Sire
By KnightMare24
Willow had seen Oz staring at her in the lunch room and she did her best to not stare back by paying more than enough attention to her lunch. The day seemed to drag and Willow had a hard time focusing on classes, but even though it dragged it was far too soon and it was over. The bell rang in her last class of the day and Willow continued to sit at her desk as other students got up and started to leave.
"I'm right, that's all that matters." Willow whispered to herself and started to put her books in her bag.
"What are you right about?" Cordelia's voice was a surprise and Willow looked up into the cheerleader's face before glancing around for the Cordettes. The Cordettes were missing.
"Nothing." Willow sighed, unwilling to have this chat with Cordelia of all people. She wished she could have had it with Xander, but he wouldn't listen, he won't listen. His response to Angel was more than enough proof that he didn't care for vampires, even strange ones that worked for the white hats.
"Could you ask Kristin if she wants to go shopping with me sometime?" Cordelia spoke and Willow's eyebrows drew together in surprise. "She has style. Hey we could even take you out and expand on your improving wardrobe."
"Are you trying to date my girlfriend?" Willow asked, feeling a bit stunned.
Cordelia gave Willow a disgusted look. "Like I'd ask you to ask her out for me if I was? Please, I have way more class than that. I was thinking shopping and maybe a pedicure, you know a girls day out. We could sit and drink lattes and talk about the people walking by." Cordelia grinned. "She's wicked, I like that. Some of her comments in the movie were so cutting I expected to see the characters bleed."
"You like my girlfriend." Willow spoke in a flat tone, wondering if someone had slipped something into Cordelia's water, because this felt wrong. Cordelia wanted to hang out with Willow's vampy girlfriend. If that wasn't a Hellmouth original nothing was.
"I have no idea how you managed, but you did real good Rosenberg." Cordelia spoke and Willow started to move toward the door. Willow had too much to worry about right now, she could deal with the fact that Cordelia liked Kristin later.
Still, what did it say about Cordelia that she liked the only wicked vampire part of Kristin, her cruel wit? Kristin never used it often, in fact Kristin normally only talked that way around people she didn't much care for. It was because Kristin didn't like Cordy, that Cordy found something to like in Kristin.
"I need to go. I'll think about it." Willow muttered, still unwilling to really think about it yet. Maybe after all this was said and done Willow would need Cordelia's help with Xander, so she didn't blow Cordy off completely.
Cordy went towards the gym, and Willow made sure to skirt around the cheerleader's afternoon lair like she always did while on her way to the library.
"Hey." Willow spoke as she noticed Giles sitting rather tensely at the table and Xander snacking on a candy bar. Oz and Buffy weren't here yet, but Giles was tense looking. Oz normally wasn't a part of these meetings, just occasionally and with him being the bad werewolf who couldn't keep his nose out of Willow's business he'd be there today. Cordelia missed most of the after school meetings, but occasionally she'd come in after cheerleading practice if they were still around. "So hump day is over, and we're downhill sliding for the weekend." Willow said as she moved toward the table.
Xander's eyes were too amused and Willow considered what she'd said, before her eyes widened a little and she glared at her perverted friend, but it was a weak glare because Willow was just talking to hear something other than the buzz of tension in the air.
…………………………
Kristin felt edgy and nervous, but she knew it wasn't her own emotions. She sighed as she rolled over and tried to focus on reassurance and her bond with her Sire.
"Whatever you're doing, stop it." Faith muttered and Kristin just hugged her pillow to her head and continued.
"My Sire needs me, it isn't anything dangerous." Kristin spoke quietly in response.
"Sire?" Faith sat up and Kristin could practically feel where the slayer was staring at the back of her head.
"Willow." Kristin could feel Willow was starting to relax a little bit, and it helped her relax as well.
"You better cut that out. If the weird vibes your giving off come from Willow too it really won't help her case." Faith told her and Kristin sent one last thought to her Sire before pulling back from their bond.
…………………………..
Willow took a deep breath and smiled just a little at what her vampire had done. They were getting much better at this bond thing. Willow remembered the trust in her vampire's mental voice as Kristin told her that she'd come, day or night, if Willow needed her, Willow just needed to ask.
