Text enclosed in ** represents thoughts
Part 9
The Old Mansion
Same night
"Where do we go?" Willow wanted to know and tried to keep pace with Spike. When he noticed that she was out of breath, Spike slowed down.
"I think he's in this old mansion, bloody good place to let out your rage," remarked Spike casually. If he knew Angelus at all, he was guessing that his sire had just demolished all of the mansion's furniture. The sooner they would arrive, the better for all persons concerned. When they entered the mansion through the side entrance, they already heard bursting glass and furious cursing from a distance.
Willow came to a halt and took some deep breaths to pluck some courage. "I have to do this on my own, Spike. Would you please tell the others not to wait for me?"
Respect for her flashed up in his azure blue eyes. "Be careful, Red, his demon has the upper hand on him, you could get hurt."
"Angel would never hurt me," was Willow's indignant reply as she went to enter the house. But Spike held her back.
"His soddin' demon is full of rage for you, Luv. You constantly declare how much you love both parts of my sire, but you claimed neither the man nor the demon." When Spike saw Willow's blank look, he sighed theatrically. "I thought, pet, that you're the brain of the club." With a shake of his head he dragged Willow a little away from the entry. "All right, Red, if you do everything how I tell it to you, tomorrow morning everything'll be an old hat. In the vampire world it's not sufficient to constantly say 'I love you'. Other vampires need a visible proof in order to give them no silly ideas."
With his last words, it began to dawn on Willow what he was driving at. "Angel bit you to let all the other vampires know how much he loves you and that you belong to him. Since you haven't bitten him, apparently yet, his demon believes that your love oaths aren't meant honestly. Luv," Spike said forcefully and took her cold hands in his, "if you're able to come near him... and if you're completely sure that you love him for all eternity, and believe me, eternity means a long, long time, baby, then damn well bite him," Spike said, ending the longest speach he had ever held.
"I'm absolutely sure, Spike," Willow assured him. Spike nodded and turned to leave, when he heard Willow softly add, "I'll do everything so that you get your sire back. I'll never get between you two." Spike looked over his shoulder, nodded briefly to acknowledge that he had heard her and vanished in the darkness of the night.
*** *** ***
Willow wiped her cold and sweaty palms on her pants and took a deep breath to calm her fluttery nerves, then she went in the direction from where she heard the loud noises of Angel's destruction crusade. She carefully opened the door and blanched at the sight of the heap of rubble. In the middle of the destruction stood Angel in his vampire face with all of the pictures that he had ever painted ripped to pieces. When Willow saw what Angel just destroyed, she could no longer stand back so she tried to stop him. As soon as Angel heard her, he turned with lightning speed to her direction and snarled dangerously. Willow had never seen him so furious and she skidded some feet away from him to an abrupt halt.
"Angel," she said with a soft and reassuring voice, as if she was speaking to a predator right about to attack her, "Let me please explain it to you."
Angel's only answer was a deep growl and the flashing of his fangs, before he turned back to his task of destroying his paintings. Carefully, Willow snuck forward, but had to stop when Angel's snarls became louder and more threatening.
She suddenly recognized the picture in his hand, the only remnant of his family. Willow rushed forward and called out in despair, "Noooo!"
With a menacing growl, Angel turned around and hit Willow in the face with his fist. From the impact of the unexpected punch, she dropped to the hard stone floor and slid several meters before a wall stopped her unconscious body. When Angel saw Willow's lifeless body, he awoke immediately from his fury and ran to her side. Gently he checked her body for any fractures and winced at the sight of her face where he had struck her. He slowly scooped her up in his arms as if she was made of fragile porcelain and carried her to Spike's old room. Willow thought she was floating and opened her eyes cautiously, but the severe pain in her head made her groan and shut them at once. Angel again winced guiltily at her moaning form. Deathly pale, he laid his precious weight on the antique bed and then withdrew into the shadows. Just when he turned the handle, Angel heard Willow's low voice.
"Angel?" Paralyzed, Angel stood still. "Please...come back to me." Did she only imagine it or did his posture become a little bit stiffer? "Is the great Angelus afraid of a little girl?" Willow attempted another tactic and gasped in surprise when from nowhere suddenly Angel in full vamp-mode loomed above her.
