Title; And Then There Was a Time
Author; Greenfae/Keziah
Disclaimer; All rights belong to Joss W, and Mutant E, I own nothing, I have nothing,, please no sue me ..
E-mail Greenfae2@cs.com
Rating; PG to R maybe alittle worse,, I am terrible at rating.
Pairing; Willow, Angel , and Riley
Time frame;kinda of after season 7 ,, I think.
notes.. this one is about tourtue and nasty stuff. if you will be upset by it dont read it ,,
feedback: if ya wanna ,, I would enjoy.. I hope.. hehe
Part 8
In Dreams;
She could feel the weightlessness, the ebb and flow of her body as she lay waiting for him. The soft silks of the curtains blowing back from the floor to ceiling from the widows gently as she sat up in her bed. The room was round and light .. open on all four sides like a gazebo. Willow looked around and noticed she was dressed in a mint green nearly sheer dress. It fit tight to her waist and flowed in waves down her legs to her ankles. It was strapless and set in a heart shape around her perky beasts. Her hair was wound up loosely round her head so that tendrils fell around her face and down her back. A silver ring on her left thumb that seemed to be inscribed with some runic markings. But she wasn't sure what the markings meant.
Willow sat back calmly watching through the windows. Fields and flowers were everywhere rose petals were strewn over the floor. She could hear birds tweeting happily very near her. In her mind she couldn't tell if it was day or night. It seemed bright, but she could almost make out the stars from her spot on the large round bed. She knew he was coming, that her love would soon be there with her. All she had to do was wait, and even that wasn't for very long. Strong hands fell gently on her shoulders from behind and she closed her eyes to the feel of him that loves her best. Willow felt the his weight settle on the bed next to her and his hands slid down her arms wrapping them around her pulling her back into his body. He folded her into a embrace and added little kisses that feathered down the side of her neck.
Willow sighed, her head rolled to the other side allowing him full access to her soft warm skin. One of his hands move upward and cupped the rounded mound of her breast and she arched her back into his touch. With his other hand he placed two fingers under her chin and pulled her face to his, kissing her gently. Letting his tongue trace her lips in his urgent need for her. This cause a small moan to escape her lips and he entered the sweet hollow of her mouth. Their passions flared as they kissed and he sighed his pleasure to her. It had seemed so long since she was with him. But now the wait was over and she felt only the intense need taking over her body. She could feel the little tickles he was making on her sides where his hand was gently stroking the silky covered flesh there. Then the tickling became more than that, almost like it hurt.
Suddenly her eyes flew open and she screamed, pain searing her mind in hot flashes. Her eyes blurred and tearing, started to take in her surroundings, she was not in a beautiful room nor was her lover here. More like a basement or dungeon, something was really wrong. Willow notice the more she came to that things were upside down. Mostly because she was upside down. Hanging from what appeared to be a set of chains on a wall. Her hands were bound around her waist and she had to move her head to an odd angle so that it didn't hit the floor. She flashed back to her dream and she smiled in irony of her minds ability cope. Her side still hurt though and she tired to move enough to see why. But instead she heard' "Well, I see my little pet is awake at last".
Demon Treats;
Willow saw the form of a woman move into view. It was the same lady she had been trying to help at the Magic Box. Why was this happening to her she wondered, as she watched the woman move over to her with a red hot fire place poker. That was the smell, Willow thought, I have been burn by that thing. The woman began to speak again as she came closer to Willow's face waving the hot instrument barley an inch from her nose. "Are you comfortable, she smiled wickedly, would you like a cappuccino?" the question was a taunt. Willow knew it, she tossed one out at the woman herself, " you get that line from a book or do you really go out into the world with that face".
Willow tried her best, up yours smile, but it didn't go over very well in her topsy turvy state. She could barley think anyway with all the blood running to her head. The woman clear her throat and smiled, "my name is Eve, you are Willow Rosenburg right?" not that she really needed the answer. Eve walked back to the stove where she had pulled the iron from and placed it back. "I will have to leave soon, but just so you know, I plan to make a dinner of you for the demon of my dreams". Her smiled curve around her face and she watched as Willow tried to say something, most likely of a magical nature. Eve shook her head, "wont work here witch, I have already place a spell on this place. One that will negate your magic for the most and keep you here as long as I like". Eve walked over to a emblem on one wall and lifted her hand as if she were a model on a price is right. "This is a seal, the seal if you want to ward off magic's of all kinds." the vampiress grinned and let her visage fall into her true face. "And you my dear are more or less helpless, when I bring Angelus here, we shall feed and find pleasure in your body in ways you have no idea of. Yet." With that she turned on her heels and left swiftly.
Chained;
Willow began to take in everything around her as she tried to find a way out of this, before Angel/Angelus showed up. She was worried that the vampire was correct in theory anyway. Her mind raced, what if he has been playing me and is really Angelus. Then all he would have been waiting for would be a way to stop me from using my magic. Then he could kill me and leave me on Buffy's doorstep or something equally disturbing. Or even worse, he could turn me and take my soul away, making me like the other me, vampire me. Her head began get very cloudy again, and her side was still burning from the wound that Eve had caused.
Maybe she thought, maybe she could take a few minutes nap. Just so she could gather her strength and deal better with what was happening to her. Somehow she knew there was no way out of this unless Angel really was himself, who would know how to find her. They would only know she was missing, and that's only if she was missing more than 10 hours. She seemed to remember telling them to stay away so she could rest. Oh how she now wished she hadn't asked that of them. Her last thought before passing out again was of how she would explain her stupidity to the others, if they rescued her.
