She's Gone 8 – Addicted
"Whoee! What a night!"
Willow felt like she was dancing on air. She'd spent the whole night club- jumping and the spells they'd done.... It was only when she thought of Amy that her mood darkened. It should be Tara who stood beside her with unquestioning love in her eyes.
Willow stumbled, suddenly exhausted from all the spells she'd cast. In an instance, Amy was by her side. "Mistress! Are you alright!"
Willow smiled wearily, luxuriating in the concern she saw in her toy's eyes, before roughly pressing her lips to her slave's and lunging down into the other witch's mouth. Amy pushed back, their tongues entwining in a warm, wet embrace. She allowed her hand to drift down her fellow Wicca's back and cupped a buttock. She squeezed firmly and pulled Amy to her, Tara always liked it when she did that. At the thought of Tara, Amy's taste soured and Willow pulled away. "I'm better now!" she lied. Only when she had Tara back and Faith on her knees begging for mercy would she truly feel better.
"Is mistress tired?"
Willow fought back a sneer. The pleading in Amy's eyes was that of a puppy desperate for its master to pat and praise it. One day that Slayer tramp would know her place too.
"Sorry dear," Willow stroked her pet's hair. "I was miles away. What did you say?"
"If you're tired mistress," oh the respect, the eagerness to please she saw in Amy's eyes made her tingle. "I know a mage who can help us. Give us a pep up."
The promise of more power pricked Willow's interest. "Oh really?" she enjoyed the sight of Amy recoiling slightly at her suddenly commanding tone. "Do tell!"
* * *
Willow stared around the shabby waiting room with its peeling brown wallpaper and rickety wooden chairs. For the first time since she'd thrown off the Scoobys' shackles she felt uncertain.
By contrast, her pet was bouncing on the spot with excitement. "It's been a long time mistress," Amy babbled. "Such a long time since I saw Rack. Let's go through."
All of a sudden, Willow felt like she wasn't the one in control. It wasn't a feeling she ever liked. Noting her toy moving towards the waiting room's inner door, she grabbed her by the elbow. "What about the others?" she nodded towards the room's other occupants, a mixture of humans and demons.
"Them?" Amy giggled. "Rack sees his clients on an order of power basis and you are the most powerful person here. Come on." Willow growled, immediately Amy's face fell. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-."
Satisfied by her fellow witch's show of remorse she nodded and patted her on the head. "Let's go through." Time enough for disciplining her later.
The room within was small and sank. At the far end there sat a tall, muscular slightly Hispanic looking man with a decent build that Willow guessed was aged somewhere from his mid forties to early fifties. Upon their entry the satanic looking man stood, his face brightening at their arrival. "Ah Amy, where have you bee-," the dark arts mage's grin widened. "A rat!" the man laughed before turning to her, his eyes widening. "Strawberry, there's power in you."
"This is Rack," Amy muttered, her eyes taking on a look of worshipfulness that Willow had only previously seen directed at her. "He's the best. After you," she hurriedly added.
Rack's smile broadened. "Always good to have a new disciple."
Disciple? Willow blinked, she didn't like that, the only person she followed was Buffy, everybody else was beneath her. "He'll give us the stuff now," Amy whispered. "In returned for a travel of our minds."
"O..okay."
* * *
"Wow!" Willow jumped up and down on the spot, the buzz from Rack's magic was amazing. Even after an hour she was still on a high. By contrast Amy was wiped out and she so wanted to have some fun. But Amy was her only friend. Willow grinned as an idea occurred. Maybe not her only friend.
* * *
"Oh no."
"What is it Summers?" Janice looked left and right, it was still daylight, just after school had finished in fact. But although vampires couldn't come out during the day, some demons could.
Demons. Even as Janice's mind rebelled at the thought, she also reeled mentally at the other revelations her friend had made. How scholarly Mr. Giles was a former black arts mage, how clownish Xander was a demon-hunter, how Xander's girlfriend was a former demon, how Summers' older sister had died saving the world. And how the cocky brunette bombshell who'd just moved into town was a former jailbird with the same powers as Dawn's sister.
"That's Willow."
Janice's heart dropped as she spied the waving redhead down the road. She remembered what Dawn had told her about the Wicca, how she was the most powerful of them all and that they'd fallen out over Faith's return. "What do we do, run?" she whispered. Her companion had a fixed smile. "Too late, she's seen us. You leave casually and go tell the others that I've gone with her." Her friend's smile slipped an inch. "Wish we luck."
* * *
"Red's got Pip?" Faith felt the beginnings of a battle-fury pulsate through her veins. "What the fuck we gonna do about it?"
