Riley was trying to track Buffy down, but he couldn't find her at the dorm. He checked other places at the campus where she possibly could have gone to, but no luck. He didn't give up that easily. He checked at her house if she was there. Then he asked Xander, Oz, Giles, and Willow if they had seen her or spoken to her since last night. Where could she have gone he wondered to himself. She wasn't slaying because it was daytime, so that possibility was out. But he checked that one out anyway. Buffy didn't know anyone else, so where was she?

At the Mansion…

Buffy was contently resting on her lover's chest in front of the fireplace.

Even though it was daytime, it was pretty dark in the Mansion because Angelus had sealed the windows so not one single ray of the sun could enter. After Buffy had come back here from Giles' house they had made love all night long. They couldn't seem to get enough of each other.

She told Angelus that she needed to leave; otherwise she was going to miss her classes. But he said that he wanted her to stay with him, to spend the day with him. Buffy agreed to it, and they made love several more times. Angelus had placed her on velvet comforter, surrounded with satin pillows in front of the fireplace. She was so relaxed, and warm. They were caressing each other as they stayed in each other's embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder and he stroked her skin so softly. Buffy wished she could be here like this every day. Buffy was only wearing his silk shirt and it made her feel more close him. He loved Buffy seeing in his clothes. She looked so beautiful at that moment.

Suddenly Angelus moved from her warm embrace to get something and she moaned in protest. Buffy reached out and held his hand to stop him and brought him where he was. She needed to stay in contact with him, she thought, she couldn't stand to be apart from him even for a second. She whimpered and nuzzled her face into his neck, moaning. He noticed and smiled at the thought that she wanted him to stay with her every second like he did.

He tried again and before she could protest more, he placed his finger on her soft lips, and his other hand caressing her check and softly said, "Shush, my love, I am not going anywhere. I am just going to go and bring you something to eat." Buffy settled down and nodded. He quickly went to the fridge and brought her some fruit and some of the chocolate cake. He returned to her side again and sat down on the comforter. Then he pulled Buffy onto his lap and she rested her head on his strong shoulder, running her hands on his chest. "Are you hungry lover", he whispered. Buffy nodded because she hasn't eaten since last night and all of her energy was spent after hours of making love with him.

Angelus brought a spoon full of cake and brought it to her mouth. She opened and ate it slowly savoring the flavor. He repeated the same thing again, feeding her. Buffy loved this. She was in her lover's embrace as he fed her the food. As he was feeding her the food, he was stroking her hair slowly and caressing the soft skin of her cheek and neck. Then she was finished with the cake; he asked her if she wanted something else. "No, I am okay now, thank you", she said. "It was my pleasure," he answered smirking down at her.

"What about you? Don't you need to eat?" she asked, looking up at him.

"No it's okay, if I was hungry then I would be in some kind of physical pain that would tell me that I need to drink blood", he answered.

Buffy thought of something and she reached out and cupped his face in her hands saying "Angel, I want you to take blood from me. I want you to feed from me".

"But I just told you...he was cut off by her.

"I like it when you take my blood. I don't know how to explain, but when you drink from me, I feel these amazing sensations. And sometime it feels so good that I don't want you to stop. I don't know why because I've always thought that you feel lot of pain when some vampire drinks from you."

Angelus smiled at her, happy to hear that she trusted him. She was the slayer and he was a demon and she was asking him to take blood from her. He buried his face in her neck and kissed her there. Then his face morphed into the familiar ridges as he first licked her jugular vein with his tongue and then sank his fangs into her. Buffy moaned and held his head tightly. After he was done, he drew back his fangs and once again his face was back to normal. They both smiled at each other and kissed each other. As their kiss grew more passionate, a new kind of hunger awoke. It was the hunger, not for food or the blood, but for each other.

Back to Riley at the campus

A half-day had passed and still he was unable to track her. He was confused because Buffy didn't show up for her classes. If she's not at the campus, at any of her friends house, or her own house, then where is she?. Then something just clicked in his mind. The Mansion . But at the same time he wondered Why would Buffy be there? It was the place Angel used to live when he lost his soul and after he came back from hell. If Angelus were still living there then why would Buffy go there? It didn't make any sense Riley thought to himself.

Maybe he wouldn't be living there anymore and maybe Buffy needed time to think alone. She could have gone to the Mansion because it would make her feel more close to Angel. After all she did had to go through the pain of losing him. Yeah, that makes sense. She must've gone there so she could be alone and because nobody would likely to find her there.

