Ch.28

The next morning I went to my classes with a jacket on as they'd both not forgiven me for heading downstairs in the middle of the night. They'd noticed and not been happy so there I was building a prototype rocket engine with blood dripping from my sleeves.

Faith had told me in no unclear terms that if I wanted to continue what we were doing last night any time this week I'd have to suffer like they suffered without me. I couldn't say no to that so I went with a jacket and dark clothes in case it seeps through. The pain wasn't anything really but the blood tended to find it way to my papers and I had a hell of a time explaining that.

I went with nose bleeding as I couldn't well tell them the girls I'm with said no sex unless I let my wounds heal the human way. That'd get awkward really fast considering Faith was in two of my classes now and Alice shared one with both of us.

I slipped on by the day with a 'bloody nose' and spent the afternoon at the magic shop helping Xander build a shelf for the more heavy magical items in the back. Now that the gym is open to the girls, Giles decided the more expensive and heavy items would go in the place with the most protection, the gym.

After we finished that we had to build some more spacious shelves for the back room as it could now hold a lot more smaller items now. After we finished that I spent the rest of the evening replenishing the ingredients with my freshly grown ones. Finally the girls pulled me away to the movie theatre, where they each took turns riding me at a gallop till I popped like warm champagne, as Faith calls it.

It got a bit messy so we slipped out the back and drove to somewhere less filled with nuns and priests on a night out. We ended up slipping into the backyard of our regular house and finishing the night in the moonlight near the pond I'd made.

While they slept I grew us a bed of moss and an actual bed underneath us. By morning it appeared as though we'd slept naked out back on a tree stump covered in moss. It was certainly soft enough and my natural body heat kept them warm, not that they still didn't end up with freezing feet somehow.

A few days of routine went by after that and soon enough Giles and I were visited at the shop by the Tothric demon. When Giles went to swing I stepped between them saying deeply. "Leave now! This place is protected by far stronger magic's than your silly little stick. If you attack the wards will render you unconscious until I've decided how to deal with you."

He growled but backed away all the same. My eyes shifted colors for a moment confirming his suspensions that I wasn't human or to be trifled with. He left in a rather big hurry after that.

When he was truly farther than my senses I turned to face Giles. "Be glad I stepped in. The rod he was carrying was a Ferula Gemina. It would have split you in two if he fired it. Even with the wards it would've still worked as it's not a harmful magic. Next time please be careful. Just wait for them to attack and the wards will activate."

He grimaced. "Ferula Gemina you say?"

I nodded, grimacing. "He must've paid a heavy price to make it as well. He's the last of his species in this dimension. Tothric demons, can't live with them, can't stand them to live either. They mostly hang out in chemical waste sights. This one smells like the city dump though."

I picked up the idol of Oofdar and handed it to him. "Put it in the front, it's a fertility goddess's idol and while it's not magical on its own it does have significance in fertility rituals of child birthing. It can be sold to either type of customer. As for this one though-"

I picked up the statue of Nat Bo Bo Gyi. "This is a rare find and a literal gold mine. It's removal from Burma is prohibited as it has the power to melt the eyes of anyone looking at it when triggered. Put it in the dangerous section and don't mix them up."

Giles asked. "How did you know which is which?"

I chuckled. "You can channel magic right?"

He nodded. "Of course?"

I smiled. "When you channel it into a part of your body like your hands you can do magic like throwing fireballs and throwing spells around. Well, have you ever tried channeling it into your eyes? Not to use it, just simply channeling it their is enough."

He gave it a try and blinked several times as his eyes glowed a deep blue. "Good lord is this what it's like all the time for you?"

I shrugged. "No, I imagine my eyes are better as well as the rest of my senses. I would wait a while before trying the same with your nose or mouth. That demon left an awful stench in the air and you don't want that to me the first thing you smell or taste with heightened senses."

He nodded and put the idols away. Now that he could properly tell what's what I no longer need to be here to help sort it all out. I finished the order with him and waited for the morning shift to arrive. Willow and Anya came in right on time.

