Not Beneath Me - (13) Family Ties

By Tasha

Chapter Summary: Unknown to everyone but Riley and Xander, Spike's chip has been deactivated. Buffy had a Slayer nightmare, and Spike made love to Buffy when she woke up. Spike was able to bite Buffy during their coupling, but neither of them know why yet. Buffy wasn't freaked out by it. Spike felt Dru at the end of the last chapter, and he's wondering what she's doing in Sunnydale. Now Spike and Buffy have to figure out how he could bite her, Spike needs to contact Giles about Dru, and Spike would like to put at least a familial claim on Buffy to protect her especially now that he thinks Dru is in town.

***Warning: This chapter does include blood play in the form of a familial vampiric claiming. It also includes more sexual situations. I rate this chapter NC-17 for sexual situations.***

Disclaimer and Distribution notes are listed on the Index page of this story.

'Single' quote marks surround thoughts in this story. "Regular" quotes are around spoken words.


Buffy was the first to wake up the next morning. Spike, being a creature of the night, was deeply asleep come mid-morning. Thankfully no more nightmares haunted her once she went back to sleep after making love with Spike. She turned in his arms. It was her turn to gaze at her lover while he rested.

'He looks so peaceful and content.' Buffy traced his cheekbones with her fingertips. None of the attitude was apparent, and Spike's face seemed almost vulnerable in this state. She pondered how someone so strong could look so weak while they slept.

Buffy's protective instincts kicked in. At that moment she realized just how much Spike must be risking to be with her. She'd been so focused on the problems that she would face loving Spike that she forgot just what others of his kind would think of it. Of course he'd been fighting with the "white hats" for a while, but that was still a far cry from being in love with the Slayer.

Buffy thought back to the multiple times she woke up the night before only to be seduced back into Spike's warm embrace and passionate lovemaking. They'd made love off and on all night long in-between little naps and respites.

Spike took little bits of her blood several times during their continued couplings. They tested out different places and different amounts to see if it had any effect on his chip. The best they could tell was that since Spike wasn't intending to hurt Buffy, the chip wasn't firing. It seemed the most logical solution to the two of them.

Buffy decided it was time for "little" Spike to wake up and play. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. Her body craved him as much as her heart did. His nearness gave her a sense of security, love and warmth. His body gave her a sense of passion, love and completion. She was pretty sure that Spike didn't have a soul, but she'd swear that he was her soul mate. She needed to talk to Giles about that later. Maybe if he researched further, they could find out more about vampires than just what the Council told them.

Buffy snuck down Spike's body. She trailed her lips along his alabaster skin. He was so pale that even with only tiny filters of light in the room his skin seemed to glow. Each muscle rippled when she passed over it with her fingernails scratching down his body after her lips.

Spike squirmed in his sleep. His body tingled, and his senses were becoming more aware of the little spitfire that was teasing him to wakefulness. He groaned when soft lips pressed against the head of his cock. His groan turned into a low growl when Buffy's mouth opened and engulfed the head of his cock into her mouth.

Buffy grinned around his cock. She loved teasing him. Spike was such a responsive lover. He was so sensitive and tender in certain areas. She never realized that a vampire, who essentially had a "dead" body, could have so many nerve endings. She brought one hand down to stroke the exposed part of his shaft in time with her mouth moving up and down the first half of his cock. Her other hand cupped his ball sack, rolling the large globes in the palm of her hand.

Spike hissed and opened his eyes. The pleasure was exquisite, almost like a torture. The handling of his jewels was the last friction that his body could handle while being asleep. He leaned up and looked down his body to see Buffy between his legs. He moaned. "Cor, Buffy." He slapped his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. "That is the most beautiful sight I've ever woke up to." He grunted out in between growls.

"Glad you approve." Buffy's voice was partially muffled because she didn't let go of her suckling when she answered him.

Spike gripped the sheets tightly. He wanted to flip them over and completely ravish Buffy. It took a considerable amount of willpower to keep those desires at bay. Every touch of her mouth was driving him to the point of crazed ecstasy. "Yes, luv, those teeth. Harder please." He begged with a whimper.

