FIC: Strange Fascination, 7/??, Willow/Angelus, NC-17/FRAO
Title: Strange Fascination
Author: kallie_kat (a.k.a. KallieRose or just plain Kat)
Pairing: Willow/Angelus
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Summary: Set vaguely in late S1 or early S2, before Buffy and Angel have declared themselves "soulmates," although they're definitely interested in each other.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and claim no responsibility for anything other than this story, from which no profit is made.
Author's Notes: Although I am posting this for joss10k, this story is dedicated to Lisa Kelley. Thank you so much for all of your help, beta work, and most of all, your friendship. I hope you like this. Thanks also to dragonydreams for the beta.
Chapter 7
Angel prowled the grounds of Babbling Brooks Cemetery, all of his senses engaged as he searched for signs of something, anything, that might need killing.
Patrol had been easier than usual lately, given his uncanny resemblance to Angelus. Vampires had come up to him in droves, attempting to curry his favor, and one by one they had all come to a dusty end.
That would have been cause for celebration, if it weren’t for the other problems they faced.
Weird occurrences had been happening fairly regularly since he’d come to Sunnydale, but never as frequently as they had over the last couple of days. Demons who shouldn’t even be in this dimension were dropping by for tea, metaphorically speaking, of course, wreaking havoc on the as-always oblivious populace, before being ground to dust beneath the heel of Buffy’s newest pair of designer shoes.
There had been a couple of close calls when Buffy went up against demons so unfamiliar that nobody even knew how to kill them. So far she had been lucky, but sooner or later things were bound to come to a head. Angel feared that any day now they would be faced with a demon they could not figure out how to kill, and that one of them would be hurt before they figured out how to dispatch it.
Giles was baffled, a state of affairs that left him increasingly frustrated and irritable. All he could do was consult his books, and then bark at the others when he found nothing.
When Giles had added everything together, it seemed to point to an imbalance between the dimensions, or a rift in the fabric that separated them. The cause of this could be pinpointed quite easily.
Angelus.
Whatever had brought Angelus here had disrupted the balance between the dimensions, and because of this imbalance, things were happening that shouldn’t. Things that could be disastrous to the human race.
They needed to figure out how to get Angelus back to his own universe and close the rift that had allowed him to come to theirs. And in order to do that, they needed to figure out how he got here in the first place.
That was easier said than done, since Angelus didn’t seem to be in the least bit interested in discussing how he had managed to get to their little corner of the universe. Buffy had broached the subject during one of her Angelus sightings, and had returned to Giles with a sprained wrist for her troubles.
Angel had tried to find out as well, although his methods were a bit subtler, and mostly consisted of spying and eavesdropping. But as far as anyone seemed to know, Angelus and his childe had just shown up the night he had encountered Willow in the Bronze. Before that, nobody could remember seeing them at all.
Nobody knew much about his childe, either. He wasn’t making many friends amongst the local demon population, that much was obvious. Most had described him as petulant and lazy. The physical description didn’t match Penn, Spike, Dru or Sam. Which was actually a bit of a relief, since the thought of trying to contain Angelus, Spike, and Dru, all at the same time was enough to make Angel want to face the sunrise.
Perhaps the childe was a complete unknown, someone Angel had never run into in this universe. At any rate, he seemed to be a non-issue at this point. They just needed to be sure that if they found a way to send Angelus home, his mystery childe went home with him.
“So, how long have you had the soul?”
Angel whirled around, coming face-to-face with Angelus. It was a cause of some concern that he hadn’t sensed the other vampire until he’d spoken; obviously his preoccupation with his personal problems was affecting his ability to sense trouble. And Angelus was definitely trouble.
The other vampire leaned casually against a tombstone, his eyes shifting constantly as he surveyed his surroundings. His expression was casual and relaxed, but his body language told another story entirely.
“Because I’ve got to tell you, from where I sit, it looks like it’s a bit of a buzzkill. The demons around here want to rend you from limb to limb, and the humans treat you like they don’t trust you, either. Seems to me like you’ve picked the wrong side.”
Angel tensed, his eyes searching the night as if looking for a trap. In an attempt to be prudent, he bit back a dozen responses that he knew would only provoke the demon, deciding instead to attempt sweet reason. They needed information from Angelus, and they needed it soon. This was his chance to get it.
“We need to talk,” he said gruffly.
