Buffy downed the juice before rinsing out the glass and setting it in the sink. She was tired. She hadn't slept well while he'd been gone, and even though she hated to admit it, having him back was a relief. A knock at the door had her padding out into the hallway.

"What is it, Luke?" Angel asked.

"Angelus is missing a slayer. He wants me to ask you where she's at."

"I let her go." The brunette started to close the door.

"Sire," Luke stopped him with a slight shake of his head. "He says since you turned his slayer loose, he might need yours to replace her."

"Tell him to find his own."

"He'll be disappointed."

"He'll get over it." Angel closed the door and turned to find Buffy standing a few feet behind him.

"You were in Sunnydale?" she asked.

He nodded. "Joseph offered the town for clan games." It didn't seem to mean anything to her, and he sighed. "Every fifty years we get together and fight. It's pretty much a social event with a lot of bragging, but there are eleven clans Buffy, and it's not out of the way to have around 70 from each clan attend."

She looked away uneasily at the thought of that many vampires in Sunnydale. "And they had Kendra?"

"We didn't exchange names, but she was a slayer... even though she seemed really inexperienced."

"Is she safe?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "She wasn't hurt when I freed her, but I don't know if she made it to her watcher or not."

Buffy frowned and rubbed at her forehead, there wasn't anything she could do to help them, not when she couldn't even help herself... She took a breath. "And your donors?"

"I talked to him about that, but he said no."

She snorted before giving him a hard look. "And I'm supposed to just believe you?"

"Why would I lie?" She continued to stare at him, and he lowered his voice and met her eyes. "The protection spell only works one way... I'm sorry, but if I wanted your blood, you wouldn't be able to stop me."

Irritation ran through her that he'd had to remind her of that, and she frowned before rubbing at her forehead. "I remember that now," she murmured as she tucked strands of hair behind her ear. "Sorry." There was something else though that she needed to bring up. Her period was due next week, and she hadn't been able to find any... she broke the thought and stared at the floor before looking back up. "I can't find..." He was looking at her expectantly, and she let a silence fall before looking away with embarrassment. "I'm going to need..." she took a breath, "tampons. You don't have any."

"Tampons?" he asked uncertainly, and she looked up to stare at him.

"Angel..." she broke off.

"I've never heard... I mean, I've never been asked for them before."

She looked away as her face flushed even more. He had 5 blood donors, and each was only with him for a week... maybe they'd never been with him when they were on their periods. She wondered what he would have done if they had before deciding she didn't want to know.

He studied her before going to the door and ringing the bell. It only took a minute for Luke to answer. "Sire?"

"We need tampons, Luke," Angel stated casually.

Luke frowned as his eyes flew to Buffy. "Tampons?" he asked, and mortified, she looked away.

"Yeah," Angel answered, "buy some."

Buffy slid to the floor, put her elbows on her knees, and dropped her head into her palms. This wasn't happening.

"I'll be right back," Luke murmured, and a couple of minutes later, he was back with a girl at his side.

"What is it you need?" the feminine voice had Buffy looking up.

"Tampons," Angel answered.

She laughed, and Buffy bristled and got to her feet before moving closer to the blonde on the other side of the barrier. "Are you human, or dust?" she asked in a hard voice.

The girl slid into game face, and Buffy's palm itched for a stake. The blonde's gaze slid to Angel. "I'd think even with your problems you could take care of her needing tampons," she hissed. Luke backhanded her, and she obediently stayed where she'd fallen with her head down.

"You will never speak to him like that again," the brunette growled. "And if Angelus had heard it, your dust would be settling over his room right now."

"Forgive me," she murmured before slowly raising her head and getting to her feet.

"She wants tampons," Luke stated coolly. "Go get some."

She started to leave, and Buffy watched with narrowed eyes. She didn't trust her... "Two boxes," she ordered. "Not the small ones either."

Eyes turned to her, and Buffy could almost feel when Luke and Angel started to catch on. Luke suddenly laughed, and Angel's eyes dug into her. "Maybe that's something you can help her with after all sire," Luke murmured as he watched Angel with amusement. Angel closed the door.

