Ring Around the Buffy
A Round Robin Series by Multiple Authors. No longer in progress.

Parts 10-11

The Story: Buffy and Spike go cross country and under cover to infiltrate a vampire human slavery ring.

Rating: PG - NC17.

Disclaimer: None of us own any of this, Joss is King.

Spoilers: General Season 5.

Written By (in order of appearance): Annamarie, tanith, VicNoir, Kristin (aka Love's Bitch), Blaque Kat, Spikelicious, Tracy (AKA Jericho TGF), Jessa, NautiBitz, Raven, Saber ShadowKitten

Other authors scheduled (but never wrote): Trish, Pandora, Caitlin (AKA Spikes_Luv), Suaine, Angel Eternal, Python Chick (AKA Spike's Childe), Taulmaril, Patti, and Maggie.

Part 10 by Raven

Buffy and Spike watched in horror as all the vamps in the room formed a line and started a pretty good imitation of the Rockettes. 'Wow, I didn't think they could kick that high.' Buffy's mouth dropped open as this bright blue demon wearing a pink tutu and a yellow feather boa came out with Tara on his arm, and they started singing 'Wind Beneath My Wings'. At the end of the song they morphed together and turned into Angel. Buffy rubbed her eyes in disbelief before looking over at Spike. 'Hot Damn! He certainly is the BIG Bad!' was the first thing that popped into her head as she saw what Spike *wasn't* wearing.

Angel had hopped down off the stage and was serenading Buffy, who only had eyes for Spike until Angel stopped singing mid-word. Buffy dragged her eyes away from Spike.

Angel had an utterly shocked look on his face. His mouth was just opening and closing, and it probably had a lot to do with the fact that there were remnants of a cream pie on his face. From the looks of it, it had been a Key Lime cream pie. Buffy looked back over at Spike, who was whistling innocently and looking up at the ceiling. Buffy started laughing so hard she was actually crying.

A sharp tug on Buffy's leash dragged her mind back to the present as she swallowed a snicker at the image in her head.

"What's so funny?" Spike asked, giving her a suspicious look.

"Nothing." Buffy replied as she tried to loosen her collar.

"Stop that. You're in a thrall fog, which means oblivious to all but me." Spike said as he slapped her hands away.

As the elevator doors slipped open, Buffy watched in amazement as Spike went from being a neutered vampire to a Master Vampire. Buffy was even more amazed when the crowd actually parted for Spike as he led them to the registration table.

They found out that since they were one of the last ones to arrive, their turn on the auction block wouldn't be until the last hour of the auction. After circling the convention hall a couple of times, they ran into Willow.

"Did you see Tara?" Willow sent the question to both Buffy and Spike's minds as she draped her arm around Spike's shoulder and proceeded to nibble a path up his jugular. Spike snaked an arm around her waist pulling her closer.

"Maybe." He whispered in her ear. "Think you can hack into the hotel's computers and find out what room a vampire by the name of Trey Beaumont is staying in?"

"Hell yeah." Willow responded in his head, "I think we're being watched by the 80's rejects in the corner."

Buffy felt an unexplainable need to yank Willow by her hair out of Spike's grasp. 'How dare she touch my man! OMG! Did I just refer to Spike as my man? He's not even a man. He's a vampire. An evil soulless vampire. An evil sexy soulless vampire. OMG! Did I just think Spike and sexy in the same sentence?' Buffy mentally bitch-slapped herself for thinking of Spike as sexy.

"Well, then let's give them a bloody good show." Spike whispered with a smirk as he laced his fingers with Willow's. He drifted them over to the hallway leading to the bathroom.

Spike turned to Buffy and smirked, "I'm feeling a bit peckish, pet. Be a luv and come here."

Buffy saw red at his comment and just as she was about to punch him in the nose, she heard Willow in her head, "No! We're being watched." So, she didn't resist as Spike pulled her into his arms; she even bared her neck to him. She gasped as she felt his fangs slide into her skin. Reality faded away for them both as Buffy pulled Spike even closer with a breathless moan. Pressing herself against him as she ran her hands up and down his back. Spike felt himself hardening and had to work hard to not throw Buffy to the ground and just show her how deep his feelings for her ran. The kiss was so intense that Buffy heard firecrackers in the background.

