"There is nothing but you."
Buffy and I were side by side, I was in my black halter top and team Klaus yoga pants leaning over a short pedestal as our eyes closed. I could feel Giles walking around us, and quiet...meditative music.
"You are center. and within you, there is a core of your being...of what you are, find it...breathe into it...focus inward. Let the world falls...fall away...fall away."
Both pedestals were about two feet high and four inches, there was a table with filled with crystals. A large flat crystal with three smaller crystals standing on end atop it.
I opened my eyes, leaning forward and pulled myself into a graceful handstand, balancing my hands on the pedestal. Next to me I could sense Buffy copying my movements. I removed one hand from the stand until I was balancing on one hand. Giles continued walking around us nothing but the music playing.
While I'm not one for this kind of music I had to admit I felt relaxed and very peaceful. I felt my power.
Suddenly Buffy and I both lost our concentration my eyes opened and fell to the floor. I growled in pain. Giles started towards us to see if we were harmed. I gave him a reassurance smile before looking at Buffy.
We looked in a different direction finding my brother Nikolai and Buffy's sister Dawn. Nick stared at Dawn in shock.
"Can we go now?" Dawn asked looking annoyed.
Buffy and I shared a look, sighing, Buffy glared at Dawn.
--------
Later that morning I was scrounging in the fridge, I found a plastic container that was sent to us from Kassie. She was preparing for her baby.
Anyway, I lifted the lid and sniffed the blood smiling in content, putting it on the counter and headed to grab a glass. Mom poured a little into her coffee cup while Nick entered opening the fridge, to grab a bag of jerky strips.
I gave a smile, filling our mugs with our breakfast and then put the rest of it back in the fridge while Nick heated it up in the microwave.
Before long the three of us were sitting at the table enjoying our warmed goodness and just enjoying each other's company.
"So Vi, what are your plans today?" Mom asked.
"Buffy, Giles and I were gonna go to the magic shop for supplies for our training sessions." I told her taking a sip.
"That sounds great."
"Yeah, I guess" I said glancing up at her. "Did you need me to do something?"
"Well, you could take Nick shopping for back-to-school supplies" Mom said causing Nick and I to glance at each other.
" I thought you were taking me?" Nick asked
"I know sweetheart, but I have a lot of work to catch up on at the hospital." Mom told us. "I'm sure Mr. Giles doesn't mind dropping you two off at the Mall."
I looked between her and Nick.
"Okay Mama." I told her sighing. "I'll take him after we're done."
I gave Nick a look.
"No worries, Mama" Nick told her, he wrapped his arm around mine. "I like hanging with Vi."
Mom gave both of us that motherly smile when her kids get along. Most kids, siblings would hate spending time together and believe me we have our moments, but Nick and I are as close as we can be.
"Okay well Giles and Buffy will be here to pick us up soon." I said standing up to wash my cup out. "We should get ready."
Nick nodded, copying my actions and headed upstairs to his room.
--------
A few moments later, Nick and I were strapped into Giles red convertible along with Giles and Buffy.
"Well, I sympathize with you, Buffy, I truly do. But I'm certain that Riley understands better than anyone else the importance of training. You can't allow personal concerns to distract you from" Giles said, Nick reached between them to change the radio station. "Nikolai! will you stop fiddling with the radio and sit down?"
Nick sat back looking exasperated, I gave him a small smile.
"We're almost there." I told him.
He gave me a small nod sighing to himself, turning to stare out the window.
I turned back to the front, glancing over Buffy's shoulder at a piece of paper she had.
"There's a lot of books on this this list" I muttered.
"No kidding..." Buffy added. "Any of them on tape? You know read by George Clooney or someone cute like that?"
"You are entering a new realm here girls, one for which I myself am not entirely prepared. Are you ready for this commitment?"
"She's just kidding Giles." I told him calmly. "We're fully ready for whatever comes."
"Color me committed." Buffy said.
The car engine raced as Giles tried to shift.
"Blast!"
"You put it in neutral again?" I asked.
"I'm just not used to this automatic transmission... I-I loathe this sitting here, not contributing."
"This is why we run everywhere." Nick commented making me nod in agreement.
"No- i-it's not working out." Giles said.
"Giles are you breaking up with your car?" I asked jokingly.
"Well, it did seduce me, all red and sporty!" Giles exclaimed.
"Little two-door tramp." Buffy said joining in.
Giles gave us a sour look.
"I-I-I don't know, I just - I was so at loose ends, I-I found myself searching for ... some way of feeling more..."
