Part Seven

"I'm looking for my girlfriend." Riley said in a cold voice. "Ironic how I ended up here"

Angel took a predatory step forward. Riley noticed the vampires gaze to the lipstick, and casually offered it to him. Angel didn't move.

"Her lipstick. What is it doing here, Angel?"

If it was any of the *actual* Scooby gang members, maybe Angel would have crumbled like a rock and admitted it all. But with Riley, he didn't feel guilt. Just anger.

"Well, think about it Brainiac." He said in a still voice.

Walking into the bedroom, he changed into some new clothes. Riley followed, discreetly, but obviously persistent.

"I have" he shouted through the closed door "She was here. What was she doing here, Angel?"

The vampire walked back into the hall and grabbed the lipstick from Riley's hands. The commando tried to react and grab it back, but human reflexes made him slow.

"You're acting like I kidnapped her and have her hostage in the mansion somewhere" Angel accused, crushing the lipstick in his hand and dropping it to the floor. "That's what you're saying?"

"No.."

Angel grabbed Riley's shirt, alas white, smearing the lipstick with his covered hand.

"Then what? You want an explanation? I can't give you one. I have a theory, though. I found the lipstick earlier, but was so busy that I hadn't been able to tell you as yet. It was here, in my bedroom."

"I'm listening for your theory"

There was no love lost between the two men, as Riley's bruised face supported. Angel smiled sadistically.

"I think she was here recently. Maybe before LA, but possibly after. Cried a bit, sighed a bit, wanted to reapply her makeup before seeing you, but forgot to pack away her lipstick."

"What are you saying?"

"Jeesh, you're pretty slow, Riley. What I'm SAYING is that Buffy is still in love with me, and came here to reminisce. How else would you explain the lipstick being here, of all places? It sure isn't at your place."

The words stung. Riley opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't think of an answer. Angel was right, why else was the lipstick in his home? All those months together, for what? Nothing. A waste of all those chat up lines he'd memorised, the flirting, the boyish glances. She was still jonesing for Angel. And because of her argument with fangboy, she'd packed up and run off. She'd come back when she was good and ready, and pick up with Riley as if nothing happened. Buffy was using him. And Riley hated being used as a pawn in some big mind game.

He didn't know how deep the game went. No idea at all.

Livid, he stormed around the hall. He was angry with Buffy, at himself, but mostly Angel for making him realise all this.

"If she's been here recently, she must be nearby. Maybe hiding in the building?" Riley whittled, trying to think. He needed to find Buffy, so he could lay into her - slayer powers be damned.

"Trust me, Riley. I've been here for a few days. Nobody is around, it's just you and me." Angel said in a patronising voice.

"Yeah well, when...if.. you find her before me..."

"What?"

"Tell her I'm through."

Angel nodded. This was good stuff. This was gold. He half wished he had a tape recorder so he could play it to Buffy himself. She was going to be gutted when she heard that her only trump card had dumped her because of her attitude. She'd have to start listening to Angel from then on, as she couldn't exactly talk about her wonderful relationship and sex life. Angel rubbed his stomach, feeling all warm inside.

Riley walked to the door, resolute. Angel breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, the human turned around 180, surprising him.

"Unless she finds me and explains" Riley added, sheepishly through all the anger.

Angel was too disgusted to reply. The guy had it bad.

The door slammed shut, trapping the lovers inside the mansion. Angel first locked the door, and then walked back into his bedroom and picked up Buffy's bag. He shifted through it, and came across a small mirror. Nothing reflected back as he looked into it, but Angel was used to this by now. An idea hit him. He could force Buffy to look at herself and see what she had truly turned into. Face her inner demons, prove that appearances weren't everything.

Of course, he was still 'amorous' (for want of a better word) over what happened in the bathroom. He wanted to push her against the wall and have sex with her until their Duracell Bunny energy ran out. But seeing Riley had put things back into perspective. If she joined in, then she would be having fun. And that wasn't the point of this excursion. So no more bathroom fun.

