Equinox - Prologue

chapter 3

Faith stood outside the cottage admiring Lara’s bike. Taking her time walking around it as she pondered the million and one thought for Lara being here.

Lara shut the door behind her and tossed Faith the keys “Why don’t you drive, give you a chance of some real power between those thighs.”

Faith caught the keys smirking “K, you’ll have to hold on real tight though.” She straddled the motor.

Lara climbed on behind her choosing to hold on to Faiths waist rather than the hand holds provided for pillion. A shudder ran through Faith as Lara’s hands touched her, mixed with the vibration from the engine throbbing through her crotch.

“Where are we going?” Faith turned slightly to Lara

“I need to go home pick something up. So follow the dirt track over there.”

Faith kicked the bike into gear and twisted the throttle. The front end lifting as the motor roared down the drive. Regaining control she headed through the trees to the track Lara had pointed out.

Croft Manor loomed ahead growing faster and faster in size as she drew nearer. Stopping the bike near the main doors Lara leapt off “Welcome to Croft Manor.”

Faiths mouth gaped open as her eyes took in the size of the house before her. Eventually finding her tongue “Fuck me... You actually live here…Alone?”

“Well not exactly alone I have my boys stay with me”

Faith arched an eyebrow in Lara’s direction “Boys?”

“You’ll see.” Lara turned and went inside.

“Boys... Momma’s home”

Hillary and Bryce appeared from one of the further rooms in the manor.

“Ah Lara I see you have company?” Hillary checked Faith from head to toe disapprovingly.

Bryce however never spoke choosing too simply leer and drool in Faith’s direction.

“Yes I do now would you be so kind as too take Faith to the garage and get her a suitable bike. We're going to the track.”

“Certainly... This way please.”

Faith’s eyes never stopped scanning the huge hall. “Jeez...Some digs.”

“I have too change, Hill will show you too the garage. Choose whichever takes your fancy, I won’t be long.” Lara grabbed Bryce as she passed dragging him awkwardly with her, away from Faith muttering to him “Eyes off she’s mine”

Faith watched Lara leave then carried on with her survey of the hall.

“Miss Faith if you wouldn’t mind following me.” The disapproval of her showed in his voice.

“K yeah” Faith followed him.

“The security here must be bitchin; I must have passed like twenty cameras and sensors already.” Faith had too break the uncomfortable silence that had been building between them.

Hilary ignored her.

“Not to keen on small talk then.”

Hilary stopped outside the doorway to the garage “I don’t mean too be rude but there is no point getting to know you because I probably wont ever see you again after tonight. That’s just how things are around here.” He opened the doors and switched on the lights. “Goodbye Miss Faith.”


Hilary left Faith alone too look around the many cars and bikes that were stored there. All of them polished and looked like they had never seen the light of day or a dust particle. Lara’s voice startled her.

“Seen anything you like?”

“Maybe.” Faith flirted.

“You really do live the life. Ya... actually driven all of these or you just look at them?”

“I see something I like I get it. And for the record everything gets a full workout.”

Lara stepped over closer too Faith “So which do you like?”

“Well if I have too I guess the big black one over there.”

“In that case I think I should, in fairness, take its twin. You might want to suit up.” Lara pointed to the lockers on the far wall. “I’ll get the keys for these babies’s.”

Lara handed Faith one of the intercoms for the helmets “Here you’ll need this. I think it would be best if you follow me too the track.” Lara smiled “That is if you can keep up.”

They made their way over too the test track Lara had built on the back of her vast estate.
Bryce waited at the starting line for them too arrive. “Now i'm sure I don’t have too tell you both too be careful. It’s not in my job description to be scraping pretty ladies off the tarmac. Ok first one to complete twenty laps wins.”

“What we winning exactly?”

Bryce was about to answer but Lara cut him off “Well that all depends on what you want to place as your bet.”

Faith pondered, “How about the winner pays for dinner.”

“Done." Lara paused "and another date.”

“Another date, I didn’t realise this was a date. I would have a least scrubbed up a little better.” Faith laughed nervously.

Stepping into the centre of the two bikes Bryce raised his arms out “Ready, Set” dropping his arms to his sides he shouted “GO”.

