“Something’s happening,” Buffy murmured quietly, eyes darting around the white space.
Faith nodded, on edge. “I feel it. Like electricity everywhere.”
The girls backed up until they were back to back, on guard for whatever was about to come their way. The room practically hummed now and their preternatural instincts were raging, making the girls jumpy as they assumed fighting stances, eyes darting wildly around the room.
“There!” Faith cried a moment later, pointing. Buffy turned in that direction and squinted, trying to make out the shapes that had suddenly appeared out of no where. As they became clearer, it was evident that the forms were human. One by one the bodies were given detail and were soon familiar as the figures became Wesley, Giles, Dawn, Connor, Gunn, Anya, Lorne, Angel and Spike.
The stunned group realized suddenly that they were no longer confined inside the elevator and took a few steps back, warily observing their new surroundings. For Gunn, and Wesley, this was nothing new, and they quickly joined Angel at his side.
“Buffy,” Angel murmured softly.
Buffy’s shoulders sagged in relief and she approached him slowly. “Thank God. This place was starting to get to me.”
Gunn gave her a smart-assed grin. “Just be glad the little girl doesn’t live here any more. Freaky.”
“Buffy…” Dawn said softly, rushing to hug her sister. The Summers girls embraced for a long time before letting go, and when they did, Dawn placed her hands on her hips accusingly. “I was worried.”
“Sorry,” Buffy raised an eyebrow. “Next time I get doublecrossed, kidnapped, and locked in a bright-as-hell dimensional pocket, I’ll text message you.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to get smart about it.”
“How did you find us?” Faith asked. “Lawyer-bitch says this place is all but impossible to get into.”
Angel shrugged nonchalantly. “We’re good. Ready to go?”
“Yes, please,” Buffy nodded.
Angel took her hand and led she and Faith over to the rest of the group. A moment later the room began to dim and they found themselves back in the elevator.
“Game plan?” Buffy asked.
“Willow has the lawyers frozen…a spell she performed,” Giles informed her.
“So the basic plan would be to simply walk out of the building,” Wesley chimed in.
Faith nodded. “Works for me.”
The doors opened a moment later.
“Unless bad things have happened,” Lorne muttered, observing the scene before them.
Willow was unconscious, floating, trapped inside what appeared to be some kind of circular force field. Lilah stood next to her, guards all around, smiling smugly.
“You know, Angel,” she told him, “if you knew we were expecting you to come try and rescue the Slayers…why didn’t you consider that we’d have back up plans?” A group of men walked to her, forming a line on either side. “The most powerful magicians in the world. Sorcerers, actually. Enough to take down the little miss over there. Just waiting in the wings until we could get you where we wanted you.”
“Let her go,” Buffy warned, low and deep.
Lilah smirked. “Can’t. Need her. Need you, too.”
Guards appeared on all sides, taking Buffy, Faith and Angel by the arms. The three began to struggle when Lilah called out, “Ah ah ah… I wouldn’t. Otherwise the others die.”
The threesome looked up to find that more guards had appeared and were now holding weapons at the heads of their friends. Dawn was terrified and her eyes found Buffy’s as tears began to spill over.
“Let them go, and deal with us,” Buffy warned Lilah again.
“Oh, you’ll be dealt with. Ryson!” she called, and a man in uniform stepped forward. “The Slayer and the vampire, downstairs. That one,” she pointed to Faith, “needs to see Mr. Parker. The others, including him,” she sneered at Spike,” back to the white room.”
“No!” Dawn cried, struggling as the guards took her by the arms and began dragging the Scoobies toward the elevator. “Buffy!”
“Let her go!” Buffy screamed. “Dawn! It’ll be okay! I’ll get you out of here!” she called out as her sister and their friends were led away.
“Noble until the very end,” Lilah said wistfully. “So…cute.”
“If you hurt her, or any of them, I will kill you,” Buffy growled, baring her teeth.
Lilah smiled. “Of course you will.” With a raised eyebrow the guards took hold of Buffy, Faith and Angel, handcuffed their hands behind their backs, and began leading them away.
“Oh, and Ryson?” Lilah called out. The man turned, attentive. “The witch… See that she’s taken to see Karasis.” The man nodded and the threesome were led away. At the stairs Faith was yanked to the right and practically dragged up the steps, while Buffy and Angel were veered left and similarly shoved down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairwell they were directed to the right and walked down several hallways, struggling the entire way against their captors.
