They were playing a deadly game of chess when she walked in. "Who's winning?"
"Stalemate," Grace said, disgusted.
Still a newborn at five years dead, games of chess didn't interest her as it did her elders. "Katie, Derek?" Christina's two most devoted followers -- Katie had lached onto her in Brazil and Derek, though technically her childe, so poorly made and cared for until Katie came along, had long lived with the status of minion -- instantly appeared at her side. "Take Honey out hunting."
Katie whined hanging onto her mate. "Mistress, Grace's a big vampire, can't she look after herself?"
Curling a fingertip under the dark skinned Brazilian's chin she answered, "No one said you only had to hunt for food. Find someone else to take care of her. Someone I'll approve of," she added dangerously.
"We will, Lady," Derek, the more star-struck of the two, answered.
"Good boy," she said smiling. It had taken him years and years but he was finally worthy of being called her childe. Perhaps he knew that had it not been for the return of her, then, mortal daughter it was a position he would have never attained.
She walked them out of the common room, past Angelus' quarters and the minions rooms to the front door. "Now go, the three of you. And Honey Grace?" The young vampiress turned. "Be bad, very, very bad. Bring me something Italian, preferably in its twenties."
One task down, another to go, she thought.
Returning to the room she saw that her sire and brother were still locked in the deadly serious chess game. It was yet another subtle play for dominance. Christina wasn't sure whether she was sick of them or amused. Boys and their . . . If she were still a Slayer she would have to update the Watchers files on Spike. It seems not only did he know how to play chess but was absolutely willing to go with less obvious displays than he was known for. Then again throwing Angelus through the window every few days had to get boring eventually.
Taking her chosen place behind Spike she threaded her tapered fingers through the short short hairs on the back of his neck. Slowly rubbing and scratching she felt his muscles relax. If she continued, she knew, he would begin to purr. She stopped just short of that more than a few times before he called, "Checkmate," softly. Minions had gone in and out as they played, ignoring them and being ignored for the most part.
"Lady?"
Christina turned, "Yes, Ajax?"
"Derek told me that as soon as you were done to tell you that your dinner was waiting downstairs for you to eat or run as you choose. And," he added hastily, aware of his lady's easily provoked wrath, "that they couldn't find Italian so they brought home Mexican, French and Taiwanese for you to choose from."
Patting his cheek benignly, and somewhat menacingly, she thanked him. "Spike," her voice and renewed stroking of the hollow where his skull and neck met awakened his deep concentration on Angelus without breaking eye contact, "come feed with me?"
He looked up at her. "Always, Kitten." Rising he left with his childe, ignoring Angelus utterly.