When Erynn found herself (Post 19)
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Author name -- CopperAndGold
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Rating - NC-17
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Disclaimer - This is an adult fic. There will be some angst, smut, bad language, difficult subject matters (They will be noted prior to posting) The characters' development were taken from season 5 - A bit after the episode: Family. Anything that is canon and prior to this episode is fair game. Oh, there's also a small reference to a funny exchange in season 6 between Anya and Tara that I just couldn't stop from using. Even with all this, there's comedy too! Everything after Family becomes A/U.
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Feedback - More, please!
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Summary - Willow and Tara make a new friend. She's... interesting.
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Notes - Sexy disclaimer of sexy times.
The atmosphere in the large, mystical room was glacial. Not one of the employees present said a word, or dared look in Doc’s direction. They only exchanged furtive, cautious glances at each other as if to find in them some sort of comfort or solidarity.
The demon-mage, in his diminutive stature commanded nonetheless the air and its moods with quiet, rending anger. The image that had been clear as day, projected onto the wall; their ability to spy on their enemies and be a step ahead, ruined. “She dares... dares!”
He snapped his head toward the large, copper bowl where the witch’s singular dark-blonde hair floated motionless. The spell to affect the witch had failed, and it was obvious to him now why that had been. He’d seen her for a few moments before she cut off his influence over the vulnerable redhead.
Now, Doc felt he was powerless against this newly awakened witch, from afar. If he didn’t show himself and confront them both, they’d be taking a chance without knowing what trouble might be stirred. He wished he’d brought his ledger with him. The mage remembered the two witches being inscribed therein, but couldn’t remember their respective proficiency in the arts.
“Go away,” Doc intoned in a flat groan, “All of you, come back when you’ve rested.” When he noticed their shared, questioning glances he said louder, “Are you all def? I said leave me!” His hand slammed the table before him with force. A sudden sonic boom hit the ceiling in a resounding clap, effectively evacuating the magical department in record time in a hasty, tripping stampede.
What he needed was a different angle. She’d be brought to heel, and then… well, Doc was much more comfortable taking her power for himself than to have an adversary out there, instead. The redheaded witch might become her own worst enemy in the end, having already opened a door to the dark, but this
Tara? “Kellison,” The family name meant little to him. This only made figuring the witch out all the more difficult.
He pursed his lips and took the glasses off his nose. Doc had been briefed on the witches, and what the Center knew about them so far. One phone call had been especially interesting to him, the call this Tara had made to her aunt.
Margaret, yes. Kellison original maiden name – there must be something...The mage wondered if he’d bitten off more than he could chew. Truthfully, it wasn’t either of his projects on their own that caused him to doubt himself. Needing to make Damien Glory’s new and better suited male-husk - as she’d personally requested of him to do and for which he couldn’t have been more honored. That, obviously, would be his main project.
The second, that of separating the witches. And, now that he realized how much more powerful Tara was than he’d originally found – he desperately wanted her. Wanted her power for himself, and that had quickly become his second project.
The more time passed, the more he felt like switching his priorities. But, when a Hell Goddess tells you to do something…
So, he had both ‘projects’ going at the same time, and felt like it might be out of his reach to successfully attain both goals this way. He decided not wanting to anger his Goddess was the most important for his health. Doc knew he had some of her minions watching him, reporting back to her Magnificence on his progress.
Doc started thinking about how he could go about keeping Damien under control enough until Glorificus made her way to Sunnydale. He didn’t have that long to wait, but the mage had been ordered to conserve her new host’s way of life. Which meant Doc was stuck here with that insufferable fool until his Goddess decided to leave Cleveland.
***
It felt cramped, the map was taking up a good portion of the table’s surface. Markers, assorted drinks, discarded snack wrappings, a laptop and books filled every spots left. The shop felt crowded, voices overlapping while two different discussions were taking place at the same time.
Loreli’d had to stay behind the counter, listening from a distance as best she could. Still on the mend, the elder witch was struggling with keeping the translation spell going, and deal with her empathic feedback at the same time. This short distance had been enough for her to relax into the discomfort.
After being woken up by the cacophony of overlapping, excited and impassioned voices she’d exited her den of rest in the office and rubbed her blurry eyes. The group’s voices becoming clearer and sharper. After retreating to the safety of the counter, she’d realized they were separated in two groups. Each group holding their own discussions.
Coffee would work wonders right now… The two witches had captured her attention once she’d settled herself on a stool. Tara was fussing over Willow who was sporting a nasty goose-egg on her forehead. The redhead was using the computer sitting in front of the slightly taller young woman. Judging by the timbre of her voice, Willow was also suffering from a dreadful headache.
The Slayer and her Watcher were talking about diversions. Splitting the group in two, maybe three – depending on the required coverage. The young man, Xander and the two witches were trying to figure out transportation issues. The number of people who needed rescuing was staggering, they would need vehicles up to the task.
The young shop keeper’s eyes found Loreli’s and she made her way toward the witch, her high heels announcing her movements with their dry
click-clacks against the shop floor. “How was your rest?” Anya asked the elder witch.
Loreli patted her hair in a vain attempt to bring it under some sense of control. As it was, she was certain it looked like a big ball of gray lint, “Very much needed, thank you.” She replied, her hands now busy straightening her clothes self-consciously. “Would there be any coffee, by chance?” Her supplicating eyes found those of the shop keeper again, her voice a pleading rasp.
Tara overheard the elder witch’s voice and cast a glance her way.
I should tell her I can contact Erynn.With this string of thought, the stone she’d brought with her naturally came to mind. Tara had somehow hoped it could come in handy since Erynn’s guard was an Incubus.
Anya - need to talk with Anya. I probably can’t use it anyway. It was a shot in the dark, really.
Plus, she wasn’t that excited about the idea of bribing anyone with such a personal… thing, and didn’t really even know where the idea had come from. All she knew was, it was a last ditch effort sort of idea – there would be no frivolous flaunting of their intimate moments… unless they found themselves in an ‘assume-crash-position’ situation.
Really, how would they explain
that to the rest of group? Tara grimaced at the thought.
Willow busied herself trying to get an idea of the building’s maintenance access points, like sewers, ventilation, etc. in order to grant herself access when the time comes for her to unlock doors and start the looped camera feeds. She shook cobwebs from her head. The redhead was still feeling the effects of whatever spell had been put on her. A feeling of a ghostly presence, eyes trained on her – it was unnerving. “You sure all I need is a grounding?” She kept her eyes on the screen as she addressed her girlfriend.
My head is killing me.Tara frowned tightly but nodded that yes, it was all that was needed. “What does it feel like?” She asked softly.
A grounding would be great right now. The witch felt as though a state of shock was slowly being lifted from her psyche, the effects of the unbinding starting to make themselves known. At first, Tara had thought she’d be assaulted with another flashback, the sensations feeling oddly familiar. But, the feeling remained without ever morphing into world-altering images and emotions.
