Part 32

It was creeping up on mid-afternoon when Angelus woke up. His sleep fogged brain was slow in sharing all of the sensations that had its pleasure center stimulated and purring like a kitten. Of course, he had a major hard-on—and that was never conducive to clear thinking.

As he became more conscious, he realized that his face was buried between Willow’s breasts. They were all warm and soft, and her heartbeat resonated against him, the feel and sound pleasant and soothing. She was breathing slowly and deeply, her arms holding his head snugly against her.

Her legs were doing the same thing to his mid-section, her pussy pressed firmly against him.

The marvelous scents were heady. It all was. Without moving a muscle, he smiled, remembering how he and Willow had rutted like animals and fucked each other senseless in the wee hours. It had been amazing.

The blood congregated in his dick nagged for satisfaction, but other than that, he was totally relaxed. Purring contentedly, he tried to hold on to the feeling, but his mind kicked into gear and wouldn’t let him.

Last night had left him with a lot to think about and his thoughts got busy whether he liked it or not. As much as he’d like a ‘wake up fuck’, he had to let Willow sleep. She’d had a hell of a day yesterday and was exhausted. Besides, he preferred to get his thoughts in order before she started her day—she would be full of thoughts and questions of her own.

Very carefully, he extracted himself from Willow’s arms and legs and went to take a shower.

He’d jerked off in the shower to take the edge off, but as he stood here now and admired Willow’s inviting position on the bed, he was hard again. He smiled as he stroked his cock soothingly. After he’d left the bed, she had repositioned herself. Now, she was lying on her stomach, head resting on her folded arms, mussed hair spilling all around her. Bunched covers were beneath her, elevating her glorious ass. Her legs were spread and the view was tantalizing.

He walked around the bed for the full effect, memorizing the sight so he could recreate it later on paper.

With regret, he headed to the closet to get dressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~

As Angelus descended the stairs, his thoughts ran amok and he was unable to bring order to the chaos. This must be what Willow felt like when caffeine got the better of her, he thought wryly.

Willow.

Immortal.

In all of his speculation about his and Willow’s similarities to Genevieve and Nicholai, it had never crossed his mind that Willow’s immortality had already begun. Signs had been there, he just hadn’t realized it. Like her speedy healing after he’d injured her—he’d assumed that the small amount of his blood that he’d given her had accomplished that.

He felt a surge of excitement. Life was just beginning. He’d been a vampire for 245 years, and there had been a lot of good times, but…. He took stock and tried to articulate to himself what he was feeling. Things were different now. Before, he had been sowing his wild oats. Living by the seat of his pants. Recklessly going from one adventure to the next. Feeding, fucking, and wreaking havoc wherever and whenever he could.

In retrospect, he saw that Darla had been the instigator in most of that. Hindsight clarified things, as it so often did. It was never easy to fully understand the motivations of others, but for the most part, Darla had been trying very hard to keep things exciting. He snorted. She hadn’t wanted to lose her ‘boy toy’ to boredom. He’d certainly been a keen participant and infatuated with it all; her, the power, the terror they had wrought. It had been a hell of a ride.

Until Romania. When the time came to pay the piper.

Then there had been a century of imprisonment in a broody body. The soul had tortured him every moment with misery and remorse.

He shuddered.

When the soul had finally begun to feel less bleak, things got worse instead of better. The Slayer came along, and against all odds, the soul had actually found something that was worse torture for his demon than what had come before. Ugh. All those warm, mushy feelings for the blonde nightmare were a new brand of hell that had been beyond the pale.

Then, of course, Angel had fucked the little cunt. He chuckled at his pun.

Who would’ve ever thought fucking Buffy’s virginity away was the answer to all of his problems? The twists and turns of fate could be strange and wonderful things.

Now he’d entered a new era. Everything else had just been…groundwork. The world was his oyster. His and Willow’s. His mate, he thought with a broad grin.

Sure, there were still some obstacles to get past and hoops to jump through—but he’d deal. He wasn’t going to let any of that spoil his feeling of exhilaration.

There was so much to think about.

