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staringiscaringTitle: The Lost Mistress
Author: Sami
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel the Series
Rating: NC-17 overall for violence, sexual situations, torture, and character death.
Characters: Willow, Angel, Spike, Drusilla, Buffy, Sheila & Ira Rosenberg, Jenny Calender, Doyle, Xander, and original characters.
Word Count: 60K+ and unfinished but two thirds done.
Setting: Three months after the events of Porphyria's Lover, roughly Becoming 1 & 2 in the storyline which has been dramatically altered from canon.
Summary: Willow might be home but she's not out of danger even after her family moves to LA. Its up to Angel and Wllow to clean up after the aftermath of Angelus' reign of terror as Aurelian intrigues threaten to ensnare them again. Sequel to Porphyria's Lover.
Series Notes: This story probably wouldn't make much sense or have the same punch without reading Porphyria's Lover. Of course, this fic wouldn't be possible (or as readable) without my magnificent beta, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif){kind=small}
olansamuelle ! Thank you for all your critiolansamuelle cism, suggestions, and cheerleading and allowing me to drag you into the Buffy fandom. :)
Chapter Notes: I'm going to be taking a break from posting to finish up more of the story and concentrate on the end of the semester.
Chapter 6: Sunnydale Survivors
Lawson sat on the floor across from Drusilla who sat primly in her chains. He had made sure that she had a new dress, it was some black riding dress, modern get up with lacy leggings that the personal shopper had brought after he gave her Drusilla's picture a Wolfram & Hart credit card. A lady minion had gotten Drusilla ready. He tried to make her more comfortable. The chains even had a layer of fur inside the manacles. Lawson figured that while she might be pissed at him for a couple of decades, he had better lay the groundwork for peaceful arrangement, at least, that's what he told himself when he was sober. which wasn't the case at the moment. "You look like you're going on a fox hunt at Studio 54."
Drusilla raised an eyebrow. "I've heard of foxes and woodcutters once or twice, but foxes, no matter how cunning, are poor game." She lifted her arms. "A consort in chains. My black knight shall be ever so displeased."
"Vampire law doesn't recognized duress. Besides Spike will be dealt with." Lawson shrugged and waved his glass. “I guess.”
"If he dies, you know I'll eat your eyeballs and split your tongue before feeding you to dogs." Drusilla folded her hands on her lap. Lucidity radiated from her eyes. "He yet lives and you'll keep it that way if you want my best behavior. I can be a lady or I can be the devil."
"You're not making demands here, Drusilla." Lawson took a swig from his glass of bourbon. He was sprawled out against the wall, black shirt unbuttoned and untucked from his slacks. "I saw what Penn did to your altar. You can bewitch some but you're in no position to enthrall us all." He held up his rawhide necklace with his thumb. "And that law firm fixed it so you can't bewitch me."
Drusilla laughed, wide eyes rolling. "Fish tell me tales of you out swimming the sun. You fall asleep, on sheets of liquor, hearing the ocean echo in your mind. You've seen the darkness that lay beneath the shining waves. There is more to the ocean than what you see, never dream of measuring the magic is my own strength." So delicate and pale, with her skinny deer-like limbs and bird bones, her words would have been amusing if he hadn't believed her.
"You told me once that we would be the best of friends. That's all I'm asking now. I'm not going to ask for any conjugal duties and you can waltz around the world with Spike while I do the boring stuff. This all meant nothing to you before, it shouldn't now." Lawson cajoled, head swimming, as he made himself sit up straighter.
Drusilla rolled her eyes. "Like frogs and scorpions." She stared at him in the eye and he shivered despite himself. "I'll be a proper lady just like my mum taught me."
Lawson raised his glass. "Here's hoping. Keep singing that tune and you'll be out of here, sucking face with Billy Idol again."
She leaned forward, almost girlish in her excitement that made her almost seem alive. “I must say, its most exciting not to know, not to hear so much of those whispers and scolds. I'd rather like to see where this is all going.”