“Uh,” Willow’s eyes flicked across her screen before pressing a key to change the output to a different camera feed. “Like there’s someone following me, standing behind me and-and watching me.” She finished, trying to fight off a chill running up her spine. “It’s really not as bad as before, though.” Tapping the key again, yet another feed replaced the one prior. “Kinda like it’s dissipating.”
The redhead’s eyes flickered toward the bottle of pain killers sitting on the table, next to the laptop. Having already taken two of the pills, she knew she’d be pushing it if she were to take more.
She cut that spell off like, like it was nothing. No words, nothing – zip, done.Willow couldn’t keep from returning to the same thoughts, over and over in a loop of both astonishment and worry. Tara felt the same, sounded the same but more confident, like when she’s comfortable around someone.
Like when she’s with me, or… well, me.Xander overheard the conversation, his mood having not gotten any better over the day, “Wonder who put that spell on you.” His lips twisting in disgust, “We’ll have to deal with them too.” He concluded to a couple of nodding heads. “Think you could contact Erynn again, Tara?”
At the mention of her niece’s name, Loreli’s breath caught in the throat which was unfortunate since she’d had a mouthful of coffee. The mug clattered loudly on the glass surface of the counter, luckily not dropping any of the needed contents.
But the old witch did choke on whatever had managed to go down her throat. She coughed, and wheezed loudly – patting her chest a few times. All heads were turned towards her patiently, and despite having to talk between coughing fits, she made the effort out of sheer surprise. “You’ve talked-” Another cough and clearing of her throat, she wheezed, “Talked with Erynn!?” Her eyes were trained directly on Tara.
“Um,” The brunette witch blinked furiously feeling like she was getting whiplash, pressing together her lips, a dimple forming quickly before disappearing off her cheek, “I was able to, with something she made. A-a drawing?” For the first time since the unbinding, Tara felt like bowing her head. She felt somewhat guilty for not having woken the woman to tell her about contacting her niece. “I brought it with me,” The witch looked to the Slayer, pointing toward the wall on the other side of a bookshelf where the bag she’d brought peeked through some books.
Buffy listened attentively to the conversation and when she saw Tara look her way she asked, “So, you could contact her again?” When Tara looked at her quizzically but still nodded, the Slayer explained, “We would need to ask her some things.”
The old woman cleared her throat again and, Buffy didn’t know if it was from the coffee or to bring attention to the fact she’d want to also talk to Erynn.
Willow was uncharacteristically quiet, but when the subject of conversation had turned to Tara using her brand-spankin’ new power that she didn’t seem to control just yet, she visibly winced.
Knowing her girlfriend, she’d want to make sure she had a good understanding of what she was doing with magic, before acting on anything. This idea, although she’d already done it,
I wasn’t even there… was still uncomfortable for the redhead.
It worries me but I can’t help but be proud of her. Her darkened green eyes softened at the thought, she’d always known Tara was strong. Like, internally strong.
Maybe she’s just strong all over now.Her brow suddenly shot up her forehead,
Naughty thoughts, not the time. Her mind chastised her but her lips, nonetheless, quirked slightly at the corners.
Anya sighed loudly, tapping her foot and leaning against the bookshelf. “Fine, Tara can call Erynn or whatever,” She waved a frustrated hand in the witch’s direction, “But after that, I need to go eat something.”
Willow coughed, patted her chest and squeaked. Effectively attracting her girlfriend’s concerned gaze, the other woman laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Sorry,” She croaked, “Was going to agree,” Willow cleared her throat loudly, “I guess my body feels like I do about agreeing with Anya.” She giggled guiltily, Anya’s eyes boring into her.
Tara patted the shoulder she’d squeezed,
Perfect time to do this. “Anya?” When the sour-faced shop keeper turned her way, the witch smiled shortly while making her way toward the counter and nodding her head toward it, communicating her intention of talking with the woman aside from the rest of the group.
As expected, Anya begrudgingly followed. “I wasn’t going to yell at her, just call her names.” She said petulantly on the way.
The voices at the table receded a bit and Tara pulled Anya aside, “It’s not about that,” She asked in a soft whisper, “Erynn’s guard?” When the blonde nodded, she continued, “He’s an Incubus,” Her brow quirked slightly, “They, I mean – aren’t they like, who our stone was made for?”
Anya was perturbed a bit, she looked at the witch askance, “Your stone?” Her brow quirked, “I still haven’t gotten any money for that stone. I’d hardly call it yours – I
would buy it off of you for the same price, though.”
The witch couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her friend’s one-track mind, “Ahn, can’t you see this isn’t the time to settle debts?” Her arm extended, indicating the research table still surrounded by activity. “Is our- the stone for Succubi only since it was a Succubus stone?”
Letting go of money issues wasn’t easy for her, but she’d make an effort since her bestie had made a good point, “Uh, I might have said it was.” Her eyes flittered to Willow and back, “At the time, it seemed prudent.”
Tara frowned, not sure what it was the ex-demon was telling her, “What?”
“Ugh,” She grumbled, “I didn’t want Willow to be angry, then you’d get angry and I’d gone through the trouble with the clothes and everything!” Anya finished petulantly.
“Okay,” With a hand covering her stomach and the other her forehead, Tara was the picture of confusion, “What the heck are you saying?”
“The stone,” Anya made the word stretch, “It’s not a Succubus stone, it’s an Incubus stone.” Her eyes avoided the witch’s knowing the judgment she’d eventually see in them, “I didn’t want to tell Willow because she’d be all over-the-top about it.”
Why would she be? So, it’s an Incubus stone… so it’s for an- oh! Her blue eyes shot wide, “So, it would be an Incubus, a
male demon, that would um, use it?” Now it was herself who was shooting Willow some worried looks, “Okay…” She took a deep breath, “Could we have used a Succubus stone instead?” Tara’s voice was flat, without affect and her eyes fixed on those trying to look anywhere but ahead, “Did we have a choice?” Tara’s darkened eyebrow quirked tersely.
Anya’s face twisted, knowing she’d been found out. “Fine, yes you could have. But only a Succubus can use a Succubus stone, and vice-versa.” She pleaded half-heartedly, “It was worth so much more with you two being lesbians and-” At the loud gasp and the widening of Tara’s aghast eyes her voice choked in her throat.
The witch’s cheeks were burning, heart thumping in shocked anger. “You mean to tell me,” She ground out, “You lied, told us it was a Succubus stone when it was an Incubus stone. And, you did so you could make
money off our feminine orgasms!?” She’d almost raised her voice loud enough to be heard, almost.
When her friend was about to explain, or make excuses Tara just lifted a flat hand cutting her off and walked toward the table. “Later, I just can’t right now- I’m too angry.”
