The Art of Immortality by Dusty273

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Chapter 21: Renaissance

Author's Notes: After almost a month I finally finished this chapter, it took me longer than I expected, mostly because I lacked inspiration for it. Against All Odds came to save my muse from disappearing altogether, a welcome reprieve from RL stuff, which seems to finally be getting better. I want to thank each and every one of you who’ve taken the time to read this story, but especially to those who’ve reviewed. Your support, encouragement and patience throughout the story have been the fuel my muse has fed up from and I truly appreciate every one of your words from the bottom of my soul.

Thank you as well to my very lovely sister, IBE, without her this story wouldn’t be half of what it is. Always encouraging me to try my very best, even when I thought I simply couldn’t, even when I felt way over my head with it. I can’t—and never will be able to—thank you enough for that and for everything, cariño. Love you to the end of the universe and back. *hugs you tight* Thank you as well to my adorable friends, Sotia and OKDeanna for being my test readers for parts of this chapter and assuring me it wasn't as bad as I thought it was.

Spike insisted on carrying her all the way back to the house, up the stairs, down the long hallway and finally to his room. Not like she was complaining, because what girl in her right mind would? To be able to feel his strong muscles flex with every move he made while she held on tightly to him, peppering his face and throat with kisses and small bites which made him hiss, moan and quicken his pace was just heavenly. Especially after being so sure she’d lost him for good. He’d come for her, though. And almost totaled the Bentley in the process, too, poor Mr. Giles.

Maybe she overreacted… just a tiny little bit, she rationalized. Still, after everything that happened in his room, after their argument, had he not come up with a grandiose gesture like this she probably wouldn’t have believed him.

She was killing him, as certainly as if she had grabbed a stake and pierced his heart with it. Buffy… the Vampire Slayer. She’d definitely slayed his heart, only in a whole more pleasurable way. His eyes rolled back as she sucked on his throat, intent it seemed on driving him to the brink of insanity.

His grip around her tightened and he swallowed convulsively as he tried to school his ardor, at least until he got them to his room. Not an easy task when all he wanted was to take her right here, right now… Make her his before she came to her senses and changed her mind.

He didn’t deserve her, but couldn’t bring himself to care enough about that at the moment. She wanted to be his and that in itself was a bloody miracle, one he would have to give thanks for everyday of his unlife, for the duration of the life they’d begin together tonight.

Spike took a deep breath as he stopped in front of the door to his room, almost giving in to the temptation of taking her elsewhere. Anywhere, as long as it were untainted by the painful memories from just a short while ago.

She took the decision off his hands when, after relinquishing her mouth’s hold on his earlobe where it had taken residency after wrecking havoc with his throat, she murmured, “Mmmmmm… take me to your bed. Because after tonight, I'm never leaving it… or you, ever.”

How did she know? Was he that transparent? Perhaps to her I am, he thought, an open book for her to read. “Damn right you’re not, saucy minx,” he answered, smirking at her before crossing the threshold.

All his self-assurance vanished as they entered his room, though. At being confronted with what he did. He lowered her to the floor carefully and then took a few steps back, putting his hands inside his pants’ front pockets and looking downwards, while he toed the floor with his shoe.

Her heart skipped a beat at seeing him like that, so… lost, so bereft? “What’s the matter, honey? Are you having… second thoughts?” Please say no, please, please.

“No!” he said firmly, his eyes drifting back to hers, worried he might have given her the wrong expression. “No, never, love. It’s just… I don’t deserve this… you.”

She moved forward, bringing her hand up to caress his jaw while drowning in his blue eyes. “Spike, this is not about deserving, this is about loving. I love you and I hope you love me?” He nodded and she smiled softly at him. “What happened before… it’s in the past and as my mom used to say, there's no use crying over spilt milk.”

He chuckled at that. “I would’ve loved to meet her. She sounds like a wonderful woman, just like her daughter.”

“She would’ve liked you, I’m sure of that.”

“A-and are you sure this is what you want? Because once I claim you… there’s no goin’ back, love.”

“It’s what I want… all I need… to be yours for eternity,” she said in earnest.

“You’re young. You could still change your mind. Eternity is a long time, sweetlin’, I don’t want you to ever regret what we’re about to do.”

“I won’t. I love you and I’m sure of my feelings for you, sure they won’t change. I realize we haven’t known each other for long, but from the moment our eyes met across the gallery, I knew. I just knew you were the one.”

