New Game Chapter 9 /16

Sequel to Afterglow and third installment in Dive into Destiny Series

Author: T.Claybourne

Rated PG-13 to NC-17. Sex Violence and language

Pairings involve Spike /Original ( as set up in last story) Angel/ ? Wesley/? Faith /?

Thanks to my Beta, Hawera and my muses, Kurt Cobain, John Lyndon (AKA Johnny Rotten) and Joe Strummer.

Chapter 9 The Full Back and the Back Tackle

Fred placed the map of the United States on Buffy’s dining room table. She took her marker and made a small circle round each city The New Scourge had visited. With a pencil she drew a line between the cities. Except for New York, they seemed to be hitting the major cities down around the east coast and the south of the country. There had been no reports of any major deaths since Orlando. She decided to ask Willow if they should look around the southern coastal cities for police reports of vampire-like attacks. Perhaps they could figure where they might hit next.

Willow looked at the map. “It’s an excellent idea.”

“I figure if we both get online it’ll go faster. If we can work out which city they might head to, I can come up with an equation that will give us the exact one and we can maybe be there waiting. You are ready with the spell, right?”

“Yes.”

“Will it work?”

“Yes.”

“And will they be vampires in the other dimension?”

Willow looked confused. “I don’t know, Fred.”

“I was just wondering because, in Pylea, Angel was either all human or all demon. I was thinking that if you sent them to the right dimension maybe they could be… all human.”

Willow gave her a grim look. “I don’t think it’ll work that way. I think it’ll be a hell dimension.”

“Well, I guess we don’t want them going to one of those as humans. It’s just that I was hoping…”

Willow put her hand on Fred’s. “I know, but it’s too late, Fred: he’s gone.”

Fred swallowed, “They all are, aren’t they?”

“Yes.” Willow wished she could think of some way to change it for them all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As he was hit by Spike’s fist, Angel flew further down into the alley. He was up at once and, grabbing Spike by the lapels, he swung him around and back the way he himself had just come.

Mia leaned back, bent her knee and put her foot against the wall. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it up, smoking as Spike and Angel fought. Each vampire threw the other back and forth from alley wall to alley wall. She grinned to herself. These two had wanted to do this since the beginning. She should have let them: it was a great sight. She finished her cigarette and casually toed it out.

“I finished my cigarette. I’m going home now,” she said, loud enough to be heard. She walked off and into the French Quarter. Three blocks away she was tackled and thrown into another alley. Angel and Spike pinned her to a wall.

“Was that just a bit of entertainment for you, pet?”

“Yes, a little.” She smiled at them.

“Did you enjoy yourself, Mia? Purposely pitting Spike and me against each other?”

“Pfft. You two would fight over whose fangs were whiter. Seems to me I was having a nice conversation and it was interrupted abruptly. I should be the one who is upset.”

“Bollocks. It seems to me you two were talking about something you did together in New York, something you didn’t tell me about. Sounded like…”

Angel dropped Mia’s arm and shoulder. “Just tell him.”

Mia pushed Spike off her. “No!”

She swept out of the alley, her coat flying behind her. Angel and Spike went after her but once they got to the alley opening they saw that she had sprinted off so quickly that they had lost her. They turned back into the alley and leaned against opposite walls.

“Balls!” Spike ran his hands through his hair.

Angel laughed at him. “She’s a handful. I’m surprised you’ve kept up with her this long.”

“Shut it, Angel.”

Angel looked at Spike. “Want me to tell you what happened?”

Spike’s eyes narrowed, “I’m sure you’re just waiting to rub my nose in it.”

Angel went on. “We were standing waiting for the elevator in Wolfram and Hart. We had just left the CEO’s office and her door was still open. The liaison to the partners was in there, along with two department heads. Mia was distracted by something but I heard them say, ‘we don’t even have to get close, we can take her out with a poison lethal to vampires, take the curse and then we are in control’, so I…..”