* * *
Willow wore the goggles and sound canceling headphones as she put her legs in the shooting stance her dad had shown her. She picked up the gun, raised it, took aim, and fired. Shooting with only a few seconds space between bullets. The paper target ripped at the neck and chest as she missed the heart but she caused enough damage to make her lip curl in distaste. She didn't like shooting but she did it because her dad had wanted her too. It was important to him and he had been right about the self-defense classes. They had definitely improved the Scoobies' skills and it had been fun to practice with Buffy and Xander. Willow set the gun down with a trembling sore hand before taking off her headphones and goggles and smiling at Xander and her dad. "How was that?"
"The paper man is in critical condition so I'd say pretty good." Xander said, taking his headphones off, before giving her the thumbs up. He looked comfortable and happy in the goggles along with his jeans and an old Batman shirt that she had bought him years ago for Christmas. All his military training that he got when he was turned into a soldier for Halloween hadn't faded so his shooting had gotten whistles of appreciation from her father and a clap on the shoulder from the owner of the range.
"My hand hurts." She frowned. "How about we get ice cream, I think my hand would feel better if it had a ice cream cone in it." She perked up and rocked on her heels.
"Fine, fine." Her dad grinned, headphones on his arm, and the goggles still over his glasses. "Xander, you had enough shooting?"
"Yeah, Rocky Road is sounding pretty good right now." Xander said, smiling. “Dr. Xander recommends a dash of marshmallows and heaping lot of chocolate for that hand.”
Her dad put his arm around Willow and they walked out in search of an ice cream shop and settled on a 50s style diner that that walls packed with retro memorabilia and waitresses in poodle skirts.
Willow and Xander sat at the counter on stools while her dad went to the restroom. After ordering from a guy whose name tag read Fonzie, they fell into a silent lull in the conversation as a milkshake blender roared.
Willow smiled at her oldest friend and waited until the machine stopped. “I missed this.”
“Me too.” Xander gave her hand a squeeze, he looked as if he was going to say something else but instead he grinned and pulled her in for a Xander-fied bear hug.
Her dad came back as the first sundae arrived and soon enough they were joking about the old sitcom stars on the wall. Xander recited the full Giligan's Island theme song and they discussed the merits of coconut trees in zany inventions. As her dad paid for the ice cream, Xander put his arm over her shoulders before they walked out to the parking lot.
After they dropped off Xander, they headed back to Los Angeles. The car grew quiet as her father seemed to grow more pensive in thought. “I know that I blew up when those paranormal investigations showed up. I'm sorry.”
Willow blinked and arched her eyebrows in shock. Her dad hadn't mentioned the poltergeist incident since the night when Angel and Doyle had performed an exorcism. “Its okay, dad.” She shrugged as she wondered where he was going with this.
“I shouldn't have lost my temper, but I just want to give you tangible tools for defense. We all know that what happened wasn't normal. At the apartment or in Sunnydale.” His eyes darted from the road to look at her in the rear view mirror. He hadn't pushed her for information or scrutinized her as her mother had. What Willow had appreciated about her dad was how he hadn't pried but she guessed that hadn't stopped him from drawing his own conclusions. “I realize that there are things that I can't protect you from, but I don't understand it. None of it. I don't know if I even could wrap my mind around the enormity that it encompassed. It scares me and... well,” he paused as he collected his thoughts and shifted into their exit lane, “I can understand a gun; I can understand a punch. That is what I can pass onto you. A concrete skill. You have to know that even when I'm blowing up that all I want to do is to make sure you're safe. That we're all safe.”
“I know. I've always known.” She laid her hand on his for a moment on the stick shift. Willow wished she could be completely honest but she could only camouflage the lies with the truth. “I should have asked your permission before I hired the first guys I found in the phone book.”
Her dad smiled at her before he said, “I'm glad that we've doing stuff together.”
“Me too.” Willow smiled, there had been something so sincere and regretful about her father since she had come back that she couldn't help but join him in daddy-daughter activities. For the first time in years, it felt like she had a relationship with her father.
