4 Months Later

The Bronze

"She burns friends like a piece of wood

And she's jealous of me because she never could

Hold herself up without a spine

And she'll look me up when she's doing fine"

A white strobe light flickered to the fast paced rhythm. Euro techno music effortlessly pounded through the nightclub speakers and quaked the walls.

Dancing on the dance floor, Buffy and Faith gyrated to the music. Their arms in the air as their hips swayed.

Three attractive men surrounded the women. They placed their hands onto their hips in an effort to turn the attractive women's attention onto them.

Faith opened her eyes to see two men gaining the vampiresses attention as she began to dance with them.

Swiftly, Faith cut in-between the two men and took Buffy's hands, holding them above their heads. She brought Buffy close enough to breathe in the blonde's floral perfume, which intoxicated the Slayer's senses.

Needing a break from the dancing, Buffy leaned closer to Faith's ear and shouted over the electronic music. "I'm gonna take a break!"

"You sure?" Faith shouted back.

"Have fun!" Buffy smiled at the dark haired Slayer, who was now surrounded by all three men once Buffy maneuvered herself around the crowd to step off of the dance floor.

Her eyes were lowered to the ground as she smiled to herself at the genuine fun she was having. Dancing at the nightclub before patrolling had become a sort of routine with Faith.

Rolling her eyes at the sudden realisation of how much had changed in nearly three years. Buffy sometimes felt everything she had done in the last three hundred and thirty-five years was simply just a dream. None of it ever happened but in her head or in some very imaginative novel.

Distracted by her mind, Buffy failed to see the solid mass standing right in her path to the table.

She walked straight into the solid mass and bit back a startled gasp as her head snapped up to see who she had walked into.

Buffy's eyes widened with shock. "Angel?"

"Buffy." He said her name in his usual velvet way that never failed to send a shiver straight down her spine.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, holding her arms around herself.

"Am I not allowed in Sunnydale anymore?" Angelus' voice held a snarky undertone.

Buffy frowned, "What?—No, of course you're 'allowed in Sunnydale'. It's just I didn't know you were coming since I haven't heard from you in two years."

"You sound mad." He observed but his tone was challenging. "I'm giving you space. That's what you wanted, right?"

"Yes, that's what I want." Buffy felt uncomfortable at how strange and awkward this conversation with her mate was going. It never used to be this hard. "I just didn't anticipate you being so good at it."

"Wait, I'm confused. Are you mad at me for being around or for not being around enough?" asked Angelus, with thinning patience.

"Duh. Yes." Buffy cryptically answered.

Angelus' brows furrowed with confusion. "Which?"

"What?" Buffy frowned.

"I don't get you," said Angelus, holding his hands on his hips.

Dropping her arms, Buffy pursed her lips together and began to move around Angelus, heading towards the table. "No, you don't. Not anymore."

Following her, Angelus stepped around to stop her. "Are you just making this harder to make this easier on yourself?" He asked.

"Could we stop with the brain-teasers? I just wish it was over. Done."

"Done?"

She turned her green eyes to his face. "You know what I mean."

"No, I don't think I do. Done, as in 'for good'?"

Buffy released a sigh. "Angel—"

"—I'll get out of your face." Angelus began to turn away when he suddenly whirled back around to her and asked with rising anger, "Isn't it even a little hard for you?"

Taken back by his question, Buffy looked at him. "How can you ask me that? Just because I'm not acting like a brat doesn't mean I don't feel—"

"—Is that what you think of me?" Angelus shouted in her face, gaining some attention from the club goers standing around them.

"What do you expect me to say when you just attack?" Angrily asked Buffy. "I can't do this anymore. I can't have you in my life when I'm trying to—"

"—Yeah, I know what you're trying to do. How is Lucifer by the way?" Angelus sneered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Frustrated and hurt with guilt over Lucifer, Buffy scowled. "Oh, you're one to talk. I can't beli—"

A beautiful young blonde haired woman with blue eyes approached the estranged mates.

The strange woman wrapped a hand around Angelus' arm, instantly gaining the arguing mate's attention.

"—This place is fun." Nina interrupted the vampiress and smiled at her. "Hi."

Shooting daggers at the woman that had been sleeping with her mate. "Hi," Buffy said slowly, with forced politeness. She released a scoff and shook her head realising who this woman was on Angelus' arm.

