Chapter 33 – Miracles and Freedom
Buffy giggled, making the
other women in the room turn to look at her. She shrugged her shoulders and
leaned back against her headboard. The others weren’t going to bother her.
Nothing was anymore.
“Laughing isn’t going to
help,”
“I wasn’t laughing at
Faith,” Buffy said, plucking a piece of lint from her red leather pants. “I was
laughing more at what we are doing. I mean, we’re sitting here watching her try
on appearances the way she would clothes.”
It was Faith’s turn to shrug
as she turned back to the mirror to contemplate the image that
“I look like some kind of
preppy bitch,” Faith declared, shaking her head.
“Thanks,”
“The red head look suits
you, Will,” Buffy said. “It doesn’t suit Faith’s personality. She’s not as cute
as you are.”
The two women she was
comparing studied each other for a second then turned back to Buffy.
“Still not sure if that’s an
insult or not,”
“A little bitchier, don’t
you mean?”
“It would fit,” Buffy said,
standing. She walked over to
“Look, I don’t know if I
want any of your ideas,” Faith said. “You’d probably make me as ugly as
possible.”
Buffy just smiled slyly as
“I think it suits you,”
Buffy said, honestly, “mysterious, beautiful but someone that anyone would
think twice about tangling with.”
“I like it,” Faith said.
“Thank you, Buffy.”
“Yeah, that’s the one,”
Willow said, unable to take her eyes off Faith.
“Excuse me,”
There were hints of tears in
Faith’s eyes as she stared at the other women. She blinked them back, returning
to her previous blasé attitude and turned back to the mirror again. Her hand
ran through the hair before she turned slightly to look over her shoulder at
herself.
“I appreciate this, guys,”
Faith said, but her eyes met Buffy’s in the mirror. “I’m going to do everything
I can to help with everything. To pay you back for giving me a second chance.”
“Actually I think this is
your third or fourth,” Buffy said, not smiling. When Faith looked hurt, she
laughed and hugged the other Slayer in effort to keep the peace. “You’ll be
family shortly. Guess it’s time to let bygones be bygones besides I have a demon
now and can really kick your butt.”
“Want to test that,” Faith
said, patting Buffy awkwardly on the back.
“Nope, already done it and
to do it again would be overkill.”
It was time, Buffy decided,
to start implementing the changes that she wanted to make. She had what she
wanted, her vampires and what she needed, control of them. For once it was what
she wanted and she was going to take it. Want, take, have, was what Faith had
once told her and now with a little demon kicking around, she was going to live
by that motto. Never again would she be that whining, little girl that begged
for the attention of Angel. It would be his turn to beg.
The first step was to have Faith
under Angel’s control. Buffy smiled when she thought about the result of that
spell. If Angel was doing Buffy’s bidding it would mean that Faith would be
too. Slowly, they would fall like
dominos until she was the ultimate one with power.
“Are we going to show the
boys?”
“Very good idea,
Upon reaching the lower level,
she took her spot on the arm of the chair that Spike was sitting in. Her arm
was draped along the back of it with her hand curved around Spike’s neck. He
instantly leaned closer to her side while Angel came to stand just behind her.
Maintaining the solidarity of the three was important to her until she had
everyone where she wanted them. There could be no apparent weakness to the
others concerning the bond of the trio if she was to maintain control.
It was actually amusing to
watch Faith be bashful as the center of attention. Everyone looked her over and
Buffy noted the glance between an equally bashful Wesley and Faith. The
information was tucked away for when it might be useful to manipulate the two
to her way of thinking.
“Are all agreed upon that
this is the one?” Buffy asked.
“Yes,” Faith said. “I can’t
believe that you well…thank you, Buffy.
“You’re welcome. So, now
what about a name?”
“Well, we have already
chosen the last name of King,” Wesley said, leaning forward.
The Watcher was barely able
to keep his eyes from the brunette Slayer who was still preening for everyone.
Jenny had come forward to turn a critical eye to the girl. She was speaking to
If hard pressed to give an
opinion, Buffy would have to say that it was a family event with everyone
gathering to help out one member. They would all contribute in their own way.
Giles was right about that. They were all needed and no one could ask for a
better core group. A few changes and a little discipline they would be
unbeatable. Buffy was counting on it and Dawn’s life depended upon it.
Buffy shook her head
slightly to force herself to pay attention to the names that were being tossed
around. Most were common names but none seemed to match Faith’s personality or
the new look she was being given. It was then that Buffy remembered the name of
a nurse that had helped so much when her mother was in the hospital.
“How about Mia?” Buffy asked,
offering the name she had remembered. “It’s Spanish for miracle and I think we
are going to need one in the days ahead.”
“Mia King,” Faith said.
“I think it’s beautiful and
appropriate,” Jenny said.
“Very good, Buffy,” Giles
said. “I’m proud of how much you’ve helped Faith tonight.”
Buffy only smiled. There was
no need for them to know it had all been born from selfish desire. Angel’s hand
came to rest on her shoulder and she knew it was to remind her that he knew the
truth. It didn’t matter. Once it would have made her quake in nervous
anticipation of how he would react. Now it only reinforced her desire to bring
Angel to his knees. She took his hand and kissed it softly before replacing it
on her shoulder. It was only a matter of
time, she thought as she squeezed his fingers.
~~~~~~~~
In solemn contemplation of
what they were about to do everyone had moved to a smaller room upstairs of the
mansion. It was a room that Angel had chosen as a place for meditation and
quiet reflections. Buffy and Spike rarely came to this room but had known of
it. It had been taken over since the blondes stayed in their mate’s bedroom
more than their own. It was a part of Angel’s personality to need somewhere to be
alone and this room was where he retreated when he needed privacy. Once a
coveted guest room with a massive fireplace, it was now more of a living room /
study with comfortable chairs and arm chair. Books and drawing instruments were
scattered on the tables showing the more sensitive side of the vampire.
