Chapter 9

The Mansion: 9:00 PM

Buffy and Angel are curled around each other in front of the fire. Buffy is way too far gone to ask where they are - if she's even noticed that they aren't in Angel's drafty apartment. The blanket that has covered them earlier has been discarded as both are now quite warm having generated a good amount of heat.

She has just finished draining him for the third time, her breathing is slow and she is having a hard time raising her head. Somehow, with the exchanges she has been able to climb into his mind. She knows many things without the benefit of conversation. She knows that he lost in soul and that ultimately the loss is her fault. She knows that what is left of him is a fierce, feral creature of great intelligence. She understands that he saw no choice other than the path he has chosen for both of them. She sees his love, his possession of her - by her - and somehow she accepts it all. She knows that he is doing what he sees as best for them that they could not have continued in any other way but this. She knows all of this and she accepts it. She is just so tired.

She finally manages to speak for the first time in hours. "Angel, I am exhausted."

"I know. Are you ready to go to bed?" he asks.

She gives a very weak smile, "Haven't we been in bed for hours?"

He smiles back, "Actually, we've been in the floor for hours. I'm taking you to bed now." With that he picks her up and stands. She is so light that even though he is starved and weak, he can manage her weight with no problem. He steps down the hallway to the room at the end and enters the master suite.

The room is also done in dark browns and golds. There is a huge overstuffed bed in the middle of the room. Angel turns down the covers and tucks her in. She snuggles in the covers and sighs. He sits beside her and smoothes back her hair. It surprises him when she speaks, "Angelous, don't think I don't know what you just did. " He gazes down at her face and sees a small smile curving her lips.

Her words are rewarded with another deep laugh, "Well sweetheart, you never seem ta' mind too much, now, da' you?" as Liam's accent slips out of his mouth. He kisses her forehead and pads back down the hallway for some refreshment before climbing into bed beside of her.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

TBA