Chapter 6
"Out of the frying pan, into the fire," Ethan muttered to the empty room.
`Well, you've gotten yourself into a sticky wicket this time, haven't you, old boy.' He shook his head and chuckled. "Exchanged one cell for another; what a bloody riot!"
After he had arrived in the warehouse, the men had quickly dropped a bag over his head and shackled his hands. Then they dragged him from the building and threw him into a car. They had driven for what seemed like ages until the car had finally come to a stop. After someone opened the door, they swept him out of the car and brought him into another building.
Once they had placed him inside this room, they had removed the bag and shackles and left him alone. Ethan had shaken off his disorientation and examined his surroundings. The room had a nondescript bed, a spartan table with two wooden chairs, and a pine dresser. There were no windows, the only entry a single door which he assumed lead to the hall.
He tried the knob and found that the door was locked from the outside. He placed his ear against the door, listening for any signs of life. When he heard nothing, he chanted an incantation that he and Ripper had devised long ago to melt locks. When he spoke the last word, he pointed his finger at the door knob. Energy leapt from his finger toward the handle, then rebounded and struck his hand like the arc from an electric welder. "Christ!" he yelped as his hand went numb from the discharge. "What the fuck was that?!?"
His hand continued to tingle and little bolts of pain shot up his right arm. He grimaced, looking down at his fingers. They were red, throbbing. "Third degree burns," he murmured. He needed medical attention and needed it soon.
Ethan pounded on the door with his left hand and yelled, "Hey! Can somebody help me out there? I'm hurt. I need a doctor!"
No one answered. "Hey! Please, I'm not trying to trick you...I really am hurt. I'm in a lot of pain!"
He heard the mechanism of the lock click. He stepped away from the door. When it opened, he stared at the figure in the doorway, slack-jawed, the pain forgotten momentarily.
She was a vision.
She stood there in a smart business suit, black with red pinstripes. Her waistcoat was open, revealing a silky white blouse with a scoop neckline, proudly displaying her impressive cleavage. As his gaze continued to move down her frame, he nearly gasped when he came to the hem of her micromini-skirt which showcased her taunt, long legs encased in sheer black silk stockings and enhanced by her high-heeled, spike pumps. Then he looked up into her perfect face, highlighted by tasteful eyeshadow and lavender lip gloss, and found her icy gaze tinged by amusement locked with his own.
"My word, Ethan," she purred, "it appears that you've been a naughty boy." She sauntered toward him. "I suppose my men should have warned you about the wards placed around the room to neutralize your magic. But," she smiled like a cat regarding a canary caught in its paws, "you always did learn best from experience, wouldn't you agree?"
He glared at her and snapped, "Not at all."
She regarded him casually. "Don't lie to me, Ethan. I know you too well."
He gritted his teeth and felt his blood begin to boil. Bloody bitch! She always knew what buttons to push. This time, though, he wasn't going to let her get to him. He smiled slyly at her. "Oh, Lizzie, you've always been able to match wits with me." He motioned at his right hand with his left. "However, would you be a dear and fix this? It hurts like hell."
She gave him an icy smile. "Of course, dear. I wouldn't want you to be in any discomfort when we visit the Hellmouth."
Ethan froze. "Hellmouth? We're not in bloody Sunnydale, are we?"
"Why, yes, we are."
He started to sweat. "For gods' sakes, woman; we've got to get out of here! If bloody Ripper found out I'm back in –"
"Wait!" she snapped. "Ripper...Ripper is here?"
"Yes, damn it! And he's probably still out for my blood, both he and his Slayer."
She frowned and shot a frosty glare at him. "Slayer? You must be mad! Only Watchers have Slayers. If this is your idea of a joke–"
He was so agitated, he ignored her threat. "Have I ever joked about Ripper before, Lizzie?"
She swallowed hard and hugged herself. "But, he'd never become a Watcher...he had always said–"
Ethan smiled inwardly. So she still had that weakspot, eh? "He is one, luv. Not only that, the bergs teamed him up with a Slayer. A cute bottle-blonde called Buffy." She looked at him like he was insane. "Honest, luv! That's no joke."
She snorted, "Her parents named her `Buffy'? And I thought WE had been heavy drug users."
"Well, she may have a dumb name, but she hits like piledriver. Yet, I'd rather take my chances with her than with Rip. She'd put me in the hospital for sure, but that's better than being dead."
"Is this girl, this Slayer...involved with Rip?"
"What's the information worth to you, precious?"
She gave him a hooded stare. "You'll get to live a while longer."
He gulped. "Well, since you put it that way...no, I don't think so. Last time I was here, she was hanging out with a soldier boy who worked for some secret government group that raised hell with the demons in these parts. I don't think Rip has anyone, actually. A few years ago, he was interested in a young woman who worked with him, but I heard she had died a while back."
Lizzie's eyes took on a faraway look for a moment, then regarded him again. "Thank you for the information, Ethan. I hope that you'll find your accommodations to be more comfortable for the short time that you'll be using them." She turned and called out into the hall. "Smythe?"
A thin, well-dressed man appeared in the doorway. "Yes, Miss?"
"Fetch the special ointments for burns from the cellar and tend to Mr. Raynes. Then I want you to find a Mr. Rupert Giles. He's here in Sunnydale. I want both his work and home addresses. Oh, and Smythe," she paused, drawing his undivided attention to her. "I want those addresses yesterday."
He nodded. "Is that all, Miss?"
She smiled brightly. "No. After you find Mr. Giles, please purchase a television set for our guest as a reward for his cooperation."
"Right away, Miss."
She turned to Ethan and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell Ripper you're here. It wouldn't serve me well to have him kill you before the ceremony."
Ethan glared at her as she left the room and closed the door behind her. "Into the fire, old boy?" he murmured. "Rather, more like a nuclear reactor running wild."
______________________________________________________________________
Angel Investigation Los Angeles
Cordelia Chase pawed half-heartedly at the stack of files that laid seige on her desk. She sighed and ran her slender fingers through her short, well-coiffed hair. She really liked the blonde highlights that the Beverly Hills hairdresser had given her. She thought she might just keep it, or, maybe, go even more blonde. She raised her eyes from the work she pretended to do and glanced at Charles.
Well, more specifically, at Charles' fine butt. Smiling like Mona Lisa, she noted how fine his butt was, yes, indeedy! While Gunn sharpened the axe his crew had made for him out of a hubcap across the whetstone, Cordelia followed the line of muscles from his shoulders to the firmly rounded muscles of his rear. She would love to have him stay in that position for an entire day, as long as she could be there to enjoy it. That would definitely make her days more entertaining. She smirked. Hey, a girl had to get her entertainment wherever she could find it. And Gunn's butt was definitely the most entertaining thing in the office and...and...oh, damn!
