"What about this one?" Gunn pointed out another address on the list Spike and Aria had recently arrived with. Lindsey leaned over the counter to take a look and sadly shook his head.

"No, Wolfram and Hart uses that one to house some of its more unknown associates." Lindsey replied, defeat in his voice, looking back at his own copy of the list he fought the urge to ball up the paper in a fit of rage. He was holding on by a thread and if they didn't get a lead on Douglass soon he was going to take Angel up on his original plan of showing up at Wolfram and Hart with weapon in hand.

"This is a bloody waste of time!" Giles slipped his glasses off and rubbed at his temples, the older englishman wished that they had just a glimmer of
where the girls could be. Angel's sire had efficiently taken three very important people from him within a matter of seconds, after all the good each girl had done in their short lives he thought the Powers would at least cut them a break and not let some twisted bitch have her way with them.

"We can't just sit here all night staring at these addresses." Angel muttered under his breath, he looked over at Lindsey and knew the other man felt the same as he did at that moment. Desperation. It was like some horrid disease that was gnawing at the inside of him.

Looking around the room at the stressed expressions Dawn wished there were something that she could do for her friends. It was going on four hours since Douglass, Willow and Cordelia were taken and with every minute that passed the more danger they were in, Dawn slumped back in her chair and wished for a way to *make* Lilah talk, perhaps if they were the type of people that would use violence to get what they wanted they'd have the girls home and safe. If they could just hook the woman up to some lie detector machine then maybe they could figure out the location of the missing girls.

Pausing for a moment Dawn straightened in her chair. Didn't the heart rate increase or something like that when a person lied? And who better to know if a person's heart rate increased than a vampire? "Spike?"

Spike stopped his pacing and looked over at the adolescent. "Yes Nibblet?"

"I was just thinking, wouldn't you be able to tell if Lilah was lying because her heart rate increased?" Dawn bit her lower lip as the room stilled and
everyone looked at her.

"Yes."

"Well, why can't we ask Lilah about these addresses? If we read them off to her we'd know the right one when her heartbeat increased." Dawn watched as Spike looked over at Angel.

"Why didn't we think of this?" Spike arched a brow in Angel's direction, already heading toward the stairs.

"This is fascinating. You're saying that you can tell when someone's lying just from his or her heart rate?" Wesley stared at Angel, his face colored after a moment. "So the when I told you I couldn't go on patrol those times..."

"I knew you were lying." Angel shrugged. Wesley straightened, his face masked in shame.

"What about that time I told you that Cordy knocked your coffee mug off the counter?" Angel looked over at Gunn and rolled his eyes.

"Didn't need to hear your heartbeat to know you were lying. Cordy would've bought a new mug and never told me." His gaze swung toward the swooping stairs the moment Spike and Lilah made their descent, this was the one chance they had all been praying for. If they could play this right, within moments they'd know the location that the girls were being kept.

Lilah looked around at the angry and concerned faces and knew that it was probably safer for her to be locked up in the dingy room that she had been placed in. Angel's face was one of determination, that in the end he would get his way. Lindsey's blood shot eyes bore holes into her and he looked ready for murder, his hands clenching and unclenching into tight balls. She was almost positive her name was close to the top of Lindsey's 'who-should-I-kill-today?' list at that moment.

Feeling strong hands grip her by the shoulders and force her into a chair, Lilah watched as Angel nodded over to Wesley. Lilah prepared herself for the worst but when the englishman started reading off addresses she almost laughed in relief. Some of the streets and locations sounded familiar, after about the fifth one it dawned on her that these were some of the properties that Wolfram and Hart owned. Did these fools really think that she'd tell which address they'd find Darla and their friends at?

Sooner or later they'd get the right address, and with practices ease she'd bluff her way through it. "1600 E Colorado...115 Broadway.... 1756 E Travers-."

"That's it." Angel and Spike said in unison, each jumping from their spots and grabbing their jackets and weapons. "Wes, get her back to her room." Angel nodded at Lilah. "Then I need you to stay behind, keep an eye on Dawn."

Lilah looked around puzzled. How did they know? She had barely batted an eye to betray the location. How could they know? She watched in confusion as Wesley stood and headed in her direction, this wasn't good.

"Daddy's coming. We've been so naughty and he is so angry." Dru started to shiver and pulled the lace shawl closer to her.

