Chapter Three: Home, Sweet Home

I step off the Council's private jet and set my feet on the tarmac with somethin' like relief. I hate flyin'. It ain't that I'm afraid, I just can't stand it. Bein' forced to stay in one place makes me antsy, and you ain't got too many other options when you're that high in the sky.

I let out a breath and glance around. Good ol' Cali. I can feel the vibe of the place seepin' into my body all ready. There's just somethin' about this place... It really gets under my skin.

I glance back to see B comin' down the stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder. I shift mine and sigh. We haven't really talked much since we tied up our plans. She left my place and I went to sleep, dead to the world for seven and a half hours.

When I woke up, I drank and ate before I called to see if she'd arranged everything. All she said was for me to be at the airport in an hour and a half, and then she gave me the flight info and ended the call. Now here we are.

That had to have been the tensest flight I've ever taken. She didn't say a word to me the entire time. Five hours and not one single word, but she kept lookin' at me like she was expectin' somethin'. I ain't too sure what that was all about.

I hear a car approachin' and I glance around. I tense at the sight of a big black SUV slowin' to a stop a few feet away from where I'm standin'. I dart another glance back at B and I see that she's not worried. I guess it's our ride, then.

My guess is confirmed when Xander gets out of the driver's side. I still don't know what she's told them about this little visit. I have to admit that I'm kinda curious about how she explained me comin' back with her.

"Hey, Xan," I call out.

"Faith," He answers with a nod.

I guess I can't put it off any longer. I walk towards him slowly. Don't want him thinkin' I'm about to attack or nothin'.

"How's it hangin'?"

He shakes his head, "I'm not falling for that one. You'll have to try a little bit harder."

I grin widely. He doesn't flinch like I expected him to at the sight of my fangs. I'll take that as a good sign.

"Fine, then how's it goin'?"

"It's getting better all the time," He answers and reaches for my bag.

I step back, "Un-uh, save the chivalry for B. I can handle my own, y'know."

"Stop giving him a hard time," B's voice comes from behind me.

I glance back over my shoulder at her. "Stop takin' all my fun away, why don't ya?"

She rolls her eyes and hands Xander her bag. "Thanks, Xander."

"Any time, Buffster," He replies and then he walks around the SUV to the back.

I follow him slowly. When we reach the back, he pops the hatch and I let him settle Buffy's bag and then toss mine in. I leave him to shut the hatch and get into the backseat. I smirk when I see the DVD players and mini-screens set into the back of the seats and the panel of buttons and knobs set into the roof of the SUV.

Xander gets in and I ask, "Got ya ride all tricked out, don't ya?"

"Yeah," He replies as he starts the car. "I was surprised when Giles let us get all the bells and whistles."

It falls silent and I turn my attention to the panel between the two front seats. I reach up to fiddle with the buttons and my hand gets smacked away. I glare at the hazel eyes gazing back at me over B's shoulder.

"What? I was just gonna check it out."

"Uh-huh. More like you were going to mess with the settings until you overloaded the system. You forget that I know what you do when you go into an electronics store, Faith."

I smirk in reply. B quickly realized that taking me into RadioShack at the mall wasn't a good idea when we were kids. I've always had this weird fascination with pressing buttons. And if the result entertains me enough, I do it over and over.

Thwarted from my amusement, I slump back in my seat. This wasn't so bad. Hopefully the rest will be as easy, but I doubt it. There's always one person at least who wants to start shit.

The moment Dawn sees me climb out of the car, she squeals, "Faith!"

I flinch at the pitch, but I don't have time to rub my abused ear before she's jumpin' into my arms. I hug her in reflex. Either someone forgot to mention to her that I'm a vamp now, or she doesn't give a damn. With Dawn, I'm willin' to bet it's the latter.

She finally climbs down and grabs onto my arm like it's a life line as she tugs me towards the house. I chuckle at her.

"Hey, Dawn. How are ya?"

"I'm great. Oh my God, it's so good to see you," She says quickly.

"I'll get your bag," Xander calls from the back of the SUV.

I consider tellin' him to fuck off, but I decide against it. First day back, it wouldn't make a good impression. Maybe I can find a reason to tell him that next week. If I'm around next week, that is. I wince as I'm brought back to the reason why I'm here and I glance up at the house.

The sprawlin' three story brick house hasn't changed any. A flower garden adds some color to the otherwise plain appearance and the wooden swing on the front porch brings back some memories. I let out a tense breath. Not all of 'em good.

I chance a glance at B and see her lookin' worriedly at the house. Huh, wonder what that's all about. We climb the steps and Dawn finally releases me to go through the front door. I let her and B go in first and then I enter behind them.

My boots sound loud on the hardwood floor of the foyer. I look around and realized it's all still the same inside too. Two sets of staircases in front of us lead upstairs. The door to my left leads into Giles's study, the door to the right leads to the dinin' room and the kitchen, and a set of double doors between the staircases leads to the livin' room and the basement.

There's an almost unnoticeable door just inside the entrance to the house that's a coatroom. A few dark tan leather chairs line the walls along with a couple of oak end tables to form a sort of waitin' room.

Dawn catches my gaze and nods at the door to the left. "Giles and everyone else are waiting in there."

I nod. "So where am I stayin'?"

She grins, "Your stuff's still in your old room."

I flinch. "That's not gonna work, D. I don't get alone all that great with sunlight."

"I know, Faith. That's why Giles had the windows switched to the UV proof windows."

"Aight, well lemme take my stuff up and I'll be right back," I grin.

"Nah, Faith. I'll take care of it," Xander says as he strolls past me and B with our bags.

I tense and roll my eyes. I guess I won't be delayin' this any more. I reluctantly follow Dawn as she opens the door and enters the room.

