Unexpected Surprises
Parts 7 - Finale
by Neko (kewlbug@hotmail.com)
 
 

***"Something's up with Will. She's acting all… weird. Do you think something is up?… You're right. It's Willow. She'd never keep something from us."***
 

Sighing, Willow made her way into the mass piled into the Bronze. Nothing was the same anymore since she found out a little bit about Kinhg demons from Alellia. "A kinhg demon? Oh! Yes -" she flipped through her book, finding a page midst thousands of others without even blinking. "I don't have that much information on them, I hope you can find this useful!"
 

Willow's eyes scanned the page but she found herself lost in the last sentences. "Kinhg demons usually are employed by other people. The sorcerer was quite happy to admit that he sent one after me after I tortured him for a bit. Vicious temperaments - not bright enough to plan on their own. Usually someone with strong supernatural abilities is able to keep them reigned in."
 

Willow found Xander, Cordelia and Buffy sitting at a table near the back. When she reached it, Xander swallowed her in a bear hug and she smiled. Xander and her friends would help her. They did care for her after all...
 

"Hey Wills! Missed you today during Physics. But I thought you were struck down with the flu?"
 

Willow searched carefully though her mind for an excuse. "You thought wrong! I used my magick to make me feel better. You know, the normal witchy stuff I like to do. Not that that isn't the only thing I do normally, because I don't. You know, I help out with the Scoobies and all that and I had to take a day off from all the stress. Not that I didn't want to see you guys or anything -"
 

"Willow. Breathe." Buffy broke in through Willow's babble who nodded and took what the slayer requested.
 

Willow pushed her hair behind her ears nervously and then pulled the hair out from behind. She repeated this process several of times before the band struck up and Buffy jumped up. "I love this song!" She walked out onto the dance floor, grabbing a random boy and started dancing with him.
 

Willow frowned as she watched one of her best friends blatantly ignore Willow as she looked over for Cordelia and Xander. Cordelia jumped up and started dancing with the guy too.
 

That guy sure was happy. He was in the middle of a good looking girl sandwich.
 

Willow looked over at Xander who was smiling at her. Good old Xander - he would never leave when he knew she was in pain. "So Wills… can I ask you a question?" After the nod from her head, he cleared his voice and continued. "The other day… I woke up in the middle of your living room. Did I see you on Saturday?"
 

Willow swallowed, her quick mind trying to find away to pull off this lie successfully. She gave a forced laugh and swatted him playfully on the arm. "Xander! Of course you did! I called you over for a movie and you came, but I got sick. You fell asleep when I came back from downstairs and I knew with my fever I couldn't get you home alone. I called Buffy but she was on patrol, I went out to find her but I was too weak to try real hard. So, I came back and found you gone."
 

Her eyes never wavered from his and she bit the inside of her cheek when she saw Xander's eyebrow crinkle in deep thought and then he gave her a goofy smile. "Of course! How could I forget? Yep, that's what happened. Whoo. Anyways Will, you want something to drink? I gotta fetch me a coke."
 

"A diet pepsi would be nice, Xand."
 

"A diet pepsi it is, my lady." Xander said with a mock bow and left to go fetch their drinks. As soon as he left she let out a relived sigh. She almost felt a stab of regret for lying to Xander but… well, he kept secrets from her too. Not that that made it right, but… it evened the score. Or something. She knew they would all flip if they heard she was hanging out with Spike, another vamp and his witch girlfriend and lock her up. Probably call her possessed or something.
 

And if they knew she had feeling from Spike… a slight blush crossed her face when she thought of him. His nice cheekbones, cold hands, piercing icy blue eyes, peroxide blonde hair, fashion sense… she shook herself out of her thought before her thoughts strayed down to his fine ass… Willow! She scolded herself mentally, wondering why she was thinking and looking at such things.
 

Giggling to herself, she waited for Xander to come back.
 

It was getting to hot in here.
 

*
 

Buffy and Cordelia exchanged looks as they saw Willow giggling by herself, before both shrugging. Whatever.
 

*
 

After a set, Cordelia and Buffy returned to the table as Willow was laughing over Xander's latest joke. Willow sobered up instantly and whispered, "Buffy - you know that Kinhg demon we were researching for a while back?"
 

Cordelia sighed exasperatedly and moaned, "Do you people EVER talk about anything not related to ucky demons?"
 

After shooting Cordelia a disgusted glance, Buffy's gaze traveled to a cute blonde setting up on the next set as she replied, "Yeah - I killed it, Willow."
 

Willow frowned. Buffy hadn't told her that - when had that happened? She shook off the sharp sad feeling she had and returned to her story. "One attacked me the other night. That's why I stayed out of school - I had to heal the burns."
 

Xander jumped out of his seat and clasped her hands, "Are you okay, Willow?"
 

She smiled at him, and got her hands out of his grasp. "I'm fine, Xand. Anyway, I learned that -"
 

"OH MY GOD!" Buffy shouted and her eyes remained glued to the door.
 

Everyone's head whipped around and standing in the doorway of the Bronze was the one and only boytoy of a slayer. Angel. His eyes searched through the crowd and his eyes caught with Buffy. He gave her a smirk, which looked exactly like Angelus'; Willow watched as Xander shivered and swallowed heavily.
 

What is this? Why is Xander acting like that? Was there something going on between him and Buffy's boyfriend's evil ego? But what about Cordelia? Is it some kind of sick threesome? Oh, why are all of her thoughts swaying to sex or nice asses today?
 

'It's a nice ass!'
 

'Oh, shut up!' She scolded herself, and tried to ignore that annoying little voice. Sighing to herself, she dropped her head to her hands and wondered why she even bothered to talk about it at all.
 

She half expected Jenny Calender to pop out of the blue yonder and try to kill them all.
 

Her eyes darted around the bronze - just in case.
 

I mean, this was Sunnydale.
 