Angel sighed. He absently adjusted his leather trousers.

At least *he* was still able to have fun. The chains.. the assorted desserts he has stored in his fridge next to his blood sachets. He held onto the mirror and exited.

He strode back into the bathroom, and pulled the long wooden bath scrubber from the handles, opening the shower. The cubicle was moggy and dark, but as the light entered Angel saw Buffy hunched pathetically in a corner, feet tied, mouth tied, eyes closed. Angel laughed and eyed her wolfishly.

"My lover, how things change." He said, hoisting her up to return her to the shackles in the hall.

Buffy's eyes flipped open.

As he held onto her, he noticed that she was watching him intensely.

He dropped her back onto the shower room floor and tore her gag away.

"What?!"

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his throat and violently lunged him into the wall. His whole body was lifted up by the pressure. Buffy raised her other hand, ready to hit him in the face. Angel watched back in total surprise. Incapable of understanding.

"I told you the handcuffs always break" Buffy smirked, hitting him in one powerful uppercut.

The mirror fell to the floor and shattered.

Then things went black.

*

Unlike Buffy, Angel awoke from his blackout almost instantly. But it was too late. As he regained his senses he was conscious in time to witness Buffy shut the clasp powerfully around his left hand. As Angel tried to move, he realised it was the other hands already was restricted. The chains were now his master.

Buffy stepped back and smiled again, especially as Angel made stricken eye contact with her. She held up the key and dramatically threw it across the room. It clanged against the fireplace. She turned back, one eyebrow raised playfully. Then she walked away, into his bedroom.

"What are you doing?!" Angel shouted after her.

"To you?" she called back. "Having some fun. Don't you know that the teachers methods are what the pupil takes home with them? I wanna repay you for your help, and give some lessons to you in return. You'd better be quiet lover, I don't want to gag you"

Then there was silence. Angel had no choice but follow her order, Buffy was liable to dust him and meant what she was threatening.

As he tried to grasp his situation, he became fully aware of what happened after he had been knocked out. She'd quickly dragged him back to the hall. His hands were tied in the chains which were ready for her. He was standing -swinging- thanks to his two wrists being held above his head, and his feet were clasped together with a smaller bond which was equally tight and restricting. There was no hope, he was entirely bound. Helpless. At *her* mercy.

How humiliating.

He squirmed, without much luck, to look up and realise that Buffy had witnessed his attempt at escape.

She had changed her clothes using the spare top and trousers she'd packed in her bag, and had combed her wet hair. Angel swallowed as she walked over to him confidently. She'd brushed up well, despite her ordeal.

"Buffy, I.."

Buffy ran up to him and squeezed his lips.

"DON'T. TALK." She shouted resolutely. "I need to think. Being in a small cramped room without oxygen has made it pretty hard to work out a revenge plan, so I'm going to do this as I go along. After all, I am a novice."

She moved her hand away.

"Now you can speak" she said sweetly

He realised that he had nothing to say. He couldn't apologise. He couldn't say everything he did was for her sake, as it evidentially was not. He couldn't beg for forgiveness. She probably wanted him to, but for a variety of reasons (from pride to the fact he wasn't actually sorry) she wasn't about to hear those words from him.

Buffy nodded at his non response, then reached into her pocket and revealed a black handkerchief. Very slowly, to prolong the agony, she approached Angel, holding it firmly between her hands. Angel struggled, trying to twist away, but he really was helpless. Anything Buffy was thinking of doing to him, she was going to do to him.

She steadily obscured his vision by tightly tying the material around his eyes. Angel felt her hands rest lightly on his shoulders, almost gently.

Then it became harsher, as Buffy slipped her hands under his top and ripped the top in half with one pull. She pulled the material from Angel's body and stepped back to admire his bare chest.

"I'll get the BabyOil" she said, footsteps fading away.

All Angel could do was wait. But why wasn't he dead? On the offending offence, vampires kidnapping slayers usually led to the former being exterminated by the latter. Why did Buffy still want him alive?

