Chapter 26

Connor felt himself smile into the warmth of Dawn's neck as she lay wrapped in his arms, her long dark

hair spilling over the pillows.

She sighed and nestled against him, murmuring his name.

Her long legs were entwined with his and she unconsciously rubbed his calf with one of her little feet.

Connor smiled again and nibbled her neck, causing her to sigh and murmur his name again.

His arms slipped down to her waist, which had returned to its normal delicacy after their son had been born.

Her bare stomach was hot against his hands, her fingers cool against his chest.

He could almost hear her blood singing her joy at being close to him, the same thick humming he could feel

in his own veins. They belonged like this. Together.

He could dimly hear noises muffled as if by a great distance.

They were trying to wake him.

He frowned, concentrating on the sweet scent of dawn's skin and ignored them.

This was right, this was how it was meant to be. Dawn, sleeping in his arms.

Now, if only he could ignore what he knew was real and stay in this sweet delusion forever.

*****

Cordy sighed and gave up trying to get connor to respond to her.

Turning, she took one last look at him lying stiffly on his bed, his eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling, and

left the room.

A week had passed and connor still refused to come out of his catatonic state.

He wouldn't speak, wouldn't react to anyone.

Angel was growing more and more upset, he hadn't even pretended to sleep in days, instead spending his

days watching over his son.

Fred and Gunn did their best to cheer him up, and spent their days searching through books, or even the

streets.. hoping in vain to find something.. anything..

To make matters worse, Buffy and Spike had just arrived from Sunnydale.

After Dawn's disappearance they'd gone out on a rampage and killed every undead, (and some not) thing in

town.

None of them knew where the slayer's sister had been taken, or if they did, not even the encouragement of

william the bloody could convince them otherwise.

Now they were waiting for Cordy downstairs, hoping that she would have gotten something out of connor.

great… now I have to go face them…

Again, for maybe the hundredth time that day she found herself wishing she'd told everyone what she knew

about Dawn and Connor from the start.

Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish.. so worried about 'getting into trouble'.. then dawn would still be here

with us, safe… And connor wouldn't be catatonic upstairs

All too quickly she found herself heading down the stairs to the foyer where everyone was busy searching

through dusty books trying to find away to save dawn.

She paused, not wanting to disappoint buffy and spike, not to mention angel.

Long seconds turned into a minute and then Angel turned to face her slowly, his face hopeful.

"Cordy?"

The seer swallowed and shook her head not trusting her voice.

Angel's face fell.

The others all turned to face her, looking up from manuscripts and parchments, all expectant.

She took a deep calming breath.

Buffy spoke up, "well cordelia? Anything?"

The seer blinked once, then replied evenly,

"No. Nothing."

*****

Jared frowned and tried to ignore the noises and snippets of conversation he could hear drifting from the

room in which his lord was speaking to lady dawn in.

Her voice, which was usually so calm and.. cold.. around the demon was loud and outraged.

"What are you talking about you… you.. Filth!"

"my lady. I am merely trying to make plans for our wedding. Surely you comprehend?"

"NO! I DO NOT "comprehend" !!

I am NOT marrying you! What stupidity would give you the idea that I would ever EVER consider such a

thing!?!?

YOU DISGUST ME!"

Jared grimaced, it appeared the lady's cool exterior had finally been broken.

I just hope she calms down. He will not hesitate to hurt her now her son has been born..

He had been there when she had given birth to the screaming human child, standing just outside her

chamber, guarding her as usual.

He grimaced at the memory. She had been in labor for hours and hours.. for so long jared was sure that

both she and the precious 'giver' would perish.

However, both she and the boy had been fine.

And from that night onward Jared had had to listen to not just the silent sobbing of dawn each night, but

also the constant crying of the baby.

A loud smacking sound, followed by a thud brought the vampire out of his reverie.

He frowned.

He could smell blood. Her blood.

Quietly he turned and peered around the corner of the doorway and into the room.

Sure enough, Dawn lay on the floor, her eyes flashing murderously, blood dripping unheeded down her

chin.

His lord stood with his back to Jared and Dawn, his fists clenched at his sides.

He had hit her.

Jared fought the urge to go and help the woman up.

NO! I must not disobey the master.. he has the greater good of all at heart..

Jared repeated this mantra, but for once, it didn't seem to have any meaning to him.

Dawn's voice, cold and calm once again broke through the silence.

"Yes, your such a *good* man .. why on earth wouldn't I want to marry you?!"

Jared saw the hunched figure of his leader straighten and turn back to face the woman. Jared's white face

would have paled, if that were possible.

Where he usually saw the image of a tall, powerfully build man with a mane of red hair, stood, a demon.

The girl had been right!

How many times had he heard her yell out in her sleep? Damming the demon that had brought her here?!

Why didn't I believe her?… I knew she was talking the truth.. how could I have blinded myself to this?!

The demon spoke again.

Jared heard his words for what they truly were, evil.

"GIRL…do not speak to me in such tones. I am your lord. I SHALL be your husband, and then I shall be

your GOD!"

The vampire tore his gaze away from the demon imposter and looked back at the lady.

Somehow she managed to look that vile creature in the eye.

The expression on her face was non-existent.

Jared unconsciously leant forward, eager to hear her no doubt witty comeback.

But Dawn stood, wiped the blood from her face and turned. Leaving the room.

She paused at the doorway and turned back to him, her voice still cold and emotionless,

"connor will kill you."

