Willow woke with a start, a sharp gasp breaking from her dead lungs in an unconscious parody of mortal panic. She slid away from Spike and slipped her legs over the edge of the bed, holding her head in her hands as the sleep-induced visions receded and vanished before her brain could grasp them.

"Willow?" Spike's semi-coherent voice spoke in the darkness. "What's wrong, pet?"

"Nothing," she answered softly. "Just a dream."

He mumbled something unintelligible before drifting back into the sleep of the undead. The redhead grinned and quietly got up. She threw on a pair of jeans and a baggy sweatshirt and left the room. As she entered the living room, she turned back to the soft footsteps padding behind her. Trouble moved around her and went to the terrace doors, and she gave him an affectionate pat before opening them.

The sun had just dropped below the horizon, the last of its golden rays barely visible behind the trees. Willow sat down on the wrought iron bench and let her head drop back as the warm evening breeze brushed over her face, and the birds softly sang themselves to sleep.

The little vampire closed her eyes and tried futilely to will the images that had disturbed her sleep to return. She didn't understand why it seemed so important to remember, but something nagged inside her, insisting it had been more than a dream.

"Willow," the soft word brought her back to her surroundings.

She turned as her sire's twin approached from the lawn, "You're out kind of early."

William smiled and sat down beside her, "So are you."

"Something's wrong," she said, looking up at him. "What is it?"

He put an arm around her and drew her head to his shoulder, "Do you read _him_ this well?"

"Yup," she nodded.
***
Will wandered into the dining room, having waited until she heard William close the front door before coming downstairs. She crossed the room and pulled a small box from the drawer of the sideboard where she had stashed the wooden trinket that afternoon.

The brown unmarked package had been lying on the front porch when she had returned from town. William was still sleeping, and she had seen no need to awaken him as she carried the parcel into this room. She had unwrapped the little box and stared at it curiously for several moments before she heard her lover's tread on the stairs. Startled, she had quickly hidden it in
the sideboard and taken the wrappings to the trash bin in the kitchen. For the remainder of the afternoon, she had felt strangely withdrawn from William and had tried to avoid his concerned gaze.

Now, she felt uncharacteristically relieved that he had left her alone in the house. The mahogany box fit easily into one of her small hands. The hinged lid was carved with an intricate design and closed with a tiny brass clasp and key. She set the box on the table and opened the lid, gazing sightlessly into its empty interior.
***
"Changed? How?" Ceara asked from the sofa in the mansion.

"She isn't there, anymore," William answered.

"She left you! When?"

"No, she didn't bloody leave me!" he snarled. "She's still there, but she--isn't."

"That makes a hell of a lot of sense," Angel muttered.

"It would if you're brains weren't up your ass!"

"William," Willow moved away from Spike's side and toward him. "Just tell us what's happening to Will. How has she changed?"

He nodded and kept his eyes on her as he spoke, "She can be right beside me--not two feet away-- but she isn't there, really. She's gone--somewhere inside her head--and I can't seem to pull her back to me."

"Inside her head," the redhead repeated. "Dreaming."

"When she's wide awake?" Ceara asked.

Spike noticed the far-away look in his childe's eyes, "Baby, what is it?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "William, I need to talk to her. Now."
***
Will stood along the edge of the ocean, gazing out across the white-capped water as the sun melted into the horizon. A gentle breeze brushed silky strands of spun copper away from her face and kissed her lips with the salty spray of the waves that tumbled along
the moonlit shore.

Soft footsteps fell in the sand behind her, and the redhead sensed his presence before she felt his arms encircling her waist. He pulled her gently back against him, and her eyelids fluttered shut as he placed a soft kiss on her neck.

His voice whispered close to her ear, so softly she couldn't make out the words.

She turned in his arms and looked up at the man, his face hidden by the darkening night. Gentle fingers caressed her hair and cupped the back of her head as he lowered his mouth to capture hers in a feather-light kiss.

Of its own accord, the lid on the box suddenly fell shut as the front door slammed. Will started and grabbed the box off of the table, quickly returning it to the drawer in the sideboard. She hurried out of the room as the gang stepped into the entryway. Her twin was immediately struck by the glassy look in Will's emerald eyes.

"Hey," the red haired vampire smiled softly. "Got a few minutes? I need to talk to you."

Will surveyed the small group reluctantly for a second before shaking off her hesitation.

"Okay," she nodded and gestured toward the living room.
 

"Dreams," Will echoed her twin's last word. "What kind of dreams?"

"I don't know," Willow answered honestly. "So far, there's only been the one, and when I woke up, I couldn't recall any of it. There was just a vague sense of--movement and darkness, a presence, maybe. I've been trying to recapture it, but it won't come."

The mortal redhead shrugged noncommittally, "Doesn't sound so unusual. Dreams are often like that. They just sort of vanish after you wake up."

The vampire shook her head, "There's more to it that than. I'm sorry; I'm not explaining it very well. I can barely make sense of it, myself. I just have the strongest impression that it means something. Something important."

"Like a prophecy of some sort?" Ceara asked.

Willow looked over at her, "I don't know. I wish I could be more specific, but all I have is this
feeling. Will, have you been experiencing anything like this?"

"Cryptic dreams that pull me out of a sound sleep? No," she answered. "Did you think that I would?"

"I don't know," Willow was beginning to feel totally inept as the repetitive strain fell from her lips. "I think you're connected to this, somehow."

"I don't think so," Will shook her head slowly. "Whatever it is, I don't think it's anything to be
concerned about."

Willow, still feeling wholly unconvinced, looked at her sire for reassurance and felt his arm slip around her as he gave her a small smile.

"Maybe we should talk to the watcher about this," William suggested

"And tell him what?" Ceara replied. "That Willow's had a nightmare about something she can't even remember? Anyway, I should be patrolling. Why don't you guys come with us? We can keep an eye out for any unfamiliar nasties."

Willow lagged behind with Spike and William as the others moved out of the room, "They think I'm making a big deal out of nothing. Is that what I'm doing?"

Her sire took her hand and gave it a tight squeeze, "I doubt it, pet. I trust your instincts with my unlife. If you've got an itch that something's wrong, I'm inclined to believe it."

"I'll second that," William nodded.

She shared a smile between the two of them, "Thank you. I needed to hear that."
***
Will was walking along the moonlit expanse of an open courtyard. A thick row of tall shrubs hedged in the lush lawn that felt cool under her feet. The fragrant perfume of flowers scented the air, and she paused to bend over a rose bush, sniffing gently at a single blossom that had refused to draw in its petals for the night, like an errant child who was loathe to go to bed.

The sound of soft music drifted out from a nearby window, and she turned to step onto the hard, smooth stones of the patio. From the center of the room, a silver candelabra glimmered under the steady flames of its candles. A man stood beside it, enshrouded in shadows, and he held out his hand to her in silent invitation.

She went to him, placing her small hand in his larger one, as his other arm enfolded her, drawing her close to him as her head rested against his chest. Their bodies moved easily together as the soft strains of the waltz filled the silent room. Will felt his lips brushing gently over the top of her head as his arm tightened ever so slightly around her.

"Will?" the voice from the top of the stairs shook the little redhead from her waking reverie.

Carefully, she lowered the lid on the box that sat on the table before her. She hastened to the sideboard and shoved it under a pile of table linens in the drawer, closing it quietly before leaving the room. William stopped on the third step from the top as she appeared below him.

"Sorry. I got caught up in a book," she smiled up at him.

William held a hand out to her, and she averted her eyes from his questioning gaze as she ascended to him. She took his cold hand willingly enough, though still refusing to look at him.

"A book," he said softly, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. "You're sure that's all it was?"

"Of course," she nodded, allowing the motion to draw her head away from his gentle touch.

Her movement, and the implicit intention behind it, did not escape her lover.

"You look tired, luv," he spoke, choosing to let her actions slide for the time being.

"I guess I am, a bit," she answered. "Are you going out?"

The question was almost hopeful in its tone, and his response was slightly cool as he slowly withdrew his hand from hers, "Yeah. I won't be long."

"Okay," she nodded and stepped away, feeling his confused eyes following her as she made her way down the corridor.
 

Willow awoke with a sharp squeal of surprise as Trouble propped his muzzle on the edge of the sofa and stuck his wet nose in her ear. Hearing her cry, Spike skidded around the corner and flew to the redhead as she pushed herself upright.

"Baby?" he spoke softly, taking in the fear that clouded her normally bright eyes.

"Spike," the reply was barely a whisper as her hand curled around his, clutching it firmly.

He sat down, pulling her close, rubbing a hand over her arm as her trembling body began to still.

"I'm all right. I was sleeping, sort of, and Trouble came in, and--" she sighed and grinned weakly up at him. "What a lot of fuss over nothing.

His eyes studied hers closely, catching a faint sign of the fear that remained, etched somewhere in that part of her mind that wasn't yet completely awake, "Were you dreaming again?"

"I think so," she nodded. "I can't really remember."

"If this doesn't stop, pet, we're going to have to talk to the watcher," he told her.

"I suppose so. I just don't know how I'm going to--" she stopped and glanced around her sire as a shadow moved in front of the terrace doors. "William?"

He stepped inside, and Spike stood, bringing Willow up onto her feet beside him.

"Will isn't with you?" she asked.

He shook his head, "She isn't keen on leaving the house, lately. Especially not with me. I could almost believe she's taken a lover if it weren't for the fact she never bloody goes anywhere."

