Sire

By KnightMare24

Kristin leaned against the kitchen counter and stared at the humans in her home unhappily. They were actually talking about the weather now, in their quest to not talk about anything until Angel got there. Xander was punctuation their talk with louder declarations that he hopes for very long sunny days, the kind of sunny that gets into every nook and cranny. He was being an ass.

“Vampire.” Kristin spoke up tensely the moment she sensed it, and it was strong, so strong. It reminded her of VampWillow actually. “Sire, maybe we shouldn’t let him in.” Kristin turned wide eyes to her Sire.

“Well isn’t that something, even the vampire agrees with me.” Xander muttered but Kristin ignored the glare Buffy gave the boy to stare at her Sire.

Willow’s eyes were concerned and gentle. “It’s just Angel.” Willow told her.

There was a knock at the door and Kristin’s wide eyes stayed on Willow. “You’re stronger right Sire?” Kristin asked. “I mean you cursed him and everything, you’re stronger.” Kristin bowed her head, she hated that she was embarrassing her sire by her doubt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t doubt you. Of course you can protect me, I’m sorry.” There was another knock on the door. “I’ll let him in.” Kristin pushed off from the counter and started for the door.

“No, no it’s okay. I’ll get it.” Willow stood up and started for the door. “And you’re right, I’ll protect you.” Willow called back and Kristin leaned back against the kitchen counter. She had a chair at the table, but the humans didn’t seem to want her there so she stayed a little further away.

Right now those humans were staring at her. It made Kristin want to growl at them, but she just listened to the front door open. “Angel.” Willow spoke quietly.

“Hello Willow.” The vampire’s voice irritated Kristin. It didn’t belong anywhere near this house.

“Don’t get too close too my vampire.” Willow spoke firmly and then there was a pause. “Come on in Angel.” Kristin grimaced as the vampire got the invite into their home.

“I’ll uninvited him right after they leave.” Willow’s mental voice told her and Kristin watched the man turn to sharply stare at Willow just as he was walking into the kitchen. Willow had mentioned some people were sensing their link, he apparently did too.

“I don’t like him Sire.” Kristin sent back just as silently. He was staring at her and he seemed menacing to her. “He’s so strong and he reminds me of my blood sire.”

“Pig’s blood?” Willow offered Angle and Kristin’s face went grr immediately. The urge to growl ‘Mine’ almost overcame her. That was blood her sire bought for her, it was special even if it was disgusting.

Angel stared at Kristin too long, “No I’m fine.” He finally spoke and Kristin relaxed just a little and crossed her arms in front of her. She noticed he chose to lean against the wall near the entryway as Willow sat back down.

“So Willow, now that we’re all here.” Giles spoke and Kristin’s eyebrows drew together, not liking those words. People were missing, she could see that. Cordy wasn’t here, Faith wasn’t here, thankfully that werewolf was missing. “I would like to hear more about why she calls you Sire.”

Angel seemed to tense up and Kristin moved a little to the side, putting herself a little closer to Willow. “What have you done Willow?” Angel spoke and Kristin didn’t like the scolding in the tone. She glared at him and ignored the fact that Buffy, Giles and Xander were looking between the Willow, Angel and her as if this were a sports game.

“Buffy would never have let Kristin live if Kristin weren’t under control.” Kristin turned to look at the redhead, who sent reassurance through their sire bond. “I found the ritual for vampires to adopt minions they didn’t sire and I adjusted it. I became her Sire, and it comes with cool Sire powers and she is the most loyal vampire you’ll ever find.” Kristin felt a hint of pride that her Sire recognized her devotion.

“Oh Dear Lord.” Giles sounded stunned. “Willow, humans aren’t meant to bind themselves to vampires. You should never have…”

Kristin growled loudly at the lecture about to start. These people never listened to her sire and it was making her more than a little upset that they respected her so little. The lecture stopped and Kristin thought she saw a stake in the slayer’s hand. “You never listen, always just rushing to lecture and shoot my Sire with drugs, but you never listen.” She growled out her words between her fangs. “She’s easily worth ten of you and you ignore her power as if she were a child. My Sire is more powerful than any of you!” Her Sire didn’t even seem to know it, but then with these people holding her back it was obvious how Willow didn’t know of the power in her blood.

“Kristin, hush. It’s okay.” Willow ordered and Kristin clenched her fists, but she went quiet. She wasn’t worthy of a Sire like Willow, but she’d die before they took her away from Kristin. “Ungrr.” Willow ordered again and Kristin struggled to obey. Willow was being Sire Willow and Kristin would not make her look bad by disobeying. “Come, sit down next to me.” Willow never ordered so much, but Kristin obeyed.

