The Witch, The Warrior, and the Vampire

Chapter 14
Slayer Meets Demon

Since the impromptu sparring match the night before, Xander hadn’t lost control of the demon once. Taking that as a sign, Spike called Giles and arranged a training session for him and Buffy later that afternoon.

*

Buffy arrived at the Magic Box at 2:30 for training. The witches were finishing up with school for the semester. The Lawes’ had yet to return from their vacation. Anya was up front running the store. Xander was trying to tidy up his affairs. Morgaine had not been seen or heard from for days. “Where’s Spike?”

“Outside smoking, I believe.” Anya gestured Buffy toward the rear of the store.

“Come get us when you’re ready.” Buffy said, noticing Giles was casting a circle like he had days before. She found Spike standing in the shadows of the building dragging deeply from his cigarette, lost in thought. He was unaware of her, and she took the opportunity to study him. She hungrily drank in his familiar presence. His roots were showing she noticed and wondered how he managed to bleach his hair by himself. He had already changed into his training clothes; a pair of black sweatpants, and nothing else. Her eyes wandered slowly down him.

His eyes an impossible shade of blue. The scar on his eyebrow she had kissed so many times. Cheekbones so high and perfectly sculpted they made her envious. His jaw, so strong and well-defined. The hollow planes of his cheeks, his nosed thd those lips. So full they always looked like they were pouting. And then there was his body. He may not have been a big man like Angel and Riley, but neither of them had anything on his body. Every muscle was perfectly defined, sculpted like marble. If only Michelangelo had seen him. Spike would have been his model for David.

A flash of desire swept through her, leaving her weak-kneed. She had memorized every muscle, every plane on his body. She had traced each and every part of him with her hands, her tongue, and her lips. She watched as his nostrils flared; he could smell her desire. Definitely a drawback, sometimes. He cocked his head to the side and studied her. Smirking, he took a final draw from his cigarette and flicked it away. “I missed you.”

Before he had the last word out, Buffy flung herself into his arms and began raining kisses over his face. When her lips finally found his, they both sighed in relief. The kiss was soft, sweet and nothing like they had ever shared before. Buffy had never been this gentle with him. This was a moment he would cherish forever. Finally she pulled back. Looking deep into his eyes, she swallowed hard and whispered, “I missed you too.”

Joy surged through him. The dynamic of their relationship was changing, slowly, but it was changing. She was beginning to accept him as something other than her undead fuck toy and fighting partner. He smiled at her and took a step back. Suddenly very nervous and shy, he cleared his throat. “If I can get Xander settled in, would you like to go to the movies tonight and maybe grab a bite to eat?” When she didn’t immediately answer he rushed on. “It may turn out that I can’t leave him. I’ll have to check on him and see and then give you a call later.”

A date. A real date. Spike had just asked her out on a date. Buffy racked her brain trying to remember the last time she’d had a real date. Buffy may have been the Slayer, but she was still a girl. A surprisingly old-fashioned one at that. She defined “date” the same way her mother had. The man asked, suggested an itinerary, picked her up, paid for it, and then brought her home at the end of the evening. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice Spike’s sudden nervousness. The last real date she’d had, was the picnic with Riley so long ago.

Spike’s nervousness shifted to hurt angeanger in a second. “Never mind, Forget I…”

Suddenly Buffy realized she’d been in la-la land far too long, and interrupted before Spike took the offer back. “I’d love to, Spike.” He smiled at her answer. Not a smirk, not a grin, a genuine smile. It softened his features and made him more beautiful, if that were possible.

Giles stuck his head out the back door and watched them. He didn’t know what had happened to cause the easiness between them, but he knew it would soon be over. Only three Slayers had come through the next part of the training without killing their partner. And not for lack of trying. He was loath to interrupt them, but he was her Watcher. It was his sacred duty to prepare her for the dangers she had to face. If his Slayer was going to survive this prophecy, Spike would have to survive the training. He cleared his throat to gain their attention and motioned inside. “It’s time.”

Spike followed Buffy inside and took several deep, calming breaths and swallowed hard. He’d read the training manuals and knew what was coming next. There was a 97% chance he wouldn’t survive today’s session. The risk was worth it though. If they both survived and completed the training, he would have more than he’d ever dreamed of.

Giles had not finished drawing the circle. There was an opening large enough for them to walk through. When they were in the circle, Giles closed it. Spike breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the Watcher had left the inside of the circle empty. His chances of survival were heightened by the lack of weapons. They sat in the center of the circle facing each other in lotus position and waited for Giles’ instructions.

