Gypsy Girl
Pairing: OC/Spike
Summary: When a travelling Gypsy from the Kalderash clan settles on the Sunnydale, she'll be no exception to the challenges of life on the Hellmouth. Alexandreina will survive though, she always does, but will she get a chance to live?
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CHAPTER TWELVE
Alexandreina had always enjoyed retail therapy. Only in her case, going overboard didn't induce buyers regret or guilt. Mostly though, that was because it either wasn't her money or she was stealing things.
Not that she cared either way.
Alexandreina was aware that her morals were a little skewed. Or a lot skewed, depending on how you look at things. But she enjoyed life that way, so she wasn't bothered.
Which was the exact way of thinking that had led her to the mall today. The day before Valentine's Day. Alexandreina figured there was plenty of people here buying last minute gifts. Alexandreina searched that crowd for any sign of that classic asshole who buys both his wife and his side-piece an expensive gift. And that was the type of person who's wallet she planned on lifting.
Like karma.
Or her own version of it anyway.
Things like Karna don't exist. That's why the world has vengeance demons and hex's. Because if you want to screw someone over, you have to make it happen. Or wish for someone else to make it happen on your behalf, more accurately.
Like the year she cursed a cheating woman with incurable herpes.
A real hoot that was.
The boyfriend at the time, or ex, since he had been the one to pay for the curse, had been a great guy. Real funny and took revenge by airing the woman's dirty laundry in front of her friends and family. It had been quite the show. The woman hadn't even been able to get mad since he had been telling the truth. Everyone at the party had seen some of the tell-tale signs, they'd just been a little slow on the uptake.
That had been fun.
It made her forget entirely that he had thought she was a witch in the beginning.
Alexandreina hated that comparison.
She was not a witch, even if some of the things they can do are similar. Alexandreina was very proud of her heritage and she hated the dismissal of it. Unlike witches she was born with power coursing through her veins. Not to mention her 'magic' as it can be referred to as, is specific only to her people. No witch can do a Romani Kalderash spell, but any of her people can do a witches spell. Because witches are very distant descendants to her people.
Witches are weak in comparison.
Alexandreina took offence to being mistaken as one. It was like mistaking a God for a regular Joe.
It's offensive.
And incorrect.
However, it was not relevant at the current moment. People on the Hellmouth were well aware of the difference it seemed. Especially since a lot of the Demon population around here had longer lifespans than humans. Meaning they had seen and heard some things in their life than alerted them to the difference.
"Can I help you, Ma'am?"
Alexandreina looked up at the woman and nodded, "Sure. I'd like to see some of your necklaces"
The woman nodded.
Alexandreina followed the employee over to the display cases of the necklaces and inspected the selection. She had come to this specific store because it wasn't as flashy and bling-y as the others in the mall. Alexandreina wasn't interested in crisp diamonds or fancy designs. She would much rather something with a little personality. Something unique. Alexandreina liked this store because they had equal amounts of new jewellery and antique jewellery. Every time she walked in here she found something she liked with her stolen money.
She smiled at the thought.
"What sort of jewellery are you looking for?" the employee asked, though her eyes widened a little in uncertainty as she took in Alexandreina's appearance
Alexandreina rose an intimidating brow at the woman.
The woman swallowed, but was saved from the conversation by someone calling Alexandreina's name. Alexandreina turned to the voice in plain annoyance. Spotting Xander heading her way with an odd look on his face.
"Alexandreina" Xander greeted. "What are you doing here? Oh, uh, I mean- well obviously your shopping, here, in the store. Like everyone else is... because people can do that. They can shop. In stores. I-I was here shopping too. Or, well, I was. I mean- Valentines Day and all. So people shop on this day. By me-"
Oh fuck.
Alexandreina breathed out sigh.
"What do you want, Xander?" She intervened before he could continue. Noticing briefly as the sales women made a quick get away.
Xander sighed, deflating slightly, and turning sad eyes on her. He sighed, "I was here to ask about Jewellery returns" he admitted. "But now that I see you... I've had an idea. Jenny mentioned you made potions or spells or whatever they're called?"
Huh.
Well this might be interesting.
Alexandreina nodded slowly, "Yeah. Curses, potions, spells... I can do it. For a price, that is"
"A price?" Xander frowned slightly in surprise. "What like I can just buy a potion?"