"Luke's right," he stated as he gave her a sexy smile. "That's something I can help you with. It would help me, and I could show you how much I appreciate your company."

"Wh... What?" she asked uneasily.

He frowned before looking up to study her thoughtfully. "Is it because I'm a vampire, or because you've never..." he broke off when she turned bright red. "It's not that big of a deal Buffy. It wouldn't even hurt you."

Buffy took a breath. "You um... want my blood?" she asked nervously. "That's kind of... gross isn't it?"

He grinned as he watched her carefully. "Not to me... or even my blood donors. They don't seem to mind at all."

She stared at the wall before walking past Angel, ringing the doorbell, and opening the door.

"I want to talk to Angelus," Buffy ordered when the brunette walked back into the room. Luke's amusement fell away as he looked at her with gold eyes before they flickered up to the vampire behind her.

"Why?" Angel asked.

She turned to him and was surprised when she saw gold sparks in his eyes. "Why would you care?"

"There's a lot of vampires Buffy. It seems like you can surely leave Angelus alone... the same as he's going to leave you alone."

"Maybe," Luke answered, "but if you're going to manage that, you're going to have to feed sire."

Angel glanced at his childe before looking back at Buffy. "Why do you want to talk to him?"

"I'm not a blood donor... or a plaything," she stated uneasily. "I'm a slayer, and you can't just expect me to..."

"No," he cut her off. "Not a plaything. A companion."

She snorted before turning to look into Luke's gold eyes as she pulled a stake out of her waistband. "If I'm not a plaything, then I have choices," she answered before starting to move toward the door to Angelus's rooms. Angel reached for her, pulled her back against him. "If you want to dust minions, I'll have them lined up for you," he stated quietly.

"I don't need to be humored," she hissed back. "I'm a slayer. I *kill* vampires, just because I can't kill you doesn't change anything."

He released her before pushing her back into his rooms. "Luke," he turned to his childe, "I want the boundary spell to include Buffy... and I want to talk to Angelus."

"I can't give you the phone," he answered, "not if there's a chance she could use it."

He nodded. "Then get it, and call my brother."

Luke was back a couple of minutes later with Angelus on the line. "Tell him I have a proposition." Angel leaned against the wall and faced Buffy. "I want him to allow Buffy and I to go to Sunnydale and participate in the games."

Buffy looked up at him with surprise, her expression hopeful.

He gave a slight shake of his head. "It's not that easy," he murmured.

"He's intrigued," Luke spoke up, "but skeptical."

"The mage can cast a spell making it impossible for her to dust anyone outside of the games, or for her to get away."

"And you?" Luke questioned. "He doesn't want to lose you."

Angel rolled his eyes. "I'll stay with her."

Silence fell. "He wants to know what games you'd like participating in, and how exactly it would be done."

Angel gave a faint smile. "All of them... but I think she'd be more interested in the clan games than any of the others."

"But she's a slayer," Luke stated.

"She's my slayer though," Angel answered as he locked eyes with her suddenly challenging green ones. His lips twitched up. "It should be perfectly acceptable for her to fight with us. A novelty even. Having a slayer fight under our clan name would only enhance our reputation... and if we dust a few vampires... well, since when has that ever hurt a clan's name?"

There was silence as Luke murmured into the phone. "Luke," Angel broke in, "there's one more thing... nothing happens to her in between matches. Let him know I'll dust anyone that tries to *touch* her."

"Does that include him?" Luke asked with a faint smirk.

Angel rolled his eyes and twisted his head to look at his and Angelus's childe. "Tell him it would be a close call."

"He's considering it sire." Luke flipped the cell phone shut.

Angel gave a slight shake of his head before closing the door. There was no way his brother would pass that offer up.

"I hope you can fight as well as I think you can Buffy," he told her quietly, "because if we do this... the games will be to the death, and we won't be facing minions."

She gave a sharp nod. "Bring it," she muttered before disappearing back into his rooms.

A knock came on the door a few hours later, and Angel answered it expectantly.

"He's agreed," the brunette informed quietly. "But there are certain prices to be paid."

"What are they? And tell him I don't want any surprises after we get there."

