In Thrall 7/8 - B/W/T - NC17

["Hunter Ash" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

In Thrall, Part 7
Red Moon Rising, Book 4

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 
Copyright © 2003 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, 
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be 
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made 
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright 
notices.

F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same 
time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave.  
Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed 
your laws. 

Spoilers: up to New Moon Rising

Summary: Dracula has Willow and Buffy and both are helpless against 
him. Can the Scooby Gang arrive in time to save the day and their 
souls? Can either of them fight back?

Rating: NC-17 (US) 18 (UK) R (Aus)

Pairings: B/W/T, An/X, A/C, G/J 

Author's Note: A Special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts

Buffy vs Dracula Written
by Marti Noxon, directed by David Solomon.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tara was running for her life. She and Giles had made it in the back 
door with no problems. Apparently Dracula thought his security 
system was good enough that everyone forgot to lock the doors.  

Tara wasn't sure if the easy entrance had been a godsend as she dived 
over a table in the kitchen and through a door into the hallway with 
two werewolves right behind her.  

She also had no idea where Giles was; he had disappeared through a 
doorway in the kitchen.  

Tara had already shot two werewolves when she fell over a chair, 
dropping her gun. The witch had screamed and ran.

The blonde witch reached a door and dove through it, slamming it shut 
just as two bodies hit it on the other side. Tara quickly turned and 
locked it as they began to pound and kick. The door was solid but 
they were werewolves and Tara had no illusions that the door would 
hold out for long. Her eyes darted around, looking for weapons.

Tara noted that she was in a library and Willow was lying on the 
floor, curled up and twitching.  

"Willow!" Tara cried and sank down to the wooden floor next to her 
lover. She drew Willow into her arms as the door began to crack.

* * *

Giles moaned and tried to raise his head but fell back onto the stone 
floor. He managed to finally raise his head and saw through the 
light coming in through the open door above that he had fallen into a 
cellar. The stairs had been cut away, a perfect trap in the dark.

"Damnit," he muttered. "I read Stephen King, I should have known 
better."

Giles reached for his cross and found it missing, having fallen 
somewhere into the shadows with his fall. The Englishman's heart 
began to pound when he sensed movement all around him.

"Oh no," he muttered but couldn't get up. "Goddamn concussion," he 
muttered.

"Oh, ladies," he mumbled as three female vampires approached him from 
the right, left and at his feet. "You must be the three sisters, 
yes?"

Giles felt frozen in place as they began to crawl over his body, two 
of them kissing his cheeks and the other rubbing his chest.

"I'd heard that you were myth," he mumbled. "That was obviously 
erroneous."

The sisters ripped open his shirt, one kissing him, another running 
her tongue over a nipple while the third reached for his belt.  

"Hey, tickles!" he protested until claws raked down his chest. He 
felt his belt and trousers being undone. "Oh dear God!"

* * *

Anya proved to be an excellent shot with the crossbow, taking out 
three vampires that attacked them before they even found a way into 
the castle. Brad's silver bullets took down a werewolf and a human 
servant but the area was filling with bad guys as the two hunters 
moved back to back, moving in a circle.

* * *

Buffy spun and faced Dracula, her face firm and determined.

"Stay away from me!" she said, pulling out her favorite stake, Mr. 
Pointy. "I'm like so not under a thrall thing."

"Put that down," Dracula ordered calmly.

"Okay," Buffy agreed and put the stake down. The Slayer looked at 
her hand in surprise. "Oh boy. I did that?.I did that because I 
wanted to."

Dracula merely smiled.

"Maybe I should rethink that thrall thing," Buffy whimpered, looking 
around for any kind of help.

Dracula leaned against the mantle of the fireplace and watched the 
Slayer and her confusion.

"Stay away from me!" Buffy growled.  

"Why?" Dracula grinned. "Afraid I'm going to bite you?" The vampire 
Prince moved closer to the girl. "Slayer, that's why you came here!"

"Yes," Buffy agreed. "No, not gonna happen again! I won't give up 
Tara either."

"Not even for Willow's life?" Dracula countered and Buffy 
frowned. "You took a curse for her once, you were willing to accept 
that darkness. Why do you fight your fate?"

"No!" Buffy protested but she felt her control slipping further away.

"Stop me, stake me," Dracula taunted.

"Any moment now," Buffy countered but couldn't reach for the stake.

"You know why you can't?" Dracula asked.

"Because you're famous and have my lover under your control?" Buffy 
guessed.

"No, because you don't want to," Dracula countered.  

"My friends," Buffy tried to protest.

"They are here, I can hear gunshots and screams," he 
confirmed. "They will not find us. We are alone."

Buffy glanced around anxiously.  

"Always alone, Slayer," Dracula said in a hypnotic voice. "That's 
where a vampire and a slayer always end up, alone."

