Pledge Week
FLYER:
~Attention students, faculty, and staff. Starting Monday morning we here at UCS enter PLEDGE WEEK! If you’re pledging a sorority or fraternity, please be sure register with the Office of Student Affairs and the local chapter head. Everyone else ... enjoy the chaos!~
*****
Three days later, amongst the late afternoon bustle, four friends struggled to hold a conversation in a coffee shop near UCS. However, even the sight of a double mocha expresso, with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, seemed to cheer up the petite blonde who sat slumped in her seat.
"C’mon, Buffy ... come with us tonight. It’ll be good for you to get out. I mean, Giles gave you the night off, and besides, the Dingoes are playing tonight," Willow coaxed.
"Yeah ... I mean, who can resist the Dingoes. Bronze with us, Buff," Xander joked.
Oz just sat, and tried to look supportive.
Buffy blew out a breath, and sipped her expresso. "Dunno, Will ... I really oughta study for that psych test we have Friday. Even with the tutoring I’m not sure I see the difference between Piglet and Pavlock."
"Actually, wouldn’t that be Piaget and Pavlov?" Oz questioned.
"Whatever," Buffy said, rolling her eyes at the thought of the class.
"Guess Riley’s no help, huh?" Willow asked.
Buffy frowned at the mention of the TA. "Not really. I think he wants more than to help me study, you know? And after Parker ..."
As she trailed off, the other three shared a collective wince. Mentions of Parker invariably brought on another bout of depression and remorse for their friend. And when she got like this, Willow reflected, it was usually better to let her stew. Not even Spike, with all his annoying habits, could pull her out of these funks. In fact the only one who could was the ultimate source of her grief ...
Suddenly resolved to make her friend happy again, Xander be damned, Willow stood up. "Uh ... I just remembered. I’ve gotta go see someone over in the Computer Science & Technology department."
"About what, baby?" Oz asked, puzzled.
"A class!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, I’m thinking of adding another class."
"Will," Buffy frowned, "if you keep adding classes we’ll never see you again.
Slow down. You’ve got four years."
"I know, but still ... anyway, I gotta go." With that, Willow stood and grabbed her bag, heading for the door. "See you at nine, Oz! Bye Buffy! Bye Xand!"
After the hacker left, Buffy sighed and stood. "And I really need to go see Giles. Something about that damn Council again. See you guys later," she called as she trudged off into the late afternoon sun.
Oz and Xander sat, staring at their drinks and wondering what was up. Well, Xander wondered. Oz had a pretty good idea. But before either could make an excuse to the other, another guy showed up.
Riley.
Both frowned as the junior took a seat at their table, and proceeded to start a conversation. "So," he asked cheerfully, "are you pledging anything, Oz?"
The werewolf looked like he couldn’t care less. "No."
"Why not?"
"Classes. Willow. Band. Willow. Monthly ... err, family gatherings.
Willow. No time," he shrugged.
"Oh." Xander went for a save. "What about you, Riley?"
The TA’s face lit up, as it always did when talking about himself.
"Actually, yes. I didn’t think I’d have the time to spare, but I do."
"What do you pledge?" Xander asked, trying to keep Riley occupied.
"Oh, this and that. This year, for the ‘joke’ pledge, the ‘sacrifice’ has to be something of personal importance. I’m just not sure what that is yet," he laughed.
How about that damn cocky, ‘I’m-so-perfect’ smile? Oz thought.
"So, Oz, what’s your ‘something of personal importance’?"
"My guitar pick," he shrugged. "Xander?"
"The barbie I stole from Willow when we were kids," he joked. "I don’t know.
But I know Buffy’s. It’s Mr. Gordo."
"Ahh," Oz agreed.
"What’s a Mr. Gordo?" Riley asked.
Oz and Xander shared a look. Anyone remotely close to Buffy knew about Mr. Gordo, even Spike. The fact that this guy did not was a sure sign of how Buffy felt about him.
"It’s a stuffed pink pig," Xander replied. "She’s had it forever."
Riley smiled. "How sweet."
*****
A few hours later, moonlight glinted off a car driving up to UCS. Inside, Angel took an unneeded breath as he parallel parked. As he climbed the stairs to the dorms, he reflected on his evening.
"Angel!" Cordelia yelled through the bedroom door. "Willow’s on the phone.
She says it’s important!"
Few things got him up before sunset. This was one of them. Opening the door, and throwing his flatmate a nasty look, he took the phone. "Willow?
What’s wrong? Is it—"
"Buffy," Willow said.