“I think I’m doing pretty well as a Sire Giles.” Willow spoke as Kristin sat down. “My vampire would do anything I asked her to. I told her not to hunt, not to kill, and she won’t. Even in the middle of a rage she listens to me. Even after being starved for two days because I screwed up a spell she listens to me. I did that ritual so that she’d be safe because even before she became my lover she was my responsibility.”

Kristin felt the urge to kneel at Willow’s feet again, overcome by the Sire display.

“She doesn’t have a soul Willow. She can’t love, and you can’t hope to control her. She’s a killer.” Buffy spoke gently, but Kristin had to fight the urge to growl at her. Willow’s hand petting her let helped her stay in control.

“Actually, Willow seems to have her under control.” Angel spoke and Kristin looked up at him. He was staring at her. “You’re a Pet.” He spoke and Kristin flinched just a little. “Buffy, a normal Pet is somewhat stronger than a human, but any human that knows how to fight could hold one off. A Pet’s need for a Sire is more compelling than their need for blood. Usually they are made for an evenings entertainment.” Kristin flinched again and her grr face came back out as she glared at him. “They don’t tend to live long, because their Sire’s kill them or let others kill them. They take the place of more fragile humans so that the evening isn’t cut short.” Kristin remembered the words her attackers had said and if what Angel was saying was true they hadn’t lied to her.

“Hey, no need to rub it in mister.” Willow snapped at Angel and gently caressed Kristin’s leg. “She’s had more than enough of that. She’s no disposable Pet, she’s my vampy girlfriend you got that! No more talk about torture and killing.”

…………………..

Willow had watched how Angel’s words hurt Kristin and she gripped Kristin’s hand to reassure her.

“I said normal Pets.” Angel spoke up a little more quietly. “Whatever you’ve been doing, she’s not exactly normal anymore is she?”

Willow squeezed Kristin’s hand again. She’d kind of wondered if their bond was normal, and since the books never mentioned some of the Sire bond stuff they’d found Willow thought either it was a huge secret or it was new. It was why she’d wanted to find information about Witches and Vampires, but apparently the two groups didn’t get too mingly, because she hadn’t found a book yet.

“Well, no, she’s got a few differences.” Willow admitted, thinking of the warded bus and the way Kristin didn’t need an invitation to follow Willow where she shouldn’t be able to go at all. “But all the VampWillow vamps are a bit different.” Willow pointed out, even though she suspected it really was her fault.

Kristin’s hand was a little too firm when Giles spoke. “What kind of differences?” Willow sent a mental message to let go or ease up the kung fu grip, and Kristin stopped squeezing so hard.

Willow took a deep breath as she stared at people suddenly willing to listen to her every word. “Well, our Sire bond started off like a strange feeling in the back of my mind right after I did the ritual.” Willow turned to look at Angel again. “I tried to research what it was supposed to feel like, we both did. There isn’t a lot written about what it feels like to be a vampire, or to be a sire.”

“That’s because Watchers are self righteous fools that prefer to make up stories than actually ask anyone.” Kristin muttered. Willow ignored the quiet interruption or how Giles sat up a little at it, seeming insulted.

“Kristin said she was able to read my emotions and if I was upset she knew it, then I started to be able to feel her too.” Willow sighed. She really didn’t want to go into details, because hey, private, but that sire bond had grown. “After we, well, we were together it grew some more and now we can talk telepathically to each other. That started on our vacation and just got stronger here.”

“That’s amazing.” Giles spoke up, but he was also removing his glasses to rub them so it wasn’t all good news. “Do all Sires have a bond like that?”

“No.” Angel answered. “I can sometimes get vague emotions from Dru, but I actually turned her.” He sounded a bit depressed, which wasn’t all that unusual for him. Seeing him here Willow had to agree with Kristin’s assessment weeks ago, having a soul wasn’t all happy and good. “An adoption is usually just a verbal agreement, an alliance. There shouldn’t be a connection at all, unless blood was exchanged, and then it should be rather weak.”

Kristin fidgeted a little and Willow felt herself blushing. Blood was exchanged often. Neither of them really volunteer that much. “I gave her some.” Was all Willow admitted to. The frequency and the type of blood wasn’t really important was it? Willow wasn’t sure, but she sure didn’t want to explain how she lost her virginity to a group of people including Giles.

“Still, telepathy is pretty much unheard of.” Angel spoke.

Xander interrupted him. “You let her bite you?” His voice was rough and shocked.

“I would, but she’s never killed anyone so she doesn’t know how much is safe to take.” Willow spoke coldly. Kristin was right here after all and Willow didn’t want Kristin to become reluctant to take Willow’s blood. “So she won’t bite me. I cut myself, or sometimes her fangs cut me, but she doesn’t bite.” She made sure to mention that her vampire didn’t kill once again. It made Angel look thoughtful.

