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Tahmoe, Isabel, Starshine, Brat, samica, thanks again!

Chapter 3

When Buffy fell away from his side and into the snow, he did not allow his panic to overwhelm him and quickly scooped her up in his arms and carried her. Crystalline patterns of ice had formed on his spectacles and he could see no better than if he was blindfolded. It was the brushing upon his coat of the sequoia hedge that surrounded the villa that let him know he'd reached home. Passing through the gate once more he moved with an angered determination. He burst through the door and kicked it closed behind him. Rushing to the sitting room where the fire still flickered with life, William lay Buffy on the ground and tried to bring her back to life. Her lips had turned blue and she was cold to the touch, but there was still a pulse and that heartened him. He added logs to the fire before peeling off her ice encrusted fur coat. Her breath was thready and her eyes closed, but she was alive.

"Forgive me," he whispered to her as he removed her turtleneck sweater, and then her jeans. He felt a shameful stab of arousal in his abdomen at seeing her in only two small undergarments. Determined and clinical, he removed his own garments down to his briefs. Snatching the woolen blanket that was draped over a chair, William lay down and pulled Buffy's body close to his. He wrapped them both in the blanket mere inches from the now roaring fire while under the covers his hands rubbed her cold skin to get her circulation moving. Having paid no attention to his own state, he was barely aware of his eyes closing as he fell into slumber.

When Buffy awoke she felt something oppressively heavy around her, and her skin felt hot, itchy and sweaty. She sniffled and managed to open her eyes. She squinted when she was met by the hot light of the fire. Tilting her head away from the light she opened her eyes again and saw a sleeping William's face pressed against her shoulder. The memories of what had transpired before her waking came back to her and a moment later she realized they were safe in his house. He'd saved her life and now he was wrapped snugly around her, the pair of them under a blanket. She smiled to herself when she felt something rather substantial pressed against her bottom. This little scenario was quite to her liking. Gently turning herself around in the circle of William's embrace, she began to kiss his mouth. He responded while still in his sleep. When he came to his senses he let a sob escape him, then returned her kiss with equal fervor. When her hand made its way between them to cup him, William came to his senses.

He scrambled away from her, taking the blanket with him,"Get your clothing on!" he exclaimed, quickly dressing himself. Buffy made no motion, but instead sat there stunned and hurt by his outburst. "Didn't you hear me? Make yourself decent." Overwhelmed suddenly by being in a strange place, in a different time in addition to almost dying twice, it was all too much for the petite Slayer. She didn't weep like a meek little Victorian lady, but instead straight out bawled. She sniveled and groaned and whined while fat tears streamed down her cheeks.

She wasn't feeling especially proud of her breakdown whilst she was having it, but when William came back to her and pulled her into his arms she quieted and held on to him. "There, there, Miss Buffy. I didn't mean to shout," he soothed, too wounded by her emotional outburst to make an issue of the fact that she was still undressed.

"You're a jerk!" she sobbed, her fist hitting his shoulder none too gently. "Do you know how many times I've almost died!? Then you go and save me! Again! And when I tell you I love you, you don't tell me I don't!"

"Love? Of course I'd believe you." Buffy stopped crying and looked at him, realizing the slip she'd made. She pulled back and angrily wiped the tears from her face.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." William placed the blanket around her shoulders and stood.

"Wait here by the fire, you need to stay warm. I'll return shortly." He left the room and Buffy didn't watch him go. Instead she tried to compose herself. Her clothes lay in a semi-wet pile on the bricks by the fire place, and therefore dressing in them was out of the question. She felt cold again now that William had gone. What had she been thinking? She knew he wasn't Spike, not completely. William was wonderful in ways all his own, ways that would remain part of the vampire she loved. William returned and with him he had her nightgown and a dressing gown. He wasn't quite so withdrawn, kneeling down her and helping her slip the linen garment over her head and then into the quilted robe. "I didn't mean to upset you," he began, looking her in the eye. "I'm not sure how I ought to behave. I know how I should be with a lady, but you make me think...You make me feel." He touched her cheek and sighed. "Why don't you relax, I'll go make us something hot to drink and something to eat. Are you hungry?" She nodded and gave him a smile which he returned in kind.

