Chapter 2

We moved into the lobby of the hotel that was set up for breakfast, hand in hand. Everyone was chowing down on cereal, waffles and fruit before someone in the back shouted, "HOLY SHIT!" I chuckle and pulled Raeven with me as we make our way to the main table. I felt everyone's eyes on me, taking in my leather clad body. I never wore stuff like this in my life, but after we survived the First I decided I was going to be more daring.

Tara, Willow and Buffy smiled as we walked up, as we sat down everyone finally began eating again. "Morning guys, breakfast good?" I pulled a plate towards me that had a mountain of waffles and gave Raeven a fork to share with me. The women around the table nodded, "Did you rest well you two?" Tara asked raising a brow and smirking. We giggle, "Actually we passed out once we hit the mattress."

We ate in silence for a bit, then I noticed Willow looking over my corset. "Where did you find that Em, that is the power of three corset isn't it?" I nodded, "Yes, it's the power of three corset. Was in the leather shop Raeven likes to get her clothes at. I couldn't pass it up." The redhead reached out and traces herself on the back of the corset, "Frilly heck that's me!" The blond witch jumped up and moved to get a better view, then touched the design that was her.

Raeven shifted in her seat, I was used to them wanting to touch stuff that fascinated them, even if it was something I wore. However Raeven not so much, "Um as much as I love you witch's you mind taking yoru hands off my girl?" Raeven's voice was calm, but edgy. They nodded and just looked at the corset, chuckling I look at them. 'Look when I take it off, I will give it to you to look at, ONLY to look at mind you." Tara sat back down, taking a drink of her orange juice.

Buffy was just chowing down on food; most of the food that was on the table was now in the slayer's stomach. "Glad we came down when we did or Buffy would have eaten it all." The older slayer scowled at me but she was smiling, I laughed eating a bit more. A few slayers walked up to our table, we all stopped eating and gave them our attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but what do we do now?" they looked at the blond slayer. Buffy sat up straight clearing her throat so all could hear her, "Right now relax, you all deserve to relax, let's remember those who have fallen and take a break. We don't need to jump into anything right now, but as soon as we have a plan. We will let you all know."

Everyone murmured there approval of a break and went about their own conversations again. "Buffy we will have to find and train all the new slayers. We have our work cut out for us." Willow stated, she, Tara and I all felt the new slayers awaken when Willow released the essence of the scythe. "you're right we do, but we have been through so much together, we can do this, and now we have so many more that can help. It won't just be us anymore." The slayer smiled as we all nodded. With the other slayers with us, we wouldn't have to do what we used too. Evil wasn't just fought by us anymore.

'I think I want to go for a walk," Getting up the raven haired woman offered her hand to me, which I happily took. We said our goodbye's for the morning and headed outside into the bright sun. "Oh wow brightness, gees did the sun get even brighter since yesterday?" I ask squinting as we step outside. Raeven just shrugged, I pulled her close to me. Pressing my lips to hers in a soft chaste kiss, "What's wrong baby?" We began to walk, and she sighed, "Just don't like people getting all 'hands-on' with you is all." I smiled, many knew that Tara, Willow and I were very close. We three had grown up together, but not many knew that when it came to our bodies we were not shy around each other; well that could lead to misunderstandings when one witch touched another.

I wrap my arm around the smaller woman's shoulder as we walk down the garden path of the hotel, "I know you are not used to the relationship I have with those two. But they would never touch me in a sexual way. That's your job, no one else's." She looked up at me and smiled, then her head swung around looking into an alley. There was a figure standing in the shadows. I could tell she sensed the shadowed figure, so it had to be a vampire. 'Well there goes taking a break' I thought to myself as we headed toward where the figure stood.

Raeven's hand moved to a hidden pocket in her skirt, as I held a hand behind my back already forming a fire ball if it was needed. The figure stepped out a bit, it wasn't anyone I recognized. A skinny man, very pale blood stains on his brown jacket. He seemed a bit odd, then his face changed, guess he thought we would be a quick snack. I was just wondering why he was daring with the sun being just behind us. Raeven acted quickly, kicking him in the stomach, sending him flying backwards into a dumpster; and into more shadows. I ran up throwing the fireball at him. There was a loud shriek, then we saw the corpse turn into ash and scatter in the breeze.

"Well that was a rush," Raeven was looking around for any signs of well anything. I chuckled and my eyes went from their dark red/black state back to my normal steel blue. "Well we closed the hell mouth, doesn't mean evil isn't around love." I smirk as Raeven kept looking around. Leaning against the wall of the hotel my mind wanders again back in time over one of our more unique encounters.

