Touch of Evil

Part 13

**And I don't cry for yesterday.
There's an ordinary world somehow I have to find.
And as I try to make my way to the ordinary world
I will learn to survive.**

~Ordinary World by Duran Duran~

	"Hey Will, long time no see, huh."  Buffy broke into a huge grin at the
sight of her best friend.  Before she knew it, Willow had stepped outside
to wrap her old friend in a huge hug.  Buffy returned the embrace with
equal fervor.

	"My God, Buffy, I just can't believe it's really you.  It wasn't for the
fact that all my dreams are actually nightmares, I'd think this was one."

	Buffy winced at Willow's casual joking, but chose not to comment.  There'd
be time for serious talking later.  Right now Buffy wanted to enjoy the
reunion.  As the two friends pulled apart, they each fell into a visual
examination of the other, noting the physical changes time and circumstance
had wrought.  Buffy silently took in the hacker's half dressed, mussed hair
appearance with a slight smirk.  Her friend had done a lot of changing in
the past year.  She could tell, just from the tilt of her head and the way
Willow held herself.  This new Willow standing before her was one who felt
completely comfortable with her body, exuding a confidence that was wholly
feminine.  The transformation from the shy girl Buffy had befriended all
those years ago was startling, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.

	Willow's own eyes widened as she took in the numerous yellowish purple
bruises covering the various parts of the slayer's body.  "Buffy, what
happened to you?  And what are you doing in Italy? Is Giles with you?  How
did you know where to find me?"  Once Willow started with the questions she
found she couldn't stop.  If Buffy hadn't interrupted, she would have kept
on.  There was just too much she wanted to know.

	Buffy held up a hand.  "Will, stop.  Take a breathe.  Now, how bout you
invite me in, we eat a little dinner cause airplane food- not a good thing-
and then I'll explain everything."

	Willow was instantly remorseful.  "Of course, how silly of me.  Come in
Buffy, I'll make you some dinner."  As Willow turned to lead her friend
inside, she almost ran smack into the momentarily forgotten Adrian, who was
still standing frozen in the doorway, the expression on his face
unreadable.  Feeling flustered, Willow slipped into her trademark babbling.
 "I am such a doof, I mean, first I don't even think about how Buffy must
be hungry and tired from the long flight and then I forget to even
introduce you guys.  I swear, sometimes I don't know where my mind is.  You
know, I'm just surprised by all of this… and there I go again, going off
and forgetting the point.  Adrian, this is Buffy, slayer extraordinare and
my best friend.  Buffy, this is Adrian, my angel in disguise."

	Angel frowned slightly, his eyebrows twitching at Willow's coincidental,
though incredibly apt, choice of words.  Buffy, meanwhile, was busy giving
Adrian an appreciative once over before extending her hand forward.  "It's
nice to meet you, Adrian.  I've heard a lot about you- all good by the way."

	Angel drew in a sharp breath, pulling himself together long enough to
grasp the proffered hand and reply.  "I've heard a lot about you too Buffy-
the pleasure is mine."  

	Willow was too busy heading towards the kitchen to notice the exchange
between the two closest people in her life, nor the look of pain marring
Adrian's handsome features as Buffy brushed past him to follow Willow into
the house.  She paused to glance back at Adrian, who still stood in the
same spot, his head tilted downward as he stared at something on the floor.
 Puzzled by both his reactions and her own feelings of déjà vu when she had
stared into his eyes, Buffy made a move to speak.  Her words died in her
throat as Willow called to her from the kitchen, asking if pasta was
alright since that there wasn't much else in the fridge, considering how
they were in Italy and all.  Buffy couldn't help but join in Willow's
laughter as she headed in the direction Willow had gone moments earlier.

	Angel closed the door but remained in the foyer, listening to the distant
chattering of two of the only women he had ever loved.  He felt his brows
furrowing as he entered into what Buffy had always teasingly referred to as
his "Brood Mode."  Angel knew the two girls were probably waiting for him
but he couldn't bring himself to join them just yet.  His mind had yet to
catch up with the evenings turn of events, and considering how numb he felt
seeing Buffy again after all this time, he wasn't sure a few minutes alone
would be enough.  He wasn't at all prepared for the feelings seeing her
again were evoking.

