Stormchaser
 
by Shadowlander
 
 
Chapter 6
 

Then something occurred to her, "What do you mean, I smell funny?" she asked just as Giles and Xander stepped into speaking distance.

Willow looked startled for a moment before replying. "Well you smell like a human, but not. Almost like you're apart Brijas, with a touch of Soljinn thrown in for effect." She paused before continuing, gathering her thoughts. " It's a rather nice scent actually, just a bit intoxicating at first.........kind of jumps right out and says 'here I am', if you're not expecting it. Which I wasn't. Back at the library I mean. You throw me when you came in, just overwhelmed me with your scent - which I liked, a lot............I'll be quiet now." She finished noting the strange looks she was getting from the two males.


Buffy Summers went over the conversation she had earlier with Willow in her mind as she made ready of bed. 'Willow Garibaldi,' she knew her name now, it was a pretty name, although the last name didn't seem to fit her new friend somehow. 'New friend?' Buffy still wasn't sure what to make of Willow, half of what she said had gone over the Slayer's head. Of course, she also got the impression that her Watcher had been just as confused by the redhead, so she wasn't feeling too bad. Than there was Xander, the two had pretty much grown up together, and shared just about everything with one another. Yet for the first time in her life, Buffy found herself resenting Xander's presence. It was almost like he was an intruder between her and Willow. She couldn't explain why she felt threatened by Xander earlier, all he had done was sit back and make his usual off the wall comments, and yet a part of Buffy wanted nothing more then to throw him out of the room. Who was she kidding, she knew exactly why she was angry with Xander. She didn't like the way he had been staring at Willow's leather clad chest, when he thought no one was looking.

Shaking her head to clear it, Buffy settled in for a good night sleep. She could figure out everything tomorrow, Wills was coming by the library after school, hopefully by then Giles would have some useful information of them. 'I wonder what she looks like without all that leather?' Was Buffy's last thought as sleep overtook her and she drifted off.


"You're purring." The Mistress said with mild accusation, as she watched her mate approach the large bed, the purring intensifying as the object of her affection got closer. "Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" She questioned with a wicked grin, as her mate slowly climbed into the foot of the bed and crawled her way up the mattress, to her goal, the lounging Mistress at the head of the bed. "Of course, you did." She answered her own question as she took her mate's face between her hands and drew her close for a kiss. The Mistress didn't get an answer, nor was she really expecting one. She knew from past experience that her mate would not speak for, at least, several more hours, the effects of her bloodlust still firmly in control. As a result her mate could only express herself in purrs and growls. No matter, the Mistress really wasn't interested in anything her mate had to say at this moment. She had several more enjoyable things on her mind to do to her mate then just 'talk'.

Feral green eyes stared into the face of her life mate, the call of the hunt still firming holding her mind in its iron grip, pounded in her veins. The night's kill had been beyond belief, as she and her life mate hunted together. Their prey stood little chance as they swiftly and silently descended upon their unsuspecting query with deadly precision. The thrill of the kill was only surpassed by another hunger, as the need to mate overtook the bloodlust surrounding her. Calling her to become one with her life mate, to answer the ancient ritual older than even man. But she hesitated, waiting for her life mate to make the first move.

The Mistress smiled as she calmly studied her mate. Her beautiful hunter had made her so proud tonight, taking down her prey with a savage grace that only she had. She could tell that the bloodlust that had driven her mate during the hunt, still called to her, singing of past pleasures that only her life mate could provide. But still her mate waited, even as age-old urges tried to override reason, her mate waited. She knew who was in charge, who was the alpha of their union. The Mistress was pleased at her mate's obedience, it had taken long months to tame her champion, and to tie her will to that of the Mistress's. "Undress." The Mistress said, her eyes never leaving those of her mate's.

Without breaking eye contact, the command was obeyed as the figure leaning over the Mistress slowly pulled off her leathers before returning to her original position. "Very nice." The Mistress complimented running one hand through her mate's dark red hair before grabbing a handful and pulling her down for another heated kiss, before rolling to get her mate under her.

From her new position straddling her mate, the Mistress looked over her find, rather pleased with what she saw. Her mate's purring had gotten louder, nearly vibrating the huge bed with its intensity. The Mistress chuckled as she leaned down to take one breast in her mouth, her mate arching into the contact of lips against flesh. She chuckled again as one hand captured the other breast and started to pull and play with the nipple found there. She contented herself with teasing her mate's breast for awhile, enjoying the increased purring and low growls coming from her mate.

