In A Maudlin Sort of Way

Part Four- "Four Souls"

it was a scream last night
it was getting kinda fun

The mansion was quiet when Angel and Spike returned. Eerily quiet. The two souled vampires took a second and stood just inside the double doors, listening for anything. Without looking at each or uttering a single word, they pivoted in separate directions. With vampiric speed propelling them forward, Angel headed toward the basement and Spike went up the stairs.

Angel could hear Spike calling Drusilla's name through the hallways upstairs as he stood still in front of the hanging chains that had held Penn. Fury infused Angel's normally rational blood as he stared at the empty wall. Even though he already knew this was going to happen, it didn't stop the anger from taking over. He headed back up the stairs, feeling his darkest roots bolting headfirst into his emotions.

"She's gone!" Spike screamed at his Sire with wide, panicked eyes.

"I know," Angel answered, nodding.

"Well, we've got to find her!" he screamed again, finding his way down the stairs. He ran out the door and was flung back inside, sliding across the lobby floor.

"Calm down, Spike."

"Calm down?" Spike yelled, jumping to his feet, "When it's your bloody mate, it's full steam ahead and when it's mine, you're all calm down? Fuck you! We're finding her!"

"I know where she is," Angel answered, moving toward the door. Spike ran up and stood between Angel and the door.

"Where is she?"

"She's with Penn."

"Where the bloody hell is Penn?"

"At Wolfram and Hart."

"Oh hell no," Spike said, shaking his head, "You aren't going to tell me you think she's working with that crazy Childe of yours."

"Okay," Angel said, "I won't."

"She's working with him?" Spike asked, sinking to the stairs and holding his head in his hands.

"No," Angel answered, his mouth curling into a cold scowl, "Penn thinks she is."

"Did you plan something without me, ya bloody Poof?" Spike asked, rising to his feet once more, "How dare you put her in danger without even telling me first!"

"You wouldn't have let her go," Angel answered, walking out the door. Spike stood there and watched them swing back and forth for a second before yelling, "You're damn right, I wouldn't have!"

***

chi-chi-bow stars and bottle rocket fantasies,
but on the streets some knights and killers,
they be after me.

"You're looking a little twitchy, Lilah," Penn said from his seat across the desk. Lilah sat behind it and looked as if she wished there was a reinforced steel wall there instead. She was having less than cuddly feelings toward vampires lately. She had been staring at Drusilla as she floated around the office, touching things at random, until Penn spoke to her. The infamous Drusilla was in her office and just the idea of it made her skin crawl, so did the thoughts of how Spike would react when he found out his mate had turned against him. She had the tiny fear nestling inside her that the blonde vampire would blame her for whatever happened to his girl. That fear was quickly turning to chills that ran nonstop up and down her spine.

"Really?" Lilah answered, with false confidence, "So do you."

"I have good reason," Penn answered, looking calm despite Lilah's comment.

"If you two are done," Lindsey said, from his perched corner of Lilah's desk, "We should get to business. Spike will find out Dru is gone soon and that she set you free. I'm sure we should prepare for the building to be breached."

"Spike," Drusilla whispered and turned to show them her haunted eyes, "Spike won't like this. He'll want to hurt you."

"I know," Lilah answered, shaken.

"Then we should be quick," Lindsey said brightly, standing up, "Penn, did you treat Angel's blood supply?"

"Yep," he nodded, smiling, "Of course, there's a strong possibility that Spike could drink it too. Or already has."

"That's fine," Lindsey answered, "We already accounted for that possibility."

Turning to Lilah, he asked, "The spells on Buffy?"

"In place," Lilah answered, rising to her feet, "She can't sense vampires and after seeing Angel tonight, the other spell should click in place."

"Good," Lindsey said to her before facing Penn again, "You will be able to take out The Slayer before he gets to you?"

"Sure," Penn replied, "But I have one last warning for you two."

"Your Sire is a big, mean bad guy, yada, yada, yada," Lindsey said with a wave of his prosthetic hand, "I noticed, thanks."

"No," Penn answered, reaching out to Drusilla who melded herself to his side, "You've never seen my Sire. Hell will crawl back to earth tonight."

"He'll hurt you," Drusilla said, focusing her mad eyes on Lindsey's bright blue ones, "Just like he hurt me...only worse."

***

self preservation is what's really going on today

Angel knew the plan, knew where Dru was and what she was doing. He had a good idea what Penn had in mind and despite all the comforting knowledge, he was still reeling with his own uncontrollable anger. His hands shook as he headed to the small house across town and knocked on the door.

"Hello?" the questioning voice said, coming from the mouth of an older British gentleman.

"I'm Angel. You must be Rupert Giles."

"Angelus?" Giles asked, forcing himself not to step away from the door simply because he knew that the invisible barrier would keep him out. Knowing a vampire had a soul who was supposedly good and facing said vampire were two entirely different things.

"Not exactly," Angel answered.

"I don't think I feel comfortable inviting you in," Giles admitted, "Even though Buffy seems to trust you."

"Please don't," Angel said, not seeming to be offended, "I'll spit this out quickly. Wolfram & Hart, the law firm, have been working with Penn to do something to Buffy."

"Your sired Childe?'

"Yes," Angel said, holding out one of his business cards, "I'm taking Buffy to my hotel and keeping her there until I figure out what's going on. I wanted you to know where she was going to be."

"I appreciate the courtesy," Giles answered, "But I'm not overly convinced that leaving her in your care is the best option."

"It's the only option."

Giles watched his duster billowing out behind him as he walked away and shivered for a moment. This was the vampire that Buffy referred to as a "hottie"? The deadly look in his eyes was all Rupert Giles could see. He was walking vengeance yet to be exacted.

***

i didn't know where to shake my butt
walked backwards, fucked like a fox

Buffy and Willow danced with Gunn at The Velvet Dog. It was later than they usually stayed out dancing but the fun just kept coming, so they stayed. Buffy was impressed with Gunn's dance moves and Willow couldn't stop laughing at his complaints with the music choices.

"Where's the bounce to this?" Gunn asked, as he moved in perfect time to the beat.

"I think they keep it at another club," Willow said, laughing and dancing along.

"That ain't no shit," Gunn said and grinned at Willow's chuckle. Buffy cracked a smile at his whining over the music. She loved the undertoned thump, the way the sound penetrated her body and wound its way around her emotions. The song switched, slowing down and Willow, breathing heavily, said, "I'm going to get a drink."

''Kay," Buffy answered. Gunn moved closer, placing his hands on her hips. He moved, guiding her into a sensual dance. Hands above her head, she moved with him, allowing herself to be swept away by the feeling of being held, of moving in time with another person.

Angel walked into the club and scanned the crowd. It didn't take him long to spot Buffy and Gunn moving together on the dance floor. His friend's large hands rested on Buffy's hips and they ground together to a slow, sensual beat. Her shirt left places of skin visible just above her hips and Gunn's fingers brushed against those places. An emotion older than he was beat against his heart and he growled loudly. The music kept almost everyone from hearing him except for a couple standing close to him, who moved away quickly.

"Gunn," he said, once he had crossed the room, standing in the middle of the dance floor like a statue, not bothering to pretend he wasn't there to dance.

"Hey Angel," Gunn answered, smiling.

