Disclaimer: A Sequel to Anya's Gone. The Characters mentioned and named in this story are the property of J. Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Warner Bros..etc, etc. No infringement is intended.
Buffy got back from her patrol close to dawn in order to check in with Giles who was scrutinizing yet another text in a long line of texts. The amount of books that he had gone through and discarded didn't bode well for further illumination on the impending crisis.
While Giles might be able to pull an all nighter, Buffy was feeling utterly useless and beyond tired after what seemed like an interminably long night of slaying. She was just about to crash for a few hours on the couch in Giles' office when Ms. Calendar stumbled into the room, a look of sheer terror on her face.
Giles ran over to her. He wrapped his arms around her trembling body. "Good God Jenny! Wha..?"
"They've got Xander," Jenny managed to choke out from within the circle of his arms. Giles grip tightened on her as shock rolled over him.
Hearing her words Buffy nearly stopped breathing, her body going numb as she sank into a chair.
"He's alive." Jenny tried to speak again without her voice breaking. "But they-they gave me a message for Buffy."
"What is it?" Buffy said in a low voice, keeping out the hysteria that was building inside her.
"You have until the solar eclipse to go down to the caves beneath the library or-or," Jenny swallowed hard, "they'll k-kill him. I'm sorry. I c-c-couldn't stop them. There were so many and they-they…" Unable to keep from crying now Jenny sobbed against Giles' chest. It had all happened so fast that only now was she dealing with the full measure of shock and fear.
"Shhh, it'll be all right Jenny. It wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could have done," Giles comforted her. At the same time he looked up to gauge how Buffy was taking this. It wasn't well. Buffy strode over to the weapons locker and started to stuff all manner of deadly devices into a duffel bag. It looked like it was all out war.
"Buffy, it's a trap," Giles warned unnecessarily.
"I know. But I don't care," she replied gritting her teeth in pain and rage. "They're using Xander to get to me. Well, they're gonna get me all right!"
"The Anointed One is trying to get you to go to him in order to destroy you and open the Hellmouth!"
Covering her fear with stubborn adamance Buffy replied, "I won't just wait until after its over and they've killed Xander!"
Giles saw that he wasn't getting through to her. He knew she was going. Nothing would stop her. But he had to make her at least aware of what she was facing. "With the huge rise in the number of vampires we've seen, there's no telling how many the Anointed One will have at his disposal. He could have a small army."
"Then I'll have to make sure to take a lot of stakes with me." Buffy retorted.
Giles considered things for a moment and decided. "I understand why you have to do this Buffy. So I'm going with you."
Jenny stirred out of his arms at this and Buffy's eyes narrowed. Before either of them could say anything, Giles said forcefully, "I AM going with you Buffy. And you are NOT, I repeat not going to knock me out like last time because this is Xander's life we're talking about! Not to mention the fate of the world. You're going to need all the help you can get."
Turning back to Jenny now, Giles' face begged for her understanding. And Jenny did understand. She knew exactly why he felt he had to go and do this despite the odds. She and Rupert had had many a discussion about his overwhelming need to guide and protect not only Buffy, but Xander and Willow as well. Willow's trials had deeply marked Rupert. He felt he had failed her terribly and he certainly wouldn't allow Xander to be added to his list of failures. Not without a fight.
So swallowing her fear for him, Jenny nodded and said, "Please, please be careful Rupert. You'd better come back me!" Then she kissed him passionately as a good-bye and as an incentive to return.
Buffy looked away. Most of the time she was embarrassed seeing these type of displays between them. Giles was her Watcher, her mentor and in some ways even a father-figure. But now unfazed, she looked away only to give them privacy. She didn't want to put Giles in danger but this time she didn't have the right to take the decision from him.
Giles insisted on taking Jenny home. He wanted to make sure that she was somewhere safe, somewhere other than where she was right now. They knew all too well that the library, which was right over the Hellmouth, would be the last place anyone would want to be if something were to happen. So with the assurance of endless promises that Buffy would not leave until he came back, Giles left with Jenny while Buffy made preparations for the confrontation that lay before them.
When Giles returned, everything was set. They were almost out the door when they heard pounding footsteps in the hallway, signaling that someone was in a hurry to reach them. Since it was still before dawn, if only barely, it meant they were vulnerable to whatever attack the Anointed One might spring on them. Taking a defensive position they readied themselves. But when the doors were flung wide open, instead of a horde of vampires there was only one.