Growing a bit bored, the Mistress raised up to take her mates lips in another kiss, tongues dueling with one another as she slipped a hand further down her mate's body. Pausing only briefly to stretch taunt stomach muscles, enjoying the long purr and soft whistle emitted by her mate, before continuing on to slip two of figures into her mate's wet folds. "Excited aren't you?' The Mistress commented pulling away to give her mate a knowing smirk as she moved her two figures in and out of wet folds with smooth even strokes.

Her mate only growled, emerald eyes fleshing in warning, now was not the time to be playful and the Mistress knew it. Of couse, that didn't stop her from teasing her mate with playful nips and bites along her throat and shoulders all the while keeping a steady rhythm with her hand. She could feel her mate responding to her touch, her hips meeting her forceful strokes as hands pulled at the Mistress's silk robe looking for the flesh carefully hidden within. She only chuckled at her mate's impatientness, knowing that once the hunger within her precious one was sated it would be her turn. She knew it was only her mate's bloodlust driving her actions, firing her need for a quick hard union between them. But the Mistress was the one in control and it would be her who decided how their union would be, not the bloodlust that raged within her beloved. That was why the Mistress always took her first, sating the untamed fires within her mate, before allowing her mate to pleasure her.

"Steady." She gave the low command at another of her mate's impatient growls, lowering her head to capture a breast once more, to nip and bite at it's peak. Rising her head suddenly, her eyes narrow, "Don't bite me." She ordered sensing the bloodlust trying to override her mate's limited control. Biting the Mistress without permission would not go unpunished, as she gave her mate a firm reminder of just who was in charge with a quick twist of one nipple. The action got an immediate result as emerald eyes fleshed with feral intensity, her mate struggling to regain some control of herself.

The Mistress only watched as her mate struggle to keep her bloodlust under control, her hand stopping within her precious one. Satisfied that her mate had indeed regain a bit of control over herself she leaned down to give her a kiss as a reward, continuing her forceful strokes once more. Trailing kisses along her mate's jaw line and moving down to her throat, the Mistress picks up the pace, a third figure joining in.

For her part, her mate could only whimper and clutch at the silk robe adorning her life mate as she neared orgasm , overwhelming all thought even the bloodlust that had been consuming her moments earlier. All that mattered was her life mate and those talented hands of hers, touching, and stroking.

The Mistress smiled against the side of her mate's neck, feeling the walls around her figures beginning to contract as she continued to pound with in her. Right before her mate orgasmed, she gave a low growl of her own and went to "game face", sinking her fangs deep into her mate's neck, sending her over the edge.


Buffy fell out of bed as she awoke in a cold sweat, heart pounding out of her chest for the second night in a row. Taking deep ragged breaths she tries to calm herself, unsure of what terrified her more. The fact that she just dreamed about having mind-blowing sex with Willow, and that it really didn't seem to both her. Or the fact that she was a vampire having sex with Willow.


At the same time

Drusilla sat back in her throne, and gave an evil smirk as she watched the phantom image of the Slayer sitting on the floor before her. She had responded so well to Dru's careful manipulations of her dreams. When the time came she won't fight as Dru turned her, creating her Enforcer to stand at her side for eternity. The Slayer would be more then willing to become Dru's servant, the dream images having embedded them selves so deeply in the Slayer's subconscious that refusal would be unthinkable. It only helped Dru's cause that the Slayer and her kitten had finally met, granted it wasn't under the conditions Drusilla would have preferred, but nonetheless they had met and the attraction to one another already forming.

Soon Dru would have to address the little matter of her kitten's rebelliousness. She had somehow rejected Dru's manipulations, having woke up the moment Drusilla's magic had touched her mind. A more direct route would have to be taken with her, perhaps she would introduce her kitten to her new home sooner then she had planned. The Slayer could always join her later, after she disposed of Angelus and his useless minions. "Yes, that would do." She said making the phantom image before her disappear with a wave of her hand. She had plans to make, a room for her kitten prepare.


 
Chapter 7
 

Later that same night - the Garbaldi house.

