Fic:Repost Prisms Red 1/2

[Mad-Hamlet@xxxxxxx]

Disclaimer: Theirs not mine


Drain Brameged Inc. Proudly Presents
A Mad-Hamlet Prodution



Prisms-Red

Oh, I have to get out of here. 
	
I mean I REALLY have to get out of here. It's awful. I come along to
offer my services in the hunt not be part of some 'Bonding'. Awful,
awful, awful?scary even.
And I'm not jealous. I just want out. Out, find the bad guys, spread
them over the tarmac, bid the others a good eve, watch some soaps and
get a snooze. 

But nnnooooo?I have to hang around and basically be assulted by
'care bear' antics. It's was almost a relief when the Watcher drags
me out of the room. Almost. I can still hear them.
Crying, laughing, crying again? a big emotional slug fest. I
myself would have prefered a normal slug fest, y'know, the ones
involving actual fists. 

After waiting for what feels like too damn long I brush past the
Watcher, poke my head in the door. They're hugging again. I close my
eyes, just cam't stand to see.

"Excuse me." I say with my eyes still tightly shut. "I'm going to go
outside and have me a smoke. If you should take too much longer I
would greatly appreciate it that you bury my ashes with a pack of
cigarettes."

>From the jumble of hugging humanity I hear Summer's voice.
"You are unconditially univited Spike."
Mumbling "Thank the bloody gods for that." I shut the door.

I catch the Watcher giving me an amused look. 
"Kids." I snort. 

Exactly three smokes later they join me outside. 

Red looks a little better. She's dressed in jeans, and a light
jacket. What kind of shirt she's wearing I do not know or care. The
Slayer is beside her, like they are glued to each other. I catch a
glimpse of Red's hand, the one that's gripping the Slayer's. White
knuckled, all the way; they won't be seperated easily. 

"So." I say. "Shall we depart?" 
With a bow I offer to let Red take point and of course all she does
is shake her head and huddle up next to Summers. I really shouldn't
provoke her. It's just so much fun to do so.

**

I should be worried. I've always seen my younger charges as family
and the behaivore they are exhibiting should make me concerned.
Willow seems to have recovered almost completely from her ordeal mere
hours after the fact. This is an impossibility and I fear that she
will suffer some sort of backlash. Particularly with her accompying
us on this 'mission of vengence' it is almost a certainty. 
But I'm not paying much attention to these concerns at the moment.
My hands itch far too much for me to concentrate on such matters.
They long to be wrapped around the throats of the ?things
responsible for this night. 
I find myself wondering how high I could make them squeal. The
others want the same thing I do. To take the pain and put it inside
them, to see their eyes haunted and afraid. But that will never
happen, male bravado and their very short lifespan assure that. Or
that's how I see things. 

It is facinating. Of the one mind I am still somewhat put off by
this whole ring-a-ma-role. Being unsure that I can actaually kill
someone?again. Many a demon, or vampire, or other agent of
supernatural evil has fallen to by my hand and I fully expect someday
to fall to one of theirs. But the nagging sensation that questions my
ability to actually end another humans life is oddly muted. I am
fully aware of it's questioning.

"Can you do it Giles?"
"Is it right Giles?"
"Isn't this personal Giles?"

Of the second mind?well that is simple.

"Yes Ripper."
"Yes Ripper."
"Oh yeesss..Ripper."

"G-Man, you alright?" Xander asks me as we left the dorm. "That is a
really unpleasent smile you're wearing."

"Oh, er..yes Xander, I'm fine."

The others want their 'pound of flesh' as well. I can tell.
Well, they'll have to stand in line.
Senority rules and all that.
	 
Just a librarian indeed.
**

Won't leave her behind again. Not gonna do it, not gonna happen.
She's never going to be alone again, strickly unalone twenty
four-seven. Twenty five-eight if needed. Be right there for
everything ..everything?her wedding, hell her wedding night..who
know's she might fall for a demon or something. Childbirth? Gonna be
there. Gonna, gonna, gonna.

I should join the Wiccans too. Can I do that? Being a slayer? 
What would that make me? 
A Sliccan?

It doesn't matter I will be there, I have to be there. I can't let
her get hurt again. I won't let her get hurt like that again. I can't
protect her from everything, I'm not that crazy. Paper cuts will
happen, stubbed toes too?sharp edges on beer cans..can't stop
that kind of stuff but the big stuff?nope. Life is knives and
it's foolish to think I can stop all of them. Wouldn't be
fantastically healthy either but nothing's gonna cut her like this,
never gonna let her get cut this deep again.

