Kel



A gush of cool breeze swept past Buffy and Spike as they left the Bronze for the routine patrol. Spike doubted there would be any badies out tonight, but the night was young. He looked over at Buffy and snorted. She was still mad at him…….of course. Nothing new. Why did she have to be so stubborn? He had just wanted to dance. The kind with music, not with violence. He had to say something to her.

"Bloody hell, Slayer. It was just a dance. One. That's all I wanted."

"No, Spike it wasn't just any dance. It was a slow dance. You just wanted a chance with me."

"Yeah, well…..that's not the point. When are you gonna get it through that thick skull of yours that I love you? I'm not a monster."

"Yes, you are! Vampires are monsters. Vampire = stake = dust. Gone. Poof. Just like that. So I suggest you get out of my sight before Mr. Pointy decides to pay you a visit."

"I thought we were on patrol."

"Well, I guess it just got cut short. I'll do it by myself."

"Awww, now that wouldn't be very fun would it?" Spike said smirking.

"Shut up! Ugh! You are such a pig!" Buffy said, getting Spike's sick humor.

"I've heard that one before. What's the matter, Slayer? Can't think of anymore witty comebacks for the Big Bad or has the cat got your tongue?" Spike said smartly and again smirked.

"That's enough Spike! Leave me alone! I mean it! As a matter of fact, while you're at it, why don't you just get out of my life entirely."

A tension filled moment fell over them as Spike stood there silently and Buffy kept walking. Huh! I've heard that one before to luv. It's not gonna happen anytime soon. he thought. Before Buffy got more than five yards away, she was jumped by badies. Two demons and a vamp. Oh great! I suppose I had better help her. I'm turning into such a wanker! he thought as he ran to help Buffy. Spike watched as one of the demons engaged Buffy in battle….and got its ass kicked. Spike suddenly ducked as demon #2 threw a punch at his head. Spike blocked it easily and did a roundhouse kick to its head and knocked it to the ground. He finished it off with an axe to its heart.

The vamp now advanced toward him. Spike gasped as he realized the vamp was only 14 or 15 (in human years). She had long red hair that glistened in the moonlight and was very slim and athletic. He couldn't tell what color her eyes were, or what her face looked like, because she was in game face. She advanced further toward him, clearly looking for a fight. Spike really didn't want to hurt her, wasn't in the mood, but if she wanted a piece of him she would get it. He attacked before she had a chance to and punched her to the ground. She got up, growled, and attacked him back. They fell into a steady rhythm of fighting. Spike was surprised that she was very good for her age. But not good enough. He threw a mighty punch at her face and she fell into his arms, causing him to lose his balance. He looked up into her eyes, now a cinnamon brown, as she had morphed into her true face. She was really very pretty with a flawless face and fair ivory skin. As he looked at her, a familiar chill went down his spine. She also looked back into his familiar ice blue eyes and they got lost in a deep trance.

* * *





She studied his face. His clear blue eyes, chiseled cheekbones, the scar on his left eyebrow. Where had she seen him before? He looked so familiar. Like something from a dream. But this was ridiculous! She hadn't seen him before. She knew who he was, of course. But she had never seen him before now. Stop this now! she told herself This is crazy!





* * *





A moan from Buffy brought him back from his deep reverie. He pushed away the feeling he had been having and pushed the girl off him. The girl also got up, ready to fight. He looked over at Buffy and saw she was on the ground with a broken ankle. When had that happened? He needed to end this now. He turned his attention back to the girl, who was now circling him, back in game face.

"So this is the famous William the Bloody," she said in a clear melodic American accent. "Word is, you have a chip or something in your head. Can't hurt humans. Also, you fight our kind. A traitor. That true?"

"Yeah. So what are you gonna do?"

"Pity. Don't you ever miss it?" The girl asked, choosing to ignore Spike's question.

"'Scuse me?"

