Michelle ran through the underground tunnels, not exactly sure what had happened. She knew that a
fire dancer had been occupying her body, and assumed that the girl had rid her of the demon. She
wasn't sure whether to thank her, or kill her.

She ended up in the small cavern that the dancer had been using, and saw that Cassandra was asleep
in her cage.

<I don't think she's been out of there in over a week.> Michelle thought inanely. <I wonder what it's
like, going that long without food and water...> But, she was hungry, and Cassandra would be a
good meal. And dying fast would be better that dying of starvation. She opened the door to the cage,
and pulled the unconscious Cassandra from the cage. She cradled her in her arms for a few
moments, then leaned down and gently sank her fangs into her neck.

After Michelle finished feeding, she placed the now dead Cassandra carefully on the floor, smoothing
her hair away from her face. Michelle shook her head, and grabbed her weapons from the floor.

<Thank her or kill her. Thank her or kill her.> The same thought kept going round and round in her
head, until she finally decided to make up her mind by flipping a coin.

"Heads, I thank her. Tails, I kill her." Michelle said aloud. She then flipped the old coin. It hit the
floor.

"Tails," Michelle purred as she changed and caressed her fangs with her tongue. "I will have fun with
her." She got the coin from the floor, then headed for the bus terminal. There were things she needed
to do before she killed the Slayer.
 

Giles was at home, leafing through a book of Iztanzey magic. He looked up when he heard
something, but dismissed it as his imagination. He immediately regretted this, as he was lifted from his
seat by a stranglehold on his neck.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" Angel whispered angrily into Giles' ear. "You purposely sicked her
on me, tried to make me weak!" Angel snarled. "Well, you'll pay for that, old man. No one gets away
with making a fool out of Angelus."

Angel roughly sank his fangs into Giles' neck as the front door opened.

"Hey Giles, I have that book you wanted..." Buffy trailed off as she saw Angel leaning over Giles,
then sprang into action, sending a roundhouse to knock him far from Giles. She quickly checked to
make sure Giles was alright.

Angel recovered quickly, and, instead of attacking Buffy as expected, he grabbed Giles' recently
forgotten book, and took off into the night.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked Giles with concern. Giles dabbed at the wounds in his neck. Angel hadn't
taken much, so the bleeding had nearly stopped.

"I'm fine. I'm simply worried about Willow." At this, Buffy started, having completely forgotten in the
adrenaline of the fight that Angel could lead her back to Willow. She quickly sprinted to the door to
see if Angel was still in sight, but he was long gone.

Giles joined her at the door, and they looked out into the night. "I hope that the book doesn't make
this worse for Willow."

Buffy looked up at him with askance, but Giles just shook his head. "Go home, Buffy. We'll meet in
the library tomorrow, and discuss this at length." Buffy was tempted to argue, but she was exhausted,
and not up to the long-winded spiel she was sure would be the explanation. So, she trudged off
home, imagining what she would do to any vampire stupid enough to cross her path when she was in
this kind of mood.
 

Angel carried the book under his arm, still not certain exactly what to do with it. Half of him wanted
to burn it, the other half wanted to take it to Willow. He knew that this book would contribute to his
doom, and yet he couldn't seem to stop himself from rushing towards it at full speed.

When he reached the bunker, he was calm. He opened the door, placed the book on a table, and
turned to head for the bedroom. He then realized that Willow was in front of him, in the armchair,
reading a book, when he had left her bound on the bed. <Interesting. Seems I underestimated her.
Again.> Willow looked up at him with ageless eyes, unafraid.

Willow had been absorbing the knowledge from the book, learning how to help Angel. This
confrontation would be critical, she knew. If she messed it up, there would be no way for her to tame
Angel's demon, and it would kill her. But if she did it correctly, she would be well on the way to
restoring Angel to the way he had been.

Angel stalked over to where she had put her book, and angrily opened the cover. "Iztanzeys," he
angrily read. "Keith is a dead man."

"He only wanted to help."

"So, the little girl does talk. I was starting to wonder." Willow simply smiled, and rose to her feet,
moving closer to him. Angel grabbed her upper arms, hauling her roughly against him. "You think you
can tame me?" Angel hissed. "It's not going to happen. I won't let it."

Willow just reached a hand up, Angel hold on her arms loosening, and gently traced his vampiric
visage. Angel's eyes closed as she continued down his face till she rested her hand on his shoulder. "I
just want to help, Angel. Let me help."

Angel looked torn, as if he couldn't decide whether to accept or kill her. He didn't understand what
he was feeling. He finally nodded his head, and Willow sighed in relief. It had started.

Angel carefully pulled her, until he sat in the armchair with Willow sprawled over his lap. He then
slipped his hands underneath her shirt, to clasp her waist. Willow lifted her arms, and wound them
around his neck, as his mouth descended to her bared neck. She shivered as he kissed her, playing
with her neck, but not biting, not yet. He suckled, scraping his teeth along the delicate tendon, and
then traveled up the path to her ear.

Willow couldn't suppress a moan of pleasure as his tongue found her earlobe. He swirled around it,
and nipped at the lobe, as Willow shivered in delight. She was truly starting to enjoy these sessions,
but that was to be expected, as she was changing, and truly become Iztanzey.

Since Angel had left, she had learned a lot, including the almost hedonistic way that Iztanzeys felt
pleasure. Especially sexual pleasure. Willow hoped with all her heart that tonight would be their first
time. Apparently, there was no way that they would get through the taming process without them
having sex, and she would rather it be now, since Angel's soul was more in control. Later, the demon
would be fully back in control, and their coupling would be rough, and probably more painful for her.
 

