Turned

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: Willow and Tara and any other character that appeared in the syndicated television show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is property of Joss and Mutant Enemy, I’m only borrowing them and am not making any money off them.

Distribution: http://mysticmuse.net

Spoilers: Season 6 through Seeing Red.

Author's Note: This story goes from the moment that Tara is shot at the end of Seeing Red with three changes to Buffy details. 1. Tara is shot through the spleen rather than the Heart. 2. Buffy is shot in the arm. 3. Spike did not leave town after the events of Seeing Red.

Pairing: Willow/Tara

For a second Willow could do nothing but stare. Stare at the blood that suddenly appeared on Tara's torso, stare at the space between them, stare at Tara's shocked eyes as her body started to plummet toward the bedroom floor. Suddenly reacting, she bridged the gap to catch her lover and cushion the fall. She moved even faster than she had the night before when she heard those magic words: "can we just skip it? Can you just be kissing me now?" Always magic between them: First MAGIC between them, and later magic BETWEEN them.

Now cradling Tara's body as blood poured from her stomach, Willow could feel the tears of her hysteria pouring down her face as she prayed to Tara, to God, to each and every Goddess to keep Tara here with her. Tara only looked to Willow's eyes for comfort and love. Willow pressed her hand on Tara's stomach to staunch the flow of blood which now poured around her hand. This desperate and intimate moment was interrupted as Spike ran through the door to the witches' bedroom. Neither woman knew that Spike was sleeping in the basement waiting for Buffy to return so he could talk to her. At the sound of the gunshots, he ran upstairs to see what had happened.

Just as Willow could not stop the flow of blood from her love, Spike could not keep his human face intact upon smelling the fresh blood in the room. His vampiric self was apparent as he looked mournfully at the two women on the floor. Willow's mind raced for a way to save Tara, "Spike, help me."

The vampire actually displayed uncommon compassion, "I'm sorry Red; I can't. I don't think anyone can. Is she hurting?"

Willow didn't answer his question, "You can. She won't make it. Give her back to me."

Spike clued in, "You know I can't do that. I can't feed and you don't want it anyway."

Willow was shouting now: "YOU CAN. YOU OFFERED IT TO ME ONCE. GIVE IT TO HER. LET HER STAY WITH ME."

Spike still argued, "You think she'll be a puppy like Angel? Controlled like me by this chip? She'll be a monster like Angelus or me before or Drusilla, maybe worse because of the magic. How are you gonna feel when you have to stake her before she kills you all?"

Willow's determination grew as the flow of blood slowed, not because things were better but because Tara's heart had almost stopped: "I'll curse her like Angel. I'll have her back. Do it now before it's too late." Willow's eyes were starting to turn black as she raised Spike in the air, threatening, "Do it or you go through the window and get a sunburn. Buffy's out there talking to Xander. You want to go see her right now?"

Spike could see Willow's determination but he still argued: "Okay Red, think about this. You can dust me if you want but how can I do this? I can't bite her because of the chip. And even if I could, there isn't enough blood left to give back to her. I have to drink enough blood for her to drink mine to make her a vampire. She’s lost too much already.”

Willow stopped for a moment at that but her love for Tara kept her mind working. Use my blood. I’m saying to do it so you won’t be hurting me and the chip won’t activate. She’s unconscious so it won’t hurt her either.”

"DO IT NOW!" she screamed, lowering him to the floor.

As soon as his feet hit the floor, Spike moved toward the redhead, grasping her and piercing her throat with his fangs. As Willow had predicted, he felt no pain and was blissful at the feeling he had missed for so long: warm, fresh, human blood.

From the instant that he was drinking her, the minds of these two merged. Willow saw the years of torture and death that Spike had spread. His triumph over 2 slayers. His family of Darla, Angelus, and Drusilla and the way that they lived with true freedom and abandon. She knew the absolute love and obsession he felt for Buffy and even the affection and protection for Dawn.

Simultaneously, Spike felt the pain of Willow's life before Buffy. The loneliness and feeling of not belonging. Of being a geek. And the love between she and Buffy and Xander. But most strongly, he felt the desperation of fear for Tara. The total love she felt for the wounded witch on the floor and under that, guilt at what she had done.

Spike felt Willow weaken and dropped her, moving toward Tara. He took a few sips from her wound but fearing that he would stop her heart entirely, he didn't want to take too much. The merging of emotions from Willow filled Spike with a pure love for Tara and he wanted to bring her back more than anything.

As Spike used his teeth to tear open the skin at his wrist and press it to Tara's lips, Willow crawled over the floor to hold her lover. Although unconscious, Tara began to suck the warm blood from the vampire, pulling harder and harder at the flow. While Tara was not conscious to feel the merging with Spike, he again felt the absolute love this woman had for her lover and how her love had brought her to a new life. Pulling away, he let her fall back into Willow's arms.

Two of the spent figures on the bedroom floor began to stir as the sirens sounded in the distance. Spike quickly lifted Tara's body and started from the room. He turned back at the door, "I'll take her to my crypt. I'd put the vampire locks back on the house if I was you." As he rushed down the stairs, Willow became aware that the sirens had stopped but no one was coming up the stairs. Was someone else hurt?

Hearing the sirens grow louder and louder until they stopped right in front of the house, Willow had to find out who else was hurt. She jumped up from the floor and ran to the door. She got about half-way down the stairs when she started to feel very dizzy from the loss of blood. It was a good thing too as stopping to lean on the wall and take a deep breath gave her a chance to think. As she stopped for the moment she realized that she could not tell anyone about Tara. Buffy and Xander would be likely to assume they needed to stake the new vampire before Willow could curse her, not to mention that they wouldn’t approve of her doing the magic to actually curse her lover.

Not hesitating for a moment, Willow passed her hand over her neck, instantly healing the wounds there and then over her shirt to clean the blood from it entirely. Sure she was using magic, but after you use magic to lift a vampire off the ground and force him to turn your lover, what was a few clean-ups? But that would be it. Once she had cursed Tara, she would stop again.

Willow quickly continued out of the house to the backyard where she found the paramedics looking after Xander and Buffy. As both smiled at her, her worry was relieved. The paramedics were wrapping a bandage around the Slayer’s left arm. As she approached she heard one paramedic commenting, “You were lucky, it was just a flesh wound.”

After treating the wound, the paramedics left the yard, leaving Buffy, Xander, and Willow sitting on the bench. Buffy turned to Willow, “Where’s Tara?”

Willow thought quickly, “Um she went back to her dorm to get some clothes and stuff. Uh, you know, not really moving in just yet but spending a lot of time here.” She blushed as she answered the question. “Also I think she had an afternoon class,” she continued to provide an alibi.

“Ok, do you think she’ll be back soon? Like before dark? I want her to put the vampire locks on the house again. To keep out ALL of the vampires. No exceptions.” Buffy stressed no exceptions without saying Spike’s name specifically.

Willow was a bit puzzled about locking Spike out of the house suddenly but more worried about the locks. I’m pretty sure she won’t be here before dark since she’s still dead and a vampire. And I don’t think that she can put the locks on the house even after dark since she’ll be a vampire then, she thought. “Why don’t I call her and see when she can come do it?”

Willow hung up the phone and turned to her friends: “She has class and can’t get here till late tonight. She had a suggestion though. Why don’t we let Dawn do the locks? She has always shown an interest and remember I put them on when Angelus was here and I hadn’t been studying magic at all. It’s really easy.”

Dawn was nearly jumping off the couch as she responded, “Yeah, please let me do it. Will can watch me and tell me if I do anything wrong.”

As Buffy was trying to allow her sister more responsibility, she agreed, “Ok, but let Will tell you just what to do.”

Spike was awake long before the sun set. He checked Tara repeatedly. Still Dead. Knowing that it would be hours or perhaps tomorrow night before the new vampire rose, he grabbed his duster and headed out into the night.

Tara felt a thirst like she had never known. Her throat and skin burned with dryness and fire. She felt as if her skin and hair and nails were rotting and growing and shrinking all at the same time. Opening her eyes, she expected to wake from the dream, but the burning continued. But behind that burning was one taste.

“Willow” she gasped as she realized she could taste her lover. She could taste Willow on her lips and skin and mouth. Not that this was the first time to wake to that taste, but this was a saltier, richer taste. She could taste Willow’s blood.

Willow sat in a wicker chair on the back porch of the Summers house. She was watching the sun set and waiting for the stars to come out. When it was dark enough, she planned to make her way over to the Magic Box to get the supplies for the spell to curse Tara. She had no doubt that she could get the necessary herbs but was a little worried over whether Anya would have the required orb. If not, oh well, she would cross that bridge when she came to it.

It was hard for her to believe that 24 hours ago she and Tara were making love in the peace and quiet of the Summers house. Buffy was patrolling and Dawn had gone over to Janice’s to give the Wiccans some privacy. Now, so much had changed.

Before it got close to sunset, Willow had supervised Dawn’s setting of the vampire locks on the house. She assumed that Buffy was angry for Spike for betraying her with Anya and did not want anything else to do with the blond bloodsucker any longer. Dawn had done a good job with the locks and now was watching a video with Buffy. Xander took patrol for the night since Buffy’s arm was giving her trouble. With slayer strength and healing ability, they had no doubt that she would be good to go soon.

Willow felt incredibly tired and weak. Of course, she had lost a lot of blood just that morning. But she couldn’t let her friends know. She planned to stop at the hospital for a top-off after her Magic Box run. In the meantime, she was trying to supplement her high intake of caffeine with an equally high amount of sugar. The result was a very hopped-up but exhausted recovering witch counting the stars and naming the constellations as Tara would have: Moose taking a Bath, Stack of Crackers, etc.

She snapped to attention as Spike rounded the house. He tossed her a small bag, indicating that he had brought her something to eat: “Eat that. I stopped and got you a Tuna steak sandwich and potato. Good protein. Oh, and drink this,” he said, pulling a bottle of orange juice from his pocket.

Her intellectual ability already slow from the long and tiring day, she uttered the very witty, “Huh?”

“You lost a lot of blood today Red. You shouldn’t lose that much and live. The fish is good iron and protein and the potato too. The orange juice helps you absorb the iron. Eat.” He surprised her with his answer.

Willow realized that she was actually very hungry and began to dig into the sandwich. After the first bite, she asked, “What about Tara? How is she? Is she awake? Why did you leave her? Why did you come here?”

Spike sat down next to the redhead, patting her on the knee to calm her down and indicating that she should continue eating: “First, I wouldn’t expect her to wake until tomorrow night or perhaps near sunrise tonight. I’ll be back home by then. Right now, she’s just a dead body in a crypt which is where dead bodies should be. I came to bring you that and to see how you were doing.”

Willow registered surprise, “To see how I was doing? Why?”

Before Spike could answer, Buffy opened the door, bathing the back porch in light. “What in the Hell are you doing here?” she asked the vampire. “You know for years I’ve been wondering if there are actually good vampires or just vampires I haven’t staked yet. I’m thinking of putting it to a test. Of course, you were never really good, just controlled. I think it’s time to reduce the vampire population of Sunnydale by one vampire.” Buffy started out door, surprised as Willow stepped between her and Spike.

“What the Hell?” the slayer asked her best-friend.

Willow tried to slow down Buffy for a moment, “Look I know you’re pissed that Spike slept with Anya and we all agree that was a really bad idea, but he’s been our friend for a long time and he has protected us a lot and maybe we can take a moment to think.”