"The killing, the hunt, the chase. Pity you can't do that anymore. Instead you team up with the Slayer." She nodded to Buffy who, Spike noticed, was now conscience and listening to their conversation. "Pathetic. Too much of a coward to stand up to his own kind. Letting himself get beaten up."she continued loudly.

Spike felt himself fill with rage. This girl had guts. He didn't have to put up with this. She was of lower class, even if he wasn't exactly a high class Master anymore. He would call rank. He didn't know if it would really work, but he at least deserved some respect.

He turned back to the girl, vamped out, growled threateningly at her, and backed her into a gravestone. She swallowed hard and her face softened back into human. She looked at him, paler than before, if that was possible. He stared at her hard, making her shrink more into the headstone. Ha. I still got it.

"What's your name?"

"K…..Keladry."

"How old are you?" Spike paused and added, "In demon years."

"80….I think."

Ah, still very young then. he thought. Spike looked at Buffy and she raised a questioning eyebrow but said nothing. He shrugged and looked back at Keladry and his features softened into human.

" Can I call you Kel?"

She nodded her head uncertainly. Spike nodded and said to Buffy,

"She's coming with us."

"Excuse me!? No! Remember….vampire = kill."

"Yes! Just trust me on this one. She's good."

"What! No I'm not! Vampires are evil." Kel interrupted.

"Oh so that's why she attacked us! Because she's good!" Buffy said sarcastically, "How do you know Spike?"

"I can just feel it. Trust me."

Buffy debated him but finally agreed.

"Can you walk?" Spike asked.

"Yeah. Slayer healing kicked in already."

"Like hell I'm coming with you." Kel protested.

Spike growled, again in game face, and Kel fell silent. He morphed back to human face again and pulled Kel along behind him, even though she tried to pull away.

"Wow. I wish I could make Dawn listen like that. How did you do that?" Buffy asked impressed.

"I called rank. Don't ask. I'll tell you later." he said when she gave him a weird look.

"Whatever. Where is she going to stay?"

"Hello?! I'm right here. Stop talking about me like I'm not here." Kel said angrily.

"Trust me luv. According to Buffy you aren't here. You'd be dust by now if I didn't have such a sexual appeal to her." he said and gave her one of his world famous smirks for the third time that night.

"Ha. You wish."

"Oh this is just great. I'm being dragged around by a British vampire with platinum blonde hair (which by the way doesn't suit you) and who has a crush on the Slayer," At this, Spike frowned. Was it that obvious? "Pathetic! Now for the last time let me go!" Kel said angrily and yanked her arm away from Spike. Not again! he thought and whirled on her, grabbing her roughly before she could get away.

"C'mon. You're coming with me and that's that! So deal with it."

"Okay, can we get back to where she is going to stay?" Buffy asked irritably.

"She can stay at my place."

"Fine, I hope you know what you're doing." Buffy sighed and looked around. "Well looks like tonight is going pretty slow. I'm gonna head home, Dawn's waiting."

"Alright. G'night Slayer. Say hi to the Nibblet for me,"

Buffy didn't answer, just gave him a half wave and walked in the direction of her house, limping slightly. Spike looked at Kel and, without a word, led her in the direction of his crypt.

When they got there, Spike took her downstairs and gave her some blood. He would sleep on the couch tonight.

"If you think I'm gonna drink that you're crazy." Kel said motioning to the blood.

"Fine then. Go ahead and starve yourself." he said and walked toward the ladder to go upstairs.





"What do you want with me?" He stopped and turned around to look at the girl. She was looking at him pleadingly and a little frightened and Spike felt his heart soften.

"Don't be scared. I don't want anything from you. I'm gonna help you." he said gently.

"Help me do what?"

"Be good." he said simply.

"What makes you think I'll cooperate?" she said stubbornly.

"You will eventually. It's in your nature to be good. Like me. As you know, I wasn't always like this. The dreaded William the Bloody, aka Spike for torturing his victims with railroad spikes. I was still young then, and confused. Yeah, I miss the killing and everything. I mean soulless vampire. But I am too human to do it anymore, even if I could. Had too much in me from the start. I can love. Just the way some vamps are. Anyways, good always beats evil don't it? And every body likes to win. It's actually kinda fun. Saving the world. Helping save the world."