She'd answered it already. She wanted to play with him. To do all the sexual tortures and mind games onto him as he did on her. The cake. The insults. The forgotten day. The soap. The... other stuff.

Angel was becoming more and more anxious with each passing thought. He wriggled once more, but the chains were too strong. They had resisted a Slayer, what chance did he have? He pulled as hard as he could, and groaned in defeat, realising he sounded just like Buffy did when she had tried the similar feat.

All this had really being exciting for him on the other side of the chains- he had an entire week of sex/mind/teaching games to fulfil- but being the receiver was different. It wasn't the point of bringing her here. And he was an Alpha dominant male for Lucifer's sake, he wasn't the kind of person akin to being submissive.

Not that he hadn't had the practice, but he usually was the torturer rather than the victim.

Angel's ears pricked as he thought he heard somebody standing behind him. 'Somebody' being Buffy, but it was so vague he wasn't sure if she was or not.

And across the room, he could feel a presence.

Back inside his room! A clicking noise.

And again! Heavy breathing now, standing right in front of him. Close.

A small, cold hand suddenly touched his chest. Buffy was Back. The hand was covered in an equally cold gel, which wouldn't usually bother him, being a vampire, but perhaps being unable to see had heightened his other senses as every drop chilled him to his perverted soul.

"You're going to be begging me now, Angel" her voice whispered into his ear "But for different reasons than I did."

Angel was getting desperate. He needed a plan. Riley!

"You-"

Buffy cut him off. "You'll *only* be begging, lover. If you say anything else you'll be inside an urn for the rest of your physical existence. I've heard you speak for days, and am frankly getting sick of it"

He could only feel as the hand rubbed him all over in circular movements, paying attention to his nipples, to his stomach, to his arms and back. He was incapable of concentrating on anything else. Buffy stood behind and rubbed his stomach by hoisting her hands round. She rubbed all over.

Angel's mind was trying to be everywhere else as she did this, feeling her hot breath on his skin, her hands on him. This was what he wanted, but he couldn't, shouldn't like it, not now. She was doing this to taunt him, to make him beg for her to make love to him. To admit his love for her. Or she was doing it to make him beg for forgiveness. Or freedom. Or all three.

But he wouldn't make a sound.

No.

Without sight, Angel couldn't concentrate on looking elsewhere to avail his wandering thoughts. He mind was clouded by her, his body betraying himself in the crudest fashion.

He wanted this.

He hated this.

Buffy had her eyes closed as she massaged him too, but out of choice. She was indulging herself in being with him, much like he had with her. Good. If the role reversal made her realise how intoxicating it was to be the one with the rules, maybe Angel would know what it would be like to abide by them.

For the first time, she was truly glad Angel had kidnapped her. She'd never had such fun in all her life, and she could finally give in to her desires and let go of all her inhibitions.

She was as mesmerised by the massage as Angel, but he would never know, he couldn't see her face. Buffy worked her way back to the chest, and gently kissed him. She then moved her lips and continued kissing as sensually as she could.

Angel's body rippled.

He wondered if he really was going to be begging or not. Buffy had a way with him...

Part Eight

Angel woke up the next morning in a distinct haze, at first not recognising where he was before reality quickly kicked in. Although he was no longer blindfolded he was still chained securely.

Buffy had been torturing him all night.

It wasn't the kind of torture which was physically painful- it was physically pleasing- but he was never supposed to be the pupil in this little exercise. He felt violated, humiliated. He was supposed to be in control, but now Buffy was.

A light draft flitted through the room, drawing Angel's attention to his still bare and extremely well polished chest. He moved his aching head to see where the wind was coming from, and noticed his door was wide open. Light streamed into the mansion, stopping just short of Angel 's darkened corner. He didn't know whether he was happy about that or sad.

Memories of the night before plagued his mind. Buffy really knew what she was doing. Did he teach her all that? Or was it Riley who had given her pointers? That thought made him shiver in pain.

