A Few Days Later
 

"Did she tell you anything else?"

Gareth Thurston selected the book he wanted and turned to face his 'daughter', Victoria, standing next to him in front of the book shelf.  The library of the Thurston home was a place no one was allowed, save the Thurstons themselves. Though at a glance it seemed fairly normal, the well hidden area in the back was anything but.  Old, old books and papers lined the shelves, savage looking
pictures and foreign looking artifacts covered the wall.  In the middle of it all was a single desk filled with more papers and various items including wooden stakes, holy water, garlic, and crosses.

Sighing, he opened the book.  "Why didn't you come to me earlier?"

Victoria hesitated, then ignored his second question, instead focusing on what Beth had said.  "Beth told me nothing more about Slayers, no.  She just said she over heard conversations between William Devlin and his mother and that Drusilla Morgan person.  As I said, Miss Morgan seemed to know an awful lot about Slayers."

"And Miss Moore told you that it had something to do with someone named Edith?"

She nodded.  "From what I gathered, it seemed that this ‘Edith' was a Slayer herself, and somehow was in the room at the time."

Gareth was confused.  "Didn't Beth say besides her there only the Mrs. Devlin, her son, and Miss Morgan were in the room?"

"Yes, but she thought she heard Miss Morgan say Edith was there as well."

Gareth flipped through the pages if the book, his brow furrowing in thought. "Curious."

"Beth did say she couldn't hear everything that was said.  She could have gotten it wrong..."  Victoria said quickly.

"No..."  Gareth looked up from his book.  "This keep track of all Slayers up until now.  It says here that there was indeed a Slayer by the name of Edith, but she was killed before her Watcher ever reached her.  You told me your friend said she overheard something about Edith finding out she was a Slayer. But if it's the same person, she never did."

"Well maybe you got it wrong," Victoria suggested.  "Maybe it's a different Edith."

"Maybe," Gareth agreed as he closed the book.  "I think it's about time you went on your patrol.  It's getting dark.  I'll look into this a bit more."

The current Slayer nodded, grabbing a bag containing a few wooden stakes and crosses.  She felt her neck to make sure she was wearing a cross and stuffed a few stakes in her coat pockets as well.  Bidding her Watcher goodbye, she left.
 

"It's been a while since we last talked."

William looked across the room at his brother, who was perched casually on a well-cushioned chair.  He frowned a bit, looking at him.  Philip was everything he wasn't and was supposed to be; gracious, quiet, and patient. The perfect son.  Yes, they looked somewhat alike, and were quite
similar in many ways, it was no secret who was the favorite.

Not receiving an answer Philip continued.  "Come on, why did you ask me to talk?"  Still no answer.  Finally, Philip went for the direct approach. "Alright, Billy, what's the matter?  For the past few days you haven't been yourself.  You get back home, and all of the sudden you're fighting
with mother, you're ignoring your friends, and you're not talking to me anymore. What's wrong?  You aren't acting the way you used to."

Turning slowly to face him, Billy walked over to his brother.  "I don't know," he sighed.  "Ever since I've gotten back, things have seemed ... different."  He looked down at Philip, still sitting in the chair.  "While I was gone I said some things, did some things that would be totally unacceptable in this
society.  And you know what?  I loved it."  His voice took on a sad, wistful tone.  "I loved not having to live up to the expectations and doing what I want.  I was my own man."  His voice was now bitter.  "Now I'm back here, with all the expectations, pressure, and incredible dullness I used to put up with. Only this time, I know something else exists."

Philip closed his eyes.  He'd heard his brother give this same speech too many times.  "That doesn't explain why you stopped talking to me and broke off the arrangement with Beth Moore."

"There was no arrangement!  It was all in mother's mind."  He exhaled, bringing his hand to his head.  "Oh God, Beth...I don't want to hurt her. She's a wonderful girl, but I can't see her as more than a sister."

"Since when?  You seemed to be incredibly attached to her before.  You talked to and confided her almost more than you did me.  I thought that was what youwanted."

Billy smirked, almost cruelly.  "I want a lot of things."  He paced around the room restlessly.  "But what I want most is to leave this God forsaken place!"

"Then why don't you talk to father?  Why don't you ask to leave?"

"Because father won't listen.  You know that.  Whenever he does pay any attention to either of us it's just to tell us what to do.  He can't possibly understand."

Philip shook his head.  "Yes he can.  You just have to get to know him."  At seeing William's scowl, he continued.  "I know he hasn't been the greatest to us, but after you left I found out some stuff."

Before William could ask what, a servant came to the doorway.

"Sir," she said to Billy.  "Miss Morgan is calling for you."  She sighed wearily.  "Again."

Nodding, Billy followed her out of the room, leaving Philip staring after him.
 

Drusilla lay on the bed of the guest quarters of the Devlin household. Billy's eyes widened as he made his way towards her.  She was pale, too pale, yet somehow with her dark hair and large eyes she looked almost ethereal.  Her bruises and burns had faded at an incredible rate so now she looked like a perfect, white angel.

"Billy," she called weakly.  "Pet?"

"I'm here," he replied, taking her ice cold hand in his warm one.

