Chapter 15 – Find Me Where I Live
"Come on, Slayer. This is just what you need. A good fight to get the blood pumping." Spike was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Buffy watched him, trying to feel his enthusiasm. Okay. Two against a dozen. They'd had worse odds.
"Riley, you really don't want to do this," she said.
Still in game face, Riley flashed his fangs. "Oh, but yes I do, Buffy."
"I will stake you," she said, her voice steady.
"You can try," Riley said.
"Enough chatter, pet. Let's get to it," Spike broke in.
Buffy glanced at Spike again. She gave him the slightest nod. And they flew into action.
Buffy grabbed the nearest vamp by the throat. As he reflexively clawed at her hand, she staked him and moved onto the next, who was moving up behind her rather quickly. She kicked backwards, nailing the vamp in his crotch with the heel of her boot before she swung around and staked him too. A quick look up told her Spike was on the verge of dusting one himself. She stood for a moment and found Riley with her eyes. "Three down," she called to him. "Change you mind about wanting to do this?"
"Buffy!" Spike yelled. She turned her head in just enough time to see a female vamp flying at her. The vamp body-tackled her to the ground, knocking the air out of Buffy's lungs. Next thing Buffy knew, dust was sprinkling over her face and Spike's hand appeared to help her up. This time she grabbed it. They stood shoulder to shoulder, braced for another attack.
"So, Riley?" Buffy asked.
"Go," was all Riley said. Immediately, the remaining vampires lunged at Buffy and Spike. Fists flew, heads snapped back, vampirespoofed . Then Spike caught a punch to the nose. Tiny drops of his blood spattered Buffy's shirt.
"Hey!" she yelled, kicking the offending vamp square in the chest. "That's my nose to punch. And new shirt here!" The vampire was staggering backwards when she grabbed his arm and flipped him over her shoulder. He landed flat on his back and Spike quickly staked him.
Buffy looked at Spike. "Is that it?"
"Looks like it, love."
"Give me your best shot, Riley," Buffy said, turning. "I'm just getting warmed up here—wait. Where is he?" she asked Spike.
"Buggered off, I reckon. Saw he was outmatched by the dynamic duo that is us."
"We have to find him, Spike. I want this over with. Tonight."
"Okay, Slayer," Spike said as he wiped vampire dust from the sleeve of his coat. "Hecouldn't've gone far."
"Maybe we should warn the others," Buffy said.
Spike shrugged. "Your call."
Buffy paced the width of the alley as she thought out loud. "Willow and Tara know about Riley. So does Giles. Xander and Anya—well, Xander has way too many things to say about stuff he knows nothing about and I hope I didn't hurt him when I slapped him..."
Spike put a hand up. "Whoa—what? You slapped Harris? Would've liked to see that."
"Yeah, well not one of my finer moments."
"What'd he say?" Spike asked.
"Nothing," Buffy said quickly.
"Then why—"
"Like I was saying, the Scoobies all know, so they should be fine." She came to a dead stop and grabbed Spike's arm.
"God, Spike. My mom. She doesn't know."
"Let's go, then," Spike said. He pulled her hand off his arm and wrapped his fingers around it. He tugged and they were off running in the direction of Revello Drive.
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Things looked normal as Buffy and Spike came up the sidewalk to her front door. A light was on in the living room and Buffy could see the flash of the television through the curtains.
"Probably overreacting here, but I need to make sure..." The door swung open easily as she touched it.
"Shit?" she asked Spike.
"I'm thinking 'shit'," Spike answered. "I got your back."
Buffy shot him a worried look and stepped inside the house. "Mom?" Buffy called.
"In here, honey!" her mom answered from the back.
Buffy sagged a little in relief. "Mom, I need to tell you something," Buffy said as she and Spike walked toward the kitchen. "Something happened to Riley. So you can't, under any circumstances—"
"Ask him to come in?" Riley finished as Buffy came around the corner. He had Joyce by the throat. "Too late. Not very responsible of you now, Buffy, leaving your poor mom out of the loop like that. I thought Giles had taught you better than that."
"Let. Her. Go," Buffy said.
"Here's the deal," Riley said, wrapping his hand more tightly around Joyce's throat. "I'll let your dear mother go. But you have to do something for me first."
"No deals," Buffy said. "You will let her go. Now."
Riley vamped out. He kept his eyes trained on Buffy as he lowered his mouth to Joyce's shoulder. He pulled the fabric of her shirt out of the way and sunk his fangs into the exposed skin. Joyce gasped in pain.
"Stop!" Buffy yelled. Riley raised his head, waiting. Joyce's blood started dripping down the front of her shirt. "Tell me the deal."
"Slayer," Spike said from behind her.
She shot him a deadly look. His face showed his confusion. But she turned back to Riley without explaining.
"Talk," she said.
"Now she's all eager," Riley said to Joyce. "That's our Buffy. Changes her mind on a dime."
Buffy bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from answering. She crossed her arms.
