Switcheroony
by alicorn
Chapter 12
[reviews]
Entering her apartment earlier that day, Cordy had finally relaxed. Dennis, pleased to see her back safe and sound, had welcomed her back by drawing a bath for her and providing a good back rub. She had dressed and had moved back into her living room, collapsing onto the sofa.
"Dennis, any 'Faith Cookies' left?" Cordy asked. It had been such a 'parallel world/Twilight Zone' type surprise when, almost two months ago, she had returned home with Wesley and Angel to find Faith baking. The 'Slayer gone bad' had turned so many different shades of red that they had found it extremely hard to swallow their laughter but her 'pain is coming' facial expression had helped.
Cordy had become concerned a) that Faith didn't need her buttons pushed just now,
b) at what the cost would be to redecorate her apartment if the dark slayer lost it, and c) that they would all soon hyperventilate from either anger or laughter if someone didn't break the ice. So she had risked her taste buds and picked up a cookie. The biggest surprise had been that it just melted into her mouth with buttery goodness and that then she found a blissful moan leaving her lips.
Faith, who had at first provided graphic instructions as to where she was going to stick her cookies, calmed down quite a bit (although her cheeks took several hours to return to their normal color) once Cordy had declared her cookies as "Well - Yummy".
Much later when the guys had left and under much prodding from Cordy, Faith had explained that the housekeeper in one of the many foster homes she had lived in had introduced her to baking. At first she only did the cleaning up as a punishment. But later she had found that whenever she was really stressed and unable to focus her mind - she baked.
Knowing that baking didn't really go with her hard-boiled image, she had often openly referred to such 'housewifey' and domestic skills with such disrespect that no one would have ever considered she could possibly be a closet baker.
Cordy had laughed at the idea of Faith making clandestine 'drug style' raids into her local her local grocery store, wondering where exactly she had hidden the bags of flour, sugar, eggs and pats of butter in her usual tight fitting outfit.
Faith admitted she had once considered baking for the mayor but had chickened out because he was such a fussy eater.
Lying back on her sofa with a well-earned cup of coffee and a cookie, Cordy closed her eyes. Somehow over those two months she had come to know a whole different Faith - quiet, considerate, a good listener and most surprising of all — neat. It had been quite a revelation for Cordy who had at first hated the idea of having a roommate.
However for each step forward Faith paid with bouts of depression. Cordy had really come to feel something for Faith; she almost began to care about her. Not in a 'big caring for my best friend' way but more of 'wild stray' pet who had wandered into her home. But Cordy still expected her to turn all psycho, and in the same way that she was ready to stake Angel if 'Angelus' ever returned, she was ready to so kill Faith if 'Skank Bitch from Hell' ever reappeared.
When she had her dreadful vision about Buffy she hadn't even paused before telling Faith. And Faith had immediately wanted to help; something that Cordy was much less suspicious and more accepting of now, than she would have been had Faith expressed such an intention when she first appeared in LA. Much to Faith's surprise, Cordy had even backed up Angel in his decision to send Faith to watch over Buffy.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.
"Hello," Cordy said as she picked it up, wondering who would know she was back and could be calling her.
"Hi C. Back safe?" Faith greeted her. "Checking in as promised."
"Faith, where are you?" Cordy asked.
"Right where I'm meant to be — 'Glorious Sunnydale'," Faith replied, obviously still somewhat uncomfortable with having to return to the scene of some of her greatest mistakes and worst offenses. "Are the guys with you?"
"Nope, it will take them another couple of days to tie things up. Any news on the Scoobies?" Cordy inquired. "Seen anything of Spike?"
"No sign of the peroxide wonder yet. But I've given some preventative medicine to the lovelorn duo; something that should stop him in his 'bad hair day' tracks when it takes hold" Faith laughed, obviously very pleased with herself. "So far everything is five by five."
Cordy suddenly became very worried. Preventative medicine - what could she possibly mean by that? "Faith what have you done?" A cold shiver ran down her back as she felt that old fear fill her. 'Has Faith lost it again? Is the Skank Bitch back?'
"Don't freak out. It's all of the good. No badness. I promise C, I'm not losing it," Faith said suspicious of Cordelia's silence. "I had to do something. The idea of Buffy ever allowing Spike to use her like that..." She ended, a shudder running through her.
"Faith," Cordy said in her best 'mom is listening' voice. "I think you better tell me exactly what you mean by 'of the good'. What you have done to Buffy and Willow?"