Angel’s nonexistent blood-pressure shot up. "Is she okay?"
"Not really," she sighed.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"You left," she told him bluntly.
Angel sighed. "Willow—"
"No buts, Angel! Buffy’s majorly depressed! Giles is worried, I’m worried. Even Spike can’t get a rise out of her. She needs to see you! Not some whiny, college guy—YOU!"
When Willow said Giles was worried about Buffy, something inside him clicked. He tightened his grip on the phone, and glanced at the clock. "Willow, sundown is in two hours. I’ll be there in four."
"Okay. Come to the dorms. Bye!" Click.
Angel looked at the phone, the dial tone screeching through the flat. Cordelia gently extracted the phone from his grip and steered him into the kitchen. "You know she needs you," she told him.
"I know," he said. "I just hoped ..."
"That she would move on? Did you really want that? Do you want that? Could you bear to see her with another man—or woman? How would you handle it if she’d have taken up with Spike, hmm? What do you want?"
"I want what’s best for Buffy," he said stubbornly.
Cordelia looked exasperated. "YOU are what is best for Buffy. I know that is the truth. So does Buffy. And Willow, and Giles, and Oz, and, deep down, so does Xander. I’d hazard to guess even Spike knows. Only. You. Are. Too. Stubborn. To. Realize. It."
Angel opened his mouth, but Cordelia cut him off. "Now, where are your black leather pants?"
Angel raised his eyebrows, his eyes curious.
"You’re wearing them tonight," she told him in her ‘don’t-you-dare-argue-with-me’ tone.
"What about—"
"Don’t worry about Kate. Doyle and I will take very good care of her. She’ll never know even realize you wised up. And where’s the white silk shirt?"
~
So here he stood, outside Buffy’s dorm. Nervous, and worried and apprehensive ... and still very much in love with his little Slayer.
"Angel?"
He spun around, and there she was. A golden vision, a goddess incarnate.
Buffy.
HIS Buffy.
*****
"Will, you ready?" Oz asked, poking his head in the door.
"Yeah, just minute. Where are my keys? I’ve gotta lock up."
"Isn’t Buffy downstairs?"
"Yeah ..."
"Well, I’m sure she’ll be back up soon to change. And the place is deserted.
Buffy will lock up before she leaves."
Willow chewed on her lip. "You think?"
Oz smiled. "I think. Besides, when Angel shows up, they’re gonna need a place to talk."
Her mouth dropped open. "How did you know—"
He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know you, Willow."
*****
Buffy stared. He was here. In front of her.
Angel.
HER Angel.
She was overcome, her senses were in a whirl. *How did he know I needed him?
How did he know to come?*
**She’s so beautiful**
**I’ve missed him**
**She doesn’t look happy ... she looks tired**
**I’m dying without him**
Then, without another thought, they were in each other’s arms. As their lips met, the world seemed to disappear for a time. When Buffy pulled back for air, she met his eyes and said, "We have to talk."
"I know," he told her, nuzzling his face in her hair. "Here?"
"No, anyone could interrupt." Especially Riley
"Where, then?"
Buffy took a deep breath. There was only one place ... "The mansion. Spike isn’t living there, so we won’t be disturbed."
The only indication he gave that he agreed was to reach for her hand as he turned toward the car. As they got in, something finally clicked in his mind.
"Where is Spike staying?"
Buffy gave him a slight smile. "My mother’s basement. He gets a sunproof, rent-free place, all the hot chocolate he wants, and Mom gets someone to ‘baby.’ It’s strange, but it works."
The rest of the ride was tense, but silent. When they reached the mansion the pressure that had been threatening to erupt ... erupted. Within seconds they were tangled together, completely forgetting everything else. However, this time it was Angel who pulled away.
"Buffy, we can’t."
A tear slipped from her eyes. "It’s me, isn’t it?"
Angel looked confused. "What?"
"Me. It’s me. I’m not good enough, am I," she laughed bitterly. "Even Parker figured that out. I suppose, if I gave him the chance, Riley would figure it out, too."
Realization flitted across Angel’s face. At first, he wanted nothing more than to find this Parker and rip his spleen out through his throat. His demon was raging. But, he realized Buffy was hurting, and she came first.
"Oh, baby. Buffy, no. You. Are. Wonderful. Our night together was amazing."
