A/N-Hey! I just wanted to tell you guys that chapters are going to be posted between longer intervals now. The is due to many contributing factors like school work (yes, in the summer it is absurd), library volunteer work (it's ironic that of all places a library is one my least likely places I can read and write), and lack of creativity in putting the ideas in my mind onto paper (in this case the computer screen). Anyway so expect delays. Thank you for understanding. Plus real quick this is a Flashback chapter. I know all of you are thinking "what a waste! I had to wait so long for a stupid flashback?! Where's the Good Stuff!?". I say to you people, simply calm down and slowly put down the knife. The Flashbacks are necessary and crucial to the plot as well as the understanding of the next chapter. Well my spew in finally over.
Super-Size Hugs go out to: Imzadi, BAShipper101, Reese, Kerimack, Tariq, Charlie Maxwell, miss-ange, and AngelRose4,
Buffy nearly tripped forward as she was thrust in front of Ethan by her shameless mother. She quickly regained her poise and smiled courteously, gritting her teeth, as she extended her arm out to Ethan, "Hello Mr. Rayne. Please call me Buffy".
"Well hello there Buffy," Ethan shook her hand, "Your mother tells me much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Rayne," Buffy cooed batting her eyelashes; the only action that restrained her from rolling her eyes.
Buffy painfully attempted to stifle down the laughter that was in danger of coming out. She knew this stud muffin her mother went on and on about wasn't going to exactly be the shiniest apple of the bushel. After all, her mother's taste in men was about as polished as rust. Still, she didn't prepare herself for the pitiful image of man's midlife crisis at its worst that stood in front of her. For a man who was supposed worth millions he sure didn't look it by the way he dressed. He wore a gaudy grey silk suit with alligator skin shoes, making an annoying squeak every time he took a step. His physique was no where near impressive and was about as spectacular as the obvious dye job on his hair. This was going to be more painful than she thought.
"Well let me introduce to my son Angelus" Ethan motioned to the side of him.
Buffy turned her head; in critiquing Ethan she had not even realized that there was someone else in the room. She glanced over next to Ethan and her heart stopped. The man that stood before her now was the shining opposite of his father. He was tall and handsome like so many of the other boys at Manchester she grew up with, but there was something different about him that made her stomach flutter up. Buffy quickly pushed down the feeling; he was just another boy after all and nothing else. Another stupid boy who grew up with daddy's money, cars, and praise: ripe for her manipulating.
"It's nice to meet your acquaintance, Angelus," Buffy gave a bright smile sticking her arm out as before.
The tiny blonde goddess had instantly captured Angelus's full attention as soon as she had sauntered into the room wearing that teasing little number. His father had forced him to attend this afternoon soiree with his new girlfriend. It wasn't something he was looking forward. Personally he would have preferred checking out the all girls school located just north of town. However, looking at Buffy he was glad he decided to stick it out, hopefully by the end of the day he'd be rewarded by sticking it to. He had always found blondes to be immensely enjoyable. As an added bonus she was cute. Innocence had always been a turn on for him and from what he could tell his stepsister to be was oozing with it.
He grinned to himself, looked like today wasn't going to be an entire waste.
"Likewise," Angelus took her hand, surprised the delicate flower in front of him had such a firm grip.
The two remained locked in their handshake, as they just stared into one another void of emotion. They silently studied each other, both very aware what the other was doing.
"Well now that we got the introductions out of the way, Ethan and me are going to be taking a trip to the his summer home in the Hamptons," Joyce said promptly, breaking up the Buffy and Angelus. She took the arm of Ethan as she brushed past the children.
The couple hurriedly walked towards the door, stopping a few steps short of reaching it to pick up the packed suitcases that seemed to magically appear all of a sudden behind the couch.
"You two can stay here to get more acquainted with one another if you want," Joyce said, not even looking at Buffy or Angelus, focusing rather on busily picking up the healthy pile of luggage, handing the much larger flower embroider cases to Ethan. Once the last of the bags had been tossed over to Ethan, the couple finally turned to face their kids.
"The two of you learn to get along because something tells me our two families are about to get very close," Ethan drawled as he stared fondly into the reciprocating eyes of Joyce. The two lovebirds remained in their dreamy stance for a moment, basking in one another. Over on the other side of the room, their two children simultaneously rolled their eyes.
Joyce was first to break off the loving gaze. She picked up one of her tinier suitcases and took Ethan's arm, "Don't make a mess" she muttered directing a sharp warning look to her daughter. Ethan and Joyce then turned around as they left the room without as much as a goodbye.
