Okay, I've done an overhaul of the first chapter because I wasn't happy with it, so if you've already read it you might want to again. I also thought I should provide an explanation of the Slayer for all those who don't watch Buffy. So, here it goes:

Into every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world, to find the vampires where they gather, and to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. This Chosen One is activated when the previous Slayer dies and has preternatural strength, speed, grace, fighting prowess, senses and healing powers. The Slayer will fight evil until she is killed, at which point another Slayer is Chosen by the Powers That Be.

Vampires are a mix of pure demon essence and human flesh. They drink the blood of humans to survive, but can 'turn' a human by draining them of nearly all of their blood, then forcing the human to drink their mixed blood from a wound on the vampire. Vampires can only be killed in a few ways: a wooden stake through the heart, sunlight, fire, and beheading. They also can be harmed by crosses, holy water and seem to have an aversion to garlic. They cast no reflection in mirrors, but cannot enter a private home unless invited in.


Blood Lust

Chapter 1: Prophecy Girl

The night can be many things. It can be a protective cloak, a shadow that allows people to move in secrecy, to avoid prying eyes. It can be a warm, breathing entity that presses against the soul, reminding the spirit of both dangers and mysteries that are forgotten in everyday life. It can be a glimpse into an entire universe, a reminder of how insignificant everything is compared to the vastness of space. But to Alex Harrison, the night was a pit of danger and mainly a pain in her ass.

{{Some days it just doesn't pay to walk outside your door,}} Alex thought sourly to herself as she picked her way down the dark garbage-strewn street. A few street lamps threw flickering pools of light on the pavement, but for the most part the buildings remained in shadow. Anything could be hiding in those shadows, which was why Alex was out here instead of somewhere she really wanted to be. {{Shoulda told Brian to stuff it up his ass tonight and gone clubbing instead.}}

Patrolling while her Watcher set up a web of contacts in the Underworld was definitely not her idea of a fun Saturday night. But it was how she'd spent most of her nights since receiving her calling all those years ago. Like it or not, this was her duty. Her destiny and responsibility to mankind.

{{Blow me,}} she thought sarcastically, directing the words to the world in general. She was feeling less than noble tonight. Her shoulder was bruised where she'd landed on her back and while she knew it would be gone by morning, right now it ached like hell. Her favourite shirt had been torn in the front by an attacking vamp, ripped beyond repair. She'd ditched it in a dumpster after staking her assailant in a fit of rage, leaving her in only a white tank and leather jacket. God, she went through more clothes than a growing teenage boy. And with the depression that followed the Pulse, it was hard enough to get enough cash for the bare essentials, not to mention a new wardrobe every week.

So now she was sore and pissed off, not to mention tired. What little sleep she'd had over the past few days since moving to Seattle had been restless and filled with uneasy dreams. Normally nightmares didn't keep her up for long, but lately her dreams had been . . . different. They had an edge, a sense of reality to them that was unnatural. Most people would brush it off as having an overactive imagination, but Alex knew better. She'd read of one previous Slayer referring to them as 'morn-glom dreams' in one of the many Watcher's Chronicles she'd read since being called six years ago.

Morn-glom dreams. Dreams full of death and danger and decay. They were a warning, a message of sorts from whatever powers existed that tried to balance out the scales of good and evil. She'd had them before, always just before things started to go really bad. The last time it had been a cult of dark witches attempting to ressurect an ancient demon of war. She'd barely managed to kill the damn thing and the only reason she'd gotten out of the whole ordeal alive was because of the hints she'd received in her dreams. But this time Alex had no idea what the hell her dreams were supposed to tell her. The only thing clear to her was that her presence was needed in Seattle to stop. . . something. Whether it was a vampire, a demon or an apocalypse, Alex didn't care. She just wanted to get this bitch over with.

Alex sighed and pulled her jacket tighter. It was one in the morning, she was cold and cranky and hadn't seen hide nor hair of anything unnatural since the cross dresser who'd propositioned her nearly an hour ago. With so little action, she was seriously getting bored. What she really wanted to do was find somewhere with loud music, cheap beer and plenty of people to lose herself among. She wanted to relax and forget about her disturbing dreams for a while. She wanted to be normal.

She found the perfect place two blocks down. The illuminated sign flashing above the door was half-burned out, but she could make out the word 'Lazarus' easily enough with her enhanced sight. The outside of the club was dingy like all the other buildings in the city, but it seemed to be a happening place. There was a long line up to get in, but Alex boldly pushed her way through the would-be clubbers to the bouncers at the door, unwilling to waste anymore of her time.

"Hey boys," she smiled enticingly at the muscle-bound apes in front of her. "You know where a girl can get a good beer around here?"