"Dru honey, are you sure?" Darla left Douglass's unconscious form to join Dru, gently brushing the inky black strands of hair from the younger vampire's face.

"Oh yes. Daddy is very angry." Dru grinned evilly and started to sway. "We took his witch and he's coming to get her back." Spreading her arms out wide Dru sashayed around the room dancing to music only she could hear. Darla watched for a moment wondering of the world that Dru was stuck in. Talking stars, whispering plants, at times Darla could swear Dru knew exactly what was going on, no nuttiness or little voices running through her dark head but at times like these the insane vampire was definetly off her rocker.

Darla looked over at Willow's slumped form and growled, she narrowed her eyes in disgust at the human that had caught her 'Boy's attention. What was it with Angel and useless weak humans? At least this time he had chosen better, the little redhead was better than that whining twit of a slayer was but she was still a human.

"Well then, we need to make sure that he doesn't get here before our plan is achieved ." Darla looked back over at Douglass and wondered when she'd be waking. The blonde vampire had hoped to have had more time to play, to hear the screams that could be drawn out of each of the female captives but time was now an issue and it had to be first things first.

Walking to the redhead's side she yanked the young woman roughly by the hair  slapping Willow across the face. Willow woke up dazed looking back at Darla unsure what was going on. Darla watched as the girl's eyes focused on her then shifting around to get a view of her surroundings.

Willow knew the moment she saw Darla in front of her that the length of her life had shortened considerably, looking around knowing that her friends
would be near by, Willow choked back a whimper.

"Thought we'd have a little chat before your friends woke up." Darla purred letting go of the red strands of hair.

Willow nodded slightly unsure Darla wanted her to respond or not. "I hear that you and my 'Boy' have some kind of *thing* going on between the two of you. I thought I should be the one to tell you that I plan on getting my childe back, so far he's been a little reluctant but perhaps with you out of the way he'll remember that his rightful place is by my side." Darla gave Willow a thorough look and snarled as she found Willow lacking.

"What makes you think that you could keep someone like Angelus's attention? You're scrawny, not much to look at and don't get me started on how weak you are. He needs a woman not a little girl. Look at me, I'm everything a man, or vampire should we say, wants in a woman. Do you really believe that you can compete with me? Do you really think you know my Angelus like I do?" Willow looked away telling herself not to listen to Darla, that the vampire was just playing on her insecurities, Angel had proven that he wanted her.

"Do you even know about sex with a vampire? The pain, the blood that heightens the pleasure. Angelus and I would go on for hours, he never walked away from an experience with me unsatisfied." Darla leaned forward her mouth inches from Willow's ear. "You wouldn't last five minutes, he'd have to be gentle with you to the point that he'd get nothing out of being with you. Never being able to get what he really needs, always wanting more. Do you really wish that on him, virgin?" Darla placed her hand under Willow's chin and forced the girl to look at her. "Not that you'll ever have
the chance mind you, you'll be dead and he'll be mine."

Willow yanked herself free from Darla's grasp and glared back. "Well at least you have some fire in you, unlike that disgusting slayer. If Angel wasn't so obsessed with you I might turn you as well."

Darla smiled at Willow before grasping a dagger that had been tucked up her flowing sleeve, taking a step closer to the redhead Darla traced the curve of Willow's neck with the tip of the sharp knife, blood beaded at the small cut she made. "Oh we are going to have so much fun."
 

Chapter Fifty-Two

"Angel man, I know that we're on a time crunch here but I think that our main objective is to make it there alive." Gunn held on to the door handle as Angel screeched around another corner sending the dark young man slamming into Giles.

"Gee Gunn, would you like to walk?" Angel gritted between clenched teeth, Lindsey prayed that Angel wouldn't heed Gunn's warning feeling like every second meant life or death to the girls.

"Not with you on the roads. 'Fraid that you'd run me over on the sidewalk." Gunn pulled himself upright into his own seat throwing an apologetic look in Giles' direction.

"I could always let Spike drive." Angel took another corner the back end of the black convertible fishtailing from behind.

"Are you saying that *my* driving is bad Peaches? At least I can keep all four tires on the ground." Spike flipped Angel off.

"Will you all bloody well shut up!?! I swear if I hear one more thing out of any of you I will personally rip your spines out." Giles yelled out ceasing any more remarks from the others.

