Spike’s fangs plunged into Buffy’s neck and tentatively he began to drink.  He used to dream about this.  Now it was a nightmare. 

Buffy cried out in pain.

"Love, you OK?"  Spike withdrew his fangs. 

Buffy nodded and clenched her teeth.  "Spike, just do it.  We don’t have much time!"

Spike drank.  Buffy’s heartbeat rang in his ears.  The familiar feeling of intoxication, of bloodlust, began to take over.  His blood mixed with the Slayer’s.  A heady combination. 

Pleasure rushed through Buffy.  It didn’t hurt anymore.  Her toes began to feel numb.  Her arms were heavy.  Spike was so close.  He was inside her now, a part of her.  So peaceful.

Spike heard her heart slow.  Part of him wanted to finish, wanted to continue, wanted to consume her completely, wanted to drink. 

Buffy’s mouth curved in a languid smile.  "Mmmmmmm."

"No!"  Spike roughly pushed Buffy away.  "No."  He wiped his mouth guiltily.  He saw horrified faces.  Doc snickered.  Xander shakily got to his feet and attempted to make his way towards Spike.

"Now I’m really gonna kill you."

Spike shook his head, his voice barely a whisper.  "She asked me to, she asked me to, she asked me to."  The words ran together, mantra-like. 

"Xander,"  Buffy croaked, rising to a standing position.  She swayed for a moment, but then regained her balance.  "Stop.  I asked him to.  It was the only way."

"She asked me to, she asked me to, she asked me to."  Spike still whispered the words, under his breath.

Buffy put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  "Let’s get some weapons from the training room."

Spike didn’t answer.  "She asked me to, she asked me to, she asked me to."

"Spike," Buffy spun the vampire to face her.  "I need you.  Now."  Quickly, she turned to Xander.  "Xander, watch Doc."  Spike followed Buffy, trance-like, into the training room.

Doc had seen the blood-sucking action and his countenance registered concern.  He tested the shield.  Still there.

Lena Petrovich began to hyperventilate.  "Oh God!"  Watching Spike feed had brought back the memories of her parents’ death in graphic detail.  "Oh God!"  She dissolved in sobs.

"Shut.  Up."  Doc backhanded her.  She landed outside the shield’s perimeter with an unpleasant crunch.  No more shield.  Doc smiled cruelly and moved towards Dawn.  "I hate whining, don’t you?"

Xander moved to intercept him.  "Don’t try anything again, Doc, or I’ll . . ."

"You’ll what?  Punch me again?  Unpleasant, but that won’t exactly do the job, Mr. Harris."

"But maybe this will."

Buffy appeared in the door, large flamethrower in hand.  Spike followed with additional weaponry: a crossbow and a large lethal-looking axe.  "So, Doc.  I was thinking. You like hell so much?  Why don’t you go there?"

She fired.

Flame engulfed Doc.  "Nooooooo!"  Spinning around, he set the wooden counter of the store alight.  Then the display cabinet.  He seemed intent on doing as much damage to the shop as possible.  Then he did the unthinkable.  He grabbed the still-unconscious Lena Petrovich with one hand.  "Fancy some more innocent blood on your hands, Slayer?"

Buffy took a step towards Lena, trying to save her, trying to stop him.  Her head began to swim.  Suddenly, she felt a hand on her arm, supporting her.  Through blurry eyes, Buffy watched as the flames traveled up Lena’s arm.  Lena regained consciousness just as her blouse caught on fire.  Her shrieks filled the shop.

Xander grabbed a fire extinguisher and desperately tried to put out the fire, but she  continued to burn.  Finally, the screams stopped.  Lena was burned beyond recognition.  Dead.

Doc laughed and gestured with a fiery hand.  "It only hurts a little, Slayer.  You can do better than that."

Buffy shook her head and her vision cleared.  Her eyes glinted coldly.  "You bet I can." 

Spike handed her the axe and she swung at the demon king’s head.  With one stroke it fell to the ground.

Xander quickly extinguished the fire on the now immobile body.  The eyes--the only part of Doc’s face that was completely intact--rolled upwards, seeking Buffy.  His mouth worked for a moment before he spoke in grotesque parody of a voice, "You get an ‘A’ for effort, girl.  See you next time!"

Doc’s body disappeared. 

"Xander!  The counter!"

The flames crept dangerously close to Anya as she tried to put them out using Spike’s old blanket.

Xander sprayed it down thoroughly, and smoke filled the shop.

Completely devastated.  That’s how it looked.  That’s how they felt.

Gently, Buffy lifted Lena’s burned head, a tear leaking from her eye.  "I’m so sorry."

Spike dropped the crossbow he had been holding and watched Buffy cry.  Without a word, he left the shop.

GO TO PART TWENTY-SIX