her arm forward, sending him flying past
her.
The one on the ground took that opportunity to deck her across
the jaw. Startled, she let go of his other wrist, and he pushed
her off of him. They both jumped to their feet, circling each
other. "Are you human?" Buffy asked as she ducked under
his kick.
"Im an ex-Seal," he ground out in answer,
lashing his foot out again. The second team member got up and was
making his way behind her.
"Great, human," Buffy muttered, her own kick landing
in his gut, sending him back several feet. The one behind her
wrapped his arms around hers and she sent her head back into his,
breaking his nose. She raised both arms quickly, escaping his
hold, then sent an elbow to his chest. He staggered back with the
strength of her blow.
The first one recovered and came running at her, sending them
both crashing against a tree. With a grunt, the ex-Seal grabbed
her hair and banged her head on the trunk. Buffy brought both
arms out to her sides, then rammed her fists into his sides as if
she were clapping. He yanked her head down by the hair, gasping
in pain, and drove his fist to her face.
The second human ducked in front of his team mate, wrapping
his arms around her legs so she couldnt more. She blocked
the next punch, but was having trouble keeping her balance as he
banged her head against the tree again. All she had to do was
grab the stake and plunge it into his neck, but that pesky
no killing humans rule prevented her from doing it.
But Spike could. With that thought, she took a deep breath and
screamed his name. "SPIKE!"
He appeared out of nowhere with a deadly growl, grabbing the
ex-Seals head and sinking his fangs into the neck. His gold
eyes met Buffys wide eyed hazel ones as he quickly drained
the man.
The one holding the Slayers legs got up and began to run
as Spike let the body fall to the ground. The vampire was on him
in a flash, knocking him to the ground and driving his canines
into his jugular.
Buffy was mortified at what hed done, at what she
allowed him to do. Without a word, she took off back towards the
pool, tears streaming down her face.
"Slayer!" Spike yelled, chasing after her. He
grabbed her arm and pulled her to a halt.
"How could you?" Buffy yelled at him.
"What did you bloody expect me to do?" he retorted,
human mask in place. "Im a vampire, remember?"
"And Im a vampire slayer," she spat back, a
stake appearing in her hand.
"If you really want a fight, Id be happy to give it
a go," he said. "But if you start something, youd
better be prepared to finish it."
Buffy seemed to deflate before his very eyes, her body
slumping, the stake falling uselessly to her side as her silent
tears turned to sobs. "Hey now," he said softly.
"It was kill or be killed, pet. This way at least I got a
free meal."
"Oh, that makes it all better," she sniffed.
"If they werent human, would you have killed
them?"
Buffy looked up at him with wide, sad eyes. "Yes,"
she whispered, her lip trembling again.
Without another thought, Spike pulled her into his arms,
stroking her hair as she cried on his chest. When she had calmed
down, he tilted her chin up to look in her eyes. "I think
weve gone far enough for tonight"
Buffy nodded, turned and began walking slowly back to their
camp. Upon arriving, she crawled into the crevice and
curled into a ball, staring at the rock wall.
Spike sighed as he stood in the entryway. "Well
head south tomorrow night, ok, pet?"
"Yeah," she answered solemnly.
Spikes temper flared and he angrily left the enclosure,
leaping from rock to rock around the small pool, climbing and
descending as he tried to cool off. He was mad at her for being
mad at him, for being mad at herself. Life was a survival game
and hed be damned again if he was going to go without a
fight.
Sick of climbing, he stripped off his clothes and went into
the water, diving under near the center to swim to the bottom.
Once there, he let himself drift, his body floating towards the
surface before kicking himself back down again.
He found her sitting next to his clothes when he broke the
surface, his long leather duster wrapped tightly around her bent
legs as she stared up in the sky. "Id forgotten how
beautiful the stars were," she said.
Spike stood in the water, the small waves lapping at his hips.
"That they are, luv."
When he didnt move, Buffy looked over at him and gave
him a quick smile. "I wont peek," she said, then
raised her gaze back to the night sky.
