The dark vampire smirked, pleased to see his mark. The bite contrasted beautifully against her pale skin. Turning, he stalked quickly into the dorm, intent on having Willow in his arms again.
He paused at the doorway of her dorm room, waiting for her to turn around. He chuckled softly, and watching her back stiffen. Slowly, the small redhead turned around to face him.
"What you doing here Angel?", she demanded angrily.
He smirked catching the slight tremble in her voice. 'She's afraid', the ensouled vampire realized, 'good.' "Can I come in?", Angel asked, catching her verdant gaze in an effort to gauge her reaction. He could feel the nervousness washing off of Willow's small frame in waves.
"I, I, --what are you doing here Angel?", she asked again, ignoring his question, her voice higher.
"Are you sure you want to discuss this with me out here?", he asked slyly, gesturing to illustrate the fact that he was still standing in the very public hallway.
"I think you should just go home back to L.A. where you belong Angel", the witch said shakily, with an air of finality. Deliberately, she turned her back to him, and the vampire had to wonder just who his witch thought she was dealing with.
He moved across the room quickly, and spun her around to face him. "But, I think, we should talk Willow", he said, grasping her wrist firmly.
The redhead gasped in shock. "You can't... How? I didn't invite you."
Angel chuckled darkly. "Buffy did, ages ago Willow, you should really find out who she's inviting into your room." He slipped his arm about her, dragging her easily against him. Angel's other hand slid into her short, red locks.
"Let me go Angel", Willow begged softly.
The vampire growled, remembering how just recently she had begged for other things. "That's not at all what you wanted yesterday", he purred silkily against her ear, leaning down closely so he could draw in her sweet scent.
"That was a mistake", she whimpered, half heartedly trying to pull herself from his grip on her arms.
"Yesterday? The day before? Or last week, Willow?", Angel demanded, nuzzling her cheek, before moving his mouth down along the side of her neck. The fingers buried in her hair, tightened almost painfully, forcing her to arch her neck into his touch. He used the tip of his tongue to lave the bluish mark that marred the perfect ivory softness just above her pounding pulse point.
"Buffy...Buffy could walk in at any moment. T-this is her room too", Willow gasped.
The dark vampire grinned wickedly, allowing his fangs to scrape along the same path his tongue had traveled over seconds before.
"Let her," he growled, allowing his true face to slide into place as he suckled her soft skin into his mouth again.
"Don't!", she moaned, pushing frantically against his chest.
Angel chuckled darkly, before biting down harshly. He purred in pleasure as Willow's hot blood flooded his mouth.
"Mine!", he growled, lifting his mouth from her flesh, not bothering to wipe the trickle rich, red liquid that escaped from his lips.
"You begged me to make you mine", Angel whispered, looking down into his witch's wide, green eyes. "I won't let you go. Not now, not ever", he added harshly, before capturing her lips without warning in a searing kiss that forced her mouth open. He plunged his tongue into the warm depths of her mouth, almost brutally.
The vampire heard the soft moan that escaped her unwillingly as she stubbornly continued to try to resist. She was failing miserably, trying to push him away only to drag him closer. Willow was his, they both knew it. He had only to force her to accept it.
"Why did you leave?", he demanded, once he lifted his lips from hers.
The slender young woman stared up at him, her gaze tearing as she tried to catch the breath he'd stolen.
"Because this is where I belong," Willow responded softly. "This is my home. Everything I've ever known is here. They need me Angel."
The dark vampire nodded slowly. All of that was true, at least from where she was standing, but he couldn't, wouldn't accept it for them, he wouldn't let go. Not without a fight.
"What happened last night Willow?"
He saw her eyes widen slightly, telling him he'd hit on some thing.
"What makes you think something happened last?", she demanded, her voice shaking.
"Did they even notice? Did they even know you were gone Willow?", Angel asked.
Willow looked away from him, staring at the other bed in the room.
"Willow?", he whispered, capturing her chin in his large hand, and forcing her to look at him. Her eyes refused to meet his, and suddenly Angel knew he was right. They hadn't even noticed. He couldn't believe it.
"Tara and Spike noticed", Willow said, defending her friends. The vampire nodded, not surprised that the little blond witch had noticed Willow's absence. After all, she had spent a major Sabbat camped out in his living room.
