Passing Through

Lindsay entered the bar and made a face. It was one of the seediest places he had ever been in. He was just passing through so he didn't mind. Just another face in the crowd. He sat down at a dirty stool at the bar and flagged down the bartender. He was a small man with greasy black hair and eyes that darted around. No wonder with the riff-raff that came into the joint.

"What'll it be?"

"Scotch on the rocks." The man nodded and scurried to the back. Lindsay pulled his duffel bag closer to his body. Never know who will try to snag it. Don't want to mess with anyone in this joint. He thought about Angel for a moment. The guy was intriguing. He didn't exactly hate him like they played at but he didn't like him. He was definitely impressed by him. Lindsay had met a lot of vampires but none had been like Angel and even Darla. Now that was a wound to his heart. I'm over her. I'm moving on. No more lawyer stuff. No more vampires.

Someone sat down next to him. Lindsay looked at him through the corner of his eye. The first thing he noticed was the electric blond hair slicked back. Then the long coat. Looked like Angel's damn duster. The bartender looked at the guy and laughed. The man growled and the bartender lazily put a cup of blood on the table. Guy should watch out. It's obvious the customer's a vampire.

"Cheers mate." The man next to him held up his glass and Lindsay held up his. "Where you from? You don't look like you're from around here." The vampire slurped the last drops of blood from the cup and slammed it down on the counter.

"LA." Lindsay answered nonchalantly.

"How'd you end up here?"

"Got sick of it. I'm just passing through." He laughed and pulled out a cigarette.

"Sure you are mate. We all are. Doesn't work that way here." He took a long puff and leaned over. "It's a hellmouth. It will suck you in."

"Wouldn't have guessed." Lindsay took a swig of his drink, feeling the cold liquid go down his throat. "Why don't you leave? You're dead. You don't have things keeping you here."

"I have more things than you'd imagine."

"You got a girl?"

"A human." He looked disgusted as he said it. "I want her. She hates me. She'll come around." He smiled. "Got this little medical problem too. Need to get it fixed before I hightail it out."

"I hear you." Lindsay looked at his hand. The red line was fading. But it would always be there. "Where's a good place to stay for the night?"

"There's a few dumps on the West Side. Nothing special."

"Thanks." He said sarcastically. "What do I expect? You're a vampire."

"Yeah. That I am." He examined the glass. He had yet to made real eye contact. "Watch out for her." He looked at him now with narrowed eyes.

"Who?"

"The Slayer?"

"The Slayer?" He looked at Lindsay like he was an idiot. Lindsay racked his brain for a moment. The Vampire Slayer. "Oh. Why?"

"She'll get you. Pull you in." He sneered. Lindsay smiled. So that was the girl. Was he an idiot? A vampire and a Slayer? He'd done stupider."

"I'll look out for her." Lindsay dropped some money down and prepared to leave. It was already pretty late. Then he thought he heard the stranger say something. "Did you just say Drusilla?" He sat back down.

"Yeah. She's a bloody bitch. She was my ex girlfriend. Why?"

"Does she have brown hair and brown eyes? Kind of insane?"

"That's her. How do you know her?"

"I'm a lawyer. Darla and her were a special project."

"Darla? She's dead."

"Not anymore." Lindsay grinned. "We brought her back."

"Impressive. You have way to much extra time."

"It was a plot to destroy this vampire Angel."

"Did you do it?"

"You know him too?"

"Dru's my mum. Angel's my grand dad. Did you kill him?"

"No. He's hard to kill."

"I could have told you that." The stranger smirked. "Tried it myself a few times. Hope to do it again. He was in with the Slayer."

"What's with this chick? She got beer flavored tits or something?"

"If only." he got up. "The name's Spike. If you don't get out of this hellhole look me up." He tossed a few dirty dollars on the counter. "Later mate." He left the bar. Lindsay was gonna catch up and talk to him some more but he just picked up his bag and walked out slowly.