"Don't try to play games with me, little girl, you can only lose," Angel hissed angrily. Willow, who knew how close to the surface the real Angelus was, was acquainted with his weakness and tried to take advantage of it. Under narrowed eyelashes she looked up into his dark face.
"You're not half as interesting for me as Angel." She barely finished speaking, when he already attacked her. Brutally, he pressed his lips on hers and forced them apart to explore almost violently with his tongue the soft cavern of her mouth, while his hands kneaded her soft breasts painfully. Willow was barely able to breathe and felt nausea rise up in her throat. All her pent-up fears of Angelus crashed down on her, but suddenly she could hear clearly Spike's voice. "You must bite him...you must bite him..." With all her strength Willow began to fight against Angelus' attack, who released her surprised. Grinning smugly, he glanced at her flushed face and messed up clothing. "You're a cute little brat, perhaps you have more fire than the lousy slayer."
At the sight of his mocking grin, which Willow so loved on Angel, she flipped out. She slammed into Angelus' body with a yell of sheer rage. This let him reel back on the bed under her onrush and Willow straddled his hips.
"Mine!" said Willow loud and firmly, before she bent down and bit with her blunt teeth into Angel's neck. When she tasted the unique slightly salty flavour of his blood, she lost all coherent thoughts and began to drink. Only when Willow heard Angel's content purring, she slowly lifted her head and looked into his now again soulful brown eyes, which gleamed full of love and passionate fire. "Do you believe now, that I only love you, you silly vampire?" murmured Willow and kissed him long and tenderly.
Angel couldn't quite comprehend what just had happened, had Willow really bitten him or was it only another one of his daydreams again? Carefully he touched his neck and looked at his bloody fingertips in surprise. "Do you know what you did, Little One?" Angel wanted to know, but Willow only shrugged her shoulders and then lapped at the remaining blood on his fingers. The touch of her moist tongue on his skin drove Angel almost crazy with need and with a groan he rubbed his obvious erection at her hip. Quickly she stood up and undressed before she straddled his hips again, her own need to be with her mate too great.
Angel couldn't stop touching his fire goddess, brief brushes with his fingertips across her cheeks, her throat. His thumb gently traced her lips and Willow couldn't stop herself from kissing it and drawing it seductively between her teeth. His breath caught in a sharp gasp of response and his large cock throbbed even more. Willow began to move over his erection and slowly unbuttoned his silk shirt. Exposing his muscular chest, she let her short fingernails scratch down from his shoulder blades to his waistband where she provocatively pulled down the zipper of his pants and freed his aching cock.
Angel looked deep into her eyes and said in a tone, mixed between authority and seductive charm, "Touch me."
Willow's emerald eyes locked with Angel's almost black ones and she could feel the heat of her passion seep from between her legs. "I will touch you," whispered Willow; her heart began to race and her hand trembled slightly, as she comprehended what she would do. "But you have to lay still. Promise me that you don't move."
Angel managed a wry smile. "I can't give you that promise, Little One, I lose my self-control just when you look at me."
Encouraged by his words she took his pulsing shaft into her small hand. Angel's only response was the clenching of his fists in the bed sheets and a low moan.
At first Willow felt a bit uneasy and stroked Angel's hard cock only softly. But motivated by his constantly rising passionate groaning, she grabbed him harder. Angel closed his eyes full of longing and took a trembling breath, only to let them fly open again in surprise, when he sensed Willow's moist lips around his cock head and how she gently began sucking on it. Unconsciously, he moved his hips and wanted to sank deeper into her warm wet mouth, but he forced himself back to immobility. Willow tasted a salty liquid seeping from the tip of his pulsing cock and found the aroma exciting. Getting braver, she let Angel's cock slip deeper into her mouth and stroked the thick vain on the underside with the tip of her tongue. When Willow began to caress Angel's testicles with her other hand, he couldn't stand it any longer. Yelping he pulled her away from his twitching cock. "Kiss me," Angel whispered huskily and pulled Willow down on his waiting mouth, which hungered for the taste of her lips.