William's first order of business now that Buffy was settled was to lock all the villa's doors and windows on the ground floor. He felt unsettled and the act of securing himself inside somehow made it slightly better. He was in doubt that poor Mrs. Claythorne or the dutiful Hobbes would be returning tonight. He prayed they'd found safe shelter. He sent another thank you to the Lord above when he found more firewood in the pantry and enough preserves and food to last them for several days. The cheeses and salted meats would serve them well, as would the turnips, squashes and potatoes. The apples and pears would need to be eaten soon, but all in all, the two of them were provided for. Furthermore, the cellar was brimming with bottles of wine and spirits. And of course with the snow outside, they wouldn't be without water.

He found a pot and filled it with water from the pitcher by the window and set it on the still hot stove, pausing to add a few more logs to the fire. He knew that eventually the wood would be gone, but tonight it didn't concern him. Taking care of Buffy was all that mattered to him. Despite being a man with a fortune substantial enough that he could be a man of leisure, William knew his way around his own kitchen. He put the tea in the egg shaped strainer and set it in the second china tea pot and remember that this morning's cream and small pot of honey were still in the sitting room. They were out of lemons, but William thought perhaps a sniff of brandy was more in order. He busied himself with laying out a few of the cakes that Mrs. Claythorne had baked the day before along with a few slices of bread and cheese. As he made his way back to the now boiling pot on the stove, something at the window caught William's eye.

At first he saw nothing when he peered out to the snowy night, then a pair of slited glowing red eyes made itself know, directly on the other side of the glass. William jumped back in shock and fright, staring wide eyed as more sets of eyes made themselves know. He could barely make out the shape and form of their bodies, but they appeared muscular and hunched over. "Demons," William gasped. Suddenly the bodies scattered and the distinct sound of snow crunching underfoot could be heard. William felt his heart beat faster and acted quickly instead of remaining paralyzed by his growing fear. One hand put his grip around the handle of a carving knife, while the other flung the curtains closed. He waited and listened. The footsteps didn't make themselves known again and after a few minutes he let himself calm.

During those tenuous moments when he half expected some sort of demonic beast to crash through the window, he formulated a plan of action. His instincts were telling him that he must continue as he had all night long. He had to keep Buffy safe and with him. He closed his eyes and put things in order in his mind, then set about the work. The first thing he did was return to the sitting room with a tray full of drink and food for Buffy. He found her still sitting on the floor, the blanket over her shoulder and her feet and ankles bare. Just the slightest bit of revealed flesh excited him, but now was not the time. Though her earlier behavior led him to believe that she wanted his attentions.

"Buffy?" he spoke softly, kneeling down with the tray and placing it next to her. After fetching the decanter of brandy from the side table he joined her on the floor. She looked over at him, a soporific smile on her face.

"Hey," she replied, the firelight dancing in her eyes.

"I've brought us something to eat and some hot tea."

"Are you planning on getting me drunk?" She nodded in the direction of the liquor.

"No! Of course not."

"I'm just teasing William. I'm sorry."

"No need for apologies, I'm just not used to this."

"No used to what?"

"Being in intimate company with a lady."

"You don't have to be nervous. You're safe with me. Oh! Are those butter tarts? And cheese? I love cheese!"

"Yes, help yourself. You must be famished." She accepted the cup of tea he passed her and ate her half of the food while he did the same. They were silent for the most part, watching the fire and letting the warmth seep into their bones. After a time Buffy had to fight to keep her eyes open and without a word, William fetched a cushion from the seti and encouraged her to lay down before the fire. Boldly he pressed a kiss to her cheek and covered her with the blanket, then left her alone and set about his work.

The clock chimed seven o'clock, waking Buffy from her sleep when all the other tomes of the hours had not. She yawned and stretched, working out the kinks from sleeping on the floor. She knew instinctively there was no sunlight outside, even though she'd been sleeping for hours. The day didn't exist in this place. There was only cold and death outside the walls of this house, and inside there was warmth and there was companionship. There was true happiness. But for how long? How long could they live before the firewood and the food ran out?