Dressing the Part;
Eve walked into her closet, looking through the enormous amount of clothing there. She had to pick just the right outfit to meet Angelus in. She had more than 4 hours to choose, and taking her time was something she liked to do. The closet itself was huge, Eve walked into it and proceeded to follow the hanged clothes for 8 feet before she came to the end of them and to the rows and rows of shoes. Imelda Marcos would have been proud of her and her collection. There must have been more than two thousand pairs of shoes, all colors shape and designers. Eve smiled as she walked over to her favorite pair of kiss me or kill me pumps. They were dark red and had straps that went round her ankles in a cutting fashion. These she tried on first, just to get in the mood if nothing else. After all she was dressing for the "Scourge of Europe". The thought made her tingle in all the right places, maybe he would show her his way of blood sports. Her mind thrilled to the idea of being beneath the cold hard body of one of the most vicious vampires that had ever been. Excitedly she began to decide what she would wear, as she went through a list in her mind of what she would say. How she would present her, "gift" to Angelus, the one with the angelic face. If she had a heart beat it would have missed one.
The Job;
Angel sat going over his notes for the millionth time, the client that had contacted him was strange at best. He didn't really want to take a job right now since he was still in Sunnydale and waiting for Willow to feel more like talking to him. As he read the papers in his hand his eyes kept wandering to the phone, "what would one call hurt, she wouldn't, couldn't get more angry with him over one phone call". He reached for the thing and gave a wane smile to himself, dialing her number he thought to himself how weak he had become.
The phone rang and rang but there was no answer. That in itself wasn't a bad thing, except that he really wanted to talk with her. Setting his mind Angel got his duster and walked for the front door of his mansion. He would go see how she was for himself, heading toward the Magic Box first he would walk her home if she hadn't left yet. Which was unlikely since the shop had been closed for hours. Then head to her house making sure she was OK. He could rest and read that stupid file Cordy had sent him after that. Inside Angel's head his demon was talking to him in a small voice, bidding it's time, waiting for Angel to slip and let him out enough to do what it really wanted to do. Angel always knew it was listening to him, he heard it's voice when it told him to take Willow and run with her. After all he knew places in the world that no one would find, places where Willow would learn to except their love, and not keep up this stupid game anymore. Hard as Angel would try to push that voice away from his mind, even the souled part of him admitted, he was getting worried about how long she was taking to make up her mind.
Finding Traces;
Getting to the Magic Box around 11 PM, Angel walked to the big front window and peered inside. He didn't see anything right away, but after looking into the darkness for a bit his vampire eyes caught sight of something small on the floor. Something that shouldn't have been there, something that Willow would have never left without. Her keys, the ones to the shop, and maybe on the same ring, ones to her apartment as well. Angel's mind run rampant and he darted around to the back door checking to see if it was open, and it was. He entered the building heading for where he had seen the keys. Sure enough it was her keys, pink fluffy teddy bear key ring and all. His eyes flashed amber and game face snapped into place as he pulled his cell phone from his belt and called Xander's place. Giles answered the phone and Angel told him what had happened as far as he knew, then he let Giles go saying he was going to try and follow her trail or at least go to her apartment and see if she was there.
After all there was no reason to think that, as powerful as she was she just fell at her attackers feet. Angel started by looking for signs of struggle, there wasn't any that he saw. Only some minor scuff marks on the floor like something, someone had been dragged a very short distance before being picked up, maybe. He went to the door he had used to enter the shop and there was little to anything there to go by either. The only thing he could pick up on was the overly sweet scent of an almost familiar perfume. His memory seemed to known the smell, but he could not pull up who or what would use such a fragrance. The trial was thin at best, he would not be able to find her on what he had so far. It had been almost four months since he watched Riley topple over the edge of the building, but he was now wishing soldier boy was here. Willow had said he was now more or less a detective that hunted missing people, or other things.
Angel glanced around one more time, trying to decide which way the scent actually went. But he knew that would be near impossible, since it had been awhile and the wind was blowing pretty good. Those things made even his keen senses less than useful. Turning on his heel he marched off toward Xander's house and Giles, it would be a place to start. Once he tells them what he had found maybe they could find her together.
Guess Who;
It seemed to take forever to get back to Xander and Giles, but really it was only a few minutes. Angel walked up to the door and banged on it heavily. He could hear three heartbeats on the other side and wondered if maybe Willow had somehow escaped and gotten over here for safety sake. But no his mind corrected, he didn't smell her and by now he knew every scent she was likely to wear and her normal body fragrance. The scents were familiar to him but he could not quite place them yet. The door opened and Buffy stood there looking at him her eyes shinning up at him, pain evident in them. "Come in Angel, she said in clipped tones. Meaning she had already been briefed by Giles or Xander and she felt he had some explaining to do to her, or so she would think. He didn't feel the need to say anything to the Slayer, mostly because it would be like confessing again and he didn't think Buffy really needed to hear it from him. No doubt she had heard enough already.
It was a little bit of a shock to see her, but he knew she would show up sooner of later. The only problem with sooner was that Angel had not got Willow to come back to him yet. With things up in the air as there were he was worried Willow's best friend would be able to sway her away from Angel completely. The demon in Angel's head wanted to kill her on the spot, instinct and hatred of the slayer coming to the fore. Even though in his heart he saw her as girl he had been in love with, and still care a great deal for. Right now he didn't know which side of the fence she was on and he didn't want to lose his chance at Willow because of something Buffy said or did.
