Part 9
“I’d say give me good news,” Cordelia began as she looked at the human ‘art dealers’ in her employ, “but I see that you still have the artifact. What happened? And you’d better have a damn good explanation.”
Fear emanated from the couple, the scent of it exciting her demon. The vampiress had found them in Mexico on her way back to California and had taken an interest in their business. Cordelia paid them to deliver a package to Joyce Summers and convince her that they were simply dealing ancient art.
It was something that the Slayer’s mother had an interest in for her studio and something she would not likely turn down. Especially for the asking price.
“Cough it up!” Cordelia demanded of Julio and Yolanda Guevara. “What happened?”
The man wiped sweat off of his brow with a handkerchief. “Senorita Chase, during our early negotiations we were interrupted by the target’s daughter. The blonde you told us to avoid. She was there.”
“In the middle of the day?” Cordelia asked knowing that Buffy should have been at school. Then again— Buffy skipping class? No big. Nothing new. “She scared you away?”
“There was an emergency,” Yolanda Guevara explained. “Señora Summers insisted that we leave so she could speak to the girl.”
Cordelia was irritated at this delay. “So you’ll try again tomorrow.”
“We cannot, Senorita Chase,” Yolanda nibbled nervously on her lower lip as she thought about the large sum of American dollars they would have to return. “We have already been trying, but she is not at her studio. Only her partner.”
“So? Just find the woman and give her the fucking thingamabob,” the vampiress ordered.
Julio tried not to react to the unexpected use of foul language. He wondered what would happen when they told their beautiful employer that today was the last day the magick would be in effect. It would not be pleasant, he guessed. For someone so young, she carried an aura of power about her like an almost palpable presence hidden beneath the surface.
“The artifact’s magick has been active since we first approached Señora Summers. If she does not take possession and lay hands upon it before midnight tonight, the spell will not be binding.”
Pacing back and forth, Cordelia whirled around to face them. She looked perfectly calm. “I have a solution.”
“Oh?”
There was nothing she hated worse than poor service. These two had not provided the results they promised. Taking the box out of his hands, Cordelia sent out a simultaneous mental shout to her minions. Within seconds, five vampires appeared from a connecting room in full game face.
Dealing in the world of mystic curiosities, Julio and Yolanda had naturally heard of such creatures actually existing, but had never been faced with the reality. Reverting back to his native tongue, Julio was begging forgiveness and pleading to God for help.
“Aaiiieee!” Yolanda simply screamed and then fainted.
“Guys,” Cordelia ordered her minions. “Rip their throats out. Looks like I’ll have to take care of this myself.”
***
Angel leaned up against a tree as he watched Buffy Summers work her way through three rowdy vampires. He could see anger and frustration built up in her usually smooth moves and her quips were darker than usual. It was the first time he had seen her in several days, basically because he had spent nearly all of that time reacquainting himself with every millimeter of skin on Cordelia’s luscious body.
When the last vamp was dust, Angel stepped out of the shadows and headed slowly in the Slayer’s direction. Buffy reacted instinctively by whipping around to face him, stake raised in an attack pose. Her eyes darted to his face and a look of recognition appeared, but the pose did not relax as he expected it too.
“A-Angel?” There was a quiver in her voice as his name escaped her lips and suddenly the vampire realized what was on her mind. He hadn’t seen her since the Bronze. Not since he ran after Cordelia upon seeing her dancing there. Buffy’s instincts were sharp and he knew that she would have guessed why he’d been out of pocket the past few days. After their single experience with sex resulted in the arrival of Angelus, she had to be a bit worried.
“It’s me, Buffy,” he commented keeping his hands in his pockets in a non-threatening way. “I’m not evil.”
“Maybe not, but you’re certainly trying your best,” Buffy lowered the stake and stepped close. “Why *aren’t* you evil by now? Your vamp girlfriend has probably been taking every chance she gets to strip your soul away.”
“Buff—,” Angel began only to be cut off.
