~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 61~
Willow walked into the living room, smiling as she saw that Buffy and Cordelia were still sleeping. They'd had a late night so she decided to try to be as quiet as possible, knowing both girls deserved a good rest. She was planning on cleaning up their mess from the previous night and then cooking some breakfast. She was surprised to find that everything had already been moved and put away. She smiled as she realized that Drusilla must have cleaned up after they'd gone to sleep, making a mental note to thank the vampire. The redhead was able to go ahead and start breakfast, looking in the refridgerator and trying to decide what to make. She wanted to cook a nice breakfast, something pleasant to end their sleepover.
She wasn't the greatest cook in the world, having very little experience at cooking for more than just herself, and usually making do with frozen dinners or the occasional small meal. But, breakfasts *were* something she was good at. She'd often cooked breakfast for Xander and Jesse during the summer when they'd spent so much time hanging out at her place, and she'd helped Buffy make it numerous times after sleepovers at the slayer's house. She decided that the French toast she'd thought of earlier was a must, that being one of her favorite breakfast meals. She'd fry up some bacon and maybe make some eggs, she finally decided. She gathered all of the ingredients that she needed, making sure everything was in good order before she started to make the coating for the bread.
Buffy woke up to the smell of frying bacon. Her tummy rumble as she inhaled the appetizing aroma, her hazel eyes opening reluctantly. She'd slept all night without a single nightmare, and she felt great. She sat up, rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes as she stretched and yawned. She felt movement beside her, noticing that Cordelia was waking up, too. She smiled as she stood, rubbing the small of her back as she walked into the kitchen. The smile widened as she saw that Willow was cooking breakfast, "Morning, Will."
"Morning, sleepyhead," Willow gave her best friend a brief smile before turning her attention back to the frying bacon.
"It's not even ten and this is the longest I've slept in years," Buffy defended as she moved closer to the cabinet, quickly stealing a piece of the cooked bacon. She took a bite, crunching as she looked to see what other treats Willow had made. "French toast! My favorite!"
"There will be no food for you if you keep swiping it!" Willow threatened with a laugh as she added more bacon to the growing pile.
"Yes, Ma'am! No more stealing bacon, Ma'am," Buffy mock saluted, her eyes flashing with amusement.
"It's too early for humor," Cordelia grumbled as she joined the girls in the kitchen. She stretched, yawning as she turned her attention to her friends.
"Look, Delia, it's French toast and bacon!" Buffy pointed out excitedly in between finishing off the strip of bacon she'd taken from the pile.
"Smells great," Cordelia smiled as she moved towards the hall, "I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back."
"Where's our fanged friend this morning?" Buffy asked as she moved to sit on the cabinet and watch Willow finish cooking.
"She's asleep in my parent's room," Willow said before giving Buffy a pointed look, "You know, you could be scrambling those eggs instead of just being lazy slayer girl and watching me do all the work."
"But," Buffy started to protest, having to smile sheepishly as she admitted, "it's too early for me to think of a good reason why I should be able to be lazy slayer while you're breakfast cooking girl so I guess I'll make the eggs."
"Wise decision, slayer," Willow giggled as she moved over to allow the blonde to start working on the eggs.
"I feel much better," Cordelia said as she entered the kitchen, her eyes widening in mock horror as she said, "Buffy's cooking! Oh God, we're all doomed!"
"Cute," Buffy stuck her tongue out at the cheerleader and smacked Willow's shoulder when the redhead laughed, "Hey, I can cook pretty darn well, thank you!"
"Buffy is great with desserts," Willow said, "her vanilla caramel swirl cake is just fantastic! And she taught me how to make cookies without having them end up looking like a lumpy mess."
"See?" Buffy beamed as she began to scramble the eggs.
"Do you guys need any help?" Cordelia asked, "My expertise in the kitchen pretty much ends with milk shakes, but I'm not completely awful at the cooking thing."
"Actually, it would be great if you could set the table and get everything ready like that," Willow smiled at her friend, "Buffy likes chocolate sauce on her French toast so be sure to get that from the fridge and put it on the table. I prefer syrup. Oh, and there are napkins and stuff in the cabinet over there. I'm nearly done with the bacon and Buffy should be finished with the eggs soon."
"Okay," Cordelia agreed as she got out three plates, asking, "Should I get a plate for Dru or is she doing the sleeping all day vampire thing?"
"I don't know," Willow said honestly, "she was up early yesterday morning, but we had such a busy and late night that she might be tired. I'm gonna go up and see if she wants to join us for breakfast, though, so go ahead and put out a plate for her. I don't want her to feel left out."
"Sure," Cordelia got the plates and set the table. By the time she had finished, Willow and Buffy were finished with the rest of the meal. She got four glasses down and asked, "What's everyone want to drink?"
"Be sure to give Dru the colored glass because seeing blood this early in the morning would so ruin my appetite," Buffy commented as she put the pan she'd used in the dishwasher. "I just want some orange juice."
"Me too, with the OJ," Willow said as she moved to the stairs. "I'll run upstairs and see if Dru's awake and wants to have breakfast with us. I'll be right back."
~Part: 62~
Drusilla had woken up alone, Willow's scent still covering the pillow that she was snuggled against. She knew that Willow hadn't been gone long, having felt the loss of warmth when Willow had gotten out of bed. Drusilla finally sat up, closing her eyes and concentrating, smiling when she sensed Willow's presence not far away. The vampire had gotten out of bed, tucking the covers back in place before wandering into the hallway. She listened to noises in the kitchen, smelled lovely aromas in the air, knew that Willow was cooking breakfast. Drusilla went into the redhead's room, finding her many bags from their shopping journey. She would get dressed and then she would go downstairs to find her friends and enjoy their food with them.
She carefully selected the clothes that she wanted to wear that day, choosing her favorite pair of soft blue jeans and her Princess shirt. She'd gathered up her smelling lotions and gone in to bathe. She preferred baths, loving when William would draw her a warm bath with so many pretty bubbles, sitting beside her and reading her stories as she bathed and then gently drying her off afterwards. Her William spoiled her, taking such wonderful care of her after Daddy had played his game with the nasty old gypsies. Her lovely boy deserved to be happy, smiling so much more now that Daddy was back. She hoped he enjoyed his prezzies, looking forward to taking a lengthy bath as he read to her from the book of poems she had bought him. She smiled as she decided to have Willow to join her in the bath, knowing that the redhead deserved to be spoiled ever so much with pretty bubbles and warm water, simply being lazy and listening to William read. It would be ever so much fun sharing the lovely time with her bestest friend!