How the hell will I bring this up to Willow? Her idea, although having been concretized as being possible, seemed like the furthest thing she would ever want to do now.
What was I thinking?Anya stayed behind the counter, knowing she had done something that had crossed some kind of a line. She felt awful about it, even though she really didn’t get why it was a big deal.
All they wanted was to end the sex-spell… how else were they gonna do it? I just figured resell would be easier and more lucrative if it was an Incubus stone. What’s so wrong with that? She pouted and looked for Xander’s attention. Seeing him stand and walk her way relieved her, maybe he could let her in on why it was such a big deal.
Once she’d explained the whole situation, making sure to alert her boyfriend that if he were to say a word about it he would very much regret it, all he said while exhaling exasperatedly was, “Oh, Anya.”
Meanwhile, Tara was rummaging through her things looking for the drawing while the others made some room on the table by clearing up what could go. Willow had gotten up from behind the laptop and made her way toward her girlfriend.
“Hey,” She announced her presence and asked, “How are you doing, you know, with everything?” Her fingers twisting together anxiously, when her girlfriend looked her way she asked, “Your flashbacks that aren’t yours?”
The brunette had the drawing in hand when she stood upright, “Nothing so far,” She smiled at her girlfriend, happy about that fact. “Can’t say they’re gone though, I guess we’ll see.” She half-shrugged.
Willow nodded silently, recognizing the truth of it, “Uh, Baby?” She twisted her fingers together anxiously, wondering how her girlfriend would take her next question, “Are you sure you want to-to do this?” She winced internally, feeling like she was being a bad girlfriend. Making Tara doubt herself, but deep down she knew her love would want to know if she could notice.
“Sure, I’m sure.” A grin brightened her face, “I did it before, I can do it again right?” Noticing Willow’s displeased expression her brow creased worryingly, “What?”
“Baby,” The redhead brushed her wayward hair behind her ear agitatedly, “How? How did you know how to-” She wiggled her fingers in the direction of the drawing in Tara’s hand, “’Call’ Erynn and everything?”
Tara shrugged, “Dunno, I just… knew.” She shrugged again, blinked a few times tying to concentrate on how it’d felt. “Yeah, like it was already there, you know?”
Oh, I see… “Right, I wasn’t thinking.”
Eyes wide and worried, Willow waved a hand in her girlfriend’s direction. Her expression one of regretful righteousness. “I mean, trust me I get it.” She shook her head, fingers back together twisting at her waist, “You have this new power and feel like, if you can then, you could. And if you could then you should and-and…but, that’s just not like
you, you know what I mean?”
Remember who you are “No, it’s not, is it?” Rubbing her forehead, a bit confused about how she felt but knowing for sure her girlfriend was correct in her assessment. “I should be more careful, huh?”
The redhead shrugged, “I mean,” A pained look crossed her face before she controlled it, “That’s what you would’ve done… before.” There was a fleck of missing linoleum at her right foot that was very interesting to Willow right then. Feeling like they desperately needed some time alone, so they could talk all of this out. She had a lot of worries.
Pressing her lips together seriously, Tara blinked from realization, “You think I’ve changed.”
You know you did, in some ways at least… but, like this? She swallowed loudly and crossed her arms over her roiling stomach,
Not good.Green, pleading eyes tried to assuage her obviously distraught girlfriend, “I don’t know, baby.” Reaching out for one of Tara’s hands, she grasped it with her own, “I know you’re you - I feel it, I mean, you. But you
have done two spells now… without thinking about it first, no emergency or anything.” Willow’s voice was soft and sweet, a tonal entreaty accompanying her words.
I can see myself doing something like that, but Tara? She’s always telling me to be mindful.“Okay,” Tara reached for the redhead’s other hand and took it in hers, “Okay, I’ll get the information.” She carefully emphasized the boundary she was setting herself, “B-but after that, I need to cool it with the magic.” She took her love into her arms then, thankful for having this woman in her life, “We need time alone, soon. So we can ground ourselves and talk.” Swaying side to side, she rocked them both back to calmness. “I need to study those books, too. I’m sure they’ll teach me important stuff.”
“You read my mind,” Willow squeezed the body she knew by heart. The curves in the same places, the warmth of her skin, and the rhythm of her lover’s heart, her scent- Her nose crinkled up slightly, “Can we talk in the shower?” She asked comically, making a smelly face.
She heard Tara’s gasp before she had to squirm away from her tickling fingers, “You’re not smelling like roses either, missy!” A giggle escaped her lips as Willow pulled away mid-laughter.
“Come on,” The redhead tipped her head towards the table, “Let’s get this over with.”
***
Watching from the bushes for her father’s car to leave the driveway, Amy made sure she wasn’t seen before finding the spare key behind the loose brick like she remembered. At least this much hadn’t changed.
She couldn’t wait to change clothes. Having woken up naked, she’d had to find something to wear. Amy had found that she was in Willow’s room, with another girl. So, she’d had plenty of choices, although the other girl’s clothing fit her better. The fit wasn’t the problem, though.
Amy wasn’t a fashionista by any stretch of the imagination, but she knew the clothes she’d ‘borrowed’ she wouldn’t have worn otherwise. The long flowing skirt kept getting in her way, and the tops were all so flowy and lame.
The door opened once she turned the key, and she stayed silent a moment to make sure his father still lived alone. Once she was certain no one else was there, Amy made her way up to her bedroom.
She found all her things exactly where she’d left them, a light layer of dust covering every surface. “He didn’t touch anything.” The ex-rat said sadly, knowing that her father had surely worried himself crazy when she’d ‘disappeared’.
I just got back from being a rat, enough with the melodrama – I want to go out and do something. Once her inner monologue complete, she busied herself with changing clothing. Finding her old hair brush and makeup, she was surprised to find how much she still remembered about her high school routines.
High school, what’s the date anyway?Everything around her was from back when she last exited this room. Judging by the dust alone, it must’ve been at least a year! How could Willow not figure out how to change her back, in a whole year!?
I need her help once and, what? I’m put on the back burner?Amy was getting more annoyed with Willow by the second. The redheaded witch had always had more luck than herself when it came to the dark arts. Amy, being a generational witch, always thought she’d be stronger than Willow. It hadn’t turned out that way, and she resented it. Resented Willow for being stronger, and yet failing her.
She made herself a sandwich while she could, sat with a glass of water and thought about what to do next. All Amy knew for sure was that she wanted to be walking, anywhere – but walking, on two legs. The high school wasn’t far from where she lived, so once the sandwich was finished and having put everything back in their place, she left by the same door and kept the key.
The state of the old school shocked her. She wondered what had happened but was really happy she’d missed whatever it was. Amy wasn’t much of a fighter, or even one for the excitement of Buffy’s life. But she knew that somehow, the Slayer had something to do with it.
