Pairing: Willow/Spike
Disclaimer: I humbly borrow, twisting and bending plots to my will.
Summary: Very AU...Somewhere around 1900-1920, NYC. Basically I'm taking the characters that we know and love, and I'm dropping them into my own time line in my own world. Hope you like:) (and be forwarned...shameless references to Pride and Prejudice abound...at least in the beginning)
Archived at: www.geocities.com/seeing_reddd
Dedication: To Janet, for all your wonderful help and encouragement. You're the absolute best:)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
"I'm not coming out."
"Oh, yes, you are."
"No, I think, emphatically not."
"Well, alright, but if you don't come out, we won't be going to the ball."
"That would be the general point."
"And, if we don't go to the ball, Xander will end up conversing and," Buffy let out an exaggerated gasp, "dancing with the ever lovely Miss Chase."
"Ha!," Willow snorted, "As if Cordelia would have ANYTHING to do with Xander." She peeked out from behind the ornate, oak folding screen, before stepping forth for inspection from her friend.
"Willow! You look beautiful!" Buffy gushed, as she fluffed the poofy dress and pulled the ties in the back a bit tighter.
Gasping as she felt her air become slightly more constricted, Willow looked down at the floor and blushed.
"I feel ridiculous in this dress on. It isn't me. It's too-too much."
"Nonsense. Now stand still so that I can put your hair up."
~*~
"Miss Rosenberg, Miss Summers, always a pleasure to see you two fine ladies," Xander greeted them with a bow.
Buffy smiled and Willow giggled before responding. "Mr. Harris, looking as handsome as ever."
He smiled brightly at her compliment and offered an arm to both ladies, ready to escort them to the main ballroom. "Simply in attempt to compliment the beauty of my two lovely dates."
"Well, Mr. Harris, I believe that a certain Mr. Finn would have a word of contradiction to that statement," Buffy laughed.
"Well, until your actual escort for the evening arrives, I am the lucky man with you on my arm, and I fully intend to take complete advantage." Upon her look, he immediately dropped his smile and began to re-think his wording. "Uh, not advantage, as in to be taking advantage of YOU, specifically, but just I meant, advantage, as in the advantage of enjoying your company in close proximity while still being in public, and also engaging with another lovely woman, not that I mean, I'm just going to be quiet now."
Both girls laughed as he looked down, blushing furiously.
Upon entering the main ballroom, the small trio was immediately greeted by Mrs. Summers and a long time friend of the family, Mr. Giles.
"Buffy, sweetheart, so glad you could finally make it," her mother greeted her. "We arrived nearly an hour before. What kept you?"
"Sorry," Buffy apologized, hugging her. "We would have arrived earlier," she rolled her eyes and glanced at Willow, "but it took a bit of effort to coax Willow into her dress."
Willow blushed deeply as Mrs. Summers took in the transformed redhead.
"There was no coaxing," she mumbled. "Just, you know, some encouraging, and a little commanding a-and maybe some bribery."
"Why, Willow! You look absolutely enchanting! I hardly recognize you with your hair up like that. Doesn't she look lovely, Mr. Giles?"
"What? Oh, uh, yes, actually, you look very becoming this evening, Willow, as do you Buffy," Giles replied, sounding slightly distracted.
"Buffy," a voice called from behind them. Turning around, Buffy's face broke out into a wide smile at the sight of her current suitor. "You look stunning," he said, as he bent and kissed her hand. Willow watched with a smile, while Xander stood behind Riley, making a sick face and mimicking the bow and kiss in a mocking gesture. Looking up, he stopped, as he saw Willow glaring at him, disapprovingly.
"As do you, Willow, Mrs. Summers," Riley said, turning and bowing to the other two women, before shaking hands with the men.
"Buffy," he turned back to her, extending his arm, "would you do me the honor of joining me in the next dance?"
"I'd love to, Riley, thank you," she replied with a smile.
"If you'll excuse us," Mrs. Summers said, as she took the offered arm of Mr. Giles and swept regally to another group of guests, leaving the young couples alone.
"What do you say, Willow?" Xander asked, turning his attention to the redhead. "Join me for a dance?"
Willow, whom had secretly harbored feelings for her childhood friend for years, turned red and ducked her head a bit.
"Actually, I-I think I'll sit this one out."
"Are you sure?" He asked, slightly dejected.
"Yeah, you know, I'm not really a very good dancer," she tried to explain. "In fact, I'm not even sure that I would be familiar with the dances tonight."
"Oh, Willow, you're a wonderful dancer. I've seen you."
She blushed again and shook her head, just as Cordelia Chase glided up to the group.
"Good evening," she said, her head held a bit higher than usual. "I see that my parents are inviting just about any riff-raff to their parties these days," she said disapprovingly. The group collectively fixed her with a scowl, before turning to ignore her.
"And, Willow, I see you decided to play dress-up this evening. How adorable! Borrowing one of Buffy's outdated dress, are you?" Cordelia smiled at her insult, watching as Willow frowned and looked down at her dress.
"Excuse me!" Buffy interjected. "That dress is NOT out dated. It's nearly brand new and it looks stunning on her. Clearly you're just jealous."
"Right," Cordelia shot back, "because deep down, what I really aspire to be is a mousy bookworm, with almost no money, socially mis- fit friends, and parents that spend nearly the entire year outside of New York. Buffy, you really have me figured out, don't you?" She sneered before turning away.
"Well, isn't she just a lovely ball of sunshine?" Xander quipped as he watched her prance away.
"Willow, don't listen to a word she says," Buffy whispered, placing a comforting arm around her friend. "She's just shallow and conceited."
"Yeah," Xander chimed in, "and besides, your friends are DEFINITELY not social mis-fits." Buffy glared at him, and he quickly tried to change the subject.
"Is there no hope of persuading you to dance?" Xander asked. Willow shook her head, looking miserable and wishing she could leave.
Buffy took a hold of her hand and dragged her away, excusing them for a moment. "Willow, what are you doing?"
Willow gave her a confused look.
"Xander is asking you to dance!"
"Yes, I AM aware of that, Buffy," she replied.
"And you are saying no, why?"
"Buffy, you know me, think about it. Xander, plus me, plus my two left feet equals complete embarrassment on the dance floor."
"Willow, that's not true."
"Trust me, Buffy. Add in my rapid beating heart, sweaty palms and fidgeting nerves and I'll scare him away for good."
"Not possible, Willow. You couldn't scare someone away from you if you tried," Buffy chided, but seeing her friend's face, she knew she would not win this argument right now and sighed in defeat before returning to Riley.
Willow found her way to an inconspicuous corner of the room and proceeded to watch the many couples spin and glide across the dance floor.
~*~
"Well, what about that one?"
"No, too skinny."
"Alright, what about that one?"
"No, hair's too, I don't know, floufy."
"What does her hair possibly have to do with anything?"
