~Part 11~
Tuesday night cont.
Wesley entered the building, clutching his prize to his chest and somewhat surprised by the deserted office that greeted him. Moving to the lift he descended, wondering exactly why Giles needed this book.
Despite his attempts to see himself as a rogue demon hunter who had left the Council behind, he still felt the need to prove his worth to the older Watcher, and he was vaguely disappointed that Giles had not asked him to bring the book personally so that he could have discovered more of what was going on, and offered his assistance.
Wesley emerged from the lift to find no-one in the apartment's main room, although there were some signs of activity - a half-eaten sandwich and some empty cups suggested that Willow and Angel were around somewhere.
As he strolled into the study he came to an abrupt halt: "Good heavens!" he exclaimed involuntarily. Surveying the scene in front of him Wesley noted the bite mark on Willow's throat, and drew a stake from an inner pocket. The stake was only centimetres from Spike's heart when Wesley noticed that it was Angel, rather than the blonde vampire, who had blood on his mouth, although both had numerous cuts and bruises on their faces.
Deciding to err on the side of caution, Wesley moved towards Angel, gently shaking him awake. Angel came to with a start, trying to make sense of where he was. He winced as his memories flooded back. He saw Wesley next to him, and the younger man gestured that they should move to the main room. Angel slowly rose to his feet, following the former Watcher and closing the study door behind him.
As he walked he tentatively licked his lips, and his demon moaned in pleasure at the faint taste of ambrosia that lingered there.
He knew what had happened, but he could not understand how or why. Had he really let his demon feed off Willow? And had she really let - no, encouraged - him? He was beginning to think that he owed a debt of gratitude to Spike, for he didn't know if he could have reasserted control over his demon by himself.
He noticed that Wesley had stopped in the middle of the room and was looking at him expectantly, obviously waiting for some kind of an explanation. <You and me both> he thought ruefully, as he decided his best option was simply to ignore everything.
"Did you manage to locate the book?"
"Uh, well, yes, I did. But Angel, what - " Wesley did not even have time to commence his interrogation before Angel interrupted him briskly.
"I don't see any need for you to wait, just leave the book and Willow can take it as soon as she, ah, ..."
"Regains consciousness?" Wesley suggested helpfully.
Angel chose to retreat behind his trademark stoic look, and Wesley debated with himself whether it was worth pursuing this with Angel. Deciding that he was no match for his employer with his gift for evading uncomfortable topics, Wesley instead tried another tactic.
"Yes, well I'm afraid I couldn't possibly leave the book until Miss Rosenberg is, uh, awake as I need to give it to her personally."
"Why?" Angel asked curiously, although only a small part of his mind was paying attention to the conversation - most of his thoughts were with the redhead in the next room, and at the moment his main goal was to get rid of Wesley so he could go to Willow and - what? Wake her up? Talk to her? Feed off her? He hardly knew, but he thought waking her up would be a good first step.
Wesley frostily stated, "I'm afraid I am not able to divulge any further information," and the two stared at each other, at an impasse.
~Part 12~
Tuesday night cont.
As soon as Wesley and Angel had left, Spike sat up. One of the many perks of being a vampire was the impossibility of anyone ever knowing for sure if you were really asleep he thought, as he slowly stretched his muscles, wincing as he felt a number of sore spots from his recent reunion with his grand-sire.
<Sodding poof> he thought bitterly, as he moved to sit next to Willow's still unconscious form. <Never wants anything unless it belongs to someone else.> He moved Willow's head gently to one side and examined the raw looking mark on her neck as he growled softly.
He didn't understand why Angel had bitten her: <maybe he needs to take that soul in for a service,> nor did he know why Willow hadn't yelled for help - he was just in the next room after all,
Actually, to tell the truth he had more or less had his head pressed against the door, and it was the sudden silence followed by the unmistakable sound of slurping that had led to his timely entrance.
Spike gently stroked Willow's hair back from her forehead, first checking that the door was still closed so that his actions could not be observed. He knew that if Angel had any inkling of how deep Spike's feelings for the witch ran, Angel would make it his business to get between them.
And Spike was well aware of just how irresistible the Irish poof could be when he wanted something - or someone.
His hand stilled as he felt Willow begin to wake up, and he helped her to sit, pulling her into his arms as she focused her wide green eyes on his face.
"What happened?"
"No bloody idea, pet. How's your neck?"
"Sore," moaned Willow, putting a hand gently to her torn flesh, and noting that it came away coated in fresh blood. "It's still bleeding," she said, looking at Spike to see his face without expression as he returned her gaze steadily.
"It's a bit of a mess. We can ask Peaches for some bandages, he's bound to have some."
Willow looked at his face, covered in scratches and bruises from defending her - <not that I actually needed defending, but still, it's the thought that counts>. She remembered the feel of him from this morning, of his tongue licking her neck clean, and decided she must be turning into a vampire groupie.
But still - it had been like being licked by a huge cat, his tongue felt rougher than a human tongue, and those little purrs and growls he made ...
Spike's eyes flashed yellow as he smelt her arousal, mingling with the intoxicating aroma of her blood. "This seems a bit familiar luv," he drawled, looking at her flushed face.
Willow wondered if he was anywhere near as turned on as she was. She blocked everything else from her mind - the mysterious book, Giles' grim tidings, her encounter with Angel - and just focused on this creature before her, ice to her fire, calm to her storm.
She slowly leaned forward, and ran her tongue over one of the deeper cuts on his face, gently tracing the line of his cheek, along his beautiful cheekbone to the front of his ear. She felt Spike groan and shift against her, and watched with interest as his ridges appeared.
The cut was still there, running across his demonic face, and Willow drew back slightly, looking into Spike's heated gaze. She maintained the eye contact as she slowly raised her hand, placing her thumb against the cut.
Spike remained motionless, although Willow could feel the tension coiling in his body. With a quick twist of her wrist she embedded her nail in the wound, bringing fresh blood to the surface and causing Spike's body to jerk.
She pulled her thumb away to look at it curiously, now gleaming scarlet with Spike's blood, then she closed her eyes and sucked her thumb clean.
She wondered idly if this was her own blood returning to her. The taste was not unpleasant - a bit coppery. She opened hr eyes at Spike's growl - he was showing some fang, but was still apparently maintaining his control. <Not for long> thought Willow, amused.
She moved her face forward again and licked his wound, this time feeling her mouth fill with the taste of his blood. She repeated the action, pressing harder with her tongue and using her teeth to nibble at the edges of the wound. She smiled to herself as Spike grunted, suddenly pushing her to the floor and fitting his body over hers.