* End Part 7
 

***"How the bloody hell do you make a 'C' with that stupid French accent under it on this bloody contraption? "***
 

Angelus' smirk was very disconcerting. Willow found herself loosing all train of thoughts while he *smirked* at them. She wondered why it never got any easier and then sighed. She knew why - it was because she was Jewish, wasn't she?
 

I'm a Jew-wicca, she reasoned and her thoughts turned inward. What if I have to cast a soul restoration again? I know the words… 'nici mort nici al flinctei…'  Her thoughts were immediately distracted by the view of a slight girl walking into the place. Her outfit stood out, and her green eyes found Willow's own. She smiled and gestured as if she wanted Willow to come but Willow shook her head no.
 

The girl frowned and Willow watched as Angelus strolled over to the girl. Willow noticed her friends talking quietly amongst themselves and she slowly slid over that way. "…bitch, huh?"
 

"Oh please, Angelus. Do you really have to stoop so low? Dathan and I are nothing of your concern so back the hell off. Go fuck your little boy toy." She motioned over in Xander's direction and Willow frowned. Once again back on the disturbing threesome or even twosome between Xander and Angelus.
 

"Such crude words from a lady! Oh, I forgot you never were one…" he taunted her and she scowled. Willow swiftly moved in and grabbed Alellia's arm. "Let's go." She said shortly and all but dragged the girl out of there.
 

"How do you know Angelus?" Willow finally asked after a comfortable silence.
 

"I knew William. Through William I was forced to associate with that thing." She said contemptuously, spitting out `thing' with such force Willow blinked. She saw Angelus leaving the Bronze with Xander… Cordelia and Buffy. She saw Angelus growl at the girls and keep a strong hold on Xander's arm, and both girls stopped dead in their tracks. Something was going on…
 

"If you are wondering," Alellia said, her eyes on Willow's face, "Your friend and Angelus are involved. Their auras are all over one another. Gross. I can't believe anything is attracted to him!" Willow watched as the two men swiftly caught up with them. Alellia scowled at Angelus who decided to stand next to her and Xander blushed as he walked next to Willow.
 

Once again Xander had lied to her.
 

Once again she couldn't count on him.
 

Sighing she listened as he recounted the story of how the two first… met? "I was walked home alone after a patrol with Buffy when I saw him. He was lounging inside my house, at my mother's invitation. I took him up to my room - not knowing about the whole un-soul thing. He told me what happened between him and Buffy AFTER he told me he… liked me a lot. From there," he colored slightly, "things got out of hand. I was embarrassed, and I didn't say anything. I'm sorry, Willow."
 

She nodded, knowing in her head that it wasn't right of him to keep lying to her.
 

What can you do?
 

Alellia lead them over to Spike's new apartment, which they all entered… well except Angelus. Spike almost didn't agree to let him in but Willow asked him to and his defense crumbled. "Fine, you bloody wanker…" and then he stalked off to pout.
 

Alellia showed Willow what she had found on Kinhg demons on the Internet… unfortunately it was in French. Fortunately, Natalie - Alellia's past reincarnation used to be French and could translate the language. Nothing more useful from what they had already known, but there was a link to another page.
 

A powerful sorcerer from the Middle Ages had wrote a book and someone had thoughtfully scanned it on to the Internet. It spoke of their feeding habits - it ate mostly leaves because it was the only thing that normally wasn't as polluted as their poisonous skin touched it. Kinhg demons were known as hired assassins and were known for their love of witches' blood.
 

Obviously someone had sent the demon after her for a reason.
 

Willow scowled and tried to find more information on who would be able to control such a demon but the person had scanned it wrong and it didn't show up well. Willow sent them a nice e-mail relaying a short message about her question of whom.
 

Why? Was the next question to be addressed and everyone in the living area shrugged.
 

"It's after your body. Lovely one it is…" Spike murmured and everyone just gave him a few amused glances.
 

"Maybe you pose the biggest threat." Alellia chimed in happily from her position on Dathan's lap. "Or maybe it wants you to cast a spell of some sort… but that wouldn't make sense because didn't the person who summoned it has to have strong supernatural abilities so it wouldn't want you to do a spell since it can do one for itself - " Dathan clamped a hand over her mouth, and shrugged apologetically to everyone in the room.
 

"It might want you to help it get to Buffy." Xander chimed in and everyone glared at him. "What?"
 

"Buffy already killed one, Xand. I don't think it cares about me enough to keep doing it." Willow cut in; hurt that he assumed it was using her to get to Buffy. Jerk. Not everything was about the all powerful and great Buffy.
 

"The person probably wants you out of the way, Willow." Angelus chimed in thoughtfully, his hand stroking the back of Xander's neck. "Thinks you can contradict his spell and he wants you out of commission so he can kill Buffy easily." Everyone nodded at his idea, even though Alellia felt miffed - she had said the same thing, just with more words!
 

Willow wondered when everything would get easier and began to type in another site before Spike interrupted her. "Pet, you've been at this for entirely too long. Why not get some rest?" He took her hand and led her out of the room, oblivious to the catcalls and whistles from the other room.  He laid her down on his bed offering her some of his clothes to put on - a pair of sweats and a tee shirt, and she nodded happily.
 

She made him turn around as she changed, blushing furiously. After she was done she folded her clothes and put them in an unobtrusive place by the wall, looking at Spike, curiously. "Aren't you coming in?"
 

He grinned, "And what shall we be doing in this bed, pet?"
 

"Nothing!" she said hastily, her face crimson. Her body still remembered the kiss from Halloween…
 

He slipped into the bed besides of her and she curled up to his chest. She felt warm, safe, and… home. Smiling and yawning contentedly she quickly fell asleep, oblivious to the "evil" vampire that stayed awake and simply looked at her beautiful face.
 

*
 

Alellia closed the door behind her and walked quietly back into the main living room. The boys were playing poker at the table and she sat down at her place, looking at the final cards displayed on the table. "Asleep." Was all she said before putting down her royal flush.
 

"WHAT?" Xander said, gaping.
 

Angelus scowled, "Cheater."
 

