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Pride and Prejudice Revamped

Summary:

You've read the title? It's Pride & Prejudice with my favourite vampires, and of course, the all-important Slayerettes. Spike and Xander play the key roles. Need I say more?

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

PAIRING: Spike/Xander (of course!) Giles/Joyce, Angel/Cordelia, various others - not sure yet.

DISCLAIMER: You know the drill. None of it's mine. All belongs to Joss Whedon etc., or the immensely talented Miss Jane Austen. No point suing. I'm poor.

SUMMARY: You've read the title? It's Pride & Prejudice with my favourite vampires, and of course, the all-important Slayerettes. Spike and Xander play the key roles. Need I say more?

SPOILERS: If you know that Buffy is the Slayer and Angel is a vampire, you've seen enough to be okay. *Total* AU.

DEDICATION: For Bonster, for being almost as excited about it as I was, persuading me that I'm not (quite) the crazy person I thought, and providing me with some fantastic ideas, which may well be included herein.

 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE: REVAMPED
by Goddess Arundhathi

 

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Or quite possibly a husband.

Unfortunately for the people of Sunnydale, being situated on a Hellmouth meant that the single men who arrived were prone to be something other than human, as vampires are often just as in want of a mate as their slightly more mortal counterparts. However, the occasional death due to severe blood loss had done little to diminish the belief of the citizens of 'Boca del Inferno' that, on entering the neighbourhood, a man of breeding and money becomes the rightful property of one of their unmarried offspring. Only a few educated souls were aware of the risks involved in trying to ensure that the lucky one was one of their own children without first verifying the species of the prospective spouse.

Rupert Giles was one such knowledgeable soul. Therefore, when his wife came to him in great spirits, with news of another new arrival, he responded somewhat half-heartedly.

"Rupert, dear," began Joyce, clearly somewhat excited, "have you heard the news? Someone has leased the Crawford Mansion."

"Really," replied Mr Giles, reluctant to engage in the inevitable discussion about the new neighbour's fortune, prospects and potential as suitor to one of his charges. Turning back to his books, he replied in such a way as to suppress his wife's enthusiasm. "Why do you imagine this is newsworthy?" Unfortunately for his patience and the progress of the research he was currently entangled in, Mrs Giles saw this as invitation enough, and proceeded to explain her excitement.

"Of course it is newsworthy, Rupert. I was speaking with Mrs Jones, and she says a young gentleman of great wealth has taken it. He came to view it at the weekend, agreed to take it immediately, and will be here by the weekend."

"Really?" repeated Mr Giles. "Human or vampire?" This was his first question whenever his wife came to him with news of this kind. Although he was as keen as the next man to ensure his children's future comfort, his interest was also professional. As watcher and stepfather to the current Slayer, Elizabeth 'Buffy' Giles, he was well prepared to either greet new neighbours as potential in-laws or assist his Slayer in removing the threat with the minimum of fuss.

His question gave his wife pause. "I have no idea," she admitted. "Mrs Jones knows nothing about such things, so I could hardly ask her. Do you really think more vampires would be foolish enough to come here so soon after Buffy defeated Master Aurelius? I am quite convinced he must be human, and that can only be a fine thing for our children."

"How is that?" asked Giles, although he already knew the answer that was coming, as he had heard it a number of times before.

"Well, I understand he is single, and has a large fortune. Also, he is reputed to be well educated. He may well be an ideal partner for one of our girls." When Mr Giles married Joyce Summers, mother of the slayer, he had become father not only to Buffy, but also to her younger sister Dawn, and the slayer's orphaned cousins, Willow, Cordelia, and Alexander, the only boy in the family, who had been hugely relieved to be sharing the house with another male after five years of living with only female company.

Joyce, well aware of the shortage of money caused by such a large family and the relatively small income of a watcher, was always keen to relieve some of the burden by endeavouring to make certain that their children married well. As the children became adults, and showed no signs of moving on, her efforts to find spouses for them had become more and more intensive. Primarily, she wished to find husbands for her daughters and nieces, but recently had become concerned that Alexander ought to be thinking of getting married, and had made several short-lived attempts to encourage him to direct his attentions to one or other of the more financially stable heiresses in the region.

"You believe he has come here in search of a wife, then?" Giles asked, his tone slightly sarcastic. "That is his principal reason for choosing to live at the mouth of hell?"

"Oh, for goodness sake, Rupert." Joyce was exasperated by her husband's lack of interest. "First of all, he probably doesn't know anything about the Hellmouth. Most people don't spend their lives worrying about apocalypses, demons and other creatures of the night. Most people are lucky enough not to realise they exist. Secondly, I am not suggesting he is here *looking* for a wife. Simply that he is rich, and our daughters are beautiful, talented and intelligent, and there is no reason why he should not fall in love with one of them. Perhaps you should visit when he arrives, find out his reasons for being here, and make some social arrangements, so the girls and I can meet him."

"I hardly have time for that," answered Giles. "There are slightly more important things than ensuring that our girls find new men to chase. Besides, I thought you had decided that Alexander would be the first to marry. Perhaps this man will be suitable for him." This was said primarily to get a reaction from his wife. Giles would be quite content to see Xander in love with anyone, male or female, given his current reluctance to settle down and commit to one person, but he was convinced, on past example, that his stepson's interests lay firmly in the pursuit of women. He also knew that Joyce hoped for grandchildren to carry on the Giles name, and as their only son, Xander was expected to carry that burden, which made a wife necessary. Therefore, it was easy to torment his wife in this way.

"Nonsense. Xander has never shown any interest in other men. And, if you recall, he was very friendly with that Madison girl. Although that seems to have fizzled out rather. He said she was too 'silly and girly' for him, and he'd rather spend his time with his sisters, who, it should be mentioned, are often quite silly themselves, although anything other than girly, which may be a disadvantage to them in terms of finding good husbands. Any way, Amy was a witch. I thought you were against the children having romantic involvements with supernatural beings."

"Well, yes, of course" Giles spluttered, discomfited by having his words thrown back at him this way. "But Amy is hardly an evil being. I just felt that maybe we should be certain that Xander is not excluded. It is difficult for him, spending so much time with only female company, especially since those military friends of his, Miller and - Gates, was it ?- went away with their garrison, and I don't want him to feel neglected. And, by the way, would you really want Buffy and the others to be, as you say, girly? If by that you mean reducing the level of physical activity they do, and sitting around in the drawing room sewing samplers, surely it is better for them to be able to defend themselves from vampires or rampaging hellhounds, for example, than produce beautiful needlework."