#
Gunn heard Cordelia's strangled cry behind him. He spun and found Cordelia slumped onto the floor. He ran to her side and called to Wes for the aspirin and some water. He cradled the seer's spasming body to his muscular chest, waiting for her vision to fade away. Gunn hated these visions for the pain they caused the abrasive actress, even while he was grateful to the powers that be for the heads up. He had always found it hard to believe that this fragile-looking young woman, 'Stickfigure Barbie,' he remembered calling her once, could take the agony associated with the so-called 'gift' that she had inherited from Doyle. But looks could be deceiving. That was certainly true both for vamps and this brave, little white girl.
She groaned. Gunn frowned. This one was taking way too long. Normally these pain-fests were over in seconds. This one had gone on for at least a minute. He shot a questioning look at Wes. The Englishman muttered, "When it's a long one, it's really bad."
#
Cordelia moaned, then looked at the two men beside her. "Pack your things, we're leaving for Sunnydale."
Wesley handed her a handful of pills and helped her support the water bottle to wash then down. "Angel should be back in a couple of days; we can research and be ready to leave as soon as he arrives."
"No, Wes. Angel can't go on this one. Trust me; it would be bad, very bad." She shuddered at the thought of Angel having to face his ex-lover when she was all groiny with his childe. She didn't think she would ever manage to rid herself of the picture of Buffy poised on top of Spike, plunging down on his erection while his fingers did truly naughty things to her. "I saw Buffy and Spike together...and...can I just say, 'ewwww?'" She sobered quickly and continued. "I also saw Willow dying. It was bad, really bad. We have to get to Willow, stop this before it starts. Hand me the phone."
They helped her to the phone and held her up as she dialed a number. She fidgeted as she waited for an answer, then her eyes widened when someone picked up the other end. "Kate...we have a problem and we need your help. We have to go to Sunnydale and Angel's still out of town. Want to tag along? Kate, I won't lie to you. It's going to be bad, but the shit would really hit the fan if we brought Angel with us." She paused for Kate's answer. "Fine...we'll be there to pick you up in about an hour."
The seer glared at the two men who held her. "Well, chop-chop! We don't have all day. Get a move on!"
Chapter 7
She slowly opened her emerald eyes and returned from the land of dreams. Smiling, she said in a voice rife with sleep, "Home--a wonderful place to be." She looked around the parking lot and realized that they were at Giles' condo. Her brain tested the thought that this _was_ home and found it good. She loved the thought of living with him, being there always, having him all the time.
A soft kiss was a pleasant distraction from her reverie. "We have to go in, Willow. "Ready? Once we get settled, I should call Buffy. Let's hope her crises can wait till morning." He took her hand and helped her gently from the low slung tramp. Quickly, he gathered their bags and taking her hand, led her into her new home. He set her gently on the couch, then placed their bags by the stairs. He grabbed the phone and quickly dialed Buffy's number. After a pause, he said, "We've arrived home, Buffy...yes, thank you, we had a very good time...Buffy, I don't mean to be abrupt, but it was a tedious drive and we are very tired. Will this wait for tomorrow?"
A small smile tugged at his lips. "Good, then we will see you at the shop after your last class. Good night, Buffy. Yes, I'll tell her. Yes...we had 'a heap of fun.' Yes, well, right then." After he hung up, he turned to his witch and said, "Buffy told me to say she was sorry, she thought we'd understand, and it'll wait until tomorrow."
Willow frowned. "If it would wait, why didn't she just wait for us to get home?" she snapped. "We planned to be here before classes were done, anyway." She sighed. Well, this wasn't a surprise, after all. This was SO Buffy. "We could have stayed the night and just come home like we'd planned," she muttered with a pout.
"I know, luv. If it's any consolation, she did sound quite upset. I don't know what's wrong, but it has disturbed her deeply." He yawned, then bent down to lift her into his arms. "I think we should take advantage of our bed and get some 'sleep.'" She caught his meaning. Cradling her to his chest, he carefully ascended the stairs. Turning sideways, so as not to catch either her feet or her head against the door facing, he entered their bedroom. Then he tenderly kissed his love before he grinned and tossed her on the bed.
As she bounced, she growled indignantly at him for a moment. But soon, desire shoved indignation into the cheap seats. Willow pushed her body up and grabbed his narrow leather belt, pulling him down on top of her. She pulled his shirt from his trousers and ran her hands up to his taut chest, tracing the scars with loving attention to detail. He shuddered under her tender assualt, bracing himself with his arms to keep from crushing her. He crushed her lips beneath his own, teasing with the tip of his tongue, until she opened her mouth for him to explore further. He delved deep into the warm cavern of her mouth as he slowly slid his hand down her throat, then to her heaving bosom, to unbutton her blouse. His fingers dipped into the shadowed crevice between her small breasts, teasing as he deftly opened the front clasp of her bra. He smoothed the silk and lace away from her soft skin, abandoning her lips to suck first one, then the other tip to pebbled hardness.
Willow moaned as his lips coaxed her breasts to swollen abandon. She writhed under him, responding to his tender mercies. Her hands slipped down to his waistband and slowly opened his trousers. She grinned naughtily when she felt the silk boxers she had bought for him in San Francisco. Her tiny hand dipped beneath his boxers and grasped his swollen cock. It still baffled her, after all this time, that he desired her so much. She felt her stomach quiver as the connection between her breasts and her pussy responded to the man she loved so much. She arched her back, giving him better access to her breasts and stroked his erection. Languidly, she guided her hand up and down his cock, just grazing the head with her thumb, using his pre-cum to lubricate him. Slowly, she slipped his trousers, then his boxers down his muscled thighs. Her entreaties had managed to elicit a deep moan from him and she grinned in satisfaction.
His right hand slipped down and popped the button on her jeans. A shock of electricity bolted through her, as he skimmed them down. Taking shameful advantage of her nakedness, he flicked the swollen nubbin between her thighs. A deep, purring moan issued from her throat when he gently, but firmly inserted one and then two fingers inside her moist nether lips. Then she felt a mournful emptiness as he withdrew them. She whimpered, opening her eyes, ready to beg him to return his fingers to their delightful task, when his curly chest hairs brushed against her torso, shortly followed by the blissful entry of his incredibly hard cock into her hot passage. Immediately she tightened around him, urging him onward. Soon he established a rhythm and fucked her, hard-and-fast.
