The atmosphere inside Riley's rented SUV was thick with tension as he found a place to park at the end of the long driveway leading to Dracula's castle. The quiet unease, combined with Riley's stony expression, was making Buffy feel like they were heading into a battle zone, not a recon mission.

Buffy had flat-out refused to sit in the front seat, instead opting to join Spike in the back.

Spike shifted in his seat, turning from the window and catching Buffy's attention with a wave of his hand toward the castle.

"Lights are on, looks like Soldier-boy was right about Drac coming back to his Sunnydale vacation home," Spike noted.

Riley scoffed. "Oh, he's in there alright. Slimy bastard."

Buffy shot Spike a look before exiting the vehicle, she was getting tired of Riley's testosterone-fueled bad attitude and kept her distance from him.

When they were a few yards from the entrance they came to a stop behind a small clump of trees. Spike tilted his head toward Buffy curiously. "How do you want to handle this, pet?"

"Wait a minute, I'm the one who's been tracking this guy," Riley protested.

"You're joking right?" Buffy intoned dryly as her gaze flickered from the castle to her companions. "I'll go in first, if I'm not out in ten, come in." She fixed Riley with a hard gaze. "Both of you. If you do anything to him, and I mean anything, I swear you'll beg me to kill you. Got it?"

Riley returned her glower. "Got it."

Spike turned her toward him with his hands on her shoulders. "Watch yourself, Slayer, think you've awakened a new kink in me, I'm looking forward to gettin' you back home," he purred into a kiss. Buffy let her hand snake up into his hair, drawing a moan from him that was only partially for Riley's benefit before Buffy pulled away and headed into the castle.

Spike smirked as he adjusted the front of his pants, catching Riley's sickened gaze. "Looking a bit green around the gills there, mate, something a matter?"

A muscle in Riley's jaw twitched. "I should have never let you come."

"Like you had a choice," Spike retorted, fishing a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He tapped one out and lit it, taking a long drag.

"Just focus on the mission," Riley snapped.

Spike snorted, turning to make his way toward the side of the castle where Buffy had disappeared.

"Where are you going?" Riley demanded.

Spike turned, leather spinning around his legs. "Closer to the action."

Riley pressed his lips together before answering. "Fine, I'll stay here. He's bound to have thralls posted as guards around here somewhere."

"You do that," Spike snorted. There was no way he was going to stand idly by when Buffy was inside alone.

(*)

Buffy made her way through the corridor into the large dining hall where she'd had her last encounter with Dracula. "Knock, knock!" she yelled, announcing her presence. "Any creepy extra pale vampires home?"

A bat fluttered in through the arch set into the opposite wall, hovering in front of her. She huffed, unamused, crossing her arms in front of her, stake in hand. "Enough of the tricks. What are you doing here, Drac?"

In the blink of an eye, the bat transformed into the villain himself. Dark eyes gazed at her with intense interest from within his thin ghastly pale face framed by a curtain of black hair. "You do yourself a great disservice if you believe you aren't enough reason," Dracula walked in a slow circle appraising her. She glared at him as he came back into view. "You look well."

"I'd be way more flattered if you'd listened to me the first time and never set foot in my town again."

His eyes locked with hers and she suddenly felt like she was in a high-stakes staring contest, unwilling to blink for fear he might take it as a sign of weakness. There was power in that stare that she hadn't recognized the first time. His eyes seemed to shift colors subtly as they bore into her.

As fascinating as it was to watch, her annoyance was growing.

"Did I smudge my mascara or something?" she deadpanned.

Darkness clouded over Dracula's face, anger flickering behind his eyes as he narrowed his gaze. "There is something different about you…" He moved a golden sheaf of hair from her neck. "You've been tasted."

"Duh, we've been over this."

"Insolence. This is a new mark… A new lover… You've been claimed."

"You bet," she shifted her stance. "Now that we're all caught up, does that mean you're going to get out of my hair?"

Dracula ignored her, sniffing the air like a dog, the look on his face growing more incredulous by the second. "Is that— no, it can't possibly—" He stepped back in surprise. "Is that William the Bloody I sense on you?"

Buffy gave him a disgusted look. "The smelling people thing is a total turnoff, you know that, right?"

"It would seem I've hit upon a nerve. I was right, it is that little upstart."