	It was harder than he imagined it would be, especially considering she had
no idea it was him.  She had changed since the last time he had seen her,
and those changes had shocked him even though they hadn't been entirely
unexpected.  It wasn't so much her outward appearance, which hadn't changed
much beyond her hair color, which was now as blond as it had been when he'd
first seen her.  No, the changes in Buffy lay deeper than a new shade of
hair dye.  The changes lay in her eyes and in the slight hardening in the
muscles of her jaw.  The pain of her experiences had etched itself upon
Buffy's beautiful face, robbing her of the playful, childlike innocence
that had once defined her.  There was no longer that fire in her gaze, that
mischievous sparkle, which both time and circumstance had extinguished.  In
the end, it hadn't been the burden brought upon by her role as the chosen
one that had accomplished it, but merely the consequences of his love.
None of the demons and creatures of the night she had seen before had been
able to affect the slayer or destroy her innocence, like watching the man
she had once loved with all her heart and soul turn into the man she would
now have to kill.  Instead of dedicating herself in love to him, she was
forced to dedicate herself in hate.

	Seeing her again was opening wounds that had slowly but surely begun to
heal, dousing him in a pool of self-loathing and guilt.  Being with Willow,
Angel had been blanketed in a false sense of security.  He'd allowed
himself some peace with Willow, losing himself in her unconditional love,
so that she could heal some of his wounds.  Now, face to face with the most
glaring example of all the pain he'd caused and the mistakes he'd made,
Angel could feel the wounds beginning to fester.  Seeing the woman he had
once loved more than life itself, whom he still loved and would always hold
a special place in his heart, was throwing the new life he had tried to
build into question.  

It wasn't that Angel now found himself questioning his love for Willow.  He
knew with his entire being that she was the woman he was meant to be with,
the other half of himself.  No, his love for the two women was as different
as night and day, neither one compromising the other.  The love he now felt
for Buffy was that of warm affection, a knowledge that she had been the one
to open him up and tap into feelings that had been buried for over 200
years.  The love he felt for her was such that he didn't want to hurt her,
and finding out that he had never felt the burning depth of desire and love
which he now felt for her best friend; that it had always been Willow for
him though he hadn't realized it at first, well, that would wound her
deeply.  And wounding either Buffy or Willow was something he never wanted
to do.

	Angel frowned, knowing the only conceivable outcome to this was one or
both of the girls getting hurt.  Buffy because he had loved her too much
but, at the same time, not enough to prevent her further pain.  Willow,
well, there were too many ways Angel could end up hurting her without
meaning to that he felt guilty already.  Strangely, the guilt felt right to
Angel, as if he deserved it.  After all, the feeling of living in a
perpetual state of guilt was more natural to him that the state of peaceful
bliss he had been experiencing the past few months with Willow.  He was on
familiar ground again.

	Realizing he had been lost in his thoughts for quite awhile and was
probably missed, Angel collected himself and entered the kitchen.  Instead,
he found the two friends seated at the kitchen table, plates filled with
leftover pasta Lucinda had made the other night in front of them.  They
were deep in conversation, catching up on old times, and didn't appear to
have noticed his prolonged absence.

	Plastering a bright smile on his face, Angel took a seat between Willow,
who immediately turned to smile back at him, her face radiating her joy.
"Adrian, isn't it so great Buffy's here?  I mean, it's just been like
forever and now it feels just like old times, only without the supposedly
unstoppable evil of the week that needs to be researched and destroyed."  

	Angel smile turned natural as he listened to Willow work herself up into
one of her excited states which was always accompanied by her babbling and
the cutest expression on her face.  Angel reached over to grasp Willow's
hand, giving it a loving squeeze as a surge of warm affection swept over
him.  Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Buffy wince when Willow
mentioned the absence of an evil.  A sense of foreboding colored Angel's
mood as he observed Buffy unconsciously raise her hand to her face, her
fingers lightly brushing a particularly nasty bruise falling across the
right side of her neck and lower jaw line.