It was Angel, looking more distraught and desperate than either of them had ever seen him. His eyes held a wild glint reflecting his overwhelming agitation. Seeing them both Angel's words spilled out hurriedly. "Thank God you're here!"
"Angel, what are you…?" Buffy started.
"The Anointed One has Willow," Angel broke in.
"What?" Giles and Buffy shouted nearly in unison.
"Willow was captured last night. They were taking her to the Anointed One. You've got to help me get her out of there." Angel nearly begged.
"He has Xander too," Buffy informed him in a husky voice.
< Willow AND Xander? > Giles pondered this and in an instant his eyes went wide with comprehension. "Of course! I should have seen it before. It's starting to all make sense. Willow is the key! Do you know about the prophecy?" Giles questioned Angel.
"Prophecy? No." Angel's apprehension and fear increased immeasurably.
"The signs all point to an event during the eclipse which might open the Hellmouth. It's only hours away now."
"The eclipse? But there's no way that he can….." Angel's face showed dawning understanding. "Willow. That's why he needs her. She's the only one who could perform the necessary ceremony during the height of the eclipse."
"But Willow would never do that," Buffy said staunchly.
"No. But today is a year to the day that Willow crossed over," Angel reminded them both.
Buffy knitted her brows. "So what? Why is that significant?"
Angel explained, "This is the day that the Anointed One can perform the Ritual of Binding."
"I hate to sound like a broken record, but again so what? What does it do?" Buffy asked impatiently.
"If I remember correctly, when a vampire and his sire are bonded, their life forces are combined." Giles clarified. "I'd assume with this ritual, the Anointed One will attempt to bring out the demon in Willow and strengthen its presence in her and make her his willing cohort in all of this."
"It's a voluntary ritual. With Willow he would have to coerce her somehow," Angel stated quietly.
"Xander!" Buffy exclaimed.
"Exactly."
"It looks like he was trying to use Xander to get to both Willow and me. Sort of killing two birds with one stone. Well, we have to get to them before its too late," Buffy said grimly.
< It may already be too late. > Giles thought with a horrible feeling of premonition as they all headed out using the school's access tunnels that led down to the Anointed One's lair.
*~*~*~*
Willow was released from her chains and to Xander's unbelieving eyes, she literally slinked up to the Anointed One and in a gesture of fealty she knelt on one knee before him. That made Colin give a small smile of triumph.
"You are welcome back to your own kind," Colin exulted.
"I thought you'd never free me, sire. Oh and not only from the chains I mean. You don't know what it's been like locked inside that goody two shoes. I haven't had any fun at all since I was made," Willow pouted.
"There's time to make that up. Once we open the Hellmouth, ruling beside me you will have free rein," Colin promised.
Willow looked enthralled at the idea. "What do we have to do?"
"There is a solar eclipse today. No Master has ever been able to utilize its power, its mystical energy because of our…vulnerability. But with you, with your ability to move about in the sunlight, *I* will take advantage of it."
"Tell me how," Willow demanded.
"Under the high point of the eclipse you will sacrifice the slayer. Draining her and calling upon the combined powers of the sun and moon, you will be able to open the Hellmouth and unleash a reign of darkness."
From anyone else it might have sounded like a bad speech from a B movie villain, but the Anointed One said it with a convincingly chilling force. Colin handed over an ancient parchment detailing the rite which she would execute. Reading it carefully, Willow absorbed its contents, memorizing it in a few short minutes.
Then she grinned in a base imitation of her usual glowing smile. "It shall be as you desire, Sire."
"Of course it will be." Colin turned to one of his servants, "You gave the teacher the message?"
"Yes. Even now she is telling the Slayer all."
"Good. That will draw her to us and that is all the chance you will need my Unslayable One," Colin said to Willow. He then nodded to one of the vampires holding Xander. "We don't need him anymore. You can kill him now."
During all of this, Xander had stood by in horrified silence. He had just taken it all in, unable to even react. Now from the way that one of the vampires was looking at him, he felt like he was an entrée and the diners were more than ready to dig in.
< This is it. > Xander thought as one of the vamps bent towards him fangs extended.
"NO!" Willow's voice cracked like a whip across the room.
Xander's heart leapt for a moment thinking that Willow still had a part of her that cared for him and would save him. But his heart sank at her next words.
"He's mine," she snarled.