“I think Red has a point,” Spike interceded.

“Shut up!” both women shouted at once.

“Ok” he conceded, “but she does have a good point.”

This time both women merely glared at the bleached vampire. Buffy looked across the yard suddenly. “Willow, go in the house. There’s a vampire out here.”

As the words left her mouth, Tara stepped from the bushes, licking her lips slowly, “Willow.”

The three figures on the porch turned to face the blonde witch with shocked looks on their faces. Buffy seemed most shocked as she stared at Tara, sensing that she was indeed a vampire. The others were both shocked that Tara was awake. Spike and Buffy simultaneously stepped in front of Willow to shield her from Tara’s view.

Tara moved in an almost blinded stumble through the yard and towards the porch. She felt the burning of her thirst, the ache in her body, and a burning on her hip that she couldn’t identify. She could think of only one thing: Blood, Willow’s Blood. “Willow,” she croaked weakly.

“Willow. Get in the house. Now!” Buffy ordered.

“No. Don’t hurt her Buffy. The curse. Don’t stake her. Let Spike take her back home. Please,” the redhead pleaded.

“What? You knew about this? What is going on?” Buffy felt totally out of the loop. She was angry and wanted to know what had happened but more than that, she didn’t want to underestimate Tara. Although the blonde had been a good friend for 3 years, she wasn’t that anymore. She was now a demon inhabiting a familiar body and Buffy was prepared to stake her to save her Scooby family. She glanced at Spike, surprised to see how protective he seemed of her best friend.

The tense silence was broken as five vampires rushed through the hedges at the same time. They had obviously planned their attack on the slayer and seeing her in the backyard, took this as a prime opportunity. As they rushed by the weakened Tara, two knocked her to her knees. Two vampires were on Buffy at once, another two on Spike, and the last grabbed Willow. Buffy was fighting her two vampires but they were surprisingly strong. Spike had his hands full with his two, leaving Willow in the grasp of a very strong vampire. Buffy screamed her terror as she realized that Tara was joining the fight. A 6 to 3 ratio didn’t sound that good, especially with the slayer’s arm injured.

Buffy staked her first vampire and Spike neatly beheaded one of his with a garden tool, leaving each of them one very strong vampire to battle. The last vampire was holding Willow up off the ground so she could not kick or get away. Tara moved instantly toward Willow. A kick to the head distracted the vampire as she dropped the redhead. Without hesitation, Tara broke a spoke from the wicker chair and staked the vampire through the heart. She turned toward the yard, extending one arm toward Buffy and one toward Spike, incanting, “Incendio!” as the two opposing vampires burst into flames. As Spike stepped back from the firework which used to be a vampire, Tara collapsed to the porch.

Instantly the slayer and Spike joined the two Wiccans on the porch. Buffy looked to Willow: “So you cursed her?”

Willow was totally perplexed, “What? No, I didn’t curse her yet. I was going to do it tonight but I didn’t have the supplies.” Buffy pushed her into the house pulling the door closed and giving Willow a stern look to stay inside.

Tara began to stir, mumbling, “It burns. So thirsty. Please.”

Spike pulled a flash from his pocket and put the mouth to the blonde’s lips, urging her to drink. She drank fully and deeply before taking the flask from the vampire and draining it completely. “More,” she moaned weakly.

Spike began to pull Tara to her feet but was stopped by Buffy who leaned down to look at Tara. “Tara. It’s Buffy,” she began. “When you say ‘more’, from where? From who? Where are you going?”

Tara tried to focus on the slayer. “I don’t know. I’m so thirsty. It burns like you couldn’t believe.” Turning to Spike, she questioned, “Where do you get it?”

“Oh, we can go to the butcher or Willie’s. The butcher is probably better since you’re new and the others might not cater to seeing you tonight.” He turned to Buffy: “She’s going to be really tired after I get her fed. I’ll take her to my place.” So saying, he helped Tara up and started from the yard. At the edge of the yard, the witch turned to lock eyes with Willow through the window in the kitchen door before disappearing from sight completely.

The mood inside the house was very tense as Buffy joined Willow in the kitchen. “I’m calling the Scoobies. Then we are all having a long talk,” she informed the redhead tersely.

Feeling duly admonished, Willow moved to the living room to wait. She didn’t have to wait long as Anya, Xander, and Dawn all joined their friends in a few minutes. “So what’s the big?” Dawn asked as she entered the room last.

Buffy turned to look at Willow: “Willow will explain because I don’t know the story. What I do know is that Tara’s a vampire. So please explain now.” Her anger was palatable to the entire crowd. The others were clearly shocked.

Willow attempted to explain the story as calmly as possible. However, as soon as she began, the emotion she had been restraining all day gave way. She collapsed in tears and had to be moved to the couch by Xander. Eventually she told everything.

Through shocked looks from all her friends, Xander spoke first: “Uh Will. I’m really sorry and know how much you are and were hurting. But…”

Willow just looked at him as if she didn’t know what he was getting at.

“Well, Will, it’s just. I mean the curse. A second of happiness and she looses her soul. I mean, you want to curse her like that? You can’t be together. Ever. I mean…” he trailed off looking around the room. Suddenly, it seemed that there was something very interesting on the rug as everyone intently studied the pattern.

Willow looked to her friends as she answered, “Yes I thought of that. Yes, I curse her to never experience a moment of happiness. But she’s still alive and that’s what’s important to me.”

“No Willow. She’s not. She’s not alive.” Everyone was surprised to realize that Dawn was speaking.

Buffy spoke next: “Ok, the curse is problematic. I know that more than anyone. But I’m not ready to stake her yet either. She’s one of my best friends. So…Anya, go to the Magic Box and get what Willow needs for the spell. Dawn, stay with Willow and neither of you goes outside this house until daylight. Xander, you and I are going to patrol.”

Everyone quickly dispersed, relieved to not have to stay and ponder the possibility that any one of them might have to stake their friend to save themselves. Dawn put an exhausted Willow to bed and stayed with her to help her get some rest. The loss of blood and high emotion of the day clearly affected the redhead as she fell quickly asleep. Just before loosing consciousness, she asked Dawn, “Do you hear someone on the roof?”

Spike scanned the crypt quickly, cursing when he found it empty. “Great, I go and get you some new duds and you’re not even here. That slayer will stake you if you threaten Willow you know. And here I am talking to myself. God, you witches really have an effect on a guy.”

Tara entered the crypt moments later laughing. “I didn’t know anything had an effect on you. Did you say you brought me some new clothes?”

“Where have you been? I thought I said to stay here,” he answered angrily.

“You did. I didn’t”

“Changed a bit haven’t you bird? Guess the blood made you feel better. All up and about and smart-ass.” Spike was truly amazed at the attitude the witch was showing. Even more surprised when she started to strip, taking the clothes from him.

Tara spoke as she changed into the black leather pants and lace cammie that the bleached vampire had brought her. Of course, a black leather jacket completed the ensemble. “Yes. The thirst and burning is gone. Well almost gone. I’ve got a tattoo on my hip that is burning like fuck but everything else is great. Hey, did I torch 2 vampires?”

For the first time in a few decades, Spike found it hard to speak as he watched the very different blonde witch changing clothes. “Uh. Uh. Uh. Yeah. You said some word and they both went up in flames. By the way, if you could avoid doing that when I’m holding a the guy, I’d appreciate it. Don’t really feature a barbecue personally.” Spike turned away as his thoughts were flooded with memories from Willow’s mind.

“Cool. So my magic is way stronger. And obviously my body is stronger. I like this.” Tara was clearly enthused with the changes. “I’m going to get some rest. Anywhere better or worse?”

Through his shock, Spike spoke again: “Uh, down the hole there are a few beds. No sunlight. Um, where did you go before.”

As Tara started down the ladder she laughed the answer: “To check on Will of course. She and Dawn were sleeping in our bed. She’s had a hard day.”

Spike woke very suddenly as he felt a single strand of hair pulled from his head. “What the fuck?” he shouted, jumping from the bed to grab the intruder. He found no one within his reach but looked around quickly to find Tara 20 feet away and sitting on a high beam in the underground crypt.

She laughed loudly at his confusion. “What’s the matter Spike? Missing some of your hair? Not perfect anymore?”

“No Blondie. And how did you get up there so fast? Why did you wake me up?” He threw out the questions quickly, not knowing if he even wanted a response.

Tara laughed again. “I got up here by wanting to be up here and I woke you up so we can talk. How does this work? Where do I get blood? How much do I need? What will harm me? What will kill me? And finally, why is my tattoo burning so bad?”

Spike pulled a cigarette from the pack in his jacket and lit up before answering: “Ok. One at a time. How does this work? You’re a vampire. Warren shot you, you were dying, Willow gave her blood, I gave it back to you. You can get the blood from your victims or from the butcher or from Willie’s tavern.”

He was interrupted by Tara: “Victims? You asshole. What victims? You expect me to hunt people? I’m so fucking sure. God, like it’s not bad enough that I have to drink animal blood. I mean six years as a vegetarian and now I am going to live on blood. Ok, not live but you know.”

It was Spike’s turn to laugh. “You were a vegetarian? That’s rich. Well, not anymore love. Maybe you can still go organic, you know, all free-range hens and such, ” he would have continued to answer the questions but was overcome with laughter.

After a few minutes laughing his ass off, he continued, “I don’t know how much you need; you’ll have to figure that out on your own. Lots of stuff can harm you but you’ll heal. Crosses and other holy stuff will burn you. Staking, beheading, being set on fire, and sunlight will kill you.”

“As far as this tattoo, I don’t know. I didn’t have one but I’ve never known any vamps that had a problem with one. What is it? When did you get it?” Spike asked curiously.

“It’s a family design. I got it when I was really little. But it’s burning like anything and, well, I think it’s growing. It’s on my hip,” Tara explained.

Spike breathed out smoke, “Interesting. Maybe your friends can research it for you, if they don’t stake you that is.”

“Wow, you should be a comedian funny man,” Tara retorted. “Ok, here’s what really gets me. Shouldn’t I be evil? I mean I don’t want to hunt victims or even hurt the animals for their blood? Am I really a vampire at all? I just feel like me but stronger…” she trailed off.

He bleached vampire answered, “Not just stronger, with a tude too. I don’t know. You should want to go hunting and kill all your friends by now, but you don’t. Maybe Red already cursed you. I’ll tell you one thing though. You talk in your sleep and all night you were moaning about Willow’s blood. Are you sure you don’t want a victim?”

Tara considered it briefly before answering, “No I don’t want to hurt her. I never do. But yes, I want her blood. I can still taste it. I can taste it in my mouth and on my skin. Through my pores. The other blood I had quenched my thirst but it’s like mud compared to that taste of her. Oh Goddess.”

Spike gave her a few minutes to think about it. “Look, I’m going over to get some blood. Wanna come with and then maybe kill a few demons with me? I could use some company and you can meet Ken at the slaughterhouse.”

Tara jumped down from the beam, “sure. Toss me a smoke.”

The five Scoobies stared at Willow and then at the orb. They were gathered in the Magic Box for Willow to curse Tara. Special delivery of the orb didn’t happen until close to closing time but they wanted to get the task completed as soon as they could.

“Well, did it work?” Dawn asked first.

Willow was tired but needed to answer, “I don’t know. I mean when I cursed Angel, I felt the magic take over. I wasn’t doing the spell anymore. It was doing me but this time I didn’t feel that. And also the orb didn’t get all glowy.’ She continued, “This is really weird.”

