Tell Me Everything





Buffy closed her eyes as Dracula circled her slowly.

"You think you know? What you are? What you will become? You haven't even begun."

I don't need to know, Buffy was about to respond with an air of defiance. But then she hesitated.



*



Tara stood outside the doorway, looking in.

"You think you know?

What you are?

What you will become?

You haven't even begun."



*



Buffy opened her eyes.

"Tell me everything." she said quietly, in nearly a whimper.

Dracula put a hand on her shoulder.

"May I?" he murmured.

Buffy could feel his face contorting as he neared her neck with his experienced fangs.

She closed her eyes and waited for the pierce to come.

It never did.

After a moment, she opened her eyes. Dracula stood in front of her, eyes intense and glowing.

"Why haven't you shown me?" Buffy whispered, nearly crying in suspense.

"You already know. As I once told you, you are rooted in darkness. No slayer needs a vampire bite to see their future. Darkness, slayers are rooted in magic. I neared you and found that the answer to your questions are hidden deep," he stroked her forehead gently, "In here. The answers lay in the ocean of your mind, the depths of your subconscious. There is no need of any bite of mine."

Buffy stared up into the penetrating eyes.

"I can't find it," she murmured.

"You will find it when necessary."

"What if necessary is too late?"

"It is never too late, Buffy Summers."

Buffy bit her lip and looked down at the ground. Then she looked up at the tall beast with desperate eyes.

"Please," she pleaded softly, "You've seen that I've been...tasted before. He was-unworthy, you said. We were involved. He...I loved him with everything I had."

"Slayers are generally attracted to vampires," said Dracula, watching her carefully as he walked near the fire.

"That's normal? I always thought I was kinda crazy."

"Your lust for your enemy is more potent than others I have seen, no doubt," Dracula paused, "But this is not unusual."

"Then you wouldn't find it weird if I was attracted to you?" Buffy asked quickly, and Dracula raised an eyebrow underneath his soft white skin.

"Not at all."

"It's just..." Buffy pulled out a chair and sat down, looking at her hands, "I'm with Riley now..."

"A mortal."

"Yeah...and I'm not like, all power trip girl or anything but-"

"He is weak. He cannot satisfy you. Do not feel ashamed, Buffy Summers. It is not unusual to be rather unexcited with somebody whose power is inequal to your own. He used to be strong. He used to be able to take care of himself and you. Now he is merely flesh, another being that you must protect from the creatures of the underworld. You must fight for him, not with him."

Buffy stared at those eyes.

"Can you really read my mind?" she wondered out loud.

"You call out to me," Dracula pronounced, approaching her slowly.

"I don't know what to do..."

"Give in, Buffy Summers. Sooner or later, you must. What could go awry?"

Buffy's mind drew a blank.

She stood and pursed her lips.

"I'm ready."

"So be it." Dracula's eyes sparkled in a way Buffy could not bear to resist any longer. She pulled the vampire towards her-

And then all was dark.



*



Buffy awoke the next morning with a pain that begun at her toes and ran all the way to the top of her skull.

What happened, she wondered dazedly.

Then she remembered. But-

She was in her bed.

At home.

Had it all been a dream? Had she merely dreamed up Dracula, with his castle and bats and mirth and penetrating eyes?

Her hand ran quickly to her neck. The old scar had not been reopened.

It must have been a dream.

Boy, I"m hungry, she realized. She threw on her robe and quickly hopped down the stairs.

What do I smell that is so appetizing? She wondered, "Eggs? Bacon? Homefries? Pancakes-

She couldn't figure out what smelled so wonderful until she entered the kitchen.

She nearly screamed in horrified realization.

"Morning Buffy, honey."