Dathan sighed and gave her the winnings for the third game in a row. He took off his shirt, adding it to her ever-growing pile of clothing and cash. Xander and Angelus both did the same begrudgingly, and everyone glared at the bouncing girl.
 

"Who's up for another round?"
 

Everyone groaned but put in their money. They would make her loose a game even if it killed them.
 

Even though two of them were already dead.
 

Whose counting anyway?
 

*End Part Eight
 

***"Asleep. Let's go to my house. I'm tired and the soon shall be up soon, no?"***
 

As I walked with Angelus, Xander and Dathan I gleefully counted all the money I had made that night. Dathan had asked to have his back and I had just *looked* at him. He had sighed and walked up ahead with Angelus, leaving me with Xander. I tried to start a conversation with him, but he was closed off and very silent. Not agreeing with my nature, I simply shut up and continued to walk blindly. I glared up at Angelus, shivering as I thought about what I would have done.
 

I didn't want to give him his clothes back - but then I realized what that would mean, and it wouldn't be a hateful gesture so I reluctantly gave them back.
 

But not his money of course - I'm not that nice.
 

I thought about all that had happened in the last months with a degree of.... happiness? Here, I was thinking that nothing ever would happen to me and this new life - and then Dathan....
 

My eyes filled up with tears and I stubbornly blinked them away. Dathan was to much of a good looking boy - even though it was obvious he and I were together, not a lot of people were convinced that he wasn't gay. So, a group of boys from our school had beat him up. I found them doing it and I wasn't to happy. I beat THEM up into bloody messes and I gave the leader a good kick in the balls. Let's just say he bows when he sees me in the school halls.
 

I did call William who helped me and Dathan rather kindly. I knew I couldn't live without Dathan - he'd be reborn again and I be stuck here and then I'd die and he'd die after me - and it would be a mess. We would never be able to be together again. I couldn't live with that so I did what any rational female would do.
 

Call a vampire to turn your boyfriend.
 

Dathan rather likes it - he always did have a thirst for blood kill.... I won't go there. I don't want to relive it again.
 

I was startled out of my thoughts when Xander began to speak.....
 
 
 

I felt the need to tell someone. How I wound up with Angelus and how everything happened after that. She was as good a person than anyone. She had given me a few details on her and Dathan's relationship and I felt the need to pay her back for telling me. I mean those details weren't nice at ALL.
 

She had tried starting up a conversation - points for that. But all in all I didn't want to talk about being a Slayerette or slaying demons and vampires or anything with Buffy. Buffy hadn't acted nicely at all to me and Angelus. She said things... I'm not going there but she was a total BITCH for someone who supposedly sent him to hell and hooked up with the first guy she saw.
 

I told... Alellia? I knew her name now was Katarina - but it was obvious that everyone called her Alellia. "May I tell you something?" Was all I said and she looked at me in surprise.
 

"S-Sure..." she stammered out not knowing what to say at all, I guessed. I must of shocked her, since I was so cold to her earlier.
 

"Do you mind if it's about Angelus and I?" I saw that she and Angelus didn't get along at all and didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
 

"Of course not." She fell into step with me and gave me an encouraging smile.
 

I looked at her gratefully, happy to tell this to someone. "Well, it was I guess the night after Buffy and Angel... did the deed. I thought he was still Angel so when my Mom let him in, I was fine with it. It was just Angel. We went up into my room where he proceeded to tell me he loved me. Now, I was shocked. He didn't and couldn't love me - he loved Buffy. I told him I couldn't betray my friend like that and he simply told me that everything with her was over. I blinked, not believing.... but he kissed me. That was really where I started to loose my mind. I promised myself I would only do it for a while... a week turned into a month, and I soon did find out about his whole soul being gone. For some reason it didn't bother me. Anyway, I guess I fell in love with him. When Buffy was going to send him to hell I tried to get him to leave but he said no. I watched as she sucked him into hell, and then I went back to the mansion after she left. I saw him there, a smirk on his handsome face and he told me that Buffy and sucked the soul into hell, not him.
 

"I'm ashamed to admit that I was ecstatic. So, we... we're together. We tried to keep it secret for as long as possible but Angelus didn't understand why I wanted to keep it secret and he showed up at the Bronze - ruining all my hard worked plans. Bastard."
 

I looked over at her and she was smiling at me, "Seems just like Angelus to ruin everything you planned. So... you really like that slimy creep, huh?"
 

I nodded, and she patted my arm. "Well, at least someone on the face of the planet does." She rolled her eyes and I laughed.
 

A true laugh.
 

I only wished Willow was here.
 

But she was happy where she was, and I wouldn't disturb her for the world. Angelus shot me a smirk and I gave him me patented smirk. I was happy now, and so she should be too.
 

All of our worries can wait.
 
 
 

And that was all too true. Their worries were only just beginning now.
 

* End Part 9
***"No one shall escape my wrath."***
 

A dark figure sat in a big armchair by a fire. The fire brought out the redness in the chair - a deep one almost looking like blood in the right light. A single hand waved and a minion appeared. He was short, fat, ugly, kind of gray demon who bowed as gracefully as it could with a pot belly.
 

"What do you want, Master?" The voice sounded like nails grating on a blackboard - coarse and rather high-pitched yet the dark figure didn't flinch.
 

"Why have you not killed the girl?" The voice was feminine, soft and almost innocent in manner.
 

The minion faltered a little but soon stood tall. "The Kinhg demon has failed, Master. You know how it fears -" his voice was cut off abruptly as a single hair stretched out and wrapped around his neck, lifting him off the floor.
 

"I do not care what IT fears, Greyson. You WILL get me that girl. I do not care what it takes or how you do it but you will achieve it and it will be soon, yes?" The hand tightened and Greyson hurried and nodded. The hand dropped him unceremoniously to the floor, and coiled back into the seat.
 

Greyson rubbed his neck, thankful his master hadn't snapped his neck for his un-loyalty. He bowed in the presence of his Master and quickly scurried away as the Master began laughing maniacally.
 