Angelus smiled, sensing he held the upper hand. “No. You need to talk. I don’t need to do anything at all.” He pushed off the tombstone and sauntered towards Angel, each step a study in predatory grace.
Frowning, Angel tried again. “We need to know how you got here.”
“Why? So you can send me home? Maybe I’m not ready to go just yet.”
Angel took a step towards Angelus, and then they both stopped, only a scant foot of space between them. Each studied the other, ancient warriors examining their adversary for clues and weaknesses.
“You have to go back,” Angel insisted. “Your presence here is causing problems. It’s creating a rift between the universes, and-things are coming through. Things that aren’t meant to be here.”
Angelus gave a casual shrug and curled the corner of his lip up in a smirk. “And exactly why should I give a fuck?”
Sighing, Angel rolled his eyes. “It’s always the same with you, isn’t it? What’s in it for me? Why should I care?” Taking a step closer, he stood nose-to-nose with the demon. “Well, here’s why you should care. The hellmouth is becoming unstable.”
The laughter that rang out was Angelus’ first response. “That’s the best you’ve got, soulboy? The hellmouth is becoming unstable? Why should I give a pretty fuck about the hellmouth? In fact, I should be glad I could help it along. Hell on Earth sounds like my kind of shindig.”
“You never were all that smart,” Angel shot back, smiling when Angelus bared his teeth at the insult. “Try looking at the big picture for once. Sure, hell on Earth sounds like a big demon party. For a couple of years. But then what happens? Your food supply is gone because nobody had the foresight to plan ahead.”
Angelus’ eyes narrowed a bit at that, and Angel could tell that he was thinking it through. But he wasn’t finished yet.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Think about it-the hellmouth opens, and what comes out? Not just vampires or your everyday demons. We’re talking Old Ones, and creatures you can’t begin to fight, much less rule. In your world you’re probably a big deal. But if the hellmouth opens? You’re just cannon fodder. The big boys will eat you up alive and spit out the bones. They don’t give a damn about how much of a big shot you used to be. You’re nothing to them.”
When Angelus’ gaze shifted into the middle distance, Angel knew he had made his point. Under normal circumstances he would give the demon a day or two to think things through, but right now he wasn’t sure he could spare the time. Things were happening *now*, and they needed to know everything they could, as quickly as they could. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
“So, are you ready to tell me how you got here?”
Angelus studied his souled counterpart, taking in the weaknesses that this version of himself had. He cared about the humans far more than he ought to, and it would end up being his undoing. It was also a handy weapon to use against him. Not right now, perhaps, but later.
“Not just yet,” he drawled, giving Angel a grin. “Maybe later, though, when I’ve got a better audience.”
And then before Angel could stop him, he was off, running through the cemetery until he had vanished into the darkness.
Angel sighed, turned around, and headed home. He had done his best to reason with Angelus. Now he just needed to wait patiently for Angelus to see the light. He just hoped it didn’t take too long.
Xander pushed aside the curtain and looked out of his living room window, then hurriedly let the curtain fall closed again. There was someone watching his house. Just like there had been the night before. And, he suspected, the night before that.
Whoever it was, they were doing their best to stay in the shadows, so all Xander ever saw was a tall, slim profile. Man or woman, young or old, human or vampire; he couldn’t guess.
At first he had suspected Angelus, but that seemed unlikely. Angelus was more a man of action than a man of stalking and skulking. If he wanted into Xander’s house, he probably would already have cadged an invitation out of his clueless parents.
No, this was someone else. But who?
Tonight was the night, he decided. Tonight he would face this menacing stranger and find out just what the hell he thought he was doing by messing with one Xander Harris.
His parents were gone, so he had the house to himself. Running up to his room, he grabbed his vampire-fighting kit. Just in case. “Stakes. Check. Holy water. Check. Multiple crosses. Check.” And then he added a little more quietly, “Knee-quivering fear. Check.”
Common sense told him to call Buffy. Or even Giles. When going to confront a stranger who might turn out to be evil, back-up was generally a pretty good idea. But Buffy and Giles were busy with the Angelus problem. And Willow...well, he still felt kind of weird around her because of the whole ‘sleeping with a vampire’ thing, so calling her wasn’t really an option, either.
That left only the Xan Man to deal with this problem.
He left the house by the side door off the kitchen, walked down the street several houses, and then ran across the street under cover of a passing car.