Buffy was amazed at the power she had over such a strong man. He was putty in her hands with the mere touch of her mouth. She rolled her tongue over the head before she half bit down to rake her teeth down his shaft and then back up.

"Buffy ... stop ..." Spike called out in warning. He was too close to orgasm. If she didn't stop now, she was going to get a mouthful.

Buffy shook her head back and forth. She wasn't stopping for anything right now. She wanted to show Spike just how much she enjoyed his pleasuring of her by returning the favor. Instead of slowing down, she increased her ministrations. She tightened her lips around his shaft and lengthened her strokes.

Spike growled deep. He shook while fighting off his urge to cum. He twisted both of his hands into Buffy's long tresses. He bucked up into her mouth with a fury.

Buffy buried her face down deep into the nest of curls at the base of Spike's cock. She gulped and swallowed against her gag reflex to milk him into her throat. She felt, even before she heard, his orgasm take over him. His cock pulsed and coated her throat with ample amounts of his cold cream. 'How in the world he still has that much left after all the times he came last night is amazing.'

Spike pushed the back of Buffy's head to hold her on his cock while he erupted in her mouth. He wasn't forcing her to stay there, but he was making sure she knew just where he wanted her to be. He screamed out her name when he fell over the edge. His body thrummed in pleasure with each burst from his balls to her throat.

When he was fully spent, Buffy licked up Spike's cock to make sure it was clean. She crawled up his body to curl in his arms. Buffy's breasts rubbed up Spike's chest. It made his content cock twitch in delight. She looked down at the twitching member. "You have got to be kidding me?" She chuckled.

"No joke here, baby. Vampire stamina you know." Spike snarled, flipped them over and buried his cock against the outer lips of her sex. "You make me want you more than anyone ever has." He playfully nipped at her collarbone. "And I'm just man enough to show you just how excited you make me." With that he plunged, balls deep into her pussy in one swift stroke.

Buffy's back arched into the thrust. Her fingernails left tiny trails of blood up and down Spike's back. "Yes, Spike. YES!" She quickly rose to the height of pleasure at the repeated full length poundings back against her and plunged over the edge into the abyss.

Spike's body was attuned to Buffy's in ways that no one ever could come close to knowing. They bucked and grappled at each other in the heat of the moment. Spike shifted into game face. He bent over and attacked her neck with his vampiric love bite.

Buffy fell over into another orgasm with the first pull of her blood into Spike's mouth. She shivered at the intensity. She swore that she would never grow tired of that feeling when he bit her. She craved it. Spike buried himself into Buffy in another hard stroke, cumming again within her canal this time.

Happily twittering, Spike turned to the side, curling Buffy into his arms. He soothed his words of love into her ear while he lapped at the wounds on her neck to seal them.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy lay wrapped in Spike's arms still a couple hours later. She gazed lovingly into his blue eyes. Her fingers trailed over the scars on Spike's neck. She didn't even realize she was growling until Spike raised his brow at her. "You all right, luv?"

"I don't like this reminder that you were with Drusilla all that time." Buffy frowned. She knew she was being unreasonable. If it wasn't for Drusilla turning William, she never would have met him. Rationalization wasn't always apparent in matters of love though.

"There are ways to remove them, but I don't think we are quite ready for that yet." Spike answered.

Buffy raised a curious brow this time. "What do you mean?"

Spike edged the three sets of scars on Buffy's neck. One set belonged to the Master, another to Dracula, and the last to his brooding Sire. He had every reason, even without his love for her, to want to remove all traces of those who bit Buffy before. He was not about to rush it though. Mating was for eternity, and that was a little bit longer for vampires than humans. "Have you heard of vampire claiming?"

"Yes. That is where a vampire picks his eternal mate, right?" Buffy rested her head on Spike's shoulder.

"That is one form of claiming yes." Spike nodded. "It is the most serious form, and it would erase all previous vampiric bites from the mates except ones that belong to each other." He tried to explain.

"There are other kinds of bites?" Buffy questioned.

"Did your Watcher teach you anything true about vampires, luv?" Spike's exasperated sigh was noticeable.

Buffy quickly defended Giles. "It isn't like I was supposed to know about the benefits of being bit by vampires, Spike."

