Thirteen Steps -8- The Package
by Valyssia
The Song of Cullen McCoy
[reviews]
Skulking in the shadows of a massive cypress, Witiko wrung his hands and giggled with glee. A strong breeze whipped up as he started to move in line with the darkest of shadows through his forest home. "Witiko knows...he saw...he will makes dem see... Oh happy, loveliest of days... Witiko knew his pretty would come...come to me forest..."
Dancing a jig, Witiko spoke in a singsong voice, as he moved, "Oh ye tinks ye knows? Ye does not know...ye kin't understand... Witiko left de silly little men 'lone. He knew...he knew de others would come...waited he did... Now no more wait... He saw... Knew de pretty lil wit..." as the wind died down his voice failed to carry, though he continued to speak. The appearance was that of a creature gone mad due to long isolation.
After a time the gusting breeze returned and with it his voice, "...old an' powerful dat one...many lives with a broken soul...made by murders... Not once...past times...other ones...she carries it... Past one made de tear...planted de seed...pretty lil witch...she fell inside..."
His song took on a morose quality as he continued to slip through the shadows of the forest. "So hungry... Witiko," the air grew still once again, yet the creature continued to speak.
After several silent moments a faint breeze stirred, lending a hushed quality to his voice, like a whisper, "it well... No God of mens ta saves 'im...though 'im cries... God dun loves da murderers... Nay he dun... Cullen be a bad man... Cullen be a murderer...dirty adulterous wife an' five filthy, bastard childrens... Den Cullen did run...he did float away...Cullen met Witik..." Silence returned as the gentle current of air died away.
He turned bitter and angry as he neared his goal. He appeared to be ranting, but with no wind to aid, he fell mute. Suddenly a violent gust brought his voice to life, "lil mongrel... She tinks she's righteous...wearin' buckets of blood and dust... Kills da deamon...kills da half-breed...kills da mens... All fer some sense o' virtue... Virtue wit a demon inside...? Silly wench be makin' Witiko laugh...half-breed, filthy, Slayer bitch 'll die..."
The wind calmed, turning gentle and almost still. The timbre of his voice changed again, "Aye tis unnatural... Witiko knows de precious soul...takes what's mine..."
Nearing the house, Witiko smiled as he as he cooed, "Aye...Witiko knows...he watches... Witiko smells ye me precious...ye come to me love... Witiko will teach ye as Father taught me."
***********
First night in the new house and I couldn't be more tired. Always seems to go that way with the changes... Wills and I spent the weekend seriously shopping and setting this place totally up. Feels good... Finally home again... New home...new world...no cappuccino bar in walking distance, but you don't need one when you have the liquid cash to just buy the damned machine. Buffy sat in a pair of old sweats and a tank top lounging on the new leather couch in her living room.
"Hon, need something to drink?" Willow called from the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge and a banana out of a basket on the counter.
Poking her head up over the back of the couch Buffy replied, "Sure and if you don't mind grab me an apple and a knife?"
"Absolutely..." Willow said in a cheerful voice.
Accepting the apple, knife and paper towel Willow offered, Buffy sat up and started to wedge off thin slices, nibbling. Between bites she gestured over toward the baby grand piano near the door and said, "So, when are you gonna to play for me?"
"You know I don't play in front of people...besides you were the one that wanted the piano," Willow retorted with a smirk as she placed both bottles of water on the low glass topped table in front of them and took a seat.
Buffy inquired in a mock, sulky voice, "Since when am I, people?"
"Since we started talking about me making an absolute fool of myself, " Willow replied with a snicker. "Actually I may take it back up. I'd love to play well...but...yeah...life just kinda got in the way of anything I wanted to do for myself. Give it a week or two and you'll be begging me not to play," she concluded, taking a bite of her banana.
"I don't think you'll ever hear me beg you not to do something you enjoy, dear. Besides I got another iPod..." Buffy's face broke into a broad smile. She cut another careful strip of apple and continued to nibble.
