Her Vampire

CHAPTER 2

Spike was sitting in the kitchen the next morning when he heard the Slayer bouncing down the stairs. *Least she's in a good mood.* "Morning, Dawn."

"Hey Spike. What's for breakfast?" Dawn smiled as he looked at her over the newspaper, cup of tea in one hand.

"What would you like?"

"Fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and bacon would be great."

Spike grinned. , th, the breakfast of triple-bypass candidates everywhere."

"Actually, if I eat it, it'll be the breakfast of Slayers and Keys."

"Ta, pet. You mix the juice."

Dawn started her appointed task. "So, are we still going to train at the Magic Box today?"

"Of course. You'll need to burn off all the calories from this breakfast. Don't need you looking like your friend Emily."

Dawn turned to face him. "Hey, Emily isn't fat. She's big-boned."

"Luv, the dinosaurs are big boned. That bint is fat."

Dawn tried not to laugh. "Okay, maybe a little, but don't make fun of her. She's nice."

"I know, pet. Wouldn't dream of it."

Dawn put the juice on the table. *At least he's not all freaked out about what happened last night.*


* * *

Spike and Dawn finished their workout in the training room. Between her ground-fighting classes at the dojo and working with Spike on integrating the techniques into her own fighting style, Dawn was becoming a much more well-rounded fighter. The two toweled off while Dawn regaled Spike with latest drama from her friends' lives.

"So anyway, Janice said that Brad had told her that he had to work last Friday, but actually went to the movies with Felicia. And then he tried to tell Mandy-" Dawn was cut short by Spike's towel hitting her in the face.

"Sorry, bit. Was aiming for the straw dummy." He grinned.

"That's...hey!" The dummy was at least ten feet away. Dawn stepped towards Spike and tried to rub her towel in his face.

"Hey! Keep that smelly towel out of my face, you daft-"

Momentarily distracted by the towel, Spike failed to see the takedown coming, and ended up on his back. Dawn sat astride his chest, and pinned Spike's arms above his head. "Hey, blood breath, my towel does not smell."

"Y it it does, but only of roses and sunshine." Spike's grin was enormous.

"Alright funny guy." Dawn leaned forward, then paused. Spike's grin faded. Dawn's heart raced as she looked into his eyes. Very slowly, she leaned forward again. Spike raised his head to meet her partway. Their mouths met, and Dawn knew nothing except what she could feel where their bodies touched at hands, lips, and thighs.

"Hey, all. I brought donuts for...holy fuck!" Xander nearly dropped the box of Crispy Cremes as he opened the door to the training room. He immediately turned and raced from the room.

Dawn leapt off Spike and chased Xander. Spike got up more slowly and followed with a set expression on his face. Out in the shop, Xander was pacing. He looked at Spike, anger flushing his face. "No, no, no! Not again!"

Dawn stared at him. "Xan don don't be like this."

"I will not accept you and that...that thing!"

"Nibblet, Maybe we shouldn't..."

"Shut up, Spike!" This in stereo from Xander and Dawn.

Spike closed his eyes. Xander's comments had taken him back over a year, to the debacle with Anya. Dawn folded her arms and glared at Xander. "Xander, you're like a brother to me."

"Dawnie, don't-"

"But you are NOT my father. You don't get to say who I can and can't have in my life. What am I, Xander?"

"You're Dawn."

"What AM I, Xander?"

"You're a confused nineteen year old who has a crush on a monster."

"No. I'm the Slayer. Don't you get it? I don't get to have the normal life that you all want for me. I'll live my life the way I want, and that means having Spike in it. God, Xander. How long has he been a Scooby? How many apocalypses has he stopped? Just how many times does he have to save my life before he's good enough for me?" Xan Xander had the good grace to look ashamed. He slumped into a chair. "I just want you to have a normal life."

Spike finally spoke up. "Me too, Harris. Me too. But she doesn't get to. She's been dealt a crappy hand, and I'll do whatever she wants to help her deal with it, alright?" Spike looked from Xander to Dawn, and back again. Dawn's frown lessened a little.

Xander stood abruptly. "Fine, but don't expect me to like it." He stormed out.


* * *

"See you at home, Dawn." Spike closed the door of the shop and stepped into the night. He tensed when he noticed someone standing in the shadows. Relaxed minutely when he saw it was Xander. "Harris."

"Spike, I don't get it." His tone was puzzled, not angry. "Just what is it with you and Summers women?"

Spike thought for a second. "Don't rightly know, mate. I have no idea how they can accept me after all the evil crap I've done. It's part of what makes 'em special, I reckon."

Xander stepped closer. "Yeah, that's what I figured, too. Fuck it. Just know this Spike: you hurt her, I won't dust you. You'll last a long time while I work you over."

