Parts: 11 - 20
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~Part: 11~
Angel woke just as the sun was beginning to set. After a long, hot shower, he headed down to the kitchen for a drink, finding Willow munching on some cookies at the table as she stared out the window.
Making his way to the refrigerator, Angel grabbed a mug, watching her carefully. The redhead seemed to be so lost in thought that she didn't even notice his presence. Finally, he cleared his voice, seeing her head jerk up, her eyes wide and surprised.
"I wasn't doing anything," she told him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I…I mean, I was just sitting here. It's not like…"
"I know, Willow," he interrupted. "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to act like…"
"An ass?" She supplied, a slightly smile curling the ends of her mouth.
"Well, yeah," he agreed with a nod, turning toward the microwave and warming up the mug of blood. As he waited, the vampire noticed the girl quietly standing and walking out of the room. After quickly downing his meal, Angel followed her up the stairs and to her room, seeing the redhead now curled up on a chair near a pair of open doors. A warm wind lightly tossed the opaque, silk drapes framing the entrance, and the breeze moved around her, causing her hair to dance like hypnotic flames. Again, he thought that his presence had gone unnoticed, until she spoke suddenly, her voice soft and timid.
"There's…there's this thing tonight, on the beach," she told him. "We got a flier, and they're having a parade and a big fire and… and music, and…and I thought that maybe we could go, if…"
"I don't think that's a good idea, Willow," Angel interrupted, seeing her face fall and her eyes turn angry.
"Well, why not? No one knows we're here, right? So why can't we just…"
"It isn't safe," he told her, his voice a little less soft than before.
The redhead folded her arms in front of her and huffed. "Well, I want to go. I've been cooped up in here, with no one to talk to except you, and let's face it, you aren't Mr. Conversationalist. I need to get out of here for a while."
"I'm sorry, Willow. I know that you're getting restless, but it's for your own good," he told her, trying to appeal to her good senses.
"My own good? My own GOOD?! What do you know about what's good for me? Huh?" She yelled, standing up and pacing in front of him. "You, Mr., don't have a clue about what is or is not good for me!"
"Willow, stop yelling and sit down. Let's talk about this like calm, rational…"
"No! I can be irrational if I want to…which, by the way, I am totally NOT being…irrational. I'm the epitome of rationality. I'm, like, the poster girl for all rational thought. I'm…I'm…And anyways, I'm sick of you telling me what to do, where to go, when to eat, what to think!"
"I never told you what to…"
"Excuse me, not finished ranting yet! You walk around here all day… or night, or whatever, and act like the king of the castle, and I'm supposed to just…just…do what you say without question? Well, I'm sick of it. I'm a person, ya know? With thoughts and feelings, and sometimes I'd like to share those thoughts, express those feelings, and you never know, I might just surprise ya. Willow might just come up with a good idea! But no, Angel knows best, and Angel is in charge, and Angel is the master. Well, you know what? At least when I was with Spike, he paid attention to me. I mean, yeah, sure, he was usually taunting and torturing me, a-and I'm really not saying I want more of that, but you know, sometimes he just talked to me, or… or ran a hand through my hair, or…or…just…and…but you! You act like I'm just this…this…thing that you're stuck with. You don't talk to me, and you don't touch me, and you don't make me feel…well…never mind that part, cause I wouldn't want you to anyway, even if you did!"
At that, Willow spun around and stormed out through the doors, onto the balcony. It was dark out now and Angel could hear the sounds of the people on the boardwalk and beach below, laughing and singing, music drifting into the room. He stared toward the doorway in shock, absorbing all that the redhead had just told him. Closing his eyes for a moment, he listened to the waves lapping at the shore and thought about the girl out on the balcony. She was right, of course. He hadn't been fair to her. He hadn't given her the friendship or support that she needed, and he hadn't provided everything else that he had promised. The truth was, the vampire was afraid of where that path would lead him, but at the same time, he was reminded of the fact that Willow was still dealing with the effects of the spell, which included the pull toward her master. He had seen the way she relaxed at Spike's gentle touch, despite the fact that he could be so harsh and brutal with her at other times, and Angel remembered the scent of her arousal filling the air when she was being punished. He was being selfish and unfair to her, he knew, and only hoped that he could bring himself to make it up to her.
"Willow, I'm sorry." He spoke softly, but loud enough for her to hear him as he moved to sit on her bed. He put his head down, cradling it in his hands as he continued on. "You're absolutely right. I've been neglectful and cold. I just…the emotions you bring out of me. I don't know if it's the spell, or if it's you, or…and if I ever hurt you, I mean, really, truly hurt you, I don't know how I could…Willow, I want to help you. I'd do anything. I just…I need for you to tell me what you need from me. Whatever it is, I'll do it. The truth is, I think I'm starting to fall for you, and it's scaring the hell out of me. I mean, we all know how my last relationship ended, and well, you and I, we aren't exactly starting out on a normal foot. The man in me is completely smitten with you, and the demon…the demon just wants the world to know you're mine. If you'll give me another chance, I…I…" Suddenly realizing that Willow hadn't yet said a word, Angel looked up toward the balcony doors, unease overcoming his senses. "Willow? Are you listening to me?" Receiving no answer, the vampire jumped up and ran to the balcony, looking down just in time to see Willow running down the boardwalk.
"I can't believe she actually…She ran away," he mused out loud. "I was right in the middle of telling her everything and she…" Shaking his head, Angel quickly jumped down off of the balcony and took off down the beach after her.
~Part: 12~
Willow had been standing on the balcony, trying to block out Angel's voice as he started to apologize, when she suddenly got a strange feeling. Looking down, she saw a young woman walking alone. A few feet behind her, Willow noticed a man following. As he turned his head, glancing around him, she could see that he was, in fact, a vampire. He let his human features slide back into place as the girl turned off of the well lit walk way, and he continued his pursuit. Sunnydale instincts kicked in, and Willow immediately moved to climb down from the balcony, feeling for the stake in her back pocket when she reached the ground. Trying to ignore the nagging unease that filled her, the witch continued to search for the woman, hoping that she wasn't too late.
The redhead jumped slightly as she heard a scream, spinning around and seeing a couple dancing along the boardwalk behind her, the man lifting the woman up and twirling her around and around. The woman shrieked again, throwing her head back and laughing. Willow turned back and continued on. Glancing up toward the line of houses and buildings along the edge of the boardwalk, a flash of something dark caught her eye. Heading in that direction, she soon found herself in an empty alleyway.
"Okay, I'm wandering down a dark alley, looking for a vampire in the middle of the night," Willow muttered to herself. "Not exactly my smartest move yet." A light breeze blew by, tossing the long cotton skirt around her legs. She was wearing one of the many outfits that Angel had provided for her once they reached Mexico.
Rounding a corner, the redhead saw the vampire stop in front of a building. She could hear loud music radiating from inside and assumed it must be a bar or club. Waiting until he was inside, she slowly made her way to the entrance and cautiously walked in. Looking around, Willow was almost immediately aware of the fact that she had just walked into a demon bar. There were several different species, a few of which she recognized, most of which she didn't.
"Stay calm, Willow," she told herself. "You're a witch. You have every right to be here."
Trying to look around nonchalantly, her attention was caught by a large, green demon. He appeared to be chaining a young woman to the wall. Her clothes were torn and she appeared to be rather nervous, something which the demons around her seemed to be feeding off of. Willow watched for a moment, trying to quickly come up with a way to free the woman. Just as she saw the demon yank on the chains, tightening them around her wrists, the redhead heard the woman gasp and moan, a lazy smile spreading across her lips. The witch was startled by her reaction, watching as the demon began to tease and caress her, the bound women simply mewling and begging for more.
Turning away, Willow scanned the crowd, searching for the woman she had seen earlier. Feeling nervous tension building up within her, she began to bite her lower lip. She wasn't entirely sure of exactly how far from Angel she could get before the pain set in, but if the uncomfortable ache beginning to stir in her body was any indication, then she suspected it wasn't much further. When she had run from Spike, Willow had made it almost completely across town before the pain became too overwhelming.
The redhead stopped a waitress as she walked by, and grabbed two shots from her tray, tossing her a couple of dollars before quickly downing both drinks. She made a face as the burning liquid slid down her throat, and then smiled. They weren't bad. Actually, they were very, very good. Grabbing two more shots, she drank them quickly, these going down a little more easily.
Glancing around, Willow finally spotted the woman at a table, alone, and quickly made her way over.
"Hi, um, I know that you don't know me, but…um…you really need to get out of here," the redhead stated quickly, once reaching the table. She was already becoming a little lightheaded and beginning to second guess her choice to do so many shots so quickly.
"Excuse me?" The young woman gave her a confused look, tossing a bit of long, blonde hair back over her shoulder.
"Haven't you noticed that the patrons here aren't exactly…I mean, they're…"
"Demons?" The woman supplied.
"Exactly! So we should really get out of here before…"
"Before? Before what?" The woman asked, scoffing at her. "Before I find me a hot little vamp to take home?"
Willow's jaw dropped as her eyes went wide. "What?"
"Oh, please. Do you really think I would just wander in here, having no clue what this place is? How dumb do you think I am?"
"You came here LOOKING for demons?" Willow questioned, trying to wrap her mind around the concept.
The woman shrugged. "What can I say? I like my men dangerous."
"Would ya like to die a horrible and painful death, too?" Willow questioned, growing irritated by the fact that she had risked her own safety for this woman.
"Do YOU?" Hearing the deep, growing voice behind her, Willow whirled around, finding the vampire that had been following the woman earlier now standing behind her. She swayed on her feet, her mind becoming a little fuzzy.
