I'll tell you something
I am a wolf but
I like to wear sheep's clothing

I am a bonfire
I am a vampire
I'm waiting for my moment
- “Temptation Waits” by Garbage

She was bored.

In all the years she'd walked this planet she'd found that boredom was her least favorite emotion, if you could call it that. When you've been alive as long as she had you learned that certain things made it worth existing. Excitement was one of those things.

How to go about finding some excitement though? The whole evil thing had gotten very boring. Too easy, too expected, and completely unoriginal. She needed a new kind of excitement, the kind that came from being a hero, fighting the good fight. She just needed a little help in the right direction. Something heroic for her to do.

The Watchers' Council, she had decided. The stuffy British cult could always be depended on for some entertainment of the heroic, evil fighting kind. And indeed they had pulled through, there was some hellmouth or something that needed guarding or protecting or something. It didn't surprise her really; she knew beforehand that anything they had for her to do would involve some sort of world saving but it wasn't like she had anything better to do. Besides, saving the world counted as heroic right?

Over the thousands of years she'd been around she had encountered the Watchers’ Council and their tools, the Slayers, enough times to know what they were all about. She had even been mistaken as a slayer several times. Then again she had also been mistaken as a vampire on more than a few occasions. Sometimes it amused her, the mortals’ need to classify every being. For most people everything needed to be either black or white, and she was a shade of grey they just couldn’t fathom.

Sure she drank blood and never aged but she could walk in sunshine without discomfort. Holy water and crosses didn’t hurt her, a stake in the heart sure hurt a hell of a lot but she wouldn’t turn to dust. She wasn’t sure if she’d survive being burned alive, and she’d never been beheaded, but she hoped to never try it. She was also pretty sure that she still had her soul. Whatever that meant.

She’d seen too many things to accept anything at face value, and all the talk about souls just didn’t make sense to her. She’d seen enough things with “souls” do terrible things that the concept was just a little hard for her to believe. Besides, Slayers, the things of good and righteousness were part demon, so just how pure could they really be?

The truth was that she had originated similarly to the first of the Slayer line. Same old story, demons walked the earth, people needed saving, silly shamans tried to mess with things they had no business messing with, and poof she became what she was today.

Super strong with heightened senses, a taste for blood, and a pulse. There was also the little thing where she never got any older. She was her own person though, unlike the slayers. She didn’t have to worry about reporting to anyone else. She did what she wished when she wished. She killed humans and demons alike although usually not for pleasure, not for while. It wasn’t that she had no conscious, she felt remorse and love and anger, the whole spectrum of human emotions, she just had the ability to see beyond all of that.

At the beginning of her existence she had done the whole death and destruction thing. As time went on though, she came to realize that she was rather fond of those silly little humans. It might have been the fact that she had once been one, or maybe it was the way they kept trying even when it looked like they’d fucked up beyond repair. Whatever it was she had decided that maybe it’d be kinda fun to try to help them for a change.

So here she was in southern California in the small town of Sunnydale a.k.a. the Hellmouth a.k.a. land of badness etc. Today was her first day of school. She had decided it would be best to begin life in this town at a younger age so she could stay longer if needed. The whole not aging thing had its drawbacks, after about five years in a place her perpetual youth began to look suspicious. She was twenty two when she had become what she was, but she could pass anywhere from sixteen to twenty six with help from clothing and hairstyle.

None of that mattered now though. Now she was Buffy Summers, sixteen year old sophomore at Sunnydale High. She liked shopping and cheerleading and butchering the English language. She had her blonde hair styled in the latest fashion and looked the part of fashion-conscious teenager, from the tips of her pointy black stiletto shoes to the ends of her dangly crystal earrings. High school, get ready cause it’s gonna be a wild two and a half years.

Money wasn’t ever really a problem for her. Over the years she had managed to accumulate a lot of wealth, and with the help of her not so trustworthy law firm, Wolfram and Hart, the wealth kept growing. She really did need to do something about them though, not exactly world friendly and if she was gonna go all noble she might as well go all the way. That was a project for later though, right now she needed to concentrate on her Hellmouth.

‘Let the fun begin’ she thought with a smile as she walked up the steps to the school. She was so focused on her new purpose that she didn’t notice what was going on around her. Not even when the dark haired boy on the skateboard, who had stared mesmerized after her, ran into the stair railing or when the redheaded girl came to his side to help him up.

First class, history. ‘This should be interesting,’ she thought with a wry smile.

She managed to make it in the class and into an empty seat next to an attractive brunette girl just as the bell rang. She flashed the girl a brilliant smile and was about to speak when the teacher went to the board and began to write. The Black Death, what an unlovely time. She rather preferred Roman times, more sanitary, and there were orgies. Ah, orgies. She dozed off for a while lost in memories until the teacher addressed the class again.

