Vengeance is Mine, Baby
by maryperk

Disclaimer: Don't own it
Distribution: only write for Bloodshed
Beta: spikes_petslayer the great.

Challenge 6 and 148 combined

A/N: Buffy is totally on canon until this jaunt to LA. Angel is on canon except Cordy didn't wake up invaded by evil, so no Connor-sex and no Jasmine.

"This is really a very typical vengeance spell," Anya informed the rest of the room, and unknowingly, Spike and Dawn. "It numbs and twists all the love that a person is feeling, except towards one person. It might explain why you have felt so bad since you came back. It isn't new. I would say someone did it to you before you died. You probably didn't feel it before because we were all so busy with Glory. Usually, the first sexual contact the person has after the spell is cast causes the spell to activate. And the more you touch anyone not the original subject of the spell, the more numb and twisted things become."

Spike and Dawn nnoisilycame into the living room, not wanting anyone to know they had been eavesdropping. Spike leaned against the wall and looked at the occupants of the room. Red and Glinda were on opposite ends of the couch with the Slayer between them, her eyes closed, rubbing her forehead.. Demon-girl was in one of the wingback chairs and Dawn had settled into the other.

"Can you think of a time when your feelings for the opposite sex changed drastically?" continued Anya. Buffy nodded, opened her eyes and looked at Spike. She knew exactly when her feeling started to warp out of control. And when she caught Spike's eye, she bet her last dollar he knew, too.

"How sure are you that it was your ho that came to visit last year?" she asked him.

"Pretty sure. Why do you ask, Slayer?"

"I...I shouldn't have had such a drastic reaction to 'The Incident', which wasn't exactly sexual, but the content............" Buffy put her forefingers in the air and did quote marks when she said 'The Incident'. Then her eyes widened. After Glory had beaten Spike damn near to death, Buffy had kissed him. That had been the first sexual contact she had after 'The Incident'. Her hand went to her lips and she gasped. Spike's eyes widened, too. He knew exactly what she had been thinking.

"Oh, oh, um.....I....Tara can do a locater spell and find out where it ooriginatedfrom," piped up Willow. Everyone looked at Tara and she did a shy nod of her head. A fast trip to her dorm room and she was back just before dusk. Tara and Willow set up the spell ccomponents They put down a map of the United States on the floor and Tara began chanting. Almost immediately a small scorch mark appeared over Los Angeles, CA. Everyone in the room stared at the map.

"Angel," whispered Buffy, her eyes immediately going up to Spike's face, "Do you think Dru told him and he got mad?"

"Could be. But wouldn't he have stormed here to dust me and save the Slayer from the Big Bad?" pondered Spike, "I say we all pile into the Desoto and take a road trip to see Peaches. Get this all straightened out, right and proper. Be back in 30 minutes, ladies. Be ready to go." All the women nodded. "Pack light. I got some extra dosh, we will pick up what we need once we hit LA."

Buffy, Dawn and Willow got small bags together, just the essentials. Anya popped out and back with her bag. The only one needing anything was Tara. And the ladies were sure that Spike would stop and let her get some stuff from her dorm room. Right on time, Spike pulled up with his Desoto. Tara, Willow and Anya piled in the back, with Buffy and Dawn in the front with Spike, Buffy in the middle.

Spike pulled up outside Tara's dorm. She hurried in, grabbed what she needed and was back in under 10 minutes. As soon as they were speeding down the highway, the ones in the car that usually slept at night had fallen asleep, leaving only the vampire and the Slayer awake.

"I am so sorry, Spike," Buffy whispered, putting her hand on his knee. She felt a great need to apologize to the vampire sitting next to her. Buffy wondered exactly how much of her actions and reactions were because of some stupid spell apparently put on her by Angel. Her anger with Angel was great and terrible. She was tempted to wake up Anya and exact her own vengeance towards her former lover.

"Me, too, Buffy. Just wish I had noticed it myself." Spike dropped his hand off the wheel and squeezed the hand on his knee. He too was going over ttheiractions and reactions in his head.

"Wouldn't have mattered. I wouldn't have believed you." Buffy squeezed his hand back, " I am surprised that Tara didn't find it when she checked me out a few months ago."

