Sire

By KnightMare24

Kristin’s eye twitched as she inhaled deeply in Willow’s room. Her eyes stared at the lump of redhead on the bed and took a step into the room while taking another deep breath. “Oh this is not fair.” Kristin whispered as she stood in the room and stared. They’d had a nice relaxing Saturday, without that boy dropping by, although he had called, and toward the evening Kristin had started to feel restless and tense. She now knew why.

She should leave, she should go to the other room and close the door. Or she should try the hammock in the basement. Kristin told herself, silently scolded herself, as she crept closer to the bed.

“Sire.” Kristin spoke softly and stared down at the redhead, who shifted and then opened her eyes.

Willow’s eyes squinted against darkness to try and see, and Kristin just waited to be seen. Her own eyes worked very well in the dark, especially at times like now when she had what Willow called her grr face out. “Kristin?” Willow’s voice was tired but the redhead shifted to try and sit. “What’s wrong?” Those words sounded more alert.

“Sire.” Kristin hesitated and took in another deep breath. “Oh Sire, I’m sorry I woke you.”

“You never accidentally wake me. What’s wrong?” Willow sat up and Kristin slowly moved to sit on the bed.

“Sire,” Kristin stammered and looked down at the blankets covering Willow’s body. “Willow. I think we have a problem.” When Willow sat up straighter and tossed the blankets off of her lower body so she could turn and sit on the bed Kristin hissed in a breath.

“What is it?” Willow was very awake now.

Kristin’s mouth opened once and then twice with no sound. She was breathing in the scent and it was even more potent and pure than she remembered. “You’re bleeding.”

Willow looked surprised and then she seemed to become thoughtful. Kristin spoke more quietly. “I can smell it. You’ve started bleeding.” Kristin kept her head bowed, knowing that in a second Willow would start to blush, making this even harder. “I should have thought of this Sire, I’m sorry. Your being human makes things different than in the books we’ve read, but my instincts are the same as other vampires.” Willow sounded a small embarrassed eep into the darkness and Kristin could tell even in the dark that the blush was there. “I’m sorry.” Kristin stared into Willow’s eyes. “I need to ask, I know you’ll say no, but I just need to ask. Can I have your blood sire? I know I’m not worthy, but your blood is amazing and pure and it torments me.”

Kristin watched with a heavy heart as Willow stammered without sound at her. She knew she had no chance in this, but if a miracle happened and she got a yes it would make this worth it. “My period?” Willow asked in a shocked and disgusted tone and Kristin’s head bowed in disappointment.

“I’m sorry I asked.” Kristin spoke softly. “I just had to. I thought maybe since you said monthly that you’d supply human for me that maybe you could give me that. You wouldn’t be hurt that way, and it wouldn’t cost you anything. I could serve you sexually if you wanted, or I could try and learn how to just drink.” Kristin spoke sadly, her one last effort. “Or I could start to stay in the basement, because I can’t be in the room with you during this time of month and not want.”

“I can’t.” Willow spoke with a slightly higher and shocked voice and Kristin nodded without looking up.

“Okay. I understand.” Kristin stood up. “Um, don’t look for me in the morning. Don’t come too close. This is hard, and I’ll respect your decision, but I’m going to have to stay in the basement a lot until you stop.” It hurt and Kristin whispered. “I’ll miss you for the next few days, maybe after it’s over we could do a movie night?”

“What?” Willow’s voice drew Kristin’s eyes up to hers. “You’re just going to stay away?”

“Willow, I’m a vampire and what I get to eat is close to, well,” Kristin didn’t want to make her Sire feel bad, but she had to understand. “I live, but that’s about it. The food I eat keeps me alive, like crusty bread and water keep prisoners alive, but it isn’t good for me and my body knows that. Smelling you like this is like putting a starving woman next to a fine restaurant where she can smell the food and isn’t allowed inside.” Kristin reached out slowly and caressed Willow’s sleep mussed hair. “For you I’ll survive like this, but I think for my own sanity I need distance when you bleed.” Kristin pulled her hand back. “I’d never presume to tell you what to do, but if you want to spend time with your friends, to go out and do things, perhaps now would be a good time. Just leave me a lot of books and I’ll work. Oh and for God’s sake stay away from other vampires when you bleed, because your blood, it calls to a vampire so strongly.”

Kristin felt dejected as she turned to leave. The basement wasn’t very homey, and it wasn’t her first choice, but perhaps for tonight the distance would be best.

“Kristin?” Willow called to her and Kristin stopped at the doorway and looked back at her sire. “I,” Willow stared at her and Kristin could see the hesitance and confusion in her eyes. She also saw something else she couldn’t understand. “I’ll stay out as much as I can.”

Kristin nodded, “Not after dark. Not alone.” She felt strange making an order, but she’d be terrified if Willow were out smelling like this. There would be no way someone didn’t attack her. “I’m sorry Sire, I just worry.” She looked up and Willow gave her an awkward looking smile, making her think her words were okay at least. Kristin gently took the door, closing it. The scent of Willow’s blood still floated in the air around her and it was hard to ignore. “I’m going to be so bored.” Kristin whispered to herself as she started down the stairs. Sun would be up soon, so she might as well go to bed.