"Hey." Angel didn't bother greeting Buffy, he simply stared down at the hands that rested on her hips until Gunn removed them.

"Is there something I should know about you two?" Gunn asked, looking from Buffy to Angel and back again. Buffy had asked about Angel before and he assumed they knew each other, but the way Angel looked like he was going to rip his throat out at any second, he guessed that they knew each other more than she let on.

"No," Buffy answered, crossing her arms. As she did, she was reminded that she was braless and her back was bare. It didn't seem like a big deal before Angel walked in. Now she felt naked and vulnerable...and hot. All of a sudden the room seemed much warmer than it had before, despite the coldness that radiated off the vampire.

"Well, that's good," Gunn said nodding, "Because I thought for a second that the undead here looked a little jealous."

"Buffy, I need to talk to you," Angel said, after giving Gunn an irritated glare..

"About what?" she asked, not moving from her spot at Gunn's side.

"About your safety," he answered, taking a deep unneeded breath in an attempt to bring himself back to the land of the sane, "Something's up."

"Ya think?" she answered sarcastically, gaining a look of surprise from Gunn.

"Oookay," Gunn said as he bent to peck Buffy on the cheek, "I think I'm gonna go check on my crew. Thanks for the dance, Buff."

Gunn laughed his way out of the door as he remembered the murderous look in the vampire's eyes when he kissed her. It was the funniest thing he had seen in a long time and kept him grinning all the way back to his headquarters.

***

dear, i fear we're facing a problem

Buffy felt more off than usual and it wasn't just the vampire walking next to her. Her intestines felt like they were braiding themselves inside her belly as they headed for the hotel. She had been feeling strange since she came to town and now she was sure that each step was an effort to keep up with her mind. Angel was talking. His voice rumbled through her, filling up the crevices that cracked inside her, but she couldn't seem to involve herself with the conversation. She kept raking her eyes over his body which was cloaked in that damn duster. She wanted to rip it off him and do the same with the rest of his clothes. Her virgin eyes couldn't wait to feast on his flesh.

"Buffy?" Angel said, as he stopped in front of the hotel, "Are you listening to me?"

"What?" she asked, looking up into his eyes. He caught himself bending toward her lips and stepped away.

"I'll take that as a ‘no,'" he said, taking her hand. The moment he did that he knew it was a mistake. Her body heat was traveling through his. It was fantastic and horrible and unbearable and perfect. Once inside the doors, he pulled his hand away and took off his coat, so he had an excuse for the action. In hindsight, he thought he should have chained himself alongside Penn. With this little blonde woman standing there with that hungry look in her eyes, he was not to be trusted.

He led her up the stairs to his room. He knew she had to sleep in his room. How else could he make sure that no one touched her? But he didn't know how he was going to make it through the night with her in his bed. Even if he slept in his leather chair, she was still in his bed, filling the bedclothes with her scent.

When he opened his door, Drusilla was lying on his bed and as disturbing as the sight was, he was extremely thankful that she was dressed. He heard Buffy's sharp intake of breath as she looked on the beautiful vampiress in Angel's bed. Buffy thought she looked way too comfortable there and felt the urge to stake her. Her only disappointment would be that she couldn't do it more than once.

"My Angel," she crooned from the bed.

"Dru," Angel growled, "What are you doing?"

She knelt on the edge of the bed and pulled Angel to her, ignoring the glare of The Slayer. Her hands moved over his chest without shame and she whispered, "They're planning. Going to hurt you and The Slayer."

"I know," he said, smoothing her hair, "But you have to go back to Penn. Keep an eye on him."

"Can't," she said, whimpering.

"Why not?"

"Spike," she whispered.

"Spike!" Angel roared. Buffy jumped aside as the door swung open. Spike stormed in, ridged face intact, dragging a bloody form that looked remotely like Penn. The body was flung into the room, landing against the wall and leaving a bloody mark where he had struck the plaster.

"What are you doing?" Angel shouted, "Do you have a working brain cell under all that peroxide?"

"Did Drusilla tell you what he did? Did she?"

Angel looked down at Dru who only whimpered in response.

"Fucker figured it out," Spike raged, "Tried to stake my mate. Tell him Dru! Tell him what that little bastard did."

"He was going to hurt us," Dru said, moving off the bed, "I couldn't let him. Had to hurt him first."

Penn was rising to his feet, dragging his shoulder against the wall as he stood. Angel turned at the sound.

"Traitorous bitch," Penn croaked, "I thought you of all people would understand."

"Understand what?" Angel asked, "That you were trying to kill the only woman I've ever loved? How can you call Dru a traitor? What happened to you, Penn?"

"All you care about is The Slayer," Penn groaned, clutching his stomach, "For years, that's all you've ever thought about and now that she's here, it's worse than ever. You've been trying to become human. You're not. We're not."

"It's our desires that make us human. You have a soul," Angel answered. He could feel Buffy's eyes prying into him from across the room and tried to dismiss the feeling. Way too much information was being shared here, "Is there a reason you've never seemed to notice?"

"I'm a demon!" Penn shouted, coughing violently before continuing, "So are you! We all are. You know what I think of every day? Killing my sister. My first kill at your instruction. ‘Savor it,' you said. Now you stand there and talk to me about human desires? You destroyed everything! You made me what I am. Now you have to deal with it!"

"What have you done with Wolfram & Hart?" Angel demanded.

"It's too late," Penn said, laughing, "It's done. You can't stop it. Everything is going to be simple soon."

"What did you do?" Angel roared, revealing his demon. He grabbed Penn and slammed him against the wall, holding him up off of his feet. He was greeted with another dose of Penn's laughter. He dropped him and turned to face Dru.

"Drusilla, what did you find out?"

"They put something in your blood," Dru said, lightly licking the tips of her fingers.

"What?"

"They performed spells on The Slayer. Wicked little spells to change her," Dru answered, looking across the room at Buffy, "Changing her on the inside."

"Drusilla," Spike said finally, pulling her into his arms, "Please, love. What's going to happen?"

"Don't know," she said, laying her head on his chest, "Can't see. They've blinded me."

Drusilla's head swung forward as Spike's chest moved away from her. He grabbed Angel's night stand and broke the small wooden table against the wall. Scooping up one of the legs, he rushed forward and staked Penn over the sound of Angel's roar.

"Damn it, Spike!" Angel shouted, knocking the stake from his hand and punching him, "We needed him to find out how to stop this!"

"He wasn't going to tell us," Spike said, moving around Angel, "He hurt Dru. Asshole's been begging for a stake through the heart for over 100 years."

Spike swept Dru into his arm and stormed back out of the room, leaving Buffy and Angel alone.

***

she looked just like a dream,
she was on fire last night, and i was breathing gasoline

"You guys are ruining the definite opinions I've always had about vampires," Buffy said, breaking through the silence.

"Sorry," Angel said with worry on his face, "I wish I knew what was going on, how to stop this. Obviously my blood supply is destroyed, so it's good that I know that now. We need to find out what spells they've performed on you."

"Pfft," Buffy said, waving her hand through the air, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Angel said, stepping slightly closer, "Cause you don't seem fine."