He chuckled, wading to the rock that stretched over the water.
He climbed up and slid on his black jeans, then sat next to her,
legs stretched out, arms propping him up as he raised his eyes to
the stars. They stayed like that in silence until dawn.
"I wonder how many other players are on the island,"
Buffy said as they headed south the following night.
"Two less than last night," Spike quipped, earning a
dirty look from the Slayer. He chuckled. "I dont know,
pet. Enough to make the game worthwhile, I suppose."
"Maybe well get lucky and not run into anyone
else."
"I highly doubt that, Slayer," her replied. "My
luck hasnt been the same since I met you."
"You make that sound like a bad thing," she said,
grinning at him.
"It is from where Im standing," he retorted.
"Wanna switch places, then?" Buffy joked.
"Funny, kitten. Very funny," Spike said.
"Although I would like my duster back."
"Tough," she said. "Im human, youre
not, so I get to wear it." He grumbled something obscene and
she giggled. "Stop being such a big baby. Its just a
coat."
"Just a coat!" Spike said incredulously.
"Ive worn that coat for over fifty year!"
"No wonder its so soft," she commented.
"What about he rest of your clothes? Have you worn those
same ones for fifty years, too?"
"I have not."
"Then why do I always see you in them?"
Spike scowled at her. "None of your bloody
business."
"Aw, come on. You can tell me," Buffy batted her
eyes at him.
"No."
"I guess Ill have to ask Drusilla then," she
said with a shrug.
"You stay away from her, Slayer," Spike ordered.
"Why? Afraid Ill dust her?"
"More like Im afraid shed kill you," he
mumbled under his breath in reply.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, Slayer. Just keep walking."
"Aye, aye, sir," she said, giving him a mock salute.
He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed dramatically.
"Why me?"
"Must be that luck of yours."
"Oh, piss off."
*****
They had gone as far as they could, not finding anything,
before having to turn back to get to the pool before dawn. Once
there, they crawled into the shaded area and fell into an
exhausted sleep.
Spikes yell woke her up and had her on her knees in a
second. Buffys eyes widened at the green, moss covered
thing that was pulling the vampire from the safety of the rocks
into the sun. He was trying frantically to find purchase on the
rock floor, to no avail.
Buffy launched herself at the thing without thought for her
own safety. They both fell, tumbling down the rocks as Spike shot
back into the shadows.
Never more glad that shed stolen his leather coat,
protecting her from scraping against the rocks, Buffy jumped to
her feet at the same time as the moss creature did. Round off,
back kick, punch, round kick, punch, her body flew into the
fighting patters, each hit sending the creature staggering from
the impact.
Then her foot fell in between the rocks and she went down,
hard.
Spike watched in petrified horror as she struggled to free
herself, the moss creature approaching. His body was coiled in
tension, wanting to go to her aid, but the deadly rays of the sun
prevented him form acting. He knew better than to shout out a
warning, any distraction could have her killed. "Slayer,
watch out," he shouted mentally to her.
As if she heard, Buffys arms shot out and grabbed the
creature by the legs, knocking him to the hard rocks. It
scrambled to its knees, hands aiming for her neck. She acted as
though she didnt see him, pretending to concentrate on
freeing herself until he was within reach. A second later, the
moss creature was dead, neck broken by her expert hands.
Spike nervously chewed on his thumbnail as he waited for Buffy
to untrap herself. He wanted to pace, but there wasnt
enough height to stand. When she finally crawled into the
shelter, he grabbed her into a tight embrace, allowing his
closely guarded feelings to surface.
"Spike, I need to breathe," Buffy said, breaking
into his panicked reassurance that the Slayer was alive and well.
He let go, backing up on his knees to put some distance
between them. "Sorry," he muttered, looking down a the
rock floor, his mind racing, trying to figure out his panic and
relief at the fact that she was alright. It shouldnt have
mattered what happened to her, but it did and Spike was at a loss
on how to explain his behavior or feelings.
