Moral Flexibility: Part 1
Giles almost stumbled down the stairs as he ran to respond to the loud knocking. He tightened the tie to his bathrobe and opened his front door. It was Angel. Giles' eyes grew large with concern. "What's wrong? Is Buffy…?"
Angel put his hand up. "She's fine."
"Thank goodness. You haven't come into town lately unless there's been a problem." Angel just stood on his stoop, a small smile on his lips. Giles remembered that he had done an uninvite spell to keep Spike out after coming home one night to find that Spike had helped himself to all of Giles' Weetabix. He hesitated for a minute but good manners overrode his reluctance to let Angel in. "I'm sorry, please won't you come in?" He backed away from the door and Angel came inside.
Giles started heading for the kitchen. "Would you like something to drink, some tea perhaps?" Angel followed him.
"No, well yes, I would like something to drink but it's not tea." Something in his tone of voice made Giles spin around just in time to see Angel in vamp face ready to strike. Giles desperately tried to get away but there was no room to maneuver. Angelus was on him in a moment and Giles felt the fangs dig into his neck. As he was dying, his life's blood draining away he felt Angelus press his wrist to Giles' mouth. Giles tried to resist but he was too weak to put up much of a fight. Angelus held his nose until Giles had to open his mouth to breathe and then he drank.
***
When Giles' opened his eyes he knew right away what had happened. He could feel the strength of his transformed body and the hunger racing through him. He sat up and saw that he was in his bedroom. There was another feeling consuming him as well, even sharper than the blood lust. Giles was angry. He started muttering. "Out of all the fucking vampires in the world it had to be Angel who turns me. Christ. Bloody fucking Angel." He kicked the door to his bedroom and it knocked off its hinges and crashed to the floor.
He noticed that Angel had pulled down all the shades. Giles rolled his eyes. "Thanks dad, so thoughtful. You could have at least left me a goddamn snack." He cautiously moved the shade a bit to see if it was dark. It was. He headed downstairs. He was still angry. He kicked his coffee table and it flew across the room crashing into the wall. "Fucking Angel." He felt violated. He shivered the whole length of his body. He kicked his couch this time figuring it would stay put. No point in destroying his entire home.
He walked back upstairs to get dressed. He was still in his bathrobe. He went in to look at himself in the mirror and then let out a shaky laugh when there was no image there. "Okay, that will take some time to get used to." He shook his head and then still looking at the mirror he put his hand up to his face to make sure he was still there. He left the bathroom quickly and after standing in front of his closet for quite some time he finally got dressed.
He heard the door downstairs rattle and start to open. Buffy called out his name. Giles swore and turning to the window in his bedroom he opened it and jumped out. He dropped down to the ground and felt his new body absorb the impact. He looked up and grinned. "This, however, I like." He felt strong, he felt good. He felt hungry. He moved off into the darkness in search of dinner.
Giles had fed. He roamed around the U.C. Sunnydale campus thinking. He had been observing vampires for years. Mostly he thought they were stupid. Every now and then there had been an exception. Vampires who had the ability to think, to control their desires for a greater goal. But most of them were, without a doubt, abysmally stupid. Every one of them had deserved to die.
So over the years he had started a silly game. Something to occupy his time while observing Buffy stake one vampire after another. The game had been to figure out what he would do if he ever became a vampire. What he would do differently. How he would make sure he survived when so many of them didn't.
Granted, most vampires didn't rise with all their faculties intact, so judging them according to his intellect wasn't exactly fair. Something usually got lost in the translation from human to demon. He grinned. He could tell that he'd translated just fine. All of his mental prowess was present and accounted for. Except now he had a vampire's strength and agility. And immortality. He grinned again. He had no intention of being a stupid vampire.
He thought about Buffy. Buffy would feel that she would need to stake him because he had made her promise to if he ever got turned. Giles realized that was a bad plan now. He was pretty sure that Buffy wouldn't be able to stake him. Not positive, but pretty sure. He wondered what it was about slayer blood that made all the vampires want a taste. Giles wondered if he could talk Buffy into giving him a sample. He grinned. He figured he'd get a sample one way or the other.