The vampire about to make him the main course was an ugly looking, stupid sort of fellow and he disregarded the tiny girl. "I had him first."
Xander felt fangs graze his jugular but suddenly the vampire was pulled away and was delivered a punishing hit to his face by Willow. The vampire went down and Xander wanted to cheer. Willow may not be the same girl who he had grown up with and called friend, but it was satisfying anyway to see her beat up this blood- thirsty thug.
"I told you - he is MINE." Willow punctuated each word with a punch and with the last word she hit the vampire's face with a sickening crunch. The vampire was now lying helplessly on the ground with Willow straddled over his body. Pull him up to her by his shirt, she said dangerously, "I may be new around here but you will obey me. I am in charge and the only one who takes precedence is the Anointed One," she conceded nodding to Colin.
The vampire really was stupid for it looked like he was about to protest to Colin, when Willow broke one of his fingers with a cruelty that made Xander look away.
Above his howls Willow demanded once more "Do you got that?"
The vampire made haste this time to agree. "Yes," he wheezed in pain.
"Good." She dropped him back onto the floor with a ungentle thud and stalked over to Xander.
Xander froze. < Can someone say out of the fire and into the frying pan? My best friend is about to munch on me! >
Willow circled him predatorily. Her hand rested on his shoulder then traced its way along his back to his other shoulder. Coming to a stop in front of him, she stared impassively into his face. With her head cocked to one side, she seemed almost reflective.
"Are you going to kill him or not?" Colin demanded.
Willow turned to the Anointed. "Sire, I don't want to question you since you've planned everything so carefully, but are you sure that the Slayer will come for him?" she said motioning toward Xander.
"This boy and the Slayer are very close. They're in love," he sneered.
"Yes. But the Slayer's watcher has probably already warned her about what is happening. So many prophesies and signs. Giles isn't stupid. He won't let her walk into a trap blindly."
Narrowing his eyes Colin asked, "What are you saying then?"
"I have a plan for a sure way to get the Slayer down here at exactly the apex of the eclipse," Willow boasted.
"Which would be?" Colin inquired impatiently.
"I go to her and tell her that I was captured by you, but escaped from your clutches. I tried to rescue poor Xander here. But he was killed before I could save him. I'll even bring his body to her. She'll be devastated. Oh this is too good!" Willow crowed as she became slightly side tracked.
Xander's blood ran cold at her calculated words.
"Well? Go on," Colin prodded, now curious.
"This will get her to trust me completely, if she doesn't already. Especially if I can wring some tears out over the untimely death of such a good friend." Willow patted Xander on the cheek. "Of course she'll want revenge. What Slayer wouldn't? I'll feed her all sorts of misinformation about how I would never participate in your schemes for the eclipse and that without me there's nothing you can do. She'll buy any story I give her. Even her Watcher will believe me. I'll guide her here to 'help' her avenge Xander. She's a powerful Slayer. She's even defeated the Master, but when the time is right I'll be able to take her out without even a struggle. She won't see it coming. Even if I'm wrong and she comes down here," Willow shrugged, "you've still got her. Consider this a back up plan."
"It's completely diabolical," the Anointed One approved. "I should have thought of it."
Xander was desperate now. Hearing all of this he feared more for Buffy than his own inescapable demise. "Don't do this Willow. I know you're in there somewhere, fight it," he pleaded.
"There's nothing to fight," Willow said indifferently. "You're about to die and Buffy soon along with you."
Going in for the kill, Willow tugged Xander's resisting body into her arms.
Part 14
As Willow pulled Xander's body to hers, she forced his head to one side, exposing his neck. Slowly she bent over him. As she did so Willow whispered into his ear, "Play dead!"
Xander didn't comprehend Willow's words at that moment, and as soon as he felt her fangs pierce his throat he stiffened and struggled instinctively. But when he didn't feel her sucking his blood, he hoped beyond hope he understood what her whispered words meant.
< Play dead? Well, here goes nothing. > Making his body go passive, Xander began to slump over and then collapsed at Willow's feet.
Soon he heard Willow say loudly, "I'll take his body up. I have a slayer to trap."
Xander felt himself being picked up, but kept himself very limp and boneless. It was easy to do because he almost ready to pass out with relief anyway as he realized that Willow was carrying him out of there.
They went through a maze of tunnels. After what seemed like a very long time, Xander guessed that they were safe but he daren't open his eyes to check and Willow wasn't taking any chances. She had not only gotten them out of the tunnels but far from the exit into the dawning sunlight before she finally put him down.