"I, unlike you, have certain standards, and I'm not willing to duck below them."
With a sigh, the Irishman turned and noticed a pretty redhead standing alone near by.
"Fine then, William, what about that one, there?"
"Which one?"
"Right there, with the red hair. Not ten steps away. What about that lass?"
Spike paused, thinking. He had been watching her earlier and had become somewhat captivated, wanted very much to learn more about the girl. Killing her, therefore, wasn't in his immediate plans, though it wouldn't do to explain to Angelus exactly why that was.
"No," he replied, "too scrawny and appears very uninteresting. Nothing to look at."
Angelus scoffed. "Uninteresting? Yer telling me that girl there looks uninteresting?"
"Completely, mate," Spike answered, attempted to appear as bored as possible. "Besides, why would I bother with a little chit that can't even find herself a dance partner?"
Willow's face flushed and she tried not to appear too upset as she overheard the conversation. She was certain they were talking about her, and while she had never been as outgoing and popular as Buffy or Cordelia, she still found it difficult to hear this man's description of her. It took all the effort she had to not jump up and run from the room, as she stood there, fending off the tears that threatened to fall.
"Well, William, I don't know what it is that yer lookin for here, but I'll be damned if I can find it," the Irishman said as he threw his hands up in defeat. Turning, he saw a slightly older looking woman and gentleman coming toward them.
~Part: 2~
Buffy came up behind Willow, seeing her mother heading over from the other direction, beckoning to the two girls.
"Oh! Buffy, Willow, allow me to introduce you to Sir William, from England, and his traveling companion, Lord Angelus," Mrs. Summers said as the two girls approached. Both men bowed courteously to the ladies and smiled. Buffy's eyes quickly scanned the room as she got a strange, uneasy feeling, but seeing nothing unusual, and knowing that all of the guests had been invited to the small, private ball, she ignored it and smiled back at the new acquaintances.
"Where about in England are you from?" Buffy asked.
"A bit of a ways from London, Miss," the tall blond responded. "My family owns a manor with quite a bit of land there."
"Ah, and where do you hail from, Lord Angelus?" She questioned the other man.
"Born and raised in Ireland, Miss," he replied in a thick Irish brogue. Buffy nodded, completely oblivious to the disdainful looks the redhead was throwing toward the blond when he was seemingly not paying attention.
"And what brings you to New York?"
"Been lured into travelin with me good friend William here," he responded with a nod and a smile.
"They've just taken up summer residence at the Ellington manor," Mrs. Summers explained.
"Oh, such a shame what happened to Lord Ellington," Buffy replied, lowering her eyes respectfully. Willow paled slightly, remembering the gruesome details of the murder. The two men glanced at each other, both fighting to suppress a smile, and nodded solemnly.
"Yeah, well, worked out well in our favor," Spike replied after a moment, trying not to sound too smug. The women gave each other a look before Angelus spoke up.
"You'll have to be forgivin of me friend. He isn't always the most polite, respectful person when it comes to speakin of such things."
Willow snorted and tried to suppress a bitter chuckle. Buffy glared at her friend, not understanding what had come over the redhead, and Willow looked down, blushing.
"Right, uh, sorry `bout that. Meant nothing by it," Spike amended.
"You must be very well off, to be able to afford such a manor, if you don't mind me saying," Mrs. Summers quickly set out to change the subject of conversation.
"Yes, well, my family has quiet a lot of money, actually, and I've, uh, made some rather wise investments," Spike smiled in response.
~*~
Willow again found herself standing alone, watching the dance floor. Xander was now dancing with a random young woman. She sighed and looked down at a rose she had pulled from an arrangement on a nearby table.
"How is it that a lady of such beauty and charm might be found standing alone at a ball, while music plays?" The sudden voice behind her caused her to jump and spin around, only to look up into crystal blue eyes. She immediately scowled and turned away.
"Have I done something to offend you? If I have, I assure you that it was unintentional," Spike said, moving to again stand in front of her.
Not willing to admit that she had been listening to his conversation or that anything that he had said had effected her, Willow simply shook her head, not looking up to meet his gaze.
"How could anything you say or do offend me, Sir William? We don't even know one another."
"Well, then I insist that we get to know one another better, so that you have a number of reasons to choose from for which to dislike me," he said with a smile. "Now, let me see, what should we talk about first?"
She looked up at him, again fixing him with an angry glare and shook her head. "I really have no interest in talking with you about anything."
"Well, then, if you don't wish to speak to me, perhaps I could persuade you to accompany me in a dance," he said, holding his hand out to her. She turned her head up and away, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Trust me," she said in a voice dripping with disdain, "I'm not really the kind of girl one dances with."
"And what kind of ridiculous statement is that?" He asked in exasperation. "Not the kind of girl one dances with? And here, your friends had tried to inform me that you were the smart one of your circle." He bit back a smile, as he watched her face transform from shy and reserved to enraged.
"Y-you…How dare you!" She snarled at him. "You know nothing of me and are clearly the most rude, insulting man I have ever had the misfortune to be acquainted with."
With that, she turned again, about to strut away, only to stop as he suddenly, too rapidly for her to notice his inhuman speed, appeared in front of her, blocking her escape.
"You," he smiled, "should watch your mouth little girl, or it might get you into trouble." He reached up and flicked at one of the red curls cascading down along her face, and whispered, "I can see the temper matches the tresses."
Her face turned red in anger and she swatted his hand away.
"How-how DARE you!" She hissed. "I demand that you leave me be at once."
"Oh, and now we're making demands, are we?" His eyes twinkled in amusement, and she took a few deep breathes before speaking again.
"I see what you're doing," she said in accusation.
"And, what might that be, luv?"
"You are trying to goad me into an argument with you. For what reason, I can not begin to comprehend, but clearly you are a rude, uncouth, foul man, and I will not waste another moment engaging in this ridiculous banter with you."
"Is that right?"
"Yes," she looked toward the ballroom exit and then glared back at him. "I would rather be attacked by a pack of demon spawn than to be forced to endure another second in your company."
Just as she finished speaking, the main doors flew open and over a dozen vampires suddenly burst into the room. The guests began to scream and run in panic, to no where in particular, and Spike leaned down smiling slightly.
"You were saying, pet?" He whispered.
Willow looked around in search of her friends and saw Xander and Giles ushering as many people as they could out of the room, as the vampires began to attack. Seeing Buffy reach under a table for where she knew stakes had been stashed, she turned back to look at blond, only to see that he was no where to be found.
~Part: 3~
Suddenly, Willow felt a hand on her shoulder, and was spun around, coming face to face with one of the vampires. She saw him lung forward toward her neck, as his hands dug into her arms, and she squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to feel the pain of fangs in her neck. Just as she opened her mouth to scream, his grip suddenly disappeared and Willow opened her eyes to see William standing in front of her, dust settling around them. The redhead looked at him for a moment, neither saying a word, before he quickly turned and ran off in pursuit of another demon.
