Xander stood in front of his bathroom mirror checking his appearance one last time. He was due to meet Mona at the bar where they had originally bumped into each other a few weeks ago in twenty minutes, and wanted her to notice he had made the effort to look good. He had showered and shaved and doused himself in deodorant and aftershave, brushed his teeth and smoothed his hair down with wax. He wore a plain navy shirt over tan chinos and had opted for his smart shoes rather than scuffed boots or old trainers. Satisfied with his choices he turned on his heel and left the bathroom, crossed the small living space of his apartment to the door and grabbed his 'smart' coat from the single hook nailed into the wall beside it. He pulled it on, checked he had wallet, keys, and phone, and finally left the apartment, locking up behind himself.

He made his way outside with a spring in his step, spinning the door keys once around one finger before slipping them into his trouser pocket. The bar was just a short walk from his home, and he made it well in time, arriving before Mona. As he pushed open the door he was greeted by a wave of warmth from the over door heater. The bar was emptier than usual and so the normal hubbub of voices was muted somewhat. Music played from speakers on high shelves above the bar, mixed in with the chinking of bottles and glasses and the crack of pool balls striking each other. Xander made his way to the bar and ordered himself a pint of beer, paid, and carried it over to a small square table for two in the far corner, in view of the door so that he would see Mona when she entered. Two men were playing at the beat up old pool table in the opposite corner, and he entertained himself by watching the game as he waited for Mona. He didn't have long to wait. Dead on time, the door opened and Mona swept into the bar with a grin, dark eyes locating him immediately. He smiled and waved as she strode over, tall biker boots clomping loudly on the wooden floor of the bar. Despite the cold outside she wore just a knee-length knitted cardigan over black T-shirt and faded black jeans, with a grey messenger bag swinging from one shoulder. Her long black hair was loose about her shoulders.

"Early again, huh?" She teased him, dumping her bag on the floor beside the chair opposite him. It hit the floor with a loud 'whump'. Xander half rose as she took her seat, then dropped back into his chair with an awkward smile. Turning up early wasn't especially cool…

"I didn't want to turn up late." He said. "You might think I've stood you up."

"Oh, no one stands me up." She grinned at him arrogantly. "I'd track him down and…well…Less said the better." Xander paused and licked his lips awkwardly, not sure what to say to that as she looked so serious. Mona laughed and reached across the table to slap his upper arm playfully. "Don't look so worried!"

"Sure thing." He said, chuckling and rubbing his arm as it stung. Apparently Mona didn't know her own strength. "Anyway, what can I get you?"

"Um…Gimme a beer." She said. Xander eyed up the bar, with the row of beer pumps and the glass bottles of beer stacked in fridges.

"Any particular beer…?"

"I'll have what you're having."

"Okay." He said, a little surprised that delicate little Mona wanted a pint. She looked more like a vodka-and-coke kind of girl. He stood up and made his way to the bar, pulling his wallet from the back pocket of his trousers. As he waited at the bar he felt the fine hairs at the back of his neck prickle and rise. He rubbed one hand over them and half turned to find Mona staring after him hungrily. He gave a nervous smile and quickly turned back to the bar man as two pints were placed in front of him on the sticky wooden surface of the bar, feeling more than a little uncomfortable. He had the distinct feeling that Mona had plans for him. He paid for the drinks, then returned his wallet to his back pocket and picked up the drinks to carry them over to the table.

"It's quiet here tonight." Mona remarked as he returned. He set down the glasses on the beer mats provided and sat down in his chair, nodding and casting an eye about the handful of patrons present.

"Yeah, well, the news keeps throwing out stories about wild animals mauling people and things." He said, picking up his first beer to finish it. "I guess people figure they're safer at home."

Mona snorted.

"No one's safe." She said. Xander frowned slightly at her.

"How'd you figure that one out?" He asked.

"Oh, we can lock our doors and set our alarms, but that never stops the bad guys getting in, does it?" She replied. Xander thought about that. Sure, a skilled thief could still get in and cause havoc, but at least people would be safe from rampaging wild beasts. And vampires couldn't enter without an invite.