First, though, he had some business to take care of. He swung off and headed into one of Sunnydale's cemeteries. He found the crypt he was looking for and pushing the door open he stepped inside. Spike was watching TV. As Spike looked up Giles took in Spike and his crypt with a hand sweep and a disgusted look. "This is how you live out your destiny as a vampire?" He moved closer to the TV. "What are you watching?"
Spike looked back at the TV. "Farscape. It's pretty good." Giles sat down next to him. Spike shifted a little to give him some more room. They watched in silence until the advertisements started.
Giles looked at Spike. "Can you tell when there's another vampire nearby?"
"Sometimes. When I care." He looked at Giles. "Why?"
"Oh, no reason." The show came back on and they began to watch again. At the next set of advertisements Giles turned to Spike. "Want to help me kill Angel?"
Spike's eyes widened. "Kill the poof? Not that I would mind him being dead, in fact it's one of my favorite wet dreams, but what's he done to piss you off?"
Giles turned to look at Spike without saying anything. Spike just looked back until finally he got exasperated. "What? What did he do?" Suddenly Spike got really still and he listened. No heartbeat. "Jesus, Angelus is back?" Giles nodded. Spike jumped up and away from Giles. "He turned you into a fucking vampire?" Spike looked nervous. When Giles was riled he'd made Spike a little nervous when he was human. "What do you want? You're not here to stake me are you?"
Giles rolled his eyes. "Why would I want to stake you? I want to stake Angelus."
Spike nodded his head and looked at Giles from his head to his toes. "I should have guessed just by the clothes you're wearing." Giles was dressed in black, black jeans, black t-shirt, black leather jacket and black boots.
Giles looked down at himself. He looked up at Spike a little concerned. "I didn't think tweed or corduroy was quite the look for a vampire. Do you think it's okay?"
Spike nodded. "Yeah, you look good. And you're right about the tweed. We got a rep we have to protect, you know, the big bad and all."
Giles rolled his eyes and looked at the TV again. "Right, so here you sit watching the telly. Oh look, it's back on." Spike sat down again and they watched the final scene.
As the credits rolled on the screen Giles looked at Spike. "So, will you help me, or should I go do it on my own?"
"You know, it's sort of an unwritten rule but generally speaking vampires don't kill their sires."
Giles just stared at Spike. "Angel killed Darla."
Spike winced. "Yeah, I know. But Darla was trying to kill Buffy. Usually a childe kind of hangs out with his sire."
Giles laughed. "Right, hang with Angelus." He looked at Spike. "I'd stake myself first." He paused. "I mean to kill him, with or without your help."
Spike snorted. "Angelus would kick your ass from one side of this town to the other. You're too new. He's much stronger than you."
"He may be stronger, although I think that's debatable, but I know he's not smarter."
Spike agreed with that. "He'll still clean your clock."
"Not if you help me. Surely both of us together are stronger than he is."
"You're a brand new vampire. You'd be a liability in a fight."
Giles played his last card. "He'll go after Buffy." He watched Spike's eyes narrow as he considered this. "Besides, I'm a trained fighter, not like your usual new vampire. Remember I've been sparring with a slayer for years."
Spike's eyes grew speculative. "That's true enough, I guess you are pretty good in a fight. And you're right, he will go after Buffy." He sighed and then decided. "Okay, I'll help you. I'll help you kill the poof." He jumped up energized. "C'mon, c'mon, let's go kill the bloody wanker." He leaped in the air making jabbing gestures.
Giles grinned at his antics and stood up. He and Spike swept out of the crypt.
***
Buffy was in a panic. When she had gotten to Giles' home she had found no sign of Giles but had seen the coffee table in pieces and the bedroom door off its hinges. She had sensed that a vampire had been there just a few minutes before. She was running through the cemetery, looking for Spike. Her senses started to tingle. She looked up and saw Angel walking towards her. She gasped out a sigh of relief. "Angel, thank God. Something's happened to Giles. I think a vampire took him."
Angel looked appropriately alarmed. He put his arm around Buffy. "Don't worry Buffy. I'm sure he's okay."
Buffy shook his head looking up at him. "I have to get him back before they…" Before she finished her sentence she sensed another vampire and looked up to see Spike. She backed away a little, waiting to see what was going on. Spike sent a nod her way, took a long drag off his cigarette and threw it on the ground. He looked at Angel. "Angelus. When did you get back in town?" He pursed his lips, a toothless grin on his face as he saw the anger on Angelus' face. He knew Angelus had wanted to play more with Buffy before revealing himself.