………………..

Sunday morning and Willow stared at the phone. All she really wanted to do was stay home, watch some movies, perhaps alphabetize her novels. She didn’t feel like doing much, especially with the cramps. She called Xander and he was busy with Cordelia. Willow finally called Buffy and ended up waking the girl up.

They arranged to meet at the movie theater, and Willow sighed as she agreed to see a movie she knew her vampire wanted to see and was a bit disappointed that she had to wait until it came to DVD. The house felt empty and unwelcoming without her vampire around. Willow didn’t like it, even though she knew that Kristin was just in the basement.

Willow left after a quick breakfast and started to walk to town, knowing that she’d get there early and have to kill time. Maybe she’d find a new book to read. Or a present for Kristin, who was bound to be more upset with this distance than Willow was. A little something for her vampire so Kristin knows Willow isn’t upset with her. Willow started to walk a little faster as she considered something she could actually do with her extra time.

…………………..

Monday morning was quiet in the house, so when something shifted down in the basement Willow could hear it. She glanced at the sunny window and the clock and sighed. Kristin wasn’t sleeping well. “I’m going to stay after school in the library. If I’m coming home late I’ll have Xander and Cordelia drop me off.” She hated spending time with those two, but it was better than Buffy walking her and sensing the vampire in the house again.

“Cordelia?” The voice was loud enough to hear, but that was from the hall next to the basement door.

“She’s the only one of us that drives.” Willow spoke loudly, even though she was tempted to just open the door. Maybe that door helped Kristin be near her, to not smell her. Willow blushed at the fact that Kristin could.

“I see.” Kristin sounded closer. “Sire, I need more blood. I’m not out but I’m running low.” She called through the door.

“You had enough to last a few more days.” Willow glanced toward the kitchen.

“I’m sorry. I’m drinking more now.” Kristin sounded saddened and Willow grimaced, knowing her vampire was never all that interested in drinking what Willow brought home.

“That’s okay.” Willow spoke gently. “Do you have enough to last today?” Willow asked while wondering how she was going to fit the butcher in today. Yesterday would have been easier, but yesterday there had been enough for a few days. Kristin had needed a lot of blood last night, more than ever, Willow thought, if she didn’t count when Kristin had been hurt.

……………….

Kristin sat in the living room and sighed heavily as she stared out the opened window. The darkness was punctuated by neighbors’ lights and the streetlights. It looked like a safe and attractive neighborhood. Kristin was tempted to believe it was, just to go outside and get a little fresh air would be terrific, she thought as she opened the window a little wider. Her sire’s scent was still lingering but it was hard to stay downstairs in the basement for days in a row.

Her eyes started to follow a young man walking along that street alone. He looked distracted and walked slowly. Kristin’s eyes followed him hungrily, knowing that he wasn’t paying enough attention, that he’d be easy prey. Her jaw clenched for a moment as she envisioned just slipping out the front door quietly and following him. She stared as he came closer to the house and Kristin slowly stood up and stared a moment longer, before she moved for the front door.

She hesitated for just a moment as she stood in front of the front door, before opening it and taking a deep breath of fresh air as she stood inside staring out. The young man was nearing the edge of Willow’s front yard and Kristin stared a moment, seeing he didn’t even notice her. She frowned and let herself imagine just for a moment what it would feel like to grab him and pull him behind that large tree between Willow’s house and her neighbors. “Hey You.” Kristin yelled out and that finally got his attention. He looked up, startled and Kristin just stared a moment, cursing herself. “Be careful out there, we’ve got some real sickos wandering around.” Kristin let out a disgusted breath and slammed the door closed.

Part of her felt like a sucker for doing it, but she also felt a strange happy feeling, knowing Willow would have been pleased with her. That man might just go home now, if not, well, Kristin had warned him.

Kristin moved back to her seat by the window and continued to stare out. A neighbor across the street came outside and walked to the mailbox. Kristin watched the older woman, taking in the way she walked and knew she couldn’t run. That was prey, definite and easy prey. Kristin’s eyes stayed on the woman as she stood in front of her mailbox, pulling out her mail. Kristin sighed heavily and finally just looked away, to stare at the stereo she had playing.

She wondered if she would have believed anyone before she was turned. If someone had just told her what was wandering out there at night would Kristin, as a human, have listened? She heard a small shriek and Kristin turned to look out the window again, but she didn’t see the woman and the woman’s front door was still opened. Kristin stared a little harder, looking into the shadows.

The dark shadows moved and Kristin watched as a woman just walked away with a youthful gait. Kristin sighed and then looked back into the shadows with a frown, looking for the body. It only looked safe out there, it really wasn’t.