Walking into the front room she piled up on an over stuffed chair and watched him as he moved over toward where Xander was. "So what have you found out about Willow", Buffy asked in her most controlled slayer voice. "Not as much as I would like, Angel answered, But this is just the beginning, I am sure Giles will no more. Or at the very least he will be able to help me figure out what happened". Angel's eyes scanned the room for Giles, his hearing detected noises coming from where the bath was and he went back to his conversation with Buffy. "So you going on patrol with me to find her then, he asked the tension showing in his movements. He wanted this over and to have Willow back where he knew where she was, safe. Giles needed to get out here so he could ask about the vision spell again, maybe something like that would help find Willow. To Angel that couldn't be done fast enough.
They had no way of knowing who or what had her right now and it was making him crazy. Xander looked at him strangely and Angel noticed an almost grim inner conflict within the man. What was it Xander was thinking, he started to ask what was on his mind when the door leading through the bedroom to the bath opened. Good, thought Angel, finally Giles. The tension was getting to him and he knew he needed to do something other than receive dirty looks from goofy and the slayer. Angel turned toward the door only to drop his jar nearly on the floor.
Riley stepped into the main room and looked around, he had known that he would be seeing Angel here and he was not happy about that. But when he got to Sunnydale this evening and didn't find Willow at home, he had come to Xander's home looking her. Only to get the news very shortly after he got there that Willow may have been kidnapped. He was not a happy man and his anger showed toward Angel, he didn't even bother to pretend civility toward the dark vampire. He still had some not completely heal parts but he didn't want Angel to know that. Somehow understanding that Angel would in no way let him help if he thought he was still hurt.
Masking any left over pain Riley walked over to Angel and glared at him crossing his arm over his broad chest. To Angel he looked as if he were fine, as if nothing had happened to him. He started to say something to Riley then noticed the look on his face and returned it with his own icy stare. Both men looked as if they were about to resume the last time they had encountered each other. That is when Buffy eyeing them both stepped in the middle, "Save it for who ever or whatever has Willow, boys." Her comments made in clipped tones, her eyes daring either of them to keep up their testosterone benge. Both man looked to their shoes briefly then they made way to separate corners. But not without further killer glances at each other.
Suddenly the front door opened and in walked Giles, looking impatient and flustered. "How do they expect to call themselves 'information finders' if they can't find one auburn headed witch." The words said as if he had a lemon in his mouth. Giles paced in the apartment, puling off his jacket and placing books on the coffee table. He scanned the room and noticed that both Angel and Riley were here now and he did his best not to allow his own feelings get involved with what they had to do now. Angel found himself feeling very uncertain of the whole thing, what would he do now. Riley's reappearance was not on his list of things to worry about. It would seem he needed a new list. Worse, he thought, no one told him of Riley's return, yet they all seemed not to be surprised by this, by his even being alive. His mind caught up with the rest of them as they discussed how to find Willow and what to look for. It was Angel's phone that brought them out of their concentrated effort if only of a minute. He checked it to see who it was then answered it moving away from the rest to have more privacy with his client.
The Phone Call;
Xander was asking more questions and Buffy was correlating a plan of attack with Riley when Angel's voice suddenly got louder than the rest of them put together. "What do you mean, NO, I will come, just let me get this address written down." he motioned for someone to give him paper and pen. Giles got him the items and the group watched him each wondering what was so important it would take away from what they were trying to do.
Once the address was jotted down he closed the phone and looked at the rest of them, guilt written all over his face. "I know where she is," he said, unwilling to let them see the fear in his eyes. Giles and Riley moved toward Angel, both looking as if he didn't tell them, that they would beat it out of him. Angel stared at them and let out a sigh, " I will have to go this one alone, his voice hard edged and serious, she will be killed if I don't go on my own, and there is no way to sneak up on this person." Xander snorted, " person,, you mean vampire don't you." He paused a minute, what happened Angel, one of your enemies find an easy way to get to you, or some friend wanting to get you something/someone for you birthday.". Angel's eyes flashed amber gold at the last comment, and that had both Buffy and Riley in his face.
"Just chill, Angel" Buffy made him know she wasn't taking no for an answer. "Just tell us Angel, Giles asked, what has happened to Willow." Angel began to explain that a female vampire had kidnapped her and she was being held by the vampire so that Angel/Angelus would come to her. She seemed to want his attention. But in Angel's mind the vampire called Eve had no idea what she would be getting. That if she wanted to be with Angelus he would let her, long enough to rip her head off anyway. After they had talked about it for a short while Angel took off on his own knowing that he had little time and Eve would be impatient now. He needed to make an appearance as Angelus and he had to change some of what he was wearing to do that. After leaving the mansion he watched around him on the street and thought he smelled something familiar. But he had no time to stop and wonder. With only a half hour left before Eve had said she would carry out her threats against Willow. He was in no mood to deal with anything else.
Shadowing an Angel;
Riley slipped out of the apartment just before Angel had left and followed him to his mansion. What the hell is he doing here, Riley wondered. His question was answered in less then ten minutes as Angel walked out wearing a long duster and what looked like black leather pants. He watched as Angel stopped a moment and looked around then shook his head and got into his car heading where ever it was he thought Willow was being held. Riley follow in a small dark jeep, from a fair distance, so as not to be noticed. His thoughts kinda of jumbled, Angel needed to make a fashion statement to the female vampire or something.
To Riley this was kinda of stupid, but knowing what he did about Angel he didn't doubt that he knew what he was doing. Riley's hope was that it wouldn't take to much time. He needed to see Willow, needed to know she was all right. He had missed her so much that even before he was really ready to come back he left base and came to see Willow. He needed her and wanted her to know he had not left her. He would never want to leave her, and when he saw her again he would let her know that for certain. But first, they must find and rescue her. Riley's hands held tight to the wheel of the jeep as he carefully turned with Angel and kept his on every move the dark car ahead of him made.