As his hips rocked against her, Willow caught his wildly flickering gaze and said softly, "Taste me," causing Spike to instantly lower his head to the fresh mark on her neck.
He could taste Angel on her, which brought a growl, but soon there was nothing but the indescribable taste of Willow. Spike thought he might come in his pants from the sheer pleasure of it.
Willow however had other ideas, and as Spike continued to suckle at her neck and grind his hips against her, she struggled to undo his jeans.
Finally managing to get them unzipped, Willow rolled them over, leaving a disgruntled Spike lying beneath her licking his lips and looking longingly at her neck as she removed her panties and adjusted his clothing to free his member, slowly stroking it as she admired his length.
Judging from the rock hard state of him and the amount of pre-cum oozing from the tip, Spike was more than ready, as was Willow. She guided the head of his cock into her, then inch by inch sank down on him, gradually tightening her inner muscles until his full length was inside, being slowly squeezed by the flexing walls of her pussy.
Spike loved the sensation, but he was not in the mood for games. Grabbing her hips, he lifted Willow and forced her to begin a quick rhythm. He could feel her juices flowing onto him, and the immense heat of her spreading through his veins.
He tried to prolong the sensation, but Willow was already falling into her orgasm, and at her scream of pleasure he pulled her forward, sinking his teeth into the unmarked side of her neck. He waited for the chip to fry his brain, but there was nothing - until he felt Willow's blunt teeth sink into his neck, and his mind and body exploded into the most intense orgasm he had ever experienced.
His mind shattered, it took Spike a few minutes to realise that his surroundings appeared to have altered. He raised a scarred eyebrow in disbelief as he realised he was lying in the middle of a bare stone floor. At least Willow was still on top of him, he decided, and he ignored his surroundings to once more thrust his softening member within her before allowing it to slide out of her warmth.
He smiled as Willow groaned in protest at the loss, and tickled her ear as her face remained stubbornly buried in his neck.
"Willow, I think now would be a good time to turn on that brain of yours and tell me where the hell we are."
Curious as to what he meant, Willow looked up to see them both in her dream setting. "Not again," she muttered, earning an intrigued glance from Spike.
"Been here before then luv?" he asked conversationally as he stood up and adjusted his clothing.
Willow followed his lead, standing up and attempting to dress. Her panties were nowhere to be seen, but apart from that she looked a bit rumpled but otherwise presentable.
"Uh," said Willow nervously, moving closer to Spike and looking around to see if they were about to meet one of her dream apparitions, "you remember I told you that I'd been having weird dreams?"
"Ye-e-es," Spike drawled, reaching out a hand to pull Willow to his side, placing his arm around her waist.
"Well, this is one of them."
~Part 13~
Tuesday night cont.
Wesley had gone to make himself a cup of coffee, and Angel had just put a mug of blood in the microwave when they heard Willow scream.
Angel sprinted towards the study, and reached out a hand to open the door only to recoil in pain as the skin of his hand instantly blistered.
Looking at the marks on Angel's hand, Wesley reached out and gently touched the knob with one finger, only to quickly pull his hand back, blowing on his scorched fingertip. Wesley then put another finger against the door itself - with the same result.
Angel turned to his companion, struggling to hold onto his temper. Willow was in that room with Spike, and he had been around long enough to know what that scream meant.
All his possessive instincts were aroused. As his grand-childe, Spike more than any other vampire should know better than to have sex with a human who bore his mark. He ignored the fact that Spike had already had Willow - Spike had not marked her, which meant Angel had the right of claim. Willow was his. He growled in fury at being unable to rip the undead heart out of Spike's disrespectful chest, and turned to Wesley.
"What the hell is going on?"
Momentarily stunned by Angels swearing - he had never heard Angel swear before, even when driven to the verge of insanity by Cordelia's antics - Wesley tried to find an answer, to no avail.
"I don't know, but I think we need to call Giles."
Half an hour later, Angel sat stunned as Wesley finished relaying the information he had gained from Giles.
"So, Willow is having dreams which indicate that she is not simply a human dabbling in magic, but a witch by birth and part of a group called the Servants of Gaia?"
"Yes."
"And the references that Giles has found suggest that some kind of ritual needs to be performed, and that once the ritual is complete Willow will no longer be human?"
"So it seems."
"And if she doesn't perform the ritual?"
"Well, obviously the references that Giles has uncovered are not exhaustive, but it appears that when the ritual is not completed the person involved dies, apparently due to their human form being consumed by magical energy."
"And what exactly is this ritual?"
"Well," said Wesley, crossing the room to retrieve the book that he had left there earlier, "that's what this is for." And with a flourish he laid the book on the table in front of Angel.
Angel looked at the book curiously. It was obviously old, and quite beautiful, with delicate gold lettering marking the leather cover. But the cover was decidedly unusual, as it encircled the book like a box, with no obvious means of opening it short of cutting through the leather with a knife.
"How does it open?" he asked Wesley curiously, running his fingers over the leather in a fruitless search for an opening of some kind.
"Well, it doesn't. Unless it wants you to read it, apparently."
Angel sighed and let himself slip into his familiar brood mode. So Willow was locked behind an unopenable door, and the answer to what was going on may - or may not - be inside an unreadable book. Perfect.
"What does Giles suggest?"
"He advises us not to attempt to open the door, rather to wait for Willow to emerge. Then we are to have her try to read the book immediately. He is going to come to LA, but as Spike took his car he will need some time to find alternate transport. He said that on no account is Willow to leave here until he arrives."
"What about her parents - can't they help?"
"Giles thinks not. Apparently these witches are human-born of human parents. The parents themselves are not connected to the Servants. It's not clear from the little information that we have exactly how a child is chosen to become one of the Servants."
"So where are the rest of these witches then?"
"Actually, that's an interesting point. As far as the Council is aware no such group exists. It had always been presumed to be a legend, the only evidence that they may be real being the existence of this book, and since no-one has ever actually been able to read the book, it's not really regarded as convincing proof."
Mulling over this latest information, Angel settled himself down to wait, his eyes fixed on the study door and his fingers slowly stroking the smooth cover of the book.
~Part 14~
Tuesday night cont.
Spike looked distinctly unimpressed.
"I don't know luv, it seems pretty boring to me. Couldn't you at least have a comfy sofa, or a telly?"
"I didn't choose it, it chose me" Willow responded irritably, although she had to agree that the decor left something to be desired. She was glad of Spike's presence as she looked around, not at all surprised to see that they had company.
Willow nudged Spike, drawing his attention to the approaching pair of wind spiral and dust cloud. Spike decided they didn't look that threatening, and looked around to ask Willow if there was worse to come when he yelped and jumped back.