Not gonna happen to Willow. Not my Willow. 
	
Won't let her get hurt.
Can't let her get hurt. 
Hold her close, protect her always gonna protect her, just like I
should have..just like..just..
	
I have to.
It's not something I have a choice in. I have to protect her
because?because?

I have a secret.

**

Ooohh man this is so uncool yet?not. But I can deal, can cope.
In the words of a great twentieth century poet I'm 'jiggy with it.' 

'Cause I'm gonna kill someone. Several someone's in fact. It'll be
odd and I might find that I'm hating myself for some time to
come?later. Right now, at this very second I'm pretty sure I'll
be hating myself if I don't kill the someones. 

The Someone Bunch, being butchered by a Xander near you. Fun for the
whole family, let the kiddies tag along. Angst, drama, friendship,
tragedy, comedy and vengence in one little package.
Best of all its's for free.

BYOP?bring your own popcorn.

I don't get it. I can feel it..on my outside. Cold..ruthlessness
cold. My face is set in stone and I don't think I could giggle if
Barney walked out in front of me and got hit by truck. It's sliding
over my skin like a..a?second..skin..and..

Start over. 

It's sliding over my skin like ..THIS IS WHAT I'M
TALKING..no..thinking about!!
	
I'm ready to put my fist through someone's head. I have no weapons
that's about the only thing I can do, unless I pick something up
along the way. I know I can do it? There's this absolute
resoluteness to the whole way I'm feeling, it's almost surreal. Yet
here?right here I'm babbling and tossing stupid jokes..to who?
Honestly I ask you is there anyone else around in here?

And Buffy would respond 'Thump, thump, hollow sound.' 
Or she would?if I said anything. But even if I said anything now
the most I'd probably get is a pained smile. From Willow. 

Buffy's so wrapped up IN Willow that I doubt she'd snap too if The
Master and Angelus driffted by doing the Cha-Cha. I mean?look at
her..just LOOK AT HER. She's not looking where we're going just
drifting down the street eyes on Willow who's eyes are on Buffy who's
eyes are of Willow who's eyes?

I'm feeling left out. 

It's not okay either. Yes we seemed okay in the dorm, yes Willow
hugged me and I even managed to almost ignore it when she stiffened
just a little bit. It's there and she seems to have bounced back so
fast but it's still there. 
No matter what happens tonight we're just at the beginning and
something has?marked us..marked Willow. And we have only begun to
feel the impact of it's?it's.. IT'S. The 'It' Spike talked about.
It is still there and It will never not be there again. And I want
It not to be..want it so much that I can feel the nails on my tosies
rolling up because even they are..

If Moses supposes his toeses are roses then Moses supposes
errounously 'cause Moses toeses aren't bunches of roses as Moses
supposes his toeses may be.

I'm going to kill someone tonight and suddenly I am SO very cool
with that.
**
Didn't take too long. 
To find the place where 'it' happened. Bloody figures too. Right in
someones back yard. I could smell it. Same thing I smelled on her. 

We all know it at almost the exact same time, me because of my
senses and the others because Red just freezes solid. She hadn't been
looking where we were, her eyes had been on the Almighty Slayer the
entire time. I knew a split second before she did when she happens to
glance up from her 'adoring gaze', she looks up, took in the scenery
and ?statue time. 

She just stands straight, stiff as a board eyes wide open. Under
full moon her green eyes really stood out. Red hair and the green
eyes?rather angel like. Whoever they were I couldn't begrudge
them their taste in women. 

Tsk tsk William, such thoughts. 	

Bad boy.


Buffy just grabs the Witch, turns her around and pulls her into yet
another hug. Good lord, why not just ask for some thread and a
needle, I'd happily sew the two of you together. Xander too joins the
little huddle but does not actually touch the two women leaving the
Watcher standing behind them looking uncomfortable. 

"Wait here." I say. "I'll be right back." And vanish into the
darkness.

It's a back yard. Small surburban house, sun deck, round pool for
the kiddies. Lights on in the windows too. Whoever was inside that
house probably heard. Didn't do anything obviously. 

None of our buisness they think.
Doesn't really matter they think.

I move them to the top of the list of people I plan to use as
munchies before going after the Slayer after I get this chip removed.
A warm up exercise. I find the spot where the rape took place. Yes it
was a rape, sanatizing the word by replacing it with 'it's and
'that's' is a bloody waste of time. Doesn't change anything and
probably winds up causing more pain in the long run.