"I was considering a pool table, but you wanted the piano so...not enough room for both. I'm sort of glad you made the decision for me. I think Xander has a pool table now and there's always the rec room at the castle. The piano's way lots prettier..." Willow offered, openly admiring that rich black finish on the little Yamaha as she continued to eat.
Buffy concluded, "It suits the room. Who knows...if you get bored I may well take it back up. I play some...like you say... I'm just not so good." Using the knife, she pulled another thin wedge of apple and continued to eat.
"Yeah Buffy, speaking of the learning... I've been looking at colleges again. I want to finish my degree... Maybe switch majors or start another. I can see a philosophy degree being a total waste of time in the real world, unless you want to teach, but in ours? Might be very useful," Willow considered with a pensive gaze still staring in the direction of the piano.
"Where would you go? There somethin' close?" Buffy asked, looking a little concerned at this new development. Last thing I want is for Will to run off the college.
Turning to the Slayer, Willow smiled thoughtfully. "This is the information age Buffy... Don't stress...not going anywhere... I've been looking at online courses. I can do them right here. There are a few that are pretty respectable. I just wondered if you'd like to join me. I know you felt sorta weird about dropping out. Well...it wasn't like you had a choice but... Getting the big rejection when you reapplied was hard."
"I dunno...maybe... Let me think about it. Not a bad idea actually if I could find the slack and a university that'd accept me," Buffy answered with a soft sigh.
"Well think about it...could be worth the look... I'll be happy to help, just say the word." Willow stood up to take their trash to the kitchen.
Buffy turned her gaze to the other corner of the room and smiled softly as she replied, "Thank you. ...And thanks for being so understanding about Bernadine. Not everyone would think a motorcycle in the living room was a great idea. I'm not even sure I do, but I love her and just having her in here feels good...feels familiar... One of these days I may understand why...for now...totally irrational..."
Willow walked over to Buffy, pulling the Slayer to her feet. "If it makes you feel good...I don't need to ask. Maybe you'll keep her a bit cleaner? Now take me to bed."
Buffy swept the witch off her feet and walked across the room, climbing the spiral staircase without showing any sign it might be an effort. She sighed as she laid Willow gently down and whispered, "I promise."
"Pity I have to move to get cleaned up...this feels wonderful," Willow grumbled, swinging her self into a sitting position and heading to the bathroom. "I'm tempted to have a bath...this tub's begging to be used."
Buffy came into the room and turned on the taps, saying, "So let's use it."
"Works for me...one of the better plans I've heard lately," Willow replied, starting to peel off her clothing and drop it down the laundry chute. She took a container of bath salts from the side of the tub and pouring a generous amount in as she tested the water. Climbing into the huge tub she settled in and closing her eyes, she waited for it to fill. Were it not for the movement of the water and the empathy, Willow might not have noticed Buffy sliding in beside her.
"Oh...this is heavenly...thank you sweetheart," Buffy remarked as she pulled Willow up close.
Smiling, the witch opened her eyes. "I think Giles picked it...wasn't me... I picked the tile."
"That might be a bit creepy if I stopped to consider it... Moving on to the next subject..." Buffy cupped Willow's cheek in her hands, drawing her into a tender kiss.
Willow pulled back a little and smiling sweetly whispered, "Like this subject... Though, knowing Mr. Giles for as long as I have, I bet he just told them to install the biggest damned bathtub they could find and left it at that."
Buffy shrugged slightly as she replied, "Yeah...sounds like Giles... Fix the problem with the most reasonable solution and move right along...have to admire that...pretty practical."
"Yup... That'd be Giles..." Willow concluded as she reached to shut off the taps and turn on the jets.
"Oh my...and it just keeps getting better. You may end up having to carry me out of here, Will." Buffy groaned, settling into the water up to her chin.
Smiling Willow reclined back gracefully and shut her eyes. "We'll carry each other," she whispered.
"Another well formed plan..." Buffy answered in a soft voice. Doing the same, she drifted immediately off into a deep sleep.
A voice carried on the wind, sounding like a song... "Willow me precious..."