“You don’t have any open sores. I’d smell it.” Angel spoke and Willow blushed at that, but she knew vampires could smell a lot. She knew that now at least. How many times was she on her period when she’d bumped into Angel? Willow blushed a bit more at that thought.

“Kristin found a way to heal me. She bites her tongue and licks at my wound.” Willow offered and watched Giles stare at her vampire now.

“I read about it.” Kristin spoke when attention moved to her. “It isn’t like a Pet can turn anyone, and its just a little blood anyhow.”

“Yeah, like you don’t want to turn anyone.” Buffy scoffed and Willow felt Kristin tense up.

“You heard how vampires treat Pets, why would I want my Sire to be a vampire?” Kristin spoke a little coldly. “And if I turned anyone they’d be weaker than me. I could never condemn someone to that, never my Sire.”

Willow just sighed as things got loud as people objected to blood sharing. Giles scolded her about letting vampire blood into her system. Buffy was still unconvinced that a vampire wouldn’t want to bite or turn someone. Xander was just egging Buffy on. Willow just focused on caressing Kristin’s hand. “I like you taking my blood.” She told her vampire quietly to reassure her it was okay.

That made the others go quiet as Willow focused on the vampire in grr face and a bit nervous looking. “Look, they won’t vote you out, because they can’t. You’re mine. I won’t give up what’s mine.” It felt a little freeing to say that, to know that regardless what people thought Willow already knew what she was going to do.

The talking was a bit stilted after that. Apparently this was supposed to be a meeting to talk sense into Willow and when Willow made it known she wasn’t changing her mind the others were a little lost. No one was making a big attempt to make Kristin feel welcome.

“Is it really safe to leave her here?” Giles asked Angel as things looked like they were winding down. Willow glared at Giles for a moment, and over his head she held Angel’s eyes hoping he understood that Willow had more to talk about, but not near the over reactive Scoobies.

“I’m staying.” Buffy spoke and Kristin growled as the slayer invited herself as the others were getting ready to leave.

“We sleep naked, you should know that.” Kristin glared at the slayer. “And we still have to finish what we started before you lot interrupted us.” The leering look from her pet was new, predatory, and very sexual. Willow blushed and swallowed a bit hard. If Willow didn’t stop this Kristin would start saying all sorts of embarrassing things.

“No Buff, I’ll be fine. I’ll see you in school tomorrow.” Willow told her and still it took a while for Buffy to leave. Once they were out the door Kristin seemed to sag against the wall.

“Sorry. They will get better, but maybe we should just meet in town so they can’t invite themselves to stay with us while they get to know you.” Willow spoke softly. She had promised her vampire she’d do the uninvite spell so that Angel couldn’t come back in, but Willow was also hoping Angel got the little looks Willow was sending that she wanted to talk to him without the others.

Kristin didn’t look too happy with the idea of meeting Willow’s friends anywhere. “I wish Faith had been here.” Kristin muttered. “She at least has a brain.” Willow grimaced as her vampire seemed to look defeated as she climbed the stairs. Willow made sure she was loud enough as she cast the uninvite spell that Kristin would hear it being done. It seemed to reassure her, because some of the tension coming from her vampire seemed to relax.

Willow heard the knock and felt the tension in their bond. “Vampire.” Kristin sent her mentally. “Angel.”

……………………………

Kristin heard the front door open and she moved to stand at the top of the stairs, worried that the vampire wasn’t as good as Willow thought he was. Now it was just Willow and Kristin in here after all. Willow turned to look at her. “I won’t invite him in, I’ll just step out.”

“Sire.” Kristin started to protest, but the resolve face Willow had stopped her.

“I won’t hurt her.” Angel spoke up and Kristin stared at him. She wanted to threaten him, but she really couldn’t follow through.

“I’ll be fine.” Willow reassured her, and Kristin sighed. She could see Willow really wanted to talk to him.

“Even if it kills me, you won’t get away with it if you hurt her or scare her again.” Kristin finally spoke, feeling like she needed to make this clear. Angel seemed a little angry with her, but then he nodded. It wasn’t reassuring. “I’ll do more data entry.”

“Oh, I was going to show them the database.” Willow remembered and frowned. “Show them how hard you’ve been working, but all they wanted to talk about was the blood.”

As Willow stepped outside she closed the door. Kristin listened hard for a scream, but all she heard was a slightly nervous sounding Willow. “I wanted to call you and ask things, but I couldn’t. I have so many questions. I want to be a good sire, she deserves that.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? We could look into transferring her to someone else. I could keep her for you.” Angel offered and Kristin stared with wide eyes, praying her sire wouldn’t agree. “I wouldn’t treat her like a regular Pet.”

“No, she’s mine.” Willow’s protest made it so Kristin’s fear calmed. “I’m not giving up on this. I like being her Sire. I don’t think they’d understand, but I like it.”