"Shallow?" Buffy asked.
"Perhaps, as I am to act as your Watcher again, a modicum of respect might be in order."
"Do I have to?" Buffy asked.
"I'm serious Buffy" Giles told her. "There's going to far less time for the sort of flighty frivolous-"
"Hey" Nick said interrupting and pointed out the window. "There's Willow and Tara!"
"Ooh they haven't seen my new car." Giles said pulling over, Buffy and I shared a look rolling our eyes.
Willow and Tara were coming out of the Coffee shop.
"Hey Giles, sharp wheels!" Willow exclaimed.
"The rest of the car's nice too." Tara added.
We climbed out of the car; I was kind of happy to be able to stretch my long legs. I sometimes hated being tall, blame it on the Viking genes.
"Handles like a dream."
"Where are you guys headed?" I asked.
"Magic shop." Will said. "I have some charms on back order."
"Willow, hi." Nick said smiling.
"Hey Nicky!" Willow said giving him a hug. "How's my favorite chess partner? Still leading with your knight?"
Nick shrugged in embarrassment.
"Hey Nick." Tara said quietly.
"Hi" Nick greeted giving her a small hug and a smile.
---
Soon we were all headed down the street towards the shop, Buffy, Willow and I were in front our arms linked together while Giles, Tara and Nick were behind us.
"So, we worked out a whole schedule around school" Buffy said looking at Willow and I. "A block of time everyday just so Tori and I can focus on our new slaying training."
"That's great!" Willow exclaimed making me smile at her excitement. "You're developing a work ethic."
"Oh no," Buffy said joking. "Do they make an ointment for that?"
"People gotta respect a solid work ethic." Willow told us. "Look at you two. Motivated, Egar to soak up learning, oh we're gonna have so much fun this semester."
I stopped walking and turned to them biting my lip nervously.
"Yeah..." I muttered slowly. "That reminds me. With the whole new schedule, vampire chores Calum has piled on me, school exams and everything else...I kinda had to drop a class...actually I had to drop like three."
"Me too." Buffy told her regretfully.
"That's understandable." Willow told us. "Your slayer studies are way more important."
"Soo....we won't be taking drama with you." Buffy said frowning.
"What? you have to...You both promised!" Willow said giving us a look.
"Well, we know but Giles" I said gesturing behind us to Giles, he was looking in the other direction.
"The hell with Giles!" Willow said making me look at her.
"I can hear you, Willow."
"Drama is just Tuesday and Thursday afternoons?" Willow said. "You can blow off your schedules on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, can't you?"
"What happened to 'people gotta respect a work ethic?" I asked.
"Other people, not me!" Willow told us. "There's a whole best friends' loophole."
"Shop's kinda dark." Tara said from behind us. "Maybe it's closed."
"That's odd" Giles said.
We all shared a bemused expression and walked towards the shop.
I reached the door first, and opened it up walking in. It was dark and the furniture was all turned over like there had been a fight. A huge smell of something smelt rotten blew through my nose making me almost gag.
"Well, I think odd just got upped to bad." Buffy said.
"Mr. Bogarty?"
Everyone turned to look at Tara, but I remained walking around sniffing the smell out. Ignoring the others.
"What is that?" Nick asked sniffing the air, earning a look as he came to my side, he could smell it too.
"Blood." I told him. "There's something dead here, when a person dies for more than 24 hours it starts to smell, but judging from this much stench, I'd say it's been dead for more than that."
"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.
I nodded, looking around.
"I can't see anything or anybody." I added.
"Well, maybe this happened really late at night when nobody was-" Willow said advancing farther into the store when I heard her trip over something.
Buffy and I shared a look.
"Will?"
"I'm fine...I-I just tripped over..." Willow trailed off. "Mr. Bogarty."
I went to her side, to see a body, laying face up.
"What is it, is he okay?" Nick asked.
I saw Nick take a step closer and jumped in front of him.
"It's nothing you need to see, Nicky go wait outside." I told him.
"But sis-"
I cut him off by dragging him outside.
"Look don't fight me on this." I told him sternly. "Just wait here please?"
I walked back inside, seeing Giles looking over the body. I joined them kneeling down to check the vampire bites.
-----
(Nick's POV)
I stared at the outer door feeling down casted. I know Vi doesn't want me to see bodies or human blood not fully knowing why I just know that when my sister says something it's better to listen, but it made me mad that she treats me as a child.... I'm a Dhampir too. I've been around blood... okay animal blood or blood that has already been bottled but still.
