Hunger.
Lust.
Revenge.
Dominance.
For those who know of the existence of vampires, they are an enigmatic and mysterious topic. A human (a human? why a human? why not a giraffe, or a zebra?) is drained of its blood, and that blood is replaced by the (one assumes) contaminated blood of a vampire. And as a result of this process, the soul of that human is forcibly removed and sent to the aether, and in the resulting gap is placed a demon. And that entire sequence of events is fascinating - to humans at least.
But there is another, equally fascinating subject and sequence of events.
What do they think when they first awaken?
Unanimously - surprisingly - the emotion (can demons feel emotions?) agreed upon by those who have never undergone the process itself, was of desire. When a vampire first awakens (say experts as they nod their heads), the first thing they feel is desire. And here (finally) the authorities differ in their opinions.
Does a vampire desire blood?
Does a vampire desire sex? And if so, with another vampire, or a human?
Does a vampire desire revenge on those who made them feel anything whilst still alive?
Does a vampire desire to exert dominance? (popular modern theory, favoured by goths and delusional teens)
And the answer is yes. Yes, when a vampire first awakens, he/she/it
desires blood. And sex - indiscriminate, if you must ask. And revenge,
and
dominance.
But because the nature of who they were affects the nature of who they are, only one of these desires will be gratified immediately.
Simon, as has already been demonstrated, was in the ‘obsessive’ camp whilst still alive. When some stupid fledgling had turned him two nights previous (and taken him back to the Master’s lair, as per the Master’s new rules); Simon had awoken to the new dusk with all of these conflicting desires for blood, sex, revenge and dominance. And his overwhelming, all-encompassing, fledgling desire?
Willow.
***
"What if it’s already happened?" shrieked Buffy. "What if he went ahead and turned her, when she told him we were all friends again?"
"Buffy, be reasonable. This is the Hellmouth. There are many evils wandering the night here - and not all of them are demons."
"She’s a witch, Giles. Surely she could witch her way out of any human mess. Which means it must be a demon problem, and Giles - what demon would be stupid enough to ignore Spike’s bite?"
Giles paused.
"Perhaps we should call Angel" he advised.
***
Willow awoke, and was overwhelmed by sensation. She could smell a soft, coppery liquid swishing with a soft, gushing sound. She opened her eyes and was greeted by a variety of colours, far more diverse than she had ever suspected. She focused her newly-reborn eyes on the face of a pale Caucasian boy, bound at the feet and hands by rope, and gagged with what looked suspiciously like her favourite scarf. But she’d punish whoever it was that’d used it later. For now. . .
. . .she had a curious, burning desire for two things. Foremost: information. But that could wait, as she had, shivering in fear before her, the means to satisfy the second desire.
She’d always liked eating.
However, a glutton she most certainly was not. So she pierced the throat of the young boy before her, and drank and drank as he struggled. And then she stopped and pushed him away as he fainted.
"What are you doing?" asked a familiar voice. "I bring you a perfectly good human, and you waste it!"
Willow glared at Simon. "Goddess, Simon, what have you done?" she asked worriedly as she settled the unconscious boy on the bed she was lying on, and clambered off.
"What do you mean, ‘what have I done?’" asked Simon. "I’ve turned you in to a vampire. And, I think the more important question at this point should be from me, and it should be ‘why are you taking this so well?’" As Willow opened her mouth to respond, he continued hastily "oh, and also: why didn’t you kill that human?"
Willow shrugged. "That’s a good question. I’m not actually sure. . ."
her voice drifted off as she looked down at herself. "Goddess! My clothes!
I’m a
mess!" She turned to Simon and jabbed him in the chest. "What are you,
a weakling? You couldn’t have carried me properly? The Gods damn that stupid
rule. . ." Willow’s voice faded away again, this time in thought. "Are
we still at the Sunnydale Lair?" she asked, suddenly.
Simon nodded, confused. "How did you know that we’re still in Sunnydale?"
Willow just smiled helplessly, and replied with a question: "Tell me Simon - have you met your new Master?"
Simon shook his head. "No, he’s out of town, but I’ve heard that he’s a real prick."
Willow growled, and flashed her amber eyes at him. "A prick? Who told you that? I’ll have them skinned alive - or undead, as the case may be."
Simon just looked back at her in confusion.
Willow strode to the door, brushing her clothes with her hands as she muttered to herself. "Good thing half my wardrobe’s still here." She tried the door, but couldn’t open it. "Open" she said unceremoniously to Simon, gesturing to the door.
"No."
"Open it you fool, or I *will* have you chained to a church and left out to greet either the Slayer or the sunrise, whichever comes first."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, right."
Willow took a deep, unnecessary breath, and let out an ear-piercing
yell. "Thom - aaas!" She cried as loudly as she could. When she was finished,
Simon pulled his hands off his ears, and glared at the witch.
"What did you do that for?"
"Simon, aren’t you the least bit curious as to why I know the name of the Master’s Major Domo?"
Disbelief coloured Simon’s features. "You’re - hey! Why *do* you know his name?"
Willow smirked as the door blew open and off its hinges.
"Red?" asked Thomas, poking his head through the hole where the door used to be. "Why are you here? Didn’t you have things to do this evening? But you’re just in time, because the Master. . ." Thomas’ voice trailed off as Willow raised an eyebrow and gestured at herself.
Thomas shook his head, confused. And then the demon noticed the change in his Master’s pet witch.
"What have you done?!" he yelled, shocked.
"Wasn’t me. It was him" shrugged Willow as she pointed her finger accusingly at Simon.
"What have you done?!" repeated Thomas, this time to Simon.
Simon shook his head. "What have I done? I turned an old friend. I’m allowed to do that, surely."
Willow raised a hand. "Is he back?"
"The Master is in his audience chamber - in fact, I’m surprised that he didn’t hear you calling."
"Bring him" she told Thomas, indicating her unfortunate Sire.
"The Master won’t be pleased" said Thomas to Simon, not unkindly. "He
won’t be pleased with you at all."
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