Without another thought, Willow ran for the door, stopping just as she reached it, hearing a familiar voice cry out. Turning around, she saw that one of the vampires had a hold of Cordelia, and just as Willow was about to run to help her, she saw Xander jump out and stake the vampire from behind, catching Cordelia before she fell with the sudden, settling dust. Steadying her on her feet, he grabbed her hand and the two ran for the door behind Willow.
"How-how did they get in there?" Xander asked no one in particular, as he tried to catch his breath once outside.
"Well, I might have sort of invited them," Cordelia said quietly.
"What?"
"Well, I didn't KNOW that they were, whatever they were," she whined.
"Vampires. They're called vampires, and you know how the whole invitation thing works, Cordelia. We've been through this before," he stated, glaring at the young woman.
"Look! Buffy!" Willow yelled, seeing Buffy emerge from the house, knowing the fight must be over, and ran to her.
Xander was about to follow, when Cordelia grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Xander, you-you saved me," she said, her voice much more soft than he was used to. "How can I ever repay you?"
"Well, I…" he began, but was cut off when her lips suddenly descended upon his in a passionate kiss. When she finally broke away, leaving them both gasping for breath and slightly flushed, she looked up into his bewildered eyes.
"That will work," he told her, before leaning in to initiate another deep kiss.
"Did you see? Did you see?" Buffy asked giddily, as she jumped up and down.
"Yes, Buffy we saw," Giles replied, his voice dry and humorless.
"All those vamps, and I staked every last one," she said proudly. Turning toward Willow, she noted the scowl on the redhead's face. "Well, almost every one. You all helped too, of course," she added. Willow was still frowning. "Why the long face, Will? Vampire's all dusty, party people still all alive and everything. I said my thank yous, right Giles?" The slayer asked, looking back toward her watcher.
"It's not that, Buffy," Willow explained.
"Willow, what's the big deal?" Buffy questioned.
"It's just, we know you're the slayer and that's great and everything, but you do know that it is supposed to be a secret identity, right?" Buffy nodded, looking confused. "So, if you run out here yelling about how you dusted the vamps, people are going to eventually catch on."
"Oh, please, Willow, look around you," Buffy said, rolling her eyes. "These people couldn't BE more oblivious."
"A-and look at your dress," Willow pointed out. Buffy glanced down, letting out a whine as she realized that her brand new silk dress was now stained and ripped. "You look like you were just involved in a tavern brawl."
"Well, I was, more or less. And since when do you care about appearances?" The slayer put her hands on her hips, knowing she was being a tad defensive, but not entirely caring at the moment.
"Buffy, you know I don't care about appearances at all, as far as vanity goes," Willow told her, letting a frustrated sigh, "but you have to be careful. You don't want the wrong people to find out who you are. It will just cause you more trouble."
"Oh, Willow," Buffy said with a sigh and smile, swinging her arm around her friend's shoulder, "forever the worrier." Glancing up, she noticed Xander and Cordelia, still embraced in a deep lip-lock, and Buffy's eyes widened as she tried to steer the redhead in the other direction.
Not one to be easily fooled, the young witch pulled back. "Buffy, what is…" Her voice trailed off as she took in the sight of her best friend, the secret love, kissing their sworn enemy.
"I-I think I'm going home now," she mumbled, turning to walk away.
Buffy quickly caught up to the redhead. "Willow, are you alright? Maybe it wasn't what it looked like," she suggested feebly.
"Right," Willow said dryly, with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sure he just accidentally tripped and fell into her lips."
"Well, I…"
"Buffy, it's been a rough night," Willow said quietly, thinking of Xander and remembering the biting words of Sir William, "and I'd really just like to walk home alone, okay?"
"Sure," Buffy said grudgingly. "Just be careful."
~Part: 4~
"Did you boys have a nice time this evening?"
"Yeah, pet, it was a laugh riot."
"Oh, did you run into any trouble?"
"Nothin we couldn't handle, Dru," Angelus said, a grin on his face. He leaned in and kissed her as he tossed his overcoat onto a chair.
"Yeah, just turned out that there were a few party crashers, didn't know that the party had already been crashed," Spike said with a smug smile.
"And did you have fun playing with all the nice people?" Drusilla looked toward Spike as she licked at a finger that Angelus had placed on her lips.
"Oh, bushels of fun, pet," he answered sarcastically, as he pulled a cigarette out and lit it, leaning against the mantel over the fireplace.
"I think Spikey here found himself a new girlfriend," Angelus taunted in a sing-song voice, chuckling as Spike growled lowly at him.
"A new girl?" Drusilla perked up a bit, waiting for details. "Tell me, tell me," she sang, clapping her hands, bouncing up and down on her toes and looking expectantly at Angelus.
"Some fiery little redhead got William here all hot and bothered," Angelus said with a laugh.
Spike glared at him, hearing his Sire use his previous name.
"You," Spike gestured toward Angelus with his cigarette, "don't have a bloody clue what you're talkin `bout, mate."
"Ah, I saw how ya were fightin with her, goadin her on, lovin every minute of it."
"Ohhh, I think my little Spikey has finally found himself a love," Drusilla cooed, wrapping her arms around Angelus and giggling.
"Sod off!" Spike yelled, moving toward the large staircase leading to the elaborate second floor. "She was nothing more than a plain, mouthy little girl. Not even worth the effort to bite, I'd wager, and YOU know my name, mate, so bloody well USE IT!" With that, he turned and stormed out the door.
Drusilla turned and scowled at Angelus.
"What?" He asked with an innocent smile.
"Youuuuu, you know how he hates to be called that," she scolding him.
"Well, it is his name, isn't it?" he grumbled.
"Well, we don't call you Liam, now do we?" He growled and slightly tightened his grip on her arms.
"No, because if you did, you know what would happen. It would make daddy very unhappy, and we wouldn't want to do that, now would we?"
Drusilla simply giggled and shook her head.
Suddenly, her giggling stopped and she looked up at him, her face a cross between disgust and anger.
"What now, Dru?" He asked in annoyance, never able to keep up with her moods.
"You-You were near the Slayer tonight," she said, her voice accusing, as she took a step away from him.
"What? How do ya…"
"I can smell her on you," she told him.
Stepping toward her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her hard into him.
"Yeah, baby, I was near the Slayer tonight," he said in a low, deep voice.
"Oh!" She leaned back in his grasp and clapped her hands again, happily. "So now we know who she is! Now you can kill her, my Angel! No more worry of her, then."
"Ya know it's not that simple, Dru," he told her. "One dies, another rises, over and over. But this one, this one will just die."
His threat hung in the air and he smiled at the dark haired vampress who was grinning at him.
"And does my Spikey know of her now as well?"