Her senses searched for William, but found no trace of him. She was alone. A sharp panic seized her, fearing that he too had disappeared. She rose to her feet and dashed for the door at the precise moment he opened it and entered the room. She collided with him, taking him in for a fierce hug. His arms wound their way around her waist, lifting her up and holding her firm against him. "Where were you?" she pleaded, her voice muffled against his chest.

"There was work to be done, but I'm finished now." He set her down, but still held her. A trickle of sweat ran down the side of his face and upon noticing it, Buffy put her hand to his brow.

"You have a fever!"

"Nonsense, just been doing a bit of work is all. I meant to wash before coming back, but I.....I missed you."

"I missed you too." Before he lost the nerve he bent his head down and kissed her lips for a long moment before parting from her. "What were you doing?" With a sigh he took her hand and led her to a chair, having her sit as he knelt before her.

"I don't want to frighten you unnecessarily. But there's been activity outside."

"Activity? Do you mean there's somebody out there?"

"Buffy...I suspect that they're not human."

"Demons? Terrific, just what we needed."

"You're not surprised." He stated the fact rather than asking the question.

"Oh William, it's the longest story ever. I've seen demons before." He worried his bottom lip and Buffy surmised that he had been enjoying his role as her knight and here she was squashing it. "They're horrible, frightening things. I'm glad I'm not alone, that you're here with me."

"I'll not let them touch so much as a hair on your head. Come with me! Everything's ready upstairs, I have a few matters to attend to down here, then we can go. I thought perhaps we both ought to have a wash since there isn't a bath upstairs." Confused as she was by his ramblings, she couldn't help but try and make advances.

"Together?" William cleared his throat and swallowed.

"To...together?"

"Could we?" William put his hand on her shoulder, his thumb caressing her.

"There isn't time." That wasn't a denial exactly, but she knew he was hesitant.

"That's okay, maybe next time."

"I should like that...I mean..."

"You mean you'd enjoy it, and so would I."

"Go on, have your bath, the water's hot." William pointed her in the right direction, then left her by herself. When she emerged half an hour later, she found William had been waiting for her on the other side of the door. He looked tired and disheveled. Without saying a word he took her hand and led her upstairs. Between their two bedrooms a ladder ascended to another level of the house. "There's a loft up there and we should be safe if anything enters the house." Buffy wanted to explain about her being the Slayer, but she didn't have the heart to. This place they were in was made just for them and the more time she spent here and the more time in William's company she began to see that this place wasn't about Slayers and Vampires. It was about lost souls finding each other. She had to nourish him, and let him come into his own. Becoming a vampire had freed Spike from the shackles of a emotionally binding life. There had been a century of walking in the wrong direction, but not matter how far down the path he'd walked, he still turned around and walked back, right into her life and her heart.

If she played the roll of Slayer instead of that of Buffy, it would emasculate William and damage the tenuous romance they'd begun. She was here to learn something about her soulmate and she could only believe it was the same for him. "Are you coming with me?" she asked, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I still need to barricade the doors and windows, then have my own bath. I'll be with you soon enough. It's not much, but there's a place for you to sleep, be comfortable. There's food and wine." She gave him a peck on the cheek. Sometimes it was nice to just be cared for and not have to always be in action. "Don't be long. I'll miss you." With a nod and a slight gnawing of his bottom lip from him, she climbed up.

William watched until she was all the way up before making his final rounds. He wasn't sure he really knew what he was doing or if this notion of his would really protect them, but facing demons singled handed would be folly. As he went through each room on the lower level, knowing the cellar had no other entrances and exits save the one from the pantry, William pondered the situation. He and Buffy were cut off from the outside world, just the two of them. They would need to rely on each other to stave off boredom and cabin fever, and more so than that, companionship. He dared not hope their relationship would progress to a more carnal one, but he couldn't help the fantasies that circled around inside his mind. The very thought of being more intimate with her was nearly enough to send him over the edge. When he was near her his whole body vibrated with years of pent up emotion and longing. Moreover he'd already begun imagining a possible future with her. He'd never had the courage to speak to any of the women he'd fancied and felt he could easily confess his love to the woman waiting for him upstairs.

