Chapter Notes: This is the first part of the flashback, told from the Points of Views of Kiri and Kamon. Originally it was only gonna be two chapters long, but these two partners in crime ended up having a lot more to say and do than I thought, so the flashback ended up being four chapters long. So, just a heads up, we won't be returning to Sunnydale until chapter 6.

One foot in front of the other babe,

one breath leads to another…

~ Flames by Sia

City of Ayutthaya, The Ayutthaya Kingdom

1480

I wake up starving.

It's dark, and I can't move. I'm buried under a pile of rocks, and when I try to move one, another from above falls into its place. I should be crushed to death; I should be suffocating. But I'm not. My body doesn't feel broken, and I don't have any trouble breathing. It's like I don't need to breathe at all.

Dread sinks in.

I struggle to remember what happened, but everything's a blur. I remember Clovis running to me, speaking at first in my language. But his words were garbled and didn't make sense, so I asked him to speak in his own. He doesn't know my Kingdom's language very well, but I can speak French fluently. So, he switched, and explained that a vampire had taken a girl and dragged her away from the city.

I remember running outside the city…and then nothing.

But I know what's happened.

I have brought dishonour on the Warriors of Vishnu. I should have gone to find some of the other Warriors to help me. They always told me never to go off alone; vampires travelled in clans, and they could easily overwhelm a single Warrior. I hadn't listened. I'd been determined to prove myself, prove that I was the strongest of the Warriors, the bravest…

Now I've become the very creature that I'm duty-bound to hunt.

My anger builds within me, growing stronger and stronger until the rocks above me feel no heavier than feathers. With a roar, I push against them, and they explode outwards as I jump to my feet. A cloud of dust blinds me, but it starts to clear soon enough, and I'm able to make out a figure standing a safe distance away from me. Then the figure becomes two, and then three, the third kneeling in submission next to the second.

I walk closer until I recognize the first figure.

I stop. "Clovis?"

He smiles, and it's not a friendly one. I always thought his brown curly hair and bright blue eyes made him look innocent, but now, it's the opposite. His eyes are like deadly ice, and his hair is as dark as his soul – not that he has one.

Because my new senses are telling me something about him that I never knew: he's a vampire.

"Kamon, my friend. Home at last."

I want to tell myself that he's only just been turned, like I have. But things start to add up, and I can't deny the truth staring me in the face. I always met up with Clovis after the sun had set, when I carried out my evening patrol. And the one time I saw him during the day, he was standing in the shade.

He was always telling me that I didn't need the other Warriors; that I was stronger and more powerful than any of them, that I could protect the city on my own. He always said that they held me back.

His words gave me comfort whenever I had an argument with my superiors. Now they make me feel sick; he was isolating me from the other Warriors, waiting for the right time to turn me.

"You're…one of them," is all I can say. I thought Clovis was my friend, and the betrayal cuts deep.

The Frenchman chuckles. "And now, you're one of us."

He gestures behind him, and now that the cloud of dust has faded away, I can see a large group of vampires gathered around us, male and female alike. All of them are wearing their true faces; their demon faces. Clovis is the only vampire who isn't.

The vampire beside him is also wearing his true face, and then I notice the person by his feet isn't a vampire at all. The girl is curled on the ground, trembling in fear, tears streaming down her face. Her sobs feel like a stake to the heart.

She smells…good. Her warm blood calls to me, reminding me just how hungry I am.

I feel the demon within me fighting for control. I push back against it, suppressing the urge to rip the girl's throat out.

I close the distance and stand before the man I thought was my friend. "Let her go," I tell Clovis.

He laughs. "Let her go? I go through all the trouble of fetching you breakfast, and you want me to let her go? Don't fight the power within you, Kamon. Let it consume you. We have work to do."

"Work?" I level him with a glare.

"You think I turned you out of the goodness of my heart?" Clovis shakes his head. "I want the city. I want to sit on the King's throne and make this city, this country, mine. My clan has been dying for a feast of this magnitude." He gestures again to the vampires behind him; his family. "You know every inch of the city. You can let us in. The Warriors of Vishnu, the Protectors of Ayutthaya, would never suspect one of their own to betray them."

He wants me to help him take over the city.

"You used me."

Clovis only chuckles again, and then he picks up something off the ground. My staff; a weapon of great power and magic, given to every Warrior when their training is complete. He holds it out to me, and I hesitate to take it. Can I even use it anymore? It's a weapon made to destroy demons. I don't deserve to wield it.