"She wouldn't do that to you," the redhead told him.

"Maybe not, but she's keeping something from me," he replied. "I thought, since her head and your head are basically the same, you might have some idea--"

"I wish I did," she said softly.

"She's been dreaming again," Spike interjected.

"Do you remember any of it?" his twin's voice sounded almost hopeful.

"No, I'm sorry. It's the same as last time—just feelings and impressions, and I couldn't even describe those to you," she answered. "

"Do you think Will would talk to you?" Spike asked her.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "I'd be willing to try."

"Well, if you're going over there, try the dining room first," William suggested.

"Why's that?" she asked.

"Seems to be the one place she wants to be and the once of the many places she doesn't want me," he told her.

"That's odd. What the hell could she be hiding in the dining room?" the redhead muttered to herself.

"Hiding," Spike repeated. "What are you thinking, luv?"

"Um, nothing," she answered, obviously still spinning some unreadable thought around in her mind. "Well, something, I'm just not exactly sure what. If I did, I'd tell you, but I don't, so I--"

Her words faded away, and William's lips curled into a grin as he looked from the little vampire to her sire, "She's thinking. Should we be worried?"

"Absolutely," Spike chuckled.

Willow looked over at William, completely oblivious to what they had just said, "Do you think the two of you could keep Will distracted long enough for me to take a look around the dining room?"

"Pet, I don't think Will is going to give a damn if you want to examine the Royal Doulton," he told her.

She grinned softly, "I do."

William stepped aside and turned to follow them as she tugged Spike out the French doors.

"Do you have any idea what she's on about?" he asked Spike.

"No," he admitted. "But I'd follow her blindly into hell when she gets like this."
***
William and Spike had chosen to pick an argument with the redheaded mortal to keep her occupied as Willow slunk out of the living room. It took her only a few minutes to find the small box Will had tucked away in the drawer. She set it on top of the antique sideboard. Her external surroundings--the loud shouts from the other room, the warm furnishings of the dining room--faded from her consciousness as she lifted the wooden lid.

Willow found herself walking alone down a path through a woods. The trees broke at a clearing on top of a hill. The night was serenely quiet. The only sounds that broke the stillness were those of crickets and the breeze rustling through the leaves of the trees behind her. The hill sloped gently down to a grassy level where she could see a large stone mansion outlined against the night sky. The sprawling manor was dark save for a single light that flickered beckoningly from a ground story window.

"Home," the word echoed comfortingly through the redhead's mind. Lazily, she let her gaze drift up from the valley below her to the shimmering stars scattered upon the dark sapphire sky. She felt no alarm, no urge to struggle, only a deep sense of belonging as two strong arms encircled her waist from behind her. He pulled her back against him, and she felt herself melting into him as he lowered his mouth to her neck and brushed his lips softly against her skin.

"No!" Will's voice rang with panic as she slammed the lid down on the box.

Willow gasped involuntarily as the unnatural tranquility that had suffused her mind was suddenly
flung away. She blinked once, her brow furrowed with what might have been either sorrow or pain, as a red tear slipped from her eye.

"Willow?" Will whispered and looked at William with desperate worry when she received no reply, no indication whatsoever that she had been heard.

Spike put his hand on the mortal's shoulder and pushed her gently aside. He stepped directly in front of his childe and took her face in his hands, turning her eyes to his and staring deeply into them.

"Willow," he said softly, holding her head still when she tried to look away. "Look at me, sweetheart."

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her, trailing his tongue over her lips, biting them gently, then pulled her head to his shoulder and cradled it close to his neck.

"Willow," he repeated, holding her tightly with one arm and stroking her back with the other hand.

She moaned softly as the familiar call of her sire's blood and the awareness of his hard body against hers awakened her senses.

"Spike," she whispered.

He closed his eyes and placed a kiss on her head, and Will reached for William's hand as a wave of relief swept through her. Willow's arms slid around Spike's neck, and he hugged her tightly to him.

"I think we'd better get you home, luv," he said quietly.

"Home," she repeated as a blurred memory tugged at her mind. "Our home?"

"Yes, pet," Spike answered as he and William exchanged a concerned frown.

"Our home," she said more decisively, and he turned her to his side, keeping his arm tucked around her, as he stepped toward the entryway.

"Better bring that, luv," William cast a glance at the box on the sideboard.

Will picked it up and turned the key in the lock before handing it to him with a whispered, "I'm
sorry."

He trailed his fingers over her cheek and kissed her softly before taking her hand to follow after their doubles.
 

"It's a box," Ceara was clearly unimpressed as she turned the wooden item over in her hands. "A pretty box, but still....Where did it come from?"

"I have no idea. I found it on our doorstep a few days ago," Will answered and flashed a nervous look at William. "I--I didn't tell anybody."

"Why did you keep it hidden?" Christina asked as the slayer passed the object over to her.

"I couldn't help myself. I just felt like it was meant just for me, that no one else should know about it," she answered. "I'm sorry, William."

He shook his head and slipped his arm around her, "It's over, luv. Never mind."

Willow's eyes were fastened on the little box, and she tensed slightly as Christina's fingers turned the tiny brass key in the lock, "Wait!"

The woman looked at her in surprise, then looked to Giles.

"Don't let her open it," the red haired vampire begged.

"We have to know what's inside it," Giles explained gently. "Go ahead, Christina."

She pulled open the lid, "It's empty. There's absolutely nothing in here."

Willow shifted uncomfortably at Spike's side as Giles peered over Christina's shoulder and into the empty wooden container.

"How do you feel?" he asked her.

"I'm fine. It's just a box," she echoed the slayer's previous statement.

"Will?" Christina spoke encouragingly.

She looked at William. He nodded once, but slipped his hand in hers as she stepped over and peered in. After a moment, she backed away with a small sigh of relief.

"Nothing," she shrugged.

"How odd," Giles murmured and looked over at Spike's mate.

The small vampire was much more reluctant to take the box the watcher was holding out to her.

"Willow?" Angel spoke softly. "Go on."

"It's all right, luv," Spike said. "Take it."

She looked around at each of them as they waited in patient silence.

"Bloody hell," she grumbled and yanked the box out of Giles' hand. "All this fuss about a..."

Her words faded, and she sat down slowly on the sofa and placed the open box on the coffee table as her eyes fixed on it. Giles and Christina scrutinized her with open curiosity as Willow's gaze seemed to drift inward.
***
The solid, wooden double doors opened silently as Willow stepped toward them. She walked through and peered around at the vast dining room. Fine china and crystal goblets glittered from the long dining table and reflected off of its polished surface.

Another door at the far end of the room swung open, and he stepped into the room. She walked slowly toward him as he stopped beside the table and lifted a bottle of wine, pouring the red liquid into one of the goblets. Gently, his arm went around her waist as she stepped near to him, and he raised the glass to her mouth. Replacing the goblet on the table, he bent to
kiss her, tasting the fruity wine as his tongue swept over her lips.

Willow's hand moved around his head, her fingers trailing over the hair along the nape of his neck, and he pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. His hands moved to her shoulders, and he placed a soft kiss on her forehead and lowered her head to his chest.

"Who are you?" her voice sounded faint in the large room.

"Yours," he whispered, his mouth brushing close to her hair.

She moaned as he lowered his mouth to her neck, trailing soft kisses along her skin as his hands moved under the filmy material of her skirt. Gently, carefully, he lowered her to the floor, placing his body over hers as he raised her skirt. All her senses were lost in the feeling of his mouth on hers, and she gasped in a mixture of pleasure and surprise as she felt his hard shaft suddenly enter her.
***
The unmistakable scent of her arousal infuriated the blonde vampire who had been watching her. He growled and smacked his hand against the lid of the box, and Willow flinched slightly, though her eyes remained clouded.

"What the hell?" Ceara whispered and felt Angel's restraining hand on her arm as she attempted to step over to the mesmerized vampire.

"Get her out of it," Will's voice rang with a sharp tone of desperation. "Spike! Get her out!"

Spike's anger was quickly replaced by a keen sense of urgency, and he knelt down in front of his childe and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Willow," he said softly.

Christina's interest gave way to apprehension when the vampire appeared not to hear her sire's voice.

"Rupert, what's wrong with her?"

He shook his head, a frown of worry furrowing his brow.

Spike shook Willow gently, "Willow, look at me, pet."

His grip on her tightened as she attempted to push him away, and he dragged her to her feet and pulled her body close against his.

"She isn't hearing him," Will whimpered as Spike became increasingly agitated. "William--"

"Spike," Angel's voice spoke overtop of the frantic redhead. "Pull her back. Drink from her."

Giles face blanched at the command, "Angel--"

"NOW!" the dark vampire roared.

Spike's fangs descended as he whisked Willow's long red tresses away from her neck, and Christina clutched Giles' hand and looked away as the vampire bit into his lover's neck. Her hand rose to clutch at his back, and he laced his fingers through her hair and wrapped
his other arm around her waist to still her.

Unexpectedly, she began to struggle in his embrace, and a deep growl rumbled in her sire's chest as her fangs tore the flesh on his neck. She tried to move away from him, but Spike grabbed her wrists and hauled her back to him. Giles' pallid face grew even more ashen, and he flashed Angel a look of desperate helplessness as Willow's eyes burned with amber anger.

Spike raised his hand to slap her and was halted by Angel's loud shout, "Spike!"

