Buffy found herself in a place between the land of the conscious and the realm of sleep. Dimly feeling her body had lost its' natural warmth she began to shiver. Sleepily she burrowed closer to the body next to her, but instead of heat she found coolness. Unwillingly her sleep became more and more elusive and wakefulness more of a threat.
A furrow wrinkled her brow as she struggled to find sleep. She wasn't ready to face reality yet. Sleep was what she really needed. Drifting again towards the sand castles of dreams, she drowsily smiled. Aah yes, sleep. It was all she needed.
After several minutes, a dream started to form from the mist-filled chambers of her mind. Buffy saw herself running through a cemetery, being pursued by countless vampires. She felt as if she should turn and fight but instinctively she knew she couldn't because she wasn't strong enough. Why aren't I strong anymore? What happened to my strength?
On and on she ran. Running through her neighborhood she thought, 'Home! I gotta make it to my house!' before realizing she couldn't put her mom in danger. Miserably she ran past the security of home. On she ran past the high school, briefly thinking about Giles and how he'd react to the news of the rising of the new Slayer.
All the while the horde was right behind her, just a few steps back. Not close enough to catch her, but close enough that if she faltered even once they would be able to pounce.
Just when she didn't know where she could go to elude the bloodthirsty pack, she found herself in a thick, mist-filled forest. Her legs felt leaden and her lungs felt as if they were about to burst, but Buffy had to force herself to go on. The will to live, despite seemingly insurmountable odds, was too strong for her to give up.
Through the endless forest she ran, tearing past skeletal-like branches that tore at her clothes, jumping over ancient logs that continuously fell in her path, and all the while still being pursued by a ravenous pack. They seemed not to lose an inch; in fact they appeared to be gaining speed, to be gaining power from the evil wood enclosing them all.
Buffy's sleepy smile faded away as her nightmare pressed relentlessly upon her. Rolling over she unconsciously sought comfort but found emptiness. Panic and terror began to overwhelm her in suffocating waves. Where to go? Where to hide?
Just when she found herself at the edge of hysteria, an enormous gray-stoned castle appeared in a clearing before her. Not even daring to look over her shoulder she pushed her body to the limits of endurance to make it up the seemingly hundreds of steps. Finally reaching the top, she frantically pounded on the heavy double doors, oblivious to the splinters piercing her skin, sobbing because no one answered.
While Buffy fought for entrance, the pack of demons could be heard scrambling up the stone steps, panting with the need for her blood. Just as they reached a few feet from her and Buffy felt that seconds were all that were left for her, the doors suddenly opened. Whispering a devout prayer of thanks she rushed in, barely slamming the doors in time.
Just like the sudden hush of flame being extinguished, the world became unnaturally silent. Collapsing against the door, she looked around to see where she was. A cavernous, medieval-like room with fireplaces blazing on three walls greeted her sight.
Weapons from a span of centuries were hung throughout the hall. Katana swords, claymores, maces, rapiers, daggers, battle-axes, shields, and numerous other deadly weapons silently spoke their testament to death and destruction. Looking up she saw the ceiling was at least fifty feet above, the beams blackened from centuries of smoke.
Hesitatingly she walked further into the room, momentarily forgetting about the world outside. The hall held the whisper of the surreal, it seemed like something out of a dark fantasy. It had a timeless aura, as if the original occupants were still there. Cold, black marble floors caused her footsteps to ring loudly as she unerringly moved towards a raised dais near the end of the room.
Someone was there watching her, piercing her with his gaze, but who? His features were obscured by shadow, the fire casting an unholy halo around the enormous throne where he sat. She knew him, but...
Recognition dawned upon her at the same time he stood up. All of a sudden Buffy realized that she no longer felt winded, but instead felt very, very chilled. Looking down she saw that she was completely nude; her tank top, pants, underclothing, shoes, were all gone. Shock caused her to gasp aloud. Mortified by her nakedness, she attempted to cross her arms over her body before being stopped by a commanding "NO!"
Wanting to disobey but too frightened she meekly stood there exposed to his emotionless gaze. For what seemed like hours she stood still, knowing without being told that this is what was expected of her. His gaze licked over her vulnerable flesh. Without touching, he touched her. Without breathing, he breathed for her. There was not one piece of her that he did not see. No longer was there one piece of herself that she wanted to hide.