Brought before a large door with bars in the small 1’ x 1’ window, a typical jail cell, the duo were roughly shoved inside the room and the door slammed shut behind them. Buffy stumbled and came down hard on her knees, hissing and wincing at the pain. Helpless to do much but stand beside her, Angel began to work on pulling the cuffs from his wrists when Buffy managed to get to her feet again.
“I think they’re magical,” he told her.
She raised an eyebrow as she struggled against the metal cuffs. “Kinky.”
“Magical, meaning we can’t break them.”
Her heart sank. “Oh. Well, in that case…” Taking a seat on the floor Buffy rolled onto her back, bringing her legs through her arms. When she sat upright again her hands were in front of her.
“Nimble,” he observed with a wink.
Buffy smiled. “Yoga. Great strength-training, too.”
“So…this isn’t exactly how I saw this evening going,” he sighed, walking to the door and peering out of the window. Two guards stood outside the door, each armed with machine guns. The guns couldn’t do much to him, other than sting, but Buffy was mortal, and he wouldn’t risk her until he had a plan formulated that involved more than just kicking down the door and running out.
“I have to say, it’s better than being stuck in that white room again.”
“I’m sure… And Gunn’s right about the little girl.” Angel shuddered. “Be glad she’s gone.”
Buffy threw him a wary glance. “I’m not going to ask.”
“Probably better that you don’t.”
Buffy approached the door and looked out, seeing the guards. “Looks like we’re here for a bit.”
“Looks like it.”
“Think you can bring those around?” she asked, indicating the cuffs.
He wriggled a bit against the pinch of the restraints and threw her a skeptical look. “I’m not sure my body works like that.”
She pouted prettily. “If Kiefer Sutherland can do it, you can.”
“Who?”
Her eyes bulged. “Kiefer Sutherland? Son of Donald? The Lost Boys? Young Guns? Star of one of the currently most popular television series’? 24?”
His blank stare was her answer and she shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder how you’ve survived this long. How can a person be wise without having experienced everything?”
“Like hours in front of the TV?” he retorted as they paced the room.
Buffy nodded enthusiastically. “They have it on DVD now, the whole season. No commercials. You should try it, get your pop-culture GED.”
“Maybe after we escape the psychotic lawyers who are currently holding us prisoners, okay?”
She appeared mollified and stopped pacing to lean against one of the walls. With a sigh, her eyes rolled heavenward. “This sucks.”
Angel had to chuckle as he joined her. “It does.”
“Free for like, a minute.”
“Sorry about that.”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know they’d have contingency plans for Willow’s mojo.”
“I should have thought about it,” he chastised himself. “I should have known. Lilah’s not stupid.”
“Hey,” she said quietly, “Angel… None of us knew. She’s been playing all of us the entire time. She got me here, convinced Spike he was the vampire for her…all of it just to get to you.”
“I still should have stopped, thought,” he grumbled. “I didn’t. I just charged in here, like John Wayne getting the girl.”
Buffy had to smile. “The girl appreciates it, nevertheless.”
“Note the use of pop culture,” he pointed out lightly.
“Noted and filed away,” she said, tapping the side of her head. “But don’t blame yourself, okay? You didn’t know. It was kinda a rush operation.”
“No excuse, Buffy. All I could think about was getting to you. If they’d hurt you, if they’d tried to hurt you…”
Her expression softened. “They didn’t. Faith and I are just fine.”
“You were until I barged in, guns a-blazin.”
“Angel--”
“And now look at us,” he continued, growing angrier by the moment. “Stuck in here, our friends held hostage, and still no closer to figuring out why they wanted Spike, how to stop the ritual, or who’s hunting the Potentials!”
“Angel--” she tried again.
“Girls are dying out there, Buffy, while we’re trapped in here! We’ve got to find a way--”
Buffy moved in front of him and reached up, her cuffs clanking together as she did, and touched his face. “Hey… Stop. Breathe.”
He looked into her eyes for a moment, feeling the anger leaving his body just from her simple caress. “I don’t breathe,” he said after a moment.
She smiled. “Humor me.”
They lingered together for another minute, her hand on his cheek, her touch calming him and igniting other, and in his opinion, far more dangerous fires. Their eyes locked on each other, he brought his lips down, hesitantly, not wanting to push her too far when she crushed her mouth up against his.
“Mmmm…” she grinned against his lips. “Handcuffs. We never tried those.”