The demon growled. He knew that connor could kill him, at least, until he had taken the power of

his son of course.

"That boy? Ha! I am the lord of this realm! He holds no power here!" he paused and smirked, "If you know

what is best for you and you're son. You will forget him."

Jared could almost see the anger radiating of dawn. For a moment he was worried she would try and attack the

demon. But instead she turned away.

****

Dawn's guard quickly fell back into his position and watched her walk past him and out into the hall.

Silently he took his post two steps behind her.

In front of him he heard Dawn cursing and muttering to herself , "yeah.. well if the destroyer dosen't kill him, then

the slayer will, or william the bloody will, or angel will…. Or.. or I will."

In those minutes walking behind the woman as she headed back to her chambers, jared the vampire decided

something.

****

Dawn practically marched back through the winding halls of the huge cold stone building that passed as the

demon's palace.

The floors were rough and unfinished, there where almost no windows, and the only source of light came

from torches set into the walls.

She could hear the almost completely silent footsteps of her guard, jared behind her.

Normally he would speak to her, ask her about utterly mundane things like football and his favorite bands

when he escorted her. But today, maybe he was angered at her for speaking against his precious master?

Or perhaps her was just respected her mood, which was of impotent rage, leaving her alone.

She could never tell with him. He was a polite vampire.

As she neared her rooms she could hear her son crying.

She sighed,

he might be bloody annoying.. but at least his crying means they haven't taken him off me … yet..

She stopped before her door and waited while jared undid the complicated locks.

Ony he and the demon had the keys as far as dawn could tell.

She caught sight of his some what determined expression and felt a shudder of fear pass through her.

I've never seen him look so.. so… like a vampire… maybe he's been told to kill me… or maybe it's time…

maybe they're gonna take him away from me tonight...

Dawn quietly slipped past her guard and into her darkened room.

They had made her leave the little boy alone. They always did.

It would make him stronger they said.

Dawn rushed to where the child lay in the middle of her large bed and pulled him into her arms.

The crying ceased instantly.

Behind her Dawn heard the snap of metal upon metal as her door locked.

She smiled as her baby and whispered softly to him, "well, looks like jared has locked us in for the night

baby.. it's just you and me!"

Unbeknownst to her, jared hadn't taken up his post outside her room. He smiled sadly at the way dawn had

taken to talking to her son.

The lady is lonely. She still cries out for his father.. connor.. during the night..though I had never heard

her speak his name waking, until tonight.

"lady."

Dawn started and spun around to face the green eyed vampire.

He never stays in the room with me.. he must have been ordered to so something..

"Jared."

She had unconsciously shielded the child from him as she spoke.

The vampire frowned and sat down on her bed.

"..dawn…"

He had never called her by her name before, he was very english, excellent manners and all that.

She seemed even more startled.

"Look! I'm not here to kill or take anyone okay?"

Dawn blushed slightly, "yes, well, is there a reason you are here then?"

He nodded, "yes. I believe you."

Dawn's brows furrowed, "what do you mean?"

Jared cleared his throat, "I believe you. I see him for what he truly is. I cannot.. cannot believe how blind I

was.."

He looked up at Dawn pleadingly, "You must understand, I'm only 25! I was turned when I was 19…on my

way home from a club in london on the tube.. turned out the girl with me really did just want me for my

body.. so to speak.. I understood what was happening to me…it disgusted me.. I knew about vampire's and

demons, because my grandmother, my father's mother, was the slayer.

Hell! My own brother was a watcher for a while! .." he paused and composed himself, "anyway, I suppose

that's why I was able to resist the bloodlust.. partially.. I am not all that different a person from when I was

alive… I think the slayer blood helped me.."

He looked up at Dawn to see if she was following him.

She was looking at him in wide eyed-shock.

He took an unnecessary deep breath and continued, "Anyway.. I was 20 when I met the lor.. that demon.

He told me he was a priest, and that he could help me… my family had, of course, disowned me. I was

dead to them… and he told me he could save my soul.. that's why i joined him. He was so.. convincing?"

Dawn blinked. Her english vampire of a guard was having a deep and meaningful with her?!? Sure, he'd

always seemed pretty nice.. he kinda reminded her of spike, what with his tendency to use the word

'bloody' and all… and she'd guessed, by his interest in football that he was only a newbie. But still.. it was

pretty hard to understand.

She swallowed, "so, what are you saying.. Jared?"

The vampire stood, "I'm saying that I shall help you… I have a way to contact someone in your world. He

will be able to open a portal for you and your son."

Dawn stared at him.

Jared smiled uncertainly, then she threw herself onto him, hugging him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Oh my god! Jared! Thankyou!!"

Jared would have blushed.

Her son meanwhile, who was look bemused, gurgled and waved his chubby arms in the air.

Jared nodded.

"I must go back outside. I will tell you when the portal shall be opened."

Dawn beamed at him and nodded as he walked back outside.

As jared took his post he heard her speak to the baby again, "Yes! Soon you're going to meet your daddy!

He's the one who gave you those beautiful eyes!"

The vampire outside felt something that felt mysteriously like his heart twinge a little in.. jealousy?

Oh yes, connor.

How could he forget?.. No doubt she'd be called out his name in her sleep in a few hours. And he'd be

forced to listen to it. Listen to her call out her undying love for him. Connor…Connor! I love you!

He felt anger boil in him. He did not deserve her. Connor…

Oh how he hated that name…