The other vamp stood across from Spike in a coiled crouch, his long black hair hanging in front of his dark, foreign features. His yellow eyes gleamed eerily from beneath the hanging tresses. "How dare you utter the name of the greatest of the Old Ones. This blasphemy cannot go unpunished."

Spike stalked closer, billiard cue at the ready. "Well then, don't keep me waiting."

"So be it," the vampire hissed, tearing at his clothing as he got down on all fours, his body beginning to tremble. "Witness the power bestowed upon me by the Elders."

Spike laughed. "What, pretending to be a pup, are we? I want to shove this stick through yer bleedin' heart, not have you fetch it."

His enemy responded with a guttural moan, face contorting in pain as his skull began to change. Spike winced at the sound of popping joints and stretching ligaments. Mailik 's limbs grew thicker and longer; reddish brown hair sprouted from his pores to cover the exposed flesh of his body.

Spike watched in awe as his vampire opponent changed into a massive, demonic thing like some nightmarish Bengal tiger. "Bloody hell," he muttered.

Mailik let loose with a deafening roar and bound toward him. Spike tensed, preparing to skewer the monstrous cat on the end of his cue. But the bestial Mailik skidded to a stop before him. One of its enormous paws lashed out like lightning, swiping the stick from his grasp. Spike gazed down in horror to see that deep furrows had been torn in his right hand.