Well kittens, I hope that you have enjoyed reading this fic as much as I have writing it. Here’s your last chapter of Prisoner of Choice.
I have to shout out to my beta MERETRICIOUS one more time, thanks for making me laugh about the stupid mistakes I make.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon, etc. I own nothing, please don't sue me. Oh, except those I made up myself.
Feedback: Yes, if you’d like, I'd like.
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Season 6
Pairings: VW/T
Genre: Alternate Universe
Distribution: Ask first, thanks.
Summary: Tara takes a beaten Vamp Willow back to “fix” her up. The scoobies lick their wounds. Resolutions. The End.
CHAPTER 14
The Scoobies piled through the front door of the Summers’ home each attending to their own injuries, whether it was a battered heart or a flesh wound. The group spread throughout the living room taking places on the furniture without a word.
When Dawn heard the front door, she came running in from the dining room, “What happened? Where’s Tara? What did you do to Willow?” She sought answers from anyone in the room, moving around to face each of them as she blurted her questions.
Spike was the one who answered her, “Tara’s still with Willow Lil’ bit.”
“And…” she prompted him for more standing with a hand on her hip.
The blonde vampire looked at Buffy to see if she would jump into this interrogation, but the slayer was still stunned by the events at The Bronze was staring into space.
“…And Tara is protecting Willow for now, or at least until Willow gets her strength back.” Anya said without emotion before Spike could reply.
Dawn stomped her foot, “Can someone please tell me what happened?”
Xander stood and approached the teenager, “come on Dawnie, I’m thirsty, I’ll explain it to you in the kitchen.”
After the dark haired boy shuffled the girl out of the room, Edna spoke up “We need to attack again and soon, while the vampire is injured. I will call my coven in England and notify them of the situation, I should be able to gather enough power from them to take care of the witch while you finish off the vampire.”
Giles and Buffy traded apprehensive glances.
*
Ted laid Willow out on the bed in the loft while I retrieved towels to clean her battered face and body. I arrived quickly at her side and sat the small pan of water and wash cloths on the nightstand. Her face was swollen and covered with blood. I wanted to cry, but instead I took the only action I could, the only choice I had left.
I turned to Ted who stood with his back to the wall, “I need you to go get some things for me.”
“Yes ma’am,” he nodded.
I went to the spell book I had earlier, jotted down the ingredients I needed and instructed him to go to the Magic Box. The loyal minion promptly left the loft to do as he was told. I knew all too well that the Scoobies would be licking their wounds at home and that no one would be in danger if I sent him to the shop.
I returned to Willow’s side and wrung the water from a rag and began to bathe her. I washed her face with the utmost care, yet she moaned and groaned in pain. While returning the cloth to the now red water in the pan I heard her whisper my name. I shot my eyes to her face and saw her green eyes peaking from engorged lids.
“Shhh, baby, I’m here. I will take care of you.” I told her as I smoothed her hair over her ears.
She brought a trembling, bleeding hand to cup mine and I saw the corner of her mouth faintly tug. Her tongue slowly parted her parched lips and she mumbled, “Need…blood.”
“I know baby, not much longer, not much longer,” I repeated. She closed her eyes again and drifted back into unconsciousness.
I struggled with undressing her as well as my decision to do the spell. I needed to check for other wounds on her body as well as prepare her for the magics I was about to perform, but my thoughts kept dwelling on the consequences. Would the others approve? How would Willow react? Was I strong enough to use the power Willow had given me? Was I ready to lead the life I was choosing for us? I had to stop thinking about those things, so I focused on the task at hand. After removing her leather pants, I finally had her completely naked, even though she was small she was solid muscle. I noticed more bruises had arisen on her torso and thighs from the fight, so I gently continued to cleanse her body.
When I finished bathing her, I turned my attention to setting up the spell. I gathered all the candles and took them to the middle of the loft. I then pushed all the furniture I could handle to the walls to clear an area for the ritual. Positioning the candles I had brought from home, I made a circle in the floor. I brought the sharpest knife I could find in the kitchen and placed it in the circle.
I finished just in time for Ted’s return. When I heard his footsteps on the stairs, I went to Willow and covered her with a sheet. He hurriedly turned the corner of the partition and handed me the bag of supplies. “Thank you,” I replied while opening the bag.
“Are you planning on doing a spell?” He questioned.
“Yes, to heal her,” I was vague.
“She needs blood to heal quickest,” he retorted.
I looked at him sternly, “move her into the middle of the circle of candles.” I was not about to put up with being cross-examined by this vampire, especially when it came to Willow. He quieted and took a step back when he realized it as well. He went to Willow and carefully picked her up; he was a devoted servant after all. He crossed the loft, maneuvering around objects cautiously, and knelt to place her on the floor among the candles. As he stood and faced me, I reared back and punched a stake into his chest. He may have been loyal, but he was still evil.
*
Buffy stood, and with a piercing stare told Edna, “You will do nothing to harm Tara. The way the council does things is not the way I do things. I’m sure you knew that before you came here. The line between good and evil is not always that clear cut Edna.” The little blonde slayer was not about to entertain the thought of anything happening to Tara.
“But she’s clearly aligned herself with the vampire…”
Buffy cut the lady watcher off. “That “vampire” was her lover and her life three days ago. Turning off your feelings for someone doesn’t just happen overnight.” The slayer paused to look at Giles, “Furthermore, I trust Tara, and I got the feeling there was more than just denial of a lost love coming from her when she tried to stop us.”