"He's talked to Master Nest..."

"Nest," Buffy broke in. "What does he have to do with anything?"

Angel turned to her with a frown. "He's my grandsire Buffy, and the head of Aurelius. Do you know him?"

"I've met him."

He studied her curiously. "And yet you're still alive."

"He killed me," she stated as she remembered how he dropped her into the puddle... how she weakly choked on water. How the waves of power seemed to roll off of him.

"Then how..."

"CPR. My friends were with me, and they brought me back."

"She's talking about a medical procedure," Luke spoke up. "Humans have come a long way since our time."

He nodded, still looking at her with a frown. "We'd wondered why there were suddenly 3 slayers. I guess that when you died..."

She nodded. "Another was called."

"So the watcher's council wouldn't have any way of knowing if you were dead or alive?" he asked thoughtfully.

She didn't reply, and he studied her before turning back to Luke. "What did my grandsire say?"

"He's interested in your proposition, and has agreed to your... requests in regard to the slayer."

"And the price to be paid?"

"Angelus will not expect you to kill or torture humans, but you will be expected to feed, be sociable, and sex will be required."

Angel was silent for a long moment. Angelus was pushing him... but not too hard. He glanced at Buffy and noticed she had paled. "Those are my requirements," he told her quietly before he turned to Luke. "Does she have any?"

Luke shook his head. "No. Your price will cover hers."

"Except for the possible chains and crowds of vampires she'll have to face." Angel turned back to look at her. "It's the best offer we'll get."

"And when it's over?" she asked uneasily.

He took a breath. "Luke... ask him again what it will take to free her."

The brunette murmured into the phone before looking at the pained expression on his sire's face speculatively and giving a shake of his head. "You can't. He says she'll be right back in your rooms after the games."

Angel dropped his eyes to the floor as relief ran through him, and silence fell again. "It's your choice," he said quietly. "Between Nest, Angelus, and me, you'll be well protected... at least physically, and at least right up until we step into the arena."

"And what makes you think I won't stake you?"

He slowly lifted his head. "The mage's spells are strong, but even without an incantation, I think you know I'm not really that dangerous."

She turned to Luke. "I'll need clothes and weapons... and if your mage is so strong then I want my own clothes and weapons," she threw the challenge out tauntingly, and totally missed Angel's faint smirk as his eyes narrowed. "Other than that, when do we leave?"

"Soon I'm sure," he answered, and watched as she headed back into his rooms before he walked over to Luke. "Make sure she gets *duplicates* of her clothes and weapons Luke. I think it might be best to leave the originals where they are."

Luke gave a slow knowing smile. Buffy wanted her watcher to know she was still alive, and Angel didn't. "Of course sire. She will never know the difference."

Angelus pulled away from the woman he was draining and watched as she fell dead at his feet. "Get rid of it," he told the minions as he turned to leave the room.

He climbed the stairs out of the basement before flipping his cell phone open and punching in Luke's number. "Is the mage there yet?" he asked after the call was answered.

"Not yet. He's supposed to be here at noon."

The brunette nodded as he gave a slow wicked grin. "I have to admit I'm looking forward to meeting her." He dropped on the sofa and put his feet on the coffee table.

"Sire..." Luke started quietly. "Ares really is interested in her. I'm fairly certain it would set him back years of progress if she were damaged."

"She's not going to be, at least not if he's as receptive to my commands as he was earlier." Angelus leaned back into the sofa thoughtfully. "If he is... well, nothing's going to happen to *our* slayer."

Luke smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

"As a matter of fact, I'd like to have you join us. It wouldn't hurt to have someone else around that knows the score." He hesitated, dropped his head back to look at the ceiling. "Just tell Penn to keep an eye on the lair."

"He won't be back until later tonight."

"Fine. I'll expect you here then."

"Yes, sire."

Angelus punched off the phone.

Buffy nervously shifted the gym bag on her shoulder as the mage chanted a spell... and found herself in a different room a moment later as a bout of disorientation ran through her. She rubbed at her forehead, shot Angel an irritated look. "Yeah... that's sooo much better than riding in a car."

