Title: A Breed Apart
Author: Merlin
Email: merlin.enchanter@verizon.net
Rating: PG 13 for now
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, and a lot of other people own Buffy. All the Forever Knight characters are owned by T.P.T.B. at Columbia/Tristar/Sony and James Parriott. I get no money by writing this, just hope for some kind words of encouragement.
Classification: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Xander/Cordelia relationship.
Authors Notes. This Fic varies at the end of Season 3 after the Scoobies Blow up the School. During
Special Thanks to my Betas' for their help with this, Greywizard and Brer' Abbott.
Xander's road trip he gets as far as Toronto. Willow Oz, Never broke up in Season 4.
Spoilers: a few here and there.
Summary: Xander's Road Trip causes him to face his Greatest Fear, and his Greatest Challenge.
Feedback: Yes please!!!!!
Distribution: If you like it... please feel free to place it on your site... but please tell me first.
A Breed Apart
Prologue:
November 12th 1999
Sunnydale Ca.
Xander sighed as he pulled the car into the garage of the house he had rented earlier in the week. He was still trying to keep his return to Sunnydale a secret for as long he could. He didn't think Buffy would be too happy to find out that he was now a "blood sucking fiend". Willow would be freaked out as well.
Thinking back, he couldn't of come up with anything he could have done differently to prevent his 'condition'. Seeing the woman in the alley fighting off the vampires that were attacking her, he couldn't not stop, but instead rushed in to help. However, he didn't expect the viciousness of the attack. Both he and the woman were severely injured, and the only reason he was still around was the fact that her 'boyfriend' was a vampire and he turned them both.
Somewhere
Sometime
As the human known as Xander Harris dies, and comes back as a Vampire a hand reaches down to a chessboard and swipes the pieces off the board. Pieces that suspiciously look like Xander Harris, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg are among those discarded.
\\ It's a whole new game now, // says a haunting unknown voice.
\\ Yes, and we have new players, // says another as the Black King is placed on the board. A piece that looked exactly like Xander Harris.
November 12th 1999
Sunnydale Ca.
Waking up and finding out he was a vampire was unnerving. At least, it was till he found out he was still himself, just a little different.
He soon learned that he was a different kind of vampire, not the type with which he was most familiar that was demon possessed. No, his newly acquired 'family' called themselves Vampyres, a totally different and ancient breed, who retained a measure of their humanity, and most importantly, their souls.
Over the next few weeks after his 'rebirth,' he learned what it was like to live in Nicholas' world. He also discovered that he was far stronger and faster than the vampires he was used to. His 'game face' was different as well, with the lack of forehead ridges; his eyes merely took on a golden hue and his teeth grew a bit.
He also learned the best part about his new lifestyle.
He could fly.
All right, it wasn't exactly like Superman, at least not that fast, but he could, and did, defy gravity and soar through the night sky like an eagle, reveling in the freedom and sheer joy it provided.
During the next few months, Xander and Natalie were taught everything needed to survive as a vampire, from controlling the hunger, to feeding in the public area without harming humans. They learned that the best way to feed that way was to prey on the soulless vampires who existed everywhere. When in the larger towns and cities, there were also usually vampire/demon bars where one could feed quietly.
He also learned that some of the much believed "Facts" about vampires were not true in all cases. About a week after his "Birth", he finally noticed when he got out of the shower that he was still wearing his cross. He picked it up and held it, just looking at it.
When he asked Nick about it later, his sire just laughed it off, telling him that almost all of the contact humans have with vampires are with the soulless demonic breeds, and it was effective on them. Additionally, holy water would not affect him, and if he chose, he would be able to enter a church if he desired. Sunlight and beheading would still kill him, as well as a stake in the heart. But when staked, he wouldn't explode into dust as the others did, he would go dormant, and come back once the stake was removed.
Xander spent the rest of the Summer and into the Fall staying with Nicholas and Natalie, learning as much as he could. He would need the knowledge if he was to survive and return home. He kept in touch with Willow and Buffy, explaining that his car had died on him and he was working to get it repaired, and that he would be home before Christmas.
When the girls started college, their contact cut back dramatically, and Xander actually gave more than passing thought to not returning to Sunnydale. However the ties to home proved too strong, and he ultimately decided to return.
As he was getting ready to leave, Nick handed him a folder with some information in it: contacts in LA for the "Community" there, as his breed of vampire called their gatherings or neighborhoods, and some money, something Nick called 'seed money' to get him started. Xander almost choked when he saw how much it was.