There was a layer of fire covering Willow, moving like a living thing around her body. Spike noticed that her clothes seemed unaffected, and tentatively reached out to touch the flame. It tickled, but it did not burn him.
He was distracted from his experiment by Willow's sudden gasp of alarm, and she grabbed his arm as the two figures drew closer. Spike and Willow slowly backed away, but Spike noticed that as they moved their surroundings seemed to move with them, so that they never got any closer to the shadows at the edge of the circle.
Willow turned to face the dust cloud, observing that it seemed a lot less solid this time. "Hello again," she said nervously, but no reply was forthcoming. Instead she watched in horror as the wind dancer raced towards her, slipping past her at the moment of impact to instead engulf Spike.
For a moment Willow lost sight of him, until the whirring mass seemed to shrink inside Spike, leaving him looking somewhat startled but otherwise alright. Willow looked down to see that the flames covering her had also subsided.
She glanced over at the dust cloud, and saw it put out two tendrils, one reaching towards her and the other to Spike. She grabbed the vampire's hand in alarm, and instantly their surroundings altered, and they found themselves standing back in Angel's apartment.
Willow shook herself, deciding she felt normal except for the ever- present heat humming within, and the tender spots on her neck and between her legs. She examined Spike: <can a vampire look abnormally pale?> she wondered.
"Are you OK?" she asked, realising that she was still holding his hand.
"What the hell was that?" Spike asked, a little wildly.
"Just another of my boring dreams," Willow said dryly. "So how do you feel? Strange?"
"I feel all bloody twitchy, what do you expect, I've got a bloody tornado inside," said Spike, his voice rising towards a scream.
"Uh, look, I don't know exactly what is going on but the book that we are here to collect is meant to have at least some of the answers in it."
"Then let's get the bloody book." And with that, Spike wrenched open the study door, and with Willow's hand still grasped firmly in his they emerged to face Angel and Wesley.
The first thing that Willow noticed was the book in Angel's hands. Her next thought on seeing his intent stare was <oh Goddess, I'm not wearing any panties.> Trying to put all thoughts of vampires and sex out of her mind <down girl> Willow let go of Spike's hand and walked towards Angel, gently reaching out to take the book from him.
As the three men watched spellbound, the book emitted a soft blue light before the leather binding seemed to melt away, leaving behind a smaller book with a embossed metallic silver cover that opened by itself in Willow's hands.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner," Willow muttered as she settled down to read.
Half an hour later Willow put the book down, looking thoughtfully at the expectant faces before her. She chewed her bottom lip in indecision, then looking over at Spike ordered "Take off your shirt."
Spike raised an eyebrow, but seeing Willow's resolve face he did as he was asked, unbuttoning his shirt then pulling both it and his T- shirt off. "Decided she wants an audience now," Spike muttered in amusement as he stood bare chested, until his good mood faltered in the face of the wondering looks on the faces of Wesley and Angel.
"What is it?" Angel asked softly, reaching out a finger to touch the skin over Spike's unbeating heart.
"Hey, keep your hands to yourself you bloody poof," growled Spike, brushing Angel's hand away and looking down to see what all the fuss was about. He did a double take as he saw the red gold mark on his skin, some kind of tattoo that seemed to be a stylised star inside a triangle.
Spike raised his head to ask Willow exactly why he now had a tattoo but he was too late; with a muffled sob Willow leapt to her feet and sprinted to the lift, catching the others off-guard and managing to close the door and start the lift before any of them found the presence of mind to stop her.
"Giles will not be pleased. He expressly instructed me to ensure that Miss Rosenberg remain here until he arrived," said Wesley in a worried tone.
"Never mind the Watcher. What the hell is this thing?" roared Spike, gesturing wildly at his chest.
Spike's words caused the others to pause, and simultaneously three hands reached for the book that Willow had left behind. Wesley benefited from his position slightly closer to the fallen book, and it was he who ended up with the desired object in his hands.
He sat down on the sofa, with Angel and Spike making themselves comfortable on either side of him, and started to slowly leaf through the slender volume. As he read he muttered to himself: "remarkable", "so Melfat's theory was correct", "I must remember to highlight this page to Giles". The vampires did their best to read over his shoulder, but it was difficult to read the faint, fine print.
They were distracted from their task by the sound of the lift descending. Relieved that Willow had returned, Spike rose from the sofa, closely followed by Angel, only for them both to be disappointed when instead of a beautiful redhead the lift door opened to reveal a worried and tired ex-Watcher.
~Part: 15~
Tuesday night cont.
The mark on Spike's chest had been all the confirmation that Willow needed that the things she had read in the book were true. She felt overwhelmed by the information she had obtained, and she finally understood why being the Chosen One was often such a burden for Buffy.
According to the "Legend of the Servants" book that Wesley had located, just as vampires were a hybrid between demons and humans, the Servants of Gaia were a hybrid between humans and higher beings, whom the book called the Old Ones.
The Servants had magical powers, and were dedicated to fighting demons and serving "the Light". From what Willow had read, they were an unfriendly bunch, regarding pure humans as lesser beings, and demons as creatures to be destroyed on sight.
It was this hatred of demons that had led to the Watchers' Council coming into contact with the Servants; on rare occasions the Servants had deigned to assist the Slayer when she faced a particularly difficult opponent, yet even then they had kept themselves and their powers as hidden as possible.
The way in which they admitted new members was even stranger. A new Servant was admitted to the main group when they reached "maturity", which apparently happened between the ages of around 15 to 25.
Before that the person would be reared as human, having being born normally to two human parents. The process of maturity was by all accounts a difficult one, with as many as a third of all candidates dying during the process.
This high failure rate, coupled with a low birth rate, had meant the Servants had slowly disappeared. The book stated that by the end of the 17th century the Servants were considered extinct, and indeed many Council members did not believe that they had ever existed.
The author, himself a council member, had written the book after a series of dreams which told him that a final Servant was yet to be born, and that he was to record the dreams so that this knowledge could assist that as yet unborn being.
According to the dreams, a new Servant was created when an existing Servant performed a birth spell. Such a spell was very taxing and often resulted in the death of the caster, so it was not something that was undertaken lightly.
<What a ridiculous system> Willow decided. <It doesn't sound nearly as much fun as the old fashioned way...>
Once the spell was completed, a soul was invested with the power of a Servant, and that soul then waited to be born into the human world. Often a caster was long dead by the time the soul had been born and reached maturity, and even when the caster was still alive it was virtually impossible to know whose child a new Servant was, as there was no physical link to the Servant parent.