He grinned and shrugged, and she rolled her eyes before looking over the room. It was a large bedroom with heavy wood furniture, a bathroom off to the left, a pristine vintage sofa to the right. She avoided looking at the bed, instead walking over to throw open one of the heavily shuttered windows, and grinned when she felt the sun for the first time in four days. The view threw her though, and she frowned and turned back to Angel... who had moved into the darkest corner of the room. "Oh." She turned back to partially close the shutter. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

"Um... this house is on the outskirts of town isn't it?"

"I've only been here once, but yeah, I think it is."

A knock came at the door, and he scowled before walking over to answer it. "Grandsire," he greeted. "Can I help you?"

"I'm here to visit you, my boy... You can let me in."

Angel opened the door wider, and Nest locked eyes on Buffy as he walked into the room. "It's very nice to see you again," he greeted politely even as he eyed the unshuttered window with a smirk. He looked back at Angel. "I can see we'll have to have a discussion with the mage about the shutters."

"She likes the sun," Angel answered with a shrug. "If she wants the shutters open, I don't have a problem with it."

Nest looked at him before moving to sit on the large bed. "I'm thirsty Ares."

Angel instantly walked over to offer his wrist, and the elder vampire bit into it as he stared at Buffy with gold eyes. She met them for a few seconds before uneasily looking away.

It took almost a couple of minutes before Angel collapsed to his knees, and Nest slowly released his arm before getting to his feet and reaching down to ruffle through his hair. "Thank you, Ares. That was more than sufficient."

"It was my pleasure."

"Of course I can't help but notice you didn't offer me your slayer."

Angel glanced at Buffy with a neutral expression. "I heal faster," he finally answered.

Nest smiled at her, before looking down at him. "Yes... we wouldn't want anything to happen to her. It's a shame though that we'll have to fight her with a glamour."

Angel glanced up. "Why?"

"She's been dead once. Why would we want Ripper to know she's still alive?"

"Would he?"

"You know how gossip works. Yes, a minion, or even Joseph might want to go to her watcher and rub it in a bit."

Angel glanced at her thoughtfully. He hadn't considered hiding her identity... In fact, he'd relished the thought of fighting at her side with the clans' full knowledge of what she was. "I hadn't thought... but it might make it safer for her," he agreed.

Nest smiled. "Angelus and I thought we could fight her as an unknown clan member... or maybe a claimed demon of some kind... and that might be the best way to do it since she feels more like a slayer than family."

"Thank you," Angel murmured.

"It's no problem my boy. Your brother and I are rather delighted in your newfound interest in our clan."

Angel glanced up at him, and Nest ruffled his hair once more before heading for the door. "If you'll excuse me now, I'll inform him of your arrival." He hesitated before turning back. "I believe he's almost done unloading the busload of humans... otherwise I'm certain he would have greeted you before now." He looked at Buffy before casting a long amused look at Angel. A moment later, he walked out the door and closed it firmly behind him.

Silence fell, and Buffy rubbed at her forehead before watching as Angel tried to get to his feet and collapsed back to the floor. "That was beyond disturbing," she stated as she looked at him with a scowl.

"We have a strict social order, Buffy. Nest is the head of our clan, considerably older than me, and is my grandsire... It's our instincts to respond to that with respect."

"So you're saying you don't have a choice?"

"No. I do... but unlike my sire, he's never wanted to dust me because..."

The door opened, and they both looked up as Angelus entered. He scowled at the unshuttered window before turning to look her over with gold flecked eyes.

"You didn't tell me you had a twin," she stated as she stared at the unsouled demon with an uneasy frown, and watched as his gaze abruptly lifted to hers before he gave a slow smirk.

"Didn't think it was important," Angel answered as he tried to get to his feet again only to fall back to the floor.

"I take it the master was thirsty?" Angelus asked before moving to offer his wrist.

"That's what he told me," Angel answered as he reached for his brother's arm. "I think it was more of a test than anything else though."

"I think you passed," Angelus stated with amusement a moment before Angel sank in his fangs. He looked back at Buffy. "So you're Joseph's slayer." He glanced over her again. "You know you're the reason I came to the games early."