Ignoring Xander's protests, Nick explained that he has amassed a large fortune in his eight hundred years of unlife, and giving Xander five million was just a drop in the bucket.
After a final hug for both Nick and Natalie, and promises to keep in contact, he finally, and regretfully, made his exit. In so many ways that counted, Nick was much more of a father than Victor Harris had ever been.
Xander took his time returning to Sunnydale, traveling only at night, and pausing several times to rid several small towns of their vampires, and other unwanted creatures. To Xander, it was almost a dream come true, finally being able to compete with Angel on a near-equal footing.
Reality set in, though, when he tried to think of how to explain to Willow and Buffy and the others about his "condition".
So Xander returned quietly to Sunnydale and bought an older home in good condition that had a large private yard with lots of space. Thankfully, it was November, now, and it got dark out early enough for him to do the necessary shopping for him to furnish his home.
He had been back almost a week, and, in that time, he had managed to get his home set up to his needs and liking. He was even able to patrol successfully several nights in a row, finding plenty of opportunities to feed while also avoiding Buffy and the rest of the Gang..
He had also managed to locate a supplier for "Raven Cellars Wine," the Bloodwine made by Nick's "Father", and his "Grandfather," Lucien Lacroix, and set up standing orders for both Bloodwine and pure or "Uncut" blood.
Chapter 1
November 8th 1999
Los Angeles Ca.
Cordelia Chase was miserable.
She had moved to Los Angeles several months before, hoping to make her way as an actress. So far she had auditioned for over two hundred parts, and been offered several casting couch appearances. Not willing to sleep her way to a part, she quietly stayed unemployed.
"You're just not that good, honey," her agent told her. "There are a ton of beautiful girls in this town who are just as good as you are, and they don't have the same morals that you do. All I can do is set up the audition; how you or they handle it is not my business."
"Maybe I should try another agent!" Cordelia said angrily.
"Go ahead honey, be my guest, but they will all tell you the same thing."
November 12th 1999
Los Angeles Ca.
Her agent had been right. So, rather than take a job as an exotic dancer, Cordelia Chase decided to do the one thing that she had dreaded the most, returning to Sunnydale a failure.
Now, she sat, frustrated and unhappy, in the back of the Greyhound bus parked on the side of the road, waiting for the mechanic to get it fixed so they could continue on their journey.
\\ Great, now I get to get home after dark. My life sucks. //
Finally, after a two hour delay, the aging bus resumed its journey. Arriving at the Sunnydale bus depot a
little after eight PM, Cordelia exited the bus.
Gathering up her two suitcases, Cordelia headed off towards her father's apartment. Having partially recovered from his financial hardships of earlier in the year, he now worked out of the three bedroom apartment he had moved into after his wife of twenty-two years abandoned her family for someone who had money.
Cordelia knew better than to walk at night, but she lacked the money for a taxi, and she was too ashamed of what she perceived as her failure to call any of her former friends and ask them to pick her up.
She was only about four blocks from the apartment complex which was her destination when her luck ran out.
A foursome of vamps accosted her, two in front stepping out and blocking her path, while their two friends came up behind her.
Realizing the magnitude of her blunder, Cordelia swiftly ran through her options: she didn't have a cross, no holy water, and the stakes she did have were in the bottom of her purse, now completely out of reach.
Deciding to go on the offensive, Cordelia swung her right hand suitcase up at the head of the large male vampire in front of her. It was a wasted effort, as the vamp swatted it out of her hand easily. The female on the left knocked the other one down as her mate grabbed the brunette beauty and pulled her to him.
After an initial stab of pain in her throat, Cordelia subsequently felt a wave of revulsion and evil course through her as the soulless vampire started to drain her. Then, as she was beginning to lose consciousness, she thought she saw a familiar face over the vamp's shoulder.
The Roof of the Bronze
Xander stood watching the couples on the dance floor and thought back to a time when his life was normal.
Well, more normal than it was now. Here he was, a Vampyre, brought across by one of the oldest and purest of the ancient line. His own level of power was great because of who his vampiric father and grandfather were. He estimated his strength as near that of a slayer, while his speed was far greater than Buffy could ever hope to move. as far as his ability to fly - God, what could he say? It was magnificent, to be able to soar above the rest of the town, to patrol from the air, to be free.
Xander turned away from the skylight and walked over to the edge of the roof, and it was then when he heard the scream.
He took off immediately, soaring up into the night and heading toward where he heard the scream come from.
When he first saw the four soulless vampires, the leader had nearly finished draining the female he had attacked, and Xander could hear her heartbeat slowing down. He landed behind the vamp and was reaching out to grab him by the shoulder when he looked into the victim's eyes.