So, Riley decided to head toward the Mansion and check that place out because he had looked everywhere else that he could think of. Soon he reached the front door of the Mansion and it was opened. She must be here he thought.

He started to climb the stairs but he didn't know that what he was about to find would change their lives forever. He reached the door and opened it slowly...

Part Ten

Riley came inside the room and he started to look for Buffy. He then came to the living room and he was about to call Buffy's name when his eyes dropped over Buffy. A naked Buffy with only a bed sheet covering her. And kissing Angel, no ANGELUS! He just stood there like a statue and thought that maybe he was having a bad dream. But it wasn't. Buffy was making love with the demon. His brain started to wonder of what he had just witnessed.

He just realized that this was the secret Buffy was hiding. This is why she broke up with him. She dumped him because she was seeing Angelus behind everyone's back. She cheated on him and the anger rose in him. Then something clicked in his mind. Ever since Angel had lost his soul, she had pulled away from him. She made excuses so she could come here and sleep with him. How could she do this he wondered with anger. Riley didn't know what to do next. Millions of thoughts were going through his mind and he wanted to scream!

Meanwhile, Buffy and Angelus didn't notice that they had intruder. They were so lost in each other. They were grabbing each other as they continued to kiss each other. Now Riley knew for the fact that Angel had lost his soul because they had slept with each other. That explained everything all the lying, silly excuses and withdrawing from him and her friends. She was betraying them. Not only had she lied to him, but to her friends as well.

How could she betray us like this? Didn't she know they were supposed to be fighting and not making love he wondered. He needed to get out of here and tell the rest of the gang of what was Buffy doing. He wasn't going to keep this secret from them like she did. He was so furious at this moment. Here was the woman he loved more than anything and she was here in arms of other man, no a demon, a demon that he now hated more than anything.

She was making love with him. She was doing something so forbidden. Just as he was about to turn, he dropped the flower vase on the table by bumping into it. The loud sound of something breaking made Buffy and Angelus start in surprise and they broke apart to see Riley starting at them with anger clearly written on his face.

"Riley", Buffy said founding her voice. Oh my god. He saw me with Angelus. I am so dead. He looks so angry she thought.

"So this is your big secret huh? I've got to hand it to you Buffy; you did a pretty good job at fooling us. And all the while knowing exactly what was going on with Angelus." Riley said.

"Please Riley let me explain" Buffy said desperately trying to make him understand.

"No there is nothing to explain. What I saw with my own eyes tells me everything I need to know. You and Angel slept together and he lost his soul and surprisingly you are still sleeping with him. Lying to ME all this time and not to mention betraying me because I was your boyfriend then", he said.

"Ok first of all, you should have knocked on the door before barging in here. And, Buff, I know I promised to leave this guy alone, but he is getting on my nerves, can I kill him?" Angelus said in a hard tone.

"Please let me handle this and promise me you won't do anything harsh", Buffy said looking at him while turning back her attention to Riley.

"Why Buffy? Why did you do this to me? I loved you more than anything. And I made you happy. Why did you betray me like this?" he pleaded for an explanation. Then he just realized something else and he continued.

"You never loved me did you? You never cared about me did you?" he asked.

"That's not true, of course I cared for you, its just..." Buffy was cut off.

"No, you like to believe you loved me but now that I think about it makes perfect sense. I told you hundreds of time that I love you, but I never ever heard you say the same thing to me. You would tell me I was sweet, I was thoughtful and kind, but NEVER the words I love you. You might have said it indirectly like 'me too' or 'I feel the same way' but not once have you told me you loved me. I can't believe I never noticed that. I didn't think about it then but it makes sense now", he said harshly.

Buffy didn't try to deny that it was true. He was right and she felt so bad for hurting him like this. "All I have to say to you now is how you are going to explain this to your friends?" Riley said waking toward the door to get out of here and tell them. Then before Buffy could do anything, he was gone.

"Oh, god I have to stop him and make him understand. I have to." Buffy said in her panic voice. Angelus looked as if he couldn't care less. He was still pissed off with Riley for interrupting. "They were going to find out anyway lover. I am sure if you make them understand what is between us maybe they won't be mad at you", he said.

"Ok, I am going to leave and try to make them understand and I'll come here tonight and tell you what did they say", Buffy said while dressing up and ready to leave.

