DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all the slayerettes belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
FEEDBACK: To thedatajunkie[at]gmail.com
SERIES: Third of the Demon Series
There Once Was a Demon Who Loved
By The Datajunkie
Kellem reached for the door handle and froze as a trickle of pain slid over her. What was… Tara? She hurried into the apartment, feeling the silent call pulling her. Tara was sitting alone in the living room, crying.
Tossing her books onto the coffee table, Kellem knelt beside Tara and peered up at her in question. "You're hurting. I could feel you."
Tara wipes her eyes and shook her head. "I'm okay."
Kellem laid her head in Tara's lap and wrapped her arms around her waist. "I can feel your sadness. Shall I get Willow?"
Tara automatically reached out and began stroking the dark head. "No, she has that big test today and I don't want to disturb her until she's finished."
Kellem sighed, the sound an echo of the melancholy that Tara was feeling. "You've hidden these feelings from her, that's why she isn't here already."
Tara tucked a black strand behind Kellem's ear. "I'm okay, its just that… today is… the day my mother died."
"Oh, I'm so sorry Tara, I know how rough that is." Kellem tightened her hold on the witch.
"Hmm. I shouldn't let it get to me like this but it still hurts even after all this time."
Kellem raised her head, her expression serious. "Of course it does. It always will hurt, just not as much." She brushed Tara's cheek, catching the tear that had fallen and brining it to her lips. "I know what; let me care for you today."
Kellem stood up and went over to the stereo. CD's were piled haphazardly around the shelves, but she knew where the one she wanted was. She loaded it into the changer and hit repeat. The vivid sounds of Cusco filled the room and Kellem went back to Tara. She pulled the witch's shoes off and lifted her feet onto the ottoman. "Now you sit here and relax, I'll just be a second."
She disappeared again and Tara heard the water come on in the bathroom. She leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes, wondering what a demon considered care.
A few minutes later, Kellem returned and took Tara's hand, guiding her up and into the bathroom. Tara paused at the doorway, as she saw what Kellem had done. The room was lit with several candles and she could smell the spicy scent of incense as well. The bathtub was filled with bubbles and Tara uncharacteristically made no protest when Kellem stepped in front of her and began unbuttoning her blouse.
Kellem took her time, wanting Tara to relax and enjoy herself. She pushed the material away from the blonde's shoulders and bent to kiss one as her arms slid around Tara to unhook the clasp of her bra. Tara shivered at the kiss, but her arms came up as her breasts were bared, an instinctive reaction that Kellem decided she was going to make her personal quest to change. Kellem caught Tara's hands and placed a gentle kiss in each palm before guiding them to her own shoulders. She reached out and cupped the ripe fullness before her, delighted when the rose tips responded instantly. A light flush stole over Tara's skin and Kellem smiled. "You are so beautiful."
Tara bit her lip to stop the automatic denial. Instead she felt the blood roar through her head as Kellem undid the button of her skirt and the material fell away, leaving her clad only in a brief pair of panties. Kellem dropped to her knees, eye level with the tiny floral pattern, and pressed another kiss to the soft skin below Tara's navel. The flesh beneath her lips trembled and a muffled giggle told Kellem that she had found a ticklish spot. She slid her hands up creamy thighs and hooked her fingers under the edge of the underwear. Tara's blush increased as the material was slowly pulled away, leaving her defenseless.
Kellem could smell the heady scent of Tara's passion but she restrained herself with difficulty. Time for that later. She rose and helped Tara into the tub before kneeling on the floor beside her. Kellem began the careful process of washing Tara's back, feeling the sadness within the other woman beginning to lessen. She methodically soaped and rinsed every inch of Tara's body, and by the time she had finished, the witch had become practically boneless. Kellem pulled the plug from the tub and lifted Tara out of the draining water. She stood her on her feet, but kept one arm around her for support as she wrapped Tara in a huge fluffy towel and sat her down at the small vanity table. Kellem rubbed the water from Tara's hair and then flipped on the blow dryer. When she had finished drying it, Kellem began to brush the burnished length, marveling at the color. It's the color of a lioness.
Tara stared at her reflection in the mirror, but didn't see anything but the incredibly gentle hands in her hair.
Laying the brush down, Kellem lead Tara into the bedroom and pulled the towel away from her now dry body. Dozens of candles covered every surface and cast their glow over the silky skin before her. Kellem carefully positioned Tara on the bed, face down and reached for the bottle she had placed on the nightstand earlier. The warm oil spilled onto Tara's back and she moaned, then blushed as she realized how she sounded. Kellem had long since removed her own clothes and now she climbed onto the bed, straddling the witch's hips. Tara moaned again but for a different reason this time: the wet heat she could feel pressing into her made her shiver, but in a good way. Kellem worked the oil into the muscles of Tara's back; sweeping away tension that she had been unaware she was carrying. Strong fingers dug into her buttocks and Tara gasped at the exquisite feeling. Kellem's smile was devilish as she observed the increasingly frantic movements of the woman beneath her and she moved lower.