Buffy frowned as he circled around her and pulled her into his arms.  
He could feel her breathing increase as he wrapped his arms around 
her and began to nuzzle her neck.

"Just think, eternity with your witch," he promised. "Your fangs 
sinking into her neck just at the moment when you take her to 
orgasm. She is beautiful when she goes over, isn't she?"

Buffy closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then be with her for eternity," Dracula insisted.

* * *

Tara whimpered as the door began to crash in.

"Willow, I love you and Buffy forever," she whispered.

Tara fell backwards onto her bottom as Willow sat upright, staring at 
the door. As boards began to break inward, the red-haired witch 
turned and looked at her lover.

Tara was stunned; it looked like Willow wasn't weak at all.

"Willow?" Tara whispered as Willow's eyes changed from black to wolf 
yellow.

"Help?Buffy?now?." Willow growled around the fangs growing in her 
mouth and turned to face the doorway.

Tara scrambled to her feet and ran to the back of the library. She 
turned back and saw a red werewolf launch itself at the two grey 
werewolves coming through the doorway.  

"Oh sweet Goddess," she whispered. "Please protect her."

Tara sat down on top of one of the tables and closed her eyes, trying 
to send herself into a trance as screams, howls, growls and ripping 
sounds filled the library.

The red werewolf hit the two larger werewolves as they entered 
through the broken door. She had the advantage of surprise and 
catching them crammed in the door but it was a short-lived advantage 
as the three of them tumbled back into the library.

Red werewolf slashed out with fang and claw as other claws and fangs 
attempted to reach her. The red werewolf howled as fangs sank into a 
leg and she slashed down, catching the other werewolf across the left 
eye and cheek.

The other werewolf rammed his claws into her shoulder as she lay on 
the floor as they attacked. Willow wolf screamed in pain and bit at 
the arm, sinking her fangs into the muscles of one werewolf as she 
kicked out with her clawed feet, catching the other werewolf in the 
chest.

The werewolf hit her across the muzzle, causing her to release her 
hold on his arm.

All three werewolves gained their feet under them and faced each 
other, blood dripping from all three mouths.  

Willow werewolf reached out mentally and felt Tara's surprise but 
welcoming energy. The red werewolf drew in some of Tara's humanity 
and thought process.

Instead of attacking outright, like a werewolf normally would, the 
red werewolf rolled forward in a Slayer taught move, ducking under 
the raking claws of one werewolf and avoiding the snapping jaws of 
the other.

Willow werewolf dived between the legs of one werewolf and slashed 
upwards as she went past. The werewolf howled a piercing howl and 
dropped to his knees as he grabbed for his mutilated body part.  
Werewolf Willow got to her knees behind him, grabbed his head from 
behind and ripped his throat out, silencing his howls.

The red werewolf barely dived out of the way of the second werewolf 
as he launched himself at her with a howl of rage.

Both stood and faced each other.

In human life, the other werewolf was a huge male and in a 
lycanthrope state, he had weight, height, and strength advantage and 
Willow was tiring quickly.  

Werewolf Willow swayed on her feet and she saw the other werewolf's 
eyes narrow as he judged her strength. Willow dropped her eyes and 
the other werewolf grinned through his muzzle in victory.

Red werewolf dropped to her knees, her arms falling to her side as 
she bared her neck in submission to the other wolf.

* * *

Giles blinked and tried to focus. He was still confused as Anya 
helped him sit up. He looked around and saw two piles of dust near 
him and the third female vampire hissing in the shadows, in a corner.

"Come on, Giles," Anya growled, trying to get him to his feet. "Zip 
your maleness back up and let's get out of here."

"What?" Giles tried to ask. He continued to blink as Brad lowered a 
ladder into the cellar space and Anya shoved the Englishman towards 
it.

"Xander attacked us outside," Anya said. "Can you believe that? He 
attacked us! Was ranting something about going through him to get to 
his dark master! He was so pathetic! And hurt, oh Giles, he was so 
hurt."

"Anya!" Giles snapped. "What just happened to me?"

"Well, Brad just hit Xander once and knocked him unconscious; we 
killed the other vampires, werewolves and bad guys. We came in and 
saw Tara's gun near the door," Anya explained as Giles began crawling 
up the ladder slowly. "We looked in and saw you having sex with the 
three vampires."

"I was not having sex!" Giles protested.

"It was sex," Anya said simply and Brad nodded as Giles reached the 
top of the ladder. The police officer helped his friend into the 
kitchen with Anya following behind him. "One was riding you like a 
pony, one was playing with your nipples and feeding from you and the 
third one was feeding from your neck."

Giles felt his neck with horror and glanced down at his abused nipple 
and moaned when he saw fang marks.

