A/N here's the next chapter, feedback please. Thanks for the reviews thus far. Chapter seven will be up in a week
A/N I'm not the world's best humor writer but I hope to toss in a small dose of Harmony's prissy attitude soon, after all, she's not a super hero.
Chapter Six
"Kennedy please stop," Willow said in a pleading voice, as her body began to tremble. "I can't take anymore tonight."
"Baby I'm sorry, I just lost it. I," Kennedy started to kneel down beside Willow but Willow put a hand up to indicate for her not to do so.
"Let's discuss it later Kennedy please. I won't say anything, I promise. We've all had a rough couple of days." Willow's frail voice was enough for Kennedy. She knew that if she pushed Willow any further, there would be no chance of fixing their latest problem.
"If that vampire runs her mouth about our personal business, she's dusted." Kennedy snapped and received a scoff from Harmony for her troubles. She stomped out of the office and slammed the door.
"Whatever this thing is, it's picking us off one by one in terms of powers." Willow said both out of concern for her loss of powers and in an effort to not discuss what had just transpired with Kennedy.
"It looks like it's doing a bang up job," Harmony said in admiration towards the persons and/or demons that were able to do so much with such ease. "I came to see if I could use a computer in here to check on my finances. I did not mean to get in the middle of whatever you love birds were going on about."
"You have investments?" Willow said, as she tried to get up. She was still a bit shaky and her back felt a lot tender. "I would hardly call us love birds but then again, you don't know much about love."
"I know enough about love that I allowed my parents to live and Of course I have investments." Harmony said with one of those snobbish smiles that she and Cordelia wore so well on her face. "I told you, since my fledgling days, I have become a new sort of vampire. I want money, some form of life and maybe, every now and again, adventure on the opposite side of the tracks as the slayers sit on."
"Harmony, are you telling the truth about not being on the other side with this human power outage thing?" Willow asked with a hint of trepidation in her voice.
"The only reason that I stuck around here Willow is because you asked me to help you in honor of Delia." Harmony reminded the redhead. "Actually, now that you have no powers and don't need the help, I should be able to go on my way and finish the financial project that I started." Harmony finished speaking in a dramatic tone.
Harmony's attitude was reminding Willow of how arrogant and uppity the vampire once was. "Rumor has it that you drained your parents," Willow said, as she finished off her bottle of wine.
"No my parents couldn't handle my loss and so they packed up and moved. Once they found out I was alive, sort of, they gave me money often." Harmony finished speaking, with a triumphant smile, As Willow tried to stand. The wine and her back were getting to Willow and she almost fell back down. "Do you still need my help Willow?" The vampire flashed a smile at the redhead and reached out a hand to steady her.
"So you're telling me that you are what Cordy wanted to be? Rich and successful in whatever you're into?" Willow said, as she allowed the vampire to help her down the hall.
"Not yet but I'm getting there," Harmony said and stopped to figure out where Willow wanted to go. "Willow, we were the most likely to succeed and we've both succeeded fairly well. Delia helped the helpless until it took her life and I, well I help myself."
"I can get it from here I think," Willow said, as the cool night air from an open window hit her. She staggered again and the vampire steadied her once more. "The rooms for the sick are down this way. I don't want to sleep with Kennedy." Willow muttered in slurred words. "What is it that you help yourself with?" Willow asked, as they entered one of the rooms.
"Whatever I want Willow." Harmony said and helped Willow ease herself down on the bed. "That slayer, Faith, she has the right attitude for getting what she wants but it doesn't always work. I have nothing against Faith but she is a prime example."
"You tried to kill me and failed, you tried to kill Buffy and failed and so you don't always get what you want." Willow said in retort to the conceited vampire.
"I did bite you and only went after Buffy out of boredom. I was not a smart vampire back then but I am now and I guarantee you that if I really want something, I'll have it." Harmony smiled that old familiar smile of hers at Willow.