"You are, as always, quite right darling," soothed Joyce, aware that she had upset her husband a little, and also aware that she could use his confusion at that moment to her advantage. "So you will call on our new neighbour next week. Excellent. I must go inform the girls." Smiling sweetly at her speechless husband, who was holding his spectacles in his hand and staring at her open mouthed, she left his study and went to look for her daughters.

~*~Chapter 2~*~

Giles, although he would never have said so to his wife, had every intention of paying a visit to their new neighbour, chiefly as a reconnaissance mission. If there was a new vampire in the area, he wanted to be aware of that fact as soon as possible. At the same time, he was fully aware that his wife had a point. Ensuring good marriages for five daughters and one determinedly single son was no mean feat, and every possibility had to be examined. Giles would never ask one of his daughters to marry a man they did not love, but this new arrival might be ideal for one of them, so there was clearly no harm in making the effort.

Also, if nothing else, this new gentlemen might provide a new acquaintance for Xander, who had spent the majority of his life with chiefly female company. Joyce was entirely right in saying that Xander had never shown any *romantic* interest in men, but Giles knew that there were time he wished for brothers to dilute the influence of five extremely self-possessed sisters, and to provide an alternative source of companionship. Although his sisters, particularly Buffy, were entirely capable of holding their own in any more manly pastime Xander might wish to pursue, they were still undeniably feminine, giggling about their latest boyfriends and new outfits. It would be nice for Xander to have the opportunity to make a new male friend.

Always enjoying the opportunity to tease his wife and children, Giles made no mention of his visit in advance, and Joyce was unaware that her suggestion had been heeded. The following night, returning from patrol with Buffy and Willow, whose incursions into magick had recently been very useful to the slayer, he heard his wife talking in her sitting room and, Buffy and Willow following, went in to see her.

Joyce was sitting by the fire, a book in her lap that she was paying no attention to. Instead, the rest of the family was gathered round her, Cordelia and Dawn showing her the fruits of a shopping trip that day. Xander was waiting eagerly for the return of the others, and leapt up from his chair when they entered the room. Generally he accompanied the elder girls and Giles on patrol, but a nasty blow from a particularly unpleasant demon two days earlier had dislocated his shoulder and Joyce had insisted upon him staying at home. How little this had pleased him was evident from the enthusiasm with which he greeted them.

"Buffy, Willow, thank God you're back. Cordy was just describing, in *great* detail, a dress she nearly bought today. Talk to me. Now. Please." He begged, desperate to escape discussion of skirt length and pleats, hats and shoe styles. "How was patrol? Lots of demons? Tell me all, with specific details. Quickly, before I start deciding what sort of ribbon I would like on my new hat, or how high my heels should be this summer." Babbling happily, he dragged the two girls away to a corner to discuss slaying, grateful to escape the monotony of a Dawn and Cordelia post-shopping analysis.

Giles found it more difficult to escape, and was forced to admire all the purchases the girls had made, including a number of garments he was unable to identify, but which he was assured were 'all the rage.'

"Lovely, Cordelia," he said in response to the third seemingly identical outfit he was shown. "I'm sure our new neighbour will think you very pretty in it."

Joyce clearly saw this as an opportunity to urge her husband once more to pay his respects. "I believe he would. It is a shame he will not get the chance to see her in it at all."

Buffy and Willow who, although absorbed in discussing their new battle techniques with Xander, had kept one ear to the conversation, were delighted to have an opportunity to share some exciting news with the rest.

"Oh, but they will," Buffy called over. "Giles went by the mansion tonight while we were patrolling the cemetery. He wanted to find out if the new arrival was slay-worthy or not."

Deciding that, in order to get maximum approval from his wife, he should probably tell the story himself, Giles interrupted. "And also, of course, I wished to welcome him to the neighbourhood." Aware that he had the attention of everyone, even Xander, he took a seat before continuing.

"I was introduced to both Mr Angel, who has taken the mansion, and his valet, Lorne, I think he was called. They seemed very polite, and did not try to eat me, so it does not seem that we will have to worry about slaying at this time. Anyway -"

Unable to contain herself any longer, Willow intervened. "So, anyway, they were nice and not obviously evil, and there is a party at Amy Madison's on Thursday evening to welcome them. We stopped at the house after patrol and Amy has invited us all, so you'll get a chance to show
off your pretty new clothes after all."

This announcement led Joyce and all the girls, even Willow, usually disinterested when it came to fashion, to begin babbling about new outfits and hairstyles. Relieved to have escaped the tedium of discussion about dresses and the best place to buy shoes, Giles slipped away to his study to find some peace and Xander returned to the rather boring book of demon lore he had been reading before the elder girls and the watcher returned. He had no new dress, very little hair to style and was not looking for a new husband, so avoided the conversation the others were embroiled in. Furthermore, he was rather uncomfortable around Amy since telling her that he did not wish to make their relationship serious, and so viewed the coming party with something akin to dread.

~*~Chapter 3~*~

Several times in the next few days, Joyce tried to get more information about the enigmatic Mr Angel out of her husband. However, a combination of his desire to tease her and a preoccupation with a worrying prophecy gave him little desire to discuss the subject, and he had spent most of his time secreted in the library, avoiding his wife and daughters except when discussing slaying.

Joyce and the girls, all eager to learn more, were forced to turn to other sources of information. First, the others tried to get Buffy and Willow to provide further details, but had little success. Giles had refused to allow them to accompany him when he called at the mansion, so they knew little more than the others, and were equally curious. Next, Joyce called on one of her friends, Mrs Maclay, who had been visited by the man in question already. She confirmed that he was
quite handsome, very well-educated, and planning to bring a large party of friends with him to the welcome at the Madisons'.

All this sounded, to Joyce, very promising. The thought of a large party of new friends led to the possibility that more than one of her girls might meet someone, and, if there were single ladies in the party, perhaps one of them might catch Xander's eye, and maybe even convince him to take a relationship seriously.

Xander had very different ideas. Discussing the matter with Cordelia and Willow one evening while waiting for Buffy to return from a late patrol, he confessed that he was unsure about even attending the party. Amy would be there, and he was well aware that she was both very angry with him, and, as a powerful witch, very capable of doing something unpleasant to him.

"Oh, Xander, don't be silly." Willow was making every effort to persuade him to attend. "Amy doesn't use her powers for bad. Any more" she added, remembering a rather nasty spell done to a gentleman who had rejected Amy's younger sister some time ago. "Besides, I need someone to dance with when this Mr Angel - what sort of a name is that anyway? - and all his friends are fawning over Cordelia and Buffy." The pretty young witch was a little insecure, and felt that her sister and cousin tended to draw the attention of any men they were in the room with.

