The Specter stood on top of the building opposite the Mayor's office. She watched as a group of vampires entered the front door. There were seven males and three females. Unfortunately, the Specter only recognized one of them. Lennie had been one of Spike's minions with no real skills, except how to gravitate to the most powerful vamp in town. The Specter realized that the Mayor must have hired some outside muscle for whatever he had planned.

The Specter knew that the Scoobs were at the high school that night studying for the SATS, if she needed to talk to them. She snickered to herself, for once glad that she got out of some of the more stressful high school experiences by being vamped. College was going really good for her, except for her phsychology teacher Maggie Walsh and her teacher's aide Riley Finn. Something about the two of them had made Beth's Slayer senses go wiggy. She had transferred to another class with another teacher within a few days. On several occasions she'd caught the pair giving Clem speculative looks. She didn't like those looks.

The Specter was about to leave when she noticed a man coming out of the building she was watching. Crap, the guy that cursed the Halloween costumes is in town She decided she needed to follow the man. The Specter tracked him over the rooftops until he stopped at the Sunnydale branch of the Milkbar candy bar factory. He got out of his car, and he went inside. The Specter decided that Giles and the gang needed to know about this. If that guy was in town again, trouble was sure to follow.

The Specter stopped in her tracks. How the hell was she going to tell Giles? She hadn't been the one to go get the costume, Beth was. She growled in displeasure. Having two personas was getting to be a pain in the butt. The Specter changed directions after she decided that Clem might be the answer to her dilemma.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"H-hello." Clem slipped into the library. He waved self-consciously at the gathered group. "Beth and Specter sent me over to let you know that guy who did the spell on the Halloween costumes is in town."

"Ethan Rayne is in Sunnydale?" Giles asked.

"Is that his name?" Clem replied. "The girls didn't know that. All the Specter could tell us was that he visited the candy factory after coming out of another building she was watching. Then, she went to Beth's. They're getting ready for Spike getting back, you know?"

"You know the Specter, right?" Cassie got to her feet. "What does she look like?" She really wanted to know who was behind the mask.

"Um." Clem blinked in surprise. "I don't know." He shrugged. "She's tight-skinned like you, and she stands about yay high." He put his hand at about shoulder level. Clem wasn't a very tall demon.

"I meant hair color, facial features," Cassie grumped.

"Oh, she's got dark hair, two eyes, two ears, a nose and a mouth. Pretty standard features for a tight-skin." Clem nodded enthusiastically.

"But what does she look like?" Cassie tried again.

"She looks like herself. You know, tight skinned, about yay high." Clem put his hand at shoulder level, again. "Has all the normal features for your kind."

"Oh, I give up."

"Thank you, Clem," Giles said politely. "Tell the Specter that we'll look into it." His curiosity about the Specter grew daily as well, but he knew when to back down on the subject. They weren't going to get any other information out of Clem.

"Okie dokie. I'll do that." Clem waved again, and he slipped out of the library.

"Great, we gotta sell candy for the band and figure out what your friend is doing in town." Cassie flopped back in her chair. "My circle of acquaintances isn't that big for the whole selling thing."

"I ran into Spike on his way into town," Xander tossed the comment into the conversation. He looked up from the book he was studying. "He bought a few bars from me."

"At least you sold some," Willow half pouted.

"Beth is gonna be happy when she gets home from work." Cassie looked both pleased and depressed at the same time. She was happy for her friend. If she was honest with herself she was a little jealous of her, too. Things with Angel were still strained, and Cassie wasn't sure how to make things better.

"I think we should go check out the candy factory and Ethan Rayne," Giles announced. He had snacked on one of the candy bars he had bought from Cassie. Fuck, he hated missing supper. The sugar was affecting him strangely, and he just wanted to get home to eat something more nutritious, and go to bed.

"Yeah, maybe we better."