It wasn't long before her pelvis rose off of the mattress to meet him and she screamed, signaling her orgasm to anyone who might have been awake in the building. She shuddered with delight as she felt him explode his juices inside her. Her very soul responded to this man. She loved him so much and resolved not lose him or drive him away with her jealousy. Still, she needed to have a chat with Buffy regarding pager etiquette. The two lovers fell asleep, still intertwined.
Willow woke the next morning to find herself being ravished. Wrapping her arms around her lover, she enthusiastically responded, whimpering as he repeated, like a mantra, "I love you," over and over again. Finally when they lay sated, he said, "I suppose we should shower, dress, and go to The Magick Box. Anya's not expecting us until this afternoon. It might be wise to pull a surprise inspection, considering what the lot of you have been known to get up to in my absence." Although his loving grin took all sting from his words, she decided to respond with a mock smirk. In response, he swatted her bottom and she shrieked. Then she sprinted for the bathroom with a laughing Giles right on her heels.
____________________________________________________________________
The Magick Box
It was 8:57 in the morning when Xander carried Anya over the threshold of the shop.
"An, Honey," he said with a grin, "although I think this is a capital idea, if the G-Man ever finds out about this one, we're both toast." He set the beautiful ex-demon on the counter and ran his hands down her back to cup her butt. He leaned in and kissed her. "I'm just glad that Giles and Wills are in San Francisco. If they ever caught wind of this... well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty."
Anya pouted prettily at him. "You're ignoring me and thinking about your bisexual friend who always tries to come between us and her really old lover who happens to be my employer. You're not supposed to be thinking. You're supposed to be giving me orgasms, here," she said, pointing at the area near the cash register, "on the counter."
"An, is there a time when I'm not thinking about giving you orgasms? Also, while we're at it with the questioning thing," he taunted, "don't you think doing it in the shop is, hey, just a little public?" He ran his talented hands under her full skirt, taking full advantage of her lack of underwear. His busy fingers caressed and toyed with her cleft, paying particular attention to her swollen clit. Soon, he dipped one, then two fingers into her tight passage. Adroitly, Xander snagged a chair from the table with his foot and dragged it over. He sat in the chair and sought more comfortable access to Anya's core. He threw her flowered skirt back and exposed her, in all her glory, to the world, if the world had cared to look through the darkened shop windows. With one last flick of his fingernail, he buried his face between her lovely thighs.
Anya whimpered when his tongue began to work it's magic on her. She thrust her pelvis as far forward on the counter as she could and leaned back on her hands while Xander ran one hand up beneath her loose dress to caress her unbound breasts. She gasped. This man certainly pushed all of her right buttons. Then she bit down on her bottom lip, distracting herself so she wouldn't come immediately. Yet he was so good and holding off was so hard...But she steadied her resolve and intended to enjoy this for as long as she could; after all, who knew when they would get another chance for her to share in this enjoyable human experience--of having sex on your boss's desk. She frowned. Well, she thought, although this wasn't technically a desk, Giles didn't really have one and this was where he transacted most of his business, so it still counted...then Xander's tongue did something particularly naughty to her and Anya fell over the edge into orgasm, her choked scream drowning out all of her resolve as well as the sound of the bell that signaled someone's entrance into the shop.
Through slitted eyes, she spied four people standing in the doorway with differing stages of shock showing on their faces. A tall, muscled black man appeared to cast an admiring look her way. A reed-like, effeminate man turned a lovely shade of puce and seemed to want to turn away, but couldn't help but continue to watch. An attractive and fit blonde woman with an earnest face had a smirk on her face. Finally a tall, familiar-looking brunette with regal bearing grimaced and muttered, "Can I just say...eww! Once a loser, always a loser."
Xander's head snapped away from Anya's pussy in response to brunette's words. Then, as recognition of the situation blazed in his eyes, he lowered her skirt, carefully trying to protect her bounty from eyes other than his. He turned and found Cordelia...and friends?
The blonde looked at his dazed expression and said with a chuckle, "You guys are lucky that I don't work vice anymore."
The tall black man turned to Cordy, "Damn, P.Q. if our office was like this I wouldn't need a pager."
Xander looked confused. "PQ?"
Cordelia sighed. "It's short for 'prom queen.'"
An annoyed but slightly bemused Anya noticed the faint color that found it's way into the Queen C's face. "I hate to interrupt YOUR interruption, but Xander was in the middle of giving me orgasms. State your business and leave."
"I need to see Giles and Willow, then I'll be EXTREMELY happy to leave! Where are...?" she paused, then responded to her own question. "Willow is probably in class, but where's Bookman?"
"Willow and Giles are in San Francisco, doing the wild thing," the well-built construction worker replied.
"No, we're not," a velvet-smooth English voice proffered from the doorway. "And what, pray tell, is going on here?" Giles shot a darting look at Xander, looked puzzled for a moment, then sniffed the air. With a familiar smirk, Giles said, "Oh dear lord--go and wash up Xander, and, please, never tell me about it. Ever." Everyone in the room swung around to look at the odd couple framed in the doorway. A gasp caught in Cordelia's throat, then she muttered, "Jeans...Oh. my. god."
Giles had unbent enough to wear jeans to work and a grinning Willow stood in his embrace, cuddled at his side.
She winked at Xander, then drawled, "Fashion tip, Cordy. Mouth looks better closed."
She reached up and pecked her lover on the cheek, loving the group's reactions to her affectionate play with Giles. Then she parted from her man's side to offer the former cheerleader a tentative hug. Cordy returned it just as tentatively. She offered Wesley one hand in a firm handshake, then nodded a friendly greeting to the blonde woman and noted (in passing only since she was taken) very good looking man next to Cordy. "Hi, I'm Willow, you are?"
Cordy stepped between the witch and the black man and drawled, "Turn off the charm, Netgirl. He, and the rest of us, are here to save your life."
Giles swung his head around sharply. Willow caught that look and shuddered. < Oh no--Giles has left the building... > "What?!? " he shouted. "Explain yourself...now, Cordelia."
Cordy got a pained and saddened look on her face. "Of course, Giles." she paused. "I didn't mean to upset you. I HAVE changed a lot since I've been gone."
"Yeah, loving the hair cut and the blonde highlights, Queen C." Xander muttered.