Angel growled softly, and sank his fangs into the exposed flesh of her neck, greedily drinking his fill.
At that, Willow knew that tonight wasn't to be the night, and that the demon's blood lust was still in
control. And that the demon thought that her blood would be more of a temptation later on than her
body was.

<We'll see about that,> she though rebelliously, as a single tear slipped out of her eye, and she
abandoned herself to the pleasure of the feed.

Willow began to feel weak, as he had taken quite a bit. However, she should be able to recover from
it, and this would seal their second bond, making it impossible for the demon to back away, or to kill
her. One way or the other, Angel's demon would be tamed.

Angel carefully lifted Willow and carried her into the bedroom, as he had done a few nights before.
He then stripped her bare, and ran his gaze over her pale nudity. Willow looked up at him sleepily,
hardly able to keep her eyes open. She blushed a fiery red, but did nothing to cover herself. Perhaps
the demon didn't know. If that was the case, it would make things a lot easier for her, and she could
trick it into the third bond. She tried to pull Angel to her, but she was so tired that she could barely
move. Angel chuckled slightly, and pulled the blanket over her. He then pressed a kiss to her
forehead.

"Read the book I brought as well as yours from front to back, little one. I'm going to burn them when
I get back tonight."

Angel then left, as Willow fell into a deep sleep. But a single thought crossed her mind just before the
healing sleep claimed her.

It would be a strange and tumultuous relationship, Willow knew. Full of violence and anger, as well
as caring and love. But it was going to be interesting, that was a given.
 

"Ok, Giles, no more holding out on us. What do you know?" Buffy snapped out as she stormed into
the library, with Xander and Cordelia in tow.

Giles stuttered a little, then motioned them to sit. Xander and Cordelia sat down, while Buffy paced.

"Well? No more stalling!"

"Willow was never in any true physical danger from Angel. She had already formed a bond with him,
even before he changed."

Xander looked very confused "What?" he asked.

"What are you talking about, Giles," asked Buffy with exasperation.

"Willow is an Iztanzey, a demon tamer. They calm demons, and sometimes even negate them
altogether. And Willow had already started to form the bonds before Angel reverted back to his
former self. With the institution of one of the three bonds, it was extremely unlikely that the Iztanzey
would be hurt. After all, the first bond is mostly like a homing beacon, drawing the demon to the
Iztanzey like a moth to a flame."

"So, you're saying that you knew all along that Angel had Willow." Buffy said in a very dangerous
tone of voice.

"Well... Yes... I did. It was only a matter of time before Angel could no longer resist the draw of
Willow's budding powers." Giles continued before Buffy could do him physical harm. "The addition
of the second bond would guarantee that she would attain no harm."

"You're certain?"

"Very," Giles said in the most self-assured tone he could manage. Buffy appeared somewhat satisfied
with this answer.

"And these bonds are?" Xander asked with a shake of his head, as he returned to the topic of his
confusion.

"Well, there's the emotional bond, of friendship or love, and there is the physical bond, or an
exchange, if you will."

"Exchange?" Buffy asked, frowning.

"In this case, if the second bond has been formed -- and I can't see how it could have been avoided
by now -- as it is almost certain that Angel has been... feeding off of Willow." Giles hurried on before
the others could comment. "And that would make her very safe." Giles looked concerned for a
moment, before he quickly wiped the emotion from his face.

"What now?"

"It's just that a large amount of blood would have had to have been taken for the bond to be at full
strength," Giles practically whispered. Buffy expression was that of uncontrollable fury, as she
punched into one of the railing posts, breaking it. "But, obviously not so much that she would die, or
that would defeat the purpose."

"What's the third bond?" asked Cordelia, trying to break the tension. But, Giles just sort of flushed,
and said in a barely audible whisper, "The sexual one."

"Willow and Angel are going to have sex?" Buffy asked in a stricken whisper. Xander looked in
shock, while Cordelia simply glared at Giles expectantly.

"Well, yes..." Giles stuttered. "All three bonds must be there before the taming process can continue
to stage two. The order doesn't matter, as long as the three bonds have been formed. After that, the
Iztanzey has control over the demon, and can keep it from hurting other people. Before that,
however..."

"So, at the most only two of the bonds have been formed, because Angel attacked you."

"Yes."

"So, Willow and Angel have to do it. I don't see what the big deal here is..." Cordelia trailed off as
the other three looked at her incredulously. Cordelia coloured a little, and then said defensively, "I
don't know why I hang out with you people." Cordelia then stormed from the library.

"As well, I doubt the demon will want the last bond to be formed," Giles said to himself, forgetting the
others were around. He coloured himself when he realized that he was now the object the others
were scrutinizing.

"So, you're saying that Willow is going to have to seduce Angel?" Buffy asked, her tone and
expression clearly stating what she thought of that idea. "OK, too much weirdness for today. I have
class."

"Same here. Hey, Buff, wait up!" Xander called as they hurried from the library.

Giles sighed with relief, very glad that he didn't have to explain stages two and three. It only got more
complicated from there, and he doubted that Buffy and Xander could ever understand just what
Willow would have to do to follow her calling.

Giles blushed a little as he thought of the examples he had read about in the book, then hurried to
finish his search for more materials on the Iztanzeys.
 
 

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