In Thrall - 4/7 - PG13

["Hunter Ash" <carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx>]

In Thrall, Chapter 4/7
Red Moon, Book 4

Author: Frau Hunter Ash 
Copyright © 2003 by Hunter Ash. All Rights Reserved.
Email: carrkjar@xxxxxxxxx Feedback welcome!!
Homepage Addy: http://www.hunterash.com/ 

Disclaimers: The characters and show all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, 
Mutant Enemy, Kuzui, and God only knows who else. The storyline, 
however, is the sole property of the author. This story cannot be 
sold or used for profit in any way. Copies of this story may be made 
for private use only and must include all disclaimers and copyright 
notices.
F/F romance: the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship 
between people of the same gender and may even include 3 at the same 
time <G>. If this offends or is illegal for you, then please leave.  
Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed 
your laws. 

Spoilers: New Moon Rising

Summary: There's a new vampire in town and he wants Buffy and Willow 
and they seem powerless to stop him. Can the rest of the Gang stop 
the vampire from claiming the two?
Rating: PG-13 for vampire attack

Author's Note: Pairings: B/W/T, G/J, X/An 

Author's Note: A Special "Thank You" to Joan the English Chick 
(pisces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx) for her transcripts
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Buffy jumped over a tombstone and landed cat-like on her feet. The 
Slayer brought her fist in an uppercut, catching the male vampire 
under the chin and rattling his jaw and crashing his teeth together.  

Tara and Willow, standing nearby with hands ready to lend a magickal 
hand, if needed, smiled at each other.
"It's amazing how much s-she enjoys t-this," Tara commented and 
Willow nodded, leaning into Tara's arms but very aware of everything 
around them. Cemeteries weren't exactly the safest places in 
Sunnydale to catch a snuggle with a lover, Willow knew.  

"Yeah, she's so good at it," Willow agreed.

Buffy followed through with the blow with several punches from both 
fists that kept the vampire off balance and his head spinning. To 
add further insult, the Slayer grabbed the vampire by his shoulders 
and rammed her knee into his crotch.
Willow and Tara grinned. "If he had blood in his body, he'd be a 
bright red, I think," Willow said easily, stake and cross in hand.
"Oh most definitely," Tara agreed.

As the vampire tried to stand upright, Buffy jumped on his back.

"Was t-that a good move?" Tara asked and, before Willow could 
respond, she had her answer when the vampire grabbed Buffy and threw 
her over his shoulder to land hard on the ground.  

None of the young women or even the vampire noticed a small patch of 
fog in among some trees nearby, nor the eyes looking out of the fog.  

Buffy, rolling out of being tossed to the ground, regained her feet 
and charged the vampire, throwing punches that made him blink and 
shake his head. A kick to the jaw didn't take him down, however. It 
made him growl.  

The Slayer tried to kick him again but the vampire anticipated her 
move and grabbed Buffy, lifting her over his head.
"Willow?" Tara asked, suddenly concerned.

"Easy," Willow said softly, frowning as the vampire threw their lover 
several feet away. She had seen Buffy in action more than Tara had 
and so she knew how to wait.  

Buffy grinned from the ground and did a move that would have made a 
professional wrestler proud, a scissor neck lock. She kicked up with 
both feet, wrapped her calves around the vampire's neck and when he 
threw her down, she used the momentum to flip him over onto the 
ground. The Slayer came up into a sitting position with stake in 
hand and the vampire was dust before he had even blinked from the 
surprising move.
Buffy stood up and grinned at the sound of applause, looking over at 
Willow and Tara. The Slayer playfully took a small bow and began 
walking towards her girlfriends.
Willow noticed Buffy's expression change suddenly and the Slayer 
turned on her heels, stake in hand.
Willow and Tara stopped and hesitated as a tall man stepped out of a 
small grove of trees.  