"I wonder why we got so unlucky for you to be one of few creatures that got to keep some of your living personality." Willow stated more than asked, as the blonde vampire sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Have you ever wanted to live on the edge Willow? I mean, not with all the evil jazz but doing something that would make everyone flip?" The vampire asked in an effort to entice the redhead to take the bate. "In school you were the geek, the one who did everyone's homework so we would not poke fun at you. Then you got in with this slaying stuff and followed Buffy around on a leash. You get the picture? Have you ever really done something for just Willow, not counting the thing with Tara? Do you get what I'm asking?"
"Yeah I get it," Willow said somberly. It was true that she had always done what others expected her to do. Granted she got many Willow moments with Tara but she knew what Harmony was getting at. "Like in school, when I had a crush on someone, I couldn't act because I was the geek and I'd get teased. All the things you all said and did to me, I think they crushed my spirit and any hope for self confidence that I might have gained."
"I'm not making fun of you now Willow." Harmony said with a gleam in her eye. She moved closer to the redhead and took her hands in hers, as Willow instinctively tried to back away. "I don't want to suck your blood Willow, don't run." Harmony said and lifted Willow's chin.
"What's the game harmony?" Willow questioned, as her head swam with assorted thoughts. She was thinking of how one of them would pull a stunt like this in high school and then laugh at her. She thought that maybe Harmony took her powers somehow and planned on turning her. "I've had enough crap tonight, I've had enough for my entire lifetime to be honest. I don't need anymore!" Willow didn't mean to raise her voice nor start to cry but that is just what happened. It was as if a lifetime of hurt, sadness and torment wanted out at that very moment. "You know, all I wanted was a friend and for someone to like me for who I was. Buffy didn't even do that really, I mean she did but didn't. I got the most attention when I was using my brains to help the gang out and I sometimes feel that is still the case. Kennedy wants me to be a certain way and Buffy expects certain things of me. Then there was all of you, you kicked me relentlessly and didn't care that it tore me up inside to be alone. Tara was the one true person that I could fully be me around and now she's gone! Dani, I can talk to her, I think I could even like her more than just a friend but she's always calling me Miss Willow, like I'm some older person that she must show respect to!"
Harmony looked at the clock on the wall as Willow ranted. She saw that it was nearing 4AM and so she got up and closed the thick blinds. She then returned to the bed and pulled Willow close to her. The redhead was fragile in her arms, perfect for the taking but she didn't plan to take her in that way. "Willow, I don't want your power or your brain. I have both of those, though nobody knew just how smart I really was. You see, if you act stupid and air headed, people expect little of you. This is what I want Willow," the vampire said in a soft voice then placed her lips to Willows, as she stroked the tears from her face with her thumb.
Not noticing any objections from Willow, Harmony pushed her back on the bed and began kissing her with more fervor. When a soft moan escaped Willow's mouth through the kiss, Harmony moved her hand inside Willow's shirt and in a short time, Willow was returning the kisses. After suckling her neck, breasts and exploring her body with her hands, Harmony stopped. Willow looked up at her with glazed-over eyes. The desire was strong in both women. "Do you want me to stop Willow? I swear I won't bite you, unless you want me to." Harmony said in a low seductive voice. Willow knew with everything that was moral inside her that she should stop before things continued down a road that she would not be able to curve. The side of her that was always attracted to the Cordettes and her mounting desire for release won over her better judgment and the two women shared pleasure well past dawn.
- - - - - -
Willow walked into her office around noon that next day. There waiting for her was Kennedy. 'Where the hell have you been? I told the others about your powers being stripped and we've been waiting for you!" Kennedy's anger was at a boiling point and she lashed out again. She slapped Willow hard across the face. "Were you with that vampire all night?"
"Yes I was and it was a nicer place then being with the likes of you!" Willow snapped back as Kennedy backhanded her to the floor. The words Harmony said during their passionate sexual encounter rang true in Willow's head. She told her, while giving instructions on how she wanted Willow positioned, that the abuse never stops with one hit or shove. "It's sad when you can get more comfort and compassion from a soulless vampire then a human being!" Willow shouted, as Kennedy hit her again.
"I bet that bitch is out shagging another slayer!" Kennedy shouted and kicked Willow in the stomach.