The night was silent, save for the muted sound of TV shows he heard through the occasional open window. He danced around patches of light that shone through a few undraped windows, all the while trying his best to be as quiet as possible.
He was only one house away now, and could see the object of his late-night search. The stranger stood just outside a patch of light from an overhead street lamp, his eyes still fixed resolutely on the Harris residence. From what Xander could see, he was about the same height and build as Xander, himself, which made him feel a little better about taking him on.
Xander edged closer, and then stood still for a moment, putting on the necklace that Buffy had given him for his birthday. The silver cross was large but simple, and had saved his ass a couple of times now. He put the other cross, a wooden, hand-held model, in his back pocket, ready to be pulled out at a moment’s notice.
His heart pounded as he worked up the nerve to take the next step. Any second now he was going to do it. Really, he was.
“Fuck, I really was a pussy back then, wasn’t I?”
The stranger turned slightly and stepped into the light, and Xander’s eyes verified what his ears had already told him.
The stranger was himself. As a vampire.
Maybe this is a dream, he thought. He pinched his arm, hard, and then winced in pain. Blinking away the tears, he stared at the being again and was disappointed-no, terrified-to see that it still looked exactly like him.
Well, maybe what he would look like if Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, was calling the shots. He, personally, didn’t have a leather fetish, but this vampire version sure seemed to.
“You gonna say anything, or just keep staring at me like you’re having trouble forming complete sentences?”
“Uh,” was all Xander could come up with.
His vampire double shook his head in disgust. “I thought so.”
Something clicked in Xander’s head, and he grabbed the stake, brandishing it before him like a sword. “What do you want? Why have you been watching us?” he asked, pretty darned proud of himself for not stuttering.
His companion cocked his head and smiled, showing off a mouthful of teeth that Xander was willing to swear hadn’t looked nearly that evil the last time he had gone to the dentist.
“I’m trying to decide how to kill you, of course.” The words, calmly spoken, sent a chill down his spine.
“Uh. You know, I-I wouldn’t be insulted at all if you didn’t,” he said, edging away from the vampire, heading back towards his front yard and the safety of his house.
The vampire’s hand reached out to grab his arm, halting his progress and pulling him back. “Oh, but I was having such fun. Don’t you want to hear what I have planned?” The impossibly white teeth were back, coupled with a smile so evil it could only have been copied from Angelus.
“Uh, you know, I’ve never been that curious. That’s more Willow’s thing.” The minute the words babbled out of his mouth, Xander sensed he’d made a mistake.
“Willow,” the vampire said slowly, his expression pensive. “I haven’t heard that name in quite a while. She’s still alive?”
“She-your Willow’s dead?” He knew this was dangerous territory, but the thought of a world without Willow distracted him for a moment.
“Died when we were in the fourth grade. Never found out who did it, but looking back, I’m sure it was a vamp. They didn’t turn her, though. She was just a snack.”
Xander’s stomach threatened to rebel at the casual statement, but he managed to fight the urge.
“So, what does she look like now, I wonder? I always did have a thing for redheads. Maybe I’ll make myself a childe.”
Thinking quickly, Xander frowned. “Zits. Lots of ‘em. Puberty wasn’t kind to her. And-and glasses. She’s a real geek. You wouldn’t want to see her now. You wouldn’t even recognize her.” The lies flowed glibly off his tongue. The stakes were too high to make any mistakes.
The vampire frowned, then shook his head slowly. “Not sure I believe you. I might have to go take a look for myself. I think I still remember where she lived...guess it’s time to take a stroll down memory lane.” He smiled slightly, as if amused by his own wittiness.
“Stay away from her,” Xander warned, grabbing the cross from his back pocket and shoving it into the vampire’s face.
The vampire reeled backwards, releasing his hold on Xander for a moment. Xander ran with all his might, heading straight for his front door. He never even saw the car that nearly hit him, the driver slamming on her brakes at the last moment.
His pursuer crashed into the car, and then tumbled over it, his body flung into the front yard of Xander’s next-door neighbor. The driver opened her door for a closer look, but when the vampire got up, facing her from across the car with his demon showing, she quickly got back into her car and drove away.
By that time, Xander was already safely inside his house, the door securely locked behind him.
The first thing he did was pick up the phone. Fear drove his actions, and his hands were shaking so badly he could barely see the numbers. But lucky for him, he had Buffy and Willow on speed dial.
