“So where are we going, anyway?”

Faith had to raise her voice in order to be heard over the rushing wind. From her place behind the wheel, Danae answered.

“You wanted to go somewhere to find some company, yes?” She glanced a Faith, who nodded. “Well then, I know a place to go. We’re almost there.”

Faith leaned back in the seat, using her fingers to comb her hair back from her face for the hundredth time. Danae’s car had turned out to be a blue Mustang convertible, just a couple of years old. It was beautiful, and not the kind of car she woul have pegged for a vampire to own. She had the top down, and if the wind hitting them was not as bad as she had thought it would be, it still sufficed to whip her hair around her face every few seconds. Danae, with her waist-length mane, would have had even worse, but she had taken the time to tie it back from her face. Faith considered that a prudent move, far preferable to getting killed because the driver had been rendered blind by her hair being blown across her eyes.

They had been driving for over twenty minutes, leaving Sunnydale entirely and proceeding north-east on the interstate. They were nearing the town of Meridian, which, from what she had heard, was a much more tourist-friendly kind of place than Sunny le had ever aspired to be. Faith looked over at the speedometer yet again. During the entire trip, the vampire girl had kept it exactly on the sixty mph mark. She shook her head.

“You know, for someone with such a hot car, you drive like a librarian.” She pushed her hair back again. “Couldn’t we have cut some time off this trip? C’mon!” She bounced in her seat eagerly. “Wind this baby out!”

Danae shrugged, glancing down at the dash gauges.

“Sorry. I just have to be really careful. I don’t have a license anymore. Or insurance. Or renewal tags.” She looked sidelong at the other girl. “It’s tough to get to the DMV when you’re only out after dark. And besides,” She stared out at t road ahead of the car. “I can’t afford any of that, now. No job.”

Faith nodded her understanding.

“Yeah....” She looked thoughtful. “I’ll check with my boss. He can probably get all that fixed for you.” She leaned back in her seat as they took the Meridian exit, looking at the cluster of fast food places strategically positioned to trap hung motorists as they left the highway. Her stomach growled, and she sighed.

“Right on schedule. Every three hours or after a fight, whatever comes first.” Danae smiled tentatively. It was much easier to speak and be heard, now that they had slowed to city street speeds.

“Did you want to stop and get something?”

Faith shook her head, still watching the buildings passing by.

“Nope. I can wait. Right now I want to go somewhere and forget about everything for a little while.” While sitting and waiting for a red-light to change, Faith sensed eyes on her. She turned her head to find the other girl looking at her.

“What?”

Danae looked quickly away.

“Sorry.” The light changed, and she drove on. Faith watched her profile for a few moments, then turned back to watching the town. It was different from Sunnydale. There were more people out at night here, of course, but that wasn’t what really s uck her. It was their attitude. The residents of the hell-mouth might not be consciously aware of their danger, most of the time. But deep down inside, where the old instincts lived, they knew: Humans in Sunnydale were prey. When they ventured outs e during the hours of darkness, there was a furtiveness about them. They tended to travel in groups, never fewer than three, and even then, they almost scurried from place to place. Those who didn’t have that inbuilt caution disappeared with disturbin regularity. The people she saw here wandered about with a confidence that would seem insane in a place just twenty miles away. They fully expected to get where they were going in one piece. Amazing.

She looked around curiously as they turned down a wide avenue dotted with bars and restaurants.

“This is looking better. Are we there yet?”

“Yes. There it is.” She pointed.

The sign beside the street read “Renaissance Hall”. Faith stared blankly for several seconds before she spoke.

“Okay. I give. What is it?”

Danae pulled into the parking lot of a moderately large building that seemed to have been assembled from sections of a dozen or more separate structures. Parts of it were wood, others looked like they were made from blocks of rough stone. Or at lea covered in stuff that looked like rough stone. There were a couple of little half-tower things, and lots of funny-shaped windows, pointed at the top, with diagonal wood lattice trim. Faith supposed it was supposed to look really old, or classical, or omething. She thought it just looked weird. Danae drove out to the middle of the parking lot, some distance from the rest of the vehicles, and parked directly under a light pole. She spent a few seconds raising the top and locking it into place, then rned off the car and slipped out. Faith exited on her side, watching with amusement as the vampire girl gave the area one last check, then walked around to make sure Faith had locked her door.

“Gee. Paranoid much?”

Danae looked at her, perplexed for a moment, then lowered her eyes in embarrassment.

“Sorry.” She ran a hand across the smooth metal of the hood in a loving caress. “You have to be careful. Some people will mess with a nice car just to be mean.”

Faith shrugged.

“Wouldn’t know. I’ve never had anything nice.”

They walked to the entrance, and Danae pushed open the large, ornately carved doors. Inside was a large foyer, the (fake) stone walls were hung with shields, banners, and menu specials. Faith stopped suddenly.

“Wait a second.” Her eyes closed, she raised one hand. “Jim Carey flashback.” She opened her eyes and looked at her companion. “Please tell me that they don’t have, whaddayacallit; Jousting, and shit like that here.”

Danae looked puzzled.

“Jousting? No.”

Faith gave a sigh of relief.

“Good.”

There were doorways leading farther inside. Through the nearest one Faith could see what looked like a restaurant, with a few dozen people scattered among the tables. The rich food smells made her stomach growl loudly, and Danae looked at her uncer inly.

“Want to eat first? Or get something to drink?”

“Drink first, then eat.” Faith said, her voice firm. Danae nodded, leading the way down a hallway, then up a narrow flight of twisty stairs. At the top they came out into a tavern. The room was irregularly shaped, wandering off in several direct ns, with lots of little nooks and alcoves that held tables. The lighting was dim, and the patrons spoke in subdued tones. To one side was a bar, a tall, dark-haired man with a beard tending to it. Faith looked around.