After his speech, Kel stood spellbound.

"How do you know I'm good?" she asked still stubborn but now uncertain.

"I can just tell." he said and again walked toward the ladder, "G'night Kel."he said and locked the trap door.



* * *



Kel stood there, still spellbound, thinking of what he had said. She knew she shouldn't trust him, but it was hard not to. So far he hadn't tried to hurt her, and he seemed nice enough. Should she drink the blood? Was it poisoned? Not that it could kill her……but still. What the hell. She vamped out and tore a corner off of the bag but immediately spit it out again. Yuck! Pig's blood! She wasn't used to that. If this was all she was gonna drink for the rest of her life if she stayed here, then she had to get out of there. She looked around for a way out but found nothing. Oh well. I'll find another way out of here soon enough. She sighed and lay down on his bed.

"This sucks." she said aloud.



* * *



Upstairs, Spike shifted on the couch as he thought of this mew girl. She obviously had been on her own for a long time and trusted almost no one. From what he guessed about her personality, she was shy around people she didn't know but had a generally loud, outgoing, fun personality……with lots of guts. She had probably had her share of fights in her lifetime. Where is her sire? It was a vampire law (a stupid one in his opinion) that if a mortal under 18 was turned he or she needed a sire with them because they apparently hadn't grown up yet and needed supervision. This was very rare and the sire and fledgling were said to have a very special bond between them. Oh well. Her sire probably got killed or something. For now he would just concentrate on making her good.



* * *



The next morning, when Spike woke up, he went downstairs to find Kel still sleeping peacefully in his bed. He walked over to her and gently shook her awake and gave her some breakfast. She looked at it warily and asked,

"Is this pig's blood?"

"Yeah, but it's all I've got."

She made a face but drank it anyway.

"Where is your sire?" he asked curiously.

"Why should I tell you?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why do you always answer my question with a question?"

Kel had to smile at that. She had always wondered that about herself to.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I have never met my sire. I woke up alone in a trashed house with no one there, vampire or human. So I want and got my first feed by myself. Some vamps tried to take advantage of me because they could sense my inexperience and the power in my line. Made the mistake of following one of them. That's why I trust almost no one today."

"Oh. I'm sorry. That must be hard for you. I mean, someone of your age should have a sire. It's the law."

"Huh?" Kel said confusedly.

"Never mind." Spike said quickly. He didn't want to give her anything else to worry about.

"Look. Just let me go all right? I don't want to be here. This isn't right." Kel said suddenly and got up to go towards the door. Oh no. What did I do now? He caught her by her wrist before she could get to the door and spun her to face him. She looked up at him cautiously with those big brown eyes. He reached out carefully and ran his hand over her cheek. She didn't do anything but cock her head slightly into his hand.

"Stay. Please. Just give this a chance." He pled softly. Kel looked at him again and nodded her head weakly then went quickly back downstairs.



* * *



That was too close. she thought when she got down there. He is getting to me. Don't trust him. You don't trust anybody. Kel took a deep, unnecessary breath. I really need to get out of here. She had told him what she had never told anyone before. Why was this happening? Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why had it felt so good when he had touched her? She couldn't believe she had even let him touch her. Maybe he left. She checked to see if he had left. He was still up there, watching TV. She climbed back down the ladder and stood at the bottom, her arms crossed thoughtfully. Maybe she should just give it a try after all. I mean, it's not like I'm going to fall for it or anything. She had made up her mind. She would try it, and then leave if she didn't like it. Which was most likely. She then climbed quickly back up the ladder, before she lost her resolve, and walked over to stand in front of the TV.

"Alright. I'll try it. But I don't guarantee anything."

Spike looked up and gave her one of his rare, real, smiles. This was going to be very interesting.





Tbc……..