Buffy backed away, the dismay clear on her face. "Angelus?" She started to shake her head, not wanting to believe that he could be back. She thought of Giles and her heart started racing. "Where's Giles?" She could feel the panic inside her growing. "What have you done with him? If he's hurt I'll kill you."
"Buffy, I'm right here." Giles stepped into the clearing.
"Oh, thank God." Buffy almost doubled over, the relief at seeing Giles was so strong. She saw that he was standing close to Angelus. "Giles, move away. It's not Angel."
Giles nodded. "I know."
Buffy looked confused at his response. She turned her head and saw that Angelus was smiling at her. She whipped her head back to Giles and saw that he had vamped out. She shook her head in disbelief. Nothing could be more horrible than this. A moan came from her lips. "Oh God, Giles, no." She fell to her knees. Angelus struck. He kicked her, hitting the side of her face with his boot. She flew a few feet but the blow had snapped her out of her grief, the need to survive stronger for the time being. She stood quickly and moved in, a stake in her hand.
Angelus just backed away. He smiled at her. "Buffy, are you upset I turned Giles? Don't worry. He won't be lonely. After you die I'll go turn Willow and Xander. I'll make sure he has lots of company."
Giles turned his head to Spike and rolled his eyes. Spike pretended to put his finger down his throat. Giles bit back a laugh and turned back to watch Angelus.
Sure of his victory with his new childe behind him Angelus threw a series of punches. Buffy felt a few of them but most of them she blocked. She was luckier and hit Angelus again and again. Angelus started to look a little concerned. He took a second to look at Giles to find that Giles had his human face back on, interest showing in his eyes as he watched Buffy fight. Buffy followed Angelus' eyes and she noticed Giles too. Angelus turned back to Buffy and taking advantage of her momentary distraction he lunged at her and knocked her down, using his body weight to pin her. He put his hand on her face and started to turn her head baring her neck.
Buffy saw her death and tried to buck Angelus off. Suddenly Angelus flew off of her. Giles had him by the scruff of his jacket. He threw him towards Spike. Spike spun and let go a kick that made Angelus stagger towards Giles. Giles let go with a kick of his own and Angelus spun in the other direction. Spike moved in and punched him while he was still reeling and Giles took a stake out of his pocket. He looked at Spike. "You ready?"
Spike took in the gleam in Giles' eye and took out his own stake. He grinned. "Ready."
Both Giles and Spike moved in on opposite sides of Angelus and both raised their arms back. Moving almost faster than the eye could follow they plunged their stakes into Angelus' heart; Spike from the back, Giles head on. Giles just grinned at the betrayed look on his sire's face. Spike and Giles both looked on in immense satisfaction as Angelus slowly turned to dust and crumbled at their feet. Spike let out a holler and went over and stomped on the dust, then sent some of it flying with a couple of kicks. He gave Giles a high five and after showing Giles what he had to do, Giles' returned it. They stood there grinning at each other.
Spike let out another yell. "God, he's finally fucking dead." He high-fived Giles again and Giles completed his part of the ritual. Giles looked down at the ground where tiny dust parts of Angel lay. He felt so much better now.
Buffy was still on the ground. She had sat up as Angelus had flown off of her and she had watched, her mouth open, as the three vampires had fought. Her mouth was still open as she watched Giles and Spike celebrate. Giles suddenly turned to Spike. "Hey, let's go kill Drusilla."
Spike stopped smiling. "No, let's not go kill Dru."
"Why not? I owe her a staking too."
"Because she's my sire. Because she's mine."
"Spike, she's a fucking lunatic. Why would you want her?"
"Look, we're not going to kill Dru."
"Just find someone new to obsess over."
"Fine, I'll take Buffy."
"No you won't take Buffy, she's mine."
"What do you mean, she's yours?"
"Just what I said. She's mine."
"And who's gonna stop me from taking her?"
Buffy punched him. "How about me?"
Spike glared at her grabbing his nose. "Ow."
Giles ignored the altercation. "How about Willow?"
Buffy tried to punch him too but Giles just blocked her punch.
Spike was still rubbing his nose. "Hello, Giles, she's gay."