Luckily, Buffy didnt seem to want an explanation. She
lowered herself to a sitting position and removed her gym shoe
and sock to examine her ankle. "Damn," she swore
softly.
Spike crawled over to her and lifted her foot onto his lap,
doing his own examination. "Looks like a sprain, luv,"
he said, gently running his fingers over the slowly swelling
flesh. "You should get it in the cool water."
"Nah, itll heal by tonight," Buffy told him.
"As long as I dont have to use it, that is." His
fingers continued to play lightly along her ankle and foot,
sending tendrils of pleasure up her leg. She licked her lips.
Spike groaned softly when he saw her pink tongue dart out to
moisten her lips. Carefully, he set her foot on the ground
between his legs, then went forward on his knees, cupping her
chin with one hand and bringing her his lips down on hers for a
kiss.
It was a soft kiss, tender and wary as first kisses tend to
be. Cool lips met warm, sending shivers through both of their
bodies, neither of them having done this simple act in too long
of a time.
Spike broke it first, pulling back slightly to look in her
eyes. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip, the black, chipped
nail polish in sharp contrast to the pink tinge of her mouth.
Without a word, he leaned forward again and placed a kiss on her
forehead, then moved so he was sitting next to her, his back
against the rock wall, his eyes closed, hands lying loosely at
his side.
Then he felt something he never expected in a million years -
Buffy climbing into his lap and initiating another kiss.
The kiss was passionate, but not less tender than the first
one as Spike brought his hand up under the coat and around her
waist. Her own hands were holding his face as she led their
tongues into an erotic dance. He let his fingers loose under her
shirt, tracing random patterns on her skin, making her tremble.
She was the one who shrugged the leather duster off of her
shoulders, then broke the kiss to remove her shirt and bra in one
quick movement. He inhaled sharply as his eyes caressed the same
skin hed seen a few days before bathed in the sunlight,
water running down her form. He ran his hands lightly up her
sides, then brought one around her neck to pull her into another
kiss.
Buffys own hands began to knead at his shoulders and
chest as he began kissing down her jaw, to her neck, his tongue
dipping into the hollow of her throat. She moaned quietly as he
moved lower, capturing first one breast, then the other between
his lips, licking and nipping at her tender skin, sending tremors
of excitement through her body. She rocked against him
unconsciously, feeling his arousal through his jeans.
Spike groaned when she rubbed against him, breaking off his
ministrations to look into her eyes. He saw desire burning behind
them, mimicking his own blue gaze and he quickly lifted her from
his lap, setting her aside so he could spread the leather coat
across the rock floor and remove his shirt and T-shirt.
Her lips quirked into a small smile and she scooted onto the
soft material, toeing off her other shoe and sock. With a
gentleness she didnt know he possessed, he laid down next
to her and ran one hand slowly down her body, from her throat to
her navel, his eyes never leaving hers. His hand dipped lower
under the waistband of her pants, caressing her abdomen before
finding the nest of curls that protected her womanhood.
She gasped when he touched her silken folds, her hips arching
instinctively into his hand. He gave her a tender smile, then
moved to remove her last vestiges of clothing. Returning to her
side, he let his eyes travel down her body the same way his hand
did moments before, burning her with anticipation. When he
brought his gaze back to her face, he bent his head and captured
her lips in another kiss, his hand once again brushing against
her curls.
His fingers danced over her most sensitive spot, causing her
to arch and writhe under his ministrations. He gently pushed
inside her with those same fingers, preparing her for him as his
thumb rubbed her into a frenzy. Soon, she crashed into an orgasm,
her muscles clenching against his fingers as she broke the kiss
with a long, pleasure filled cry.
Spike took off the remainder of his clothing as she calmed
down. When she opened her eyes, she saw him watching her, a
blazing inferno behind the blue orbs, the evidence of his need
pressed against her thigh. He was waiting for her, waiting for
the invitation into her arms, into her body. With a small smile,
she reached for him, wanting nothing more than to feel his touch,
feel his cool body filling her.
