Title: Afterglow 39/57 (not a WIP)

Author: T. Claybourne  (t.claybourne@yahoo.com)

Rating: Rated R most chapters for violence and Language, some are NC- 17 for sexual content

A/N I'd like to thank my Beta Reader Hawera And muses Michelle Branch, Robbie Williams and Evanescence

Second A/N My Beta had pointed out to me the correct spelling of The Roman Gladius( not Gladiius) Sword but I continued to post with the mispelling. I wanted everyone to know it was my hard headedness that was the cause for this mistake, not her fantastic skills.

Afterglow Chapter 39 Super Girl

"Mia was right," started Willow. "The program shows the next place should be Venice, then Budapest. They seem to like to spend time there in Budapest. For most of the cities it's one or two girls but in Budapest it's been four or five. After that it should be Prague, then Krakow. The thing is, usually they don't move this fast; usually it is months between murders, not weeks."

Giles spoke up, "We have been cross-referencing every demon we already know of and any just recorded. We also went so far as to look into anything even vaguely recorded in the past to try and place what type of creature that you are dealing with. We have found nothing."

"I've given it some thought, Rupert, and although I don't sense a demon like I do in our kind, I believe these things may be vampires of some type, a cousin so to speak. Maybe something ancient like those bloody Turok Han vampires," said Spike.

"They do have similar qualities to vampires, but research of that type has shown nothing."

"Could there be a vampire sub-species you don't know about? Until you saw one those bloody Turok Han vamps, they were thought to be myths."

"It's very doubtful, Spike."

Mia leaned forward on the couch. "These things drink blood and use thrall, then they tear the heads from their victims, possibly to prevent them from rising. Giles, I think what Spike is saying merits more thought. In fact, I believe Spike is right, although I wish I'd thought of it first," she said with a grin, Then she looked Spikes direction. "I guess having been around so long comes in handy sometimes."

Spike shook his head, and with the quietest of chuckles he grinned back at her.

Mia continued, "All those traits and actions point to a vampire-like creature. Like he said, maybe they are something ancient. We should check the ancient writings. Akkadian, Sumerian, Sanskrit; even Aramaic text could give us an explanation. Maybe we should look for something referred to in a different terminology. They could be so ancient they weren't considered what we call vampires, but something else."

"I admit that we have not checked any of the ancient texts for mention of these creatures. I am impressed that you thought of that as a direction to go."

"I used to work with Wes. We were all about ancient writings, looked for everything there, its first nature. Another thing: remember we said how they mentioned, "This is for my lord". It got me thinking that there might be references in the ancient writings to some great one and its followers that fit our guys M.O. I read Professor Diana Dormer's Watcher's Journal just recently, and there were references to the Maenads and how they were servants to "Father". They had generally been regarded as followers of the Greek god Dionysus, but your secret Watcher histories that I found through references made in Dormers diary have proved that in fact they were the servants of an ancient vampire named Kakistos. We could be dealing here with a situation similar to the one Dormer referred to." "Was that Faith's Watcher's journal?" asked Buffy.

Mia nodded.

"I remember the Koritos guy, big and ugly. He had hooves like a goat on his hands and feet."

"Professor Dormer's Journal was quite a read, wasn't it, Mia? Probably best if you don't let Faith know that you read it. She'd be upset to think that you or any of us Watchers were privy to her past. She believes that her early days as a Slayer are not recorded. Pardon me, I was off topic. Mia's point is very valid. Kakistos did have special followers to do his bidding. He had them scour the countryside and bring him victims: this all happened in ancient Greece. We'll look for references to something similar in the other ancient writings."

"Wow," said Willow. "You working with Wesley and being a Miss Super- Studier is of the really good for us."

Xander leaned over and whispered in her ear, " And so going in your Mary Sue column."

Mia smiled, "Giles, do you want me to contact Wes? He has access to texts we wish we had."

"Let's wait and see if we can't do this ourselves. I don't care to be beholden to Wolfram and Hart in any way. On Tuesday night you will fly to Venice on a chartered flight and stay in a corporate apartment. Over the next few days, Mia, you and I will be working on meditation practices so you may be able to use your abilities to pinpoint accurately the place where the attack will happen. I will be accompanying you to help with this while you are there."

