Illusions and Truth

Author: Jennnillu

Parts: 11 - 20

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 
 

~Part: 11~

"Well? Is this it?" Spike stood impatiently, watching Angelus as he looked over the necklace.

The dark-haired vampire turned the small pendant over in his hand, again and again. He could feel the power coming from the charm. It was faint, but it was there. Ignoring Spike, he passed the necklace to Drusilla, who took it into her hands eagerly, and held it up to her ear, giggling as if it were whispering a secret to her.

"Dru?" Angelus called out to her, needing her confirmation. "Is it the real deal?"

"Mmmm, it hums to me," she cooed, rocking back and forth on her heels, cradling the charm to her ear. "It sings such pretty songs of pain and destruction."

Angelus let out a satisfied growl, grinning from ear to ear.

"It's powerful, my Angel," Drusilla told him, her eyes closed, her head swaying back and forth to the music that only she could hear. "Mmmm, it will make the world shake and shudder."

"Good. Can't wait ta have a go at it," Angelus said with his most evil of smiles, snatching the necklace back from the vampiress and reveling in the feel of it's power in the palm of his hand.

"'Bout bloody time," Spike grumbled. They had spent far too long, and gone through far too much trouble for this stupid little bobble.

Angelus turned and headed toward the door. "Have ta go see me little redhead, thank her properly for me gift," he told his childer, before heading back to his waiting pet.

After the older vampire left, Spike looked toward Drusilla, trying to ignore the mental images of exactly how Angelus would be thanking the young witch.

"So, then, ducks, care to fill me in on exactly what this little charm does?" He asked nonchalantly.

"It makes them all suffer and scream," Drusilla cooed in a deceptively sweet voice, her eyes closed and her lips turned up in a wide smile.

~*~

Willow jumped as the door flew open, and looked up, her eyes wide with fear. She sat up on the bed, trying to hide the guilty expression on her face. She had been trying, again, to remember some sort of spell to remove the chains from her wrists, but had been unsuccessful in the short time that Angelus had been away.

Now that he was back, looming over her, his tall, thick frame dwarfing her petite one, Willow once again felt terror rising within her. Her heart raced and pounded in her chest as her mind swam. The feral grin that graced his deceptively handsome features did nothing to alleviate her fears. She knew enough to know that a grinning demon was a dangerous demon.

"Willow, darlin, how can I ever thank ya for me gift?" He asked, sweeping into the room and looking down at her as she knelt on the bed. He chose to ignore the guilty look on her face, preferring to concentrate on the terror in her eyes and waves of fear that rolled off of her. It was intoxicating.

"G-gift?" She squeaked, barely able to find her own voice. The vampire flashed her another smile as he held the necklace out, letting it swing from his fingers.

"My necklace!" The redhead sat up, the necklace momentarily distracting her from the demon that held it. "B-but why do you…"

"Do ya have any idea of the power held by this charm, little one?" He questioned, amused by the shifting expressions on her face. She seemed to be struggling between fear, anger and confusion all at once. Angelus would have considered it adorable, were he inclined to think such things of humans.

Willow shook her head. She had suspected that the necklace held some sort of power, but there was no need for him to know that just now.

"I've been searchin the Earth for this, and how fortunate that I should be findin it around such a sweet, little neck." A low growl of satisfaction rumbled from deep with in his chest, as Angelus took another step toward the bed, reaching out and running his fingers through her hair. Slipping a hand into a pocket, Angelus tucked the pendant away, and turned all attentions to the redhead before him.

Willow closed her eyes and scrunched up her nose, trying to wriggle away from the vampire, as he leaned forward, inhaling the sweet scent that floated from the pulse point on her neck. His fingers were tangled in her hair, holding her head still, even as she tried to shrink back. A small growl warned her against further struggles, and Willow managed to open one eye, peering at him nervously.

"Do ya have any idea how intoxicatin yer fear is?" He asked, his voice low and husky. Willow simply shuddered in his grasp, not able to find her voice. Her eyes closed tighter as she felt a cool tongue run up her neck, before blunt teeth suddenly nipped at her ear, the hand in her hair tightening. The redhead gasped in a mixture of surprise and pain, as he yanked her head back. Her eyes popped open, and Willow found herself staring into the golden eyes of the demon before her.

"When I ask ya a question I expect an answer," he reminded her. "I won't be tellin ya again." Willow nodded frantically and felt his grip on her hair slightly loosen.

"You'll learn ta obey, girl," he told her, "but I do hope ya never learn ta not be afraid." The dark haired vampire chuckled and released her with a slight shove, watching with amusement as she steadied herself on the mattress.

"Looks to be yer lucky night, Willow," he said, lazily pacing the room. "I'm feelin incredibly good. Now don't think that I've forgetten all `bout yer temper, or yer little attempt at gettin away, before." Pausing, he leaned in again, grinning as he saw her flinch. "Wouldn't be forgettin a thing like that. But, since ya were so kind as ta help me find me necklace, and since I'm feelin so nice tonight, I suppose I might be willin to let it slide, just this once."

Willow let out a sigh of relief, dispelling a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding.

Suddenly, his face broke out into another wide grin and he shrugged. "Then again, I could just act like the bastard that I am, and…" At that, he lunged forward, a snarl escaping his lips as he shifted into his true face. Wrapping a strong hand around her neck in a solid hold, he yanked the redhead as far forward as her chained arms would allow, and sank his fangs into her throat, greedily drinking from her.

Angelus stopped when he felt her lose consciousness. She tasted delicious. Something in her blood that he wasn't quite able to place. It was filled with innocence and purity, and just a hint of something darker. He could easily have sucked her dry, but then, he supposed, she wouldn't make for a very good pet if she were already dead. Dropping the redhead to the bed carelessly, the brunette wiped at the blood on his chin with the back of his hand, before lapping up what remained on his lips. Turning, he sauntered out of the room.

~Part: 12~

Spike grumbled and growled as he walked down the dim hallway, carelessly toting a tray with bits of fruit and cheese on it.

"Send me to feed your bloody pet," he groused to himself, "as if I got nothin better to do." In truth, there really was very little else to do on the ship that night. The blond had already eaten earlier that evening, feeding off of one of the prettier maids, much to Angelus' annoyance. His mood was dark, and the prospect of having to see the redhead again did little to brighten it. He knew that Angelus had an inkling as to his interest in the redhead, and suspected that alone was the driving factor in his sire's interest in taking a new pet. He always knew exactly what to do to torment his blond childe.

Thinking back, the vampire chastised himself for ever having thought that she was something special. Clearly, she was nothing more than a mouthy little witch, without even enough power to free herself from her current captivity.

That thought spurred another one. Spike knew that Willow was a witch, or at least that she was capable of some degree of magic, but he suspected that Angelus was unaware of that fact. The blond supposed that the right thing to do would be to tell his sire, warn him to stay on his toes with the girl, but then, Spike was never very inclined to "do the right thing," and didn't think that he should start that nasty habit now.

Balancing the tray in one hand, he shoved the heavy wooden door open with the other, and stalked into the dim room, ready to show the girl exactly who was the dominant one. She had one upped him a few too many times, and he was bound and determined to regain his footing, instilling in her the understanding of exactly why he should be feared.

Moving toward the bed, his face was a cold, stony mask, his jaw tightly clenched and his frame ridged. "Feeding time, witch. Angelus sent me to…"

Spike paused as he noticed that the girl was not moving on the bed. Her heartbeat was thudding in a dull rhythm, indicating that she was indeed alive, and her chest rose and fell at a slow, steady rate. She was asleep, but with the noise he was making, she surely should have awakened by now.

Moving closer, he took in her appearance. She was curled up as tightly as possible, one hand clutching at her neck. Reaching down, he pulled her hand away, dropping it to her side, and taking in the harsh bit mark on her neck. His demon began to rage within. This girl was to be his to bite, not his sire's.

As soon as the thought entered his mind, Spike took a step back, shaking his head. She wasn't his, and he didn't want her. Not any more. She had hurt him, attacking at full strength, and finding the one chink in his iron. He hated to acknowledge that she had been able to affect him, but old wounds die hard, and though she was unaware that she had reopened his deepest one, she had, and he wouldn't soon forget it.

Looking down at the sleeping girl again, his demon called as he smelled the dried blood that stained her neck and the sheets below her. He ached for a taste, wondering what riches he would find within, but forced the thought away with every last bit of will-power he could muster.

Reaching down, he grasped her shoulder, shaking her. After a moment, he saw, with what he wasn't willing to admit was a bit of relief, that her eyes were beginning to flutter open.

Willow groggily opened her eyes, her vision slightly blurred and her head pounding. There was a dull ache penetrating from her neck, and she let out a groan as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room.

Looking upward, she was startled to see the blond vampire standing before her. Too fatigued, mentally and physically, to do much of anything, she simply looked up at him with tired, dull eyes.