The muscles in Tara's thighs were shaking and all she could hear was the thunderous sound of her own heart. Oil-coated fingers slipped between her thighs, moving higher and higher…
Tara's cry of dismay as the fingers deftly avoided the one place she wanted them and went down, spreading more oil over her calves and feet. Kellem smoothly turned Tara over and began working her way back up the lush form.
When the oiled hands gripped her breasts, Tara arched up from the bed with a strangled moan, "Yes! Please!"
Kellem forgot about the massage and bent her head to take one turgid point into her mouth, even as her fingers began to gently roll and tug the other. Everything had faded. Tara's world had shrunk to those two points, and as she tried to reclaim her senses, Kellem thrust her legs apart with a well-placed thigh and pushed upwards.
Colors exploded behind Tara's tightly closed eyelids and her body began to convulse as the orgasm sang through her.
Kellem didn't stop sucking the breast she had captured, didn't stop the rhythmic thrusts of her leg until she felt the shudders fade and Tara's cries of pleasure became sighs of contentment. She released her prize and ducked her head to catch a bead of sweat from the valley beneath her. Tara smiled and Kellem felt her heart swell. So that's what Willow sees.
"Thank you."
Kellem shook her head and slid further down on the bed. "I should be thanking you." She settled herself between Tara's thighs lowered her mouth to the soaked thatch before her. "I hope you don't mind, but the smell of you is driving me insane. I must have a taste." As she spoke, the words puffed against Tara's center in a delicate caress that made her shudder.
Tara's hands gripped the headboard and she held on as the talented demon sent her soaring once again.
Willow dashed into the women's bathroom as if her life depended on it. The emotions she was feeling through her connection to Tara and Kellem had her wildly aroused and she splashed cold water in her face in a vain attempt to calm down. What brought that on? She wasn't upset by the knowledge that Kellem and Tara were making love, but she did wonder what had prompted this encounter. The door opened behind her and Willow didn't have to look to know that it was Buffy. She wet a paper towel and handed it to the slayer. Buffy took it without a word and pressed it to her flushed cheeks. She met Willow's eyes in the mirror over the sink. "So… Do you want to skip the rest of the day?"
Willow nodded mutely and they left the bathroom.
Kellem heard the front door open and slipped from the bed, leaving Tara sleeping peacefully. She threw her robe on, but didn't bother to tie it. She knew who it was and she knew what they wanted.
Buffy looked up as Kellem entered the living room and smiled. The rich green of Kellem's robe made a nice frame for the exposed section of her body. "Hey. Been busy?"
Kellem stuck her tongue out at the slayer but didn't answer. She went to Willow, capturing her hands. "Mistress. Tara needs you."
Willow's smile faded. "What's wrong?"
"It's the anniversary of her mother's death today."
Understanding lit Willow's eyes and she headed for the bedroom, pausing at the door. "Thanks Kels."
The demon shrugged, "Hey, it's what I'm here for."
Willow shook her head at the self-depreciating tone and glanced at Buffy. The blonde's quick nod assured her that she would take care of Kellem and Willow stepped into the bedroom.
Buffy moved to stand behind Kellem and slid her arms around her. "Now, what was it you said you were here for?"
Kellem's eyes slitted as she felt the rake of Buffy's teeth against her neck. "Um, why don't I show you?"
Willow undressed and got into bed, taking Tara into her arms and holding her. Tara stirred and blinked up at her dreamily. "Hey."
"Hey back." Kissing her forehead, Willow snuggled closer. "How are you feeling?"
Kellem writhed helplessly on the bed in the spare bedroom, the ability for speech long gone.
Buffy slowed her thrusting, looking down at her captive with a devious smile. "So what are you here for?"
Gasping, Kellem struggled to speak, "Ahh! I…I'm here …" She broke off and glared at Buffy. "You know."
Buffy bit the flesh of the breast nearest to her and tasted blood. "That's not the answer."
Kellem's scream of frustration made the slayer chuckle. "I am here because…" She met Buffy's eyes reluctantly. "Because you and Willow love me."
"Congratulations! And having answered correctly, you get the grand prize…" She began thrusting again, her strength making Kellem gasp and shift to demon form. "I was hoping you would do that." Not needing to restrain herself now, Buffy gripped the demon and rolled them off the bed and to the floor with a thud. Experience had taught her that the bed would not support her and Kellem's enthusiastic bouts of lovemaking.
