King of Hearts

7

King's Night Out

Author's note: Mariana revised Chapter 6 for me - if you have already read it, I urge you to read it again because she did a fantastic job and you'd really miss something!
Join my Yahoo group for updates, discussing my fanfic, ideas, suggestions, polls etc. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/charliesfanfic/ Subscribe by sending an e-mail to
charliesfanfic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Song credits: "Every you Every Me" performed by Placebo, written by Brian Molko/Stefan Oldsdal/Steven Hewitt/Paul Campion. (P) (C) 1998 Virgin Records. "Original Sin", Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Taupin. (P) 2002 Mercury Records.

For the first time in what seemed like years to him, Spike felt free. They had got out of Buckingham Palace in the used old Austin Mini Buffy had bought from her first salary in London. It was only held together by all kinds of colourful stickers and so small Spike could no longer feel his legs when he got out from the backseat at the parking lot behind the old club, but there was no bodyguard, no polo instructor, no ambassadors and no Sir Rupert around, just Buffy.
"You really think this is a good idea?" Buffy asked carefully, but she knew there was no way to change his mind.
"I need to be myself again," Spike told her with resolve, "If only for a while. And I want you to meet my friends."
Buffy nodded and followed Spike to the entrance. There was a longe queue, but Spike walked past the waiting guests, and directly toward the door. It seemed to Buffy he knew virtually everyone at the club, he was immediately granted entrance and got a warm welcome from all the people they passed as Spike headed for the bar.
"Blondie bear!" the blonde bartender squealed and left her place to hug him. "Tired of being King yet?"
"Hi, Harm," Spike said hesitantly, and Buffy noticed him blushing slightly. She frowned. Blondie bear? An ex-girlfriend? Spike put an arm around Buffy's waist. "Buffy, this is Harmony, an old friend and colleague. Harm, this is Buffy. My girl."
Buffy felt the heat rising in her face.
"Hi," Harmony said sourly.
Spike gestured at the stage. "Who's playing tonight?"
"At the moment it's the Dingoes," Harmony explained, "But they'll be done in a minute, for the rest of the night it's gonna be the Vampire Slayers." She sighed.t'st's not the same since you left."
"Now, who do we have here?" another female voice came from behind them.
Spike and Buffy turned around. Buffy's heart sank. A beautiful dark-haired girl with sensuous red lips and a body Buffy would die for, clad in tight black leather pants and a white tank top glowing in the semi-dark, walked up to them, hips swaying. She kissed Spike on the cheek, lingering for a second too long for Buffy's taste.
"Buffy, this is Faith, she's the lead of my old band, the Slayers."
Faith looked at Buffy, checking her out openly without even trying to hide her curious looks. "Hey, B," she said leisurely.
"Hey, F," Buffy countered.
Faith waved a hand at her gang. More girls approached, each of them pretty in her own way, welcoming Spike with lots of cheers, as much alcohol and far too much body language. Buffy stepped back. Spike did not seem to notice Buffy's uneasiness as he hugged each of the girls in turn. Buffy saw it had to feel great to be back in his world. Which was not her world. Spike seized her hand and pushed her forward. "Kendra, Rona, Vi, Molly, Kennedy, I want you to meet Buffy. Buffy, my band, the Vampire Slayers!"
They said hi politely, but Buffy felt strangely out of place. Faith ran her hand over Spike's guitar. "We're due in a minute," she told him, "What do you say, blondie, wanna give it a go?"
Spike looked at Buffy. "Would it be ok with you if I performed a song or two with the ladies, for old time's sake?"
Harmony frowned. Did he have to ask his girlfriend for permission?
Buffy shrugged and gave him a forced smile. She couldn't possibly say no, could she? "Go ahead," she said, trying to sound cheerful.
Spike gave her a hurried kiss, and then followed his band to the stage.
The other band's lead Oz looked puzzled when he saw Spike with the others, but he did not hesitate. He stepped to the front of the stage and announced: "Thank you, ladies and gents! Now make room for the next band, they're gonna be playing for you for the next couple of hours, say hello to Prince Charming and the Vampire Slayers!"
Spike grinned, a little embarrassed at the unexpected change of name, but the shouting of the crowd rang in his ears and carried him away before he could give it a second thought. There were so many people crammed into the building Spike could no longer see the exit, the limelight was blinding him and warming his skin, and when he took his place among the Vampire Slayers, it felt normal, it felt right. Adrenaline was rushing through his veins, this was his kind of place. The song started.
Sucker love is heaven sent.
You pucker up, our passion's spent.
My heart's a tart, your body's rent.
My body's broken, yours is bent.
Carve your name into my arm.
Instead of stressed, I lie here charmed.
Cuz there's nothing else to do,
