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~~~Part 1-6~~~

Willow rolled in her bed, the covers winding about her thighs. This had probably been the worst day of her life. First of all, she had been betrayed by the one she trusted the most. In her mind's eye she kept seeing her best friend and first love, Xander, kissing her most hated enemy, Cordelia. They were kissing in the stacks of Giles library while she had been researching just a few feet away. It hurt so much. Knowing that Xander probably only found Cordelia attractive, wanted to sleep with her. While she, Willow, had been under his nose for years but he had never once looked her way.

Then, the most terrible thing had happened. Right after she had confronted Xander and told him what she thought about him kissing Cordelia, Angel appeared. He had gathered her up in his deadly embrace and proclaimed to Buffy that her helplessness 'was a real turn-on.' Buffy had been powerless to stop him. If Xander hadn't interfered. . .

She rolled over, she couldn't think about that now. She'd worry about it tomorrow. Yes, everything would look better in the morning. Her eyes pressed closed tightly, Willow willed herself to sleep. She imagined a peaceful place in her mind's eye. She thought about sitting on a sun-dappled bench in her grandmother's rose garden. She was just about to drift off when she heard the soft 'snick' the French doors in her room made when they shut. She felt a cool breeze waft across her cheek.

Fearfully, she opened one eye but saw only blackness in her room. It was shrouded in shadows so deep that she could barely make out the familiar shape of her desk. "Good evening, Willow." A smooth voice said.

"Who's there?" Willow's were wide open now. A light snapped on and Angel came into view.

"Don't worry, it's only me."Angel drawled. His legs were stretched out, leaning back in her chair and his arms crossed behind her head.

"W-w-what do you want?" Willow asked fearfully.

The scent of her fear was dizzying. "Why do you think I want something?" He stood up and approached her bed with leonine grace.

"You-"

"I came to. . .talk."

"C-c-can't we talk tomorrow?" She clutched the covers up to her neck in both fists.

"No," he smirked. "Not really."

"Don't you have a telephone? I could give you my number." She watched his approach with wary eyes, mentally searching her room for something to whack him with.

"If you don't want to talk," He sat down on her bed and brushed her face with the back of his knuckles, "I can think of other things to do."

Willow scooted away from her towards her clip-on reading lamp. "Uh, sure. We could play chess . . .or I could look up something on the Internet for you! You should try Yahoo groups!"

"Willow-" He leaned forward, she scooted back.

"Or we could thumb-wrestle." She shot him a hopeful look as she reached around behind her.

"Thumb-wrestle?" Angelus had to laugh. She wanted to thumb-wrestle with the demon inhabiting her best-friend's boyfriend's body. Then his demonly pride took over. "I would win."

"Oh no you wouldn't. I'm the undefeated champion. Ask Xander-he even cheats!" She grasped the lamp and pulled it off the headboard, talking over the small sound.

"I have longer thumbs than you do." He reasoned. She was sort of amusing. He would probably have to take his time and make sure he didn't laugh and choke himself while draining her.

"It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it." He rose one eyebrow at her. She shifted the small lamp into striking stance. "Try me."

He vamped out. "If you insist." He lunged for her.

She brought the lamp over her head and hit him seven times with it, edging toward the other side of the bed. She punctuated each hit with a comment. "I would to have beat you. I'm great at this. Why. Does. Everybody. Underestimate. Me." Unfortunately, the place he decided to lay prostrate with pain in was blocking her escape route. There was no way out but over top of him. Finally he wrested the lamp away from her and flung it across the room. He pushed her back down on the mattress and held her there with one hand on her abdomen.

He glared at her, rubbing his head with his other hand. She shrank back, waiting for the torture to begin. "Ow. That hurt." Gingerly he stroked his gelled hair back. "And you messed up my hair." He glowered at her, still in vamp face. "Hand check. C'mon. You don't have a stapler or anything do you? Good. Keep 'em visible."

He grinned to himself. The girl had spunk. And she was smart. She had formed a plan and then kept it to herself. That was positively evil. Most people can't resist bragging about how brilliant they were. Or how they were about to kick your ass. Really took the surprise out of the relationship. "Does this mean you don't want to thumb-wrestle? And if your way of winning is bashing your opponent over the head, I think you cheat, too. It also explains why you're undefeated. And why Xander has flat hair. And why he's so stupid. You can only take so many head wounds before it begins to take a toll."

Willow couldn't help it. A small giggle escaped her. She gasped and clamped both hands over her mouth. Then she glared at him. He wagged a finger at her. "That's not proper victim behavior. You should be screaming, crying. Maybe begging for you life. What's the most popular phrase? Don't. Please. Please, don't? It doesn't vary much."

"I read about you." She whispered. It was like speaking with the real bogey man. She couldn't help but be intrigued.

"Really? What did you read?" He settled himself more comfortably on the bed, brushing a hand against her thigh as he did so. Angelus loved hearing about himself.

"That you were the so-called Scourge of Europe. That you took out whole villages. That vampire slayers and hunters all over the world hunted you. That you killed a vampire hunter's children because you thought it was funny. That you love to gamble and hate to lose." Willow stiffened her resolve. "And with that, I have a proposition for you."