"Yes, though I think he was a bit more preoccupied with his new little friend to be taken much notice. He knows the slayer is here and he knows who she is."
"And your trinket? Is it here as well?" She asked.
"It's here. I can feel it, somewhere in this town. I just have to find it," he told her, another feral smile crossing his face as his eyes flashed amber.
"OH, and tell me of this girl that has captured his heart," she begged.
"Ah, you'll love her, Dru. She's all sweet and innocent and full of good intention. She'll make a wonderfully evil demon. She'll be the perfect mate for our William."
"Mmm," Drusilla hummed, dancing around her Sire. "Pretty little thing, all light and dark at the same time. She'll be useful, my Angel. Don't let her slip away."
Ignoring her ranting, Angelus lifted his childe up, hearing her squeal as he kissed her forcefully and headed to bed.
~Part: 5~
Willow wandered down the quiet city streets, heading toward the park. Her mind was a blend of unhappy thoughts that she tried, in vain, to push away. Entering the darkened park, the redhead wandered in among the trees, grateful to find even the smallest amount of solitude.
Spike stalked through the streets, angry and looking for a good kill. Catching the scent of something familiar, the blond looked up, surprised to see the redhead from earlier that night, walking alone down the street. Being the stealthy vampire that he was, Spike began to follow her, wondering where she was heading, and what he would do when they got there.
As she slowly made her way through the strange maze of tall, twisted trees, her mind continued to race, running over the words she had heard said about her earlier that evening, and flashing images of Xander and Cordelia.
Following the girl into the park, the vampire found himself surprised, not for the first time that night, by the redhead. He wondered why in the world this girl would be wandering into a park, alone, at night, when she clearly knew what was lurking in the dark.
The wind was starting to pick up and her long, red hair whipped about her head like flames. Her long dark green dress blew back and flapped like a bird desperately trying to take flight. She glanced up at the moon that was shining down and pouring through the leafy ceiling like falling stars as the wind tossed the branches about. She could see light clouds gliding across it, momentarily illuminating her, before passing by and returning the dim light. Small, slightly crystal raindrops began to fall around her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the earth and air around her. It was all connected.
Willow started to chant in a whispered voice, as she slowly began to spin around and around, gaining slight speed and momentum with each twirl. She had been practicing magic for about a year now, and though she wasn't extremely strong yet, she was becoming rather good at commanding the elements, water especially.
Her eyes stayed closed and her face tipped back as she felt the drops hit her skin. She smiled as she saw lightning flash through her closed lids and heard the rumble of thunder that soon followed. Still she continued to spin and spin, as if completely oblivious to the storm now raging around her.
His eyes were transfixed on her, as if she were some how hypnotizing him with her spinning, and he thought that perhaps she really was. He watched as she lifted her hands to the sky, still turning, and a streak of lightning flashed across, connecting with the ground somewhere near her. As the earth shook and the air boomed, he was finally brought out of his trance, and moved towards her as she fell to the ground, holding her hands out in front of her, pressed against the grassy floor. He ran to her and stopped just in front of the redhead, watching for a moment, his head cocked to the side, eyes relaying confusion as he looked on.
Suddenly her head snapped up and her eyes burned into his. She broke out into a small smile and reached out toward his hand. He knelt before her, taking her hand in his. She reached out slowly and took his other hand, placing it on the wet ground. Immediately, he felt the current run through him, from the forest floor, through him and out to her hand still grasping his. She smiled at his shocked face, and for just a moment he was sure he felt his dead heart beat again. Willow thought that she felt a strange jolt, but choose to ignore it.
"Wha-what was…" he began to question.
"Shhhh," she stopped him, bringing her finger to his lips. "Feel," she whispered, "it's all connected."
Again she closed her eyes, and he quickly followed, reveling in the feeling of power rushing through his body. After several minutes, he opened his eyes, realizing that it had ended. The storm was over and the moon was once again reflecting down on him. Suddenly he realized that there was no longer a hand holding his, and when he looked up he saw that she was gone, no where in sight.
~*~
Willow entered the large house quietly, and headed toward her room, passing Buffy's as quietly as possible. She was exhausted from everything that had transpired that evening, and wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed and fall asleep.
Pausing for a moment at her door, Willow's mind flashed back to her dancing in the park not long before, and the spell she had cast. Spells as strong as that almost seemed to take on a life of their own, often leaving her memory of it vague and distant. It was strange, it almost seemed to her as though that horrible man, William had been there, but she knew that it must not have been real. Her mind was hazy and stirred with confusion. It seemed like he was there, but yet not, at that same time. Shaking her head at her own rambling thoughts, Willow entered her room. She must have been imaging things. It was not possible that William had actually been there. She was sure of that.
Just as Willow was about to close her door, she heard another open and let out a soft moan of frustration, knowing what was about to come.
"Willow?" She heard the whispered voice, and forced herself to smile weakly as she peered back out into the hallway. A moment later, Buffy appeared in front of her.
"I was worried about you," the Slayer told her.
"You shouldn't worry, Buffy," Willow chided. "You know that I can take care of myself."
"I know, but, where were you all this time?"
"Out for a walk," Willow told her, with a shrug of her shoulders. It wasn't a lie. Not exactly, and though Buffy was well aware of Willow's practicing magic, she suspected that the Slayer would be less than pleased to know that Willow had gone off alone, into the park, at night to cast.
"Willow, you know better than to stay out alone." It was Buffy's turn to scold the redhead.
"Just needed to clear my head," Willow explained, as she closed the door quietly and joined Buffy on her bed.
"How are you, about the whole Xander thing?" Buffy questioned, a sympathetic look crossing her face.
"I'm okay, I guess. I mean, he was never mine. Not really. I knew eventually he would find someone. I just didn't expect it to be Cordelia." The redhead pulled a face, and Buffy chuckled softly.
"I know," the slayer said with a slight groan. "Who would have expected those two to be together?"
Willow simply made another disgusted face.
"Listen," Buffy said, standing up and heading toward the door, "tomorrow night, there is a dinner party at the Kendell's, and we're going. It'll cheer you up."
"Buffy, a party at Harmony's? Why are you doing this to me?" Willow whined. She hated being dragged to these parties and balls and dinners and functions, with all of the New York socialites and their snobby society. She always felt out of place. No matter how much Buffy tried to dress her in borrowed dresses, and pin her hair up in borrowed combs, and cover her in borrowed jewels, Willow always still felt like the same frumpy wall flower, and dreaded every place she was dragged to.
"That isn't going to cheer me up, you know. It's the very opposite of anything cheery," Willow told her.
"Oh, come on, spoil-sport. Besides, Sir William and Lord Angelus have been invited. They both seem like very interesting, good looking, AVAILABLE men."
Again, Willow made another face.
"What?" The Slayer questioned, frustrated with her friend's attitude.
"Buffy, you know I'm not out looking for a husband. And besides, Sir William is one of the most unbearable men I've ever come across."
