Part 8
Willow's mind was turning to mush. Spike's hand had snaked its way under her shirt and with ever-widening circles her brain had ceased to function. The words in the book were beginning to blend together and not make any sense. She bit her lip to stop the moan from escaping but she couldn't stop her back from arching. Just as her eyes were drifting closed and her head was falling back onto Spike's shoulder Giles let out a shout.
"Ah hah! I think I've found it."
Willow jerked up and away from Spike who growled and tightened his hold on her. Bugger all, he was going to kill the watcher yet.
"W-what'd you find, Giles? Is it a spell or a demon?"
Giles set the book down on the table for all to see. Willow reluctantly stood after a brief battle with Spike.
Xander leaned over to get a better look at the book, "HEY no fair. We were supposed to be looking at spells and Giles was looking in a book filled with pictures of women barely wearing clothes."
Cordelia hit him on the back of his head before leaning over his shoulder to look.
Giles huffed, "It's a book of love goddesses."
"Is there a section of love gods? 'Cause we all know there's got to be a picture of the Xan-man there." Xander nuzzled on Cordelia's neck. "For I am the god of love."
Cordelia giggled as she leaned her head to the side to give him better access.
Harmony rolled her eyes, "Oh please like you would be any competition for my pookie bear."
"I think I'm gonna be sick." Willow mumbled into Spike's ear.
"You? At least you're not about to be related to her. Damn I never thought I'd rather see Angelus with the Slayer."
Giles pointed to a particular picture. "This is Aphrodite."
Willow's eyes widened, "You mean there really are Greek gods?"
Giles went into lecture mode, "All supernatural beings have a thread of reality to them, just like the Hansel and Gretel demon."
"Why do you think it's Aphrodite and not any of the others?" Willow asked Giles.
"Because there is love and chaos. No one does that better than Aphrodite."
"So call her and get her to fix it. She better make it so my memories of mom and Snyder are wiped clean, too." Buffy shuddered.
Giles read under the picture, "I believe I have most of the ingredients but not all of them."
Willow read the spell, "I have those. It's the same ingredients I used to perform that spell for Spike." She walked over to where her backpack lay and opened it up.
Reaching inside she pulled out her supplies along with the mortar and pestle. "I don't have anything to heat them up in, though."
"I do." Oz said as he moved to the cage that housed him in wolf-mode. He opened the cage and went to the side to where he kept a bowl.
Xander made an ewww face and Oz smiled when he saw it. "No, it's for my water to drink."
"Spike's got his lighter but won't the sprinkler system turn on when we make a fire?" Willow asked as she began mixing the ingredients.
Giles went into his office and brought out some candles, "This ought to make a small enough fire and not have the sprinklers go off."
Harmony lay her head against Angel's chest as she watched Willow grind the ingredients and Giles place the candles in a circle. "I'm bored. Can we leave now?"
Buffy narrowed her eyes at Harmony, "You can leave anytime you want, Harmony."
Angel placed a soft kiss on the top of Harmony's head, "Let's just stay to make sure Aphrodite is the one causing this and then we can leave."
Harmony turned in his embrace and kissed him, "Promise?"
Buffy turned her back on the sickening couple and made her way over to Oz as he placed the bowl on a rack over the candles.
She slipped her arms around Oz's waist and began nuzzling his neck, "Have I told you lately how happy I am that I have you?"
Oz smiled and turned in her arms, "That's a good thing since I'm happy to have you."
Willow stopped grinding and went to stand next to Spike. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss. As she backed away his arms sneaked around her waist and pulled her closer. "Hey now, no teasing the vampire."
He leaned down and placed a long, lingering kiss on her lips. Spike raised his head and smirked at Willow, "Now that's the way to give a proper kiss."
Giles quickly grabbed the bowl Willow was holding before it dropped out of her nerveless fingers. He dumped the ingredients into the bowl over the candles and began reciting the spell.
A bright flash lit the library but nothing else happened.
"Was that supposed to happen?" Harmony asked from the circle of Angel's arms. "Can we go now?"
Giles shook his head, "I don't understand it that was supposed to call Aphrodite." He wondered if maybe Willow hadn't put the right amount of each ingredient in the bowl.
A giggle filtered through the air and then the space next to Giles began to ripple and bend.
Giles took a hasty step back and stared wide-eyed as a beautiful blonde woman materialized next to him.
Aphrodite smiled and walked up to Giles and lightly placed her finger on the bottom of his chin and slowly shut his open mouth, "I still got it!"
She turned to the others in the room, "Okay who called me and why was I summoned to the mortal realm?"
Everyone pointed at Giles.
Aphrodite turned back to Giles, "So, handsome I can't imagine that you'd need a love spell. Why'd you call?"
Giles blushed a deep red and cleared his throat, "Yes, well, umm...thanks. I mean no I don't need a spell that wasn't why I called you. T-the spell that you did earlier has had drastic results and we need you to reverse it."
Buffy nodded her head, "Yes, please. Make my mom stop loving Snyder and if you throw in a memory wiping spell I'd be very thankful."
"No can do sweetie."
"What?! Why not?" Buffy narrowed her eyes and wondered how bad it would be if she slayed the goddess of love.
"'Cause it wasn't me that did the spell though I gotta say I love the results. We haven't have this much fun since Rome in 245 BC."
Giles wrinkled his brow, "Well if it wasn't you then who did this?"
Aphrodite pointed over at Willow, "Her."
"WHAT?! I did not!"
Aphrodite walked toward Willow, "Well technically you're right you didn't do this."
Willow nodded at the others who had turned to look at her when Aphrodite pointed her out, "Told you."
"But who was it that called my boy Cupid?"
"I didn't!"
Aphrodite rolled her eyes and tapped her toes, "And I guote, 'We call to love's messenger to hear this plea. The heart's desire we ask to see.'"
Willow bit her lip and turned red, "Ummm, oops?"