Drusilla had pulled back the curtain once she entered the bathroom, having smiled as she had looked at the brightly colored fish that covered the blue shower curtain. A frown crossed her face as she looked at the different faucets. She had not understood how to make the shower work, pulling the different faucets and twisting and turning them until finally the water had fallen. Proud of herself for figuring it out, she'd undressed and taken a quick shower, using her new gels and sponge. When she had finished bathing, she'd managed to make the water stop and stepped out. After drying herself, she'd used the lotion and inhaled the sweet scents, loving how they mixed together. The apples were the same as Buffy and Willow, Drusilla singing softly as she'd danced her way back into Willow's room to get dressed.
She'd just finished dressing when she'd felt Willow, the singing fading as she'd smiled at the door.
"There you are!" Willow smiled as she entered her room, noticing that Drusilla was dressed and that her hair was wet.
"I made the water fall all by myself!" Drusilla said proudly, "Do you smell the apples? Now I smell like you and Buffy, Kitten."
"You smell great. You look fantastic, too," Willow said as she walked into her bathroom, seeing that Drusilla had already cleaned up after herself, putting the wet towels over the shower rod to dry. She glanced at the faucets just to be safe, relieved to see that they were fine. She'd been a bit worried when Dru had said she'd made the water fall, not sure if the vampire had figured out how to work the shower properly. She quickly used the restroom and washed her hands before going back into her room. She told Drusilla, "I made some breakfast and thought I'd come upstairs to see if you wanted to join us."
"Of course I do, silly," Drusilla giggled as she took Willow's arm, "what food are we eating this morning, Willow-mine?"
"I made some French toast and bacon and Buffy made eggs," Willow explained as they walked out into the hallway.
"I have never eaten any of those things," Drusilla said thoughtfully, "I shall try them all. I enjoyed my shower, but why do you not have a bath?"
"There wasn't a lot of room in my bathroom, so I was pretty lucky to get a shower," Willow said, wondering how they had jumped from food to baths. She added, "My parents have a pretty big bathtub in their bathroom so I use that when I'm in a bath kind of mood."
"I love warm baths with bubbles, listening to my William read to me," Drusilla smiled happily as she confided one of her favorite activities.
"Oh, um, yeah, that does sound wonderful," Willow said as she too vividly imagined Spike in the bathtub with her, reading her poems from the naughty poetry book that Drusilla had given her as a prezzie, Angelus in the tub with them, the redhead frowning as she wondered if there was even a tub big enough for three people, deciding she wasn't going to worry about and instead focus on the fantasy, not really listening to Drusilla's reply, too caught up in thinking about naked Spike and naked Angelus and naked Willow. Before she knew it, they were in the kitchen and she was pushing naked thoughts from her mind.
"It is. William sits beside the bath and reads to me. You shall enjoy it, pretty pet," Drusilla promised, a large smile crossing her face as she saw her other two friends as they made their way into the kitchen. She greeted them, "Good morning! Isn't today the loveliest and happiest day ever?"
~Part: 63~
"Good morning, Dru!" Buffy laughed at the enthusiastic greeting from the vampire as Willow and Drusilla entered the kitchen.
"You look great!" Cordelia said with a smile as she looked at the vampire. "Those jeans are perfect for your figure and that shirt is so cute!"
"Thank you, Cordelia," Drusilla said with a pleased smile as she glanced down, loving her new clothes. She looked back and asked Buffy, "Did you sleep well, pet?"
"Yes," Buffy nodded as she finished putting the last plate of food on the table. "Are you going to eat breakfast with us?"
"There's French toast," Cordelia said as she sat down at the table. She and Buffy had waited to eat until Willow and Drusilla came down, not wanting to start without their friends. Now, though, she was hungry and ready to eat.
"Oh, you have to try it with chocolate syrup," Buffy said with an excited bounce, "you'll love it because you're like me and just adore chocolate. Willow thinks it's gross, but you're going to appreciate how tasty it is."
"It is gross," Willow said with a laugh, "but you're the one eating it so I can't complain."
"I'll try it, Buffy," Drusilla decided, earning her a hug from the slayer.
"You'll love it," Buffy declared as she sat down and started to make a plate.
Willow put a bag of blood in the microwave for Drusilla, draining it into the dark glass that Cordelia had left out. She then walked to the table and sat down, giving Drusilla the glass. She made her plate, pouring the syrup onto her French toast, making a face as she saw Buffy generously topping her French toast with chocolate syrup. She had to smile as Drusilla took the plate from Buffy and took a bite, "So, how is it?"
"It's lovely," Drusilla decided before she took another bite.
"Okay, I'm with Willow on this one," Cordelia spoke up, "That is so gross, Buffy!"
"Hey, two against two…it's a tie," Buffy said with a smirk, "Dru likes it! I like it! And you guys don't have to eat it so just hush!"
"Did Kitten tell you about the sunrise this morning?" Drusilla asked, her eyes flashing with pleasure as she smiled, "It was so beautiful."
"Sunrise?" Buffy asked, giving Willow a confused look, "Um, how exactly did that work? You know, vampire plus sunrise usually equals pile of dust."
"My parents have this coating on their windows so Dru was able to see the sunrise today," Willow explained.
"That's really neat," Buffy said softly as she looked back at Drusilla, seeing how happy Drusilla was over seeing something that she no longer really paid attention to herself.
"It was the most wonderful surprise ever," Drusilla said as she looked adoringly at Willow.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Willow said as she smiled at the vampire before returning to her breakfast as they started talking about the movies they had watched the previous evening.
~Part: 64~
Breakfast was finished and the dishes washed. Willow and Buffy were getting the blankets and pillows together to put away and Drusilla was sitting on the sofa singing them a song. Cordelia had just finished taking a shower and was letting Drusilla brush her hair, humming along to the tune she recognized as the song that the stars had sung the previous evening.
"Yesterday was so much fun," Buffy declared as she fell into the chair, a smile on her face as she thought over everything that had happened since she'd arrived at Willow's the previous morning.
"I know," Cordelia agreed, finding it odd still that she'd had such an enjoyable time hanging out with a vampire that was supposed to be their enemy. "I love hanging out at your house, Willow."
"Thanks," the redhead smiled as she sat beside Drusilla, "my house is your house so please feel free to come back any time you want. It was a lot of fun just relaxing and forgetting about slaying for a few hours."
"We need to do it again sometime," Buffy decided, not wanting to think about the fact that there probably wouldn't be another time. She figured that Drusilla would return home once the sun set and that would be that. She certainly knew that Angelus would not be happy at all when he found out his daughter had spent the night with them, frowning as she wondered if he'd punish Dru, not liking the idea at all of her new friend getting hurt because of their friendship. She looked up, her eyes flashing as she said, "Dru, if Angelus tries anything mean…."
