Human Delusions
folder
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
2,067
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Category:
-Buffy the Vampire Slayer › Het - Male/Female › Buffy/Spike(William)
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
6
Views:
2,067
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. Evil is mine so hands off. :)
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Los Angeles, California
Violet eyes swept left and right before the figure owning them moved through the alleyway, taking discrete samples of what was left of the battle, and there wasn’t much. Surprisingly it had been a very clean scene, the dimensional hole repairing seamlessly and reclaiming the dead as well as the recently released demons. The only evidence to the mortals of the world were the smattering of blood droplets and a few crushed buildings. Considering this had been a near Apocalypse it could have been a lot worse. Sunnydale was but one example. Actually, it was the worst example within the last two generations, although the body count had been significantly less thanks to the Sunnydale Slayers.
She paused to see a small entourage of demons pause at the entrance to the alleyway, waving at something before crouching down in a supplication pose, murmuring as if in prayer. Which was actually very odd, most demons though they believed in the higher powers did not actually pray to them, according to the records of the Watchers Council.
She waited until they’d passed by before venturing closer, freezing with large eyes at the mural depiction. It was incredible and so detailed she froze for several moments before shaking herself out of a stupor and rifling through her bag for her camera. She used the digital as well as an entire roll of 35mm before taking a step back and just looking. The skyline of Los Angeles as if drawn from the rooftops, the gaping hole of the tear to hell and the falling of demons from the sky as if rain. Then her eyes honed in on the entire point of the drawing, in her opinion. A lone figure stood atop the tallest building, hands raised to the sky as if to defy the demons and a ring of power encompassed it.
“Do you think he will fulfil his destiny?”
Jerking to the right, she could hear the distinct sound of feet walking on sidewalk and knew she should be never seen. Using her training, she silently slipped into a crevice in the alley and hid, “There is no way to know. The Powers chose him as their champion, the rest will be up to him.”
“Really, Merideth...he’s just a vampire...”
“No. He was never just a vampire. The most prominent master vampire in recent memory and after the soul he became so much more.” A female shadow, covered in darkness touched the tiny figure in the mural, “He’s the strongest of us all, now. More than human...more than demon...he walks in worlds others dare not...” The shadow pulled back and the two of them continued on down the street, disappearing soon after.
***
Wakeeny, Kansas
He and Kat chatted easily about nothing at all. Opinions. The past. The present. The future was left to itself, a vague threat they both ignored. He could sense dawn was about an hour away and knew he’d have to leave this lovely creature’s side, “Well, beauty, it’s been a true pleasure but it’s time all good vamps turned in for the day.”
She reached out with enhanced speed and snagged his wrist, “Stay with us. At least for the day. It’s vampire proof of course and you could meet some of my pack.”
He shook his head mildly, “I’m not looking for charity-...”
Her eyes flashed indignantly, clearly offended as she all but yanked her hand back, “I wasn’t offering it. You can take care of yourself, that’s easy enough to see. I was offering to share our home with a friend.”
If he could have blushed he would have, realizing he’d insulted her. He knew in many cultures offering someone to stay in their home was a rare gift. Plus she wanted to introduce him to some of her clan, yet another gift. Bowing his head slightly, humbled, “Then I’m sorry for insulting you and I would be honored.”
Her tensed body relaxed and she smiled slightly, letting it go as the misunderstanding it had been, “Forgiven. This way.” She led him silently out of the warehouse side of the city, the scenery changing abruptly to small houses and farms in the distance. The smell of cattle and hay clued him in to that fact. He wrinkled his nose a bit and stopped voluntarily smelling. She smirked out of the corner of her eye, knowing exactly what he was up to, “Sorry about that but unfortunately we can’t do anything about the neighbors.”
He shrugged, “Not much into livestock but it’s fine, pet.”
“City boy, I take it?”
Smirking, “All my unlife.”
Chuckling softly, “Can’t say that I am either. I’m not precisely a city girl but where we live we don’t have to put up with that.” Waving her arm out with a half bow, “And here we are, kind sir.” His eyes widened a bit, seeing an enormous two story house and the very end of the block. White picket fence surrounding a neat lawn and cobble stones leading up to an old fashioned wrap around porch. The house had to be a hundred years old or more, white with black shutters and lit to be warm and inviting. In a stage whisper, “This used to be the local brothel before we bought it out so don’t look too impressed.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, “Thought you said you were just passing through.”
Shrugging, “I am. It’s usually a bed and breakfast now except when we’re in town. Plus there’s about fifteen of us and this huge house suddenly isn’t so large with those numbers.”