Now, his active brain was jumping to Genevieve. What was her connection to Rupert Giles? Whatever it was, he thought with an anticipatory grin, it was sure to be a tasty little scoop. Was that why Genevieve volunteered to accompany Willow to Sunnydale, he wondered? Oh, he knew Genevieve sincerely wanted to help Willow. But did she also have an agenda of her own?

He entered the library and wandered idly as his thoughts bounced from topic to topic erratically.

Sunnydale.

What would Willow decide with regard to that? He wondered with mixed feelings. He chuckled. Here he was speculating on what decisions she would make, when a short time ago he wouldn’t even have considered letting her make her own decisions. “Times are changing,” he said out loud as he lit a cigarette.

He took a deep drag and watched the smoke lazily waft through the air as he exhaled. Last night Genevieve had said that his relationship with Willow was more “egalitarian” than anything he’d previously experienced with a woman. He snorted, and thought, ‘wasn’t *that* the truth!?’ But, in reality, he didn’t have to consciously make adjustments to his ways—they seemed to be changing all by themselves. With regard to Willow. Exclusively. *He* wasn’t changing…except for that.

He studied the tip of his cigarette. Well, okay, *he* was, he allowed, but not *all* of him.

He grunted with frustration and walked to the French doors. It was all very confusing.

Out on the lawn, Genevieve was romping around with her audacious little ragamuffin, Amerie. He snickered as he watched. Genevieve would throw a tennis ball, Amerie would bound after it enthusiastically on her short little legs, then sniff the ball and sit down, waiting for Genevieve to come get it and throw it again. He had to laugh at that. He supposed it could be worse: the dog might not retrieve the ball, but at least she didn’t run off with it.

Restlessly, Angelus went to his desk and sat down. Savoring his cigarette, he wondered if Willow would wake up more enthusiastic about her immortality than she’d been last night. He let out a soft growl as he fondly remembered things she *had* been enthusiastic about last night. Well, he thought philosophically, if his darling was only going to be excited about one thing in life, fucking him was the one he’d choose.

Ultimately, Willow was Willow: it was her nature to see the bright side of things. He knew that it might take her awhile to reconcile to the changes in her life, but the end result would be a positive attitude, because it was her way.

As Angelus put his cigarette out in an ornate crystal ashtray, Amerie sashayed into the room, smelling of grass and sunshine. She made a beeline for him and reared up to put her front paws on his leg, expecting a friendly greeting. He smirked down at her. “Hello, you cheeky little imp. You are awfully sure of yourself.” He gave her a perfunctory pat on the head. “Off you go now.”

She wagged flirtatiously at him, then bounced off to find someone more generous with their affections.

Genevieve laughed as she entered the library dressed in weathered Levis and a tiny pink T-shirt proclaiming ‘Girl Power’, with her lovely hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. “Good afternoon, Angelus. I just passed Amerie on her way to the kitchen. Had she been in here pestering you?”

Angelus smiled, “She can’t resist my charms.”

“Hmph,” she replied with an eye roll, taking a seat in a chair in front of the desk. “*You* think that about all females.”

He shrugged and motioned to himself in an ‘of course’ gesture.

Genevieve giggled, then looked at him seriously. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Angelus. You haven’t changed, and the familiar is comforting to encounter in life. And Willow was such a delightful surprise. I look forward to a long friendship with her.”

Angelus nodded and smiled softly. “It’s good to see you again too. The world changed drastically in the century I was gone.” He raised an eyebrow. “Sure, I witnessed the changes. But, it’s not the same when you’re just a resident in a body, without control of it. But, yes, I know what you mean; a familiar face from ‘back in the day’ is a welcome sight.” He leaned forward. “And I suppose Willow is especially significant to you. After hundreds of years of existence, you’ve finally met one of your own kind.”

Genevieve’s eyes welled up, but no tears fell. “It means more to me than I can tell you,” she replied softly. “It’s a rare gift to meet someone you hit it off so well with, no matter the situation.” She smiled at him brightly. “Best girlfriends are a treasured commodity for us women, you know. It’s those relationships that sustain us and give us strength and…” she wrinkled her nose and looked at him pityingly. “Never mind. You wouldn’t get it. Men…just don’t. Especially vampires.”

