Devil You Know

Part 2:

Jera's Books and Coffee Shop, Sunnydale the next day 6:30 a.m. :

Tapping her foot in time to the beat, Jera did a stand still dance like jiggle as she washed the last of the dirty dishes in the sink. The radio was playing all of Jera's favorite songs today. She couldn't help but smile at how happy this place always made her feel. The sun was shining brightly through the glass windows of the shop, making the place warm and homey. Accompanying this sight was the amazing smells of freshly baked danish, muffins, and other delectable goodies filling the air only to blend in with an exotic mixture of coffees and teas from around the world. Everything would be just perfect if a certain blonde.....

(Jingle, Jingle) The ringing of the bell over the back door ringing brought a smile to Jera's face. "Speak of the devil." Jera said in her soft southern accent.

"And the devil shall appear, luv." Spike said with a warm sexy smile.

Jera dried her hands and turn to admire the handsome Brit as he stepped further into the shop, dropping a big black leather bag on a near by table. "True," she returned his sexy smile with one of her own. " Its good to see you again, Spike."

His smile changed to a sad and lonely one. "Yeah? You're the first in a while to think so."

"You know, you look like I need a hug." Spike laughed at his friends antics. Opening her arms wide Jera threw herself into Spike's waiting embrace. Hugging Spike, tightly Jera continued, "So, what in this world has brought to my shop in daylight hours? Must be something big to risk a Spike flambeau."

Chuckling, Spike loosened his hold on his friend but didn't let go. "That's not so much a problem as it used to be, luv but you're right, it is important. I need a favor, pet. I need you to find a book for me, luv and I needed it yesterday."

Smirking, Jera stepped out of his arms and headed toward her computer on the other side of the shop.


"So sweetpea, you have a title, author, or is this just on a particular subject?"

"Actually, pet I have all three. The book is called ‘The Watchmen' it's about something called Sentinels."

Jera started typing the info in. "Hhhmm, sounds interesting. Who's it by?"

"Sir Richard Burton" he read off the paper that he had stuffed in his shirt pocket.

Jera looked up questioningly, "The actor?"

Spike shook his head. "No luv, the explorer. It was written over a hundred years ago." He walked around the counter to join her and read over her shoulder.

She laughed. "Kind of like our life history." Jera said as she nudged him, which brought a mischievous smile to his face. Wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder, Spike watched as information flashed on the screen at an alarming rate. As they searched the two began to sway in time to the music still being played in the shop. They moved as one in fluid motion for about ten minutes before Jera stopped and her hands flew over the key board.

"I found three copies but they're expensive, sugar. You still want one?" She looked over her shoulder at him.

Spike seemed to consider it for a moment. "Can you get all three for me, luv? I need at least one copy but would like to have the extras just in case."

Turning from her computer within his arms, Jera placed a sweet chaste kiss on his lips. "You want `em, you got `em, sweetheart," she replied sassily. With a wink, she reached out, grabbing the phone she dialed the number displayed on her computer screen. Waiting while the person on the other end went in search of the books, Jera asked " So how did you like my little gift, babe doll?"

Spike laughed, "Only you, Jera would call the GEM OF AMARRA a little gift."

Jera blushed but prompted, "Well?"

"Of course I like your "little" gift, luv." Looking away from her he whispered, "It allows me to protect my heart's desire."

"And I take it so will these books that you are about to pay an obscene amount of money for." she said with a knowing smile.

"Bloody bugger! Am I that easy to read now?" exclaimed Spike.

Jera laughed, "Well, I have known you for over a hundred years, honey bunny. So I do have a bit of a edge on every one else. Even Angel!"

"Remind me again why we ever became friends." Spike said dubiously.

With a wicked grin, Jera stated simply, "We were sixteen, I let you cop a feel." Wiggling her eyebrows, she leered, "And you let me return the favor." Spike gave a sharp bark of laughter and Jera then turned her attention back to the phone. She made arrangements to have the books brought directly to the store within the hour.

