Chapter 4 – Revealed
Buffy didn't bother knocking on Spike's crypt door. He was asleep on a sarcophagus with a blanket covering him. Did vampires get cold at night? Or, uh, during the day? She poked his shoulder. Nothing. She tugged the blanket down a bit. Spike just grasped it tighter and rolled over.
"You'd make a lousy watchdog," Buffy mumbled to his back. She thought about sliding her hand under his shirt because Willow did that once to her when she was late for class and God! her hands were cold. But when she touched the back of Spike's neck, she found his skin was already cold. "Ah. So the blanket isn't just a comfort thing." But he hadn't felt cold last night. Maybe it was a blood thing. If he fed, his body warmed up or something. And when he hasn't fed for a while...
Frustrated with her wandering mind, Buffy gave Spike a rough shove. Rougher than she intended, actually, since it sent him sliding off the sarcophagus and into the wall.
"Whoopsie ."
"Bloody hell! What did you do that for?!"
Buffy was mostly relieved that Spike slept in his clothes. And that was enough thinking about that.
"I tried to wake you nicely, but it didn't work."
"So you use your super Slayer strength to flatten me into the wall?"
"You are not flat."
Spike looked down at the front of his jeans. Then he smiled and winked at Buffy. "Well, I'm not flat there, now am I?"
"With lines like that, it's a wonder you *ever* got anyone to sleep with you. Except, of course, you've actually only had insane and completely self-absorbed women fall for your, uh, charms."
Spike scooped the blanket up from the floor and threw it on top of the sarcophagus. "Which category do you fall in then, love?"
Buffy pointed a finger at him. "I have not fallen for you. Don't delude yourself."
"Fair enough. So you're here for the atmosphere since it's not the company you seek?"
"No." Buffy stepped back and crossed her arms. "I need your help."
Spike stuck a finger in his ear and jiggled it around. "Sorry. What did you just say?"
"I need your help, okay? Don't make it a big thing."
Spike laughed. "The almighty Slayer comes bursting into my home wanting my help and I'm not supposed make it a 'thing'. Oh, this is rich."
Suddenly Buffy had her hand on his throat and his back against the wall. "I don't have the time or patience for your comedy routine, Spike. You can either help me because you want to, or help me because I make you. Your choice. And I'm being very generous here because you're really pissing me off."
"Fine, Slayer. What is it you want me to do?"
"Come to my house. Willow and Tara are going to do some ritual to find out if we're under a spell."
Spike's hand grabbed the one Buffy had at his neck. He broke her grip and twisted her arm behind her back, bringing their bodies together. Buffy froze, shocked by how quickly he'd moved.
"Ow , Spike," she told him calmly.
"Now you know how it feels," he said. As he spoke, his breath stirred her hair. She could feel every ridge of his abdomen pressing into her own. He breathed reflexively when she breathed. Her breasts rubbed against his chest.
"Stop," she said.
"Make me," he said before his mouth covered hers.
Buffy fell into the kiss. Her brain shut down. Only the taste of Spike registered. Oh, and Spike letting go of her arm. Which meant she was free. So she should push him away. And she so would. In a minute.
But instead, Buffy's arms reached up to encircle Spike's shoulders. She felt him move his hand between them. His thumb brushed her nipple and something clenched inside her. He did it again and she couldn't stop herself from making a small sound. When he cupped her breast and lightly squeezed, she could swear something burst in her. God, she wanted him.
And that thought was as good as a cold shower. Buffy pulled away. Spike slumped against the wall.
"Your house?" he asked, his voice a little strangled.
"Yes. Now. The least flamey way." Buffy clasped her hands together to stop their shaking. She still wanted to touch him.
Spike pushed off the wall. "Down through the sewer tunnels, then. Incredible network of them all over the city. Makes daytime travel a lot easier for us combustible ones."
"So I've heard," Buffy said. "You lead."
When Spike turned his back, she dragged her fingers across her mouth. It upset her to find that she was rubbing the wetness in, rather than wiping it off.
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They came up through a manhole at the end of Revello Drive. Spike climbed out first, a heavy blanket covering most of him. He reached a hand down to help pull Buffy up. She hesitated for just a second before taking it. Touching Spike seemed to lead to bad things lately. He released her as soon as she climbed out, though, and started racing towards Buffy's house.
