"Bored now."

Xander glanced over at his lover. Willow was sprawled in her chair, studying her nails. "Red...."

Willow rolled her eyes and looked at Xander. "What?"

He grinned seductively. "I can alleviate some of that boredness...."

Willow waved her hand, brushing him off. "No, I don't want to have sex with you, Xander, and I'm not really in the mood to hunt." Her eyes darkened as she remembered Graham from the Slayer's universe. "Not for what you want to hunt for anyway."

"Well....what about Puppy? You know, he's always looking for a good beating."

Willow sighed, looking up at the ceiling. < Please, let him leave me alone soon, > she thought. "I don't want to go see Puppy. He's not....big enough. Or human enough."

"Wills," Xander started. Willow looked at him sharply. She hadn't heard him refer to her childhood nickname in quite a long time. When he said that, in his soft voice, she could almost imagine she was a child again....

Willow shook her head, clearing away fragmented memories of being a child. "What, Xander? What do you want?" Her voice carried an edge, she was highly irritated.

"You have really been a bitch since you've come home from your excursion. I mean, even more so than usual. What is your deal? Was it really that bad there?"

"It sucked, Xander," Willow said, sliding out of her chair. "The Slayer was there, and she was dating Puppy, and HE was pathetic....skulking around, watching me. He so obviously never imagined that poor weak Willow as anything other than the Slayer's little pet. I shocked the hell out of him," Willow started pacing. "There was you....and he just looked at me sadly. That was it. No lust, no love, just sadness. He felt sorry for me. ME? Can you imagine?" She crossed her arms. "Jesse was dead, had been for a long time. And then, there was me." She sighed. "Why I ever wore....fluffy....and pink..." Her face screwed up in disgust. "It was....not well."

"Well, so your little vacation was to hell. You are home now, where you belong." He walked to her, pulling her into his arms, flush with his body. "So why are you still upset?" His lips hovered inches from hers.

Willow felt the familiar cold body against hers and sighed. "Warmth, Xander. I crave warmth. You are cold."

"Of course I'm cold, Red, I'm a vampire. They kinda go together. What are you going to do, start screwing a human?"

Willow slapped her forehead. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

"What?"

"Graham! If he was there, he will be here! He's not a vamp here, I would have remembered him." She grinned, pulling out of his arms.

Jealousy flooded Xander's system. "Who is Graham?"

"Someone I met in the other Sunnyhell." She flashed him a grin. "I gotta hunt now."

"Willow," Xander started, "be careful. I don't know if they are right, but you know some of the minions say there are those soldier boys running around, capturing vampires. And then you have the White Hats..."

Willow laughed. "I can take care of myself, Xander, thanks." She walked out of the mansion, deep in thought. < Soldier boys....so Graham is a soldier boy, hmm? At least he was there....I wonder if he will ever find out he screwed a vampire? >

Sunnydale was dead that night. No one was out, but a few vampires. The few humans that were stupid enough to travel outside the safety of their homes were dead within minutes. The White Hats were curiously absent from their nightly patrol. Willow blended in with the trees, searching for any clue to the man she wanted more than she cared to admit.

< He's human, > she berated herself. < You aren't supposed to have anything for humans. But damn, he was so good, so passionate....such warm skin, big hands....he will be a toy. That's all. >

Willow spun around, seeing a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. She gasped, seeing one of her minions on the ground, a blue electricity surrounding him. Three men in camouflage approached him carefully. They bagged the vampire, the tallest one slinging him over his shoulder.

Willow saw they were turning to leave. She didn't want to miss her chance.... She cleared her throat softly, then added a quivering sound to her voice. "Graham! God, Graham, help me please!" she cried.

The men spun around. Willow smiled from her hiding place. She could see Graham perfectly in the moonlight. Their voices carried on the wind to Willow's sensitive hearing.

"What was that?" one of them asked.

"I don't know, Forrest," Graham replied.

"Did you know the voice?" the guy with the vampire over his shoulder asked.

"No, it doesn't really sound familiar, but she sounded hurt, Riley," Graham replied.

"Could be a trick," Forrest said suspiciously.

"Do you know anyone who's been turned?" Riley asked.

Graham rolled his eyes at his Commander. "The Initiative is all I know, Riley. Who else have you ever seen me talk to?"

