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staringiscaring Title: 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 starting pre-Phases.
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)
olansamuelle! Thank you for all your criticism, suggestions, and cheerleading and allowing me to drag you into the Buffy fandom. :)
Previous Chapters
Chapter 10: Magnificent Predators
Angel lifted the air vent covering up and out of place before sticking his head down from the ceiling. He had a stand-off with Franz here only the night before but by the empty room one wouldn't have guessed it The lights from the city were bright enough to glimmer on the bare floor. Not a single piece of furniture remained in the penthouse. There was nothing to do but crawl and seethe back from whence he came.
When he returned back to his apartment, Drusilla waited for him in his kitchen. He slowed, wary, as he wondered where Spike could be lurking.
She raised her eyebrow when he opened his mouth to speak. Clad in black silk that blended with lace into a wispy dress that draped her neck to foot, Drusilla's eyes were luminous and her hands were out in a gesture of peace. “Her soul is drifting in the tide. Our Vicious Darling has been reborn like Persephone, yet she swallowed all the seeds, so never will she return to her mother.” She lifted herself on her toes and kissed Angel on the cheek. “We always did have so much love and so much blood.” She glided past him.
He slumped down at his table. Drusilla wouldn't lie about this. Franz had turned her. Mechanical and numb, he stood up and went to his corded phone on the wall before typing in a familiar number. Angel leaned back again the wall and screwed his eyes shut. “Buffy? Its about Willow.”
* * *
Naked and wearing aviator sunglasses, Willow tipped her head back to look at the moon. She squinted, moon seeming almost too bright, before she gasped, walking from behind the vines and seeing the Pacific ocean stretch to the horizon. She could see stars through the smog and shells on the briny beach. The water lapped against the sand but it sounded like waves crashing in the tide. Franz had classical music playing lightly but she could hear it like she was wearing headphones. Her senses were amplified like she wouldn't have imagined before. A smile lingered on her face as she sat down gently in a wooden chair. It was only after they broke the bed that Willow had understood how strong she was now. There was so much that felt so different but she didn't feel like a different person. She just felt new.
Franz padded out to the deck in a dark silk robe. Even he looked different in the moonlight as if she hadn't ever seen him clearly before. His blood called to her as ever. He paused to take in the sight of her.“Now, aren't you a picture.”
“They ought to put me on a postcard.” Willow tipped down her sunglasses as she leaned back in the chair and smirked. “Does this feeling last?”
Franz smiled as he sat down on the chair next to her. “Which feeling?”
She pushed her glasses over her head, moonlight still a shade too bright. “This feeling of euphoria. Like nothing can touch me. I just want to run and bite.” She looked at him through her eyelashes. “Not only that, of course.” She caressed his face. “Is this how you see all the time?”
“Ah, the joys of youth. Yes, you'll feel like a magnificent predator at first.” Franz nodded before taking her hand. “Every sense will be heightened and you'll understand that you had never truly experienced the world before.”
She shivered, raising his hand to her lips, she kissed it. The old Willow would have analyzed her every action but now she only wanted to relish this new existence. Live as she hadn't before. The world felt as new as she did. “What about touch?”
His eyes darkened as he kissed her fingertips. “That as well.”
“How does this feel after four centuries?” She ran his knuckles down her cheek.
He let his eyes droop closed.
She stood up, pulled him to her naked body, and pushed his robe off. Every sensor in her body when off as the feel of him against her. “And this?”
He kissed her and cupped her face. “This is only the beginning.” He kissed her again. “I'll show you worlds you never imagined before.”
“I never got to thank you.” She wrapped her arms behind his neck. Gazing into his eyes, she thought about how upset her human self had been about being turned into a vampire. Now, she wanted to laugh at the absurdity.
* * *
Buffy sat at the library table with her head bowed as Jenny leaned on the door frame to Giles's office. Since she had gotten Angel's phone call, Buffy's tears had demolished her mascara as she tried to comprehend. Giles was still in the coma and Willow wasn't just dead, she was a vampire. Angel had laid out the bare clinical details that Willow had been killed in front of her parents and that all signs pointed to vampage. Buffy fought vampires six nights a week but she still had trouble with the ones she knew when they were human. It was just unfair. Willow had escaped the hellmouth but the demon drama caught up with her. It made Buffy's stomach lurch when she thought of her friend's face morphing into that of a demon. Her throat tightened at the thought of never seeing the real Willow again.
Xander walked in, baggy jeans rustling as he whistled, binder held against his bright yellow shirt. He puffed out a confused note as everyone turned their heads toward him. He gestured with a binder in his hand. “What happened?”
Ms. Calendar tilted her head against the door frame. She had straightened up her hair since they had returned from the hospital and gotten some coffee in her, but the teacher still seemed to be sagging from the strain and lack of sleep. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She put her arms around herself, mouth open and searching for words in pained shock, a white tissue dangled from her hand like a flag of surrender. “Xander, I'd sit down.”
“Who is it?' Xander asked, voice quiet, eyes lowered and wary, his shoulders tensed, bracing himself. His eyes darted as if he was going through a mental list of friends and family. “Who?”
“I'm so sorry.” Ms. Calendar blew her nose.
“Who?” Xander yelled, dropping his binder, as he strode closer. His voice became choked up and his face red. He screwed up his eyes before looking away. “Don't tell me its her. Just don't tell me it Willow.”