Next door, Willow heard the sound and chuckled. "Sounds like Buffy's working on Kellem's self esteem issue again."
Tara sighed. "Yeah, she works so hard at that too. I wonder if she'll ever cure Kellem?"
They looked at each other and answered together. "Nah!"
Buffy stared at the small metal dog in disgust and then glanced at her nemesis. "Okay, how much?"
Tara grinned unrepentantly and consulted her deed. "$2000."
Laughing at the pout that crept over Buffy's face, Willow dropped her gaze to the covered board and considered the current state of the players. Kellem was holding her own, her monopolies of the yellow and green properties keeping her in the game, while she was staying afloat through her railroads and utilities. Tara however, owned almost everything else, save for the two tiny properties that Buffy had managed to hold onto.
Tara kindly offered to take those deeds, in exchange for the owed money and after a quick count of her cash, Buffy had to agree. The usually shy blonde clapped happily and began reorganizing her deeds according to color. She looked at Kellem, a decidedly predatory gleam in her eye. "Your roll, She-Beast."
Kellem stuck her tongue out at the name, but in truth she loved the title. She picked up the dice and cupped her hands, shaking them furiously before releasing them onto the table in front of her. "Doubles!" She moved the miniature ogre that she had insisted on playing with and counted off ten spaces. "Just visiting, thank you." Kellem rolled again and soon found herself on Boardwalk…. Tara's ultimate money catcher. "Damn."
Tara waited expectantly, hand out.
Kellem took the offered appendage and slowly licked her palm before giving her the rent. "Only for you, Honeysuckle." It was the nickname that made Tara blush. Kellem had taken to calling her that after their afternoon together a few weeks ago and she still flushed.
Buffy's low wolf whistle was joined by Willow's teasing cry, "Ooo yeah!"
The sound of the doorbell stopped whatever retort Tara might have made. Buffy was on her feet and moving towards the door when the bell rang again. "Don't break it", she muttered as she opened the door.
Giles hesitated, his finger over the button. "Ah, Buffy." He paused, watching the faint glow fading from the slayer's eyes. "I hope I'm not interrupting?" Good grief! Middle of the day?
"Actually you're just in time to stop Tara's plans for world domination." At the watcher's startled look, she elaborated, "Well, of Monopoly world anyway."
Kellem opened the apartment door and blinked as the world seemed to skip. Shaking her head, she grinned at the visitor. "Hey there! Come on in."
She closed the door and leaned against it. "Buffy's not here right now, but she should be back soon. I was about to grab a snack, you want anything?"
Dawn shrugged. "Sure."
Kellem threw open the refrigerator door and began stacking her arms with various items. "Hope you're hungry. I tend to go huge with my creations."
"Starved actually. I skipped lunch today."
Dropping her sandwich makings on the counter, Kellem paused to send a stern look at the teenager. "That's not good for you. You'll mess your blood sugar up." She grabbed a long Italian loaf out and sliced it length-wise. "What was more important than eating?"
The bewildered expression on Kellem's face made Dawn laugh. "Nothing I guess, they were serving mystery meatloaf again and I just wasn't feeling that brave."
"Ah yes, the terrors of cafeteria food."
"You went to school?" Dawn was surprised. She knew that the Jauda demon was at least a couple of hundred years old, so how did she know about school food?
Kellem shook her head as she slathered mustard for a base to build her masterpiece on. "Naw. But I spent some time teaching a few years ago."
"You're kidding? What did you teach? Dismemberment 101?"
Kellem scowled. "Hah hah. I taught history at a high school down in Florida."
"Hmm. I guess that makes sense. You being so old and all. Guess you've seen most of what they teach."
"I'm going to take that as a complement. Cause if I didn't I'd have to hold you upside down until you apologized." She set half of the mammoth sandwich down in front of Dawn along with a glass of milk. "And I know you don't want that."
Dawn smiled innocently, and then studied the plate. "I do have a question though."
Kellem paused in the act of lifting her own sandwich. "Yeah?"
"How on earth do I eat this thing?"
Kellem was waiting for Buffy when she returned from patrolling that night. She held the black book in one hand and a mug of cocoa in the other. Buffy saw the offerings and sighed. "This is not a promising sight. Anything that deserves cocoa is never good. And where that book is involved it's usually on a global scale." She peeled her jacket off and hung it on the back of the door before setting her bag of tricks in the closet. "So kiss me while I can still enjoy it."