“He went back in, broke the Special Projects Manager’s neck, drained the CEO, and slammed the senior partner’s liaison - I think his name was Jeffery - into the necro-tempered glass window. He said, ‘I know you can’t die but if I throw you out of this the drop to the ground has got to be painful. If this company in any way comes after or hurts me or mine, as in Mia, you will know exactly why I’m referred to as the deadliest vampire in history in so many of those books and papers you like to read and file.’” Mia finished telling the story as she stood at the front of the alley, the lights shining from behind her. “Of course, he wouldn’t really have thrown him out the window. They were so busy trying to be evil that they had overlooked the basic fact that if Angel had actually broken that window, he would have dusted himself in the daylight.”

Spike stared at Angel. He was silent for a moment then asked. “That need to protect her, is that something left from your soulful days? Because it’s definitely not very demon-like.”

Angel smiled slowly. “Could be left overs and could be you might never know exactly what I meant by that, bleach boy.”

Mia shook her head. “For fuck sake. Don’t start again. You already both smell like an alley, and all of them in the Quarter smell of barf and piss. Spike, did you eat yet?”

“Isn’t that sweet? She’s like your mother, making sure you eat.”

Mia went over to the wall where Spike was standing and put a hand either side of his head. She leaned in close to him. “You, sir, have been thoroughly punished.”

Spike’s eyebrow went up. “What’s that?”

“You heard me. That’s for having the last word, for being so very cocky and arrogant and for trying to tell me what exactly I can and can not do.”

“Oh, I see. You let Angel do your dirty work.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Angel laughed. “I happily volunteered.”

Mia nodded. “Besides, you two have been wanting to do that since our boy Angel opened his eyes in the Los Angeles’ sewer.” Mia grinned, “Now we are all happy.”

Angel cleared his throat. “Well not quite. I would still enjoy it, Mia, if you would spend time in my be…..”

Mia’s fist connected with his jaw. Angel’s head hit the wall and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Spike grasped her around the waist and pulled her body against his. He kissed her. “ Can we wait ‘til he wakes up and I watch you do that again, love?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mia and Spike sat at the kitchen table, each with their feet up on it smoking a cigarette.

“Can vampires have ‘déjà vu’, Spike?”

Spike chuckled, “Us sitting here with our fags, feet up, facing each other? That’s a bit familiar, innit, pet.” He took a long drag. “Our team’s dynamic has changed with your trip to the Big Apple. Angel’s established his position on the team.”

“I know.”

“He’s stepped up to your side, love. He wants more of you. We demons don’t do friends and phone buddies.”

“I know.”

“He can’t have more.” He pinned her with his eyes.

“Now don’t get growly. He can: he can have the hunt, and all the death and destruction that entails.”

Spike stared at her a moment in silence. He exhaled, blowing out smoke. “You’re right, but you knew all that when you went with him tonight, dinn’t you.”

Mia nodded.

Spike put out his cigarette, swung his feet down and leaned forward. “I’m not staying out of it every night.”

Mia stubbed out her cigarette and putting her feet on the ground and her hands on the table, then leaned across it while smiling. “No, you’re not.”

“Sometimes I want to say ‘bugger it all’. I’m tired of sharing you.” Spike seized her around the waist and pulled her on to the table. Mia knelt on the table, her knees spread apart. Spike pulled her top and bra down and suckled her nipple.

“You only have to share me during the night. I’m yours all day, every day,” Mia wrapped one of her legs around his waist.

Spike growled.

“Take me to bed, Big Bad.”

Spike was carrying her up the stairs when he spoke, “You always get what you want, don’t you?”

Mia nipped his neck. “Mostly.”

“Why do you think that is, love?”

“Because, Spike, I’m special and I’m perfect: I’m fucking perfectly special.”

Spike opened the door to their room and fell with her onto the bed. “I’ll not argue with that.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Angel stood at his window and pulled the curtain back. Dawn was nearing but he was still safe from its rays. He was thinking about the night’s happenings.