Buffy was running through the forest at top speed. The trees lashed out at her and stung her skin...she didn't stop... She needed to find that voice... She needed to find Willow! She stopped and pivoted on one foot listening intently...smelling the air...praying it would sound out again. Blood...I smell blood...
"Soon me love... Soon ye will understand..." the airy voice carried through the trees and Buffy set off again...jumping a fallen tree in one great step...
"Willow!!!" Buffy cried out at the top of her voice.
The wind picked up into a violent gust. "She be mine now, Filthy Slayer mutt! Go ye home or die!" the voice sounded out blending with the whipping of tree limbs.
Buffy saw drag marks on the ground and stopped for a second then ran again following them in desperation. "She bleeding badly and being drug along. Oh Goddess! Willow!" She stopped dead in her tracks as she rounded a tree and saw a grotesque, naked male form bent over the witch holding her hand. Her partner's skin was gray and a large piece was missing from her shoulder. The wound ran freely and blood began to pool, as she lay there, unmoving.
"Witiko told ye turn back...now...ye shall be yer lover's first meal," the creature said in a singsong, windy voice as it turned to face the Slayer and disappeared.
Buffy tensed and saw a small flash of yellow light in front of her... She struck out and met something solid. "You're one sneaky bastard...can't let you have her...she's mine," the Slayer growled listening for movement and turning to face the sound.
"Ye be too late Slayer mongrel...too late...da witch belongs to me... Flesh so sweet an' warm...a wee taste...an' Witiko take what's mine..." he cooed.
Another flash and this time she spun into a round house contacting the beast. As it was thrown around and dropped to the ground she saw it again. It was a naked, gray skinned man with a horribly misshapen face and dirty red locks of hair. Its eyes were yellow... "That's what I'm seeing. This thing is two dimensional like a sheet of paper. When it turns to face me it's like looking at the edge of a...yeah..."
It's gone now...movement...behind me...she thought swinging around and lashing out as her arm opened in four deep, surgical gashes. She fell to her knees and started to tremble. Slumping forward she fell on her face...her body racked by seizures...
Buffy jerked awake in the tub, looking wildly around for... "Willow, oh god, Willow!" she choked. Tears started to roll down her cheeks as she pulled the witch up close and held her, stroking her hair, kissing the side of her face.
"Are you okay, Buffy? You're scaring the hell out of me. What's wrong?" Willow asked, pulling back to consider the Slayer, looking alarmed.
"I thought you were dead, Willow. Or you were dieing...there was a demon...he had you... Or maybe it was a man? I dunno give me a minute or two," Buffy replied in a strained voice, frantically trying to collect the pieces of the dream.
Willow worked to sooth the Slayer, drawing up close; she pushed gently with her mind and said the words to open their thoughts. I'm here, love. Be still...I have you.
Reflexively, Buffy went completely placid...she melted into Willow's arms.
Whispering into the Slayer's ear, Willow whispered, "Hush precious... That's right I have you. Now tell me what you saw," as she stroked the side of her head.
"It called you precious...like you do me... It was like this thing was in love with you. Can I show you? Is there a spell? I remember it all now...in order even... God Will, that gave me a serious wiggins," Buffy reflected in a quiet voice looking more thoughtful than scared.
"Yes, but it will open all your thoughts to me... It's very advanced...and not very nice...you can violate minds with it... You'll have to be very specific in what you show me. That is, unless you just don't care about me running around in your head. I've done it before...but...that was really, really different," Willow whispered, sounding slightly nervous.
Buffy stood up and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her body. She offered Willow a hand pulling the witch to her feet and passing her a towel too. "Let's do it before the dream fades. It was a slayer dream...no screwing around...prophecy crap... We need to be on it...right now. And no, I don't care. I've nothing to hide...you know it all..."
Willow shut off the Jacuzzi, pushing on the lever to drain the tub; she followed Buffy out of the bathroom. Drying off quickly, she grabbed a fresh nightgown out of the dresser and dressed as Buffy did the same, in sweats and a tank top.
"So much for having plans, eh? Told you...it's always something. Oh...and you're grounded," Buffy said in a firm voice as she grabbed the necklace they'd made, putting it on, she tucked it into her shirt.
