Please read the Disclaimer before continuing to remain in the site or reading the stories. These stories contain adult material with scenes of women loving women. Consider this story to have an R rating. If this is illegal in your state or you are underage, please go to a more appropriate site now.

Disclaimer: I don't own any Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters. No copyright infringement is intended. Original characters are mine.

Pairing: W/T... eventually

Angst Rating: Highest rating... buy stock in Kleenex

Rating: PG 13 for adult themes and eventual W/T goodness.

lcountry@quiknet.com

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"Giles?" Buffy yelled. She looked over at her Watcher and then over where Willow was kneeling. "Tara!" She jumped to her feet and ran across the room.

"Ouch," Tara whispered. She inhaled deeply and started to roll over.

"Stay," Willow ordered. "Don’t move."

"I’m fine," Tara insisted. "Ouch. Just a little sore." She groaned and let Willow help her roll onto her back. "Is he gone?" She reached up and traced Willow’s cheek.

"Buffy got him," Willow whispered. Her lips trembled. "Don’t move, baby." She moved her hand to Tara’s belly and rested it there. "Where does it hurt?"

"My butt," Tara said with a smile. "Honey, I’m fine. I swear."

"You killed him." Amy had walked over to the dead warlock and stared down at him. "Rack’s gonna’ be mad."

"Good," Giles said as he climbed to his feet. "Lucky he didn’t survive. I bloody well would have gotten in a few licks myself." He rubbed his jaw and looked over at Tara. "Dear lord!" He rushed to the downed witch. "Don’t move. We should get you to the hospital."

"I’m fine." Tara sat up slowly. "I just hit kinda’ hard." She rubbed her belly, needing to reassure herself that the baby was all right. "I’m okay. I feel fine," she said. "But maybe we could call Diana?"

"Something’s wrong, isn’t it? You’re hiding something." Willow reached up and pulled the amulet out from under her blouse. "You should wear this—"

"No!" Tara grabbed Willow’s hand and held it in place. "Willow, you can’t take that off. Swear to me."

"Okay," Willow said after a moment. "But we’re going to see Diana."

Tara nodded. "Can I get up?" she asked sheepishly. "My butt hurts."

"Giles?" Willow asked.

"She seems all right," he said slowly. "But have Buffy help her."

"Scoot," Buffy said as she yanked Giles out of the way. He fell onto his backside as the Slayer rushed past.

"Buffy!" he said indignantly.

The Slayer lifted Tara to her feet and steadied her. She held one of the blonde’s arms while Willow stayed glued to the other.

"Baby?" Willow asked.

"I’m fine." Tara looked over at Amy. The dark haired witch was kneeling over the dead warlock and studying his bloodstained body. "We can’t leave her here." Tara nodded at Amy since both of her hands were held in tight grips.

"She most certainly won’t want to be here alone when Anya returns." Giles shook his head. "That blood won’t come out." He looked at the white carpet and sighed.

"I’ll wait at the magic shop," Amy offered. "I can spread some masking herbs around me. And, well, Rack will never think to look for me there."

"Yes, fine." Giles waved at her distractedly. "Let’s get Tara to the car."

"Guys? I’m fine." Tara blushed. "And I have to use the restroom," she added meekly.

"I’ll help you." Willow wasn’t about to let go of Tara.

"Good," Buffy said. She watched the two witches walk away and looked at Giles. "I guess she needs lots of help. She was in the restroom at the deli for over half an hour."

"Probably morning sickness." A concerned look covered his face. "I’ll have Anya bake up some more ginger snaps."

Buffy grimaced. She had tried one of the infamous cookies and she’d rather eat the dirt from a freshly risen vampire’s ear. The soil tended to get lodged there. She shuttered as she remembered climbing from her own grave. It had taken three showers to get the dirt from her ears.

Willow opened the bathroom door and guided Tara inside. She started to lead the blonde toward the toilet but Tara stopped.

"Honey? Can you get me some water?" She smiled shyly. "I left mine on the table, well, before I got flung over it."

"You gonna’ be okay?" Willow asked. She rested her palm on Tara’s belly and sent love and healing energy to her child. "Is Embry-anna thirsty?"

"Yeah, to both questions." Tara laid her hand over Willow’s.

"Okay." Willow kissed Tara, then pressed her forehead to her lover’s. "I was so scared," she whispered.

"Me too," Tara admitted.

"I’ll get your water, baby." She backed up and jogged down the hall.

"Is she all right?" Buffy had a sheet and was rolling the dead warlock into it.

"I think so," Willow said shakily. She grabbed the water bottle and hurried back toward the bathroom.

Giles came out of Anya’s bedroom. He was scowling. "Leave him," he said gruffly. "Where’s Tara?"

"In the bathroom," Buffy said. "What’s wrong?"

"I called Diana; she’s been looking for Tara all morning." Giles looked over at Amy. "Get your things together. We’re leaving now. We can drop you on the way."

Willow reached up to knock on the door when she heard Tara scream inside the bathroom.

"Tara? Open up." Willow felt her stomach clench.

"Willow!" Tara unlocked the door and pulled Willow into the room. The blonde was as white as bleached bone. "I’m bleeding." Her voice was quivering. She looked down at her belly. "Do something, Willow," she pleaded.

*****

"Get her into the exam room," Diana said as Buffy carried Tara into the office. She led the Slayer through the maze of halls. "When did she start bleeding?"

"Twenty minutes ago," Willow said. "She was thrown across the room."

"Rupert told me what happened with the warlock," Diana said. She shot a look at Giles and then opened a door and motioned Buffy inside. "Have you had any bleeding before? Have you had any cramping?"

"No." Tara shook her head.

"That’s good," Diana said with relief.

"Will the baby be okay?" Tara asked. She grunted as Buffy settled her onto the exam table.

"Do something, Diana," Giles begged.

"Okay, everyone who isn’t staying for the exam, out." She pointed to the door. "I have to see what’s happening before I can do anything."

Giles nodded and backed out of the room. Buffy saw Diana slide out a set of stirrups and the Slayer bolted out the door. She somehow managed to keep herself from screaming like a frightened child while doing it … but just barely.

Diana did a quick examine and then told Tara she could sit up.

"Is she still bleeding?" Willow was holding Tara’s hand. She squeezed tighter.

"Is the baby okay?" Tara asked. She wanted an answer, and she would ask the same question 100 times if she had to.

Diana waited for the two young witches to finally quiet down. "Tara, you were spotting. There was a minimal amount of bleeding, but it’s stopped. I don’t see anything to suggest that you’re in any danger."