Doing as she was asked, Kellem set the items down and took Buffy into her arms. "I aim to please Mistress." Buffy let herself sink into the kiss, feeling the slight scrape of Kellem's fangs against her tongue. "I guess we can't leave the bad news until tomorrow huh?"
"I'm afraid not." Buffy glanced over to see Willow and Tara exiting the bedroom, both wearing identical expressions of concern. "Well that speaks volumes. I take it that you already know?"
Tara nodded and handed Buffy her cocoa. "Drink this and we'll fill you in."
Plopping down on the couch, Buffy sipped her cocoa and waited for the revelations to commence.
Kellem opened the book and read out loud for a few pages, waiting for the inevitable explosion. It wasn't long in coming.
"What!? That's crazy!" Buffy leapt up and began to pace around the apartment. "There's no way this is true. I remember her whole life! This has to be a mistake."
Kellem winced at the pain she saw lurking under Buffy's glare. "I'm sorry Buffy. We've been checking the other things in the diary and they're all happening. The rise in patients in the psych ward at the hospital. The guys in armor have been spotted by some of the other watchers and they seemed to be heading this way. We even cast a spell to test Dawn. She's the Key Buffy."
"According to the book, the monks planted the memories of Dawn's in everyone who knows you. There's no way to tell when that happened. It could have been years ago, it could have been days. All we know for sure is that Glory is out there hunting for the Key right now."
Willow's quiet words brought the truth home to Buffy, who rubbed her eyes wearily. "So now what?"
"We have to keep Dawn away from her. She's too powerful to take head on."
Kellem was flipping through the black book, wondering if the other slayer had been kind enough to drop any hints about how to kill a god. She paused as she read something interesting. Surely that's too simple.
She ran a claw down the edge of the page and slipped the now free paper into her pocket. Not a job for Buffy.
Kellem stood outside the hospital in the shadows and waited patiently. To pass the time she unfolded the diary page she had cut out and read it again. When she had first read it, she realized that the simplest solution to the whole Glory problem would be to kill Glory's human host. But she also knew that Buffy would insist on taking that responsibility on herself. And Kellem couldn't let her do that. To kill a man, who was in essence an innocent, would do something to Buffy that couldn't be altered.
Kellem saw her quarry exit the building and shifted into demon form. She dashed forward and struck, not giving herself time to think, time to regret.
Tara filled her glass with orange juice and the stepped into the laundry room to retrieve the clothes she had left in the dryer that morning. As she bent to pick up a dropped sock, she saw a small drop near her foot. A hesitant fingertip discovered that the blood had not completely dried which meant that it gotten there very recently. She straightened and looked at the controls for the washer. It had only been on for a few minutes but she was the only one in the apartment. And she hadn't started this load.
She hit the button to stop the machine and opened the door. The water inside was pink, and Tara pushed her hand into the warm water to pull out the garments inside.
After a moment's study, she let them sink back into the bloodstained water and closed the lid. A hand moved into her line of vision and turned the machine back on. Tara glanced at Kellem, her eyes asking the questions she could not voice.
Kellem shook her head ruefully. "I thought you were studying at the library tonight?"
"T-The group canceled."
Hearing the unease in Tara's voice made Kellem wince. "I guess your wondering why there's blood all over my clothes?"
"Um, yeah."
Kellem handed her a folded piece of paper and then held her hands lightly. "This must remain between us, okay?"
Tara nodded slowly then read the paper. Then she read it again and considered the possible outcomes of Buffy and Willow reading this. "Oh. So you…"
A quick nod.
"Ah." She stepped past Kellem into the kitchen and opened a drawer. "I guess there's only one thing left to do then." Tara triggered the lighter and held the flame to the paper, letting it burn close to her fingers before dropping it into the sink. She washed the ashes away and put the lighter back before turning to Kellem. "So this never happened."
"Right." Kellem smiled in relief and turned to leave the room when she felt Tara's hand on her arm. "What?"
Tara looked into her eyes and for an instant Kellem felt totally exposed, nothing was hidden from the witch's piercing gaze. "If you need somebody to talk to about this later… then I'm here."
Kellem blinked and forced herself to shrug. "I'll keep that in mind."
She hurried out and Tara sat down at the table and let her head fall into her hands. She killed him to protect Buffy from having to kill… But she forgot to mention that she had never killed either. Tara remembered how caring Kellem had been with her when she had really needed her and vowed that she would be there when Kellem dealt with what she had done.
Face down on the huge bed, Kellem was wondering if she would ever stop hearing the screams. She tried to console herself with the knowledge that she had in all probability saved dozens of lives but it was of little comfort. Kellem heard the bedroom door open, but didn't turn, wondering what had brought Tara here.