Giles shook his head. "I don't think so. I've seen how she looks at you. I think she'd be willing."
Buffy tried to hit him again and Giles again blocked her punch. He turned to her. "What do you want Buffy?"
Her jaw dropped. "What do I want? What do I want?"
Giles just looked at her, waiting for her to speak again. When she seemed unable to summon any words he turned again to Spike. "Of course, you can't turn her."
"Why not? I mean I know I can't because of this sodding chip but you could do it for me."
Giles turned to Buffy as she was whacking him on the arm now. "Do you have something to say?"
She stopped hitting him. "Why aren't you trying to kill me?"
Giles just looked at her. "Why on earth would I want to kill you?"
"I'm the slayer. Don't you want to kill me?" She sounded annoyed about it.
Giles looked at her perplexed. "Are you complaining? Do you want me to kill you?" She stomped her foot. Giles bit back a grin. "Buffy, if there's one thing I cannot abide it is an idiot. And vampires are for the most part insufferable idiots. You'd be doing me a favor if you killed off the whole lot." He shivered and made a disgusted sound. "Disgusting creatures."
Spike didn't like that idea. "Hey!"
Giles realized his error. He looked at Buffy. "Except Spike. I need him." That mollified Spike. He couldn't stand most vampires either.
Buffy just looked at Giles. "I'm. The. Slayer." She spoke the words slowly at him as if he was an idiot.
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, thank you, I know that Buffy. I'm. A. Vampire." He spoke the words slowly back at her. He opened up his arms. "I don't exactly see you rushing to plunge that stake in my heart." He stood there; arms open, daring her.
She looked at the stake in her hand and back at him. She frowned and put the stake behind her back. Giles grinned.
She glared at him. "Just tell me you haven't fed on anyone."
"Of course I fed on someone, I'm a vampire."
"Who, who did you kill?"
"Parker Abrams. I never could stand him."
Buffy smiled in delight. "Really?" She felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Then she realized what she was doing. "No, wrong, that's wrong, that would be wrong."
Giles rolled his eyes and turned back to his conversation with Spike. "I don't want to turn Willow. I like her just the way she is."
"What do you mean?"
"We'll need her. Willow is very bright and talented and she'll be useful. Somehow, though, I get the feeling that if Willow were turned she wouldn't be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree." He grimaced at Spike. "Think Harmony."
Spike shuddered. He thought for a minute. "You really think she likes me?" He pouted his lips and shifted up and down on the balls of his feet.
Giles grinned. "Yes, I think she might." He turned again to Buffy as she was whacking him again. "Could you please stop doing that?"
Buffy stopped. "What do you need Willow for?" Buffy knew she sounded a little jealous. She made a face, annoyed with herself.
Giles grinned and chucked her under the chin. "I don't need her as much as I'll need you, so don't be jealous."
Buffy smacked his hand away. "Why do you need me? What makes you think I'd help you?"
Giles reached out and grabbed the lapel of her leather coat. He pulled her to him and lowering his head he kissed her hard. She fought at first but slowly started to respond. Her arms snuck around him, stake still in the one hand that now rested on his back as she tried to pull him closer. Giles parted her lips with his tongue and thrust inside. He ravaged her with his lips and his tongue until she was dizzy. He abruptly let her go, putting a hand out to keep her from falling. Giles looked at her and put his face close to hers. "Because you're mine."
Buffy made a little sound. It sounded like "oh." Giles turned back to Spike as Buffy swayed a little on her feet.
"We do need to do something about that chip." Spike's eyebrows rose but he didn't say anything. "You won't be much use to me unless we can get rid of it." Giles nodded for a minute, lost in thought. He looked up at Spike. "I have an idea."
Buffy was listening and knew that whatever idea he had it was a bad idea but she was having a hard time connecting her brain to her tongue. Her tongue seemed to be firmly connected to the butterflies colliding in her stomach.
Spike turned to Giles. "What's your idea?"
"We need to go to LA."
"What's in LA?"
"Something Angel told me about last year, some karaoke bar where they can answer questions for you."
"You mean like how do I get rid of this bloody chip?"
Giles nodded. "Exactly."
"How do we get there?"
Giles pulled keys out of his pocket. "I have a car."
Spike smiled. "That'll work."