"Xander?"
Xander opened his eyes cautiously and found himself looking up into Willow's face. Her eyes were looking worriedly down on him. She didn't say anything else, but she didn't have to. The mask she had worn for the Anointed One's benefit had fallen away and Xander recognized the same soul he had always known…
His best friend.
His heart welled up with unadulterated joy and he immediately clutched her to him. "God Willow, it's really you. I've missed you so much!"
"Oh me too, Xander. You don't know how much!" Willow hugged him back fiercely. "Are you alright though? I didn't hurt you did I? You had me worried. You play dead really convincingly." She pulled away fretting over him.
"ME! Convincing?!?!" He rubbed his neck absently. "Look whose talking. I really thought that you had-had, well, become one of the bad guys."
"I'm so sorry about that Xander. I just didn't know how else to get us both out of there alive. I just played along letting him think I had my demon back," she trailed off hesitantly.
Willow had taken an enormous chance, but seeing Xander in such danger, she had had to take it. In the moment of indecision before she agreed to the Binding the words of the prophesy that Brother Lugo had read to her what seemed so long ago echoed in her mind < 'Vanquish the demon lest thy soul succumb and be destroyed by the evil of thy sire.' >
She was sure that it was this very situation was what the prophesy had been warning her about. With desperate faith that the Binding Ritual wouldn't work, she had decided to go ahead with it. And she had been right. It hadn't worked.
With no demon to awake, she had been in complete control the whole time. That had only been one part of it though. She had had to fool Colin as well. And she'd done it by taking her rage and hate for him and directing those feelings toward maintaining an act. Yet Willow felt self-conscious about having played her role to the hilt. It didn't sit comfortably with her that she had been able to take on the persona of her demon so effortlessly. Its presence within her for so many months had left more of a mark than she might have wished.
"You did what you had to do," Xander reassured her tenderly. Overwhelmed by truly having her with him again, he pulled Willow once more into a hug. "You have no idea how much I've needed to see you again. Ever since you left I've kicked myself for not telling you how I feel about you. After you left sometimes the only thing that kept me going was your letter and knowing that you loved me despite the fact that I took you for granted." Xander pulled back a little and laid his forehead against hers while still holding onto her. "It nearly killed me to think that you might not know how much I care about you and how much I need your friendship, how much I'll always need it. I do love you, Wills. You know that right?"
"I know Xander." Willow's eyes were damp as she answered him. "I do."
They both sat there for a moment basking in the loving renewal of their friendship. The events of the last year had left an indelible mark on both of them. There were changes they had not yet had time to explore in each other, but they knew their friendship had not faded. Instead it endured all, and tested, it was stronger and deeper than ever.
Xander, horrified at a sudden thought, asked her, "We had heard from Angel that you had left Rome about a month ago, you-you haven't been here with the Anointed One that whole time have you?"
Willow flinched, a hollow ache pervading her body at the very mention of Angel.
"No," she replied in a small voice. "I was taken last night. They found me in Ireland just after Angel did." Willow had to swallow hard before being able to get out the next part. "They killed Angel."
Xander heard the heartbreak in her voice. "I'm so sorry Wills."
"Yes," she whispered in a husky voice. "Me too."
"I wanted you back, but I only wish it had been under better circumstances."
Pushing the pain back into a compartment within her heart to be dealt with at a later time, Willow turned to the crisis at hand. "You know I was lying about Buffy. If she's already heard you've been taken, she'll be going on a rampage. Giles won't be able to keep her from coming. We have to warn them about Colin's trap."
"They'd be at the library. I just hope they haven't left yet," Xander prayed fervently.
* * *
Buffy, Angel and Giles silently made their way down through the tunnels. Angel's experience guided them unerringly. Suddenly, Angel held up his hand signaling them to halt as they came up to where the tunnel diverged into two directions.
Angel pointed to one of the tunnels, "This is the way to the main cavern. I found Willow there when the Anointed One first took her. She was practically unguarded. I don't think the Anointed One will make the same mistake. He might have her and Xander secreted away in one of the side chambers, which are this way." He pointed in the other direction.
"Fine, we'll split up," Buffy decided. "You take the other chambers since you know the tunnels better than we do. Giles and I will go to the main cavern."
Angel nodded and headed off, leaving Buffy and Giles to continue on.
