Brave New World

Chapter 10

Spike had drifted awake to find Buffy clinging to his side. He did not move her, preferring to remain still and let his mind slowly start to function. Answering those questions foremost on his mind: 'What was he doing here?', 'Where was here?', 'Why was this girl here?' and most importantly 'Who the hell was he going to kill to keep her there?'. The questions were quickly answered as his brain woke up and began to function. Most of them. That last one he was a bit uncertain about, and it had spawn a couple of nagging little ones that would not go away.

With a sudden twitch the girl abruptly woke up.

"Bad dreams, luv?"

She stared at him, her eyes wide and wild for a few seconds as she came to consciousness. Then her eyes became guarded and cautious. She nodded briefly.

"I think we had best carry on this charade by hitting the showers, eh luv. After all, I'm supposed to have spent the better part of this morning proving my 'manliness' to you."

Buffy nodded again and rose from the bed. Spike's eyes followed her sleek naked form, "Not that I wouldn't mind you realize..."

Buffy turned with a smile on her face, "If you want, you could take me right now..." She spread her arms, offering herself to him. The words sounded inviting, but Spike was sure she was testing him.
"None of that, pet," he admonished rising up from the bed and moving to stand before her, equally exposed. He grasped her shoulders, and spoke firmly in a low voice, "Be assured, there will have no games between us, Buffy. If we are to do this together, faith will be necessary."

"Faith?" she asked arching her eyebrow.

"Faith," he said with a slight growl for emphasis. He pulled her body close his own, leaned in towards her ear and whispered, "Faith in me, faith in yourself and faith in us." Then he let her go, turned to the bed and began to strip the sheets.

Buffy stood there trying to collect her thoughts. The offer had been genuine. She would not have been bothered if he had wanted to fool around. **It wasn't as if he'd be doing anything that hadn't already been done to me. That I wasn't expecting him to do.** She stopped at that thought as a sudden realization swept through her. **Because I didn't have faith in him. Because I'm still thinking of him as *just* another vampire and not as my ally.** For some reason, this cause her to feel a surge of irritation at the peroxide-blond vampire even though she knew it was irrational. "Okay", she drawled out slowly while staring at his ass as he bent over. She cursed herself for being drawn to him in such a fashion and then she cursed him, **Goddamn-clever-fucking-vampire! I just hope he's as smart as he is good looking. Down Girl! Why the hell did he have to be so fucking *hot* looking anyway?**

Finished with bundling up the sheets and pillowcases he turned back towards Buffy. "I'm not going to pull my punches and lie to you," he whispered. "I'm going to be tough as hell on you and you're going to hate me. But if you want to achieve your goals, I am probably going to be your best chance. Now, I am well aware of that stubborn streak in you as an ex-slayer. However, in order for this to work, you are going to have to obey my orders immediately, unquestioningly and without fail. Do you understand me?"

"Aye, aye. Captain Bliegh," she muttered in return with a quick retort.

Spike looked very seriously into her eyes. "I'm going to try to take you out of here tonight, Buffy. But, until I do get you out of here, don't do anything different from what you normally would. You've done a smashing good job thus far, Luv. Don't blow it now."

his glare she subdued her desire to give a flip remark, **Time enough for that later.** Instead, she whispered back at him, "Look, I understand. It's OK. Chill. I've done the bow-and-scrape yes-Master thing for this long."

Spike watched in fascination, as her eyes seem to glaze over briefly and change from the strong, guarded, intelligent look that he approved of to that of a docile, meek and spiritless slave.

"Did, my Lord, desire me to bath him?" she asked in a voice dripping with honey.

"That he did, pet," he said with a sigh, "That he did." He lifted his hand indicating for her to lead the way. Buffy grabbed the bundle of sheets to drop in the laundry. He followed her out the door, wondering why the sight of her behaving in such a submissive manner gave him such an unsettling feeling.


