Consumed

Now that the sun was sinking, it was getting colder on the mountain. Fallen leaves and pebbles crunched under their feet as the four hikers continued their trek through the Angeles Crest Forest.

“You could carry some of this shit,” Faith snarled as she passed Spike. The blond vampire was the only empty handed one among them.

“I could, but why should I when I have two slayers and Angel to do the lugging?” Spike gave the group an amused look. “It’s not me that needs all that food and water and whatever else you’ve packed in there, yeah?”

“Then why am I carrying the entire blood supply?” Angel asked.

“Your choice mate. If you’re trying to impress Buffy, your technique could use a leg up.”

“So long as you’re not getting a leg up–“

Buffy turned around and gave both men a long stare. “We’re almost there...maybe we can make it without you killing each other?”

Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. Always Buffy. It was as if the dark slayer didn’t exist. Giving a careless shake of her head, she lengthened her strides and reached the top. “There it is. Let’s go see about kicking some ass.”

The others joined her and looked at the cabin. “You think it’ll be that simple? It never is,” Buffy pointed out. “Besides, some people stayed here for days before anything happened.’

“Nice cabin. You and Faith can take the downstairs, and Buffy and I will shack up upstairs,” Spike suggested, pushing the door of the cabin open. The dagger-like stares from three pairs of eyes only broadened his smirk.

“Nah, I think Buffy and I will take the upstairs and you two can dream about girl on girl action, that’s what guys do isn’t it?”

That thought brought Spike to a sudden halt and he turned to look at the girls. Oh yeah, he could see that. Himself and the two girls, what a pretty picture that made in his mind. If only Buffy didn’t act like such a prude. And it was an act... he knew that first hand. She could be sexy and kinky and Godalmighty, she could make the ground shake when she wanted. But the act ... it was for Angel. If only she’d drop it.


“Spike.... Spike!” Buffy made an impatient sound and pushed past him to go up the stairs.

He blinked and looked at Angel. “I think we’re stuck with mean evil bad slayers. Let’s hope we survive this.”

“Pull your weight Spike, or you’re fired.” How many times had Angel said the same words? Since the Sunnydale crew had joined AI, the threat had more teeth. Angel had as much help now as he could ever need. And yet... Spike was Spike. Sometimes on top of his game, at other times, sucking the energy out of the group. On top of that, there might be that little thing.. the competition over Buffy. Nah, it was the attitude.


* * *

Hours later, the gang sat around the large fire pit right outside the cabin. The heat from the roaring fire emanated quite a distance. Buffy put her hands out toward it. “So, anyone have any more stories?”

“I told five already, someone else’s turn. Anyone have marshmallows... I want marshmallows...”

“Huh?” Buffy’s gaze narrowed as she looked at Angel. He’d been acting a bit weird. Gotten more and more fidgetty as he told his stories. And for that matter, so did Spike, who’d been correcting him the whole time. “You don’t eat...”

“Oh, I know.” He gave a shrug. “I guess this is stirring up memories...”

The fire spat and hissed. Yes..yes...memories....more memories... of youth, of your childhood....give them to me...feed me. Feed me.... More....

Spike got up and plopped himself down next to Buffy. “How about a round of... the first time?”

“You got liquor?” Faith’s eyes flashed with interest.

“Not what I meant pet. A round of each of us telling about our first time in bed, yeah?” He leaned over toward the backpack that Angel had lugged up the hill. “But never one to disappoint the birds, it so happens Angel was kind enough to bring up some whiskey.”

“Wicked cool!” Faith caught the bottle Spike threw her way and quickly took a nip. It burned all the way down. “Should help make the stories better. Come on B, you tell us yours.”

A silence settled around the crackling fire. Every one of them knew about Buffy’s first time. It wasn’t quite campfire conversation.

Tell. Show. Need more. Memories... need strength.... need to feed... Need... The fire seemed to grow a bit hotter.