"Uh, hi there. We were just leaving," Willow said, forcing a smile to her face as she took a step backwards. The demon watched as the redhead giggled and almost tripped over her own feet, catching herself just before she fell.
"I don't think so," he told her. "See, I think your friend here, she wants to stay for a while. I think you should stick around, too."
"Oh, gosh, well, I'd love to, really, but it's way past my bedtime, and I think that I should just…" Willow started to back away, but was cut off by another vampire behind her. She could hear him growling as she bumped into his chest, and turned to look up into golden eyes.
"This one looks like fun," he stated, lifting a hand and running it along her cheek. Willow flinched and tried to back up, but his fingers quickly tangled in her hair, stopping her retreat.
"She was just about to leave," the other vampire told him as he moved to stand next to the blonde, grabbing her and kissing her deeply.
The woman yelped, pulling back a little and running a finger along her lip where the demon had lightly bit her. Scowling, she held up her hand, showing him the small trickle of blood that was there. "You bit me!" She yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "What do you think he's going to do?" She asked. "They're vampires!"
"Well, a little danger is one thing, but drawing blood…that's just… ick! I just want to have a little fun," the woman stated, making a face.
The vampire near her leaned in, licking the blood from her finger and smirking. "I promise, baby, I can make blood play a whole lot of fun," he purred, nipping playfully at her finger and growling.
Willow cleared her throat and looked back at the other vampire. "This is all really…neat. It is, but um, I just…I really think it's time for me to go."
The vampire tightened his hold on her hair, yanking her head back a little. The action caused Willow to become a little more dizzy and she wasn't entirely sure that she wouldn't soon be sick.
"Leaving so soon?" The demon growled. "The fun's just starting. Nothing I like better than a helpless little girl who…"
"Helpless?" Willow yelled. "I'm not helpless. I'm a big, bad dark- mojo-workin witch!" The vamp eyed her cautiously, his hand slowly releasing her hair. "Yeah! That's right," she stated, her words slightly slurred. "You'd better watch out, or I'll…I'll..turn you into some icky little creepy crawly."
The vampire with the blonde woman rolled his eyes. "Just drain her and be done with it," he told the other demon. "I'm tired of hearing her yapping."
"You heard what she said," the other vampire stated, sounding a little nervous. "She's a witch. Not sure I wanna be messin with that."
"Don't be ridiculous! She's a little bit of nothin. Bite her already!"
The vampire slowly moved in, baring his fangs as Willow paled. She felt his hands grip her arms tightly as he snarled, and closed her eyes as his mouth descended on her throat. As terror filled her hazy mind, Willow began to feel energy crackle around her, and just as his sharp fangs began to pierce her flesh, the redhead suddenly felt the vampire's weight pulled away from her. Looking up, she watched in shock as the demon flew across the bar, crashing into a hard wall and falling to the ground. Looking down, she could see sparks and small currents running from her hands, feeling the magic swirling through her.
Unfortunately, her temporary distraction allowed the other vampire to move in, grabbing her from behind and squeezing her throat tightly.
"You try any of that magic on me, witch, and I'll snap your neck so fast that…"
"Let her go!" Both Willow and the vampire looked up to see Angel walking toward them.
"Who the hell are you?" The demon asked.
"Name's Angelus," he told him, a deep growl resonating from his throat as he took in the sight before him. "The redhead belongs to me."
The vampire that Willow had sent flying across the bar was now standing next to her. Leaning in, he whispered to the other demon, "Angelus, as in The Scourge of Europe." He looked nervously toward Angel.
"Oh yeah?" The vampire holding Willow replied, tightening his grip on the witch's neck and smiling as he heard her whimper. Leaning in, he sniffed the bite mark on her neck, scenting that she did indeed belong to the vampire before him. "Last I heard, Angelus went and got himself a soul, workin for the other team now."
Angel looked around nervously, hearing several demons around him growling. Standing up a little straighter, he scoffed. "Would a vampire with a soul keep a human pet?" He questioned. "I know you can scent the claim."
The other vampire pondered that for a moment. "Don't know," he replied. "Never met a vamp with a soul."
"Trust me, there's nothing good or pure in here," Angel told him with a smirk.
"Got that right," Willow muttered under her breath.
"Well, your little pet has been a bad girl," he demon told Angel. "Threw my friend here clear across the bar."
"Is that true, Willow?" Angel asked, more than a little surprised.
Willow frowned, still trying to clear her head. "Just a little," she mumbled. "I didn't mean to. He provoked me."
"So, it looks like we have a little problem here," the vampire told him. "Your pet is clearly in need of some discipline."
Angel clenched his jaw, not liking his position. Glancing around, he was well aware that they were completely surrounded by demons. He knew that he could take out the two vampires with Willow easily enough, but he suspected that the rest of the patrons wouldn't allow them to simply walk away.
"I'll take care of her punishment," Angel told them, watching as Willow's eyes widening at his words.
"Well, you don't seem to have done a very good job training her so far," the vampire told him with a chuckle.
"Are you questioning my methods?" Angel growled.
The vampire thought for a moment before roughly shoving Willow toward Angel. He caught her easily enough, watching for a moment as she swayed on her feet, and then steadying her with a hand clamped around her arm.
"The great Angelus!" The vampire shouted, looking around at the large crowd of demons now gathered around them. "The Scourge of Europe! He has been so kind as to offer us a demonstration of his punishment techniques. I'm sure we could all learn a lot from such a master." With a sneer and a chuckle, the vampire turned back toward Angel, bowing slightly and gesturing toward the stage.
~Part: 13~
"The great Angelus!" The vampire shouted, looking around at the large crowd of demons now gathered around them. "The Scourge of Europe! He has been so kind as to offer us a demonstration of his punishment techniques. I'm sure we could all learn a lot from such a master." With a sneer and a chuckle, the vampire turned back toward Angel, bowing slightly and gesturing toward the stage.
Swallowing apprehensively and setting his jaw, Angel knew that he was out of options. They would have to play along. Tightening his grip on her arm, the brunette roughly pulled the redhead toward the stage. Willow immediately began to protest, trying to pull away from him and stumbling as she walked. The more she shook her head, the more dizzy she became, cursing the shots that she had downed earlier.
Once they reached the stage, Angel released her. "Don't move," he growled, watching for a moment as she swayed back and forth, looking as if she might get sick. "You've been drinking," he hissed. Willow only nodded miserably. "Good, might make this a little easier for you."
Grabbing her wrist, Angel dragged the protesting redhead to a large wooden cross, shoving her toward it and securing one arm to the cuff at the top. As he moved around to secure the other wrist, he watched the mixture of fear and anger play across Willow's face. Bending down, he secured first one ankle and then the other, looking up at her with a sad expression as Willow rested her forehead against the cold wood, her back to the crowd below.
"I'm sorry I have to do this, Willow," he whispered.
The witch lifted her head slowly and simply glared at him for a moment before responding. "Fuck you," she hissed, watching as the brunette's face hardened.
Grabbing the back collar of the thin, white, sleeveless shirt she wore, Angel easily tore it down the center, baring her back and eliciting a gasp from the redhead. "I liked that shirt," she whined.
"That's too bad," he responded harshly, grabbing at her skirt and tearing it in half, letting it flutter to the floor. "No panties, Willow?" He purred, circling her slowly. "What a nice little surprise."
Willow squirmed against her bonds, completely horrified at the position she now found herself in. She could hear the demons behind her, cheering and goading him on as a tear slipped silently down her cheek.
Moving around her, Angel smirked. "You wanted me to pay more attention to you, Willow, attend to your needs. I'd say you got what you asked for."
"I hate you," she whispered in a cold, bitter voice, not seeing the way Angel flinched at the words. "I am a witch, you know," she told him. "I can just release myself."
"I'd suggest you don't, unless you'd like to make this far more difficult on yourself than necessary," he replied, his voice taunting and cruel. "Besides, I don't think that you really want to, and as drunk as you are, I don't think you could if you did." She heard him chuckle, a deep rumble resonating from his throat, and she knew that he was right. Once the alcohol had kicked in, Willow's control and power was all over the place, and she knew that there was no way she could concentrate enough to pull off any spell that would free her.
Angel circled her a few more times before finally moving to a table full of implements, browsing the selection before finally choosing a soft leather flogger. It was thick enough to leave a loud, stinging slap, without actually breaking the skin.
Moving back to the redhead, he casually ran the leather straps up and down her back, feeling the girl shudder, her muscles tightening. Leaning in, he trailed his tongue up her neck, nipping at her earlobe before whispering to her, "Relax, Willow. Enjoy it."
His words confused her frantic, foggy mind, but the witch had only a moment to ponder them before she heard a swish, feeling a sharp pain, a second later, across her exposed ass. She yelped and pulled at the leather restraints, feeling her nipples harden and rub against the wood through the thin, torn fabric of her shirt. Again, she heard a whooshing noise, just a moment before her bottom was set on fire.
Angel tried to block out the sounds of the crowd cheering behind him, focusing solely on the redhead before him. Her body was exquisite, pale and soft and the epitome of feminine beauty. The vampire wished that he had more time to admire her, bared before him, but knew that he had a show to put on. Moving around her, he struck again and again, aiming for the beautiful contours of her back and the luscious curves of her ass, striking with an expert's touch, meant to almost caress an area as it turned the pale, white flesh to a glowing red.
Willow's mind was on overdrive. Feeling the first few blows, her body tensed, fear overcoming her senses, but soon she began to relax, to absorb the sensations he was creating, the pain mingling with a pleasure that was burning deep within her. Each time the leather struck her exposed skin, she cried out, though after a while she was not sure whether she was pleading for him to stop or begging for more. There was heat building within the redhead and her entire body was tingling, tightening, buzzing with something that she couldn't even begin to understand.