"Willow, don't be silly," argued Xander. "You're just as pretty as they are. Especially Cordelia. You're so much prettier than her." Raising an eyebrow, he turned to Cordelia, waiting for the inevitable scathing response to his comment. To his surprise she just smiled, knowing that he was only teasing. She was well aware of how beautiful both she and Willow were, and as eager as he was to bolster Willow's self-esteem, which meant that arguing with him over this was pretty much pointless and quite difficult to do without appearing to criticise Willow's looks.

Xander was reluctant to agree to attend the party, having serious concerns about Amy. However, he enjoyed a celebration as much as anybody, and looking at Willow's beseeching eyes and Cordelia's knowing smile, he was forced to admit defeat. "All right then, I'll come. But you both have to promise to protect me from fortune-seeking young women who try to get me in their clutches."

The girls laughed, aware of how ridiculous this idea was. "Xander, stop it," admonished Cordelia. "For a start, you don't have any money. And, anyway, most girls aren't like that. You never know. You might meet someone you really like."

Xander sighed. "I doubt it. I know Aunt Joyce is desperate for me to get married and carry the Giles name on to the next generation, but most girls I meet seem so boring, and insipid. I suppose that's what happens when you live in a house full of strong self-assured women, including a slayer and a witch. I need to find a woman who'll boss me around, and tell me what to do, beat me up occasionally. After all," he teased, looking at Willow and Cordelia, who were both, as usual, looking disapproving as he tried to joke his way out of a serious conversation about his reluctance to commit to any one girl. "That's what I'm used to." Laughing, he quickly moved out of the way as they began bombarding him with cushions from the large sofa they were sitting on.

Five minutes later, all three of them were out of breath from the impromptu pillow fight and the room was looking a little the worse for wear. Hearing Buffy enter the house, they all got up to greet her, returning the cushions to the sofa and heading for the traditional post-slay hot chocolate before bed. All talk of dances, fortunes and marriage was put on hold for the rest of the night, something for which Xander was very grateful.

Chapter 4

In what seemed to Xander like far too little time, reluctant as he was to attend, the day of the Madison's party arrived. From shortly after lunch, the house was filled with the sounds of excited girls rushing around, exchanging hairstyle advice and helping each other to prepare themselves. By the time they left, Xander was exhausted, even though all he had done was sit and wait for the ladies to dress. Heaving a sigh of relief that such effort was not expected from gentlemen, he gave Cordelia his arm and they headed for the waiting carriage.

The Madisons had truly outdone themselves. A new neighbour was always worth mention, but the arrival of one who appeared to possess such wealth and breeding was a special occasion in itself. Xander, along with Cordelia and Willow, was seated near a roaring fire, obviously lit for effect rather than a need for warmth on the balmy summer evening. A murmur all around them alerted them that the guests of honour had arrived. He noticed Buffy and Dawn standing together, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals. Very little interested, he tried to return to the conversation he had been having with his sisters, but even the generally quiet Willow was eager to see the long-discussed Mr Angel and so he gave up and turned to catch sight of the new guests himself.

Despite the promises, the party brought by Mr Angel numbered many fewer than the suggested twelve. He was accompanied, in the end, by two sisters, the husband of the elder, and another young man. All five drew a number of impressed looks. Angel himself was, in the traditional romance-novel style, tall, dark and handsome. He smiled little, but was polite, gracious, and made easy conversation with his host. The two sisters were striking, particularly stood close together as they were. Both tall, slender and fair skinned, the elder had carefully styled blonde hair and an obviously expensive dress. Her younger sister had hair so dark it was almost black which flowed loose down her back, and wore a dark velvet gown, very different to the light cotton dresses that were the fashion of the moment. The brother in law, Mr McDonald was also handsome, although looking a little dishevelled, as though in need of a barber. The one who drew the most interest, however, was the other gentleman, addressed by his friend as William. Xander, much to his own confusion, was unable to draw his eyes away from the chiselled cheekbones, full lips and unnaturally blond hair of the man. Just as he realised he was staring, Cordelia spoke, and he turned back to her, blushing slightly but unable to explain even to himself his reaction to the man.

At much the same time, many of the party-goers, realising they were paying the guests an impolite amount of attention, returned to their own conversations and the newcomers were allowed to enter the room with rather less surveillance to be introduced to some of the more important personages attending. All around them, discussion about their appearance and behaviour abounded. At first the conclusion was that William was a far better prospect than his friend. He was rumoured to be even richer, and the combination of his striking looks and obvious self-confidence was remarkably appealing to many of the ladies present. Furthermore, he had a marked English accent, something new to many of the people present, giving him an air of difference and sophistication. However, as the night wore on, opinions changed. Unlike his more open friend, he made little effort to talk to anyone other than his own party, danced only with the ladies in his group, and led many people to the conclusion that he was perhaps rather proud and unfriendly.

Having danced several times with Buffy and Cordelia, and at least once with each of his other sisters, Xander was relieved to have the opportunity to sit down for a time, as the Summers girls were all otherwise occupied. It would have been imprudent and insensitive to dance with any other girls at the Madisons', particularly so soon after the entanglement with Amy had ended, so he was able to rest without feeling guilty. Gazing at the flickering flames of the unneeded fire, he was able to overhear a conversation between Mr Angel and his now strongly disliked friend.

"Come on Will, why are you not dancing? We will not endear the people of Sunnydale to us by standing on the sidelines looking sullen."

"I certainly will not," responded William. "I do not like dancing, and there are very few partners who make it worth the effort. The only people here with whom I would be happy to dance are your sisters, and they are both engaged at present."

"Nonsense," responded the older man. "There are many beautiful ladies within the room. I rarely enjoy dancing, and yet I am drawn to it by the delightful choice of partners."

"You have the only partner in the room worth the time" argued William, nodding his head in the direction of Cordelia, with whom Angel had been dancing before coming to encourage his friend to join them.

"I had forgotten your passion for beautiful brunettes," Angel smiled at his friend knowingly. "She is rather beautiful, but then so is her sister," glancing at Buffy, who was sitting with Dawn, surrounded by a gaggle of young men hanging on their every word. "In fact, if you are prepared to broaden your horizons, I believe there is a rather attractive older brother in the room as well."