When the tall, black guy glared at Xander and growled, even Anya felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Then, her uneasiness was replaced by confusion, when the guy calmed from the wisp of Cordelia's touch on his hand. Smiling genially, Cordy searched for the words to explain. "You guys remember Doyle, don't you?" There were several nods from the group around her. "Well, he sacrificed himself to save a whole bunch of people, including me and Angel. Well, he kissed me before he died, and the Powers that Be transferred his visions to me, along with his head-crunching migraines. Talk about a pain-in-the-ass venereal disease that just keeps on giving! I must have kissed everyone that I could catch within a six block radius of the office but I couldn't get rid of it! Just my luck, I kiss a guy once and I'm cursed for eternity. I tell you there's no joy in this life for this struggling actress! So now I get these bone-crunching visions and headaches without warning."
"The point, Cordelia?" Giles said with strained patience.
"Sorry, Giles." Cordy shot a look at Willow. "The last one was really bad. I saw you lying on the ground inside a casting circle." She coughed to disguise the tiny break in her voice. "Willow, you were dying. Then I saw something that really made me sick." There were several questioning looks from the people surrounding her. "I saw Buffy carpe-ing Spike's diem. And, can I just say--Ewww! She was astounded by the Scoobies' reactions. Pandemonium reigned until Willow put her fingers between her lips and brought silence with a sharp whistle.
"Bloody hell!" Giles spat. "If that's why she called us back so urgently, I swear I'm gonna do something permanent, both to her and that peroxide git!"
Anya didn't know when she started to tremble but she had never shook like this before. It took a few moments for her to realize that her shaking had been magnified by the quivering of Xander's body next to her. Then she heard Xander mumble, "Er...why is Giles so mad...and when did he revert from Oxford man to Cockney brawler? I didn't smell any cursed beer on his breath."
Anya didn't have an answer for her man. She looked at Willow, hoping to glean something and saw the red head mouthing a single word.
"Ripper?" Anya muttered under her breath.
Chapter 8
Magick Box – 10:00 a.m.
Willow gulped when she spied his handsome face grow cold and angry. His expression caused her mind to tumble back to a Halloween night four years past. She remembered how Rupert had changed right before her eyes after they had found Ethan Rayne in that costume shop. Gone was the shy and concerned Watcher and in his place stood rage and violence personified. After her incorporeal form had passed through the shop's wall and raced to find Buffy and Xander, she recalled that nothing had ever frightened her more than the cold rage she had seen on his face.
She blinked, returning to the present. Willow gently gripped his left forearm with her tiny hands, tugging slightly on it. In response, he glimpsed down, his gaze meeting her earnest one. She graced him with a wistful smile, masking her face with a calm look that belied the fear she locked away inside. As he stared into her eyes, she felt the tension in his arm melt away like ice in the summer sun. The furrows on his brow softened and his lips relaxed from the thin, angry line of a few moments ago to the full, kissable lips she so thoroughly enjoyed.
He quirked a smile at her, then said, "I suppose I should wait and hear her out, shouldn't I?"
She nodded.
"All right." He brushed a kiss against her forehead and murmured, "Thank you, luv."
She shuddered both from the warmth of his body and his low, velvet-tinged voice. Willow almost couldn't help herself, nearly using her telekinetic power to toss him to the floor so she could ravish him. Instead, she turned to the group from Los Angeles. "Cordelia, I'm so glad you're here! If we're going to work together, I think introductions are in order, don't you?"
All-business now, Cordelia nodded. "Right. You know Wesley, of course."
Wes flashed a friendly smile. "Hello, Willow. You're even more lovely than I remember." She beamed at the Englishman. "You're a very lucky man, Mr. Giles."
"Thank you, Wesley. And please, call me Giles."
Cordy then turned to the other man and the blonde woman. "This," she said, touching the man's arm, "is Gunn. He's a great vampire hunter who's been working with us for two years now. And this," she said pointing at the young woman, "is Kate Lockley. She used to be an LAPD detective; now she's a private investigator and a security consultant. She helps us outsometimes."
Giles smiled at them. "Thank you for coming. I'm Rupert Giles, the Slayer's Watcher. This, of course," he signalled with a glance at his witch, "is Willow Rosenberg. She is a powerful wiccan practitioner and my research partner. And," he said, with a glance at the other Scoobies, "these two are Anya and Xander. Anya has a wealth of experience in occult matters and Xander is our stalwart colleague in our battle against evil."
Willow glimpsed at her childhood friend and saw how his chest swelled with pride at Giles' words. She grinned and gently gripped her man's arm.
Giles returned her smile, then continued. "The final two members of our little family are Buffy and Dawn Summers. Buffy is the Slayer. Dawn, her little sister. They should arrive later this afternoon after their classes are finished for the day, around three o'clock or so."
Cordy pursed her lips. "Hmm. Well, we rushed up here this morning; we thought we might be needed sooner rather than later."
A concerned look dawned on Giles' face. "Then you must be hungry." After several responsive nods, he continued, "Xander, Anya, Willow– why don't you take our guests to Brady's Café? They're serving brunch now. Willow," he handed her his American Express Corporate Card™ , "use this to pay for your meals. Also, we should find our guests some hotel rooms. Willow, please use the card for that as well. I'll stay and mind the store."
She nodded. "You want me to bring back something for you from the café?"
He smiled. "No, I'm fine. But if you think of it, could you stop and fetch two jelly donuts for me when you return?"
She gave him a mock frown. "Wait a second, mister! I don't want you to get a spare tire or anything; it might detract from your performance," she said, suggestively wriggling her eyebrows. "I suppose I'll overlook it...this time."
He smirked and said, "Why, you little minx!" then gently swatted her bottom. "I'll make certain we shall vigourously burn the calories at home tonight!"
As the gang headed for the exit, Cordy scrunched her nose. "Ewww! How can I eat after hearing that? Talk about an appetite suppressant!"
Willow rolled her eyes, then gently shoved Cordy out the door.
#
Four and a half hours later, the gang returned to the Magick Shop. Willow found Giles preparing purchase orders for his inventory. His face beamed as she sauntered over to him. "Hello, darling! Did you take care of everything?"
"Yep. The L.A. crew have had their grub and are bedded down in the bunkhouse."
He shot her a slightly befuddled look and drawled, "I shall take that to mean that they are settled, 'Annie Oakley.' I am glad you are here. Buffy and Dawn should arrive shortly."
Cordelia sighed. "Great. Then we can grill Buffy about her undead boy-toy."
"Er...Chase," Kate said, "this Buffy person is a slayer, right?"
Cordy turned to Kate. "Yes."
"And she's as strong as that Faith girl that turned herself in last year?"
"Probably stronger. Buffy could kick Faith's ass."
"Uh huh...and Faith knocked you silly with one blow, beat the hell out of Wesley, and nearly knocked Angel into the next time zone, right?"