Faith proceeded to explain about the body swap curse, which she had found in one of Wesley's books during a research fest last month, and how after hearing Cordy's vision and then watching the witch and slayer she had decided that this was the probably the only way to stop Spike. She had quite early on realized that as long as the duo refused to acknowledge their feelings for each other, they would always be susceptible to blackmail.
Cordy tried very hard not to laugh at the images that filled her mind. How was she going to explain this to Angel? Wesley was so never going to let Faith near any of his books again. But much as she tried to be annoyed with Faith, she could see the strange kind of logic behind her actions. Maybe she really was just trying to help.
"I just figured I'd 'end run' the 'Billy Idol' wannabe by helping to turn the duo into a couple. His power comes from knowing something others don't. A secret's only useful if you're scared of others knowing it. If you tell everyone then it's not a secret anymore and then it has no power," Faith said.
"Okay I get it. Kind of has a logic but Angel's gonna flip when I tell him. He may be way old and trying to be modern guy; deep with the feelings, cool ex-boyfriend guy but..."
"But he's male," Faith supplied.
"Yeah," Cordy agreed. "His Buffy choosing to replace him with a woman. I'm telling you there will be major brooding, much sitting in the dark and complete denial of ego issues," she said, fighting to keep the smile out of her voice. "So, are you coming out the baking closet anytime soon? Secrets and their power ... y'know?" Cordy teased.
"Funny. Yeah I'm pitching a cooking show to NBC as we speak," Faith replied, the annoyance in her voice laced with a certain fondness for this woman who had the guts to tease her. "Could get you a couple of tickets if you can get a date who isn't a ghost. By the way how is D?"
"He's good. I think he's been lonely with both of us gone. I found a stash of your beers in the back of the kitchen cabinet that he's been hoarding for your return."
"Yeah, I kinda miss the back rubs. Say Hi," Faith said, somewhat touched that anyone even a ghost could actually be missing her. "Angel will cope," she assured Cordelia. "Can't be the first time in two hundred years he's lost a woman to another woman. Darla, Spike and Drusilla - I'm telling you that was one kinky bone-banging bunch. Know what I mean?" She laughed.
"Gutter mind, much?" Cordy replied. She could almost see Faith's leering look.
"Come on C, you gonna tell me you've never considered a visit to the other side of the velvet curtain," Faith teased. "You're bound to have had offers considering that hot 'bod' and all."
"Faith, you may have been willing to serve it up to anyone who asked and some who didn't. But I don't feel the urge to share with just anyone who calls," Cordy said evading the question.
Deciding not to call C on her avoidance, Faith changed the subject back to Angel. "C, if you get any trouble from Angel, you remind him of how well Doyle keeping his feelings from you helped. Heavy with the comparisons helps when talking to the big bad moody. Trust me."
"Thanks," Cordy said, surprised by Faith's insight into her past. When had Faith started to take an interest in a past that wasn't hers? Cordy wondered. "Hey by the way you didn't say - how is the gang?"
"Five by five. Giles is heavy with the books and our boy toy's gotta new babe."
"Really. What's she like?"
"Kinda weird, runs a magic shop, clings to him like a dog in heat," Faith replied knowing what Cordy wanted to hear - that Xander was okay, but that her replacement was no competition.
"And the duffus is cool with that?" asked Cordy.
"Seems to be. Why?"
"Oh nothing," Cordy replied, knowing that the one thing that Faith hadn't counted on was Xander. If she knew anything about her ex, it was that not much got past him concerning his Buffy and Willow. She was pretty damn sure he had more than a clue that something was up. "You okay?"
"Five by five," Faith said. "Gotta go. Pass on hellos when you see the guys." She felt that if she stayed on the phone much longer C would only try to draw her emotions out again. Much as she appreciated Cordy, Faith sometimes found the late night chats and all of the opening up expected of her to be draining. Right now she needed her head focused. Faith felt that having something good to do was helping her more than chatting about her feelings ever could.
But she was damned if she was going to let the boy toy take the lead in the matchmaking stakes. It was time to nudge things along a bit.
********************************BtVS********************************
Giles looked up at the shop door as Xander entered. He gave him a questioning look and Xander pouted "Your car's fine. Man, protective much."
Giles ignored his comments and took the book and keys with a grateful nod.
"So, any progress?" Xander asked. Already feeling the anxiety of the group but not able to tell what it meant, he shook himself mentally.