Following her past the gate and along the path, “About fifteen?”
“Well, unless someone else got lucky and found a potential family member.”
He stopped her just short of the porch steps, hand lightly grasping her arm, “Family member?”
She looked away with a light blush on her tanned features before facing him again, “That’s what being a part of the pack means, William. The pack is family and even if we’re never mates we look after our own.”
The door was all but thrown open a moment later, “Kat! Where the hell have you-...”
A sandy-blond fellow stopped himself short, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a defensive expression on his face. William’s blue eyes looked him over, assessing him to either be a rival, or a protective brother. The thought that this runt, shorter than he was, might have an interest in Kat made his fangs itch in possessiveness. But he got a hold of himself quick. This was going way too fast for his comfort. Kat sighed in exasperation, “William, this is my little brother, Scott.”
Scott rolled his golden eyes and held out a hand, “Right. Little as in shorter than her, not younger.” Kat giggled and William snorted but held out his own hand to clasp it. The two shook before the vampire found himself nose to nose with the other fellow. Too strong to be human. A werewolf was the only explanation as the man looked him dead in the eye.
Never one to lose a staring contest, not in quite a while, he just stared calmly back. He wasn’t challenging the little sod but he wasn’t about the back down either. After a moment Scott seemed to realize this and relaxed, averting his gaze to give his neck a short sniff before looking at his sister strangely, “A vampire?”
She barreled past her brother and pulled her vampire escort inside, “Come in, William. Shut up, Scott. Some of us can’t be out past dawn and I’m not particularly impressed with your little pissing contest just now.”
Both his eyebrows rose, ignoring most of what his sister said, “You invited him here? You??”
Stomping her foot before whirling around and disappearing into the kitchen, “Shut up!”
Scott just shook his head, giving William a look of respect, “She must really like you. You’re the first man she’s invited home.” William felt himself stand up just a little bit straighter. Man. Not demon or vampire but man. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had called him that after they knew what he was. Three identical redheads peeked into what had to be the foyer but Scott headed them off, “He’s Kat’s guest so forget about it.” The three girls, looking about sixteen or so all pouted identically before disappearing from where they had come. Scott inclined his head, “This way, William. You look about done in. I can’t guarantee we’ll leave you alone all day but you’ll have at least a few hours before the cubs wake up.”
Not knowing how weary he really looked, “Cubs?”
Smiling just a little, taking William kindly in hand and leading him to a secluded room behind the stairs, “Yeah, we’ve got about four young kids around here somewhere. Six through nine and all of them boys. They’re all noisy to say the least.” He opened the door to reveal a modest bed, dresser, table and lamp, complete with it’s own bathroom and no windows.
“Looks like you were expecting me.”
Scott shrugged, “We’ve had a vamp guest or two. You need anything?” William shook his head mutely and Scott moved around him and through the door, clapping him lightly on the shoulder, “If you decide to stay, you’re more than welcome you know?” He didn’t but he nodded his head silently, not saying anything as the door softly closed.
***
Los Angeles, California
The sterile environment was white, clean, and seemingly lifeless, as was the silent figure lying in the bed. Machines were hooked up here and there, a heart monitor keeping a steady cadence to the sleeping form. In the distance doctors and nurses moved about their duties in a silently choreographed dance that had purpose and yet none at all.
A doctor walked briskly into the room, over to the bed and looking down at the chart with a frown. A second came in behind him, “Any change, Stern?”
Glancing at his companion, “None. He’ll be transferred to the permanent ward by the end of next week if he doesn’t wake up soon.”
“Considering where he was found I’m not entirely surprised.” The staff all knew the story even if they were prohibited from talking about it. There had been some kind of massive city wide gang fight even if none of the groups were coming forward to claim responsibility. This one had been found unconscious in an alley, naked and without any damage. He was in a coma with no apparent cause.
Stern nodded slowly. It was cheaper for the hospital to keep an eye on charity cases if more coma victims were in the same room. Plus, what was the harm? They were in a coma, “A pity, really. Such a young man to be homeless.” He sighed to himself and put down the chart, “Come on, I’ll buy you dinner.”
Raising an eyebrow, following his companion out, “If it’s the dining room downstairs I’ll just starve,
thanks.”
Their laughter faded in the distance, returning quiet and order to the empty ward once more. Yet something new was happening. The heart rate and the steady beeping drone started to increase as the first signs of life stirred in days. A shift of a brunette and bandaged head, first left and then right. Brown eyes fluttered open a moment later, the still figure gasping a single, rasping word, “...Buffy!”