Buffy's face crumbled as she shook, nodding, more tears joining the rest. She had never felt so lost. Willow had been her first true friend in Sunnydale who had stuck it out with her through hell and high water. When she found herself confused and hurt, she would always know that she could pick up the phone and Willow would be there. Now, Willow was her enemy.
Xander turned to the wall, punching it, before falling forward and catching himself. His voice was tight and broken. He didn't turn his head. “How?”
“She was turned into a vampire.” Ms. Calendar covered her eyes. “By a vampire named Franz Pieterzoon, one of Angelus' buddies.”
Xander's blows echoed in the silence as he continued punching the wall. “Right.” Xander sniffled, wiped his eyes, and took a deep breath. “You know what we have to do.”
* * *
Holland Manners smiled, leaned back in his chair, bags sagging under calculating blue eyes, and he interlocked his fingers. While his gaze was serene, a vein bulged in his forehead and there was little doubt to long-time observers that he was anticipating his regular lunch of pepto-bismol and a protein-shake. “I believe that covers all the scheduled topics. I'll open the table before we adjourn for lunch.”
Lilah Morgan lifted her chin and put her most poised expression on, letting her curly bob fall back from her face. There was risk in delaying and aggravating the ulcer that all pretended to ignore, yet Lilah had never been able to resist a good gamble. She had kept this hand closer to her chest than most to make sure that neither Lindsey MacDonald or Franz Pieterzoon got a whiff of it. “Sir, on the topic of Angel, the souled vampire, I have a suggestion.”
Holland Manners nodded as eyes around the table darted to the clock.
“Our bodyguards for the vampire consultant Franz Pieterzoon have reported an interesting exchange that I believe could be useful. For those not up to date, in our dealings with the Order of Aurelius, one of the concessions was that the human Willow Rosenberg be absolved from any claims by Angel. Pieterzoon turned the woman only days ago.” Lilah picked up a paper with transcripts of their surveillance on it and passed it toward the head of the table. “While the girl has tried to sneak out to hunt and pleaded to be taken out, Pieterzoon is still worried about Angel who he thinks doesn't know about Rosenberg's condition.” Lilah smiled as she came to her ace in the hole. “Angel isn't just aware, he has shut down his office and his connection to the powers has abandoned him. This girl means something to Angel.” She paused to let the implication sink in.
“And your suggestion?” Manners nodded as he considered her words while scanning the transcript.
She laid her cards out. “I think that he should see her to twist the knife in. Our men can allow her to escape and make controlled contact with him.”
“Mr. Manners, I must disagree with Ms. Morgan.” Lindsey MacDonald gave her an indolent flick of his eyes before focusing on the man at the head of the table. His Texan twang dripped with condescension. “Mr. Pieterzoon is a long-time valued client who is providing a valuable service to our firm. This could damage our relationship with him and lose him as a resource. In any case, he has already informed us that he would be needing transport back East to be our liaison to the Order. He'll only be in town for a few more days, how do we know she will try to get out?”
Lilah interlocked her fingers on the table, consciously adopting Manners' pose, maintained eye contact with her boss. Ignoring Lindsey, she awaited the opinion of someone who mattered.
Manners nodded as he listened. A hint of a Machiavellian smile developed while he processed both arguments. “Lindsey while that is true, Lilah is looking to the long term. We only have a few days to see how this girl might affect Angel and Lilah's theory has enough merit for me to allow her the chance to test it. There are prophecies at work and we want to muddy the waters as much as we can.” He stared into Lilah's eyes. “This is your... special project. You're responsible for its success or failure.” Wolfram & Hart's idea of responsibility was enough to make the room grow cold. Holland Manners smiled as he allowed the tension to mount.
* * *
Willow zipped up her black jeans before looking at her lack of reflection in the mirror out of habit. She was hoping that the navy blue camisole bring out her pallor yet the mirror betrayed no trace of her. Willow carefully dabbed on some lipstick before kissing the mirror. Now, there was. She fluffed up her hair and steeled herself for what she was going to do. Franz kept saying no to hunting, he said she wasn't ready, but she wasn't going to let that stop her this time. Willow had already spent enough time pent up in a room and that wasn't how she would spend the rest of forever. She had no illusions on how he would react to her disobedience but the night called to her. He was off on business and it was maddening to be cooped up with these human guards that she couldn't even nibble on.
Going into the bathroom, she stepped onto the closed toilet and then onto the tank before opening the window and squeezing out. They had found her last time when she tried the sewer exit. She hoped that above ground would do the trick. It wouldn't take them long to figure out she was gone but she wanted to at least be able to get a gulp of night air in before she was dragged back to face the music.
She pulled a key out of her pocket before hopping into the spare car and hauling ass out of the driveway. Flipping up the radio and putting on her sunglasses, Willow sped out of the neighborhood.
The Los Angeles night-scape felt like a kicked wasp nest, vibrating with life. Driving became a whole new experience as she slowed down and let herself get lost in traffic. She had only been looking to get far from Franz's beach home when she found herself getting closer and closer to Angel Investigations.