"The one and only, he goes by Spike now but good job, Dracky. Now as your reward, I'll let you pay him the money you owe— plus interest— and I'll only kick your ass a little," Buffy smiled, flipping her stake over in her hand.

"How dare you—" Dracula hissed maliciously.

"Wrong answer," Buffy replied, punching him in the face and following it with a kick to the gut.

Dracula righted himself, fangs bared.

With a spin, she planted her stake in his chest. The dust automatically shifted into mist, then morphed seamlessly into a bat, flitting out of the grand room.

"And stay out! You— you welcher!" Buffy called after him. She huffed, turning to find Spike coming up behind her.

"Did you chase him out of town already?" he asked, sounding disappointed.

She shook her head in irritation. "Doubt it, but it's hard to say. He left pretty quickly the last time but something tells me we probably haven't seen the end of him."

"Figures," Spike held out his hand. "Let's go, you can tell me all about Bat-boy."

"Yeah alright," she answered, taking his hand. "Where's Riley?"

"Outside like a good little watchdog. Said something 'bout keeping an eye out for minions— thralls and the like."

She nodded. "We should probably check on Xan, make sure he's not munching on bugs again."

"Bet that was entertaining," he teased.

"Less with the laughs and bigger with the yuck. Xan was majorly grossed out and pissed," Buffy answered.

Spike snorted a laugh. "Not a surprise though, bloke is bloody comic relief."

Buffy shrugged. "I have a feeling we're going to need some of that comic relief pretty soon."

(*)

Leaving the castle, Buffy had asked Riley to drop them off at the apartment complex, glad to be rid of his stifling presence. The night had been a bust as far as Buffy was concerned. The only thing they had really accomplished was revealing the fact they knew he was in town. An uneasiness had settled firmly in her gut, unsure of what would happen next.

Xander opened the door wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and a bathrobe, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Anya shambled out from behind him in a silky nightie, hair disheveled. Neither he nor Anya were very happy with being awoken in the middle of the night, but quickly forgave them when Buffy explained Dracula was back in the picture.

They sat at the dining table, Anya dozed against Xander's shoulder unable to keep her eyes open as Buffy told Xander about their evening. Anya jerked her head up as she started to slip down toward the table and Xander wrapped an arm around her.

"We appreciate the heads up, Buff, but right now, I'm thinking sleep is at the top of the priorities list. If I get the sudden urge to sprinkle bugs in my Fruit Loops, I'll let you know," Xander said with a yawn.

Buffy gave him an exasperated half-smile and glanced at Spike.

Spike stood, patting Buffy on the shoulder. "Come on, Luv, let them get back to sleep. You're gonna need your rest too."

Buffy nodded, wishing them a good night before heading out, the lock on the door clicked as they headed down the hall.

A pebble skittered along the sidewalk, joined by a second as it was propelled by Buffy's shoe. Spike wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I can hear the gears whirling 'round in that head of yours, care to share?"

"I don't know, something just isn't adding up."

He bobbed his head in agreement and shrugged. "Ball's in Drac's court now. Can't really make a move until we know what he's planning."

"I wish I knew how to dust the jerk permanently, nothing seems to stick."

"That's one secret he's never divulged, as far as I know," Spike added apologetically.

"Lame," Buffy huffed.

(*)

A large fire blazed in the massive fireplace situated at the far wall of the room. Two of the walls were covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves housing an extensive collection of books. Dracula paced the ornate rug on the floor between his antique desk and the fire, pausing only briefly to pour himself a glass of cognac.

He eyed the liquid shimmering in the firelight before downing it.

The door opened. "You asked to see me, Master?"

His eyes blazed with rage as he turned upon the man standing in the darkened doorway. "Months of planning— WASTED!" Dracula growled, spinning on the spot as he threw the empty glass, smashing it against the mantle in a fury.

The man in the doorway lowered himself to one knee, head bowed. "I— I'm sorry, Master. I didn't know she—"

"I'm very disappointed with this blunder. You assured me an easy delivery, which will be impossible now. She was meant to be my next bride, you ignoramus!"

"But she's still just a girl. Couldn't you thrall her like you did before?" The man questioned apologetically.

"No, I can't! I'll never have her now!"