Anyway, I sighed walking out the outer door and looked around, I walked down further and sat on the ground, pulling out my bag of jerky.
"Nick?"
I looked up seeing Tara.
"Nick? You, okay?" She asked sitting down beside me.
"That guy's really dead in there huh?"
"Yeah." She muttered sighing. "They gonna be a little longer, doing the detective thing. Best that we stay out of the way."
I nodded.
We sat in silence for a few moments.
"Do you wanna thumb-wrestle?" She asked smirking.
I nodded again.
We locked hands together.
------
(Tori's POV)
"Judging by the bite-fest, I'd say it was more than one vampire." Buffy said.
"I make it four at least." I said reaching my hand over and closed the man's eyes, before standing up. "Looks like someone's put together a new fang club."
We walked over to the counter; Willow was behind it looking through a book.
"Well, I've cross checked the inventory list and things are definitely missing." Willow said putting the book down. "Mostly books. Including A Treatise on the Mythology and Methodology of the Vampire Slayer."
Buffy pulled the list from her pocket.
"Oh shoot." She said snarky. "Was that the only copy?"
"Come on Buffy." I told her sternly. "This could be very serious. Whoever's leading this pack of vampires could be interested in learning more about us, it could be bad."
"Victoria is right." Giles said. "Perhaps searching for weaknesses or...good lord."
"What?" Buffy and I said in sync alarmed.
"Well, I had no idea the profit margins on a shop like this were so high." Giles said.
Willow, Buffy and I shared a look.
"Look at this! Uh, low overhead, out-of-state orders, international - it's no wonder there's never any trouble attracting new owners. A place like this is a virtual-"
"Deathtrap?"
"What? Well, uh, yes, there is that. But, uh, still..." Giles said putting a book down and looked around. "Location, pedestrian traffic..."
"So, what's the next step?"
"Tori, Buffy you should begin looking for their lair straight away." Giles said.
"Okay Tori and I will patrol" Buffy told me.
"Wait" I told her. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Buffy gave me a questioning look as Giles walked off.
"Nick" I told them.
"Forget Nick!" Buffy exclaimed. "We have slayer duty."
"I'll have to drop him off at the house." I muttered. "Good thing my mom is understanding."
"Mine would have just killed me." Buffy added.
"I bet the death rate keeps the rent down." Giles said I raised an eyebrow turning to him. "Oh hello...something's been taken from this case, look here."
He walked over to a case where glass had been knocked out.
"what'd they take?" I asked.
Willow looked in the inventory book.
"I should think an item of, of value, or-or power, possibly even a-"
"A unicorn." Willow said cutting Giles off. "10- inch ceramic unicorn imported from Thailand."
"Was it valuable?" Buffy asked.
"$12.95" Willow told us.
"Which begs the question" Giles said. "What kind of an unholy creature fancies cheap tasteless statuary?"
I rolled my eyes.
----------------------
When we got home, Nick and I told Mom what had happened, so we changed our plans. She wasn't to happy about some of the events, but we made changes Mom still went to work, and Nick hung out at the house with Buffy's sister Dawn, Xander and Anya.
We try to keep Nick from seeing things yes he is a Dhampir and he was brought up the same as we were but protective sister here. I would rather keep him as innocent as I can. Hunting and seeing a human dead is different subjects.
Buffy and I went patrolling which ended with nothing happening so we headed back to my house.
"Harmony?" I asked smirking a little. "Has minions?"
Buffy was laughing more hysterically than I was.
"Yeah that was pretty much my reaction." Xander said.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Buffy said clearing her throat. "It's just."
She started laughing again.
"Harmony has minions."
"And Ruffles have ridges." Xander said glancing at me. "Uh Tor there's actually a more serious side to all this."
"I sure hope so'" I told him smiling in amusement. "What it is?"
"Well, she did come here to kill you."
I gave a small snort as Buffy burst out in laughter.
"Tori come on they have killed once that we know off. She could be a threat." Buffy told me through giggles.
"Especially now that she can enter your house anytime she wants." Anya deadpanned.
My eyes narrowed as my face went blank.
"What?"
"Yeah uh." Xander said nervously. "She....Harmony kind of happened to get an invite."
"I've told you guys before, you can't invite vampires into other people's houses." I told them. "I mean only someone who lives here can-" I stopped talking, staring at Xander who nodded. "Where is he?"
"In his room." Anya told me. "Look, I think he's still pretty freaked out."
"Nikolai Godric Northman!" I yelled loudly turning to walk out.