After parking in a darkened strip mall, Willow pocketed the key before she began to run. The scents and the sounds of the city whizzed by her as she raced over the city blocks in the sheer pleasure of movement. She slowed as she came to Angel's building. Looking up, she saw that the light was on in his office. Willow picked up a rock and tossed it up as she thought. As bad ideas went, this was one of the worst but she couldn't help but think of the morning before she escaped the Crawford Street mansion. The memory of that first conscious taste of Angel's blood hadn't died with her. She chucked the rock at the window.
Angel opened it up and looked down. Their eyes met. Much like Franz, he too had an presence to him that was so much more than it had been when she was alive. His strong jaw tensed as his eyes scanned the street and nostrils flared as he sussed out that she was alone. He stared shocked to stillness.
She waved at him. “Missed me?”
* * *
Angel gritted his jaw when he saw her. He had been expecting to see with his own eyes that she was a vampire but he wouldn't have thought that Franz would let her out so soon. The sounds of the city were muted as he strained to find a noise that he had missed more than he thought. His heart twisted when he didn't hear her heartbeat.
Willow looked so happy and alive as she waved to him from the street. Standing with confidence and grace, she looked up at him. Her navy camisole didn't cover all of the blue veins that already marbled her pale chest and arms. Stolen blood made her cheeks flush as she smiled. “Lets play a game.” She blew him a kiss before turning and running down the street and turning the corner.
Angel jumped down from the second story, falling past the dentist office, landing on the sidewalk before giving chase. The urban jungle seemed to spread wide open in front of them. The night air tousled his hair while the excitement of the hunt grew within him despite his efforts.
With only the occasional look behind her shoulder, she led him through darkened alleys, fenced in yards with dried patches of grass, and parking lots where plastic bags drifted in the breeze. The focus of the world narrowed onto her, the swing of her dark hair, the near silent tread of her feet, smile lingering on her lips. They were panthers in a world of mice during those fleeting moments.
Smelling of honeysuckle and newborn vampire, he could have tracked her with his eyes closed but he couldn't help but wonder what she was up to. Was this another game courtesy of Franz or had she come up with one of her own? Angel jumped up onto a dumpster then onto the roof of a row of boutiques to survey Willow from above. She might have been fiery and young, but he knew all the old tricks.
With a feline's poise, she turned into a small walkway between buildings that only looked like it had a exit but a small gate closed off the back. Her first and last mistake.
He could have crowed in triumph if he hadn't remembered what his duty. In the thrill of the chase, he had forgotten what he had sworn to do. What Franz had pushed him too. Angel jumped in front of her, taking up the cramped space, to block her. The closer proximity only made him see more of the old Willow in her and more of how she had changed.
Willow stopped and backed up. She still maintained the charade of breathing from habit. She bit her lip. Franz had been keeping her fed. Blood flushed her white cheeks. Her dyed hair glinted black in the moonlight. When she spoke all illusions of the past were shattered. “There you are. Thought I'd lost you, I was beginning to be a little disappointed.”
“What are you doing, Willow?” Angel could feel the stake in his pocket but he hadn't brought himself to end her. Too many questions and regrets prevented him. Willow was his latest mistake and he couldn't tear his eyes away.
“I'm out for a little fun. Its like I can't keep still.” Her eyes were wild. Blood flowed hot in her veins like millions of fledglings before her when the world was new again and drenched in red as the hearts pumped louder than speech. Demonic jubilation at her own dark rebirth.
Angel remembered it well. He had slaughtered his whole village in malignant joy on his first night until Darla had dragged him into a root cellar before the dawn. There was little hope to believe that her hands hadn't ended innocent life yet. The human Willow would have been aghast, he thought. “I'm sorry this happened to you.”
She shrugged. “I'm not.” She studied him before seeming to come to an internal decision. “I'm only sorry about all that time I spent as a scared school girl worried about what other teenagers thought of me.” She swayed in the tight space, almost mocking his defensive stand, before rolling her eyes. “I could have turned them into goldfish but instead I wrote a dramatic, overblown blog.”
“You were a good person.” Angel insisted, not fully understanding what a blog was.
“I was an alright person with a extraordinary friend.” There was an evenness and mellowing to her speech that as a human she didn't have. Willow shrugged. “Then I wasted my own talent before being predictably betrayed by Franz. He was right in the end. I did thank him when I woke up.” Her smile turned wicked in a way that looked wrong on Willow's face. “Besides, what did you even know about my human self?” She had to tilt her head up to stare him down but she made him feel small. “Willow Rosenberg was only Buffy's shy friend to you before Angelus decided to kidnap her to spite Buffy. You kept me as a trophy pet and acted out some psycho dramas occasionally before getting your soul again.Then after making poor little Willow a junkie, you made yourself scarce. Don't act like you knew Willow Rosenberg.” Willow stepped closer to him and took his hand, placing it on her neck where he could feel the raised scar of his bite. Her skin felt cool and soft under his fingers. “You can get to know me though, I'm practically her in every way.”
“Why did you come to me tonight?” Angel knew that he should have already staked her but the stake remained in his jacket pocket. There was something about her that made him pause. Watchers liked to think that the demon took over the body completely and eradicated the person who existed before. More often than not, the demon brought out those deep buried dark traits that people tried to hide everyday to fit into society. But Angel couldn't believe that this was Willow Rosenberg despite her words.
“Because I never got to do this.” She looked up into his eyes before cupping his face and kissing him, rough and dominant.