“Well.” She turned a slow circle. “It’s kind of whacked, but I think I like it.”

Danae smiled.

“I’m glad. I come here a lot.” She looked around and sighed. “It’s a way to be around people, to feel like I’m still....”

Faith looked at her.

“Still what?”

The other girl shrugged uncomfortably.

“Still... a real person, I suppose. Still a part of the world.”

Faith pondered that for a moment, then shook her head.

“Nope. Not gonna do it.” She put her hand against her companion’s back and propelled her gently forward. “No deep thoughts tonight. Let’s get something to drink.”

They moved towards the bar, and Faith leaned her head close to the other girl’s.

“Hey. Is he gonna card me?” She whispered, looking at the bartender.

Danae’s reply was also a whisper.

“Yes. Why, did you forget your ID?”

Faith pulled her to a sudden stop.

“Forget? I never HAD one.”

Danae stared at her for a second, then blinked.

“Oh. How old are you?”

Faith sighed.

“Sixteen.”

The vampire was stunned.

“Sixteen? But,” She fumbled for the words. “You’re the Slayer. How can you be sixteen?”

Faith put her hands on her hips and stared back at her.

“What? Did you think that kicking monster ass was only for the twenty-one and older crowd?” She shook her head. “Whatever does the ‘Call the Slayer’ thing likes ‘em young. Buffy wasn’t even---” She broke off abruptly. She cleared her throat an continued. “Anyway.” She inclined her head toward the bar. “Could you maybe get me something?”

Danae nodded slowly.

“Yes. But....” She looked uncomfortable. “I’ll need some money. I’m pretty much broke.”

“No problem.” Faith dug in the pocket of her jeans, coming up with a wad of bills. “Here’s fifty bucks. That outta get us started. Tell him we want a bottle of Vodka and a pitcher of orange juice.” She pressed the money into the girl’s hand, th began scanning for a good place to sit. “Oh, and whatever you want, too. On me.” She walked off to investigate a likely alcove, leaving the vampire staring after her.

Faith had time to hit the bathroom and then locate a secluded table before Danae found her. The girl was walking carefully so as not to drop the tray she was carrying. She slid it onto the table, then took a seat opposite the Slayer.

“You found a nice one.” She nodded at the window beside them. Outside, the lights of the town were visible beyond a screen of trees. Faith shrugged, opening the bottle on the tray and filling a large glass half-full. she added a like amount of o nge juice from the pitcher. She inclined her head toward the Bar.

“He didn’t say anything about me?”

Danae shook her head, unwrapping a pack of cigarettes.

“That’s Tom. He knows me.”

Faith swirled her glass, mixing its contents. She wrinkled her nose as the vampire lit a cigarette and took a deep draw.

“Ew. That’s a wicked gross habit you’ve got there.”

The other girl gave her a sheepish smile.

“Sorry. Does it bother you?”

Faith shrugged.

“Nah. Do what you want. Just try to keep it over there. I’m an athlete, you know. I have to take care of myself.” She raised her drink and drained it in ten swallows. Danae watched, wide-eyed. Faith set down the glass and wiped her mouth on th back of her hand. “Ah.” She closed her eyes for several seconds, feeling the warmth in her throat and her stomach. Almost before it began, it faded, and she shook her head and opened her eyes. She began refilling her glass with the vodka and juice m ture. The blonde girl raised an eyebrow, then turned her head to look out the window.

“I started smoking when I was in med school.” She took another draw, careful to exhale away from Faith’s side of the table. “It’s a lot of pressure, trying to handle everything they throw at you there.” She looked down and traced a fingertip acro the tabletop. “Or it was. Anyway, this can’t hurt me now, so why stop?” Faith downed half of her second glass in one draught, then leaned back in her seat.

“You were gonna be a doctor? No way!” She found a bowl of peanuts sitting on the tray, and poured a handful into her mouth.

Danae shrugged.

“I was going to be. I didn’t make it, though.”

Faith nodded, chewing her way through the peanuts. Swallowing, she went on.

“So, was this back when they just had leeches, and hacksaws, and stuff?”

Danae gave her a confused look.

“No, not at all. What are you talking about?”

Faith took another few swallows of her drink before answering.

“Well, how many hundreds of years ago are we talking, here?”

The other girl stared, then broke out in laughter, her blue eyes sparkling. Faith waited for the girl’s fit to end, working her way steadily through the peanut bowl. Finally, Danae wound down, fighting to regain a straight face.

“Faith.” She paused to stifle a last giggle. “I am not hundreds of years old. Not even close.” She leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. “I turn twenty-three in July.” She raised one slender finger. “Not twenty-three in vampire year either. Twenty-three, total.” She sighed, her smile fading. “I’ve been a vampire for about a year and a half, now. That’s all.”

Faith stared back at her.

“Oh.” She pondered that for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, so much for you spouting the wisdom of a dozen lifetimes at me, or shit like that.” She finished her drink and began mixing another. Danae watched, her expression becoming one of concern

“No, I don’t have any ancient wisdom. But,” She reached out to touch the vodka bottle, which was now half-empty. “I do know about something called alcohol poisoning, and it looks like you’re heading that way.” She looked at the younger girl. “W don’t you slow down, just a little?”

Faith shook her head as she swirled her fresh glass.

“No can do.” She thumped herself in the chest, just above her breasts. “The ol’ bod here disintegrates this stuff almost as fast as I can drink it. It’s a pain in the ass.” She gave the remaining vodka in the bottle an appraising look. “I’ve go to really hit it hard if I want to get buzzed. I think I can manage it with what I’ve got left here, though.” She raised her glass and began gulping down its contents. Danae nodded uncertainly, leaning back in her seat to finish her cigarette.