The Slayer glared at him. “Don’t call me that. Angelus called me that— and don’t bother with the ‘I am Angelus’ speech. I’ve heard it.”
Maybe it was safer to change the subject. Angel was still confused about the fact that he could make love to Cordelia without any repercussions for his soul. There were times that he tried to caution her, but Angel simply couldn’t resist the temptation of his mate. Want and need were too strong to deny.
There was a pause as he lost himself in thought. Finally, Buffy broke the silence, “Aren’t you going to say something? Tell me you haven’t been with Cordelia? Lie to me?”
“I’d never lie to you, Buffy. Even as Angelus, I never lied to you,” he pointed out. No, his soulless self preferred to tell it like it is. Though it was probably going to hurt her to say it, Angel had to remind her, “Cordelia is my mate. That may have something to do with the fact that nothing has happened. We’ve been— safe.”
“Pardon me if I don’t wanna get into the details of your *safe sex* routine,” Buffy’s jaw tightened. God, she was so jealous! The feeling flared up in her chest like a burst of flame until her whole body was burning with it. “She’s evil. The kind of vampire that you help me dust on patrol.”
Muttering, she added, “Used to help me.”
Angel heard the words. “Cordy is my family. She’s my blood and I am hers. That doesn’t change.”
“In the past, Spike and Drusilla tried to kill you,” she pointed out. “They are your blood too. Darla was your blood— your sire— and you staked her.”
“It’s different. There were reasons.”
Buffy just rolled her eyes in response. It sounded like an excuse to her. “Yeah. Reasons.”
Trying a different approach, Angel asked her, “If your mother was turned, would you be so quick to stake someone you loved?”
Loved? The word on his lips shocked Angel leaving him to wonder if he really said that in reference to Cordelia. Did he mean it? Buffy did not seem to pick up on it. She was too focused on her own thoughts.
Now she had him, Buffy glared almost triumphantly as she pointed out, “I put a sword through *your* chest and sent you to hell, didn’t I?”
Subconsciously rubbing his chest, Angel conceded, “You’ve always done what you had to do, Buffy.”
“Just don’t forget it.”
Realizing what she was threatening, the vampire’s eyes turned dark amber. “Stay away from Cordelia.”
“I can’t make that promise, Angel,” Buffy told him. “Not with everything that is going on right now. I know she’s behind it.”
“What are you talking about?”
Ever observant Angel, the vampire who once seemed to know everything that went on in the demon world now claimed ignorance? “Ask your mate.”
“Buffy, I’m asking you.”
“Weird stuff is happening.”
Angel demanded more details. “Don’t accuse Cordy of wrongdoing unless you’ve got some evidence to back it up. What is going on?”
She told him about Giles. “Principle Snyder suspended him indefinitely. I have no access to my Watcher during school hours and can’t sneak over to his house because his nosy neighbors are keeping an eye on him.”
“No one who really knows Rupert Giles would accuse him of that,” Angel pointed out. “I can see how rumors might get started, but what does Cordelia have to do with it?”
“She was the one he was supposed to be having the affair with.”
“Not to mention you and Willow,” some part of Angel found it funny. He supposed that was his demon coming out for a laugh at Buffy’s expense. Even so, Giles was certainly innocent of the accusations.
Buffy let out a laugh of bitter irony. “It’s so stupid.”
“The truth will come out,” Angel assured her. “I’ll ask Cordelia to clear thing up with your principle. That and your own word should be good enough to fix this.”
“You forget this is Commandant Snyder we’re talking about,” Buffy tucked her stake away. “My word is nothing to him. As for Cordy— I’ll believe it when I see it, Angel.”
All Angel could do was try. Cordelia was so strong-willed that sometimes it seemed as though she was in charge. He conceded that his determination to have nothing to do with her minions left his mate to run the works. The only time he stepped in— or needed to— was when the boys got rowdy. The only time they ever stepped out of line was if their mistress was not around.
“I understand,” Angel acknowledged her cynicism. Turning to go, he added a parting, “Goodnight.”