Willow prowled the first floor in a near blinding rage, her growls echoing throughout the quiet house. Someone had tried to probe her mind; she could still feel the after effects of a powerful enchantment touching her. It wasn't a pleasant feeling; the enchantment tasted of dark magic, the kind that Sunnydale seemed to attract. It was a magic she was beginning to recognize; it smelled of that crazy vampire that had invaded her dreams the night before. However, tonight was different, the magic smelled odd, like it was more powerful. She really couldn't explain it, she only knew that it angered her. With a deep growl of frustration, she turned suddenly and headed for the front door. It was no use trying to get back to sleep, she knew from past experience that she was filled with a restlessness not easily satisfied. 'Best to run it off', she decided with resolve, absently wondering how many miles it would be this night before her cat calmed down enough to sleep.

She had been running for some time, dawn just a few hours away, and Willow was still all wound up. The past couple of days troubled her, she wasn't used to people trying to get into her mind while she slept, and she sure wasn't used to losing control of her cat in public. 'It has to be the hellmouth,' she thought with disgust, unconsciously turning her aimless jog toward Sunnydale. The town was calling to her, mocking her with its evil...almost like it was daring her to do something about it. As a result she was rapidly developing an intense hatred for Sunnydale and its undead populace.

Shaking her head to clear it of her silent musings, she realized that she was headed back to the Bronze. She hadn't meant to go back into town, at least not at night anyway. The fight earlier with the vampires had taken more out of her then she would like to admit. Her cat had gotten a taste of blood and it wanted more. Willow had always feared losing herself to her animal psyche; of course her brother firmly believed that she - her 'human' self - would always remain in control. Sometimes Marco's faith in her astounded even her. Deciding that she had run far enough, and having no desire to see the other side of town, she turned back toward home briefly wondering if she could beat the sun [there] or not.


Angelus couldn't believe his luck. He had been in a rage of his own after the brawl in the Bronze, losing several good minions to the Slayer and the red head. He had already taken out his displeasure on the assorted minions, who had the misfortune to get in his way, back at the lair. He had left his own mansion lair, over looking one of Sunnydale's larger graveyards, hours ago to spread even more mayhem among any unsuspecting human who might have been outside so late at night. Only to find the mysterious red head on a late night run.

Smiling to himself, he followed her, careful to stay down wind of the small red head. Although, the scars across his cheek were healing themselves, he still felt the need to repay her in kind, to possess her in every way. When he first came to Sunnydale to overthrow the imprisoned Master, he had stalked the Slayer, toying with her whenever he could. He was determined to destroy her, to break her human mind and then vamp her. She would make a good companion for Spike and himself], he had decided. But now there was the red head, which seemed to be helping the Slayer some how. That would not do, the Slayer was his to break and mold in his own twisted image, and Angelus always got his way. The red head's presence in Sunnydale would have to be addressed and soon. The longer he watched her the more obsessed he became. The need to calm the fire that burned within her eyes, as his own consumed him. And whatever Angelus wanted, he got. He was Sunnydale's master after all.


Drusilla watched Angelus form the shadows, noting her sire's pleased expression as he followed the unaware red head through town. She had the left the safety of her own lair when she felt her kitten's presence in town. Dru had already prepared her kitten's new home, and was eager to place her in it. Soon she would have her kitten with her, where she would remain until the Slayer joined their little family, and then they would rule the night.

Still there was the little matter of Angelus to address; the master vampire was unaware of her presence in town, believing that he had gotten rid of her back in Prague. Her 'daddy' always was full of his self, buying into the insane act she put on for the last two hundred years. She had planned her revenge carefully, waiting for the most opportune time to destroy him as he once tried to do to her. 'Perhaps, I should rethink my plans,' she silently mused, careful to keep out of range of Angelus's senses. It wouldn't do for him to know that she was in town, not until she was ready to stand over him as the Slayer dusted him. 'Yes, it would be perfect,' she thought with and evil grin. Dru would take her little kitten tonight, Angelus was getting ideas of his own for her kitten, and that would not be allowed. The kitten belonged to 'her', she was for 'her' Enforcer, and Angelus's continued interest in either of them was growing tiring. She would have to do something about that, she had wanted Angelus's last hours to be painful as his hold over the town, and minions, were stripped away from him. Dru was confident that she could direct the Slayer in the final battle with Angelus, she would ensure that he would die just as Drusilla wanted him to - painfully and slowly. Then there was the little matter of Spike; she wasn't sure what she wanted to do with him just yet. Oh they had some good times in the past, as they, literally, painted many a town red. But he had chosen to side with his sire, betraying Dru. His death would be nowhere near as swift as Angelus's, Spike would die much more slowly. It would take years for her former lover to finally become dust, but only after she had firmly taken control of Sunnydale. Before she would allow him to become dust, he would beg her for release from the agony that would become the center of his existence.


