Work Text:
Not Alone
By Lucinda
Faith knew that she'd found something abnormal as soon as she'd wandered into the club. It had looked promising from the outside, all gothic with a line of people and good music. Either some slaying action or some other kind of action, she wasn't too certain that she cared which.
The guy that maybe-accidentally bumped into her on the way to the dance floor had a vampire vibe to him. So did the blond in the tight dress by the bar, and the hottie leaning close to the phone. Frowning, Faith reflected that this could end up being a very bad thing.
"Got some ID on you?" The guy looked like a bouncer, a towering mass of muscle that would have been a lot more intimidating if he wasn't just human, or if she wasn't a Slayer.
Faith flashed a smile, and made a show of patting over her tight leather pants. She knew that she not only didn't have any ID, she was still technically underage for drinking. But hey, if she could fight demons and risk her life, she damn well should be able to get a drink afterwards, right? "Just a moment, let me find it..."
"I will deal with her, Marcus." The voice was cool, with faint traces of an accent that Faith couldn't place. But what she noticed the most was the feeling of power to it.
Faith knew before she even looked over at the guy that he was a vampire. She just hadn't expected it to be quite so obvious. He was a pale man with pale, intense eyes and dark clothing. Unlike most vamps that she'd seen, he looked like an older man, his hair gone gray and faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, though he carried himself like a warrior. A quick 'feel' told her that she'd best play nice and start praying, he'd be able to wipe the floor with her without any effort at all.
"This way, I think conversation will be easier away from the crowd." The words, politely framed, had the feel of an order, and he turned and started up a flight of stairs without waiting to see if she'd follow.
Faith followed him, feeling nervous. He hadn't done anything threatening, or even rude, but wondered just how high her chances of walking alive out of this building really were. "So, what should I call you?"
As he opened a door and motioned for her to follow him into an office, he spoke again. "I am known as Lucian LaCroix."
"LaCroix? A vampire called..." Faith shook her head, wondering if that was deliberate or pure weird coincidence. "And I'm Faith."
He turned on a small lamp, creating a pool of soft light in the office. It looked surprisingly normal, except for a lack of windows, and even that wasn't too different. "There is no need for a Slayer in Toronto, Faith."
"You can't seriously expect to believe that I didn't feel the vamps down there." She settled herself into a chair, smiling slightly as the leather cradled her. "Nice office, by the way."
"Would you care for a drink? There is no reason not to at least try a civil discussion before killing someone, and I've been assured that it's the new fashion in diplomacy."
Faith wasn't certain if he was making a subtle joke or not. "Alcohol's good."
Moving to a cabinet, he produced two glasses. Into one, he poured an amber liquid, while another bottle produced something that was dark red and a little thicker for the second glass. "A much more civilized means of drinking, better for mixed company."
Faith wasn't even certain when he'd moved, but he was there, offering her the amber drink, and then he was gain behind the desk, seated. It should have seemed polite, almost courteous, but it set her nerves on edge. "So, Toronto has vamps, but they all behave? What guarantee do I have for that?"
"My word, Faith the Slayer. The community here follows the rules, unlike many of the unguided younger rabble. We enforce the rules amongst ourselves, and hide our presence, or at least our natures, from the mortals." His voice had the smoothness of a sharp blade.
She sipped at her drink, feeling the bite of it. "This is a good drink."
For a few moments, there was quiet, and Faith watched the old vampire, not looking into his eyes. If he was old enough, which he definitely felt, a man's give word used to be a really big deal. She might be able to trust him to an extent. "Actually, to be vague, I had some bad and confusing things happen to me, and I was hoping to find a place to hang around while I sort them out. Toronto seemed like a good choice, especially since this is where I ran out of bus tokens."
He was smiling. "I see no reason why you couldn't spend the holidays here, to regain your bearings. Permit me to offer you the hospitality of my home."
"That sounds nice." Faith paused, thinking about it. It actually sounded too nice. There had to be something that she was missing. "Where's the catch?"
"My child has recently left this world. While I do not know a great deal about you yet, I have the feeling that if you are around, my home will not be as silent as a tomb." He sighed, and fell silent for a moment. "The holidays are not a time to be alone."
Faith blinked, part of her knowing exactly what he meant. How many times had she wished that her holidays hadn't felt so empty? How much had she craved real company after... "You're right, the holidays aren't a good time to be alone."
"Then we shall spend them being not so alone together." His voice was smooth, soft, and somehow gave the feeling that things had just been set in stone.
Faith just hoped it wouldn't be something that she regretted.
end Not Alone.