"I'm Nina," she announced, holding out her hand for Buffy to shake.

Cocking a high brow, Buffy looked at Angelus with annoyance. "A very nice attempt at making me jealous. Now, I really have to go." Buffy reached around Angelus to the table she and Faith had been sitting at for her black leather trench coat.

Angelus glared at Buffy.

As Buffy put on the coat and pulled out her long hair from under the collar, Buffy caught a whiff of Nina's werewolf scent and sneered with disgust. Buffy faced her mate's lover, "Nina, right? A word of advice, beware of the Slayer. She has a thing against werewolves." Buffy glanced over to Angelus wearing a dark hinting smile across her face. "It would be a real shame to see you as roadkill." Buffy turned away.

Angelus reached out, catching Buffy by her elbow and spun her around to face him. "Buf, it's not what you think."

Ripping her arm from his grasp, she shook her head, "No, I'm pretty sure it's exactly what I think. Is this what we're doing now?" She gestured towards Nina. "Seeing other people?"

Angelus does not reply.

"Is it serious?" asked Buffy. As an attempt to hide her vulnerability, Buffy shifted her gaze to Nina standing in the background waiting patiently for Angelus' return.

"No," he answered, then caught the look on Buffy's face, that made him sigh with a shrug. She knew that he was lying. Of course, she did, Buffy knew him the best. "I don't know…"

For a moment, Buffy stood quietly, letting the new information process in her mind. "Okay," she said, coming to terms with their new relationship standings.

"Okay?" Angelus frowned, with confusion. He had been anticipating a much bigger and dramatic reaction from his mate.

Buffy shrugged. "Yeah, 'okay'. What would you like me to say?"

"I don't know more than just 'okay'. You find out after two hundred plus years of being with you, I've been seeing other women and all you say is 'okay'?"

Frustrated, Buffy dropped her arms at her sides and said, "I don't know what else to say. I had more to say after Spike told me but…" she disparagingly shrugged. "You've been with this… werewolf and seeing God knows how many other women for the last two years and you want me to what?—Have a total meltdown?" Buffy asked, not expecting him to reply. "I mean… are you upset because I'm not upset? Are you upset that I am upset? Are you upset that I'm not upset enough?"

Angelus scowled, angered that she was seemingly unscathed by this revelation. He would freely admit that he had come back to Sunnydale with the intention of hurting his mate. He wanted to hurt her as she had hurt him. Angelus wanted to watch her break down into a flood of tears and beg him to take her back.

Buffy could see his visible frustration of her lack of response. "Angel, we're separated—Well, as much as you can be separated as mates… What am I supposed to do? Spend the rest of my life feeling miserable about the way things ended between us?"

"Yes," Angelus said with agitation.

For a moment, a small smile tugged at Buffy's mouth. "I'm sorry I'm not dashed into a thousand pieces anymore. We broke up, Angel. You left. I knew it was only a matter of time until you moved on. I don't know what else to say. Life goes on, no matter how ungratifying that may be to your male ego."

"This isn't about my ego, Buffy," Angelus said, through gritted teeth.

"Really? 'Cause it certainly seems like it." Buffy huffed. "Angel, I love you, you know I do but you and I together—with… everything between us... It just wouldn't work, honey."

Trying his damndest to hide his hurt, Angelus grew angier.

"Listen," Buffy began, "I really have to go. I promised Faith I'd patrol with her. Stay away from Restfield Cemetery."

Angelus hated the feeling of pain Buffy's departure left him with. It was as if she was breaking up with him all over again.

Swallowing the humane feeling of agonising pain of the lover's loss, Angelus masked it with ferocious anger.

Buffy paused mid-step and slowly turned back to him. "It hurts," said Buffy.

Angelus lifted his gaze to meet hers.

Buffy continued, "It hurts so much that I feel like I'm being stabbed with a thousand red hot pokers. Seeing you… even for 5 minutes... Hello to the pain." She lowered his gaze and slipped in the release of a soft unneeded breath, Buffy whispered, "I miss you."

Fully alert, Angelus looked at her, thinking that he must have misheard her. He wanted to question her, when they were interrupted, yet again.

Faith appeared at Buffy's side, looping her arm around the vampiress. Smugly smirking at the vampire, Faith coolly said, "Don't worry, big guy. Just keeping her warm for you." She winked at the vampire and walked away with her arm still around Buffy's.