"And the baby?" Tara asked again. Her eyes were full of fear.

"Everything’s normal," Diana said. "Some minor spotting is nothing to panic about. The stress you’re putting yourself through right now is worse than the bleeding. Many women have minor spotting during the first trimester."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked. "She was thrown across the room." She shivered as she pictured her lover impacting with the wall.

"Cassie’s on her way over to do another ultrasound," Diana said reassuringly. "Just to be sure. If this were the second of third trimester, or if the bleeding was any heavier, I’d be much more worried. I’ll do a exam to make sure Tara wasn’t hurt anywhere else."

"But you are worried," Willow interpreted.

"Concerned," Diana corrected. "It’s cause for concern. We’ll watch Tara carefully." She moved closer and squeezed each of Tara’s legs looking for injuries. "I’ll give you a few rules, just to be safe."

"Rules?" Tara nodded. Rules were good. She wanted something to do, or not do, anything, just as long as she could do something to keep her child safe.

"What causes it?" Willow asked.

"Many things can cause it." Diana made her way up Tara’s body. The physician felt her own body relax the further she went without finding any damage. "Tara, have you done any heavy lifting recently?"

"Um, well, how heavy?" Tara asked. She thought about her earlier lovemaking session. "I mean, Willow’s not heavy … is she?"

Diana shifted her gaze to the young redhead. Willow’s guilt stricken expression made her look like she’d just murdered her best friend and her dog.

"I shouldn’t have let you." Willow was in full self-blame mode.

Diana smirked as she got a pretty good idea what was being discussed. "Have you two been intimate in the last 48 hours?"

"Is that bad?" Tara asked. "I r-read in your pamphlet that it w-was okay."

"It’s fine," Diana assured her. "But sometimes after you make love while pregnant… especially if it’s the first time in a long while… you can have spotting." She gave the blonde a reassuring look. "That’s probably what caused it."

"Then we won’t," Willow blurted. "Not until the baby’s born."

"That will be seven months," Diana pointed out patiently.

"We can’t risk her," Tara chimed in. She put her hand over her belly. She and Willow locked eyes and nodded enthusiastically.

"Ahem, ladies? Witches? You’re over reacting." Diana waited until they were both looking at her. "Take it easy for the next week. No heavy lifting. That means nothing over ten pounds," she explained. "Get plenty of bed rest." She gave Tara a puckish grin. "Sex is okay, but no penetration for you, not for the next week. You can enjoy other techniques."

The blonde witch blushed hotly. Her face turned so red that her pale eyebrows stood out in sharp contrast.

"Call me if there’s any more spotting, or if you have any cramping." Diana turned to Willow. "We’ll recheck in a week."

"After the ultrasound today," Willow said slowly.

"Yeah, after the ultrasound." Diana nodded. "Don’t panic. Not yet."

"Why did you call me this morning?" Tara asked. She swung her feet to one side of the bed and tugged her cotton gown over her thighs.

"Wait ‘til Cassie gets here," Diana said gently. "She should explain."

"Is it bad?" Willow’s face paled, which was saying a great deal. She had been as white as milk since she had seen Tara sprawled on the floor.

"She had a dream last night." Diana sighed and moved back to the counter and leaned against it. "She saw you in danger, but maybe she was seeing what happened today."

Tara nodded and pulled Willow’s hand into her lap.

The physician looked into Willow’s eyes. "I’m more concerned with the fact that your dealer is coming after you so aggressively."

"I didn’t use dark magic," Willow said earnestly. "It didn’t even start to surface."

Tara smiled and looked over at her lover. Until that moment, she hadn’t processed Willow’s reactions to the attack. "You didn’t get the dark magic eyes."

"That was good, Willow," Diana said with a smile. She focused on Tara. "Rupert said you blocked the magical attack. He said you blocked one energy bolt while you were looking away."

"I was w-worried about Willow," Tara explained. "I had to see if she was okay."

"Sweetie, I don’t think you understand." Diana cleared her throat to get her attention. When the blonde witch looked at her, she continued. "You held a mystic block without maintaining direct line of sight."

"That can’t be," Tara said flatly. "I must have seen his attack coming out of the corner of my eye."

"No, Tara, you were looking at me," Willow said slowly. She furrowed her brow and looked at the doctor. "What does that mean?"

"Let’s talk to Cassie," Diana stalled.

"What does it mean?" Tara asked forcefully.

"That spell should only work if the witch using it is looking at her attacker." Diana sighed. "I have no idea how you held the shield the way you did."

"Well, the shield wasn’t very strong," Tara pointed out. "I did get thrown across the room."

"Tara, the warlock Rupert described had Scaldor horns. He was a dark magic assassin," Diana explained. "You should have been burned to a cinder."

"Did you check her everywhere?" Willow began lifting Tara’s gown looking for any injury she might have missed.

"Willow!" Tara swatted her lover’s hands away as she yanked the gown back into place.

"She’s not burned," Diana said tolerantly. "I’m hoping Cassie can tell me why."

"Why would Rack try to kill Amy and me?" Willow asked. "He keeps saying he wants us back."

"Maybe he wasn’t trying to kill you both," Diana suggested. "Is this Amy expendable?"

"Oh, goddess," Willow whispered. "He’d kill Amy to get to me?"

"That’s what it looks like," Diana said morosely. "You need to be on guard. Scaldor demons work in pairs. His partner will try to finish the job."

"We sent Amy to the shop alone," Tara pointed out. She suddenly felt guilty for her earlier hostility toward the former rat.

"I’m sure she’s fine." Willow looked toward the door. "Buffy was gonna’ call Anya and send her over there." She smiled. "She needs Anya to let her inside the shop, plus, well, Amy … alone in a magic shop. Not a good idea."

"Yeah…" Tara nodded. "I just hope she’s safe."

"That’s my girl," Willow whispered. She pulled Tara closer and kissed her forehead. "I love that you worry about everyone."

Tara blushed.

*****

Amy paced in the alley behind the magic shop. She looked each direction and then held her hand over the lock. The door popped open. As soon as she was inside, she hurried behind the counter and scanned the jars of herbs and smiled when she saw what she was after. She tucked a small bag of the herbs into her pocket and then quickly went outside and locked the door behind her.

"Nice locking spell," Rack said as he appeared beside her in a shimmer of light.

"Don’t do that!" Amy jumped back. "You scared the crap out’a me."

"Did you get it?" he asked.