"Riding?" he whispered.

"You both seemed to be enjoying it," Anya shrugged. "I was really 
quite impressed, actually. I thought you were going to buck her off, 
you were thrusting so hard."

"Anya!" Giles shouted. "Please, no more."

"Why? Did you not enjoy the sex with the vampires?"

"Anya!" Giles shouted once more. "Never talk about this again!"

* * *

Buffy frowned as Dracula played his fangs over her throat. She could 
feel her body responding to his touch and fought against it.

"There is so much I have to teach you, about your power, what your 
body is capable of," he whispered. "You will have an eternity 
discovering yourself. Just accept and take it."

Dracula rolled up his sleeve in front of her and slashed open his 
wrist with a long fingernail. "This is what you fight for, Slayer.  
Accept it and discover what it is."

"I'm not hungry," she protested.

"It goes deeper than that and so does your desire," Dracula whispered.

The vampire raised his wrist to her lips.  

"You think you know?what you are?what's to come. You have no idea.  
Find your true nature in the darkness," he urged.

Buffy took the wrist offered and began to drink. The Slayer cried 
out as Dracula sank his fangs into her neck again and they began to 
drink from each other.

* * *

The grey werewolf circled around the red werewolf kneeling at his 
feet, in order to approach her from behind. Clawed hands went to 
Willow's shoulders as the muzzle began to lower to her neck.

Werewolf Willow closed her eyes and kept her body relaxed and 
submissive until she could feel his hot breath on her neck.

The red werewolf growled in anger and rammed her clawed hands upward, 
into the underside of his muzzle. Werewolf Willow felt his body 
twitching in protest and his claws digging into her shoulders. She 
turned and twisted, pulling him over her shoulder onto the floor in 
front of her, her claws still in his muzzle. Willow howled and moved 
before he could slash out with his claws. Werewolf Willow ripped her 
claws downward, reaching his throat and slashed in opposite 
directions. The gray werewolf twitched in death throes as the red 
werewolf snapped her own muzzle down and bit through what was left of 
his neck, severing his head.

Tara, unable to take the tension of the howls, opened her eyes and 
looked at the red werewolf holding the other werewolf's head high in 
victory.

"Oh Goddess," Tara whispered as Willow howled.

* * *

Buffy felt herself becoming light headed again and clung to Dracula's 
arms to stay upright. The vampire bent his knees, letting both of 
them sink to the floor, Buffy in his arms as they both fought to 
continue feeding.

Buffy gasped as her body jerked. 

"Don't stop, please, don't stop," she begged.

* * *

Tara tried to not let her fear overwhelm her as the red werewolf 
turned and noticed her. The werewolf dropped the other werewolf's 
head and staggered towards her. The blonde witch wasn't sure what to 
do; the werewolf approaching her was Willow, her Willow. Tara knew 
she could never fight back against her.

Werewolf Willow sank to her knees and doubled over in pain. She 
threw back her head and howled in agony.

* * *

Buffy raised her head. "Will?" she asked softly and cried out as her 
body jerked again with pleasure.

* * *

Tara opened her eyes and saw a naked and blood covered Willow huddled 
on the floor. The red-head looked up and Tara's eyes widened.  
Willow's eyes were green and aware. Tara jumped off the table and 
ran to her lover.

"Buffy," Willow whispered, her voice harsh. "Gotta help, Buffy."

Willow grabbed Tara's hands in hers and tried to sit up.

"Willow, no!" Tara protested. "You're not strong enough."

"Buffy!" Willow snapped, her voice still sounding like the wolf.

Tara closed her eyes and opened her shields, reaching for Buffy and 
Willow.

* * *

Dracula slowed his feeding, finally pulling back as the Slayer lay 
limp in his arms, barely coherent.  

"Now is the time, Slayer," he said softly. "Reach out and sever that 
tie with the white witch and join me."

"Tara," Buffy whispered.  

"Hurry, or you die," Dracula urged. "Another Slayer who falls to a 
vampire, your lifeless body left for your friends to find. Your 
Watcher Council will barely remember your name a year from now."

"Tara?"

Buffy opened up her shields and found that Dracula was no longer 
blocking her.  

The Slayer jerked as a massive wave of energy, love, and visions hit 
her.  

Buffy was rocked out of Dracula's arms as visions of the First Slayer 
filled her mind. The primitive being of the First Slayer fighting 
the first vampires. Then more visions of Slayers, each of them 
fighting with every ounce of their being against hundreds of vampires 
over the ages. The visions of Slayers falling to fangs, demons, or 
violence and always another girl stepping forward.  

Then the pure energy of love hit the Slayer, jerking her body. Buffy 
saw the intensity of the love pouring from Tara and Willow into her 
and cried out as the light flooded her being. She could feel the 
love from Giles, Anya and Xander nearby as well and the absolute 
trust and friendship from Brad.