Buffy agreed that it was weird, but, “Look I need to go start my patrol and I want to get the two of you back to the house before…”

Five heads swiveled as the bell on the door chimed to announce the arrival of two customers. All mouths dropped open as Tara smiled, “Hi everyone.”

Spike and Tara tentatively entered the shop as the others stared at them. Buffy moved toward the two vampires, placing herself between them and the rest of her family. Anya was the first to speak: “So, Tara, you’re a vampire. How original.”

Tara looked at the former demon, momentarily unable to believe that she had said such a tacky thing. Then remembering the source, she retorted, “Well yeah, you know. Dead is in this week. Speaking of which, vengeance demon again? Not so original yourself.” Spike and Tara both started laughing as the others in the shop looked to Anya to confirm Tara’s assessment.

The vengeance demon answered their glances, “Ok, ok. Yes I’m a vengeance demon again. Get over it and let’s talk about Tara’s evilness. I mean we know the curse didn’t work. I’m waiting to see which of you she kills first.”

At that, Buffy moved a little more protectively toward the vampires and pulled a stake from her pocket. Tara looked at the slayer a little exasperated before speaking, “Of course the curse didn’t work. I never lost my soul. I’m not evil and I’m not going to kill any of you.”

Spike chimed in, “It’s true. She’s got an attitude but I don’t think she’s evil. Won’t kill anyone and she’s all upset about the animals that have to die so we can get blood from the butcher. Not very good publicity for us undead types,” he sneered. He looked to Tara, “By the way love, gotta go pretty soon. It’s getting late.”

Finally Willow spoke, “Baby, is it true? You’re still you?”

Using her enhanced magical powers, speed, and strength, Tara covered the distance between herself and her lover in less than a second. As soon as Buffy realized what had happened, she started toward the two witches, but found herself unable to move any closer as Tara held a hand open behind her back to keep her back. Tara softly cupped Willow’s cheeks in her hands, bending toward her lover and lightly placing a tender kiss on her lips, “I love you sweetie.” Willow still had her eyes closed as Tara kissed her again telling her lover, “But no more magic love.”

Realizing that Tara was about to disappear again, Willow grabbed her wrist and kissed her harder this time. “Baby, I love you too and I know you’d never hurt me. But no smoking ok? It tastes gross.” Tara smiled and nodded as she and Spike left the shop.

Spike leaned back out of the beam of sunlight that shone into the crypt as Willow entered, quickly closing the door behind her. “Sorry about that. Is Tara here?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s down the hole. We kind of split it up for the time being. You moving in?” he asked, indicating the bags the redhead was carrying.

“What? Moving in? Huh? Oh, no, I brought some of her stuff. I mean, I don’t know how long she’s planning on staying here or where she’s going to stay or what she wants to do or…” Willow stopped herself in the middle of the ramble as she realized that Spike was mostly just being a smart-ass anyway. “So down the hole huh?”

The bleached vampire waved towards the ladder, “Yeah, that way. You need a hand with the bags?”

“Uh, yeah, it’d help me get down the ladder without breaking anything, including me,” Willow responded, thankful for the offer. At the bottom of the ladder, Spike dropped the bags and turned to go. Willow grasped his wrist and looked into the vampire’s eyes: “Spike, I…Thank you.”

“Yeah love, she’s worth it,” he answered before quickly ascending the ladder again.

After waiting a moment for her eyes to adjust to the torch light, Willow started through the underground cavern, leaving the bags at the foot of the ladder. She quickly found Tara asleep in a queen-size wrought-iron bed. As Willow moved closer to watch her lover sleep, Tara spoke, “Hi sweetie.”

“Um, I didn’t know you were awake. Or I didn’t mean to wake you up. You probably need your sleep.” The redhead rambled as Tara sat up.

“I was sleeping but I sensed you when you came in.” ok, really I smelled you when you came in, but let’s not talk about that. Tara moved from the bed toward her lover, “How about you? Have you recovered?”

“Yes, feeling much better. Much more awake today. Plus good to know you’re not evil and not going to kill me and …” Willow was finding it very hard to string together a rational thought as Tara began pressing her silk-camisole-clad body against hers.

Tara bent her head toward Willow’s, “No definitely not going to kill you.” She pressed her lips softly to Willow’s and heard her lover moan softly. The kiss grew in intensity and depth as both women took the opportunity to join their lips, their mouths, their tongues, and essences. As Tara explored Willow’s mouth with her tongue, Willow felt her knees weaken. The lovers had not yet made up for the months apart when the latest separation began. Now, they needed to share this intimacy once again. As they kissed, Tara lifted Willow and carried her across the cavern to the bed, laying her on the bed and covering her body with her own. As she moved her attention to kissing Willow’s neck, Willow whispered, “Strong.”

“Yes baby, very strong, and very much yours.” Tara punctuated every word with a light kiss to Willow’s neck. As the redhead moved under the weight of her powerful lover, Tara was driven to an even greater passion by the feeling of Willow’s pulse under the skin. She could sense and almost smell the blood just below that thin layering of skin. Realizing that she was quickly loosing the ability to think of anything but that blood, she pulled back for a moment.

Looking into Willow’s green eyes, Tara placed her hands under Willow’s top, pulling it up and over her head. As Willow shivered, Tara suddenly realized the problem. “Oh sweetie, I forgot. I must be really cold. Do you want me to go and have a warm drink? Do you want to stop?”

Willow gasped, “no, no stopping. Just let me try to warm your hands for a second.” She took Tara’s hands in her own, first rubbing them. Next, she took each finger slowly in her mouth, running her tongue over each, never breaking eye contact with her lover. Any questions the two women might have had about Tara’s responses now that she was a vampire were answered as they felt a rush of warmth and wetness on Willow’s leg. As her first hand was released from her lover’s mouth, Tara used the much warmer digits to release her lover’s bra and toss it to the floor.

When the women resumed their kiss, Willow ran her hands over the smooth silk and the body beneath that silk. She could feel Tara’s nipples through the silk and it didn’t take more than a touch to bring those nipples clearly to attention. Willow continued to rub and roll the nipples as Tara moaned her pleasure. Tara sat up momentarily, pulling off her only covering before leaning forward to lick one of Willow’s nipples. As she ran her tongue around a very hard nipple, she was again entranced by the presence of Willow’s blood and the smell of her skin. Her skin, her sweat, her juices, all contained that same basic scent that was Willow and ran through her blood. Captivated by licking and sucking first one then the other nipple, Tara nonetheless managed to unzip Willow’s jeans and remove the jeans and panties the smaller women wore.

As Tara lifted her head to move it from one nipple to the other, Willow ducked her head to reach the hard nipples that she had continued manipulating. Pulling Tara to straddle her and sit upright, Willow began slowly licking her lover’s entire breast. She made circles, moving closer and closer to the nipple. As Willow took the blonde’s nipple in her mouth, Tara began to make whimpering noises. Without releasing the pressure on her lover’s chest, Willow used her fingers to part Tara’s lips and run her hands through the silky wetness.

Willow alternated kissing Tara’s nipples and continued her ministrations on her lover’s wetness, stroking her lips and feeling her shudder. Tara screamed out, “Oh Goddess,” as Willow lightly stroked her clit just before entering her lover. Her strong vaginal muscles squeezed the redhead’s hand immediately before releasing. Returning to kissing Tara’s sweet lips, Willow quickly found a rhythm and pressed her fingers tightly into her lover while using her thumb to continue to massage her swollen clit. Tara pressed Willow to the bed and she deeply kissed her lover, allowing her tongue to explore the redhead’s mouth. The mouths pressed together muffled Tara’s scream as she shuddered with a blinding climax.

As Tara collapsed onto the bed, Willow rolled with her, never removing her hand from its very wet, warm, tight resting place. Wrapping her arm around Tara’s neck, she placed light kisses all over the blonde’s eyes, face, and neck. As Tara began to relax her hold on Willow’s hand, the redhead started to pull out; however, rather than removing her hand, she pressed deeper into Tara’s well, adding a third finger. Tara arched her back, gasping, “Oh Goddess. Yes. Yes. Yes.” It took only moments for Tara to come again, squeezing her muscles around Willow’s deep fingers.

Pleased with the connection of their union, the two women lay still as they waited for their breathing to begin to return to normal. Willow moved her fingers from their resting place, petting her lover’s face softly. Expecting a refractory period, she was surprised as Tara pulled her down, kissing her deeply and hard before rolling her over to rest between her legs. As Tara began to kiss down Willow’s stomach, the redhead tried to slow her: “Baby, you can rest if you need to.”

Tara looked up grinning seductively at her lover, “Super strength remember? I’m all refracted.” Willow smiled and began for the first time to wonder at the possibilities of having a vampire lover. Before she could get very far into that line of thinking, she enjoyed the reality as Tara ran her tongue through Willow’s wet curls. Tara began sucking each curl to extract every drop of Willow’s juices. She settled down to pay very special, very slow attention to the redhead’s center, first licking slowly up one lip, then the other, then her clit. Again, she found herself totally immersed in Willow’s essence and scent. As she licked the edge of Willow’s leg, she felt the strong pulse there and could barely restrain from making a little nip. She was brought back to reality by the feel of Willow’s hand on the back of her head, lightly pulling and holding her in place.

Tara now began truly feasting on her lover. Drinking her juices and sucking and licking on her clit, she was rewarded as she heard Willow moaning and felt her writing beneath her. Before Tara could even get her hand inside Willow’s depths, the redhead came in a rushing torrent, screaming Tara’s name. Without releasing any pressure, Tara sucked hungrily at the abundant juices. Using her hands only to separate Willow’s lips to allow greater access to the new wetness, Tara paid such intense attention to her lover’s center that in moments, Willow had come again, blessing her lover with another rush of wetness.

“Hold,” Willow managed to gasp out through the exhaustion of her two overwhelming orgasms. Tara of course quickly lifted her body to lie next to her lover and hold her throughout the aftershocks. Sharing small kisses, the witches slowly recovered from their exertions, softly running their hands over the other’s bodies.

Willow smiled a little, “So baby? Uh. You feeling ok? Not evil or homicidal or anything right?”

Tara also smiled, locking blue eyes on green, “Yes sweetie. I’m feeling fine. My soul’s right here and it’s yours. I love you so much!”

“Ok, good. I mean love is good. Evil not good but love is good. Ok, you’re mine, I’m yours. It’s all good.” Willow babbled her relief. Taking a few deep breaths she explained, “Oh, also I brought some of your stuff over. Spike helped me bring it down the ladder. Some clothes, books, the dolls-eye crystal. I didn’t know if you were going to go back to the dorm to get it or what your plans are.”

“Thanks baby. You’re so thoughtful. I mean, the leather pants aren’t exactly me? You know?” Tara smiled.

“Well baby, they might not BE you, but they look really hot on you. Or off you,” Willow smiled back, rubbing her hand over her lover’s stomach and side. “Hey baby, what’s up with your tattoo? I mean you’re like 70 degrees and it’s like 150. I can feel it burning my hand every time I run my fingers over it.”

“Yeah, I don’t know. It’s been burning since I woke up. At first everything burned because I needed to drink but then I drank and it didn’t get better. In fact, I think it’s gotten worse. It really burns. Also, it may be growing,” Tara responded, more confused than worried.

