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A/N: In this story, Tara and Willow have dated but have never done the deed, I guess you could say...

Chapter 1

Sunnydale 

The demon watched with interest as the blonde witch called forth the power of Blind Cadria while hidden within the dark recesses of the former watcher’s magic shop.   

‘Rather drab looking.  I can see why she’d want to try and be invisible,’ she thought as the girl finished her spell and backed away from her unsuspecting friends.  A moment later, the demon snapped her fingers, and she, too, disappeared. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

Tara sat on the floor where she’d been thrown just moments before by the demon the Slayer had just killed.  Her father stood in the doorway, staring at the carcass that lay at his feet. 

“What in god’s name is that?” 

“Lei-ach demon. Fun little buggers. Big with the marrow-sucking,” Spike announced without preamble upon entering from the back of the shop. 

Mr. Maclay looked about the room, taking in its occupants, before returning his gaze to the petite blonde woman in front of him.  “I don’t understand.” 

“I’m not sure I do either…” The Slayer’s voice trailed off.  She looked away from the man and pinned Willow’s friend with a look. 

“I’m sorry…s-so s-sorry!  I was…trying to hide,” Tara stammered out in apology. A quick glance at Buffy had revealed how upset the girl was, and Tara’s shoulders slumped in defeat.  It was hopeless, she’d never fit in here…with these people.  Better if she just disappeared. 

Willow crossed the room and knelt down next to her girlfriend. Tara raised tear-filled eyes to the redhead.  “I didn’t want you to see…what I am.” 

“Tara?  What?”  Willow’s face clearly showed her confusion. 

“Demon,” Mr. Maclay interjected. “The women in our family... have demon in them. Her mother had it. That's where the magic comes from. We came to take her home before...” He paused in his explanation, sighing.  “Well, before things like... this started happening.”  He gestured to the room at large, as if that explained everything. 

Giles moved forward, bringing Willow’s friend into his line of sight.  “You cast a spell on us, to keep us from seeing your... your demon side,” he concluded.  He turned to Buffy.  “That's why we couldn't see our attackers.” 

“Nearly got us all killed,” the Slayer grumbled, her arms folded across her chest. 

“I’m s-sorry,” Tara stammered again.  “I wish…” 

The angry auras of just about everyone in the room seemed to press in on her.  And before anyone could stop her, Tara pushed herself awkwardly to her feet and raced out the back door of the shop.  Once out in the back alley, she leaned wearily against the brick wall.  The tears she’d struggled valiantly to hold back spilling over onto her pale cheeks. 

“I wish I wasn’t me,” she whispered to no one in particular.  “I wish I was someplace else…far, far away.” 

Tara gasped in shock when a demon suddenly materialized before her; its face looked like the skin had been peeled off, the muscle beneath left to shrivel into a grotesque disfiguration. 

“Wish granted!” it bellowed. 

A burst of blinding light seemed to engulf them both. Suddenly, the demon disappeared.  Tara’s eyes rolled into the back of her head as the alley did too. 

Back inside The Magic Shoppe, Willow was just about to rush after her girlfriend when Anya spoke, her words causing the witch to grind to a halt and stare in astonishment. 

“Oh, just let her go.  I’m sure she’ll be fine.  Besides, it really was her fault that we were very nearly killed.  If she hadn’t reversed that spell in time, we would all be demon fodder right about now.”

“That’s quite enough, Anya,” Giles interjected, sensing a brewing argument. 

“Shut up!” Willow shouted at the same time.  Her eyes narrowed as her anger threatened to consume her.  “I wish you would just disappear!” 

Anya froze in the middle of counting the money in the register, for once no words able to escape past her parted lips.  Spoken wishes weren’t something to be bandied about with no thought to the consequences.  And, given the witch’s evil glare she just prayed no one was around to hear— 

As the others turned away to deal with the dead demons littering the floor and Mr. Maclay and his family, the ex-vengeance demon disappeared. 

Out in the alleyway, Halfrek had just uttered the words that had sealed Anya’s fate. 

~*~*~*~*~  

Los Angeles 

“Darla?  What are you doing?” Lindsey asked. 

The blonde didn’t answer, whispering something he couldn’t hear into the phone. 

“Hang up the phone.  It’s ok.” 

The lawyer stepped inside the office and crossed the room to stand behind her.  His fingers closed over the handset and gently pried it from her grasp.  “It’s ok.  Alright?  Just put it down.” 

Lindsey ignored the frantic calls of some male –Angel, most likely – calling her name coming through the receiver and severed the connection by resettling the handset in the cradle. 

“Mr. McDonalds, is everything ok in there?” a guard called through the closed door. 

“Yes, we’re fine,” he yelled back. 

The door opened to reveal the balding guard.  Lindsey didn’t like the way the man eyed the former vampiress before turning to address him.   

“Mr. Manners said you might need some help with her.”  The guard’s eyes raked over Darla’s frame again, giving clear indication what help he’d like to be giving, and Lindsey saw red. He moved towards the man and physically shoved him from the room, locking the door after he’d ejected the leering bastard. 

He rushed back to Darla’s side, bringing her trembling body to nestle close to his chest.  She didn’t seem to mind the touch, although she remained stiff in his embrace. 

“I’m sorry about that,” he murmured against her hair.  “Come on, I’ll get us out of here.” 

“Yes.  Someplace very far away,” she whispered in a shell-shocked tone.   

Outside their door, Halfrek stood over the unconscious figure of the security guard.  Her eyes gleamed with demonic delight, thrilling that she was once more able to use the powers given her.  She could feel the former vampiress’ wish on the tip of her tongue, and was just waiting for those magic words.   

After the boredom that was Sunnydale, she’d ventured a trip to L.A, hoping some pitiful soul would spark her interest.  Though, truth be told, it had been kind of fun poking fun at her former comrade.  Besides, she was doing the ex-demon a favor; the boy wasn’t right for her.  Knowing Anyanka like she did, Halfrek knew her friend would adapt well enough to her new surroundings.  The mousy girl that had started it all…the demon felt a twinge of guilt that maybe she’d gone a little overboard with her wish, but then she mentally shrugged her shoulders.  She was evil and didn’t have time for such trivialities as guilt.   

It was purely by chance that she’d found out about the return of the souled vampire’s sire, though the blonde was a tad on the human side now.  Everyone knew about Angel, the vampire with a soul that called Los Angeles his home, who night after night went against his kind killing demons all over the city; the milk toast that caged a darker, sadistic version of himself.  As much as that sickened the vengeance demon’s sensibilities, the return of Angelus and his penchant for wanting to destroy the world was a far greater crime.  So, after speaking with D’Hoffryn, she’d gotten special permission from her boss to keep the two apart by whatever means necessary – provided she could have her powers “activated.” 

After a few days, she’d concluded that her best bet lay with the girl.  For centuries, Darla had been guilt free and living the life of luxury among demons.  To be forced to endure the strictures of her soul…yeah, she’d be the first to crack. 

Standing outside the door, she grinned in delight as those magic words were spoken.  Her face shifted into those of her demon, the barked words, “Wish granted!” ominous-sounding in the empty hallway. 

And, to show she wasn’t completely heartless, she let the boy toy go too.   Something to keep the former vampiress happy in her new “home.”  

That she dropped them in Anyanka’s lap was her own perverseness.

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