By the time they reached their destination, the only sounds were of their own footsteps and breathing. It was eerily quiet. Buffy motioned Giles to wait. Peaking around from the entrance, she saw that the main cavern was empty. Torches flickered all around and lit the large cave area with a menacing light.
Buffy shivered. The last time she had been down here. She had died. The only reason she was even here now was that she had been found by Angel and resurrected by Xander. Involuntarily the fear rose like bile in her throat. She took a deep breath, praying < Please let Xander and Willow be alright! >
Buffy and Giles made their way tentatively down to the floor of the cavern. They surveyed the area closely. But it was obvious neither Willow nor Xander were being held here.
Buffy, knowing there would be a trap had been acutely aware of everything around her. And now alarm bells were going off in her brain. < We haven't seen any vamps. There should have been some guards, something so far. > "I don't like this Giles," she said aloud.
"No, nor do I." Giles agreed.
"Oh, but I do!" a voice rang out.
Colin stepped out of the shadows from a secret entrance and mocked them, "It looks like the party has come to us after all." Behind him emerged dozens of vampires.
Backing off slowly, Buffy and Giles found that more vampires appeared closing off their exit and surrounding them. They had been prepared for this, but knowing it was a trap and dealing with it were two separate things.
They both fought valiantly against the odds. Even without a slayer's skills, Giles managed to kill a couple of vampires. And Buffy, kicking and punching in seemingly all directions, destroyed the first wave of vamps that came at her. Yet there was no way they could fight the sheer number of vampires that were present. Giles was soon overpowered.
Seeing that they didn't have a chance, Buffy tried to get off one last shot with her cross-bow. She aimed directly at the Anointed One. If this was going to be a suicide mission then she wanted to at least take out their leader. But the other vampires reacted immediately in defense of him, knocking the bow out of her hands. They swiftly converged on her, and having subdued her, they brought both Buffy and a battered Giles before the Anointed One.
"Don't try anything stupid Slayer." Colin warned as he carefully watched Buffy approach him.
"Stupid? Listening to anything *you* say, now that would be stupid," Buffy spat out.
"I'm merely warning you that if you killed me, in that instant you'd also be killing your friend Willow for she and I are now linked. And you wouldn't want anything to happen to her would you?"
Appalled understanding swept through Giles. "The Binding ritual, you've performed it already?"
"Ah so you've figured it out. Impressive. I heard you were intelligent. For a Watcher. And in case your blond hair isn't out of a bottle," Colin insulted Buffy, "let me explain. If I should inconceivably ever die, Willow is but a step behind me on the path to hell. She is mine. Body and soul."
* * *
When Willow and Xander arrived at the library there was no trace of Buffy or Giles. Xander made phone calls to both of their homes in the desperate hope that they were other than where Xander and Willow both feared they were. Neither were home.
Xander cried aloud in frustrated anxiety. "We must have missed them. Buffy and Giles might have taken another route down to the caverns. We have to go after them." He was already turning for the library exit.
"Wait. I have to find something." Willow had quickly read through the translation of the prophesy that Giles had written out. Then she began looking for something else. Something very specific. She was rummaging through piles of books, hastily discarding them to the side when they weren't what she was looking for.
"Willow we don't have time to do research! They could be walking into the trap right now!" Xander said urgently.
"We'll never catch up to them in time. Colin probably even has them already. But he won't hurt them or do anything until I get there. He wants to sacrifice Buffy, not kill her. He still thinks I'm on his side, remember? We need to take advantage of that and figure out how we'll rescue them, because we won't be able to take out all his followers. But if I…" Willow's voice trailed off as she snatched up a text that lay in the pile of books Giles had not yet gone through. She scanned the text finding the passage she hoped for.
"Here it is!" she said excitedly. Reading it carefully, Willow began to frown.
"What is it?" Xander asked.
She didn't answer him right away. Willow read for a few more seconds and then finally put the book down. She tried to keep her expression a deliberate blank as she merely told him, "It's what I need to stop the Anointed One once and for all."
Not liking the look on her face, he demanded, "Willow what are you going to do?"
She hesitated, "I'll tell you when we get there."
He looked as if he wanted to say something further, but instead Xander nodded.
Relieved that he didn't press her, Willow led him back to the entrance of the passageways which they had so recently escaped. But once there, she stopped him. This was as far as she was letting him go.
"So what's the plan?" Xander turned to ask her.