Several minutes later, Faith finished the last of the bottle. She sat her glass on the tray next to the empty bottle. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slowly exhaling. With each successive glass, her body’s atural resistance to drugs had fallen a little father behind in it’s battle to keep the alcohol out of her system. Now, she felt a wonderful sense of warmth and relaxation suffusing her. She opened her eyes and looked across at Danae.

“That’s better.”

The other girl watched her uncertainly. Faith smiled, bouncing out of the booth.

“And now I’m ready to eat! C’mon.”

Danae slid out also, and they headed for the stairs.

Down in the restaurant, things were brightly lit, and the conversations around them were louder. They were led to a table by a woman wearing some kind of really old dress, with lots of lacings and billowing white sleeves. They took their seats and he woman moved off to greet another arrival. Faith flipped open her menu and began scanning the offerings. Danae contented herself with watching the other girl. Faith looked up.

“You eat here. Is any of this stuff any good?”

The vampire shrugged.

“I come here, but I don’t eat.” Faith made a sound of understanding, and she went on. “Most of it is just normal steakhouse food. They give it odd names to make it seem historic or interesting. You know, to match the medieval theme.”

Faith went back to reading.

“I really don’t care what they call it. I just wanna eat something. A lot of something. Now.”

A different woman, the waitress (or serving wench, or whatever) arrived, giving them a smile.

“Greetings, and welcome to Renaissance Hall. What would you like this evening?”

She looked first at Danae, who returned her smile.

“I’d like a glass of white wine.” She put a hand to her stomach and looked apologetic. “I’m afraid I’m not feeling well, so I’ll have to miss dinner.” The waitress looked sympathetic as she made a note on her pad, then turned to Faith.

“And you, Miss?”

Faith ran her finger down the menu, ordering the largest steak listed, plus a half-dozen side dishes. The woman looked at her dubiously, but nodded. With a curtsey she turned and headed off.

Faith looked around. There were a couple of dozen other people present, eating and talking. She frowned, glancing at her wristwatch.

“I just realized, it’s almost one o’clock.” She gestured at the other diners. “Isn’t this a lot of people to be out this late, eating.”

Danae looked around, but shook her head.

“Not really. They should stay fairly busy for another hour easily.” She looked across at the girl. “You’re probably just not used to places like this.” Faith shrugged, still looking around.

“You mean, places where rich people go to hang out?” She ran a hand back through her hair, the gesture uncertain. “Guess not.” She flashed the older girl a smile. “But that’s all changing now, huh?”

Danae smiled back.

“I suppose so.”

The waitress came by with Danae’s wine, and a big glass of ice water for Faith, which prompted her to give the woman a dirty look.

“Well yee-haa. Thanks a bucketload.”

The waitress looked at her uncertainly, but Faith was looking across the table.

“You’re sure I can’t get---”

Danae shook her head firmly, and Faith sighed. She sat the glass pointedly off to the side before looking up.

“Gee. Thank you, nice lady, for this wonderful glass of water you have brought me. I think I’ll wait for my pepsi, if that’s okay with you.”

The waitress put on a fake smile, curtseyed, and moved off. Faith watched Danae sip at her wine for several moments, then spoke abruptly.

“You know something?”

Danae set down her drink and tilted her head inquisitively.

“No. What?”

Faith leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table and propping her chin on her fists. She stared intently at the other girl.

“With all the light in here, I just noticed: You’re really cute.” She smiled slowly. “For a vampire.”

Danae looked back at her.

“I think you got your buzz, after all.” She glanced down shyly. “But thank you.” She looked up, and Faith frowned as she noticed something else.

“How come you don’t wear any makeup?” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t even have any lipstick on, or anything.”

The older girl looked away.

“It’s hard to do any of that when you can’t see yourself.” She reached over to pick up Faith’s water glass. Holding it to one side, she gestured to it. “See yourself reflected in the side, there?” She brought it up to her own face. “Do you see ?” Faith just watched her, and she put the glass down. “I haven’t seen myself in a year and a half.” She put a hand to her face, running her fingertips lightly over its contours. “I think I’m starting to forget what I look like.” She dropped her ha , and her voice was soft. “Sometimes I dream that the only face I have is... that other one. That everyone sees it wherever I go.”

Faith didn’t know how to respond to that, and a couple of minutes dragged past with neither saying anything. Faith absently picked at the rough planks that made up the table, giving a slight start when she succeeded in tearing free a splinter as bi as a pencil. She glanced around in embarrassment, then hid the fragment beneath the menu-holder in the center of the table. She caught Danae watching her, with a faint smile on her face. Faith looked away, her eyes wandering around the room.

Danae cleared her throat uncomfortably, and Faith looked up at her.

“I was wondering something too.”

Faith propped her chin on her fists again, staring back at her.

“Shoot.”

The older girl looked at her, her eyes wary.

“You’re very pretty, but you wear a lot of makeup. Almost....”

Faith smiled faintly.

“Too much?”

Danae nodded.

“It looks good on you. But I was just....”

Faith sighed.

“You sound like Wesley.” She got a blank look and waved a hand. “Never mind.” She leaned back in her chair, looking up at the wooden beams that crossed the high ceiling. “You ever see a movie called ‘The Crow’?”

Danae nodded.

“Brandon Lee.”

Faith smiled.