It seemed like they were going to the warehouse district, now why didn't that surprise him, he thought grimly. The fact that there were a lot less cars made it harder to follow very close so Riley had to rely on distance and scanning technique. He found Angel's car in front of what had been a glue factory, located near the back of all the other buildings here. He could see as he pulled up that one door was slightly ajar. He thought it must be the one Angel went into. So he park his jeep and got out quietly making a call to Buffy and the rest letting them know where he was and what he had seen so far. Then he let them know that he would not make contact anymore and they should come fast. Leaving the phone in the jeep he retrieve a cross bow and four stakes, which he filled the inside panels of his jacket with. With a long sigh he started toward the door, glancing around to see if anyone, or thing was trying to sneak up on him. Nothing, he was glad of that, as he walked quietly inside the dark factory. The place reeked of old death, Riley could remember coming to a place like this once when he was letting the vampires feed from him. It was a prefect spot for their kind, he thought.
Advancing slowly he peered into the darkness and pulled a flash light. To bad the branch of secret military he had worked for didn't give him better total darkness vision, he mused to himself. A quick flash of light from his left and he was moving that way, the sound coming from the other side was odd to Riley. It sounded like a party, or dance. Not knowing what to make of it he stood just away from the door and waited wondering how to proceed.
From one side where Riley was looking he saw someone enter a door nearly half way down the building. He trotted down that way hoping it would be another way into the interior of the place. Letting him gain access without the notice a human would get walking into a party full of vampires. When he got to the door it wasn't locked and it seemed to be some type of utility route, more or less the back door he thought. He wondered about who it was that had gone in this way just before him. His mind realized this was going to be more dangerous than he had first thought. After all, the only thing Angel had told them was that a female vampire had Willow and he had been told to come alone if he wanted to see her. All this was a surprise to him and he figured it would be to the slayer as well. Who knew there was a vampire club more or less in the warehouse district of Sunnydale. Hell mouth or no, it's not like this is a huge city where these kinds of places could hide easily.
Riley proceeded with care, watching all around him. The area was thin and full of odd things. Different sofas and chairs, wing back and chase lounges. Lamps and statues stacked on each other, in the distance he had come Riley could have put together four different Adams style homes. He had never seen so much antique furnishings out side of a store. Not letting himself muse to much about what things were here besides the vampires he could now here on the other side of the wall. He was close now to more intimate areas and he could nearly make out most of what was being said. Riley walked over to the wall and leaned an ear to it listening closely.
"Angelus, I only want to please you", the voice was defiantly feminine and full of lust. Riley lean in closer to hear better and was rewarded with, "If pleasing me was on your mind, what made you think this would. What is stopping me from ripping your head off right now." Angel's voice was smooth and seemed unaffected by what was happening. Riley shook his head but understood that Angel was playing the game. This admirer of his would see anything else as weakness and might kill Willow in a fit of anger or jealously. All Riley could do was wait.. or was that all, he thought about the idea that had been bouncing around in him, and decided it wasn't a bad one. He would have to try it out and see if it worked, the plan was to keep circling and find another way into the rooms where Angel and the one calling herself Eve were. Or if he was lucky he would find the room Willow was in instead and could be out of there before either of them knew he was around.
Hell—oo;
With that thought in mind Riley moved further down the thin room and indeed found another door, this one was very wide and looked like a loading room from the area he was in. Riley walked over to it and he checked the doors handle. It was locked, so he shoved it hard trying to break the lock and open it that way. The only problem with this idea was that if any of the undead were around he was sure to be heard. But in order to get to Willow, he had to get through this door. The old wooded panels on the door gave fairly easily and he was searching the darkness of the room carefully. It would not do now to find himself face to face with three or four vampires guarding Willow. To his benefit there was no one he could readily see, but there was a sound, small and frail.
He moved inside looking around, he pulled his tiny flashlight so he could see better and pointed it in the direction of the sound. Riley blinked twice as he took in what he was seeing, trying to understand what or who it was. The whole thing seemed upside down, and as he moved the flashlight over the rest of it he found he was right. Willow's body was on it's head and he could see she was gagged and bound to something behind her. He saw her state of undress and smelled the burnt flesh, Riley curse himself for ever thinking of going to the roof that day to talk with Angel. Not that he could do anything about that now, he needed to focus and help Willow. He made his way over to her and stood their deciding how to get the chains off her. Noticing how they were connected to the wall behind her, he took out a couple of tools he had with him but none of them seemed to be of any help. Riley was beginning to worry since he could tell that her breathing wasn't the best and she was very cold in what little she was wearing.
His eyes skimmed her pale legs and body, she was so very pale and almost blue in color. Riley shucked his jacket and tried to cover her some then went with the OLE Neanderthal method of getting her loose as he wrapped one of the chains around his wrist and placed his foot on the wall, giving a strong jerk. He didn't pull it free but he did loosen it some so he just kept working on it. His now bloodied wrist and aching shoulder was testament to his unwillingness to give up and he smiled briefly as the first of the four chains pull from the wall. Riley stopped and listened, his mind having caught something, a sound or voice. He didn't know yet but he was trying to hear what it was. The voice came from the other side of the door on the opposite of the room he was in. It was Angel and Eve talking, he could barely hear their voices as they came closer. Another voice caught his mind and he quickly glanced down at Willow. "Riley, she muttered, her voice weak and rough sounding, Riley?" Then he heard her say, "no, just a dream, juss a dream" as she passed out again.
