Pairing: Willow/Spike
Disclaimer: I humbly borrow, twisting and bending plots to my will.
Summary: Willow's gone missing and turns up with...a few changes... (yeah, have I mentioned that I hate writing summaries?:D)
Thanks so much to Janet for all your help...you're the bestest! :)
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~Part: 1~
Hearing the door to the crypt open with a bang, Spike ripped the blanket away from himself angrily and jumped up out of the bed, grabbing his pants and growling.
"Bloody no good Slayer and her band of merry morons," he grumbled.
The Slayer and the Watcher had been barging in, unannounced and demanding his help for months, trying to find the little redheaded witch that had gone missing.
Stomping up the ladder from his room in the cave below, he decided it was high time he put an end to it.
"Spikey?" Harmony whined from behind him, "Make the Slayer and her friends go away."
"Workin on that, Harm," he grumbled as he reached the top of the ladder, wondering why it was that he put up with her incessant jabbering. Zipping his pants up half way he was suddenly reminded of why and wondered if he were to rip out her tongue, how long it would take to grow back.
Stepping into the crypt, he immediately stopped and glanced around. The door was open, allowing the last few rays of light at sunset to stream in, illuminating the dusty atmosphere. Not seeing the Slayer or Watcher, he suddenly sensed something else. Something he couldn't quite place. A demon; no doubt about that, but there was something more…something he was just not quite getting.
"I know you're here, so you might as well come on out," he yelled, picking up a nearby axe. "And I'll beat you bloody, right quick and get back to my nap," he added under his nonexistent breath. Waiting a moment, hearing nothing, he continued to look around the seemingly empty crypt.
Suddenly the door creaked slightly, and he spun back to face it, shielding his eyes against the streaming rays of light. Stepping closer to the entrance, he stopped when the door moved a bit more and a hand slowly crept around, gripping the cold stone. His eyes went wide as he watched a small face peek around, framed with red hair.
"Willow?" He asked, taking another step toward her, but stopping short of the rays of light threatening to burn him.
Stepping around and pushing the door shut, she looked up at him with the uncertain, pouting eyes of a little girl.
"Hungry," she whispered, her voice sounding hoarse.
"Red, where have you been? What happened to you?" He asked, stepping up to her, taking in her appearance. Something was off, though he wasn't sure what. Maybe he was more off his game with the chip than he thought, or maybe he just didn't want to solve the riddle.
Her hair had been cropped unevenly at her shoulders and her face looked pale, her eyes wide and childlike. She was wrapped in a tattered blanket and he noticed several spots on her hands, arms and legs that appeared to have burns.
She looked away from him, glancing around the crypt. Reaching out to touch her, he barely grazed her shoulder before finding himself face to face with a vampire, a hand wrapped tightly around his neck. She looked up and her golden eyes slowly focused on him before her face shifted back to its human mask and he saw recognition pass across her features.
"Spike?" She asked quietly, her voice unsure.
"Yeah, pet, it's me," he answered, as she pulled her hand back and clutched at the blanket around her. "What happened? Who did this?" He demanded, surprising himself at the anger coursing through him at having something taken away from him. Truth be told, she never actually belonged to him, but he had plans for her. She should have been his. He should have killed her, turned her, made her his childe, and he would have too, had he never gotten the damn chip. "Give me a name and I'll kill the bastard myself," he growled.
"The bastard," she said, looking up with a crooked smile, "is already dead."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How did this happen?"
Rolling her eyes she started to walk around the crypt, running a hand lazily along the stone walls. He was amazed at her shift in personality, going from fragile little girl to striking, confident vampire, and felt hypnotized by her every word and movement.
"Spike, I know it's been a while since you could bite, but I would think you would remember how it goes. They suck your blood, you suck theirs…or, well, in my case, they force theirs down your throat…still works the same though."
He watched her, not believing the differences in the redhead. She was self-assured, almost arrogant, and strong. She reeked of power and darkness, and something else he couldn't quite place but knew he should be able to, while still maintaining a bit of vulnerability and childlike innocence. It was intoxicating.
"How did your sire die?" He asked.
"I killed him, more or less," she answered simply, not looking toward him.
"You, a mere fledgling, dusted your own sire?" He asked incredulously, not sure if he should be nervous or impressed.
Willow spun around, glaring at him. "I may be a fledgeling," she told him, the last word full of disdain, "but I'm strong, and I'm powerful. You don't experience as much torture and pain as I did without learning a thing or two."
"Spikey? What are you doing up there?" Harmony called up from below.
Willow looked at him, cocking her head to the side, an eyebrow arched and a smirk on her face. "Still with Harmony? Amusing."
"Watch it little girl," he growled, not liking her mocking tone. She may be a vampire now, and a strong one at that, but he was a Master, over a hundred years her senior, and that still meant something, chip or not.
"Spike, what is SHE doing here? And why is she wearing THAT?" Harmony asked as she appeared out of the cave entrance. "Are you cheating on me with HER?"
"Harm, not now," he grumbled, glaring at her.
Climbing up and into the crypt, she stood staring at Willow, hands on her hips. He could see where this was leading and let out an aggravated sigh, not in the mood to watch the two women fight just then.
Willow let out a low, menacing growl. "Leave," she said, looking at Harmony.
"No way! This is my home and Spike is MY boyfriend, and I'm not going to listen to some little geek who…"
"Harmony!" Spike interrupted her, glancing at the windows and seeing that it was now dark outside. "Why don't you go out for a walk and get a bite to eat?"
"Why should I leave? She's the one…"
"Leave," Willow repeated, stepping closer to the blonde, "or I will kill you."
"Oh yeah? Well, guess what, dork? I'm already dead, so how can you kill me if…"
With a lightning fast movement, Willow had a stake pressed menacingly against Harmony's chest. The blonde looked down and backed away.
"Oh, that kind of kill me. Well, fine! I'm leaving! But because I want to, not because some geek…" Willow stopped her with another low growl, and Harmony quickly turned and left the crypt.
~Part: 2~
As the door slammed shut behind Harmony, Willow winced and doubled over, hunger pains coursing through her. Her strength was drained and she knew her tough-girl facade was nearly ready to crumble.
"Pet?" Spike watched her with concern, again mesmerized by how quickly she could go from appearing so strong to seeming so weak. He wasn't sure if he wanted slap her or hold her and suspected that she wasn't any more sure of what she would want than he was.