After five minutes Kristin still stared out there, her eyes taking in the light from the old woman’s open front door. If she had to bet she’d bet good money that all the mail that dead woman had in her hand said occupant. It hadn’t been worth dying for.

Willow still wasn’t home with the blood, Kristin thought as she glanced at the shadows again. She nibbled her lower lip and debated with herself about the plan growing in her mind.

Kristin slowly stood up and got closer to the window, glancing around carefully in the shadows for movement. She moved to the front door again and opened it. She stood a little nervously in front of the opening and took a slow step out onto the porch. Kristin stood still and looked around from just outside the front door. She listened hard and looked between darkened houses and near bushes for any movement, before she took another step outside.

Once she’d made it to the stairs of the porch she glanced back at the slightly opened front door of Willow’s home and then back out to the darkness and the house two over and across the street with its own opened front door. Kristin looked around in the dark one last time and then she took a deep breath and started to run, rushing from Willow’s porch down the sidewalk and across the street.

Once she was near the opened mail box Kristin hunched down and inhaled deeply. The smell of blood came from the hedge, so Kristin looked around nervously again and then moved forward and crouched down. Her face shifted and she was able to easily see the old woman staring blankly up at the sky, her legs sprawled unnaturally under her.

The old woman was already dead, but she wasn’t so far long dead that her blood would be spoiled. Kristin swallowed nervously and moved to touch the woman, who was still warm from life and then she stared at the bite mark on her neck.

She had enough college and science classes to know there was still blood in this body. Kristin could smell it and she knew that a vampire that wasn’t desperate would have just taken the easy blood, the blood a heart pumped out. But there was more blood. Once the heart stopped pumping there was still blood.

Kristin stared at the body, trying to figure out how to get that other blood. She imagined how it might taste and Kristin moved a finger over the bleeding wound and brought it took her lips to taste it.

Willow wouldn’t need to spend money on Kristin if Kristin just hunted for herself, but Willow didn’t want her to hunt. This woman was already dead. It made perfect sense. Kristin was not sure what the blood Willow bought cost, but with Kristin needing so much more of it now, it was probably pricey.

Kristin stared at the bite mark on the body and then decided to try something. She lifted the woman up in her arms and moved into the shadows a little more. She held her arms out and put her mouth to the bite mark biting again. It felt good to bite. She tilted the body and tried to get gravity to do what a heart would normally do, and fill her stomach. It was a messy process and it took patience, but Kristin was drinking as much as she possibly could. Blood dripped down her chin and dripped onto her shirt as the body shifted and Kristin had to work hard to keep tilting it.

Once nothing much more came out Kristin pulled back and let her face shift back, with a smile. “Your blood isn’t nearly as good as my Sire’s, but it was better than pig.” She whispered to the corpse and put it down gently. She took the time to move her arms and legs into a more dignified pose, for when someone found her.

Kristin’s tongue traveled out to lick at her lips and she used hands to wipe at her face, licking the hands clean as she stood on the neighbor’s lawn and glanced back towards Willow’s house.

Kristin then glanced at the opened door this woman had left and she took a few seconds, before deciding to explore. Kristin moved to the door and held out a hand, feeling for a magical barrier that would tell her someone else lived with this woman. There was nothing keeping her from going inside.

Fifteen minutes later Kristin was putting cash in her pocket and putting the wallet back into the purse she’d found. She also had the jar that had been hidden in the fridge filled with emergency cash. The house was nice, and hinted to a nice old woman living in it.

Kristin stood on the porch of the old woman’s home for just a second, before rushing back to Willows. She didn’t bother counting the cash where she was, she would feel safer in a vampire proof house. Kristin walked quickly to the Rosenberg home and slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

The sticky feel of blood on her face and chest dictated what she’d do next, and Kristin moved toward the downstairs bathroom, because Willow used the upstairs one and hadn’t dumped the garbage in there since she’d started bleeding. Willow probably didn’t even think of that, but Kristin had disgusted herself with some of the thoughts that came to her home alone when she thought about it.

Now that she was sated and not on disgusting pig’s blood, Kristin felt more at ease in the house. She set the jar of cash and the money she’d shoved in her pocket on the bathroom cabinet and started to undress.

The warm shower felt good and Kristin just smiled and leaned back a bit to let it beat off the blood on her body.

………………..

Willow came home a bit late and she could hear the shower going downstairs. Kristin was in the bathroom and not in the basement. It still felt lonely, as Willow did the responsible thing and just went upstairs. Her vampire didn’t need to be tempted. Willow had stayed out as late as she could. It was time to get ready for bed.

The next morning Willow got up and groaned, thinking she really should have gone to bed earlier. She turned off her alarm clock and rolled over and then out of bed. She listlessly got dressed, thinking that it would only be another day of this before Kristin could spend time with her. Just one more day, Willow told herself as she went to the bathroom to brush her hair.

She was just about to sit on the toilet when she noticed she had no toilet paper. “This is just great. I could have thought of this last night when I wasn’t all groggy.” But then Kristin had been in the other bathroom, where they kept the extra paper. Willow let herself imagine sneaking in while her vampire was showering to get the paper for just a moment and she grinned. She would never have the nerve to do that.