Angelus' dark gaze was latched onto Buffy, watching her walk away from him once more. He felt the imaginary stake impale his heart. Scornfully, Angelus swallowed his sorrow and replaced it with fury.

Restfield Cemetery

Falling flat onto her back with a hard thud, Buffy winces at the pain and regathers herself to get back onto her feet.

The vampire growled, flashing his fanged teeth and swung his arm in a mean right hook that was easily blocked by Buffy. She grabs onto his shoulder and flips him forward. The vampire lands hard on his back.

The vampire gets back onto his feet. Taking advantage of the vampire's dizzying state, Buffy does a full spin toward him and jams the stake in her hand into the vampire's chest. The vampire bursts into ashes.

Brushing the dust off of the sleeves of her leather coat, Buffy looked over at Faith, still fighting the other vampire that had attacked the pair.

Attacking her assailant, Faith leaps into a log roll in midair and comes down hard on him with her knee digging into his back, shoving him into the grassy ground. The Vampire Slayer raises thestake and plunges it into the vampire's back, dusting him instantly.

Faith stands upright and steps up and steps over to meet up with Buffy.

Stretching her arms over her head a bit sore from the vampire's nasty punch, Faith looked at Buffy and asked, "So, Angelus is back in town?"

Remaining focused on the patrol at hand, Buffy kept her eyes concentrated in the darkness, carefully investigating each shadow. "Uh, yeah, I guess," she said, obviously distracted.

Faith came to a full-stop and glared at the vampiress' back. She crossed her arms over her chest.

Buffy released a heavy huff and turned to the Vampire Slayer. "What?"

"I don't know…" shrugged Faith, "you just seem…"

Buffy held up her hand, halting whatever Faith had to say after hearing a crunch of leaves in the distance. Frozen in place, Buffy silently looked around, waiting for the anticipated jump attack.

After a minute, Buffy relaxed and shrugged, "Trash can. From a distance it looked kinda—"

"—Weird," said Faith.

"No," Buffy began to shake her head then continued to say, "I-I was gonna say brown, squat, shadowy…"

A small smile tugged at Faith's lips. "Nah, B, I'm saying that you're acting weird."

"Why?—'Cause I'm not huddled in the corner crying?"

Shrugging, Faith looked at the blonde. "Yeah, I guess… I just wasn't expecting this," she gestured to Buffy moving her hand up and down.

"This?" Buffy frowned, unsure what Faith was trying to say.

"Yeah." Faith found it odd of Buffy's lack of response towards everything that has happened in the last two hours. "B, the guy that you spent two centuries with is back and is apparently porking someone else."

Wearing a tight-lipped smile across her face, Buffy said with force politeness, "Thank you, for that reminder. Faith, do me a favour, don't talk about Angel."

"You need to get even," said Faith falling into step with the vampiress.

"Get even?" asked Buffy with interest.

Faith shrugged, "Yeah, you need to find someone to unwind you."

"I don't need unwinding," said Buffy, feeling very defensive.

Laughing, Faith looked at Buffy with a widening smile, "Oh, yes, you do, B. Ever since you got your soul, you've been so tightly wound—all work and no fun Buffy. Was this what you were like before becoming a vampire?" Buffy rolled her eyes at the Vampire Slayer. "You need to find someone to get your rocks off." Faith nudged her elbow into Buffy's side.

"Who will I find to get my rocks off?" Buffy cringed with realisation. "I really just said that, didn't I?"

"B," Buffy turned her gaze to the dark haired Slayer, "you're not gonna have any trouble finding someone to help you scratch that itch." Faith smirked, finding the embarrassed look on Buffy's face quite adorable. "I mean, I'm sorry," Faith's voice grew low and husky, "it's just, all this sweating-nightly, side-by-side action, and you never put in for a little after-hours, uhh?" She thrusts her pelvis forward with a grunt.

Brows furrowed, Buffy said with sarcasm, "Thanks for the poetry."

Faith took a step closer to the vampiress. "For a hot vamp with wicked power, you think too much."

Faith turned away to walk on through the cemetery when Buffy reached out, grabbing Faith by her elbow. Slowly, Faith turned back to the blonde, her eyes on Buffy's hand wrapped around her arm. "Hey," said Buffy.

