Lust

Chapter 19- The Human, The Slayer, The Demon, The Champion.

Flashback-

“He’s a vampire Buffy!” Xander yelled out as Buffy rubbed her temples. Spike stood outside, looking over the stars sullenly as the souls of those he killed echoed in his head.

“He has a soul Xander. He’s like Angel now, hell he is better then Angel. He risked his life to save us many times before he got his soul!”

“Only because he had a chip in his head Buffy! He is not stable right now. He’s been killing innocent people.” Buffy looked over at Willow as Xander’s face contorted with anger at Buffy.

“He was under the influence of The First. Guys you know I wouldn’t do anything that would bring us into harms way!” Buffy insisted as she turned back to Xander.

“What is it with you and demons! He is the bad guy we kill the bad guys! He is too much of a risk!” Xander threw his hands up as Buffy shook her head as she opened her mouth to speak. Willow cleared her throat, silencing both of her friends.

“Spike isn’t a threat Xander and you should be one for talking when it comes to attraction to demons. Let’s not forget who you were engaged to. However, Buffy, Xander is right. We have to keep a close eye on Spike and I would feel much safer with him chained up in the basement.” Buffy sighed as she felt the head ache hit her full blast.

“At least she’s human now” Xander muttered as he walked out of the room. Willow stood up and walked over to Buffy, putting her hand on her shoulder.

“Buffy, I know you have feelings for him. And I do understand that we need him in this battle. But you have to understand Xander’s point of view,” Willow urged.

“Coming from the person who told me to kill Angel it doesn’t make things any easier on me” Buffy said as she slumped her shoulders.

“I never said for you to kill Angel. If you’re referring to Acathla, I told Xander to tell you to hold him off for the spell” Willow said, confusion across her face.

Buffy looked over to where Xander had left the room, anger filling her and she started to leave the room.

“Where are you going?”

Buffy stopped and looked back at Willow, pain resonating in her eyes. “Xander and I need to have a private chat.”

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“So let me get this straight. You can read people’s minds, bend their will’s, become invisible, hop dimensions, fly, disappear and reappear in a different place, you have power to do spells and powerful spells. You are a master fighter, a poet, a Noble Demon and you know how to cook. And tell me again how Ronwe is stronger then you?” Buffy said as Faith shook her head at her. They were laying down on the couch together; Buffy on top of Faith, resting her head on Faith’s chest.

“It’s not that he is stronger then me, he has more information then I do. He also has control over the one Noble Demon whose powers are stronger then mine, Lucifer. Who is in charge of all demon dimensions. I am in charge of demon dimensions as well, but not like his. He has to control upper level demons and sorcerers and gods and the whole bit. So naturally his powers are greater.”

Buffy looked at her in amazement. “How did he get all that power. When I think of Lucifer I think of Satan with the horns and pitchfork.” Faith laughed at her.

“I’m not quite sure what happened at the beginning of creation. I was once human so I was made into a demon. I never really knew his story though, I never asked. All I know is that Ronwe has time and power on his side. It won’t be long before Lucifer’s armies will be pulled from the hell dimensions uprisings and be sent here. When that happens we have to be ready.” Faith said as she felt Buffy’s frown.

“I saw a glimpse of something from your dagger when you first gave it to me. You used to be evil. What happened?” Buffy said as she felt Faith tense underneath her. Buffy turned so she could look into Faith’s face.

“I was good when I was human. Actually believe it or not I was the third slayer in existence. The whole slayers die young bit started with me. The two slayers before me lived well into their three hundreds” Faith was startled at Buffy’s squeak of disbelief.

“Three Hundred!” Buffy asked, searching Faith’s eyes for any lies. Faith shook her head as she realized she had to explain the slayer existence.

“I would have thought you would have realized that the slayer was part demon…” Faith started.

“I know those tribal dudes told me, but she was made that way” Buffy shook her head sadly.

“Yea she was chosen, but afterwards she embraced the demon within her, fusing the two entities within herself. She wasn’t human, she wasn’t a demon, she was a slayer…” Faith trailed off as she watched Buffy absorb the information.

“Does that mean you were around with the dinosaurs?” Buffy suddenly asked. Her face masked with confusion and innocence. Faith looked at her incredulously. Buffy smiled at her as she waited for the answer. Faith shook herself out of her stupor and chuckled.