"Well, we're safe enough." He answered finally. Mona grinned playfully at him.

"Optimist."

They stayed in the bar until closing time, alternating buying rounds of drinks. As they stepped out from the warmth of the bar and onto the cold street, Xander shivered despite the comfortable fuzziness the beers had caused and stuffed his hands into his coat pockets.

"It's pretty cold out here." Mona announced needlessly. She didn't seem fussed by the temperature though. "Wanna head back to mine?"

Xander blinked at her.

"Ah…" No. Yes. No. Maybe? Where would that lead? And did he want it to lead anywhere?

Mona laughed at his worried expression.

"Relax! I don't bite!" She told him. Xander gave a goofy grin and shrugged.

"Sorry. Sure. I don't have work tomorrow."

"I'd say lucky you, but I'm not working 'til late anyway." She said with a look of mischief in those dark eyes. He felt naked whenever she looked at him. And not in a good way. She stripped away the layers to flesh and blood. It was a predatory leer. He gulped as she started off down the street with a smirk on her dark lips. What had he gotten himself into this time…?

He strode quickly to catch up with her. At least if things got too hot and heavy he could pretend he needed the bathroom and escape through the window. If she had a bathroom window.

Oh boy…

"It's a short walk." Mona informed him, oblivious to his inner turmoil. How to make an escape plan without knowing the layout of her home? Maybe he could text someone to send him a fake family emergency phone call…

"You must live close to me, then." Xander said as her comment finally broke through his pondering. "I live nearby, too."

"Small world." She commented.

Mona lived in a small house just fifteen minutes away from Xander's home. The front garden had been paved over to form a driveway, on which a flash midnight blue sports car sat. He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I had no idea the blood bank paid so well." He said, admiring the car.

"Oh, well, you know," she said vaguely, approaching the front door while fishing in her bag for the house keys. "I work a lot."

"You don't say…" He murmured, peering in through the tinted windshield to check out the leather interior.

He heard the door open behind him and straightened, turning to face Mona. She stood in the doorway looking thoroughly amused.

"More interested in the car, huh?"

Xander started.

"What? No!" He insisted. "It's just…it looks funky!" He hurried to the door as she disappeared inside, laughing. He would have to get used to this teasing…

The hallway was dark, and he fumbled for a light switch as he closed the door behind himself. Mona was nowhere to be seen.

He found the switch, and the light overhead flickered on, illuminating a narrow hallway of bare walls painted cream and a polished wooden floor. There was a vintage coat stand at the foot of the stairs with a few coats and scarves hanging from it. He added his jacket to Mona's collection and was about to take off his shoes when a light came on in the room at the end of the hall and Mona's head popped round the doorframe.

"C'mon. I'm making coffee." She told him.

Xander kicked off his shoes and hurried down the hall, skidding once in his socks. He righted himself and strode into the kitchen, thumbs hooked casually into his belt loops. The kitchen was slick black marble surfaces, polished chrome utensils and oak cupboards. The floor was tiled. There was a large window over the sink, the Roman blind pulled down, and in one corner was a door, open a crack. Beyond was pitch black, but he thought he could see a wooden bannister. Basement, he guessed.

"Wow, your home is way better than mine." He said appreciatively.

Mona stood at the counter with her back to him as she spooned coffee into two mugs.

"Thanks. I've worked hard for it." She said, pouring boiling water into the mugs, and stirring in milk. "Coffee." She turned and held out a mug to him, which he took, thanking her. As he went to take a sip he became aware of a strange odour that only grew stronger as the seconds passed. He frowned and sniffed. It smelled like…was that…?

"Can you smell sulphur?" He asked in confusion. He could hear a light tapping from behind him, like…claws on wood. He glanced over his shoulder, but saw nothing.

"Oh, it's just my Hellhound." Mona replied casually, and sipped at her coffee.