The blonde vampire forced his child's hands behind her back and wrapped both of her slender wrists in one of his hands as he looked over at Angel in a silent appeal.

The dark vampire took one step forward, his entire body tensed, "Force her if you have to. She's your childe. Make her drink."

Willow was writhing in a frenzied attempt to free herself, and William stepped around them, placing himself directly behind the redheaded vampire, and grabbed her arms. Still clutching her waist, Spike raised his other hand to her head and took hold of her hair, yanking her back to the bleeding wound on his neck. His dark red blood stained her lips, as he held her.

"He's losing her," Will sniffled through the hot tears that had begun to form in her eyes, and Ceara placed a hand on her shoulder.

"He's saving her," Angel reassured her softly, though his worried eyes remained trained on the small vampire.

Willow slowly ceased struggling as she began to suckle at her sire's throat. William's hands slid down until they were holding hers, and he lowered her arms to her sides and clasped her hands firmly in his as she began to feed in earnest.

Spike released his grip on her hair and began to stroke the back of her head soothingly. She moaned softly, and her human features returned as she drew away from him and looked up into his eyes. Spike drew her lips to his and gave her a slow, soft kiss. William let go of Willow's hands and moved away, reaching out for Will and pulling her hard against him.

"Rupert, what the hell was that?" Christina whispered. "None of the rest of us saw anything."

The watcher's tense posture relaxed as Willow reached up a hand to caress her sire's cheek. Spike looked over at Giles.

"Whatever this is, it's made Willow its target," the watcher said as he lifted the box from the table and locked it. "Take her home, Spike. We'll see what we can find out."
 

Willow emerged from the hot bath Darnell had drawn for her, and she wrapped a thick robe around her slight body before stepping into the bedroom. She sat down at the dressing table and picked up her hairbrush as she let her eyes move over the familiar furnishings reflected in the mirror where her image should have been. She grinned to herself as two furry ears appeared in the mirror just above the edge of the table.

The red haired vampire reached down to stroke Trouble's thick fur. He took this as an invitation and jumped up onto the padded bench and made a game out of trying to catch the brush she was slowly pulling through her long hair. Giving up with a soft laugh, Willow put the brush down and dug her fingers into the lush fur around the dog's neck. From the doorway,
Darnell smiled and stepped inside, and she turned as he held out a mug of coffee.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded and set the coffee on the table. "Spike's gone out, hasn't he?"

"He said he wouldn't be long," Joseph nodded.

"I hope he doesn't take his anger out on--"

"He isn't angry," he told her. "Just a little on edge."

"I fought him tonight, Joseph. Really fought him."

"He told me," the vampire replied. "He knows it wasn't your fault, though."

"It's that damned box," she said. "Spike should have smashed it."

"That might have done more harm than good. We don't know what it is."

"Too many questions," Willow nodded. "Well, I'm not going near that thing again. I don't care what Giles or Christina or anybody else says."

Darnell laughed softly at her firm declaration and reached around her for the hairbrush, gliding it
gently through her fiery locks. She closed her eyes, and her body relaxed slightly.

"Better drink that," Joseph suggested, gesturing toward the coffee. "Em insisted I bring it up to you."

"She's trying," Willow smiled.

"She wants to be like you when she grows up," Darnell grinned as her surprised eyes snapped open. "Her words."

Willow shifted a bit as Trouble jumped down off the bench, "I wish Spike would get home."

"He is," her sire's voice spoke from the open doorway, and Willow stood and went to him as the dog sniffled around his feet.

Darnell excused himself and grabbed hold of Trouble's collar, and the dog plopped his rear end down and rooted himself to the floor as Joseph tried to tug him out the door.

"Stubborn mule," the sandy-haired vampire muttered, straining to get the dog to move.

"He's all right. Leave him," Willow grinned, and Joseph nodded and closed the door as he left them.

"You okay, baby?" Spike asked quietly, trailing his fingers through her glossy sheet of red hair.

"I'm sorry, Spike," she answered. "I didn't mean to--"

"I know," he pulled her close to him.

"You didn't torture anybody out there tonight, did you?"

He chuckled softly, "Almost. I came across some sod who was in the process of molesting a little chit. He'd just gone a lovely shade of pale when Angel came along and interrupted me. The blighter was down a couple of quarts, but he got away. But I'll bet he won't be skulking around in dark alleys any time soon."

"What did Angel want?" she asked.

"The watcher called the slayer. Thinks he's found something."

"That was fast," she murmured.

"Not bloody fast enough for my liking," he responded.

Willow drew away and looked up at him, "I'm so sorry, Spike."

"I love you," he nodded. "I won't let whatever this--thing--is take you away from me. I promise."

She stared up into his eyes and ran her fingers along his jaw, "I'll only ever be yours."

Their lips met in a soft kiss, and Spike untied the sash on her robe and pushed the garment off of her body. He walked her backwards to the bed, shedding his own clothes along the way, and laid her down, covering her body with his.

Trouble, who was feeling sorely left out, whined impatiently, then latched onto the robe and dragged it with him as he crawled under the bed. Ignoring the pup, Willow buried her fingers in Spike's hair as his lips traveled across her smooth pale flesh. Her other hand moved between their bodies and curled around his already erect shaft, pumping it until a low growl issued from her lover's throat.

Taking her hand, he drew it away from him as his mouth traveled down her body, licking and nipping at her flesh, until he reached the thick folds of her sex. Willow's hips arched into him as his tongue slid across her slit and drew her clit between his lips. She moaned loudly as he sucked it, rolling his tongue over it, bringing her body to a trembling sense of urgent need. He raised himself up and captured her lips, cutting off her sharp cry of protest as he left
that most sensitive part of her body.

His mouth moved to her neck, and he bit into her as his cock plunged deep within her tight slick channel, filling her completely. Letting her initiate a rhythm, his body followed hers as he drank from her. Her movements quickened, and she dragged her hand down between her legs. His grabbed it firmly, pinning it to her side, and she snarled and bucked into him. Spike withdrew his fangs and slid his fingers between her legs above their joined bodies to massage her clit in
firm, slow strokes. He watched his childe's face as her human features slid away, and her amber eyes gleamed up at him in hungering want.

He dropped his lips to hers until they were barely touching and whispered, "I'll only ever be yours."

He kissed her deeply, then released her lips and pulled them to his neck. Willow came hard, white heat spreading through her and pulling her lover's body into its own climax as his blood filled her mouth. Her arms rested weakly against his sinewy back, and she cleaned the blood from his throat as her body's tremors receded until only their echo existed, throbbing delicately within her flooded womb.

Spike moved off of her and pulled her into his arms, where she rested in a golden haze of silent
contentment. Their hands met, and their fingers intertwined, and Spike stroked her cheek with his thumb and danced light kisses over her face until he reached her lips. They parted softly to him, and his tongue entered her mouth and slid lazily across hers. He kissed her once more, softly, before pulling her more firmly against him.

"No one else could ever be what you are. I love you," she whispered as she snuggled against him.

Spike's lips brushed over her forehead and rested against her temple as they lay silently wrapped around one another.
 

Willow sat down next to Spike in Giles' library, and her sire hooked a foot around the leg of her chair and pulled her closer to him as the watcher entered the room, carrying the little box. He set it on the table and motioned for the others to sit.

"Willow, have you looked closely at the design on the lid of this?" Giles asked her.

She shook her head, but made no move to reach for the box.

"It's the box's only singular characteristic," he paused as Christina handed him a book, and he opened it to a marked page and pushed it over to the redheaded vampire.

"Who is he?" she asked as she looked at the illustration of a demon.

"He *was* Mathala's master, before she came to you," Giles answered.

Willow looked up at him, surprise written across her face, "Mathala is benevolent."

"So is he," Christina nodded. "But like most demons, he is capable of creating havoc when he wishes to do so."

"Obviously," Ceara muttered. "What does he want with Willow, and if the box was meant for her, why did it end up on Will's doorstep?"

"It could have been a mistake," Giles answered. "But I rather think it was done to get Willow's
attention--make her human counterpart appear to be in some sort of danger so Willow would be concerned enough to do something foolish."

"Watch your damned mouth," Spike snarled angrily at what he perceived to be a subtle insult directed at his lover.

Giles sighed, "I only meant her apprehension for Will's safety would cause her to investigate the box without consulting us first."

"How do you know he was Mathala's master?" Willow asked, placing a calming hand on Spike's arm.

"This design is the symbol one would use to call upon him. I haven't had much contact with Mathala, as you know, but the first time I saw her, she was wearing a pendant that bore the same design."

"Was she? I didn't notice," the little vampire admitted. "I don't think she's worn it--"

"Since you became her master," Christina nodded.

"So what does this demon want with Willow?" Angel asked.

"He wants Mathala back. Since his realm is benevolent, the only way he can accomplish that is by persuading Willow to unite with him," Giles explained.

"Like bloody hell!" Spike shouted, clambering to his feet.

"Baby, calm down. I'm not going anywhere," Willow told him, as she rose to his side.

"I assume the dreams you've experienced have been erotic?" Christina asked.

Willow reluctantly nodded, "Well, not at first. But the last one--downstairs--"

"Will experienced the same kinds of visions because she retains your mortal conscience, but she was never his intended target. The box is his way of seducing you, Willow. I'm sure he never meant for you to show any of us the box. You would have been driven to hide it away, just as Will was, if they hadn't discovered you with it in their dining room. Eventually, he would
have pulled you so far into those dreams, you would willingly have gone to him when he came for you."