I chuckled at their happy expressions as they didn't need to help sort out all the stuff either. When Buffy and the rest followed them in however Giles started informing them about the demon and the staff weapon.

Riley asked. "Wouldn't that just make Buffy or Faith slayer concentrate? It'd be pretty damn near unkillable."

I snorted. "What happens to one happens to the other so the human girl side would be easily dealt with by a demon, unless it's Faith he's after then he'd have a better chance against the slayer concentrate."

Faith grinned. "Don't make me blush boy toy. Besides, what would happen if he hit you?"

I frowned. "Nothing good. Odds are the vampire and the werewolf sides of me would separate but I haven't a clue who'd get the human pieces. It would end badly either way as I need all my strength to keep my party guests locked in place so there's a good chance they'd take over and you'd have two old ones walking around within my bodies."

Giles gulped audibly and Xander raised his hand. "Does anyone else think that's a bad idea and have a sudden onset fear and terror bordering on phobia of that happening?"

Buffy spoke up. "Xander's right, it looks like you're benched till we get this demon away from the potential apocalypse style fate."

I shrugged. "Just bring me back the staff. I'll pay damn good money for it as they require some serious sacrifice to make. I'd be willing to offer a cool million to the one who brings it back in one piece."

Xander bucked up and grabbed the tranq gun from the back saying. "High ho high ho off to treasure hunting I go."

Anya snorted. "You'd better not break the staff or I'll break your penis!"

Buffy asked. "Are you serious with the offer?"

I grinned. "On the black market you might get more but I don't intend to sell it. I have my own uses for something like that. It makes those pesky unkillable enemies completely killable."

Anya told Xander to wait before turning to me. "How much more on the black market?"

I growled. "Nothing if you intend to sell it else where now. Let me put it to you this way, I'll give you a talisman that ensures your survival from any one fatal attack in exchange for it. Screw me on this and I'll give you the fatal attack instead."

She backed up before saying. "I'd rather have the million dollars. Xander go bring that money stick back."

I snorted saying. "I hate dealing with demons."

Alice raised an eyebrow and I snorted you're not a demon love, you may be a vampire but there's no demon in you."

Faith raised an eyebrow next and I sighed. "And goddess's don't count either. Bring me back the stick loves and I'll give you the platinum and onyx cards to take for next summer."

Faith smirked. "Score!"

Alice frowned then shook her head sighing. "Either Xander brings it back or it breaks."

I clenched my fist before sighing. "Fine, I'll get the money prepared. Just go and help them will you? It's a dangerous artifact at the best of times. If they break it on accident I might hurt someone."

I slapped Faith's ass saying. "And it wouldn't be you."

She pouted before grabbing the axe Alice offered and her gauntlets to try out if need be. I went back to the counter where Anya and Willow were waiting and told Willow. "You can go too. I'll be here so I might as well work."

She took off while I called my bank and had the money readied. They came back much later with two Faith's both of which were instantly attracted to me. The first was far more girly then the second one. The second, well, she knew what she wanted and she didn't ask for it.

She simply bared her teeth at my grabbed my dick and said. "Mate now!"

She dragged me to the gym door before I'd even asked what had happened. What came next was the wildest bout of sex I've ever experienced. She was far stronger and more aggressive than I'd ever anticipated and she wasn't finished with a few hours, no, she didn't stop until she'd nearly fucked me raw.

That's quite an accomplishment with my natural healing along with the gem of Amara on. The other Faith though, the gentler Faith is made love to. It was slow and sensual and very enjoyable. We'd only gotten one round after her other half fell asleep but it was the best of all of it by far.

It reminded me of how Alice treats me when it's just us. When they both fell asleep I slipped my clothes on and walked to the magic box next door. Giles and Xander was still there because Anya had refused to leave until she was paid.