She stared at him in annoyance at the stupid question. Of course he could buy a potion. Just like he could go to any magic store and buy them. Or spell books and supplies. Everything is worth something to someone. These days things are so progressive she figured that would have been obvious to him.
God bless fucking capitalism and all...
"Right. Well I'd like to buy a love potion" Xander stated in new found confidence. "To make Cordelia fall in love with me"
"You and Cordelia, huh?" Alexandreina mused. "She was the bitchy cheerleader, right?"
Xander nodded.
Wow.
Alexandreina was briefly surprised that he had ever managed to gain that girls attention. Even if it was only for a short time. It was slightly impressive considering she personally found Xander annoyingly immature.
"Yeah we were dating for a while. Mostly in secret" Xander admitted. "But then we told everyone. It was great"
Alexandreina just nodded along.
"I planned everything. I even left Buffy pick out what I wore. I just wanted to impress Cordelia" Xander ranted. "Cordelia, she looks at me and says 'great. You've just made this harder'. I was confused, but I had this speech I had planned, so I said; 'I've been thinking a lot about us lately, the why and the wherefore. You know, once, twice, a kissy here, a kissy there. And you can chalk it all up to hormones, and maybe that's all we have here. Tawdry teen lust. But maybe not. Maybe something in you sees something special inside me. And vice versa"
Alexandreina raised a brow, her amusement in the long-winded story dwindling quickly.
She sighed.
Not that he seemed to notice.
"So..." Xander continued to angrily recount what had happened. "So, I pulled out the jewellery and I hand it to her. She takes it and looks at me before she says; 'Thank you. It's beautiful' and I smiled like an idiot because then she says 'I wanna break up'."
Alexandreina rolled her eyes skyward as she endured his recount of heartbreak she could care less about.
"I was shocked. And confused. So I'm standing there like an idiot while Cordelia is talking. She said; 'Who are we kidding? Even if parts of us do see specialness, we don't fit'. Can you believe that?"
"Yeah..." Alexndreina scoffed
"I mean, who breaks up with someone on Valentines day anyway? I mean, what, were we lacking dramatic irony?" Xander huffed
"So you want a love potion then?" Alexandreina intervened
Xander nodded, "Yeah. You know, just the basic can't eat, can't sleep, can't breathe anything but little old moi"
"Those kinds of things are dangerous, you know... I mean, to make someone love you for all eternity?" Alexandreina mused thoughtfully.
She'd seen them go wrong.
Really wrong.
Xander waved his hand and shook his head dismissively. "Who said anything about eternity? A man can only talk self-tanning lotion for so long before his head explodes"
Alexandreina snorted in agreement but eyed Xander carefully. "If you don't wanna be with her forever, then what's the point?" She wondered
Why go through the effort?
She never did understand why people bothered with love. No matter how many tried to explain it. Alexandreina thought love was majorly overrated in the first place, but seeing someone so desperate to manufacture it cemented that view.
Love fades.
Love changes and dies.
It can turn to hate as easily as it does lust.
Love can make people do some messed up shit. Even worse it can be used to change them or control them.
Alexandreina was better off without something like that. Though she doubted she was even capable if she tried. She had been through too much and seen too much. As a result she had been broken too badly to trust something like love.
"The point is I want her to want me. Desperately" Xander admitted. "So I can break up with her and subject her to the same hell she's been puttin' me through"
"Right" Alexandreina smirked
"How much then?" Xander asked
"30" she overcharged him. "And you don't tell anyone where you got it. Deal?"
"Deal" Xander smiled easily at that.
"Good. Meet me in half an hour at that little 24 hour Diner" Alexandreina instructed him. "Bring cash"
Alexandreina was slightly shocked when she walked into the high school library. Though when Giles had first called she knew she'd find something like this. Alexandreina couldn't help the small laugh that bubbled out of her mouth.
Giles glared, "I do not seem to find this as amusing as you do"
Alexandreina smirked and shrugged.
Janna smiled and patted Giles shoulder. "Come on Rupert. It's a little bit funny. Even you have to see that"
Giles only sighed.
Alexandreina walked over to where Giles and Janna stood. She glanced over at Xander, who was locked up in the weaponry cage, in disapproval. "My instructions we're clear. I did warn you, Xander" Alexandreina spoke up with an eye roll of annoyance.
"Yeah..." Xander awkwardly nodded in agreement
She told him to be careful.
Potions like this one could be dangerous. Love seemed to have the power to make people do some crazy things. This type of love though... the manufactured kind, it can be even worse. The word 'all-consuming' came to mind.