"Do not worry about my Daddy, Buffy," Drusilla spoke softly, pleased that her new friend was ready to defend her against Angelus, but knowing that there would be no need. She confided, "The stars have said everything will be as it should."
"Yeah, okay, but if he hurts you, find me and I'll kick his ass for hurting one of my friends," Buffy said with a slight smile, watching Drusilla smile at her words.
"You are sweet, but he will not hurt me," Drusilla smiled at her new friend.
"Well, guys, I hate to say it, but it's getting pretty late and I've got some stuff to do before I meet Xander later," Cordelia said as she stood up. She looked at Dru and smiled, "It was really great meeting you, Drusilla. I enjoyed spending time with you, and I hope we can do it again sometime."
"We shall," Drusilla said as she got to her feet and hugged Cordelia, whispering, "Thank you for teaching me how to make milk shakes and for helping me buy so many lovely clothes. I love you, Cordelia."
"You look fabulous, and I love you too Dru," Cordelia said with a soft smile as she pulled back from the hug. She got her bag and told Buffy, "I'll see you Monday, Buffy. Have fun bonding with your Mom tonight."
"See ya at school, Cordy," Buffy said as she gave the girl a brief hug.
"Willow, thank you so much for inviting me," Cordelia told the redhead as she gave her a big hug, "it means a lot to me. I had so much fun and I really do appreciate you including me and calling me friend."
"You *are* a friend, Delia," Willow said with an affectionate smile at the cheerleader. "Thanks for the help with the clothes. You're great at that kind of stuff."
"I am, aren't I?" Cordelia laughed as she said again, "Bye guys, I'll see you all soon!"
"Wait, Cordelia. Can you give me a ride home?" Buffy asked after she looked at the clock and saw the time.
"Sure," Cordelia nodded, "I'll go start the car."
"Thanks. I hate to leave, but I'd better get home, too," Buffy said as she reluctantly got to her feet. "It's after noon and I told Mom I'd be home by one."
"I love you, Buffy," Drusilla said as she gave the surprised slayer a tight hug, "it was ever so wonderful meeting you and becoming your friend."
"Yeah, it was," Buffy agreed as she returned the hug, not at all finding it weird anymore that she considered this vampire a friend, "I love you, Drusilla. And like Willow said, we *are* friends, no matter what."
"We shall speak again soon, pretty pet," Drusilla decided as she smiled at the slayer. She added, "I wish for you to teach me how to make that chocolate peanut butter cake that you were describing to me. It sounded ever so delicious!"
"Who'd have ever imagined a vampire addicted to chocolate!" Buffy laughed, "I'll teach you, Dru. Promise."
"I'll help you take all this to the car," Willow offered as she gathered up some of Buffy's bags. "I'll be right back, Dru."
"Take your time, Kitten," Drusilla said as she sat back down and began to sing again.
"Do you think Angelus is going to hurt her?" Buffy asked Willow as soon as they left the house.
"I trust Drusilla and she doesn't think he is going to," Willow said slowly, sighing as she admitted, "I don't know, honestly, how he's going to react. I mean, I thought that I could save her and she'd just go home at dusk but that was before I got to know her. Now, well, we're friends and I'm worried about what Angelus is going to do when he finds out she spent time with us. He's unpredictable and it scares me a little, but what can we do?"
"Trust the stars and Drusilla," Buffy finally replied, giving Willow a soft smile, "There's nothing else we can do except trust that everything will be as it should, as Dru says. No point worrying and being scared. Angelus *is* unpredictable so there isn't any point in trying to anticipate his reaction. He already hates all of us and he's already tried to kill us several times so, you know, not that big a threat. If anything, he'll break the truce he decides to make and we'll be fair game again."
"You're right," Willow smiled as she hugged Buffy, "we've just got to trust the stars and Drusilla. Tell Joyce I said hi and have fun tonight."
"Do you want me to stop by if we get done early?" Buffy asked, "I mean, with Drusilla going back home tonight and all, do you want some company?"
"No, that's okay, but thanks," Willow said, "I'll probably just go to sleep early. If I don't talk to you tomorrow, I'll see you Monday. Have a good weekend!"
"You too, Willow," Buffy said as she gave the redhead another hug before getting into Cordelia's car.
Willow waved as they drove away before she turned and started walking back to her house. Buffy was right. She needed to stop worrying about Angelus and how he was going to react to what had happened. Maybe they'd get lucky and he wouldn't even find out. Or maybe he'd be so glad Drusilla was okay after the attack that he didn't care how she had been saved. Or maybe he'd be so angry that he started trying to kill them again. While she would vote for one of the two earlier responses, they were at least prepared to acknowledge the third choice. Besides, it wasn't like they were even aware that he had decided to have his truce and stop trying to kill them until Drusilla had confirmed their suspicions the previous day, so it wasn't like that choice would change anything. She entered the house, smiling as she heard Drusilla singing. She shut the door and moved to sit beside the happy vampire, relaxing as Dru began to brush her hair. She'd just trust the stars, hope that they were right and that everything would be okay.
~Part: 65~
The afternoon passed rather quickly once Cordelia and Buffy left. Willow and Drusilla spent the majority of it laying on the sofa together and just talking. After two hours, Willow had told the brunette all about her life and her parents and her friends, answering numerous questions from the inquisitive vampire. It was the first time that Willow had really spoken about Jesse's death, finding herself able to tell Drusilla things that she'd never told anyone else. Drusilla had not told her stories about her life or of her travels with Angelus and William, far more interested in hearing about Willow than in telling stories about herself.
Finally, Willow's throat was getting sore and she knew that she had been talking too much. She took a drink from the bottle of water that she'd put on the table before Buffy and Cordelia had left, putting it back down as she settled more comfortably on the sofa. She smiled at Drusilla, who was laying the opposite way on the sofa. She said, "I've been talking so much that my throat is starting to hurt. Your turn to talk now, Dru."
Drusilla smiled softly as she looked at her redhead, having enjoyed their private time together. She had adored Buffy and Cordelia, loving spending time with the talkative girls, but it was rather nice just being with her pretty pet and hearing about her life. The vampire did not often spend hours talking, usually listening whenever she was with Daddy and William or talking to her dollies who didn't answer her in the way that Willow did. She knew that Willow had told her things that no one else knew, pleased that her kitten trusted her and wanted to share her secrets. She cocked her head to the side and asked quietly, "Would you like me to tell you about before?"
"Before what?" Willow asked, curiosity in her green eyes.
