Spike threw his cigarette to the floor and extinguished it with his heel.  Fists clenched, he tilted his head to the side, assessing the situation. 

Fuck it.

With a growl he leapt at Doc.  Easily, the small suit-clad man with the deceivingly benevolent eyes stepped to the side.  Spike landed with an ungraceful splat, splitting his head open in the process.  As he painfully attempted to stand, blood began to trickle down his cheek.

Doc smiled.  "William, William, William.  When will you learn, my friend?  You can’t hurt me."

"I’m. Not. Your. Bloody. Friend."

"Semantics, William.  Technically, we play for the same team."

"Not anymore," Spike growled.

"What about the homeless man, William?  You killed him fairly recently."  Suddenly, Doc was right behind Spike, whispering in his ear.  "Did he taste good?"

Spike attempted to swing at the man, but again he failed to connect.  With Doc, he always failed.

Doc laughed with casual malevolence.  "As amusing as your paltry attempts to kill me are, that’s not my real purpose here.  My real purpose is to watch you die.  Ms. Petrovich can hardly contain her excitement."

On cue, Lena Petrovich shot Spike an eager smile.

"Oooh.  Big words, little man."  Buffy raised the crossbow that Xander had brought into the shop.  "But I wonder how chatty you’ll be with an arrow through your throat."

"Go ahead, Slayer.  Try it."  Impassively, he considered Buffy as she fired.

He didn’t move.

The arrow diverted its course in mid-air and whizzed ineffectually by his head, lodging itself firmly in the wall.

Doc smiled.  "See, I told you.  Nothing you can do now, girl."

Buffy’s eyes widened.  Her dream.  Doc had said that in her dream!

"You can’t hurt me, not anymore.  Not now.  You have your friend Spike to thank for that."

Doc’s eyes turned pure black.  He smirked and turned towards Dawn.  "Hello, Dawnie.  Still here, huh?  No thanks to me."  Slowly, he walked towards her.

Panic choked Spike.  Not Little Bit.  Not again.  "Get away from her!  It’s me you want." 

Dawn began to shake as Doc lovingly cupped her face in his hand.  "So much potential," he mused.  "Too bad it was wasted."

With a primal cry, Buffy flew towards the creature, aiming a lethal kick at his head.

She missed.

In the blink of an eye, Doc was across the shop.  "No dice, Slayer.  Nice form, though."

"You want Spike?  Then you’ll leave us alone?"  Xander met Doc’s pupil-less eyes with grim determination.

Doc nodded.

"He’s all yours."  Xander motioned towards the vamp.  "Go on.  Take him."

"Xander!"  Dawn shrieked his name in dismay. 

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?"  Buffy hissed.

"Mr. Harris, it’s interesting that you’re so intolerant of William, yet you are marrying an ex-vengeance demon with far more dead bodies to her credit.  Very interesting indeed.  You intrigue me."

Xander forgot about Spike.  "How do you know so much?  How do you know about Anya?"

"Mr. Harris, Anya and I are old acquaintances, aren’t we dear?"  Doc winked playfully at Anya.

Desperately, Anya turned to Xander.  "Xander, I don’t--I didn’t--I . . ."

Xander’s rage bubbled over.  "You bastard!  How dare you?"  He rushed towards Doc and connected with a swift uppercut. 

Doc took a step backwards and touched his tongue to his now bleeding mouth.  "You’re full of surprises, Mr. Harris.  I genuinely didn’t see that coming."  Raising one hand, he chanted under his breath.  Xander flew against the wall, slumping into unconsciousness.  "But ultimately, Mr. Harris, you can’t defeat me either."

Buffy sidled up to Willow.  "Willow, I think it’s time for a spell."

Willow shook her head.  "No, Buffy.  I don’t do magic anymore."

Doc smiled.  "Yes, Willow, why don’t you tell your friends why you’ve sworn off the black arts?"

Willow’s mouth opened and closed in shock.  "How?  What?"

"I loved that forgetting spell you did on Tara.  I admire your craft.  C’mon.  I’d like to see you work.  Give it a try."

Willow’s eyes flashed black before she dissolved in tears.  "I can’t.  I just can’t.  I might.  I--Oh God."  Sobbing, she collapsed to the floor.

"Two down, just a few more to go."  Doc’s head turned at an unnatural angle.  In this grotesque position, he considered Lydia.  "Dr. Higginbottom, I presume?  Nice of you to make it.  I’m surprised you’re not doing your job, though.  Isn’t the Council supposed to eradicate the vampiric threat?  Or is William here excluded for some reason?"   He approached Lydia.  "Does he get a free ride, just because he’s a good lay?"

"I--didn’t--I never--I . . . "  Lydia stammered uncomfortably, the colour rising in her cheeks.

Doubt filled Buffy.  Unbidden.  Unwanted.  But it was still there.  Had they?  First the homeless man, now this.  Could she ever trust a soulless vampire?  Wouldn’t it just be better for everyone if he went away?