She sounded so sure, so certain of her feelings. Her love for him shining brightly in her eyes, dripping in each and every one of her words and he knew it was possible she felt like that for it’d been the same for him. He’d known then, too, even if he tried to fool himself into thinking he’d be able to give her up when the time came. That all he wanted were memories of her to tide him by for the rest of his unlife. Like those would ever be enough after having her in his arms, after being inside her?

“I'll do everythin’ in my power to make sure you never regret it, either,” he vowed.

“Well, if you’re planning on spoiling me rotten like you did today, I’d say we’re off to a very good start.”

“Every day of our lives if you want.”

“Nah, every once in a while might be nice, but I didn’t like being so far apart from you all day,” she pouted.

He kissed her pout away before saying, “Far be it from me to reject a lady then.” He grinned at her, looking mildly ashamed when she threw him a pointed look.

“I remember you rejecting me not even an hour ago,” she teased, loving to see him squirm.

“That was different.”

“Hah, different my ass.”

Giving her a playful wink, he took advantage of her words to compliment on that fact. “And a very fine arse that is.”

“Just fine?”

“Perfect, just like the rest of you.” He took her in his arms, tilting his head to kiss her. “Perfect for me. My Buffy, my love, mine, all mine… mine.”

She all but melted at his whispered words of possession. “All yours,” she agreed, kissing him back before he pulled away, his eyes locking with hers as his tone grew gravely serious.

“You know what has to take place, don’ you? What you’ll need to do?”

“Yes, I do.” The book had been quite graphic in its depiction of what went on during a mating. And while she had to accept that yes, it made her slightly uneasy to know he had to bite her and she had to bite him in turn, the thought of what it would mean for them overruled most of her nervousness.

“I will try not to hurt you, not to take too much blood. But if I do, if I… can’ control myself, I need you to tell me, kick me, punch me, do whatever is needed… You have to, Buffy. Promise me that you can do that for me, please?” He’d sooner dust than bring any harm to her.

“Yes, I can, but I don’t think I’ll need to do anything of the sort. I trust you,” she answered.

He sighed, hoping he was worthy of that trust. “Alright then, kitten, if you’re sure…”

“I am,” she declared, her eyes shining with love. “Now, what was that you said about repeating some words when we were in a much more… private location, hmmm?”

She started nibbling at his throat again while her hands trailed down his chest to unbutton his coat and vest. He tried to follow suit and lower the zipper of her dress but only managed to get his hands slapped for his efforts. She escaped his grasp with a giggle, shaking her finger ‘no’ while moving away.

“We do this my way, it’s my turn now,” she said, her eyes dancing with mischief as he all but pouted at her retreating form.

“And do I get a turn after?”

“Nope. Not unless I say so.”

Bossy chit, but he could deny her nothing. He should know that by now. So with a nod, he conceded to her wish.

She beamed, approaching him again, relieving him of his bowtie before unbuckling his belt and throwing it aside. Next, she pulled the crisp white shirt from his waistband and slowly, oh so very slowly, unbuttoned it, caressing and kissing every inch of alabaster skin revealed to her eyes with each button. She marveled again at the velvety softness of his flesh and how it contrasted with the hard muscles rippling underneath.

He could barely keep still under her ministrations. Ministrations, he snorted, torture is more like it! Perhaps this was her way of exacting revenge on him for what happened earlier? Because if it was, she’d both chosen and wielded her weapon of torment with deadly precision.

She moved behind him to take the shirt, vest and coat off him in one smooth movement, allowing it to drop to the floor without regard. Her eyes widened appreciatively as they set upon the naked expanse of his back, her hands coasting up and down the strong plains and contours with her fingertips before taking a step closer, rubbing her hardened nipples against him, delighting in the low growls that clawed at his throat.

She was already breathing harder, her heartbeat ricocheting off the roof and the delicious scent of her arousal permeated the air, making him hard as steel. How was he supposed to remain unmoving when she was doing all kinds of wicked things to him?

Her fingers dipped inside his waistband, trailing along as she walked around to face him again, mouth teasing his usually cold skin. Not today, though. She was heating him up in ways he’d never envisioned possible, teasing him to the point of madness.

And yet, he waited. What else could he do?

She popped the button of his trousers open and he held his breath as he waited for her to lower the zipper, to touch him where he was dying to be touched, to put him out of his misery.