"Yeah, right here." She patted the bulge in her pocket. "What the hell were you doing sending a Scaldor demon after me?"

Rack grabbed Amy by the throat and slammed her into the wall. "You aren’t questioning me, are you?" he asked as he squeezed her throat closed.

She shook her head and her eyes bulged.

"I told you I was sending someone, besides that demon wasn’t after you," Rack said. "Why would I waste time killing you?" He sneered at her.

"You never came this morning," Amy said, changing the subject. "I’ve been waiting for you."

"Did you use the spells I taught you?" he asked as he ran his hand down her cheek.

She nodded. "I looked like I was going through withdrawal." She frowned. "You didn’t tell me I’d throw up, and you certainly didn’t mention the toads."

"Good girl," he said, simply ignoring her complaint. He tapped his fingers together sending down showers of tiny sparks. "Did you make sure Willow wasn’t with Tara?"

"I shoved her out of the way." Amy licked her lips and edged closer. "I did everything just like you asked," she insisted.

He nodded and pressed a hand to her chest and she levitated into the air.

She smiled and her head flopped forward. "Rack, why am I wasting my time with them if you’re just gonna’ kill Willow?" she asked drowsily.

"Fool," Rack whispered as he backed away. "What makes you think Strawberry was the target?" He scowled, angry that the blonde witch had escaped the trained assassin he’d sent to get rid of her.

"Oh…" Amy sighed and spun slowly in the air.

"Now, here’s what you’re going to do," Rack lowered her to the ground and whispered in her ear. "You’re gonna’ tell me exactly what Tara did. I need to know how she survived."

She frowned and the shook her head. "Willow won’t like that," she said solemnly. "Tara’s her world."

"That’s the general idea." Rack smiled cruelly. "Take her world, she’ll give me mine."

"Take?" Amy asked.

"Are you questioning me?" he asked as his one milky eye pinned Amy in place.

"No, of course not!" Amy said quickly. "Just curious."

"Curiosity killed the rat," Rack said in a dangerous hiss.

"Well, I really don’t need to know," she said quickly.

"That’s right. You don’t." He disappeared in a flash.

"Like I care," Amy said to the air around her. "Just let me get out of town if you’re gonna’ hurt Tara. No way I’m sticking around if Willow goes on a rampage."

*****

Once Cassie arrived at the medical office, Giles and Buffy nearly pounced on the seer. They demanded to know why Diana called Tara earlier, and they wanted the scoop on the seer’s visions. Cassie very politely told them both to sod off. She did however, allow them to be in the room for the ultrasound.

"There she is," Cassie said with a relieved smile. She pointed to the monitor at the fetus. "She’s fine."

"Thank the goddess," Tara said emotionally. She squeezed Willow’s hand, which was safely pinned between both of hers.

"You’re sure?" Willow asked. She couldn’t take her eyes off the screen. The rapid flutters of the baby’s heart calmed Willow and offered proof their child was alive and well.

"Yes, fine," Cassie said distractedly. She was having trouble seeing Tara and the child’s aura.

"Should the heart be beating so fast?" Giles asked from his vantage point a few feet away.

"Yes, Giles." Willow rolled her eyes. "It’s normal. A fetus is supposed to have a rapid pulse." She glanced over at him. "Everyone knows that."

Diana bit her lip and smirked as she remembered Willow asking the same question a few days earlier. She noticed that Cassie seemed to be struggling. "See anything in her aura?" she asked her lover.

"It’s cloudy." Cassie frowned and continued moving the probe. "Everyone just be quiet for a minute." She took a deep breath and continued moving the ultrasound probe over Tara’s belly. It soothed the seer, and helped her focus. Most scryers used a crystal ball, or a bowl of water to meditate on a person’s future, but Cassie didn’t need the mystical trappings. She read auras, she had since childhood, but sometimes her own fears clouded her visions. When that happened, she used the simple motion of the probe to focus on the mother and child. Finally she stood back and looked at Tara.

"What?" Tara asked nervously.

"I need to talk to you and Willow alone," Cassie replied. She shot a look to Diana and the doctor nodded.

"You can wait in my office," Diana said. "It’s two doors down on the left."

"I remember," Buffy said distractedly. "Come on, Giles. I’ll show you the way."

"Yes, of course," he responded evenly. She followed the Slayer into the hall and closed the door.

"Tara, do you know anything about your mother’s other pregnancies?" Cassie cut straight to the point.

"Well, she had Donnie," Tara replied slowly. "But that’s all. Just the two of us."

Willow helped Tara sit up as Cassie put away the equipment.

"She had two children," Diana said delicately. "Cass is asking about pregnancies."

"Oh…" Tara got a faraway look in her eyes and then her face darkened as she remembered something her mother once told her. "My mom lost a baby, after Donnie. I think it was about a year before I was born."

"Do you know how she lost it?" Cassie asked. She went to the wall and flicked on the lights.

"Is there some genetic problem with the baby? Is that why Tara’s mom lost her baby?" Willow was terrified.

"No, honey," Tara said and she pulled Willow over to the table and wrapped an arm around her frightened lover’s waist. "Mom had an accident. She fell and lost the baby."

"You were thrown across the room," Willow said in a rush. "That’s like falling!"

"Your mother didn’t fall," Cassie said bluntly.

"W-what do y-you mean?" Tara leaned into Willow, needing her partner’s strength.

Cassie proceeded to tell Tara how her mother actually lost the child. The blonde flinched as the seer described a well-kept farmhouse with a long set of narrow, steep stairs. Tara recognized the house immediately. It was the house she’d grown up in. Her mother never let Tara play on those stairs, but the young witch had always assumed it was because her mother was being overprotective.

When Cassie described the argument that led to the fateful fight, Tara buried her face against Willow’s chest. She’d heard the same argument many nights when her parents thought she was asleep. Magic. Tara’s father hated it. He wouldn’t have it in his home. Tara shivered as the memory now took on a more sinister meaning.

"He threw her down the stairs?" Willow’s voice was tiny, and her eyes brimmed with tears. She’d never met Tara’s mother, but she felt like she knew her. Tara had described her dozens of times. "How could he?" She was in shock. She reached over and cradled Tara’s belly and ached for the loss of Tara’s sibling. "He killed your sister … or brother… he killed the baby."

"Sister," Tara whispered. "The baby was a girl." Tara shook her head in disbelief even though she knew Cassie spoke the truth. Her chest tightened and she took shallow quick breaths.

"It wasn’t your sister," Cassie said gently.