Greyson closed the great doors behind him and watched the demons scurry about the house. Idiots, all of them. No one understood the Master like he did. He served the Master without fault; never betrayed or left or anything. Always stood by his Master. Because… well, he loved the Master.
 

The Master… used to be different. Kind, sweet and gentle. Sure, roughness came into play but only to keep us scraggy demons in line. Greyson had been the Master's personal demon, he had pledged to serve on the day of the Master's eighteen birthday, and the Master had taken him under it's wing as a personal demon. A few spells, demonic rituals, summoning of evils - you know the usual for a demon lackey.
 

Greyson fidgeted as he went about his daily duties. He made sure the slaves were cleaning and some of the demons were practicing (especially those Cricid's they are such a bother some time), making sure everything was running smoothly. He had even told the Kinhg demon that it should try and get the girl again.
 

Greyson found his way to his own quarters - right next to the Master's; and began straightening up. Greyson didn't really look like this. He really was tall, lean, a rather handsome devil instead of this ugly, wretched, miserable fat creature. Yet, the Master told him to always have the element of surprise and hide your true appearance when the time comes.
 

Feeling alone, he smiled into the mirror. No one else was around and he needed to stretch his wings…  A light sprung up around him and flooded the room with a bright light. When the light cleared Greyson was gone. There stood a true Malachiev demon in all it's glory; bright silver hair tumbled down from his head, a tall figure stretched to a tall height. Long bronze arms were unclasped in gold bands at the wrist showing ownership, a pair of simple black boots under his normal day typical human clothes. A pair of blue jeans, and black vest over a gray shirt with no sleeves; the only thing unusual about his appearance was his face. Perfectly sculptured like a human's, he had a mouth, white teeth, a nose, two ears which were slightly pointed and then the likeness stopped. His eyes… his eyes were all black - no pupils, no white - just black. And the trick to his eyes were if you stared into them long enough you became disoriented because you felt like you were surrounded by blackness.
 

His Master loved this form... yet kept him in that repulsive form to keep him hidden from those who might wish to steal him from her. His master did love him, yet it wasn't true love. All human females were enraptured by his form. Yet, the Master…. He did not wish to think about it. It was too entirely depressing.
 

She would never love him as he did her.
 
 

* Somewhere else………
 

Willow stretched up as she woke from her sleep, and she frowned as her body hit another one. She opened one eye and blinked as she saw a black shirt. Spike. A blush coated her face, yet she still snuggled closer to him. His smell was everywhere - it was of leather, cigarettes, and blood. And for some reason Willow felt strangely comforted by it. Though usually most girls would be turned off by it, but not Willow. Nope, Willow was a far cry from an average girl.
 

She looked over Spike's shoulder to read the blinking clock. It was noon on a Sunday... she did have to go into school tomorrow... there was nearly two weeks left of school. Just two! Then... she'd be off to college. Away from everyone. Away from Spike.
 

She frowned at her last thought. She did LIKE him I mean who wouldn't? Nice ass, cute cheekbones, great personality... but did something happen along the way? Did she stop liking him and start loving him somewhere amongst all of this craziness?
 

Sighing, she got up from the warm bed. Which was kind of ironic when you thought about it since only one person in the bed was living. Willow winced at her thoughts. Ugh. Now she sounds like some sort of necrophiliac. Even for Sunnydale that was gross.
 

She left the bedroom and wondered into the living room. Alellia and everyone had obviously left but a quick note was sitting on the table in Alellia's hand.
 

'Willow -
 

We thought we'd leave you to alone. *wink wink nudge nudge*
I brought Xander and Cousin It back to my hotel.
 

Stop by around two tom. ... Well *I* will.
 

~Alellia
 

P.S.: Don't do anything I wouldn't do. ^_~'
 

Chuckling at Alellia's personality, Willow stole away to the kitchen. Now, Spike being the unusual vampire he is had food - human - in his cabinets. She found a box of oatmeal - wonder if Spike likes oatmeal? - and warmed it up. Amazingly enough she found lots of food in his cabinets. But then, this was Spike who did like human food in his blood. Yuck.
 

She put water in a tea kettle and began to heat some up. Back to the problem at hand. Spike was a vampire. She was a human. Who was be-... friends with the Slayer. Frowning once again at her thoughts she poured herself some tea with the hot water.
 

When did she stop counting Buffy as a best friend? When did she get over Oz? How did she get on some crazy demons hit list? How did she get feelings for Spike? Why does she suddenly like Alellia a lot more then she used too?
 

Growling at herself for all these questions she put her head in her hands.
 

Life had gotten so confusing...
 

Willow sighed and finished her make-shift breakfast, hoping that she could take a quick shower before Alellia arrived. Yet as soon as she felt the hot water caress her skin she relaxed. Some muscles she had gotten used to being knotted relaxed. She let herself shower leisurely and stepped out into the big fluffy towel she had taken from Spike's closet. She was very surprised at how stocked his new apartment was.
 

She looked at herself in the slightly foggy mirror, the only noise the water dripping and the fan in the bathroom on. The black towel was a sharp contrast to her pale skin. She combed out her hair with a comb and picked her hair out the comb after she was done, still courteous. She brushed her teeth using her finger and some of the toothpaste she found in the cabinet.
 

She had resisted the urge to snoop around - only briefly glancing at things until she found what she wanted. But there was a big closet in Spike's apartment that she was dying to snoop around in.
 

After wrapping the towel more tightly around her petit frame she left the bathroom, with a glance at the bed. Still where she left him over a half an hour ago was Spike. She snickered softly and crept to the other side of the room. "Where are you going, love?"
 
 

She screamed in alarm as she felt his hand touch her shoulder, and drew a hand up to her wildly beating heart. "Don't DO that!" She screeched, half in alarm, half in anger. She let herself hit his bare chest playfully and watched as he put his hand where she hit him and made a mock-hurt face with an adorable pout. "You hurt me, pet..."
 

