Inell's Fanfiction Archive

The crack spread along a small area of white. It broke along the way, veering into several small snakelike cracks before stopping as it reached the wall.

Willow traced each path with her eyes, her breathing slow and even. If someone happened upon her, it would appear almost as if she were sleeping with her eyes open. Only the movement of her eyes gave away her awareness to anything around her. A small frown marred her pretty face, a slightly confused look in her green eyes. She sighed, wishing that the ceiling she was staring at could give her the answers she so desperately needed. She shifted on the bed, knowing that she should get up and do something. It was well past afternoon on Saturday and she was still laying on her bed. True, she had gotten up long enough to shower and dress, but she had immediately laid back down. Hours had passed as she had memorized the path of cracks along her ceiling. She had never noticed them before, having never taken the time to simply stare at something so familiar. It was odd in a way that things could be right in front of you all the time and yet you never really noticed them. Today, she had noticed them.

She heard the low beep on her answering machine telling her that she had a message. She had listened earlier as Xander had excitedly told her that he actually had a date. Well, not really a date but he was supposed to meet a girl at the Bronze. She had been surprised when she had not felt the tightening around her heart that normally would have accompanied such words. Now, all she felt was happiness for her friend and nothing more. She should get up and erase the invitation to meet him and Jesse that evening, knowing she had no intention of going back to the Bronze. Not yet. Instead, she continued to lay on her bed, her hand moving along her neck and tracing the heavy bruises that she had seen earlier that morning. Bruising from that thing that had attacked her the night before.

Monsters in Sunnydale. She still couldn't believe it. That was half of what was keeping her lost in thought. If she hadn't seen it happen, she'd never have thought it possible. This was the real world. Monsters weren't supposed to exist in Sunnydale. Things like that only existed in books. Yet, the pain that still tinged around her throat was evidence that they were real. And not just any monsters. Vampires. It had taken her half of her sleepless night to draw that conclusion. The creatures that were so often romanticized in movies were not fiction. They were ugly, cruel beings that wandered the streets at night. Thinking of Darla, she knew that wasn't entirely true. The blonde had been beautiful. Willow knew that Darla was a monster. She wasn't sure exactly what sort, but she had to believe it might be vampire. She had found a deep bite on her upper thigh, perfect piercing that nestled close to the juncture between her legs. Willow had spent time simply staring at the bite, her fingers dancing across the wound that would definitely scar, wondering what it meant. She had realized then that Darla could have easily killed her.

That knowledge confused her. In one way, she was thrilled that she was alive. She had never realized how much she wanted to live until the threat of death had been staring her directly in the face. Yet, in another way, she had to confess to a slight fear at what her still being alive might mean. Darla had said she was hers, that they belonged to each other. While Willow could admit to herself, in that deep private place that no one ever saw, that she rather liked the idea of someone wanting her, she had to worry why Darla's words had almost been like a promise. Not only was she trying to understand why she had felt attracted to Darla, to another girl, that she had had sex with a woman, felt pleasure at the girl's touch and lips, but also trying to deal with the thought that the girl she had felt such things with was most likely a vampire. She should feel ashamed, disgusted at her thoughts, but she didn't. No, instead she felt stirrings deep inside while thinking of Darla. Any worries left her mind, doubts fled her as she felt a slow heat building.

Willow sat up, shifting in place as she tried to remember what she was planning on doing that evening. Her green eyes found the history book laying on her desk next to her computer books and she remembered that she had extra credit work for both classes. She was already making A's in both classes, just as she was in every other class she was taking, but she always liked that edge the extra credit gave her. She stood, walking barefoot towards her desk. She sat down, tucking her legs under the chair. She leaned back, still feeling tired. She had not done anything yet felt as if she had run a marathon. Shaking her head, she idly scratched at the bite mark on her thigh as she turned her computer on with her other hand. She stretched, the tank top she had worn to sleep in riding up her flat stomach. The top of her flannel boxers slid lower as she inhaled deeply before settling in place right below her belly button. She yawned, glancing at the persistent red glow that was coming from her answering machine. Scowling, she leaned over and erased the message, glancing back at her computer with a calculating look. She stood abruptly, hitting the button on her computer, not caring that she had not closed it down properly. She walked towards her closet, stripping her clothes as she went.