Feeling him strike again and again, she felt her knees weakening, her head falling back, red hair cascading over her shoulders. She felt almost as if she were no longer in her body, now merely floating above it, and yet trapped in it at the same time, needing to burst free and not quite able to break through. Her attention narrowed until nothing more existed beyond Willow and Angel, the flogger merely an extension of his hands, teasing and tormenting her, mixing delicious pain with torturous pleasure. The cross simply served as a stand-in for his body, holding and caressing her. The sounds around them, now muffled and distant, were nothing more than the background of their soundtrack, over-powered by the moans escaping her lips, the heart pounding in her chest, and his soft voice, murmuring words which were no longer intelligible.
Angel could sense her reaction to all he was doing. He could smell the arousal, knowing that if he were to run a hand between her legs she would be soaked, and he could feel the sensations building up within her, though their bond. Beyond that, Angel could sense her magic crackling in the air around them, surrounding them, and he wondered if the rest of the demons could sense it as well.
Aiming for the soft juncture between her thighs, Angel struck, the leather straps curling up to snap at what was hidden underneath. Immediately, he could see that it had the desired effect, as Willow began to twitch and shake, straining against her bonds as she screamed his name. Angel closed his eyes for a moment, feeling her ecstasy through the bond as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her. Stepping up behind her, Angel ran a hand down her back, feeling her heated flesh as he cupped her ass and she arched back into him. Pulling her hair away from her neck, he licked at her pulse point before shifting into his true face and sinking his fangs into her neck. He made sure to only take a small amount before finally pulling away, turning back toward the crowd and wiping at the blood on his lips.
As Willow's head began to clear, her senses slowly returning to her, she became aware of the crowd behind her, now cheering loudly. Her body was still humming and shaking slightly as she tried to catch her breath.
"Anyone else want to question my methods of training a pet?" Angel asked with a smirk, licking the last bit of blood from his finger tips.
Hearing his words, Willow's eyes widened. Realization and comprehension of all that had just taken place washed over her. He had used her. He had tied her up, punished her and humiliated her, and Willow knew that he had enjoyed every second of it. This had not been about her. This had been about Angel, proving that he could still be a bad ass vampire when he wanted to be. This was about him reliving the glory days, reminding everyone, including himself, of just how cruel he could be. Though his actions may have brought her pleasure, she began to feel as though that was her true punishment.
Willow remained still as she felt the dark haired vampire removing her restraints. She stood, unmoving, as he removed his long, leather coat, wrapping it around her, and then allowed him to lead her out of the bar. Once outside, Willow yanked her arm away, turning and glaring up at him, hatred in her eyes.
"Willow, I'm sorry. We had no choice. You never should have gone in there. I told you to stay…" Angel began, before she held up a hand, cutting him off.
"Stop! I don't want to hear anything else that you have to say," she told him, her voice low and angry. "What you did tonight…you…you…"
"You enjoyed it," he told her, a smug smile on his face. "Don't even try to deny it, Willow. I felt it."
"I…I…I hate you!" She shouted, before turning around and storming down the street, heading back to their house.
Angel watched as she stumbled down the cobblestone road, teetering back and forth. Suddenly, she stopped, pausing for a moment before crouching down and vomiting. Shaking his head, Angel moved up behind her, not sure if she would allow him to comfort or help her. Just as he was about to run his hand along her back, the redhead jumped back up, trying to keep from falling over. She wiped at her mouth miserably, feeling tears sting her eyes. Angel reached out, steadying her as they began to walk once again. Neither of them said another word until they reached the house.
Once inside, Angel led the redhead up to her room, where she immediately pulled off his coat and threw it at him, grabbing her robe and wrapping it around herself. He watched as she moved into the adjacent bathroom, quickly brushing her teeth and splashing water on her face.
Once Willow was back in her room, the vampire headed toward the door. "Go to sleep," he mumbled. "We'll talk in the morning."
"You know, you're not the boss of me!" She shouted. "You can't just tell me what to do!"
Angel turned around, his expression unreadable. "Actually, I am and I can."
"Fuck you," she spat.
"Watch it, little one," the brunette responded, a low growl in his throat.
Falling back onto the bed, wincing slightly, the witch's head dropped forward. "I don't like it here. I want to go home," she whispered.
Angel rolled his eyes and sighed. "You're drunk. Go to sleep and we'll discuss this tomorrow."
Willow's head shot up. "No!" She shouted. "I wanna talk about it now!"
"Willow…"
"You think you can just tell me what to do and punish me whenever you like? You're just trying to prove something. You want everyone to still think you're some big tough vampire, but the truth is that with the soul, you're not a real demon. You want to prove them all wrong? Well give it up! They're right. You're pathetic!"
Taking a step closer to her, Angel leaned over the small woman, glaring at her. "You're just pissed off about the fact that you didn't have control tonight. You couldn't call all the shots, and the thing that upsets you the most is that you liked it. There was a part of you, not so deep down, that enjoyed what happened, and that probably scares the hell out of you. Well get over it. You're not the first girl to get off on a little pain. Trust me, I know." Angel watched as her hardened expression crumbled, tears slipping down her cheeks as her shoulders slumped forward. Sighing, he moved to sit next to her. "It's a lot more common than you think," he told her, his voice considerably softer. Willow glanced up, her expression clearly conveying her disbelief. "I saw how you were with Spike, Willow. There's still that part of you that's affected by the spell, and I've been neglecting that. I'm sorry."
Willow simply shook her head, wiping at the tears and wrapping her arms around herself. "I just want to go home," she whispered. "I want my life back. I want to be me again."
Reaching out, Angel pulled her into his embrace. "You're still you, Willow. Things are changing and it's confusing right now, I know, but I promise, you're still you."
Giving up on trying to console her with words, the vampire simply held her, carefully avoiding her tender back, and running a hand through her hair until the sobbing girl finally fell asleep. Shifting her on the bed, Angel pulled the covers up around her, lying down next to the sleeping redhead and feeling her instinctively snuggle closer.
When Willow awoke the next day, two things came to her immediate attention. Her head was pounding and her body ached. Thinking about the previous evening, all that had happened slowly returned to her and the witch suddenly jumped, sitting up in bed, holding her throbbing head and looking around. Glancing next to her, Willow shrieked, seeing the back of a male body in the bed.
Hearing the scream, Angel jumped up, his demon visage firmly in place as he looked around for the cause of danger. Finally, he looked at Willow, seeing the way she was holding her head. Sitting back down on the bed, he chuckled. "Ah, the joys of the morning after," he mused.
"Shut up," she responded sharply, her own loud voice causing her to wince. "I'm still mad at you."
The redhead began to move further away from him, but Angel caught her easily and pulled her closer, resting her against his chest as he laid back.
"Angel, I…" Willow began, as she struggled to move from his grasp.
The vampire simply tightened his hold, shushing her.
"Willow, shut up and listen for a minute. How do you feel right now?"
The redhead thought for a moment. "Achy, tired and sort of uncomfortable. My neck is all twisted like this and…"
"Willow…" He growled.
She huffed and closed her eyes. "It feels…safe and secure…and…right," she whispered, knowing that she couldn't lie to him, and despising the truth.
"That's because it is. I'm your master and your protector. Now, I know, I know, you don't need protection, but we're bonded. It's time I started acting like it."
"Angel, I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice catching in her throat.
"Don't worry about it," he responded. "We've all had our drunken…"
"No, I mean…You didn't want this anymore than I did. I'm sorry that you got stuck with me."
"Hey, I did not `get stuck' with you. Besides, it could have been a lot worse. I could have been bound to Xander for eternity." Willow simple chuckled, snuggling closer to the vampire beside her.
~Part: 14~
Over the next week, Willow and Angel fell into a comfortable routine, slowly getting to know one another better. Neither went beyond the grounds of Angel's home, other than on the occasional blood-run for the vampire; although they did take long walks around the property just after the sun set each night. Willow was slowly becoming more accustomed to keeping vampire hours, which wasn't too terribly difficult, considering the life she had led in Sunnydale. She would wake about mid-afternoon, usually taking the opportunity to enjoy the last few hours of sunlight on the beach. After the sun went down, the two would walk together, Willow doing most of the talking and Angel simply happy to listen to her babbling. The rest of the evening was generally quiet. They would sit on opposite sides of the couch, Angel reading Shakespeare while Willow poured over one of his many demon anthologies. More than once, the witch had been compelled to move to the floor, stretching herself out and leaning against his legs, sighing and closing her eyes, all thoughts of her book forgotten as she felt the vampire run his hand through her soft, silky hair. Occasionally, Angel would pull her up to sit on his lap, the two sharing stories of past lives and missed friends.
"Gonna tell me what happened with Oz?" Angel asked softly, feeling the girl in his arms tense for a moment. She was leaning back against his chest and he had one hand threaded through her red tresses. The witch had not mentioned the werewolf once since she and Angel had come together, and he suspected there was a story there, not being told.
"I…I don't know what you…" Willow began to stammer out.
"Come on, Will. You've never been a good liar."
The redhead took a deep breath before speaking. "He left. He just… just up and left," she said quietly, trying to keep emotion out of her voice.
"For no reason?" Angel asked, watching as Willow's lower lip jutted out a little more in a pout.
"Well, not exactly…There was this whole thing with the demon not being under control…and…and this female werewolf," she replied, the last part stated with a bitter tone.
"Well, I sort of get that," he told her. "You can't understand what it's like, to have a demon screaming inside of you."
"Great! So ya got a demon!" Willow shouted, sitting up a little straighter. "We all have our demons to deal with, and yeah, okay, yours isn't figurative, but I still should have had a say in it. I'm sick of all this `for my own good' crap."
