Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

After Dusk

Darla smiled as she got comfortable in the tree she had made her vantage point since the very first night the girl caught her eye.

If she were to be honest with herself, she had been desperately disappointed over the last few nights for she had seen no sign of Angel harassing the child with whom he was allegedly so enamoured. However perhaps it wasn't his fault, especially after what she'd heard about last night's fiasco near The Bronze (it was always wise to keep tabs). If Angel had a Watcher on his back - though why a Watcher was present in the town was puzzling – he would have to change tact.

Besides, the girl's parents were out of town and obviously out of his reach.

A pity…

Angel had such a way with families…

Still, if her darling boy had truly returned to his senses then the girl would continue to suffer. There was always more than one way to skin the proverbial feline. Angel had confirmed that often enough.

And this child was no exception to the rule.

In the shadows Angel scrutinised the handcuffs he held in his hand. They would do for her hands - he could always find something in the house to bind her legs.

He stepped into a thin shard of moonlight and raised his head. The light was now switched on in Willow's bedroom. She had made her prison in which she could hide from the world outside, from her friends…from him.

But if no one can get in then nobody can get out, that's the whole point of a cell Willow…

Angel looked back down at the cracks in the paving stones. That's me, he thought bitterly, as he remembered why he had to go through with tonight.

He was killing Willow to stop Darla.

He was killing her for Buffy.

He wasn't killing her…out of bloodlust?

So help me Whistler…part of me doesn't know the difference anymore.

With that Angel took another step…

Chat Room, definition: A live computer forum in which people talk to each other by typing on their keyboards. Or in other words, a room in which people 'chat'.

So much for definitions; this site was dead, just like all the others Willow had bookmarked, large international groups of people communicating on them aside.

But then, she had wanted isolation hadn't she?

"Willow!" a muffled voice screamed dolefully. "Willow!"

Swivelling around in her chair, Willow's heart was stuffed forcefully into her mouth.

Angel.

Hands clammy, she willed him to go away but still she continued to hear his call. Her heartbeat quickened, she breaths shortened.

Go away!

"Willow!"

"No!" she screamed.

Angel remained rooted on her front lawn. What could she do…"Stay away from me!" she screamed, her body shaking as her skin became riddled with goose bumps.

"Will-ow! Will-ow! You can't hide forever Willow! You can't stay there forever! You'll have to come out some time!" Angel's tone had changed; he was a malevolent schoolboy from the fourth grade, taunting her into crying, into giving in.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Willow wailed, holding her hands tightly over her ears. "Leave me alone!"

She fell from her chair and crawled across the floor until she reached the lock on her window.

Leave me alone…Oh God please…help me…

Willow pushed the window wide open. "Leave me alone!"

"You know that I can't," Angel's voice became more serious. "You don't want me to go, you know that…I love you Willow…"

"Love? I hate you! I hate you! You're a monster!"

"You need me…let me in…"

Willow laughed hysterically. "Let you in? Oh sure come on in and kill me! I don't mind! Leave me alone!"

"Thanks Will," Angel sounded pleased. "I'll be right on up!"

Willow shut her window again feverishly.

I'll be on up…he can't get in here. Every door's locked – 'best that money can buy' they told Dad…we spent hundreds on them…And its not like people haven't tried break in…I'm safe…the girl thought warmly as she pressed her back against her bed.

BANG…

Huh?

BANG – the noise was coming from downstairs and it was getting louder.

Oh God…no…no, no, please no…"No…oh no, please, oh please!" Willow sobbed, holding her knees, rocking back and fore, back and fore…"Cling, clink, ching," she panted. Mimicking the sounds she was starting to hear.

The knock at the door was gentle…

"Little pig," said a hushed voice. "Little pig, may I come in?"

Willow could only shake her head…

***

Opening the bedroom door Angel wore his sickest grin. There she was, rocking backwards and forwards on the floor, tears running gently down her cheeks, trembling before him.