No one, except for Spike, had ever made a room so beautiful and welcoming. Every candle in the house must've been moved upstairs, along with every pillow, blanket and other items designed to make them a cozy little hideaway. The loft was triangular, but long with ceilings a little lower than the level below, but still with enough room to stand comfortably. On one end of the room was fireplace, which was situated above the one in the sitting room, whose chimney flowed into this one and out into the night. There was already a fire started. On the opposite side a single circular window encompassed nearly the entire facing of the room. It was as tall in diameter as Buffy herself. The window was made up of six circles overlapping each other, encompassed within a larger circle in a stained glass pattern. Each section of glass was a different color. She imagined it must be very beautiful in the sunlight. In the center of the room was an array of pillows, cushions and blankets. She saw the food and wine he spoke of. It was perfect. She cast off her robe and got herself under a quilt and waited for him.

She was almost asleep when William finally came to her. He pulled up the ladder as quietly as possible, deposited the bundle of his day's clothes off to one side and closed the hatch, sealing them inside their haven. Her eyes fluttered open when he sat down beside her. She was surprised to see he'd dressed for bed. His hair was damp from his bath and he looked new again. "Get under the covers," she bade. "I want to hold you."

"Alright." Once he'd obeyed she pulled him close, resting her cheek against his. She reached up and took off his spectacles, placing them aside, then cupped his cheek and turned his face to hers, capturing his mouth for a kiss. William's hand found its way behind her back, holding her even closer with their tongues stroked and their lips caressed. When they parted, William was shaking. "I don't know what to do."

"It'll come naturally. You knew this was going to happen since you first had me in your arms, didn't you?"

"Yes...yes. I felt something and it's been growing ever since. I won't deny it anymore. Too much has happened. I don't know where we are, but this isn't Rome. I think we're the only two people in the world. I cannot fathom what lies beyond this house, but I don't care. It's what our mysterious lady told us, life no matter when or where it is, is the journey to find the mate to one's soul. And through a miracle I cannot begin to comprehend, I have mine in my arms. And I love her. With all my heart." Her eyes brimmed with tears and he caressed her cheek.

"I love you, William. I have for so long."

"Have we met before?"

"In another place and another time. Have you ever thought about immortality?"

"No."

"It happens to you not too long from now. You'll go through so much, so much....pain."

"And then we meet? And we'll love each other?"

"Ye....yes." Her reply came out as sob as her tears began to flow. He was perplexed by her tears and could only try and comfort her with soft kisses over her face and sweet words. Buffy was overwrought and cleaved to him in desperation. It was as if she were reliving those final moments with him beneath the Hellmouth. She knew she had been too late to tell him. His claim that she didn't love him was a surprise at the time, but with over a year separating that moment and this one, she knew full well that Spike had every reason not to believe her. Which made her time with William all the more precious. Through her tears she locked eyes with him.

"Now, this won't do. My treasure, there shouldn't be tears. How can I take this sadness from you?"

"By believing I love you when I tell you." It was easy enough for William to deduce where her tears came from.

"There's a time when I don't?"

"You were immortal, but you could still be killed...and when I told you for the first time and you didn't believe me and then you died!" She confessed it all one breath before her crying overcame her again.

"How could I not have believed you? I believe you now. Buffy, love, please don't cry." She shook when he called her 'love'. She touched his face and smiled weakly.

"You were so brave. We'd been fighting for so long against evil and we just needed time alone to rest and I know we could've worked it out. I would've made you believe me."

"Fighting?"

"You were one of the strongest, bravest men I'd ever known....you were my only good thing in a really scary, violent world."

"I've always thought that I'd rather live one day as a lion than a thousand as a lamb."