She rolled her eyes with an exasperated "Please..." and moved around the half-naked vampire. What would he look like all naked... BAD WILLOW! She scolded herself and let her face flush. She turned around to look at him and he was gone. Looking around in alarm she saw him on the bed - half asleep already.
 

She laughed and said quietly, "Go to sleep, Spike..." she walked over to the bed and gave him a kiss on his forehead, still blushing slightly.
 

He mumbled something and his arm snaked out and brought her into bed with him. She was slightly alarmed as she found an arm of steel around her waist, and his head buried in her neck - his lips touching right near her jugular. She knew that he wouldn't hurt her but somewhere inside she was shaking in fear that he would.
 

Sighing, she pondered on a way to retract his arm from around her waist. Finally finding pushing wouldn't do, she began to squirm. She slipped slightly and his arm moved up as she moved down. Blushing like a beet red tomato she knew where his arm would lay if she moved down slightly. Knowing she'd find no other way she squirmed again and his arm was across the chest. She could feel the back of her neck start to heat up and she slid down again. She noticed with some alarm that her towel was slipping up and she moved. Couldn't she have some decency today?
 

When she finally got herself free her towel was almost high thigh. She yanked it down to a more reasonable level and she flushed as she heard a "Was it as good for you, pet?", though when she turned around he was fast asleep.
 

She scurried into the bathroom and changed into her day old clothes - yuck - and left the bedroom just as she heard the lock turn in the door. "Yo!" a cheerful voice shouted out, and she heard a pair of key's being dropped onto the glass table by the door.
 

She looked around the corner to find Alellia, dressed in slightly tight dark blue jeans and a light blue tank top, with a bag in her hands. "I figured you didn't bring a change of clothes so I stopped by a store and picked you up some." She gave the bag to Willow, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head and moved into the kitchen.
 

Willow thanked her profusely and rushed to change. Inside the bag was underwear (surprisingly enough it was almost the right size), a green tank top and a pair of white shorts. Thanking the Goddess for whatever she had done lately to have a nice person as Alellia around she slipped them on.
 

When she walked out Alellia was having a coke and watching some inane soap opera. Willow rolled her eyes as she heard the woman say, "You cheated on me with my sister's boyfriend. But I love you anyway!" Alellia snorted and said, "If Dathan did that to me, I'd kill him. And THEN I'd be angry."
 

Alellia turned around in her chair and looked at Willow curiously. "All good?"
 

"Yep. Everything is all good." Willow smiled and looked at Alellia.
 

"I got news." Alellia said and reached into her bag. "That guy who scanned the pages in French? Well... he responded. More or less something interesting to note. Our "summoner" of sorts? Female. Kinhg demons fear and hate males - it refuses to come to one when summoned and refuses to work for one."
 

Willow sighed as Alellia handed her some paper. "All right. Every female who dislikes me..." Willow said glumly and began to write on the paper.
 

*End Part 10
 

Part 11
 

***"I'll always love Alexandra. More than Elizabeth, Alellia, Kataryn, Natalie… Alexandra is the true Alellia."***
 

Dathan rolled over in bed, his arm instinctively reaching out to wrap around Alellia. Except Alellia and her waist weren't in bed and his hand feel limply onto the sheets. Opening a wary cobalt eye his eyes only fell on the red sheets that set off Alellia's hair. Frowning he sat up in bed, scratching his bed head. Where was she? Normally she never leaves the house without telling him but then lately… Sighing his eyes traveled to the bathroom door which was open, inside it an empty room taunted him. If she was out of bed she was either in the bathroom, which she wasn't, or eating downstairs in the kitchen.
 

He got up out of bed, slipping on his black tank top over his black pajama pants and warily made his way down the hall, and to the stairs. One the way down he stopped as per his usual and looked at the picture on the wall. He remembered that Willow had noticed and asked who it was and he never answered. And for good reason he didn't.  Here was Alexandra in all of her glory. Alexandra was by far his favorite form of Alellia, feature wise and personality wise. Alexandra was calm, kind… a perfect lady. She was the only reincarnation of his witch that he had married. He ran a finger down the side of her cheek in the picture before continuing down the stairs.
 

Don't get him wrong - he loves Alellia and the form she is in now is growing on him. He did love Alellia in all forms but Alexandra had been something different. Something…
 

He smelt pancakes and grinned. He knew she was home. Walking forward, he stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he could see into the kitchen. There stood Angelus and Xander both covered in powder. Xander was mixing a bowl, his back towards Dathan and Angelus came up behind him, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist. He heard a small laugh and watched as Angelus kissed the boy's neck.
 

Blushing slightly, Dathan turned and walked into the library, not wanting to intrude. He gazed around his lover's favorite room and sighed. The books lined to walls in shelves, categorized in an order uniquely Alellia. Then came the desk, with the newest computer technology sitting ominously on the top. The computer loomed, the power on,  with a message on the screen.
 

'Dathan -
 

Went to go visit Willow.
 

Be back.
 

~Alellia'
 

He sighed as he read the note, knowing he wouldn't see her for a while. He played solitaire for a while, cursing all the way. He still wasn't sure how to use the bloody contraption and he grinned as he came more like his sire everyday.
 

Turning around on the swiveling chair, he noticed Alellia's book. It loomed on the desk, unsealed by her magic. It was opened to a page with a rather… interesting picture. 'Freihan demon. Alexandra discovered on a journey into the forest on her way to the Temple of Wind. Small in height, vicious teeth. Powerful magic - watch out for fireballs. Likes virgin blood and warrior hearts. Easily killed with the opposite of it's affinity - water.'
 

Her book was all like that featuring demons, vampires, lords, gods; everything she came across went into this book. It lasted over a hundred years and it was still in mint condition. He couldn't help the urge to ant to look in it - he had only been granted permission to look in it once and she had given it to him so he could draw a picture of Alexandra. One picture, in black a white was in the back on this book with a caption that read: 'Marin, Alexandra; Fourth Form; bilingualist. Lived in Japan since she was seven and left to marry Fredrick when she was twenty-seven. She went back as she turned fifty and died there that year.' He had long since memorized that short blurb and he ran his fingers over the dried ink lovingly. The other version of the picture he drew, in color hung in the hall.
 