Giles turned to Buffy. "We'll be back as soon as we can." When she didn't respond he just smiled. He pulled her to him again and kissed her hard and quick. He and Spike both headed back to his apartment to pick up his car. Buffy tried to follow them but her knees still weren't working very well. She sank to the ground and just watched them walk away.
End Part 1
Moral Flexibility: Part 2
Buffy sat there for a few minutes more after the two of them were out of sight. She still couldn't seem to wrap her arms around a coherent thought. She decided she had to talk to Willow. She got up and ran to Willow's place.
***
Willow lay there in bed listening to Tara breathe. She was feeling a little wigged. She was a little wigged because when Tara had been touching her earlier she hadn't gotten turned on. She was also a little wigged because she'd been thinking about somebody else for a while now. She was a little wigged because that somebody was a guy. And she was mostly wigged because that guy was a vampire. She slapped her hands over her face and groaned. As Tara stirred she moved her hands to cover her mouth.
Suddenly someone was pounding on the door. "Willow, it's Buffy, I need to talk to you."
Willow jumped out of bed and went to open the door. Tara had woken up as well and raised a sleepy head to the door. "What's the matter?"
Buffy saw that she had woken Tara and winced. "Sorry Tara, I have to talk to Willow." Tara nodded her head and lowered it back down to the bed. Buffy looked at Willow. "Get dressed, we need to talk."
Willow saw the look on Buffy's face and nodded. She quickly dressed and the two of them walked outside to sit on the front stoop. Willow waited for Buffy to speak but Buffy just sat there. Willow yawned. "C'mon Buffy. What was so important you had to drag me out of bed?"
Buffy turned her head to Willow. "Angel lost his soul again."
Willow put a hand to her mouth and gasped. "Oh, Buffy." She looked around nervously, wondering why they were sitting outside. She tried to remember if she had invited Angel in before.
"He turned Giles into a vampire."
Willow gasped again and tears formed in her eyes.
"I think Giles has figured out a way to get rid of Spike's chip."
Willow thought she might pass out. Her heart was racing. She looked at Buffy, not even imagining how Buffy must be feeling. She stopped in surprise. Buffy didn't really look that upset.
"Buffy, how come you don't look that upset? Are you in shock?"
"He kissed me."
"Angel?"
"No, Giles."
Willow gasped again. Then she looked confused. "Before or after he became a vampire?"
"After."
Willow tried to process all the information she had just been given and her brain refused to cooperate. She shook her head, determined to start over beginning with the part that scared her the most. "So where's Angelus now?" She peered out into the darkness sure he was standing out there somewhere, waiting to pounce.
"He's dead."
"Thank goodness." Her eyes widened. "Eep, I'm sorry Buffy."
"He almost killed me tonight."
"What happened?"
"Giles saved me."
"Before or after he became a vampire?"
"After."
"Before or after he kissed you?"
Buffy had to think for a minute. "Before."
"Ah." Willow nodded her head as if it was all clear now. She closed her eyes. She opened them and turned her head to look at Buffy. She still didn't get why Buffy wasn't more freaked about the whole thing. "So, isn't it a bad thing that Giles is a vampire? And isn't it weird that he would save your life? And isn't it weird that he kissed you?" Somehow that seemed the oddest thing to Willow.
Buffy nodded her head, then she shook it, and then she did a combination of both. "I don't know Will. But he did save my life and he said he didn't want to kill me. He said he wanted me to kill vampires. Except for Spike." She looked at Willow confusion all over her face.
Willow grinned. "Was it a nice kiss?"
Buffy's face got all dreamy. "Mmmm." Then she shook herself, frowning. "No, he was acting all cave man-like, saying that I belonged to him."
Willow's eyes got wide. "Giles said that? He said that you belonged to him?" Buffy nodded. Willow squealed. "What did you do?"
Buffy made a face. "Waited for him to hit me over the head with his club and drag me off to his cave." She lowered her face to her hands. "God, what is it with me and vampires?"
Willow shook her head. "I don't know."
Buffy sat there for a moment, face still in her hands. Suddenly part of Spike and Giles' conversation came back to her. She lifted her head up. "By the way, what is it with you and vampires?" Willow tried to look confused. Buffy continued. "Are you having naughty thoughts about Spike?"
Willow looked dismayed. "Why? Can you read my mind again?" She put her hands up on her head as if to guard her thoughts.