The showers were a community affair set up in the back basement area. As the sun had only just set, not many vampires were up yet, so there was nobody else using the showers when Spike and Buffy entered. Turning on the water, Buffy picked up the soap, turned to Spike and began to clean him. She worked up the soap's lather first on his chest and then proceeded to clean his entire body from head to toe, front and back. When Spike turned to rinse she began to soap up her own body. Unexpectedly, she felt his hand again upon her shoulder. He took the soap from her and began to n hen her body. Buffy closed her eyes and relaxed as his strong hands massaged her body.

Until a voice cut in. A sarcastic, harsh voice that Buffy knew too well, dripping with poison.

"Oh my. How cozy. Is this a private party or can anyone join?" Willow strolled into the room, naked as well.

Spike paid no attention to the red-haired vamp, continuing to soap Buffy instead. He finished and indicated for her to rinse before looking at Willow. Finally, he asked, "Did you need somethin', pet?"
Pretending to ignore Spike, Willow sauntered over to Buffy as she stood under the shower spray and began to stroke the rings along her back. Buffy remained still, nervously wondering what Willow's game was today. Finally, Willow addressed Spike, "Did you like my artwork? I must admit I never was one for art before, paints and clay were just so dull to me." She sighed. "But once I found out what I could do with flesh and blood...well, I just turned into su fan fan of the National Endowment for the Arts." She paused to flick each hoop as she stroked her index finger along Buffy's right arm. "I sent then a contribution you know. After I was enlightened. My parents. Well parts of them, anyway. It was more of a collage of the male and female forms. Caused quite a stir, I believe. Mom and dad being so liberal and all, I thought they would appreciate it."

"I'm sure they were overcome with joy," Spike said sardonically.

Willow glanced at him then back at Buffy's left shoulder where she was now toying with the rings there. "But they were just human. And I have found that I can do so much on a canvas such as Childe here. So tell me Spike, cause I really value the opinion from such a worldly and important vampire such as you. Do you like my artwork or..." she grasped a ring and suddenly ripped it from Buffy's upper arm, "...should I just take them out and start over?"

Buffy let out a shriek of pain, jumped away from Willow and clasped her hand over the wound. Spike moved to grab her and pulled her close to him, placing his arms about her back in a protective embrace.
"Was that really necessary?" Spike growled and glared at her, his eyes flashing yellow.

"But her screams are so lovely. Oh are you concerned about the wound?" Willow laughed and returned his gaze daring him to challenge her. "Don't fret, *Pet*, she'll heal soon enough, and without even a scar. That's just another one of the joys of working with Childe here. One of the few benefits of her being a former Slayer. Well that, and her blood still tastes very sweet." She moved to lift Buffy's hand from the wound, it was coated in blood. Never breaking eye contact with Spike, Willow leaned in close, extended her tongue and slowly licked Buffy's palm clean. She moaned in pleasure and her face shifted to show her demonic visage. When she was finished, she released the hand and allowed her human face to resurface

"You have not tasted her? I see no marks on her neck. Childe would not have minded."

"She offered, I didn't feel like it."

"She must not have performed very well then."

"On the contrary, she performed very well. Well enough to make it unnecessary."

Willow's smile broadened. She moved close to Buffy's ear, "Childe."

"Yes, Mistress," Buffy spoke in a soft tone.

"I think you have a champion." She traced a sharp nail around the wound, "Did that hurt you?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Well, perhaps if you asked your 'White Knight' nicely, he will kiss your wound and make it feel better." Although she phrased it as a suggestion, Buffy knew it was an order.

"P-Please, my lord, w-would you k-kiss my wound?" she said keeping her head turned down.
Spike continued to glare at Willow for several seconds before softening his features and reaching to tilt Buffy's head up to look at him. He bent down and tenderly kissed the torn flesh on her forearm, tasting the blood that was already slowing as the wound began to heal. Gentle as it was, Buffy still had to repress a hiss of pain at the touch. The sweetness of her blood was delicious and it hit Spike hard, but he retained control and did not allow his demon face to emerge. Instead he straightened and then moved to kiss Buffy on her lips. Buffy opened her lips to allow him to plunder her mouth. After a minute he broke the kisd shd she lowered her eyes back to the floor.

