Death can be many things. It can be cruel, hard and painful; tearing you away from your friends, family and the life you love. It can be subtle and mysterious; creeping up unbeknownst to anyone until it is too late. Or it can be sweet, seductive and welcome. Her years as the Slayer had seen her through many forms of death. The death of Jesse whom she had only known briefly but who promised to be a good friend, her own deaths to which she had gone to because it was required of her and the death of her mother which she had been powerless to stop. None of those had been sweet or seductive or welcome, they had taken her to Hell and back – figuratively speaking, and she was tired of it all.
Finally though, in his cold embrace, she welcomed death. He offered everything she needed. Peace, comfort, love and now, when she was too tired to continue, when she wished for death more often that she ate, he offered that as well. If she was being honest with herself, she knew that she had died long ago. Every day since her friends had pulled her – ripped her really, out of heaven, she had died a little more inside. She was a shell of her former self. Not really living, but not fully dead either. Now though, she relaxed and gazed lovingly into the eyes which had always promised her so much. He gazed back. Adoringly, sadly but most of all, determinedly. She knew it was hard for him. He had always said he'd never hurt her, and yet, here she was asking him to kill her. She conveyed an apology through her gaze and tilted her head back, she felt rather than saw the change in his face and the cool breath on her throat sent a thrill of excitement and fear coursing through her body. As the Slayer she was naturally geared to fighting back, not letting any vampire near her neck; but as the broken woman she was now, she felt the thrill of finally being in control of her own life.
She winced as his teeth grazed her throat for the first time and swallowed a groan of pain as they pierced her tender skin. As she felt the strength flee her body she closed her eyes for the final time and whispered a sweet "Thank you" to her lover, friend and saviour. She drew her last breath surrounded by love and peace. She knew that this time there was no coming back. No second chances. No changing her mind – and she welcomed it.