\\ Cordy! //
He saw the flair of recognition in her eyes as they started to close for the final time, and his Rage broke down the barriers he had so carefully built to restrain it years before.
Xander's own eyes flashed gold and his fangs extended as he reached for the leader. Tearing him away from his former girlfriend, he brutally bent his head to the side. As his fangs dug into the cool white skin of the vampire's throat, Xander drank.
He drained the vampire as swiftly as he could, while listening to Cordy's heartbeat as it gradually faded. Just as her heart stopped, he pulled away from the lead vamp, who was now shriveling up and starting to turn to dust as Xander casually tossed him to the side. Gently, he lifted his former beloved's head into his lap, and used his own teeth to tear open his wrist and place it at her mouth.
As the blood ran into her mouth, what small part there remained of Cordelia Chase took hold of the sensation and started to drink.
Xander fed her as much blood as he could without weakening himself, and when he could feel her presence in the back of his mind, strong and solid, he then turned to confront the remaining vampires.
Dumbfounded by the sheer unexpectedness of the actions, three vamps watched in stunned silence as their leader was yanked away from the girl and drained by the strange vampire with the golden eyes.
Xander rushed them so rapidly that they couldn't react quickly enough to avoid him, and like a terrible nightmare come true, he ripped the heads off of both females and thrust a stake into the surviving male's heart faster than the vamp could see. All were destroyed, their dust drifting in the night air, before they knew what hit them.
Still feeling Cordelia's sharp, but gentle presence in the back of his mind, Xander hid her suitcases in some nearby shrubbery until he could come back for them. Then, as gently as possible, he lifted his former lady love into his arms and he took off.
Somewhere
Sometime
On the chessboard where Xander Harris stands as the Black King, a hand reaches down and places a piece on the square next to him. It is the Black Queen, carved with the likeness of Cordelia Chase.
Xander's Place
After carefully laying her on his couch, Xander began cleaning Cordy up, gently wiping away the blood, sweat and dirt from her face and taking the time to clean the few minor cuts and abrasions he noticed she had somehow acquired, before hurrying back and retrieving her luggage.. He didn't think she would be waking soon, but he didn't want to take any chances. An upset Queen C was a loud and vituperative Queen C, and that was something he didn't want to deal with, right now. He prepared a room for her, then carried her into it and lay her on the bed. Returning to the kitchen, he pulled out three bottles of Raven's uncut and one of Bloodwine and returned to her room to sit by her unmoving form.
He sipped on a glass off Bloodwine as he waited, thinking of how he was going to explain why he had turned her. He remembered waking for the first time and the overwhelming hunger he felt; and how he wanted to stake himself when he realized he was a vampire. It was Nicholas who had to hold him still, until Xander finally realized that he was himself, just a little different.
It wasn't until almost eight in the morning when she finally woke up.
Her first sensation was hunger, a deep agonizing hunger worse that anything she had ever felt before this.
Xander rushed to her side with an open bottle of blood, and carefully held it to her mouth. She grabbed it out of his hands and drank swiftly and thirstily. When she had drained that, he handed her another, and then one more.
It was as she was finishing the third bottle, that Cordelia realized what was happening.
Her eyes flashed gold as she looked over at her former boyfriend and leapt at him, smashing the bottle down on his head.
"You bastard!" she screamed at him. "You god damned bastard." And she sagged against him, once more lost and scared.
"I know. Cordy. It's what we were all afraid of. But it's different too. We're not that kind of vampire. Feel yourself Cordy, feel your thoughts and emotions. They're all still there, and you're still you. Feel it?" Xander asked gently.
"Look at me, Cordy, look at my face. See? it's different too."
Cordelia looked up into the face of her former love and watched as his eyes turned a greenish gold, and his fangs dropped down. There was no ugly ridged forehead or twisted features. Xander still looked like himself, just with fangs and weird-looking eyes.
And as she sat quietly in his arms, she examined her own thoughts and feelings. She was still herself, and yet, she was something more.
"We are vampires, Cor," Xander told her, as he held her close, "but we're not the kind we used to fight and destroy. Our kind does not kill for food unless it is a vamp that we feed off of. We have rules and laws in our community, and I will teach you everything you need to know. We are different from the others, the Demon-Spawn, as different as night and day. Would you please look at this?" he asked, as he pulled the cross out of his shirt. "Crosses don't hurt us, and holy water is just water. We don't turn to dust when staked, but simply shut down, dormant until the stake is removed," he explained.