The sigh, which she heard, was her own. She let herself pull down from Angel, and when her mouth covered his, she opened her lips to receive his searching tongue. She melted, relishing every inch of his body, which touched hers, and quivered when their tongues danced together. During the kiss she further stroked him, squeezed and caressed him with a courage and confidence, which she didn't knew she possessed, till now. Angel could feel his balls tighten under her ministrations and knew that he was near his orgasm, but he didn't want it to end so fast. When he took his hand from her neck to lay it around her waist, Willow sighed in disappointment. She loved the way he stroked her hair. Just when she wanted to tell him, that he shouldn't stop his stroking, his hand gripped one of her ass cheeks and his fingertips slid stroking firmly near the point where her hottest sensations burned. Slowly he slid a finger in her wetness and gently began to pump it in and out of her while she writhed and bucked in ecstasy against the palm of his hand. After a while Willow couldn't stand it any longer and she felt a surge of desire spread through her belly and pussy.
"Aaaaaaangel," yelled Willow as the first waves of her desire crushed through her. With lightning speed, Angel changed her positions and thrust his aching cock in the warm moist depth of her womanhood. With deep strokes he pushed into her and Willow wrapped her legs around his waist to take Angel even deeper into her tight cunt. Angel tried desperately to fight his demon down but to no avail. When Willow rode moaning to her next orgasm, she clenched his hard pounding organ with her inner walls and Angel fell over the edge. With a roar he spilt his cold dead seed deep into her womb and bit savagely into her sweaty neck.
*** *** ***
Totally spent, Angel licked the remaining drops of Willow's sweet and intoxicating blood from her bite mark and then rolled, still buried deep within her, on his back. With a blissful sigh and quite exhausted, Willow snuggled against his hard chest. Tenderly Angel drew designs with his fingertips on Willow's small back.
"Just ask," urged Willow.
"What makes you think that I would like to ask something?" Angel counter questioned in an innocent tone, he just hoped that his Willow'd let him drop the topic. Angel really didn't know if he was prepared for her answer yet. Had she bitten him because she was so furious about him or because she wanted to be really bound to him for all eternity as his mate? It was really hard to say - he only knew that his demon had retired completely satisfied in the depth of his mind. For the first time in almost a century there was no rage, no bloodlust and no fighting...just calmness and comfort.
"Either," said Willow propping up on one elbow and kissed tenderly Angel's tip of his nose, "you ask me now directly", a kiss on his left eyebrow, "or", a kiss on his right eyebrow, "you immediately stop the brooding." A kiss at the corner of his mouth and Willow felt how Angel's cock swelled within her. "But when I reflect on it, I really want something else of you now." Slowly Willow straightened up and sensually rotated her small hips, which elicited a growl of pure desire from Angel. He laid his hands on her hips to guide her movements, but Willow slapped his hands away playfully. "What now?" Under half-closed eyelids she looked down on him.
"What?" asked Angel a bit breathless and totally absentminded. All his senses were focused on this fire-goddess, who rode him into total bliss. Groaning, Angel thrust his hips up to sink deeper into her warmth and his soft brown eyes were melting with pure lust and desire. Willow rested her hands on his broad shoulders and bent down till her fiery hair spilt over his chest like a fan and whispered in his ear, "For all eternity."
"I love you so much, Little One," Angel stated solemnly and changed their positions in one swift move. Lowering his body on top of her, he began to stroke in and out slowly, letting her feel the entire length of him going in, filling her and then withdrawing almost completely and thrusting in again. Gradually, the speed of his strokes increased as he felt the tension mounting within him. She was moving her hips in rhythm with his strokes as if they had been making love for many years and knew each others' timing perfectly. Once more, forcefully, almost urgently, he claimed her mouth in a passionate kiss, letting his tongue explore, meeting the resistance of her tongue as he invaded her mouth. They were building higher toward that ultimate climax.
"Mmmm," he moaned in her ear, "come with me, sweetling," as his balls erupted shooting dead cum up inside her just as she felt her body go into a spasm that signaled her own orgasm. They lay together, spent for a few short moments and then he rolled onto his back, pulling her onto her side against him.