William glanced at Xander. "He is hardly the most beautiful specimen I have ever seen. And, even if he weren't quite clearly interested in girls, I am not going to dance with an uncoordinated boy whose only partners are his own sisters. That speaks volumes about his desirability. Now, why don't you return to the scores of beautiful women you wish to dance with, and allow me to choose my own entertainment?" With this he stalked off, leaving Angel to return to his partner and the rest of the dance.

Xander, who had heard the whole conversation, was left feeling most uncomfortable. On the one hand, he was slightly shocked that Angel had suggested him as a partner for his friend, never having considered the possibility that he might be desirable to other men, and always having been focussed on the fairer sex himself. At the same time, however, he was left with a rather inexplicable bitter taste in his mouth, almost hurt by the rejection of himself as a worthy partner. Laughing to himself, he shook his head free of the ridiculous thought. Mr William was a proud, disagreeable gentleman, emphasis on the *man* and Xander had no reason to care about his opinion of him. Standing, he returned to his sisters and settled down to make the most of what had been a surprisingly enjoyable evening's entertainment, given his initial reluctance to attend.

Chapter 5

By the time the party came to an end, it was late, and Buffy was eager to start her nightly patrol. Still exhilarated by the evening's entertainment, all of the younger Giles' volunteered to join their
sister. Despite her protests, Dawn was judged too young for Slaying, and made to return home with her parents. The others were warned, in a now familiar manner, to be careful and stay close to Buffy. Uttering promises to Giles that he knew would not be kept, they set out on their
regular sweep of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale.

Willow and Buffy soon moved ahead, seeking out creatures of the night on which they could try out newly learnt techniques. Cordelia tucked her arm through Xander's, content to leave the hard work to those who enjoyed it and focus instead on discussing the evening's events. Xander had noticed her dancing several times with their new neighbour and, well aware that Cordelia was very particular who she gave her attention to, saw this as an opportunity to tease.

"I noticed our new neighbour was very well liked. I can't think why. He seems rather dull to me."

"Xander, that's not nice. He did not say a great deal, but I believe he's shy. It must have been quite intimidating, walking into a room full of people who all wanted nothing more than to stare at him." As expected, Cordelia sprung to Mr Angel's defence, before realising what she was doing and trying to backtrack. "Well, he seemed nice enough, anyway. I'm sure that for some girls he'd be quite the catch."

"Some girls? Do I take that to mean you weren't at all interested. You won't care that I heard him talking to his very unpleasant friend about you then?" As always, Cordelia responded, almost despite herself.

"He talked about me? What did he say? Did he think I was prettier than Buffy, because he danced with her more than once as well?"

"He thought you were very beautiful," Xander assured "and of course, he's right. How could he not think you the most beautiful woman there?"

Cordelia smiled. She was mostly content with her own appearance, but it never hurt to be reassured, especially as someone who often felt her beauty was all she had going for her. Short in temper, and lacking the special skills of Buffy and Willow, she often felt that a good marriage was the only way to ensure her future comfort, and although she hid it well, there were times when she felt her cynical approach to life would prevent her from ever finding love. Reluctance to acknowledge her feelings made it difficult to commit to anyone. Xander was well aware of her feelings on this subject, and although he would not force her to reveal them in front of others, it often fell to him to bolster her when she was particularly subdued.

Having settled, without forcing her to confess it in so many words, that Cordelia did indeed like Angel, they moved on to discussing the other members of his party. Cordelia, with uncharacteristic kindness declared the sisters sweet, if a little strange. The younger, Drusilla, had entangled her in a difficult to follow discourse about the stars, leaving her feeling rather unnerved, as if the girl knew more about her than she did herself. Mrs McDonald, "call me Darla," had been less forthcoming, but her interest in dress and the latest fashions had given her and Cordelia an easy topic of conversation.

Xander, in a strange reversal of their usual attitudes, was less generous in his judgements. He considered the two women haughty and self-absorbed, Mr McDonald lazy and vain, and as for Mr William, he was "rude, proud and obnoxious."

Hearing this vilification of the group, Cordelia was caused to look in surprise, almost bewilderment, at her brother. It was rare that he said a hard word about anyone, preferring to think the best of everyone, and keep conversation light-hearted. For him, such a statement of dislike could only be called a diatribe, and she was eager to learn what had caused such strong feelings. However, Xander was unable to explain this, even to himself, as he was unwilling to repeat the conversation he had overheard between the two men. He assured Cordelia that he was simply having a bad day, and that he was quite sure her beloved's friends and family were all delightful people. The teasing was the surest way to distract her from her questions, and they left the topic for the moment, Cordelia resolving to question Xander further at a later time, just as he resolved not to discuss the matter any more. Both well aware of what each other was thinking and both equally convinced that they could change the other's mind, they let the issue drop for the moment, and hurried to catch up with the other girls, who were embroiled in a minor scuffle with a newly risen vampire.

~*~Chapter 6~*~

Not far from the Giles family home lived a gentleman by the name of Ethan Rayne. Rayne was a long-time acquaintance of Rupert Giles', although not always a friend, given his propensity for Dark Magicks and Chaos-worshipping. Currently, however, he was very much on the side of good, and had been persuaded by Mr Giles to provide a safe haven for a number of casualties in the battle to control the Hellmouth.

Many of these were young people, and it was inevitable that those who stayed with the Warlock should form close acquaintance with the young Giles'. Many an afternoon was passed at either house, discussing Slaying, magick, and the recent romantic events in their lives. It was the latter that was most discussed when the Giles' spent an evening at the Rayne house a mere two days after the Madison party.

Ethan Rayne currently had two young people staying with him. One was a newly turned werewolf, Daniel Osbourne, whose turning had forced him out of his family home, his parents being absolutely unaware of the problems inherent in growing up so close to the mouth of hell. The other, Anya was a former Vengeance demon, who had lost her powers granting an ill- advised wish to a scorned young woman. The guise she had taken was that of a young lady of three and twenty years, and she had been trapped in that form, once more a human, when her powers were taken. The open-mindedness of the people of Sunnydale was not such that a young single lady could live alone, and so Rayne had been prevailed upon to take her in, claiming her as a recently orphaned niece.

Both Anya and Oz, as he was called amongst his friends, had built up a happy acquaintance with the two eldest Giles', Xander and Cordelia, and the four spent a sunny afternoon discussing the party. As it had been held the night before the full moon, Oz had been unable to attend, and was eager to hear all the news of the new neighbour and his companions.

"I hear you were quite the sensation with Mr Angel," he questioned Cordelia, having heard some news of the party from Anya, and enjoying to tease his friend almost as much as Xander did.