'Damn', Willow mentally cursed, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. She was being followed; her cat began to stir at the thought. She was pretty sure that it was a couple of leeches that had attracted themselves to her shadows. She would have picked up heartbeats if it had been a couple of humans. 'Not much I can do about that now. I wonder if they ever played tag before?' She asked herself spotting a graveyard up a head. Her cat was feeling a bit frisky at the thought of turning the tables on her two shadows. 'Maybe some blood would take the edge off,' she [thought] with a smile, as she gave a quick burst of sped and fled into the dark depths of the graveyard. The call of the hunt pounded in her veins for the second time that night. It was time to kill something.


 
Chapter 8
 

'Well, this was a rather stupid idea.' Willow thought with annoyance ducking behind a tomb stone. Now was not the time to be letting her instincts direct her thinking, she kept forgetting that this really wasn't the town to be 'running wild' in, well it sort of was and wasn't at the same time. Shaking her head to clear it, she focuses her senses. The leeches that had attached themselves to her shadow were good, real good. While apart of her liked a good hunt, the more rational side of her resented getting into the hunt in the first place. And then there was that little voice that kept whispering to her in the back of her mind. Telling her that someone was missing from the hunt, someone that was suppose to be there, sharing the kill with her. That little voice was beginning to get on her nerves, mainly because it had visuals of just who that someone was and kept showing them to her at the most inopportune time - like when she was trying to concentrate! The really irritating part was that her cat really didn't seem to mind the visuals - hell the cat liked the visuals even adding to them a bit. "You're hopeless Garibaldi." Willow growled softly. Her cat was in love, she would just have to get used to it, although she did briefly wonder how the object of her affection was going to take some of the cat's 'suggestions' on how they should spend their free time.

Here she was playing tag with two vampires in the predawn hours and the one part of her psyche what would really be useful at a time like this was having fantasies about a certain blonde-haired sun-walker. "Huh?" Willow straightened a bit, a new scent in the air causing her cat to stir even more. Her life-mate had joined the hunt, an animalistic light coming into her eyes, now the two of them could share the kill together.

Drusilla set on the tree branch watching the activity below her with interest. Her little kitten was such a joy to watch, all power and grace in a small lethal body. She was a prefect mate for her Enforcer, the two would be an unbeatable team together and, most importantly, they would be 'hers! It was fun watching her little kitten toy with Angelus, as the master vampire tried in vain to locate the redhead. And now the Slayer was about to join the hunt, oh it was just turning out to be such a fun night. Her sire was just minutes from becoming dust and she had a ringside seat! Dru could almost taste the victory at hand, as the end of Angelus's reign over Sunnydale was immanent and hers would begin.

Buffy carefully made her way through the graveyard, stake at the ready, unsure why she was even out here this early in the morning. No vamp in its right mind would be out this close to dawn, the sun already beginning its ascension. However, a little voice kept insisting that she had to get to the graveyard, something bad was about to happen. Buffy had learned long ago not to ignore that little voice, it had kept her alive so many times in the past. She had also developed an intense hatred of that little voice, it usually meant that she would end up with several large colourful bruises for her troubles. Sometimes it was a real pain being the chosen one.

So here she was in one of Sunnydale's old cemeteries looking for.... who knew what!? Gripping her favourite stake tighter, she lets her senses take over, searching with her 'spider sense'. 'Damn' she cursed picking up the rather frustrating presence of a certain vampire master. Every since her arrival in Sunnydale, Angelus had been a constant annoyance, his little mind games having become really old after the first two days. The vampire had made it a habit to pestering the Slayer at all hours of the night, usually while she was on patrol and in no mood for his annoying presence in her life. Just once she would like to have a patrol where she didn't run into him or that useless sidekick of his, Spike. Honestly the two of them were just too full of themselves, believing that just because they had lived a few centuries they were all that. One would think that after she had kicked both of their butts on five separate occasions they would have gotten the message, but no they just kept on about how she had cheated in the fights. Like it was her fault either of them had thought that sunlamps made really good weapons.

Willow growled lowly as Angelus moved closer to her hiding place, her cat itching for the kill. Somewhere in the back of her mind she briefly wondered where the other vampire had disappeared to, but quickly dismissed the thought. Time enough to worry late, she had a kill to get to, besides it was only proper that she left at least one for her life-mate.

