Part 26

Willow looked sensational. The formfitting gown she wore suited her. It was aqua satin with narrow shoulder straps, the neckline vee’d, falling into soft folds, showing off just a hint of cleavage. The top part had tiny rhinestones sewn here and there, and just below the bust, small leaves were embroidered all the way around, like a ribbon. From bust to floor, delicate silk chiffon covered the satin. A row of small, matching buttons went from the hip to below Willow’s left arm. Angelus thought it flattered her lithe form beautifully and showed off her elegant neck, arms, and alabaster skin to perfection. There was just one thing missing. Jewelry.

Angelus had been lounging in the doorway silently watching Willow admire herself in the mirror. She studied her lovely upswept hairstyle, all the way down to her high-heeled pumps, which were dyed to match the dress. He imagined, with an amused smile, that Cinderella had probably had a similar reaction to herself when her fairy godmother had outfitted her for the ball. Of course, Willow wasn’t a fairytale figure…she just looked like one.

“My darling, you look stunning,” he said, startling her.

She put her hand to her chest to calm her pounding heart and glared at him. “Thank you. You know, one of these days you’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“Hmm, that would be bad,” he said as he sauntered toward her, his tone completely unapologetic.

Willow took a closer look at him and raised her eyebrows. “Angelus, you look amazing.”

He preened and let her admire him. He had dressed in a tux: black tie, jacket and slacks, with a plain white starched shirt. Less was more when it came to male formalwear in his opinion. “I know. Thank you.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes. “You’re the most egotistical person I’ve ever known.”

He grinned roguishly and tugged his sleeves. “As well I should be.”

She laughed. “Honestly, though, it would be pretty great to have your confidence. Self-doubt is a nuisance.”

He nodded sagely, “This is why I try to lead by example.”

“Okay, Mr. Self-Assurance, enough about you.” She twirled in front of the mirror, forgetting for a second that she wouldn’t see him in the reflection. That always seemed to disorient her. “I love this dress. I feel like a fairy princess.”

Angelus turned her from the mirror and placed his hands on her shoulders, stroking them with his thumbs. Looking deeply into her eyes, he said, “You look like one.”

She smiled and blushed and fidgeted all at once.

“Uh, uh, uh,” he rebuked, turning her again to face the mirror. “Look at yourself.”

She complied.

“Should *that* girl fidget? I think not. Now, chin up, shoulders back, and stand up straight. That’s you in the mirror looking so fabulous. Own it.”

Willow studied herself for a moment, and then followed his instructions.

Angelus watched her reflection and waited. He smirked when the expression in her eyes caught up with the rest of her. He began to stroke her arms, admiring the softness of her delicate skin. “Sweetheart, you’re used to being different. That part is good—and true. Your perception of ‘different’ is the problem. Your self-confidence has improved a lot, and that pleases me, but there’s a ways to go yet. Celebrate the things that comprise your unique beauty. Other women would kill to have your sleek, sexy figure, or stunning red hair, or flawless skin. Not to mention lustrous eyes the color of the verdant hills of Ireland.”

Willow was silent as he spoke, but her eyes showed that she was taking it all in.

While she assimilated the information, he removed a necklace from his jacket pocket and fastened it around the slender column of her neck.

She gasped and her eyes grew round, “Oh! It’s…it’s gorgeous…I…”

She tried to turn to face him and he stopped her with hands on her shoulders. “Not so fast, darlin’.” He pulled matching earrings from his other pocket and handed them to her.

Willow put the earrings on and turned her head from side to side in awe. The necklace was a chain of diamonds with a pendant of diamond clusters dangling and a solitary pearl set just beneath where the chain and pendant met. The earrings matched the clusters, minus the pearl.

Angelus took a moment to congratulate himself on his taste in women, clothing, and jewelry. The effect exceeded even his high expectations. The jewels enhanced the beauty of both Willow and the gown without overwhelming either.

Willow was speechless and appeared entranced by all the sparkling around her neck and dangling from her earlobes.

