“You’re sure ‘bout this now, Red?”
Hands on his shoulders, Willow pushed him into the seat placed in the circle of carefully laid pebbles and crystals.
“Would you quit worrying already? I’m not gonna turn you into a speckled toad or anything!” She grabbed a handful of cinnamon and spice, sprinkling it around his head and onto his shoulders. She tried to stifle a giggle at his uncharacteristic look of wide-eyed vulnerability. “Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise! I’m just gonna fix your little problem for you. It’s a very simple spell,” she added matter-of-factly.
Spike’s hand flew up to the left side of his neck where a particularly vicious attack by a Zillarxiach demon had left a deep tissue scar running diagonally, nearly all the way down his chest. It had been nearly a week, and even with the advantages of vampire healing and his usual tendencies to brush off pain, his discomfort had been more than apparent to the youngest of the Summers siblings.
Spell book in hand, Dawn lazed on the couch. “According to this, all the spell’s gonna do is restore the damaged skin and tissue at the site of injury.” She scanned the next few lines before peering excitedly over the top of the book and adding, “Oh! And add elasticity and bounce!”
“Yeah?” Spike gave her a wary glance and recoiled as Willow waved a sprig of rosemary and thyme in his direction. “If it’s just at the site, why does the whole of me need to be inside your little evil... circle of herbal cookery?”
“It’s not evil!” She reprimanded him. “Just a little youth spell. Now, open up and say ‘Ahh’.”
“Youth! I’m a—argg!” He gagged a little when Willow pushed a tissue inside his mouth and proceeded to take a swab of his saliva. “I’m a vampire!” He croaked, trying to rid his tongue of the tissue-y fibres. “Those with the eternity of youthfulness? Already screwing with age and time here, Will. I don’t think we need to go ‘bout tempting the fates and what not.”
She held him still has she dabbed the fluid lightly on the scar at his neck and on his breast bone. “You’ll be thanking me when that Grand Canyon in the middle of your chest’s all filled up and you can stop scratching for once! Drink this.”
Spike eyed the glass and the crushed orchid petals that floated inside. Mouth open and about to protest, he quickly downed the contents when Willow’s eyes flashed and she ordered him again to drink. Coughing, he made a face and stuck his tongue out as the concoction burned its way down his throat.
“What the hell was in that?”
“Oh, just water mixed with brown sugar, rose and vanilla essence and the petals.” Dipping more rosemary into a similar mix of ingredients, Willow flicked it along his scars so that little water droplets flew everywhere.
Dawn’s jaw dropped. “That’s gros—I mean...really... lovely!” He sent a low growl in her direction.
Oblivious to their displays of disgust, Willow clapped excitedly and took her place kneeling before the vampire. “Okay! I think we’re all ready to start now!” Eyes closed, she placed a hand on his forehead, the other over his heart.
“Why do I have a bad feelin’ ‘bout this?” he muttered as she began to chant.
“Sugar and spice, oh essence of Spike,
Take of the Water and of the Earth too,
The pure of heart and strength of mind,
Restore this form, its youthful state.”
“Willow? Is that meant to be happening?”
She opened her eyes at Dawn’s warning tone. The bleached blond appeared to be in a state of trance, a shimmering haze glowering from the point of his heart.
Dawn approached him carefully. “Aren’t you...weren’t you supposed to touch his scars at some point?”
“No. I mean...I don’t...I don’t think so! The book said head and heart if the wounds were extensive or at several locations on the body.”
Dawn squinted down at the book as the haze glowed brighter and brighter. “Head or heart!” she exclaimed. “Head and heart to...oh my god. Willow!”
The girls cried out, turning away and shielding their eyes as the light grew blinding and bounded throughout the room. Another split second and all seemed to have returned to normal. Dawn gasped for breath and reached for Willow as bright clouds of light danced behind her eyelids.
“Willow, are you okay?” She could vaguely make out as the red-head nodded shakily. “Spike. We have to check on him.”
Dazed, she crawled on her hands and knees. “Spike? Are you alright? Like, say something? I can’t really see properly.” She flailed her arms around in front of her. “Where are you?”
Suddenly, she heard a little rustling, and following the sound managed to pull herself right up to the chair where he’d been sitting.
“Spike?”
She blinked quickly a couple of times, trying to clear her sight. Looking up the rather fuzzy outline of the chair leg, she pulled herself up right and found herself eye to eye with a very nude, blue-eyed, gurgling baby boy. Her sight seemed to have returned clear as day.
“Spike? Oh my God!” She took hold of his tiny hands, unable to hold in a smile as he grasped one of her fingers in each hand and wriggled his little toes. “Willow! He’s a—“
The front door crashed open. “Hey! Dawnie? I’m home!”
To be continued...
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!