Dance With the Dead (BTVS, Book Six)

chapter 8 - Tabula Rasa

I was walking through the cemetery at night, holding a stake. I sensed someone approaching me from behind, turning around, lifting my stake.

Spike was there. 

I sighed, lowering my stake.

"Can we talk?" Spike asked.

"If you wanna help with patrol," I answered, turning around, continuing to walk.

Spike followed. "We... we kissed, Zoey, you and me. All 'Gone With the Wind', with the rising music, and the rising... music. And what was that, Zoey?"

"You told me to choose, so I chose," I answered.

Spike smirked. "So you're not going to leave me be, then."

I looked back at him as we continued to walk. "You're the one who's wanted to be with me for how long now?"

"Oh, I can't deny that I liked the game of cat and mouse for a little while," Spike told me. 

"Mm, let me guess," I told him sarcastically. "You're the mouse." 

Spike scoffed. "Hardly."

I stopped walking, turning to face him, looking behind him to see vampires and a demon about to shoot a stake toward Spike, grabbing him, pulling him to the ground. Spike landed on his back with me on top of him, looking down on him.

The stake landed in the tree where Spike had been.

Spike and I looked up.

The demon had a head of a shark, wearing a flamboyant suit. He looked at the two vampires behind him. "Easy, boys. No need to get physical-like." He chuckled. I pushed myself off of Spike, helping him up. "Is there, Mr. Spike?"

I looked at Spike. "You know this guy?"

"Yeah," Spike answered. He looked at the shark demon. "What do you want?"

The shark demon walked closer. "You know me, uh... there are a lot of things I would like, Mr. Spike." He pulled the stake out of the tree. "A house in Bel Air..." He walked closer. "With a generously sized swimming pool. And, of course, the 40 Siamese that you owe me."

The shark demon put his arm around Spike's neck, pulling him close to him.

"Take it easy," Spike told him. "You'll get your kittens."

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, I trust you, Mr. Spike," the shark demon, letting him go.

"Oh, God, what is it with you guys?" I asked. "Why kittens? Why can't you just use money like everybody else?"

The shark demon looked at Spike. "She's funny. I like funny in a girl."

"I just need a little more time," Spike told him.

"Time, time, time," the shark demon told him. "Is what turns kittens into cats. Look, I don't wanna see anyone get hurt." He turned away, looking at the vampires. "Boys."

The shark demon walked a few steps away.

The vampires smiled, walking toward Spike.

I leaped  up, grabbing a tree branch, kicking the first vampire with both feet, making him fall to the ground and land at the shark demon's feet. 

The shark demon turned to me.

I landed on the ground, shrugging. "Then you'd better close your eyes."

I punched the second vampire repeatedly, making him fall to the ground, crossing my arms across her chest.

"I said she was a Slayer, boss," Vampire 1 told him.