"It was a girl." Tara nodded. "My m-mother told me." Her ribs ached as if someone had strapped metal bands around her chest and was tightening them with every rapid breath she took.

"It was a girl, but it wasn’t your sister," Cassie clarified.

"Tara was adopted?" Willow asked with a confused scowl.

"The child was Tara," Cassie said slowly.

It was Tara’s turn to have a confused scowl. "What? How?"

"Do you know what the ‘refero’ is?" Diana asked.

"The return," Willow stated. "It’s Latin."

Tara pulled back from Willow’s embrace and smiled proudly. She loved the way the redhead always had billion of facts just bouncing around inside her beautiful head.

"It’s a spell," Diana explained.

"Did they fight over that spell?" Willow asked. "Before he…" She couldn’t say the words. She couldn’t calmly describe Tara’s father brutally beating her mother and flinging her down a flight of stairs. "Before he hurt her?" she asked.

"She cast it to save the baby," Diana said.

Tara’s eyes widened. She understood the ins and outs of magic, and she quickly deciphered what a spell called ‘the return’ might entail. "The child was me," the blonde witch said with a shiver. "My mom did the spell so I’d come back to her." Her shallow breaths slowed and she felt like the room was shrinking around her. She suddenly felt much too warm. "She called me back."

"Yes," Diana said with an impressed dip of her head.

"He killed me." Suddenly Tara’s life made sense. She grew up loving her father, but there was always an underlying fear. He’d never raised a hand to her. His abuse of Tara was ‘limited’ to letting her witness him beat her mother, but Tara had always been petrified whenever he became angry. The revelation was too much. Tara swallowed hard and rubbed her cheek.

"Why did you tell us this?" Willow asked protectively. She could see the pain in Tara’s eyes and she didn’t like it. She’d rather her lover never learned such a painful piece of her past.

"You need to learn the spell," Cassie said bluntly.

"No!" Tara leapt from the exam table and yanked her gown into place. "No, this isn’t going to happen. No." She skittered away from Cassie and Diana like a frightened colt. Her gaze darted from one face to the next as she looked for an anchor. She looked into Willow’s green eyes begging her to fix everything. "This can’t be real."

"Tara, you need to calm down," Cassie warned. She noticed the blonde’s face losing all color.

"We’re not losing this baby!" Willow said angrily. She rushed to Tara’s side and wrapped an arm around her. "Tell us what the danger is, and I’ll fight it." Willow’s straightened her back and she looked like a gladiator about to slaughter a den of lions barehanded.

Diana sighed and looked down at her feet. "Willow, I don’t think you can fight this."

Tara’s eyes rolled back into her head and she went limp in Willow’s arms.

"Artemis’ ass," Diana cursed as she took two steps and grabbed Tara from Willow. "Get her on the table."

"Do something!" Willow’s face was pale and her eyes went wide.

"We are," Cassie said. She went to Tara’s other side and the three of them lifted Tara onto the table.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Willow was hyperventilating as she watched Diana grab a blood pressure cuff and wrap it around Tara’s arm. She was certain the ultrasound had missed some deadly problem.

"She just fainted." Cassie wrapped her arm over Willow’s shoulder and pulled her away from the table. "Fainting is the body’s self-correcting response to a drop in blood pressure. Now, sit down." She tried to guide Willow toward a chair but the redhead wouldn’t leave Tara.

"I have to stay with her." Willow’s heart was fluttering like a humming bird’s wings-- a humming bird on crack.

"Sit down," Cassie ordered forcefully. "And put your head between your knees."

"What?" Willow looked over at the seer as she backed to the chair.

"You’re about to pass out yourself." Cassie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Sweet Artemis, don’t either of you know how to breathe?" She shoved Willow in the chair and grabbed her shoulder and then pushed her head down.

"Is that why I’m all lightheaded and fuzzy?" Willow asked from between her knees.

"Yes." Cassie rubbed Willow’s back and knelt in front of her. "Tara’s fine. Fainting is very common in the first months. Plus, she just sat up and hopped off that table. All the blood is pooled in her legs."

"But she’s okay?" Willow asked as she took deep breaths. ‘Oddly enough, that fuzzy feeling is going away,’ she thought as oxygen actually made it to her brain.

"She’s fine," Diana said. She removed the blood pressure cuff and then pushed Tara’s bangs out of her face. "Hey, sleepyhead?" she said gently. She squeezed Tara’s shoulder and gave her a tiny shake. "Tara?" Come on, sweetheart, open those beautiful blue eyes."

Willow sat up and glared suspiciously at Diana. She started to stand, but Cassie gave her a forceful shove back into the chair.

"She calls everyone sweetheart," Cassie said with a giggle. "Calm down."

"Well, does she notice everyone’s eyes?" Willow asked possessively.

"Yes," Diana and Cassie said in unison.

The doctor turned and smiled at Willow. "I noticed yours the first time I met you. They’re the same color as the grass in the meadow where Cassie and I took our wedding vows."

"Oh…" Willow nodded toward Tara. "Can I go to her? I’m feeling better, and shouldn’t she be wakin’ up by now?"

Cassie pulled Willow slowly to her feet just as Tara groaned and twisted her head to one side.

"Tara!" Willow ran the few steps to her lover and grabbed the blonde’s hand. "Honey?"

Tara’s eyes flickered open and she looked up at the three women standing over her. She blushed and then looked at Willow. "Took another header?" she asked sheepishly.

Willow nodded. "Scared me … again."

Tara turned to gaze at Diana. "Don’t ever bring that spell up to me again," she said firmly.

Diana started to protest.

"Don’t," Tara said as she sat up and smoothed her hair into place. "If you ever mention it again, I’ll walk out that door and find a new doctor."

Willow’s eyes widened and she squeezed Tara’s hand. "But you like her," she whispered. Tara had raved about the quality of Diana’s care the night before.

"I won’t have a doctor who wants me to give up my child." Tara’s eyes were steely gray and the smile that was normally just waiting to spread was gone. Her lips were pulled tight in an angry line.

"It’s your choice," Diana said quietly.

Cassie rubbed her face with one hand and then rested her fingers over her mouth nervously. Before she could say a word, Diana felt her discomfort and was at her side.

"We can’t force her," the doctor whispered as she hugged her lover. "No matter what you see."

Willow swallowed nervously. She’d never seen a doctor worry so openly. "Are you sure?" she asked Tara.

The blonde witch nodded.