Conversation halts when the room's occupants notice us. Ken's lookin' at me over Red's head from where she's sittin' on the chair arm in front of Giles's desk. There's a black woman leanin' against a corner of the desk and Giles is seated behind it. Spike, Angel and Gunn are standin' nearby in almost identical poses with their arms crossed over their chests.

Anyone else would be nervous at havin' that many people starin' at 'em. Fuck, I ain't anyone else and I'm nervous at havin' that many people starin' at me.

Chapter Four: Sheddin' Some Light

"Hey, Faith, what's up?" Kennedy breaks the silence and I let out a breath of relief.

Thanks, Ken. I could kiss ya for that one.

I shrug in reply, "Not a thing. B asked for my help, so here I am."

"Ah, yes. That's what she was telling us over the telephone. Thank you for coming," Giles says in a relieved tone.

I glance at him and then let my eyes drift to the others. Angel uncrosses his arms and looks like he's goin' to come over to me. I lift an eyebrow as I shake my head and he stops.

"Uh-uh, don't even think it, soul-boy. We ain't about to get all warm and fuzzy after what happened," I warn him coolly.

What? Motherfucker accuses me of bein' a mindless killin' machine like Angelus, tries to stake me, and thinks I'll forget about it? Fuck that.

B's the only one with a free pass for stupidity like that. And that ain't by choice. I just could never bring myself to kill her. The only thing keepin' me from gettin' stab happy with Angel is my gratitude for what he did way back when. There's also the fact that B would be seriously pissed if I did, too.

"Yeah, about that," Angel starts.

"No, don't bother. I don't wanna hear ya lame ass excuses," I interrupt sharply.

Giles clears his throat. "Perhaps you should listen to what he has to say, Faith."

If looks could kill, G-man would be toast. "Why? So I can hear his bullshit reasons for tryin' to end me and be all forgivin'? Fuck that, Giles. I ain't a soul-vamp, aight?"

He looks at me in confusion. "What are you talking about? I assumed that for whatever reason, your soul still remained."

"Maybe we should all get comfy before we start this conversation. I have a feeling it's going to be a long one," B interrupts.

I let out a rush of air and glance at her. I watch as the seats are quickly filled with impatient bodies and I shrug. I'd rather stand anyway. I sat long enough on the plane.

"What the bloody Hell is she doing here?" A British voice asks sharply from the doorway of the office.

I turn to find Wes standin' there. The look on his face tells me I've found my instigator for this visit. That fuckin' sucks. We were actually startin' to get along before.

The black woman, still leanin' against the desk next to Giles, clears her throat. "She's here to assist us with the situation, Wesley." She turns her attention to me and holds out a hand. "I'm Olivia, Rupert's wife."

"Nice to meet ya," I shake her hand briefly and return my attention to Wes.

"And how do we know that she won't decide to help them? She wasn't the most stable of persons when she was alive, and I honestly doubt she's any better—"

"Shut ya trap 'fore I shut it for ya," I growl and move toward him.

I don't care about first impressions right now. I just want him to be quiet. I didn't come here for this and I'll be damned if I'm just gonna put up with this shit.

Before I can reach Wes, a strong hand grabs my shoulder and jerks me to a stop. Angry, I turn and whatever words I might've had freeze in my throat. Deflated, I let my shoulders slump just a little.

Buffy gives me a sympathetic look and turns her attention to my intended victim. "Knock it off, Wes. It's understandable that you're a little scared. But I didn't bring her here to put up with your bullshit. She's here to help."

I blink a little in surprise. First, she's defendin' me. Second, Little Miss Straight Laced cursed. Third, fuck, she's gettin' me all kindsa hot here.

"Do we have any reassurances that she won't switch teams?" He asks and I can finally see that he really is frightened out of his mind.

Shit. These guys must be serious bad news if it's enough to have him stressin'. He usually holds up pretty damn strong in situations like this.

"I believe we were just getting to that. If everyone could take a seat, I'm sure Faith will answer what she can," Giles answers.

I shrug at the expectant look he gives me. Whatever gets people off my fuckin' back, I guess. It's a good thing I went to that Wiccan's coven after I was turned. Lenore gave me the answers they're probably lookin' for.

I'd been so fuckin' confused about what was happenin'. I'd tracked down a coven in Louisiana, hopin' to find some answers to my questions. Their leader, Lenore, gave me more info than I knew what to do with. I didn't understand what half of it meant, but I got the gist of it.

"Come on," Buffy grabs my arm and tugs me over to her chair in front of Giles's desk.

I raise an eyebrow at her in question and she ignores it as she sits down, then she grabs my arm again and pulls me down onto the chair arm. I just look at her for a few seconds and then I shake my head and turn my attention back to the rest of the group.

"Aight, so here's the long and short of it," I look around to make sure they're payin' attention. "I ain't got a soul."

"What? It's obvious that you're in complete control of your faculties, so how is that possible?" Giles interrupts.

I give him a sardonic look that quickly fades into a smirk. "The demon the Shadow Men infused the Slayer with is how. What the Watcher's Council didn't like to advertise was that when the infusion was finished, it had changed her genetic composition to that of a demon. A Slayer is no more human than Angel or Spike."

Wesley leans forward in his seat and asks, "How is that possible when they are born human?"

I bite my bottom lip and think about the explanation Lenore gave me. I shrug mentally. If they don't like it, too fuckin' bad for them. It's the truth.

"The callin' that so many girls have died for is no more than a fuckin' possession," I answer, sharper than I intend. "The demon's spirit passes from one girl to the next at her death, enhancin' the DNA strand all ready present that gives a Slayer her power."

Buffy places her hand on my arm and asks quietly, "How did you find this stuff out?"

I glance at her and I'm surprised to find that she's takin' this calmly. I'd half expected her to get all high and mighty about it. Guess she's changed a little too.

"After I finally accepted that this was what I was stuck with, I wanted answers and I found 'em in a coven in New Orleans."