"Really? What happened?" Buffy questioned, stopping at the door, and waiting with wide eyes, to hear the story.
"Nothing big," Willow lied, with a shrug. "I just over heard him talking, saying not so nice things about me. Then later, he actually tried to come and ask for a dance."
"Maybe he was sorry," Buffy suggested. Willow gave her a look of clear disbelief. "Or maybe he's a complete jerk."
"He was insufferable. Completely full of himself, thinking he's so smart. I.-I mean, he is probably really smart, but still, you don't have to flaunt it like that."
Buffy knew that tone in Willow's voice. There was something else there, that the witch wasn't saying.
"And he really wasn't THAT good looking," Buffy supplied, a slight twinkle in her eyes, as she fought to suppress a grin.
"Oh, no, he's very good looking, but does he have to make it so obvious that he knows it?" The redhead said with an annoyed sigh.
Buffy said nothing more, and simply gave her friend a knowing smile, before wishing her a good night and heading back to bed.
~Part: 6~
"I really hate these things," the redhead grumbled. "Why do I keep allowing you to drag me to them?"
"Because you love and adore me," Buffy said with a wide grin.
"Oh, is that it?" Willow replied wryly. Looking around the large room, Willow spotted Xander and Cordelia, on the opposite side, looking to be deeply involved in a heated discussion. Turning back around, she sighed, seeing that Buffy had already moved away, making her rounds, greeting everyone that she saw.
Willow stood alone for a moment, fingering the pendant that hung around her neck. Buffy had given it to her early that day, hoping that the small gift would cheer the redhead up. She had gotten it from some small pawn shop a few streets over, and thought that the green gem in the middle would compliment the witch's eyes perfectly. Rubbing it between her fingers, Willow thought she could almost feel some sort of magic coming from the object, though it was faint and she couldn't exactly place where the energy came from. Letting it go, she mentally reminded herself to ask Giles about it when she saw him, just before Buffy grabbed her arm and dragged her into a cluster of people.
Spike walked into the ballroom and immediately felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He couldn't quite pin point what it was he was searching for, but he quickly and thoroughly swept his gaze across the room, desperate to seek out what his senses were trying to warn him of.
Suddenly his eyes stopped on a flash of red. A woman, her head thrown back in laughter, louder and longer than most proper women would dare. And there she was. He knew immediately who he was watching, the enchantress from the woods, the woman from the other evening's ball. She was here, in this room, among them, and in full reach of him.
He watched from the shadows, in a far corner, wanting to attract no attention to himself until necessary. He watched as she talked and laughed and smiled and seemed to be the perfect mix of awkward innocence and strength. He couldn't keep his eyes from her.
Finally he found a moment when she was alone, and he darted over to her with inhuman speed.
"My lady?" He drawled out. She suddenly looked up, mirroring the same shocked expression he had given her in the park.
"Sir William?" She questioned her voice timid and quiet.
"Please, just William," he replied with a slight bow. Noticing the pendant with the sparkling green jewel around her neck, he smiled. It seemed to compliment her green eyes just right. "Lovely little bobble you've got, pet."
"I don't think we know each other quite that well," she told him, her voice turning colder. "And thank you for the compliment. It was a gift from a friend."
"I believe that we have been well acquainted, my lady, though it may had been in a different life than this one," he smirked at her and arched his eyebrow. She scowled back at him, surprising him just a little. She acted and looked nothing now as she had the other night, but he was sure this was the same woman.
"I must say, I am surprised to find a forest pixie such as yourself in a place like this," he smiled slyly, "among such company."
"I assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about," she said in a hurried hushed voice, panic setting in as she realized that perhaps he really had been there with her. "Now, if you will excuse me…" She went to move past him, but he stopped her with light grasp on her arm.
"Now, now," he smiled again. "A feisty little treat, aren't we?" He whispered in her ear.
"Sir! This is highly inappropriate!" She hissed at him.
"Ah, but dancing in the park at night is not?" She blushed deeply and scowled at him.
"Well, you-you have no idea, I-I don't know what you're talking about," she said haughtily, her hands on her hips.
"Little tip, pet," he whispered slightly too close to her ear. "Little helpless thing like you shouldn't be out alone at night like that. All sorts of nasties out there, never know what might try to eat you all up." He smiled at her deep scowl and flushed red cheeks, before releasing her arm and sauntering away.
Willow stood, seething in anger, his words echoing in her head. How dare he!
Turning in the direction that he had walked off in, Willow stormed after him, grabbing the blond's arm and tugging at his elbow, forcing him to turn back around. Spike fought to suppress a grin, amazed at how beautiful the fiery redhead was when she was angry.
"You are the most annoying, unreasonable man that I have ever met," she shot at him, her voice low and angry. She glanced around, making sure that no one was paying them any attention, and then continued in a harsh, hushed voice. "You don't know the first thing about me, and I promise you that you need NOT worry at all about me."
"That right?" He replied with a predatory smile. She was a feisty, interesting woman, to say the least, but at the same time, William the Bloody did not take insults lightly.
"Yes, that IS right. You clearly have no idea how to behave in polite society," she told him, poking him in the chest. "You might think you're something great, and maybe you are where you come from, but here, you're no different or better than the next man."
"You sure about that, pet?" He said with another smirk. She had no idea just how `different' he was.
"Yes! No! Actually, you are different. Everyone else here may not be able to see through your little façade, but I can," she hissed, her anger getting the better of her. "You're not the same as everyone else here. You're beneath them."
Gripping the witch's arm in a painfully tight hold, Spike growled lowly in his throat, the grin quickly melting from his face. Willow appeared sweet and innocent, and for the most part, she was, but she did have a certain knack for seeing the truth in people, and on the very rare occasion the redhead would allow herself to use those truths as ammunition. Usually, she was sorry afterwards, sick with guilt over letting her temper run away with her mouth. This time would be no different. She would be sorry, though for an entirely different reason.
Looking up in alarm, Willow could have sworn that she saw the blond's eyes flash gold, if only for a moment, but shook the thought away. He couldn't be...Surely she would have known if…
Spike tightened his grip on her arm, delighting in the small whimper that escaped her lips. Yanking her slightly closer to him, the vampire opened his mouth, about to let lose with a tirade of threats, when he was suddenly cut off by the sound of a woman screaming. It took him a moment to realize that it was not Willow that was screaming, but someone else from across the room.
~Part: 7~
Letting go of the redhead's arm, Spike spun around, surprised to see a group of vampires storming in through the front door.
"Bloody hell," he mumbled. "Not again." Turning back around, his eyes narrowed in anger as he realized that the witch had disappeared.
Willow ran up to Buffy, whom had just pulled away from Riley on the dance floor at hearing the woman scream.
"Buffy, there's more of them," Willow said, pointing toward the door.