	Trying to sound casual, Angel turned towards Buffy and asked, "So, what
brings you to Italy?  I hope it's a social visit and nothing more serious."
 The flash of emotion in her eyes confirmed the worry that had begun to
take root inside Angel.  When the silence began to stretch out, with Buffy
avoiding both their gazes, Angel felt Willow's tormented realization that
something was wrong.  Her grip on his hand tightened while her shoulder's
slumped in a sign of defeat, as if she had known that Buffy's presence was
too good to be true, and trouble was always just around the corner.

	"Buffy."  Willow's voice, barely above a whisper, was markedly different
from moments ago, all the carefree joy drained away and replaced by a grim
resignation.  The air in the room felt charged with tense emotion.
Willow's voice held a quiet authority that forced Buffy to look up and meet
her gaze.  "Why are you here, Buffy?  What's wrong?"




Part 14

**My life closed twice before it's close, It yet remains to see
If immortality unveil
A third event to me
So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven
And all we need of hell**

**Emily Dickinson **

	Buffy took a deep breath, collecting herself before answering.  "Angelus
knows where you are, Willow.  He's coming for you, if he isn't already
here."  Buffy watched the news sink in like a stone descending to the
depths of a calm sea.  Willow began to slump even farther, if possible- her
body almost caving into itself.  Adrian cursed under his breath, his free
hand curling into a fist.

	Buffy waited for them to fully process the information before continuing.
The reason I know is because I've been Angelus's prisoner for the past
week.  These bruises,"  Buffy brushed her fingers across the various
bruises covering her face and arms, her hands stopping at the bare skin of
her upper chest, "are from my sessions with either Angelus or Spike.  They
tried to get information from me on where Willow was.  I didn't tell
though.  I swear.  I'd rather die than serve you up on a silver platter to
that bastard."

	Willow made no move to speak.  She was staring at some distant point past
Buffy's head.  She looked younger than her years at that moment, resembling
the timid 15 year old girl she had been when he'd first met her.  Angel
filled the silence by asking the question nagging at the edges of his mind.
 "Who told him where we are?  Nobody knows besides a few select Council
members, aside from you and Giles."

	"I know.  That's why I didn't contact the Council when I escaped last
night.  I didn't even tell Giles I had escaped and where I was going."
Angel nodded sympathetically.  The Watcher was like a surrogate father to
the slayer.  He knew how hard it must be for her to keep him in the dark,
especially when he was probably worried sick over her whereabouts.  Buffy's
tone turned adamant as she continued.  "I think somebody on the Council
gave up your location.  Whether they did it willingly or it was forced out
of them, I don't know.  That's why we can't call the Council and let them
know where we're going.  We don't know who we can trust right now."

	Willow roused herself out of her depression then.  "No, I want to at least
call Giles, or Lydia.  I want them to know where we're going."

	Buffy looked over at her friend, seemingly fighting for patience.  "No,
Will, we can't.  The more people who know where you go, the more we
compromise your safety.  We need to keep this between the three of us."

	Willow sputtered, "But it's Giles.  He would never betray us.  Never."
She couldn't understand her friend's sudden distrust of the man who had
done nothing but try to protect them as long as they'd known him.

	Buffy reached across the wooden table to grasp the hand not held by
Adrian.  Giving it a reassuring squeeze, she tried to explain her reasoning
to Willow.  "I know he wouldn't.  But I made myself a promise when Angelus
was torturing me.  I swore that when I escaped I'd make sure he never got
his hands on you again.  I swore that I'd keep you safe, that he'd never
get to do the things he told me he had planned."  Silent tears fell down
Buffy's cheek as her voice began to break.  "God, Will, you can't imagine
the things he taunted me with- the things he said he had planned for you,
and the things he said to me…"

	Willow was immediately sympathetic, dropping her defenses and giving in.
"I'm so sorry, Buffy.  You're right; we shouldn't call them.  And I am so
sorry for what happened to you.  It's all my fault."