“I know that for a long time, I wasn't around. And I was the one who missed out, kid. I'm sorry, Willow. But, this is our fresh start.” He took a hand off the wheel to pat her shoulder.
Willow smiled and for once a 'fresh start' didn't sound like a cliche. “I'd like that, Dad.”
* * *
Angel slid a bill on the counter as he leaned over, giving Spike the side eye, wondering if soon enough his face would stay that way after all the times that he had shot Spike a glare since he woke up. He had hoped for a new client but after so many hours alongside the peroxide vampire, Angel didn't think he needed the work that bad. The enemy of his enemy wasn't his friend- just annoying.
Spike only ignored him in the gloom.
Typical.
The club, called Caritas, was lit for atmosphere with strobe and mood lights. A mixed crowd of demons and humans mingled around the stage. It was crowded even only a little after nine. They had arrived, thankfully, in a lull between songs.
Spike had already gotten into vampire face as he glowered at the bartender. Hands crossed and hidden under his arms, he growled on a lower register than humans couldn't detect despite reacting with unconscious fear.
The human bartender didn't seem to hear the growling but it was irritating Angel. “Ignore him. Just tell me who came to see a slight, surly, drunken vampire that goes by the name Lawson. He has black hair and blue eyes. We've heard he hangs out here.”
The bartender, Ramon, according to his name tag, didn't stop wiping the cup in his hands. A unimpressed expression hung on his tanned face- even his thin mustache seemed jaded. “Keep the money unless you're drinking. That bum hasn't been here since the vampire in the suit came in and bought him a drink. Personally, I'm glad he's gone.”
“What this Suit look like?” Angel asked, suspicions flagged as it narrowed down his list of enemies.
“Handsome but dead Blonde, taller than me but shorter than you. I remember that Lawson cat call him a 'dutch fuck' but I was trying to ignore that asshole so I don't know what they talked about.” The bartender shrugged. “That Lawson guy was scum, this city could do with less of his kind. Piss poor tipper too”
Spike and Angel shared a look and were on the same wavelength. There was one likely candidate that Angel had no problem sinking his teeth into. He left the bill on the counter.
“Agreed, mate.” Spike pushed himself away from the bar. “Give me a shot of tequila.”
The bartender slapped it down and filled a shot glass.
Spike tipped his head back and sucked it down. “Ta.”
“Thanks.” Angel pushed Spike towards the door with a shove as a Chaos demon dedicated a Gloria Gaynor song to his ex-fiance. Angel cringed. This investigation had already gone on long enough. He hoped that this clue might be the one to get both Lawson and Spike out of his hair.
“What? The bloke said to have a drink.”
* * *
Angel came back to his apartment with Spike through the sewers to find Willow and Doyle in the front office drinking coffee together on the couch. A salt circle and black candles were set up in front of them with a map of Los Angeles in the middle. He had seen more surprising sights but he wouldn't have expected Willow to come back after dropping off the check. She looked tired but jovial in a light sheer pink sweater over a black tank top and in a gray pencil skirt that seemed more like it belonged on a woman in a catalog than herself. He never thought that he would miss her cheerful hats and overalls.
"So, I says to Angel, you're immortal, why don't you go after the zombie?" Doyle said with a laugh. “You probably shop at the same coffin store!”
Willow giggled and shook her head. Her long dyed brown hair swayed around her shoulders. She smelled of lemons and vanilla. "But, how did it get into the swimming pool?"
“For the record, we don't sleep in coffins.” Angel felt like an intruder even when summoned as he made himself known. Before now, he hadn't realized that she looked like whole different girl from the one he had met in Sunnydale. It shouldn't have surprised him because in many ways, she was far removed from the Willow that was. The Lingering Kiss and its dark pull was only the beginning of the damage he had wrought upon her.
“Heya, Angel.” She made a small wave as strain dimmed her smile.
"Hello, Willow." Angel crossed his arms. "Has something happened?"
Willow shook her head and frowned. "No, I'm fine. Have you got the extra hemlock together? Doyle said tha-" She did a double take when Spike walked into the doorway into the front office. "Angel, what is he doing here?"
