A/N here's the next installment, I hope you all like it and have not yet figured out the twists that are coming.
Chapter Nine
Late in the evening, Buffy trudged in the sitting room. She had gone out on patrol with a couple others in the raging snowstorm. "Sunnydale was heaven compared to this place." She said and sat down next to Willow. "Will, can we talk?" Buffy had a concerned look on her face that went along fabulously with her overtired eyes.
"If it's about Harmony, forget it." The wiccan said bluntly. "If it's about a lead of sorts to all this madness, sure." Willow, who also sported an overtired look, put down the book she was reading and turned her gaze to Buffy. She noticed that Buffy looked a little older, a little more worn and a lot more worried then she'd seen in a long time.
"We've all been through a lot lately Will and I'm just worried about you. Sure I slept with a vampire but at least the one I allowed myself to love had a soul and wasn't evil. That being said, you're my best friend and I'm here for you no matter what happens." Buffy reached out and patted Willow's arm as she finished speaking.
"I know that Buffy but, I just can't explain it. She's really good to me and…" Willow's features turned to a blush as she stopped her speech before explaining how the vampire was in bed.
Buffy gave her a knowing look, "I know Willow. They have great stamina and can fill your head with all sorts of things. Spike made me believe that he was different from the other vampires but he wasn't. Look what happened to him when he didn't get his way. He turned on me." Buffy's face displayed sadness as she looked into her friend's eyes. She hoped that she could somehow get Willow to listen and stop this madness but knew that she didn't listen to Tara either.
"When does your best friend get to meet your dinner date?" Willow enquired as a cue that it was time for a subject change. She gained a little help in the subject changing area when Faith, Dawn and Dani joined them in the room with food.
"It was dinner as a friend Will. I don't swing that way." Buffy said with a smile directed at her friend.
"Everyone swings a little in their life." Faith said with a smirk on her face. "Red, you need to talk to Xan cause he's threatening to bring Amy on board."
"That's no worse then Willow being blinded by Harmony." Dawn said sarcastically.
"Yes it is because harm is easier to kill." Buffy said flatly but in a tone that Willow took as a warning.
"She's not so easy to kill," Dani added and stood up. "I'm gonna go find something to do while you all hash this stuff out."
"Me too," Willow said and followed Dani. "Hey, I got a new game on my lap top, come on in my new room that Dawn assigned me and check it out."
"Sure," Dani said and smiled. "Look, if I was rude or out of line last night Miss Willow, I'm really sorry. I know I should not have worked with Kennedy but I was scared for you."
"No Dani, I know you were trying to help and who knows, you all may be right." Willow said and opened the door to her room. "Dawnie wanted us to close off the dorm but I guess using one hall is a fair compromise."
"Yeah I know." Dani said and looked around Willow's room. She caught site of a picture of a woman that she had never seen before and stared at it due to the familiarity of it. "Miss Willow, who is this?"
Willow looked at the photo that sat on her nightstand next to the bed. "This is the love of my life Dani." Willow said proudly as she recalled when the picture was taken. She and Tara had gone to a movie and then Tara surprised her with the picture of herself in which she was dressed up especially for the redhead. Afterwards, the two danced in Tara's dorm room, had a few glasses of wine and made love.
"She looks like someone I've seen before but I just can't place where." Dani said and sat next to Willow in front of the laptop. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."
"Tara's memory never makes me uncomfortable. I didn't feel comfortable talking to Kennedy about her though so thanks for not making me feel bad." Willow said and began to show Dani the game.
As the two played the computer game, a loud thud was heard in the hall and then Faith's voice. "I'll go check real quick." Dani stood to her feet and opened the door. "Faith?"
Faith was out in the hall helping Dawn to stand. Dawn's eyes were as clear a white as a pure gemstone. "The sorceress is near." Dawn said in a faint voice and then a being like person shimmered out of her chest and Faith dropped her to the ground.