His heart beat, he swore it did, for the sole purpose of giving him a heart attack now. “Uh…no. We didn’t,” he chuckled and returned to kissing her. Buffy pressed herself against him, pushing Angel back into the wall, helpless to hold her against the magic of the cuffs. Frustrated he pushed against her, backing her up until she crossed the room and was backed up against the opposite wall. Using his considerable strength he practically embedded Buffy into the concrete in his desire to have his body on hers. She moaned, bringing her hands up and looping them around his neck, secured by the handcuffs. Her legs came up and she hung, monkey-style, from his waist, wrapping her legs around his torso in an effort to be closer.
Angel let out a growl of desire and frustration and released Buffy momentarily. Her arms came down hard around his neck and she pulled free, stepping back, confused until Angel rolled to the ground and pulled his own arms through his legs, freeing his hands slightly more so than before. With a look of accomplishment, followed by one of complete feral lust, he headed for Buffy once more, hands coming up and around her face, pulling her lips onto his. His tongue invaded her mouth, drinking deeply from her and Buffy gasped.
“Angel…” she moaned. Though hindered by the handcuffs, she reached beneath his shirt to caress his cool skin and her touch made him shiver.
They sank to the floor and Buffy maneuvered them until Angel’s back was resting against the wall. Straddling him she sat on his lap, planting kisses over his face and down onto his neck. When he sighed from pleasure a wicked grin spread over her face and she nipped lightly on his shoulder blade. He bucked involuntarily and she giggled, biting down tenderly at the flesh at his throat.
“Oh, God…” he groaned.
“We shouldn’t…” she gasped as her mouth sought more of his flesh, pulling and teasing on it, working him into a frenzy.
“I know…”
“But I want…”
His hands came up, forcing her lips back to his. “Me too…”
The kiss rocketed them both, hit them straight in the heart and disarmed all senses until suddenly a voice rang out inside Buffy’s mind.
Buffy!
The Slayer froze and jerked back, staring Angel in the face.
“What?” the vampire gasped.
Buffy! Where are you?
“Willow?” she whispered, fearful.
Buffy…I’m here. I’m…the sorcerers. They’re going to--
Willow’s voice was abruptly cut off.
“Willow?” Buffy cried, scooting off Angel’s lap and struggling to her feet. “Willow! Where are you!? Willow!” she called out to the almost empty room.
Angel rolled to his knees and stood. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know,” she told him, her voice laced with panic. “Willow was calling to me, and then suddenly she was gone.”
“What did she say?”
“She said ‘I’m here…’ and… ‘the sorcerers.’” The Slayer turned to him, her eyes huge with worry. “I’m worried, Angel. She sounded terrified. What do they want with her?”
Angel closed the distance between them in two quick strides, enveloping the tiny woman in his arms as best he could. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out. We’ll get to her, to all of them.”
Buffy ripped herself from his embrace. “Oh, god…Angel. What were we doing?! Kissing, thinking of ourselves, when our friends, our lives are in danger!”
“We’ll get out of this, Buffy,” he told her sternly. “You can’t give up. We’ll get out of here.”
“What if it’s too late?” Her voice was soft and far away, and Angel feared she was giving up.
“It’s not. Willow’s strong. The others aren’t stupid. They’ll be safe, they’ll protect each other. Long enough for us to figure out what we’re--”
The door opened suddenly and three men walked inside, one of the carrying a large pair of manacles, the others carrying velvet bags tied with leather.
“Who are you?” Angel demanded warily.
The man with the manacles smiled evilly.
“If you think you’re getting me into those, you’re mistaken,” the vampire threatened with a growl, instinctually putting himself between the guards and Buffy.
“Am I?”
There was a sudden electric shock. The last thing Angel remembered before hitting the floor was the terrified look on Buffy’s face.
*~*~*
Inside the office she’d into which she’d been thrust, Willow paced furiously around the desk. Buffy! Willow tried again. Buffy! There are sorcerers…they’re going to--
“Excomitar,” a voice hissed from behind her, and Willows mind slammed shut, closing out the power that bubbled inside her.
Willow turned fearfully to face the person behind that voice. A large man stood before her in deep navy robes. “Who—who are you?”
The man regarded her with interest. “The power in you is strong. I am stronger.”
Willow’s face wrinkled with confusion. “Okay…so…you’re stronger.”
“Much stronger,” Lilah informed her, stepping inside the room and locking the door behind her. “Willow Rosenberg, meet Karsis. The world’s most powerful sorcerer.”
“Sorcerer?” the witch echoed.
“Only appropriate for you two to meet, you being the most powerful witch.”