Willow looked at the tattoo: “Yeah, it’s definitely growing. This is the one your mom made right? The family design thing? I’ve examined it pretty close in the last few years,” she smiled sexily. “Anyway, it’s always been a kind of Celtic cross thing with seven crosses around it. Now, I’m pretty sure the Celtic cross has grown and I count about 31 crosses around it. It seems like the new crosses all make another group of Celtic crosses too. No wonder it burns huh?” Willow put together the reason that the crosses would burn so badly.

“I guess so. Anyway, my fingers are usually cold so I’ve been using them to calm the burning somewhat. Pretty strange though.”

When Willow woke up, she was extremely confused about where she was, until she saw Tara sleeping beautifully next to her, then it all came back. With no clock and no windows in the underground crypt, she had no idea how long she slept. Maybe Buffy will have some advice about dating a vampire, she chuckled to herself at the thought of asking Buffy for undead dating advice. She quickly dressed, finding her clothes all at the foot of the bed.

Without fully opening her eyes, Tara asked, “something funny missy?”

“He he. Yeah, just thinking of asking Buffy for advice on dating a vampire so picturing that conversation pretty good,” Willow giggled back. “Seriously, I have to go do some studying and check in on Scooby Business. I’m staying home with Dawn tonight; you want to come see me?”

Fully awake now, Tara looked at her lover, “Can you invite me in or is Buffy all with the worried?”

“She’s worried but she trusts me and she knows you could have killed me at the shop so I think it will be fine. I’ll ask her before she heads out. Do you want …oh never mind.” Willow corrected herself.

“What baby?” Tara asked.

“Nothing. I’m stupid. I was going to ask if you wanted me to pick you up some supper.”

Tara smiled, “not stupid sweetie, it’s a big change. But no, I’ll eat on the way. See you after dark ok?”

Willow leaned in to give her lover a kiss before turning to leave, “I love you.”

“Love you too sweetie,” Tara smiled from the bed.

When Tara woke, she could tell that it was close to sunset. She went through the bags that Willow left, finding some of her favorite clothes. She smiled to note that Willow particularly brought those things that she liked to see her lover dressed in. She chose a pair of tight jeans, white peasant blouse, and the long Black Leather Jacket that she wore the day she returned to Willow. After putting everything else away for the time being, she knew the sun was fully down. She climbed up the ladder quickly to find Spike gone. A note on the TV read, “Gone. Eat. Back.” A pack of cigarettes and a $20 bill sat on the TV with one stick pulled partway from the pack. Remembering Willow’s request, the blonde left the cigarettes but took the $20.

Moving slowly though the cemetery and the alleys of town, Tara attracted little attention. A few vampires greeted her, noting a new presence but for the most part, she avoided all the demons and they did the same. She stopped by the butcher and got her evening feed from Ken before heading over to the Summers house.

Because of the late hour and because she came through the back yard, Tara was surprised as she neared the door to hear Buffy’s voice, “Hi Tara. Why don’t you come with me to patrol for a while?”

Tara was understandably nervous as she answered the slayer, “Uh sure. N-n-no invite?”

Buffy smiled, “Let’s do a cemetery sweep. You want a stake?”

Tara relaxed somewhat, “Sure, as long as it’s not through my heart.”

The two blondes walked in silence for a while. Occasionally one or the other would sense a visitor and signal to the other. Tara had the opportunity to test her new strength and speed in helping to stake 3 vampires before they had completed their sweep.

Buffy teasingly asked, “So you want to give up the research part and stick with me on patrols?” She started laughing before Tara could even answer, “Never mind. I know you like the research and being with Will. But you can fill in with me occasionally right? I mean, your strength and speed are really good and if you can keep torching them like you did that first night, it would make my job pretty easy.”

Tara nodded: “Yes, you’re right. I like research and being with Will. Plus, the fire is pretty tiring to cast. But staking them is kind of fun so sure, I can hang.” She continued, “B-b-Buffy, did you want to talk about something?”

“Well yeah. I mean, I know you’re not evil. I mean you could have killed Willow at the shop and you didn’t and you could have killed me plenty of times tonight but you haven’t so you’re not evil. But we don’t know why you’re not. I mean why did you keep your soul? And what if…I mean. I …well…Will and you …and well … happiness and …”

Although she was amused by the slayer’s ramble, Tara had to interrupt: “Um Buffy. Well, Willow and I. Well, uh. Ok, let’s just say this: one moment of happiness isn’t going to make me lose my soul.”

Buffy turned to look at Tara confused. “What? I mean oh. Oh. I mean. Ok, good. That’s good. I mean Willow didn’t say.” Lucky Willow, the slayer thought.

Tara was shocked at Buffy’s next question: “So you’re not mad at her?”

“What?” Tara responded.

“I mean. She used magic. She forced Spike to turn you. She didn’t know that you wouldn’t lose your soul. She turned you into a Vampire. You could have killed her, us, anyone? Aren’t you mad at her at all?” Buffy asked.

Tara sat down on a low retaining wall and took a few unnecessary breaths before answering: “Wow, that’s a lot of questions. Ok. Am I mad at Willow? No. If she hadn’t made that choice, I’d be dead. And who knows where she would be. I have to tell you Buffy, I was not completely satisfied with her magic recovery and who knows what she would have done if saving me had failed. I hate to think about it. So I’m not mad at her, but I still don’t want her using magic. Yes, it would have been a terrible decision for her to make if I had turned evil and killed you all. But you know what? I didn’t. I never lost my soul. I don’t know why but I’m glad to still be here.”

Buffy looked intently at the blonde vampire before Tara continued, “I know that my life is changed. I mean, I can’t go in sunlight and I’ll never get older and I have to visit the butcher for dinner every night. So I have limitations. But on the other hand, I have super strength and speed and enhanced magic. And I still have my soul mate and hopefully my friends. And I can help those friends fight evil just like I’ve been doing for 2 years.”

“I have to tell you Buffy,” Tara started, “This is incredible. I can see and hear things that I never noticed before like...behind you!” Tara suddenly shouted.

Buffy reacted quickly. Nonetheless the three vampires caught her off guard and were able to back her against the wall and cause her to lose her stake. Tara jumped from the wall, staking the largest of the vampires while still in the air and kicking the other two before hitting the ground. Buffy recovered quickly, fighting with one vampire while Tara grappled with the other. Each woman took a few more hits and kicks before dusting their respective foes.

As Tara helped Buffy up off the ground, Buffy smiled, “Glad you’re not evil and thanks. Do you want to go home? I could use some ice for my head and we can see what the others are doing.”

Tara smiled at her friend, accepting the invitation as they started returning to the Summers house. The two walked in silence for a while before Buffy turned again to Tara, “So speaking of research do you think some research is in order to find out why you didn’t lose your soul?” And if you might?

“And whether I will later right?” Tara responded smiling. At Buffy’s shocked look, Tara told her, “No I can’t read minds but it’s logical that you’d wonder. Yes I want to find out why I didn’t go bad. I have a theory but it needs some research. Which brings us back to the initial conversation for the night I guess.”

As they neared the house, Tara turned to Buffy. Don’t invite me in, I want to test Dawn’s spell and see what it feels like.

Buffy nodded, “That makes sense. So, you are not invited in the house.”

As Buffy entered the house, Tara stepped right behind her. Meeting the invisible barrier, she was immediately repulsed. As she tried entry again, Willow and Dawn started down the stairs. Seeing what was happening, Dawn grabbed some holy water from her backpack and threw it as Willow pulled Buffy out of the way. Although Dawn’s aim was poor, the bottle shattered, splashing and burning Tara’s lower arm. Tara screamed out in pain as all three women inside the house screamed simultaneously.

Dawn grabbed for a cross and began to charge the door shouting, “Back!”

Willow shouted, “What happened?”

Although Buffy was reeling in shock, she reacted quickly enough to knock the cross from Dawn’s hand, “Everyone stop!” As she looked to the porch, she saw Tara sitting on the step cradling her arm. Joining the vampire to check on the damage, she was shocked to see Tara’s vampire face for the first time.

“I can’t. I can’t. It hurts. Please don’t let her see me like this,” Tara pleaded with the slayer.

Buffy understood instantly Tara’s feelings. Buffy turned to the two women still in the house, “Both of you go back upstairs. We’ll be in a few minutes.” Physically stopping Willow, she directed her, “No, back inside.” The slayer sat with Tara on the front porch and held her hand trying to calm her down: “Just rest for a minute. We can put something on the burn whenever you are ready to come inside. Dawn didn’t understand.”

“I know. It was just a misunderstanding but it hurt. And I don’t want Willow to see me like this. I mean, it’s not me but it is me. You know.” Tara explained.

“Believe me, I remember. Angel never liked me to touch him when he was like this. I can tell you though, that it never bothered me. He was still him and I still loved him and I think she’d love you too.” While Buffy talked and soothed the vampire, her human face had returned. “You want to come inside now?” Buffy asked.

“Is that an invitation or just a question?” Tara smiled.

“You are welcome to come inside. I invite you,” Buffy answered as both women entered the house. Dawn and Willow came running down the stairs.

“I’m so sorry Tara,” Dawn said first. “I didn’t know what was happening and I just reacted.”

“It’s ok Dawnie. You reacted right,” Tara attempted to reassure the girl.

Willow spoke next, “Baby, let’s get some stuff on that burn. But why were you trying to break the barrier?”

“Oh. I wanted to test it and see how good a job Dawn did on it. Good job Dawn. It was pretty strong. I was just about to give it a second try when you burned me so all in all, you really protected the house,” she smiled at the teenager.

After a few minutes looking after the burn, Dawn headed over to a friend’s house and the others sat down to watch a video. Later Tara and Willow went upstairs to the bedroom. “Look baby, I put in very heavy curtains with ties so no bad sunlight can get through,” Willow pointed out to her lover.

“Thanks sweetie but I think we better set an alarm so I can leave about 5:00 ok?” Pulling Willow to her she started kissing the redhead’s neck and growled , “of course, maybe we’ll still be awake then. It’s only 4 hours from now.” Willow moaned in response, looking forward to a very long night. .

Tara entered the Magic Box to find the other Scoobies already present and researching a series of mysterious deaths in the last week. Books were spread all over the table and Xander, Willow, and Dawn were moving through a pile of tomes trying to determine the current threat and how to stop it. Dawn looked close to falling asleep and Xander looked very bored.

“Hi everyone,” the vampire greeted the group, moving to kiss Willow before sitting down and opening a book from the pile on the table.

“Hi baby. Buffy’s on patrol and we’re trying to figure out what may be killing people this week,” Willow explained.

“Uh I know. I saw her at the cemetery. We did a few laps before I decided to come over here,” Tara explained, looking distracted.

“Oh yeah, I guess that’s the routine I mean a few weeks and you’ve been patrolling with her before coming over here huh? Well that’s good.” Willow noticed that Tara seemed a little off but didn’t know what was wrong.

Suddenly Tara shut the book she was perusing. “You know,” she said, “I think the Geldon book from the rare books may be useful.” So saying , she got up and moved to the loft area to begin looking at the book she had indicated. After a little while looking at that book, she came down the ladder to announce, “I’m just not into this tonight. I’ll head home and see you all tomorrow ok?” Stopping to kiss Willow briefly, she was gone before anyone really knew what was wrong.