"If he knew his control was slipping, he had to leave," Angel told her. "If he ever lost it and hurt you or…He'd have to deal with the fact that he destroyed the thing he most cherished."
"Buffy," Willow whispered, startling Angel slightly.
"What?"
"That's why you left Buffy, right? I mean, you weren't really talking about me and Oz there." Willow said, leaning in a little closer and feeling his arms wrap around her.
"Oh, right," he mumbled, his eyes darting around the room. "Buffy, that's what I was talking about."
"Does it ever get easier?" She asked quietly.
Angel thought about the question for a moment. "It does. At first, you don't think it will, but eventually something else comes along and moves into that empty space that was left in your soul." As the vampire spoke, he looked deeply into the green eyes before him, his face inching closer and closer to hers, their lips almost touching. "At first, I missed her every second, but…not so much lately."
"I guess distractions can be good," Willow whispered, her eyes focused on Angel's lips as they moved closer and closer.
"Willow, I need to tell you that I…" The vampire was cut off by a strange jingling sound, startling both him and Willow.
The redhead sighed, mumbling, "Sometimes distractions are not so good." Looking around, she tried to find the source of the sound. "What is that? It sounds like…like…the Indiana Jones theme song," she stated, her face scrunching up in confusion.
"That's my cell phone," Angel admitted, standing up and smiling sheepishly. "I liked that ring tone." Walking over to where his coat had been tossed, the vampire found the phone in his pocket.
"Hello?"
"Angel?"
"Cordelia, what's wrong?" Angel questioned, suddenly feeling uneasy at hearing the seer's voice.
"Wait a minute!" Willow shouted. "You have a phone?"
"Willow, not now," Angel grumbled, glancing up for a moment. "Cordelia, what's up?"
"I can't believe you have a phone! All this time…" A glare from the dark haired vampire quieted the disgruntled redhead and she turned, storming out of the room.
"Angel?" Cordelia yelled into the phone, trying to recapture his attention.
"Yeah, I'm here."
"Right, well you and Willow need to get out of Mexico," she told him, "pronto."
"Why? What's going on?"
"I had another mind-numbing vision. Spike's heading your way," Cordelia explained.
"Well, I'll just have to fight him," Angel stated calmly.
"You don't get it! He's coming there, with a whole gaggle of vamps. In my vision, you were fighting…and losing."
"Alright, so maybe we can…"
"Angel, there's one other thing," she interrupted, her tone sounding a little more nervous. "Spike…in my vision…he was biting Willow."
~Part: 15~
After making a few quick calls, Angel headed up the stairs and stormed into Willow's room, grabbing a small bag and tossing it to her.
"Angel, what are you doing?" She asked, standing up and giving him a questioning look.
"Pack up anything important," he told her, his voice tense and stern. "We're leaving, now."
"Why?" She asked. "What's going on?"
"No questions," he told her. "We don't have the time. I'll explain later."
"No! Angel, explain now!" She yelled, throwing the bag to the ground.
Angel growled, glaring at her. "I don't have time for this. We have to leave."
"It's Spike, isn't it?" She asked, her voice low and quiet. "He's found us, hasn't he?"
The vampire sighed loudly, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he told her. "Cordelia got a vision about Spike coming here."
"So what are we going to do, just run?" She asked.
"You have a better idea right now?" He shot back.
"Nope. My usual plans involve running and hiding," she told him with a shrug, trying to sound brave and quickly tossing a few books into the bag. "Where exactly are we going to hide?"
Angel shook his head. "Not hiding, just running. We're going back to L.A. We'll stand a better chance there. I have people who can help us." He quickly turned, leading her out of the house.
About twenty minutes later, a taxi dropped the vampire and witch off in front of what looked to be a large, deserted warehouse.
"Why did you bring us here?" She asked as the car drove away. "It looks like the kind of place that the bad guys usually hangs out in. I've had enough of creepy, old warehouses for one lifetime."
"Our ride is waiting for us here." Taking her hand, he led her around the building. Once on the other side, Willow could see that it was, in fact, a small air field, and Angel pointed to a private plane being checked over. "That's ours," he stated.
She was about to ask how he had been able to arrange for a private plane so quickly, but thought better of it and remained quiet.
"Go ahead and board," he told her. "I'll be on in a minute." Nodding, Willow turning and headed toward the plane while Angel moved to speak to the pilot.
"Mr…Angel?" The pilot asked as Angel greeted him.
The vampire nodded. "Are we all set for take off?"
"Yes sir. My co-pilot is already in the cockpit. We should be up in the air in just a matter of minutes. As soon as we board, we will be able to…" The pilot stopped, mid-sentence, and Angel watched in confusion as the man fell forward, collapsing on the ground. A very large, silver knife was protruding from his back. Looking up, Angel's eyes narrowed as he took in the blond vampire standing before him.
"Looks like your flight might be delayed," Spike stated with a cocky grin.
"Spike," Angel growled, his fists clenched at his sides.
"You're a pretty hard guy to track down," Spike told him, sauntering up to the older vampire. "I mean, Mexico's a big place. A little too sunny for my taste, but then, you always were a glutton for the martyr routine." Angel simply clenched and unclenched his jaw as the blond demon spoke. "I had no idea where to start looking for you. Tried a couple of typical tourist places; should have known you'd be more of a private resort kind of guy. I have to say though, I've always loved Mexican food. I had me a few tasty treats in those towns. Was `bout ready to give up the search, but then I started hearin' stories about the great Angelus and his newest pet. Put on a pretty good show for the locals, from what I hear. Maybe I'll get to see the performance some time."
"You will not touch her," Angel growled. "I will not let you leave here with Willow."
"Don't think you really have much of a say in it," Spike told him, snapping his fingers and grinning as one of his minions dragged the redhead forward, one hand wrapped tightly around her throat while the other was tangled in her hair, pulling harshly.
Angel growled, taking a step forward.
"Now, now," Spike chided with a chuckle. "You don't want to scare my friend here. He's rather young and stupid. Hasn't had a good meal in a long while, and I'm sure he'd love to have a little taste of your pet. You get too close and he might accidentally kill the girl."
"Let her go," the older vampire demanded, watching as the minion leaned in, sniffing at Willow's neck, causing the girl to cringe.
"Sorry, that's not the plan," Spike told him. Reaching out, he grabbed the redhead from the minion, pulling her to him roughly, one hand squeezing her already bruised neck while the other wrapped around her midsection.
Willow struggled, feeling the blond's grip tighten as he chuckled. "This feels like an awfully familiar position, doesn't it, pet?" He purred in her ear, causing her to shudder and clench her jaw tightly, trying to calm herself. Spike could sense the fear pouring from her.
"I told you that I will not let you leave with her," Angel ground out, taking another step forward.
"I think you have more important things to worry about, Angel," Spike stated, snapping his fingers again and watching as at least a dozen vampires moved out of the shadows, surrounding him. "Like your own impending death."
At that, the blond turned his attention to Willow, not bothering to watch as the other vampires began to attack.
"Angel!" She screamed, watching as he was hit with a particularly hard blow, staggering a little before throwing a counter-punch.
"I wouldn't worry about him," Spike told her. "Running away from me like that, pet, not a good idea. You WILL be punished, of course."
Willow simply stared ahead, not saying a word as she heard the engines of the nearby plane fire up.
"I thought we could do a little experimenting," Spike told her with a sneer. "I wonder how long it will be after Angel's dusted, that the pain from the bond makes you completely insane."
"I hate you," she whispered harshly through clenched teeth, feeling something dark and powerful beginning to stir inside of her.
"Aren't you glad to be back where you belong?" He questioned in a mocking voice, running a hand along her cheek, almost tenderly.
"You're pathetic," she told him, slowly sliding one of her hands into her pocket and feeling around for what was inside.
"Well, I'm not the one being pummeled by a dozen vampires," Spike reminded her, just before she yanked her arm back, elbowing him in the gut. The vampire was more caught off guard than hurt, but the temporary lapse in his concentration was enough, and Willow was able to pull away, spinning around and raising her arm up in the air.
"No, Spike, you're the one being defeated by a little girl," she said with a calculating grin, just before throwing the small bottle of holy water that she had retrieved from her pocket, hearing the glass shatter as it hit her target.
The blond let out a raging howl as the water burned his face, temporarily blinding him. Turning her attention to Angel, Willow ran towards the circle of attacking vampires, feeling strange, strong energy building inside of her with each step she took.
"Concito!" She shouted suddenly with a wave of her hand, watching as an invisible force threw the vampires back in all directions. Running toward Angel, she knelt down, trying to help him up.
"What did you do?" He asked in a raspy, weak voice. Looking around, he saw that the fledglings were now standing back a bit, looking on with a mixture of confusion and fear. Apparently they didn't like the idea of fighting off a witch.
"I have no idea," she admitted quickly, pulling him to his feet and turning toward the waiting airplane.
"Willow!" Angel shouted, just before she felt strong hands grab her from behind, yanking her back. Glancing backwards, the redhead saw Spike, his demon visage forward, teeth bared. Closing her eyes, she screamed as she felt his fangs tear into her neck. A moment later, he was gone, thrown back several feet and landing on the ground with a thud.
The witch opened her eyes, having no idea what had just happened. Something was stirred up within her, something strong and powerful, and something that she didn't seem able to restrain. Had Willow been able to look in the mirror, she would have seen that her eyes were completely black, something that had never happened to her before. The magical energy crackled around her, and the utter lack of control frightened the witch.
Angel's hand on her arm shook the redhead from her dazed reverie, and she quickly ran with him to the plane, Angel pulling the door shut behind them.
"Go! Take off, now!" He shouted to the man in the cockpit.
"The pilot's not on board," the man told him, clearly afraid.