“The circle I’ve cast around you is a barrier, nothing can get in and nothing can get out until I break it. We’ll start this like we did before. Focus on each other, and meditate. Allow your consciousness to expand,” Buffy and Spike followed his instructions.

Giles was watching and taking notes, within seconds he recognized Buffy was deep into her trance, and Spike was as well. Like their previous training exercise his true face had emerged, a low rumbling purr filled the room, cresting when Buffy exhaled, diminishing as she breathed in. Giles realigned the two stacks of crystals set before him. Speaking softly, but loudly enough for them to hear, Giles moved them into the next stage of meditation.

“The yoga exercises are next. Precede.”

Fluidly and in perfect synch, they pushed off from their hands, and slowly unfolded their legs, until they were both in handstands, back to back, with inches separating their bodies. “Lower your left leg to the side, creating a right angle to your body, then lower your right leg to the side as well, make your legs parallel to the floor.”

When Buffy and Spike were in handstands with their legs split wide and parallel to the floor, Giles continued, “lift your right arm, hold it tight against your body”

They complied. After a while in that position, he instructed them to switch arms. A series of movements followed, both bending backward, bending forward, and finally back into the original handstand. Then Giles moved the exercise forward. “Open your awareness to yourself, identify the three parts that create you both. Female, Slayer, the combination. Male, demon, the combination.”

In her mind’s eye Buffy looked into her soul. She ignored the Ying-yang that showed Spike was a part of her and concentrated on herself. She was the white Ying. She looked into the black eye that made the Ying. There was a girl, Elizabeth Anne Summers. Surrounding the black eye of the Ying was the Slayer. She visualized the three parts of herself. Suddenly they appeared.

A vision of who she was before she her calling appeared. Young, innocent, and naïve. She was in a meadow basking in the sunshine. Her hair was long, undyed, but sun-kissed, eyes innocent; she was wearing a white sundress. The skirt was full and stopped mid-calf.

Her Slayer self stood in the same meadow in the black of night. She was taller than Buffy, her curves were full and ripe. Her hair wasn’t any color but every color at once, as were her eyes. The eyes were penetrating, revealing the pure predator within. She wore no clothing and held a stake in her right hand. She was the embodiment of Diana goddess of the hunt, the aboriginal first slayer, and every Slayer past, present, and future.

Her combined self appeared, straddling the day of the girl and dark of the huntress. Dressed in tight black leather pants, black tank top, and high-heeled boots, a stake tucked into the waistband of her pants, at the small of her back. Her hair was dyed blonde and fell to her shoulders. The hazel eyes that were completely innocent in the girl standing next to her were haunted. They had seen too many atrocities, but if she looked hard enough she could still see a flickering spark of innocence.

The three incarnations of herself were patiently awaiting the next phase.

Spike was gazing at the same Ying-yang as Buffy and immediately focused on the black yang that he comprised him. The white eye in the center was the man. The black of the yang his demon. With an ease that surprised him, the three entities that created him emerged.

Bathed in sunlight, William appeared. His hair was light brown, lightly curled, and flopped into his eyes. The eyes were the same piercing blue, but hiding behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses. He was dressed in a white shirt, paisley tie, dark brown vest, and a tan colored suit. He immediately recognized it as the outfit he had died in.

The pure demon appeared next. It was approximately seven feet tall. The form of the creature surprised Spike. The body of the demon was almost human in appearance. The exceptions were ts ins in place of nails on the hands and feet, and the face. The face of the demon resembled a panther. He suddenly realized where vampire ridges came from. When inhabiting a human body the feline features were forced upwards on the human skull. The demon was naked, hairless, and although the skin was colorless, it seemed to glow and shine in the pure blackness it stood in.

The vampire that held both the human and the demon emerged next. The vampire stood in between the man and the demon. Hair bleached white, alabaster skin, piercing blue eyes, Spike stood dressed in his black jeans, black T-shirt, and duster. Except for his fangs, the rest of his demonic features were hidden.

Giles was stunned when he saw thestlystly images of six beings in the circle with Spike and Buffy. None of the manuals had mentioned this occurrence. Immediately he set aside his Watcher’s diary and began speaking into a hand held recorder. He would transcribe the events later. It was imperative for him to not miss a single detail of this training exercise. When he finished describihe she six beings, he moved the exercise into its next phase. “Find and meet your partner’s complimentary self.”

“Elizabeth”

“William”

The two human parts hugged each other in greeting and wandered out into the sunshine of the grassy meadow. They sat and talked with each other holding hands, completely enamored with each other. The love they shared was obvious even to Giles.