"I think that's my line." He stroked her stomach once, his thumb straying below the line of her pajama bottom to rub the warm flesh. Then, he reapplied pressure to her abdomen.

"If I win, you let me go and leave here." That was fine with him. She didn't say he couldn't come back tomorrow.

"Why do I get if I win? I'm already going to have you for dinner."

"I'll tell you how to get the Watcher's Diaries. Especially the ones that mention you." She offered. Willow knew that wasn't a big loss. She had spent her summer putting them into an interactive Watcher database that all the council members could access. It was supposed to be a birthday present for Giles.

"Alright. It's a deal." Though, he'd been hoping for a different sort of prize altogether. Angelus cocked his head to the side. "What's the game?"

"Thumb-wrestling."
***
Later that night, Angelus walked back to the mansion, mumbling to himself in disgust. "I had longer thumbs. I should have won that. She must have cheated." He reached for a smoke. "I was still in pain from being bashed over the head with a lamp." He expelled a long stream of smoke from his throat, a small smile wreathing his face. Willow's grit was unexpected. After unliving so many years it was hard to hold his interest.
***
Willow typed at her computer as she sat in the library. She was looking for references to a Gypsy curse. After they'd found out what Ms. Calender had done, Giles had designated her the new techno pagan.

Every once in a while, her eyes strayed to the Watcher's Diaries which were kept in a locked shelf in Giles' office. She couldn't help the small smirk that graced her lips. Well, these babies will stay right where they are.

Buffy came in the library on shaky legs. She plopped down next to Willow, taking a drink from her Coke. "He came to my room last night."

"Who?" Willow said, distracted.

"Angel." Willow stopped typing and was about to say 'Me too' when Buffy confided. "He drew a picture of me sleeping."

"Oh my God. He was in your room while you slept." And he drew a picture?

"Yes." Buffy's eyes were far away. The Slayer was falling apart.

"Did you tell Giles?"

"Yes. He's looking for an uninvite spell." She clutched Willow's hand. "Be careful, Wills. He's been to your house once."

Actually, that's twice. "I will." But I don't think he'll be back thanks to my clever proposition. "But I think he's more focused on you. It's in his profile, Buffy."

"I know." Buffy dug into her jeans pocket and pulled out a wooden cross on a simple chain. "Here, put this on." Willow did so obediently. A little protection never hurt anybody. The blond sighed a little, tears starting to fall. "I don't want anything to happen to you. Or any of us."

"It'll be okay. I promise, Buffy, we'll find a way to fix it." She'd save the demon thumb wrestling story for later.

Buffy pressed Willow into a grateful hug. "See you later. I should be heading out to patrol soon. Have to motor home and get some dinner first."

"See you later, Buffy."
***
"Asleep already? It's only 10 p.m." A velvety voice drawled. Willow could feel a chill that swept in through the open door, ignoring the voice in her sleep fogged mind. She burrowed deeper into the blankets. "Will-lllow. Wake Uuuupp!" He said in a sing-song voice. "Wakey, wakey!"

Willow's eyes fluttered open. She scowled when she saw who it was. "Hey! We had a deal."

"Yes, we did. And I quote. . .'If I win, you let me go and leave here.' You never said 'don't come back.'"

Willow 's scowl deepened. "What. . .are you a lawyer? Looking for the loopholes?" She moved herself up, so her legs were splayed out but she was sitting.

"Ugh. No, I don't even eat lawyers. Now, how about a rematch?"

Willow's mouth fell open. "You came here to thumb wrestle?" She looked at him carefully. He wore black leather pants and a red silk shirt. "No, I guess you don't have any watercolors stashed somewhere."

"What?" She had the most fascinating mind.

She sighed. "Buffy said you drew her picture."

He grinned, traipsing blithely across her room like he owned the place and then sat down on her bed again. "Yeah. I did." His smile said 'congratulate me.'

"Why?"

He pursed his lips. "To throw her off. I drew her another one tonight." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Did you know that she drools in her sleep?" He looked at Willow. "You don't drool, do you?"

Willow brought her hands to her face, checking. Curious, despite herself."Guess not."

"Good. Now, let's have a rematch."

"Are you really that anxious? I won last time. Easily. You weren't even much of a challenge."

He'd wipe that self-satisfied look off her face. Angelus leaned over the lower portion of her body. "We could really wrestle, I suppose." He bore a fraction of his weight down on upon her. "Course that is a full body contact sport."

"Nope. Let's thumb wrestle."

Angelus held out his thumb. "Bring it on."

Willow applied gentle pressure to his forearm, pushing him back. "Can you get off of me? You're heavy."

He smirked. "Knew you couldn't handle it. That's a game I would win."

Willow held out her small white thumb and then pulled it back. "Wait a minute. Let's make another deal."

Angelus grinned. "What do you want this time?"

"If I win, you never come back to my room again. Ever." She was about to add Buffy's room to that but knew he wouldn't go for it.

