***
The house was enormous, a huge shining beacon ominously set against the backdrop of the pitch-black night sky. Willow was well aware of that, even through the haze of cigarette smoke that curled about in the confines of the limousine as it wound its way up the long drive towards the house that had every window lit against the darkness. It was intimidating enough to make her pull away from the car's window and shrink back against the leather of the seat.
Not that the dark interior of the chauffeur driven limousine was anymore comforting. Angelus was sitting silently, smoking a cigarette ~ his second since they'd been picked up from one of the many airports scattered about New York. He'd been practically silent since those brief few words he'd spared her to confirm her parents' death when they'd left Sunnydale. But he didn't have to speak, there were the looks. The smirk and rumble of laughter that greeted her when she woke up, having fallen asleep on the plane and somehow ending up drooling on his shoulder. Or the dismissive way he'd turned his back to her and simply walked away as they'd departed the airplane, she'd had to scamper after him, terrified of losing him in the practically empty airport and being left behind. Nor had he said anything to her when he'd handed the chauffeur the overnight bag she'd been given at the hospital, a bag that he had carried from the plane, he'd merely turned to her and opened his arm wide as if to herd her into the limousine. Since then, he didn't even bother to look at her.
Wasn't even looking at her now as Willow pulled deeper into the dark confines of the limousine as it made the last leg of its journey. The house loomed ever closer, so huge that she could no longer see all of it without twisting and turning about. In a moment of weakness, of apprehension as the car came to a halt, she turned to Angelus, watching as the tip of the cigarette glowed red in the gloom. There were a million questions she wanted to ask, but as the cigarette was lowered and the blue gray smoke was exhaled, she bit her tongue and turned away. Wherever they were going, they'd just arrived and Angelus' door was opened, the dark haired vampire easily stepping out into the bright light while Willow dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands.
Ducking her head, Willow squinted into the brightness, trying to make out what exactly was happening. She could clearly hear the words of greeting even before she saw Angelus being escorted toward the main entrance of the house, moving further away from her without even a backward glance. The door remained open and she timidly slid across the seat only to have a black, leather-gloved hand offered to help her out of the car. For a moment, she hesitated, listening to the murmur of unfamiliar voices and watching as Angelus disappeared into the brightly lit vestibule before she took the offered hand and stepped out into the light.
The gravel crunched beneath her feet and Willow stood on shaky legs as the chauffeur dropped her hand. The house was even more frightening close up and she had to tilt and twist her head to take it all in. The feeling of trepidation only grew as she slowly moved to follow Angelus inside. Two footmen, who courteously bowed as she passed through the doorway, held the heavy doors open and as soon as she crossed the threshold she realized that although the exterior of the house was formidable, the interior was an astounding example of grandiose affluence. Wealth and power fashioned into architecture that made Willow feel insignificant as she stood in awe, her mouth dropping open at the sight of the vast entrance hall with its marble floor, gold leaf trimmings and colossal glass dome ceiling.
"Willow," the voice carried down to her from the grand staircase and she glanced up. On the mezzanine area Angelus was waiting expectantly with yet another stranger who was clad in a perfectly tailored dark suit. Stumbling slightly, Willow forced herself to move to follow him as the two men turned away and headed up the stairs.
Every step they took led deeper into the opulent interior and she was lost in wonder, so much so that she paid no heed at all to the conversation that was taking place between Angelus and their guide. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that houses to this magnitude existed, it certainly made the mansion back at Sunnydale seem little more than a pathetic attempt of imitation of the real thing. Wide, long corridors wove their way through the house, crisscrossing and leading to all sorts of promises. However, under the bright light, Willow couldn't help but feel the darkness that was hidden away behind many of the closed doors. Or even the ones that were being thrown wide open to reveal a suite of rooms fit for a king and Angelus casually strolled to the center of the main room.
"We trust that you will be comfortable for the duration of your sojourn," the Suit had a trace of an accent that Willow couldn't place and she frowned. "However, should you find the suite lacking..."
"I'll be sure to let you know," Angelus said quietly.