Frowning, Faith followed Buffy's gaze into the darkness, unable to see what the vampiress was seeing.

"There's something there."

"How do you know?" Faith turned her gaze back to the darkness.

Buffy removed her hand from around Faith's arm and began to slowly walk towards the darkness. "I think too much." Buffy noticed a track of footprints which lead behind a mausoleum. Quietly, Buffy leaned closer to Buffy and whispered, "Okay. Count of three. One…"

Faith jumped ahead and rounded the mausoleum.

Frowning with confusion, the vampire that had been stalking them was not there.

Suddenly, the vampire charges at the Vampire Slayer.

"Three," said Buffy, disapprovingly watching the fight between the vampire and Slayer.

Faith raises her leg to kick the vampire when the vampire catches her leg right before it connects with his head. He then grabs her shoulder, spins halfway around and throws her against the mausoleum wall.

Wincing in pain, Faith hits the ground hard but immediately starts to get back up.

Buffy swiftly moves around the vampire and Slayer in order to catch the demon from behind as he looks down at Faith.

The vampire hears Buffy coming. He spun around to see her. Buffy stops in her tracks, holding her stake up in her hand. The vampire attacks the vampiress.

Buffy blocks the attack with her left arm, grabs his left arm with her right hand, grabs his right arm with her left hand and brings both of his arms down hard. She punches him in the head and follows up her attack with a double roundhouse kick with alternating legs.

The vampire gains the upper hand and grabs Buffy by the shoulders and tries to get in closer for a bite. She struggles to keep him at bay.

Finally, Faith runs up behind the vampire and jammed the stake in her hand into his back.

The vampire threw another punch straight into Buffy's face, forcing her to stagger backwards as he crumbled into ashes.

Grinning, Faith approached the vampiress, who was leaning against the mausoleum.

Faith raises her hand for a high five. "Nicely diverted, B!" She stopped mid-step when Buffy didn't return the gesture.

"Diverted? That was me fighting for my life, Miss Attention Span."

Sighing heavily, Faith began to turn away. "This isn't a Tupperware Party. It's a little hard to plan."

Buffy caught up with the Slayer and said, "The count of three isn't a plan. It's Sesame Street."

Faith turned to the blonde. "Hey, they're toast and we're here, so it couldn't have been too bad, right?" She checked her sore arm. "Besides, why should I let you take all the fun out of it?" Faith asked.

"Oh, that would be tragic, taking the fun out of slaying, stabbing, beheading," sarcasm seeped into Buffy's words.

"Oh, like you don't dig it."

"I don't," said Buffy, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're a liar. I've seen you. You love having that power. Tell me staking a vamp doesn't get you a little bit juiced. Come on, say it." A slinky smile tugged at Faith's lips.

After a minute, Buffy failed to hide the twitching smile. She looked down at her booted feet as an attempt to hide it from the Slayer.

"You can't fool me," said Faith with a widening smile, as she walked closer to the vampiress. "The look in your eyes right after a kill, you just get hungry for more."

Buffy lifted her chin to see Faith take another step towards her.

Taking a step backwards, Buffy swallowed as Faith kept moving towards her, until her back pressed against the mausoleum.

Shaking her head, Buffy denied the Vampire Slayer. "You're way off base."

"Tell me that if you don't get in a good slaying, after a while, you just start itching for some vamp to show up so you can give him a good, uhh!" Faith punched her fist with a grunt.

Cocking a high brow, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Again with the grunting. You realise I'm not comfortable with this."

"Hey, slaying's what we were built for. If you're not enjoying it, you're doing something wrong." Faith drew herself closer to the vampiress.

"I'm not a Slayer."

Lifting her gaze from Buffy's heart-shaped lips, Faith smirked and leaned on the mausoleum with her hand by Buffy's head. "Then it's what I'm built for and you… you just love the kill. It gets you hot." Her voice was low and seductive as she leaned in close.

Buffy's cool skin felt warm by Faith's breath hitting face.

Inches from Buffy's mouth, Faith watched the vampiress lips gently part, enticing her to kiss.

The scent of attraction was overwhelming as it hit Buffy's nostrils.

"Faith…" she whispered the Slayer's name.

Disappointed, Faith released a heavy sigh and stood up straight as she removed her hand from the mausoleum wall. "Okay."

