3

Three nights later, I entered the After/Dark Nightclub, about a half-hour after sunset, carrying a six pack of bottled pigs' blood in a brown paper shopping bag. There were only a handful of customers, all seated at the bar.

David Silver was setting things up in the D/J booth. He looked at me angrily. I figured that was because I'd been away for three days, and been unable to send any messages to anybody. I waved at him. He shook his head and returned to work.

At that hour, only one waitress was on duty. She looked at me uneasily, and greeted me without smiling. "Good evening Miss Malone."

I figured she was angry with me too, for the same reason as David.

"Hi Yolanda." I said, thinking that the sexy Mexican Girl's neck was very appetizing, and I'd have just loved to try out my new fangs on her; but I had no trouble restraining myself.

I've got my bloodlust under control, I thought. Nobody I know has to find out I'm a vampire.

I went into my office in the back, and shut the door. I put the pint bottles of blood in a knee-high fridge that I keep in one corner. Then I locked the fridge. Harmony had got the six-pack for me. She said it was pigs' blood. I decided to take her word on that. She also said that if I warmed up one pint a week, in my office's microwave, I could survive on that. I hoped so.

On the other hand, Yolanda did have a very appetizing neck. Come to think of it, so did my D.J. David, along with a few of his closest friends, including David’s girlfriend Donna Martin, along with Brandon Walsh, and most especially Brandon Walsh’s fiancée, who was also David’s step-sister, Miss Kelly Taylor.

I sat behind my desk and thought, Kelly Taylor? Hmmm? Ahhh!

No! Forget it! I'd just spent the last three days, learning how to handle the urge to kill people and drink their blood. I'd also learned when and where to go hunting. Harmony had told me of certain places in Mexico, where vampires can go to safely satisfy their bloodlust; so while Yolanda's neck would be safe from my fangs, I'd still have a good number of Mexican necks to choose from.

What I didn't have, was any idea of how to get Dylan McKay to pay protection money to Wolfram and Hart

I also had no idea of where Dylan McKay was. The last time that any of us had heard about him was six months earlier. Brandon Walsh had received a letter from his sister Brenda. She'd said that Dylan, the true love of her life, was with her in London. He'd stayed with her about two months. After that none of us had heard anything from or about him.

I'd told Harmony about him. She and I had been seated in the Wolfram and Hart Cafeteria, having a lunch of warmed up blood, in porcelain mugs. She'd said we were drinking "The good stuff."

That was when I'd told her, "Dylan's spent an average of two months with every girlfriend he's ever had. Before he was with Brandon’s sister, he spent two months dating her best friend, a bitch named Kelly Taylor, who is now dating Brandon."

Harmony laughed and shook her head. "I don't believe it. Haven't any of you ever heard of 'Stand by your man'?"

I told her, "That's how it usually is, among me and my Sunset Strip friends. It's hard to keep track of who's fucking who. Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay and all the others all seem to have an endless number of partners, who they ditch after two months or so; like it's some kind of game."

Harmony the vampire said, "That's a very cruel game. When I kill someone I'm quick, so my victims don't suffer for long. Don't you have any friends who aren't crueler than me?"

"Oh yes. David’s girlfriend Donna Martin is a very nice girl. She doesn't want to play games; but she's always ending up with those same kind of Sunset Strip type guys, who aren't capable of any long lasting relationship.

"You know what I'm thinking Harmony? I'm thinking that if I ever do become a practicing vampire, I can benefit the entire community, by killing them off. If I did, Donna's the only one I wouldn't bite. No. She's the one who I'd kill first, and then bring her back as a ‘Very nice girl’ vampire.

“Then she and I can take turns at killing Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay, along with the rest; and not bring any of them back. All of L.A. would be better off."

Harmony said, "Forget that! Here in L.A. a novice like you shouldn't bite anyone, until you know who the people you should watch out for are."

I'd said, "Then tell me who they are."

She'd said, "The Police obviously. There are also some street gangs that hunt vampires, and mostly there's the Angel Investigations Agency."

She'd told me that, while I was still at Wolfram and Hart Headquarters.

Now back at the After/Dark Nightclub, there was a knock on my office door.

I called out, "Come on in!"

David Silver entered the office. He looked angry, and he was also very distressed.

He spoke sharply. "Where the hell've you been Val?"

I said, "Nice to see you too David."

He shouted, "Where were you?"

I told him, "I became a Vampire on Tuesday night; and I've just spent the last three days, learning to control my bloodlust; so I won't kill you, for talking to me like that!"

"Why are you joking about it Valerie? That's really sick!"

I asked, "What's the matter?"

"Oh. You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"It's Kelly. She's dead."

"Kelly?"

"They found her body this morning, in the backseat of her car, right outside in the parking lot. My step-sister, Kelly Taylor, was killed last night, by a vampire."

Talk about mixed emotions.

I made sure that my fangs were very firmly retracted.

Then I said, "Oh David! That's awful! A vampire? I apologize for the joke. I swear I didn't know."

"The police said they found a pair of deep bite marks in her neck, and she was drained of blood. They want to talk to you Val."

"Me? Why? I’ve been away."

"Just routine questioning. Just in case you've seen anyone around here who's been acting suspicious. They told me that known vampires have been seen hanging out here. You know Spike, that guy in the leather jacket, and his girlfriend Harmony?"

I said, "They're Vampires?" Then I asked, "How do they know that? Who identified them?"

"An employee of a security agency; Angel Investigations. One of their people was here today. He said they know how to deal with vampires. He also said that in case we'd like their help, you should contact them. He left their card."

David reached in his shirt pocket, took out a business card and handed it to me. The card had a picture of a hand firmly gripping a sharp wooden stake, beside the name “Angel Investigations”, along with the Agency’s address and phone number.

