Good thing Anya and Cordelia aren't here because then things would be really awkward

"A vampire slayer?" asked the Count. "You have the nerve to bring a vampire slayer here, Mademoiselle Rosenberg, and yet still ask a favor of me?"

"Hey, what's the big deal?" asked Kennedy. "Buffy's a vampire slayer, too, and you didn't seem to have a problem with her."

The Count turned toward Amy and Buffy. "Is this true?" he asked, and the expression in his eyes as he asked the question made Buffy feel even more naked than usual.

And to think Amy made me leave Mr. Pointy at home because she didn't think I'd need it on this trip, Buffy thought.

"Yes, it's true," said Buffy. "But in my defense, most of my vampire slayings have been in self-defense or in defense of others. And it's not like most of the vampires I killed were just out minding their own business. They would have killed a lot of innocent people if I had not killed them first."

"In other words, you claim you only kill bad vampires," said the Count.

"Well, it's true," said Buffy. "Not all vampires out there are like you. And one of them actually killed me once but by some miracle, I survived."

"Plus her ex-boyfriend was a vampire," said Kennedy.

"Not helping," said Willow.

"No, it's true," said Kennedy. "One of her ex-boyfriends actually was a vampire. For that matter, one of her future boyfriends will be a vampire as well."

"Future boyfriend?" asked Buffy. "You don't mean..."

"You're not suggesting that I should give Mademoiselle Summers a break because some of her best friends are vampires, are you, Mademoiselle Kennedy?" asked the Count.

"No, Count," said Kennedy. "But you can't honestly expect me or her to be sorry for killing people who were doing their damnedest to kill us."

"In other words," said the Count, "they started it."

"Yes, they did," said Kennedy. "And if we hadn't killed them, they would have killed us. Surely you've heard of vampires who aren't exactly a credit to your race. Lestat, for example. Or Dracula. Or that Barnabas Collins chap. Or --"

"I get your point," said the Count. "And yet I've known enough vampires who were not like those people you just mentioned yet suffered many a nasty **** at the hands of humans."

"So we're agreed," said Kennedy. "Life sucks sometimes."

"I wouldn't exactly put it like that," said the Count. "But at present, I see no need to punish you or Mademoiselle Summers. On the other hand, I see no need to reward you either. So I'm giving my sample of the philosopher's stone to Mademoiselle Calendar and Mademoiselle Maclay. Unless of course, they too happen to be vampire slayers."

"Er, not really, " said Jenny.

"Me neither," said Tara.

"Not fair," said Amy. "We were here first."

"Mademoiselle Madison," said the count, "you and your naked friend are already leaving here with a very precious gift -- your lives. Please don't encourage me to change my mind."

Just then there was a knock on the door. The Count's servant Roger went to answer it. He soon returned and whispered something in the Count's ear. The Count in turn whispered something into Roger's ear.

"Who is it this time?" asked Kennedy as Roger walked off to let in the new arrival. "Joyce or Anya?"

"Joyce or Anya?" asked Buffy. "Why would you think they'd show up here?"

"My latest guest does not go by either of those names you just mentioned, Mademoiselle Kennedy," said the Count. "You would probably know her best as the Lady in Red."

"The Lady in Red!" exclaimed Buffy. "Oh my God! It's her. The woman I saw in my dreams. I saw a woman in red in my dreams and it was horrible."

"But that was just a dream, Buffy," said Amy. "That couldn't possibly have been real."

"But suppose it is?" asked Buffy. "What am I going to do?"

Just then Roger returned with a dark-haired woman in a red dress. "Bonsoir, Monsieur Count," she said. "I hate to drop in unannounced but I just happened to be in the neighborhood and -- Buffy! What are you doing here?"

Buffy just responded by dashing forward to embrace the Lady in Red.

"Drusilla," Buffy said, "thank God it's you!"