"Yeah...what are you driving at?"
"Well," Kate paused for a moment, then continued. "You're getting ready to expose and embarass a woman who can easily beat the snot out of everyone in this room without breaking a sweat."
Cordelia swallowed hard. "But," she stammered, "Buffy wouldn't...she's a...she's not..." Her voice faded away for several moments before she turned to Giles and said, "Do you have Oz's tranquilizer gun still handy, Giles?"
Giles scoffed. "Cordelia, I am certain that won't be necessary. Buffy is a professional. She is unlikely to become violent over this. Besides, I am certain I can step in if she becomes agitated."
"Right," she drawled, "like that time when I had to drive her home from the library after she told you never to touch her because you stole her strength..."
Giles blinked several times, then said, "I'll prepare a double dose dart–that ought to do the tri–Oh. Dear. Lord..."
"Hey, guys! We've got to put our heads...? Oh...hello, Cordy, Wes, "Buffy said as she walked through the door with Dawn tagging along behind. "What are you doing here?"
Willow watched Cordy nearly leap out of her skin. "It's Buffy! Hi, Buffy!" the former cheerleader noted a bit too brightly. "We're just here to help out..." she said as she shuffled behind Willow, then said in a stage whisper, "would she go through you to hurt me?"
The witch rolled her eyes. < We don't have time for this crap. > "Look, people! We may have some big evil a-brewing here, so we need to have open and clear lines of communications. So let's be grownups about this, okay?" She shot them her `resolve face' and they nodded in response. "Good. Buffy," she said, glancing at the Slayer, "why did you page us in San Francisco?"
Buffy took a deep breath, then said, "Last night, Dawn and I ran across three demons who had been brutally murdered. They were just a family unit--mom, dad, and a kid. Just before the father died, he blamed me for their deaths even though I didn't do it. Dawn and I were at the cinema when they were beaten to death."
Willow pursed her lips and felt a twinge of guilt. Buffy had been right to page them. "Okay. Cordelia," she said, turning to Queen C, "tell Buffy what you saw in your vision."
Cordelia glared at Willow with a trace of fear in her eyes. "Tell her everything?"
Willow nodded. "Yes. Don't worry, Buffy won't do anything violent where Dawn could see it."
"Okay," Cordelia muttered. "I saw Willow die after magical combat with a powerful sorceress. I also saw..." she gulped, then pressed forward, "BuffyreallygroinywithSpike."
Suddenly Willow felt like she and Cordelia were surrounded by wide open spaces. Buffy asked, "What was that, Cordelia?"
Cordelia swallowed a large lump that caught in her throat. "I saw...you having wild monkey sex...with Dead Boy, Jr."
Willow could have sworn she heard the sound of crickets chirping in the empty wilderness for several moments before the Slayer directed, through gritted teeth, "Dawn, close your eyes. Will, move out of the way."
Cordelia freaked. "Why do I listen to you, Netgirl?!?" The struggling actress glared at the advancing Slayer. "Look, Little-Miss-Likes-to-Fight!
I can't help it if my vision saw the tru–"
Buffy snapped, "The truth? You wouldn't know the truth if it up and bit you on your skinny ass! Where in the HELL do you get off saying I'm having sex with that peroxide-haired maniac?"
Cordy stared warily at the Slayer. "You're not boinking him?"
"Earth to Cordelia! Been there, my life sucked at that! Remember my relationship with your boss?"
Cordelia appeared to relax a little, but she pressed on. "Well, if you aren't boinking him now, you may boink him later. Sometimes my visions reveal events that will happen in the near future."
"Let me put this in terms that even you'd understand, all right?" Buffy ground out with a hint of mayhem. "I would give up sex all together and become a nun before I'd boff Spike. Got--?"
Willow heard the bell as someone entered the shop. She whirled and gasped. The most stunning woman she'd ever seen in her life stood just inside the doorway.
"Hello," the woman said in a lilting voice with an English accent. "I'm searching for some rare..." She hesitated when her gaze settled on Giles.
Then her face flashed a wanton, predatory smile. "Why...fancy meeting you here, Ripper," she purred.
Willow barely heard him as he answered in a hushed whisper, "Hello, Lizzie."
Chapter 9
The Magick Box
Rupert Giles had always known the Powers that Be would pay him back for his time as Ripper but this tread well into the bounds of cruel and unusual punishment.
He blinked several times, totally surprised by the tableau set before him. His first love had just walked in the door while the love of his life stood in the middle of the room blocking his gorgeous angry Slayer from committing homicide against a beautiful former charge in front of his lovely ex-demon employee and a very pretty former police officer. If it was someone else's life, he would have sat back and enjoyed the impending fireworks. Resignedly, he pinched the bridge of his nose and saw his life flash before his eyes.
Lizzie glanced around the room and chirped, "I'm sorry...did I interrupt something?"
He focused on her voice and heard the well-disguised challenge underlying her words. She was up to something and he had to get to the bottom of it. "Actually, no, nothing important."
She smiled and sauntered over to him. "How nice. So, this is quite a surprise, finding you here."
She sounded anything but surprised. "Yes, quite. If I may paraphrase Humphrey Bogart from Casablanca–`of all the lousy occult shops in the world, she had to walk into mine.'"
She chuckled. "Oh, Ripper...you are still amusing to a fault. I suppose surrounding yourself with all of these young people is a good way to tweak your sense of humor."
Giles clenched his jaw surreptiously. So that's it! She's fishing to see if I'm involved with any of the women in here. Well, he mused, I'm not going to give her the satisfaction. "Is that your explanation for your youthful appearance, as well, Lizzie?" While he chatted with his old flame, he glanced at Buffy. The Slayer caught his look and read his signal.
"Guys," Buffy said, "let's move this to the backroom."
As they Los Angeles crew, Anya, and Xander shuffled toward Buffy's exercise room, Lizzie turned and glimpsed at Buffy. "Now, Ripper, aren't you being rude? I would think that you'd at least introduce me to the other woman in your life?"
Giles regarded her coolly but saw Willow stiffen at Lizzie's words. < Shit! > "I don't understand what you mean," he offered.
She scoffed. "I've heard you were a Watcher, silly man! Now the only reason a Watcher would be on the Hellmouth is if he had the Slayer as his charge."
She turned and smiled at Buffy. "You must be the Slayer. I'm Elizabeth Cantrell. My, aren't you a precious little thing?"