Angel asked at the same time as he started to put the pieces together, "Doyle, what is she doing here?"
"You got a witch in the phone book, why not ask her to help?" Doyle shrugged.
"Hey, I'm a client. Not paying mind you, but still." Spiked nodded towards Willow. "Yeah, tall, dark and forehead is right. What are you doing here?"
Willow set down her coffee cup and folded her arms. "I was supposed to help you two with the tracking spell. Doyle said you had a bad guy that you needed found that you had a blood connection to. Its an a big vague demonic situation. Ring any bells?"
"Oi, she's a witch?" Spike looked at Angel. "Why didn't you juice her up and have her track Dru down and save me from having to hear the first stanza of 'I Will Survive' sung by a chaos demon?"
"What?" Willow's quick eyes narrowed and her tone was low even as a blush of anger spread across her cheeks. She crossed her arms.
"You know, get a magic boost with a hit of the red stuff." Spike, cheekbones prominent as he pursed his lips, looked at Angel, head tilted. "You did tell her right?"
"No, I didn't." Angel said, voice low and quiet with warning, his eyes flashed yellow when he glared at Spike. That was the last thing he would want Willow to know. His blood could be more than corrupting and he didn't want anything to be feeding that disease. "She's not to be fed, Spike. She's being cured of this addiction."
Doubt darkened her gaze as she looked between the two vampires. “I thought that if I ever had too much blood again that I would be forever addicted.”
Spike snorted. “Did Nancy Reagan tell you that?”
Willow shot Angel a look of disgust and annoyance as her eyes turned cold. “It would be nice not to be left in the dark about this stuff. Since, you know, its happening to me. To my body.” She shook her head while clenching her fists.. “I can do your spell, with or without blood.” Frowning, she tilted her head and thought. “Actually, we might need blood, but not for me. Also we need something of Drusilla's.”
Spike nodded and left for the basement apartment before returning in a trice with an armless doll with a chipped face and auburn hair. “Here's Miss Edith. She loves this thing.”
Willow took the doll and placed it at the head of the map before she knelt by the circle and lit the candles before taking a deep breath and holding her hands over it all. “Drip some blood onto the map, Angel.”
Spike folded his arms and nodded. “Hop too. I'm not not paying you for nothing, peaches.”
Angel, against his better judgment, cut his finger with his thumb nail then shook it to fling blood onto the map. Miss Edith's glass eyes stared into his.
The candles flared as the blood swirled and then hovered over a section of the map in a fine mist. It was near where his almost townhouse had been.
Sweat beaded on Willow's forehead. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration. “Something is blocking me.”
“That's enough then. Thank you, Willow.” Angel put his hand on her shoulder.
Willow shook off his touch with a glare then stood, brushing off her knees, before putting her hands on her hips. “What's going on Angel? What's this about Drusilla?”
“You shouldn't be involved in this.” Angel shook his head and stepped away from her.
Willow nodded and frowned as she gathered her purse. Lips thin from annoyance. “Okay, fine, when you decide that you want to tell me the truth, let me know.” She turned heel and left with only her lemon vanilla scent to linger behind her.
Spike slow-clapped. “Bravo.”
Angel felt like a cad as he rubbed his hand over his eyes. “This day gets better and better.”
* * *
The one-way windows outside the room seemed so inviting with the bright sunshine and vibrant tidy lawn outside the clinic. Sunnydale and its quaint small town life, boy, was it ever a joke. A hunger pang made Willow lose her train of thought while explaining the ghost situation at her apartment. "When we talked, finally, it was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders." Willow shrugged. "I didn't tell her everything but I let her in."
Dr. Stevenson nodded, her hands folded on her clipboard, as she kept eye contact. Sympathy shone behind her glasses. "I'm sure she appreciated that."
Willow clapped her hands and jumped up, trying to not seem to eager. “And, that is an hour. I'll see you next time.” She adjusted her gray skirt and picked up her bag. “Have a nice day.”