To be continued........
Author; Greenfae/Keziah
Disclaimer; All rights belong to Joss W, and Mutant E, I own nothing, I have nothing,, please no sue me ..
E-mail Greenfae2@cs.com
Rating; PG to R maybe alittle worse,, I am terrible at rating.
Pairing; Willow, Angel , and Riley
Time frame;kinda of after season 7 ,, I think.
notes.. this one is about tourtue and nasty stuff. if you will be upset by it dont read it ,,
feedback: if ya wanna ,, I would enjoy.. I hope.. hehe
Part 8
In Dreams;
She could feel the weightlessness, the ebb and flow of her body as she lay waiting for him. The soft silks of the curtains blowing back from the floor to ceiling from the widows gently as she sat up in her bed. The room was round and light .. open on all four sides like a gazebo. Willow looked around and noticed she was dressed in a mint green nearly sheer dress. It fit tight to her waist and flowed in waves down her legs to her ankles. It was strapless and set in a heart shape around her perky beasts. Her hair was wound up loosely round her head so that tendrils fell around her face and down her back. A silver ring on her left thumb that seemed to be inscribed with some runic markings. But she wasn't sure what the markings meant.
Willow sat back calmly watching through the windows. Fields and flowers were everywhere rose petals were strewn over the floor. She could hear birds tweeting happily very near her. In her mind she couldn't tell if it was day or night. It seemed bright, but she could almost make out the stars from her spot on the large round bed. She knew he was coming, that her love would soon be there with her. All she had to do was wait, and even that wasn't for very long. Strong hands fell gently on her shoulders from behind and she closed her eyes to the feel of him that loves her best. Willow felt the his weight settle on the bed next to her and his hands slid down her arms wrapping them around her pulling her back into his body. He folded her into a embrace and added little kisses that feathered down the side of her neck.
Willow sighed, her head rolled to the other side allowing him full access to her soft warm skin. One of his hands move upward and cupped the rounded mound of her breast and she arched her back into his touch. With his other hand he placed two fingers under her chin and pulled her face to his, kissing her gently. Letting his tongue trace her lips in his urgent need for her. This cause a small moan to escape her lips and he entered the sweet hollow of her mouth. Their passions flared as they kissed and he sighed his pleasure to her. It had seemed so long since she was with him. But now the wait was over and she felt only the intense need taking over her body. She could feel the little tickles he was making on her sides where his hand was gently stroking the silky covered flesh there. Then the tickling became more than that, almost like it hurt.
Suddenly her eyes flew open and she screamed, pain searing her mind in hot flashes. Her eyes blurred and tearing, started to take in her surroundings, she was not in a beautiful room nor was her lover here. More like a basement or dungeon, something was really wrong. Willow notice the more she came to that things were upside down. Mostly because she was upside down. Hanging from what appeared to be a set of chains on a wall. Her hands were bound around her waist and she had to move her head to an odd angle so that it didn't hit the floor. She flashed back to her dream and she smiled in irony of her minds ability cope. Her side still hurt though and she tired to move enough to see why. But instead she heard' "Well, I see my little pet is awake at last".
Demon Treats;
Willow saw the form of a woman move into view. It was the same lady she had been trying to help at the Magic Box. Why was this happening to her she wondered, as she watched the woman move over to her with a red hot fire place poker. That was the smell, Willow thought, I have been burn by that thing. The woman began to speak again as she came closer to Willow's face waving the hot instrument barley an inch from her nose. "Are you comfortable, she smiled wickedly, would you like a cappuccino?" the question was a taunt. Willow knew it, she tossed one out at the woman herself, " you get that line from a book or do you really go out into the world with that face".
Willow tried her best, up yours smile, but it didn't go over very well in her topsy turvy state. She could barley think anyway with all the blood running to her head. The woman clear her throat and smiled, "my name is Eve, you are Willow Rosenburg right?" not that she really needed the answer. Eve walked back to the stove where she had pulled the iron from and placed it back. "I will have to leave soon, but just so you know, I plan to make a dinner of you for the demon of my dreams". Her smiled curve around her face and she watched as Willow tried to say something, most likely of a magical nature. Eve shook her head, "wont work here witch, I have already place a spell on this place. One that will negate your magic for the most and keep you here as long as I like". Eve walked over to a emblem on one wall and lifted her hand as if she were a model on a price is right. "This is a seal, the seal if you want to ward off magic's of all kinds." the vampiress grinned and let her visage fall into her true face. "And you my dear are more or less helpless, when I bring Angelus here, we shall feed and find pleasure in your body in ways you have no idea of. Yet." With that she turned on her heels and left swiftly.
Chained;
Willow began to take in everything around her as she tried to find a way out of this, before Angel/Angelus showed up. She was worried that the vampire was correct in theory anyway. Her mind raced, what if he has been playing me and is really Angelus. Then all he would have been waiting for would be a way to stop me from using my magic. Then he could kill me and leave me on Buffy's doorstep or something equally disturbing. Or even worse, he could turn me and take my soul away, making me like the other me, vampire me. Her head began get very cloudy again, and her side was still burning from the wound that Eve had caused.
Maybe she thought, maybe she could take a few minutes nap. Just so she could gather her strength and deal better with what was happening to her. Somehow she knew there was no way out of this unless Angel really was himself, who would know how to find her. They would only know she was missing, and that's only if she was missing more than 10 hours. She seemed to remember telling them to stay away so she could rest. Oh how she now wished she hadn't asked that of them. Her last thought before passing out again was of how she would explain her stupidity to the others, if they rescued her.