"Well, I would not say that exactly," Cordelia demurred, and all three of her companions were stunned to see that she was blushing. Cordelia's temperament was such that it was almost impossible to upset her with teasing, and the presence of two pink spots on her pretty face indicated that her feelings about the new neighbour were indeed serious.

Cordelia, entirely aware of the conclusions her friends were reaching, was determined to draw the attention away from herself. Remembering her brother's strong reaction to Mr Angel's companions, she decided this would be a good time to question him. The sun was bright, and so they were unlikely to be drawn from the topic by vampiric interruptions this time.

"He was very nice," she began, knowing that they would be sensitive enough to leave the subject there, "although his companions were not, at least that is what Xander feels."

Xander was fully aware of what she was attempting, and very much unwilling to allow it. He was still very uncomfortable with the strength of his reaction to Mr William's rejection, and did not wish to reveal that, even to his sister and closest friends."

"I just felt they were a little rude," he explained, aware that this would not be enough to convince either Anya or Cordelia, and so elaborating further, "and his friend, Mr William, seemed to be giving himself graces, as though he thought he were somehow above us, that to associate with us would be beneath him. And he refused to dance, although there were a number of ladies without partners." Even as he spoke, he was hoping that his friends would not question how he knew this, as he would then be forced to inform them of the conversation he had overheard, and he was not yet willing to examine the feelings his eavesdropping, albeit unintentional, had stirred in him.

It was clear from his friends' expressions that his answer was not explanation enough for the strong response Cordelia had seen from the normally easy going Xander. However, Oz and Cordelia seemed prepared to leave the topic there, although a raised eyebrow from each of them told him he had not been let off the hook entirely. Unfortunately, Anya was not ready to give him the same consideration. Despite a thousand years as a demon, she was very new to human life, and often voiced opinions that might be better left unsaid.

"Well, I for one don't accept that, she began, and Xander's heart sank. "Mr William was very good looking, and I can hardly blame him for not wishing to make conversation with tedious, silly-minded people like those Madison girls. As for the dancing, he simply needed a partner worthy of him. You ought to have danced with him, Xander."

Luckily for Xander's composure, Oz replied before he was forced to come up with an acceptable response to this. The werewolf had little tolerance for Anya's indiscreet manner, and almost invariably sprang to the defence of the unfortunate individual her ingenuous comments were directed at.

"Nonsense," he answered Anya, "it sounds as though he was rude, and ignored almost everyone. That is not exactly polite, and Xander would hardly wish to dance with someone like that." Turning to face his friend, "I believe you are right. He was sounds quite objectionable, and I don't think he should have been given the opportunity to dance with you. I just hope he does not think he has that right in the future"

"I believe I can safely promise you never to dance with Mr William." Xander smiled at his friends, knowing this was the appropriate response, as his friends would not expect him to have given the matter any consideration, knowing how fond he was of pretty girls, and never having seen him take any interest in other gentlemen, no matter how striking their looks. All the time he was making the seemingly unnecessary promise he was strangely aware that that promise did not make him as happy as he felt it ought, given his belief that he would never wish to dance with the gentleman in question, even if he were not quite certain that gentleman did not wish to dance with him. However, the reply was enough for his friends and the conversation returned to more general discussion of the party, leaving Xander free to relax and enjoy the afternoon.

~*~Chapter 7~*~

Although Xander's feelings about Mr William were ambiguous at best, he was wholly aware that his judgement of Mr Angel's sisters had perhaps been overly harsh. Therefore, when an invitation was received for Cordelia and himself to pass an evening with them at the newly inhabited mansion, he was willing to put aside his feelings and accept for Cordelia's sake. This was a decision undoubtedly made easier by the knowledge that Mr Angel and his friend had been forced to travel away on a business matter and would, regrettably, be unable to join them.

An evening was therefore passed reasonably happily. Xander still felt that the ladies were somewhat superficial, but his sister seemed quite taken with their manner, and he had no desire to upset her by speaking so harshly as he had done previously. As such, he was able to be sufficiently polite to the ladies as to appease Cordelia, and had spent a rather pleasant hour at cards with Mr McDonald, who was in fact better company then he had believed on first acquaintance.

All this was not to say that he was yet entirely enamoured of their new neighbours. Cordelia and he had both been somewhat concerned by the lack of mirrors in the otherwise well-decorated house and the presence of heavy drapes at the windows. However, years of living on the Hellmouth meant they had attended the soiree well prepared, both concealing a cross and a stake upon their person. They were still unable to determine absolutely the mortal status of their companions, but the fact that they had not been attacked in any way was taken as a good sign, and it was accepted that although their neighbours were possibly something other than human, they were not apparently aggressive and had as yet taken no action that would make the Slayer's intervention a necessity. Since that decision, a number of engagements between the two households had occurred, and Cordelia and Mr Angel had seemed to grow ever closer, although Cordelia was still reluctant to admit to any affection for the gentleman. This matter had Anya very concerned, and the next time the friends were together, she explained to Xander why.

"It's very simple, Xander. Mr Angel is a very desirable prospect. If Cordelia is not prepared to tell him how much she likes him, she will lose him. There are always many young girls keen to ensnare such a handsome, rich man. Of course, he will then cheat on her with the maids, leave her to take care of the children while he drinks and gambles all the money away, and leave her poor and destitute when he either runs away with the chambermaid or drops dead at the age of thirty-five due to fast living."

Xander chose to ignore the second half of Anya's comment, having become accustomed to the tirade that formed a part of any conversation about men, the inevitable result of one thousand years of wreaking vengeance on behalf of scorned women. Fortunately, at least in some ways, for him, being the only man among four sisters meant that he was generally spared Anya's scorn
and also provided him with the courage to question her statement.

"Anya, whatever do you mean? I am sure you realise that Cordy would never be so forward. And surely it would be foolish to open herself up to this man before she is even certain herself that she likes him."

"She already knows that she likes him. She is waiting for love. And love is not something that should be waited for. It should be made to happen, in order to ensure one's comfort and happiness. This man is not going to simply fall into her lap. She must seize him with both hands and drag him there."

Xander was unsure whether to laugh or scold Anya for such a statement. It was entirely inappropriate, yet at the same time, the thought of Cordelia physically pulling the charming yet extremely staid Mr Angel into her lap was an image that almost demanded laughter. Avoiding a decision on this, he chose to question her opinion instead. "Do you mean she should pursue him
even if she does not love him, even if she never comes to love him? Surely that would be foolish. She might end up trapped in a loveless marriage, unhappy. You of all people, well, ex-demons, must be able to see the possibility of that."