"Sorry." Spike sighed. "I find it frustrating how the Council claims to be the epitome of knowledge on vampires, but they have most of their facts half-assed backwards."

Buffy calmed somewhat. "With all of the years they've been around you would expect them to know what they are talking about."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Slayer, but they don't know jack about vampires." Spike retorted. "They only tell you what they want you to know so you will kill us."

Buffy couldn't refute that point. She had reason to distrust the Council over the years. Whenever she needed them they deserted her. The Council swore that vampires could not feel or love. Looking at Spike, she knew that wasn't true. There was no way she could mistake his love for anything else. She waited for Spike to continue.

"There are two kinds of bites which are the most common. One of which I'd like to see if you will let me do right away, Buffy." Spike used her real name to impart on her just how serious he was about this.

Buffy nodded for Spike to continue. Over the years she read many of Giles' books and old Watcher diaries. She was neither stupid nor uneducated. She just didn't happen to enjoy researching in general. Now when the topic caught her interest that was different. She was interested in this topic, especially now.

"The first is a mating claim, which as you stated is, where a vampire chooses the person they wish to be bound to for eternity. It is stronger than any human marriage ceremony ever could be." Spike waited to see that Buffy was paying attention. "The second is a familial bonding."

"Familiar bonding?" Buffy asked.

"Familial bonding." Spike corrected. "This kind of bite requires a specific ritual and bloodletting and sharing between the two vampires to bring one into the other's family." He ran his fingers through Buffy's hair. "It is said that the ritual chants create a type of protection spell around the one being bitten to protect that person from the other's family hurting the new member. It also encourages other family members to protect the new member."

Buffy thought about what he was saying. "So that would mean that if Angelus or Drusilla tried to hurt me, they couldn't?" She doubted that Angel would ever physically hurt her, but it was possible for Angelus to make a reappearance. She wanted to be sure she had all her facts straight.

"Yes." Spike growled at the mention of his Sire and his ex-lover. "That is one reason why I want to do this type of claim."

Buffy gazed at Spike in confusion. "Angelus isn't back, is he?" She shivered at the thought.

"No, the poofter is still ... poofy." Spike snarled. "But last night I felt Dru near. I think she is creating a new family as well."

It was Buffy's turn to shiver. "That is not of the good."

"No, it isn't." Spike agreed. "I don't know why she would be here unless she felt or heard about my feelings for you." He had no idea what had been happening in Los Angeles or about Darla's return to the "living".

Buffy buried her face in Spike's chest. "So, you want to do this claiming to protect me from her?"

Spike nodded. He kissed the top of Buffy's head. "I know you can take care of yourself, luv, but I want to do what I can to add to your safety. I love you too much to lose you."

"That is so sweet." Buffy cooed softly.

"I am not sweet, Slayer!" Spike bit Buffy's ear with his human teeth.

Buffy giggled. "Okay, romantic then." She teased. "But you are sweet too."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't make me prove to you just how much of a Big Bad I still am."

Buffy wrapped her hand around his cock and squeezed. "Oh, I know just how big and bad you are, Spike."

Spike closed his eyes and groaned. "You don't fight fair, pet." He buried his face in her hair. "As much as I would love to go another round with you, this is something we should do soon."

Buffy pulled back to gaze into Spike's worried eyes. "You are very concerned about this, aren't you?"

"Yes." Spike sighed resignedly. "If Dru is back, it can't be good. You don't need problems from her on top of everything with Glory."

"I'll agree with you there." Buffy frowned. 'Why did she have to come back now? Was my dream a Slayer dream?' She shivered at the thought of losing Spike now. "What do we have to do?"

"First I think we need to call the Watcher over here, Nibblet too. They need to know what we want to do."

"Giles is never going to go for this." Buffy was afraid of what Giles would say. He seemed to be tolerant enough of Spike so far, but what would he do with the knowledge that Spike wanted to bite her.

"Watcher is a reasonable man most of the time, luv." Spike reasoned. "If this will help you, he will go along with it."

Buffy sighed. She wished she had Spike's confidence on the matter. Dawn loved Spike. She wasn't a concern. A protective Watcher was a definite kink in the chain link fence.