"I still can't believe you were fool enough to do this, Xander!" Giles said in disapproval
Xander grimaced, "Oh, no, I'm twice the fool it takes to do something like this"
Alexandreina agreed.
"Alright. Let's fix this" she said to Janna and Giles. Pulling out the reversal potion from her bag. "Do you have a cup of water or something?"
Giles nodded quickly and disappeared into his office to fetch it.
Alexandreina looked over at the three women who had been spelled. Buffy, Willow and Cordelia were sitting at opposite ends of the library table. Each of them continuing to viciously argue their love for Xander, but thankfully remaining civil.
"Well, He liked spending time with me the most. Xander's so sweet for me. You know, it's funny how you can... you can see a person every day and... not really see them" Buffy ranted
Willow glared at Buffy in annoyance. Then the redhead looked over at Xander and smiled. "How long have we been friends? A long, long time. Well, friendships change all the time. People grow apart. They grow closer"
Xander grimaced, "Uh, this is good! How close we are now. I feel very comfortable with this amount of closeness. In fact, I can even back up a few paces and still be happy!"
Cordelia looks up at Janna with a glare. "Why did you lock Xander away? He needs me"
Buffy scoffed and smirked over at Cordelia. "That's a laugh"
"He loves me. We look into each other's souls" Cordelia glared back at Buffy
"No one can love two people at once. What we have is real!" Willow hissed
Giles handed Alexandreina a mug full of water and she dumped the reversal potion into it. Alexandreina looked at the arguing women and cleared her throat. "Now. This cup is a potion to reveal who Xander truly loves the most" she lied
Buffy stood the quickest, "Give It to me!"
Alexandreina nodded, "You each have to take a sip from it. Okay?"
Buffy took the first sip looking smugly at the other two before sending a loving look towards Xander.
"Slowly" Alexandreina advised Cordelia who took a big gulp. As if the more she drank the better chance she had at being picked. Alexandreina rolled her eyes and took the cup to Willow who nervously smiled and took a sip.
Willow grinned shyly.
Alexandreina smiled falsely at the three of them. "Sit down. We have to wait 5 minutes and then your love will be revealed"
Buffy, Cordelia and Willow went back to arguing.
Alexandreina set the cup down on the table and turned back to Giles and Janna. She rolled her eyes at them and shrugged. "It should reverse the spell in the next few minutes. Though I have a feeling you might want to keep Xander locked up for a little while longer. They're gonna be angry"
Giles nodded, "Yes. I do believe their trust in Xander will be affected"
Janna snorted.
"Understatement" Alexandreina muttered in agreement.
Everyone stood and waited to see what would happen for the next few minutes. Slowly the potion began to take affect. Buffy seemed to react first, getting confused before getting angry. Then Willow burst into tears and quickly excused herself from the library. Cordelia was last to react and seemed more incredulous than anything else.
Giles let Xander out of the cage.
"I'm really sorry" Xander apologised to Cordelia and Buffy who had remained in the library.
Buffy sighed angrily.
"I was just trying get someone to pay attention to me. Cordelia rejected me and I wanted to make her jealous" Xander lamely explained to the girls
"You did this for me?" Cordelia looked touched by the admission.
Xander sheepishly nodded.
Oz, who had entered the library during the admission, punched Xander in the face. Xander stumbled backward into the shelves, while Oz shook out his hand, "That kinda hurt"
Xander stood rubbing his cheek. "Kinda?! What was that for?"
"I was on the phone all night listening to Willow talk about you. Now I've had to comfort her while she cried about you. I don't know exactly what happened, but I was left with a very strong urge to hit you" Oz explains calmly
Xander relented and nodded in understanding. "I didn't touch her. I swear!"
Oz looked around the room after nodding in belief of Xander. "What exactly is going on?"
"I put a love potion on Cordelia to make her love me again. Gave some to Buffy to make Cordelia jealous. Willow shared a drink with Buffy. The potion made them all go crazy. Now it's reversed" Xander summed the last two days events up rather quickly
Oz sent Xander a disapproving look. "That's messed up, man"
"I know" Xander agreed. "Now. I know that now"
Alexandreina didn't see the need to stick around any longer. So she gave a small nod to Giles and Janna before exiting the library. She didn't need to be part of the highschool relationship drama, nor did she want to be. As entertaining as all that was, she has a shift as a bartender at the local Demon bar to get ready for.
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