Buffy's jaw dropped. "You are. Oh my God. You're having naughty thoughts about Spike?"
Willow just blushed. "I'm such a ho." She moaned and dropped her head to her knees.
Buffy patted her on the head. "Me too." She sighed. "We're both vampire ho's." Buffy dropped her head to her knees too.
***
Buffy, Willow, Xander and Anya sat around the Magic Shop. Xander kept looking back and forth between Buffy and Willow. He knew something was up. He could practically smell it in the air.
Buffy sighed again. She couldn't seem to figure out how she was feeling. She knew she ought to be telling Xander and Anya about Giles but she didn't know how. She'd think about how he'd been turned and her heart would seize in her chest and she'd feel more desolate than she'd thought possible, even worse than when Angel went away. But then she'd remember how he'd kissed her and she'd have to shift in her chair, the tingle in her lower body making her dizzy with desire. Then she'd realize that Angel was dead and that would make her feel sad, and then she'd remember that he'd tried to kill her, that it had really been Angelus and that Giles had killed him and then he'd kissed her and she'd be shifting in her chair again. Every thought kept circling around to Giles kissing her.
She looked outside. It was finally dark. She glanced at Anya. "He didn't say anything else?"
Anya shook her head. "Nope. Just called and told me that he would be gone all day and be back tonight." Her face suddenly brightened. "Oh, he did mention something about having a discussion about increasing my responsibilities." Her eyes narrowed. "He better pay me more money."
Xander looked at Willow. "Where's Tara?"
Willow bit her bottom lip. "She…she's gone for a while."
Xander looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Willow squinched her face up and flashed a quick look at Buffy. "She wants to give me some time to figure stuff out."
"Figure what stuff out?" He caught the look between Buffy and Willow that time. He slapped the table, finally annoyed. "Okay, give. What is going on with the two of you?"
Just then Giles and Spike walked in the door. Xander's eyes opened wide at the sight. Giles was dressed all in black and he was laughing hard. He was laughing at Spike and Spike was looking annoyed. Spike growled at him. "Would you shut the fuck up? How was I supposed to know it was already dead?"
Giles laughed some more. "For three months? The chip's been dead for three months and you never even had a clue? Jesus, Spike."
Xander's jaw dropped at that comment. Spike hauled off and tried to punch Giles. Giles blocked it and laughed some more. Spike started muttering and stalked off to stand in the corner. Willow's eyes nervously followed him. She accidentally caught his eye and he winked at her. She let out a gasp and turned back to the others.
Xander was looking at her again. "What was that?" She shook her head. He sighed and then he got nervous again. He looked at Giles while he pointed at Spike. "His chip's gone?" At Giles nod and grin Xander shook his head. "And this is funny, why?"
Spike spoke from the corner. "Because he thinks he's a bloody comedian, that's why."
Giles strolled over to Buffy and pulled her up out of her chair. "Miss me slayer?" He lowered his head and caught her lips in a searing kiss. His arm pulled her in tightly against him and he wrapped his fingers through her hair, holding her head hostage as he swept his tongue in her mouth. She groaned and tried to crawl up his body. He was setting every one of her nerve endings on fire. Nothing had ever made her feel like this.
He pulled his head back pleased at the look of desire on her face. He whispered to her. "We'll finish this later." As her eyes sort of glazed over he let her slide down his body until she was sitting again.
Giles took in the dazed looks on everyone's face. He grinned again. "I'm guessing that Buffy neglected to mention a few things? Hmm?"
Xander felt underneath him, making sure that he was sitting down. There were so many things going on that he didn't get. He slowly swung his head up at Giles as if in a dream. "What didn't she tell us?"
Giles ticked the items off on his fingers. "I'm a vampire, Angel is dead, and Spike no longer has a chip and…" He pointed a finger at Xander, "…in case you were wondering, no, you may not stake him. Or me for that matter." He thought for a moment. He looked at Anya. "Oh, and I'll need you to manage the store during the day now. I will, of course, increase your salary."
Anya furrowed her brow looking at Giles. "Will you increase it a lot?"
Giles grinned. "I'm sure we can arrange something that will be mutually satisfactory."
Anya thought for a moment and then nodded. "Okay."