Angelus froze at the low growl, his demon eager for the taste of blood. He had time to think over his plans for the redhead as he chased her through the cemetery. She was truly a thing of beauty to watch in action, her moves had reminded him of a large cat on the hunt. She was good, he had to give her that, she seemed to be waiting for the sun to raise as she taunted him throughout the maze of grave markers with her growls and hisses. He would have to punish her once he got her back to the lair, if the sun burned him. He had little doubt that he would capture her, he was the great Angelus after all and he always got what he wanted. He was already planning what he was going to do to her back at the lair. She would learn quickly that he was master, of this he was certain. He could already picture her at his side as he ruled over Sunnydale for all time. Yes the redhead and the Slayer both would make excellent additions to his family, once the two of them had been broken properly. He grinned evilly at this last thought, he had begun to make long term plans for the Slayer after she had repeatedly bested him and his favourite childe in battle. The Slayer was just too good of a fighter to just kill, no he was going to turn her. She was going to be his greatest creation, second only to Spike of course. With the unexpected addition of the redhead they little family would only increase in the reign of terror it would unleash on the world. Just as soon as he figured out just what the redhead was, that is. Angelus was brought out of his silent musings as Willow leaped up from her hiding place to take a swing at him.

Willow growled as she drew blood for the second time on the vampire. There was just something about making this particular leech bleed that just appealed to her cat. Must have something to do with the fact that this leech seemed to have an unusual attachment to her life-mate, such an attachment would not be tolerated by her cat not one bit.

For the second time Willow could feel herself being lost in her animal instincts, her cat moving to the forefront of her consciousness demanding the blood of the leech before her. A small part of her disappointed that she would not be sharing it with her life-mate, but her mate had her own leech to kill, and there would be plenty of times in the future for the both of them to share a kill together her cat reasoned.

Dru clapped her hands together in glee nearly losing her perch in her excitement. Her little kitten was just so fierce! And her mind so open and savage! The vampire was having little problems reading her kitten's mind now, the less complex mind of the cat now firmly in control with none of that pesky 'humanity' to interfere with Dru's manipulations. Righting herself on her tree branch, Dru felt her own demon move to the forefront as the Slayer joined the little stand off below her. 'Yes!' She crowed mentally with an evil smile. At long last her master plans would begin. It was time for the downfall of her sore to start, but this was only the beginning. It wouldn't do for her pets to kill Angelus just yet, it was too soon the sun nearly up and Dru wanted to enjoy his downfall.

Buffy entered the standoff with a roundhouse kick to Angelus's head. It was just such a good move to use on him and he never seemed to see that one coming. Granted she usual used it to blindside him, but that was beside the point.

Willow growled with approval as her life-mate sent the vampire flying. It seemed that they would be sharing a kill together after all. Moving closer to her life-mate, Willow begins to change forms. Her wild self was demanding the right to stand before her life-mate in her true form.

Buffy and Angelus were both stocked to see the redhead shape shift before their eyes. The transformation was smooth, almost fluid, as human form morphed into that of a large mountain lion. In mere seconds where once a young human crouched stood a wildcat growling mincingly at the vampire.

Without warning the cat leaped upon Angelus with a blood-curdling roar. Only his vampire reflexes kept him from having his throat ripped out by the enraged werecat. Diving to the side, Angelus comes up in a crouch only to be tackled by Buffy who was intent on ending Angelus's reign of terror once and for all. Strangely a part of her wasn't afraid of the large cat, that little annoying voice telling her that everything was cool and to just go with it.

For his part Angelus was getting real worried, the sun was about up and these two just kept coming at him. At this rate he would be dust in a matter of moments. With a burst of strength he throw the Slayer off of him and into the cat. Scrambling to his feet he tore off in the direction of his lair, it would be close but he would make it with only minor singeing on his part.

Drusilla watched Angelus flee with a wicked grin, she had hoped to keep her little kitten's secret a bit longer, but Angelus was too close to being dusted for her likely. She wanted his death to be at her convenience, she was going to enjoy it. As it was time was running out the sun was beginning to peek above the horizon, she had to leave now if she was going to make it to the safety of the sewers. With one last look at the slayer and the mountain lion, she leaves for home. She had lots to think over the early morning activities raising many questions regarding her pets and their place at her side.


