Chapter Two--A Companion for Cordelia

Sunnydale Cemetery, 1:43 a.m.

Xander yawned and pulled the stake out of his jacket.

"Do you hear something? See something?" Cordelia questioned worriedly and pulled out her cross, holding it up and pointing it in different directions. Xander rolled his eyes and glanced at her in exasperation.

"No, Cordy. I'm tired and I figured if I held the stake in my hand, it might help and keep me awake."

"Oh," she responded in disappointment, "that's stupid," she then remarked and put her cross away.

'You know, you should just keep that handy," he advised.

"What?"

He closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face, "the cross, Cordelia, the cross."

She smiled, showing a slight embarrassment -- which for Cordelia was shocking. "Oh." "Look, I know you're tired, too, neither one of us --"

"-- No," she interjected brightly, "I'm fine. I took a nice long nap after school, got to get my beauty rest," she paused and said consideringly, almost to herself, "obviously, not something that Buffy has been doing, which is why we're stuck here tonight, without the Slayer. Giles better be right about this being a quiet night."

"-- is thinking very well," Xander finished quietly.

"What?" Cordelia turned to him, "Xander, what are you babbling about?"

He shook his head wearily, "nothing," and smiled to himself.

Just then there was a rustling in some nearby bushes. "What was that?" Cordy blurted out.

"I don't know, but you might want to pull out your cross and stake," Xander advised as he did just that himself . . . barely in time, as three vampires -- hulking brutes all -- came rushing out at them.

Cordelia screamed and dropped her stake.

Xander leveled a punch at the nearest one and connected. A solid "oomph" from the vampire made him smile, until a second one grabbed him from behind, and his stake fell out of his hand. "Xander!" Cordelia screamed just as the third vamp grabbed her around the waist, hauling her up against him. Xander head-butted the hulk behind him and turned suddenly as he was released. He began to run towards Cordelia -- valiantly jabbing and poking and hitting at her assailant; unfortunately, it wasn't affecting him at all -- but the first vampire sent a wicked left-hook smashing across his face. Xander stumbled back and received a solid punch to the gut. He doubled over as the vamp behind him grabbed at his hair, allowing the first vampire to send another punch across his face.

"Xander!" Cordelia screamed his name as he slumped to the ground. The two vampires gave each other a high-five and then leaned down, scooped him up and headed out of the cemetery.

"Let me go! Put me down! I said pu-mmmpphhh!" she cried as the brute holding her, stuffed a rag in her mouth. He then threw her over his shoulder and took off after his two partners in crime into the night.

Spike and Druscilla's Lair, 2:26 a.m.

"Oh, pet, you brought me some new toys!" Druscilla exclaimed in delight, as she gazed down at the bound forms of Xander Harris and Cordelia Chase.

"You know how I love to play with my food," she smiled and laughed -- her laughter, a merry tinkling of peals that brightened the gloomy room. Spike, glanced over at her, indulgent charm upon his face.

"Luv, it's better than that." He smiled.

The dark-haired vampire turned to him, ignoring the slumped figure of Xander and the squirming, muffled contortions of Cordelia. "How so?"

"Well, you know how are forces have been somewhat depleted of late, with Buffy back in business, alongside a new slayer and her busybody friends?"

"Yesss," she drawled out, her face beaming.

"We kill three birds with one stone."

'Do tell?" she entreated wickedly.

"We upset poor Buffy by killing her two friends here," he motioned to Xander and Cordelia, "we reduce their slaying force, though I can't imagine how much help these two offered. And finally, we gain two new compatriots in arms."

"Oh, Spike, that will infuriate the slayer." She laughed.

"I know," he responded smugly.

"Where shall we start?" Dru turned to the two slayerettes once more, licking her lips delightedly. "Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe," she pointed at Xander, then Cordelia -- who lay with wide, scared eyes, staring at her -- then back at Xander, "catch a victim by the toe!" she finished triumphantly, her finger resting on Cordelia.

'Nmmmpphhhhffff!" cried Cordelia, her eyes, bulging now, as she tried to scramble away from Druscilla's approaching form. Dru stopped and Cordelia held still.

"Do you want the honors, pet?" the undead beauty asked of her love.

"No, no, ducks, you take her." He looked over at Xander. "I'll take him."

Druscilla pouted, "but I want the handsome, young man."

"Dru," Spike warned.

She turned and flounced back over to Spike's side, "you know how I love you, dearest, but that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun."

He glared down at her, his eyes hard.

"Please, come on, pet. Let me have the lovely boy." She leaned up and pressed a sweet kiss upon the corner of his lips. Spike's eyes softened a bit, he looked back over at Xander and the deathly-still Cordelia.

"All right, but then I get the prom queen." He snarled.

Druscilla jumped back, clapping her hands enthusiastically, "oh, goodie!"

Xander woke slowly, his head splitting with pain. He let out a muffled groan and tried to sit up. As he struggled to do so, he realized that his arms were bound. With that realization came the memory of the three attacking vampires . . . and Cordelia.

"Cordelia!" he shouted in fear.

"I'm right here, silly." Cordelia knelt down before him, smiling softly. "Are you all right?" She questioned softly.

"Uh, uh, Cordy?" he asked, his eyes searching her face. "What the hell is going on?"

"You could say we've been," she paused and smiled brightly, "initiated. Well," she paused again, "I have. You're next, lover."