Angel wished he could have said that he let go first but he only deepened the kiss. His hands ran down her back to press her body against his and he remembered the night that he had drank from her and how warm she had been. The stake dug into him while they embraced. He ran a hand through her hair. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he didn't know if he could even let go.
Cold and strong, she pushed him against the wall and arched her body against his. “I used to dream of this. I'd call them nightmares but I'd enjoy the fantasies of our blood, our bodies, before I woke up.”
Angel took her hips in his hands forcing her inches away as he fought to maintain his control. “It was the blood, not you.”
Willow kissed him again, hand still on his chin, before laughing. “Like I never dreamed about you before Angelus made his reappearance. I felt so guilty at the time but I still woke up with a smile on my face.” She raised one knee up, leaning it against the wall, blocking him in with her hips. “The vicarious thrills I'd get from Buffy's breathy stories of teenage love with a vampire. Anne Rice, eat your heart out.” She giggled. “After you fed the old me, all I thought about when I looked at you was how good you tasted.”
Angel sucked in an unnecessary breath as she shifted against his groin. “Don't say that about her.”
“I'm just saying what human Willow was too frightened, shy, timid to say. She didn't want to be your girlfriend but that doesn't mean she didn't want you.” Willow cocked her head to the side before she laid a bruising kiss on his lips. “There comes my bodyguards now. Franz keeps me on a short leash. Metaphoric usually.” She backed away, smirking, and blew him another kiss before stopping in mid turn to place her finger on her chin as if in deep thought. “You said you were sorry, is it just because I'm a vamp or because Franz got there first?” She sprinted away towards a black SUV that pulled to a screeching stop. The doors opened and professional men in expensive suits stepped out. Willow paused to look at him before stepping inside.
* * *
Like a cold shower, the air conditioning of the beach front house made the blood in Willow's veins stop boiling. The stupidity of her nighttime jaunt had lingered on the fringes of her mind but she had pushed it away in favor of the fun. Now she had to face Franz and explain herself. While he hadn't mentioned Angel much, Willow knew that there was bad blood between them and she still had decided to mack around on her sire's back. In her defense, it had seemed like an fun idea at the time. She stepped into the entry way through the large living room and into the bedroom where Franz waited for her. It was less amusing now.
He sat on the bed with a red decanter in his hand, wearing a white undershirt, black suspenders hanging down, with his boots and suit trousers still on. His tie hung loose and untied around his neck. He took a gulp of what smelled like blood and whiskey before setting it on the bedside table. Franz waved the guards away and waited until the door was closed behind them before he said, “You went out without me.”
Willow made herself not bite her lip before shrugging. “I was going crazy in here. I felt like a house cat needing to chase some birds.” She took the near empty decanter from him before taking a swig, wanting the taste of Angel out of her mouth, wondering if he could smell his rival. “Not the best first walk around by myself, admittedly, what with Angel finding me and wanting to stake me.”
Franz stood up and took her by the shoulders to stare into her eyes before taking the decanter and hurling it at the wall. It cracked, drops of blood dripped from the red splash on the green paint, as it fell to the ground. “It smells like you dug your claws into him, pussycat.”
She nodded, fear building up, as she tried to get her story together. “He did chase me around until your bodyguards found me.” She looked at Franz's hands on her shoulders before locking gazes. “He chickened out on killing me, instead apologized, before going on and on about what a good girl with a nice personality that I was.”
“I don't believe you. “ Franz raised her chin. “You're getting better at lying, however.” He brushed his thumb over her lips, gray eyes cold, his voice was low and quiet. Putting his other hand on her waist, he brought her in closer to him. “He could have killed you and he will if he gets the chance. Only one of us will think about you after you've crumbled to dust.”
“You're my sire.” Willow took his tie off him before wrapping her arms around his neck. The blood in her called to him and she could feel his mood darkening further. There was so much that he could teach her, she couldn't alienate him, being a vampire was trickier than one might imagine. “I need you. Angel is barely even my past, he was always Buffy's, you're my future.”
He tapped his thumb against her lips as he furrowed his brow. Rattlesnake fast, Franz ripped her blue camisole's strap before striking in a bite that sent shock waves from her neck through her entire system. He pushed her onto the bed.
Willow screamed and wrapped her legs around him as she hit the sheets.
Their mouths met in a bloody kiss before he reached behind his head to pull off his undershirt. He scratched at his throat and beckoned her forward.
She latched onto his neck.
“Don't run away again,” Franz murmured as he rubbed her back and clutched her to him.
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 starting pre-Phases.
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,
olansamuelle! Thank you for all your criticism, suggestions, and cheerleading and allowing me to drag you into the Buffy fandom. :)Previous Chapters
Chapter 10: Magnificent Predators
Angel lifted the air vent covering up and out of place before sticking his head down from the ceiling. He had a stand-off with Franz here only the night before but by the empty room one wouldn't have guessed it The lights from the city were bright enough to glimmer on the bare floor. Not a single piece of furniture remained in the penthouse. There was nothing to do but crawl and seethe back from whence he came.
When he returned back to his apartment, Drusilla waited for him in his kitchen. He slowed, wary, as he wondered where Spike could be lurking.