"He's not coming," Angel told him in a low tone. "If you don't get this plane off of the ground now, it will be your funeral."
At those words, the pilot turned and quickly flicked a few switches before the plane began to move down the runway. A few moments later, they were in the air. Angel moved to sit across from Willow.
"Are you all right?" He asked softly as he placed his hands on her knees. The redhead was staring out the window, her eyes unfocused, and he could feel her shaking slightly. She didn't seem to hear him speaking to her. "Willow?"
The roar of the engines seemed deafening to Willow as she stared out the window, trying to bring her rapidly spinning thoughts under control. So much had just happened, and now that they were up, off of the ground, it was all sinking in, leaving her feeling terrified and completely drained.
"Willow, look at me," Angel begged softly, trying to get her attention. Standing up and grabbing a towel from a small cupboard, he sat back down and leaned forward, placing it gently over the bleeding wound on her neck. Finally, she turned her head slowly and looked up at him. The vampire felt his heart lurch at the pained look in her eyes.
"We're safe now," he told her gently as he held the towel to her neck. "He can't hurt you anymore."
Still shaking, Willow's eyes darted around the small compartment before settling again on his face. "He could have…You were…He almost…"
"Shhhh," he cooed, running his free hand over her cheek soothingly. "He didn't," he told her firmly. "We're all right."
Her eyes seemed to focus a little more on his face, widening slightly. "You're hurt," she whispered, running a hand along an already healing scratch.
"I'll be fine," he told her with a gentle smile. "You're the one I'm worried about." Pulling the towel away, Angel was satisfied that the bleeding had finally subsided.
Willow stared at the towel for a moment, a confused look on her face. Reaching a hand up, she tentatively felt the small, fresh puncture marks on her neck, just below Angel's mark. As she pulled her hand away and looked at the small traces of blood on her fingers, realization seemed to come over her. The redhead hadn't even been aware that Spike had bitten her. The last thing she remembered clearly was feeling someone grab her. Everything beyond that was a tangled blur.
Her eyes widened again as a new thought occurred to her. "Did he… does this mean…did he claim me again?" She asked fearfully.
Angel shook his head. "He didn't get the chance," he told her with a slight grin. He could still feel their bond, stronger than ever.
"What happened?" She questioned quietly. "What did I do?"
Angel's expression turned to one of surprise. "You don't know?" She shook her head. "You used magic…pretty powerful. You threw Spike, along with all of his minions, half way across the air field." The proud tone in his voice made her smile slightly, in spite of herself.
"I did?" Angel nodded.
"I didn't know you had that much power," he admitted.
Willow shook her head. "I don't…or, well, I didn't. Maybe it's got something to do with the bond." Angel simply nodded, making a mental note to check on that later.
The redhead sat quietly for a moment, her expression slowly fading into a look of worry.. "He isn't going to stop," she whispered, glancing back up at Angel. The brunette moved to sit next to her, wrapping an arm tightly around her. "He'll keep coming and coming until he destroys us both."
"I won't let him," he vowed. "We'll find a way to stop him, Willow. I promise." Nodding slightly, the young witch leaned into him, allowing Angel to tighten his hold on her. The magic that she had used had taken its toll on her, and eventually she settled in against his chest and fell into a fitful sleep.
~Part: 16~
"Angel! You're back! Yay!" Cordelia shouted, seeing the dark haired vampire walk through the large doors. He looked around in surprise as she ran toward him, waving several papers around. "Look! Clients! We have actual, paying clients. I ran credit checks and everything. We have a Glenda problem just north of the city. Apparently someone cheated on the wrong witch, and we have a guy that thinks his bathroom is haunted. Personally, I think he just has hygiene issues, but hey, he's willing to pay, so I figured we could light a few candles, chant a few words and slap him with a bill. Oh, and we also have a werewolf sighting in a park a few miles away."
"I told you before, Cordelia, it isn't a werewolf, it's a hell beast." Angel looked up, hearing the British accent, and saw Wesley walking down the curved staircase.
"Whatever," she replied with a roll of her eyes, glancing back toward Angel, who continued to look around the large lobby in awe. Finally, he seemed to pull his thoughts back to the topic at hand.
"Did you say werewolf? It isn't even close to the full moon."
"That's what I've been trying to explain to her," Wesley told him. "Last night was only the first quarter moon, and a werewolf can not change but during the three days surrounding the full moon. And by the way, Angel, thank you so much for the opportunity to work for you. I assure you that I won't let you down."
"Yeah, yeah, suck up," Cordelia interrupted. "I know all about werewolfs from Sunnydale. Remember, that little place on the hellmouth? Look, the reports stated that some derelict was wandering through the park, the cops tried to pick him up, and he suddenly turned into a big, hairy animal thing. Sounds like a werewolf to me. Oh, and I went ahead and bought a new computer with your credit card. I didn't think you would mind."
"Don't forget to mention those shopping bags full of clothes that you also returned with," Wesley reminded her smugly. "Angel, there are many different demons that take animal shapes. I've been researching and though from the reports it did sound most similar to a werewolf, it just isn't possible. Without the correct moon phase, he could not have achieved the change. And I hope you don't mind, but I went ahead and took the liberties of setting your office up over there. The things from your apartment were sent up to the presidential suite, although if you'd rather, we could, of course move them."
Angel just continued to stare at his two employees, dumbfounded.
"Actually, it is possible for a certain type of werewolf to shape- shift without the moon phase." Everyone looked up toward the door, hearing the soft female voice.
"Willow, hey," Cordelia greeted her.
"Miss Rosenberg, how are you doing?" Wesley asked, watching as she moved to stand close to Angel's side. She didn't answer him, looking up toward Angel's face intently.
"You didn't tell me that the place was so big," she said quietly.
"I didn't know," he told her. "I stayed here a few decades ago. Guess I forgot how nice it was."
"Much better than that dump we were working out of before," Cordelia stated with a smile.
"Did…did you say that werewolves can undergo the change without a full moon?" Wesley asked.
This time, Willow looked toward him and nodded. "There's a certain type that use magic to harness the demon's power. Instead of being bitten and having the demon within them at all times, they call upon it at will. Kind of like when Xander became the hyena."
"Of course," Wesley gasped. "Why didn't I think of that before? Intentional wolf possession. Brilliant."
"That's my girl," Angel said with an affectionate grin, wrapping an arm around the redhead. Looking down, his smile faded as he took in her weary eyes and drawn features. "Guys, I'm gonna take Willow up, find her a room and get her settled in. We can talk about this later."
Both Cordelia and Wesley watched as he took Willow's small hand in his own and led her to the stairs.
"Angel," the seer called, waiting as he paused and looked back. "Buffy's been calling every ten minutes for the last few hours. It's really annoying. You'd better call her soon and tell her something." The vampire simply nodded before heading the rest of the way up the staircase.
~*~
"This looks like it'll be alright," Angel stated, looking around the small room. "What do you think?" Willow simply nodded, her stare vacant. "You okay?" He asked, stepping up to her and running a hand over her shoulder. Willow looked up at him, her eyes swimming with a mixture of emotions. "What's wrong?"
"It's just…it's silly," she told him, starting to turn away before he stopped her with a firm hold on both shoulders. The redhead took a deep breath before speaking again. "I just haven't…I mean…I didn't think about sleeping away from you," she stated with a blush.
"Well, I'll be right across the hall, so if you need anything, you know you can just call and I'll be right here," he said, trying to reassure her. The truth was, he hadn't really liked the idea of sleeping away from his pet, but the vampire had figured that she would relish a little privacy, and with the way his emotions were shifting for the girl, he thought it best that he distance himself a little bit.
Willow nodded and forced a small smile to her lips. Leaning down, the dark haired vampire placed a chaste kiss on her forehead before leaving her for the night. Taking a deep breath, Willow sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling the soft mattress sink slightly beneath her. Looking around the dim room, she bit her lower lip, trying to get a handle on her emotions. Something was happening, something between her and Angel, and she suspected it was more than just the bond.
The dim lamps bathed the room in a soft yellow light, dark shadows creeping over the walls and ceiling. She could hear the city street traffic through the partially opened window and felt a warm breeze sweep in past the thin, silk curtains. Old, faded paintings hung on the walls and a small, oak framed mirror sat above an antique dressing table. For the first time in a long while, Willow felt small, tiny even, and completely alone. The events of the past few weeks were finally catching up to the redhead, her current situation truly sinking in. She was owned by a vampire, while another was seeking to destroy her. She had not seen her friends in weeks, and worst of all, she was falling in love with a vampire whose heart belonged to another.
Finally determined to drive the upsetting thoughts away, the redhead laid back, curling up on the center of the bed, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, and eventually fell asleep.
~Part: 17~
The next few days found the Angel Investigations crew hard at work. Paying clients were coming in daily, and Cordelia had not had a vision in a long while. Angel was getting used to the new set up, still adjusting to the former watcher that had joined their team, and Willow spent most of her free time researching how to break Spike's spell. No one had heard a word from the blond vampire, which had everyone feeling a little more edgy than they'd have cared to admit, but Willow tried to force her fears down, keeping her nose buried in the books.
The gang in Sunnydale was researching as well. She had been in touch with them several times since arriving back in L.A. Xander was worried, Anya was uninterested, Giles was concerned and Buffy was restless. For the most part, it seemed like business as usual. Giles was doing all he could to help her find a way to break the bond, along with attempting to keep the slayer rational and under control. Buffy was uneasy, to say the least. She hated the fact that her friend was in danger and that she couldn't be there to help. It had been decided that for the time being, Angel was handling things well enough in L.A, and Buffy was still, after all, needed on the hell mouth, but she made it more than clear that if and when she was needed, she would be on her way at a moment's notice.