"F-forgive me, Master, I don't understand."

"The Slayer has been claimed. The bond is unbreakable, even by me," Dracula began to pace again. "What a waste…" he grumbled sourly. "And then she has the nerve to invoke a petty debt I owe her mate… the audacity." He took a step toward his servant. "Another blunder such as this and I will feed you to my brides."

"Y-yes, Master, I won't fail again," the servant stammered. He took several deep breaths as Dracula strode away back toward the fire. "Sire?" he dared.

Dracula's head snapped up, almost surprised to see his servant still in the doorway. "What is it now?"

"I— just wanted to remind you, Master, that the Slayer does have a sister."

His eyes lit up. "Ah, yes… A sweet little morsel of a girl if I remember correctly— Well done. Your reminder might have just saved your life— for now."

"Thank you, Sire, thank you," the servant murmured as he carefully backed out of the room.

Once alone again, Dracula picked a shard of his broken glass from the rug in front of the fireplace, examining the sharp point. "If I can't have the Slayer, I will still have her blood."

(*)

"Where in the blazes do you keep the cutting board? I could've sworn it was in this cupboard," Giles huffed.

Joyce finished filling a pot of water as she glanced over to him. He was bent over with his back to her, looking through one of the lower cabinets. "If it were a snake it would have bitten you," she teased, as she turned off the tap and reached over to pinch his butt. Giles sprang upright with a small yelp, making her laugh. "It's already on the counter, by your hand."

Giles shook his head in mild exasperation. "Was I even in the right cupboard?"

She smiled fondly. "Right cupboard, wrong side."

"I thought I had it that time."

She shrugged. "You'll get the hang of it after a while, and if you're worried about it, you can always catalog the dishes. I think I even have an old tea box you could turn into a tiny card catalog."

"I can't imagine being bored enough to succumb to such trivial nonsense with you around," he answered with a chuckle and leaned in for a kiss.

"Uhhhg! Are you two trying to make me go blind?" Dawn huffed, coming into the kitchen and laying a book on the counter.

"You already had your chance for objections, so until you are paying the bills and putting food on the table I'm afraid you're just going to have to deal with it, sweetheart," Joyce said firmly but not unkindly.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, Mom, I was kidding. I'm cool with the whole live-in-man-friend-potential-step-dad combo, I just don't want to watch you guys do the dance of the lip-locked."

"It was just a kiss," Joyce chided with a laugh.

"There was definitely some tongue action going on there, Mom," Dawn answered.

Giles exchanged a look of amused exasperation with Joyce as he proceeded to put the pot of water onto the stove and turned the heat up.

"What's for dinner?" Dawn asked.

"Your sister is coming over so we thought we'd make breaded chicken breast and tortellini," Joyce answered. "You can help with the salad."

Thirty minutes later Buffy and Spike were coming through the front door. "Hey, Mom, I'm ho—" Buffy paused, catching herself. "Eh— We're here!"

Joyce came into the hall wiping her hands on a dish towel, a wide smile on her face. "Hi, sweetheart!" Then addressing Spike, she asked, "Is that a new shirt?"

Spike tugged at the collar of his deep blue dress shirt. "Buffy's doing," he admitted.

"I figured," she smirked, catching her daughter's gaze. With a wave of her hand, she added, "Why don't you two help Rupert set the table— Dawn and I are just finishing up in the kitchen."

"You let Dawn cook?" Buffy asked in mock horror.

"Just the salad, you're safe," Joyce said, swatting her with the hand towel.

Buffy giggled as she and Spike followed Giles into the dining room with the plates and silverware while they filled Giles in on the events of the previous night. He wasn't pleased to hear the news, convinced that he should have heard something about Dracula's arrival. The fact he had slipped back into town so quietly was more than a little unnerving.

Giles took a seat, removed his glasses, and turned to face Buffy. "He could sense the bond between the two of you and you say it angered him?"

"Oh, yeah, but probably not as much as Riley. I thought he was going to turn his teeth into gravel on the ride over to Xan's," Buffy told him.

"Yes, well it's never easy seeing an old love move on with someone new," Giles said thoughtfully, drumming his fingers on the highly polished wood of the dining room table.

Spike snorted a laugh. "Don't imagine the bloke enjoyed walking in on us at the high point of a good shag."

