Chapter 5
The room was dark and quiet. A cold wind whistled through the room but there was no open windows or a draft. The wind was being created by the 7 women standing in a circle. Well one was in the center her arms reaching up to the sky. Her red hair framed her face but there was nothing nice about it. An intense look held her face frozen and her eyes spoke volumes of her power.
"I call to the One! The power! I give him my allegiance. In the good and the bad he fills me with his power. This sacrifice is for the Winter Equinox, the time for rest and preparation." On the floor at her feet was a smattering of blood. Not human of course, but blood nonetheless. "Here is your sacrifice. Life!" She clapped her hands together and thunder resonated around the room. The other witches fell silent in their chanting and looked at one another.
"Blessed be sister Willow." They said lowering the hoods on their robes. Willow smiled smugly. The candles that lit the circle winked out one at a time.
"We knew you were powerful the first time we saw you. We never thought you would be pure human." One woman said. Her ears were slightly pointer than normal and her eyes a little more violet.
"She was the perfect addition." A vampire seethed. Willow knew what she was doing was dangerous and wrong but she couldn't help it. There was something inside her that urged her to let the power inside her. The magic refused to leave her. It called out to her and imbued her with its essence. She couldn't ignore it. But she was on a delicate line.
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"Goodnight!" Buffy waved to everyone as they made their way home. Spike stood beside her along with Dawn.
"Are you going home Spike?" Dawn asked in a curious voice. She grinned and blushed.
"Dawn, it's late. You have school tomorrow. Go to bed."
"Night." Spike said heading into the livingroom. He plopped down on the couch and put his boots up on the coffee table.
"I have to work at the Magic Box early tomorrow. You know, Christmas rush." Buffy said from the doorway.
"That's ok." Spike slipped his arms behind his head.
"That means you have to leave." She wanted to sound firm but she ended up sounding unsure and doubting. She didn't really want him to leave but she was so afraid of what would happen between them. It was the most uncharted territory in the universe.
"I can build a fire in the fireplace. Won't take but a minute. I know your heater's been on the fritz."
"Along with everything else." Buffy took a seat in the armchair facing him. She drew her legs up and under her then looked at him. "I just don't know how to keep up. How do adults do it?"
"Well they usually don't get a child and a house at the same time. Along with being 20." Spike said soothingly. He gazed at the fireplace, assumably imagining a roaring fire in it.
"I guess I just thought things would work out. You know, get what you deserve. Things get easier after you pay your dues." She shrugged.
"Don't be worrying bout it now. You'll drive yourself out of your bird."
"I really should go to bed. I have to get up early." Buffy insisted. Spike pulled a blanket from the back of the couch as Buffy yawned loudly. Her eyelids fluttered and she shifted position. Spike stood up and put the blanket over her. "You have...to go."
"I'll lock the door on the way out." He leaned over and kissed her hair and then walked out of the room quietly, slipping back out into the cold night.
When he got back to his crypt Anya was waiting there. "What are you doing here? Thought you'd be off shagging Wonder Boy."
"I need you to do a favor. For Buffy. For all of us."
"What?"
"I want you to go spy on Willow. Find out what's happening."
"Look, I'll help and protect you guys but I ain't getting in Red's way."
"Spike, I lived in the world a lot longer than you and I know a dangerous witch when I see one. Do this for yourself, if not Buffy." Her stern curt words sobered him. She still was dubious as to Willow's real power but Anya didn't lie and she tended to know what she was talking about.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"Thank you." She headed for the door.
The room was dark and quiet. A cold wind whistled through the room but there was no open windows or a draft. The wind was being created by the 7 women standing in a circle. Well one was in the center her arms reaching up to the sky. Her red hair framed her face but there was nothing nice about it. An intense look held her face frozen and her eyes spoke volumes of her power.
"I call to the One! The power! I give him my allegiance. In the good and the bad he fills me with his power. This sacrifice is for the Winter Equinox, the time for rest and preparation." On the floor at her feet was a smattering of blood. Not human of course, but blood nonetheless. "Here is your sacrifice. Life!" She clapped her hands together and thunder resonated around the room. The other witches fell silent in their chanting and looked at one another.
"Blessed be sister Willow." They said lowering the hoods on their robes. Willow smiled smugly. The candles that lit the circle winked out one at a time.
"We knew you were powerful the first time we saw you. We never thought you would be pure human." One woman said. Her ears were slightly pointer than normal and her eyes a little more violet.
"She was the perfect addition." A vampire seethed. Willow knew what she was doing was dangerous and wrong but she couldn't help it. There was something inside her that urged her to let the power inside her. The magic refused to leave her. It called out to her and imbued her with its essence. She couldn't ignore it. But she was on a delicate line.
********************************************************************************************
"Goodnight!" Buffy waved to everyone as they made their way home. Spike stood beside her along with Dawn.
"Are you going home Spike?" Dawn asked in a curious voice. She grinned and blushed.
"Dawn, it's late. You have school tomorrow. Go to bed."
"Night." Spike said heading into the livingroom. He plopped down on the couch and put his boots up on the coffee table.
"I have to work at the Magic Box early tomorrow. You know, Christmas rush." Buffy said from the doorway.
"That's ok." Spike slipped his arms behind his head.
"That means you have to leave." She wanted to sound firm but she ended up sounding unsure and doubting. She didn't really want him to leave but she was so afraid of what would happen between them. It was the most uncharted territory in the universe.
"I can build a fire in the fireplace. Won't take but a minute. I know your heater's been on the fritz."
"Along with everything else." Buffy took a seat in the armchair facing him. She drew her legs up and under her then looked at him. "I just don't know how to keep up. How do adults do it?"
"Well they usually don't get a child and a house at the same time. Along with being 20." Spike said soothingly. He gazed at the fireplace, assumably imagining a roaring fire in it.
"I guess I just thought things would work out. You know, get what you deserve. Things get easier after you pay your dues." She shrugged.
"Don't be worrying bout it now. You'll drive yourself out of your bird."
"I really should go to bed. I have to get up early." Buffy insisted. Spike pulled a blanket from the back of the couch as Buffy yawned loudly. Her eyelids fluttered and she shifted position. Spike stood up and put the blanket over her. "You have...to go."
"I'll lock the door on the way out." He leaned over and kissed her hair and then walked out of the room quietly, slipping back out into the cold night.
When he got back to his crypt Anya was waiting there. "What are you doing here? Thought you'd be off shagging Wonder Boy."
"I need you to do a favor. For Buffy. For all of us."
"What?"
"I want you to go spy on Willow. Find out what's happening."
"Look, I'll help and protect you guys but I ain't getting in Red's way."
"Spike, I lived in the world a lot longer than you and I know a dangerous witch when I see one. Do this for yourself, if not Buffy." Her stern curt words sobered him. She still was dubious as to Willow's real power but Anya didn't lie and she tended to know what she was talking about.
"Fine. I'll do it."
"Thank you." She headed for the door.