"You would've done the same," says Clovis. "Think about it; how many times have you wanted to kill every single Warrior in that stinking city. I mean, who's worse?"

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

The woman on the ground looks up at me, her eyes bloodshot from crying so hard. "Please…" The other vampire kicks her, and she cries out.

"How about you shut her up for me, hmm?" says Clovis. "Sate your hunger, become what you were meant to be, and join us."

I can feel the demon still trying to take over.

But I won't be controlled.

Instead, I launch myself at the other vampire. I feel my face shift, and I sink my new fangs into the vampire's neck. Blood is blood, and I drain the stolen life from my enemy until my hunger is sated. I let his body drop to the ground before I turn on Clovis.

He's finally shifted into his demon face. His yellow eyes are wide and he's holding my staff in front of him, like he thinks that'll protect him from me. It doesn't; he has no idea how to use it, and I snatch it off him with ease. Before he even has the chance to beg for his life, I ram my staff into his chest, and he explodes into a pile of dust. I turn back to the other vampire on the ground and do the same.

I place myself in front of the girl and face down the other vampires closing in on me.

I feel no kinship to them, no bonds of family. All I feel is anger and betrayal.

"A demon…made a fool…of ME!"

If these were the vampires who overwhelmed me before, then the tides have turned. With my greater strength, I have no trouble taking them down one by one. Dust explodes around me, covering me, but I don't care. My demon has stopped fighting me and instead cooperates; it longs for violence and I'm happy to oblige, so long as the ones who fall are demons.

It's over all too soon.

All that's left is dust. The red clears from my vision, and I feel my face shift back to normal. From the direction of the city, I see the other Warriors running towards me.

They're duty bound to kill me…and I must let them.

I fall to my knees and stab my staff into the ground. My forehead presses against my weapon as I begin to sob involuntarily.

I feel the girl I saved place a gentle, comforting hand on my shoulder.

"You saved my life. I will tell them what you have done."

Ayothaya, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand

1983

I wake up with a gasp, my hand going to my chest and expecting to feel blood pouring out of a fresh wound, but there's nothing. No blood, no wound. Only a nightmare.

I wonder if it's a Slayer dream, and make a note to ask my Watcher later.

By habit, I go to run my fingers through my hair, and meet thin air. I sigh. I keep forgetting about my new haircut; all of my hair removed apart from a thin layer on my scalp. It was the only way I could pass as a monk.

What kind of demons were interested in a monastery, anyway?

I look outside my window and see that the sun is just about to disappear beneath the horizon. Time to get up and patrol.

I push myself off the hard mattress lying on the floor that's supposed to serve as a bed, and walk over to the bucket of water by the door. It's cold and not very clean, but I use it to wash my face anyway, because I don't have any other options.

I miss comfy beds. I miss clean water and indoor plumbing.

I miss Auckland.

With a deep breath, I suck it up. I'm the Slayer. I'm here to do my duty, then I can return home…and continue to perform my duty there.

Sometimes I wonder what being a normal girl would feel like.

I take off my night robe and bind my chest, before putting on my blue monk robes. I always thought that monks wore orange, but this is a special monastery according to my Watcher. He never explained why it was special, but I'm not supposed to ask questions like that. It's my job to kill the demons and vampires he tells me to, no questions asked, no complications.

There are some days when I don't agree with him. I don't argue with him outright, but some demons… I know just by looking at them that they're not dangerous, so I let them go. Gregory doesn't have to know.

Just when I finish adjusting my scarf around my neck and over my chest, I hear a crash outside, followed by yelling. Instead of running out the door, I hurry over to the window and look outside, in time to see one of the wooden carts go up in flames.

I see people running around, only they're not people. In the firelight, their vampire faces look even more demonic than normal. Some of them chase the monks trying to fight back, while others break down doors and storm inside the monastery. They don't need an invitation; the monastery is open to all.

I leap onto the windowsill and take out a stake, before I jump down into the fray. Seconds after landing, I stake my first vampire; it was running right towards me, thinking I was nothing more than a helpless monk boy. I'm soon fighting another one, trading punches and kicks before I stake him as well.