Angelus was affronted by her condescension and gave her a dirty look as he leaned back in his chair. “Well, one thing holds true with women of *any* species: their smug certainty that males ‘just don’t get it’ regarding…a myriad of subjects.”

Genevieve snorted. “Only because it’s true.”

He gave her a sardonic look and asked derisively, “Is there something we can discuss other than male inadequacy?”

Doing a poor job of hiding her amusement, she replied, “Sure. I can see that it’s a sensitive subject for you.” Ignoring his grunt and glare, she asked, “Did last night’s excitement keep you awake, tossing and turning, or were you out like a light and worn out from it all?”

Angelus grinned rakishly. “I slept fine. *After* satisfying the greedy sexual dynamo that Willow turned into the second we got to our bedroom.”

Genevieve threw her head back and laughed, then smiled at him wickedly with a gleam in her eye. “I’m not surprised. Chemistry—or whatever normally attracts people to one another—is increased with the bond.” Her brow wrinkled briefly while she searched for the right words. “It’s like you’ve both been furnished with vast amounts of pheromones that irresistibly attract you to each other. It turns you into each other’s…aphrodisiac.”

Genevieve paused and looked wistful. “It’s *wonderful*,” she said, stretching leisurely. “I remember that feeling so well. It’s a sexual compatibility beyond imagining, if you haven’t been fortunate enough to experience it firsthand. Since you have a great deal of experience, you can fully appreciate how exceptional the attraction and the sex between you and Willow is. With someone young and innocent like she is, and I was when I met Nick, you do understand that something extraordinary is happening, but not the full extent—due to lack of experience.” She smiled knowingly. “And you don’t really care because you’re deliriously happy and so swept away.”

Genevieve’s attention drifted and she was lost in her thoughts temporarily. “Yes. So very swept away,” she whispered.

Angelus sank further in his chair, getting more comfortable, but didn’t say anything. Obviously, Genevieve was lost in fond reminiscing and he didn’t want to intrude on her sentimental trip down memory lane.

With Willow in his life, he had a new and profound respect for the magnitude of her loss of Nicholai. Angelus shuddered. He didn’t even want to contemplate losing Willow. That would be just…

Genevieve came out of her reverie. “Memories are bittersweet,” she said quietly, more to herself than to him. Sitting up straighter, she propped her feet on the chair next to hers. “As I was saying, I’m not surprised about Willow’s behavior last night. Beyond the obvious sexual pull between you two, she’s experiencing a new feeling of empowerment. She’s feeling more sure of herself and her place in the world. She’ll be spreading her wings—testing the waters.” She grinned at Angelus. “It’s going to be an exciting time for Willow. I know that last night she seemed to be having some difficulties, but don’t worry, as time passes, she’ll work all of that out.”

She threw her arms up with exasperation. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to get so long winded. All I’m trying to say is that if you thought Willow was a “sexual dynamo” last night, you’ll *really* enjoy what’s to come.”

Angelus had been listening very closely. He was interested in every aspect of what Willow was and would be going through…and Genevieve had certainly finished with an exciting tidbit. He grinned. “Everything about and relevant to Willow is important to me. Learning that I’m in for pleasant surprises in bed is *always * welcome news. Who doesn’t like hearing that their future holds incomparable fucking?”

Genevieve chuckled. “True. That can even make the most tedious conversation become interesting.”

Angelus was thoughtful, then said, “What you’ve said explains why I can be absolutely absorbed in business matters, then she walks into the room and my brain empties the second I catch sight of her. My eyes and nose send their messages and suddenly my dick’s so hard, it’s like I haven’t gotten laid in a week.”

Genevieve lifted her hand, palm up, gesturing toward him. “Exactly. For both of you. Like teenagers with sex on the brain 24/7.”

“And it will always be that way?”

She grinned impishly. “Pretty much. For several years. Things will level out eventually, but lovemaking will never become routine or boring between you. It will make even randy vampire pairings seem like old married couples in comparison. That spark that makes her more alluring to you than any other woman will always be there.

Angelus pondered that with a self-satisfied smile.

Genevieve cleared her throat, “I hate to change the subject when you’re so pleased with this one, but where are Darla, Dru and Spike? I would’ve expected them to race to your side the moment your soul vanished. Or don’t they know yet?”