"Buffy."  Spike met her eyes.  "I didn’t . . . "

"Blah, blah, blah.  Time’s a-wasting, kiddos.  William, I think you’ve lost her now.  Best just come with me.  Hey, you can hang out in one of my hell dimensions, tortured for an eternity.  You’d like that, Lena?  Would that be sufficient punishment for what this monster did to your family?"  Doc gushed overdramatically.

Lena nodded grimly.

"After that eternity is over, you’ll be more than ready to have a bit of fun.  And I know just the fun you like, William.  Murder.  Mayhem.  Destruction.  Chaos.  My specialties!"

"So that’s what this is about, mate?  Revenge?  Recruiting new talent?"

Doc shrugged.  "Yeah.  Well, that and the chaos.  It was great playing with all of you.  You were all so easy to lead astray.  But humans usually are."

"Buffy."  While Doc goaded Spike Lydia pulled Buffy behind the counter.  "I think I’ve figured it out, who he is, how to defeat him."

"I don’t know if I can trust you."  Buffy whispered in Lydia’s ear.  "What if . . . "

"That’s exactly what he wants.  What he does.  Divide and conquer.  He is darkness.  He is evil.  He is chaos."

Buffy’s eyes widened as Lydia continued.

"He is the inverse of good, the ruler of demons, the ultimate authority of all hell dimensions."

"That’s why he was so excited about starting up hell on earth.  I get it now."

"The reason you and Spike can’t hurt him is because you’re demons yourselves."

"I’m not--"

"You’re contaminated, Buffy."

"That’s why Xander could hurt him.  He’s normal."  Buffy looked over at Xander, still slumped against the wall.  He stirred slightly.  "But Xander won’t be enough, will he?"

"He can’t really be defeated, he can only be driven away.  And you, as the ultimate champion of the forces of goodness, should be the one to beat him into submission, but unfortunately . . ."

"The vamp blood."

"Yes.  I think that’s the problem."

"But I drank from Dracula before, and I was able to throw Doc off the tower."

"Hmmm."  Lydia’s eyes brightened.  "Wait.  Perhaps it’s about the balance.  A little bit of vampiric blood won’t cause a problem.  But the amount you have in your system now . . ."

"It might be too much."

"Yes.  Perhaps if Spike could partially drain you . . ."

"No.  Absolutely not.  Not after what he did to the homeless guy.  He lied to me.  He said he didn’t kill him.  Both Xander and Doc said . . ."

"I wouldn’t trust what the Dark One says.  And Xander might not have accurate information."  Lydia clasped one of Buffy’s hands.  "Buffy, it’s the only way."

More images from her dreams, her erotic nightmares, flashed before her eyes.

"Your power is rooted in darkness."

"Slayerrr."

"Slayer."

"What should I do, Slayer?"

"Take me."
"As you wish, pet."

Buffy knew what she had to do, what Spike had to do.  The question was, how could she distract Doc long enough to do it?

Willow.

Buffy watched as Spike swung again at Doc, provoking another fit of laughter from the demon king as he easily dodged the blow.  Doc was just taunting Spike now.  Taking his time, having fun.  Big ego much? But that oversized ego could be useful.

"Willow."  Buffy put her arm around the distraught witch’s shoulders.  "I really need you to do something for me.  I promise it won’t be bad."

"No magic.  No.  No.  No."  Willow sobbed and shook her head.

"Keep your voice down, Will.  Just one spell.  It won’t hurt anyone.  Do you think you could contain Doc and Lena in some kind of shield thingy?  Just for a few minutes?  I think I know why I can’t hurt Doc, and I need the time."

Willow sniffled.  "Just a containment spell?  That’s it?"

"That’s it, Will.  I promise."

Willow nodded reluctantly.  "I-I’ll do it.  But this is the last time.  I mean it, Buffy.  Don’t ask me again."

"OK.  OK.  Try it now!"  Buffy saw Doc fling Spike away from him like a rag doll.  "Now, Will!  Now!"

Willow drew a deep breath.  "Imprison!"  The power rushed from her in waves, leaving her exhausted, decimated.

Doc’s hands felt the invisible shield form in front of him.  "Impressive, witch.  But how long will it last?"

"Long enough."  Buffy spat defiantly.  "Spike!  Come here!  Hurry!"

Spike limped towards the Slayer.  "What is it?"  His eyes filled with pain.  "Time to give me over, huh?"

"No.  Stop it.  We don’t have time for that.  I need you to drink me.  Drink my blood.  It’s the only way."

"Slayer!  What the bloody hell are you thinking?  I’d never --I can’t--No!"

"You have to.  It’s why I can’t fight him.  The demon blood in me.  The vampire blood.  Your blood.  I need it gone."

"But you’ll be weak, pet.  You won’t be able to fight."

"He’s evil.  I’m the champion of good.  I’m the only one who can do it.  Weak or not, it’s our only chance."

"Slayer--Buffy."  Spike’s voice broke.  "I don’t think I can . . ."

Buffy kissed him softly.

Spike’s eyes flooded with unshed tears.  When he finally spoke, his voice was deep and gravelly.  "What do you want me to do?"

"Just do it Spike!  Take me."  Buffy tilted her neck towards him.

Gently, Spike caressed her face as the demon emerged.

"As you wish."

GO TO PART TWENTY-FIVE