"Better?" she heard him ask.

"Yes, my lord," she managed to say without a stammer.

"Go back to the room and I will be along shortly," he said. With a quick nod Buffy left the room, grabbing a towel as she ran out.

Spike moved to get his own towel only to find Willow blocking his path, "Was there something else?"
Willow smiled and reached out to stroke Spike's chest. "Oh there is always something else," she said in a breathy tone of voice. "But for now, I simply wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Spike queried.

"Mmm huh," she smiled. "You see, if it were not for you, I might be decades away from the position of power that I am in now." Spike said nothing. Willow's hand moved first to his stomach and then lower. "So I just wanted to express my...gratitude."

Spike snatched her hand away and stepped back, "Little Girl, you like to play games, don't you? Well the game you're playing right now is one that I don't particularly care for. It's very dangerous and unpredictable. Let me give you a word of advice. Don't play it. Messalina was executed for it."

Willow frowned as she contemplated his obscure reference. Suddenly, remembering where it was from, she drew herself up angrily, "How dare you compare me to that slut!" Her anger then dissipated just as quickly, "Besides, if there was anyone from that time that could compare to me it would be Livia."
**Is that because she murdered everyone including her husband and got away with it?** Spike thought. Bowing slightly he said, "Many pardons, if I have offended. Please accept my apologies for having misunderstood your intentions."

Willow smiled, "On one condition..." Spike raised an eyebrow as she slid her hands down along her body before she continued, "I want you to bath me."


Buffy hurried back to the room in a panic. She hadn't had a prophetic dream since she had been turned. It was just one of those things she thought she had lost now that she was no longer a Slayer. But when Willow had yanked the ring from her shoulder, it had taken every ounce of willpower not to freak. Remembering the rest of her dream she shivered. The Master and Willow had toyed with her, and then the Master had killed her. They had lived on, while everything she had endured had been had been for noth She She wanted to scream, to rage, to breakdown in hysteria. Instead she had huddle in Spike's arms, and let them think her tears were from the pain. Yes, Willow had hurt her. But after six months of enduring various levels of pain, she had developed an incredible tolerance for it. True pleasure, on the other hand, was something she rarely had experienced even before her turning, but when Spike had kissed her, everything bad had briefly seemed to fade away. For a second, she had felt what could only be described as a sense of peace and happiness. When the kiss had ended, a chill had swept through her as the memory of her dream-self killing Spike returned.

When she reached the room she found the Master waiting for her. He was sitting in the chair and sipping his usually evening espresso in a demitasse cup. When he saw her pause at the door, he waved her into the room. As she entered she saw a new dress lay on the bed.

"Ah Childe, good, I wished to speak to you," he said then frowned as he saw the wound. "Did you do something to anger Spike?"

"N-no Master. It was Willow," she told him.

His frown changed to a smile, "Ah good then, is she keeping him occupied?"

"Yes, she is, Master," Buffy said, bracing herself as she wondered what was going on and trying to keep her fear from clouding her thoughts.

"I wanted to have a private chat with you before seeing him this evening." He rose from the chair and then indicated for her to sit. As he moved behind her, she heard him opening a drawer and then a cabinet. Buffy was straining to discern what he was doing. Her memory of the dream had her so worked up that when he walked back towards her, she had tensed up in preparation for leaping out of the chair and making a desperate break for freedom. When instead he moved to her left side and began to bandage her wound, she closed her eyes and berated herself for almost blowing her cool.

"Did you enjoy your time with Spike this morning?" the Master asked as he began to cut a piece of gauze.

"Y-Yes, Master," she replied with some hesitation.

"Good. Good. Do you think that Spike enjoyed his time with you?" He placed the gauze carefully over the wound.

"Yes, Master."

"Excellent. Would you like to go with him when he leaves here?" He tore off a piece of tape and placed it on one side of the gauze.

Unsure exactly how to answer this, Buffy cocked her head and decided to play dumb. "Does my Sire want me to go away?"