It doesn't take me long to track down the vampires leading the raid. Both Caucasians, both blonde; one's hair is curly and short, while the other's is long and straight. Neither of them are wearing their demon faces. The first is too far away to get a good look at him; the only thing I can make out about him is the long trench coat he's wearing. But the second is close enough for me to see his vivid blue eyes. And his handsome features. It always bothers me a little bit, whenever I meet a vampire who's good-looking. What a waste of a beautiful face.

Sounds shallow, but I can't help my reaction.

The handsome one and another vampire corner a monk, and I race forwards to save him. I kick the lesser vampire to the ground, kneel in one smooth motion and stake him.

"Slayer!" the curly blonde vampire snarls. It doesn't surprise me that they know what I am, despite my disguise. They can sense me. "Axel, keep her busy!"

The long blonde vampire, Axel, moves towards me with a frighteningly stoic expression. He's not even running; just walking, taking his time, like he doesn't even consider me a threat. I get out of his way and go after the other vampires. I need to get things under control and give the monks a fighting chance, before I can focus my energy on a stronger demon.

I manage to take out several more vampires before Axel finally catches up to me. I throw a punch, but he catches it with ease before spinning and tossing me aside. I land on the ground hard, and I groan in reaction to the impact. The vampire stalks towards me, but then suddenly he freezes and looks up. Something on top of the building behind me has caught his attention.

Before I can turn to see what he's noticed, a vampire falls in between us, screaming. He lands on the wooden cart that's not burning, smashing it to pieces. Somehow his heart hits a pointy piece of wood, and he turns to dust.

I look up in time to see another vampire jump down and land on his feet, his back to me, facing Axel head on. The first thing I notice about him is the staff in his hands, black and golden and unlike any weapon I've ever seen before. I push myself into a sitting position to get a better look; he's wearing some kind of ancient armour made of leather.

But why is he standing opposed to the other vampires?

"I am the Kinslayer," he introduces himself. "And you're not supposed to be here."

The other vampire grins, flicks back his cape (and how cliché is that, a vampire wearing a cape) and draws a sword. "You will regret coming here, Kinslayer."

They both surge forwards and their weapons clash.

With Axel distracted, I get to my feet and hurry away to find the curly blonde vampire. I haven't gone very far when I see him, running towards the exit with a group of other vampires in tow. In the middle of them is one of the monastery's older monks.

And my Watcher.

"Gregory!"

I race forwards to stop them, but a loud rumbling noise stops me in my tracks. I look up to see one of the monastery's tall walls starting to collapse, and I realize that I'm too close. I dive backwards, throwing myself to the ground as the stone crumbles in on itself. The loud crash is followed by a long moment of silence.

Dust surrounds me, getting in my eyes and mouth, and I cough it back up again. Everything is blurry and unfocused, but I'm able to make out the fight between the two vampires; Axel and the one who called himself the Kinslayer.

I get to my feet and look around. My Watcher is nowhere in sight, and neither are the other vampires. They've taken him.

My father figure, the man who's raised me since I was a child, is gone.

I take a deep breath in and push back my grief. No. He isn't dead until I see his corpse, or until I drive a stake into the vampire who wears his face. And there's a chance he could still live. If the vampires wanted him dead, they would've killed him already; there'd be no use in taking him captive.

Strengthened by resolve, I find myself watching the battle between the two vampires.

The battle is unlike any I've ever seen; both are clearly skilled fighters, but Axel is throwing brute strength behind his hits, trying to knock his opponent down. The Kinslayer is like a dancer, his movements smooth like he's rehearsed them thousands of times. He flips and dodges just as much as he throws hits and kicks; he's strong, but uses his skills more than his strength.

And there's a huge grin on his face as he fights.

Finally, the fight ends when the Kinslayer knocks Axel back into a wall. The blonde vampire drops his sword, and he doesn't have time to roll out of the way before the Kinslayer strikes him in the chest with his staff. Axel crumbles into dust.

His staff acts like a stake?

And what kind of vampire kills his own kind?

He tucks his staff under his arm, then turns and looks towards me. His gaze locks on the stake in my hand, but he doesn't move to attack.

The voice in my head that sounds too much like my Watcher screams at me to attack him, but I hesitate. This vampire showed up to a demon raid not to join in, but to fight against the demons instead. He landed in the middle of a stand-off between a vampire and a Slayer, and instead he chose to attack the vampire instead of the Slayer.

His name suggests he killed his kin. His vampire kin? I doubt it refers to his human family; most vampires kill and/or turn their human family, or at least attempt to. It wouldn't really be a remarkable name for a demon if that was the case.