“Aah have to love human history books and science. It is truly unclear how most dimensions are created. When I was human it was believed two gods clashed and the result of their battle was our world. When I became a demon I realized that its usually just energy that finally merges together and forms a dimension. After time I also learned how dimensions can be made by a powerful being and I learned how to manipulate the gates between them. In the end no one really understands why we were created, or how, but that we are just here. To most humans, they believe that in a higher being. You call it the Powers the Be which you now know to be my creation. Most people just call it God” Faith waved her hand, reviving the dying fire.

“My point is that, I was around before the dinosaurs. I actually watched them come into creation. Humans, have been around long before than. They were brought over by demons as slaves from other dimensions, or they found a way to escape their own dimension to this one. Hybrids of humans were made and that’s where you see the apes of today I guess, but that didn’t happen until I was about to turn 3 and a half billion years old I think. It was a while before I was banished and I was banished just as I was about 4 billion” Faith winced as she realized how old she was again. Buffy smiled softly at her.

“You hold a couple billion years well” Buffy smiled and kissed her softly. Faith moaned into her mouth before grumbling when Buffy pulled back. “Continue” Buffy stated as she settled back.

“Um yea, so the whole evolutionary thing is correct, but humans have been around for as long as earth. Their bodies are frail and since the wars back then plagued the land you will never find any hint of them. Well anything short of the last few million years. But anyway I’m off the point. Wait, what was my point of all of this?” Faith asked Buffy as she laughed.

“Evil. Slayer Line. Dinosaurs” Buffy laughed.

“Oh right. So because the first slayer embraced the demon she lived for a hell of a long time. Then before she was killed she cast a spell that passed down her powers to another worthy soul. The second slayer’s name was Mitexi and she lived a long time. She was this legendary warrior, and was she beautiful. She was part of the Amazon tribe when the first slayer died. She stayed for a while before traveling all over the world, fighting one demon after another” Faith sighed as the memories of when she was human flooded her mind.

“Amazon’s existed?” Faith looked at Buffy, raising her eyebrow.

“Are you surprised? Many things you all have in legends exist, except maybe the Easter Bunny. The Amazons still exist, actually many tribes are still in this dimension. They could be the kids you went to school with. And before you ask no, not all of them are lesbians and not all lesbians are Amazons” Faith smirked as Buffy smacked her.

“Rule number one no reading my mind without permission” Buffy pouted as the image of Willow as an Amazon popped into her head. Faith laughed at her.

“What? It’s a very big misconception that all strong women were Amazons. I was one, but my younger sister wasn’t. Let me continue my story….

Anyway Mitexi came to my village when I was fourteen, chasing after a Lycan, you know them as werewolves. My home was on the outskirts of the village, by the bridge that connected us to the mainland. One day while I was out playing in the field I found her in the grass. The Lycan was dead a few yards away and she was badly injured, but thankfully not bitten. I dragged her back home and mother took care of her and she stayed with us for a while. Mom insisted she stay even though by day two she was completely healed. She trained me when mother wasn’t home and said I would make a great Amazon.

Before she left she gave me her rite of caste, which meant if she ever died, her Amazonian title was to be passed to me. I didn’t see her again until I turned 16, when she showed up with the Queen of the Amazon tribe that lived nearest to our village, to give me the ritual that would allow me to take about her caste. She gave me the armor I wore the other day, a sign that I was a sister Amazon, but also something else. Most Amazons didn’t wear armor like that. By presenting me with it signified that I was special, something above just a normal Amazon. It wasn’t until she died a few weeks later against a demon war party looking to take our village that I realized why. When she died, I became the third slayer” Faith’s voice became monotone as she revisited memories she hadn’t visited in billions of years.

“I finished the rest of the demons with ease after Mitexi died. The Queen told me that I could join her and our sisters, or I can be like Mitexi and stay abroad. Mitexi had explained what the caste meant, most Amazons never really knowing until the queen of that particular tribe tells them. She gave me the choice if I wanted to take it our not, something unheard of in Amazon culture. She said it was because I saved her, acted selflessly towards someone I never met. I shrugged her off, she was hurt what was I supposed to do leave her there? Anyway Mitexi was the queen of all the Amazons. To the nation she was a goddess and was worshipped as one. When she gave me her caste, she gave me the power of the Amazons. I had the greatest warrior nation at my fingertips at the age of 16. I chose to stay with my mother, and the Queen of the nearby went to let the nation know about their fallen Queen. I did visit every once in a while, but I couldn’t stand the attention” Faith paused as she waited for the question Buffy was about to ask.

