Chapter 54: Gamble

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"Hold him!" Mal shouted.

"I am!" Grahm said, struggling to restrain the vampire, "Hurry up!"

Mal slid his stake out and staked the vampire.

"Good job." Grahm said, high fiving Mal, "Team work."

"Why isn't the Slayer doing this again?" Mal asked.

"The gang is catching up." Grahm said.

"I thought you were part of the gang." Mal said.

"I'm talking inner circle here," Grahm said, "The three that have been there longest." He said, walking alongside Mal.

"And the watcher?" Mal asked.

"And the Watcher." Grahm said.

"And the vampire?" Mal asked.

Grahm stopped in his tracks, thinking about what Mal had just said.

-           

"So, they're trying to get the Master out? I can't say it's a shock." Kelly said as they sat around the table. The gang had just finished dinner and were heading into the living room to talk. The conversation had detailed everything that had happened since Kelly had gone into the coma, so that she wouldn't be left out. As they sat in the living room, Kelly continued her questions as she sat on the couch, "So, it wasn't Lestat who sucked my blood?"

"It was, but it wasn't." Doug answered, sitting in the chair beside the couch.

"You see, the Master came back with some extraordinary powers that we had not foreseen." Cale explained, sitting beside Kelly on the couch, "The Watcher Diaries detail his powers, but they neglect these new ones."

"So, the Master is a bigger threat that the Slayer vamps?" Kelly asked.

"He's mega-old." I said, sitting on arm of the chair where Doug was sitting, "And he can control said vampires, so I would say that he's the bigger threat."

"True." Doug said, "We've gotta pay him back."

"I still can't believe Gemma is dead." Kelly said, causing a silence, "She was so...you know...magical."

I looked from her to Doug, who shared my quizzical look, "Yeah, um, we'll all miss her."

"She was just so...um...I'm going to miss her." Kelly stammered.

"Yes, I assume we all will." Cale said, "She's moved on to a better place."

"Doesn't mean I'm not going to avenge her." Doug said.

"Not to add to things, but has anyone even thought of the bigger threat?" Cale asked.

"Bigger than the Master?" I asked.

"Of course," Cale said, "Your parents."

My heart dropped, "How do even know they are a threat?" I asked.

"Your grandparents." Doug said, "They made that obvious."

"Maybe, but I haven't even seen them." I said.

"Maybe you're right; we should focus on the threat in front of us." Cale said, "How do we go about vanquishing the Master?"

"We're here to focus on me." Kelly said, causing us all to stop, "Sorry, I just..."

"No, it's...you're right." I said, looking at Doug, who shrugged.

"I think I'm a little light-headed." Kelly said, "Cale, will you take me home?"

"Yes." He said, getting her coat.

We all exchanged hugs as she and Cale left. As I shut the door, I turned to Doug, who looked as confused as I did, "It's a miracle that the spell worked."

"Yeah." Doug said, "It's a miracle that the spell didn't backfire."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking because I don't think I can be vague anymore." I said.

"You think something went wrong?" Doug asked.

"Don't you?" I asked.

"She was a little weird, but after what she's just been through, it's understandable." Doug said, "I'm concerned."

"Maybe you should read up on this." I said, "That spell is pretty powerful and..."

"Just calm down," Doug said, grabbing my shoulders, "I'll look into it."

"Thanks." I said, "In the mean time, I'm going to go and see if I can find Lestat."

There was a knock on the door.

"Hey, Ke..." I said, opening the door to see Mal and Grahm standing on the porch, "Saved you two plates in the kitchen." I said, walking back to Doug.

"Thanks." Mal said, excitedly heading to the kitchen.

"Um, I kind of wanted to," Grahm said, looking around, "...Talk."

"Whatcha looking for?" I asked.

"Lestat." He said.

Doug let out a chuckle, "Um, I think Mal's having trouble finding the food." He said, disappearing into the kitchen.

"He's not here." I said.

"You let him off the leash?" Grahm joked.

"Yeah, but he obeys the whip." I sighed, "When are you two going to make up."

"When's he not going to be a vampire?" Grahm asked.

"When he's dead." I answered.

"Exactly," Grahm said, "Why do you keep him around?"

"He's helpful." I said, "He's the only other person with actual powers around here."

"What about Doug?" Grahm asked.