So, high school is done…In a bit of a daze, Amy wandered the streets. Trying to find where she’d fit in again, knowing her father would have all kinds of questions for her. Not knowing how he’d take the truth made her antsy, and so she decided to keep roaming.
Eventually she turned the corner onto Main street, and saw a newspaper and magazine salesman. Amy wanted to know the date, and she’d forgotten to find something to clue her in, at home. So she went to the kiosk and looked at the date on the papers and gasped out loud, spooking the poor elderly salesman.
“Two years!?” Amy shrieked, “I can’t
believe this.” The man behind the counter looked perplexed and somewhat worried after her outburst, “Miss?” He asked hesitantly, “Would you like a newspaper?”
The young woman shook her head and waved her hand dismissively before walking away without a word, very angry.
***
“Look for anything about the Center,” Damien’s voice was clipped, and held a sense of deep impatience.
Lynd had been sent on field work, which was not habitual. They needed to know what Doc’s agenda was though, and the best way to do that would be to go to his place while he was working. So, here found themselves, Lynd. “Let me get in the door first.”
Damien was in the tech. department, surrounded by monitors and people talking gibberish. “You’re being slow as hell!” His patience was dwindling, he knew there was something he was missing and that was never a good sign. “I have blackmail of all sorts, for all my employees and nothing on this guy?”
The main technician in charge caught Damien’s eye and shot him a ‘thumbs-up’, letting the owner know that their extra bandwidth would be available before the launch after all. Damien nodded, satisfied with the small win for now. “So, are you in yet?”
Before getting an answer, his earpiece made a chiming sound, “Hold on Lynd, other line.” Damien clicked off and onto the other line, “Speak.”
The head of security’s voice was heard, “We still haven’t heard from the team we sent to the magic box, sir.” When there wasn’t much else than silence over the line, the employee continued tentatively, “Should we count them as lost?”
Damien sighed, “How many?” He’d have to do some more recruiting. He hated the hiring process, so tedious and boring.
“Uh,” The man on the other end of the line intoned, “Two humans, two Pocklas.”
Shaking his head, knowing he should have sent more. He’d been keeping Jurrot back on account of him breaking the Slayer the last time they bumped into each other. It might be time, he thought but simply responded, “Well, get replacements. We’ve lost four, get eight more.” Damien pressed the line off and returned to Lynd, “So, anything?”
“Not so far,” Lynd looked through all the books and items that were stacked seemingly haphazardly around the place, “He’s got so much stuff in here, and it smells like mothballs.” The assistant decided to look in another room.
A box… might have something.
Damien was back to losing patience, “Make it quick, will ya?”
The door to the bedroom was pushed open wider, and this room seemed to be more like a place they’d find answers. “There’s an altar, candles and an effigy of a woman.” Pulling a small drawer out from under the altar, Lynd found a book filled with handwritten pages. “Got a diary or journal, here.” Once the words of the first page were read, its purpose had been obvious to the assistant.
“Good,” He felt like he needed to hurt something, today had started all wrong. “Bring it back here. There’s got to be something in there we can use.”
“Hm, hold on,” Lynd asked for time while reading and ended up finding something interesting, “That god he worships? Well,
she actually exists… lives in Cleveland of all places.”
“So?” Damien asked loudly, not seeing the relevance at all, “Just bring the damn thing so I can read it. Is there anything else?”
There was a moment when no words were exchanged, but he could hear Lynd moving things around. “Nah, nothing.” Was the terse reply, “Lots of crap, nothing to do with you. Some female clothing, and toiletries as well.”
“Okay, come back with the book.” The C.E.O. said before hanging up.
Lynd wondered if Damien would ever hold up his end of the deal. He’d needed an assistant and the demon had desperately wanted out of the political side of the whole endeavor.
Of course, the details of their deal had been only spoken after a long, arduous night of… deliberations. But, he had said that Lynd would be free to go once the Center was up and running.
Once he’d found his ‘pumpkin’ though, it had planted doubts. Would Damien ever let Lynd go? Or, had he said it believing they would never leave?
Jurrot has nothing better to do, but I sure do. Lynd thought sourly.
***
“You’d only need to touch it?” The shop owner asked the newly awakened witch, “Then, you would be linked telepathically?” Giles was standing over Tara who was sat at the table, the drawing of a sunflower unfolded and opened before her.
“Mmhm,” The witch nodded, looking up to meet the man’s eyes, “That’s what I did earlier, and thought of Erynn – ha-had an image of her in my mind.” Tara felt warm skin engulfing her hand.
Squeezing the soft hand lovingly, she turned her eyes to her lover and grinned bashfully. She hadn’t felt this nervous since the unbinding. Her girlfriend’s thoughtful gesture warmed her through, and brought back a sense of calm.
“You just knew?” Willow asked surprised, “That it would work, I mean.” The redhead was still astounded, it was as if knowledge had been downloaded into her lover’s brain- “Does it feel like anything when you remember?”
She was on the verge of a babble, in part by excitement caused by her girlfriend’s advancement. There was also a part of Willow that, however small it might be, was worried about the new aloof way in which she’d used magic. That had shaken the lithe witch quite a bit, so out of character it had been for Tara.
Blue eyes perused the ceiling, looking for a way to answer. Tara tried to put into words a sensation she’d never had before, “Uh, you know how sometimes you’ll try to remember the words to a song or something, and you just can’t come up with them?” Willow grinned and nodded, showing she was following, “The moment when you, all of a sudden - out of nowhere remember?” Tara’s eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed – not sure she was explaining correctly, “That’s, that’s what it’s like- Just before? That little shock of remembering.”
Buffy had been listening in and, seeing her opportunity to butt in, she took it, “So, we have a list of questions for Erynn.” Scratching half-mindlessly at her forehead, she went on, “Maybe we could listen in, or Tara could relay?” The Slayer’s eyes turned to the brunette witch questioningly.
Loreli made sure to ask for Tara to relay a message, “I would just like her to know that I’m here, and…” Everything she was coming up to say sounded trite and useless, “I can’t wait to see her again.” When Giles looked at her with sad eyes, she turned around and walked away, “Excuse me a moment,” Was all she said before closing the door to the bathroom behind herself.
When Willow turned back from watching the elderly woman close the door, she was met with Tara’s sorrowful eyes. She knew her girlfriend would do anything she could, if she knew it would help.
But, what if helping would hurt Tara? Above anything else, it was that particular dilemma that worried the redhead. Because she couldn’t predict for the life of her how Tara would respond. She’d never seen her girlfriend have options in that way, before. Knowing how selfless she could be, she thought there was reason to worry.
A list was deposited on the table, next to the drawing. Questions, reassurances and words of encouragement. They were also going to do their best to let Erynn in on the plan of attack, so she wouldn’t be surprised when it happened. Anya patted the brunette’s shoulder after dropping the sheet of paper. “Make it fast, we’re all hungry and Xander stinks.”