"Fine. Now, we can talk about what I want." His large hand squeezed her shoulder but not hard enough to cause pain.

"W-w-what are you doing?"

"Thinking about what I want."

"And what's that?" Willow said, reigning in her fear. She must never forget that this was a demon. Never get lured in by his offbeat charm.

"I get to come here anytime I feel like it." His hand brushed down to the modest neck line of her gown and slipped inside. He cupped her breast in the cool palm of his hand. "And do whatever I like when I get here."

"E-e-even kill me?" Willow squeaked out.

His smile broadened. "No, I promise that when I kill you it won't be on one of my nightly visits." His thumb stroked her nipple and it hardened at his touch. "Ready?" She nodded.

Reluctantly, he pulled his hand from her breast and grasped her hand instead. She noticed that his normally chilly hand was made warm from the heat of her body. "One, two, three, four. I declare a thumb war."
***
"I guess you're not undefeated after all."

"Guess not." Willow pulled her knees to her chest. She hadn't been able to summon up the concentration it took after he had touched her so intimately. The covers were tightly clutched to her chin.

Angelus lazily regarded his reluctant prize. He caught the assorted sheets and blankets in one hand and tugged. "Let go, Willow. You knew this was going to happen when you agreed."

Willow looked at him mutinously. She had to do something. He parents were right down the hall, home for once. Maybe if she. . .

"Don't even think about it, little girl. I'd snap both their necks."

Was he a mind reader? "How did you know that I-"

He chuckled at her bewildered look. "Your face is very expressive."

"Don't do this." She bent her head, trying to evade his all -knowing gaze. "I'm a virgin."

"A virgin?" Angelus' smile grew wider. A fierce hunger swept through him and he tempered it. He tugged the covers off. She still kept her feet to her chest. Angelus shook his head as he simply fastened his hands on her ankles and pulled, her legs unbent and now she lay on the bed. He leaned over her, resting his body on top of her. She could smell the spicy sent of his aftershave and the musky odor of leather.

"You shouldn't-"

He placed a fingertip to her lips. "No talking. Just feel." Angelus brought his mouth to hers. His lips nibbled at hers. His tongue teased the seam of her tightly closed mouth. She'd only been kissed by Xander in elementary school. A chaste peck on the mouth.

It was nothing like this. This melding of mouths. This complete surrender to another being. Making love could be much more intimate. His tongue was inside her mouth, exploring her. He stroked her tongue, urging it to caress his in turn.

When he pulled his mouth from her, he leaned back to gaze down on her flushed face. Angelus moved himself against her, pushing his knee between her thighs. She tried to hold him at bay but she was no match for his strength. "That's it. Give in." He seated himself firmly between her splayed thighs and rotated his hips against her. "Feel me."

Willow choked back a moan. What was wrong with her? Responding to him like this? "I'll never give in to you. You m-might take my body, but it's not m-me."

Angelus chuckled. 'Oh, but it will be, my sweet. I don't do rape." His hand played with strand of dark red hair. "When I take you, you'll want me as much as I want you."

"So, you aren't going to-"

"Not tonight." Angelus leered at her. "Disappointed?" She glared at him. "We need to make a rule though. You aren't to tell anyone."

"Or else?"

"Let's just say that in order to draw Buffy again, I'd have to visit several locations to see her."

Willow shuddered. "Anything else?"

"Nothing comes to mind just now." Angelus looked at the clock beside the bed. "Look at the time. I've got be going, my sweet. Almost time for Buffy's portrait." Willow breathed a sigh of relief. Neither her nor Buffy would die tonight. He bent down and seized her mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss. "See you tomorrow."

Angelus up from the bed and strolled to the French doors. He looked over his shoulder at her as he pressed one open. "Just remember one thing Willow." She looked at him, still reeling. "I've got you under my thumb." Then he disappeared into the murky blackness of the night.
***
Willow watched as Angelus easily vaulted over her balcony only to land gracefully on his feet. He smiled when he saw here standing there in the center of her room. He opened the door and walked inside, the door closing softly behind him."I feel just like Romeo, coming to your balcony under the cover of night. Especially with you waiting up for me like this." He pressed a hand to his chest, starting mid quote. ". . .and Willow is the sun." He frowned. "Maybe it should be the moon."

She had decided after last night's fiasco that she would greet him at the door, fully dressed. She even had a stake in her back pocket if worse came to worse. No more being caught in bed with a flimsy set of pajamas on. Angelus was evil. He was trying to ruin her life by visiting her every night and now he had just ruined one of her most treasured plays by inserting himself into it. "I don't think of us as Romeo and Juliet."

He couldn't wait to hear what she had to say. "Oh? Who are we then?"

Willow thought a moment and a wide smile spread across her face as the answer came to her. "Hannibal Lector and that FBI agent lady." Hmmm. . .a serial killer paying visits to a red haired young woman. Scary.

Angel was never one for movies or popular books especially ones that featured killing so Angelus had no frame of reference for her comment. "Never heard of them."