"Very good, sir. As to your requests, the staff will be here within the hour and refreshments have been laid out..."
Willow stared. It was obvious, even in her drug-induced daze, that this trip had been carefully planned and organized. That the dark-haired vampire, who was turning his back on both she and the Suit, knew exactly why they were there and what was going on. Whereas she knew absolutely nothing.
"You can leave now," Angelus stated, dismissing the Suit as he opened up the double doors that hid the bedroom. The stranger bent at the waist, bowing to the vampire, before straightening and leaving, pulling the main doors of the suite closed after himself. Never once had the Suit acknowledged Willow's presence and she could feel the lump of fear swelling in her throat, threatening to choke her.
"Have a bath," demanded Angelus from the depths of the bedroom, startling Willow out of her stupor and she jumped. Wrapping her arms tightly about herself, she followed his voice into the room. It was no different to the rest of the house, immense and striking. Her eyes fixed on the massive bed and her mouth went dry, her hands clenching into fists under her locked arms. This was the one thing she hadn't given much thought to and didn't want to think about ~ the demands that Angelus would make of her. Undoubtedly if she wasn't willing to obey then he'd simply take what he wanted and she'd be doubly damned. She glanced at him across the broad expanse of the bed where he was dumping out the contents of her bag from the hospital. Rummaging through the bits and pieces, his fingers wrapped around two vials of medication and he read the labels, tossing one back down on the bed. "You reek of disinfectant and it's not the most enthralling scent."
Willow watched in silence as he walked away from the bed, heading towards yet another doorway with the vial still held firmly in his grasp. The demands had already started and she followed him blindly as the door was opened to reveal a bathroom. Angelus didn't even pause as he strode across to the toilet, popped the lid on the vial and tipped the pills into the water, easily flushing them away. Nervously, she shifted her weight from foot to foot, glancing about the vast bathroom. The subdued lighting was a welcomed contrast to the rest of the rooms, her aching head didn't seem to throb as much under the softer wall lights that illuminated the marble floor and walls. It was cool and calming and as she took in the half sunken tub, she thought that Angelus' demand wouldn't be at all hard to follow.
Behind her the door slammed and she spun around to face an empty bathroom. For the first time that night, Willow was grateful to be left alone and however brief the interlude of solitude was, she was determined to take full advantage of it. Turning the taps on to fill the massive bath and quickly stripping of her clothes, leaving them where they fell on the floor, she slipped into the hot water and discovered bliss ~ that feeling of being surrounded by warmth, having her body become weightless as the bath continued to fill. Resting her head on the edge, she listened to the dull roar of the water, her eyes slowly falling close as the darkness she'd felt all night long consumed her, washed over her as easily as the water.
"Come on, darlin', don't fall asleep..." Angelus' voice startled her and she lost her precarious balance, slipping beneath the water momentarily before surfacing and gasping for breath. It was obvious she'd fallen asleep, the taps had been turned off and the scented water was starting to cool. Scrubbing at her face, she tried to clear the fog, she couldn't remember putting any oils in the water that would explain the scent. She glanced over at the vampire perched on the edge of the tub, a smile curling about his lips and he gestured to a glass of wine and plate of sweet plain biscuits that rested easily on the wide edge of the bath. "Lots to do before then. Hurry up, we have company."
Reaching out, Willow snatched up the glass of wine and Angelus chuckled, standing up to saunter away. Watching his retreating back and satisfied he was leaving her alone again, she took a deep satisfying gulp of the sweet red wine and grabbed one of the plain cookies from the plate, nibbling on the edge. It was the first solid food she'd had in days and it was about all that her stomach could handle. Even so, she was still starving and so before she'd even finished dressing she'd thoroughly feasted on the biscuits and wine.
Not that Willow considered wearing a pair of lace and silk French knickers and matching chemise to be dressed. Especially, she decided as she hesitantly made her way out to the bedroom, when they apparently had company. But she had no other choice, there was no sign of the clothes she'd so eagerly abandoned before she'd climbed into the bath, and the underwear were the only things that had been left for her. She supposed, in some perverse way, that she should be grateful that she wasn't completely naked. The massive bedroom was empty once more and she crept towards the half closed doors that led to the other rooms of the suite.