"Before I met Angelus…before I met Daddy," Drusilla was speaking softly, nearly whispering as her eyes flashed with memories and pain and then happiness. A wistful smile crossed her pretty face as she said, "I do not remember very much, Kitten, but I remember images, feelings. I spoke to the stars even then, but no one understood. They thought that it was the devil's work, locking me in the dark for hours in hopes that I would be saved. Angelus was the first person that understood, though Daddy does not hear their song."
"Dru, you don't have to tell me about that," Willow said quietly, knowing that it had to upset her new friend to think about that time. She had read the watchers' diaries, knew that Angelus had stalked Drusilla for months, killing and torturing her family, driving her crazy before he finally raped her and turned her. Selfishly, Willow didn't want to hear about that, didn't want to think about Angelus and how frightened Drusilla must have been, didn't want to bring up memories that were so painful.
"I want to share my secrets with you, Willow," Drusilla said softly, "whisper, whisper in your ear, tell you things that no one knows. I remember when I first saw my Daddy, watching me from an alley. The look in his eyes scared me, pet, but it also excited me. I knew it was wrong to feel such things for a stranger, but he fascinated me. When his eyes looked into mine, even across the path, I knew that I belonged with him. I do not remember what happened after, he was there, watching and leaving me prezzies, blood and screams and my pretty little sisters broken and dead….they would not wake up, could not be fixed like my dollies. My fault…the devil had come for me and this was my punishment….looking at the cross, praying, crying as I felt him coming for me, wanting him to kill me, wanting him to stop the voices…..he was not scared of me, did not look at me with suspicion and horror as the others did, whisper behind my back, call me crazy….Angelus understood….when he came for me, blood dripping from his hands, his eyes staring into mine, the voices got so loud before they started to sing, and I wanted him to love me, to never let me go…."
Drusilla was lost in memories that had been long buried, her eyes staring unseeingly and the same wistful smile on her pretty face. She closed her eyes as she continued talking softly, "I was so very scared, confused, I did not know what to do…I ran, hearing him laugh as he easily caught me, my struggles causing him amusement. I looked into his eyes and could no longer fight….I did not want to fight….I remember the rocks behind my back, poking and sharp, when he pushed me against the ground. Ripping my pretty white dress, his eyes never leaving mine as he tore at my knickers….and then he was there, in my private place and there was so much pain, the world exploded, the stars singing so loudly as Angelus played his naughty game, never looking away from me, making sure that I was with him and nowhere else….scent of blood, moans and cries as he bruised my flesh…he surrounded me, consumed me….his teeth piercing my neck as I cried out when my body reacted to his touch and his flesh…staring at the sky as the stars sang softly, feeling my life fading away, I was happy….then he was feeding me, making me drink from his wrist, still inside me…..bitter taste, I did not want to drink…he forced me, his eyes blazing with anger at my refusal….I could not look away from his eyes….he spoke of forever, husky words drowning out the stars….he did not want to let me go, as if he had read my mind.…I drank."
Drusilla opened her eyes as a happy smile crossed her face, remembering how lovely it had been to wake up in her Daddy's arms, to know that he wanted to be with her forever, that he was never going to let her go. She had felt loved for the first time in her life, memories of before fading over time, no longer able to remember the features of her pretty little sisters, accepting the pain and torment that Angelus had made her go through before as a test to make sure that she belonged to him. It was then that she became aware of the scent of tears, looking at Willow and seeing the redhead crying silently. She did not understand why Willow was sad, moving her hand gently along her friend's leg, "Do not cry, Willow."
"I just…" Willow trailed off, not able to explain that she was crying because of what Drusilla had been forced to endure at the hands of Angelus, knowing that her friend wouldn't understand.
"You are crying for me, Kitten," Drusilla said softly, her eyes alert and aware, "but you do not need to. I love Angelus, I do not blame him for what happened. I am happy, so very happy. Pain fades with time, memories of old are replaced with new memories, it was long ago and I do not regret wanting to stay with him forever. I do not want you to cry for me, pretty Willow, because I do not feel sadness for what happened before. I have my Daddy and my sweet William and now I have you. I want you to smile for me, lovey, and then I shall tell you another secret, whisper pst pst pst in your ear."
Willow wiped her face with the back of her hand and gave Drusilla the best smile that she could manage under the circumstances. It seemed to appease the vampire because Drusilla smiled happily as she began to talk about visiting France with her Daddy and Darla, deliberately making the story amusing to distract the redhead from the sad thoughts that she had inadvertently caused by speaking of the time before. The brunette felt less burdened than she had ever felt after telling Willow about her meeting with Angelus and remembering things she'd forgotten over time. She listened to Willow laugh softly as she told of Darla's attempts at seducing a noble in order to gain access of his house, frustrated that her attempts were failing and fussing about until the noble made a lurid proposition to Angelus that had resulted in said noble experiencing a broken neck for expressing his desire for her Daddy and Darla's happiness at learning the reason her attempt had failed. She had always cared for her Grandmum, but she had been relieved when the blonde had left them to travel, knowing that her Daddy was more relaxed and nicer when his Mum wasn't visiting.
"I know it's wrong to be laughing when that poor guy died, but you tell it so well that I can't help but laugh," Willow confessed as she smiled sheepishly. In a way, they were a family, she realized. Okay, so they had blood and naughty games and violence and other vampire type things, but they were also a family. She tried to accept that Drusilla was happy being a vampire and that she believed that the pain she had suffered at the hands of Angelus before her turning was worth the happiness that she now had, but Willow was human and still couldn't get past how horrible it must have been for Dru, being alone and feared by her family and then become the object of Angelus' twisted obsession. No matter how sexy and intelligent and desirous Angelus was, Willow knew that he was also dangerous and unpredictable and kind of scary, and, may the Gods help her, she still found him so attractive that her heart sped up just a little thinking about him and Spike.
"You are precious, Kitten," Drusilla said with a delighted laugh. She began to draw twirly shapes on Willow's leg with her fingers as she made herself more comfortable on the sofa, deciding to tell more about her travels with her Daddy and Grandmum. Then, she would tell her bestest friend about the second most important night of her life. The night she met her pretty William.
~Part: 66~
"He fell in the river?" Willow repeated before she started to laugh, "I bet he wasn't very happy."
"Daddy was livid," Drusilla remembered fondly, "he was not able to rid himself of the water's stench for days. We met up with Grandmum in London, and she would not even lay with him because of the smell."
"So you guys went back to London?" Willow asked as she listened to Drusilla continue with her stories. The vampire had now been talking over an hour, telling her about the first few decades of her unlife, having many memories that caused Willow to smile or laugh. She watched as Drusilla's smile became more affectionate, her eyes loving as she began to speak.