Mental note: Refer to the rape as 'it' from here on out.

My my, a heady experience. I'm getting quite a buzz from being in
the vicinity.
Willow was obviously here and ..ah..our two friends. Defiently two.
Such pain in the air as well. It's almost palatable. Some poltergiest
will make it a lovely home someday. 

I backtrack the scent and follow it around the house to the
sidewalk. Then I turn around and return to the Huggabunch. Summers
is still comforting Red who was is staring into space, not really
home at all. Can't say as I blame her as much, if this was home I'd
want to be somewhere else too.

"I found the trail." I say. "We can go around."

Buffy nods and carefully leads the Witch away from her personal
Hellmouth. 

Ooo, I like that, 'Personal Hellmouth'. Going to have to remember
that one.
**

We leave the house behind. I mark it in my memory with a mental note
to return one night with a can of gasoline. Burn it to the ground,
just ..all of it. Leave nothing behind, nothing to remain as a
landmark to my..yes..yes..daughter is the right word..my daughters
pain. The people inside are just as responsible for this tragedy as
those we hunt right now. Restitution demands payment. 
	
I believe Churchill said it best. 'For Evil to truimph it requires
only that good men do nothing.'

Come now Giles, I mentally chide myself, you cannot really expect to
burn someone's house down, possibly put their entire family in dire
peirl just to satisfy your baser insticts. Just because they were
cowardly wretches who no doubt listened to the screams of a girl lost
and did nothing. Just because these are the people me and mine have
risked our lives, our very souls to protect. No, I couldn't do
anything so rash. 

'Ah,' I hear Ripper. 'But I can.'

Oh..well..yes..yes that is true I suppose.

**

"You know they probably heard everything."

I look up from my musing to see Spike strolling next to me. 

"The people in the house where Red was..um?entertained. They
probably heard everything. Didn't do lickity though. Typical humans.
Shame really, maybe could have prevented the whole thing." 

He shrugs. "Guess we'll never know now. Hey Xand-Man, where ya goin'?

I glare over my shoulder at him. "Why to sell some girl scout cookies
Spike-Baby."

He reaches over and lazily hoists me off the ground with one hand.
"Cool yer' jets Harris. They'll get what's comings to them. In
fact.." His features shift and all pretense at humanity he has are
just..we call it a vamps 'Game Face' but it's not really a funny
game. I'd actaully like my money back. Please.

"Payback's a bitch!" he says through his fangs. 

"And just how will you, oh Chippified one, be able to enact said
payback?" I mumble, I am painfully aware that my toes are a good six
inches off the ground. 

"A temporary condition I assure you." Spike says and drops me,
resuming his normal appearence. He sounds somewhat grumpy all of a
sudden, like his fun time didn't go as he had hoped. 

Good.

I look at Buffy and Willow. The Buffmiester has one arm around
Willow's waist, can't hear what she's saying, it could be nothing,
could be everything...so long as it distracts Willow. Don't let her
see, don't let her feel. I suppose that's an all right thing, no it
is an all right thing. 

Still can't help but feel a little left out again though. When did I
lose base with them anyway? High school? They're roomates now so I
guess there is something about living with someone that I can't
compete with..not that we're competing. 

My place is here, at the front. Right, I can believe that. The
avenging male warrior going out to see the things done wrong put
right. That's me, the ..already used warrior..and avenger..the
um..Neanderthal.

Oh man.
**

The scent is very clear now. Leads right to where I thought it would.
A little, nothing, ramshackle hole-in-wall establishment. Only one
actual window, the others are borded over, a flurry of neon signs
outside all of them having at least one burnt out letter. A large
number of moterbikes out front with women of 'questionable origins'
hanging all over them.

It's like coming home. 

"In there." I point.
Buffy, hey she actually managed to pry herself away from the Witch;
funny I didn't see anyone with a crowbar, comes up beside me. 

"You sure?" She asks.

"Positive. The scent backtracks here from the ..place. Returns here
too. Seems, whoever they are, had a little something to drink, sought
out some 'entertainment' and came back to 'relive the highlights' I'd
wager."

"They still there?"

"No scent to say otherwise."

She reaches up and pats me on my head. "Good boy, Scooby."

Being characteristicly the modest chap that I am let it pass over me
though I will confess images of slayer corpses in various states of
decompensition do swim invitingly in front of my eyes. Instead of
giving in to the urge to snarl, just this once, I simply look at her
with raised eyebrows.