"Why don't you go call him, pet?" Spike kissed Buffy softly and reassuringly. "I'll go make us some breakfast. Then I can explain to you what we need to do."

"Okay." Buffy nodded. She had an uneasy feeling about how this day was going to turn out. She trusted Spike implicitly, but images from her dream kept haunting her. What parts of it were prophetic, and which parts were merely her own fears?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The knock at the front door caused Buffy to jump off the living room couch. She felt more nervous than a child who was in trouble for stealing candy from the candy jar. "I'll get it Spike." She stood up to answer the door. "Hello, Giles." When they ate breakfast, Spike explained everything about the ceremony. She was as ready as she ever would be to try and explain things to Giles.

"Hello, Buffy." Giles appeared nervous as well. He faced up to the fact that his charge was in love with another vampire. He couldn't fathom what they wanted to talk to him about though. His mental checklist of topics included quite a few that he didn't even want to consider yet. He had been quite surprised to receive Buffy's call a couple hours ago.

Dawn practically bounced into the house before Giles even moved from the porch. She hoped they were being asked over to hear good news about Spike and Buffy getting married or something. Nothing registered in her mind that it might be too soon for such a declaration. She only knew that Spike and Buffy asked Giles and her to come over before the hospital to discuss something important.

"Please come into the living room. Spike will be right in." Buffy held the door open for Giles. When everyone was inside she closed it. The living room was dark, except for a lit lamp. The window had a heavy blanket over it to protect Spike from the sun's harmful rays.

Spike finished the pot of tea he was working on in the kitchen. He replaced the lid on the teapot before he added it to the tray he made up. This was going to be quite a conversation with the Watcher. He picked out two mugs instead of Joyce's finer teacups. 'No sense in taking any chances with Joyce's better dishes if the Watcher gets upset at my proposition.' He placed a little jar of creamer and a sugar container onto the tray. He then walked towards the living room.

"Tea, Rupert?" Spike set the tray down on the coffee table. 'It was funny how they call it a coffee table and not a tea table. How strange these Americans are.' William noted.

"Yes, thank you." Giles watched Spike pour a cup of tea for him. Both of them were British by birth, but Spike always seemed to carry a ruffian or low district air about him. Even his accent seemed to come from the seedier side of town. It intrigued him in moment's like these to see a more proper Englishman style emerge. It often made him wonder if the information the Council had on William the Bloody was accurate. He was too upper crust to be who they thought he was.

Spike poured a cup of tea for himself as well. He knew that Buffy was too nervous to drink anything. She still had some Diet Coke left in a can that he gave her earlier while they waited too. He set a glass of milk and a couple chocolate chip cookies in front of Dawn. He knew just what his girls liked.

Spike offered the cup of tea to Giles and moved the tray of accoutrements (cream and sugar) forward as well. "Help yourself."

Dawn nibbled on one of the cookies. She was saddened when she thought about when these cookies were made. She and her mother made this batch of cookies right before her mom went into the hospital. She sighed softly, but she hid her pain fairly well. Only Spike noticed the look on her face, and she half smiled to tell him that she was okay.

"Spike and I are contemplating something that we'd like your thoughts on." Buffy nervously twisted her hands in her lap. "I know you are probably going to freak out, but I hope that you will hear us through."

Giles always worried when Buffy appeared this nervous or upset. Not much put a sense of fear or concern in her. He knew he was not going to be happy about whatever it was. "I promise to be as open minded as possible. I can't promise I'll agree to whatever it is you want to do though."

"That's all we can ask for, Watcher." Spike hoped that Giles didn't fuss too much over it all. Humans couldn't fathom that vampires were anything but heartless killers. He had to explain things in a way that Giles would accept them.

Buffy nibbled on her lower lip. "I wouldn't ask you to accept this if I hadn't thought about it very hard."

Giles nodded in understanding. 'At least she isn't going off half-cocked on some idea.' He loved Buffy, but she did have a tendency to act first and think later. Her asking to talk to him was a big show of her continually growing maturity. He added a bit of cream and sugar to his tea. He motioned for them to begin while he stirred his tea before sipping it.