"I don't understand why Mathala hasn't warned me," she said softly.

"You haven't summoned her recently, have you?" Christina asked.

"I try to avoid it," she answered.

"Then she hasn't had the opportunity to warn you," Giles told her. "She can't come to you unless you bid her to do so."

"So all Willow has to do is release Mathala back to her previous master," William spoke.

"I can't--won't--do that if she doesn't want to go back to him," Willow told him. "As long as I leave that box alone, he can't get to me, right?"

"Is anything ever that simple?" Will asked her.

"She's right," Christina agreed. "He'll only find another way to get at you. You should summon Mathala immediately and find out what she wants. If she wishes to return to him--problem solved."

"Wait--she's going to call Mathala--now?" Angel asked with palpable concern.

Ceara looked up at him and tucked her hand in his, "We volunteer to not be here."

"Perhaps it would be better if you spoke with Mathala alone," Giles nodded energetically and flung back his chair.

Willow giggled as the gang bolted for the door, and she turned to Spike, who was still standing beside her.

"Don't you want to run away from me, too?" she grinned.

"Away from you is the one place I'll never run," he smiled and squeezed her hand. "Call your demon, luv."
 

Willow slid her rear end up onto the library table as Mathala waited before her in expectant silence.

"What can you tell me about your master?" the redhead asked.

The little demon crooked her head to one side and studied the vampire, "She's very beautiful--"

"No, not me," Willow corrected her. "Your former master. The one before me."

"Oh," she nodded. "He wants to be my master again."

"Did you know he's been using me to try to accomplish that?"

Mathala nodded.

"Why did you leave him? Were you tired of him?"

"Tired? Like you become with your master? No. It wasn't that kind of a relationship."

Willow closed her eyes and sighed softly, "No. I mean were you unhappy being with him? Was he unkind to you?"

"Not unkind. He wasn't patient, like you are--" she jumped slightly as Spike snorted in amusement.

Willow flashed her sire a surly look and prompted the little demon, "Go on."

"He didn't want me with him very often, in the end. He rarely called for me."

"But haven't I done the same thing?" the little vampire's voice grew soft.

"Somewhat," Mathala agreed. "But it doesn't sadden me. You don't close off your mind to me like he used to do. You have very interesting thoughts."

Willow squirmed uncomfortably at that statement, and Spike tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to choke back a chuckle at the expression on his childe's face.

"But if he was fed up with you--"

"He never fed from me," the demon quickly inserted. "It wasn't at all like you and your sire."

"No, no," Willow shook her head. "Mathala, just listen, okay? Don't speak. Listen."

She nodded her head.

"Okay, why does he want you with him now if he was so impatient when you were with him before?"

She waited for a moment, but Mathala offered no answer. Willow's brow furled in confusion.

"Mathala?"

Her beady eyes glittered back at her master.

"Well?"

Still, no answer.

"Pet, you told her not to speak," Spike reminded her, a wide grin spreading over his face.

"Bloody hell," Willow grumbled. "Mathala, you may answer me."

"He misses me," the little demon immediately responded.

"Do you miss him?"

"At times," she nodded.

"Do you want him back?"

"Back? Where?"

Spike was laughing out loud now at Willow's predicament, but she ignored him and tried again, "Do you want to go back to him?"

"No, Master."

"Why not? I mean, if he was kind to you, and you miss him, why don't you want to be with him again?"

"I prefer to be with you," Mathala answered. "His way of dealing with me when he no longer wished to tolerate my presence was to ignore me. It became quite lonely."

"But I've ignored you, too, for months--"

"But you always know that I'm here, if you wish to call on me. You always keep me in your mind. My former master truly put me out of his thoughts, almost as though I never existed. Even when you don't summon me, your thoughts are a presence. He never allowed me that comfort."

Willow nodded sympathetically, "He can't force you to return to him, can he?"

"No. I belong to you, now. If he united with you, I would willingly go to him with you."

"That is NOT going to happen," Spike vowed.

The small demon nodded, "He knows the bond that exists between the two of you. It goes far beyond that of sire and childe. Master, I do not wish for him to cause you harm--"

"He won't hurt me. He's benevolent," Willow reminded her.

"He won't harm you physically," Mathala agreed. "But he is very capable of affecting your mind. Of making you believe that you want to be with him. His ability to distort thoughts is great. The visions he implanted in your mind are just a small example of what he is capable of. If you order me to go to him, I will obey."

"No," Willow said firmly. "I'd only send you to him if it were what you wanted. We'll find a way to deal with him."

The demon nodded gratefully, "I think he does not truly appreciate how strong your affections are for your mate. That is your strength."

"I don't suppose we could just kill him," Spike suggested to Willow.

Mathala looked over at him, "You could, but--"

"We'd live to regret it," Willow guessed.

The little demon looked puzzled, "You're not alive."

"I mean, we'd be asking for trouble."

She shook her head, "I don't understand. You already have Trouble. The animal has nothing to do with--"

"No," the red haired vampire cut her off with a sigh. "I mean something bad would probably happen."

"Oh. Yes. Even benevolent demons are capable of retribution if one of their own is destroyed. It would be very unpleasant for you and the people you care for."

"That's what I figured," Willow nodded. "Well, there has to be some way to get around him, or over him, or something."

Mathala nervously twisted her fingers together, wanting desperately to be helpful, and asked timidly, "A ladder?"

"Never mind!" Willow barked overtop of Spike's loud outburst of laughter, causing Mathala to jump. "Sorry. Look, we need to talk to Giles about all of this. Just--go back to wherever it is you go back to, for now. Oh! Your former master can't--"

The redhead found herself talking to a swirl of luminous green haze as the demon vanished at her master's command. Spike draped an arm over his childe's shoulder and planted a kiss on her temple.

"You have a bloody marvelous method of communicating with that demon of yours, luv," he chuckled.

"Oh, shut up," she snapped back, though a grin of amusement twitched at her lips.
 

"Your strength lies in the depth of your affections for one another," Giles paraphrased what the demon had said to Willow.

"Does that mean something?" Ceara asked.

Caught up in his own musings, the watcher failed to answer, instead rising to walk to the bookshelf behind him. His eyes quickly scanned the titles, and Christina reached around him and plucked a book off the shelf.

"It's this one," she handed the thick tome to him.

He smiled at her and began flipping through the pages until he came upon the passage he was seeking. Most of the others waited in patient silence as he read it to himself.

"Well?" Spike snapped.

Giles dropped the book on the table and looked over at the vampire and his childe, "Mathala's words were literal."

"Aren't they always?" Angel asked dryly.

"If either one of you were mortal, Mathala's former master would be a very formidable opponent, indeed."

"And you think he *isn't*?" Will asked incredulously. "I had a hell of a time fighting him off."

"You didn't fight him off," Giles nodded. "You never would have if Willow hadn't taken the box from you. You're mortal."

"Okay. So, what's the point?" William asked.

"Mathala was correct in her assessment of his powers over Willow's thoughts. However, there is one power even greater than his," Giles explained. "I wonder that he hasn't realized it himself. Or perhaps he has and just--"

"Giles!" Ceara shouted.

"Oh, yes. Sorry," he grinned apologetically. "As I was saying, there is one power greater than his, and that is the bond between Spike and Willow."

"You mean sire and childe," William said.

"Coupled with the fact that they love one another," he nodded. "Spike, the bond between you manifests itself most strongly in your blood. I have no doubt whatsoever that this demon will do everything he can to sway Willow's affections toward him. You don't feed from one another regularly, do you?"

"Not unless one of us is hurt, or we're shagging," the blonde vampire answered. "Or she needs to be reminded whose she is."

"Oh, gods," Christina's face turned an sickly shade of green. "A little too much information."

"Way too much," Willow nodded, glaring angrily at her sire's last statement. "You--"

"No," Giles cut off her defiant protest. "That's exactly what I'm getting at. Willow, it was Spike's blood that pulled you back that night in the living room. The blood of the sire is nearly impossible for the childe to refuse. Add to that how deeply you care for one another, and you have a bond that is literally unbreakable."

"But Spike had a hell of a time pulling her out of it," Will reminded him.

"Yes, but he did--after he forced her to drink. His blood pulled her back. It's a physical manifestation of the bond that is always present between them. Right now, they only share their blood when they--have a desire to do so--because, up to this point, there's been nothing to challenge that bond."

"So, what you're suggesting is that they feed from each other regularly?" Angel surmised. "To prevent this demon from pulling Willow away from Spike."

"Exactly," Giles nodded.

"Well, hell, we can do that," Willow agreed happily and reached for Spike's hand.

"But what happens when the demon realizes he can't get to Willow?" William asked.

"Yeah," Will nodded. "I mean, I can't imagine he's just going to shrug and say, 'Oh, well.'"

The watcher looked at Willow, "You'll need to stay in contact with Mathala--"

"At your place," Christina quickly interjected.

Giles grinned and continued, "She should be able to tell you how the demon reacts."

"Okay," the redhead agreed.

"And please, let me know what he's planning *before* he actually does anything," he added dryly.

"Will do," she saluted and then looked up at Spike with a wicked twinkle in her green eyes. "So, how about we go home and suck on each other?"

"Oh, pet," her sire purred eagerly and wrapped his arm around her waist.

She giggled as he squeezed her close to his side and pulled her toward the door. William watched Will with interest as her wistful eyes followed the couple across the room.

