Broken Circles

Chapter Seven

"Come out, come out wherever you are."

Spike opened one bathroom stall after the other. Slamming each one dramatically. He smiled malignantly at the last remaining closed door.

"You are a very bad man." He taunted. "Nice men don’t do those kinds of things with little boys."

Abruptly the door swung open, momentarily knocking Spike back. His prey ran out of the bathroom and into the deserted subway station.

"Run then." Spike said to the empty bathroom. "Makes it all the more fun for me."

Spike exited the bathroom in time to see the man enter the silver subway car. He raced to the closing doors. Just in time he squeezed into an adjoining car.

He stalked through the empty cars, hunting his prey.

He found the man cowering in the corner of the first car.

"Now, now." Soothed Spike, "Not gonna kill you." He vamped out and promised, "Just a taste, to teach you a lesson."

As Spike reached out for the terrified man, a painful blow hit him from behind.

She screamed as she hit him.

Spike fell to his knees as his prey escaped. When he rose, he turned to his attacker. "And you must be the Slayer."

She said nothing. She simply attacked.

Spike had the Slayer pinned on her back. His hand around her throat.

"Go ahead," she taunted, her dark eyes blazing with hate, "Do it."

"What’s your name, Slayer?"

As a response, she spit in his face. With his free hand, he wiped it away. "My name is William. Have your Watcher read Gabrielle’s Watcher’s diaries. I’ll be right here tomorrow night."

The Slayer’s eyes were wide and disbelieving.

Spike added, "Can’t have you following me with that stake of yours though."

With a quick blow, he knocked her unconscious.

"How can I be sure you are who you say you are?"

"Didn’t kill you, did I, Slayer? Could have."

"What do you want from me?" she crammed her hands into her leather duster, no doubt clenching a stake hidden in the pocket.

"A little quid pro quo, luv. I help you, you help me."

"What makes you think I would help you?" she spat.

"You’re here, aren’t you?" Spike handed her a manila folder. "Been doing some research on the .44 caliber killer. Help me find him, help me kill him, I’ll help you kill all the nasties here in old New York."

She reluctantly took the folder from his hands and perused it. "You betray me…"

"And you’ll stake me good and proper. Sounds fair." He took in the beautiful Slayer, "You got a name, luv, or should I just call you Slayer?"

"Nikki."

They killed the demon together. Nikki was panting with exhaustion. Spike stood there, over the demon, holding the stake in his hand.

Impulsively , the Slayer grabbed the chain around his neck and pulled the vampire in for a kiss.

He pushed her away, in shock.

Nikki touched her lips and commented, "Your lips are cold."

Shamed, Spike hung his head.

She took his face in her hands and smiled. "Lets see if I can warm them up."

"Luv, I have to go." He fingered the leather on her duster.

"I know. You haven’t eaten yet." She knew that Spike refused to eat in front if her, even if it was just sewer rats.

"Tomorrow night?" He touched her bottom lip with his thumb.

"Tomorrow night."

"Welcome home, William."

Angelus stood with Dru and Darla on each side of him. Something was up.

"Angelus, what’s going on?"

"We have a surprise for you. A couple of surprises as a matter of fact."

Angelus led his childe into their back bedroom. Chained to the bed was the Slayer.

Spike pinned Angelus to the wall. "I’m going to kill you."

Darla pulled him off of his sire and threw him to the floor. Dru merely watched from the doorway.

"Did you think we’d let you get away with it William?" Angelus asked, rubbing his neck where Spike had grabbed him. "You’ve got a choice to make now."

"What? You or her?"

Angelus smiled and nodded at Darla, who pulled a young girl from the closet. "Her." Angelus indicated Nikki, "Or her." He caressed the child’s cheek.

"William." Nikki croaked. Spike sat at her bedside, and allowed tears to well up in his eyes. "You have to."

"I can’t."

"You have to save the child." She insisted through her swollen and bloodied lips.

"He’s going to kill her anyway."

"Oh, now that’s just unfair." Laughed Angelus.

Nikki pleaded with her eyes, "Do it."

***

Spike’s eyes were wet with tears. Several escaped and slid down his pale face. "All I have left of her is a damned leather jacket."

"You killed her."

Spike nodded.

Buffy took his face in her hands and looked deep into his blue eyes. Gently, she placed her warm lips on his.

The radio on her desk played a tender melody.

"Buffy, maybe we shouldn’t."

"Don’t." Touching his lips she insisted, "Just kiss me."

Buffy lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. She pushed him back onto the bed and kissed her way down his muscular chest.

His hands ran over her body masterfully, shedding her clothes for her. He gave her a questioning look as he reached for her white cotton panties. Buffy nodded her consent.

Spike’s fingers slid against her warm center. Lightly and quickly. Buffy muffled a cry of pleasure.

The vampire growled, "Don’t hold back, Buffy."

They slid, cool skin against warm, beneath the sheets

Spike and Buffy were joined in the most intimate way. As they moved together, he reached for her hand. Their fingers intertwined.

In unison with the rest of their bodies, their hands tightened and then relaxed.

Satiated and soothed, and absolved of his sins, Spike held the girl in his arms as she drifted off to sleep.

*****

He had hoped she’d sleep longer, but Buffy awakened only a few hours after she had fallen asleep.

He caressed the soft skin of her arms and settled against her back as she spoke.

"Maybe I should just run. Take Mom & Dawn, and just get out of town."

His response was a light kiss on her shoulder.

"I can’t do this, Spike. Glory, Angelus. I can’t do it alone."

"Shh, luv. You aren’t alone."

*****

End chapter seven