Spike repeated all of what he told Buffy earlier in the morning. He told Giles about his feelings for Buffy, the nearness he felt of Drusilla, and how he knew that Dru made at least one Childe if not more since she returned to Sunnydale. He explained the difference between certain types of vampire bites, and he outlined what he wanted to do with Buffy. "I know Buffy can take care of herself, but this would give her an extra line of defense especially against those from my own clan." He also told Giles how it seemed he was able to bite Buffy so long as he wasn't intending to hurt her.

Buffy took Spike's hand in hers in a show of support. "I agree with Spike on this, Giles." She squeezed Spike's hand in assurance. "We have given thought to an actual mating later when things are a bit calmer. We don't want to rush this, but if Dru is back she is bound to know that Spike and I are together."

Spike nodded his agreement. "Dru always seemed to have a sixth sense about things. She was a bit looney, but you'd be amazed at how accurate her visions were."

"Let me get this straight." Giles, long having removed his glasses, continued to clean the lenses to pristine condition. "You wish to place a vampire bite on Buffy in such a way that other family members would not be able to harm her but be forced to protect her."

"Any of our family could try to fight the urge to protect her, but they would find it very hard to hurt her. It is more than just a bite. The words chanted with it are like a spell of protection over the one bitten." Spike placed his teacup back on the tray. "It is the only way that I know of to completely protect Buffy from Dru." He sighed. "Dru may not want me over the poofter, but she is pretty possessive. You can be sure she would try to kill Buffy to keep me from Buffy. She always was a selfish bint."

Dawn, who sat back for the most part to take in the conversation, finally spoke up. "If it will help Buffy out, then I am all for it." She moved over to hug Spike first and then Buffy. "Spike loves her, and I don't think he'd do anything that would hurt my sister. I trust him."

"Thanks, Nibblet." Spike hugged Dawn tightly. It meant a lot to him to have her trust. "It matters that you trust me."

Buffy looked at Giles. "Will you trust us, Giles? Please?" She was tense with worry and concern over his disappointment. She knew things would run much more smoothly if he would accept this part of Spike.

"I don't agree with taking a chance on your life, Buffy." Giles held up his hand to stop either of them from voicing their objections to his statement yet. "But I can not deny that Spike has indeed been trying to fight on our side for quite a while now."

Spike exhaled the unnecessary air he held in his lungs. There was no way he was going to lose Buffy now that they realized their love for each other. He might as well walk into the sunrise if he let her die, or didn't stop her from dying.

Buffy rested her head against Spike's shoulder while Giles continued. "I would like to request that I be present, if that is agreeable with both of you."

Spike looked down at Buffy. He nodded his head that he was all right with it. "The familial bite doesn't require the intimacy that a claiming bite does. I don't have any objections."

Buffy nodded her agreement as well. "You are definitely not going to be there for the claiming though Giles. So don't even think about it."

Giles was flustered. "Why I ... never Buffy ..." He blushed further.

Inwardly Spike grinned. 'Hear that Nancy Boy. Our lady talked about the claiming as if it is happening. She didn't say maybe or if.' He loved to tease William.

William held himself back from literally making Spike jump for joy. 'Yes, I noticed that too you beast. Stop calling me a Nancy Boy or it's going to get real ugly in here the stronger I get. I'll push you so far back into the recesses of his mind that you won't be able to find your way out.' The more both sides reconciled themselves to each other, the more equal they became in all ways.

Spike mentally gave his counterpart a playful punch. 'You know just as much as I do that we both need each other. We aren't complete without the other.'

'Doesn't mean I won't try to thwap you if you get out of hand.' William felt invigorated from all of the love he felt from their beloved Buffy. The rejection that he kept expecting wasn't happening. Dawn and Buffy both accepted him how he was, and he knew that Joyce gave her approval. He still needed to more formally ask for Joyce's permission to court, but that could wait until she was out of the hospital.

'Yeah, yeah. So you say.' Spike playfully nipped William. 'Everything is going too well. I'm waiting for the other shoe to fall.'

'I know what you mean. That dreadful Drusilla woman is going to muck things up somehow. Remember Miss Buffy's dream.' William reminded.