"And that is where I met my William," Drusilla said softly. She looked at Willow and asked, "Would you like to hear about my William, Kitten?"
"Sure," Willow said, trying to keep the eagerness out of her reply. She wanted to hear about Spike and how he had been turned, not knowing very much about the bleached blond except that he was devoted to Drusilla and one of the most formidable enemies that they'd faced. Oh, and that he was as dangerous and sexy and tempting as Angelus, but that was obvious to anyone with hormones and eyes.
"He was so very sweet, such pretty words spilling those beautiful lips. When I saw him in that smoky pub, I knew that he was to be mine. You remind me of him, pet, so innocent and pure and smart, such potential for power. Daddy did not understand, disgusted that I was smitten with such a pathetic human, but I did not listen to him because he was just jealous that another had caught my eye. Grandmum thought it was amusing, not believing that William was strong, or that he was meant to be mine. I listened that night as that nasty creature ridiculed him, saying such mean things about his lovely words, his blue eyes so hurt. He was in pain and I knew that I could make it all better with just a kiss. I followed him, spoke to him, looked into his eyes and knew that I was right, that he was destined to be mine, to be with me forever. I kissed him and then I made him mine," Drusilla said simply, still remembering the first taste of her William's blood and the feeling of contentment that had spread over her when Angelus had joined them. Her family.
"You think I'm like Spike?" Willow asked quietly, watching as Drusilla looked at her and smiled.
"You are very much like my William. Do I confuse you because I do not call him Spike?" Drusilla asked, continuing before Willow could reply, "I do call him Spike, pretty pet, but to me he will always be my sweet William. He is now a mixture of the two, my William and Angelus' Spike. You see, Daddy was pleased when I brought William home, having already given permission for me to take him as my childe even though he was jealous and did not see what I could see. Once my William was one of us, Daddy could finally see it. He could see the strength and power and potential. We spent his first days playing naughty games, tasting and touching and he is so gentle. He was an innocent but he learned quickly, angering Daddy because of his devotion to me. Daddy was still jealous but now it was because we did not share with him. Silly Daddy, growling and grumpy until we allowed him to join us. Daddy is rough and unable to say things that my William says, never speaking of love or affection, though it is there in his eyes so I know how he feels. Daddy began to teach William, showing him the ways of surviving and how to play the games. Time passed and my William had become Spike, ruthless and cunning and dangerous. But he was also still my boy, loving and affectionate and curious and mine."
Drusilla saw Willow listening carefully, confusion in those pretty green eyes at the same time there was understanding. She smiled as she said softly, "You have a question, pet."
"You and Spike and Angelus. I don't understand the dynamic," Willow finally said, not sure how to ask what she wanted to know. Drusilla spoke about having sex with Angelus and Darla and now Spike, but she'd also mentioned the previous day about not being part of the naughty game so Willow was confused. She saw Drusilla's confusion and smiled, "Sorry, I don't know what I'm asking. Um, vampires believe in sharing, right, so I guess there isn't really anything like a steady relationship, is there?"
"I do not understand," Drusilla confessed, "We are family. We belong to each other. I am both Angelus' and William's mate, as they are mine and each other's."
"So you play, um, naughty games with them both?" Willow asked, wondering how she had managed to turn the conversation from Spike's turning into a discussion of the vampires' sexual habits. Goodness, she really needed to get her hormones under control, she decided, blushing slightly as she asked Drusilla the question.
"Oh, naughty games," Drusilla suddenly smiled, now understanding what Willow was asking. She nodded, "They are my mates, Willow-mine. I have played many a game with them, such delicious and wicked games. After Daddy played with the gypsies and went away, William and I did not play the same kind of games. My boy is sweet and gentle, loving to just hold and feel me against him. He does not mind if he visits my private place, because he knows that I do not enjoy the act as much as he and Daddy. I have not played those kind of games with them since Daddy returned, though I could play with them if I chose. I do not know how to explain to you, Kitten, how I feel about laying with them. I love them ever so much and I love being with them, laying with their flesh against mine, feeling love and comfort, but those kinds of games do not really interest me any longer."
"It's okay, Drusilla. I think I understand," Willow said, though she wasn't really sure that she did. Of course, part of the problem could be that she had been having fantasies and dreams about having sex with Angelus and Spike for months and couldn't understand not wanting to be with him in that way. On the other hand, she had read enough magazines to know that everyone had a different sex drive and that there was nothing wrong with Drusilla preferring to cuddle. She'd always thought she was on the low end of that sex desire drive thing, having never really felt any kind of passion or attraction during sixteen years, her crush on Xander more about being loved than anything physical. Then she'd seen Spike and started having the dreams and then Angelus had joined them in her dreams. That had shot her belief that she wasn't very sexual complete out of the water, leaving her to the realization that those magazines didn't know a damn thing, or else they'd never been faced with two of the sexiest men she'd ever seen in her life, living or dead, that were not only gorgeous and smart and cunning but also dangerous and thrilling and capable of causing her to have such wickedly sinful dreams. Let's see how that quiz worked for anyone that had ever met Spike or Angelus. She'd bet no one would score lower than a 'closet nympho with wanton tendencies when it comes to two devastatingly attractive vampires'.
"I shall tell you now about our time after William joined the family, before Daddy played with the nasty old gypsies," Drusilla decided as she snuggled back against the pillows and began to tell Willow about their adventures following William's turning, leaving out the details of killings and slaughtering that had earner her boys the title of Scourges of Europe, knowing her pretty pet would not find those images entertaining. She saw Willow pull herself from her thoughts and smile at her, looking into beautiful green eyes as she continued telling her best friend the story of her life.
~Part: 67~
Knock. Knock. Knock.
There was a slight groan from the bed as the soft knock was ignored.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The knocking was louder, more determined. More movement on the bed as Angelus reluctantly opened his eyes. He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was after five. He groaned, running a hand over his face, having not realized it was quite so late. He nudged the body that was laying against him, waking Spike, before he called out gruffly, "Just a minute!"
Angelus gracefully got out of bed, pulling on his pants before he started to walk to the door. He glanced at the bed, rolling his eyes when he saw that Spike wasn't getting up. He grabbed the fallen blanket from the floor and tossed it over his lover. Blue eyes opened and looked at him, a smile crossing Spike's face as he sat up, glancing down at the blanket and then back at Angelus. With amusement in his voice, he said, "Ah, honey. I didn't know you cared."
"Get your lazy ass up and put on some clothes. We've got a visitor," Angelus replied huskily, his dark eyes moving Spike's slim and athletic body as the blond got out of bed and pulled on his jeans, deliberately taking his time and posing along the way, giving him a smug smile that let him know he'd been caught ogling. He frowned at the blond before moving to open the door, "What?"