Holding out her hand to stop him, Buffy pleaded, “Don’t leave. Not so soon. I-I wanted to ask you about Willow.”
Angel knew this would come up. He had hoped to forestall the questioning, but now it was too late. This was the main reason the vampire knew that Cordelia would only act on Giles’ behalf if it was in her interests. Willow’s case had already proven that she could and would defy him. Cordelia had refused to end her mental manipulation of the little redhead declaring that she wasn’t really harming the girl. Though it might already be past the point of no return. Their bonds were mental rather than physical and Angel’s warning in that regard had fallen on deaf ears.
Short of physically overpowering Cordelia and torturing her until she agreed to obey him, there was little he could do to change her mind. They both knew it would never happen. The only thing Cordy responded to was sex, which he would not allow to become an arguing point between them. Angel realized that his soul sometimes put him at a distinct disadvantage in dealing with his mate.
All Angel could do was point out the bare minimum of the truth. “Willow is happy and healthy.”
Buffy frowned while acknowledging to herself that she believed Angel when he claimed that he wouldn’t lie to her. “So— she’s not vamp bait or hanging around as an afternoon snack?”
That pissed him off. “I’d never let that happen.”
“This is so weird. I feel like I’m losing my best friend,” Buffy admitted. Her eyes were a little shiny and damp. “One day we’re hanging out every minute she’s not studying. The next I’m a pariah.”
“People change.”
“Not Willow.”
Buffy would be surprised at how much the girl had changed. He was surprised that it was not a noticeable difference. Unless that was the weirdness that Buffy mentioned. “People always change. Even when those around them least expect it. You may have to accept the fact that Willow has interests in other things.”
“Other things!” Buffy ranted, “Like befriending vampire minions named Jude and evil bitches who dress to kill— literally?”
A low growl rumbled from his chest making the Slayer realize she was pushing Angel’s buttons about Cordy. She was so a bitch. That was the one thing the two girls ever really agreed upon.
“So what you’re saying is that Willow is really there because she wants to be? Or is it that Cordelia is putting some kind of Vulcan mind-meld thing on her?”
“Uh— yes.”
“I was being sarcastic.” Which question had Angel actually answered? Buffy tried again. “Let me guess, Cordy is trying to imitate big bad Dracula.”
Looking confused, Angel told her, “Cordelia has never met Dracula to my knowledge, so she is certainly not imitating him.”
Buffy stood frozen for a second. She couldn’t believe this. Just one more weird thing to add to her list. Angel had actually made a joke.
Okay, so the mind-meld thing was a dumb idea anyway. Playing along, “Dracula’s real. Riiiight!”
She didn’t believe him? Angel decided to drop the issue fast.
“I will watch over Willow,” he assured her. “Nothing will happen that she doesn’t want. I won’t let it. So far there has just been computer work and shopping with Cordelia.”
“See— that’s just against the laws of nature.”
“Just keep your eyes open, Buffy,” he told her. “I’ll lend a hand when needed.”
Huh.
“Lend a hand? Cordelia keeps you— busy. You’re watching out for Willow and fending off minions. Then you say you’ll lend a hand to help me?” Buffy scoffed, “Looks like your hands are already kinda full, Angel.”
***
Cordelia pressed a manicured finger against the doorbell. The Slayer was still out on patrol, but the lights were on in the house suggesting that Joyce Summers was home. After a couple of minutes, the door opened and Buffy’s mother stood agape at the sight of her standing there.
“Hello, Mrs. Summers,” Cordy flashed a grin.
Collecting herself, Joyce gripped the doorknob a little tighter. She reminded herself that no vampire could enter her house without an invitation. It was so difficult to believe that Cordelia Chase was a vampire. Then again, the last time Joyce had seen her was sitting dead in her Corvette out front.
“Why are you here?” Proud of herself for asking calmly, Joyce gave herself kudos for not slamming the door in the vampiress’ face.
“Just paying a friendly visit.”