"Nothing yet. We've exhausted most of our resources. Anya has asked some contacts in the demon world to keep their ears to the ground. But in the meantime Willow is going to try a location spell," Giles said, the frustration in his voice telling Xander all he needed to know about how far they had gotten in his absence.
"Okay," Xander acknowledged, hoping that 'His Spookiness' had been clever enough to shield himself from her magic's. "But what are we gonna do if she finds them?"
"Willow really needs to put in some more training before we can even consider confronting Dracula," Giles pointed out. He hated to point this out when all he really wanted to do was head out the door totally armed and find Buffy. But he knew that caution was required.
"Hey," Willow protested. "It was the thrall. I dusted those two vamps okay but the 'big bad with the thrall' I wasn't expecting."
"I know, Willow. You did exceptionally well with your first," Giles said offering the young witch his sincere praise. "I just feel that we need to focus more on your mental control. We need to be sure that you can overcome this mind control issue when you need to. We are beginning to collect a lot of information on Dracula that should help us to rescue Buffy. There's really no excuse for going in unprepared."
"You think knowledge and a positive mental attitude will be enough to fight the unholy master," Xander commented but upon seeing Giles' questioning look, he added. "bater."
Giles raised his eyebrows at the infantile play on words.
"It seems that Dracula isn't really into dark dank crypt real estate. He likes his mansions, bug eating minions and special soil," Willow explained. She had spent the last hour, driving herself crazy on the Internet while her mind screamed at her - 'Find Buffy. How can you just be sitting here? How could you let him take her?' Meanwhile she tried to focus on gathering the information that could help to save Buffy's life. She couldn't let her mind loose to wonder, to guess, to speculate about just what Dracula was doing to Buffy.
"Therefore, we have to assume he's going to be looking for an uptown residence," Giles added.
"Right. But he's smart enough to figure out we know that. So I'm guessing he's lying low," Xander chimed back.
"Dracula's really not the kind to be lying low," Willow replied, giving Dander an odd look.
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"It's not working" Giles stated.
"I know. He must be using a shielding spell," Willow's voice exhibited the frustration she was feeling. Her magic was what she had brought to the Scoobies, her unique contribution, and her special usefulness. But now it was letting her down, letting Buffy down.
Giles watched a worried frown crossing the face of the new Slayer that he knew so well [though not as a Slayer]. For a moment he had forgotten who he was actually looking at and every time he did he felt foolish.
Willow looked at him oddly and, unable to decipher his expression, decided he was just worried for Buffy; something she could totally understand. "We'll get her back Giles," Willow assured him, placing her hand on his arm, wanting to convince both of them.
"Yes, we will," Giles agreed, patting the young woman's hand before he released himself.
The shop phone rang and Anya jumped towards it. "Hello?" Everyone fell silent, eager for something that might help; hopeful that this call was that something "Rees, slow down. I'm not a tape recorder." Covering the mouthpiece she commented to Giles "I think he's overdone the Red Bull again." She shook her head with annoyance.
Anya reached for a pen but found Giles had anticipated her need as he laid his notepad and pen before her."Okay now say that again — slowly," Anya began to nod as she wrote. "Rees if you don't slow down, I'm gonna feel seriously forced to curse you with the wrath of strawberry jam," She threatened. After pausing to listen, nodding she added, "That's better."
Xander found his mind distracted by her actions, wondering why people did that. The person on the other end of the phone couldn't see them. They knew that and yet they still nodded. Even Anya, his strangely appealing ex-vengeance demon girlfriend, had picked up this silly human quirk. The world deserves to be fed upon by the dark prince and his minions. It would then make sense.
"Great. Okay. Stop now," Anya finally stopped writing. "Yes, yes, I know. I would have thought that little help with the unwanted in-law would have put me in credit. A curse just doesn't go as far as it used to." Huffing she ended, "Okay. Next Tuesday. Bye." Anya placed the receiver down and turned to the waiting group. "1298 Parklands View. He moved in today - soil, sirens and all."
"Is that all he said?" Willow asked. She felt that the conversation had lasted longer than two lines of information.
"Basically, yes. The rest was that annoying 'look how clever I was to get you this info' and payment confirming rubbish. Rees likes to blow his own horn. That's what got him in so much trouble in the past. Never could just say things straight out," Anya huffed again. The fact that she obviously had very little respect for her source concerned Giles.
"Is he reliable? As a source I mean," Xander asked, hoping that he could somehow undermine Anya's source.
"He knows he only gets paid if his info is sound. So I'd say we're okay knowing how deep his greed runs," Anya replied.
