Fic: Convergent Slayers (2/?)

[annelise@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Second Part of a First Attempt At BuffyFic, please forgive.
Comments/Flames to: ladyvyxen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

#INCLUDE <Disclaimer.txt>

Anne-Lise.

--

Lying on my bed, my thoughts turn as always to my Willow. I feel 
like an intruder here, as though I've no right to seek her out. I'm 
alone and frightened, and there's nobody left I can talk to, no-one 
who could possibly understand my pain. Once again I offer devotions 
to Thespia for the power she gave, power that allowed me to retain my 
soul. But now, a stranger in a strange land, my thoughts cascade like 
sand caught in a desert breeze, knowing that I have to leave, and 
grief-stricken at the thought. How can I possibly tell her of my 
change in nature? Although if anyone could understand a curse, its 
Willow. Such love I hold for her... and fear too. Fear lest I'm 
unable to control the overwhelming desire for her life's blood. Yet 
before I go, I have to see her one more time, if only to fix in my 
preturnatural mind forever her perfect face.

*

"Hey lover." Willow's arms draped around Buffy, who continued to 
stare morosely out of the window. "What's wrong? Is it me, 'cos if 
its me, I can, like, you know. Go. Leave. Vamoose."
The Slayer let out a long sigh. "No, Will. Sad thoughts, my bad. How 
was your day?"
Willow chewed her lip a moment. "Tara's back. I saw her when I was 
going for a mocha. She didn't see me though, but I was hoping to 
postpone..." She broke off as Buffy frowned.
"Its easier to be straight up, Will. Remember when I kept Angel a 
secret, and Xander spilled? I felt like I was in front of a firing 
squad when I walked into the library, the way you guys all looked at 
me."
"I guess. I still feel bad though." She folded gratefully into a 
Buffy-hug.
"Do you ever wish things could be different?"
"Different?" Willow pulled back. "Different in what way?"
"I was just thinking about what I'd do if I ever lost you. Just 
before you walked in, I was remembering the time I went into the 
Bronze and saw you as Miss leather-vamp. I remember how... numb I 
felt, and that was before I even thought of you as a lover. I worry 
about you being with me, now more than ever."
Willow struggled to organise her thoughts. "After everything we've 
been through... If that ever happened to me... I'd want you to 
just... stake me and move on!" Willow folded her arms, jutting her 
chin. "The good fight, Buffy, remember? I want in!" 
Buffy gave her a playful grin. "I don't think I'd ever stake you, 
Will. You make such a sexy vampire!" She broke off as Willow tickle-
attacked. "Hey!"
Willow blinked as Buffy crossed her arms, looking cross. "What?"
Buffy gave Willow a gentle prod. "You went for a mocha without me?"

*

"Get away!" I scream, enraged. With a snarl I reveal my true vampire 
sight. Three of them. They'd attacked me outside of the Bronze 
thinking I was easy prey. Reading their minds, I sense they were 
simply after money and they thought I'd be an easy target. Time to 
teach them the true meaning of prey.
Their fear is so tangible as they run from me it ignites my blood 
lust. Suddenly I have one of them in my grasp and I tear at the flesh 
of his shoulder, ripping away a great jagged chunk of dripping meat. 
The fury inside me dictates my actions. Such screams! The predator 
within me rejoices, but my human soul cries out. The pain of my 
actions once more consumes my thoughts, and I flee, leaving the other 
two to escape, the third lining the pavement with gore. I can't stay 
to clear the mess... The pain! Oh god, the pain. Tired. I'm so damn 
tired. Tired of the hunt, tired of the chase, tired of fighting my 
vampiric nature. 
Yet that moment of the kill, when the fount gives forth its 
blood... Nothing could possibly equal the sheer pleasure of that 
moment. How can something so good have its roots in evil? Oh blessed 
conundrum! I close my eyes and think of Willow. Her lustrous body, 
her vitality... blood.

*

"You look cheerful." Willow stared at Buffy's face, admiring the 
ease in which she acted in public despite blatantly holding Willow's 
hand in tacit acknowledgement of their bond.
"I am!" Agreed Buffy. "Its probably the coffee. Natural energy and 
more sugar than my body can handle... If I didn't wear this goofy 
grin, my head would probably explode." She waved her hands in a vague 
circle. "Like that guy in Scanners."
"Ew! Now I'm in nasty mental vision place." 
Buffy resumed her hand-holding, squeezing lightly. "Woah." She 
lowered her voice into a parody tone. "My Slayer sense is tingling. 
Duck!" As Willow dropped, Buffy span, Mr. Pointy springing into her 
grasp... And faced an acute absence of anything demonic.
"Now that's strange, I felt something... Must be the sugar overdose."
"Are you sure?" Willow stood up again, brushing off her coat.
"No, but unless we have invisible demons now, I must be imagining 
things."
Willow nodded uncertainly. "I guess. Wanna go see Giles?"
"Okay. We can give him the good news about the us thing, too!" Buffy 
resumed walking, leaving a shell-shocked Willow standing on the 
pavement behind her, unable to see her widening grin. 
"But, but...!" Willow hurried to keep up.

*

Once again the night draws near, and with it I feel the fires of 
wakeful thought being extinguished around me. The setting sun ignites 
my craving, and I weep for what I must do. Sometimes, like now, 
indeed almost whenever I awaken, the thirst is so strong. Too strong, 
for I am but a fledgling. I kill quickly, as always. Hoping my 
victim, entranced by my hypnotic beauty with long blonde hair and 
flashing eyes will not feel the pain as they die. Die... so that I 
may continue to live.
I cannot drain the waif I've chosen completely for I have to be 
careful here, so near to the hellmouth and the Slayer. I lay her body 
on the grass of the park where I gratefully sink down to my knees. I 
lick the blood from my fang teeth, so wonderfully sharp! A few words 
of the old magic and her wounds disappear. Checking she is truly 
dead, no trace of violent death, I nod with satisfaction. Just 
another runaway, expired from hypothermia after sleeping so long 
under the winter stars.
Only then do I notice her smile, frozen in death, and I'm unable to 
control the flow of tears that fall from my immortal eyes. Blood 
tears... a sign that I'm well fed. If it were within the scope of my 
powers, I would erect a monument to this nameless waif that would 
outshine the shrines of the Gods; But the depression of the moment 
fades, and again the ecstasy of fulfilment unfurls within me, and my 
heart rejoices in the songs of life.
I close my eyes, willing myself to rise, blood thundering in my 
ears. I feel as though if I screamed, the very heavens would open to 
my defiance. For I am Tara, fear my name!

*

"No! Please God, no!" Ignoring the now-feeble cries for help, the 
two vampires dragged the struggling teenager into Sunnydale's ever-
active graveyard. Once out of sight, the bigger of the two gave the 
girl a vicious backhand that broke off her ardent cries.
"Be quiet, bitch..." The vamp broke off at the unmistakably metallic 
sound of a sword being drawn. "What?"
"Watashi wa sodoshi desu. I am tumultuous death." A blur of metal, a 
sybillant ring to the air, and the vampires were dusted. With a 
flourish, the newcomer sheathed her sword, turned and left.
"Thank you?" The girl called out after her.

*

"Hey Giles!"
"Hello Buffy, Willow. Come in, I'm just making tea."
"Nothing out of the ordinary there, then." Buffy entered.
"No, nothing strange at all. In any way. No strangeness to explain. 
Oh no." Willow followed her in, babbling away.
"Something wrong?" Giles enquired.

*

End Part 2.