Buffy knew exactly what she was doing, how it was affecting him. The huge bulge in his pants, the way his eyes were all but devouring her, the occasional twitch in his jaw, it was all quite obvious. And while she was dying to give him what he wanted, some sense of perverse mischievousness prevailed at the power she held over him. He’d made her wait until he decided it was time, now the tables had turned and she relished in the taunt.

She pushed him towards the bed, making him sit and then kneeling in front of him, took one foot at a time to gently pull off his shoes then socks, making sure she gave him the most tantalizing view of her chest during this slow process.

He swallowed… hard, his mouth suddenly dry as he pondered if he should say to hell with her wish and pounce on her or wait and see what she was planning to do to him. When she stood up, he tried grabbing her but she evaded him with another giggle. Slippery little thing, wasn’t she?

"Bad Spikey,” she pouted. “Just for that, I’ve decided you don't deserve a turn… but you can watch if you like."

She took a few steps away from the bed, swaying her hips enticingly from side to side, her hands trailing up and down her body sensuously before turning and presenting him with her back. She lowered the zipper of her dress, twisting her neck and head around to throw him a smoldering look and a kiss over her shoulder.

Her dress fell to the floor about the same time his jaw hit it as well. The lacy scrap of cloth that barely covered her… assets had him salivating. No, not covered, accentuated. She was truly a work of art and he couldn’t wait until the moment he’d be allowed to touch her, kiss her, drown in her.

He just about came when she turned, though. Only the tremendous control he possessed over himself prevented him from disgracing himself like a pimply teenage boy. The black corset she was using barely covered her nipples, showing more than just a glimpse of the rosy peaks as they protruded impudently over the top of the fabric.

His eyes traveled over her breasts, down to her impossibly tiny waist, lower and lower until he settled on the front of her thong. He gulped… loudly. She truly wanted to kill him; there was no doubt in his mind now. Her panties were almost translucent, providing him with an enticing sight of what lay beneath. His hands itched to touch her, to explore, caress, kiss every crevice, valley and cleft he encountered.

Spike’s reaction, so far, was everything she hoped for and more. His eyes alternated from the deepest shade of midnight blue to the fiery gold of blazing amber, like the deep orange hue of the setting sun right before it disappears. It was quite apparent he could barely keep himself or the demon in check. And that’s exactly how she wanted him to be, on the edge, ready to lose every shred of control, lose himself to her, in her, give every bit of himself to her as she would to him.

She needed him to realize her trust was as infinite as her love. It would take time, though. Time, patience and love for him to finally see she wasn’t afraid. Not of him. Not of anything which might happen between them. She never had been. For as much as she denied the little clues of his true nature until it all exploded in her face, she never denied what he made her feel. She, who ran away from every relationship in her life before him, had finally found what she was looking for when she least expected it. And it was just what she needed, too, someone who could love her and she could love in return, someone who would never leave her… and that someone was Spike.

“So, do you approve my choice of lingerie?”

“’Course I do. Can’ wait to tear them off you as well.” He leered at her, an impish twinkle in his eyes.

“You can’t. With as much money as you spent on these, the least you can do is appreciate them.”

“And believe me, love, I do appreciate them, but I’ll appreciate them a whole lot more when they’re lyin’ on the floor and not hinderin’ my view of your gorgeous body. I’m dyin’ to touch you, drown in your sweetness, conquer every centimeter of you with my mouth, my hands, make you mine in every way possible. Will you let me, love?” he begged.

“Hmmm, depends.” She tried to keep the smile off her face at the shocked look he threw her.

“Depends?” He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her. Had she changed her mind? “On what?”

She approached him then, settling one of her feet over the bed in between his open thighs, running her hand down her body before bending over her middle to give him yet another glimpse of what lay beneath the lacy bodice.

“Well, you have to let me make you mine in every way possible, too. Otherwise it wouldn’t be fair, now would it?” she replied, repeating his words from when they were outside in the car; smiling when she noticed his attention was on anything but what she was saying.

He’d been torn between looking at her lovely breasts or at the golden expanse of naked flesh showcased by the strappy high-heeled sandals. But when she started caressing her calf upwards, her index finger seductively drawing over the crisscross pattern of the straps until she reached the buckle just below her knee, his eyes couldn’t do anything but follow the path her finger was trailing. Then he heard her words and something snapped inside him.

“Eeeeeep!” Buffy squealed when she suddenly found herself on her back pinned under the body of a very aroused vampire. She blinked at him, slightly dazed by the speed in which he subdued her. Small shivers of desire coursed through her body, fanning the fire which kept spreading deep within her, threatening to consume her as she drowned in the blue ocean of his eyes.