“Buffy”

“Spike”

The two combined entities were reliving their history. Giles was surprised to see them fighting, laughing, talking, patrolling, and having sex. He decided there was nothing new in what he was seeing and started to focus on their pure forms. Before his focus shifted, he saw them standing as they had been outside moments before the training began. The love and devotion Spike had for Buffy was obvious. As was her growing acceptance of him. The easiness between them he couldn’t identify earlier was suddenly apparent. Spike loved Buffy, and she was falling in love with him.

“Slayer”

“Vampire”

“No, I’m not a vampire, Spike is. I am the demon that combines with the man to create a vampire.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Everything. Nothing.”

The Slayer lifted her stake and threatened the demon with it. “No riddles, or you’re dead. Clarify yourself.”

“It will take time. Will you put your weapon down and listen? I have no wish to harm you.” The Slayer lowered her stake but did not drop it. “Speak.”

“I have existed on this mortal plane as long as you. If it were not for me you wouldn’t be here. If it were not for you, I would not be here.” The Slayer recognized the truth of this and nodded. “The body I now inhabit is not my first. Just as the body you inhabit is not your first.”

Again the Slayer nodded. “Quit telling me what I already know and tell me what you want.”

“A demon older than myself has risen. It’s calling me to serve it.”

“The Master.”

“Yes, the Master. The demon that inhabits him has subsisted existed since before you and I came to be. It is demanding I sublimate myself to him. I do not want to. I have searched this mortal plane since my creation searching for an equal, a mate if you will. Someone that doesn’t bow before me, and that I will not bow before. I believe you to be this equal.”

The Slayer’s laughter interrupted the demon’s speech. To his credit, he laughed as well. Every word they were speaking reached Giles’ ears, and he documented them with the precision befitting his calling.

“I was created to kill you.” The Slayer said when the laughter faded away.

“And I you.” The demon replied.

“What makes you think I would ever consider this arrangement?” The Slayer asked.

“Look behind you. The only thing separating them is us. If we do not bond, he will not be able to resist the call. Alone you cannot destroy the Master. With me you can.”

“I have destroyed him before. I can do it again.” The confidence behind the slayer’s voice was not as strident as usual.

“Not in this incarnation. The demon that inhabits him is not the same as before. He is the embodiment of the First Evil."

“I have defeated the First Evil. I can do it again.” She repeated.

“Defeated yes, destroyed no. You must destroy it or the Balance will be lost. It was not intended for the First to inhabit one body. When the body is destroyed, the First will separate and the Balance will be restored.”

“Why would you, a pure demon, want to destroy the First?”

“I refuse to sublimate myself to anything, the First demands it. With our bonding, neither of us will be subordinate again.”

“What is this bonding? What will I gain from it?”

“A mating, between our combined beings and pure forms. You will gain greater strength and speed, faster healing abilities. You will be eternal in the form you now inhabit. You will receive all my strengths and none of my weaknesses. If we succeed, no other will be called to be Slayer. I will fight by your side to maintain the Balance. No other lives need be destroyed by your calling.”

“And what you will gain?” The question was pointed.

“The same as you. Greater strength and speed, faster healing, eternity in the form I now inhabit, and a single source, no creature will ever die to sustain me. Most of the weaknesses my vampiric form has will be stripped away.”

“Which of your weaknesses will be left?”

“The need for blood only. I will be eternal as will you.”

The slayer looked at the vampire suspiciously. “I bond with you and we both live for ever in our current forms with no apparent weaknesses? And you will not turn me?”

“Yes.”

“Why now? Why this incarnation of me?” She pointed at Buffy’s body.

“Buffy is the greatest Slayer that ever lived. You have reached perfection. Spike is the only demon to single handedly defeat you, not once but twice. I have reached perfection. Our host bodies cannot defeat the other. It is time to bond.”

“What exactly is this bond?”

Giles tensed in anticipation. This was usually where the Slayer killed or attempted to kill the demon.

“First we seal our union by mating.”

“In the vampire way?”

“Yes, and the human way if you wish.” The demon’s answer was straightforward and held no sign of Spike’s usual innuendo.

“Ahen hen what?” The slayer planted her hands on her hips.

“An occasional taste such as the one Buffy experienced with Dracula will cement the bonding on your side. On my side, Buffy will become Spike’s primary source.”

“You will never feed from me.” The Slayer screamed and launched herself at the demon.

“Why not? Angelus did.” The demon retorted as he evaded her attack.

“Elizabeth made that decision to save that creature’s life. I never would have allowed that blasphemous act to occur.” She raised her stake and prepared to deliver the killing blow.

