What If?
by Kayla





Cordelia smirked as she watched a group of upperclassmen gathered around a pool table at the Bronze. "Senior boys are the only way to go," she confided to her companions. "Guys from our grade? Forget about it! They're children, y'know?" She snickered. "Like, Jesse. Did you see him the other night? He was following me around like a little puppy, it was pathetic! You just want to put him to sleep!"

The girls at her table giggled and nodded in agreement.

With a toss of her hair, Cordelia continued, "Senior boys? Now they have mystery. They have...what's the word I'm searching for? Cars!" She smiled brilliantly. "I'm just not the type to settle," she explained. "It's like, when I go shopping, I have to have the most expensive thing. Not because it's expensive, but because it costs more."

One of the girls across from her spoke up, "You know--"

"Hello? Miss Motormouth? Can I get a sentence finished?" She glared at the one who had dared to interrupt. Then she brightened. "Oh, I love this song! Come on!"

With a shrug, the others got up and followed her onto the dance floor.

Cordelia quickly became captured by the music, not caring that she wasn't dancing with anyone in particular. After all, she looked good no matter what.



Erick stood outside the doors to The Bronze, slowly counting the handful of bills he'd collected for the night. Not the best night ever, but he's at least be ably to buy something nice for his girlfriend Tiffany.

Footsteps approached. "Need ID," he recited automatically. When he got no response, he looked up in irritation, preparing to deal with the usual idiots who tried to sneak in. "Hey, nobody gets inside until I get some sort of..." His voice trailed off as an inhuman creature confronted him and growled.

"Get inside" Lucas snarled, than stalked into the building.

Still in shock, Erick didn't even protest as he was unceremoniously ushered in.

Once inside the club, Lucas' entourage quickly split up to cover any exits and prepare to act as crowd control. As per instructions, Colin quickly moved towards the fuse box, cutting off the power and leaving the club illuminated only by the remaining emergency lights. Then he made his way back to the crowd, eager to prove himself. The Master would not be disappointed in him again.

Annoyed muttering began to spread through the crowd, until a voice cut through their babble.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there is no cause for alarm." Lucas stood on the stage, gazing around the room in hunger. Grinning, he amended his statement. "Actually, there is cause for alarm." He stepped into the light, revealing his vampiric features and garnering several shrieks of horror. "It just won't do any good," he finished, grinning in excitement.

"I thought there wasn't any band tonight," Cordelia said in confusion, turning to the person behind her.

Colin grinned at the girl and snapped his teeth at her, causing her to inhale sharply in fear. He quickly grabbed her arm, holding tightly to prevent her escape.

"This is a glorious night," Lucas told his unwilling audience. "It is also the last night any of you shall ever see." He couldn't help the broad grin that stretched across his face. He had awaited this night for decades. "Bring me the first!" he ordered.

Erick struggled as he was propelled forward. He couldn't believe the strength of his captor; for such a slight man, he seemed inhumanly strong. "What do you guys want, man, huh? You want money?" A sick expression flickered across his face as he came to a halt in front of Lucas. "Man, what's wrong with your faces?" He choked as a hand darted out and squeezed his neck.

Lucas addressed the crowd as he held Erick. "Watch me, people." He turned to his prey, wrapping his free hand around the man's head and pulling him close. "Fear is like an elixir," he remarked as he petted Erick almost lovingly. "It's almost like blood." He relished the gasps and muted screams from the crowd as he bared his fangs and plunged them deeply into quivering flesh, drinking down the heady fluid that welled up.

All too soon the human was drained, and Lucas let the body drop. He licked his lips and looked around. "Next!"



The Master shuddered in anticipation as the first of his Vessel's victims was taken, flooding him with a rush of power. His freedom was at hand. He could practically taste it.



The teens scrambled over each other in their haste to leave Rupert's car. "Hurry!" Jesse shouted as he raced for the door. When he found it closed, he wrenched futilely at the handle, trying in vain to open it. "It's locked!" he groaned anxiously.

"Dear god," Rupert gasped, horrified. "We're too late."

"Maybe we can break it down?" Xander suggested. He immediately began scanning the alley for something to use as a battering ram.

"I don't think that will work," Willow objected. "The door's way too thick."

"Is there a back entrance?" William asked.

Rupert nodded. "Good idea. Xander, you and Willow come with me to check the back entrance. William, Jesse, see if you can find another way in. Perhaps the roof."