“Are you still queen of the Amazons?” Buffy asked softly. Faith smiled and looked up at the ceiling.

“Technically yes, I died but not in this dimension and I never gave my title away. When I disappeared all the nearby tribe was told was that no one knew if I was dead or alive, but that I was taken by a demon in return for the village’s safety. From what I could tell when I returned to Earth, the Amazon’s believed me to be alive and my status had finally reached the respect of Mitexi’s. From what I know now the tribes left on Earth follow more of a democratic way of deciding rule, but some of the rituals still remain, even if they are modified. Those who keep the scrolls only know of the legends, the original texts having far been destroyed. Mitexi is now only a whisper.” Faith whispered as the images of her people flashing through her mind.

“If I lived by my past, we wouldn’t be here right now. We all make mistakes, but it takes someone special to do something about it” Buffy smiled as Faith nodded at her before continuing.

“So to fast forward when I was 18 Ronwe attacked my village and killed the first woman I ever truly loved, but never got a chance to tell. I fought him and lost. He may not be a noble, but he is damn close to it, enough that many upper level demons cringe at his name. Well he beat me and took me to Lucifer, who made me a demon when I started to die. I hadn’t embraced the demon side of the slayer yet so when my powers were passed down to the next slayer she couldn’t tap into that power. It wasn’t until you that that side of slayer’s powers were fully unlocked. Sure there have been some women to have tastes of it, but you are the first to truly know about it. Anyways I became a Noble Demon, which I think was because of the love Lucifer had for me. The spell was tricky and anything could have affected the outcome, even a sneeze. I loved Lucifer very much, he was beautiful and kind to me” Faith trailed off as she closed her eyes, feeling the onslaught of a headache coming on.

“He rewarded Ronwe for helping make me a demon, because he thought Ronwe deserved it, and in turn, Ronwe took his new powers and slaughtered my village. He killed my friends, my mother, my sister, my niece. After I buried them I spent a hundred years torturing him mercilessly. Most of the torture techniques were invented by me during that time.

After that I spent another five hundred years hunting down every kind of demon I could find and I slaughtered them. During that time Lucifer was slowly molding me into his right hand, his general and his wife. We were married, and we ruled the dimension. Something happened at the end of the five hundred years, an accident that sent me spiraling down hill. I didn’t mean to kill the guy, I really didn’t. But I had human blood on my hands, and I don’t know what happened. Just that my soul was gone. I stopped killing demons, and started to kill with innocents” Faith sighed as she stopped the tears from entering her eyes. Buffy looked on quietly, amazed at how human this demon looked.

“For two billion years, Lucifer and I wrecked havoc across the world. The Reign of Demons was reaching its height of power, and we were driving. It wasn’t until I met Eve that everything changed again. I had planned on killing her to bring the end of her country and start another war. But it wasn’t meant to be and for ten years, she slowly taught me what it felt like to be human, to have a human soul. As for my demon soul, it really never took pleasure from killing humans or destroying nations. It just took pleasure in destruction and no one was immune. But for ten years, the “Destroyer” disappeared, and Vera appeared” Faith ran a hand through her hair as she fought back the screams of all who died under her hand.

Buffy traced the edges of her face, before placing her lips against Faith’s ear. Faith watched as Buffy kissed her other ear. “Don’t forget, but don’t let it drown you. Otherwise you can never redeem their lives” Buffy said quietly.

“You should listen to your own advice slayer” Faith smiled as a red tear trickled down her face.

“You are what silences those voices. I don’t know how or why I have fallen for you. But I did. I fell for you the second I saw the goodness in your eyes, the soft soul that shines in them.”

Faith placed both of her hands on Buffy’s head, looking her straight in her eyes. “I can kill you right now before you even realized I moved” Faith said strongly, unwavering in her stare. Buffy looked deep into her demon’s eyes.

“My demon? My champion” she thought, her eyes never turning away.