Angel wanted to die.

Her eyes pleaded with him, wide as they drowned in the pain of her mortal heart, the glimmer of life that they had once held now dim, almost if part of her knew that there was no fight to lose.

His heart ached for Willow. He could always walk away, leave her be, find another way to stop The Master. There had to be another way…there was another way – in his prayers.

Angel willed his face to change and shook violently. "Heh…n…n…not on the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin?" he stuttered trying to sound scared.

Willow made no sound.

You're brave kid…don't let go of that…never let go.

He knelt down beside the girl and stoked her skin lovingly. "Ssh…there's no need to be afraid," he whispered in her ear. "I'm here now," He chuckled softly. "I know you didn't really want me to go. That first night when we kissed in the alley, I knew what you wanted…"

Angel slipped his hand down onto her knee, moving slowly down, underneath her skirt and slowly upwards. "Me…to do more…you wanted more than a kiss."

Willow squirmed as Angel caressed her inner leg.

"I need you Willow," the vampire smirked devilishly. "I want to feel you…"

He leaned closer, cupped the schoolgirl's chin in his free hand and kissed her.

"No…" Willow said feebly. She was falling for him. In the midst of her anguish, he was turning her heart back towards him.

She was his – to do with as he pleased.

He kissed her again, biting her lip as he moved in. "Good girl…"

"Please…" the girl beseeched tearfully.

Angel's smile broadened. "Oh you're ready now aren't you little girl!" he growled with anticipation.

"No!" Willow screamed as he grabbed her hard, tossing her back onto her bed. "No!"

Angel laughed. She was trying to reach out to scram his face with her fingernails as he clambered on top of her. "You're a frisky little bitch aren't you?" he said grabbing her left as it got near his right eye. Willow groaned as he squeezed her wrist.

Please Willow, stop! You're only making this harder on yourself!

He reached into his jacket pocket and produced his handcuffs, clasping them to the bedposts before clasping them to the girl's hands.

Her fear was now anger, venom now bled through her eyes. In Willow's heart there was a resolve: I will kill you! She was going to be a rape victim - she would want vengeance. He'd seen it often enough in his village, bitter and twisted women who had the added misfortune of having known their attackers would take their revenge…poison…blade - assuming that they didn't try to end their own lives – they would take their revenge…

Angel could only fantasise that Willow would get the chance to avenge herself.

He pulled off his jacket and shirt, tossing them aside. Willow flinched as she heard the zip of his flies come undone…

"No!" she continued to protest as he tore off her clothes, lifting her skirt.

"Feel free to grunt won't you?" Angel said heartlessly. And may the Lord forgive me…

Angel had hurt Willow.

And the girl had screamed.

As he'd torn into her breasts with his fangs so that he could smear the blood across her face.

She'd struggled to cry out as he forced his bloodied fingers down her throat, forcing her to taste her own blood, as she'd tried to cough it up reviled.

How she had struggled.

She had screamed when he strangled her, drinking from her throat as he did so.

And again as he bore his fingers into her wounds, widening them so that he could touch her from the inside…

Willow would die now. God could take her soul with all her love. Just as long as she died…as long as he made the pain stop…

As long as he made it all stop.

"Please," she prayed, spluttering as the blood rose again from her ruptured insides. "Please save me…"

Yet the good Lord again refused an answer.

"Ssh…be happy my child…" Angel said sweetly, cradling her neck. "Close your eyes…and it will all be over…let the darkness wash over you and drift away…"

Willow could no longer make a sound as she felt the burning sensation in the right side of her neck. She had felt it all before…many times…so many times…

Yet as she lost Angel to the shadow that now clawed at her eyes, as she was severed from the world, she felt nothing…

She felt nothing…

No!

Without warning she tasted the blood as it filled her body, overwhelming her with its euphoria.

Oh God! Oh…God…

Willow smiled madly as the darkness enveloped her…

At last it was over.