I have two choices; do what I was trained to do and fight him, or take a risk. A big risk. I need to find out what the vampires have done with my Watcher, and there's a chance that this vampire before me could have information. He could help me.

Or he could rip my throat out.

Seconds pass. He still doesn't move.

I make my choice. I put my stake away, and cautiously move towards him.

"Kinslayer?" I hold up my hands as a sign of peace as I approach. "I'm not your enemy."

The vampire rests against his staff and looks me over. I find myself doing the same to him; I notice for the first time that there's a gold band on his head, the firelight reflecting off it. And, like the vampire he just killed, he's handsome. But I'm not annoyed by this like I was before.

"Then who are you?" he asks. His eyebrows rise up as he considers me.

Hoping that my answer doesn't give him a reason to attack me, I say, "I'm Kiri, the Vampire Slayer."

He frowns. "But Slayers are girls. You're a boy."

I guess my disguise is better than I thought. "I am a girl. I'm in disguise."

His gaze drifts down my body before meeting my own again. "Interesting."

A series of shouts echo out the doors leading into the monastery's largest building. The Kinslayer turns towards the noise, and he mutters something under his breath. Then he runs towards the main gate, staff in hand, not even sparing me a second glance as he makes his exit.

I hesitate to follow. I want to make sure everyone's OK, but if I lose track of this vampire, then there goes my chance at finding my Watcher.

So, I hurry after him.

The monastery is on the edge of the town, mostly surrounded by a forest. I follow the vampire into the trees, jogging to keep up with him. Eventually he stops in a small clearing bathed in moonlight, and I reach him in time to witness his staff shrinking down to the size of a pencil. He then ties his hair up in a bun and slides his now miniaturised weapon into it.

"What kind of weapon is that?" I ask. "It can shrink, and kills vampires like a stake. I've never seen anything like it before."

He turns, startled by my presence, and stares at me in surprise. "Why are you following me?" His eyes light up. "Oh, you want to stake me! There's no need, but it's understandable. I'm a vampire, you're a Slayer, you have a duty. I respect that."

Didn't I already tell him I'm not his enemy? "Actually-"

"Very well, we can fight, but we'll have to make it quick. I have places to be, demons to kill. I won't even use my staff, to make things fair."

I don't think I've ever met a vampire who likes to talk so much. "If you just let me-"

"And there's no need to worry about dying. I won't kill you. I don't kill people, unless they're bad and they deserve it." He waves his hand, gesturing towards me. "Come on, prepare yourself. Show me a fighting stance." He then links his arms behind his back and waits.

Maybe he'll listen if I fight him first. So, I get into a fighting stance. "This really isn't necessary."

He ignores me and frowns. "What is that?"

"What is…what?"

"That stance. It's terrible. I can knock you down by blowing on you." He strides towards me, and next thing I know he's touching me; a vampire is touching me, adjusting my stance, not even trying to hurt me. When he's satisfied, he takes a step back. "There, perfect."

This is getting nowhere. I drop my arms. "Can you let me explain?"

"What are you doing? You need to-"

He reaches forwards again, but I slap his hands away. "I don't want to fight you! Can you just listen to me?"

The Kinslayer gives me another once over, frowning again. "Are you concussed, little Slayer?"

"No, I just have more important things to worry about," I tell him. "I need to ask you about those vampires that attacked the monastery. They took my Watcher. Do you know who they are or what they want with him?"

His left eyebrow rises. "Are you prepared to trust the word of a demon?"

"Back at the monastery, you attacked another vampire instead of attacking me," I explain. "And you call yourself the Kinslayer. I'm thinking that means you hunt your own kind; other demons."

His head tilts slightly. "You're smarter than you look. You can call me Kamon, but most only know me as the Kinslayer. I'm surprised you haven't heard of me."

"I live on the Auckland Hellmouth in New Zealand," I say. "It's pretty out of the way. My Watcher and I came here because we got a report from the Council that a powerful demon was targeting a monk in this monastery. The monks asked us for help, and so far, we've failed. I need to get my Watcher back, and the monk they took. If you can be of any help, I'd really appreciate it."