"Can I at least go out in the daylight with you?" Willow asked, sighing loudly.
"Yes but only with me and don't think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second," Buffy responded, appearing worried.
Willow replied, testing the boundaries, "I can live with that. Can I at least go out on the deck?"
Giving the witch a dark look, Buffy said in a low voice, "Not at night...the only reason I can see for you to leave, after dark is if the house's on fire." Moving over to the bed and sat cross-legged with her hands in her lap waited for Willow.
"Okay dear... I guess it's only fair... I grounded you once. Think I was a bit nicer about it though...maybe not," the witch concluded, sighing deeply as she crawled across the bed and sat down in front of Buffy, taking her hands. "I hope we have the right volumes here to research this thing."
"With all those books, Will. I'd be surprised if there was anything out there you couldn't research," Buffy whispered as she started to relax.
Smiling sweetly, Willow spoke in a whisper, "All of those books are mine, dear...nice to finally see them all together. I pulled some out of storage and had the rest sent up from the coven. I know exactly what's there, every volume, every phrase... Comes with the eidetic memory..."
"Thought you said you hadn't been here before?" Buffy queried, opening her eyes.
"Hadn't... I was waiting...wanted to enjoy it with you... I paid a couple of the younger slayers to move the furniture, computer and books in. It hurt them a lot less than it would've me... They got a nice wad of cash...happy people...all around. Leah brought the car down." Now relax... Reveal your secrets to me, the witch commanded, pushing hard with her mind. Buffy fell completely limp in her arms.
A flash of images hit Willow like a wave... She saw Buffy running frantically through the woods, her own body laying on the ground near death, the misshapen man, creature... At this point she froze the image. I know this thing... I want to double-check... She watched as it turned and vanished, listened as Buffy figured out that it was two-dimensional... Yes, I know the legend... Though, I thought it was only a legend. I need to stop doing that. You're right to be upset. I certainly wouldn't expect to see one here. The final image of Buffy falling to her knees and slumping onto her face, flashed by and Willow broke the connection.
"Sweetie?" Willow whispered, caressing the side of Buffy's face.
Buffy stirred, looking up into her witch's black eyes. She pulled herself up to kiss Willow softly, holding the gaze and waiting for the dark magicks to pass.
"I'm sorry, dear. That one's no love spell, but it was the most efficient way. We could have meditated forever and eventually I would have seen... But...well..." Willow spoke quietly, caressing the side of Buffy's face.
"S'okay...I knew...no real surprises," Buffy confirmed, pulling her witch into an embrace. She caressed her back and felt the last of the dark energy purge. "I can feel it...you know?"
"Yeah... I sorta guessed you could. You've been working really hard. I can see the changes. You feel a lot more connected. I suppose that's the best way to put it," Willow concluded, rising to walk to her office.
Once in the door she focused on a book, calling it to her, it floated down to the table opening by itself to page with the heading 'Wee Tee Go'. She sat down in front of the book and read for a moment, pointing at the picture on the opposite page. "This your guy?"
"That would be our feature creature...but then you know that," Buffy confirmed with a sardonic grin.
"Yeah...big time, bad news...sorta like a grim...real harbinger of death vibe... They're cannibal spirits that infect humans. Once infected via a bite from a host, or by consuming human flesh and attracting a spirit...well...you get to become the feature creature. My guess is Witiko is a transplant in these woods that we disturbed with our presence. These things are normally from much colder climates," Willow spoke in a soft voice as she continued to read.
"Wait; are they like werewolves or something?" Buffy asked, furrowing her brow.
"Yeah... Close cousins, but life for a werewolf can be pretty normal, as you know. There's nothing that reads normal about Witiko. Once infected the host becomes that," she pointed, "and there's no cure...you just are that. It says here, a craving for human flesh, that it can never satiate, drives the creature. They are actually the root of the Sasquatch, Bigfoot and Yeti myths too. There are at least a dozen different spellings of the name and more myths," Willow concluded, closing the book.