Spike watched the girl, silently, as she took in her surroundings. He could feel the fear radiating from her, though it wasn't quite as strong as he would have expected.

"Brought you some food, pet," he told her, cursing the gentle tone of his voice. Bloody ponce!

Her eyes widened slightly, and seemed to look almost hopeful at his words. Her gaze shifted slightly, as she took in the contents of the tray, the sight reminding her of just how hungry she was. It had been at least a day, if not more, since she had been fed anything, and her throat was dry and hoarse from lack of water.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely audible. Setting the tray down, Spike quickly poured her a mug of water and handed it to her, watching as she greedily downed the cool liquid, thankful as it soothed her scratchy throat.

"Thank you," she repeated, this time much more clearly.

"Yeah, well, don't suppose Angelus would like it much if I left his pet all damaged, now would he?" Spike stated, his tone harsh, causing Willow to flinch slightly, reminding her of who it was she was speaking to. "No doubt he'll want you at tip top shape, ready to moan and scream for him later," he told her with a snide smile.

Willow glared at him, her eyes once again burning with anger and distaste. She watched as he lifted up the tray and tossed it down onto the bed next to her. Reaching forward, she snatched up a block of cheese and quickly began to eat, never taking her eyes off of the blond before her.

His presence made her extremely uneasy, though she began to feel herself calm and relax as she ate the offered food. Pushing aside the hateful thoughts of the blond for a moment, she turned them instead to the other master vampire. Angelus. She had no doubt of exactly how cruel and ruthless he could be, despite his ability to appear congenial. Willow wondered if he would, indeed, be causing her to scream and moan, and how, exactly, he would accomplish that task.

"What will he do?" She asked, her voice suddenly vulnerable and meek.

Spike softened slightly at her tone, and sank down onto a chair across from the bed. The blond shrugged. "Anything he likes, I'd wager."

Willow shuddered slightly at the prospect.

Spike let out a frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair. He didn't want to think about what Angelus would be doing with the girl, and really didn't want to examine the reasons why that was.

"Look, pet, just do whatever he tells you to, don't fight him, and don't talk back to him. Submit to him. The more you fight, the more he gets off on it. And keep your mouth shut. You learn to keep that tongue of yours in check, you just might survive this."

Willow glared at him indignantly. She knew that what he was saying made sense, and that it would be in her best interest to do exactly as Spike had just said, but the thought of having to submit to that sadistic vampire made her blood boil, and how dare he tell her to keep her mouth shut!

"You just want me to keep quiet so that I don't make you look like the fool that you are," she shot at him, glaring daggers at the blond.

Spike once again felt his rage rising, and sat forward, glaring back at the redhead.

"I'd watch what you say, luv," he told her in a dark, dangerous tone. "You're not exactly in a position to be insulting people."

"Well, I may not be in the best position," she conceded, "but you are the one that's coming in here and more or less serving me, so I'd say that still puts you beneath me." She smiled triumphantly, briefly closing her eyes and sitting up proudly.

A second later, she let out a terrified scream, as the vampire lunged at her, snarling, grabbed the tray of food and throwing it across the room. The sliver platter hit the wall and fell to the floor with a loud clatter, and Willow looked from it, back to the blond before her, who was now in full game face, golden eyes glaring at her.

Spike pinned the girl down, luxuriating in the feel of her slight body trembling below his. Holding both of her arms above her head easily with one of his, he gave her a feral grin as he leaned in and sniffed her neck. The smell of her fear truly was intoxicating, and it called to him. His eyes traveled to the mark on her neck, made earlier by his sire, and Spike felt the demon rage to make a mark of his own, deep and claiming.

Glancing back at her face, he saw that her eyes were wide with terror.

"Now, who is beneath who?" He growled, letting his weight fall a bit further onto the redhead and bucking his hips slightly against hers.

"Spike?" Came an amused voice from the doorway. "Did I give you permission to play with my pet?"

~Part: 13~

Spike let out a snarl as he heard his sire at the door, turning his head and glaring at the older vampire. Willow was frozen in fear as the two simply stared at each other in silence. Finally, Spike backed off and his human mask slipped back into place.

"If ya wanted ta play with the kitten, William, all ya had ta do was ask," Angelus told him, smirking at the frown that appeared on the blond's face at the use of his former name. "I'm sure that I would have eventually been relentin."

Willow shrank back as far as possible against the wall, unsure of which vampire she feared more. The rational part of her knew that it was most wise to fear both equally, but the rational part was far from fully functioning at that point, and her mind swirled with horrified possibilities at what these two might do.

"Don't want to play with your bloody pet," Spike spat in disgust. The redhead flinched at the venom in his tone.

"Really? Not lookin that way ta me. Willow, what do ya think? Think me boy here was lookin ta play with ya?"

Willow looked up with terrified eyes, trying to calm herself down, as Angelus moved toward her, making a small tsk sound. He leaned over her, grabbing the chains that still hung around her wrists. It was only then that she noticed that they were no longer attached to anything else, Spike having broken them a few moments before.

"Aw, look what ya done. Perfectly good set a chains, completely ruined," the dark-haired vampire stated, holding up the loose end of the chains, pulling Willow up on her knees in the process. "What ever am I goin' ta do with ya, Spike?"

Angelus sounded more amused than anything else, but both Spike and Willow knew enough to know that wasn't a good thing.

"Yeah, sorry `bout the chains, mate. Get ya a new set if ya like," Spike told him, not looking toward either his sire or the redhead. Anger and loathing were radiating from him, and the blond knew that he needed to get some more blood in him soon.

"No need ta bother," Angelus told him. "I think me little kitten here knows better than ta try and leave this room without me. Isn't that right, Willow?"

Willow nodded her head, and realized only a moment too late, her mistake. Moving faster than the girl could see, Angelus was leaning over her, a fist full of hair held tightly.

"Ya seem to be havin a hard time rememberin the rules, kitten," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"I'm-I'm sorry," the redhead whispered, suspecting her apology would do little, but having no idea what else to say or do.

"Master," he growled. Willow gave him a confused look, and he simply sent her an angry glare in return.

"I'm sorry, master," she whispered, choking on the last word as she realized what he wanted.

Releasing his hold on her hair, Angelus stood back up and grinned at her. "There now. That wasn't so hard, now was it?"

Willow was about to shake her head no, before reminding herself. "No, master," she whispered.

"Ya see, Spike, me boy, that is how ya train a pet," Angelus told the younger vampire, walking over to him and throwing his arm around his shoulders.

"Can think of a many more fun ways to train a pet," Spike mumbled.

"Me too, Spikey, me too," Angelus replied with a chuckle. "And I'm sure we'll be exploring each and every one of them, won't we kitten?"

"Yes, Master," Willow replied, tears filling her eyes. She wouldn't cry. Not in front of them. Not any more, or at least that was what she told her self. There weren't a lot of things she had control over at this point, but her emotions were one, and she wouldn't let that go.

Angelus led Spike to the door and held it open for him. Just as the blond was about to leave, Angelus grabbed his arm, pulling him close and growling low in his throat. "Don't even think about touchin her without my permission again. Understand?"

Spike nodded grudgingly and stormed off toward his own room, leaving Angelus alone with Willow.

"And you," he said, turning back toward the redhead. "You're gonna learn ta behave if it kills ya." He thought for a moment before adding, "which it most probably will."

~Part: 14~

"Put this on," Angelus growled, throwing a long, green, silk dress at her. Willow looked up at him in confusion, and the vampire sighed in aggravation at having to explain himself. "Ya aren't fit to be dinin with me like that," he told her, pointing at her torn and dirty dress. "Clean yerself up. You'll be goin to the dining room with me shortly."

Willow moved quickly to obey his commands. As she washed her face and hands, before changing her clothes, the redhead thought back on the last few days. For the most part, Angelus had left her alone in the room. When she was alone, she was afraid. Every noise caused her to jump, and her head and stomach nearly always felt sick from the rocking of the ship. The silence rang in her ears like a siren, causing her brain to redouble its efforts, thinking up every horrible scenario it could. When she was alone, she was afraid, but when Angelus was in the room, she was terrified. Actually, she was pretty much terrified of any vampire that came into the room. Occasionally, one of the female maids would come in to clean or to bring her some food. Willow had tried to talk to them once or twice, but it was clear that they were given strict instruction to not speak with the redhead.

Angelus slept during the day, as most vampires do, and Willow was gradually growing accustomed to keeping his hours. A few of his days had been spent in Drusilla's bed. Willow preferred those days the most. She was left alone and able to rest on the bed. The days when he was in his own room, Angelus slept on the bed, leaving Willow to the floor beside it, giving her a small thin blanket and informing her that she should be grateful to receive that. It surprised her that the vampire had not taken her to his bed with him, but she wasn't about to complain about it. She only hoped her luck would hold out a bit longer.

