Part Three:
They waited at the library later the next afternoon for Willow it was Saturday and the hacker had refused to leave her home till Angel could as well, she had communicated a bit haltingly with Xander on line. She hadn't been able to learn any thing of value since they had parted last night. Giles was silently counting the hours till Angel would be able to move about freely again. He wasn't in truth looking forward to dealing with Angel at all. He had to, in order to see this through to an end. He also feared that what Angel had said was true that the doppelganger would go after Willow because unlike the slayer she had been able to tell that he wasn't Angel. Beyond that it would have realized that she was the backbone of the group remove Willow and they would slowly lead self-destruction.
Giles had excepted long ago that though Buffy was the Slayer and the most important in the group Willow was the back bone without her the slayer would have no ground to stand on.
So yes, he was worried terrified really that Willow would be lost in this game. All the double had to do was manage to get Willow alone and regardless of her strength and her quick wit he would kill her.
Drink her soul. That was the other thing. He had always thought Vampires the most evil of creatures but nothing he had come across prepared him for something that ate the souls of the living ending their lives that way. The only thing Giles couldn't quite figure out was why it bit the woman at the bronze. Willow was sure it wasn't blood lose that had killed that poor girl, but instead almost as though someone had hollowed out her soul. Leaving a perfect body with no force to animate it.
Giles began looking through the book that was siting on the table and found the passage he hoped would be able to help them. The doppelganger apparently needed the souls of mortals in order to survive. Though it appeared that they only took over human's Giles guessed that it might not have realized that Angel was a vampire till it had pulled the memories that it now shared with the vampire.
The creature literally became it's victim, learning their mannerism, their relations and their desires. It acted as much like the chosen candidate as it could. So that would explain the biting he was making it look as though it was the work of a vampire while feeding himself.
Clearly this creature had been ready for many things but not Willow. Giles was sure that of all of them, Willow was in the most danger. The doppelganger had gone after Buffy more out of memories in Angel's mind and the fact that he was impersonating a vampire, then any real care of malice to her.
That too was large pill for the Slayer to swallow and if what he had been told in Willow's hushed guilty voice was true. Other things had come rather unerringly to the light. The doppelganger had pursued Willow and it' s intent may not have been simply to kill her.
Giles glanced briefly upwards knowing that Willow and the vampire would
be arriving soon.
" Willow, where are you?" he called into the shadows. He listened and drew in a slow breath. Willow, he recognized her sweet tangy sent in the air and began to hurry after it.
As he moved closer, he could hear the sound of a scuffle.
" Let me go you bastard." she screamed at the top of her lungs.
" Is that any way to talk to your lover?" demanded a silky velvet voice that Angel recognized.
" He's not, your not Angel." she managed to stutter out.
" Does it really matter, we can both kill with a kiss." Angel watched as his hold on her loosened and he allowed her to take a few stumbling steps from him.
" I'll never understand what it is with most mortals. They see us they know we aren't normal they can feel it the alarms sound. Yet you ignore them. You deny them. You let us to close." He chuckled darkly.
" You let him close, you let him hold you, touch you. What else did you let him do? Your are virgin pure so you didn't let it go that far. But did you let him touch you, taste you." The double laughed shortly, " Gods knows he wanted to."
Angel looked at Willow's face again she had blanched perceptively. Angel felt guilty he knew he had no need he hadn't done anything to her. Hadn' t ever given the thoughts voice or acted on them. Did that make him any less guilty? Any less to blame.
" You don't know anything about Angel." She shot back. " He wouldn' t ever hurt me."
" Your so sure of that." He demanded. " Believe me little red, I saw the things he wanted to do to you and most of them involved blood play. You know vampires are by nature some of the most sexual creatures in the world."
She growled low in her throat what was the point this fool wasn't telling her anything she didn't know. She wasn't stupid she knew you couldn't take the demon out of the vampire.
" So what. Even if what you say is true why the hell do you think it would bother me? In case you failed to notice he's like Greek god, gorgeous and he's sexy and mysterious and he's hell...he's every high school girl's wet dream. Telling me he wants me is only going to make me feel really flattered and think you mad."
" This is wrong your not like this. I saw you're the weak one." he stammered. She laughed.
" Sometimes you have to be weak to be strong." She chuckled and looking at where his hand still set on her arm. She concentrated on the space and watched as the hand slowly caught flame.
" Bitch." he gasped drawing back.
" You should know she protects me." Willow said looking at the double rather smugly.
He stared from Willow to Angel and back to Willow. " The mark of Diana may protect you from me witch but it won't protect you from him.
The moment their eyes had locked the double tried to use the distraction to get away only to be caught by Angel.
"Let's get something straight." he said darkly. He grabbed his double. "Willow is mine." He said it softly. A deadly purr surprising himself and Willow. She watched as he changed his grip on the double and slammed his fist into his face. He was angry and the slight barely veiled threat to Willow had finally pushed his rather impressive control right over the edge.
He drew up his leg and nailed the him in the groin before the doppelganger had a chance to react. Angel's head jerked back as the other landed a blow causing blood to begin to trickle down the side of Angel's face.
