TITLE: The Strengthening of the Shadow (1/1)
AUTHOR: Winter
EMAIL ADDRESS: winter242@hotmail.com
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask.
SPOILERS: "Innocence"
RATING: PG-13?
SUMMARY: Willow awakens. Angelus' POV.
DISCLAIMER: All Buffy related things are owned by Joss
Whedon, etc, etc. I own nothing except the idea for this story.
FEEDBACK: Highly appreciated.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is Part 3 of my "Prelude to Darkness" series. (Previous
parts: "Interlude into Innocence" and "The Dying of the Light.")

The Strengthening of the Shadow

I'll never forget the moments after my Queen awakened. She was devilishly
beautiful and practically glowed, even in the dull sunlight that was trapped
out by the curtains covering the windows. Her demon visage sent shivers
through my spine, and it seemed as if her greenish-amber eyes held all the
world's secrets in them.

"Angelus?" she questioned as she awoke from the slumber of the dead.

Eternity was at our feet.

"Yes, my love?" I asked her softly, placing a feather-light kiss behind her
ear.

"What happened?" she asked, still sounding so much like the radiant mortal
she was just hours before.

"You're mine," I stated simply and matter-of-factly, "for all Eternity."

Comprehension dawned in her glowing eyes as her hands automatically went up
to touch her face, gingerly at first, then more firmly, as they explored the
various curves and ridges in her new countenance. She lowered her delicate
fingers to her lips, and slightly traced the now elongated canines.

A look of horror passed over her face as the reality of what she was sunk
in, and that look sent a million daggers into my dead heart.

"Willow!" I couldn't keep the anger out of my voice. How dare she scorn the
gift I had given her? Grabbing her shoulders and turning her to face me, I
spoke, "You're one of us now, like me. Deal with it, because it'll never
change, not if I have anything to say about it."

"How could you?" she whispered, "why did you?"

"Because I love you," I stated it simply, as if it were the most natural
thing in the world, "and you're here to become my Queen."

"You what?" Willow asked, seeming partially repulsed and flattered all at
the same time.

"Do you have any idea how absolutely irresistible you are?" I asked her,
softening my voice and bringing my lips over her ears, nibbling slightly.
"You're beautiful, intelligent, and passionate. I've now given you the
ability to be strong and powerful, deadly and utterly magnificent. You
could take anything you wanted, and nothing would ever be denied to you.
And you think this is some sort of curse?"

"Well, no..." Willow trailed off, as if she were in deep thought. "It's
just that, well, it's not like I'd miss my old life. Everyone was always
taking advantage of me..." Her eyes took on a far away look, as if she was
remembering some moment in time that had caused her mortal self unspeakable
agony. Agony that she would never feel again, thanks to me.

Deciding to play off of whatever she was feeling, I spoke up, interrupting
her thoughts, "But now you can get even," I whispered to her, massaging her
shoulders lightly, "you can take revenge on anyone and everyone who's every
wronged you. And believe me, revenge is certainly a thing to be savored."

"Would you..." she began but trailed off.

"Would I what?" I prompted.

"...teach me? To be strong?" she clarified, a gleam of malevolent hope and
danger in her eye.

I smiled to myself upon seeing the demon inside of her finally take full
control. Evil would be her primary goal now, and I would make sure she
reached that goal. Yeah, I'd teach her, all right. I would show her to how
to become the strongest, fiercest, most respected demon to have ever walked
this planet. She and I together would be unstoppable.

"That's what I turned you for," I assured her, "to make you the best of the
best. After all, you *are* my childe."

A slow grin spread over her face, and I knew in that instant that this would
be the woman I would spend all of eternity with. She would be at my side
until the ends of Time.

"Angelus?" she asked coyly, turning to look at me, "did I ever thank you for
my gift?" she asked, grinning, her fangs gleaming.

Pure demon.

"No," I answered, pulling her closer to me.

"Then thank you." With those simple words, she leaned in and initiated a
kiss that would have taken my breath away had I had any.