He chuckled and kissed her temple. “These are actually what I was shopping for when I came across the locket I gave you earlier.”

She turned around and beamed at him. “Thank you so much.” Her expression faltered as she struggled to express herself.

Angelus waited, he was used to her doing this. It was frustrating, but he forced himself to be patient. Pushing her to get to the point always made her apologize for being ‘flaky’ and he hated that.

Finally, her frown melted away and she continued, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. “I still feel like I did that first morning here. Kind of. Like I’m living in a dream or an alternate universe. But….” She looked into his eyes intently as tears gathered in hers, “I’d never imagined I could feel so good and happy every day. It still feels like a dream, except now it feels like one that I belong in. Maybe I’m selfish and a bad person because I don’t have any illusions about who and what you are and love you anyway. But…it all seems natural and normal within the parameters of this new…reality.” She huffed in frustration. “Did that make sense?”

Angelus nodded and brought their clasped hands to his lips. He kissed her knuckles and smiled down at her. “It did. And I’m glad. Making you happy is important to me.” Of course, she made *him* happy anytime she alluded to the fact that she accepted that he was a demon. That could’ve been a big hurdle in their life together.

Willow’s eyes crinkled in a smile, “My vampire education did nothing to prepare me for you. A fat lot those Watchers know.”

“That’s what my kind has been thinking for hundreds of years, love,” he said in a longsuffering tone as he returned her smile. “Now, grab your evening bag and let’s get out of here. We have reservations.” He punctuated the last remark with a sharp smack to Willow’s ass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moon was full and the sky was clear; it was a perfect night for a drive along the coast, Angelus thought. Well, the scenic aspects were what Willow was enjoying. His own enjoyment was mostly a result of the meal he’d had a few miles back. Because of all the recent drama in their household, he hadn’t fed in awhile. When he’d spotted a scruffy hitchhiker in close proximity to a gas station, he’d decided to ‘refuel’. While Willow was off using the ladies room, he’d made the most of his time; now he and the car were both full. I love it when everything falls into place, he thought with satisfaction. Lately, it seemed like his usual method of planning and controlling every little detail was a waste of time. So, although it went against the grain, he was trying a new tactic: go with the flow and play it by ear. Fate seemed to have a plan and he’d just try to stay out of its way. That was why, as they drove along, he wasn’t mentally devising the conversation he’d have with Willow at dinner. He’d just wing it.

She looked so lovely and content watching the countryside pass by. He broke the companionable silence they’d been sharing by asking, “What are you thinking about, precious?”

Willow turned to him and smiled, “Nothing really. I’ve been on this road lots, but tonight it looks different. More special.”

“It must be the company,” he quipped cockily.

She rolled her eyes and chuckled. “I hope I’m as arrogant as you are when I grow up. It must be fun…and, you know, liberating.”

“Ha! You jest, but it’s true, darlin’. You’d like it,” he said with an imperious smile.

“I’ll bear that in mind,” she responded, only somewhat sarcastically.

“Ah! Here we are, Anthony’s Fish Grotto,” he said as he pulled into a parking lot prettily decorated with tiny white lights sparkling in the trees.

Willow looked around, “Nice. If it’s this fancy on the outside, the inside must be spectacular.” She glanced at Angelus in surprise, “Hey. You parked the car yourself. I would’ve thought you’d be all over the valet option.”

He winked at her, “Vampire paranoia. I like to know exactly where my car and keys are.” He opened his door, “Stay put.” He went around the car and opened her door, helping her out. When he offered her his arm, she straightened her shoulders and took it.

Angelus kept his smile to himself as Willow did her best to do justice to her new look as they entered the restaurant and were seated. She did great; nobody but him would’ve thought for a moment that she was applying herself to appear comfortable and confident.

The décor was simple and elegant, and their table was very private and had a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. The floor to ceiling window they were seated by, and the dim lighting, made the view the main focus. Angelus watched Willow take it all in. “Like it?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I love it. It’s…magical.”

“Good. That’s exactly how your first foray into the world with me should be,” he said with a satisfied smile, pleased that she thought he’d chosen well.