Her eyes widened at the odd expression Angelus wore in response to her questions.

He told her what had become of Darla and she was astonished. After taking a moment to absorb the information, she said, “Well…huh. That *is* news.” She wrinkled her nose and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, not that Darla became Nest’s lackey when he rose again. That doesn’t surprise me the least, she always *was* especially devoted to that vile creature. I never cared for either of them, so good riddance, I say. But…now…that you’re…you know, ‘yourself’ again, how do you feel about your…er, Angel’s part in staking your sire?”

He studied her thoughtfully while he considered her question. Finally, in a subdued tone, he responded, “It’s complicated. She *was* my sire, so there’s that.” He blew out a puff of air. “Hell, even trapped inside Angel at the time, I had mixed feelings, not the rage you might expect. At the time, watching her bow and scrape and simper to the Master—she had lost her dignity, I thought.” He arched an eyebrow at Genevieve, “You wouldn’t have recognized her.” He grimaced with disgust at the memory, then looked resigned. “And, you know, when *wasn’t* my relationship with her complicated?”

Genevieve nodded. “She may have sired you, but two such dominant personalities are bound to have conflict once the fledgling stage passes, regardless.”

“Yes. I had had unresolved ‘sire issues’ for a long time. She did not have a loyal nature—or, only when it suited her. And when I was cursed with a soul she repudiated me. Many times since I’ve been back I’ve thought about how different things would’ve been if Willow had been in Darla’s shoes. Willow would’ve moved heaven and earth, never giving up on finding a solution until I was restored.” After a brief scowling silence, he said with disdain, “Darla couldn’t distance herself from me fast enough.”

“Well, if she were here, she certainly wouldn’t be distancing herself now. You would have a lot of conflict to deal with. Darla wouldn’t have stood for your relationship with Willow.”

Angelus made a pained face at the thought. “I can’t disagree with you there.”

“So, what about Spike and Dru?” Genevieve asked.

He smiled fondly. “Fine. They’re in Sunnydale.”

“Really. Interesting. I’d love to see them. What are they up to? Are they aware of Willow? Oh, and sire killing is serious business. How did they react to that? And…”

Angelus raised a hand to interrupt her slew of questions and laughed. “Jesus, woman, you’re full of questions. Let me address the ones you’ve already asked before you continue pelting me with them.”

Genevieve chuckled repentantly. “Sorry. I have a lot of catching up to do, I guess. Go ahead.”

“I told Drusilla and Spike that you were coming, and they’re looking forward to seeing you. Especially Dru, she adores you. They’ve been up to quite a lot. It’s astonishing to me that they’ve survived without me watching over them since they both have such a penchant for trouble. Of course, it’s been a near thing a couple of times, but I’ll let them fill you in on their antics. And, yes, they’re aware of the situation with Willow. They were amazingly receptive—the idea of the correlation between you and Nick, and Willow and me appealed to them a great deal. Darla was a tyrant and a bitch, so there certainly was no love lost there.” He cleared his throat and scowled, “And with regard to sire killing—or at least attempts—well, vampires that live in glass houses can hardly throw stones.”

Genevieve’s eyes widened in astonishment at the implication. “They tried to *kill* you?”

Angelus nodded brusquely. “They did. It’s a long story. I’ll let my errant childer tell it.”

She looked thoughtful and appalled as she absorbed his words. Finally, she said, “Well, they always were full of surprises.”

Angelus just grunted in response.

“Considering the hideous things you did to Drusilla in creating her…maybe it’s a bit of ‘what goes around, comes around’.”

He pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, looking bored. “Whatever.”

She ignored his response. Still a little taken aback, it took her a moment to form her next question. “Sooo, Spike is in the same town with the current Slayer...who just happens to be your woman’s best friend?”

Angelus laughed. “Yeah. Ain’t life grand?”

Genevieve looked at him skeptically.

He smirked. “Oh, what? I’m an evil bastard and I’m not supposed to think the whole crazy thing is funny as hell?”