Angelus and Buffy just stood there in silence, both still staring at the empty space where their negligent parents had just been.
Buffy wasn't surprised her mother had just taken off like that with less than a moment's notice, she was in fact shock her mother had even mentioned she was leaving. She usually forgot that part as well when she took one of her "trips".
"So Buffy," Angelus spoke up, breaking the awkward silence in the room.
Buffy ran over her daily planner in her mind, she had foolishly cleared her itinerary for the day thinking that this family gathering would have droned endlessly on for the better part of it. Now that her massage appointment at the most elite spa in New York was rescheduled and her friends had gone there without her she was stuck at the penthouse with her likely future stepbrother. Of course, when life gives you lemons you make lemonade, she smiled inwardly at the delightful proverb. It looked like she had to improvise her entertainment today, beginning with the man in front of her: Angelus.
"Elizabeth," Buffy interjected curtly, "My name is Elizabeth".
Angelus stared peculiarly at her for a moment, still taking in the breathtaking sight of the beautiful, but potentially derange blonde, "You just said call me Buffy a couple of minutes ago".
"I said for your father to call me Buffy. You on the other hand must call me Elizabeth," Buffy explained.
Angelus smirked, "And why is that Elizabeth". He made sure to stress her name for the princess's liking. Buffy stalked around Angelus, a playful grin played on her lips, "Because you need to earn that privilege. I only let people I like or want something from to call me that". Buffy came to a stop in front of Angelus, "And unfortunately Angelus, you are in neither categories".
Angelus was taken back from Buffy's response; of course he didn't let that reflect in his appearance. He was a master in the art of keeping his emotions at bay. He was about to open his mouth ready to hurl out another one of his charming replies, when he suddenly closed it. She wasn't one of the average ordinary air head he was so had gotten so use to banging. She was different. She was playing with him. He could play too he thought.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you were one of those girls," Angelus causally brushed off.
Buffy knew she was walking right into his little verbal trap, but she couldn't help letting her curiosity get the best of her, "And what type of girl would that be?"
"An uptight feminist lesbian with a stick shoved up her ass," Angelus offhandedly replied. He waited for her startled reaction, but found that she didn't even flinch once at his comment. The haughty girls that he knew would usually be a rage of bewilderment by now; ready to complain to whomever that had the time of day to listen.
He was deeply intrigued by the airiness that stilled remained around Buffy. She wasn't ruffled up or upset and because of that he, if possible, was even more attracted to her than before.
Buffy knew that most boys with whom she grew up with were taught early on to bite their tongue, and remain courteous and a gentleman to girls or at least until they got what they wanted. Angelus, however, was a contradiction to this rule. No man had ever spoken to her that way. Angelus didn't feel the need to be kind or courtly with her. She loved it.
"I assure you Angelus that I'm not a feminist and I am in fact extremely into boys even though I must admit that this meeting is quickly changing that conception, also I do not have a stick up my ass, but let me promise you that even if there ever was something, it wouldn't belong to you"
Angelus's eyes widened at the lovely imagery she conjured up in his mind. This spunky little firecracker was turning him on to no end.
"You know you're so hot when you talk dirty," Angelus chuckled, "You should do it more often. It suits you".
"How do you know I don't?" Buffy questioned titling her head in amusement.
Angelus started walking towards the door. He would have had no objections in spending the rest of the day and even more welcomingly the night with the golden haired beauty, but he wasn't sure he could be held accountable for the actions that would have also occurred.
He couldn't let her get the upper hand in this game. He wanted her and she knew that, arming her with a certain power. No matter how far lust went, he thought, he still wasn't going to be turned into her little lapdog appeasing her every whim. He promised himself once that no girl would ever possess him, and Buffy was no different, regardless of the connection he felt with her or the aching he felt in the familiar part of his anatomy.
He delivered her a little half smile as he passed Buffy, "Let's just say I know girls, Elizabeth".
He got closer to the doorways when a sound cut through the air, "Angelus!"
Buffy didn't know why she had felt the need to call out his name, or the desperate yearning she had for him to not leave. She had wanted boys before, but never this much. This foreign feeling scared her. She shook the thought out of her head, there was no way she was becoming an obedient Stepford wife to any man, including Angelus. She quenched the uncontrollable urge to throw her arms around his masculine frame and just beg him to take her. She had to remain composed and graceful; a chore she knew how to do exceptionally well, yet the deed seemed harder and harder the longer she was with Angelus.
Angelus turned around to face her at the sound of her frantic call.
"Call me Buffy"