She raised her eyebrow when he opened his mouth to speak. Clad in black silk that blended with lace into a wispy dress that draped her neck to foot, Drusilla's eyes were luminous and her hands were out in a gesture of peace. “Her soul is drifting in the tide. Our Vicious Darling has been reborn like Persephone, yet she swallowed all the seeds, so never will she return to her mother.” She lifted herself on her toes and kissed Angel on the cheek. “We always did have so much love and so much blood.” She glided past him.
He slumped down at his table. Drusilla wouldn't lie about this. Franz had turned her. Mechanical and numb, he stood up and went to his corded phone on the wall before typing in a familiar number. Angel leaned back again the wall and screwed his eyes shut. “Buffy? Its about Willow.”
* * *
Naked and wearing aviator sunglasses, Willow tipped her head back to look at the moon. She squinted, moon seeming almost too bright, before she gasped, walking from behind the vines and seeing the Pacific ocean stretch to the horizon. She could see stars through the smog and shells on the briny beach. The water lapped against the sand but it sounded like waves crashing in the tide. Franz had classical music playing lightly but she could hear it like she was wearing headphones. Her senses were amplified like she wouldn't have imagined before. A smile lingered on her face as she sat down gently in a wooden chair. It was only after they broke the bed that Willow had understood how strong she was now. There was so much that felt so different but she didn't feel like a different person. She just felt new.
Franz padded out to the deck in a dark silk robe. Even he looked different in the moonlight as if she hadn't ever seen him clearly before. His blood called to her as ever. He paused to take in the sight of her.“Now, aren't you a picture.”
“They ought to put me on a postcard.” Willow tipped down her sunglasses as she leaned back in the chair and smirked. “Does this feeling last?”
Franz smiled as he sat down on the chair next to her. “Which feeling?”
She pushed her glasses over her head, moonlight still a shade too bright. “This feeling of euphoria. Like nothing can touch me. I just want to run and bite.” She looked at him through her eyelashes. “Not only that, of course.” She caressed his face. “Is this how you see all the time?”
“Ah, the joys of youth. Yes, you'll feel like a magnificent predator at first.” Franz nodded before taking her hand. “Every sense will be heightened and you'll understand that you had never truly experienced the world before.”
She shivered, raising his hand to her lips, she kissed it. The old Willow would have analyzed her every action but now she only wanted to relish this new existence. Live as she hadn't before. The world felt as new as she did. “What about touch?”
His eyes darkened as he kissed her fingertips. “That as well.”
“How does this feel after four centuries?” She ran his knuckles down her cheek.
He let his eyes droop closed.
She stood up, pulled him to her naked body, and pushed his robe off. Every sensor in her body when off as the feel of him against her. “And this?”
He kissed her and cupped her face. “This is only the beginning.” He kissed her again. “I'll show you worlds you never imagined before.”
“I never got to thank you.” She wrapped her arms behind his neck. Gazing into his eyes, she thought about how upset her human self had been about being turned into a vampire. Now, she wanted to laugh at the absurdity.
* * *
Buffy sat at the library table with her head bowed as Jenny leaned on the door frame to Giles's office. Since she had gotten Angel's phone call, Buffy's tears had demolished her mascara as she tried to comprehend. Giles was still in the coma and Willow wasn't just dead, she was a vampire. Angel had laid out the bare clinical details that Willow had been killed in front of her parents and that all signs pointed to vampage. Buffy fought vampires six nights a week but she still had trouble with the ones she knew when they were human. It was just unfair. Willow had escaped the hellmouth but the demon drama caught up with her. It made Buffy's stomach lurch when she thought of her friend's face morphing into that of a demon. Her throat tightened at the thought of never seeing the real Willow again.
Xander walked in, baggy jeans rustling as he whistled, binder held against his bright yellow shirt. He puffed out a confused note as everyone turned their heads toward him. He gestured with a binder in his hand. “What happened?”
Ms. Calendar tilted her head against the door frame. She had straightened up her hair since they had returned from the hospital and gotten some coffee in her, but the teacher still seemed to be sagging from the strain and lack of sleep. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She put her arms around herself, mouth open and searching for words in pained shock, a white tissue dangled from her hand like a flag of surrender. “Xander, I'd sit down.”
“Who is it?' Xander asked, voice quiet, eyes lowered and wary, his shoulders tensed, bracing himself. His eyes darted as if he was going through a mental list of friends and family. “Who?”
“I'm so sorry.” Ms. Calendar blew her nose.
“Who?” Xander yelled, dropping his binder, as he strode closer. His voice became choked up and his face red. He screwed up his eyes before looking away. “Don't tell me its her. Just don't tell me it Willow.”
Buffy's face crumbled as she shook, nodding, more tears joining the rest. She had never felt so lost. Willow had been her first true friend in Sunnydale who had stuck it out with her through hell and high water. When she found herself confused and hurt, she would always know that she could pick up the phone and Willow would be there. Now, Willow was her enemy.
Xander turned to the wall, punching it, before falling forward and catching himself. His voice was tight and broken. He didn't turn his head. “How?”
“She was turned into a vampire.” Ms. Calendar covered her eyes. “By a vampire named Franz Pieterzoon, one of Angelus' buddies.”
Xander's blows echoed in the silence as he continued punching the wall. “Right.” Xander sniffled, wiped his eyes, and took a deep breath. “You know what we have to do.”