Pictures of them were all over the house. Dathan knew of a picture of Fredrick in the hall by the guest room, one of  Christoph after he had taken up his baronetcy next to the bathroom, and one of Patrick here, in the library. He turned to look at the picture, smiling at his old form. Short red hair was cropped close to his head, his arm was around Natalie's waist, whose black hair ended at her shoulders and was tied up onto this intricate mess of a bun, braids and dyed streaks which made her look totally un-french. Didn't make her look Irish either… it really made her look… odd. Looking at Natalie's face, Dathan's smile crumbled. Out of all of Alellia's reincarnations, he hated her the most. She was a cruel bitch who looked for nothing but her own means. Well, she was born and raised in France.
 

Dathan sighed and turned away from that picture. Taking Alellia's book with him he slowly went over to the stairs. With perfect memory he was able to tell where all of Alellia's pictures were. One of her as Alexandra on the left wall of the staircase, another one of Alexandra and Fredrick were in the guestroom - it was their wedding picture. Elizabeth had two pictures one downstairs in the work out room, the other in the kitchen with Elizabeth's dear friend Anne. Natalie had one picture in the library and Kataryn had five pictures as did Lucien because it was their forms now but his favorite picture of all was right in their bedroom.
 

It was a sketch magicked to stay forever as new of Dathan and Alellia. Alellia was wearing a beautiful dress fit to be made to make her look like a princess and not the gypsy she was. Sure, he did sound a little bitter but old prejudices die hard. Yet, she was beautiful. Her long black hair cascaded down her back and her colorless blue eyes seemed to stare happily into his own. Around her waist was his own arm. His shoulder length silver hair brushed against her cheek in the picture, and his own black eyes didn't stare at him but at Alellia. He was out of his usual attire of his robes and travel wear and in a simple outfit that made him look like royalty. He remembered her dress had been blue silk and his black outfit had looked stunning with it.
 

Sighing, he collapsed down on the bed and read though the book. The first half when she still was Alellia was a journal of sorts; feelings and descriptions all jumbled as one and it never seemed to break even though entries ended. Then it slowly morphed into the book of demons and evil things as it is now and he looked through the book, surprised out her sketching abilities. They weren't good - but he had a sense of what they looked like. Alexandra's writings had been partially in Japanese characters and Dathan had to regretfully skip over them, but after she married Fredrick and moved to England did her writing transfer to English letters.
 

Natalie's writing were all in french and Dathan didn't have the slightest regret passing them over.
 

When he hear the door open and close at four in the afternoon, he jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. There was Alellia who looked beautiful in her outfit and Dathan grabbed her and smashed his lips against her own. Her startled eyes looks into his before falling closed. Her arms encircled his neck and she let her finger run through his shoulder length lack hair. Her lips were just as he remembered them - sweet, soft, warm and… it felt like he was kissing sunlight. The sun he could never see anymore. He didn't want to let her go, but he knew she had to breathe. Her body pressed against his, her hands soothing his hair, her pounding heart, her warm blood singing to him… he felt like he was in heaven.
 

When he broke the kiss, he didn't move his face farther away and she looked startled up into his eye as she caught her breath. "What was that for?" she asked finally, not moving farther away just looking right up at him. And as she looked up at him, Alexandra's face flashed in front of his eyes, and he smiled softly. He loved this girl, he truly did.
 

"I missed you." He watched her whole face light up with joy and he smiled back at her. He knew ever since he had gotten… vampiric that she felt slightly uncomfortable around him. She didn't know that he needed her anymore and she was watching Willow and William's relationship with only longingness and happy sadness. Her journal so eloquently put it as "I'm lost in a sea of turbulent emotions and Poseidon is wielding confusion as his trident."
 

He took one of her hands from around his neck and kissed the back of it softly. "Come now. Join me in bed."
 

She smiled before hitting him playfully on the chest. "This body is underage! You wouldn't think of…" Dathan only smiled at her as she joked and watched her walk gracefully up the stairs. She was his Alexandra, and she always would be.
 

*
 

Alellia walked gracefully down the stairs, thinking about the past couple of hours. Dathan proved to her that he did care for her even now, and Alellia had read her journal to him at his request. They had spent at least 2 hours of her reading, stroking his hair of the head resting in her lap.
 

She entered the kitchen with a bright smile and a bounce in her step. "Hello, all." She said cheerfully to Angelus and Xander who looked at her oddly. She took out some object of food and slowly began to eat, after a moment she realized she was eating some leftover that had gone bad. Without wiping the smile off her face she dumped it in the garbage and grabbed a safe box of pretzels and practically skipped her way over to the couch. Settling back upon it she flipped on some romantic sappy movie and sat sighing happily all the way through it.
 

After it was done she flipped off the television and skipped over to the phone. She dialed Willow's number from the piece of paper she had written it down on, and hummed the theme from the movie as she listened to it ring. "'Ello?" came a British voice and Alellia smiled.
 

"Hello, William. Please put Willow on the phone."
 

She could tell her was puzzled but she heard a muted conversation before Willow's voice came on the phone. "Hey Alellia! I narrowed down the list some! I got rid off my science teacher from third grade cause I learned that she was hit by a car a few years back. Can you believe that? Tha5t is so a perfect fate for such a horrible person! Oh my god! I'm a horrible person for saying that - not THINKING it. Oh dear what have I turned into? I condone killing innocent teachers -"
 

"Willow," Alellia answered her babble buddy and she smiled at her slightly bedraggled appearance in the mirror. "There is no need for you to feel sorry. She was mean, and you aren't a bad person. Now, out of that whole list you only narrowed one person off?"
 

