Eyghon licked his lips in anticipation. There were so many sweet, young bodies just ripe for the plucking. He inhaled deeply, grateful for the enhanced senses of his vampiric host. He didn’t have any preferences himself, but the vampire liked succulent blond girls.
Eyghon searched the crowd for a female that matched the description made by the host. His eyes fell upon the perfect specimen. As Eyghon moved closer to his intended victim, he could hear her whiny, snooty voice. His host shivered in anticipation. That was one thing about taking over for a vampire demon. Unlike other kinds of dead hosts, the vampire wasn’t really gone.
“Then, Cordelia told me to get lost. Who does she think she is?”
The blonde’s entourage nodded in agreement.
A smirk settled on Eyghon’s face. This one was weak in her mind and her will. She was everything he could possibly want in a minion. He flashed the vamp’s face at the hanger-ons as he approached. Eyghon promptly forgot about the other girls as they scurried away. The shark like grin on his face scared off anyone else who might have realized that he had set his sights on the young woman.
Harmony whirled around when she felt someone behind her. She had vaguely wondered why her friends had scurried away so fast. She wrinkled her nose when she saw the janitor uniform on the approaching male. “If you think I’m dancing with you…” she trailed off in disgust.
Eyghon quickly assessed the young woman’s most hidden desire, and he leaned down to whisper, “What if I told you I that knew how you could stay as beautiful as you are in this moment for many years to come?”
Harmony stared at the average looking man. She knew she was beautiful. After all, everyone said so. She didn’t want to lose it any time soon. Harmony flipped back her long hair. “What do I have to do?”
On the inside, Eyghon smirked while he thought, Humans are so easy. Outwardly, he held out his hand, and said, “Come with me.”
Harmony took the man’s hand with a smile. She fantasized about years in the future when she still looked young and toned while that bitch Cordelia was old and saggy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
Spike strolled into the factory. He had no plans on spending any more time in the dilapidated building with his Sire. She had made her choice when she summoned the git Ford. All Spike needed was his things. He waved over Dalton. “Come here, book boy.”
“Master Spike, you’ve returned.” Dalton’s eyes darted towards the door of Drusilla’s quarters. The insane vampiress wasn’t easy to live with on a good day, but lately it had been hell on the minions.
Spike’s gaze followed Dalton’s to the portal to the other room. He let out a put upon sigh. He knew how Dru operated. “Has she destroyed m’belongin’s?”
“I saved what I could, Master Spike.” Dalton didn’t tell the master vamp that he had saved the belongings merely to stay on the older vamp’s good side. He was hoping that Spike would take him along where ever Spike was leaving to.
“Put it in m’car. I’ll go keep the bitch busy.”
Dalton hurried off to do as he was instructed. Eavesdropping on Drusilla’s crazy mumblings had informed him of little except the insane woman’s unhappiness with her Childe and Sire. To tell the truth, Dalton would rather take his chances with the Slayer than Drusilla. At least dusting at the end of Buffy Summers’ stake was quick and painless.
Spike stared in disgust at the writhing pile of naked flesh on the bed. He had nothing against watching two hot chicks getting it on, but the disdain he now felt for his Sire colored his every thought. He wondered now what he had found so attractive about her before.
Drusilla looked up from the thighs of her newest Childe. When she saw Spike standing there, she forgot all about her anger with him. She was sure she could entice him to forget about the Slayer. “My Spike, come join us,” she said above Chanterelle’s disgruntled groan.
Spike gave a snort of contempt. “Don’t bloody think so, Dru. I can’t dust you m’self. I still feel too much for you, but I won’t stop the Slayer from stakin’ you.” He gave the vampire club groupie a hard glare. “She’ll be stakin’ your little playmate too.”
Drusilla changed into vamp face, and she hissed at Spike. “I kept the two of you apart before. I can do it again. Daddy will help me.”
Drusilla’s words made Spike realize that the bonding ceremony needed to be done sooner rather than later. “Your daddy’s too busy playin’ house with the bint with your soul. He won’t be any help.”
Drusilla snarled before she started to rise from the bed.
Dalton appeared at the door. “Your things are in your car, Master Spike.”
Drusilla scowled at the minion. Her golden eyes flashed in anger at the man’s words.
“You really are a piece of work, aren’t you, Dru?” Spike shook his head. “I was just too pathetically enamored to notice.” He turned his head to glance at Dalton. “Add yourself to m’belongin’s, book boy.”
Chanterelle leapt to her feet ready to defend her Sire. She launched herself at the bleached blond interloper. She had no idea who this male was, but he wasn’t going to interfere with her and Drusilla. Chanterelle let out a surprised grunt when Spike’s fist connected with her cheek. Her body flew through the air to smack into the far wall.
Drusilla screamed at Spike. She rushed at him, her fingers outstretched in claws. Before she reached him, she fell to the ground with a shriek. “No, Daddy. Don’t leave me!”
Spike gave a disgusted shake of his head. How on earth did I put up with her sack of hammer shite for so long? He turned away from the woman who raised him from the mediocrity of William’s life and made him grand. Spike had to admit though that without Dru turning him into a vampire, he and Buffy might have lived out God only knew how many more lives before they were able to break the vengeance curse set upon them.
