Dragon wing mercenary

Disclaimer in chapter one


Sunday morning, Willow and Buffy had agreed to meet up with Xander and hang out in the summer heat down in Sunnydale Park. With little on anyone’s mind, they were all free to daydream. Xander watched the girls go by as Buffy watched the clouds glide. But Willow found it hard to be as absent minded as her friends, her dreams kept going back to one thing in particular, well one person anyway, if that’s what you could call them. She had been entranced by the extravagant elegance and power that the stranger possessed. They had saved her life twice in as many days, and Willow couldn’t help the curiosity continuously asking why she was being followed that night.

To avoid slowly vegetating the trio decided to take a walk to the mall for lunch. Buffy and Xander were arguing over something, Willow couldn’t decide; not that she really cared. So many things were rushing around her head she couldn’t even begin to understand what her mind was telling her. As the three walked through the shade of the trees nobody noticed the skulking man in the shadows until it was too late.

“Gimmie your purse! Now!”

A youth, early twenties had sprung themselves in front of the trio. Brandishing a knife roughly the size of his hand, Buffy stood between the petty thief and her friends,

“Seriously man get a job,” She was about to take a swing and the thug but before she could even begin to attack he had already began to run. “Ha, must know who I am.” She turned around to face her friends but they were overshadowed. “Or he may just mighta been wigged out by you.”

Stood behind them displaying their impressive wingspan the hybrid hid their face under a hood attached to the long coat. Slowly once more their wings retracted leaving no clue on the leather that they had been there in the first place.

Xander gaped at the figure and fainted onto Buffy. With a nod of the hooded head they began to walk away through the trees.

“Hey, hey you what the hell?” Buffy was trying to prop up Xander

Willow snapped her head from her friends to the departing stranger. She ran towards them calling out. Her voice flickered and faltered as she screamed out. As she ran she didn’t notice the tree root above the ground until she had made contact with it. The cloaked stranger heard her fall; they turned and walked over to her.

Crouching in front of Willow, she could see something was different. It was still the middle of the day; there was no way that their face could be hidden now. She would finally be able to put a visage to her dreams. Although she knew this, she held her head in her hands as she cried;

“You really are one for getting in trouble,”

They brushed the hair away from her face gently as she raised her head only to see them walk away.

“Ok, that there, that was screwed up!” Xander stumbled across the floor before fainting again; as Willow ran after their hero once more.

“Wait!! Wait!” She fell to her knees in exhaustion and tears; she could barely call out,
“Come back, please come back.” The object of her tears turned to see her kneeling before them. The afternoon sun shone from their left, but the hood still hid their face.

“What’s wrong Willow?”

It was almost a whisper, but it rung clear and crisp in her head,

“I-I-I, I don’t know; I just had to see you. I can’t explain; I don’t even understand why. I just know I want to see you; I have to see your face, know your name, how can I call for help if I don’t even know your name?”

The figure smiled a little, but obediently raised their head into the sunlight removing their hood. Their face was no longer hidden, Willow was caught, captivated by the vision before her. Her rescuer was stood in their entirety; from the shining black leather boots, up to the trench coat covering black pitch trousers. They wore a black shirt with crimson embroidery, over that hung a silver Celtic crucifix on a black thong. With all the dark clothing, the cross appeared to float over their chest.

Before Willow even looked at their face, her eyes were drawn to the shining silver cross; she watched it move gently as the vision before her breathed slowly. In those few seconds she noticed something, although they had what appeared to be a masculine presence, under that black shirt, behind that silver crucifix was a poignant clue to this person’s femininity. She captivated Willow, her body amazed her, and this was even before she could look at her face.

As she traced the outline of the figure before her, her eyes eventually met with those of her rescuer. The summer breeze played with the purple hair of her champion. Her jaw was defined, and yet still feminine, her face was striking, natural. She was of course beautiful but her intense eyes caught Willow off guard. She had not expected for someone to have so much contrast in their appearance, and yet still seem to fit together perfectly.

“My name, Willow, is Sable.” She held out a hand to help her off of the floor. Still captivated, Willow was pulled off balance into Sable’s arms. She couldn’t say a word, but all she knew was that she felt so safe in her arms. Willow had always been comfortable around Buffy when on patrol; she knew Buffy wouldn’t let anything happen to her. But in her gentle hold she felt like she had found a fortress all of her own.

“I don’t want to ruin the mood or anything, but why have you been following me?” Before Sable could reply, she had to let her go; both Buffy and Xander were making their way over to them.