"How is Lenore?" Red asks excitedly.

I glance at her and grin, "She was fine the last time I talked to her; which was last week. She gets testy if I don't call or e-mail her at least once a month."

"Wait," Angel interrupts. "If it happens upon the girl's death, as we all know it does, shouldn't the demon's spirit have left you all ready?"

I sigh, "Yeah. That's where it gets screwy. It has to choose to leave."

"And yours hasn't?" Spike asks in confusion.

"No," I answer slowly. "It hasn't, obviously."

"I've never heard of anything like this. Do you know how the spirit is managing to stay?" Giles asks.

I lower my head and slump back against the chair. My shoulder brushes against B's and I feel a little bit better. I glance up and let out a breath.

"The demon was given free reign when everything went down in Sunnydale. When that happened, it gained enough strength to cling to the physical realm."

"Shouldn't you be murder-queen again then?" Xander asks.

I glance sharply at him. I hadn't even noticed him come in. Realizin' that the question's actually kinda valid, I soften my look a little.

"The darkness influenced my actions, but didn't always control them. The demon they infused the Slayer with wasn't naturally inclined to be bad. It was more apathetic, very few of its' kind had evil tendencies. Lenore thinks that's why the Shadow Men chose it."

"Yes, that would make sense," Giles mused. "But it doesn't explain why you aren't behaving badly. I would think that the demons would negatively influence each other."

I snort, "Nice way to put it, G-man. I guess it's 'cause the demon's spirit kinda cages the vampire the way the gypsy curse does Angelus."

"So you've been completely in control this entire time?" Giles asks.

I nod, "Yeah."

I see them all exchange glances and I go from mildly amused to worried, real fast. Silence falls for long moments. The only sounds are the tickin' of the clock on the wall across the room and several sets of breathin'.

I can't hold my question in much longer and I ask tensely, "What the fuck's wrong? I thought that was a good thing."

Giles clears his throat. "It could actually prove to be a problem."

"Why?"

"If you go into their operation, they're likely to expect certain behavior."

I shrug with forced nonchalance, "Yeah? So?"

"Also, we have no way of knowing how you'll react," Angel adds. "If darkness is what it takes to unleash the demon, putting you in that situation is asking for trouble."

"Whoa, whoa, hold up!" I say sharply and stand. "What the fuck are ya babblin' about?"

"Think about it, Faith," Angel answers. "You haven't given into the bloodlust. It could be all it takes to make you lose control."

Chapter Five: The Problem with Vampires

"I'm willin' to take the risk," I reply as I settle back onto the arm of B's chair.

"We're not," Wesley breaks into the conversation. "It's not you that will have to worry about an abnormally strong, slightly psychotic vampire coming after you, now is it?"

I laugh humorlessly and lean towards him. "Listen, Wes. I understand your worries. But it's me or ya precious Slayers. Are ya willin' to let more of 'em die 'cause you're afraid of what might happen?"

"Stop it, both of you," Buffy interrupts us. "There are a few issues we need to work out, but at this point, Faith's our only chance, Wesley."

"She's right," Giles concedes. "As much as I hate going into this blindly, we have no other option. We'll keep our eyes open for other opportunities, but for now we'll stick to the original plan."

"Aight, so lemme see if I got this right. I find their base, get in on their operation and then..." My eyebrows arch. "Find out as much as I can, like numbers, what they're armed with, skill, makeup, plans, and other shit like that?"

"Yes," Giles answers. "We also need you to try to get as close to the leader as you can without putting yourself into too much danger. No one knows anything about him other than the rumors, and those have been fairly disturbing."

I laugh, "G-man, the entire situation is dangerous, but I get what you're puttin' down. How am I supposed to stay in contact?"

"We don't know yet," He answers and shakes his head. "We'd need to know the general setup first."

"You realize I can't stay here, right?" I ask with a smirk.

B grabs my arm and leans forward to look into my eyes. "Why can't you? I mean, I get that you're probably uncomfortable 'cause it's been so long, but—"

I place my hand over her mouth and shake my head. "Slow ya roll, B. That ain't it."

She jerks away and narrows her eyes at me. "Don't do that. And if that's not it, then why?"

"Think about it, B. If they see me here, then the whole plan is fucked."

"You have a point," Giles says ruefully.

"'Course I do, but that ain't it," I answer dejectedly.

"Do you even have a point, Faith?" Buffy asks dryly.

I look at her. "Where do most vamps live, B?"

I can see her fightin' the laugh that's just dyin' to escape as understandin' dawns, but I don't see what's so funny. Unless I can find an abandoned house I can board up, I'll have to live in some crappy mausoleum. I left Georgia for this?

Aight, so we eventually got things hammered out enough that I could go to bed. The sky is startin' to get that light pink tint to it that signals the arrival of dawn when I reach my old bedroom. I enter the room, but before I can close the door I hear a voice call my name.

"Faith, wait."

I poke my head out into the hall to see Angel and Spike comin' down the hall. I consider shuttin' and lockin' the door but decide against it. I ain't that immature, at least not right now anyway. Doesn't mean I have to be nice, though.

"What the fuck do you want, soul-boy?"

"We need to talk to you," He answers and gestures to Spike.

I roll my eyes and glance toward the bay window at the end of the hall to my right. It won't be long 'fore the sun is up. I jerk the door open further and step back.

"Then get in here 'cause I ain't interested in becomin' extra crispy," I grumble.

They enter my room and with a perverse sense of pleasure, I walk over to the window and open the curtains. I lift the blinds and peer out over the expanse of the back yard.

"So what do ya want?" I ask without turnin' to look at either of 'em.

This is the first time I've gotten a direct view of the sunrise in four years. I ain't gonna let their presence ruin it for me. The sight of it used to take my breath away and it filled me with wonder and warmth. The past four years were spent longin' for that feelin' and knowin' I couldn't have it.