Spike had asked him if protecting Mia was a throw back to his soulful days, and he was wondering about that himself. When he’d heard Wolfram and Hart’s plan he had been so angry he could hardly see straight. In fact, the idea that he’d dust himself if he threw that man out of the window hadn’t even crossed his mind. He knew he’d never sleep with Mia: it was clear that she was Spike’s, and yet he’d suddenly acted as if she were his own mate. No, that wasn’t quite right. It had felt the same as when he’d had his soul and she’d been taken by that god. But how that was possible with their demons in charge he didn’t know. Well, the need to be in the lead had left him. But of course that didn’t mean he’d let her just have free reign over him: that would be no fun for either of them. No, he might resign himself to the strangeness of this relationship of theirs, but he definitely wouldn’t let her have it easy: well, not in front of the others anyways. Besides, who knew, he might wear her down. She might get tired of Spike. There was a chance, always a chance… I mean, come on…. it was Spike she was with.

~ ~ ~ ~

Faith threw open the van door. “It’s a lot bigger than the SUV. It’ll be more comfy.”

“That’s the idea,” smiled Mia. “Long trip ahead of us: you guys were all sitting way too close to me on the road getting here.”

“And that means what?” grinned Spike.

“You know what the fuck it means.” Mia’s brows lifted .

Faith laughed. “So, where we heading now?”

“Houston, then San Antonio. We might stop at a Dairy Queen or two, because it is the stop sign of Texas.”

Spike chuckled, “And you heard that where, pet?”

“Read it last time I drove through Texas, there was a big sign. That was one long dark trip, forever and a new soulful vampire ago. I was too new to enjoy the ice creamy stop sign but now, well ,I think we will.”

Angel shook his head. “It’s Spike that convinces you to eat that human food. I think it’s disgusting.”

“You’re just a traditionalist,” said Wes. “I’d be lost without the coffee.”

“And chocolate, don’t forget that, Wes,” added Faith, “ Hot blood and chocolate together, it’s like a sweet, tangy, yummy..what’s that word for melted chocolate you dip strawberries into?”

Wes smiled, “Fondue.”

“Yeah, it’s like fondue. Hey, what could we dip in hot blood and chocolate?”

“Dip in it? I say we put that on the sodding ice cream.”

Angel groaned and climbed into the driver’s seat. Mia went around the front of the van to look up at him. “I can drive if you want.”

He looked down at her from the driver’s window. “No, but you could take shot gun.”

She smiled and cocked her head. “After last night you are just trying to start this trip with Spike out on the right foot, aren’t you?”

Angel grinned, “Wasn’t Spike I was thinking of, it was…” Angel motioned to Mia herself.

Mia shook her head. “ Oh, Ok.” She raised her voice. “Shot gun.”

Spike glared through the tinted van windows at her and Angel. “Bugger!”

Mia held back her smile as she walked back around and got in the van next to Angel.

Angel laughed softly, “Every day I learn to appreciate your brand of torture more and more, Mia.”

“Thank you, Angel, but you’re still not fucking me.”

Angel pulled the van out, and headed for the highway.

With a chuckle Angel said, “Your torture of others and then of me leaves me inspired in …every way.”

“Oh Angel, that was so subtle. What you’re actually saying is that I am perpetuating the situation between us. Creating a vicious circle. I torture someone, you want me, you ask, I say no, it tortures you, and you want me more.”

“Pretty much.”

Mia gave a short breathy laugh. “Well, isn’t that a truly delicious situation. That statement, its subtlety but depth of intense meaning, almost worked. I believe there was a tingle.”

“Oi, I can hear you back here.”

“I know, Spike,” replied Mia.

Both Spike and Angel groaned as Wes and Faith laughed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Five unexplained animal attacks in Pensacola and now over twenty five vampire-like deaths reported in New Orleans. Strange how New Orleans will call it a vampire attack when every other city says something about an animal,” said Fred.

Willow looked over the top of her laptop at her. “We both know why that is. I’m looking at another police statement and it seems there are even more missing persons reported in New Orleans than just the accounted deaths.”