"Don't I look fine?" she asked, smoothing her hands over her belly, sliding under her shirt so she felt her own bare flesh. Angel's heart was caught in his throat as he greedily watched her fingers move across her tight stomach. Maybe it wasn't his heart that was effected. He watched, breathing unsteady unnecessary breaths as her hand moved around and pulled away the tie that held her wisp of a shirt on. As she released the strings, the halter simply fell away, revealing a beautifully bare torso and perfectly rounded breasts.

"Buffy..." Angel answered, staring at her skin. In his mind, he was already touching it, already leaving kisses on each inch of exposed flesh. She moved forward, swinging her hips generously, capturing him in a world of confusion. He had dreamed about this. Not exactly this, but something similar. Now he stepped back, only to tumble into his leather chair. She knelt over him, bare breasts hovering at eye level. He pressed himself back into the chair, knowing it would have to actually become a part of it to keep from touching her. She lowered herself, resting her ass against his thighs and kissed him lightly.

"Don't you want to touch me?" she asked, kissing him again, nibbling at his lips.

"Yes," he answered through gritted teeth as he felt the arms of his chair breaking under his hands. He didn't move as she unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it open. She splayed her small hands over his chest, radiating so much heat, he thought if he looked down there would be scorch marks from where she had been.

"Your skin," she whispered, lowering to kiss his chest, "So cool. Feels so good."

"Buffy, you're under a spell," he groaned as she pressed against his arousal, "You're not thinking straight. You don't want this."

"Yes, I do," she whispered, sucking his neck and scraping her teeth over his flawless skin. Using the last bit of his strength, he stood, lifting her with him. He carried her to the bed and laid her there. He backed away from her, trying to look away from her but found that he couldn't. He saw the sadness cross her face as she realized his rejection and felt guilty for doing the right thing.

"I thought you wanted me," she said, lying against his pillows and making no effort to move or cover herself. Her voice was filled with hurt as her fingers absently traced her abdomen.

"I do," he replied hoarsely, engrossed by the trail those little fingers were making.

"Then make love to me, Angel," she whispered huskily.

"Can't," he said, shaking his head, "It's wrong."

She stood and shut the door that was still open and he knew without asking that she didn't close it to keep anyone from seeing them. She wanted to keep him inside that room. He didn't move away as she moved toward him again. He wasn't sure there was a point anyway. The scent of her arousal was filling the room and seeping under the door, heating up the entire hotel with lust. Perfectly manicured nails scraped his skin as she pulled his shirt off. She pressed her chest against his, enjoying the battle of their temperatures. Her nipples hardened against his cold skin as she smoothed her hands over his back.

She rose to her tip toes and kissed him. He groaned in defeat into her mouth as he responded, pushing his tongue into her mouth and wrapping his arms around her. He lifted her several inches off the floor, kissing her deeply as he moved toward the bed. A small part of his mind batted a constant reminder that this was wrong and everything else didn't care as he laid her down.

In slow worship, he removed the rest of her clothes and his own. He took a moment to look over her, flushed and breathing heavily as she laid on his bed. Starting at her ankles, he eased his hands up her legs, loving the feel of her skin. He nudged her thighs apart and she unfolded without hesitation, baring her dripping core to his gaze. She waited, feeling slightly self conscious as he looked over her body but she took the opportunity to look over him as well. He was beautiful kneeling there between her thighs, skin looking as if it had been chiseled from marble, erect cock standing out from his groin. She whimpered, forcing him into motion.

He tasted her, laving long strokes over her moist heat. As he sucked her clitoris into his mouth, he pushed a finger inside her, feeling the barrier of her virginity. The reality of the situation rained down on him and he stopped for a moment. Promising himself he would stop after feeling her first orgasm flood into his mouth, he continued lashing his tongue against her in utter adoration. She arched against him, caressing his back and shoulders. As her release came closer, she began shaking beneath him, grinding against his face. He held her thighs open as he continued, lapping up the honey as it formed inside her.

Buffy couldn't believe the feelings that were washing over her. Nothing in her life had prepared her for what Angel was doing to her. Passion rose and whipped at her as she moaned under her lover. She couldn't keep from touching him. She loved the coolness of his skin, the way he warmed under her fingers. The power of it was enthralling.

When he sat up again, he wished he could disappear. She was so tantalizing there, breathing heavily, skin glowing from her climax, thighs spread in an invitation to him. He couldn't fathom the thought of the woman he loved losing her virginity to demon when she was obviously under some sort of evil spell. She reached out for him and pulled to him her as she captured his lips once more.

"Don't stop," she whispered as she felt his hesitation.

"You're a virgin," he said in an almost animal cry of pain.

"I know," she said, smiling at him.

"I can't take that from you," he groaned as she pressed against him, clinging to him, "I'm a demon."

"I want you to have it, Angel," she answered, holding his face between her hands, "I want to feel you inside me."

Moving slowly, Angel poised at her entrance, already melting from her heat. He looked up at her for confirmation and she nodded slowly, opening wider for him. He entered her a little at a time, allowing her to grow accustomed to him. He slipped his fingers between them to massage her engorged clit as he prepared himself for the pain to reach her. He kissed her deeply as he entered her fully and kept kissing her as she moaned in pain. Several seconds were required before her second orgasm washed over her, absorbing her pain.

He began moving inside her more steadily and she moved with him, rising up to meet his thrusts. She panted his name as she rounded her third orgasm, slamming up against him. He cried her name as he finally found his own release, feeling the most sating contentment he had ever felt drench his body and soul.

He gathered her against him and snuggled into her warmth as they both fell into an exhausted sleep. As dawn neared, Angel sat up in bed as he felt the incredible pain of his soul being ripped from his body. Down the hallway, two more vampires woke with the anguish of losing the only piece of humanity they had left. Three souls fled three bodies and entered the aether together. The curse needed one more soul to claim. With the loss of Penn, it clenched at The Slayer. She awoke last, crying out as sleep left her body, followed quickly by her soul.

***

Part Five - "Feeling Free"

***

i'm going crazy. i'm going crazy. i don't want feelings,
your feelings. i have gone crazy, motherfuckin' crazy, i have gone

Angelus opened his eyes and looked at the world from a point of view he had missed for a century - give or take. Just a slight turn of his dark head was required to see The Slayer, glorious and naked beside him. He saw the pain she felt and watched as the realization hit her, waited as a cold smile covered her beautiful face. She focused on him and blinking for a second and he knew, as she did, that they had crossed over together.

He lunged and she allowed him to crush her against the mattress. His weight against her, pressing down roughly, felt extraordinary. It felt real. Just like the first time he touched her, she was sure that her life would never be the same. That feeling was screaming now, baring itself to the void that she had become. The dark abyss she entered contained only her and her lover. As it should be. His fangs cut at her lips as he kissed her and she tasted her own blood, feeling as if she could see her future in the tang of herself in his mouth. Buffy was responded in kind to the violent, sensual attack of her lover.

"Fuck me," she demanded, digging her nails into his broad back and ignoring the dull pain that still throbbed between her thighs.

"I don't need an invitation," he growled, entering her without any of the gentleness he had before.

"To fuck a Slayer," she whispered, digging her nails in further and scratching down his back, "You always need an invitation."

He was merciless in the claiming of her and if she cared about anything, it wasn't the pain she felt all over her body as he beat harshly against her. She reared back against him, claiming him as much as he claimed her. The smell of his own blood reminded him of how hungry he was, how long he had craved blood pouring from the carotid artery of a live human being. He lowered his fangs to her throat as he moved inside her. She came the moment he broke her skin and the reaction sent him over the edge as well, careening toward ecstasy buried inside the Slayer, cock and fangs.