"Hungry," she whimpered, hating how weak she sounded. "Need to feed."
"One sec," he told her, before disappearing down the ladder and reappearing a moment later with a packet of blood. "Here," he said, tossing it to her. "It's cold and it's not human, but it will do."
She regarded the packet with a scowl on her face. "Want to hunt," she told him, pouting. "Don't want…this." She threw the packet of blood to the ground and crossed her arms defiantly.
Spike growled at her before leaning over and grabbing the blood. Definitely wanted to slap her, he decided.
"You want those pains to go away, you drink this, now," he told her, his tone cold and angry.
"Want human blood," Willow whined, tilting her head to the side and continuing to pout.
"Well, for the moment, it's this or nothing."
Finally she gave in and took the bag from him, quickly draining the contents, a distasteful look on her face.
Watching her as she licked her blood-stained lips and tossed the empty packet to the ground, he noticed again the burn marks on her body, now understanding that they must have been caused by the sunlight.
"Red, you're hurt."
She snorted in response and lets out a harsh, bitter laugh.
"Come down to the bedroom," he said, turning to the ladder. "I have something to help it heal faster."
The redhead followed him silently down into the cave and stood, looking around uncomfortably.
"Sit," the older vampire said, pointing to the bed. She didn't move. "Sit," he repeated more forcefully.
"Don't really feel like it," she replied with a slight pout.
"Well, I'm not asking what you feel like doin," he told her, aggravation evident in his voice. "Now, sit!"
She moved to the bed, grumbling and plopped down, adjusting the blanket, securing it around her chest and holding it in place. Retrieving some lotion, Spike walked over to the bed, looking her over. Kneeling in front of her, he pulled one leg forward and rested her foot on his bent leg, lifting the blanket to her knee.
"I can do this myself," she complained, as he began to smooth on the soothing lotion.
"I know that," the blonde said, glancing up at her briefly with a slight smirk before looking back at the burned flesh. A moment later he switched to her other leg.
"What were you thinking, running out in the daylight?" He asked, sounding angry with her, though neither was quite sure why.
"I was thinking it was the best time to run from a group of vampires," she said with a roll of her eyes.
He paused in his work, looking up at her with an eyebrow arched in question.
"I also sorta forgot I didn't like sunlight anymore," she added quietly.
"You forgot? Aversion to sunlight not usually something a vampire forgets, pet."
"Yeah, well I haven't been a vampire all that long," she explained, sounding much less confident and much more like her old self, "and…I never really had to worry about that before."
"Why's that?"
"All the time I was there…never left the same room," she explained, her voice lowering to a whisper, her eyes downcast.
"How long ago were you turned?" He asked, thinking it must have been months ago.
"A week, I think," the redhead answered.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"How…how long was I gone?" She questioned, suddenly suspecting it was much longer than she thought.
"Nearly five months," he told her.
She simply nodded. After finishing with her legs and arms, he stood up and looked down at her.
"Lay down across the bed. I'll get the burns I saw on your back," he told her, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Turning and stretching out, she loosened the blanket from around her chest, allowing him to pull it down on her back. His mouth hung open in shock as he took in the scars crisscrossing her back, clearly the work of a brutal beating. Running his hands lightly over the marks, his voice was slightly shaking when he spoke.
"Willow. When did you get these? It had to be before…"
"I tried to escape," she told him, her voice sounding timid and childlike. "I used magic and I tried to escape. I didn't make it."
She said no more and he silently smoothed the lotion over her back. Pulling the blanket down further, Spike noticed another mark on her lower right hip. Again, he couldn't help but think that this should be something he would recognize but wasn't able to say why.
Feeling his hand brush over the mark, she glanced back over her shoulder.
"A brand," she explained. "To show everyone that I belonged to him, that I was his property."
Feeling her shudder at the thought, he moved back up to her shoulder and began to knead her shoulders and back gently, massaging out some of the tension.
"Why did you come here, pet?" He asked softly, nothing but curiosity in his voice.
"It was the closest," she told him, the young vampire's voice sounding weary, "and I knew I wouldn't be invited into anyone else's home."
"You would have gone to the Slayer for help?" He asked in surprise. He knew, of course that they were friends, but that, coupled with a vampire's natural fear of the Slayer should have kept her as far away from Buffy as possible.
She shook her head. "Not for help. For a meal."
"You can't think you can take on the Slayer, Red."
"I can, and I will. She left me there, and then she took everything away. He told me. He kept saying that she wouldn't come, but…Willow kept on believing…that her friends would find her, and save her. And in the end, they didn't. She…she was weak, and eventually she broke."
"You weren't weak, Willow. You survived months as a vampire's pet. I'd say you were pretty strong."
"No!" She said harshly, arching her back up a bit and looking back at him.
"She was weak. They were able to break her and she ended up begging… begging for her own death. But I learned, and I'm strong. And I'll have him begging before he dies."
"Thought you said your sire was already dead," he said, confused.
She didn't answer him and he suspected he would get nothing further from her on the subject just then. Something she had said earlier suddenly came back to him.
"Where exactly were you kept? You said it was nearby."
"Another cave below a crypt in this cemetery," Willow answered.
"No," he denied. "We searched this cemetery, high and low, no stone unturned and all that. The Slayer's been searching for you since the day you disappeared. Bloody thorn in my side over it."
"Well, I guess she didn't search hard enough," she said softly, hatred burning in her eyes, mixed with just the slight remnants of pain. Settling back down, she allowed him to continue to rub in the soothing lotion and massage her back as she stretched her limbs like a kitten, yawning lazily.
"You should get some sleep, pet," he told her. "You'll be safe here, at least for now."
"You won't contact Buffy or Giles, will you?" She asked. He shook his head no.
Turning her head, she looked him right in the eyes. "I don't want my soul back, Spike. I have no use for it. I want vengeance, not redemption.
"I understand, pet," he told her before she finally allowed herself to close her eyes and drift off to sleep.
~Part: 3~
When she woke, hours later, it took her a moment to remember where she was…to remember what happened. It's was always like that when she first woke. She would have thought that once she became a demon she would not dream, or at least that a demon would not have nightmares. Yet each and every night her dreams were plagued with painful, horrifying memories and flashes of scenes she couldn't quiet piece together anymore.