The dark-haired vampire seemed to be very preoccupied with preparations for something important, much to Willow's relief. She had no idea what it was, though it seemed to be some sort of ritual, from what she had over heard. He hadn't said a word to her about it. Not that Willow was surprised by that, of course, but she was a curious girl, by nature, and with as much time as she had to ponder things, she couldn't help but wonder what he was up to.

Each night, as she sat alone in the small, dark room, the witch spent hours meditating, building her energy and concentration, hoping that if she worked hard enough, she might be able to come up with a way to free herself, without getting killed in the process. She could whip up a mean storm, but the redhead supposed that sinking the ship wouldn't really get her any less dead than if she were to jump overboard. Still, her magic was growing.  She could feel the energies that surrounded her strengthening with each night. What she wasn't aware of was the fact that Angelus could feel it as well.  She appreciated his attention being diverted from her, and wondered at why, suddenly, tonight, he had taken an interest again.

Shaking her thoughts away, Willow finished getting herself cleaned up, before quickly reaching into a small hiding place she had found in the room, and grabbing a small vile, downing the contents. She wasn't entirely sure why, but her intuition was flaring, and she supposed she was better safe than sorry, or at least as safe as she could get.

Finally dressed and ready, Willow presented herself to Angelus. The vampire looked her up and down, his feral eyes taking in her form greedily. The dress suited her. Dark green, to compliment her red hair and pale skin, and form fitting, to compliment, well, everything else.

"Delicious," he said with a low growl that made Willow suddenly wonder what exactly was on the dinner menu.

Grabbing her arm, he led her out of the room and toward the small dining hall. "Stay behind me," he warned her in a hushed voice. "You will sit and eat. You will not speak unless spoken to. You will keep your eyes down unless instructed otherwise. Understand?"

"Yes, Master," she whispered, trying to remember everything he had just said.

As they entered the dining room, Willow's eyes lifted, though her head stayed lowered, and she scanned the room. Her fear and anxiety increased ten-fold when she saw Drusilla and Spike sitting at a long oak table, both drinking from goblets. She couldn't see what it was they were drinking, but her suspicions were enough to cause her to shudder.

Angelus roughly led her to the table, seating her next to Spike, giving him a warning glance before sitting at the head of the table. A moment later, one of the servants brought out a platter of food for the hungry redhead. Willow looked up nervously at Angelus, and he nodded to her, indicated that she may start eating. She quickly ducked her head down and started to devour the food greedily.

"Don't understand why you had to bring your pet along," Spike complained.

"Don't recall askin for yer opinion, boy," Angelus growled, amusement dancing in his eyes.  It was clear to anyone watching, that the older vampire knew exactly what he was doing.

The blond rolled his eyes. "Spoils the mood is all," Spike grumbled. Willow glanced up at him, scowling slightly, and he couldn't help but take delight in it. "Drinkin with a pathetic little human like that in our midst, just doesn't seem right, now does it?"

"Leave it be, my Spikey," Drusilla cooed. "The girl is of great importance. She sings of darkness and evil."

"That right?" He replied with a bitter chuckle. "Find that a little hard to believe, Dru. A frightened little girl is all she is." He was purposely trying to anger her now, and she knew it. Even so, the words had the desired effect as her face flushed with anger. "Ain't got the strength or power to do much of anything, I'd wager."

Now, Spike knew that was a lie. After all, he had seen her in the forest, and knew he had only just tasted a drop of the power stirring inside of the girl, but then, the redhead wasn't the only one that knew how to get under someone's skin. Spike could find a weak spot just as quickly as she could.

"It's no wonder really that none of the men at those little gatherings bothered with her," he mused.

Willow slammed her fork down on the table, glared at the blond. Angelus watched in amusement, knowing perfectly well what his childe was doing.

"Temper, Willow" Angelus chided with a grin.

Fuming with anger, Willow picked her fork up again and stabbed at a bit of potatoes.

"I'm just saying, she's rather plain and boring when you get right down to it," Spike commented, smirking slightly. "Barely worth talking to, and really nothing to look at it."

"She may look plain," Drusilla noted, "but she has such pretty red hair. I have a dolly with pretty red hair. She's always whispering such naughty secrets." The vampress giggled while the other two demons rolled their eyes.

"Would be a damn near miracle for the girl to have any suitors at all," Spike stated, grinning as he saw the redhead snap. Jumping up, her chair tipped back, cracking as it hit the floor, and Willow loomed over the blond, fork pointed at him accusingly.

"I seem to recall SOMEONE showing some interest," she stated through gritted teeth.

Before either could say anything further, Angelus was standing between them, gripping her tightly at the back of her neck, with a fist full of red hair. Yanking her head back, he forced her to look up at him, his eyes flashing yellow as she stared at his demon visage.

"I did NOT give ya permission to speak, *pet*," he growled, the last word spat disdainfully.

"I'm sorry," Willow whimpered. "I didn't mean to-"

"Quiet!" He bellowed, yanking back toward his chair. The vampire roughly shoved her down, and Willow landed on her knees, wincing at the pain. "Ya will remain kneelin there until I tell ya ta move," he told her. "And don't even think about speakin a word."

Willow felt her emotions playing back and forth between seething hatred and utter humiliation as she knelt on the hard, wooden floor, the blond vampire smirking at her cruelly.

Angelus could feel the anger flowing from the girl, and couldn't help but grin. Leaning down a bit, he let his large hand slide down her back, squeezing her bottom suggestively. Willow's eyes widened slightly at his actions, and Angelus leaned in to whisper in her ear. "The more ya fight, kitten, the more fun the game."

Willow's sight became blinded with tears as she felt his hand sliding along her body, heard his taunting words, and saw the evil smirk on his blond childe's face. She had had enough, and though Willow didn't know if it was rage or pain that drove her, her course of action suddenly became very clear. She knew she would probably not make it off of the ship alive, and even if she did, more of the same horrible treatment would follow. At least this way, she could hurt the bastard before that happened.

Concentrating, she quickly centered herself. Angelus felt the girl relax slightly next to him, thinking that she had finally given in for the moment, and took a sip of the blood before him. Willow closed her eyes and concentrated on a piece of her broken chair that had laid behind the master vampire, slowly levitating it and pointing the sharpest part toward his heart.

"I'm sure that yer goin to be great fun once yer broken, kitten," Angelus told her, "but I gotta admit, me favorite part has always been breakin me pets."

At that statement, Willow reared the makeshift stake back a few feet, ready to plunge it through his back and into his dead heart.

"Willow?" The redhead's eyes flew open at the sound of her name, just as the stake flew forward toward the vampire's unbeating heart.  Angelus smirked at her as he reached an arm back, grabbing the stake easily before it could make contact, his eyes never leaving hers.  Willow's heart sunk as he held the large piece of wood in front of her, snapping it in two as if it were nothing more than a small twig.

He took a step toward her, coming nearly nose to nose with the witch, growling. Willow tried to smile innocently, though she knew she was failing miserably.

"Witch," he ground out.

"Just figuring that out?" Willow replied, forgetting her fear for a moment.

"Mmm, she has such power," Drusilla stated, closing her eyes and smiling.

"I had my suspicions," Angelus stated, yanking the girl to her feet.  "Could feel the power in the room. Seems someone's been practicing." He chuckled condescendingly, causing Willow's anger to flair, despite her still overwhelming fear.  "Witches are nothing but trouble.  Ain't never been anythin else."

"Hey!" Willow shouted indignantly. "Like vampires are so much better!"

Angelus reached out, grabbing the girl around the neck and yanking her closer to him. "Vampires don't rely on dirty tricks and dark potions," he growled. "Well, actually," he amended, rethinking his words. "We do rely on dirty tricks, but we do it with a bit more finesse."

"Right," Willow scoffed. "Grrr, argg, that's finesse."

Angelus growled loudly, his grip on her tightening, and Willow could not contain a whimper as the pain coursed through her. "I'll show you finesse, girl," he whispered, just before his fangs descended on her neck.

Willow let out a strangled scream as the dark-haired vampire sank his fangs into her neck. A moment later, he pulled his head away as he howled in pain, and Willow couldn't help but smile in a mixture of relief and vengeance.

"What the hell did ya do?" He shouted, shaking her angrily as his throat burned.

"Me?" She asked innocently, taking a step backwards. "Just drank a little holy water. Was that bad?"

"Cursed witch!" He shouted, not noticing as Spike chuckled in amusement. She really was a clever girl, not that he liked her any more of course. But still, to see someone pull one over on his sire… Reaching out, he grabbed a fist full of red hair again, yanking her to him.

"I could snap yer neck in the blink of an eye," he told her, a low growl emanating from deep within his throat.

"My Angelus," Drusilla interrupted, resting her hand gently on his arm.

The older vampire spun around, glaring at her. "What is it, Dru? I'm a bit busy maimin an killin."

"You can't snap her neck, lovey," she told him matter-of-factly. Angelus rolled his eyes. "And why's that, Dru? She do some other damned little trick I don't know about?"

