By My Side

Author: Femailofthespecies

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~Part: 21~

Spike fidgeted in Angel’s chair behind his desk in his office, singing the theme to Sesame Street in his head while Angel had a long talk with him. Periodically, he would nodded, grunt or make an off-hand comment, in an effort to appear attentive. In a few hours he and Willow were leaving for the funeral and it seemed that his Sire intended to use every minute until then lecturing him on proper vampire-human etiquette.

Spike decided to have a little fun while Angel wasted away his afternoon. He should be off shagging his witch.

"But Angel, the chit is loving it. She’s just too ornery to admit it. I smell her every time I come in the room. Anytime I get close she hits me with it. I tell you, Sire she’s doing it on purpose. Trying to drive me insane, she is."

"Spike, are you retarded?" Angel asked, honestly wanting to know if the bleach had been sinking into the brain cells.

"What? No! ...Look Angel, I want the girl. I always get what I want, therefore I get the girl. Why are you so determined that I leave her alone anyway?" He asked, understanding or some twisted facsimile thereof, creeping into his mind.

"This is not about me, Spike. Stop trying to change the subject. She is my seer. I need her. She wants to remain human. Is that too much for a girl to ask nowadays?" Angel was tired of this whole situation, close to telling Cordy to handle Spike herself.

"Come on mate. Imagine her demon, how beautiful she’ll be. I know you’ve thought of it before. She’ll bring others to their knees." Spike rose from the chair, the leather squeaking noisily. He sauntered to his Sire and stood before him, noses nearly touching. "She’ll be glorious Angelus. Powerful and graceful. Confident and wicked, everything a companion should be and more." The blonde nuzzled his sire’s neck, requesting access which Angel gave with a sigh as his boy sank his fangs into him, sucking and moaning against him. His childe’s hips were pumping him, the blonde oblivious to his on actions as he drowned in his drug of choice. The dark vampire pulled the younger one from his neck and claimed his mouth, delving deep in his boy’s cavern, tasting everything about him in that one fabulous kiss.

Tearing away, Spike stared deep into the sable eyes of his greatest love. "How can you deny me a childe, Angel. I’ve chosen her to be my first. Let me have what I given to you since the day I was turned. Well except for the times where we tried to kill each other and my constant wish for you to fall on a stake." He walked away chuckling, lighting a smoke.

Angel watched his childe, a vast mixture of thoughts playing on his handsome features, confusion being the most prominent. "Spike, again I ask, are you re-tard-ed? I am not giving you permission to turn Cordy. She would kill me. I suggest you stop playing with her before you get on her bad side." Angel shook his head while rounding the desk to sit down.

"The girl is mine now. You know that. It’s not like what I feel for Willow, who consumes me. But... There is something there. In her blood drawing me to her, making me want to claim her again and again. She gets my demon up." Spike grabbed the doorknob and stopped. "She feels it too Angel. YOU ask her. And we are both powerless to stop it, whatever it is." He yanked the door open and stormed out, angry that he’d revealed so much to Angel. Willow was upstairs packing a small back for them. He needed to talk to her about what he was feeling and bounded up the stair to see her.

Angel relaxed in his chair, shocked by his childe’s words, ‘There is something there. In her blood drawing me to her, making me want to claim her again and again. She gets my demon up.’ He felt sick, queasy, unusual for a vampire, but sick nonetheless. He’d wrestled with those same feeling except they were directed towards Willow. It was getting increasingly difficult to maintain a calm disposition around her and his demon screamed for him to taste her, claim her, despite the fact that she belonged to his childe. Turning her in time was also high on Angelus’ To Do list.

"What the hell is going on?" He puzzled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Willow, are you done packing?" Spike walked into her room, spying her on the bed closing a dressbag.

"Yes. Just finished. How was your ‘talk’ with Angel? I don’t see any bruises so it must have gone okay." She eyed him, sensing that he wanted to talk.

"Oh, yeah you know Angel. A threat a minute. But he’s more than pissed about my claiming Cordelia which I give a rats ass about. But I do need to know how you feel about it, Red." He sat on the bed and pulled her into his lap, caressing a thigh as he waited for her to speak.

"I’m not sure how I feel. It’s almost like you want her as much as you want me and I am trying to not be the typical jealous girlfriend, but it’s hard. I like Cordy. She’s changed a lot since high school, but to share you with her. I don’t know."

Spike nodded.

"At first it was just a game. To make her think it, you know, ‘cause I was the Big Bad again and I was just flexing a bit. The demon, though, has plans for her. And I don’t know why, but I can sense that she wants it too. Nevermind that she’s denying it. And since that spell I’ve felt like I needed to claim her. I don’t know what’s happening Willow. I don’t think I’m driving the bus when it comes to her and I hate that." He buried his head in her bosom, taking comfort in her scent and sound.

Willow listened to it all, clamping down on the bolt of fear that shot through her being.

"I think we need to talk to Mina. It may be an after effect of the spell. As soon as we get back, okay?" She asked, sneaking a peek into his eyes.

"Right. So let’s get you to your aunt’s last hooray." He pulled the dress bag from the bed and held the door open for his little redhead as she slipped out. Closing the door behind him he asked, "Do you think your parents will like me?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow reached for Spike’s hand as they walked into the funeral home. The blonde was mesmerized by how radiant and fiery his witch looked in the sunlight. His skin was tingling from it’s warmth, making him nearly giddy. They rounded a corner and found the room where the serves where being held. Stopping to sign the book the couple cracked the door slowly, the redhead searching for her mother and father.

"Willow! You made it, finally," her mother said from behind causing the girl to jump and the vampire to growl.

"Mom. Hi." She approached her mother an hugged her tentatively and Spike thought it was the saddest thing he’d seen in a while. "Where’s Dad?" She inquired, glancing.

"Oh, he viewed the body yesterday and left this morning for Amsterdam. I have to leave right after the service and meet him before our seminar tomorrow." Willow nodded, understanding that there would be no time for her in their plans.

"And who is your handsome friend, Willow? Have you forgotten your manners?" Sheila Rosenberg studied Spike as if he where under a microscope. It seemed she could dissect him with her gaze. <My Red grew up with that?>

"Oh...Sorry...um, Mom this is my boyfriend, William. William, this is my mother, Sheila." She ended her sentence in a monotone, all enthusiasm gone.

"Hello." Spike met her stare with his own, refusing to appear to submit to this bitch.

"William. Pleasure..." She broke their little staring match and turned to her daughter. "Is he the reason you lied to Bunny about coming to Oakland?" Her eyes were hard and cold, accusing.

"I didn’t lie to Buffy. I never told her where I was going." She blurted. Spike pulled her close, wanting to protect her from her mother’s callousness.

"Fine. Fine," She interrupted, not really listening anymore. "And William, what do you do?" She tried a different approach and smiled at the vampire, going for warm and friendly, but failing miserably.

"I’m a phlebotomist," He answered honestly.

"And...um he’s a grad student ...at school. In Sunnydale." Willow added quickly.

"Oh, then are you going to be a MD?"

"Actually, I’ve decided to abandon my medical pursuits and start a band." He quipped.

"Willow.. not another musician..."

"Spi...William is just kidding, Mom." Willow lied, dragging him away, driving her knuckles into the vampires ribs.

"Ouch!"

"Willow..."

"The service is starting, Mom. We have to go in."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Willow stood just inside the funeral home doors next to her mother, grandmother ,shaking hands, hugging and thanking people for coming. Spike waited inside a few feet away, pacing and looking every bit like the hyperactive vampire that he was.

Once the last mourner was out the door he stalked up to her and pulled her by the arm deeper into the parlor.

"Something’s wrong. We need to leave now." He nearly growled at her.

"Spike? What is it?" She didn’t like to see him this nervous.

"I’m not sure. But I don’t want to be here one minute more than we need to, Red. I feel...wiggy...for lack of a better term. Grab your purse and let’s get back to LA. Now, Willow." She did as instructed and followed him out into the bright sunlight. He put on the dark glasses procured to protect his overly sensitive eyes as they headed for the car. <Goddess, how could Angelus have stolen him from the daylight?>

"Willow!" The redhead stopped to see who called her even as her heart filled with dread from it’s familiarity.

"Buffy." She whispered, unable to move.

Spike took the three long strides back needed to gather the witch and ran to the car.

"SPIKE? HOW?" The blonde slayer screamed, trailing her nemesis.

"Slayer," Spike turned, facing Buffy and an approaching Anya and Xander. "This is a day of mourning for my witch here. Can’t you leave us in peace? She does not want to go back with you!" Willow hid behind her vampire, wishing that she’d studied that teleportation spell more.

"HEY. Is everybody wondering what I’m wondering? Like why isn’t Spike dust?" Xander cried.

"The ring. Angel. He lied. He still had it." Buffy commented, comprehension dawning as she potted thr gem of Amara. <He wants Willow too. Why else would he give Spike the ring.>

"Yeah, well you lot won’t leave us alone. I need to protect her at all times." Spike defended.

"Just stake him, Buffy!" Xander added excitedly. He wanted Spike out the picture now. The undead creature had caused enough trouble to span a lifetime and Xander, for one, was sick of him.

"Duh, the ring! Sunlight – doing nothing." Anya retorted.

Buffy moved to punch Spike and take her best friend, well that friend part was in jeopardy. The vampire blocked with his arm, and spun round to deliver an elbow smash to her temple, knocking her back violently and stunning the petite slayer.

"Willow, get in the car, start it and unlock my door. I WILL kill them all if we don’t leave." He growled, handing her the keys, game-face on.

"Back off Slutty. This is your last warning. And Xander," He glared at the boy he so lovingly referred to as the moron, licking his teeth, his predatory nature struggling to be unleashed. "You, my boy, just moved to the top of the list." He added, jumping into the drivers seat and taking off, tires screeching.

The trio looked on as the car disappeared around a building.

"Well looks like the Big Bad is back in business." Buffy sighed, resigned to accept whatever came next.

"I for one am glad that I never called him neutered or fangless." Anya mentioned.

"Oh goody. It’s the first time ever that I’m in first place! And it has to be for the prestigious ‘SPIKE’S –GONNA-RIP-OUT-MY-THROAT award." Xander whined, sarcasm dripping from every word.

~Part: 22~

"Seriously, Giles. Spike has that ring. Angel SAID he destroyed it, but there it was plan as the day he was walking around in." Buffy threw herself into one of the watchers chairs, pouting.

"I told you Buffy...Willow is not in immediate danger. Why are you hell bent on retrieving her?"

"She admitted to...having sex with Angel. What about ANGELUS? Are you forgetting him? Although she obviously didn’t make him that happy." She mused smugly, taking a perverse pleasure in thinking she was the only thing that could actually release Angel’s demon.

Giles was exasperated and running out of patience. This was just the latest in his slayers tirades over Willow and Angel. "The real issue here, Buffy, is whether or not Spike is still chipped or if it was the effects of the ring and what his intentions are." He sat, tossing his glasses almost carelessly onto the desk.

"He intends to KILL ME!" Xander spoke up from is station in the kitchen, guarding a twinkie with his waiting mouth. Fearing the vampire that he’d taunted mercilessly the week before he was determined to remain by Buffy’s side, protected.

"He can’t if I kill you first Xander." Giles told them all how foolish they were to think that aggravating that demon when he was leashed was a good idea and harmless fun. Now they were dealing with the fruits of their teasing labor.

"Spike will come back to get us all Giles. Just like he promised."

"You think so? With Willow in tow, cheering him on? If that’s how YOU envision it, Buffy, well then it must be so." Giles’ tone lost its refined calm and became edgier, angrier. The slayer recognized it instantly. <Fuck...Ripper!>

"Giles...I..." Buffy attempted sitting up straight and watching the watcher warily.

"Don’t be stupid! Spike could have killed you then and there. Nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, can kill him with that ring on. You would have been child’s play for him. And he didn’t. Why? Anyone? Anyone?" He looked around the living room at the two as if there were a classroom full to choose from. Raising his hand Xander played along. "Xander....?"

"Because it would hurt Willow?" he answered tentatively, making it a question.