"But, afterwards—"
Angel winced. They had never discussed this. "The only reason Angelus said the things he did was because, deep down, he knew he was attached to you as I am. Demons don’t love the way humans do, Buffy. But, what he felt," Angel took an unneeded breath, "what he still feels, for you is the closest thing to love he knows. It’s a possessive, obsessive passion; but there’s something more, something else that draws him to you. He doesn’t understand it, and he can’t make it stop. It’s why he raised Acathla; you wouldn’t reciprocate the feelings, and he was failing to break down your will. So he decided to destroy all trace of you. I think he thought it would give him peace. But," he raised his head and looked her in the eye, "it wouldn’t have. There is no peace without you."
Buffy sat silent, a look of shock on her face.
"So, now you know," he whispered, looking away.
She forced herself to move. Cupping his face in her hands, she raised his eyes to hers. "Angel," she whispered, "show me your true face."
He looked startled, and tried to pull away. Buffy merely tightened her grip.
"I love you, Angel. All of you. Soul and demon. Show me."
Closing his eyes, Angel allowed his face morph. Then he felt her hands stroking the ridges, and he opened his eyes, tawny gold meeting dusky hazel.
"You’re right, there is no peace, not unless we’re together. You are my mate, Angel, and I’m yours. I die a little everyday you’re gone, because a part of me is missing. Oz once told me wolves mate for life. I think the same may be true for Slayers. Or, at least for this Slayer."
And then the world did disappear. All she felt was his arms around her, sheltering her, protecting her, giving her strength. Her body was singing, and she felt so alive. Tiny tremors of pleasure streamed through her body, and felt a rush a wetness between her legs.
Groaning, Angel lifted his head, scenting her arousal. He brought his lips back down to hers, his tongue slipping in to entwine with hers. Then she deepened the kiss, using her tongue to stroke his fangs, before for slicing it on the tip of one canine.
The blood did him in. All control gone he lifted her up, carrying her to the bedroom. By the time they landed on the dusty silk sheets all clothes were gone, leaving flesh pressed against flesh. His lips encircled one rosy nipple, and she arched into his mouth.
"Angel," she whimpered.
Growling, he moved down her body until he reached her moist center. Slowly, he teased her sensitive nubbin, pausing only to lap up her juices. When she was almost incoherent, and no sooner, he gently slid into her hot sheath, beginning a rhythmic thrusting.
Tears leaked from her eyes. It felt so good. He was finally back where he
belonged and it felt wonderful, it felt so right.
Angel shuddered as the sensations coursed through him. She felt exquisite, so tight and silky, her walls milking him.
Both of them felt the tremors become shudders, and orgasm swept over them at the same time. With a snarl, Angel sank his fangs into Buffy’s neck, letting her sweet, powerful blood rush down his throat. Buffy screamed at the pleasure his bite brought her, and climaxed for a second time.
As he withdrew his fangs he licked the marks he’d made, his growls becoming a purr as he nuzzled her neck. Smiling, Buffy idly traced circles on his back. Finally whole, the reunited lovers drifted off into sleep.
*****
Meanwhile, Riley took advantage of the situation and crept into Buffy and Willow’s dorm. Looking around, he finally found what he was looking for.
Mr. Gordo.
Riley recalled what he had told Xander about the ‘joke,’ or unofficial, pledge. You know, the ones the university doesn’t want you doing? This year, for the ‘joke’ pledge, the ‘sacrifice’ has to be something of personal importance. What he hadn’t told them was that the item of personal importance had to belong to someone else. Besides, she’d never know that he had done this. After all, the door was unlocked.
Humming, he set about creating a horrific masterpiece. When he was finished, he took out a Polaroid a snapped a few shots, making sure to cover all angles. Then he placed Mr. Gordo on the center of her bed.
Laughing, Riley went to show off his trophy.
*****
A few hours later, Buffy awoke to find herself in a warm cocoon. And the cool, hard thing pressed against her had to Angel. Mmmm ... he was stroking her breasts, and she could feel her nipples hardening.
So why couldn’t she move her hands?
Opening her eyes, she found herself gazing upon the face of her mate, and her hands chained to the headboard.
uh oh
"Hello, lover," Angelus purred sensuously. "I’ve missed you."
Buffy’s throat closed up, and tears slipped out from the corners of her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t! She and Angel had finally reconnected, had admitted the truth ...
"Aww, don’t cry," he murmured, running his lips along the side of her face, kissing away her tears. "We can be happy, I promise. I’m not him, but I can make you happy. I’m your mate, remember?"
As his hands slipped down to caress hips, Buffy realized the damnable truth. In loving Angel, she had learned to love all of his aspects. She had mated not only with the soul, but with the demon as well. And she knew she could live with the demon.
But could she live without his soul?