Willow figured he was as tall or taller then Angel and had the same 
dark hair but it was longer and swept back off his high forehead with 
a classic widow's peak. His skin was as pale as the usual vampire's 
but his eyes were a bright and piercing blue. Dark, gothic clothes, 
pale skin, red lips  vampire.
The witch wasn't surprised that he was thin but the longer 
fingernails did surprise her.  

"Very impressive hunt," the stranger said calmly in an intriguing 
voice with an accent that Willow figured was Slavic. "Such power!"
"That was no hunt," Buffy corrected. "That was just another day on 
the job."
Willow and Tara almost had the urge to giggle at the vampire as they 
spotted his long cloak, long flowing hair, widow's peak hair, and 
pale skin, but didn't. Even though he looked like a wanna-be vampire 
straight out of Anne Rice or a gothic novel, there was an aura of 
power around him that made them hesitate.
"Care to step up for some overtime?" Buffy invited, a gleam in her 
eyes.
"We're not going to fight tonight," the stranger said calmly.

"Do you know what a Slayer is?" Buffy asked, almost exasperated.

"Do you?" he countered and Buffy looked intrigued by the question.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked, realizing that this wasn't an ordinary 
Sunnydale vampire.
"I apologize for my rudeness. I assumed you knew. I am Dracula," 
the stranger said easily.
Willow and Tara could see Buffy's eyes widen in surprise and in 
delight.
"Get out of here! No way!"

The Slayer looked amused. "So let me get this straight, 
you're `Dracula.' The guy, the Count, Prince of Darkness and all of 
that?"
Dracula, looking at all three women, smiled and the young lovers 
could see his fangs.
"I am," he agreed.

Buffy smirked at the stranger. "You sure this isn't just some fanboy 
thing? `Cause I've fought more than a couple of pimply overweight 
vamps that called themselves Lestat."
Dracula's expression changed from smirking to annoyed. "You know who 
I am, as I would know without question that you are Buffy Summers.  

He approached Buffy slowly, towering over her.

"You've heard of me?" Buffy asked, her eyebrows furrowing in question.

"Naturally, you are known throughout the world among the vampires."

Tara, under any other circumstances would have found Buffy's shy 
smile charming. In these circumstances, it was just weird for the 
Slayer to be awe-struck over a vampire. Tara glanced over and saw 
Willow appeared to be just as intrigued.
"Nah, really?" Buffy asked softly.

"Why else would I come here?" Dracula demanded. "For the sun? I came 
to meet the renowned&killer."
Buffy lost her amused expression. "I prefer the term `slayer.' You 
know, killer just sounds so&."
"Naked?" Dracula suggested.  

"Nah, like I'm a bad guy, I'm the good guy, remember?" 

"Perhaps, but your power is rooted in darkness. You must feel it?" 
he suggested.
Buffy appeared to ponder the suggestion and raised her stake.

"No, you know what I feel? Bored," Buffy commented as she rushed 
forward with the stake only to stumble over the spot he had been in.  
Only a faint trace of fog revealed any trace of the vampire.  

The Slayer looked around, confused.

"Behind you!" Tara shouted and Buffy spun with the stake but Dracula 
was gone again.  

"Okay! That's cheating!" Buffy snapped. Willow and Tara rushed over 
to Buffy. "Get out of here!" Buffy snapped at them.
"Let us help!" Tara insisted.  

"Behind you!" Buffy cried and the two women spun to see Dracula 
standing near them.
"I have no interests in you, leave us," Dracula ordered and then 
looked confused as he caught Willow's green eyes. "I might have an 
interest after all," he muttered.
After a moment he turned his attention back to the Slayer.

"This is not the right time, I will see you again," he promised and 
then looked back at Willow. "Greetings, Sister," he grinned and was 
gone.
"Sister?" Tara and Buffy whispered softly and then squeaked as the 
fog turned into a bat and dove at them. Willow seemed glued to the 
spot until Tara and Buffy pulled her down.  

