Author: Renegade
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I (me) do not own these characters herein (except for the ones that you've never heard of before, because they came out of my head like Athena, just less messier) ME, Joss Whedon and whoever else can own them (just wish they'd treated them better) but I own nothin' except one very pregnant cat...

"Willow... Willow can you hear me?"

Willow muttered a little and opened her eyes to the sight of Mistress Tara peering down worriedly at her. "Willow are you alright?"

The redhead gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just... I... I wasn't expecting you to mention Buff... I mean Mistress Elizabeth."

Lady Tara gave Willow a small smile. "I figured that," She held out a hand and helped Willow to her feet. "Why did it surprise you so?"

The Mage steadied herself and shrugged. "I just didn't figure Mistress Elizabeth to be one who would come here."

"Why not? She is a servant to the Goddess just as I am."

"Well... it's just I've known Buffy for quite sometime and she never mentioned anything about the Night Clan." Willow murmured looking down at her feet.

Tara hummed in amusement. "Truth be told Willow - no one that comes here mentions what happens here outside of these walls. So, really, Mistress Elizabeth has held the integrity of the Night Clan well." The Mistress cocked her head to the side. "How do you know Mistress Elizabeth?"

Willow hesitated. "Um... we've known each other since we were both young women. Giles, my mentor, was a friend of Elizabeth's mother. We became friends but when she assumed the position of Imperial Mistress - we kinda lost touch."

Lady Tara nodded knowingly. "I see... you were close?"

Willow sighed. "Yes and no."

"You had feelings for her? She was the one you kissed?" Tara inquired gently. Willow looked at the Mistress shocked.

"How...?" Willow asked shocked. Tara chuckled lightly.

"I can just tell by the way you talk about her. Remember, my dear Willow, I'm very well versed in the manners of human emotions."

Willow just nodded.

"So, when was the last time you saw her?" The Mistress inquired

"About two years ago."

Tara nodded and started walking. "Well, you can choose to see her or not. It's up to you. In the meantime," Lady Tara glanced over at Willow casually. "I'm going to the bath chambers to bathe. If you if wish, you can join me."

Willow's breath caught in her throat. Lady Tara - naked. Naked Lady Tara. Mmm... "S-sure, I'd love to."

A half smile appeared on Tara's face. "Wonderful."

Tara led Willow to a door down the hall from her own chambers.

"This is beautiful," The Mage breathed as they entered the stone chamber. In the middle of the high ceiling room was a crystal blue pool that was surrounded by exquisite marbled sculptures of women. Along the pillared walls vines grew and at the far end of the room held tall windows that over looked a lush garden.

"Yes, it is." Tara agreed as she started towards the pool disrobing as she went. Willow watched as Tara untied her half top from the back letting the material fall forward, off her shoulders and down her arms. She stepped clear of her boots and gently untied the skirt she was wearing.

The material fell slowly from her hips, revealing her toned legs and buttocks. The world seemed to slow as Willow took in the sight of the gorgeous beauty before her. Tara was only adorned with the dragon tattoo that wrapped from her right set of ribs around to her lower back. Willow's eyes traveled up and down the Mistress' body taking in every curve.

Tara reached up and undid the clasp that held her hair, her long blonde and black hair fell down to her mid back. Turning slightly, so that her long hair barely hid the swell of her breast, the Mistress smiled seductively at Willow.

"Don't be shy Willow. Join me." She purred before taking the steps that led into the pool. Steam rose from the water and Willow heard Mistress Tara moan appreciatively as she eased herself in.

The redhead was almost struck dumb by the glorious sight. The tips of Tara's hair floated on the water, swaying back and forth - sometimes revealing a glimpse of a perfect rose colored nipple.

Tara leaned back against the tiled side of the pool and then opened her eyes.

"Well?" She raised an eyebrow.

Before she realized what she was doing, Willow was undressed and tentatively stepping towards the pool. She stopped knee deep in the water when she caught Tara's smoldering look.

"What?" Willow asked as she followed Tara's line of sight to the apex of her center.

"You're a real redhead." Tara's mouth quirked up into a half smile. Willow suppressed the urge to cover herself and hurriedly finished getting into the water with a small splash. Lady Tara giggled. "Don't be ashamed Willow. I like redheads." The Mistress moved towards a wicker basket that was lashed to the side of the pool and produced a bar of fragrant soap.

"Would you like me to wash you?" She asked innocently. Any blood left in Willow's brain left as she nodded slowly.

"Come here." Lady Tara commanded softly. The Mage did as she was told and moved towards the Mistress. When she reached Tara, the blonde reached out and gently turned Willow around and guided her back against her own body.

Willow's breath hitched as she felt the gentle tickle of Tara's curls against her ass. The Mage didn't have time to think about the intimacy of their position before she felt the rough texture of a cloth against her back.