Cassie and Diana exchanged worried looks. They knew if the pregnancy went bad, the ‘refero’ was the only way Tara could save her child. Neither physician wanted to consider the heartbreak waiting for the two young witches if something happened and Tara didn’t know the spell.

*****

"Thanks, Xander," Amy said sweetly. She walked into Buffy’s living room and looked around the home. "I just couldn’t stay in the magic shop another minute."

"Hey, I’m proud of you." Xander smiled winningly. "It’s good that you’re avoiding tempting temptation, because temptation is … well, tempting." He furrowed his brow. "And I’ll shut up now."

"You don’t have to wait with me." Amy went to the center of the room and ran her hand along the back of the couch. "I’ll be fine."

"Nah, we can catch up." He smiled nervously. "So, do you miss the big wheel? You used to really like the wheel. All night long with the wheel, even kept Willow awake some nights. Not that she’d complain, because, well, she was human and could…"

"Buffy told you not to leave me alone here, didn’t she?" Amy asked bluntly.

"Pretty much." Xander stuck in hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels.

"The wheel was fun." Amy flopped into a chair and blew her bangs out of her eyes. "Better than a Stairmaster. You can really get that thing spinning and then hang on with all four feet and whip around it like carnival ride." She frowned and bit her lip. "Wonder if they make those in human sizes?"

"I have no idea." He sat on the couch across from her and looked around the room trying to think of something to say. "Hey, I’ll bet my friend Tito could make you a big ol’ wheel." He smiled warmly. "He could use pipe. He’s a plumber, fixed Buffy’s basement."

"Uh huh," Amy said in a bored tone.

"He lays pipe like no nobody’s business." He frowned. "And that sounded much more gay that it really should have."

Amy looked over at Xander and smirked as she stood up and paced.

"Really, we’re just good friends. Guy friends, manly friends," he babbled. "Oh, never mind." He slumped against the back of the couch and sighed. "Even when I talk about manly construction, I always end up sounding like a butt monkey."

Amy paused behind him and raised her hand over his head with the palm toward him.

"Sleep," she whispered.

He fell sideways onto the cushions and Amy smiled triumphantly. "Finally," she said as she spun and ran to the stairs. She chanced one last look at Xander and then ran upstairs into Tara and Willow’s room. She knew if any of the Scoobies found Xander passed out on the couch her plan would be ruined, so she hurried.

It took Amy only a moment to see what she was looking for. She smiled and ran to the dresser and picked up a sliver hairbrush. She carefully studied the honey blonde strands wrapped in the bristles.

"Perfect!" She cleaned the bristles and tucked the small handful of Tara’s hair into the bag of herbs she’d stolen from the shop earlier. She scanned the room and frowned. She didn’t see what she wanted and then she smiled knowing exactly where to look. She spun and went to Buffy’s room.

"Gotcha!" Amy said as she went to Buffy’s desk. She reached up to the corkboard and plucked a photo of Tara and Dawn from the wall. She tore the photo in half and tucked the piece with Tara into the bag of magical supplies, then stuffed the entire thing into her pocket and ran back downstairs.

She paused behind Xander and then lifted him back up. "Awaken," she whispered.

"Butt monkey…" Xander said as if nothing had happened. He turned and smiled up at Amy. "Whatda’ ya’ say we keep this whole butt monkey conversation between us?"

"Sure." Amy smiled sincerely and went to the chair and sat. "It’ll be our little secret."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Even after Diana assured Buffy that Tara was fine, the Slayer was not convinced. It took Giles and Willow to persuade Buffy to let Tara walk to the car. Once they arrived home, Buffy hovered at Tara’s side as Willow helped the blonde witch inside.

"How is she?" Xander ran toward Tara, but couldn’t get to her side because Willow and Buffy were clinging to her. "You’re here, so all must be good." He backed up to stay out of their way as they came into the living room. "You are okay, right? Tell me you’re okay."

"I’m fine, Xander." Tara nodded. She looked exhausted, and she felt worse.

"Let’s get you upstairs," Willow said gently. She eyed the staircase and frowned. "Buffy?" she asked with a nod.

"No, I can make it…" Tara began.

"Humor us," Buffy said as she scooped Tara into her arms and carried her up the stairs.

Tara blushed, but she allowed the Slayer to take her to her room. The fact was, Tara was tired, and it felt good to be off her feet.

"There you go." Buffy settled Tara onto the bed. "Door to bed service." She smirked. "I know that’s usually Willow’s gig, but she can take over from here."

"Hey!" Willow said from the door. She blushed because her friend’s comment was true. She went to Tara’s side and sat on the edge of the bed. "Sleep, missy. That’s an order."

Tara sighed and gave Willow a look that made it very clear Tara was getting tired of all the overprotection.

"I mean it." Willow smiled, but her eyes betrayed her. She was scared, and she wanted Tara in bed for the foreseeable future.

"Maybe you could bring me a sandwich later?" Tara tried to lighten her lover’s dark mood.

"No, you need rest," Willow said gently, but she did smirk.

"She needs to eat," Buffy said from the door. "Man, last night you got up to make fresh squeezed juice, and today you won’t even make the poor girl a sandwich, which she seems pretty darn fond of." Buffy sighed. "If you get hungry, call me. I’ll make you the best darn sandwich you ever had."

"You will not!" Willow spun and glared at her best friend. "I make her sandwiches. Nobody else, just me."

"Okay…" Buffy drew the word out as her brow furrowed. "Now Willow has the wild pregnancy hormones."

Tara covered her smirk with one hand as she watched the back of Willow’s neck shade bright red. "Why don’t you both go downstairs. I’ll be resting. And when I’m hungry, I’ll make my own lunch."

"I’ll go downstairs so you can rest," Willow agreed as she turned toward Tara. "But you are not leaving this bed."

"Nope, it’s decided. Bed rest," Buffy decreed. "Doc Diana said for you to take it slow, and bed rest is nice and slow." She spun and left the two witches alone. "And no arguing, Tara!" she called from down the hallway.

"But I have—" Tara began.

"No," Willow said firmly. "And this discussion is closed." She kissed Tara’s forehead and stood. "Call if you need anything." She frowned. "I need to get you a bell, so you can ring it when you need me."

"I’m not an invalid," Tara said grouchily. She bit her lip, feeling another mood swing crashing down on her. "Diana said I could keep my regular schedule, as long as I was careful."

"Your regular schedule involves fighting demons," Willow said with a slight flash of fire in her green eyes. "You’re not leaving this bed tonight. Period." She looked down at her pregnant lover and felt an overwhelming wave of protectiveness. "I mean it," she said seriously. She backed away from the bed. "Sleep."