It always began as such for them---he pursued, she retreated. He conquered, she yielded.
It was as if they were the only creatures in the world.
The energy between them halted when as if from faraway, yet disturbingly close, she heard them. Small moans of hunger and salacious desire rippled throughout the room. Wildly looking around her she saw hundreds of pairs of glowing, yellow eyes all avidly staring at her.
Despair crashed. Desire broke.
Instead of fleeing to safety, she ran right into a den of vampires. Bitter tears clogged her throat and madness filled her brain. Crumbling to the floor she curled up into a protective ball. The raging noise of the damned filled her with ugly dread. She was trapped. She was going to die. In her heart she knew it to be true.
Then she heard him come for her. Each click of his boots as he descended from the dais pierced her eardrums. As the pound of his footfalls echoed throughout the hall the greedy, writhing forms suddenly became silent. Recoiling in fear they hugged the walls, each hoping that he wouldn't call for them.
Finally he stopped right in front of her. Without words he commanded her to look at him. Tentatively raising her head, her agonized eyes looked into his intensely cruel gaze. "Angel..."
Fury flared up in his eyes before sliding away to be hidden with his thoughts. "Get up Slayer," Angelus harshly barked.
Scrambling up to her feet Buffy mentally berated herself for calling him Angel. How many times had she underwent the harsh punishments of his ire for such an infraction?
Angelus coldly said, "When will you learn how to address your master? Do you think I am anything like Angel? Do I act like Angel? Do I fuck you like Angel did?"
"No," she sadly whispered.
"Then understand this: I own you. I am all you have Buffy, all you ever will have. You are mine to keep, mine to destroy."
"I'm sorry. Please..." Anguish made her voice sound raw. "Why do you hate me? Why do you always hurt me?"
Gripping her by the back of the neck he painfully squeezed until she cried out. Leaning forward until his lips were pressed against her temple Angelus emotionlessly answered, "Because it pleases me. That's the only reason I'll ever need."
Cries of delight resounded throughout, cries of the damned delighting in a mortal's suffering. Whimpering in fear Buffy began to futilely struggle against his hold. Great wrenching sobs caused her small frame to shudder as the hopelessness of her situation hit her.
This was why she had no power, why she couldn't defend herself against the undead. It was because of Angelus and her twisted love for him. Her love had made her as weak as any normal human being.
Instead of gloating over her fear, Angelus wrapped his arms around her body and murmured "Sshh, sshh my darling little girl. Why do you fear this? Why do you fear me? You want to be possessed, you want to be mine. Your love for me is far greater than it ever was for Angel. Why fight it? Give in, give in..."
Like a hypnotic melody Angelus' words were echoed by numerous voices. "Give in, give in, give in..." The seductive promise in his words stilled her sobbing. Dragging in great gulps of air Buffy closed her mind to fear, doubt, to all rational thought, and just made her body feel. Like the trickle of a stream that leads to the endless expanse of the ocean, so Buffy's body slowly awakened to the expanse of her desire for Angelus.
The entire hall sensed her arousal. The vampires raised their chant to a higher pitch, chanting even faster than before. Angelus suddenly picked Buffy up in his strong arms, and carried her up to the dais. Languorously laying in his embrace she dimly realized that he was completely naked, whereas he had been clothed completely in black just a few seconds before.
He carefully laid her on a crimson velvet-covered altar that appeared where his throne had been. Her heavy-lidded gaze ran appreciatively over his smooth, pale body. She felt as if she could die just from looking at his impossibly wide shoulders, sleekly muscled chest, and narrow waist. It was when her gaze traveled lower that her insides melted. Black, curly hair surrounded his long, thick, jutting penis; a penis that gave her pleasure so intense that she died a little each time when they came together.
The only sign Angelus gave that he noticed her lengthy perusal was the arrogant light in his eyes. Slowly he climbed onto the altar, until all she could see was him. Covering her small body with his large one he stared down into her eyes for an indeterminable time.
It could have been seconds, minutes, hours, days, even years but all Buffy felt was the desire to fall into his gaze, never to leave his sight. To always be one with him.
And still the demons chanted for her to give in to their lord and master.
Her lord and master.
"Please..." she implored once again.
In answer he took her mouth in a brutal, possessive kiss. It was so fierce that she felt her tender lip split from his assault. This only heightened their passions. Hungrily he licked her bruised and bleeding mouth as she panted for the exquisite pleasure and pain. Her body undulated restlessly beneath him, needing him so badly.