Realizing where she was, she let out an unneeded breath of air and sunk back into the warm blankets. Turning her head, she saw the blonde vampire, seemingly asleep next to her and smiled, enjoying the unfamiliar sense of protection he offered, though she would never admit to herself or anyone else that protection was something she sought.
Rolling onto her stomach she inched closer to him, resting her head on his hard, cool chest and closed her eyes, taking a moment to breath in his scent. He didn't move, and though she suspected he wasn't really sleeping, she was content to have this moment to just feel his presence so close to her.
Feeling his skin against her own, she was acutely aware of her nakedness under the blankets, though that had long since become of no concern to her. Smiling slightly, she thought back to her former, human self and chuckled at how mortified she would have been to be in this position. But, truth be told, that Willow had lost such modesty long before she was ever turned. Living for months as a vampire's personal pet will do that to a person. Thinking back she couldn't quite pinpoint the moment, but she knew at some point she just became numb in her own body, unaware of her existence. She suspected that was when he decided it was time to turn her.
Watching Spike carefully for several moments, she finally determined that he must be asleep and decided to drag herself out of bed. Her tummy rumbled and she was reminded of just how hungry and weak she was. Looking around, she found a pair of leather pants and a black shirt that belong to Harmony and slipped them on before quietly climbing the ladder. She was just about to open the crypt door when a cold hand clamped down on her arm, startling her.
"You know, for a vampire, you're not very observant," he quipped, his face hard and unreadable.
Willow shrugged, "I knew you were there."
"Right," he replied, clearly not believing her. "And just where is it that you think you're sneaking off to?"
"Hungry," she said in a small voice. "Wanted to go out and have a little fun."
"Yeah, well, you go out now, you become a big pile of dust real soon," he told her. "Sun's nearly `bout to come up."
She peaked out the small windows and saw that the sun was indeed just about ready to rise above the horizon. Damn. She would have to start paying better attention to things like that. The prospect of nothing but more cold pig's blood did not appeal to her right then. She stomped her foot angrily on the ground, crossing her arms and looking like a child about ready to throw a temper-tantrum.
"Sorry luv, you're out of luck for now," he told her, hopping up onto a sarcophagus and lighting a cigarette.
"No fair," she said with a pout, arms still crossed. "This is no fun at all. Don't wanna be stuck here with YOU all day."
"Yeah, well, tough luck that. I'm not exactly fond of the idea of being trapped indoors with a bratty little fledgling myself you know." He knew already, at this point, how to get a rise out of her, and though she was fully aware that this was his sole intention, she still couldn't help but feel her blood boil at his words.
"This bratty little fledgling," she ground out through clenched teeth, "could kick your ass across this room."
He hopped down onto his feet and approached her, taking one last drag from his cigarette before tossing it to the ground, blowing the smoke in her face. "You think so?" He asked, his face now inches from hers, a smug smile spread across his lips.
"My magic is stronger than ever," she told him. "You wouldn't stand a chance."
"That right?" He countered. "Well, little girl, your magic might be strong, but YOU are weak and worn down right now and I'm thinkin even Harmony could kick your little ass."
At his words, she flew into a rage, launching herself at him, fists flying. He caught her easily, holding her at bay, eventually turning her back to him and pinning an arm tightly behind her. His other hand slipped up around her neck, pulling her tightly against him.
"I wouldn't go around threatening master vampires, pet," he whispered into her ear, "unless you WANT to be feeling a stake through your heart."
Willow growled lowly and attempted to pull her arm free from his tight grasp, unsuccessfully, before twisting her body and elbowing him hard in the stomach.
Feeling his grip loosen with the impact of her jab, she took that moment to pull herself free and stumbled a few steps away from him, struggling to keep from falling over. She hadn't realized just how weak she was feeling until right then. A second later, she felt herself being slammed hard against a wall, her back connecting harshly with the unyielding stone. Her hands were pinned above her head and she tried desperately to focus on the face in front of her, though the room was now spinning.
He watched her for a moment, his face again an unreadable mask. His grip on her wrists was painful and she could feel the full length of him pressed firmly against her slender body, unyielding. Finally he took a step back, though still holding her arms above her head with one of his own. Raising his free arm up to her mouth, he offered it to her.
She stared for a moment at the offered wrist, struggling internally. The scent of his blood just below the surface, strong and rich, called to her, but she knew what this meant. It's was a sign of weakness, to drink from him, and she would be accepting her submission to him openly, which was something she didn't feel ready to do. Finally, though, the overwhelming hunger within her won and she clamped her mouth down around his wrist, biting deeply and drinking greedily, little rivulets of red running down the sides of her mouth.
When he decided that she had enough, he pulled his wrist away, hearing her whimper in protest and quickly lifted her up, carrying her back down to the bed which he was surprised to find himself considering "theirs" now.
~Part: 4~
"Willow, I'm so glad you could join me for a while."
The voice was deep and filled with a mocking tone. It made her cringe and want to run away. Looking around, everything was hazy and she knew the same as every other night, she would find no release from this.
"You know, we never really got the chance to hang out…just you and me. I mean, there was that one time I stopped by, but let's be honest, that wasn't really about you. It was never about you. It was always about her. So let me ask, do you think it's still about her?"
She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as possible, hoping against hope that she could block him out completely. Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound and her head flew to the side, immediately followed by a sharp sting on her right cheek. Her eyes flew open and she looked up at him, feeling the ache spreading from where he had just slapped her.
"I asked you a question, Willow."
She stared at him for a moment, desperately trying to remember what the question had been. Thinking about something…about someone else… oh! Is it still about her? Well, of course it is! It always is! Quickly, she nodded her head.
"Well, see now, Willow, that's where you're wrong. This time…it's all about you. You and your little spells and tricks, your little rituals…you know I should have just killed you a long time ago…saved myself a lot of trouble."
Again she closed her eyes tightly, only to feel his hand grip her jaw tightly, her eyes popping open again.
"Keep your eyes on me, unless I tell you otherwise, got it?" He growled.
She simply nodded her head.
"This time," he told her, "it isn't about the Slayer. Has nothing to do with her. In fact, I'm pretty sure she doesn't even have a clue you've gone missing. What do you think? I think it will be days before she even notices you're not around." His voice was cruel and taunting and nothing like the quiet, soft voice she remembered.
Willow shook her head frantically. "No! She'll know…she'll come for me."