* * *
Holland Manners smiled, leaned back in his chair, bags sagging under calculating blue eyes, and he interlocked his fingers. While his gaze was serene, a vein bulged in his forehead and there was little doubt to long-time observers that he was anticipating his regular lunch of pepto-bismol and a protein-shake. “I believe that covers all the scheduled topics. I'll open the table before we adjourn for lunch.”
Lilah Morgan lifted her chin and put her most poised expression on, letting her curly bob fall back from her face. There was risk in delaying and aggravating the ulcer that all pretended to ignore, yet Lilah had never been able to resist a good gamble. She had kept this hand closer to her chest than most to make sure that neither Lindsey MacDonald or Franz Pieterzoon got a whiff of it. “Sir, on the topic of Angel, the souled vampire, I have a suggestion.”
Holland Manners nodded as eyes around the table darted to the clock.
“Our bodyguards for the vampire consultant Franz Pieterzoon have reported an interesting exchange that I believe could be useful. For those not up to date, in our dealings with the Order of Aurelius, one of the concessions was that the human Willow Rosenberg be absolved from any claims by Angel. Pieterzoon turned the woman only days ago.” Lilah picked up a paper with transcripts of their surveillance on it and passed it toward the head of the table. “While the girl has tried to sneak out to hunt and pleaded to be taken out, Pieterzoon is still worried about Angel who he thinks doesn't know about Rosenberg's condition.” Lilah smiled as she came to her ace in the hole. “Angel isn't just aware, he has shut down his office and his connection to the powers has abandoned him. This girl means something to Angel.” She paused to let the implication sink in.
“And your suggestion?” Manners nodded as he considered her words while scanning the transcript.
She laid her cards out. “I think that he should see her to twist the knife in. Our men can allow her to escape and make controlled contact with him.”
“Mr. Manners, I must disagree with Ms. Morgan.” Lindsey MacDonald gave her an indolent flick of his eyes before focusing on the man at the head of the table. His Texan twang dripped with condescension. “Mr. Pieterzoon is a long-time valued client who is providing a valuable service to our firm. This could damage our relationship with him and lose him as a resource. In any case, he has already informed us that he would be needing transport back East to be our liaison to the Order. He'll only be in town for a few more days, how do we know she will try to get out?”
Lilah interlocked her fingers on the table, consciously adopting Manners' pose, maintained eye contact with her boss. Ignoring Lindsey, she awaited the opinion of someone who mattered.
Manners nodded as he listened. A hint of a Machiavellian smile developed while he processed both arguments. “Lindsey while that is true, Lilah is looking to the long term. We only have a few days to see how this girl might affect Angel and Lilah's theory has enough merit for me to allow her the chance to test it. There are prophecies at work and we want to muddy the waters as much as we can.” He stared into Lilah's eyes. “This is your... special project. You're responsible for its success or failure.” Wolfram & Hart's idea of responsibility was enough to make the room grow cold. Holland Manners smiled as he allowed the tension to mount.
* * *
Willow zipped up her black jeans before looking at her lack of reflection in the mirror out of habit. She was hoping that the navy blue camisole bring out her pallor yet the mirror betrayed no trace of her. Willow carefully dabbed on some lipstick before kissing the mirror. Now, there was. She fluffed up her hair and steeled herself for what she was going to do. Franz kept saying no to hunting, he said she wasn't ready, but she wasn't going to let that stop her this time. Willow had already spent enough time pent up in a room and that wasn't how she would spend the rest of forever. She had no illusions on how he would react to her disobedience but the night called to her. He was off on business and it was maddening to be cooped up with these human guards that she couldn't even nibble on.
Going into the bathroom, she stepped onto the closed toilet and then onto the tank before opening the window and squeezing out. They had found her last time when she tried the sewer exit. She hoped that above ground would do the trick. It wouldn't take them long to figure out she was gone but she wanted to at least be able to get a gulp of night air in before she was dragged back to face the music.
She pulled a key out of her pocket before hopping into the spare car and hauling ass out of the driveway. Flipping up the radio and putting on her sunglasses, Willow sped out of the neighborhood.
The Los Angeles night-scape felt like a kicked wasp nest, vibrating with life. Driving became a whole new experience as she slowed down and let herself get lost in traffic. She had only been looking to get far from Franz's beach home when she found herself getting closer and closer to Angel Investigations.
After parking in a darkened strip mall, Willow pocketed the key before she began to run. The scents and the sounds of the city whizzed by her as she raced over the city blocks in the sheer pleasure of movement. She slowed as she came to Angel's building. Looking up, she saw that the light was on in his office. Willow picked up a rock and tossed it up as she thought. As bad ideas went, this was one of the worst but she couldn't help but think of the morning before she escaped the Crawford Street mansion. The memory of that first conscious taste of Angel's blood hadn't died with her. She chucked the rock at the window.
Angel opened it up and looked down. Their eyes met. Much like Franz, he too had an presence to him that was so much more than it had been when she was alive. His strong jaw tensed as his eyes scanned the street and nostrils flared as he sussed out that she was alone. He stared shocked to stillness.
She waved at him. “Missed me?”
* * *
Angel gritted his jaw when he saw her. He had been expecting to see with his own eyes that she was a vampire but he wouldn't have thought that Franz would let her out so soon. The sounds of the city were muted as he strained to find a noise that he had missed more than he thought. His heart twisted when he didn't hear her heartbeat.