The door opened and Buffy took several strides into the room. "There is something wiggy around here, but I just can't place it." Buffy spoke and Willow bit her lower lip and looked down at the table, glancing at a few of the books.
Buffy sat and Giles seemed to be stalling. Willow felt like her heart was hammering in her chest. She could wait for Giles or Oz to bring this up or she could try and take control of the situation. Willow swallowed hard. "So who's planning a summer trip?" They had a month left of school.
Xander half raised his hand and grinned. "I thought I'd have my license by then so I'd do a road trip." Willow glanced at Buffy and Giles briefly and Buffy shook her head no.
"Oh, I know, who here has been to a movie this week?" Willow grinned tensely and held her hand up. Xander looked a little baffled, but his hand went up too. "Hands up for if you've been on a date this week." Willow raised her hand again and Buffy's eyes widened.
"Something you want to tell us Wills?" Buffy grinned.
"Well, um," Willow stammered a moment, but then lifted her hand up in the air again. "Hands up if you've ever dated a woman."
Xander seemed to choke for a moment, but his hand went back up. Willow gave a tense look toward a rather bewildered looking Giles. Then she looked toward Buffy, whose eyes were bigger, but she was also blinking a lot. "Hands up if you've ever dated a demon."
Buffy's hand moved rather slowly and while Xander's hand jerked down for a second it had to go back up too. "Internet Demon counts Wills?" Xander asked quietly about something Willow had forgotten at this moment. It ruined her admission that they would assume that now.
Willow's voice was shaky, and she ignored the sound of the door as she noticed Oz step into the library. "Hands up if you've had sex with a vampire." Xander's hand was down so fast it hit the table on its way down and Buffy looked a little pale as she stared at Willow, slowly lowering her own hand. "No, we know you can raise your hand too Buff." Willow tried to smile, but she didn't really manage more than an unattractive grimace. "Last one, hands up if you're in love with a vampire."
"Oh Dear Lord." Giles muttered in a loud whisper and everyone was staring at her now. Willow felt shaky, like she was facing a whole group of demons alone.
"Wills?" Buffy was almost whispering it, sounding stunned.
"What about Kristin?" Xander spoke and Willow glanced at him.
"There's a reason my girlfriend can't go to the movies in the middle of the day Xander." Willow answered him as calmly as she could. Her voice wasn't shaky as she stared back at Buffy. "Kristin's one of those Pet Vampires that VampWillow made. She's my vampire." Willow turned to look at a stunned looking Oz as well. "No one slayed Oz for being a werewolf, we learned how to work around that." Oz just grimaced and turned to leave, his head was hanging down and he was muttering. She'd hurt him, and she felt bad, but she traded in her wolfy boyfriend for a vampy girlfriend that really needed her. He claimed he didn't need Willow and maybe he didn't, but Willow preferred being needed. She also really did love her vampire.
"That's not the same, Oz has a soul." Buffy finally spoke and her voice was cold. "I don't know what she did to you Wills, but I know how to fix it."
"Don't you dare touch her!" Willow stared back with the strongest resolve face she had. "Your one of my best friends, but I swear to you Buffy, that it would all be over if you killed Kristin, I'd never forgive you. Never."
"Perhaps she's become some sort of Thrall?" Giles finally spoke up and Willow felt her frustration grow at being talked about.
"I am not a Thrall!" Willow spoke more harshly, even though she was talking to an adult.
"Well, Wills, you weren't exactly gay before you met her." Xander pointed out and Willow turned her attention to him.
"You've met her. She's not some evil demon, and hello, hot woman, no need for voodoo and spells to make someone want smoochies!" Willow snapped at him. If she didn't know her vampire was hidden she'd be more terrified, even willing to beg, but now she was just pissed. "You liked her too!"
"That was before I found out she was a bloodthirsty vampire!" Xander looked mad. "You let her hang out with us and never told me I should be watching out for my neck!"