Willow finished getting dressed and then went downstairs to the now unoccupied bathroom. She opened the door and turned on the light, only to have her eyes widen at the mess. A shirt was soaking in the sink and Willow moved closer to stare at the water, which looked rather red. “Is my vampire getting clumsy.” She teased, even though her vampire wasn’t there. Willow shook her head and just grabbed the toilet paper she was after and left. Hopefully Kristin was able to save that shirt, it looked very good on her.

She finished getting ready upstairs and then came back downstairs to make breakfast. Willow wandered into the living room and opened just one window before she planned to cook. She’d close it before she left so that Kristin could walk around, but the place was too gloomy dark all the time.

Her jaw dropped a little as she stared across the street at the cop cars on her neighbor’s lawn. Her eyes widened as she watched a gurney being wheeled into the body van, that’s what Buffy called it. The gurney was covered and the cops were centered around it or the hedges.

“Oh no, no no.” Willow tore her eyes away from the sight and shut the curtains. Her eyes traveled over the room as her mind tried to process it and then she thought of how red the water Kristin’s shirt sat in was. It would be the entire glass of pig’s blood and more to make it that red. “No.” Willow’s fists clenched as her eyes narrowed. Her vampire wasn’t a tamed vampire, wasn’t souled, but still Willow had trusted her. Willow had been so sure her vampire would do as she was told that she’d left her unsupervised at night. Willow glanced over at the hall and then rushed toward it, not caring how much noise her footsteps made. She opened the bathroom door and stared again at the bloody sink. She looked toward the basement door and then back at the sink. Her fists clenched tighter as her mind filled in the blanks. Her vampire was killing.

………….

Kristin sat on the hammock and counted out the money she’d gotten the night before. Her hands moved slowly as she unrolled stack after stack. “She’s looking like she’s either a drug dealer or really paranoid about banks.” Kristin muttered about the dead woman she’d taken this from. They were large bills, wrapped in smaller bills. This was more than was stuck in Kristin’s savings because Kristin couldn’t go to the bank and make a withdrawal after being declared dead.

Kristin started to smile as she finished her count, thinking of how she had enough to pay for her own blood now, that Willow wouldn’t have to pay for her. Her sire could have steak and lobster, or whatever she really liked. Kristin would have to look up how to cook those things, because she’d never spent her money like that for herself.

After she carefully wrapped the money back up and put it back into the jar, Kristin sat on the hammock and swung on it like it was a swing for a few seconds, before standing up and starting to pace a little in the basement. The laptop was probably left on the kitchen table, where she left it. She could do more data entry, she’d done a hell of a lot lately; maybe too much, because the thought of doing more made her restless.

In the end Kristin went upstairs to clean up the bathroom and see if she could save her shirt. It took a lot of work, but she managed. She then started to do housework, but seeing the half eaten breakfast on the counter concerned her. Willow wasn’t really able to miss meals, she was already thin.

Hopefully her sire wasn’t getting ill.

……………….

“Wills, Earth to Wills.” Buffy’s voice called and Willow blinked as she realized that she’d not even noticed the slayer enter the library. “What’s got you so space casey? You’ve been distracto girl all day.”

“Nothing,” Willow’s voice rose and she noticed how Buffy’s eyebrow rose with it. “Well, clearly it’s something but nothing worthy of talking about. It’s more a mental thing, all thoughts and confusion, but no need to talk. I’m fine.” Willow smiled tensely. The way Buffy started to look more concerned had Willow looking down and starting to organize the books she’d been pretending to read as she thought about the killing and her vampire, and what she’d said she’d do if her vampire ever killed.

“Willow, what’s going on?” Buffy asked and Willow sighed heavily and glanced at the library door, and Giles’ office door, but she had trouble looking at Buffy.

“Nothing, just normal college application stuff. I’m worried I didn’t do enough community service. I worked hard and I know my grades are good, well unless that A- in cooking hurts my chances or if they consider PE grades. They don’t do that do they? Do you think they’ll look at my B+ and say, ‘that Rosenberg isn’t well rounded enough, no college for her.’ Do you?” Willow spoke quickly and looked up at her friend.

“Oh Willow, you’re like the smartest person in this school. I don’t think you’ll have any problems.” Buffy grinned at her a little.

“Am I over worrying?” Willow asked, amazed that this worked. She also wondered why she was covering for Kristin now, when she knew what standing up for a vampire was like. Her own double had shown her how very wrong it was to just let them walk away, but this was Kristin. Dammit, Willow thought and stared down at the table. Kristin was her responsibility, but she couldn’t let her get away with killing or it would get worse. Willow had no idea what to do.

If she told Buffy then Kristin was dead and dust. If she didn’t tell Buffy, Kristin had a chance. Willow thought that and just nodded a little to herself as Buffy moved to look for Giles. Xander came in and Willow just sighed at his wide eyes and big grin, the one that screamed ‘I know your secret.’ Only he didn’t really, not completely. That would really wipe that grin off his face if he did.

