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Nocturnal Bloodlines Main page Nocturnal BloodlinesFEEDBACK - Oh Yes Please -You can email us docwho2000@hotmail.com author: docwho2100 and mightygupo Consensual relationship depicted between adult women in this story. If you have a problem with that or are under 18 please do not read. ------------------------- Chapter 3 "Lead the way, Buffy." Tara said waiting for the other woman. "Are you sure that you wish me to accompany you inside the Tavern?" Pausing at the entrance the blonde turned back, frowning. "Why wouldn't I want you to come with me?" "Vile creature of tainted vampire blood, spreading darkness across the land comes to mind? Are you sure you wish this man to know you are dealing with the enemy?" Tara asked honestly. "I am not dealing with the enemy," Buffy walked through the doorway and waited for Tara. "I am doing what I was sent here to do, cleanse the land of evil and demons. How I do that is not the issue. That I am successful is all they care about. I am a tool, they do not care how the tool is wielded as long as the job is completed." She looked for Giles and found he had moved to a different table. "That's where you are wrong… you may be just a tool to this group, but to these people sitting here, you are a representation of hope. You are far more important than this slayer icon you speak of. To these people you are the physical representation of divine retribution against the creatures that foul this land." Tara whispered to the woman slightly in front of her. "You are from a long line of vampire hunters that has the abilities to draw the true power from God's holy relics." Buffy had been able to hear the woman just fine with her enhanced hearing. As the blonde leaned in her breath brushed against Buffy's neck and ear causing her to involuntarily shudder slightly before she could catch herself. "I know vampire slayers have been chosen for many centuries. They taught me the slayer lore." Tara leaned in closer. "Look around you at the fear and defeat these people are possess. They fear the shadows are now upon us and the time of my father reign has begun. There lies two outcomes to this, die or become one of his minions." She paused wanting to chose her words carefully. "So if you want to believe that you are a mere tool to serve some purpose and if you die another takes your place, then so be it… but you must realize that while there may be another slayer to take your place, there will never be another Belmont." Tara strode into the tavern and went to the table where the man that came in with Buffy now sat. "A word with you if you please." "Um… sorry, I am rather busy at the moment discussing matters of local interest Miss??" Giles said looking up at the woman. "Tepes Dracula… Tara Vlad Tepes Dracula." Tara said looking down at the man. She heard the gasps of the people in the tavern at her name, the old man who had spoken to her earlier nodding his head. Buffy had stopped walking not wanting to further the distance between the two as she felt not put off but entranced by the closeness of the woman behind her. She had not let anyone get this close to her ever and not from behind. She found it disturbing and yet oddly enticing. ~Is this what a vampire victim feels in the instant before their death?~ The idle thought floated through her brain. "I knew it… My grandfather spoke of you when I was a boy." The old gentleman said in whispers, afraid that if his voice carried too loudly the denizens of hell would appear at this very spot. "You're the blood of Dracula that turned against her own father and fought for the Belmont's. You aided Simon Belmont first. With you back now, the Belmont heir should be here soon." "Indeed." Tara said to the old man. "However, the rumor has it that the young one is unskilled and not trained in the ways of the Belmont clan, and a grievous error has taken place." Tara said looking down at Giles with a hard expression. "Perhaps the one can be trained and outfitted in time before too much death has taken place here, if not, then I will take on Vlad Tepes myself." Giles looked confused and shied slightly away from the woman's countenance. "You're the daughter of Dracula… a dhampyr born to a human mother. You were a scourge on the land until you had a change of heart and turned from your Fathers evil and chose to fight with the humans." He said in slight awe. "Hmmm I thought that had just been established." Tara said tightly. "Now please, a word with you, sir?" She stood rooted to the spot hearing the conversation. She had been so
surprised learning about Tara that the earlier references Tara had made
about the Belmont lineage had been forgotten. Now she felt emotions ranging
from confusion to anger to curiosity explode through her being all warring
for dominance. She pushed them back and continued to watch unsure of her