The three women stood up slowly and squeaked again as the bat dived 
at them.
"Oh, bat! Damnit!" Buffy yelled. "Hair! Bat! Not good! Get out of 
here!"
The three women continued to look around the dark sky for a few 
moments and then Tara and Buffy turned to Willow and the hacker 
shifted uncomfortably under their gazes.
"Sister?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know!" Willow protested. "Carson knew I'm a werewolf, he 
could sense it, maybe Dracula sensed it too."
"Yeah," Tara agreed thoughtfully, "But C-Carson and Angel said t-that 
vampires and werewolves are natural enemies. Would he c-call an 
enemy, sister?"
"I don't know!" Willow protested.

"Let's figure that out later," Buffy snapped. "I suggest we get home 
and call a meeting of the Scooby Gang, Dracula is a big thing."
* * *

Giles sat patiently as Buffy described their encounter with Dracula 
and Joyce looked on, concerned.  

"Did I mention that he knew me?" Buffy repeated. "Count Famous has 
heard of me."
"Well, you are the Slayer, Buffy," Giles pointed out.

"Well, I was just blown away," Buffy admitted. "Those dark 
penetrating eyes and accent, it was cool."
"Way cool and sexy," Willow mumbled.  

Tara ran her hand through Willow's hair as the redhead sat on the 
sofa and Tara sat behind her. "You thought Dracula was sexy?" she 
asked, lightly teasing her girlfriend.
"No!" Willow protested with a blush. "No, he was&like yuck! Vampire, 
you know."
"Right!" Anya agreed as she sat in Xander's lap. "Except for that 
whole tall, dark, handsome thing, right?"
"How would you know?" Xander demanded.  

"We hung out a few times," Anya explained, ignoring Xander's jealous 
looks. "Back in my demon days, once or twice. He's pretty cool."
Anya saw Giles and Joyce's expressions and ducked her eyes. "Well, 
you know, from a whole evil thing perspective."
"I bet he was no big whoop," Xander grumbled.

"No big whoop?" Willow exclaimed. "What about that thing where he 
turned himself into a bat? That was awesome!"
"How can he do that?" Xander demanded from Giles.

Giles removed his glasses and began to clean them. "I, actually, I 
have no idea. There's a great deal of myth about Dracula. I think 
the key to defeating him lies in separating the fact from the 
fiction."
Buffy frowned. "So, you suggest we take it slow? I mean, he said 
that we would meet again but I would like to avoid that until we do 
some serious homework."
"Even with the tricks, he's just a vampire, right?" Xander asked. "I 
say we grab stakes, crossbows, crosses and run his ass down."
"No, Buffy's right," Anya said thoughtfully. "Dracula's too slick to 
fall for the usual stuff."
"So, we hold off until we know exactly what we're dealing with," 
Buffy said firmly.  

"You're not just saying that because of the dark, brooding, handsome 
vampire thing? The dark penetrating eyes thing?" Xander smirked.
"No!" Buffy protested, quickly looking at her girlfriends. "His eyes 
were&no penetration. Honest!"
Willow grinned and Tara smirked at the embarrassed Slayer.  

"Alright, I suggest that Tara and Willow hit the Internet and find 
out everything you can about the actual legend of Vlad the Impaler.  
I'll check the library with Joyce. I want everyone to stay together 
and not go out alone. There are too many myths about Dracula's 
mental control over victims. A thrall, I believe they call it," 
Giles said thoughtfully. 

"I'm tired," Buffy grumbled and sat down next to Willow, leaning her 
head on Willow's shoulder as Tara began to rub her shoulders.  

The next five minutes were spent making their goodbyes to Xander and 
Anya and saying goodnight to Giles and Joyce.
"I'm kinda wired, guys," Willow said once they were left alone in the 
living room. "Why don't you go on up to bed, I'll be along in a bit."
"You sure, Will?" Tara asked, a frown on her face.  