"Biscuit?"

"What?" She looks confused now.

"I want a biscuit. You said 'good boy' now, give me a biscuit."

"I uh..don't have a biscuit." From behind I can hear Red give a small
giggle. She is a strong lass in't she? 

"Fine then." I say striding toward the entrance. "You're buying the
beer."

I enter ahead of them in case the crowd at the door gets a
little?uppity. What timing, it would seem one of women of unsure
morals has damaged the zipper on her leather vest. The rest seem to
be distracted, a perfect entrance if I ever saw one. 

The inside definetly brings back memories. A well lit bar runs along
one side of the room with several decades of various carving on it's
surface. The liquid in the bottles is probably fatal and the
'bartender' even more so. Despite the lights the corners of the room
are shadowed with the only other light source being the one over the
pool table. It would be remiss to not have a heavy cloud of cigarette
smoke. Any youngling childe would probably pass out from the
overwhemling overload on the senses if the call of so much blood
didn't knock them ass over teakettle first. The fact that I can't
have any of it does make me cranky.

The rest come up behind me, walking in a protective circle with Red
at the center who is again, looking frightened and very pale. One
extreme to the other chippie? You really should settle on a median
and stick with it. 

"Well?" Buffy nudges me. "Where are they?" 

Oh dear. 

She's got that look in her eye that does not bode well for anyone on
the receiving end of her anger. Or anyone in a five mile radius. I
carefully glance downward and see she still is holding hands with the
Witch; a very tight grip, any bit more and Red will be suffering from
not only a broken spirit but a broken hand. 
I lean over and whisper into the Slayer's ear. "First off Summers
this will take a few minutes as there are a hell of lot of
conflicting smells to sort through. Secondly you might want to ease
off on the pressure for Red back there, I'm not quite sure she'd
appreciate having her hand ground to powder."

She shoots me an angry look but lets up the pressure a tad. I think.
I look back at Red and it doesn't look like she's noticed. She's
standing absolutly rigid, eyes really, wide. This is a guess but I
figure if I used my full vampiric strength I might be able to slip a
piece of paper in between her and the Slayer. 
Bringing her here was a bad idea.

"Hey, Red..you in there?" I wave my hand in front of her face and
she blinks a few times. 
"You sure you up to this Red?" I ask again still waving my hand in
her face then, with a speed I cannot help but envy, she grabs my
hand. 

"It's..cold." She whispers.

"Well, yeah..that's because it's dead." 

"Cold and..hard?strong right? Can grow big long talons that can
carve through flesh..right?"

I nod slowly, I can feel Summers's eyes boring into me. This is very
bad.

"That's right Red." I say in what I hope is a soothing tone. Havn't
had to use one in fifty years. "Very strong, very cold and it can and
has done many terrible things in it's history of being attached to my
wrist."

Red just looks at me for a second before letting my hand drop.

"Good." She leans forward and whispers in my ear. "That means it
won't turn into a pillow and try and drown me."

Bloody hell! 
	
The Witch turns back to Buffy. "Can we sit down? My..I'm feeling
kind of tired." 

You're not the only one Red.

"There's a booth over here Wills" Xander says. 

"Not there Harris, it's too far back. That one," And I point to a
booth near the open window. "Air currents will let me find em' fast
too."

"Whatever man, you're the bloodhound."

"You have no idea."
**


It has been many, many years since I was last in an 'establishment'
such as this. Wonderful how quickly it all comes back. Like riding a
bicycle. We ease ourselves into our seats. Buffy and Willow sit
across from us, the two of them doing their utmost to remain in
physical contact at all times. Buffy hasn't said anything since we
left the dorm, except to whisper to Willow and demand results from
Spike, the rest of us may as well not even be here. 

I know where she is right now. What Xander playfully refers to as
'Slayer-Mode'. Everything except what she considers her
responsibility is..outside her scope of caring. If it furthers her
end goals she'll speak aloud but other than that we simply do not
exist. I should speak up, should say how this does not involve her
actual Slayer duties. I would be well within my rights to even insist
she not even be here and instead be out patrolling or researching
some evil. At the very least resting up for whatever ever real
challenge my yet be coming.

I doubt I'd survive the experience.

It doesn't matter much though. I'm where she is too. An empty place
that keeps the waves of?I'm not poetic enough for this. What
matter though is that I can relate to what she is..what everyone is
..not feeling. Better put not allowing themselves to feel. We are all
so far beyond a typical 'Watcher-Slayer' situation. We are family and
one of our family has been injured. Therefore we are acting as a
family, gathering together for support and, going out to ...what was
the line from that horrible movie they made me watch? 'Kick ass and
chew bubblegum. And we're all outta' gum.'