"Xander, when did you become such a romantic fool? Marriage is about security, not love. Love is a luxury afforded to those who already have money. Mr Angel or his friend could marry for love, but lesser mortals, or perhaps just those of us who are indeed mortal at all, must be more prudent in our choice of partners. Where is the joy in a love match if both parties are forced to work all hours godsend and never see each other? What is the value of love then? Cordelia must first choose her man, then make the effort to grow to like him, not wait around for love to happen, too scared to admit her most private thoughts and feelings. That way lies loneliness and poverty."

As ever, Anya's way of stating things was unusual, but gave Xander a great deal to contemplate. Was Anya right in her belief that their relative poverty removed the chance to marry for love? Why did that thought bother him so much, when he had little interest in marrying at all? Was she right in her assumption that the men in question were not in fact human? And, most significantly, why should the thought of Mr William marrying have caused a cold shiver up his spine. Crediting such chills to the rather depressing notion of marriage Anya had painted, he chose not to think further about the matter. Shortly afterwards Anya took her leave and he went to prepare for that evening's dancing at the Rayne house, resolving to suggest to Cordelia that she should be a little more forward in her interactions with Angel, and avoiding all though about the aforementioned gentleman's friend, who would also be attending the party that night.

~*~Chapter 8~*~

At first, the dance at the Rayne house passed very much like any other social event in Sunnydale. Xander had done his duty by dancing with each of his sisters, and with Anya. He had also been prevailed upon by Mrs Giles to take a turn around the floor with a small number of other young ladies, all of whom, he guessed, she viewed as possible long-term partners for him. Finally, he had been allowed to escape. Although he enjoyed dancing, he found that some of the conversations he was forced to have while doing so rather dull. There was only so much time a man could spend discussing the latest news about the Misses Smith and their numerous beaux.

It was therefore with great relief that he retreated from the floor, to sit and make conversation with Oz, who had similar views on dancing, and far less patience for inane small talk. However, Mrs Giles, who took as much interest in the love lives of Rayne's wards as she did in those of her own charges, soon charmed him into dancing with a partner-less young lady, and Xander found himself sitting alone.

This peace allowed him some time to observe his eldest sister's behaviour towards Mr Angel. The earlier conversation with Anya was at the forefront of his mind, and as such, he had been taking every opportunity to watch the two together and try and ascertain the truth of her statements. His preoccupation with the two prevented him from noticing that, as on a number of occasions recently, he held the attention of the aforementioned gentleman 's friend.

Mr William's first response to his friend's suggestion of Xander as an acceptable partner had been to dismiss it out of hand. However, the times since then when they had met had caused him to look differently at the young man. Although he had rejected him as ungainly and scarcely attractive, a second, and third look, had forced him to reassess this. It was true, the boy was not entirely graceful, but he danced far better than one would guess from his sometimes ungainly stance. His looks, although often concealed by a mop of unruly hair, were in fact far more pleasing than they seemed at first glance, his eyes sparkling with joy, as if he always saw something in the situation to entertain him.

Having accepted that Xander was in fact quite fetching, he began to learn more of his character, seeing a young man always eager to please, to ensure that those around him were happy. His manners were not always those of the company he was part of, but his playful attitude and constant good humour endeared him to those around him despite this. At the same time, he clearly had a slightly wicked streak, often spending time with his sisters secretly mocking the foolish behaviour of many of the company around them. This irreverence seemed an indication of the intelligence hidden behind the juvenile manner in which he often behaved. All this had led William to question his initial judgement, and he began seeking to learn more about the young man.

This effort had led to a number of short conversations, but Xander still seemed disinclined to speak with him, breaking off conversations abruptly if he attempted to join them. Mr William could only assume that his attitude to many of the people present had been noticed by Xander, and that he subscribed to the prevailing opinion, that he was rude, haughty and too proud to enjoy the company of the people of Sunnydale.

That evening, he had found few opportunities to try and speak with him, having spent the majority of the evening forced to make conversation with his host. Mr Ethan Rayne was a gentleman who seemed to enjoy inane discussion, and had continued to introduce new topics despite Mr William's abrupt dismissal of all those he began. Becoming frustrated, Rayne turned,
as he always did at times like this, to the making of mischief. Although now aligned with the side of good, he often missed his chaos-worshipping days, and was wont to try and create it in his own small way. Seeing Xander seated alone not far from them and recalling a conversation he had overheard between the young man and his own two charges a few days earlier, he spied an opportunity for trouble and seized it.

"Alexander, dear boy - why are you not dancing? Surely there is a partner here that takes your fancy? Mr William, will you not dance with him. You would not leave the poor boy here alone when there is such fine music, surely?" Pulling Xander to his feet, Ethan smiled broadly at them both. Mr William had moved forwards, willing to be persuaded, but Xander clearly had other views. Blushing, and stuttering slightly, he struggled to remember his manners.

"Oh, no. I mean, I don't want.I am quite happy not to dance. I was not looking for a partner."

Mr William's attempts to assure him that he would be quite happy to dance did not persuade Xander. In fact, they seemed to worsen his discomposure, deepening the blush on his face, and causing him to back away slightly, almost falling onto the seat from which he had risen. Ethan, pleased with the success of his teasing, pushed further.

"Xander, you dance so well. You will surely not deprive us, and particularly Mr William, the opportunity to witness that?"

With visible effort, Xander regained his equilibrium. "It is very kind of you both, but I really do not wish to dance. If you will excuse me." With this he hurried away, without looking at Mr William, to find the safety of his sister's company.

Although somewhat disappointed, William was not surprised by Xander's refusal, and the level of his discomposure had intrigued him. It suggested something more than the dislike of his character that had permeated the rest of Sunnydale society. Perhaps it was simply the fact that he was a man. At that point, he was interrupted from his reverie by the younger of his friend's sisters.

"The stars tell me what you are thinking, dear William" Drusilla purred, close to his ear.

"What do they say?" he asked, accustomed to her strange way of speaking.

"You are tired of this place, this tedious, polite company. So dull and so good. Not a spark of darkness among them."

Mr William moved away slightly as she leaned in, invading his space. "Sorry, Drusilla, for once the stars guide you wrong. I was thinking of much happier things, of the value of a eyes, the things they tell you about someone, and the beauty they can bestow on a person."