"Good. At last we have a plan," Willow stated as she looked at her friends. Giles looked less than certain. 'He's not sure that we're ready,' Willow thought. This slightly annoyed her and undermined her newfound confidence. "Every second we leave Buffy under his thrall we risk losing her," she said throwing the accusation and reminder out, hopefully preventing any further cautious stalling tactics. She wanted Buffy back. She wanted this hollow feeling in her chest to go away. She wanted her best friend back.
No one responded. Giles couldn't really think of anything more that he could do to improve their chances, which were slim. Everyone knew what they were up against — Dracula but they also saw the look of sheer determination on the face of this new Slayer in front of them, perfectly reflecting how the witch inside her body was feeling. Willow's thoughts really didn't need translating.
"So we have a plan. Since when?" Xander asked, unable to hold the words in, somehow feeling braver than he normally would when faced with a determined slayer. "All I can see is a rag tag bunch of misfits hoping to beat the lord of all unholy darkness." His loyalty to Dracula surfacing at the same time as his own doubts.
Willow laughed, assuming Xander was trying to relieve the tension and soon everyone joined her, if somewhat nervously.
Xander smirked but inside his fuzzy mind sulked. 'The master is going to be mad. I'm pretty sure he hates uninvited guests.'
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Faith watched the Magic shop comings and goings with much interest. The attic room above the dry cleaners had been cheap and it gave her a clear, if cramped, view of the Magic shop and side alley. The air that filled the room had a slightly musty smell to it, something to do with all that steam downstairs she presumed. But the place was clean, well lit and the skylight gave her a great view at night once the streetlights dimmed.
She hadn't seen Buffy in a while and having just finished her 'recon' on their dorm room she was itching to know how they had reacted to Xander's little bed swap. She laughed just knowing that she had gotten the blame for that one. It seemed the boy-toy was in on her game. She was slightly miffed that he had figured it out so quickly. But she had to give him points for the bed swap idea. She would have paid good money to see their faces last night.
Her Slayer senses had told her that although they had shared the bed, they had done nothing but sleep. This disappointed her; she really couldn't understand what was holding them back. She had given them the perfect excuse to sort it out. 'Was B really that dense?', she wondered. Maybe that was why she wasn't around - all the angst and such, plus not having her super human powers had to be getting to her.
She'd seen Xander and Willow return earlier after she'd called Cordy. Assuming that Buffy had also left the shop in her absence she now regretted keeping her promise to call. But D had rung her cell phone first twice, then four times to let her know that Queen C was home. She had longed for even Cordelia's voice; for someone to talk to; someone who would listen without a Buffy's 'what is Faith's hidden agenda' in every sentence.
She had considered bugging the shop but knowing Willow's fondness for protection spells she hadn't - something she was now regretting.
Two hours later Willow, Xander, Anya and Giles left the shop and headed for the park. Faith grabbed her weapons bag and left her attic room to follow them.
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Buffy sat at the far end of a long and well-polished wooden dinning table. She was alone in the room. She had been since she had regained consciousness about half an hour ago. For some reason she couldn't move. She had exerted all of her will but not a limb had moved.
She had no idea just how long she had been unconscious. There was no clock in the room and she had tried to lift her wrist to look at her own watch. She'd even tried just twisting her wrist slightly but it had been no use. She had never felt so helpless. She knew the gang would be trying to find her, wanting to rescue her but that knowledge still made her the victim - something she found very hard to deal with. Anger grew within her. She envisioned killing Dracula — slowly, painfully and then making Faith wish she was dead, making her beg to die, making her whimper with apologies. She could feel the urge to slay building within her and yet she was like a chained animal — impotent.
Giles had always advised her to practice some patience back in the days when she had her Slayer strength. Maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing to learn. This sitting unable to do anything was like having an itch she couldn't scratch. She had begun to believe she was going mad over the last few days. She had all the urges and instincts to fight building within her but was unable to use them or vent them. It seemed as though only the Slayer strength had transferred to her Witchy friend. She still had the dreams, the cramps when a vamp was near and the hardened aggressive mental attitude and training.
Buffy suddenly realized just how far Willow had been able to come without the mental training she had gone through, without the combat experience she had acquired. Giles had concluded that Faith had only swapped their physical bodies. All their mental skills had transferred with their minds resulting in the Witchy Slayer and the aggressive but frustrated woman she now found herself to be.