After a few minutes of silence Lindsey started to chuckle followed by Angel. Soon everyone but Giles was laughing. "Boy if I ever had any doubts english here was Doug's dad I'd have the proof just then." Gunn wiped the tears from his eyes.

Lindsey smiled softly feeling a smidge of sanity return. "So what's the plan?"

"There isn't one." Angel shrugged. "Thought we'd stick to the basics. Get in, get the girls, get out."

"Plans are so overrated." Gunn rolled his eyes, stopping at the cutting look Giles sent his way.

Cordelia slowly came to hearing a soft whimper to her right. Trying to clear her head she looked over to where the sound was coming from and nearly gasped out loud. Willow was tied up next to her, blood oozing from open cuts on her neck and face. The redhead's head was slouched forward, her beautiful locks matted around her face.

Looking around Cordelia noticed that they were alone. Douglass also seemed to be out, tied to a bed about ten feet away. The strawberry blonde witch was showing signs of abuse as well, bruises and long cuts covered her arms and legs, the bottom of one of her feet had been branded again making Cordelia's stomach tighten in sympathy.

They were going to die. There wasn't going to be a last second rescue from their friends, no lessons taught or evil butt getting kicked this time. They were the losers. IT was going to happen one day, they couldn't live like they did pushing luck to its limits as they fought against the darkness that roamed at night. They all knew that they'd all die someday and not some peaceful death after a long fulfilling life but at the hands of some evil. Their number was up.

Douglass moaned low and slightly moved only to moan out slightly louder. "Douglass?" Cordelia whispered, Douglass moved her head to the side but didn't open her eyes. "Douglass, please wake up." Cordelia was on the verge of a total mental breakdown.

After a few seconds Douglass cracked one of her eyes open "Cordelia?"

"Right over here. Don't move your head anymore than you need to or the ropes will cut into your skin again." Cordelia looked to the door of the large empty space afraid that their voices would bring their captors back.

"Where's Willow?" Douglass licked her cracked lips, tasting dried blood.

"She next to me. She's..." Cordelia looked over at her friend again and swallowed back the tears. "She's taking a nap."

Douglass was quiet for a moment and Cordelia was afraid she had passed out again. "How bad is she?"

It was Cordelia's turn to pause. "Pretty bad. But nothing that won't heal."

"Cordelia, I can hear the voices in my head again. The ones before I heal someone but I'm so tired." Douglass tried to pry her eyes open but found it close to impossible. "She wants to turn me."

Cordelia fought back tears of fright, things were getting worse by the second. "What will happen to..." Douglass bit back a sob. "To my baby? If I get turned what will happen to the baby? Does it die or will I give birth to some half-breed?"

"We're going to get out of here." Cordelia tried to sound confident but she knew her voice was more like a scared child wishing for the impossible.

"There's no way that I can get out of these ropes." Douglass started fading out again. Her head was getting fuzzy, the voices getting stronger. "Cordy, can you get out of yours?"

Cordelia wiggled her hands slightly seeing if there was any room to squeeze one of her hands free. After a few moments she felt the ropes give, her heart skipped a beat, if she could just squeeze her hand out she'd be free.

"Where'd everybody go?" Buffy asked Aria as she looked around the empty lobby.

"They got a lead on where the girls could be." Aria paced back and forth wringing her hands in anxiety.

"So they left... without me?" Buffy stood hands on her hips a perplexed expression glued to her face.

"Yes," Aria answered slowly wondering why the blonde slayer was surprised, she hadn't been helping to locate their missing friends, instead she had locked herself in a room upstairs. No one had the time to coddle the slayer and her hurt feelings, there were lives on the line here. "Wesley stayed behind to keep an eye on Dawn."

Buffy snorted and rolled her eyes. "Boy I bet she feels safe now. "

Aria felt her severely worn nerves tighten at Buffy's snide remark, too much was going on, too many lives in danger and all that idiot of slayer could do was insult one of her friends. Taking deep calming breaths Aria told herself to relax.

"You know none of this would be happening if Douglass hadn't come to town, Willow and Cordelia would be safe, no evil psycho vampires coming after them. Willow would've stayed in Sunnydale where she belongs in the first place, then Angel would've never fallen in love with her.

