"You looking for a fight slayer?" A voice growled behind her, "Well we can oblige you."

Buffy whipped around to see two vampires behind her. These two were obviously not newly risen and they looked to have been working together for a long time. She smiled and raised her stake, "Bring it on."

The three of them closed for the fight, Buffy throwing the first punch, knocking the smaller one back. The larger vamp growled low in his throat and open palmed stuck her on her chest, knocking her back into the tombstone that she was just sitting on. When she rolled off it to get to her feet, a small part of her mind noted the crack that ran through the stone. "Can you guys have some respect for the fellow dead?" She taunted, trying not to show how much her lower back hurt. "I mean, it's always 'let's go to the graveyard for a fight.'" Don't you think the dead would rather we take this elsewhere?"

The two of them growled and rushed her. Trading blows, it seemed that neither Buffy nor the two vamps could get a killing shot. Jumping up in the air, the smaller one managed to kick her, knocking her back into the same tombstone which shattered when she hit it. Gamly trying to hide how much that hurt, Buffy pushed herself to her feet, wincing in agony, "Look at what you did. You are gonna have to pay for that."

"Put it on my tab." He growled back, readying himself for the fight. Again the three of them closed, the vamps could tell that Buffy was hurt and they smelled her blood, coppery and sweet, in the air. It was driving them crazy, wanting to taste the Slayer's blood. Buffy, on the other hand, was starting to weaken and her back was on fire. In a surprise move, the bigger vamp did a spinning leaping kick and knocked Buffy down to the ground. The smaller one grabbed her hands and the taller one her feet, effectively pinning her to the ground. "Look what I got." He taunted. "I think I will just have a little taste."

Buffy watched in horror as the vamp leaned down, game face on. Oh my God, I am so going to die she thought, bucking her body wildly in an attempt to dislodge the two vampires. They both tightened their grips til she could no longer move and she quelled the scream rising as the vampire nuzzled her neck, much like Spike used to do. The vamp grinned and allowed one of his teeth to graze her neck, making a small cut that he licked. "Slayer, you taste so good." He growled in her ear. Why didn't he bite me she wondered as he pulled his head back. "I bet you are wondering why you are still alive. Well, there is a friend coming to town and we are the messenger. Prepare yourself, Slayer, the end of your world is coming soon." He rubbed his hand over the cut on her neck, smearing the blood over his fingers before fastidiously cleaning her neck with his tongue. The two vampires leapt off her and disappeared into the night.

Buffy laid there for a full minute. The rain started and she just laid there, shivering at the close call she just had. Finally, she dragged herself to her feet and started the walk home.

"Did you deliever the message?" The man asked from the shadows on the old warehouse. It wasn't the safest place in the world to be, she knew where it was after all, but they were moving soon.

"Yes, I told her exactly what you told me." The smaller vampire answered. The man stepped out of the shadows for the first time. The two other vampires almost leapt back in surprise, not having seen Spike in forever and certainly not on the side of evil. "Spike," the smaller one stammered, "We thought you were dust man."

Spike sniffed the air, "Yeah, well, I'm not dead yet. And I'm not dust either." That smell in the air was so familiar, he could almost taste it. "You tasted the Slayer." He said, voice flat with accusation, face morphing in fury.

The fury coming off Spike was enough to make both vamps take a step back, "Just a taste, Spike."

"I trust you didn't kill her." He glared at the two vampires as they shook their heads, "Good. Now you made her aware of her vulnerability. Now I can step in and drive her insane."

"Don't you me 'we,' Spike?" Willow asked, pouting, as she came down the stairs, completely encased in skin tight leather again. "You did promise that I could taste the Slayer as well, especially if I was a good girl."

The two other vampires gaped at Willow, the larger one finding his voice first, "But you, you are one of the Scoobies."

Willow's face morphed into game face and she punched the vampire that spoke, "Don't ever call me that." She snarled, reaching for a stake to finish him with. Seeing that Willow was going to kill the vampire, Spike caught her arm a split second before she would have finished the other vampire. She looked at him mutineously and snarled, "Spike, let go of my arm."

"Come on pet," he said, using his free hand to caress her neck, "Let him go, love."

She twisted against him, eyes turning black with magic, "Spike, let me go. Now."

Taking his other hand, Spike gripped both of Willow's arms and whipped her around. Pulling her against his body, he murmered into her ear, "He didn't know love. If he does it again, you can kill him." Lowering his head, he kissed her hard enough to draw blood from her mouth, hands digging into her arms. Willow slid her hands up his shirt and raked her nails down his back, growling low in her throat. Spike laughed and picked her up, slinging her over one shoulder before turning to the other two, "You two might want to leave while I have her under control." Turning, he ran up the stairs and slammed the door.

Anemone - Chapter 5 - Assemblage