Drusilla shook her head. "The stars, they tell me, bad things will come of it if you do."

"The stars," he shouted, looking up at the ceiling, as if he could see through it. "Well, what do they say about me drownin her?"

Drusilla thought for a moment, before grinning at her sire. "The sweet little voices sing at the idea," she told him.

That was enough for Angelus. Gripping her arm tightly, he quickly led Willow out of the room, dragging her out to the deck, where several minions quickly gathered around them in curiosity.

Angelus roughly shoved Willow onto a wooden plank, grabbing a sword and pointing it at her. "Do you know, Willow," he addressed her, sounding almost jovial, "what they would do to witches in my time?" Willow simply shook her head, swallowing hard.  Angelus shrugged and smirked at her. "Burned at the stake, pushed from a cliff, drown." The last word was spoken in a low, threatening tone. "Time to take a walk, lass," he told her with an evil grin.

Willow was now shaking with fear, suddenly thinking that her earlier actions may have been a bit too hasty. Looking down, her fears only increased as she took in the dark, swirling waters below.

Angelus took a step forward, bringing the tip of the sword to her chest. "Walk!" He commanded. Willow took another step out, feeling the thin plank wobble, knowing one more step would send her into the deep waters.

"Angelus," came a voice. Willow glanced up, well aware of who had spoken, and saw Spike looking toward her while he addressed his sire. "You might want to think about keeping her around a bit longer."

"Witches are trouble, me boy," Angelus told him, nudging her with the sword again.

"Yes, sire, but considering your, well, plans, she might come in handy," Spike explained.

Angelus thought about his childe's suggestion for a moment, before reaching out and plucking the girl from the plank and holding her before him.

"You know, William, yer right. And since it was yer brilliant idea, I'll be given her ta ya until she might be needed." At that, Angelus shoved the redhead forward, causing her to nearly collide with a scowling blond vampire.

Spike opened his mouth to protest, but could see the determined look on his sire's angry eyes and thought better of it. Grabbing a hold of her upper arm in a bruising grip, Spike yanked her closer to him. He could see the blood still lightly flowing from the bite mark on her neck, and growled at the fact that, due to the holy water, he could not taste it.

"Keep her out of trouble, and keep her out of me business, boy, or it will be yer head I'll be after, understand?"

Spike nodded and mumbled something that no one quite caught, before dragging the stunned witch down to his room.

~Part: 15~

Willow was angry and frightened; a combination that did not bode well for her tumultuous stomach. The world seemed to be spinning as she was pulled through the ship, toward the living quarters, by an angry vampire. The grip on her arm remained tight and painful, and he was moving just a little faster than she felt able, causing her to feel more dragged along than led.

She heard his heavy boot kick the door open just before being propelled forward into a dark room. A dim stream of light fell across her as she stumbled a few feet and dropped to the floor.  A moment later, the light was gone.

Spike slammed the door and stared at the girl.  The room was shroud in complete darkness, though he was still able to see her, even if she couldn't see him.  The redhead was shaking violently, huddled on the floor, near the foot of the bed. She refused to look up at him, her head hung low and her eyes tightly shut.

"Look at me," he growled, taking a few steps toward her. The witch made no attempt to move, and Spike quickly swooped down, yanking her up by her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

"Look at me," he repeated, snarling at her.  Willow's eyes flew open at the command, and Spike faltered slightly at the sheer fear reflected in the green orbs. He could feel her shaking still, and her wide, terrified eyes glistened with unshed tears. Gazing at her frightened appearance, the blond felt his anger dissolving.  He didn't want her to be afraid of him. At least, he didn't want her to be this afraid. The vampire had no idea why he suddenly felt that way, but seeing the girl, who had at one time looked to be so strong and powerful, suddenly diminished to this state…He couldn't explain why he didn't like it, and was in no mood to examine where his change of heart had come from.

The blond released her suddenly, and Willow stumbled, struggling to keep from falling again. She watched him as he began to pace the room, looking like a caged lion, preparing to attack.

"You do as I say, you don't cause trouble, and NO magic, got it?" He snarled, disliking the vulnerable feelings being caused by the slight girl.

Hearing his demanding tone, Willow felt some of her fears dissipating. Her mind began to run over the events of the last few weeks. She had been humiliated by this man, kidnapped and manhandled by a gang of scrupulous pirates, taken by a couple of ruthless vampires, chained in a room like an errant puppy, commanded like a slave, punished like a child, and now passed around from demon to demon, as if she were nothing more than a piece of property to be bartered with.

"What gives you the right to tell me what to do?" She yelled back, jumping to her feet, her face turning red in anger. "A-and no magic? It's the only defense I have!"

With a movement so swift, her eyes were unable to follow, Spike was on top of the redhead, who was now pushed down on the large bed. He had a hand around her neck, though it was only lightly caressing it, almost as if to tease and tickle her, more than to hurt. His other pinned her wrists easily over her head, and when the witch squirmed beneath him, trying to free herself, Spike only grinned cruelly, pressing his body further into hers.

"I can tell you to do anything I damn well please," he told her through gritted teeth, his voice so calm it sounded eerie.  "In case you missed it back there, Angelus handed you over to me, which means that you now belong to yours truly." He leered at her with a satisfied smile, finally putting the girl in her place, which was beneath him in every way.  "You're mine now, to command, to control, and to do anything else I like with.  You behave, you may just be rewarded. Misbehave, and you will be severely punished. And don't think that I won't enjoy every second of it.  I may do things a bit differently than my sire, but I can be every bit the bastard he is. Understand?"

Willow lost whatever little amount of fight was left in her, her body going limp beneath him as her face fell and she nodded.  She understood now. She really was nothing more than a mere possession, something to barter with. She had belonged to Angelus and now she belonged to Spike. The sooner she accepted that, the better off she would be.

Seeing the change in the girl's disposition, Spike released his grip on her wrists and moved away from her, watching her curiously. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, looking more hollow…almost haunted, and he wondered at what she was thinking.  Letting out an aggravated sigh, not wanting to care what she thought one way or the other, he ran his hand through his hair and glanced around the dark room.

"The sun will be coming up in less than an hour," he told her. "It's been a long night for everyone. Go to sleep." As the vampire spoke, he tossed his jacket onto a near by chair and kicked off his boots. Moving toward the bed, he sat on the opposite side from where she was timidly perched.  Still watching her intently, he saw the redhead climb to her knees on the mattress, before swinging one leg off and beginning to stand up wearily.

Willow felt a hand clamp down on her arm, stopping her movements. She turned to look at the blond with questioning, tired eyes.

"I said to go to sleep," he growled, disliking her purposefully disobedient actions.

Willow scrunched up her nose in confusion, and gestured toward the floor.  "I thought that…I mean," she blushed a little as she tried to explain. "Angelus always had me sleep on the floor and…"

"Well," he interrupted, tugging her backwards slightly onto the bed, "unlike my sire, I prefer to have a warm body in the bed with me. Perk to having a pet, so you'll sleep up here, with me."

Willow's eyes widened at his words, and she wondered if she should be afraid or grateful. On one hand, she would not have to sleep on the cold, hard floor, but on the other, she WOULD have to sleep in the same bed as the vampire she despised more than any other.

The redhead was exhausted, physically and mentally, and the more she pondered her present predicament, the more difficult any thinking at all became.  Finally, she let out a deep sigh and gingerly lay down on the large, plush bed, as far away from the blond as possible.

Spike watched with a small smirk as the witch turned her back to him and moved as far toward the edge of the bed as she could.  He waited until she had finally settled herself under the covers, listening as her heart beat slowed with her on coming sleep.  Just before she was completely asleep, he reached out, slipping an arm around her waist, and gently tugged her toward him, tucking her small, warm body against his hard, cold one.  Spike heard her heart rate speed up again and grinned.

"A warm, soft bed, and plenty of blankets," he whispered to her, pulling her in a little closer. "I'm much better than my sire already, now aren't I?"

Willow pondered that question for a few moments, before finally allowing blissful sleep to over take her.

~Part: 16~

Spike woke early the next evening, immediately aware of the fact that he was alone in his bed. His eyes flew open, and the vampire sat up, scanning the room, feeling a mixture of anger and apprehension as he found the room to be void of anyone else. Throwing back the covers, the blond gracefully stood, grabbing the shirt that he had discarded some time during the night, and pulling it on, not bothering to button it.

Yanking open the door, Spike stalked down the hallway, reaching with his senses for any sign of his newly acquired pet. He knew he was getting closer as he headed up onto the deck.  His anger was growing, as was his fears at what might have happened to the redhead, though he wasn't quite ready to admit that to himself just yet.