He pulled her up onto the bed, sitting beside her.
"Sunlight will still destroy us, as will beheading, but there are other things we can do as well," he said as he floated a few feet up into the air. "We can fly, and move as fast as the Flash!" he grinned at her, as excited as a little boy showing a new toy to his best friend.
Cordelia just stared at him, stunned but hopeful that there might be something good in all of this, after all.
"There are some downsides to this as well," he informed her. "It takes time to learn how to control your hunger, to learn everything you have to know to live as a Vampyre. You will need to learn how to fly, and how to use your hypnotic powers, or "the whammy" as Nick calls it. But mostly, you need to learn how to control the bloodlust," Xander explained.
"How long will it take?" the former cheerleader asked doubtfully.
"Depends. Nick had me where I could control myself in just a week, Natalie took about two to learn it. But Nick used a different method on us than most Vampyres do; he called it the 'Blood Kiss'. It's hard to explain exactly what it is, but you share blood with your Childé, and your memories are shared, making it easier to remember. Nick's father, Lucien Lacroix was over two thousand years old, one of the oldest and purest lines of our breed, and he said that the blood is our life, the memories and the knowledge."
Cordelia just looked at her former boyfriend and marveled at the change in him: he was dressed stylishly in dark colors, and he radiated confidence and strength.
"What are you doing back here, Cor? I thought you swore that you would never return here, even to visit. Xander asked.
"I didn't plan on it, but I couldn't get any work that didn't require my clothing to be off, and me flat on my back. So my money ran out and here I am. As much as I wanted to be an actress, I wouldn't compromise my principles. So, I just gritted my teeth and returned a failure," she answered. "Now I *really* need to figure out what I'm going to do now. My working hours are going to be severely limited, and I need to figure out where to go."
"You can stay here, Cordy. I have more than enough room for both of us. You will need to stay here for awhile anyway, till I get you trained enough to be on your own. In our community, we don't tolerate those who risk our exposure. A young vampire who can't control their hunger, blood lust or abilities is quickly put down by the Enforcers," Xander offered.
Cordelia looked at him, and saw the sadness in his face.
"How can you afford this place, Xander? Are you using your abilities to rob people?" she asked.
Xander laughed at her question before answering.
"Funny, Cor. My father gave me some seed money when I left Toronto and returned here. He figured five million would be a good start for me," He replied.
She looked at him again, as if trying to decide if he was serious or not. Unable to tell, she gave up guessing and took him at face value.
"So, when do I start training?" she asked.
"As soon as you feed some more," Xander told her, as he left the room, before returning a few minutes later, with three more bottles of uncut, one for him and two for her.
Once the bottles were empty, he pulled her over to him, telling her to relax, and to do what came naturally.
Xander put his lips on the side of her neck and kissed her gently there, then ran his tongue softly over the veins. Cordelia shuddered at the sensation, a chill of anticipation running down her spine. Opening his mouth, he once more pressed his lips to her neck, as his fangs descended and he gently bit into her.
The sensation surprised her, she was expecting the repulsive and evil feeling that she felt the night before when the vampire attacked her, but that was nothing like this. This was absolutely the most erotic and sexually intense sensation that she could imagine. Then the memories hit, and she felt a compulsion to bite, so she sank her fangs into the side of Xander's neck.
She reveled in the sensation and embraced the feelings. Memories swirled through her head and she saw so much history streaming past her mind's eyes that she was lost and confused. But behind it all was Xander, strong and powerful in her thoughts. She saw the whole 'Fluke' thing go by again, and felt the sadness in him. She felt his regret, and the sorrow in his heart when she left him. She felt his love for her as strong in his heart now, and she was sure it was then. Then she felt his turning and his education.
Through it all she felt his love for her wash over her in endless waves.
When they were done, Xander gently pulled away, then licked the wound on her neck, making her shiver. He lay her back on the bed.
"Sleep now. When it gets dark, Your training will begin," he told her.
"Stay with me?" she asked.
"No Cordy. Not after the blood kiss. I know what you are feeling. I feel it, too," he said. "I want you back, Cor, but I want it to be real, and not a result of anything else. I want it because you want it on your own terms."
He leaned over her and kissed her chastely on the forehead, then turned and left the room.
Cordelia sat up on the bed and looked at the door as it closed.
\\ Damn! // She thought. \\ I never stopped loving you, Xander, even when I was angry for the thing with
Willow. Now I know how you felt, so we WILL have to talk about this. //
She lay back and pulled off her jeans and shoes, then crawled into bed in just a t shirt and underwear.
Seconds after her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.
