A Highly Valued Employee

Chapter 6

A storefront church, named Salvation Chapel, stood along a downtown side street, several blocks from Wolfram and Hart headquarters. At 9:30 PM, most of the small shops were closed, and their storefronts darkened. A few cars were parked along the curb.

The sidewalk was deserted, when a dark green, six year old Ford Taurus drove up, and parked in front of the Chapel.

The front door on the driver's side opened, and Cordelia Chase got out. The tall, dark haired woman in her early twenties, wore blue denim slacks, a light yellow jacket, and carried a slightly tattered white handbag.

She shut and locked the car door, and headed for the Chapel, with the keys in her hand. She sang,

                                         "I have decided--to follow Jesus!

                                          I have decided--to follow Jesus!

                                          I have decided--to follow Jesus!

                                          No turning back!

                                          No turning back!"

A figure came rushing toward her, out of a dark doorway to her right. The rushing figure was a teenage girl with extended fangs. She pounced on Cordelia.

Cordelia spun sideways, giving the girl a powerful blow, smacking her to the ground.

Then she shouted, "Back off!"

Cordelia reached into her handbag, and took out a cross, which she held out at arm's length, toward the girl's face, while displaying her own fangs.

"You're too late!"

The girl shielded her eyes from the cross. She sat on the sidewalk, wearing slacks and a light jacket, and was very disheveled.

Her voice whined, "I don't believe this! I am so hungry! I haven't eaten since I was undead-ed! You look like such a satisfying meal; but you're a vampire too!"

Cordelia retracted her fangs, and put the cross back in her handbag.

She said, "Hey girl, you really are a mess."

"No kidding!"

"How long has it been since you became undead?"

"Since Saturday night, or Sunday morning."

"Saturday night? Then you really are hungry. Come on inside. I've got plenty of pigs' blood in the fridge. I'll warm some up for you in the microwave."

"Inside here? A Chapel, with crosses and Bibles? You're a vampire."

Cordelia told her, "I am also a born again servant, of the Lord Jesus Christ! Just like you should be."

"But that isn't possible." The girl whined, "You're a vampire like me, and we vampires are all demons."

"I disagree with that theory. Demons are spirits, 'and a spirit has not flesh and blood.' We vampires are made of flesh and blood, and we have free will.

"You can choose to come inside the Chapel, where we'll have pigs' blood, all warmed up and in a mug; or you can choose to kill someone, and suck the blood out of his or her neck, which is a lot more difficult. You do have free will."

"But inside a Church?"

Cordelia reached out, took the girl's hand, and helped her stand up.

Then she said, "You look familiar. What's your name?"

"I'm Dawn Summers, Cordelia."

"Dawn? Right. You're Buffy's kid sister. I remember you from Sunnydale."

Dawn told her, "The Vampire Slayer has been beheaded."

"Oh Dawn! I heard what happened. I am so sorry."

"And no surprise; her little sister's been vamped. I am going to be a healthy young woman forever, but Buffy won't."

Cordelia put a comforting arm around the girl.

"Please come inside Dawn."

Dawn froze and held back.

Cordelia prayed, "In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask God the Father Almighty, to send forth the Holy Spirit, to lead you to the Cross.

"In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

Dawn retracted her fangs.

Cordelia unlocked the Chapel door. Then she and Dawn went inside the House of Worship.