Everyday she'd been at the house she'd gotten weaker.  It worried him. He recalled the first night she'd stayed, when she'd come down to the library and told him that strange little story.  At the moment, he'd thought she was just delirious and paid no mind to it, but when he went to bed that night, she was all he could think about.  Now she didn't even have the strength to get up. She wouldn't eat anything brought to her, and it looked like she was about to fade away.

"Sweet," she said.  "I'm cold.  And Miss Edith's ‘ungry."

For the last few days she'd been calling him various pet names.  He didn't mind much.  Kind of enjoyed it actually, it made him feel appreciated in a strange way.

"You really do need to eat," he said, motioning for the maid who was also standing in the room to move to a corner out of hearing range so he and Drusilla could have some privacy.

"Someone wants me to leave..."  Drusilla's voice got increasingly distressed. "They think I'm some kind of demon..."  She moaned, bringing her hand to her head.

"Shh, shh,"  Billy put a hand on her shoulder, concerned.  "No one wants you to leave, not yet."  He reached over and pushed her chin up with hishand so she faced him.  "You're not a demon. You're..."  He searched for the right word.  "A princess."

Her entire face brightened.  "Am I?"

He laughed at her reaction and nodded.  It was the first time he'd seen her truly happy. Her smile was so lovely he couldn't take his eyes off her. She was an excited child and a beautiful woman at the same time, it was mesmerizing.

"I've always wanted to be a princess," she chatted on excitedly.  "I--" She faltered, her smile fading only to be replaced by open-mouthed shock.  Her eyes were no longer happy, but fearful.  "The dark man...'e's coming..."  She keened like a lost child.  "‘E's going to take me away... the book... don't read..."

William, though concerned, listened intently to what she was saying, all the while holding her hand.  The maid had run to get some other servants to restrain the seemingly crazy Drusilla who had now closed her eyes, seemingly oblivious to anyone or anything else.

"The ones who watch... look upon the world... no more..."  With a small sound, she fell back against the bed, exhausted.  By then the other servants had arrived.

"Again?" one asked.

"You mean she's done this before?"  Billy asked angrily.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's really nothing," he replied.  "She's just delirious.  Poor thing hasn't eaten in days."

Billy sighed.  "Well...Watch her closely tonight.  And inform me if anything like this happens again."

The man nodded, and after William left, turned to the maid beside him.  "Are you going to stay with her tonight?"

The woman shook her head.  "The girl's a loon.  She almost killed Annie last night."

Her companion nodded knowingly.  "I know what you mean."
 

Gareth stared up at the clock on the wall.  It had been hours since Victoria had left, and he hadn't found one thing useful on this Edith person.

Smiling, he let his mind wander.  Though he had no children of his own, Victoria was like a daughter to him.  She was the picture of his own long-dead wife, and over the years he'd developed a paternal love for the young Slayer. Unfortunately, Slayers never lived long, but he was determined to make sure that her short life was happy.  That's why he'd done so much to make sure they
would be disguised as wealthy aristocrats.  The Watcher's Guild had wanted them to be servants, but Gareth had flatly refused, saying Victoria'd had a hard life, and it could only get worse for her.  To him, she couldn't be more dear if she were his own child.

Turning back to his desk, he picked up another book and flipped through it. His eyes widened at the text.  This was exactly what he'd wanted.  Smiling, he turned around.

He never got the chance to scream.
 

"Hello?  Anyone home?"

Victoria stepped into the library, looking for her Watcher.  She'd just gotten back from her patrol without any clue as to who the local reigning vampire was.  At this point, he or she could be anyone.  She suspected that Drusilla Morgan woman, but she seemed too... out of touch to be in control of
anything. Besides, Victoria wanted to find out what she knew about this Edith person first.

Looking around, she saw him.  Gareth was sitting in a chair, his back to her. It looked as if he was asleep and she could see the edge of the book he was holding.  She walked towards him, treading quietly so not to wake him up. Stepping behind him, she put a hand on his out stretched arm.  Not
getting response, she turned to face him.  As she did, she gasped.

Gareth was dead, had been for a long time.  So long, that the blood from his throat had dried and had created a dark stain on the carpet and his clothes. His eyes had been dug out, the sockets dark with blood, as if they had never been there.  His mouth was gaping open as if in a horrible scream.

Victoria felt the tears well up in her eyes.  Gareth had been the only thing she'd had left of a family.  He'd always been there for her, taught her everything she knew.  He was all she had left of a normal life.  Biting her lip in both anger and sorrow, she looked hatefully down at the book he held and the words written in her loyal Watcher's blood.

Only a few hours after her discovery, Victoria received a visit.  Gareth's body had been removed from the library, and was being prepared for burial. Victoria had spent the day in tears, promising herself to avenge her Watcher's death, and wondering what was to become of her.

She got her answer when a servant announced the coming of a visitor. Motioning for the young man to sit, she dismissed the servant and sat down herself.  The two stared at each other for awhile without saying.  Finally Victoria broke the silence.

"So why are you here?"

He hesitated.  "I, I guess I'm your new Watcher."

Reaching into his cloak, he pulled out a box and opened it.  Victoria gasped as she peered into the box.

Inside, the sightless eyes of Gareth stared up at her.