"Yeah, I'm going to cruise the net for a bit on my laptop," Willow 
said softly and kissed Tara and then Buffy.
Tara looked at Buffy and realized the Slayer had been telling the 
truth; it was obvious that she was tired. Tara smiled and led Buffy 
up the stairs towards one of the bedrooms.
Willow sat down and booted up her laptop and waited as the machine 
went through its routine and quickly keyed into the Internet.
* * *

Xander walked along with Anya towards their apartment, Xander still 
fuming over Anya's obvious attraction to Dracula.
"Maybe if you see Dracula, you could mention my name," she suggested.

"Or better yet," Xander snapped. "Why don't you just go sit on top 
of a crypt and flaunt your neck cleavage until Dracula shows up?  
Then you two can talk privately!"
Anya stopped and stared at Xander as a wolf observed them from the 
top of a coffee shop.
"Oh please!" Anya snapped. "Don't tell me you're jealous!"

"Oh no, just because you're panting all over the guy!" Xander snapped 
back, stopping on the sidewalk.  

"I am not panting!" Anya protested.

"Oh right!" Xander shouted. "Just because you brought up the tall, 
dark, brooding, handsome, piercing eyes, evil thing!"
"Stop it! I'm going home, are you coming?" Anya shouted.

"No, I don't think so!" Xander shouted back. "Maybe I don't want to 
compete against tall, dark and evil!"
"Xander," Anya tried to calm down. "Let's go home. I'm with you, I 
don't want Dracula."
Xander calmed down but was still brooding. "You go on, I'm going to 
walk for a little bit."
"Giles said we shouldn't be alone," Anya whined.

"As if Dracula would even pay attention to me," Xander said 
bitterly. "I'll be home soon. I'm going to go around the block."
"You sure?" Anya asked with a frown.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Xander said, his voice a little more gentle as 
he bent down to kiss his girlfriend.
Xander watched his girlfriend turn a corner and started around the 
block in the opposite direction. The young man was deep in thought 
and shuffled his feet as he walked.  

Xander jumped when he turned the corner and found Dracula waiting for 
him.  

"Oh great! Perfect!" he muttered and then snapped his head 
up. "Okay! Fine! You're not so big. One good round, you'll fold 
like a bitty baby."
Xander raised his fists.  

"One good round and no poofing out of sight! Pucker on up, cause you 
can kiss your pale ass&" 

"Silence!" Dracula ordered and raised his hand.  

"Yes, Master," Xander said softly. "No, that's not&."

"You will be my emissary, my eyes and ears in daylight," Dracula 
explained.
"Your emissary?" Xander asked softly.

Dracula smiled, "You serve me well and you will be rewarded. I will 
make you an immortal. A child of darkness that feeds on life itself, 
on blood."
"Blood?" Xander repeated in Dracula's accent. "Yes! Yes! I will 
serve you, your most excellent spookiness!"
Dracula frowned and Xander quickly correctly himself. "Or Master, 
I'll just stick with Master."
Dracula continued to frown. "You are strange and off putting, go 
now."
Xander nodded eagerly and turned to leave and spun around again.

"Master, how can I find&?" 

Dracula was gone.

Xander found himself giggling like some crazed 1930s Renfield. "What 
an exit!" he exclaimed. "What a genius!"
The young man headed towards his home with Anya, trying to catch 
moths on the way.
* * *

Giles welcomed Joyce into his arms as he leaned back against the 
headboard of the bed he was now sharing with the Slayer's mother. He 
smiled as she snuggled next to him with a contended sigh.
"Do you think they're okay?" Joyce asked.  

"The girls? I think so," Giles said slowly. "Buffy's reaction does 
worry me. It's not good for a Slayer to be star-struck."
"I know, sometimes my daughter can be&." Joyce was at a loss of words 
in describing Buffy.
Giles laughed lightly. "I understand, I believe. I've had to try 
and train her all these years."
"Is this going to stop our plans?" Joyce asked, beginning to unbutton 
his pajama top.  