Through their haze, it finally dawned on them that what they were hearing was not the normal cries of pain, but instead, the agonizing screams of dying vampires. Spike motioned for Buffy and Willow to remain behind as he headed back into the convention hall. He was amazed by what he saw. It was a group of teenagers, none of whom could have been over 17, armed to the teeth with all sorts of anti-vampire weapons. The only bad thing was that they didn't seem to discriminate between the enthralled humans and their Vampire masters. They went after both with a vengeance. Hacking and slashing.

Buffy gave Willow a look before darting after Spike. 'Yeah, right. Like I'm actually going to wait here.' Just as she entered the convention hall, she saw Spike helping an enthralled woman over to an exit. As she started over to him, she watched in horror as a stake-wielding teen threw something in Spike's face, causing him to scream in agony. Even half blinded, Spike managed to put himself in front of the woman shielding her from the psycho teen.

As Buffy started running towards Spike, the teen pulled out a crossbow and pointed it at Spike's heart. A very panicked Buffy jumped the teen and started beating the crap out of him. A breathless voice calling her name pulled her back from the kill mode.

Buffy's heart jumped in her throat at what she saw. A very pale Spike was lying on his back weakly trying to pull out the wooden arrow lodged just below his heart. Buffy rushed to his side all the while screaming, " Oh my God! Willow! Willow! Help me, please! Willow!!"

After a few minutes Willow got tired of waiting so she decided followed Buffy. Her mouth dropped open as she saw the utter chaos in the convention hall. Vampires versus stake wielding teens. It appeared that the vampires were getting the upper hand, though.

Her eyes went black as she commanded "Repel" to the crowbar wielding teen poised to strike down an enthralled Tara. Just as she started running over to Tara, she heard a very panicked Buffy screaming for help. Willow followed the Buffy's voice and found her holding an unconscious Spike, when she looked back at Tara she was being pulled out of the door by her master.

When Willow made over to them, Buffy had already pulled the arrow out and was busy holding his hand and stroking his hair. Willow was shocked at the depth of emotions flitting across Buffy's face as she sat stroking Spike's hair. By the time they finally had Spike up, minions were circulating and letting everyone know that the auction was going to be delayed at least a day as well as spread out over several days. They were also handing out new numbers.

Spike was still unconscious when Buffy and Willow made their way to the hotel room. After getting Spike settled on the bed, Willow rushed off to her room to call Giles and to hack into the hotel's computer system.

Buffy had Spike's shirt off and was busy trying cleaning Spike's wounds but she kept getting distracted by his rippling abs, when he started thrashing around and calling for her.

"Shh. It's ok. I'm here." Buffy said as she gently stroked his hair and placed a kiss on his forehead. Buffy laced her fingers with Spike's and continued to stroke his hair and make soothing noise till Spike fell into a more restful sleep. When Buffy tried to get up she found that Spike's grip only tightened when she tried to let go. So, she resigned herself to the fact that she wasn't going anywhere and cuddled up next to him.

Spike startled wake from a wonderful dream, where he had been enjoying the beach during the day. He had a moment of panic till he realized where he was and with whom. Spike looked down with love and affection at Buffy, who lay half sprawling on him, he couldn't help but reflect that she was his sun, and that she burned him with her presence and yet he still couldn't get enough off her. Before he realized it he had reached over and started tracing the outline of her face, Buffy only sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer. One moment Spike was just watching Buffy sleep and the next thing he knew his lips were passionately crushed to Buffy. The best part was that a half asleep Buffy responded by running her tongue over Spike's bottom lip requesting entrance to his mouth.

Spike knew the instant Buffy woke up, but to this surprise she didn't pull away from the kiss instead she maneuvers herself till she's straddling him. It was Spike who pulled away when he felt something wet on his face.

He asked, "What's wrong?" as he wiped her tears away.

Buffy ducked her head as she whispered, "Nothing" Buffy reached out to caress his face as tears once again welled up in her in eyes. 'I nearly lost you.'

Spike arched an eyebrow as he replied, "Nothing can't make you cry."

Buffy lifted her chin and defiantly said, "I wasn't crying."