End of Chapter 7
Author: kallie_kat (a.k.a. KallieRose or just plain Kat)
Pairing: Willow/Angelus
Rating: NC-17/FRAO
Summary: Set vaguely in late S1 or early S2, before Buffy and Angel have declared themselves "soulmates," although they're definitely interested in each other.
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters and claim no responsibility for anything other than this story, from which no profit is made.
Author's Notes: Although I am posting this for joss10k, this story is dedicated to Lisa Kelley. Thank you so much for all of your help, beta work, and most of all, your friendship. I hope you like this. Thanks also to dragonydreams for the beta.
Chapter 7
Angel prowled the grounds of Babbling Brooks Cemetery, all of his senses engaged as he searched for signs of something, anything, that might need killing.
Patrol had been easier than usual lately, given his uncanny resemblance to Angelus. Vampires had come up to him in droves, attempting to curry his favor, and one by one they had all come to a dusty end.
That would have been cause for celebration, if it weren’t for the other problems they faced.
Weird occurrences had been happening fairly regularly since he’d come to Sunnydale, but never as frequently as they had over the last couple of days. Demons who shouldn’t even be in this dimension were dropping by for tea, metaphorically speaking, of course, wreaking havoc on the as-always oblivious populace, before being ground to dust beneath the heel of Buffy’s newest pair of designer shoes.
There had been a couple of close calls when Buffy went up against demons so unfamiliar that nobody even knew how to kill them. So far she had been lucky, but sooner or later things were bound to come to a head. Angel feared that any day now they would be faced with a demon they could not figure out how to kill, and that one of them would be hurt before they figured out how to dispatch it.
Giles was baffled, a state of affairs that left him increasingly frustrated and irritable. All he could do was consult his books, and then bark at the others when he found nothing.
When Giles had added everything together, it seemed to point to an imbalance between the dimensions, or a rift in the fabric that separated them. The cause of this could be pinpointed quite easily.
Angelus.
Whatever had brought Angelus here had disrupted the balance between the dimensions, and because of this imbalance, things were happening that shouldn’t. Things that could be disastrous to the human race.
They needed to figure out how to get Angelus back to his own universe and close the rift that had allowed him to come to theirs. And in order to do that, they needed to figure out how he got here in the first place.
That was easier said than done, since Angelus didn’t seem to be in the least bit interested in discussing how he had managed to get to their little corner of the universe. Buffy had broached the subject during one of her Angelus sightings, and had returned to Giles with a sprained wrist for her troubles.
Angel had tried to find out as well, although his methods were a bit subtler, and mostly consisted of spying and eavesdropping. But as far as anyone seemed to know, Angelus and his childe had just shown up the night he had encountered Willow in the Bronze. Before that, nobody could remember seeing them at all.
Nobody knew much about his childe, either. He wasn’t making many friends amongst the local demon population, that much was obvious. Most had described him as petulant and lazy. The physical description didn’t match Penn, Spike, Dru or Sam. Which was actually a bit of a relief, since the thought of trying to contain Angelus, Spike, and Dru, all at the same time was enough to make Angel want to face the sunrise.
Perhaps the childe was a complete unknown, someone Angel had never run into in this universe. At any rate, he seemed to be a non-issue at this point. They just needed to be sure that if they found a way to send Angelus home, his mystery childe went home with him.
“So, how long have you had the soul?”
Angel whirled around, coming face-to-face with Angelus. It was a cause of some concern that he hadn’t sensed the other vampire until he’d spoken; obviously his preoccupation with his personal problems was affecting his ability to sense trouble. And Angelus was definitely trouble.
The other vampire leaned casually against a tombstone, his eyes shifting constantly as he surveyed his surroundings. His expression was casual and relaxed, but his body language told another story entirely.
“Because I’ve got to tell you, from where I sit, it looks like it’s a bit of a buzzkill. The demons around here want to rend you from limb to limb, and the humans treat you like they don’t trust you, either. Seems to me like you’ve picked the wrong side.”
Angel tensed, his eyes searching the night as if looking for a trap. In an attempt to be prudent, he bit back a dozen responses that he knew would only provoke the demon, deciding instead to attempt sweet reason. They needed information from Angelus, and they needed it soon. This was his chance to get it.
“We need to talk,” he said gruffly.