She had been completely oblivious to the heads that turned to admire her from the moment they’d stepped through the door. He certainly hadn’t been. He’d felt very proud to be her escort. Mostly. In some cases he’d had to resist the urge to growl possessively in the direction of her admirers.

Willow being Willow, she wasted no time in determining what she wanted to eat. Angelus placed their order when the waiter came by and pretended not to notice the besotted glances the young man kept sneaking in Willow’s direction.

He praised himself for his restraint; he was doing an admirable job of keeping his possessiveness to himself. Of course, she was exquisite; naturally all eyes would be drawn to her. Gazing at her, he was lost in thoughts of how her hair, white skin, and aqua dress were conspiring to give her an otherworldly glow tonight.

Willow cleared her throat, “Angelus?”

She had said something and he’d missed it. “I’m sorry, darling, I missed what you said. It’s your fault actually, you’re dazzling tonight and it’s distracting.”

She flushed and smiled, “Thank you. I hate to say it out loud, but I *do* feel special tonight. I had just asked why you bothered ordering food for yourself; you didn’t miss anything exciting.”

“First of all, everyone else is noticing your exceptional loveliness; it would be a shame for you to be unaware of it.” He reached across the table for her hand and gave it a squeeze, earning him a shy, gracious nod and an adoring look. “Second of all, while it’s not unheard of for just one party to dine, it does draw attention. Mostly, though, it’s habit from the old days. Superstitious inn workers paid close attention to that sort of thing. One had to be especially careful in order to avoid a stake through the heart in one’s bed during the daylight hours.”

Willow nodded thoughtfully, “Makes sense.”

They made polite noises while the wine was being served, and Angelus tried not to smirk when Willow’s sweet smile caused the waiter to grin fatuously at her.

When they were alone again, he raised his glass, signaling for her to do the same. “A toast. To us and our long and happy future together.” Their glasses clinked and they sipped their wine. Angelus frowned; Willow’s expression had become somber. “Sweetheart?” he asked in concern.

Willow shook her head and tried to smile. “Nothing, I’m fine.”

He wasn’t fooled. Her mood had changed and she was avoiding his eyes. Taking her hand again, he said in a low voice, “Did my mention of the future bring this on?” She was staring hard at the table and didn’t respond. “Willow, look at me.”

Her eyes were shining with unshed tears when she looked up at him. He gave her a moment as she blinked and took a deep breath, willing them away. He was relieved when she succeeded. “There you go, sweetheart,” he said soothingly, “now take a sip or two of your wine and tell me what’s on your mind.”

She polished off the glass and he refilled it. After another study of the tabletop, she looked up at him apologetically. “I’m sorry, Angelus. I didn’t mean to do that. I’m better now. Forget it happened, I don’t want anything to mar our perfect evening.” She linked her fingers with his. “Really.”

Her smile was so sweet and beseeching that he would’ve ignored the incident if it weren’t so pertinent to what he wanted to discuss with her tonight. Before he could decide how to proceed, their salads arrived.

By the time the waiter left and Willow was eating her salad, he’d decided to just jump in with both feet. Pretty much. He was cursing himself for his desire to squirm in his chair and questioning his intelligence at thinking that having this conversation in public was actually a bright idea. He glared at his salad and moved it around the plate with his fork a bit, gathering his thoughts. Finally, with firm resolve, he looked at Willow, who was contentedly munching away. “Sweetheart, there was something I wanted to talk to you about tonight.” He placed his fork in the center of his plate and pushed it away.

She looked at him curiously and swallowed. “Okay.”