"Is that right? See, cause I happen to think the Slayer is a little self-absorbed. Tends to take little notice of the people around her, you know?" He chuckled at his own words and saw her shudder.
"She'll notice I'm gone," she told him, her voice shaking. "She'll find me."
His only response was a long, deep laugh and she let her shoulders slump slightly, feeling her arms pulling against the chains behind her. Her head tilted downward and she felt a few tears slip down her cheeks.
Suddenly, the redhead felt something cold and sharp against her neck. It slowly trailed up along her jaw line, to her cheek before being pulled away.
Looking up, she saw what he held in his hand; a large knife, shiny and sharp and her eyes widened in horror at the many uses he might come up with for that.
"Ready for some fun?" He asked, that horrible gleam in his once deep, kind brown eyes, before she felt the sharp metal scrape painfully up one arm and let out a terrified scream.
~*~
"Hello?" Buffy called out, opening the door of the all too familiar mansion and peering inside. She could see that it hadn't been lived in for a while, but still suspected she would find him here.
"Angel?" She called out, making her way through the large, empty house.
Standing in the doorway to the bedroom, she looked in and her body relaxed slightly as she saw the dark haired vampire sitting on the bed, his head rested on his hands, his elbows on his knees.
Angel's head shot up and he looked toward the slayer with blood-shot eyes.
"Angel," she said softly, knowing that it was really him, soul and all.
"Buffy, go away," he choked out, covered his face with a large hand. "Don't look at me, just…"
"Angel," she spoke quietly, moving toward him and sitting slowly on the edge of the bed, tentatively reaching an arm out to touch his shoulder. He immediately shrank back from her and she pulled away.
"Angel, what happened?" She asked.
"I…I don't remember…only bits and pieces…but…"
"How did you…lose it again?" She questioned.
"Not sure. There…there was a demon…must have done something… extracted it…I…how am I back?"
"Giles," she told him. "Cordelia called, told us about...you...Giles used the ritual...the one that Willow used last time."
"Giles? Why didn't...Willow...oh god," he groaned, covering his face again.
"Willow…couldn't do it. She's been missing for…for a long time," Buffy told him. She hesitated before continuing, not wanted to ask what she was about to, but knowing she had to. "Angel…do you know what happened to Willow?"
The vampire looked up at the blonde and she knew…immediately, by the haunted look in his eyes…she knew.
"Is…is she alive?" She asked, her voice catching in her throat.
Angel shook his head. "She's…he…I turned her," he whispered, seeing Buffy's eyes widen in horror. "I took her, I tortured her and I turned her."
~*~
Spike jumped up, hearing the girl next to him scream. Reaching over, he pulled her struggling body into his arms, shaking her a little, trying to wake her from whatever nightmare was plaguing her sleep.
Finally, she opened her watery eyes and looked up at him, relaxing slightly when she saw where she was and who she was with. She closed her eyes again and a moment later pushed at his chest, shoving him away. She glared at him, hating this weakness within her.
"You alright, pet?" He asked softly.
"Fine," she answered, not meeting his eyes. She knew it was night time, could feel it and pulled herself up out of the bed and moved toward the ladder.
"Where are you going?" Spike questioned, following her.
"Need to feed," she answered with a growl as she reached the top of the ladder.
"The Slayer will find you," he told her.
"Counting on that," she replied, not bothering to look back at him as she pulled on a leather coat.
Grabbing her arm, he spun her around to face him. "She finds you, she stakes you, whether she wants to or not."
"Care to make a wager on that?" She asked with a smug smile.
"You are FAR too cocky for your own good," he replied. "Reminds me of…"
"Who?" She asked, hands on her hips. "Who do I remind you of?"
"Never mind," he growled.
Just then the door to the crypt burst open and Harmony came walking in, glancing at Spike.
"I'm back my little Spikey-bear! I thought I would give you time to take care of…oh, she's still here. I'm gone for one day, and what… now you're sleeping with…her?"
"Harm…"
"You are supposed to be MY boyfriend!" She shouted, stomping her foot on the ground.
Spike let out a deep sigh before lunging at the blonde, gripping her neck tightly. "You know what Harmony? Not anymore. Consider us broken up!" With that he shoved her hard, sending her across the room and against the door.
"Oh yeah! Well…you can't break up with me `cause I'm breaking up with you first! Yeah! I'm dumping you! We're through! So you can just-"
"Get OUT!" Spike bellowed and Harmony quickly turned, running out the front door.
Spike looked toward Willow and saw her sauntering toward him, a grin on her face.
"Oh, someone's a grumbly vampire tonight," she said in a little girl voice, a small pout on her lips spreading into a smile. She leaned herself against him, running a finger along his lips and felt his arms wrap tightly around her.
"Yeah, well, that was long over due," he told her.
"I kinda like the strong, forceful Spike," she purred, licking at his neck.
The blonde let out a slight moan before speaking. "Yeah, well, you don't seem to like it so much when I'm forceful with you, luv."
Willow let out a little whimper, though her lips were still in a pouty smile and she shrugged slightly. "Sometimes I do."
"That right?" He said, a grin spreading across his face.
Willow nodded, rubbing herself against him. "Mmm hmm…and maybe when I get back, you can…get a little forceful with me downstairs."
"I think that maybe we could…when you get back? Thought I told you not to go out there," he growled, pushing her slightly away from him, though still holding onto her waist firmly.
"Need to feed," she said with a pout. "Come on, Spike, don't you miss it? Don't you miss the smell of their fear, the thrill of the chase, the satisfaction of sliding your fangs into their throat? It's our nature, Spike. It's how we survive."
"Of course, I bloody well miss it," he told her, gripping her more tightly in anger. "Would do just about anything to get this damned chip out of my head…"
"You know, I could probably get it out with a little magic," she told him with a sly smile, running a hand through his hair. "Bet it would be easy as pie."
"That…that's not the point. The Slayer is…you could do that?"
Willow nodded, still smiling up at him. "Mmm hmm." She felt his hands loosen on her waist and tried to take a step back.
"Did you know how to do it when you were still alive?" He asked suspiciously.
Willow frowned and growled. "That Willow wasn't nearly as powerful as I am," she told him, shoving at his chest and stepping away. "She was nothing. I can do anything. And right now, I'm going out to hunt."
"You are not going out there to get yourself killed," he snarled, grabbing her arm again.
"Wanna bet?" She said before narrowing her eyes and using her magic to send a shock through the hand holding her, knocking him back off of her.