Los Angeles, California
Violet eyes swept left and right before the figure owning them moved through the alleyway, taking discrete samples of what was left of the battle, and there wasn’t much. Surprisingly it had been a very clean scene, the dimensional hole repairing seamlessly and reclaiming the dead as well as the recently released demons. The only evidence to the mortals of the world were the smattering of blood droplets and a few crushed buildings. Considering this had been a near Apocalypse it could have been a lot worse. Sunnydale was but one example. Actually, it was the worst example within the last two generations, although the body count had been significantly less thanks to the Sunnydale Slayers.
She paused to see a small entourage of demons pause at the entrance to the alleyway, waving at something before crouching down in a supplication pose, murmuring as if in prayer. Which was actually very odd, most demons though they believed in the higher powers did not actually pray to them, according to the records of the Watchers Council.
She waited until they’d passed by before venturing closer, freezing with large eyes at the mural depiction. It was incredible and so detailed she froze for several moments before shaking herself out of a stupor and rifling through her bag for her camera. She used the digital as well as an entire roll of 35mm before taking a step back and just looking. The skyline of Los Angeles as if drawn from the rooftops, the gaping hole of the tear to hell and the falling of demons from the sky as if rain. Then her eyes honed in on the entire point of the drawing, in her opinion. A lone figure stood atop the tallest building, hands raised to the sky as if to defy the demons and a ring of power encompassed it.
“Do you think he will fulfil his destiny?”
Jerking to the right, she could hear the distinct sound of feet walking on sidewalk and knew she should be never seen. Using her training, she silently slipped into a crevice in the alley and hid, “There is no way to know. The Powers chose him as their champion, the rest will be up to him.”
“Really, Merideth...he’s just a vampire...”
“No. He was never just a vampire. The most prominent master vampire in recent memory and after the soul he became so much more.” A female shadow, covered in darkness touched the tiny figure in the mural, “He’s the strongest of us all, now. More than human...more than demon...he walks in worlds others dare not...” The shadow pulled back and the two of them continued on down the street, disappearing soon after.
***
Wakeeny, Kansas
He and Kat chatted easily about nothing at all. Opinions. The past. The present. The future was left to itself, a vague threat they both ignored. He could sense dawn was about an hour away and knew he’d have to leave this lovely creature’s side, “Well, beauty, it’s been a true pleasure but it’s time all good vamps turned in for the day.”
She reached out with enhanced speed and snagged his wrist, “Stay with us. At least for the day. It’s vampire proof of course and you could meet some of my pack.”
He shook his head mildly, “I’m not looking for charity-...”
Her eyes flashed indignantly, clearly offended as she all but yanked her hand back, “I wasn’t offering it. You can take care of yourself, that’s easy enough to see. I was offering to share our home with a friend.”
If he could have blushed he would have, realizing he’d insulted her. He knew in many cultures offering someone to stay in their home was a rare gift. Plus she wanted to introduce him to some of her clan, yet another gift. Bowing his head slightly, humbled, “Then I’m sorry for insulting you and I would be honored.”
Her tensed body relaxed and she smiled slightly, letting it go as the misunderstanding it had been, “Forgiven. This way.” She led him silently out of the warehouse side of the city, the scenery changing abruptly to small houses and farms in the distance. The smell of cattle and hay clued him in to that fact. He wrinkled his nose a bit and stopped voluntarily smelling. She smirked out of the corner of her eye, knowing exactly what he was up to, “Sorry about that but unfortunately we can’t do anything about the neighbors.”
He shrugged, “Not much into livestock but it’s fine, pet.”
“City boy, I take it?”
Smirking, “All my unlife.”
Chuckling softly, “Can’t say that I am either. I’m not precisely a city girl but where we live we don’t have to put up with that.” Waving her arm out with a half bow, “And here we are, kind sir.” His eyes widened a bit, seeing an enormous two story house and the very end of the block. White picket fence surrounding a neat lawn and cobble stones leading up to an old fashioned wrap around porch. The house had to be a hundred years old or more, white with black shutters and lit to be warm and inviting. In a stage whisper, “This used to be the local brothel before we bought it out so don’t look too impressed.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, “Thought you said you were just passing through.”
Shrugging, “I am. It’s usually a bed and breakfast now except when we’re in town. Plus there’s about fifteen of us and this huge house suddenly isn’t so large with those numbers.”
Following her past the gate and along the path, “About fifteen?”