"Bingo. Give the boy a prize!" He clapped his hands and settled back into this milder demeanor much to the slayer’s relief. "Willow is the key to controlling Spike and it is not in our best interest to antagonize her. Buffy you are forcing her to choose between her lover and her friends. When faced with that same choice, you chose your lover, your vampire. So stop being sanctimonious. You have a relationship to repair...for all of our sakes."

~~~*~~~

Spike and Willow arrived back at the Hyperion a little after 1am, Spike literally dragging Mina and Angel from his bed.

"We have to talk! All of us. NOW!" The blonde barked, trembling and fisted. He knew that Angel could not damage him and wanting to keep the conversion verbal.

"Spike what are you so mad about? What happened?" Angel asked calmly, he demon quiet for the moment, disturbed by the turmoil it their childe.

"Slayer happened Sire. She just popped up at the after the funeral to take Red away." Angel turned quickly, but relaxed has her heartbeat reached his ears.

"What happened?" Mina asked.

"The sneaky bitch got the surprise of her life when she saw me. We had a little tug-o-war over her and I won. Felt great smashing that bloody face of hers." He reveled in being able to defend his witch, something not possible a week ago. Willow was not possible a week ago.

"Did you kill her, Spike?!" Mina asked, her core liquefied at image of her brother’s treacherous childe killing his third slayer.

"Sadly, no." He rolled is eyes. "I wanted to kill them all and was closer to loosing control than I’d like to admit, but I love her too much to hurt her like that. She still love them and hurting them hurts her." He sighed and sat in the bed next to his aunt, penetrating her with is blue eyes. "But the moment she tires of them, I’ll kill that slayer and tear her body into shreds just for you, Mina."

"Spike, can you not talk about killing Buffy right now. I...I’m... She meant a lot to me and I don’t want to see her hurt." Angel was confused about his feelings for the slayer. She angered him even as he wanted to protect her from harm. The all-consuming love, however, was not present any longer and felt naked without it.

"Well, I think William has a great idea. Anything I can do to help you with that, just ask." She smiled defiantly at Angel, pulling Spike to her. She kissed the blonde deeply and he moaned, tasting his Sire on her delicious lips as well, a blessed mixture in his opinion.

"You are the best Auntie ever." Spike smiled.

"And you say such sweet thing." Mina batted her lashes.

"I’m gonna be sick," Angel blurted and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

~~~*~~~

Mina, Angel, Willow, Spike and Cordelia crowded Angel’s office. For once Mina and Spike were serious. Something was happening in the Hyperion and it was high time they took notice.

"Alright...we know how Spike and Angel feel. Now Willow." Mina encouraged the witch to speak up.

"I..um...I love Spike. I love everything about him. He is perfect in his imperfections. I don’t feel anywhere close to that for Angel. But for some twisted reason I keep thinking about being with...him...Angel I mean. And I have these flashes- seeing him biting me. I don’t know why this is happening to me." She shrank back into Spike’s waiting arms, tears forming.

"I guess that leaves me." Cordelia started. "I am definitely not in love, lust or like with Blondie over there. Let’s get that straight first." She looked pointedly at each person in the room, confirming they understood. When satisfied she continued softly as if dreaming, "When I see him, my first reaction is to run to him and beg him to...you know...uh...do...I guess everything to me. Which I resist and then there is this battle the whole time he’s around with my mind saying stay away from the vampire that would end your life and my body saying let him be your everything, teach you everything." She stopped suddenly, looking down at her trembling hands and wondering when she got to be such a wreck.

"Mina...It’s the spell. It’s buggered up somehow. Angel, I need you. In you room." He gave Willow a deep kiss, assuring her that everything between them was fine and lifted her from his lap to stand. Without another word he stormed from the office, headed to his Sire’s rooms.

"Mina, please check over the spell, see if there was anything that was spelled wrong, interpreted wrong, whatever you can find. Wesley and Willow can help you." Everyone got up to leave. "Cordy, please stay a minute."

"Yea, Angel?" She replied. She looked tired.

"You are in danger here. Know that I cannot predict what Spike will do right now. He, like me, is under the effects of whatever this is. And I am barely able to keep my hands off Willow with this soul. Spike does not have a soul restraining his demon. Willow and his love for her are what keeps him in line. Keeps Buffy alive, you unturned. My point is...be careful. Spike’s demon is in overdrive. I’ll do what I can to calm him, but his reaction to you is not going to lessen." He stood and accompanied her out of the office, worried about her silence and resignation. "It’s going to be okay Cordy." He hugged her briefly, letting go upon hearing the low growl from his childe at the top of the stairs.

"Coming Sire?" The blonde cocked an eyebrow, drinking in this beautiful vampire approach that him. Angel’ brown eyes were feral. <Good, time for a good violent fight and buggering.>

~~~*~~~

"Help me, Angel. I can’t control it. I don’t want to control it anymore. I want to take her and turn her and sink into her until she screams for me to never stop. I want to watch her first kill and fuck her over the body, bathe her in blood and lick her clean. Can you stop this? Can you save her from me? " The blonde vampire stalked his sire and attacked him, taking his mouth brutally. He cut Angel’s tongue with his fangs and growled, delighted by the sire’s blood slipping thickly down his throat.

Angel wrenched his large powerful hands into his boy’s hair, pressing him closer, enthralled by the younger vampire’s passion. He put a hand between them and gripped the boy’s shaft through the slacks, chuckling as he arched into him.

"Don’t worry William. I’ll take care if you properly, my boy." At the sound of his Sire’s voice slipping in to the old brogue, Spike speed back 100 years in time, wanting the absolute contentment of being possessed by the one creature that could. Angel felt his childe shiver, delirious that this magnificent vampire, a true master among masters, still belonged to him, soul and demon.

The older vampire stepped away from the blonde, eyes smoldering. "Strip."

For a moment, Spike stood there, drifting between pride and lust, but the latter prevail as he quickly disrobed as ordered. Angel was once again taken aback by his childe, never growing accustomed to his amazing beauty even after 200 years of the boy’s existence. "Childe, you are as spectacular as the day I turned you." He admitted with pride.

"What can I say? YOU have bloody marvelous taste." The blonde gave Angel a look that was purely, arrogant, devious, feral and hungry - everything that made up his boy – and he couldn’t help feeling for a second like he was his childe’s prey.

"On the bed. On your back." He commanded and this time the younger vampire obeyed immediately, anxious to get the games started. <Been too bloody long.>

Angel moved to secure Spike with the chains he pulled from a chest, stopping when he sensed tension in his boy. Caressing a sharp cheek he calmed his boy. "William, I’ll not be hurting ya. Not ever again. Those days are over. I understand how to love ya now." Spike searched the dark vampire’s eyes for duplicity and finding none, he relaxed, trusting in his Sire as he finished chaining him to the bed and using a red silk scarf to blindfold him.

~~~*~~~

Taking a break from translating the spell and checking for errors in the casting, Mina and Willow talked in the kitchen, the vampire’s eyes drifting to the ceiling periodically. Hearing another lust-crazed scream pouring from the upper rooms Willow finally gave in to her curiosity.

"Okay Mina. What’s going on up there?" Her concern for her vampire was evenly matched with her arousal from hearing his latest mind-bending orgasm.

"Willow, you can hear what’s going on." Mina answered, laughing lightly.

"Yea...It sounds like Angel is screwing the life out of my mate. But why did Spike just jump up saying he needed Angel?" She was getting a little jealous as they’d been at it for hours.

"In a way he is. Fucking him into submission. William is out of control. Angelus is the only one with the power and psychological hold on William to control his demon. He needs to give in to Angel, but he’s so strong that it takes a while. You know...when he was first made, sometimes it took days for Angelus to get the upper hand on the boy. As time went on William gave in to his sire after an obligatory battles of wills. Something to remind his sire that he was allowing him to dominate him."

"So by now Angel has broken him as much as he can be broken and is basically sating the demon. I just wish I was there to see it. William is so striking in submission. He makes me very horny."

Without thinking or understanding what came over her she blurted out, "You wanna go spy?"

~Part: 23~

Spike had been looking forward to a fight and a fuck – he and Angel ripping each other apart and then getting buggered in the blood. But it didn’t happen like that.

For hours Angel pleasured his childe, pushing him into orgasm after orgasm, exhausting his demon into submission. Spike's stubborn nature and desire to dominate the older vampire kept their games interesting over the years and the blonde had not changed in that respect.

And now the younger vampire was done with all thought, every nerve in his glorious, pale body attuned to and focused on what his sire was doing to him. He groaned as a large hand, coated with lubricant, gripped his engorged cock. Angel stroked his shaft, increasing the pressure from base to tip. He repeated the motion as his childe writhed below him, thrusting uncontrollably in his hand. When he felt Spike’s impending orgasm he stilled his attentions.

Angel leaned over his boy and whispered for his ears only, "Who do you belong to, William?"

Spike reluctantly allowed himself to float back into reality. "You. Always you Sire." He let his head fall back to the bed as Angel swallowed his cock. He arched into his mouth and the dark vampire sucked on the head greedily, enticing shouts from the blonde.

"Fuck Angel! I ....can’t...not anymore!" He screamed as his cock erupted again, shooting his cool seed down Angel’s throat, the excess spilled over his already sweat and cum slicked chest. He went limp, unconscious again. Angel listened closely and released the bonds holding his boy, slipping into the bed and pulling his favorite childe close.

"You can come out now," he muttered sleepily to the two witches who thought they’d magically hidden themselves to watch. The mischievous pair appeared next to the wall, and padded quietly towards the door. Willow was shaking, her center pulsating, in need of her mate, but he was in no condition and wouldn’t be for a while from what she'd witnessed.

"Can I take him with me?" She wanted to be close him, be there when he woke. He looked so fragile and vulnerable that she felt the need to protect him.

"We shouldn’t move him. He’s quiet. His demon is quiet. You can stay here if you want," he suggested, catching the scent of her in the air.

Willow responded to the attraction toward her mate's Sire and took a few steps toward the pair cuddled under the sheets before Mina pulled her gently toward the door.

"Nope. Ain’t leaving you two alone till we figure out what’s what, so come on," She stated.