'She may have been the love of my unlife for the last 100 years, but she isn't anymore.' Spike retorted. 'If she comes near Buffy to harm her, I will kill her. Nothing will keep the stake from reaching her heart from my hand.' His thoughts were echoed out loud at a similar question from Giles.

"What will you do if you do encounter Drusilla? I know that she was like a Sire to you." Giles questioned. "She did actually drain you and choose you."

Buffy straightened next to Spike. She hadn't given any thought to what Spike would do with Drusilla if they met her. Her training engrained that she was supposed to kill vampires that tried to kill her, but Drusilla was with Spike for a long time. Would he be able to do it?

"I loved her for near to 100 years, Watcher." Spike began, "We went through a lot of things together, but if she comes near Buffy to harm her in any way I will kill her. That isn't even a question in my mind." He stood firm in his resolve. No one would stand in their way. Buffy was willing to stand up for him to the Scoobies and her family; he must be willing to do the same.

Giles put his glasses back on. "Then it would seem everything is settled." He sat back on the couch. "If Drusilla is back, then I am assuming you wish to do this as soon as possible?"

"Yes." Buffy quickly put in. "We were thinking about doing it before we went to the hospital tonight.

"That would be wise." Giles agreed. "Do you need any time to prepare?" He directed the question to Spike.

Spike shook his head back and forth. "Not really, but I would like to talk to Buffy again before we go through with this." He pulled Buffy towards the stairs. "We'll be in her room. I'll call down in a couple minutes."

Giles and Dawn stared blankly at the now empty stairs. Both Buffy and Spike practically ran up them so fast that they surely couldn't have stepped on each stair. Dawn shrugged. "Guess they were in a hurry." She chuckled. Giles tried to hide his mirth by taking another drink from his cup.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are you sure about this, luv?" Spike sat down on the side of Buffy's bed. He held both of her hands in his. "I don't want you to do this just because you are worried about Dru."

"I'm sure." Buffy cupped Spike's cheek. She rubbed her thumb over Spike's lips. "I don't see it as a protection or a have to do thing. You are giving me a special gift from you, Spike." She leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "It is a gift I am happy to accept."

Spike beamed. He pulled Buffy up against his body and kissed her. The kiss started off slow and consoling, but it ended up deep and passionate. He needed to feel her close to him. He needed the reassurance that she was his. He longed for the day when he could claim her as his mate. For now this would have to do. "Let's get the Watcher up here then."

Buffy nodded. She stood up, opened the door, and called down for Giles to come up. Dawn was right behind him. At Spike's raised eyebrow Dawn snarked, "What you didn't honestly think I wasn't going to watch, did you?"

Spike laughed. "I should have figured you wouldn't want to miss the fun." He teased. He drew Buffy back down onto the bed. He pulled a stake from Buffy's nightstand.

Buffy raised a brow in curiosity as to how he knew she kept one there. She watched as Spike handed the stake to Giles. She looked back at Spike fearful.

Spike ran his fingers through Buffy's hair. "Just in case we're wrong about why I can bite you."

"You didn't lose control last night or this morning when you bit me." Buffy tried to counter Spike's concerns.

Spike caressed his other hand along Buffy's jaw. "I don't want to take any chances. You mean too much to me." He trailed his fingertips along her jugular. "This requires a slightly deeper bite. The blood will flow heavier this time."

Giles watched the exchange between the couple. He was reminded again of just how much Spike dedicated himself to those he cared about. The Council's claims that a soul was necessary for any being to feel emotions was being unproven yet again before his very eyes. Good or bad, this vampire felt with all of his being.

Buffy pulled her long blonde hair away from her neck. She exposed the golden skin to him. Her heart raced in anticipation of the bite from her lover. Her eyes focused on his, and she never let her gaze falter.

Spike leaned in closer to Buffy. He lowered his face to her neck. A soft human tongue licked and curled up the line of her jugular. He nibbled, suckled and nipped at the skin to encourage more blood flow. He wanted this to be as painless as possible for Buffy.

"Do it, Spike." Buffy inhaled sharply. Her eyes closed and a soft moan slipped past her lips. "I trust you." She wrapped her fingers in the bleached curls at the back of Spike's neck to hold his face tight against her neck.