"Tori it was an accident." Xander said stopping me. "He didn't mean it."
"Well that makes it okay then doesn't it?" I asked calmly and headed upstairs.
----
I entered Nick's room with a warmed up true blood, and a necklace type amulet and sat on his bed. He sat up looking at me.
"Okay so I called Willow." I told him handing him the bottle. "She'll come over soon to do a return engagement of her un-invitation spell luckily she still has the stuff from last week." I handed him the amulet. "You'll have to put this on so the spell won't effect us and then we'll have to re-invite aunt Pam and the others."
"I'm sorry she seemed normal to me." He told me regretfully. "She smelled human."
"I'm sure she did, Harmony likes to drown herself in perfumes which is why her scent is different." I said quietly. "But what is the number one rule in this house?"
"Do not invite unknown vampires in until you or Mama check them out." Nick said sighing.
"Look everyone slips, even us. You're still learning" I told him. " But the rules are there for a reason you know better than to disobey them."
"It's not fair, you learned to fight and do all this vampire stuff when you were my age.. why do you keep shielding me from it. I'm not a child, I can hunt and fight and do everything you can. I'm ready!"
"What would have happened if Xander had gotten hurt or killed by your actions?!." I asked him loudly. "Or Anya or Dawn? As stupid as Harmony is you should never underestimate a vampire especially not when my best friend, our friends are in the middle... You say you're ready but what you did tonight proves you're not... I'm very disappointed in you."
He looked at me frowning deeper and looked down, looking like a wounded puppy. I sighed remembering this was my little brother.
"I want you to sit here and think about what you did." I told him firmly. "We will talk about your punishment later."
I stood walking out and headed into my room where the gang were waiting. They were all staring at me overhearing our conversation.
"Is he doing okay?" Buffy asked.
"He'll be fine." I told her making her nod.
----
A few minutes later I heard screaming from downstairs and growls so I sped downstairs to see Dawn hiding behind the counter and Anya laying unconscious.
The others came down the stairs behind me.
"Anya!"
Xander and Riley kneeled down to lift Anya up while Buffy checked on her sister, I looked out the door.
"Oh vampires took..,"
"This head wound looks bad." Xander said looking Anya over. "We need to get your mom Tor."
"They took him." Anya muttered painfully.
Xander shushed her.
"Nick."
"Nick?" I repeated, whipping my head around to look at her. "What about Nick?"
"I went outside." Dawn said admitting. "He followed and they overpowered him...vampires.. I'm sorry I-I didn't mean it."
"We'll talk about this later." Buffy told her sternly.
"Oh god" I muttered quietly feeling worried about my brother, I handed the phone to Buffy. "My mom's on duty tonight, call her and she'll take care of Anya."
Buffy nodded and I turned running out.
-----------
With my fangs barred, anger and fear building I sped into Spike's crypt, slamming the door open with one kick.
"Well speaking of dishes...to what do I owe this unpleasant." Spike started to say but I slammed my fist into his face. " OW! Bloody hell!"
"I don't have time for this banter." I told him hissing, grabbing him by the shirt. "Where's Harmony's lair?"
"Haven't seen her in months, how should I know."
I punched him in the face again.
"Where is she?"
"At least lay off the nose." Spike told me. I gave him a low growl, pulling my fist back. "Okay! Okay! Used to have a cave in the north woods. About forty meters past the overpass construction site."
Giving him a last look, I punched him in the nose again and let him go, turning to leave.
"OW! I was telling you the truth!"
"I know." I told him calmly and sped back out.
-------------------
Running into the lair with only my daggers.
Harmony was behind held by a vampire while others were crowding around my brother.
I watched as a vampire walked towards Nick, who had his fangs barred and his hands wrapped in normal rope. Typical Harmony.
"Touch me and my sister's gonna kill you." He told them hissing.
The vampire smirked and reached out a finger, poking him in the shoulder and laughed. My eyes narrowed, I threw one of my daggers, it shot through his back. He stopped laughing and turned to dust. The vampire let go of Harmony, they all turned and I gave an innocent smile.
"Can't say he didn't warn him." I told them smirking.
"And you didn't like the plan" Harmony whispered to a vampire.
"Nikolai come." I told him.
Within a second he had broken free, speeding to my side. Harmony looked a bit spooked.
"So Slayer, at last we meet." Harmony said.
"We've met Harmony." I told her rolling my eyes. "stupidest half wit I ever met.."