Buffy allowed him a few moments grace period to taste her. She listened to the guzzling of her own blood emptying from her body into his and thought the feeling strange and surreal. She waited for him to stop as she began to feel slightly weak.

He didn't.

Using Slayer strength to aid her, she pushed him by his broad shoulders and sent him flying off the bed and onto the hardwood floor.

"I don't think I'll let you kill me today, Angelus," she said, slipping off the bed and onto her feet. She stood there looking down at his angry face and laughed at him, throwing her head back. Her golden hair cascaded down her back as she taunted him with her laughter. He jumped to his feet and stood glowering down at her, big and muscular and beautiful. He tried to remain angry but his body was in heaven, filled with her blood, warm from just being inside her. Her skin was rosy from her recent climax and the loss of her soul put a glint in her eyes that was irresistible.

"I wasn't going to kill you," he said, finding calm in her beauty, "I was going to turn you."

"I see," she said coyly, as she moved around the room to find her clothes, "I think I'll decide when I die. Ya know, if that's okay with you."

"You belong to me. The sooner you realize that the better things will be," he growled. Buffy covered her own shiver of delight at his words. The thought of this exquisite demon claiming her as his property, trying to control her, was a fight she was looking forward to. The one thing that Buffy and Angel had in common whether they had souls or not was that they still wanted each other with a violence that could not be compared.

"And you belong to me. I've never been one to toe the line, baby," she said, as she finished dressing, "You should know that about me."

She headed toward the door, casting a final look over her shoulder, taking in his naked body, standing proudly in the center of the room.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" he asked, checking the urge to toss her back into his bed and rip the flimsy clothes from her body.

"Out," she said smiling, "Wanna come? Oh right, it's day. I guess you'll just have to wait for me to come back."

"If you don't come back, I'll find you."

"If you don't come looking, I might be disappointed."

***

i feel free i feel free i feel free i feel free

Buffy felt the eyes of the men on campus following her as she proudly strutted past them with an extra swing to her hips. She had never felt so happy, so free and so unbogged by life in general. Being without a soul was more of a gift than she ever would have imagined. As she crossed the quad, she began to wonder why she was in school in the first place. She was The Slayer, strong and beautiful with a life ahead of her that probably wouldn't be that long. Why was she wasting it inside a classroom? Especially when all she wanted to do was get back in Angelus' bed...on her own terms.

She couldn't wait to make ‘The Scourge of Europe' beg for her. She reached up and touched the tender marks on her throat, already beginning to heal and ran a hand through her hair. It was going to be a perfect day.

Willow was sleeping when she came in and she stripped off her clothes, put on her robe and headed down to the bathroom to shower. The water seemed to cleanse her of her life before, baptizing her new life, free of obligation and duty. She braced her arms on the shower wall and closed her eyes as the spray pelted her face. She imagined all her sorrows, all of her fealty, everything that kept her from living before being washed down the drain. Her mind wandered to the night before and of this morning. She couldn't grasp the emotions she felt the night before. They made no sense to her soulless mind. But she knew that both sides of her craved the vampire who she was now convinced was her true mate. He was right, she did belong to him.

Buffy packed a bag when she went back in the room, moving free and nude through the room as she chose what to wear and what to pack. She slipped on a pair of black silk panties and glanced up to see Willow sitting up in bed, her face wrinkled with confusion.

"Are you going somewhere?" Willow asked. She had been awake for several minutes watching her friend move through the room as if gravity could barely hold her to the floor. She had never seen Buffy moving around naked like that before. It seemed odd, but Willow almost thought that if someone walked through the door, her friend wouldn't run to cover herself but would face them with a smile. Something was wrong and Willow didn't need her question answered to figure it out.

"Yeah," Buffy said, pulling on a pair of black leather pants, "I'm moving out. I've decided to drop out of school."

"Why?" Willow said, scrambling out of bed so quickly she nearly tripped on the sheets, "Did something happen...with Angel?"

"Oh Angel," Buffy said, searching for the black bra that matched her panties, "Yeah, something happened."

"What happened?" Willow said, trying not to be too confrontational, "Cause you seem a little...I don't know, different."

"I'm completely different, Will," Buffy admitted, "I couldn't be more different."

"What happened?" Willow asked again, nearly starting to hyperventilate.

"First, he made love to me," Buffy said, running her hands over her bare breasts for a moment, lost in the memory. She found the bra she was looking for but decided not to wear it and tossed it in the bag instead, "Then he fucked me. Hard. Ever been fucked so hard your teeth chattered?"

"Oh...uh...well..." Willow said, trying to convince her brain that her ears were broken.

"Spit it out," Buffy said, tossing several more things in her tote before slipping on a red halter, knowing Angel liked the sight of her bare back.

"Did he...I mean, I don't understand. I thought..." Willow mumbled in confusion as Buffy put on her shoes.

"Look, I really don't have time for this. See ya around," Buffy snapped, grabbing Angel's leather jacket and tossing it over her arm as she picked up the bag. Willow watched as Buffy left the room, leaving the door open behind her. As she turned the corner, the redheaded witch saw two little marks on her friends' throat. Crying out in horror, she picked up the phone and began to dial. As Willow listened to the phone ring, she picked up Mr. Gordo and clutched him to her chest.

***

the world is a vampire, sent to drain secret destroyers

"Hey Slayer," Spike said with a bloody grin as he looked up from the throat of a middle aged man. He dropped the lifeless body on the floor before him, "I was just greeting our newest case."

"What was his problem? He wasn't dead enough?" Buffy asked with a gleeful laugh.

"Whatever it was," Spike answered as he threw the body down the basement stairs, "Case is closed now."

"Guess so," she said. She had managed to occupy herself for most of the morning and now it was past noon. She felt a rumble in her belly as her breakfast began to wear off, "I'm hungry. You guys keep food here?"

"No," Spike said, moving closer to her, "But you can nibble on me for a while."

"Trying to get back at Angel?" she asked as he wrapped his arms around her and slid a hand over her leather clad ass.

"He's pissed that you didn't come back soon enough," Spike explained, "He's up there fucking Dru as we speak. Know what would really hack him off?"

"I have a guess," she answered, "or two. But maybe I should slay your bitch instead."

"Ah," Spike said, "Can't let you kill my mate, pet."

"She's touching what's mine," Buffy answered simply, but not moving away as Spike's cold hand slithered under her shirt and palmed her bare breast.

"So touch what's hers," Spike growled pressing his hips against hers. Three seconds into his attempted seduction of The Slayer, he found himself on the floor with his Sire's bare foot pressed against the side of his face. Angelus was still wet from his shower and had donned his leather pants before running down the stairs. His bare chest was covered with little beads of water that made Buffy want to lick him like a popsicle. Instead, she hopped up on the counter and crossed her legs to watch the show with mild amusement.

"Next time you touch my mate," Angelus growled, bending over to pick him up and giving Buffy a delightful view of his ass in the tight leather as he did, "I'll stake you and ask questions later. Understand?"

"You were fucking Dru," Spike answered and receiving his Sire's fist as an answer.