TBC
Author: Merlin
Email: merlin.enchanter@verizon.net
Rating: PG 13 for now
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, and a lot of other people own Buffy. All the Forever Knight characters are owned by T.P.T.B. at Columbia/Tristar/Sony and James Parriott. I get no money by writing this, just hope for some kind words of encouragement.
Classification: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Xander/Cordelia relationship.
Authors Notes. This Fic varies at the end of Season 3 after the Scoobies Blow up the School. During
Special Thanks to my Betas' for their help with this, Greywizard and Brer' Abbott.
Xander's road trip he gets as far as Toronto. Willow Oz, Never broke up in Season 4.
Spoilers: a few here and there.
Summary: Xander's Road Trip causes him to face his Greatest Fear, and his Greatest Challenge.
Feedback: Yes please!!!!!
Distribution: If you like it... please feel free to place it on your site... but please tell me first.
A Breed Apart
Prologue:
November 12th 1999
Sunnydale Ca.
Xander sighed as he pulled the car into the garage of the house he had rented earlier in the week. He was still trying to keep his return to Sunnydale a secret for as long he could. He didn't think Buffy would be too happy to find out that he was now a "blood sucking fiend". Willow would be freaked out as well.
Thinking back, he couldn't of come up with anything he could have done differently to prevent his 'condition'. Seeing the woman in the alley fighting off the vampires that were attacking her, he couldn't not stop, but instead rushed in to help. However, he didn't expect the viciousness of the attack. Both he and the woman were severely injured, and the only reason he was still around was the fact that her 'boyfriend' was a vampire and he turned them both.
Somewhere
Sometime
As the human known as Xander Harris dies, and comes back as a Vampire a hand reaches down to a chessboard and swipes the pieces off the board. Pieces that suspiciously look like Xander Harris, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg are among those discarded.
\\ It's a whole new game now, // says a haunting unknown voice.
\\ Yes, and we have new players, // says another as the Black King is placed on the board. A piece that looked exactly like Xander Harris.
November 12th 1999
Sunnydale Ca.
Waking up and finding out he was a vampire was unnerving. At least, it was till he found out he was still himself, just a little different.
He soon learned that he was a different kind of vampire, not the type with which he was most familiar that was demon possessed. No, his newly acquired 'family' called themselves Vampyres, a totally different and ancient breed, who retained a measure of their humanity, and most importantly, their souls.
Over the next few weeks after his 'rebirth,' he learned what it was like to live in Nicholas' world. He also discovered that he was far stronger and faster than the vampires he was used to. His 'game face' was different as well, with the lack of forehead ridges; his eyes merely took on a golden hue and his teeth grew a bit.
He also learned the best part about his new lifestyle.
He could fly.
All right, it wasn't exactly like Superman, at least not that fast, but he could, and did, defy gravity and soar through the night sky like an eagle, reveling in the freedom and sheer joy it provided.
During the next few months, Xander and Natalie were taught everything needed to survive as a vampire, from controlling the hunger, to feeding in the public area without harming humans. They learned that the best way to feed that way was to prey on the soulless vampires who existed everywhere. When in the larger towns and cities, there were also usually vampire/demon bars where one could feed quietly.
He also learned that some of the much believed "Facts" about vampires were not true in all cases. About a week after his "Birth", he finally noticed when he got out of the shower that he was still wearing his cross. He picked it up and held it, just looking at it.
When he asked Nick about it later, his sire just laughed it off, telling him that almost all of the contact humans have with vampires are with the soulless demonic breeds, and it was effective on them. Additionally, holy water would not affect him, and if he chose, he would be able to enter a church if he desired. Sunlight and beheading would still kill him, as well as a stake in the heart. But when staked, he wouldn't explode into dust as the others did, he would go dormant, and come back once the stake was removed.
Xander spent the rest of the Summer and into the Fall staying with Nicholas and Natalie, learning as much as he could. He would need the knowledge if he was to survive and return home. He kept in touch with Willow and Buffy, explaining that his car had died on him and he was working to get it repaired, and that he would be home before Christmas.
When the girls started college, their contact cut back dramatically, and Xander actually gave more than passing thought to not returning to Sunnydale. However the ties to home proved too strong, and he ultimately decided to return.
As he was getting ready to leave, Nick handed him a folder with some information in it: contacts in LA for the "Community" there, as his breed of vampire called their gatherings or neighborhoods, and some money, something Nick called 'seed money' to get him started. Xander almost choked when he saw how much it was.
