aired on: September 26, 2000

written by: Marti Noxon

directed by: David Solomon

It's a beautiful day at the beach as Buffy and Riley toss around a football. While the rest of the gang are catching some rays and trying not to exert themselves, Xander struggles with making some fire for the barbecue. With barely any effort, Willow says a couple of magic words and a fireball instantly appears in the grill, knocking Xander off of his seat. As she explains how the spell works, a sudden downpour hits the beach. Buffy and the gang quickly grab everything and run off. The rain continues into the night as a delivery truck pulls up to a castle. The two movers are anxious to finish their job and get out of the storm. As they hurriedly slide a long, heavy, wooden box out of the truck bed, they drop one of the ends onto the ground. Dirt comes out of the cracked corner, confusing one of the movers. The other mover suggests that they just turn the box on its side and leave it there. Unexpectedly, a hand tears through the crate and through the neck of one of the movers.

The next day at Giles' place, Willow helps Giles with his computer. He is eager to begin archiving a large collection of old texts, but Willow isn't too willing to get started. She suggests that winter is the better archiving season, not summer. Giles confides in Willow that he plans to go back to England. He wants the archiving done so that the gang will have all the information at their fingertips. He makes her promise not to tell anyone, especially Buffy. A shocked Willow pleads with him to stay, but he says that Buffy obviously doesn't need him anymore and that he's quite proud of her. Willow argues that everyone else, including herself, needs him to watch over them. Giles tells her that they will be fine and they can stay in touch. He plans to tell Buffy about his return to England soon.

Back at home, Buffy finishes dinner with Joyce and heads to the cemetery for a patrol. After ridding the world of one more vampire, she encounters a dark stranger. He tells her that he is very impressed with her powerful hunting skills. Buffy challenges him but he declines. She asks him who he is and he says that he assumed she knew. He is Dracula. Buffy does not immediately believe him. She mentions that many pimply, overweight vamps she had fought in the past claimed to be the one and only Dracula as well. With stake in hand, she lunges toward him. He vanishes and materializes behind her. Again she goes in for the attack and he disappears. Just then, Willow and Xander, who also happen to be patrolling, wander into the scene. As Buffy tells them to get out of there, Dracula materializes right behind them. After Xander thoroughly insults the infamous vampire, Buffy tells them that she's pretty sure that he is Dracula. Realizing his obvious blunder, Xander apologizes and Dracula tells Buffy that he will see her soon. He then takes the form of a bat and flies off into the night.

Xander, Willow and Buffy go to Giles' to tell the rest of the gang about meeting Dracula. They are completely starstruck. Willow and Buffy go on about Dracula's dark, penetrating eyes and sexy accent making both Riley and Tara a bit jealous. Much to Xander's dismay, Anya adds that she hung out with Dracula a couple times back in her demon days and it was really cool. Everyone decides to learn everything they can about Dracula and reconvene in the morning to come up with a plan. On Xander's way home, Dracula pays him a visit. He wants Xander to be his eyes and ears in daylight. For this favor, Dracula promises to reward Xander with immortality. Meanwhile, Riley finds Spike and asks him what he knows about Dracula. Spike reveals that he and Dracula were once rivals, but not much more. Before the night is over, a mysterious fog seeps into Buffy's room as she sleeps. She awakens to find Dracula at the foot of her bed. He then charms the Slayer into letting him bite her neck.

The next morning, Buffy hides the puncture wounds left by Dracula's bite with a scarf. Everyone meets at Giles' house to talk about what they have learned. Willow says that Dracula would rather have a connection with his victims than just kill them. His special powers include reading and controlling minds and appearing in dreams. Giles says that Dracula prefers that his victims be somewhat willing, and even yearn for him. This makes Buffy uncomfortable and she tries to leave. Riley confronts her and rips the scarf off. Everyone sees the bite marks left on her exposed neck. She explains that she's not exactly sure how it happened. Riley guesses that she's under the thrall of Dracula and shouldn't go anywhere near him. Xander offers to keep an eye on her at his place. Willow and Tara prepare to do a protection spell on Buffy's house while Giles and Riley search for Dracula. Xander tells Buffy that he has to take her to the master. Buffy willingly agrees.

At Dracula's castle, Buffy pulls a stake out to end Dracula's spell, but Dracula uses his powers to make her put it back down. Meanwhile, Giles and Riley arrive at the castle, but Giles falls into a pit with Dracula's harem, and Riley is delayed by Dracula's new minion, Xander. Back in Dracula's lair, Dracula offers Buffy a taste of his blood, which she accepts. The blood causes a flood of flashbacks and breaks Dracula's spell. She throws Dracula across the room. Dracula, surprised that he can't control Buffy, resorts to fighting. As Buffy gains the upper hand, Dracula tries his disappearing act, only this time, Buffy is in the right place at the right time when he starts to materialize. She thrusts the stake into his heart, and Dracula is dusted. Soon after, Giles and Riley wander into the room, finding Buffy safe. Xander is upset that he was under Dracula's control. As they leave, the mysterious fog starts to swirl and Dracula materializes. Pointing out that she has seen too many movies to know that they always come back, she thrusts the stake into Dracula's heart and he is dusted again. The fog starts to swirl yet again, but Buffy announces that she is still standing right there. The fog quickly dissipates for the last time.

Giles invites Buffy over the following day to tell her about his plan to return to England but before he can let it out, she tells him that she needs him to be her watcher again. He happily accepts. Buffy returns home to inform her mom that she will be going to the movies. Her mom suggests to a shocked Buffy that she take her younger sister along...