Title: You’re My Temptation
Author: Kylia
Email: kylia_bug@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Nobody belongs to me, unfortunately. They belong to Joss & Mutant Enemy, and a few other people I don’t know.
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Up to season 2 “Innocence” But it’s my own little wacky universe after that!
Category: Willow/Angelus
Summary: Angelus makes a claim, things happen.
Distribution: Fire & Ice, WitchFanFic, Of Sire & Childe, anyone else, ask, and you shall receive
Author's Notes: Starts out Season 2, but will eventually end up in season 4 BtVs/Season 1 Angel.
Dedication: To Sammy, Inell, Elka, Dagney, Stasia, Ann, and the girls on the second floor.

August 1998

Willow sat alone on beach as she watched the stars shining brightly in the sky. She would be leaving soon. Leaving her summer paradise. She had to return to Sunnydale. Return to school days, research nights, and the people who thought they knew her. So much had changed in the past seven months. So much that Willow didn't want to remember. So much that she could never forget. She had fallen in love with a killer. Looking back, Willow wondered if it wasn't something she that could have stopped. If she could have controlled what happened, if she had wanted to. But that was the question, wasn't it? Would she have stopped it, if she could?

Even now, knowing what came of her actions, she knew she would have done it all over again. Even the pain she felt, the heartache that had buried itself so deeply into her soul that she had forgotten what it was like for it not to be there, it was all worth it. Even knowing the loss she would feel, she still wouldn't change anything. Every ounce of pain she was feeling now was worth the time she had spent with Angelus. But he was gone now, and nothing she could do would bring him back. She had had to accept that.

But with all she had lost, Willow had also gained something. Something she had never really had before. Family. She had found something in Spike and Druscilla, which she had never found with her own family. She would miss them. She knew that she wouldn't have survived the past few months if it hadn't been for them. They had helped sooth her when the loneliness had become too much. When her whole body ached from the loss of their sire, Spike and Dru had been there, easing her through the pain. They were eternal, as was their love, and devotion. They were demons, and still they had helped her in ways her mortal friends never could.

Willow sighed heavily as she watched the waves crash against the shore. She would be leaving in a few days. Back to Sunnydale. Back to her life. Back to him. She had known she couldn't avoid him forever. It was time to put the past behind them, and make some decisions about the future.

Spike watched Willow from the shadows. His dead heart went out for her. His sire's loss had broken her, stripped her of her strength. He wanted to stake the bloody poof, and be done with it, but Dru had insisted that they leave instead.

"Pet, Are you ready?" Spike turned to Dru and held out a hand for her.

Druscilla took his hand and smiled as she looked up at the night sky.

"Spikey, Miss Edith tells me a change is coming. Soon, Daddy will be ready, and we'll be together again."

Angel walked to the library in silence. Buffy had returned the previous week and had asked him if he could help with research. With Willow still gone, they were short handed. He wondered if she was coming back. He missed her. More than he had thought possible. Even though they hadn't spent much time together since he soul was restored, being in the same room with her had been a comfort. It wasn't until she was completely gone from his life that he realized just how much she had touched him. She had affected every part of him. His body, his mind, his soul, even his demon had accepted, and loved her.

So lost in his own thoughts was he, that Angel didn't hear the footsteps until they were almost upon him. He swung around, expecting to see Buffy, and was surprised at who he found instead.

"Cordelia?" He asked, startled.

"Hey Angel." She smiled up at him, as she looked him over carefully, unsure if what she thought was true.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, noticing the way she was staring at him.

"I don't know. Why don't you tell me?" She asked.

"Excuse me? I think I'm missing something." He told her, growing confused.

"Willow." It was just one word, and she watched him carefully as he eyes darkened at her name. It was gone almost as soon as it had come, but the damage was done. Cordelia had seen the pain in his eyes.

"Is something wrong with Willow?" He asked, his face expressionless, masking the fear, which had gripped his being.

"No. She'll be back next week." She hesitated a second, unsure if she should be stirring up trouble. "Did something happen between you… before?"

