Part 19

He was a lucky bastard and he knew it. His woman was so beautiful, spread out beneath him on their bed. Her long titian hair covered the pillow and flowed onto the mattress, setting off her flawless skin and vibrant green eyes. He was slowly thrusting in and out of her, gazing in awe at the hunger and need for him blatant in her expression.

Sometimes he was overwhelmed by the feelings she had for him. To be loved and desired like that was heady for an undeserving bloke like him. Making love to her like this was beyond anything he could’ve imagined in his debauched past. Drinking and whoring had been all that mattered to him then. Before her. Before his Willow. Now he was a changed man and strove constantly to be the man that she deserved. She had been his salvation.

“Liam! Liam love, don’t be distracted,” she panted. “I need, I need…”

Liam chuckled knowingly and sped up his hips, his lovely bride was a lusty wench and he knew just how to best please her. He loved her with all that he was and what made her happy was what mattered most in his world.

“Oh, yes, darlin’ that’s it! Oh, oh!”

She was raising her hips in perfect rhythm to his thrusts and he didn’t know how much longer he could last. He put pressure on her clitoris with his fingers and shifted his angle to give her maximum satisfaction. Before her inevitable mews of pleasure, he felt her walls spasm and knew that her climax was upon her. What a relief! He spilled his seed into her with a series of grunts and thrusts just as the baby in the bassinet next to their bed began to cry.

Angelus woke with a start and bolted upright in the bed looking around frantically. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, he said to himself, that was one hell of a dream. More than a dream. He’d *felt* it; like he was there. Rising quietly from the bed, careful not to disturb Willow, Angelus donned his robe and went to sit in one of the armchairs by the fireplace.

He was shaken. In the dream he’d been himself, but not really. He’d been his human self. He scrubbed his hands over his face and hair, trying to clear his head. With unsteady hands he reached for his cigarettes on the table next to him and lit one. Inhaling deeply, he tried to calm himself.

It was as if his dream self had been him when he was human, but after what would’ve been the time he was changed. Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, he remembered how he had felt in that place between the dream and waking when ‘dream Willow’ had said in a soft, regretful voice, “What would’ve been.” The powerful emotions he’d felt for her, their life together and their child were so wondrous and intense that he’d felt regret, too. Regret in leaving behind that blissful world. Now it felt like memories. Hell, he even knew the name of their child. Siobhan. She was the product of the love they shared and the light of their lives.

Angelus shuddered. This was beyond peculiar. In spite of all his years as a vampire, he felt very in touch with his Irish roots. He still believed in the mysticism that was so ingrained in his people. In his mind it was a part of everything that was Irish: the people, the rich, verdant land, the very buildings that populated Ireland. He felt certain in his cold, dead, superstitious Irish heart that the dream was a sign.

What the fucking hell was it a sign of, he wondered with frustration. He’d already accepted that he and Willow were fated. He needed to find that goddamned gadabout witch Genevieve. He knew she would have the answers. She was a traveler, and always had been. But her unintentional elusiveness was proving maddening now that he was actively trying to track her down.

Ah, well, he thought with resignation, the investigator he’d procured assured him that locating Genevieve was near at hand. In the meantime, things were going swimmingly with Willow and he’d been extremely successful in dealing with Spike and Dru. In fact, it had been a piece of cake. With a wry chuckle he wondered what Willow would say down the road when she discovered that in Dru’s rather skewed way of thinking, she was ‘Mummy’. Drusilla was notoriously intractable when she got something in her head, so doubtless ‘Mummy’ it would be. Indefinitely. He grinned and thought, well, that would be Willow’s problem.

There were a number of ways his childer could’ve received his news. He was glad it was positive. He’d thought that perhaps her status as not only a human, but a cohort of the Slayer would be an issue. But, no, they’d accepted his announcement just fine. They were probably just happy to have him back. Well, he thought with a snicker, that and the fact that he hadn’t punished them for trying to kill him when he’d had his soul. He’d decided to forgive those transgressions since they’d probably long since given up hope that he’d return and reclaim his body.

Every single thing had fallen into place since this…‘thing’ with Willow had begun. He’d just take Spike and Dru’s reactions like he did the rest; as a sign. A sign that he was following the correct path, fulfilling his intended destiny.

Even though the room was dark, he could see Willow clearly with his preternatural sight. She looked very at peace sleeping soundly, with a small smile on her lips. It was a shame to disturb her, but that’s just what he was about to do. He would fuck her silly and put all of the thoughts racing through his head to rest.

Flicking his cigarette into the fireplace, he rose and went to the bed. Willow was on her side and he slid under the covers behind her, wrapping his arms around her satin covered waist. She smelled nice, but different, he thought, burrowing his face into her soft neck. Then she shocked the hell out of him.