"I hate to sound like Andrew," said Mia, "but as Commander Riker, the first officer from the Enterprise D, would say, `The Captain doesn't belong on any away missions'. Sorry, Giles, you're not going. This is a monster only thing."

"I really don't think…"

"Vampire and witch thing", interrupted Willow. "I'll go with the two of you, but I promise not to go out at night. I can help with the meditation, even use a spell if needed and I can cast a protection spell on the two of you. I am the best one to go instead of Giles."

Spike stood up. "She's got something there, Mia. Magic might help. We're still not sure that what we have planned will work, and Red does do the best mojo."

"You don't step outside after dark," said Mia to Willow.

"No."

"OK. Vampire slash Wicca assignment. "

Xander leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I'm sorry, but we have to leave this minute. You just correctly named what rank and position Riker held and the exact Enterprise it was on. Don't ever tell any one, but I honestly don't think I've wanted you any more then I do right now."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The alarm went off and Mia shut it off as quickly as possible.

"What the hell was that?"

"The alarm honey. Just go back to sleep. I have to go in."

Xander grabbed her around her waist and pulled her tight to him.

"As if: it's the weekend."

"Training, then meditation, remember? There are only a few more days and we have to be ready."

"I see. You are leaving this comfortable bed, and me, to be with Spike and a sword."

Mia turned around in his arms. "Are you jealous?"

"Will the sword be touching you?"

"Probably… if he does it right."

"Then I'm jealous of the sword."

"Want to get real kinky and come watch?"

"Can I drive your car?"

"If it's grey I wanted to take my Harley, but for you, it'll be the car."

"Ok, do we have time to…?"

"No, we need to get showered. Vampire will be there, smells everything and trust me; recently certain people didn't remember that, and certain facts about how they'd spent their time that morning were extremely clear."

"Yeesh. I so do not want to know things like that about Buffy and Spike."

" My point exactly."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia and Xander walked in, hand in hand. He made her laugh as they came in under the arch.

"Hey," Buffy greeted them with a smile.

Spike raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You're late."

Mia smiled and lifted her brow once quickly, and then gave a little laugh. "Yeah, I let Xander drive. He is so careful you would think he was worried about getting in an accident or something."

"Ah, yeah… me, well, I'm not an instant healer like some people."

Spike smiled, "Well, I can live with that fact, and also with you having an accident, Harris. But then Mia's, beautiful, little, `Mia, you are the shit' car would suffer some damage and that, well, that would be upsetting. "

Buffy smacked Spike hard in the arm, then grabbed it. "Come on. We are going to get the weapons and have a little talk."

Mia and Xander watched them walk away.

"Seems Spike might be in trouble," said Xander.

"Oh yeah. She runs this training very disciplined, like. As for our being late, we both know the real reason why we are late. You are a very smart man when it comes to the shower-and-scent situation." Mia stepped in front of him to look him in the eye. "You know I was teasing, right? Xander, I have insurance for the car but not for you, and I couldn't live with you being hurt in an accident. I like it that you drive safely. And well I…."

"Hey, yeah." Xander's brows came together. "Mia, I know how the banter goes, and you know that I know. So why all of a sudden….? He reached up and touched her cheek. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I'm just wishing that none of this was necessary, and that we were spending our Saturday in bed like we are supposed to."

Xander smiled, " Yes, that would be with you naked. Oh, we will be having a Saturday like that soon, even if I have to drug all the others the Friday night before so that they sleep through the entire next day."

Mia grinned, "You would do that for me? That is so romantic. Oh wait, I'm not supposed to think things like that. Xander, honey, I think you may be spending way too much of your free time with me and my demon."

"Mia, please, you give yourself way too much credit. I grew up in Sunnydale. I've had dealings with devious demons all my life."

"And that may just be one of the attractions you had for all those demon women." She smiled broadly at him.

"Well, we will discuss at length your demon's attraction to me tonight." She hooked her hand around his waistband and pulled him to her. "Can we talk about the other parts of me attracted to you as well?"

"Would you two just leave that shite at home? We are supposed to be training to kill giant, nearly-unstoppable creatures here. Mia, you need to focus."