	"Stop that, you know that's not true.  If it's anyone's fault, it's mine
for not being able to stop Angelus sooner.  Or for even being able to
control myself with Angel.  If we hadn't… I mean, I knew it was wrong, you
know.  Slayer and a vampire- it was never meant to be, but I just couldn't
help myself.  If I hadn't loved him so much we wouldn't be here today."

	"Buffy, you know that's not true."  Willow chastised.  "You can't help who
you fall in love with.  Besides, you didn't know.  If it's anyone's fault
it's Darla's or those damn gypsies.  But it could never be yours or Angel's
fault.  You guys were just innocent victims who got punished for following
your hearts."

	Buffy appeared to be moved by Willow's words but couldn't help adding.
"You're right.  You can't help who you fall in love with.  But you can help
the actions you take afterwards- that's what counts."

	Willow's temper flared up as she snapped.  "Do you regret it?"

	Surprised, Buffy asked, "Regret what?"

	"Do you regret it?  Not just that night, but all the nights.  Do you
regret having loved him?  Do you regret the time you two had together, and
the happiness you were able to give to each other, no matter how brief?"

	Buffy leaned back in her chair, reeling from the barrage of questions
Willow had fired at her like bullets from a machine gun.  Her emotions were
clearly evident on her face as she considered her answer.  Shock,
confusion, insecurity, longing.  Buffy went through many stages until
answering, and though she spoke softly her words and tone held conviction.
"No, I don't regret it.  I could never regret it."

	Angel let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.  Willow smiled.
"Good, because your love was a gift.  No matter what happened or happens,
you should never regret it.  Angel loved you- always remember that."

	The smile that brightened the slayer's face was blinding in it's
brilliance.  It transformed her entire demeanor, harkening back to the old
happy, carefree Buffy.  As the two friend embraced, Angel discreetly wiped
his eyes riding them of the wetness seeping from beneath his closed lids.

	When they had pulled apart, both girls looked more like their old selves-
pretty amazing considering the circumstances of their being together again.
 "So," Willow began.  "Where should we go?"  She glanced at both Adrian and
Buffy as she spoke, putting the weight of the decision on them.

	Buffy spoke before Adrian could suggest anything.  "Don't worry, I have
the perfect place.  Angelus and his minions will never be able to find you
there.  Just trust me."

	Willow nodded.  She didn't need to question Buffy, giving her complete
trust as she had so often in the past.  "Alright.  Just give me and Adrian
a few minutes to pack and we'll be ready to leave."  Adrian nodded in
agreement, moving to stand by Willow's side.  

	Buffy paused.  "Just don't take too long.  We really don't have too much
time.  When I escaped Angelus had already been gone a day.  He left me in
Spike's care as he headed over here.  I escaped when Spike went to comfort
Dru during one of her fits.  Seems she thought that bleach blonde bimbo of
hers was going to turn me and make me his new consort.  Can you believe it?"

	Willow arched an eyebrow in disbelief.  "I have to admit, I can't really
picture you and Spike together.  Besides the fact that the whole vampire
thing would do nothing for your complexion."  The girls laughed together,
taking comfort during hard times wherever they could.  Angel understood
their need to distract themselves from the very real danger before them,
and if laughter helped then he wouldn't stop them.  Placing a hand on the
small of Willow's back, Angel gently led Willow out of the room and up the
stairs.

	Twenty minutes later, they descended the stairs with their bags in hand.
Adrian quickly jotted off a note to Lucinda letting her know they were
leaving for a few months and she was to keep up the place in their absence,
her paychecks to be provided by his lawyers.  While Adrian went to leave
the note where Lucinda would be sure to find it, Willow took one last look
around the villa that had been her home for the past 4 months.  She hated
being forced to leave it so soon, especially since so many of her
possessions were being left behind, again.  This was the third time in less
than a year that Willow was being forced to leave her home in the middle of
the night, sneaking out like a refuge.  She sighed, supposing she had
better get used to this kind of lifestyle.  She wasn't sure if she ever would.