“Willow, I have a serious question for you. At your old high school, have you ever meet a strong blonde girl who might be known for fights or mysterious rumors?” Dr. Stevenson's face looked guarded behind her glasses.
Willow nodded slowly, trying not to show anything on her face. There was only one girl she could be talking about- Buffy. “My locker was close to hers.”
Dr. Stevenson smiled. “Could you drop a message in her locker or give it to a friend of hers? This is important.”
“Of course, I'm meeting a friend on campus today,” Willow chirped with a practiced casual shrug. The Scoobies had always figured that the people of Sunnydale were hopelessly oblivious. Some out there must have been paying attention.
“Thank you, Willow.” Dr. Stevenson handed her the small envelope with the message inside.
“Its no problem. See you next time.” Willow took it and nodded. Wishing her fingers could absorb the message by magic as she practically died from curiosity while walking from the room. "Good bye."
The library was stuffy when Willow walked in, light salad hanging heavy in her stomach, as she thought about her mother going to Dr. Stevenson's support group. They had talked about it over lunch at their favorite tea room but even in the sun, a dark pale had been cast over the table. Her mother had asked her to go with her but, Willow wasn't ready. She told herself it was because she was needed more in the library.
Jenny and Giles weren't at the long table with research material around them as usual. She walked over to the table to see Giles's notes on the Mayor in his open leather bound journal. Buffy had ruined a sacrifice this morning but there was another. Giles' small handwriting had scribbled down bullet points and arrows filled with watcher jargon and obscure references but she made out that a city hall clerk named Cindy MacNamara had been killed in a ritual. All signs pointed to the Mayor. Willow jumped when Giles and Jenny walked in before smiling. "I have a message for you guys. It was really weird. My therapist has heard of Buffy and I've just been dying to open this bad boy up and see whats inside-"
"Willow, slow down, what?" Jenny asked, tossing her up arms, wide red sleeves bellowing up.
"A message." Willow pulled it out of her purse. She opened it up and read it aloud making sure to be slower in the delivery. "'I do not know your name, but I know who you are. You're a hero who fights in secret. Sunnydale needs its heroes more than ever now. I've tried my best to heal survivors but now we are in danger again. I led a support group and my members have been targeted. One has been killed – Cindy MacNamara. Please help us.' It came with a little flier for her group.”
"Targeted?" Jenny asked at the same time that Giles asked, "Support group?"
"They call themselves the Sunnydale Survivors. My mom is going to a meeting tonight." Willow shrugged. "I can tell you more about them after."
Giles and Jenny looked at each other before Jenny asked, "Could it have been the mayor?"
"Could what have been the Mayor?" A familiar voice said as the library door swung open. The Mayor strode in with the easy confidence of a man who knew he was king. There was little in his middle-aged, Midwestern demeanor to hint that behind the mild-mannered mayor was a raging sociopath of a wizard. An easy grin spread wider across his cheery expression. He looked like he was about to judge a pie-making contest at a local fair but the room felt colder at his entrance. "So, this is where the slayer has her headquarters. From her grades, I assume she doesn't do her homework here. Its a pity. Education is the key to a bright future. Though, I suppose, even if she was an honor student, I'd still have to kill her for-”
"Get out." Giles turned and stood straighter as he adjusted his glasses.
"I believe I was talking. Interrupting is a bad habit. Think of the example you're setting for the young witch here.” The Mayor raised his hand as his grin evaporated. “Speaking of examples, Miss Rosenberg would do well not to emulate her nosy mother. Curiosity can do more than kill cats.”
Willow felt the power in the air, too surprised by the attack to throw up either of the two shielding spells she knew, before she was forced to sit down. Magic kept her pinned into a chair. As she tried to clear herself of the spell, throwing all that she had at it, her cravings doubled and she slumped over as the pressure tightened around her chest and she struggled to breathe. Dark blotches marred her sight, she wondered if her luck would finally run out.
At the same time, Jenny was pushed back against the table, heeled boots lifted off the ground for a moment, before she hit the wood with a grunt. Sweat dripped down her temple and she gritted her teeth. Jenny's magic felt like a single rain drop compared to the Mayor's thunderstorm.