She looked at him crossly and snapped, “Listen dumbass, you have a complicated situation on your hands that could easily become volatile. You’re going to have to learn to balance being an “evil bastard” with your relationship with Willow. She’ll be feeling her way for a while, adapting to her new life. If you don’t maintain a tight rein, things could happen that can’t be undone. Especially now, when this life is so new to her, this lackadaisical attitude on your part could allow events to unfold that would be detrimental to how she perceives things.”

Angelus glared at her belligerently, not liking being lectured, but Genevieve continued undaunted, not the least bit cowed by looks that would scare the hell out of most people.

“Willow will become very accepting of vampire behavior. Something happens with the bond—like she’s been hard-wired to accept that the vampire nature has tendencies that would’ve been completely unacceptable to her before.” Genevieve’s brow furrowed as she concentrated, trying to find the words to articulate the process.

Angelus took the opportunity to control his temper. She had pissed him off by being so high-handed with him. Sternly, he reminded himself that he had invited her here specifically to enlighten him and Willow on the bond. And that was exactly what she was doing. He made a conscious effort to relax his jaw and shoulders, and focused on what he was learning about the psychological evolution Willow was, and was going to be, experiencing.

Genevieve noted his countenance becoming less fierce and smiled at him softly. “It’s like this, Angelus: You and other vampires are perceived by me as…sort of like another species or culture. I accept the differences. As will Willow…IF something—or things—don’t happen to derail her. She *loves* her friends—they’re family to her. That became abundantly clear to me last night. If you or yours are responsible for harm that comes to them, it could do irreparable damage. If Spike or Drusilla perpetrate these hypothetical events, it won’t matter that it wasn’t you directly.

“Maybe not now, but eventually, as she comes to understand the sire/childe dynamic, she’ll *know* that you could’ve exerted the influence to avert things that hurt her deeply. That kind of pain would change her and her outlook beyond anything you can imagine. Bitterness, hate, anger—those things alter humans a great deal. You would rue the day you let things happen that altered the course she’s on now.”

Judging by the intent look she was giving him, she was done, Angelus thought, and was trying to gauge if she got through to him. He had to admit to himself that while Spike and Dru knew that Willow was part of their family—and therefore safe—they were wildly unpredictable. He hadn’t been monitoring them closely, and there was no telling what they were scheming up, left to their own devices. It was highly unlikely that they would see Buffy and her crowd as off limits just because Willow was. And with Spike’s penchant for killing Slayers…

“You make a good point, Gen. Actually, Spike and Dru have had run-ins with this Slayer and,” he chuckled, “it hasn’t gone well for them. This Buffy, while I dislike her intensely, is a formidable Slayer. One would think their experiences would make them cautious, but you and I both know that those two can’t be relied upon to be sensible. I’ve made it a point to spend time with them, but they have a lot of free time on their hands to dream up mischief.”

Angelus ran a hand through his hair and considered what his childer’s mindset might be. He realized he probably shouldn’t waste any time in getting over to the mansion and explaining things to Spike and Dru. “Maybe tonight I’ll visit them. That will give you and Willow time to get better acquainted and discuss questions that she has. Convincing Spike and Dru to stay away from Willow’s friends will probably be fairly easy.” Angelus raised an amused eyebrow at Genevieve. “You see, Drusilla is *very* excited about her new ‘mommy’.”

Genevieve laughed. “Ah, I see! Yes, that will definitely work in your favor. Knowing Dru, the opportunity to make ‘mommy’ *and* ‘daddy’ happy will please her immensely. If Drusilla is determined to comply, convincing Spike isn’t even an issue. Right? I’m assuming he still adores his ‘princess’ and will do whatever she asks.”

“Absolutely. He’s as devoted as ever.”

“I can’t imagine you’ll have any trouble with them. Between your authority as sire, and Drusilla’s desire to please both you and Willow, it should be a piece of cake.”

Angelus frowned.

Genevieve’s forehead creased. “What?”

He looked up at her, but took a moment to answer. “Well…I *have* re-established my authority with them since I’ve been back, but there are…*issues* that only time can resolve.”

She looked at him curiously. “Such as?”

“As you know, those two aren’t like other vampires.”