Giles rocked back in his seat, looking up at the ceiling for an ounce of salvation.

Buffy punched Spike in the upper arm. "Seriously?"

"Like Demon-girl hasn't gone on 'bout Harris enough?" Spike retorted, shaking off the punch with a grin.

Buffy was about to respond when Dawn came in carrying the large salad she had made. "Mom needs help bringing out the rest of the food," she announced as she set the bowl down.

Spike shot Buffy a glance before shooting off to help Joyce.

Buffy eyed her sister critically. "Is that my sweater?"

"It was in my closet."

"Only because you moved into my old bedroom! It's still my sweater," Buffy bit back.

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law," Dawn answered smugly.

"Oh my God, that's for like I don't even know— cars and stuff, not klepto little sisters! Giles, tell her!" Buffy argued.

Giles raised his hands in a passive gesture. "Oh no, I'm not about to get involved—"

"I hope you're all hungry," Joyce announced, coming into the room ahead of Spike who was carrying the food.

"Saved by the tortellini," Buffy said, eyeing her sister.

(*)

An owl hooted in the distance as Dawn tossed and turned in bed, she stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling of her sister's vacated room. She loved the idea of having the larger space but she was still getting used to the feel of it. The shadows were different, and the sounds coming from outside even seemed strange.

Dawn threw off the covers letting the breeze coming from the window caress her warm skin as the sound of a cricket reached her ears. The night sounds filtered in, surrounding her. There was an odd musical quality that filled her mind, flowing into her chest and spreading through her limbs like the warmth from a cup of tea.

She slipped out of bed, an invisible force drawing her along as she padded downstairs in her bare feet, feeling a little dazed. She wandered soundlessly past her mother and Giles' room, proceeding through the house and unlatched the backdoor. The night air greeted her like a friend as she stepped onto the back porch, and took a long slow deep breath, to clear her mind, letting the cool air fill her lungs as she looked up to the sky. A few bats darted around, flitting off quickly.

"It's a beautiful night, is it not?"

Dawn spun toward the side of the house where Dracula had appeared by the gate. He had taken time to update his appearance slightly. Instead of his usual opulence, he was now wearing a slim-cut dress shirt in a dark steely gray and had tied his long dark hair into a low ponytail that highlighted the sharp angles of his pale face. The overall effect was almost staggering.

Dawn jumped back with a squeak of surprise. At least she tried to. She was rooted to the spot, transfixed by his presence and her chest began to feel tight.

"Who are you supposed to be?!" she demanded coolly.

He smiled, a slow easy smile. "You, my dear lady, may call me Vlad."

Dawn crossed her arms over her chest, summoning all the authority she could muster. "Ah huh, okay, Vlad… Good chat— Now get out of our yard!"

He swaggered toward her with lithe predatory movements. "I don't mean to alarm you," he soothed. "I admit, I saw you some time ago, and was quite taken with your beauty," Dracula continued smoothly.

Dawn's mouth had gone dry and she struggled to keep a neutral expression on her face. There was something about him, his voice, the way he moved, his eyes… She shook away the fog that had started to fill her mind. "Are you sure you don't mean my sister, Buffy? Everyone always thinks she's so great. She—"

"Isn't half as interesting as you," he purred, reaching long fingers out to fondle a lock of long hair, smoothing it over her shoulder to expose her neck. "Or as breathtaking."

"Oh," Dawn exhaled a gasp.

Dracula smiled, drawing even closer. "I would love nothing more than to get to know you better."

"Really?" she asked breathlessly, her mind trying to push through the haze filling it once again.

"Of course, my dear, you're obviously an extraordinary woman," he paused, surveying her with a penetrating gaze.

Dawn's cheeks flamed at the compliment, her heart thumping away in her chest. She swallowed down her nervousness. "Wow…" she murmured. Her mind had gone blissfully blank as she watched his eyes. He skimmed his fingers lightly over her collarbone sending an unfamiliar thrill through her.

The only thing in the world that mattered was Vlad and his happiness. Nothing else mattered.

He hooked a finger under her chin tilting her face up to meet his gaze. The breath stilled in her throat and he grinned. "You have captured my attention and I'd quite like to make you mine, Miss Dawn Summers."