Every me and every you.
Buffy did not mean to like it, she intended to sit at the bar, sipping her drink and looking bored, but she soon found herself moving her body to the rhythm of the music, making her way through the crowd up to the front row. She looked up to catch Spike's eye. He was sweating in the limelight, he had to shout instead of singing to make himself heard over the noise, Buffy physically felt his voice and the rhythm of the music, so close to the stage and the speakers made her whole body hum, and she found out she no longer cared if Faith or the other pretty girls were on stage with him, because he was looking straight at her.
I serve my head up on a plate.
It's only comfort, calling late.
Cuz there's nothing else to do,
Every me and every you.
Buffy's heartbeat sped up. People around her were dancing frantically, their bodies brushing against her, but for her time stood still. She was a teenager again, in the front row at a concert trying to get a glimpse of her belusted boy band, she was bribing the bodyguards to get her backstage in her shortest skirt and virtually non-existent shirt with her hotel room number printed on it in bold red letters, and she loved it. She shouted with the other girls until her voice was hoarse, she moved to the rhythm until her clothes were soaked with sweat, and she no longer minded sharing him on stage because she suddenly realized she was the one who would be taking him home when the lights went down. A crazy idea crossed Buffy's mind. She looked around her, making sure no one was paying attention to her. She was safe, everyone's gaze was on stage, voices around her whispering, "Doesn't he look like King William?". Buffy smiled inwardly. Her hands slid under her top, behind her back. With another cautious look around her, she unhooked her bra and slipped out of it. She carefully removed it and held it behind her back until the right moment.
All alone in space and time.
There's nothing here but what here's mine.
Something borrowed, something blue.
Every me and every you.
Every me and every you.
Spike finished the song, the cries of the girls and waves of applause drowning his last refrain. He turned to Faith to discuss which song was next.
Buffy waited for another second. As he turned to the microphone to announce the next song, Buffy hauled her bra up to the stage.
It landed on top of the microphone, muffling Spike's voice and causing a strange, screeching sound. Spike's puzzled look almost made Buffy burst out laughing. Spike stared at it for a moment, then his gaze locked on Buffy's.
She grinned.
He carefully removed the bra from the microphone, running his fingers over the soft fabric. "I don't think this is gonna suit me! The colour doesn’t go with my hair." There were giggles from the audience. He shrugged and took the microphone in his hand, walking up and kneeling down to the front of the stage. He stopped right in front of Buffy. "Thank you very much, you're lovely," he said into the microphone, as he had done so often, but this time he was talking to her. "My next song's going to be a little softer," he said gently, "and it's for one special lady out there who comes to listen to us every time we're on stage. This one's for you, pet."
Softly strumming his guitar, he began to sing.
Oh it's carnival night, and they're stringing the lights around you
Hanging paper angels, painting little devils on the walls
The furnace wind's just a flickering about your face
In a cloud of incense, yeah, it smells like heaven in this place
Buffy's knees went weak. It was one of her favourite songs of all times. She'd never told him, how would he know? Or did just all women go for this particular piece? The thought that this may just have been part of his usual show was unbearable to her. She felt the need to mark this song as hers, to mark him as hers. Hesitantly, looking around cautiously, she pretended to have dropped something on the floor. The girls around her hid her from view. Quickly, Buffy reached under her skirt and removed her panties.
Her face was flushed when she rose again. Spike's eyes were still on her.
I can't eat, I can't sleep, still I hunger for you when you look at me
That face, those eyes, all the sinful pleasures deep inside.
Tell me how, you know now, the ways and means of getting in
Underneath my skin.
Oh you were always my original sin.
Buffy waited, not wanting to interrupt the song. Her panties, crumpled into a little ball in her right hand, scalding her like fire, and the same did Spike's gaze, as his eyes never left her.
"He does look like the K" a" a girl next to Buffy insisted.
"'kay, can I be his Queen?" her friend asked.
"If you like, but his sceptre's mine!" Both of them giggled.
And tell me why, I shudder inside, every time we begin this dangerous game
Oh you were always my original sin.
The guitar sounds faded. The girls screamed their hearts out. Buffy hurled her panties on stage with all her strength.
This time, Spike wasn't surprised. He caught them from the air, a broad grin on his face. He pocketed them without comment, noticing their dampness and Buffy's distinctive scent. It drove him wild. "Thank you, you're a terrific audience," Spike said. "Ladies, will you all do me a favour?"