Buffy's face grew dark, "How do I kill it?" she asked in a cold voice.
"The usual...blood and gore... Silver stake through the heart and then you have to dismember it with a silver axe, and burn the entire body in a consecrated fire. Sounds pretty nasty...we'll have to work on the tools. Don't think we have any silver stakes lying around," Willow replied, looking moody.
"Lemme guess... It's immune to magicks?" Buffy teased with a soft smirk.
"Yup... They hate light though...even the artificial sort... Way photophobic...and I can conjure one hell of a sun sphere now... They tend to get all flamey over it...sorta like a vamp...only more sensitive... Unfortunately, it doesn't kill them. Guess that's why the girls haven't had any trouble yet. This thing has to be getting desperate. No one's been hurt...and well...it needs to feed. I'm going to call the castle and tell them to turn on all the lights and keep 'em on after dark. The girls need to stay in their rooms once the sun goes down too." Willow rose and walked over to her desk, flopping down, she picked up the phone.
"Good plan...I want to turn the lights off and see if I can spot anything outside. I'm betting it already knows you. Odds are it's lurking around," Buffy said heading for the stairs.
"Buffy don't!" Willow commanded in a loud voice, putting her hand over the receiver. "Turn all the lights on full and wait for me to finish."
The Slayer snapped to a full stop, listening to Willow. She turned back to the stairs, when the witch finished. Bolting off through the house, she made sure all the switches were on. Returning to the library, moments later, looking really concerned. She walked around behind Willow and began pacing impatiently as she listened to the witch. Turn the lights on in your room when you sleep? That's really weird...
Willow hung up the phone, turning to face Buffy; she grabbed the Slayer's hand, pulling her down into the chair too. "Stop pacing... Look at me... Think about it...this thing's two-dimensional. That means that pretty much anywhere you can slide a sheet of notebook paper, it can walk through. The only reason your dream hasn't come true is because of the lights. Are all the exterior lights on full?"
Buffy stood up, offering the witch her hand. "Think so, come with me and we'll hit all the switches again together just to be sure. Wow! This is seriously of the bad. I'm not sleeping until the sun comes up. Glad we bought that cappuccino machine."
Shivering, Willow pulled the Slayer up close as they walked. "With ya...after watching it set me up to eat you... I'm just not very sleepy, either. You can look if you want... I feel something standing at the edge of the forest, on the east side of the house. I bet you can see him."
"Yeah...saw the same movie... Not very tired myself...I just want to put this thing down...burn the body and have a smore or two as the sick bastard roasts. So I can't just shred it?" the Slayer grumbled with a broody frown on her face.
"Oh you can, but it'll come back...not sure how quick... Your standard slice and dice...not gonna cut it. You've got to shatter its icy heart with a silver spike," Willow replied still clinging to the Slayer as she moved to an east window.
Buffy put her face to the glass, cupping her hands over her temples, and peered out. "Yeah...if I look very closely I can see a faint glimmer like a yellow reflector only lots, lots smaller," she confirmed in a soft voice.
"I want more on. Funny thing, being hunted...not very good for the libido...or anything else," Willow turned to go to the loft, dragging the Slayer with her.
"Listen," Buffy said stopping and growing very still.
The wind had picked up outside and Willow heard it very plainly calling her name. The voice was windy and almost musical, like it was serenading her.
"Willow me precious...ye come to me...me child...me love..."
"So...coffee...?" Buffy asked, looking disgusted as she followed her witch.
Looking even more distressed, as she headed to her wardrobe, putting on a heavy terrycloth robe, Willow replied. "You need to keep an eye on me. If I try to leave, knock me out if you have to. The song can be like siren song."
"Oh...Kay... So...coffee it is... I think black and as bitter as possible." Buffy took Willow's hand, pulling her along through the library, down the stairs and up to her weapon's chest.
She knelt down, opening the lid; she pulled out the first tray. Fishing around, she located the item she wanted. With a quick snap, she locked a handcuff around Willow's right wrist, and then snapped the other side to her left wrist. "I'll have to find the key later," she said with a shrug. "Until I decide to look...good luck getting away," the Slayer concluded as she pulled a large broadsword in a scabbard out of the trunk. She slipped her arm and head through the attached leather strap and wore the weapon like a sash.