As they fought Willow watched, she whimpered when the doppelganger managed to land yet another punch on Angel. She saw him start to stager and fear shot through her as she caught sight of a rather nasty looking dagger that was now sticking out of Angel's chest. The doppelganger had grasp the hilt and dragged the blade down from breastbone to navel. Willow screamed at the top of her lungs horrified. The double looked up at her and saw the energy that was starting to build around her.
He knew what it was every lesser demon knew. That the only creature in the entire world that wouldn't run in fear was a vampire. He wasn't for all appearances a vampire and the sight shocked him. He felt himself freeze for a moment. He needed to get away from her. She was going to kill him. He turned tail and ran out of the witch's sight. She watched him leave the power and energy that swirled around her slowly calming as she moved over to Angel's side.
Looking down at Angel she grasped the end of the knife and pulled it out. She cringed softly as she saw the amount of blood that followed after the removal. She stared at the blood strangely fascinated by it. She reached up and touched the vampire's cool skin.
"Angel?" she whispered softly looking down at his face. "Angel wake up please." she whimpered knowing that if they stayed here to long she wouldn't have to worry about the doppelganger she would end up being vampire snacks.
Looking down at her wrist she knew what would waken Angel. She bit her lip having an idea she needed something sharp. She pulled the small pocket knife she carried with her out and looked worriedly at the blade. It wasn't exactly sanitary but she couldn't really risk Angel for the sake of sanitary ways.
She pulled the knife across her wrist not enough to cut deeply but enough to draw blood she would just have to hope Angel bite her. Goddess please let him be okay.
She reached over her, the blood dripping down into his mouth. For one moment he didn't react then she heard a soft growl. He arched his head toward the source almost as though he was seeking her. She pressed her wrist uncertainly to Angel's lips and gasped as razor sharp fangs penetrated the warmth of her skin. She stared down in a morbid kind of fascination as he drank a few swallows his eyes fluttering open.
The moment they fell on her and what she was doing. He released her pushing her forcefully away. "Hey is that anyway to treat someone who's trying to help you?" She demanded.
"Willow you can't, you don't know what your doing." He whispered not sure what she thought she was going to do. He only knew that drinking from Willow wasn't a good idea.
Gods she tasted sweet.
"Angel this is no time to go all noble and righteous. You need blood and you won't take to much." she said showing him her resolve face.
Growling low in the back of his throat. He grasped her around the waist pulling her closer. He leaned down and nuzzled the hair that hung over her neck to the side. She gasped as she felt his mouth latch onto her neck. He nibbled for a moment, before fangs pierced her flesh. She cried out pain shooting through her system at the penetration. He slid his arms around her holding her closer. He drank deeply swallowing sip after sip of the headiest wine Angel had ever tasted. Whimpering softly caught somewhere between pain and strangely exquisite pleasure Willow alternately pushed him away and pulled him closer.
He let go after what seemed like forever. Willow's limbs felt numb weak as a kitten, yet strangely euphoric. He nuzzled against her. His lips gently caressing the warmth of her flesh and his tongue sneaking out to mop up the last lingering drops of blood. One hand snaked up and settled into her long silky strands of red hued hair. His mouth brushed against her cheek and chin, before settling against her neck. She stiffened as his mouth opened over flesh and his tongue laved the flesh for a moment, before drawing back once more.
"Thank you." he whispered softly his lips pressing to hers for an all-too-brief moment.
"Can you walk?" She asked as she helped him struggle to his feet.
"I think so, can you?" he asked.
She shook her head in answer. "Where to? " she asked.
"My house I think." he said looking at her. "It's closer and I have a store of weapons." He said. She nodded in agreement.
Her blood had helped more then Angel wanted to admit and it left him feeling extremely guilty. Not only had he taken the hackers blood but also he hadn't been half so nice as he could have. But she'd upset him. She had pushed him.
"Willow," her head came up as soon as he said her name. The tone of his voice drew the hacker's attention even more then the word he had spoken.
"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't be trying my rather frayed patients anymore?" She looked down feeling guilty for about a half a second before she got mad.
Angel felt the raise of her anger in the air before he saw it in her brilliant snapping green eyes.
"Yeah, and I was supposed to what leave you there to die. No thank you. I...I kind of...you should ...grr." she raised her hands in exasperation. "You're my friend I care about you. I don't want you dead." Willow said finally.
"I am dead." Angel said coolly. Her gaze turned frosty at his words.
"Really?" she took a few steps closer. "Well then you're marvelously preserved." She slid her arms around him. Angel froze not sure what he had just gotten himself into. Her arms, you daft fool. Sweet heaven. She wrapped her arms more tightly around his mid-section pressing close to him.
"I don't care if you are a walking corpse. You're my friend you've saved my life more times then I can count. And I am almost glad you're a vampire with a soul cause if you weren't I wouldn't have ever met you. You wouldn't have been there to save us." She babbled in into the fabric of his shirt. Not seeming to realize that she was getting blood on her own shirt.
She looked up at him, and felt his arms go around her returning the embrace or attempting to. The wounds where still not quite healed and his movement cause a white-hot spike of pain to flash through him.