Willow hesitated, the juices flowing freely at the thought of Angel taking her and ...<Goddess, help me. What’s happening to us all?> "Let’s go research then." And she marched out not looking back for fear of running straight to him, to them.

~~~*~~~

Wesley hung up the phone and shook his head. "Gunn is not coming in today. He says and I quote ‘I ain’t letting that blood sucking maniac near me and don’t want her help.’ I suggest we send Angel to collect him tonight." He picked up the book he’d been using as a reference for the spell translation.

"Angel may not be able to go anywhere. He’s up there all GRR and groiny with Billy the Kid. They were at it for hours. I mean HOURS."

"Oh...OH! You mean Angel and Spike?...Well, the chronicles do mention that the two were most...intimate."

Willow, followed by Mina, entered the lobby. Wesley immediately clammed up upon seeing the vampire he loved to fear. "Hey Wesley! How’s the translation going? Did ya find anything?" She teased.

"Um...no...well...yes. I’m almost done with it, but I can't see any errors in the spell," he stammered, getting up and standing behind Cordelia. Willow sat in his seat and Mina stalked toward the nervous watcher, for no other reason except that she could, but before reaching him she flopped into the nearest empty chair, snickering at his discomfort.

"Mina, that was mean," Willow scolded the vampiress, while stifling a giggle of her own.

"But you should hear his heart. It’s going at least twice as fast as yours, which is freaky for a man, even one that is scared shitless." She chuckled again, truly fascinated by how chicken-shit the watcher could be about her, but he was pretty brave the other night against that demon. But his heart was working much faster than either of the other humans in the room.

Suddenly she froze, listening, eyes wide, and then scowling. She leaped from her chair and faced Cordy and Willow, growling.

"Mina....." Willow had never seen Mina actually behave like a vampire. Well not like an angry vampire and it was scaring her. Not because she thought she would hurt her, but because there must be something terribly wrong to affect the beautiful vampire so. "MINA..." She tried again as the vampire began to circle the two girls. Wesley pressed himself against the wall, feigning invisibility.

Getting her demon under control, Mina smiled sheepishly. "Sorry...I...Ladies we have to talk." She stomped out of the lobby headed to the training room in the basement. When neither had followed, she stopped and shouted, "NOW!"

That was the fire that both needed to be lit under them as they jumped to obey the witch. Once in the basement, Mina faced the girls and decided that blunt and truthful was the best approach.

"I hear two heartbeats," she blurted.

"Uh, okay," Willow agreed. <Confusion is my friend.>

"Two!" Mina reiterated, eyebrows raised expectantly, nodding her head.

"Duh, Mina, two people two hearts, hence two hearts beating. What’s wrong with you?"

"NO! Two each! You have two each," she explained finally.

Willow frowned, oblivious to the implications while Cordelia sank where she stood hitting the floor in a heap.

"Oh God. This can’t be happening again. I am so not carrying that blonde demon’s baby! Make it stop Mina! Make it stop, now. I have a date tonight!" Cordy argued.

"I can’t make it stop! Ohhhh....oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...!" Mina paced, running her hands through her hair.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa...wait a minute. What do you mean two heartbeats each?" Mina and Cordy turned, looking at the redhead as if she had two heads. "No...NO! You mean I’m...Oh Goddess! Vampire's can make babies!  I can’t have a BABY! I have class," Willow shrieked and swayed as if she were going to faint, so Mina persuaded her to sit on the floor next to the seer and joined them.

"Look, somehow you guys ended up pregnant the night of the spell. That’s got to be it. The heartbeat is faint and it wasn’t there yesterday, not that I was able to hear at least. But William and Angelus will be able to hear it too. Right now they aren’t listening for it, but it’ll be hard to miss in a few days."

"I have a date. Uh huh... and I cannot be in the family way. The baby won’t be born tomorrow will it?" The brunette asked, remembering her last demon pregnancy.

"What? No...why? Nevermind! I don’t know how this happened, but I’ll find out. Maybe reverse it, but if those alpha males up there catch on...there won’t be any reversing it. They will want these children, whatever they are human or demon. And you DON’T have a date!" Mina’s glare was resolute and stern, but it softened when she noticed the anger in her friend’s eyes. "Cordy, if you go out with this guy it’s already gonna enrage his demon, whether he acts on it or not, now add a baby to the mix and...well let’s just sit back and watch Hurricane William."

"I’m. Going. On. This. Date." The seer managed through clenched teeth. Mina rolled her eyes and ignored the seer for now

"If it was ritual night then that means my baby belongs to....Angel?" Willow was trembling, fear finally taking hold as the concepts of demon-seed and motherhood meshed in her brain. Spike would be absolutely maniacal in his anger and she was afraid of his reaction. <Although a little punishment might be fun! OH. SHUT. UP!>

"Yeah and Cordy and William are going to be blessed with their own little bundle of joy," She replied, listening for activity upstairs.

She stopped her pacing long enough to race up the stairs, returning quickly with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and Wesley’s notes.

"I am drinking this and going out to hunt. You guys look through these," she ordered, handing them the stack of papers and notebooks. "Look for pivotal words and then for double meanings. Make a list. Oh and stay away from the boys. Give me an hour." She flew up the stairs and out the front door at record speed, consumed by her demon.

~Part: 24~

"H-hey, Cordy...Where are you going? We have to go through this stuff," the redhead whined, glaring at the seer who was ignoring her and walking up the stairs. "Cordy!"

"Wills, listen and listen good. I am NOT gonna let that...that...vampire dictate my life. I have a DATE, which YOU insisted I go on. He’s YOUR boyfriend or mate or whatever. Why don’t you put a leash on that freak?" Cordy fumed from the stairs.

"Well you certainly didn’t need a leash when you fucked him and let him bite you!" Willow yelled back. "Twice!"

"Let him? LET HIM?! I didn’t let him do anything. He just does whatever he wants. Who can stop him? YOU? Can you stop him when he decides to turn me, Willow?" The brunette sat on a stair, blinking back her tears. "Cause Mina won’t. And Angel’s so blinded by that bleached blonde hair he won’t even know until it’s too late. And against Mina and Spike, Wesley and Gunn are useless. So that leaves you Wills. Can you save me from him?"

The witch was angry. Angry that she was pregnant. Angry that is wasn’t Spike’s. Angry that Cordelia was pregnant. Angry that her baby belonged to Spike. But Willow’s ire lessened rapidly as Cordelia’s voice broke, signalling how distraught her friend truly was. For all her tough exterior, Cordy as just as vulnerable as everyone else. And now everything was just...fucked up.

"I’m sorry Cordy. I shouldn’t have said trhat. I don’t know what comes over me. I get crazy ya know. Just crazy with the yelling." She grinned, glad to see the seer smile a little at her babbling. "I guess this is just as insane for you as it is for me. Go...You go and I’ll cover for you."

A brilliant smile graced the brunette’s face. "Oh, thank you Willow! Thank you!" She jumped up, continuing her upward climb. "I’ll be back in the morning, but page me if you find anything."

~~~*~~~

Mina returned to the Hyperion sated and considerably calmer than when she’d left. She felt warm and tingly inside and her demon had been uproariously amused by the delectable agony she’d inflicted on her prey that evening. Admittedly she was rushed and it wasn’t her best work, but it did the job. She listened for activity upstairs and upon hearing none, was convinced that the boys were still asleep. By all accounts she expected them to be out for a few more hours. She just hoped it was long enough to sort out this mess.

She heard the witch’s lone heart beating in the basement and went to join her.

"Where is that girl? She didn’t..." Mina began with a growl, as Willow held up a hand.

"Before you get all GRR... I told her to go. We can figure it out or not figure it out without her and she so needed this. She cried, Mina, and Cordelia Chase never cries." Willow waved her hand for Mina to come sit by her. She’d retrieved some pillows from the lobby and rested on them as she researched.

Mina sighed, resigned to dealing with the seer later, and plopped on a pillow in one fluid motion as the young hacker watched, awestruck. <Must be nice to defy gravity.>

"Find anything?" The vampiress asked while shuffling through some papers.

"Nothing." She got up and stretched, showing off the pale flesh of her flat-for-now belly. "Every word translates fine," she growled. "I just don’t get it. Maybe it’s not the spell."

"Nah, it’s the spell. I can sense the magic signature. I wasn’t looking for it before and it’s faint now. I’m not sure if it’ll get stronger or weaker as the baby grows."

"Well, the only words I could not find much on were the Gods and Goddesses. Wesley’s notes just say that he will look them up tomorrow."

"The Gods are the Gods so no errors there unless I invoked the wrong one, but since the spell worked I picked them correctly. I mean...It was all about harnessing the power..." She drifted off, lost in thought. Willow started to ask her what was wrong only to be hushed by a thin finger over her lips.

"I need the computer," she advised, voice devoid of emotion. "Come on."

~~~*~~~

"FUCK!" Mina shouted, glaring at this screen as if to melt it with her heat, and then lowered her voice. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" She paced in circles, not sure of which way to direct her rant. The air around her crackled with magic and Willow muttered a quick protection spell in case the vampire lost control.

"Okay. Let’s use our words here and just tell me. What. Is. It? No use getting all crazy, since it isn’t happening to you."  It was nearly midnight and it was evident she needed to sleep soon. She was getting cranky.

"Okay...okay. Looks like Benu, although he is a god of the sun, he also symbolizes rebirth and that could be where we got screwed. Or there’s Geb who was also a symbol of male fertility. Put them together and it just screaming conception."

"Oh goodie...so now we got a big ole recipe for babies." The redhead rolled her eyes. "So what are we having? Humans? Vampires?"

"I don’t know. I can find out, but we have to a wait while, which defeats the purpose of us trying to reverse this.. Why don’t you go to sleep. I’ll work on fixing this." Mina smiled slightly. <There is no way to keep William away from the redhead for long.>

Willow nodded, "Thanks. Wake me early and I can help?" The younger witch offered.

"Sure...And Willow?...I’m sorry that this happened. Although I am curious about what’s happening, it’s disrupting your life. Cordy’s too. Never meant for any of that to happen." She looked away, staring off at nothing for a few seconds. "See ya in the morning."

"Yeah, in the morning."

~~~*~~~

"Cordy put her key in the doorknob to her apartment, turned and went in. As soon as she turned on the lamp in the hall all of the lights in the living room and kitchen began blinking frantically.

"Dennis...I’m so sorry! I know it’s late and I should have called..." The blinking continued with renewed urgency. "Knock it off, Dennis. I won’t tell you about Gary if you don’t stop and believe me he was dreamy." She dropped her purse and coat on the sofa, kicked off her heels and padded to her room, switching on the floor lamp by the door.

"You can tell me about Gary."

The brunette jumped several feet backwards, hitting the wall opposite her door. "AAAAACKK! MINA! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? There ARE easier ways to get my blood. What are you doing here?"

"You left. I told you to stay." Mina’s voice was even and pleasant belying the anger underneath. She was not used to being disobeyed, especially by pets or toys. Now she clearly understood what William wanted in this girl.

"I had a date. I told you I was going." The ex-cheerleader stood in the doorway defiantly, glaring back at her friend.

"Tell ME about Gary, Cordy. Was he as deliciously sinful as our William? Cuz I can smell him. On you now. I can smell his sweat, his lust, his cologne, his seed..."

"And?" She moved toward her dresser and took out some night clothes.

"HE will smell him too. William will." She had been sitting on Cordy’s bed reading a magazine, wondering why she could not seem to find the right haircut. Now she got up, head tilted, and stalked slowly over to the brunette who was clutching her bundle of clothes to her chest, finally nervous.

"And he will become very attentive, focus every one of his exceptionally keen senses on you..." She stood next to her friend, leaned into her neck and inhaled deeply, savoring the fear and arousal. "And when he hears that baby’s heart thumping away inside you do you know what he’s going to do?"

Cordy shook her head, eyeing the vampire warily.

"He is going to take you, by force and punish you for letting another touch you. He will reclaim you, yet again, but this time it will hurt – a lot – and then he will fuck you until you cry and scream and beg for him to stop and then he’ll fuck you some more. And in the end, Cordelia, you’ll like it. You disobey him just so he’ll do it again." She lit a joint that she had taken from a snack she had on the way to Cordy’s. "Gods I love this." She smiled as she hit it again.

"No, I won’t. And Angel will stop him," Cordy told her, shaking her head in denial.

"I hope he does. But Angel isn’t always around," she replied, a feral grin on her pretty face.

"What about Willow? She’s pregnant too. And by Angel. And those two so have that rival thing going. Spike is gonna flip on her too?" She was not going down alone.

"Willow is his mate. She did not go out with another man. She is pregnant by his sire whom he knows she slept with. He is not going to punish you for the pregnancy Cordy...You belong to him. You let another touch you. He will think that the baby belongs to that man’s and his demon is going to freak."

"And I am supposed to care why?" It was 3:30am and she needed to rest so her patience level was dwindling rapidly.

Mina rolled her eyes, and put the joint out, flicking in into the toilet of the seer’s bathroom. "You’re a tough one," she chuckled. "Cordelia, I like you... a lot... and would love to have you in the family, but not against your will. William has no such scruples. This baby is your chance to make sure he leaves you alive and breathing. But not if he fucks you into a miscarriage."

"Are you saying that I should have this baby to stop him from turning me?" She asked, stunned.

"Yep. I’ll have to explain to him what happened so he doesn’t get the wrong idea, because as soon as he smells the other guy, he’ll hear that baby."

"What happened to REVERSING it?? Did we just give up on that?" The seer was not about to turn her life upside down because of some stupid fluke in a spell.

"I don't know how to stop it. Or of I can, but for you time is up anyay.  As soon as you're in the same room as him or Angel they will smell your good friend Gary.  I just wish you would have listened to me and kept your ass at the hotel or your legs closed.  You've blown it for Willow too, ya know."  Once she explained about Cordelia they would expect that the redhead could be in the same predicament.

 "How will this stop him after I have it?"  The seer sigh, resigned to her fate for now and regretting her earlier decision to be insolent.

"He’d have to leave you human for a few years at least to care for the child. By then he may change his mind altogether."

"This is too much..." Cordy whispered to herself.

"I know, but think it over." She walked to the front door, the brunette behind her. "And Cordy?"

"Hmm"

"I know you like being the boss of you and all that crap, but don’t disobey me again. I’m not William. What I tell you do to is for a good reason....Not ever again, Cordy." And she stepped out into the night without looking back and without saying goodnight and without telling her that she’d eating all the Ben and Jerry’s ‘Chunky Monkey’.

~Part: 25~

Angel woke up feeling groggy, nearly drugged. He smiled, remembering his escapades with Spike. It took a lot out of him, breaking the boy. But that was always the best part. And his blood was so powerful now that drinking so much of the blonde left Angel buzzed.

Slowly, he untangled his limbs from his childe’s, not wanting to disturb him yet, and got up to shower. It was early for him, just a few hours after sunrise, and he decided to catch up on some work and talk with Cordelia, Wesley and hopefully Gunn. He’d left his friend a voicemail two days ago asking him to come back so that Mina could heal his injuries. He needed his hunter. Gunn was experienced and had the balls to do the job, whatever the job may be. Mina would do in a pinch, being infinitely stronger and a skilled fighter too, but she was even more unpredictable than Spike and not within the dark vampire’s ability to control, although he was finding it hard to control his own childe nowadays as well. She was also a major distraction, keeping his demon aroused most of the time they were on the hunt.

His thoughts, having drifted to his sibling, also had him unconsciously seeking her out, he realized, as he stood before her door. He lifted a large hand to knock, but changed his mind. A sleepy Mina was an evil Mina, in more than one sense of the word. His staff had been fortunate to have only been exposed to a minute sample of her bad side and he wanted to keep it that way. He slipped back down the hall and descended the stairs to an empty lobby and office. Glancing at the clock, he wondered if he should check on Cordelia who was usually in office before 8am, with Wesley and Gunn arriving by 9am. Suddenly the front door burst open, displaying a disheveled seer.

"Oh, Angel... You’re up early. I...Sorry I’m late. Uh...I had a hard time sleeping. Hey!" She stood at the door afraid to come any closer, allowing a few rays of sunlight to hit the lobby floor.

