Kaleell walked at a brisk pace beside me. It was dark and one does not linger after sundown in Sunnydale. After five mile runs with Kaleell, the demon that never breaks a sweat, it was easy to keep up with her walking pace.

We were walking home from working on strengthening my control over my *ever increasing* powers. Sigh. I wish my powers would peak and stop changing intensity. Kaleell kept teaching me how to keep the burgeoning forces under control but they kept intensifying. It is scary to not be in control of the energy all the time. It can do wild things without me firmly wielding it.

I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts. Kaleell had gripped my hand and had begun to pull me behind her. She had increased our pace until we were at full run.

"What's wrong?" I called to her.

"Vampire," Kaleell answered. "A strong one."

I now put all my energy into running. At full strength, Kaleell could take out a master vampire with no problems. But lately, between training me and fighting the demons that plagued the Hellmouth, she was drained. Physically, she might be able to beat the vampire, but there were no guarantees.

I was much worst off. Magically, I didn't have a grasp over my powers. Physically, I am only slightly advanced in strength; I have a fraction of the strength that Kaleell says I will develop. I could overpower a newly risen vampire, but a powerful one would surely kill me.

As we rounded the cornor and turned down onto the street I live on, I glanced over my shoulder. I couldn't see the vampire very well, but I could tell it wasn't even running. It was like one of those bad slasher movies where the victims run for their lives, but the psychotic killer catches up to them without even breaking a sweat. Why can only the bad guys do that?!

Kaleell and I bounded up the driveway to my front door. I reached into my backpack and fumbled for my key. Damn, it wasn't there. I had it in there in the morning. Quickly, I opened up all the pockets of my bag and poured the contents on the ground. I flung myself on to my knees and frantically searched through my belongings.

I was stopped by two black boots thudding heavily at the edge of where the glow from the porch light ended and the darkness began. It was an obvious attempt to get my attention. Quickly, I pulled back into a sitting psition. My eyes traveled up from the boots, to faded black jeans. Then to a red shirt that was slightly unbuttoned revealing a black under shirt. Next, I noticed a black leather duster that trailed downward. Finally, my gaze settled on a face I had hoped never to see again.

"Hello, pet."

28 March 1999

I was walking home Willow home from a training session when I happened to meet one of the most feared vampires. Well, at least one that still walked the earth. Lucky me.

Willow and I had been working on her control of her powers. I'm afraid she gets frustrated when her powers magnify and she has to start over. That leads to more fears. If she accidentally lashes out in frustration, all that undirected energy could do some damage.

Needless to say, we were both tired as well as drained magically. Suddenly, a few blocks from the Savior's home, I sensed the presence of a strong vampire.

If I had been alone, I would have probably stayed and fought, but Willow could not be endangered. I grabbed the Savior's hand and began pulling her through the streets toward her home. The vampire followed us easily -- too easily. Damn vampires.

When we finally got to the Rosenburg's house, Willow could not find her key. I don't know why, but it never occurred to me to break the lock or open it magically. I was so preoccupied with the instinct to protect the Savior that it totally consumed my being. I just stood there hovering over her as she searched for the key.

A bleached blond stepped out of the shadows. I pulled a stake out from my jacket prepared to defend the Savior and myself. Fortunately, I didn't have to defend anybody. Things turned out unexpectedly...

Kaleell hissed -- literally, like a cat -- at Spike. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me behind her. Kaleell assumed a defensive stance; feet apart, arms up, stake in hand.

Spike didn't even flinch. "Who's you're friend, pet?" he asked me, looking around Kaleell to see me. "I didn't think you associated with her kind."

"What are you doing here, Spike?" I demanded, ignoring his question.

"Spike!" Kaleell exclaimed. "Spike, as in William the Bloody?"

"At your service, milady," Spike said mockingly, as he swept his arm in front of him and bowed.

"Shit," I heard Kaleell breathe.

Spike grinned at that. "I see my reputation precedes me."

Kaleell spat at his feet. "Humph. I've heard worst... Or better, as you might perceive it. You've only killed two Slayers. Cethegus killed four in his first one hundred years... I have the pleasure to tell you that I'm the one who slew him." Kaleell grinned wickedly.

Spike's eyes widened, but he quickly regained his composure. "I've heard of you. Kaleell Charan. You massacred thousand of vampires across Europe in the 1700s. Nobody knows what happened to you after that."

Kaleell shrugged. "Things happen." Kaleell had tensed at the mention of her past. She didn't like to talk about it. Trying to get her to tell me something about her past was like pulling teeth with a piece of string.

"Look," Spike said, holding out his hands in a gesture of peace. "I'm not here to cause any trouble. I only wanted to see how the little witch was doing." He leaned to the side so that he could see me behind Kaleell and gave me a little wave.

"I'm doing fine," I told him stepping out from behind Kaleell angrily. He had chased me through Sunnydale and scared years off my life. Then he had the nerve to act arrogant and ask how I am. "Do you know that you are a pain in my ass?"

"Willow," Kaleell hissed, looking at Spike. The last thing she wanted me to do was provoke the vampire.

Spike just shrugged off my comment and laughed. "I've been told that a few times before." He looked at Kaleell. "You can put the stake away. I know better than to try to attack a couple of witches. That lightning thing you all can do hurts like a bitch." He propped himself against the porch railing and lit a cigarette. "Anyway, I'd be stupid to attack someone with as much energy rolling off of them as you two do."

Kaleell lowered her stake but didn't put it away. "You'd be surprised." Her wicked grin had returned.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Spike, more casually than the time before. As long as Spike wasn't trying to kill me or my friends... Well, I'd tolerate him.

"I heard an interesting rumor," he answered quietly. "You really should keep your -- status, shall we say? -- under wraps."

Both Kaleell and I tensed. "My status?" I asked innocently.

"Being the Savior and all, pet," he answered, looking down. "You see, in the demon community, there's a message going around about the Savior living on the Hellmouth. A red headed witchy Savior. Now, luv, it doesn't take a genius to find out that you're the only fiery haired witch in this bloody hole." Lifting his head, he looked me in the eye. "There also happens to be a bounty on your head."

"And where exactly do you fit into this?" Kaleell asked, raising her stake.

Spike threw his cigarette down and ground it into the cement, extinguishing it. "I, pets, am here to offer my protection."