He leaned down close to her ear, "Time to go home, luv?"

"Definitely," she murmured and allowed him to lead her out of the library.

Ceara felt Angel's cold hand curling around hers, and she looked up at him and said softly, "Maybe we should go home, too."

The vampire smiled and dropped a quick, soft kiss on her lips before they followed after the others.

Giles shook his head, "Well, that was...disturbing."

"Rupert," Christina spoke, snaking her arms around his neck.

"Yes, love," he quirked a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Shut up," she whispered and pulled his mouth down to hers.
 

Spike leaned against the headboard of the bed and stroked Willow's hair as she suckled at his neck. Purring softly, she withdrew her fangs and licked the bleeding punctures before raising her lips to his. He kissed her hungrily for a long moment before pulling away. His hand drifted to the fresh wounds he had placed only a few minutes ago on the pale flesh of her neck, and he traced them with gentle fingers.

"I've done it again, haven't I?" she asked.

"What's that, pet?" he asked.

"Landed our collective asses in a huge mess."

He chuckled and brushed his lips against hers, "Not your fault, sweetheart. And I can think of worse problems. I won't complain about having you wrapped around me on a regular basis."

"I haven't actually done the wrapping-around bit yet, though, have I?" she grinned back at him.

He spread his arms wide in invitation, "Well, get to it then."

Willow giggled and laced her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth to hers as he shuffled his body down onto the bed, taking her with him. She straddled his hips, unbuckling his belt and tugging at the t-shirt tucked inside his black jeans. He sat up slightly, allowing her to pull it over his head.

"Eager little thing," he teased as she flung the garment over her shoulder.

She smiled and leaned down over his bare chest, propping her elbows on either side of him and lowering her mouth until it was a nonexistent breath away from his.

"You have that affect on me," she murmured lustily.

He arched a pleased eyebrow, "Do I?"

She nodded her head, "You do."

His hand moved around her head, pulling her lips firmly against his, and slid his tongue into the cool haven of her mouth. She moaned happily as their tongues danced lightly over one another's, then drew herself up to look down at him once again.

She unzipped his pants and patted his hip, "Up, please."

He shook his head, his eyes sparkling with amusement, and arched his hips as she removed his jeans. Her small hand encircled his already hard shaft, and her green eyes darkened as she looked into the blue of his.

"Looks like I'm not the only eager one," she stated.

"You have that affect on me," he grinned as he echoed her words.

Her lips parted in a wide smile, and Spike's hands slid under the hem of her shirt and whisked it up over her head. He dropped it to the floor as Willow raised herself up on her knees.

"Let me," he offered, unfastening her pants and tugging them off her slender hips.

Willow's hands covered his as he slid the denim down her legs. She shifted enough to remove them entirely and let them fall to the floor beside the bed. Returning to her kneeling position, she moaned softly as his hand guided hers back to his throbbing shaft, sliding it over her wet opening. Their eyes met as she thrust down onto him, embedding his cock deep within her.

Spike gripped her hips, guiding her movements as she began to ride him. He thrust up into her, and Willow's lips parted as a soft groan spilled from her mouth. In one fluid movement, he flipped their positions, placing himself over her, her legs spreading wide as he plunged into her. He watched the dance of emotions play over her pretty face as he drove her steadily toward her climax. Her walls clamped around him, and she gripped his arms tightly as she spiraled toward her release.

"Willow," the single word was uttered in reverent invocation as his love screamed his name as she came underneath him.

She reached for him, pulling his mouth to her neck, and he bit into his marks on her throat, growling softly, as he spilled his cold seed inside her. She lay still beneath him as his tongue lapped at her blood. He kissed his way from her neck to her lips and rolled off of her, pulling her close in the circle of his arms.

Willow stroked his cheek with her fingers and looked into his eyes, "That old bastard of Mathala's doesn't stand a chance, you know?"

"I know," he agreed.

"Think he'll give up?"

"With any luck, not for a bloody long time," he grinned wickedly.

His childe laughed softly and kissed him, "You're hopeless."

He shook his head, his fingers playing gently through her long red tresses, "Not as long as I have you."

She whimpered in delight as his warm words melted her cold heart, and her lips parted as their mouths met in a slow, deep kiss.
 

"I've been thinking," Willow said.

Spike and Darnell shared an uneasy glance, and she rolled her eyes as her lips curled into a smile.

"You've been thinking what, exactly?" Spike questioned.

"It's been three days, and I haven't had any dreams or any of those vision thingies," she told him.

Emily, who was hanging shyly behind Joseph's back, whispered softly, "Vision thingies?"

Her sire chuckled and nodded, "Delusional images conjured up by Mathala's former master to compel Willow to succumb to his nefarious desires."

"Vision thingies," the fledgling nodded, deciding she liked the redhead's condensed version much better.

Darnell returned his gaze to Willow and pointed out, "He's only been leaving you alone because you've been permanently attached to the master's neck."

"Yeah," Willow smiled happily and traced her fingers over Spike's marks on her throat as her mind wandered back to their most recent coupling, only an hour ago.

"Willow?" Spike said.

"Hmmm?" she murmured.

He laughed and took her hand, kissing it softly, "You've been thinking?"

"Huh?" her eyes met his. "Oh, yeah. Thinking, right."

"Well?" Joseph prodded as she fell silent again.

She shook herself slightly, "Sorry. You don't think Mathala's former master might have given up, do you?"

Spike gave her a look of clear disbelief.

"Me, either," she agreed. "So, I was thinking. Why don't I have Mathala bring him to me? Maybe if I talked to him--"

"No," Spike cut her off.

"But--"

"No!"

"You haven't even heard me out, yet!" she protested.

"Fine. I'll hear you out," he conceded. "And then I'll say no."

"Bloody sire. You're so damned stubborn," she grumbled.

He tucked a finger under her chin and raised her eyes to his, "What was that, little one?"

She shifted nervously, "Um...I love you?"

"Close enough," he grinned and kissed her firmly.

Quickly, she returned to her previous line of thought, "Well, how about if you were here, too? And we could both talk to him?"

"And then Spike could lose his temper and rip the demon's head off his shoulders, and we'd have a whole army of benevolent demons stalking Sunnydale seeking revenge," Joseph added helpfully.

"Good point," the redhead nodded. "It's just driving me a little bit crazy waiting around for him to do something. How about if I just ask Mathala what he's been up to?"

"I'll agree to that," her sire answered.

Emily's hand wrapped around Joseph's arm as Mathala, responding immediately to her master's unspoken summons, appeared amidst a flash of green light. Sensing the unearthly presence in the mansion, Trouble padded into the room and over to Mathala. She trembled slightly as the dog snuffled around her feet.

"Trouble, come here," Willow spoke.

The dog bestowed a disinterested look upon her before returning his attention to the demon's feet.

Willow sighed, "He listens about as well as Spike does."

Darnell snorted as Spike frowned, "You're pushing it, sweetheart."

"Sorry," she grinned. "Mathala, it's been three days. Do you know how your former master is reacting to what Spike and I are doing?"

She nodded, "He's frustrated and becoming very impatient, Master."

"Well, he can't do much about it," Willow reasoned.

"Please, don't underestimate him," Mathala responded. "Benevolence does not mean without power. He has great power and is capable of using it to advance his own desires."

"Do you know what he's got up his sleeve?" her master asked.

The demon's considerably wrinkled brow furrowed even more, "An arm?"

Emily laughed softly, "I like her."

Mathala glanced from Joseph's childe to Willow, "You'd do well to keep her. She'll be a great asset to you, Master, given time to mature. She's impulsive, now, but--"

"I am not!" Emily protested.

"Be quiet," Willow ordered, and the fledgling jumped at the harsh bark and sidled closer to Darnell. "Mathala, what is your former master up to?"

The little demon eyed Spike for a moment, "He's not quite so tall as--"

Willow groaned, and Spike chuckled and ventured his own question, "What is he planning? Willow hasn't been dreaming since she's been feeding from me."

"Oh," Mathala nodded in understanding. "He's tried to pull your childe's mind back to him, but her subconscious attentions are only on you, now. My former master is angry."

"Meaning?" Willow asked.

"A feeling of displeasure resulting from opposition," the demon replied.

"Thank you, Webster," the little redhead said dryly.

Mathala, who was thoroughly confused by this point, shifted uneasily and looked down at her twisted hands, "My name is--"

"I know," Willow spoke softly, feeling sympathetic for the well-meaning creature. "I'm sorry, Mathala. He's angry. Is he planning on acting on his anger?"

"Yes, Master," she nodded. "He believes if he can get you away from your sire, he can influence your mind once again."

"But he can't take me away from Spike, can he?"

"I've heard whispers that he plans on taking you by force, Master," she answered.

Spike snarled, a flash of amber surfacing through the blue of his eyes, "He'll have to get through me, first."

"How do we stop him?" Darnell asked.

"Destroy him," Mathala answered.

"But you said we can't do that without incurring the wrath of the other demons in your realm," Willow reminded her.

"That's true, but only if you kill him."

"Okay, now *I'm* confused," her master confessed.

"You must find a way to destroy him without killing him yourself," Mathala said.

"Well, how do we do that?" Willow asked.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, Master. I only know the answer lies with the box. This would all be much easier for you if you were to release me back to him."

"No. I'm not going to do that," she refused. "Neither one of us wants it. We'll figure it out."

She dismissed the demon, and Spike, Willow, and Darnell shared a glance between them.