"Hi Cordy. Please close the door." He eyed her, pondering what her issue was.

"My bad!" She giggled and turned to pull the door shut. "So...any new clients or dirty bad evil to fight?" She asked, with a huge fake grin.<Why won’t he disappear into the batcave like normal?>

"Uh...No." He stepped toward her and she stepped away. "What’s wrong with you?" He smelled her fear and as intoxicating as it was, he wanted to know why she was afraid. And why afraid of him.

"NOTHING! Nothing...Hahaha..." She moved to her right and slipped to the office quickly. "Where’s Willow? I could use her help today." She hoped to get him out of the room and off of her case. She thought about not coming in, but that would only spark a trek to her apartment by one dark and formally broody vampire, where he would be concerned and attentive. Something she had to avoid.

"Upstairs...still sleeping," he replied listening for the witch’s rhythmic heartbeat.

"Okay, why don’t you start calling these clients back," the seer shoved a stack of memo slips in his reluctant hands and skittered out of the office and away from him. "And I’ll go get Wills." She yelled over her shoulder, taking the stairs two at a time.

"It’s the new gel, I’ll bet," he said to himself, tentatively touching his hair.

~~~*~~~

"Willow!" Cordy whispered roughly, shaking the redhead out of her slumber. "Willow!! Wake up!"

"Whaaaat? Don’t wanna," she mumbled into her pillow.

"Wake up!" The seer pinched her friend, jumping back when the witch swung at her.

" Ouch, Cordy! That hurt!" She rubbed her arm.

"You can let Spike kiss and make it better later. What did you guys find last night?" She quipped.

"Oh boy...two of the gods represented like other things, one being rebirth and the other was a symbol of male fertility. Mina said it was like instant conception. Are you hungry? Cause I’m hungry." Willow flipped the covers off of her legs and scooted to the edge of the bed.

"Can we change it?" she asked, clenching the witch’s arm.

"Stop it. No. She can’t yet, but she was gonna keep looking." She stood and stretched. "Is Spike up yet?"

"No, thank God! And don’t you go waking him up either. I have big problem soup and he is the main ingredient." She sighed, laying back on the bed.

"What happened now? He’s been asleep the whole time, Cordy."

"I went out with Gary and ..."

"Ohh yeah! How was it?" She clapped in her excitement.

"Willow, I am in trouble." When the girl just frowned, the seer continued. "Spike has claimed me. Twice. So in his demented pea brain I belong to him." She softened when Willow scowled. "Sorry...anyway, we went out to a late dinner and to a small jazz club in Hollywood. Then to his place for a nightcap which turned into a bit more." She stared pointedly at her friend until she got it.

"Oh!"

"Yeah...oh. So I slip out and come home and who is sitting in my bed? Mina. And she is way pissed and telling me all about what Spike is gonna do to me...TO ME!...for letting Gary touch me."

Willow swallowed hard, partially out of apprehension for the seer and partially to push down the wave of jealously that threatened to surge over her.

"She also told me not to DISOBEY her again. Like I’m some kid she can boss around." By now the ex-cheerleader was ranting quietly, pacing in a neat semi-circle around Willow’s bed.

"You’re kidding? She said that?"

"Yes... and she sniffed me up! They are so alike. Anyway...she told me to have the kid to keep Spike from turning me. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want a baby Wills!"

"You can’t have an abortion! I don’t know what they’d do if you or me or we did that. Goddess! I have to go back to Sunnydale on Sunday and I am carrying my best friend’s ex-boyfriend’s demon child, who happens to be the father of my boyfriend. How Ricky Lake is that?" She gathered clothes, shorts and a tank and headed for her bathroom.

"I am so screwed, huh?" The seer sighed, nearly resigned to the inevitable.

"Yep." she replied, closing the bathroom door as Cordelia pulled a pillow over her face in false suffocation.

~~~*~~~

His demon woke first as usual, however today there was no bloodlust, just contentment. He rolled over, rubbing his eyes like a little boy. He needed to find Willow and his sire. It seemed like ages since he touched his witch and wanted to reassure her that they were okay. And he wanted to thank Angel for claiming him again in such a... non-violent... manner. The sweet agony of Angel’s sexual torture was among the most delectable things he ever endured. He was slightly embarrassed for passing out like he did, several times in fact, but it was worth it. He was calmer, sated, happy.

He got up quickly and almost fell back. He was still weak from blood loss. Angel drank deeply several times the night before, which was not something the younger vampire was accustomed to any longer. Taking his time, the blonde rose again and stepped carefully to Angel’s bathroom, his nude body, pale and glorious in it’s design. He filled the tub, cursing because he’d forgotten to bring his cigarettes with him and to exhausted to fetch them.

Once the tub was filled, Spike lowered himself into the steaming hot water, savoring how it heated up his blood. He laid back and relaxed as the water soothed his tired muscles and the numerous bites and scratches in his flesh. Normally he would have healed already, but lack of blood and not feeding slowed the process. He would have to bag it like his sire until dark or use the ring. But since he’d promised Angel he wouldn’t use it to feed during the day, a bag of O positive it was. Not that he really cared about keeping a promise to Angel. It was just that he didn’t want to wanker to try to take the ring back from him for abusing it. <The misuse will have to come later.>

~~~*~~~

Mina sat opposite the girls in the office. Her _expression was grim, not a normal state for the vampire.

"I can’t undo it. At least not without hurting you in the process." She put down the book where she found the most promising spell to correct the problem. "Also the fetuses will grow a bit faster if there is a demon present." She was tired and hated giving this bad news. Not that the situation wasn’t enthralling, but this was more than the humans could be expected to endure emotionally

Raising her hand, "How hurt? How hurt would I be?" Cordy asked, ready to make a few sacrifices to get out of this.

"If the baby is demon, very hurt. You don’t want me to elaborate, really," she stated flatly.

"So now the question is how do we tell the dynamic duo."

"We are not telling them! Can’t we both just leave? Go back to Sunnydale?" Cordelia was still opposed to the concept of motherhood. <Damn sex-craved vampire! And his really hard...>

"Sunnydale? Buffy? She will break her no slaying humans rule just for us! Well at least for me," the redhead answered, chewing on a pencil.

"But she won’t be after me so I can go, right?" The brunette was nodding her head furiously, her efforts to convince the others that it was a splendid idea failing.

"No one’s going anywhere. Not that you’re a prisoner or anything. I just think we need to deal with this. And Cordy," Mina turned to look at the seer, "if you leave, he will find you no matter where you go."

"Goddess...Cordy. We have to figure this out. I’m all for running when running solves the problem. But wherever we run, big old belly full of baby will follow and angry vampires too. So I’m not seeing the benefit. At least here we are safe."

"SAFE!? YOU maybe safe , but I am the walking dead waiting to happen. Have you forgotten that I am bleach boy’s project of the month. Fuck this..." Cordelia rose quickly, hitting her hip on the desk in her haste, and ran out the office and straight into the pale, muscular arms of a certain blonde vampire.

~~~*~~~

Spike was surprised when his sire’s seer collided with him in the lobby. He'd been following the scent of his witch, caught up in thoughts of her body and his in a vertical battle for dominance, which he would win of course.

"Miss me that much, huh pet?" He smirked, inhaling deeply to appreciate the promise of her impending flavor as her held her firmly against him.

"Spike..." she whispered, her heart beating wildly. He was the last thing she expected to see and he was a vision with his hair still damp, ringlets forming around his pale chiseled features and his chest, so smooth and hard and exposed as he only wore a pair of navy blue leather pants low on his hips. <Definitely going commando!>

He tangled his hand in her hair and tilted her head as he purred into her exposed neck. "Where’s my witch?" he licked and kissed her soft tanned flesh, preparing to sink his fangs into her. Her desperate anger fell away, leaving only the vampire and what she was feeling for him at that moment. She sighed as lips settled on his mark, the fluttering in her tummy transforming into a terrible aching clenching in her core.

Too late, it was the low growl that tore her from the dizzying pleasure and reminded her of the danger in which she wallowed. The gentle cradling of head became a tight grasp, tangling in her dark tresses. She gasped at the slight pain, fear that this was but a horribly small taste of what was to come.

"Spike, please!" She tried to free herself from his gripped only to have him wrench her head even harder, forcing her to face him.

"Now, Cordelia. Why don’t you tell old Spike what you’ve been up to? I feel like we’re out of touch. Not close anymore..." The blonde yanked hard on her hair again, causing her to cry out. "Anything I should know?" He growled menacingly, clenching his jaw.

Mina quietly walked out of the office. She had heard the girl’s anguished cries and told Willow to stay there, no matter what, as she went to diffuse the situation. Now standing at the door, she was mesmerized by his graceful dominance of the seer, her mission of peace forgotten for the moment.

"I...no...I mean....Spike...I...please..." She stammered, her mind cluttered with possible lies and the knowledge that those lies would only serve to anger him more.

"Someone’s been naughty," he sang, eyes feral and flashing. Cordelia jumped, trying to bolt from him as a wave of panic overwhelmed her. He stormed toward the basement, where the chains were, his hold on her growing more painful and awkward.

It was the sweet stench of desperate fear that snapped Mina out of her trance. She moved with vampiric speed and blocked the descending stairs. "William, wait. Please!"

He only growled a warning, the power of his anger flooding the room and astonishing the older vampire again. <Gods he can bend walls with that power!>

"William...We need to talk. Then you can...punish the girl. Now let her go." He glared at her in defiance. "At least loosen your grip. She’s bruising already. And Angelus will be back soon."

"She’s going to treasure these little bruises," he promised, blue eyes hard and cold. But he also lessened the pressure. "Now, I have a bad toy to punish so What. Do. You. Want?"

"Um...you remember the spell to anchor Angelus’ soul, right? Well, I kinda made a boo-boo, well not a boo-boo so much as there were unforeseeable side effects, mainly fertility. And if you listen very carefully you can hear the result your newfound fertility." She finished, pointing to the frightened brunette.

Spike frowned, taking in what she said. He focused his senses, eyes popping slightly as he picked up the second heartbeat.

"You mean?" Mina nodded.

"And it’s mine?" A small , but genuine smile creeping into his beautiful face. Mina nodded.

"And you’re sure?" Mina nodded. He let the girl go, spinning her to grip her hand instead.

Leaning into the seer, his whisper conspiratory, he confessed "Still gonna get you, luv. I smell him on you. I’ll just have to be a little careful."

"No...please. I am so gonna kick your ass if you make me a GRR Girl," she threatened, frantically pulling away.

The blonde only laughed as he dragged her down the steps.

~Part: 26~

"Shhh....It’s gonna be okay, Willow. I know he won’t hurt her. Not much anyway." Mina tried to console the witch as she sobbed, listening to the screams from the basement.

"It’s my f-fault Mina..... I t-told h-her to go and...and...and that I would cover for heeeeeeeer... It should be me down therrrrre!" She released a fresh batch of tears and wailed in Mina’s arms, finding no comfort when another scream, followed by pleading emerged from her friend.

"When is A-A-Angel coming back?" She asked, sniffling deeply. "Spike’s gotta stop when Angel gets back, right? Right?" Mina only nodded.

 ~~~*~~~

Spike dragged the insolent girl down the stairs and set her down at his feet. Cordelia scramble to get up, uncomfortable with the subservient position, but Spike held her down easily with one hand on her shoulder. Still she struggled, glaring daggers at his baby blues, which were filled with mirth and something else.

<Oh God, is that lust?>

" Stop looking at me like that, you perve!"

"And you wonder why I want to turn you?" He chuckled while the seer immediately settled down. "That’s better, luv. No need to waste your energy. You’ll be needing it later." He walked away from her and lit a cigarette, ignoring the fake coughing from the floor.

"Tell me what happened...And don’t lie. I want details." The vampire paced as he smoked, clenching his jaw and the brunette realized that she was really in a terrible predicament. Angel was out, not due back for several hours, Spike was royally pissed, growling low in his chest, and Mina was not going to do anything to help her unless he went too far. But what was too far for a vampire? She needed a plan.

She wasn’t aware that he’d moved from across the room until she felt her face being squeezed in his bruising grasp. "I am waiting, you know." He growled. "Do I strike you as a patient man, luv?" He tilted his head, eyeing her curiously, increasing the pressure. Her fear was finally becoming evident. <The chit has stones! Cor, she is gonna be such a wonder.>

"Okay...okay," she managed while pulling away from him. He let her go and laughed lightly, licking his bottom lip. "I...um met this guy that lives by me.. Gary... and he asked me out and I was gonna say no until WILLOW talked me into it. She said I needed a confidence boost...AS IF... Anyway we went to dinner and to a club and to his hou..." She stopped, scooting backwards a few inches upon seeing his eyes flash to gold. They continued their tumultuous shifting while he pulled her up from the floor, gripping her shoulders tightly.

"You went to another man’s HOME???" Spike roared.

The seer entertained kicking him between his muscular legs, but as if he read her mind the blonde demon added, "Do it and I’ll turn you tonight." Releasing her like a rag doll Cordelia fell to the floor.

"What. Else?" He spat through clenched teeth.

She couldn’t say it. She wanted to, knowing her would hurt her if she didn’t, but she was more afraid of what he would do when she did.

"WHAT? ELSE SEER? Did you let the boy between your legs for a go? Did he taste you? Did you let him have what belongs to ME?"

"I don’t belong to you," she whispered, her terror twisting her thoughts, restraining her from doing more. This was not how it was supposed to go.

"Tell you what. I’ll give you the opportunity to prove that." Cordy raised a perfectly arched eyebrow in disbelief.

"What?  I’m a fair demon. Well... not really, but I will be today, since you’re expecting my child and all...anyway I don’t fancy punishing you when maybe you don’t understand the way things are. So I’ll give you this one time to prove to me that you aren’t mine." The blonde had joined Cordy on the floor and was behind her now, massaging her tense shoulders as she wiggled beneath his attention. "Do you want this chance or is it the chains for you, pet?"

"No chains! What do I have to do?" She turned he head to see him over her shoulder and their lips nearly met. <Turn away, girl! Turn away!>

"This..." He said before devouring her mouth with his.