Willow’s expression registered surprise. “I’m…what?”
Lilah raised her eyebrows. “The world’s most powerful witch, Ms. Rosenberg. Why do you think we have an interest in you?”
“You…you’re interested in me?”
“We’ve been trying to communicate with you ever since that little escapade last year. That was some dark magic you brought forth. Shook our walls more than a few times.”
The red head was stunned. “You know me?”
Lilah nodded. “You’re famous, young lady. Quite the topic of conversation in certain circles. Certain…important circles.”
Willow blinked. “I am? Well…yeah… That’s right! I’m a powerful witch, so…back off!”
“Please, Ms. Rosenberg. I advise you to hear me out. What we have to propose to you is quite… lucrative.”
Willow narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to offer to make me a vengeance demon, are you? ‘Cause I don’t know how many times I can tell you people I’m not the revenge kinda girl. Um…Unless you kill my girlfriend. Then it’s sorta skinless all over the place, black hair, veiny weirdness.”
“Not a demon, no. We don’t want to change you or turn you into anything but your sweet powerful self.” Willow tilted her head speculatively. “Well, okay,” Lilah admitted, “We do want to change you a teensy bit.”
“How?”
“Despite that innocent nun-like persona you sport most of the time, I know you’re really two different people, Willow. Remember how good it felt to be bad?” Lilah asked, leaning in just a bit to stare the girl in the eye. “That sweet innocent demeanor might have worked on the boys in high school, but you’re in the big leagues now. You’re an untapped source, one who Wolfram and Hart would be more than honored to include on our roster.” She paused. “Tell me--when you did the black-hair thing, you didn’t have to care about friends, consequences, anything. How did that feel?”
Willow shuddered, remembering. “I almost killed everyone. I tried to end the world.”
Lilah shivered deliciously. “Sounds fun.”
“It wasn’t. Going evil isn’t all about the goth hair and changing your eye color. It’s about hurting people. People I love.” Lilah wiggled her eyebrows and Willow’s mouth dropped. “That’s what you want from me? To destroy the world? Well, forget it, mister! Me, and veiny-me…we’re both not interested.”
“You misunderstand,” Lilah corrected coolly. “We don’t want you to hurt your friends. The Slayer isn’t of much interest to us.”
“You’re holding them both hostage at the moment.”
“Touche. Let me restate that. The Slayer isn’t our primary interest. We keep a hand in the game, an eye out, like we did with Faith years ago, but for the most part…Slayers aren’t going to play in the big game and aren’t of much use to us.”
Willow frowned tersely. “You’ve never been to Sunnydale, obviously.”
“Yes…yours is a little…unconventional, I’ll give you that. A Slayer who has friends, who bucks the system, gets her Watchers fired, “What’s wrong with her--” Willow began, then shook her head. “Wait. What is it you’re asking for me. You want me to do a spell?”
Lilah leaned on the desk. “I want you to come work for me. For us, actually. To head the Division of Dark Magic. It’s a little Hogwarts sounding, I know, but hey,” she shrugged, “sometimes evil is campy.”
Willow was stunned. “You want me?” she squeaked. “Wow…that’s so… Wow.”
“I know,” Lilah grinned. “You’d have your own office, not as nice as this one, but with a great view…you’d get to travel…see the world…”
“Business cards?" Willow asked before she could stop herself. "Oooh…maybe with a little witch flying on a broomstick up in the corner?”
“Whatever you’d like,” Lilah nodded.
Willow smiled faintly. “Huh…no, wait. I can’t head up your Dark Magics department--”
“Division,” Lilah corrected.
“Whatever. That’s…wrong.”
“And tempting.”
“No…no! It’s not. It’s…repulsive, in fact, and repugnant. And other R-words.”
“Then why are you hedging?”
“I’m not. I don’t want to be evil again. I can’t go back to that place. It was…dark. Horrible. It hurt, more than anything.” More than losing Tara.
“You need some time to think about it, I can see,” Lilah told her striding to Karsis’ side. “I’ll let you two get to know each other. Should you decide in our favor, you’ll be working side by side with Karsis here. I’m sure you two can learn a lot from each other.”
Willow eyed the scary looking sorcerer warily.
Lilah opened the door, then glanced back as an afterthought. “Oh, and Ms. Rosenberg? I think you should know, you do have options here. You don’t have to choose to work for us.”
“What’s the other option?”
Lilah gave her a smug smile before she breezed out the door. “To have Karsis completely remove your powers, for good.”