"I meant...look, Grahm..." Grahm kissed me. It was soft and passionate and made my body melt. It shut me up, that's for sure.

Grahm detached his lips from mine, "Sorry, I...I probably overstepped my bounds and..." I kissed him. It shut him up. We stood there, in my living room, kissing until we heard the door and pulled away from each other.

"What are these?" Mal asked.

"Sweet potato fries." Doug said, noticing our distance and he chuckled.

"What?" Mal asked.

"So, uhm, how's Kelly?" Grahm asked.

"She's fine." Doug said.

"Fine?" I asked.

Grahm looked between us, "What's wrong with her?" he asked.

"Nothing." I said.

"Oh, well, I should be going." Grahm said.

"I'll go with." Mal said, "Mind if I bring this back in the morning?"

"Mal, where do you live?" I asked.

"Since I got in town, I've been staying at the motel." Mal said.

"Mal, you can stay here." I said.

Grahm looked Mal nervously.

"I don't know, I'm not really..." Mal said.

"Oh come, it's not forever, just until you figure out where you're going next." I said, "I have three bedrooms."

"Cool." Mal said, "But I need to go and get my stuff."

"Sure." I said, "So, get out."

They all made their way out of the house.

-           

Doug stood in the Arcanum, throwing things into the medium size cauldron. He was too busy to hear the door open and jumped when Lestat came around the corner.

"Gawd, jeez, what in the hell are you doing in here?!" Doug shouted.

"I could ask you the same thing." Lestat said.

"My friend owns the store." Doug said, closing the book that was in front of him.

"Won't bring her back." Lestat said.

"How'd you..."

"I've been in here a few nights, found the book open, you should really put it back when you're done, your friends might find out." Lestat said.

"Don't worry about my friends." Doug spat, "What are you doing in here?"

"That is not your concern." Lestat said.

"Right," Doug sneered, "How about you leave."

"The magicks you're messing around with are ancient and should not be messed with." Lestat said.

"Great, but I don't need help from a vampire about bringing back someone he murdered." Doug said.

Lestat growled, then calmed himself, "I did not...it was not me." He said.

"You might have Austin fooled, but I'm not going to let you hurt him." Doug spat, "Grahm won't either."

"What's that mean?" Lestat asked.

"Just that Grahm and Austin are getting together, then maybe one of us will be able to stake you." Doug said.

Lestat said nothing, he turned and left.

"Oh crap." Doug said, "You and your big mouth." He said to himself.

-           

At around 3:00 a.m., there was a knock at my door. I came down, a little more irritated than I would usually be, and opened the door. Before I could say "What in the Hell are you doing here at the time in the morning?!", Lestat blew past me and into my living room.

"Hello to you too." I said, following him.

"I had to see you." Lestat said.

I yawned, "Any particular reason why?" I asked.

"I lo..."

"Wait! Wait!" I said quickly, "What are you doing?"

"You cannot be with soldier boy!" Lestat said.

"What?" I asked.

"Doug told me that you are with..."

"You saw Doug?" I asked.

"And he..."

"At the time of the night?" I asked.

Lestat stopped, "I love you." He said.

I hadn't heard those words in that real sense since...Connor.

"Don't..." I said, taking a seat on my couch.

"I cannot help it." Lestat said, "Do you think I welcomed these feelings?"

"Feelings?" I asked, "How can you even feel?"

"Does it truly matter?" Lestat asked, "I feel them. They own me."

"I'm sorry." I said, "It's not...if I didn't have feelings for you, there'd be no way in hell you'd be here."

"Then, we..."

"There is no we." I said quickly, "Buffy..."

"I am sick of the Slayer! I am sick of Angel and I am sick of Spike!" he said, moving over to me, "This is about us."

"Why do you love me?" I asked, "Love, it is love? Why me?"

"I do not know." Lestat said.

"The thing is..."

"The soldier." Lestat said dejectedly.

"No. Life. Look, there's an uber-vamp out there that's more dangerous than the actual Ubervamps." I said, "You two are just going to have to wait."

"Then you will choose?" Lestat asked.

"I probably won't have to." I said sadly, "You're supposed to be downstairs."

"I was...it's boring down there." Lestat said, "The night calls to me."

"Can it call in the morning? It's pretty late." I yawned, heading for the stairs, "Lestat."

"Yes." He said.

"I care for you." I said climbing the stairs.

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Thank you for reading.