Aria felt her last nerve snap, she'd always wondered about that. She'd heard about people losing the last bit of control, even read about it but standing there in the empty lobby worrying that her friends may not come out of this crisis alive and hearing that little idiot whine about who Angel was in love with did her in. "Will you shut up!?! Three very important people to me are in danger, as in they may not live through this one. Do you not get that? You claim that Willow is your best friend but you haven't once shown any concern for her welfare. No. She may die or get turned. Do you understand this?"

Aria could feel her blood boil in a fit of rage, her heart pounded loudly into her rib cage. Buffy just stood there staring at her as if she had a problem
comprehending english. "And for Douglass never coming here? Do you even know how many lives she has changed... for the good? Lindsey would still be working for Evil Inc. Willow would still be stuck in Sunnydale being ignored and Spike still being your personal punching bag.  Giles would never know that he had a daughter and as for me, I would still be living with my father putting up with his abuse! How I see it Douglass actually has done a lot of good for us here. She may be a slob, unorganized and easy to provoke but she's our friend."

Buffy looked away from the redhead annoyed that Aria was right on several things though the slayer would never admit to any of it. She had lost Angel and Buffy knew that if Douglass had never shown her face her friend's lives wouldn't be in jeopardy.

"She's right Buffy and you're being a petty bitch." Dawn walked out of the shadows glaring at her sister. "Angel hasn't been *yours* for a long time now, Willow may die, and you're acting like a two-year-old who had her favorite toy taken away." Buffy looked sharply at her little sister but when she saw that Dawn wasn't backing down this time Buffy relented.

"You're right." Turning back to Aria Buffy forced a half smile. "Fine, where did they go?"

Aria looked unsure, if the guys had wanted her help they would have asked her but wanting and needing were two different things. Walking over to the table she wrote the address and directions on a piece of paper. "Here. But I swear if your going there to start any trouble instead of help save them, I will hunt you  down and kill you." Buffy started to smirk at the small girl's comment until she saw the seriousness in her eyes. Aria may not have any super powers but she was one tough friend.
 

Chapter Fifty-three

Lindsey could swear that his rapidly beating heart moved from his rib cage up to this throat. There was no other explanation for the painful ache every time he tried to swallow. The five of them were gathered around the trunk of Angel's car waiting for the dark haired vampire to hand out weapons to them, looking over his shoulder Lindsey stared down the empty alley.

"It's too quiet. I'd think that Darla would set up guards out here or something." Taking the stakes and holy water that Angel handed him Lindsey prayed that they had the right building. At this point they didn't have the time to backtrack if they indeed had the wrong place.

"They're here.'' Angel's voice was low and dangerous "I can sense Darla.''

Lindsey thought about that for a moment. If Angel could sense Darla didn't that mean that... "She can sense you too can't she?''

Angel nodded silently. Lindsey softly cursed under his breath, if Darla knew that Angel was here it put the girls' lives at greater risk. Whatever they were going to do they had to do it fast.

After Angel shoved two stakes inside his heavy trench coat everyone followed him to the back door in the alley. "We don't have time for mistakes here, this is a one shot opportunity.  Dust anything that looks halfway threatening. Darla hasn't had enough time to create enough minions to cause us much of a problem but she won't be unguarded. Any questions?"

"Yeah I got one." Gunn cocked his head to the side, "Who gets to dust the big bad bitch?"

"She's mine." Angel answered an undercurrent of rage in his voice.

"Just checking to see where we stood on that. Didn't want to step on anyone's toes." Gunn gave his friend a half smile.

Taking one last look around to make sure they were all ready. Angel gave a short nod and flung the heavy metal door open shocking two newly made minions who were standing just inside.

"Excuse me, I've seemed to have lost my way. Can you tell me where I can find the nearest Starbucks?" The two minions looked back in confusion, Angel slipped a stake that was hidden up his sleeve down to his awaiting palm. "No?" Slamming the wooden stake into the nearest vampire's chest he spun quickly and repeated the same action to the second minion.  "Keep your eyes open."

Without sparing a look back Angel continued on. Gunn and Lindsey shard a look and followed with Giles taking up the rear.

Cordelia could feel the coarse fibers of the rope cutting into her skin as she inched one of her hands from the rope, pausing for a moment she took a deep breath to collect herself knowing that if she started to panic they wouldn't stand a chance in escaping. After steadying her frazzled nerves she continued her efforts and after what seemed to be hours she let out a whimper of triumph as her right hand slipped out of it's bounds.