	Buffy placed a reassuring hand on Willow's shoulder.  As if she sensed
Willow's thoughts, she said, "Don't worry Willow.  One way or another, this
will all be over soon.  I promise."

	Willow nodded, sniffling slightly.  Adrian reentered the room.  Giving the
place a once over to make sure he hadn't forgotten something important, he
said, "Well, I guess we're all set.  Let's not waste anymore time."

	The three friends made their way to the car Buffy had rented at the
airport.  They figured it was less conspicuous than Adrian's car, which
they left in the driveway for Lucinda's personal use till some future date
when they were able to return home.  Willow took shotgun, while Buffy went
behind the wheel and Adrian lounged out in the backseat.  Willow braced
herself for some speeding but was pleasantly surprised to find Buffy's
driving had improved since the last time Willow had been in a car with her.

	They drove for a couple of hours through the Italian countryside, heading
in the direction of Padova, stopping only once while Buffy went to buy the
three of them coffee from a café they passed.  Willow took the opportunity
to change seats with Adrian so she could spread out in the backseat,
sipping her coffee and resting her eyes.  Adrian finished his coffee in a
few gulps then moved on to Buffy's after she said she didn't want it.  To
Willow's immense surprise, the coffee was having the opposite effect on her
than usual.  Considering how coffee usually had the same effect on her as
cocaine or uppers to others, and that Italian coffee was ten times stronger
than American versions, it was unusual for Willow to be feeling as sleepy
as she did.  The quiet sounds of the country accompanied by the steady
rhythm of the car was lulling Willow into a deep sleep.  She could barely
keep her eyes open and before long she was fast asleep.

	When Willow woke, she was disoriented.  Her cognitive processes didn't
appear to be working since she had no idea where she was.  As she slowly
came to consciousness, her senses awakening, Willow took in her
surroundings, momentarily confused.  She was lying on a queen sized bed in
what appeared to be a small, dark room with bare wooden walls and very
little by way of furnishings.  The last thing she remembered was falling
asleep in the car as Buffy drove them to a safe place, away from Angelus.
Wondering if perhaps they'd stopped somewhere so they could sleep, Willow
tried to sit up.  With a sharp jerk her body was yanked backwards.  With a
panicked tug, Willow realized that her arms were firmly bound over her head
with tight ropes chaffing her wrists.  The pain that spread down her arms
as she struggled against the bonds shook away the last vestiges of sleep.
Fear snaked through Willow as she tried to figure out what the hell was
going on.

	Before she could get her mind to work properly and come up with any
conceivable conclusions, a shaft of light penetrated the darkness.  Willow
turned her head and found the source to coming from an open door.  Two
figures stood silhouetted in the doorframe, light pouring in around them.  

	Squinting, Willow tried to make out their features.  She couldn't focus on
any detail through the darkness.  She thought one of the figures might be
that of a woman, considering how petit their outline was, but she couldn't
be sure.  

	The room became flooded with light as someone threw a switch.  The quick
change blinded Willow momentarily, and she was forced to close her eyes
against the brightness.  When she opened her eyes, dark spots colored her
vision, making it impossible to focus on anything.  Willow's ears were
assaulted by the deep, throaty chuckle that was immediately familiar.  It
was the same sound that had haunted so many of her dreams.  A sense of
foreboding went over Willow, and she feared she knew exactly what was going
on.

	Still, Willow was unprepared for the sight that greeted her when her
vision cleared.  Standing before her, each smiling wide, feral grins was
the man that had dominated her nightmares for the past 10 months and the
girl she had once called her friend, both their faces distorted with the
sharp ridges of their kind.  Tears wet her cheeks as she moaned, "No,
Buffy, not you, oh God, not you."

	The slayer threw her head back, her laughter containing a cold, sadistic
tone it had never contained before.  "Surprise, Willow."