Kamon walks away and stares up at the moon, his back turned to me. "The vampires work for a Master Vampire who possesses powerful magic capabilities. His name is Edmund, his surname lost to history. He was once a Watcher, until one day he and his Slayer were captured by vampires. His Slayer was killed, he was turned. He's as evil as they come, which goes to show that deep down, he didn't think much of his duty."

"What makes you say that?" I can't help but wonder what Edmund's last thoughts were, after seeing his Slayer killed and knowing that when he woke up again, he would've become the very monster he was duty bound to destroy.

At first, Kamon doesn't answer. Then he sighs. "When I was alive, it was my duty to rid the world of demons. The ones that were evil, anyway. That didn't change when I died."

And that's all it takes. His words shatter my beliefs about vampires, leaving behind tiny little pieces that I know I can rebuild into a better picture. Here is a vampire who hunts his own kind, driven by a duty he refused to let go of even after death. Maybe there are more vampires like him; vampires who don't lose their humanity and choose to do the right thing. Having met a fair amount of peaceful demons, I'm willing to put my faith in that possibility.

"Who were you when you were alive?" I ask him.

He finally turns back to me, but avoids my gaze as he walks past. "I don't wanna talk about it."

"OK, that's fair." Judging by the stoic look on his face, it's a touchy subject. And I get it. I can't even imagine waking up one day and discovering that I've been turned into a vampire, a creature I'm supposed to kill. "So, where's Edmund? We need to find him fast."

"We?" He turns back to me and his eyebrows go up again, only this time he looks vaguely amused. "There's no 'we'. I work alone."

"What? Why? He's taken my Watcher!"

"I'll bring him back in one piece. You stay here and keep pretending to be a monk. Go…pray, or something." He turns again and walks into the trees.

Does he really think that telling me to stay will work? I'm the Slayer, and my Watcher's in trouble. I'm going on this rescue mission whether he likes it or not.

I start walking after him. "You can't stop me!"

The moment he turns with a devious look in his eyes, I know I shouldn't have tempted fate. "Can't I?" With speed I never knew a vampire could be capable of, he grabs me around the waist and hauls me over his shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down!" I try to wriggle out of his arms, but his grasp is too tight. I try thumping and kicking him, but it has no effect.

Suddenly he jumps into a tree, and whoa, I never knew vampires could jump so high. He sets me down on a branch, gives me a little wave with a smirk on his face, and then he drops back down to the ground again.

"Stay." He points a finger at me, as if that's gonna magically make me wait in a tree, before he turns around and runs into the forest.

"Come back here you…stupid vampire!"

No reply. Great.

Not wanting to risk breaking my leg, I climb down the tree slowly. When my feet touch the ground, I sweep my gaze through the trees for any sign of the vampire. But I can't see him anywhere.

Bugger.

Still, I'm not about to give up that easily. I start to walk in the direction he went, hoping that tracking a vampire in the forest is the same as tracking a vampire in the city.

I know she's following me. She's a stubborn little Slayer, I'll give her that. It's the only reason I haven't tried again to make her stay behind; it'll just be a waste of my time.

She thinks she's being stealthy; she thinks I don't know she's there. It's adorable.

I'm playing along, pretending that she's not here. I don't want her to join me, and not for the reason she thinks. I can hear her muttering, cursing me under her breath; thinking that I tried to leave her behind because she's a girl.

Her gender has nothing to do with it. She's a Slayer; I know she can handle herself. I just don't want company of any kind. Company asks personal questions I don't want to answer. And more importantly, company is for people who deserve it. I don't.

Though it's refreshing to meet a Slayer who hasn't tried to attack me. In the five hundred years of my existence, I've met my fair share of Slayers. And every single one of them has tried to kill me. In some cases, it was hard for me not to kill them in self-defence. I don't take it personally; they have a duty, as do I. Most vampires would take the opportunity to kill them if they stopped to interrogate every demon they met.

This little Slayer, though… There's something about her.

And it's strange that she doesn't know who I am. With the encounters I've had, shouldn't the Watchers have mentioned me? Not that it matters; it's just interesting.

I stop by a river, and I sense her stop further downstream to have a drink. I hope she doesn't realize that we're walking in circles. I have no idea where Edmund is, and no clue where to look first. Maybe if I keep wandering aimlessly, the little Slayer will get bored and give up.

I look down at the river. I know I won't see my reflection. But what I do see is mist; blue, supernatural mist covering the water, and I know what that means immediately. River Demon.

The mist, I realize quickly, is thicker further downstream – where the little Slayer is.