“I can’t tell you now and I can’t stay either. I’m sorry Willow, truly I am, but you will see me again, I promise. And by the way don’t think I didn’t see that sly smile earlier, I knew what you were thinking!” With that Sable turned from Willow and with the greatest of speed, unsheathed her wings and flew high above her. Before she left Willow could just make out her blowing a kiss to her. She blushed hoping no one else saw, and yet, she wanted to tell the world how she felt. But first she would have to come to terms with it herself.

“So- ngg- Will, what did the – ggnn- winged wonder have to say?” Dropping Xander, Buffy straightened up. Willow was still a little disorientated so much so that she couldn’t even reprimand Buffy for her remark,

“Oh you know Buffy, this and that. Small talk” A weak smile flickered on her face. Buffy stood there hands on hips with her best, “I don’t believe you, and tell me before I whine” look. Xander jumped up off the floor,

“I’m OK folks, so who’s up for some serious snackage?”

***

Willow was finally able to finish her portrait of Sable; she sat admiring it in silent awe before the phone rang.

“Hello? Hi Buffy, how’s your homework going?”

“You know me Will, all done and dusted,” Willow allowed a little giggle down the phone. “So, what did you and the dark avenger have to talk about this afternoon?”

“Buffy! They do have a name you know.”

“Well spill! Come on Will, I wanna know who to thank for saving my butt twice!!” Buffy was also intrigued by this new arrival to Sunnydale, but her interest was soon to vanish. With a small smile Willow went on to describe their resident hero.

“Why so interested Buffy? Hmm? Sure there isn’t some deep rooted crush developing here?” Willow was trying to cover up her own interest in Sable; she couldn’t bear her friends knowing about her. She wanted Sable to be her own little hero. After all there had to be some reason why she was following her.

“Don’t play dumb with me Will! I saw the way you looked at them when that guy tried to hold us up. You don’t just run after anybody. Please Will; it’s only out of concern for you honest. Well ok, I’m curious too!! Who are they?!!”

Before Willow answered her, there was a gentle tapping on her window; she immediately recognised the shadow there. “I’m sorry Buff I’m gonna have to call you back something’s come up,”

“But wai-“ Willow put the phone down as she opened the window.

“Good evening Willow” Sable clambered into her room devoid of any wings, and looking some what human in appearance. Willow watched her rustle the creases out of the trench coat before even replying to her.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit? Is there a clan of demons in my kitchen, or maybe a vampire under my bed?” With a cheeky grin Willow gestured for Sable to sit down.

“No and no. Anyway it’s the bogey man under your bed isn’t it? I don’t seem to recall. But before you ask I can’t quite explain why I’m here either but I just felt I had to see you. Also I want to see if that drawing does me justice!” Willow was shocked,

“What drawing? There’s no picture of you here, and if there is I don’t know about any such drawing,” Sable just gave her a knowing smile.

“Come off it Willow, I know there’s one here somewhere! I watched you do it! Come on where is it?” Sable began to mischievously search through the room as Willow tried to stop her. Although she didn’t try very hard, but when Sable found it she tried to wrestle it from her grip.

Willow, still not trying hard to regain her portrait, let herself be forced onto her bed. Sable straddled her, one leg either side of her shaking body. While pinning her down Sable carefully opened the folded piece of paper.

“Wow. I’m impressed my little Wicca.” There were no signs of false pretence on her face she was deeply bewildered. She looked deeper at the depiction of herself; she could just notice a faint smudging on the sketch.

“Hang on one minute. Have you been-kissing-this picture?” Sable looked at her with a deviously sarcastic smile. Willow tried to hang her head, but it was a little hard being held prone.

“That’s really sweet Willow, but wouldn’t you much prefer the real thing?” Willow’s eyes were wide in confusion, but that was soon changed as Sable gently brushed the hair from her face. She lowered her head to meet Willow’s trembling lips with her own; Willow couldn’t make a sound, her lips were enveloped with Sable’s. She couldn’t even think, the surprise had taken over all logical thought, so in a sensible compromise, she returned the sentiments between the two bodies. Willow wanted these feelings to last forever, her and Sable had become one entity, one being. They fitted together as if they had known each other for an eternity, but Willow was still rife with uncertainty and fear; Sable could smell it on her clear as if Willow had said it herself.

Sable had managed to avoid any questions all night by merely removing Willow’s capacity to talk. So when Willow became too tired to even comprehend conversation, Sable just held her protectively in her arms until she fell into a peaceful sleep.

Silently she released Willow and approached the stationary on her desk. Briefly pausing to write a small note, she turned and climbed out of the window and up to the roof. Once more she revealed her magnificent wings to the creatures of the night before wiping a tear from her eye and headed off in the direction of the graveyard where Buffy was on patrol.