Dressing the Part;
Eve walked into her closet, looking through the enormous amount of clothing there. She had to pick just the right outfit to meet Angelus in. She had more than 4 hours to choose, and taking her time was something she liked to do. The closet itself was huge, Eve walked into it and proceeded to follow the hanged clothes for 8 feet before she came to the end of them and to the rows and rows of shoes. Imelda Marcos would have been proud of her and her collection. There must have been more than two thousand pairs of shoes, all colors shape and designers. Eve smiled as she walked over to her favorite pair of kiss me or kill me pumps. They were dark red and had straps that went round her ankles in a cutting fashion. These she tried on first, just to get in the mood if nothing else. After all she was dressing for the "Scourge of Europe". The thought made her tingle in all the right places, maybe he would show her his way of blood sports. Her mind thrilled to the idea of being beneath the cold hard body of one of the most vicious vampires that had ever been. Excitedly she began to decide what she would wear, as she went through a list in her mind of what she would say. How she would present her, "gift" to Angelus, the one with the angelic face. If she had a heart beat it would have missed one.
The Job;
Angel sat going over his notes for the millionth time, the client that had contacted him was strange at best. He didn't really want to take a job right now since he was still in Sunnydale and waiting for Willow to feel more like talking to him. As he read the papers in his hand his eyes kept wandering to the phone, "what would one call hurt, she wouldn't, couldn't get more angry with him over one phone call". He reached for the thing and gave a wane smile to himself, dialing her number he thought to himself how weak he had become.
The phone rang and rang but there was no answer. That in itself wasn't a bad thing, except that he really wanted to talk with her. Setting his mind Angel got his duster and walked for the front door of his mansion. He would go see how she was for himself, heading toward the Magic Box first he would walk her home if she hadn't left yet. Which was unlikely since the shop had been closed for hours. Then head to her house making sure she was OK. He could rest and read that stupid file Cordy had sent him after that. Inside Angel's head his demon was talking to him in a small voice, bidding it's time, waiting for Angel to slip and let him out enough to do what it really wanted to do. Angel always knew it was listening to him, he heard it's voice when it told him to take Willow and run with her. After all he knew places in the world that no one would find, places where Willow would learn to except their love, and not keep up this stupid game anymore. Hard as Angel would try to push that voice away from his mind, even the souled part of him admitted, he was getting worried about how long she was taking to make up her mind.
Finding Traces;
Getting to the Magic Box around 11 PM, Angel walked to the big front window and peered inside. He didn't see anything right away, but after looking into the darkness for a bit his vampire eyes caught sight of something small on the floor. Something that shouldn't have been there, something that Willow would have never left without. Her keys, the ones to the shop, and maybe on the same ring, ones to her apartment as well. Angel's mind run rampant and he darted around to the back door checking to see if it was open, and it was. He entered the building heading for where he had seen the keys. Sure enough it was her keys, pink fluffy teddy bear key ring and all. His eyes flashed amber and game face snapped into place as he pulled his cell phone from his belt and called Xander's place. Giles answered the phone and Angel told him what had happened as far as he knew, then he let Giles go saying he was going to try and follow her trail or at least go to her apartment and see if she was there.
After all there was no reason to think that, as powerful as she was she just fell at her attackers feet. Angel started by looking for signs of struggle, there wasn't any that he saw. Only some minor scuff marks on the floor like something, someone had been dragged a very short distance before being picked up, maybe. He went to the door he had used to enter the shop and there was little to anything there to go by either. The only thing he could pick up on was the overly sweet scent of an almost familiar perfume. His memory seemed to known the smell, but he could not pull up who or what would use such a fragrance. The trial was thin at best, he would not be able to find her on what he had so far. It had been almost four months since he watched Riley topple over the edge of the building, but he was now wishing soldier boy was here. Willow had said he was now more or less a detective that hunted missing people, or other things.
Angel glanced around one more time, trying to decide which way the scent actually went. But he knew that would be near impossible, since it had been awhile and the wind was blowing pretty good. Those things made even his keen senses less than useful. Turning on his heel he marched off toward Xander's house and Giles, it would be a place to start. Once he tells them what he had found maybe they could find her together.
Guess Who;
It seemed to take forever to get back to Xander and Giles, but really it was only a few minutes. Angel walked up to the door and banged on it heavily. He could hear three heartbeats on the other side and wondered if maybe Willow had somehow escaped and gotten over here for safety sake. But no his mind corrected, he didn't smell her and by now he knew every scent she was likely to wear and her normal body fragrance. The scents were familiar to him but he could not quite place them yet. The door opened and Buffy stood there looking at him her eyes shinning up at him, pain evident in them. "Come in Angel, she said in clipped tones. Meaning she had already been briefed by Giles or Xander and she felt he had some explaining to do to her, or so she would think. He didn't feel the need to say anything to the Slayer, mostly because it would be like confessing again and he didn't think Buffy really needed to hear it from him. No doubt she had heard enough already.
It was a little bit of a shock to see her, but he knew she would show up sooner of later. The only problem with sooner was that Angel had not got Willow to come back to him yet. With things up in the air as there were he was worried Willow's best friend would be able to sway her away from Angel completely. The demon in Angel's head wanted to kill her on the spot, instinct and hatred of the slayer coming to the fore. Even though in his heart he saw her as girl he had been in love with, and still care a great deal for. Right now he didn't know which side of the fence she was on and he didn't want to lose his chance at Willow because of something Buffy said or did.