Angelus smiled, sensing he held the upper hand. “No. You need to talk. I don’t need to do anything at all.” He pushed off the tombstone and sauntered towards Angel, each step a study in predatory grace.
Frowning, Angel tried again. “We need to know how you got here.”
“Why? So you can send me home? Maybe I’m not ready to go just yet.”
Angel took a step towards Angelus, and then they both stopped, only a scant foot of space between them. Each studied the other, ancient warriors examining their adversary for clues and weaknesses.
“You have to go back,” Angel insisted. “Your presence here is causing problems. It’s creating a rift between the universes, and-things are coming through. Things that aren’t meant to be here.”
Angelus gave a casual shrug and curled the corner of his lip up in a smirk. “And exactly why should I give a fuck?”
Sighing, Angel rolled his eyes. “It’s always the same with you, isn’t it? What’s in it for me? Why should I care?” Taking a step closer, he stood nose-to-nose with the demon. “Well, here’s why you should care. The hellmouth is becoming unstable.”
The laughter that rang out was Angelus’ first response. “That’s the best you’ve got, soulboy? The hellmouth is becoming unstable? Why should I give a pretty fuck about the hellmouth? In fact, I should be glad I could help it along. Hell on Earth sounds like my kind of shindig.”
“You never were all that smart,” Angel shot back, smiling when Angelus bared his teeth at the insult. “Try looking at the big picture for once. Sure, hell on Earth sounds like a big demon party. For a couple of years. But then what happens? Your food supply is gone because nobody had the foresight to plan ahead.”
Angelus’ eyes narrowed a bit at that, and Angel could tell that he was thinking it through. But he wasn’t finished yet.
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Think about it-the hellmouth opens, and what comes out? Not just vampires or your everyday demons. We’re talking Old Ones, and creatures you can’t begin to fight, much less rule. In your world you’re probably a big deal. But if the hellmouth opens? You’re just cannon fodder. The big boys will eat you up alive and spit out the bones. They don’t give a damn about how much of a big shot you used to be. You’re nothing to them.”
When Angelus’ gaze shifted into the middle distance, Angel knew he had made his point. Under normal circumstances he would give the demon a day or two to think things through, but right now he wasn’t sure he could spare the time. Things were happening *now*, and they needed to know everything they could, as quickly as they could. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
“So, are you ready to tell me how you got here?”
Angelus studied his souled counterpart, taking in the weaknesses that this version of himself had. He cared about the humans far more than he ought to, and it would end up being his undoing. It was also a handy weapon to use against him. Not right now, perhaps, but later.
“Not just yet,” he drawled, giving Angel a grin. “Maybe later, though, when I’ve got a better audience.”
And then before Angel could stop him, he was off, running through the cemetery until he had vanished into the darkness.
Angel sighed, turned around, and headed home. He had done his best to reason with Angelus. Now he just needed to wait patiently for Angelus to see the light. He just hoped it didn’t take too long.
Xander pushed aside the curtain and looked out of his living room window, then hurriedly let the curtain fall closed again. There was someone watching his house. Just like there had been the night before. And, he suspected, the night before that.
Whoever it was, they were doing their best to stay in the shadows, so all Xander ever saw was a tall, slim profile. Man or woman, young or old, human or vampire; he couldn’t guess.
At first he had suspected Angelus, but that seemed unlikely. Angelus was more a man of action than a man of stalking and skulking. If he wanted into Xander’s house, he probably would already have cadged an invitation out of his clueless parents.
No, this was someone else. But who?
Tonight was the night, he decided. Tonight he would face this menacing stranger and find out just what the hell he thought he was doing by messing with one Xander Harris.
His parents were gone, so he had the house to himself. Running up to his room, he grabbed his vampire-fighting kit. Just in case. “Stakes. Check. Holy water. Check. Multiple crosses. Check.” And then he added a little more quietly, “Knee-quivering fear. Check.”
Common sense told him to call Buffy. Or even Giles. When going to confront a stranger who might turn out to be evil, back-up was generally a pretty good idea. But Buffy and Giles were busy with the Angelus problem. And Willow...well, he still felt kind of weird around her because of the whole ‘sleeping with a vampire’ thing, so calling her wasn’t really an option, either.
That left only the Xan Man to deal with this problem.
He left the house by the side door off the kitchen, walked down the street several houses, and then ran across the street under cover of a passing car.