……………….

Instead of going out like she’d planned after school and a rather unproductive Scooby meeting Willow left with two full hours until dark and she walked home slowly. Buffy had tried to go with her, which Willow wasn’t ready for, but Giles had insisted that Buffy train with Faith.

Faith had given Willow some strange looks as Willow ignored her. It wasn’t until Willow glared at her that Faith gave that cocky grin that Willow hated so much.

Willow sighed as she walked past the neighbors house, looking at the place it looked normal. There was no telling that someone had died there last night from a vampire attack. Willow stood in front of the house’s driveway and stared over at her own place. She didn’t even think Kristin would step out of the house, hadn’t thought her vampire was willing to risk being captured. “Well, at least she can handle outside, because outside is where she’ll be alrighty.” Willow muttered and crossed the street, feeling a little sick and her nerves were making her jittery. She really didn’t want to do this.

Willow took a deep breath and stepped up to her door, before pulling out her key and unlocking it.

“Sire?” Kristin’s voice sounded surprised. Willow carefully slipped inside without letting too much sun in and stood in the entry way. Kristin was doing dishes. Willow just stared. “Are you okay Sire?” Kristin turned and stared with concern at Willow. It almost made Willow tear up to see Kristin being so gentle and caring, she looked away so she wouldn’t.

“Look, I know what you did last night.” Willow set her book bag down on the table and started to talk, not looking at Kristin. She couldn’t look at her and do this. “Maybe I was expecting too much from you. I mean you are a vampire and drink blood, it’s just what vampires do.” Willow muttered, but then she took a deep breath and looked up into confused eyes and that made her mad. Here she was worrying about this all day and Kristin couldn’t even see that she’d done something wrong. “But I told you what would happen if you did this. Did you think I was just talking to hear myself talk? I meant it, I said it because I meant it missy and now I have to follow through, because making ultimatums and not following through is not like an ultimatum, it’s more like a suggestion and this wasn’t a suggestion missy.”

“What?” Kristin asked, sounding all hesitant and confused and Willow stared at her.

“You know what. You left the house and Mrs. Feldman is dead. She was my neighbor, and sure I didn’t talk to her all that much and she was all, like keep off the grass yelling and bossy, but she was still my neighbor.” Willow’s voice hardened as she spoke. “And now she’s not.”

“Sire,” Kristin started to talk and Willow just glared at her to silence her.

“I can’t keep you here if you do these things and you did so you can’t stay.” Willow pointed at the door, but her heart clenched to see the fear suddenly in her vampire’s eyes, and the way it made Kristin’s grr face come out.

“Please Sire,” Kristin spoke more quickly and Willow’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t know you would be mad. The blood was just sitting there and it was going to be wasted. I just didn’t think you’d mind.” A few tears leaked out of vampire eyes and Willow did her best to stay strong. It hurt a lot.

“I told you not to kill.” Willow spoke as firmly as she could. “Once it’s dark you’re leaving.” God, Kristin might get killed herself out there, Willow’s heart rebelled against her words.

“No, no, you don’t understand.” Kristin fell to her knees in front of Willow. “Please, I didn’t do it.”

Willow stared at the vampire in disbelief. Kristin had already admitted to it, and now she says this? How stupid did the vampire think she was? “It was her blood all over your shirt wasn’t it?”

“She was dead before I had any. She was already dead. I didn’t think you’d mind, she wasn’t using her blood anymore.” Kristin’s voice was shaky and pained. “I didn’t think you’d mind.” Kristin repeated more quietly.

“What?” Willow looked down in shock and watched as Kristin grabbed her leg and cried into Willow’s pants.

“There was a vampire and I saw her leave. I knew the old woman was dead and I went outside.” Kristin’s words were hard to make out and Willow had to concentrate to hear the words through the tears. “I know you said to not go outside, but I was watching and no one was out there and I was hungry.” The desperate hug to her leg almost pulled Willow off balance. “Please, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Kristin pleaded and Willow had tears in her own eyes seeing how hurt her vampire was. This sounded true to her, something about the story made sense. Her vampire wasn’t killing and she’d scared the hell out of Kristin now. “I’ll do anything, anything. Please don’t send me away. Please. They’ll kill me, Please.”

“Shhh.” Willow whispered and carefully moved to squat down. Kristin let go enough for her to do that, and Willow pulled the vampire closer, petting her back. “Shh, I’m sorry. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“I don’t want to leave.” Kristin sobbed into Willow’s shirt. “Please.” Willow’s heart was breaking listening to this, and tears started to trail down her own cheeks. Willow caressed Kristin’s back and hair, she petted her shoulders and held her tight. “Please.” Kristin was still begging, begging for her life, and Willow felt like she was the most evil monster in the world. She’d seen what Kristin looked like after the vampires got a hold of her, she knew why Kristin was so scared right now. She should have considered this, even if Kristin was guilty, she should have thought about this.