Spike grinned. "Glad to see you've got Dawn's best interests at heart. Want to go get a drink at the Bronze?"

Xander looked at Spike for a few seconds, then matched the other's grin. "How 'bout Willy's?"

"Sure." Spike turne fac face the building. He sensed Dawn just inside the door, and knew she had listened to the conversation. "Bit, I'll be home late. Don't wait up."

A muffled voice came through the door. "Okay Spike. Stay out of trouble."

*That's my girl.*


* * *

A vampire and a human sat in a crypt, both thoroughly plastered. They ended up at Spike's old place after being kicked out of Willy's at closing time. Fortunately, Spike had managed to 'rescue' a nearly full bottle from behind the bar.

"And Harris?"

"Yeah, Blondie?"

"How you doin'?"

"Don't need any more booze, if that's what you're askin'."

"Naw, mate. How's it workin' out with you and Red?"

"Spike..." Xander's voice trailed off in a warning.

"Just askin'. Tryin' to be all friendly-like."

"You know Spike, you were responsible for some serious bad shit when you locked us up in the factory a few years back. Our lives got screwed up big-time."

"I know. Buffy told me, way back when. That's kind of what I wanted to talk about."

"How's that?"

"I spoke to her."

Xander opened his eyes and looked at Spike. "Now, either you need to lay off the stuff, or you need to pass me the bottle."

"Fair 'nough." Spike passed over the remainder of their booty liberated from Willy's. "Dreamed about her last week."

"I so don't need to hear about that, Spike."

"Not like that, you nit! Some kind of reverse Slayer dream. Buffy told me that she was in heaven, and happy. She said she wanted me and Dawn happy."

"I don't believe it."

"I didn't quite either, at first. But Xander, Buffy said that Faith's there, too."

"Fuck you, Spike!" The nearly empty bottle smashed only a few inches from the vampire's head.

Spike didn't even flinch. "Look mate, I ain't doin' this to torture you. I just thought you'd want to know. That she made it." Spike mumbled something under his breath.

"What's that, Spike?"

"I said, I thought you'd be happy for her."

"I am. I just, you know, wish she was still here."

"Me too," Spike agreed.

Xander began to laugh. "Yeah, right! I thought she bugged the fuck out of you."

"That was in Buffy's body, before she changed. We got along when she came back. She was good people."

"I know, Spike. I know."

"I was just thinkin' that if Buffy wanted me to be happy, then Faith would want you to be happy, too."

Silence reigned in the crypt for several minutes before Xander replied. "Thanks, Spike."


* * *

CHAPTER 3

"Oh no you don't." Dawn and Spike had been chasing the Moga'a demon through one of Sunnydale's smaller cemeteries, and Dawn was the first to catch up. "No escaping for ugly demons." Dawn tackled the creature from behind, and they went down in a heap. Spike raced towards the two struggling on the grass.

The creature tried to claw Dawn while they rolled on the ground. She grabbed its wrist with both hands, then spun on the ground. She planted one foot against the side of the demon's neck, and her other foot in its armpit. The Slayer leaned back and pushed with both legs. A wet popping sound was accompanied by a scream from the demon, as its arm was wrenched from its body. Spike stopped in his tracks, mouth hanging open.

Both the Moga'a and the Slayer got to their feet, the girl holding the monster's arm that had been ripped from its body. The demon swiped at Dawn with its remaining arm. Dawn reversed her grip on the demon's severed arm to grasp it like a baseball bat. A heavy, green, bloody, demon arm-shaped baseball bat. She swung for the demon's head, and knocked the Moga'a off his feet. It landed on the ground several yards away with the side of its head caved in.

"Bloody hell, luv! What the holy shite was that?"

Dawn turned to him and grinned. "One of the guys at the dojo said that the ultimate victory was to rip someone's arm off and beat him to death with it."

"Wankers. I thought they'd be all 'true warriors never need to fight.'"

Dawn flopped to the ground, and looked up at him. "Naw, these guys know shit happens. That's why you sent me to train there, remember?"

"Yeah, Bit. I just don't figure any of them blokes thought you coulda actually DONE it. But bloody well done, no mistake."

"Thanks, Spike." Dawn batted her eyelashes at him. "Now go get the shovel out of the car so we can bury this sucker."


* * *

It took over an hour for Spike and Dawn to find a suitable location, bury the demon, and get back home. They had each gone to their own bathrooms for the ritual post-slayage cleanup. Spike now lay on his queen-sized bed, covered only in a towel around his waist. He stared up at the ceiling, going over the events of the evening in his mind. And the kiss yesterday at the Magic Box. The sound of Dawn's shower down the hall took Spike's thoughts in a predictable direction.