Angel stared at her blankly. Of all the things she could have asked him, that was the one thing he was unprepared for. Of all of the 'Scooby gang', Cordelia was the one he believed was the least likely to notice anything. He believed her to be self-centered and shallow. Someone who didn't even notice anything unless it directly effected her. Yet she, not Xander, not Buffy was the one who picked up on the tension that had been evident.

"Before?" He asked, realizing she was still waiting for an answer.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Before. When you were all Grr. Kill, kill, kill?"

Angel stared at her, shocked. "What is it you think happened?"

Cordelia sighed. "I don't know. All I do know is Willow was acting strangely after you… changed. And then, when your soul was restored, she was different. The other's didn't notice it. She lost something…" She paused, seeing the look of confusion on Angel's face.

"Never mind. I was wrong." Cordelia shrugged and started walking towards the library again.

As Angel watched her walk away, he was struck with the realization that maybe he had underestimated the former May Queen.

Willow walked nervously towards the mansion. Her mind was a jumbled mass of thoughts. Not the least of which was what she would say to him when she got there.

Him. Her love, only not. He wasn't the man she had fallen in love with. The demon who had terrorized Sunnydale with a flourish for several months. Nor was he the same ensouled vampire who had come to her room all those months ago seeking information on Ford. But neither was she the same shy hacker who had told him she wasn't allowed to have boys in her room. Things had changed. They had changed

It had been three months since she had returned from her summer vacation. In that time, a lot had happened. Too much. Willow found herself thrust back into her old life of research and slaying. To all outward appearances, it looked as though nothing had changed. It was only when Willow was alone, that she could completely relax. Pretending to be something she just wasn't anymore took a lot of energy out of her.

A part of her wanted to step out of the light, and into the shadows. She had grown so accustomed to them, they were comfortable. A safe place where she didn't have to pretend to be something she wasn't. But an equally strong part of her fought against the darkness, which threatened to overtake her. Angelus was gone, and without him, the darkness was just an empty void.

Kendra had been killed and a new slayer was called. Faith was different than both Buffy and her predecessor. She was wild. She had had a hard life. She didn't follow the rules, and Willow found herself admiring the tenacity with which she fought. She was a force of nature.

Willow liked her, although she would never admit to the others. Which was why she had gone to go see the slayer. This past week's events had effected the brunette slayer deeply. Gwendolyn Post, a new watcher, had come to Sunnydale. Faith had allowed herself to trust her, only to discover that the watcher was using her. She was after the glove of Menigon. A weapon of incredible power. Angel had stopped her from gaining that power, but the damage to Faith had already been done.

The others, they didn't understand what the encounter had done to Faith. They had never felt alone, isolated, and then found themselves part of something else, only to have it ripped from them in a mockery of emotions that you wished you had never had. Willow knew. She understood.

She had gone to see the slayer. She surprised herself by telling her about the past year. She had told her things she didn't think she would ever give voice to. In return for Willow's honesty, Faith didn't judge her. Instead, she convinced her that it was time to put the past behind her. It was time to move forward.

Everything Faith told her made sense. It was all things that she had told herself many times in the past several weeks. Somehow hearing someone else that which she already knew helped make her decision. Willow supposed it helped that Faith was an objective observer. She hadn't known Angel before, and never knew Angelus. Pain or anger didn't taint her opinion.

So, here she was, mere days after she almost lost her life at the hands of the insane watcher. Willow took a deep breath as she knocked on the heavy door. As she waited for it to open, Willow wondered what it was she was going to say. Would he be happy to see her? Disappointed?

Angel sat alone in the darkened mansion, trying to come to a decision. He was tired of waiting around. He was tired of waiting for Willow to come to him. He was beginning to think she never would. In the beginning, he had been content to watch her from the shadows. To make sure she was all right. To help Giles' and the others with research, just to be near her. But that wasn't enough anymore. Every time he saw her, the memories shared by his demon would be sparked. He tried to forget her. He tried to convince himself she was better off without him. He told himself that nothing would make him go after her. Then it happened. She had almost died. He couldn't forget the terror that had gripped his being at that realization. He almost lost her. It was in that moment that Angel knew that there was no going back to what had been before.

He wanted nothing more than to claim her as his own, regardless if that was what she wanted. To possess her physically wouldn't be enough. He needed her body, mind and soul. His rational mind knew that he would get lost in her, and his soul would once again be ripped from his body. The longer he waited, the less he cared.