Tara crawled onto the bed and laid down beside the silent demon, letting her hand rest on the denim clad butt beside her.
"Hey."
"Hey." Tara began rubbing the small of Kellem's back in small circles. "You gonna lay here and mope all night?"
"Naw, I think I just got a better offer than the whole moping thing."
"Really?"
Kellem turned to look at Tara and couldn't help but smile. The blonde witch was naked. "Oh yeah."
Shifting to her side, Kellem drew the other girl into her arms and just held her for a moment. "You are so special."
Tara didn't reply to the compliment, her attention focused on sliding her hands into the back of Kellem's jeans and gripping her ass. Her nails flexed lightly and she was rewarded with a sibilant hiss.
"Tara!"
A few moments later found them both naked, each determined to taste every inch of the other.
When Tara's tongue slid over her soaked center, Kellem reared up off the bed with a strangled cry. Tara's devilish smile was hidden in the tangled curls she was currently exploring but Kellem could feel her silent laughter. "God! Think that's funny, huh?" She gripped the witch's hips and lifted her, letting her legs fall open in front of her eager mouth.
Tara screamed at the nip of teeth, only to gasp a second later when the mark was soothed by an agile tongue. "K-Kellem! Oh Yes!"
"Time to take to the sky my lovely witch!" Kellem launched a furious assault that left Tara trembling and weak, unable to offer any protest to what was happening, not that she would have.
In self defense, she found herself returning the assault with interest, knowing that the demon didn't need the careful handling that she and Willow did. As her fist slid home, Kellem's hoarse shout filled the room and Tara bit the inside of her thigh, drawing blood. Instantly both of them were swamped in the surge of power from the bond. Endlessly the energy flowed though them, causing them to come again and again. After an eternity the power began to ebb, leaving the lovers drained and sated.
Tara returned to Kellem's side and slipped her arms around her. She rained tiny kisses down her cheek, whispering softly, "I've fallen in love with you."
Kellem's heart swelled to the bursting point and she smiled roguishly. "Ditto."
The sound of the front door opening had them turning and Buffy swept into the bedroom a moment later. She gave them a fleeting smile and then pulled her blood stained shirt off, throwing it into the hamper. Instead of joining them on the bed, she donned another shirt and headed back out to the living room. Curious, Tara and Kellem followed in time to see Buffy choosing a sword from the collection of weapons that covered one wall.
"Buffy?"
Buffy pulled a long leather coat on and slipped the sword into its special hiding place. "Sorry guys, there's a demon on the loose that needs to be removed from this plane of existence."
There was a stress in the blonde's voice that they hadn't heard before. "Buffy what's going on?"
"I'm sorry Tara." She stepped close and brushed a light kiss across her lips. "I'm pissed off at this one. It killed a doctor at the hospital. Very messy. Very brutal."
Kellem paled but Buffy didn't see as she hugged the witch close, drawing comfort from the contact. Then Buffy turned to her and it was all Kellem could do not to flinch as the strong arms embraced her as well. "Do me a favor and go find Willow, okay? I don't know why but this whole thing is wigging me."
She left as quickly as she had arrived and Kellem stared at Tara helplessly. "I'm screwed."
Buffy didn't find the demon that had killed the doctor, but she did run into several demons who happened to be servants of Glory. After a few well placed punches, they had been more than happy to tell her all they knew. She let them go, her attention focused on this startling new information. As she walked back towards the apartment, Buffy felt Willow approaching.
"Hey Buffy. Good slaying tonight?" Willow wrapped her arms around the shorter girl and pulled her close.
"So-so slaying. One dead innocent. One really odd bit of info."
Willow heard the edge in Buffy's voice and leaned back to see her face. "Wanna talk? We're a stake's throw from heaven."
Buffy nodded and they set off.
Heaven was their name for the Starbucks down the street from their apartment. The double mocha latte was just what the night called for and Buffy sipped hers in silence as she gathered her thoughts.
Willow was patient, Knowing that Buffy would speak when she was ready. She sipped her own latte and amused herself by gazing at her lover's beautiful face.
Buffy finally sighed and met Willow's eyes. "Strange night. A doctor was killed at the hospital. Police are saying it was a wild animal attack." She saw Willow's face pale and realized what she thought. "No, I don't think it was a werewolf. I got a look at the body before the police arrived. There were claw marks but no signs of anything being… eaten."
"So just a demon."
"Yeah. I also ran into some of Glory's servants. They were leaving town."
"Leaving? But, what about the-."
"According to them Glory is dead."
For what should have been great news, Buffy was acting very unhappy. "Um, woo hoo?"