~~~*~~~

He moved in her slowly and deeply, licking the sweat gather between her breasts. She moaned again, her walls tightening around his engorged shaft.

"Spike..." she whispered, grabbing his short blond locks with both of her hands, pulling him to her lips. Holding her beautifully curved hips, he withdrew from the brunette, leaving just his tip inside only to slam completely into her as she screamed in pleasure. He repeated this for several minutes, her voice hoarse from her efforts. Her scent was driving him to distraction.

"Oh God please....please Spike!" She shouted as he drove into her, hitting her clit with every thrust.

"Scream for me, baby. Scream to pay Willow back for encouraging you." With that her channel clamped down on him in waves and she let out a blood curdling wail that filled his demon with delight, knowing that his witch was upstairs feeling ever so guilty about her friends ‘torture’. <Teach her to give advise.>

He pumped her while she rode out her orgasm, her hands trembling as she caressed his chiseled arms and back.

"You alright?" He asked, worried about the baby.

"Mmm hmm," she smiled. He pulled out of her and flipped her over, entering her fully and easily from behind. "Oh God," she groaned.

"Who is your God, Cordelia?"

"Not you..." She said breathlessly, backing up against him, trying to send the demon deeper. She was still holding out and Spike was impressed.

"Why are you so stubborn?"

She only moaned as Spike slammed deeper inside, gripping a handful of her hair to pull her upright to be flush against his hard pale chest. He held her tight, one arm around her chest, the other moved to her hip, as he slammed up into her, Cordelia’s shouts accompanied every thrust. Rubbing her clit feverishly, the vampire licked her throat from ear to shoulder, savoring her taste. She shivered when he grazed his fangs over his mark, and the blonde could feel her muscles begin their trip to her next orgasm.

Suddenly he stopped. She pumped down for a few strokes, not registering at first that the vampire wasn’t not moving anymore.

"What?" She nearly yelled. "Don’t stop!"

"Do you wanna come? Do you want me to send you over the edge, ready to die, ready to let me turn you because it feels so bloody good?" He licked the mark again.

"Ohhhh GOD!" She screamed.

"Who?" He bit lightly into her tender neck, lapping at the blood that welled up.

"HELP ME!" She felt like she was going insane.  She wanted him, everything that he could offer, God help her.

He smiled,

feeling that she was close to breaking.  Pulling her down onto him violently he asked. "Does that help, luv?"

"GOD! Please!" He slammed her down as he thrust up into her again. Feeling her start to come again, he ceased his movement, enticing a growl from the trembling brunette.

"You are mine, Cordelia. Admit it," Spike growled in returned.

"No," she whimpered, shaking her head in desperation, sweat dripping.

He slammed into her again, causing her tight core to flutter and he stopped again, stilling her motions against him as she let out the best scream of all: Frustration.

"You can end this luv. Tell me what you know to be true. Stop bloody lying to me and yourself." He licked her ear, her neck, the mark, making her moan helplessly. She was beginning to float, so long had she been in a state of near orgasm. She wanted him to do this to her forever and fuck her forever and kiss her forever.

"I’m yours, Spike..." Her voice as low, thick with lust and passion. Her eyes were wild, finally accepting the truth. "Now fuck...ahhhh!"

Spike help her tightly, bruising her everywhere he touched her and pumped her to furiously, regaling in her dark enthusiasm for the act. She would be just as vicious as him. Feeling her walls clamping on him he exploded inside her and slipped his fangs into his mark, biting deeply to renew his claim as she shrieked, falling into another mind splitting orgasm even before the first ended. He drained several mouthfuls before licking the bite.

Panting, he pulled her down with him on the cold floor spooning his future childe protectively.

"Spike?" Her voice was cracking from abuse.

"Yeah, luv?"

"You won’t turn me now will you? Not with the baby coming?" She asked, hope apparent.

"Nah... Not for a while now, luv. Unless you decide to get too friendly again." He gave her a firm squeeze. "Now rest for a few minutes. Peaches will be home soon and I don’t fancy him finding us like this and being tossed out to greet the sun anytime soon."

<First thing we do when I turn her is kill that soddin’ git, Gary.>

~Part: 27~

What the dark vampire noticed first when he approached the tunnel leading to his basement was the smell of sex, heavy in the air. Almost immediately his keen nose told him who the culprits were, but he could not understand why. He stood there for a moment, inhaling the lingering scent of his childe and his seer, refraining from stroking himself. He walked silently through the empty basement and headed up the stairs.

"Angelus. You’re back." Mina startled her brother. She took his hand and led him into the kitchen, eyeing Willow, hoping the girl caught the hint and got out of Dodge. While Spike and Cordelia were...involved...the two resident witches decided it would be best for Mina to tell Angel and for both of them to tell Spike about Willow. She was to leave the hotel and come back just at dusk, which was only a few hours away.

"Where are we going, Mina?" Angel sighed. All he wanted was a hot bath and some sleep. Spike wore him out more than he’d ever admit and he was as tired as his 250 years should imply.

"In the kitchen, retard." She pull him along and sat him down at the table, taking a seat on the table herself. He was not in the mood for her games, so he sat silently, waiting for her to do whatever it was that she planned. <Hmm...I wonder if I can knock her out with a single punch and chain her up downstairs until I get some sleep.>

"Angel!" He was daydreaming.

"Oh, sorry. What were you saying?" He grinned sheepishly and the vampire wondered what her brother had been thinking.

"Pay attention sweetie. I’m not gonna repeat it."

"Fine."

"Okay," deep breath. "The spell that anchored your soul, and I know you are very grateful for that so when I tell you this please keep that in mind, okay?" She poked out her bottom lip, raising her eyebrows, and looked like an adorable school girl. Angel had to resist the urge to pull her into his lap and ravish her mouth. <She smells like caramel and cream today.> He nodded his agreement.

"Well there were certain unforeseen side effects from the ritual involving the sex magic." It was Angel’s turn to raise a brow. "See...I had to call on gods and goddess for more power, actually borrow from them and let them tap into you and William and the girls. It was a mini possession which is why Cordy and Spike found themselves unable to resist each other. The god and goddess were mates and used those two while they had flesh to feel. Anyway, that’s not the point. The real problem came from my selection of gods. They both served my purpose fine, however, I didn’t realize that they also had other aspects they ruled over, one being male fertility and the other being rebirth." She paused, watching him closely as understanding dawned.

"Mina...what have you done?" He asked softly, almost afraid to hear the answer. Does this explain the odd coupling he smelled downstairs.

"What have we done is the better question. Your boy and seer are...expecting." She left it open-ended since she was not sure what they were expecting.

Angel let his head fall back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. What would be the final price of this soul?

"Do they know? More importantly, does Spike?" He did not know how his childe would react to this bit of news. The blonde demon was nothing if not unpredictable.

"Yeah, they both know. And aside from a few complications in their relationship, I think it’s being handled very well." She stifled a giggle, but he picked up on it anyway.

"What?" He asked flatly

"Um...well...you know that William has this idea in his head that the seer is his. He did claim her three times after all..."

"Three?" The dark vampire interrupted. "Today? Again?"

"Yep..." When Angel just rolled his eyes, she continued. "The girl went out on a date and had sex with the guy. I tried to warn her, but she insisted on going and what was I supposed to do? Tie her up?"

Angel flew out his chair, nearly knocking the table and Mina over. "What did he do to her?" He growled, gripping her roughly my the arm.

She regained her balance and stood, yanking her arm from his crushing hold. "Don’t kill the messenger! Sheesh..." The vampiress glared at him <When this is settled I am gonna fuck him stupid!>. "What do you think he did to the girl that he claimed as his, who went on a date and had sex with another man while carrying his child?" She spat, still frustrating him with her evasiveness.

"Mina! WHAT DID HE DO?" He was tired and this was just too much for one day.

"He punished her. Downstairs. She’s fine. I think he went very easy on her because of the baby. You don’t need to worry."

He stared at her for a few seconds and seeing truth in her eyes he sat back down, nodding.

"There’s one more thing." He rolled his eyes and sighed again, wondering where he picked up such an annoying habit when he didn’t even breathe.

"Yes," he smiled. <Please let this be quick, please let this be quick.>

"Uh...youandwillowaregonnahaveababytoo." She blurted.

"Excuse me." He frowned, trying to piece together what she said.

"I SAID YOU AND WILLOW ARE GONNA...have a baby too." She finished in a whisper as she remember the blonde was upstairs.

"WHAT!?" He jumped up again this time succeeding in toppling the table and knocking Mina on her well-formed ass. "What do you mean? Spike knows? His gonna lose it, for real! Where is she?"

"I sent her on an errand. She'll be back after WE tell William."

"WE? Oh no... YOU did this Mina. You and the sex magic and no warning to anyone!" He paced around the table and picked it up, righting it easily. "I’m really gonna be a daddy?" he asked.

She nodded, smiling opening as his face spread into a ridiculously goofy grin, so unlike what the master vampire usually wore.

"Will you help me tell William. I don’t want to have to hurt him or use magic on him. He hates that. Together we can restrain him until he calms down. That or fuck him until he can’t move again. I’m kinda hoping for the latter."

"You would," he chuckled.

"Let’s do this."