He must have recognized her inner conflict, because his next words took her
by surprise. "You know, I hate this part."
Buffy frowned.
Angelus continued. "Soulboy isn’t gone, not for good anyway," he grumbled. "Apparently getting him happy just won’t do the trick. Nope, he still in here," he said tapping his head.
"What?" Buffy asked, shocked and more than a little confused.
"The fucking curse, lover. It was changed. My damn soul is permanent ... but if enough happiness exhausts him, he’ll, well, sort of go to sleep for a while. And while he’s down for the count," Angelus smirked, "I’m baaaacck!"
Buffy licked her lips apprehensively, not realizing what a turn-on it was.
"So this means ... what?"
"Well," Angelus whispered against her mouth, "it means we get to play. And have some fun before the fool wakes up and retakes control of our body."
The kiss was sudden, unexpected, and blatantly carnal. Buffy moaned against him, and lifted her hips, wetness flooding her core. His tongue dueled with hers, and she felt his face shift, fangs knicking her lips. As he broke the kiss to trail his mouth along her neck, stopping to suck on the already healing punctures from earlier, Buffy twisted, trying to get closer to him, and tugged on the chains.
Angelus chuckled. "You can’t break then, Buff. They’re magickally enhanced;
Soulboy kept ‘em in the trunk in case he had to handle unruly demons."
Aroused, Buffy was growing impatient. "Would you shut up and fuck me, already?"
Amused, her demon lover snickered. "Sorry, babe, that would be too easy. I want our first time to be memorable." That said, he drew back and climbed off the bed, crossing the room to a low table with a bottle on it. Buffy cried out, almost ready to beg.
"Oooohh, don’t worry," he crooned. "I’ll be back in a minute."
Sure enough, less than a minute later he had returned, bringing a wine bottle and glass with him. Settling between her legs, he uncorked the bottle. Smiling at her, he poured a glass of champagne and set it aside. As her eyes questioned him, his smile just got bigger.
"This is a very good year," he remarked, glancing at the label. "1981. It’s the same age as you, lover. Let’s see how you taste, together."
As Buffy’s eyes widened with understanding, Angelus poured some of the champagne onto her flat stomach. Leaning down, he allowed his fangs to scrape her skin, drawing blood that he mixed with champagne, before lapping it up.
"Mmmmm ... delicious."
Buffy was gasping. Shockingly, it had felt good! She was so lost in this thought, that she was startled to feel the icy liquid coat her nipple, before an equally icy mouth engulfed it, and he sank his fangs in on either side of the aureole.
Buffy shrieked.
Angelus allowed himself a grin a satisfaction. She was delicious. He continued his ministrations on her other breast, before moving up to her lovely neck. Baring the unblemished side, he poured champagne over the hollow of her throat, licking up the smooth column before drawing blood.
When his fangs sank in, Buffy exploded, her orgasm causing her to lift off the bed. As she came down, she realized two things.
One, Angelus had draped her legs over his shoulders and was lightly teasing her clit.
Two, he was also pouring champagne over her nest of curls, and it was running down into her moist folds.
The mere thought of what he had planned was nearly enough to send her over the edge again. As if reading her mind, he grinned wickedly and lowered his mouth to her folds. Slowly, he licked her up and down, her juices mixing with the champagne.
‘Delicious,’ he thought, ‘and only one thing can make it better.’
Baring a fang, he scraped her swollen labia and drew blood, letting it mix with her juices and the champagne. With his tongue he stroked her soft folds, sucking up the mind-blowing cocktail. Over and over, it seemed he would never stop.
Buffy was beyond rational thought. Everytime she thought he would suck her clit, he merely teased it and sank back down to lapping at her swollen, moist folds. Writhing beneath him, she begged him to give her release.
"Ohohohoh ... Angelplease ...."
Reluctantly, he abandoned her sweet well and moved up to capture her mouth in a kiss. She could taste herself on her lips when he kissed her, she realized. It was a unique combination, and it only intensified her desire.
With one sure thrust he was inside her, and the contact was enough to make her shatter. Growling, Angelus continued to pump inside her, his own orgasm building. Feeling his balls tighten, he thrust harder, finally coming with a ferocious growl before sweeping down to feast, yet again, on Buffy’s blood. And, once again, the feeling of his fangs in her neck was enough to drive Buffy over the edge, and she climaxed again.
Sated, Angelus raised himself up to look at Buffy. She was his mate, there was no question about it. His being the operative word. As Buffy drifted off to sleep, he sucked on her pulse point as he contemplated all the ways he could torture Parker.