The Master smiled as he finished placing a second piece of tape, "It appeared to me that Spike seemed to have developed a keen interest in you last night, as I hoped he would. I am...concerned for him. He has been very...different since he lost Drusilla."

The Master had moved to pick up the new dress and held it up for her to get in. This dress was made out of silk and was, like the one from last night, designed in an older style of fashion. It was a pale purple in color and had a delicate hand-woven lace pattern on the skirt. Buffy stood and raised her arms and he slipped the gown over her head. He buttoned up the back, as he continued to talk to her.
"He is a...very useful vampire...if a bit strange. I think that if he were to team up with someone as strong as my marvelous Willow, he would be quite a potential threat to me. Instead, however, he seems to have a need to take care of someone weak such as yourself. Therefore, should he request it of me, I intend to let him have you."

**Yes!** thought Buffy as a surge of excitement passed through her. She moved to pick up Mary and pulled her close to her chest. A smile began to creep across her face.

"However, there is a problem."

The smile disappeared, **Shit! Now what?** She turned back to find the Master had sat back in the chair, and was drinking his espresso.

"When Spike came to me some time ago he was hunting for a spell to help Drusilla. She was ill you see. So I made an agreement with Spike that if he assisted me with the LA situation, I would obtain and provide a cure for Dru. We had all of the required elements. But then you came and set Angelus free and he had to be 'put down'. No doubt you remember him?"

Buffy did not like where this story was going.

"Unfortunately, this spell required the blood of the Drusilla's Sire in order to work. Angelus. But because of your interference, Angelus was no more. The spell could never be performed. Dru had a sudden turn for the worse and before we could find an alternative spell, she was gone. Because of you."

Buffy felt sick inside, **Oh God no.**

"Because of his service to me, I owe him a debt. You are going to be a part of that payment. You will care for him like you care for Mary, there. But I want you to remember who you serve. Me not him. You will have a job to do and if you fail me, I may decide to inform Spike about your part in Drusilla's death."

He looked at Buffy to be sure she was listening well. Her eyes were fixed upon him. She felt as if she had just been handed the stake that would be used to kill Spike.

"I want you to keep an eye on Spike and, not that I expect him to, if he should ever talk about opposing me, I want you to report it to me. Is that understood Childe?"

"Yes Master," Buffy replied steadily. Inside she was feeling not only extreme pangs of guilt from being, however unintentionally responsible for Drusilla's death, but also, guilt from feeling guilty over a dead vampire. **How typical. My entire existence must be one big cosmic joke. Somebody, somewhere, must really be laughing their celestial ass off at my expense, cause this is sure as Hell too fucked-up a situation just be a coincidence.**

*****

When Spike returned to the room he found Buffy and the Master waiting for him. At the Master's wave, Buffy moved to get Spike's clothes for him.

"Good evening, Spike," the Master greeted.

"Master," Spike nodded in return. "Had I known you were waiting, I would have been back sooner to be more...properly attired." He took the pants from Buffy, dropped the towel from around his waist and began to pull them on.

"It matters not. I simply wanted to discuss our 'situation' in private,"

"Situation?" Spike asked

"Well a cure is no good for one who is already 'gone', and while a cure is what our original agreement was for, I am not without sympathy for your loss. I am quite willing to modify that original agreement," the Master said magnanimously.

The cold rage that filled Spike burned in the pit of his stomach. He wanted to jump on the bastard and kick the shit out of him. But knew he would not have the time to kill the Master before his personal guards would be in the room, and Buffy was still to weak to be of any use. Instead, he accepted his shirt from Buffy and, being careful to keep a neutral tone of voice, he said, "Since you've brought it up, I do have a request of sorts." With a nod of his head in Buffy's direction, "I want her."

The Master affected a surprised look, "Are you certain? She is such an inferior vampiress, one of my less successful children. I was quite disappointed with the results after I turned her." He let out a sigh, "Yes, she is enjoyable in bed but...you do not need to rush into your decision. Perhaps you would like to wait till later when you've had more time to think about such a choice."