"Not again," Buffy mumbled, running toward a near-by table and reaching under for a stash of stakes.
"Hey! Where are the weapons?" Buffy yelled, surprised to find nothing underneath the table.
"Oh, well I took the liberty of removing those for you, Miss," one of the vampires stated as he stepped up in front of the slayer, looking deceptively innocent. "Pesky nuisance they are."
"Really? I find them rather helpful," Buffy replied, just before reaching out and punching the vampire hard, knocking his head back. The Slayer shrugged. "Of course I can still work without them."
"Where the hell are they coming from?" Spike growled, running up to his Sire, who was glaring around the room.
"They're here for the same thing as us. I'm sure of it," Angelus told him.
"That damn Gem," Spike grumbled. "Nothing but trouble since the minute you went searching for it."
"Listen to me, boy," the older vampire growled, grabbing the blond's collar roughly. "That `damn gem' will be our salvation. It's here, in this house. I can feel it. I'll be damned if a bunch of weak little minions are goin ta get what's mine."
Suddenly, Spike remembered, The pendant that had been hanging around the witch's neck. "I think I just might know where your gem is, Sire," he said with a wide smile. Angelus gave him a questioning look.
"Giles!" Buffy yelled.
"Already on it," he called back, knowing that she was expecting him to help the guests escape unharmed. As quickly and smoothly as possible, he ushered the screaming crowd out the front doors, while Xander helped a few out one of the side entrances.
Buffy was caught off guard as an arm shot out, a fist catching her jaw with a swift right hook. Her head snapped to the side, though she quickly recovered, spinning around and kicking the offending vampire back. Another reached around from behind her, ready to snap the Slayer's neck. Grabbing his arms before he could grasp her neck, she flipped him easily enough over her shoulders, tossing him to the ground and jumping into a fighting stance as he jumped up and stood next to the other attacker.
"Did you see that?" Harmony asked Cordelia as they stopped just in front of the entrance.
"Uh, ladies, you might want to, uh, vacate the premises," Xander told them, trying to usher them out.
"I mean, she just flipped that guy over her shoulders, like it was nothing," Harmony commented, still staring as Buffy began to fight both vampires at the same time.
"Yeah, she's just strange like that," Cordelia told her, gripping her arm and pulling her through the door and out into the sprawling yard, Xander behind them.
Buffy kicked one of the vampires back as she blocked another one's swing. "Giles! I could use a stake here!" She yelled.
"Buffy!" The Slayer glanced up, noticing that the room was almost empty, and saw Willow a few feet away. The witch quickly glanced around, seeing that no one seemed to be paying her any attention, and muttered a few words, just before a wooden chair slide across the floor, stopping in front of the Slayer.
"Thank, Willow!" Buffy yelled, quickly grabbing the chair and smashing over one of the vamps, grabbing a piece of wood and staking first one and then the other. Turning, she immediately found herself facing a third demon.
"Willow, go!" Buffy yelled, seeing that most of the vampires had been taken care of and the room was mostly clear.
The redhead turned toward the door, panting slightly from the strain of the small amount of magic she had just used. She was ready to happily obey her friend, when a hand shot out, and Willow suddenly found herself spun around, looking up at William.
"We need to have a little chat, pet," he told her in a grim, cold voice.
"Uh, now really isn't a good time," she replied, glancing toward Buffy. The Slayer was too busy fighting off two more vampires to notice the redhead.
"Right. See, there's just a little something that you have, that I need," he told her, reaching toward her chest, where the pendant rested.
Willow took a startled step back, gasping in shock at his apparent audacity, and suddenly found herself colliding with a hard, unyielding object. Feeling hands grasping her shoulders tightly, she glanced back, startled to see one of the other attackers behind her. Peering closer at him, she realized that this was actually a human, not a vampire. Willow's forehead crinkled in confusion. The man was dressed similarly to the vampires. Worn pants, frayed at the bottom. An old, faded shirt with a few patches sown in, and a large hat, looking as though it belongs to the captain of one of the ships in the harbor. His hair was long, the dark locks cascading half way down his back, and his face was covered in a thin sheen of dirt.
"Actually, I think the lass has somethin that WE be needin," the man told Spike, yanking Willow back to him harshly.
"Sorry, mate. The little girl is with me," Spike told him.
"Hey! I'm not a little girl!" Willow argued. Both of them rolled their eyes.
"You're not taking her," Spike told the intruder.
"I believe you're wrong about that," the man responded, just as three vampires leapt onto the blond. Willow screamed as she saw William attacked, and felt the man behind her yanking her harshly toward another exit at the back of the room.
"I don't understand," Willow cried out, as she struggled against him. "You're human. They're demons."
"That they are, lass," he replied with a snide smile. "Good to have `em workin on yer side, aren't they now?"
"Buffy! Giles!" Willow yelled out, just before he clamped a hand over her mouth. No one seemed to hear her. Struggling in the strong embrace, Willow opened her mouth and bit down hard on his hand.
"Oh, do it again," he cooed in her ear, before laughing maniacally.
Willow immediately began to struggle again. "That's enough o that," he growled, before squeezing her neck in just the right place, feeling the redhead fall limp in his arms and dragging her away.
The three fledgling vampires weren't much of a match for Spike, but by the time he had dusted all three and turned around, the blond saw that the redhead and the man that had taken her, were no where to be found. Running to find Angelus in the after math of the melee, Spike's mind began to swim, as he tried to sort out exactly where they might have taken the small redhead, and the pendant that his Sire so desperately wanted.
~Part: 8~
Willow slowly came to, her head throbbing and her arms aching. It took her only a moment to realize that she was standing up against a cold, hard wall. Actually, she was being held up by a set of chains that were fastened around wrists, the metal digging into her soft flesh. The room was cold and damp, and lit only by a few rays of light that streamed through cracks in the wooden walls. The room seemed to tilt slightly back and forth, and she felt her stomach becoming nauseous from the tilting pattern.
Looking down, she noticed first that her dress was torn in several places and covered in dirt. She didn't care so much for her appearance though, and was appreciative of the fact that she still remained modestly covered. She wondered how long that would last. The second thing she noticed was that the necklace she had been wearing was gone. She let out a small sigh. Why was it that every little thing she had ever been given had to be taken away?
Tugging with the little strength she had at the chains, the redhead could see easily enough that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and fought back the tears of fear and frustration that were threatening to fall.
A few minutes later, the door burst open, and the young witch was temporarily blinded by the blast of sun light that spilled into the room. A moment later, the door was kicked shut, and Willow forced her eyes open again, finding herself staring up at the man that had kidnapped her.
"'Ello, poppet," he said with a toothy grin. "I `ope yer findin our accommodations up to yer standards." Willow was about to open her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of his accommodations, but was cut off by his cruel, taunting laugh.
"Yer a feisty lil tart now aren't ya, luv," he mused. Willow was getting very tired of hearing just how "feisty" she was. She'd show him feisty.