Spike has returned. He's carrying a platter with five empty glasses
and a pitcher of beer. 

"I know, this stuff is probably horrible but help yourselves. It
hasn't killed me yet." 
	
He slides in the seat next to Buffy.

"We're not here to drink Spike!" Xander snaps. 

"True, true." Spike lights up a cigarette and takes a long drag
before continuing. "But other people do, and we stand out bad enough
as it is. So, try and fit in."

"He's right." I say. "We should try and 'fit in' as it were." And I
reach for the pitcher.

"Would yoo like a pint of bitter guvna'?" Spike says doing a
terrible mimicry of a cockny accent. 

I ignore him and pour beer into separate glasses. Xander grabs his
and takes a swallow while Buffy picks up two of the glasses, one for
herself and the other she places in front of Willow. I reach for my
own glass and take sip. Part of my mind absently informs me this is
the worst beer I've ever tasted. The majority of it doesn't care so I
take another sip. 

Buffy hasn't touched her own and Willow is simply looking at the
Slayer's hand clasped in her lap. 
No one says anything. Just sit and wait for Spike to tell us he's
found them.

**

Why are we here? We should be back in the dorm, I should be holding
her and ..and maybe singing her a lulllabye so she can sleep. My mom
knew some wonderful lullabies and she'd sing them to me when I
couldn't sleep, when I was convinced there were monsters under the
bed and they wanted to get me. 

I've fucked up so badly. 

We all know now, and have for some time, that the monsters under the
bed were and are real. I've tried my best to keep them away from my
friends, okay, I've messed up sometimes but this...

Why her? Why someone as innocent and caring as Willow? Why not..why
not me? I could handle it, hell, they wouldn't have gotten a hand on
me..I would have scattered them and ..and..I?

Will not cry..not here. Damnit exercise some control Summers. 

She's looking at me. She's not accusing me with her
eyes?she's..she's..worried about me..
I don't..I don't..deserve her concern. I failed her I should have
been there and now she's hurt and she's worried about me..damnit I
will not cry!

I grab my glass and swallow half of the beer. Eww..that is really
bad tasting stuff.  

She's still looking at me. Guess I'm the staked one now. 

She reaches out with one hand and slowly brushes some of the hair
out my eyes. "It's not your fault." She murmers. I can feel the
others eyes on us and my instinct to run, to just grab Willow and go
through a wall if needed, is almost all consuming. 

I open my mouth to ..to..get her to shut up ..to stop being nice to
me to..to start accusing me or..get her angry or something! Something
I can handle..something I can use to beat myself up with. Something I
deserve but she cuts me off. 

"It's not your fault." She says again before taking my hand, the one
still resting in her lap. "We'll talk about it later."

Now I'm wondering just who might wind up singing lullabies to whom
when this is all over. When did I become the protected one?

"That was a true Hallmark moment."

I really have to kill Spike one of these days.

**

Cold glass is burning into my hand. Hurts a bit but nothing 'The
Xander' can't handle. Nope, no problems here. The problems are over
there. With Willow and Buffy. They're close..too close. Air would
have a hard time getting in with how protective Buffy is being. 

It's not fair. I've known Willow far longer than her, I was there
for Willow for years when it was us against the entire Sunnydale
Youth Population of Doom. We even dated! Alright we were five but
that still counts for something. And now, neither of them are even
looking at me. 

Hey! Over here! That's right!! Friend here..friend me.. Me am good
friend too. Hello!! Anyone noticing me? Bipedal? Dark haired? Known
for a rather bizzare sense of humor and an inability to keep my mouth
shut? Undeniably male?

Of course that's the problem now isn't it. They're not ignoring me
because of who I am, they're ignoring all of us because of what we
are. 

Penile enhanced life forms. 
	
And I don't know who to be angry at. The..er..them because of what
they did, Willow and Buffy for starting to distrust me simply because
of what I have..all right that was nursery school thinking if there
ever was any. What next, I've got an outty?

I think I'll blame the proverbile 'them'. The trust between Willow
and myself, why not add in the whole crew, the bond between the
entire gand has been thrown into turmoil cause of them. 'Cause of
what they did. Soon as Spike finds 'em for us they will no longer be
proverbile. They will merely be 'ex' as in an 'ex-them.' 

