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Chapter 10

The redhead glanced up from the spell book she’d been perusing, a sudden chill causing her body to shiver slightly.  She felt the balance of power shift – magicks unlike any she’d felt since nearly caving to the darkness inside close to two years ago. 

It was dark, just like that time, and Willow knew that only something equally strong would be able to tame that which sought to destroy.  To reclaim what had been lost. 

She stood, glancing around at the small home she’d made for herself on the coast of France.  Her blue eyes swept over the furnishings of her makeshift office, taking note of the tools of her “trade.”  Not that she’d need them for much longer. 

Uncaring as to the lateness of the hour, Willow stepped outside and meandered down to the water’s edge.  The moon shone brightly against the waves.  Their rhythmic slap against the sand soothed her, prepared her for what she must do. 

Since performing the spell on the Slayer’s scythe, she’d had a sense of… something.  It had only seemed to grow in the aftermath of Buffy’s transformation and their dealings with the demons of the Draemuir dimension. 

And now the time had come. 

She stared out over the water, and if she looked hard enough, she could just make out Tara’s face, smiling in welcome. 

Soon. 

Resolve firming her stance, she turned and walked back up the beach towards her home.  She had much to do.  The first of which was booking the first flight out of Paris that would get her to Los Angeles.  Things were moving quickly and she didn’t have a lot of time. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

“You sick fuck!” Cordelia yelled at the young scientist.  She could only stare in confusion and horror from her spot on the hospital floor as the man – Knox – calmly walked up to Dawn.  No, not Dawn, she firmly told herself.  It was a thing.  A demon.  Something that had killed Buffy’s sister and taken over her body.  Hollowed out her organs until only the shell of the girl remained. 

The blue she-god that had seemed to mock her dreams now had a face.  Why hadn’t she been able to see what her subconscious, or whoever, had been trying to tell her? 

Now it was too late. 

And, with Angel, Spike, and Giles seemingly halfway around the globe, there was nothing she, or any of the others of Angel’s group, could do to prevent Knox from taking the demon’s hand and spiriting them away. 

~*~ 

“Wes, we’ve got a problem…” 

Cordelia had run the entire way to the former watcher’s office, needing to tell someone of this latest development.  She’d chosen Wesley because he’d be able to get in touch with Angel and the others – hopefully – and Gunn had been in the White Room since returning from Caritas, trying to get information from the senior partners. 

Wesley looked up from the tome he’d been reading to see Cordelia, flushed, a small trickle of blood leaking from the jagged cut on her forehead. 

“Cordy!  What the hell happened?!” 

He jumped to his feet, hurrying around his desk to guide her to the couch situated along one of the walls of his office. 

“It’s Dawn… she’s… she’s dead, Wes,” she told him, plopping down wearily upon the leather seat.  “And, I can’t find Buffy…”  Her voice trailed off.  She had a good idea what had happened to the Slayer – one couldn’t help but notice the trail of bodies that littered the hallway leading to the exit of the hospital Wolfram & Hart ran, and she told him as much. 

“Oh dear god…” 

“Call…call Angel.  We’re gonna need him.”  She stopped suddenly, her face drawing into a fierce mask.  “It was Knox.  He was the one behind it.  Behind everything.”   

~*~*~*~*~ 

Angel disconnected his phone, wanting nothing more than to hurl the small piece of metal across the small cabin.  They’d been airborne not long after Spike had crumpled in his arms – his grief at Dawn’s loss, and Buffy’s anguish enough to reduce the vamp to a near comatose state.  He just prayed Spike would snap out of it by the time they reached LA; they were going to need all the help they could get in order to subdue Illyria. 

His gaze lighted on the watcher, and seeing his questioning gaze told him, “It was Knox.  He had the sarcophagus delivered to Wolfram & Hart.” 

Giles nodded, saying nothing.  There wasn’t anything he could say. 

“Wes is researching ways to stop Illyria, but I have to tell you, I’m not sure if anything…”  His voice trailed off.  “I just don’t know what we can do to stop it, Giles.  She’s a pure demon… like a god.” 

“A god, you say?” 

Angel just nodded. 

“Well, then… what you need is Buffy.” 

~*~*~*~*~ 

“Who was that, baby?” 

Faith stared at the handset, not really seeing it.  Dawn was dead, and Buffy had taken a trip to the dark side.  Now Willow needed her help. 

She pasted a smile on her lips and rolled over into the arms of her lover.  Kissing him, hoping to distract him.  She should have known better.  Though he responded to her kiss eagerly enough, his arms settled on her shoulders… pulling back moments later to stare down at her face. 