The birth ritual had not been included in the book, so at least that was one less thing to worry about; whether she liked it or not, Willow was going to be the last of the Servants ... assuming that there were no more souls out there waiting for their turn, and also that she managed to make it through maturity.
Initially Willow had hoped that there might be an "out" clause, a way that she could simply tick the box that said "no thanks" and remain the way she was - human. However the book had been very clear on that point. The soul of a Servant could not survive in a human body once it was activated - the only options were to perform the ritual or die.
Given those choices the ritual was looking pretty attractive - but once Willow had read the details she wished bitterly that she had a third option.
The first thing that came to mind after reading through the ritual was <oh boy>. Apparently the main problem with being a Servant was the amount of magical energy released on the change from human to - well, to whatever a Servant was. Too much energy for a human body to contain without being consumed by the magical power.
The ritual of maturity involved the new Servant forming a bond with two others, preferably other Servants undergoing maturity at the same time, or as a second choice an already mature Servant who had lost a bond partner. As a very distant third choice human partners were used, especially once the number of Servants had dwindled so much that suitable partners could no longer be found.
So the newly emerging Servant was matched with two partners. Usually at least one was older and, if not a Servant, then at least experienced in magic. The three then repeated vows, exchanged blood and hey presto, the energy lying dormant in the Servant would bind the three.
After a period of time the Servant's powers would be switched on, and absorbed by the bond, allowing the Servant to successfully move from their human form.
The book went on to explain that the nature of the bond was such that the power of the Servant was most effective when utilised by all three in unison. The book was very vague about what the exact nature of the bond was, but it did say that if the bond partners chose to create a physical as well as a magical bond, then that change would be evidenced by a special symbol over their heart, showing their status as bond mates.
Once again the book had been frustratingly vague about the consequences of this happening, although it definitely left the impression that creating the additional bond would have repercussions - of the serious kind. Willow closed her eyes as she saw again the drawing in the book of the mate symbol; the same symbol that was now on Spike's chest, and on her own.
~Part 16~
Wednesday morning
Dawn had come and gone. By now the contents of the book had been discussed at length, but there were a number of questions that still puzzled Giles.
"I simply don't understand how Spike can be a bond mate to a Servant.
For a start he is a demon, and such a creature does not even have a soul. Secondly there needs to be a third for the bond to be created, according to this book anyway. And none of the incantations were performed."
Giles fiddled with his glasses as his mind turned the puzzle pieces around and tried to make them fit together.
"Well, regardless of the text he clearly is a bond mate," said Wesley needlessly. They had all seen the symbol on Spike's chest, and the identical drawing in the book.
Giles turned to Spike. "So you didn't feel a surge of magical energy? Or any strange sensations?"
"Seems like I've felt nothing but strange lately, you tosser" Spike muttered. To tell the truth, he didn't really mind the whole bond thing at all. He got on with Willow; she never bored him, and he had come to respect her more over the last few days for her endurance and ability to remain calm under pressure. He thought she would make an excellent mate,
Plus she was the star of most of his recent fantasies, and had proved even better in the flesh than in his fevered imaginings. Besides, the bond thing to him sounded like a guarantee that this time he wouldn't waste a century with someone only to end up with his heart ripped out and stomped on.
A sudden thought occurred to Spike. "Hey Watcher, is Willow still mortal?"
Giles paused before responding. "Well, until the rituals are properly performed and the bond is in place, and she receives her Servant powers, she will be human and mortal. But once the bond is in affect and the powers arrive, she will be immortal."
Spike mulled over this new information. He definitely liked the idea of an immortal Willow, and after their recent encounters he liked the idea of a warm-blooded, immortal Willow even better.
But he definitely did not like the idea of adding another person to the mix. In his mind Willow was now his. He had marked her and, he thought happily, she had marked him, as evidenced by the bite on his neck.
"What about the whole wind thing? Maybe that was the magical energy," Spike thought out loud, hoping to find a way around the ritual.
Giles sighed long-sufferingly. Spike had described his dream earlier, and Giles had already told him that it was not what the ritual required.
"As I have already explained, the three parties to the bond are symbols of the three primal forces, earth, wind and fire. Each of the parties to the bond represents one of these energies, and the three must be in place for the bond to come into being. I do not understand how you and Willow have managed to complete part of the ritual by yourselves, but until the ritual is done properly, and with a third person, the bond is not complete. Willow is in great danger if the magical energy of her Servant heritage arrives before the bond is in place to help her."
Spike grunted in response, but he knew that despite the irritation of getting another person involved he was definitely in favour of he and Willow being bonded together.
He had seen the way that Angel had been holding Willow in the study as he fed from her, and he'd seen the bulge in Angel's trousers when he'd pulled the other vampire away from Willow. As far as Spike was concerned, the more ways that the poof understood that Willow belonged to Spike, the better.
And as for the small problem that Angel had marked Willow first and therefore technically had right of claim - <Peaches can just sod off> thought Spike, reassured by his belief that Angel's soul would ensure that he was too busy brooding to cause any trouble. <Just keep him away from the Slayer so soul-boy doesn't take any unplanned vacations and everything will be fine.>
Angel had remained largely silent while recent events had unfolded. He had seen the bite mark on Spike's neck, which had clearly been left by human teeth. It had been no accident that he had caught a glimpse of it; Spike had deliberately bared his neck to Angel while the older vampire was examining the tattoo, flashing a smug smile as he saw the look of fury on Angel's face.
Angel had been surprised by the response from his demon. Instead of screaming for Spike's blood for his insolence in touching what belonged to his grand-sire, his demon seemed to be thinking long-term for once - not usually its strong point.
"Let him act the fool," it growled. "We have marked Willow - she is ours, as is the boy.> His demon then bombarded Angel's mind with images of some of the many ways that Willow and Spike would be made to understand who they belonged to, and it took several minutes before Angel recollected that Willow was not really his, and that Spike would rather eat glass than submit to his grand-sire.
The vampire then struggled to control both his demon and his emotions. He had to admit though, that he had pretty much decided that whatever he and Willow were, it did not fit into the "good friends" category - at least not for him. And as for Spike...
This line of thinking soon brought him back to the immediate problem - Spike. Angel decided to ruffle the blonde vampire's feathers a little.
"When the ritual is performed, why don't we just use two new people? Replace Spike with a more, ah, appropriate choice?" Angel maintained a neutral expression as Spike started to swear at him, amused at his grand-childe's response. He often wondered whether turning Spike hadn't been Dru's most irritating act of insanity. Dru had always been a sucker for blue eyes though, and he had to admit that Spike was easy on the eyes...
"Unfortunately not," said Giles, breaking into Angel's thoughts before they could veer too far off the track, "the bond has been partially created, and Spike must be one of the three who perform the ritual. Now we just need to find the third."