Mia let go and stepped back, raising her hands. She turned to Spike. "OK, baby, I'm all yours now. Just have your girlfriend name our weapons and I'll start beating your ass."

"You are just so bleeding sure of yourself all the time, aren't you?"

"Yep. Guess where I learned that?"

Buffy gave a little giggle. "I know where. I love seeing it happen to you too, because I had it for all those years and years, and now you get it right back."

Then Buffy put her hands on her hips and announced, "OK, enough of that. Let's get started. You guys start out with the broad swords and we will go from there." She took a seat on a bench of the bleachers.

Xander sat next to Buffy. "You sound very authoritarian."

"Yeah, I even had to get rough yesterday. I ended up hitting both of them on the nose."

Xander looked at her. "You're kidding."

"Nope, pow, right on the nose, `now get back to work'."

"You are telling me you hit Mia in the nose?"

"Are you deaf, Xander?" Buffy smiled at him.

"I don't see any bruises on you, so she must have taken it out on Spike later. "

"Just what are you saying?" Buffy's brows came together.

"That you probably really pissed her off. I wouldn't do that for fear of bruises, and she loves me."

Buffy pictured Mia's heel slamming into Spike's nose. "Are you sure? I mean she and Spike always…"

"Come on, Buffy, that's vampire play. It's a different thing for a Slayer to do it."

~ ~ ~ ~

"So, you brought the boy with you." Spike clanked his sword against Mia's.

"He was jealous of your sword touching me. Guess he really had nothing to worry about today."

Spike lunged and tore her shirt, causing a shallow cut.

"He'll be really jealous now; I just put it inside you."

"I liked this shirt, you asshole. I'm telling your girlfriend that you're tearing my clothes and that you're putting your thing inside me." She laughed.

Spike chuckled.

Mia did a straight up and over jump, landing behind him, and smacked him across the butt with her sword hard enough to knock him forward a few feet.

"Now that was cool!" exclaimed Xander.

"Angel used to do jumps like that," said Buffy

Spike turned and looked at her, "Angel?"

"Sorry, honey, never seen you do it," she shrugged.

"Me neither," grinned Mia.

"Because I'm not a bloody show off."

"Oh, OK. I see. Can we switch to the short swords?"

"No," said Spike.

"I wasn't asking you."

"You only want to switch because you are better with the Gladius short sword."

"Scared?"

"No, twit. You need to be good with all the weapons."

Mia lunged and thrust with great speed, making Spike retreat while she kept at him with the broad sword until she backed him into the entry arch's column. He blocked but she found an opening and put the point to his neck.

"You were saying?"

Buffy spoke up. "You can switch."

~ ~

Spike and Mia were clanking the short swords.

"I've heard about her skills but never really seen her fighting. It's, it's…." started Xander.

"You can say `awesome', Xander. It's the best word I can come up with and since Spike trained her initially he wouldn't mind either. The thing is that with having been a Slayer she is so much stronger and faster then a normal vampire or even an extremely skilled vampire like Spike, that combined with her abilities, well, it's hard to explain it unless you see it. I'll have them do some hand- to-hand. They'll love that, and then you can see some real action. It's only with Spike that she shows her real power. I think it's because she knows he can take the pain.

~ ~

"These Roman swords make me feel like a bleeding gladiator. Can you imagine? They say it was like being a rock star. I guess if I had to be a slave, I'd go with being a gladiator." Spike raised the sword up and slammed it down as Mia blocked it and shoved him back.

"Forget that. Some experts say women gladiators used to cut off their breast on the side that they used the sword. I like my breast where it is."

They fought, swords flying and slamming into one another. They were each pressed up against the other, strength pushing strength, when Spike suddenly head-butted Mia. She took two steps back and fell to a sitting position on the mat. Spike stood above her, rubbing his head. Mia sat looking dazed.

It was Buffy who rushed to Mia's side, not Xander.

"Mia?"

"I'm OK. It just took me by surprise. He so rarely does that, it threw me."

Buffy gave a short laugh. "I guess it took me by surprise too."

Spike leaned over and put his hand out. He raised his eyebrow up once quickly as he looked down at her. She smiled and returned the eyebrow gesture as she grasped his hand and he pulled her up. She rubbed her hand over the front of her forehead a couple of times as she continued to smile. Spike returned her smile and Mia nodded at him.

