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Sunset Consultants
by Danii

"Here vampy vampy vampy..." Buffy muttered angrily under her breath, "Come on out...you know you want to...I know you don't want to tick off the Slayer so why don't you come on out and let me slay you...come on out and give me something to do!"
She was so bored. She was on patrol, and there was nothing to do, nothing to slay. Nothing, which was a first for the summer so far since on most nights she'd been busy with getting rid of the many demons that had been released from the Initiative last May. But now, it was annoyingly quiet, and Buffy was almost wishing that something would pop out at her. Then something did, though it wasn't alive or scaly.
"Oh, that's something new..." the Slayer said as saw the sign on the front law of the house two doors down from her own. It was brightly lit from without, and the picture over which the letter was superimposed was that of a beautiful golden sunset that stood out in the middle of the Sunnydale night. Buffy went closer to read the writing that was on it.
"'Sunset Consultants...'" the Slayer read out loud, 
"Interesting name for a business in Sunnydale...'we take walk-ins...' Not the brightest sign to have out in Sunnydale, especially considering that, according to the sign, they're only open at night..."
The thought sunk in. 
"Only open at night?!" 
This sent the Slayer into a bit of a tizzy, and she had to shake herself a minute later to calm down. 
"All right...I am NOT having another demonic neighbor!" The Slayer whispered to herself through clenched teeth, "NO bug men, no vampires! Nothing evil!" And with this iron resolve, Buffy made her way to the open door and walked through.
The room was nothing like she'd expected. It was 
bright and cheery, with a sort of odd color scheme that could have looked gaudy, but didn't. The place was clean, with one side of the front room devoted to couches, while the other was an office. Beyond this was a door, behind which was obviously the businessman's home. And there, sitting in the desk, was the businessman.
He was reading something or other on his desk, so 
Buffy got a good look at him. Dark hair, black or dark brown, that did a sort of odd maneuver at the front, with beautiful blue-green eyes below that the Slayer only got a bit of a look at. He looked rather like her Watcher, except much younger. And from the height of his seat, he was quite a bit shorter. 
"Madame?" The man asked in a lovely, English-accented voice, staring at her oddly yet pleasantly from the desk after he finished with his papers.
"Yes?" Buffy asked, rather nervous. The Slayer was quite aware of the lack of a logical reason she had for coming, and the whole I-wanted-to-see-if-you-were-evil thing didn't really sound very good.
"Are you quite all right?" he asked, the concern 
showing in his eyes, "Here, take a seat, dear. Can I help you with anything?"
"Uh..." 
"Madame, if you are unaware of the fact, you have 
wandered into my home and my place of business." He told her in a gentle voice, "Sunset Consultations? On North Walker Street? Are you in need of my services?"
"Uh..." 
The man looked at her once more, and then his gaze went to the heavens. After a moment of what Buffy figured was silent prayer (which put him in the not-evil category), the man got a rather worried expression on his quite handsome face.
"You aren't another starving vampire, are you?" 
This made Buffy sit up in her seat. 
"No!" 
The stranger looked relieved. "Oh thank God! I 
thought perhaps the town was over run with them, and the two of you seemed to have that same confused look on your face. But, I'm assuming from your lack of disbelief, you are aware of vampires?"
"Yes..." Buffy answered, her voice slightly suspicious. Who was this guy? What was he? Why did he know about vampires? And what business was he in? She would make him a little nervous to get it out of him. "I happen to be the Slayer..."
"That's nice..." the man said with a smile and a pat to her shoulder, "You must be good since you look a bit older than the girls I've usually seen. In college already, I'd think...And living on the Hellmouth? Good job, I must say. Commendable..."
"Thank you..." the Slayer said automatically. Then her mind caught up with her mouth. "Huh? Other Slayers? You know about that? And the Hellmouth?"
"Of course!" The man answered, his voice telling her that he was trying NOT to roll his eyes, "You don't live as long as I have and not know about the Hellmouth...not that it has any affect on me. Rather a different breed than the ones you have here apparently..." 
"Different breed? Long life?" Buffy asked, "Are you a vampire?"
"Yes I am, Madame." He answered in an offhanded tone, "As are my wife, my child, and my child's godmother..." 
"Huh?" 
The man's expression went to one of compassion. "Oh, my dear girl, there are many types of vampires in this world. I, and my family, happen to be a rather mediocre breed. Live forever, drink some blood, hypnotize some people...that's all. We don't cause trouble. Not the sort to start an apocalypse or anything...quite type, really..."
Buffy didn't have anything to say, and so let him 
continue.
"Which is what has me in quite a bit of confusion...I mean, I know Nerissa wants to be involved in politics on a different level, but why she had to pick Mayor of the Hellmouth is beyond me, guess she wanted to really work a clean-up-the-streets something or other...though it doesn't really bother me since my business is mostly over the phone anyway (Dwight doesn't really like me)...and Sunnydale does have a fine education system for Jeremy, not to mention..."
"HOLD UP!" the Slayer cried. She was so bewildered. This guy was a vampire. A vampire with a family. A vampire with a business, who prayed, didn't kill anyone, and helped people. The chorus of 'huh' rang through her mind.
"Yes?" the man asked. 
"Can we slow things down a little bit? You're 
confusing me..." 
"Certainly, Madame..." he answered, "I'm sure this is a bit overwhelming...and may we introduce ourselves so that I may stop calling you Madame?"
"Sure." The Slayer replied. Introductions. Nice, slow, easy introductions. "My name is Buffy Summers, the Slayer..."
"Pleased to meet you Buffy Summers..." the stranger 
replied, "I would be Zachary Simms, 350 year old vampire and owner/runner of 'Sunset Consultants' who, along with his family, has just moved to Sunnydale, California."
"Pleased to meet you as well, Zachary..." she said, 
holding out her hand for a shake. But as she did, she saw her watch.
"Except, I gotta go!" the Slayer cried, quickly 
pulling herself out of her seat and heading toward the door, "Have to meet someone! See ya!"
"Bye..." said Zachary, sounding a little disappointed, "But take my card..."
And the Slayer did just that, grabbing the piece of paper off of his desk before fleeing through the door, her mind spinning with the knowledge she had just acquired (and intended on keeping quiet). As she left, Zachary let out a small chuckle beneath his breath. He knew the Hellmouth was going to be odd, but what a strange set he'd met already. A starving demonic vampire and a confused Slayer. He wondered who else he would have the pleasure of meeting.
"Well, at least I won't be bored for a while..." he said to himself, "Places like this probably have a good deal of work for me..."
Then his mind turned to other matters as he felt a cool hand running itself down his arm.
"Yes, dear...I think I will come to bed now...enough 
excitement for one night what with those two..."
"Enough excitement?" Kendell asked in a purr, "Sure you don't want some more?"
Zachary smiled. How he loved her! And Jeremy 
wouldn't mind a little sister...
"Oh definitely..." 

The End