The minion standing there flinched at the harsh tone in his master's voice. He looked at the floor, hoping that he would survive this encounter. Stuttering, he spoke, "Mmmaster, you said to inform you if we found something out about Mistress Drusilla."
"Did you find her?" Spike demanded as he joined Angelus in the doorway, his hair curly and touseled from sleep, his right hand moving down his stomach and scratching at the bites that Angelus had left there during their earlier activities.
"Nnnno, Master Spike," Charles, the minion, replied, speaking quickly before they had a chance to stake him, "but I found someone that might know something."
"You disturb us to tell us that you have failed to find her," Angelus arched a brow as he stared at the minion, wondering why they couldn't make smarter minions. He'd have to see about experimenting on that, he decided, hating being surrounded by such weak fools.
"He is downstairs, Master Angelus," Charles replied, "the man that might know something."
"Might?" Spike repeated, glancing at Angelus to see their plan of action. He was itching to kill something, the minion in front of him seeming to be perfect. First, they'd not found his Princess. Second, he'd been woken from a dream of his early days, of when he'd first been turned that never failed to make him feel connected to his beautiful sire. Third, he was a bit sore and tired after spending hours shagging and being shagged by Angelus. Over all, not in the mood to listen to stuttering minions that were scared of their own shadows. Bloody waste of good blood, he thought in disgust as he looked at the frightened creature in front of him.
"He does know something," Charles corrected, "he wishes to speak to you directly, Master. I believe he wishes to exchange his information for protection."
"Where is he?" Angelus asked as he moved back into the room to grab a shirt for himself and one for Spike. He tossed the T-shirt at the blond before pulling his own shirt on and buttoning it quickly. If this source had an idea where they could find Dru, he might be willing to make a deal. It would depend on what the guy told them.
"He is waiting in the study, Master. We were unable to find any other information concerning the whereabouts of Mistress Drusilla. No one saw her hunting yesterday and there is no sign of Greg, either," Charles said as they started to walk down the hallway. He was unable to fully relax, knowing that his life was still in danger until Angelus decided whether or not his source was valid. Only then would he know that he had escaped his master's fury over his missing childe.
Angelus entered the study, Spike directly behind him. He saw an unfamiliar vampire sitting on the leather sofa, nervously looking around, fear radiating from the man. He glanced at the minion, saying, "Bring us some wine and then leave us."
"Yes, Master," Charles bowed before leaving the room to fetch the bloodwine that Angelus had requested.
Spike followed Angelus to his favorite chair, sitting down after his grandsire did. He looked at the vampire that supposedly knew where his sire was, studying him silently, a slight smile crossing his lips as the vampire squirmed under the scrutiny. If the guy didn't tell them anything good, he'd do as someone to kill, Spike decided. He was new, obviously, probably not even a year old. Smelled bad, too, stinking of old blood and garbage. Spike glanced at Angelus, knowing that his lover had to be loving that, the elder vampire being a bit of a priss when it came to taking care of ones self and smelling good.
Charles entered the room less than five minutes after he had left, the tension thick and the silence deafening. He almost felt sorry for the vampire that was waiting to speak to the masters, but he'd much prefer their silent study of the other guy than himself. He poured three glasses of wine, serving his master first, then master Spike, and finally the fledge. Once he had completed his task, he obeyed Angelus' orders and left the room, closing the doors firmly behind him before retreating into the safety of the living room with the other minions that were waiting to find out if the information was enough to save them from Angelus' threat.
Once the door was shut, Angelus took a drink of his wine, his dark eyes on the youth in the front of him. He finally spoke, his eyes pinning the fledge in place as he demanded softly, "What do you know about my missing childe."
~Part: 68~
Spike nearly spilled his wine when the fledge jumped at Angelus' question, doing his best to cover his laugh by taking another drink of the wine. Angelus always had been a bit of a drama queen, loving to set the stage and scare the youngsters. Spike waited for the vampire to speak, knowing that the longer it took for him to get the courage, the more impatient and annoyed his grandsire would become. He, himself, was already past the reasonable level of patience, not having much of any in regular situations much less when it came to matters concerning his sire.
"What is your name?" Angelus asked, wanting to demand answers but knowing that this weak demon might be the only chance they had of finding Drusilla so he was trying to handle things calmly.
"Jack," the vampire finally spoke. He had never met a master before, much less two, their power causing him to be more scared than he had ever been. He'd impulsively spoken to that Charles guy, telling him he might know something about the missing vampire they were looking for, figuring he might could exchange his information for a shower and a warm place to sleep. Now, he wished he'd just kept his mouth shut and gone back to the damp warehouse that had been his home since his turning. These guys were dangerous and strong, and now they were both looking at him as if they didn't care if they listened to him or killed him.
"Jack, what do you know about my daughter?" Angelus asked, his tone demanding and giving no room for silence.
"Well, like I told that other guy, I heard something last night that might be of interest," Jack said, taking a drink of the wine and nearly purring. It was delicious, the blood just perfect and the mixture an intoxicating treat.
"Can't we just torture him?" Spike muttered, knowing that they'd have gotten answers far easier if they'd just strapped this Jack guy to the wall and beat him senseless for a few minutes.
"Spike," Angelus glared at his lover, seeing the amused gleam in those beautiful blue eyes and resisting the urge to give Spike a rough kiss to get him to shut up. Instead he turned back to Jack and said, "If you don't answer my question, I'll allow Spike to try things his way. I doubt you'd survive, but we would have the information we desire so I don't really care."
"This guy came in to the place I stay," Jack spoke quickly, no hesitancy at all in his voice now, "this old warehouse by the docks. Anyway, he was some kind of demon, orange and blue and he had these horns. Um, so, he was telling me that he was at this bar Thursday night, and that something weird happened. There was a witch that came in, strong and powerful according to him, and she got some blood. He was all impressed by her power, said she was the strongest he'd ever come in contact with and that she hadn't even realized her true potential yet, seemed to think that she wasn't even aware of her power, um he did also say something about sensing purity and light. That was about it cause then he started talking about baseball. Me, I don't have much use for that stuff, hocus pocus and things like that so I wasn't really listening. But, I remembered it when your guys were asking around today. You know, her getting the blood and a missing vampire. Thought it might involve your missing childe."
"A witch?" Spike repeated, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Angelus.