The redhead was surprised as she felt herself become dizzy from the simple bit of magic and stumbled a few steps toward the door. In a flash, Spike was standing in front of her.
"You think you're so strong, so powerful, but right now, you're weak. You wouldn't stand a chance with the Slayer," he told her, catching her as she stumbled again and almost fell over.
She tried to push him away, but he simply tightened his arms around her, holding her in place. Closing her eyes, the vampire quickly centered herself for a moment and suddenly felt the blonde thrown off of her, back against a wall.
Spike shook his head and looked up, growling to see that the redhead was already gone.
~Part: 5~
Buffy wandered through the cemetery, not entirely sure she wanted to find what she was looking for. The prospect of coming across her former friend and having to stake her did not sit well with her. However, she was the Slayer and this is what had to be done.
Hearing a woman scream, Buffy's head shot up and she took off in a full run toward the sound. A few seconds later she came upon the scene she had most feared. She could see the back of the redheaded vampire, holding onto a blonde woman as she drank from her.
Reaching forward, she grabbed the vampire's shoulder and pulled her back. Willow dropped the woman, who was nearly dead already and spun around, glaring at the Slayer.
"Hey, I wasn't finished," she whined. Cocking her head to the side she smiled slightly. "Maybe you wanna be the main course?" Lifting her hand up, she wiped at the blood on her lips and chuckled.
"Don't think so," Buffy responded, pulling a stake out and holding it up.
"Buffy, you're going to stake me?" Willow asked innocently, giving her former friend her best puppy-dog look. "I was your best friend. You know, the reason I'm dead is because of you. And now… now you're gonna stake me?"
"Don't have a choice," Buffy stated, trying to ignore that the vampire before her wore the face of her best friend.
"Well, if you wanna play…" Willow began, before suddenly lunging for the Slayer with a snarl.
Buffy quickly held her arms up, holding the vampire at bay before shoving her away and kicking her further back.
"Willow, we don't have to do this," Buffy told the redhead.
"Aw, but I was so looking forward to it. I'm thinking after you're dead…I'll go visit your little sister, Dawnie."
Buffy's face hardened and she pulled her arm back before connecting her fist with the vampire's jaw, sending her sprawling backwards onto the ground. Willow quickly jumped up, wiping at her own blood now mingling with the left over blood she had stolen a few minutes before.
"Stay the hell away from her," Buffy said through clenched teeth.
"Come on, Buffy. The girl idolizes me. I'm, like, her role-model," Willow said with a smile. "Bet she'll taste real yummy too."
"Willow, that's enough."
Willow spun around, hearing the deep, male voice.
"Oh, look…it's the Slayer's little puppy," Willow said with a grin.
"Watch your mouth, little girl," Angel growled, stepping closer to her.
Willow raised her eyebrows and smirked at him. "Enjoying having the soul back, Angel?" She asked sweetly, hearing him growl in reply.
Looking down, she saw a small kitten that the woman she had fed from had been carrying. Leaning down, she lifted the purring feline up into her arms, cooing at it and scratching its head.
"Come on, Angel," she purred with a smile, nuzzling the grey kitten. "Don't you think I know how much this is hurting you?" Holding the cat up in the air, she swung it around playfully, not looking at Angel as she spoke. "I mean, not only were you unable to save poor, helpless, innocent little Willow..." She paused and brought the cat down to cradle it at her chest, glancing up at Angel. "Well, she really wasn't all THAT innocent any more, now was she? But not only were you unable to save her...YOU are the one that killed her. YOU drained her life away and YOU damned her for all eternity." She looked back down at the cat with a smile. "Isn't that right, little kitty?" Holding the cat up just over her face she let its paws bat at her nose, giggling for a minute before glancing up at the older vampire again. "See the mean old vampire, kitty? He tries so hard to pretend to be something he's not...tries so hard to not act like the animal he is. I mean, Spike at least has the excuse of a chip to not bite. You...you can bite but you never do. Well..." she paused again, fingering the faint scar on her neck, "almost never." She smiled again as she felt and heard the cat purring in her arms. "You can pretend it's not there, Angel. You can pretend you're not evil, but we both know...don't we? We both know it's there, just under the surface, just dying to break free. You can't fool me. Buffy, maybe, but me? I've seen it, haven't it? I know what you are...without the mask? We both know what you are. And to think, all it would take to bring it out, for good, is just one single moment of happiness."
"Don't think for a second you have the power to give that to me," he growled, clenching his fists at his side.
She let out a small chuckle. "Maybe I don't, but I'm sure I can find something that would."
Angel cringed as the deceptively innocent looking girl glanced back at the kitten.
"That's gotta be some guilt," she mused as the cat batted at her face playfully and she giggled again. "See da mean old vampire bein all grumbly and broody, kitty?" She cooed to the kitten before turning toward Buffy.
"I WILL kill you, bitch," Willow growled, before glancing down at the kitten purring contently in her hands, watching it for just a moment, before suddenly letting her true face slip forward and sweeping her head down with a snarl, sinking her fangs into the cat's neck, draining it dry. When she was done, she let the dead animal slip from her hands and turned to walk away.
Buffy moved to go after her but Angel stopped her.
"What are you doing? I can't let her just walk away," Buffy argued, glaring at the dark haired vampire.
"She's my childe, Buffy," he told her. "I can't let you kill her."
"What? You killed your sire," she replied. "You tried to kill Spike…he's your grandchilde…"
"This is different, Buffy. The things I did to her…she's right…it's my fault. You can't kill her."
Shrugging his hand off of her, she looking up in anger. "Do you think I like this, Angel? Do you think I like the fact that my best friend is an evil, blood-sucking demon who wants to kill me and everyone I love? Do you think I enjoy knowing that I have to kill her?" Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away in the opposite direction, leaving Angel standing alone in the dark, quiet cemetery.
~Part: 6~
Hearing the door to the crypt open, Spike stood up from the chair he'd been sitting in, waiting impatiently.
"Ah, she returns," he said, sounding bored. "Have a good time?"
"Yep," she responded with a smile. "Ran into an old friend of mine."
He raised an eyebrow in question.
"The Slayer. Interrupted my meal," she said with a slight pout.
"The Slayer, caught you…feeding…and didn't kill you?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Angel stopped her."
"Angel? Why would he stop her?"
"He has his reasons."