I turned to see them sipping coffee and tea at the back table. "Have any extra tea there? I'm in need of liquids that can be replenished. If we were at a hospital I'd simply tell them to hook the IV to me and main line tap water while they refilled my blood supply."

Xander spoke up. "Oh thank god! I thought we'd have to spend the full night here before you came out."

I snorted. "Which one of you is the idiot that thought letting Faith and her slayer half at me was a good idea? Slayer stamina is quite potent and I'll leave you with this, I wouldn't even be walking right now if I didn't have a magical artifact that made me invulnerable to harm. Even now it's all the damn artifact and my natural healing can do to repair the damage. I swear I'll need a hip replacement if she wakes up horny."

Xander snorted. "You try arguing with slayer Faith when she says she wants something. Want, take, have is definitely we motto. She nearly killed Alice when she saw her. If the other Faith hadn't stood in her way you'd be down a girl."

I grimaced. "Another problem for another time I'm sure. For now please tell me you've found the spell to break the staff's magic."

Giles nodded and pointed to a design on the floor. "It's been prepared for hours now."

I nodded in relief before telling Xander. "Your money is in the safe. Giles can get it out for you after I've examined the staff."

Anya smiled and tapped the staff on the table. I picked it up and looked at it with my magical senses and smiled. "Pay the man Giles. It's I near perfect condition and even the focusing crystal inside is working perfectly. The talisman on top i through in for free as an incentive to get your girlfriend to stop thinking I'm a cheapskate. I always pay my debts."

I passed the staff to Giles saying. "Put it with the rest in the special place. It'll be another emergency safeguard. With it even an old one can be killed rather easily. Heck, it could kill me if I didn't house the two old ones inside me right now."

He nodded and left to the back room for a bit. When he came back he had the duffle bag of cash and a talisman for Anya. Xander took the amulet and asked. "How fatal is it supposed to protect you from?"

I shrugged. "Anything that would kill you. It's a one shot so don't get your hopes up. It cost me more than the staff was worth to make it. I'd originally planned to make more for the entire scoobie gang but the cost was too high. It's not something I could pay repeatedly."

He frowned. "You're an immortal badass werewolf god, what couldn't you pay?"

I dropped the glamour I had up and Giles dropped his glasses for a minute. I nodded solemnly and put the glamour back up. Anya snorted. "So what? Your hair got a bit white-"

I growled as my eyes changed color and she backed away instinctively. I took a deep calming breath before saying. "Even with the Gem of Amara it still took its toll. My body nearly died making that talisman. I may be a god in spirit when I've finished my transition, but my body isn't that strong. I have no doubt it would've killed anyone else but since I've back ups in place and a very unique way of doing things I managed to stop the spell after the first talisman was complete."

Xander looked down at the talisman and I muttered. "Any one death it will bring you back to peak physical health. A boon for you and your girlfriend and a reminder that even the best of us can fall at any time whether it be by supernatural causes or other. If a recently killed person were to hold it, they'd recover even from a nuclear blast or a collapsed dimension. Though they'd still be in the void between dimensions after they reformed so it's rather useless at that point."

Anya asked. "How long does it take to bring them back?"

I shrugged. "Depends on how bad the damage is. A nuclear bomb blast would atomize their body so they'd reform one molecule at a time over the course of a century. Once the process is finished they'll be at their peak physical health though so hay, free century of life."

I chuckled. "For smaller things, days or weeks. Anything where they're rendered into peace's is months and further, years. I have to warn you though. The talisman will only work so long as it's with them when the soul leaves the body. If you wait to long or their soul is gone before death than its a fluke or a non starter."

Xander nodded. "Gotcha keep on person at all times."

I chuckled and Anya asked. "How do we know when it's working or not?"

I smiled. "It'll glow green if it's been activated if it doesn't glow their soul is long gone and I can't do anything about that."

With that I left them their to do what they wished and carefully carried both Faiths into the magic circle to put them together. With a simple gesture the magic holding them apart broke and they were one once more. Sighing in relief I carried Faith to the office couch where Alice was also sleeping and watched as they nestled together unconsciously.