"What did this witch look like?" Angelus asked, knowing that there was a chance that Drusilla had met up with a witch, his daughter having skills with magic as well as her gift of seeing. While the idea of her being with a witch wasn't nearly as bad as her being alone or taken by a demon, Angelus didn't really trust magic. It was one of the few things he feared in this world, not understanding it and having no particular skill with it. Besides, it was magic that had cursed him with that horrible soul for decades, so magic definitely was not on his list of favorite things. The gypsies had scared him, but he'd dealt with that fear and gotten over it when he'd kill the pretty little computer teacher. A witch that was that strong, that powerful, well, that did cause him concern and worry. He'd not known there were any witches in Sunnydale strong enough to be considered impressive. And, if this was right, what was she doing with Drusilla?
"He didn't look at her," Jack shrugged, "said she was so powerful that he was scared to look at her. He just knew it was a woman because he heard her voice when she first spoke. Said everyone at the bar recognized her skill and power, most being too scared to even look at her. Do ya think she might be the one with your daughter? I mean, a strong witch getting several bags of blood is a bit weird, dontcha think? I'd think she got them to feed a vampire."
"What do you want in exchange for this information?" Angelus asked, not replying to Jack's questions because he was trying to figure out if the information was helpful or not. It did seem odd that Drusilla disappeared after being hurt on the same night some powerful witch goes to buy some blood. If the little witch was so pure and light, she wouldn't be needing human blood for any spells or magicks, the darkest magicks not even usually requiring human blood. Yes, it was definitely an odd coincidence that he planned to explore more fully. He'd find this witch and see if she had Drusilla. If not, well, it never hurt to know a strong witch, even one surrounded by goodness, because he might have a need for one someday.
"A shower and a bed, just for a night," Jack said slowly.
"What bar did this demon witness all this?" Spike asked, having a good idea where it had to have been but wanting confirmation.
"It was Willie's place," Jack said, waiting to see if he'd get his warm shower or not.
"Figures," Spike muttered. Unlike Angelus, he didn't have much of a fear for witches. Hell, he'd helped Drusilla with some of her spells during their time together, rather in awe of the talents it took to control such powerful magicks. He'd never killed a *real* witch in his entire unlife, a bit superstitious about what might happen if he did, not that he'd ever admit that. Angelus' curse after killing that gypsy brat had just reaffirmed his belief that vampires shouldn't mess with folks that can control powerful magicks, giving him more of a respect and curiosity for witches than his grandsire, who was honestly pretty afraid and suspicious of those with true magick talents. If Drusilla was with some little light witch, well, the blood was obviously for his sire which meant the witch was taking care of his Princess so he couldn't really complain all that much. Besides, according to that demon guy that talked to the kid, she didn't even know she was a strong witch yet. That, in itself, was kind of intriguing to Spike. He'd never met a *real* witch, one with natural talent and power, that wasn't aware of their gift. He wondered how they were different, curious to meet this witch. Now, he and Angelus just needed to track down this witch and hope that Drusilla *was* with her so they could finally bring his Princess home.
~Part: 69~
Angelus stood and moved to the door. He opened it, gesturing to the minion that had brought Jack to them. What was his name? He struggled through his memory, never paying much attention the minion's names, usually calling them "you" because they rarely lasted long. He had only been back a few months so all of these minions had either been created by Spike upon his arrival in Sunnydale or by Angelus since his return, though there were some that had been made by others that had chosen to follow him as master, after choosing between that or death. Charles, he suddenly remembered.
"Yes, Master?" Charles spoke slowly, fearful of what Angelus was say.
"Charles, allow Jack to take a shower and then prepare a bed for him downstairs," Angelus instructed, amusement flashing in his dark eyes that he quickly covered as he saw the minion breathe an unnecessary sigh of relief.
"Of course, Master," Charles said before he looked at the vampire that he assumed was Jack. "Follow me, sir."
"Thank you, Master," Jack told Angelus, bowing in the same way that he had seen Charles do earlier.
"You may stay one night," Angelus said, "though I will be willing to accept your loyalty and allow you to remain as part of the family, if you so choose."
"Really?" Jack nodded eagerly, having been greatly impressed with the power and intelligence of both Angelus and Spike, knowing that he could pledge his loyalty without reservation to both of the vampires. He said, "I pledge loyalty to you and yours, Master Angelus."
"Done," Angelus said before he bit into Jack's neck, drinking only briefly. The stench was overwhelming, causing him to pull back before he brought his finger to his fang and bit down. He offered his finger to Jack who drank willingly, pulling it free when he was assured that the connection was formal. He nodded, "Go take a shower. Charles, you shall introduce Jack to the others and insure that he is made comfortable and learns the rules."
"Yes, Master Angelus," Charles nodded, leading Jack to the shower as he began to explain the rules of living under the master's roof.
"Don't know why you did that," Spike said as Angelus shut the door. "He was a bit of an annoyance, if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you," Angelus said sharply before adding softly, "and he will at least be a step up from some of the others, once he no longer smells so bad. Brainless bunch of halfwits."
"Minions aren't supposed to be smart, *Master*," Spike said sullenly, annoyed that Angelus had been snippy with him.
"Boy, drop the attitude," Angelus warned, not in the mood to deal with a pouting Spike, no matter how attractive he might find the blond when he was sulky and his lower lip was highly kissable. He watched as Spike sighed loudly before giving him a smirk.
"You like me giving you attitude," Spike reminded with a smirk, "but we spent all afternoon shagging and I fear you've exhausted me so there shall be none of that for a few more hours, at least. Do you think Drusilla got mixed up with some witch?"
"In this town, nothing would surprise me," Angelus said honestly, making a face as he added, "It just had to be a witch, didn't it? And a strong one at that."
"Ah, poor baby….scared of the little old witch," Spike said with amusement, laughing when he heard Angelus growl.
"I'm not scared of anything, boy," Angelus denied, knowing it was a futile argument because Spike knew him too well, his lover aware of his nervousness around magicks, especially since his experience with the gypsies.
"Course you're not, Angelus," Spike agreed before he said, "It's nearly sunset. We're going to Willie's to find out who this witch is, aren't we?"
"Yes," Angelus nodded, flashing a sinister smile, "We'll get Willie to tell us everything we need to know then we'll find the spell caster and, hopefully, locate Drusilla."
"If she doesn't have Dru, maybe we can have her do a spell to locate her," Spike suggested, "it would be bloody marvelous to watch a real natural witch cast and play with magicks."
"There will be no playing with the witch," Angelus said crossly, "no spells. If she doesn't have Drusilla, we'll just have to try to use the bond to find her, though it will be a pain in the ass to use that on a blasted Hellmouth. It doesn't matter. I have a feeling that this witch knows where Drusilla is, so we don't have much to worry about."
"Except finding the witch," Spike said, a bit disappointed that he wouldn't get to watch witch cast a spell. Oh well, he'd have his Princess back and that's what really mattered. Besides, he might be able to go back sometime and play with the witch once she realized her gift and that would be even better than some silly location spell.