He’d been willing to let her set the pace of their loving, but there was only so much teasing a man could endure before he’d self-combust, now wasn’t there?

He lowered his head until their lips were only a breath away. “Vixen! You know perfectly well what you’re doin’ to me, don’ you?” he asked, grinding his hard length against her to show her exactly how much he’d been affected by her playful striptease. “And just so you know, while I don' want anythin’ between us, sweetheart, these…” he purred, his hand moving downwards until he felt the leathery strips underneath his fingertips. “You can definitely keep on.”

He kissed her then, heatedly, passionately, swallowing her heady moans into his mouth; his fingers tugging blindly on the laces keeping her bodice together until her breasts spilled out into his waiting hands. His mouth charted down the slender column of her throat, biting and nipping at her flesh. His lips kept going lower and lower until he captured a turgid nipple between them, his tongue curling around it, nursing, licking and sucking, driving her—and himself—closer and closer to paradise.

She felt every pull of his mouth, every nibble, every caress burning a fiery path to her core, a new gush of liquid coating the already sodden fabric of her panties. Her fingers wound in his hair and her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer as she writhed under him.

“So beautiful. My Buffy, mine,” he stated.

“Y-yours,” she agreed. As if there could be any doubt about that when she was a quivering, trembling mess in his arms, begging him silently to take what was his?

He stood up and quickly disposed of his pants while Buffy moved back to the middle of the bed, getting rid of her corset before beckoning him with her finger and a seductive smile.

Spike crawled towards her, kneeling in front of her when he reached her, taking one dainty foot in his hands and planting wet, open-mouthed kisses up her leg. Once he reached her center, he made a show of inhaling deeply before ripping her panties off her body with a flick of his wrist.

“Gorgeous,” he murmured, entranced by the sight of her before lowering his head to lick her from top to bottom. “Mmmmmmmm,” he moaned in pure rapture as her tangy flavor exploded on his taste buds. She was so wet already, tasted so sweet.

She loved him going down on her, it made her feel… cherished, adored. But as much as she loved it, she desired something else now. The time for playing and teasing and waiting was over, she just wanted him inside her, taking her, branding her as his.

Buffy tugged on his hair and finally managed to make him look at her. “I need you… inside of me, please. I want, I need… you, all of you, right now.”

He didn’t need to be told twice, so with one last kiss to her clit, he moved upwards until they were face to face. “Never let it be said that I don’t give my lady whatever she desires,” he declared with a devilish smirk as he rubbed the head of his cock against her moist folds, coating it with her honey.

She would have answered him… if she could have, but she was too busy concentrating on this moment, committing every detail of every second to memory to be able to think straight. Feeling his erection part her labia, she braced herself as he oh-so-slowly entered her, stretching her inch by agonizing inch until he filled her to the point of bursting.

“Bloody hell… so tight, so warm. Fit me like a glove, you do,” he babbled, mindless with lust.

He stilled once he was firmly encased within her velvety heat, giving her time to adjust to his size, giving himself the time to control his demon’s urge to spill inside her snug channel. It wasn’t time yet, though, he had a lot to give her first, and so much more.

He began rocking against her, leisurely pumping his length in and out of her silken heaven; gradually pulling his thick cock all the way out except for the tip before easing it back in, over and over in the same torturous and unhurried rhythm. Loving the way her walls tightened around him each time he withdrew, the way she locked her legs around his waist, her hips rising in protest whenever he retreated as if wishing to imprison him inside her body. And by God what he wouldn’t give to remain hostage within her scalding depths.

Buffy’s eyes widened with every new rush, every new thrill coursing through her body, swiftly building and building inside of her, even more so when he tilted his hips and changed the angle of his thrusts, hitting her in all the right places. Spots danced in front of her eyes, her inner muscles fluttering without warning, squeezing him as she reached the ultimate pleasure, his name on her lips barely an audible whisper… “William.”

He pulled her upright to sit on his lap, his hands guiding her movements at first before allowing her set the pace of their lovemaking for a bit, not even giving her time to recover before her need started spiraling out of control all over again.

Spike reveled in the little mewling noises she made, in the way her hips ground flush against him, moving in a figure eight pattern. He kept on pumping slowly away as she rippled around him, lowering his mouth to pay homage to her rosy peaks, first one then the other to worship her like the goddess she was.