"You were a lion, William...but you were so forgiving, so loving to me. You didn't let a hard and ugly world change who you were deep down and I was drawn to it, once I found it. I didn't always see it, I was horrible to you. And by the time I found the real you, it was too late."

"Love is stronger than death. Haven't we proven that?"

"I'm trying. I'm scared. Not of what's outside, but that this won't last. It's cruel to let us have only a little while, but that's how the Powers That Be work."

"We'll defy them! Time and place are irrelevant. It doesn't matter if we're torn apart, we'll find each other again. You have faith in that, don't you?"

"I'm trying. I really am...but I've already lost you once."

"Perhaps then..." William paused and conjured up every ounce of his courage. He moved his hand to cup her breast, his thumb rubbing her nipple through the fabric. "We should affirm the bond." A second later he started to panic that his forward manner had offended her. He withdrew his hand and began an apology. "I'm...I'm so terribly sorry...I shouldn't have..."

"Shhhh. Your fine Victorian sensibilities are going to deny you one of the best experiences of your life." She pushed him on to his back and sat up. Her nightgown was tossed aside a moment later and Buffy waited and allowed him to gaze upon her body. He stared at her in wonderment, mouth slightly agape and eyes fixated on her breasts. Buffy noticed his growing erection tenting the covers and smiled as she came to him. She lay herself on her side parallel with him and his eyes never left her. Tentatively his hand returned to her breast, letting the weight of it fill his palm and the warmth and softness of it astonished him. He felt the nipple harden under his palm and watch her eyes flutter closed. "Don't stop, William."

"I'm not sure I know what to do. I've never..."

"Don't think about it, just follow your instincts." A moment later his hand moved aside and was replaced by his lips. It seemed perfectly natural for him to take the swollen bud in his mouth, roll his tongue around it and gently suckle. Buffy's hands kneaded his shoulders and gradually gathered his nightshirt up his back. He parted from her long enough for her to divest him of his shirt and then he returned to her breasts. Both his hands grasped them as his mouth moved ravenously over them. Buffy didn't care that his technique was unskilled, merely that she was with him was more than enough to arouse her. His erection rubbed against her leg, trying to relieve some of the tension. She shifted on to her back and pulled William over her. Opening herself to him, his hips settled between her thighs. When the tip of his length came in contact with the heat of her opening he shuddered, then began to sink himself inside her.

Both of them were tense as they joined, as if it was the first time for both of them. When he was fully seated within her tears sprang to his eyes and his breathing became labored. His hands gripped the surrounding cushions in vise tight grips and his stomach fluttered as a sensation somewhere between ecstasy and nausea overcame him. Being inside a woman was nothing like William could have ever imagined. He'd secretly read books on the subject of erotica, but none of them had spoken of the sickly sweet feeling as if one was poised at the moment before death when all knowledge of the secrets of the world were laid before you before your soul was forced to leave its body. At least, that was how William was interpreting what he was experiencing.

The heat of her was scorching and the tightness of her sheath was nearly too much to endure. All pains and pleasures coursed through him. With his eyes shut tight and his body arched William all but disappeared from his own mind. It was the touch of her palm to his now sweat drenched face that brought him back to reality and reminded him that he wasn't alone. "Don't forget about me," Buffy said, a smile gracing her face. Her hands massaged his shoulders as she locked eyes with him, encouraging him to rejoin her. "William, make love with me."

"I...I love you, Buffy."

"I know, I love you."

"I'll not let anyone take you from me...I'll always find you." With that he bent down and kissed her. He pumped his hips slowly, reveling in the sanctity of his first time with the woman he'd come to love completely in less than a day. It surprised Buffy how little difference this felt from being with Spike. William was warmer, his skin was more moist and ringlets of curls dangled in front of his face, but it was the same man she'd fallen for all that time ago in Sunnydale. She realized now that she was fortunate to have been loved by both the demon and the man and how despite loving them separately, she loved them together too. Spike and William; it was impossible to separate them into two beings now, especially in her heart. And he was here with her now.

