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| "Donny?" "My father died," she explained. "Donny found out the terms of the will. He wasn't really happy with what he found out, and he wanted to make me sign over my share. So he hurt me." Her voice wavered. "He's in jail for assault, and I told the police about the other stuff too." She began to cry in earnest. "About him touching me, and making me touch him." Willow enfolded Tara in her arms. "I'm so sorry about your dad, and Donny, and everything." She pulled away and smiled at her. "I really love you," she whispered. "I love you too, Will," said Tara. Willow turned and walked away. Tara looked at me tentatively. "I'm sorry I hit you," she said. "I had to do it." "Why did you?" "I was afraid that if you stayed, I would let you kill him." She bit her lip. "I was afraid that I would ask you to do it." I pulled her to me and buried my face in her hair. "Oh, Tara. I thought you hated me. I thought you saw me as a monster." "You are a monster," she said. '"But you're mine." I leaned down to kiss her and she pulled away. "I'm sorry," I said. "I should give you some space." "It's my lip," she said. "It hurts." "Can you take off the glamour?" I asked her. "Can you show me what he did?" "I can't do it here. There's all these people." "Is there anything that you have to do? Can I take you home now?" "Don't you need to stay here?" "Xander will understand. I'm notoriously irresponsible anyway." **** We stood together under the running water. I scooped cream out of the stone jar and rubbed it into the bruises and cuts on her face. "Am I hurting you?" I asked her. "I'm trying to be gentle." "It feels wonderful," she said softly. "It tingles." I watched the cuts heal and the bruises fade as I smoothed the paste over her skin. Soon her face was whole and beautiful again. I rinsed her off and carried her to our room. I rested her on her quilt and toweled her off. She smiled at me. I lay down on top of her, our naked bodies pressed together. "I love you," I said to her. "I love you," she replied. She brought her mouth up to mine and guided me inside her. It was so right, so good to be with her. I felt like I was home, like I had found my peace. The taste of her, the feel of her, it was everything I needed. She pulled away and gasped for air. Her breath hitched and she bit my earlobe. She gripped my shoulder tightly and I watched her come, her face flushing with color as she tightened all around me. "Tell me," I said to her. "I'm yours," she cried. "I'm yours forever." "I adore you," I whispered in her ear. "I worship you." "Come inside me," she said, as she stared deeply in my eyes. "I want all of you inside me." She pressed her mouth to my neck and bit down lightly. I groaned as I came, and she kissed me gently. She slipped out from underneath me and rolled on her side. "I have to tell you something," she said. "I have to tell you something too." "I'll go first. I inherited my grandmother's cabin in the woods. I want to go live there, and paint, and be with you, and live happily ever after." She smiled at me, rosy and peaceful. "I'm a millionaire," I informed her. "I'll have enough money for us to do whatever the hell we want, for as long as we want, and we can live happily ever after." "So we get the fairy tale ending?" she said. "As much of one as a vampire, a witch and a kitty can hope for." We curled into each other's arms. "So when exactly does happily ever after start?" she asked. I kissed her on the lips. "Right now." And it did. -THE END- |
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