“I know” she simply replied as Faith pulled her roughly to her lips, crushing them as they both pushed against each other, mouths frantic against each other, hands roaming over clothed bodies. Faith pulled back to let Buffy breath, who growled at the lacking contact. Faith’s eyes were a deep, dark emerald green as they swirled with desire, and love? Buffy shook her head as she gently captures Faith’s lower lip before pulling back and taking a deep breath.

“Do you want me to continue telling you the abridged story of my life or do you want to give me some input” Faith said after a minute, willing her souls to calm down, both screaming for her to take Buffy. Buffy took a deep breath, fixing her hair.

“Short version? I was born and now I’m here?” Buffy laughed a the amused grin on Faith’s face.

“Alright, well I was born in California. Everything was pretty good until I was called. I had slipped through the council’s radar so I spent my young life relatively normal. My cousin died which was the big thing before being called. Later on I killed the demon that killed her, but I am still afraid of hospitals. I was called, ostracized from my life at Hemry, my parents divorced and I moved to Sunnydale and tried to deny my calling. Met Willow and Xander and saved them from the Master, and along the way met Angel. Found out he was vampire and dated him. I died when the master tried to kill me, but Xander revived me. That was when Kendra was called and two slayers existed. Kendra was killed not long after Angel and I had sex and he became Angelus again. Fought him, sent him to a hell dimension. Ran away from home for a while, came back and he was back and souled. We couldn’t be together and I finished my high school years alone. Went to college, fought the government in their experiments on demons, almost was killed by the first slayer…….” Faith interrupted Buffy.

“Whoa slow down their slayer. I think I know an easier way to find out about your life. But first, what do you mean the First slayer almost killed you?” Faith looked at her quizzically. Buffy sighed as she explained Adam and the spell they used to defeat him. Faith looked at her after she was done explaining, her face masked with confusion.

“I don’t think she was trying to kill you, but try to stop you from accessing your demon side too soon. We’ll talk about it later” Faith smiled as Buffy’s face changed from strained to smiling.

“I hate telling my life story it sucks. What easier way were you talking about?” Buffy asked as Faith just smiled.

“Just, close your eyes” Faith smiled as Buffy immediately closed her eyes. Faith clasped her hands in Buffy and closed her eyes, whispering the spell as Buffy’s memories flooded her mind. A few minutes later Faith gasped, unclasping her hands as small beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

“Are you okay?” Buffy asked her, concern marring her face.

“Yea, just you went through a lot in such a short life span” Faith muttered as she tried to shake the images of Buffy’s deaths.

“Yea it kinda sucks” Buffy muttered as she waited for Faith to relax.

“I’m not going to lie I knew about most of your life, but dipping into your memories forces me to feel your emotions as well. It’s a bit draining” Faith said muttered as she laid back against the arm of the couch. Buffy looked down at the floor as she nervously bit her lip.

“Umm which memories did you see?” She asked as Faith smiled softly at her.

“The ones you allowed me to see. Any memories that you were nervous about would automatically be locked against that spell” Faith said she was pulled Buffy against her.

“Oh….okay” Buffy laid her head against Faith’s bare chest, playing with the hem of her tank top. “You’re warm and tanned” Buffy muttered randomly.

“Yea I don’t understand it though. I was stuck in a dimension that was sunny around the clock for five years. And left even more alabaster and cold than ever. I spend a couple months here and I’m all warm and tan. I don’t understand it either.” They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of the fire crackling in the room.

“Why do you always have a fire going” Buffy asked, smiling as Faith’s chuckle rumbled in her chest.

“You like asking random questions a lot” She said as she thought about it for a minute. “Why is it too warm? I really don’t feel hot or cold but the sound calms me” she said as she went to raise her hand to kill the fire. Buffy stopped her hand and pulled it towards her, kissing Faith’s fingers before settling her hand against her stomach.

“Keep it, I like it and it’s such a big room that it is not that uncomfortable” Buffy whispered as she played with Faith’s fingers before sliding her own hand down a little, slipping her fingertips under the hem of Faith’s tank top. Faith stayed silent as she left Buffy explore her stomach, her muscles jumping under the soft touches. Buffy pressed down a little firmer into Faith’s muscles, smiling as they jump under her fingertips.

“Buffy…”Faith took in a deep breath, fighting back her souls as she looked into Buffy’s eyes. “If you want to take this slow you have to stop” Faith moaned slightly as Buffy dipped down and kissed the exposed skin of her stomach.

