For The Love Of Spike
Chapter 3
As soon as Spike and Katherine walked into his loft, Spike took off his jacket, turned to Katherine, and wrapped his hand around her throat, pinning her to the wall.
"Now, what was this about you being a Slayer?" he asked softly. Her eyes were wide with surprise, and filling with fear. Spike growled softly in disgust and dropped her.
"Answer the question."
Katherine rubbed her throat for a moment, then said, "It's true. I am a Slayer. But," she added as Spike started towards her menacingly, "I'm a renegade. I have rejected the other Slayers and their friends, and I hate Angel for how he treated you. But I love all vampires, including you."
Spike narrowed his eyes. "How do I know this whole 'change me, Spikie,' thing isn't a game? How can you prove to me that you're playing with a full sack?"
Katherine smiled. "Try me. Change me, now."
Spike smiled himself, slowly. "Alright then."
The next day, when Spike returned from his "morning" meal, he found Katherine sitting up in his bed, where he'd put he after the change. She was looking around, confused. As he walked in, she looked up at him.
"What's going on? Where am I?"
Spike put his hands in his pockets. "You're in my loft, my home. How are you feeling?"
Katherine blinked slowly. "Thirsty. Or hungry. I think both."
Spike nodded. "I'll let you feed on me, just this once, until you're back to normal. People are often disoriented after the change." He sat next to her on the bed, rolled up his cuff, and held out his wrist.
Katherine looked confused for a moment, then took his arm in both hands, pulling it to her mouth. Spike hissed softly at the bite, then relaxed. He was relieved that she had gotten her strike right on the first time. Most new vampires missed, then gnawed until they could open a vein.
"When you're strong, we'll kill the Slayers. And Angel. And make this whole bloody town into a graveyard," he said, stroking her hair with his free hand. He spoke softly, knowing that new vampires had sensitive powers, including hearing. And he was feeling strange again - something was close, hovering...he continued. "It's our right."
Katherine looked up, satisfied. "Okay."
Spike rose, rolling down his cuff. "I'd like to take you around town, get you into my local haunts, so you can get in yourself later. Are you feeling up to it?"
Katherine rose as well. She was wearing a shirt she'd borrowed from Spike immediately after the change, one that barely reached her legs, and nothing else. Spike tried to concentrate on her face.
"I feel fine. Get it?" She giggled, and began to sing the Beatles tune.
"Um, yeah. I get it. Do you always break into song, or is it just that you're flustered in the head?" Katherine shrugged. Spike rolled his eyes in resigned amusement, then pulled on his black leather duster jacket. "Let's go. We'll go to your dressing room at the Bronze first, so you can get your stuff there. Ready?"
Katherine nodded, giving up her song. She skipped out the door Spike held open.
Spike chuckled softly and followed to carry her across the wet pavement to his car.
Spike followed Katherine into her dressing room, then stopped right behind her, right as she gasped.
The entire room was in shambles. Her vanity was overturned, the contents strewn. The closet light was on, and all of the clothes on the floor. The couch was shredded, its cushions at strange angles. An on the cracked vanity mirror, written in red lipstick, were the words, "I'm your only pet."
"What happened here? Why did they do this?" Katherine bent to pick up a black stiletto heel.
"Drusilla," Spike said grimly. "It looks like a jealousy routine. She found out about you, probably from Angel. And she wants you dead."
"So Angel is out?" Spike nodded, examining the damage. "Great. And I don't care if she wants me dead. She can't touch me, certainly not with you near me."
Spike looked at her. "Yes, she can. She's stronger than she ever was, and really brassed off, from the looks of it. I'll do my best to protect you, but I can't be there all the time, and I can't make guarantees about anything."
Katherine looked unhappy. "Then I guess we should clean up and get my stuff?" She sounded unsure of what action they should take.
"There's nothing else to do," Spike agreed, and they started on the mess.
Chapter 4