They lay there in sated contentment with her head on his shoulder and his arm holding her tightly against his body for what must have been only a few minutes but seemed like forever to her. Then he turned, kissed her gently and asked, "Are you OK?"
"Yes," she replied with a sleepy smile.
"No regrets?" Angel wanted to know, not yet quite convinced.
"None," Willow assured him, kissing him deeply again. Then they lay quietly side by side, enjoying the feel of their bodies touching in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Softly they whispered to each other, speaking of the wonder at their union and how it came to be, till Morpheus claimed their exhausted bodies.
*** *** ***
Part 10
Cemetery in Sunnydale
3 Days Later
Anya's funeral was held at night so that the two vampires could also take part. A soft breeze rustled through the leafs of the old oak trees and whispered a coming storm. Only few people had found their way here because Anya didn't make many friends in the short time as a human, but those who now stood at her grave mourned deeply, with lowered heads, over her death. And so nobody saw the dark figure standing in some distance, looking full of satisfaction when the coffin was let down into the dark earth and feasted his eyes on Xander who was collapsed in tears. Rubbing his hands in anticipation of what his old friend Ripper would plan next, Ethan Rayne withdrew deeper into the shadows of the old trees and left, softly whistling through the cemetery.
Riley and Giles helped Xander up and accompanied him to the car. For three days he hadn't spoken a word nor left Giles' house. Only in Willow's range, Xander seemed to relax a bit.
Willow looked full of pride at the bite marks on Angel's neck, who stood talking with his childe in some distance. Despite his enhanced healing abilities, the scar of the bite mark was still visible. Buffy couldn't resist any longer and finally wanted to satisfy her curiosity. When she saw Willow's proud owner look, she couldn't stiffle her giggle, but stopped at once when she became aware of her surroundings. A bit embarrassed, Buffy cleared her throat.
"Yes, I'm really happy," Willow anticipated Buffy.
"No more macho scenarios of jealousy?" Buffy wanted to know next, still vividly remembering Angel's outburst from three days ago.
Frowning, Willow thought it over, before she honestly answered, "Since I claimed Angel," a slight blush covered her cheeks in the memory of this night, "he's much calmer and balanced. He's barely worried now, when I spend some time with other men... that's with one exception."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Xander?" she bet.
Bewildered Willow looked from her mate at Buffy. "It's Spike of course... how do you only come to the idea that it could be Xander?" wanted Willow to know with a compassionate shake of her head before her glance moved back to Angel.
Buffy opened her mouth... and then shut it again. "Spike... sure," Buffy mumbled to herself irritated, "how could I only assume that Angel would consider 'the great love of your life' as a rival."
"Doesn't he look gorgeous?" Willow sighed dreamily as if she hadn't heard Buffy's comment. Looking heavenwards, Buffy went to the car and joined Giles and Riley to drive back to the apartment.
"This two are worse than lovesick cats," she complained and pointed with her thumb at Willow and Angel.
"Jealous?" Riley asked casually, but Buffy couldn't be deceived. She lovingly gave him a kiss.
"I've everything to make me happy found within you," Buffy whispered in his ear before she leaned back again in her seat. Relieved, Riley smiled at her and started the car.
*** *** ***
Willow approached Angel from behind and flung her arms around his waist. "What are you both so intensely talking about?" Willow wanted to know, while she rubbed her cheek at his back.
Spike, who saw how Angel's eyes became dark with lust at the touch of his mate, felt the overwhelming urge to say something shocking. "Oh...ye know, Luv, we only discussed the endless possibilities for a hot three-some tonight."
Willow had to laugh heartily at Spike's innocent face and husky tone, although she knew that he meant it seriously in some parts. Angel was torn from his erotic dreams and smacked Spike's head.
"Ouch, what was that for?" wailed Spike and rubbed the back of his aching head.
"Ya know, me boy, what I have told ya yesterday concerning me mate," Angel emphasized with flickering amber eyes, "and now get in the car, we're late."
While Angel helped Willow into the car, Spike grumbled under his breath, "Who says that I meant Red?"