Joyce sometimes walked through life with blinders on, but she wasn’t stupid. “I highly doubt that, Cordelia. My daughter isn’t home.”
“Oh, but I’m here to see you,” Cordy laughed.
Invite me in.
“Okay.”
“Uh— I need you to say it.”
“Okay. Come in, Cordelia.” Stepping back, Joyce invited her into the house.
Cordelia immediately convinced Joyce that she needed to take the artifact. Keep that in your room tonight. No need to mention it to Buffy.
“I won’t tell Buffy,” Joyce repeated. Then she realized she was being a poor hostess. “Can I get you anything from the kitchen?”
An idea came to mind that Cordelia just could not resist. “What a great suggestion, Mrs. Summers.”
Bring me a big knife.
Joyce returned with a large chef’s knife. “Is this big enough?”
“I think it will do,” Cordelia assessed the seven-inch blade. “Mind if I stop in Buffy’s room for a minute?”
“Why?”
Don’t ask.
“Oh, go right ahead, dear,” Joyce reminded her which way to go. “I’ll just wait here until you get back.”
Each person reacted a little differently to her mental powers, but Cordelia didn’t care as long as they obeyed her wishes. Opening the door to the Slayer’s room, Cordelia walked toward the bed, eyeing the pillow. She planned to leave the knife stuck to Buffy’s bed. It would freak Buffy out, especially when her mother would remember nothing of the entire incident.
Cordelia was about to thrust the knife into the pillow when she pulled back. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of something better. Oh, yeah! Buffy would go insane over this one. Grabbing the soft pink object, Cordelia racked her brain for the creature’s name.
“The jig is up, piggy. No more Slayer snuggles for you. Die, Mr. Gordo. Die.” Giggling, Cordelia thrust the knife deep into the stuffed animal so that it hung suspended from the wall over the headboard of Buffy’s bed. Geez! That was fun.
Downstairs again, Cordelia told Joyce Summers that she was leaving. The reaction was one of sadness. “So soon?”
“I figured I’d better leave before I decided to forget my plan and just kill you instead,” the vampiress told her.
Before Joyce could sputter an answer, Cordelia sent her a mental command to forget that she was ever there. Not that the Slayer wouldn’t figure it out when she saw her surprise.
“Good night, dear,” Joyce waved. “Come back anytime.”
“I might just do that.”
***
Willow whined as she completed her computer networking project. She had tweaked and perfected it until she couldn’t stall anymore. It was finished. Would Cordelia send her away now? It was a question she had asked before. Several times actually. Cordy assured her that would not be the case, but she was still worried.
“What is it, Willow?” Angel asked from his position in one of the comfortable chairs. He had been reading while the redhead worked on the computer. With Cordy out and some of the minions hanging out at the mansion, he decided to stick around as long as Willow was there.
“Where is Cordy?”
“Hunting,” Angel told her. If Willow was going to be part of this family— even in the status of a vampire pet— she needed to be aware of the reality of it.
Willow rose from the chair and stood staring out of the study doorway like she had lost something and was trying to find it. Just one more sign, as far as Angel was concerned that Cordelia’s little mind trip was taking this too far. The redhead seemed to spend time actually pining for the vampiress when she wasn’t around.
With a deep sign, Willow turned around and walked over to stand next to Angel’s wing-backed chair. “Do you miss hunting? Probably, huh? You are a vampire even if you are just— Angel. Drinking pig’s blood— eew! I can imagine that the taste and consistency are nothing like the real thing.”
“You imagine correctly,” Angel commented hoping that she would drop the subject, even while noting that she was even starting to sound like Cordelia at times.
“Is it hard living around humans without biting them?” The questions just kept popping into her head. Angel had never really been one to give out the personal details and Willow’s curiosity just couldn’t wait.
Angel closed the book he had been trying to read. “Yes, Willow. It can be very difficult to curtail what is basically an instinctive urge. I have had a hundred years of practice at controlling those instincts, not that I have always been successful.”