Spike shifted into his game face. A now roughened tongue scratched against Buffy's skin. His canines elongated, he kissed her neck, opened his mouth, and allowed his fangs to pierce her skin. He tightened his jaw on her neck to bite down more deeply than he had when they made love.

"Oh God." Buffy whimpered out. The bite stung a lot at first, but it gave way to the same pleasures that she'd felt when they made love.

Giles started to step forward to Buffy. He clutched the stake in his hand, but he really didn't want to use it. He wanted this to work out for Buffy and Spike. Dawn stiffened beside Giles, but she stood firm in her place. Giles relaxed when he saw the pleasured look take over in Buffy's features.

Buffy splayed the fingers of one hand on Spike's back. Her fingernails dug into his shirt, surely drawing blood beneath the cloth. Her face turned from a mask of pain to one of delight as Spike pulled more of her blood into his mouth.

Spike pulled his fangs from Buffy's neck. He allowed the blood to flow and chanted. "Blood is the flow of life. It is offered freely and in reverence for protection and joining of families." He took a hold of Buffy's wrist and slit his fangs along first her wrist and then his. He placed both cuts together to allow their blood to mingle.

Buffy reached for a nearby scarf on her nightstand. With a nod from Spike she tied the scarf around their wrist like a handfasting cord. The warmth of her blood slipped down her neck to dip in the hollow along her collarbone.

Spike licked the trail of blood back up to the source. Before he bit down again he chanted again. "My blood exchanged with yours to bring you into my family. Sworn by our bond to defend until dust. Let no harm come to this one through my blood or the blood of others in my lineage." He buried his fangs into Buffy's neck again in the same spot. He gulped down two more mouthfuls.

Buffy felt her arousal increase. If Giles and Dawn weren't standing right near the bed she would have impaled herself on Spike's cock in a heartbeat. As it was she squirmed around so much on the bed that Spike growled to warn her to remain still.

Spike's demon receded once he licked the twin puncture wounds clean to seal them. The demon fought against William for a few moments before going away, wanting to complete a true mating claim. Finally satiated and soothed for now, his demon returned to the back and Spike's human face came to the fore. "May the family tie be complete." He pulled back to look into Buffy's face. He nodded for her to say what he told her to say earlier.

"Your family is mine. By your will protection divine." A flash of light surrounded Spike and Buffy for a brief moment. It wasn't bright enough to be blinding, but those who witnessed it saw a twinkling light pulse down from Buffy's head to her toes.

"Intriguing." Giles spoke when the ritual was complete. He set the stake on Buffy's dresser. He pulled on Dawn's arm. Even though he knew Spike wasn't claiming Buffy as a mate yet, he knew what the looks in their eyes meant. "We'll just meet you at the hospital."

"Wait I ..." Dawn protested until Giles pointed to Buffy and Spike who were locked in a passionate embrace and heated kiss now. "Um yeah. I'll be at the hospital with Mom and Giles."

Giles and Dawn walked downstairs and out the door. They left the two lovers to complete each other and assure each other of their love.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dru danced around the warehouse that she found near the docks of Sunnydale. She caressed the back of her hand down the pale cheek on the table. "You will rise soon, my darling tin soldier." She giggled with glee. "And then you will bring my Spike back to me after you kill the nasty Slayer."

Dru screamed and hit the ground. "No! NO!" She pulled at her hair. "He couldn't do that to me!" She squealed at the tightening in her throat. Her mind whirled at the sensations she was picking up from their familial bond. She looked up, full vampiric demon to the fore. "He will pay for this abomination. No Slayer will ever be a part of our family!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xander wrung his hands together. 'How did I let myself get talked into this?' He paced back and forth in the hospital parking garage. He visited with Joyce for a while to find out when Buffy and Spike where supposed to come by. When he found out that they wouldn't be there until evening, he headed back downstairs to get his car.

"Riley better be right about that chip, or I am going to look like a real idiot." A part of him laughed at the irony of that statement. A part of him knew that he was being stupid and prejudiced, but the other stronger side of him wouldn't listen. As he got into his car he started repeating to himself, "I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing," the whole way to Revello Drive.

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