Gabrielle approached Giles’s front door slowly, quietly, careful not to make any unnecessary sounds. They won’t suspect a thing until it’s too late. She had a can of mace in her pocket with the name of anybody who got in her way written on it in big bloody letters. Smiling to herself with wicked glee, the Spike Girl took out her new lock-pick kit and prepared to earn the Lettuce King’s freedom . . .
And almost died when she found the front door completely unlocked. Okay, Giles just went from flaky to stupid. When she entered the house, Gabby was shocked to see Spike sitting in front of the television, scowling at the screen. There was no sign of any kind of restraining device. I was hoping for some chains... “Why the bloody hell isn’t anything on?” he wondered out loud.
“Spike?” Gabby whispered, afraid Giles might hear her voice and try to interfere. Sure, he’s no match for a Spike Girl, but why ask for the annoyance?
Spike’s beautiful gray eyes turned on her and she felt her knees turn to jelly. “’Ello, Pet! How’d you get in ‘ere?”
“The front door was unlocked. Come on!”
“Well, that’s not safe. I could’ve bloody gotten killed by some lunatic or something!” He sounded indignant. And completely unaware of the point.
“Spike, c’mon, we’ve got to get out of here. Now! Quick, before Giles comes back and… Why aren’t you moving?” she asked in an exasperated tone. Even with Spike’s godlike beauty, Gabrielle was beginning to get frustrated.
He stood and shifted uncomfortably from foot-to-foot. “Well, Pet, they’re havin’ a Christmas party tonight. You know, to celebrate? It sounded kind of… well, kind of fun.”
“Fun?”
He nodded.
“Hanging out with Giles, watching Xander and Anya make out and having Buffy tease you is fun?”
He nodded again.
Gabrielle sat down on the couch with a sigh. Men! They’re all idiots! “But Spi-ike, I had plans for the evening!” Her piteous tone would have brought the most stoic of heart to their knees. “I was going to rescue you, then we were going to go back to my place and have some fun.” Unconsciously, she stuck out her lower lip in a very becoming pout.
Spike groaned and knelt in front of her, eyes sorrowful and beseeching. “I’m sorry, Pet. You can still rescue me if you like. We can have our very own party.”
“Really?” Her expression brightened considerably and an evil smile crossed her lips. All those years with Dru really trained him well!
“Really.”
Grabbing his hands, she pulled the gorgeous vampire up onto the couch beside her, eyes sparkling. “When will the Slayer and her little friends be back?”
“They’re gettin’ stuff for the party, so it might be awhile. Needed food. And Buffy wanted more tinsel for the tree.” Spike pointed to the lavishly-decorated Christmas tree. “I put on the lights,” he added with no small touch of pride.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“You must’ve worked up quite an appetite, then,” Gabby stated with a smirk.
Taking the hint, Spike pulled her onto his lap. “I’m ravenous.”
Gabrielle tilted her head to one side and unbuttoned the first three buttons of her tight blue shirt. “Then maybe you should have a little snack.”
Spike moaned in frustration, trailing a line of kisses from the base of her throat to her chin. “Luv, you know I can’t bite you! I’m all defanged, remember?”
“I remember, Spike. But why have long nails if you’re not going to use them?” Slowly, deliberately, Gabrielle drew the nail of her index finger across the base of her throat, wincing as a thin line of red appeared. “There. How about now?”
By way of response, the vampire licked the cut clean of blood and put on his game face. “Well, no sense lettin’ a perfectly good wound go to waste.”
When the Slayer and Slayerettes did return an hour later, they found Gabrielle and Spike curled up in front of the Christmas tree, a blanket around their shoulders, both looking very satisfied. Gabrielle turned her head to face the group. Her eyes said plainly, ‘My Christmas present was better than yours.’ “Welcome back. Thanks for taking so long. Merry Christmas!” Suddenly remembering something, she added, “By the way, Giles, you’re out of whipped cream.”