"So--" Willow spoke.

"The watcher?" Darnell guessed.

Spike nodded and reached for Willow, curling his arm around her waist as they turned to leave.

"Me, too?" Emily asked hopefully.

Willow flicked her hand, motioning for her to follow, "You, too."

The young vampire beamed and tucked her hand in Joseph's as they headed out the door. Trouble, who decided to invite himself, bolted to his feet and trotted happily after them.
 

Giles led the way down the stairs, carefully carrying the box Willow had left with him.

"What Mathala says makes sense," he spoke over his shoulder. "The demon himself crafted this box and
fashioned his mark on the lid. What we--"

He came to a sudden halt at the entryway to the living room and glared across at the sofa. Trouble glanced up
at the gang and wagged his tail, the tassel of a throw pillow clenched between his teeth.

"How did that mutt get in here?" he demanded, casting a fiery look back at Willow.

The red haired vampire shrugged sheepishly, "I thought I closed the door behind me."

Christina stomped around Giles and over to the sofa to grab the pillow away from the dog. Trouble growled
playfully and jutted his rear end up in the air, tugging forcefully in the opposite direction.

"Willow! Make him let--OH!" Christina squealed and fell with a thud onto the floor as the tassel tore free from the pillow.

Trouble stood up on the cushions and hung is head over the edge. The soggy tassel dropped from his mouth onto
her forehead as the dog panted happily down onto Christina's flushed, angry face.

"Trouble," Willow scolded around a fit of laughter.

The dog's ears bobbled as his head snapped up to look over at her. He took a soaring leap off the sofa and
over the end table, skidded on the newspaper Giles had left lying there, and landed nose-first at Willow's feet.

She knelt down and buried her grinning face in his neck, "You're such a bad dog."

"Oh, *that* was effective. You let that--that--*creature* into my home," Giles sputtered, rushing head-long into a full blown rant. "He helps himself to *my* sofa, ruins a brand new--and may I add *expensive*--pillow, and...well...if that's your idea
of obedience training, all I can say is...is...I hope Spike disciplines you better than you discipline that dog!"

"Rupert!" Christina gasped, completely shocked by his words.

The watcher turned an interesting shade of red as he leaned down to help her up onto her feet, all the
while babbling, "That is...I mean...you...you owe me a pillow!"

"Uh, Giles?" Ceara laughed softly. "The box?"

"Yes, right," he nodded firmly and heaved a great sigh. "As Mathala said, we can't destroy the demon
without causing more problems than any of us wants."

"Then how are we going to stop him?" Will asked. "Are we supposed to find another demon to fight him, or
what?"

"I don't see what difference that would make," Angel told her. "Even if we did find a demon who could
destroy her former master, we'd still be behind it. We'd end up in the same mess."

Ceara nodded grimly, "We can't win, no matter what we--"

"There's something she isn't telling us," the watcher stated.

"Mathala?" Willow asked. "I don't believe that. She wouldn't lie to me."

"I'm not saying she's lying. I'm saying she's omitting something."

"Something that would save herself or her master?" Darnell spoke. "Why would she do that?"

Giles shrugged, "Either because she can't tell us, for some reason, or because she thinks it will pose an
even greater threat to Willow."

"Summon her again," William suggested.

"I doubt it'll do any good. If she could have told me before, I'm sure she would have," the little vampire
told him. "I know she tends to get things screwed up, but I trust her."

"Well, we know the answer is somehow wrapped up in that box," Christina remarked. "All we have to do is
figure out how."

"Yeah, that's all," Ceara agreed dryly.

Giles smiled and placed his hand on Christina's back, "Why don't you lot go patrol? Work off your frustrations while we have another go at the books. And take the hound from hell with you, please."

"Damned box," Will muttered as the couple left the room. "I wish I'd just left it on the doorstep."

"You didn't know, luv," William said softly.

Emily stepped over to the table to pick up the small box and looked back at her sire, "If this is the root
of all the problems, why not just get rid of it?"

"Because it isn't the root. The demon is," Darnell answered.

"Even so, this seems to be his favorite toy."

"What are you getting at?" Willow asked her.

"It seems pretty obvious," Emily said as she clutched the box firmly. "Break his toy, and he'll go somewhere else to play."

"NO!" the slayer yelled out as she realized what the fledgling was about to do.
***
Christina's entire body shivered convulsively as an icy blast of air suddenly swept through the library,
and she looked over with wide eyes at Giles, "What the hell was that?"

He stared back at her for a fraction of a second before bolting for the door with a loud shout, "Ceara!"

They pounded down the stairs and flew into the living room. Christina grabbed his arm as she stopped dead in
her tracks. The room was empty--no vampires, no humans, no dog. All that remained were the familiar
furnishings and the splintered pieces of the small wooden box.
 
 

Ceara opened her eyes and blinked against the wispy fingers of fog that curled through the chilly
darkness. She felt a solid hand clamp down on her shoulder, and she tensed and tried to pry herself free.

"Easy, love. It's me," Angel spoke close to her ear.

"Oh," she breathed a soft sight and raised her hand to cover the one on her shoulder.

Their fingers intertwined as he helped her up, and she squinted as her eyes slowly grew accustomed to their
dark surroundings.

"Willow, you all right, baby?" Spike's voice spoke from the ground near the slayer's feet.

"Yeah," came his childe's reply. "What the hell happened?"

"Wish I knew," he answered, tucking an arm around her waist and literally lifting her onto her feet. "I'm
going to stake that blonde bimbo of Darnell's."

"She didn't--"

Joseph's reply was cut short by a small, feminine squeal.

"Will?" Angel called out. "What is it?"

"It's--it's--built like an ox, and it's furry, and it has a long cold tongue," the redheaded mortal said as
Trouble took a sloppy slurp at her cheek.

"Oh. Just William, then," Ceara grinned.

"Hey!" the vampire protested and reached for Will's hand as they rose to stand beside the others. "I'm not *furry*!"

"Depends on where you look," Will giggled.

Ceara groaned, "Oh, hell. It's Spike and Willow, all over again."

Willow arched an eyebrow, "And this is bad because...?"

"Could we just figure out where the hell we are?" Angel suggested.

"Well, considering that Em broke that box--"

"I'm sorry," the young vampire interrupted her sire.

"Oh, you will be," Spike promised.

Emily swallowed nervously and slid her hand into Darnell's.

"Bloody hell," Willow hissed quietly.

"What is it, pet?" Spike asked her.

"I know where we are," she told him, peering into the darkness. "See that light--way down there? It's coming
from a big old mansion."

"Your dreams?" Ceara guessed.

"Some of them," she nodded, inching ever closer to her sire. "He's here, somewhere."

"Master?" a familiar voice spoke as Mathala's crooked form emerged from the shadows behind them.

"Where are we?" Willow asked.

"In my realm."

"Wait a minute. Your realm has fog and big creepy mansions and--are those *trees* back there?" Will
wanted to know.

The little demon nodded, "He's created all this to mirror my master's visions."

"So it isn't real," Angel concluded.

"It's real," Mathala assured him. "And my former master has the advantage of knowing these surroundings
better than you, as well as the ability to alter them as he chooses. But at least you can fight him, now."

"We can?" Willow asked. "I thought that was breaking the benevolent bastard's book of rules."

"I haven't read that one," the demon admitted. "I wasn't aware he'd--"

"No," Willow cut her off. "It's just that you said we couldn't fight him, before."

"You couldn't, then. But all that has changed now that he's brought you over into his world," Mathala
explained. "I'm sorry, Master. I couldn't tell you before. You either had to find someone in your own
world to fight him, which would have been very unlikely, or you had to fight him in his world. I
couldn't bring you here. Only a master could do that. I couldn't even tell you how to get yourselves here."

"Does this mean I'm not going to be punished?" Emily's soft voice asked.

"Don't get your hopes up," Spike warned her.

"Don't be angry with her," Mathala spoke. "Although she didn't realize it, she did what had to be done.
This is the only way to fight him. Master, he's enlisted the aid of several others like him who have
agreed to help stop you and return me to him."

"That's what *they* think," Ceara replied. "That isn't going to happen, Mathala, especially not with you
helping us to--"

The small demon looked over at the slayer, "My ability to assist you is severely restricted here. I will come
when my master summons me and advise you as best I can, but I cannot travel with you, and I cannot help
you fight them. I'm sorry, Master."

"It's all right," Willow smiled softly. "When we're finished with him and his merry band of demon-y
cohorts, he'll wish he'd never started any of this. If we need you, I'll call."

Mathala nodded, "The laws of nature as you know them don't always exist here. I may be able to help in some
small way. May I suggest you go directly to the mansion? There are weapons waiting for you there."

"You're kidding," Ceara said, clearly surprised. "He's *giving* us weapons?"

"To even the odds--I think that's the expression," the demon replied. "Benevolence requires it."

"Right. To the mansion it is," her master agreed. "See you on the other side, then."

The demon looked around with confused eye, "Other side? Of what?"

"Never mind," Willow mumbled as Spike chuckled and squeezed her hand.

"Take care, Master," Mathala implored her before turning away. "Now that he has you in his world, he's
a dangerous opponent."

"Maybe so, but he hasn't gone up against *us*, yet," Angel assured her before she vanished from sight.
 

The heavy wooden doors of the mansion opened onto a large anteroom that was lit by candles burning from chandeliers suspended from the ceiling high overhead. Willow shivered slightly as her eyes traveled over the
room, and Spike stepped up behind her and draped an arm around her waist.