"Cordy!" The vampire shouted from around the corner. "Did you all see that?" Harmony looked at the stunned slayer and knew that Faith had seen Cordelia Chase in all her white clad glory.
"What are you doing here?" Dani asked having not seen the being leave Dawn's body.
"I'm here to see Willow." Harmony retorted and turned to the door of Willow's room as Faith composed herself enough to pick the fallen Summers sister up in her arms. "Buffy let me in so chill out slayer."
Willow stepped out into the hall and looked at Faith. "What's going on?"
"It was C Red," Faith said and motioned for Willow to follow her into Dawn's room. "D and I were finishing shutting everything off in the sitting room and coming up to her room to play a game of cards. Well she almost went down the stairs backwards and her face went pale. Then I got her here and she said something about the sorceress being near. Then fully fainted out and C fricking came out of her chest. I saw it!"
"That's exactly what happened but I didn't hear the sorceress remark," Harmony added, as Dani stood eying her.
"Dani could you go tell Buffy and make sure Kennedy doesn't come up here?" Willow asked in a friendly tone.
Dani felt resentment building up within her. She and Willow were having a perfectly good conversation until the vampire showed up. She knew that Willow wanted her to play watchdog so she and harmony could have a chat or a little romp. "Sure," she agreed and shuffled off.
"Faith can you let me know when she wakes up?" Willow asked the slayer, who was taking Dawn's shoes off and situating her on the bed.
"Sure thing Red," Faith covered Dawn up with her thin blanket. "I'm gonna go get something to drink first but will sit and watch her."
"Thanks," Willow said and turned back towards her room with the blonde vampire following her.
"Buffy really let you in here?" She asked and shut the door behind her.
"Yeah," Harmony said in a far off tone of voice. Having seen Cordelia had taken her back again to better days and the memories she wished that she could forget before they forced her into that cold being that she did not want to become.
"Look I called your parents house early because I hoped that you would still be there. I have no powers but I can still do spells like I used to before I came into my powers and I was thinking that we could maybe try to track down that sorceress. Now that this has happened, it may be urgent that we try it." Willow said as she looked out the window at the snow. She felt a peace when she watched the fluffy snow blowing through the air. A peace that she only used to feel with Tara and it made her wish that she could be on a big white fluffy cloud soaring through the air with Tara.
"You want me to help you?" Harmony asked incredulously. "I've heard about your spells gone awry before you got all powerful and even how you set Anyanka's carpet on fire after you got all powerful."
"Not tonight, I have to see if I can find the right spell and then get the items that I'll need." Willow added not paying attention to the snark in Harmony's voice.
"Are you going to fulfill your end of the deal?" Harmony asked and smiled as Willow withdrew a sheet of paper.
"Don't make me regret this Harmony." Willow said in a worried tone of voice.
"What I want has nothing to do with some end of the world plan Willow. It is something of a more personal nature," Harmony smiled and put the paper in her pocket.
"Andrew will be helping us also," Willow said as harmony sat down next to her on the bed. "I have to try something before the rest of my friends are murdered."
"Well I asked a few acquaintances of mine about your power situation earlier. There is this one chick named Secaura who claims that she can see if your power stripping is real or psychological. She's heard of your powers clear out here in Ohio and thinks someone might have done something to your mind because you would more than likely have felt something huge go through your body with that amount of power being yanked from it."
"Isn't that some communications company name in Europe?" Willow asked with a hint of hope in her eyes. She felt naked without her powers because they had been a part of her since before Buffy's death. She had always dealt with magic from a book standpoint but, during the fight with Glory, she had come to know the tremendous power that was within her being. Though feeling and understanding the energy that lie within the depth of her being caused her constant battles between magic usage styles, she missed not having it at her disposal because it was part of who she was at this point in her life.
"There are upscale demons everywhere Willow." Harmony replied flatly.
"When can we go see her?" Willow asked with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Tomorrow night if you like." Harmony answered and took the drink Willow offered her. "You've got a nice little ice chest in here. Did you have a night in planned with that slayer?"
