Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
The first thing Wesley became aware of was the fact that he wasn't in his hotel room. Focus man, he thought. What's the last thing you remember? Travers. Quentin Travers, his hotel room. Dark. Hey! Someone cold-cocked him! The unmitigated coward. These people obviously had no code of ethics or morals to speak of. He grimaced at his thoughts. Giles and his little band were correct, he was a panty-waist.
He slowly opened one eye, fighting the waves of nausea that consumed him. Must be concussed, he thought. Wes saw Travers pushed up against a far wall, very clearly unconscious. "Travers! Old man!", he whispered. "Wake up!" Nothing. He was still alive, other wise he wouldn't be tied up, of this Wesley was sure.
He looked about the room. One door, no windows, a vent for an air shaft. He also realized just how well tied up he was. He attempted to loosen his arms and legs to no avail. He had no choice but to wait for his captures to make their presence known. That and to hope and pray that the others would figure this out and care enough to attempt a rescue.
Arms, legs, crumpled sheets. Willow was definitely unaccustomed to this territory. She shifted and felt that soreness Buffy had spoken of and smiled. Her little secret for the day. Although Angel and Buffy would know. Oh well, she was going to tell Buffy anyway and Angel was her sire, for some reason his knowing was a given.
"Love, stop squirming, we can get a bit more sleep." Spike threw his arm and leg over her to keep her from moving. He was tired. Who'da thought his innocent little poppet would be such a wild woman in bed? Willow had kept him going all night and all morning. Thankfully she fell into an exhaustive sleep a couple of hours ago because Spike wasn't sure he'd be up for more. How Angel dealt with his slayer/vampire was beyond him. Although he seemed to recall the staying power of his sire. He pulled her close to snuggle.
Willow untangled herself and kissed his nose. "Need food, I'll be right back." She threw on her robe and headed to the door. She gave one last look at Spike and smiled. Her beautiful man was fast asleep.
Running his fingers over the bruises on Buffy's hips and thighs, Angelus winced. The demon had possessed him last night and the need to have her know he was her mate, her sire was too strong to overcome. The intensity of their coupling had been all-consuming. He had to mark her again. To drive out of his brain the idea that another person had seen her in a way that had been for him only. And she had let him. She had understood and totally bent to his will. Allowing him complete dominance yet still meeting him thrust for thrust. He shook his head. Last night she had told him she loved him, had felt the need too, but what if in the harsh afternoon light, she changed her mind? He rubbed the healing bruises.
"Don't fret babe. They'll be gone in a few hours and they don't hurt." She smiled up at him, "and the pleasure was well worth the pain." Buffy felt his anguish and fear. "I love you. A little rough sex won't change that. Remember? We have lots to explore." She reached down and gentled encircled her lover. "You are so easy" she said with a small giggle as she felt him expand.
"Oh baby." He moaned. He rolled on his back and pulled her on top of him, giving her a position of power. Angel turned his head to one side, giving her permission to drink. She smiled at the action and began to feather light kisses on his neck and face. "Oh gods Angel, I love you so completely. Let it all go, I'm fine and I am only yours."
Angelus rolled them over again and looked down into her eyes. "Sometimes the demon may overcome me but I promise, we will never hurt you again."
Buffy smiled, "As I seem to recall you didn't come out of this totally unscathed." She ran her hands down the still-healing gashes on his back, touched the bite marks on his shoulders.
"Mmmm…it was all good." He kissed her deeply and slowly entered her. Where as before he was violent and hard, today he was gentle and slow. Worshipping her body with languid strokes, bringing her to the edge and bringing her back again, finally allowing both of them reach that complete and absolute pinnacle of satisfaction.
Buffy ran into the kitchen fully clothed and hair wet. "Will, you have to wake Spike. Something's happened to Wes and Travers." Willow jumped up, her cereal forgotten.
"What is it?" She asked on her way to the door.
"Giles called, he went looking for Wesley when he hadn't returned the car and ended up at Travers hotel. The room was ransacked and there was blood on the floor. The concierge saw them both arrive but never saw Wes leave. Whoever warned Travers about me wanted him here, probably just for this reason." She took three cups of blood out of the microwave and handed one to Willow and smiled. "Looks like Spike will be needing this to recoup his strength."
Willow gave Buffy a knowing smile and took it. "Seems something always interrupts our girl talk."
"Later, Will. We'll do popcorn and hot chocolate." She ran upstairs with her mugs, Willow following close behind.
Gwendolyn looked at her two prisoners and smiled, "Two for the price of one." She turned her head to Ethan. "I am very pleased. Now, about the journals?"
"We looked throughout the whole room and couldn't find them." Ethan was looking at the two men, one still unconscious and the other pretending to be out of it. What was the council thinking sending such a prig? No rival to Ripper, that was for sure.
"You aren't holding out on me, are you? That would be very ill-advised you know." She narrowed her eyes at Rayne and didn't miss the slight shiver he released. Yes, she thought, he knows I'm the one in charge, the one with the power.