Angel was startled out of his thoughts by the knock on the heavy door. He opened the door, half expecting to see Buffy. His nonexistent breath nearly caught in his throat as he stared at Willow.

"Come in." He ushered her inside, a million thought running through his mind.

"Hi. I, uh, wanted to thank you." Willow stood several feet away from Angel, afraid to get too close to him. She found herself staring around the room, searching for anything to look at other than the vampire standing before her. She smiled slightly when she saw a small crystal sculpture of a hippopotamus sitting on the mantle. She had given it to Angelus after a visit to the zoo one night. He had found the creatures ridiculous. She had teased him saying they were no more ridiculous than vampires.

"For what?" He asked, fighting the smile that threatened to break free as he saw where her gaze had settled.

"Saving my life. With the glove." She paused looking at him for the first time. "I know, I should have thanked you earlier, but I just… I just needed some time to think."

Willow turned around and paced around the room nervously. Angel watched her with curiosity.

"Look, Angel. We need to talk. About us. About what happened… before."

Angel nodded his head in understanding and sat down on the couch, motioning for her to join him. When she sat across from him, he started to speak.

"Willow, I don't know what to say. I'm sorry doesn't really seem appropriate." He offered.

Willow looked up at him, her green eyes blazing with fury. "You're sorry? For what? For being with me? For loving me?"

"For losing you" Angel whispered.

"Excuse me?" Willow asked, confused.

"I can't begin to know how you feel, but I can tell you how I feel." When Willow nodded, he continued. "I can think of nothing but you. I remember the way you smell, the way you feel, the taste of your blood coursing through my veins. You consume me."

"Oh, Angel." Willow sighed, as she realized what he was telling her. She shook her head sadly. "I can't. I can't do this."

"Why? Do you hate me that much?" He asked quietly, fearing the answer.

"No. I don't hate you. What happened is no more your fault, than mine. The only person I blame is Jenny Calendar. And I know that's wrong but I can't help it." She stood up and walked around the room, trying to compose her thoughts.

"It's just… You aren't him. You may look like him. You may even have his memories. But you aren't him. I can't be with you, when he is all I want. That wouldn't be fair. To either of us." She turned and ran out of the building, letting the tears fall at the realization that she could never get back what she had lost.

Angel watched her leave, and felt his dead heart break. He had lost her. No amount of time would change her mind. His only way to get back what he had lost, was to surrender control to his demon. And he wasn't willing to do that. Yet.

Druscilla spun around in circles, while Spike watched her with amusement in his blue eyes.

"What is it pet? What did you see?" He asked curiously.

"Daddy's left little tree. It's almost time, Spikey. Soon, he'll stop fighting. Soon he'll come home." Druscilla sing-songed as she twirled around the room. Spike smiled at his dark Goddess, knowing that she was never wrong.

August 1999

Willow finished backing the last of her bags and turned to survey her room, making sure she didn't forget anything. A knock at the door interrupted her inspection.

"Come in" She called over her shoulder.

"Hey." Buffy smiled as she sat down on Willow's bed. "So, you're really leaving?"

"Yeah. But it's only a couple of hours away. And I'll be back for break." Willow told her friend.

"I know. But, I'm gonna miss you." Buffy's voice was laced with sadness.

Willow sighed, wishing she could feel bad about leaving. But the truth was she was looking forward to be on her own. The past year had been difficult for her. She had spent more time trying to be what everyone expected her to be than anything else, and it had taken it's toll. Now she was anxious to leave Sunnydale and all of it's memories behind. She hoped that Angel was happy, wherever he was.

He had left a few weeks earlier, after they had stopped the Mayor's ascension. He had told anyone where he was going, just that he was going to where he would be needed. A part of her was sad to see him go. Willow wondered idly if she would ever see him again. Turning towards Buffy, she pushed those thoughts out of her mind.

"I'm gonna miss you too." Willow smiled as she hugged her friend and began to carry her bags downstairs.

"How long are you going to sit down here and brood?" Cordelia asked pointedly as she watched Angel sitting in silence.