"I'm sorry, what?!" Xander asked, whipping back round to face her, and immediately leaping backwards as he came face to face with a vampire.

"Surprise!" She grinned at him. Xander chucked his coffee-mug and all-at her head as he heard a loud growling behind him, and ran across the kitchen. He heard the mug shatter on tile as he reached the door he had seen on first entering the kitchen. Currently the safest place, though he hoped it wasn't just a broom cupboard. He barrelled inside and slammed the door behind himself just as something on the other side charged into it. From the growling and scrabbling he presumed it must be the hellhound. Xander pressed his shoulders back into the door, forcing it to stay closed as he looked around the frame for a lock, but found none. It must lock from the other side.

He stood at the top of a wooden staircase that descended straight down into darkness. The only illumination came from the kitchen light seeping around the edge of the door. From beyond the door, within the kitchen, he heard Mona laughing. The door shuddered as the hellhound threw itself into the wood once more.

"Ohgodohgodohgod…" Xander mumbled, bracing himself at the top of the stairs and fishing in his trouser pocket for his phone. He needed help, big time.

Buffy sat on the edge of Giles' sofa flicking through the dusty pages of some huge ancient tome on demons he had open on the coffee table, waiting for him to return with mugs of tea from the kitchen. Research mode had been well and truly activated, but currently they had no leads on the demon she and Cat had come across the previous night.

She jumped as her phone suddenly buzzed in her trouser pocket, vibrating against her hip, and nearly upset Giles' stack of books. She pulled her phone out and frowned at the display as she saw Xander's name highlighted.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Buffy! Thank God you answered!" Xander's voice was high strung, and in the background she heard thudding and scraping and…barking…?

"Xander, what the Hell are you doing?" She demanded. Wasn't he supposed to be on a date…? "Are you okay?"

"No! Mona's a vampire!" He cried.

Buffy snorted.

"Okay, sure…" She said.

"I'm not lieing!" There was a loud crash and Xander yelped. Buffy instantly stopped smiling.

"Don't you have a stake or a cross or something?" She asked, standing up.

"I was going on a date, Buffy!" He snapped. "I wasn't expecting to need anti-vamp supplies! And she has a hellhound!"

"Okay, where are you?" Buffy asked, hunting around the shelves and other surfaces of Giles' home for car keys.

"In the basement."

"In the basement where?" She asked.

"Uh…" Xander paused, and then hurriedly gave her the address. Buffy committed it to memory.

"Stay in the basement, find a weapon, I'll be ten minutes. And whatever you do, don't look into the hellhound's eyes."

"Oh, sure, I-" Buffy heard another loud crash and a shout from Xander, followed by a series of thuds.

"Xander…?" She asked but he didn't answer. Instead she heard the sounds of shouting and scuffling. Cold hard ice settled in the pit of her stomach and her heart began to race, thudding against her ribs painfully. If she couldn't get there in time… If something had already happened…

She hurried out into the hallway and spied Giles' car keys on the telephone table. She scooped them up and pocketed her phone.

"Xander's in trouble, taking the car, gotta go, bye!" She yelled over her shoulder while running to the front door and wrenching it open. It slammed shut behind her as she sprinted to Giles' car. In seconds the tyres were squealing as she pulled away from the curb and blasted away at top speed down the road.

Xander swore as he stood at the top of the stairs looking down at his phone glowing in the gloom at the bottom. The hellhound had rammed the door with such force he had lost his grip on his phone and almost tumbled down the stairs after it. He now stood with his back to the door, arms and legs braced against the cold plaster walls. Find a weapon, Buffy had told him. Easier said than done. He couldn't lock the door and so he couldn't leave it to investigate the contents of the basement for a weapon. And anyway, how could he fight the hellhound if he couldn't risk eye contact with it?

In the kitchen Mona seemed to be having the time of her un-life watching her damned pet attack the door. He could hear her egging it on, laughing as it threw itself repeatedly at the door. He heard the hinges rattling loose with each strike, and suspected he didn't have long before the wood turned to splinters. He hoped Buffy arrived long before that… Though he suspected he would give before the door. His shoulders were already bruised and battered, and his arms and legs ached with the strain of keeping the hellhound from entering.