I pulled the blanket Alice had clearly brought in for this moment and carefully placed it over them both. I must've watched them for hours afterwards because the sun rose up before I knew it and Giles came in dressed and clean in new clothes. He still looked rather tired but for the most part he was ready for another days work.

I grabbed a shower in the back and changed to some gym clothes I kept spares of there for after full moons. When I came out I told Giles as he was at the counter getting ready to open the till. "Take the day off and close up. It's going to rain today and there'll be no customers. Get some rest."

He seemed comforted by my words only asking. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and he graciously closed everything back up before puttering home in his new red convertible. When the girls woke up we headed home and locked up the shop right behind us.

We spent the day eating ice cream and hot blood and chocolate while watching movies with Buffy, Willow and the rest of the scoobies. Xander and Anya has taken the last room downstairs so we now had a full house.

I laughed a few times when both Riley and Xander managed to grab the wrong cup of hot chocolate and grimaced at the taste. That's alright though as they got me back with ice cream they'd put in it afterwards.

It didn't taste as bad as it did before it was in the blood and chocolate mixture but it was still appalling to my taste buds. They laughed their asses off when I'd taken the wrong cup entirely and hurled over the edge of the front porch.

Tara has actually plaid a few pranks of her own getting Faith to drink a mixture of herbal soup to cleanse the body and a protein shake that Riley used to keep in shape. Faith herself joined me on the porch for a bit of hurling as well.

For all their attempts no one ever got Alice as she always saw them coming and turned it back on them. I ended up watching Star Wars with them and marveled at the force they used.

After a few attempts I managed to lift the couch where Xander and Anya were sitting together with the same finesse as Vader's force choke. That scared Xander for a bit asking if the force was real. I laughed a good long while and Alice told them I'd done a levitation spell with a little extra oomf.

Anya did ask why I didn't say the spell and I chuckled. "There's a book series in this world called Harry Potter. In it they describe magic, real magic, in an albeit limited way that also gives incite into how it could be used in different ways."

I grimaced. "Now I'll be damned if I use a little stick and call it a wand, but silent casting, or saying the spell in your mind actually works. Saying the spell out loud is only giving focus to the magic inside you to cast the incantation. It makes little difference if you practice enough on concentrating saying the spells in your head or out loud."

Willow looked fascinated while I pointed out. "It doesn't work if you're invoking deities or higher powers and it makes rituals a lot harder than they have to be but for basic spells like levitating a pencil and such it's neat and can be used to surprise an enemy. My best guess is either the author is a witch or she knows someone who is. Either way she's learned some useful tips and tricks."

Riley looked fascinated asking. "Is there any physical spells, you know, to make yourself stronger than usual?"

I sighed. "There's nothing I can teach you that would make you as strong or as enduring as a slayer in bed, I'm sorry my friend but you'll have to settle for being the weaker sex."

He snorted while Faith and Xander laughed. When he tried again I told him. "There are spells meant to empower the individual but it would take years and possibly more energy than its worth for you to learn. I've tested each of you for magical potential and other than Xander and Anya, whose already a witch of some experience, none of you that don't already know magic have high potential for it."

Xander's eyes shot up. "Huh, Wait! I have magical potential?"

I nodded. "More than Giles but less than Alice and far less than Willow or I. You could learn it with relative ease but you'd be limited on how far you could go. Using empowering spells would be out of your range but throwing fireballs and doing battle magic or even protection magic is just within your range of capabilities. Giles himself knows enough to teach you if you care to learn but don't expect a miracle or to be throwing advanced spells around."

He grimaced but nodded. "Maybe a flaming sword or making a magical lightsaber would be cool."

I chuckled. "Don't hurt yourself but yeah, a flaming sword is possible though I have no clue about the lightsaber. Playing around with plasma as a sword sounds pretty dumb if you ask me. One screw up and you're toasted."

