Chapter 3
Dawn’s Holy Grail.
Dusk stood at the Summers’ front door. After rapping, it opened revealing a contrite young woman.
“Hi Dusk,” Dawn smiled shyly and straightened out the dress she was wearing. A dress she had changed into the instant she heard the Dusk was coming over. Dusk smiled warmly at her.
“Hey petite, how are you?” Inwardly, Dusk was confused. There was this…feeling he had around Dawn. Not like with Willow, certainly not even remotely sexual. But there was...something there. Dawn smiled at him.
“I’m good, I’m really good, I’m very…of the good,” she blushed and bit her lower lip humiliated that she was rambling. “How are you?’ she asked hurriedly. Dusk smiled wryly.
“Cold. Are you going to let me in?” The autumn chill in Southern California had been unusually bitter for the area. Dawn turned a little redder.
“Oh God, I’m sorry. Please com-come on in,” she held the door open for him as he stepped into the house. His back was to her as she sent a suffering look skyward, before looking back at him and smiling as he turned around.
“So what’s on the itinerary for the evening?” Dusk asked pleasantly.
“Oh we can do anything you want to, I mean if there is anything you want to because I want to do anything you want to do I’m going to be quiet now,” Dawn shut her mouth with an audible clack and blushed. Dusk just smiled and on impulse, stroked her hair affectionately. Dawn closed her eyes blissfully as a feeling of utter warmth, security, and peace filled her. Suddenly Dusk’s brain caught up with him and he quickly jerked his hand back. Dawn's eyes opened and she made a soft sound of protest. An uncomfortable silence pervaded the room.
“Movie?” Dusk asked timidly, pointing to the living room.
“Yeah that’s a good idea, let’s go do that,” Dawn hurried out of the hallway into the living room leaving a fairly confused Dusk to follow sedately.
“Okay,” Dawn called out, peering intently at a shelf of videos, “what do you feel like watching?”
Dusk sat on the couch watching the news, without looking up he answered, “It’s your call, petite, whatever you want is fine with me,” Her face still to the videos, Dawn felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks as she gave THAT notion some thought, before biting her lower lip and turning around with a movie in hand.
“This looks good,” putting the movie into the VCR and hitting play, she turned and headed towards the couch. Dusk cleared a space beside him and Dawn sat tentatively down next to him.
“What are we watching?” Dusk asked.
“ ‘Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail’,” she looked up at him. “Is that all right?” Dusk smiled broadly.
“One of my favorite movies, thank you, petite,” Dawn smiled deeply pleased and settled into the couch to watch it. They laughed as the black knight came onto screen, Dusk mimicking him while they watched, Dawn laughing. At the scene with the virgins of the castle Anthrax, Dusk tried to cover Dawns’ ears.
“You’re way too young for this,” he chided gently. Dawn responded by slugging him with a pillow, with force that would have made her sister proud. They quieted down and continued watching the movie, Dawn, focusing on the film a lot harder than normal. ( What WAS it about this guy? Aside from the fact that he’s tall, dark and gorgeous. Is this how Buffy felt around Angel? ) Dawn had once stolen Buffy’s diary and had read it cover to cover. She had read about her first meeting with Angel and how he had made her feel. Sneaking a quick peek at Dusk, she stared at his dark eyes. They were black with hints of deep green and violet in them, very odd. (And penetrating. VERY penetrating. ) Dusk noticed Dawn staring at him, turned and smiled that little half-smile of his that turned her insides to liquid.
“Everything okay?” he asked politely.
“Huh?” Dawn responded unaware, before her brain caught up with her, she mentally shook herself hard, “Sure. Everything’s fine, you just….” She struggled to come up with something, “…your hair looks weird in this light,” inwards Dawn groaned. ( Your hair looks weird? Nice one doofus. ) Dusk reached up and stroked his dark hair smooth, smiling slightly. He returned his attention to Dawn.
“Better?” he asked, eyebrows arched in amusement. Dawn blushed.
“Yeah much, that looks much better. Not,” Dawn added hurriedly, “that you looked bad before. Exactly.” Dawn sighed and gave up talking and went back to the movie. Dusk smiled and returned his attention to the film as well.
As the film ended, it was near ten o’ clock, Dawn yawned and turned to Dusk,
“So what did you think-“ she stopped as she noticed Dusk, his chin resting lightly on his chest, dozing quietly. Dawn very carefully stood up and shut off the television, and then she stood there a while. ( I could just go to bed, and mom or Buffy could wake him up when they got home. ) Dawn started to turn, then stopped. She couldn’t do it. She just couldn’t pass up this opportunity. Carefully creeping to the couch, she took a black blanket from the top of it and gently sitting next to the slumbering Dusk, she covered them both with it. Curling her legs underneath her, she sighed and very slowly, laid her head on Dusks’ shoulder, and closed her eyes, feeling his body rise and fall with each breath. She inhaled deeply, picking up a trace of something. ( His cologne or maybe his shampoo? ) She inhaled again, comforted by the scent and quietly drifted off.