Genevieve snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

Angelus chuckled wryly in agreement. “They were very hurt by being deserted during the century that I was…gone. ‘Angel’ was a selfish bastard and ignored them. Of course, he pursued Darla like a whiny baby running to mama. She sent him packing, and he left Spike and Dru in the dust. Since I was privy to his thought process, I can tell you there were a couple of factors involved. The guilt kept him away from them—he couldn’t bear the sight of them because they were tangible evidence of his misdeeds. Then, there was his absolute self-absorption. He was so wrapped up in his ‘woe-is-me’ state of mind and didn’t even consider that while he was running to *his* sire in an unpleasant time, his own progeny might have similar needs. If the pity party wasn’t all about *him*, he wasn’t interested in it.”

Genevieve nodded in understanding. “I see. Forgive me if this sounds stupid, but I don’t completely understand how things worked while you were, um, *submerged*. Couldn’t you make suggestions?”

Angelus grunted in disgust, then let out a bark of bitter laughter. “Believe me, I tried. The soul was all about disregarding *anything* that came from me.” He shook his head. “Jesus, he was a contrary fucker!” He growled and sneered at the annoying memories, then remembered his original point. “As a result, it will take time to re-establish trust with my childer.”

Genevieve had pulled her ponytail over her shoulder and was absently playing with it as she mulled over Angelus’ words. “Hmm. Well, it sounds like you’ve already made a lot of headway with Spike and Drusilla. Consistency on your part, and as you said, *time* should take care of the rest.”

He watched her and waited for her to continue. She was deep in thought and clearly had more on her mind. Finally, he grew impatient watching her stare into space, tugging and twisting at her ponytail. “What else, Genevieve?”

She looked back at him in surprise. “Oh, sorry.” She smiled. “I was just thinking about a couple of things. Spike’s had time to come into his own during your absence. And, of course, you two always did have an adversarial love/hate relationship. Now he’s stronger and used to running his own show. That’s good for you in terms of Willow; it gives you room to be with her and explore your new life. It’s very good that you intend to go to them tonight because I can also see where Spike might be more intractable than ever.”

“Agreed.” Angelus raised a determined brow at her. “I’ll reinforce that I’m back to stay and here for them. I’ll also nip in the bud any plans they might have that would be counterproductive to Willow’s adjustment.”

“That’s good. I know there’s a lot going on for Willow right now, but you might consider moving up your timetable for her getting to know them. Establishing a family bond for Spike and Dru with her should help your case.”

Angelus wasn’t entirely sure that Willow was ready for that, but he saw the practicality of Genevieve’s point. “I’ll consider it, and maybe discuss it with her.”

“You know, Angelus, it’s pretty ironic.”

“What are you talking about? You lost me.”

She smiled. “Sorry about that. I mean Angel. As you know, I spent a lot of time with him.”

Angelus looked uncomfortable, but nodded, curious to hear what she had to say.

“He had a difficult lot in life and I felt sorry for him at the time. But what you said earlier makes me see some things in a different light. He avoided Spike and Drusilla because he/you were responsible for taking their lives—and worse in Dru’s case—and that through them, he was still perpetrating evil. *But*, as sire, if he had kept them close, he could’ve prevented much of what he felt guilty about and responsible for. They *still* would’ve been vampires, with a vampire’s hungers and desires, but…”

Angelus threw his arms up and nodded vigorously. “Yes! Exactly. His influence could’ve prevented a lot of what those two got up to in the past century. Fucking hypocrite,” he seethed. “I’m glad someone else finally sees it. And that’s not the half of it. Many times, he turned a blind eye to evil just so it wouldn’t inconvenience him and distract from his ridiculous preoccupation with his own misery. There was a time in the early ‘50’s that he left a hotel full of humans to the mercy of a demon that…. Well, never mind.” He smiled at her. “I’m just glad that someone else sees that he wasn’t just some…do-gooder to be praised ad nauseum.”

Genevieve laughed as he finished with his rant. “Do you feel better now?”

He smirked. “Yes, actually.”

She grinned at him. “I’m glad I could help.”

His expression became mischievous. “You could also help me by clearing up something that has me curious as hell and my imagination running rampant.”

She looked confused and said tentatively, “What?”

He leaned toward her. “What on earth is your connection to Rupert Giles?”

“Oh. That. Uh. Um.”

End Part 32