She never knew, never imagined pleasure like this was possible. It was raw, it was real. It was love in its purest form. Enveloping her, them, in a cloud of overwhelming yearning which grew thicker and thicker with each passing second. Desire coiled and twisted inside her womb, tighter and tighter until it burst in a maelstrom of sensations, of feelings which left her panting, sobbing her release, clinging to him as she begged him to make her his.

He tried to keep up the pace he’d set, but there was only so much restraint he could exercise over himself. And her words, the way her body responded to his, the way she melted around his shaft, pouring all of herself into their loving… it was simply more than he could bear. Pushing her onto her back again, his movements became slightly frantic, more urgent, needing more, giving her more.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled him in every time he pushed away from her, her heels digging on his buttocks every single time; her hands mapping up and down his back; her eyes widening with each new rush that coursed through her body. Her blood boiled inside her veins, calling for him, anticipating the moment it’d mingle with his, when they finally became one. Higher and higher he took her, and just when she thought there was no place left to go, nothing else to reach, he took her above and beyond an invisible barrier to a realm of ecstasy that stole her breath away… Could one die from too much pleasure?

The moist haven of her body felt like home, his home. His and his alone. The hold over his demon slipped further and further away the closer he came to reaching his orgasm. And while before he’d been afraid he wouldn’t be able to keep the creature in check, he now knew his fear was unnecessary. He loved, desired and craved to possess her as his mate with every fiber of his being.

“Mine, mine, mine, mine, MINE!” he chanted as he thrust in and out of her, his demon coming to the forefront at last, amber gaze locking with emerald green eyes shining back at him with trust and love.

“Yours, oh God, all yours.” She tilted her head to the side, offering him the chalice of her neck, putting her life, her love and all she was in his hands to do with as he pleased. She wasn’t scared, didn’t hesitate for even a second. There was no room for second-guessing herself or her decision. There’d never be.

He stared deeply into her eyes, humbled by her faith in him. Vowing to himself he’d do right by her if it killed him, he kissed her. A sweet, featherlike caress designed to show her the depth of his love, of his commitment to her.

Spike’s mouth peppered wet, open-mouthed kisses down her neck, nipping at her pulse point, sucking on it, bringing her blood closer to the surface before finally piercing through her golden flesh. One, two, three pulls, every one she felt travel all the way to her pussy, sending her careening towards the edge one more time, her vaginal walls contracting around him in tandem to each before she heard him say…

“Be of my blood for I claim thee as my life’s mate, for all eternity.”

Buffy felt the power of his bite swirling around her as he spoke the last word, completing and changing her in ways she never envisioned. A thousand tingles erupted from the place where his fangs branded her as his, his roughened tongue studiously lapping at the twin puncture marks now adorning her neck, proclaiming to the world she was his.

And he was hers. Hers! Or would be as soon as she returned his words.

Without a second thought, she sunk her teeth into the flesh of his throat with all her might, breaking through the skin as deeply as she could until she savored the coppery taste of his blood filling her mouth. She swallowed his essence, drank him down, feeling it blend with hers before pulling back to repeat the words which would inexorably tie their lives together for the rest of time, “Be of my blood for I claim thee as my life’s mate, for all eternity.”

As white hot pleasure crashed down upon him, Spike roared his mate’s name to the heavens, head held high, fangs bared and eyes glowing as he pulled her body harshly into his thrusts, his hips pumping fiercely to push them both past the brink of euphoria into the sweetest of oblivions.

The air crackled with the sizzling energy surging from within each of them… intertwining, spiraling, coiling tighter and tighter together, merging until they were one. Colors appeared brighter, scents richer, every sense enhanced as the ritual bound them together. Every rush, every caress, every single kiss intensified from the emotions flowing freely through their connection. Pleasure rose higher and higher, feelings reached deeper and deeper until everything exploded around in the swirling vortex of their impassioned union, pulsing outward in binding waves of love and ecstasy unknown to any mortal.

tbc

I’m crying like a baby right now, I’ve been so wrapped up in this story ever since that moment in which I lay eyes on the banner that first time, ever since my muse whispered the first sentence to me, and it’s been such a wonderful and fulfilling journey through which I’ve laughed, cried, rambled, but above all loved these characters so very much that I guess I simply can’t not cry.

One more chapter after this one, I think. Unless muse decides another thing, which of course, knowing her it’s possible. ;) When will it be posted, though, is the question. So I just beg you patience.

Your turn now, I’d love to know what you thought of the chapter if you’re inclined to tell me.

Hope you have a wonderful week,

Hugs,

Mari

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