“What is it, Faith?” 

Faith stared up at the man that had come to mean so much to her.  It had been a lark when she’d initiated their sexual relationship that night in Sunnydale – something to drown herself in so that she didn’t have to think about the coming apocalypse, or that she, in all likelihood, wouldn’t walk away Scot free.  She had, however…Robin almost didn’t.  Many months had passed before he’d finally healed from his life-threatening injuries, she never leaving his side. 

Their feelings had grown from there, until she thought she might not live if he weren’t in her life.  And it scared her.  So much so, that she’d yet to tell him about the tiny life growing inside her womb.  Worried that he’d take the high road and leave her alone and pregnant. 

And, she couldn’t tell him now either, as much as she might want to. 

Because there would be no way in hell he’d let her go anywhere near Los Angeles.  Do this thing for Willow.  Hell, she didn’t want to go herself, but Buffy had done so much for her there at the end.  For all of them.  She couldn’t not go. 

“I’ve got to go to LA.  Buffy needs me.” 

Robin gazed down at the willful Slayer that was his girlfriend.    

“That was her on the phone?” 

Faith shook her head. 

“No.  Willow.  She’s flying in from France.  She called me from one of the phones on the airplane.” 

“I—” 

“I gotta do this, Robin.” 

Robin’s eyebrows shot up.  It was rare that Faith ever called him that, the much-used “Wood” the more common form of address, second only to “baby.”  For something to invoke her using his first name…it had to be serious. 

He pulled away from her and sat up in bed, climbing from beneath the covers without a word.  Faith watched him pull on some pants, tears starting to prick the back of her eyes at his continued silence. 

Robin turned around, seeing that she’d not moved. 

“I thought you said we had to go to LA?  Get your lazy ass outta bed and get dressed.” 

Faith beamed a smile and launched herself at him.  Haphazardly planting kisses on his face when he easily caught her.

“I love you…” 

Robin stilled, unsure who was more surprised – him or her.  He held her easily with one hand and used the other to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. 

“I love you too, Faith.” 

He kissed her then, and just when she began to respond, he pulled back.  Swatting her butt playfully, Robin told her to get dressed, that he’d see about booking them a flight tonight.   

She felt guilty for not telling him about the baby, an emotion she’d never thought to experience, and vowed that as soon as this situation with Buffy was resolved, she’d come clean.  He’d either want her – kid and all – or not. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

She discarded the limp carcass of her latest meal and continued down the hallway on the way to the exit.  The overwhelming stench of sickness was enough to make her stave off draining any of the other humans rushing to get out of her path…almost. 

Someone stepped to the open door further down the hall and she smiled, fangs gleaming beneath the florescent light.  He just stood there, unable to move and she swooped in for the kill, yanking his neck to the side and feasting greedily.   

Something told her that this was the first time that she’d enjoyed a meal from the source.  The blood she sucked in her mouth was tinged with a little extra.  Something she’d yet to taste before. 

Fear. 

It was intoxicating.  Almost as good as sire’s blood. 

She wondered briefly where he was, and why he wasn’t beside her.  Reveling in the kill like she was. 

She froze mid-feast, ignoring the whimperings of the man she held.  Her mouth was still latched onto his throat, but she was no longer sucking.  No, something else had caught her attention.  The distinct scent of…  

Family. 

Amber eyes sharpened to a point, staring fixatedly at the sliding doors in front of her.  The half-dead human she held in her arms slipped from her grasp as two vampires stepped into view, activating the automated doors from the outside. 

The female was lovely – tall and lithe.  Like a dancer.  The other one – the male – was handsome in his own right, though not as droolworthy as her sire, her mate. 

She watched as the female drew closer, her step light, more like a gliding motion instead of a mere walk.  But it was the eyes that held her entranced.  Yellow eyes, not unlike her own, that promised all that she wanted.   

The hunt. 

The kill. 

Pitting her skill against others. 

The prize – glorious blood.   

“Come, dearie.” 

A hand lifted, urging her to take it.  And she did. 

“My Spike is such a wicked boy…such a pretty you are,” Drusilla cooed, petting the blonde’s hair.  “Mmmm… now don’t growl, precious.  It’s not polite to snap at your grandmum.” 

The blonde cocked her head at that, but tamped down her possessive growl. 

“Good girl.  Now come join your family.” 

She allowed herself to be drawn out of the building and into the night.  Thoughts of her sire and another dark-haired vampire pushed to the back of her mind.   