I had convinced Buffy to put Raeven in my room, and move 6 girls out of my room to the basement. Leaving only 9 people, including myself in my large room; all the girls were in sleeping bags on the floor. I sat on the edge of my bed pulling my boots on and latching each buckle down with a loud 'snap'. They were all watching me get ready to go patrol, I was more getting ready for a hunt. We hadn't told anyone that we were going to hunt down a bringer and bring it back.

Both Faith and Buffy invited Raeven to come along, since she had experience already. Many of the girls protested, but were quickly silenced with a glare from the older slayer. Raeven was at the door, dressed in similar clothes to mine. She wore loos black leather pants, with a dark purple long sleeved blouse, knee high boots that slid on, and a black trench coat. The whole outfit made me want to jump up and kiss her. 'No kissing her woman, you just met her for goddess sake!' My brain was not agreeing with my wants.

As I snapped the final buckle, I stood grabbing my black leather biker jacket, emblazoned on the back was a large pentagram that looked like it was on fire. Inside the jacket, I had hidden magickal bracers that usually gave me an edge. We said goodnight to the girls and headed downstairs, as we walked I fastened the bracers to my arms with a spell. "So you're a witch huh?" I smiled and nodded, "All my life, trained to protect." Raeven simply nodded as we met the rest of the group at the door.

Buffy was wielding a sword, while Faith had her trusty Bow N' Arrow. Tara had her pouch of potions, while Willow held a few scrolls. With me wearing the bracers and a pouch of various crystals and potions; as well as throwing daggers. Raeven carried her signature Sai's (3 pronged daggers). "Ok I think we are waiting on Dawn and the Xan man." Faith stated, as soon as she did Dawn showed up with a double headed axe in her hands. Xander, playing along with his one-eyed pirate kick, had a long sword similar to one a pirate in the movies would have.

"We are set to go Buffster." Willow said opening the front door, we all walked out and into the crisp night air. Looking around at all the abandoned homes everyone sighed. "Ok we head off in groups of two, Dawn you are with Faith." Dawn squealed with glee, which made Buffy raise an eyebrow but said nothing. "Willow You're with me, Tara you're with Xander and Emily you will be with Raeven. Now if anyone finds a Bringer, or gets into troubles just yell. You know one of us will hear you." Everyone nodded their understanding and we head off in five directions.

Raeven and I took downtown; the walk was quiet as we stayed on high alert. Looking in alley's, abandoned stores anywhere that might be a hiding place. "So, you and the other two witch's…" Raeven trailed off, I sighed. "We prefer to be called Wicca's, witch's is a correct term but I have known too many bad ones." I smile warmly at her, so she knows I am not lecturing her. "Oh ok, so Wicca's. You three are close then?" I duck my head to look in a store window as I nod, "Yeah, they are my best friends, we grew up together training." I looked at the woman, she smiled and my heart went flying. 'crap if I feel like this over a smile, wonder what would happen if she touched me?'.

We heard something come from a store a few doors down, I stayed behind Raeven; after all I was just her backup. She peeked in and then backed us up and turned around. "Bringer; rummaging through some files in the Magick Box," I sent out a message through my mind to the others. They all acknowledged and headed toward us but would be at least twenty minutes. "We don't have twenty minutes, we need to get him. Is he alone?" I ask the potential-slayer, as she turns to look again.

She moved to the broken window, waving me close then we both hoped silently through the window. Making little noise she motioned me around to the opposite side of the store, we could easily surround him. I see a rope near me so I pick it up, holding it up slightly for Raeven to see. She nodded then we crept forward till we were on either side of the bringer. He hadn't heard us yet, thankfully. Raeven motioned for me to do something with the rope, nodding I drop it and quietly chant. The rope began to move like a snake, towards the bringers feet; with a flick of my wrist like I was tying a fast not it caught both feet in a tight hold.

Making a yanking motion, the rope pulled his feet out from under him. Raeven then jumped and landed on the bringer's chest forcing his back to the ground, but not before his knife met her thigh. I heard the woman growl hitting him, he fell back unconscious. I watched as she grimaced, pulling the knife from her thigh. I walked over and started to bind his hands securely, dragging him out of the store; dropping him on the pavement. We sat on the ground waiting for everyone, only fifteen minutes had passed. "So jump on enemies often?" I ask with a sly smile. She laughed, "Oh ya know, here and there. Gives life a bit of spice, though I rather have some other spice in my life," She looked me up and down. I gulped, 'Shit that was a line if I ever heard one!' I thought.

"Well you never know what the night still holds." I said calmly but smiled, leaning back on my hands I suddenly jerk my hand closest to the bringer away. I felt like I had been pricked, a small dot of blood formed on the back of my hand. "What the…"I trailed off seeing Buffy and everyone coming. They all ran up, then got shocked looks on their faces. "How did you two take down a bringer?" Buffy exhaled loudly looking between the two of us. A casual glance at Raeven and I and no one would think we had any power.