***
“Aren’t you taking all of this a bit out of proportion?” Spike was exasperated, Lucile was going out of her mind trying to figure out how she could have been wrong about Tara. “It’s not like the witch is the only variable in the equation.” His shrug was so slight to almost be imperceptible.
A third bottle of knock-off pepto-bismol made an arc in the air to land in a bucket which served as a trash can. “If she’s already unbound herself, and the town is darker now-”
“Right,” He cut her off, “There are two answers to that. Either she’s not as good a person as you thought, or there are dark forces out there you don’t know about.” He’d had enough of her neuroticism, the kid gloves were off.
“Who?” She hopped onto the counter, taking a seat on it’s edge. Her tail swaying as she thought, “Not many players in town I don’t know about. None, actually.”
Spike shrugged again, this time more forcefully trying to convey the fact he was as clueless as she was. “I’m outta booze.” He said as means to change the subject while standing from the couch, “Wanna go to Willy’s?” The vampire needed out of this place, if he wasn’t going to get any rest he would at least be somewhere with some life to it.
This moping and brooding is that ponce Angel’s thing, not mine.After letting go of a deep sigh, the old demon came down from the counter and nodded on her way to the door. “Yes, that sounds great.” She pulled the door open and looked back shortly to make sure the vampire was behind her, “It’s a good place to be anyway, we could ask around for information.”
Spike rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Well I’ll meet you there then,” Pulling back from the shaft of sunlight coming into his crypt, “Vampire, remember?” He said as she looked back at him blank-faced.
Lucile raised her eyes to the sky, shaking her head disbelieving how absent minded she was being. “Of course,” She said, turning around ready to walk back into the crypt, but Spike’s voice halted her way forward.
“It’s okay luv,” He said hastily, “I’m the dolt who has to take the soddin’ sewers, not you. Just go,” His voice sounded further as the door was almost halfway closed, “Enjoy the sun and things.”
Lucile blinked as the door closed.
Fine then, I will. She thought sourly, taking brisk steps out of the cemetery.
Where’s that cat? Haven’t seen her all day.Spike’s back was pressed against the door. He reached for a cigarette, lit it with a flip-click of his Zippo lighter. Taking a deep drag, his arm fell to his side, thumb flicking the still inexistent loose ash from its tip. “Bloody hell,”
She’s doing my head in. The vamp thought he’d lose his mind with her around if they didn’t find out what was going on. Somehow, an Uber Tara isn’t good enough.
How can it be worse? It’s not Glinda, I’d wager on that.Taking the ladder down to the sub level, Spike left his crypt for the sewers. He needed to drink some more. And Lucile had a point, it was a good place to get information.
***
“It can’t be that hard to get a pencil,” Erynn grumbled to herself while rummaging through the drawers of the entertainment system. She’d gone across the hall to the other room when she started getting mightily bored. Mark had stopped talking, wanting to just do his job and fretting to himself since finding out who Erynn knew.
Since she couldn’t very well assuage his worries when it came to Buffy, she’d decided to give him his space. All Erynn would want right now, would be a pencil and some paper. She knew she could at least get lost in drawing, instead of counting the seconds go by. Worrying that, at any moment, Damien might decide he wanted to play. “Damn, damn, maudite marde de tabarnak!” The drawer was shut and the resulting crack of wood against wood reverberated, and the television teetered from the force, almost falling to the ground.
Erynn wasn’t able to find what she needed, and everything else in this room her eyes fell on made her sick. No cable, obviously – it was only a T.V. and a DVD player. A tall bookshelf contained ‘films’ that meant to pass as entertainment. It had only been the desperation of her boredom that had finally compelled her to brave the room.
Walking back to the bedroom and hiking up her dress, she climbed the bed and decided to lie down. Looking toward the top right of the room, she stared into the camera and said, even though she didn’t know if anyone could hear her, “What am I supposed to be doing here? Hello!?” Erynn linked her fingers behind her head, “Although it kinda looks like I came at a bad time.” She laughed genuinely, finding it oddly humorous how Damien’s plans were all tangled together, “As soon as you’re about to launch your project or whatever, here I am hanging out with the Slayer.” She’d started giggling again, but at that moment she felt or heard that buzzing again. Erynn knew what to expect this time.
“Tara?” Erynn thought, “
Tara, are you there?” Faster than before, the buzzing turned into words in her mind.
“Yes, it’s me again.” The witch’s voice came through clearly,
“How have you been holding up?”Erynn closed her eyes noticing how it somehow helped her concentrate, “
As good as a prisoner would, I guess. How are you guys, did they attack after all?”
“They did, attack I mean. Earlier, before I first reached you.” Tara replied,
“We’re all safe though, they lost.” The levity in Tara’s voice made Erynn smile.
“I need to tell you, Loreli has been here with us, and she’s also doing okay. She says she can’t wait to see you again. She was really worried about you.”Having to wait until she was certain Tara was done had been torture. Erynn had been so surprised to hear her aunt was in Sunnydale,
“Really?” She thought,
“Why would she come all this way… she didn’t know-” Her eyes popped open, “I promised to call her after you and I met, but instead Damien found me.”“Oh, um- hold on Erynn. I’ll be right back.”***
Tara’s fingers retreated from the drawing and her eyes opened, seeming at a loss, “Should I tell her,” She asked no one in particular, “About t-the flashbacks? I was supposed to tell her the day she got taken.” At the thoughtful faces she got in return she added, “We were talking about Loreli being here, and why. But, all that re-relates back to the day the talk fell through. What if she asks me?”
Again, thoughtful faces surrounded her. All but one, “If she asks, answer truthfully.” Loreli said assuredly. “If Erynn doesn’t think she’s ready to hear an answer, no matter what it is – she won’t ask the question.”
Tara gave the old woman a grateful smile and nod, returned her fingers to the drawing and took a deep breath.
***
“Hey, sorry about that.” Erynn heard after a few minutes,
“I needed to step away for a sec.”“It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere.” The empath chuckled inwardly,
“Can you tell Loreli that I love her very much, and that without her help – well, I wouldn’t have been able to keep my head.”Oddly enough, she could hear a soft echo of Tara talking to Loreli, relaying her message.
I didn’t think I’d hear her talking, weird.“That is weird,” Tara replied, as if the thought had been for her,
“I thought it would only pick up on my thoughts, not my voice.”
“I guess we do think when we talk, don’t we?” Erynn had been bored so long, she could keep this conversation up for hours.
“That’s true.” The witch took a short moment, then asked,
“Your guard, is he- he doesn’t hurt you or anything, right?”“Nah,” Erynn almost laughed, “He seems harmless and he’s petrified of Buffy.” Her face broke into a small smile, “He knows I know the Slayer and now he’s scared she’ll come guns blazing.”