“I know” Buffy said as she pulled away and smiled at her. “So tell me about Eve, and what happened” Buffy settled back down as Faith shook her head, trying to clear away the fog of lust forming in her body.

“Well like I said I was trying to kill her, since she was the greatest leader Atlantis had ever seen…..”

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Eve held onto Hecate as she slowly regained consciousness. Hecate started shaking her head no as she muttered incoherently.

“Are you okay? What the hell happened?” Eve demanded once she realized Hecate was okay.

“Ugh goddamn powers!” Hecate grumbled as she stood up. “Remind me to thank Amdis with a gift of the plague for creating them” Hecate said as she sat down.

“You know I know its all weird but if she created them why can’t she control them” Eve asked, waiting for Hecate to calm down.

“She put them in place to keep things in balance, she has power over them and the first but she won’t do anything because it could mess with the balance. And she was predestined to go through all of this” Hecate muttered as shook her head again.

“So what the hell just happened?” Eve demanded.

“Well a couple things at once. Ronwe is killing off witches, the powers just threw another player into the mix and it is almost time for your own role to start” Hecate said bluntly as the screams of her followers echoed in her head as they die.

“Who is the other player?” Eve asked, bouncing slightly from the excitement that soon she could see Vera again.

“Someone the powers let slip through the cracks the first time” Hecate muttered as she stood up. “Let’s go then” Hecate said offering her hand

“Go where?”

“Back to where this damn prophecy started” Hecate said as they disappeared.
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“They will come together, the old and young, and will fight in a war that will rip the skies and crumble the grounds. Spirits from the past will awaken and the Earth will overflow with the blood of the weak and strong. If the chosen two fail the world’s will collide bringing the destruction of the human race. The reign of demons will renew as the fallen prince bows down to the knowledge of the new age. But if they succeed, the rule of the demons will end but only one of the chosen will be standing” Giles cleaned his glasses for the umpteenth time that night as he stared at the translation. He looked over his notes, a diagram of the information drawn out on it.

“There is something missing to this prophecy” he muttered as he searched through the texts Amdis had given him. He knew she was looking as well, but it was as obvious that she was frustrated as well as he was.

“We are dealing with the demon of knowledge, he must have hid the rest of prophecy, or maybe he didn’t realize there is a piece missing” Giles frowned at the absurdity of his thoughts. Willow chose to walk in at the time, smiling into a cup of tea.

“Giles why are you up here? I thought you would be at BH” Willow said as she walked over to the table. Giles looked at her quizzically.

“BH?”

“Buffy Headquarters” Willow clarified.

“Ah well no I have been up here because frankly those girls drive me insane with their chatter. I needed a clear place for me to look over this prophecy. Something is just not right about it” he said as Willow looked over his shoulder.

“What is right about a prophecy?” she asked as she picked up the piece of paper.

“Because the rest of the prophecy lies in Atlantis” came a voice from the corner of the room.

Both Willow and Giles jumped as their heads snapped to the voice. Willow dropped her tea as the voice moved more into the light, smiling softly at her.

“Tara?” Willow muttered as Giles pulled off his glasses, cleaning them before putting them back on.

“Hey Willow” Tara smiled at her soul mate.

“What? How? Why?” Willow sputtered as tears fell from her eyes. Tara smiled sadly.

“I am only here to help, afterwards I am gone again Willow. I know we have to talk and I know about Kennedy, but right now we need to get Buffy” She said softly, her hair falling into her face. “I don’t know where she is. Spike said she took off running, but she probably just needed some time to herself” Willow said, her hands shaking violently.

“We don’t have time to wait for her. Go get Kennedy Willow” Tara said as she stood straight up.

“Who needs to get who?” Kennedy asked coming into the room, stopping as she saw Tara.

“You’re dead” Kennedy muttered as stood protectively close to Willow. Tara forced a pained smile on her face as Giles cleared his throat.

“Yes I am” she said softly.

“What is going on” he said politely, still in shock at seeing Tara.

“I will explain everything when we get there” Tara said, slowing approaching Willow. Willow swallowed hard.

“G-get w-where” Willow forced out, a thousand emotions running through her.

“Atlantis”
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a/n: This is to the love of my life, for getting me through the ups and downs… Please review people I miss them.