"Look familiar, pet?" he asked.

"Too familiar," she nodded. "And a little too real."

He hugged her tightly for a moment, "But this time, I'm here with you."

She tilted her head against his chest to look up at him with a smile, "Yeah."

"Ah, here we go," Ceara spoke as she gestured toward the wall at their right. "Welcome presents."

Several weapons, including stakes, a crossbow, and daggers had been neatly laid out on a wooden bench beside the right-hand wall.

"This just has to be yours," Darnell assumed as he handed the crossbow to Willow.

Willow's emerald eyes held a feral gleam as she shouldered a quiver of arrows and took the weapon from him, sliding an arrow into the crossbow with practiced ease. Ceara and Angel distributed the remaining weapons,
and the gang turned and let their eyes drift over the yawning room.

"Looks like the old bastard's gone shy on us," Angel stated. "I guess that means we're supposed to go looking for him."

As if reading each other's thoughts, Spike and Willow fell into step behind the slayer and her vampire and led the rest of the group across the room to a massive stairway. Its thick mahogany steps and ornately carved balusters gleamed in the candlelight and led up into the darkness above. Trouble, who was not entirely certain of his surroundings but was up for the adventure, anyway, lurched from his position behind the others and tagged along after the redheaded vampire.

The gang stepped up onto the top landing and stopped to stare down the seemingly endless corridor spread out ahead of them.

"This way," Willow said softly as her gaze traveled along the doors that ran down both sides of the wide hallway.

She and Spike moved to the front of the group, and the others followed as the redhead led them to a set of double doors on the left.

"How well do you know this place?" William asked as she reached for the doorknob.

She looked back at her sire’s twin, "Not well, really. In my dreams, I’ve only been in a couple of rooms. This is one of them. The dining room."

She swung the doors open and stepped through, stopping short as an imposing figure rose to his feet from a chair at the far end of the long table. The tall candelabra positioned in the middle of the table cast wavering shadows over the room and obscured their host’s features.

"There you are," he spoke, stepping toward them a pace, and his eyes lit on Willow as he gestured toward the table, which was lavishly laid out. "I’ve been waiting for you. We’ve never been formally introduced have we, my dear? I’m Drayke."

Although she couldn’t see him clearly, Willow could feel his eyes boring into her, and Spike took his lover’s hand as she glared
uncertainly across the darkened room. That physical contact brought her attention back to her sire, and she drew herself up.

"This game of yours has gone on long enough," she told him, her voice dripping with contempt.

"This is no game, Willow," he answered calmly. "You have something I want, and the only way I can have it is if I have you."

"You think you can take on the lot of us by yourself?" William asked the demon.

"I think I won’t have to," he snarled with confidence.

As if responding to cue, the wide door behind him opened and the five demons who had conspired to help him stepped into the room.

"You really have no idea what you’ve put yourselves up against," Mathala’s former master informed them. "This isn’t your world. We don’t abide by your limitations."

"Yeah? Don’t be so sure you know what our limitations are," Willow growled back.

He chuckled and took a step toward her, and the other demons flanked their leader as Ceara and Angel moved in front of the small vampire. Unimpressed, Drayke kept his eyes fixed on Willow as he continued to advance on her. Angel snarled and tensed to hurl himself at the demon, only to find his feet would not move. Ceara’s eyes widened, and she reached out to him, crying out in pain as her hand made contact with the air directly around Angel. She stared down at her blistered palm,
burned by the fiery heat that cloaked the dark vampire.

"Release him," Willow growled.

The demon shook his head, "Give yourself to me, and I’ll let him go. I’ll return all of your friends to their own realm, immediately. Refuse me, and I’ll burn him to ashes right where he stands."

Willow gasped as Angel groaned, his skin glistening with bloody sweat from the unbearable heat surrounding him, soaking into his flesh. She cast a frantic look at Spike, who was staring in pained awe at his sire.

"Choose!" the demon bellowed impatiently. "Or he dies."

"Willow," Ceara whimpered imploringly.

The redhead’s eyes traveled beyond Mathala’s former master to the demons on either side of him. Darnell, whose eyes were trained upon her, waiting, gauging her reactions, watched as Willow seemed to pull inside herself for the briefest of moments.

Suddenly, she tensed and barked out, "Joseph!"

Without questioning, he grabbed up a large urn of flowers sitting on a table beside the door and leapt around the others to hurl it at the small group of demons. Taking advantage of the distraction, Willow quickly shouldered the crossbow and took swift aim at the demon to the immediate right of Drayke. The arrow hit home, sinking into the demon’s chest. His loud grunt of pain just before he vanished echoed around the room, and the searing heat that enveloped Angel immediately dissipated.
The tall vampire sagged with relief, and Ceara reached out for him, pulling him close to her.

Drayke howled in anger and raised his arms, and Spike latched onto Willow’s hand as the gang turned to flee from the room. He slammed shut the double doors as a burst of pure energy hurtled out from the demon on the other side and blew the doors off their hinges. They flew down the hallway, stopping as they came to another flight of stairs leading up.

"What do you think?" Will spoke from William’s side.

"Go," the slayer nodded, clutching Angel’s arm. "He’s hurt."
 
 
 

Ceara pushed open the first door at the top of the stairs and dragged Angel inside. The others quickly trailed her footsteps, and Willow turned to close the door.

"How is he?" Will asked, leaning down as the slayer and her vampire sunk to the floor.

"Tired, mostly," Angel tried a weak grin, but failed. "And it hurts like hell. I need blood."

"We don't have any here," the redheaded mortal's voice was laced with concern.

"I do," Spike responded, and took a step toward his sire.

William's hand on his twin's arm stopped him, "Willow needs yours."

Ceara's mouth dropped open as William knelt beside Angel and offered his neck to the darker vampire.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked, as surprised by the gesture as the others in the room.

"Don't go all poof on me now, old man," the blonde vampire quipped dryly. "Just drink, already."

Angel looked gratefully into William's eyes, and his vampiric features slid into place. William tensed as Angel's fangs sunk into his neck, and Will crouched down beside her lover and laid her hand on his shoulder. After a long moment, Angel pulled away and cleaned the last traces of blood from his lips as he resumed his human features.

"Thank you," he whispered sincerely.

William nodded and moved back, reaching silently for Will and pulling her into his side.

"Maybe you're not as big a bastard as I thought," Ceara conceded.

"Maybe," he grinned slyly. "But I won't make any promises."

"Speaking of needing your sire's blood," William looked back at his lover's double. "How are you feeling? Did he get to you back there?"

Willow shrugged, "Only for a minute."

"A minute is too long," Spike told her, pulling her over to a chair against the wall and dragging her down onto his lap. "Drink, luv."

"*Just* drink," Ceara suggested. "We don't need a side show, and those demons must be looking for us."

Willow nodded and pressed a soft kiss to Spike's lips before lowering her mouth to his neck. His arm curled tightly around her as she fed from him. She drank quickly, then nuzzled against him before burying her fingers in his hair and drawing his mouth down to her throat. Angel ventured a look at his childe and saw his lean fingers slowly drifting up Willow's inner thigh.

"Somebody pry them apart before they get nude on us," Angel spoke.

Willow laughed softly, and Spike withdrew his fangs and captured her lips in a long, slow kiss. Trouble, who had been impatiently traveling the closed room, suddenly turned with a low growl and fixed his eyes on the door.

"Uh oh," Emily whispered. "I think we've been found."

"Great," Ceara muttered as she and Angel scrambled to their feet. "Is there another way out of here?"

Darnell moved toward a door set in the wall near a cavernous fireplace and gave it a tug, "Locked."

"We can fix that," Spike told him as he gently pushed Willow off of his lap.

Grabbing a poker from its resting place by the hearth, he stabbed its pointed end between the casing and the door, and the hinges cracked loudly as he pried the wooden barrier open. They crossed over into an adjoining room, and the gang made their way to the door leading out into the corridor.

"Careful, sweet," Joseph cautioned his childe as Emily reached for the doorknob.

She nodded and silently opened the door just enough to peer out into the hallway. Drayke and the other demons were positioned in front of the room from which they had just crept, and Emily looked around at Willow.

"Go for it," the redhead nodded.

The young vampire grinned and raised the dagger in her hand as she leaned slightly around the door. With a quick flick of her wrist, the weapon spun through the air, and its long sharp blade embedded itself in the nearest demon's temple.

"Got him!" Emily squealed as her target fell heavily to the floor outside.

Joseph gave his beaming childe a firm push out the door, and the remaining demons turned toward the small group as they clambered out of the room and took off in the opposite direction. They reached the end of the hallway to find themselves facing a solid wall, with no exit in any direction.

"Give up," Drayke advised, a cruel smile twisting his lips as he and his fellow demons stopped a few feet behind them. "You won't win this battle, Willow. Give yourself to me."

"How dense can you possibly be?" the red haired vampire hissed. "We've already killed two of your bastards.

"But you still have me to contend with, don't you? And I can promise you that I'm not nearly so easy a target," he replied calmly. "You can't escape me, but you can save your friends. Come with me."

"Not bloody likely," Spike snarled. "She's mine. My childe. My mate."

Drayke dismissed the angry vampire's words. "It's of no consequence to me if your childe doesn't desire me. She only has to agree to stay. It's the little demon I want. I can take your lover by force, if I must."