"No," Spike said firmly, "I want her. She intrigues me. I think there is quite a bit of potential there that you have not exploited. My Dru taught me a lot of things, but the first was to never under estimate what an insane vampire can do."

"Of course not," the Master said, "but I wouldn't wish for you to be disappointed in her the way that I was. She may act like Drusilla, but she has no 'gift of sigh And And in this case, her insanity precluded her full development into a Slayer-Vampire."

Spike smiled, "No, but she could be 'trained' to a certain degree. I seem to have quite a bit of free time on my hands these days. She'll be an interesting 'experiment' for me."
The Master smiled and nodded, "Very well. She is yours then, to do with as you please."

*****

Buffy had been sent to gather what few items of clothing she possessed from her room and was instructed to meet Spike in the main hall by the pool tables. He had remained behind with the Master to discuss 'other' matters. As she waited, she busied herself with Mary, blocking out the various vampires around her as they began their evening fun and games with a few unfortunate humans. After waiting for about 45 minutes, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Expecting to find Spike, she looked up with a smile, but instead, she found a vampire dressed like a cowboy.

"Well hey there lil' missy," it was Lyle Gorch. He and his brother Tector had been in town for the last month. This was not the first time that either one of them had approached her. However, they were not on the Master's VIP list of who got to play with the 'Master's Pet'. But that had not damped their pursuit of her during times when he was not around. "Now, what's a pretty little thing like you doin' all by her lonesome? 'Specially when you and me could be havin' a good ol' time in the back of my truck right now?"

**Why waitin' for a really stupid, red-neck, hick of a vampire to come along and treat me like Norma-Jean the Trailer Trash Queen,** she thought sarcastically. Aloud, in a little girl's tone of voice, she simply said, "Waiting."

"Waitin'? Well shoot lil' darlin'. No need to be waitin' any longer. Howzabout you and me goin' someplace a little more private," he wit with a leer.

"I'm supposed to wait *here*, and, besides, Mary doesn't want to go with you," Buffy said petulantly while huddling away from the large vamp.

Lyle leaned in towards Buffy and spoke in a low voice, "Well that's OK, darlin'. I ain't all that interested in her." He grabbed her injured left arm and Buffy gasped in pain as he yanked it towards him.

"I don't believe the lady desires to go anywhere with you," Spike's sharply accented voice cut in. "If you wish to keep that hand, I'd advise you to remove it from *my* bird. Mate." The coldness of his voice caused the vampires nearby to quiet down, move away and start making wagers on the impending fight. Lyle slowly turned around to face Spike still holding Buffy's arm in his right hand.

"You lookin' for trouble, mister?" Lyle said with a sneer at Spike.

Spike stepped closer. Lyle was about eight inches taller and at least a hundred pounds heavier than Spike.

"I am trouble, mate," Spike growled back. "I told you to her go. Are you deaf as well as being dumb and ugly, or do you just like to hide behind women?"

Lyle's eyes widened in shock at the insult and then narrowed into a determined glare. Shoving Buffy away towards the pool tables on the side, he said, "I'm gonna crush you like an armadillo on the freeway at rush hour."

The two opponents moved to circle one another. Hands raised in a defensive posture. Looking for an opening to attack. Lyle made a couple of tentative punches with his right that Spike easily dodged. Spike, however, made no counterattack. Buffy watched as Lyle tensed up, bracing himself for a more serious attack; but when he made his move, Spike was already in motion. Spike leapt into the air, grabbed hold of an overhead beam and lashed out with his steel-toed boots at the larger vampire's face. Lyle's downward swing had left his head exposed, and Spike managed to land three hard kicks on his head before Lyle staggered out of range, hands protectively clutching his head. Spike released his hold on the beam and dropped back down to the floor. Not waiting for the other vampire to recover, Spike pressed his attack with a hard right-left-right combination to Lyle's now unprotected stomach. As Lyle bent forward now holding his stomach, Spike followed up with a hard sweeping kick that sent Lyle to the floor. Before Lyle could move, Spike had delivered a rapid series of hard kicks to his ribs, breaking several of them as the crowd of vampires around roared in approval of the violence.