“Shh. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Willow held Kristin to her and just fully kneeled on the hard floor so she could hold Kristin tight. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.” She repeated more softly.

“Please Sire, Please, I’ll be a good childe.” Kristin was lost in her pain and fear and was just murmuring. It reminded Willow of Kristin’s first day there and she took a shaky breath as she tried to think of what she could do to make this better. “You can hurt me. You can hurt me, just don’t make me go.”

Willow was finding it hard to breathe and her face felt reddened. She continued to softly whisper and pet Kristin. “Shh. It’s okay. I don’t want to hurt you.” She held Kristin tighter and felt her vampire’s ridged forehead lean against her neck. “I’m sorry, I assumed and I shouldn’t have. I know you’re a good childe. I know.”

“I told a boy to go home. I warned him and he looked so yummy and full of blood and I just opened the door and warned him.” Kristin sobbed. “I’m a good childe.” Willow wasn’t fully able to understand the comment, but slowly it dawned on her what her vampire must have done. “And I waited to make sure the woman was dead, but she was still full of blood and it was human I know, but you spend so much on me. It was free. I’m a good childe.”

“Yes you are.” Willow muttered after a moment of guilt hit her. It took her a moment to be able to speak, because she realized how very wrong she’d been. “I love you.” Willow whispered very quietly and just held Kristin tightly, trying to squeeze the pain out of both of them. “You’re a very good childe. I couldn’t ask for a better vampire. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I won’t make you go, I won’t. I promise, I’ll never make you go.”

Kristin’s words became unintelligible as she just sobbed. Willow was never going to do this to her vampire again, never again. She vowed to herself that she’d never ever hurt Kristin like this again. Willow knew she was all her vampire had, that Kristin only felt safe here. She hadn’t fully realized how traumatized Kristin still was from the vampire attacks she’d survived, but she did know the sire bond was more real than it should be, that her vampire needed her. She knew this and she’d threatened to take it away. It made Willow disgusted with herself. She had no idea how to make this up to Kristin.

……………………

Kristin curled up on the couch where Willow had put her and her eyes darted around nervously as she waited for her sire. Willow had left the room for a moment, taking her tasty scent with her. Kristin missed it, missed her.

She almost lost it all for a quick bite. It horrified her how close it came. If her sire were a vampire she wouldn’t have given Kristin a chance to explain breaking rules, she would have just tossed her out sun or not. Kristin was so lucky.

Now she was told to stay on the couch and Kristin wasn’t moving, she barely budged an inch as she waited. Her Willow could change her mind and Kristin didn’t want her to. Kristin was going to be good, very good.

“I brought Mr. Tibbles. You seemed to like him.” Willow spoke softly and Kristin glanced up briefly, before bowing her head submissively. The stuffed rabbit was in Willow’s arms, the only reason Kristin ever even looked at that thing was because it was soft like a pillow. She wasn’t attached to it. Still she hugged it to her after it was given to her, because Willow wanted her to.

Willow was moving slowly, as the redhead stared at her and Kristin felt it more than saw it. She didn’t look up. “I’m sorry I scared you.” Willow spoke softly and Kristin sat tensely, waiting to see what Willow wanted.

“It’s okay.” She spoke softly when there was too much silence. Willow wanted a response.

“I should never have said I’d make you leave.” Willow sat down beside her and Kristin felt the soft touch on her shoulder. She took a moment to decide Willow wanted her to look up, so Kristin slowly did, just in case she was wrong.

Kristin really didn’t know what to do now. She felt scared and unsure of her place again. Willow was supposed to be gentle and caring and she had been mad, really mad, mad enough to kick her out. Kristin didn’t want to see that again. Kristin couldn’t survive alone, she was going to have to learn to obey better or she’d find herself outside.

Willow looked sad and Kristin flinched just a little before she realized that thing out of the corner of her eye was Willow’s hand moving to touch her gently. It made Willow look upset. “I’m sorry Sire. I won’t flinch again.” Kristin rushed the words out quietly, feeling like a pathetic failure of a vampire. She couldn’t risk being wrong.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Willow spoke quietly but firmly. The hand moved out to caress her hair gently and Kristin slowly closed her eyes; as the hand moved up and then down over her hair again Kristin sighed. It was repeated slowly, gently, so many times and Kristin found herself slowly relaxing. “You’re my vampire.” Willow spoke softly and the hand moved slowly to caress her ear.

Kristin slowly, hesitantly, tilted her head and exposed her neck, but she kept her eyes closed. If she was wrong she didn’t want to see it. Willow’s fingers started to gently caress the side of her neck and Kristin sighed softly.

“I can still smell you.” She hated to admit it, to ruin the moment, but Willow was sitting very close.

“Do I smell good? I mean yummy I have to bite her good.” Willow asked and Kristin’s body tensed up again. “Not that I think you’d bite me, because you’re a good vampire and I know you’d never do that to me. I just, well, am I stinky Willow or tasty?”