"Do I get a vote?" Willow asked sweetly, causing four heads to swing around to stare at the relaxed redhead, who gazed calmly back.
~Part 17~
Early Wednesday morning
Willow walked the LA streets, watching the sky lighten as dawn approached. If there was one thing that she had learned from having the Slayer as a best friend and living all her life in Sunnydale, it was that denial was comfortable but dangerous.
It was obvious from the book she had read that if she really was a Servant - and the evidence so far seemed pretty overwhelming - then she needed to find herself some bond partners and get the ritual done quickly.
The book suggested that once the dreams began, which was the first indication of approaching maturity, then the release of the Servant's energy was not far away.
It seemed to Willow from recent events that Spike was going to be one of the bond partners, regardless of how appropriate a choice he might be. And in her heart Willow was glad that she and Spike had somehow managed to start the bond without knowing what was happening.
She knew that Giles would never have agreed to Spike being one of the partners, and probably Spike wouldn't have wanted to anyway. But now no-one had a choice, and Willow had at least one bond partner who was very much to her liking.
She pondered the issue of the third person. It was clear from the book that there was no requirement for the bond between the partners to be sexual; all that was required was the initial ritual, and afterwards that all three were present for the completion of difficult spells.
Apart from that, judging from the book, the three could live separate lives if they chose. So Willow's first thought was to choose a friend, like Xander or Buffy. However the bond partner would become immortal, so it was a very serious choice.
Willow was not sure if her friends would jump at the chance or be horrified. Plus there was the added complication of Spike being the other partner, which would probably not go down well with either of them.
Also Willow knew from personal experience that neither Buffy nor Xander were very open-minded when it came to magic, and she also thought that being a Slayer and immortal and a magical being might be a bit too much for anyone, especially Buffy.
Next on her list of candidates was Giles. Willow thought it over and decided he would be a good choice. He was reasonably open-minded about Spike, and while the two were by no means friends, at least they were not enemies. Willow rather thought that given a choice between Buffy, Xander or Giles, Spike would have no hesitation in picking Giles.
Also, Willow thought, continuing her calculation of pros and cons, Giles was familiar with magic and was knowledgeable in all things demonic, which would be a definite advantage if the three were going to spend eternity fighting evil.
Willow looked up to find she had wandered back to Angel's office. She went through the unlocked door into the office and sat down on the sofa. She knew the others would be downstairs, and had without a doubt read the book and discussed all the same issues that she had been pondering.
Yawning, Willow lay down , not feeling up to talking to the others just yet. Closing her eyes, Willow fell into a light sleep, and her dream self groaned when she found herself in all too well-known surroundings. She looked into Ms Calendar's face, seeing no sign of friendliness but a sort of quiet acceptance.
"You have come alone," said the familiar voice with obvious displeasure. "You must not waste any more time. Soon the full power of your Servant nature will demand release and you must be ready. Where are your bond partners?"
"Uh, well, I do have one already, you know, uh, Spike?"
"It has never happened before, that a Servant has bonded to a demon," said Ms Calendar reflectively. "You must choose your third with care."
"I though maybe Giles, the Watcher?" Willow said hesitantly.
Ms Calendar shook her head. "The choice is yours, but I do not believe that he will serve. To create a bond between the Third and a demon and a Servant, you will need someone who is also a hybrid, not a pure human."
"Like a slayer?" Willow asked, considering her options.
"Perhaps," agreed her companion, "but I cannot imagine that a demon would consent to a sexual union with a Slayer."
Willow's eyes widened. "But, but the book said the bond did not have to be one of mates, that you could simply be bond partners without any, you know, uh, sex."
"That is correct," came the reply, "but you have already elected to have bond mates rather than bond partners by your actions with your Second."
Seeing Willow's confused face, Ms Calendar tried to explain more clearly.
"The bond is not a thing in name only. It binds three into one, and the bond is eternal. As long as the First lives the bond continues. There can't be a difference in the nature of the bond between each of you. As you have made your Second a bond mate, so you must make your Third the same."
Willow sought a way out of this maze. "OK, let's say then that Spike and I find our Third, and do the ritual and, you know, the bond mate sex thing, can we then just be by ourselves, I mean Spike and I? Do we have to keep the Third with us?"
Ms Calendar chose her words carefully. "Once the bond is in place, you may do as you please. You do not yet understand, because although Spike has been marked as your bond mate, the bond between you is not yet active. But the bond will operate most effectively if the balance between the three is maintained."
Willow was not interested in finding out what that meant, she just wanted to avoid being forced into an eternal menage-a-trois. OK, she decided with a sick feeling in her stomach, one time ... she could handle that, if she had to.
Then something else occurred to her. "Hey, what was that you said about as long as the First lived? I thought after I become a Servant I will be immortal?"
Ms Calendar said without expression, "If Servants were completely invulnerable, they would not now be reduced to one."
"Well then," said Willow, her rapidly dwindling patience evident in her voice, "how exactly did they die?"
Her guide's face seemed momentarily shadowed by the dark memories that Willow's question raised. "They can be killed by other Servants or by the bond partners of other Servants. Or by their own bond partners," and the voice lowered, before adding in a whisper, "or by their own hand."
Willow wondered briefly what kind of beings would be stupid enough to destroy themselves, then another thought occurred to her.
"But if I die, what happens to my bond mates?"
"They lose their immortality and become as they were before the bond as created."
"But Spike is already immortal," Willow thought out loud.
"Not truly immortal," responded Ms Calendar. "He can be killed by sunlight, or fire, or a stake through the heart, or decapitation. Once the bond is active, he will only be able to die in the same ways that you can."
"And if one of my mates dies?"
"Then the bond will be weakened between the remaining partners, and a new Third must be found to ensure the bond survives."
"And if the bond does not survive?"
"Then all magical energy returns to the First, whose physical form even as an immortal cannot support it in isolation, and the First will be consumed."
Willow turned all of this over in her mind.
"But if Spike gets his chip out, he may very well try to kill me, or turn me."
Ms Calendar looked blankly at Willow. "This is just one reason your choice may be one which you regret in the future, but know this: once the ritual is completed you can never be turned into a demon, as your body and soul are both part of the bond and cannot be separated. If Spike, as a bond mate, kills you then your body will disintegrate as the magical energy leaves it, freeing your soul as the bond ceases to exist. You will never be a vampire."
<At last, some good news,> Willow thought morosely. And with those words she blinked to find herself once again in Angel's office, with a pain in her back from his lumpy sofa. She thought over the latest revelations as she slowly stretched, easing her aching muscles.