"Uh, plans?" he managed to squeak. "Oh plans! Wedding plans!"

Joyce laughed at his blushing face and moved her body over his, both 
of them moaning as he arched under her, his hips meeting hers.
"Those were the ones I was talking about," she whispered. "What 
plans did you have for tonight?"
Giles moaned and then growled as she opened his shirt.  

"Luv! Oh God," he muttered, feeling Ripper coming to the surface. He 
counted himself lucky at taking a chance at love again after Jenny's 
death. Joyce was still adapting to Buffy being the Slayer but also 
seemed to understand about Ripper.
"Yes, Giles!" Joyce hissed, "Now!"

* * *

Willow's keen werewolf senses picked up the soft moans and sounds of 
sex from upstairs and extended her mental senses. She smiled when 
she discovered Buffy and Tara were deep asleep.
Willow frowned and moved quietly through the house to the back door 
and stepped through it after unlocking it. The witch sniffed the air 
and felt her pulse quicken.
"I'm here," she said softly and didn't jump or flinch when Dracula 
stepped out from the shadows and walked up to her.  

The red-head was trapped in the vampire's eyes and didn't move. He 
looked down at her with a smile, his eyes questioning. He passed a 
hand over in front of Willow's face and her eyes shone back totally 
black, no white showing at all.
Dracula smiled. "I was right, your darkness even surpasses that of 
the Slayer," he commented. "Not only the wolf is in you but you have 
touched and traveled the darkness to capture that wolf."
"Yes," Willow admitted. "What do you want with me?"

"You will be useful," Dracula said easily, drawing the witch into his 
arms and wrapping his cloak around the both of them. "You will make 
a magnificent part of my life, wolf-witch."
"You want Buffy," Willow countered, trying to scream as she wrapped 
her arms around his thin body.  

"Yes, I want the Slayer," Dracula confirmed. "She is magnificent, 
the best one I've seen in four hundred years. What about your other 
lover? The white-light witch?"
"What about her?" Willow snapped, her eyes shifting back to green as 
she stepped back slightly. "Don't you dare hurt her or Buffy!"
Dracula merely laughed and pulled her back into his arms, his lips 
nuzzling her neck. Willow began cursing herself as she moved her 
head, granting him more access to her neck. Why didn't Buffy and 
Tara hear her? She was screaming inside, they should be all over 
Dracula by now.
"I hear you, Scarlet one," Dracula whispered in her ear. "I am 
blocking your thoughts from them, just as I called you out here."
"How?" she asked, holding close to him.

"Part of my powers," he said softly. "Some things are correct, 
invite me in."
Willow suddenly had a glimmer of hope, if she could resist him and 
not invite him in, maybe he would only kill her. If she could keep 
him out, maybe Buffy, Tara and the others would be safe.
"Invite me in!" Dracula said, his voice a little firmer.

"No!" Willow somewhere found the strength for the word.  

"I was hoping not to mark you yet," Dracula muttered.  

"Then don't?" Willow suggested, her green eyes flashing angrily.  

Dracula laughed again. "You are strong, witch. Very strong but you 
are mine!"
Willow snapped her hand up under Dracula's chin, surprising both of 
them with the action and the strength. As his hands loosed, Willow 
spun around and tried for the door but Dracula grabbed the back of 
her shirt, pulling her back against him.
//Tara! Buffy!// she screamed mentally.

Willow tried to scream but Dracula's hand clamped over her mouth and 
his fangs sank into her throat. The witch struggled but quickly 
weakened and whimpered as her body responded to the eroticism the 
bite was causing.
One of Dracula's arms was wrapped around her ribs, holding her to him 
at first and then upright as her legs gave out, his other hand left 
her mouth. Willow thought for a moment that it was over when the 
hand disappeared but it reappeared in front of her.
"Drink, bind to me," Dracula ordered and pressed his bleeding wrist 
to her mouth.
Willow tried to resist but tasted some of the blood and found herself 
drinking eagerly.
"You're invited," Willow said softly.