 
Chapter 9
 

Buffy had the wind knocked out of her as she slammed into the cat, sending them both crashing to the ground. Scrambling to her feet, she watched Angelus's retreating form with a curse, still trying to regain her breath, only to be tackled by a rather frisky mountain lion.

The cat purred happily, the missed kill momentarily forgotten, as it pounced on its life-mate. Granted to would have been even better if they had gotten to kill the leech together, shared its stolen blood, but no matter there were always other hunts they could go on. Right now there were other things they could be doing together, things that didn't include unwanted interruptions by the hated leeches. With that thought, Willow begins to change shapes once more, returning to her human form.

Buffy looked up into the furry face looming over her in disbelief as it shifted before her very eyes becoming human within seconds. One minute she was staring into the eyes of a wild cat, its emerald eyes shining, the next those same eyes were more human, filled with mischief and yet still held a bit of that wildness.

"I'm keeping you this time." Willow said softly her eyes laughing at Buffy's expression. "I caught you twice now." She purred happily, that little voice belonging to her cat warming to the idea. This was her life-mate, it was only proper that they should be together, to hunt and prowl the night for the hated leeches that roamed the town.

The Slayer regarded her captor for a brief moment, wondering at the rather odd comments before her own little voice spoke up. 'Ah to hell with it,' she thought before raising her head and capturing Willow's lips with her own.

"Wouldn't you two be more comfortable in a bed?" An amused voice question brought the two back to reality.

"Huh?" Buffy questioned tearing her lips away from Willow's to look to her left as the redhead issued a warning hiss at the interloper. Leaning against a tree was a young woman dressed in dark clothing looking rather bored with the world. Or at least with the early morning graveyard activities of Sunnydale anyway.

"I love you too yarn-chaser!" the mysterious woman laughed smirking at the two. "Now introduce me to your funny smelling friend."

"Again with the funny smelling remarks," Buffy grumbled climbing to her feet. "Just how do I smell funny? And what is it with all the smelling anyway?"

"Full of questions isn't she?" The woman commented more to herself then to either of the tow teenagers.

"What are you doing here, Dysis?" Willow questioned cocking her head to one side in confusion. This was the last place she had expected to see the older woman in more way then one.

"What? I can't come and see my favourite Brahan?" The woman asked stepping away from the tree.

"Not if it means coming anywhere near California," Willow retorted crossing her arms over her chest.

"So I don't like earthquakes," came the playful reply.

"Excuse me!" Buffy spoke up interrupting whatever Willow was about to say. Once getting the strange woman's attention. "Who are you?" The Slayer questioned determined to get to the bottom of the mystery that seemed to center itself on Willow. She hated being out of control of a situation and lately that was a feeling she'd had to become used to. It was an unwanted feeling, one that had first reared its ugly head shortly after Angelus had began his latest offensive against her. And she wasn't even going into those dreams she's been having. It was beginning to wear on the young Slayer, causing her to make stupid mistakes. So far she'd been lucky and none of her enemies had been able to capitalize on them. She knew it, Giles knew it, and, hell, Angelus probably knew it! No it was time to stop making mistakes and start thinking smart and she was going to start by finding out a lot more about Willow and her unique abilities.

"Forgive me, I am Dysis." The woman said with a formal bow. "A friend. I think you've already met Willow here." She added with a playful smirk, shooting the redhead a chock grin at Willow's low growl. "She's not usually like this you know. You seem to bring out the beast in her," she continued conversationally, winking at Buffy over Willow's outraged expression.

"Don't you have some man to mug or something?" Willow questioned with a growl taking a mincing step toward the other woman.

"No," Dysis deadpanned with an arched eyebrow. "But if you like I can go and kidnap a few and sell them to my sisters. They always like new blood."

"Huh??"

"Don't encourage her, please," Willow cut in admitting defeat. Sometimes she really didn't understand Dysis, her thoughts were just so odd even to her. "Why are you here?" She asked again, running a hand through her shoulder length hair.

"You two need my help," Dysis replied seriously. "Come on, I'll feed the two of you and answer all your questions," she offered, briefly wondering how the two would take to what she had to say. It was bad enough that Buffy had the whole Slayer destiny thrust upon her without her consent. Now she was about to find out that everything she thought she knew about herself was wrong and the truth was something far more deadly. 'You own me big time Ares.' Dysis thought as she led the two out of the graveyard and into their future.