Stepping out onto the deck, the vampire glanced up toward the sky. It was darkening quickly, a deep red hue blending into the horizon, the remnants of the sun that had set not fifteen minutes earlier. Scanning the deck of the large ship, his now golden eyes finally settled on the bit of red he had been searching for.  Spike let out a sigh of relief before stalking toward the girl, his anger now flaring up as his concerns were momentarily laid to rest. Nearly reaching her, the blond paused, seeing another figure moving nearby.

Willow was huddled on top of a wooden crate near the front of the ship, her vacant eyes staring out over the vast ocean around her. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, holding in the little bit of body heat she could, though the witch was no longer aware of the cold air whipping around her, nor was she aware of the footsteps pounding toward her along the deck floor, and she nearly fell from her perch as she jumped and screamed, feeling a heavy hand clamp down on her shoulder.  Turning and look up, her eyes widened as she took in the vampire standing before her. He was dressed similarly to the pirates that had taken her, and she guessed he was relatively young.

"Looks like I found me a nice little treat," the vampire stated with a sneer, yanking the girl up by the arm roughly.  Willow tried to pull away, but his grip simply tightened, painfully holding her in place.  "Now what is a sweet lil thing like you doin out here?"

Willow shook her head, not sure of what to say or do, and tried again to yank her arm away, earning her a warning growl. With a snarl, the vampire suddenly lurched forward, ready to sink his teeth into her neck.  The witch closed her eyes tightly, wincing at the pain she knew was about to come.

"Remove your filthy claws from my pet." Both Willow and the vampire looked up, surprised to hear the calm, commanding voice from behind them.  Willow felt a sudden rush of relief at seeing Spike standing before them, though his angry glare quickly transformed her relief to newfound fear.

"I'm…I'm sorry, Spike," the vampire groveled, backing away from the redhead, head bowed.  "I didn't know that she belonged to you. The girl don't have your claim, and the boys said Angelus gave his pet up."

"He did," Spike replied, still sounding frighteningly calm.  "He gave the girl to me, and I don't take kindly to anyone else tryin to snack on what's mine."  At that, Spike punched the demon as hard as possible, sending him flying back into a pile of crates.  Leaning down, he quickly grabbed a piece of broken wood and thrust it though the vampire's chest, effectively dusting him before turning back to the cowering redhead.

"And just what the hell do you think you're doing out here?" He yelled, grabbing a hold of her arm.  Willow winced as his fingers dug into the already bruised flesh.  When she didn't answer, he gripped both shoulders, shaking the redhead slightly.  "Answer me," he commanded.

"I needed fresh air, and a chance to think," she told him softly. "It was still light out when I left."

"You do NOT leave that room without my permission," he told her with a growl.  "Understand?"

"Yes," Willow whispered.

"What if I hadn't come out to find you just now?" He questioned, his anger still raging.  Seeing the other vampire ready to sink his teeth into the girl had shaken him, causing feeling he did NOT want to feel.  "That vampire would have killed you in a heartbeat."

"So what?" Willow whispered, so quietly he almost didn't catch it.

"What was that?" He questioned.

"So what if he did," she repeated, louder, her own anger beginning to grow.  "What's the difference if he kills me or you do? Either way, I eventually end up dead.  At least it would all be over with."  Spike just gaped at her, shocked to hear what she was saying.  "I'm tired of being treated like this! Passed around, locked away. If you're going to kill me, just get it over with already!"

Spike released the girl and took a step back, staring at her in surprise for a moment before his expression darkened.  "You might want to be careful what you ask for, pet," he told her.

"You know, I could conjure a storm big enough to sink this entire ship," she replied in a cold, emotionless tone.

The blond arched an eyebrow at her, almost as if daring her to do it. "Vampires can breath underwater, luv.  You sink this ship, you're only killing yourself."

"Maybe I don't care anymore," she stated quietly, some of the venom leaving her voice.

"Bullocks." His short reply surprised the redhead, and she looked up at him incredulously.  "You do care," he told her.  "If you didn't, you wouldn't be fighting me. I've seen that fire, luv. I know what's lurkin inside of you. You do still care, and in the end, that will be your downfall."

Watching the range of emotions playing across his face, Willow wondered briefly who that little speech was meant for more, her or him.  He was right, of course.  She did still care, and she suspected that it would indeed lead to her demise, but pretending to no longer care seemed to be so much easier than fighting any of them anymore.

~Part: 17~

The next several days were quiet ones aboard the ship.  The demons seemed more subdued than usual.  Angelus spent most of his nights locked away with Drucilla, or reading up on the ritual he was preparing for. That left Spike alone with his pet, much to the blond's amusement, and to Willow's chagrin.

The girl was a paradox to him. Whenever around anyone else on the ship, she became subdued and withdrawn, terror pouring from her in waves. The other demons on board relished it, he knew, and fed off of the inner tension she held. She was clearly terrified of both Angelus and Drucilla, hiding from them as much as possible, and cowering when in their presence. Yet when she was alone with him, her demeanor was completely different.  She was defiant and obstinate, barely afraid of him, and then only when he was raging to the point of nearly losing control.

Willow was smart. Spike would give her that.  She could carry on a conversation better than most women he had met, and her wit was razor sharp.  She was cunning, and he was sure that, given the right opportunity, she could be down right ruthless if her life, or more likely the life of someone she cared about, was in jeopardy.  At the same time though, she still held an air of innocence which appealed to the demon in him, and called to the remnants of the man that was once there. He found himself wanting to make her smile more than scream, and he himself, more often than not, was fighting an internal battle. She was a pet, a human pet, there for his use and amusement, and yet, he found himself slowly thinking of her as something more. She tugged at a soft spot in his heart, creating a weakness that made him cringe.  He was not supposed to feel this way about her, and yet, knowing that seemed to do little to alleviate the problem.

For Willow, each day was becoming more and more trying.  She oscillated between bouts of terror and anger, one minute worrying over her impending death, and the next minute feeling frustration over something that Spike said or did. It seemed as though the blond purposefully goaded her into heated discussions about just about anything, and he would play devils advocate each and every time, disagreeing with her about any topic.

She could never fully puzzle him out, which keep her constantly uneasy, never quite sure of what his next move would be, or where his mood would next turn to.  Just when she would get used to his gruff, angry demeanor, the blond would suddenly flash her a moment of kindness, giving her a glimpse of what she would almost term as compassion. But it would be gone in the next instant, leaving her feeling empty once again, and dizzy with loneliness and apprehension.

He oozed darkness and evil. He was intelligent and insidious, and surprisingly enough, could carry on a very interesting conversation when he felt inclined. They had actually spent many hours engaged in arresting verbal exchanges filled with witty banter and lively debate, though generally it would end once Willow grew tired of Spike's snarky comments, or the blond became too frustrated with the witch's surprisingly misanthropic view of the world. Occasionally, Willow would actually forget who she was talking to, momentarily deceived by his charm and intelligence.  The vampire was handsome. There was no doubt of that, and he knew it too, carrying himself with an air that clearly announced to the world just how lucky they were to get so much as a glimpse of him.  Willow found him arrogant and narcissistic, and though she suspected that he might have every reason to be so, it still infuriated her to no end.

Still, even with the momentary pleasantries that would pass between thetwo, Willow's mind was frazzled and her nerves frayed. She could never fully relax, always worried about what would set the blond vampire off next, or who else might come strolling through his door. She felt isolated, her inner voice becoming more tumultuous and difficult to listen to.  She was starved for fresh air and sunshine, almost never allowed to leave the room, and then only with Spike. Even when they did leave the room, she was seized with terror, constantly worried that the vampires that leered and growled at her would suddenly snatch her up and tear her throat out, and that Spike would do little more than laugh at the sight.

The redhead was surprised, to say the least, when she felt the ship shudder and pull to a stop one night, just before Spike sauntered into the room.

"We're here, pet," he announced.  The vampire appeared to be in a relatively good mood, and Willow couldn't help but wonder at what was happening.  A part of her feared that they had reached whatever destination they were heading to, and a part of her prayed that it was so.  She had caught onto bits and pieces of whatever it was that Angelus was planning, but was still not completely sure of his scheme.  There was a ritual involved. She had figured that much out, and she could bet that the results would not be good. Demons performing rituals were almost never noble in intent, and more often than not were simply attempting to destroy the earth. Years of helping the slayer had taught Willow a good many things, the very least of which was that the world ending was not a good thing, and should be stopped if possible.  She knew she would have to get more information on whatever he was planning, though she hadn't yet discovered exactly how to do that.

Willow pulled herself away from the small chair that she had been curled up in, setting down the book that she had been given, and tossed him a questioning look.

"We've docked for a few hours," he told her.  "Need to pick up some supplies."

Willow's face lit up at the idea of being able to leave that horrible ship, even if just for a few hours.  "Don't look at me like that, pet. You're not coming with."  Her face immediately fell as she looked down. A moment later, she glanced back up, fire in her eyes.