"Douglass...Douglass?" Watching the blonde intently, Cordelia could see that the witch seemed to have gone to that other place whenever the voices in her head became too much to handle.

Slipping both hands out Cordelia cringed to see the blood from the rope burns around her wrists, leaning forward, one eye glued to the door Cordelia started to pull on the ropes that held her legs captive.

Once she freed herself she wondered how in the world they were going to get out of there alive, they had a fighting chance when Douglass was still
coherent, together they could have gotten Willow out, even if they had to drag the redhead but now Cordelia needed to think of a way to get two very out of it girls to safety. Getting to her feet she nearly fell to the ground as her legs nearly gave out underneath her.

"Pull it together Chase." Cordelia said out loud to herself. Gathering her strength she hurried over to Willow's side, kneeling down near her friend she
started pulling at the ropes that kept the witch captive. After a few minutes Cordelia sat back on her heels knowing that she needed to find something sharp to cut through the coarse ropes, looking around the room her eyes rested on a wicked looking dagger. A small smile touched her lips as she crawled over to the table that the sharp instrument lay on, thanking who ever was watching over them at that moment.

Grabbing the dagger with a shaking hand, Cordelia hurried back to Willow cutting through the ropes in one easy slice. Moving to the redhead's feet she quickly cut through the ropes. With this done Cordelia eased her friend to the ground before she went to Douglass's side.

"Douglass? Can you hear me?" Whispering in her friend's ear, the seer worked on the ropes at the witch's neck, the strawberry-blonde's eyes were open, the smoky blue orbs unfocused. Cordelia continued to whisper to Douglass as she sliced through the remaining ropes at the witch's feet and arms.

The moment that Douglass was free it seemed as though her body had a mind of its own, sitting up straight in bed her vacant eyes seemed to be pulled to Willow's crumpled form.

"Oh no you don't, we don't have time for you to play medicine woman." Cordelia tugged on Douglass's arm trying to bring her friend back to the world. "Plan, I need a plan. Not like they've worked in the past but plans are good things." Keeping a hold of Douglass's arm Cordelia looked around the room for a possible escape route, for obvious reasons the door at the other end of the room was not an option. That left the windows, there were four windows lined up on the wall just on the other side of the bed Douglass had just been tied to, some of the panes had been broken, most
likely by some street kids. Crossing her fingers Cordelia got to her feet and pulled Douglass behind her to the window.

"Please let there be a fire escape, please oh please." Looking out the window she nearly whooped with joy. "Now lets pray that it'll hold our weight." Trying to keep a hold of Douglass and pry the window open at the same time was proving harder to do then Cordelia thought it would be. "You know Douglass it sure would nice if you stopped playing rainman here and actually helped me."

Like a miracle Douglass's eyes seemed to clear. Cordelia waited, her breath held as Douglass looked around. Cordelia didn't waste a second and let go of the witch's arm, pushing with all her might the window wouldn't budge.

"I know you were pre-empted there for a few minutes but work with me here." Cordelia rested her arms for a second and started pushing again. Douglass jumped forward only to wince in pain and hobble off her right foot, biting the side of her cheek she put her hands next to Cordelia's on the sill and started pushing up.

The window wouldn't move. "We're going to have to break it." Douglass found her voice oddly calm.

"Sure, that won't get any attention. Maybe we should just ask Darla if we could use her super vamp strength."

"What a wonderful idea but unfortunately my hands are full at the moment." A silky voice came from behind and both girls froze. "Now I'm not surprised to see Douglass up and out of bed, I expected to see my future childe show such spunk but you Cordelia I never expected. I may have to change my plans for you. Maybe you would make a great vampire."

Douglass and Cordelia turned in sync. Douglass gave a cry of alarm to see that Darla's hands were indeed full, the blonde vampire was holding Willow by her hair, the poor witch hanging like a broken rag doll. "Please put her down. I'll stay, let Cordelia and Willow go." The words flew out of Douglass's mouth before she could stop them but it was the only thing she could think to do at this moment. She already knew the reasons Darla wanted her, first to fix Dru's broken mind and then to add her as the newest member to the most dangerous vampire family known.