I said, "'In case we need help'? Now he tells us? They knew that vampires were in here, but they didn't say anything, 'til after Kelly was dead? If they want us to hire them forget it. I'm sure I can get help from another Agency that's actually competent."

I picked up a telephone book on my desk, and leafed through it until I came to Security Agencies. There must have been hundreds listed.

I slapped the book shut.

I said, "I don't know what I'm looking for David."

He told me, "They asked me to call as soon as you came in. Like it or not, someone from the Angel Investigations Agency is on his way here right now, so he can talk to you."

David went out the door, leaving me seated alone at my office desk. He came back immediately.

"Spike and Harmony are here." He said, "Do you want to call the police?"

I told him, "No. Let me see if I can talk to them first. I don't want police cars outside two nights in a row. It'll be bad for business."

I got up from behind my desk, walked past David, went through the doorway and out into the Club.

It was still early. The customers were few. Yolanda stood beside the bar, speaking softly in Spanish to Jorge the bartender. They were nervously watching Spike and Harmony, who were seated in a booth. Both vampires had martinis in front of them.

I came over to the booth.

I spoke softly. "You two shouldn't be here."

Spike said, "Good evening to you too Valerie."

"Listen." I told them, "Do you remember, I told you about Kelly Taylor?"

Harmony said, "Yeah. 'The big blonde bitch'."

I made a hushing sound.

"Don't say that." I told Harmony. "She was killed last night. Right outside in the parking lot; by a vampire.”

Harmony smiled. She whispered. "Well hooray for you girl. Your very first kill."

"No. Don't say that. Someone from the Angel Investigations Agency identified both of you to the police. They could be on their way here right now."

Spike said, "Someone from the Angel Investigations Agency is here ahead of them."

He looked toward the bar and said, "Cordelia."

Harmony also said, "Cordelia." in unison with him.

A black haired woman around my age was seated at the bar, dressed in a stylish white business outfit. She had a matching handbag set down beside her glass of red wine. She'd been in the Club a few times before, escorted by a stylishly dressed gentleman. Tonight she was alone.

When Spike and Harmony spoke the name; the woman turned and looked in our direction. Then she got up off the stool and came over to us. As she approached us, she reached inside her zipped open handbag, and kept her hand there.

Spike and Harmony both got tense. I hoped they wouldn't display their fangs.

The woman came up to the table.

Harmony said, "Hi Cordelia. How're things going with you and the Angel Investigations Agency?"

She said, "Good evening Harmony, Spike, and hello...I don't know your name."

"I'm Valerie Malone." I told her, "I'm the manager here, and I don't want any trouble."

"Nobody ever does," said Cordelia, "but you had plenty last night. A Miss Kelly Taylor was killed by a vampire, who was probably one of you three."

"Us three?" I said, "I'm not a vampire."

"I come from Sunnydale Miss Malone, just like Harmony; who was a friend of mine when she was alive. I am also a friend of the Vampire Slayer herself. When I attended Sunnydale High…”

Harmony spoke, “You were known as the skankiest ho in the senior class.”

Cordelia said, “As I was saying, when I attended Sunnydale High, I was part of the Vampire Slayer's team; so I know a vampire when I see one."

Spike said, "Well you're not seeing the killer of Kelly Taylor sitting here. All of us've only been drinking pigs’ blood."

Harmony said, "That's all I've had. How about you Val?"

I looked Cordelia straight in the eye and said, "I didn't kill Kelly Taylor."

She asked me, "Did you vamp her?"

"I said I didn't!"

"If she was vamped," Cordelia said, "then when she comes back undead, she'll be able to tell us who her killer was."

I told her, "I said I don't want trouble Cordelia. Now I'm asking you to leave."

"Very well Miss Malone. I'll be leaving now; but like the former Governor of our great State has said, 'Ahl be bahk', and I won't be alone."

I told her, "Neither will we. Hasta la vista, behbeh."

“And by the way Harmony.” The woman told her former classmate, “I was never the ‘Skankiest’ ho in Sunnydale High,” she smirked, “but I was the best.”

Cordelia turned around and went out the door.

Now Spike said, "Did you vamp her Valerie? Will she be able to I.D you?"

"No." I repeated, "I didn't kill Kelly Taylor."

He asked, "Do you have any idea who did?"

"Wasn't it either of you?"

Harmony asked, "Why would we? I know you couldn't stand her, but what motive would we have?"

I said, "I told you that Kelly Taylor was the other great love of Dylan McKay's life. By killing her, you've made certain that he'll return to L.A."

"Good idea." She said, "I wish I'd thought of that. You're gonna make one really good vampire Val."

The door opened, and Steve Sanders, another friend of David entered. He was around my age. Tonight he looked grim. He came over to me.

"Hi Valerie." He said, "It really sucks about Kelly, doesn't it?"

I heard Harmony snicker.

"Hi Steve." I said, "Don't say 'suck'. David might think it's a vampire joke, and he's in an irrational rage."

Steve said, "Who isn't?"

I asked, "Has anyone heard from Dylan McKay?"

"Yeah. Brandon Walsh got an E-mail from Brenda this morning. She said that she and Dylan would be taking the next flight. We'll probably see them both in the morning."

I said, "So they're together again?"

"I don't know. All I know is what I told you. That's what Brandon told me."

Steve went over to the Bar, where he joined David, who was speaking with Jorge and Yolanda. They all turned and looked at me, Spike and Harmony.

Spike said, "Val's right Harmony. Time for us to split."

My two new vampire friends got up and went out the door fast.

David and Steve hurried over to me.

David said, "What'd you do? You let them go?"

I said, "What do you mean, 'Let them go'? What was I supposed to do? Arrest them? I'm not a cop. I told them I don't want any more trouble here. They said they didn't either; and now there won't be."