"And I'll continue to fuck Dru whenever I damn well please," he answered, tossing his Childe away.

"Don't think so, lover," Buffy answered, hopping down from the counter and leaning against it, enjoying the dark eyes that swept her body, "You fuck her again and you lose me. I don't care for the sloppy seconds of some demon whore. She touches you again and I'll stake her. Then I might just stake you."

"I like it when you're jealous, baby," he answered, grinning with an evil twinkle in his eyes.

"You won't if it happens again."

***

with a sound your world be shattered

"Why am I here exactly?" Cordelia demanded, looking around the room with a pointed glare. Despite her irritation at having her Saturday night date with Xander interrupted, even the most selfish of people could feel the tension in the room.

"There seems to be a problem," Giles said, "With Buffy."

"Well that's a huge surprise," Cordelia snipped as she settled down on the couch next to Xander, "If it isn't the end of the world, then I'm bailing."

"Honey," Xander whined, placing a hand on her thigh to still her. She shot him a dirty look but remained silent, waiting for the newest bomb to drop. Apparently, no matter where they lived, there was always a bomb in mid drop.

"It very well might be," Giles replied, "Go ahead Willow."

Willow took a deep, shaky breath and began,"Well, she came home this morning-"

"She spent the night at the hotel with Angel," Giles explained, wishing that he had done something else last night when Angel came to his door. He thought that Buffy would be safe with him. He was a fool to trust a vampire, even for a second.

"You let her go stay with Dead Boy and his Brady Bunch of blood suckers?" Xander shouted.

"‘Let' isn't the word I'd use," Giles said angrily, "I was simply informed."

"Anyway," Willow said, breaking in, "She came home this morning and was all weird."

"Weird how?" Xander asked, feeling that familiar dread rising up in him. He loved these meetings so much more when they included Buffy, instead of talking about Buffy. When something was wrong with The Slayer, the whole picture went terribly askew and usually ended up with the bad and then more of the bad.

"She said she was moving out and dropping out of school and...she was mean," Willow answered, tears filling her eyes as the memory came back of Buffy leaving her without any explanation of anything. Even if there was an apocalypse, Buffy always took the time to apologize for running out. And even when she had been mean to everyone all those years ago, she hadn't been mean to Willow.

"And?" Cordelia asked, "So what? Maybe she doesn't like college. It's just like Buffy to quit after the first week."

"And she had two tiny, tiny holes in her neck," Willow answered, her face covered with concern which was suddenly mirrored by the entire room. Oz took her hand and squeezed in with reassurance, but as sweet as the gesture was, there would be no comfort until they knew what happened.

"I'm going to the hotel to find out what I can," Giles said, standing up and gathering weapons. He only prayed that this was all blown out of proportion. After all, she was walking in the day, so she wasn't a vampire. That was one small blessing. Perhaps she was just protecting them all. The Watcher knew, even as he tried to convince himself, that Buffy would never take on all the danger herself without warning anyone. She might tell them to stay out of it, but she never kept things from them. Not unless something was very wrong with her.

"I'm going with you," Willow and Xander said at once.

***

the dye is cast, and the bitch is back and we're all dead, yeah we're all dead

The Wolfram & Hart team was prepared for the entrance of a vampire at any time. They were especially prepared for the attack of the recently desouled vampires on the building. What they weren't prepared for was three vampires and one Slayer. They didn't expect the power to go out in the high rise building, shutting down most of the building's defenses. Their backup generators were destroyed after several seconds by the one member of the group who had been able to breach the building without detection.

Buffy joined Angel, Spike and Dru on the 34th floor after smashing the generators and they walked down the hall in long strides together. Four sets of feet hit the floor in unison, pounding their way to the corner office where Lindsey was shouting orders and searching for a weapon. Lilah dialed her cell phone hurriedly, barking orders at the guards and demanding that they come to the office to protect them. When the door opened, they froze.

"Lindsey! Hey buddy," Angelus said as he strolled into the room with Buffy on his arm, "Are we late for our appointment?"

"I didn't call you," Lindsey said, "But since you're here, feel free to have a seat."

"Oh, I think you did," the dark vampire answered, allowing his eyes to glow in the dark room. Spike and Drusilla closed the door behind them and plopped down on the leather sofa in the corner as if they were actually on an office visit.

"What are you doing here?" Lilah asked, recognizing the Slayer in the dim light streaming in from the window, "And where's Penn?"

"Penn took a little visit to the wood shop," Buffy answered, "I came in his place. Didn't think you'd mind."

"Four souls," Lindsey murmured, staring slack jawed at The Slayer.

"Yeah, good job," Angelus answered, "She's much better than my wayward Childe."

"B-but it isn't possible for a human-" Lilah stuttered.

"Obviously it is," Angelus said, taking a big whiff of his lover, "Can't smell a soul anywhere on her. Damn, that smells good. Thought I'd drop in to thank you and to warn you."

"Warn us?" Lindsey asked as the guards began pounding on the door, "Maybe I should warn you. Those guards are equipped to kill all four of you."

Angelus broke out in a mad laughter, shortly joined by Spike and Dru, "You really think your weakling human guards can take out three master vampires and a Slayer? That's great. Really. In fact-"

Angelus turned and opened the door, with a flourish of his hand, inviting the eight guards in. Spike and Drusilla rose lazily from the couch before each dove to the nearest throat. Angelus knocked away their stake-billy clubs and broke two necks, before drinking a third. Lilah and Lindsey watched with icy fear as they saw something that no one ever got to see - a Slayer murdering human beings. She snapped their necks as efficiently as Angelus had, dropping three bodies at her feet.

"See?" Angelus said, looking around the room, settling into the chair opposite the desk and propping his feet up, "You really need to train better."

"And step up your piss tests," Spike added, nodding at the corpse nearest him, "That one was a junky. Tsk, tsk. Guess it's hard to get good help these days. Right, Lilah?"

"Don't worry," Buffy said, curling into Angelus' lap, "We're not going to kill you, even though I wouldn't mind...if you forced us."

"Have a seat," Angelus said to the two lawyers as he ran his hand up and down Buffy's thigh, "We just want to give you a heads up on the plan."

"The plan?" Lindsey asked, eyes sparkling with the possibilities, "Can't wait to hear it."

"You butt out of our lives and we allow you to continue your evil...whatever the hell it is you do."

"That's it?"

"We don't mind the evil," Buffy said, tracing Angelus' face with her fingertip. She bit his lower lip as his hands began to wander. She stood and circled the desk, perching on it in front of Lindsey. Hunkering down, she set her feet on the arms of his chair and propelled him forward until his face was almost even with hers. "You stay in your evil little office and leave us alone. If you don't, you die. It's simple, really."

"Anything else?" Lindsey asked, clearing his throat and trying not to look at the cleavage nearly pouring from the enticing Slayer's top.

"Yeah," Angelus answered, "We have a little message for the Senior Partners."

Spike was suddenly at Lilah's throat, crossing the room with vampiric speed. He bit in and drank, still feeling the residual anger he felt for her when he still had a soul. He wanted to kill her so badly before and now he gloried in the taste of her blood. Drusilla clapped her hands happily as Spike killed the "bad lawyer" and Lindsey felt like clapping his hands along with her. Spike wiped his mouth and released a satisfied "ahh" as she fell lifeless to the floor.