Sunnydale High School 9:12 a.m. :

Spike stood in the hallway just outside the library wondering for the fourth time in the past five minutes why on earth he was doing this now instead of coming at night. Sighing, he figured he was here now and might as well get it over with. Armed with coffee, baked goods, and one of the three books he has acquired at Jera's shop, he braced himself for the battle ahead. ‘This was going to be fun . . . NOT!' he thought. Straightening up to his full height and putting on a mask of arrogance, Spike walked right in as if he owned the place, like he did this all the time. Spike had always had a way of getting people's attention when making an entrance and now looked to be no different if the sudden stop in conversation and shocked looks were any indication. ‘Hale! Hale! The gang is all here. Well, most of them.' Looking around but not spotting who he had came to see, he tried to remember everyone's names. Standing there, knowing that timing was everything, he waited to see who recovered first, Willow, her boyfriend Oz, rich bitch Cordelia, fellow vampire Angel, the slayer Buffy, or his Xander. Spike had to fight the warm smile that threatened to break free of the mask he had erected, at the sight of the curious expression on his beloved's face. Of course Spike just knew it was going to be his sire that broke the silence and wasn't at all surprised at Angel's warm. . . . ahem . . . . welcome.

"Why the hell are you here, Spike?" Angel was in Spike's face in an instant.

Giving them his best wounded bird look he answered. "Well, that's a fine how do you do! And here I brought breakfast and everything."

"What do you want, Spike?" Buffy snarled at him.

Making a tisking sound as he walked by, he ignored the dynamic duo and went to set his things down on the table, handed out most of the coffees and caramel eclairs.

Putting a restraining hand on Buffy's shoulder to keep her from attacking Spike, Angel said "What ever it is your going to say or do, Spike just be done with it and go."

Spike realized he better get to the point of his visit before the Slayer decided to use him for target practice.

Jera's parting words echoed in his ears, "Now listen sweet cheeks . The best thing for you to do right now is to just take a bite of eclair, a gulp of your coffee, take a breath, drop your little bombshell, and make a run for it, sugar. Other wise when the Slayer is through with you whatever's left of you can be found in a dust pan." Simple, blunt, and to the point that was his Jera for you.

"Well since you asked so sweetly, Peaches I'll tell you." Spike felt a sliver of satisfaction as he watched Angel wince at Spike's pet name for him. Taking a coffee and a eclair for himself, book still firmly in his right hand, Spike sat down at the table next to Xander and continued, "Not that it any of your business, Slayer but I came to see your guide. To help someone in need, so to speak. Call it my good deed for the decade if you will. Ah Giles perfect timing."

The others turned to see the librarian who, they noticed, was unsurprised to see the vampire sitting at the table nibbling on a pastry and sipping coffee. "I apologize for my tardiness. I trust that since your here you located the book that you spoke of over the phone this morning."

Nodding in the direction of what was left of his peace offering, Spike asked "Want one?" Giles polished exterior wavered for a minute, "Jera's?" he asked almost hopefully.

"Nothing but the best, mate." Spike replied, which earned him a smile from Giles. Well, as mush as the stuffy librarian was willing to bestow on him anyway. Spike watched as Giles snagged his share of the goodies on the table and waited for him to pass the table before getting up to follow him into the office. ‘Maybe he was actually going to get through this without giving into temptation and grabbing Xander to take him somewhere so they could boff like a couple of bunnies for. . . .oh say the rest of their lives. Hhhmm now there's an image a bloke could use to keep him warm on a cold night.' Spike thought.

Somewhere in Sunnydale 2:30 a. m. next morning:

Cool hands brushed up his back in small comforting circles. His lover whispering his name softly in his ear. Nibbling, caressing, licking him all over his body, slowly driving him mad. His lover turning him over on his back. The blonde was straddling him, slowly rubbing their erections together and building up a wonderful feeling of friction. Moans of pleasure his, his lover's, or both he didn't know. Didn't care anymore. Cool lips brushing against his, lovingly moving in for a quick kiss. And then another. Then the kisses were coming faster, harder, longer, deeper, and growing more urgent. Hands stroking up and down his chest. Playing with his nipples. Mouth leaving his. His groan of disappointment followed swiftly with a moan of pleasure and his lover's mouth began to bite, lick, and suck his sensitive nipples. He arched off the bed as his lover caressed his balls, the blonde man rolled them with talented hands. His love's mouth started moving south again to stop and lick his navel. Shivering. He couldn't stop shivering with need and pleasure. His lover was now rimming his navel with his tongue. His head thrashing back and forth. His nails digging into his lover's shoulder, he was softly pleading, begging for something he couldn't describe. Something he didn't understand or know what it was he wanted; only that he wanted it. He needed it. Now! His love was moving further down his body and knew what he was asking for. Mouth engulfing his now leaking member to the root. He was whimpering now as he begged for more. A slick finger entered him, moving within him. Then another joined its twin, touching something inside of him that nearly sent him over the edge each time they brushed against it. And still he wanted more. Needed his love. Needed to mate. Needed join with his mate. Now! He grabbed his lover, throwing him off of him and onto his stomach. Grabbing his mate's hips, he thrust into the tiny opening with savage force, biting the back of his mate's neck, ripping a scream of pleasure and pain from the man beneath him. He pounded into his mate hard and fast chanting "Mine! Mine!" his mate crying out for more until he roared out his mate's name as he spilled his seed deep within his blue eyed love, "SSSSSPPPPPPIIIIIIIKKKKKKEE!"