He positioned himself between her legs, the tip of his
erection seeking entry to her moist heat. Supporting his weight
on his forearms, he caught her lips up in a fiery kiss, then
thrust into her to the hilt. She moaned into his mouth as he let
her adjust to his size. When she started rubbing her hips against
his, begging for the friction, he began to move, falling into the
rhythm of the ages.
He shifted to bring one hand between them, fingering her
sensitive flesh until she burst into another orgasm, her screams
echoing off the rocks and out into the day. Spike thrust into her
three more times then climaxed, spilling his cold seed deep in
her womb as her name tumbled from his lips by her ear.
"Buffy!"
Sated, he lay on top of her, their bodies joined in the most
intimate way. Buffys fingers traced the muscles on his back
as her breathing calmed and her heartbeat slowed. She felt his
cool lips press against her neck under her earlobe in a brief
kiss, then he moved, turning them so she was in the crook of his
shoulder and she could see out of their safe haven into the
bright, sunny day. Content, she let her eyes shut and drifted off
into a dreamless sleep.
Buffy woke to find herself wrapped in Spikes leather
coat and him gone, the sun having said goodnight to the day.
Dressing quickly, she slid the soft material over her arms and
crawled out of the enclosure, her eyes searching for him. He was
sitting at the highest point on the rocks, facing away from her,
the cherry of his cigarette burning bright against the darkness
of the sky.
Spike could hear the woman of his thoughts climbing up the
rocks to join him. Hed woken up as the sun went down and
had left her to feed and gather some fruit. Hed also taken
care of the moss creatures body, leaving it for the other
predators to find. After he had finished, he climbed up the rocks
to think, his body calm for the first time in centuries. And he
knew it was because of her, the Slayer, his mortal enemy no more.
"Hi," Buffy greeted softly, not wanting to intrude
on the peacefulness of the night. She sat down next to him,
pulling the coat around her legs and looked out into the
distance. "Are we heading that way tonight?"
"Yes," Spike replied just as quiet. He stubbed out
his cigarette as he looked over at her, memorizing her moon lit
features. He turned back to the jungle, his hand falling over
hers, intertwining her fingers with his as they listened to the
night. "Come on, luv," he said, helping her to her
feet. The descended the other side of the rocks, hands still
linked, and continued on their quest for the illusive
finish line.
*****
"Spike," Buffy gasped, squeezing his hand as she
came to a halt. "Look." She raised her other hand to
point up the side of a cliff in the near distance.
Spike let his game face come forth and looked to where she
directed. Up on the top was what looked to be a small shack with
a bright orange wind sock flying on a pole next to it. "That
has to be it," he said, letting his features melt back to
human. "I doubt we could make it there tonight, pet."
She looked up into the starry heavens, then back at the shack.
"Youre right. Especially if we have to climb that
cliff. That looks like itll take most of the night in
itself." They turned together, heading back towards the
pool.
"We may have to do it in two nights," Spike said,
his mind running with possible scenarios. "Which would
require me being able to find some sort of shelter for the
day."
"Wouldnt want you to burn to a crisp now that
were so close to the end," Buffy responded, giving him
a smile.
"No, we wouldnt," he replied, returning the
smile. They walked the rest of the way back in silence, each
thinking of how close they were to the end, of how much neither
really wanted it to end. When they got back to the pool, their
eyes met and they came together with ferocity, their lips and
tongues dueling as they forced thoughts and emotions away,
replacing it with want, need and hunger.
Spike quickly shoved his coat off of her shoulders, lifting
her shirt and bra off in one fell swoop. Kneeling, he pushed down
her pants and panties, barely pausing to take off her shoes. He
stood and shed his own clothing until they were both naked, the
moonlight caressing their skin. He gave her a searing kiss, then
picked her up in his arms and carried her into the water where he
first saw her beautiful body rising up out of the water like a
mermaid.