"Why can't I go with you?" She demanded.  "I've been trapped on this ship, mostly in this room, for days! Please, Spike, I…"

"Quiet!" He boomed, startling her. She faltered, her expression dimming again, and Spike immediately felt a pang of guilt.  "Got a few things need takin care of," he told her, his voice decidedly softer this time. "Need you to stay here, be a good girl for me."

Willow crossed her arms defiantly and looked up at him with a pout, saying nothing.

"Don't give me that look," he told her, his voice slightly lacking in conviction. "Angelus, Dru and I will be leaving with most of the minions. There will still be a few on board. They have been given explicit instructions to leave you be, but just to be safe, I want you to stay in here while I'm gone."

Willow rolled her eyes. She was always in this room, nothing new there. Then a thought hit her. Angelus, Spike and Dru would all be gone from the ship.  This would be the perfect opportunity to take a look around and see what she could find out about the ritual that the dark haired vampire was planning to perform.

Spike was surprised when the redhead suddenly waved a hand dismissively, and almost skipped back over to her seat, plopping down and grabbing her book. It seemed almost too easy, he thought, but wasn't about to question her compliance.

"Remember, stay in this room. I'll be back in a few hours," he told her, before finally leaving, not seeing the smirk on Willow's face.

~Part: 18~

The ship creaked eerily as it rocked back and forth, the calm harbor water lapping at its sides.  It was unusually quiet, with most of the crew in port gathering supplies, and Willow shivered, shaking off the nervous tension created by the quiet atmosphere.

Moving quickly down the hallway, the redhead glanced around, being sure to not call attention to herself.  The minions rarely came down into the main living quarters, much to Willow's appreciation, and she let out a deep sigh of relief when she finally reached Angelus' room and slipped through the door, seemingly undetected.

The room was dark and cool, the remnants of a fire glowing under the mantle. Her eyes darted around, before finally settled on a small pile of books near the bed. Moving toward them quick, she carefully perched herself atop the high mattress and began to flip through the papers and books, stopping when she found what she was looking for.

~*~

"Come in!" The Englishman called out in response to the knock at his door.

"Thank ya so much for yer hospitality," Angelus said with a smirk, "and of course the invitation."

"Who are you? What do you want?" The man shouted as he jumped up from the table he had been sitting at, his books and papers toppling over.

"Now, now, Benjamin, no need ta get riled up. At lease, not yet. We just want to be askin ya a few questions. Isn't that right, Dru?" Angelus turned and looked back at Drucilla as she strolled into the room, one of his hands clamping down hard on the man's shoulder, pushing him back into his seat.

"What do you want?" Benjamin asked nervously, removing his glasses and cleaning them thoroughly.

"Word has it that ya work for the council. That right?" Angelus asked, perching himself casually on the table in front of the frightened man, leering at him. Benjamin simply nodded his head. "Well, then, Bennie, ya might just be able ta help me.  See, I'm tryin ta figure out a certain ritual. `Immortalis Eversor.' Ever hear of it?"

The man's eyes widened, as did Angelus' grin. "Well, now, I can see that ya have. Good! Then ya can help me. See, I'm havin a little trouble translatin all of it."

The man shook his head wildly.  "Immortal destroyer," he whispered. "You…you can't. You would need the gem to…"

"Oh, ya mean this?" Angelus interrupted, pulling out the necklace that he had taken from Willow. Again, the look on the man's face was enough to confirm that the necklace was what Angelus had suspected. It was the gem of Immortalis Eversor. "Yeah, got it off a sweet, little redhead."

"Ya see, the part I'm havin a bit of trouble with is this here," he stated, tossing a small piece of paper down with several words scrawled on it.  Benjamin looked down, reading over the paper, before again looking up and shaking his head.

"I can not help you," he whispered harshly. "You must NOT perform this ritual. You don't know what you're dealing with here."

"I know exactly what I'm dealin with. I think perhaps yer the one that's confused," Angelus growled. "Let me make it clearer." At that, he let his demon visage slip forth, his hand on the man's shoulder tightening its grip, holding the now terrified Benjamin in place.

"Kill me if you must," Benjamin told him. "I will not help you with this."

Angelus rolled his eyes and let out an aggravated sigh. "That's not the way this works," he told him. "Yer no help ta me dead. Not until ya tell me what I need to know, anyway. But that don't mean we won't kill the rest of yer family. Ain't that right, Dru?"

"Oh yeah," she agreed with a smile, glancing around the room as if she could see things that the other two couldn't. She inhaled deeply and her smile grew. "There's a sweet little girl in the next room. Her blood calls to me."

"No! Please! I'll tell you what you need to know. Please, just leave my daughter be," Benjamin pleaded.

"Talk," Angelus demanded. "Tell me what this means."

The watcher looked over the paper, reading it several times to himself before looking up nervously. "It speaks of requiring a human sacrifice at the time of the ritual."

"That all?" Angelus asked, surprised that it was that easy.

"It…It can't be just any sacrifice. It must be one with strong occult ties. Magic."

Angelus sat, pondering that for a moment, before a wide, evil grin spread across his face. "Well now, I think I know exactly where I might find such a person."

"Our Spikey's little redhead?" Dru questioned.  Angelus simply nodded his head in reply.

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" He asked the man. "Thank ya for all the help."

Benjamin gave a nervous smile, sighing in relief as the vampire stood up and turned toward the door.  Just when the Englishman thought he would remain unscathed, the dark haired vampire spun back around and punched him square in the face, knocking him out cold.

Drucilla looked up at her sire, confused as to why he didn't just kill the man. Angelus simply shrugged. "Don't prefer me blood that aged," he told her. "Now, go grab yerself a snack from the next room. We're headin back ta the ship."

~*~

The redhead scowled as she looked over the paper. It was clearly the ritual, though it was in a language that she did not understand. A few words had been translated and scrawled into the margins. They didn't make much sense to her, and she quickly abandoned the paper in the hopes that the books would be of better use.

Reaching for one of the older, larger texts, the redhead was startled as she heard a noise outside the door.  Dropping the book with a thump, she quickly jumped up from the bed and ran toward the door, leaning against it and listening to the sounds on the other side.

"Ya seem to be spending an awful lot of time with the girl, William." Willow panicked as she heard Angelus speaking. She hadn't realized how much time had passed, and looking around, she saw no immediate means of escape.  Her heart was racing as her fear gave way to hysteria, her entire body beginning to shake.

Spike let out a low growl, detesting his sire's use of his given name. "Not much else to do around here," he commented, unaware of the redhead listening nearby.

"I think ya might be havin a soft spot for the little witch," Angelus teased, a smirk on his lips.  Willow's ears perked up at the topic of conversation, despite the discernable terror coursing through her.

"You don't know what you're talkin about, mate," Spike told his sire, gruffly. Angelus simply chuckled in response.  "She's a right pain in the arse," Spike told him.

Willow gaped at the door in outrage. They weren't friends, she knew that, but they seemed to have been building a common companionship over the last few days.  Of course, he scared her now and then, and frustrated her to no end, but still, she had been sure that a part of him liked her, at least a little bit, and she was surprised to hear him denouncing such a claim openly to Angelus.

"Yes.  Reminds me of a certain blond I once knew," Angelus replied with a knowing grin.  His childe need not admit his admiration for the girl. It was clear enough to anyone looking.  She reminded him so much of Spike, it was almost uncanny, and Angelus figured that his childe deserved every bit of trouble that the witch gave him, and then some. At least, that was, until he sacrificed her.

"She's obstinate, pig-headed and dull," Spike told him decidedly, though both vampires knew it was untrue. "She's overly opinionated and too smart for her own good. Not to mention far too perky and innocent."

At those words, the voices began to fade, both vampires moving along down the corridor and toward the dining hall.  Willow let out a sigh of relief, opening the door slightly and peering out, making sure there was no one about before quickly slipping back down to Spike's room.

Once inside, the witch sank down onto the floor near the bed, wrapping her arms around her knees.  Her green eyes filled with tears as she replayed the conversation she had just over heard.  Sure, she knew better than to think that Spike was anything close to fond of her, but to hear his harsh, cruel words…A lump formed in her throat, which she quickly choked back, trying to block out his dark, taunting voice. She chastised herself as she realized that she had, in some small way, been beginning to grow fond of the vampire. The redhead hadn't realized just how much she had come to look forward to their time together, their chats providing her with the only enjoyment she found on the ship, and her heart broke just a little at the realization that to him, she was still nothing more than a pet to bide his time with.

~Part: 19~

Angelus walked into his room, unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it onto a nearby chair. Sitting on the bed, he grinned, thinking back to earlier that evening and the things he had learned from the watcher. So, the little witch would come in handy after all. He would have to remember to thank Spike for keeping her around.

Spike. Now there might be small glitch. Despite his constant protesting about not liking the girl, it was clear that the vampire was smitten. Had been from the minute he set eyes on the redhead. Personally, Angelus couldn’t understand why. She was human, and meek and innocent at that. But then, she did remind him so much of William before he was turned, and Angelus supposed that was where the attraction came in. It made his childe weak, though, and that was not something the older vampire appreciated. They would all be far better off when the witch was good and dead, and Angelus finally had the power he was searching for.

