Disclaimer: The Buffyverse does not belong to me, but the plot of this story does.
If you haven't read "Destiny's a Funny Thing" some of the characters in this story will be unfamiliar, but don't worry about it, this is a stand-alone.
Angel poured four glasses of brandy and carried them to the table. A fire was roaring in the fireplace and he could hear the rain falling. The others in the room helped themselves to brandy but no one spoke.
Angel thought it was a night for storytelling so he said, "I want to hear about this first vampire-with-a-soul. I spent more than a hundred years thinking it was me and now it turns out I was third. So, I want to know, who was he?"
Jezeil smiled as he twirled the brandy in his glass. "This is a night for stories isn't it? Very well."
Lenore already knew the story but as the second vampire-with-a-soul she never tired of hearing it. She leaned back in her chair and glanced over at William, formerly known as Spike. He'd been human for several months now but she could tell that the change was not so easy. Or perhaps it was too easy. Perhaps he did not feel different enough. The story would give him insight, she thought.
Jezeil settled himself in his chair and began the story.
"Our story begins in the hills of Tuscany. It was August 5th the year of our lord 1225. The summer had been bounteous that year and the fall harvest was looking just as good. On that day three monks set out from their abbey to pick blackberries. They walked together for a while until Brother Paulo separated from the others and went into the woods. He knew of a small clearing that had many blackberry plants.
"The forest was quite thick, the sun barely penetrating the trees. He had almost reached the clearing when he was seized from behind. He struggled to get away or to cry out but his attacker was too strong. Suddenly he felt teeth sink into his neck and the blood was sucked from his body.
"The vampire who attacked him had originally intended simply to drain his victim but now he had a much better idea. He hated the church and all it stood for, had hated it even as a human. So he decided to turn this monk, for what fate would be worse for a man of God than to lose his soul and become that which he fought against?
"The vampire, who's name was Marcus, left Brother Paulo's body in a small cave and covered it over with branches. He did not want the others to find the monk and prevent his rising.
"The two other monks soon began to search for Paulo. They called his name and wandered through the forest until the sun began to set. Knowing they could not continue the search in the dark they returned to the abbey and reported to the abbot. The next day the search continued but they never found Brother Paulo.
"On August 5th, just after sunset, Brother Paulo rose. He knew immediately what had happened to him. His grandfather had told him many stories of vampires when he was a child. He could feel the hunger, the raging thirst that would not be denied. But Paulo was no ordinary man. He had a will of iron and a well developed sense of right and wrong. The man would not let the demon free. Instead of going out to hunt he sat down in his little cave and began to pray.
"He stayed there, in that cave for a year. His body had begun to waste away, yet his mind remained clear and firm of purpose. It was in this cave that I found him.
"I had been to Florence for a visit and decided to take a hike around the countryside. I had been wandering through the woods when I felt something, something powerful. I followed the feeling to the cave. And I arrived right on time, on August 5, 1226. It was the anniversary of Paulo's rebirth. As I entered the cave I realized I was seeing a vampire who had not eaten in a very long time. He did not look at me, but raised his eyes upward. Suddenly, he cried out as a light surrounded his body. It vanished a moment later and he collapsed to the ground.
"I knelt down next to him and helped him to sit up. He stared into my eyes and said, 'It has returned, my soul, it has returned.'
"I said, 'I saw it. How long have you been here?'
'What day is it,' he asked. "What year?"
'August 5th, 1226, I answered.
'A year then. What am I to do now? I thought I would die here, turn to dust.'
'I think you should go back to the abbey.'
"He stared at me as if I had gone mad. 'Back, but I am a demon, undead, unclean.'
'You are far more than that. You have resisted the hunger for a year and your soul has returned; that is unprecedented. Come, we will see your abbot and I will explain. If it does not go as I expect you can come with me.'
"So we returned to the abbey, slowly for Paulo was not able to move very fast, indeed, I had to support him for most of the journey. Fortunately it was not far. The brothers were astonished to see him but we did not stop until we reached the abbot's rooms. Abbot Mateo was a learned man and a fair man. He listened to Paulo's story and to mine without a sound.
"When I was finished he said, 'God has returned your soul Paulo. I must believe He has a plan for you, a higher purpose. What will you do now?'
'I wish to remain here, at the abbey Father,' answered Paulo. I could see he did not believe this would be possible.
The abbot considered and then turned to me. 'You seem to have some knowledge of these things. Is it possible? How would he sustain himself without killing?'
'There is no need for death Father Abbot,' I said. 'There are two choices, both have advantages and disadvantages.
'One, Brother Paulo could subsist quite well on animal blood. The disadvantage here is that you would need a butcher that you could trust implicitly, word must not get out.
'Two, the brothers could give some of their blood, only those willing of course. I can show you how to do that without endangering their lives.' I turned to Paulo. 'This choice would be harder on you. You would taste human blood and it might become more difficult for you to control the demon, even with your soul.'
The Abbot leaned forward. 'I must talk with the brothers. I believe the second choice is preferable, that secrecy must be maintained. The people in the town would not understand. I will speak to them tonight after Compline. Stay here in my rooms until then.'
"We waited there in the Abbot's rooms for quite a while. Finally, a brother arrived and bade us come to the chapterhouse. When we arrived I could feel tension but strangely, no fear.
"The Abbot said, 'It is decided, you will stay among us Brother Paulo. Jezeil, you will teach us to give our blood safely and tell us how much is needed. We will, as always, trust in God's wisdom.'
"So I taught them what they needed to know and made a few suggestions about living arrangements. Paulo ended up in a cell removed from the others and they dug passageways under ground so that he might travel about the enclave without encountering the sun. He decided to change his name and became Brother Lazarus, of course. He lives there still and has never faltered from his path or from the Rule. Needless to say, the abbey is careful about whom it accepts into the brotherhood. But there has never been a problem. They are very proud of Brother Lazarus and he is eternally grateful."
~Finis~