Spike knew that this had just been their own private conversation. No words had been needed but he had asked, `How did you like that move?' and Mia had answered, `That was a great move, you got me with it, my head hurts a bit still.' He had then asked if she'd be OK, and she had said she would. They were able to communicate like this more and more often, and it intrigued him. He wasn't sure if it was the training, the closeness they had once shared, or the bond they were forming now. Was it because of their demons; an instinctive kind of link? He had no idea. Perhaps he'd discuss it with her. Then again, she might think he was a bit balmy, talking of a link or connection. Or, of course it might upset her since they were supposed to have left any mention of links of that kind behind in Paris. No, he'd have to keep this idea of some kind of deep connection to himself, even though it wasn't quite the same as what they had spoken of there in Paris. Spike was nudged from his reverie by the others.

"I can go for ice." Xander suggested from the stands.

"For my vodka or Spike's bourbon?"

"That would be no then," he chuckled.

Xander sauntered over and whispered in her ear. "Exactly how hard is his head?"

"If I wasn't a vampire, I'd be brain damaged," she whispered back.

Spike smiled, while shaking his head. "Oh bollocks, you both know I can hear you."

They turned and in unison said. "Yes."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Buffy suggested hand to hand and there was no argument. Xander watched as punches, kicks, jumps, flips, blocking and other moves were exchanged on the mats. At one point, because of her strength and speed Mia's blows were so fast that Spike could barely keep up with blocking them.

Buffy stopped them at lunchtime. Mia had to meet Giles at One.

Spike had a bruise on his cheek and a cut over his right eyebrow. Mia had dried blood under her nose, a bruised jaw, and a split lip.

"You got my jaw again. Buffy, did you see how he did it?"

"I think you are dropping your right shoulder a little, but I'm not sure."

"Spike, we have to figure out how I leave that open all the time."

"Pet, personally I'm not in that much of a rush to remedy it. It works well for me"

Xander stepped right up into Spike's face. "Yes, you are. You`re in a rush because you have until Tuesday."

"What was that, Harris?" Spike glared at him.

Xander moved closer. "I said, you have until Tuesday."

The two men stood staring at one another.

Mia threw up her hands "Oh, for crying out loud!" She walked off to the office.

Buffy watched the two men.

"Who says? You and what army, Harris?"

Buffy stepped over next to Xander. "Me. I'd be that army, Spike. If it were you, I'd want Mia to help. Now quit with the Alpha male stuff. "

"Fine. Sodding planned to work on it with her tomorrow anyway."

~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Xander found Mia at her desk, her head in her hands.

"Is your head hurting?"

"No."

"Are you upset?"

"Not really. You were just being protective. I appreciate it that you didn't rush out there when I got it to the head. It showed your faith in the fact I can take it and get back up."

"You keep telling me you are a "big girl". After today I have to face the fact that you really don't need me to worry about that kind of thing. I'll worry about other things, OK? Like this: what's going on? What's with the head in the hands?"

"I think I'm just tired, suddenly just really tired."

"I'll call Giles; you can go over there later. Let's go home and you can take a nap."

"With you?"

"Will that actually help with the tired thing?"

"We used to… just… sleep together, remember?"

"I guess we can try, but you know how you are."

After a short laugh Mia said, "That's because you are so hard to resist."

"I could leave my clothes on."

Mia smirked, "Well, we know what happens then."

"I end up needing new ones. Oh, the trials of having a super-strong girlfriend," teased Xander. "Come on. Let's get you some rest."

He walked to her, took her hand and pulled her up. "You know, baby, it's kind of scary seeing you show any physical weakness."

"I'm not super girl."

"Are you sure? Maybe there is kryptonite in here somewhere, and that's the whole problem."

"Would Spike qualify as kryptonite?"

"Nope. Sorry, but you are stronger with him around."

"What?"

"Seems to me you're stronger and I'm pretty sure you fight harder with him around. Go figure. At least he's good for something."

"You know, now that you mention it, I think you're right. I've just never realized it before."

"It makes me feel better, with you headed to Venice in only few days. You know, this whole thing with you facing those creatures bothers me. Who knows what could happen. This time they could be ready and waiting for both of you."