"We work well together, plus Emily took him down. I just made sure he stayed down." Raeven got up and stumbled a bit, I was at her side faster than anyone could imagine and held her up. Buffy stunned at my sudden speed just blinked. She looked at the younger potential-slayers thigh and frowned. "Seems he got one in, you ok?" The raven haired woman nodded leaning against me, "Let's get that piece of trash back to the house, I need to look after Raeven."

Buffy and faith carried the bringer while Raeven, and I walked in front of them. Tara and Xander followed the pack of the group. Carefully holding onto Raeven as we got back to the house, I led her straight to my room making her lay down. "Stay here and don't do anything, I'll be right back." I closed the door as I left, stopping the 6 girls that were wanting to go in, "Girls you will be staying downstairs tonight. Raeven is wounded and I need to get her cleaned up. Get your things quietly." I let them enter as I walked down the stairs.

Tara met me at the bottom of the stairs, "She going to be ok, that gash was pretty big?" I nodded with a small smile, "She'll be fine, her body is already healing of course not like Faith or Buffy. I need to stitch it up though. I told the rest of the girls in my room they can't stay tonight. I need to make sure Raeven gets rest." The blond smiled at me, I shook my head, "Oh no, nothing like that, I mean she has only been here for two weeks. Not like we got much chance to talk." Tara chuckled and handed me a first aid kit, "You have it bad, and so does she. I see how she looks at you. Talk to her tonight, who knows what might happen." She smirked at me, then pushed me back up the stairs.

I laughed trying to dodge the girls stampeding down the stairs, opening the door to my room then closing it and locking it. I look at Raeven, laying on my bed trying to stop the bleeding, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, I pull her hands away. "Oh wow looks like he came close to the artery." I move my hand over the open wound, the hand started to glow and slowly the bleeding stopped. Raeven looked at me wide eyed, smiling I opened the kit. "I have to stitch you up, and we have nothing for the pain, so this will hurt." I thread surgical thread through a curved needle and looked at her.

"I can take pain, and thank you for stopping the bleeding. Kinda bled on your bed…" She trailed off as I started to stitch the wound. I gave her a piece of leather belt to bite down on, sighing as I heard grunts as I worked. It took fifteen stitches to close the wound, cleaning it carefully and putting a bandage on it to protect it. I look up, I never liked inflicting pain on anyone, but this was more helping. "All done, you did well. You won't heal as fast as Buffy or Faith, but a few days and you will be good to train again. No overdoing anything." Raeven started pouting, "Does that mean no more night spice?" my hands clampered to grab the kit as it fell after hearing her words. I straightened out and chuckled nervously, "Never said that, you just need to relax. Maybe we can talk some more." I set the kit to the side and moved around the bed to the other side., changing into boy shorts and a t-shirt, I settle on the bed.

I move to my side to look at the other woman, the feint light from the lamp on the table shadowed her face beautifully. It took everything for me not to reach up and touch her face, I smile at her as she moved to face me. "So Raeven, how have you liked the past two weeks here, minus the impending apocalypse?" I smile hearing her giggle, she stretched; which gave me a nice view of her stomach. "It's been cool, I mean training all the time. One thing keeps me pretty content though." She smirked as I felt her eyes roaming my body. 'And what would that be?"

"Not what, who…see there is this woman that lives in this house, gorgeous. She walks into a room and well let's say I can't take my eyes off her." Her eyes twinkled, and she scooted closer, "Do I know this woman, I mean I should if she lives here." My hand moved of its own accord and ran fingers on the back of her hand, I heard her breath catch. " I think I might know exactly who it is, I mean does hse happen to have black hair, with blood red streaks?" My lips curved up into a sly grin as she nodded, leaning forward feeling her breath on my lips. "Well then, I can say for sure, she knows the feeling." Before I could do anything I felt soft lips on mine.

Raeven's hand moved to my side as I scooted closer, our lips in a chaste but sweet long kiss. We pulled away to gasp for air, I rolled to lay on my back sighing with a smile. Raeven moved closer, resting a hand on my clothed stomach, "That kiss was wow, wanna try for another?" She leaned into my side as I moved my head to the side, the kiss was slow but quickly deepened as I opened my mouth slowly. Moaning when I feel her tongue pass between my lips, my arms wraps around her tightly pulling her more to me.

I snap out of my daydream, Raeven was snapping her fingers in front of my eyes giggling. "Where did you go leaving me behind?" She grinned and kissed my cheek, "Oh I was thinking of our first night alone after you had arrived. When we brought the bringer down together." The smaller girl nodded, "That was the beginning of the rest of our lives, like what a month ago?" She laughed and I joined in the laughter, we had only been together one and a half month's but it felt like forever. 'Well we should go tell Buffy, vamps are about, in daylight no less." Taking Raeven's hand we headed back into the hotel, idly chatting.