"Right, the wetness on your fa," Spike started to say before he was rudely interrupted as Buffy's lips came crashing down on his and her hand slipping under his shirt to caress his abs.

Spike not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, responded by pulled Buffy even close and slipping his hands up her shirt.

Part 11 by Saber Shadowkitten

Spike's unneeded breath hitched as Buffy's soft hands danced over his skin. Her touch was hot. Wonderful. Arousing.

Painful.

He hissed as she accidentally touched his wound. Vampires didn't mind a little pain with their pleasure, but not this type of pain. Ouch.

Buffy reared back, tears misting her eyes again and an apology on her lips. "I'm sorry. God, I'm so stupid. You're hurt."

"S'all right, luv," Spike told her, capturing her fretting hands. He studied her down-turned face, making a decision he knew he'd regret. "We shouldn't, anyway. Aside from my being hurt, we have Tara to rescue still."

"I know," Buffy sighed. "It's just..."

"Just what?" Spike prompted when she didn't continue.

"Nothing." Buffy freed her hands, climbed off him, and retreated strategically to the bathroom so she wouldn't have to tell him that she'd been scared. Scared for him. Scared that he would turn to dust before her eyes.

Scared that she was scared.

Buffy wasn't supposed to fear for Spike's well-being, but she had been scared witless when she saw him collapsed on the floor with the arrow embeded dangerously close to his heart. And the fact that the near-death of Spike had caused a deep, almost paralysing panic in her frightened her more than Spike's injury... because that meant she had feelings for Spike. Real feelings. Feelings she couldn't brush off as hormones. Feelings that almost had her naked and riding Spike like there was no tomorrow.

Buffy turned on the sink faucet and splashed her burning face with ice cold water. She'd almost had sex with Spike! If he hadn't stopped them, she would have!

"Oh, God," she whispered, horrified. She couldn't-wouldn't-shouldn't want Spike naked and touching her in naughty ways. He was Spike! The bane of her existence! The splinter in her palm! The bug in her salad! The bad hair of an ultimate bad hair day!

Buffy dried her face, straightened her clothes, and looked at herself in the mirror. "I am Buffy Summers, the Slayer. I do not want Spike in any way, shape, or naked form..."--liar!--"...I have a job to do and I'm going to do it. Then, I'm going home and making an appointment to have my head examined."

Satisfied, Buffy opened the door, walked out of the bathroom, and directly into Spike. She glared up at him, ignoring the sudden tingling in her body. "Were you listening at the door?" she demanded to know.

"Would I do something like that?" Spike quirked a grin at her dirty look. "You're right, dumb question. But I didn't, so put your eye-daggers away." He walked over to the bag with their clothing, removed a shirt, and winced as he pulled it on. "Red's got a lead. She said to meet her in the lobby."

"Then let's go," Buffy said, heading for the door.

"Not so fast, pet." Spike held up the neck collar. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Our cover was ruined, Spike," Buffy said, folding her arms.

"Not necessarily." Spike crossed to her and held out the collar. "You were protecting your Master. If anyone questions to closely, we'll let slip that you're the Slayer, but broken and mine."

"No one would believe that." Buffy batted the collar away. "Vampires are stupid, but not that stupid. And some of them know you were helping me in Sunnydale."

"Which makes my mastery over you more believable," Spike countered. "You would have dropped your guard around me, and therefore when the chip malfunctioned..."

Buffy huffed. He had a point. A very scary, real-life applicable point. All the more reason not to want feelings for him.

"I hate you." She snagged the collar and put it on.

Spike brushed her dark hair back, a sad expression on his face. "I wouldn't know what to do if you didn't."

He dropped his hand abruptly and stepped away. "Willow's waiting."

Buffy nodded. Spike grabbed his duster, checked for weapons, and gestured for her to proceed him. "After you." He winced as he dropped his arm back to his side.

"Are you sure you're okay enough to go anywhere already?" Buffy asked, denying the worry in her tone.

"If I stay here, I'll toss off while thinking of you, and that would aggrivate the wound more than playing Investigator with Red."

"You're a pig, Spike."

Spike gently pushed her aside with a wink, reaching for the door knob. "Oink, oink, Slayer."

And that's all they wrote!