Glancing around the room, his smirk suddenly faltered as he noticed one of his books lying on the floor near the bed. Leaning down, he lifted the book up, looking it over carefully. Inhaling deeply, Angelus growled. How had he not noticed it the minute he walked into the room? Her scent was everywhere. Willow had clearly been there, and recently. The dark haired vampire stood up, seething with anger. He had no idea what she had found out, but he couldn’t take the chance that she knew something that might jeopardize his plan. He had come too far now to have some pathetic little human destroy it all. He couldn’t just kill her. Angelus knew that. He needed her. He would just have to be sure that Spike kept her in line, reminded her of exactly who was in charge on the ship.

~*~

The next evening, Willow woke to find Spike already gone from the room, and was extremely glad for it. He had tried to engage her in conversation after returning to the ship the previous night, but she had been in no mood to speak with the blond. Willow was tired of being pushed around. She was tired of being a pawn in the vampires’ twisted games. She was tired of…Well, she was just plain tired, of everything. Hearing Spike’s cruel words had been the one thing to finally break her spirit. The one thing that had given her the tiniest bit of joy on the ship had just been blackened, and she had no interest at all in holding up their charade any longer.

Spike had noticed the shift in the redhead’s mood. It had been obvious enough from the moment that he was back on the ship. She seemed to be mad at him about something, though he had no idea what, but beyond that, she seemed more saddened than usual. He suspected that it might simply be home sickness, but doubted it. Her countenance had changed so quickly, he was sure that something specific must have caused it. He tried to question her on it, but of course, the witch was not forthcoming on much of anything, and despite his misgivings on his own emotions, the vampire found himself desperate to make her smile again. He felt uneasy, knowing she was unhappy with him, and racked his brain for a way to bring her back around to her more pleasant self.

The lock on the door clicked, and Willow glanced up as Spike entered the room. Her face was a cold mask hiding all emotion. Walking over to her silently, he reached down and gently took her hand in his, giving her arm a slight tug. When she made no movement to get up, he let out sigh, rolling his eyes and giving her a slightly pleading look.

"Come with me, pet. Want to show you something," he told her. Spike had finally decided that perhaps the girl simply needed to get out of the room. She had, after all, been unhappy about being left aboard the ship when they docked for supplies, and he did have to remind himself that she was human, and needed things like fresh air and sunlight, neither of which she was afforded much of.

"I don’t think you have anything I want to see," she informed him matter-of-factly.

"Just come with me," he responded, with another tug, forcing her to stand up.

Willow yanked her hand away and glared at him. "It’s going to rain, Spike."

He wondered a bit at how she knew that. She hadn’t been out of the room in days, and there were no windows to see out of. He remembered her command of the elements, back in New York, though. She seemed particularly strong with water, and he thought perhaps that was how she knew.

"All the more reason for you to hurry up and come with me," he told her, becoming increasingly frustrated. Reaching out, he went to grab her hand again, but she quickly moved it out of range, twisting her body away from him.

"I really don’t want to," she told him gruffly.

"Willow, do as I say, and come with me," he growled.

"I really don’t think…"

"Just bloody follow me or…" Spike stopped himself, running his hands through his hair, trying to calm down. He closed his eyes for a moment, willing the demon away, before looking at her again with pleading eyes. "I’m not going to hurt you, pet," he told her, his voice soft and gentle again. "Just want to show you something."

"A dead body kind of something or a nice kind of something?" She questioned warily.

Spike fought to suppress a chuckle at her question and gave her a slight smile. "A nice something. Just trust me."

"Right, because a horrible, murderous demon is really a guy you can trust," she stated, rolling her eyes.

"I promise you’ll be safe," he told her with an exasperated sigh.

"You’ll have to excuse me if I don’t completely believe you," she replied.

"Have I ever lied to you?" He asked, still holding his hand out. "Steal, cheat, maim, kill…I do all of those, but I don’t lie. At least, not to you." Seeing her resolve waver, he reached out and took her hand again, leading her yielding frame out the door and toward the upper deck.

~It’s hard to listen to a hard, hard heart~Beating close to mine~Pounding up against the stone and steal~Walls that I won’t climb

Spike led her out of the room, and up the first staircase, reveling in the sound of her heart beat, the blood rushing through her veins. Her cheeks were slightly flushed from their small argument, though her eyes were dull. She seemed to have been fading within the last few days, and that was something that he couldn’t bare to see. That fire, that spark that was so uniquely Willow…He simply couldn’t bare to see that extinguished especially by his own hand.

As they walked from the rooms below, up to the top deck, Willow’s eyes were glued on their joined hands. His was cool, but surprisingly soothing, as his thumb absently stroked over the back of her hand. It seemed to fit perfectly with his, and as that thought struck her, Willow felt her eyes start to water. It wasn’t supposed to feel so right. He was harsh and cruel, and nothing she was supposed to feel ‘right’ with.

Hearing growls, Willow’s head shot up just in time to see that they were passing by a group of minions, all of whom were watching her with hungry gazes. The redhead shrunk in closer to Spike, pressing her slight frame against his strong one, cowering behind him.

She felt him squeeze her hand in reassurance.

"No one will touch you, pet," he told her in a low, soft voice. "You’re safe with me. Won’t let anyone hurt you."

"Who will protect me from you?" She wondered. It wasn’t until she saw him turn toward her with a look that seemed to be a mixture of anger and sadness that she realized that she had spoken out loud.

"Why is it that you seem to be so much more afraid of those pathetic minions than you do of me?" He asked. Spike knew that there was a part of her that feared him. She was too smart not to. But she didn’t cower and hide from him the way she did from the rest of the vampires, and he wasn’t sure if that made him glad or angry. Mistaking her question for sarcasm, he decided to momentarily allow anger to win out.

"You don’t scare me like they do," she confided quietly. "I-I mean, you’re frightening enough, what with the-the grrrr and all, but-but mostly, you’re just annoying."

A small grin curved the edges of her lips and Spike had to smile. This girl was something else.

Willow looked up toward the sky as they reached the top deck. Her mind flooded with thoughts and memories. Memories of her life, her former life, when she lived on land, and enjoyed the sweet comfort of home and friends, before she was taken in and possessed by a demon. Her gaze fell back to their joined hands again, and Willow felt as though her fingers were melting in with his, becoming one. It was an odd, unsettling sensation that left her dazed and confused. He had hurt her, again and again. He was cruel and taunting, and his words constantly haunted her from the first night that they had met. He hadn’t wanted her then. He hadn’t even given her a chance. Now, he seemed to more or less tolerate her. She wondered how long that would last.

Spike led the redhead up to the railing, watching her tired, weary face as a mixture of emotions played across it. He frowned as a single tear made its way down her cheek. He would have given anything to know what was swirling through that mind of hers, but suspected that he would never be privy to such secrets.

~Sometimes a hurt is so deep deep deep~You think that you’re going to drown~Sometimes all I can do is weep weep weep~With all this rain, falling down

"Why did you bring me out here?" She asked quietly, nothing but curiosity in her voice.

"Thought you could use a break from that room," he told her honestly. "Sky’s still pretty clear. Can still see most of the stars. That, over there, that’s…"

"Orion," she interrupted, glancing up at him with a slight smile and shrugged. "Knowing the stars, kinda comes with the whole witch thing," she explained.

"Right, should have known that," he mumbled, looking away from her as the clouds rolled across the sky, blocking out the images above.

Leaning over the railing, Willow looked down into the darkened sea below. The wind was just beginning to pick up, and the water was turning chopping and turbulent. It wouldn’t be long before it would be fully raging. She was startled to realize that for the first time sine she had been brought onto the ship, she had no thoughts of jumping into those waters. She wondered at when, exactly, she had stopped considering that to be the better alternative. Looking away from the bleak darkness, she willed her tears away and turned toward the vampire standing next to her.

He looked at her with a curious expression that she couldn’t quite place, and gestured out toward the night sky. Willow turned and looked up, watching as streaks of lightening danced in the distant darkness. She could feel the electricity in the air, and hear distant thunder rumbling. It was beautiful and violent all at once.

The witch’s eyes glanced up as she felt a cool rain drop fall. A second one landed on her cheek, and she brushed it away quickly, watching a third splatter on the railing.

~Strange how hard it rains now~Rows and rows of big dark clouds~When I’m holding on underneath this shroud~Rain

Looking back out toward the storm on the horizon, the redhead tried to ignore the emotions stirring within her. She could feel him there, beside her. Even though they were no longer touching, it was as though they were connected some how. As if their hands had never left one another’s. She saw a slight movement out of the corner of her eye, just before she felt his hand slip into hers again. It simply had to be there. There was no alternative.