He clasped his hands and leaned forward, “I think you have concerns about the future and…”

Willow interrupted him, “Wait.” She placed her fork on the plate and wiped her mouth delicately with her napkin before she continued in an irritated tone, “I try hard not to think about the future. Every. Single. Day.” She raised her hand to stop him when he tried to speak and looked at him meaningfully. He reluctantly held his tongue. “Angelus, I love you. I’m happy. Let me have my carefully constructed illusions. I won’t become a vampire. I *won’t*,” she said sternly. “I know that means…” she swallowed hard, “if, if you don’t get tired of me first, I’ll age and…” her voice cracked and she cleared her throat, once again blinking to control tears that threatened to fall. “There will be no ‘happily ever after’.” She squared her shoulders and her expression hardened. “For now, I’m going to pretend that everything will always be rosy, and you’re going to let me.” Calmly, she picked up her fork and resumed eating her salad.

Angelus was surprised at the ferocity of her words and bemused by how easily Willow appeared to have mentally closed the subject after having had her say. He sipped his wine and thought about what she’d said and her present demeanor. Realization struck: she was relieved to have gotten her fears off of her chest and made it clear that that they weren’t open for discussion. Even though he suspected her fears were unfounded, it was probably good for her to have…unburdened herself. Denial was hard work, and it probably relieved the pressure considerably for her to think he’d do his part in helping her maintain it.

While he was mulling all of this over, the waiter arrived to remove their salad plates. Once he was gone, Angelus decided to try a different tack—since he’d been forbidden to discuss the future.

He smiled heartily at Willow, hoping to convey without words that he wasn’t going to broach an unwelcome subject. “A long time ago, I knew the most fascinating couple. Are you in the mood for a story?”

She nodded and smiled cheerfully, evidently trusting that he was going to behave himself and avoid the taboo topic. “You know I love it when you tell me about the ‘old days’. Um, when you leave out the gory details, that is,” she hastened to add.

“Of course,” he replied indignantly. “I know that.”

Willow snickered. “Yeah, right. You’re like Xander that way; sneaking the gross stuff in every chance you get.” She just rolled her eyes when he glowered at her. “Must be a ‘guy thing’. Oh! And making everything you can sound sexual.” She nodded knowingly, “Yep. Some irresistible ‘male/perv/crass’ tendency. Definitely.”

Angelus raised a brow at her disdainfully. “Are you quite finished disparaging me and my gender?”

She nodded seriously, but couldn’t contain a giggle.

“Comparing me to that buffoon Xander is going to cost you, little girl. Just wait until we get home.”

Willow looked at him mischievously and leaned forward, whispering, “I can’t wait.”

He chuckled huskily; he couldn’t either. “Now who’s the one making innocent remarks into sexual ones?”

“Not me.” She sat up primly, looking as pure as the wind-driven snow. “Now, are you going to tell me about the ‘days of auld’, or what?”

He had to smile. Despite himself, it was hard to resist the levity she brought to life. No matter what, her optimistic nature and sweet smile were never far from the surface. “Yes, but your devoted servant, our waiter, is headed this way with our entrees.” She blushed. Aha, he thought, she wasn’t totally oblivious to her admirers, after all.

Once the meal was served and their wineglasses were refilled, Angelus made sure that she was enjoying her dinner and ready for his tale, and then, finally, he was able to cut to the chase. “I was in Naples. It was a balmy evening and there was some sort of street fair going on. Nothing spectacular; jugglers, vendors selling sweets and trinkets, that sort of thing. It was amusing and I was just wandering. Then I smelled something very compelling. I traced the scent to a lovely young woman. Well…that’s what she *appeared* to be.” He stole a glance at Willow, who was following closely, but not distracted from her meal. Naturally. It took a lot to distract the girl when she was eating.

“Well?” she said, prompting him to go on. “What was she?”

He continued, pleased that she was so interested, “I didn’t know. I was very young and inexperienced—of course, I didn’t see myself that way.”

Willow gave an unladylike snort, “So, you were all conceited even way back then? When was this, anyway?”

He gave her a severe look, “No, my little smartass, but I was never one to doubt my own worth.” He shook his head, “Jesus, darlin’, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear Spike has been giving you lessons in insolence. And believe me, that’s never gone well for him.”

Willow looked completely unrepentant and pleased with herself, but didn’t say anything.