"That won't be too difficult," Angelus said, "there aren't many powerful casters in this town, not strong enough to impress a demon. Once we talk to Willie, he'll probably have a name or at least a good enough description to narrow the search. Let's go upstairs and take a shower then we can to talk to Willie."
"And do some witch hunting," Spike added with a smile as he followed Angelus into the hall and up the stairs, adding, "and then we can find Drusilla and make sure she's okay. I miss my Princess."
"As do I, boy," Angelus said softly as they entered his room, "as do I."
~Part: 70~
At twenty-six minutes past six, roughly eleven minutes from the moment the sun set in the western sky, the door to Willie's Tavern opened. Willie felt the power before they even entered the room. He was drying some glasses, the bar practically empty this early in the night. He had been expecting them, having heard through the grapevine that Drusilla was missing, figuring that it wouldn't take long before Angelus and Spike came calling to see what he knew. Having two master vampires in his bar made him a tad uneasy, if he were honest, and he really hoped that they'd leave once he told them he didn't know anything about Drusilla.
Willie put the glass down and looked up, keeping his face impassive as he found himself confronting two of the most feared vampires in the entire world. It was moments like these that he often wondered why he couldn't have set up a bar somewhere other than a Hellmouth. His eyes swiftly moved over the two advancing masters, noticing that they had come alone. Not surprising. Angelus didn't think much of minions, preferring to take care of important matters on his own or with his immediate family. Willie analyzed the situation quickly, seeing the slight smirk on Angelus' face as well as the impatience burning in Spike's eyes. Great, just what he needed to start off a Saturday night. He nodded at them when they reached the bar, "Angelus, Spike. What can I do for you?"
"Willie, I'm not in the mood for games at the moment," Angelus said as he moved to sit down, keeping his voice low and threatening. He wanted to get the information he needed, find that witch, and hopefully retrieve Drusilla as quickly as possible.
"Right," Willie moved closer to the end of the bar, lowering his voice, "I haven't heard anything about your missing daughter. I'll ask around tonight and see if I can find any information."
"Well, now, that's mighty kind of you," Angelus said slowly, "but I'm not here about Drusilla."
"You're not?" Willie looked at him with genuine surprise, not liking be caught unaware by this deadly duo.
"Heard you had an intriguing patron night before last," Spike spoke up, his eyes watching Willie closely. He loved the scent of fear coming from the bar owner, knowing the man had been face to face with far scarier demons than himself without showing fear, finding it all the more thrilling to know that he and his grandsire caused the little rat faced human to be frightened.
"Did I?" Willie asked, not sure which of the vampires was the most threatening so having no definite idea of where he should give his attention. Instead, he tried to divide it equally amongst them both.
"A little birdie told us that a powerful witch came visiting, buying up some human blood. Ring any bells?" Angelus asked, watching as Willie tensed the moment he mentioned the witch. Good, he knew what they were talking about. Wouldn't be much longer until they had their answers.
Recognition flashed in Willie's eyes, knowing automatically whom they were asking about. He looked down at the bar, collecting his thoughts and pulling on any bit of courage he still possessed after dealing with demons for so long and looked back up, his eyes blank, his tone flat as he said, "Little birdie must be wrong. I don't know nothing."
Now this was a surprise, Angelus thought, his eyes narrowing as he listened to the rapid beating of the heart, knowing without a doubt that Willie was lying. Why? It was common knowledge that the bar owner was loyal to no one, that he'd trade any information for the right price, that he was not to be trusted. Angelus wanted to know what was different this time, knowing that he wasn't under any kind of spell, able to sense the magic if it had been used. No, Willie was facing them both, knowing that they knew he was lying, and he was doing it of his own volition. Angelus had always like a good puzzle, his lips twisting into a smirk as he said, "While I'd normally agree whole-heartedly with that statement, this time I know you're lying. So be a good boy and just tell me what I want to know so we leave without having to get rough."
"I told ya, I don't know nothing," Willie said again, preparing for the beating of his lifetime. He didn't care what Angelus or Spike did, knowing that, for once in his miserable life, he was going to do the right thing. He couldn't tell them about the pretty redhead that had been polite to him, not wanting any part of leading these dangerous and evil creatures to the innocent little witch that had been nice to him. It had been so long since someone had been civil to him, asking and thanking him, and he wasn't likely to repay her natural kindness by handing her over to these two.
"Willie, I thought you were smarter than that," Spike said quietly, his blue eyes flashing annoyance and curiosity. He leaned forward, "We know there was a witch here. We know she got human blood on the day Drusilla disappeared. We just want to find her and ask her some questions, see if she knows where my sire is. We don't plan to harm her."
"I can't help you," Willie said stubbornly. He was not going to be responsible for any harm coming to that girl.
"Yes, you can," Angelus said, his dark eyes studying the man as Spike spoke to him. He frowned as he was no closer to understanding why Willie was defending the witch. Finally, he just asked, "Why won't you tell us? She didn't bewitch you, I don't feel any magic at all. You're standing there, willing to die to protect this witch. Why?"
"I've done a lot of awful things in my life. This time, I'm doing the right thing. If that means I die, well, so be it," Willie said slowly, preferring the curious look that was in Angelus' eyes to the deadly gleam that he'd expected to find there at refusing to answer his question.
"Bloody hell," Spike cursed, glaring at the man, "why'd you have to grow you a pair right now? This witch is the only lead we've got in finding my sire, damn it, and now you're standing there deciding to be brave and gallant. You're no hero, Willie. We'll find her even if you don't talk. If anything, your refusal to tell us anything is just pissing me off and making me wonder how potent witches' blood really is. When I find her, I might just have to shag her, torture her a bit, and, who knows, maybe kill her, making sure she knows *who* to blame for changing my plans of just asking her some questions."
Angelus glanced at the bar to hide his smile, knowing all too well how empty Spike's threats were. The blond would never kill a witch, too respectful of their skills and too scared he might end up cursed like Angelus had, but Willie obviously didn't know of Spike's reverence for spell casters. The human was weakening, his determination wavering in the face of Spike's deadly threats. Angelus was proud of his boy, loving the sinister gleam in those beautiful blue eyes as he spoke slowly to Willie, knowing just the right amount of menace to inflict in his voice to make his words seem sincere and dangerous. He looked back up at Willie, the amused smile covered by a wicked smirk as he said, "You heard my boy, Willie. You tell us about her and we promise to play nice, or we kill you, find her anyway, and play some games with her that have her begging for death. Your choice. Her life is in your hands. What's it to be?"