The ones that weren’t needed
for the spell were seated on the couch in the shadows of the corner. The trio
had been split up by the Watchers hoping to keep the connection to a minimum.
They formed a triangle around the room with Buffy and Spike on opposite sides
of the room while Angel stood at the small table with Faith. Normally the
ritual was one of only vampire rites but they had chosen after research to
include a spell to help control the normal urges that came with it. They had
also modified it so that Faith wouldn’t drink the blood required from Angel but
he would bleed into a cup. The changes were made to minimize the effects of the
sexual connection usually found in this relationship.
Spike’s eyes narrowed as he
watched Giles and Jenny set up the needed items. Everyone knew what the spell
was for and why it was usually used but no one was brave enough to talk about
it. Spike and Buffy knew the implications as sure as they could smell the
arousal on Faith in spite of her feelings for Wesley. The bite was intimate and
apparently one she was looking forward to as she stood next to Angel. Spike looked up to meet Buffy’s eyes and saw
the same pain in her eyes. It was almost too much to ask that they allow their
mate to be connected to this other girl. To make Faith more than human and less
than a vampire so she could be joined with Angel. No wonder Buffy had latched
onto the demon so possessively. Otherwise, once again she would be left out of
the equation when it came to their mate.
“Are we ready?” Giles asked
stepping back.
“Yes,” Angel said, looking
up to seek the approval from his mates. Buffy barely nodded while Spike tried
to give him a reassuring smile. It didn’t work. They all knew it was the only
thing they could do. A compromise; give up a part of their mate in order to
keep Angel at home with them.
Faith pulled her hair back
and bared her neck to the vampire. Her arousal deepened as Angel slid an arm
around her waist. It was almost too much to watch and Spike closed his eyes as
Angel bit into her flesh. In the old days it would have gone differently. The
sharing of the slave’s blood as well as flesh and the decadent games they would
play to amuse them. For the first time
Spike openly admitted to himself how much he had
changed since the relationship started with Buffy and Angel and the desire to
be one of the good guys.
Words were being incanted
and Spike opened his eyes in time to see Angel cut his arm. The blood dripped
into the cup and Spike felt heat travel through him. Buffy was calling to him.
Her eyes begged for him for understanding and he allowed himself to connect to
her. It was warm and comforting. He could feel her love for him so strongly and
he gave it back to her.
The cup was lifted while
No one knew though except
Angel who was in the throes of the blood lust. He growled and backed away from
Faith. The spell had awoken a part of him that had been denied for quite awhile.
Spike rushed to his side, forgetting for the moment what had been done, in his
need to comfort Angel.
“Are you all right?” Spike
asked, cupping Angel’s face.
“It’s almost over with,”
Buffy said, leaning against their mate and wrapping her arms around him.
Their presence seemed to
help the fury that was rushing through Angel. He clung to them as they
continued to whisper words of love and caressing the vampire as he forced
himself to temper his demon. They were left alone in the small huddle they had
created even though the activity continued around them. Faith was being checked
over by Jenny while Wesley asked her questions. The others waited in barely
concealed anticipation to find out the results of the ritual.
Finally, Angel shook his
head to return to human guise and stepped back.
“Let’s see if this works,” Angel
said.
“How do you find out?” Faith
asked, suddenly seeming to be frightened as she stepped closer to Wesley.
“Because I’m not doing any parlor tricks just so you can have a good laugh.”
“Come here, Faith,” Angel
said.
“Well, I certainly hope that
wasn’t the test,” Wesley said, laughing nervously as Faith walked to Angel.
“Faith,” Angel said, once
the girl stopped in front of him. He looked deep into her eyes and instructed
her to, “Pick the knife up from the table.”
Faith obeyed.
“Now, stab Wesley through
the heart.”
A few gasps were uttered and
Giles stepped forward but Buffy laid a hand on his arm to stop him. Angel had
chosen the one test that he knew Faith would undoubtedly have to be under his
spell to perform. The vibes between Wesley and the Slayer had become more
noticeable throughout the evening. There was no question of Faith’s burgeoning
feelings for the Watcher. A stunned silence fell over the group as they watched
Faith approach Wesley and raise her hand.
“Stop now,” Angel said, reaching
around and taking the knife from her.
“What the hell did you make
me do?” Faith cried as her face crumpled in tears. “Oh, my god of all the sick
and twisted…”
“But most effective way of
proving your obedience to him,” Wesley said. He slipped his arm around the
girl. “I think it’s time for us to return to LA.” He straightened up to look
Angel in the eye. “Of course, if it’s all right with you?”
“Wesley, I’m sorry,” Angel
said, quietly. “It had to be proven. Not only to her but to us and if she proves
the ally she says she is then it never needs to be brought up again. All
right?” He waited until he received a
nod from the other man. “The glamour spell will protect her identity from
everyone. Do you still have the instructions to get her paperwork?”
“Yes,” Wesley said, and then
he turned to Faith. “You ready to go?”
The tender words were
undeniable and after receiving the acknowledgement he needed, the two slipped
away. The atmosphere was still tense and Spike knew that there would have to be
some heavy reassurances tomorrow to bring everybody back together. He trailed
behind everyone else as they made their way to the front hall. It took a few
minutes for the group to say their good-nights and it was with relief when the
door closed behind the last one.
“Well, you two,” Spike said,
trying to smile. It faltered as he saw the look that Angel gave to Buffy and he
started to make a wish for them not to fight but he was tired of it. “I’m off
to my own little cozy bed. See you tomorrow.” He turned on his heel and headed
for the stairs. If they were going to kill each other in some power play let
them. He wasn’t going to watch it anymore.
to be continued…