When she entered the crypt, Willow was surprised that it sounded empty. Spike was not upstairs, which did not surprise her, but she couldn’t see the lamplight from below ground either. She expected to find Tara reading or meditating in her crypt. Moving down the ladder and lighting a lamp, she noted some changes to the cavern. Obviously Tara had brought all her belongings from the dorm room and filled this space, making it her own. Willow felt a little sad that Tara was “living” here rather than with her again as she had always assumed that when Tara eventually left the dorm, she would be back with Willow. This setup seemed very wrong.

Getting a Coke from the mini-fridge that Tara had gotten for Willow’s convenience, the redhead investigated a little further and decided to wait for her lover to return. She was a little worried about Tara’s mood at the shop but she didn’t know what was wrong. Eventually she stretched out on Tara’s bed and relaxed.

“Shit, Fuck, Damn!” Tara cursed as she tripped over the bag in the doorway to her room. As Willow sat up in the bed, rubbing her eyes, Tara smiled, realizing her lover had set the bag there to alert her when Tara returned.

“Baby, is that you?” Willow called from the bed, not able to see as clearly as Tara could in the near-darkness.

“Yeah sweetie. It’s me. I did some p-p-patrol to work off some energy. It’s close to daybreak. Shouldn’t you be heading to c-c-class?” Tara stuttered from near the doorway.

Willow sat fully up in the bed staring at her lover. Finally she spoke, “What’s wrong? You were weird at the shop and now you’re really nervous. What’s up baby?”

“Nothing. I’m fine. Just having a weird night you know? Kind of jumpy.” Tara tried to brush the redhead off.

Willow moved from the bed towards Tara to calm the vampire. As she moved close enough to touch her, Tara turned toward the doorway. “Wait, don’t go. Please tell me what’s wrong. Baby you’re scaring me,” Willow pleaded.

“I can’t. Please go.” Tara was almost in tears as she choked out the plea.

Willow began to stroke Tara’s neck, “Baby, whatever it is, it’s ok. Just tell me. Tell me and then if you want, I’ll go, ok?”

Tara sat down on the floor of the crypt, still facing the doorway but taking Willow’s hand in her own. Willow sat down directly behind her lover so she could caress her hair. Whispering, the vampire explained, “I can s-s-smell you.”

“You can smell me?” Willow questioned.

“I can smell you, your blood.”

“You can smell me. You can always smell me. You told me that your sense of smell is way…Oh. Oh, you can smell me.” Willow finally clued in.

“Yeah sweetie. I can smell you and I can’t control, I mean. My face. I really don’t want you to see me like this. Please go ok? You can come over in four days ok?” Tara was close to the point of tears again.

Willow leaned forward to cradle her lover from behind, stroking her hair as she spoke, “I love you baby.” Using her hands, on the side of Tara’s face, she gently turned the blonde to face her. “Now that’s a beautiful face, love,” she said, softly kissing her lover. Willow began running her tongue over Tara’s lips, darting her tongue quickly between them to tease Tara’s teeth. Slowing her movements, she ran her tongue over the vampire’s fangs, kissing and sucking each of them.

Willow whispered, “This is my body. This is my blood.” Feeling and hearing Tara growling with passion and hunger, Willow pressed her bottom lip against the tip of Tara’s fang, puncturing her own lip. Wincing for only a moment, she licked the drop of blood from her lip, spreading the blood over Tara’s lips with her tongue before plunging her tongue deeply into her lover’s mouth.

Tasting Willow’s blood once again, Tara was transported to a place of ecstasy and love, passion and hunger. In the last weeks, she had gotten used to the animal blood that she required for sustenance, but this taste exceeded any sustenance. This was Willow’s blood: the blood which gave her life, the blood of her eternal lover. Growling deeply, she pressed her body against Willow’s until the she completely covered the redhead’s body with her own. Willow whimpered with pleasure as she felt the strength and weight of her lover’s body on hers.

Fully in control now, Tara kissed Willow deeply while using her tongue to continue licking every drop of blood from her lips. She sucked at the small puncture hole, extracting a few more precious drops before abandoning that source completely. Driven by her need, she could no longer resist her lover’s body and the nourishment that it held. The vampire began kissing her way greedily down Willow’s neck and chest, popping buttons from her blouse as she went. Willow giggled as she felt the buttons pop and the material rip, “You are gonna owe me a new shirt baby.”

Tara pulled back for a second to grin at her excited lover: “I’m gonna owe you more than that.” She quickly bit through the bra strap, grazing the side of Willow’s breast with her teeth. Pressing her leg between Willow’s, she felt all her lover’s wetness and warmth as she took one nipple in her mouth. Sucking greedily, she quickly removed Willow’s skirt. Willow’s loud moaning was driving Tara almost as crazy as the even stronger scent of her blood, now mixed with the scent of her arousal. Feeling drunk and overwhelmed with the combination of sounds and smells, Tara slid down Willow’s body to place her face near her lover’s source. “Now I owe you a pair of panties,” she laughed as she ripped those the redhead was wearing from her body with her teeth.

“Oh God,” Willow moaned in response to her girlfriend’s aggressive move. She moaned even louder as Tara pressed her mouth to her center, entering her deeply with her tongue. Willow arched her back as Tara continued pressing her tongue against her lover’s G-spot, growling with hunger.

Slowing her movements, the blonde began to slowly lick Willow’s lips, drinking the mixed juices and blood. Tara experienced the ecstasy of drinking Willow’s blood. When she was turned she was not conscious and it was filtered through Spike’s body. But this time, she could fully appreciate and experience the merging of souls that such feeding entailed. As she licked and sucked hungrily at Willow’s sweet nectar, she felt everything that Willow felt. She knew and felt the merging of their two souls and felt Willow’s excitement and response.

This incredible connection flowed in both directions as Willow felt the perfection of this experience in her connection with Tara. Her arousal was further heightened by Tara’s hunger for her. Unable to hold back her response, Willow came powerfully and completely, bathing the vampire’s mouth in a flood of fresh blood. As Tara felt the warm liquid filling her mouth, she came in sympathy and connection with her soul mate, knowing that this moment was absolute perfection. As Willow’s vagina continued to clench and release, Tara lapped all remaining juices and blood from her lover. Rather than feeling separate climaxes, both women rode a series of growing waves of a continuous orgasm.

Slowing the movement, Tara lightly licked her lover as her face returned to its human appearance. As she did so, she realized that Willow had stopped stroking her head. In sheer bliss, she glanced up to see that Willow had fallen deeply asleep, exhausted from her powerful climaxes. She rose, gently lifting the redhead’s exhausted body and carrying it to the bed. Lying down next to her lover, she kissed her lips softly, whispering, “I love you Willow Rosenberg,” before placing her hand again on her lover’s center and losing herself in a deeply satisfied slumber.

Tara woke from a very peaceful slumber to find Willow looking lovingly at her and lightly running her fingers over the vampire’s body. “Good morning sleepyhead,” the redhead whispered, kissing Tara on the forehead.

“Hey, did I oversleep? What time is it? Don’t you have class?” Tara started slightly panicking about the time. She could see little beams of sunlight coming under the thick curtains in Willow’s room.

“Well, I got a walk in my 8:30 and don’t have class till 11:00. We uh, fell asleep so late that I guess I forgot to set the clock so now it’s 8:00.” Willow explained. Giving her best vixeny smirk, she continued, “I guess I get to keep you here as my prisoner all day.”

“Oh yeah? And what are you going to do with your prisoner?” Tara smirked back.

“Nothing I didn’t do for hours last night,” Willow continued the playful banter as both women came fully awake. She continued tracing her hand softly over Tara’s body, paying particular attention to the source of heat on Tara’s hip.

Tara noticed the attention Willow was paying to her tattoo: “So how’s the tat coming?”

“Cooler and cooler. Well, not cool, I mean it’s hot. I mean. Oh you know. But the design is becoming more and more intricate. I now count 53 crosses in the whole thing. Sorry about the burning baby. Also, I’m pretty sure there is an inscription now.”

“Wow, what does it say?” Tara asked.

“Well, it’s hard to say since its light, incomplete, and appears to be partially in Greek and partially in Latin, Sumerian, or maybe Aramaic,” Willow smiled as she explained. “Hey baby, this is a really extensive thing. How long did it take your mother to make it?”

Tara remembered lovingly the time spent with her mother: “Actually it was really great. She started it on my fourth birthday. I remember because she gave me a Winnie the Pooh book and we started reading it together. She taught me the letters while she started work on the tattoo. She told me it was a tradition for women in our family to get it and that it held great power and love. Eventually I learned to read and I would read to her while she worked on the design.”

As tears began to fall from Tara’s eyes, Willow took her lover’s face in her hands: “Baby, I’m so sorry that your mother is gone. I know you love her very much. I thank the Goddess everyday that she brought me you.”

“Yes, I know and I do love her. It’s just that when I think about it I can almost remember the feeling of her hand on my skin and the smell of her hair when she held me,” Tara explained.

“Yeah, I get that. How long did she work on it?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I was in middle school when she said that it was finished. So I guess what, seven years or so?” Tara reminisced lovingly about the time spent with her mother.

“Wow, that’s incredible. I mean my mother is alive but I’ve seen her like 15 minutes in the last year and your mother worked on this design for seven years. No wonder you miss her so terribly.” As Tara cried, Willow held her lover for a long time.

Finally Willow wondered out loud, “I am thinking of calling Giles. I thought maybe he could translate the inscription and find out what the deal is. What do you think?”

“W-w-well. Did you tell him about me yet? Did anyone? What do you think he will think? How will you ask him to translate the inscription?” Tara felt slightly worried about involving the former watcher and certainly if the watcher’s council wanted to get involved. After seeing how they were with Buffy and hearing about their treatment of Angel when he needed a cure, she didn’t really want to get involved with the group.

“Um. No, I didn’t tell him yet. Ok, confession time, I called him the day before yesterday but I got his machine. Is that ok?” Willow confessed.

“Sure sweetie. If you think it’s wise, it’s fine with me,” Tara answered.

Willow sat up in the bed before speaking, “Actually baby, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about. Well, something I wanted to ask. Well something I need to ask. Well, I mean.” Tara silenced her lover with a soft kiss on the lips.

“Ok. Better now. Thanks. Ok, here goes: well, you know I erased your memory and we fought and I did it again and that was bad and you left and I got over the magic and stuff and we had coffee and you came back and now we’re back together and that’s great and I love you and but…” Willow was rambling with no sign of stopping when Tara interrupted her, “Baby, what’s up?”

“Ok, well, do you want to go out on a date? I mean we skipped that step and it’s an important step and …” again Willow felt Tara’s soft lips on hers. Pulling back far enough to lean their foreheads together and look directly into her lover’s green-eyes, Tara answered, “Yes, I’d love to go on a date with you anytime. Ok, anytime after dark.”

“Great. Ok. Great. I love you baby.” Willow breathed a sigh of relief, kissing Tara hard before beginning to sit up. As Tara pulled the redhead back down she whispered, “I thought you wanted to make me your prisoner.”

Tara felt pretty comfortable on Willow’s bed. Willow had gone to her 11:00 class and had a lab in the afternoon so she would probably have the day alone until Dawn got home from school. That was fine with the blonde. She was reading a really great book and using the excuse of sunlight to have a very lazy day. This Sarah Waters can really write, she thought as she wondered where the novel was going exactly. The first of the novelist’s books, Tipping the Velvet was very good but this one, Affinity was truly amazing. Tara had started the book this morning and was considering reading it continuously until she finished it.