"I'm sorry," said Buffy, watching Faith turn away from her.

Masking her disappointment, Faith turned to the blonde and wrung her hands together, feeling embarrassed. It had taken Faith nearly two years to make a move on the vampiress and when she did, Buffy turned her down. The sting of it hurt like hell, but Faith told herself to 'give it time'.

"Don't be," she brushed off. "C'mon, B, let's go find more baddies."

Buffy had always known Faith's attraction and apparent feelings towards her. As the months went on—especially after regaining her human soul, Faith's desires towards her became more much obvious.

Releasing an unneeded breath, Buffy fell into step with the Vampire Slayer and headed further into the dark cemetery.

Just let go, Buffy told herself.

"Faith." Buffy grabbed Faith's arm, forcing her to stop.

The air caught in Faith's throat as her heart skipped a beat. She doesn't react. All that Faith could do was look at her, really look at her. Buffy's slender frame. Her petite stature. Her light makeup that only seemed to accentuate her beauty. Lit with the moonlight, her eyes were a rich emerald green that stole your breath while looking through your soul. Her hair was like silk that tumbled down her back in thick golden locks. Her hands were strong yet at the same time gentle. They had killed violently and caressed sentimentally. And her mouth… oh, how Faith wanted to kiss that mouth.

Buffy pulled the Vampire Slayer close and covered her mouth with her own.

Faith's toes curled in her boots as Buffy's tongue licked over her lips and then slipped into her mouth.

Like Faith had done to Buffy only a minute before, it was Buffy that pushed the Slayer up against the mausoleum wall. Faith loved the way her small body melted into her own. The way their lips fit like two puzzle pieces. The way she relented as Faith played with her hair and held her tightly.

Faith knew that Buffy was in some ways retaliating against Angelus. She wouldn't love Faith back, and Faith didn't care. She couldn't resist the beautiful vampire.

Faith deepened the kiss.

When Buffy kissed her and the world fell away. It was forceful but soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. Buffy's hand rested below Faith's ear, her thumb caressing the Slayer's cheek.

Faith ran her fingers down Buffy's spine, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them. Buffy listened to Faith's beating heart. The scent of her arousal was overwhelming and it intoxicated her powerful senses.

Staring deep into Faith's dark eyes, Buffy's hands slowly slid to the front of the Slayer's dark jeans and unfastened the front of them.

Wearing a dark sultry smile across her face, Faith had recognised that look from Buffy's 'soulless days'. The vampiress slid her hand into the front of Faith's jeans.

Buffy softly smiled when her fingers caressed Faith's wet center, pleading to be touched.

Inserting her two fingers into Faith's cunt, Buffy smiled as the Slayer released a hitched breath that seeped into her moan.

With Buffy's other hand, she cupped Faith's cheek, tilting her head slightly to the right. Faith's fingers dug into Buffy's shoulders as Buffy seductively ran her tongue over the soft skin of Faith's neck. Buffy could feel the blood pumping in the Slayer's body and suppressed the animalistic urges to give in to her demon and fill her cold dead body with the Vampire Slayer's blood.

Lifting her head from Faith's neck, Buffy kissed Faith's mouth, sucking on her bottom lip and entangling their tongues together.

Later

Crawford Street Mansion: Master Bedroom

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Buffy rubbed the fragrant scent of melon, peach, jasmine, and sandalwood lotion onto her arms as she readied for bed.

Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders and down her back. She unbuttoned the first two buttons of the oversized dress shirt Angelus had left in one of the drawers.

She frequently slept in his shirt, wanting a piece of him to surround her always.

Releasing an unneeded breath, Buffy thought back to Faith. After what they had done in the cemetery, Buffy thought she would be riddled with guilt. And she was—partly.

She felt guilty for her inability to return Faith's affections. But Buffy couldn't deny that she didn't want the Vampire Slayer. For years there had been this flickering flame between them that begged to be ignited into a blazing fire.

Faith had been right. She was certainly able to scratch that itch inside Buffy. Faith was a passionate and an exceptionally fun lover. But Buffy couldn't give the Slayer anymore than this one vehement night.

Buffy's mind then wandered back further to Lucifer. Perhaps she was missing something entirely with him. For all of the lovers she has had during her long years walking this earth—besides Angelus, Lucifer provoked a passion in her that was familiar and desperate. Just like Angelus, the Devil understood her and he very much wanted her.