Oh, that didn’t leave a good answer, Kristin thought nervously. Her eyes opened and she looked around the living room, with her eyes darting around. “Sire.” Kristin whined a little, hating the hole she’d been tossed into. She was going to anger her Sire no matter what she said.

“I want to know.” Willow sounded stern and Kristin looked at her with wide eyes, wondering if this was the last straw, if admitting this was going to ruin everything.

“You are so beyond tasty.” Kristin spoke slowly. Her grr face had never left so it was there and Kristin’s tongue ran into her fang as she licked a lip nervously. “You’re sunshine and power and nothing tastes like you do.”

A hand forced Kristin to not look away and Willow swallowed nervously. “Do you want to bite me?” It was said so softly that Kristin’s eyes widened. It almost sounded like an invitation. “You wouldn’t take too much, I know you wouldn’t.” Willow seemed to be scared and her scent was starting to smell of it.

“Being bitten hurts.” Kristin blinked and stared at her sire. Willow bit her own lip for a moment, before moving both hands to her shirt, starting to undo the first button, and then the second. Kristin just stared as Willow moved the neck of her shirt off to the side a bit.

“Make sure it isn’t visible, because questions would be very bad. Yep, we can’t let anyone see or they’ll be all, why is there a vampire drinking from you Willow and I’ll have to pretend I was out at night and then they’ll be all lectury.” Willow spoke very fast.

Kristin’s jaw dropped a little as she absorbed what Willow was offering. “I’m not worthy, I’m a horrible vampire.” She whispered and blinked. “I might hurt you. What if I can’t stop?” Willow smiled softly at her and caressed her neck again. “I don’t want to hurt you.” Kristin spoke a little more firmly.

Willow’s scent was driving her mad now that the offer had been made, but Kristin forced herself to move backwards a little, putting some distance between them. Willow was busy pulling her long red hair to the side, to expose her neck and shoulder even more. “I know it will hurt, but I want to do this for you.” Willow looked at Kristin. “I hurt you, so you can hurt me. Just a little though, because I’m not all mistress of pain. I just want to give you this. You like my blood. It’s a gift I know you’ll like.”

Kristin stared at her sire in shock for a moment, but that look came over Willow’s face. Willow called it her resolve face. “Bite me.” Kristin blinked a moment and watched as Willow smirked. It was rather sexy and confident looking. “You won’t hurt me, because you don’t want to hurt me.”

“I’d feel better if I couldn’t hurt you.” Kristin reached out a shaky hand to gently touch her sire’s pulse point. She could feel it in her finger tips and she just stared at the pulsing beneath the skin, amazed that Willow was allowing this.

“Don’t bite an artery.” Willow’s voice was a little shaky and Kristin pulled back, looking into eyes a little too wide.

“I can’t. I’m sorry. I treasure the gift you are willing to give, but,” Kristin started to scoot backwards on the couch further from Willow, “I can’t risk you.” Kristin’s mouth almost salivated at the thought of tasting Willow again, but Kristin had no experience biting like this. The one live man she’d bitten had screamed, it had hurt him a lot. Kristin’s eyes moved to stare at the floor and her focus went inward instead of seeing what was in front of her. “I’m a lousy vampire. I don’t know how to kill and I don’t know how to not kill. I’ve never,” Her words stopped and she just sat very still. She whispered the rest, her own personal shame as a vampire but something her sire valued. “I’ve never had prey of my own, so I haven’t practiced. I don’t know how much is too much. I don’t know.”

It was such an honor Willow was willing to give her, and Kristin was too weak and pathetic a vampire to take it. She felt horrible, and she felt like she was insulting her sire by not biting her.

………………..

Willow stared at Kristin in silence after Kristin spoke. The vampire was looking so sad and it wasn’t an improvement to scared. Willow wasn’t happy at all with what she’d done to her vampire, she could see Kristin had lost trust in her and it hurt. One misunderstanding had cost Willow so much.

Blood was supposed to be a bonding thing between Sire and Pet, even between vampire minions it was a bonding. Willow just thought they needed that, it was something she had read once and something that just felt right now. It was something that felt more right than anything ever did and Willow was ready to show trust, but Kristin didn’t trust herself either.

Kristin once again fought her nature to protect Willow, and it hurt that Willow saw this as more proof how wrong she’d been.

Kristin looked miserable. Willow sighed heavily and stared a little longer. Kristin wasn’t going to bite her, and while part of Willow was relieved at that, she was more upset with it. She knew they needed to share blood, it was something she felt even in her veins, something foreign but sure. Willow tilted her head and stared at her vampire.

What Willow was feeling wasn’t exactly normal, Willow started to analyze it. Tried to understand how she’d think like this. Was it really the right answer?