"I'm not brooding." He told her.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I have an audition. Doyle's watching the phones. See you tomorrow." She smiled brightly at the vampire before she disappeared into the elevator.

Angel marveled at the strange events, which had happened since his move to Los Angeles several weeks previous. He had come to L.A. without really knowing exactly what it was he was doing. Shortly after he had arrived, Doyle found him. Doyle was a half-demon messenger, of sorts, sent by the Powers That Be. His visions directed Angel to where he was needed most. It was on one of these assignments that he had run into Cordelia. She had gotten involved with a local vampire, and once Angel had killed him, he offered the former cheerleader a job.

She was remarkable resourceful, and Angel found himself enjoying her company. It took away from the times when he lost himself in the loneliness he felt. He missed Willow. More than he had ever thought possible. He felt as though a part of his soul had been ripped out, torn from his body in a mockery of compassion.

On several nights, Angel found himself wondering why he didn't relinquish his control to the demon. Rationally, his mind could always come up with reasons, but slowly, his mind was losing the fight. He knew, however subconsciously, that it was only a matter of time.

November 1999

Willow walked quietly from the library back to her dorm. She was exhausted. She had spent the last several weeks working on a new project. She had been so excited by it, she had barely taken the time to eat or sleep. It was this loss of sleep and nourishment, more than anything else, which attributed to her carelessness.

She failed to notice how dark it had gotten, and was caught off-guard when a pair of strong arms came up from behind her. One hand wound up around her mouth, stifling her screams, while the other held her title against her attacker's chest. She struggled to break free, only to feel something hit her sharply on the back of the head. Then everything went black.

Faith took her time walking to Giles' after patrol. She and Buffy had taken to patrolling different areas of Sunnydale. The two could never seem to see eye to eye on anything. Their constant bickering had forced the former watcher to assign them different duties. They would switch patrol nights with training. Tonight, it was Faith's turn to patrol. The streets had been fairly quiet, which in and of itself, sent off alarm buttons.

Add to that the phone call she had received earlier in the evening from Spike. He told her that Druscilla had had a vision that Willow was in trouble. That concerned her more than she would care to admit. She'd never met the blond vampire or his insane paramour, but had spoken to them frequently on the telephone since she and Willow had become friends. Willow trusted them, and that was enough for the brunette slayer.

Faith tried to shake the feeling of impending trouble off as she approached the watcher's house. Her fears were doubled when she entered the apartment to see Buffy sitting on the couch nervously.

"What's wrong, B?"

"Willow. She's missing."

Willow awoke in a room she didn't recognize. She sat up slowly and looked around. The room was pleasant enough. It had a dresser, a comfortable looking chair, and a bed. The room was decorated in blues and greens, and gave off a cool, airy feeling. She noticed a window, but when she pulled the dark green curtains back she was confronted with a brick wall. <Perfect. > She thought. She walked to one of the three doors and smiled when it opened easily. Her face fell when she realized it was just a closet. As she entered the walk in closet, she noticed clothes hanging up. They were identical to ones she had hanging in her own closet at home. That thought sent a chill down her spine. Whoever had kidnapped her had done their research.

She walked out of the closet and turned towards to one of the other doors. It was a bathroom. Decorated in a soft blue, with fresh towels, and an assortment of personal items. Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, a new toothbrush, body wash. She noted with trepidation that they were all brands she normally bought for herself. Again, Willow was struck with the realization that someone had done their homework.

She left the bathroom and tried the last door, only to find it tightly locked. She sighed and sat in the chair. "Rosenberg, what have you gotten yourself into?" She asked aloud.

"What do you mean, missing?" Faith asked carefully.

"Missing. As in not where she is supposed to be." Buffy snapped.

Giles cleared his throat and addressed the brunette slayer. "Cordelia called and said that she hadn't come home last night. And she didn't show up to any of her classes today." He explained wearily.

He hadn't slept since he had gotten the phone call. He had tried calling all of his contacts at the university she attended in LA. No body had seen her since she left the library. It was as if she had vanished. While he knew that Los Angeles wasn't on a Hellmouth, there were still innumerable amount of dangers a young woman could face, not all of them supernatural.