I guess they understand 'cause neither of 'em is complainin' about it. They both move up on either side of me and look out as well. I catch sight of the tiny smiles on their lips out of the corners of my eyes and smirk. I wonder if it's the darkness within us that makes us crave the light.

We're silent as the rays of light inch their way across the sky until there's not an inch of darkness left in sight. I'm amused to find that I'm still as enthralled by the sunrise as I ever was. It's actually a nice feelin', to find that while the more things change, the more they stay the same.

"We need to talk about the plan," Angel starts hesitantly.

"What about it? I thought it was pretty straightforward and thought out."

"It wasn't, not really," Spike answers.

I arch an eyebrow, unseen as they both move away from the window. I cross my arms over my chest and slowly turn away from the window to lean back against the frame.

"What's the problem, boys? I'm fine with what they came up with before I got here."

"Do you think you'll actually be able to go through with it?" Angel asks pointedly.

Tryin' to pretend I don't know what he's talkin' about, I say, "Yeah. I'll be fine."

"I don't think you fully understand everything this course of action entails," He says gravely.

I sigh, "I get that you're lookin' out for me, Angel, but I'm a big girl. I can take it."

"It'll change everything," Spike interrupts heatedly.

"Look," I snap. "I get that I'm gonna have to be the demon for a while. I know that people will die and God knows, I don't want any more blood on my hands, but that'll happen regardless. If I do nothin', more blood will be on my hands anyway 'cause I could've prevented it and did nothin' instead."

"If you back out, we'll understand," Angel says gently.

I laugh scornfully. "Yeah, you might. But I won't, and B sure as fuck won't."

He growls, "Fuck Buffy! Let's just forget her for now. It's you I'm worried about."

I push off from the frame and rush over to him, grabbin' his shirt collar and shovin' him up against the wall. Spike simply moves out of the way, knowin' I can more than take both of 'em. We just stare at each other for a long moment.

I get up in his face and snarl, "Don't you get yet, Angel? I can't forget Buffy! That's my fuckin' problem."

I see the understandin' startin' to leak into his expression and laugh. I can't believe he hadn't realized it yet. All these years, and all the bullshit I did... It was all because of her and the feelings I never wanted. It took my own death for me to finally accept that I was in love with her.

I continue in an anguished tone, "As much as the thought of what I'm gonna have to do is fuckin' me up inside, I have to do it. I'm gonna get some sleep, drink some pig's blood, go hunt for a place to crash, and then track these motherfuckers down, all 'cause I can't do anything else."

I let him slide down the wall and release him. I step back and shake my head when Spike goes to say somethin'. I look back at Angel and shrug.

"It's just the way things are. Spike gets it," I jerk my head at the bleach-blonde. "It's why he helped 'em back in SunnyHell when he was chipped."

Angel's eyes track from my face to Spike to see him give a knowin' grin. He sighs.

"So you think you can handle this?"

I nod, "Yeah. I know I can."

"And you're sure you want to do this alone?"

I smirk, "I don't have a choice, Angel. Everyone here would be a liability and I wouldn't trust anyone else to have my back."

I wouldn't really trust anyone here to have my back either, except maybe Red, Ken, or B. But I don't gotta rub it in his face that he fucked up big time. I think he gets it by now.

"Okay, I guess that's it then."

Angel turns and heads for the door. He opens it and shoves Spike out first.

"Hey, watch it, Nancy-boy!"

He ignores Spike and glances back at me. He hesitates and then smiles, "Listen, I know what you said down there, but—"

I shake my head, "I get it, Angel. As pissed as I still am, I know that if the vamp had been in control, the human part of me would've wanted you to stake her."

He nods, "Yeah."

I watch him turn to leave and I smirk when he hesitates again. He turns back once more.

"If you need any help with anything, you know you can come to me, right?"

"Yeah," I nod and wave him out of the room. "Now, get gone. I need my beauty sleep. Somethin' tells me I ain't gonna be gettin' much of that soon."

I watch the door shut behind him. The problem with vampires, I muse. Is that we ain't got too many brain cells. Why else have so many of us fallen victim to Buffy's charms?

Chapter Six: Recruitment in the Interim

I've been trackin' this guy for three hours. We made our way through the residential areas, the business areas, and now we're creepin' through the back half of the warehouse district. It's startin' to get kinda borin'.

I gotta stay patient though, 'cause I gotta find out where this guy's goin' 'fore I head to my new place. I got a schedule and I wanna stick to it. It's strange as all Hell, but it wasn't really my idea either. Before I could leave the house after a last minute meetin' earlier, B asked me to set it up so we could have a fixed time and place to meet.

I reluctantly did and then I slipped out 'fore any more interruptions could come. I decided on where I was gonna crash, and fixed it up a little. Before I knew it, I nearly stumbled across the blonde vamp I'm followin' talkin' to someone else in the alley behind my new place. He was runnin' his mouth about some vamp named "Joaquin".

When he mentioned somethin' about joinin' Joaquin's army, I figured I'd found what I was lookin' for. It was confirmed when I heard 'em jokin' 'bout stickin' it to the Slayers durin' their initiation. 'Course, at that point, I had to force myself not to tear into 'em.

Blondie's approachin' the largest warehouse in this section of the warehouse district and I look for a place to hide. I duck into an alcove between two warehouses and crouch down into the darkest of the shadows. I scope out the situation and wince.

Joaquin isn't takin' any chances. The area's lit up with rotatin' search lights and a fence surrounds the parameter. Two guards are at the gate in the fence and I can see a few walkin' the boundary inside. There's a couple pacin' on the roof too.