Giles squeezed his eyes shut and groaned under his breath. < Oh well, > he thought, < it wasn't a long life but at least it's been interesting. >
Buffy flashed a saccharin smile at Lizzie. "I'm Buffy Summers, Ms. Cantrell. Being short makes me a harder target. So, how'd you hear about me? Is there some billboard outside of town that tells everyone about my `secret identity?'"
Lizzie smirked. "Oh no, dear. I'm an entrepreneur and I always make it my business to know the lay of the land in any market that we penetrate."
"Really?" chirped the Slayer. "I'm sure you're quite the expert on penetration."
The Watcher gulped. He knew Lizzie still practiced magick. Waves of power emanated from her body like light from a beacon. She was certainly powerful enough to make a go of it with the Slayer, who was clearly annoyed by the `precious little' crack. He needed to take control of this situation before it spiraled out of control.
Lizzie frostily regarded Buffy for a moment, then smiled. "I like her, Rip. She's got fire. You told me once that the Watchers drain the fire out of them. How did she avoid that fate?"
He had to end this before she could turn her attention to anyone else, especially Willow. "Buffy is special. She's so special that the Council even recognizes her uniqueness." He saw Buffy beam at him with her 1000 watt smile and was glad to see the flash of her old self after the long, hard year filled with death and change.
Lizzie smiled slyly. "My word, Ripper. I've never seen you look so content. I'm SO glad that life didn't turn out for you like it did for the protagonist in that novel by Nabakov. It's so good that things are working so well for you two."
If he hadn't been sure before, he was certain now. She was definitely fishing for the extent of his and Buffy's relationship. He hoped that Buffy would work with him and play along until they could uncover her game.
Unfortunately, Willow wasn't in the loop on the Watcher/Slayer nonverbal signals. "Excuse me, but I think you misunderstand–"
"Oh, Willow," Giles cut Willow off, "no need for that. You and Buffy need to see to the others and get them working on that `research project,' right, Buffy?" he said, glancing at Willow, then the door to the backroom.
"Er...right!" Buffy chirped. "Well, it was nice meeting you," she said to Lizzie. "Will, let's leave Gi–I mean Rupert to help his old friend." Willow looked like she wanted to stay but Buffy judiciously applied Slayer strength to guide the red head away from Lizzie and Giles.
"Lovely girls you have there, Ripper."
"Yes," he smiled furtively. Although he wondered why she was here in this place at this moment, he asked, "So, what are those items that you need?"
As she mentioned several herbs, he overheard Buffy ask Willow as they left the front part of the shop, "Will...what book did Nabakov write?"
Giles took Lizzie's elbow and guided her to the front of the shop just in case she needed to make a quick getaway after Willow answered Buffy's question.
Chapter 10
Workout room
The Magic Box
Willow gave one last tug against Buffy's grip but knew it was useless. If the blonde didn't want her to get away she wouldn't. Then a wicked smile played across her lips when she realized how to get back at Buffy. She decided to explain Nabakov to her and giggled as she looked at her captor. Teach her to play like she was the one Giles belonged to.
"Buffy...Nabakov wrote a really famous book, called Lolita."
"Lolita. I remember something about it. Wasn't it a naughty book?"
"Yeah, Buff, way naughty. It was about a middle aged man and his teen-aged mistress."
The Slayer's eyes became round as saucers. "That bitch thought that I was...and Giles was....and--oh gross! That is just sick. I mean...and it isn't even me. It's you. I took the knocks for you, missy."
The witch grinned at the Slayer. "Well, how many times have I had to defend your rep when the vamps called you `Slutty the Vampire Layer'?"
"Well...but....yeah.....okay you got me. But that's only Spike, and he doesn't count. And I remember a certain vampire calling you Fluffy."
Will grinned as she remembered her evil twin. "If that bitca is after what I think she's after, I may do a spell to retrieve my skanky double. She could come in handy. She'd be happy to eat that....that.....old girlfriend of Rupert's."
Anya grimaced. "Ewww! That's so disgusting that you'd use powerful magic to bring your double here to engage in oral sex with another woman!"
Willow's eyes opened wide. "N-no," she babbled, "that's not...that's SO...that's..." Then someone cleared their throat and she suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a rapidly approaching eighteen wheeler.
Cordelia leaned against the tall, black man, as she laughed so hard that he had to hold her up.
As he struggled to keep Cordelia on her feet, Gunn mumbled, "Man, and I thought Sunset Strip had the monopoly on kink."
Wesley's face was bright red and displayed a smirk while the blonde detective was doubled over laughing so hard she had some difficulty breathing. Willow surveyed the audience and murmured, "Oi Vey! And Oi and Vey. Guys can you focus here? There is a gorgeous woman out there with my Rupert and I have no idea who she is or how she plays into this, but she is trying to man-nap my man!" She glared at them all for a moment, then focused her ire on Buffy. "And you, Miss Slayer! Just what did you mean by dragging me out of there? I was about to tell......"
"You were about to tell her enough to destroy us all." The crisp British accent stopped her short. She turned to face the man in her life. He was glaring down at her. Her emerald eyes raised to meet his and she was taken aback by the depth of anger in his own green eyes. "That woman is a very dangerous person. She is extremely powerful and has very little in the way of scruples. She was fishing for information and you very nearly gave it to her." He frowned at her and she thought she would cry. He turned to Buffy with a softer look, "Thank you for taking her out of there. I am so glad you understood what I needed you to do. I can't have Willow putting herself in danger."
"From the sounds of things, you should thank God I'm not a cop any more because I'd have to do something about the Lolita thing," the cool blonde leaning against the practice dummy drawled.
Willow ignited instantly. "Hey, not that it's any of your business, but I was an adult before Rupert and I got together and the age cracks are SO of the wrong! Now, Rupert," her eyes were as incisive as lasers, "who was that woman, and what has she got to do with you? Or, for that matter, with us?"
She watched closely as Giles clammed up. All the emotion drained from his face and he looked colder then she had ever seen him look. Her heart cracked a little, as his face became stern and unyielding. "You don't need to worry about Lizzie, I'll handle her. Just stay away from her. She is dangerous and not a terribly good person. I don't want her to find out about you. She would attack you in a heartbeat. Buffy, at least, stands a chance against her. Not that I would want Buffy to have to deal with her either. I cannot emphasize how dangerous this woman is."
The redhead could feel the looks of pity coming from her friends. That wasn't good. Although this might not be the best time to do so, she had to stand her ground with her lover. "Giles, I am not a helpless, little girl. I am a powerful Wiccan practitioner, an accomplished hacker, and a survivor of the Hellmouth. I have dealt with Angelus killing my fish and nearly eating me in the school. I survived Spike kidnapping me to make me do a love spell on his `Dark Goddess'." She shot an apolegetic look to Cordelia, as she brought up that painful subject and was surprised to see a forgiving look on the beautiful seer's face. "I gave Angel back his soul and I patrolled when Buffy was gone. For crying out loud, I helped fight off the Mayor and blow the school up. I can handle this."