"Come back soon", he mumbled as he gave her good-bye kiss on the lips. Buffy nodded her head and then left, wishing she wasn't too late.

Part Eleven

Buffy hurried to Giles' house before Riley could tell the others her secret. She was walking faster and faster and praying the whole time that they would be willing to listen to what she had to say on the matter. Soon she reached his house and went inside. She was about to call his name, but stopped in her track when she saw everyone in the living room waiting for her. And from the look on their faces told her that they knew. Riley had told them and now she was in big trouble. She expected someone to break the silence by screaming at her, but knew they were probably too angry with her.

"So, sleeping with the demon, ah Buffy, that's new," Xander, said it coldly while staring at her. Buffy slightly winced at his cold words.

"It's not what you think. You have to let me explain," she begged.

"I think it's little too late for that, don't you Buff? I mean for so long you have quite forgotten what the truth is, or what is important," he added.

Buffy looked at Giles and he couldn't even look at her. What did she expect anyway? They hated her now because she had been lying to them, betraying their trust. But she wanted to make them understand why she did it.

"Please Giles, I know I don't have any excuse for what I did but you have to understand . . ." she started but was interrupted by him.

"I don't want to hear it, Buffy. It's clear that you lied to all of us from the moment Angel lost his soul and I will never understand the reason. When you protected Angel when he came back even then I had hard time understanding. But this is Angelus we are talking about Buffy," he said it with anger.

"I know that Giles, but it's not what you think. He doesn't hurt people. He didn't hurt me or you guys," she explained.

"Oh, it's so great that he didn't attack and kill us all, Buffy this time, so we are supposed to forget what he did before." Xander said.

"He is right Buffy. May I remind you that he was the one who tortured me, hurt us all and killed innocent people? How could you defend him after he did? You went behind our backs and lied to us continuously each time you were with him."

Buffy looked at Willow who was remaining silent entire time. "Will, please tell them to listen what I have to say . . ." she begged her best friend, hoping she would be on her side or tried to understand her.

"Buffy we are best friends, and I understood the things that you did with Angel. But I don't get it with Angelus. I am your best friend and you lied to us all. When I told them that I lost the curse, you didn't even defend me or try to understand me by saying you were the reason for making him lose his soul. You hurt Riley by cheating on him and he loves you, Buffy." she said.

"So the entire time you made the excuses you made so you could be with him, right Buffy. I loved you and you have a funny way of returning that love," Riley said with anger.

"I never meant to hurt you. I can understand why you don't want to listen to what I have to say but at least give me few moments to explain why I did. That's all I'm asking" Buffy said in sad tone.

"All right Buffy. We are listening," Giles said.

"Well when I woke up the next morning after what had happened between Angel and I, I was scared. I realized that I made the same mistake I did before and now everyone else was going to pay the price for it. I wanted to get the hell out of there and tell you so Willow could curse him again. But when he told me about the curse being gone, I freaked. I didn't believe it and all I could think about what him hurting the people that I cared about. I knew what he was capable of and he would make sure to hurt you guys more. And then he said that if I made this deal with him . . ." she was cut off.

"What deal?" Xander asked.

"He said he wouldn't find ways to hurt you and other people if I gave him what he wanted." Buffy added.

"Let me guess, that would be the sleeping with him right whenever he wanted," Giles said.

"Yes. I just froze when he told me what he wanted in return. I had to make a decision fast and as I said before all I could think about was protecting all of you. He also told me if I told anyone of the deal we made then it would be off. I just didn't want him to hurt me or you guys. And I thought that was the only way to protect you from him. After all I was the only one who had to lose. I should be the only one to pay the price for making the mistake again. So I agreed and there were millions of times when I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't take the risk. I couldn't see any other way. The curse was gone forever and I knew he would have taken advantage of that situation," Buffy said, while hoping they would understand her.

The gang listened to her explanation and it did make some sort of sense. "Well Buffy, we understand why did you do it but that doesn't mean we are forgive you or trust you anymore. And things can never go back to what it was like before," Giles said to her.

"I know that Giles, but please you have to give me second chance. I made a terrible mistake and I know saying I'm sorry isn't going to fix it. But please just give me another chance to gain your trust. I'll do anything you say, just, please I don't want to lose you," she said while trying not to cry.

"Ok, Buffy we would give you a second chance but you have to follow the rules," he said.

"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it," she answered.

"First of all you break off the deal with him," he said, shocking her.

"What?" she said in small voice.