As if in a trance, Buffy told of that night when she was seventeen. Or maybe she didn’t tell... maybe she was just seeing that night in her mind, playing like an old movie. Maybe she was still silent. It was hard to tell, even if she hadn’t taken a single drop of the liquor Faith offered.

Spike jeered at William... at William’s first time. He’d actually had to pay a harlot for it. He told the story as if he were talking about someone else... and he was. Drucilla be praised for killing off that mouse of a man.

And the two bit whore he’d bought hadn’t been much to look at either. Her lips were smeared with too many layers of lipstick. Her face was caked with white powder and patches that were supposed to make her look like a sophisticated woman of society, but instead gave her a witchy look. Apparently, the amount he’d paid her hadn’t been enough to buy them a bed and a bit of false interest in the act. Instead, she’d braced her elbow against the wall, leaned her head on her hand and peered boredly at him as he huffed and puffed, trying to find release with an unreactive bit of flesh. “Aren’t you done yet, dearie? I don’t have all day.” He tried to skip that part in relating the story, but it slipped out anyway.

“Your turn,” Spike gave Angle a pointed look. Then giggled. Giggled? Had that sound really broken out of his own throat? He wasn’t a bloody giggler!

“Not a good story teller,” Angel objected. Strange... he was feeling weird. Instead of not wanting to tell them anything, he was bubbling over, ready to spill his guts out to them.

“Go on... we’re listening.” Spike kicked Angel.

“Ow! You suck.”

Faith put the bottle down. Something was fucked up. Was it her? Or was it them? They were acting weird, and Buffy was... “Yo, B, watcha doing. Wakey wakey...”

Buffy smiled. “Not sleeping. Waiting on Angel to tell his first time. Hundreds of years ago.”

“Hey! Less than two. And it’s not that interesting. There was this girl...”

“Always is, mate...”

“And there was this other girl, and another...”

“Lucky dog. Always did have all the fun...”

“Three girls,” Buffy blinked. And was that an ‘oh yes’ look on Faith’s face?

“I don’t know how it happened. It was a long winter day, boring as hell. Rain, rain, and more rain. I found myself at the Cock and Doodle Tavern...”

“Try again, I think you’re getting that one wrong,” Spike kicked him again. Another blasted giggle. He slapped his hands over his mouth in shock.

“Cock and... Cock and ...” Angel started laughing. “My first time at the Cock... anyone else think it’s funny?”

Faith’s husky laughter joined his. “Typical, the blonds don’t get it,” she said wondering at the blank looks from Spike and Buffy.

“Anyway, there was this tavern wench. She was practically pouring out of her top. I was... well I was shy, just fourteen. I was trying to look everywhere but there, but she made it impossible.” He felt the heat rise in his cheeks. Wait a minute, he hadn’t blushed in centuries... he couldn’t blush. “She kept touching me, brushing against me. Then she asked me to help her with something in the stables...”

“I knew you were a git, you probably fell for it!”

“Well...”

“She had you stacking bales of hay didn’t she?”

Angel shook his head at Spike. “No. She... well she had me sit down. Asked me if I knew the magic trick by which a woman could make a man’s pants grow too tight. I... I can’t believe I’m telling you this!”

The fire popped, a cinder shot out of it. Tell... more... I’m ravenous...feed me.... child...feed me.... I want to come alive. I need your memories... I need the energy...feedfeedfeed .

“Were there pretty horses? I love horses...” Buffy smiled.

“I don’t remember them. But she... Molly started taking her clothes off bit by bit. And her trick worked. I started to get up... to leave so she wouldn’t see, but then she touched me. It felt so much better than when I touched myself and–“

“Tell us about the horses.” Buffy crossed her legs and searched the pack for some rubber bands, then put her hair up in pigtails. “Better. Faith... you want some?”

“Sure... had my hair up in pig tails my first time too,” she answered, darkly, opting to put her hair up in a single ponytail. “Only old Mr. Gellard wasn’t as nice as your Molly when he pushed me down and showed me his magic trick.”

