Part 7

Willow awoke to a cool body pressed against her back. With her eyes still closed she smiled when she felt a gossamer like touch on her arm. Angel gently caressed Willow from her shoulder all the way down to her fingers and back up again. She rolled over to look up at Angel.

"Hey, you."

Angel leaned down to place a soft kiss on Willow's lips, "Hey, yourself."

With her eyes twinkling but lowered so Angel wouldn't see she schooled her features into a serious mask and said, "I don't know if I should be happy or insulted that you're still Angel."

Angel's eyes widened, "Willow, You have to know that I care deeply for you. I care as much for you as I did for Buffy. It's a different feeling but it's just as intense and deep.  If my soul were going to go it would have last night. I'm sure it's because we're bonded that Angelus didn't make a return."

Willow couldn't help it she broke into giggles. "I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. I mean how often do I get a chance to mess with the mind of a vampire?"  Reaching up she brought his head down for a lingering kiss. "Am I forgiven?"

With a mock growl Angel rolled Willow under him, "Well, not quite yet. I think you need to work on it a little more."

Gunn and Fred were standing outside Angel's room when they heard Willow giggle followed by a moan. "I am not knocking on that door I don't care what Cordy's vision was. Angel said not to disturb them unless it was an apocalypse and I value my life and yours too much to risk a knock."

Fred took Gunn's hand and led him away, "Yep, I'm pretty sure we can deal with whatever it was that Cordelia saw."

~~~~

Astrote approached Doc, "Pahuus has arrived in Sunnydale. With the increase of activity at the Hellmouth no one noticed her arrival."

"Excellent. She should keep them busy for quite some time. How are our plans for Angel and the witch getting along?"

"The second part of the plan should be set in motion tonight. I am planning on meeting with Lilah later this afternoon. She is very easy to manipulate for one that supposedly has such experience."

"Will you have difficulty in using her? I don't think she recognizes me as a threat. I could work on her." Just the thought of the torture that he could inflict was enough to bring a smile to his face. It had been awhile since he tortured and he was looking forward to it.

"No, she thinks I'm the brains behind us. That I just let you think you're in charge. It is what she would do and I'll just play on that. If that doesn't work I can always invade her dreams and put suggestions in her mind. I might do that anyway later."

"Why is it that humans think that it's the one that exudes the power that's the most powerful? Look at Angel and Willow. If you were to meet them you would think that Angel was the bigger threat when in reality it is the witch. Wolfram and Hart are too concerned with the souled vampire that has a role in their apocalypse that they've missed the role the witch will play in ours."

"I am looking forward to going up against her. She is powerful for one so young. It is said that she is the favored child of Gaia."

"Just make sure she uses the strength of Angelus in her fight with you. She'll be easier to bring into the darkness that way. With the darkness that is untapped in her already combined with the demon's darkness she should be easy enough for you to tempt."

~~~~~

Willow and Angel finally made their way downstairs. Mostly due to the rumblings of Willow's stomach than by any desire to leave their bed. Willow grabbed some fruit, cheese and crackers to snack on while Angel heated his mug of blood in the microwave.

Taking their food with them they joined the others in the lobby. "Any problems after we left?"

"Nope, Cordy had a vision earlier but we handled it. No need to disturb you guys with it. Turned out to be a Draconian demon, easy kill."

"Have there been signs of Docunde or Astrote?"

"None that I know of. My contacts at the Council have been strangely quiet. I don't know if they don't know anything or if they aren't willing to tell me. Have you been having any strange dreams or anything, Willow?"

"Nope, pretty dreamless lately. Why do you ask?"

"I did some research on Astrote and one of the ways he works is that he can invade your dreams and plant ideas."

"Yes he can but he won't show himself to me until necessary. He will attack those that I'm close to first. Trying to break our bond. It is all of you that need to look for strange dreams and odd thoughts."

Cordy held up her hand to Gunn, "Don't even think or say it."

"I wasn't going to say anything about how we wouldn't be able to tell the difference between any odd thoughts and your normal thoughts."

Cordelia raised an eyebrow, "You know, Gunn. I haven't tried out all my demony powers yet. You might want to keep that in mind next time you get the urge to make a smartass comment."

Gunn just smiled back.

Willow leaned over to Angel and whispered, "Are they always like that?"

"Yep, just like brother and sister always yapping at each other."

Turning to Wesley and the others Angel said, "I thought I would make a trip to Lilah's this evening. See what information I can get about them."

"You know she'll not willingly give you information."

A slow smiled spread across his face, "I know."

"Who's Lilah?"

"One of the easiest people to manipulate at Wolfram and Hart though she likes to think she's one of the toughest. Of course I've had over two centuries of manipulating and she's only had a few years."

Willow patted his leg, "As long as you have fun, honey."

That surprised a laugh out of Angel and the others.

"What?!?"

Cordelia answered, "We're just marveling over the change in you since Sunnydale and I for one have to say how much I like the new you. Not that there was anything wrong with the old you."

"Thanks, I think."