"If you want this to work then you have to stop seeing him," he said.

"But then he would attack us and try to hurt us," she said.

"I am well aware of that Buffy. But you have to stop seeing him. You don't talk to him. You don't let him near you in any circumstances. From now on you will not patrol alone. Someone will be always there with you. You are not allowed to go alone anywhere until we feel that we can trust you. You will do the uninvitation spell to your house. If you happen to see him, you will have to fight him. And from now on you would have to tell us what is going on. If you agree to these terms then maybe we'll be able to forgive you or eventually trust you again," he said.

Buffy was shocked. Not to see him or talk to him. That would mean never ever to feel his touch, the touch she craved the most. Her mind wanted to scream NO because she didn't know how to survive without him. How was she supposed to make them understand that if she didn't see him then she would die? But she had also her slayer duty. She needed to gain her friends trust back. So she had to agree to their rules.

"Ok. I will do what you asked for. But we have to be careful from now on," she said it with sadness.

"Look Buffy I know you think this is harsh, but it's the only way," Willow said.

Part Twelve

So that night Buffy didn't go back to Angelus as she promised him. She knew that when he found out about what did she do, he would be angry. But she knew she had to do this even if it killed her to be apart from him.

After one week . . .

It had been one week. A week, since she had seen him. As Giles had demanded she did the spell that revoked the invitation. She usually patrolled with the gang. She was never alone wherever she went, usually with Willow. But she could feel him, watching her, trying to talk to her. She had felt him, trying to get into her house or her dorm a million times, but was unsuccessful. As she had suspected, he started killing people. He was angry with her because she broke their deal by leaving him. The gang told her that since he was obsessed with her, he would always try to get her back.

Buffy was keeping her promise by avoiding any contact with him and then she did gain little of their trust.

But they didn't know it was killing her slowly from the inside. She was keeping her promise but she was dying. The separation was killing her. She ached so much and there was no one she could talk to. She couldn't even sleep anymore. She craved his touch so much that she wanted to scream sometimes. She thought she would go crazy if she didn't see him soon. She wanted to feel him, and she wanted to feel his touch all over her body, soothing her. But she couldn't have what she wanted. She needed to do her slayer duty. It was her responsibility to destroy him, but she knew she could never do that. How could she tell them that she needed him more than she needed to breathe?

At the mansion . . .

Angelus paced around the room, throwing the cigarette on the floor. He was absolutely furious. **How could she? How could she walk away from me? **, he thought angrily. When Buffy had left him that night, she promised that she would return to him. But she never did. And he went crazy. He was afraid that something had happened to her and he checked the cemetery. But he didn't find her. He thought she would call him the next morning, but didn't. Then the next night, she didn't come either and he knew something had gone wrong and it had to do with her friends finding out the secret between them. He tried to get to into her home but he couldn't. Then he finally realized that she was backing out of the deal. They must have made her choose between him and her sacred duty. And she chose her duty over him.

If she thought she was going to get away from him that easily but she was so wrong. He would never let her go. She was his damn it! He tried to see her but he was unsuccessful. He wanted to kill her friends for making her leave him that way. Oh they were going to pay big time because nobody, nobody walked away from him. He was so angry with her that he started killing people.

Since the deal was broken, he made sure to let her know that everyone has to pay the price for it. Ever since she had left him and broken the deal he couldn't sleep. Her memories haunted his waking and sleeping hours as well. He was so hard. He tried to get his off his mind by torturing people and killing them, but that didn't help. He just wanted her. He was dying of hunger but it wasn't for blood. It was for his Buffy. Only she could sate his needs.

She taunted him night and day and sometimes he thought he was going to go crazy. He needed to feel her soft skin against his cool one. He needed to feel her heat and needed to hear her moans and whispers as he pleasured her. Angelus saw her everywhere. He dreamed of her and he didn't have to be asleep.

Sometimes she would be waiting for him on his bed, inviting him and sometimes he saw her standing in her nightgown, looking so beautiful and innocent just a few inches from him.

Then she would hold her arms out to him and call out to him "My Angel, come to me and make love to me." And he would reach for her with a growl and as soon as he touched her, she would be gone. He needed to stop this madness. He needed to get her back in his arms as soon as possible but how? He had come up with something. He was Angelus after all. And when he succeed he would make sure that she would never leave him, ever again in any circumstances. So he began his plan to get her back.

And he would kill anyone who tried to stand in his way to get what he wanted.