My words didn't even put a dampener on his parade. Shrugging I continued to watch the sappy romance they'd put on afterwards and like that the day passed in peace. I did keep an eye on Riley though as he was asking other questions like getting ahold of some gauntlets of power or using Faith's wristbands.

She told him straight up that he was dreaming on that one. I did offer though, towards the end of the night. "I could bite you if you want, and turn you into a werewolf. It's not ideal but if you learn to control it you'll be like Oz in strength but with a little more oomf of your own. Nowhere near my level but you'd certainly be strong."

He shook his head. "Na, I saw what Oz had to go through and I don't really envy that."

I shrugged. "Then perhaps a vampire? Or I could make a ring or necklace that draws power from me to give to you. It wouldn't be permanent but you'd certainly be stronger. Odds are it'll weaken me but around the full moon the difference is negligible."

Again he shot it down saying. "And be strong only a few days of the month? Na man, I need something permanent or at least usable in every day fights."

I sighed. "Then I got nothing for you unless I end up running across a magical artifact that does something similar and those are rare as hell."

I sighed as the evening passed and went to bed with the girls. It was almost another week before I started to smell the changes in Riley. I mentioned it to Buffy on several occasions and she eventually did something about it.

She made him go see the doctor and had called the old initiative colonel that had left the number in case something went terribly wrong. After some convincing and a few threats from yours truly he agreed to have the minor surgery to repair his heart.

There was of course an incident later on where Spike and Harmony took the doctor after we'd left. Said doctor wound up dead as Harmony had accidentally shot him with a crossbow when he failed to remove Spike's behavior modification chip the commandos had put in his brain.

Still stuck as a harmless vampire Harmony had fled when Buffy showed up to give spike a beating for it. All signs pointed to her fleeing town for good as well, so score one for the good guys.

The down side hit when a few days later Joyce, Buffy's mom, was sent to the hospital with some concerning problems. We, as the good scoobies that we are, went to meet them there. I only had to get within a few yards of her to smell what was wrong.

Buffy must've noticed something on my face because she asked. "What is it? What are you frowning about?"

I sighed. "Wolves have sensitive noses, werewolves even more so. I've smelled that smell before and it's not good. Your mother has a growth or some form of benign tumor. It's distinctive."

Joyce heard me as did the rest of the group causing Buffy to look even more worried now. "Cancer? She can't have cancer, you're wrong!"

I shook my head. "Not cancer per say, it's more of a growth. And I'm never wrong about these things. I could tell you what she ate last week and how long it's been since she's had sex from just the smells coming off her but what I can't do is be wrong about something I've smelled dozens of times before. Besides, it's benign so there's little to worry about. It'd smell a lot stronger and more acidic if it weren't."

Joyce asked. "How sure are you?"

I sighed. "One hundred percent. Get an MRI and I'm sure the doctors will tell you the same thing."

She nodded and called in the nurse before asking for an MRI. The doctor came in a few minutes later and said it was an unnecessary step at this point but since she insisted he couldn't say no.

When the nurse started asking about her insurance I spoke up. "Bill me for it, I'm the one that suggested she get one. It's on me. I'll give you my bank information in a bit before she's had her MRI."

When Joyce tried to protest Faith spoke up. "Mrs.Summers, chill, he's got this. We've got plenty of money and we spend more than any hospital bills you may have on clothes each month. My man can pay it easy enough."

Joyce wanted to say something more but sighed. "If you insist."

I grinned. "I do. Now rest easy, I'll take care of this. It's the least I can do especially since I already owe you. You gave me the inspiration for blood and hot chocolate. If I could gain weight I'd be as big as a house by now and as jolly as Santa Claus or something."

She smiled lightly and I followed the nurse out. When we were far enough away I told her. "I want all bills that are being charged to Joyce Summers redirected to me. I'll pay everything out of pocket as it were. Any and all expenses will be paid in full as they're charged."