voice or frame of mind. "Why have you not taught her about her lineage?" Tara asked very low leaning in towards the man. "And why did you bring her here? If you know so much about the Belmont's why bring her to this place of death. You should leave since you now know that they are dead except for her." Tara hissed. "Be that as I wish I could, she is the slayer, and has a duty to fulfill for the world, not just some corner of it." Giles retorted. "Do you wish to tell these people that when they are lurking under the shadow of Dracula's castle? The Belmont's alone hold the power to fight him, no one else." Tara continued her tirade. Continuing to stay rooted to the spot, the slayer had watched the two take a seat. She looked around the tavern and found the people in the Tavern regarded the pair with looks ranging from fear to contempt to, hope? She could still hear their words and each exchange left her feeling further and further removed from things. Tara spoke of her family as having power and having been fighters. If that had been the case, why did they send her away? And why had no one at the Council shared these things with her? Why had everyone kept these things from her? She walked slowly over to the two and stood there, watching them. "You mentioned information. Why are we wasting time here?" "Information?" Giles looked at Tara. "What information?" "About her family. I am going to take her someplace to teach her about her family. This sets my plans back a wee bit, but we should be back two days after the morrow. I know where the things are kept." Tara said derisively "I am taking her there." "She was tested and showed none of the Belmont's powers." Giles contradicted. "The Council made sure of it." "Then the Council lied to her, and maybe even to you. Nobody can test for it until the time comes. She will either be able to utilize the power or she will not. I am taking her to find out if she can. I am taking her to show her who she is." Tara could feel Buffy's presence even tho' she continued to pin the Watcher with her cold gaze. "She needs to know who she came from, and her history. Your people seem to think this is nothing, but to the people who live here, our history is very important." She looked up at Buffy. "I'll be back soon. Do you have men's clothing and can you ride?" "Buffy?" Giles said looking at his slayer. "Are you seriously considering leaving here?" "I was often left to my own devices at the Council Estate more days than not. I found the stables to be a very comforting place many days as well as the surrounding area which I explored by horseback extensively." She answered Tara. She then turned to her Watcher. "I do not trust her, but rather I trust her words and that so far she has given me no reason to kill he.," She looked back at the blonde, "Yet... I wish to not only find out exactly how much she knows and if she can help in our mission but, again she looked from the Watcher to the dhampyr." Buffy stared at Tara hoping no emotion showed on her face. "I would prefer to keep an eye on a possible link to the one we seek to destroy. I would not be able to sleep if people were harmed because of this... thing." She continued to stare at the woman even when addressing her Watcher, "Could you sleep knowing that... Giles? I will return in two days and we will continue to the castle as you have planned." She continued to stare at Tara. Tara let no emotion show on her face, after all she had been called much worse in her time by humans, but not understanding why her stomach twisted painfully to be called a thing by this woman. "Then I shall return soon with mounts. Until then, Slayer." Tara said turning around and striding out the door. "Buffy... I shall go with you. Let me gather my things." Giles said standing up at the table. She watched the woman leave, her eyes following every movement and only when she had left did she realize she had not drawn a breath as she tracked the vampire's departure. Buffy drew in a deep breath and turned to her Watcher. "No Giles, you had information you were seeking as well and I know you needed to obtain a few items before we were going to be ready to continue to the castle. I have the clothing I wear when patrolling as well as my weapons. I will change and make a sweep of the village streets before we leave," the blonde slayer said quietly. "Is there some place I can change?" Giles nodded. "We are staying at Mistress Klante's boarding house. It is across from the stables. I can walk you there." Giles said beginning to gather his papers. "Buffy... she has helped in the past, but... but don't be too fascinated by her. She is still a soulless creature." "Stay here Giles, there are many here who know who we are and that we have a link, whatever it may be, to this Vlad Tepes. They may wish to share information. I know the Council had given you some gold from my family's holdings. Please use it generously. Perhaps it will help to convince people to talk." She smiled a little having remembered a couple of times during a patrol she had spied on Giles during a "talking" session in a local London pub. She had never told him she had seen him, but her estimation of the Watcher had changed and her respect increased after that. "I can take my bag and change and leave it in the room." She picked up her bag and a smaller bag with many of her weapons. "Giles, I do not know how or why she helped, if she even really did. And I do not care about the past. I am only interested in the present and completing what we started. A slayer has no past, no future, it is only now that she must survive. And no matter what Tara says, I know she is a vampire and I am a slayer. I will do what I must with no hesitation. You have trained me well and I will not disappoint you or shame you. I owe you that. You, you have been there when no others were." She faltered suddenly thinking back over the other news she had learned and once again felt the emotion swirling dangerously to the surface. "Or will be ever again." She finished quietly as she made a decision and hugged the Watcher suddenly. "Thank you Rupert Giles." She whispered in his ear and then turned picking up her bags. "Do be careful, Buffy." Giles whispered with feeling as his eyes misted in an undignified manner, which he quickly wiped away. contact: docwho2000@hotmail.com page last modified - March 24, 2006 graphics from www.eosdev.com |