The girls shouted their agreement.
Spike nodded. "Good. If you enjoyed tonight's performance..."
They clapped their hands and cheered.
"... if you enjoyed tonight's performance, please make a donation in our name to the Homeless Youth Shelter in Whitechapel first thing in the mornin', okay? Doesn't have to be a lot, every penny helps. Can you do that for me?"
Buffy shuddered at his soft voice over the mic as the memories of last night washed over her. Would you do something for me, luv? Would you undress?
"Thank you, you rock!" Spike walked down from the stage, accompanied by the wails of protest from his all too eager audience. Faith took the microphone.
"All right, enough of cheesy love songs, calm down, ladies, and hold on tight to your men, 'cos this is gonna get hot!"
While the audience's attention shifted toward Faith and her merciless rock voice, Spike jumped from the stage elegantly and kissed Buffy hard.
"Feel better?" she asked.
His silence was enough of a reply. He pushed Buffy towards the bar, taking a seat on one of the stools, pulling her on his lap.
Harmony was with them immediately, placing a bottle of champagne and two glasses in front of them. "On the house," she said charmingly.
"Thanks, luv," Spike said in good spirits.
Buffy was a little upset he called Harmony 'luv', but she suppressed the smidgen of jealousy. The bottle emptied soon, as more of Spike's old friends came over to greet him and ask him how he had been. Buffy was getting slightly bored as they went on about people she didn't know for what seemed hours. A second bottle of champagne had come and gone. The Slayers finished their gig and joined them for another round of drinks, Faith insisted on Buffy trying what Faith called an 'Unholy Grail'. The cocktail was sweet, Buffy only noticed the faint taste of alcohol when she was getting tipsy. As the third bottle of champagne went over the counter, Buffy declined at first, worrying about who was going to drive the car because Spike had already had about as much as herself.
She was a little relieved when the Slayers finally called it a night. The club was still crowded, though minors had already left. Spike was once again became just a regular face amongst the crowd, so Buffy was finally able to relax, no longer being at the centre of all attention.
Spike took a look around. "Did you enjoy the show?"
"Yeah, of course," Buffy replied, "It was fun."
Spike ran his hand over the pocket of his jeans where he had put the panties. "So I guessed."
Buffy giggled, feeling the impact of all the alcohol.
"I take it you're not wearing any underwear any more."ke rke ran his hand up her thigh.
Buffy squirmed.
Spike pushed her skirt up slightly. "Are you up for a little more fun?" he asked silkily.
"We're in public," Buffy hissed.
He shrugged. "You didn't mind doing it in the backseat of the limo!"
"That was different!" Buffy blushed. "They're all gonna see!"
Spike shook his head, sliding his hand under her skirt. "Nobody's lookin'."
Buffy pressed her legs together. Her hardening clit was throbbing painfully. Her expression revealed her agony.
"Relax, no one's gonna notice," he told her in a soft voice. He caressed her inner thighs, then moved further up. His fingers played with her soft curls.
Buffy gasped. "Oh God, stop it!"
"Make me." His thumb brushed against her clit while he was parting her inner lips with his other fingers.
Buffy's hand closed around his arm, trying to push him back. He chuckled and tightened his arm around her waist. Buffy wiggled uncomfortably. The bartender Harmony could not see what was going on since the dark wood of the counter hid Buffy's lap from her view, and they weren't facing the dance floor and stage. Buffy felt the wetness between her legs and looked around anxiously. The other guests sitting left and right from the couple seemed busy with themselves. Yet if they chose to take one look at her, they would see Spike's hand moving under her skirt. Buffy felt thrilled. She tried to relax. No one was looking at them. No one, except for a dark-haired woman who was sitting at a table behind them. The wall behind the bar was decorated with a large mirror, in which Buffy could see her own image, as she was sitting on Spike's lap and trying to keep her face straight, and the woman's stare. From where the woman was seated, she could see exactly what Spike was doing if she looked into the mirror. And she did.
"She sees us," Buffy whispered in alarm, "that woman! In the mirror!"
Spike did not even look up at the mirror to see who Buffy was talking about. "Let her look," he said, nuzzling at Buffy's neck. His fingers gently massaged her slit.
"She knows what we're doing," Buffy told him desperately. Spike slid a finger inside, harder and deeper than he had intended because she was so wet there was almost no resistance. Buffy moaned.
The woman at the table sat up straight.
Buffy felt a chill running down her spine. She covered her mouth with her hand. Someone must have heard her!
The woman smiled and raised her glass at the mirror. Buffy's face was a deep crimson.