I can't quite make out the guns the roof guards are packin', but I'd guess that they're probably sniper rifles. The guards at the gate have rifles strapped to their backs. One of 'em sweeps his jacket back and puts his hands on his hips as he talks to Blondie. He's wearin' a double shoulder holster and the second gun makes my blood boil.

The first is a Semi-Automatic Double Action Smith & Wesson. I recognize it 'cause a buddy of mine in Boston used to pack one. The second is a modified Jericho 941 F. The grip of the gun's been replaced by a clear handle and I can see slivers of the glowin' blue liquid that fills the bullets inside the magazine.

Ever wonder what reaction a vamp has to chemical radiation burns? It's about like shovin' 'em outside, mid-afternoon. Imagine puttin' that inside 'em. It makes for a wicked explosive mix.

Oh, God, I want one. I've seen 'em, but never had the cash for it. Before this is over and done with, I'm gettin' me one of 'em, damn it. For now, though, I gotta go let B know what I found out. Then I'm takin' my ass home for a warm mug of blood and maybe a porno or two.

B's lookin' at me like I just gave the answer to life's greatest mystery. I bite back a laugh and lean against the wall of the mausoleum. I shrug at her.

"Ain't nothin' big, B. I just got lucky enough to come across the right vamp."

She lets out a tense chuckle. "We've been struggling to find even the tiniest scrap of information on where their lair is for weeks and then you come in and find it in less than twenty-four hours. That's... amazing, really."

"Nah," I grunt, "Ain't anything amazin' about it, B. All I did was track a vamp that wasn't smart enough to pay attention to what his instincts were screamin'."

"Mmm. So did you find a place to stay?"

"Yeah, it's this tiny little place over on Wilshire Drive. It ain't that great, but it'll do."

"Maybe you won't be stuck there for long."

"It's a good thing I'm used to bein' alone," I sigh. "Otherwise this whole fuckin' thing would be drivin' me nuts."

She looks at me in concern, "How are you doing with being back here? I know you seem really uncomfortable, but that could just be the situation."

I scrub my face roughly and push off the wall, "It's a little bit of everything, really. But I gotta get goin'."

Before I know what she's doin', she tugs me into a hug. I'm frozen for a long moment and then she starts to pull away in embarrassment. I shake myself out of my stupor and pull her back against me.

"Sorry, caught me by surprise there," I choke out.

"It's okay," She whispers gently and buries her face in my neck.

I wrap my arms tightly around her and revel in the feelin' of her tight little body pressin' against mine. The scent of lavender surrounds me and her warmth makes me wanna sink into her and never leave. Tears fill my eyes and I squeeze 'em shut, fightin' to keep the tears in. It's been so long since we've been this close and for a while there I'd thought it wouldn't happen ever again.

Sometimes it's so easy to forget the connection we have. We've fought it, but there isn't any denyin' it's there when we're alone. When we're fightin' it's like we can't get enough distance between us... But when we're gettin' along, we can't get close enough.

It's why we've pushed each other away so often. It scares us both to death. I think maybe now I can get past that fear. I nuzzle the side of her head and hear a sigh that matches my own.

She squeezes me and then steps back. "I'll see you here tomorrow night, same time?"

"Yeah," I answer quickly and then I duck out the entrance.

"Don't move," A voice hisses in my ear.

The barrel of a gun jams into my ribcage and I slowly lift my arms. It's been two days since I set out on my own. I've been tryin' to find out how to catch Joaquin's attention ever since and I think maybe I've caught it. It wasn't really intentional though.

A vamp had tried to jump me just outside this cemetery and I made quick work of him. Then a bunch more had leaped out of the shadows and it was on. I managed to fight 'em off and that's when I found myself in this situation. I could kick this guy's ass, but that would defeat the point, wouldn't it?

"Aight, I ain't movin'. Can I ask what the fuck this is all about?"

He chuckles and trails the gun across my torso as he circles me. He stops in front of me as he puts the gun away and lets his gaze caress me. It's almost impossible to keep my disgust from showin'.

Yeah, he's hot. If he were human, I might do him. And yes, I'm perfectly aware of how fucked up that is since I'm a vampire too. But I still like my bodies warm.

He's got dark hair, darker eyes and a natural, dark golden complexion I'm guessin' lets him pass for human every once in a while. His hair reaches his collar in loose curls and his thin eyebrows are finely arched. His cheekbones are high and his face is all angles and muscle.

He has better taste in clothes than most of the vamps I've ever met, though. He's wearin' a silk red shirt and well-cared for black leather pants. Between him, Angel, me and Spike, we might be able to do some good for vamps everywhere.

Too bad for them I gotta stake this fucker. I'm gonna enjoy the fuck out of it, though. The glint in his eyes makes my skin crawl and somethin' about the way he's lookin' at me's really startin' to piss me the fuck off.

"You're one rude son of a bitch, y'know that?"

I always have had a problem stayin' quiet for long. Maybe one day I'll learn to keep my mouth shut. Not.

He glances over his shoulder and shares a laugh with his buddies. Then he turns back to me and before I can react, he backhands me. I let my head roll with the force of it and then straighten to glare at him. I lick the blood from the corner of my mouth as I let my face shift into the vamp's distortion.

He chuckles again, "You aren't from around here, are you, gorgeous?"

"Nah, I just arrived a couple days ago." Well, it ain't a lie. He ain't gotta know I've lived here before.

"Well, since you're new to town, I'll be fair," He answers slowly.

"That's just fuckin' great," I answer sarcastically.

"I," He pats my cheek hard, "Am," Another smack, "Joaquin." He smacks me harder this time. "Everything I say, goes."

I'm diggin' my nails into the palms of my hands to keep from wailin' on this motherfucker. I was worried about whether I'd blow my cover by not bein' able to feed. Right now, I'm more concerned that I'll blow it by tearin' their leader apart.

"Do you have nothing to say, gorgeous?"