The bouncers glanced at each other, then the taller one studied her from head to toe. Young, good-looking girl, in a revealing white shirt, leather jacket and dark pants. Apparently she made the grade because he grunted and waved her in as the people she'd budded shouted their disapproval. As if she gave two shits about upsetting them.

Alex followed a set of worn out stairs down to a large, dimly lit room packed with young people trying desperately to forget about the misery that existed in the world. Flashing lights assaulted her eyes and she had to blink a few times to clear the after-images. The air smelled of drugs, booze and sweat. It was heavy on her skin as the heat wave coming off the writhing crowd below her hit her full on. The music drummed in her ears, filling her head and moving her body as people pressed close around her.

Alex grinned. "Perfect," she whispered to herself before setting out to get a nice cold beer to complete her fantasy.

* * * *

Alec barely paid any attention to what the red head in his arms was saying in his ear, but he was much more interested in what she was doing with her hands as they pressed suggestively against each other on the dance floor. He shoved his lips against her neck as he cupped her ass in his hand and grinned to himself. He was sooo glad Sketchy had suggested checking this place out instead of going to Crash as usual. He would've ended up with some girl there too, but with Max watching his every move for a chance to smack him upside the head; it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.

He didn't know what was that girl's problem. Probably just so wound up from not getting any action for so long cause of this virus thing with Logan. Alec could definitely see Max being a big enough bitch to not want anyone else to get any just because she couldn't 'get busy' with her True Love. Course, it wasn't just his bed mates that Max found fault with. For a guy who was supposed to be perfect, Max said he sure had a lot of faults. Alec was aware of this; he knew he was a pain in the ass a lot of the time, but the way he looked at it, she wasn't little Miss Sunshine around him either. Plus, he really didn't care what people thought, so long as he had plenty of cash to buy plenty of beer and plenty of girls. {{Not that I need to pay for that last one,}} Alec smirked to himself as Red's hand slipped down between their bodies.

Alec was just thinking that he should thank Sketchy for coming up with a good idea for once when Red suddenly pulled away. Blinking, Alec saw the friend she'd come with pulling on her elbow, telling her she wanted to leave, that 'that guy' was a total moron. Alec glanced over to see Sketchy sitting at their table all alone, obviously upset at blowing it with Red's friend. When Alec turned back, he discovered Red was already gone, halfway through the surging crowd with her arm wrapped consolingly around her friend's shoulder, obviously apologizing for leaving her alone with Sketchy.

Alec allowed himself a flash of disappointment, then grinned and rubbed his hands together before pushing his way back to the table where Sketchy and beer waited. There were plenty of other fish in this particular sea and he was all about catching them and then throwing them back.

"Hey buddy," he clapped Sketchy on the back as he claimed the stool next to him, scanning the crowds for a new possibility. "How's it going?"

"Not so good," Sketchy said morosely, drawing little designs in the moisture on his bottle. "That chick just totally blew me off."

"You know what would make you feel better?" Alec asked taking a swig from his beer.

"More beer?" Sketchy replied hopefully, lifting his empty bottle. Beer was Sketchy's answer to everything.

"Well, I was gonna say that hot little Spanish number in the corner, but beer would work too."

"Actually," Sketchy sat up a little straighter as he followed Alec's gaze, running a hand through his messy hair. "I always wanted to learn Spanish."

Alec started to smile, then froze as his gaze caught on someone near the bar. "Tell you what," he said, standing as his smile became more predatory. "You go pick up some Spanish while I get the beer."

"Yeah, right," Sketchy grinned as he saw who Alec was staring at. If past experiences were any indication, Alec was going to get more than a beer. "You go work your mojo, man. I'll probably see you at work on Monday."

"Good luck," Alec winked at him cockily, then headed towards the girl at the bar who had caught his attention.

She was short, probably a head smaller than him, and her slim figure looked as if it would fit his body perfectly. She casually tossed some stray blonde hair out of her eyes as she leaned back against the bar, languidly sipping her beer as she lazily eyed the dancing masses. Alec's lips curled upward in appreciation as she shifted, her white tank now showing both a quite a bit of cleavage and a peek of flat stomach above the dark jeans. She didn't seem that interested in her surroundings and she definitely didn't have a date. Looked like Lady Luck had decided to take him under her wing tonight.

For the second time that night Alec thought about thanking Sketchy for dragging him to Lazarus. {{But,}} he thought as he moved in for the kill, {{That can definitely wait until morning.}}

* * * *

Alex was unconsciously bobbing her head in time with the music, feeling the tension drain like liquid from her muscles when a deep voice drawled right next to her ear, " So, what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Alex turned her head, intending to freeze the creep out with a cold remark, but then she saw his face. An appreciative smile lit up her face as she took him in. 'Wow' was the word that came to mind. He was the epitome of male perfection. From his lean legs to his broad chest, all the way up to his sexy lips and tousled hair. Not to mention his stunning green eyes.