She had begun to wonder if maybe Dracula was right and that all she was - was a killer. Then into the room came the Lord of Darkness himself, seemingly graceful and aloof. She was reminded of a swan she had once seen last summer, gliding on a lake oblivious of everyone else, serene and seemingly immortal. 'Where the hell did that come from?' Buffy looked at Dracula suspiciously.
"Your mind is still strong I see," Dracula said, his voice deep and inviting as he moved to her side.
Buffy glared at him. "I exercise everyday," she replied, annoyed by his attempt to guide her thoughts. "You're slowing down old man. Having to use magic to pull the ladies... Then again I guess surgery's not really an option for you," she smiled. "Just how old are you?"
Dracula tilted his head to one side. "So you dread birthdays," he stated.
The statement unnerved Buffy but she chose to stay silent. As her mind began to remember every birthday since her awakening as the Slayer and how they had all been celebrated by a life or death event.
"Each brings you closer to the natural death of a Slayer," he smiled. "It is our fate to never grow old."
Her mind lurched but she pulled herself back. He was trying to guide her thoughts again. 'Keep on your toes Buffy,' she told herself.
"Mmm, you still have such fire. I like that," Dracula said almost in a whisper. His words washed over her mind. Unexpectedly he moved away from her towards the middle of the table. He spoke again his voice even softer. "Stand and come to me. I wish to view you."
Buffy found herself standing, leaving her chair and walking towards him.
"Turn!" he commanded.
She did. Her mid length skirt swirled slightly, revealing the bare skin above her boots.
"Beautiful," He uttered in an appreciative tone.
As Buffy turned to face him again he gestured her to him. It was only a few steps but Buffy walked towards him, fighting every step in vain. He gestured again and she stopped, mere inches between them.
"You are indeed a wild creature, drawn to the darkness within, drawn to the music of the night," Dracula whispered.
"Oh please! You gonna break into a song?" Buffy spat.
"I am going to introduce you to the fire within you. I can feel it burning inside you - the need to kill. It dances within you to music only those who kill for pleasure can know."
"I do not kill for pleasure!" Buffy almost shouted. "It's a calling, 'save the world, kill the Vamps, survive on four hours sleep a night, secret identity' kind of thing."
Dracula gestured and she found herself unable to speak. He simply smiled at the annoyance in her eyes as he placed his cold hand upon her hip. Taking her other hand he began to slowly lead her in a waltz. There was no music and yet Buffy found it easy to feel the rhythm to which they were moving.
"I see you can feel it, sense the music," Dracula said, his lips so close to Buffy's ear that had he been human she would have felt his breath on her skin, on her neck. Buffy felt something building within her, something new and chilling. She felt fear. There was nothing she could do to prevent Dracula from killing her. Nothing.
Her mind swam with the sheer realization that she was powerless. She hadn't felt so defenseless in years, so out of her depth. As Dracula swept her around the room like a mannequin, she almost wanted to laugh hysterically. How she wished she were able to fight him. She wished again and again to have some control. Never had she chosen to hand over her life. It wasn't right she should be able to fight.
"Ow," Buffy yelled as Dracula stood heavily on her left foot, which didn't seem to be following instructions. "Watch it 'lead foot'." Buffy cheered her willpower on for this small victory — 'Yay, my left foot.'
"You still fight me. How very foolish you are," Dracula said, warning and desire in his eyes.
"Yeah and you - such a smooth dancer too," Buffy quipped.
"Do not mock me Killer. I know you for what you are," Dracula reminded her. "You deny yourself."
"That's me 'denial girl'," Buffy smiled. "So if I deny you exist you should poof — vanish in a puff of cheap smoke, right?
"Enough. Be. Silent," He commanded.
"Did you forget to pay the thrall bill?" She asked, willing her hand to leave his.
"Be silent, woman," He commanded this time with such intensity that Buffy could feel the power washing over her.
"Who died and made you king of the wo....." Buffy made the shapes with her mouth but she just couldn't get the words out. Frustrated that he had gagged her again she lashed out with all her will, lifting her all-powerful left foot to try and stomp on his damn foot in revenge.
But Dracula simply stepped back from her slow moving attack, released her hands and smiled at her. "You are not the 'Killer' I sought. You are simply a foolish little girl trying to anger me."
Finally released Buffy raised her hand but unable to speak, made great play of biting her nails in fear. But inside she couldn't help wondering if he was right. Had she never been the Slayer? Had she been nothing more than a mouthy scared little girl? 'Is that all I really am?' She asked herself.