There were more strange voices, a garble of noise that Willow couldn't make any sense of and she carefully hid herself behind the door, glancing out at the commotion that was occupying the vast living area of the suite. The only person she recognized in the entire hubbub was Angelus, surrounded by a throng of well-dressed individuals, fussing and fretting over the vampire as he gave out commands and comments on various items that were held up for his consideration.
"What are you hiding yourself away for?" he still had his back to her and Willow's eyes widened in surprise as the whole foray of strangers turned to look at her, or rather to stare at what wasn't hidden by the door. "Come along, we have things to do."
Pulling at the hem of the suddenly too tiny chemise and pushing back her wet hair, Willow awkwardly walked out into the crowded room. She hadn't even taken two steps before she was rushed, hands grabbing at her and pulling her forward. Some woman was calling for the fitters, while others attacked her with tape measures and swatches of material. The pushing and pulling never stopped until she was wrapped up in material, soft cashmere with fur rubbing against her chin and wrists.
"It needs to be further fitted about the waist and a sharper cut in the shoulders," stated Angelus, running a critical eye over the coat she was wrapped up in. At once the small army of courtiers went to work, marking up the adjustments with tailors chalk and pinning the waist in while she still wore the coat. "I thought I instructed the trim to be made of mink?"
"Imitation fur is de rigueur, sir," some blonde woman stated and Willow assumed that she was the one in charge, since everyone seemed to be referring to her. Indeed, the coat was removed and handed over to the woman and she held out the fur cuff for Angelus to inspect while Willow was quickly clad in another outfit. "You'll find that all of the major fashion houses are using it at the moment."
"If I gave a damn about fashion then the girl would be dressed in Channel and Yves Saint Laurent and you wouldn't be here. You have been retained to give me what I want," with one quick movement, Angelus tore the imitation fur collar off and threw it and the coat back at the woman. "And I want mink."
"As you wish, sir."
As Willow was shunted in and out of various outfits, the tailor chalk readily applied and pins used to gather in the excess of fabric, the phrase was repeated over and over to an increasingly angrier vampire. The sketches he held were tossed aside or scorned and each outfit was scrutinized, his annoyance growing with every criticism he made. Eventually, he sat glowering on the antique leather couch, watching as the last outfit was removed and she was once more left in her flimsy underwear.
"We need the blue gown by tonight and then," Angelus spoke softly, not taking his eyes off the redhead. "Something casual for the following night...I'll leave it to your discretion."
"As you wish, sir."
There was that oft-heard phrase and Willow winced. She was exhausted and didn't think she could stand for another moment, but there was something about the vampire that kept her on her feet, stopped her from trying to seek the comfort of a chair or to even sit beside him.
"Go to bed," Angelus stated, breaking his hold on her and she willingly obeyed, quickly covering the distance that separated her from the bedroom and pulled the doors closed behind her. However, they didn't block out the conversation, which was still taking place in the outer area of the suite. "I'll need something for my princess, in a rich burgundy, something to bring out pale skin and dark hair. Velvet and satin would suit."
"Very good, sir," at least the phrase had changed a little bit, Willow mused, happily crawling into the far side of the massive bed, as far away as she could get from Angelus in the other room. Snuggling between the fine, soft sheets, she continued to listen to the conversation, waiting for that inevitable moment where it would end and the vampire would join her. But the conversation continued and her eyes drifted closed.
"Mademoiselle..."
Willow grimaced, the voice was an unwelcome intruder, traipsing in and disturbing the ignorant bliss of sleep.
"Mademoiselle..."
It was no good, no matter how much she wanted to ignore the voice, she couldn't. Slowly, Willow forced her eyes open, not an easy feat considering they were encrusted with sleep. At first she thought she was dreaming. There was a man, a younger version of the Suit who had shown them to their rooms, standing over her, bent at the waist and holding a silver tray.
"Your tea, mademoiselle."
"Huh?"
"Your tea," the man replied patiently or maybe it was boredom. "And toast. I suggest that you hurry. A car is waiting."