Closing her green eyes, Willow reveled in the smell of sandalwood and the gentle caress of Tara's hands on the skin of her back.

"You know," Tara whispered huskily into Willow's ear. "Bathing with someone is very intimate. The other person sees all your flaws as you wash them away."

Lady Tara's hands moved from Willow's back, around her shoulders and to her upper chest. The position pulling the Mage into Tara's body even more. Willow could feel Lady Tara's full breasts pressing into her back. She could feel how hard the Mistress's nipples were as each down ward stroke pushed her momentarily tighter against the blonde.

"You're open. Everything is revealed, without the blanket of pleasure to distract you from the other. It's like giving yourself over to someone emotionally. You trust them if you bathe with them." Tara finished, running the cloth between Willow's breasts and towards her lower stomach.

Willow tried to concentrate but her arousal was building. Fire seemed to travel behind Tara's hand. The Mage's breathing sped up as she felt the cloth run back up her body towards her breasts. The Mistress washed the mage's smaller breasts, careful not to touch her nipples.

Willow grunted in frustration but Tara just continued to bathe her avoiding all the areas the Mage wanted her most.

"Mistress..." Willow finally managed to get her voice to cooperate.

"Yes, Willow?" Tara replied innocently.

"I- I want you to do the tithe... with me." Willow finally got out. The Mage noticed for the first time that her hips were flexing involuntary. Her arousal was becoming painful.

The redhead felt Tara smile against her ear.

"I would be honored Willow." Tara whispered running the cloth down to Willow's thighs and then up, once, over the redhead's center. The Mage's hips bucked. "But not now - it wouldn't be right."

The redhead groaned in frustration as the Mistress slipped out from behind the Mage. Willow wondered if drowning would be less painful than the highly aroused state that she was in.

The Mistress came around to the side of the redhead. "Willow?"

"Yeah?"

Tara extended the cloth and looked sweetly at her. "Would you wash my back?"

The Mage nodded but then frowned. "Can't I wash all of you?"

Tara looked patiently at Willow and then smiled seductively. "Not yet, sweetie."

Lady Tara turned around, pulling her hair around off of her back - offering the expanse of skin to Willow. Tentatively the redhead reached out and traced her fingers down the slope and planes of Tara's back.

The Mistress arched a little into the Mage's touch. "Mmm, Willow... I said wash me, not tempt me."

But the redhead didn't listen as she continued to caress and touch Lady Tara's skin. After a few moments, Tara spoke, her voice husky. "Okay Willow, you can wash everything above my waist if you'll just start soaping me up instead of working me up. Deal?"

Grinning like a cat, Willow nodded and took a cloth in her hand. She started with Tara's back and then over her shoulders before moving around to the Mistress's chest. The redhead ran the cloth gently over the mound of Tara's smooth, full breasts.

She heard the Mistress gasp as the cloth passed over her nipple. Willow, looked down pleased as she saw how engorged the sensitive flesh was with blood. The Mage noticed that the Mistress was beginning to grind her hips.

"Willow," Tara breathed. "Whatever I do, don't stop what you're doing."

The redhead nodded her understanding and continued to wash and tease Tara's breasts. The Mage watched in astonishment as she saw Tara's right hand run down her own body to her center.

Through the blue water she could see the Mistress's was rubbing her own clit slowly in circles gradually picking up the pace. With her other hand she reached up and caught the cloth that Willow held and tossed it out to the middle of the pool before capturing the Mage's hand and pulling it down her breast. She squeezed Willow's hand, forcing the redhead to massage her flesh.

"Touch my breasts, Willow." Tara ordered her voice thick. The Mage did as she was told, pinching, flicking and kneading the Mistress's nipples. Lady Tara for her part reached up and over her shoulder, grasping the back of Willow's head as she rubbed her clit furiously before plunging two fingers inside herself.

Willow glanced sideways and took in the erotic sight of Tara biting her lower lip as she pumped into herself. Her eyes closed in concentration and ecstasy. The Mage never thought the private and erotic act of someone else pleasuring themselves could drive her into the heights of desire.

Willow's eyes traveled down Tara's tensed arm. She could see the muscles tense and strain as the Mistress thrust deeply into herself. The terse grunts, the veins and muscles that pushed against the skin of Tara's neck as her body coiled around the pleasure building inside her body.

With each hard thrust of her hand, Tara's body pushed into Willow's clit causing a delightful agony to run through the redhead.

"Oh Goddess..." Tara moaned. The Mage felt Lady Tara's energy swirl and build. "Oh, Willow..."

The Mage felt the heat of arousal shoot through her own body when she heard Tara moan her name. Willow, without thinking pinched Lady Tara's nipples hard and bit down on her shoulder. Tara cried out, gripped Willow's head tighter and arching against the redhead as her orgasm tore through her.