“Maybe not with guns,” Was Tara’s reply,
“But we do have a plan, so yeah- she is coming and she won’t be alone.”“Tara?” She couldn’t help but wonder,
“How does Buffy feel about sexual-energy eaters?”“Um, I can ask...” The witch said tentatively,
“Why?”“Dunno, I feel bad for him?” Erynn tried to explain,
“He’s pretty defenseless, that’s why he works for Damien.”“Apparently they can be dangerous, Erynn.” Tara said when she returned,
“They can drain people completely, killing them.”“Sure, but imagine him trying that with demons.” Erynn retorted, somehow feeling insulted on Mark’s account.
“He’s a pinata out there.”“Okay, okay. We’ll try and figure something out,” Tara sounded annoyed now,
“But Erynn, Mark isn’t on our list of priorities.”“That’s all I ask,” The empath said thankfully,
“For you guys to think about it.”“So,” Tara sounded more focused now,
“Someone from Damien’s camp cast a spell on Willow. Any idea who it might have been?”Erynn had a pretty good idea,
“Yeah, this old guy with glasses. He’s creepy, I mean really creepy. Works with Damien, too. More like partners, really.”“Huh,” She sounded stumped, not knowing the supposed magic wielder.
“Again, we’ll look into it. I don’t remember someone like that, personally. Do you have a name?”“Unfortunately not.” Was her simple answer,
“I remember his eyes turning all black thought, it was so scary.”“Erynn, sorry but I’m getting pretty tired.” Tara said softly, “This is still new to me, this spell. I’ll try to contact you when we’re ready to go, tomorrow okay?”Nodding to no one, Erynn nonetheless thought,
“Okay, tell Loreli I wish I could hug her goodnight. And for her to get some rest, please. Oh, and let her know that I wanted you guys to have access to my credit. If you need anything at all, it’s there for you to use.”“That’s very generous, Erynn. I doubt we will, though.” She could hear a tinge of emotion, but couldn’t place it over the connection.
“Credit cards are traceable anyway, it might be risky.”Feeling like there wasn’t much else she could be good for, Erynn felt deflated.
“Okay, but if you have no choice though – my cards are in the closet, on the second to top shelf in a lockbox. Loreli knows the code for the box, and the PINs for the cards. It’s really not an issue, you know. I don’t mind at all, Tara.”“Okay,” There was a definite giggle coming through,
“You sound like Willow. Talk tomorrow Erynn, be safe.”
“You too.” Erynn swallowed a lump that had been sat in her throat since Tara contacted her,
“Don’t die on my account or I’ll be pissed.”***Sadie had been so quiet, the witches almost forgot about her when it came time to leave for lunch. Only when Tara had gone to the bathroom to try and freshen up as best she could, did she notice the feline waiting for her patiently just outside the door.
They weren’t coming back to the magic box for the rest of the day, so they couldn’t just leave the cat there.
She’s an outdoor cat, though… I’m sure she’s been tending to herself just fine. Tara had reasoned. Sadie had taken the hint when the front door had been opened after some loving pets. She’d scampered away as if there was a meeting she was late for.
There had been a debate about where to hide, once they’d had lunch. Knowing the dorms were out of question, only left two options since the Center had to know where they all lived. Not being able to pay with her credit card had made Willow cranky at lunch. Both of them didn’t carry cash, so the redhead had had to go find an ATM.
Willow pouted while explaining that no matter how small the probability of being attacked at the Rosenberg’s residence was, she’d feel better at a hotel with the rest of the gang.
The pout, as always, won Tara over to her girlfriend’s delight. So here they were, in the backseat of Xander’s car. Xander and Anya up front. Giles was following in his red convertible with the top down, and Loreli was sat beside him and Buffy was in the back seat.
They skipped the closest two hotels, went for the third one – luckily enough, it seemed to be that the further from Sunnydale it was, better kept was the hotel.
Sleeping arrangements weren’t too difficult to figure out, Buffy was left to chose between a single room or being sneaky and sharing with Giles and Loreli. The Slayer had chosen to have her own space.
“I worked a project around here a few months ago,” Xander told Willow as they both hauled a suitcase or two up the stairs to their rooms, “I know you guys need a park or something for ‘recalibration’ or whatever.” Heaving Anya’s suitcase up to get a better grip of the slipping handle, he plowed on, “There’s one just a block away, if you walk in diagonal to the west from here. I used to take my lunch there.”
The redhead looked behind herself when she reached the top step, watching Tara struggle with her own haul. “Thanks, Xand. We really need it, it’s been a crazy-magic day.” She dropped her load on the landing and made her way down the few steps to help her girlfriend with the sac she was carrying. “I’ll take it up the rest of the way, baby. Where’s your suitcase?” She asked with a peck on the lips.
“It’s at the bottom,” Tara smiled after the kiss, “I’ll get it and bring it up. I shouldn’t have trouble with that one.” She grinned and blinked her eyes, her cheeks reddening bashfully.
They found their respective rooms, the place having been practically empty they’d been allotted adjacent ones.
Once Anya had dropped her things in hers and Xander’s room, she peeked outside to her left and saw Giles coming out of his and Loreli’s. “Why put us on the second floor if all the rooms are vacant?” She sounded peeved, “It would’ve been so much less trouble – I have two suitcases plus Xander’s. That means I had to carry one of mine!”
Giles goodheartedly ventured, “Often, they’ll rent from top to bottom; depending on their staff’s schedules, it might make it easier on the cleaning personnel.” Shrugging, he shook his head, “Who knows, really.”
Willow walked back into their room, on the other side of Xander’s. “Why did we have to get a room next to Xander and Anya?” She whispered at her girlfriend, none too pleased to have to share a wall with her childhood friend.
She was going through her things so Tara was slightly distracted, “You’d rather be next to Mr. Giles’?” She asked genuinely.
The redhead looked confused, thinking her girlfriend would have understood what she’d meant. “Nooo,” She answered, making the syllable stretch. “More like, I want to be out of earshot?” She said saucily.
She walked up behind the brunette, noticing the bun she’d been sporting was now a mess of knotted and haphazardly placed hair. Wrapping her arms around Tara’s waist, she leaned her chin on her shoulder and continued as the brunette grinned. “You know, ‘cause I need to make sure. Get proof and evidence. Do experiments, make sure they can be replicated.”
“Proof?” Tara asked, she had no idea where her girl was going with that line of thought, “Proof of what?”
Willow squeezed the yielding body she held against hers, suddenly hit with a wave of trepidation. “That you’re my Tara.” She could swear she had tried to make that sound less dramatic, but it hadn’t worked. Her voice had barely made it out to the air.
At hearing the words from her lover’s mouth, Tara dropped what she was doing and stiffened up. She turned around and as she did so, Willow took a step back so they could talk. “I am yours Will. Your Tara.” She frowned slightly, noticing how vulnerable her girlfriend seemed right then.
