Part IV

Terrible twos, horrible threes. There has never been a more proper name for as stage in life. And my bit was doing the name justice. She was a real hellion.

But how could a sweet baby become a temper-tantrum throwing, demanding, argumentative little demon in the course of a few months? And how could I change her back?

The truth is that she is turning to be a lot like me. She had a deep-rooted conviction of how things should be and would violently resist any alterations to her worldview. For instance, last night I had the gall to order Pepperoni pizza since I like the spicy little things. The bit refused to eat anything that wasn't a plain cheese pizza and told me so in real colorful language. I laid down the law and refused to call for another and that ultimately resulted in my wearing said pizza.

Bedtime was another struggle. She still kept my hours but the sun was too much of a temptation. The bit wanted out and even after I gave her a condensed version of my problem with sunlight, she would not give up. I considered moving us to Alaska but that seemed a little too extreme, even for me.

I got a telly and that seemed to appease her a little. I also began taking her out with me. We went to the movies, amusement parks, ice-skating rinks, Mc.Donald's etc. She really liked that and she especially liked it when I took her shopping. The bit was accumulating quite a wardrobe.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take her everywhere and that pissed her off. She would sulk for days and refuse to talk to me. I would try to ignore her but I was always the one to give in first.

By now Drusilla was no longer part of our lives. She'd moved out eight months ago and the last I've heard is that she's taken up with a Chaos demon. I was mildly disgusted and offended. After all, Chaos demons are really bottom of the barrel.

But I really didn't care. I had the bit for company and as bad as she could be I was really growing fond of her. Don't get me wrong. I was still planning on using her in her future role but I didn't see any harm if we got along.

The bit was a very pretty child. She had soft blond hair that would probably darken with time. He face was accentuated with a pert little nose and blue-green eyes. She also had the perfect pouting lips that served her well because she did a lot of that. The bit had an affinity for everything pink and poufy that I indulged even when it made me nauseous. She liked fruit and hated vegetables with a passion. Sweets and especially chocolate were her weaknesses. And she had a temper that could put a Mmmfashnik demon to shame and I usually got the lion's share of it. And I loved every minute of her.

Except right now.

"Spike"

"Yeah bit?"

"I wanna puppy"

"We can't have dogs bit. There is no one to take them out in the morning"
"Me" she volunteered.

"You're still to young. Maybe in a couple of years" or a couple of decades.

"Now"

"I said no"

"NOW!"

"Bit, that's enough. Its not going to happen no matter what you say"

"I WANNA A PUPPY NOW!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

The bit was kicking her legs so hard that a shoe slipped out. It landed atop the apartment's dining/reading/writing/game/activity table.

Both of us stared in silence at the offending footwear. The bit wasn't above throwing things but this was too much.

I decided right then that she needed to be taught a lesson.

"That's it bit. You've gone a little too far. I want you to march into your room and stay there until I tell you to"

"No"

"I said go to your room"
"NO!"
I picked her up while she was kicking and screaming. She was pretty strong for a three-year-old and it took quite a lot before I could get her in her bed. Even then she fought me and amidst all the mayhem I did not notice that I had shifted into my game face.

She noticed thought and let a blood-curdling scream. I backed away immediately from the tiny cowering figure.

"Monster" she cried.

Bloody hell. I've taken care not to reveal myself to the bit once she was old enough to form an impression. It was okay when she'd been a baby. She even had gotten a kick out it but now she was scared out of her wits.

"Bit, it's not like that…"
"Go way" she whimpered..

"Okay baby, but we are going to talk later"

I spent the next hour pacing the confines of my apartment. I knew that I would have to tell her the truth someday but I was hoping that she'd be a little older, like twenty.

I knocked on her door. "Hey bit, are you awake?"
A little sniffle. I let myself in.

"Do you want anything? I brought ice-cream"

She shook her head but would not look at me. I place the bowl on her night table.

"Okay. I…uhm…I can imagine what you are thinking. You think that I'm a monster"

"Yeah" she whispered.

"I'm not a monster bit. What you saw was my game face"
"Play game face?" she asked.
"No, it's a little more complicated than that. You see, I am Spike but sometimes I am something a little bit different"
"What"

Okay, here we go.
"I'm a vampire but not a bad vampire. At least not with you"

"What's a vampire?"
"It's hard to explain. A vampire drinks blood and they cannot go out into the daylight. I am also very strong and I can move faster than regular people"
She looked at me warily.

"I also get a different face when I am going to drink blood or when I get mad"
"Mad at me"
"Yes, and it got a little out of hand but don't worry, I would never do anything to you"

She considered this for a moment.

"Promise?"
"Cross my heart bit"

She seemed a lot happier after that. She asked me more questions that I tried answering in a way that wouldn't scare her or confuse her. By the time her curiosity was satisfied I was very near exhaustion. She had one more question.

"Spike. I am going to be a vampire too?"

So innocent.

"No bit, not you. You're going to be something a little more unique"
"What?"

"I can't tell you yet. Now go to sleep. You are still punished"

She grumbled for a while but let me tuck her in. The bit hugged her favorite pillow and turned to her side. I put arranged the bed railing so she wouldn't fall and left the room.

I went immediately to my own bed and laid facedown. I felt so tired but relieved since I wouldn't have to hide from an inquisitive toddler anymore. But I also wondered if she would take the truth about her own nature as well as she'd taken the truth about mine.

TBC

Author's note: Okay I was probably a little off in this chapter. Must be the stress. R/R