"You really don't have much say either way, darling Tessa. Do you like your new name? I chose it just for you, you are going to be a great vampire, one of my best creations." Darla lifted her free hand revealing the dagger that Cordelia had used to cut Willow from her bonds. "Once Dru is better and we get my boy back we'll be unstoppable." Darla traced the dagger from Willow's already sliced neck to her collarbone, Douglass and Cordelia stood terrified that Darla would increase pressure and start drawing blood again. "There is nothing you can do to save your little friend here," Darla shook Willow slightly, "her fate is sealed but I will give you the choice to have Cordelia join you in the afterlife, my dear."

Douglass started shaking her head no almost as though she knew that she was seeing Willow's last moments. "Darla, please you don't have to do this. You have me willingly."

"What you are feeling for Angel's little toy will pass once I bring you across. It may hurt now but trust me Tessa, it'll pass." Darla smiled at Douglass as though she were coddling a small child. Darla raised the dagger slowly as Cordelia and Douglass's eyes widened in horror. Just when Douglass was going to react by charging Darla brought the dagger down embedding it into Willow's stomach.

"No!!!" Douglass and Cordelia screamed at the top of their lungs in unison rushing to the crumpled body Darla had just dropped to the floor. Darla stepped back, a small evil smile in her face.
 

Chapter Fifty-four

Angel slammed his fist into his opponents face feeling a rush of satisfaction at the sound of the other vampire's breaking bones. Not wanting to drag the fight out any longer than possible Angel slid the stake he had hidden up his sleeve home into the vampire's chest.

"Some...help...would ...be appreciated." Giles was hit on the head and the older man stumbled back. Angel sped forward & kicked the vampire that was advancing on the Watcher in the stomach, giving Giles time to gain his footing.

Angel was advancing on the vampire when it turned to a pile of dust at his feet. Gunn gave Angel a mock salute and went back to taking out one of the last of Darla's little followers.

"We're wasting our time here." Spike slipped into his game face frustrated that they were being held up from their real goal.

"Angel, this is a huge building and we've only made it to the second floor." Lindsey grunted as the vampire slammed it's fist into his face and snapping his head back. "And I'm tired of getting hit in the face." Lindsey clenched his fist and returned the favor to the attacking vampire. Angel smirked slightly, silently commending Lindsey's ability to hold his own.

Jumping back into the fight, Angel and the four other males found themselves soon surrounded by piles of dust. "There has to be a better way of finding the chits."

At that moment a heart stopping scream pierced the silent building stopping all talk between the five males. Angel's eyes flashed yellow and Lindsey dropped the stake he was holding. "Sounds like one down. Wonder which one will be left?" A humorous voice stated from the shadows.

The group turned as one and watched as Max walked from the corner he had been watching from. "Well, if it aint good old Mr. Turner." Gunn hefted his ax higher getting in his fighting stance.

"I must say I'm impressed with your fighting abilities but alas you're too late. Sounds as though Darla has ridden herself of one of the females already." An evil smirk crossed the newly made vampire's face, turning to Lindsey, Max raised a brow. "I really must admit I'm slightly shocked to see you here Lindsey...this is where all the dirty work is, from what I remember you tend to like to be all cozy in your large office while you hire us *underlings* to do your work for you."

Lindsey took a step forward only to be stopped by Angel. "Let it go. He's trying to make you angry so you attack without thinking."

"So true Angelus and wow I gotta say that redhead is one good looking broad. How is it you've been able to contain yourself around a girl like that?"

"Where are they?" Angel's voice was deadly calm.

"I'm really disappointed in you, Angelus. Do you really think I would just tell you?" Max chuckled.

Shrugging his shoulders, Angel took the stake Spike had been holding. "Thought I'd ask nicely first." Jumping at the other vampire Max was quickly overtaken and Angel held the vampire up by his throat. "Now I won't ask nicely...WHERE IN THE HELL ARE THE GIRLS??" Angel pronounced each word by shaking the male dangling in his hand.

Max grasped at Angel's hand and tried to speak. Even though he didn't need air to live on, it made it difficult to talk with out it.

"Angel, speaking from personal experience, it's hard for him to talk with your hand around his throat." Lindsey's voice was now filled with grim humor. Angel looked over his shoulder at Lindsey with a half smile.

"Think I should let him down?" Lindsey pretended to act as though he was carefully considering the dark vampire's question.

"Not really." Stalking forward, Lindsey clenched his fist and drove it into Max's face. "Max, you don't know how good that felt or how long I've been wanting to do that."