The brunette pulled at a loose lock of her hair, “It’s the hair, isn’t it?” She giggled, trying to add levity to their tense exchange. “I knew you’d hate it. You’re gonna have to pay for the salon visits though. I’d have to work much more than a Summer at the Mayor’s if I want to dye it and keep the roots at bay.” Leaning over, she placed a soft kiss on Willow’s nose.
Willow hugged her girlfriend, knowing that she’d been understood. “Nuh-huh, I really like your hair that color.” She looked into Tara’s blue eyes, “I told you that. Your eyes are all-” Willow’s eyes grew big as if to say – so noticeable! “They stand out even more, and- you’re just as beautiful to me no matter what.”
They stood for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes. Each having missed being this close, “Do you want to shower before the ritual?” Willow asked innocently enough.
The newly unbound witch’s lips quirked in her own particular way, “Hmm, how about after?” Knowing full well, if Willow were to get… distracted, they wouldn’t get around to doing the grounding ritual today. “Can you wait a little longer for your proof?” Her eyebrow quirked teasingly.
Willow rolled her eyes comically, “Oh, alright I guess.” She said while listening to the lilt of Tara’s laughter.
***
Spike kept his ears perked. As expected, there were a lot of patrons present who were foolish enough to talk out loud about their plans for the next day.
Lucile was conversing with a small, purple and bloated looking demon while drinking her third pint of beer. “You’d be fucked, I tell you.” She hiccuped in his face, “The look of you, if this idiot gets his way – you’ll become fodder!”
Her companion didn’t seem to care much about what she was telling him, “Sure.” He replied, looking away.
Spike shot Lucile a look, she was thoroughly sloshed, “Hey, Lucile. We’re out.” He nodded toward the door.
“My friend,” She pointed unsteadily, “He wants to go, so... bye.” Lucile didn’t notice how the small demon she’d been talking to was shaking his head at her.
Once outside the vampire spoke up, “Tomorrow night, they all got codes to log into their internet whatsit.” Lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, he looked up at the darkened sky, “The only clients of Damien’s who are going there in person for the opening, are the humans.” Shaking his head at what he was about the relay, “They apparently paid a pretty big amount for something special.”
“Still,” She poked a finger in the vampire’s chest, “I’m fucked. I was supposed to keep this Hellmouth neutral, or at least not extreme.” Lucile’s arms flailed at her side, “We’re still no closer to knowing why I’m failing!”
With a nod to the side, Spike got her to follow him down the street. “What about Doc? Maybe he went and got stronger?”
“I don’t know, handsome.” A loud burp escaped her lips, “Ugh, and I’m out of pepto.”
***
The ritual had gone without a hitch. They’d done grounding rituals in the past, of course. This time though, Willow felt the weight of what she’d still been carrying physically lift off her frame. Tara had similarly lit up, rejuvenated and clear eyed.
They walked hand-in-hand back to their hotel room, not having seen anyone suspicious on their short walk to the park and back. It was nearing nine o’clock at night when they finally made it to the shower.
Tara watched spellbound as her girlfriend rubbed her body with soapy water, the spray hitting the brunette all the while as she was at the other end. She was wetting her hair, trying to untangle some knots that had somehow formed.
What a day. But, look at her… if I get to come home to her, I’ll take all the hard days you’ve got for me. Her thoughts were for no one, yet they were pleading for some sort of mercy.
Willow looked up and was caught in her girlfriend’s heavy gaze. Tara’s hair was wet through, water cascading down her face and she was just staring, “You’re staring at me,” The redhead said cockily, “That’s not very polite.”
Shaking out of it, the brunette laughed, “Sorry, but you’re just too beautiful for me to not want to stare.” She winked before moving aside to let her girl rinse herself. Reaching for the shampoo, Tara finally went to work on her unruly hair.
“Yeah?” The redhead’s tongue peeked from her mouth, “Well, you wasted a lot of time Ms. Maclay.” She reached for the soap and washcloth, “I’ll need to give you a hand if we’re going to make it out of here tonight.”
She felt the soft hands work her body, having had her eyes closed not to get soap in them. “Mmm, that’s nice.” Her breath caught in her throat when she then felt naughty fingers playing with her taught nipple, “Help is- it’s good.” Tara had been reduced to caveman words already, their connection slowly but surely re-solidifying.
“Hey,” Willow’s voice turned worried, “What’s this?” She ran a finger along the ridge up her girlfriend’s side. “Did you hurt yourself?”
Dipping her head back under the spray, Tara rinsed her hair, “No, they showed up when I did the unbinding. They don’t really hurt, all that much.” She shrugged, conveying how she didn’t think much of them so far. “I’m sure I’ll find out more when I look through the stuff I brought.”
Willow nodded, ignoring the fact Tara had said ‘they’ as in plural. As in more than one. “Oh, yeah okay.” Her eyes couldn’t ignore the vision before them, though. She languidly ran the washcloth over Tara’s upper body, taking every inch into memory. “Heh,” The chuckle was involuntary when she’d looked down, past her love’s bellybutton.
“What?” The brunette frowned questioningly, wondering if she should feel offended or if her girlfriend was simply being her silly self.
Green eyes, full of mirth and love locked with hers, “Your carpet… it matches the drapes.” Another giggle made it out and then, Tara joined her – both laughing at the weirdness of it all.
Once they’d dried themselves halfheartedly, Willow made sure to comb her girlfriend’s hair getting a pleasant hum of gratitude in return. “Don’t want knots again, now do we.”
Feeling pampered, the loving gesture warmed her through, “Thanks sweetie,” After a few pass of the comb, Tara continued, “I think I’ll just sleep like this. The room’s kinda warm.”
It was true that the room felt a bit warm, the redhead had already tried to turn the A/C on to no avail. “I won’t complain about the A/C then.” Willow said cheekily with her tongue pressed against her teeth. “There, all done.” She said, putting the comb down on the bathroom counter.
The bed was respectable, sheets clean and their pillows soft enough. They faced each other, holding hands under the covers. Tara’s eyes roamed her lover’s face, open and vulnerable. A lump formed in the back of her throat, “I’m sorry Will. For everything I’ve put you through – today, and the past week.” She brought their hands up to her face and kissed freckled knuckles, “I should’ve talked to you more, about what was happening.”
Willow, although she did agree, didn’t like hearing Tara so contrite, “It’s okay, baby. Really.”
The brunette smiled a gentle smile, “No, it isn’t. But I promise I’ll do better.” Tara had meant every word but she knew herself too well to leave it at that, “I might need your help, though. To-to remind me sometimes?” Willow’s eyes brightened, “I’ve been like this a long time, you know.” She grinned apologetically.
Their gazes softly promised their commitment to each other, to being together through thick and thin. No matter what tomorrow would bring, they would get through it together.