Willow scrambled to sit up in the bed, pulling the sheet up with her and glanced about the bedroom. There was no sign of Angelus, nothing to say that he'd even been there. Her hand flew to her neck and her fingers reassuringly ran over the heavy gold of her choker, although it really didn't placate the fear that gripped her.
"A car?" she demanded, panic making her voice sharp as the breakfast tray was carefully put down on the bed and the servant straightened. "What car?"
"Monsieur Angelus requested a car be at his disposal for you today," the young man replied tolerantly. "And it is waiting to take you to your appointment in town."
"Appointment?" Willow asked, turning her attention to the breakfast tray.
"Yes and you are running quite late so I strongly suggest that you hurry," he repeated his earlier insinuation as Willow picked up a triangular piece of toast and took a big mouthful. Chewing on the honey-laden toast, she frowned and shook her head.
"But I have no..." Willow started to protest as the servant stepped aside to reveal the clothes that she had so eagerly abandoned in the bathroom, however they were neatly pressed and laid out. "Okay, I have clothes."
"Five minutes, mademoiselle."
There was no opportunity for Willow to object, protest or even ask questions, the servant turned on his heel and left, pulling the bedroom doors closed behind him. The toast and tea were quickly consumed, quelling the nausea that the initial fright had caused, and she pushed the tray and bed linen aside so she could go to the bathroom, pausing momentarily to grab the dress she would wear for the day. Five minutes didn't allow for a shower, but it did give her enough time to wash her face and brush her teeth and hair, but it wasn't without incidence and she dropped her hairbrush.
"Great," she muttered, bending down to retrieve it from the marble floor. There was no warning as the wave of dizziness swept over her and she collapsed against the cool floor, panting as the nausea she'd felt earlier returned with a vengeance. She didn't know why she thought that after a prolonged stay in hospital she'd be perfectly fine with no after effects, obviously she'd been wrong and she waited until the attack passed, her head clearing as the nausea once more subsided. Picking up her brush, she went to push herself off the floor when the wastebasket caught her eye or rather the vial that Angelus emptied and discarded. With a cautious glance about the room to make sure she was alone, she pulled the bottle out and turned it about in her hands to read the label. It was for Valium, a high dose that was meant to be taken with each meal and she could understand why Angelus had been so eager to dump the tablets. But there was something more disturbing than the type of medication it had held, it was the name on the vial, Willow O'Callaghan.
"Mademoiselle?" the servant's voice carried through from the bedroom and Willow threw the bottle back into the wastebasket.
"Coming," she called out, quickly standing up. Even though the sudden movement caused her head to spin again, she fought against it, biting her tongue and closing her eyes to suppress both the dizziness and nausea.
It was something Willow repeated often as she followed the servant through the mammoth house to the car. She was taken a different way, the halls were long and extensive but eventually led to a vestibule that was only slightly less impressive than the main entrance hall she and Angelus had entered through. The difference wasn't just in the vestibule, daylight contrasted with the darkness that they had arrived in and the car, while still chauffeured, wasn't as luxurious as the limousine that they'd been collected in. But one thing remained the same, the house in all its terrifying magnitude was still an omnipresent feature as the car wound along the gravel drive.
Not that Willow paid much heed to the house. Instead she was valiantly trying to overcome the lightheadedness that still plagued her. Of course it didn't help that her mind was besieged by a multitude of thoughts. They were all fleeting though, she was unable to grasp the most basic of notions, days of sedation had added to the confusion that seemed to be her constant companion of late. Memories merged with delirium and drug induced fits of fancy, she couldn't exactly recall what had happened in the last few days and she didn't know what was happening now. At least not until the car came to a halt in the heart of the bustling and fashionable part of Manhattan, it housed many of the more exclusive stores and their associates. The door was held open and she was escorted from the car into one of the lavish buildings.
"Oh no," whimpered Willow, growing pale as she was ushered into the brightly lit lobby area of the elite beauticians. "Torture."