"Right. I forgot, Silent Boy," Riley teased.

Forrest laughed.

"Yea, well, I'm going to help her," Graham said, pulling out a stake.

"I don't think that's a great idea," Riley asked.

"Commander Finn, someone has cried out for help, and named me specifically, and if I don't go and help her, then I will always wonder, always regret," Graham said.

Riley looked at both of them. "I have to get this hostile back to the lab. Forrest, go with Graham."

"No," Graham said before Forrest could reply. "You need help with the hostile, and you need someone to watch your back on the way back."

"I can't let you go out there alone. What if she is a vampire?" Riley asked.

"Then when I come to kill you, I want you to stake me. Don't capture me, don't study me, just kill me," Graham replied smoothly.

"Man, you are signing your own death warrant!" Forrest said.

Willow smirked. < Such foolish humans. They think I will hurt Graham. Little do they know that he will be the most protected human in Sunnyhell. > She added a sob to her voice. "Graham, please..." she cried out.

"Go back," Graham said. "She needs me."

Forrest slapped Graham on the back. "Later," he said. "Hope to see you in the morning."

Riley glared at Graham. "I'm not happy with this. It's going on your record."

Graham shrugged. "She needs me."

Riley watched his best friend walk away. "Bye, Graham." He shook his head and then turned to Forrest. "Come on, Gates, let's get this hostile back."

"Right," Forrest said. He glanced back at Graham. The two men walked off towards the lab.

*-*-*-*

Willow stepped out from her hiding place. "Graham, you came," she purred.

Graham froze in front of her, a thousand thoughts going through his head. < Who is this beautiful woman? How did she know my name? Is she a vampire? Am I going to die now? She doesn't look like she needs my help. I wonder what her name is? > "You needed help?" he asked softly.

She stepped to him, running her hand along his chest. "You are just as big and beautiful and strong as you were there. So deliciously warm..."

He grabbed her arms. "You need help?" he repeated, ignoring the lust running through his body.

"I need your warmth."

He pushed her away. "Damn it, you are a vampire," he growled, holding the stake up.

She grinned at him from the spot where she had fallen. "I won't turn you. I don't plan on killing you either."

"You are a demon. I can't trust you."

She stood up, crossing her arms. "You are a lot less trustworthy than you were in the Slayer's universe. I suppose that is because he had the benefit of living in a town where we didn't rule."

"What?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

Willow sighed. She walked over to a tombstone and perched on it. Graham's eyes strayed to the long legs she had crossed in front of her. He shook his head slightly. < She is a vampire. Don't get turned on. It doesn't matter that she is beautiful. >

"I got sent to Sunnyhell, where the Slayer made it in time. The Master was dead, vampires didn't run rampant there, and I was still human." Willow made a face of distaste. "I was still as mousy as I always was. Anyway, I was stalking humans, and I saw you. For some reason, the bloodlust didn't flare around you. Just...the lust." She shrugged. "I seduced you, we fucked, I left. And now, I'm cranky. I enjoyed that, your warmth. I enjoyed your huge frame holding my small one....how....strong you were while you claimed me. I want that again. I want you."

"To be your lover."

"Right."

"And you would let stay human."

"That's the point of the warmth, Graham."

"You are out of your mind," Graham said. "Obviously, death made you crazy."

Willow jumped down and walked to him, a dangerous look on her face. "Graham, I will kill you if you don't do what I want." She stepped to him. She ran her fingertips along his chest.

He grabbed her arms tightly. "I'm not going to play your games, little girl. I don't care if you ARE a vampire." His heart was picking up, and he knew his body was betraying him. She felt so good in his arms, so right. It was all he could do not to throw her down and claim her in the most intimate of ways.

She laughed. "Your body disagrees with you," she whispered in his ear, sucking on his earlobe.

He closed his eyes, loosing himself in her touch. < Who am I kidding? > he thought. < I'd run around naked through Sunnydale if she wanted me to, as long as she touches me. >

There was a twig snapped behind them. Graham froze and Willow tensed up. She stood on her tippy toes, looking over his shoulder. She growled. "Xander, what do you want?"