“Oh.” Then Willow asked, “So a vampire with less practice, say one almost a year old, might have a harder time not biting?”
It was obvious that she was talking about Cordelia. Every conversation seemed to turn back to the subject of his mate. This enthrallment was getting a little annoying. “Cordy has more strength at controlling her need for blood than other vampires because she is a childe rather than a mere minion. Why do you ask?”
Willow’s gaze darted away from his as she stared in the vicinity of the floor. Mumbling something incomprehensible even to the vampire, she fell silent. It was too much to hope that she had decided to forget this line of questions. Angel did not bother to reopen his book. He had the gut feeling something was bothering her.
“Is that why Cordelia hasn’t bitten me?” Willow’s eyes carried confusion and hurt as she lifted her gaze back to his.
“Why would Cordy bite you?” Angel asked her curious to see where she was taking this.
Sharply, Willow told him. “I’m not stupid. Everyone around here except you calls me pet. I know what it means. Do you have any idea how much research I have done on vampires?”
“Quite a lot,” guessed Angel knowingly. “So you’ve figured out that Cordelia considers you to be her pet.”
“I can’t be! There’s been no biting.”
Rising to his feet, Angel tossed the book down on the seat cushion, “You sound upset.”
As her features tightened with anger, Willow’s mouth drew into a tight bow and her pert nose scrunched a bit. “Upset? Upset! How would you like to be someone’s pet and never get touched?”
Then Willow gasped realizing what she had said and clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide pools of green on an ocean of white. Angel barely reacted, as if her words were not as shocking to them as they were to her own ears.
Following a long pause, Angel sought some clarification. “Are you saying that you want to be touched? Want to be bitten by Cordelia?”
“I-I can do without the biting if she can,” gulped Willow as she lowered her hand from her mouth.
Angel grabbed Willow and thrust her down into the chair uncaring that she was now sitting on top of one of his first editions. “You’ll do without more than that,” he told her leaning down to grasp the arms of the chair and bringing his face closer to hers. “I don’t think Cordelia understands that the connection she created is stronger than she intended.”
”Connection?”
“Oh, yes— pet,” Angel made a point of using the term. “She has you enthralled, Willow. You’re here solely because she wants you to be.”
After a pause, Willow realized that while she understood the fact that Cordy manipulated her into being here, the need to stay was too overpowering. Nothing was going to make her leave short of Cordelia sending her away.
“Okay.”
“Is that what you would normally do? Abandon Buffy for Cordelia?”
Thinking about it, Willow had to admit, “No.”
“So why are you still here?”
Willow shrugged. “Because— uh?”
Interrupting what was certain to be a confused answer, Angel asked her, “Did you always lust after Cordelia this way?”
“Lust?” Willow looked horrified. “I do not!”
“Little liar. Why do you think you’re reacting this way? You’re whole body is humming at the idea of being touched. I don’t even think you’d know what to do, Willow.”
Nibbling nervously at her lower lip, Willow dared to ask, “Would she?”
Angel let out a dark laugh. “After living with Spike and Dru for several months, I have to guess that she probably does.”
“Oh!” Well that was a picture that Willow wanted to erase from her mind.
“It doesn’t matter,” Angel told her. “That makes no difference to you. Cordelia is mine, Willow. Anyone who wants her has to go through me first.”
The light that came over her face suggested Willow had taken that as an offer rather than a threat, so Angel vamped out and glared down at her, “No one touches what’s mine.”
Pressing herself back into the cushions of the chair, Willow let out a gulp and asked him in a shaky tone, “If I’m Cordy’s pet that makes it her decision. What if she wants—?”
Angel abruptly straightened pulling Willow up with him. “I am her sire. So technically, that makes you *mine* too.” He brushed his thumb along the pulse of her throat. “Do you want to be bitten? I could claim first rights.”
“No!” Willow struggled powerlessly to get out of his grasp. “I don’t want that.”