"I wouldn't Gwen, they mean nothing to me. We just couldn't find them. Once old man watcher wakes up, you can ask him yourself." The woman was a good fuck, but she still scared the shit out of him. Betraying her wasn't at the top of his list.
"Just checking. Suppose it's time to rouse Travers. He has questions to answer. As for the younger, we'll figure out what to do with him later. Obviously he is no threat." Her voice heavy with sarcasm.
Angelus was growing weary of all the discussion. He just wanted to make some movement so he and Buffy could decide what to do with the rest of their lives. Of course if Quentin and Wesley should somehow not come out of this alive… "Alright, this may seem callous…"
"That's usually my line Peaches." Spike smirked before Willow shoved an elbow in his ribs. "Okay, I'll shut up." He absently put his arm around her.
"Anyway," Angel continued, "this doesn't seem like such a bad thing. They were out to destroy us. Wesley may have reconsidered for the moment, but I have little doubt Travers would've had him toeing the party line before long. He is basically a mouth piece for the Council, after all."
Xander shrugged. "Hate to agree with dead boy here, but this could be like, fate."
Angelus gave Buffy an 'I-told-you-so-look' and she jumped off her stool. "I so cannot believe you guys. Granted, Travers is a number one ass-hole and Wesley is a major wuss, but they are people. And they aren't even evil…well Wes isn't. As for Travers," she turned to her watcher, "Giles?"
"Yes indeed. They are human. Travers too, in a self-righteous, god-complex kind of way. Besides which, if the two of them disappear, we'll have more council members milling about. So, the questions are who took them and where are they?"
Cordelia spoke up. "Willow can try out her new locating spell. Right?" She looked directly at the up and coming witch. "Seems like the perfect time. And I'm sure Mr. Prissy Pants left something here to hone in on."
"Yeah." Buffy agreed. "And I'm sure Giles hasn't done his dishes yet. Maybe you can use Travers glass."
Casting a questioning look to Willow, Giles asked, "Are you up to this my dear?"
She smiled up at him. "Sure. And you'll be here to help. I'm sure this'll work."
He began to clear off the table. "Well then, let's push on, shall we?"
"Well, seems the torture thing isn't working on the old boy. How about a truth spell? Or cut his finger off, that might do the trick." Ethan wanted this over and the two watchers dead. He wanted the slayer and her friends dead and Giles blamed for the whole mess. He wanted Giles to suffer.
"My, but we are anxious for answers, aren't we?" Gwendolyn looked over at her cohort. "We'll try a spell, if that doesn't work, they are dead and the demise of this Sunnydale contingent will begin as well." She waved her hand at a couple of minions. "Bring the girl in, let's just see if she is as powerful a witch as the demon faction say she is." She gave that smile that made Ethan's skin crawl. As soon as this was done, his revenge complete, he would be on a very different continent than her.
The girl was brought in. Long ash blond hair covered half her face, her hazel eyes brimming with tears. "Really, there has been some hu…huge mistake. I…I'm a student at Su…Sunnydale U. I…I'm no..nobody. Really."
Ethan took a hard look at the stuttering girl. Pretty enough, curvaceous, not the rail thin whores with silicone tits one normally saw on campus. "Is this some sort of mistake?" Ethan questioned Gwendolyn.
"No. The word on the street is she does spells and potions to supplement her income and that she is more powerful than she realizes. We can use her for awhile."
"Yes, yes. I do…do potions and such. But…but all wh…white magicks. Nothing evil. No revenge…nothing to hurt any…anyone. Please. Just simple spells, sim…simple potions." She was crying in earnest now and Ethan was very uncomfortable with this.
Gwendolyn walked up to her and ran her hand across her cheek and barked at the minions. "Untie her." She then spoke softly to the girl. "What's your name dear?"
"Tara." She flinched away from her captors touch.
"Don't worry girl, all we need from you is a simple truth spell." She pointed to Ethan and his henchmen. "These morons got a little to enthusiastic. They were supposed to ask you to come and perform this little spell for us. I am so sorry my dear."
Tara nodded. She knew this woman was evil and lying, she could see it in her aura. But she also knew she had to play along to get out of this. "Just show me who you want the truth out of. I ch…charge $20.00 for tr…truth spells."
"That's just perfect my dear. Come along with me." Gwendolyn stopped. She didn't want to frighten the girl more than she already was. At least not until she had done her work. "Actually, wait here. We'll bring them to you. These men are very evil, they stole some books that are very important and we have to get them out of their possession before they have time to use them."
"Oh, I see. F…f…fine. If you can get me my bag, I'll get started."
Ethan felt uneasy about this. The girl's demeanor changed too abruptly. "Are you sure Gwen? I think we should take her to them. It's more of a controlled environment."
"Don't question me Ethan. We don't want our guest to think we're savages, now do we. Find her bag. Now!" She motioned for the other two men to follow her and went to retrieve the two watchers.
Ethan handed Tara her bag. "Mind yourself girl. I'll be watching."
Tara nodded and proceeded to remove the need ingredients from her bag.