Looking down at the papers before her, Willow glanced back and forth from one to the other, her eyes wide, frantically scanning the text. It had to be wrong. She must be missing something. The curse…the clause…She had cross-referenced what she had found with a few of Wesley's books, and it seemed to be accurate. She was going to have to talk to Angel about this, soon. Of course, she would have to get his attention in order to talk to him.
Angel seemed to have buried himself in his work since arriving back in Los Angeles, leaving Willow to feel increasingly restless and irritable with each new day. There were no more long, heartfelt talks, no more exchanging of stories, no more gentle touches and caresses. It was almost as if he had forgotten that she was there at all. It angered and upset her that he could go from hot to cold so quickly, and she was left feeling miserable. The redhead was quick to snap at the others and felt unable to sit still for any length of time. Cordelia assumed that the girl simply missed her friends. Wesley suspected that the effects of the spell were getting to her, but Angel knew – he was the problem. He wasn't as oblivious as she believed. He simply thought it best to avoid her and the many emotions that the she stirred up inside of him. He had let himself feel for her, become emotionally attached, and then he had allowed her to get hurt. Spike had been able to sink his teeth into her throat right before his eyes, and it was only Willow's own strength that saved her. The shame and hurt brought on by that moment was enough to keep Angel at bay.
As the vampire continued to brood alone, Willow could feel herself becoming more discontent and bitter. She resented Cordelia for being able to stand behind Angel and read over his shoulder without feeling her skin tingle from the inside out. She was angry at Wesley for not already knowing the cure for her problem from his days as a watcher. She despised them both, because Angel didn't avoid them like he did sunlight, like he did happiness, like he did Willow. She was alone again, in a room full of people, and the one creature who could calm her very being seemed to want, once again, to have nothing to do with her. It hurt, and even more so, it pissed her off.
Grabbing the papers, Willow headed into Angel's office, not bothering to knock. He was, as usual, sitting in the dark, staring at his hands. The vampire looked up, glaring at the intruding woman.
"Angel, we need to talk. I found something that I think you should see."
"Great, Willow," he grumbled, looking back down. "We'll talk about it later." The redhead could feel her anger growing. She was tried of being ignored and she would not be so easily dismissed this time.
"No. Actually, Angel, we'll talk about it now," she informed him.
"Willow," he growled in warning. She was, after all, still his pet, and he expected a certain amount of respect.
"Don't you dare growl at me, Mister!" She yelled. "You have done nothing but avoid me and ignore me since we got back. I don't know what your problem is, but I'm tired of it, a-and I'm tired of walking around her all cranky just because you have some broody angst that you can't get over!" Angel simply stared at the redhead, stunned by her outburst. "Now, I have something important that you need to know about, and you are going to listen, come hell or…"
Willow was cut off by a shrill scream from the lobby. Running out with Angel behind her, she found Cordelia doubled over at the bottom of the stairs. The redhead quickly helped the seer to the nearby sofa and sat next to her, a worried look on her face. She didn't say anything. Looking up, she saw Wesley run in, stopping next to Angel.
"Cordy, what is it? What's wrong?" Angel's voice was more frantic than usual and Willow saw his eyes dart up to hers for just a moment. She recognized the fear there, knowing that it was mirrored in her own expression. They were both afraid that the vision was about Spike, though both were too afraid to ask outright.
"A demon," Cordelia mumbled, holding her head with one hand as Wesley handed her a glass of water and a few aspirin. "Near the edge of the city. There were two young women. They were afraid. It…it was big and strong, and…oh god, slimy, with sharp fangs and…and razor- like things coming out of its back. Hurry…you have to hurry."
Both men watched as Willow suddenly put her hands on Cordelia's head and closed her eyes, mumbling a few words they didn't understand. A moment later, the seer looked up, her expression stunned.
"The pain…it's gone. Willow…you're like…the best drug ever! You're like...heroine, only without the addiction or the coming down or any of that other nasty stuff. You're like…like…sugar! Good, pain- reducing sugar!"
"What did you do?" Angel asked.
"Just a little healing spell," Willow told him, unable to suppress a small, proud grin. She shrugged. "No big deal."
"No big deal? That was a very big deal," Cordelia told her, enveloping the redhead in a tight hug. "Thank you!"
"Happy to help," Willow's muffled voice responded.
Wesley and Angel both moved quickly, grabbing a few weapons and heading toward the door. The vampire stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. Looking down, he saw Willow watching him.
"I have to go," he told her, his voice a little more gruff than he had intended. The tension between the two was suddenly thick in the air.
"I'm coming with you," she insisted.
"No, you are not," Angel replied with a forceful tone. The redhead opened her mouth to protest, but he quickly cut her off. "I don't have time for this, Willow. Wesley and I can handle it. I don't need to worry about you out there. You'll just get in the way."
"The hell I will!" She shouted. "I can help. My magic is much stronger lately, and…"
"I said no!" He bellowed, startling the witch into silence. Taking a step toward her, the vampire glared down at the redhead. "You will do as I say, Willow. Go up to your room and do not come down until I get home."
"I am not a child, Angel!"
"You've been acting like one for days," he replied. "Do not force me to punish you right here and now," he growled lowly, the words meant only for her to hear. He watched as she looked toward Wesley and Cordelia, her cheeks reddening. "While you are arguing with me like a spoiled brat, a demon is out there killing people." Willow simply looked down at the floor, feeling tears fill her eyes. "Upstairs, now."
"Harsh much?" Cordelia asked, once Willow was gone.
Angel spun around, glaring at the seer. "Mind your own business, Cordy," he warned. The brunette knew better than to argue with the vampire when he was in such a mood, and quickly backed down, biting her tongue in spite of herself.
~*~
"I don't like this, Giles. I should be there, or she should be here."
"Buffy, I know that you're worried, but Angel is doing all that he can for Willow, and right now I really don't think that there is anything more that can be done."
"What exactly does that mean?" Xander asked. "What exactly is it that Angel is `doing' for her?" His voice held a bit of contempt for the vampire as he spoke, not noticing the way Buffy flinched at the words.
"I assure you that Angel is acting honorably with Willow," Giles told him. "I have been in touch with both Angel and Wesley, and Willow is in good hands there."
"It's what he's doing with his hands that worried me," Xander grumbled.
"What about Spike?" Buffy continued. "he's been laying low for way too long. It's not like him. He's gotta be planning something."
"Until we know anything more on his whereabouts or intentions, Buffy, I must insist that you stay here and continue to patrol. I'm sure that we will find a reversal spell for Willow soon enough, and in the meantime, we still have the Initiative to deal with."
~*~
Cordelia knocked on the door, walking in a moment later, finding Willow pacing back and forth.
"They should have been back by now," the redhead mumbled, not bothering to look up at her friend. The longer he was gone and the further away that he went, the more out of sorts she felt, like she didn't quite fit in her own skin. Her anger was dissolving as the uncomfortable feeling simmering inside of her was quickly drawing to a boil.
"Sometimes these things take awhile," Cordelia told her. "They had to track that thing and then kill it. I'm sure they'll be back soon, probably all dripping with goo and grinning like idiots." The seer tried to sound reassuring, though her voice held a bit of doubt. They really had been gone longer than usual.
Willow suddenly grabbed at her chest as she sat down on the bed, inhaling sharply. The tension within her was now teetering on unbearably painful. Cordelia quickly moved to her side.
"Are you okay? Can I do something?"
Willow shook her head, trying to stand up again. Cordy pulled her back down.
"Willow, I really think that…"
"Where is he?" Willow shouted, startling the seer. She then whispered, her voice much weaker, "What if…what if he's…"
Cordelia stopped her. "He's fine. I'm sure he is. They both are, and they'll be back any moment."
Willow shook her head. "He's still moving further away. Why isn't he coming back?" Her voice was strained from the pain she was feeling, and Willow finally allowed Cordy to help her lay back on the bed. The pain only increased by the minutes, until the redhead was nearly delirious. Cordelia sat next to her, holding her hand tightly and trying to reassure her friend that it would be alright, though she wasn't entirely sure that it was true.
"Where is he?" The witch mumbled over and over.
"He'll be here soon," Cordelia told her again and again.
"What if…what if he doesn't want to come back?" Willow asked, her voice small and childlike, reminding Cordelia a little too much of the Willow she once knew in Sunnydale. "I was bad…what if he's punishing me. What if he doesn't want to come back?"
"Not possible," Cordelia told her, sweeping back a few strands of red hair that had fallen into the witch's face. She hated to see this strong woman look so weak. "He's crazy about you."
Willow snorted. "It's the spell."
"Spell, shmell! The guy has it bad for you and it's terrifying him. You're both just too stupid to do anything about it."
"Hey! Girl in pain here," Willow complained through clenched teeth. "You gotta insult me on top of it?"
Cordelia smiled a little. "Well, someone's gotta set you two straight. You've both been stomping around here like a couple of angry bears the last few days. When he comes back, and he IS coming back, you'd better march right up to him and tell him how you feel. Understand?" Willow just gave her a doubtful look. The brunette let out a sigh before speaking again, her voice a little softer. "I've seen the way he looks at you, when he thinks you aren't watching, and he's got it bad…trust me. I know about these things."
Willow squeezed her hand tightly. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Hey, I just speak the truth," Cordelia told her.
"No, I mean thank you…for being my friend," the redhead corrected, watching as Cordy smiled brightly.
~Part: 18~
"This is taking too long. We should have found this thing by now," Angel complained. "From Cordy's description, it shouldn't be that hard to spot."
"She did say that it was at the edge of the city. Perhaps it's already moved further out," Wesley suggested.