Angelus worked his way down her body nipping and biting her sensitive breasts, belly, and thighs until he settled between her eagerly spread legs. For several moments he gazed at her pink, pouty flesh. Buffy was beyond shame, she warmed under his enraptured gaze. Though expecting his most intimate kiss, she still cried out from the sheer ecstasy of having his cool tongue invade her core.
Buffy's hands restlessly roamed her body as her vampire lord greedily drank from her. His lips repeatedly closed over her clit before pulling away to press hot, heated kisses on her delicate flesh. Dimly she thought of what a decadent sight they made. The fallen being willingly ravished by the damned.
Angelus' long fingers penetrated her, working her into a frenzy as the feelings of his mouth, tongue, and fingers overcame her. Madly gripping her fingers in his dark hair, she arched her back as her orgasm crashed upon her body.
Howls of delight rose from the unholy observers, many of them by that point already paired off in their demonic couplings. The entire hall had become an orgy of hunger and lust.
Coming down from her little death, she looked upon the masses of moving flesh. Males and females, males with other males, females with males and other females all taking part of every perversion known to sex, yet all still looking at her and Angelus. The stares no longer filled her with fear and disgust. Instead she reveled in the unbridled dementia of the room. They were no longer her enemies; they had become her captive audience.
Softly kissing her nether lips Angelus' hands continued to stroke Buffy's damp flesh, bringing forth another cry of delight from her throat. Suddenly he raised himself up onto his knees and roughly flipped her unsuspecting body over. Forcibly pulling up her hips, he rubbed his erection against her, listening to her breathy pants, before slamming into her body.
"ANGELUS!" Buffy's body was caught in the throes of anguish and gratification. She felt helplessly pinned by his body. The burning pain of his invasion enhanced the burning desire she felt for him. Her body shook from the immense force of his thrusts. Great rasping moans tore from her throat as her demon pounded into her tender flesh.
Gripping the back of her head he forced her to look up at the countless acts of depravity that were taking place around them. "Look well Buffy, see what you have caused. You inspire that in them." Each word was punctuated by a thrust.
Fighting back the tears caused by the overwhelming sensations, Buffy thrust back against him. Humans weren't supposed to be like animals in lust, but oh God help her, she was an animal. She was just as animalistic with her lover as vampires were about feeding and fucking.
Pushing her head down to the altar, he continued to slap his hips into the rounded globes of her ass. "You have no power over us anymore Slayer because of THIS." His hand had reached around to cup her quivering flesh. "All that matters to you anymore is fucking---with me or anyone else."
Whimpering against his words she gasped, "That's not true! I love you!"
He raised her head up by the hair again. As he pulled her to him, she felt as if her back would break at any moment. He spoke in her ear with contempt dripping from each word. "Whore, you don't love me. You love this. You're such a fucking slut Buffy---"
"No! Angelus please---"
Slamming her head back down to the altar he spoke through clenched teeth. "Shut-up! I know it doesn't matter who fucks you as long as you get fucked." His all-consuming fury went through her and touched everything in the dark hall. All movement ceased and the evil horde watched enraptured as their lord unmercifully pounded into the Slayer. Her sobs of pain and unwilling pleasure clearly resounded throughout.
Bringing her body up again, he tightly wrapped his arms around her while continuing his unrelenting assault. Lowering his head to her neck, he bit her like a male animal bites his mate. Waves of white-hot pain and pleasure radiated throughout her body.
Closing her eyes she blindly reached above her and entwined her arms around Angelus' neck. Slamming his body in and out of her with vampiric strength and speed, Angelus' grunts of animal lust filled Buffy's mind and soul. The primeval rhythm of their mating rapidly took Buffy to the verge of orgasm.
Tirelessly they moved against each other until finally they both crashed into their mind-shattering orgasms. Their cries of rapture blended with the infernal orgasmic joy of the undead.
It was immoral perfection.
Buffy leaned into his beloved embrace never wanting to leave. He however, had other plans.
Abruptly throwing her off himself and the altar, Angelus coldly spat, "Such passion from such a faithless, weak creature. Let's see how much passion can be squeezed out of you before you get fucked to death. It's such an undeserving mercy for you, my beautiful whore. To die doing what you love---would that we were all so lucky."