“Oh yeah. Damn, that man was hot. I had such a crush on him.” Her smile became sad. “I cried when I saw that movie, knowing that he really was dead. Can you see that? Me, crying....” She shrugged. “Anyway, in the movie, when he’s going after hose guys that killed his girlfriend, he puts on that whiteface.” She smiled wryly. “He even uses black lipstick, and eyeshadow and everything!” She reached out to run her hand along the edge of the table, her eyes far away. “That could have been so ay... but it wasn’t. It was his way of showing the people he was fighting that... I don’t know. That there was more inside him than just his own face could ever show.” She looked up at Danae. “It was like a challenge, his hate, his pain, and... I n’t know. All of it, put right there for them to see.”

Danae looked dubious.

“It was a mask.”

Faith smiled.

“Yeah. But a mask isn’t always something you hide behind. Sometimes, it shows more of the truth than your real face.” She held her arms out, presenting herself. “Look at me. Sure, I’m a sixteen year old girl from Boston.” She gave the other gi a wicked grin. “But that’s not all I am, is it?”

Danae shook her head slowly.

“I can’t argue with that.”

Faith shrugged.

“So there you go. I wear this because I don’t want to look like a little girl. I wanna look strong, like I am inside. I want to put myself in people’s faces and dare them to do something about it.”

Danae stared down at the table, running her fingers slowly over her face, and her eyes were haunted. Faith suddenly looked annoyed.

“Look what you made me do. I told you: ‘No deep thoughts tonight’.” She looked over her shoulder and saw the waitress approaching, carrying a heavy tray. “Hey! Food’s here!”

They were back upstairs, guy-watching.

“What about him?”

Faith nodded towards a tall, slender man in his mid twenties. Beside her, Danae shook her head.

“He smells funny.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I think he’s an addict, and he’s using something pretty strong.” She glanced over at Faith. “I doubt he could do much for you. He’d probably just pass out.”

Faith blinked, then took another swallow of her drink.

“If you say so. Hmm.” Her eyes moved around the room. She wanted somebody who was willing and able to screw her into oblivion. She’d done the best she could, with lots of food and drink, but she could still feel the darkness humming in the back her mind. If she didn’t stay distracted---

Danae nudged her.

“There. At the bar.”

Faith looked. The guy was young, no more than twenty or so. And, Faith thought, he was cute, in a vaguely Latino kind of way. He sat at the bar, his jacket folded up on the stool beside him. She sharpened her vision, and made out the UCLA logo o the jacket.

“Oooh. College boy. Yum.” She got up, draining her glass before setting it down on the table. Danae looked up at her.

“What are you going to say to him?”

Faith shrugged.

“I’ll ask him to buy me a drink.”

Danae winced.

“You can’t drink at the bar. You’ll get us thrown out.”

Faith frowned.

“Damn. You know, I’ve GOT to get a fake I.D. I’ll think of something.” She walked towards the bar, leaving the vampire to watch. Faith came up to stand behind the guy. Reaching out to touch his jacket on the stool she spoke.

“Hey. You saving this spot for me?”

He sat down his beer mug and turned.

“Actually, that’s where---” He looked up at her and broke off. After a moment, he smiled. “Yes, I was, actually.” He moved the jacket to the bar. “Have a seat.”

Faith sat, giving him a little smile. He really was good-looking, with dark eyes and close-cut hair. The bartender noticed her, and walked over.

“Would you like something?”

She nodded.

“A Pepsi, please.”

He nodded, leaning down to open a mini-fridge under the bar. Faith turned to the guy beside her.

“I’m only eighteen, so no drinking for me, yet.” She gave a wistful sigh. The guy nodded, but Faith caught the bartender’s lips twitching as he straightened and slid her soda across the bar. She winked at him, and he quirked an eyebrow before tur ng away.

“My name’s Eric.”

She used a hand to smooth the hair back from her face, cocking her head to look up at him.

“Hi there Eric. I’m Faith.”

She hit him with all the charm she had, and the magnetism that the Slayer was sometimes able to radiate seemed to help, too. After just a minute or two of small talk, she was beginning to think she had this one hooked, when suddenly there was a jar ng interruption.

“Who’s this?” Said a male voice, lots of irritation plain in its tone.

Faith looked up to see another college-age guy standing beside them. This one was shorter than Eric, and stocky. His blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he had a somewhat fuzzy goatee. Everything about him screamed ‘geek’. Eric put a nd on her shoulder.

“Faith, this is Mitch, a friend of mine. We drove up here together.” He nodded to her. “Mitch, this is Faith. We were just talking.” Mitch nodded acknowledgment, but his eyes were hostile.

“I hope that’s all you’re planning to do with her, buddy. If she’s not an undercover cop trying to bust you for solicitation, then she’s a minor.” He shook his head, still staring at her. “Either way, she’s bad news.”

Eric sighed, looking at Faith.

“Ignore my friend. He’s been taking these criminal justice classes, and they’ve got him all screwed up.” He paused, suddenly uneasy. “You aren’t actually a cop, are you?” Faith put on a serious face and pretended to think about it, enjoying the ok of consternation that swept over his face. Finally she shook her head.

“Nope.” She announced, looking back and forth between them. “Not a cop, never have been, not planning on being one.” She took a drink of her Pepsi before continuing. “In fact, if a cop were to get in my face, I’d probably have to kill ‘em.”

Eric laughed, and Mitch eased back a notch or two on the glare. Faith nodded to him pleasantly, then looked over his shoulder.

“Actually, I’m here with a friend, too.” The geek turned to look, and jumped slightly when he found someone standing just a step behind him. Faith waved her hand. “Guys, this is Danae.” The older girl gave them a dazzling smile, which Eric return . Mitch seemed a bit stunned, leaning back against the bar and staring at her. Faith turned back to Eric.