Before Spike had a chance to question her further, he suddenly sensed something. The Slayer.
"Bugger," he mumbled, trying to decide what to do.
"What?"
"The Slayer, she's coming here, looking for you, no doubt. Go downstairs," he told her.
"Don't wanna," she said, another pout crossing her lips.
Grabbing her shoulders in a painful grip he shoved her toward the trap door with a growl. "I SAID to go downstairs. Now! You go and you stay down there and don't say a word, got it?"
Knowing better than to argue further, she climbed down into the cave below and sat on the bed, listening intently to the sounds above her.
~*~
The door to the crypt flew open and slammed loudly against the stone wall.
"Ah, Slayer, always such a pleasure to welcome you into my home," Spike said, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Not in the mood for games, Spike," Buffy told him as she walked toward the vampire.
"Good then," he replied. "Let's skip the witty repertoire and jump right to the reason you're barging in here tonight. Find a new lead on the witch, have you?"
"Something like that," she responded vaguely.
"Do tell," he said, jumping up onto the sarcophagus and lighting a cigarette.
"Willow's been turned. She's a vampire," Buffy said, her voice full of pain and guilt.
Spike's eyes widened as he feigned surprise. "And you know this how?"
"Angel…he…told me," Buffy explained.
This time Spike's eyes really did widen from surprise. What did that poof have to do with this? "Angel? How did he know?"
Buffy let out a sigh before beginning to explain the story as briefly as possible. "We got a call from L.A. Apparently, Angel was fighting a demon and it extracted his soul. That was months ago… not long before Willow was taken, as luck would have it."
Spike sat stock still, taking in what the Slayer was saying.
"Apparently, the newly unleashed Angelus decided to head back to good old Sunnydale…even the score or something like that, found Willow and took her. There was pain and torture…" Buffy's voice caught in her throat as she desperately fought to keep the mental images away. "And then, apparently, he turned her, just before Giles restored his soul."
Spike sat, staring at her in a strange mixture of shock and anger. Angelus! He should have known. How could he have overlooked something so obvious? Bastard always did get there first, didn't he? How could Willow not tell him that Angelus was her sire?
"I ran into her earlier tonight…had a fun little exchange of words, among other things and then Angel came along and let her go. I need to find her…now. I need to know if you've heard anything…know where she might go?"
Spike shook his head. "Wish I could tell you, Slayer, but I haven't got a bloody clue. I'll keep my ears open though, talk to a few demons I know, so what I can find out. Might take some time though."
"The sooner I find her and get this over with, the better," Buffy said quietly, walking toward the door.
"What happens when you do find her?" He called out, needing to hear the answer.
Buffy turned back to him and shrugged, a frown on her face. "I kill her," she replied simply, before turning back and walking out the door.
~Part: 7~
Willow was sitting on the edge of the bed, biting at her nails nervously. She had heard their entire conversation. He knew. He knew about Angelus and Angel and she was really not looking forward to his reaction.
Would he stake her on the spot? Or worse yet, would he leave her, now that he knew?
Hearing him coming down the ladder and moving across the room, the younger vampire kept her head tilted downward, not able to meet his gaze. He stopped just in front of her, looking down. Finally, she turned her eyes up toward him. His face, as usual, was stony and cold and completely unreadable.
"Few things we need to talk about, pet," Spike said in a voice so low and calm that it was eerie.
"Oh?" She said, trying to sound as sweet and innocent as possible. "What's that?"
"What's that?" He repeated, incredulously. "How about the fact that Angelus is your sire?! Or the fact that you said your sire was dead?! Or that you said that YOU killed him!!"
Willow flinched as the blonde yelled, reaching down and yanking her up by the arms, so that she was standing right in front of him.
"I…I…I didn't SAY that I killed him exactly…I…I said more or less," she explained, feebly. "A-and it's true. He is dead. Angel's back, my SIRE is dead…and it is my fault, because I was the one that had the ritual to restore the soul in the first place. I should have destroyed it a long time ago. The Watcher never would have…"
He stared at her for a moment before responding, his voice again low and frighteningly calm. "Why did you not tell me that it was Angelus?"
"I…I was afraid you wouldn't…let me stay," she admitted in a tiny voice.
Spike contemplated this for a minute, before letting out a deep sigh and shoving her away from him. The redhead stumbled backwards and landed on the bed behind her, looking up at him fearfully.
"You come running to me for help, when all along, you belong to him!" He yelled, pacing the room in front of her.
Willow jumped up from the bed, shaking her head back and forth. "I don't belong to him," she growled, her eyes flickering gold. "He left."
"Yeah, well that's what he does best," Spike said bitterly.
"I DON'T belong to him," Willow vehemently repeated.
"That right? And who exactly do you belong to?" He asked.
"I belong to no one," she told him, clenching her fists at her side, her demon threatening to jump forward, bubbling just below the surface.
"Wrong answer," he growled, suddenly upon her, his hand wrapped around her throat tightly. "You belong to me now, got it?"
"I belong to no one!" She choked out, trying to pry his hand from her throat.
"You belong to me," he repeated, his tone deadly as he released her from his grip. "You will do as I say and you will NOT go out again without me, understand?"
"You don't want me to go out and hunt because you can't!" She accused. "You're weak and you're leashed and you want me to be no better!"
Letting her go, she stumbled back slightly before he suddenly lashed out, backhanding her hard across the face. "Watch it, girl…you are treading dangerously now," he warned.
Willow simply crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin up defiantly.
"You aren't my sire," she growled. "You can't command me."
In a flash, he had her pinned face-first against the cold, unyielding wall, an arm held painfully behind her back. She mentally noted that she was finding herself in this position far too often as of late.
"Who is the one who will protect you, who will feed you, who offers you a soft bed, who will make you quiver and moan?" He growled lowly in her ear, "I may not be your sire, but you WILL respect me as if I were. Understand? You tell me your sire is dead? Then from now on, for all intents and purposes, you belong to me."
Turning her head slightly to the side, she glanced backwards toward him, a sly smile spreading across her lips. "Maybe you need to show me a little," she said in a low, seductive voice.
Letting out a deep growl, Spike lunged forward and sank his fangs deep into her neck, his bite claiming. He savored the rich flavor of her blood as it flowed into his mouth. Willow moaned and bucked back against him, feeling the pull of her blood. Biting a little deeper, Spike heard the younger vampire whimper and it was music to his ears. This little spitfire was his now. He had claimed her and no one would be able to take her away.