"You had Glinda check you out? What for?" Spike asked, giving the Slayer a sideways glance.

"When your chip didn't work on me anymore, I wanted to know if.....I came back wrong."

"Buffy......" Spike sighed, "That was a stupid thing for me to say. I am sorry. What you were saying though, just pushed my buttons. Sod it all, probably the stupid vengeance spell making you say those things though. Get a bit of kip, luv, this should be an interesting trip to say the least."

"Are we okay, Spike?.....William?" Buffy asked. She desperately needed to know that she had damaged things beyond repair.

"Ya, baby, we're okay." Spike reassured her.

Buffy laid her head on Spike's shoulder and was soon dozing, but was soon awakened when Spike announced they were at the Hyperion hotel. Everyone in the car took a deep breath, but before they could exit the car, Buffy made an announcement. "Spike's ours, ladies. Ours! We claim him. Angel seems to like to beat up my boyfriends and I don't want Spike hurt."

The reactions of the others were swift in coming. Dawn squealed and hugged Buffy. Tara smiled, knowingly. Anya and Willow said at the same time, "Spike's your boyfriend?"

Spike looked at Buffy in amazement, "You claim me, Slayer?"

"Yup, and when we get rid of this ridiculous spell, we will do it good and proper," Buffy winked.

"You love him, don't you?" asked Willow.

"I think so. I know it seems like I don't listen during research and stuff, but I really do. I am smart enough to figure out if I didn't feel anything for Spike, the stupid spell wouldn't have worked. I want it gone so I know for sure."

"How long have you two been together?" asked Anya, "Were there lots and lots of orgasms? We need the details. Vampires have lots of stamina." Buffy blushed as Spike chuckled at the blunt vengeance demon's questions.

"So do Slayers," said Spike, waggling his eyebrows at Buffy. She blushed even redder.

"We kissed at the end of the mmusic fest but didn't get together until after the diamond was stolen by the Nerd Herd. And broke up after Riley was here, but I think we are all good now," replied Buffy.

"Oh, oh, oh," spluttered Willow as some memory hit her brain, "When you were invisible Xander said he caught Spike doing 'ppush ups in bed. You were together then, right?" Buffy blushed the reddest she had been all evening and nodded.

"Spike's ours, right?" asked Buffy again.

The Scooby ladies nodded, each had ttheirown reason for nodding. Dawn was glad that her sister and Spike might be getting together. Willow was happy that her friend might finally be happy. True, she wasn't pleased about it being Spike, but after the past few months, she decided that she was going to be SupportoWillow not JJudgmentalWillow. Anya decided that Spike and Buffy deserved each other. They were equals and that would cause excellent orgasms. She didn't care if Hoffy got mad at her or not, she was going to make sure they had happily ever after. Tara wished she had seen the spell on Buffy sooner, but tried not to be too hard on herself. She hadn't been looking for a vengeance spell.

"Well then, my harem of lovelies, let's put beard the lion in it's cave then," Spike said as he opened his door. The rest of the car's occupants piled out, stretching sore muscles. They decided to grab ttheirbags later. No one wanted to be impeded by extra baggage. Spike strolled through the doors of Angel's hotel with a Summers lady on each arm. The other three following closely behind.

"Oi, Peaches, my harem and I have come for visit." Spike sat down on the middle step of the lobby stairs. And the Scooby girls settled around him like he was a visiting sheik.

"Spike," growled Angel, launching himself at the lounging peroxide bblondvampire. But suddenly he found himself unable to move, his body acting as if it was suspended in jelly. Angel was so mad that he didn't even notice that Buffy had herself attached to Spike's arm like it was a life preserver.

"Now, now, Peaches. I am surrounded by a Slayer, her hhair pullingtransdimensional Key of a kid sister, a vvengeancedemon and 2 witches. All ready to defend my sinister attraction," Spike chortled.

"Who is a Spike?" asked a tall, bald black man in a confused voice.

"That is a Spike. William the Bloody, Slayer of Slayers, Scourge of Europe," replied the other man in the room, "One of the worst ever recorded, second only to...."

"Me," muttered the other vampire in the room.