Max narrowed his eyes at Lindsey as blood seeped from his nose. "Did that hurt Max?" Angel cooed in Max's face. "Tell me what I want to hear and maybe I won't torture you."

Max made a sound that none of them could distinguish. Spike rolled his eyes and picked up a discarded stake form the ground and drove it into Max's chest. "You two are really a bad influence on one another you know that?" Angel and Lindsey looked at each other weighing the blond's words and thought maybe under other circumstances they'd laugh about it.

"Can we get on now? We've wasted enough time."

Douglass and Cordelia knelt next to Willow's injured form, watching helplessly as blood oozed from where the dagger was buried full hilt. Cordelia reached out to grab the dagger but was stopped by Douglass.

"You can't! It'll make her bleed more." Douglass choked on her tears.

Willow moaned and tried to open her eyes. "It's so cold."

Cordelia placed a hand over her mouth to keep her sobs from spilling forth, her shoulders shook from the effort. "Willow, don't worry everything is going to be all right."

"Don't lie to me Cordy, I know." A slight smile formed on the redhead's blue lips.

Cordelia placed her head in her hands as images of a young Willow swam in front of her eyes. How Willow looked when she was five, swinging on the swings and squealing every time Xander would push her higher and higher. About the times Willow had always been so kind and caring to anyone in need but mostly about the redhead who had always been brave, no matter what evil they faced. The little faces she made from behind the
computer at the old high school whenever she was momentarily stumped, even the time she and Xander had been caught during their kiss after being captured by Spike. This just wasn't right.

Willow licked her lips and tried to speak. Douglass and Cordelia tried to make her stop, to save her strength. "Please tell Xander that I love him... I
always will... that he really has been the closest thing I had to a b-brother. That I-I'm proud of the man he has become. Let Giles know that he has always been like a father to me... Let B-Buffy know that no matter what she has a place in my heart..." Willow started to fade, making both girls lean forward. "A-And you two need to take care of one another and those guys that are so crazy for you...I consider both of you to be my sisters...I'll always love you." Taking a ragged breath Willow forced herself to speak.

"Please tell Angel that he has the brightest soul I know... and no matter what he thinks I know I'll be seeing him in the afterlife." Cordelia grasped one of Willow's hands into her own tears freely falling from her face.

"Douglass do something!" Anger crackled in the seer's eyes and Douglass shifted back.

"It's not something I know how to control." Douglass felt the same frustration at not being able to do something about her friend who was fading fast in front of them. Cordelia gulped in a lungful of air and was going to apologize when a tinkling of laughter erupted from behind.

"The little tree is dying. I could hear the stars whispering to me." Dru stood in the doorway clapping her hands and swaying back and forth.

Darla smiled at the sight of the two humans kneeling at the redhead's side, she could almost taste the sorrow drifting off them in waves. "They were naughty. We were such good hosts and they tried to escape."

Dru drifted forward and knelt next to Willow, whose breaths were coming out raggedly. "She's a stubborn one isn't she?" Dru reached out and touched the blood that was pooling around the small redhead. Bringing a blood-covered finger to her mouth the dark vampiress smiled. "She tastes good."

Douglass and Cordelia snapped out of their stupor and cried out in dismay, leaping at the insane vampire. Darla was too quick grabbing each girl by the hair and yanking her back. "Now play nice."

Dru acted as though she hadn't noticed that she was almost assaulted as she stuck her hand down in the blood again coating her entire palm. "Her blood just screams to me." The two girls looked away in disgust as Dru smeared the thick crimson liquid across her face.

"As much fun as this is we don't have time to waste." Darla pulled both girls over to the bed and throw them down on the mattress.  "Dru, come here darling." Dru looked up at Darla her face smeared with Willow's blood. Standing gracefully Dru made her way to Darla's side.

"Tessa, listen carefully. Cordelia's chance at unlife is at stake here, either you cure my childe of her insanity like a good little girl and I'll consider
changing your little friend when I bring you over but if you fight me on this I will kill her slowly." Darla spoke as though Douglass was a three-year- old.

Douglass felt any fight leave her body. "I can't control it. If I could don't you think I would have healed Willow?" Darla's eyes flashed as she reached
out to grab Cordelia. "NO!" Douglass jumped from the bed & limping on her injured foot toward Dru. "I'll try."