She was so absorbed in the novel that she didn’t at first identify the pounding she heard from downstairs. Realizing that someone was at the front door, she laughed to think about the visitor’s bad timing. Visiting the Summers house during day when the only occupant is a vampire isn’t going to help you buddy, she laughed to herself. Just then, she heard the door open.

“Hello. Buffy? Dawn? Willow? Tara?” Came the call from downstairs. Tara immediately recognized the male voice with the familiar English accent. Putting a bookmark in her book she moved to top of the stairs and called out, “Hi Mr. Giles, I didn’t hear you knocking. What are you doing here?”

“Oh well, I had to come anyway to sign some papers so when I got Willow’s message, I just continued here. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Uh, Buffy is probably at the shop or the Doublemeat and Will’s in class. Do you want some tea?” Tara asked nervously.

Giles looked intently at the blonde for a moment. “Yes, tea would be good. Are you going to have a tea with me or some blood?”

“Uh, I’ll just have Tea, I’ll go out for some more fresh blood later.” Tara came down the stairs to give the watcher a hug. “Sorry I’m kind of cold. Maybe I can give you another hug after I have a warm drink. It helps,” she apologized.

“That’s fine my dear. I expected you to be cold although I must say I didn’t expect you to be a vampire. Was anyone going to tell me? How did this happen? How are you? Wait. Let’s sit and have a drink and converse like civilized people.” Giles took Tara’s hand as they moved to the dining room. Entering the room first, he pulled the curtains tightly closed. “Ok?” he checked.

“Yes that’s fine. I’ll wait here so you won’t have to do the windows in the kitchen too,” she answered.

“So the your mother made the tattoo when you were a child and it’s growing more intricate and larger and it burns?” Giles was now caught up on the saga of Tara’s transformation and was very interested in the fact that she didn’t lose her soul.

“Yes, she made it from the time I was 4 till I was about 11. It was a Celtic cross with seven crosses around it but now it’s up to 53 crosses which all make up more Celtic crosses and it seems to have an inscription on it. I can’t really see the whole thing but Will’s keeping me updated.” Tara smiled a little embarrassed at the older gentleman. Even though everyone knew about her and Willow’s relationship, she could never tell if Giles fully approved.

“I take it Willow called me to try to decode it, to translate the inscription?” Giles surmised.

“Tara? Are you here?” Willow’s voice echoed through the house as she came quickly into the dining room. “Giles!” She quickly wrapped her arms around him to give him a warm embrace.

Tara interrupted the meeting, “Baby, we were just discussing the tattoo. You want Mr. Giles to translate the inscription right?”

“Ok, I missed some conversation obviously. Everything’s ok here?” Looking between Tara and Giles she felt relieved to see both smile and nod.

Looking at the lack of light coming around the curtains, Tara rose from the table. “You know I’m kind of stir crazy from being here all day. Why don’t I go and run an errand and meet back here or at the Magic Box?”

Willow moved to kiss her girlfriend before Tara headed out. “Ok, see you at the Magic Box later? I love you.”

“Thanks for coming Mr. Giles. I love you too Will,” Tara agreed, kissing her lover and heading out the door.

Tara had gotten very used to waking up alone. Glancing around the crypt, she felt sure that the sun was almost down and that it was time to greet the night. Smiling, she picked up her “vampire” clothes: the leather pants and silk cammy that Spike brought her the first day. It felt like a night for the sexy costume and she certainly filled out the attire well.

Spike was sitting in a chair drinking whiskey and smoking a cigarette when as Tara entered the upper crypt. As she had detected, it was nightfall and time to see what was happening in Sunnydale.

Taking another long drink from his bottle, Spike held out a crisp crème-colored envelope: “Red was here. She said to give this to you before you went out.”

Tara took the envelope, thanking the bleached-vampire and shaking her head to decline a drink from the bottle. The envelope had the single word: “Tara” written in it in Willow’s hand and was sealed. Before Tara could open the note, she heard Spike’s slightly slurred speech.

“Yeah, she was looking a little less pale than last week, like she got a little topped off.” He sniggered at Tara, taking yet another drink.

Incredulous, she questioned him, “What?”

“I said, she looked bit more rosy than last week. She was looking a few quarts down I noticed. Been tapping the maple tree huh? Getting your dinner delivered?” Spike waited for an answer that would allow him to continue living vicariously.

Tara colored quickly: “You’re disgusting Spike.”

Laughing, he responded, “It’s not like you’re the first vamp to have a pet. I mean who could resist a little of that sweet meat? Oh, let me tell you, I had some and it was sweet.” Noting Tara’s anger rising, Spike continued nonetheless: “Or are you her pet?” Taking another drink and a long drag on his smoke, he went in for the kill, “Selfish though you know. You could share the wealth a little.” He flashed a long lecherous grin at the witch.

Recovering from her shock, Tara walked slowly across the crypt to where Spike sat. She spoke slowly and carefully, “Spike, in the last few years you’ve saved us and our friends a lot of times. And you’re my sire. So I’m going to walk out of here now. Don’t follow me.” Striding toward the door, she looked back once, looking him in the eye: “You’re a pig.”

Tara calmed down as she walked through the cemetery. After a few minutes, she sat on a headstone to open the envelope. She felt filled with excitement about this note. Finding a single sheet of note paper inside, she read the words: “Meet me where we had the Strawberry Picnic.” Beginning to walk toward the familiar site, she remembered the Strawberry Picnic:

Tara had returned to her room exhausted, mentally and physically. She was ready to sleep for 24 hours maybe eating when she awoke. In one of those occurrences like the full moon falling on the Solstice, she had a major project due just hours before a midterm in Art History. Having not slept in 2 days or even taken a meal break in the last day, she had completed the project and felt sure of acing the test, but now needed nothing so much as sleep.

Just as she collapsed on the bed, a knocking came from the door. Groaning, she dragged herself to the door to find Willow standing on the other side. “Hi. I know you’ve been studying and haven’t eaten so I thought I’d reward you for your hard work. How about coming with me?” Tara noted the picnic basket held by Willow’s side. Ignoring her exhaustion, she smiled and agreed eagerly. Pulling the door closed, the two girls started out of the dorm.

“How did your test and project go?” Willow asked.

“Really well, I think I aced the test and the project is awesome. I’m really proud of it,” Tara answered honestly. The lack of sleep and food put Tara in a kind of trance as they walked across the campus in the bright sunlight. At times the two girls talked about classes or witchcraft. Occasionally, their hands or shoulders bumped as they walked and Tara felt an electric jolt through her entire body.

Tara hadn’t even noted where they went but as Willow pulled to a stop, she looked around to find that they were under the branches of an enormous Oak tree. Willow spread the blanket near the base of the tree and indicated that Tara should sit. “Ok,” she explained, “I know that you didn’t eat lunch or breakfast so I tried to bring some stuff to give you some nutrition.” She pulled various containers from the basket, naming each: “brie and cheddar, French loaf, carrots, grapes, and best of all, red ripe strawberries.” At the last, she pulled an overflowing basket of the red fruit, setting them between the girls. She smiled as she pulled some bottles of fruit juice from the basket: “I was going to get you drunk and take advantage of you but the guy who lives in the box in front of the package store was asleep so I got these.”

Tara was too shocked to respond immediately; obviously the redhead was just teasing, but it took her breath away. Taking a deep breath, she assessed the spread: “That’s p-p-probably best since I haven’t had anything to eat in 24 hours. I’d be very e-e-easy. I mean very e-e-easy to get drunk. This looks w-w-wonderful.” As she spoke and stumbled, she reddened and looked at her hands in her lap.

Willow leaned across to touch Tara softly on the chin, lifting it to look her in the eye: “Then let’s eat ok?” she asked gently. Tara nodded and took the bread and cheese the redhead offered.

The girls stayed on the blanket as the day turned brighter and darker. Not dark enough to offer any danger but for hours they nibbled and visited: telling stories and dreams from their pasts and future. Toward the end of the daylight hours, Tara reached for a strawberry. She wasn’t looking and didn’t notice Willow reaching for the same berry. As they fingers touched, Tara felt the magical connection that she always felt with Willow but something was different this time. Looking at Willow, she realized that this time, Willow felt it too. The redhead gasped as the intimacy of the connection hit her for the first time. Tara pulled away, laughing, “I guess we both wanted the same berry. Sorry, you can have it.”

Willow looked intently into Tara’s blue eyes: “Let’s share it.” Holding Tara’s gaze, she slowly ran the berry over her lips and teeth. As Tara stared, transfixed, Willow softly and slowly bit half the meat of the berry and chewed it, allowing a drop of red juice to run down her chin. Continuing to hold the blonde’s eye contact, she held it to her soft lips, urging Tara to open her mouth by brushing it lightly over the tips. Neither woman could breathe as Tara eased her lips apart, allowing Willow to press the berry between them, brushing her fingertips against Tara’s lower lips as she withdrew her hand. Their eyes echoing the passionate connection, both women exhaled slowly.

Just before sunset the two women finished taking turns feeding each other the berries, the intensity of their gaze never diminishing.

Tara crested the hill to reach the Oak Tree, a dreamy smile on her face, and noted the care Willow had taken to set up this picnic. Again the blanket was spread under the beautiful tree, but illuminated in the darkness. Somehow she had enchanted fireflies to hover near the blanket. Before Tara could express any disappointment over her lover’s use of magic, Willow smiled, “I didn’t do the spell. Dawn did. I’m working with her on drawing her magical energy from the magnetic lines.”

“Baby, I’m glad that you’re working with her on her magic,” Tara reassured her as she kissed the redhead, sitting cross-legged on the blanked. “I was reminiscing about the Strawberry Picnic all the way over here,” she smiled.

Willow began to draw food from the basket: “I dreamed about it last night. I’ll never forget the softness of your lips and the blue of your eyes as I touched them for the first time. I think I already knew I loved you but that was the first time I knew I wanted you too.”

“I always knew,” Tara answered directly.

Lightening the mood slightly, Willow began to explain the Picnic spread: “Ok, it’s kind of a weird picnic I guess. We have grilled salmon, rice, broccoli, French bread, cheese, strawberries (of course), licorice, and wine. This time I could get it myself. Also a jug of Ken’s finest which I warmed a little and kept in this thermos.”

Still uncomfortable about feeding in front of her lover, Tara picked up the thermos: “Give me a minute ok?” She walked a few yards away, turning her back to drain the thermos. Having learned much greater control over her features, she turned back seconds later, licking a few remaining drops of blood from her human lips.

Both women began to eat the wonderful spread with their fingers, frequently feeding the other a particularly tasty morsel. They discussed Willow’s school and details about what was happening at the Summers house and Giles’ visit. A few days earlier, Willow had hacked the UC Sunnydale system to withdraw Tara from her classes and dorm, getting the refund for the remainder of the semester direct deposited into their joint checking account.

As the two women finished eating, Willow poured a glass of the dark red wine. Lifting it, she moved across the blanket. Seductively she kneeled straddling her lover, holding the crystal wine stem to the Blonde’s lips: “Would you like a drink baby?”

More than a little distracted by Willow’s position, a position made even more attention grabbing by the realization that Willow was wearing a short skirt with no panties, Tara swallowed quickly, “Um. Uh. Yes, please.” She squeaked the last bit out. As Willow tipped the glass to her lips, she took first a small and then a larger sip, staring hard into Willow’s green eyes.

Closing her eyes for a moment to center her energy, the vampire addressed her lover: “Sweetie. This is very special wine.”