Walking into the front room she piled up on an over stuffed chair and watched him as he moved over toward where Xander was. "So what have you found out about Willow", Buffy asked in her most controlled slayer voice. "Not as much as I would like, Angel answered, But this is just the beginning, I am sure Giles will no more. Or at the very least he will be able to help me figure out what happened". Angel's eyes scanned the room for Giles, his hearing detected noises coming from where the bath was and he went back to his conversation with Buffy. "So you going on patrol with me to find her then, he asked the tension showing in his movements. He wanted this over and to have Willow back where he knew where she was, safe. Giles needed to get out here so he could ask about the vision spell again, maybe something like that would help find Willow. To Angel that couldn't be done fast enough.
They had no way of knowing who or what had her right now and it was making him crazy. Xander looked at him strangely and Angel noticed an almost grim inner conflict within the man. What was it Xander was thinking, he started to ask what was on his mind when the door leading through the bedroom to the bath opened. Good, thought Angel, finally Giles. The tension was getting to him and he knew he needed to do something other than receive dirty looks from goofy and the slayer. Angel turned toward the door only to drop his jar nearly on the floor.
Riley stepped into the main room and looked around, he had known that he would be seeing Angel here and he was not happy about that. But when he got to Sunnydale this evening and didn't find Willow at home, he had come to Xander's home looking her. Only to get the news very shortly after he got there that Willow may have been kidnapped. He was not a happy man and his anger showed toward Angel, he didn't even bother to pretend civility toward the dark vampire. He still had some not completely heal parts but he didn't want Angel to know that. Somehow understanding that Angel would in no way let him help if he thought he was still hurt.
Masking any left over pain Riley walked over to Angel and glared at him crossing his arm over his broad chest. To Angel he looked as if he were fine, as if nothing had happened to him. He started to say something to Riley then noticed the look on his face and returned it with his own icy stare. Both men looked as if they were about to resume the last time they had encountered each other. That is when Buffy eyeing them both stepped in the middle, "Save it for who ever or whatever has Willow, boys." Her comments made in clipped tones, her eyes daring either of them to keep up their testosterone benge. Both man looked to their shoes briefly then they made way to separate corners. But not without further killer glances at each other.
Suddenly the front door opened and in walked Giles, looking impatient and flustered. "How do they expect to call themselves 'information finders' if they can't find one auburn headed witch." The words said as if he had a lemon in his mouth. Giles paced in the apartment, puling off his jacket and placing books on the coffee table. He scanned the room and noticed that both Angel and Riley were here now and he did his best not to allow his own feelings get involved with what they had to do now. Angel found himself feeling very uncertain of the whole thing, what would he do now. Riley's reappearance was not on his list of things to worry about. It would seem he needed a new list. Worse, he thought, no one told him of Riley's return, yet they all seemed not to be surprised by this, by his even being alive. His mind caught up with the rest of them as they discussed how to find Willow and what to look for. It was Angel's phone that brought them out of their concentrated effort if only of a minute. He checked it to see who it was then answered it moving away from the rest to have more privacy with his client.
The Phone Call;
Xander was asking more questions and Buffy was correlating a plan of attack with Riley when Angel's voice suddenly got louder than the rest of them put together. "What do you mean, NO, I will come, just let me get this address written down." he motioned for someone to give him paper and pen. Giles got him the items and the group watched him each wondering what was so important it would take away from what they were trying to do.
Once the address was jotted down he closed the phone and looked at the rest of them, guilt written all over his face. "I know where she is," he said, unwilling to let them see the fear in his eyes. Giles and Riley moved toward Angel, both looking as if he didn't tell them, that they would beat it out of him. Angel stared at them and let out a sigh, " I will have to go this one alone, his voice hard edged and serious, she will be killed if I don't go on my own, and there is no way to sneak up on this person." Xander snorted, " person,, you mean vampire don't you." He paused a minute, what happened Angel, one of your enemies find an easy way to get to you, or some friend wanting to get you something/someone for you birthday.". Angel's eyes flashed amber gold at the last comment, and that had both Buffy and Riley in his face.
"Just chill, Angel" Buffy made him know she wasn't taking no for an answer. "Just tell us Angel, Giles asked, what has happened to Willow." Angel began to explain that a female vampire had kidnapped her and she was being held by the vampire so that Angel/Angelus would come to her. She seemed to want his attention. But in Angel's mind the vampire called Eve had no idea what she would be getting. That if she wanted to be with Angelus he would let her, long enough to rip her head off anyway. After they had talked about it for a short while Angel took off on his own knowing that he had little time and Eve would be impatient now. He needed to make an appearance as Angelus and he had to change some of what he was wearing to do that. After leaving the mansion he watched around him on the street and thought he smelled something familiar. But he had no time to stop and wonder. With only a half hour left before Eve had said she would carry out her threats against Willow. He was in no mood to deal with anything else.
Shadowing an Angel;
Riley slipped out of the apartment just before Angel had left and followed him to his mansion. What the hell is he doing here, Riley wondered. His question was answered in less then ten minutes as Angel walked out wearing a long duster and what looked like black leather pants. He watched as Angel stopped a moment and looked around then shook his head and got into his car heading where ever it was he thought Willow was being held. Riley follow in a small dark jeep, from a fair distance, so as not to be noticed. His thoughts kinda of jumbled, Angel needed to make a fashion statement to the female vampire or something.
To Riley this was kinda of stupid, but knowing what he did about Angel he didn't doubt that he knew what he was doing. Riley's hope was that it wouldn't take to much time. He needed to see Willow, needed to know she was all right. He had missed her so much that even before he was really ready to come back he left base and came to see Willow. He needed her and wanted her to know he had not left her. He would never want to leave her, and when he saw her again he would let her know that for certain. But first, they must find and rescue her. Riley's hands held tight to the wheel of the jeep as he carefully turned with Angel and kept his on every move the dark car ahead of him made.