>From a distance she felt Cordelia leading Angel, Carson, Spike, 
Wesley and Joyce in a circle, sending out their own support of love 
and encouragement.  

Buffy wasn't alone and nothing could compare to the light coming from 
Willow and Tara as they extended their love to her. Buffy felt 
Willow's energy beginning to sag and slip away from them, she 
whimpered in pain and worry. The Slayer was surprised when she felt 
Carson's energy strengthen the lines, merging with Willow's and 
pulling her energy back up.

Buffy sat up slowly and reached out to the table to support her as 
she got to her feet. The Slayer knew she had been drained almost to 
the point of death but the light from her friends, family and lovers, 
was holding her up.

Dracula growled in confusion and stood up.

Buffy tasted his blood in her mouth and ran her tongue over her teeth.

"That was?rather gross," she said and snapped her hands out, hitting 
the vampire in the center of the chest. Dracula went flying across 
the table. The vampire jumped to his feet.

"You are resisting!" he snapped.

"Looks like!" Buffy agreed.

Dracula, confused, held out his hand. "Come. Come here!" he ordered.

"You know," Buffy quipped. "Looks like the thrall has gone out of 
our relationship. I want to thank you for opening my eyes up a 
little."

Dracula was astounded and it showed.

"What is this?" he hissed.

"My true nature," Buffy grinned. "Want a taste?"

The vampire Prince growled in anger and lunged at the Slayer only to 
have Buffy flip over his head. Before he could turn, she whirled 
around and kicked him, throwing the vampire off balance. As he tried 
to turn, the Slayer landed two more punches and kicked him again, 
this time sending him into a wall.  

Dracula, regaining his balance, spun around and grabbed the Slayer by 
the arm. He managed to twist and fling her across the table and 
Buffy ended up on the table on her back.

Buffy rolled off the table as Dracula's claws reached for her.  
Dracula growled and he jumped up on the table. Buffy grabbed up a 
chair and smashed it against his arms as he landed off the table.  

Buffy rushed the vampire and they fell to the floor with Dracula on 
top. He managed to strike Buffy twice but the Slayer grabbed his 
vest and shirt and flung him over her head, following him and ending 
up on top. Buffy gave him back the blows he had just struck but the 
third punch was caught by Dracula catching Buffy's fists and throwing 
her off him.

They regained their feet and both were grinning. Again they met and 
went to the floor, neither at an advantage until Dracula, getting a 
leg under the Slayer, kicked her into the wall. Both heard something 
crack as Buffy cried out in pain and slid to the floor.

Dracula stood up and approached the bloodied Slayer with a smile.  

"I may have lost your heart but you'll lose your soul when I turn 
you," he promised.

Buffy growled and kicked out with her feet, sweeping his out from 
under him. The Slayer bit her lip against the pain and grabbed a 
torch. She spun around and slashed at him with it. The vampire 
barely rolling out of the way of the flames.

"A guy like you should think about going electric, seriously," she 
taunted.

Dracula growled once more and disappeared into a cloud of fog.  
Buffy, her eyes narrowing, followed the fog as it moved across the 
room.  

The Slayer, with her own growl, dropped the torch and jumped on the 
table, sliding down the length of it and grabbing Mr. Pointy along 
the way. Buffy hit the end of the table, rolling up onto her feet 
and stabbing at the air as Dracula materialized.

The vampire Prince stood for a moment and looked down at the stake in 
his chest with a stunned expression. His blue eyes sought out 
Buffy's.

"How do you like my darkness now?" she demanded just before he 
exploded into dust.

Giles, Anya and Brad ran into the room as Buffy collapsed to her 
knees.

"Buffy!" Giles shouted, rushing to his Slayer. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, peachy," she said softly. "Full of free will."

"Dracula?" Anya demanded.

"Euro-trashed him," Buffy whispered.

Everyone turned as Xander crashed into the room with a torch.

"Alright!" he shouted. "Where is he? Where's the creep that turned 
me into a spider eating man-bitch?"

"He's toast," Buffy said softly.

"Damnit!" the young man shouted, dropping the torch into the 
fireplace. "You know what? I'm sick of this crap! I'm sick of being 
the guy who eats insects and who gets funny syphilis. As of this 
moment, it's over! I'm finished being everybody's butt-monkey."

Everyone tried not to smile and stay serious.

"Check, no more butt monkey boy," Buffy said softly.

"Well, at least you weren't making time with Drac-babes like Giles," 
Anya said calmly.

"I was not making time with them!" Giles protested, pulling his 
ripped shirt closed. "I was, uh, just about to kill those loathsome 
creatures when Anya and Brad interrupted me."