"Hey Wesley, looking good," Buffy commented. The other Scooby ladies nodded. Wesley did look good. Much more rugged and handsome than before when all he wore was tweed. Some men improve with age and apparently Wesley was one of them.

"Spike is the one that caused me to break up with that Xander Harris. Never have thanked you for that, Spike. By the way, where is the idiot?" piped up Cordelia.

"The harem eunuch is off on a walkabout after leaving the demon-girl here at the altar." The scoobies all hit Spike in admonishment for maligning the absent Xander. But Spike reveled in it, "Oh hit me some more, ladies." Which of course got him another round of slaps.

"We are here because while trying to find vengeance against the harem eunuch.....I mean Xander, I discovered that Buffy is under a vengeance spell. Tara did a spell that located the origins of the vengeance was LA. The only one we know in LA is......." informed Anya.

"The Big Poofter, himself," broke in Spike.

"Do you know what kind of spell it is? And any idea when is started?" asked Wesley

"Well, it is quite a basic vengeance spell, really. Not very iingenious It makes the love that a person feels all numb and twisted except towards one person. We think it started about the time......" Anya stated kknowledgeably before Buffy broke in.

"....the big ho came to town last year and we had 'The Incident'."

"Ho? Incident?" asked Wesley.

"She means DDrusilla And we don't talk about 'The Incident', it was an error in jjudgment so hence the name," stated Spike. The harem all nodded.

"I would never wish such a thing on Buffy," said Angel. He wondered how his beloved Buffy could even think a thing like that about him. It must be the influence of Spike, he thought, I will have to get her away from that menace. He started to formulate his arguments in the back of his mind. He just knew he could persuade Buffy that Spike was just out to hurt her.

"Not even if Dru came back and told her Daddy about 'The Incident'?" asked Spike.

"I haven't seen Dru since I set her on fire."

"Hmm, if you didn't do the spell then who did?" asked Spike. He wanted to get to the bottom of this. And he knew his girls did, too. Of course he feared ttheirwrath towards his grandsire might be so great there would be nothing left for him.

Just then a young boy and a green demon hit the top of the upstairs staircase, involved in their own conversation. So engrossed in fact that they didn't notice the visitors until they were at the bottom of the stairs. Spike's nostrils flared.

"So Peaches, you going to tell us how you and Darla had a sprog?"

The boy shouted, "It's a vampire," and pulled a stake from his back pocket. He rushed towards Spike only to find himself at the rreceivingend of Buffy's right hook and suspended in the gelled-air by magic along side Angel.

Then Buffy asked, "I thought Darla was dusted?"

"She was, but Wolfram and Hart resurrected her magically," piped up Cordelia.

"Magically? Magically how?" gasped Willow, her eyes widening as she stared at Buffy. Buffy's eyes widened as if she was trying to remember something. She eeped, then gulped. She couldn't remember when her last period was. Her mind scrambled frantically. Buffy was totally freaked out that she couldn't remember when her last period was, but knew she had better not show it right now.

"So not an issue right now, let's get back on topic," she stated, "Vengeance spell...ring a bell?"

"Everyone Hold on! Easy solution here." Wesley exclaimed loudly, getting everyone's attention. He pointed to the demon that came in with the boy. "This is Lorne. He is an empath demon, he can read things when you sing."

"Will there be singing and dancing, burning and dying?" piped up Anya, "Because all I can say is....."

"Been there, done that," interjected Dawn, "Have the cool medallion and the secrets spilled to show for it." The AI crew gave the Sunnydale crew a strange look.

"Guess you did have to be there," whispered Tara. The Sunnydale crew all chuckled.

"No, no dancing, no burning, no dying. Just sing, Creme Puff," said Lorne.

"Do I have to? I don't sing too well," said Buffy.

"How about we do our duet, Slayer?" asked Spike. Buffy nodded.

"I touch the fire and it freezes me"

"I died, so many years ago,"

"I look into it and its black"

"But you make me feel like it isn't so"

"Why can't I feel?"

"Spike sserenadedyou?? You are so lucky, Buffy. If you weren't my sister, I would be totally jealous. I got sserenadedby the red, horned demon from Hell who wanted to make me his queen," Dawn ended disgustedly.