Xander awoke from his dream still calling out his mate's name. Blinking in confusion, his senses were wide open searching for someone who wasn't there. Looking at the clock he groaned at the time, 3:30 a.m.

Across town in Jera's Books and Coffee Shop 3:27 a.m. :

Sitting on the living room floor of the apartment upstairs, Jera and Spike sat cross legged across from one another in a deep trance. A minute later, their eyes snapped open and they stared at one another for a moment, each trying to calm their heavy breathing. Easing her hands from his, Jera watched her friend's wicked grin grow. "You know this could be considered a form of. . . ahem . . . invasion of privacy, sugar."

"True, but what he doesn't know won't get me staked," he quipped back.

Laughing, Jera said "You've turned into a dirty old man, Spike! I still can't believe I let you talk me into letting you get in the kid's dream. My God Spike! How old was that kid? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Seventeen and what difference does it make?" he asked.

Jera hooted, "Oh how the mighty have fallen! *Giggle* And for a *gasp* seventeen year old brunette boy who hates your guts." Gasping and holding her sides, Jera fell over and rolled on the floor with laughter.

Spike growled " And WHAT is wrong with that?"

At his tone Jera sobered instantly "You have got to be kidding right?! Putting aside for a moment that you're a vampire and he is a human. Putting aside the fact that you scare the shit out of the poor little lamb just by looking at him. HE'S SIXTEEN! HE IS MORTAL! HE WILL DIE EVENTUALLY! If you make him an immortal like you he'll lose his soul. He won't be the young man you know now." Jera watched as her friend looked away. Her face turning sad, she reached out and touched his arm. "Even if you subtracted a hundred years, honey he would still be a teenager and you would still be too old for him."

Looking her straight in the eye Spike countered, "The heart knows no age, luv." He inhaled deeply, "You're right about everything but two things, pet. He is seventeen and I'm not exactly a vampire anymore."

Jera searched Spike's eyes and waited for the punch line, but it never came. Eyes widening, Jera noticed for the first time that Spike was warmer than usual. Reaching for the pressure point at the neck, she pressed there to confirm her suspicions. There! Right there at her finger tips she felt it, weak, so slow in beat that it couldn't even be called a pulse really but it was there none the less. A heart beat, one not fast enough for a human and too fast for a vampire. He wasn't a vampire anymore and he wasn't human, but how? When? She had to know and she wasn't going to back down until she got to the bottom of this. " Spike! What in God's name is going on here and you better talk fast, MISTER!"

"I wish I knew, luv. I wish I knew." Spike said in frustration.

"Do you know when this started?" Jera asked worriedly.

Hesitantly, he spoke, " It started the night I brought him to you for help, luv."

She inhaled sharply, "Ok that's not long. So let me guess, the kid is the key to this change right? " When Spike just nodded at her, she sighed. "Well it's a start.. . . . . And I'm betting it has to do with this Sentinel business too. Ok we'll figure this out, sweetpea." She gave him a quick hug and got up. Walking over to her computer she contacted one of her friends in records via email.

"What are you doing, pet?" Spike pulled himself up off the floor and looked over her shoulder. His jaw nearly hitting the floor, he stammered, "You're asking HIM!"

Shrugging "Well Methos is over five thousand years old, sugar. If anyone would know it would be him."

"So now what? We wait? I hate waiting Jera, you know that!"

Chuckling Jera replied "Then what do you say we pay that lovely Constable Jim Ellison a bit of a visit? To welcome to them *snicker* neighborhood so to speak."

Spike's usual wicked grin returned in full force "Well what are you waiting for pet? Get your arse in gear and lets welcome him and his guide proper."

"Would be rude not to and we simply can't have that." A grin of equal wickedness grew on Jera's mouth to compliment her friends. "And we simply have to bring something for them to eat as a gift. Tradition, you know."

Arching his left scared eyebrow, Spike asked evilly, " Is it now?" And with that the two headed down stairs to ready said gift for the unsuspecting sentinel and guide.