She locked eyes with him. "Am I suppose to feel honored?"

He gave a soft laugh. "Am I? It seems like you showed up in my town about the same time I killed the L.A. slayer... and then you walked into my lair... Unless you're going to tell me that was a coincidence?"

"No. I wanted to dust the L.A. *master* that likes killing new slayers. That kind of makes you look like a coward in my book." Angel's eyes flew to hers as he released his brother's arm and slowly got to his feet.

"What can I say?" Angelus asked with a smirk and a shrug. "I have a taste for slayer blood... and since I've never had a source of it before..." he trailed off as his gaze slid over her meaningfully, "I've always had to kill to get it."

"What makes you think anything's changed?" she asked in a hard voice.

"Nothing has," Angel answered as he shot Angelus a cool look before looking back at her. "Will you be okay if I leave for a while?"

Angelus snorted, "I'm sure she'll manage." He glanced at his brother. "Especially since the only vampires that can come into this room are you, me, and our grandsire."

That information did little to comfort her, and more for herself than for them she gave a snort. "It's a family affair," she muttered with quiet unease.

Both of the twins looked at her, and she frowned as she studied them now that they were standing side by side. They were identical... and gorgeous, but her gaze centered on Angelus when he gave a twisted smile. "I can see you're starting to catch on Buff..."

Angel gave a quiet warning growl before opening the door and looking pointedly at his brother. "I think we need to talk." Angelus shot her a long appraising glance before turning to walk out of the room with Angel following.

Buffy took a deep breath and looked after them before cautiously opening the door they'd just walked through and trying to leave. She hit a barrier, and a moment later found herself looking at a bleached blonde that was watching with amusement. "Did you want something slayer?" he asked politely.

She slammed the door in his face before turning back to the room. A moment later, she was throwing open all of the shutters and flooding it with light. Deciding to take it as far as she could, she opened a window and felt a surge of hope when she was able to step out onto the roof. There was a barrier at the edge of it though, and she frowned with disappointment before looking at the roof above the one she was on. It was heavily sloped... and deciding that wasn't an option, she settled down to watch for cars on the lightly traveled road.

It was about half an hour later when all the windows and shutters slammed shut as the mage cast a spell to seal them. Buffy lifted an eyebrow before making herself more comfortable as the sun soaked into her.

"Pick one," Angelus ordered, and Angel shot him a hard look.

"For what?"

"For sex and draining."

"You said I wouldn't have to kill."

"You won't," Angelus stated pointedly.

"You're not going to kill her," Angel answered. "Feeding's fine, but not draining."

Angelus's eyes sparked with amusement. "Alright," he agreed as he watched his brother turn back to look at the humans, wave a hand in front of a middle aged woman's face, she didn't respond, and Angel turned back to him.

"Is that a spell or are they drugged?"

"Both," he answered before walking over to a brunette. "Drugs with a spell to make sure they don't come out from under the influence too soon." He shifted a hand to a curved hip before turning back to his brother. "It doesn't affect their blood, and they come out of it after a few hours."

Angel rubbed at the back of his neck before looking back up to glance over the humans again. A blonde a few feet away got his attention and he walked over to her. "This one's nice," he murmured as he reached up to lightly slide fingers over her cheek, sift them through her hair before reaching for her chained wrist.

"I think so too," Angelus agreed as he looked her over before turning to lead the way out of the basement. "Funny how that works, isn't it?"

Angel hesitated a moment after freeing her, rubbed at his forehead before shifting an arm around her back and urging her to follow.

Fifty minutes later the three of them were laying in a heap on the bed, the blonde panting heavily between them, and Angel rolled to his feet. "You're not killing her," he growled when he noticed his brother still had fangs in her throat.

Angelus pulled away with a smirk, and Angel took a moment to look into his triumphant eyes before gathering his clothes off the floor and heading into the bathroom for a shower.

It was a couple of hours after that when a minion stopped in front of Spike and held out a large warm thermos. "The master wanted me to give this to you. He said you'd know who it was for."