Tara crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her lover.

"Feel free to pout." She softened the remark with a sweet smile. "Just do it from the bed."

Tara’s expression remained the same.

"And no self serve sand-witches," Willow added. "If you’re very good, maybe I’ll let you watch me make one later."

Tara’s pout crumbled as a smirk took its place against Tara’s will. "I’ll stay, but only if I get to help make it."

"We’ll see," Willow promised. "Depends on how good you can be."

"I can be very good," Tara said with a leer.

"I mean, at resting." Willow paused in the door and blew Tara a kiss. "Sleep, baby."

Tara nodded and watched Willow close the door. She looked around the room and sighed. She hated being told what to do, even if it was for her own good. She climbed from the bed and went to the closet and dug through the small box of things Xander had brought from her dorm room. She smiled as she saw the great care he had used in packing her clothes. Everything was neatly folded and stacked in the box, except for her underwear and bras, those were tossed in the bottom as if he hadn’t wanted to touch such personal items. She looked through the things and frowned. Her book of shadows wasn’t there.

She went to the bed and sat as she considered her options. She could ask Xander to go get it, which she knew he would do in an instant, but she had dozens of magic books on her shelf and the chance of Xander getting the correct one was slim.

She smiled and went to her dresser and wrote Willow a note, hoping she would be back before her lover found it. The redheaded witch would not be happy if she knew Tara was traipsing around town and not napping.

"I’ll just hurry," she said as she signed the note. "She’ll never know I’m gone." Tara knew the best way to sneak out of the house unseen. She had caught Dawn enough times to know every trick.

She grabbed a jacket and hurried out the door.

*****

Xander and Willow were too busy arguing to notice when Tara slipped down the stairs and into the basement. From there, she made her way through the backyard and cut through Mrs. Brown’s yard. The lovable old woman caught Tara, but after a few minutes of chatting, she let the blonde be on her way. Tara smiled wryly at the irony of that. She could sneak past a group of vampire hunters, but she couldn’t get past a 78-year-old woman. She chuckled as she hailed a cab.

Back in the house, Xander was getting angrier with each passing second.

"Are you out of your mind?" he whispered harshly.

"Keep it down," Willow replied just as heatedly. "If you won’t help me, I’ll go somewhere else."

"Oh, really?" he demanded. "And just where are you gonna’ go?"

Willow squinted irritably at her oldest friend. "You’re not using it. Why can’t I borrow it?"

"Gee, I don’t know," he said sarcastically. "Maybe because I stole it from my parents so no one would end up dead?"

"I’ll be careful," Willow said as she flushed angrily. "Xander, I hate being helpless."

"A gun isn’t the answer," he said hotly.

"Shh!" She pulled him further away from the kitchen where Dawn and Buffy were having a snack. "Why don’t you just announce it?"

"Good idea," he said as he turned toward the kitchen. "Hey, Buffy, Willow wants to borrow a gun so she can go after Rack, what’da ya’ think?"

Willow’s jaw dropped and she pointed at Xander in utter shock.

"What?" Buffy yelled as she stormed out of the kitchen. "Are you out of your freaking mind?" She stalked toward the redhead, her disapproval written across her face. "Guns are dangerous!"

"And warlocks aren’t?" Willow asked with as much conviction as she could muster. She was beginning to see how silly her impulsive idea had been.

"You really think a gun could hurt him?" Buffy demanded. "He’s got supernatural powers. I don’t think you going in there waving a gun is gonna’ faze him."

"A gun? Are you nuts?" Dawn asked from the doorway. "That’s just stupid."

"See?" Xander said as he pointed at Dawn. "Even the high strung teenager knows what a stupid idea this is." He nodded. "And she should; she’s done some stupid things."

"Hey!" Dawn said, clearly offended.

"Parking with vampires," Buffy, Xander, and Willow all three said in unison.

"One time!" Dawn retorted. "One time. Am I ever gonna’ live that down?"

"No," the other three said in a well-rehearsed response.

"We were talking about gunslinger Willow? Remember?" Dawn pointed at the witch.

"Oh, yeah." Buffy turned and glared at her best friend. "Just how stupid are you?"

"Am I supposed to answer that?" Willow asked slowly.

"Guns, Willow?" Buffy asked with a sigh.

"Not guns," Willow said meekly. "A gun. One little tiny gun."

"Why?" Buffy asked sincerely.

"Rack sent that warlock, Buffy. That warlock had a partner who’ll be back, like the Terminator." Willow’s eyes shined with tears. "I have to keep Tara safe, and I … I … I don’t, I haven’t got magic." She dipped her head shamefully.

Buffy stepped closer and rested her hands on Willow’s shoulders. She leaned down and caught the dejected witch’s gaze. "You have me," Buffy reminded her.

"Your own personal Slayer, how cool is that?" Xander piped in. "Plus, you’ve got me. I may not be Buffy strong, but anyone who wants to hurt Tara has to get past me."

"And me," Dawn chimed in. "I’m a hair-puller, remember?"

"I love you guys." Willow sniffled and pulled Buffy into a hug.

"Me, I was big with the chivalry." Xander scooted closer and Willow tossed an arm around him too.

"Hey?" Dawn edged closer. "Hair-puller here, missing out on the group hug."

"World class hair-puller." Buffy scooted to one side and made room for her sister. "Remember that bald spot I had my entire sophomore year?" They all shared a brief hug and then pulled apart. Too much affection made each of the Scoobies a bit uncomfortable, so they quickly found other things to do.

"No, gun, right?" Buffy asked as she led Willow over to the table.

"No gun," Willow agreed.

"So, show me all those baby sites you’ve got book-marked." Buffy pointed to Willow’s laptop. "Cuz I know you’ve got a zillion of them by now."

"I do not," Willow blushed crimson. "A half zillion maybe, but not a zillion."

"Right, so show me." Buffy sat and pushed the small computer toward her best friend. She was thrilled to see Willow going back to her hacker ways.

"Okay." Willow smiled and booted up the computer. "I found one where you put in the conception date, and it gives you a calendar of what’s going on with the baby." She excited tapped keys as she spoke.

"You’ve been thinking a lot about this, huh?" Buffy smiled as she watched Willow click a drop down menu marked ‘baby stuff.’ She raised an eyebrow as when she saw one site that said ‘job offers: companies.’ She cleared her throat and pointed to the screen.