Closing her eyes, the redhead concentrated for a moment on the chair that she had seen across the room. Mumbling a few words, only loud enough for herself to hear, her green eyes suddenly popped open again, as the chair slid across the room, slamming into the back of the pirate's legs, knocking him over.
Willow struggled to contain the smile that was ready to burst across her lips, as the man stood back up with a scowl.
"Yer gonna pay for that, you lil…"
The man loomed over her, ready to strike, as Willow huddled back against the wall, the smile completely gone from her face. Just before he brought his hand down, the door once again burst open, temporarily illuminating the room. The pirate looked to see who had disturbed them, ready to shout an angry threat, before quickly closing his mouth, seeing the captain entering the room.
Willow looked out the open door, quickly confirming her suspicions that they were on a boat, and dread filled her. It would be one thing if they were hidden some where in the city. There was still a good chance that Buffy could find her. But here, now, on some unknown ship, out on the open sea, she would be nearly impossible to find, even for the Slayer.
"What have I told ya about damagin the goods?" The captain shouted, grabbing the pirates hand as it still lingered in the air, and yanked him backwards, away from the girl.
"She used magic on me!" The man protested. "She's the devil's child, she is!"
"What nonsense are ya talkin?" The captain asked in annoyance.
"She done somethin to make objects leap out at me. She's evil I tell ya!"
"We're evil, ya daft fool," the captain said with a roll of his dark eyes. "This is just a lil slip of a girl who ain't gon'ta hurt no one. Ain't that right, girl?"
Willow nodded, giving him her most innocent look. "The ship simply tipped, causing the chair to tumble," she told him in a timid voice.
"Right then. You," he commanded, turning back to the other pirate, "back out with the others. Now!"
The pirate scowled at the redhead before leaving the room.
"And you my lil pet," the captain added, making his way back to the door, "will make us a good sale."
"A sale?" Willow asked in a mix of confusion and alarm.
"Aye, the black market. A sweet lil slave like yerself will fetch us a pretty penny to be sure." At that, the captain turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
~Part: 9~
"Hear anything yet?"
"Nothing."
"This is bad. This is very bad."
"Yes, I would say so, Xander. She's been missing for almost twenty- four hours. It isn't like Willow to go off alone for so long. Did anyone see her after the attack at the party the other night?"
Xander shook his head, looking mournfully at the Slayer.
"Giles," Buffy called, turning toward the Watcher, who was deeply absorbed in one of his books. "Giles!" Finally, he looked up. "What do we do?"
"You're asking me?" He said, not able to hide the surprise in his voice.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "You ARE more or less the one in charge around here," she told him.
"When it's convenient for you," he muttered to himself. "Well, Buffy, I'm not entirely sure. I'm waiting for a few contacts to get back to me, to see if anyone has seen or heard anything. Until then, other than patrolling, there isn't a whole lot that CAN be done."
"I was afraid you'd say that," Buffy muttered, looking down dejectedly.
~*~
Willow spent several hours in the silent dark, trying desperately to remember a spell that would free her from the chains that held her to the wall. Unfortunately, her mind was swimming and hazy from all that had happened in the last day, and even well after she knew that the sun had set, the witch still found herself trapped in the room.
She had no idea where she was or where she was going, and neither did anyone else. Buffy would never be able to find her on a ship in the middle of the ocean, and now, if these pirates didn't kill her first, she was going to be sold as a slave to lord only knew who!
Suddenly startled out of her thoughts, Willow heard the unmistakable sound of a distant cannon going off. A few moments later, the entire room shuddered as the ship shook on the waves. Shouts could be heard all around the ship.
"Attack! We're under attack!" One pirate yelled out, as he passed by her room.
"Who the bloody hell is attackin our ship?" Another questioned, running past. "We're the bloody pirates. We should be the ones attack them!"
Willow continued to hear cannon and gun fire shots, eventually screwing her eyes tightly shut as she huddled as far back against the wall as possible, praying that no one came into the small room.
Outside were the sounds of fighting and screaming, things breaking and people being broken. Inside the room, the only thing Willow could hear was the sound of her panting, shaking breathing. In and out. In and out.
Hearing voices outside growing louder, she squeezed her eyes shut tighter, and willed them to pass her by and leave her be. She knew she would never be so lucky, but she hoped and prayed to her goddess that she might be spared for now.
Her eyes were closed and she stood, huddled against the cold wall for what felt like an eternity, her arms straining against the chains. She had not noticed, at first, that she had been holding her breath, but after what had to have been several minutes, she sucked in a deep breath, shuddering slightly. Willow became aware of the fact that she could no longer hear the voices. They must have actually gone away. Thankfully, she let out a long, deep breath and slowly opened her eyes, a small happy smile on her face.
Her expression immediately shifted as she screamed, startled by the two figures standing in front of her. The brunette was standing nearly nose to nose with her, and gave her sickeningly evil smile as she screamed, before clamping his hand down over her mouth to silence the shaking girl, and growled menacingly.
Lord Angelus and Sir William. She had no idea how they had come in so silently. Her entire body was shaking both out of shock at seeing the two men in the room and fear as to why they were there. The thought that they had come to her rescue had never even crossed her mind. Willow remembered what she had seen of these two men the night she was kidnapped, the yellow flicker in William's eyes, and she was too smart to think that they had come to help her.
"Bloody hell, Angelus! Are you trying to get the entire crew to come running in here?" The blond yelled, standing near the door, hissed at the one holding her still.
"Don't know, might be fun," he answered, turning to look back at the blond near the door. She could see that horrible grin on his face again and jumped when he whipped his head back around to stare at her.
"Now, listen to me, little girl," he growled close to her ear, with a thick Irish brogue. "I'm goin ta take me hand away from yer mouth, and yer not goin ta make a single sound. If ya do try to so much as clear yer throat, I will rip it out. Understand?"
She nodded her head quickly, assuring she understood, as tears cascaded down her cheeks.
"Good," he smiled and slowly removed his hand. She opened her mouth half way, as if contemplating screaming again, but then thought better of it and quickly snapped her mouth shut again.
"Good girl," he whispered, looking her up and down, making her blush and want to hide away from his stare. She was dressed in a thin, torn dress. It hid all that mattered, but still left her feeling nearly naked. Her red hair was tangled and wild around her flushed, dirty face, and her big green eyes were glossy with tears.
"Looks like some pirates do find treasures after all," he said with laughter in his voice, as he turned back to look at the blond again.
"That they do mate," Spike replied leering at her and licking his lips, causing her to shudder and cower more firmly against the wall.
"Pirates?" She whispered. "And all this time I was fearing demons."
Angelus whispered into her ear, his voice cruel and mocking. "We are not really pirates, lass. I would never associate meself with such filthy humans." He paused dramatically before adding, "and yer right to be fearin demons."