Lifting the tray back into the trunk she noted a small dagger. "This is silver, Wills. Would it work? It's a ceremonial knife I picked up because I thought it was pretty." Buffy passed the weapon to the witch.
"It's an athames, Buffy...a pretty powerful one too. The witch that owned it must've been really well versed in the craft. I'm surprised it wasn't handed down. I can tell she died...it well...it feels... I'm not sure how to describe it. But yes, this should work," Willow responded. She pulled the dagger from its sheath, examining the engravings on the blade with a pensive look on her face.
"It's obvious you like it... Once I'm done, you're welcome to it. Sounds like it should go to another witch. That is if I don't destroy the energy of the object, with the killing," Buffy concluded, holding her hand out waiting for Willow to return the blade.
"You shouldn't corrupt it...it's very... Well it's powerful...true magicks...the good stuff...and while the act will be violent...it'll also be...well...noble. Thank you." Returning the athames to the Slayer, Willow pulled her up into a gentle hug.
"I feel a thousand times better now...one more thing before the coffee. Let's go test this surveillance system and feed to the castle. I want them to keep an eye on us and I want to watch the outside of the house," Buffy concluded, heading for the living room to grab her notebook. She passed the machine to Willow and took a seat on the couch.
Willow plugged the computer in to the outlet in the floor on the far end of the couch, pulling Buffy over as she went.
Trying to keep the mood light, Buffy allowed the witch to just drag her comically onto her side. She pulled Willow back a bit when she propped her head up with her hand, lying there casually.
"I don't want the battery to run down...so... We sorta need it active. Sorry," Willow offered, coaxing the Slayer back up, with a giggle. She started the machine. Soon there was a split view of eight different angles of the house and its surroundings on the large display screen. Typing in her security code, she started all of the internal cameras.
Making the call, she addressed the night officer at the command center, "Helen, I'm going to provide you with a live video feed from here. Things have gotten a bit worse since we spoke. You might want to send The Alpha Team out to get Xander. Have them carry the broad-beam hand floodlights when they leave. Tell them to hold once they get him. Don't come near the house unless there's trouble or we order the move. The creature seems to be holding in the forest to the east of us," the witch finished, looking very apprehensive.
"Standing by...receiving your feed now. We'll keep an eye on you. Stay safe..." Helen replied with a sympathetic smile.
Placing the notebook on the glass coffee table, Willow stood up. "Alright so...coffee?" she inquired, helping Buffy to her feet.
"You know I hated that thing when I found out about it...but now...sorta likin' it..." the Slayer offered, taking Willow's hand and starting off for the kitchen.
The witch offered Buffy a gentle smile as she spoke, "I thought it was interesting. I knew they couldn't eavesdrop unless we invited them so...no worries." Her features darkened, turning more aloof, as they moved.
"What's up?" Buffy prodded.
"He's moving...look at the monitor...you may catch glimpses." Willow was obviously tracking something unseen.
Turning to look at the display, Buffy peered intently. The image wasn't perfect, but she managed to spot the subtle little flashes of light from the creature's eyes, on the feed. "He's keeping his face to the cameras. He must know they are on...smart bastard..." she said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh yeah...they are...think about what it takes to survive as the most loathsome of creatures for hundreds of years. They're like vampires only worse. They tend to be very selective about who they turn. Only people that have the darkest of pasts attract their attention. Another feather in my proverbial cap...he must feel how powerful I'm too...sadly...I'm..." Willow broke off. She wore an expression of mixed pain and worry.
"It'll be okay...I have you..." Buffy whispered, pulling her witch into another warm hug.
Willow spoke in a soft, trembling voice, "He moved to the west side...not as much light there. He's actually up against the house listening, right under the deck."
"Glad Giles had this place built like Fort Knox now...here I thought I'd be the princess in the ivory tower," Buffy offered with a sigh.