It appeared that choosing Spike may not have been such a good idea, although to be fair she had not actually known at the time that she was making a commitment for eternity, it had been more of a lust thing.
<The one time I let my hormones do the talking> Willow moaned to herself. <Oh, okay, the second,> she smirked, unable to deny the tingle that crept through her body at the thought of spending an eternity with her hormones and Spike - delicious.
And at least with Spike she felt able to act as she pleased. He had no box that he was trying to fit her into; "the friend", "the nerd", "the research girl".
Willow may not know much about wild sex but she knew that Spike had enjoyed their encounters as much as she had, and she had a feeling that once he had finished moaning about having to work for the good guys for eternity the two of them would make quite a team.
Except for that small problem of their Third, Willow sighed, deciding she might as well face the music, and she headed for the lift. The men were so engrossed in their conversation they didn't hear the lift, or her walking across the room.
Willow shook her head. They all looked tired and ready to argue - great. She heard Giles raise the issue of the Third, and chose that moment to make her entrance.
"Do I get a vote?" she asked, inwardly laughing as four heads swung around showing expressions of embarrassment, relief, surprise and, in Spike's case, desire.
She smiled slightly as she walked over and stopped next to the blonde vampire, leaning against him and slipping her hand into his as she turned to face the others.
Willow saw Giles look of acceptance, Wesley's barely concealed revulsion and Angel's blank expression. But the older vampire's stoic look was betrayed by his tightly clenched jaw - clearly Spike's grand-sire did not approve of the match.
~Part 18~
Wednesday cont.
Giles was exhausted. He had managed to get everyone sitting down; the humans had been fortified with coffee and the vampires with blood.
He was very aware of the tensions within the group. He had seen the bite marks on Willow's neck - and on Spike's - and wondered what exactly had happened since he sent them off to LA a mere half day ago.
Spike and Willow were making a silent expression of solidarity by sitting as close as possible, hands linked together. From the look on Angel's face Spike should consider himself lucky that there were no stakes lying around.
Giles suspected that Angel's anger did not merely come from his poor relationship with Spike - he had seen the expression in Angel's eyes when he looked at Spike and Willow together, and wondered how long Angel had been having those feelings.
Giles was also annoyed that Wesley, for reasons he could not even guess at, had decided to show his support for his employer by pointing out at length why Spike was an inappropriate and poor choice for a bond partner.
Just when Giles had reached the end of his patience, he saw Willow stand up and felt a surge of magical energy that left the hairs standing up on the back of his neck.
"Spike is not my bond partner. He is my bond mate. You have seen the mark, and you know what it means. I am not interested in hearing your opinion. Spike was my choice, and I have no regrets. Now my mate and I," said Willow, carefully stressing the word "mate" as her eyes flashed red-gold, "have some matters that we need to discuss in private."
And grabbing Spike's hand she pulled him to his feet, and dragged him across the room to the lift, shutting the door firmly behind them and stabbing at the button for the upper floor.
As the lift jerked into action Willow looked up at Spike, who raised an eyebrow at her. Willow continued to hold his hand, fiddling with his fingers as she avoided making eye contact and said quietly, "I guess you know about the whole bonded-for-life thing then?"
She risked a quick glance at his face and saw Spike smile slightly. His smile widened as he caught her gaze, and Spike pulled Willow against his body, wrapping his arms around her.
"I can think of worse ways to spend eternity," he said slyly, leaning his head down to lick at his mark on her neck. Willow smiled, relieved that he seemed to be taking it so well.
"So you're not upset that you're stuck fighting for the good guys?"
"Not like I had a lot of choice with this sodding chip in my head, pet."
The mention of the chip reminded Willow of another of the strange events of recent days. "How come you could bite me? I mean, without the chip going off?"
"No idea love. Maybe because it was self-defense," he said, ostentatiously rubbing the mark on his own neck.
"You bit me first," she pouted, drawing a chuckle from the vampire, amused at the contrast between her words and actions as she returned his gesture and licked the bite mark she had left on his neck.
"It's nearly healed already," Willow noted, disappointment evident in her voice.
"Don't worry luv, once we get rid of the wankers downstairs we can have another round, and I'll let you bite me again."
"Liked it, did you?" Willow asked archly, drawing a growl of assent from Spike. She growled back, enjoying the gentle rocking motion of his pelvis against hers. She was not sure which one of them had started it, but she knew she had better stop it soon if they were going to get any more talking done.
Sighing, Willow forced herself to pull away, batting at Spike's hands as he tried to draw her back into his arms.
"No, no, I mean yes, yes, I definitely want to, but no, not now, we really need to talk about this whole bond thing."
Spike grunted his displeasure, but he knew they had to solve this problem so he followed Willow out of the lift and over to what looked like a very uncomfortable sofa.
"Bloody poof, just because he likes to suffer, he could at least have a decent sofa for the rest of us," Spike muttered, drawing a grin from Willow as he made a production of trying to find a comfortable position.
"Come on then pet, out with it, you look almost as uptight as the Slayer."
Willow tried to find the right approach. "Well, OK, uh, you know that we, at least I, need to do this ritual sooner rather than later. And, uh, so you are one of the bond partners because of the whole blood thing-"
Spike helpfully interrupted to add "-and the shagging."
"Yes, uh, well anyway we need to find a third person before we do the ritual, and then all we have sex and then, that's it."
Spike looked puzzled for a moment, then said slowly, "Sorry - what was the sex bit again?"
Willow's face flushed red, and she had to concentrate not to stammer.
She had had wild sex with this man - well, demon - not once but twice, and she refused to stammer.
"OK, well apparently because you and I had sex while exchanging blood, then the bond is one of mates not partners, and that means the same bond needs to be made with the other person as well. Although I think that we only have to, you know, ah, do it together, just once."
Spike looked at her suspiciously. "I don't remember reading that in the book. And what do you mean, you think?"
"Well," said Willow, feeling her temper starting to flare, "I had another of my boring dreams. Unfortunately I didn't get a manual, and the dream guide has kind of a cryptic thing going, so sorry! But as far as I can tell, we only need to do the sex thing to activate the bond, and after that we can all do our own thing. Well, more or less."
Wrinkling her nose at Spike's expression, which clearly indicated that he wanted more details, Willow continued. "All three need to be present for full power, you know, the big stuff, but other than that I don't think we need to be joined at the hip."
"I can think of a few other places I wouldn't mind being joined" leered Spike, earning a reproving look from Willow.
"Spike, focus. Come on, we need to try to think of a Third. You know Giles and Angel will both try to decide for us, so we need to already have at least agreed on a short list."