“Huh.” He should be angry at that, but for some reason, Angel wasn’t. “Somehow by morning, Molly had turned into Molly, Margery and Megan. They shared everything...”

* * *

Hours had passed, but none of the kids were asleep yet. They exchanged silly stories and rolled around laughing.

“I have an idea,” Spike went to grab the bottle Faith had been drinking from. “First lets get rid of this icky stuff,” he poured the amber liquid onto the ground.

“Hey, you splashed me,” Faith got up and pushed him. “You ruined my jeans. They smell.”

“What’s your idea?” Buffy sidled up to Angel. If only he would put his arm around her. It was getting chilly... and that was a good excuse.

“Play spin the bottle, yeah? We’re just sitting here... come on, it would be fun,” he said, looking at Buffy. She was the one who usually ruined their fun. Angel never had a thought in his head and was easily swayed, Faith was game. But Buffy...

“I like cuddling... not...stupid... bottle games.”

“Well you’re not getting any cuddling, are you?” Spike pointed out. “Might as well get some kissing.”

Kissing. If the bottle pointed to Angel...yes, that would finally get her some cuddling and kissing. Brightening visibly, Buffy nodded. “I’m in!”

“Right, spinner kisses the spinnee, yeah?” Spike wiped his palms against the ground, creating a nice flat spot for the bottle, as the others huddled around it. “My idea, I go first.” He gave the bottle a twirl.

Four pairs of eyes stared at the bottle as it slowed, then stopped, its neck pointing at Faith.

He’d hoped for Buffy but Faith would do. A girl was a girl. “Come on then, give us a kiss,” he moved in for it.

“Show us you’re not all mouth, blondie,” she answered, against his lips. He wasn’t bad for a thirteen year old. At least he moved. There was that time when Tommy Miller kissed her and... ooh, he moved again. This time, there was some tongue action. Opening her mouth, she started to get into it until she felt his hand slide up her side and come to a stop over her breast. In a whipcord motion, she pushed him aside, and moved back incensed. “Try that again... I’ll break your fingers Spike.”

Unabashed, he passed the bottle to her. They had several more goes. Faith and Angel shared a kiss. Then Buffy and Spike. Then Buffy and Angel. Buffy broke the kiss and looked less than pleased.

“Too much spit?” Faith asked under her breath.

“Doesn’t know how to kiss. Spike is better.” That really bugged her. She liked Angel... she wanted Angel to kiss her right.

A couple more turns of the bottle. Each time, if it landed on the same sex as the spinner, they sort of shifted and pretended it was pointing to the ‘more appropriate’ kissee - until Buffy spun the bottle and it landed dead center - on Faith.

Faith gave a mocking laugh. “Come on goodie two shoes, I dare you. Might find something you like...”

Buffy frowned. “I think it was pointing at Spike.”

“Not me. I want to see this,” he elbowed Angel and giggled.

“Me too. Let’s see how it works without spit,” the quieter boy said, making the point he’d heard.

Eyeing each one of the others in turn, Buffy finally caved. “Okay. A quick one.”

“Whatever you say B. But no one’s ever satisfied with just one ...” Faith leaned to make her point.

Buffy closed her eyes as her mouth touched silky soft lips. Where Angel’s kiss had been tentative, Faith’s was sure. Where Spike’s had been rushed and overly rough, hers found the perfect rhythm. Her heart raced as Faith’s tongue delved passed her teeth, accompanied by stabbing heat as the other girl’s tongue explored the inner recesses of her mouth. She clutched the back of Faith’s head, pulling her closer as their mouths clung to each other, sliding back and forth.

Faith pressed home. Putting her arms around the girl in the same way as neither of the boy’s had been allowed to do, she tasted her deeper. Her mouth was so warm and tight, and the sound she made so sexy. When she felt the girl tugging her closer, she broke the kiss and laughed. “See... dumb boys, they can’t get you hot like this, can they B?”