“You mean when she did stop you,” Dawn corrected as she, Xander, and Clem entered from the kitchen.
Giles removed his glasses and spoke, “Indeed, she did put up a struggle, oddly butch for Tara.” He put his glasses back on and noted many peculiar glances from the Scoobies.
Buffy marched to the front door, “I’m gonna find out exactly why Tara was so reluctant.” She stopped abruptly when she opened the door to find Willow holding a limp Tara in her arms.
“Invite me in,” the vampire demanded.
*
As I pulled back the sheet to reveal Willow’s body, I noticed several more bruises had appeared on her chest and stomach. She had surely taken a beating from her best friend. I had stopped the bleeding from most of the cuts and gashes along her arms and hands; however her face remained a gory mess. I removed the sheet completely and discarded it outside the circle of candles. I proceeded to undress myself and set aside those clothes too. Carefully, I straddled my lover across her hips and eased down to balance most of my weight on my heels. Everything was set now; I just needed to start the spell.
After reciting the first few lines, the candles surrounding us sparked wildly. I continued with the casting and the wind started to churn around the room. I had never felt such power in my entire life. The further I advanced into the spell the more the wind picked up. By the time I came to the offering, my hair whirled around blinding me from moment to moment. I picked up the knife and cut the palm of my left hand with a quick slicing motion. Wincing from pain, I thrust my palm high above my head. I repeated the lines over and over while the blood dribbled down my forearm. The wind thrashed and the candles flared, but Willow remained unmoving. Speaking the next part of the incantation, I moved to place my palm to my lover’s mouth. My blood trickled between her lips and the monster in her roused. Her face crinkled instantly and her hands quickly slapped over mine, like the jaws of a beast feeding snapping shut. She sucked swiftly from the cut. The more blood that entered her body the less the wounds on her face showed until finally her feral yellow eyes were wide and clearly visible.
When her demon eyes locked with mine, I said to her, “Take me my love, let us be together forever.”
She rose unexpectedly and removed my hand from her lips. Her naked breasts pressed into mine and she stared directly into my eyes. The wind spun up her red hair, mingling it frantically with my blonde. Giving her one last temptation, I dragged my palm along my jugular, smearing blood onto my neck. Her eyes dropped to the throbbing blood covered vein in my throat and I felt an arm encircle my waist, jerking me yet closer. I gasped for a quick breath of air before her hand suddenly gripped the back of my head and pulled my neck to her mouth. I briefly saw her fangs out of the corner of my eyes before she sank them into my throat. Hearing my own voice cry out in pain, tears began to sting my eyes. I distinctly felt the blood funneling through the tiny holes in my neck and into her mouth. Her arm tightened around my waist as her hand held my head firm. It was animalistic, yet I knew it was not *just another* feeding. She was taking as much care as could be expected from a hungry fiend.
I was beginning to feel lethargic and knew it was time to finish before I passed out. It hurt intensely to speak, but I slowly whispered to her, “I…love…you.”
Suddenly, a blinding light from above beamed onto us. Willow struggled to release me from her bite, and finally did so to lean back. I could feel her stare focusing on me even though my own gaze wavered. It was working…the spell was working. Deep within my body I felt the magic flow as it worked its way through me, gathering my spirit. Then gradually my soul rose from my body in the form of a cloud to envelop my lover and me. With all the strength I had left, I reached for the knife by my side again and brought the blade up and across her shoulder, my grip faltered at the end and the knife clanged to the floor. I placed my mouth immediately to where the sharp edge severed the pale skin of my lover and drank her blood. I sucked intently until the last stage of the spell caused our heads to fling back. Our faces were almost washed out from the bright light above. The swirling mass that was my soul whipped around over our heads and finally split into two entities then shot into our eyes. The light extinguished and so did we. I fell forward into my lover as her back crashed against the hardwood floor.
*
I awoke to Buffy’s voice, “…and what if the spell hadn’t worked?” In my grogginess I tried to open my eyes; I was so weak. Then I heard the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard, “We would have both died,” it was my love, my Willow. My eyes fluttered open to take in the sight that was my lover and my friends gathered around our bed. I was home.
Willow sucked in a sharp breath, “Baby,” she reached to touch me gently. It was *my* Willow. She was sitting beside me holding my hand. “How are you feeling?” She said as she stroked my forearm.
It took a moment to register that I wasn’t dreaming, “How? When?” I crinkled my brow from the sharp pain that bolted through the back of my head.
A freckled hand came up to smooth my hair, “Shhh, later, we’re fine, except for being of the non-dead-soul-having variety now.”
“That was some spell you did there missy,” Xander piped up.
I croaked out, “I had no other choice,” then searched for approval in the eyes of my family. The looks on their faces told me they understood.
Dawn sat down on the end of the bed and grabbed my blanket covered foot, “So, you guys really are soul mates?”
I looked at the girl and then to Willow, her emerald green eyes capturing me in the most loving gaze, and nodded. It was the stipulation that the spell was based upon, if we hadn’t been true soul mates we would have both died.
Just knowing Willow and I were meant to be together sent shivers through my body. I had never doubted it. I knew it deep down in my soul, the soul we now shared.
THE END
_________________ terra LOLdogs
|