"Right." Jesse nodded and sprinted for the ladder leading from the fire escape.

"William." Rupert caught his son's arm before the boy took off as well. "Here." He handed over one of the bags of weapons. "Try and get the exits cleared and the people out. That's all. No need to be getting heroic."

William flashed his father a weak grin. "Yes, Da."

After a momentary hesitation, Rupert pulled him into a brief hug. "Be careful," he whispered fiercely before forcing himself to let go. He felt an odd tightening around his heart as he watched his child dash away to help Jesse. He cleared his throat. "Best get to work," he told the remaining two teens in a rough voice.

Xander too watched William as he disappeared around the corner. He fought down the surge of numbing fear that raced through him. "He'll be ok," he said, giving Rupert a trembling pat on the back.

Rupert offered him a faint smile, then led the way to the back of the building.

"No joy," Willow told them despairingly as she tried the back door only to find it locked as well.

Rupert banged his fist against the door. "Damn it!" he growled, drawing shocked looks from his companions.

Xander shook himself. "We've gotta get in there! If the roof was open, Jesse and William have made it in by now. We have to get in to help, before Jesse does something even stupider than usual!"

Willow whacked his chest. "Jesse will not do something stupid!" She smiled reassuringly at Rupert. "He'll look out for William."



The Master gasped as yet another surge of power rushed through him. Reaching out a clawed hand he tested the barrier that kept him confined in his underground prison. It was weakening.

Soon now.



Lucas drained another victim, reveling in the joy of the kill. He felt the girl go limp in her arms as the last bit of life was sucked away, and knew that soon his Master would be free to take up the reigns of power that were rightfully his.



With a triumphant grin, the Master again tested the barrier. "Almost free!" he rejoiced. "Give me more!"



Lucas let the body drop to the ground. He gestured for another, and Darla was quick to dart into the crowd.

Cordelia cringed in Colin's grip, whimpering as Darla headed for her.

Darla grinned at the cowering human, reaching out to stroke her arm almost lovingly. "This one will do nicely," she purred.

Colin frowned. "I want to keep this one." He licked Cordelia's cheek with a small moan.

Darla glared at him. "They're all for the Master," she informed him tersely as she jerked the girl away.

Colin didn't release his grip as he asked plaintively, "Can't I have just one?"

"Maybe you should ask the Master for her," Darla said snidely. "I'm sure he'd love to share. After all, we know how much he favors you." She stared pointedly at Colin's new eye patch.

Colin swallowed hard and released Cordelia's arm. "Um, never mind," he stammered as he backed away. He watched a bit wistfully as the lovely young woman who tasted so deliciously of terror was led away. Ah well, there were other nights and other prey. He could wait.



"No good," William murmured, "this one's locked, too."

"Oh ye of little faith," Jesse retorted. He gestured to the row of windows. "Those will do just as well." After a moment's thought Jesse retrieved a large wooden cross from William's bag. With his face turned away, he smashed the cross through one of the windows, scattering jagged bits of broken glass. Very carefully, he felt around inside for a latch.

William watched in admiration as Jesse pried the broken window open, leaving a space just barely big enough for them to fit through. "Do you get a lot of practice with that?" he joked.

"Ha. Ha." Jesse stuck out his tongue. "Well, come on."

The boys crawled through the opening to find themselves on the upper level of the club.

"I can feel the Master's strength growing!" came a confident voice from below. Slowly creeping forward, Jesse and William peered over the railing.

"Shit," Jesse hissed as he watched the vamp that had bit him before drag a struggling Cordelia across the floor. "It's Cordelia."

"I feel him rising," Lucas continued. "Every soul brings him closer! I need another!" he shouted, lifting his head and revealing the mark etched into his skin.

"Look!" William gasped. "It's the mark of the Vessel!"

They froze at the soft growl from behind them. Slowly, they turned.

A vampire glared at them balefully from the shadows. "I don't know how you got up here," he snarled at them, "but you're soon going to join the others. No one escapes the Master."

"Tonight," Lucas intoned, "is his ascension. Tonight will be history at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice! Degradation..." he inhaled deeply, grinning, "...most holy." The remaining people in the crowd all edged as far away from the stage as they could get, and Lucas looked around at them in disappointment. "What, no volunteers?"

Darla shoved Cordelia up onto the stage, smirking. "Here's a pretty one," she said as she pushed the next victim towards Lucas.

Lucas caught hold of her and pulled her close, caressing her cheek. Panic-stricken, Cordelia screamed loudly, trying with all her might to pull away from the hand anchored in her hair.