Standing in front of her closet, she looked at herself in the mirror with a frown. Her breasts were too small, her frame almost too thin. She did have rather nice legs, in her opinion. She wasn't very tall, but they were rather long. She had freckles lightly dusting her pale flesh. She was too pale, having not spent much time outdoors over the summer. She always burned when in the sun, leaving those activities to Xander and Jesse, who tanned nicely. She looked into her eyes, noticing the brightness in them. She noticed the small smile, the glow that she seemed to be giving off. She didn't understand it, but she looked almost pretty. Thinking of how Darla had looked at her, that possessive look, the lust, the hunger, the need, she had never felt so

desired, so beautiful. She closed her eyes briefly, watching as her nipples hardened against the soft cotton of her bra. She reached behind her back, unfastening the clasp and letting it fall to the ground. Her breasts ached, an unfamiliar ache that was confusing her spread over her body. She shifted again, rubbing her thighs together. Her eyes flew open when she heard the phone ringing, startling her from her thoughts.

Red hair flew as her head turned, green eyes narrowing as they looked at the answering machine. She heard Xander's voice, slightly concerned but still energetic. He was telling her to get her head out of her homework and meet him and Jesse that night. He was so sure she was doing her homework. Was she that predictable? So boring that even her best friends assumed she was stuck in her books on one of their only two days off from school? She reached into her closet, removing a new pair of jeans and a shirt she had bought for school. They were both rather plain and baggy, but it was the nicest thing she had to wear. She pulled the shirt over her head, not putting her bra back on. She gasped slightly as the rough fabric rubbed her sensitive nipples, bringing back images of Darla's hands kneading them the night before. She could still feel that cool touch, the roughness and the pleasure. She pushed her boxers down, her fingers hooking over the waistband of those and her panties. The shirt fell past her reddish brown curls, brushing softly against her wetness as she leaned down. She ignored the feelings that that casual touch brought to mind, instead throwing the jeans on the floor and reaching for a skirt that fell past her knees. She knew she would have been unable to wear the jeans, the constant rubbing of the denim against her clit making it impossible. She pulled the skirt up and fastened it while still looking in the mirror. She brought her hand up and gently ran it along her face, almost not recognizing herself. There was nothing different about her, yet there was. She shook her head slightly, knowing that no one would understand that. Hell, she hardly did.

She moved away from the mirror, slipping on shoes and grabbing her purse. She left the house, leaving her front porch light on. It was barely dusk, the sun still low in the western sky. She started walking down the street, a smile crossing her face as she moved. She felt better suddenly, the exhaustion slowly easing away with every step. The warmth of the early fall evening calmed her nerves as she walked, bring forth a slight sheen of perspiration as she moved. The fabric of her shirt rubbed against tender breasts, causing her breathing to become slightly erratic. She stopped at the corner, cocking her head slightly and growing pensive. She turned in one direction, then finally walked in the other. She repeated this act several times, stopping to look at various things along her way. Things that had been there that she had never seen. She thought back to earlier that afternoon and her ceiling, feeling rather silly for being so caught up in her life that she hadn't seen the small things. She had missed so much.

She watched as the sun finally sunk down, the rays no longer visible as darkness overtook Sunnydale. She felt no fear despite knowing that there could be monsters lurking in the shadows. She was confused, not sure what was happening to her but knowing something had changed. It wasn't just having sex or learning that vampires existed. No, it was her entire outlook. While it didn't make sense, she couldn't regret it. She felt happy for the first time in longer than she could remember. She had always felt happy being with her friends, hanging out with Jesse and Xander, but this was a different happiness. She couldn't explain it, even to herself. She decided not to worry about it, to just enjoy it. It might just be afterglow from the night before, but it could be something else. She needed to learn that not everything had an explanation. Last night certainly didn't.

