Part 8

Walking in to the club the pounding cacophony assaulted their ears, and the stench of alcohol and sweat hung heavy in the air.

"Now this is my kind of place," Faith yelled above the noise.

"Down girl, down," Willow teased.

"Can you two at least try to be serious?" Xander barked at them. The two women sobered up immediately, glaring at Xander. Jason simply raised an eyebrow in question at Xander. Jason figured that it had more to do with the tension between Xander and Faith than the actual mission.

The four, decked out in leather once again, stalked down the stairs to the main floor, covering the entire width of the staircase, causing other patrons to move out of their way.

"So X," Faith said as she moved to stand next to her 'partner' in accordance with the plan. "Is there any reason that Gibbons or Shavers didn't mention that this is a mainly demon club?"

Xander looked more closely at the sea of bodies and noticed that the vast majority of them did not look human.

"Ah," Willow sighed. "Home sweet Hell." Everyone smirked at her comment.

"Looks like it's time to use plan B," Jason stated, as if it were obvious.

"What's plan B?" Xander asked, but the women were just as curious.

"Rogue Slayer and the Witch-that-tried-to-end-the-world, with us as their consorts."

Willow and Faith grinned half evilly, half mischievously. Xander frowned, not liking the idea of not being in charge.

"I really hate you," Xander growled to Jason, who simply shrugged and followed Willow down the remainder of the stairs. With one final growl Xander, likewise, followed the two women.

The music pulsed around them, drowning out all but the feel of a room-wide heartbeat. Jason swept Willow in to his arms and they began to dance. To the casual observer they were two lovers caught up in the moment and in each other. In reality they were scoping, scanning, and planning their next move.

Next to them Faith reluctantly stepped in to Xander's embrace.

"Look," Faith yelled over the music. "About earlier."

"Don't!" He stated firmly.

"What is your deal?" She demanded as the couple swayed with the rhythm of the pounding song. "I was trying to apologize. But now I'm not sure I want to."

Xander stopped moving and looked down at the angry brunette in his arms. Seeing his stunned expression Faith felt some of her anger slip away, understanding that his attitude was part of his defense mechanism he put in place after Faith's comment hurt him.

"Look, X," she tried again. "I want to take back what I said after you kissed me." He looked at her expectantly, as he started them moving in time to the music again.

"In all honesty, I haven't had better, and that in and of itself sort of freaked me out." She shrugged her shoulders trying to dismiss the entire thing.

Xander pulled her closer, wrapped his arms more tightly around her waist, and spoke as quietly as he could over the blaring noise so that only she would hear him.

"In all honesty," he repeated her words back to her. "This thing between you and me sort of freaks me out too." His breath on her ear and neck made her skin tingle.

A hand on each of their arms brought them back to the present moment. Willow stood facing them, with Jason standing right behind her with his hands protectively on her hips. It was such an intimate gesture that Faith had to smirk.

"It's time," Willow stated, quickly reminding Xander and Faith as to why they were dancing in the crowded club in the first place.

Willow and Faith took the lead, with Jason and Xander right behind them. The four made their way through the sea of bodies to the far end of the room. They stopped at the velvet rope that cordoned off the V.I.P. section from the rest of the club. The man seated there, obviously in charge, was surrounded by women draped on him and men rushing about doing his bidding. The sight itself didn't bother Faith. No, what bothered her was the man himself. Before she realized she even opened her mouth, his name escaped her lips.

"Lindsey McDonald?"