I pull my staff out of my hair and resize it.

I wonder if Kamon knows he's walking in circles.

But if he's too stubborn to ask for my help, that's fine with me. I'll just keep following him until I see any sign of the vampires who took Gregory, and then I'll leave him and be on my way. Until then, I could use a drink.

If the water is running, it should be safe to drink, my Watcher once told me. This water is running fast, so it should be fine. Besides, I forgot to bring a water bottle with me, so it'll have to do. I cup my hands, dip them into the water and bring them out again, before drinking.

When I go to dip them again, I jump back at the sight of blue mist covering the water. Something about rivers and blue mist nags at the back of my mind, and I look around me for any sign of trouble.

A short distance away, I see a woman hiding behind a tree, watching me. She disappears behind it completely when our eyes meet.

"Hello?" I call out. "Who are you? Can I help? I won't hurt you."

Her face peeks out again. She's pale, and her hair is a mess; wavy and somewhere between blonde and white, coming up just above her shoulders. Her clothes are a mix of blacks and dark greens; a long-sleeved thick top with trousers and boots to match. A necklace made of stones and shells hangs down her front, and in her hand, she carries an intimidating-looking scythe. Her pale blue eyes watch me with caution.

My senses tell me that she's a demon. A River Demon; I remember reading about them. But that doesn't necessarily mean I need to straight up attack her. I need to wait and see what she does.

"You smell funny," says the demon. "And feel funny. But you're not like me."

I wonder if I'm the first Slayer she's ever seen. "I'm Kiri. What's your name?"

She hesitates for a moment, before stepping out from behind the tree. "The people in the town call me "eww" or "get away from me". But my real name is Aqua."

"It's nice to meet you, Aqua." I smile. "I'm looking for someone who was taken by vampires. Have they come through here?"

"Vampires?" She looks around. "I can sense one close by. He's-"

Suddenly she ducks, and Kamon's staff flies over her head and slams into the tree. Kamon himself follows after, retrieving his staff before facing the demon, ready for battle. Aqua holds her scythe ready, but I can tell that she's terrified. She doesn't want to fight.

"Kamon!" I call out.

He turns to me. "Silence, little Slayer! I'm saving your life!"

"Wait, you don't know what you're doing!"

"Relax, I've done this a million times!" He swings his staff at Aqua, and she barely manages to avoid it.

"No!" I rush forwards and throw myself onto Kamon's back, covering his eyes. He stumbles in shock, drops his staff and reaches behind to try and pull me off. My actions give Aqua a chance to run and hide behind the tree again, and seeing that she's safe, I leap off Kamon's back and place myself between him and the demon.

Kamon doesn't look impressed. "Why did you do that?" he demands while glaring at me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have a choice," I explain. "Aqua wasn't trying to hurt me. She's not dangerous."

His gaze goes to Aqua's scythe, then returns to me. I give him my best resolve face.

He sighs and retrieves his staff from the ground. "River Demons can be hit and miss. Some are friendly, others like to drown people."

"I don't want to hurt anyone," Aqua speaks up, slowly sliding out from behind the tree. "I like talking to people who pass through. Not many want to talk to me, but some do. Mostly other demons."

"I was asking her if she's seen any vampires." I smirk. "Then we can stop walking in circles and make some progress."

Kamon huffs, hitting his staff into the ground. He leans against it with a hilariously proud look on his face, and I know just by looking at it that he'd rather die than admit he had no idea where he was going.

"I saw some vampires come through here," says Aqua. "They had two humans with them, and they were heading towards the old city ruins."

A strange look crosses Kamon's face, but it's gone before I can figure out what it means. "Good. Thank you, kind River Demon."

"My pleasure. Feel free to come back and visit someday." Aqua turns into a cloud of blue mist and disappears.

I sigh. "So, are you going to try and strand me in a tree again, or are you going to let me come with you?"

He has that look on his face again; the prideful one. He doesn't want to admit that he was wrong to try and leave me behind, or show any kind of emotion that would give his thoughts away. "I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"

I smile. "You already made your choice. That's why you came to save me."

The vampire hits the ground with his staff again, keeping his face averted. "Well then… Keep up, little Slayer. I might not be able to save you next time."

I roll my eyes. "Who says I need you to save me?"

End Notes: So, I think I'm gonna be updating more frequently than I thought, ranging from every other day to whenever I can.