"Sleep," Dracula ordered, dramatically waving his arm with more apprehension than he normally showed. "Sleep little girl. For she will soon join us."
"We will finish our dance before your playmate joins us. Then you will realize your place. Your destiny and hers," He hissed. "Sleep, sleep, sleep."
Buffy's eyes grew wide with fear. 'Willow!' She fought to remain awake but Dracula's eyes did not leave her until she fell to the floor, lost to the land of slumber.
****************************BtVS*****************************
Moving across the park the group of four looked a very odd collection. Giles in his 'oh so British' attire, crossbow in hand; Willow in new age hippy student outfit, a nap sack on her back and stake in hand; Xander in blue jeans, Hawaiian shirt and his favorite axe; Anya in her shop girl gear, short sword and stake. They looked like escapees from a low budget horror movie as they wandered across the dark park, torches in hand. Thank goodness Sunnydale's police were possibly the lowest profile force on the planet.
Anya looked across the lake. "I know I've only been mortal in Sunnydale for a short while now. But you know what I've never noticed?"
"A big castle sitting just across the lake?" Willow provided.
"A big castle," Anya agreed
"Its magnificent. Fitting for the unholy prince." Xander commented, awe in his voice until he caught Willow looking oddly at him. "iple."
"Yes magnificent - for a tasteless pile," Giles agreed. "I thought the era of the mock Gothic palace had passed."
Trying to plan ahead, as she knew Buffy would, Willow spoke. "Okay we split up. Xander and I will take the front. Giles and Anya, you take the rear. We need to find Buffy and get her out of there," Willow commanded no waver in her voice and sheer determination in her eyes.
Giles felt a certain growing respect for this young woman, thrust as she had been into the role of Slayer. Finding no fault with her division of their forces he stayed silent.
They moved rapidly around the lake, separating into pairs as they reached the front of the mock castle. As Willow and Xander reached the front of the castle she paused slightly before opening the front door. The hall way was poorly lit and very dark. Ahead of them was a large staircase. Turning to Xander she said, "You try upstairs. Be careful."
Nodding Xander mounted the stairs. He was pleased that his master would not see him with this Witchy Slayer plus he knew he stood little or no chance against her. He would ambush Giles and distract his Anya, probably with sex, and seek out his dark master for further instruction. He would find his way to them. There had to be a rear staircase for staff, trades and such — he's seen Chatsworth Park- Anya's choices sometimes worried him.
As she watched him mount the staircase Willow removed her nap sack, pulling out a dark green crystal. Placing it in her palm she recited the enchantment she had researched earlier and hoped to the goddess that the failure of her earlier spell was only a fluke. She poured her very soul into her chant, pushing her will into the crystal.
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Giles forced the garage door up and soon they were in. They found the door to the house unlocked so they proceeded into the castle and what appeared to be the dungeon! Their torches lit the way through a maze of corridors and stairs which soon had them completely disorientated.
Anya turned to Giles. "Well," She said with distain. "Where we are?"
Giles looked at the woman as if she was mad until he saw the smirk on her face. She was enjoying his failure. "Could you do any better?" he asked.
"Sure," she replied. "I could probably help us get even more lost." Anya said, laughing at him.
Giles huffed and moved off. There was something about Anya that got under his skin. Her bluntness was just so uncalled for, so lacking in finesse. But most of all it was what she got away with saying that he wouldn't even dream of saying, think it though he might.
His thoughts were broken as they reached a two-way split in the corridor and looking at each other; they shrugged as they each took a different corridor. He was somehow relieved to be separated from Anya.
Turning left he found a solid wooden door before him. He turned the handle, feeling the door move slightly and then stick. Instinctively he put his shoulder to the door and gave it another push, it moved a little further and stuck again. So this time he placed his whole weight behind the push.
The door flew open and Giles moved through it before he realized that there was no floor on its other side. He fell.
His landing was strangely soft and he looked about himself to see that the floor was covered in cushions. Looking behind him, he realized he had fallen at least 10 feet into a sort of pit. He could see the open door gaping, almost laughing down at him.
"Oh good stepping Giles. At least you didn't get knocked out for a change," he admonished himself.
Turning he caught a movement from the shadows of the pit. Three women appeared, each stunningly beautiful with tight firm bodies robed in almost see-through silk and smiling. In the half-light he could see their incisors, the greyness of their skin, their curves. Giles swallowed, "Ahhh yes — you would be the Three Sisters. Excellent. Yes. I heard you were a myth."