Her smile widening, she turned to face him. While Alex would have preferred having lasting relationships, the nature of her calling meant it was dangerous to get too close to anyone besides her Watcher, so she had to make do with only satisfying her more primal urges. Which was alright with her; she didn't have anything against girls that slept around as much as guys did, just so long as they were doing it to please themselves and not because they'd tricked themselves into believing that if they only laid down and opened their legs, somehow they'd be worthy of being loved. It had been a while since her last fling and she'd been feeling a little antsy lately. Besides, it looked like tonight was her night for fantasies becoming reality.

"Whoa," she smiled flirtatiously up at him, practically drowning in the endless depths of his ocean-coloured eyes. "I'm blown away by your originality."

He grinned arrogantly at her, but she didn't mind the attitude he was radiating. While she probably would have smacked him upside the head to knock some sense into him if she'd met him anywhere else, she didn't give a damn right now what personality defects he had. It wasn't as if she was all that interested in talking to him anyway. But the longer she studied his beautiful body, the more she wanted to do other things with him.

"Well, I was gonna ask where your wings are, but it just didn't seem to fit," he said, leaning towards her, confidence etched into his every movement.

"Oh?" Alex cocked her head to one side, shoulder length blonde hair falling back. "Why not?"

"You look like you enjoy having. . . fun too much to be an angel."

She laughed out loud at his routine, amused by his blatant interest. At least there would be no games about what they were both after tonight. Letting go of her beer resting on the bar she extended her hand. "My name's Alex."

He raised his eyebrows over dancing eyes, all smooth sophistication and charm. "Well, imagine that! I'm Alec. We've practically got the same name."

"Hmm," she purred, holding onto his hand for an extra beat, feeling her breath quicken in anticipation from that one little touch. "Guess we were just meant to meet."

"You know," Alec lowered his voice as he leaned even closer to her. He smelled of sweat and spice and something she just couldn't place. "One of the guys I work with believes everybody you meet has something to teach you."

"Oh, I can think of a few things I could teach you," Alex grinned wickedly as she reached out to trace a finger along his shirt before grabbing a fistful and pulling him close. "But let's start with dancing," she whispered in his ear, walking him backwards onto the dance floor as their eyes locked.

Alec's hands came up to grasp her hips as he slid his leg between her knees, immediately invading her personal space. Just like she wished he would. She linked her arms above his head, instantly falling in time with his movements as they swayed to the music, letting her body move against his. The music pounded into the crowd as the lights swirled overhead and soon they were lost in a sea of glistening bodies and heat.

Alec couldn't remember the last time he'd been so attracted to a girl. During his illustrious career as Seattle's biggest player he'd been with some gorgeous women. And while Alex was very pretty, she didn't possess the beauty of some of the women he'd been with. And yet, she had a glow about her that made every other woman in the room dull in comparison. And when she rubbed up against him just like she was now she seemed to glow brighter than any star he'd ever seen.

Alex pulled back slightly to look Alec in the eye, feeling his breath on her face, then let her gaze drift down to his perfect lips. They met each other half way, lips parting before probing tongues. Alex slid her hands down his back to grasp his butt, pulling him closer as his kiss dizzied her and intoxicated her senses. She wasn't sure but she thought she heard him growl deep in his throat as he sucked on her lower lip, running his hands up and down her body and rubbing up against her like a cat in heat. It was as if their senses had been set on two and suddenly somebody had cranked them up to ten. Alec could feel her heart beating as fast as his and he could smell the arousal mixed in with her scent. Electricity seemed to dance between their bodies as they tried to devour each other, movements suddenly desperate.

Deciding quickly that he wanted to leave the club now, Alec pulled back and whispered thickly in her ear, "Your place or mine?"

Smiling, Alex opened her mouth to reply when suddenly a new sensation pushed through the dense fog of desire clouding her mind. Every single hair on her body stood on end and her skin felt as if it were trying to crawl right off her bones. She could literally feel the evil in the room and her Slayer's instincts took over. Instantly alert, Alex scanned the crowd quickly and caught sight of her prey almost immediately.

A good looking young black guy in cargos and a beater was leading a thin girl through the crowd, occasionally throwing a wolfish smile at her over his shoulder. The girl, an obvious clubbing regular in a shiny mini and barely legal top pressed up against his back, following him towards the exit and her death. The guy was a vampire, but there was no way for the girl to know that. But Alex saw it right away, in the way he moved, in the look in his eyes. He was a killer.

