VERY AU: Master Of The Sunnydale Hellmouth plays with a tortured Slayer, his dark Princess by his side.  Not the story you may think it is, in fact far from it. Come and take a journey to madness, betrayal, desire and rage. As we follow our cast of characters as they journey from the past to understand the present, as they  learn love can be beautiful and pure as well as dark and dangerous. And perhaps that hardest thing in this world is to truly live in it.

Author's Note: A lot of blood-play, darkness freaky/kinky and angst and VERY NC-17. Not suitable for viewers under age. Not your typical Buffy or Spike. This will be VERY LONG with a lot of flashbacks.
 

Nocturnal Bravura : def

Nocturnal -from Latin nocturnus ; of, relating to, or occurring in the night

Bravura- Italian, meaning 'skill or bravery'; a musical performance that displays a bold and an extraordinary display of technique.

Chapter Three: The Dance

It was supposed to be a fight. Bloody, dirty, full of rage and fear like all fights were -- but when they threw blows it truly looked like a dance. They countered each other flawlessly. Knew when to punch and when to block. Their arms and legs never got entangled or off step. They stepped like they were in the throes of a waltz swinging gracefully from side to side. Moving their heads with poise. Even at times their breathing seemed timed, inhaling when one exhaled and the other doing the same. Then every once and awhile...

Thwack!

William staggered back holding his nose trying to stop the bleeding.

Buffy smiled looking at him. Her pink tongue darted out of her mouth licking the little bit of the Slayer's blood that splattered across her knuckles.

"Yummy, yummy for my tummy." Buffy said rubbing her stomach like a child.

William knew right then it was a bad night for the blonde vampire. Sometimes he would find her crouched in the darkness, her white nightgown muddy and torn, as she mumbled about things.  To most people she would seem incoherent. When William heard her it ripped his heart out. The things she mumbled haunted William. If anyone knew he had left her there or at times had taken her to shelter to make sure she was away from the deadly sun in the morning he would be history. She was The Master's Princess, he should stake her on sight. However he couldn't -- he never could.

Buffy looked down at her hands then up at William with a questioning look.

"What were we doing?" Buffy asked tilting her head. She put her hands on her black leather clad hips.

Suddenly like she had a moment of clarity she squealed. "Yes we were dancing." She said.

Buffy immediately launched herself in the air doing a series of acrobatics. William took two steps back waiting for her to finish her flips. William saw his moment; he crouched down and swept her legs as she landed. Instead of falling backwards she fell into his arms. William began to push her away when he looked into her eyes.

"If the stars have burned out by the time I see them does that make them any less beautiful?" Buffy whispered, her body going limp.

William gulped hard. Her words echoed a conversation from long ago. Another place and another time. William looked down at her. She looked so helpless in his arms. Her eyes seemed to clear from their fog for a brief moment.

"William." Buffy said breathlessly.

William stroked her cheek and looked in her eyes.

"Elizabeth." He whispered.

"William?" She questioned touching his face almost as if she was checking if he was real.

William fought the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes.

"Lizzie?" He asked.

Suddenly they both heard clapping in the background.