Lockley smirked and said, "You're not helping your 'lover-boy' get off my shit list with that one, red."
"Actually, Kate," Wesley said, "the Mayor transformed into a major demon and would have dined on a good portion of the graduating Seniors to maintain his metamorphisis. The only way to stop the beast he had become was to blow it up."
Willow glared at the detective for a moment, silencing the blonde. Then she turned her glare onto Rupert. "But it really hurts me that you think I'm just some little girl who needs protection. I have a dark side, mister, and can be tough when I need to be. Remember, I have a skanky, evil ho for a twin. And I can be bad."
Xander murmured to Anya, "She ate her banana before school, lunchtime be damned," then gulped when Willow shot him a withering glare.
"No more comments from the peanut gallery, Xan, or would you rather discuss `baking a cake'?"
As Xander's face turned white, she smirked. She had been the only person he had told about that and she knew he wanted it to stay that way. Ignoring the looks that Buffy and Anya had directed toward the unfortunate construction worker, she turned back to her primary target, satisfied that Xander would keep his mouth shut. "Giles, who is she and what was she to you?"
"We're back to 'Giles,' are we?"
She glanced down, then looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry. Force of habit...that's all, really, Rupert."
He nodded slightly and seemed to relax a bit. "Willow," he said as she saw the sorrow in his eyes, "I can't elaborate about her right now. Luv, we can discuss this later, when we're alone. At this moment, just know that she is a very dangerous person." He shot an interogative look at the seer. "Cordelia, did you recognize her? Was Lizzie the person you saw who harmed Willow in your vision?"
Willow swung around to face her old enemy. Concentration was evident in every lithe line of Cordelia's slender body. "I'm sorry, guys. I was so upset when I realized that Will was hurt, that I just didn't notice. I've tried several times to look again, but all I can see is Willow lying on the ground." The hacker could see the lines of pain and helplessness etched on the brunette's pretty face. A warm feeling washed over her body. < She's really forgiven me. She truly cares. Maybe, just maybe we can be friends. >
She turned back to her man as he spoke to the crowd of observers.
"I cannot emphasize enough how dangerous this woman is..."
"Rupert, are you going to answer me?" She felt an odd combination of terror and anger as he shook his head. "Then I have some things to take care of elsewhere. She stormed from the room and took a personal satisfaction in the angry tinkle of the bells, as she slammed the door behind her.
#
"Bloody hell." Giles cast his eyes upward. "What the bloomin' hell did I ever do to deserve this? What does she think she can do against a practitioner of Lizzie's stature?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
"Um, Giles," Buffy said tentatively. "She had her 'resolve face' on. God only knows what she might try."
"The Buff-meister is right, G-Man. She doesn't much think, she just does when she's wearing that face." Xander looked scared while Buffy unconciously swiped the back of her hand across her mouth. It was a gesture Giles recognized at once. He had seen it frequently following The SPELL. She was trying to erase the feeling of Spike's lips from her own.
"Bloody Hell! Alright then, I haven't much time. I have a witch to save from herself. Lizzie Cantrell ran with Ethan and me, all those years ago. As we delved into the darker arts, Lizzie became obsessed with the use of magic. Ethan and I were blind. We didn't realize what she had aligned herself with until it was too late. Ethan and I were bad, but we couldn't hold a candle to Lizzie. We left because we couldn't stomach her proclivities. She is as dangerous as the Master and quite nearly as dangerous as the late Mayor Wilkens. Avoid her at all costs." Ignoring the questions coming from all directions, he rushed from the training room. He had a witch to deal with.
#
Willow wandered the streets of Sunnydale for a good while before she stopped right outside the shop. How could she ask Lizzie who or what she was, when she had no idea where she could find the...? Her innate honesty took hold, forcing Willow to face the truth; she felt outclassed by the stunningly beautiful woman who seemed to have shared a great deal with her Rupert. She stroked her chin. There had to be something she could do to counteract the older woman's beauty and charisma. Goddess, what though? A wicked smile crept onto her face. < Oooh, I could turn her into a troll. > Then a picture of Xander's broken wrist flashed through her mind. No, that wouldn't work. Her mind flashed through several alternatives, then settled on a particularly attractive option. Okay, so she had made a hash of it the first time, but she was more experienced now. She could make it work, this time. She started to list the items she needed, when another memory sliced through her.
Her mind's eye saw Rupert, her Rupert, fumbling around, his beautiful eyes blank as he searched for what he couldn't see. She remembered the anger in her voice as she spat at him, "You can't see anything." No, she could never again perform that spell.
She had continued walking until she stopped and peered at the door in front of her. She was home, the one she shared with Rupert. She wandered into the apartment and up the stairs. She entered their bedroom and started to unpack the boxes filled with her things. She was hanging up one of her outfits when she froze. She looked at the item in her hands, then held it up to her chest. Even after feasting on that wonderful food in San Francisco, the outfit should still fit. "Might be a little snug," she murmured. Then she smiled. Snug was good for what she had in mind. Then she bit her bottom lip, pouted, and cooed to her reflection, "Fluffy wanna play with the Watcher...?"
Chapter 11
Giles's and Willow's Apartment
After pulling the "little red tramp" into its parking space, Giles unfurled his long and lean body out of the car. He didn't dawdle. He raced to his front door, hoping that he'd find her things still in the apartment. Once inside, he shut the door, walked to the kitchen counter, and set his keys on it. Then he heard a noise come from his bedroom loft and his spirits soared.
"Willow, is that you?" he shouted. No one answered. He crept up the stairs and stopped on the top landing. He spied the pair of jeans and the orange-rust colored shirt she had worn earlier lying on the bed. As he crossed over to inspect her clothing, he noted some leather straps tied around the posts of his four corner bed. Giles' fingertips brushed the fabric of her shirt. As he detected her residual warmth emanating from it, a voice from both his darkest fantasies and nightmares cooed behind him.
"Nice puppy...wanna play?"
Giles' body tensed as an ice cold hand of terror gripped his throat. Yet, in spite of his fear, his cock immediately hardened. Slowly, he turned and found Willow dressed in a black leather merrywidow with a black silk garter belt and silk panties. Her tawny legs were encased in black stockings and black high-heeled, knee-high boots. He struggled to breathe as the sight of the ebony accouterments against her milky-white skin, scarlet hair, and ruby red lips stunned him into silence. He watched her move in front of the window into the direct sunlight. She let the rays play off her skin and dance against her silky red hair. Giles relaxed a bit then, knowing now that she wasn't Willow's vampiric double.