"Yeah, keep callin' me that and you'll find out just why my friends call me Destroyer."

B came up with that ridiculous nickname. We didn't think I should use my actual name, since chances are that he might hear about me at some point. I thought about arguin' but I really couldn't come up with anything better.

He chuckles, "I'll bet that is a rather interesting tale. So what do I call you, hmm?"

I give him a sly smile, "Call me Troy."

He throws an arm over my shoulders and leads me away. "Well, Troy. How would you like to join my army?"

Forcin' myself not to shove him away, I inject a small amount of intrigue into my voice, "An army? Ya don't say."

"Yes, and after the way you handled yourself with my men, I believe you're perfect for it, Troy. There are all sorts of benefits for someone as motivated as you. Getting to kill the Slayers is just one of them. We might even let you keep one as a pet, if you'd like."

"Show me," I hiss.

I wonder how he'd feel if he knew I vamped out 'cause I wanna tear him apart and not 'cause I wanna get my hands on a Slayer. Don't get me wrong, I wanna get my hands on a Slayer, but only one particular Slayer and not that way.

Chapter Seven: The Problem with Slayers

"Where is she?" The blonde muttered. "It wasn't bad enough that I have two slayers that went missing tonight, now I have to worry about her too?"

Buffy paced the floor of the mausoleum impatiently. Faith was an hour late and she was starting to worry. If it were any other time, she'd believe Faith was just being Faith; irresponsible, irrational and irritating. But the other Slayer knew the seriousness of the situation.

She blew out a sharp breath and shook her head. She still had a hard time thinking of Faith as a vampire and not a Slayer. Though if she understood what the other woman had said the previous morning, she was technically still a Slayer.

Her first reaction when Willow and Kennedy had made their report... She hadn't dealt well, and that was putting it lightly. She'd done everything from accusing them of lying to blaming it on them. It had taken them months to get past the hurtful, cruel words they'd all spewed. The argument was still a sore spot for all three women.

Buffy let out an explosive breath and glanced at the sports watch on her right wrist one more time. Another half hour had passed and still no sign. She stopped pacing and ran her hand through her hair.

If she looked for Faith, she might be placing them both in danger. If she did find her, she might not even be in trouble and that would lead to extensive teasing. She knew that from experience. But, if she didn't look for her friend and Faith was in danger...

The blonde's heart gave her answer for her. She couldn't take that chance when she'd only just gotten Faith back in her life. They had way too many things they really needed to talk about.

"Oh, I am so going to kill her," Buffy groaned and headed for the entrance to the mausoleum.

(Faith's POV)

There are things you don't notice when you stay away from other people. I've realized that since B came back into my life. Like, I never noticed just how cute it is when she says the word 'okay'.

Well, aight... maybe I did notice that one. I just wasn't willin' to admit it at the time. But seriously, I never noticed just how bad close proximity to a vamp makes me itch for a stake. Maybe that's why I spent a lot of time tryin' to kill Angel.

Nah, I just wanted him dead 'cause he put his paws on my girl. I blow out an inaudible breath and glance around. Bein' surrounded by vamps is settin' my internal alarms off violently.

We haven't even made it back to their encampment yet. Halfway there, we were met by a group of Joaquin's men that were lookin' for him. They've been whisperin' excitedly to him this entire time as others set up a makeshift seatin' area. I'm just grateful it got him to take his hands off me.

I hope this hasn't got anything to do with B. Knowin' her though, she's probably knee deep in trouble by now. I ain't the only one who has problems with followin' orders, y'know.

I glance around and notice a couple of vamps approachin'. They're leadin' people on leashes behind 'em. I tilt my head and furrow my brows.

Now, if that don't beat all... I guess that's what that son of a bitch meant by keepin' a Slayer as a pet. I guess normal humans are acceptable too, 'cause those chicks ain't Slayers.

"Tonight, we celebrate!" Joaquin's boisterous laughter calls his approach to my attention.

I tense as a hand claps my shoulder heartily and force a grin, keepin' my eyes on the two "pets". I lower my voice to a purr, "Really? I do love a good party."

"I'm glad to hear it," He answers happily and looks to where I'm starin'. "Ah, I see you've found a couple of our pets."

"Yeah," I nod. "Why haven't they been turned yet?"

He grins, "Ah, we don't turn anyone unless they prove to be worthy. Until then, we keep them to feed off of occasionally."

"I get ya."

He gives me a warnin' look, "Anyone caught draining or turning someone without my permission will immediately be dealt with."

"No worries there," I mutter.

He briskly answers, "Good."

A vampire grabs one of the "pets" and her scream is quickly cut off by a hand over her mouth. He sinks his fangs into her neck and I tense. I force myself to watch, knowin' that the slightest thing could give me away.

The contradictin' feelings the sight evokes have me so confused I'm gettin' a headache. On one hand I'm angry at havin' to just stand here and let it go on. The part of me that's the Slayer wants to feel his body give way to my strength.

On the other... Oh God, I choke back bile and my stomach turns as I'm forced to admit it. On the other, I can almost taste the hot rush of her blood pumpin' down my throat. I want so badly to feel the tender flesh of her neck give way to my hunger.

"Ah," Joaquin murmurs. "I see that you are feeling the thirst, my young friend."

I clench my jaw for a moment to keep from sayin' anything that could get me in trouble. When I feel calm enough I turn to look at him. I just study him for a sec before I answer him.

"You could say that."

"Let me see what I can do about that," He says as he looks around. "Ah, there we are. I'll be right back."

I watch in horror as he approaches a vamp holdin' two leashes. They speak for a moment and then the other vamp smiles broadly. Joaquin takes the offered leash and leads a small blonde towards me.

Oh fuck. The tinglin' warns me before they even reach me. This one is a Slayer.