“Then keep it in mind next time you go sniffing after my mate,” Angel growled. Maybe he could scare some sense into her. “When it comes to Cordelia you can look all you want, Willow, but if I find out you are volunteering yourself rather than being controlled you’ll be out on your ass faster than a snowball melts in hell.”
“I guess you’d know about that,” Willow muttered unhappily.
***
Three weeks later.
“Peaches!” Spike called out upon entering the foyer of the mansion. His voice echoed in the stillness. Though there were lights on, it seemed quiet. “I know you’re in here mate.”
Drusilla released her hold on Spike’s arm and glided further inside, the skirt of her long crimson dress brushing the hardwood floor. A huge dog walked beside her sniffing the air and scenting the familiar and unfamiliar. He added a gruff woof to Spike’s bellowing, but Dru waited patiently knowing her sire detected their arrival.
Then Angel appeared on the landing above stairs dressed in a blue shirt and black leather pants, looking different and yet the same. It did not matter, Drusilla told herself. The stars had given her a sign that her sire had returned from the hell to which the Slayer had sent him. As he approached them coming down the stairs at a steady if not enthusiastic pace, Dru wasn’t so restrained.
“My Angel!” She threw her arms around her sire burying her head against his chest. “I thought the Slayer sent you away forever.”
“We thought you were dead for good,” Spike commented. “So tell me, Peaches. Who are you today? The vampire who nearly fucked up the world or the souled poof who can’t get enough of saving it? I gotta tell you— seeing you in that leather is confusing.”
Angel’s arms were still around Dru in a comforting hug as he responded, “If I didn’t have the soul, Spike, you’d already be dust for your part in helping the Slayer defeat me. That is one betrayal Angelus would not likely forgive and forget. As for what I think now— I’m glad you stopped me.”
“The poof is back,” Spike groaned. Then he had to admit, “Damn, but I’m almost happier to see you than that insanely obsessive bastard. Angelus may know how to party, but at least you don’t go around trying to suck the world into hell vamps and all.”
When Drusilla finally stopped clinging quite so closely, she pulled back and asked about Cordelia. “Her scent is here. Where is my sister?”
“Out.”
Spike finally noticed it too. “So Cordelia found you. Was that before or after she put the big hurt on the Slayer for nearly killing her and ending your pitiful life?”
“I saw her the first night,” Angel told him. “It was a surprise to both of us. As for Buffy, no one has laid a finger on her and it’s going to stay that way.”
Raising an eyebrow, Spike got the feeling that his grandsire knew crap about Cordelia’s revenge game. Not that he knew a whole lot himself, but there was no way the beautiful vampiress was going to let Buffy Summers get away with what she had done.
Angel felt something rubbing against one of his hands. It was the dog, a huge black-furred monster of a creature with large guileless eyes. “Puppy?”
The dog plopped his back end down to the floor and stared upward at the vampire. Woof!
“Not so much of a puppy anymore,” Spike pointed out. The name hardly suited the mutt he had given to Dru as a Valentine’s Day present. He thought she would consider it a nice snack, but no— his sire kept it. Now it was this gigantic vampire hound who obeyed her every whim and made his own life the occasional hell.
Drusilla bent down to ruffle the dog’s fur. “Puppy likes you, Angel. Even with the nasty soul.”
“Probably because of it,” Angel pointed out. The puppy had been scared of Angelus and only the fact that it was a low priority probably prevented him from snapping the puppy’s neck.
Spike’s attention turned to the front door. “What the hell is that noise?”
Listening, Angel told him wryly, “That would be my darling Cordelia and her crew of misfits and minions.”
“Cordelia has minions?” Dru clapped her hands together in delight.
Angel noted sourly, “Five of them.”
There was a squeal outside as Cordelia recognized the black DeSoto, followed by the fast approach of clacking heels. “You’re here. You’re both here!”
Spike was the closest to the door and Cordelia ran directly into his arms. “What took you so long to come home?”