The phone in the office rang. "After I get that?" He asked as he left to answer it.

~~~*~~~

"Angel, Hi ...Uh it’s Buffy." The slayer was nervous, calling Willow after the stunt they tried after the funeral, but Giles was right. She needed to get back in with her friend, at least until they figured out what Spike was up to.

"Yeah. Buffy. Hi," he responded.

"Is Willow around. I need to apologize to her for... some things."

"I already know Buffy."

"Oh."

"She’s out. Shopping or something. I’m not sure."

"Oh!" The blonde replied, surprised that Spike didn’t have her attached to his skinny hips. "Well. I wanted to come see her. Is that okay? I mean... I know last time wasn’t so good and I so don’t want a repeat of that and it’ll be just me so..."

"Sure. When?" He had to smile. Buffy had her own form of rambling, different from Willows, but spawned from nervousness just the same. He wanted her nervous.

"Tomorrow. I’ll be there before noon, i-if that’s okay?" She offered.

"Sure. If Willow has other plans, I’ll have her call you. Otherwise, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks Angel." The relief was evident in her voice.

"Sure. Bye Buffy." He hung up and called for Mina, who rounded the doorway a moment later.

"We have to get him in line before the...before Buffy gets here. She’s coming to see Willow tomorrow morning."

"What? Why? I hate her, you know?" The beautiful vampiress admitted.

"Why? Once you get to know her, she’s okay." His gaze was whimsical, but the vampire was startled out of it by Mina’s harsh proclamation.

"I hate her because you loved her, or love her still. Because she is the slayer and fills my nose with such a stench and my head with a pain and my body with tension. Because she belittled my William when he was weak. Because she promised to help him, but didn’t. Because she is short and blonde and petite and pretty and human. Because she thinks that makes her better. Because you won’t let me kill her. Because you still love HER."

"I do not love her, Mina. Not that way. Not anymore. I...love you. I love Spike. You are my family and you come first, from now on. I have good memories of Buffy and I can’t just act like we never were. As long as she behaves she can come see Willow. Please don’t be jealous, Eremina. You and Will are everything to me. I can’t imagine going back to what I was before you both came here."

"I’m sorry Angelus. I can’t help but wonder if you want to be with her now that you can."

"Then why didn’t you ask me. I would have told you. And the answer is no. I could leave and go to her now, but I am already where I want to be. With my childe, heaven help me. And with you." He took her by the waist and captured her lips with his, seeking out her essence, reassuring her that he was not going to leave her. Ever.

She ran her hands through his hair, mussing it, and moaned into his mouth, wetness pooling at her center. "Not now..." She whispered, pulling away. "With William." The vampiress commanded, leading the brunette upstairs to his unsuspecting childe.

~Part: 28~

"Willow! Hey...Um come in." Cordelia greeted her, not making eye contact, the guilt of her actions earlier weighing her down. As soon as her and Spike came up from the basement, she gathered her things and left, telling him she needed to shower and change. His last ‘request’ was for her to return that evening. He did not want her to be alone at night where he could not protect her and the child.

"Hey...I was out walking and thought I’d stop by," she replied, pseudo-happily while walking into the bright apartment.

"Walking? It’s a long walk and I’m surprised the fang gang let you out of sniffing range."

"Well actually I WAS walking and it’s so hot so I took a cab and came here. So here I am."

"How did you get free? I know they don’t keep you there like a dog, but you know what I mean. They are kinda possessive." Cordy’s eyes darted around looking for purchase.

"Boy are they," Willow laughed, missing her friends agitation. "Mina sent me to ‘shop’. She is telling Angel and Spike about me." She looked down, debating, and then came out with it. "Cordy I am soo sorry about Spike. I didn’t know he would react that way. He obviously wants you more than he is willing to admit."

"Oh, he admits it," the seer mumbled.

"Did he hurt you?" The brunette’s screams filled her head on the ride over and she wanted to help her. Maybe cast a healing spell if her injuries were bad.

"No, Wills I’m fine, really. I... I’m okay. Please don’t worry, okay?" She smiled a megawatt Cordelia smile, hoping to alleviate the redhead’s guilt. Willow had no idea of what really went on down there and Cordelia was in no hurry to tell her. She realized it would come out, but not at this moment.

"Hey, I was about to go get something to eat. This baby has me hungry all the time. You?"

"I AM noticing a serious increase in consumption." She gave the brunette a sideways glance. "I hope Mina can find out if there is any demon in these babies soon. I don’t know if I can go through with it if it is demon."

"You think we’ll have a choice? Not likely. Besides, it can’t be a vampire since they don’t age, right?"

"Hey, yeah! You’re right. They are probably plain old-fashion normal babies."

"Yep... Now how about feeding them, ‘cause I am starved!" Cordy grabbed purse, waiting for Willow.

"I don’t think I’ll be turning down any sources of food for a while. Then maybe we can go shopping." Cordy faked passing out at Willow’s suggestion and the both giggled wildly, leaving the apartment together, arms linked, forgetting their problems for a few hours.

~~~*~~~

Angel watched with a slight grin, leaning in the doorway, while Mina tortured his sleepy childe. Normally Spike would be up by now, as sunset was only a little more than an hour away, but the blond had been a busy little vampire for the past 24 hours and was getting all the sleep he could, while he could. Angel was certain he was dreaming of more creative ways to screw with the lives of those Angel cared for, wanting his sire all to himself.

She dragged one of her long hairs across his smooth pale forehead, stifling the giggle forming as he slapped himself again. This went on for a while as she alternated between making him slap his forehead, ears and nose. Finally she grew tired of her games and leaned into his ear.

"William, wake up." He turned away from her and buried his head under a pillow. She snatched it from his once he drifted back to sleep and lessened his grip.

"Wake up, my beautiful boy." She said melodiously.

"Don’t wanna." He rolled into a ball.

"You have to get up. It’s about Willow." Upon hearing his mate’s name he rolled over and opened his blue eyes, squinting and yawning.

"What about Willow?" He extended his senses and did not hear her heartbeat in the hotel. Sitting up straight he growled, "Where is she?"

"She’s fine. She went shopping. She’ll be back in before dark, don’t worry." Mina held him from getting out of the bed.

"Don’t worry? The slayer doesn’t need to wait for night to do her dirty work, people." He pushed past Mina and reached for his pants. "And what are you looking at Peaches?" The blond asked upon seeing his sire.

"Buffy is not coming after her tonight. She called and wants to see Willow tomorrow. She’ll be here in the morning, if it’s okay with Willow," Angel answered.

"Right. Then what the bloody hell did you wake me up for?" the blond flopped back on his bed, snatching up a pack of cigarettes from the bed table.

Mina moved next to him, eyeing her brother to join them. "I need to talk to you about her." Spike lit his cigarette, dragging deeply, hoping this wasn’t going to be another lecture on turning Willow. He always thought Mina would be in his corner.

"Fine. What?"

"I...uh...You...okay." She took a deep breath. "I did the spell, right? And you got all horizontal with Cordy and bamm baby, right? So you remember that uh....Willow and Angel also. Well I mean, it was part if the ritual that they had to..." Spike was motioning for her to spit it out, growing impatient.

"Well they had their own horizontal time. Even more than you and Cordy...not saying that you were a quick shot or anything... I mean. Well they did it too, and therefore..." The blondevampire sucked in unneeded air, realizing what she was alluding to, just as he dragged on his cigarette, causing him to choke violently on the smoke. He tried to stand, but his eyes began to water, blood tearing blinding him as his throat continued to convulse.

"Oh gods... help him, Angelus!" Mina cried.

"Spike, stop trying to breathe," the dark vampire said calmly, rolling his eyes at the spectacle. <How can a vampire choke on smoke if he doesn’t need to breathe??>

"YOU FUCKING..." he coughed a few more times before relaxing and finding his voice again. "Oh bloody hell. Why do you have to have everything I want?" He look incredulously at his sire, scowling.

"Spike, I didn’t ask for this to happen. I was here minding my own business, when you two showed up with life improving changes for all." Simultaneously both sire and childe were struck with the realization of who was really to blame and thank for all that had transpired in the last week. Falling back into old habits they both turned on Mina and made quick work of tying her to the blonde’s unmade bed.

She struggled against them, laughing as she began to chant quietly. But not quiet enough.

"NO MAGIC, AUNTIE!" The blond growled in her ear, clamping a hand over her mouth and licking her neck until Angel found an appropriate gag for her lovely mouth. Once bound, they stepped back and admired their work.

"Not bad, my boy. Isn’t she a vision?" Angel stood next to the blond, warming to the game that hadn’t been played in a century and a half.

"Sire, she is sinful, but..." He tapped his chin as if thinking, "She is under exposed, wouldn’t you agree?" He asked while ripping her shirt open and tearing it from her. Her muffled screams of protest, fueling him to shred her pants as well.

"Ah... that IS much better," Angel agreed. Her eyed widened as he approached. She knew what Angelus would have done so long ago, but she was not certain about William. He was the same in many ways, but he had been on his own for 100 years, and had his own methodology. She only knew for sure that she was screwed. And being the optimistic demon that she was, she viewed it as a good thing. Her scent drifted to her captors, deepening their own desire.

"Peaches, you have any toys? I think Mina wants to play." Angel's cock hardened and he nodded to the blond, leaving the room for a few moments.

"Well, looks like it’s just you and me, Auntie. And I am very angry with you for allowing my mate to get pregnant by my sire." She could only whimper a defense, shaking her head as she yanked violently on her chains.

"Now, now... I’m sure you didn’t mean it, and I am stupendously grateful to you for removing that sodding chip, but MY MATE! AND MY SIRE!" She tried desperately to think to a spell she didn’t have to speak. The blond vampire was seriously pissed and strong. His demon was right on the edge peeking through periodically. His eyes were a constantly changing storm of blue and yellow, and she understood that he was fighting for control.

Mina spoke, sound dampened by clothe, hoping his curiosity would get the best of him ling enough to remove the gag. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to play, because she always wanted to play with these two. It was just that Spike was dangerous, and she was the target. Torture was not on her list of things to do today.

Unfortunately the blond wasn’t biting.

"Not removing the gag, Mina." He stripped off his pants and moved over her, stradling her hips and grinding his growing erection into her belly. "Make you a deal?" She nodded, eyes open and waiting to hear what he would offer her.

Spike knew not to really hurt Mina. Once free she would punish him fiercely if he went too far, but he did enjoy her fear. "You will protect me from Angelus when I turn the seer. No more conditions, just do whatever you have to and keep him from punishing me. Deal?" She nodded, relief flooding her senses.

"Good. Let’s sealing it, shall we?" And he slipped inside her without warning, fucking her in earnest, hard, fast and deep. She was in heaven as the blood tears seeped from her eyes. She only wished she could touch him as he impaled her, thrusting harder each time, until her neck strained from the ineffective shouts. He took pity on her and removed the gag, knowing she was too consumed by passion to try a spell.

"Oh Gods, William, fuck me! Don’t stop!"

"Don’t plan to," he growled, morphing into his demon and tearing into her neck. She convulsed around him and he stopped to keep from coming. Once under control, he began again, hearing his sire approach behind him.

Angel, enthralled by the view, his boy’s ass high and waiting, undressed rapidly. He came up behind the blond, wrapping his arms around his childe, loving the feel of being close to him, his smell, his power, his evil. Dropping a hand he fondled Mina’s clit, sending her into another orgasm. He coated his hand with her juices and used them to lubricate his own throbbing member. He stood still for a moment. Pondering all that had changed for him.

"Whatcha doing poof, posing for a magazine? Get your ass movaaaaaah..." His word evolved into grunts and groans as he was filled by the only one who ever would. Angel pushed deep into the younger vampire, sending him further into his sister. She screamed at the intrusion, their combined power overwhelming.

"Please Angelus... free...me. I need....to touch..." She managed, but the dark vampire just smirk as he drove into the boy, smashing Spike into her clit with every punishing thrust. Her face changed as she bit into the blonde, coming again, her walls twitching, out of control, getting high from him.

"Fuck, Peaches. I won’t break." He admonished his sire, provoking him to unleash his demon. The bed hit the wall and Mina hit the headboard, as Spike and Angel thrust into her. The blonde lifted her hips and slid out on a back stroke, entering her ass fully while Angel continued his assault.

"Ohhhhhh Gods. William!"

"Your ass so bloody tight, I’m com...ahhhh." Spike body tremble as he filled her with his cool seed, his own muscles milking Angel as he bit into his childe, taking little sips.

They rolled off Mina, one to each side and reached up to release her chains.

"So , you and my Red, huh?" The blond panted.

"Looks like."

"Guys, I never meant..."

" ‘s alright, Auntie. I know. It’ll just take some getting used to, is all." He kissed her on the top of her head.

"So how did she take the news?" He inquired.

"I can’t remember if she passed out or Cordy," she replied jokingly. "But she was REALLY scared of what you might do, William."

"Suppose we need to talk then." He got up with a sigh and headed for his bathroom to shower.

Angel leaned over the vampiress and picked up a riding crop, smirk evident, "Soooo...what do you wanna do with all these toys?"

~~~*~~~

It was almost dark, and Willow was on her way back to the Hyperion. Anxious, her stomach was queasy from all the junk food she ate in the mall. The shopping proved to be more of a food court free-for-all extravaganza, with the girls sampling at least half of the twenty-two restaurants. And now her nervousness threatened to reproduce every morsel in all their regurgitated glory.

The cab stopped and she got out slowly, paid and edged her way to and through the front door.

Her vampire, beautiful and breathtaking, was sitting in the lobby, reading.

"Hi, Spike. Nice to see you again, now that Angel is done with you." She couldn’t help the snide remark. She missed him and was angry.

"Oh meow, kitten." He stood gracefully and opened his arms. "Put the claws away and come here." She rushed to him, falling into his strong embrace, the feeling of being safe and loved permeating her very cells.

"Why did you stay away from me? I needed you so much," she sobbed, wetting his shirt.

"I know, pet. I’m here now." He caressed her tresses, taking in her scent. He pulled back, recognizing something. "Been with the seer, luv?" He wiped at her tears, smiling down at her.

"Oh, yeah. I stopped by and we went to the mall and ate a lot." She scowled.

"So where is she?"

"She was tired and went back to her place. I just took a cab here." The blond only nodded and went back to hugging his mate.

"So I hear that you and Angel are expecting." She immediately tensed and Spike rubbed her back to reassure her, "It’s okay, Red. It’s just one of those wacky mojo fuck ups and we’ll make the best of it. Alright?" She smiled and nodded, a huge burden lifted.

"What am I going to do about Buffy? I have to see her on Monday."

"Don’t tell her anything. Not yet. And you’ll see her sooner than that."

"What?"

"In the morning. Slayer. Here." He replied, lighting a smoke.

"What???" <This just gets better and better!>

"Yeah, something about her being all sorry for being her bitchy self, blah, blah, blah." He dragged on.

"Oh. Well I guess I put on a smile and see what happens."

"That’s my girl....let’s go celebrate...Maybe I can knock the Poof’s kid out of you and replace it with me own," he suggested.

"Ewww. That’s just gross Spike. And probably painful"

"And?"

