Chapter 18

Kelly had resumed driving through the middle of the night, moving with the traffic beneath the brightly shining street lamps along the Sunset Strip. Brandon lay on the floor of the backseat.

Is he morphing, she wondered, or will he remain dead? I did what the Vampire's Handbook said was the correct procedure, when it comes to vamping someone; or did I? Did I do it correctly? I'm sure I did. It's a very simple procedure, unless something unexpected happened, which wasn't addressed in the Handbook. If something unexpected did happen, and things did go wrong, he might not revive as a vampire.

If he doesn't revive, I could be charged with murder!

"Oh Brandon," she said softly, "why did you have to act like such a wus?"

I'm asking why he had to act like that? Why did I act the way I just did? I told Valerie that I was gonna use self control.

I told her, "Just 'cause I'm now a vampire, it doesn't mean that I can't still be a responsible, law abiding citizen."

That's what I told her, and I believed it when I said it. I didn't realize just how much I really have changed. I'm an actual carnivorous predator. But I'm not a lion, or a tiger or a bear, or alligator, or... What am I?

I'm a human being. Homo sapien?..."vampirus"? That makes me a carnivorous predator, with a conscience.

I really am gonna have to watch myself from now on. When I get angry...?

The After/Dark Nightclub's neon sign was now in view.

There were a good number of cars in the parking lot.

It's open to the public, Kelly thought. I don't have to ask to be invited inside. I'm a regular patron. I'll be allowed in without any hesitation. Beside that, Valerie's in there. She has experience dealing with unlawful things. I'm sure she'll be able to help me handle everything about Brandon.

I'm going to ask for help, in doing something unlawful?

"Being a vampire doesn't have to suck"? Yeah--right!

She turned into the Club's parking lot, and went to a dimly lit space, where she parked besides the building, with her car's front grill a few inches from the Club's brick wall; near the spot where she'd been the other night, when she'd been approached by Harmony.

She got out of the car and looked through the rear door's left window. She could barely see Brandon, lying in the darkness on the floor, between the front and back seats. She figured that if anyone just casually glanced through it for a moment, they wouldn't notice anything. Unless...

Maybe I should have moved him into the trunk. No. He'd have been too heavy for me to handle alone, and who would I have gone to for help?

Kelly heard someone approaching. She shut and locked the vehicle's front door, and all the doors. She turned and saw the woman who she'd met here inside the Club that morning; the one who'd been brought here by her step-brother David.

Cordelia Chase was approaching, accompanied by Steve Sanders and Donna Martin. All three of them gripped crucifixes, holding them low at their sides. Cordelia also gripped a foot long, sharp wooden stake. The other two appeared to be unarmed; but all three had grim looks on their faces.

Has Ms. Chase, Kelly wondered, used that stake on Valerie?

She called out, "Hi everyone!" being careful to keep her fangs retracted, and not glance at her car's left rear window.

Donna spoke nervously. "Hi Kelly."

Steve nodded. "Hi."

Now Ms. Chase spoke. "So you're back."

Kelly nodded. "That's right, and I've brought Valerie's car back with me. Everything and everyone's where you'd expect them to be."

Steve asked, "How's Brandon?"

Kelly remained careful not to glance at the left rear window.

"He's okay. I left him off at home. He's had a very long day, and he was exhausted."

Donna told her, "I think you can say the same about all of us."

Cordelia spoke. "Valerie Malone's told us that your soul was restored along with hers."

"That's right;" Donna added "by the woman you told us about, who spoke an incantation while holding the shrunken head of a Vampire Slayer."

"Is Valerie inside?" Kelly asked. "I'd like to talk to her. She and I have a lot of things to discuss."

Steve said, "She's sleeping in her office, and asked not to be disturbed about anything; so if you want to talk to her, you're just gonna have to wait."

Donna laughed nervously. "We're not doing anything to annoy anyone who's got a pair of fangs and is in a really rotten mood."

"Sleeping in her office?" Kelly looked at Cordelia. "Then you haven't staked her?"

"No. As a matter of fact, she and her partner Dylan McKay have hired the Angel Investigations Agency, to provide security for the Club. We vampire hunters are now working for a vampire; but only that vampire. You others had all better watch out."

"'You others'? Does that include me?"

"That's up to you." said the woman with the stake.

"Then I have nothing to fear." Kelly told them. "My soul's been restored. I am very able to control myself. I intend to continue being a law abiding, responsible citizen."

Donna said, "Good for you Kelly!"

"But that does not mean that I'm going to be a wussy."

Now Kelly stepped away from her car, walking across the parking lot toward the Club's entrance, with Donna, Steve and Cordelia Chase moving beside her.

Cordelia repeated, "'Wussy'? When you were in Sunnydale, did you speak with Anyanka Jenkins, the local Candidate for State Assembly?"

"That's right. She explained a lot to me. I am now a citizen of the vampiric persuasion, and have joined in her campaign to eliminate Wussyism from our culture."

Cordelia said, "I was with Valerie when you spoke to her on the phone a few hours ago. Was Anyanka Jenkins the demon, who's also a member of the Order of Beelzebub, who she told you to avoid?"

Kelly said nothing. She now came to within a few steps of the doorway, and saw the crucifix nailed above the entrance. She halted.

She wondered, Can I move any further? Can I go inside? My soul's been restored, but can I pass beneath that cross? Have I lost my soul again, because I've tasted human blood? If I can't go inside, this demon hunter who's standing beside me, is sure to understand why, and she's carrying a stake.

Kelly felt her fangs begin to extend instinctively, but was able to retract them, thinking

I've got to get out of here fast.

She thought, No! If I try to run she'll stake me! Steve and Donna might join in!

She whispered, "God, have mercy on me a sinner."

Then Kelly Taylor stepped through the doorway, moving beneath the cross, and entered the After/Dark Nightclub.