“It's estimated that about twenty-five million people died in that one four-year span,” began the teacher. Buffy was reminded how glad she had been at the time not to be a mortal. Plague wasn’t exactly the nicest way to die. “But the fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how?”

Buffy couldn’t help but notice the complete lack of interest. “As an early form of germ warfare. If you'll look at the map on page sixty-three you can trace the spread of the disease into Rome, and then north...,” continued the teacher. Buffy’s lack of book was a definite problem and she looked around for help. The brunette noticed and slid the book over for Buffy to share.

Buffy flashed the girl another smile. “Thanks.”

The teacher looked about to continue on when the bell finally rang signaling their release. Buffy and the brunette stood up together and made there way to the door.

“I’m Cordelia,” the brunette offered.

“Buffy,” the blonde replied.

“I pretty much run things around here,” explained Cordelia. “You’ll be fine as long as you’re with me. I heard that you’re from L.A. and judging by the way you’re dressed you’re cool enough to hang out with me.”

Buffy internally rolled her eyes. Teenagers were so shallow and stupid. On the outside however she smiled brightly, no need to attract unfavorable attention. “Sounds great,” she chirped enthusiastically.

“Great,” replied Cordelia as the made their way down the hall. “You should so come to the Bronze tonight and meet the rest of the group. The Bronze is like the coolest place to hang out in Sunnydale. Everybody goes there. Even losers unfortunately. Speaking of which…” she continued turning to a redheaded girl by the drinking fountain.

“Wow Willow, that is like the cutest dress I’ve ever seen,” Cordelia gushed in the most insincere voice Buffy had ever heard. “It must have cost a whole five dollars at Goodwill.”

The redhead turned a shade that matched her hair and scurried away. Buffy felt a surge of anger at Cordelia, she had never been especially fond of bullies. In fact most of the humans she had killed had been people who weren’t very nice.

Luckily they were just in front of the library so Buffy had an excuse to get away from her new “friend”.

“So I’ll meet you at the Bronze tonight. I’ve gotta check out the library and get some books for classes,” explained Buffy as she parted ways with Cordelia.

“Alright, remember to dress in something hot, this is a club,” reminded Cordelia before she continued on her way.

Buffy made her way through the doors into the deserted room. The lack of people was obvious by the eerie quietness. She also noticed thin layers of dust on a few stacks of books. “And they say kids never read anymore,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Hello. Anybody home?” she called out. If not for her super senses she would’ve been startled by the sudden popping up of a head behind the counter.

“Oh hello there,” greeted an older man with a British accent. He studied her for a second before adding, “You must be Buffy Summers.”

“Wow news travels fast around here,” she acknowledged.

“Yes well Sunnydale is a small town,” he admitted. “I’m the librarian by the way. Rupert Giles.”

Buffy was about to remark on the obviousness of him being the librarian when his name hit her. She knew a Rupert Giles, but from where? Her eyes narrowed slightly before returning widening in recognition. Before contacting the council she had made a point of familiarizing herself with each and every member of the organization. She had known that they’d pull something like this but that didn’t keep it from angering her.

“I’m very disappointed,” she began in an icy tone. Giles looked taken aback. “By the Council’s apparent lack of faith in me. I haven’t even been here one day and already they decide that I am in need of a babysitter.”

“I b-beg your pardon,” replied Giles who was obviously flustered.

“As you should,” she answered harshly. “I may look young and naïve, Mr. Giles, but I have been here a great deal longer than the council and I will be here long after they are gone. Keep in mind that I am doing this because I want to. I am not one of your little pet slayers that will do whatever they are told. You are not in charge. The sooner you understand this the sooner we can get to work. Got it?” she asked. Giles, wide eyed, nodded his head in understanding.

“Super,” she continued in her peppy teenage voice. “So what’s a girl gotta do around this place to find some baddies to kill?”

“W-well I, uh, I do believe th-that m-most d-demons, uh, prefer to h-hang out at th-the Bronze,” stuttered Giles who was obviously not over his shock at her previous behavior.

“Calm down cracker this ain’t a rally,” exclaimed Buffy before bursting into laughter. Giles gave her a funny look and waited for her to calm down. Finally after about five minutes she was able to speak.

“Sorry, it’s just that there’s this hilarious comedian guy named Daniel Tosh right and that line was part of his act and it just seemed so appropriate and…,” taking in Gile’s frown she cut herself off. “Right, so Bronze it is then.”

Buffy was so focused on Giles that she hadn't noticed the brunette boy that had come and gone during their discussion.

‘So this is the bronze?’ It wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen a million times before. Same scantily clad teenage girls rubbing against hormone driven teenage boys to the music coming from tonight’s band of the week. Not that she looked any different. Buffy was blending in by not blending in.