Ignoring Xander's protests, Nick explained that he has amassed a large fortune in his eight hundred years of unlife, and giving Xander five million was just a drop in the bucket.
After a final hug for both Nick and Natalie, and promises to keep in contact, he finally, and regretfully, made his exit. In so many ways that counted, Nick was much more of a father than Victor Harris had ever been.
Xander took his time returning to Sunnydale, traveling only at night, and pausing several times to rid several small towns of their vampires, and other unwanted creatures. To Xander, it was almost a dream come true, finally being able to compete with Angel on a near-equal footing.
Reality set in, though, when he tried to think of how to explain to Willow and Buffy and the others about his "condition".
So Xander returned quietly to Sunnydale and bought an older home in good condition that had a large private yard with lots of space. Thankfully, it was November, now, and it got dark out early enough for him to do the necessary shopping for him to furnish his home.
He had been back almost a week, and, in that time, he had managed to get his home set up to his needs and liking. He was even able to patrol successfully several nights in a row, finding plenty of opportunities to feed while also avoiding Buffy and the rest of the Gang..
He had also managed to locate a supplier for "Raven Cellars Wine," the Bloodwine made by Nick's "Father", and his "Grandfather," Lucien Lacroix, and set up standing orders for both Bloodwine and pure or "Uncut" blood.
Chapter 1
November 8th 1999
Los Angeles Ca.
Cordelia Chase was miserable.
She had moved to Los Angeles several months before, hoping to make her way as an actress. So far she had auditioned for over two hundred parts, and been offered several casting couch appearances. Not willing to sleep her way to a part, she quietly stayed unemployed.
"You're just not that good, honey," her agent told her. "There are a ton of beautiful girls in this town who are just as good as you are, and they don't have the same morals that you do. All I can do is set up the audition; how you or they handle it is not my business."
"Maybe I should try another agent!" Cordelia said angrily.
"Go ahead honey, be my guest, but they will all tell you the same thing."
November 12th 1999
Los Angeles Ca.
Her agent had been right. So, rather than take a job as an exotic dancer, Cordelia Chase decided to do the one thing that she had dreaded the most, returning to Sunnydale a failure.
Now, she sat, frustrated and unhappy, in the back of the Greyhound bus parked on the side of the road, waiting for the mechanic to get it fixed so they could continue on their journey.
\\ Great, now I get to get home after dark. My life sucks. //
Finally, after a two hour delay, the aging bus resumed its journey. Arriving at the Sunnydale bus depot a
little after eight PM, Cordelia exited the bus.
Gathering up her two suitcases, Cordelia headed off towards her father's apartment. Having partially recovered from his financial hardships of earlier in the year, he now worked out of the three bedroom apartment he had moved into after his wife of twenty-two years abandoned her family for someone who had money.
Cordelia knew better than to walk at night, but she lacked the money for a taxi, and she was too ashamed of what she perceived as her failure to call any of her former friends and ask them to pick her up.
She was only about four blocks from the apartment complex which was her destination when her luck ran out.
A foursome of vamps accosted her, two in front stepping out and blocking her path, while their two friends came up behind her.
Realizing the magnitude of her blunder, Cordelia swiftly ran through her options: she didn't have a cross, no holy water, and the stakes she did have were in the bottom of her purse, now completely out of reach.
Deciding to go on the offensive, Cordelia swung her right hand suitcase up at the head of the large male vampire in front of her. It was a wasted effort, as the vamp swatted it out of her hand easily. The female on the left knocked the other one down as her mate grabbed the brunette beauty and pulled her to him.
After an initial stab of pain in her throat, Cordelia subsequently felt a wave of revulsion and evil course through her as the soulless vampire started to drain her. Then, as she was beginning to lose consciousness, she thought she saw a familiar face over the vamp's shoulder.
The Roof of the Bronze
Xander stood watching the couples on the dance floor and thought back to a time when his life was normal.
Well, more normal than it was now. Here he was, a Vampyre, brought across by one of the oldest and purest of the ancient line. His own level of power was great because of who his vampiric father and grandfather were. He estimated his strength as near that of a slayer, while his speed was far greater than Buffy could ever hope to move. as far as his ability to fly - God, what could he say? It was magnificent, to be able to soar above the rest of the town, to patrol from the air, to be free.
Xander turned away from the skylight and walked over to the edge of the roof, and it was then when he heard the scream.
He took off immediately, soaring up into the night and heading toward where he heard the scream come from.
When he first saw the four soulless vampires, the leader had nearly finished draining the female he had attacked, and Xander could hear her heartbeat slowing down. He landed behind the vamp and was reaching out to grab him by the shoulder when he looked into the victim's eyes.