As Spike climbed into his Desoto, it occurred to him that Ceridwyn was probably more responsible for his circumstances than Drusilla ever was. He just wished he had his memories of his former incarnations or at least the same things Buffy remember. Spike didn’t realize he whispered the wish aloud.
Spike let out a gasp when his mind filled with lifetime after lifetime of memories.
“Are you okay, Master Spike?” Dalton asked in a timid voice.
“Just peachy,” Spike replied in a dry, sardonic tone. “Let’s go find a new lair. Let’s hope it’s one the Slayer’ll like.” He started the car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
EARLY THE NEXT MORNING
Xander paced around Brenna Hassib’s office. His body was tense with nervousness. Therapy wasn’t his idea of fun. Any more speculation on the position he found himself in was interrupted by Brenna’s soft, no-nonsense voice.
“Good morning, Xander. I’m glad you made it. Please come into my office.”
Xander looked at the attractive dark-skinned woman, and he wondered what her story was. What events in her life made her decide being an angel-like demon was better than being just a plain, old human? “I almost didn’t, Mrs. Hassib.”
Brenna smiled at the boy. She could tell he was nervous. “Please call me Brenna. Mrs. Hassib is Ali’s mother.”
Xander followed Brenna into the inner office. He took the seat across the desk from the therapist. He looked around the room at the certificates before he returned his gaze to Brenna. “So?”
“Tell me about yourself.”
Xander reluctantly launched into the story of his life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
LATER THAT SAME DAY
“How was your first session with Mrs. Hassib?” Willow asked Xander while they walked down the hall towards the library.
The young man shrugged. “It was fine, I guess.”
“That’s good. Right?” Willow glanced at Xander. She thought he was so boyishly handsome. Now, if he’d only notice her. “I tried to call this morning to remind you about the appointment, but you must have left already.”
Xander glanced around to see if Snyder was anywhere nearby. The little troll didn’t need to overhear what he told his friend. “I spent the night in the library. I helped Giles and his buddy watch Rayne.”
“Oh, they found him!” Willow looked delighted.
“Yeah, apparently he was hanging out at the costume shop.”
Willow and Xander arrived at the library. When they slipped inside they found Buffy and Giles strategizing on the elimination of Eyghon.
“I hate sitting around doing nothing, Giles,” Buffy protested. “You and Spike are gonna take care of everything without me.”
Giles awkwardly patted Buffy’s shoulder. He was still uncomfortable showing his young charge affection, despite his growing fatherly love for the girl. “I know that, Buffy. Think of it as a lesson in patience and delegation.”
“Buck up, Slayer.” Spike appeared from the stacks, having snuck in the back way. “I’m sure I can round up a few minions you can play with.”
A bright smile broke out on Buffy’s face before she jutted out her lower lip in an exaggerated pout. “You’re teasing me again, aren’t you, Guillaume?”
Spike put a hand on his chest. “Miss Summers, you wound my fragile ego.” He winked at the startled Watcher. His posh accent wasn’t something he threw around very often.
Both Giles and Buffy snorted. William’s ego might fragile, but both the Slayer and the Watcher knew the vampire’s constitution was far heartier.
“I’ve got some news,” Spike announced, ignoring the snorts. “Rumors on the demon grapevine say that dear old grandpa and a dark haired bint disappeared into a vortex in Los Angeles last night.”
“Oh my!” Giles muttered. “I had hoped that Cordelia’s absence this morning was because she was ill or otherwise busy.” He noticed the others giving him questioning stares. “I check the attendance rolls every morning to see who is missing school.”
Buffy wrinkled her nose. “What on earth is she doing with him?”
“Maybe she’s the one Ceridwyn mentioned having that bitch’s soul,” Xander said. “You know the one that started this whole shebang?”
“Miss Kendall didn’t show up either,” Giles commented. “I had hoped they had made up enough to be off doing something together.”
Buffy tilted her head in thought. She didn’t like Harmony, but if the other blond wasn’t with Cordelia, she could be in trouble. After a moment she turned to Willow and Xander. “While Giles, Spike, and I take care of Ethan and his demon, I want you to try to find out what the Cordettes know about Harmony’s disappearance.”
Xander sighed. He really hated talking to the clique-ish ‘in crowd’. “Do we have to?” he whined.
“You want to go after the monster?” Buffy raised her eyebrow. “Or the bimbo?”
Xander tapped his chin. “The monster won’t make the next two years living hell…”
“Unless you’re livin’ in hell, Harris,” Spike quipped.
“You haven’t seen my family. Hell might be an improvement,” Xander muttered in a dry voice.
Spike glanced at Buffy before he replied, “I’m stayin’ in the biggest crypt in Restfield in you ever need a place to get some kip. Just tell book boy you’re with me.”
“Book boy?” Buffy asked. “Crypt?”
“I’ve got a minion by the name of Dalton. Dru was a right bitch when I dumped her sorry arse.”
Another, brighter smile broke out on Buffy’s face. She launched herself at Spike. She gave him a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re finally away from her.”