Before she knew it, Willow was standing outside a wooden door, the number 15 hanging loosely from the front. She frowned, glancing around. She realized that she was quite a way from her neighborhood. She must have walked several miles yet she barely felt tired. Considering she had been sluggish all day,

she was startled. She glanced at the 15, feeling a tremor cross over her. She had planned to go to the Bronze, meet Xander and Jesse, watch them dance and flirt then go home. Alone. Instead, she was standing in front of some strange door in an area she had never been before. She started to move away from the door but paused, turning back towards it. She moved back to where she had been, her nerves calming down as she touched the door. She leaned her head forward, touching the wood and breathing deeply. She straightened, her hand scratching at her bite through her skirt. She raised her hand to knock, her eyes widening as the door opened before she could make contact.

"You're late," Darla said crossly, a slight smirk on her face despite her words. She looked over her redhead, seeing the hardened nipples pushing against that horrible shirt, smelling the soft arousal through the baggy skirt, looking at the green eyes, filled with so many emotions that were mirrored on Willow's face. Such a beautiful face. She had been calling her lover for the past two hours, testing the strength of the bond. She had not done anything deep the night before, needing something that would connect them for the time being, until more permanent plans were made. It had worked, but the delay had made her impatient and grumpy. She had wanted to enter the night with her mate as soon as the sun had faded, instead waiting nearly an hour past.

"Late?" Willow whispered, not understanding what was happening to her. Not knowing why she felt so much more alive in Darla's presence, not knowing how she had known the girl was in this apartment, not understanding how Darla knew she was coming there.

Darla moved forward, claiming Willow's lips in a bruising kiss, passion and

punishment mixed with the teasing of her tongue. She pulled away, a satisfied look in her eyes as she failed to hear any protests from Willow. Good, it would be much easier without protests. "Come inside, lover. I want you in my bed, now."

"But," Willow said, knowing this was wrong. She shouldn't be feeling this way about a virtual stranger. She had no idea what Darla truly was, had no idea

why she acting the way that she was. She knew it didn't feel wrong, but she couldn't help feeling that it was wrong. Cool fingers ran along her chin as

eyes narrowed, flashing yellow with every moment Willow hesitated. "About last night...."

"You are mine, Willow," Darla said matter of factly, giving the red-haired human no room to argue. "Must I prove that point or can we enjoy this? I so

hate trying to get blood out of silk."

"Blood?" Willow gulped, shaking her head. "No proving. Enjoyment is good."

"Of course," Darla smiled as she pulled the girl into the apartment she had rented specifically for Willow, "blood can be fun too." With those words, Darla shut the door, pulling Willow against her as their lips met. Darla smiled, her hands quickly ripping that horrible shirt in two, sliding it off of her Willow's shoulders. Her hands quickly found the pert breasts, twisting the nipples roughly as she continued to ravage Willow's mouth. Darla eased Willow down, taking control of her demon as she softened her touch. No need to hurt Willow yet. Not during this stage, when Darla was seducing the little redhead. The vampire ran her tongue along Willow's cheek, knowing that she did not to seduce. Many of her kind would simply take the girl, torture her until she was begging for her life, then claim her. But, Darla liked seduction. To her, that was where the most fun was to be had. She knew Willow was hers, that there was nothing the girl could do to prevent that claiming. Not with her mark on the human's thigh, her scent soon to be covering the redhead. But, she wanted Willow to come to her willingly. She had seen failed seductions that ended in madness and hatred. This would not happen to her Willow. No, Willow would agree to everything, would beg for it, not out of pain but out of pleasure. Willow would be hers completely, in time. There was nothing that would stop that. Darla was just going to enjoy the ride, and make sure that Willow remembered every moment.