by WillWolf » Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:22 pm
Title: Starlit Canopy
Author: Will!
E-Mail: PM to ask me for it
Feedback: Yes, yes! Be nice to the newbie, though.
Rating: R I guess
Distribution: Ask first, please.
Notes: Angst maybe? Flashbacks and thoughts are italicized.
There are no spoilers, either, so far. [I don't think. I mention Slayerettes...Does that count?] In later chapters I make hints to things that happened in S7.
Also, I'm a newbie, but I have been lurking for years. Hi, everyone!
Synopsis: See Chapter one.
DISCLAIMER!: I do not own any characters from BTVS, Mutant Enemy does. Chestnut Hill College is a *real* school in Philadelphia, and I also do not own the rights to that. I just wanted to use the name so that people from the area could relate more. Please, don't sue me.
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CHAPTER FIVE
Tara knocked softly on Mr. Williams door, giving Willow's trembling hand one last squeeze right before the door swung open.
"Ms. Maclay, Ms. Rosenberg...Come in." Anthony ushered the two women into his office. Now, there was only one detective there, making things slightly less crowded.
"Now, Ms. Rosenberg. I was actually going to call you in later, I didn't realize you two were having dinner. However, I know Tara needs support, and this way we can...get everything out of the way. All of this information is confidential. You are a brilliant woman, Ms. Rosenberg, and I expect you to keep silent about this. Tara, the same goes for you.' Anthony looked worn down, the bags under his eyes dark and heavy.
He was tall, maybe six foot tall, with the build of a football player. He was dressed in a suit, but his tie had been removed long ago and the top buttons were unbuttoned. His bald head shined in the small amount of light that came from his desk lamp, making his head glow a little like a halo.
"I understand, sir. Believe me, you can trust me." Willow explained, looking around the room.
"Please, sit." Anthony motioned towards to chairs sitting next to each other in front of his desk. "And since we are probably going to be seeing a lot of each other, please call me Anthony."
Tara and Willow took their respective seats, nodding, both looking around the room nervously. Neither knew why they were here, and why it involved Tara.
"Now, Detective Stanely is going to get you both up to date. I need a smoke...and some food." With that, Anthony left his desk.
A short, blond woman took his place at the desk. She seemed pleasant enough, though obviously totally business-like. She wore a business suit, but the jacket was soon slung across the back of her chair. Something about her face looked tired, like she had seen too much. And she had. "Willow and Tara, right?" She smiled a little bit. "I'm Ann."
"I apologize that Anthony was so vague when he called you in. However, this case is very...heavy and I figured it'd be best tell you in person. I am going to give you the whole run down, but please, wait until I finish to ask questions. It's not exactly pleasant, and I apologize."
"Now...We were called on campus because Anthony called the police, saying there had been a murder on campus. You both know that this campus is surrounded by fields and trees. He was walking to his car when he heard a scream coming from one of the fields, near the soccer stadium. So he ran down and found a little girl. She was dead when he found her, killed almost instantly. She...She was killed like an animal. Her throat was slit, and we believe she might have been tied up earlier. She had been beaten so severely that it was doubtful she would have survived even if they hadn't slit her throat. We found her spread eagle on this."
Ann passed the two a picture of a white, spray-painted pentagram. In the center there was a blood stain and a white, chalk outline of a child's body. White candles surrounded the white pentagram, seemingly so innocent.
Tara was silent as she stared at the picture, feeling like there was a brick in her stomach and a knot in her throat. Willow was reacting similarly, though she looked more troubled. Detective Stanely took the picture back and continued.
"We searched the entire campus and Fairmount park, across the street, and found no one. Not even footprints. On top of the girl's body was a note. It was addressed to you, Tara. I have to warn you, before I give it you...It's only a copy. But in reality, the actual note was signed in blood." Ann passed a copy over to Tara, her hands shaking a little.
Tara, too, took the note in shaking hands. She leaned a little closer so Willow could read it as well. They both huddled over the note, glad for the closeness that it momentarily provided.
Tara Maclay,
I apologize for causing such a ruckus on your campus. Things could have gone simpler, but you are too good to allow something like that happen. You couldn't even attend our first meeting. Had you done so, things would have been much, much easier and another life wouldn't have been taken. Don't dwell on it, dear. It'd be more amusing to me if you did, and I know you will, but there are more pertinent matters at hand.