The blond vampire didn’t bother answering. Taking her by the waist, Spike pulled Cordy close covering her mouth with his. Far from being a simple greeting, the kiss was full of passion. Angel noticed that Cordelia looked like she was actually enjoying Spike’s mouth on hers. She was enthusiastically pressing herself into the kiss. At one point it looked like she was going to swallow his tongue.
Beside Angel, Drusilla watched her childe with equal scrutiny. Her arms crossed over her chest and her long red nails tapped against her pale ivory skin. Sharing a look of irritation with her sire, Dru took hold of Spike’s arm just as Angel latched onto Cordelia’s. Pulling their childer apart, each told the other’s childe, “Don’t touch what’s mine.”
Then Dru added with a curling smile and a naughty wink, “Not without me getting my share.”
Angel was still glaring at Spike as the dark vampiress tagged on the line. Maybe Drusilla and Spike had done more than protect Cordelia during the time following Acathla, but that did not mean he was going to allow it to continue now. Nor was he about to dig up parts of their relationships that belonged to the past.
Noting his jealousy, Cordelia turned into his arms and kissed the corner of his mouth. “I love that you want me to yourself, my Angel, but it’s just the family. Aren’t you as happy to see them as I am? Dru and Spike are back. Now we’ll really have some fun.”
“Depends on the fun you have in mind,” commented Angel as his fingers touched her cheek.
A low growl sounded that startled Cordelia. Glancing down at Angel’s side was the largest dog she had ever seen, but despite the changes that came along with its growth spurt, Puppy was still recognizable. “What are you— part horse? Geez, Spike! Couldn’t you just get Dru a lap dog— like a little Toy Poodle or a Chihuahua— instead of this monstrosity?”
“Wasn’t thinking he’d live to be a dog,” Spike admitted with a shrug.
Puppy sent another low growl in Cordelia’s direction. “Rude, much? This is why dogs aren’t my thing.”
Signaling to her minions, Cordelia instructed them to lay out her shopping bags in the living room so she could show Dru what she had purchased. While they followed her instructions, Cordy made introductions. Spike was not overly impressed with the five minions and felt a flash of jealousy as Dru wandered around them inspecting the guys from head to toe and front to back.
Then Dru and Cordelia were giggling and chatting over clothes and men, talking about having a girl’s night out for the first hunt after their reunion and all that. So Spike turned his attention back to his grandsire and Puppy surprised to find them with someone he recognized.
What the hell was *she* doing here? Spike took a moment to look at Willow Rosenberg in much the same manner as Dru had been eyeing the minions. Who knew the little witch could look so tasty? Cordelia had obviously been fixing her up a bit.
“Hello, Red,” Spike greeted her with a leer. “Looks like there’s a new pet it the family. I think Puppy may be jealous.”
The dog was actually quite happily situated between the petite human and the vampire with a soul. Willow scratched behind the dog’s ears until its mouth hung open with sheer contentment. She simply glared up at Spike as he approached.
“Miss me?”
Drawing a deep breath, Willow told him, “Yeah! Like a plague of locusts. I really missed you trying to kill me.”
Spike smelled no fear on the girl. She did not blink or attempt to cower from his close presence. That might have something to do with Angel standing next to her, but the girl seemed to be genuinely unafraid of him. She was confident of her protected status here in the mansion.
“See you’ve grown a little backbone, Red,” Spike let out a laugh. Eyeing Angel, he sent him a glance to indicate he was only playing. No use coming home only to have your head ripped from your shoulders. His grandsire was close-mouthed, but clearly watchful. “So who do you belong too, luv? Angel or Cordelia? Both of them?”
Flashing him a defiant look, Willow actually stepped toward him. “I belong to me.”
“Right,” Spike seriously doubted that. He knew that it was Cordelia’s influence. Peaches wouldn’t have the balls to keep a pet— especially this one. Not having both Cordelia and the Slayer around. Cupping her jaw, Spike turned her head from side to side noting that her ivory skin was completely smooth.
“No marks, pet?”