He had promised not to kill her here. He had abided by their bargain last night. "He's a serial killer and he kind of has a love affair with her. Though, it's completely one sided. He buys her presents, shows up at her house. . .but she's trying to track him down and put him in prison."

Angelus frowned at first and then he bust out laughing. Willow was clever and a real spitfire too, even now her chin was raised just daring him to contradict her. His voice grew husky. "I don't think that suits us at all. I think we proved last night that this isn't one sided. . .you aren't immune to me."

Willow glared at him. "It's your body I'm attracted to. Not you." She'd decided to separate the two entities in her mind. Angel, the vampire with a soul and Angelus, a demon who wore Angel's body. It would be easier to face Angel that way when he got back. . .if they ever got him back.

He was fascinated. "Really? Had a thing for soul boy, did you?" He drifted over to her desk and pulled out her chair to sit down on.

Willow sat uneasily down on her cedar chest at the foot of the bed. "NO! Of course not, I would never do that to Buffy, never run around lusting after her boyfriend. But I'm female and I'm not blind, I've noticed that Angel's attractive."

Angelus practically preened as if the body he wore were a new outfit. "Well, now it's my body, ergo you find me attractive."

"It take more than a body to make a person appealing. You know. . .things like humor, charm, kindness. . .not killing people."

"I thought you said it was only Angel's body that you found attractive. Not his humor, charm, kindness, or lack of homicidality." He smiled, enjoying catching her.

"I think we should talk about something else. " She said through gritted teeth.

"Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

Willow felt like a bit of payback. "How about The Judge?"

"What about him?" Angelus said tightly.

"Looks like we foiled you again." She said, proud grin on her face. They had destroyed him at the mall earlier that evening.

"Damn rocket launcher." He grumbled in a low voice. One little rocket launcher and big blue went all to pieces. Never send a demon to do a vampire's job. Not that he'd intended to let the demon feed on all of humanity. Just Sunnydale. He hated this stupid little, one-Slayer town.

"Yeah, that was neat. He was nothing but kibbles and bits when Buffy got done with him." She tried to sound casual. "Heard you two had a . . .confrontation. Actually, I heard that she kicked you."

He unconsciously shifted in his chair. At least he wasn't in pain anymore. "She did." He glared at her. "But she didn't have the guts to kill me."

"Nope. She just kicked you in the. . .in the. . ." What did Xander say? Oh yeah. "The family jewels."Take that, you undead creep! And go, Buffy! Too bad she didn't pull a Bobbit.

Angelus shook his head. "Speaking of. . .jewels." He licked a stray droplet of blood from his mouth. "I fed on the most beautiful young woman this evening, she had red hair." His eyes almost stroked her mass of auburn hair. "Anyway, I brought you a gift." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. She noted that it was blood spattered. He caught her look. "I'm a messy eater when I'm hungry." He pulled a silver chain from the white cloth, it held an emerald pendant. "When I saw this, I knew you had to have it. "

"You stalked and killed that woman because of her necklace." Willow felt sick to her stomach.

Angelus sighed. Humans. "No, Willow, I noticed her hair first and decided to eat her, not because of-"

"Oh, that makes me feel better!" Willow cried.

"No, it wasn't because of her hair, I just noticed her hair looked like yours."

It was her fault that the young woman had died. She eyed the pendant. "I don't want it."

"You'll put it on." His voice brooked no argument.

"Fine." Willow held out her hand. As soon as he was gone, she'd throw it outside. Or stomp on it.

"Come here."

"No."

"Do I have to remind you of our agreement?"

"Alright. Fine." Willow clenched her jaw and obediently walked over to him. She held out her hand again. "Turn around." He directed. She did so. "Kneel." Willow felt her knees tremble as she knelt on the floor at his feet. "Move your hair back." She looked at him disdainfully. "Willow." She did so, now she was completely exposed to him, her neck naked and vulnerable to attack. His cool hands latched onto the cheap chain Buffy had given her. He undid it and lifted it from her neck, the cross dangled momentarily before her eyes before he slid it into the blood soaked cloth. He slid that into his pocket, he intended to throw it away. "I saw this cross last night and wanted to give you a suitable replacement."

He put the pendant's chain around her neck and fastened it deftly. It hung just between her breasts. "Perfect." He whispered. "You should always wear emeralds." His thumb pressed against the pulse in her throat. "I can feel your heart beating fast."

Willow closed her eyes, summoning her strength. "Fear has a way of doing that to a girl."

He bent over her back, like a looming shadow. She jumped as his lips touched the nape of her neck. He chuckled. But then his fingers ghosted over her neck as he ran his hands along the chain. "Oh, I don't think it's fear that you're feeling right now." He inhaled deeply, smelling the sharp scent of her arousal. "Did you miss me today, my sweet?"

"No."

"Liar." His blunt teeth nipped her neck.

It hurt but it wasn't unbearable. "You're going to tell me what I feel? You don't know even me."

"But I want to. There's nothing about you that I'm haven't found interesting."

"I don't-"

"Shhh." He said, bringing his deadly mouth to the pink shell of her ear. "I'm tired of talking." With that, his hands seized her, pulling her up to her feet. He gathered her up in his arms and took her to the bed. He laid her down upon it and pressed himself against her left side. "Close your eyes, my sweet."