Xander looked at her as if she was insane. "Anya, he just told you he was a vampire."
Anya just looked back. "Yeah, so?"
Giles grinned and walking over to Spike he slapped him on the arm. "You owe me fifty bucks. I told you she'd be reasonable about it."
Spike just glared at him. "Sod off." Giles had been right about everything so far and it was starting to irritate him. Not enough to do anything about it, just enough to make him feel grouchy. He watched Willow from the back, sweeping his gaze along her creamy shoulders. He thought about running his hands through that thick hair of hers and maybe just having a little taste of her. Not enough to piss off Giles, but just enough to brand her as his. He could feel his cock getting hard and after a glance around the room he adjusted himself, feeling an uncomfortable tightness in his pants.
Xander stared at Anya disbelievingly. She met his gaze with no difficulty. He gave up and looked at Buffy. "Hello? What happened to 'hi, I'm Buffy, I kill vampires?" He shook his head. "You kissed him. You kissed Giles." Buffy just looked at him. She still couldn't think straight; Giles' kisses kept muddling her brain.
Giles walked around to Willow. He put his hand on her shoulder and Xander started to tense up. Giles waved him off with his hand. He bent down and whispered in Willow's ear. "Why don't you and Spike go in the back? I think you have something to talk about." She blushed and he grinned. Spike heard what Giles said. When Willow dared a quick glance at him he made a quick motion with his head towards the back. Willow looked at Buffy and raised her eyebrows as if asking her what to do.
Buffy guessed what was going on. She raised her eyebrows right back. "You're asking me?" She rolled her eyes. She looked up at Giles and her stomach fluttered. She had never realized before how handsome Giles was. He had felt so hard and strong under her hands. All she could think about was getting him naked. She groaned and put her face in her hands.
Willow stood uncertainly and Spike came out of the shadows to stand beside her. As they both turned and headed for the back Xander started to stand too. Giles came over to him and put his hand on Xander's shoulder. He pushed down hard. Xander slammed back into his chair. Giles spoke to him. "Don't worry about Willow. She'll be fine."
Xander's heart was thumping in his chest, watching the door close after Spike and Willow. "You mean after he kills her? After he turns her? Define fine. He's a vampire."
"He won't hurt her. He won't turn her."
Xander turned around so he was facing Giles. "How the hell do you know that? And why should I trust you? You're a vampire too." It all suddenly became too much for Xander and he had to fight back the tears.
Giles pulled up a chair and turning it around, he sat on it backwards, resting his arms along its back. "I know that because Spike knows what I'll do to him if he hurts Willow. If he hurts any of you."
"And why should Spike be afraid of you? He's been a vampire way longer than you. Isn't there a pecking order or something?"
Giles grinned. "Usually. But I'm not your typical vampire. I…well…let's just say that I've gone to the head of the class."
"Why?"
He stood and walked behind Buffy placing his hands on her shoulders. She couldn't help but lean back against him. Xander stared at the two of them. Giles looked back at Xander. "Guess."
Xander looked at the two of them. "You mean her?"
Giles rubbed her shoulders for a minute. "Well, it certainly doesn't hurt."
Xander guessed some more. "Because you're a watcher?"
Giles nodded. "Right again."
"Won't they kill you when they find out you're a vampire?"
"Why should they find out?"
Xander's jaw dropped. "Is no one getting this but me? You're a vampire."
Giles shrugged. "I see no reason to inform them of that point. I figure I have another thirty or forty years of salary coming to me before they start to really wonder why I haven't died."
Xander looked at Anya again, hoping to get some help. Anya just glared at him. "I like my job."
"Yeah, but that was before. Now if you piss him off, instead of firing you, he'll just kill you. That way he doesn't have to pay you any unemployment benefits." He glared darkly at Giles.
Giles snorted. "Don't be absurd. Why would I kill Anya? I need her to run the store." He looked at Xander. "Although you might not want to be annoying me."
Xander's jaw dropped and he looked at Buffy. "Did you hear that? He threatened me. Stake him. He's a vampire. Didn't we already learn this lesson with Angel?"
Giles placed his hand on Buffy's throat, feeling her pulse beat beneath his fingers. "Angel was an animal." He scowled. "You can thank him for turning me into a vampire." Suddenly he grinned. "Oh, no, you can't, can you? He's dead." He leaned down and replaced his hand with his tongue, licking over her pulse. He could smell her scent as she responded to him.