Douglass stopped in front of the insane vampiress and nearly gagged at the sight of her friend's blood covering her face. Closing her eyes she tried to concentrate, willing the voices to start whispering inside her head but there was nothing. Fear and panic pumped through her veins making her entire body shake.

"Tessa, we can do this now or after I turn you." Darla stepped behind Douglass and grasped onto the witch's neck.

"I'm trying." Douglass cried out as the door crashed open.

Angel stood in the doorway, his face distorted in pain as his eyes took in Willow's bloody form. A cry of anguish ripped through him as he fell to his knees. Lindsey stood behind frozen as he saw Darla gripping onto Douglass's neck.

Standing on shaky knees Angel's face morphed and his eyes glued onto Darla who was holding Douglass in front of her. "Hello lover." Darla purred.

"I'm going to kill you." Angel took a step forward enough to let the others from behind get a view of the scene inside the room.

"Yes, I thought you might but in time you'll get over her. I'll be giving you another sister soon." Darla licked at Douglass's neck bringing a whimper from the girl.

Angelus charged forward ripping Douglass from Darla's grip and shoving her to Lindsey. "She's already my sister." Darla's human face dropped as her demon surfaced.

"You may have been able to get rid of me once, Angelus but I won't give you a second chance my boy." Both vampires attacked simultaneously, leaping for one another's jugulars.  Spike took the opportunity to slip in the room forcing himself not to look in Willow's direction, coming up on Dru from behind he knew what he had to do.

Dru turned and looked at him sadly. "You loved me once. I created you, taught you. The stars have told me what must be, William, so I will not fight you on this." Spike reached out and gently caressed her bloody cheek, in the blink of an eye he slammed a stake through her heart and watched as his dark princess turned to a pile of dust at his feet.

Angel grabbed Darla and threw her up against the wall only to have her jump back up and kick him squarely in the chest. Stumbling back Angel gained his footing. "We really don't need to do this lover. We can walk away from this here and now & bring Tessa over together."

"Never!." Kicking her legs out from underneath her, Angel went to pin her to the ground but she was too fast as she leapt to her feet. Stepping to the side as Angel came at her full force she watched as he crashed to the ground, reaching out and grabbing him from behind. "Listen to me Boy. I am your sire, you belong to me...You-are-mine."

"Mine!" A small voice came from behind and Darla felt a sharp object entering her back. Angel felt Darla's hold on him slacken and turned around to watch his sire turn to a pile of dust...again then Willow collapsed through the dust and on top of him the dagger pushing further into her body.

"NO!" Angel cried out, as he placed Willow back on the ground. "Please you can not leave me." Taking a pale hand into his he started to cry over her body.

Buffy came rushing to the room that was deadly quiet. All eyes were glued to Angel who was leaning over someone's body, taking a tentative step in that direction Buffy cried out when she saw Willow on the ground, a dagger sticking up through her chest.

"Is s-she?" Giles stepped forward and took his charge into his arms. "No. I wont accept it."

Angel barely registered the grief stricken words, his eyes glued to Willow's face. "Douglass." He croaked and the witch left the security of Lindsey's arms to join Angel's side. "Please do something."

Douglass's eyes watered as she placed a hand on Angel's shoulder. "I tried, but the voices won't come...I'm sorry."

Angel nodded slightly.

"Change her." Everyone's eyes left Willow's prone body to rest on the slayer. "Angel, do it."

"I could never do that to her, Buffy." Shaking his head as her words echoed through him. Willow was still alive enough that it was a possibility.

"Yes you can, we can curse her then anchor her soul. Please Angel I...we can't lose her." Buffy wiped the tears from her own eyes determined that what she was asking was for the best.

"The anchoring spell needs two strong people trained in the arts, Buffy." Giles whispered but at the same time was hoping that Angel would do something to keep the redhead from slipping from them.

"We'll figure out a way to unbind Douglass's powers. Giles please, this is the only way. We can't just let her die." Taking a step closer to Angel she pleaded. "We don't have time to argue, just do it."

Angel took a look around the room at the other's faces and saw acceptance written in their expressions, the need to keep Willow by his side was too strong to deny. Taking a deep breath he let his game face slip over his human mask and he scooped Willow into his arms. "I will always love you."

read the sequal 'What We Create'

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