Part 15

**rolling dice and seeming queer 
bastard love a sick affair 
let's see what new disease you'll fetch 
I mean that fucking you is strange and adored by me throughout 
oh it's you again 
blessing you with every kiss 
so precious you know 
this hate of mine exploded 
I'm so deranged you know 
I will never be the same

tying yourself to me 
stitch up my emptiness 
'cause your the death of me 
so precious, loving the thrill**

**"Stitches"- Orgy**


	Willow sobbed, her mind unable to comprehend the sight before her.  The
fact that Angelus once again had her in his possession came secondary to
the pain her soul felt over seeing her best friend turned into one of the
creatures she had been born to fight against.  Her beautiful face distorted
by the ridges of the vampiric visage tore at Willow's heart as she cried
helpless tears against the travesty.  The sheer injustice of it all made
her weep.  "Buffy, you were wrong. It is my fault.  I only hope wherever
your soul is, it can forgive me."

	The blonde vampire took a seat at the edge of the bed and stared at the
hacker.  She tilted her head to the side, studying the girl before her as
if she was a piece of puzzling, abstract art.  Her features quickly morphed
back into the human face Willow was used to.  She reached a cold palm out
to softly caress her cheek, the cool detachment in her eyes belying the
gentleness of her touch.  "Willow," she whispered her friend's name with a
tone heavy with pity.  "You're so naïve.  What makes you think I'm not the
same Buffy I was before.  Trust me, I know exactly what my soul is feeling.
 It's still a part of me.  And I know what it was thinking as Angelus
turned me.  I cursed you Willow.  I curse you.  This is your fault, and
believe me, my soul knew it, as I know it now.  None of this would have
happened if not for you.  All you had to do was give in to Angelus, allow
him to love and possess you like you both wanted, and I'd be alive right
now.  If only you had succumbed to your inner desires, then we wouldn't be
here now.  But no, you had to turn him away and run off and fall in love
with someone else.  Well, you'll get what's coming to you, I promise you
that.  I only wish it could culminate in your death at my hands.  You don't
deserve Angelus- you never did.  You're not half the woman I am Willow, but
you'll learn.  I'll take pleasure in watching Angelus tire of you and
discard you like the little trashy whore you are."  The slayer paused,
drinking in the tears spilling forth from her former friend's eyes, her
chest rising and falling as violent sobs overtook her small body.  She
moved her hands up to Willow's eyelids, her fingers catching the tears as
they fell.  She brought her fingers up to her lips, relishing the taste of
the salty liquid, knowing they were products of the pain she was inflicting
on the girl.

	Willow shuddered at the vampire's touch, the back of her mind reeling at
how cold Buffy's touch was.  She couldn't understand how she could have
missed that before.  Unable to help herself, she asked, "How?  I felt you,
I held you.  I saw your bruises."  Willow's eyes roamed over the slayer's
now immaculate skin.

	Buffy leaned backwards on her arms, arching her chest forward so Willow
could get a clear look at the unblemished skin of her neck and face.  She
seemed to take pride in the charade she had so perfectly pulled off.
"What, you think you're the only witch who knows how to use a little magic.
 All it took was a simple glamour spell.  You can thank your friend Amy for
that.  It's amazing how easily people will betray their friends when faced
with the business end of a cattle prod.  She'd be here now but we let her
go.  She was doing more than her share to hurt you as a human, considering
how she's fucking your ex-boyfriend Oz.  Oops."  Buffy covered her mouth
with her hand, doing her best to look contrite at the grimace of pain that
crossed Willow's face.  "You didn't know, did you?  I guess I should have
told you during our sporadic phone conversations, but I suppose I just
didn't want to hurt you.  I can't believe I let it slip now.  Silly me."