"Oh, that," Willow said. "I’ve got a baby coming, so I need to get with being the responsible gal." She looked up at Buffy and shrugged. "Several software companies offered me jobs last semester. I need to find out what kind of packages they’re offering, and what their companies are like."

"Packages?" Buffy frowned. "How come when I went on the job search, I had to take every menial job in the land, and you’ve got software companies lining up to woo you with ‘packages?’"

"I’m good with computers," Willow said modestly.

"Good?" Xander asked from across the room. "Willow, you designed a new dating base for the campus."

"Database," Willow corrected. "And it was easy."

"Hence the wooing," Buffy said proudly.

"Here’s the baby calendar," Willow said with a blush. She smiled as she studied the web page. "Oh, look, next week the baby will get eyelids!"

"Okay, ew," Buffy said with a grimace. "Cletus doesn’t have eyelids yet?"

"Technically she isn’t even a fetus yet," Willow pointed out. "She’s an embryo, Embryanna even."

Buffy sighed and rubbed Willow’s back. "Mom-hood agrees with ya’, Will."

"Yeah, it does." Willow smiled and scrolled down so she could show Buffy more baby facts.

*****

Amy sat in the corner of the basement. She had gone down to the most secluded part of the house in the hopes of doing a few spells to hold her over until she could meet with Rack. Now she stared at the small back door and smiled. Tara had snuck out and not even noticed Amy hiding behind the washer and dryer.

"This is perfect," Amy whispered. She made her way upstairs, telling Buffy she wanted to use the bathroom. As soon as she got to the second floor, she crept into Willow and Tara’s room. The bed was freshly made and a note was sitting prominently on a pillow. She went to the bed and grabbed the note. She read it in a glance and crumbled the paper and shoved it into her back pocket and ripped back the blankets and rumpled the sheets and then she quietly left the room.

She looked down the staircase and smiled. Willow and Buffy were on the computer and there was no sign of Xander or Dawn. She crept back down the hall to Willow and Tara’s room and sent a flash of fire onto the door, and then she took a small stone from her front pocket and rubbed it between her palms to rid the dark magic’s imprint. She spun and went downstairs with satisfied smile. Rack would be very pleased, and until he came to reward her, she’d have a nice snack.

*****

Tara went to the back of her closet in her dorm room and dug through a pile of books. "There you are," she said when she saw the aged leather of her mother’s book of shadows. She picked it up and went to her bed and sat as she thumbed through the magical book.

When she got to the back of the book where a red ribbon marked the end of the pages with spells, she frowned. The pages following the ribbon had always been blank, but now she could see her mother’s distinctive handwriting.

"Mom?" she asked as she traced the aged ink. She read the newly revealed section and sighed. All of the spells and potions dealt with pregnancy. Tara realized that section of the book must have been enchanted, designed to only be revealed once Tara became pregnant. She scooted up the bed until her back was against the wall and then began reading her mother’s words. It was bittersweet. Tara felt like the spells and potions were her mother’s way of helping Tara through her pregnancy, and yet she missed her mother now more than ever.

"Mama…" Tara covered her mouth with one hand as tears fell freely. She read her mother’s thoughts spelled out in steady, crisp lettering.

Tara then read a spell, a spell meant for her, her first spell. It was a linking spell, meant to balance a mother and child. She smiled. Her mother had an innate poetic rhythm to her incantations. Tara had a stirring of love that was so profound it made her chest ache. She wanted to do the ritual, but she wanted to wait for Willow.

She flipped the page and her eyes widened. "Oh, mama." Tara traced the words of the ‘refero’ spell. Her mother’s feelings were recorded after the spell, but her normally firm, smooth writing was unsteady and choppy.

"Nothing soothed him, mama." Tara closed the book of shadows and wiped her eyes. She gathered some of her things and then tucked her mother’s magical book under her arm and headed for the door. She had been gone for less than an hour, certainly Willow wouldn’t have even noticed yet.

*****

Willow and Buffy didn’t look up from the laptop when Amy came out of the kitchen.

"Willow?" Amy asked uncertainly. She moved closer to the redheaded witch. "Something feels off. Something’s wrong."

"Wrong how?" Buffy stood quickly.

"Can’t you feel it?" Amy asked. "Dark magic is here." She waved her hand in the air.

Willow stood slowly and closed her eyes. The more she let dark magic purge from her system, the less sensitive she was to its presence. "I feel something," she said slowly. Her eyes widened and she ran for the staircase. "Tara!" she yelled as she sprinted to the second floor.

"Tara’s fine. We would have heard if anything happened." Buffy chased after her best friend.

"Oh, god," Willow said when she saw a charred mark on the door. She burst inside and scanned the room. "Tara? Oh, god, no."

"Calm down, maybe she’s in the bathroom." Buffy felt like panicking, but she knew someone had to stay in control.

"He has her," Willow said as she felt rage well up inside her. "Rack has her, and I’m gonna kill him." She reached up to remove the amulet Tara had given her. She knew she couldn’t channel dark magic while wearing it, and she planned on using her darkest spells.

"Leave it on," Buffy ordered. She painfully gripped Willow’s wrist. "Losing you to dark magic won’t help Tara, and it’s exactly what Rack wants."

"He has her!" Willow yelled. "What can I do?"

"He wants you," Amy said from the door. "He won’t hurt her as long as he can trade her for you." She looked around the room. "That’s how he works."

"Fine, he’s gonna’ get me." Willow’s eyes narrowed. She went to the closet and took out a small, little used book that Tara had given her when they first began dating. It contained the most powerful protection spells known to light magic.

"And me," Buffy said darkly. She ducked out of Willow’s room and went to her own.

"What’s wrong?" Xander asked as he rushed into Willow’s room.

"Rack has Tara," Willow said. "We’re going after her."

"Is that a good idea?" he asked. He saw Willow’s wrath filled glare and quickly explained. "Buffy and I can go. You should stay here, away from the dark magic dealer."

"I have to go," Willow said as her eyes lost their sparkle and a lethal look of intent covered her features making her once innocent face look deadly. "I’m the bait to get him to come out." She gripped the book in her hand and her eyes flashed with unbridled fury. "The deadly bait."

Xander followed his best friend downstairs. He prayed they could save Tara because Willow’s expression terrified him. He had no doubt what could happen. If something had happened to Tara, Willow wouldn’t just fall off the magical wagon. She’d drive the wagon right over the top of Rack. The problem was, once the darkness was unleashed, Xander didn’t think Willow could control it without Tara at her side.