“If you guys go to UCLA, what are you doing up here on a school night?”

Eric smiled faintly.

“Well, Mitch’s parents have a cabin here in town, and we decided to ditch a few classes and drive up. Sort of a long weekend thing.” He shrugged. “You can’t sit around and wait for a good time to find you. Sometimes you have to go looking for it

Faith leaned closer to him, reaching over to put her hand on his thigh.

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” She stared into his eyes. “Sometimes a good time can find you when you least expect it.” Behind her, Danae was standing face to face with Mitch, running her fingers down the side of his face, her eyes hungry. The gu looked frozen in place, unable to believe what was happening. Faith looked away. ---If you can’t believe this, then just wait a little while, friend---, she thought.

Faith opened the door and slid out of the car. Eric climbed out on the other side, waving grandly.

“There it is. A magnificent example of upper middle-class excess.” The vacation cabin before them looked a lot like a house to Faith. It was bigger than Buffy’s, though it had only one floor. She looked at him.

“This is just for the weekends?”

He nodded.

“More like one weekend every month or so, actually. Like I said, it’s a bit much. But,” He reached out to take her hand. “It can certainly come in handy.” She grinned at him, slipping her arm around his waist. Behind them, Danae pulled up in he Mustang. Mitch got out, and was startled to find that the blonde girl was somehow already out of the car and beside him. The vampire girl immediately put her arms around him, tilting her head up to whisper something in his ear. Even in the darkness Faith could see hi turning red. Together they all walked up to the cabin. Mitch unlocked the door and led the way inside.

He flipped on the lights, revealing a large living area. Together with the open kitchen, it took up about half of the house. Off to the right was a hallway, and Danae was already drawing Mitch in that direction. Faith watched as she turned to smil up at him encouragingly, and she saw what he didn’t: Danae’s eyes were beginning to turn from blue to yellow. It struck her, suddenly. She’d been with a vampire all night. A Vampire. Even while they had been talking about it, it hadn’t really penetr ed, what the other girl was. She seemed so normal, like a real person. She was smart, and pretty, and a good listener, but.... Faith watched, and she knew that Mitch was a dead man if he went down that hallway. Danae would kill him, because that’s wh vampires did. And Faith was a Slayer, sworn to protect him from that threat... Faith watched them walk down the hall and vanish through a doorway, and she did nothing.

“Another piece of me gone.” She whispered.

Eric looked over at her curiously.

“What?”

She shook her head and smiled.

“Nothing.” She took his hand and pulled him to the center of the room. There was a thick rug spread out in front of the television, and she dropped down on it. He stood looking down at her, suddenly a little uncertain.

“Hey, you want a drink?” He looked over to where a collection of bottles and glasses rested on a table next to the television. She shook her head.

“Nope. Done that.” Still holding his hand, she slowly applied her strength, pulling him down to sit beside her on the floor. “Now I want something better.” She leaned forward and kissed him, her tongue probing till it found his. He closed his e s, returning as good as he got---till he felt her hands undoing his belt. He pulled back quickly.

“Whoa.”

She sat back on her heels, disappointment filling her.

“What’s the matter?”

He looked away, then back at her.

“I don’t know.” He rubbed his hands across the carpet for a moment. “Well, actually... I’ve got this weird feeling.” He looked her in the eyes. “Are you really eighteen?”

She cocked her head to the side, a faint smile curling her lips.

“Yeah... as far as you know.”

He looked away again.

“See? I knew it.” He shook his head. “Faith. I’m as ready for a good time as the next guy, but I’m not an asshole.” He sighed. “I’m not going to take advantage of you like this. I can’t.”

Faith walked over to him on her hands and knees. Putting her face just inches from his, she whispered.

“Actually, I was planning on taking advantage of You.” She smiled at him as she ran her hands up his arms, to twine behind his neck. “And if you don’t start cooperating pretty soon, I’m going to have to rape you.”

His eyes were wide as her lips found his again, but this time he didn’t struggle.

Faith writhed on the floor, lost in the sensation of his hands moving across her body, his lips trailing across her throat. Every inch of her was aware, every nerve alive with electricity, and she LOVED the enhanced senses that came along with bein a Slayer. The deep carpet cradled her, and she smiled as his fingers caressed her breasts. My, but he knew what to do, too, didn’t he? So much better than---

---Xander, awkwardly eager, having to be shown everything, getting points for effort but all along she has the feeling that he’s not really with her at all, not really. He was seeing blonde hair, not black, green eyes not brown, and afterwards she h to throw him out because she feels so cold inside---

No. Not cold. It’s warm, here. He’s kissing his way down across her breasts, exploring her waist. He seems surprised to find her so trim there, slender and firmly muscled. She likes having people look at her, pay attention to her---

---Buffy staring at her in shock, that first night outside the Bronze as she staked a vampire, and Faith felt so good showing off for her and everyone else like that---

Stop it. Nothing matters but the way he’s kissing her stomach, moving lower, her hands tangling in his hair as he sets her on fire. She moans, it feels so good---

---Buffy fighting alongside her, then for her when she’s beaten to the ground. Buffy driving a stake into Kakistos’s chest, but it’s not enough, he just laughs, and Faith knows she has to be strong, and face him like Buffy did, and she comes to her et and lifts the wooden beam and---

Don’t. Focus on here, now. Feel this, taste this. Pulling him up to find his lips with hers, kissing him savagely, consuming him, flooding her mind with sensation, trying not to remember---

---Training, Sparring, Slaying. They’re equals, partners, friends. She’s not alone anymore. For the first time---

She rolls them both, surprising a gasp from him as he ends up on the bottom, looking up at her. His eyes go wide as she guides him inside her, a little shocked by her ferocity, and he whispers her name as she begins to move with him in a rhythm tha she prays will hold back the darkness that she can feel rising inside her and---