~*~*~*~*~ 

Angel stared at the vamped form of his grandchilde and struggled not to reach out to him.  He could see Spike’s agitation, his need to rush out into the city and find Buffy.  They’d gone straight to the hospital once their jet had landed and had been shocked to find not only Dawn gone, but Buffy as well.   

The bodies of the dead had already been cleaned up when they arrived, the ward set to rights, and they’d only learned later, upon returning to Angel’s office having found no trace of the Slayer anywhere within the confines of the hospital, what had happened to Buffy.   

Now, they had not only a god-like demon to deal with, but a Slayer running on vampire instincts alone.   

A commotion outside his office drew Angel’s gaze and he turned his head towards the double doors just as they were flung open. 

Willow stood framed in the doorway, and he couldn’t help but gasp at her appearance.  Her red hair was streaked with white, blue eyes now a deep onyx.  But that was nothing compared to seeing Faith step in the room behind her, Robin Wood hot on her heels. 

Angel tensed upon seeing the dark-haired Slayer’s expression, noting the worry she couldn’t hide as she kept darting glances at Willow.  His brows drew together on catching a second, tiny, much more rapid heartbeat, his gaze flickering back and forth between Willow and Faith.  Seeing the Slayer’s face suddenly pale at his discovery, and how she shot an anxious look towards the dark-skinned man standing behind her, he was able to determine who the pregnant one was, and that she’d yet to say anything to anyone.   

His expression softened, and Angel gave Faith a barely perceptible nod. 

He’d not be the one to spill the beans about that development. 

He did, however, want to know why she was there…and with Willow, who was looking slightly more “witchy” than the last time he’d seen her.   

“Hey, Willow… Faith… Wood.”  Angel nodded at Nikki Wood’s son, the only offspring of a Slayer that he knew about, and from the anxious looks Faith kept sending his way, soon to be the father of the second.  “What brings you back to LA?” 

Willow’s eyes swept around the room, taking in the occupants staring at her with a mixture of awe and confusion.  She started briefly at seeing Cordelia back among the living.  The last she’d heard, the former Sunnydale High alum had been in a coma, thanks to some Power That… Was.  Out of the corner of her eye, Willow caught Angel following her stare, noting the way he tensed when she took a few extra moments to contemplate Cordelia’s return.  Seeing also the expression on the brunette’s face when she looked up from her book and saw the vampire staring at her. 

“Angel.  We need to talk, and I don’t have a lot of time,” Willow announced abruptly, tearing her eyes away from Cordelia and staring pointedly at the vampire. 

Even as the words came out, she could feel even more of her hair go white, struggling as she was to contain the energy pulsing within her slight frame. 

“Willow…what—?” 

“Can we… talk… privately?” 

“Uh, yeah… sure.  Follow me.” 

He led Willow to his private elevator and up to his suite, mindless to the curious looks of his crew.   

“What’s this about?” he asked once the doors slid open and he stepped out into his living room. 

“Buffy… and Illyria.” 

“How did—” 

“I’ll tell you… but first I need to do this.” 

Willow walked up to him and laid the palm of her hand right over his heart.  It glowed a brilliant white, and an answering light was reflected in the vampire’s eyes.  His head flew back, his arms stretched wide as Angel was subjected to Willow’s machinations, her power.  It was over almost as quickly as it had begun, and she released him, stepping back slightly. 

Angel was breathing heavily, his body still seeming to vibrate, swaying slightly in the aftermath.  

“What—”

“Something that I should have done a long time ago.  But, well… I’d spoken with Fred about this Shanshu thing, and I wanted to see if it would happen for you.  I’m sorry, Angel, but…” 

“It’s not meant for me,” he finished for her. 

“How did you know?” 

“Cordelia.  She told me it just wasn’t in the cards.” 

Willow laid a hand on the vampire’s arm. 

“I really am sorry.  But… in time… you’ll see.  Now, as for what I did… I’ve bound your soul to you.” 

“You…” 

“It was a stupid curse, Angel.  Either you have a soul or you don’t.  The last thing any of us needs right now is to have to worry about the return of Angelus.  Things are going to happen… and… they’re going to need you.  Cordelia… Buffy… Spike.  And, if you can’t have your Shanshu, at least you can have your happiness back.” 

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.  Truthfully?  I didn’t do it for you, so much as I did it for her.  For Buffy.  This… what’s happened…it’s not going to be easy for her.” 

“Thank you.” 

Willow nodded.  “Now, for the reason me and Faith are here…”

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