Her struggles amused Lucas, and he licked his lips as he leaned in for the strike.

There was a loud commotion from above, and a vampire came flying over the railing, landing with a sickening thud in front of the stage.

Jesse whistled softly. "Woah. Good aim."

William shrugged bashfully. "I tripped," he admitted.

"Whatever works." He went to look over the railing, glaring down at the vampire who had his slimy hands all over the object of Jesse's desires. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said in a falsely sweet tone of voice. "Were you in the middle of something?"

"You!" Lucas snarled. "Well, well. If it isn't the bait."

"Yeah, about that. So not a cool thing to do. I think I have a little payback coming."

"Jesse!" William whispered anxiously, "What are you..." he sighed as Jesse hurled himself over the edge. "...doing," he finished with a resigned groan.

Jesse leaped, aiming himself for Lucas. He landed on the vampire with an 'oomph' and briefly gasped for breath before lashing out with the cross he'd used to break open the window. "You want blood, Vessel boy?"

Lucas hissed in pain as the cross pressed against his neck. "I'll take yours!" he promised, batting the cross from Jesse's grip and pushing the boy off of him with little effort. He ignored Cordelia, who had taken the opportunity to scramble away fearfully.

"Blast," William muttered as he watched the enfolding scene. He looked at the distance from the upper level to the floor, then took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

It wasn't a graceful landing, but he managed to hit the pool table instead of the floor. Immediately, one of the vampires stalked forward.

William reached for the bag of weapons, groping frantically when he couldn't find them. With a quick look behind him, he saw the bag lying on the floor beside the table. Thinking quickly, he grabbed the pool cue off the table, waving it menacingly.

The vampire continued to advance, obviously not very intimidated by the youngster waving around the oversized stake. With a bloodthirsty growl, he charged.

William gulped, then braced himself, leveling the pool cue at the charging vampire. He winced as the vampire impaled himself, staring down at the pool cue in bewilderment. As William watched, the vampire fell back and crumbled into dust

On stage, Jesse was struggling with Lucas, stake in hand as he attempted to impale the vampire. When Lucas managed knock the stake away, William knew he had to do something.

Moving quickly, he made his way onto the stage and grabbed one of the chairs stacked there. Raising it, he smashed it down on Lucas' back.

"Uh-oh." He took a step back as Lucas turned and began to come after him, glowing eyes promising a painful death.



With a final kick, Rupert managed to knock the door open. "Hurry!" he urged Xander and Willow.

Xander rushed past him and around the corner. On stage, he saw Lucas standing over William, who lay sprawled in a pile of boxes, blood trickling from his mouth. He was about to go over and help, when Jesse launched himself on Lucas' back, clubbing him with the cross he retrieved. It looked like they were holding their own for the moment, so Xander reluctantly turned his attention to the frightened crowd.

"Come on, let's go. Come on!" he urged, pointing a terrified girl to the back door. "Come on," he told the rest. "Come on!"

After the initial confusion, the group of captives jostled their way towards the promised escape.

Giles sighed a bit in relief as the former captives headed for him. At least some were still alive. "Hurry up. Come on, through this door! " he whispered. "Come on! This way!"

Willow helped usher the line of teens through the door. "Just go," she told them. "Run. You'll be safe away from here!"

Xander relaxed a little as the last of the huddled group made their way out the back door. Another glance at the stage made him tense again. Lucas had thrown off Jesse, who lay on the floor not far from Xander, rubbing his head and groaning in pain.

William was trying to make his way towards Jesse to help, and Xander's heart lurched painfully as he saw Lucas come up behind William and wrap his arms around the boy's chest, squeezing the breath from him.

"Go!" Jesse gasped, biting back a flash of pain. He motioned towards William. "Go!"

Xander nodded and ran to William's aid.

Jesse winced, pushing himself up and trying to muster the strength to get back to his feet. A whimper drew his attention, he twisted around to see Cordelia crawling across the floor, tears dripping down her smudged cheeks.

Cordelia shrieked as cold hands grabbed her shoulders and flipped her over. Her fingers curled into claws, and she raked at her captor's face.

Colin chuckled. He easily captured her hands and held them tight above her head as he knelt over her. "Hold still!" he ordered. "You're not making this easy!"

Jesse's eyes narrowed in anger. With a burst of energy, he levered himself off the floor and lurched over to the gloating vampire.