Through swollen and bloody features Nykos snarled. It lunged at him, slashing its razor sharp claws across his chest. Spike stepped back and gazed down at the tattered remains of his shirt and the bloody furrows in his skin.

"Now you've gone and done it," he spat and tensed to lunge again. "The shirt was one of my favourites."

The doors to the bedroom crashed open and both he and the Lothgar demon paused to glare at those who dared interrupt their conflict. Malik, Scylla and the Order of Aurelius spilled into the room. They look like the bleeding Keystone Cops, Spike thought as they eyed the Lothgar and screeched to a halt just inside the doorway.

Malik slowly lowered himself to all fours and Spike knew that a full-blown transformation into a demonic tiger was only moments away.

"Wait!" Spike shouted, keeping a close eye on his opponent. "This is between me and him," he said as he ripped his torn and bloodstained shirt from his body and threw it to the floor.

The intruders nodded in understanding and proceeded no further into the bedroom.

The demon smiled and ran the back of his hand across his bloody muzzle. "You surprise me, leech," the demon said. "You show honour when none is usually to be found in your ilk. A shame that you will soon die."