Xander called her name again, not understanding. "Buffy, is he like Dracula? Are you in thrall? Do you need me to stake him?"
Anya spoke up. "Don't you dare stake him. If you stake him, I'll be out of a job."
Giles reluctantly stopped nibbling on Buffy and turned to Xander. "Xander, none of you are in any danger from me, or from Spike, unless you try to kill one of us."
"I'm having a hard time believing that."
"I know. But it's true. If I kill you Buffy would feel she had to stake me. I'd have to kill her and then I'd lose my main advantage. Why would I want to do that?"
Buffy glared at him. "Your main advantage? Is that what I am? An advantage?"
Giles bent down and whispered in her ear. "But such a lovely one, wrapped in beautiful rosy skin that makes my tongue ache to run all over it." She shivered. He spoke again. "We belong together Buffy. We always will."
He glanced at Xander. "Buffy is mine. She always has been. I am simply claiming her now. Watchers and slayers always belong to one another. The fact that I am a vampire now changes nothing except that now I feel free to make her mine." He moved a little closer to Xander. "And she is mine. Do you understand?"
Xander pressed back into his chair, a nervous look in his eyes. "Yes, I got it. She's yours." He pointed at Anya. "I already have a girlfriend."
Giles grinned. "Xander. Spike and I, and whatever other vampires we choose to allow to live, will keep you safe. They will obey or they will be dead. You'll be safer now than you ever were." He glanced at Anya and back at Xander. "Plus, I'll make you rich."
That got Xander's attention. And Anya's too. She spoke first. "Rich? How will you make us rich?"
Giles sat down next to Buffy. He ran his finger up and down her thigh. "There's a huge demon underground headquartered here in Sunnydale. Spike and I plan to be running it within a year. He looked at Xander. "I'll need some clever humans to handle certain daytime activities. Humans I can trust. Someone who wants to make a lot of money and isn't afraid of being in charge." He left that hanging, noting Xander's pursed lips and speculative look. He glanced at Anya and Anya gave Giles a brief nod. Giles was satisfied. He had no doubt that Anya would take care of Xander, no doubt at all.
***
Willow looked a little nervous as Spike closed the door behind them. Spike was beginning to believe that Giles had been right. He could smell Willow's arousal, and the smell turned him on even more. He pulled Willow to him and began to nuzzle her neck. She pushed him away, frightened. "No, I don't want to be a vampire."
He took a step back, hands in the air. "I wasn't biting you. Can't you tell the difference between biting and nibbling?"
Willow bit her lip. "I don't think so."
Spike let out a sigh. This was going to take longer than he thought it would. She wasn't quite ready to rip her clothes off the way Buffy seemed to be for Giles. He spoke to reassure her. "Okay, luv. We'll take this nice and slow." At her shy look he grinned. "Come and give us a kiss, pet."
Willow blushed and slowly walked over to him. She pressed a quick, chaste kiss on his lips and then backed off. Spike bit off a curse. Okay, this was going to take much longer than he thought. Jesus, he'd probably have to buy her flowers. He held out his hand. "Want to take a walk?"
She nodded and took his hand. Spike led her out the back door and into the moonlight.
***
Giles couldn't take it anymore; he had to have Buffy now. He reached down and pulled her up. He grabbed her hand and moving her so she was between him and Xander he placed her hand on his erection. Her eyes widened and he saw desire on her face. He grinned. "Time to go." She nodded, hoping her knees wouldn't give out on her. Giles looked at Anya. "Will you lock up?" She nodded. Giles put his arm around Buffy and headed out the back door.
Xander watched them go. He looked up and saw Spike and Willow walking past the store, hand in hand. He glanced up at Anya and she grinned at him. "Xander, we're going to be rich!" She was thrilled.
Xander slouched in his chair. He couldn't believe this was happening. Yesterday life seemed so normal. Today, it was like the Hellmouth version of Disneyland. He chewed the inside of his cheek. Sitting there his mind started to wander. He wondered what it would be like to really have all the money he wanted. He pictured himself sauntering up to demons and having them leave him alone because he was Giles number one man. Maybe Giles would let him be mayor. He put his head back on the chair and dreamed.
End of Part 2