He had been surprised by Cordelia's phone call for the simple reason that he had been unaware of the girls' friendship with Willow. They hadn't been very friendly when they both lived in Sunnydale. There was something else that concerned him about the former cheerleader's call. There was something she wasn't telling him.

"Well, what are we sitting around here for?" Faith asked. When everyone just looked at her, she groaned. "Never mind. If you want something done right…" She trailed off as she stormed out of the apartment.

Faith hadn't been out of the watcher's apartment for more than thirty seconds before she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the familiar long distance number. The phone had been a gift from Willow before she left for school. She hoped her friend was all right.

On the third ring, she heard the familiar voice answer. "Angel Investigations. We help the Hopeless."

"Cor, What the hell is going on?" Faith asked as she headed towards her apartment to pack a bag.

"Faith! Thank god it's you. How soon can you get here. All Hells about to break loose. And I mean that literally."

Druscilla bounced into the bedroom twirling Miss Edith around. "Spikey, It's time."

"Time for what, pet?"

"Time for Daddy to come home, Silly. Mommy's in trouble. A nasty man wants her to be his Mommy." She crinkled her nose in disgust. "But don't worry, Spikey, We all be together again. Mommy, Daddy, and our two new sisters. They love Mommy too."

Spike thought about what his dark goddess had said and then smiled. "Well, then, luv, I'd say it's time to go home."

Buffy sat on Giles couch in a daze. She couldn't believe Willow was gone. Missing. What bothered her more than that though was Faith's reaction. S he was more upset than she should have a right to be. She didn't understand the other Slayer's concern. Nor did she know why Cordelia would be close enough to Willow to know when she was missing. Those two facts bothered her.

"Buffy, How are you?" Jenny Calendar's voice cut through Buffy's thoughts.

"I'm alright, I guess." She turned to Giles. "Any news?"

He shook his head sadly; "I'm afraid not."

Jenny sat down next to Buffy. "Don't worry. Angel will find her. That's what he does. And I'm sure they'll call as soon as they hear anything." She smiled and hoped that she was correct, but she had a very bad feeling that their problems were just beginning.

Angel paced around his office angrily. He was losing control, and he didn't care. Willow had been missing for two days. At first he had thought maybe that she had just gone somewhere, but Cordelia's vision told a different story. She had been kidnapped. Someone had his Willow. His demon raged in protest. He felt the urge to tear the town apart body, by body to find her.

Cordelia's knock on his office door startled him out of his dark thoughts.

"What?" He snapped.

Cordelia walked into the office and scowled at her boss. "Don't you snap at me, Mr.-I-can't-allow-myself-to-lose-control-even-if-my-mate-is-in-trouble!"

Angel took a deep, unneeded breath. "Sorry, Cordelia, I just…"

"You feel angry, useless, and out of control?" She asked, and then leaned up against his desk. "Look, I don't see what the big deal is, just let it go."

Angel looked at her incredulously. "You can't be serious."

"I can, and I am." She told him seriously, and then smiled. "Angel, you told me about the way you have been feeling these last few months. And you were never the same after… " She turned to look at Angel. "All I'm saying is that, would it be so bad if you lost control?"

Angel thought about what she said for a long moment. A part of him was completely repelled by the idea of Angelus returning. People would die, and he'd be responsible for that. But he couldn't deny the feeling he had been having these past few months. He wanted his mate back. He wanted his life back. Even the parts of it he tried to deny.

He looked up to see Cordelia staring expectantly at him. "Were you going to tell me something?" He asked remembering that she had probably come into his office for a reason.

Cordelia nodded. "Yep. That was Faith on the phone. She'll be here as soon as she can." She turned to go and then stopped. "Oh, and Angel, it would be really bad form if you killed the Slayer before we find Willow." She winked at him.

Willow sat on the bed. She was getting nervous. She had been here almost two days, and had yet to have any contact with her kidnapper. She didn't know who had her, or why, but the fact that whoever it was, had made a concerted effort to keep her comfortable concerned her. She didn't think it was a demon, or other such Hellmouthy nasty. The fact that her kidnapper was most likely a mortal scared her more than it probably should have. Willow had become so used to dealing with the supernatural aspects of her life; she had never given a second thought to the equally dangerous human criminal element.