"This first thing we do is calm down," Giles reproved. "Willow would never hurt Dawn. What we need to do is find Willow's address."
Faith hid her doubts about Dawn's safety behind a curt nod. "Five by five. Tar-."
"18 Elswood Apartments," the blonde interrupted before reddening at her questioning look. "I...I like to keep track of her."
Faith's heart went out at the forlorn look on her friend's face. Red was one dumb bitch, she'd be so happy if someone, anyone, loved her like Tar loved Red. Why couldn't the dumb bitch just be happy with that. After giving the blonde Wicca what she hoped was a reassuring smile Faith stood. "I'll go get her." Turning, she made for the door.
"Wait!" she turned to see Xander hurrying after her. "I'm coming with you," she opened her mouth to argue but her companion overrode her. "You need someone to keep things calm. Besides," he jangled his car keys. "We'll get there quicker in my car."
Faith started to shake her head but then nodded. "Five by five," she grunted gruffly. She doubted she could take Red in a fight and she couldn't risk Dawn's safety. Maybe Xman could talk her round. Suddenly she thought of something. "Hold on," she ordered before hurrying back into the house.
* * *
"This the place?" Faith asked, her eyes smouldering.
"Ye-." At the slight nod that accompanied Xander starting to speak she kicked the door at the handle, tearing it from its hinges and propelling it halfway down the hallway. "Faith, what are you doing!" "Not waiting!" Faith stormed into the hallway, her eyes flicking left and right as she searched for any sign of Pip. Seeing a door to her right begin to open and then quickly close she surged sideways and shoulder- charged it. The wood splintered under her assault, knocking it open and the person behind it to the ground. Seeing the woman's mouth open and remembering Tar crying on her shoulder about Red having a new Wicca girlfriend she lunged forward, and grabbed the room's other occupant around the throat, cutting her air supply off with a quick squeeze on her steel- hard fingers. "No fucking way!"
"Amy?"
Faith glanced behind her to a shocked-looking Xander. "You know her?" she enquired, nodding towards the woman on the floor.
"Amy Madison. She was in my year at school. Turned herself into a rat in her senior year." Faith raised an eyebrow, only in Sunnydale! "Will must have turned her back into a human."
"That right?" Amy nodded, her face terrified. Ignoring the uneasy feeling she always got when humans were scared of her, she pressed on. "Do you know where Willow is?"
"M...maybe," Amy gasped.
Realising the Wicca was turning blue she eased up on her grip. "Talk. No tricks."
"W..we went to see a magic dealer last night, Rack. After the buzz wears off she'll need another hit."
Faith shook his head in disgust. Any addiction – sex, drugs, drink, whatever, they all had the same result, they all took away your power to control your own destiny. "Where's this Rack?"
"His base moves around." Faith groaned at Amy's answer, of course it would. Fucking Sunnydale! "Only a mage or demon can sense it. I...I could take you to it," the woman grovelled.
"Gee, let me think." Faith considered the offer for a half-second before head-butting the wicca. It was bad enough to go up against Red without having another black arts mage at her back. "Thanks, but no thanks. We can't trust you."
"Oh that's great Faith," Xander snapped. "And how are we supposed to find Rack now?"
"Clem."
* * *
Dawn gazed warily around the dingy room. At first, things with Willow hadn't been too bad, she'd had to listen to Willow's rants about Faith's return, and Tara and Xander's disloyalty but as long as she agreed things had been tranquil enough.
But then Willow had suddenly changed, becoming morose and listless. She'd been tempted to run but fear had held her fast. She decided to trust in Janice to get a message through to Giles and the others.
After two hours in the drab waiting room she was beginning to regret her decision. Dawn gasped in relief when the door swung open and Willow walked out, a contented, almost dreamy expression on her face. "Ready to go home Dawnie?" Willow trilled as she skipped across the dusty floor. Not trusting herself to speak Dawn just nodded. "Then let's get you home," Willow scowled suddenly even as she ran a feverishly hot finger down her cheek. "Not that they deserve you after the way they've behaved." Again Dawn bit her lip to avoid an angry retort as she followed Willow outside. They'd barely left when Dawn heard growling behind her. Turning she was faced by a grey skinned creature bounding towards them. "WILLOW! Kill it!"
Her companion turned, her eyes widening in fear. "I...I can't. My magic isn't back yet! Run!" Seeing the creature near them, Dawn moved into a spinning backfist that Faith had taught her, catching the beast on its knotted forehead, staggering it backwards. "In here!"
Dawn followed Willow into a car that the witch had broken into. "What is that thing?"
"A Mandruz! It's escaped from my hallucinations!"