Dusk opened his eyes a while later, feeling groggy. He tried to lift his arm, but it felt like something was weighing it down. Looking to his side, he discovered the cause. There was Dawn, curled up against his arm, her head resting against his shoulder. Dusk smiled, even as confusion raced through his body. He studied the way her face looked while she slept; the childlike innocence and peace that pervaded her features. The way her eyelids fluttered every now and then. Gently, he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. At his touch, Dawn gave a contented sigh, her lips curling into a lazy blissful smile. Dusk smiled and very gently, picked the slumbering girl up and carried her in his arms up the stairs, to her bedroom. She stirred slightly, before burrowing into his chest, making unintelligible sounds of gratification. Reaching her door, Dusk focused slightly, and a shadow from the wall detached and gently pushed the door open for him. Releasing his control over the shadow, Dusk gently laid the young girl upon the bed, first removing her shoes and socks. She made a sound of protest as he released her from his hold, her face frowned in her sleep and she began to stir.
“Shhhhh,” Dusk whispered, stroking her hair back. Her face eased, she quieted and drifted back to sleep. Then, carefully, he covered her with her blanket. He smiled slightly at the sheets ( Harry Potter. Nice. ) Then focusing on a shadow in the corner of the room, he beckoned. The shadow coalesced; taking on a crude humanoid head, torso and arms, below its waist was nothing more than shadowy darkness. There was no detail at all to the body. It came at his command and speaking quietly he addressed the shade,
“You are to guard this girl and alert me should her sleep become uneasy, until I leave this house. Understood?” The shadow nodded mutely and took residence in the darkness around Dawns’ bed, invisible. Satisfied, Dusk stepped out of the room, taking a long moment to gaze at the sleeping girl, a thousand different emotions playing across his face. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, he quietly closed the door, leaving Dawn to her dreams and her shadowy sentinel.
Buffy opened the front door sometime later whispering, “Shhh, I don’t know if anyone’s awake,” Dusk materialized out of the shadows by the door.
“Someone is,” he stated quietly. Buffy nearly yelped in surprise before whacking in the arm with her purse.
“Don’t DO that. New rule: no shadow-porting in my house, okay?” Dusk smiled slightly and Buffy turned to address Spike, still outside. “Good night,” she smiled and kissed him, once, twice, then on the third kiss, started laughing and pushed him away, closing the door and laying her back against it, her expression blissful.
“Ahem,” Dusk coughed politely. Buffy brought herself back to reality.
“Huh? Oh hi,” she smiled sheepishly. Dusk smiled amused.
“A good date then?” he asked wryly. Buffy swooned and twirled before draping herself against Dusk, staring up at him adoringly.
“I SO owe you, big brother,” smiling she batted her eyes and dotted a quick kiss against his cheek. Dusk smirked and gave her a playful shove away from him,
“Away with you, you lovesick brat,” grinning he shook his head, “Did Spike give you-“ he stopped as Buffy handed him a tape from her jacket. Dusk smiled. “Cool” smiling he investigated the tape. “He used a metal tape, I’m honored,” chuckling he put the tape into his jacket. Quizzically, he looked at Buffy.
“When did he have time to make this?” Buffy grinned naughtily.
“Let’s just say, thank GOD for hands-free one-touch recording,” she continued to smile wickedly. Dusk shook his head.
“Don’t tell.”
“Don’t ask,” she replied smirking, she nodded up the stairs, “Is she asleep?” Dusk followed her gaze,
“Yeah, I left a shade up there to keep an eye on her, just in case,” he shrugged. Buffy gave him a wry look.
“Meet Dusk the overprotective babysitter,” Dusk snorted.
“In Sunnydale, there’s no such thing as ‘overprotective,” he gestured to Buffy, “You, of all people, should know that.” Buffy gave him a strained look.
“Alec, I’m riding a very nice hormonal high, I had a great night, do NOT even begin to attempt to get me all serious or you WILL be hurt. Clear?” Dusk laughed quietly.
“Quite clear. Anyhow the shade will dissipate once I leave so, don’t worry,” Dusk collected his coat, “It’s late and I’m beat. I’m going to see if dad needs any help closing shop,” Dusk checked his watch, “it’s only quarter to eleven, dad doesn’t close up for another fifteen minutes, so I’ll just get there in time.” Buffy smiled and nodded fervently
“Well done, the responsible offspring.” Dusk graced her with a patient look; Buffy smiled and trudged up the stairs.
“Good night, Alec, thanks again,” Dusk listened as she padded to her room and closed the door. Chuckling Dusk opened the door.
“Kids,” he said smirking, he closed the door quietly behind him.
He had made it three blocks when he felt it, a presence, just on the edge of his awareness. Dusk stopped and turned, scanning the gloom of Sunnydale at night. There was nothing he could see, and yet…
“It’s late and I’m bloody knackered. Show yourself,” he issued out into the night. From his left, a rich laughter reached his ears.
“Come now, young man, surely you possess more congenial manners than that,” a voice wrapped in power and sheer confidence, heavily laced with an eastern European accent. Dusk gave it a three-count, before turning.
The vampire was tall, but not overly so, with aristocratic features and a fine boned face, piercing blue eyes and dark auburn hair. He had an air about him of utter grace and self-assurance. Something that sent warning bells all through Dusks’ mind. This was not your average fang-banger, this was a vampire that was confident in his own abilities, and had no problem proving them. The vampire bowed cordially.
“Permit me to introduce myself,” he curled his lips into a cordial smile and dipped into a sweeping bow, “I am Dracula.”
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