 
Chapter 10
 

Buffy slid into the booth in the tiny, out of the way diner, and tried to focus her thoughts on the woman seated across from her. Although she was having a hard time doing so with Willow seated next to her, who seemed quite content to continue her low purring. Granted it was low enough that normal people couldn't hear it, but for the Slayer is was very distracting. "She's not aware of the purring." Dysis said with amusement, clearly enjoying the Slayer's discomfort. It wasn't often she got to deal with mortals, but a promise was a promise, and she was finding the young blonde mortal to be very interesting.

"Huh?" Came the reply from her two companions, bringing a smile to Dysis's face.

"You're purring Willow, your young friend is finding it rather distracting." She replied with a devious grin. "Huh, I am?" Willow said in disbelief, turning her senses inward to take quick stock of herself. Sure enough she was purring, her cat very pleased with having it's life-mate sitting so close as they were about to eat. "Sorry." Willow said sheepishly, consciously stopping herself from purring. 'I can't believe I was doing that!'

"You have to forgive Willow, she's usually not like this,......until, oh, around the full moon. But your rather unique scent is throwing things off for her." Dysis explained her eyes shining with laughter. These two were proving to be truly entertaining to say the least, she just may give some hard thought to moving to Sunnydale so she can continue to be amused by them in the future.

"Again with the scent thing." Buffy grumbled leaning back on the padded bench, settling in for the time being. Strangely, now that Willow had stopped purring, she found herself missing the low steady rumble that had been distracting her just moments ago. "What is it with you people that you go around smelling people?" She questioned.

"Its not what you are thinking, my young friend." Dysis assured her with a calm smile. "I'm not sensing you like Willow does. You have to understand, for a Brahan, their senses are very important. It literally governs how they perceive and react to the world around them. It's a very delicate balance that is not often thrown off, but when it does the Brahan experiences difficulty in controlling themselves. Like what Willow is going through right now, you're scent is rather intoxicating to her. Which in turn is throwing off her self-control."

"So you're saying that I'm..." Buffy began.

"Pretty much catnip to Willow." Dysis finished with a straight face.

"I am??" Buffy gasped in disbelief, absently wondering why she took such great pleasure in hearing the words. Maybe she had been hit on the head one too many times, because she was pretty sure that she should be grossed out right about now.

"Just shoot me now," Willow groaned dropping her head to the tabletop, her face nearly as red as her hair. She couldn't believe that they were having this conversation in the first place. 'Leave it to Dysis to pick the most embarrassing topic to talk about,' she ruefully thought, wondering if it was truly possible to die from embarrassment.

"Okay, so am I going to get this type of reaction from all of these Brahan guys?" Buffy asked carefully, she wasn't sure if she could tolerate having a bunch of people purring every time she walked into the room.

"Not if they want to keep their hearts!" Willow growled looking up from the tabletop, she had found thus far to be very fascinating, her eyes flashing. No one was going to be purring to her life-mate, but her! It just wasn't going to be happening, not while she was around.

"Did I mention that Brahan tend to be possessive toward their loved ones?" Dysis asked innocently not at all concerned about Willow's outburst.

"Aha," Buffy replied trying to ignore that annoying little voice that seemed rather pleased that someone would be willing to rip out the hearts of anyone who would purr at her. 'Only on the hellmouth,' she thought to herself, wondering if it could get any weirder. Only to realize that she just jinxed herself with that thought, this was Sunnydale after all, the place was primed to make her life a living hell.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that you two could come up with a suitable solution to the problem at hand." Dysis said soberly. "You are going to have to explain things to her." She stressed to Willow who ran a hand through her hair in defeat. Dysis was right, she would have to explain the bonding ceremony to Buffy sometime in the near future, if nothing else but to avoid any unpleasant situations that may come up. Nothing ruined a perfectly good get together than having to rip someone's heart out in full view of everyone. And Willow was certain that that would be the outcome if anyone from her clan so much as blinked funny at her life-mate.

"Explain what?" Buffy asked, noting that Willow had begun to growl lowly.

"I'll tell you later, in private." Willow offered, her eyes begging the blonde sitting beside her to please trust her. She really didn't want to explain the ins and outs of a Brahan mating ritual right now, not with her cat offering helpful details on some of the more exotic points of the whole thing.

"As for your scent." Dysis spoke, breaking the staring contest the two had seemed to have fallen into. 'They just had to discover their hormones now!,' she silently cursed with a shake of her head. 'I'm getting too old for this.'