"The bitch is right here!" Harmony shouted and went after Kennedy in full game face, as Dani came crashing into the room.
She saw Willow lying on the floor and mistook the situation. She too went after the blonde vampire who was fairing well against Kennedy. "Dani no!" Willow shouted, as Faith and Dawn entered the office. "Kennedy hit me, shoved me and kicked me. It all started last night after the service ended! Harmony was helping me get away from her."
"She helped her by fucking her!" Kennedy shouted and tried to lunge at Harmony again but Faith hoisted her up in the air in a flash.
"She was out of practice from being with such a bore as yourself." Harmony snapped back at the enraged slayer. "So she wanted someone who knows what they're doing to fine tune her former expert maneuvers."
At that moment, Buffy walked in. "We've got real work to do, Willow did you sleep with that vampire?" She shouted and prepared to launch her own verbal assault.
"Yes I slept with Harmony and maybe it wasn't the best choice but I was an emotional mess and she was there for me!" Willow shouted and stood up. "I'm tired of you all telling me what to do and who to be with as if I were a child! It's over do you understand me? Kennedy, I never want you to come near me again and I would advise you to tell the other occupants of this building Buffy. She knocked me around and twice harmony came to my aid!"
"Let's stop this now." Dani said in a soft yet angered voice. She was feeling guilty that she wasn't there for Willow the night before. She felt that if she had been there, none of this would be happening because the two women had grown very close and able to talk. "Willow looks and sounds as if she's about to have some sort of breakdown and though I don't agree with Harmony taking advantage of the situation, we've got to give Willow some space. Come on Buffy, you know Miss Willow wouldn't be sleeping with the likes of that if she were in her right mental state. Let's just all back off and see if we can give her some help."
"Harmony, I want you out of here at sunset, if you're still here, I'll kill you myself." Buffy ordered and then ushered everyone out of the room.
"I'm sorry Willow." Harmony moved closer and placed a gentle kiss on the woman's cheek.
"You weren't there when I woke up, is Dani right? Did you sleep with me to prove that you could get whatever you wanted?" Willow asked in a trembling voice. She didn't truly expect much from a creature without a soul but hoped for something a little less self-degrading than what Dani was thinking.
"If that were the case, I would have stayed in that bed to let someone catch us Willow." Harmony put her arms around the redhead and kissed her passionately; thankful that Willow's office was darkened with thick black blinds. "Willow, if you want to know if I love you, the answer is no. Do I hate you; want to kill you, that's a no also. I could have had you last night many times, you saw me struggling with the demon Willow. You don't know how bad I wanted to taste just a little of your blood, god does that turn a vampire on. Anyway, I didn't do it because I told you I wouldn't Willow, I kept my word and that should count for something but if it doesn't, I can go when the sun sets and we can forget all about this."
"I can't play games harmony, I'm about to crack as it is." Willow said in a defeated tone of voice. "I don't want anything from you, I know you can't love or stay loyal or anything like that because you don't have a soul. I just wanted to know that you weren't like using me, you know?"
"There is nothing wrong with a little fun between, whatever it is that we are." Harmony stopped short of admitting that she could call Willow a friend. "Look, don't sweat it, I'm out of here tonight." Before Willow could speak, the vampire turned and disappeared down the hall.
- - - - - - -
Faith and Dawn got back to the headquarters around 10pm. They had gone out on a fact-finding mission and came up short. "Where's everyone?" Faith asked Andrew, as they entered the kitchen where a big pot of hot chocolate was waiting.
"They're all gone out on patrol," he commented with a quiver in his voice. "Buffy is on her dinner date, Willow and Dani are trying to locate that sorceress and a bunch of the others got antsy so went with Kennedy."
"This can't be good," Dawn grimaced, as Faith gulped down her hot chocolate and dialed Kennedy's cell number.
"No answer, that stupid little wench! I've got to get Dani to come with," Faith trudged towards Willow's office.
"You and Faith are getting pretty tight I see." Andrew said with a smirk on his face.
"There is no time for that, where are Giles, Xander and those other Watchers?" Dawn sneered at the young man as she questioned him.