Spike nodded and took it. From the few seconds he'd gotten a look at her, he'd liked what he saw. Of course, she hadn't made another appearance and he was looking forward to seeing her again. He knocked before pushing the door open when she didn't answer. "Buff," he called. There were no sounds in the dark room, and he looked it over with a frown before trying to listen for a heartbeat. He panicked when he couldn't hear one.

Angel studied the girl hitting on his brother before taking a sip of blood and looking over the well kept victorian house they were in.

"Ares... it's been a while."

He glanced up and smiled at Mr. Trick. "Too long," he agreed as they shook hands.

"Where have you been?"

"Here and there," he replied before shrugging. "When I found out where the games were, I thought I'd pay a visit."

Trick laughed. "It wouldn't have anything to do with a 3 year old slayer would it?"

"Maybe," Angel's grin reached his eyes.

Trick shook his head. "Some of us have looked for her, but," he shrugged, "sadly haven't found her. I'd think if anyone had already bagged her though they'd be bragging about it." He paused. "Joseph thinks she's hiding, and if she is, I suppose it's purely for self preservation. I mean, a slayer in this town is as good as dead if she shows herself."

Angel's eyes glittered. "I suppose so, but could you imagine putting her in the games?"

Trick looked at him with interest. "That would be delicious, but it might be difficult to take her alive."

Angel nodded before finishing his blood and looking up as his brother swung over to his side.

"Do not even *look* at that woman," Angelus hissed quietly.

Trick laughed and watched as the woman in question walked away in a huff, her crocheted lace dress dragging across the floor behind her. "What? You guys can't handle Harmony?"

They both turned to him with frowns, and he shook his head. "She'll be back you know. You should just give in and do her. It would get her off your backs... well it would if you did it right."

Angelus snorted and Angel's eyes sparked with amusement before he shook his head. "She's way out of my league. You or Angelus on the other hand, might be a little more her style.

Trick held up his hands.

"Angelus," Spike broke in and paused when all eyes turned to him. "We've got a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Angel hissed and watched suspiciously as the bleached blonde turned to him nervously. "A possible... disappearance... grandsire."

Angelus stared at him with gold eyes before turning back to Trick. "We really need to take care of this. If you'll excuse us?"

Trick nodded. "Sure, but you guys should look me up sometime, and we can go slayer hunting."

"Oh looking for her is a given," Angelus stated before beginning to follow Angel who had knotted a fist into Spike's shirt and was dragging him out of the room.

The minute they entered the underground tunnel, Angel turned to Spike dangerously. "Tell me it's not Buffy that's disappeared."

Spike swallowed uneasily. "No one went in after you left, and I can't get into the room... She tried to get out once, but the boundary stopped her." He shook his head. "I can't hear her heartbeat."

Angel slammed him against the side of the sewer before heading back toward his clan's lair.

"Spike," Angelus growled as he moved to follow his brother and the bleached blonde fell in at his side. "If she's gone... You're going to spend *days* in the dungeons."

"She couldn't leave grandsire... and no one went in."

"But you can't hear her heartbeat," Angelus mimicked angrily.

"No," Spike agreed quietly as they moved quickly through the tunnels.

The door was already open when they arrived, and the room was quiet and dark. Angel stepped inside and looked it over with gold eyes before quickly moving to look through the closet as Angelus stepped into the bathroom. Silence fell, and the twins slowly turned to face each other. "Spike," Angelus hissed. "Call the mage. I want him here *now*."

Angel watched Spike for a moment before looking the room over again with a frown. Buffy's gym bag was still on the floor and nothing looked out of place. He reached for a shutter before drawing his hand back. It was still daylight. His eyes narrowed before he took a breath. "Ripper," he murmured. "He's a little less straight laced than most watchers isn't he?"

"From what I've heard," Angelus agreed cautiously.

"So it's possible we were outsmarted, and she's with him now?"

"It's possible."

"Master Nest wouldn't have..."

"I don't think so."

Angel took a threatening step toward him. "And you wouldn't have done anything to her would you?"

"Not behind your back," Angelus told him with a slight shake of his head.

Angel studied him before they both turned as the mage appeared in the room. "You wanted to speak to me?" he questioned.

"Yes," Angel answered as he took a couple of steps toward him. "What exactly was the spell you performed on this room?"