The night was silent, save for the muted sound of TV shows he heard through the occasional open window. He danced around patches of light that shone through a few undraped windows, all the while trying his best to be as quiet as possible.
He was only one house away now, and could see the object of his late-night search. The stranger stood just outside a patch of light from an overhead street lamp, his eyes still fixed resolutely on the Harris residence. From what Xander could see, he was about the same height and build as Xander, himself, which made him feel a little better about taking him on.
Xander edged closer, and then stood still for a moment, putting on the necklace that Buffy had given him for his birthday. The silver cross was large but simple, and had saved his ass a couple of times now. He put the other cross, a wooden, hand-held model, in his back pocket, ready to be pulled out at a moment’s notice.
His heart pounded as he worked up the nerve to take the next step. Any second now he was going to do it. Really, he was.
“Fuck, I really was a pussy back then, wasn’t I?”
The stranger turned slightly and stepped into the light, and Xander’s eyes verified what his ears had already told him.
The stranger was himself. As a vampire.
Maybe this is a dream, he thought. He pinched his arm, hard, and then winced in pain. Blinking away the tears, he stared at the being again and was disappointed-no, terrified-to see that it still looked exactly like him.
Well, maybe what he would look like if Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, was calling the shots. He, personally, didn’t have a leather fetish, but this vampire version sure seemed to.
“You gonna say anything, or just keep staring at me like you’re having trouble forming complete sentences?”
“Uh,” was all Xander could come up with.
His vampire double shook his head in disgust. “I thought so.”
Something clicked in Xander’s head, and he grabbed the stake, brandishing it before him like a sword. “What do you want? Why have you been watching us?” he asked, pretty darned proud of himself for not stuttering.
His companion cocked his head and smiled, showing off a mouthful of teeth that Xander was willing to swear hadn’t looked nearly that evil the last time he had gone to the dentist.
“I’m trying to decide how to kill you, of course.” The words, calmly spoken, sent a chill down his spine.
“Uh. You know, I-I wouldn’t be insulted at all if you didn’t,” he said, edging away from the vampire, heading back towards his front yard and the safety of his house.
The vampire’s hand reached out to grab his arm, halting his progress and pulling him back. “Oh, but I was having such fun. Don’t you want to hear what I have planned?” The impossibly white teeth were back, coupled with a smile so evil it could only have been copied from Angelus.
“Uh, you know, I’ve never been that curious. That’s more Willow’s thing.” The minute the words babbled out of his mouth, Xander sensed he’d made a mistake.
“Willow,” the vampire said slowly, his expression pensive. “I haven’t heard that name in quite a while. She’s still alive?”
“She-your Willow’s dead?” He knew this was dangerous territory, but the thought of a world without Willow distracted him for a moment.
“Died when we were in the fourth grade. Never found out who did it, but looking back, I’m sure it was a vamp. They didn’t turn her, though. She was just a snack.”
Xander’s stomach threatened to rebel at the casual statement, but he managed to fight the urge.
“So, what does she look like now, I wonder? I always did have a thing for redheads. Maybe I’ll make myself a childe.”
Thinking quickly, Xander frowned. “Zits. Lots of ‘em. Puberty wasn’t kind to her. And-and glasses. She’s a real geek. You wouldn’t want to see her now. You wouldn’t even recognize her.” The lies flowed glibly off his tongue. The stakes were too high to make any mistakes.
The vampire frowned, then shook his head slowly. “Not sure I believe you. I might have to go take a look for myself. I think I still remember where she lived...guess it’s time to take a stroll down memory lane.” He smiled slightly, as if amused by his own wittiness.
“Stay away from her,” Xander warned, grabbing the cross from his back pocket and shoving it into the vampire’s face.
The vampire reeled backwards, releasing his hold on Xander for a moment. Xander ran with all his might, heading straight for his front door. He never even saw the car that nearly hit him, the driver slamming on her brakes at the last moment.
His pursuer crashed into the car, and then tumbled over it, his body flung into the front yard of Xander’s next-door neighbor. The driver opened her door for a closer look, but when the vampire got up, facing her from across the car with his demon showing, she quickly got back into her car and drove away.
By that time, Xander was already safely inside his house, the door securely locked behind him.
The first thing he did was pick up the phone. Fear drove his actions, and his hands were shaking so badly he could barely see the numbers. But lucky for him, he had Buffy and Willow on speed dial.
End of Chapter 7