"Lov --? Cordelia?" He looked past her, confusion reigning supreme and then his face went pale; his eyes widened and he found himself unable to utter a sound. Spike sat idly in a chair, like a king upon a throne, his Druscilla stood beside him, softly running her fingers through his hair while she hummed a haunting tune.

He looked back at Cordelia. "No! No!" he cried.

"Yes," she responded as her face changed form and she was transformed into a vampire. With the grace normally applied to the activities of a high-school girl, she bent down and sunk her teeth into his neck.

"Cordelia!" cried out Druscilla. "He was mine! Spike!?" she turned to the platinum-haired vampire, who laid a gentle finger upon her lips. "Ssh, ssh, hush, luv. He will be her companion, it's only fair that she make him."

"But, Spike, I wanted to taste his blood," she pouted.

"Dru! He belongs to Cordelia. Deal with it!" His voice rose slightly, and Druscilla shrunk back slightly. "Nasty, nasty temper. You'll make Druscilla cry." She began to whimper.

"Dru, Dru," he called out, reaching out for her hand. "Com'ere, pet, Come to daddy." She moved to him slowly and he pulled her onto his lap. She sniffled lightly and he leaned up and kissed the tip of her nose, then her cheeks, then her lips. When he pulled away, she was smiling.

"Spike," she whispered affectionately and cuddled against his chest, turning her face to watch Cordelia and Xander.

Cordelia pulled away from Xander, his blood dripping from her fangs, and trailing down the corners of her mouth. Xander lay back against the floor, his breathing shallow. She licked her lips lightly and then, using the sharp curve of her fingernail, drew a line of blood across the exposed flesh of her breast. Kneeling down, she swept Xander into her arms, and pressed the cut, where blood seeped, against his mouth.

He opened his mouth, fighting desperately for breath and drops of her blood trickled into his mouth, coating his tongue, wetting his lips. He struggled weakly against, her, choking slightly as he fought his swallowing reflex.

She held him still for several seconds. Spike and Druscilla watched the two figures, smiling indulgently.

"That's enough, Cordelia," called out Spike.

She turned to him slightly, "but he's still fighting me," she whined.

Spike frowned slightly and glanced down at Druscilla, who was no longer smiling. "That's odd. Up, luv," he commanded of Dru. She obediently rose. Cordelia suddenly looked up and pulled away from Xander, who slumped to the ground, unconscious again.

"What happened?" she cried, looking at Spike once more. Shaking his head in confusion, Spike knelt down before Xander. He felt for a pulse and found one. "The bugger's not dead, he just passed out," he exclaimed in surprise.

He sat on his haunches, waiting. "Spike, what're you doing?" Dru questioned. "I'm gonna wait for him to wake up, see what happens." He turned to face her, "ever see anything like this before?"

Dru shook her head slowly. "Hmm," he muttered softly, then looked back at Xander's unconscious form and resumed waiting.

"Whaaa--!" cried Xander as he awoke to Spike staring solicitously down at him. He jerked abruptly and met Cordelia's worried gaze. "Cord --" he began, then remembered, "oh, God, you're . . . you're a vamp . . ." he trailed off and then let out another cry as Druscilla walked up in-between the two.

"Mornin', luv," she commented saucily.

Spike glanced up at her. She grinned and he found himself smiling back. "Baby," he said quietly and her smile softened. He held her gaze for a moment and then looked back down at Xander's petrified face. "All right, then, I'll have a go at him." His face took on the ridges, contours and fangs of his vampire-self.

He bent down and sank his teeth into Xander's neck, just above Cordelia's marks. He drank deeply for a few moments, before pulling back with a regretful sigh. "He tastes good," he mumbled.

"Mmm," Cordelia seconded.

Druscilla pouted.

Spike then cut his wrist and held it up to Xander's tightly clenched lips. "Come on, be a sport, open up," he commanded. Xander disobeyed. "Cordelia?" Spike gestured to her. She moved behind Xander and pulled his head back, forcing his lips open. Spike's lifeblood ran into his mouth and dribbled down Xander's chin. He began coughing and squirming violently. Spike and Cordelia calmly held him down until Xander passed out again in their grasp.

Spike pulled away in exasperation, "what the bloody 'ell is going on with this kid?" he demanded, stalking away in irritation. Druscilla walked over and ran a comforting hand over his arm, "calm down, Spike," she soothed softly. "I'll take care of him for you."

"For *me!*" Cordelia countered angrily. "Xander is *my* companion. You have Spike. Xander is *mine.*"

"You don't have to keep repeating yourself, dear," Dru offered acidly.

"Just as long as it's understood," Cordelia continued.

"Yes!" shouted Spike. "The idiot is yours," he paused, "if we can ever get the bloody bugger to turn."

"Spike, I --" Dru broke off, noticing movement from Xander, "oh, lookee, he's waking up." She flounced away from Spike, a wide smile curving her lips, "my turn! My turn!" she chanted happily.

Xander groaned heavily, and Cordelia reached out a hand, gently soothing his brow. "Poor Xander," she whispered softly.

"Move!" Dru commanded icily and pointed Cordelia away from her boyfriend. The smile of glee returned to her porcelain face. She knelt carefully before Xander. "Come on, pet, wake up. That's it," she encouraged as his eyelashes fluttered, "open those pretty, brown eyes." He opened his eyes. "Like chocolate," she murmured to herself. "Druscilla loves chocolate."

"What, luv?" Spike asked mildly behind her.