~~~*~~~

The streets of Los Angeles were unusually quiet. Perhaps it was the sudden rain shower that caught it’s inhabitants unprepared. Perhaps it was the basketball game on that night. Or perhaps it was the presence of the blond vampire, stalking the streets, killing at random anyone in his path, that sent the natives home and kept them there. Tomorrow’s news would be filled with stories and gangland murders, but Spike would only grin and know the truth.

That he was angry was a gross understatement. He told her to return to him that evening and she disobeyed him. <AGAIN!> This time he would not be so sickeningly merciful. Sod the baby, she would pay.

He followed the directions he got from Mina and knock on her door. A moment later the door opened, revealing Cordelia, sleepy and in a bathrobe. Her hair was dishevel and she looked...<well...adorable.>

"Hello, cutie." His voice was low and enticing.

"Spike...What are you doing here?" She made no move to go out.

"Invite me in." His gaze was intense and threatening, even as his enchanting smile nearly fooled her.

"Why?"

"Why what, luv?"

"Why should I invite you in?"

"Thanks, luv," he said, crossing the threshold.

"Oh fuck." She gasped as he slammed the door and pulled her to him.

"Oh fuck indeed."

~Part: 29~

Having been a huge fan of the wilder rides at all the local and not-so-local amusement parks, Cordelia recognized the plethora of feelings surging through her.  There was the anticipation while waiting in line, and the excitement when it’s finally your turn.  Then there’s the slight dread as the attendant fastens you in and you wonder if the ride is entirely safe.  Next comes the clenching in the pit of your stomach as you realized there is no turning back and the ride has started.  And let’s not forget the mind-numbing, paralyzing fear as you climb to the top of whatever precipice, not knowing what plunge awaits you.

It was with this sense of familiarity, the waiting for the other shoe to drop, that Cordelia embraced the vampire’s presence.

 “I take it you haven’t missed me today.”  He took her hand as she uselessly backed away from him, hitting the wall in the entry.

“Well...define missed.”  She whimpered in pain as he bit down on her finger, drawing blood.  “Please Spike....”

“Begging already, luv?  I haven’t done anything...yet.”  He relinquished his hold on her hand in favor of sliding a sharp nail across her neck lightly, bringing up a welt of blood.  His nostrils flared as he moved in to taste her.  “You should save that begging for later.  Won’t do you any good, but I’ll appreciate it more when you have a better reason.”

“Spike...I-I know this looks bad, but I really, really got sleepy and just couldn’t stay up...It’s the baby!  They...oh I was reading and they make you sooo tired.”  She feigned a yawn as he watched her with amused eyes.  “I can hardly stay awake right now.  Come on in and have a seat.”  She pulled him to the couch and he sat as instructed, allowing her to play her little game, intrigued by her ingenuity.

“So I don’t have any, like, blood. Well I do, but the BABY needs it so it’s fangs off for you, Daddy Spike.”  She patted him on the shoulder and pulled away, relieved when the vampire released her arm.  He loved the incessant pounding of her heart, so telling and inviting, even as she pretended to be the perfect host.

“I have some beer.  How’s that?”  She called over her shoulder on her way to the kitchen.

“Sure pet.  Beer’s fine.”  He ogled her form, imagining her firm round ass underneath her robe and determined that the offending garment was coming off upon her return.

She came back in with a few beers in a bucket of ice and a bowl of chips. <Is the chit trying to get me drunk?  HA!>

“Hoping I’ll pass out?” he asked, gazing up at her, head tilted in that puppy dog look that got her in trouble before.

“What?  No!...No...I just thought you’d want more than one and since I’m so sleepy  (fake yawn and a stretch for good measure) and it was so awfully nice of you to come over and protect me... well a bucket of beers is the least I could do.”  She backed away while talking, attempting to escape to her bedroom, where Dennis could, hopefully, keep the door jammed while she called Angel.

“You can watch whatever you want on TV.  I have cable.”  She announced loudly from the deceptive safety of her room and then whispered.  “Dennis close the door.  Please keep him out.”

The door slammed and Spike looked up from his beer, smirk in place, and set down the remote.  He turned to face the hallway she disappeared into, jumping up when his heightened hearing focused on the dial tone of a phone.  He stormed the bedroom door intent on breaking any lock and was forced back by a field of sorts.

“Well, well... what have we here?”  He was beginning to really like this one.  He felt along the shield wondering what kind of magic it was.  He couldn’t sense a spell.   “Pet, open the door.  I thought we were becoming friends and all.”

“Spike, please go.  I’ll be there.  I’ll come tonight if you want, i swear, but please don’t do this.  I’m sorry.”

“Are you?”   He was leaning into the field, seemingly supported by air.  “Who are you calling?”

“No one.”  She put the phone down quickly.  “I...I was going to call Angel, but I think we can talk this out.  No need to involve him, right?”  <Please go away!  Please go away!>

“Right.  No need to get the wanker’s knickers in a twist.  He’s a right bastard sometimes and I have to take anything he did to me out on you.”  He loved playing these games, especially knowing that he’d win.

“Well no need for any of that...”

“So open the door.”  His voice dropped an octave and was decidedly threatening and inviting.

“What are you gonna do if I open it?”  She asked, the tremble in her voice betraying her outward assertiveness.

“What you should be asking is what am I going to do if you don’t.”  The blond retorted, searching his pockets for a cigarette and finding none.

“Okay, I’ll bite.  What are you going to do if I don’t?”  She was leaning into the door, forehead touching it, still debating whether to call Angel.  It would take him at least 10 minutes to get there and the bleached vampire could inflict much damage in that time.

“Without your bewitching company I’ll be left to find my own entertainment.   You made me leave my Red to come find you.  She needs me too Cordelia and your being selfish making me divide my time like this.  I had to kill 17 people on the way here.  Seventeen, luv.  All for you.  All to see you.  To make sure you understood.”  He could hear her softly crying, guilt filtering through to delight his senses.

“So you come out and face me, or I’ll go kill everyone in your building.  How’s that?”  He waited for answer and sighed happily upon discovering one bent and abused cigarette in the inside coat pocket.

~~~*~~~

Buffy frowned, checking her email before going to bed as she did every night since leaving Willow in LA .  She normally was not diligent about email, but, hoping for correspondence, she made time. Tonight was the same as every night: nothing from the redhead.

Although a note from Oz stood out.  She didn’t even know he had her address.  Shrugging her shoulders she opened and read it.  He was concerned about Willow and wanted to know if she was back.  He still wanted to try to work things out with his ex, despite her affair with the vampire.   He left a cell phone number as well and the slayer decided to try him on that since it was late and he was most likely just done performing.

“Hey , Oz?......Hi, It’s Buffy.......I’m fine...and everyone is okay here......No, she didn’t......uh huh.......yeah well.......I know.......No, Xander said he’ll talk to her when she gets back here......I’m going there in the morning.... LA... Yeah....... Giles said I need to make sure she’s not upset with me for this stunt we pulled at her aunt’s funeral.... Yes.  It was pretty bad.  Oh!  And Spike’s got the ring...You know that ring you took to Angel and he SAID he destroyed......no, I am not kidding......Yep, after he tortured him, nearly killed him.....I don’t get it either.  He said he talked to him about it so whatever......I should be there around 10 or 11....... Sure, meet me there at 11 then....Not a problem....Okay....Bye Oz.”

She hung up, her burden a little lighter knowing that Oz was going to be there.  She was not going to try to make Willow leave, just be her friend and Oz, although he may still want the hacker, was concerned and wanted to be there for her as well.

~~~*~~~

Cordelia heard the from door slam, but was unwilling to trust that the vampire was really gone.

“Dennis, let me out if it’s safe,” she whispered to her resident ghost.  The door to her room opened with a squeak and the seer cautiously snuck a look into the empty living room.

Picking up the cordless phone with trembling hands, not caring that her nerves were frazzled beyond belief, she dialed the Hyperion and prayed that someone answered.  No one answered.   Not that she was surprised.  Angel never answered if he wasn’t right there, Willow probably couldn’t hear it and why would Mina?

She debated whether she should go to the hotel and wait for Spike to get there.  Surely he would be back to her apartment, probably off killing a neighbor, and ready to make good on any threats if she was still there.  At the hotel she stood a chance.  Angel and Willow would protect her.

Her mind made up, she slipped on a tank top, a pair of jeans and sandals.  She grabbed a gym bag and stuffed it with her make-up bag, toiletries, and pajamas, along with another change of clothes.   Satisfied that she had the essentials she ran out, searching for a taxi to hail.

~~~*~~~

Spike stood outside the apartment belonging to one Gary the git.  He was waiting for said git to end his date with the cute blonde that the vampire could see, hear and smell through the open window.  Hopefully, he would come out to take the girl home so the vampire could kill her, snag the annoying prick, and let the lessons begin.

Leaning against a tree, Spike lit a cigarette, a fresh pack from the 7-11 up the block.  He’d actually paid for these and felt strange about it. <Bad habits from Sunnydale.>   He thought about the girl, the seer.  She was a scrumptious little challenge, all defiance and pride and beauty.  Angel was a fool not to have seen it and claimed her for his own.    He shook his head as he chuckled lightly, amazed at the soul’s stupidity and his own luck.

Not two weeks ago, he was living in crypt, unable to feed, helping the slayer, sireless, mateless, hopeless.  And now he had everything a good little vampire could desire, including two future childer, albeit one was a little more reluctant than the other, but soon that would change.  He was certain of his talents and would have Cordelia begging for eternal life before too long.  Her body betrayed her every time.

The baby – now there was a hitch that he didn’t anticipate, but could definitely work around.   And Willow having his Sire’s child, although it rubbed him wrong in principle, would cement the bond between all.   Spike’s long term plan was to turn the children sometime between 20 and 25 years old if they proved to be as exceptional as their human mothers.

Growing tired of his musings he spied through the window again, focusing on the heartbeats inside.  Sleep.  Deciding that tonight was a bust, he turned and stormed back to the seer.  Perhaps he would take neighbor from her building and bring his brunette a prezzie.

~Part: 30~

Willow awoke alarmed, with a hand clamped over her mouth, her quick yelp muffled.

“Shhhh.  It’s me,”  the seer whispered.

“Gods Cordy….What are you doing here?”  Willow panted while trying to keep her voice low.

“You gotta help me.  Is Mina here?”  Her eyes darted around the room as if expecting the vampire to appear when mentioned.

“I think so, but she could be out, you know…”  Willow shrugged, growing accustomed to the vampire’s habits.

“Yeah, well your boy showed up at my place.  Pissed.  I screwed up and invited him in…”

“You what?  How?”

“He tricked me…whatever.  Anyway I snuck out when he left to go find someone to torture or something…. “  The brunette was once again pacing the floor, this time whispering her frustrations and fears.  “Willow… He told me to come back here tonight.  That’s why he came.  I disobeyed him.   I am so sick of this…The last time he…”  She stopped shaking her head, refusing to give voice to her betrayal.  Spike belonged to Willow.   It was wrong for her to crave his touch even while she was disgusted by him.  She could make everyone believe she hated this, hated what he promised, hated what he did.   She only wished she could fool herself.

“Oh Cordy…I’m sorry.  He’ll behave.  I promise.”

“Oh no…You can’t promise me that.   He was gonna hurt me tonight, Wills.  I could see it in his eyes.  He wasn’t playing around or trying to fuck with my head.  This was for real.”  She sat on the bed, trembling.

“Let’s go talk to Angel,”  Willow offered.

“No!…No…He’ll really make me pay later.  I have to figure out how to handle him.  How do you do it?”

“I don’t know…we just click.  I don’t feel like he’s giving me orders so I guess that's why we don’t clash.  When I did skip out in him one night…”  She stopped not willing to discuss it with anyone.

“I think he’s gonna do it…turn me. Right after the baby is born.”

“I won’t let him, I swear.”  She pulled the covers back on the other side of her bed.  “Here.   Stay here with me.  He won’t hurt you.  This is where he wanted you, right?”  Willow nodded until Cordelia nodded along.

“Good, now get into some PJs and hop in.  Look in the bottom drawer if you need some.”

“No thanks.  I brought my own.”  She lifted her bag from the floor where she’d dropped it and darted into the bathroom, changing quickly and hopping in next to the redhead.   She prayed for sleep to take her before the blond returned.

~~~*~~~

Gone!  She was gone and her scent just died a block away on the corner.  <Taxi!>    While he’d have more fun walking back to the hotel, killing along the way,  he was anxious to know if the seer made good on her promise to go to the hotel and he wanted to get in bed with Willow.  The slayer was coming in the morning as well, and he wanted to be up for that.  It was beyond his ability to miss an opportunity to annoy his nemesis.