Alex snapped her attention back to the sexy guy with his hands currently in the back pockets of her jeans. She felt a flash of irritation at having to pass on what would surely have been an entertaining evening, but nonetheless disengaged herself from his embrace, thoughts already returning to the vampire climbing the stairs leading back up to the rest of the world. This was why she'd come to Seattle in the first place.

"Sorry," she replied to Alec with a distant smile. "I just remembered a previous engagement."

She walked away without looking back, leaving a shocked Alec standing alone among the dancers, trying to recover his ego.

* * * *

Alex made good time getting out of the club, using her small frame and supernatural strength to manoeuvre and push her way through the crowds. She got plenty of death glares and a fair number of death threats from the people she shoved out of her way, but by the time she reached the street she was within fifteen feet of the vampire and his intended victim. Alex slowed her progress as she followed so she wouldn't be close enough to be noticed. She hung back, naturally moving with the silent grace of a predator.

She expected the vamp to lead the girl to a deserted street or dark corner where he could feed on her either unnoticed or mistaken for a lust-driven couple, but he didn't stop at any of the suitable locations they passed. Alex was just beginning to wonder where he was going when the wind carried part of their conversation back to her.

"Are we nearly there?" the girl asked in a plaintive tone, tottering in platforms to keep up with his long stride. She kept pulling her skirt down with her free hand as it rode up her body and Alex silently asked herself why anyone would wear something that looked that uncomfortable.

"It's a bit further, but it's totally worth it," the vampire promised, his body language indicating he was agitated about something. He was probably excited about his upcoming meal, which made the fact that he hadn't stopped yet to attack all the more confounding.

"C'mon baby!" The girl tugged on his arm, tired of keeping her balance. She'd come out tonight to dance, not run a fucking marathon. "It's too far."

"Yeah, you're right." The vamp stopped, glancing the way they'd been heading before turning back to the girl. " I guess there's no harm in doing it here." And with that he turned into a monster.

Alex leapt forward as soon as she saw his face change. She was already halfway there even before the girl opened her mouth to scream when her companions face shifted, brow protruding and lips pulled back in a snarl as he lunged for her. She reached them before he could sink his jagged teeth into the soft flesh of the girl's exposed neck. The vamp looked up at the sound of her pounding feet just in time for her to smash her fist straight into his face with bone-crushing strength, causing him to release the girl as he roared in pain, grabbing his nose.

As the vamp staggered backwards Alex grabbed the girl's arm, practically throwing her back the way they'd come. "Run!" she yelled, glancing back at the stunned vampire before turning to scream at the paralysed girl, "Get inside!"

The second shout seemed to break the spell of terror the girl was under and she took off, literally running for her life in her wobbly platforms. Alex wondered briefly whether it would occur to her that she would be able to get away faster bare foot.

Alex felt the air shift behind her and she ducked under the punch, snapping a kick back to catch the vampire in the side. "That wasn't playing fair," she scolded him, turning around. "At least I waited 'til we were face to face."

The vampire snarled and threw himself at her, this time managing to get in a blow that snapped her head painfully to one side. Though her ears were ringing Alex blocked the follow up jab and kicked him in the face, knocking him backwards once more.

The vamp stayed back this time, circling her warily as he clued into the fact that she wasn't quite human herself. "What are you?" he growled, reptilian eyes shining in the dark.

"Your worst nightmare," she replied grimly, fists at chin level, readying for anything he threw at her. "The Vampire Slayer."

A look of intense fear flitted across his face before his sneer returned. Some detached part of Alex that wasn't planning different battle tactics noted this fact and worried. Usually vampires were either so ignorant or so cocky they didn't see her as a threat or else they were just plain terrified of her. They didn't just get over that fear.

"You came to the wrong town, girly," he sneered, continuing to circle her.

"Oh, really?" she smirked.

"He's not just gonna let you come in here and mess up his playground."

"Who's 'he'?" Alex asked, but the vamp was already moving, rushing towards her with deadly grace. Luckily she was even more deadly.

It really was stupid to try to rush her. Alex waited calmly until the vampire was close enough and then grabbed his arm and used his own momentum to flip him over her shoulder. He made a resounding crack as he hit the pavement, probably breaking more than a few bones, and she kneeled quickly beside him, producing a stake from inside her jacket and shoving it into his chest in one smooth movement.

The demon stared up at her in shock for a second, then exploded into dust. The street was quiet once more as a cool breeze stirred the ashes and carried them off. Alex stood, straightening her jacket.

"S'okay," she breathed sarcastically, turning away, "I didn't really want an answer anyway."