*****

Anya rushed into Buffy’s living room. Xander had called her at the apartment where she had been busy cleaning up the dead warlock’s blood. Normally, she would be happy for any excuse to take a break from menial labor, but this time she was frightened. She saw Dawn and Amy at the table with a stack of books and headed toward them. "Have they found her?" she asked.

"They just left," Dawn pointed out. "We don’t know anything yet."

"He wants Willow," Amy said as she began pacing.

"And taking Tara is the way to get her," Anya said angrily. "Except that’s the dark magic expressway. If Tara even looks injured, Willow’s gonna’ go over the edge."

"I think that’s his plan," Dawn said. "I mean, he wants Willow to use dark magic."

"Giles will deal with him." Anya paced the room. She looked over at Amy suspiciously. "How did he get in? Tara put a protection spell on this place. Nothing darker than rye bread shoulda’ gotten in. It should have kept out anyone supernatural as long as they were uninvited." Her eyes narrowed. "You were invited." She grabbed Amy and tossed her against the table. "You let them in!"

"I swear, I never let anyone in," Amy said truthfully.

"I was a vengeance demon for 1,100 years." Anya reached up and pinched a nerve in Amy’s neck. "What did you do to Tara?"

Amy screamed in distress and fell to her knees. Her eyes watered and she felt like her head was filled with molten lava "I didn’t touch her!"

"Anya, you can’t just torture people!" Dawn yelled. She gripped Anya’s arm and tugged her away from Amy.

"Clearly I can," Anya said calmly. "Now, what did you do to Tara?" She took a step closer to Amy and stepped on the dark haired witch’s knee. Anya professionally applied just enough pressure to stretch every ligament to its limit.

"Agh!" Amy howled in agony.

"What’s going on?" Tara cried out as she came running out of the basement. She tossed her things onto a low table and stared at the scene of Anya torturing Amy.

"Tara?" Dawn sprinted to the blonde and pulled her into a ferocious hug. "How’d you escape?"

"Tara?" Anya scowled in confusion. She shifted her weight, pressing down harder on Amy’s leg.

"Ouch!" Amy screamed.

"Oh, my bad." Anya lifted her foot slightly, but kept Amy pinned down. "Tara, how’d you escape Rack? Did Amy help him?" She sounded almost hopeful. She liked doling out a little vengeance, plus, Amy had it coming.

"Rack?" Tara pried Dawn away from her and hurried toward Anya. "What are you talking about?"

"Rack kidnapped you," Dawn said.

"Did someone hand out free drug samples while I was gone?" Tara asked.

"Get off me," Amy whined.

"She didn’t help kidnap you?" Anya asked one more time.

Tara raised an eyebrow. "Do I look kidnapped? I went to my dorm. I left a note." She scanned the room and suddenly felt a sense of dread. "Where’s Willow?"

"She went to save you," Anya said as she lifted her foot from Amy’s knee. She bit her lip and offered the former rat a hand. "Sorry about that. But, well, you are a junkie. I’m sure you can see why I suspected you."

"I left a note," Tara said in a panic. "We have to go after Willow. She can’t go near Rack."

"No, we’re not going anywhere." Amy rubbed her neck. The muscles were in spasm from Anya’s neck pinch.

"The rat’s right," Anya said. "We should wait here for them to check in."

"Yeah, we’re safer here." Amy reached into her pocket and gripped a tiny leather pouch in her hand.

Tara studied Amy. She could see that the witch was in pain, but she could also see a hint of darkness in her aura. "You were gonna’ use dark magic on Anya," she said as she edged closer.

"No, I wasn’t," Amy said calmly.

"I can see it in your aura." Tara moved protectively in front of Anya. "You were about to hurt Anya."

"No," Amy said with a smile. "I was waiting for you." She pulled the pouch from her pocket and then pointed at Tara. "By your own essence and dragon’s tail, I bind thee!"

"Oh, just great." Anya said as she rushed toward Amy. "You are so gonna’ get my vengeance!"

"Off!" Amy’s eyes shaded tar black as Anya was tossed across the room. She turned to Tara. The blonde witch was struggling against unseen ties.

"Amy?" Dawn asked hesitantly. "You can’t go back to dark magic. You were doing so well."

"God, how stupid are you people?" Amy flicked a wrist at Dawn and sent the teen flying.

"Leave her alone," Tara said dangerously.

"Like you have any say in this." Amy smiled cruelly. She looked over at Anya and nodded her head at the former demon. Anya slid across the floor and collided with Dawn. "Constrict," she said.

Two ropes appeared and slithered toward Dawn and Anya like twin serpents. The ropes reared up and hung in the air like cobras listening to a flute.

"Tara?" Dawn’s eyes filled with terror as the ropes wrapped around her body and lashed her to Anya back to back.

"It’ll be okay, Dawnie," Tara lied. She was helpless, her powers completely bound by Amy’s spell.

"I should kill you, slowly." Anya stared coldly at Amy. "And believe me, I know how to make it slow."

"You do gooders are always big with the threats," Amy said as she went to the front door. "But you’ve got no follow through." She opened the door. "Caedo, I invite you in," she said into the air.

"Oh, goddess," Tara whispered as she struggled desperately against the spell holding her.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"Caedo," Anya said in a shaking voice. "That’s Latin. It means ‘to kill,’ and that can’t be good for us."

There was a muted whooshing outside the door and then a Scaldor demon walked into the house. He went directly to Tara and smiled.

"You and I are gonna’ have some fun," Caedo said with a cruel sneer.

"She’s bait," Amy pointed out. "Leverage for Rack." She edged closer. "As long as Tara’s alive, Willow will do whatever Rack wants."

The demon looked at Amy as if she were evilly challenged, as if she didn’t know the first thing about being a villain. "Bait is for luring the prey into the trap." He cracked his knuckles as he stared at Tara. "Once you have the prey, you don’t need the bait." He backhanded Tara and she was tossed across the room.

"Stop it!" Dawn yelled.

Tara climbed to her feet. She could move now, but as she tried to summon the energy for a bolt of energy, she could feel the binding spell in place. She ran toward Anya, intending to untie her.

"Not so fast." Caedo grabbed Tara and hurled her through the air. She landed at the base the stairs, curled in a ball, trying to protect her belly, but the impact sent pain shooting across her back and side.

"Stop it!" Anya cried. She pulled against the magical ropes. The rough coils cut into the tender skin at her wrists, but she didn’t care. "Stop it, you bastard!"

"I’m just getting started," Caedo said as he moved toward Tara.

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