*** *** ***
Somewhere in Sunnydale
In the Middle of the Night
Although no further murder had happened in the last week, they had decided nevertheless to only go on patrols in pairs. All researches came to nothing and the group assumed that it was 'only' a sadistic murderer who maybe had moved on to the next unfortunate town.
Buffy sat with Riley on a park bench. They looked like a couple in love, kissing, touching and whispering words of love to one another, but over and over again their eyes traveled watchful over their surroundings. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Riley was hit by an electroshock and slumped down immobile with a cry of pain. Buffy jumped up and turned around in fighting pose, when she suddenly received a kick in the back which sent her reeling on her stomach. Reflexively she rolled around and leapt to her feet, but a powerful blow into her face with an iron hard fist, breaking her nose, made her lose again her balance. Buffy was constantly in defense mode and not able to attack, much less that she could hurt or stop the masked man. It was as if her attacker would know every one of her moves in advance and would only play cat and mouse with her. Buffy felt her strength grow weaker with every passing minute, her nose bled and she hardly got enough air. With a desperate action she jumped high in the air and tried simultaneously with a spin of her body to kick the masked man with her left foot but he dodged with ease. Buffy tried desperately to slow down her swing with a flight-roll when she suddenly felt the electricity shoot through her body and with a loud thud she landed totally immobile on the grass. Trembling, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. Tears of rage poured from her eyes, but when nothing happened, she opened them again. Helplessly she had to witness how the attacker swung Riley over his shoulder and vanished in the darkness. Half an hour later Buffy was finally able to move again and she limped as soon as possible back to Giles' apartment.
*** *** ***
Giles' Apartment
Same Night
Xander awoke by a strange noise coming from Giles' bedroom. Drowsily he wiped over his eyes and listened intensely, but when he heard nothing more then Giles' usual snore, he laid back down and tried to sleep through the rest of the night without any nightmares.
*** *** ***
Spike had made himself comfortable on Giles' couch and drifted into sleep when suddenly Buffy burst into the room. Her deranged sight let Spike's dead heart bounce with joy, but when she collapsed on the floor he stood up with a deep sigh and went to her side. Picking her up, he carried her to the couch.
"Little fight between lovebirds?" Spike asked with a smirk. Buffy couldn't prevent the tears coming to her eyes and she wiped them furiously away with her bloody hand. "This bastard grabbed Riley," replied Buffy with slightly quivering voice.
"You're sure that it was that bloody wanker and not a soddin' demon?" Spike wanted to know.
Exhausted Buffy shook her head, "There's no doubt."
"Alright, let's go, perhaps we still can catch the bastard," said Spike and reached for his leather duster.
"Stop, Spike, it's raining and all hints will be gone already...besides I can't use you at the hunt." When Buffy saw Spike's hurt look, she added, "The guy is a human being. You wouldn't have the touch of a chance against him, just look at me!" Annoyed, Spike threw his duster back over the chair.
"Ok, I go and wake Chaps and the watcher. We have a lot to discuss." Spike was already on the stairs when he heard her question.
"What about Angel? Should I call him?"
"The two lovebirds will come by this morning anyway. Besides, they wouldn't hear the phone yet." He roared with laughter at the sight of Buffy's red face, and went further upstairs.
*** *** ***
Part 11
Giles' Apartment
Same Night
"It was as if he knew me," Buffy ended her report.
"And how could that be?" Xander demanded to know and took for the first time part at a conversation since Anya's death.
"Perhaps our enemy lives unnoticed amongst us all the time," voiced Angel carefully his suspicion, which he had since Anya's disappearance. But he was not prepared for the outcry of denial and indignation that crushed down on him. Encouraging, Willow pressed his hand.
"I will search the police archives a second time, perhaps I missed something," declared Willow and pulled Angel with her to her laptop to get him out of the way.
"Ähem....perhaps we all should calm down...yes...calm down and then...then we can think about what happened," Giles ruminated and sipped at his tea.
"As in the case of Anya?" Xander said bitterly and stormed out of the room.
Embarrassed they looked at each other and winced when they heard Xander's door slammed shut.
Buffy although stood up. "All that we do is talk talk talk. I can't wait here any longer, Giles, I must do something or I'll get crazy." She then took her jacket and started again her search for her vanished lover.