Their coupling was quick and frenzied at first, each trying to
prevent the coming days when their new found closeness would come
to an end. The second time it was tender, loving, each seeking to
memorize the others touch, the others scent, the
others body. Afterwards, they stayed connect together in
the water, not talking, their foreheads touching until the sky
lit up in false dawn.
*****
Buffy went out during the day to find shelter for Spike as
close as they could get to the rock face. She lucked out when she
spotted a large, hollowed out tree big enough for both of them to
spend the day.
She took the extra time to study the cliff, noting foot holds
and pratfalls in the surface they had to climb to reach the top.
She was not lying when she told Spike it would take most of the
night to scale it, especially since they would have no safety
equipment to aid them.
"Spike?" Buffy said later that night as they walked
through the trees holding hands.
"Yes, pet?"
"Whats going to happen when we get back to
civilization?" she asked.
"I dont know, Slayer," he replied, his eyes
searching for answers as if they were hidden in the jungle.
"Im a vampire who feeds off of humans and thats
something Im not going to give up."
"And its my duty to save those humans," she
said, sighing with the irony of her life. "Its not
something Im going to give up either."
He looked over at her, the first calming force in his
otherwise hyperactive life, and he realized that once this was
over, they might possibly never see each other again. On one hand
it saddened him, but on the other hand it made him happy to know
that he had attained as close to heaven as he ever was going to
get without worrying that the real world would destroy anything
they had together.
Buffys thoughts paralleled Spikes, knowing that it
would be almost impossible for a vampire and a Slayer to be
together, to have the type of relationship that lasted.
Shed already been through hell with Angel, and she doubted
she could go through it again and survive. But she wouldnt
trade this time with him for anything in the world.
That day, they curled up in each others arms for what
possibly could be the last time.
Buffy stood directly beneath the stone facade that led to the
shack at the top of the cliff. "This is going to be such
fun," she groaned, looking straight up, the darkness of the
night surrounding them. "I hope youre not afraid of
heights."
"A vampire whos afraid of heights?" Spike
said, arching a brow at her.
"Hey, if you fall down, you get just as broken," she
replied, blowing her hair off her face. She looked at him, then
back at the cliff. "You do realize that were
insane?"
"Completely batty," he agreed, a huge smile on his
face. His whole body was tense with anticipation of a real
challenge - climbing the face of a cliff at night. "I
cant wait to start."
"Here," Buffy said, sliding off the leather duster
shed worn practically non-stop for the past few days.
"Im not going to be able to climb with this on. I
guess you can have it back."
"Oh, thank you, kind hearted Slayer," he said with
false sweetness. "For returning what is mine."
She rolled her eyes as he put it on, then giggled at the
pleased face he made now that the leather was back on his own
body. "Can we go now? Id like to get to the top
sometime before the sun fries you."
In response, he grabbed her and planted a hard kiss on her
mouth, then started up the side of the cliff, leaving a dazed
Buffy. "Come on, pet, youre laggin behind,"
he called down to her, already ten feet off the ground.
Buffy snapped out of her daze at his words and began to climb
up behind him. "You know, when this is all over, I have a
stake with your name on it."
"Promises, promises," he teased back.
Climbing slowly, their light banter waned as they got higher,
placing their focus on the feel of the rock beneath their fingers
and toes, the search for new hand and foot holds, the sense of
balance needed so as not to plummet back to the hard, unforgiving
earth. It was at about one hundred feet when they both heard the
crashing through the jungle that was carried to their ears by the
echo off the rock face.
Carefully looking down, Buffy gasped when she saw two
creatures approach the bottom of the cliff. They were both
hideous looking humanoids, with red, blotchy skin, large
protruding horns curling out of their skulls, and sharp, scorpion
like tails. She heard Spike swear fluently as he noticed them,
then began to climb faster. "Slayer, best speed up or
youre going to find yourself shish-ka-bobbed," he said
from above her.