"No! I was able to cross off a lot more! I was able to cross off Amy's Mom, my mother, Cordelia and most of her lackey's, Buffy's mom, The strange girl from next door, the crazy lady down the block…" Alellia tuned it out right about now, as she watched appreciably as Dathan came down the stairs.
 

Dathan gave her that half-smile she just adored and she smiled, putting the receiver away from her ear. She placed the phone down on the table, and Dathan stalked closer to her. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling his head towards her and he chuckled as he lowered his head. In this body she was 16 compared to his 18 and she knew as she grew older things might not be the same. Yet, none of her fears mattered right now, other than the fact that Willow was still on the phone asking if she was there.
 

She tore her lips away from Dathan's and mumbled in the phone, "That's great, Willow. I'll see you tomorrow when you come out here." then she hung up the phone and licked Dathan's cheek, her eyes shining in delight.
 

He chucked and slapped heron the butt, before slinging her over his shoulder. She laughed as he walked into the kitchen, nodding to Angelus and Xander who stared wide-eyed as he grabbed blood from the fridge and began heating it up, while Alellia laughed. Then as soon as the fun house had began, it was gone and Angelus and Xander traded looks.
 

They could hear Alellia's giggling coming form upstairs and they both ran into the guestroom where they were staying down the hall.
 

Meanwhile, Alellia watched as he was about to bring the mug up to his lips and she stopped him just as the blood reached his lips, moving closer to him. She licked the blood off his mouth, only shuttering slightly, before prying the mug out of his fingers. She tilted her head to the side and bared her neck to him.
 

His eyes found hers, asking if she was sure. When he received the nod, he placed a simple kiss on her neck, before pulling away. "I can't." was all he said before his own lips meeting hers briefly yet tenderly before taking the mug and downing it as quick as he could.
 

She looked at him curiously before looking at the clock. It was past sunset, and Alellia tugged out his hands. "Let's go out…"
 

He smiled at her, and nodded. She squealed pasting her lips to his for a brief moment before getting up and running to her closet to find something to wear.
 

**
 

Greyson moved swiftly through the alleys with his minions, his eyes searching for the prey. His eyes spotted the pair and he nodded to his minions who rushed out and captured the girl - knocking out the man. It took them more than it should of but the male was a vampire after all.
 

The girl's body hung limply in the minion's arms as he brought her over to Greyson, and he ran a finger down her pale face.
 

"Remember - don't hurt her or the Master..." The rest was left unsaid and everyone understood the consequences. Greyson's eyes never left the witch as they all moved swiftly back into the van, and he smiled maliciously. The Master will be pleased.
 

They heard a vampire's angry roar and the tires squealed on the pavement.
 

*End Part 11
 

***"If you have any compassion. Help her."***
It was nearly dawn when a knock sounded at the door. The witch rushed down the stairs, and opened the door to see an exhausted and upset vampire on her doorstep. Dragging the stronger and heavier vampire by the arm took her a minute or two, but she managed to get him in, land square on her butt and close the door before sun rose and made this distraught vampire burst into flames.
 

The vampire practically buried itself into the girl's open arms, and she raised upset green eyes to meet surprised blue ones. The witch drew the sobbing vampire close to her, and murmured comforting statements in his ear. After a while with soft stroking of the head and reassurances she ventured into asking what happened.
 

Big mistake. The vampire had barely gotten out two words, before he began to punch the ground angrily. The witch grabbed his hands, noting that he had been fisting them so tight he had cut his pale skin.
 

She looked up into her companion's blue eyes and he nodded as he left the room. She lead the vampire to the bathroom, and as he sat dazed and grimly on the counter as she began cleaning his cuts. Not only did he have cuts on his hand, but he had a mass of blacks and blues, one prominent on his face and a nasty bump on the back of his head.
 

She winced in sympathy, and looked around the rather empty bathroom for some bandages of some sort. When she spotted them, she grinned and she continued to grin until she looked at her patient. Her smile died, and she kept her expression perfectly expressionless as she bandaged up his hands.
 

When the mug was put in front of her face, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Geez!" she said, and held up the mug for the vampire. The vampire drank it down quickly and she gave him the next. He went through three mugs, and she still sent the other vampire back for more.
 

She made him get on the floor as she cleaned the wound in the back of his head, and she had to turn her head away at one that was deep enough to off gone to his skull if he had been human. She cleaned all other wounds on his neck, and back but she refused to stitch up the one in his head. As soon as her vampire came back she forced him to do it, and he moved in and quickly did the task.
 

She made her vampire clean him - since he was dirty all over and she left the room as the vampire turned the water on.
 

She took the five mugs into the kitchen and began to clean them, her mind racing. Someone had hurt him. Purposely. Maybe even tried to kill him. And he was worried about something else. Why did he come here first? Why didn't he go to - Oh My Goddess! Did they take her? She felt sick and covered her mouth, before she became upset.
 

I tapped my foot as I waited patiently outside the bathroom door.
 

Gods, could they be any longer?
 

After what seemed like a day, they came out of the bathroom. One vampire was supporting the other one. The distraught vampire had fallen asleep. The witch sighed, and helped her vampire bring the sleeping vampire to the bedroom and deposited him on the bed.
 

A quick spell and a sleep-well kiss on forehead the vampire's fitful sleep turned calm. And the picture of his witch with tears down her face, dirty, and injured melted into one of him and her under the sun.
 

The witch left the room quietly, and followed her vampire into another room.
 

"I think I can guess why he's upset."
 

"Why?" the vampire asked, dropping the mug into the sink.
 

"They have her." Green eyes met blue ones, which dawned in understanding.
 

And as one they said -
 

*
 

The Master was pleased. She had thanked Greyson herself, when he had come to her chamber. Her slumped figure, twirling around the red wine in the glass almost endlessly; sat up straight and she nearly dropped her glass.
 

"Where is she?"
 

"Unconscious in the main room, Master."
 

Surprised eyes looked into his own, and she ran a finger down his cheek. "Good job, Greyson." It had been a long time since she had said anything like that to him and he couldn't help but shine with pride.
 