The Scoobs gathered their books, said good-bye at the door, and went their separate ways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beth couldn't get the grin off her face when she realized that Spike's car was parked in front of her apartment. She was glad she had changed out of her Specter costume at Jack's apartment. She rushed inside, stashed her black clothes in a trunk just inside the door, and she leapt up the stairs to the upper floor of the warehouse where her apartment was located.

Beth burst into the living room, and there laying on the couch asleep was her guy. She smiled indulgently when he reacted to her presence by growling possessively and rolling towards her just a little bit. Beth wanted to welcome him properly, but she realized that he'd been driving several days straight trying to get back to her. She picked up a couple of candy wrappers that the vampire had left on the coffee table, and she threw them in the trash. Then, she covered him with a blanket, kissed him on the forehead, and went in to take a nice, warm bath.

Beth laid back in the tub, letting the heat of the water sooth away her aches. She had just gotten comfortable when she felt as if she was being watched. She lifted her head to find Spike standing at the bathroom door staring at her in astonished lust. Beth noticed that the usually cocky vampire was looking at her shyly, and she wondered if he was playing a game with her. She decided to be bold and aggressive by crooking one finger at him to suggest that he join her. "Come take a bath with me, Spike," Beth cooed.

"P-please call me William. Th-that other name is so uncouth." William smiled shyly at the bathing nymph. Her short dark hair curled slightly in the humid moistness of the room. Her wide, luminous eyes and pouty pink lips made him feel like a stuttering youth fresh out of grammar school. He wanted to join her, but he chastised himself for such vulgar desires.

"William, I promise the water's wonderful," Beth said huskily. She beckoned him with her finger again.

"That would be most improper, Miss Beth." William would have blushed if he had been able. "A gentleman never joins an unmarried lady in the bath." He ached to delve his fingers under the water to caress the softness of Beth's skin.

"Well, let's pretend we're married, then," Beth said softly. She had no idea what Spike's game was, but she would play along. "It's our wedding night." She crooked her finger again. She was intrigued to see the side of Spike, even if she was confused by it.

William gulped in arousal. This pretty girl wanted him. Him! William the Bloody Awful Poet! He was sure that Beth would never laugh at his poetry. She seemed kinder than that. William smiled shyly at the girl before he pulled off his t-shirt, and he shivered under the heated scrutiny of her eyes. However, when his hands dropped to the waist of his pants, her eyes slammed shut in embarrassment. William quickly got rid of his pants, and he slid into the tub opposite of Beth.

"You can open your eyes now," William offered shyly.

"Maybe I don't wanna," Beth whispered while she kept her eyes closed. She was feeling awfully playful. "Maybe I wanna play Marco Polo." She felt around under the water until she found William's feet. Beth flowed forward in the water while she slid her hands up his legs. In a matter of seconds, she was on her knees between his legs, her mouth mere inches from his lips, and she whispered, "Marco."

"Polo," William whispered in return. He put one hand behind Beth's head, and he brought her mouth to his own. He groaned when he felt her round, pert breasts push against his chest. William pulled Beth closer, and he growled when she straddled his lap. He was startled by how animalistic and possessive he suddenly felt. He settled his hands on her hips, pulling her close to his body while he ravished her lips.

Beth looped her arms around William's shoulders, leaned further into the kiss, and rocked her pelvis against the erection caught between their bodies. She was a virgin, but that didn't make her innocent. Between sex education, her mom, and a couple of make out sessions before she moved to Sunnydale, Beth knew about the birds and the bees. Beth moaned when William's hands slid up to cup her breasts.

William struggled with his inner beast that wanted to lift Beth up and drop her on his hard cock. Somewhere in the back of his chocolate addled brain, he knew that she was untouched. This knowledge made him wait for her to make the first move. All thought processes shut down as she moved her sweet body against his, and he forgot about everything except how eager William was to make love to his Beth.

Beth kissed down William's jawline to his ear, where she sharply nipped the lobe before she whispered, "Enough foreplay, my darling pretend hubby. I want you to make love to me. I want to truly be yours, not just pretending."