Giles still stood, but his legs shook as the aura of power around him flickered. His face grew pale.
"Your girl ruined another one of my sacrifices. An important one for my constituents. I don't like to make promises that I can't keep. This one I can." The Mayor smiled, showing teeth, and jerked his hand down.
Giles fell on his back, convulsing, tweed-clad legs kicking out, and jaw clenching with a snap. His glasses tumbled off his face onto the floor. Sweat and tears created a sheen on his grimacing expression. Lines of pain were etched around his wide, rolling, gray eyes.
"Rupert!" Jenny managed to yell.
Willow couldn't even find the power to defy the Mayor's magic and cry.
"If your vampire slayer steps out of line again, I will kill her and all of you." The Mayor nodded as his eyes swept over the scene. "Have a nice day, now." He turned and walked out as he called over his shoulder. “Don't forget to vote.”
* * *
Lawson was on the couch in Franz's penthouse. The boring modern furniture made him as sleepy as the bourbon did so he laid out on the couch with an arm over his eyes. He heard Franz agree with the vampire on the other end of the telephone line before he heard the footsteps coming towards him. The negotiations with the Order fat cats had been long and tedious and by the third hour, he had grown bored and left Franz to it.
"You're now the most important vampire on the west coast." Franz said somewhere above him
Lawson moved his arm, dignified Franz with a contemptuous glance, before he sat up and stretched. He snorted. "And, what do I owe for this privilege, kingmaker?"
"A modest fee as agreed." Franz bowed, a smile curling at his lips, in his slacks and partially unbuttoned collared shirt, appropriately green, that had lost its starch four bargaining point ago. His uncuffed sleeves were rolled up and ink stained the fingers wrapped around a small cup of blood.
Lawson shook his head with a dry laugh. "You've gone above and beyond for your 'modest' fee."
Franz nodded, offering a shrug and a neutral expression in place of a genuine emotion. "A simple trifle that I know you have no interest in."
"Spit it out, Dutch." Lawson knew that no one worked for free. Franz had been hustling around his town like it was his own ass being put into the council chair. A vampire of his age didn't do that for anything as simple as money.
"I want you to waive your rights of sire over Willow Rosenberg. I'd rather that she be declaimed by Angelus and given free license again." Franz kept his face a blank slate.
Lawson tipped his head back and laughed, remembering that moment between Franz and the pet in the hallway before the Humbling, as the light bulb finally turned on in the attic. "Now, I understand. Fine fine. That dame is on her own." Lawson stood up and held out his hand for a shake.
Franz shook his hand. "My gratitude."
Lawson pulled away. "I'll be going then. I'm sure that you have much to plan with the drive-Angel-insane gambit." He stalked to the door, reached for the doorknob before turning his head, and saying, "Tell Wolfram & Hart that I'll keep to our deal. Angel is safe from me." He walked out the door with a chuckle. “I don't want him to miss what's coming to him.”
* * *
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Date: 2011-04-23 04:20 am (UTC)Gabrielle
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Date: 2011-04-23 11:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-23 08:39 am (UTC)Great chapter!
Spike and Willow in the same room and she was able to not fly immediately after she saw him.
I hope Angel will find his "brain" again soon or he'll lose her to Franz really soon.
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Date: 2011-04-24 12:05 am (UTC)He hasn't figured out that he doesn't need to focus on rescuing her, just working with her. The next chapter will be pretty intense, at least for me as a writer, so I hope you enjoy it.
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Date: 2011-04-25 11:50 am (UTC)oh my God! you evil evil Evil! thing you! How could you leave me like that.. oh how! *fainting old style* It's a good thing that you're serious and almost finished with the fic and maybe if I don't die of anticipation I'd read the whole book and o.m.F. God there's a third one... can I kiss you now!
P.S: I know I'm reacting quite emotionally but dear Lord.. I'm loving it!!
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Date: 2011-04-25 03:56 pm (UTC)