The mage frowned. "The slayer can't leave it. The only clan members allowed in are you, Angelus, and Master Nest." He paused. "The master contacted me three hours ago about locking the shutters, and I accommodated him."

"Could another spell have gotten her out?" Angelus asked.

"No. If someone had freed her, they would have had to break my spell, and it's still intact."

"If it's intact," Angel asked dangerously, "then where is she?"

The mage frowned before murmuring a spell, and they all watched as a light grew in his hand. It flew through the air a moment later and out through a shuttered window. Alton stepped forward and took a moment to look back at them. "It's daylight," he stated, and they shifted back into darker shadows. He opened the shutter and looked out, smiled when he saw her. "Hello Slayer," he greeted. "You caused quite a stir."

Buffy stared at him with annoyance before finding herself sitting on the sofa a second later, the windows once again shuttered against the light. She was up in an instant and moving to throw open the shutters before scowling when she couldn't.

"I am sorry," Alton stated. "I locked her into the room... but my spell evidently allowed her to step onto the roof. When the master asked me to lock the shutters closed, she was locked out."

"It's fine," Angelus murmured as he watched her glare at the mage.

"Allow her to unshutter one window," Angel ordered. "And allow her to go onto the roof."

The mage turned to Angelus, and he nodded. A moment later, the shutter and window she was near opened.

"Uh Buffy," Angel started, "we need to talk. You can be fought as a childe, or as a captured demon. If it's a childe you'd have status, but would have to socialize. If we fight you as a claimed demon, you'd have to show your..." he hesitated not wanting to use the word 'obedience', "loyalty... by kneeling to Nest before the games. You wouldn't have to socialize that way, but there would be chains. Either way, I won't leave your side."

"Or you could turn me loose, and let me kill as many of you as I can."

"It would be suicide," he stated quietly. "I think we'd better stick with fighting in the arena." He ran a hand through his hair. "If you want to go as a demon, we might not have to use chains."

"Yes, we would," Angelus disagreed. "If we didn't, they might take it as a sign they could be more aggressive with her than chains would allow."

"Well they would quickly learn they'd made a mistake," Angel answered firmly.

Angelus smiled at his brother before looking back at Buffy. "Let's fight her as a childe."

"And she can socialize with killers and watch humans die..." Angel stated tightly.

"Yes, but she can't fight outside of the arena... and we can keep her out of the basement and away from most of the deaths."

Angel rubbed at his forehead. "Or we can go back to L.A. and forget all of this." He turned to her. "It's up to you Buffy."

She looked at him with resignation. "I came to dust vampires, and I intend to. I'll fight as what I am, but I will not give my loyalty to Nest."

"It doesn't work that way," Angelus told her. "In order to fight in clan games you need to show loyalty to the clan. You have to show you belong to it."

"I'll give my loyalty to Angel," she stated quietly and frowned when she saw gold sparks flare in his eyes as he smiled at her.

"And I'll give mine to Nest," he murmured easily.

Angelus scowled before shooting an irritated glance at his brother. A moment later, he turned to the mage. "We'll need a glamour." He suddenly laughed. "Let's make her a siren."

Angel snorted, shot him a look, and Angelus studied him with amusement. "What's wrong with it?" He turned back to look at Buffy thoughtfully. "I mean, sirens are strong... and extremely rare, as are 3 year old slayers... And it would explain why she's pledging her loyalty to you rather than our clan."

Silence fell for several seconds, and Buffy glanced up at the twins. She didn't care what she fought as, as long as she didn't have to give her loyalty to Nest. "A siren's fine," she finally answered.

Angel rubbed at the back of his neck, and Angelus's eyes burned into her with gold sparks before he looked at the mage. "We'll need a glamour. She'll have to have pale green skin and dark eyes..." he broke off and looked at his brother. "What do you think about a brunette with a *lot* of curves... maybe even extra large breasts?"

Angel rolled his eyes and looked at the mage. "Small changes to her body and face... just enough that no one recognizes her... Make her a brunette."