She felt her body tense as she heard a noise outside her door. She turned as the lock was released and a man entered. She had never seen him before. He looked to be in his early twenties. He had dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. He was quite handsom, in creepy, stalker-boy kind of way.

"Who are you? What do you want?" She asked, making her voice steady, so as not to betray her fear.

"My name is Jonathan. I want you, and I have you." He told her as a sinister smile graced his lips.

Willow stood up looked him straight in the eye. She refused to cower in front of this man. "What do you want with me?" She asked, steeling her voice.

"I want to possess you. You belong to me. You are mine." His voice took on a tone she recognized.

This man, he thought she was a possession he could own. He was wrong. She only belonged to one man, and he was gone.

She took a step closer to him. "I belong to no one."

Jonathon reached out and slapped her across the face with such force she was hurled halfway across the room. He walked over to her rumpled form and pulled her up by her hair, until she was almost standing.

"Know this, you do belong to me. I own you. I can do whatever I want with you. There is no one here to care. No one to save you"

He eased his grip on her hair and smiled dangerously. "This can be difficult or this can be easy. It's up to you. Your choice."

Willow looked up at him and was about to speak when she felt something. She could quite explain what the feeling was. It was like someone had taken a veil off of her senses. Her entire being reverberated with a power she couldn't place. The feeling was familiar. In an instant, she knew what it was. Angelus. He had returned.

"What do you choose?" Jonathon's voice broke through her thoughts.

She looked defiantly at her kidnapper and smirked. "The hard way."

Willow braced herself for the impact. Jonathon pushed her up against the far wall and wrapped a large hand across her throat, squeezing.

"Listen you little bitch, You belong to me. You had better accept that, or you're life will be nothing but pain." He snarled menacingly as he let his grip go and stormed out of the room, locking it behind him.

Willow slid down to the floor and cried softly. She knew that somehow Angelus had returned. He would find her. She just hoped she could hold out until then.

Drusilla whimpered. Her vision was playing itself over and over again in her sleep. She awoke with a start. She was in Spike's car. He was driving them home, to Daddy. She turned to Spike and placed a cold hand on his arm.

"Hurry Spike. The nasty man is hurting mommy."

Spike looked at his dark goddess with concern etched in his blue eyes. "Luv, do you know where? Can you find her?" He asked quietly.

Drusilla shook her head. "I can see her, but I don't know how to find her, Spikey" She whined.

Spike pulled her to lean up against him in the car. "Shh, it's alright. Maybe Cor can see her. Maybe she's had a vision." He tried to reassure her.

Faith climbed off the bus and ran as fast as she could to Angel's office. She was late. The bus had gotten stuck in Orange County and it had taken longer than it should have to get to Los Angeles. She only hoped she wasn't too late. Cordelia hadn't given her any specifics on the situation in LA when she had called, but she had a feeling she knew just what the problem was.

Faith had formed a strange alliance with the former cheerleader before she had moved to Los Angeles. They both cared deeply for Willow, and they both knew the whole truth about what had happened between Angelus and Willow. They also both knew that it was only a matter of time before Angel's soul gave in and let his demon take control. It appeared that time had come.

Faith burst into the building and rode up the elevator impatiently. She could sense vampires around her. But considering Angel was a vampire that didn't necessarily mean anything.

When she walked off of the elevator, she found herself face to face with the golden eyes of a vampire. The face shifted, and masked its true face.

"Faith! You got here." Cordelia smiled as she gave the brunette slayer a hug.

"Cor. You look good. Dead, but good." Faith smiled back.

"Slayer, so good of you to join us."

Faith turned to the voice. "Angelus."

Angelus chuckled. "Is this where we square off and kill each other?" He asked with a smirk. "My lovely childe here tells me that that would be in bad form." He motioned towards Cordelia. "Is she right?"

Faith shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. "You don't try to add me to the lunch menu. I won't slay you. We're five by five."

Angelus laughed. This Slayer was amusing. He decided Cordelia was right. She would be an asset to his little family.

The smiled dies on Faith's lips as she remembered why she had come. "Red's missing. We need to find her."

"That we do, pet. That we do." Spike strode into the office, with Druscilla. He looked at his sire and grinned. "It's good to have you back."