"Right," Anya smirked. "What were you going to do? Nuzzle and sex 
them to death?"

"Sex them?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows and making Giles 
extremely uncomfortable.

"Of course not!" he protested. "I was in control?."

"Listen, guys," Buffy said. "Go find Tara and Willow and let's get 
out of here."

"What about you?" Xander demanded.

"I'll wait here," Buffy said. "I'm kinda hurt and don't think I can 
walk."

Giles looked at his Slayer and then nodded. "Alright, let's get the 
rest of our family and get out of here."

The rest of the group followed the ex-Watcher out the door as Buffy 
collapsed into a chair. A moment later and she was diving across the 
room, leaping over a small stool.

Before the fog could totally materialize again, a hand shot out with 
the trusty stake. Dracula gasped again and fell into dust at the 
front of the fireplace.

"You think I don't watch all your movies?" Buffy demanded, rolling 
her eyes. "You always come back!"

The fog began to gather again.

"I'm right here!" Buffy said impatiently.

The fog dissipated and the Slayer collapsed.

* * *

Giles shook his head as Anya and Brad tried to get him to sit down in 
the hospital waiting room. As usual, everything happened too quickly 
once the paramedics had arrived. By that time Brad, Anya and Giles 
had finished off any stray vampire or werewolf they had missed the 
first time through the castle-like mansion.  

They found Tara in the library with an unconscious and naked Willow 
in her arms, barely breathing. Buffy was also unconscious when Brad 
returned to check on her. They had moved Buffy into the library with 
Willow.  

After his initial burst of energy and anger, Xander had collapsed 
into tears in Anya's arms when he saw Buffy and Willow's unconscious 
forms. Giles rummaged through the castle and found a closet with 
blankets and sheets and had covered both girls.  

Then he and Brad began moving the werewolf bodies, throwing them down 
into the cellar where Giles had been trapped. Brad had to work at 
not throwing up when they removed the werewolf corpses from the 
library and he noticed Giles glancing over with a worried expression 
at Willow as the ex-Watcher picked up the severed heads and tossed 
them onto the blanket with their bodies. Brad empathized, sweet, 
young and shy Willow had ripped the heads off two very large male 
werewolves.

When the medics arrived, Brad waited upstairs until he saw them 
placing Willow, Buffy and Xander into ambulances before setting fire 
to the place.

The last thing they needed was werewolf and human bodies found and it 
also had the bonus affect of destroying Dracula's coffins.

Once at the hospital, Xander, Buffy and Willow had been whisked away 
by trauma teams, leaving Giles, Brad and Anya to wait impatiently.

Anya looked up when she noticed someone in a suit approaching them 
and hissed. Brad glanced up and knew that the man wasn't a police 
officer and didn't think he was a government agent either but he had 
an arrogant air about him.

Giles followed the looks of his friends and his eyes narrowed and 
went flat as he took in the English suit, confident and arrogant 
manner of walk and the slight smirk on the man's face.

"Watcher," Giles muttered.

"What the hell do they want?" Anya demanded.  

Giles stood up slowly, trying to keep his ripped up shirt closed and 
muster what little dignity he had left after the long week.

"Mr. Giles," the man said calmly, extending his hand formally.  

Giles looked down at the hand and back into the man's brown eyes.  
The Watcher's eyes flashed in anger for a moment and he withdrew his 
politely offered hand. "I'm Robert Etheridge, Watcher Council."

"And what does the Watcher Council want with us?" Giles demanded.

"Well, we became aware recently that Dracula was moving his operation 
to the United States and followed him here three weeks ago," 
Etheridge began to explain.

"Three weeks?" Giles demanded. "You knew Dracula, the most dangerous 
vampire in existence was here and you didn't tell us?"

"Well, Mr. Giles," Etheridge smirked slightly. "You and Ms. Summers 
did make it clear that you wished no help or contact from the Watcher 
Council. We were honoring those wishes."

"You bastard," Giles muttered, his hands clenching into fists. "What 
do you want?"

"To help, actually," Etheridge shrugged. "The Council is more than 
impressed with your little group and your Slayer."

"You mean disappointed?" Anya snapped. "You were hoping she'd fall 
to Dracula."

"Really, Ms. Smyth," Etheridge protested, brushing her accusation off 
easily. "We don't care what Ms. Summers and Mr. Giles do as long as 
they don't interfere with Council business."

"You?"

"Anya," Giles stopped his friend. "And how would the Council like to 
help now that we did the work? What could you offer us and why?"

"Well, let's take those one at a time, shall we?" the Englishman 
suggested, sitting down.  

Giles knew that Etheridge was attempting to defuse the situation by 
putting himself at the same level as the ex-Watcher and Scooby gang.  
Rupert Giles, feeling Ripper growling inside, debated whether to stay 
standing over the man. Instead he sat down and motioned for Anya to 
do the same.

