The Danse Macabre

Chapter 21


Willow stared at her reflection. She was amazed at what was being

reflected back. She was attired from head to toe in soft, supple

black leather.


The top was reminiscent of a halter design. It had no sleeves and

bared a sizeable portion of her back and midriff. She didn't

mind showing that skin but what caused her worry was what it

didn't cover in the front. The front of the top was fastened

together with a series of buckles. It managed to show a good inch

of cleavage between the gaps. A short mini-skirt with the buckle

theme completed the look.


Willow couldn't believe how sexy she looked but she still wanted

to curse Spike into oblivion for convincing her to buy this outfit.

He had been very persuasive. He knew exactly what buttons to push

to get her to go along with his nefarious plans. He preyed on her

desire to be beautiful and to be as sexy as Buffy, Cordelia, or even

Faith. And she fell for it. Hook, line and sinker.


Now, she was stuck. She was going to have to wear this out in

public tonight. Spike was going to be there any minute to whisk her

away for a night of fun at the Danse Macabre. What was it with

vampires and their funny way of naming stuff? She shook her head.

She was getting off topic. She needed to come up with a really good

hex to get even with Spike.


She sighed. Spike said it would be okay. She would fit right in

with the crowd at the dance club. What kind of place was he taking

her if this was considered normal club attire? She felt like she

was going to some kinky version of the prom. She hoped hell hounds

weren't invited to this gathering.


She sat on her bed and got out the boots that would finish this

outfit. They were made out of the same material as the top and

skirt. The clunky heels were made for dancing. She needed all the

stability she could get. These boots were going to add a good six

inches to her height. She pulled them on. They came up to right

under her knees.


She heard voices downstairs. She had finished just in time. Spike

had arrived and was busily flirting with her aunt. She couldn't

wait to go downstairs and give him a piece of her mind. He was so

going to get it.


Her righteous anger was deflated at the sight of Spike at the foot

of the stairs. He was looking at her with open admiration. It

didn't hurt matters that he looked like he belonged chained up on

someone's bed. He was wearing tight leather pants and a tight

sheer black nylon shirt. His look was completed with a dog collar

that had little spikes on it. Willow couldn't help but ogle. He

looked good.


"Spike, I have a bone to pick with you." Willow began her

rant again.


Spike wiggled his eyebrows at her in response. "Wearing that

pet. You can pick any bone you like." He openly leered at her.


Willow blushed. "I can't believe you talked me into this

outfit. I look like a dominatrix." She waved goodbye at her

aunt.


Spike chuckled as he took her arm to lead her out to his car.

"And me forgetting my leash. Guess you will have to punish me

later for being a bad pet."


Willow rolled her eyes in response. There was no use trying to get

through to his bleach-soaked mind. It was a one-track mind that

leads to thoughts of sex and bloodshed. Preferably the two

together if he could manage. He was such the pervert. What had she

gotten herself into?


`Wow' was all that Willow could manage to say as they set

foot into the Danse Macabre. It was definitely a dance club.

Lights were strobing. Music was loudly pulsing. But she had never

been to a dance club with this particular theme. Mannequins dressed

up in leather bondage hung from the ceiling in huge bird cages.

This place was a step down from an S&M club. Willow had to reassess

her opinions of the vampires of this city. Not only did they have

weird senses of humor but they were extremely kinky. Spike was

going to fit right in.


Spike gleefully dragged her out onto the dance floor. He spun

around and she couldn't help but giggle at his childish

enthusiasm. He really knew how to take her mind off of things like

being embarrassed by what she was wearing. She shook her head of

any lingering doubts on her appeal to others. She was the new and

improved Willow and she was going to have a good time.


She had finally managed to drag Spike off the dance floor after

numerous songs. She had a thirst to quench and a need to just take

a little rest. She was wondering if Spike was distantly related to

the Energizer bunny with his dancing endurance.


They managed to find a free table away from the dance floor. Spike,

ever the gentleman, ran off to fetch Willow a drink. She was beyond

parched. She knew he would probably come back with something

alcoholic. He was so the bad influence on her. He had being a bad

boy down to an exact science.


Willow was bobbing her head in time with the music while looking

around the club. The place was packed and the crowd was mostly of

the supernatural variety. She bet that there were only a handful of

humans in the entire place. Jean-Claude likes to throw interesting

parties.


Her people-watching activities were halted by the arrival of Spike.

He was carrying a fruity concoction and he wasn't alone. He was

being accompanied by a very sexy vampire. She hadn't had the

pleasure of meeting this lovely specimen. He was pale white. He

managed to be paler than her and that was quite the feat. He had

long blood red hair and the most amazing glowing green eyes. Willow

looked away quickly. She didn't want to get enthralled. She

wasn't sure if being a werewolf would give her any special

immunity.


Spike sat down and gestured for his friend to join them. "Willow

I would like you to meet Damian. He's one of my new poker

buddies. Though I had to teach him the game and he's a slow

learner."