“Where was I? Oh, right. The year was 1761, in answer to your question. People tend to just…smell like people, so this young woman captured my interest and I inconspicuously trailed her. Or so I thought. When she reached a deserted area, she turned on me and hissed, ‘Listen well, Vampire, you are wasting your time. I am not a meal. Hunt elsewhere, or rue the day you crossed my path’.

“Well! As you can imagine, that surprised the hell out of me. She was human, knew what I was, and was certainly not afraid. Furthermore, now that I was in close proximity to her, I discerned that at least part of her scent was that of a master vampire. Well, and I could see that she was marked. Still, there was that elusive other scent. Now she was doubly intriguing. Marked humans were unusual. What had made her special enough to be more than a meal to this mysterious master, I wondered? Quickly, I collected myself and apologized for my impertinence. I was keen to get to the bottom of this. She was obviously a lady, so even by introducing myself I was being improper—but she overlooked that.” He smirked, “She was won over by my Irish charm.”

Willow clucked her tongue with impatience, “Yeah, yeah, you’re a stud-muffin and worked the, the…brogue ju-ju on her. I get it. But, who was she? *What* was she?”

Angelus preened for a moment, relishing Willow’s use of the word ‘stud’ in relation to him. “Her name was Genevieve, and she was French, but spoke perfect English. She wasn’t so competent in Italian, so I think she was glad to meet someone she could easily converse with. She told me she was on her way to meet her lover and invited me to join her.”

Willow was completely involved in the story, “Did you?”

“Of course! Curiosity had me by the short hairs. We proceeded to the town square where she introduced me to Nicholai. As I suspected, he was very powerful…obviously several hundred years old. Fortunately—although I was too foolish and brash to realize it at the time—he didn’t immediately dismember me for having stalked his woman.”

Willow held up her hand to interrupt, “Speaking of which, where was Darla during all of this?”

“Around. I’ll get to that. Domineering bitch could always sniff me out and locate me when I was in the company of a beautiful woman.”

“So, Genevieve was a hottie?”

Angelus nodded, “Yes. They both were. She was tall and shapely with flawless skin that had a slight olive cast to it. Rich brown hair and eyes to rival the greatest beauties. Nicholai was about my size and had blond hair and piercing green eyes. They both had an air about them…it’s difficult to define. Anyway, they certainly captured one’s attention on several levels. But I digress.

“The three of us hit it off and talked for hours. They were very interesting, and had experienced a lot of exciting places and things together. It was intriguing to witness a vampire and a human be so compatible. They clearly enjoyed a happy relationship and…deep, abiding affection for one another. Finally, I discovered what made Genevieve so unique; she was a witch. Magic was the elusive scent. Mostly. Once I’d met Nicholai, I discovered that they shared a, um, essence, I guess I’ll call it. Very distinct and unique.”

Willow’s mouth was slightly open; he was gratified to see that she was completely engrossed in his tale.

“They explained that they were bonded and had been together for over five hundred years.”

“But,” Willow looked perplexed, “Genevieve was human, you said.”

Angelus nodded, watching Willow closely, “Yes. To some degree, at least. Whatever their bond consisted of made her immortal, apparently.”

Willow shook her head. “Huh.”

Angelus chuckled. “That was pretty much my response at the time.”

“So…” Willow was interrupted by the waiter arriving and asking if she wanted dessert. She enthusiastically ordered tiramisu and returned her attention to her question. “What were the details of the bond?”

He shook his head and sighed, “All I know is that they knew when they met that they shared a special connection. At the time, the rest wasn’t relevant; my curiosity was assuaged.”

Willow frowned in disappointment. “Well, that sucks.” She flopped back in her chair. “I’ve never heard of such a thing. I sure wish you’d been a bigger snoop!” She smiled at him, “But still, it’s a cool story.”

Angelus leaned forward and looked into her eyes intently. Reaching for her hand, he said, “Willow, there’s a bigger picture here. I told you about Nicholai and Genevieve for a reason. I believe that you and I share the same connection that they did.”

Willow’s mouth dropped open and she stared at him in astonishment.

End Part 26