Drusilla drew back at this, and demanded to know whose eyes had inspired such poetic ramblings. Reluctantly, but knowing that he was generally unable to hide anything from this remarkably perceptive young woman, he admitted that he was thinking of the Giles boy. Upon hearing this, the lady almost hissed her displeasure. "Alexander Giles?" she questioned, her voice dripping with scorn. "Why would you think of him? He is the most good and clean of them all, all loyal and nice." She continued to list all his failings in her indirect, mystical manner and tormented her friend about his uncharacteristic foray into poetic thought for the rest of the evening, but as he maintained his composure, she was reassured that he did not really care for the boy, and so there was no real reason for concern.

~*~Chapter 9~*~

The responsibility for keeping Sunnydale, and by extension, the world, safe for humankind, had built up a large network of friends and contacts for the Giles'. The closest of these were a vampire hunter by the name of Charles Gunn and his wife, who lived and worked in Los Angeles, and Miss Jenny Calendar, owner of Sunnydale's magic shop and practising Wiccan. The shop was within walking distance of the Giles home, and provided a convenient place to meet and discuss Slaying and, more commonly, the town's latest news. Buffy and Willow in particular would head there three or four times a week, allowing Willow to pick up supplies for her latest spells, and giving them a chance to catch up on the latest Sunnydale news, both romantic and mystical.

The latest news was apparently relevant on both fronts. A new regiment of soldiers had arrived in the area, and, as far as Miss Calendar could tell, were there to deal with the non-human aspects of Sunnydale's security. For Buffy, Willow and Dawn, however, the interest in the regiment was of a more personal nature. Each time they ventured out, they returned home with more news of the soldiers, their names and how handsome each of them was.

Eventually, Mr Giles grew exasperated with their gossip. "I do wish you would take this more seriously. These soldiers may be a great impediment to our work. Who knows what their plans are? I scarcely think that the issue here is how attractive and prosperous they are."

He seemed ready to continue his berating of the three youngest girls, but fortunately for them, rescue came in the form of a knock at the door. It was Giles' valet, bearing an invitation from their neighbours for Cordelia

Dearest Cordelia,
Please be so cordial as to join my sister and myself this afternoon for tea. If you do not do so, we are liable to harm each other, being forced to spend so much time together, as our men folk are once again away this afternoon. Please come as soon as you can on receipt of this,
Yours ever,
Darla McDonald

Cordelia, always eager for a social engagement, was delighted to receive this invitation, and began planning to take her leave "May I take the carriage?" she immediately asked her guardians. Unfortunately, Mrs Giles had a prior engagement, and declined her request.

"You will have to walk back dear, I will need the carriage until late. Besides, maybe they will invite you to stay over, and then you will be able to see their brother tomorrow." As was often the case, Joyce Giles' love of matchmaking clouded her common sense somewhat. Xander, however, was not so blasé.

"That is all well and good, but what happens if they do not invite her? She can hardly walk home alone after sunset. Besides, we have not yet proved that they are not undead themselves. I think a little more concern for Cordy's safety is necessary."

Despite appreciating Xander's worries, Cordelia was quite determined to go, and promising to take a stake and cross, and to take her leave well before sunset, departed for the Mansion.

Xander was quite unable to relax for the rest of the day. He was unable to find any trust for the two ladies Cordelia had gone to visit, and his fears seemed proved correct when his sister had not returned an hour after sunset. Just as he was preparing to hurry out to rescue her, a valet carrying a note from the damsel in distress arrived.

Xander,
I am afraid I am rather unwell. One of the servants of our friends turned out to be a little, well, thirsty. I am not well enough to come home, but I would be very grateful if you could come for me. Dru and Darla have been very kind, but they will not hear of me leaving while I am so weak.
Love,
Cordy

Having read the note, Xander was out of his seat before any one could speak, preparing to leave for the mansion. Buffy was away overnight, and he was not willing to leave Cordelia along in that house for one night. Pausing only to don a jacket and seize protection in the form of stakes and a cross, he called his goodbyes to the rest of his family and left for the mansion.

Arriving at the house a bare half hour later, he was shown to a room where all but his sister were assembled. His anger was almost too much to allow him to speak to them, but they were all quite solicitous and showed him immediately to the bedroom where Cordelia was resting.

The relief at seeing him was evident on Cordelia's face as soon as he entered the room. Her unusually pale face and dark shadows under her eyes attested to the source of her illness, as did a small bandage on her neck. Having confirmed that she was well enough to speak, he demanded an explanation for the attack, how had their hosts allowed it to happen, and did they know they were employing a vampire.

"Xander, slow down" asked Cordelia, hoarsely. "Let me tell you what happened." Taking a deep breath, Xander calmed enough to allow her to explain.

"It was my own fault, really. I had been freshening up, and I took a wrong turn returning to the drawing room. I met the vampire and he tried to bite me. I screamed, and Darla came running. She pulled the vampire off me before he had chance to drain me, and they called a doctor straightaway. I'm fine, really."

"As for the employing vampires thing, well, they are vampires, so it's really not that strange." She smiled at him, hoping to appease him with a joke. Foe once, he was not so easily distracted.

"They are vampires? Why are we still here? We need to leave immediately, then send Buffy here to stake them all." So saying, he moved to help her out of the bed.

"Xander wait," Cordy said crossly, pushing his hands away. "It's fine, really. They are vampires, except for Mr McDonald, but they don't kill humans. Not anymore."

At this, Xander stopped and stared. In all his years on the Hellmouth, he had heard some ludicrous claims, but this surpassed them all. Vampires that didn't kill? How could that even be possible? He began to suggest to Cordelia that they had somehow brainwashed her, but she interrupted again.

"Xander, really, will you stop and listen to me for a moment. Honestly, you are being almost as obstinate as Buffy now."

This stopped Xander short. Being compared to the impetuous young slayer was mildly offensive, no matter how much he loved his surrogate sister, and the statement convinced him that Cordelia was serious, so he grew silent and allowed her to explain.

"They are vampires, but they don't prey on humans. Angel, Mr Angel, has a soul, a conscience. His sisters are under his command, and so he prevents them from feeding, and Mr William has something in his head, something mechanical that prevents him from feeding. They are not a danger to us. And Angel staked the vampire that bit me, so really, there is nothing to worry about."

Xander was less than wholly convinced by this, and still had a number of questions, but he could see that his sister was still quite weak, and the exertion of persuading him to listen had exhausted her. Kissing her cheek, he promised not to try staking his hosts until he had spoken further with her. This did not, however, prevent him from checking for his stake before making his way downstairs to join them.