"This is your fault?" Dawn screamed.
* * *
"No sign yet Clem?" the demon sat on the backseat shook his head, Faith growled in frustration. Clem had been all too eager to help but they'd been looking for nearly two hours. Suddenly she heard something. "Turn left Xan!"
Xander looked questioningly at her. "Seen something?"
"No, heard something though. There's been a car crash over there."
"Fai-."
"Damn it Xan! People might need help!" the young man glared at her for a second before nodding and spinning into a u-turn, speeding down Sunnydale's deserted roads.
"Shit!" Faith cursed as she saw the car crashed into a tree and recognised Willow and Dawn sat dazed inside it. Her mouth dried as she saw the monster racing towards the two stunned women. "Xan, you and Clem get them out of the car. I'll deal with Creature-Features," she ordered before opening the door and leaping from the speeding vehicle.
The impact of her collision with the ground jarred her entire body and tore several holes into her leather pants and denim jacket. "Oh crap!" Ignoring the pain she charged the beast, drawing her short sword as she raced towards her rival.
The monster swung a claw at her but she swayed away, like a nimble limbo dancer sliding beneath a particularly low bar, avoiding the blow shredding the air just inches from her face. Straightening, Faith thrust her sword at the beast but it stepped inside of her attack and punched her face, her mouth filling with blood.
Knocked off balance by the blow, Faith was helpless to evade a claw raking across her stomach. Howling her pain Faith slammed her sword's pommel into the monster's face, shattering bone before swiftly decapitating the monster.
Her body aching, Faith ran over to the others. Seeing a dazed-looking Dawn she spoke, her voice soft, dangerous. "Red." As soon as the redhead began to turn she shot out a right, catching the Wicca on the point of her jaw. Red's eyes glazed over instantly and her legs buckled, sending her plummeting to the ground. Moving forward, she grabbed the redhead just inches from the ground.
"Faith, there was no need-."
"Wasn't there?" Faith couldn't deny she'd derived a certain glee from punching Will out but she had other reasons too. "I'm not taking any chances." She pulled out a pill box and forced two tablets down the witch's mouth.
"Faith! What are you doing!"
"They're painkillers from Joyce's medicine cabinet. Real strong shit too, should give you and Clem enough time to get her home before she wakens," she explained before turning to Dawn, her eyes softening. "Come on kiddo, let's get you home."
"Whoee! What a night!"
Willow felt like she was dancing on air. She'd spent the whole night club- jumping and the spells they'd done.... It was only when she thought of Amy that her mood darkened. It should be Tara who stood beside her with unquestioning love in her eyes.
Willow stumbled, suddenly exhausted from all the spells she'd cast. In an instance, Amy was by her side. "Mistress! Are you alright!"
Willow smiled wearily, luxuriating in the concern she saw in her toy's eyes, before roughly pressing her lips to her slave's and lunging down into the other witch's mouth. Amy pushed back, their tongues entwining in a warm, wet embrace. She allowed her hand to drift down her fellow Wicca's back and cupped a buttock. She squeezed firmly and pulled Amy to her, Tara always liked it when she did that. At the thought of Tara, Amy's taste soured and Willow pulled away. "I'm better now!" she lied. Only when she had Tara back and Faith on her knees begging for mercy would she truly feel better.
"Is mistress tired?"
Willow fought back a sneer. The pleading in Amy's eyes was that of a puppy desperate for its master to pat and praise it. One day that Slayer tramp would know her place too.
"Sorry dear," Willow stroked her pet's hair. "I was miles away. What did you say?"
"If you're tired mistress," oh the respect, the eagerness to please she saw in Amy's eyes made her tingle. "I know a mage who can help us. Give us a pep up."
The promise of more power pricked Willow's interest. "Oh really?" she enjoyed the sight of Amy recoiling slightly at her suddenly commanding tone. "Do tell!"
* * *
Willow stared around the shabby waiting room with its peeling brown wallpaper and rickety wooden chairs. For the first time since she'd thrown off the Scoobys' shackles she felt uncertain.
By contrast, her pet was bouncing on the spot with excitement. "It's been a long time mistress," Amy babbled. "Such a long time since I saw Rack. Let's go through."
All of a sudden, Willow felt like she wasn't the one in control. It wasn't a feeling she ever liked. Noting her toy moving towards the waiting room's inner door, she grabbed her by the elbow. "What about the others?" she nodded towards the room's other occupants, a mixture of humans and demons.
"Them?" Amy giggled. "Rack sees his clients on an order of power basis and you are the most powerful person here. Come on." Willow growled, immediately Amy's face fell. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-."