"Your wish is my command, my sweet," William whispered. He helped Beth rise to her knees. Using one hand he positioned his cock at her nether lips, and he sighed when she started to inch down his erection. He kissed her shoulder lovingly when he heard Beth hiss in pleasured pain. Then, he hissed himself when she bit down hard on his shoulder after she dropped into his lap, plunging his dick deep inside her body and past her maidenhead. He groaned at the realization that he was indeed her first. He swore to himself that he would also be her only lover for eternity.

Beth tasted William's blood where her teeth broke the surface of his skin. It took all of her control not to go into game face of either her vampire demon or her Slayer demon, and whisper claiming words over the male vampire. Beth knew that a primal instinct was very close to the surface at that moment. So, instead she concentrated on the feeling of fullness between her legs. She started to move her hips in the age old rhythm of lovers, tightening her inner muscles with each upstroke.

William gritted his teeth against the onslaught of sensations pulsating through his body. If he had been in his right mind, he might have been suspicious of the momentary flash of heat deep inside the woman he loved, but the whammied chocolate had done a good job at suppressing the intuitive demon. William was in the forefront at the moment. Like any red-blooded male, when confronted with a willing female, he didn't have any qualms about getting intimate.

Beth moaned with delight over the pleasurable pain at the apex of her thighs. She plundered William's lips with her own while she quickened the rise and fall of her hips. The myriad of sensations were overwhelming to the vampiress, and she found her body tightening in orgasm around her lover's cock. She pulled back to stare at William's handsome face while she tightened her inner muscles. Beth felt great pride when he fell over into the abyss with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ring. Ring. Ring

Beth stretched one hand out from beneath the comforter to answer the phone. "This better be good," she muttered groggily.

"Beth?" Cassie's concerned voice flowed through the receiver. "I know you're not really a daytime person, but have you or Spike by any chance heard from Giles?"

"No, I haven't. I suppose Spike and I can look for him after dark if you'd like." Beth sat up with the comforter bunched around her waist. She glanced at the other side of the bed where the blond vampire was sprawled on his stomach. The bruises and scratches on his back were already scabbed over and healing.

"You're not workin' tonight, pet?" Spike's voice pillow-muffled voice asked.

"I don't work tonight and class starts late," Beth answered Spike's question. "That Professor Walsh was totally creepy. I transferred out of her class ASAP."

"Anything we need to worry about?" Cassie's concerned voice filtered through the phone. She was worried about Giles, but if something wigged out Beth she was concerned about that too.

"I don't know. She just struck me as stranger than the usual. Well for Sunnydale, but there've been some odd disappearances on campus." Beth chewed on her lip. "The administration says that the people just decide college isn't for them and move on, but well, for Sunnydale..."

"Back to Giles, okay," Cassie grumbled. She wasn't ready to tackle another problem at the moment. She filed it away for later investigation. "He might be acting kinda weird when you come across him. That band candy is making all the grown ups act funny."

"Band candy?" Beth turned to stare at the dozing vampire beside her. She remembered the presence of chocolate bar wrappers on the table when she got home last night. It was obvious that Spike had been snacking on them before she arrived. "Um, funny how?" She was nervous. Had the candy made him do something he didn't want to the night before?

"Just funny, not like their grown up selves is all. Somehow it's linked to the candy. Faith and I are going to go lean on Giles' old friend, Ethan." Cassie huffed sullenly. "We could use a little help. You have a closer relationship with the Specter. Do you think you could get her a message to come help us?"

Beth's eyes widened at the request. Dang, how the heck am I gonna get out of this one? Think, girl, think. "The Specter was called out of town on some family business, I think she said."

"Specter's out of town?" Spike's voice rumbled from his side of the bed. He rolled over to peer sleepily at Beth.

"Guess she wanted to give you and Spike some time alone," Cassie said. "Anyway, me and the Scoobs are gonna go find Ethan. You and Spike find Giles and make sure he's not hurt or anything. Talk to you later."