Fred shook her head in disbelief. She took her marker and placed an indicator on the map. She used her pencil and drew a line to New Orleans.

“Look at this, Willow. They have hit every major city along the southern coast. It’s speculation, I still have to work on the equation, but if it holds true they should hit Houston next.”

“I can try another locator spell to be sure, but Giles thinks she is blocking them somehow. I just thought that well, maybe if I got something personal of hers and used it…. I think Buffy has a key to their house: I could try that.”

“We should go tell the others,” Fred smiled grimly.

“Maybe if we can surprise them, we’ll get the advantage and at this point we need all of those we can get.” Willow said as they walked into the living room.

~ ~ ~ ~

Mia sat in the front passenger seat looking at the CD in her hand. “ No fucking way!, We are not putting this in.”

Spike looked coolly at her. “Just put the thing in, Mia. I picked it up specially for this trip.”

“No!” Mia unrolled her window a crack risking the sun.

The others jumped back avoiding the possible rays.

Spike grabbed her from behind and they wrestled until Mia dropped the CD out of the window. She rolled it back up.

“How many times have I told you? I will not listen to that CD in any car, Spike.”

“We are in a van, Mia, and it’s been almost thirty years since that sodding trip to Paris.”

“Still not long enough.”

“What the fuck was the CD that Mia just risked giving me a crispy coating for?” asked Faith.

Angel chuckled. “Was that a Sex Pistol…”

“Stay the bloody hell out of this, Angel.”

“Believe it or not I rather like the Sex Pistols,” added Wes, making them all look his way.

“Wes, I should put you out the window with the CD.” said Mia. “You do realize I might grab hold of that giant spoon you like to stir things up with and beat you with it.”

Wes grinned at her, “You don’t find that at all plausible?”

“Actually, yes, it’s plausible: you’re a vampire, gone all evil; maybe you like them now.”

Angel chuckled, “We’re vampires too, Mia, and we don’t like them.”

“That’s because we have taste.”

“Well now, that’s debatable, given your choice in bedmates, Mia.” Wes gave her a half smile.

Mia burst into laughter. Spike’s hand was quick as he reached to the seat behind him and backhanded Wes. Wesley’s head snapped back with the force.

There was yelling and cursing as the two exchanged blows until Faith pulled them apart.

Mia leaned forward and rubbed her temples.

“Angel, can you estimate how long it will take us to get to Houston, and how long to sunset?”

“An hour or so to Houston, maybe three to sunset: we’re just coming up on Beaumont, Texas.”

“I’m not going to make it to either, Houston or sunset. Find a motel in some shadows. We are stopping. This is worse than traveling with teenagers.”

Angel glanced in her direction. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Mia walked into the motel room and flopped onto her back on the bed. Spike jumped and straddled her.

“Get off me, Spike.” She pushed him and he flew off the bed and hit the wall.

He stood, hands on hips looking down at her. “So, what, pet, you’re a bit upset?”

“Upset?” Mia sat up. “I have been in the car with you for at least four hours today, and for three and half of those you have spent wheedling or provoking some sort of fight.

“Ok, love, I admit I’ve been a bit cheeky, but you and ….”

“If you take this down the Angel path you will be sleeping in his room.”

He stared at her, and lifted a brow “Ok, but just so you know that I hate sleeping with him. He steals the covers.”

Mia smiled, but then her brows came together, “I have a headache, and I didn’t know we could get those. Not like this usually they had a reason like having been run into a brick wall or the bottom of several bottles of alcohol.” She lay back down.

Spike put his hand gently to her forehead. “ Not our norm to just develop one, pet. Come sunset, I’ll go get you someone to eat, bring them back here. You rest. Could be all this being up during the day.”

“Could be your bickering with everyone all day.”

Spike smiled. He sat her up, pulled her coat off and shrugged out of his own. Spike lay down behind her then, spooning her.

“I’m sorry love. I just missed having you next to me.”

Mia grabbed his hand and put it on her breast, and they fell asleep that way, both fully clothed, boots and all.