Her black leather pants and red silk halter top didn’t exactly scream inconspicuous. That was the point though. She didn’t just come here to scope out the local demon population. She was slightly hungry as well. What was that saying? Right, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Well tonight she was going for the honey.

She had just selected a likely looking boy, a jock, she deduced from the way he gripped his drink and grunted, when she noticed a redhead sitting by the bar. It was the same redhead Cordelia had mocked earlier that day. What was her name? It was the same as some tree…Willow, that’s it. She looked kind of miserable, sitting all by herself.

Buffy gave dinner a last reluctant look, then turned and made her way through the throbbing crowd to Willow. The redhead looked up in surprise when Buffy sat down next to her.

“Hey, you’re Willow right? I’m Buffy,” she introduced herself in her happy teenage voice. Willow looked around her quickly and then turned back to Buffy.

“Um, I-I know you’re new but you should know that you aren’t supposed to talk to me,” explained Willow meekly. Buffy rolled her eyes. Wow, maybe this whole high school thing was going to be a little bit harder than she thought.

“Why not?” she asked. This high school caste system was really starting to piss her off. Were all teenagers sheep?

“Well, you’ve been hanging out with Cordelia…” Willow began.

“Yes, and Cordelia’s a great person if you like the whole queen bitch thing. You seem like an interesting person and I just wanted to talk to you, but if that’s too much to ask then fine, I’ll go elsewhere,” she interrupted in frustration. She threw her hands in the air and turned around to leave.

“You’re right,” Willow called after her softly. Buffy turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Cordelia is a bitch,” the redhead finished with a small smile. Buffy smiled back and returned to her seat at the bar.

“So are you here with anyone?” she asked looking around.

“Well, I was hoping Xander would come but I haven’t seen him,” admitted Willow.

“Xander? Is that your boyfriend?” the blonde questioned.

“I wish,” she snorted, then covered her mouth looking contrite. “I’m sorry. I sounded bitter didn’t I? I’m not bitter. Really I’m not. It’s not so much bitterness as it is exasperation. I mean I’ve been friends with the guy for how long and he still doesn’t notice me. I’m just the reliable friend. Is it so much to ask to want to be noticed? You know what maybe I am bitter,” she finished.

“Right. Well maybe you should go after some other guy,” Buffy encouraged after the rather long explanation to a rather simple question.

“I would, except that whenever I get around a boy, pretty much any boy except Xander, I just can’t think of anything to say. At all. I just blush and babble and run away,” she explained.

“Willow, listen to me. You are a very cute girl and you seem very smart, any guy should feel blessed to be in your presence. Time moves so quickly that you just have to live in the moment,” the blonde replied. She was about to go on when she noticed her dinner talking to some other girl. “I’ll be back in a bit. Just remember what I said,” she finished and then moved towards the jock.

--------------------------------------

‘Yeah, I am pretty and smart. I’m super smart and any guy should feel lucky to be with me. Maybe Buffy’s right,’ Willow thought to herself. As if to confirm her belief a rather attractive guy slipped into Buffy’s vacated seat.

“Mind if I sit here, love?” the stranger asked with a sexy smirk.

--------------------------------------

“Hey there,” Buffy crooned rubbing against her selected target. “I was just thinking how hot it was in here. I wanted to go out into the alley but I’m kinda scared to go by myself. You never know what kinda scary people are lurking about,” she explained with a smoldering pout. She was appealing to his male ego, playing the damsel in distress.

“Sure babe. I’d be happy to escort you,” the guy replied with a leer. Buffy mentally flinched. Did he honestly think that was attractive? On the outside however, she gave him a coy smile, and led him toward the exit into the alley.

The watchers council had been adamant about her drinking only animal blood. In response she told them where they could go and explained that while she wouldn’t kill humans she sure as hell wasn’t going to live off pig’s blood, disgusting.

When they reached the alley she pushed him against the wall and lowered her face to his neck. Her incisors lengthened and she easily slipped them into the smooth skin of his neck. Unlike vampires she didn’t a demon mask, which came in handy when she was feeding. It was much easier to be mistaken for simple making out when her face didn’t look disfigured. She drank just enough to leave him slightly drowsy than bit her tongue to allow the healing powers of her blood to close the wound.

While she was quite certain that she could make more beings like herself she had never done it. It would require large amounts of blood and leave her weakened. She preferred to love and lose rather than risk finding out what would happen.

She was just pulling away when a burst of pain exploded in her chest. She looked down to find the pointy edge of a stake protruding from the area her heart was in. She reached around to pull out the stake. “Okay, ouch,” she began, turning around. “Was that completely necess…” she trailed off. “Well, if it isn’t my old pal, Angelus. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”