She lifts her head groggily and our gazes lock. Her eyes are glazed and now that I'm lookin' closer, I can see that her breathin' is kinda elevated. Drugs, I realize.

"Let me tell you this, Troy," Joaquin says with a wide grin. "You will never taste anything like Slayer's blood."

My mind's racin' for excuses as to why I can't do this. He's gonna get suspicious if I turn it down. I have to try at least once, though.

"She's drugged, ain't she?"

"Yes, it's the only way to keep them without endangering ourselves. The drugs are completely safe for us however. They're a simple herbal mixture Aiden, my warlock, cooked up. Of course, we let it wear off for initiation night," He laughs as he holds the leash towards me.

I feel my stomach drop. The only excuse I could find was that I don't like my food to be tampered with, but he just shot that down with his answer. I take the leash reflexively.

"Why do ya let it wear off for initiation night?"

"The soldiers in my army have to be strong enough to defeat a Slayer and the Slayer has to be at full strength to provide a real fight," He answers with a low laugh.

"Yeah, I get that," I answer absently.

He gives me an expectant look, "Now, aren't you going to have a taste? I promise you won't be disappointed."

I reluctantly turn my attention to the woman in front of me. She's shakin' so bad I can see it without even tryin' and tears are trailin' silently down her face. Oh God, I don't wanna do this. But even as I'm thinkin' that, my face is shiftin' forms.

I glance around and spot a pile of colorful pillows that have been scattered in one corner of the parkin' lot we're standin' in. I make my way over there, guidin' the Slayer along behind me and tryin' to ignore Joaquin's silently pacin' figure. We reach the pillows just as a couple of vamps move one of the cans of burnin' debris nearby for light.

I blow out a breath and hesitate. I know this ain't gonna be very believable if I keep bein' gentle with this chick, but I don't want to make things worse. I look to our left and the sight of a vamp tearin' into the neck of another woman makes me wince. It could be a lot worse for her than anything I might do, though.

I shove her down onto the pile of pillows and climb behind her. I grab a handful of her hair and force her head to the side to bare her throat. I let my eyes trace the area near her pulse and my attention narrows in on that point until it's all I see. I lower my mouth and just as my fangs graze the pale skin, my eyes lift and what I see makes me curse silently as I freeze.

Goddamn her. She couldn't just stick to the plan, could she? I didn't want her to have to see me do this shit, but she's left me with no choice now. And on top of that, I have to find a way to get her out of trouble, too.

our guards are comin' towards us, draggin' a strugglin' form between 'em. The familiar pair of hazel eyes lookin' back at me in terrified disbelief makes me curse again. The problem with Slayers, I muse. Is that they never, ever stick to the plan.

Chapter Eight: The Demon Within

In the time that it takes for Joaquin to notice their approach, my mind examines and discards a few ideas. The first involves stakin' him, grabbin' B and haulin' ass back home. I nixed that one simply 'cause I know B would get pissed at abortin' the mission. The second one involves ignorin' B and goin' about my business and my reaction to that one should be fairly obvious.

The third one I don't like, but sometimes a vamp's gotta do what a vamp's gotta do. In this case, it involves some good old fashion violence between me and B. We've done it before, so it really ain't anything new. Except this time it makes me angry 'cause I don't have any other option.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" Joaquin laughs as he stands, "If it isn't the illustrious Chosen One, herself."

He reaches out to touch her face and I'm surprised at the amount of vitriol I feel at the action. There are vivid images of death and mutilation flitterin' through my head, and he's the star of all of 'em. Who knew I could be so fuckin' inventive? I grin as Buffy spits at him and jerks away from his touch.

I shove the Slayer in my arms aside and stand next to Joaquin. I tilt my head and study B through narrowed eyes. I start at the toe of her boots and work my way up her body, pausin' to admire the frustrated, rapid rise and fall of B's chest. It ain't the only thing I'm admirin' there either.

By the time I've reached her eyes, it's pretty obvious just what I was doin'. She's starin' daggers at me and the clenchin' and relaxin' of her jaw muscles tells me that she's grindin' her teeth. At the same time, a flush of shame and anger is workin' its' way up her neck to her face and I smirk.

"I want this one."

Joaquin laughs and faces me. "You are ambitious for such a young one, Troy. Just how many years has it been since you were turned?"

"Four," I reply. "It's been four years since Dane turned me, and I sent him on a one way trip to Hell in return."

His face freezes in a study of surprise for just a moment and then a wide, cruel smile forms on his face. He studies me carefully for just a moment and taps his chin thoughtfully. The glint I spotted earlier has returned and a ball of nervous tension forms in my gut.

I realize with dismay exactly why it makes my skin crawl now. I saw it in the mirror a Hell of a lot when I was younger. It's the look of unrestrained malicious glee. It's what happens when the demon within is unleashed, I guess.

He turns his attention to Buffy's tiny form sprawled on the ground between the guards. He glances briefly at the bruised, bloodied guards and nods his head thoughtfully. Another second's deliberation and he smirks.

"I think would be fitting that the longest lasting Slayer is enslaved by a vampire as young as you, Troy," He answers slowly and snaps his fingers at one of the nearby vamps. "You, bring me a collar and leash along with some of Aiden's mixture."

"I won't need the mixture," I reply with brash arrogance.

At least that's what I'm sure it seems like to him. But I know B, and she ain't gonna fight me; at least not yet. When she realizes what I'm gonna have to do to get us out alive, that's when she's gonna do it.

Joaquin dismisses the vamp as he hurries to do his biddin' and then he glances at Buffy in amusement and pauses. I watch as he takes in the way her eyes refuse to leave me and then he laughs.

"Maybe you're right at that, my young friend."

The errand vamp returns quickly with the requested stuff and Joaquin kneels in front of Buffy. He grasps a tuft of her hair and I dig my nails into the palms of my hands again to keep from attackin' him as I see her wince. One of the guards takes the collar from him and places it around B's neck. Joaquin attaches the leash and stands, offerin' the leash to me.