Willow heard Buffy and Tara's frantic thoughts in her head as the 
darkness crowded her.
* * *

Buffy was sound asleep when Willow's mental scream snapped her into 
an upright position, Tara a moment behind her.
"Will!" Buffy yelled, hitting the door before the shout had echoed in 
her head. The Slayer had stake in hand and was bounding down the 
stairs with Tara close behind her. They could hear Giles and Joyce 
Mom yelling, confused and demanding to know what was happening.
Buffy hit the back door at a run and almost tripped over Willow on 
the porch.
"Will!" she shouted as Tara stopped in the doorway, flipping on the 
back light, filling the porch and yard with light.
Willow was lying on her side, her red hair falling over her face and 
her hands clenched tightly. Buffy pulled Willow over and into her 
arms as Joyce and Giles shoved out onto the porch.
They could all see the fang marks and how pale she was.

"Giles!" Buffy cried as the ex-Watcher bent to examine the young 
woman.
"Her heartbeat is good, I don't think they took enough," Giles sighed 
with relief. "Get her inside."
Buffy lifted her unconscious lover into the house and placed Willow 
on the sofa. Willow moaned and opened her eyes slowly as Joyce 
handed Tara a gauze pad to hold against her slightly bleeding wounds.
"Oh Goddess, Tara, Buffy!" Willow whispered, her hand going to her 
neck. "I'm alive?"
Buffy felt tears filling her eyes. "Yeah, you're alive."

"What happened, Will?" Tara asked softly, stroking Willow's hair.

Willow frowned. "I'm not sure," she said slowly. "I was working on 
the computer and then I was opening the door."
Willow sat up slowly, still frowning. "Dracula was there, I couldn't 
scream and I couldn't run."
Buffy looked up at Giles as he tried to button his pajama top. He 
appeared unconcerned but the Slayer knew he was taking in every word, 
gesture and facial expression from her lover.
Willow looked scared and guilty as she pulled her knees up and 
wrapped her arms around them. She looked up at Giles, her eyes 
pleading.
"Why couldn't I yell, Giles?" she asked softly.

"Well, I think it's that Thrall thing of Dracula's," he said slowly.

"You mean he had mental control over Will?" Buffy demanded.  

"I believe so," Giles nodded unhappily. "You didn't hear her 
mentally?"
Tara wrapped her arms around Willow from behind.  

"It's okay, baby," she said softly.

"No, we didn't until you heard us," Buffy said with a frown.

"Dracula said he was blocking me," Willow said softly, her eyes 
distant.
"What did he say, Willow?" Giles asked almost in a whisper as he sat 
down on the coffee table, his eyes watching Willow closely.
"That my darkness drew me to him," Willow whispered, tears beginning 
to fall. "Said I was strong and for me to invite him in."
"Thank God some parts hold true for him too," Giles muttered.

"Did you?" Joyce asked.

"No," Willow shook her head. "Said he'd force me then and bit me. I 
refused and I guess I-I blacked out."
"Willow," Giles said gently and leaned forward. "Think very 
carefully, this is important. Did he give you some of his blood?"
Willow looked puzzled and appeared to be thinking about it.  

"Why is that important?" Buffy asked. "He didn't drain her enough to 
kill her so the feeding and exchanging thing wouldn't work, she 
didn't turn."
"Because in all the books, movies and such, Dracula has mental 
control over his victims," Giles began explaining. "Usually with 
just his eyes but it's not foolproof, Willow broke the hold. All the 
myths say that if Dracula gives a victim his blood then they are 
bound to him and must obey him without question, even if he doesn't 
take enough to kill them."
"Will?" Buffy asked, turning to her lover. The Slayer could feel 
Tara reaching out mentally to Willow as well.
Willow shook her head. "No, I wouldn't drink and I wouldn't invite 
him in, then nothing."
"Willow," Giles said softly, pulling everyone's attention back to 
him. "What did the bite feel like?"
Willow's eyes widened in surprise at the question and she heard a 
growl from Buffy. Tara tightened her arms around the red-haired 
witch.  