“Well, unless someone else got lucky and found a potential family member.”
He stopped her just short of the porch steps, hand lightly grasping her arm, “Family member?”
She looked away with a light blush on her tanned features before facing him again, “That’s what being a part of the pack means, William. The pack is family and even if we’re never mates we look after our own.”
The door was all but thrown open a moment later, “Kat! Where the hell have you-...”
A sandy-blond fellow stopped himself short, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed and a defensive expression on his face. William’s blue eyes looked him over, assessing him to either be a rival, or a protective brother. The thought that this runt, shorter than he was, might have an interest in Kat made his fangs itch in possessiveness. But he got a hold of himself quick. This was going way too fast for his comfort. Kat sighed in exasperation, “William, this is my little brother, Scott.”
Scott rolled his golden eyes and held out a hand, “Right. Little as in shorter than her, not younger.” Kat giggled and William snorted but held out his own hand to clasp it. The two shook before the vampire found himself nose to nose with the other fellow. Too strong to be human. A werewolf was the only explanation as the man looked him dead in the eye.
Never one to lose a staring contest, not in quite a while, he just stared calmly back. He wasn’t challenging the little sod but he wasn’t about the back down either. After a moment Scott seemed to realize this and relaxed, averting his gaze to give his neck a short sniff before looking at his sister strangely, “A vampire?”
She barreled past her brother and pulled her vampire escort inside, “Come in, William. Shut up, Scott. Some of us can’t be out past dawn and I’m not particularly impressed with your little pissing contest just now.”
Both his eyebrows rose, ignoring most of what his sister said, “You invited him here? You??”
Stomping her foot before whirling around and disappearing into the kitchen, “Shut up!”
Scott just shook his head, giving William a look of respect, “She must really like you. You’re the first man she’s invited home.” William felt himself stand up just a little bit straighter. Man. Not demon or vampire but man. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had called him that after they knew what he was. Three identical redheads peeked into what had to be the foyer but Scott headed them off, “He’s Kat’s guest so forget about it.” The three girls, looking about sixteen or so all pouted identically before disappearing from where they had come. Scott inclined his head, “This way, William. You look about done in. I can’t guarantee we’ll leave you alone all day but you’ll have at least a few hours before the cubs wake up.”
Not knowing how weary he really looked, “Cubs?”
Smiling just a little, taking William kindly in hand and leading him to a secluded room behind the stairs, “Yeah, we’ve got about four young kids around here somewhere. Six through nine and all of them boys. They’re all noisy to say the least.” He opened the door to reveal a modest bed, dresser, table and lamp, complete with it’s own bathroom and no windows.
“Looks like you were expecting me.”
Scott shrugged, “We’ve had a vamp guest or two. You need anything?” William shook his head mutely and Scott moved around him and through the door, clapping him lightly on the shoulder, “If you decide to stay, you’re more than welcome you know?” He didn’t but he nodded his head silently, not saying anything as the door softly closed.
***
Los Angeles, California
The sterile environment was white, clean, and seemingly lifeless, as was the silent figure lying in the bed. Machines were hooked up here and there, a heart monitor keeping a steady cadence to the sleeping form. In the distance doctors and nurses moved about their duties in a silently choreographed dance that had purpose and yet none at all.
A doctor walked briskly into the room, over to the bed and looking down at the chart with a frown. A second came in behind him, “Any change, Stern?”
Glancing at his companion, “None. He’ll be transferred to the permanent ward by the end of next week if he doesn’t wake up soon.”
“Considering where he was found I’m not entirely surprised.” The staff all knew the story even if they were prohibited from talking about it. There had been some kind of massive city wide gang fight even if none of the groups were coming forward to claim responsibility. This one had been found unconscious in an alley, naked and without any damage. He was in a coma with no apparent cause.
Stern nodded slowly. It was cheaper for the hospital to keep an eye on charity cases if more coma victims were in the same room. Plus, what was the harm? They were in a coma, “A pity, really. Such a young man to be homeless.” He sighed to himself and put down the chart, “Come on, I’ll buy you dinner.”
Raising an eyebrow, following his companion out, “If it’s the dining room downstairs I’ll just starve,
thanks.”
Their laughter faded in the distance, returning quiet and order to the empty ward once more. Yet something new was happening. The heart rate and the steady beeping drone started to increase as the first signs of life stirred in days. A shift of a brunette and bandaged head, first left and then right. Brown eyes fluttered open a moment later, the still figure gasping a single, rasping word, “...Buffy!”