As Buffy watched admiringly of Spike's technique, she could see where his reputation as a brutally, ruthless fighter had come from. He never gave his opponent a chance to recover if he did not have to. Suddenly, she was distracted as a vampire on her left bumped against her. As she staggered and braced herself against the pool table, she abruptly caught sight of Tector Gorch moving though the crowd behind Spike. He was holding a pool cue and she realized he intended to stake Spike. She wanted to yell a warning but not not think Spike would hear her over the noise of the crowd. Time seemed to slow for her, as she saw Tector step out of the crowd and raise the cue behind Spike's back. She acted on pure instinct. Feeling an object by her hand on the pool table, she scooped up two billiard balls and with all of the speed and strength she could muster, hurled first one then the second at Tector before he could thrust the cue into Spike's back. Tector saw only a black blur as the eight ball sped across the room and struck him on the bridge of his nose, shattering it. As he dropped the cue to clutch at his broken nose the second ball impacted dead center in his crotch. A gasp went up from the crowd, and every male vampire in the crowd who had seen it, flinched and instinctively placed a protective hand over their own crotch area.

If the sound of the first ball hitting and breaking Tector's nose was not enough to alert him, then Tector's scream of pain from the second one was. Spike spun about to find Tector bending over, holding his bleeding nose with one hand and his groin with the other. The pool cue lay on the floor beside him forgotten, while an eight ball and cue ball rolled about on the floor. Without a moment's hesitation, Spike bent down, grabbed the cue and whipped it up across Tector's chin. Tector staggered backwards and Spike moved to his side. Wielding the cue like a baseball bat, Spike swung it at Tector's head with enough force to snap the cue in half. Tector sprawled out on the floor next to his brother. Spinning the half of the pool cue that he still held in his right hand, Spike knelt quickly and snatched up the other half in his left. He then moved to position himself between the two brothers and set the broken tips over their hearts.

Dead silence filled the room as he calmly scanned the room until his eyes found the Master, now seated back in his throne on the stage with Willow again standing by his side. The Master looked inquiringly at Spike.

"Your House, Your Rules," Spike said impassively.

The Master smiled and said, "If you don't mind, I have still some use for them."

With a curt nod Spike, rose up and stepped away from the two prostrate brothers. When he snapped his fingers, Buffy darted over to stand attentively at his side where he handed her the broken pieces of the pool cue. She grasped them in her right hand, her left still holding onto Mary. Spike then bent down to pick up the eight ball and the cue ball, one in each hand. Buffy clenched her teeth at the sight of him holding the two balls in the same fashion as he had in her dream. **Please, don't give them to me,** she prayed. Spike looked at her and arched an eyebrow in a questioning look. Buffy shrugged, looked down at Mary and si sai said, "The Master said we were supposed to take care of you, My Lord."
Spike smiled at her, before he turned to face the other vampires. "Is there anyone else who would like to go a round with me?"

Silence greeted his challenge.

"The Master," he announced slowly, calmly and deliberately articulating each word as if he were addressing a group of children, "has given this girl to me. From now on, Buffy now belongs to me and me alone. Is this understood? I do not like to repeat myself, people, and you would not want to see me when I am angry."

A low murmured acknowledgement of his claim to Buffy seemed to satisfy Spike. He turned back to Buffy who was staring at the billiard balls he still held with an odd expression on her face. She seemed to flinch slightly as he raised them towards her, so he moved to set them on a nearby pool table, and took the broken cue stick from her tightly clenched hands. He told her to grab her stuff, and she rapidly move to get her small bag of belongings.

Many eyes followed them as they left the Bronze. Many of the conversations that broke out after they left seemed to center on how Spike had fought without ever letting his demonic face rise, and all agreed that they never, ever wanted to see him when he was angry. At least not when he was angry with them.
On the stage though, two pairs of eyes that had followed Spike and Buffy out simply met in a shared acknowledgement.