---Angel. Back from hell, back to ruin everything---

She shakes her head helplessly, her whispered “No,” going unheard as they move faster---

---Angel, lying helpless as she drives the stake down, but Buffy is there, and she blocks the strike and they fight and---

“No... No!” He looks up at her, not sure what’s wrong with her but he’s not going to stop and she’s fighting to fill herself with him, to drown out the images that keep coming no matter how much she tries to---

---Christmas, and snow, and they start to rebuild what had been growing, what the fight had nearly broken forever---

He’s staring at her face, and whatever he sees there penetrates the fog of their building passion and he’s got his hands against her, trying to push her away even as she strives to move faster, harder---

---Buffy fighting, Buffy dancing, laughing, touching, Faith can’t believe how alive she feels, it’s so perfect---

Tears streaming down her face, she whispers “Buffy....” And he’s speaking but she can’t hear, fighting her but she can’t stop---

---Buffy staring in horror, blood on her hands, human blood, and she’s staring at Faith with those accusing eyes---

It’s not her fault! She didn’t know she couldn’t know and he’s starting to show fear now and he strikes at her but she grabs his wrists and pins them to the floor to either side and her teeth are showing in something not even close to a smile and s feels him struggle against her helplessly as she keeps moving, faster---

---Buffy, helpless as Trick chokes the life from her, and Faith knows she has a choice: Run and be free or stay and save Buffy, and that’s really no choice at all, and she plunges the stake into his back---

He’s fighting with all his strength now and he’s strong but doesn’t have a chance and it excites her even more and something in his arm snaps in her grip and he screams but she’s so close now, moving on him, using him like she’s been used, hurting h like she’s been hurt---

---And she’s back, pretending to be a good girl but nothing’s the same between them, Buffy is with Angel, with her friends, with Willow, laughing, laughing at Faith---

She’s hitting him, clumsy, open-handed strikes, flailing blindly at the laughing images but his face is rocking from side to side with the force of it and blood streams from his smashed lips and the jagged bone jutting from his arm and she just want it to stop---

---Buffy pulling away from her, ignoring her, not training together anymore, not doing anything together, not equals, not partners, not friends---

She wants to make it all stop and she feels more bones crunch under her hands as she beats at him and she’s keening wordlessly and it all hurts so much even as she finally comes and her body flares incandescent with something that’s not really pleas e at all, just an intensity of sensation that makes her scream because she’s---

---Alone, she’s alone, with nothing and no one and she’s not even sure she exists, anymore, and if Buffy finds out about the Mayor they’ll have to fight again and she doesn’t want to fight with Buffy she just wants someone to love her, but no one eve has, not her father not her mother not Buffy---

She collapses across his bloody chest, her hair tangled around her face, panting for breath that won’t come, and he’s gasping in pain beneath her, and she’s in agony inside because the thing that she’s been hiding, hiding so deep inside that she did t even know what it was, just that it made her afraid, has finally broken free and she knows that---

---Buffy doesn’t love her---

She closed her eyes and rolled off of him, to lie curled up and shaking on the soft rug.

She’s not sure how long she’s known. A day, three days. Maybe just this morning, when Buffy walked away with her friends, leaving Faith sitting there on the tennis court. Maybe that night on the dock, when even after she saved her from Trick, Buf would barely speak to her. Maybe that was why she went to the Mayor, afterwards. Because, deep inside, even though she wouldn’t admit it to herself, she knew. With a groan of effort, she pushed it away, to the edge of her mind. She couldn’t forget, ot now, but she could ignore it enough to let her think, to concentrate on getting out of here. Later, she would think about it later.

Faith sat up, raking her hair back from her face and looking down at Eric. He was staring up at her, but he seemed dazed, only partly conscious. His face was battered and bloody, and he lay awkwardly twisted to one side, wheezing as he struggled t breathe. She shuddered, wondering if she would ever be able to get laid again without killing someone. Violence was a part of her, and it had been for a long time. But it seemed like she didn’t know how to turn it off, anymore. She heard a whisper o movement and looked to her right to see Danae coming slowly across the floor on her hands and knees. Her face was in vamp mode, the delicate bone structure now distorted with heavy ridges. The long blonde hair looked shockingly out of place, now, as it pilled forward over her shoulders to frame that face. The yellow eyes flicked up to meet Faith’s, then dropped to the boy who lay groaning on the floor. She had blood on her mouth, and her fangs peeked from her open mouth as she panted with excitement With hunger.

Faith stood, naked and not especially caring in that moment. She looked down at the boy, her eyes taking in the damage she had done during... whatever that had been. What she saw sickened her, and she looked away. Her mind was still reeling, eve thing around her seemed slightly out of kilter. She could feel the blackness trying to fill her again, poisoning her thoughts with the truth of how she had been fooling herself.... She put her hands to her head and pressed hard, trying to steady herse , to find her balance again. At her feet, Danae had crept close to where Eric lay. With a furtive movement she reached out to take his arm, pulling it towards her open mouth. Faith backhanded her, sending the girl flying. She rolled to a stop against he couch, staring up at the Slayer through a curtain of blonde hair.

“Please!” Her fingers tore at the carpet, ripping up handfuls of material. “So hungry! Just a little!” She started crawling forward again, only to cringe when Faith took a step towards her, one fist raised.

“No!” Faith looked down at where he lay, and her voice grew soft. “No. He’s had enough for one night. We all have.” She looked back at the vampire girl. “Get that shit off of your face, right now. It’s gross.”

Danae drew back against the couch, and looked down.