The stupid dog threw itself once more with tremendous force at the door. Xander skinned his elbows on the rough plaster walls as he jerked forwards and almost fell headfirst down the stairs once again. Before he could get his shoulders back against the door the hellhound had shoved it open enough to get one heavy black paw in and clawed at the back of his legs. Xander pulled his feet away and twisted round to push his palms against the door, kicking at the paw and shoving until the hound yelped in pain and withdrew its crushed paw and the door slammed shut.

"You're a naughty boy, Xander." Mona taunted. Xander grit his teeth and scowled down the stairs as he threw his shoulders back against the door. Trust him to be dating a damn vampire. How the Hell had he not noticed that? From now on, Buffy had to meet whoever he wanted to date and give the go ahead before he went anywhere with them. She could identify nasties by sight.

With that thought, he heard a loud crash from within the house somewhere, and sounds of confusion from Mona.

Buffy…

Buffy had kicked the front door in with a well placed boot to the lock and marched inside wielding a loaded crossbow (found in the back of Giles' car). She saw the vampire stood in the doorway of the kitchen with her hellhound snarling at her feet. Buffy carefully kept her eyes on the vampire, knowing full well the fatal legends of looking into the fiery eyes of a hellhound. From the glances she stole of it, she could see the hellhound was basically a huge fully black Doberman with glowing red eyes. It had a mouthful of fangs too big for its jaws. It looked heavy and muscular, deadly. Powerful and fast.

"Mind if I interrupt?" Buffy asked nonchalantly. "Oh, wait, I don't care." The hellhound gave a loud, deep bark and barrelled forwards. Buffy only had time to leap over it, let alone level the crossbow at the beast. It shot beneath her feet, and as she landed she heard it skidding down the hallway behind her.

"Who the Hell are you?!" Mona demanded angrily.

"That's Buffy." Xander answered, and slammed a metal baseball bat into the side of his date's head, knocking her sideways. "The vampire slayer." Buffy grinned at her friend and tossed him the wooden stake she had hidden up the sleeve of her jacket. Xander caught it in one hand and dropped the baseball bat he had found in the basement. It clanged loudly on the tiled floor of the kitchen.

Mona sat up, blinking her yellow eyes to focus them just as Xander lunged forwards with the stake aimed at her heart. She grabbed his forearm with one hand and stepped inside his guard, shoving him backwards into the cooker and sending pots and pans clattering to the floor. She seized him by the throat with her free hand, dropped his arm to grab a painful fistful of hair.

"Thanks for tonight, Xander." Mona sneered, demonic face mere inches from his. "I had fun." She jerked back his head to bare his throat. His scalp felt like it was on fire. Mona's hard, cold body pinned him against the cooker, his arms trapped between them. There was nothing he could do.

He heard the twang of a crossbow string and the hellhound uttered a howl of pain.

"Buff, little help!" He choked, attempting to squirm free of the vampire's iron grip. Needle sharp fangs graze his neck above his throbbing arteries. He squeezed his eyes shut tight anticipating the searing pain of teeth burrowing into his jugular…Instead felt a puff of air and tasted ash. He opened one eye to see Buffy standing before him, looking incredibly smug.

"I could kiss you right now." He informed her breathlessly. Buffy grinned and patted his shoulder consolingly.

"Hey, at least you weren't the human sacrifice for a demonic ritual." She said, sliding her wooden stake back up her jacket sleeve.

"No, instead I was almost the late night snack of a vampire." He replied. Buffy smirked. "Please don't tell anyone about this…" He begged.

Buffy sighed.

"Fine, I won't tell anyone you were dating Mona the Vampire." She said. "But you owe me. Big time. Now, come on. I have to get Giles' car back before he freaks out." She turned and left the kitchen. Xander blinked before dashing after her.

"You stole Giles' car?!"