Author's Note:
This story assumes that you are familiar with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and more peripherally, the characters of Lestat and Louis from the Anne Rice "Vampire" series. I have tried my best to give general background and relationships between characters, but of course, as with all fan fiction, I do rely on your previous knowledge of the basic premise.
This takes place in an alternate Buffyverse before the destruction of Sunnydale where Willow and Oz are still together (hey, this is
my
Buffyverse!) and so are Xander and Anya. Buffy and Faith are working together, with Giles as their Watcher, and he owns The Magic Box with Anya. Dawn is in college and Spike is a baddie-wanna-be but he's still got a chip in his head.
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"So tell me again why I shouldn't kill you?"
The vampire turned away from the window. His smile was a slow thing, his lips appearing so dark they were almost black in his pale, hollow-cheeked face. His eyes, a bright, luminescent green, were sad.
"You could make the effort." He inclined his head toward the young pony-tailed blonde who had addressed him. She was sitting on the sofa and swinging a long black boot crossed over her knee. "But you would fail."
"That's a bit of hubris." Giles raised his eyebrows and peered over the large volume he was consulting. The Watcher's gaze flicked over to his charge, and he saw Buffy's eyes narrowed at this new vampire in their midst. "Buffy is the Slayer, after all."
"Hey," Faith piped up, punching Giles on the arm. He winced and looked askance at her. "There's two Slayers here, remember?" The dark-haired girl leaned over to the blonde and in a stage-whisper, said, "I couldn't let you have all the fun, Bee."
"So, what I'm getting is that you're some sort of vampire turned tree-hugger?" Xander watched the stare-down between this vampire, Louis, and his best friend, Buffy, confused. "That makes no sense."
"Vampires don't care about people," Willow said from where she sat at the table, typing away at her laptop in an attempt to research the current situationβanything to help Buffy. "Vampires kill people."
"Ah, but that's the point exactly, young lady," the vampire said, walking toward the redhead at the computer. He peered over her shoulder, fascinated by the device she was using. He had seen the world change dramatically in his time, but technology still fascinated him.
"It makes sense, actually," Anya said earnestly. "If people destroy the planet, there won't be anyone for vampires to feed on." She smiled at boyfriend, Xander, proud of her logic.
"Yes," the vampire said, inclining his head toward her, his long, black hair swinging to cover his face for a moment. "Thank you for that... over-simplified explanation."
"So you want to save the planet so you can keep your all-you-can-eat buffet?" Xander asked.
"Not quite," the vampire said.
"It sounded like a better plan down in the crypt, mate," Spike said, smacking the other vampire on the back.
"William," he cringed, moving away from the white-haired, British vampire. "Please refrain from touching me."
"So, what is this horrible threat to human existence of which you speak?" Giles asked, taking off his glasses and rubbing at his tired eyes. "Do you have any evidence, any proof?"
"I don't know how much worse it can get," Xander said with a snort. "We do live on a
hellmouth
."
"Have you ever considered why Sunnydale has a hellmouth?" the vampire asked quietly, leaning on the cane he carried.
Everyone stopped and looked at each other. The room was quiet.
"Sunnydale is sitting on the largest nuclear waste repository in North America," the vampire informed them.
Willow immediately began typing on her laptop, her brow knitted in concentration.
Oz spoke up from his chair next to Willow. "It's true." The short, dark-haired man had been so quiet, they had almost forgotten he was there. Everyone turned to him. He shrugged. "We werewolves have an incredible sense of smell."
"What does nuclear waste smell like?" Willow asked with a curious smile, putting her hand over his.
"Kind of hard to describe," Oz said. "But it isn't nice."
"So, wait," Anya said, shaking her head. "Tell us again who are you and why should we believe you?"
"And remind me again why I shouldn't stake you right here?" Buffy interjected, standing and crossing her arms. Faith assumed the same posture next to her.
"My name is Louis de Pointe du Lac. I am a vampire," he said, pulling his shoulders back and standing tall. The dark cape he wore over his suit swirled when he turned toward Buffy as she advanced.
"Wait a minute," Anya said, her eyes shining. "Who sired you?"
"Oh, bugger," Spike said, smacking his forehead. "I knew this was coming."
"I was sired in the year 1791 by a vampire named Lestat de Lioncourt," Louis said. "His is, in fact, the same vampire who is posing our problem."
Buffy stopped in her tracks, crossing her arms over her chest. "You have got to be kidding me."
"He doesn't look like Tom Cruise," Xander whispered to Anya.
"That was a movie, honey," Anya explained.
"It was Brad Pitt," Oz said, looking over Willow's shoulder as she typed on the laptop.
"You're a fictional character?" Giles asked, shaking his head, looking confused.
"So was Dracula," Xander reminded him. "But he managed to work his voodoo on Buffy."
"Not to mention making you eat bugs," Anya chimed in helpfully.
Xander looked ill. "Thanks for the walk down memory lane."
"As I told you, I am not like other vampires," Louis repeated. "I am no threat to you. I do not prey on humans."
"Oh no, not another vampire with a soul!" Xander exclaimed, rolling his eyes.
"Yes, haven't we exhausted this theme?" Giles asked.