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 (WARNING!) Mild BDSM
Spoilers: Season 6
Pairings: VW/T
Genre: Alternate Universe
Distribution: Ask first, thanks.
Summary: Vamp Will is holding Tara 'hostage', they are hiding out from the Scoobies. This chapter - The Council rep arrives, The Bronze is bad and Tara gets some time alone.
CHAPTER 12
When the knock at the door came Dawn was more cautious this time, “Who is it?” she yelled. Even though it was daylight she wasn’t taking any chances.
“Edna McPherson, Rupert Giles is expecting me,” a woman’s voice with a British accent came from the other side.
Dawn peeked through the window and ogled the Watchers’ representative. The woman was in a fitted tweed dress suit looking like Giles’ long lost fraternal twin. She had dark brown hair pulled up into a tight bun. Held to her chest were a clipboard and stack of files, to her side a leather brief case rested on the porch. The woman adjusted her glasses with a single finger before removing them to inspect the lenses. Not completely convinced and still a little gun shy from last night the teenager replied, “Just a minute.”
Dawn turned screaming, “Giles,” to find the watcher standing in her face. Looking rather perturbed the man took his glasses off to clean them and cordially thanked the girl. He grasped the knob of the front door and twisted, “come in Edna, it’s so good to see you again.”
“Indeed it is, thank you Rupert,” she replied while stepping inside.
Giles directed her to the living room then gestured for Dawn to get the others. The lady watcher came to rest in front of the couch and began to remove her jacket. Giles, always the gentleman, moved to take the woman’s coat, “Thank you very much for coming Edna. I’m sure you’ve been briefed about the situation.”
“Yes, yes I have, it seems this vampire, the magically inclined vampire, was also a friend of yours and your Slayer.”
Giles affirmed, “Yes she was. Willow was our friend as well as an integral part of our team.” He knew that Edna was aware that civilians helped him and his slayer fighting the forces of evil. Everyone at the council knew.
Buffy and Dawn, followed by Anya and Xander, entered and took seats around the room.
“Edna, I’d like you to meet the Slayer, Buffy, her sister, Dawn, our friend Xander and his girlfriend Anya.” Giles pointed to every Scooby as he introduced them. The lady watcher nodded at each as he called their names.
Buffy spoke first, “So, what’s the plan Edna?”
“Well, um, I don’t have a complete plan thought out yet but-”
Buffy cut her off, “let me put it this way, what can you do to help me kill this vampire?”
Edna shifted in her seat, looked at Giles and cleared her throat, “You may or may not be aware that I have been trained thoroughly in the black arts. I have also had several field encounters with vampires possessing magical power, although none of them have been quite as advanced as your friend.” The slayer stared at her as if she weren’t impressed by her resume.
The woman continued, “In the realm of witchcraft, the magics can be channeled from one witch to another. I have on a few occasions used this channeled magic to weaken the vampire while someone detains or kills said vampire. This is what I’d like to do with Willow.”
“So, you’re gonna hold her while I beat her up?” Buffy perked an eyebrow.
Xander threw in, “Sounds kinda like the school playground to me.” Playing of the odd looks he received from the room, “well, my experiences at the school playground anyway.”
Edna shook her head and answered, “Yes Buffy, you are correct. I will bind her powers while you kill her.”
Kill resounded in the ears of all the Scoobies. They looked at one another with sadness and pain. They knew any remnants of their friend were about to be eliminated for good.
*
She had not taken my power and she had not chained me last night. My lover took me to bed and snuggled onto my shoulder to fall fast asleep. She was so precious when she slept. I gazed over her face with heavy lidded eyes and thought of less precious things, things naughtier in nature. Oh, the things that she did to me, the things that she brought out in me, the things she made me think of doing to her. I was addicted to her, I was mesmerized by her, and I was in love with her. After she had taken me against the wall and on the couch, she took me against the bar and on the floor before carrying me to bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was asleep from our exhausting activities.
Willow was usually awake before me, so it was very odd to lie here holding her. It was nice though to watch her sleep and take in the morn…I mean afternoon. I could see the rays of light beaming against the back wall. We were, of course, shrouded from the sun, by a single wall that partitioned off the bed. I so hoped that I would get a chance to be alone today. Maybe she would have things to discuss with the boys.
I really needed to study the spell books I had brought from home. I had to research what I was going to do about Willow. I couldn’t change the fact that she was dead, nor would I mess with that kind of dark magic. Furthermore, I did not want to curse my lover with a soul and the stipulation that one moment of happiness would make her evil again like Angel. I wanted to give her soul back, to give her a conscious, so she wouldn’t kill. Even though she’d still be dead and would need blood to feed, she wouldn’t be evil. She and I could deal with the other things as we always did. And, as far as the unbelievably hot sex we’d been having, I think I could bring it out in my Willow. Just the thought of her cute little face when she saw me wearing a strap-on would be priceless.
I knew it would be a tough task, but I needed to keep her from draining my power again. I wondered how much power I had regained today. I could tell that it was weak, but I tried anyway to light a candle that sat on a table across the room. I whispered the spell under my breath and watched the flame appear. I breathed a deep sigh of relief and checked to make sure Willow was still sleeping. It was still there, my magic was still there. Barely, but it gave me hope that it would grow stronger in time. I extinguished the candle with a quick whisper and smiled to myself. I kissed her forehead and closed my eyes.