Not needing any more prompting, Buffy renewed her ascent in
earnest, jamming her fist into hole after hole to hoist herself
up the wall. Soon, her knuckles were raw and bleeding, each ram
of her fist sending bolts of pain lancing up her arms. When she
looked up to find her next hand hold, she saw Spike peering down
at her from twenty feet higher, his yellow eyes almost glowing in
the dark, the long, leather duster billowing out behind him in
the slight breeze.
Sweat poured down her face and back, beading up under her
breasts, making them itch. Her mouth was dry as dust and her legs
were beginning to ache from the constant pressure on her toes as
she continued to climb. Daring to glance down, she saw the two
creatures were gaining on them and her heart started to pound in
her chest.
Buffy yelled out in pain as the next hole she shoved her fist
into ripped the flesh off the top of her hand. Blood poured from
the wound, running down her wrist, then her arm, before dripping
off her elbow towards the beasts below.
"Buffy!" Spike called out, starting to climb down
instead of up at her cry. All his thoughts were on getting to
her, helping her, making sure that she was to be the first to the
shack at the top as the last line of the letter played over in
his head - first to arrive will stay alive.
He reached her side, the smell of her blood almost
overwhelming him as she continued to rise, tears streaming down
her face. "Come on, Buffy, you can do it," he mumbled
as he stayed where he was, letting her pull ahead of him. He was
placing himself between the creatures and her, and hed be
dead before hed let them overtake her or win.
Buffy didnt think, she only climbed, the face of the
wall the only thing she saw as she pushed and pulled herself up
the cliff. Her hand was on fire as she continually rammed it into
the rock, ripping the remaining flesh and muscle away with each
foot she rose. Three hundred feet, four hundred feet, five
hundred, the cliff seemed to go on and on, the sky stretching out
above her like a dark blanket, the moon bathing her in an eerie
glow. And still she continued to climb.
She almost fell when she reached up to find air. Looking up
sharply, she saw that she had reached the top. With a cry of
relief, she scrambled over the precipice, clawing into the dirt
with her fingers for leverage. She rolled onto her back when she
was certain she was on solid ground, staring up at the night sky
as she tried to get her rapid breathing and pounding heart under
control.
With a savage yank, Buffy ripped one sleeve off her shirt and
wrapped it around her hand, tying it tightly with her teeth, the
pink ends flapping down like twin tails on a kite. Her eyes
widened in horror, and she crawled on her stomach to the edge of
the cliff when she thought of tails and peered down the side to
see Spike fifty feet away and the two humanoids less than twenty
feet from him.
"Hurry, Spike," she called to him, panic in her
voice.
His yellow eyes flashed to her, then down at his pursuers.
"Get to the shack, Buffy!" Spike yelled up to her.
"Not without you!"
"Damn it, Slayer," he practically screamed at her.
"Get your bloody terrible at sex arse in that shack
now!"
Buffys world froze when she heard his words, ice running
up and down her spine as she scrambled back from the edge.
"No," she said out loud, hands pressing against her
ears in an attempt to block out what he said. But the words came
anyway, mingling in with the words Angel had said to her after
hed lost his soul. "No, no, no, no, no. Its a
lie! I dont believe him!"
Her own voice snapped her out of despair and she searched
around frantically for something to help Spike. She would be
damned if he was going to die without her giving him a piece of
her mind and a bigger piece of her fist. Standing, she ran around
the outside of the shack, looking for anything that would do.
As she came around the last side of the worn building she saw
it, a long, nicely coiled rope just waiting to be used. She
scooped it up in her arms and ran to the metal pole holding the
bright, orange wind sock aloft. She quickly tied one end of the
rope to the pole, mentally crossing her fingers that the pole was
anchored firmly enough, then ran back to the edge of the cliff.
Laying down again, she saw that Spike had managed to climb
fifteen more feet, but the two creatures were almost upon him,
less than five feet below him. "Spike!" Buffy yelled
down.