Again tipping the glass to Tara’s lips, Willow slowly removed the glass and leaned forward to whisper in the blonde’s ear. “I thought you might like it a little special. A quick cut behind the knee and my blood just poured into the bottle. It made little splashes in the wine as it fell.” She punctuated this disclosure by flicking her tongue across the edge of her lover’s ear, eliciting a deep growl from the vampire. Before serving her lover a drink of this very rare Willow wine, the redhead pulled Tara’s hand under her skirt and between her legs. Pressing her center forward to touch the soft fingers, she informed her lover, “It’s been a long day without you, thinking about the Strawberry picnic and about feeding you this wine.”

“I can tell,” Tara observed slyly, running her fingers along her lover’s wet lips, “It feels like you really missed me.” Kissing the redhead deeply, Tara could no longer resist the wet warm opening as she drove two fingers into that waiting valley, hearing Willow cry out. Wanting to check in, she quested, “That was a good scream right baby?”

“Oh Goddess! Yes!” Willow managed to gasp out.

Struck by a new idea, Tara broke the kiss for a moment: “Are you teaching Dawn about the power of the trees baby?” As she said this she stood, lifting Willow with her and carrying her to press against the trunk of the massive oak.

Feeling Tara’s power and strength Willow could barely answer, “Not like this. Teach me baby.” She drove her tongue into Tara’s mouth in response to the thrusting of Tara’s fingers into her depths. Willow knew that Tara fully supported her weight. Completely in Tara’s control, she screamed out as Tara pressed another finger deeply into her. After a few short minutes, burying her face in the blonde’s neck, Willow bit down hard to muffle her scream as she came in a shuddering climax.

As Willow’s breathing slowed, Tara placed small kisses along the side of her neck, teasing, “Hey baby, you don’t want to bite too hard with those little baby teeth. If you need to break the skin, you can always use mine.” Staring deeply into each other’s eyes, neither woman was entirely sure what part of the last statement was serious and what part was a joke.

Recovered at last, Willow indicated the picnic supplies, “Baby, how about I clean up this stuff and you disperse the fireflies. Then we can go back to your place to continue this date?”

Tara waved her hand, “Dispersio! But actually let’s go back to your place. It might be a little more friendly tonight.” She grasped the picnic basket in one hand as Willow slipped her hand in Tara’s other. Willow continued giving the blonde sips from the wine bottle as they quietly moved toward the Summers house.

“Hello! Tara? Tara? Spike? Anyone?”

Tara smiled as she identified Dawn’s voice echoing throughout the large crypt. She called out to the young girl as she placed a bookmark in her book and set it on her bed before moving toward the ladder: “I’m downstairs. I’ll be up in a minute.”

Climbing up the ladder, she saw Dawn sitting in Spike’s TV chair, her coat thrown over the arm of the chair and her backpack at her feet. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?” she teased the youngster.

“Can’t I just come see you because I wanted to see where you live? Well ok, not live? But unlive or whatever? I mean I haven’t been here since you moved in with Spike and maybe I just wanted to see the place,” Dawn stammered through her answer. As Tara smiled and fixed her with a look the teen spoke again, “Ok. I have a history paper due tomorrow and wanted to see if you can help me with it. Willow’s working on something and Buffy sucks at schoolwork,” she smiled.

“Of course I can help you. Do you have your stuff or do we need to go to the library later?” Tara asked.

Dawn indicated her backpack, “I have it here – a rough draft and copy of the assignment. It’s on the history of Sunnydale and how that history might differ from that of other places. Understatement huh?”

Tara gave Dawn a quick hug as she picked up her backpack and started toward the ladder: “Come on. We can work downstairs for while. Do Buffy and Will know you’re here?”

As Dawn started after the blonde, she answered, “Yeah. They said you can walk me home after dark or I need to leave before dark if you’re busy. But they both wanted to see you anyway so why don’t you come for dinner? Well, I mean dinnertime. Hey, where’s Spike?”

Tara stopped at the top of the ladder: “Yes, I’ll walk you home and have dinner. And I don’t know where Spike is. He kind of pissed me off a few days ago and I told him off and haven’t seen him since.”

“Oh,” Dawn suddenly remembered, “Mr. Giles said he wants to look at your tattoo tomorrow so can you either stay at our place or can he come over here?”

“Sure. I think I can probably find some motivation to stay at your place,” Tara smiled. “That way, if he wants to sketch it or whatever he can. Actually I need to talk to him about it. It seems to be cooling and stopping growing.”

Still at the top of the ladder Dawn agreed, “That’s cool. No pun intended, you know. Hey, it’s kind of dark. Can you make some light?”

Tara smiled at the young girl: “Actually why don’t you? I know that you did the lights for Willow’s and my date last week. Did you use herbs or an incantation?”

A bright smile lit up Dawn’s features as she remembered the spell, “Both. First I sprinkled some herbs on the ground, then incanted each spot of light. Willow said that would lend focus.

“Yes, she’s right. That does add focus. The problem is what if you need light and you don’t have the time to put out the herbs? Or don’t have the herbs?” Tara questioned. As Dawn gave her a curious look, Tara explained further, “Here’s what I want you to do. Get a picture in your mind of the space that you want to light. Then imagine the power that comes through you from the magnetic lines in the earth. That power runs through every living thing and even inanimate objects. Feel that power as it comes through you. Know that even if it is dark where you are, there is light outside or on the other side of the earth. Place the power that makes that light into the space that you want to illuminate. You may want to close your eyes the first time.” Smiling at the youngster, she nodded, indicating that Dawn could begin.

Tara felt very impressed and proud of her friend as she had no sooner closed her eyes than the passageway began to be filled with a soft light. Sensing the light, Dawn opened her eyes and hugged Tara. The light began to grow stronger and stronger as her excitement at completing the spell grew. Softly the older woman placed a cool hand on Dawn’s shoulder: “You are still connected to the light and your excitement is causing it to be inconsistent. Release the light so that it can exist on its own.”

Dawn was about to ask how when she realized that she had already done what Tara had described just by questioning how. Both girls smiled as they started down the ladder to Tara’s room to get some work done on that history assignment.

As Dawn entered the Summers’ house, she immediately was greeted by her sister and Willow at the door: “Where’s Tara?,” both women asked simultaneously.

“Oh, she said she needed to run an errand and she’d be here in a few. She walked me to the door,” Dawn explained. No one needed more explanation that Tara was going over to visit her new “friend” Ken.

“Ok. Did you get some work done on your history paper Dawnie?” Willow asked.

“Yeah. I’m done with it. Also, I did a lighting spell to go down the ladder at Tara’s.” Dawn described the spell and how she had controlled it and how it felt different from the last time. Continuing on the subject of the crypt needing light, she commented, “You know that place is pretty creepy sometimes. I mean she lives in a crypt. That’s like a grave. A place with dead bodies.”

Tara laughed as she entered the house, “Actually sweetie, this is a place with a dead body now. You know? Me.”

Dawn tried to backpeddle from her faux pax as Tara and Willow kissed, “I didn’t mean. I mean. I …oh forget it, I’m going to wash up for dinner.” Dawn left the room as Tara and Willow continued their embrace.

“So I heard there was an invitation for me to stay here tonight and tomorrow. Any special motivation?” Tara leered at her lover.

“I think we can find something to keep you busy this evening, Miss Maclay,” Willow smirked back running her tongue over her lover’s lips.

Buffy’s voice from the kitchen brought both women’s attention back to the present: “HEY everyone, dinner’s getting cold. Get in here.”

The light from the full moon bathed the witches’ bodies in light as they cuddled in the bed. Both were lying fully satisfied and relaxed, smelling their scents mixed in the air of the room and running their fingertips over skin and hair.

“The moonlight is wonderful but let’s set an alarm in case we fall asleep and forget to close the curtains baby,” Tara suggested.

“Of course.” Willow leaned to turn on the alarm as she continued running her fingers over the skin of Tara’s hip. “Hey,” she commented, “the tattoo is not so hot.”

“I noticed. I think it’s about done. How is it looking?”

Willow bent to look closely at the design. “Wow, it’s so beautiful. I can’t believe your mother did this. I count 76 crosses now and the inscription winds through the whole thing.”

Tara voiced her curiosity, “What does the inscription say?”

Willow laughed as she started tickling the vampire: “It says Giles will have to translate this because I don’t even know what language this is.” Soon the tickling led to other activities involving fingers and skin and laughter and shaking.

“Here is Edward Bear, coming d-o-w-n-s-t-a-i-r-s downstairs now,”

“That’s very good Tara, keep going.”

Tara’s bright face lit up as her smile widened with her mother’s praise for her efforts. This was the best part of the day to the young girl. As the sun faded to darkness, they shared their special time every evening. Tara read from the book which her mother had given her on her seventh birthday. Some days her mother would sit behind the youngster on the bed, brushing out her long blond hair over and over again. Both mother and daughter reveled in the closeness and intimacy of this shared time.

Other times, she carefully crafted the intricate design on her daughter’s hip. Tara felt herself slip into a dream-like state as her mother worked the ink into her skin.

Once the young girl asked her mother to show her how to make the tattoo: “Mama, can you show me how to make that design?”

“My darling, when I am older I will show you everything you need to know. Then one day you will do this with your daughter, just as my mother did for me.” Finishing the needling for the evening, Tara’s mother reached for the healing salve and began to slowly work it over and into her daughter’s delicate skin. As Tara faded into slumber, she was aware only of the soft comforting touch of her mother’s skin on hers, cooling the burning sensation.

Tara felt the continued soft stroking of her skin as she woke from her peaceful slumber. The tattoo still burned slightly but it had cooled significantly since the night before. That healing salve and her mother’s attention really did make the healing process much faster.

“Thank you mama, that feels really nice,” she murmured.

Willow laughed low and quiet, whispering in her lover’s ear, “I’m glad it feels nice baby but when did I get a new pet name?”

Tara’s eyes flew open as her hand instinctively grabbed for the one on her hip, forgetting her strength and speed until she heard Willow’s gasp. “Oh God, I’m sorry,” She quickly apologized, dropping Willow’s hand entirely. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, fine, you just scared me. It’s fine.” Willow assured her. “Are you ok?”

Tara bit her lip looking around the room and having difficulty getting her bearings in the total darkness. “Mama. She was working on my tattoo. She finished and was rubbing it to help it heal and not hurt so much. I fell asleep while she was rubbing it. It’s really dark in here.”

Willow softly took her lover’s hand, “Baby, you can see in the darkness. Focus on me for a minute. I can turn on the reading lamp if you want.” Petting her lover’s hand and beginning to stroke her hair, she spoke again, “You had a dream baby. I was stroking the tattoo to feel the difference in the temperature. You thought it was her.”

“A d-d-dream?”

“Yeah baby, a dream. You’re here at home with me,” Willow reassured her lover as she continued stroking the blonde hair.

“I like that,” Tara finally spoke.

“I know that’s why I always do it,” Willow responded.

“N-n-o. Not the hair. Well I love that too. But that’s not it. ‘Home.’” Tara explained quietly.

Willow smiled, knowing that her lover could see her in the darkness: “Home baby. Yours, mine, ours. I want you back here whenever you are ready. I always want to be with you. I love you.”

Tara leaned in to softly brush her lips against her lover’s. As she pulled back, opening her mouth to speak, both women heard a loud pounding at the door: “Hey guys, Giles is here. He’s been waiting for 15 minutes and I have to go to work. He’s having tea.”