At that, the dark haired vampire let his true face slip forward and grinned as the redhead's eyes widened in horror.
He leaned in and sniffed her neck. "Afraid?"
Her panic was rising with her thoughts and after a long pause she finally just let out a small squeak and nodded her head, looking steadily at the floor.
The man smirked. "You seem like nothin more than a little mouse." He leaned in again and whispered in her ear. "But I'll bet deep down you're a wild cat." She closed her eyes and wildly shook her head no, tears still falling.
"Look, Angelus, are we going to spend all night talkin to the little chit or are we actually going to have some fun?" Spike questioned, his annoyance and boredom clearly evident in his voice. He had wanted the girl and he suspected that Angelus knew that, though he was not ready to give in and admit it just yet. After her scathing comments about him, and stubborn temper, he wasn't so sure that he wanted the girl for his own anymore. She had hurt and angered him, hitting a sore spot that he didn't even know existed.
"I am having fun William," the dark haired man hissed at the blond. "And I think the little redhead here is having fun too, aren't ya?"
Willow simply whimpered, keeping her eyes tightly shut, silently begging that they go away. Suddenly she felt pain shoot through her head. Gasping, her eyes shot open and she looked up into an angry yellow glare. Angelus had a fist full of her hair and yanked her head back painfully.
"When I ask I question, I expect an answer," he growled.
At that point she nodded her head frantically, not even remembering what the question was that he had asked.
"See? We're having fun," he told the blond, his hand still holding firmly onto her hair. "But I suppose yer right, we should really be movin on. Sun will be up soon," he said with a sigh, releasing her with a small shove. Willow stumbled a little, feeling the metal cutting into her sore wrists as she caught herself.
"Right then," the blond said, turning to open the door.
"I think though," he was interrupted by the other man's amused voice, "I'll be keepin the kitten."
Her eyes went wide with horror. In reality, she knew it would only be a matter of time until they had reached the shore and she was sold, and god only knew who she would end up going to or what fate would await her. But at least then, she knew she still had a little time… a slight, tiny chance that someone might rescue her before that happened. Now, though, it seemed her fate was sealed with this cruel, taunting demon and she shuddered at the very thought of what would await her.
Spike glared at Angelus, completely sure now that his sire knew exactly what he was doing.
"No, no please, just leave me," she begged, finally finding her voice, as he reached up and snapped the chains from the wall.
"Sorry, not an option," he told her as he tugged her toward him with the chains in one hand. "Besides, ya don't really want to be left here. Ya see, in a few minutes, this ship is goin ta be completely engulfed in flames, and I would hate to see this beautiful little face of yers all burnt up." He smiled again and pulled her toward the door.
"Sure you want to bother with a pet, mate?" The blond growled, glaring at her. She looked up at him and felt a wave of fear go through her. He could feel it radiating from her and smiled at the intoxicating smell.
"Don't worry, me boy," Angelus smiled as he exited the room, knowing exactly what had his childe so angry. "Maybe if yer lucky, I'll even let ya play with the kitten once in a while."
"Yeah, well, you take a pet in, don't expect me to be lookin after her," Spike growled.
As she stepped outside the room, Willow quickly glanced around the deck, seeing a few vampires moving around, looting the ship and feeding a few growing fires. She looked up at the dark sky, twinkling with stars, and said a silent prayer for strength and guidance before suddenly jerking away from Angelus, startling him and causing him to drop the chains he was holding. She knew this was her one chance. She had no idea where she would run to, where she might hide, but she had decided that risking death by drowning was a safer bet than going along with these two demons. Turning toward Spike and bringing her knee up hard, she caught the blond right between the legs and he doubled over in pain. Turning, she took off across the ship.
Willow ran, feeling the rough wood against her bare feet and the cold, salty air whipping against her face. She was nearly blind with tears and let out a sob as she stopped against a rail, realizing that she had come to the end of the ship and had no where to hide. She had just begun to climb over the railing when a strong arm reached around her small waist and pulled her backwards and down into a hard, unyielding body.
"Not a smart move, little girl," Angelus snarled, hauling her back away from the railing. "I promise that ya WILL be punished for that." He threw her over his shoulder and made his way back to his own ship, the scowling younger vampire following behind.
~Part: 10~
Squeezing her eyes shut, Willow beat her tiny fists against the strong back she faced. Kicking and pounding, she desperately struggled to get free, though she had no idea where she could possibly run to if he did let go.
She felt him move at an impossibly fast speed, and then suddenly vault off of the boat. Her stomach leapt into her throat as she became dizzy, feeling them fly through the air. A moment later, they landed with a jolt and he barked out a few orders to men she could not see, before casually carrying her into his room. After kicking the door closed, he made his way over to the bed and deposited her onto it, none too gently. She scrambled to sit up and get her bearings.
"Don't move," he growled at her.
Ignoring him, she immediately bolted from the bed, running across the room and desperately fumbled with the locked door knob. Hearing his footfalls pound across the room, she let out a scream as she felt his large hand latch onto the back of her neck, pulling her backwards and throwing her to the hard, wooden floor.
Whimpering, she scrambled to her knees only to find his hand clamp down on her arm in a painful, bruising grip. Yanking her up to her feet, he shoved her forward onto the bed again, this time looming over her, holding her down on the large mattress.
"I SAID don't move!" He repeated, a vicious growl accompanying his command.
Grabbing the chains around her wrists, he yanked up roughly, causing her to yelp in pain. Pulling them up around the headboard, he clamped them together with a pad lock and dropped the key into his coat pocket.
"You, my little kitten, are goin to learn to behave yourself, now aren't ya?"
She said nothing and simply stared up at him in wide eyed fear.
Reaching down, her grabbed a fist full of red hair and yanked harshly. "Don't be makin me repeat myself, girl, understand?" He ground out.
Willow nodded her head wildly as he let go of her hair. Taking a step back, he looked down at his newest acquisition. Just then, there was a knock at the door.
"We're not to be disturbed!" He yelled toward the door.
"Angelus?" She heard the voice of the other demon that had taken her and watched as her captor let out a sigh of annoyance and moved to the door, unlocking it and throwing it open.
"What do ya want, Spike?"
"Just thought you MIGHT be interested in knowing the ship is down, the minions have gathered everything together, and there's a certain piece of treasure you may want to take a look at. That is, of course, if you can tear yourself away from your new pet for a few minutes," he said, peering around Angelus and glaring at the girl.
Angelus turned around. "I will deal with you when I come back," he said in a low, menacing voice, leaving Willow with no doubt that she definitely did not want to be "dealt with."
"Not that I think ya can get out of those chains, but if ya do, I suggest ya stay put. Ship full of men out there that are ten times crueler, cruder and more barbaric than I, and they haven't had a woman in months." Giving her a sly grin, he turned back toward the door and walked out with Spike, leaving the girl alone in the room.