Horror turning her insides to ice, Buffy looked up to see Angelus once again clothed and sitting on his throne. Wildly looking around her she saw several vampires slinking closer and closer to her.
Shamelessly gripping his leg she beseechingly looked into his impassive face. Finding no mercy in his soulless eyes she brokenly screamed "How can you do this to me?! Please Angelus, why are you doing this to me?!"
Leaning forward to grip her chin he growled, "Because I won't tolerate your unfaithfulness to me! Have I been your only one Buffy? Have I been the only to touch you? To feel you?"
Her mouth moved soundlessly, trying to summon up the lie, silently pleading for understanding. "Don't bother lying, I can see the truth in your eyes. You disgust me!" Pushing her violently down from the dais he unmovingly watched as several males greedily covered her flailing limbs with their bodies. "I'm sure you'll like these guys Buff. These are the ones I hold the most dishonor for, so I had to reward them for good service. Why not give them my most prized possession?" Watching her futilely struggle against them, a sadistic grin twisted his lips. "Don't think that I never cared for you, lover."
"Oh Buffy, say hello to my very good friend Cynthia before you die." A luscious brunette suddenly appeared from behind the throne clothed in shades of midnight. Her vivid dark beauty was unforgettable to Buffy. This person had caused countless of hours of pain and bitterness for her. She would never forget her. Never forget the moment when she saw both of them together...
Running his hand lightly down Cynthia's back Angelus smirked. "I'm sure you remember Cynthia, don't you Buff?" Lustfully gazing into her equally dark eyes he thickly murmured, "How can anyone forget such a delicious bit of beauty?"
Leaning down Cynthia captured his lips with her full, glossy red mouth. Greedily they devoured each other as Buffy helplessly looked on with betrayal and impotent fury. Catching her venomous glare Cynthia pulled back from Angelus with an evil smile on her flawless face. "I definitely remember you Buffy. We had third period together didn't we?" Maliciously grinning she purred, "Please be sure to know that I'll take much better care of Angelus than you ever could."
Indescribable torture wracked her body as the first of countless vampires ripped into her. Buffy mentally shut down as she thought of her ultimate failure: to fall in love with a demon, a thing from the deepest pits of hell. She had been right; she was going to die that night.
But she died from the desolation of his deadly faithlessness.
The last thing she heard was Cynthia's bright, tinkling laughter and Angelus' cheerful request of "Oh lover, do me a favor. Tell Angel I said hi, and let him know that the world is a much worse place without him."
Shooting straight up in her bed Buffy wildly looked around to assure herself it had been just a nightmare. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. Everything must have been a dream, even Angelus finding her. Ruthlessly squashing a rush of disappointment, she took a deep sigh and shakily laid back down.
Funny, I don't remember coming to bed...just the shower...
Her approaching calm was short-lived when she heard his silky voice float towards her from the living room space. Casually emerging from the darkness, he walked towards the bed. He stopped at the foot and leaned against a post. "What's wrong baby? Bad dreams? Why would such a pure girl like you ever have anything bad to dream about?"
Dropping his pose of studied ease he pinned her with a menacing stare. "Unless, oh I don't know, maybe you have something nagging your conscience. Something like guilt." Throwing a stack of letters and photos on the bed he gave her a few moments to stare at the pile before snapping her attention back to him.
"Don't bother lying. I can see the truth in your eyes." Buffy felt herself grow pale as she felt her nightmare come to life.
"What right to you have to be going through my things?"
Ignoring her he promised, "Darling, I'm going to make you hurt like I've never done before---and I'll LOVE every minute of it.
Threateningly making his way over to her, Buffy quickly jumped off the bed and landed on the other side. Her dream instantly took on prophetic reality. Did it also foretell her death?
Yeah, and all the resident demons of Hell would be making snow angels too. She let him do a lot of things to her, but death was not going to be one of them.
No fucking way.
Facing each other they both stood tensely, awaiting the other's move when all of a sudden a loud pounding sounded at the door. Their gazes locked onto each other in surprise. Buffy knew of only two people who would be out at this hour. Oh God, please don't let them be out there. Make them go away, before anything bad happens.
It was enough that her friends and family suffered because of Angelus, she didn't want anyone else to. If there was a time for God to listen to her prayers now was the time.
Or would her prayers fall on deaf ears as they had every other time before?