"That's the message," Angelus said, holding his hand out to his mate, "Got it?"

"I think that's clear enough."

***

she was dull razors and i said, i wanna fill you up, i wanna break you

Gunn was making his regular early evening patrol by himself as he usually did. He loved the streets when night first came and liked some time to clear his mind from being with his gang for most of the day. He loved being top dog but he needed time to himself. And of course, there was the rush that came when he was able to make a couple of kills on his own. Made him feel taller and tougher, more invincible, even though he knew with his lifestyle, his days were numbered. So be it, he thought. He wanted to go out with a bang and take as many demon fiends with him as he could.

He thought about how Angel was acting the night before. Not that he thought vampires were asexual or anything, but he never thought a vampire would fall in love with a vampire Slayer. He didn't know how most Slayers looked, but he understood with that one. Girl was fine as hell.

He heard a ruckus in an abandoned building down the street, so he fell into a silent jog as he went to check it out. He crept inside, straining to hear the voices inside, but couldn't make them out. As he neared, he peeked around the corner to see none other than the two warriors he had been thinking about.

Way to go, Angel, he thought as he watched the vampire screwing The Slayer against the concrete wall. He had a perfect side profile of the mating couple and as he watched them, he almost winced from the force of the union. It was a good thing she had super strength, because a regular girl would have broken bones by now. He told himself to turn away but watched a few minutes more as Angel bent down and sucked one of her admittedly remarkable nipples into his mouth. She arched against him, thrashing between the vampire and the wall as she came. The mask of delirium on her face was enough for Gunn to harden at the sight. He began to move away, feeling guilty for watching, even though they were in a less than private place, but paused when he saw Angel's face to lapse to the demon.

He had to remind himself that she was The Slayer and could protect herself. The knowledge was the only thing keeping him from rushing in and staking his friend. Angel growled loudly and Gunn tightened his grip on his stake, waiting. He knew that Angel was a good guy but as he watched, his faith was slowly dwindling. Buffy looked into Angel's golden eyes and grabbed a handful of his hair, holding him back from her throat. He growled again, thrusting harder inside her. Finally, she pressed his face against her throat and he bit in. The sound of his feed could be heard across the room and Gunn waited.

Angelus climaxed and pulled away from her tempting neck, knowing that he couldn't turn her until he wanted him too. And he couldn't wait for her to want it.

"There's nothing like sex when you don't have a soul," Angelus said as he dressed alongside his lover.

"Mmmm, I agree," she said, allowing herself to be pulled back into his arms. He kissed her for a few moments before releasing her and finished getting dressed.

"I think I could stand to do that for eternity," Angelus said, looking over at her to make sure he had gotten his point across.

"Patience, lover," she answered.

***

soul power got to have it - soul power give it to me - soul power how you need it

The hotel was barren and the only sounds were their whispers as they looked around. The trip was fairly anticlimactic for the Scoobies as they proceeded to search the bottom floor and part of the second floor before giving up. They shuffled along, arguing quietly about where to look next when Oz suggested The Velvet Dog. If they were in Sunnydale, they would check The Bronze next. It only made sense to check the club where Buffy had first spotted Angel.

As they made their way in that direction, they saw a figure running toward them in the night. They continued forward but were all tensed for an attack. Willow recognized Gunn as he came closer and called out his name.

"He has a gun?" Xander whispered.

"No, silly," Willow said, picking up the pace to meet him, "His name is Gunn."

"Oh."

"There's a huge problem, Willow," Gunn said, "Have you seen Buffy and Angel lately?"

"Just Buffy," Willow answered, "And she's acting strange."

"All I know is I was making my rounds and saw them in an abandoned building. Angel said he didn't have a soul and the way it sounded...it sounded like maybe Buffy didn't have one either."

"Dear Lord," Giles said. He turned and ran back towards his flat to start the research. He had to find out how to restore a human soul - if there was ever a precedent of such a thing occurring. The rest of the group, along with Gunn, followed the frightened Watcher home.

***

Part Six - "Home Again"

RATING: NC-17 ***SMUT, SMUT, oh and SMUT***

WARNING: DARK - Character Death

Tango's feeling a little naughty, so the young and impressionable should look the other way...

***

faith lies in the ways of sin

"We need to talk," Buffy said, standing in the doorway of Dru and Spike's bedroom. The boys were out hunting and Drusilla's visions had kept her in tonight. Spike had promised to bring her something young and tasty, but with The Slayer standing in her doorway, she suddenly knew what she would prefer. Drusilla's only acknowledgment of Buffy's presence was the hungry look from one woman to another, both lusting after the same vampire.

"You have a very naughty habit of climbing in Angelus' bed," Buffy said, strolling in and sitting gently on the bed next to the dark Childe of her lover.

"Daddy...tastes so good," Dru moaned, looking off across the room as if she could see him there, "Feels so good."

"Yeah," Buffy nodded in agreement, "He does and the only one who's going to know that for now on is me."

"Mmmm...little Slayer doesn't like to share," Drusilla whispered with a sweet, honey smile. She licked her red lips and focused on the blonde in front of her, "He likes me to please him. He craves kindred, not sickening humans, like you."

Buffy paused for a moment before reaching out and wrapping her fingers around Dru's narrow throat. Knowing that cutting off air didn't matter, she dug her nails in and tightened her grip until she felt the bones bending beneath her fingers, "He's mine. Touch him again and I'll..."

"Kill me?" Drusilla choked out, managing to laugh silently at the thought.

"No," Buffy answered, pushing her violently away, "I'll get him to kill you. Won't that be sweet? Your Sire destroying you...for The Slayer?"

"My Angel would never kill me," Dru replied confidently.

"Wanna bet?" Buffy asked in a frozen voice that cracked the vampiress' confidence, "What do you think he'd do for me, you crazy bitch? You think he'd kill to keep me?"

"He'll kill you too," Dru said proudly, her eyes clear of madness for the first time since Buffy had met her.

"Yes," Buffy said, standing with a dreamy smile on her face, "But only when I want him to."

***

when you decide that your life is a prize
renew and revive
it's alright honey, it's alright, yeah
happiness will make you wonder

"Did you see anything else that would help our research?" Giles asked Gunn when they all made it back to his house. He was already pulling books off of the shelves and handing them out like party favors.

"Except that they were screwing like banshees?" Gunn asked with a raised eyebrow, "No, just that he fed off her."

"Was she...was she...I don't supposed you know if..." Giles said, trying to find the words to explain the horrifying possibility that a Slayer had been turned. Angelus was the most sadistic bastard to ever live but with a vampiric Slayer by his side, there was no stopping them.

"She's still human," Gunn answered and listened to the sighs of relief that were blown out of lungs all over the room.

"We need to restore her soul," Giles said, pushing a book into Gunn's hands, who looked down at it in confusion. He was a warrior, not a bookworm. He would much rather dust the vamps and read about it later.

"How?" Xander said, pacing around the room, gripping an ancient text in one hand as he did, "What possible way is there to do it? What if she's evil forever? What if we lost her?"

"Chill man," Gunn said, tossing his book on the couch and plopping down next to it, "If they lost their souls, there's gotta be a way to get them back. If not, we'll just kill ‘em."