Steeling herself, Willow said, "Please forgive me." And with that she drew back her fist and cold-cocked him.
Willow dragged him a bit aways from the entrance. Guilt was etched onto her face. Although it was the safest spot she could think of, she hated to leave him here like this. Yet she couldn't allow him to come with her, because what she had to do, he could have no part.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to Xander's inert form, taking one last look at his face before squaring her shoulders and going down the passageways that would lead her to her destiny.
The moment Colin had announced his plans for the eclipse, some inner part of Willow recognized that the events surrounding the eclipse were a part of her fate. There was no thought in her now to avoid it, for if she tried to fight it, her friends would most likely die. The man she loved was dead, and if her friends died too, what good would her eternal life be when there would be no one she loved left to share it with?
It was time to meet destiny. Alone.
As she boldly entered the main cavern, Willow constructed a carefully blank façade that would hopefully serve her purposes. Quickly she assessed the situation which was worse than she had thought. There were enough vampires assembled to wipe out the entire town of Sunnydale. And on the far side of the cavern, Buffy and Giles were being held captive. At least they were alive.
Seeing her sauntering in, the Anointed One rebuked her sharply, "You're here FINALLY!"
Buffy and Giles' attention turned toward her at his words, both of them visibly blanched.
"Willow? My god….!" Buffy croaked out.
Colin cut her off, "Whatever! I don't have time for reunions, explanations or good-byes. You'll just have to die without all that."
Willow turned to her friends. "Buffy, Giles," she greeted them in an off-hand manner that showed none of her inner longings to throw her arms around them and sweep them away from all this. Willow threw a look at Colin that told him he should let her handle this her way. "Tell everyone to step back from the circle. Far back," she ordered.
Colin nodded and made it so. The vampires all gathered into the corners of the cavern, far from the center which had an outlined circle that marked the edges of the Hellmouth. Colin too withdrew, placing Giles near his side, exactly where Buffy could see him to act as a kind of warning or deterrent. So only Willow, Buffy, the two vampires holding Buffy remained in the center and as Willow took ahold of Buffy herself, she dismissed even those two.
Buffy began to try and break free when Willow pulled her over to the inner part of the circle, but Willow held onto Buffy with enough strength to subdue her but not hurt her.
Willow whispered fiercely, "Please don't fight this Buffy."
"You're kidding me right?" Buffy replied bitterly, still squirming slightly within the iron like band of Willow's grasp.
"I can't explain right now. There's no time. Xander's alright. I got him out of here and I'll get you and Giles out too. I promise." Willow spoke close to Buffy's ear, her words were conveyed with a fierce sincerity that gave Buffy pause.
"Willow, I don't understand," Buffy begged for some sort of an explanation. She so much wanted to believe Willow.
Solemn and intense, Willow stared straight into Buffy's eyes and said quietly, "Look at me. I am ME and if you ever loved me or called me friend, trust me now. Help me end this."
What Buffy saw in the depths of Willow's eyes shook her. Her feelings warred with her rational voice that said that this was all a trick. But she couldn't dismiss the genuine throb in Willow's voice nor the frank sincerity in her whole demeanor. If this was truly Willow, Buffy wouldn't have hesitated to do anything that she asked of her.
< But how am I supposed to know for sure this is Willow? > Buffy asked herself, her mind whirl with doubts. Then it struck Buffy that only Willow's gentle soul would be so concerned that she believe her. Willow didn't have to ask. At that moment she had the power to do as she pleased. A demon would have taken what it wanted without a second thought. < This has to really be Willow. > Maybe it didn't make much sense, maybe she was seeing and believing what she wanted but a sudden calm pervaded Buffy's spirit as trust welled inside her. In a single word she related that trust to Willow.
"How?"
"I need some of your blood."
Buffy closed her eyes and silently offered her neck.
Intense.
It was the only word that Willow could use to describe the feeling as she drank blood from a human being for the first time in her life. A feeling of a tremendous high ran through Willow as the intoxicating power of Buffy's blood surged through her.
Another vampire would never have been able to pull away from the addicting flow of Buffy's blood, but Willow didn't have a demon to push her over the edge into mindless feeding. She stopped when she had taken all she safely could.
Automatically checking to assured herself that Buffy was alright, Willow laid her friend's unconscious body at the edge of the encircled Hellmouth.
Then Willow began the Rite of the Eclipse.