Chapter 24
Tegua’s cottage
“So, it was a good trip then?”
“Yes, Madre, it was. And supposedly we’re leaving again tonight,” Xander said.
“Tonight? Why so soon? You just got back today.”
“Well, Spike wants to set sail as soon as we can, so we can return as soon as we can.” He chuckled. “Although God knows if that’s going to happen now.”
“Why?”
“Well, he’s in love and hopefully will be marrying soon, madre. I don’t think he’d want to leave this girl so soon after spending a week away from her, let alone if this trip is going to mean spending three months apart.”
“He is in love? With whom, the redheaded girl you told me about?
“Oh, no, madre, that girl is history. Now he is completely, totally head over heels in love with that girl’s sister. In fact, at this very moment he might be proposing to her.”
Tegua exhaled a relieved sigh; things seemed to finally be getting back on track. “Wait, her sister you said?” Xander nodded. “I thought she was a novice?”
“Not anymore, she isn’t. She even gave Spike her coif and veil. Hee! I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so besotted with any… Hey! Wait a minute, how did you know she was a novice if I haven’t told you her sister’s name?”
“Really, Alejandro, I would have thought that by now you’d know that your mother doesn’t need to be told anything. There’s very little that happens in Galveston that I don’t know about before you tell me.” She smiled fondly, ruffling her son’s brown hair. “Now go, because I’ll be receiving a visit soon.”
Xander got up from his chair and leaned to give his mother a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll be back in the afternoon to say good-bye, all right?”
“Yes, I’ll see you then, my son. Say hello to Faith for me, won’t you?”
Xander turned from the door surprised that his mother knew where he’d be going. “How did—” He trailed when he noticed his mother’s smug smile and her raised eyebrow. “I guess that’s one of those things that I should already know by now, isn’t it?”
“Yes, son, it is.”
She waited until he left to get up from the chair she’d been occupying and then she walked up to the window, deep in thought. It had begun; finally after all these years things would go back to the way they were always meant to be.
* ~ * ~ *
Aimée walked hurriedly towards Tegua’s house, trying to look as inconspicuous as she could. Teresa had been of very little help to her, so she’d been forced to dress in her peasant clothes and don a thick shawl over her head, in the overwhelming and hellish heat that pervaded Galveston, so she wouldn’t be recognized by anyone while she visited the curandera. She’d be kissing her marriage to Angel good-bye if just one person saw her and went to her soon-to-be mother-in-law with the tale.
She knocked on the door of the humble cottage and a woman of about forty years with long raven black hair and tanned skin, opened it and let her inside.
Tegua was not surprised by Aimée’s visit. In fact, she’d been expecting the girl to come back ever since she’d provided her with a contraceptive remedy. She’d just known it, just as she’d known perfectly well who the girl was, even dressed up like a peasant like she was. She knew of her dalliance with William the Bloody and that she had set her sights on marrying the De Alcazar heir.
She laughed to herself, if only this girl knew that they were one and the same. But luckily for William, she didn’t and when she discovered the truth it would be too late already.
She couldn’t believe how different the Summers sisters were and gave thanks to God that the man that she loved almost like another son had noticed, too, before it had been too late. She imagined she should also be thanking God for the fact that Aimée Summers was such a vain and self-centered bitch, because that calmed Tegua’s conscience over what she might need to do in the future.
She decided to focus on the present for now, though. Oh, how the mighty had fallen! And how much more they would still fall, because this girl would get what was coming to her eventually. Aimée had chosen her path unwisely, thinking only of herself when she’d given herself to William the Bloody without thinking of any possible consequences of that action, aside from that of an unwanted pregnancy, of course. Tegua only wished she could be around to see how this girl would react when everything that she knew would happen soon began to unfold.
“Tegua, you have to help me!” Aimée whined.
“Help you, with what?”
Aimée blushed. “You see…hmmm, well, I’m getting married soon…” she trailed, hoping that the woman wouldn’t make her spell it out, but when she was met with Tegua’s impassible stare, she had to relent. “And I-I think that you’re aware that I’m not a virgin anymore. I need you to do something to make it seem like I still am. Of course, you’ll be amply rewarded for your services.”
“And how do you pretend to reward me, girl?” Tegua asked, eyeing the clothes Aimée wore dismissively. “It doesn’t seem like you have much to begin with.”
“Eh, well, this is just a disguise and I’m getting married to Angel De Alcazar, you must know who he is, don’t you?” The older woman nodded, unimpressed. Aimée sighed. “You’ll help me, won’t you?”
She almost denied this girl her help, almost, until she remembered that if she didn’t Aimée might make things difficult for William. But that didn’t mean that she’d have to help her in the easiest or most effective way, did it?
* ~ * ~ *
Back to Buffy’s bedroom
William’s kiss began soft and tentative, but it quickly escalated with unbidden passion as she threaded her hands into his hair and sighed, slightly opening her mouth to let his tongue in to play with hers.
Without stopping kissing her, Spike got up from where he was kneeling on the floor to join her on the settee, putting his arms around her to pull her closer to his body until her chest was pressed with his.
Air was quickly becoming an issue, but she really didn’t want to put a stop to the delicious sensations that coursed through her body. Surely it couldn’t be sinful to kiss her fiancé? Father Michael had been scandalized when she made her weekly confession before Sunday’s mass, but that had been different. She was going to marry this man. She loved him; she felt more for him than she ever dreamt of feeling for Angel. It just couldn’t be a sin to kiss him and even if it were, she’d prefer to pray a million Hail Marys than to not feel him this close to her.
Her lips tasted so sweet and it was hell to pull away from them for even a second, but he could feel that she was already straining to breathe, so he pulled away from them, only to continue running heated kisses on her cheek, her earlobe, her jaw, and then her throat, where he nibbled and kissed and nipped his way down to kiss the top of her creamy breasts or at least as much as the square neck cut of her dress allowed him to.
Feeling it had been too long already, he claimed her mouth again as he reclined her further into the chaise lounge, covering her body almost completely with his.
tbc
[Reviews - 429]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | 
Chapter or Story
Has been viewed 2041 times
- Text Size +
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story |
Chapter or Story | Chapter or Story - Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you, Debbie, Amelia-Jane, effection, teasha, Klai, Vette, DaniD, jt, SarahandJamesFanatic and Devin, for reviewing. You can’t begin to imagine how happy it makes me (and my muse) to know that you’re still enjoying the story, even with all the changes. ;) And a huge thank you to MarzBar for betaing this chapter for me and for all your help.
I think I might have glossed a little too much over the fact that Spike and Aimée actually had sex, since I was too grossed over actually writing it. But to respond some of your questions, yes, he was Aimée's first.
I think I might have glossed a little too much over the fact that Spike and Aimée actually had sex, since I was too grossed over actually writing it. But to respond some of your questions, yes, he was Aimée's first.