“Can too,” Spike got up and kicked a clod of earth. “Wait till I grow up. When I’m eleven...”

“Eleven?” Buffy finally let out her breath and looked at him. “You said you were fourteen,” there was accusation in her tone. She swung her gaze to Angel. “You?”

“Ugh... I’m eleven...”

“No wonder ...” she got up and gripped Faith’s hand, pulling her up. “C’mon, we’ll practice some more inside. Leave the kids out here.”

“Now you’re talking,” Faith saluted the boys, put her hand around Buffy’s waist, then let it slide down to cup her ass as they headed for the cabin, pigtails and pony tails bouncing with their steps.

“Dumb girls. They’re icky anyway. You want to build a castle?” Angel punched Spike in the arm.

“Sure. My castle will be bigger than your castle.”

“Will not.”

“Will so.”

* * *

In a few hours, dawn would break. Two half built dirt castles marred the otherwise smooth ground around the fire pit.

“I smashed it,” Angel flattened the castle and laughed. The sound was a strange gurgle.

“Step... I step on mine!” Spike did that, his big clumsy steps ruined his castle.

Good... Good all your memories are mine. Now come to me. I need more...more. Come. One day, I will walk like you... make my own memories. But I need you now. Come...

Angel glanced at the fire. “It’s making noise. Pretty noise.”

“It’s pretty.”

Come... feed me... “Come... play with me...” The fire sputtered and flared, then sputtered again.

“Let’s play with the fire!”

“My mama said fire bad,” but not wanting to be left out, Spike dropped to the ground and crawled behind Angel.

The fire demon roared up into a six foot flame, all teeth and mouth, and hunger... a hunger that consumed. Stretching out his arms, he grabbed the boys. Men... who’d regressed to toddlerhood as a result of the fires sucking on their memories. Mine... you’re mine.

Scorching pain had Angel screaming like the baby he was. “Waaaaaa”

Spike reached out to pull him out of the fire. Instead, he found himself engulfed. Every nerve ending in pain, he screamed and hugged Angel tight, hugged him as they burned into nothingness.

*

The fourteen year old half dressed girls ran out of the cabin in time to see how the fire pit had grown. The fire was so large, it was like someone had poured gasoline into it. But it had a face.... and they could hear its roar of triumph as it ate their friends. Somewhere within them, their slayer instincts kicked in.

“Water.”

“Dirt.”

“Blankets.”

They used everything they had to fight the fire, eventually vanquishing it. All that remained when they were down was a mixture of dirt and ashes... the ashes of their friends.

As they buried the pit, the words the fire whispered started to make sense. It must have done this to the other hikers that were lose forever in these woods. It had fed on their memories, and in the process, made them regress... and when they were too young to know better, made them walk into its flames. One day, when it gained enough power, the fire demon that resided in the pit would have found itself mobile... free of the pit’s imprisonment.

Buffy brushed the stray strands off hair off her tear stained face. “If we’d taken them inside with us, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Wasn’t our fault, B. We were kids too.” Already, Faith was feeling older, putting things together.

Shook up and cut up inside, Buffy started to get up when she saw Faith drop back down to the ground and start clawing the earth with her hand. “What are you doing? We just buried ...”

“Gonna kill it... destroy it... the river...”

The dark slayer wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended. After watching in silence for a bit, Buffy got caught-up in the same burning need for revenge. Working together, they got to the wrought iron ring that formed the pit, stomped and banged it until it was bent, then broken. They threw its pieces far and wide. That wasn’t enough... they kicked the earth surround the old pit until there was no sign left of the pit. No ashes. No old charcoal or wood. No tear-wetted earth. Nothing was left.

By the time they were done, they mentally reached their true age. The pain of Spike and Angel’s death was dulled to an old memory from years ago. True, they’d lost the men even in their current time, but somehow, it felt like the loss had always been there, from the time they were teens. It helped. A little.

*** The End ***