She stood silently for a moment, letting the sun's radiance bathe her with its aura, then turned her head slightly to regard him with a coy expression as she glanced over her shoulder. "Fun now?"
He shook his head to clear his addled mind. "What?"
"Playtime..." she purred.
As she slinked toward him from the window, Giles suddenly knew how it felt to be stalked. "Er...ahm...darling," he stammered, "I just wanted to...apologize for what happened..." He lost his train of thought momentarily as her delicate fingers traced patterns against his chest through his shirt. "...for what happened...at the shop–"
She cut him off when she pressed her leather encased breasts against his chest, reached up, snaked her tongue out, and languidly licked his lips. "Bored now..." she whispered. Then she guided him to the bed, gently pushed him down on the mattress, and gave him a wicked smile. "I'm over cranky, baby. I've advanced to horny."
Giles gulped. He'd never seen her so...wanton, so...dominant. She exuded confidence and power and he wanted to surrender to it...to her.
She peered into his eyes then, and flashed another wicked grin, while nodding. "I like this part. The part where you do what I want. Later, the part where you groan and scream and I blow your mind...I'll like that even better," she said breathlessly. "Lie down, spread eagle," she directed as her eyes became coal black.
Giles shivered, both from fear and anticipation. He did as he was told. Then he felt the straps from the posts coil around both wrists and both ankles, lashing him to the bed.
"Bondage fun," she chirped. "How nice!" She scrutinized his body with her ebony gaze and Giles felt phantom fingers start to unbutton his shirt. He gasped as he felt the shirt move apart, then he squirmed as he felt her mind loosen his belt and unzip his pants. Soon, she drew down his pants and boxers before she floated above the bed and came down with her knees on either side of his head.
"Taste me," she hissed.
He craned his head up, then licked and nibbled along the crotch of her panties. Willow rocked gently against his mouth as he worshipped her, teasing him with the scent of her sex while teasing herself with the ministrations of his mouth against her. After what felt like an eternity to the lovers, she reached down and pulled the fabric aside, freeing her nether lips from the restraining material. Giles smiled, then licked along her engorged lips. Then he sucked on her clit.
"Aaaaaah," she moaned as her hands grasped the hair on his head and her knees gave way a little. He twirled his tongue in her tight channel, savoring her juices like a man dying from thirst who'd just been given a canteen of water. She spread her legs wider and supported herself by holding onto his head. She moaned and babbled sweet nothings as he started to move his tongue in and out of her before he lapped around her clit, then sucked on it again. Soon, her body began to shudder and Willow tossed her head backwards, screamed, and came hard against him.
Giles savored her as her orgasm covered his face, gracing him with her exquisite taste. She slid off and twisted her body so that she faced his crotch. Then she leaned forward and rubbed her pussy against his lips, insisting on more of his attention.
He was happy to oblige. As he continued to ravish her, he felt Willow stroke his erection with her delicate, dove-soft hands just before he detected her warm, moist breath panting against it. She kissed the tip and swirled her tongue around it. He groaned his approval into her core as she wrapped her mouth around his tip and started to suck lightly. As he lathed his tongue inside her, she took him further into her mouth, releasing him only to lick and suckle him. Then she started to bob her head up and down. As she increased the force of her ministrations, Giles couldn't help but thrust into her. Willow gripped the base of his hard shaft and began to stroke him while she sucked on him. He then felt her other hand start to fondle his balls. When he was almost ready to explode, Willow tightly grasped his cock and held off his release. "Ready?"
"Yes," he hissed. "God, yes, Willow!"
"Fuck now?" she cooed.
Something inside him snapped and all of his civilized veneer was stripped away in that moment of desperation. "Bloody Hell, Luv! YES!" he roared. "Ride me, shag me, make me come!"
She reversed her position and straddled his cock. When he gazed into her eyes, he saw that they had regained the lovely witch-green color that had captured his soul. Then she leaned forward slightly parted her nether lips with her fingers and guided him into her warm and wet channel. Willow moved her bottom in a slight corkscrew motion as she buried him inside her to the hilt. After a few seconds of hearing her whimper and moan, she began to ride him, at first drawing out the pleasure then faster and harder as her need overwhelmed her control.
He wanted to drive his cock deeper into her, to have it caressed by those sweet, unearthly inner muscles that she had been blessed with. "Release...me," he gasped.
Although he knew she was nearly out of her mind with pleasure based on the sensual expression on her face, she still maintained the wherewithall to whisper, "Untie." Immediately, the straps came loose around his wrists and ankles.
With a passionate grunt, Giles grasped her hips with his hands, feeling her frantic movement as she rubbed her clit hard against his pelvic bone. A few moments later, the witch came with a shout and collapsed on top of him. The Watcher let her recover for a brief moment before he rolled them over and slowly started to thrust into her. When her tremors ceased and she gave the first signs of thrusting back, he lifted her legs onto his shoulders and plunged into her with long, hard strokes. Giles felt her come after a couple of minutes, but as before, he didn't stop.
Willow began to claw his forearms with her nails and the exquisite pain drove Giles even harder. Soon, she began to gasp and plead. "Puppy...please!"
He opened his eyes and looked at her beloved face. "Please what?"
"Come! Please come for me."
He smirked. "Then give us the proper name, witch."
She returned his smirk with a coquettish smile. "Please come for me...Ripper."
He growled with passion and increased his speed, making his thrusts a little harder, making the pleasure almost but not quite rise to the level of sweet torture. Finally a strangled, animalistic cry tore from his throat and Giles exploded, firing his seed deep inside her while Willow's orgasm rocked her body, making her shriek with joy.
After they had caught their breath, Giles rolled off of his lover and onto his back. Willow scooched over, snuggled into his side, and yawned. As Giles basked in the afterglow of their coupling, he murmured, "Did we just have `make-up' sex?"
"Mmmm," she mumbled, "I think so."
He hugged her close and kissed her gently on her forehead. "I'm sorry about before, luv."
Willow graced him with a sleepy smile and closed her eyes. "I know, Rupert. Me, too. Can we talk more about it later, though. Sleepy time now."
He closed his eyes and wondered if a man his age could survive many bouts of `make-up' sex with his red headed wildcat. He chuckled and thought < if not, what a way to go! > but said, "Indeed, darling. Rest now."