The Black Rose
Disclaimer – I do not own, them never have, never will. Oh! Except Alex, Saskia, Tom and Gloria.
Rating – R, for violence, language, and reference to sexual activities.
Pairings – Buffy/Alex, Buffy/Faith implied, Faith/Lots of random bitches.
Summary – Faith is not all she appears to be. But then again, neither is Buffy.
Authors Notes – Thanks to ELR for beta'ing. Don't worry, the original characters don't distract from the hotness that is B/F. As always lemme know what you think.
Chapter 1
Faith stood at the reception desk looking over the paper work she had just been handed by her secretary. Another major developer had backed, or been persuaded forcefully, out of the bidding war over the land on the outskirts of town. The buzz rising inside of her bringing a smug grin to her mouth "I love when the day starts out on a high." Faith smiled to the secretary then turned her attention to the vamp who for the last ten minutes had been forcefully demanding to see the boss. "She said he's busy now take a hike pal."
The vamps attention diverted to Faith "Who the fuck are you?"
"I'm the person telling you to get lost, the boss see's no one but me. You got something to say you tell me."
"I have some information, I know he'll want to know immediately."
"So let's have it?" Faith laid the paper on the desk and stood directly in front of the vamp.
"This doesn't concern you little lady." The vamp pushed passed her and through the solid oak door behind her.
The office was sparse, void of any personal items or decoration, to the back of the room stood a long, black marble desk, a leather easy chair behind it facing out to the window and Sunnydale beyond. He heard the large oak doors closing heavily behind him "Where is he?" his voice echoed slightly.
Faith had her back to him as she locked the doors. "I told you, no one see's the boss." She turned facing him and smirked "So you're going to tell me what you have. Then I'll decide whether it's worth the attention."
"Listen lady, I don't know who you think you are but I'm not a nice person, so I suggest you tell me where the boss is." His face changed as he snarled at her.
Faith laughed "Oooooo scary…" she paused as she collected herself, "You're looking at her." She stared at the vamp, waiting for his response.
"What?" The vamp snarled at her as he slowly closed the gap between them.
"I happen to know vampires have excellent hearing, so I know you heard what I said." The vamp stopped a few feet from her. "Another thing, I can't have you hassling my staff like that, so when you've told me what it is you think is so important it demands my attention, I'm going to have to teach you some manners." Locking eyes with him, she slowly pulled something from the waistband behind her back as she lurched forward grabbing the vamp and pulling him closer to knee him in the groin. As he bent double she struck him hard on the back of the neck with her elbow, he dropped to the floor in a mix of confusion and pain. Quickly she rolled him over onto his back and straddled his chest, her knees pinning his arms to the floor. Slowly she waved the large knife in front of his face. "Now I'm getting impatient." The vamp tried to struggle free; she slammed his head hard on the stone floor, then held the knife hard to his throat and tutted. "Last chance?"
The vamps face returned to normal as he looked into her eyes "You're really him…I mean her."
"Start talking." She commanded.
The vamp couldn't talk quick enough "Me and the boys were in the Bronze, got us this nice blonde bit of tail. We lured her outback like the boss; I mean you, said. Then all hell breaks lose… not an easy meal like we thought."
"Demon?"
"No… she said she was the new slayer in town. Then she killed 'em all boss. Steve, John, Dave. She killed them all in like a second, I only got away because Pete was giving her a tough time of it."
"You left your mates to save you own worthless skin?"
"Someone had to let you know boss. I'd heard rumours there was a slayer in town but I never thought one would be stupid enough to come here after what you did to the last one."
Faith smiled "Well now we know for sure." Faith slowly got up off the vamps chest making her way to the easy chair, sitting comfortably with her feet up on the black marble desk. She let her arms fall to her side, slowly she opened the desk drawer, reaching inside for the crossbow pistol. Her eyes never leaving the vamp still laid on the floor, too scared to move. "I obviously don't have to remind you to tell no one what you know, especially about me."
"Sure boss, tell no body. Who'd believe the boss was a woman anyway?" He slowly backed up to the door. "And the slayer won't be alive long enough to cause any major damage… right boss?"
"Why don't I trust you?" She glared at him stone faced.
"I swear I won't say shit to anyone boss." He held his hands up to his chest in submission. "I'm sure you'll sort her out."
Faith quickly pulled the pistol from the drawer, The vamp looked from Faith to his chest and to the arrow head now sticking from his heart. As time caught up with him, realisation hit his face and he disappeared into a cloud of dust. Faith picked up the phone and hitting two on the speed dial "Saskia I got a job for you. Apparently we have a new Slayer in town. I wanna know everything about her." She hung up the phone, not waiting for a response. "Just when shit was going good." She threw the pistol back into the open drawer.
TBC…