Unknown Factors (Book One)

Ch.63: You're not the wiser, you're not to blame

  As the hours went on, it came closer to closing time, and I was itching to move around or to at least stretch my muscles in a sparring session with Buffy. But, alas, this was not the Magic Box where I could do so, but instead the human and food Hell that made me stand behind a register all day.

  "Slow night." Buffy sighed. "Gina." The Slayer went over to another worker and got her attention. "Since it's slow, you think they'll mind if I take another break?"

  "We're not allowed. Downtime robs us all."

  "Hm. Thus quoth Manny. There's no one here."

  "Buffy!" I looked at her.

  "Don't worry, I'll be back for you. Just think, when I come back, I can cover for you, and then you can take a break." Buffy smiled.

  "Fine." Rolling my eyes, I shifted on my feet. "Don't you dare forget about me." I pointed.

  "Wouldn't dream of it, Aud." And the short blonde walked away while waving over her shoulder. Watching her go, I sighed.

  "Someone's here." Gina gestured her head to the counter, and I turned to look. I hadn't heard anybody walk over and I hadn't smelled them either. Seeing who it was, I understood why. The blond vampire was looking up at the menu, and I sighed again.

  "What?"

  "What's in the Doublemeat nuggets?" He asked.

  "I'm working. Shoo." I waved a hand.

  "Yeah, and you chose to be in the consumer service profession, and I'm a consumer." Spike looked at me while raising his brows. "Service me." He smirked while biting his bottom lip.

  "Order something or go."

  "Give a bloke a chance for his eyes to adjust." The vampire sighed while looking around. "Damn fluorescent lights. They make me look dead." 'You are dead.' Rolling my eyes, I put my hands into my back pockets. "Some demons love 'em. The way they vibrate makes their skin twitch. That the kind of demon you are, love?"

  "No, it's not. And I'm only half-demon."

  "Oh." Spike nodded. "That why you took this job? Prove you still got enough human in you. A normal job for a normal girl." He then shook his head. "Good way to drive yourself crazy, that is."

  "I'll be fine." I said flatly. Spike leaned forward while putting his hands on the counter.

  "Aud." He said lowly. "You're not happy here." The blond looked me in the eye.

  "Please don't make this harder."

  "You don't belong here. You're something- You're better than this."

  "We need the money."

  "I can get money." He rolled his eyes. "Walk with me now. Come on." Spike gestured with his head.

  "I-I need to go help Gary with the fries." Turning away, the vampire grabbed my arm.

  "You gotta get out of here. This place'll do stuff to you." Jerking my arm away, I walked away. "This place'll kill you." There was something in his tone that made his words linger in my mind.

~

  "Feels like I just left, you know?" Buffy asked as we were clocking in. The guy in front of us looked back with a sort of dead-fish look in his eyes.

  "You two came back." He droned while clocking in.

  "We came back." Clocking in, we were headed to the front before we were stopped by the manager.