"Good to be back, my boy!" Angelus slapped Spike on the back, and then turned to Druscilla. "Dru baby, do you know where Willow is?"

Druscilla started shaking uncontrollably. "The nasty man has her. He wants to make her his." She wailed, and looked up at Angelus. "Daddy, he's hurting mommy."

Angelus growled fiercely just as Cordelia collapsed onto the floor clutching her head.

"Cor? Are you alright?" Faith rushed over to the vampire.

Cordelia stood up and glared at her sire. "Why is it, that I am still getting these damn visions, even after I'm dead?" She snapped.

"What did you see?" He asked, ignoring her question while Spike fought the urge to laugh.

Cordelia headed towards the front door, not wanting to waste another second. "I saw Will. I know where she is."

The three vampires and Slayer followed Cordelia out into the night.

Willow paced around the room angrily. She had been kidnapped. By some psycho who thought she belonged to him. The knowledge that Angelus had returned did little to comfort her. She knew that it was unlikely he knew where she was, and even if he did, she seriously doubted her host would invited an angry vampire into his house.

She growled to herself, as she thought about how stupid she had been. She knew better. She should have been more cautious. And now she was trapped, most likely spending her last days alive. She knew the bastard who had taken her expected her to acquiesce and do what she was told. But she also knew that Hell would have to freeze over… twice before she would give in.

She picked up a jewelry box which was sitting on top of the dresser and threw it angrily at the door, mere seconds before it opened.

Jonathan stared blankly at the jewelry box lying on the floor in two pieces. "Was that really necessary?" He asked her.

Willow looked at him defiantly, but didn't speak, which only seemed to anger him.

"Listen here. You will answer me when I speak to you."

"Or what?" Willow asked, her voice raising slightly as her anger flared. "You'll kill me? I really hope you do!"

Jonathon looked at her incredulously. "That's crazy. Why would you possible want me to kill you?"

Willow took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. She looked up at her captor calmly before she spoke. "Because, we he finds you, and he will, your death will be slow and painful."

Leaving the door opened behind him, Jonathon took several deliberate steps towards Willow. When he had reached the bed, he grabbed her shoulders fiercely and threw her down on the bed.

As he leaned down to kiss her forcefully, Jonathon felt his body being thrown across the room. His head landed with a thud. When he had regained enough momentum to look up he found himself looking into the golden eyes of a very angry…creature. He wasn't sure what it was. Certainly not human, but not animal either. He felt a wave of fear go through him, and promptly wet his pants.

"Don't touch my mate!" Angelus snarled at the quivering youth. "I have tortured men for less." He leaned forwards and grasped the man's head with one hand while firmly apply pressure to his neck with the other. In a matter of seconds, the boy was lying in a pile on the floor, dead, his neck broken.

Angelus turned and rushed to Willow who was still lying on the bed, in shock.

"Are you all right?" He asked as his face melded back into that of the human mask.

"An…Angelus? Is it really you? Your… your soul?"

"It's gone, baby." Angelus kissed her deeply, relishing in the feel of her warm lips against his cold ones.

"Mommy!" Druscilla ran into the room and hugged Willow tightly. Angelus growled at the separation Druscilla entrance had caused.

"Dru! What are you doing here?" Willow pulled herself away from the vampiress, and looked around the room.

Her eyes took in the three people standing in the doorway. First Spike, who was grinning at her. She had missed seeing him. And then Faith, who she was only slightly surprised to see. And finally, her eyes settled on Cordelia. She stood up, and detached herself from Druscilla and walked over to Cordelia, taking in her old friend's appearance. When she was only an inch away from the girl, she turned back to Angelus. "You turned her." She said in awe. When he just smirked, she continued. "You didn't kill her! You turned her!" She walked back to her mate and embraced him in a hug that would have taken his breath away, if he had any. "I love you." She whispered into his chest.

"I know. I missed you, Red."

"Not that this isn't fascinating," Faith broke the reunion, "but shouldn't we be leaving." When everyone turned to look at her, she laughed, "You know, places to go, people to kill?"

Cordelia grabbed the Slayer's arm and took her outside, "Ooh that does sound like fun. Have anyone special in mind?"




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