by melWinter

Chapter 14

Evil paused between two passageway, debating something to herself before choosing the one on the left. Neither direction meant anything to Buffy so she silently followed, keenly aware of the vampiress’ movements. Her hand almost itched to follow through and use the stake in her hand but she forced herself to slip it into the back of her jeans and relax her body. It didn’t mean she wasn’t prepared or that she wasn’t watching the vampire with a keen eye, just that she seemed more relaxed. Evil smirked, “You two are two of a kind.”

Buffy frowned, “Sorry?”

Nodding firmly, “Yes. You certainly are. And I honestly don’t know why he still loves you.”

Buffy stopped short, forgetting to breathe for just a moment before gasping out a “what?”.

Rolling her eyes, still walking, “William. I don’t know why he still loves you.” She paused to look over her shoulder, a dangerous glint in her eyes, “But he does. So I’ll warn you now, bitch, hurt him in any way and you’ll find out why I’m called Evil.”

Buffy felt her temper spike but concentrated on not giving into the temptation. She just bit her bottom lip and nodded, well used to death threats from demons by now. Although for some reason her threats she was going to take seriously, “Got it.” Evil nodded back just as slowly before continuing on her way. Seconds later the passage ended and expanded into an enormous cavern with railing along the edge before the bottom just dropped. The vampire gestured for the slayer, taking a step to the side and tapping the iron beneath her fingertips rhythmically.

Buffy cautiously walked to the edge and looked down, eyes widening at what she was seeing. Werewolves. Hundreds...no, thousands of them. There were little rooms carved out of the rock, food and clothing hanging on display. Hand carved furniture and woven rugs, “A mall?”

Smirking to herself, “Something like that. This is the Hub. It’s the community center. We have shops for food, clothing, and crafts.” She pointed three levels down to a large set of double doors painted black, “Through there is the training room. Any pack member can sign up for classes to learn how to defend themselves...well, except for Omega...”

She just shrugged again and Buffy frowned, “Why bring me here?”

Sighing softly, “Who do you think is the lead instructor?”

Shrugging in confusion, “I don’t know. How should I-...” Buffy suddenly trailed off. She shouldn’t know, unless it was one of the two guys here she did know and she just knew it wasn’t Xander, “Spike?”

Nodding slowly, “He’s one of the best, but I’m sure you know that.” Silently Buffy nodded. Chipped or not, soul or not, he’d been the best fighter she’d ever seen so it didn’t surprise her that he was the best teacher. Especially since he’d been really patient around the potentials, helping to train them when he could, “Keep in mind that it’s not just the best fighters that make the lead instructors. People volunteer for those classes.” Buffy gave her a blank look, “If the teacher isn’t liked, the students won’t show up.”

Evil didn’t say anything further, silently watching the quiet bustle of activity. After a second Buffy shook her head with a frown. What was the point? Rubbing at her temple, “Okay, so why show me all this?”

Smirking, “He asked me the same question when he first got here. And I told him exactly what I’m about to tell you. I bring everyone up here that has the potential to be pack. So take a good look. These are the people you’d be defending.” Buffy’s hazel eyes took a second look, realizing the more she looked and the less she payed attention to her senses she wasn’t seeing demons, she was seeing people. Couples walking hand in hand, little children running around them. Young girls trying on dresses and shoes and young boys staring in awe at the weapons display, “This is as tight knit a community as you’ll ever find. We don’t all get along, but we work together. That’s the way a family works...and the pack is family. We’re not after world conquest. We’re not even looking for fame or popularity. We just want the right to exist like everyone else. We’re not hurting anyone here but we’re being hunted down and viciously exterminated like vermin by the Watchers and a bunch of slayer bitches that have more brawn than brains.”

Shaking her head, “Why? I mean, I get why Giles is all concerned about werewolves attacking people but... why the sudden war?”

Snorting, “It’s not sudden, you just didn’t know about it. For the longest time the Council simply had a no tolerance order to rogue werewolves. That changed a few decades ago. The focus shifted when rogues banded together into roaming packs and attacked innocents at will, since then any large gathering is seen as a threat and in recent years with so many slayers they’ve refocused on us.”

Buffy thought about Oz. He’d been a lone wolf in Sunnydale and Giles had never said anything about him. Frowning to herself, “I was friends with a werewolf and Giles didn’t say a thing.”

Smirking to herself, “Oz, right?” Silently Buffy nodded, “Well, perhaps Rupert didn’t consider him a threat since he was on his own or the Council deemed it not important to inform you.”

Grumbling to herself, “Not like the watchers ever clued me in on anything.”

Shrugging, “You were one girl, the Council would never consider sacrificing a well trained tool against an entire clan of werewolves. But several lesser trained tools...well, now that there are so many, slayers are considered expendable.”

Shaking her head, “Giles wouldn’t do that.”

Slanting her a glance, “Your precious watcher is both blind and dumb now that he’s head of the Council. His so called aides only aide their own ambitions.” Buffy’s jaw tightened in anger, “Linda found that out the hard way. They sent her into a slaughter but William got to her first. Saved her from the pack’s wrath and convinced her to join up.”

Murmuring to herself, “That’s how she knew Dawn and Wills’ nicknames...” Shaking her head, “There’s got to be some way to warn him-...”

“He killed a member of this clan, his days are numbered.”

“He didn’t pull the-...”

Evil snarled, “Worry about your near future before you worry about his.”

Right. She had to convince a bunch of wolves to let her stay. Clenching her fist, “Just tell me no one’s going after him.”

Studying her for a moment before promising quietly, “Your fate will be decided long before his will be. If he is to die, the Alpha will decree it.”

