Queen Bee
by cathy nort
chapter 8
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Less than an hour later Buffy found herself behind the wheel of the red Camaro. After she inserted the key in the ignition her trembling fingers picked up her cell phone and she punched in Willow's number.
On the other end Dusty's cheery voice came on. "Good girl Buffy. That wasn't hard now was it? And you seem to be alone. That's good. Oh yes, you're being watched. My lookout is on my other cell and saw you when you arrived."
Buffy looked around the lot. Shoppers were going here and there so it was impossible to tell which one was the 'lookout'. Several had cells plastered to their ears. That sight was much too common in a parking area to distinguish one person from another.
"Now start the car and let's get going. There's plenty of gas so that won't have to be addressed gratefully. With the price of gasoline today.......oh never mind. Buffy just follow my instructions and don't hang up at any time. Want to make sure you don't try and contact anyone......such as the police."
Buffy was told to pull out of the lot and head north. For the next ten minutes Buffy was directed on a zigzag course throughout the neighborhood. She would often double back on herself and in two cases she went down alleys and at one time down the wrong way on a one way street. Without a question at several places she was observed to make sure she wasn't being followed. After a Buffy could hear Dusty talking to someone on her other cell phone. When she came back on Willow's she was satisfied no one was tailing Buffy.
"That's good Buffy. Now head out to the freeway. You can get on just down the block. Take it east."
Buffy did as instructed. After several miles she was told to exit, cross the overpass and head in the opposite direction, north. West led her out into the country where Dusty told her to exit on Lost Plum Road. "There's a cute little blond girl at the top of the ramp. Pick her up. That's Dorie. You met her in the cemetery a bit back. She'll bring you to me. Bye for now."
Buffy heard the connection click off. Dorie was where Dusty said she would be. Her hair blond was drawn into two pig tails and she looked very young. She looked nothing like the Slayer Buffy had earlier encountered. She had on a short blue denim skirt and a thin sleeveless blouse with white socks and tennis shoes. When Buffy stopped she quickly hopped in beside Buffy. The two Slayers measured each other up silently for a moment before Dorie held out her hand. "I'm Dorie. Glad to meet you."
Buffy refused the handshake which sobered the girl beside her. "Okay. I can understand that." Dorie turned her attention to the road. "Go up to Winchester. Then make aright."
Winchester was little more than a gravel farm road and it seemed to be leading to nothing but forest and over grown landscape. Dorie told Buffy to swing down the next dirt road and Buffy found herself driving across a tiny bridge and over a dry creek bed. At the end of the road Buffy found their destination. A large two storied frame house in badly need of paint. Buffy pulled up to the front and parked beside a gray van. She turned off the ignition.
"Let's go inside," Dorie said. "Dusty's waiting."
Leaving the keys dangling from the ignition Buffy climbed out of the car and followed Dorie into the house. Dusty was sitting in an over stuffed chair on the back enclosed porch sipping a glass of lemonade. Dusty indicated with a wave of her hand for Buffy to sit in a matching chair that had been placed across from her.
Buffy did smoothing her skirt as she sat. Then she looked boldly into Dusty's eyes. "Where's Willow? Where's Dawn?"
"They're fine. Trust me. There quite comfortable down in the basement at the moment. You'll be seeing them shortly. For now we need to talk." Dusty drained the glass and placed it on the floor beside the chair. "This is what I would like. I don't want to have to resort to any rough stuff. I don't think it will be necessary. My request is quite simple. If you stay, willingly, I promise to let both Dawn and Willow go free."
"And I should trust that you will?" Buffy tried to keep her voice even. Reasonable.
"Yes. You may have trouble believing this but my word is golden. As I trust yours is. Willow and your sister are here only because I have a need for you. They are unaware where they are since both were unconscious when they were brought here. They'll be unconscious when they leave and when they come around they will be back in Sunnydale safe and sound. That is if you agree to be my .....our guest for a few days."
"Just what is it you want? What is it that I can supply that is so valuable?" Buffy asked.
Dusty rose and paced to the far end of the room. Dorie had returned and was standing in the doorway arms folded. Another girl appeared, a dark haired girl Buffy had seen before. She was one of the Slayers Buffy had seen on Giles computer.
"Why I need you Buffy is because of your rare blood type. You're an AB-. Less than one percent of the people in the world have that, as you are aware of I'm sure."
Buffy was. She had been asked on several occasions to donate blood when an emergency had arrived and a person with that same rare blood type needed a transfusion.
Dusty continued. "Buffy, this will probably shock you but I am over 100 years old." Dusty watched Buffy closely. She was surprised to see that Buffy showed little reaction to the fact of her age. "Oh. So you know. Or suspect at least. Your watcher, Giles isn't it, has discovered this already I presume.?
Buffy sat uncommitted.
"That blood type and my ability to remain this physical age. Return I should say to this physical age from a middle-aged woman to a spry teen girl, are linked. You, besides being a Slayer, are a vibrant young woman with a rare blood type. I would like you to share some of it with......me." Dusty flicked her fingers toward the two girls in the doorway. "With us. Your blood mixed ....let me make it simple....with the blood from a South American breed of Queen bees, is what has given me the youth you see before you."
Dusty strolled up to where Buffy sat. "You see Buffy I am more than a Watcher. Much more. I am essentially a Queen Bee. And these two girls at the door are, metaphorically speaking, just two of my worker bees. They do my bidding. And I in turn will provide them with every lasting youth."
(Author: I am leaving for vacation Monday so there will be a 3 or 4 week interval before the next chapter. I won't have lost interest)