So he hailed a cab, and attempted to relax for the ride home, which turned out to not be an option.  The blond considered asking the driver to stop a few blocks away from his destination and draining him.  The wanker played country music the whole ride, while pretending not hear when Spike protested the volume.  The one thing he’d learned during his time as a chipped vampire was patience.  It was this new-found patience that kept the cabdriver alive tonight.  <Well thank the bloody Initiative.>

He got out, tossing the money in the front seat and letting his demon out for a peek when the obnoxious guy complained.  Tires squealed and a chuckling blond vampire sauntered through the lobby doors, duster flowing behind him.  He inhaled deeply and followed the scent he was seeking, a devilish grin on his pale face.

The grin faltered slightly when the trail led him to Willow’s door.  He turned the handle and snaked his head through the opening.

There, entwined on the bed asleep, were his two consorts.  Fire and Darkness.  Waiting to be explored and manipulated.  The seer was resourceful and manipulative herself, so deceptive in her cunningly direct persona.  His witch was innocent, like Dru, but a fire and capacity for cruelty lay underneath her wide-eyed exterior.    They would always surprise and intrigue the vampire.

During his musings, he stepped into the room and disrobed.  He slipped in behind Willow, kissing the back of her neck as she snuggled into him and sighed softly.  Tomorrow he’d find a way to bend that girl to his will, but for now, he just allowed himself to be lulled to sleep by the four hearts beating around him.

~~~*~~~
 
 

The highway opened up before Buffy, who’d borrowed Giles’ car and was heading to LA.  It was a little before 9am and she planned to arrive by 10:30.  She was anxious to see the redhead and make certain she was alright.  Her new relationship with the vampires was confusing to the blonde, leaving her feeling  betrayed and sick.  It was a sensation that she had to ignore in hopes of getting Willow back.

Buffy wasn’t sure what Spike was able to do at this point, the ring lending him unimaginable power.   The chip would have to be overridden by the magic of the ring, but would the chip go back to working once he took off the ring?   Or is he chipless as well?  Some fluke in technology, rendering the device inoperable?  And why was Angel suddenly protective of the blond vampire.  As far as Buffy knew, Spike and Angel hated each other, and she liked it that way.   There was no reason for the younger vampire to be in Angel’s good graces, was there?

<Too many questions.>     Eyes on the road, she sighed, the beginnings of a headache settling over her.  The radio had become background noise as she pondered the situation, and now she wanted to focus on nothing in particular besides driving, so she turned up the volume and vegged out on a 80’s music marathon.

~~~*~~~

Angel stood in the doorway, slack-jawed, but recovering quickly. <What is going on with them?>     The blond was in the middle on his back with Cordelia laying across his chest and Willow on his shoulder, snuggling closely.  Everyone looked happy and comfortable, but Buffy was on her way and the last thing any of them needed was the slayer getting eyeful of this visual.

He tentatively took a few steps into the room, stopping at the sound of his childe’s growl.

“Go away, Peaches,”  He mumbled, trying not to disturb the girls.

“Spike, good morning to you as well.  Hope you had plenty of rest.  Buffy is on her way.”

Spike wiggled free if the seer and witch, looking up at his sire.   “How close is she?”

“Giles called.  She should be here in a few minutes, but I can’t feel her yet so we have a while, 15 minutes or more.   Be careful when she’s here.  They still don’t know about the chip.  Giles was fishing for information, but I played dumb.  DO NOT SAY IT!…Anyway, Willow needs to be up.  I’m hoping she’ll take Buffy somewhere.  Mina has not promised to behave.”

“I haven’t either, Poof.”  Gingerly, he climbed over Willow, resisting and urge to grind his crotch against her shoulder, which was sticking out as she slept on her side.

“But you will behave, right?”  The was an inflection at the end, but it was not a question.  The blond smirked and approached the larger vampire.   He ran pale fingers up and down Angel’s arms, causing him to shiver.  He smiled and claimed his sire’s lips passionately.  He released the vampire and nodded over to the bed.

“Take the cheerleader to a my bed and let her sleep.  I wanna shag my witch before the slayer gets here and ruins my fun.”  Angel eyed him, wondering what was going between his childe and seer, but the steely gaze coming from the blond was an indication that no information would be forthcoming without threat of extreme torture, which no one had time for this morning.  He picked up the brunette and gently cradled her against him, the scent of all three floating from her.  It wasn't sex, just the physical proximity that he was smelling.  Not that he couldn’t smell the blond’s claim or the scent of their mating, but it was not as strong as it was yesterday.  Luckily, Buffy’s enhanced senses were limited to near vampiric hearing, when she tried, and slightly better than normal eyesight.

He left the room as the blond closed and locked the door behind him, and put Cordelia in the room two doors away and across from his, the room belonging to his childe.    She turned on her side and pulled a pillow close to her, inhaling deeply, a smile gracing her pretty face.

“Mmmm Spike,”  She murmured  into the pillow so quietly the vampire almost didn’t hear it.  But he did hear it and looked back at his seer, wondering ho long it would be before she gave into him, as everyone eventually does.   He brushed a lock of hair back from her face, memorizing every line, every freckle, as these would all disappear when she became perfection in darkness.   His demon screamed at him for not taking her when he could have, before his childe did, but no sense crying…blah, blah, blah.   He would have Mina and Spike forever.  It was only right to let the blond have someone that belonged to him alone.  Dru never was his and never let his boy forget it.

Angel only wished that his Princess could be with them all as well.  But Angelus destroyed her mind and rebuilt it as a deviously innocent killing machine.  She could not be trusted with humans.  But if he could find her, he would go to see her, be her Daddy for a few days, satisfy his demon and hers.

He took a last glance at the girl and backed out.  “What have you done, Cordy?  What have you done?”

~~~*~~~

Shagging his witch consisted of entering the redhead in her sleep and fucking her into consciousness, then following her into the shower for an stand up session and a little blood play.

“Gods Spike!”  Willow screamed as he pounded into her, hot water cascading over her hot flesh.   She reached to find purchase on anything, but the tile was slick and offered none.  She was impaled thoroughly on his cock.  He fucked her relentlessly and she loved it. She was giddy and high from the small amount of his blood that she drank.  Her body tingle from the affects, enhancing her magic, the mix exhilarating.

“Who do you belong to, Willow?”  She moan as he slammed deep into her core, unable to reply immediately.  The vampire took it as a sign of resistance, and drove into her again, repeating his question.

“Who. Do. You. Belong to?”  He emphasized each word with is own thrust, the last being the most powerful.

“You!  Gods you, Spiiiii….”  The blond sunk his fangs into her, tasting the difference in her blood because of the baby as she came around him.  Her fluttering walls sent him into his own orgasm as well.  Shaking and panting he lowered them to the shower floor and kissed her neck where he renewed his claim.

“That was insane,”  the redhead managed to speak after a few minutes.

“Yeah, I know.”  He stood, his fluid grace most apparent when nude.  “ You better get dressed.  Slutty’ll be here soon, and I don’t fancy showing her my twig and berries.  The bint is likely to molest me.”  He chuckled, an evil glint in his eyes as Willow rolled hers.

“Will you be there with me?  Uh, just until I’m sure she’s not going to try to force me to go back?”  He nodded, wondering when she started to feel safer with him than her best friend.  His chest felt tight, like it was hard to breath even thought he didn’t.  He looked away, knowing that a good kill was a long time coming, since dusk wasn’t for another 8 hours.

“I’ll be right next to you for as long as you want, Red.”  He kissed her again and swatted her behind, urging her to hurry.

~~~*~~~

Angel greeted his ex-lover as cordially as his demon could allow.  The inner cringe he felt was foreign to him and hiding it took more deception than he thought he was capable of with a soul.

“Buffy.  Good to see you.”

“Angel.  I…Good to see you too.”  She wanted him to hold her, but his distant and cold smile shattered that dream easily and she reverted to the reason for his visit.  “Is Wills here?”

“She’s upstairs, dressing.  She’ll be down soon. I guess everyone had a late night.”  He smiled.  It was awkward.

“Oh…Sooo is your sister still here?”

“Yes.  I expect she’ll be here for some time.”  His face remained impassive, giving her no indication of the thought racing through his demonic mind.

“Angel… Is she, I mean do you and Mina…”  she left the rest unspoken, and Angel offered nothing as a response.  <If she can't ask it, why should I answer?>

“Here comes Willow.”  He announced before turning and walking back up to the stairs.  “See you later, Buffy.”

Willow passed the vampire on the stairs.  Spike waited within hearing distance, at her request.  She wanted to see her friend alone for a moment before the blond joined them.   She wanted Buffy to realize that being here has always been her choice.

“Hi Buffy,” Willow said with all the cheer she could muster.

“Oh, Willow.  How are you?  I’ve missed you so much!”  She pulled the redhead into a tight embrace, squeezing hard.

“Uhhh, Buffy… Need…to breathe…”  With a gasp the slayer released her and they both giggled, the ice broken that easily.

“I’m sorry.  I forget sometimes.”

“I know.  It’s okay.”

“So you look good. I mean really good.  Bleached Boy must agree with you.”

“Yeah.  I think he does.”

“Slayer.”  Spike sauntered down the stairs, cigarette in hand, eyes drilling into his enemy, while his tone was playful and friendly.   Buffy was thrown off by his presence, not sure of his intention, and there was an undeniable viciousness about him that was not present in Sunnydale. <He has changed.  Or maybe become what he always was?>

“Spike.”

"Hi Spike,” the redhead reached out for him.   He slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her neck, drawing the small girls attention to his mark on her friend, enticing a grimace from the slayer.  He grinned as Willow shivered and pushed against him, forgetting Buffy for a few seconds.

“So…  what do you to have planned for the day?”  He pulled back, gazing at his witch, not wanting his vision polluted by images of the slayer.  His skin was already crawling wherever Willow wasn’t touching him, a lovely side effect of Buffy’s presence that he’d learned to ignore while chipped.

“Well, I was hoping to go to lunch and a movie, but we need to leave now, Buffy.  The movie starts at noon and it’s already almost 11am.”

“Sure…Umm… That sounds great.”  Buffy was surprised that Willow was going without Spike, and that Willow had picked a movie without consulting everyone else that could possibly ever want to have an opinion, that the hacker was actually asserting her own will.

“I’m ready.”

“Good.  Lets go then.  I’m starved.”  She gave Spike an impish smile and he kissed her thoroughly as Buffy turned away and swallowed hard.

“Be careful.  Slayer, take care of my Red,”  he commanded, cold blue eyes threatening and emotionless.

“Spike, nothing will happen to her with me there.  Don’t worry.  I’ll get her back in one piece,”  she threw back over her shoulder as they marched out into the sunlight.

~~~*~~~

They were in a cute little Mexican restaurant that she and Cordy frequented for lunch recently, stuffing fajitas down their throats and talking about the latest Sunnydale gossip.  Buffy’s cell phone rang.

“Gosh, this thing never goes off.  I hope nothing’s wrong.”  Giles insisted that she get one and take it when she left for LA in case of an apocalyptic crisis.

“Hello.”

“Oh Hi…Oh my gosh… I’m sorry I like totally forgot.”  She turned to Willow and said, “I’ll be right back.”  She stepped away to resume her conversation.  “I’m with her now and she’s fine.  I’m so sorry….Yes….Hey, how did you get… Giles… well, no I don’t think it’s a good idea.    She’s okay, really.  And she’s talking about class on Monday so why don’t you come see her when she gets back? ….No, we're not inside and if you’re outside of Angel’s you should go.  Angel is not too Angely and Spike is definitely more Spikey…… I don’t know.  He wasn’t wearing it….Listen Oz, I’ve got to get back to Wills.  Were going to a movie and heading back.  Call me after 3 and we can talk….No I’m not telling you what movie, okay?  If I thought something was wrong I’d drag her ass back to Sunnydale and deal with Blondie later….Yeah ….Bye.”

She sighed and shoved the phone in her pocket, debating whether to tell Willow about Oz.  The guitarist had been waiting outside of the Hyperion for Buffy to show up, unaware that she was a little early and had come and gone.  The last thing she needed was to clean up a mess between the wolf and the vampires, not doubting who’d be the winner there.  She’d deal with Oz once she and Willow were back.  There was no point upsetting her friend by having him around when she could see that she was happy, positively glowing, with Spike.  Cringing internally, she put on her Summers smile and sat in her seat.

“Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.”  The hacker smiled.  She was curious about who had the slayer so flustered but wouldn’t pry.  Maybe it was a new boytoy and she was reluctant to mention him, fearing Willow may tell Angel.  “I’m all done.  We need to head over.  It starts in ten minutes.”

Buffy nodded while wolfing down the last big bite of food and finishing her ice tea as Willow paid the bill.  Spike gave her his AMEX to use, reminding her to never be indebted to the slayer.

“What are we seeing anyway?”

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