Buffy's asking Spike again if he's got which person in this dive are
the ones we want.

He's saying no. 

He's lying. I know I can tell. It's that little smirk he's got. A
little 'whoops' and the corner of his mouth uptilts a good ninty
degrees. Aaannnddd..now he's looking at me..sure..wiggle those
eyebrows Spike..way to be cool. 

Ok, so he knows I know he's lying and that means?I have no idea.
I could tell Buffy ..but that ..probably wouldn't do any good so I
guess I'll sit here and..

Work on my art.

Shit.

**

Caught Harris giving me the hairy eyeball. Guess he know's I'm
fibbing. Course I'm fibbing. I locked onto the prey the second we
walked in the place. I'm just having so much fun right now. 
	
Yes, granted what happened to the chit was a 'real tragedy and
something should never have happened to anyone like her.' I'll agree
with that..something like that shouldn't happen to her. Something
like ME should happen to Glinda, good witch or the South. 

No..that's not fair. She's hurtin'. Poor kid. Hurtin' really bad and
I just can't bring myself to wanna hurt her right now. Wait till
she's happy again.

THEN hurt her.
That'll work.

For now just..lounge back, enjoy the thrill of the hunt and let's
listen in to our boys behind us. 

Yes that's right, they're behind us. 
That's why I wanted this booth. So I could evesdrop maybe pick of a
few pointers.
I'm just kidding.

But I am listening? over the dull drone no one but vampy ears
could pick it up..sometimes it's really good to be dead. 

"?and her eyes, man did you see how big they got when I.."
	
"I hear ya and what about?"

"? God that was the best! Sure screamed a lot though."

"Gonna have a headache for a week. Still, that was a kick ass time
no?"

"Indeed man. Too good to pass up a second time."

"Say what?"

"I know of her man, on the campus? I know where she lives.."

"Yeah?so?"

"We could pay her a visit?few nights from now..never expect it."

"Mmm..nah..nah..too risky."
"I'd risk anything to get my hands on those?"

"Alright, alright you talked me into it."

"Pussy."

"Shut up and buy the beer."

"Spike?Spike?SPIKE!!"

I snap back.. Summers is poking me on the shoulder. "What?" I growl.

"You were going vampy you moron." She snarls back. 
	
She's right. I can feel my fangs receding, damn don't tell me ..I
was getting angry again. 
Alright ..so I was getting angry, big deal. Those two went into my
territory. Everyone knows that Buffy and Co. are mine. So you touch
what's mine I rip off the offending limb off and beat you to death
with it. 

I have got to lay off the movies.

It's not like I care or anything. 

"They're behind us." 

"What? It took you this long to figure out they were behind us?"
Buffy challenges me.

"He knew where they were the second we got here." Giles now.
Great..gang up on ol'Spikey time. 

"Then why?"

"Because he was probably getting off listening in to em', laughing
his dead-white ass off I'll bet." Xander. Boy's sharper than he
looks. 

I turn my head to see Buffy's blue eyes carving into my own. If
looks could kill..I wouldn't notice.
Willow isn't even looking at us though. One hand still holds the
Slayers own in a death grip while with the fingers of her other hand
she's tracing the loops and whirls of various carvings in the
tabletop. 

"You're a pig Spike." Summers gets out through clenched teeth.

"Hey now Baby, they're right to a point. I did know where they were
and I did listen in..normally I would happily confess to enjoying
anything they might have had to share. I'm a BAD GUY, Slayer..I would
think you might understand what that means by now. However this is
not 'regular' circumstances and I was not 'getting my jollies'
either." 

I hunch forward and bring my face mere centimeters from the Slayer's
ear. 

"I listened, " I whisper..I can smell her breath..hear it shuddering
in and out of her lungs, she's hanging with less of a threat than Red
back there. Hmm..wheels within wheels. "I listened because it will
make them taste that much sweeter when we carve out their hearts." 

I pause.

"I listened to feed my anger."

She turns into my gaze and our eyes lock again. I can see the sparks
dancing between us but I'm not fool enough to think these are some
twisted form of attraction. These are sparks that will one day ignite
and annhilate us both.

"And is your anger full?" She says back just as quietly.

I lean back out of the challenge and shrug. "I suppose." I say
before grinning. 

"We'll wait for them outside then." She announces to the group. 

Harris and the Watcher simply nod before sliding out of the booth, I
turn to see Summers again staring at me. Of course..she wants me to
move. 

I entertain the thought of ignoring her but..no..I've had my fun.