"Okay, so I have to decide who I want to shag and then be bound to for eternity. This could take a while."
~~~*~~~
Willow rolled her eyes.
"Spike, we are going to be bonded to this person forever. I think you need to take this seriously - you don't get a second chance. Besides, I have a feeling that there may be more to the bond than we know, so I really would like it to be someone I at least can get on with, if it turns out there is going to be an eternity of togetherness in our future."
Spike admired Willow's flushed face. She really was shaggable when she got worked up about something. He was not that keen on having to share her with anyone, but he told himself it was just one time; besides if they picked the right person it could be fun.
But when Spike tried to visualise he and Willow shagging with someone else, he couldn't think of a single person who he wanted to put into the picture. This might be harder than he had thought.
"So, who have you got in mind then?" he asked Willow.
"OK, so my first choice was Giles," Willow paused to enjoy the look of revulsion and horror on Spike's face, "before I was told about the whole sex thing, and also that we can't choose anyone who is completely human. So, our options are either some vamp or other demon, or the Slayer."
Willow watched with interest as Spike jumped to his feet and began to scream. "No fucking way! There is no fucking way I am getting naked with the Slayer, no, no, no, I'd rather shag a Chaos demon. I'd rather shag Giles!" And with that Spike abruptly sat down.
<Who knew vampires could hyperventilate?> Willow mused as she waited for Spike to calm down.
"OK, I don't really fancy the idea of having sex with Buffy either, and anyway I know she wouldn't want to be bonded with you so I had already crossed her off my list. But I don't really know a lot of demons. I mean, there's Harmony, but I would have to say that on my list of, uh, OK, of one, she is at the bottom."
Spike tapped his foot nervously. He was still having a hard time keeping images of a naked Buffy out of his mind, and he could feel his stomach churning at the mere thought. As if it wasn't bad enough being engaged to her, but bonded for eternity! A Slayer! Spike thought that if Buffy was the only other choice Harmony seemed like an excellent idea.
Willow looked at Spike, but from the glazed expression on his face she didn't expect much help from him at present.
"OK, so I have some other ideas." That got Spike to look up, and Willow hoped that he was at least paying attention.
"So, I was told that we couldn't choose a pure human, so that could mean that say a werewolf could be OK, I mean, I don't actually know where Oz is, but at least he's a possibility."
Spike struggled to control his demon at the thought of having to allow that filthy wolf anywhere near his mate. Spike said coldly, "Next suggestion."
Willow took one look at his face and hurriedly moved on. "O-kay, well I thought that whoever we decide on it should be someone who is connected to at least one of us, so we have an idea of what they will be like."
Spike looked skeptical. "Please don't tell me you are going to suggest the moron."
"He doesn't qualify, he's human."
"If you say so," Spike muttered.
"Please Spike, I am happy to listen to any suggestions you have, but if you can't suggest anyone then at least try to be helpful." Willow showed Spike her resolve face, and as he slowly nodded she continued.
"Well, the only other person I can think of is Drusilla."
Spike wasn't sure which was more shocking: Willow suggesting he shag the Slayer or her indicating that she wanted to be bonded for eternity with his sire.
"Luv, I appreciate the thought, but first I have no idea where Dru is, and second she wouldn't do it."
Willow noted sadly that he didn't say he didn't want Dru to be their Third, but still she was his sire, and she had read in the Watcher's Diaries all about the devotion of a childe to their Sire, and also that such devotion was rarely returned.
Spike saw Willow's despondent look and wondered whether she had really decided that Dru was the best choice. There was no way in hell he was going to end up bound for eternity to that faithless, crazy loon; bad enough being her childe.
Plus he knew Dru, and if she got wind of his new relationship with Willow she would do her best to make trouble. And making trouble was something that Dru had a gift for.
Spike searched his brain for an alternative, but he would never trust Willow with most of the vampires he knew. One taste and they wouldn't be able to help themselves, they would drain her.
Spike wasn't sure exactly how immortal Willow would be after the ritual, but he didn't want to take any chances.
That just left the great poof. Spike gnawed at his lip. He had expected that Willow would put his name forward: <I mean> he thought, <he's not human and he's here.>
Spike hoped that Angel's soul and his whole eternal love deal with the Slayer might keep his brooding Irish eyes off Willow, but he couldn't help but remember the way the souled vampire had been sucking at her neck earlier, looking very much like his demonic alter ego.
And then there was the whole losing his soul gig. Spike had no desire to have he and Willow bonded to Angelus. "I guess we'll just have to make sure he doesn't enjoy himself too much " Spike thought maliciously.
And he had shagged Angel so many times before, one more would hardly make a difference. Spike was much less relaxed about Angel having a chance to try his slimy Irish wiles on Willow but, <beggars can't be choosers> he thought, and he could put up with watching the poof get his grubby paws on Willow if the alternative was a dead Willow.
Plus, the practical side of him decided, as his grand-sire Angel was already entitled to anything Spike possessed, including his mate. So the bond ritual wouldn't really be making any difference: Angel already owned them both.
Willow was searching for another name - was Harmony really the best she could do? She heard Spike clear his throat, and looked at him hopefully.
"I have an idea, but there are going to be conditions - lots of them" said Spike, looking anything but happy.
~Part 19~
Wednesday cont.
Giles had been discussing with the others the issue of the third partner, and he welcomed the sound of the lift returning. There was little point in trying to resolve the problem without Spike and Willow, both of whom would have to agree to the choice; at least, Giles couldn't imagine Willow casting a deciding vote in the face of Spike's opposition.
Giles noted the uneasy look on Willow's face, and wondered if the pair had come to their own decision. He shuddered to imagine who Spike would choose - no doubt someone of the calibre of Harmony, his last partner.
"Ah, good, yes, why don't you both sit down," he said, addressing Willow. "Now we need to try to find a third partner so that we can do the ritual, and obviously time is of the essence. Our initial thoughts were that an experienced witch might be a good choice, given the power that will be at your disposal. I'm sure the Watcher's Council could provide a list of people in the area, so we could see if any of them seemed, ah, suitable to you."
As Giles paused, Willow interrupted. "I had another dream while I was out before, and apparently humans are no good. We need some kind of demon or human/demon hybrid." After that bombshell, Willow settled herself more comfortably against Spike, and the pair watched as the others processed this new twist.
"I see, well, that does complicate things. Um, Wesley, do you have any thoughts?"
"Perhaps the Council could suggest some demons who would be suitable," Wesley replied doubtfully.
"I am a demon," said Angel quietly, drawing all eyes towards him.
Giles and Wesley were struck speechless at this statement of the obvious, each wondering why this solution had not occurred to them immediately.