"We would like to offer the help because there is still a danger and 
the Council wants to see you recover and get past it," Etheridge 
began.

"Danger?" Anya questioned. "Dracula is dust, Buffy toasted him."

"Well, he always comes back but he failed with Ms. Summers and it 
won't be Sunnydale," Etheridge said easily. "His reputation will 
suffer quite a blow from this."

"Then what danger?" Anya demanded.

"Willow," Giles said softly and Etheridge nodded.

"Exactly," Etheridge lost his arrogant smile. "You have a very 
powerful witch who isn't even 21 years old and basically untrained.  
Ms. Rosenberg has now been exposed and addicted to dark magick."

"What do you want?" Giles demanded.

"What I would want would be to take her back to England immediately 
and train the girl properly in her powers," Etheridge snapped. "What 
the Council wants is to help you through her withdrawals from the 
addiction and to keep an eye on all of you in the future."

"You touch her and I won't have to hurt you, Buffy Summers and Tara 
Maclay will do that for me," Giles growled.

"I realize that, so does the Council," Etheridge snarled. "That's 
why they are offering help. They'd rather see Ms. Rosenberg handled 
properly as possible and they feel that means staying with all of 
you."

"What are you offering?" Giles asked as Brad crossed his arms in 
front of him. The ex-Watcher could tell it was killing Brad not to 
be able to talk and demand his own answers.

"Full medical facilities installed in the Summers' home for Ms. 
Rosenberg's recovery," Etheridge explained. "Hospital bed, 
restraints, IV fluids, doctors, everything you need to get her 
through the next week of withdrawals and counseling with a witch 
counselor from the Council."

Giles thought about it for a moment.

"You know that no hospital can manage her withdrawals," Etheridge 
reasoned. "We can taper her off slowly with the help of one of our 
sorcerers."

"No," Giles said quickly. "No tapering, no magick."

"You want her to go through cold withdrawals?" Etheridge asked in a 
surprised voice.

Anya turned to the ex-Watcher with a frown.

"What is he talking about, Giles?" she demanded.

"He is suggesting that we take Willow through the withdrawals slowly, 
feeding her enough black magic energy to keep her stable and slowly 
weaning her from it," Giles explained. "I prefer that it ends all at 
once."

"Cold fowl like?" Anya asked.

"Cold turkey is the term, yes," Giles nodded.

Brad began writing as quick as he could on a pad and thrust it at 
Giles.

"'Why the hard way?' Brad is asking," Giles read. "I've been where 
Willow is. Worse, actually. I put myself there for a lot longer 
than three days."

"You worked magick?" Anya asked.

"You knew that," Giles said impatiently.

"Not that you did black stuff," Anya explained.

"Yes, very black stuff. I was known as Ripper then," Giles 
nodded. "The Council found me and decided there was hope for me. I 
was the son of a Watcher and destined to be a Watcher. They worked 
at tapering me off, slowly."

Giles ran a hand through his unruly hair. "It worked for awhile but 
I wasn't over it and I went back. A lot of people got hurt and the 
only way I got through it was to withdrawal completely and without 
tapering off."

"Ms. Rosenberg is injured," Etheridge protested.

"Yes, and she expended enough of her energy to almost kill herself 
saving Buffy," Giles agreed. "I still say the hard way, and, yes 
damnit, it's killing me to suggest this. It's the only way."

"I'll leave that to your discretion, we'll arrange her transfer from 
the hospital to the Summers' home as soon as she is out of surgery to 
repair the ripped muscles from that werewolf attack," Etheridge said 
firmly and stood up.

He froze in place when Brad leaped to his feet, the barrel of his 
automatic pistol under Etheridge's chin.

"Brad, what are you doing?" Giles asked softly, afraid to make any 
quick movements.  

Brad Santiago, unable to vocalize his intentions, reached behind him 
and pulled out his handcuffs and snapped one end over Etheridge's 
wrist and then snapped the other over his own, still holding the gun 
on the Watcher.

His eyes pleaded with Giles.

"You're saying not to leave Willow alone with them?" Giles ventured 
and Brad nodded eagerly.

"What?" Etheridge demanded. "We're here to help!"

"You said you would prefer Willow in England and under your control," 
Giles smirked. "I don't think Detective Santiago trusts you not to 
kidnap her. I think he's showing excellent insight into the workings 
of the Council."

Etheridge's face turned crimson in anger but he held his tongue and 
nodded.

"Fine, one of you will be with Ms. Rosenberg at all times," Etheridge 
said and Brad unlocked the handcuffs.

"Bloody Americans," Etheridge muttered as he stalked off to make 
phone calls.