Willow knew she should fight him, but somehow she couldn't. It was as if her body had a mind of its own. She did the only thing she could. . .she closed her eyes.

Angelus brought his hands to the collar of her shirt, his hands made swift work of the buttons. Beneath the button-down blue shirt, lay a white lacy bra. He grinned, this was on thing he admired about this age. Women's clothing today gave him much easier access. . .no chemises, stays, and pantelets. In fact. . .three little hooks and eyes and she was bare to his ravening gaze. Her soft skin was smooth and unblemished. Her breasts were small and would fit easily into the palm of his hand. Beautiful. She breathed shakily causing the ivory orbs to jiggle slightly. He sighed as he let one lazy finger circle the erect pink peak.

She'd never been so exposed in her life. And it wasn't nearly as upsetting as it should be. Willow was on fire, the secret moist place between her thighs was throbbing with an unknown need. Her limbs felt leaden and her eyes were screwed shut. "C-c-can I look now?" She had to see him.

"Open your eyes." She did, seeing a look of such intense hunger on his face that she was made mute by it. He deliberately brought his mouth to the nipple that he'd fondled, taking its warm soft flesh in his mouth. The coolness and his sucking it to harden further. She moaned and his other hand cupped her other breast, playing with it in the same manner as he had done with the other one. Willow let her eyes drift shut again. This felt too good. She was surely going to Hell. She realized that she wanted more she wanted to know the full extent of this fire that flooded her body. Wanted him to take her.

He knew the moment she gave in. The slight relaxation of her body. The soft sigh of surrender. Suddenly, he stopped sucking. "Beg me."

There was a long moment of silence. Neither of them was willing to speak.

Angelus sighed. He pressed a kiss between her breasts, grazing the emerald pendent. "The second rule is to never take that off, my sweet. Ever." He moved away from her body, standing on his two feet and gazing down at her as she lay on the bed. She looked at him in confusion. "Goodnight." He was out the door in a matter of seconds.

Willow picked up her pillow at threw it at the door. "Vampires!" She muttered. She wasn't sure who she was more angry with. Herself or Angelus. Definitely herself.
***
Willow was in the library once more, using the computer. She had found some vague references to the Soul Restoration ritual but nothing definite. The sooner this thing was done, the better. She couldn't believe that she had not only allowed Angelus to handle her so intimately but that she had actually enjoyed his attentions. She must be one sick puppy, having lustful thoughts and feelings for a blood-sucking demon that lived in her best friend's boyfriend's body.

Buffy came in, looking even more dejected. "He drew me another picture." She said, sitting down and putting her head in her hands. "God, what am I going to do."

Willow went to her best friend. "Oh, Buffy, we've always gotten through the badness. We'll be alright. Somehow it'll all work out." She knew it wasn't' much comfort but it was the truth. Everything did work out for them.

Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow, sighing into her shoulder. "What would I without you, Wills?"

"You'll never have to wonder about that. I'm here for you. Always."

"Want to get a mocha?" Buffy wiped a couple of tears away. "Caffeine and chocolate has restorative powers."

"Sounds like a good idea. Let's go get everyone a round, we'll be here late for a research session and the coffee would be good for us anyway." The girls walked out of the library, Espresso Pump bound.
***
"Yeah, the thrill is gone." Angelus muttered as he lay in his bed. Drusilla as holding a tea party of her dolls on the floor beside him. He felt restless. Annoyed. He was slowly losing interest in the dark vampiress as well as the golden haired Slayer. All his thoughts were colored red now. Willow.

"What's wrong, my Angel?" Dru asked, holding a cup of blood for Miss Edith to drink from.

"Nothing, Dru. Just thinking out loud."

"She's a witch, you know." She confided. "With her black cats and broomsticks."

"Who is?"

"The red witch, silly." She cocked her head, listening to 'Miss Edith' speak to her. "She wants you. . .but she doesn't."

Hmm. . . the red witch. . .Willow. "She's not sure if she wants me?" Dru-speak was difficult to decipher.

"Yes and no, beast then soul." Drusilla sighed.

"She wants the soul?" Angelus demanded but the insane vampiress merely shrugged and was now engrossed in her dolls once more. He knew from experience that she wouldn't speak again until she had something worth saying. He rolled over on the bed. Night fall couldn't come soon enough.
***
"I've got an uninvite spell." Giles announced as the girls reappeared with coffees.

"Thank God!" Cordelia announced fervently. "I invited him in my car once, let's do this thing. I don't want to be giving rides to the evil undead."

"I'll do the spell. I've been looking at some pagan sites and I know how to do a basic ritual." I'm safe! He can't molest me without an invitation. No more strange feelings for a demon to examine. Clarity was a good thing. Wasn't it?

"Very well." Giles agree, handing the book to the red head. "You girls go and do the spell now, before sundown."