"Yeah, it should be. But something's bugging me Will. We were worried that even with the power from our bond we wouldn't be able to beat her. If she's dead, then what was it that killed her?"
"Oh, I see. There could be something worse coming."
Kellem and Tara slid into free chairs at the small table, placing a small dish of cookies in the center. "What's coming?"
Buffy snagged a cookie and dunked it into her coffee. "Something killed Glory."
Tara smiled. "Great! So no more end of the w-world stress."
"I wish. You have to wonder what was strong enough to kill a god and what is it going to do next."
Tara and Kellem exchanged looks and Willow felt something pass between them. "I'm sure it'll be fine Buffy. Let's not borrow trouble."
Buffy smiled at Kellem's reassurance but couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on that she couldn't see. "I hope you're right. But I never have to borrow trouble. I usually get it free and in bulk. Well since Glory's not a threat any longer, I can focus on getting the monster that chopped up that doctor."
Willow was looking at Tara, so she saw the reassuring smile she sent to Kellem before she spoke. "Unless Kellem gets it first. S-She's pretty upset about it herself."
The confused expression on Kellem's face cleared and she nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'm going to kick its ass if I find it."
"Ohh. Is that a challenge Kellem? Think you can out slay me?"
Kellem leaned forward and let her eyes glow. "Anytime, anywhere."
Buffy swatted her arm and checked to make sure no one had noticed. "Behave. So you want to make a little wager on this?"
Kellem's smile turned seductive. "Of course. What did you have in mind?"
Moving closer until their faces were inches apart, Buffy ran her tongue across her lips. "Oh, I think the loser should be the winner's bodyslave for a week."
Kellem shivered. "Oh yeah. Done deal."
Willow rolled her eyes. "And that's different from everyday how?"
"Oh it'd be different. Especially when I keep Buffy naked the whole week."
"Sure of yourself aren't you?"
"Oh yeah."
Tara cleared her throat. "I suggest that I go with Kellem to be her witness to the kill and Willow can go with Buffy."
The opponents nodded their consent and shook hands on the bet.
Two nights later, Willow was healing the claw marks in Kellem's upper arm as she listened to Tara's recount of the 'kill'.
"- and then Kellem r-ripped its heart out."
Buffy glared at the Jauda demon a moment before relenting. "You got lucky."
Kellem shrugged, not wanting to gloat since she knew that there had been no demon and that the wounds on her arm had been made from her own claws. "Yeah. I did."
Buffy stood up and tugged her shirt off, before undoing her jeans and stepping out of them. Her underwear followed and then she was kneeling before Kellem. "You won, I'm yours to command."
Swallowing hard, Kellem sent a frantic look in Tara's direction. The witch just smiled and Willow could feel something pass between them again. "Um, okay. Everybody to the bedroom then. Orgasms for everybody, Buffy's buying."
Willow watched the smoke fade away and wondered what it meant. She had cast a spell to see what had happened between Kellem the demon she had slain but all she had seen was Kellem. She was sure now that Kellem and Tara were keeping secrets and that could cause them all a world of hurt. Willow put away her magic supplies and returned the spellbook back to its place on the shelf. With a quick wave at Anya, Willow left the Magic Box and walked back to the apartment. It was time to get some answers from the sources.
Kellem shut the door with a startled "Eep!" and turned to Tara. "Oh God! Willow's coming down the hall. And she's got that full 'resolve face' thing going!"
Tara blanched. "Oh dear. Um, Back door?"
"Back door is good." They sprinted for the rear exit in the kitchen and turned the doorknob… but it wouldn't open. "Shit. It won't open!"
Tara touched the knob and blanched. "Magically locked."
They both froze as they heard the light tap of heels against the tile floor. In unison, they slowly turned around to face Willow.
"So… Does anyone want to tell me what's going on?" Deceptively mild, the redhead's voice sent chills done their spines.
Kellem shrugged, forcing a laugh. "Going on? N-nothing's going on. We were just.."
"Going out for a walk," Tara finished for her. Kellem nodded quickly.
"Ah. I see. You were running…. to go for a walk." She stepped closer, her expression indescribable. "Tara-baby?" Willow reached out and brushed the hair away from her lover's face. "Tell mistress what's going on."
Tara gulped and shot an apologetic look at Kellem. "I, uh…" She bit her lip and dropped her gaze from Willow's, unable to answer.
Willow saw the struggle within Tara and sighed. She cupped the blonde witch's face and kissed her cheek. "It's okay baby. You don't have to say anything."
She released Tara and turned to Kellem. "Kellem, my pet." She could see the demon shudder at her words. "You're going to tell me aren't you?"