Coughing and spluttering as the two accelerated loudly passed him screeching the rear wheels and leaving skid marks in the track.

Positions changed throughout the race. The slayer and the tomb raider using everything they had to beat each other to the finish line. Bryce held the last lap sign out for both to see.

Tucking herself down into the bike Faith squeezed more from the accelerator, keeping her bike level with Lara’s all the way to the finish.
Over the finish line they sat up slowing the bikes down into the pit lane before stopping in front of the garage.

“Think dinners on you. I definitely nailed that round.” Faith removed her helmet and shook her hair loose. Smiling like a Cheshire cat.

“You think so, we’ll see. Bryce bring me the photo of the finish would you.”

Bryce chuckled as he looked at the photo before handing it too Lara.

“Congratulations. I guess i’m buying. But as the loser I demand a rematch.”

“Yeah, yeah, now where we going? I’m hungry for a fat juicy steak.”

“Steak it is. I do think we should freshen up first though.” Lara dismounted and threw the keys to Bryce. “I’ll take the jeep back, be a darling and put the toys away for me”

The drive back too the manor seemed to take much longer than it had on the bikes. Faith was still buzzing from her victory over the brunette.

“So Croft...What’s your story.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well you see a complete stranger sat on a hill, a little light conversing, and next thing I know you show up at my door whisking me out of a world of boredom. Then taking me for a wine n dine. Don’t think I haven’t had a shit load of fun, but just seems like you got everything and you wanna spend time with little miss nobody Me.?”

Lara laughed “Well for your information I find you rather irresistible, funny and not too mention interesting. You intrigue me, and I wanted to get to know you.”

“Mmm... ok I can live with that”

“So do I get to know something about you, other than you can clearly handle a bike?”

“No story here. Kinda learned to look after myself and I have as much fun as I can doing it.”

“So how do you know Ripper?”

“Long story, were from the same town and we got a lot of the same friends.”

“You mean Sunnydale, or the Hellmouth as Ripper used to call it. Before he became Mr Good guy Rupert.” Lara knew all about slayers, vampires and the problem that is Sunnydale. Giles had asked her for help on many occasions with identifying relics and demons. She wanted too see how Faith reacted with her.

“Sounds like you may know more than I do?”

“I make it my job to know about these things.”

“Good saves me having to think up some bogus story”

“Yes i’m glad too, so how about we go for dinner and you can tell me some stories.”

“Sounds like a plan too me.”


Back at the manor Lara had Hillary find them somewhere quiet too eat while she showed Lara too one of the many rooms.

“You will find everything you need in there, when you’re done you can find something in my closet next door, to wear.”

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but I don’t do cocktail dresses.” Faith grimaced at the mental image of her in the dress.

“Don’t fret you won’t find anything like that in there. Although I think you would look superb in a dress.” Lara joked

“Ok Ill see you in fifteen.”

Faith entered the room, curiosity getting the better of her she checked all the drawers and closets before going into the bathroom. Turning on the shower and beginning to undress she caught sight of herself in the mirror.

“Get a grip F, She’s friendly, good looking, but she’s just being friendly. Come on what the fuck, she’s a chick, that’s Reds department.” She finished reprimanding herself and showered.

Not wanting to put on her dirty clothes she wrapped one of the many dry towels around herself and made her way along the hall too Lara’s room. She stopped too knock on the door before walking in.

She opened the door to be greeted with the sight of Lara still showering. The smoked screen covered most of the brunettes body, the sight of Lara’s long slender legs covered in soapy water held Faith captivated.

“I see you’re not shy.” Lara caught her staring.

Faith turned her gaze to nothing interesting on the wall beside her.

“Clothes are in the closet over there.” Lara nodded to another room beyond.

“Err Thanks”

Embarrassed Faith looked around the room, glad that Lara was just as messy as she was. Now she didn’t feel so bad about leaving the other room in such an untidy state with her clothes strewn over the floor. She stood in the doorway of the closet not believing how many clothes Lara owned.
The sound of the showers gentle spray ceased behind her, resisting the temptation to turn around and look at the beauty she walked further into the closet opening the nearest drawer.