"In that case, consider her a gift from me to you."

"Best fuckin' gift I ever received," I growl as I accept the leash.

He laughs. "I'm sure it is."

I tug on the leash as I growl, "Get the fuck up."

They're gonna expect a show and I'll have to give 'em one. At least I know B can take it, unlike that poor kid he was gonna make me drink from. I also realize that she's gonna have my head and not in the good way when this is over with.

She doesn't react quickly enough and I reach down, clutchin' a handful of her shirt in my fist and pullin' her up. She stumbles, fallin' right into my open arms and I laugh.

I ask slyly, "Eager much?"

I wrap an arm around her waist and drop the leash as I push her hair to the other side of her neck. I glance down at the lightly tanned skin below the black leather collar and the blood flowin' beneath her flesh has me enthralled. I lower my head slowly and brush my lips over her pulse point. I whimper softly and slide my tongue over the smooth skin.

It takes longer than I would've expected for B to start strugglin'. She punches me in the side and I grunt in response. She isn't even fightin' that hard, I realize. She's doin' it for show.

I restrain her with both arms and tighten my hold on her 'til I know it's gotta be painful. She squeaks in protest and forces her body to go limp against me. I grin and my lips brush against her ear.

"Be careful, Slayer," I hiss so low that she's the only one who can hear me.

"Fuck you," She snarls in reply.

"Oh you will," I laugh loudly in reply.

I lower my head to her neck once again and drag my fangs over the soft skin. I know I'm not imaginin' the shiver that moves her ever so slightly, or the subtle archin' of her neck. Oh, ho, this is too fuckin' good, I chuckle silently.

"You're dead, Faith. I mean it," She hisses in my ear.

"Mm-hmmm," I murmur and tease her skin with my fangs again. "Tell me another one."

She lets out an exasperated growl, "How about the one where I stake you in your sleep?"

"Don't think I like that one," I answer with one more pass of teeth over her neck.

"I can't believe you're doing..." She trails off with a low, hoarse moan when my fangs break through the skin.

My moan drowns hers out as hot, tangy blood fills my mouth. I should be disgusted, I know. But right now, the only thing that's registerin' in my mind is the warmth seepin' into my insides and the warm, squirmin' body in my arms. A low, throbbin' pulse swells my clit as I grind against her hip.

I stumble back towards the pile of pillow and drop to my knees, takin' her with me. I lay her down, not losin' contact with her artery. My knee falls between her open thighs and grinds up into her unconsciously. She returns the contact by shovin' her knee against my groin and I gasp as I break away from her neck.

I lap at the thin trickle of blood that leaks from the two puncture wounds and she tangles her fingers in my hair. We've both lost touch with where we are at this point. I sink my fangs into her neck once more and her fingers clench reflexively, holdin' me to her. Animalistic grunts escape us both as we rut against each other.

Her hands leave my hair and slide down my back 'til she finds the edge of my t-shirt. I groan against her flesh at the feel of her hands on my skin as her fingers caress my skin. Suddenly I feel her stiffen and her hands clutch at me as I hear her cryin' out senselessly. I continue to press my knee against her, lettin' her ride out her climax.

I let my fangs retract from her artery and my tongue soothes the puncture wounds again. I groan as a tiny orgasm rolls through me and bury my face against her neck. My hips continue to jerk against her, tryin' to find more release. Another wave rolls over me, this one more intense and I'm on the edge of unconsciousness for a long, breathless second.

I'm still sprawled on top of B when things start makin' sense again. There's still a lingerin' flush of heat circulatin' in my body and I feel kinda disconnected. I don't know if that was from drinkin' B's blood or from fuckin' her. I think it's a tossup.

Fuck, he wasn't kiddin' when he said I'd never taste anything like Slayer blood. I chuckle silently. This is the kind of high I never could've experienced when I was alive.

The sound of slow, loud clappin' snaps me out of the daze I was driftin' in. I jerk my head up and my eyes widen when I'm reminded of exactly where I am. Oh shit, B's gonna kill me for real.

Goddamn it. I scramble off of B and straighten my shirt. I might just let her. All the times I dreamed about a first time with B, this kinda shit wasn't even anywhere near my thoughts.

B sits up shakily and she gives me a lost, betrayed look as she huddles into herself. Jesus, I just want to hold her close and beg for her to forgive me but I know it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

"Great show," Joaquin says loudly and saunters towards us.

I know I've done some bad things, but nothin' seems to hold a candle to what I just did to B. I guess this is kinda what Angel was tryin' to prepare me for. I thought I was ready for it, but I wasn't. Now I've gotta pull myself together 'cause I've all ready fucked one thing up, and I'll be damned if I'll fuck this up too.

I make a show of trailin' my tongue over my lips to gather the stray drops of blood. I try not to look at B, not wantin' to see the expression on her face. I stand and face him with a wicked grin.

"Glad you enjoyed it," I purr.

"Oh, that I did," He laughs. "Everyone else is ready to go, whenever you and your pet are."

 I glance over at her and she stands on unsteady legs. I can see her reluctance at approachin' me and I arch an eyebrow, full of meanin'. Her shoulders slump and she makes her way over to me. I grab the leash that's danglin' from the collar at her throat and wrap it around my hand.

"Ready," I smirk at his disbelievin' look.

I guess he's confused at her sudden compliance, considerin' the shape his guards were in when they brought her over. Oh well, I won't be the one to clear up his confusion. As long as he keeps misinterpretin' her behavior, that'll be fine with me.

What he sees is that she's terrified and humiliated. What I see is that she's enraged, disgusted, hurt, and a whole host of other things. There might be a little bit of fear thrown in there somewhere, but I can guarantee that it ain't much.

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