Title: Rescue
Author: Shannon
Email: angels_soul_1@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Pairing: Willow/Asher
Disclaimer: Willow and Anya belong to Joss Whedon, ME, UPN, WB, and FOX, Anita Blake characters belong to Laurell K. Hamilton.
Distribution: My site, http://magical-worlds.us/musings/ , NHA, TtH anyone else with other fics of mine, anyone else that wants it just let me know first.
Summary: Willow has reason to believe Anya may not be dead.
Spoilers: Through Chosen. Nothing specific for AB but through Incubus Dreams to be safe.
Author’s Notes: This is for Lisa, its gone way beyond the promised drabble but Merry Christmas anyway.
Also thanks to Leslie and Gabrielle for beta-ing this for me.

Part 2


Willow sighed and sat up straighter in the chair she was sitting in. She shouldn’t be in here, it was a bad idea and she knew it. She was still surprised that she had let two men she had never met, no make that a strange vampire and a strange werewolf, talk her into following them into what they had openly admitted was the home of several other vampires and werewolves. It just emphasized how very tired she really was. She also knew she didn’t deserve any sympathy if she was hurt tonight. Both Jason and Asher seemed harmless enough, but they were dangerous nonetheless. Jean-Claude also seemed very polite and friendly but, again, vampire. Master vampires at that; both Jean-Claude and Asher.

She also wasn’t completely comfortable about waiting in a bedroom for Jason to return. Why was it so difficult for someone to just give her directions to a hotel? She just needed a few hours sleep so she could begin her search for Anya. She considered just leaving and finding a cab, but had quickly decided against it. Jean-Claude was the Master of the City, and the way she understood it that meant if anyone would know if a new demon or ‘witch’ was in the area it would be him. She couldn’t afford to alienate him.

“Jason should return soon,” Willow jumped and turned toward the voice that had startled her out of her thoughts.

“Could you make more noise, please?”

“I’m sorry,” Asher smiled slightly, his hair covering one side of his face. “I didn’t mean to startle you. Are you tired?”

“Yes, very,” Willow shrugged, “Can you tell me how to get to the hotel?”

“Jean-Claude wishes you to wait.”

“Why?” Willow asked. She had only spoken to the other vampire for a moment, what could he possibly want?

“You are a very powerful witch,” Asher stated, “We did not know you would be visiting, we did not even know you existed until Jason told us you were here. Jean-Claude just wishes to ensure you do not mean to harm our people.”

“I’m not here to harm anyone,” Willow frowned, “I just want to find my friend.”

“Why do you believe she is in St. Louis?” Asher asked, moving his head slightly so that his hair covered more of his face, leaving only one side visible and the rest covered in shadows.

Willow watched his movement and realized that he had adjusted his body to keep one side of his face covered in shadow and hair with every move she made. It was an almost unconscious movement on his part. He did it so easily she wasn’t sure he was even aware he had done it. What she couldn’t understand was why any man, or vampire, that looked like that would want to hide any part of his face. “Why do you do that?”

“Excuse me?” Asher asked, startled by the obvious change in topic.

“Cover your face. Every time I move you do too, so that I can’t see your whole face.”

“I don’t…” he began to protest.

“He does, but he won’t explain it to you,” Jason interrupted as he followed Jean-Claude into the large room.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” Jean-Claude extended a hand to Willow. “I had to take care of another matter first.

“So I can go now?”

“As soon as we discuss why you are here,” Jean-Claude motioned for her to sit and pulled another chair closer to sit across from her.

“I’m just here to find my friend. If she tells me she wants to stay, I’ll leave, although I really think you would want her out of your town too. I mean, I haven’t done anything in St. Louis, or in this dimension for that matter, and she’s been…” Willow’s sentence trailed off as she noticed the looks on the three men’s faces. Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said. “I don’t suppose you didn’t catch that last part, huh?”

“The part about another dimension?” Jason asked grinning, leaning on the wall behind Jean-Claude, “Don’t suppose that’s some new slang for another state?”

“You can travel dimensions?” Jean-Claude asked, his face blank. The surprise he had let show a moment before completely gone now.

“Yes,” Willow replied cautiously, “This isn’t helping to prove I’m harmless, is it? I really don’t want anything but to speak to my friend. Then I’ll return home and you’ll never hear from me again.”

“If your friend left your dimension perhaps she doesn’t wish to be found,” Asher suggested.

“She didn’t leave voluntarily; she was killed by a vampire. I mean, not a vampire like you. These vampires were ugly and mean. Turok Han, I think Giles called them. They were like super vampires and the First was using them to destroy the world. Anya tired to protect Andrew, which was stupid because… well, Andrew, but she was killed. Xander is still upset and grieving, so I just want to be able to tell him she’s okay.”

“Do witches not need to breathe where you’re from?” Jason asked, trying to hide a smile and ignoring the look he was getting from both vampires.

Willow blushed, “Sorry, I kind of babble when I’m nervous.”

“This Anya,” Jean-Claude said, “Was killed by a Turok Han Vampire and you believe she is here, why?”

“She is, or was, a demon,” she explained, “She wasn’t when she died, but D’Hoffryn thinks she may still have been sent to another dimension that could use her…talents.”

“Those talents are?” Asher asked with a raised eyebrow.

“She’s a vengeance demon.”

“Vengeance demon?” Jason frowned, “What exactly does that mean?”

“In Anya’s case, it means she grants vengeance wishes to women who have been hurt by men. There are many demons like her, and they all sort of have their specialties. Anya’s is scorned women.”

“So then all of her victims would be male?” Asher asked, Willow caught the look he exchanged with Jean-Claude. The two vampires knew something and they weren’t going to share it.

“I suppose so, I never really asked about lesbians,” Willow frowned, “They can be scorned too. All of her stories were about men though.”

“We will help you find your friend, Miss Rosenberg,” Jean-Claude said, coming to his feet so quickly she hadn’t seen the movement. “You are welcome to use a guest room here, if you prefer, or Jason will escort you to a hotel.”

“A hotel is fine,” Willow replied, “And thank you for your help. Do you know where she is? Is that why you agreed to help?”

“I do not know where she is,” Jean-Claude responded, “I believe I’ve heard rumors of someone that could be your friend. If she is the person I’ve heard of, I suggest you take her away quickly when we find her. She is in a great deal of danger if she remains here.”

“I’ll do my best, but I won’t force her to leave. I forced Buffy and it was bad… I won’t take Anya away if she’s happy.”

“Encouraging her to leave would be for the best, but I understand your need to not force the issue. We will leave you in Jason’s hands now, as it is almost dawn. I will send someone to pick you up tomorrow evening and we will begin your search.”




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