Without a single doubt Buffy believed that she'd be perfectly happy with the fallen angel. She would rule Hell at his side and it would be glorious.

Lucifer had said that he would wait for her. Was there something she was unaware of? Would they be together some time in the near or far away future?

Perhaps it was time to truly move on and let go of Angelus.

Perhaps she was only setting herself up for more heartache—

The door slammed shut!

Buffy snapped from her thoughts when she heard the sound of the front door.

Jumping onto her bare feet, Buffy reached for the sword, propped against the door and quietly stepped out of the bedroom.

Suddenly, wishing that she had put on pants, Buffy continued to quietly walk through the mansion, avoiding the creaks and squeaks of floorboards.

Main Room

As Buffy carefully walked down the wooden steps, she immediately recognised the board shouldered shadow looming in the darkness of the main room of the large mansion.

Relaxing, Buffy casually walked down the rest of the way on the steps gaining Angelus' attention as she approached him.

He faced her fully and ran his dark brown eyes over. Unconsciously licking his lips at the sight of her golden smooth legs. Angelus lifted his gaze to her face.

"Angel, it's nearly sunrise. What are you doing here?" She asked, placing the sword aside and folded her arms across her chest.

"What did you mean when you said that?" Angelus asked, clenching his jaw unable to get her words said at the Bronze out of his mind.

"When I said what?"

"That you missed me," answered Angelus.

Buffy let out a needless breath and said, "Exactly what I said. I've missed you."

Taking a step closer to her, Angelus pushed the subject. "What does that mean, Buf?"

Unsure what to tell him, Buffy shrugged and pushed her hair from her face. "It means that I've missed you. It means that no matter what we are, I will always love you."

"What are we, Buf?"

"I don't know." Buffy said, growing frustrated by this conversation that was forcing her to confront her feelings she had been bottling up for years now. "I don't know what we are anymore. It's been exhausting trying to figure it out."

Angelus stared at her, wanting her to keep talking.

Buffy relented and said, "You're in Sunnydale… with another woman. And I… I slept with Samael and... " she couldn't bring herself to list anymore of her recent lovers as she watched Angelus' handsome face twist with anger and pain. "How on earth did we get here?" Buffy took a step back and sat down on the arm of the couch.

"I'm pretty sure all of this began with your soul and my jealousy towards your lover." Angelus said, standing in front of her.

Buffy smiled softly at his lightheartedness then turned her gaze away. "I'm still really uncertain about… almost everything nowadays but what I do know—more than ever before, I know how much I love you." She lifted her head to look up at him. "I can feel it. I mean, I can really feel it. I don't want to stop you, Angel."

Angelus watched her jump to her feet and begin to pace back and forth.

She whirled around to face him. "I don't want to stop you from doing anything and I don't wanna change you. I know who you are—I know your demon and I accept it. There is so much water under this bridge but I… I love you anyway." She took a step towards him. "Since the very beginning, you've been different from all of the others. You've challenged me in every way. And you've been ther—

"—Is there a point to all of this?" Angelus cooly asked, not wanting to hear anymore about their centuries long relationship.

Buffy took another brave step towards him and continued, "From the moment I bumped into you and every moment after that, I knew…" she told him. "I can fool everyone around me but I can't fool myself… or you." Buffy shook her head with a hinting smile tugging at her lips. "And as scary as it is now with my soul, I can't keep doing this—"

"—Doing what?"

"Running," answered Buffy. "I don't wanna deny it anymore nor do I want to run from it. I now understand how much I love you, Angel. And it's very real. It's so real that it's kept me moving, mostly running from it. I wasn't prepared for this. But I am now." She reached up, cupping his cheek with her hand. "You kissed me first, my love." The pad of her thumb caressed over his cheekbone. "Forever. That's the whole point, right?"

Angelus launched out his arm, wrapping it around Buffy's slender waist and pulled her into his chest. His mouth crushed against hers, immediately slipping his tongue into her mouth—desperate to taste her familiar taste once more.

It had been far too long since they were last in each other's arms.

Angelus' mouth veered from her lips and went to the column of her neck. Buffy's strong fingers dug into his shoulders as Angelus ran his fingers through her hair.