Willow stood up and noticed her vampire just flinched a little, but didn’t look at her. This didn’t look good. Her vampire was all depressed and scared and Willow felt horrible. What kind of a sire was she if her vampire was like this? It felt like a huge failure and Willow’s jaw clenched as her resolve face emerged again. She was going to fix this, and if she had to do the hard part she’d do it.

Willow slipped out of the living room and moved to the kitchen. It didn’t take long to find a knife that looked sharp and Willow stared at it for a moment, feeling a bit nervous about this. She was already bleeding, Kristin was more than aware of that. Willow could give blood without cutting herself.

But she’d be naked if she did that, and Willow stared at the knife as she considered that. She wasn’t ready to share that blood, it seemed dirty to her and her vampire deserved better anyhow.

Willow stared at the knife and tried to decide where to cut, how much to cut. How much blood was needed to fix their bond? Willow had no idea. “Kristin, I give to you freely what you won’t take.” Willow turned to the living room and noticed her vampire was watching her now. This needed to be formal, Willow swallowed hard. “Take my blood and know you are treasured. You are my vampire and I will not cast you out.” Willow picked up the knife and winced as she cut her shoulder. That she could cover with clothes, because if Willow suddenly started going to school with cuts people might think she was all into the blood and pain, and this was something different.

Kristin was by her side instantly. “Sire?” The voice was trembling and unsure. Willow put the knife down and winced again as she tilted her head to make room for her vampire.

“I am your sire, and I have no desire to break that bond.” Willow told Kristin and watched the play of emotions over Kristin’s grr face, the relief, the pain, the happiness. It was amazing she could see all of that in a grr face when she used to think all those vampires showed was viciousness.

Kristin moved forward slowly and seemed to need reassurance that this was okay. “I don’t cut myself for fun, I did this for you. Get the blood before it ruins my shirt.”

Willow’s heart jumped a little as Kristin reached out to hold her still, but the hold was more like a hug than restraining. Kristin just kissed her neck once and Willow’s eyes closed as she focused on the feeling.

A tongue gently lapped at the blood that had come out and then Willow felt her vampire’s mouth close over the wound, while Kristin caressed Willow’s back gently. Willow’s hands grasped at the vampire holding her. “You can’t take too much, I didn’t get the big veins. It’s okay.” She whispered. “Oh, goddess.” Willow grasped at Kristin more tightly as the vampire started to suckle at the wound. It hurt, but in a strange way it felt good too.

Kristin suckled slowly and Willow groaned a little as she felt and became aware of how close they were. “Kinda gay.” Willow muttered as she tilted her neck more, trying to make this easy for her vampire.

“I want to try something I read about.” Kristin whispered after barely pulling away. “I don’t want you hurting for days.”

“Okay, I trust you.” Willow didn’t even ask what her vampire wanted to do.

Kristin’s body flinched just a little and then Kristin was licking at the wound in a strange way, just running the tip of her tongue over it. Kristin licked repeatedly and the pain started to fade. Finally it didn’t hurt at all.

Kristin pulled back and Willow stared at the blood on her vampire’s teeth. “It’s mine.” Kristin whispered and closed her mouth, sucking and licking inside of it. “I put my blood on your wound, and it closed.”

Willow’s eyes widened at that. When she thought they’d share blood she really meant she’d share. She couldn’t have vampire blood in her. “What? How did you? And am I going to start to like my steak really rare?”

“I read about it.” Kristin stared into her eyes and then bowed her head, looking a little nervous now. “Some vampires have kept humans, and while I’d never claim to be keeping you, you are human. I thought maybe I could heal you.”

Willow’s hand moved up to touch at her wet skin, and it felt unbroken. Kristin continued to talk. “It takes a lot more than that to make a vampire. I promise you sire, I’ll never turn you. I like Witch Willow, and I don’t want to lose Witch Willow.”

“It’s okay.” Willow reassured Kristin, but in her mind she was already planning to research this new twist to having a vampire. Playing with blood like this could be, well she’d been letting Kristin drink from her and saliva probably had just as much vampire germs in it. Willow’s eyebrows drew together as she considered that.

Kristin leaned into her, cuddled against her while standing, and Willow decided to worry later. Right now her vampire needed her.

Willow caressed Kristin’s back and kissed Kristin’s forehead. It had lost it’s grr ridges. Kristin looked up and Willow felt a little light headed as she leaned in and kissed her vampire’s lips.

Kristin kissed back so softly and Willow felt like her entire body was a part of that kiss, it felt amazing and gentle and intense. Willow leaned in a bit more and kissed a little harder, feeling the fangs emerge once again. Willow pulled back at that and looked into her vampire’s face, suddenly a little embarrassed. Willow looked for any hint that this wasn’t okay.

Her vampire’s eyes held love, and Willow leaned forward again to kiss her more carefully, completely aware that those fangs could hurt either of them. This was naughty and not, all at once, but Willow knew one thing. Kinda gay was better than anything else. Kissing Oz had been nice, but it never felt like this. Willow carefully ran her tongue over a fang and with a naughty hint of a grin used the fang to draw a little blood. Kristin whimpered.