~ ~

Mia stood in front of a different motel and a different room. The sun was shining but it wasn’t burning her. She smiled. She hadn’t done this astral projection shit since she had her soul. She just thought about being inside the room and she was. Willow sat on one of the two beds, map in front of her, performing a spell. Xander, Buffy and Gunn were on the other .

“Hi!” Mia said.

Every one seemed to jump, startled at the same time.

“Son of a bitch,” swore Gunn.

“No, just Mia,” smiled Mia.

Willow had stopped her spell. Mia looked at her, noting the locket in her hand. “Good move, Will, using my old locket for the locator spell.”

Willow grimaced, “I thought so.”

“Might work too.”

“Yeah?” asked Buffy.

Xander stood, “So, you made a mistake? Well, look at that.”

Mia laughed. “The only sport that a player has a perfect game in is baseball. I don’t see you carrying a glove or bat, Xander. It wasn’t a mistake, just a good play on Will’s part. I hope…”

“Will doesn’t do a spell to send your asses to a hell dimension?” snapped Xander.

“Xander!” yelled Buffy

“Well, I was going to go with, you don’t find us before we are up for the night: we did travel all day. But hey, you like the hell dimension thing.” Mia grinned, and shrugged. “Oh, and since we were talking sports, I’d like you to keep in mind that your team has a sixth player and mine is sitting with only five. That can only mean two possible things,” Mia looked around. “Your motel is nicer than….. She woke with a jerk, lying next to Spike

“Alright, love?”

“Fine, baby. Sun has set, let’s go get something to eat. “

“And your headache?”

“It’s still there but I have an idea why. It seems the other team has taken the game on the road.”

“I told you that lot are resourceful.”

“We’ll have to go a different route to San Antonio. I just wonder if I can find a vampire- strength tranquilizer to keep you quiet for the trip.”

“Now who’s being cheeky?” He nuzzled her neck then nipped it.

Mia turned over and looked at him. “Buffy killed a Turok Han. She could kill me.”

“She was twenty one, and knew there was more than just her life at stake.”

“Yours?” Her brows knitted together

“My pitifully soul-soaked one, and also she had to show the potentials they could fight.”

Mia looked worried. “And then Willow changed them all into Slayers: what if ….”

“You can bet they have something bloody planned. Our plan is better. You can be sure that Willow has a spell up her sleeve, but then, we knew she would. She’s the only thing giving them the hope to follow this through to the end. Why all this doubt, pet?”

Mia smiled slowly. “Well, if you think you can just hand me that Sex Pistols CD and expect me to actually put it in the stereo then….”

“Oh bloody hell!” Spike jumped on her and pinned her to the mattress. “I nicked that specially you know, and you threw it out of the window.”

Mia laughed hard. “I know. “

“You’ve listened to that album before. You said you liked it, said it grew on you.”

“I was a human then; I wanted to make you happy. Now I enjoy your misery.”

Spike grinned, “You want some of that… misery… right now?”

“Why else would I be with you, only you know how to give me… misery… like no one else.”

Spike’s eyebrow rose. “Bugger me, Em, but you know just what to say so a bloke has no choice in the matter.”

“Ah, then why are my clothes still on? Chop chop.” Mia made a chopping motion on her palm.

Spike laughed and pushed her off the bed. “Take your own bloody clothes off, wench.”

Mia looked up from the floor and laughed. “Can I take yours off too?”

“Hell, no! I only have one pair of sodding jeans left, thanks to you ripping them off me. I don’t fancy riding to San Antonio bare-assed.”

“It would guarantee me sitting next to you.”

Spike chuckled as he stood and stripped his jeans down, then pushed his boots off with them. “I can think of other reasons for you to sit next to me.” He moved his first two fingers quickly.

Mia stripped off her clothes and stood naked in front of him. “You still have your

t-shirt on.”

“Em, don’t.” Spike put his hand up, backed away a few steps and tripped backwards onto the bed. “Put that evil sodding grin away right now!”

“Make me.” Mia smiled as she grabbed him by the collar and began to tear.