 
Chapter 11
 

"I take it that Willow has explained to you what a Brijas and a Soljinn are?" Dysis asked once she had regained their attention. Recalling the phone call she received last night from her old friend Marco, explaining Willow's unusual behavior that night. Now that she could observe Willow first hand, Dysis could see just how out of control the young werecat really was.

"Yeah, Wills said that a Brijas was a titan, like in Greek mythology. Very old, very powerful, like to live on top of mountains a lot." Buffy replied, trying to remember her mythology as best she could.

Dysis couldn't help it, she had to laugh; she hadn't heard her family described in quite a manner for centuries. 'Like to live on top of mountains, indeed,' she thought with a grin. "And Soljinn?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow. 'Can't wait for the answer to this one.' She thought with a smirk, leaning back against the padded bench.

"Soljinn are related to the elves," the Slayer replied slower, her mind still trying to figure that one out.

"Close, the Soljinn are an off-shoot race of a couple of the fire elves tribes and one really lost Amazon tribe." Dysis explained with a small grin. "They made very interesting children, hell raisers every last one of them. Of course, that is what you get when you intermix a bunch of elves with attitudes with some of Ares's favourite daughters." She added with a wicked grin.

"If you say so." Buffy answered with a grin of her own, not all that sure of what the other woman was telling her. She'd have to get Giles to research it for her later, she decided, her little Slayer voice whispering that this was really something she needed to know.

'Oh I do kid, I really do.' Dysis thought to herself, wondering when the kid was going to put it all together. 'The Fates have out done themselves with you two, I don't even think they've realize it yet.' She said to herself, deciding that a move to Sunnydale wasn't such a bad idea after all, things were going to get real interesting with these two running lose. And best of all she was going to have a ringside seat to it all. 'Maybe losing that bet to Ares wasn't so bad after all.'


Later - the high school

Rupert Giles loved his books, there was simply no way around it, his books were his children. And like any proud parent, he was reluctant to let his "babies" leave the nest so to speak. Especially when the book in question was from his personal collection, or to put it more bluntly, one of his demon and other such monsters books. Aside from the fact that the general populace would probably dismiss the existence of such a book as the product of some overactive imagination, his books were extremely valuable to the Slayer's work and he could not risk them being lost.

"Translation: don't touch the Librarian's books, it makes him cranky!"

Willow barely suppressed a laugh at the Slayer's whispered words as the librarian in question continued his monologue of what not to do in his library. Despite herself, Willow was finding that she actually liked the British librarian/watcher. She hadn't been sure of what kind of reception she would be getting from the older man after the little incident at the Bronze last night. Most humans found it disrupting witnessing her rip out someone's throat. Granted, she was only killing a vampire, but you still had the whole 'ick' factor to take into account. 'Which apparently didn't count to the Watcher,' her cat had decided with a mental shrug. 'I've got to get him and Marco together.' She added cocking her head to one side as the Watcher continued to explain proper library etiquette, which mainly involved not looking at any of the "special" books without Giles consent and/or leaving your first born as collateral in case of damage.

Willow was brought out of her silent musings by a hand waving in front of her face. "Huh?" She questioned with a shake of her head, discovering that Buffy was now standing in front of her with a curious look on her face.

"Want to rejoin the rest of us? Or is it really nice were you're at?" The Slayer asked playfully, wondering what the redhead had been thinking about for the past five minutes.

"Er.... I'll rejoin you..here." Willow replied wondering just when Buffy had moved and where the librarian had disappeared too.

"Good," Buffy replied with a wide grin, insanely happy to have finally gotten the redhead alone. Giles had gone to a staff meeting, leaving the two of them in the library. "Ah, Giles wants me to clean things up here. Want to give me a hand?" She asked with a wave of her hand indicating the research table behind her littered with the various books of demon lore that made up Giles's precious collection.

"Yeah, sure no problem," Willow replied with a smile of her own. Her cat jumping up and down in excitement, 'we finally got her alone!' it crowed with delight. 'And doesn't that table look comfortable?' The cat whispered with a purr to Willow's human self, supplying mental images of the possible future uses for that very table, few of which had anything to do with research. Although her cat kept insisting that studying the human anatomy would be consider 'research' if done properly with the right partner and lots of candles, and chocolate sauce. 'Can't forget the chocolate sauce, it wouldn't be studying anatomy without the chocolate' her cat stressed with glee.

 
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