It seemed like they were going to the warehouse district, now why didn't that surprise him, he thought grimly. The fact that there were a lot less cars made it harder to follow very close so Riley had to rely on distance and scanning technique. He found Angel's car in front of what had been a glue factory, located near the back of all the other buildings here. He could see as he pulled up that one door was slightly ajar. He thought it must be the one Angel went into. So he park his jeep and got out quietly making a call to Buffy and the rest letting them know where he was and what he had seen so far. Then he let them know that he would not make contact anymore and they should come fast. Leaving the phone in the jeep he retrieve a cross bow and four stakes, which he filled the inside panels of his jacket with. With a long sigh he started toward the door, glancing around to see if anyone, or thing was trying to sneak up on him. Nothing, he was glad of that, as he walked quietly inside the dark factory. The place reeked of old death, Riley could remember coming to a place like this once when he was letting the vampires feed from him. It was a prefect spot for their kind, he thought.
Advancing slowly he peered into the darkness and pulled a flash light. To bad the branch of secret military he had worked for didn't give him better total darkness vision, he mused to himself. A quick flash of light from his left and he was moving that way, the sound coming from the other side was odd to Riley. It sounded like a party, or dance. Not knowing what to make of it he stood just away from the door and waited wondering how to proceed.
From one side where Riley was looking he saw someone enter a door nearly half way down the building. He trotted down that way hoping it would be another way into the interior of the place. Letting him gain access without the notice a human would get walking into a party full of vampires. When he got to the door it wasn't locked and it seemed to be some type of utility route, more or less the back door he thought. He wondered about who it was that had gone in this way just before him. His mind realized this was going to be more dangerous than he had first thought. After all, the only thing Angel had told them was that a female vampire had Willow and he had been told to come alone if he wanted to see her. All this was a surprise to him and he figured it would be to the slayer as well. Who knew there was a vampire club more or less in the warehouse district of Sunnydale. Hell mouth or no, it's not like this is a huge city where these kinds of places could hide easily.
Riley proceeded with care, watching all around him. The area was thin and full of odd things. Different sofas and chairs, wing back and chase lounges. Lamps and statues stacked on each other, in the distance he had come Riley could have put together four different Adams style homes. He had never seen so much antique furnishings out side of a store. Not letting himself muse to much about what things were here besides the vampires he could now here on the other side of the wall. He was close now to more intimate areas and he could nearly make out most of what was being said. Riley walked over to the wall and leaned an ear to it listening closely.
"Angelus, I only want to please you", the voice was defiantly feminine and full of lust. Riley lean in closer to hear better and was rewarded with, "If pleasing me was on your mind, what made you think this would. What is stopping me from ripping your head off right now." Angel's voice was smooth and seemed unaffected by what was happening. Riley shook his head but understood that Angel was playing the game. This admirer of his would see anything else as weakness and might kill Willow in a fit of anger or jealously. All Riley could do was wait.. or was that all, he thought about the idea that had been bouncing around in him, and decided it wasn't a bad one. He would have to try it out and see if it worked, the plan was to keep circling and find another way into the rooms where Angel and the one calling herself Eve were. Or if he was lucky he would find the room Willow was in instead and could be out of there before either of them knew he was around.
Hell—oo;
With that thought in mind Riley moved further down the thin room and indeed found another door, this one was very wide and looked like a loading room from the area he was in. Riley walked over to it and he checked the doors handle. It was locked, so he shoved it hard trying to break the lock and open it that way. The only problem with this idea was that if any of the undead were around he was sure to be heard. But in order to get to Willow, he had to get through this door. The old wooded panels on the door gave fairly easily and he was searching the darkness of the room carefully. It would not do now to find himself face to face with three or four vampires guarding Willow. To his benefit there was no one he could readily see, but there was a sound, small and frail.
He moved inside looking around, he pulled his tiny flashlight so he could see better and pointed it in the direction of the sound. Riley blinked twice as he took in what he was seeing, trying to understand what or who it was. The whole thing seemed upside down, and as he moved the flashlight over the rest of it he found he was right. Willow's body was on it's head and he could see she was gagged and bound to something behind her. He saw her state of undress and smelled the burnt flesh, Riley curse himself for ever thinking of going to the roof that day to talk with Angel. Not that he could do anything about that now, he needed to focus and help Willow. He made his way over to her and stood their deciding how to get the chains off her. Noticing how they were connected to the wall behind her, he took out a couple of tools he had with him but none of them seemed to be of any help. Riley was beginning to worry since he could tell that her breathing wasn't the best and she was very cold in what little she was wearing.
His eyes skimmed her pale legs and body, she was so very pale and almost blue in color. Riley shucked his jacket and tried to cover her some then went with the OLE Neanderthal method of getting her loose as he wrapped one of the chains around his wrist and placed his foot on the wall, giving a strong jerk. He didn't pull it free but he did loosen it some so he just kept working on it. His now bloodied wrist and aching shoulder was testament to his unwillingness to give up and he smiled briefly as the first of the four chains pull from the wall. Riley stopped and listened, his mind having caught something, a sound or voice. He didn't know yet but he was trying to hear what it was. The voice came from the other side of the door on the opposite of the room he was in. It was Angel and Eve talking, he could barely hear their voices as they came closer. Another voice caught his mind and he quickly glanced down at Willow. "Riley, she muttered, her voice weak and rough sounding, Riley?" Then he heard her say, "no, just a dream, juss a dream" as she passed out again.
To be continued........