From her seat at their table at the Bronze, Buffy gave no indication that it was anything more than a normal night. Internally, she bounced with a mixture of anticipation, excitement, and a small dash of fear. He's here! He's here! He's here!' she mentally repeated her mantra.

Meeting Cordelia's knowing smirk, the petite blond had to stop herself from giggling. There'd be no lame French homework in this scene. Operation Seduction Spike, phase one was a go!

Grabbing hold of Xander and Willow, the two girls made their way to the crowded dance floor and Buffy began her dance. While she writhed with a show of sensual vibrancy, flowing gracefully with the beat, she surreptitiously watched for her first glance of her love.

There.

He prowled around the room with the grace of a true predator, never noticing the bevy of horny females that watched him with looks of sexual hunger, attempting to devour him by sight alone. His eyes were focused on her and her alone, his amused sneer prominent and adding to the power he exuded.

Buffy watched as he spoke to the minion she remembered dusting that first night. The night they had met in her original timeline. She knew that Spike had just ordered him to go find dinner, which meant...

Show time.

This time it would be different.

This time she planned on giving Spike just a hint of their dance.

This time she remembered her stake

She waited for Spike's call for a phone then repeated her dash to the alley, saved the bait, and greeted the vampire.

She could feel the difference. There would be no fight; no struggle. She was no longer the young girl that had had to fight hard to beat this vampire. She was a warrior with more than eight years of experience under her belt, and that didn't even begin to take into account all the nifty upgrades that came with immortality. Not that she planned on sharing that little bit of info.

The moment she felt Spike's signature arrive at the end of the alley, she started the game. Crossing her arms and relaxing her stance to display a picture of complete boredom, Buffy lifted an eyebrow and snarked, "Let me guess, another one that was around at the Crucifixion?" Silently she thanked her Spike and his need to regale her with what she thought of at the time as useless bits of information.

The minion preened with delight. "That's right, little girl, how does it feel to know that you're gonna die at the hands of the 'Big Bad'?"

"Please! Big Bad?" Buffy snorted dismissively. "You're that old and still not a master? You must seriously suck at being a vampire."

Knowing exactly where Spike was standing as he watched them, she allowed the minion's body to act as a shield, hiding her actions from the blond's sight. As the enraged vampire moved in to attack, Buffy finished the fight with a quick flick of her wrist.

Scraping the toe of her boot through his dust, Buffy scoffed, "There's only one 'Big Bad', dusty, and it sure as hell isn't you!" Tilting her head with a look of thoughtful consideration, she continued. "Mind you, I didn't think he'd be so shy."

Buffy lifted her gaze to the darkness which hid Spike from her sight, a lift of her eyebrow turning her words into a challenge. She heard him clapping slowly before she saw him appear, and he sauntered out of the darkness with the confidence of a warrior.

"Nice work, luv," he drawled.

She gave him an amused bow and a small grin. "Praise from William the Bloody, Spike, Slayer of Slayers, the one and only 'Big Bad'? Wow! Colour me happy. I'll be marking this day on my calendar, for sure."

A slight frown chased over his features, her unexpected reply giving him a moment's pause. "You know who I am?" he replied unthinkingly, slightly thrown by her knowledge of him. He really hadn't been anticipated that.

Buffy shot him a calculated look of disbelief. "You're kidding me, right? Sheesh, that's like asking me if I would recognize Sid Vicious." Lifting her hand to halt his comment on her knowledge of the famous bass player of the Sex Pistols, she offered him a brilliant smile and she ticked off her fingers. "Youngest ever Master Vampire in the history of the Watcher's Council, most famous member of the Scourge of Europe and the family Aurelius. You defeated the Slayer Chaing Mulan, who was a direct descendent of the legendary General Hua Mulan, the female warrior who disguised herself as a man to take her father's place in the army. The scar from her mystical blade is still visible through your eyebrow. In the 70's you defeated Nikki Wood who was, until me - 'cause I so intend on taking that title - the longest lived slayer of all time. And finally, but far from your least achievement, the greatest ever warrior to walk the face of the earth." With a cheeky grin she added, "My anti-hero, you might say. I mean, who needs Euro-trash like Dracula when they can have you? "

Spike didn't know whether to be chuffed or brassed, given the fact that he wasn't sure if he should take her at face value or not. Titling his head to the side, he considered the very strange bint in front of him, wondering briefly if she was psychic or something.

"Oh! F.Y.I. Collin's trying to steal your demon's 'birth-rite', so to speak." Buffy offered pleasantly.

"Huh?" the confused vampire replied.

"The power of the Master goes automatically to the next in line on Saturday. If Collin performs the St. Vigorous or whatever day ritual, he gets the power that is actually meant to go to you."

"St. Vigeous," he corrected automatically. "What makes you think it's meant to go to me?" he asked, his curiosity aroused.

"Next in line after the Master was Darla and she's dust, then Angelus, but as he's all with the soul having, he's not eligible. Then there's Dru, but, no offense, her sanity- or lack thereof- negates her, so that leaves you as the next in line. Did you know that Colin wasn't even turned by an Aurelius family member, just a minion? He's less than a year turned. Why the hell would you let a fledgling steal from you?" she asked casually, adding a cute little scrunch of her nose and a slight pout for show. Once again silently thanking her Spike for the information he'd given her over the years as she noticed the definite tightening of his jeans at her actions.

Spike focused on what she'd said, desperately trying to ignore the effect she was having on his body. It had been a long time since Dru had been well enough to scratch his itch. He tried to convince himself that it was the mention of his ripe wicked plum that had caused the reaction.

He grinned in delight when one part of what she had said registered with him. "Angelus has a soul?"

Buffy watched as the vampire almost fell on his butt laughing and saying that 'it couldn't have happed to a more deserving pillock'.

Spike sobered when he remembered who he was talking to. There was no way that this bint was acting like a slayer. There was something going on here and he intended to find out what it was. His expression turned cold and hard as he ground out his question. "Who are you?"

Buffy smiled enigmatically as she backed away from him, her voice drifting back as she re-entered the Bronze.

"Effulgent, William. I'm effulgent."

The stunned vampire felt his knees buckle.