"No, we were playing computer games is all." Willow answered not wondering in the least as to why she felt that she should explain things such as that to the vampire. "We'll try to plan the spell for after we see this acquaintance of yours. Maybe if I can work out what they did to me, I won't need the book spell."
"I'd also like to know why Dawn has been chosen as a portal to Delia." Harmony added, as Willow wrote it down in her notebook. She had so many things she wanted to try and get done to get on some sort of even footing with these evildoers that she could no longer keep it all straight in her head.
Harmony looked over at Tara's picture as she moved over to Willow. "She was really beautiful Willow. Well worth going all evil over."
"She was the most beautiful person that I ever met. There was nothing evil about her soul. It was pure and good. I don't know that I can ever get over her and move on. I thought that I could try with Kennedy but she made that impossible." Willow's hands trembled slightly as she looked at Tara's picture.
"What about this other slayer? It's so obvious that she's attracted to you." Harmony enquired as she began to massage Willow's tense shoulders.
"We get along well and I told you before that I think I could like her and maybe even do if I would admit it to myself." Willow said and relaxed into the vampire's cold hands as they worked out the kinks in her muscles. "You're really good at that, I've slept better the two times you've done that then in a long time."
"That's what Delia used to say." The vampire said and added nothing more thus leaving Willow's mind to wonder if something more had happened with the two Cordettes. She wondered the same thing about Faith but knew better then to press the private slayer about such things.
Harmony pulled the redhead in her arms and gave her a kiss. "I'm going to have to go tend to a few things soon Willow. I'll be back here just after sunset to pick you up tomorrow." The vampire increased the passion in her kisses and Willow was returning them more quickly then she did in their previous encounters.
Willow knew she was in trouble as the vampire began kissing her thighs. She liked Dani but there was an addiction to the touch of Harmony that Willow feared she couldn't break. She tried many times to warn Buffy on the dangers of falling for a vampire and now here she was allowing one to do things to her that nobody ever had. The problem was, she loved it and prayed that it would not be her ultimate downfall.
- - - -
Dawn awoke in a cold sweat and noticed that Faith was there. Her mind was fogged between going up the stairs to play cards and where she was now. "Hey D," Faith picked up a glass of juice and handed it to the girl. "You had some sorta weird thing happen on our way up here. I told you that we shouldn't all sleep up stairs to be in the same dorm area. Anyhow, queen C did some kind of appearance through you and said that the sorceress was near."
"What?" Dawn exclaimed with a sudden creepy feeling of being violated stirring within her. "Why did she do that?"
"I dunno, Willow will find out when she's done screwing harmony." Faith made a face at the thought of Willow and the vampire keeping her awake.
"I thought Willow was with Dani tonight?" Dawn asked and rubbed her eyes in an exasperated fashion.
"Yeah well, the vamp sauntered in here and Red forgot all about Dani I guess." Faith added and leaned back against the headboard. "B has gone out somewhere so I thought I'd keep watch on you."
"Where did Buffy go?" Dawn asked with alarm in her voice.
"She went to check something out," Faith said as a male moan of pleasure resounded in her ears. "Jesus everybody's getting laid."
"Oh my God!" Dawn exclaimed which indicated to Faith that she did have a little of her childlike self left. Faith found this refreshing and smiled at the young woman. "Is that Robin? I'm sure it can't be Andrew; he would probably have a scream like a girl. I've heard Xander so I know it's not him and there was no British lilt so it can't be Giles."
Faith burst into laughter at Dawn's analysis as to who was doing what. "D, that's good and shows that you pay attention."
A serious look creased over Dawn's face, "I'm worried about Willow though Faith. She could really be getting herself into a lot of trouble with Harmony."
"Yeah we all agree D but what can ya do?" Faith asked and threw an arm around Dawn. "People hafta live and learn y'know? Some of us more than others but it's a fact of life."
"What was that?" Dawn asked, as a resounding shrill scream of oh my God came from somewhere in the building.