Graham turned his head and saw another man, probably about her age. It saddened him that two such young teenagers had been changed, but he knew that Willow's mind was much sharper and more mature than a child of her age. This man behind him scared him. He looked evil, and Graham knew that he was a vampire.

"Red, are you playing with dinner?" Xander smirked.

Graham looked down at Willow. < Red. It fits her well. >

"Xander, go away. I don't have time for you right now."

Graham's whole body tensed, feeling the man step up to him and press against his back. He felt the vampire's fangs brush against his neck, ridges tease his ear. < I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die... >

"Come on, Red," Xander purred softly, "share him with me. He looks delicious..."

Willow vamped, growling at Xander. Graham closed his eyes, waiting for the pain. He felt Willow lick his neck with one long stroke. "He is mine, Xander, and if you don't go away, I will kill you myself."

Xander pulled away from Graham. He crossed his arms and sulked. "Are you changing him or killing him?"

"Neither."

"WHAT?" Xander started at her.

"I'm going to take him as my lover," Willow proclaimed.

"As a human."

"Yes," Willow responded.

"Willow, I don't think that's..."

"I don't care what you think, Xander. It happens, and I want him. And I want full protection on him. If ANYTHING so much as hurts a hair on his head I will go on such a rampage....and you, Xander, will be the first to go."

Xander blinked at her in surprise. "You will choose him over me?"

"Not if you are a good boy, I will still come to you," Willow shrugged. "But I need his warmth. Go get a human, Xander. See how it feels to screw one. You will understand. Now leave, before I get angry."

"Fine," Xander pouted. "I will see you in the morning." He stalked off angrily.

"Graham," she whispered.

Graham opened his eyes. "Yes?" he asked softly.

"You will be safe now," she promised.

He smiled. "Oddly enough, I believe you."

*-*-*-*

Graham woke up with a start. He glanced around, noticing he was sprawled all over his bed. He frowned, then smiled, remembering the night before. He and Willow has sex all over Sunnydale, wherever the fancy struck them. She didn't ever bite him, barely even showed her vampire visage - even though he decided it was beautiful on her. They didn't go back to the mansion - too many vampires would try to make him dinner; they didn't go back Lowell - she said once she was invited in she could enter at any time and the temptation was too great. She promised that she would find an apartment for them to both retire too, away from the Initiative, away from the Master, away from the world.

He sighed, scratching his chest. < God, I'm gonna fall in love with a vampire. > He got up and put on his robe, stepping out into the hallway. He went downstairs and opened the refrigerator, looking for something to eat.

Forrest and Riley, who were sitting at the table eating breakfast, glanced at each other. "He's avoiding sunlight" Forrest whispered.

"And he looks kinda pale," Riley agreed.

"Someone must have invited him in last night," Forrest sighed. "I hate we have to kill Graham. He was such a good guy." Graham turned around, running his fingers through his hair. "God, I'm hungry," he said. His eyes settled on Riley and he grinned evilly.

Riley jumped out of his chair and backed away, as Graham slowly stalked towards the table. Forrest pulled out a cross and slammed it on Graham as he reached out.

Graham snatched one of Riley's pop tarts, and looked at Forrest oddly, who had a cross pressed into his arm. "Forrest? Problems?"

Forrest frowned. He glanced at the cross, shaking it, wondering why it wasn't working. "Get back, evil vampire!" he cried.

Graham started laughing, taking a bite out of the pop tart. "Forrest, you get more funny as the days pass."

"You aren't a vampire?" Riley asked.

"Nope. Gotta pulse, wanna see?" Graham asked.

"It's a trick," Forrest said. "You get close to him and he will eat you!"

Graham rolled his eyes. "Come on, Riley, even if I were, you could take me, remember? I haven't been able to take you out yet," Graham smirked.

Riley stepped forward and felt Graham's neck. "Pulse! He's alive! Graham is alive!"

"Duh," Graham said, laughing. "Thanks for the pop tart, man, it hit the spot."

"Who was the girl last night?" Forrest asked, sitting back down to finish breakfast.

"A friend of mine. I haven't seen her in a while, and I forgot that she was around. She needed help, and I helped her." He smiled. "No vampires were involved." < For the most part. >

"So this friend...you gonna start seeing her?" Riley smiled.

"Most definitely," Graham promised. "Most definitely." He chuckled, joining his friends at the table.

END

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