“I’m voting for the black leather trousers and white vest. .” Lara hadn’t bothered to cover herself after she dried.

“I err” Faith stumbled over her words. “I think that be ok”

Lara reached around Faith into the drawer and took out one of the vests her breast softly brushing Faiths arm.

The rush of heat through her body made her gasp.

“Oh sorry” Lara said it but without conviction in her voice Faith new she meant for it to happen.
Faith swallowed hard, composing herself, and unhooked the towel from around her. Confidently she turned to face Lara and smiled. Picking out her clothes she dressed.

“Ready let’s go.” It was Lara who was caught staring this time.

Bryce drove them out of town too a quiet restaurant he found on the internet. “The reviews on this place are good and it should be quiet”

They found themselves a corner away from other patrons eating and drinking to their fill. Making light work of dismissing the unwanted male company that found their way over to their table with offers of drinks.

Faith found the more she spoke to the beauty before her the more she realised the feelings she was having weren’t normal. Well not normal to her, sure they had very different backgrounds you couldn’t find two people so different but she somehow felt closer to the stranger than she had to anyone. Even the Mayor didn’t touch her soul the way Lara had. Her mind raced trying to figure out what her heart already knew. She was falling for this woman, head over heels, pure no holds barred monogamous relationship in love with her. Uncontrollably she yawned.

“I think we should be getting you into bed.” Lara raised her eyebrows and smirked “Wouldn’t want Ripper on the war path”

“Well I am supposed to be working, I mean I feel so guilty letting him do all the boring research stuff…NOT”

“So you just want to get out of here?”

“Hell yes I don’t think I can keep from knocking out another moron that thinks he can get in my pants.”

On the way home Faith put her feet up on the seat in front of her. The hilt of her knife poked out the top of her boot.

“You mind if I take a look?” Lara reached over to the knife.

“Sure. I never leave home without it. You like knives?”

“Yes. I’m a bit of a collector myself ill show you when we get home.” Lara twirled the knife in her hand “It’s got perfect weight and balance.”

Lara showed Faith into the weapons room entering the key code into the pad to unlocking the cages and drawers. Faith looked like a kid in a candy store everywhere she looked she saw weapons of all shapes and sizes.

“Just a small collection! Jeez if me n B had half this stuff it would make our job so much easier not to mention, a lot more fun.”

Faith picked up one of the long bows from the rack. “Oh I think I just fell in love.”
“Now that would be a shame” Lara winked “Although you look so hot holding that”

Faith didn’t know what to do “I err I think maybe I should go”

Lara walked slowly closer to her “No please don’t I’m sorry. I was wrong to say that please forgive me” Lara looked lost “Please stay its been a while since i had company that I wasn’t paying to kiss my ass”

Faith sniggered “You pay people to kiss your ass”

Lara laughed realising what she had said sounded out of context “You know what I meant ...right”

“Yeah I just liked watching you beg me too stay.”

“You know you’re evil”

“More than you know” Faith laughed it off hoping that her past would not rear its ugly head too bite her in the ass any time soon.


They spent the remainder of the night playing with the weapons using the dummies and targets Lara had built in the training room.

“This place rocks” Faith threw one of the knives directly into the dummies heart.

“Good shot”

“I wouldn’t be alive very long if I couldn’t hit the target”

“So care to share some more of those adventures, and tell me more of your friends”

The sunlight shone through the windows illuminating Lara’s face, her eyes demanding Faiths attention. She couldn’t pull her stare away.

“Faith. Faith are you ok?”

“You look...you’re so...” She stopped before she made a fool of herself. “I have to go the suns breaking out n G is gonna freak, he’s already pissed at me for borrowing his bike.”

“Will I see you later? I usually train early but considering the time I might just get some sleep first, you could come by show me some of your moves?”

“Yeah sure, if G hasn’t got me working.”

“Here take the bike that way you won’t get your balls busted by G”

“Thanks. I guess I will have too see you later then.”

Faith was too entranced by the way the light caught Lara’s face she missed her throwing the keys.

Lara giggled knowing exactly why Faith hadn’t caught them “I look forward to it”


TBC