The first two hours of the day long visit was torture, involving hot wax and an over zealous woman who Willow was certain thrived on ensuring that every single hair that wasn't on her head was ripped from its root. The rest of the visit was spent in a cocoon of warmth, interspersed with exfoliation, massages, body wraps, a manicure and pedicure, facial and eyelash tint, not to mention the deep conditioning treatment for her hair and a trim. The hours flew by, even more so when Willow found herself dozing during the treatments. No one spoke to her and she didn't particularly care to engage anyone in conversation, preferring to close her eyes and relax, or sip on the beverages and nibble on the snacks that were supplied for her.
By the time she left the salon, as the sun was setting, she was a totally different person. Relaxed and perfectly groomed. Her hair had been curled and piled loosely on top of her head, held in place with numerous fine gold hairpins that glittered with tiny gems, while a number of tendrils had been carefully styled to hang decoratively about her face and neck and her make up was picture perfect. Her head had cleared as the hours passed, the constant nibbling and drinking had settled her stomach, and while she still felt some trepidation about her situation, physically she was feeling much better. Even the house, as the car once more wound its way up the long drive, didn't seem as intimidating. Or so she thought until she was escorted back to the rooms and she came face to face with the very person that she'd managed to clear from her thoughts for the entire day.
"You need to dress," Angelus stated, sparing her a brief glance as he finished securing a cuff link, something that was necessary for the full formal evening wear that he was clad in. The long skirt of the tailored jacket flared slightly as he turned on his heel, walking away, leaving her to follow him into the bedroom. She watched as he made his way over to the huge vanity that rested against the wall at the end of the bed, the mirror that practically filled the wall above it clearly reflecting the vampire, the bed and the rest of the room, including a maid who was bustling about. There was no question about what she was going to wear for the only item of clothing visible in the room was a brilliant sapphire blue gown, a gown which the maid had collected and was carrying towards her. Angelus was silent as he picked up his drink from the vanity, the glass nearly full of amber liquid, and took a sip as he once more left Willow alone. The doors of the bedroom were pulled partially closed behind him and the maid held out the gown to her.
It didn't take Willow long to be helped into the gown and as she took a seat in front of the vanity, slipping on her heels, the maid carefully tucked away the straps of her bra, hiding them under the dropped sleeves of the gown. As the maid continued to fuss and fiddle, Willow ran her fingers over a pair of earrings that the vampire had left for her. They were sapphires and diamonds set in white gold, long and flowing, a sea of sparking blue forming the perfect teardrop surrounded by diamonds. Picking one up, she ensured that the tendrils of hair were clear of her ear as she fixed the earring in place, her fingers once more caressing the length of the teardrop. It was startling to look at her reflection and see such an elegant woman staring back at her where there should have been nothing more but some gawky schoolgirl. There was something surreal about the picture she presented, skin that was as pale as ivory framed by the blue of her gown and the ruby red of her hair, the same color that adorned her lips. The only other trace of color in her face was the green of her eyes, which stood out against the grays that had been carefully crafted about her eyes to sculpt them into the brilliance of gems. Idly, she picked up the other earring and fixed it in place, still watching herself in the massive mirror. There was something wrong with the picture, something amiss and her fingers caressed the rose gold of her choker, it didn't suit the rest of the jewelry, the rose clashing with the white gold.
"Get out," Angelus growled from behind her, making her jump and Willow watched as the maid hastily bowed to the glowering vampire before making a swift exit. Languidly, he strolled toward her, reaching over her shoulder to drag forward a large velvet box and flipped open the lid. There, resting amongst a raised bed of black satin, was an elaborate necklace of diamonds and sapphires set in an intricately woven design of white gold.
Willow glanced from the necklace back to the reflection, watching as Angelus easily picked up the ornate piece of jewelry. There was something wrong, it nagged at her from that part of her subconscious that was filled with facts and figures about the most obscure things. But the growing ache behind her eyes distracted her, made her forget the faux pas that the picture of their reflection presented, and as she silently watched him reach out to unclasp her choker, she tilted her head down and closed her eyes. She wasn't certain how he did it, removed her choker and quickly replaced it without once touching her skin. But he did and the heavy necklace was cold against her skin, making her shiver.