"Giles? What the hell kind of question is that?" Buffy demanded.

"I know, Buffy, but it might be important," Giles said quickly. "We 
know from most victims that survive that the bite isn't erotic like 
it is in movies but painful and frightening. In the stories and myths 
of Dracula, his victims enjoy the bite and seduction and come back 
for more."
Willow's eyes widened again. "You mean, I might go back to him if he 
calls? But, he-he's a vampire like and a guy, never worked with 
guys, uh huh, found where I belong!"
Tara smiled and Buffy grinned at a trade-mark ramble.

"What did it feel like?" Giles insisted.

Willow frowned again and thought about it. She seemed to draw into 
herself and suddenly wouldn't look at Tara or Buffy.
"It&it f-felt good," she whispered and closed her eyes.

Giles held up a finger to his lips before Buffy or Tara could say 
anything.  

"Tell me, Willow," he intoned. "You're safe and among friends. Tell 
me what it was like. How was he holding you?"
"Giles, damnit! I don't want details!" Buffy hissed and he placed a 
finger on his lips again.
Willow's face calmed.  

"Behind&he's behind me," she said slowly and softly. Tara motioned 
for Buffy to be quiet as well.
"Trance," Tara explained in a whisper.

"I-I tried to run, get back in-inside," Willow continued. "He wanted 
in and I hit him&tried to run. I'm against him&I can't scream&a hand 
over&over my mouth."
Buffy whimpered and Tara closed her eyes, trying not to picture what 
Willow had gone through.
"I-I tried to&I screamed mentally," Willow continued. "I got past 
him! He&he&bit me. Oh Goddess&" Willow breath quickened. "It&it 
feels so good&my body&on fire&I&I want him to keep going."
Buffy tried not to reach out and draw Willow into her arms.

"I-I don't want it to stop," Willow admitted. 

"Willow," Giles said softly. "If he calls, will you go?"

Willow looked confused. "No," she finally answered.  

"Did you drink some of his blood?" Giles asked again.

"No," Willow answered easily. "Wouldn't drink, wouldn't&let him in."

Giles sighed with relief.  

"Willow, you didn't do anything wrong," he said calmly. "Do you 
understand that?"
Willow frowned. "Let him&hurt me."

"You didn't do anything wrong," Giles insisted.  

Willow's head dropped forward.

"Willow?" he questioned, a little more firmly. "Willow? I think 
she's asleep."
"Well, she was just mentally mind fucked and drained of her blood," 
Buffy said bitterly. "I'd be tired too."
"Buffy?" Joyce's voice held reproach and questions.

"I'm the Slayer, Mom," Buffy whimpered. "I can't even protect the 
women I love! I was asleep!"
"Buffy," Joyce cut in, her voice firm. "You are also human! Slayer 
or not! Now stop beating yourself up and take Willow to bed. She's 
going to be feeling guilty when she wakes up tomorrow and doesn't 
need all of us blaming ourselves for whatever we did or didn't do."
"I'm sorry, Mom," Buffy said softly and Tara reached out to squeeze 
her shoulder softly. The Slayer stood up and took Willow back into 
her arms. Together the three young lovers headed up the stairs.
Joyce moved in front of Giles and wasn't surprised when he wrapped 
his arms around her waist. She held him for a few moments.  