*****
Several hours later, Buffy woke feeling mostly relaxed. For some reason, though, her arms were stiff. As she opened her eyes to see the dark haired vampire beside her, the events of the night came rushing back. Just then, she heard a rustling from the area around the door. Looking up, she met Spike’s shocked gaze.
**oh, shit**
"Slayer?" he asked, eyes wide. "Where have you been? What the fuck is going on? Did you and poof ... ?"
Buffy sighed. "Umm, yeah. Uh, look, could you see if the key to these chains are over there," she said, gesturing to the area where Angel’s clothes were strewn. "These cuffs are starting to chaff."
Before Spike could move, a smooth voice cut in. "And here I thought you liked them, lover. I didn’t hear any complaints earlier," Angelus smirked.
Spike’s jaw twitched. **So the son of a bitch is back.**
Angelus saw the look that crossed Spike’s face and snickered. "Don’t bother," he told his childe. "The key," he said, running his hand along the underside of the mattress, "is right here. Viola!" Leaning over, he unlocked Buffy, then gathered her against him for a deep kiss that left her breathless, and her lips swollen.
As the Slayer climbed out of the bed to rest on shaky legs, Spike averted his eyes. Somehow, he didn’t think it would be a good idea to tease her right now.
As Buffy finished tying her shoes, Angelus smiled at her. "Run along, lover. I’ll see you later. Right now my former fledgling and I are going to have ... a little talk."
Looking back and forth between the two, Buffy backed out of the door. She left the mansion just in time to see the sunrise.
*****
When Buffy reached her dormroom, she found Willow and Oz standing just outside. Willow shrieked when she saw Buffy.
"Where have you been?"
"Out, around," Buffy shrugged, trying to inch her way inside before either one noticed the rips in clothes.
Suddenly, Oz’s nostrils flared, and understanding flashed across his face.
Silently his eyes asked Buffy a question. She shook her head.
"I’m fine, but I need to change before class," she told them.
Willow seemed reluctant to let her in. Anxious, even. "Buffy, did you come back after you left Giles’ last night?"
"No. Why?"
"Oh, Goddess," she moaned, "it’s my fault."
"Not completely," Oz told her. "I was sorta dragging you away."
"Guys! What’s wrong?"
"Well," Willow started, "I figured you’d be back upstairs to change, so I went ahead and left with Oz. And I didn’t lock up."
"Did something get stolen?" Buffy asked.
"No," Willow hedged.
"Then let me in," Buffy demanded.
"Buffy, you might not want to see this," Oz told her.
Buffy gave them a Look. Sighing, Willow moved aside. Buffy’s first thought, was that nothing looked wrong. Everything was where it should be. Until she got to her bed ...
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Her anguished scream could be heard in the next building. There, in the middle of her bed, sat Mr. Gordo. Only her sweet stuffed pig didn’t look like himself. His ‘neck’ had been sliced open, and the stuffing was coming out. And he was covered in stage blood.
"Who did this?" she hissed. "Cause whoever it was is dead!"
Oz cleared his throat. Buffy spun around and fixed the werewolf with a glare.
"Do you know something?"
"Well, Riley was talking about having to ‘sacrifice’ a personal item as joke for a fraternity pledge this year. He asked about mine and Xander’s, but seemed really interested in yours."
Buffy smiled.
*****
Four hours, a hot shower, and a pot of coffee later, Buffy dragged an unconscious Riley into the mansion. The first thing she saw was Spike, stretched out on the couch smoking ... a joint?
"Back already, pet?"
"Spike, meet Riley. He decided to mess with Mr. Gordo as a pledge week joke."
Before Spike could reply, Angelus stepped into the room. His eyebrows lifted when he saw Riley. "Buff, you brought lunch. How thoughtful."
Buffy snarled. "Where’s Drusilla’s old playroom?"
"Straight down the stairs, it’s on your left. Can’t miss it," Spike told her.
In a fury, she marched down to set up. After she left, Angelus lifted an eyebrow. "What did he do to piss her off?"
Spike told him.
Angelus tsked, and crouched down beside the now conscious Riley. "Riley, Riley, Riley. You’re a very stupid boy. I did a lot of things to Buffy. I tormented her and her friends, killed her Watcher’s lover, and tried to suck the world into Hell. But never, never my lad, did I mess with Mr. Gordo. Even I am not that cruel. Maybe if you’re lucky she’ll let you off light."
They heard a crash from downstairs.
"Then again," Angelus smirked, "I think your luck just ran out."
The End