Two hours later Giles, Xander and Anya were relieved to see Joyce, 
Cordelia and Wesley walking towards them in the waiting room. Xander 
had his left arm in a cast and a bandage over his nose but was 
otherwise fairly healthy considering who he had been serving for 
several days.

Rupert took Joyce into his arms gratefully. After a few moments of 
hugs all around, Joyce stepped back and got a look at the three, just 
like Cordelia and Wesley were doing.

Giles' clothes were ripped, and bloody. Xander had been given a pair 
of surgical scrubs, once the ER team got his filthy clothes off of 
him and showered him down before putting the cast on his arm. Anya's 
face was dirt streaked and there were blood splatters on her clothing.

Brad walked in from the cafeteria and quickly joined in the hug fest.

"You look horrible, Rupert," Joyce whispered. "Where's Buffy, Tara 
and Willow?"

"Willow and Buffy are still unconscious," Giles began as everyone sat 
down. "Tara is sitting with both of them."

"How bad and where are they?" Joyce demanded.

"Easy, Joyce," Giles said softly. "Buffy sustained three broken ribs 
on her left side and two on the right. The ribs on her left side 
punctured her lung and she suffered a massive blood loss from 
Dracula's fangs."

Joyce whimpered and Wesley held Cordelia's hand as the seer flinched 
at the description.

"The doctors think she'll be fine but she'll be in the hospital for a 
couple of days," Giles continued. "Willow?.Willow is also 
unconscious. She?."

"She turned into a werewolf to protect m-me," Tara explained as she 
walked into the waiting room. She tried not to cry as Joyce wrapped 
her arms around the young woman. They sat back down slowly. "We 
were in the castle and I was being chased by two werewolves and found 
Willow. She changed and killed them but she was hurt."

"Wouldn't those wounds have healed when she changed back to human?" 
Wesley questioned Giles.

"Normally, yes," Giles agreed. "But she immediately went into a 
major trance with Tara and expended her energy to Buffy."

Giles was surprised to see Cordelia and Wesley nodding thoughtfully.

"What?" he asked.

"Cordelia had one of her visions and knew that Buffy was against 
Dracula last night and she'd fail without some help from the good 
guys," Wesley explained. "We did a circle and Cordelia channeled all 
the love and light we could send to Buffy. All of us."

"I felt you all," Tara nodded slowly. "Even Spike."

"Yes, he complained but agreed quickly enough," Wesley smiled.

"What's wrong?" Giles asked, noticing the expressions and glances 
passing between Joyce, Cordelia and Wesley.  

"We sent our loving energy to Buffy through Tara and Willow," 
Cordelia explained.  

"That's why Willow isn't healing quickly, she gave all her energy to 
Buffy," Giles tried to explain to Joyce.

"We felt her falling," Cordelia said softly. "We could feel Willow 
slipping away, Giles. She was giving everything willingly."

"Oh God," Giles muttered. "What happened?"

"Carson," Wesley said softly. "He felt Willow falling and mentally 
caught her. He threw more of his energy into the ritual, wrapping 
his own energy around Willow's, strengthening her."

"Where is Carson?" Tara asked slowly.

"When Buffy collapsed after defeating Dracula, the ritual was 
broken," Wesley continued. "Everyone was a little shook up, a bit of 
backlash that we weren't ready for. Knocked us on our tails, 
actually. Carson was struggling to even open his eyes. Angel grabbed 
him and Carson opened his eyes, smiled and died whispering the name 
Siobhan."

Tara slumped in her chair and Giles leaned back in his.

"Oh God, does it ever end?" he asked softly as Joyce took his hand.

"I thought so," Tara said softly. "I felt him giving his energy to 
Willow and reassuring me it was his choice."

Cordelia nodded slowly. "He took her place."

"What do you mean he took her place?" Xander demanded.

"Willow was willing to die for Buffy and Tara last night," Wesley 
explained. "She willing gave up the last of her life, her life force 
to feed that light to Buffy. Carson stepped forward and took her 
place in death."

"Christ," Xander muttered.

"I rather agree, Xander," Giles mumbled and sat up to explain the 
developments with the Watcher Council. He and the Sunnydale gang 
learned that Spike and Angel were waiting at the Summers' house, out 
of the sunlight, pacing like restless tigers until they could see 
Buffy and Willow after dusk.

"They want Willow?" Tara frowned and Brad patted his shoulder holster 
reassuringly. Tara knew what he meant, the Watcher Council would 
have to get through Brad Santiago and the Scooby Gang before getting 
a hold on Willow.

The rest of the day was spent seeing over the transfer of Willow to 
the Summers' home while Joyce and Tara alternated between watching 
over Buffy and then over Willow until they were both exhausted.  

It was early evening when Buffy opened her eyes and smiled at her 
Mom's worried face.  