"I think we should call Buffy," Andrew frowned, "I forgot to mention that they had gone out in search of the gang."
"Willy says there is big trouble!" Faith shouted, as she and Dani ran through the kitchen and out the door.
"Well maybe we should go too," Andrew said with real concern in his voice.
"We should stay here with Willow. It's not good for everyone to be scattered as we are and I'll call Buffy." Dawn replied and reached for the phone.
- - - - - - - - - -
Buffy and Tracy had a nice dinner and were talking about their childhoods. Buffy believed more and more that this was some sort of fluke and not Tara. She had to much proof as to who she was, what she looked like and no matter how hard Buffy probed, she could not shake a memory of Willow to the surface of the pretty woman's mind.
Buffy was feeling way to at ease around this woman, she and Faith had always had a flirtation of sorts going on but Buffy never thought of herself as bisexual. She, oddly to her, found that she was slightly attracted to this mild-mannered, soft-spoken woman. She was ready to have another drink when her cell phone rang. After a few moments, she frowned and hung up. "Um, work called and I hate to do this but I've got to go." Buffy said in a bummed out tone of voice.
"That's all right," Tracy smiled at the slayer. "It's nearing 11PM and I've got an early morning. If you'd like, we can do this again?"
"Oh I'd love to," Buffy said with a beaming smile on her face, as she handed Tracy her cell number. "You give me a shout anytime you like."
As Buffy left the apartment, she had a smile on her face that hadn't been there for quite some time. She was amazed at how fast the woman helped her be at ease enough to spill most of her troubles in such a quick time. She hoped that whatever was going on wasn't a real crisis but feared it was. Her fears were confirmed as she stepped into the alleyway behind Willy's bar.
- - - - - - - -
Willow heard Dawn's shrill scream and went barreling into the kitchen. She knew something major was on the go to prompt such a fearful scream from Dawn. As she entered, she saw Dawn and Andrew fiercely trying to fight off three vampires. "This building is public, they can get in because some idiot forgot to put a spell on it!" Andrew shouted at Willow angrily.
Willow grabbed a stake as the words Andrew spoke stung her like a bullet. The dorms were not a public place but this building was. Why, she didn't know but supposed that it being more of a school type place was the reason. "Run!" She shouted, as another vampire grabbed her from behind and took her down.
Dawn struggled valiantly with the two vampires that were assaulting her and Andrew was failing with his one. One of the two that were on Dawn ran over and helped the one that was fighting with Willow. The two vampires managed to get her held still, as the two that were fighting with Dawn and Andrew, simply stood still and held their prey. This was beginning to look like a Willow finding mission and the job was accomplished.
As one of the vampires leaned down and pressed his fangs to Willows neck, Andrew screamed as loud as he could and closed his eyes. Dawn shrieked and kicked at her vampire hard but to no avail. "Hey knock it off you stupid fledgling!" A voice from the back of the room called and the vampire was swiftly kicked off of the terrified redhead. "You go tell your boss that biting Ms. Rosengeek is my job."
The other vampire came up against the blonde vampire in a hurry and the fight was on. Dawn kicked out once more and connected with her vampire's sensitive private parts. She grabbed a stake and hurled it through the air. It connected with one of the two vampires who were fighting with harmony, as her vampire grabbed Willow and started to run for the door. "You're gonna hafta help him!" Harmony shouted at Dawn, as she staked the remaining vampire who fought with her and ran out the door.
Dawn turned towards the vampire who was beating Andrew down. She kicked him hard three times before he flipped her on her back and took off out the door. "Are you all right?" Dawn asked, as she picked herself up off the floor.
"I'm fine, they didn't want us I don't think. We were just pawns in their greater mission to get Willow! Why is it that we can never be part of the greater mission of some big bad evil thing?" Andrew complained in a whiney voice as he flailed his arms around the room.
"We might be the hunted soon," Dawn said dryly. "We let that vamp get away and it's not good for a vampire to have the fact that they were staking other vampires get around the vampire community. You lose your status, as if Harmony ever had any status.