Unknown Factors (Book One)

Ch.59: Let me taste your blood cause I'm in pain

  After getting a call from Buffy while I was out getting more jelly and bread for PB&Js, I found out that Willow's magic problem was much worse than what we all had thought. Buffy had called me to track her down because she had Dawn with her, but for some reason, I just couldn't. Their scents seemed to be smothered by a great deal of magic that I was hoping came from Willow and not something chasing them. So, as a last resort, I went to the undead for help.

  Walking into his crypt, I looked around for the vampire. When I saw no sign of him, I went down the ladder to the cave below. I managed to find Spike, but he was passed out in his bed. Calling his name, he didn't even stir. Sighing, I even tried shouting but still got no reaction.

  "Jeez, it's like trying to wake the dead." I rolled my eyes, then realized what I said. "Wow, Aud, making puns without even knowing." I mumbled while grabbing a couple of candles off of a dresser. Tossing one at him, he jolted awake while gasping. "Do you sleep through anything?" I asked as the blond looked at me. "I was yelling even and still got nothing." Setting down the other candle I was also going to toss, I was still tempted to chuck it at him.

  "I'm a bit knackered." Spike said while tossing back his sheet before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. "Had a long night. Someone should teach you how to use candles in foreplay, love." Grabbing his pants off the chair next to me, I threw them at him.

  "Get dressed. Dawn's missing."

  "Again? Why don't you just track her? She wearing perfume?

  "No." Was all I said while putting my hands into my back pockets.

  "What's the story?" He sighed.

  "She went out with Willow."

  "Willow? That's kind of a sorry excuse to come by." He smirked. "You want 'the touch,' all you need to do is-"

  "Spike, Willow's into something. Buffy said that her and Dawn have been missing for hours. Sh-She mentioned some guy called Rack."

  "Rack?" The vampire furrowed his brows.

  "Yeah, he's, uh, some sort of-"

  "I know who he is. He deals in magic. Black stuff. Dangerous."

  "Well, Buffy and I have been all over downtown, and I can't find his place."

  "He cloaks it. You can't feel it unless you're into the big bad. A witch or a vampire."

  "Great, so another thing to put on the con list of being a halfbreed." Sighing, I shifted on my feet. "Come on, then, let's go." Spike rose to his feet and I quickly turned around since he was naked.

  "Oh, that's right. Hide your blushing eyes." He popped off.

~

  "Anything?" I asked as we were walking down the street.

  "Not yet. I might pick up on it if you'd stop asking me every two seconds." He said while looking around. Buffy was over on the next block, waiting for us to meet up with her.

  "Spike, if you're dragging this out-"

  "What? So I can linger near your precious self? Get a grip." The vampire stopped walking, and I stood in front of him.

  "You've done it before." I popped off.

  "Maybe. But we've been through this, haven't we?" He sighed. "Things have changed."

  "Will you stop saying that? The only thing that's different is you can hit me, and I seem to be heterosexual." Pausing, I looked at the blond. "Last night....was the most perverse, degrading experience of my life."