“Shut up, Spike!” That was still a bone of contention with Willow. After a month, Cordy had not even tried to bite her.
“Not even a nibble?” Spike went on though he dropped his hand to his side. “Poor little Red. Keeps you on a tight leash, does she?”
Angel issued a warning, “Watch it.”
Both Spike and Willow ignored him. The blond vamp was too amused and Willow too angry to stop now. “I don’t have to take this from you, Bleach Brain. Cordelia is my best friend.”
Red was using one of Cordy’s nicknames for him and she still claimed that the vampiress was not influencing her? “Best friend? I thought that was the Slayer.”
“Pfft! Buffy? Buffy who?” Willow stood with her hands on her hips. “That girl is going nutso. All she does is call me at all hours when I’m at home. Never talks about anything I want to talk about. Blah, blah, blah. Cordy is way more fun.”
It was as if Cordelia’s words were coming straight out of Willow Rosenberg’s mouth and her hatred of the Slayer was showing. Spike was stunned. He knew exactly how this was happening, but he was amazed that Angel let this go on. The vampire appeared grim after Willow’s little rant, but remained stoically silent.
“You actually allow this?”
Angel shrugged.
This was obviously part of Cordy’s scheme, but he found it interesting that she hadn’t claimed her little pet. All that smooth skin— what a waste. When Cordelia and Drusilla suddenly emerged from the other room it was to find Spike slowly weaving his fingers through Willow’s straight red hair, absently petting her.
“What the hell are you doing, Spike?” Demanding an explanation, Cordelia stalked up to him.
Realizing what he was doing, Spike grinned sheepishly, “Touching what’s yours. Got a problem with that?”
“Only if Willow has a problem,” Cordelia stood back and waited for the girl’s response.
Back in the limelight of her mis— of Cordy’s attention, Willow’s confidence increased by leaps and bounds. She pulled away from Spike’s touch, glared at Angel for not saying anything to stop the other vampire and then proceeded to verbally rip Spike up one side and down the other.
After a minute of Willow’s ranting, Spike was still grinning, now in admiration of her spirit. “I like a chit with a bit of fire in her eyes.”
Almost instantly, Spike saw the whites of her eyes turn dark and a red flame leap to life in the back void of her pupils. “What the bloody fuck was that?”
Spike leapt back a couple of feet and found Willow laughing at him as her eyes returned to normal. “Wanna play with fire? You’re gonna get burned.”
Drusilla threw her head back and laughed merrily at her childe’s response. “Did the witch surprise you, my Spike?”
“Hell, yeah. That’s a dangerous little pet you have there, chit,” Spike told Cordelia with a look of shock still plastered across his face.
“Willow is getting quite powerful now that the Watcher is not around to restrict her study of magick.”
“Didn’t know she was a witch,” Spike pointed out still flabbergasted.
Angel told him, “Willow cast the spell that returned my soul.”
Suddenly, Drusilla wasn’t laughing anymore. She glared at Willow despite the fact that she had just witnessed what the human could do. “Get rid of your pet, Cordelia or I will.”
Cordelia stepped between the older vampiress and Willow. “Don’t threaten what’s mine, Dru. I won’t have her looking over her shoulder every time I’m not in the room.”
“She gave him the nasty soul. Took Angelus away from us. The witch shouldn’t be here.”
“Get used to it,” Willow snapped as she peeked around Cordelia’s shoulder.
Angel took matters in hand, smoothing out the tension that had suddenly skyrocketed in the room. Soon, Dru was cooing in her sire’s ear and promising not to hurt the little witch as long as she stayed away from her.
“No problem,” Willow promised. Like she wanted Drusilla anywhere near her. If anyone scared her in this mansion full of vampires, it was certainly the loony lady vamp. There was little doubt considering her knowing smile that the black-eyed vampiress knew it as well, sensing the sudden fear that welled from her inner depths.
“Well, I’ve had enough of this happy reunion for one night,” announced Spike. “I’m going out for a little kitten poker and a helluva lot of booze.”