As he entered the room, everyone rose. He noticed the presence of Mr William, but his present shock prevented this from making him as uncomfortable as it would at any other time. Darla made her way over to him and began assuring him of their heartfelt regrets about the incident. She ushered him to a chair with the others, offering him refreshment and reassuring him that the employee in question had been severely dealt with. Everyone else offered their condolences, including Mr William, who then retreated to the other side of the room. Xander, still quite bewildered by the turn of events, managed to fumble his way through the appropriate responses to everybody's words, and then began to ask about the possibility of a carriage to take Cordelia home.

At this, all those in the room, except Mr William, began to protest at this, insisting that the lady was not well enough to be moved. Sensing Xander's discomfort at leaving her alone with them after the evening's events, Mr Angel assured him that he was welcome to stay as long as Cordelia was unwell. The invitation seemed to be disappointing to many of those present. Darla and Drusilla looked most displeased, despite their earlier civility, and Mr William continued to look as though there was little that could in fact please him at that moment in time. Mr McDonald continued to be preoccupied with his book, as though the matter did not concern him. Only Mr Angel seemed to view the prospect of guests with any pleasure.

Although still wholly uncomfortable with spending any more time among vampires, even those who claimed not to harm humans, Xander knew that his sister was not well enough to be moved, and so reluctantly accepted. A human servant was dispatched to the Giles' home to inform them of an extensively edited version of events and to bring back clothes for the two guests. Xander remained seated, gratefully receiving the refreshments provided and trying not to think of the agitation that the thought of spending any amount of time with these people, most particularly the blond vampire in the corner, inspired in him.

~*~Chapter 10~*~

Xander spent the main part of the next day attending to his sister, joining the rest of the household briefly at lunchtime, and returning straight away to Cordelia's room to await the arrival of the doctor. The moment he took his leave, Drusilla, still perturbed by her friend's admiration of him a few days earlier, took the opportunity to list all the faults she saw in him, hoping to gain Mr William's agreement of her views.

"The boy is so dull, seeping niceness from every pore. And I do believe he is quite stupid. He knew nothing of half the books we spoke of, and he was quite sharp with us. I think he is quite appalled by our nature. He is not so accepting of vampires as his pretty sister." Mrs McDonald was quick to agree

"Dru, sweetie, you are quite right. I think he would have staked us as soon as looked at us if his sister had not asked him otherwise. Such lack of consideration is rather rude. We have never tried to harm him, although I should like very much to do so."

"Oh yes" responded Drusilla, quite excited by this idea, although realising that Angel would never allow anything of the sort. "Let's make a snack out of the boy. He is good for little else. And did you see the mess he was when he arrived last night. I do believe he ran all the way here. Foolish child. As if he could do anything if one of us really intended to hurt his precious sister."

At this point, Mr Angel chose to intervene. "Now, Drusilla, that is quite enough. There will be no biting. The Giles' are guests in our home, and due the respect that merits. Besides, I believe that Alexander's exertions show only concern for his sister, and that kind of family loyalty is always admirable." This pointed remark was almost enough to silence Drusilla, and she directed her next statement so that only Mr William would be able to hear it.

"I do believe you must agree with me, dear William. Surely you cannot still admire the boy after the state in which he arrived here last night? Rushing to his sister's rescue like a White Knight, galloping on a fine steed, but dressed like a peasant feeding his stock." She smiled at the object of her attentions, her innocent face belying the spite behind her rambling comments. However, the blond vampire was not fooled.

"Not at all, Dru. I think it rather admirable that he has the courage to do that, although, you are right, it was rather foolish. He could easily have been hurt. This is hardly a safe place to be after sunset." Drusilla was unable to respond to this, unaccustomed to hearing him speak in support of those who fought against the darkness, and silence reigned until Darla broke it with her own comments about the family in question.

"I have the utmost regard for Miss Giles. She is very well mannered, and did not seem so hasty to condemn us as her brother, but I must pity her. Her family connections will always work against her. How can she marry well when she has a Slayer as a sister? That girl is often out alone at night, or allows her siblings to accompany her. Few well-bred men, human or demon, would want to associate with such behaviour. And the company they keep." Her voice trailed off, as if she expected everyone to know what she was speaking of.

Drusilla, who had taken great interest in the Slayer and her family after a particularly vivid dream about them, took up the mantle. "Yes, they are friends with the pretty white witch who owns the shop. And closely connected to a Vampire hunter in Los Angeles, a man who does not even have a home of his own. Poor, homeless white hats, fighting the good fight. As if they can ever win." Having said this, she drifted off into a world of her own, humming a tune known only in her own head and wandering around the room aimlessly. The others continued to talk around her.

Angel was hasty to defend the Giles'. "I think they are all good people, whatever their connections. They do what they believe is right, and one must always admire that."

At this, his friend, who had chiefly avoided the conversation, spoke up. "Yes, but it is scarcely likely to lead to a happy life. Slayers die young, and those who help them without the necessary strength are likely to fall much sooner." Speaking with the authority of one who had killed two
slayers, he brought this aspect of the conversation to a close, although Darla continued to regale them with criticisms of Xander's breeding and behaviour, as well as those of the rest of his family.

Having talked through their distaste for the guest, the two ladies felt quite prepared to go and check on his sister, making all the appropriate noises of concern, their good nature sufficiently restored by their conversation to allow them to insist that Xander must join them in the drawing room after dinner, while Cordelia slept. Unable to refuse politely, he reluctantly accepted the invitation, and when certain that Cordelia was settled, headed towards the room where the group was gathered.

To his relief, it did not appear that he would be expected to make conversation. All four vampires, along with Mr McDonald, were in the room, but all were apparently engrossed in their own activities. His host, who had earlier insisted that he call him simply Angel, was seated at a large table, poring over a book that Xander was certain he had seen a copy of in his father's collection of supernatural related tomes. The other four in drawing room were all gathered around a small card table, seemingly absorbed in their game, although Drusilla seemed content to talk to the cards in her hand, rather than focussing on the game the others were enjoying.

Xander slipped quietly into a chair, picking up a book from the table where Angel was working and flicking through the pages. He had little interest in reading it, getting his fill of demon lore from the research Mr Giles often insisted he help with, but it might serve well as a shield against being forced to talk to these people. These vampires, he mentally corrected, marvelling at the fact that that knowledge did not make him any more uncomfortable about being in a room with them than he had been previously.

Unfortunately, Xander's peace was short-lived. Drusilla appeared to have little patience for cards, or indeed anything else, and looking for something new with which to entertain herself, noticed their guest, and the book he was feigning

Notes:

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