The sound of glass shattering startled me out of my musings and brought Willow straight out of bed. She could do nothing but stand behind the partition, the sun would surely burn her up if she moved into the other part of the loft. I pulled the sheet around me and scrambled out of bed. She may not have been able to see our attacker but I could…it was Buffy.
The slayer rushed across the hardwood floor towards me. “Tara! Where is she? Are you okay?” Buffy yelled.
My eyes shot to Willow, her face was red with anger.
“Buffy wait, let me explain,” I tried to stop her.
“No time to explain Tara, you’re clearly blinded by your love.” The slayer protested as she rounded the wall.
“You’re gonna pay for this Slayer,” Willow snarled and threw her hand out to cast a spell. I cringed, but nothing happened. She threw her hand out again, but still nothing. She had no power. Willow had no magic.
“What a way to go Will, in your birthday suit,” Buffy cracked as she leapt at the vampire.
“Nooooooo,” I screamed “don’t hurt her Buffy.”
The slayer shoved Willow to the bed with no difficulty; her strength was gone as well. Buffy wasted little time in planting her wooden stake deep in the heart of my lover.
I scrambled to the bed, clawing at the dust covered sheets, and sobbed, “noooooooo.”
“Kitten, kitten, you’re dreaming again.” I heard her angelic voice and opened my eyes. Tears gushed forth as I clung to her.
“You, , Buffy, , oh baby, ” she enveloped me into her arms and showered my face with tender kisses.
“Shhh, kitten, shhhh, I’m here, everything’s ok. The slayer is nowhere near here and if she were, she wouldn’t be able to get in.” She reassured me.
“I thought you were gone, oh Willow, I can’t stand the thought of not having you.” I expelled in desperation.
She stroked my hair, “you will always have me baby, always.”
*
“Woooo hooooooo, let’s party,” Frank yelled from the balcony of the Bronze. He threw back a mug of beer and gulped while the excess streamed down either side of his cheeks.
“Shut up Frank! And get down here and help me straighten up the place before the boss gets here,” Ted ordered his little brother.
The chubby vamp threw his hands out and shrugged, “What? I’m just practicing for later.” He walked over to one of the cages hanging from the ceiling and poked at the human hostage inside.
“Why don’t you practice hauling some of these bodies out back?” The taller vamp pointed to the victims on the pool table.
Not even looking at Ted he replied, “Fine, I’ll be down in a minute.” He broke into his vamp face and continued to taunt his captive.
“Why don’t you make that now?” Willow commanded as she strutted in dressed in full black leather attire.
The plump vamp jumped at the sound of his master’s voice, “y-yes ma’am,” he stumbled clumsily down the stairs, huffing and puffing.
“I like what you’ve done with the place,” she passed by Ted who was on his knees in servitude and patted his head.
“Thank you ma’am.”
Frank scuffled over to bow before Willow. She looked at his blood stained shirt and tilted up his chin, “Fully belly my boy?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Save some for mom?”
“Yes ma’am,” he pointed to the cages above that held their captives.
“Good boy,” she commended as she stalked to the flight of steps.
*
It had been days since I had been alone. When Willow left the loft to go to the Bronze she recast her protection spell, sealing me in. She told me through the barrier that no one could enter or exit except for her. I smiled contentedly. I wasn’t going anywhere anyway.
I sat on the couch and ate what I could find in the kitchen area that wasn’t spoiled. Not knowing when she would return, I spread one of the spell books across my lap and read as fast as I could while I ate. I searched for soul restoration spells for the undead as well as the living; I could alter them if I had to. I sped through the first book with no luck, but half way through the second I found one I thought I could rework. I scurried about the loft looking for stationery. I found a notepad on the table by the tall windows in the front and scribbled down the spell, including my proposed alterations. I hastily gathered up the spell books and put them back where she had left them. I went back to the couch and proceeded to memorize the spell. I would burn the note when I had it stored to memory so she wouldn’t find it. Unfortunately, I found myself with two main obstacles, first - obtaining the necessary ingredients, and second - regaining my power.
The constant sound of the clock ticking on the wall reminded me of how little time I had to commit to memory the spell I had planned for my lover. I closed my eyes and repeated the lines over and over. I prayed to the Goddesses for the strength to perform the magics to come. Finally, sure of my ability to remember the text, I lit a candle and stuck the piece of paper into its flame. I watched the orange flame catch hold and flare up high. The words inscribed faded to charcoal as the smoke billowed upwards. I sat the cindered paper on a nearby incense tray and broke it to tiny bits, camouflaging it with the ashes of the burned aroma sticks. I set about the loft lighting other candles and incense to hide the smell of burnt paper.
I paused before the windows that faced Main Street. I could see the people toddling about, in and out of the cinema and coffee shop. I missed my freedom and pondered how the spell I was going to do would affect it forever. Sacrifices, isn’t that what relationships were about? I finished illuminating the loft in candlelight and returned to the couch.
No more than twenty minutes had transpired and I heard footsteps on the stairs. “Kitten, oh Kitten, I’m home,” the sound of my lover’s voice wafted up the stairwell.
I sat with my back to her on the couch. Her footsteps tapped on the floor like a big cat prowling. I could tell she had eaten, and now she wanted dessert. When her footsteps stopped I felt her hands on my shoulders. She began to softly massage them, “miss me Pet?”
“Always,” I replied as I stood.
Her sparkling green eyes grew wide in shock when I turned fully to face her.
“My turn,” I simply said with a steamy gaze.
TBC
Last edited by terra21 on Wed May 18, 2005 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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