A moan escaped from her lips as she laid her hands on his chest, opening his long wool coat off of shoulders.

After a few minutes of falling weak to their passion for one another, they broke apart.

Buffy looked at him completely in love as Angelus stared at her with unbridled desire.

Without needing him to say a word, Buffy understood his thoughts and took a step into him, letting his arms enclose around her.

Their mouths met halfway, resuming their fervent kiss.

Angelus wrapped his arms around her petite frame and brought her close into his front. She began to pull at his maroon button-down shirt. She felt Angelus smile against her mouth, amused by her impatience.

Returning his smile, Buffy sucked on his tongue and opened her eyes to see him looking back at her.

Sliding his hands to down her back, over her buttox, and to the backs of her thighs, Angelus lifted his lover off of the ground like a featherweight. Her legs circled around his waist, crossing her ankles.

Angelus carried her across the short distance to the stairs and carefully walked up them heading to the bedroom.

Master Bedroom

Practically kicking the door open, Angelus carried her into the master bedroom and set her down onto the floor.

They continued to heatedly kiss and unfasten each other's clothing. They had realised after a minute that if they separated undressing would be much easier.

Angelus watched as Buffy buttoned the buttons of the long shirt she wore. Pushing his own unbuttoned shirt off of his shoulders, Angelus tossed it aside and unfasted the front of his black trousers when he caught Buffy looking at him.

The smirk dancing on his face widened as Buffy reached out to him and glided the pads of her fingertips over the smooth skin of his muscular chest.

Angelus took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. Buffy slipped her hand from his grasp and held it against his cheek. Stepping closer to him, Buffy stroked his clean-shaven cheek with that half smile that has always driven him mad. Buffy combed fingers through his dark spiky hair. Buffy's hand then touched the back of his head, pulling him lower to meet her lips.

Pushing open the oversize shirt, covering her naked body, Angelus covered her breasts with his hands.

Biting her bottom lip, she unconsciously looked at him with an incredibly sexy look. A wolfish smile tugged at his lips.

Hooking her arm around his neck, Buffy covered his mouth with her own as he firmly squeezed her breasts.

Angelus broke the kiss and smothered her breasts with gentle kisses until she released a moan as his tongue wrapped around her rosy nipple. He alternated between both breasts, showing them equal amounts of affectionate thoroughness.

Pushing down the trousers from his hips, Buffy wrapped her hand around his erected cock as soon as it sprang from the confinements.

His lips were so soft and his spicy cinnamon and copper taste was intoxicating.

Enclosing his strong arms around her naked body, Angelus stepped her back to the edge of the large bed.

Lying her back, Angelus opened her knees apart and settled between them. Her hands slid up his strong rounded shoulders as she kissed his throat then kissed his mouth.

Angelus released a moan as her fingernails gently scratched over his skin.

Tilting her chin higher, Buffy gave him easier access to her neck. He peppered her golden skin with moist kisses and his tongue followed an invisible path along her neck. He paused for a moment, lifting his head from Buffy's neck eying the bite mark scar over. He ran the pad of his index finger over the two bite holes that marked her as his.

Angelus reached a hand between their bodies and touched her moist center.

He listened to her sharp needless breath catch in her throat as he inserted a finger into her cunt.

Mercilessly teasing her, Angelus devilishly smiled, listening to her moans that begged for him to fill her with his cock.

Angelus carefully removed his finger from her cunt. Buffy released a whimpering whine as he brought her close to orgasm.

This is what she wanted. More than anything in the world, Angelus is all that Buffy ever wanted.

Sliding his cock into her cold body, Angelus felt a rushing sensation of comfort being inside her again.

He seized all motion and took a minute to let her lethally strong body devour him.

"Kiss me," she whispered.

Angelus obliged her request and covered her mouth with a violent kiss.

Managing to maintain some control, Angelus slowly pulled almost all the way out of her before roughly slamming right back inside her to the hild. Buffy cried out in pleasure. She bucked against him, arching her back.

Soon, they were primarily slamming against one another, completely immersed in their passion.

Without warning, Buffy rolled him onto his back. She took Angelus' hands and covered her breasts with them and bounced on his cock. Angelus slid his hand down her body, between her breasts to her flat stomach watching her mesmerized by her beauty.