"I thought I told you to go, you stupid bitch!" he
screamed up at her.
She ignored his words and tossed the rope over the edge right
at him. It his back with a soft thud against the leather.
"Climb up! Hurry!"
"When I get up there, Im going to kill you
myself," he yelled as he grabbed the rope and began to walk
up the wall at a fast clip, his vampiric strength aiding his
assent. "Get in the damn shack!"
One of the creatures grabbed the rope and began to climb
behind the blond vampire. The second she saw that, she reach out
her hand. "Hurry," she begged.
Spike saw her extended arm and growled long and deep as he
latched onto her wrist in a safety hold. She pulled with all her
strength, bringing him up over the edge of the cliff to the dirt
next to her. "Damn you," he hissed at her as he pushed
himself to his feet. He grabbed the back of her shirt and yanked
her off the ground. "Why didnt you listen to me? Why
didnt you get in that bloody shack?"
"Not without you," Buffy whispered in reply, her
face a mess of dirt and tears. Her eyes widened as she saw the
humanoid beasts head come over the top of the cliff and she
hit Spikes chest to get his attention.
Spike looked over his shoulder, then dropped the Slayer to her
feet. He grabbed her hand, not caring that it was injured or
about her scream of pain and ran towards the building pulling her
as fast as he could go. He had to get her inside.
Rounding the corner, he saw the door swinging open and he
paused, peering into the interior. Seeing nothing amiss, he
pulled Buffy into his arms, smashing her lips with his own before
shoving her through the open door.
"Spike! Come in!" Buffy cried out as she tried to
grab onto him as she started to fall through the doorway. It was
the long, leather duster she managed to capture between her
fingers, pulling him with her as she fell.
They landed together simultaneously on the floor, Spike facing
her as the red skinned beast came into view. She called out a
warning, and the vampire rolled them both to the side just as the
scorpion like tail imbedded itself into the wooden floor where
they had been an instant before.
"The door," Buffy cried into his ear. "Close
the door."
The outer door was right next to Spikes leg, swinging
loosely on its hinges. He turned as the creature raised his tail
and sent a savage kick at the wood, sending it flying. It hit the
outer wall with a thud then swung back towards them. "Lift
your legs," he instructed quickly, curling his legs up next
to her body as she did the same and the door slammed home just
before the creature struck again.
Spike and Buffy were still half wrapped in each others arms
when the floor tilted wildly beneath them. Buffy screeched and
latched her arms around his neck, as they slid down the wood to
an open corner. The wood turned into metal as they continued to
slide, disappearing beneath the surface of the earth.
There decent stopped abruptly as they fell into a giant circus
net, bouncing with the impact of their bodies. Buffys eyes
were still squeezed shut when they finally stopped, her heart
racing in her chest. "Is it over?" she asked the man
she was holding onto with a death grip.
Spike was about to reply when he heard the sound of clapping
coming from below them. Looking down through the net, he saw a
thin, well dressed man peering up at them. "Well done, well
done," he said. "I never would have suspected it would
be you two who would win. And hitting the floor simultaneously,
enabling both of you two live was pure genius."
The vampire began to growl deep within his chest as the Slayer
opened her eyes to stare down in amazement at the man.
"Well, come along," he instructed. "A plane is
waiting to take you both home."
Buffys mouth dropped open as he walked away, then turned
her attention to Spike. "We won? We get to go home, just
like that?"
"Not before I rip his small intestine out and use it as
floss," Spike ground out.
"Graphic much?" Buffy said, slowly unclenching her
fingers from around his neck. She gasped in pain as she moved her
shredded hand.
Spikes game face disappeared at her intake of breath,
and he stared worriedly into her face. "Are you ok?"
"I will be as soon as I chop off my hand," she
joked, pain lacing her voice.
He took her injured hand in his own, gently placing a kiss on
her fingertips. "Better?"
"Much," she replied, breathless for a different
reason.
"What say we get out of her, luv?"
"Id say, whats stopping us?"