Kissing the redhead again, Tara whispered, “Let’s come back to this conversation later sweetie. Would you go and tell him I need 10 minutes to take a shower?” Tara moved toward the bathroom as Willow dressed quickly to pass on the blonde’s message, both women leaving the conversation atop the waiting bed.

The gang gathered at the Magic Box that night according to Giles’ request. The watcher had spent the first few hours of the day copying and sketching Tara’s tattoo. The later part he spent working on translating the inscription and researching its meaning. Now everyone but Tara was sitting at the shop awaiting his news. As the sun had just set, all present knew that it would be maybe another half hour before she made her nightly stop and then came. Of course, she was as expectant to learn what Giles had discovered as anyone, probably more so.

While all the Scoobies were satisfied that Tara had not lost her soul and turned evil, and obviously that she wasn’t subject to the “one moment of happiness” clause of Angel’s soulfulness, they were extremely curious as to the reason.

An observer could cut the tension in the shop with a knife as Tara finally entered. She looked very nervous, making eye contact only with Willow as she kissed her lover and sat beside her.

While Tara and the others intently studied their fascinating footwear, Dawn made her way across the room. As she reached Tara, she spoke, “Hi Tara. Thanks for the help on my paper. I turned it in this morning.” As Tara looked up and smiled at her, she leaned down, giving the blonde a heartfelt hug. Everyone released a long breath as Tara answered, “Y-y-your welcome D-d-dawnie. Thanks,” before Dawn sat on the floor in front of the two witches.

“Ok,” Giles began. “There’s no reason to beat around the bush as you American say. I found out quite a bit today about the tattoo and its meaning. I must say, I was quite surprised by most of what I learned. I would guess that the design is currently complete. You say that it began with seven crosses. It now contains 76 crosses and the inscription. Parts of the inscription appear to be obscured or incomplete.”

“Geez, is this going to get us somewhere soon?” Anya interrupted.

“Anya, I do not appreciate your interruptions. If we are boring you, you are welcome to go for a walk or sleep or whatever you would like,” Giles answered briskly. “As I was saying, the inscription is written in Greek, Latin, and Aramaic.” Turning to Tara he noted, “It appears that your mother did a beautiful and obviously thorough job on the tattoo.” Continuing he explained, “The inscription is roughly translated:

76 Crosses for the 76th daughter
Banish the spirit conquered by our mother
Protection given by love, enforced by power

Waiting for the depth of the words to sink in, Giles looked around the magic box. Tara took an unnecessary breath as she processed the meaning of the words. “S-s-o it is the tattoo. It kept out the D-d-demon?”

Giles proceeded carefully, “Well, yes. Um as we know, your family believed the women in your family to be demons or at least used this myth to keep them in line. It seems that your mother believed this story also and gave you to the tattoo to keep the demon from taking hold. If as you say, her mother gave her the design, then the demon would never have taken hold with her either.”

“B-b-but. Dad said it did. I mean. He s-s-aid she became a demon at age 20. That that’s where she got the magic.” Willow took Tara’s hand as her lover visibly shook.

“I’m sorry. I know he did. It appears that the women in your family had long been creating these designs to keep the demon out. I would venture that this is exactly the reason that you have kept your soul.” He waited a beat before continuing. “There’s more.”

Finally Willow spoke, “What? Giles what is it?”

The watcher took a deep breath before continuing: “I remembered a myth I had read years ago in a watcher’s diary. I reread it today.” Turning to Tara again, he asked, “Tara, have you ever heard of Abigail the protector?”

“N-n-o. Someone from the watcher’s diaries?” Everyone in the room had noticed how much worse the blonde’s stutter was tonight and knew that she was very nervous about what they were all learning.

“According to the watcher’s diary, around 483AD a witch named Abigail battled vampires and demons and earned the nickname Abigail the protector. There were rumors that in addition to great physical strength, she also possessed precognitive and telekinetic abilities. At age 19, she battled a demon called Kaltrek. She was 7 months pregnant at the time. To defeat the demon, she not only had to physically slay it, but absorb the demon’s essence through a conduit, a living organism. She absorbed the essence into her own body.”

Quiet until now, Xander interrupted, “Wait a minute. This is fascinating but what does this have to do with Tara and why is it in the watcher’s diary?”

As all in the room looked to Giles for an answer, Dawn spoke, “Abigail was a slayer…and Tara’s ancestor. Right?”

“Yes Dawn,” Giles nodded. “Very good. Abigail was a slayer. Because she had absorbed the demon’s essence, she feared for her unborn child. With her watcher, she designed a tattoo which would keep the beast from emerging in the daughter’s maturity. It would appear that that design featured one cross. Now 76 generations later, Tara bears 76 crosses to continue to protect her from the legacy of her ancestor.”

“Wow,” Buffy, Anya, and Willow breathed out simultaneously.

“Before you get too wowed, there’s a little more,” Giles indicated. “Abigail combined the powers of a slayer with magic. As I said, she had precognitive abilities. She and her watcher had parallel dreams. Her line would continue as we know by Tara’s presence. The 77th would be another slayer: the ‘proximus 2000 anos.’” Looking toward Dawn he prompted, “Dawn want to be 2 for 2?”

The young girl whispered, “Tara’s daughter would be the first slayer born in the new millennium. Closest to the 2000 years?”

“Oh Goddess,” Willow moaned.

Everyone in the shop was quiet for a long time, not making eye contact or speaking. They pondered the meaning of this revelation. First was the role of Fate in their lives. Was Tara truly supposed to mother a new kind of more powerful slayer for the new millennium? Had Willow stopped Fate by having her changed? What would happen now that the prophecy was obviously changed?

As they sat pondering the meaning of all this, Tara noted the growing light in the sky. Giles had talked and explained the night away and dawn was coming. She quickly rose, releasing Willow’s hand and moving toward Mr. Giles. “Thank you Mr. Giles for your research. Thanks for telling us this.” Before he could say a word, she was gone from the shop as the others continued their deep contemplation. Eventually everyone fell asleep, went to work, or went home to prepare for the day.

Giles called out before opening the door to the crypt to avoid surprising either of the potential occupants with a slash of sunlight across the crypt floor. Entering quickly, he closed the door to find Tara obviously awaiting his arrival.

“H-h-hello Mr. Giles,” she greeted the watcher.

“Hello. You were waiting for me?”

“Yes.”

He sat across from the woman before speaking, “Good. We need to talk. Where’s your daughter?”

“Would you like some tea while we talk?” Tara asked the watcher.

“Dawn was very close on the translation. Actually she got the translation right but the interpretation wrong. The 77th is the slayer born closest to the millennium but not the first of the new, the last of the old.” He let the words sink in for a moment. “I noticed that you didn’t correct her assumption.”

“You either,” the vampire answered quickly.

“Since you have been here all day, I will tell you that Willow is extremely upset. She believes that when she had you, well, sired, she interfered with Fate, that you will never bear any child and especially the mythical 77th.” Giles said these words not intending to hurt Tara but simply meaning to let her know what had been happening throughout the day as she stayed in her crypt.

“Yes. I’m sure that she is. We had talked before about having children together. I mean someday and she was always really clear that she meant someday. So obviously when I became what I am, she would assume that I would never have our child.” Tara looked at the floor as she spoke.

After a few minutes, Tara looked up again. “Let me get that tea. Something tells me we may be talking for a while.”

Attempting the same level of hospitality Giles responded, “Yes Please. Do you need to go out first?”

“N-n-no. I’d rather talk first. I can go later.” Tara prepared a cup for both herself and the watcher, bringing the entire pot to the table. As both took a drink from their teas, savoring the flavor, she spoke quietly, “She’s at my aunt’s.”

“Yes. When was the last time you saw her?” he prompted. Giles would have preferred for the young woman to tell him the details without his having to ask these questions, but it as obvious to him that she felt uncomfortable.

“Two weeks ago”

Giles showed obvious surprise at Tara’s answer: “Two weeks ago? You see her regularly? I mean …” He trailed off at the end.

Tara took a deep unnecessary breath, to steel herself before explaining. “I don’t know what you know about the time while you were gone. You left the night of Willow’s Tabula Rasa spell.” Giles nodded but did not speak. “I did too. I mean I left Willow. Understand I loved her more than I ever knew I could love anyone or anything, well, except my daughter, but it was the second time.” As tears started to slowly pool in her clear blue eyes, she continued, “I moved out that night. Although I had some stuff at the dorm, I really lived at my aunt’s until just before I was shot.”

Wanting to lighten the mood some, Giles spoke next, “What’s her name?”

Tara smiled as she thought of her daughter, “Tabitha Rose Maclay.” Placing her finger on her nose she wrinkled it back and forth and laughed lightly.

“That’s a very pretty name,” the watcher answered, apparently unaware of the reference.

“Thank you. My mother’s name was Rose. She died about a year before Tabitha was born.”

Giles looked down as he spoke next, “I don’t mean to pry or bring up painful subjects, but…The myth had more details.”

Tara looked worriedly at him as he continued. “Basically, the power of the 77th will come from the grafting of two branches of the same tree.” He left the statement hanging in the air.

“For as many generations as anyone can remember, the women in my family have had only one daughter although they might have more sons. But there has always been one and only one daughter.” She spoke without any trace of stutter now. “Until my grandmother. My grandmother had twins: my mother and my Aunt April. My mother had me as well as my older brother Donnie; you met him.” The watcher nodded, allowing the memory of his one encounter with Tara’s family to cloud his features.

“My aunt had only a son, no daughter. Timothy is a year older than me. While Donnie had no magical ability, Timothy did. Not a great deal of power, but a good amount for a boy. He, he, he had enough power…He…”

Giles reached for the young woman’s hand as she continued. “I had Tabitha just before my 18th birthday. I should have started college that year but it was impossible. I finished high school with the last few months of home schooling. Tabitha was born in September, 1998. My father had kicked me out months earlier and I lived at my aunt’s. She never asked for any details about my condition and I never offered any.”

The tears which earlier pooled in Tara’s blue eyes no longer pooled there but poured down her face as she told this story for the first time. While it caused her pain to reveal the information, she feared knowing that she was going to have to repeat it soon to Willow and possibly others. She feared Willow’s reaction to being lied to for all this time.

“As you know, my family expected that I would return home at age 20, that when the demon manifested, I would need to be with them. So when I left, we believed that it would be for a year only. Although I have been gone longer, I’ve never gone more than three weeks without a visit.” As she got a loving and proud look on her face, she described her jewel, “She’s spectacular: smart, funny, joyful. She loves to sing or dance and tell stories. And she has much more powerful magic than I do. She’s powerful like my mother and Willow, maybe more so.”

Tara rose to make more tea as the conversation had continued for hours. The two spoke quietly for a long time regarding the myth and Tara’s daughter. Finally Giles asked, “Do you plan to have Tabitha with you?”

Again tears appeared in Tara’s eyes. “I want her with me more than anything. These last few months when I was living with April and Tabitha have been wonderful. I have missed Willow and Dawn but being with Tabitha every day was incredible. When I returned to Will, I didn’t plan to stay with her. I planned to continue living with my other family. But… and …well, now here I am in a crypt and I’ve visited in the evenings as often as I can.”

Tara explained further, “My aunt realized what had happened when I was turned immediately. She was the one who suggested the tattoo to me. Of course, she knows much better than I the meaning of it. I assume she has been planning on showing me how to make it for Tabitha or maybe she has been planning to do it herself. She never needed to use her knowledge of course.