"Mama," the Slayer whispered as Joyce broke into tears, holding 
Buffy's hand. Buffy looked around and frowned when she saw that they 
were alone, no Tara and no Willow.

"Willow is at home under medical supervision," Joyce explained, 
knowing the question in her daughter's eyes. "Tara is with her."

"How bad, Will?" Buffy whispered as Joyce worked the controls to 
raise the bed to an inclined position.

"She's still unconscious but the doctors think that's from blood 
loss," Joyce continued. "Giles says it's from the wounds and 
expending all her energy to you during your fight with Dracula."

"Yeah, I felt that," Buffy said, taking a sip of the water Joyce 
handed her. "She's okay mentally?"

"She was her own person," Joyce smiled. "Willow turned into a 
werewolf to protect Tara."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise and she grabbed at her ribs as she 
winced.

"You have two broken ribs on one side and three on the other and a 
punctured lung, that's why the oxygen tube is in your nose," Joyce 
explained quickly. "As well as numerous bruises, cuts, scrapes and 
massive neck wounds that almost killed you."

"Willow changed willingly and protected Tara as a werewolf?" 

"Yes," Joyce nodded with a smile. "Then she changed back and helped 
Tara and some of us send light and energy your way."

"I felt the love from all of you," Buffy said softly, trying to 
smile. "I also saw something when Dracula died and I passed out."

"What, Buffy?" 

"Carson died, didn't he?" she asked slowly. "I saw him watching me, 
he shoved me back towards my body and said `live.'"

"Oh God," Joyce whispered.  

"When can I get out of here?" Buffy demanded.

"The doctors think in a week, Rupert figures three days," Joyce 
answered. "They're going to try and get Tara to rest, she hasn't 
slept yet and everyone is exhausted."

"Dracula? He always comes back," Buffy asked, her eyes growing heavy, 
her body slipping into healing mode.

"Wesley and Rupert think that he'll move on," Joyce said softly, 
lowering the bed as Buffy closed her eyes. "You wounded his pride 
and reputation. You and the gang beat the Prince of Darkness. He'll 
leave Sunnydale and pretend that he was never here."

"Good, I'll toaster-cake him again," Buffy muttered, drifting off 
into sleep.

Joyce wasn't surprised to find Angel standing outside the hospital 
room, leaning against the wall.

"She's sleeping if you wanted to see her," Joyce said.

"No, that's okay," Angel smiled. "I'm staying here tonight. I know 
Dracula probably won't come after her again but he is an arrogant 
bastard who just got his head handed to him by a mortal who isn't 
even 21 yet."

Joyce managed to smile at that description.  

"Spike's with Willow and Tara, I take it," she asked.

"Yeah, he's always had a soft spot for Willow," Angel grinned. "He 
thinks he's in love with Buffy but Willow fascinates him."

Joyce shook her head in amazement. "Not only have I come to accept 
the fact that my daughter is the Slayer, she has two female lovers, 
her ex-boyfriend is a vampire, but also that some of our friends are 
vampires instead of the enemy."

Angel, instead of being slightly offended, grinned.

"Yeah, pretty strange on our side too," he agreed. "At least I have 
the excuse of having a soul again. Poor Spike has a chip in his head 
that prevents him from being a bad guy. Not his thoughts, his soul 
or his desires, but a modification chip. He hasn't realized yet that 
he has changed."

"What do you mean?" Joyce asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, Spike believes that he helps Buffy and all of you because you 
give him blood, a place to stay when he needs and even protect him 
now that he's somewhat defanged. He thinks he's acting because of the 
chip, he doesn't know that he's changed because he's been around all 
of you."

Joyce frowned and sat down next to Angel in the hallway.

"Spike thinks he's being a good guy because he doesn't have a choice, 
because of the chip," Joyce pondered. "You're saying that he's being 
a good guy because he's becoming a good guy?"

Angel laughed. "Complicated, isn't it? Try having a soul with that 
one."

The vampire stretched his long legs out in front of him.

"Yes, in a way," he continued. "He'll never be Xander, Spike will 
never be totally `good.' He had a cruel and selfish streak before he 
was turned."

"How will his feelings affect his friendship with Buffy and 
everyone?"  

"Spike'll never act on the feelings as long as Willow, Tara, and 
Buffy are together," Angel said easily. "Since we know it's a 
permanent kind of match, he'll be content to keep his distance until 
he finds his true mate."

"Thank you for coming back for awhile," Joyce said sincerely.

"Not a problem," Angel shrugged. "Gunn can handle the office and I 
want to keep an eye on the girls until they're on their feet again, 
especially with Carson gone."

"Willow's going to take that hard," Joyce predicted with a frown.

"Yup," Angel agreed.

Vampire and mother sat quietly together, contemplating the future.