"Bring her to me."
 

The unconscious body was brought forward with a snap of fingers, and deposited in front of the fire. The Master's eyes lit up with an unholy glee.
 

"It's really her!"
 

The Master jumped up out of her chair, and stalked down to the kitchen. She ate a victory meal before waltzing back into the room again, nearly an hour to the minute later.
 

"Leave us." She commanded, and everyone began to shuffle out. Greyson's glow faltered and he began to leave the room as well, and as he reached the door, to close it, the Master turned. "Where are you going, Greyson? As my personal demon and friend - you would like to see my greatest victory, yes?"
 

Greyson glowed even more, and closed the doors. His Master wanted him to stay! And he was the Master's... friend? Greyson slumped against the wall, thinking. His Master was his friend, yes? And he had let his Master evolve into this, yes? ...Yes he had.
 

His love wasn't true love. He would have sacrificed everything to keep his Master the way she was before if he had truly loved her.
 

So, he had failed her. Twice now. Once when she was a little girl and he couldn't stop Destiny from taking what was once hers, and now when he had let her turn into the person she was now.
 

Greyson watched unhappily as the witch woke up, holding her head in pain. The green eyes focused on the Master and she inhaled sharply. "You!" she said surprised, almost unhappily.
 

What no warm hello's?" the Master taunted, and Greyson had to close his eyes.
 

He was not worthy, nor was he a friend.
 

Greyson was nothing more than the demon he had been called since the human race had scattered into the world.
 

Demon.
 

End Part 12
 

***“Can we say drugs?… I mean, who the hell thought of this idea?… I always knew she was loony but this is unbelievable…”***

Kicking the door open was fairly easy. With two vampires aiding her in her search to find and help rescue Willow, it was quite easy.

She looked around at the castle, her head tilting up to see the roof of this place. "Wow…" she murmured. "Doesn't anyone else feel really small in here?" Her two vampire companions merely shrugged; Dathan could care less and Spike was in the pit of depression.

Leading the way, Alellia grinned and laughed. "Where the hell is security? Damn, this person in really confident!" Then they came to another set of ornate doors and Alellia pointed. "She's in there, I can feel it."

Spike kicked open the huge doors and they all swallowed as they stared up into an army of towering evil demons. Screaming like the girl she is, Alellia ran. Luckily she able to duck behind as huge staircase in time before they trampled her.

Peeking her head out timidly from her hiding place, she sighed in relief as she saw nothing. Then quietly she tiptoed over to where Spike and Dathan were still standing. Scowling, she walked into the room, knowing she had felt Willow's presence in here.

"I knew it was you!" She heard Willow's voice, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Spike, charged into the room, angrier more than smart and screamed, "PET! WHERE ARE YOU?" Both Alellia and Dathan tackled him at the same time, hissing in unison, "SHUT THE HELL UP, IDIOT!"

"Spike?" Willow's voice came again, and Alellia frowned. Willow was in this room but where was she? She felt the ground start to rumble and she clung to the two vampires. Then a giant hand scooped them up and they found themselves looking into a huge green Willow eye.

"Oh baby…" Spike said endearingly, "I'm so glad you are all right…" then he frowned, "What the hell is going on here? Why am I so bloody short?"

An evil cackle issued from Willow's captor and Spike growled in that direction. Willow turned her hand so they all could see the person and Alellia frowned. Who the hell was that?

"That's Buffy, she's my new non-friend." Willow told them helpfully and Alellia looked at her hands, "And she is a powerful witch to do this to me?"

"Buffy? No she's a bitch not a witch."

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Buffy screeched, and they prudently ignored her.

“How do we make ourselves… right size? I mean, someone must of…” Alellia jumped off of Willow’s hand and crashed to the floor. “OW!” she said, but shakily got up. She ran over to the cowering demon in the corner and shook her finger at him. “Undo this now!”

Greyson looked at his master, who turned away from him. “If you are not strong enough to do this on your own, then you don’t deserve to be my demon.”

Greyson’s eyes grew large as Buffy threw the goblet into the fire. “I was jealous of Willow… so smart, and she was getting so much stronger… And her magick… I guess, I wanted in some way to take over what she had. But now, my head is all fuzzy and I’m…” Buffy fell to the floor, and everyone watched as *something* translucent came out of Buffy.

It grew shape and form, blurred and stretched until in all of its glory it appeared… in the form of Drusilla. “Someone had stolen my Prince from me… and it was the little tree. I wanted to see the little tree in the light… and the slayer was perfect…” she purred her ‘perfect’ and giggled madly.

Drusilla picked up the flower from the table, and reached for her doll in the corner, hidden in shadows. “Miss Edith says it’s time for me to go…” She twirled the flower against her face ebfore dropping it carelessly.

Giggling sadly, she smiled. “Goodbye little tree… and my Spike…” She walked over to Greyson and caressed his cheek. “You served me well when I was sane. You are released form your duties.” She slit his throat without blinking before waving and leaving the room.

Alellia held her head, and spoke very softly for a few minutes. Then out of nowhere, they all grew back to their original size and Willow hugged Spike tightly. “What the hell was that?”

Alellia looked down at the dead body of the demon and looked over at the unconscious body of Buffy. “Let’s go before we get blamed for this craziness.”

They all walked out of the room and Willow said, giggly. “Buffy was jealous of me? Cool.”

*

A sound of laughter filled the air, and the sun began to travel upwards. Two pairs broke away and walked in different directions the only thing left in their wake was a single picture.

In front of the trees, there was a group of four: a red-headed green eyed witch who had gained strength in many ways; a bleach blonde vampire, who had rediscovered a part of himself that no one knew; a brown haired green eyed witch who had learned to forgive herself for things she couldn’t help; and a black haired, blue eyed new vampire who re-discovered the love he felt for his witch.

And a single line was left in memorial of the sad parting, “Hey. If you need us, we’ll be in San Diego.”

*End

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