"She's never killed anyone and even if she wanted too you could easily fight her off. She's not like a regular vampire." Willow's eyes narrowed at Xander, hurt that he was dismissing Kristin so quickly.
"Willow, a vampire is a vampire." Giles spoke and Willow turned to stare at him.
"Have you ever seen a Pet Vampire Giles?" Willow stared him in the eye. "I've lived with her over a month and I've read every book I could get my hands on about them, and I can tell you that there was a reason that Angel said the other vampire's don't consider them vampires." Willow could see that Giles was interested to hear more, but before she could explain a bit more nicely Buffy spoke up.
"You've been living with a vampire for a month and never told me?" Buffy sounded betrayed and Willow turned to look at her friend.
"I didn't want you to hurt her. I had to patch her up after the vampire's got a hold of her and she was so weak and damaged, I just didn't want you to hurt her." Willow hated the betrayed look, but really if she could have trusted Buffy to listen she would have told her.
Buffy got up and marched for the door. "This has gone on more than long enough."
"She hasn't hurt me even when she was starving." Willow called out and then stood up to follow Buffy, knowing where she was going. Even if Buffy found no Kristin at her house, the fact that Buffy went would be a thorn in their friendship. "Don't do this Buffy." She called out and when she started to walk toward Buffy she found Xander's hand grabbing her arm hard.
"It's better this way. Let Buffy dust her." Xander spoke so coldly and Willow's heart actually ached from the pain she felt, but she slammed her opened hand into his nose, making him let her go.
"You wanted Angel dead so badly you lied to Buffy and risked the entire world. I forgave you that, but this, you hurt Kristin in any way even by your lies and I'll hurt you!" Willow moved to follow Buffy again and found the way blocked by Oz. She'd thought he'd left.
"Buffy will fix this Will." Oz spoke, but the most important thing was that he blocked the door. "You're not acting like the Willow I know."
"And I'm Glad!" Willow yelled at him. "I'm growing up Oz, I couldn't be that little girl forever, and I'm glad I've changed. I'm happier."
"I've never seen a Thrall. We need to research how to free her." Giles spoke up and Willow was about ready to rip her own hair out as she turned to glare at him. Her eyes widened to see the tranquilizer gun they used on Oz in his hand. "I'm sorry Willow, but once you're better you'll understand." And he actually fired at her.
…………………………
"We need to go." Kristin sat up suddenly and spoke into the silence of the room. "We need to go." She repeated and the slayer rolled over to stare at her.
"What's up Fangette?" Faith spoke with a lazy voice that grated on Kristin's nerves.
"I can't sense her at all. They hurt her." Kristin felt nervous, scared and like she needed to be there. Willow must need her, and Kristin needed to go.
"She told you to stay here until I said you could leave." Faith reminded her and Kristin stared at the slayer. "You going in now isn't going to help anything. She can handle them."
"She needs me." Kristin's voice cracked.
Faith's eyes were just a little softer. "What are you going to do against a slayer?" Kristin's shoulders slumped.
"I can't lose her." Kristin's voice was shaky and it embarrassed her.
"They wouldn't slay her, she's still human." Faith swung her legs over the side of the bed and her nakedness was rather apparent. Kristin didn't bother looking, she was staring into Faith's eyes. "Okay, fine. I'll go check on her, that make you happy Fangette?"
The hard clenching in her chest relaxed and she nodded. The slayer would be able to help more than Kristin could.
"I'm vampire whipped that's all there is to it." Faith was muttering angrily to herself as she looked at the closet and Kristin stayed quiet. Faith's voice rose to the point it was aimed at Kristin. "You stay in here, and if you go out for a bite I'll stake you myself."
"I don't do that." Kristin glanced at the door. "Is this place safe from vampires?" She asked quietly. It wasn't a house, and she hadn't tried to enter without the invite. Maybe she could have. "Maybe I could go with you."
"No, you stay here. I'll call you if you should come." Faith started to tug on pants and Kristin noticed the slayer didn't bother with underwear.
Kristin almost reminded Faith that it wasn't safe for her outside at night, but then she just sighed. For Willow Kristin would run through the streets if she had to, but she'd be running not walking.