Willow turned to Giles and Wesley, saying gently, "Spike and I would like to talk to Angel alone."
Giles nodded, saying "I'm sure you must be as hungry as I am, why don't Wesley and I go and get some food and come back in an hour?"
Smiling thankfully, Willow watched the two men depart, then looked at Spike, silently encouraging him to speak.
Angel saw the two exchange a glance, then said: "You don't seem very surprised," leaving Spike to comment "Well, mate, Dru was the first choice but we didn't have time to track her down."
Enjoying Angel's irritated look, Spike added, "and I couldn't agree with Willow about the Slayer, bitchy blondes just aren't my thing."
Willow closed her eyes as the argument began. She was exhausted; she felt like she hadn't slept for a week. She longed for a hot shower and a warm bed, and at the rate these two were going she would be lucky if they didn't come to blows.
She had many reservations about the choice of Angel, and the animosity between him and Spike was just one of them. She decided that if Angel was going to be their bond mate, he and Spike would need to resolve some of their problems.
Standing up she imagined that she could actually see the cloud of testosterone surrounding the vampires as they enacted their eternal "I am the alpha male" routine.
"I am going to have a shower and get some sleep; I'm exhausted and I need to rest before the ritual. Spike, when you're finished explaining everything to Angel, you can organise the ritual with Giles, the sooner the better."
She turned to Angel, hesitating before asking "Is it OK if I use your room?" Angel nodded silently, and went with Willow to show her the bathroom and bedroom, and to fetch her some clean towels.
He returned to the main room to find Spike smoking, and looking unusually serious. Angel sat opposite him, and gestured for Spike to begin.
"We need to perform the ritual soon, and you're the best we can think of. But don't think this means I'm going to let you get your claws into Willow, or into me, or that you can come between us. I saw the way you were feeding off her, holding her.." Spike's eyes melted to gold as he saw the image again, and he let his demon emerge.
He moved quickly to grab the older vampire by the throat. "Willow is mine, my mate, and I am only consenting to this to keep her alive. Once the ritual is finished we are going back to Sunnyhell. If we need you, we'll call."
Spike's bitter tone made it abundantly clear that Angel would not be receiving any calls unless it were a matter of life or death.
Spike decided he might as well get the whole thing out in the open now, so he released the still silent Angel, let his human mask re- emerge and retrieved his still burning cigarette from the coffee table, absent-mindedly rubbing at the mark it had left on the table top.
"Anyway, as far as the ritual goes, because Willow chose me as a bond mate, then you will have to be one as well. That means we all get to have a shag before we leave you to brood in peace."
Seeing Angel's thoughtful expression, Spike hurried on, eager to get it over with. "And you don't need to worry about your soul flying away, Willow says that once we do the ritual it will be permanently fixed,so you can always go and shag the slayer if you start to feel lonely." And on that note Spike stood up.
He didn't even have time to take a step before a vamped out Angel charged him and knocked him to the ground, his hand crushing Spike's throat.
"Listen to me boy, I am your sire and you will treat me with respect, or I will give you my own personal training course in obedience. If Willow is your mate then as your sire I can claim her, even if I had not marked her before you."
Spike averted his eyes at this, which Angel took as his acceptance that by vampire law Spike could not enforce his claim.
"And I am agreeing to do this only because of Willow, because this ritual must be performed, and quickly, to ensure her well-being. I have no desire to force myself on her, but if Willow ever asks me to come to her, for any reason, I will - and don't imagine that there is anything you could do about it."
Angel noted with approval Spike's newly submissive demeanor, and loosened his grip. He rubbed his fingers gently up and down Spike's neck, causing Spike to writhe slightly beneath the larger vampire while he cursed his body's easy submission. "Bastard," Spike muttered, causing Angel to smile.
"Don't worry William, I'll try not to make you look too bad," Angel purred, enjoying the uncertainty that crept into Spike's eyes.
They lay there together for what seemed like an eternity to Spike, before the sound of the shower cutting off reached his ears and he found the strength to push a relaxed Angel off him, straightening his clothes and scowling at the smirking figure. He picked up the book from the coffee table and dropped it onto Angel's chest.
"Come on Peaches, let's get moving."
~Part 20~
Wednesday cont.
Giles and Wesley returned, laden down with shopping bags, both surprised to see Angel and Spike sitting at the table together with a collection of objects in front of them, checking through a list.
Spike dug through the newly arrived refreshments, selecting a bagel and a bag of blood and headed to the microwave. Giles turned to Angel, asking "Are these the ingredients for the ritual?"
"Yes, we seem to have everything except a rose crystal, most of the other ingredients are quite common. I called Cordelia, she is going to get a crystal and meet us here at 11."
Giles checked his watch; it was nearly 10am. "Have you read over the ritual itself?"
"Yes, it's quite straightforward. We will do it alone. You and Wes can stay with Cordelia at her house, just in case we need any help, otherwise you can meet us back here this evening. You can give Spike and Willow a lift back to Sunnydale."
Giles looked surprised. "Oh, well, I assumed that once you were all bonded that Spike and Willow would be remaining here with you." As he spoke Giles was aware of Spike, standing nearby and obviously following the conversation with interest.
"No," said Angel shortly. "According to Willow we only need to be in physical proximity when calling on the full power of the bond."
"Ah," said Giles, clearly unconvinced but not willing to press the matter further. "And where is Willow?"
"She's sleeping," Angel replied, and checking the time he said to Spike, "You'd better wake her up."
Spike stood silently and left the room, leaving Giles very curious as to what exactly had taken place in his absence.
Angel watched Spike go, wondering if things would remain this awkward after the bond was in place - he certainly hoped not.
There had been a time, when Spike was still William and Angel soulless, when the two had been very close. Dru's insanity meant that for all practical purposes Angelus was William's sire, teaching him how to hunt and torture, and finding in him a treasured companion.
Humans had little concept of how lonely eternity could be without a childe or mate to stand beside, and even Angelus would admit - if only to himself - that the whole Dru episode had not been a success.
That had been another reason the demon had welcomed William; at least with a childe to keep her busy Dru had spent less time bothering her none too patient sire.
But then the gypsy curse had intervened, and Spike had made his feelings about the souled vampire more than clear. It obviously hadn't helped that during his brief return Angelus had spent his time torturing and fucking Dru, much to her delight and Spike's anger.
And now Angel had the feeling that he was going to get a taste of what Spike had gone through, watching the woman he wanted be with someone else.
Angel did not know exactly what his feelings for Willow were, but he knew one thing: with his soul was secure, if this ritual was going to be his one chance to be with Willow then he was going to make the most of it.