Cordelia, Willow, and Buffy went in 'Queen C's' car to both the Slayer's and the hacker's house. They blessed both houses, nailing crosses to the place where Angel had first entered. . .Buffy's front door and Willow's French doors. Willow had then said a simple incantation. The same was done to Cordelia's car.

After the cheerleader's car was de-vampired she left for home. Willow breathed a sigh of relief. Funny, she hadn't thought about Xander since Angelus had appeared in her room. That didn't mean she liked Cordelia though. As Willow finished her room, she looked at the Slayer. "Do you need anything else, Buffy?"

"No, I'm good. It'll be nice to sleep for once."

"I bet."

"You sure he hasn't been here?"

Willow ducked her head. She hadn't wanted to worry Buffy or confess what had happened. "Nope, and now he won't be. We're safe as houses."

"Yeah, as long as we're in our houses." The poor residents of Sunnydale we're SOL though. She looked out the window, it was a half an hour past sundown. "I'd better go, it's patrol time."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later on tonight?"

"Sure." She hugged her friend goodbye and left the room.

Willow sighed as she sat down on her bed. "I thought she'd never leave."

A voice said from outside the door. Angelus.

"Uh, hi." Be strong, Willow!

"Hi." He smiled as he opened the door. He started to walk through when he banged up against the barrier. His face was thunderous. "Invite me in!"

"Um. . .hmmm . . .let me think . . .NO!"

"What about our deal?"

"I lied. You don't have to keep ones that you make with a homicidal maniac." Ha! Take that.

"Willow, if you don't let me in. . .I'll-"

"You'll what? Yell threats from the doorway?" Willow pulled the pendent from underneath her sweater. She unfastened it and threw it through the opening. "While I"m thinking about it, you can keep that."

He couldn't believe she had done this to him. It was devious. Clever. It only made him want her more. "Maybe I should pay Buffy a visit."

"Go ahead. You can yell at her through her window. I performed the ritual there, too."

"Willow-"

"Oh, be quiet. I have homework to do so why don't you go away?"

"I am kinda hungry. Guess I'll just take my anger out on some school children tonight."

Willow winced but didn't rise to his bait. "It's not my fault you're a killer."

Angelus hear gravel crunching in her driveway, he went to the edge and looked down. It was Cordelia, the foolish girl stepped out of her car. Willow could see from her vantage point. He turned back to the redhead with a grin. "Look, it's delivery!" He started to swing his legs over the balcony.

"Come in, Angelus." she said wearily.

"Knew you were the smart one."

Angelus stepped inside and promptly went to her closet. Cordelia appeared in the doorway. "I forgot my folder." she said, reaching for a glossy black folder which lay on Willow's desk.

"Oh, well. . .I'll see you later." She said shakily. She couldn't help but think about the monster in her closet.

"Yeah, whatever." She stopped to look at her. "Why are you all jittery? Too much coffee?"

"No, I'm fine. Just tired."

"If you don't want to talk that's fine with me. I'm just trying to be nice to you because your Xander's little friend."

"Go home, Cordelia."

"Goodnight." The cheerleader said, sweeping majestically from the room.

Willow watched Angelus open the closet door in almost slow motion. "You didn't honor our agreement, my sweet. I can't let that kind of insolence slide."

"Insolence? I was protecting myself." She said quietly.

"Protecting yourself." Angelus picked up the ancient text which lay on the bed. He flipped through the pages. "Vampire Uninvite Spell." He ripped it from the book, tearing it into small pieces of paper too small to contain more than one or two letters. She'd never be able to piece it back together. The spell was gone. "Looks like your fresh out of protection, my sweet." Then, he advanced on her.
***
Willow backed away. "You said you wouldn't kill me here."

"Who said anything about killing?" Angelus said silkily. His eyes were fastened on her slim white throat and they held a glimmer of green.

She noticed where his attention was directed. "You are going to kill me."

"No, I'm not." He didn't say anything about not biting though, he wasn't going to leave here without tasting her pure blood. Without marking her.

"Has a vampire ever bitten you before?"

"No." Willow inched closer to her desk. She had an enormous unabridged dictionary laying open on it. If she whacked him with that, she'd be able to knock him out.

"I'll have to remedy that." Angelus said. His fangs began to elongate.

"See!" Willow said fiercely. "You're getting ready to bite me, you big liar!"

He chuckled, her fear was mouth-watering, whetting his depraved appetite for her blood. He wanted more of her fear too. "Didn't you just say that you don't have to keep a deal with a homicidal maniac? Why should I keep my deal with a young virgin?"

She backed into the desk, her small fingers scrambling behind her to pick up the heavy book. "I knew it! I knew you'd try to kill me eventually!"

He grasped her arms and pulled her forward, holding her slender body immobile in his embrace. "Now, now, young lady. There will be none of that. I'm wise to your affinity for blunt objects and your obsession with striking unsuspecting vampires with them." He couldn't keep the smile off his face. " You really were going to smack me with that big book, weren't you?" He shook his head, taking a moment to marvel at her resourcefulness. "And probably give me a few choice words from it, too."

"N-no, I wouldn't do that." Willow denied.

Angelus pinned her with his eyes. "Don't do that. There won't be any lies between us."