In the heavy brogue of his homeland, she murmured, “Liam, you randy lad, you *just* had me and the baby needs fed. She’s as greedy and insatiable as her da. You can have me again when she’s finished, I promise.”

Angelus couldn’t believe his ears and didn’t move a muscle. I’ll be a sonofabitch, Willow’s having the same damned dream, he thought incredulously. He didn’t know what to make of this development. The smell he couldn’t place before came back to him and he tentatively ran his fingers across her breasts. The nightgown was damp. He smelled his fingers; mother’s milk.

So much for fucking away the thoughts and memories of the dream. He’d let Willow sleep and continue the dream. If it seemed real enough to her that her breasts were leaking, it would be mean to take her away from that blissful state. He snuggled against her, laying his head on her pillow next to hers. As he continued to contemplate the strangeness of the circumstances, he decided that maybe it wasn’t so odd after all. It was a shared fate, why wouldn’t it be a shared dream? He supposed it made more sense this way than it did when he thought it was just his dream. It also made it feel all the more real…or validated.

He also felt closer to Willow. The inevitability of their relationship felt…good. It made him feel more sure of her and that was a relief. Certainly she hadn’t been with him long, but already he’d felt concern that his vampire nature would drive her away. They seemed to have an unspoken agreement, though, since she never once questioned his forays into the night. She knew what he was, so there could be no doubt in her mind of his eating habits. His impression was that she chose to overlook it…or pretend it wasn’t there. He couldn’t very well come right out and ask her thoughts on the subject…that would defeat the purpose of an ‘unspoken agreement’, after all.

Jesus, he wished he could go to sleep. His mind wouldn’t quit working and the one sure distraction, fucking Willow, wasn’t an option.

The sex in the dream had him horny and Willow’s warm, pliant body snuggled next to his exacerbated the problem. It was damned unfair that the dream that had caused Willow to produce milk hadn’t caused him to have an orgasm when his dream counterpart had. With a smirk, he thought, well, I can smell that while Willow had gotten excited, she hadn’t come in real life either.

Rolling away from the temptation of his lover’s body, he grabbed his own pillow in frustration, beating it into submission and settling down on it. Besides his hating to disturb the dream, Willow needed her rest. Angelus smiled when he thought about how delighted she’d be tomorrow when she discovered what he had planned for her: a day of beauty. Service, Inc., was sending people to pamper her. They’d tend to her hair, skin and nails, making her feel like a princess.

Smugly, he thought that Service, Inc. was one of the smartest ideas he’d had since he’d become a vampire. He’d established it 127 years ago. He had had several investors, but it was his brainchild. The concept was simple yet ingenious. He couldn’t believe no one else had ever thought of it. Vampires and demons had many needs and it was complicated to see to them in the human way. Service, Inc. provided a myriad of services to all preternatural beings who could afford them…and agreed to the terms. The idea originally came to him when for the umpteenth time, Darla, lacking a proper ladies maid, had made him fix her hair. He’d had the knack, but felt that it was beneath his dignity.

Lots of demons and half breeds had trouble making a living. His idea was to hire and train them to provide services. Hairdressers, butlers, maids, private investigators, solicitors…the list went on and on. Many humans, for one reason or another, were aware of the demon element and were hired as well. The screening process was onerous, as nobody worked for Service, Inc. that wasn’t absolutely trustworthy and discreet. Employees were paid extremely well and their safety was guaranteed. Clients signed contracts that stated they would in no way harm employees. The patrons were so happy to have the services provided without the hassles of dealing with the human world that they readily complied with the terms.

In this day and age, the company was as useful as ever. The biggest demand remained hairdressers. Vampires were notoriously vain, but without a reflection, haircuts and styling were a problem. One couldn’t very well walk into the neighborhood salon for a trim…panic would ensue the moment lack of reflection was noticed.

Business was booming, and profits had reached an all time high last year. Just the convenience of owning such an enterprise was wonderful for Angelus. The income helped keep his coffers full, and his entire staff at the house had come readily trained and understood the unusual nature of his household. In fact, everybody that currently was in Angelus’ employ worked for Service, Inc. For over a hundred years it had managed itself, he rarely had to involve himself. Luckily, not long after the enterprise was established, Angelus had found an Andelphin demon to run things. Andelphins were immortal. That was one way to keep good help, Angelus thought with a smirk. Well, that and paying top dollar.

Less preoccupied with the dream now that he had let his mind wander into business matters, Angelus thought maybe now he could get to sleep. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to stick to mundane thoughts.

end Part 19