I kept telling the nurse my instructions as I wrote down the payment information and my bank account number I used for extra expensive stuff like cars and properties. There was a little over a million in it as a nest egg in case of emergencies and since the bills wouldn't be nearly as much I was fine with it.

When I finished writing my information down I handed it to the nurse saying. "And as soon as you've got confirmation on the payments going through I want her room upgraded to VIP, treat her like you would a queen or the president of the United States. If I hear she's been neglected, just imagine what my lawyers are like if I'm willing to pay for this kind of thing, I'd have this hospital paved over into a mall parking lot within a month."

The nurse paled a little and nodded before running a credit check and billing my account. By the time the doctor came to take her to the MRI machine all her bills were paid and they'd decided to change her room after they finished with the MRI.

When Joyce left with the doctors the nurses told everyone of the room change. Dawn asked. "What brought this on?"

Alice answered for her. "Ryan may or may not have paid all your mom's hospital bills and for special treatment. She'll be treated as the hospital's VIP guest from now on. That includes a special room and doctors and nurses waiting on her hand and foot."

Dawn hugged me saying. "Thank you."

I chuckled. "It's nothing really. Besides, I really do owe her and Buffy a lot. Imagine if we'd come to this dimension and found Buffy hadn't saved the world multiple times already? I'd have one hell of a headache and a lot of demons to kill. Besides, I never would've had a chance to thank Joyce for all the crap she's had to deal with either. We've kept her up enough late nights with us stomping around your house at all hours of the night."

Giles chuckled. "I can't imagine what that's like."

I smiled. "Tell you what, you get a tumor and I'll pay for your special treatment as well, what do you say?"

He grimaced before shaking his head. "I do believe I'll pass on that opportunity thank you."

The whole gang laughed and for a moment things weren't so bad. Sighing I told Buffy. "I've given the hospital instructions on how to bill me for anything at all related to your family. It should take some of the pressure off your shoulders for a while at least. Just take some time to be with your family, we'll deal with whatever else may come while you're here."

She gave me a hug next before going to Riley's side. The scoobies and I moved their stuff to the new room in the private wing and waited for the results. Half an hour later they came in. The MRI showed what I expected, a shadow. The doctors were talking about risk factors on operating.

We left it to the Summers family to decide on how to proceed. After the doctors decided to keep her for observation baring surgery I and most of the scoobies left. Alice, Faith and I picked up Buffy's patrolling schedule and Willow and Tara got her class work.

We worked as a cohesive unit and filled in the gaps for a while at least. Two weeks later we were stopped by the old warehouse district after dusting a few vampires there. The security guard gave us the glowing ball he'd thought we were there to party with.

I recognized the Dagon Sphere instantly but we still decided to take it before the scoobie gang. Like clockwork they all began studying it. Buffy showed up right after I revealed it and asked. "Ohh, where'd you get the glow ball?"

I chuckled. "It's a Dagon sphere. For the life of me I can't remember what it's used for but we found it at a warehouse last night after dusting a few vamps. We're planning on going back tonight to see what it was doing there."

She nodded. "Count me in. Dawn's watching over mom at the house now. The surgery was a success and she should be getting better now. I need something to slay or I'm gonna go stir crazy anyway."

I nodded while Alice told Giles. "Today's going to be super busy so I'll stick around and help. There's going to be a lot of sales to wannabes and we're gonna need to stock the shelves at regular intervals."

Anya spoke up. "Xander can stock shelves, for pay of course."

Alice nodded. "He'll be paid at the end of the day, say fifteen bucks an hour?"

Xander was chipper at that and Tara offered to help as well. Alice nodded. "You can do Tarot card readings with me if you want, I'm going to be charging twenty bucks a reading and since I'll be very accurate we should make quite the attraction. You can keep the money of course, just help me by reading their aura's."

I stayed and helped for most of the day until just before nightfall when Buffy, Faith and I went to the warehouse district to search for the reason there'd be a Dagon sphere there. Giles called and told us something about a being that cannot be named but I ignored that as I was fairly certain it's name was Glory.