"I can't go much further," Angel told him. "I can already feel the bond pulling. We've already gone further than I should have." Wesley knew that despite the argument that he had witnessed earlier, the vampire was worried about his pet, worried that he would hurt her, but they both knew that there was a job to do, and neither would leave until it was done.
"You really care for her, don't you?" Wesley asked.
Angel glanced at his new employee. "She restored my soul. Of course I care about her."
"It's more than that, though, isn' it? And it's more than the spell as well, I've read up on it. It makes you protective, controlling, but I've seen the way you can be with her. Even with a soul, I never thought that I would see a vampire who…"
"Do we have to talk about this right now?" Angel grumbled.
Wesley held his hands up in surrender. "I'm only saying that if you care for the girl, you should tell her, instead of avoiding her and biting her head off…figuratively speaking, of course."
Angel shook his head. "I don't have the right. I almost told her, before, but…it was wrong. She deserves better than…that this."
"Don't sell yourself short, Angel. Willow is a smart girl. She knows what she deserves."
"It's just…I saw the way she was with Spike, the way he treated her, hurt her, and the way she begged him to…I don't want to do that, become that. Not to her. I want…"
A sudden scream cut him off, alerting them to the demon's presence, and both Angel and Wesley ran down an alleyway and around a corner, finding the large demon towering over two terrified women.
Angel held his ax up, ready to throw it at the back of the demon's head, when he suddenly heard Wesley's voice, deep and loud.
"Hey, you big bully! Over here!" Angel looked at the ex-watcher incredulously, as the demon turned its angry red eyes toward them.
"Well, there goes the element of surprise," he mumbled, watching as the two girls ran.
"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Wesley yelled, not noticing Angel's glare.
"Do you see ANYONE here that's even close to his size?" The vampire questioned, rolling his eyes.
"Well, no, but I thought that what with your strength and speed, you could…just…well…sorry," Wesley muttered sheepishly as Angel once again rolled his eyes.
~*~
Cordelia heard the front doors of the lobby open and quickly ran down the stairs.
"Where the hell have you been?" She yelled.
"Is everything alright?" Angel asked, looking around and not seeing Willow.
"Hardly. Angel, you went too far!"
"Willow, is she alright?" He questioned through tightly clenched teeth.
Cordelia nodded. "She is now. The pain finally subsided about twenty minutes ago and she fell asleep, and…iw…you're all slimy and…kind of smelly." Angel moved toward the stairs and Cordy's hand on his arm stopped him. "Maybe you should just let her rest. She's…"
Cordelia was cut off as Wesley pulled her back. "Let him go, Cordy," he said softly, watching as Angel headed up the stairs.
~*~
After quickly showering and dressing in a loose pair of black pants, Angel entered the dark room across the hall, seeing the redhead asleep on the bed, her breathing deep and even. Shutting the door, he moved to sit beside her on the bed and watched as she stirred under the covers.
Slowly turning her head and opening her eyes, Willow saw the vampire looking down at her, concern etched in his face.
"Angel?" She asked softly. He nodded. "You went away."
Again, he nodded. "I'm sorry Willow. So sorry."
"It hurt," she whispered, tears filling her eyes, and Angel felt his dead heart ache at the pain he had caused her. "Not just physically, but I thought that you were gone, and…and it hurt my heart. I was afraid that you weren't coming back. I'm sorry…I'm sorry I yelled, I just…you just wouldn't…and I…I'm sorry Angel…please…please don't leave me again…I'm sorry…so sorry…please don't leave me. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me."
Hearing the pain and fear in her voice, Angel leaned down, grabbing her shoulders tightly and capturing her lips with his own, the intensity of the kiss surprising them both. When he finally pulled away, Willow looked up at him, a startled expression on her face. Before she could speak, he quickly pulled away, realizing what he had done, what he had almost allowed himself to do. Willow sat up and leaned back a little, a hurt expression on her face.
"Angel, we need to talk."
The vampire ran a hand through his hair, trying to get a handle on his raging emotions. Every part of his being screamed for him to simply take her, take the woman that belonged to him, make her truly his in every way, but the soul, the last shred of rational through in his mind, pulled him back to harsh reality.
"Willow, we can't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"
"No," she interrupted. "Angel, please don't apologize. Don't say it's a mistake. It's not. I have all these feelings and emotions and… and it all leads to one thing…You and me. You're a part of me, and I belong to you, and…and…can't you feel it?" Her voice shook with desperation. "Am I crazy? Do you feel what I feel? I mean, I know that the spell, it…but…I never felt this way with Spike. I never wanted him, not like this, and if I'm wrong…"
"Willow," Angel answered, crawling back onto the bed, knelling before her, taking her trembling hands in his, "I feel it, but we can't act on it. It wouldn't be right. I can't do that to you."
"You can't do that to me?" She yelled, yanking her hands away. "Can't what? Hold me? Touch me? Love me? You said you'd help me, Angel, a-and I don't want you if you don't want me, but…but I feel it…I feel what you feel. How can you deny…Unless…unless it isn't about me. Unless it's about Buffy." Her face fell as she looked down at her hands on her lap, not able to meet his gaze, too afraid of what she would see there.
"Willow, this has nothing to do with Buffy," he insisted, reaching out and tilting her chin up gently, forcing her to meet his eyes. "She is my past. Now, I'm meant to protect you, and that includes protecting you from me. If I act on my emotions right now, no matter how badly I want to, no matter how much I wish it different, in the end, I'll destroy you."
Willow shook her head, wiping at the tears that slipped down her flushed cheeks, before reaching over to the nightstand and grabbing the papers she had tossed there earlier, scattering them on the bed between them. Angel gave her a questioning look.
"According to this, being bound to me, you can't lose your soul. It's part of the spell," she said softly, gauging his reaction.
Taking the papers, the vampire looked them over again and again, his hope rising. Finally, he looked up at the beautiful redhead again. "Are you sure?" She nodded. "You're really sure about this?"
"Really, really," she affirmed with a smile. A moment later, she was startled to find a large vampire lunging at her, wrapping his arms tightly around her and peppering her cheeks and lips with wild kisses. Pulling her from the bed with a squeal, he spun the small witch around and around in his arms, finally setting her down and kissing her deeply, passionately, pouring every bit of emotion that had been building with in him into the kiss.
~Part: 19~
Willow woke just after Angel had left the bed, her body immediately alerting her to the loss of his presence. She sat up, looking around the dim room and heard water running in the adjacent bathroom. Slowly standing and stretching, the redhead grinned and blushed, feeling a delicious ache spread throughout her body.
Grabbing the shirt that Angel had discarded the night before, the redhead pulled it on, inhaling the vampire's scent and smiling softly. Not bothering with the buttons, she just held it closed as she yawned and glanced at a mirror, smoothing her hair down.
Hearing the door open, Willow spun around, smiling brightly as Angel walked in, her eyes sweeping over his naked body. She sighed, feeling a little relieved. Though the witch hadn't wanted to admit it, from the moment that Angel had left the bed, she had been afraid that he was regretting what they had done, and a small amount of terror followed the thought that he might leave and not come back.
"Taking a shower?" She asked as he walked toward her. Angel simply nodded. "Care for some help?" The innocently spoken question startled the vampire and his grin widened as he reached her, suddenly lifting his pet up, tossing her over his shoulder, making his way into the bathroom. The vampire set her down, looking at her hungrily. He was completely unconcerned with his lack of clothing, and only interested in bringing Willow to the same state as quickly as possible.
His dark gaze drank her in and Willow shivered at the emotions he caused to stir within her. It was as if he could read her thoughts, feel all that she was feeling and see into her soul, and she knew that it was all true. As much as it frightened her to open herself up to the vampire before her, Willow reveled in the feelings that he created and the emotional bond she felt with him.
The redhead looked more than a little nervous as she stood before him, glancing around the small room. He had lit several candles, now scattered around, the orange light dancing over her face. Leaning down, Angel kissed the bottom of her neck, before moving a little higher, kissing her again, and then nipping at her earlobe.
"Sure you want this?" He asked. The witch nodded her head, her lust filled eyes locking with his, and Angel grinned again. Pulling her a little closer to him, the vampire tugged at her shirt, slowly pulling it from her and tossing it to the floor. Willow immediately crossed her arms over her chest, blushing a little as her creamy, pale flesh was revealed to him. She knew that he had already seen every inch of her, but now, in the flickering light, away from the hazy refuge of her large bed, she felt utterly exposed. Angel simply shook his head, gently pulling her hands away.
"Keep your hands at your side," he commanded in a soft tone. "Don't ever hide yourself from me."
Willow took a deep breath and struggled to obey him. Angel paused for only a moment, running his cool hands up and down her warm, bare arms, before pulling the girl into his arms, kissing her passionately.
Finally pulling away, Angel took her hand, guiding her into the large shower stall and following her in. Willow stood below the warm spray, feeling the soothing water gliding over her hair and down her back. Angel simply watched her for a moment. She looked unsure of what to say or do, and he suspected she was awaiting instructions, as any pet would. He didn't want to command her or force her into anything. This, what they were doing, what they were about to do, it had nothing to do with the spell over them, and he wanted to be sure that she understood that. The previous night had been soft and gentle, an utter expression of love and devotion, but at the same time, the spell did still exist. Though Willow was far from ready to admit it, there were still some other needs created by their bond, and Angel supposed that a little control was never a bad thing.
"Come here, Willow," he said in low, husky tone, watching as she took the two small, shaky steps toward him, smiling softly as his arms wrapped around her. Running a hand over her wet hair, the vampire leaned down, kissing her deeply. He smiled into her mouth as he felt her hands move around him, her fingers lightly kneading his back.
Pulling away a few moments later, Angel moved to grab a bottle of shower gel. Reaching out, he handed the bottle to his pet.