Buffy caught up with him on her front porch. His blanket was smoldering a bit, but otherwise he seemed fine. She stepped around him to unlock the door.
Spike followed her inside without hesitation. "So where are the witches?" he asked.
"They should be here any minute, I think."
Spike smiled at her. "I've always wondered what your bedroom looks like, love. Want to show me?"
Buffy put her hands up. "No! Absolutely no bedroom showing. Now stop looking at me like that and sit down before I stake you."
Spike threw himself down on the couch. "Gettin ' real tired of that threat," he grumbled.
Buffy felt her whole body sag with relief when the doorbell rang. She practically ran to open the door.
"Willow! Tara! Come in!"
"Hey, Buff. We got the stuff," Willow said.
Tara giggled. "You make it sound so clandestine! And rhymey ."
Willow smiled at Tara before handing Buffy one of the bottles of colored sand she was carrying.
"We need to do this in a quiet place where there won't be any chance of us being interrupted. When does you mom get home?" Willow asked Buffy.
"Not until four, I think," Buffy said.
Spike came up behind her. "Ladies."
"Your bedroom door has a lock on it, right?" Willow asked.
"It does," Buffy said hesitantly.
"Guess I'll be seeing your pink frillies after all, huh Slayer?" Spike said.
Buffy ignored him. "Do we need to do it in my bedroom? Really?"
"Well," Willow said, "we could do it in your mom's, but she might be a little suspicious if there's sand in her carpet and the smell of incense in her curtains."
"Fine. My room," Buffy said. "Let's get this over with."
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Buffy refused to look at Spike while Willow and Tara set up the ritual. They poured a circle of sand and lit four sticks of incense. The smoke made Buffy cough.
"Maybe it would be better if you two waited in the hall," Tara said. "Will needs absolute quiet to slip into the trance."
Buffy coughed again. "Yeah. Maybe the hall is a good idea. Move, Spike." She lightly shoved Spike through the doorway and closed her bedroom door.
"You don't have to shove," Spike said. "Ever occur to you that if you asked nicely, people would be a lot more willing to put up with your bitchiness?"
"What the hell are you talking about, Spike?"
"You. Being a bitch. Very nearly all the time. 'Cept when you're kissing me. But then you're double the bitch once the snog is over."
"Screw you."
"Don't think there's time for that right now, pet. Maybe once the birds are done with their little..."
Buffy punched him in the nose.
"Ow! What the fuck did you do that for?"
"You idiot! We hate each other. There's a spell on us. And you're joking about sleeping with me!"
She held her hand up as Spike opened his mouth. "I swear if you're about to say something about not having 'sleeping' in mind, I will send you through that wall."
Spike closed his mouth and crossed his arms.
Buffy's bedroom door opened. Willow stepped out. Her pupils were dilated and she moved as if she were wading though something thick. She moved towards Buffy and Spike.
"Willow?" Buffy reached for her friend, but Willow shook her head.
"Don't touch me. I'm not sure what that would do to you."
Buffy looked at Tara, who was still standing in the bedroom doorway. Tara didn't seem upset, so Buffy pulled her hand back and did as Willow asked.
"What do you see?" Buffy asked Willow.
Willow studied Buffy for several moments. Then she shifted her focus to Spike. "I see the energy from Spike's chip. But other than that, nothing."
"Nothing? Nothing as in you can't tell what kind of spell we're under?"
"No, Buffy. Nothing as in there is no spell."
"That can't be right," Buffy said. "Are you sure what you're seeing around Spike is his chip and not a spell?"
"Very sure," Willow said. "If you were under a spell, the energy around you would be bright red. There's no red. Just the green from the electronic pulses in Spike's chip."
"That does sound very clear," Tara agreed. "Sorry, Buffy."
"No! I can't accept that!" Buffy said. "There has to be a reason why I'm kissing Spike!"
"'Cause I'm bloody irresistible, is why," Spike said.
"If there's no spell, then why do you want to kiss me?" Buffy asked him.
Spike shrugged. "You're hot."
"Oh. My. God." Buffy gave them all a panicked look before taking off down the stairs. She ran out the front door without bothering to close it behind her.
When she got to the sidewalk, she stopped. She shoved her hands in her hair. "Shit," she said. "Now what?"