"Bye," Beth replied in return. She put the receiver down in its cradle, and she turned to look at the vampire laid out beside her. "Sorry, Spike. You were asleep when I got home last night and then we got distracted with the smoochies. I kinda forgot about the Specter."

"I didn't realize the Specter had family." Spike wondered what could take her away from Sunnydale.

"Everybody's got family, Spike," Beth said softly. "Even me. My dad thinks I'm dead, but my mom knows... about this." She shifted into game face while she waved a hand towards herself.

"Your mum knows?" Spike sat up, and he gathered the sheet around his waist. He pulled Beth into his arms.

"Yeah, you, her, Clem and Jack." Beth nodded as she gave a wary smile. She laid her head on Spike's shoulder while she basked in his caresses. "Just the four of you know. Everybody else seems to think I'm just a girl who doesn't like the sun."

"So are you gonna introduce me to your mum, luv?" Spike kissed Beth on the shoulder.

"Someday?" Beth grimaced. "I'm not too sure mom would be ready to meet my boyfriend. Do you know what it took me to talk her into a place of my own? I had to pass my GED classes! I swear she's decided that since I'm gonna look sixteen forever, she's gonna treat me that way, too."

"I see," Spike murmured. Here was yet another clue to the oddity that was the vampiress, Beth Sowle, but before the blond master vampire could ponder longer on his girl's strangeness, she hopped out of bed. He listened to her babble happily while she put on her clothes. Spike wasn't really in the mood to go out to search for the Watcher, but the experience the night before had shaken him. He had spent over a century suppressing the nerdy poet he used to be, but something about Beth seemed to bring that side of him to the surface. Spike rose from the bed to put his clothes on, too. If there was a reason for William's predominant performance the night before, he wanted to know it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spike jumped out of the way, and he dragged Beth along with him, when the squad car swerved towards them. The two vampires stared in shock at the vehicle when it ran into a light post. At the wheel with a bottle of Jack Daniels was the very person they were searching for. In the passenger seat was a pretty blond woman neither Spike nor Beth recognized.

Giles flung the car door open, and he lurched out of the car. He staggered around the front of the sedan. Giles stopped once to take a swig of the bottle in his hand before he opened the passenger door for his companion. He reached in to grab her hand, and he helped her from the car.

"Ripper." The woman pouted prettily. "I am out of chocolate." She started to play with the buttons on Giles' shirt. "If you find me some more, I'll give you more orgasms."

"Anya, my love. You are a wicked, wicked woman." Giles smirked while he waggled his eyebrows at the woman. "I know where the factory is that made the chocolate."

"You do?" Anya smiled brightly. "Oh, Ripper, you're my hero!" She finger-walked up Giles' chest while she batted her eyelashes at him.

"Hello, Ripper," Spike drawled mockingly. "What have you been up to?" He pulled Beth closer to his side as he studied the Watcher.

Giles whirled around at the sound of the vampire's voice, and his face brightened considerably. "William, old chap," he cried. "You've returned. I'd like you to meet Anyanka. She is the newest proprietor of the magic shop."

"Pleased to meet you." Spike bowed slightly from the waist. "I prefer to be called Spike."

"Williammm. SSSpikkke." Anya drew out the names while she tapped her chin. "Why does that seem so familiar?"

"Because he's the bloody Slayer of Slayers, luv." Giles put his arm around Anya's middle. He leaned in to slowly lick the arch of her ear. "And his little friend is Beth. Why a sweet little thing like that would fall for a vampire is beyond me." He chuckled when Anya shivered under his touch.

"Spike is always a gentleman with me, Giles," Beth said politely before she turned to Anya and held out her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Anya."

"Nice to meet you, too." Anya gripped the outstretched hand before her attention was caught by one of the displays in the store windows. "Oh Ripper, look at the pretty coat. It's made out of money. I want it!"