"I'm the halfwit?" She repeated. "Um, excuse me but look who's falling into my-"
A vampire came at me with an axe, I ducked and staked him. As he turned to dust, I grabbed the axe. Another came I chopped his head off.
"Trap."
"Harmony when you tried out to be head cheerleader you were bad." I told her mockingly. "When you tried to chair the homecoming committee you were really bad...but when you try to be bad...you suck. You even make vampires look bad."
Just then I noticed movement behind us and turned seeing a vampire creeping up to my brother.
"Nicky!"
Things seemed to slow down, Nick turned and swung a dagger but the vampire knocked it from his grasp knocking him down.
"Ooh good shot Mort, I think you got him on the-"
The vampire Mort glared at Harmony, she laughed nervously and ran away.
Mort swung at Nick, he managed to get a punch, and then punched him again. He grabbed a large stick and hit him with it. Mort punched Nick, he ducked a few punches before returning with his own.
I crossed my arms, watching this fight happen. I was impressed, maybe he was ready.
Nick kicked Mort a few times, he hit him a few times and he went down. He then picked Nick up and threw him. He jumped to his feet but Mort grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground.
He reached for something anything his hand could find and stabbed the bald vamp through the heart with it. I looked at what he had grabbed and found a unicorn statue.
I scowled at the stupid little unicorn and rolled my eyes. Turning to Nick with a stern expression. He looked at me smiling sheepishly.
"You are soo in trouble when we get home." I told him. "breaking the rules, running out of the house the middle of the night, getting Anya hurt...not to mention invited an unknown vampire into the house....oh and getting kidnapped..."
His eyes looked down in disappointment.
"Are you gonna tell Mom?" He asked quietly.
"I should" I said crossing my arms, I sighed. "We know your not a kid anymore and I know what it's like being what we are and growing up in this world. You're still trying to find your own way but there's a reason Mom and I don't want you doing things like seeing bodies....but I will say that I was impressed with how you protected Dawn and how you took down the vampire."
He looked at me.
"We will start your vampire lessons." I told him earning a surprised look. "Your going to need to be stronger and faster if your going to protect yourself and others."
He nodded making me chuckle and swung an arm over his shoulder as we walked out.
"And you are the one who's telling mom."
------
By the time Nick and I got back home, I was exhausted, we walked into the house and into the kitchen I was in need of something to drink.
Nick sat at the counter, while I opened the fridge pulling out two tru bloods and heated them up. Mom came walking in, looking just as tired.
"You got in late" Mom told us. "Everything go okay?"
Nick and I glanced at each other, I gave Nick a look.
"Well....yeah sis and I got the vamps." Nick told her making mom look at him, before she turned to me.
"His first fight and he won" I told her proudly.
"Well that's good." She said smiling at us both.
Most mother's would be boiling mad but our mommy was always proud.
"After that we watched some TV and Vi said she'll start teaching me." Nick added. I gave him a look which made him clear his throat. "After I'm un-grounded."
I smiled at him.
We sat there talking, drinking our meal and just being around each other.
-----
The next day we were at the magic shop, Nick was sitting with Dawn who was writing in her diary.
"Giles are you sure about this?" Buffy asked, we stood at the counter leaning against it.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Giles asked.
"Well aside from the fact that most magic shop owners in Sunnydale have the life of a expectancy of a Spinal Tap Drummer..." I muttered earning a look, I smiled sheepishly. "And have you ever run a store before?"
"I was a librarian for years Tori." He told me as a matter of fact. "This is exactly the same, except people pay for the thing they don't return." He came out from behind the counter. "It'll give me focus, Increase my resources and it'll prevent you lot from trampling all over my flat at all hours."
We walked towards the back.
"There may even be some space for you to train in the back."
"Boy you really thought this through...how bored were you last year?" Buffy asked.
"I watched Passions with Spike and Tori." Giles said staring at me "Let us never speak of it."
"It wasn't that bad." I told him snickering, Buffy turned back peaking out at our younger siblings.
"Don't. Break. Anything."
"You know you should add a blood counter" I told him ignoring the million other times Buffy went back and forth.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Another chapter done!
Notes:
-Tori and Nick are Dhampir's (Half human-half vampire) sometimes they call themselves vampires other times they will use the correct term.
-Nick and Dawn are friends, and have slight crushes on each other and can be seen hanging out together.
-Nick is fourteen, and has a fourteen year old boy personality just like any other normal teen.
-Nick is more sensitive than Victoria.
-He is learning to be a better vampire or Dhampir.
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