They moved towards him with quick smiling ease, leaning down beside him and reaching out to undress him and they sighed.
"Obviously erroneous," Giles added, as his skin became aflame at their touch.
They ripped his shirt open.
"Ahhh," Giles uttered, strangely mesmerized by the three women surrounding him, yet knowing he should be doing something else. "Ahh — Oh! That tickles," he pointed out as one of the women ran her tongue over his bare chest. "Ohh Ahhh." Then he was kissed until breathing became an issue. Regaining air he let forth a plea. "Oh. Dear God?"
*************************BtVS********************************
Willow had now checked five rooms on the ground floor. Most had been completely empty, although one appeared to be furnished in the European style of a large study turned library, complete with a raging fireplace. She moved to the last door off the main hall and holding her breath, she turned the handles of its double doors.
Entering the room she was at once pleased and disappointed by the scene that greeted her. She had found Buffy. But the blonde was frozen in Dracula's embrace, their faces mere millimeters apart. Jealousy flared within Willow as she saw the way Buffy was staring deep into his eyes.
It took her a little while to control herself and realize from their pose that the two had been dancing when her spell had surrounded Buffy, slowing time. In their timeline they were still dancing. She now had to be very careful because unfreezing Buffy would also unfreeze Dracula.
Moving towards the eerily still couple Willow knew she was moving far too quickly for their eyes to see her. She considered her options. Should she try to disentangle Buffy from Dracula or try to stake him?
As she came to their side she realized that they were dancing so closely that she would have no way of piercing his heart from the front. Moving around to his back, the fall of his Bella Lugosi cape made it equally impossible to identify where to stake him. She moved back to their side, her mind racing. She had to think of something. She clutched the crystal within her hand as if wishing it would help her.
Willow suddenly realized that she must have stood still, in the same position, for too long because suddenly Dracula disappeared, leaving Buffy with her arms still in dancing pose but alone. Willow moved to her friend's side, her eyes and ears alert for Dracula's reappearance.
Buffy shook her head and gasped as she realized that Dracula was gone. But she could still feel a hand on her....Willow ....She was here. Oh no. She scanned the room and sure enough a column of black smoke at the far end of the room heralded his return.
"Willow," she said.
Willow smiled realizing her friend was back in real time. Then she turned following Buffy's concerned eyes to see Dracula reappear. She moved to the left of her friend, allowing them room to maneuver as Dracula moved towards them. Realizing the crystal was no longer of use she dropped it.
"I knew you would both be with me eventually. This is as it should be."
"Oh yeah? Why?" Buffy asked.
"Cause we're under your thrall?" Willow asked. "Guess what pally..." Willow smiled lifting her stake.
"Put the stake down."
"Okay," Willow responded laying the stake on the table at her side. "Right. That was not you — I did that because I wanted to. Slayer sneaky stuff you don't yet know about." 'Maybe I should rethink that thrall thingy,' she said to herself.
"Indeed. Be still," he commanded as he approached.
They both found their minds unwilling to order their bodies to move.
"You are both magnificent," Dracula said, appearing to breathe them in.
"I bet you say that to all the girls before you bite them," Willow commented.
"No. You two are different — kindred."
"Kindred?" they ask in unison.
"Pull back your hair," Dracula ordered Buffy.
Buffy found herself following his bidding.
"This isn't how I usually fight. You waft in with your music video wind and your hypno eyes..." Buffy explained.
"I have searched the world over for the Slayer. I have yearned for her, for the one - but now there are two whose darkness rivals my own," he said his eyes falling upon Buffy's neck.
Willow recoils at these words. "Hey. No darkness here. Just Willow. Well Buffy that is. Kindred goodness."
Dracula turns his gaze upon Willow. "Do not fight. I can feel your hunger." He moved
towards her.
"Stay away from her," Buffy ordered.
"Are you afraid I will bite her before you? Slayer, that's why you came." He stated glancing at Buffy as he moved towards Willow. "Stop me, stake me. Do you know why you can't resist?"
"Because you're famous — it's over rated," Buffy said hoping to distract his attention from Willow.
"Because you want it too."
Buffy had no response.
"Others are coming." Willow whispered.
"They are here. They will not find us. We are alone. Quite alone." Moving in to whisper in Willow's ear, he added, "There's so much I have to teach you witch, your magic, what it is capable of. You have the potential for much darkness. Can you not sense it within you? Would you like me to show you?"
"Really don't want to know," Willow almost screamed. She felt the fear that he could be right rising within her.