Moving to the counter to make coffee, Willow spoke in a firm voice, "Yup...and the fun just keeps on a leavin'."
The wind picked up again and they distinctly heard, "Me precious Willow, come...ye come ta me... Me beautiful black angel..."
Willow shuddered, despite herself.
"Speaking of the fun...our friend's getting pushier. How you doin', love?" Buffy asked, giving Willow a concerned gaze.
Willow turned on the tap to fill the pot, looking at her Slayer, she answered in a more even tone; "Hanging in... You're right about the pushy. I'll try to give you warning if...well...if..."
"Willow, come meh love..." The wind sang out again.
"You know...the tiny bit of me that still has some sense, says it'd be best to wait til dawn to go part this piece of crap out... The rest...me says make with the slay... Now!" Buffy grumbled looking truly pissed off. "Anyway...if he doesn't shut up soon, you can guess which side's gonna win," she finished in a low growl.
"You're right...it'd be best to wait. It's going on 4am now...won't be long," the witch confirmed, pulling her Slayer into a hug. "Just settle down," she offered in a soothing voice as she caressed Buffy's back.
The wind whipped violently as the singsong voice turned angry, "Slayer bitch... Slayer mutt tinks she can hurt Witiko... Tinks she can keep Witiko from... Stupid little girl...silly child..." As the wind died down the timbre of the voice changed, "Come ta Witiko, beautiful dark witch...come, ye precious one..."
"He's trying to goad you into making a mistake, Buffy. Don't listen...I'm the only one here...and I love you," Willow whispered in a comforting tone, continuing to stroke the Slayer's back.
"I'll be alright...much, much more worried about you. I remember Lillake. I know what it feels like to be played with that way. Not a feeling I'll soon forget." Buffy looked into her witch's eyes and brushed a stray hair from her face. "I don't want you to think less of me, but...well...this is actually sorta hard..."
"Just say it, Buffy. I won't be hurt...or I expect I won't," Willow replied, offering the Slayer a supple smile.
"Honestly if we still had that tranq gun, I wouldn't be handcuffed to you. I'd be out there cutting up a corpse. I'm just afraid to leave you... So...anyway...I think we should get another. Like soon... Our lives are interesting enough and well... I'm afraid if it's me next time... I'd feel a lot safer if I knew you could just put me to sleep until you figured it out. I'm too dangerous...not sure you could hit me even with one," Buffy concluded in a gentle, pensive voice.
Willow shook her head and gave the Slayer a serious gaze. "You may be right, but trust me when I tell you that I know exactly how to stop you. It's okay dear. And no, I don't think less of you... Though truth-be-told you should think less of me."
"Why's that, Will? Not sure I follow," Buffy asked, looking concerned.
The wind picked up again and with it the voice, "Oh ye...me dark beauty...come to Witiko...makes you see...leave dat slayer bitch... Witiko commands ye..."
Looking around, obviously shaken, Willow simply replied, "Not now...sorry Buffy... I can't." She grabbed a couple of cups from the cupboard and poured coffee. "Let's go sit down...somewhere...this is really getting hard... I need to focus."
Grabbing her cup, Buffy responded, "You lead...I follow..."
Picking up her cup, Willow headed for the stairs, opening the door to the bathroom, she slid back the pocket door to the bath. "Yeah... I know...weird choice, right?" She flopped into one of the two wicker chairs they'd purchased for the room.
"Not that weird... Actually...I sorta understand. This is the furthest from him you can get?" Buffy inquired, giving the witch a thoughtful glance.
Nodding Willow added, "Yes, and it's the only room in the house we've made love in. I can still feel it, open yourself up to it and you'll see what I mean."
"Don't have to... I can still see you right there," Buffy replied, pointing into the mirror. "I'll never forget that. That look in your eyes as you stared at me...nothing else mattered to you."
"He's moving again... Right below us on the hill...he's right when he says he knows...he's been studying me for awhile," Willow said with a strained look on her face.
"That's it... I'm pretty much done. Time for the violence..." Buffy growled, getting up and starting for the door.
Willow jerked up and followed the Slayer.