Spike looked questioning at his sire, who indicated with a nod that he should follow her through the tunnel.
*** *** ***
Xander, Giles and Angel didn't stay at home long after Buffy left and were now searching on the other side of the town in the abandoned warehouses. Angel had hesitated to leave his mate alone, but Willow could convince him finally that she felt totally safe at Giles' apartment.
At about noon Willow took a little break. She hadn't found anything specific, only an old newspaper article from the late twenties about a little town in the north of Oregon where 10 people were murdered in the same way as in Sunnydale, but the murders from Sunnydale were definitely not the work of a ghost from the past. With a shake of her head and slightly hungry, Willow went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwich. Yawning, Willow stretched her aching muscles and wished Angel was here to give her one of his famous back massages. She just entered the living room again when the doorbell rang. Frowning she placed her plate at the coffee table and opened the door.
"Buffy Summers?" asked the supplier friendly. Willow shook her head, "No, but I'm her friend. Perhaps you could give the package to me?"
"Ahh, then you must be Miss Willow Rosenberg, right?" the supplier guessed. Willow nodded insecure. "It's ok Miss. I'll give the package either to Miss Summers or to you. Would you be so kind and sign here?"
Willow signed the delivery paper and carried the package into the living room. After half an hour she couldn't resist any longer and opened slowly the package, after all it was for her too, Willow reassured herself. At first she saw thousands of blood-red rose petals and she inhaled deeply the sweet scent. Knowing that there must be more hidden in the package, she dug carefully under the petals and found a box in the form of a heart. *Who would make such a present to Buffy or me?* Willow thought surprised. With a shrug she grabbed the box and opened it. The contents froze the blood in her veins and with a shriek Willow fainted for the first time in her life.
*** *** ***
An Old Warehouse
Same Day
Riley swam on a wave of sheer pain. He didn't know how long he was already here, but it had to be at least the next day. This monster, he couldn't think of another name, had made things with him, which went far beyond what the training of the Initiative had taught him. Pain was a part of him before, but now Riley had to learn, that he knew nothing about real pain. The dull throbbing in his left hand told him, that she was still there, but he didn't know how much was left. And worst of all was Anya's skinned body with her bloodied grimace which constantly stared at him, as soon as he opened his eyes. With a pained sob he shut them again and listened to every noise, which perhaps told him when his tormentor would return in order to end his deed.
*** *** ***
Part 12
Giles' Apartment
Same Evening
Spike went almost elated through the tunnel and dragged at his cigarette. All in all it was a really good day for him. The mere look of pain and despair on the face of the slayer was enough to follow the order of his sire willingly. Of course, Slutty's search for her farm boy was unsuccessful and wore her out even more, until she went to her mother to seek comfort. Spike already felt sorry for Joyce. When he returned to the watcher's apartment, Spike had suddenly felt a familiar tingle in his stomach, as if his dark princess was back in Sunnyhell, but that couldn't be. She was after all in Brazil shaggin' her demon meat. Whistling, Spike opened the door to the apartment and went straight to the kitchen to warm up some blood. Since he heard no noise, Spike assumed he was alone in the apartment, until he sensed the slow heartbeat of a human. Sipping with appreciation, Spike went into the living room. When his eyes fell on Willow's unconscious form laying before the couch, his cup fell unnoticed, with a loud clatter, down on the floor. Immediately he was at her side and lifted her carefully in his arms to carry her to the couch. Willow's head lay nestled on his lap while Spike inspected her for any injuries, until he saw the package on the table. With a gentle gesture he stroked a silky strand of Willow's red hair out of her face.
"Red....Red....wake the hell up," Spike tried to wake her up in a soft whispering voice. But he had to wait a long while before Willow opened her eyes. With a horrified scream Willow threw herself at Spike and clung to him.
"Hey Red...careful, you're crumpling my duster....now tell Uncle Spikey what happened, hmmm?" Spike wanted to know and tried at the same time timidly to come loose out of Willow's clasp. But he only succeeded in that Willow clung even more firmly to him. *If my sire finds us like this, I'm immediately a pile of dust* Spike thought with grim humour.