“Can’t. The blood... the smell makes me---”

“Whatever.” Faith interrupted. “Then go outside. Get ready to go. I’ll be there in a second.”

She stared down at the boy, listening as the vampire pulled herself to her feet and stumbled out. Faith crouched beside him. She touched his face, her hand gentle, but he pulled away, whimpering in pain. She drew back.

“Sorry. I... I just wanted somebody, anybody, to...” He stared up at her, his face a mass of battered flesh and sticky blood. She stared down into his frightened eyes. “I’m fucked up, and it’s not your fault.” She tried to think of something t say, but nothing came. She shrugged helplessly. “I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve this.” She hurriedly pulled on her jeans and top, and picked up her shoes. She headed for the door, but slowed, looking down the hall. She didn’t want to know... and s had to know. The door was ajar, and she pushed it slowly open. Inside, Mitch lay sprawled on a bed, his jeans torn off of him. There was blood on the sheets between his legs, and she shook her head slowly.

“Oh, do not tell me that she---” She leaned over him, carefully not touching the body. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding as she saw that all of his... ‘equipment’ was still intact... and attached. The blood was from a p r of tiny punctures high up on the inside of his thigh. She raised her eyebrows, and gave a start of surprise when he grunted and turned his head to look at her.

“H-hey.” He sounded confused, and irritable. “Where’d she go? We were just getting started when she starts chewin’ on me an’ then she runs out an leaves me hangin’ and---”

Faith turned and walked out. She’d left him alive. Fucking amazing. Danae’s guy was actually in better shape than hers. She wasn’t sure she wanted to think too long about that. Outside, the night was quiet, the warm breeze bringing the scent of ne down from the hills. She stood for a few moments, taking deep breaths. Danae’s hair was a pale splotch next to her car. Faith walked towards her, stepping carefully in her bare feet. She brought her nightvision up, and the other girl’s face resol d itself. She looked completely human, now. She was crouched next to the car’s front grill, using a rag to wipe away dead bugs. She looked up as Faith walked by her, dropping her shoes in the front, then climbing over the door to lie sideways on the ck seat.

“I think we’ve done enough damage here. Let’s motor.”

Danae gazed at her for a moment, then opened the door and got in. Moments later they were pulling out of the drive and onto the street. Faith leaned her head back and stared up at the sky. The wind whipping past her seemed somehow soothing, and sh sighed. From up front she heard Danae speak softly, her words almost lost in the roar of air rushing past.

“Where do you want to go?”

Faith didn’t want to think, not right then.

“I don’t care. Anywhere.”

There was no reply, but they kept moving, and that was good enough.

Faith felt the car come to a halt, and she sat up, opening her eyes. The car was parked on the shoulder of the road. Below them the hillside sloped away, giving a view of the scattered lights that filled the valley.

“Sunnydale.” Her voice was bitter. From the front seat, Danae replied.

“Yes.” She turned her head to look back. “Did you want to go ahead and drive into---”

“No.” Faith’s voice was flat. “This is fine.” She leaned back in the seat again, resting her head against the side of car, staring upwards. Blackness. Stars.

“Did... you want to talk about what happened with---”

“No.” She didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to think. She heard a sigh from up front, then quiet sounds as the other girl fumbled with something. Moments later she heard the quiet whir of the CD player swallowing a disc, and a woman’s voice came s tly from the speakers.

[ In our lives ]

[ Love has hid her face, to save her heart from breaking ]

[ In your eyes ]

[ Joy gives way to pain ]

[ Save your tears for the rain ]

The voice was sensual, but with a wistful, childlike quality as well. Faith frowned up at the sky.

“Who is this?”

“Sophie B. Hawkins. This is new.”

She grunted, settling back into the seat, letting the quiet music play over her.

[ Without each other ]

[ Where would we be? ]

[ We long to feel free ]

[ And in our dreams ]

[ We see ]

[ What we need ]

Faith’s jaw was clenched. ---Yeah--- She thought. ---We see what we need, not what’s really there. Because we are one stupid, stupid bitch, aren’t we?---

[ I hardly recognize myself it’s such a strange thing ]

[ To find another woman walking in my blue jeans ]

[ I’ve come so far and I’ve been so long away from home ]

She blinked, staring upwards, feeling a sick, empty feeling in her middle. She heard Danae humming along with the singer, but the words were striking her like small fists.

[ I’m like a photograph whose image is still changing ]

[ The letter that I never sent to you explaining ]

[ All I want is a place for my heart to belong ]

She sat up abruptly, wiping at her eyes. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, she glanced at Danae, in the front seat.

“You know, I... really like your car, here.”

The older girl turned to regard her for a moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she half-turned, folding her legs under her so she could lean back against the inside of the door, facing Faith past the back of her seat.

“Thank you.” She looked down, toying idly with the blonde hair that spilled forward over her shoulders. When the silence threatened to grow between them she stumbled on. “It was a present, from my parents.” She glanced up, then back down. Her v ce fell to a soft whisper. “For my twenty-first birthday.” She tugged on a lock of her hair, hard. “Two weeks later, I was a vampire.”

There was nothing to say to that.

Faith noticed that she still had some of Eric’s blood on her hands. She rubbed slowly at the sticky patches, wishing that she had a towel. From the front, light flared as Danae lit a cigarette. Faith leaned back in her seat, so as to be farther aw from it. She scowled.

“That asshole Mitch was alive when we left.” The vampire nodded, but said nothing. Faith narrowed her eyes. “Well? What kind of vampire are you, huh?” Her voice was louder than she had meant it to be.

Danae exhaled smoke, giving Faith a sidelong glance.