Willow looked so happy and alive as she waved to him from the street. Standing with confidence and grace, she looked up at him. Her navy camisole didn't cover all of the blue veins that already marbled her pale chest and arms. Stolen blood made her cheeks flush as she smiled. “Lets play a game.” She blew him a kiss before turning and running down the street and turning the corner.
Angel jumped down from the second story, falling past the dentist office, landing on the sidewalk before giving chase. The urban jungle seemed to spread wide open in front of them. The night air tousled his hair while the excitement of the hunt grew within him despite his efforts.
With only the occasional look behind her shoulder, she led him through darkened alleys, fenced in yards with dried patches of grass, and parking lots where plastic bags drifted in the breeze. The focus of the world narrowed onto her, the swing of her dark hair, the near silent tread of her feet, smile lingering on her lips. They were panthers in a world of mice during those fleeting moments.
Smelling of honeysuckle and newborn vampire, he could have tracked her with his eyes closed but he couldn't help but wonder what she was up to. Was this another game courtesy of Franz or had she come up with one of her own? Angel jumped up onto a dumpster then onto the roof of a row of boutiques to survey Willow from above. She might have been fiery and young, but he knew all the old tricks.
With a feline's poise, she turned into a small walkway between buildings that only looked like it had a exit but a small gate closed off the back. Her first and last mistake.
He could have crowed in triumph if he hadn't remembered what his duty. In the thrill of the chase, he had forgotten what he had sworn to do. What Franz had pushed him too. Angel jumped in front of her, taking up the cramped space, to block her. The closer proximity only made him see more of the old Willow in her and more of how she had changed.
Willow stopped and backed up. She still maintained the charade of breathing from habit. She bit her lip. Franz had been keeping her fed. Blood flushed her white cheeks. Her dyed hair glinted black in the moonlight. When she spoke all illusions of the past were shattered. “There you are. Thought I'd lost you, I was beginning to be a little disappointed.”
“What are you doing, Willow?” Angel could feel the stake in his pocket but he hadn't brought himself to end her. Too many questions and regrets prevented him. Willow was his latest mistake and he couldn't tear his eyes away.
“I'm out for a little fun. Its like I can't keep still.” Her eyes were wild. Blood flowed hot in her veins like millions of fledglings before her when the world was new again and drenched in red as the hearts pumped louder than speech. Demonic jubilation at her own dark rebirth.
Angel remembered it well. He had slaughtered his whole village in malignant joy on his first night until Darla had dragged him into a root cellar before the dawn. There was little hope to believe that her hands hadn't ended innocent life yet. The human Willow would have been aghast, he thought. “I'm sorry this happened to you.”
She shrugged. “I'm not.” She studied him before seeming to come to an internal decision. “I'm only sorry about all that time I spent as a scared school girl worried about what other teenagers thought of me.” She swayed in the tight space, almost mocking his defensive stand, before rolling her eyes. “I could have turned them into goldfish but instead I wrote a dramatic, overblown blog.”
“You were a good person.” Angel insisted, not fully understanding what a blog was.
“I was an alright person with a extraordinary friend.” There was an evenness and mellowing to her speech that as a human she didn't have. Willow shrugged. “Then I wasted my own talent before being predictably betrayed by Franz. He was right in the end. I did thank him when I woke up.” Her smile turned wicked in a way that looked wrong on Willow's face. “Besides, what did you even know about my human self?” She had to tilt her head up to stare him down but she made him feel small. “Willow Rosenberg was only Buffy's shy friend to you before Angelus decided to kidnap her to spite Buffy. You kept me as a trophy pet and acted out some psycho dramas occasionally before getting your soul again.Then after making poor little Willow a junkie, you made yourself scarce. Don't act like you knew Willow Rosenberg.” Willow stepped closer to him and took his hand, placing it on her neck where he could feel the raised scar of his bite. Her skin felt cool and soft under his fingers. “You can get to know me though, I'm practically her in every way.”
“Why did you come to me tonight?” Angel knew that he should have already staked her but the stake remained in his jacket pocket. There was something about her that made him pause. Watchers liked to think that the demon took over the body completely and eradicated the person who existed before. More often than not, the demon brought out those deep buried dark traits that people tried to hide everyday to fit into society. But Angel couldn't believe that this was Willow Rosenberg despite her words.
“Because I never got to do this.” She looked up into his eyes before cupping his face and kissing him, rough and dominant.
Angel wished he could have said that he let go first but he only deepened the kiss. His hands ran down her back to press her body against his and he remembered the night that he had drank from her and how warm she had been. The stake dug into him while they embraced. He ran a hand through her hair. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he didn't know if he could even let go.
Cold and strong, she pushed him against the wall and arched her body against his. “I used to dream of this. I'd call them nightmares but I'd enjoy the fantasies of our blood, our bodies, before I woke up.”
Angel took her hips in his hands forcing her inches away as he fought to maintain his control. “It was the blood, not you.”
Willow kissed him again, hand still on his chin, before laughing. “Like I never dreamed about you before Angelus made his reappearance. I felt so guilty at the time but I still woke up with a smile on my face.” She raised one knee up, leaning it against the wall, blocking him in with her hips. “The vicarious thrills I'd get from Buffy's breathy stories of teenage love with a vampire. Anne Rice, eat your heart out.” She giggled. “After you fed the old me, all I thought about when I looked at you was how good you tasted.”