~It’s hard to know when to give up the fight~Two things you want will just never be right~It’s never rained like it has tonight~Before

Looking toward him again, she was startled by the emotion that shone in his blue eyes. Willow didn’t think it was possible that such emotion could be directed at her, but the intense gaze begged to differ. She felt her stomach flip-flop and her heart speed up, tears welling up in her eyes again. She wasn’t supposed to feel this way. She wasn’t supposed to have this kind of reaction. Not to him. He wasn’t even doing anything, just standing there, and yet she couldn’t seem to drag her gaze away from his. It began to rain harder, as the wind whipped around them, but neither seemed to take notice.

Spike watched her face for some sort of idea as to what she was thinking and feeling. Then he heard it. Her heart beat began to race and her breathing hitched in her throat. That was all he needed. He knew. This fiery, defiant, obstinate, infuriating, beautiful, powerful, magnificent creature was looking at him as if he were the world. Suddenly, her gaze, her heart, and her breathing told him all he needed to know. He was death, personified, and here, standing before him, was life, eternal.

~Now I don’t want to beg you baby~For something maybe you could never give~I’m not looking for the rest of your life~I just want another chance to live

Drawn by a sudden, urgent need, Willow leaned in, tentatively, feeling his hands slowly sliding up her bare arms, coming to rest on her shoulders. The rain was now pouring down around them, though neither cared. The wind caused her hair to dance around her face, giving her a strange, ethereal glow, and as she leaned in further, Spike was sure he was about to kiss a true angel.

Willow held her breath as her eyes drifted closed and her arms slipped around his waist, encouraging him toward her in a surprisingly innocent gesture. Finally, he took pity on the girl that was now shaking with need, and claimed her lips with his own, in what began as a gentle, almost chaste kiss, but quickly escalated into something much more akin to passion and desire.

~Strange how hard it rains now~Rows and rows of big dark clouds~When I’m holding on, underneath this shroud~Rain

Hands grasped at drenched clothing and fingers entwined with rain soaked hair as they both lost themselves in one another. Opening her eyes, Willow found that they were now back in Spike’s room. She could feel the ship rocking as the storm raged outside, and heard the faint crackle of the fire under the mantle. The redhead sucked in a deep breath as she felt Spike unlacing the back of her dress and slowly slipping it from her frame.

"Gotta get you out of these wet clothes," he told her in a low, husky voice, stepping back to admire her as she was bared to his view. The vampire smiled, his eyes conveying to her how beautiful he thought her. Willow blushed under the intense gaze.

Reaching out, she attempted to grasp his shirt, wanting his clothes to be gone as well, but Spike easily held her hand at bay with a grin. Gently, he pushed her down to the bed, urging her to lie down as he covered her body with his own, claiming her lips in another passionate kiss. When he finally pulled back, he smiled at the sound of her whimpered protests.

"Patience, luv," he admonished with a grin, before quickly removing his own clothes and again covering her body with his own.

Spike felt her shiver below him, a result of the combination of the cold rain and her heated passion. She began to beg incoherently, desperate to feel everyone inch of his body against her own. Clutching blindly at his shoulders and arms, her nails bit slightly into his flesh, spurring him further along.

Pulling his head back, slightly, Spike gave her a questioning look, silently requesting permission.

Willow simply nodded, before peppering his neck and chest with fevered kisses. His request granted, Spike positioned himself over her, before quickly entering her in one smooth motion. Hearing the redhead gasp, Spike stilled his movements, allowing her a few moments to adjust to him. When he began to feel her move against him, the vampire took that as his cue, beginning a steady rhythm, slowly sliding back just to the edge, before plunging in again.

Within only a few moments, Willow felt herself begin to shake and shudder, as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over her. Feeling himself about to tumble over the edge as well, Spike’s face shifted to his true features, and Willow was only dimly aware as he bit into her neck, the bite deep and claiming.

~Strange how hard it rains now~Rows and rows of big dark cloud~While I’m holding on, underneath this shroud~Rain Rain Rain

~Part: 20~

It had been several days and Angelus had barely seen Spike. He hadbeen spending almost all of his time in his room with the redhead. Heknew that Spike had finally taken the girl. About damn time, hethought. At first he suspected that the blond had finally grown apair and forced the girl, but later realized that she was with him asa very willing partner. That thought left Angelus feeling extremelyuneasy. He couldn't afford Spike getting too attached to the girl. Itwas time to drive a small wedge between the two love birds and remindthem both of Spike's true nature.

~*~

"Giles, what is it? Why are we here?"

"We're borrowing a small ship from a friend of mine," Giles told theslayer.

"This?" Xander questioned, gesturing to the very small fishing boatnext to them. "This isn't a ship, Giles. It's barely an oar."

"It's more than sea worthy, Xander," Giles told him hurriedly, as hetossed several supplies and weapons on board. "It will do for ourpurposes."

"And what exactly are our purposes? You haven't even told us what'sgoing on?" Buffy reminded him.

"Right. A friend of mine, from the council, sent word. He thinks thathe might have located Willow."

"Willow?" Xander shouted. "Where? Is she alright?"

"Hardly," Giles told him grimly. "Apparently, she's in a bit moredanger than we originally suspected. The friend that I spoke to, hebelieves she is being held by a group of vampires that are preparingto perform a very dangerous ritual and it is suspected that Willowwill be their sacrifice."

"What kind of ritual?" Buffy questioned, her voice low and dangerous.

"Immortalis Eversor," Giles told them. "It's an ancient ritual,which, if performed correctly, will render a vampire not onlycompletely unkillable, but more powerful than any other being inexistence."

"So, that's bad, right?" Buffy mumbled.

"Sacrifice," Xander spoke up. "You said something about Willow beingused as a sacrifice?"

"They need a witch to sacrifice at the time of the ritual," heexplained. "The vampire who spoke to my friend said that he hadgotten a necklace needed for the spell from a redhead and that healready had someone to sacrifice."

"Willow," Buffy whispered with dread, once again feeling overriddenwith guilt. Squaring her shoulders, she looked up at her watcher. "Sowhere are we heading?"

"They were seen down the coast a bit. Not terribly far. The ritualhas to be done during the new moon, so they're stalling for time.Heading down in the direction my friend suggested they might be goingwould be our best bet."

"Then let's go," Buffy replied, hopping onto the boat, grabbing asword and holding it up, mentally preparing herself for whatever theywould soon face.

~*~

Spike woke to a knocking at the door, and carefully extricatedhimself from the bed, making sure not to wake Willow. Reaching thedoor, he flung it open groggily, just after pulling on a pair ofpants, and glared at the minion standing on the other side.

"Master Angelus requests the presence of your company in hischambers," the vampire told him snidely.

Spike let out a low growl and glanced back at the sleeping redhead.

"Your pet is to stay here," the minion told him. Upon Spike'sincredulous glare, he continued, "Two guards are to be left at thedoor, to ensure that no harm comes to the girl."

"Bloody Angelus," Spike mumbled, walking back across the room. Hegrabbed a shirt and pulled it on, leaving the buttons undone andslipping on a pair of boots.

"Spike?"

The blond vampire looked over to see Willow sitting up in bed andrubbing her eyes, holding a sheet around her chest. Moving over tothe bed, he reached out, stroking her cheek and giving her a slightsmile. "Go back to sleep, luv," he told her softly. She gave him aquestioning look, knowing better than to ask. "Angelus wants to havea little chat. I won't be gone long. I want you to be good and goback to sleep. Do not leave this room and do not open the door foranyone, understand?"

Willow scowled. "Why is it that every time he yells jump, you ask howhigh?" She asked quietly.

"He's my sire," he explained impatiently, stroking a few strands ofhair back from her face.

"He's a bastard," she replied scornfully.

"So am I, Willow. Don't be fooled. I may act better around you, but Ican still be just as evil and cruel as he is."

The witch shook her head. "I think you're too sweet for that. Youcould never be like him." Her words surprised the redhead just asmuch as the blond. It had only been a few days before that she hatedhim more than any other creature alive, and now, here she was fallingmadly in love with him and thinking him sweet.

"You take that back!" He scolded playfully. A moment later, though,the grin slipped from his lips and his face turned serious. "Willow,I meant what I said. You should be afraid of me. I'll most likelydestroy you in the end and love every minute of it."

"We're like fire and ice," she told him, ignoring hiswarning, "Opposite attractions."

"Fire and ice never do too well together, in my experience," heresponded in a dark tone.

"Okay, then we're something else," she amended with an impishsmile. "Something that goes better together, like…"

"No, I think you were right the first time," he interrupted, kissingher forehead. "Fire will melt the ice, and then what's left of theice will extinguish the flame."

Willow shook her head as Spike leaned in and kissed her lipspassionately. "I don't want to see your light go out," he whispered,sounding desperate in his admission. A moment later, the blond pulledaway and walked out, locking the door behind him.

next