His flippant response earned him multiple scowls. Obviously not a part of the Scooby mindset, Gunn shrugged at them. If they had to be killed, they would be. He liked Angel and Buffy, but he liked living more.

"Willow," Giles said, picking up The Codex and turning to his most trusted research aide, "I need you to look in the-"

Giles stopped speaking abruptly and looked at the little witch strangely as she stood rigidly still in the center of the room. She reached out her hand and mumbling an unintelligible string of phrases in a language that even Rupert Giles did not recognize, the room began to hum and the lights flickered.

Suddenly, the pages of The Codex began flipping and when the pages stopped turning, the nervous Watcher looked down at the text in front of him.

"Oh dear," he muttered as his eyes jumped rapidly over the words printed there in harsh type. He blinked as the words began to blur and their meanings became confused. It simply could not be.

"I hate it when you say that," Xander said.

"What do you see?" Cordelia asked, "What is it?"

"Giles," Willow gasped, breathing heavily and ignoring the look of concern on her boyfriend's face. Oz didn't know how advanced her Wiccan extracurricular activities had become. No one knew until then, "Did it work? Is that what we were looking for?"

"What we were looking for?" Giles asked absently before looking around the room warily, "No, Willow. I was not looking for this. Not this."

***

who wants honey

"This is lovely," Buffy said as Angelus escorted her around the mansion in Sunnydale that he had "acquired." Two hours traveling time, one day spent relentlessly fucking his mate, one night seeking out the perfect place to live and negotiating new ownership - or actually, scaring the shit out of the real owner, forcing him to sign over the deed and then eating him - had been well worth it to see his lover's approval of their new home.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, running his fingers over the back of the couch, one of the many furnishings he had been able to have delivered after taking over the dead man's estate.

"But why are we back here?" Buffy complained, "What's the deal about the Hellmouth to you vampires anyway?"

"The Annual Meeting," Angelus' answered smoothly.

"The what? Vampire family reunion?"

"Mmmhmmm," Angelus answered, wrapping his arms around her narrow waist from behind and whispering in her ear, "Pretty much. It moves around and is always in a different place, but every hundred years, it comes to the Hellmouth. It's a party, baby, that you're not going to want to miss."

"Don't cha think it's kinda stupid to bring a Slayer?" Buffy asked as she felt one of his large hands slip down the front of her jeans. She parted her legs slightly and moaned, half in pleasure and half in pain as his fingers explored her sore pussy. A week ago she was an innocent virgin and a good girl in every sense and now she had fucked Angelus so many times that she was surprised she was still able to walk. He was relentless in his want of her and she quickly found that she couldn't resist him.

"I don't want to bring a Slayer," he said, biting her neck with his blunt teeth, nearly breaking her skin, "I want to bring my real mate, my true consort."

She pulled his hand away from her and stumbled away, "Why would I die for you? Should I give up sunlight for you?"

"Immortality and me," he said, pulling his shirt off and tossing it on the floor. Her eyes raked over his muscular chest and he inhaled her increasing arousal with a smile. He sat on the couch and slid down to a slouch. Slowly, he unbuttoned his leather pants, lowered the zipper. She licked her lips as she stared at the engorged head of his erect cock, glistening with his excitement. He smiled coldly at her as he said, "Breathing, sunlight - overrated, lover. Imagine what we could have if we had eternity together."

"Eternity?" she echoed, trying to keep her eyes focused on his eyes and not his lap.

"Forever," he answered huskily, "As true mates."

Buffy stood in the center of the large room, trying to find a reason to deny him but could find none. Daylight was a small price to pay to spend forever in his arms.

"Strip," he commanded, eyeing her body with starving eyes. She looked back at him and tried to gather anger but found desire instead. Her panties were soaked and her thighs were already trembling in anticipation of his touch. When she hesitated for too long, he said, "Take off your clothes. Now."

She obeyed, dropping each piece of clothing on the floor at her feet.

"C'mere," he whispered, jogging his thick cock back and forth as he drank in the sight of her flushed body and the obvious wetness at the apex of her thighs. She moved slowly, prolonging his want of her even though she was also slowing the expected pleasure for herself. His tongue moved over his lips as he watched her. She settled onto the couch next to him and he merely glanced over at her without touching her at all. Instead, he continued to please himself while she watched, releasing short gasps of air through parted lips.

"I want to feel your sucking mouth," he said, pulling her hand to his lap, "I want to watch you taste me."

Her mouth was an inferno of lust when she took him in, tentatively at first, then more enthusiastically as he groaned his approval. He moved his hand over her back as her tongue swirled around the tip before she plunged down, taking as much of him in as she could. He took a moment to squeeze her ass before slipping his hand around and pushing two fingers inside her. She moaned with him inside her mouth, causing a shudder to run through his body and his fingers to plunge deeper.

"Harder," he growled, as he smoothed over her swollen nub. He smiled down at her as she spread her legs further apart for him and increased her suction, bobbing her beautiful blonde head faster in his lap. Accepting more of him with each turn, she responded to his groans and the feel of his fingers thrusting inside her. Finally, he came and he was lavished with pleasure as she swallowed his cold seed.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, baby," he swore as she moved up, leaving warm kisses on his stomach and over his chest. The difference in their temperatures was so severe, Angelus began to wonder if a storm cloud would form between their lustful bodies. He hardened again as she made her way up to his neck and nibbled on his throat. He moved his hands over her as she tossed one leg over him, straddling his lap. He waited for her to guide him inside her but she didn't. She kissed him passionately, scraping her nails over his scalp and pressed her chest against his, relishing in the feel of his cold skin.

"Need to be inside you," he growled, eyes flashing golden. Her teasing heat hovered over him, pulsating in desire but not making contact. Finally, after long torturous moments, she guided him into her but only allowed the first couple of inches access and held him down against the couch, eyes demanding that she was in control this time. He growled in protest but didn't speak as she clamped her inner muscles around him. She took in inch by beguiling inch in aching slowness until the demon below her was shaking in pleasure, want and fury.

"Feel the heat?" she whispered, seating him fully inside her and pulling his hands over her breasts.

"Yes," he hissed, trying to thrust up against her but finding that his Slayer held him fast.

"Becoming a vampire means losing the heat...forever," she said against his lips, "Are you willing to give that up?"

"I'm not willing to give you up," he answered, "Not ever. For anything."

"You can't have me, Angel," she whispered, pulling away from his lips and looking into eyes that turned fully golden at her words. The leer on her elegant face was calculating and macabre.

"Why the hell not?" he growled.

"Because, baby," she said, "You didn't say ‘please.'"

With a roar, he lurched off the couch, clamping his hands over her firm ass to keep himself seated inside her. He crashed to the floor, slamming his hips against hers as they landed. As he moved inside her with feral strokes, he gripped a handful of silky blonde hair, pulled her head to the side and tore into her delicate throat.

***

shut my mouth and strike the demons that cursed you

Giles had felt sorrow, had known fear and failure but the words that leapt up at him from The Codex forced a feeling inside him like he had never known. It was pure, unmatched dread. All his fears, every single nightmare, every cause for alarm in his life became text on a page and then personified itself, dancing before his blurring eyes.

"Not my Slayer," he mumbled, swallowing a sob of despair as he lowered his body into the chair at his desk and held his head in his hands, staring at the page. Being around the children all the time had differing effects on him. Sometimes they made him feel youthful and energetic and some days, he felt old and weary. Tonight he felt ancient and undeserving of the years
life had allowed him.