"Beg, Angel" she had whispered continually.

The night had been all about the physical side. Buffy didn't bother telling gut-wrenching tales about Riley and her new life, she was just taunting Angel with their bodies, showing him what she could do. She had begun simply rubbing baby oil into Angels body and then seductively licking him, feeling his skin with her lips and teeth. Massaging. Touching. Feeling.

As a novice, she has a creative streak to her torturing, a smooth edge. She made every physical contact between her fingers and Angel's skin as sensual as humanly possible. But Buffy's tender caresses gradually turned into something rougher. She started to lash out her sexual aggression more readily- nails raking down his back, gripping and clawing, bruising and pricking. She hadn't been so near to this body in years, and her hunger just made her lash out more.

"Damn it Angel, scream my name" she'd hissed into his ear.

And he had. A mans voice echoing across the mansion like a banshee.

He last remembered her breath on his lips and the blindfold tearing away, but when he opened his eyes the hall was empty. He knew instinctively that she hadn't left him. He also knew that she would be coming back.

"Hello, lover."

He squinted at the door again as Buffy entered holding a muffin and soda. Her clothes were still the same as yesterday, but her whole countenance showed that she was very relaxed.

"Et toi" Angel said, devils smile resurfacing despite himself. "You look. Nubile today, hon"

"I like to make the effort. I just got me some breakfast" she said sweetly "Want some?"

She had considered going straight home. After that intense night with Angel she wanted to get out of there- away from the mansion, away from him. But there were two reasons why she didn't tell her friends she was alive. The first was that she still wanted revenge for being tied up and groped at, which would mean staying there longer. The second was that she didn't want to. She couldn't cope with the array of questions- they'd want to know where she was all this time.

And when she did tell them that she had been kidnapped ...she hated what Angel had done to her, but she wasn't going to let him face their wrath too.

Besides, a few days without her might make the Scooby's appreciate her more. That would always be a plus.

"It's been a while since I've been out in the sunlight. How about you, when was your last time?" Buffy quipped, biting into her muffin as she stood in front of him.

"A few months ago when I turned human, you do remember, right?"

"Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. You see, call me sane, but I don't actually have 'Angel turns human' written anywhere on my calendar."

"You wrote it on me with hot fudge, though" Angel retorted.

"Oh grow up, Angel" Buffy snapped "Stop thinking with your trousers. I'm not the only bloody one that's changed. Since you moved to LA, you've grown rude, sexually frustrated and controlling. The way you treated me -both times I visited- has been incomprehensible. I don't like you."

"You don't like me because I'm finally independent? Because I've made a success of my agency?" Angel asked angrily.

"The last I heard, one of your employees died. I don't call that success. That's failure" Buffy said.

She didn't know much, but Giles had informed her of Doyle death. Buffy was so mortified for Angel that she was practically on the next bus out of Sunnydale. Until Riley had appeared and put a stop to her plans.

Angel struggled not to reply to this, but the demon inside of him suddenly surfaced despite his attempts.

"A failure like how Jenny died?"

The words had slipped out before he had a chance to recognise its meaning.

Buffy ran over and slapped him hard. Angel stifled a yell. She couldn't believe he'd said that, to her of all people. She walked away again, but the pain lingered on Angels face.

"That was low, Angel." Buffy said angrily "Lets take a quiz. Hands up who was responsible for Jenny's death."

Angel's up-stretched arms confirmed the answer.

"And here was me thinking you were a good boy" Buffy teased.

"Bitch" Angel snarled.

"Oh come on, lover. This is the kind of thing you said to me. And I may be a self confessed bitch, but you are no gentleman yourself. The way you've treated me. The way you DUMPED me like I was soiled rubbish..."

"You still haven't forgiven me for ending our relationship, have you?" Angel asked. They'd never properly discussed their break-up, they'd never had closure. Of course there was that sewer discussion in LA, but Buffy didn't remember that.