"I think that you promised to help me get cleaned up," he whispered, his voice teasing.
Willow smiled and looked down at the bottle. "No sponge or…or cloth?" She asked.
Angel shook his head. "I'm sure you can improvise," he told her, a twinkle in his eye.
Pouring a generous amount of the gel into her hands, Willow rubbed them together, working up a lather and then tentatively reached out, running her hands over his chest. Angel sucked in an unneeded breath, feeling her slippery hands roam over his chest, and closed his eyes. Seeing and feeling his response to her, Willow grew a bit bolder and began to explore the rest of his hard body with her hands, caressing and rubbing each and every inch of the vampire before her. Angel moaned as her warm hands slipped over his hard cock, gliding up and down easily. She smiled as she felt him grip her arms, steadying himself, and then frowned a little as he pushed her away.
Angel saw the redhead pouting, an uncertain look on her face.
"Did I do something wrong?" She asked in a tiny voice.
Angel chuckled and shook his head. "You did everything right," he told her. "A little too right."
Understanding dawning, she grinned slyly and leaned into him, running her hands up his arms and down his back. "Then, you're pleased?" She questioned.
Angel nodded. "I think my girl deserves a reward for being so good."
Willow's eyes widened, as did her grin. Angel grasped her hips, lifting her swiftly and pushing her against the tiled wall. He felt her legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he sank his full length into her, hearing the witch sigh and moan. He began a slow, steady rhythm, sliding in and out, Willow's damp back sliding easily over the cool tiles. He could feel her nails digging into his flesh as she pulled him impossibly closer. Opening his eyes, Angel was surprised to see bright, lust-filled, green eyes staring intently into his deep brown gaze.
"Angel, please," she whispered, before subtly tilting her head to the side, exposing her neck to him.
The vampire was more than a little surprised by the offering. "Are you sure?" He asked hesitantly, wanting more than anything to sink his fangs into her, taste her essence.
"Make me yours," she begged, "again and again."
Needing no further assurance, his demon visage slipped forward, just before he leaned in, his fangs sliding easily into her throat, reopening the mark he had made weeks before. Willow felt, more than heard, the growl deep with in his chest as he began to drink from her. The feel of the demon responding to her blood, combined with the pull of the liquid through her veins was too much, and the redhead came with a deep, guttural moan, followed almost immediately by the dark haired vampire.
Finally forcing himself to pull back from his pet, Angel glanced at her for a moment, before kissing her lips softly, a silent thank you for the gift she had willingly given him. Looking her over again, he could see her eye struggling to stay open, and quickly turned off the water, before drying them both off and sweeping her up in his arms, carrying her back to bed and carefully covering the exhausted girl. Slipping under the covers and pulling the redhead close, Angel smiled into her neck, inhaling deeply.
"You're mine, Willow," he whispered with a proud smile, "forever."
~Part: 20~
Willow was drifting through the hotel, a strange mist covering the floors of the halls. Everything was slightly hazy, appearing in that distant way that only exists in dreams. She was searching for something, someone, though she couldn't remember exactly who or why.
Jumping, the redhead was startled by the sound of a car horn, and she looked up, temporarily blinded by bright headlights at the end of the hall. Blinking several times and finally clearing her sight, she looked up, the vehicle gone, and saw a figure walking toward her. Recognizing him, she ran to meet the man.
"Wesley! Have you seen Angel? I need to talk to him."
The former watcher shook his head. He was dressed as she remembered him from his days in Sunnydale, wearing a stiff suit, slicked-back hair and a pretentious look on his face.
"He's a bit preoccupied, you know, maiming, killing. Takes a lot out of a man. Can I help you with something?"
"No. No, I really need Angel," she told him, sounding a bit distraught. "There's something I just figured out…or I think I did, but…I don't understand, and…There's a truck…or…something…coming...or going..."
"Of course you don't understand," he told her with a condescending chuckle. "You know, I have two heads. Oh yes, that's right, two. You can only see the one, but the other is there, rest assured, watching you. It see what he can't. It can see what everyone else is missing. Look hard enough and I'm sure you'll find it."
Willow gave him a confused look. "Wesley, I really need…"
"Impatient, aren't we? Mr. Giles always did say that you did not have enough patience, didn't devote enough time to schoolwork. Perhaps if you had spent a little more time studying and a little less time worrying about boys, you would have already figured this out. The square root of pi isn't all that difficult. It's no wonder you find yourself in this position now. Yes, he always said you were far too unfocused."
"That…that wasn't me. That sounds more like Buffy," she told him.
"Does it? Oh, yes, I suppose it was about Buffy. Everything always is. After all, it's not as if the world really revolves around the sun."
"Hey! I thought that I was the center!"
"Cordelia?" Willow turned and looked toward the brunette female as she walked toward them. She had on a business suit, her hair pulled back into a bun, a small pair of stylish wire framed glasses on her face.
"Yeah, I know, not how you'd picture me, right? But I've changed, really! No more acting. I want to devote myself to a real purpose."
"That's really good, Cordelia, but I…"
"Excuse me! Was I finished talking? I didn't think so." Suddenly, Willow looked around, realizing that she was now in one of the old Sunnydale High School classrooms, sitting in front of Cordelia. Oz was sitting next to the brunette, Buffy behind her, playing with a piece of gum, and Xander next to her.
"She always interrupts like that," Oz told her in a hushed tone. "It gets on my nerves after a while. I think I'll probably leave her eventually because of it. Either that or I'll burn her at the stake."
"Oz?" Willow whimpered in confusion.
"As I was saying," Cordy continued, "I want to devote my time to more important things, like this seasons nail colors and the latest in cosmetic enhancements. Not that I need it, of course, but imagine if we could fix the vampires' faces, and they looked just like us? We'd never know the difference and they would be perfectly acceptable…Well, except of course for the biting, but then, I hear that can be fun sometimes. Not that I would ever do that…ick, but…" Her voice trailed off as Willow looked around, noticing the way Buffy and Xander were making kissy faces at one another.
"Pst…" Hearing someone next to her, Willow turned, surprised to see Angel in the desk beside her. "Hey, do you know that answer to question four?"
Willow looked down at her paper. "One plus one? Um, two, I think, except there's always a remainder, and I don't know what to do with it."
"You don't think my hair's too flat, do you?" He asked. "Without my hair, I'm nothing."
Willow scrunching up her nose. "I don't think that…"
"Willow, are you cheating?" Hearing Giles's voice, she sat up a bit straighter and shook her head. "You know that magic is not a toy, right? And some words can never been taught, only learned."
"What? No, I would never…"
"It's not enough to have the power. You have to know how to use it. I have the key to your freedom, in all those piles of dusty old books that you children are always mocking. Perhaps I will just burn them...and you were distinctly told that Angel is not to be disturbed." Looking toward Angel again, she saw that he was now watching Buffy with a large grin on his face.
"She's pretty," he told her.
"Yeah, I guess, if you like the gorgeous, athletic, super hero type," Willow responded, pouting slightly.
"Well, Xander likes her, and he's pretty cool, so…"
"Wait, Xander likes Anya," Willow interrupted. Suddenly, Anya appeared on the other side of her.
"Nah. I let him go. As if I could ever really compete with Buffy. As if anyone could. Actually, I was thinking of trying to get my powers back, or maybe someone else's. I always thought that it would be fun if my arms and legs were, like, really stretchy, like putty. That would be pretty neat. Do you like your new powers?"
"I…I don't have new powers," Willow told her.
"Oh, sure you do. Didn't anyone tell you? You can wiggle your nose and pop out of the bottle now, and you can make rats out of people, too."
"Pst…Do you know the answer to question four?" Angel asked again.
"I already told you…" Looking down, Willow saw that the question was now different. "If demon one is going at 160 miles per hour, south, and demon two is going at 200 miles per hour, north, who will be the one to finally destroy you?" She read out loud. "That question doesn't make any sense."
"It makes perfect sense to me," Anya told her.
"And me," Xander added.
"Even I get it, and I'm not good at anything but looking pretty and punching things," Buffy told her.
"Really, Willow, if you don't understand the question, how do you ever hope to find the answer?" Giles asked.
"Hey, do you have a partner yet?" Anya questioned, twirling her hair absently.
"A partner? For what?"
Anya rolled her eyes. "For the dance, of course."
"I…I don't think I even have a dress," Willow told her.
"Wow, nothing like waiting until the last minute. I have a swell demon friend that I could set you up with. Of course, you can't talk to him, or touch him, or…or look directly at him."
"Maybe Angel could…"
"I thought that maybe I could ask Buffy," Angel told her with a grin, "and if she says no, maybe I can spend the night brooding. Either way, it's win-win."
"But…but I thought that maybe we could…"
"What? Oh, are you still here?" Angel asked.
Willow looked down at herself, seeing that her body was fading in and out. "I thought so, but…"
"Ignore her, Angel," Cordelia told him. "Eventually she'll just go crazy anyway."
"Ignore who?" He questioned.
"Exactly," she said with a nod.
"Pst, do you know the answer to question number four?"
Willow awoke with a start, sitting up in bed and panting softly. Looking down at the vampire that slept beside her, she bit her lower lip as she stared, deep in thought. Could he really ever love her, more than Buffy, or would she always be just a substitute, a convenient second choice? And what about the new powers stirring with in her? Willow was barely able to control them, let alone understand them or where they were coming from. She could feel her strength and power increasing daily and began to grow a bit fearful of exactly what she could be capable of.
Finally, she laid back down and closed her eyes, snuggling closer to the cool body beside her and sighing as his arm wrapped around her instinctively. She had nothing to worry about…Angel loved her…It wasn't just the spell…He and Buffy were over…Right?
Stupid prophetic dreams.