"What?" Xander asked, walking over to the Watcher, "What is it?"

No answer came, only mumblings of something that could only be described as hopelessness.

"Giles?" Willow asked, tightening her hold on Oz's hand.

"I can't take this," Cordy announced and walked over to the desk. She pulled the book from under Giles' stare and held it up, reading aloud, "The Chosen One of the greatest power of her line will relent to the darkness, passing over to the demonic realm. She will give herself freely, embracing the underworld and ruling it."

"That's not true!" Willow screamed. The power of her voice alone, forced the dark haired cheerleader back several paces and the book tumbled from her hands. Xander dove for it, flipping through the pages anxiously.

"What page?" he demanded, looking from Cordy to Willow to Giles and back again, "What God DAMN page?"

"The Chosen One," Gunn said, "Buffy?"

"Not Buffy!" Xander said, tearing priceless pages as he tore through the book looking for those little sentences that would rip apart the world.

"We have to stop it," Willow said, walking over and tugging at Giles' arm.

"It's too late," Giles' said, "It can't be stopped."

"What do you mean?" Xander said, throwing the book back on the desk with disgust, "It's not Buffy. We were just on the wrong page."

"I wish to God we were," Giles said, standing up and facing Xander angrily, "But this is The Codex and there's nothing in it that doesn't come to pass! Remember the Master? Remember Buffy's death? This is true! I would do anything to change it if I could but the prophecy is complete! I've lost her. My God...I've lost her."

***

but when i woke up from that sleep i was happier than i'd ever been

Spike strolled into the mansion's master bedroom to find Angelus sitting in a large black leather chair staring at the body of his lover lying naked and dead in his bed. Spike looked over her supple frame with a satisfied smile.

"You turned her?" Spike asked, moving toward the bed.

"Don't take a step closer," Angelus growled into the darkness, "Get out."

"I wasn't going to touch your precious little mate," Spike said, stopping three feet from the bed, keeping his back to his Sire as he admired her.

"It's a good damn thing," Angelus said, "Now leave."

Spike sniffed the air and turned to face the elder vampire, "She's only just died. You have hours to go. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were worried she won't wake up. How unlike you, Angelus."

"Is it more like me if I deprive you of your life as well?" Angelus said as he sprung on his Childe, tossing him out of the bedroom. He followed Spike's tumbling body into the next room and caught up with him, kicking him in the side.

"What the bloody hell are you tripping on? The bint's going to wake up!"

"Don't misunderstand, Spike. This isn't about Buffy," Angelus growled, "Things are going to be as they were."

"As they were?" Spike asked, hoping that the sentence didn't mean what he thought it meant, but as his Sire's knee cracked into his mouth, he understood.

"Yes," Angelus answered. He felt the rush of Slayer's blood in his veins and displeasure at the spiritual reduction he felt from her parting . It brought about more than just anger and irritation but severe derangement, a disease seeping into his mind. If she didn't wake up soon, he wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself from killing anything that wandered in the vicinity. Not that it mattered to him if he did.

He heard heels clicking on the marble floor and looked up as Drusilla entered. She sensed violence bleeding off him, filling every corner of the room. She didn't take another step into the room but stood there trembling. Until this moment, Angelus had been preoccupied with The Slayer. Now that her body lay cooling a room away, he lost all ability to keep up the kindness he had treated his children with before.

"Come in, Dru," Angelus said, smiling at her, "We're only just beginning."

"Sire," she said, her fear betrayed in her wobbling voice.

"That's right, baby," he growled, "Time to remind you."

"Sire," Spike said, gripping the couch as he pulled himself to his feet, "I remember. We'll follow you."

"I know you will, Spikey," Angelus said, "Come here, Drusilla."

"Angel," Spike spat, "Leave her out of this!"

Angelus flew toward her and pulled her further into the room over Spike's scream of protest. The master vampire bit into his Childe's throat, tasting her blood as one large hand spanned her abdomen. Spike cried out for him to stop as he guzzled her blood. He stopped short of draining her and let go, watching with evil pleasure as she toppled to the floor, weakened and whimpering.

Angelus caught Spike, expecting his attack and slammed his fist into his Grande Childe's face. He pulled in the angry, blonde vamp as well and performed the same cleansing ritual, dropping Spike's body near Dru's. Crouching over Spike, he whispered, "You know what the best part of all this is, Spike?"

"Bastard," Spike growled weakly as he pulled his mate to his side, trying to move away from his Sire.

"Do you smell the arousal all over her?" Angelus said, laughing, "I can have her anytime I want and there's nothing you can do about it. If I want her on her hands and knees and offering her sweet cunt to me, she will. If I want to kill her, she'll give me her life. She belongs to me. And so do you."

"Who do I belong to?"

Angelus whipped around to face the much paler, undead version of his mate leaning at the doorway. She looked more haunted, harder somehow. The stillness of the body that usually breathed life now radiated a different sort of sheen. She was just as enticing but her power was stronger, darker and far more irresistible. The feeling of her that had been lost with her death increased exponentially when she rose.

"Buffy," Spike gasped from the floor, "You have hours before you rise...hours left."

"Never underestimate a Slayer, Spike," Buffy said, sauntering into the room with no timidness about her nudity, "Haven't you learned that by now?"

She turned her eyes on her lover, her eternal mate and frowned at him, "Angelus, you were supposed to be by my side when I rose. You were out here playing with the children instead of watching over me?"

***

living makes me sick so sick i wish i'd die down in the belly of the beast

A week had passed and the Scoobies knew that Buffy was missing, as were the three vampires who had lost their souls. Giles had not slept in those seven days but spent all of his time flipping through books, looking for a loophole or some way to save his Slayer. Willow became his constant companion, occasionally falling asleep on the books as she too searched for a way to save her friend. Her classes had fallen to the wayside and the rest of the group took turns helping out. Each day it seemed more useless and more apparent that their Buffy was never coming back.

Giles was dozing over The Codex, having returned to it to find some glimpse into what was to be. Willow and Oz were curled up on the couch together, entangled in each other. They all jerked awake as the phone rang and Giles turned slowly to look at it. He stood wearily and crossed the room.

"Hello?"

"Hello Rupert," a curt British voice replied.

"Quintin," Giles responded, realizing that he had not informed the Council and in the same breath he understood that Buffy was dead.

"Your Slayer has died," Quintin Travers said, making it known that the Council was abreast of the situation. The silence on the other end of the line prodded the Council member to continue, "As she has died once before, another has not been called in her stead. You are relieved of your duties as Watcher."

"I can save her," Giles answered in a panic.

"It's too late," he replied, "You've failed the Council. Your Slayer is the first to willingly be turned. You are a disgrace."

Giles listened as the line went dead and kept the receiver to his ear until the phone made an annoying off the hook sound. He finally hung up, knowing the truth he had feared every second of the last seven days. He looked at Willow and Oz for a second before the knob of his front door turned. The door swung open as if it hadn't been locked and a short man strolled inside.

"You guys really fucked this up," he said with a lopsided smile, "But luckily, you have me."

"And who are you?" Giles demanded, preparing to dash for a weapon if need be.

"Whistler," he answered, tipping his hat, "At your service."

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