There was so much emotion flowing between them and their bodies fell into synch with each other, urgent but tender. William found his bearings soon enough. Buffy already knew he was masterful at this and was quickly learning that it was a natural talent. His thrusts were measured and determined, with a circling of his pelvis that helped his cock stroke the sweet spot inside her each time. Her knees dug into his ribs and the familiar flutter of her walls around his flesh came over her. It seemed like they'd been kissing for hours, but though Buffy was content to be submersed in the pleasure of his body, but William had found his voice and needed to speak.

"Buffy?" he asked, nearly breathless, his movements slowling to a tempered ebb and flow against her. "In...in our future, are we married?"

"You never asked me."

"But you'd have been my wife if I had?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank you. I needed to know."

"Not to burst your Victorian bubble of propriety, but isn't being soulmates a bit more significant?" He laughed then, with her as he realized the folly of his subversive way of arriving at a marriage proposal now. Still smiling and laughing they began to kiss again, taking on a new enthusiasm. Surprising him, Buffy rolled them over until she sat atop him. Placing her hands on his chest she rose off him, then lowered herself back down. William was entranced by the sight of his cock disappearing into her depths. She began to ride him and being suddenly dominated excited William beyond his wildest dreams.

"Buff...Buffy!" William took hold of her waist, thrusting up to meet her downward one. "A...a golden goddess has descended from the skies. A valkirie on winged chariot doth dance before mine eyes..." Poetry? Spike had never done that when they'd been together. It was really terrible, she admitted to herself. But nothing had ever turned her on so much. She moved faster and more words poured from his mouth and she knew it came from his heart. Her orgasm came on strong, starting from deep in her belly and radiating out through every cell in her body. Her senses detonated into an ecstatic pulse that matched her quickened heartbeat. William for his part was utterly immersed in nirvana, his body strained up against her. His head was back and his mouth open as he cried out her name seconds before his body allowed him release. In that moment he felt has if his soul was leaving his body along with his cum.

He didn't realize he'd been weeping until Buffy was cradling his head to her breasts and rocking them. They were both still shaking a little from the intensity of the shared experience. William's head was swimming and he had trouble breathing. He felt incredibly hot and the nausea had returned, but that didn't stop him from wanting her again. "Buffy?" he spoke.

"Mmm hmmm?"

"I have a terrible headache." She tried to stifle her giggle, but it escaped nonetheless. Her mirth caused him to smile and then act. With a burst of action he'd spun her around and entered her again, already fully hard once more. "Perhaps the remedy..." He started to move at a strong thrusting pace,"Is to do it again? And then perhaps again after that?"

"O...okay" Buffy remembered then, that once was never enough for them.



Several hours later they lay next to each other, shoulders touching, stretched out and finally satiated. Buffy sighed and shared a knowing gaze with William. "Are we always this...er...energetic?" William asked.

"Usually. Once was never ever enough. We once spent an entire three days in bed."

"Really? I'd fancy that."

"Me too."

"I'm sure you would, my little minx!"

"Me? I'm not the one pitching a tent there, lover." Embarrassed by the erection that simply wouldn't disappear, William turned on his side and drew her close, kissing her on her neck.

"You're the cause, my elegant siren."

"I like your pretty words, William."

"I left my notebook downstairs. My head is full of words to describe your beauty, your power, your soul. You're an inspiration that will last a poet untold ages. Sleep now, we've earned our rest." Buffy lay in his arms contentedly for some time, watching the snow fall outside the large window. The fire was low, but the candles still burned. Their reflection against the colored glass was hypnotic and reminded her of the mysterious woman's shop they'd been lead to earlier this night. The woman's words and warnings played over and over in her mind. Her mind was searching for answers to the cryptic messages, as it did when she woke from one of her Slayer dreams. William was sound asleep, his warm breath on her neck and his arms snug around her. Buffy was beginning to wane, her eyes heavy.

But this plain is unstable, you will be permitted only seven chances before it will be gone.

It finally dawned on her, the solution. She knew the answer and it grieved her. The tears came and instinctively William hugged her tighter. She tried to take comfort in his loving embrace, but knew it was futile. When he woke, their time together had to come to an end.





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