Angel sucked in an unnecessary breath as she shifted against his groin. “Don't say that about her.”
“I'm just saying what human Willow was too frightened, shy, timid to say. She didn't want to be your girlfriend but that doesn't mean she didn't want you.” Willow cocked her head to the side before she laid a bruising kiss on his lips. “There comes my bodyguards now. Franz keeps me on a short leash. Metaphoric usually.” She backed away, smirking, and blew him another kiss before stopping in mid turn to place her finger on her chin as if in deep thought. “You said you were sorry, is it just because I'm a vamp or because Franz got there first?” She sprinted away towards a black SUV that pulled to a screeching stop. The doors opened and professional men in expensive suits stepped out. Willow paused to look at him before stepping inside.
* * *
Like a cold shower, the air conditioning of the beach front house made the blood in Willow's veins stop boiling. The stupidity of her nighttime jaunt had lingered on the fringes of her mind but she had pushed it away in favor of the fun. Now she had to face Franz and explain herself. While he hadn't mentioned Angel much, Willow knew that there was bad blood between them and she still had decided to mack around on her sire's back. In her defense, it had seemed like an fun idea at the time. She stepped into the entry way through the large living room and into the bedroom where Franz waited for her. It was less amusing now.
He sat on the bed with a red decanter in his hand, wearing a white undershirt, black suspenders hanging down, with his boots and suit trousers still on. His tie hung loose and untied around his neck. He took a gulp of what smelled like blood and whiskey before setting it on the bedside table. Franz waved the guards away and waited until the door was closed behind them before he said, “You went out without me.”
Willow made herself not bite her lip before shrugging. “I was going crazy in here. I felt like a house cat needing to chase some birds.” She took the near empty decanter from him before taking a swig, wanting the taste of Angel out of her mouth, wondering if he could smell his rival. “Not the best first walk around by myself, admittedly, what with Angel finding me and wanting to stake me.”
Franz stood up and took her by the shoulders to stare into her eyes before taking the decanter and hurling it at the wall. It cracked, drops of blood dripped from the red splash on the green paint, as it fell to the ground. “It smells like you dug your claws into him, pussycat.”
She nodded, fear building up, as she tried to get her story together. “He did chase me around until your bodyguards found me.” She looked at Franz's hands on her shoulders before locking gazes. “He chickened out on killing me, instead apologized, before going on and on about what a good girl with a nice personality that I was.”
“I don't believe you. “ Franz raised her chin. “You're getting better at lying, however.” He brushed his thumb over her lips, gray eyes cold, his voice was low and quiet. Putting his other hand on her waist, he brought her in closer to him. “He could have killed you and he will if he gets the chance. Only one of us will think about you after you've crumbled to dust.”
“You're my sire.” Willow took his tie off him before wrapping her arms around his neck. The blood in her called to him and she could feel his mood darkening further. There was so much that he could teach her, she couldn't alienate him, being a vampire was trickier than one might imagine. “I need you. Angel is barely even my past, he was always Buffy's, you're my future.”
He tapped his thumb against her lips as he furrowed his brow. Rattlesnake fast, Franz ripped her blue camisole's strap before striking in a bite that sent shock waves from her neck through her entire system. He pushed her onto the bed.
Willow screamed and wrapped her legs around him as she hit the sheets.
Their mouths met in a bloody kiss before he reached behind his head to pull off his undershirt. He scratched at his throat and beckoned her forward.
She latched onto his neck.
“Don't run away again,” Franz murmured as he rubbed her back and clutched her to him.
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Date: 2011-05-25 04:33 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
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Date: 2011-05-25 04:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-25 06:42 pm (UTC)I loved the Willow nude scene with only sunglasses on. It was so Liberty style.
Loved the "blade runner" quote too! I love that movie!!
So Xander want to kill her? I can't see it since he was ready to kill even Buffy if anything happened at his bestfriend.
Willow and Angel kissed! Too bad the dark vampire doesn't seem interested in her in that way.. I almost prefer Angelus in this series LOL
Brava!
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Date: 2011-05-25 06:47 pm (UTC)You'll have to read to find out. Xander's pretty unstable right now.
I wouldn't say that Angel isn't interested actually.... He's just trying to be the opposite of his demon. He is more effected by WIllow than he lets on.
:D
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Date: 2011-05-25 06:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-25 10:45 pm (UTC)Really, really loving this. I've always thought that about vampires, that losing a soul would not turn them into rabid mindless creatures, especially when you think about Spike and Franz and how human they can be - just more violent and uncaring of the world.
Can't wait for more, as always. XD
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Date: 2011-05-26 07:53 pm (UTC)Thanks. I try to write the vampires more like their dark id is in command when they don't have souls. The Buffyverse vamps have a lot of gray to them by the end of both series.
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Date: 2011-05-26 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-05-26 07:36 am (UTC)Way to go, girl! :)
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Date: 2011-05-26 08:02 pm (UTC)hell yeah!
Date: 2011-05-26 07:46 am (UTC)But G! I really enjoyed their game/hut/foreplay *wicked!sly!grin*
Re: hell yeah!
Date: 2011-05-26 08:04 pm (UTC)Awesome! :D