Damian scoffed at Spike, "I would probably have picked up on the

game sooner if you weren't such a cheat, William."


Spike chuckled, "It is only cheating if you get caught."


Damian showed Willow old school charm as he gently took her hand and

placed a kiss upon her knuckles. "It is a pleasure to finally

meet the infamous Red. How such a delicate creature could be

friends with such a foul-mouth braggart is beyond my ken."


Willow giggled. He was so intense. And yummy you can't forget

that he was yummy. "It is a pleasure to meet you too. I wonder

all the time why I'm friends with Spike. He kind of grows on you

like a fungus."


Spike gave a mock glare at Willow, "Hey now! None of that. You

shouldn't treat your date like that."


Damian and Willow both laughed at Spike's glare. They chatted

for a while and Willow drank several of the fruity concoctions. She

was feeling extremely buzzed by the alcohol and by the company.


Spike managed to coax Willow back onto the dance floor. They were

joined by Damian. Willow was in naughty sensory-overload heaven.

She was dancing between the two extremely handsome vampires in a

Willow sandwich. The alcohol must have loosened her inhibitions

because naughty touching was happening. Willow couldn't care

less. She felt powerfully erotic. These two really knew how to

boost a girl's ego.


The dance ended with an interruption by Shang-Da. He had an

extremely disapproving frown on his face. Willow blushed. She had

been acting like a wanton jezebel on the dance floor. She nodded at

Spike and Damian. She then followed Shang-Da off the dance floor.


Willow couldn't help but ask, "So, What's the what?"


Shang-Da turned to her. "The Ulfric wants to see you."


His tone of voice chilled her blood. He didn't look happy. She

didn't think the Ulfric was going to be happy. What had she done

now?


Shang-Da led her to the back of the club into one of the offices.

Jamil was standing guard at the door. He gave her a curt nod in

greeting. Willow looked at the serious faces of the two

bodyguards. Their expressions didn't reveal much. She

wouldn't want to play poker with them. They could probably bluff

her way to the poorhouse.


Willow took in a deep breath and walked through the door. Jamil

shut off her only escape by closing the door. She was alone with

Richard and he didn't look at all happy. She could sense that

his beast was close to the surface. What had rattled his cage?


"Willow so glad of you to take some time out to see your

Ulfric." Richard replied sarcastically.


Willow couldn't help but give him a puzzled frown. "I came

as soon as Shang-Da told me. What's up?"


Richard perched on the front of the desk. "Willow you're new

to the community and you probably don't know the dangers that are

out there. Dangers that threaten even a werewolf."


Willow continued to frown. "I lived on a hell mouth. I've

been around the supernatural before. What are you getting at?"


Richard frowned. "Vampires are dangerous Willow. They are

leeches on humanity. You need to stay far away from them. You are

much too innocent for the types of games that they like to play."


Willow gave a growl. He was treating her like a child again. She

stepped closer to him. She was only inches away from his reclining

perch. "I'm not a child. The vampire you saw me dancing

with was Spike. I've known him for ages. He's my friend and

he has saved my life on several occasions."


Richard smiled a little at her aggressive tone. "I can see by

what you're wearing that you are far from being a child. It is a

very provocative outfit."


Willow blushed again. He was openly admiring her attributes. She

stifled the urge to cross her arms over her chest. She wasn't

going to act like a blushing bride to Richard. That would just be

proving his point that she couldn't handle playing with the big

boys.


Willow gave a steely look at Richard. "I can handle any games.

I'm so the evil mastermind. You would be amazed."


Richard gave a sly grin. "Really?"


He quickly stood up. He towered over her. She could feel his

power. His beast was very close to the surface. She could see it

lurking behind his eyes. She had only an inkling of what he was

attempting to do as he swooped down for a toe-curling kiss.


Willow lost all connection to her surroundings as Richard's

tongue delved into her mouth. She could feel a deep need begin to

simmer somewhere south of the border. She was definitely getting

some naughty ideas as he continued his oral onslaught. His hands

were skimming her body with practiced ease. He had her wound up so

tight that she was sure her body was giving off a humming sound.


The kiss was abruptly ended with an argument heard outside the

office door. Jamil and Shang-Da only managed to delay the

interlopers long enough for Richard and Willow to get out of that

compromising position. Willow's face went crimson at who walked

through the door.


Jean-Claude, Anita, and Jason strolled into the office. Jean-Claude

looked faintly amused by Willow and Richard's rumpled appearance.

Jason was openly smirking at the sight. Willow had a great desire

to knock that smirk off his face. It was the look on Anita's

face that stopped Willow cold in her tracks. Anita was seething.

Willow could see the jealousy plainly written on the other

woman's face.



Willow decided that a strategic retreat was in order. She mumbled

a goodbye and hightailed out of that office. Richard could yell at

her some other time. She had a vampire to go find and maybe a nice

dark corner to hide in.