Dance With the Dead (BTVS, Book Six)

chapter 9 - Smashed

A scared middle-aged couple were in an alley, backing up against a wall late at night. 

 Two men were advancing toward them. One of the men was holding the woman's purse, looking through it.

"I'm sure we can work something out," the husband told them.

"A deal of some sort," the wife told him. "Anything you want."

I walked closer. "I always wanted a pony." They looked at me. "Oh. You weren't really speaking to me, were you? My bad. Well, as long as I'm here..." I walked closer, kicking Man 1 in the stomach, making him fall. The two men backed away from me, looking scared. I was surprised that they were humans and not vampires. "Wow. A mugging. Haven't gotten one of those in a while." Man 2 checked to make sure Man 1 was okay. "Usually, it's blood, and with the horror... Just a good old-fashioned mugging." I picked up the purse from the ground. "Kinda sweet, actually." I looked at the couple. "Oh, well, probably not for you." I handed the purse to the wife. "Here. Go. Now." The couple ran away, leaving. Man 2=1 lunged toward me, trying to punch me. I raised an arm to block the move, punching him in the face, spinning underneath his arm to kick Man 2 in the stomach, making him fall. "Not too sweet for you, either, huh?" Man 2 struggled to stand. "Well, come on. Rush me. It'll be funny." Spike jumped into the alley, yelling, punching Man 2 in the head, making him fall. "No!"

I let go of Man 1. 

Boxes fell over onto Spike.

The two men got away.

Spike sat up, holding his head in pain. "Ow."

I sighed in frustration, looking at Spike. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I thought they were demons," Spike told me.

"Way to go with the keen observy-ness, Jessica Fletcher," I told him sarcastically.

"Remind me not to help you," Spike told me.

"More often?" I asked.

"Hey, little sympathy for the man with the migraine here, can we?" Spike asked.

I smirked. "Well, that's what you get for attacking a human."

Spike sighed. "Yeah. You'd think if the government was gonna put a chip in my head they'd at least make it so I could attack criminals and that sort."

"Yes, because muggers deserve to be eaten," I told him sarcastically. Spike tilted his head at me, unamused. "Just have to get your rocks off fighting demons."

Spike smirked suggestively. "There are other ways."

I rolled my eyes. "And to that, an extreme 'see you later'."

I turned around, walking away.

Spike smirked, following me. "Zoey."

I stopped, turning to face him, sighing. "Spike... it's late, okay? Can we just finish this another time?"

Spike walked closer. "Oh, so you wanna jump right to the kissing then, eh?"

"That's where your mind immediately jumps to, isn't it?" I asked, turning around, walking away.

"You're a tease, you know that, Slayer?" Spike asked. I looked at him from over my shoulder, walking away. "Get a fellow's motor revving, let the tension marinate a couple of days, then bam. Crown yourself the ice queen."

"Need a few more metaphors for that little mix?" I asked sarcastically.

"It's only a matter of time before you realize I'm the only one here for you, pet," Spike told me. "You got no one else."