Willow played with the fingers grasped in hers. Counting them, weighing them, as if the movement made the moment more real. “How did it feel?” Averting her eyes for a half-second, she clarified as she brought them back to her love’s, “When you did the unbinding?”
It was so quiet in the room, they only needed to whisper to be heard, “It felt like, hmm-” Tara’s face screwed up in thought, trying to put herself back in that moment, “You know those straws with folds in them like accordions?” When Willow nodded she continued, “It’s like I was the short straw and then someone yanked me to my full length. A lot of hidden straw bits suddenly showing.”
“Yanked?” The redhead’s face was a picture of distaste, “That doesn’t sound fun.”
Tara rolled her eyes, “No, not fun. I blacked out.” She said, her lips quirking at the corner.
When Willow fell silent, her girlfriend wondered what her big brain was working on. “Wish I’d have been there for you.” She finally said in a small voice.
“Hey,” The brunette let go of her girl’s hand and reached around the lithe body facing hers, pulling Willow into her, “I wish that too, baby. But, you were kinda busy.” She kissed Willow’s forehead, “Getting this amazing goose-egg,” Leaning in again, she placed another soft kiss on the offending bump.
“Heh,” She giggled, the kisses so light they tickled her bruised skin, “I need better reflexes.”
Another kiss, this time to a freckled cheek, “Is that really,” Kiss, this time on the nose then another
, “All you need?”
“Nope,” Willow’s denial was soft and wanting, pulling Tara fully on top of herself, “Not all.” Combing her fingers through drying chestnut hair, the redhead gripped and pulled her lover’s mouth to her own. “Mmm” She moaned into the familiar feel of Tara’s lips, then another moan when a peeking tongue invited her to deepen the kiss.
Tara supported herself on her elbows, above her girlfriend – kissing her as if they hadn’t kissed for ages, “Will,” She murmured against open lips, feeling Willow caress her lower back – raising goosebumps all along her body. Their legs entwined of their own accord, a well practiced dance that had the redhead’s hips undulating sensuously, pressing herself against a warm thigh resting heavily against her heated core. Feeling the same on her own tensed thigh, want coating their skin as their movements became synchronized.
Tara’s breath was ragged, catching in her throat with every constriction, every gentle thrust. Soft grunts and sighs against Willow’s throat. Her body felt like it was stretching in reverse, every one of her muscles tensing in want and need. Tara’s back curled up, her pelvis pressing ever tighter into her lover’s body. A ragged moan and she rolled Willow on top, the redhead’s legs wide open, resting on each side of her lover’s still. Then Tara bent her right knee all the way and rested her foot flat against the mattress.
Willow’s body had been hiked and shifted slightly sideways, effectively pressing their throbbing sex’ together. A luscious tension that was slowly building between them, their sounds sweet and keening – The redhead rained kisses along Tara’s neck, small tentative licks between pants. “You feel so good,” Strong hands gripped her ass, and she heard the rumbled groan from below – Tara’s back arched, her head straining against the pillow, “So, good.” Willow repeated and raised up onto her knees, taking hold of Tara’s bent leg and grinding herself tighter still, against her lover’s wetness. The feeling was decadent, delicious and exhilaratingly pleasurable.
Thrusting her hips harder still, she had to bite into Tara’s calf not to scream. “Mmff,” Watching as her lover thrashed bellow her, straining against her own need to cry out. The beautiful brunette’s jaws were clenched, her azure eyes, deepened with need, were still locked onto hers.
Proof, Willow heard in her mind,
Here’s your proof, baby. It had been Tara’s voice, of that there was no doubt. Whether she’d heard her speak out loud or not, the redhead was clueless. Too enraptured was she in the sensations coursing through her. Too focused on not making too much noise.
Nonetheless, pleasure, nothing but alarmingly delicious and lovely – a river between them as Willow fell forward, holding herself up with her right hand. “I love you,” Their undulating bodies pressing and pulling desperately. She felt a shift, Tara’s hand squeezing between them for only a short moment before retreating and they instantly locked eyes at the feeling. The friction now even more intimate and intense; clit to clit. There was no holding Willow back anymore.
Tara’s head strained against the pillow harder, she had to turn and bite into her upper arm so she wouldn’t moan out loud, it felt too good – any minute now, she was sure she’d just explode and implode over and over again, cresting that razor sharp edge and holding, “Pweez,” She could feel the redhead dripping down her own sex, the sharp thrusts of the hips she loved to grip so very much. She was going slowly but surely insane. “Unng, Guh!”
Willow watched as her girlfriend’s eyes grew wider, her face tense and rigid with pleasure. She could feel how close she was to climax herself, and redoubled her efforts. Gripping the thigh still in her grasp, between her breasts and curling her other hand under Tara’s head for better purchase, she rotated her hips, grinding into her lover, over and over again – each thrust accentuated by a soft grunt she couldn’t hold back.
Tara gripped and let go, compulsive movements of her hands against Willow’s flesh. She felt the kick in her lower belly first, then another. Her girlfriend’s maddening movements breaking her apart. Throbbing incessantly – she thrashed, her climax tearing through her as the movements from above never stopped. Clenching her jaw again, she turned to catch Willow’s eyes but instead found herself caught up in a deep and carnal kiss.
“Mmhm,” Willow nodded into the kiss, movements became sharper, erratic, “Mmhmm,” Rhythm gone, her muscles let loose the orgasm that had been coiled deep within herself, “Uhnn, Nnh,” Twitches, she couldn’t help them, the climax had reverberated throughout her whole length. “Oh, oh..” Without her concent, each jerk of her body, still tightly mated against that of her lovers, made Tara move against her again, a loop being formed between them. Knowing what she was in for, she let her girlfriend take over.
It was Tara’s turn to take the top, and she lingered there. Caressed every inch of skin she could reach, kissed her girl’s taught nipples and the blush on her chest. Every touch reverential, “I love you, Will.” Kisses were laid one after the other, a trail making its way down the redhead’s body.
The woman’s warm breath caressed her sex, and Willow sighed with pleasure. She looked down her body, blue eyes looking up at her- Not lost in feeling, not out of control with need or lust. Love, Tara was making love to her, and it felt wonderful, blissful how she was caressed and loved. How could she have ever doubted that this was her Tara, that she would still be her soulmate?
When her climax hit again, it had come gently on a sigh. Reaching down her body for Tara, the redhead felt fragile and desperately wanted cuddles.
Of course, her wish was granted easily. Her girlfriend, Tara – The Tara. Her Tara crawled lazily up her body to hug her tight, and rest her head on her slim shoulder. “Perfection.” Willow purred.
“Mmm,” Burrowing deeper, Tara couldn’t disagree at all.
***
by gpaul1978 » Mon Jul 01, 2019 10:40 am 
Take all the time you need for feeling better, we'll be here when you are comfortable to write and post again. 
The ending is a few posts to come, but it's in sight!