	Buffy flinched in surprise as Willow's saliva drenched her face.
Clenching her fingers together, Buffy reeled back and punched her squarely
in the jaw.  Willow's head snapped to the side from the force of the
impact, shutting her eyes and clenching her teeth against the pain.  She
felt Buffy's closeness against her face, her breath chilling her skin as
she hissed.  "Spit on me all you like Bitch, it won't change anything.
You're just a little whore who's now gonna pay for coveting her best
friend's possessions.  Don't think I don't know how you lusted after Angel
when me and him were together.  I could see it in your eyes whenever you
looked at him, or whenever I mentioned his name.  You wanted him as much as
I did- and you hated me for having what you wanted.  Was it my fault you
were a mousy nothing when I met you, who couldn't attract the attention of
a guy even if he was blind and dumb.  You've always lived in my shadow,
Willow.  Xander, Angel, heck, I bet even Oz had a thing for me.  Maybe once
I'm done playing with Spike I can move on to Adrian.  I saw the way he
looked at me when we first met, and I'm sure you noticed as well.  How
could he help himself, being stuck with you for the past year.  He's
probably in need of a good fucking, cause I'm certain you haven't given it
up to him yet.  But don't worry Will, I'll be sure to keep him satisfied in
ways you never could."

	As hard as it was, Willow was proud of herself for not reacting outwardly,
giving Buffy the satisfaction she so obviously wanted.  Inwardly, Buffy's
words were having the intended affect, wounding Willow deeply, but she
wouldn't let her see it.  The only indication of the pain she was feeling
was the tears that had yet to cease falling.

	Disgusted at the self control Willow was exhibiting, denying her the
pleasure of seeing her victim break, Buffy grew bored of her taunting.
Placing a mocking kiss on Willow's damp cheek, the slayer stood in one
graceful move and stalked over to her sire, who had been resting against
the doorframe, watching the encounter between the two former friends with
barely controlled glee.  He had to admit that he was proud of the way the
slayer had turned out.  It had never been his intention to turn her.  Well,
perhaps it had crossed his mind once or twice when he had first returned,
when his obsession with her had been at it's height, but the idea had died
with his growing obsession with Willow.  After that he had only imagined
her death as the greatest act of his revenge.  He'd been forced to turn the
slayer in order to implement his plan to get Willow back, and it was
working out better than he had ever imagined.  The slayer was truly even
more beautiful as a vampire than she had been as a human.  In addition, she
was crueler and more capricious than any other Childe he had ever sired.
He supposed it had to do with the rage he had felt inside of her as her
soul fled her body.  With her last ounce of breath she had cursed the world
and God for repaying her sacrifices to the greater good in this manner.
That rage had stayed when she'd awoken to her unlife, combining with the
bitter anger she'd always kept locked inside of her as a human- hatred for
the unwanted curse destiny had laid upon her, the role it had deemed her
worthy enough to play, despite her own wishes.  As a vampire, Buffy was
prepared to revenge herself against any and everyone for the life that had
been robbed from her long before Angelus had turned her, starting with
those who had been closest to her.  It made her sire proud to see her in
action, even if the victim of her wrath was the woman he loved.

	Angelus smiled at his Childe, who now had her body pressed intimately
against his.  He leaned down, gripping her head to place a bruising kiss on
her willing lips.  She wasn't Willow, but she would do, especially since
the one he wanted was now ready and waiting for him less than 5 feet away.
The thought caused a growl to emanate from his throat.  Shoving Buffy away
from him, he ordered her out of the room.  "Go amuse yourself with my other
bleached out Childe.  I've got business to attend to and I don't want to be
disturbed."

	Buffy pouted, disappointed that she wasn't going to be able to watch, but
complied.  She already knew better than to disregard an order from her
sire.  Closing the door behind her, she left the couple alone.

	Willow stared at Angelus with wide, frightened eyes, resembling a deer
caught in headlights.  He merely smiled, his laughter full of content
satisfaction over the prize tied to his bed.  Lowering his body so that it
completely covered her own, he leaned forward so his lips were a hairs
breath away from hers.  He drank in the way her eyes widened even further
as she felt his erection pressing through his leather pants against her own
sex and whispered, "Welcome home, honey."  Then he kissed her.



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