The command in her voice was unmistakable and Kellem found herself on her knees before her mistress with no memory of how she had gotten there. "Yes Mistress." She lowered her head, knowing that she couldn't hide what she had done any longer. "I killed the doctor at the hospital."
Willow studied her down bent head a moment while she absorbed this. "I see. So the demon that Buffy had been searching so hard for…was you."
Kellem winced at the chill in her mistress's voice.
Willow turned back to Tara. "And you knew about this?"
Tara nodded unhappily. "I-I found out by accident."
"So why did you do it Kellem?"
"He was Glory's human host."
"Ah." Willow patted the Jauda demon's head and then gripped her hair, pulling her up to meet her eyes. "You lied to me. To Buffy." She trapped Tara in her gaze. "Both of you lied."
"W-Willow… I'm sorry. We didn't know what else t-to do." Tara was on her knees as well by this time and Willow smiled at the picture they made. This has possibilities. She wasn't upset by what Kellem had done, in truth she understood exactly why the demon had done it. But that didn't change the fact that she had lied, had led Tara into lying with her. No, that she couldn't let go. She flipped out her cell phone and pressed Buffy's speed dial.
"Buffy? I need your help here at the apartment. It seems that we have two very naughty girls that have been keeping secrets from us."
Tara shot Kellem a worried look on hearing this and she saw her own panic reflected in her partner-in-deception's eyes. <We're screwed?>
Buffy had listened silently as Willow explained what had happened.
Kellem and Tara were still on their knees but in the living room now and neither of them would risk looking at the slayer directly.
Willow finished her tale and waited for Buffy's decision. "So what do you want to do?"
Buffy walked around the girls in question, her mind busy sorting through what she had learned. The doctor's death had not been something she would have agreed to but she had to admit that with that death, many more lives would be saved, not to mention her own. What was really bothering her though was the fact that they had lied. That she was having problems with. That and the fact that Kellem had suckered her into being her bodyslave for a week. Not that she had minded but still…
"Well for starters they can loose their clothing privileges for a week."
Willow wasted no time in casting a spell that literally ripped the clothes away from their bodies. "Done. Next?"
"Glad to see you're enjoying this Will." Buffy glared down at Kellem. "What I can't get past Kellem, is the fact that you lied to me. Your mistress."
A small cry escaped Kellem at her words and she dropped her head to the floor at Buffy's feet. "I'm sorry Mistress. Please."
Buffy sighed deeply. "Go into the bedroom Kellem. Wait for me beside the bed. Tara, you go with her."
Once they had gone, Buffy turned to Willow. "Any suggestions?"
Willow slid her hands around Buffy's waist and began whispering in her ear.
Buffy's eyes widened and then she laughed. "God Willow! I had no idea you could be that cruel."
Kellem groaned as she watched Willow work her magic between the slayer's thighs. The manacles binding the Jauda demon were enchanted, keeping her standing and spread-eagled beside the bed. She could watch the bed's occupants but she couldn't join in. Across the bed, Tara was suffering from the same fate. To make matters worse, Willow had cast a spell that kept both of the captives from attaining orgasm, no matter how aroused they became.
Buffy and Willow would occasionally reach out and lightly twist a nipple or a clit, keeping their prisoners on the edge.
Tara cried out as Buffy reached up and began thrusting her fingers into the blonde witch's core and as her own pleasure swept through her.
Kellem watched Tara's suffering in both sympathy and apprehension, knowing that she was next.
Buffy finished loading the dishwasher and took a moment to appreciate the view. Tara was standing at the sink washing the pots from dinner, wearing nothing but an apron. The week long naked punishment was up tonight and Buffy had to confess that she was going to miss it. She gave Tara a light smack across that oh-so-appealing backside and wandered back into the living room.
Kellem was running the vacuum cleaner under Willow's studious gaze and Buffy sighed happily as she joined the red head on the couch. "I'm going to miss this."
Willow was focused on the gentle sway of Kellem's breasts as she pushed and pulled the vacuum cleaner across the floor. "Tell me about it."
Kellem just grinned, knowing that the 'punishment' she and Tara had endured this week had not been hard to agree to and had resulted in some seriously wonderful sex.
Except for that whole Xander incident. Glaring at Willow as she remembered, Kellem wondered just how she could pay Scarlet back for that.
Xander had dropped by unexpectedly a few days ago and instead of turning him away, Willow had invited him in. Knowing that she and Tara were in the kitchen, naked.