*****
They sat next to each other on a windowless plane, watching in
abject horror at the video playing above them on the screen.
"Thank you for your participation in the game," the
man whod seen them off was saying. "Because of your
survival skills and thirst to win, many went home much richer
today. Please feel free to use anything on the plane. Youre
arrival time in Sao Paolo will be 2100 hours, where a connecting
flight will be waiting to take the Slayer on to Los Angeles, then
to Sunnydale."
The video turned itself off, and they both sat silently, wide
eyed at the dark screen. "We were bet on?" Buffy said,
breaking the quiet of the cabin.
"Looks to be that way, pet," Spike answered her,
resting his chin on his hand, elbow propped on the arm of the
seat. "Just like at the races."
"Thats just wrong," she complained, frowning.
"We were almost killed for money!"
"Humans do that all the time, luv," he admonished.
"Bank robbers, assassins, postal workers." She giggled,
bringing a smile to his lips. "Thats what I wanted to
hear."
"What?"
"Youre laugh," Spike replied. "Its
such a wonderful sound."
Buffy blushed and looked down at her heavily bandaged hands,
her fingers barely peeking out of the top of the white gauze.
"Spike?"
"Yes, luv?"
"Did you mean it
what you said back on the
cliff?" Buffy asked, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.
Spike reached over and tilted her chin up to look in her eyes.
"No, I didnt. I only said it to save you. Didnt
bloody work, but I tried."
A slow smile spread across her face. "Its the
thought that counts anyway, right?"
"Well, actions have a way of showing things, too,"
he murmured, bringing his lips down upon hers for a kiss. When it
ended, a smile hovered on his own lips as he felt the calmness
settle over him as it did whenever she was around.
"Do you think that we could
" Buffys
question trailed off into a large yawn.
"Sleepy, pet?" Spike asked, chuckling.
"Very. Im going to need a vacation when I get
home," she commented.
"Here," he said, pushing the arm separating them up
and pulling her against his chest. "Ill wake you up in
a little while."
"Ok," she said, closing her eyes and snuggling
against the soft leather of the duster against his chest,
inhaling its distinctive sent. She was asleep in seconds.
Spike silently chuckled again when he heard her breathing slow
and her heartbeat settle as she drifted off. He kissed the top of
her blond head, then rested his cheek on her hair, and let
himself follow her into sleep.
"Sir? Weve landed," the pilots soft
voice woke Spike from a pleasant dream involving the Slayer and
the pool of water theyd stayed by. "The ladys
connecting flight is leaving in ten minutes at gate 15."
"Thanks, mate," Spike replied quietly. The pilot
nodded and walked away as the vampire looked down at the sleeping
woman in his arms.
*****
"Buffy Slayer Summers," Spike told the flight
attendant as he boarded the plane. She nodded and directed him to
first class, seat three. "Thanks."
Gently, he laid the Slayer down on the wide seat, reaching for
the belt to buckle her in. Once done, he traced his finger along
her cheek. "Good-bye, Buffy," he whispered, bending to
place a soft kiss on her brow. "I love you."
*****
Spike stood and watched the plane take off from the window of
the terminal, his forehead resting on the glass. "Woah,
dude. Youre, like, not reflecting." He turned to see a
college student about his height and build, wearing a pair of
blue jeans, brown bomber jacket and a faded Guns N Roses
T-shirt.
Smiling, Spike threw his arm around the boys shoulder
and led him towards one of the bathrooms. "And youre
probably wondering why, right, mate? Well, let me tell
you
"
A few minutes later, the blond vampire exited the bathroom and
lit a cigarette. With a grin, he slid the lighter into the pocket
of his blue jeans, adjusted the bomber jacket and faded T-shirt
on his shoulders and began to sing to himself as he left the
airport. "Welcome to the jungle, weve got fun and
games. Weve got everything you want and we know your
name
"
*****
The stewardess smiled as she passed the sleeping blond in
first class, her small body blanketed beneath a long, leather
duster.