Buffy leaned back, closing her eyes and her back arched, Angelus held her hips and thrusted up inside of her. Using the pad of his thumb, Angelus manipulated her clit bringing her closer to orgasm.

Her strong vaginal muscles began to clench around him. Angelus sat up on the bed, hugging his strong arm around her. Pushing her hair off of the right side of her neck, Angelus' handsome features morphed to his demon. He opened his fanged mouth and sunk his fangs into the puncture hole scars.

Buffy gasped with a loud moan. She hugged his head into her neck and continued to bounce over his cock. Fingernails dug into his shoulders and cried out.

Angelus ripped his fangs from her neck and licked the blood staining around his lips.

Grabbing a chunk of his dark hair into her hand, Buffy tilted his head to the side and morphed her features to her demon. She passionately bit into his neck and began to suck his blood.

Using the last bit of control he had left to hold out his own pleasure before she reached her own, Angelus rolled her onto her back, as she continued to suck his blood.

Buffy tore her fanged mouth from his neck as a wave of climatic pleasure soaked her entire body in a euphoric bliss.

Angelus released himself deep inside of her dead body.

Riding out his orgasm, Angelus covered her bloody mouth with his own and lapped up the small dribble of blood at the corner of her fanged mouth.

Buffy's face changed back to her human disguise. She caressed the side of his face with the backs of her fingers and lovingly smiled.

Tracing her vampiric features with the pad of his thumb, Angelus was unable to say the words, 'I love you', but then again, what he shared with his mate went far beyond love. Although it was once made from darkness and evil, the devotion they shared was pure and brilliantly bright.

Later

Seated on the edge of the bed, Buffy finished the last few buttons of the oversized shirt she wore for bed.

Her eyes lifted to Angelus standing in front of her, fastening the front of his trousers.

He caught her gaze and eyed her curiously, wondering what was going through her mind.

Buffy could almost hear his questioning thoughts and tossed him a gentle smile as reassurance that there was not an ounce of regret for what they had just done not long ago.

Standing from the bed, Buffy took one stride to stand in front of him. She placed a kiss over his skin at the center of his chest and felt a shiver of comfort as Angelus circled an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head.

Buffy lifted her head and turned her gaze to meet his when a sudden familiar striking pain ricocheted through her entire body.

Ripping herself from Angelus' arms, Buffy staggered back, knocking the lamp off of the nightstand and held a hand over her unbeaten heart.

"Buf," Angelus said her name with concern.

Gasping in pain, Buffy rolled off of the wall and stumbled out of the master bedroom heading into the hallway.

Worried, Angelus rushed out of the bedroom chasing after her.

He tried to wrap his arms around her. "Buffy!"

"Get away from me!" She screamed at him through the harrowing pain ripping through her body. She shoved him to the ground and continued to drag herself down the long hallway and to the stairs.

Getting back up to his feet, Angelus went after her, rushing down the stairs and followed the vampiress into the main room where she finally collapsed to the ground crying out in agonising pain.

Gritting her teeth, Buffy's voice strangled in her throat. "Oh no…" she managed to say through the excruciating pain.

Buffy's green eyes glowed to a bright red hue then disappeared.


Reaching the bottom steps of the wooden stairs, Angelus slowly approached his mate on her hands and knees, gasping for unneeded breath.

"Buffy?" Angelus said her name.

As he cautiously came closer to the vampiress, Angelus prepared himself for anything. He did not have one clue what had just happened to his mate—except that she was in great pain and he would violently rip apart whoever was hurting his lover.

Angelus bit back his surprise as Buffy suddenly rose to her feet as if nothing had happened.

Her back faced him, so he was unable to detect her emotions by her expression.

He could see her arms moving as if she was wiping away the fallen tears that fell down her face.

Quickly, Angelus studied her posture. Her shoulders were less tense. In fact, she stood confidently. He had missed her unyielding confidence that was rooted in her undeniable power.

Buffy spun around to Angelus.

She lifted her chin to look up at him. The familiar brightness in her green eyes glistened as it had before. Angelus' brows furrowed over his eyes, unsure if he should get his hopes up but there was something very different about his mate.

A slow sinister smile slid across her beautiful face.

Angelus stared at her with disbelief.

Her menacing smile widened, amused by his bewilderment. "Hey, baby." Her voice was soft and lispy. "Did you miss me?"