When we found the place the door was off its hinges along with parts of the wall as it lay before us. Buffy went over to untie the monk while Faith helped her. I on the other hand took off my jacket and shirt.

As soon as I started to do so Faith activated her wristbands. Swords popped out as well. She turned and slashed at the hell goddess trying to sneak up behind them. I roared shaking the building when said goddess caught the swords and broke them. She tried to stab Faith with the swords but the invulnerability spells on the wristbands stopped the blades.

Glory was shocked as well and instead back handed her into the wall breaking said wall. It didn't so any damage but it did give the hell goddess time to turn her attention to Buffy. I roared. "Take the monk and go, both of you. Whatever the hell she is isn't human and is clearly stronger than any of us. Go now!"

I shifted in a blur of movement and slammed into the blonde goddess. We crashed through the back wall and fell through the floor down to the ground floor level. When we landed the entire building shook and caved in on us.

I could only pray the girls got out of there like I said to. A couple thousand tons of concrete and steel beams fell on the both of us as I clawed at the goddess. My claws did do damage so yay for me at least. The goddess returned the favor by shoving her fist through my chest and out the back.

I roared and bit her, sinking my teeth into her shoulder and in return she broke my neck. My world went black as I passed out. A great deal of time later I woke up fully healed. Faith and Buffy were standing over me. I asked. "What happened?"

Faith shrugged. "After the building collapsed the monk said a few words calling Dawn some kind of mystical key before passing away. We knew you'd survive thanks to the Gem so we waited to see which of you would come out first. The blonde bimbo got out with you still attached to her so she pulled you off and threw you aside like garbage. I wanted to attack her but Buffy convinced me otherwise saying she was strong enough to do that to you so we couldn't take the chance. She left after seeing the dead monk and she wasn't happy about it either. You healed up rather slowly even with the fancy Gem you've got."

I nodded and sat up slowly. My chest and neck were healed but I saw the ring on my toe and sighed taking it off. "It's been destroyed. It must've happened in the collapse while the last of its magic's healed me one last time. Odds are I barely escaped death just now."

I got up and put the ring in my torn sweat pants pocket. Sighing I told them. "Let's go, you can tell me what exactly the monk said on the way to the magic shop. If it's important than we can tell Giles and the rest at your leisure."

Faith shrugged and Buffy repeated what the monk said word for word. When she finished she asked me. "How didn't we know something was different?"

I sighed. "I knew something was happening the night the spell took place but I also knew it wasn't Ill intentioned so I let it be. I knew if I mentioned it the spell could unravel and something bad would've happened so I'm not entirely surprised. Besides, I've known Dawn was magical for a long time now. I can see the magic flowing off of her. Why'd you think I was so serious about the necromancy she'd done?"

Buffy frowned. "Why didn't you say something-"

I shook my head. "Believe it or not Buffy, this wasn't about you. She's a real human being, an innocent. I knew the moment I spoke up about it the spell would break and she'd be killed or worse. So no, I kept my mouth shut and I'd do so again. She's not a threat to anything but your wardrobe. Besides, you've been exhibiting stress from your own instincts telling you something was off. If you'd have practiced like I'd told you to you would've known from the beginning."

She went quiet when I said that before asking. "What's different now? Why isn't the spell breaking now that we know about it?"

I sighed. "Can you not guess? What has changed other than you finding out about it? What is the catalyst for it all?"

Faith answered smoothly. "The monks dead."

I nodded. "The last of the ones who cast the spell is dead. It can no longer be reversed only lived with. Even if you know now there's no real way to change it. They had to have used your blood to make her anyway so believe it or not Buffy, but she is your family. Magically and physically."

Buffy frowned before sighing. "Fine, but who do we tell?"

I shrugged. "For now? Whomever you trust not to reveal your secrets under extreme pain and torture. So I vote not Anya, she'd say anything to avoid pain on herself or Xander. Alice already knows FYI, she's connected to me through a mental link."