"Then you shall have it, my dear." Giles handed Anya the now almost empty bottle of booze. He quickly grabbed a nearby garbage can, and he hurtled it into the glass. He turned to wink at the others when the window shattered. Giles grabbed the coat off the mannequin, and he handed it to Anya with a flourish.

"Thank you, Ripper." Anya nibbled on her lower lip while glancing up at Giles from under her eyelashes. "You're so manly. How about we play policeman and lady robber again?"

"Hmmm." Giles smirked down at the woman in front of him. "How about we play police woman and gentleman robber instead?"

"As exciting as that sounds, Watcher," Spike drawled. "It's not something I wish to witness in this lifetime. How about we stroll on down to Willy's for a new bottle of booze, instead?"

"Capital plan, mate." Giles grabbed the bottle away from Anya, and he swallowed the last swig. He threw the bottle at the police car. "We're needin' a new bottle."

The four strolled towards the demon bar, The Alibi Room, owned by Willy the Snitch. Giles and Anya were in front giggling like two teenagers while they made fun of people passing by. Spike and Beth followed behind with their hands intertwined. They had just settled at the bar with a round of drinks: Jack Daniels for Giles and Spike, a pink lady for Anya, and a diet coke for Beth. She pled class duty for her reason not to drink, but she was distracted from the group when a pretty dark haired woman came into the bar. She came directly to Beth and asked if they could talk privately.

"My name is RoseSeri Hassib. I am a representative from the Celestial Council." The woman held her hand out to Beth. "I know who you are, Miss Summers. Please do not worry as I'll not tell your secrets."

"I go by Beth. Buffy is dead," Beth said softly. She glanced quickly over at Spike, but she noticed that he and Giles were now in the middle of a game of darts. Beth turned her attention back to RoseSeri. "What can I do for you?"

"More like what I can do for you." RoseSeri reached into her briefcase, and she pulled out a packet of papers. "I know that you are keeping your identity and status secret, even from your mate, William the Bloody. That's not why I'm here, though. I have been hired by another pair of Immortal Guardians to purchase housing."

"Immortal Guardians?" Beth wrinkled her forehead in confusion. "What's that?"

"Oh, that's right, you don't have any idea, do you?" RoseSeri smiled at the young vampiress. "In every dimension, your mate and yourself are the Immortal Guardians. Not all the Slayers are vampires, like you are though. So far I've met the Slayer Sultana and a Slayer Seraph with her Demonic Seraph mate."

"Wow. Are you sure?" Beth whispered. After RoseSeri nodded, she continued, "That's a lot to take in, ya know?"

"The top packet of papers will explain everything for you." RoseSeri shuffled the papers around. "The bottom packet of papers gives you and your mate privileges to all to the Immortal Guardian properties in this dimension." She pointed to the addresses on the paperwork. "As you can see, there are two houses here in Sunnydale, including your mother's. There is also a hotel in L.A., a penthouse in New York, and the Jamison estate in England."

"Jamison estate? What's that?"

"Your mate's family estate, my dear." RoseSeri smile at the flabbergasted girl. "He's a vampire of means."

"Um, okay. Do I have to sign something?" Beth was confused by much of what was going on. She hoped she could talk to her mom about what the paperwork entailed.

"No, everything has been taken care of, Beth." RoseSeri raised her hand. "Everything is explained in the paperwork. My home and office numbers are on the first page. If you need anything, anything at all, call me day or night."

Beth shook RoseSeri hand, pocketed the papers, and rejoined Anya, Spike and Giles at the dartboard. When they questioned her about the visit with RoseSeri, she shrugged it off as not important, just something to do with school. Spike raised his eyebrow at the lie, but he soon forgot about it when the dart game with Giles got heated.

The next day, Beth took the paperwork to her mother, and the two women decided that it was best that they be stored at the Revello address. They took a quick look at the other Sunnydale property, but they decided that for the time being that Beth and Spike would stay at the warehouse apartment. The Slayer and her pals might get suspicious otherwise.