\\ Cordy! //
He saw the flair of recognition in her eyes as they started to close for the final time, and his Rage broke down the barriers he had so carefully built to restrain it years before.
Xander's own eyes flashed gold and his fangs extended as he reached for the leader. Tearing him away from his former girlfriend, he brutally bent his head to the side. As his fangs dug into the cool white skin of the vampire's throat, Xander drank.
He drained the vampire as swiftly as he could, while listening to Cordy's heartbeat as it gradually faded. Just as her heart stopped, he pulled away from the lead vamp, who was now shriveling up and starting to turn to dust as Xander casually tossed him to the side. Gently, he lifted his former beloved's head into his lap, and used his own teeth to tear open his wrist and place it at her mouth.
As the blood ran into her mouth, what small part there remained of Cordelia Chase took hold of the sensation and started to drink.
Xander fed her as much blood as he could without weakening himself, and when he could feel her presence in the back of his mind, strong and solid, he then turned to confront the remaining vampires.
Dumbfounded by the sheer unexpectedness of the actions, three vamps watched in stunned silence as their leader was yanked away from the girl and drained by the strange vampire with the golden eyes.
Xander rushed them so rapidly that they couldn't react quickly enough to avoid him, and like a terrible nightmare come true, he ripped the heads off of both females and thrust a stake into the surviving male's heart faster than the vamp could see. All were destroyed, their dust drifting in the night air, before they knew what hit them.
Still feeling Cordelia's sharp, but gentle presence in the back of his mind, Xander hid her suitcases in some nearby shrubbery until he could come back for them. Then, as gently as possible, he lifted his former lady love into his arms and he took off.
Somewhere
Sometime
On the chessboard where Xander Harris stands as the Black King, a hand reaches down and places a piece on the square next to him. It is the Black Queen, carved with the likeness of Cordelia Chase.
Xander's Place
After carefully laying her on his couch, Xander began cleaning Cordy up, gently wiping away the blood, sweat and dirt from her face and taking the time to clean the few minor cuts and abrasions he noticed she had somehow acquired, before hurrying back and retrieving her luggage.. He didn't think she would be waking soon, but he didn't want to take any chances. An upset Queen C was a loud and vituperative Queen C, and that was something he didn't want to deal with, right now. He prepared a room for her, then carried her into it and lay her on the bed. Returning to the kitchen, he pulled out three bottles of Raven's uncut and one of Bloodwine and returned to her room to sit by her unmoving form.
He sipped on a glass off Bloodwine as he waited, thinking of how he was going to explain why he had turned her. He remembered waking for the first time and the overwhelming hunger he felt; and how he wanted to stake himself when he realized he was a vampire. It was Nicholas who had to hold him still, until Xander finally realized that he was himself, just a little different.
It wasn't until almost eight in the morning when she finally woke up.
Her first sensation was hunger, a deep agonizing hunger worse that anything she had ever felt before this.
Xander rushed to her side with an open bottle of blood, and carefully held it to her mouth. She grabbed it out of his hands and drank swiftly and thirstily. When she had drained that, he handed her another, and then one more.
It was as she was finishing the third bottle, that Cordelia realized what was happening.
Her eyes flashed gold as she looked over at her former boyfriend and leapt at him, smashing the bottle down on his head.
"You bastard!" she screamed at him. "You god damned bastard." And she sagged against him, once more lost and scared.
"I know. Cordy. It's what we were all afraid of. But it's different too. We're not that kind of vampire. Feel yourself Cordy, feel your thoughts and emotions. They're all still there, and you're still you. Feel it?" Xander asked gently.
"Look at me, Cordy, look at my face. See? it's different too."
Cordelia looked up into the face of her former love and watched as his eyes turned a greenish gold, and his fangs dropped down. There was no ugly ridged forehead or twisted features. Xander still looked like himself, just with fangs and weird-looking eyes.
And as she sat quietly in his arms, she examined her own thoughts and feelings. She was still herself, and yet, she was something more.
"We are vampires, Cor," Xander told her, as he held her close, "but we're not the kind we used to fight and destroy. Our kind does not kill for food unless it is a vamp that we feed off of. We have rules and laws in our community, and I will teach you everything you need to know. We are different from the others, the Demon-Spawn, as different as night and day. Would you please look at this?" he asked, as he pulled the cross out of his shirt. "Crosses don't hurt us, and holy water is just water. We don't turn to dust when staked, but simply shut down, dormant until the stake is removed," he explained.
He pulled her up onto the bed, sitting beside her.