"You want to know and you will have eternity to discover the depth of your magic's. But first a little taste."
"I won't let you." Willow fought his thrall with all her might, to no avail.
"I didn't mean for me." Dracula replied, a laugh shaping his mouth. Seeing the horror in her eyes he turned to Buffy.
Moving to circle behind her, he smiled. "All these years fighting us. With a power so near to our own and you never wanted to know what it is?" He finished coming to a stop in front of and between the two friends. Taking his left thumb he dragged his nail across his right wrist, smiling he did the same to his left wrist. Blood began to pool upon his wrists. "Time for a taste..." He said, offering his wrists to the lips of the two young women before him.
"If we drink that....." Buffy whispered, unable to draw her eyes from the wrist before her.
"It's not enough for you to change. You must be near death to become one of us.....and that comes only when you plead for it."
"Not hungry," Willow stated, firmly closing her mouth.
"The craving goes deeper than that," Dracula explained. "You think you know, what you are, what's to come — you haven't even begun." He pressed his wrists to closer to their lips. "Feel it, the darkness, the power, the magic; your need to be one with the darkness, with each other, with me. Find your true nature."
Willow kept her lips firmly closed, although she could feel the warm wet blood against her lips, pushing, calling to her. She closed her eyes and focused on goodness, on love, but that just reminded her of her longing to be with Buffy. The way Buffy filled her heart, her life. Every fiber of her soul sought out the bedrock that supported her Wiccan beliefs. Her mind would have gone into meltdown had her eyes been open to see Buffy lean into Dracula's wrist, opening her mouth to drink....
Buffy drank, feeding the need she had felt, the need he described. Her mind swam with memories of the Slayers that had preceded her. Visions of battles; victories and apparent losses; of her friends; her family; her Willow; and the many innocents who had been lost in the battle with darkness. Lifting her head she considered the taste in her mouth. Shaking her head she made a decision. "No. That was gross." She said.
"You are resisting."
"Looks like," Buffy responded.
"Come. Drink," Dracula commanded again.
"You know what? I really think the thrall has gone out of our relationship — but I want to thank you for opening my eyes a little," Buffy said smiling.
Dracula turned to find Willow had opened her eyes. She was staring at Buffy in disbelief; her lips firmly closed.
"What is this? No other man can give you what you both need," He removed his wrist from before Willow, his face filling with exasperation at the behavior of these women.
"My true nature ...," Willow stated. "Well, Mr. 'big, dark and mysterious', you can trust me when I say that you have no chance of giving me what I need. Kinda Gay here."
"Indeed?" Dracula smiled. "I have to admit that makes the possibilities somewhat more intriguing." He leered at Willow, his eyes laughing. He moved his questioning gaze to Buffy. "I will very much enjoy watching you two perform for me."
"Oh please. How unoriginal is that?" Buffy protested, a flush rising to her cheeks.
"No woman can resist the thrall of the dark prince. You will find your womanhood, your true natures. You will have no need to hide in the arms of another woman. This you will realize - what you really need, in my dark arms, a real ma...." Dracula halted his self-glorification at the sound of a window shattering and the feel of something against his — "No!" Looking down he realized that protruding from his chest was a stake.
Willow and Buffy released from his thrall instinctively threw themselves to the floor. Buffy glanced at the table as she dropped. Willow's stake was still there. "Who?" she questioned as another crash heralded the arrival of yet one more stake, which clattered to the floor, falling into the pile of dust that had been Dracula. Looking at it Buffy realized that it had something wrapped around it. Hesitantly she reached for it.
"Wait," Willow said pulling her back and bringing her close. "Giles?" she called out, assuming that it had been the watcher's crossbow that had dispatched Dracula and wanting to assure him he had hit his mark - so that he would stop firing.
When no one responded, they both looked at each other with concern. Someone was firing a crossbow and they couldn't be sure that Dracula had been the only target.
They lay on the floor, Willow holding Buffy to her side for what seemed like an age. Willow wasn't that concerned about moving anytime soon as she enjoyed the warmth of Buffy's body next to hers. Plus she wasn't too keen on discovering they were also in the sights of their mysterious savior.
She had almost lost her; lost Buffy. "Are you okay?" she asked, for some reason whispering.
"Yeah. Just a little rattled," Buffy replied. "Who do you think is out there?"
"I don't know. I thought it was Giles," Willow replied.
Buffy's eyes grew wide, "Faith."
Sorry for the delay & thanks to Lilly my beta. More on its way soon.