The Mage held Tara as she came back down from her blissful high. When the blonde had steadied her breathing she turned in Willow's embrace and placed a chaste kiss on the redhead's lips. She pulled back and held Willow in a smoldering blue gaze.

"Thank you, Willow." She whispered. "I have to get ready now."

With that, she moved away towards the edge of the bathing pool. Willow watched her in a daze, aroused and still trying to reign in her hormones.

"You coming?" Tara asked over her shoulder as she began to ascend out of the pool. Rivulets of water tracing down her curves. At that moment, Willow wanted nothing more than to run her tongue over each watery path the rivulets created.

"Yes," Willow managed and followed Tara out of the pool.

Seems like I'm always following her. Ah well, it's worth it. Willow thought as she exited the pool.

"Are you ready to see Elizabeth?" Tara asked as she dried off.

Insecurity and fear tried to edge their way into Willow's head but the heavy desire that seemed to have taken up residence in the Mage's body blocked most of it out. At that moment, Willow felt like she could deal with anything.

"Definitely. It will be good to see her again." Willow replied.

Tara smiled secretively. "I'm sure it will be."

Tara led Willow back to her chambers and summoned a serving girl. She instructed the girl to take Willow and find her suitable evening wear. Lady Tara then gave the redhead a chaste kiss on the check and instructed her to rest before the evening bell. With Willow taken care of for the moment, Tara went to see how Loki and Faith were.

Lady Tara stepped quietly into her Subs' chambers. She smiled sadly as she beheld Faith propped against the head board of their bed with Loki resting on her partner's lap.

"How is she?" Tara asked from the doorway.

Looking up, Faith sighed. "She's okay. Tired as all hell, but she's going to be fine."

Lady Tara nodded and walked toward the bed, seating herself next to Loki she reached out and gently touched the assassin's back. The whip marks that had been bleeding before had been healed and were now just angry red welts that crisscrossed her back.

"I'm so proud of her," Tara whispered. Faith nodded. The Mistress could tell that the dark haired assassin was having a tough time keeping her emotions in check. Reaching up, Tara caressed the side of Faith's face, then cupped her chin and forced Faith to meet her eyes.

"You know why Drusilla punished her, correct?" The Mistress inquired steadily.

Faith nodded. "She told me. I trust Loki's judgement. She wouldn't have done it if she didn't think there was something... special... about Red."

Tara sighed as her mind retracted to the past few hours she had spent with Willow. A smile came unbidden to her lips. "Yes, there is something special about Willow."

Faith's eyes flashed mischievously. "I see."

The Mistress swatted Faith playfully and then pulled her into a kiss. Faith's lips were soft and forceful as Tara pressed her own to them. They spent a few moments teasing and tasting each other before Lady Tara snaked her tongue out and flicked it against Faith's mouth seeking entrance.

Faith obliged her Mistress and opened her mouth. Their tongues battled and twisted for supremacy for a few moments before Tara gently pulled away breathing heavily. She and Faith rarely kissed when they weren't involved in pleasuring each other but when they did - it left Tara wanting more.

"Lady Elizabeth is coming this evening. I would appreciate it if you were there." Tara stated, trying to keep her arousal in check.

Faith furrowed her brow and ran her finger tips over Loki's scalp. "Loki usually attends with you to your patrons."

Tara nodded. "That's true - but do you really think that Loki is fit for anything more than sleeping right now? She endured a tremendous amount of pain at the hands of Drusilla. I'm sure that she would prefer to rest."

"You should listen to her..." Loki mumbled from Faith's lap.

A lopsided smile crossed Tara's features. "Loki, my pet, how are you?"

"Like a thousand horses stampeded across me, but other than that, I'm fine." She tried to turn over so she could see her Mistress but thought better of it as her muscles, tight from the whipping, refused to cooperate.

Reaching out Tara rubbed the back of Loki's head in a soothing gesture. "Relax Loki, my love; I just want you to rest." Looking at Faith she asked: "So you will be joining us?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Wonderful," Tara breathed and traced the back of Faith's hand. "I'm planning on Willow being there to watch, but if for some reason she or Mistress Elizabeth aren't comfortable than I think I'll send her in here with you Loki - is that alright?"

"Of course, Mi'lady"

"Good." Tara stood and stepped towards the door before she stopped and turned. "Oh, and Loki?"

"Yes, Lady Tara?"

"I shall reward you very soon for what you did today. You were amazing. You made me so proud of you." Tara spoke as she walked back to her Sub's bed, bent and placed a kiss between Loki's shoulder blades.

"Thank you, Mi'lady" Loki replied her breath hitching a little. Tara grinned, her lips still hovering over the assassin's skin. She knew a kiss to her Sub's back would melt the woman every time.