~Part: 8~
When he had finally taken enough from her, he pulled his head back, spinning her around. She was dizzy and panting, blinking several times to try and force her eyes to focus again. Before she could regain her composure, his lips descended upon hers in a claiming kiss. Were it necessary for her to breath, surely she would be dead as he claimed her mouth forcefully, passionately sucking every last unneeded breath from her.
The blonde's grip was solid and painful, only serving to stir her passion all the more. Willow was clinging to him desperately, moaning as he pulled his lips from hers and bent his head, licking at the mark he had just made on her neck.
A second later, she felt herself being swept up off of her feet, and carried down into the bedroom below. Spike tossed the redhead roughly onto the bed and she scrambled up into a kneeling position, reaching out to pull him toward her. He stepped back, out of reach, just as she grabbed for his shirt, and she let out a whimper, pouting at him.
"Spike, please," she whined, running her hands down her body wantonly, pulling open her shirt, revealing her bare chest.
The blonde smirked at her, slowly undoing the first two buttons of his shirt and running his hand down, along his chest, his eyes glued to hers.
"Who do you belong to?" He asked in a low, gruff voice.
Willow frowned and let out a low growl. "I DON'T belong to ANYONE," she ground out, feeling the anger begin to bubble up again.
Suddenly, Spike lunged forward, pushing her backwards, pressing her against the mattress, his weight holding her down. The younger vampire struggled beneath him, only serving to amuse him.
"Thought I already explained this to you, luv," he told her, leaning down and running his tongue along his claim again. "You belong to me. Now, how can I get you to understand that?"
At that, Spike attacked her lips again with his own, the kiss dominating. A moment later, he suddenly found himself flipped onto his back, a small but powerful redhead straddling his stomach. Willow leaned down with a feral grin and licked at his neck before whispering seductively.
"I don't belong to anyone, Spike." Her voice was sugary-sweet and when she brought her head back up he was surprised, though pleasantly so, to see her true face had emerged. She was beautiful as a human, but as a vampire, she was completely stunning.
"Want you, now," she said with a pout, suddenly gripping his shirt and ripping it open, running her nails along his pale, smooth chest.
Spike's head tilted back as his eyes closed and he let out a deep moan.
"Mmm, puppy likes," she purred, a sly grin on her face.
Spike's eyes popped open at her words and he reached out, grabbing her shoulders firmly before suddenly flipping them both over again.
"I am not your puppy," he growled, his angry growing as he saw the redhead giggle at him. "You will learn to obey and respect me, girl, if I have to beat it into you."
"Ohhh, is that a threat or a promise?" She cooed, running her hands along his chest as he hovered over her, her nails digging in and leaving delicious red lines in their wake.
Spike grabbed both of her small wrists and pinned them over her head, holding both hands tightly in one of his. "It's a guarantee," he growled.
Willow grinned again, feeling her arousal growing, and bucked up under him. Spike let out a growl, tightening his grip on her wrists and watching her wince at the pain.
"Please," she whispered, closing her eyes tightly, "wanna play."
"Who do you belong to?" He questioned again.
She opened her eyes and looked straight up at him, not saying a word, though her glare held nothing but pure defiance.
With movement so swift that even she wasn't able to register it, Willow suddenly found herself completely naked, held down and covered by an equally naked Spike. The feel of his cool skin against hers was too much and she struggled to free her arms which were once again pinned firmly above her head.
Seeing the blonde vampire lean over to the table next to the bed, she turned her head try to follow his actions. A second later she heard a snapping sound and her head tipped upward, feeling cool metal clamp down around one wrist. She saw him clamp the handcuffs over the other wrist and began pulling at them, realizing that she couldn't break free.
"You wanted to play, didn't you?" He said with a snicker, before beginning to kiss his way down her body. Starting at her neck, he slowly moved down her chest, purposely ignoring her small, firm breasts, smiling against her skin as he heard her whimper in protest.
Taking his time, moving at an achingly slow pace, he kissed and sucked his way down her stomach until he reached the fragrant juncture between her legs. Pausing, he glanced up to see her writhing, eyes closed, chained to the bed, deciding that was the way she should always look.
"Who do you belong to?" He questioned, hearing nothing more than a whimper as she bucked up again, protesting the loss of his mouth. A moment later, he heard her moaning as he tasted her, licking and sucking at a pace as slow and cruel as he had moved down her body with.
"Spike, please," she begged and he smiled against her, feeling her body tensing, knowing she was so close.
Again, he pulled his head away, looking up at her, licking his lips.
Slowly, he crawled back up her body, kissing her deeply, letting her taste herself on his lips. She moaned and bucked up again, begging for more.
Positioning himself at her entrance, he thrust in with one fluid motion, hearing her scream in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Beginning an immediate rhythm, he slowly slid in and out of her, over and over until he had the redhead panting and moaning incoherently beneath him.
Knowing she was just about to go over the edge, he stilled his movements, giving her a cocky grin as she looked up in complete frustration.
"Who do you belong to?" He questioned, seeing her clamp her eyes shut and hearing her moan.
Reaching out, he pinched a nipple hard between his fingers, twisting it painfully, and she gasped and arched her back, her eyes popping open and staring up at him again. She tried to move her body beneath him, desperate for any kind of friction or movement, but he easily held her still.
"Tell me," he whispered, "and I'll give you everything you want."
Finally she let out a deep, unneeded breath and whispered, "You, I belong to you, Spike."
Immediately he resumed his rhythm, speeding up and pounding into her hard and fast, hearing her keening as she came, her already impossibly tight walls clamping down around him, pushing him to his own climax.
Both thoroughly sated and exhausted, Spike collapsed on top of the redhead. As they both came down, he heard her whimper and lifted his head, suddenly afraid that he had been too rough with her. She gave him a pouty smile and lifted her arms slightly, indicated the handcuffs.
"Sorry, luv," he mumbled, leaning forward and undoing the cuffs, tossing them to the ground. He rolled off of her, pulling the redhead with him and smiled as she snuggled closely to him.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Willow whispered in a sleepy voice. "I was just afraid that..."
"Shhh," he interrupted. "No worries, pet. Just remember, from now on, you belong to me, and no more secrets, alright?" Spike wasn't even sure why he felt such a strong need to claim this fledgling as his own, but for some reason, he did. She was his, and he knew it, and no other thought could have made him happier. He felt her nod against his chest before they both quickly drifted off to sleep.
