Love Bites {Spike}{BTVS} (Rewriting)

Prologue ☥ Fearless

(Edited 03.23.23)

The colorful balls spread across the table, flying by on the soft red felt fabric. The men surrounding me howled in laughter as I lost the third game in a row, but I couldn't care less.

"One more." I demanded, showing frustration on my face as if the loss was unintentional. I could tell they were falling for it, and falling hard at that.

"I think you should give it up. How much money have you lost already?" The man thought he had won most of my pocket money, 300 dollars to be exact.

"One more game, all or nothing. I'll triple the price." I pulled more cash from the pocket of my blue jeans, slamming it down on the edge of the table. The men's eyes all seemed to glint in the dim light at the sight. More money for them to buy more alcohol with.

"Deal." They all threw down some cash. There must've been over a thousand dollars on the table by now. Perfect.

"I'll rack and break this time since I lost last time." I acknowledged, pooling the balls in a pile with the triangular rack, keeping them in a tight shape. I chalked my pool stick before snatching the off-white cue ball and moving it to the opposite end of the table. The men around glared down with their beady eyes as I bent over, staring intensely at the balls across from me. This was my make or break moment.

The stick clacked against the cue ball, sending it flying down the table as the others dispersed. At the end of the movements, three pockets already had a ball. The men around became noticeably antsy as I continued my turn, calling solids and hitting every single one into a pocket. Finally, I was on the eight ball before anyone else had an opportunity to shoot, but there was still a chance of loss. If I striked or called the wrong pocket, I'd lose everything.

"Bottom left." I called the pocket, aiming the stick at the cue ball with such intensity I wondered if they could hear my gears moving. I slickly shot, clinking the cue ball against the eight ball and watching it roll directly into the pocket. I stood back up straight, smiling all too smugly as I laid my pool stick down on the table and collected my hard-earned-cash.

"Thanks for the cash. Have a great day ladies." I grinned as I headed to the door. On my way out, the path was blocked by the large leader of the group, who glowered down at me. I attempted to slide by him, not wanting to be caught in any drama at my usual gambling spot.

"We're not done." He held out an arm, grabbing onto my shoulder. "Now, you're going to let us play for our money back." He demanded.

"Sorry buckaroo, no can do. See I've got places to be and people to see. Sorry not sorry." I slinked around him, getting to the door in a hurry and dashing to my car as I scrambled for my keys. Before I could reach the door, a hand gripped me from behind. I immediately slammed my head back into the person behind me, spinning around as they cupped their face in pain. When they looked up, I grimaced at the sight.

His face had become a disturbing wrinkly mess, with nonexistent eyebrows, and fangs sprouted from his canines. The other men around us looked the same, and I let out a deep sigh.

"Really? All I wanted was a nice peaceful night out, and you guys just had to show up." I groaned, lifting my foot to dig in my boot for my emergency stake. I never left the house without one anymore. The group of three rushed at me one by one—an idiotic move on their part. When the first one got close enough, I dodged him easily, slamming the stake through his back, directly into his heart. He turned to dust in a flash as the next one lunged to grab a hold of me.

I grinned and jumped high into the air, over the beast's head, who paused in confusion just long enough for me to take him down as well.

"Those were my best fighters." The leader spoke, now shaking with anger.

"Sounds like you need to get better men." I smirked. He let out an angry shout as he charged in my direction. I speedily hopped out of the way, watching as he instead ran directly into the brick wall that had been behind me. He let out a grunt as the brick seemed to dent at the impact, but not completely break down. He turned around, still angry, but now discombobulated, "Have a good after-afterlife." Was the last thing I said before shoving my stake directly into his chest, staring him into the eyes.

Not the right vampire, I thought, watching him turn to dust. The right vampire wouldn't have been so easy to fight.

With that over and more money in my pocket, I headed to my car and drove home with the music blasting. Tonight was a good night.

☥

"You know how I feel about you hunting." Dad spoke sternly as I skimmed through the newspaper, searching for my next roadtrip, with my feet crossed up on the breakfast room table.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was still asking your permission to go on field trips." I replied, not bothering to look at the man.

"I'm serious, Al. You're gonna get hurt out there one of these days, or worse..." he trailed off and I shrugged.

"Comes with the job." I lowered the papers and looked at him with a goofy grin, "Hey, at least if I died I wouldn't be around to annoy you anymore." I joked, knowing full well he would not find it humorous.

"Alex..."

"Relax, Dad. I'm not gonna die." I turned back to my papers. "I'm a good fighter. Last night I took down three vamps in one go, you should've seen it-"

"Last night?" He cut my voice off mid-sentence, and the pin dropped as I remembered something. "That's where you were?"

"No..." I lied... Badly, "Okay, fine, yes. But I wasn't late on purpose! It was supposed to be an easy scam and then these vamps got mad that I won their money so they wanted to have a little tussle and I couldn't show up to dinner with dead man dust all over me, right?" I questioned, looking at him.

"I just wish you'd have a little more consideration for the things I want for and from you, Al. We waited at dinner for you for two hours..."

"I'm sorry..." I knew neither of us was truly over Mom, but I admired Dad for trying. He was going out now with a woman named Alesha, and he seemed very happy, though I'd yet to meet her, seeing as dinner was over before I could show. Either way, it was something I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to do, "Let's do dinner when I get back!" I suggested.

"Back? Where are you going now?" He asked and I smiled, rereading the article about a homicide in a nearby town, turning the papers for him to see.

"Sunnydale."

☥

"Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling.
Merciless, the magistrate turns 'round, frowning.
And who's the fool who wears the crown.
Go down in your own way
And everyday is the right day.
And as you rise above the fear lines in his brown.
You look down"

-Pink Floyd