Straightening, Tara looked at Faith. "Whenever you're ready join us in my chambers."

After she left her Sub's room, Tara went to prepare her chambers.

She opened up an ornate standing wardrobe. Inside, mounted on the walls, were all sorts of whips, restraints and toys. Tara let a smile come to her features as she took in all the instruments of her trade.

After make sure her tools were ready, Tara changed into a black leather corset that pushed her ample cleavage up deliciously and barely covered her nipples as well as a matching lacy bottom number that left little to the imagination as to what the Mistress looked like below.

Satisfied with her outfit she covered herself with a vermilion silk robe that made it all the way down to her upper thighs.

It's not much - but I can't really be giving away free glimpses before the time is right. She mused thinking about what Willow's, Faith's and Buffy's reaction would be to her outfit. With her appearance set, Tara moved over to a smaller chest. Inside was a collection of glass blown phalluses and harnesses.

The Mistress contemplated which one, if any to use. She knew that Lady Elizabeth had a perchance for penetration. Delicately she traced down the lengths of the beautifully crafted pieces trying to decide which one. As she pondered her decision for Lady Elizabeth she began to think about what one to use with Willow.

Since Willow had declared her decision to tithe with Tara she knew that she would have to take the redhead in every form and fashion that one could be taken. Tara knew that taking a girl's virginity was painful - but she didn't want to inflict too much pain upon her redhead goddess.

Goddess? Did I just call her goddess? Tara wondered and then smiled. She couldn't lie - Willow was a goddess in the flesh.

Before Tara could contemplate the matter further there was a rap at her chamber door.

"Enter," Tara announced as she chose a toy and harness and shut the chest.

"Mistress, Lady Elizabeth is here." A soft spoken serving girl announced from behind her.

Laying the harness aside Tara turned and smiled. Lady Elizabeth stood, hands on her hips, chin held high with a challenge in her eye.

Oh, tonight is going to prove to be interesting. Tara thought and then spoke: "Lady Elizabeth always a welcomed and titillating sight. Sarah, you are excused."

The serving girl bowed and stepped out of the chambers, shutting the door behind her. As soon as the door closed, Buffy dropped her eyes and bowed her head.

Tara smirked, "Anxious are we, Elizabeth?"

"Perhaps a little, Mistress." Buffy replied.

"Well, we're not playing yet. There is something that we have to discuss." Tara said as she approached Buffy and traced her fingers down the line of Buffy's breast bone. Instantly, Buffy resumed her normal stance.

"What do we need to talk about?" She asked in her practiced casualness that had won information out of many a political opponent.

Tara giggled and looked down Buffy's body before looking back up behind hooded eyes. "Now, now, Buffy it's nothing serious. You don't need to take that tone with me."

Tara felt Buffy relax. Pleased, Tara turned away and sauntered over towards a low couch.

"I have a guest. I believe you know her, but she has stated her intent to tithe with me and become my Sub." The Mistress spoke easily. After years of dealing with 'situations' that involved incorporating a third, fourth, even a fifth person into a scene that normally involved a Mistress and her patron or Sub.

"I know her?" Buffy asked raising an eyebrow.

"Mmm, yes she spoke of you. Her name is Willow." Tara replied and looked towards the Imperial Mistress.

If Buffy reacted, Tara couldn't tell.

"Willow. I never expected her to be involved with the Night Clan." Buffy finally replied. "But, it's been a few years since I've spoken with Willow and perhaps I don't know her as well as I use to."

Tara remained silent as she watched the Imperial Mistress contemplate the information that Tara had given her, finally, Buffy inhaled deeply and an easy smile crossed her face. "Sounds like fun. Anything you want- I want as well."

A grin found its way to Tara's features. "Wonderful."

The Mistress stood and straightened her robe. "Faith."

Instantly, the Sub appeared from her doorway. "Would you be so kind as to fetch Willow and bring her here?"

"Yes, Mistress." With that Faith was gone.

"Faith is joining us tonight?" Buffy questioned as the Sub shut the door.

Tara nodded. "Loki is resting. She... Drusilla..." The Mistress took a deep breath to settle the turning in her stomach. She was proud of Loki and she was relived that her Sub had come out of the incident no worse for the wear but the memories of the punishment still made the Mistress' stomach roll. "She spoke out of line with Drusilla and therefore Drusilla was allowed to punish her. Thus, Faith will be attending us this evening."

The colour drained out of Buffy's face. Tara knew that the rumours of Drusilla's cruelty had reached the Imperial Mistress' ears.

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine. She made me quite proud."

"I've been meaning to ask you Lady Tara. Is there anything that can be done about Drusilla?"

Tara contemplated this and was about to reply when there was a knock on the door announcing Faith and Willow's return.

"Now isn't the time to discuss this, Pet." Tara replied signalling that the scene had begun as the door opened.