Satisfied by her fellow witch's show of remorse she nodded and patted her on the head. "Let's go through." Time enough for disciplining her later.
The room within was small and sank. At the far end there sat a tall, muscular slightly Hispanic looking man with a decent build that Willow guessed was aged somewhere from his mid forties to early fifties. Upon their entry the satanic looking man stood, his face brightening at their arrival. "Ah Amy, where have you bee-," the dark arts mage's grin widened. "A rat!" the man laughed before turning to her, his eyes widening. "Strawberry, there's power in you."
"This is Rack," Amy muttered, her eyes taking on a look of worshipfulness that Willow had only previously seen directed at her. "He's the best. After you," she hurriedly added.
Rack's smile broadened. "Always good to have a new disciple."
Disciple? Willow blinked, she didn't like that, the only person she followed was Buffy, everybody else was beneath her. "He'll give us the stuff now," Amy whispered. "In returned for a travel of our minds."
"O..okay."
* * *
"Wow!" Willow jumped up and down on the spot, the buzz from Rack's magic was amazing. Even after an hour she was still on a high. By contrast Amy was wiped out and she so wanted to have some fun. But Amy was her only friend. Willow grinned as an idea occurred. Maybe not her only friend.
* * *
"Oh no."
"What is it Summers?" Janice looked left and right, it was still daylight, just after school had finished in fact. But although vampires couldn't come out during the day, some demons could.
Demons. Even as Janice's mind rebelled at the thought, she also reeled mentally at the other revelations her friend had made. How scholarly Mr. Giles was a former black arts mage, how clownish Xander was a demon-hunter, how Xander's girlfriend was a former demon, how Summers' older sister had died saving the world. And how the cocky brunette bombshell who'd just moved into town was a former jailbird with the same powers as Dawn's sister.
"That's Willow."
Janice's heart dropped as she spied the waving redhead down the road. She remembered what Dawn had told her about the Wicca, how she was the most powerful of them all and that they'd fallen out over Faith's return. "What do we do, run?" she whispered. Her companion had a fixed smile. "Too late, she's seen us. You leave casually and go tell the others that I've gone with her." Her friend's smile slipped an inch. "Wish we luck."
* * *
"Red's got Pip?" Faith felt the beginnings of a battle-fury pulsate through her veins. "What the fuck we gonna do about it?"
"This first thing we do is calm down," Giles reproved. "Willow would never hurt Dawn. What we need to do is find Willow's address."
Faith hid her doubts about Dawn's safety behind a curt nod. "Five by five. Tar-."
"18 Elswood Apartments," the blonde interrupted before reddening at her questioning look. "I...I like to keep track of her."
Faith's heart went out at the forlorn look on her friend's face. Red was one dumb bitch, she'd be so happy if someone, anyone, loved her like Tar loved Red. Why couldn't the dumb bitch just be happy with that. After giving the blonde Wicca what she hoped was a reassuring smile Faith stood. "I'll go get her." Turning, she made for the door.
"Wait!" she turned to see Xander hurrying after her. "I'm coming with you," she opened her mouth to argue but her companion overrode her. "You need someone to keep things calm. Besides," he jangled his car keys. "We'll get there quicker in my car."
Faith started to shake her head but then nodded. "Five by five," she grunted gruffly. She doubted she could take Red in a fight and she couldn't risk Dawn's safety. Maybe Xman could talk her round. Suddenly she thought of something. "Hold on," she ordered before hurrying back into the house.
* * *
"This the place?" Faith asked, her eyes smouldering.
"Ye-." At the slight nod that accompanied Xander starting to speak she kicked the door at the handle, tearing it from its hinges and propelling it halfway down the hallway. "Faith, what are you doing!" "Not waiting!" Faith stormed into the hallway, her eyes flicking left and right as she searched for any sign of Pip. Seeing a door to her right begin to open and then quickly close she surged sideways and shoulder- charged it. The wood splintered under her assault, knocking it open and the person behind it to the ground. Seeing the woman's mouth open and remembering Tar crying on her shoulder about Red having a new Wicca girlfriend she lunged forward, and grabbed the room's other occupant around the throat, cutting her air supply off with a quick squeeze on her steel- hard fingers. "No fucking way!"
"Amy?"
Faith glanced behind her to a shocked-looking Xander. "You know her?" she enquired, nodding towards the woman on the floor.
"Amy Madison. She was in my year at school. Turned herself into a rat in her senior year." Faith raised an eyebrow, only in Sunnydale! "Will must have turned her back into a human."
"That right?" Amy nodded, her face terrified. Ignoring the uneasy feeling she always got when humans were scared of her, she pressed on. "Do you know where Willow is?"
