Gods And Monsters

Chapter Seventy-four:

Hel indulged in a quick shower, then joined the Scooby gang in the living room and stood by the round table piled high with ancient texts. She was painfully bored after only a few minutes, regretting her decision.

Spike arrived mere moments later, leaning against the door jamb. He saw her before he saw anything else in the room.

His eyes raked along her body, starting at the loose black curls that fell freely down her back and moving downward from there. Her arms were crossed, folded under her breasts. She wore a black satin, spaghetti-strap camisole with tiny buttons down the front and a low, lace-trimmed neckline. The hem was tucked into the high waist of black leather trousers that clung to her legs and hips like a second skin. The pair of wedge-heeled, black leather sneakers laced up on her feet added about an inch to her height.

In his periphery vision, he noticed her watching him. In spite of knowing he had been caught, his eyes took their sweet time trailing back up to meet her gaze. Spike held her stare boldly, raising an eyebrow as if issuing an unspoken challenge.

Hel raised a daring eyebrow in return. Then, she turned and strode away from the group, through the opening that led into the kitchen.

He followed her from the room, cornering her in the narrow corridor connecting the front foyer to the kitchen. "Just out of curiosity, exactly how much longer are we gonna continue ignoring what happened the other night?"

She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face him. "I don't know what you mean."

He took one step closer and she took one step in reverse, her back bumping against the wall. He braced one hand beside her head, his fingers splayed flat and his arm forming a barricade. "We kissed, Hel."

She made the grave mistake of breathing deeply, and inhaled in his distinctive, familiar scent. Subtle, but thoroughly intoxicating. It made her want to bury her face in the crook of his neck and inhale deeply, to taste his skin and feel his hands on her.

Hel swept a stray strand of dark hair out of her eyes with one hand. "It didn't mean anything. I was bored. You were a distraction. The sooner you accept that, the better." The lie rolled off her tongue with incredible ease. Deception had always been one of her strong suits, a skill she inherited from her father. "It won't happen again."

"We both know that's not true, luv." Spike countered, not be so easily dismissed.

She rolled her eyes at his arrogance. "Don't hold your breath."

"You know I'm right."

"Are you always so full of yourself?"

"Yes."

She rested both hands defiantly on her hips. "You're wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"I don't think so." He whispered hoarsely, his blue eyes burning into her own.

God, that voice of his... That voice did things to her. Unspeakable things.

Her resolve, though weakened, held steadfast. Hel stared right back at him, standing her ground, and kept her lips sealed.

"Tell me the truth." He crooned, his gaze flickering down to her lips and back up to her eyes. He leaned in closer, aligning his head with hers. His lips brushed against the pale column of her slender throat, and Spike could feel her pulse racing beneath his lips. "No more games." He breathed.

"Or what?" She muttered, feeling as though her very knees were about buckle under his seductive influence.

"Or—"

"Sorry, am I interrupting something?" Came Xander's familiar voice. 

Spike immediately dropped his arm, backing away from her. "I had a muscle cramp. Uh... Hel was helping."

"You had a muscle cramp? In your... Pants?" Xander inquired sceptically.

"What? It's a real thing."

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Hel slipped past Spike and disappeared into the kitchen.

Before Spike could follow her, Xander grabbed his arm and brought him to a halt. "Tell her." He stage-whispered.

Spike frowned at him in confusion. "Tell her what?"

"You know what."

When Spike continued to stare blankly and say nothing in reply, Xander sighed.

"Tell her that you're in love with her, and that you always have been. Tell her that there's no point in wasting time, because things happen and then it's too late."

Spike scoffed, "She doesn't love me. She's not that stupid." On that dismissive note, he swaggered away with characteristic disregard.