"Did she know where you were?", Angel asked curiously.
"Yes", the witch answered, softly, glancing toward the door, worriedly, Angel sniffed the air, catching the scent of something on it, familiar but he couldn't figure out what it was or where he'd smelled it before. Someone, not Buffy, was to the door. He could feel a presence hesitating. Finally there was a knock, and Angel slowly released his hold on Willow, wondering who it could possibly be.
Freed, the witch moved quickly. Pulling the door open, a relieved smile formed on her lips when Tara came into view. The blond witch noticed him immediately and offered an apologetic smile and a slight wave.
"Sorry to bug you Willow, but I sort of have a problem", the blond girl said hesitatingly.
Angel's gaze hardened. He could see how eager Willow was to talk to the other witch. She was eager for any excuse to get away from him. That could not be allowed.
Tara looked at him, her expression odd.
"You know," Tara said quietly, "it looks like you're in the middle of something here. Nevermind Willow. I can get it worked out by myself. That might be better anyway.", The blond sounded a bit nervous, and Angel had to wonder if she could somehow feel his barely leashed demon demanding that he drag Willow away from the girl, and remind her that she belonged to him.
The blond's gaze caught the vampire's, and he saw something powerful flash behind her eyes. Angel had the strangest feeling he'd just been warned not to hurt the hacker, despite that fact that Tara had said not a word. For just a fleeting moment the witch had seemed as strong as any Slayer.
"Tara, wait...", Willow urged desperately, her voice trailing off. Although the other girl had to have heard the panic in her friend's voice, she choose to ignore it. The girl walked quickly out of the room without turning back.
"What did you do?!", his witch growled, turning back to face him.
Angel chuckled. Done? He hadn't done anything that's what was so funny. Giving him an exasperated look, Willow walked away. Angel sighed, moving quickly to block her only exit, and closed the door again.
"Now where were we Willow?", he asked cockily, advancing on her again. She drew back, and his nose twitched. He could smell her fear, and while one part of him felt guilty for frightening her, the other part of him, the primal, male part, crowed at the knowledge that she was smart enough to be wary. He wouldn't harm her, he could never harm her, but that didn't mean he wasn't dangerous. Willow knew that. And he knew that she loved him, all of him.
"Angel please... let this go", she whispered, looking up at him with liquid emerald eyes. The vampire shook his head and smiled down at her showing a hint of fang. He couldn't do that, she was a part of him.
"Angel?"
The warrior for the Powers leaned forward, capturing the young woman's lips once more. The kiss was hungry, deep. His hands moved to twine in the silky strands of her hair, holding her against him. Angel growled softly as her lips parted, and her tongue met his in desperate combat. He could feel her resolve weakening, as she sagged into his arms, her own circling his powerful shoulders.
"No", she gasped, jerking away from him suddenly. "This is what got us into trouble in the first place." Willow swallowed, looking down at her hands.
"Trouble? That's what you consider what happened between us? Trouble?", the dark haired vampire asked, sounding hurt.
Willow immediately looked contrite, but continued. "It was wrong Angel, we shouldn't have... I should never have let it happen", the witch murmured softly.
"Why?" He gently caressed her cheek, enjoying the tactile feeling of her velvety skin. "Why does this have to be wrong, Willow?", he asked leaning in again to press a soft kiss to her lips before drawing back slightly.
"I...I, Buffy--!", she gasped, looking past him, her face paling. Angel turned, the blond Slayer stood in the doorway, a shell-shocked expression on her face. "Buffy?", Willow gasped her friend's name again, before pulling away from Angel and running from the dorm room, leaving Angel to face the Slayer.
"Go on Angel. You didn't come all this way to let her walk out, did you?", Buffy demanded.
The vampire could see the blond fighting to hold on to her composure. "I'm sorry", he whispered. The last thing he had wanted to do was hurt his ex-girlfriend like this. He hadn't meant for her to find out like this.
"Later", the Slayer said shortly. "Go get Willow." The blond stood there stiffly, her hazel eyes demanding that he do just that. "Thank you", he whispered, before disappearing down the hallway.
Vaguely, he thought he heard her murmur, "Don't run too hard Wills, the old man might get winded."
Angel smiled to himself. Even in pain, Buffy truly loved Willow more then herself.