Spike moved his finger back and forth, slowly, and he could tell by Buffy's small sounds, the way she tensed up, and the betraying response of her body that she enjoyed what he was doing in spite of her protesting mewls. He slid a second finger inside, more slowly. His thumb still attending her clit.
Buffy shuddered. "Oh God, stop it," she whispered between bliss and fear of discovery.
"I could disappear under the counter and give you head," Spike suggested.
Buffy's eyes widened in panic.
"Just kidding," Spike said soothingly, "Relax and enjoy the show."
Buffy whimpered as he increased the speed. She closed her eyes for a moment, shutting out the image of the dark-haired beauty at the nearby table. Her clit was swelling, wetness poured down on his hand, she was bursting, when he pulled out of her and squeezed her lightly. Buffy perceived the bar only as a wheel of colours, her muscles convulsed briefly when he shoved his fingers in hard, then all her muscles relaxed at once as her climax hit her, washed over her in a tide, her whole body shook in ecstasy, she would have fallen from the stool if he hadn't held her tightly.
When she came down, she felt Harmony glaring at her and blushed.
Harmony turned away and resumed cleaning the bar.
Spike kissed her shoulder. "Youy?"y?"
Buffy looked up at the mirror and startled. "The woman..."
Spike followed her gaze.
The raven-haired woman was still sitting at her table, her hand covered by her long velvety skirts. Her gaze was fixed on the couple in the mirror. Her eyes were hooded, her cheeks strikingly crimsoned against her pale face.
Spike turned around in sudden shock, looking directly at her instead of merely the reflection. The woman smiled dreamily. A white hand reappeared from under her skirts, and she waved at him.
"Bloody hell," Spike murmured.
Buffy panicked. "I told you she was watching us! Oh my God, she got herself off while..."
Spike cleared his voice. "Buffy... let's get the hell out of here."
Buffy was relieved at the suggestion. At least he was embarrassed as well.
Spike prayed silently Buffy would notk ink into his eyes. One glance, and she would know this was personal. The woman at the table was not a stranger, after all. In fact, she had been the woman sitting on his lap on his last night at the club, when his life had changed forever, when they told him he was a King. The last thing he wanted was a meeting between Buffy and Drusilla. Not taking a look back, he manoeuvered Buffy towards the door.
"That was so embarrassing!" Buffy giggled hysterically when they were out of the club and back in the fresh morning air. The sun would soon be rising.
"Yeah, it was," Spike sighed. He stretched out his arms and spun around. "But, God, I feel so alive. No ceremonies, no duties, no bloody polo. Just you, a stage and my band."
Buffy suddenly looked pensive.
Spike frowned. "Everything ok, luv?"
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, like it or not, you're King after all. I just don't want you to regret it later if you turn your back on that side of your life now."
He looked at her calmly. "Do you regret coming here?"
Buffy smiled and kissed him. "No. It's your world. If you want to return to it, count me in."
He shrugged. "It was my world. I'm not so sure now. It's been my dream to be a famous rock star like... forever. But I always played in night clubs, at parties, and if I'm brutally honest, I'll never make it big without the whole King incident. I used to be Spike and the Vampire Slayers, and now I'm bleedin' Prince Charming. I couldn't possibly go back to where I started, even if I wanted to. Maybe my advisor had a point. I mean, he told me that as a King, I could make a difference. If I stay here, if I really go back 'to the hole I came from', I'll never make a difference in anybody's life."
Buffy regarded him for a long moment. "Well, you made a difference in my life already."
Spike lit a cigarette and inhaled the smoke deeply. "I want to do the right thing, Buffy. But I don't wanna run away."
Buffy nodded. "Then - don't. It was important we came here, you had to let off some steam. But don't think you're weak because you're admitting an overreaction. You're strong. You'll get along. You will adjust. I believe in you, Spike."
He pulled her close, giving her a deep look from his blue eyes.

*

Buffy felt light and slightly dizzy when she unlocked the door to her room at Buckingham Palace. She was glad she had been able to convince Spike to come back.
"What was it like?" a voice addressed her from behind.
Buffy was startled. "Sadie! You scared me!"
The other housemaid had appeared from nowhere. "Tell me about it, Summers. What was it like? What is he like?"
Buffy's expression was blank. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"King William, of course!" Sadie told her reproachfully, "You could have let me in! I thought we were close! I know you're just coming home, you spent the night with him, so give me the details!"
Buffy shook her head. "I was just at a club, I forgot the time. What makes you think I know King William?"
"The Sun." Sadie handed Buffy the newspaper.
Buffy's face fell. "Oh, crap!"

TBC...