"M...maybe," Amy gasped.
Realising the Wicca was turning blue she eased up on her grip. "Talk. No tricks."
"W..we went to see a magic dealer last night, Rack. After the buzz wears off she'll need another hit."
Faith shook his head in disgust. Any addiction – sex, drugs, drink, whatever, they all had the same result, they all took away your power to control your own destiny. "Where's this Rack?"
"His base moves around." Faith groaned at Amy's answer, of course it would. Fucking Sunnydale! "Only a mage or demon can sense it. I...I could take you to it," the woman grovelled.
"Gee, let me think." Faith considered the offer for a half-second before head-butting the wicca. It was bad enough to go up against Red without having another black arts mage at her back. "Thanks, but no thanks. We can't trust you."
"Oh that's great Faith," Xander snapped. "And how are we supposed to find Rack now?"
"Clem."
* * *
Dawn gazed warily around the dingy room. At first, things with Willow hadn't been too bad, she'd had to listen to Willow's rants about Faith's return, and Tara and Xander's disloyalty but as long as she agreed things had been tranquil enough.
But then Willow had suddenly changed, becoming morose and listless. She'd been tempted to run but fear had held her fast. She decided to trust in Janice to get a message through to Giles and the others.
After two hours in the drab waiting room she was beginning to regret her decision. Dawn gasped in relief when the door swung open and Willow walked out, a contented, almost dreamy expression on her face. "Ready to go home Dawnie?" Willow trilled as she skipped across the dusty floor. Not trusting herself to speak Dawn just nodded. "Then let's get you home," Willow scowled suddenly even as she ran a feverishly hot finger down her cheek. "Not that they deserve you after the way they've behaved." Again Dawn bit her lip to avoid an angry retort as she followed Willow outside. They'd barely left when Dawn heard growling behind her. Turning she was faced by a grey skinned creature bounding towards them. "WILLOW! Kill it!"
Her companion turned, her eyes widening in fear. "I...I can't. My magic isn't back yet! Run!" Seeing the creature near them, Dawn moved into a spinning backfist that Faith had taught her, catching the beast on its knotted forehead, staggering it backwards. "In here!"
Dawn followed Willow into a car that the witch had broken into. "What is that thing?"
"A Mandruz! It's escaped from my hallucinations!"
"This is your fault?" Dawn screamed.
* * *
"No sign yet Clem?" the demon sat on the backseat shook his head, Faith growled in frustration. Clem had been all too eager to help but they'd been looking for nearly two hours. Suddenly she heard something. "Turn left Xan!"
Xander looked questioningly at her. "Seen something?"
"No, heard something though. There's been a car crash over there."
"Fai-."
"Damn it Xan! People might need help!" the young man glared at her for a second before nodding and spinning into a u-turn, speeding down Sunnydale's deserted roads.
"Shit!" Faith cursed as she saw the car crashed into a tree and recognised Willow and Dawn sat dazed inside it. Her mouth dried as she saw the monster racing towards the two stunned women. "Xan, you and Clem get them out of the car. I'll deal with Creature-Features," she ordered before opening the door and leaping from the speeding vehicle.
The impact of her collision with the ground jarred her entire body and tore several holes into her leather pants and denim jacket. "Oh crap!" Ignoring the pain she charged the beast, drawing her short sword as she raced towards her rival.
The monster swung a claw at her but she swayed away, like a nimble limbo dancer sliding beneath a particularly low bar, avoiding the blow shredding the air just inches from her face. Straightening, Faith thrust her sword at the beast but it stepped inside of her attack and punched her face, her mouth filling with blood.
Knocked off balance by the blow, Faith was helpless to evade a claw raking across her stomach. Howling her pain Faith slammed her sword's pommel into the monster's face, shattering bone before swiftly decapitating the monster.
Her body aching, Faith ran over to the others. Seeing a dazed-looking Dawn she spoke, her voice soft, dangerous. "Red." As soon as the redhead began to turn she shot out a right, catching the Wicca on the point of her jaw. Red's eyes glazed over instantly and her legs buckled, sending her plummeting to the ground. Moving forward, she grabbed the redhead just inches from the ground.
"Faith, there was no need-."
"Wasn't there?" Faith couldn't deny she'd derived a certain glee from punching Will out but she had other reasons too. "I'm not taking any chances." She pulled out a pill box and forced two tablets down the witch's mouth.
"Faith! What are you doing!"
"They're painkillers from Joyce's medicine cabinet. Real strong shit too, should give you and Clem enough time to get her home before she wakens," she explained before turning to Dawn, her eyes softening. "Come on kiddo, let's get you home."