"Why do you keep saying things like that? Like I'm going to be alive in few minutes?"

"We're going to have a serious talk about this death wish of yours, my sweet. It's not healthy."

"You aren't going to kill me?"

"Haven't we talked about this already?" He sighed. " No, I'm not going to kill you tonight." He frowned, his mind winging in a new direction. "Is that how your other relationships ended? With the other party dead?"

Willow choked back a giggle. "No, of course not. Well. . .actually I haven't had any other relationships." She looked at him crossly. "Hey! Who said this was relationship?"

"I did." Angelus said, standing taller.

"Oh." Willow needed to think about that some more.

Angelus smiled and ran one finger down her pink cheek. "If you don't want to argue anymore, I have more pressing concerns."

"You're going to b-bite me?"

"Yes." He waited to see how she would react.

"You w-won't take t-too much?" He shook his head solemnly and she relaxed a little. Being bitten was better than being dead. "Does it. . .does it. . .hurt?"

"At first." He said truthfully. "But then there's only pleasure." He thought back to the night he was turned. "Exquisite pleasure that burns you up inside, makes you weak and leaves you shuddering."

Willow took a shaky breath. "Oh. I guess it's okay then." She was probably going to need some intense therapy for this.

He closed his eyes as his features morphed into their true form. She merely looked up at him with glazed eyes. Angelus was overwhelmed by that small measure of trust. He gently tilted the white column of her throat to the right and pressed his nose into the vanilla scented heat of her neck. He traced the path of her blue vein with his tongue and she shivered in his arms, hands clutching his coat. He pulled impossibly closer into his arms, pressing one leg in between her thighs. He could hear her blood singing to him, willing him to taste it. He pressed his sharp hard fangs at the place he would enter and pierced her neck swiftly. Then he began to pump his fangs into her, letting her honeyed blood fill his mouth, bathe his tongue.

Willow tensed at the slight sting in her neck but as Angelus began to take her blood, his fangs were no longer a painful intrusion. They were a source of gratification, the root of rapture. She clutched at him, her fingers sliding into the thick wool of his coat, her hips rotated on his muscular thigh between her legs. She'd never felt anything like this, the pleasure was unbearable as if she were climbing to some apex, striving for some nameless goal.

Suddenly he pulled from her with a cry, gasping in an unneeded breath. He looked sated, satisfied."No," Willow wailed, trying to press him back inside her but he merely cleansed her wounds with his tongue until the blood stopped flowing. Then he pressed his cool lips to the puncture marks, a reverent gesture. He slid her down his body, holding their hips apart even as he held her.

Angelus pulled back to look down on her, smoothing the damp hair from her flushed face. "So beautiful." He crooned.

"B-but I--"

"Shh." He put a finger to her lips. "I can't take anymore of your blood tonight, it'd make you sick." He lifted her effortlessly in his arms and brought her to the bed. He pulled back the covers and laid her down. She tried to speak again but he shushed her with a look. From his pocket, he pulled the necklace and fastened it around her throat with a smug smile. He was careful to avoid her wounds. He leaned down and removed her shoes with care and then brought the covers to her chin. Willow felt her eyes starting to close and bent to press a kiss on her rosy lips. "Sleep, Willow." And she did.
***
Willow sat in the back of the class room with Buffy. The French teacher was asking all of them what they did last night. She really hoped that he didn't call on her and if he did the whole class would be learning some brand new vocabulary words. She ran a hand through her hair, every time she closed her eyes she could see them together, feel Angelus pressed against her. "Earth to Wills, where are you?"

"What?"

"What are you thinking about?" Buffy said, eyes alight with mischief. "I know that look. Who's the lucky guy?"

"Guy?" She whispered back, keeping an eye on Mr. Voorhees who had his back to the classroom, writing away on the chalk board. "There's no guy."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" The Slayer rose one manicured eyebrow. "Is there a girl?"

"Nope. No girl either." Willow tugged the collar of her turtleneck up.

"I know who it is -- that cute guitar player. What's his name? Oh, I remember -- Oz!"

"Oh, Oz. Yeah, h-he's great." Haven't thought about him for a while.

"Did you two exchange smoochies?"

No, but I gave the demon whose wearing your boyfriend's face a taste of my blood. And what's worse. . .I really liked it. "Something like that." Willow said, not meeting Buffy's eyes.

"Well, I'm glad. You can't wait around forever for Xander Harris to get a clue. Mark my words, he'll be sorry he passed you up."

"Uh-uh. Yep, probably kick himself for it. Yep."

"Ms. Rosenberg, since you seem so chatty right now, why don't you tell the class what you did last night?" Mr. Voorhees leaned back on his desk and crossed his arms. Cripes!
***
"There is nothing wrong with drinking an orange." Willow grumbled. "Cuz, hello! Orange juice. He probably drinks it everyday for breakfast." When she'd been so rudely cornered by the teacher she said that she had ate dinner last night and that she had drank an orange. How humiliating, especially because she got A's on the tests in that class. Even Buffy had let out a giggle.