"Then why haven't you?" Willow sneered. "Looks to me like your mouth is bigger than your balls.

The demon smiled smugly and turned his gaze back to the redhead as she reached for the crossbow slung over her shoulder. Drayke raised an arm, and Willow yelped as she felt her body being lifted off the floor and slammed violently against the wall behind her. Ceara lunged at the demon, only to be stopped by another who brought his fist up under the
slayer's chin. She grunted in pain as she landed on the floor and kicked out, knocking her attacker off his feet. Will tightened her grip on the dagger she was clutching and quickly dropped to one knee and shoved the blade into the demon's chest.

Angel grabbed hold of Ceara’s arm and pulled her backwards as William leapt over her and swung out at the next demon to advance on them. The demon ducked, and William raised his foot, catching the demon in the face and sent him sailing backward. Darnell had just pulled Willow back onto her feet when a sharp cry from her mortal double caught the small
vampire's attention. Willow's eyes burned amber, and her fangs descended as she watched Drayke coil a hand around Will's throat and pull her toward him.

"A trade," the demon offered. "Her life for yours."

Willow shoved herself away from Joseph and moved to William's side, "Can't trade what I don't have. I'm already dead. Care to try it?"

Drayke's cold laughter was abruptly halted when the little redhead snarled angrily and flung herself at him. Will gasped as she was dragged to the floor with him, and William raced to her and pulled her away from the demon. Willow straddled the demon and raised the stock of the crossbow, preparing to slam it into the demon in under her.

"Willow!" Spike's shouted, realizing he wasn't going to get to his childe before one of the other demons crooked his arm around her neck and hauled her up off of Drayke.

"I have what I want," Drayke announced as he rose to his feet. "I claim her. She's mine. The rest of you can go."

"It doesn't work like that, fool," Willow punctuated the last word by slamming the end of the crossbow into the demon who was holding her firmly.

She whirled around, her weapon at the ready, and pulled the trigger. The demon gurgled as the arrow tore through his throat, and Willow felt her sire's strong arm curling around her waist as she quickly moved away. Drayke howled furiously and took a step toward them.

"Enough," he spoke, his voice resonating with anger. "It's a pity you couldn't have been reasonable about this. Your friends are worthy adversaries. I'm almost sorry to have to kill them."
 
 
 

Willow, her eyes fixed on the demon, took a small step backward and uttered the single word, "Mathala."

The little demon appeared behind Drayke and the one other remaining demon.

"Let me stay, Master," she spoke softly to the redhead. "He will release you all if you let me stay."

"Is that what you want?" Willow asked her.

"Hasn't she already answered that question?" Drayke snapped. "You heard her request."

"Who the hell asked you?" the vampire snarled. "Mathala, do you really want to stay here with him?"

"I want you and your friends to be safe," she answered.

"That isn't what I asked. Answer me. Who do you wish to serve?"

"You, Master," the small demon replied with downcast eyes.

"And is your desire worth their deaths?" Drayke questioned.

"You have no right to ask anything of her," Willow sneered angrily before Mathala could reply. "She doesn't answer to you."

"Willow, luv," William spoke calmly from behind her left shoulder.

"Yes," she responded without looking at him.

He pressed his hand to her shoulder and shoved her forcefully down as his other arm shot up and hurled the dagger in his hand. Drayke hissed and latched onto the demon beside him, pulling him around in front of him to shield himself from the oncoming weapon. With a sickening squelch, the razor-sharp blade embedded itself deep into the demon's chest, and his lifeless body sank to the floor.

Willow grinned as she pulled herself up, "You're losing, Drayke. Who are you going to hide behind, now?"

"You sacrificed him," Mathala spoke, her soft voice filled with wonder.

Drayke's head snapped around to her, "He was working with me."

She shook her head, "You pushed him in front of you, to protect yourself from the dagger clearly marked for you. You gave up his life to save your own. You sacrificed him."

"Does that matter?" Will asked.

"Your life for his," Mathala said to Drayke. "In payment. Benevolence requires it."

"No!" the demon roared angrily. "You have no right to make that claim! You're nothing but a servant--"

"I can demand it, if my Master gives me permission," she corrected him before looking past him to Willow.

"I don't understand," her master admitted. "Are you saying Drayke dies because he screwed with his buddy?"

Mathala shook her head, "We are not sexual beings--"

"No!" the redhead sighed. "Mathala, focus!"

"I'm trying, Master. I'm trying to learn your idioms. I don't seem to understand what you mean when you mean what you say, and when I think I do know what you mean, you say what you don't mean. You're so confusing."

"*I'm* confusing? What do you call--"

"Pet," Spike placed his hand on her shoulder. "Just rephrase the question."

"Right," she nodded. "So Drayke dies because he shoved the other demon in front of him?"

"To prevent his own death," the small demon nodded. "To force his fellow-demon to take the dagger that was meant for him. He must now allow you a second opportunity, without defending himself in any manner whatsoever."

A wicked gleam burned in Willow's green eyes, "Oh, I'm going to like this."

Drayke shifted uncomfortably from one leg to the other, wanting desperately out of the fix he had placed himself in, knowing his impulsive act had, in fact, sealed his own doom.

"I'll release all of you, Mathala included," he offered.

"Bugger off," William snarled. "We're supposed to let you go so you can try this again? I don't bloody think so."

"What he said," Willow agreed and shouldered her crossbow.

"Baby," Spike spoke softly into her ear. "That bastard is mine."

She turned her head to him, and he placed a quick kiss on her lips before stepping around her.

"Don't play with him," Ceara suggested from Angel's side. "Just kill him so we can get out of here."

The vampire smirked, "Has Daddy ever told you that you're no fun?"

"Never," Angel answered with a half-grin.

"Could we just get *on* with this?" Emily asked and immediately regretted it when Willow turned around to fix her with a hard stare. "Um...please?"

Spike moved directly in front of Drayke. The demon tried to scowl disdainfully at the vampire, but the fear in his eyes was all too apparent.

"I've watched you torment my mate for weeks, you bastard. I'd like to string you up by your balls and watch you swing for a couple of weeks. But," Spike's cold eyes traveled over the demon, "since you don't *have* any balls, I'll have to settle for this."

He reached around Willow and pulled an arrow from the quiver on her back. Drayke took a step back as Spike advanced on him.

"You cannot flee," Mathala spoke softly. "You chose your own fate."

The demon snarled softly but held his ground as Spike raised the arrow clenched in his fist. Drayke groaned as the vampire shoved the deadly tip into his chest, and the demon collapsed to the floor. Spike stumbled as Drayke curled a hand around Spike's ankle, sending a painful jolt of energy surging through the vampire's body. Darnell moved around the others and stomped a heavily-booted foot down on the
demon's arm. Grabbing Joseph's dagger, Spike leaned over and savagely dragged the blade over Drayke's throat.

Ceara gasped and grabbed for Angel's hand as the gang suddenly found themselves staring around Giles' living room. The watcher, who was sitting beside Christina on the sofa, frantically researching a way to help his slayer, jumped to his feet, and the book in his lap tumbled to the floor.

"Ceara! Willow!" Christina breathed. "Are you guys all right?"

"Yeah," the slayer nodded, still a bit dazed to find herself back in familiar surroundings.

"What happened? We found the broken box and assumed you must have been taken by the demon," Giles said. "But how--"

"Accidental suicide," Willow answered.

The watcher's perplexed gaze shifted to her, "What?"

"It's a long story, Giles," Angel spoke as his arm crept around the slayer.

"I'm sure it must be," Christina nodded. "But do you realize there are no recorded accounts of anyone crossing over into a demon's realm and returning alive? You really must sit down and tell us exactly what occurred--"

"Must we?" Ceara glanced up at Angel.

"Of course you must! The information you've acquired could be invaluable, and it won't take but a couple of hours," Giles insisted.

"A couple of hours?" the slayer repeated weakly.

"No longer, I promise," the watcher replied.

He reached for Ceara's arm, and Willow moaned unhappily, "But Giles--"

"Now, just sit down here," he ordered. "And start from the beginning."

"Oh, bloody hell," William scowled. "I don't think so."

Will squealed softly as the vampire suddenly swept her up off the floor and headed for the open patio door. Willow watched as they disappeared from the room, her steady gaze following their movements wistfully. Spike chuckled and latched onto her hand, tugging her in the same path his double had taken, nearly tripping over Trouble as he scampered out ahead of them.

"Wait a minute!" Christina protested as Darnell grabbed his childe and took off after Willow and Spike. "You can't just--"

"Never mind," Giles sighed. "We still have Ceara."

"Well, actually, you don't," Angel corrected the watcher, and he flung the delighted slayer over his shoulder and tromped after the others.

Giles and Christina stared around the now empty room before their eyes finally came to rest on one another's.

"Do me a favor," he requested, the faintest trace of amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"What's that?" Christina asked.

"Don't tell the council I've completely lost control of the Hellmouth."

"Oh, I'll keep your secret," she agreed with a wink. "But it's going to cost you."

Giles' eyebrows shot up as she suddenly shoved him down onto the sofa and scrambled onto his lap, "You're as bad as they are!"

"Our kids are safe, Rupert. We can wait until tomorrow to find out what happened," she pointed out. "And, you know, you don't have to be a demon to act like one."

"Excellent observation," he agreed readily as she snuggled against him.

"I thought you'd think so," she laughed softly before planting a long kiss on his willing lips.

End 15/15

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