"I know how she feels," he muttered. "I can't protect them. Willow 
is cursed as a werewolf, Buffy was nearly killed by Adam, Tara is at 
risk every time they form a circle. Xander has been knocked 
unconscious, broken bones, and nearly killed many times. When does it 
end?"
"I'm not sure it does, Rupert," Joyce said wearily. "I think we just 
grab what happiness we can and try and keep them safe while they save 
the world."
* * *

Once again, Willow was in the middle of the bed with Tara on one side 
and Buffy on the other. For once, since the nightmare of Oz 
returning, Willow seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Tara and Buffy 
figured it was from the trance working and being drained of even a 
little blood.
"Will she be okay?" Tara asked as they settled in next to the red-
haired witch.

"I think so," Buffy smiled, touching Tara's cheek lovingly. "God, I 
love you both."
Tara's eyes softened and she leaned over to kiss the other 
blonde. "I love you, Buffy."
Buffy smiled and closed her eyes, expanding her awareness to Willow 
and Tara and discovered Willow was indeed resting peacefully. Tara 
sent waves of love back to her and the Slayer let herself drift.
* * *

Buffy focused her eyes and looked around, confused. She was sitting 
on her bed and it was still dark. The last thing she remembered was 
falling asleep with Willow and Tara.
The Slayer looked down and was vaguely relieved to find she was 
wearing the same nighttime clothes she had gone to bed in. Buffy 
tried to mentally rouse herself; she was in her room alone and had no 
memory of getting there. That meant something was wrong, including 
the fact she couldn't seem to move. Also wrong was the open window; 
California or not, it was still cold at night.
Buffy watched as a fog seemed to seep in through the window and 
gather at the foot of her bed. The Slayer felt her heart rate 
quicken and mentally and physically tried to call out but couldn't.
Dracula looked down at her from the end of the bed.

"You are magnificent," he said softly, his blue eyes drilling into 
hers.  

"I bet you say that before you bite all the girls," Buffy quipped, 
trying to force her body to move.
"No, you and the witch are different, kindred," Dracula responded.

"Kindred?" Buffy questioned. "Hardly, I&"

"Pull your hair back," Dracula instructed her and Buffy, looking 
surprised, pulled her hair back from the side of her neck.  

The Slayer looked stunned as the vampire admired her.

"This isn't how I&usually fight," Buffy said uncertain and self-
conscious. "You think you can just waft in here with your music 
video wind and your hypno eyes and&"
Dracula let her words trail off as he approached her slowly.  

"I have searched the world over for you. I have yearned for you," he 
said, sitting down on the bed, facing her. "For a creature whose 
darkness rivals my own and I find you are already mated to a dark 
one."
"Willow, you hurt her," Buffy frowned.

"No, she enjoyed it and it didn't harm her," he countered. Dracula 
reached out and turned Buffy's head to the side, taking in the fang 
scars from where Angel had drank from her just before 
graduation. "You have been tasted," he commented as he ran a 
fingernail over the scar with a smile.
"He was&"Buffy started to say&what? She wasn't sure.

"Unworthy," Dracula finished for her. "He let you go."

Buffy's face reflected her confusion and uncertainty. 

"No," she whispered, trying to think as Dracula caressed her face 
softly, pulling closer to her.  

"You remember the embrace, his bite?" he whispered.

"No! It wasn't fun," Buffy whispered as his hand went to the back of 
her neck and pulled her closer.
"Do not fight," Dracula whispered, "I can feel your hunger like you 
can feel mine."
Buffy whimpered as he drew her lips to his. Inside the Slayer was 
screaming but her body was welcoming the touch and she let him deepen 
the kiss.
"You want this, Slayer," he said softly when he broke off the kiss as 
he began kissing her neck.  

Buffy wanted to protest but could only gasp as his fangs sank into 
her neck. The Slayer wanted to strike out, to scream, anything.  
Anything except reach out to hold his head in place, silently begging 
him to continue as her body jerked against his.
Dracula, pushing her back onto the bed as his fangs still held Buffy, 
covered her body with his and Buffy clung to him as he drank.
"Oh God," the Slayer whispered.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Buffy vs Dracula Written
by Marti Noxon, directed by David Solomon.