"Do you blame me? After everything we'd been through, you suddenly told you didn't want me. it was like coming face to face with death."

"No, that's not it" Angel said, beginning to see another level to her. One that fitted in much better with her 'bitchy Buffy' persona. "You can't handle that I was the one who ended it. It must have been humiliating to have me turn around and say that I didn't need you anymore. Your poor reputation"

"You really think I'm that shallow?"

"Yes." Angel said quietly.

"Well you're wrong!" Buffy sighed, putting her drink onto the table. "If I cared for my *reputation* I wouldn't have dated a vampire in the first place. I wouldn't have risked my friends and family for you. You were the one freaky thing in my freaky life that made sense. When you gave up on us everything went wrong. It was like I was fighting in fog. Nothing made.. makes.. sense. Every day- EVERY DAY- I have to cope being without you. And I'm sorry that I can't forgive you, but you hurt me like no-one could and it's closed me down. I'm a bitch because of you, Angel."

"Right, Buffy. Blame everyone but yourself. It's not *you* who is pushing your friends away. It's not *you* who didn't tell Giles about the Initiative, making him feel estranged. It's not you who can't even remember that Xander still exists, or who hasn't even bothered to find out more about Anya and Tara. And it sure as hell isn't you who is screwing Riley every night just to prove she's capable of a normal relationship"

"I AM capable of a normal relationship!" Buffy bristled.

"How about friendship? Stop pushing them away, Buffy. You've hardened because you've turned selfish. Just because you're the Slayer, doesn't mean you're better than everyone else. They've been going through stuff too."

Buffy became silent. She'd said as much to Faith once. God, she was turning into Faith...

"Well look at you!" Buffy said, changing tactics. "You're not capable of a relationship ever, because every damn time you have sex, you turn into a psycho. Thank god we're not together anymore, since I've been with Riley, I've found that sex is vital for a healthy relationship. I'd have grown bored with you very quickly."

Buffy waited for a reply. She got one.

"All this proves is that I was right to leave." Angel said through grated teeth. "You want sex and light and normalcy. I was right to break up with you when I did"

"No!" Buffy shouted, horrified. She realised she was simply confirming his beliefs. She wasn't meant to do that. "You made a mistake! Did you think we couldn't work through our problems? That they weren't something worth fighting against? Didn't you want to take the risk? I'm the one that's going to die, I'm the one with everything to lose. I'm the one willing to give us a chance.

Rather than have a wonderful relationship, you'd rather second guess my feelings and break us apart. Causing us to both be miserable and turn in on ourselves. Ooh, great plan, darling. Makes me all warm inside."

"It's a no win situation" Angel managed to whisper.

Buffy raised her voice over him. She was aware that she was about to be changing the previous statements she'd made over the past few days, but she had a sudden desire to tell Angel the truth.

"Did you even ask me if you thought it wouldn't work? When we broke up before prom, it came out of nowhere. You said I needed 'someone to take me into the light'. Stuff the light, sweetheart. Light isn't welcome in my world. If anyone deserved a chance with you, it was me. I'm a Slayer with extra strength, extra killage and extra pain. This isn't called a normal life. Riley doesn't take me into the light, he just takes me, end of discussion. There's no connection, no love - on my side- it's not the great picture you painted for me last year. You always thought you were holding me down, but you were propelling me forward. Until you left. And you can't see that. You're short-sighted and selfish, Angel.

And what you were muttering earlier about Thanksgiving shows this too. What was it you said, that you swallowed the day without even telling me? Why do I deserve this treatment when all I've ever done is love you? What did I do?"

Buffy took the stake from her pocket and threw it towards Angel. It flew past him and dug into the wall behind, as she intended. She pointed at Angel once more. Her captive listener stood silently, no indication of his own thoughts.

"I don't give a fig about you being a vampire. All you've ever been to me is my soulmate, the one and only person who knows me better than myself. Love's supposed to be bumpy, you're not supposed to give up when things get tough. Love encompasses everything. Love is forever!"

Go to Part 9