Simply put, I need your power. You don't quite have a choice in this matter. You can hide all you want, just like you did when you left Sunnydale. But I found you, didn't I? You thought you were happily integrated into society, and no one knew of your past, Tara. You thought know one knew and no one remembered. You thought you had rightfully defeated me. I will always find you, just like I told you before. Always.
So, child, be prepared for me. I wasn't expecting to find such a powerful Wicca like Rosenberg on your side. She is nothing in comparison to me. I could taste her when she came to Philadelphia, and I will easily take her powers as well. It won't be long, I'm sure, before you are both dead. The child I killed now is just an example. I want you both to know of your fate, I want you to dream about it at night and wake up screaming because you don't want to die like an animal. You will.
My followers walk among you, watching, waiting like lions stalking their prey. They are keeping a good eye on you. They, too, long for a taste of you, Lilac. Now that Strawberry is in the picture, they want her, too. You both will make it so easy for me to reach my goal. I was worried your power wouldn't be enough, darling, but now with Rosenberg...She is just as dark. Maybe, just maybe, I'll recruit her instead.
Don't fret too much about anything happening soon. I am in no rush. I want to wait until the time is right, as they say. Enjoy your time while it lasts, Lilac.
Ledten
Tara felt like she could have faint. Just reading the letter made her shiver, her whole body feeling numb. The letter dropped to the floor at Tara's feet, landing face up, the angry Greek symbols boring up at her. Willow was kneeling at her side, her arms around the woman.
Detective Stanely looked over at the two with sad, tired eyes. "The Greek at the end says 'Soon, your time will come.' He signed it 'Ledten'. I'll give you two a bit. I'm going to get a smoke myself...And I have some questions for you both when I return."
The door closed with a soft 'click', but neither noticed. Willow didn't know what to say. She was pale, feeling like all of the blood had drained from her body and left her numb. The idea of losing Tara so soon after...No. Willow thought sternly. I will not lose her, no matter what it takes.
"Tara, Tara, please...Say something." Willow was close to crying, her eyes wide.
But Tara was all ready in another place, deep within her memories.
"You would be surprised at how easily I found you, Tara. You don't mind if I call you that, do you? I have been calling you Ms. Maclay all this time...Tara just seems so much more... personal."
She couldn't see him. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold and her arms and legs were bound. He left the gag off, though, anticipating her screams when he would soon torture her.
"Don't you think so, Tara?" When he received no response, he offered a swift kick to her side, making curl up more into the fetal position. She did not offer him the satisfaction of crying out in pain.
"Your brother gave you away, you know. It was so easy! He knew who I was and he still so readily gave you away. He set you up, Tara, dear. Aren't you infuriated? I would be. To have one's brother give them up to slaughter! It doesn't surprise me, though, considering his past track record. After all, he did molest you." He grinned.
"Shut up." Tara moved so that she was sitting against the cold brick wall, grateful for the support.
"Oh, struck a nerve, did I? The little family secret isn't so secret anymore, is it,Tara? But you should be glad that he did it, my little pet. Think of all the anger you have now. Think of all the power it has created! I can feel it crackling around you, just waiting to be released." He stepped closer to Tara, poking her a little with his boot.
Before he could react, he felt himself being slammed into a wall by some invisible force. He narrowly missed slamming his head against the brick wall. But no, he was much too clever for that. He certainly wasn't expecting that much power from her, but it proved to him just how much she had grown. Stumbling to his feet, he laughed.
"My oh my, look at how we've grown! From a timid little Wicca to this. This will suit me just fine." He came close to Tara again, pulling off her blindfold before she had a chance to react. As he was taking off the blindfold, he used his other hand to produce a dagger, sliding it against the milky skin on Tara's cheek. Blood trickled from the deep, open wound. He knew Tara wouldn't move. Earlier, as he tortured her, she barely batted an eyelash. But it stung, and he knew that.
When he finally got the blindfold off, Tara's eye's were black.
"Big mistake."
"What happened to us?"
There wasn't an answer to that. Sometime during the last six years, they each made their fortune. But in that process they had lost their souls.
I am having thoughts of Tom on a open fire roasting you are really making me hate him. ggggggggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............on another note I love how real you are making this story. I love stories that read like you are really there. I felt like I was sitting at the table with the girls and the love scene was oooooooooohhhhh I wont say what I thought 
I will honestly say I have not liked a story this much in a long time so call me a fish I am hooked 
And this fic is almost finished.
Sadly, there will be more of his annoyingness to come.