Buffy nodded slowly. She could work with that. Get on the inside, get on Spike’s good side, then work on protecting Giles. They weren’t close anymore but for all that they’d been through together, Giles deserved more than just her turning her back on him. Frowning suddenly, “Why do you call him that?”

“William?” Pursing her lips, “Because it’s his name.”

Shrugging, “Well, yeah, but he goes by Spike.”

“Not anymore. Not since Los Angeles.”

One more thing she didn’t know. She was so out of the loop and it was blaringly obvious. Grimacing to herself, “Ah.”

Slowly crossing her arms, “And I don’t know if you know this but you’ve just screwed up in a major way.” Gesturing behind her, “A slayer, especially one as powerful as you are, the reputation you have, will have to be voted in. Either the majority of the pack leaders will have to agree to let you in for the dominance fights or the Alpha will have to vouch for you.” Giving her a pointed look, “Attacking a member, any member of this pack, might just be what gets you booted out on your ass.” Smirking, “And the fact that William’s very popular around here makes it even harder.”

Buffy wilted just a bit more. She just knew her temper was going to get her in trouble and it seemed to instantly flare around Spike. She couldn’t seem to help herself...but she was going to have to. Her children had no business seeing that side of her, and God forbid if they started taking after her. No, she was going to have to learn to control herself, “He’s popular?”

Nodding, “Very.” Evil looked out for a bit longer before turning on her heels, “Come on. I’ll escort you back to your temporary house.”

Wincing, “Why can’t I-...”

She snapped a growl at Buffy, “That had been the intent, you idiot. Do you really think he’s going to welcome you into his home right now?”

She stiffened her spine to get it out, “I did.” Evil frowned a little, “Sunnydale. Past and all but he needed help, a place to stay and I took him in. No strings. Just a roof and a bed but I did it because he needed it.” There was more to it, how his insanity and him needing that help was because of her but it was a past too confusing to get straight and she really didn’t feel like going through all the drama with this vampiress when it was Spike she needed to explain herself to.

Evil slowly crossed her arms, studying her for a moment. She was very familiar with what happened in Sunnydale, more than anyone else save Kat. And what this Slayer was saying was true, if a little bit dishonest as to the reasons, “Don’t know if you noticed but his coloring is off.”

Buffy just blinked at her at the subject change, “Huh?”

Tapping her own face with her fingers, “Bit less than pale, more gray than anything.”

Slowly nodding, “I noticed. I thought maybe blood was tight around here or something.” Grimacing to herself, “He looked like that a few times in Sunnydale, too.” Then she winced as something else occurred to her. ‘And I never did anything about it.’ She didn’t say it, at least not out loud but she did in her own mind. The first step in fixing a mistake is to acknowledge them, after all.

The vampiress’ lips compressed into a tight line before she sighed through her nose, “You need an advocate to get in. You get someone within the pack who has your back and you’ve got a chance...” She turned around again before pausing, “He’s not feeding. I’m fairly certain not at all. Not even the boy’s brand of nagging is working.” Looking over her shoulder, “You get him to eat and I’ll back you.” Evil nodded to herself before turning around and walking. Buffy had to choose: stay here and probably get hopelessly lost or follow the angry vampire into the maze of tunnels. With a shiver and a pout she followed the vampire.

***

“Will.” Spike pulled up short, turning with a raised eyebrow as Xander jogged up to him. Their past mutual loathing of one another should have left them less than friends and it had started out that way. A few scuffles later, Xander earning the rank of Beta 1, and the pair of them now had a history outside of Sunnydale that had led to a strong friendship. Strong enough that even the reappearance of the slayer in that past wasn’t about to shake them, “She’s not going to give up that easily.”

Slowly Spike grinned. He wasn’t nearly as pissed as he’d led Buffy to believe. He’d been expecting her reaction, even if it had caught him by surprise. It shouldn’t have, though, she always went for the nose. But if the pair of them were truly going to start on the right foot, it was good to get a few ground rules down about mutual respect. Kat had taught him that, “Kid, how many times did I take you to the mat that first year?”

Xander gamely rolled his eyes. His new nickname was ‘kid’ and it wasn’t a bad thing in this instance. More of an age thing than a maturity thing since Spike was a lot more immature lately, “More than I could ever count.” Slanting a glance at the vampire, “Which surprised me that you let her punch you.”

Nodding to himself, answering the first statement and ignoring the second, “Yep, and I did it every time you started insulting me, didn’t I?”

Wincing, remembering that since it was both physical and verbal. Getting called out by Spike was not an enjoyable event, his criticism now almost acidic and his strength phenomenal. He didn’t envy Buffy at all right now, who was no doubt going to push every one of Spike’s buttons, “Yeah. I’m still bruised.”

Nodding again, “Well, she’s gonna be a bit bruised before this is over and done with so-...”

“So I should just sit down and shut up and watch as Spike and Buffy go head to head?”

Shaking his head slowly, a light in his eyes that Xander wasn’t sure he’d ever seen before. There was something vaguely familiar with that particular look, he was just having a hard time placing it, “Nope. Buffy and William are gonna go head to head.”

Xander’s eyes slowly widened as he finally figured it out. ‘William’ was coming out to play and this game suddenly took on a whole new turn. In Sunnydale Spike had been a pushover, chipped vampire with mouth and attitude but no bite. Hard exterior but all gooey on the inside. Once he’d gotten the soul he’d stayed quiet for the most part and followed orders, learning how to pretend to be Spike even if the guilt had slowly been eating him alive. When he’d been welcomed into the werewolf fold he’d started gaining confidence, as himself. This was an aspect of him Buffy had never really dealt with and she was about to find out just how much he was holding back. As Spike grinned wickedly and disappeared down the tunnel Xander could only shake his head and follow, “Aw...man this is gonna be brutal...”