Willow savagely plunged her chicken mcnugget into the golden hot mustard sauce and took a bite. "At least I got some Mickey D's today." She turned her attention to the history work before her, she had time for more self- flagellation later.

"What are you doing, Willow?"

The hacker jumped up about two feet off of her chair. "Angelus!" she hissed.

"You should be more careful, little one. There's all sorts of nasty things in Sunnydale." He gave her a wicked smile, clearly proud of himself for scaring her. Angelus walked over casually and sat down on her desk. He eyed the greasy paper bag her food had come in with disdain. "And just what is that?"

"Dinner." She said, biting into another nugget.

"A piece of compressed chicken dipped into a sauce. Sounds delicious." He said, his voice laced with sarcasm. What was wrong with her? She should be having caviar, champagne, and filet mignon -- not food from an establishment who idolized a clown with tacky footwear.

Willow picked up another nugget and gestured with it. "At least my food doesn't talk to me." Best not to tempt fate on the Hellmouth. She frowned at the square piece of fried meat and when no mouths appeared she ate it. Thankfully no cries of 'help me' issued from within her mouth. "Besides, you don't eat food, so how can you critique it?"

"No, Angel doesn't eat food. I'm a gourmet." He seized one of her nuggets.

"Hey! I was going to eat that."

"Now, I am." He dipped it in the sauce and brought it to his mouth for an experimental bite. He chewed and swallowed. Mmmm "I didn't think this would taste that good." He popped the rest in his mouth and seized another nugget.

"Fast food, gotta love it." Willow said with a grin, she pushed the carton of nuggets between them. "Have some more." In a few minutes they polished off all of them.

"Do they have anything else besides chicken?"

"Yes, you should experience wonder of french fries." She wiped her greasy hands on a paper napkin and picked up her pen once more, determined to finish the homework. Angelus would just have to deal, she wasn't going to be his entertainment this evening.

"Wait just a minute! I didn't come over here to be ignored."

"Too bad." She said with irritation. "I have some history homework to do."

"What's the topic?"

"The tower of London, I'm writing an essay on what it must've been like for the inhabitants." She sighed. " It's this new idea of `living history', its supposed to make it more interesting.

"You're in luck, my sweet, I can be some help in that area. It just so happens that I visited the prison."

"Really?" Wow! It was weird and cool and yuck all at the same time.

He stood up as if addressing a prized pupil. "Yes, Darla and I went there shortly after I was sired. You could say that it was part of our honeymoon."

"You were imprisoned there?"

"No, of course not. As if a prison could hold me." His gave her a haughty smile. "We leapt over the wall one night and decided to visit again and again. We did the usual stuff. We fed the ravens, ate some guards. . ." His voice turned hoarse. "Played in the torture chamber."

"Oh." She squeaked.

"So, what was life like for the prisoners?"

Angelus began to explain his time at the prison and Willow was mesmerized by his deep voice and the way he made history come alive for her. Of course, it was a dark and bloody history but it was still a first hand account and it fascinated her. Willow took notes while he talked and asked him questions along the way. She sometimes forgot just how old Angel/Angelus was and what he had witnessed.

Angelus was enjoying himself, he loved the role of teacher or sire as the case may be. Willow was an apt pupil, asking insightful questions and listening carefully to his answers. After it was over, she typed up a quick essay and he read it over adding one or two suggestions. As she printed it out, she was staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing." She said at first and then sighed. "I never imagined that you could be so--"

"Knowledgeable?"

"No, I knew you were smart. But. . .what's the word I was looking for? Nice?'

Angelus grinned. "You think I'm nice, little one? Do you think a demon ever does something for nothing?"

She gulped. "You want some sort of payment?"

"No, this is bartering. You got something from me, now you will give something to me."

"I could buy you some french fries." She offered halfheartedly.

"No, I'm not hungry for food."

"Then w-what do you want?"

"Come here and I'll show you." Angelus pulled her over and into his arms. She could feel her heart pounding wildly and the blood roaring in her ears. He bent over her, placing his head on her shoulder and peeled the fabric of her turtleneck away from her neck to expose his bite mark. She tensed in anticipation but he didn't bite. He merely pressed a soft kiss there and moved to whisper in her ear. "I've marked you, Willow Rosenberg. No other vampire. . .or man for that matter will ever have you."

"Are you going to bite me again?"

"Not tonight, my sweet. You lost too much blood the last time."

"Oh. Then what are you going to do?"

Was that disappointment in her voice? He could only hope. Instead of answering her, he kissed a line from her jaw to her mouth. When he reached her lips, he kissed her wildly putting all of his thirst for her into it. Then it came to him. This. . .thing with her wasn't about revenge or the need for power. It wasn't about his anger at the soul or sticking it to the Slayer. It wasn't even about passing time anymore. This was about Willow. Willow and himself. He pulled away from her, looking down into her glowing green eyes with a stunned sort of wonder. Angelus kissed her forehead lightly. "Goodnight, my sweet." And then he was gone, using his vampiric strength he got the hell out of there, the moisture from her kiss still on his lips.