"Yes, that was quite good, lovebirds. I need to talk to you privately when we have a chance, but for now I found out who did the vengeance spell," crooned Lorne, still swaying to the music only he could hear. He swayed around the room for a few minutes more before the impatient Spike and Scooby women yelled, "Who?"

"Oh, oh, sorry, got caught up in the emotions there. Wolfram and Hart did the spell. Looks like after the Darla fiasco, they had hopes that this sweetie here would help Angel lose his soul. But what they didn't know was she wasn't IN love with you anymore. She had moved on. A general reversal spell should work on it, since it wasn't actually cast by a vengeance demon," Lorne informed the group.

As Wesley moved towards the bookcase in search of a spell book, Buffy piped up, "Make sure you have plenty of Tagas Root. Remember, Spike, when we were engaged the Magic Box was out of Tagas Root," then she turned to Anya, "You are a much better shopkeeper than the last one."

"Bet you taste better than the one before that, too," hinted Spike, waggling his eyebrows at Anya. But before the ladies could admonish him, Angel began to splutter.

"Engaged? I told you to find normal and you became engaged to this evil soulless creature? How could you, Buffy?" Angel roared, causing many of the people in the room to flinch. Willow eeped and hid her face in her hands. Tara put her arm around Willow, whispering assurances in her ear.

"Well?" Angel roared again. This was getting worse and worse.

"Yes, we were engaged, Angel," Buffy said belligerently, "See Spike still wears my engagement ring." Buffy grabbed Spike's hand, holding out so the AI group could see the silver skull ring on his finger. "Besides, you want to know what 'normal' did? 'Normal' was getting vamp ho suck jobs because he couldn't handle not being the strong one. If Spike hadn't been stalker guy at the time, the rest of us could have been dead from a vamped Riley."

Before anything else could be said, Wesley announced he was ready to do the reversal spell. He mixed a few things together and spoke a small incantation. There was a poof of smoke and suddenly Buffy began sobbing. She scrunched down into herself, her face in the palms of her hands. Everyone in the room was a bit taken aback except Spike. He gently reached out to touch Buffy on the shoulder. As soon as he did, the Slayer flung her arms around his neck.

"I am sorry, Spike. So sorry," Buffy continued to sob and say she was sorry to the vampire trying to console her. When her sobs finally ended up being hiccup-y catches in her throat, Spike pulled her face away his shoulder and cupped her chin in the palm of his hand.

"Already forgiven, you know that, Slayer."

"How can you forgive me, Spike?" Buffy cried, "All the things I did to you."

Tara gently reached out and touched Buffy's arm, saying, "What things, Buffy?"

Buffy ducked her head in shame. Spike might be able to forgive her, but she wasn't sure she would be able to forgive herself. Sure, in the beginning she was feeling out of sorts being torn from heaven, but that didn't condone how she had treated Spike.

"I used Spike to feel.....feel anything.......he would pour out his heart to me and I would stomp on it," whispered Buffy. Only the Scoobies, Angel and Connor could hear what she was saying. "And you know at my party when we said that Spike got beat up by demons he owed kittens to, well, the only demon Spike ran into was the Slayer. And..........I believed Riley when he said Spike was the Doctor. I blew up Spike's crypt."

Each of the Scooby women hugged Buffy as she laid against Spike's chest. Angel and Connor began to splutter in the background, but they were ignored for now. Finally Dawn spoke up, causing Buffy to lift her head away from Spike and stare at her sister.

"Buffy, sweetie, you already said that you think you love him. You told us before we came in. Spike forgives you...and we know the spell was making you feel wonky. So can you forgive yourself?"

"Maybe.......after I make it up to Spike........I-I-I," Buffy ducked her head against Spike's neck where she whispered, against his skin, "I love you, Spike."

The mutterings of Angel and his spawn broke through the little cocoon that the Sunnydale crew had around themselves. Their ranting voices getting louder and louder.

"Buffy, how can you love him? He doesn't have a soul," Angel ground out from gritted teeth. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, they did. How could Buffy love Spike?

"Anything not human deserves to die," said Connor confidently. Holtz had taught him all things not human were abominations that need to be destroyed. Connor was sure in his faith that this was a true statement.