“I’m asking you to make this decision to save the world.” The demon reasoned.

“I hate you!” The Slayer screamed and flung her stake at the demon. She missed.

“And I’m all you’ve got.” The demon replied with a knowing look.

Elizabeth, Buffy, and the Slayer retreated back into Buffy’s meditating form and she crashed to the floor. She stood up and frantically looked around. She could still see the dissembled parts of Spike. “Let me out of this fucking thing.” She demanded as she pounded her fists against the invisible barrier.

Immediately Giles broke the circle and Buffy ran crying out of the Magick Box. The Watcher turned and watched the three parts of Spike return in defeat to his form. He calmly placed his feet on the floor and stood up from the handstand. “That went well.” His voice was loaded with sarcasm and the trademark smirk was in place.

“At least you’re still undead.” Giles tried half-heartedly to put a better spin on the situation.

“True.” His shoulders slumped in defeat. “What happens next?”

“When Buffy is calm enough, we’ll do this again.” The Watcher’s words held more confidence than he himself did.

“Giles, this has never worked before; if it had we wouldn’t be doing it now. What makes you think we’ll ever finish the phases and complete the bonding?”

Giles was furiously cleaning his glasses. “I suspect Anya intends to bind Xander to her.”

Spike nodded, “She does, but that’s not exactly the same as bonding with a Slayer. Xander won’t benefit from it like I will. It’ll ensure loyalty, fidelity, and intimacy between them.”

“I cannot guarantee that the Slayer will ever allow the bonding. I think witnessing the bonding between them will encourage her to do the same with you. If she doesn’t bond with you, I do believe she’ll allow the mating. That in itself will strengthen both of you. And help you resist the Master.”

“What gives you that idea?” Spike asked as he lit a cigarette.

“Part of Buffy, Elizabeth, is deeply in love with Will” G” Giles finished polishing his glasses and briefly pinched the bridge of his nose before putting his glasses back on. He left the training room briefly and returned with a bottle of Glenfidditch and two glasses. After pouring each of them two fingers he continued. “Buffy trusts, respects, desires, and I believe, is beginning to love Spike.” Giles touched his glass to Spike’s in an offer of a toast and both men drank down the Scotch.

“Yeah, but the Slayer part, the one who will make the decision hates the demon.” He sighed.

“I don’t believe that is the case.” Giles said as he poured more Scotch. He took a sip before he continued. “It was the Slayer that entrusted Dawn to you, knowing it would be the demon who would act as guardian. I don’t know how or why, but this training session was different than all of the recorded ones I have read about.”

“How?” Spike was both hopeful and curious.

“I could see each of your parts, hear your words, I witnessed the event. I saw your entire history with Buffy. It wasn’t man and woman that had sexual relations. It was demon and Slayer. By the Slayer’s choosing. Elizabeth and Buffy had no part of it.”

“I know. All she ever gave me was the Slayer. It hurts and still does.” Spike couldn’t bring himself to meet Giles’ kind gaze; it felt too much like pity instead of sympathy.

“None of the other Slayers and demons who underwent this training knew each other before itan. an. Whistler or someone like him would introduce them. I imagine it would be similar to an arranged marriage; whereas you and Buffy have known and worked with each for years. You are or were already lovers and partners, I think that will make the difference, which will allow the bonding to occur.”

Spike finished the rest of the Scotch. “I need to get back to Xander. He’s been alone too long. I want to bring him here to train, when the sun sets. I’d like you to be here when we come back. Act as a Watcher for him.”

“I’d be honored.” Giles smiled, genuinely flattered.

*

Buffy ran aimlessly through Sunnydale. She couldn’t go home. There would be too many questioning eyes. She couldn’t go back to the Magic Box. Giles would demand answers. Her feet lead her to the one safe haven she had. Spike’s crypt. She knew he wouldn’t be there. He had probably gone back to Xander by now. She went down to the lower level and flung herself on his bed. His distinctive scent surrounded her and she felt safe. She finally understood it wasn’t training Giles was conducting with her and Spike. If she understood it right, he was trying to coerce her into giving herself to the demon. Hurt, angry, and scared, she cried herself to sleep.

*

“I want to get some clothes and a haircut.” Xander said the second Spike stepped through the door. Spike ignored him and went to the kitchen for some blood. “Damn it, Spike, I’ve been stuck here all day. Let’s go.”

“We’ll have to take the sewers. Get yourself a blanket and we’ll head out. Go ahead and feed, too. When we’re done, we’re going to the Magic Box for training. Giles is going to observe.”