"Sunlight will still destroy us, as will beheading, but there are other things we can do as well," he said as he floated a few feet up into the air. "We can fly, and move as fast as the Flash!" he grinned at her, as excited as a little boy showing a new toy to his best friend.
Cordelia just stared at him, stunned but hopeful that there might be something good in all of this, after all.
"There are some downsides to this as well," he informed her. "It takes time to learn how to control your hunger, to learn everything you have to know to live as a Vampyre. You will need to learn how to fly, and how to use your hypnotic powers, or "the whammy" as Nick calls it. But mostly, you need to learn how to control the bloodlust," Xander explained.
"How long will it take?" the former cheerleader asked doubtfully.
"Depends. Nick had me where I could control myself in just a week, Natalie took about two to learn it. But Nick used a different method on us than most Vampyres do; he called it the 'Blood Kiss'. It's hard to explain exactly what it is, but you share blood with your Childé, and your memories are shared, making it easier to remember. Nick's father, Lucien Lacroix was over two thousand years old, one of the oldest and purest lines of our breed, and he said that the blood is our life, the memories and the knowledge."
Cordelia just looked at her former boyfriend and marveled at the change in him: he was dressed stylishly in dark colors, and he radiated confidence and strength.
"What are you doing back here, Cor? I thought you swore that you would never return here, even to visit. Xander asked.
"I didn't plan on it, but I couldn't get any work that didn't require my clothing to be off, and me flat on my back. So my money ran out and here I am. As much as I wanted to be an actress, I wouldn't compromise my principles. So, I just gritted my teeth and returned a failure," she answered. "Now I *really* need to figure out what I'm going to do now. My working hours are going to be severely limited, and I need to figure out where to go."
"You can stay here, Cordy. I have more than enough room for both of us. You will need to stay here for awhile anyway, till I get you trained enough to be on your own. In our community, we don't tolerate those who risk our exposure. A young vampire who can't control their hunger, blood lust or abilities is quickly put down by the Enforcers," Xander offered.
Cordelia looked at him, and saw the sadness in his face.
"How can you afford this place, Xander? Are you using your abilities to rob people?" she asked.
Xander laughed at her question before answering.
"Funny, Cor. My father gave me some seed money when I left Toronto and returned here. He figured five million would be a good start for me," He replied.
She looked at him again, as if trying to decide if he was serious or not. Unable to tell, she gave up guessing and took him at face value.
"So, when do I start training?" she asked.
"As soon as you feed some more," Xander told her, as he left the room, before returning a few minutes later, with three more bottles of uncut, one for him and two for her.
Once the bottles were empty, he pulled her over to him, telling her to relax, and to do what came naturally.
Xander put his lips on the side of her neck and kissed her gently there, then ran his tongue softly over the veins. Cordelia shuddered at the sensation, a chill of anticipation running down her spine. Opening his mouth, he once more pressed his lips to her neck, as his fangs descended and he gently bit into her.
The sensation surprised her, she was expecting the repulsive and evil feeling that she felt the night before when the vampire attacked her, but that was nothing like this. This was absolutely the most erotic and sexually intense sensation that she could imagine. Then the memories hit, and she felt a compulsion to bite, so she sank her fangs into the side of Xander's neck.
She reveled in the sensation and embraced the feelings. Memories swirled through her head and she saw so much history streaming past her mind's eyes that she was lost and confused. But behind it all was Xander, strong and powerful in her thoughts. She saw the whole 'Fluke' thing go by again, and felt the sadness in him. She felt his regret, and the sorrow in his heart when she left him. She felt his love for her as strong in his heart now, and she was sure it was then. Then she felt his turning and his education.
Through it all she felt his love for her wash over her in endless waves.
When they were done, Xander gently pulled away, then licked the wound on her neck, making her shiver. He lay her back on the bed.
"Sleep now. When it gets dark, Your training will begin," he told her.
"Stay with me?" she asked.
"No Cordy. Not after the blood kiss. I know what you are feeling. I feel it, too," he said. "I want you back, Cor, but I want it to be real, and not a result of anything else. I want it because you want it on your own terms."
He leaned over her and kissed her chastely on the forehead, then turned and left the room.
Cordelia sat up on the bed and looked at the door as it closed.
\\ Damn! // She thought. \\ I never stopped loving you, Xander, even when I was angry for the thing with
Willow. Now I know how you felt, so we WILL have to talk about this. //
She lay back and pulled off her jeans and shoes, then crawled into bed in just a t shirt and underwear.
Seconds after her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.
TBC