"Ri... Ri...Riley", Willow stammered into his shirt.
*Come on Red, give me a little bit more* "It's the package, right?" asked Spike carefully, upon which Willow began to hyperventilate. "Obviously, you moron," Spike chided himself and tried at the same time to get Willow to breathe again. "Breathe Red, come on, breathe, in... out... in... out," Spike urged Willow with a panicked voice to breathe in a calm way. After some endless seconds, her respiration calmed down again; however, she further clung firmly to Spike as if he was her lifebelt. And so sat Spike with Willow in his arms, slowly rocking her, till her slow breathing signaled him that she was finally asleep. Then the door to the apartment flung open and Spike was almost relieved. Almost.
When Angel saw his mate in the arms of his childe, he stood rooted to the spot at the door. *Trust Angel...trust* Swallowing his rage and jealousy, Angel carefully approached the couple on the couch. Spike, whom the calm controlled manner of his sire more frightened him then anything else, started to explain everything when Willow suddenly struggled free from him and took shelter in Angel's strong arms.
"Oh God, Angel....say that it's not true...please," imploring green eyes looked into Angel's chocolate brown and confused ones. Comfortingly, Angel hugged his mate and winced at the strong smell of fear which emanated from her small body.
"Little One, what frightened you so much?" asked Angel while he gently stroked Willow's cheek. But Willow didn't want to talk now, she simply wanted to forget in the arms of her mate. Demanding, she pressed her lips on Angel's cool mouth and rubbed her hips provocatively at his body, which instantly responded to her erotic motions. Groaning, Angel picked his mate up in his arms, without interrupting the passionate kiss, and carried her in Giles' guestroom.
"What the devil....?" began Xander, who had just arrived with Giles, and pointed with his thumb at the disappearing couple.
"Red got a shock from that package on the table." He patted his hands along his duster in search for his cigarettes. "Found her unconscious and when she woke she totally freaked out. Well," explained Spike and lit his cigarette, "now they shag like rabbits... as therapy. It's usual among vampires."
"Uhhhh," said Xander and wrinkled his nose, "I soooo don't need to know the ins and outs of this."
"We should perhaps examine this box to find out why Willow felt such panic," Giles announced and cautiously grabbed for the box as if it could explode in any moment. With a shake of his head, Spike took the box from him and opened the lid. With a disgusted look Spike tried to close the box before Giles and Xander could have a look at the contents.
"Are these..." began Xander deathly pale only to be interrupted by Spike, who threw the closed box back on the table, "Yep...fingers. Five, if you ask me. Think Farm boy has a problem now...."
"Keep your mouth shut, both of you!" exploded Giles, completely unusual. After his outburst he went to his bar and poured himself a large shot of his best whiskey, which he then drained in one gulp only to take another one.
"And who will deliver the news to the slayer?" Spike finally disturbed the silence.
*** *** ***
Same Night
An Old Warehouse
The door opened with an unholy squeak and roused Riley from his pain-induced sleep. A shudder went through his cold body when he heard the hoarse voice of his tormentor.
"Your whore loved your present, tin-soldier," probing hands slid over Riley's lower body and made him shiver in fear. "Too bad she wasn't the one who opened it first."
Riley couldn't suppress a painful moan when he felt the knife cut into his side. "Perhaps she'll love this present even more." With frigid cruelty the man poked for Riley's kidney.
"Aaaaaaahhhhh," screamed Riley at the top of his lungs before the pain was too much and he sank into deep unconsciousness.
"Now.. now, my little tin-soldier," croaked the man and wiped the tears from Riley's face, "you have so much more to give..." He washed the kidney and wrapped it carefully in a sheet of satin paper. "And now I have a meeting with my other guest." He roared with laughter and wanted to leave the dungeon when he caught sight of an old bloodied porcelain doll which laid on a desk near the door. "She definitely wants to speak with you, my dear!" he murmured and closed the door behind him, "or perhaps not... it could be a little bit difficult without her tongue..ha ha ha .....doesn't matter...ha ha ha .... she can still communicate with the stars....ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha...."