“Oh thank god.” Kristin muttered and turned back towards Willow’s room and her computer again. Thanking God didn’t burn her, she found that out. She stayed alert the entire two hours that Willow was outside, working slowly, as she focused on the area to make sure no vampire’s came to hurt her Sire. She’d eavesdrop regularly to make sure the Childe with her didn’t hurt her either. Kristin didn’t fully relax until Willow came back inside.

………………….

Kristin stared out at the crowd, still sensing a vampire or even more than one out there. It made it hard to relax, but Kristin glanced around and saw the table with Willow’s friends just as Willow took her hand and started to walk in that direction. It was Willow’s birthday, which had made it impossible to not agree to come even when she was given the choice.

Cordy was looking a little tense at the table and Kristin realized she hadn’t seen that girl in almost a month. That was how long the group had known about Kristin, and in that time mostly they avoided her and invited Willow out all the time. Willow had realized they were trying to separate them, and it had been blatantly obvious because the teens had even been talking up random people Willow should date. Kristin wasn’t really pleased with these people. She’d eaten three times what she normally did in hopes she could control the urge to hurt them if they pointed out one more human to her sire.

At least Willow had been limiting the trips out with them, but instead of going out five nights a week with her friends like they wanted, she’d been pulling Kristin out of the house at least three times a week. Sometimes just to sit and have coffee at the coffee shop, sometimes to look at the bookstore that was going out of business. It was small trips and Kristin found it a bit easier to go, and it was better than staying at home.

This was the first time they’d planned to meet the others, because of course Willow’s friends wanted to spend her birthday with her, but Kristin wasn’t giving that day up. Her Sire was eighteen today, that was a special age. She couldn’t wait at home for her, she had to go with her if she wanted any time today, because once Buffy and the others had Willow for the night they wouldn’t let her go home for a private party.

………………………..

Willow squeezed Kristin’s hand as they sat at the table with her friends. Sure it wasn’t what she’d hoped for, Kristin was only grudgingly invited to Willow’s party by Buffy. Not the open arms Willow would prefer, but at least this time her friends hadn’t suggested she leave Kristin at home. They must have gotten the message the last time they said that and Willow told them that if they didn’t accept Kristin that Willow would just stop doing things with them.

“So are you going to live in the dorms?” Buffy asked and Willow bit her lower lip. Buffy had been accepted to UC Sunnydale as well now, and was talking about dorm life a lot. Willow couldn’t really move into dorms, but she needed to come up with something because her parents were going to be back for the summer. Willow couldn’t even wait until school started.

Angel stepped up to the table quietly and set a small box down on it, fully wrapped. It interrupted the conversation and Willow was glad because she didn’t want Kristin to feel insecure about their living space. Willow was the Sire after all, she needed to figure this out.

Willow stared at the keychain. It had a pentagram on it. “Pretty.” She smiled a little, and it did seem like something she’d like, but as she pulled it up she found a key dangling on it.

“Is it a car?” Xander asked.

“No, it’s an apartment.” Angel spoke and Willow stared up at him in shock. “I own it and I’m not living there. It’s on the bus line to your school.”

“You gave her the apartment?” Buffy sounded a bit put out.

“She has a Pet to take care of Buffy. She needs it.” Angel just smiled at Willow and then moved away from the table. Kristin was no longer scared of Angel, he’d visited with them a couple of times. Really it was Angel and Faith that made some attempt to include Kristin in things. Willow pulled a piece of paper out of the box and it had the address on it.

“Sire?” Kristin sounded a bit unsure and Willow smiled over at her.

“Want to move this weekend?” Willow smiled even bigger when her vampire looked pleased. Their school problem was solved, and hey no rent was definitely of the good, Willow thought.

“Hey Fangette, I’ll help you move.” Faith was suddenly back from the dance floor talking with Kristin. Faith looked up at Willow. “That’ll be my gift, I’ll lug the heavy stuff and get us a car.”

“You mean steal one.” Xander muttered and Faith’s friendly smile froze a little.

“Make sure whatever you steal has a big trunk.” Willow spoke up and felt her vampire’s approval. Faith was starting to be Kristin’s friend, or at least that was what Kristin wanted.

“I’d help, but I’m not really,” Buffy spoke quietly. Willow just nodded gently. Buffy had bad memories of that apartment, Willow understood that. “If this is what you want, you take it.” Buffy added.

“Wouldn’t you rather live in the dorms?” Xander opened his mouth and stuck his foot in. Willow gave him an exasperated look.

“No, I’d rather live with my lover.” Willow pointed it out.

“Gee Xander, way to be oblivious.” Cordy muttered. “It isn’t like Kristin can move back on campus.” Willow noticed the brief look Cordy gave Kristin and it almost looked supportive. This really was the Hellmouth.

AN: The End of Sire, Willow’s Story of her accepting a new role in life

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