"It sounds girlie," Faith stood up quickly. You stay put and I'll go check on whiteboard boy." She raced quickly down the stairs and found Andrew standing with his mouth open wide in shock just inside the doorway. She looked passed him and saw what prompted the scream, there holding a pizza box was the girl who looked like Tara. "Oh fuck," Faith muttered under her breath and stepped passed Andrew quickly.
"I-I-I didn't do anything to him." The visibly shaken woman stammered, as Faith took the pizza box and handed it to Andrew.
"No I am aware of that." Faith said in a rush to get rid of the girl, as Buffy came up the walkway.
"Oh is this where you work?" The friendly woman turned to Buffy with a smile.
Buffy stood motionless and at a loss for words. "Yep we all work here," Faith added as Dani sauntered into the sitting room to see what the commotion was.
"Tracy," the slayer said fondly. Maybe her luck was about to change for the better. Her eyes went wide upon remembering that face. "Oh my god!" Dani yelled out. "You look like…"
"Stop!" Buffy shouted and put up a hand. "Andrew not a word of this to anyone or I will…" her words trailed off but he got the meaning.
"I better go back up with D or she will be down here and then it's blown wide open." Faith said and rushed off. She thought it best to let those directly involved handle the situation.
"Can somebody tell me why I am freaking everyone out?" The woman asked with a hurt expression and bewildered on her face.
"Come on into the kitchen," Buffy said and motioned for the others to follow her.
- - - - -
Harmony held Willow in her arms as she came crashing down from the orgasmic ride. "I am going to have to go soon Willow." She said and kissed the redhead.
"I think I'm getting to used to you being here when I go to sleep anyway and that's probably not a good thing." Willow babbled before she thought better than to admit to the vampire that she was fond of her.
"So does that mean that you are going to miss me?" Harmony asked in a playful tone.
"I think so," Willow said softly and wished that this weren't happening. "I bet it doesn't bother you, I mean, to not be around people. Like even your parents, you don't get like fond enough to miss people?"
"Honestly Willow," the vampire spoke as she got up from the bed and dressed. "Sometimes when I hold you and kiss you, you make me want to feel something and that is kinda scary because I know that I can't. I don't have a soul and therefore can't have lasting attachments because I can't feel enough to remain a decent person, faithful and that sort of thing. I can try to do good but if the price is right or the mood is right, I know good and well that I will stray to the other side. Just like Spike did with those eggs before he got a soul. I do believe that Spike cared for Buffy as much as he could without a soul. He may have even loved her but when things weren't going how he wanted, the monster within him won out and he tried to make her have sex with him again. That's when he realized that he was a monster and always would be. He taught me that lesson, it's one that I often deny but I know it's true. The reason I know it's true is because, though sometimes I want to feel something with you, other times it's just a fling."
Willow looked into Harmony's eyes as she spoke. The raw emotion that she saw there was sad to watch and she doubted that she would ever see it again because, as she was told many times, pain hardened the creatures eventually. "So what should we do from here then? I mean, is it better to stay away to prevent a mess from happening?" Willow looked away from the vampire whose eyes had grown void of emotion once again. She knew at that moment that she was in trouble. Part of her had wanted to believe that the vampire could feel something and make their relationship different somehow from other soulless creatures. She realized however, that this could not be because Harmony was no different then any other soulless creature. Though she realized this, she could feel that part of her mind that wanted to believe that she was different winning and was afraid that that part would cloud her better judgment.
Harmony felt a cold shiver run down her spine and knew something was off somewhere in the building. "That's not going to be easy if you decide that is what you want Willow. Vampires are very possessive creatures. I've slept with you and tasted your blood and the demon likes it. We can talk about this after we go see Secaura and don't feel bad for me Willow. Most of the time I don't have these thoughts honestly, it's just sometimes." She leaned down and kissed the redhead passionately. "I will be back at 10pm tomorrow night but you have my cell number if something happens before then."