"Come along, darlin'," Angelus called to her, causing her to once more glance up at the huge mirror she sat in front of, watching as he easily slipped on a long black cashmere coat. "It seems that we're always running late in this hellhole."
And they were. By the time they made it back into the city and had dined in the seclusion of the second floor of the Russian Tea Rooms, they were running incredibly late. In fact as they took their seats in a private box of one of the many grand theatres housed in the city, the lights were already flashing, alerting the patrons that there was barely five minutes before the curtain rose. Below them, people were rushing about, almost climbing over each other in a scrambled attempt to take their seats.
"The best part of the theatre and probably the most entertaining use to be watching the people who attended..." Angelus stated, passing her a glass of champagne as he leant back in his seat, watching the patrons below. "The boxes that housed societies most exalted were full of scandal and the worst kept secrets, they were a hotbed of well founded gossip. Now, though, it's different. The secrets are carefully hidden away and there is nothing but a vacant, empty veneer that's highly polished..."
Willow spared him a glance, there was a cynical tone to his voice, pessimistic almost and she was certain that he wasn't talking about the demise of society in general. Taking a sip of the champagne, she idly wondered exactly what he had been involved in during the course of the day that had put him in such a sullen mood and as she turned back to watch the crowds, she debated whether to ask him. In Sunnydale he was more than happy to answer the questions she asked, encouraged her even and any questions she raised that he didn't want to answer, well, he simply ignored them. Willow was confident that asking how he spent his day would be ignored, or worse, put him in an even fouler mood and since it appeared that she was going to be left alone with him for the duration of the night it was something she wanted to avoid at all costs.
But she was saved from the awkwardness of making small talk with the vampire as the theatre lights dimmed until the audience was bathed in darkness and the orchestra pit came to life. The stage lit up, the bright lights illuminating what the curtain had hidden, the set for the Pirates of Penzance. The classic Gilbert and Sullivan musical was given new life. Any number of modern idiosyncrasies and word plays had been added, making the classic tale of comical errors, love and honor even more accessible and appealing to the modern audience. Not only were there extra lines that many of the audience roared at, but the physical comedy had been exaggerated, perhaps more so in the form of the Pirate King, a handsomely devilish rogue clad in the most spectacular and form fitting purple pants who seemed to have a penchant for pulling apart his classic pirate shirt to expose his well defined chest as often as possible, much to the delight of the female audience members.
And Willow was enthralled, totally and utterly. Never in all her life had she been to the theatre and certainly not to see a musical portrayed in such a spectacular fashion. There was such a consuming magnificence about it, the music wrapping about her, carrying her to dizzying heights, while the characters on stage captivated her in their brightly colored costumes and their narcissistic behavior that was played on purely for laughs. But the one thing that amused her the most was the Pirate King, with his chest baring exploits, womanizing ways and purple pants. So much so that once they were alone in the limousine and Angelus asked if she had enjoyed herself, she was ecstatic in her praise of the roughish Pirate King and his hilarious behavior through out the performance. It was an answer she had given no thought to and she regretted it slightly as he chuckled beside her.
"Ah, the Pirate King, the man who lead his followers on wild raiding parties to steal and plunder, not to mention ravish," Angelus chuckled sardonically, then the laughter died away and his voice darkened, losing all trace of humor. "Would you like to be ravished, Willow?"
For the first time that night the dark eyes firmly held her gaze and she had to turn away, breaking his hold to briefly watch the city lights before dropping her eyes down to her hands in her lap. The question played on her mind, the dark timbre of his voice reverberating about in her head and she was struck by the oddest thought. Biting her bottom lip, she fought to contain a giggle, but it escaped and drew his full attention once more.
"What?" he asked, his voice holding the slightest sound of amusement.
"I can't help but think about purple pants..." Willow stated, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth as she laughed, glancing up at the vampire at her side. He pouted and stretched his long legs out.
"Can't you just see me in a pair of dark purple leather pants?" he asked, the hint of a smile curling at his lips and outside the city's many clocks began to chime, announcing the close of the day and the darkest hour of the night.