“What kind of vampire?” She tucked her hair behind one ear. “A little one. A scared one.” She looked out over the lights of the town. “You’re angry because I let him live? I was terrified that you would kill me for biting him at all.” She shr ged. “I’m used to feeding last, after the stronger ones have had their fill. I don’t need much. It was just... It had been so long since I had anything fresh....”

Faith shrugged.

“Well, you’d better learn to fucking control yourself, or you’ll get dusted in a heartbeat. I’m not going to go around cleaning up after you.” Her voice was harsh, threatening. Danae turned her head to stare at Faith, her blue eyes gleaming strang y in the near-darkness.

“The other Slayer’s name is Buffy, isn’t it?” Faith looked at her, suddenly unable to speak. Danae nodded. “You were screaming her name, when.... Earlier.” She tilted her head as she looked appraisingly at the younger girl. “You’re not really a ry at me, at all. You’re angry at yourself. Why?”

Faith bristled.

“Shut up.”

Danae twined a strand of hair around her fingers, looking thoughtful.

“What did Buffy do to make you so upset? Is that the reason you’re working for the Mayor?”

Faith lunged forward, one hand clamping around the other girl’s throat, slamming farther back against the door. Dark eyes stared into blue, and her voice was low and husky.

“What part of ‘shut up’ didn’t you hear?” She slowly tightened her grip, smiling thinly when the blonde’s eyes began to widen. “No, you don’t need air, but you need blood for your brain, don’t you?” With a last shake, she released her. Sitting b k in the back seat, she stared out into the night.

“I don’t need to hear any crap from you.” She gave a forced laugh. “You’re not even a human being! You never were. You’re just a goddamned demon.”

Danae was still rubbing her neck, watching the Slayer warily. She tossed her cigarette outside.

“I am not a demon.” When Faith looked at her she flinched, but didn’t look away. “I’m not. I’m me.”

Faith shook her head wearily.

“Wrong, twinkie. You get bit, your soul gets tossed out, demon moves in.” She shrugged. “Sorry. Sad but true.”

The vampire girl looked frightened.

“No.” Her voice was soft. “I remember. I remember my life, my family... from before this was done to me.”

Faith sighed, wondering if the other girl was going to cry.

“All right. Whatever.” She sat for a second, then climbed to her feet and hopped out of the car. She took a few moments to stretch, twisting the kinks out of her back and legs. Danae watched silently, and Faith could feel the vampire’s eyes on he even with her back turned. Sensing vampires was part of what a Slayer did, after all. She turned suddenly.

“Okay then. Tell me something.” She began pacing slowly along the length of the car, back and forth. Her bare feet were nearly silent on the grass and gravel. “You were a person, before. Were you a ‘good’ person, do you think?” Danae nodded carfully.

“Yes, I believe so.”

Faith prodded a small rock forward with her toe, watching as it skipped and bounced down the hill.

“Did what you were told, what you thought you were supposed to do?” The other girl nodded agreement. Faith stopped, gazing down at the lights without seeing them. “Did you love anybody?”

Danae folded her hands atop the steering wheel and rested her chin on them.

“Yes. My parents, my brothers.” She closed her eyes. “My boyfriend.”

Faith folded her arms and stood, looking at her.

“So. What happened after you got vamped? Did those feelings go away?”

She shifted uneasily. “Faith, I’d rather not talk---”

The Slayer lifted one foot and placed it in the center of the driver’s side door. She rocked the car gently.

“Answer me.”

Danae sighed. “No, the feelings didn’t go away. But after I was changed, I could see things I couldn’t see before. For the first time, I realized how my parents were trying to control me, to force me to be what they wanted, instead of what I wante My brothers were jealous of me, because I was better than they were, smarter. They tried to trick me into wasting time with them, taking time away from my classes so that I’d fail, and make them look better.” She shook her head slightly. “Not that could stay in school after I was changed, anyway. So they got their wish.”

Faith turned, slowly walking to the edge of the hillside. Her voice floated over her shoulder.

“And your boyfriend? What about him?”

The older girl growled low in her throat, and Faith turned to see her eyes flash yellow for a moment.

“He was the worst of all. He said he loved me, cared about me,” She stared out the windshield, unseeing. “He was lying. When I went to him, after... when he saw what I had become, he couldn’t face me.” She bared her teeth in memory. “That’s w n I knew that he had never loved me, not really. If he had, then it wouldn’t have mattered how much I’d changed, or what I had to do to survive.” She turned to look at Faith, and her face was shadowed for a moment with the outlines of her other face. So I killed him.” She shook her head, and she was just a pretty young woman again. Long, blonde hair and sad blue eyes. “So there you are, Faith. Feelings don’t fade, but they do change.”

Faith stared at her for a long time, but her attention was focused inward, where her own feelings lived. If someone couldn’t love you, no matter what you’d become, no matter what you did, then they had never loved you at all....

“Yeah, that about sums it up.” She said, softly. She needed time to sort things out, but one thing was certain: Things were different, now. They couldn’t help but be different, now that she had decided to stop being blind. She gave a sudden smile, jogging forward and leaping over the door to land i the front passenger seat. She leaned close to the other girl.

“I was wrong, you know.”

Danae looked at her uncertainly.

“About....?”

Faith reached out to tug playfully at a lock of blonde hair.

“You DO have the wisdom of a dozen lifetimes. I like that in a vampire,” She grinned. “As long as you don’t use it to piss me off.”

Danae gave her a small smile in return.

“I’ll be careful. Promise.” She looked up at the sky. “It’s getting late. Back to town?”

Faith gave a grand wave at the valley below.

“Yep. Back to town.”

The car roared to life, and moments later they were gone, leaving the roadside spot empty once more.