Pulling her on top of me, we sank once again into the dark abyss of ecstasy.

***

"Oh Spike!" I called out as Willow and I entered the factory. The sun had
just set moments ago, finally allowing us to leave Willow's house-not that
we didn't enjoy ourselves immensely while we were there.

"Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence," Spike remarked as
he rolled out from one of the rooms in the back, "and what do we have here?"
he asked, stopping dead in his tracks as his gaze flew over Willow
appraisingly. "A carry-out meal?"

"No," I told him, moving forward to squat down in front of him so we were
eye to eye, "this is the newest member of our little family. Say hello to
Willow."

"No way!" Spike burst into a fit of laughter, "the Slayer's little friend?
Boy is she gonna be pissed when she finds out! Way to think, old man! And
here I thought you were losing your touch."

"I didn't do this because of the damn Slayer," I growled, grabbing Spike by
the collar and hoisting him out of his chair, "and you'll do well to
remember that," I warned him menacingly, promptly dropping him back down.

"Well someone certainly woke up on the wrong side of the sun this morning,"
I heard Spike mutter.

Immediately regretting the sudden harshness towards my childe, I struggled
to push my anger back down.

"No, my friend," I slapped him affectionately on the back, trying to make up
for it, "I woke up right were I wanted to." Pulling Willow to me, I
wrapped my arm possessively around her waist, and said, "Willow, say hi to
Spike."

"We've already met," Willow replied smartly, "but hi anyway." She smiled
that devilish smile of hers, and I knew Spike would be lost.

I was right.

"Well, pet," he smirked, "welcome to the family. I'm sure we'll all have a
blast."

I'm sure we would, too.

"Spike?" a new voice called out from the shadows.

I looked up to see Dru standing in the doorway, her gaze fixed intently on
Willow.

"Yes, Princess?" Spike answered, turning to her.

"The stars were just telling me a wonderful story," she spoke, coming to
stand in front of Spike, "do you know what they said?"

"What, luv?" Spike asked.

I never did understand how he put up with Dru's crazy talk for so many
years. But, then again, that talk had come in handy more than once.

"They told me that Daddy brought me home a sister," she whispered, her eyes
still fixed on Willow, "a beautiful sister, and powerful, with hair of
flame."

"Well, pet, the stars told you right. Go on and say hi," Spike nudged her,
realizing that Dru was looking for permission to approach Willow.

Smiling, I removed my arm from around Willow and said, "Willow, Dru. Dru,
Willow. Though I'm sure you don't need the introductions."

"Willow..." Dru trailed off, as if tasting the sound of her name. A slow
smile spread across her face as she continued, "we're going to be the best
of sisters, we are. We can hunt, and play, and talk...but sshhh! We
mustn't talk around *them,*" she indicated Spike and myself with a nod of
her head in our direction, "they're not allowed."

I couldn't help smiling to myself at the thought of Willow and Dru gossiping
to each other. What a scene that would be.

"Hmm..." Willow replied thoughtfully, "sounds like fun. But speaking of
hunting...I'm hungry. Would you care to take me out for a feed, sis?"

Damn. I should have guessed that Willow would be hungry by now. But I
wanted her first kill to be special…and I had just the person in mind.

"Oh, I would love to!" Dru replied wistfully, "can we, Daddy?"

"Maybe later, Dru," I replied, once again taking hold of Willow, "but right
now, Willow and I have plans."

"Which are?" Willow asked, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"You're going to get yourself a meal tonight. But it has to be someone
special. After all, you never forget your first kill."

"Really?" she asked, pressing herself against me and sending the now
commonplace rush of desire through me, "and do you have someone in mind?"

"But of course," I replied, offering her my hand, "shall we?"

With a small smile playing across her lips, Willow placed her delicate hand
in my own, and I closed my fingers around it, pulling her with me towards
the door.

"We'll be back," I called out to Spike and Dru, who both knew me well enough
by now to know who I had chosen.

This would definitely be a night to remember.

END