"I see you're listening now, so I'll repeat," Riley said with a smile. "I'll let Joyce go. But first you have to stake Spike."
"Hey now!" Spike protested.
"You've got to be joking, right?" Buffy asked Riley. "Is this some jealousy thing? Your poor little male ego got all bruised because Spike can go all night long and you have a hard enough time keeping up with me just once?"
She saw Joyce's eyes widen, but kept her attention focused on Riley. She could literally feel Spike's ego swelling behind her. She'd deal with him and it later.
"I mean, what we had was fun, Riley. Nice even. But it's over. Yeah, I was wrong to cheat on you. Really, really wrong and I'm sorry. But we were done, really, before it happened. And I gotta tell you. Killing my mom? So not the way to get me back."
"You're playing with fire, little girl," Riley said. "Saying all these things when I've got Joyce's life literally in my hands."
"Buffy," Spike said softly. "You distract. I'll rush."
"You think I can't hear you, Spike?" Riley said. "Remember? Vampire here!"
"Rockless ponce , you mean," Spike said under his breath. The in a normal voice he said, "Hear that, mate?"
Riley ignored him. "Clock's ticking here, Buffy. What's it gonna be? Joyce—or Spike?"
"What do you think?" Buffy said tightly.
"I think Mom here is getting a little worried that you'll choose your fucktoy over her," Riley said. He stuck his tongue out and licked all the blood from Joyce's shoulder. "I don't mind, though. If you choose Spike, I get all this yummy goodness. You know," he said to Joyce, "you're quite beautiful for your age. Maybe I should turn you."
"You bastard," Joyce said.
"Oh, you have no idea," Riley said. "But won't it be exciting to find out?"
"Shut up, Riley," Buffy said. "Fine. Deal."
"Deal?" Spike and Riley said at the same time.
"Yes, dammit . I'll stake Spike if you let my mom go."
"What the hell are you playing at, Slayer?" Spike asked.
In a flash, Buffy had Spike immobilized, his arm twisted behind his back. "Let go of her," she directed Riley.
Riley laughed. "You may think I'm some dumb fuck because I'm from Iowa, but I wasn't born yesterday, honey. You stake him first."
"You'll have to get me one. I lost all my stakes in the fight with you and your totally lame minions."
"Fine," Riley said. He turned his head and reached for a wooden spoon in the utensil crock on the kitchen island. As soon as he took his eyes off her, Buffy moved.
She shoved Spike to the side and dove across the island to knock Riley away from her mom. Joyce fell to the floor, but scrambled out of range on her hands and knees as Buffy threw Riley up against the refrigerator.
Buffy was in such a fury, Riley could only deflect her blows as she tossed him around the kitchen. "How could you?" she yelled as she hit him. "My mom was always wonderful to you! You son of a BITCH!" Her last punch sent Riley's head into the sheetrock. He was trying to pull free when Buffy yelled, "Spike!" and put her hand out. In seconds, she was gripping the stake Spike threw to her.
She caught Riley's eyes. "Oh would you look at that? I guess we had one more." With that, she shoved it deep into Riley's chest and stepped back as he exploded into dust.
Buffy sank to her knees. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt her mom's hand on her head and saw a Kleenex being held in front of her face.
"I'm going upstairs to clean up," Joyce said, calmly after Buffy took the tissue. "I'll be down in a few minutes."
Spike's arm came around Buffy's waist. He helped her stand. "Don't say anything," she told him.
"Wasn't planning on it," he said.
"You never listen, do you?" She blew her nose in the soggy Kleenex.
"Right," Spike said. "So I'll be shoving off now." He let her go and started down the hall to the front door.
Buffy watched him go for a second before calling his name. He stopped and looked at her.
"I just..."
He waited.
Something broke loose inside Buffy and she ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him wetly, deeply and sloppily. But it didn't matter because he was kissing her back.
When Buffy pulled back to breathe, Spike blinked at her. "What was that?" he asked.
"I don't know," Buffy said. She nervously rubbed at the mascara under her eyes. "I just needed to do that."
"Is that so?" Spike asked, but the usual cockiness in his voice wasn't there. He sounded almost—scared.
Buffy just looked at him, this self-proclaimed evil demon who watched her back and tried to take care of her. Who killed nasties in his free time for the fun of it. Who was the most sensual and exciting lover she'd ever had. This was Spike.
"Yeah, it's so," she said softly.
Spike reached a hand out as if to touch her cheek, but dropped it abruptly. "Better go check on your mum," he said, stepping back.
"Yes. Definitely," Buffy said.
"I'm just gonna—go," Spike said.
"Okay. Thanks."
Spike opened the door and nodded at her before walking out. Buffy watched him go down the sidewalk and was about to close the door to find Joyce when Spike stopped and turned back.
"Slayer?" he said.
"Yeah?"
"Knew you couldn't kill me." He threw her an annoyingly self-confident smile and disappeared into the night.
Buffy slowly closed the door.