*When the hell did she go and get all growed up?* He was so lost in thought that he was not aware that the sound of the shower had stopped. Several minutes later there was a quiet knock at his door.

"Come in." Spike hadn't considered his state of near undress until Dawn walked in, with only a blood-red teddy on.

Dawn approached the vampire. "Spike."

"Dawn." His voice sounded strange in his ears. Spike sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed. He hoped the change in his position disguised the effect she was having on him.

Dawn swallowed. "Look, I just wanted to say thanks for always being there for me. And I also wanted to say that, well..." She hesitated.

Spike looked up at her from his perch at the edge of the bed. "Dawn, I have something to tell you."

Both spoke at the same instant. "I love you."

Time blurred for Spike. Dawn was on him, then they were both naked. Somehow they managed to get under the covers without disentangling their embrace. And then he was over her, entering Dawn while she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Dawn. Mmm. Beautiful, you're beautiful. And so bloody hot. I can feel you. You feel...mmm." He set a rhythm that the brunette beneath him matched.

Dawn ran her fingers through the vampire's short hair, and looked into his eyes as he thrust into her. "Oh. Oh. Spike. Please. Bite me."

Spike’s eyes widened in shock. "Dawn, don't say that! You don't know-"

Dawn arched up into him and licked his neck. She whispered into his ear. "Spike, I'm yours. Claim me."

Spike continued to thrust into her. Her words almost sent him over the edge.

"Spike. I need you. Bite me, please!" Dawn bit him on the neck at the same time she clawed him on the back with her full set of nails.

Spike roared and changed into game face as he felt the blood on his back. He thrust into her again, and at the same time sank his fangs into her neck.

"Uhhh. Uhhh. OOOHHH!" Dawn came with a convulsive shudder. Spike followed a moment later with a roar. Gasping for unneeded air, Spike rolled off of her and onto his side.

Spike's face shifted back to human, while blood ran down his back. He looked over at his love. "Dawn, you shouldn't have done that."

"Spike, don't be such a coward. Would you ever hurt me?"

"Of course not, but-"

"Spike, we belong to each other. For all your soul, your demon still wanted to claim me, didn't it?"

Spike nodded.

"And you wanted to, also?"

He nodded again.

"Then what are you ashamed of? I wanted it. Didn't I ask you to bite me? Didn't you feel me come?"

"Yeah, luv."

"Then don't get all broody on me. You're better that that. I'm the Slayer. I got off on that as much as you did."

"Okay. But let's see if I can make you feel good without biting."

Dawn smiled at him. "Are you up for it, lover?"

"Oh, I'm definitely 'up.' You have that effect on me. Want to try something else?"

"Definitely. We've got all night." And it was the early hours of the morning before they both fell into an exhausted, blissful sleep.


* * *

Dawn woke up the next morning to kisses tracing along her arm. "Mmm. Spike." She turned to face him. "What time is it?"

"After ten, my love. How are you feeling?" Spike slid his hand along her body, tracing the curve of her hip.

Dawn smiled at him. "Great. A little sore, but after all we did...wow. So, great."

"Good. I'm glad." After a moment Spike's expression became troubled. "Dawn, about last night. I don't want that to become a habit."

"What? The mind-blowing orgasms?"

"No, the...biting. I don't want that to become a regular thing."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Yes, Spike. We'll only do it for special orgasm occasions."

"Grrr." Spike growled and began to tickle her mercilessly.

Dawn's squeals could be heard outside in the warm morning sun. In the yard next door, Mrs. O'Mally weeded her garden for all she was worth. *Young people today! No sense of shame!*


* * *

EPILOGUE

Three heroes sat on a bus bench near Main Street on a cool spring night. Tired and injured, but victorious. Each sat quietly, resting before the walk home. Xander looked at Spike and Dawn, who had linked hands. *Got to admit, they really do seem good for each other. Who'd a thunk it?*

Spike caught Xander's look, and grinned at him. *Never figured I could be so happy again. Doesn't matter what comes next, or where we go, long as I've got Dawn.* He hummed a few bars of something. Xander joined in.

Dawn looked over at them. "Shut it off, you two. No more singing for the Scoobies. Couldn't get that song out of my head for weeks."

Xander suppressed a shudder. Spike smirked at Dawn. "Sorry, Lil' Bit. 'Sides, it ain't the same without Ripper for the chorus."

Dawn shook her head unbelievingly. *Great. Out of all the souled, evil-fighting vampires in the world, I get the one that's the comedian.* She got to her feet slowly. "You jokers ready to go?"

Spike stood and stretched. "Yeah, luv, let's go home."

FIN


* * *