"OH no." She gasped, " I am such an idiot. I forgot. We better bandage you up." She said.
"Angel where do you have a first aid kit?"
"Down the hall to the right it on the shelf in the bathroom."
"Good place for it." She said leaving the room to retrieve said item. She pressed herself back against the wall as soon as she was out of his sight. What the hell's wrong with you girl? She demanded of herself. Feeling the strange butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach the brief moment his lips had touched hers. Was it true did Angel want me? She wondered as she moved hurriedly down the hall. She turned into the directed room, and looked for the kit. Finding the large box on one of the upper shelves Willow stood on tiptoes and reached for it. She growled angrily when she came up short. She concentrated on the box mentally pulling it closer.
When it landed comfortably in her hand she headed back to the room where Angel was no laying shirtless on his bed. She saw the white and crimson of the shirt on the floor near by and mentally made a note to pick it up later.
Moving over to the bed she set gingerly down beside the vampire. "Hey open your eyes." Willow whispered. She watched as lids fluttered and Angel's eyes came to rest on her. She smiled softly at him knowing that he had been sleeping that rest would help him heal but also needing to patch him up.
She leaned over helping him sit up so that she could clean and patch the wound that ran from his breastbone to his lower abdomen.
"You realize of course that where you human we would be taking you to a hospital." Willow said making with the small talk. She was worried she couldn't help it. If Angel had been a man he would have been bleeding to death before her.
She looked over the wound trying to figure out the best way to go about fixing it. Reaching to the open kit she pulled out a box of butterfly bandages.
She pulled a number of the bandages from the box and proceeded to tearing each one open. Reaching forward she lightly pressed the edges of the wound together. "What I wouldn't give for some super glue," she said ruefully. She placed the first butterfly over the wound. Grabbed the second and continued placing them about a half inch apart down his chest. She knew that he would heal but unless the skin was pushed back together he would have a nasty scar. She leaned closer trying to see if she had missed anything and if the space between bandages was too much. Satisfied that he wouldn't be splitting at the seems anytime soon. Willow set back from Angel on the edge of the bed.
"You should sleep." She said after a moment.
"You don't have to go." He said as he saw her heading for the living room. She turned at the door to look at him.
"I just figured that you could take the bed and I could sleep on the couch." Willow said.
"I know, but you can stay if you wish. "He chuckled, "No pressure Willow I just happen to know that you would be far more comfortable here." He said motioning to the large amount of space beside him on the bed. She looked from him to the empty space and back. Moving quickly to the other side of the bed. She settled their then looked at Angel.
"You know. I am so wired I feel like I've had way too much coffee." She admitted softly. That wasn't the only thing that was bothering. The doppelganger's words where ringing in her mind. Was it true did Angel want her? He kissed you. Yeah like a friend. she chided herself of thinking that he might feel anything other then friendship for her.
"Willow what's wrong." He asked. "I know something is." He turned slightly so that he could look into her eyes. What he saw there took his breath away. Fear, curiosity, wonder, joy, desire, and any number of unnamed tangled emotions.
"It's okay. Ask." He whispered leaning closer to her.
She stared into his eyes for a long moment. Her head dipping almost without her being aware of it. Her lips parted her breath brushing over his in a damp warm gust. He leaned in. His lips barely gazing hers when she jerked back.
"Sleep." She said suddenly "you need sleep....wow am I tired...look at the time..." she rambled out looking at the watch that wasn't on her wrist.
Angel chuckled to himself but chose to let it go. He could pursue Willow when he was more himself. Tomorrow.
Angel woke hours later a warm soft Willow pining him to the bed. One of her legs slung low on his hip an arm wrapped well above his hurt chest and stomach. He smiled. She had curled against him in her sleep.
He felt euphoric. He couldn't help it. In Willow's room on her small twin bed had demanded that they share the closeness. This bed however made it something that was sought. He could have slept in this bed with her and never brushed her skin. But she had turned to him seeking his comfort and touch.
He glanced down to find a wide-eyed Willow looking at him questioningly. She looked down at their entwined forms and Angel waited for her to jerk away embarrassed but instead she sighed softly and rested her head against the velvet smoothness of his chest and snuggled carefully back against him.
"Don't wanna get up." She informed him, a small smile playing on her lips.
He chuckled as she pushed her bottom lip out . . . "can't you just pretend that it's still night."
"Well if you insist. Though it shall make for moving that much the harder." Angel warned laying back down in the offered warmth of the hacker's embrace.
Her eyes fluttered back closed as she settled more closely to him. He waited for her breathing to deepen as sleep claimed her. He popped a lid open to look at her. She'd done it again. One leg over his so that she was turned just slightly. Her hand rested on his chest just to center. Her breath brushed over his neck in warm puffs.
He smiled softly to himself enjoying for the moment the simple pleasure of holding and being held. It had been a long time since he'd been able to just hold someone in his arms. He couldn't hold Buffy she wouldn't let him, acting as though he would lose control at any moment and somehow they would end up losing him his soul. Though Angel had a strange feeling that he would no longer feel the kind of peace he always craved in Buffy's arms any longer.