~Part: 9~
Spike was slowly pulled from his sleep and turned, stretching. Feeling for the vampire next to him, and finding nothing, he suddenly sat up, looking around the room.
"Something wrong?"
He looked toward the dark corner where the voice had come from.
"What are you doing?" He questioned.
"Wanna go out," she told him as she made her way back to the bed, now fully dressed. She climbed up onto the mattress and crawled toward him.
"Thought I told you not to go out without me," he growled, trying to ignore the seductive way in which she was moving toward him.
"Who says you aren't coming?" She whispered, as she leaned over him, kissing his lips lightly.
"Where exactly is it that you think we're going? You know that Buffy will still be looking for you."
"My parents are in town, for the moment. Thought I'd stop by and say hello."
"Have a nice little family get together, that it?" He asked. "Sit around, chatting over dinner?"
"Something like that," she replied with a smile. "Although, I don't think there will be much chatting. It's gonna be more like `ow, please no, oh the pain!'" She sat up, tossing her hand over her forehead dramatically before giggling.
"So I get to sit and, what, watch you have a nice meal then?" He grumbled, pushing her back a bit and sitting a little taller.
The redhead pouted, sitting back on her heels. "Thought you'd join me," she said quietly.
"I think you're forgetting about a little chip problem I have," he growled.
"Chip problem all gone," she told him.
His eyes widened and he gave her a questioning look.
"Took care of that when I woke up. Figured it was better to do it when you were still sleeping," she explained.
"You took care of it, as in..."
"As in all gone, go bye-bye," she said in childish, mocking voice.
"You-you made it go away, just like that?" He asked, not able to believe it.
The redhead nodded, "I told you I was powerful." She smiled as she saw the wide grin cross his face and leaned in toward him again. "So, you're pleased?"
Spike nodded, "More than you know." He told her, reaching out and grabbing her shoulders, pulling her in for a deep, passionate kiss.
When he finally pulled away, she looked up at him, eyes shining. "Then, can we go out and play?"
"Absolutely, luv. Can't think of anything I'd rather do."
"Really?" She whispered seductively. "Nothing?" She ran a hand up his chest slowly, her nails lightly scraping the pale skin. Willow smiled, feeling him shudder slightly.
"Almost nothing," he whispered, grinning, just before pulling her into another searing kiss.
~Part: 10~
"What exactly do you expect me to do?" Buffy yelled in frustration.
"Buffy, it's Willow."
"No, Xander, it's not. I-I'm sorry, but it's not. If you had seen her, the way she acted, the things she said, it's not her."
The dark haired man looked down at his hands in his lap, not knowing what to say or do.
"This is my fault," Angel said quietly.
"No one's arguing that point here," Xander growled, glaring at the vampire. "We should have staked you a long time ago."
"Enough!" Giles yelled. "This isn't helping."
"Giles, what do we do?" Buffy asked.
"I wish I knew the answer," he responded sadly.
"What about giving her a soul, like Angel's?" Anya suggested, smiling as her boyfriend's face lit up.
"No."
Everyone turned toward Angel.
"What do you mean, no?" Xander demanded.
"You can't do that to her. You have no idea how difficult it is, to exist like this, with a soul."
"Well, it's better than letting her run around killing people, or-or dusting her!" Xander shouted.
"Think about Willow, the Willow we know, the guilt of what she's done, it would kill her," Buffy said quietly.
"Well, she hasn't been a vampire for that long, right? You said it was only about a week or so since you turned her, right?" Xander said hopefully. "So how much damage could she have caused in that amount of time?"
"Willow was...she was with Angelus for months, Xander, and he-I the things she endured, even before she was turned, she wasn't your Willow anymore. She was broken over and over." Angel's voice cracked with emotion, the horrifying memories of what he had done flooding his mind. He looked up seeing Xander staring at him, his face red with anger.
"What exactly did you do to her?" The younger man ground out.
Angel shook his head. "Tortured her in every way imaginable. Raped her, beat her, was creating another Drusilla."
"Why would you want another crazy childe?" Anya asked.
"It's Angelus' favorite game. See how long it takes to break them. Willow lasted longer than anyone I've ever known. By the time he-I was ready to turn her, oh god." He closed his eyes, pushing back the tears that threatened to fall. "She had lost the will to fight. The fire, the light in her eyes, it was gone and she retreated into herself. Looked more like a lost little girl than the strong woman she was. In the end, she begged to be killed, turned, she didn't care. She just wanted it to be over."
"You sick bastard!" Xander yelled, jumping up and lashing out at the vampire.
Buffy caught him and held him back, "Xander, stop!"
"No! Why are you still protecting him! You just listened to what he did to her! How can you defend him?!"
"I'm not defending him," Buffy stated, glancing toward Angel gravely. "He didn't have his soul, it wasn't Angel, just like this, now, it isn't Willow. I-I'm not defending him, but now isn't the time, Xander."
Finally, he calmed down a bit and backed off, sitting back down next to Anya, but keeping a steady, deadly glare on Angel.
"What happened after you turned her?" Buffy asked.
"It was just as planned. She was completely evil and completely devoted to Angelus," he told them. "The vampire version of her that you all met last year, that was nothing compared to what Angelus had created. She's devious, ruthless and cunning. She isn't insane like Dru, either. There's a part of her, something that's off, but it isn't the same."
"You're telling us that she's completely ruthless and evil, but we can't stake her and we can't give her a soul?" Xander questioned.
Angel simply nodded.
"What happened when you got the soul back?" Buffy asked.
"She had only been awake a few days and was still weak from everything before. I had been staying with her, hadn't had the chance to take her out hunting yet. I was keeping her below one of the crypts in the cemetery. She was asleep when you did the restoration. I-I ran out. I didn't know what else to do, so I-I left her there." The eyes of everyone else in the room widened as he spoke. "There were maybe 8 or 9 minions there, with her. She was weak still, too weak to have fought them," His voice trailed off as he covered his face in shame.
"You left her there? You left her there with them?!" Xander shouted.
"I-I was confused. I didn't even remember that she was there until- until later, and by then, she was gone."
Buffy nodded, "She escaped. So, she must be stronger than you thought. That still leaves us with what to do with her now. Give her a soul or kill her."