"And don't forget the cuffs," Angelus murmured, "delicate gold ones that she doesn't stand a chance of breaking free from." The mage threw out his hand. Reality wavered, and Angel frowned at the girl in front of him. "I don't want the glamour to affect me," he stated.

"Or me," Angelus added.

The mage waved a hand, and Buffy looked like herself again. "Are you done?" she asked coolly as her gaze slid to the thin handcuffs laying on the table with a frown.

"No," Angel murmured with a faint smile. "Why don't you let Alton fix you something to eat."

She looked at him with surprise before looking at the spell caster. "Um... maybe stew, and a refrigerator with some cookie dough ice cream in it."

He waved a hand, and Buffy glanced at the large bowl of food before looking over to where the little refrigerator hummed. "Thanks. I was getting hungry."

They all watched as she picked up the bowl and disappeared back out into the sunlight.

"Are we done?" Alton asked.

"Yes," Angel answered.

Angelus nodded, and the mage disappeared.

Buffy watched as the last light faded from the sky before glancing up when one of the twins came out to sit beside her. "Angel?"

"Yeah."

She snorted. "Well, you can never be sure."

He grinned. "Angelus wears a lot more leather than I do."

"Yeah... I noticed."

He glanced at her. "I used to wear leather, back in the 1800s... If you like the look, I'm willing to go back to it."

She shot him a look, and he shrugged. "If you're going to pledge loyalty to me, the least I can do is wear something you approve of."

She rolled her eyes. "You just want my blood."

"Am I getting closer to getting it?"

"No. And do you have any idea how gross that is?"

He laughed quietly. "And just how good is your pledge of loyalty if you're willing to let me starve to death?"

She shifted uneasily. "You're not starving to death."

"Not now, but the games only last a few days."

"You'll have to talk to Angelus about getting your blood donors back. It seems like he's agreeable to about anything you suggest."

"No, I'm not." They both turned to see Angelus leaning against the window frame. He smirked at Angel before looking at Buffy with sparkling gold eyes. "We've got about an hour until the games start, and I thought you might be interested in a little sparring match while we wait."

Angel nodded thoughtfully. "I have to admit I'm curious to see what she can do against something that's not a minion. He glanced at her and noticed the look she was giving him before his eyes glinted with amusement. "You wouldn't try to dust me would you Buff?"

"I might have forgotten to mention it, but the spell on her forbids her from dusting anyone from Aurelius, whether she's in the arena or not."

"That figures," Buffy muttered as she stood up and headed back into the room. "As for a sparring session, I don't fight on demand... Let me know when there's something I can kill." She grabbed the gym bag holding her clothes before locking herself in the bathroom.

About forty minutes later, Buffy stepped out of the small room dressed in black jeans and a black long sleeved shirt with a short zipper at the throat. She barely glanced at the 3 vampires watching as she strapped her sword on her back before turning to them when she was done. "Are you ready?"

Angelus's gaze slid over her before he motioned to the chains on the table. "Are you?"

She looked uneasily at the cuffs before Angel picked them up and walked over to her. He shrugged when she gave him a look. "They're just for show."

She took a breath before slowly reaching her arms out, and he snapped them on her wrists. "Very nice," Nest approved. Buffy looked at him. She'd known... She'd even chosen what she would be, but she wasn't prepared for it, even though logically she knew she couldn't dust them anyway. "Whose idea was it for her to be a siren?" Nest asked.

Angel rolled his eyes. "Angelus's."

"Well since her pledge will be to Ares instead of the clan, I thought it might be fitting."

"Yes, but sirens need to be touched. You do realize she'll have to act the part don't you?"

"What part?" Buffy asked uneasily.

"Surely they won't be watching that closely," Angel murmured.

"Oh, but they will," Nest informed with a hint of agitation. "And it will be my reputation on the line if they find out we're deceiving them." He turned to Angelus. "I want you to get on that... contraption you have and call the mage."

"Yes grandsire," Angelus quickly left the room, and Nest followed him. Angel followed less than a minute after that.

When they came back, she couldn't help but notice Angelus and Nest's smiles, and Angel's unreadable expression.

She wanted a stake in her hand when Angelus motioned her toward the door. "After you," he murmured.