"And yet you accept the empath demon!" exclaimed Anya. Connor had no answer to this. He had found Lorne to be different than other demons, but that still didn't change how he felt about demons in general.

Buffy pulled herself away from Spike. She had enough drama for one night and she wanted to be alone with Spike. She knew in her heart she had a lot of making up to do. Buffy planned on making sure Spike knew exactly how much she cared for him. Then tomorrow she would worry about not remembering when her last period was. And with Angel acting like such a big, fat............poofter, she decided to only address Wesley. He was being helpful.

"Wes, we need somewhere to sleep. Do you have three extra rooms for us?" Buffy asked her former Watcher, "One for Spike and me, one for Willow and Tara and one for Dawn and Anya." Buffy watched Wesley's face to see his reactions to her room arrangements, but not even a flicker of distaste crossed his face.

"I am sure Fred and I can get some rooms ready for you and your companions," Wesley replied. He had noticed the way Spike interacted with Buffy and the rest of the female Scoobies. He was sure if Spike was untrustworthy none of them would tolerate him.

"Who's Fred? Is that the black guy?" asked Dawn, peering around the room. She knew everyone assembled except the black guy and Angel's son, who would be kinda cute if he was a demon bigot. She sighed and secretly wished for an exciting boyfriend like Spike.

"No. That's Gunn. Fred is a young lady we rescued in Lorne's dimension.....well, right before you died, Buffy. She's a sweet young woman, a genius really. Willow, you and her would probably get along famously," answered Wesley, "Which ever one of you that is holding Angel and Connor in place, can you let them down now. I am sure they will behave. I am sure any of you can defend yourselves against them." Wesley strolled up the stairs in search of the elusive Fred.

As a group, the Sunnydale group turned to look at the immobilized vampire and his son. They both nodded their consent that they wouldn't try anything stupid. They both crashed to the floor when the spell was ended.

"Either one of the wiccas or the demon girl did that to you, Peaches, Sprog. If you don't want to find yourself replacing that Amy bint as Red's pet rat, you better watch your p's and q's," Spike stated. He was so sick of Angel and his attitude. "Ladies, let's get our bags from the car and find our rooms."

Cordy had watched the entire proceedings with interest. This could get messy if Angel didn't knock off the stupid jealous vampire posturing. And Connor! Cordelia knew she was going to have to talk to him, and soon. Father and son could end up really hurt. It appeared everyone of the Sunnydale contingent was powerful in their own right. She shuddered to think what would happen if either Angel or Connor pissed them off. She was shaken from her thoughts by the phone ringing.

"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," Cordy spoke into the mouthpiece, "Yes......a demon you say.....what's the address? Got it. I will send two of our investigators out to your location right away. Angel and Connor, here's the address. Hop to it, boys." She handed Angel the paper and shooed both of them towards the door.

As soon as the Angel and Connor had brushed past them, the scoobies stood up and moved out to Spike's Desoto as a group. Buffy glanced around to make sure there were no eavesdroppers.

"Guys, I don't trust everyone on Angel's team, including Angel at this point. Always be in pairs, especially Spike. I am not sure his chip will work or not with Connor and we can't take the change. Be careful. Be on your guard," she informed her friends. They all nodded in understanding. None of them wanted things to go horribly wrong. Spike broke the silence.

"Okay, harem of lovelies, let's break out the luggage," he said as he popped the trunk of his car. He handed each of the women their bag, then grabbed his own. They traipsed inside to find Wesley and a tall skinny woman with a Texan accent waiting to show them to their rooms.

The Sunnydale crew followed Wesley and Fred upstairs. Tara and Willow took the first room offered. Anya and Dawn took the second while Spike and Buffy took the third. After they were inside and had taken care of their bags, Buffy suddenly felt incredibly shy. Sure, they had had mind blowing, bone melting sex and she had said she loved him, but suddenly she felt as if they were about to make love for the very first time. And technically it was. Every encounter before had been so harsh and so full of anger.

"So, Slayer....."

"So, Spike......"

TBC
Return to Bloodshedverse Home
 Use scroll bars to see reviews