Kellem had heard Willow's yell to bring her two sodas and had assumed that Buffy was home. So she had grabbed two cans and trotted out into the living room only to find Xander. Seeing the mischievous twinkle in Willow's eyes, Kellem had known instantly what was going on, but Tara… she walked right in, took one look at the guy on the couch seeing her naked and fainted.
Willow saw the glare and knew what Kellem was remembering. She smiled innocently and turned back to Buffy. "So, wanna make'em play Twister again?"
Buffy hissed as the barbed spine was finally freed from her flesh and buried her face into Kellem's side. The demon was holding her across her lap as Tara worked on the multitude of wounds that were covering the slayer's back. Kellem stroked Buffy's hair soothingly. "Not long now."
Tara carefully grasped another three inch spine with the pliers and eased it out. "Are you sure these aren't poisonous?" She dropped the quill into a bowl next to her on the bed and met Kellem's eyes.
"Yeah. T'shirk demons fire these things with enough force to pierce armor plating. Poison would be overkill."
Willow cleaned the new hole Tara had opened and then healed it. "Like spraying thousands of them isn't?"
Kellem's lips curled into a half grin. "True. I just wish I had gone with you tonight."
Buffy shook her head, her voice muffled. "Then there'd be two of us impersonating pin cushions."
Rattle. Another quill joined the dozens already in the bowl. Tara surveyed the slayer's body and winced. Buffy had beheaded the demon in a leaping strike, landing with her back to the dying creature. Whose last defiant act was to explode the quills that covered it's body outward. The spray of needle like darts had struck the unsuspecting slayer, imbedding themselves in her from head to foot. Starting from the top, Tara had been removing the darts for almost an hour and only now was Buffy's back clear.
Rattle.
They had all felt the pain that Buffy was in and Willow's scream when the bleeding slayer had appeared in the apartment doorway was silently echoed by Tara and Kellem.
They had had to cut the clothes from the slayer's body although Tara had known that she could pull the quills out all at once with her power. Buffy had refused the offer. She could feel the low hum in the Buffy's body through their link and she hid a smile as she began removing the quills that ran along the top of her left buttock.
Kellem could also feel Buffy's reaction to the small stabs of pain, but she could also feel the girl's embarrassment at her reaction. <There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Mistress.> She felt Buffy stiffen and rubbed the back of her neck.
<I am a sick person.> Buffy could feel the throbbing heat between her legs and was glad that her face was hidden.
"Then I guess we're all sick too." Willow healed another hole and then kissed the smooth flesh. "Cause I know I'm not the only one feeling those little heart jumps when you do the pain-hiss thing."
Tara blushed furiously but didn't deny it. She gripped another quill and worked it out before speaking. "S-She has a point."
Buffy was silent for a moment and then her body relaxed into the pain. "Well I guess if I'm not the only one…"
Tara dropped her free hand down between Buffy's leg and touched the slickness she found gathering there. "I-If anything, it makes me feel better that I'm not just causing you p-pain."
Buffy's moan was low and Willow paused in her healing to bend down and rake her teeth across the slayer's shoulder. "Besides, we love you Buffy. Don't be afraid to tell us something you want cause we're more than happy to give it to you, or do it to you as the case may be."
Tara went back to work on Buffy's back, but let her hand stay where it was, idly toying with the swollen folds. She slipped a finger inside as she pulled another quill out and was rewarded with the slayer's cry of pleasure/pain.
"God! Tara!"
They all felt the release sweep through Buffy as her muscles clenched and as they tightened around the remaining quills, another stronger orgasm exploded over her. The links between the four women were flung wide open and they were caught in the backlash of Buffy's pleasure.
Buffy laid the T'shirk quill in the glass curio cabinet with a tiny smile. Other reminders of her life littered the glass shelves and she shook her head at some of them. A ticket stub from a concert she, Xander and Willow had gone to not long after she had arrived in Sunnydale. A small crystal figure of an ice skater that her mother had given her for her tenth birthday. Her class protector award. The silver cross Angel had given her.
Bits and pieces of her life that she kept close to remind her that there were good things as well as the bad she faced each night.
Tara watched her from the bedroom doorway. "My Lord, your lovers, jealous of your absence, seek to find you."
Buffy couldn't suppress a chuckle at the witch's paraphrasing of Shakespeare. "Good young Tara. Collect them all together at my bed. I'll be before thee."
"I shall do it my Lord." Tara winked and slipped back into the darkness of the bedroom.
Buffy shut the door of the curio cabinet and turned of the lamp beside the couch.
Willow's voice broke the silence. "My Liege."
Buffy's eyes narrowed as she thought. "My lover Willow's voice? I know thy errand, I will go with thee; the day, my love, and all things stay for me."
She walked through the door and into the arms of her waiting lovers.
The End