Buffy walked out of Principal Fluties office more than a little upset. It hurt that she couldn't tell people that the real reason she burned down Hemery's gym. After all she saved two hundred lives from the vamp master Lothos. Her watcher had DIED. It was so totally and completely unfair. That's what she was telling herself when she ran into another student. Her slayer strength caused the poor guy to crash to the floor scattering his books everywhere.
Xander Harris was kind of worried about his math test today. Not " oh my God I should have studied more," worried, but " damn where's Willow to explain stuff," worried. He was walking past the principal's office while glancing at the math notes Willow had made for him when he ran right into a brick wall. On the upside the brick wall sure knew how to wear a miniskirt.
"Oh God are you okay." Buffy had scattered the poor guys books all over the floor. She looked down at him to apologize and stopped to stare into the most soulful brown eyes she had ever seen. They belonged to a handsome teenager with unruly black hair that made her just want to run her fingers through it. " Let me have you...<Oh God>... I mean let me help you I mean." <God I am so retarded>
"Sure thing. Xander is my name and running into new students is my game." He gave Buffy a goofy half smile while scooping up the rest of his books. " My bud Jesse mentioned a new girl but he never said you were so pretty."
Buffy turned red. " Mmm Thanks. Buffy is me uh by the way and I am so totally not this clumsy. Its just I was coming from the principals office and I was thinking and...." While talking Buffy absent-mindedly extended her hand and pulled Xander to his feet with a single easy motion. He looked a little surprised at her strength and the ease with which she moved him.
"Hey don't worry about it. I'll see you around, Okay." Xander helped Buffy gather the last of his things and walked off flashing her a goofy smile and a quick wave.
<Great first impression Buffy. Scare off with your freakish strength and a poor grasp of the English language>
Buffy walked down the corridor of the school along side of a girl she had met in her first period class. Her name was Cordelia Chase and she was currently quizzing Buffy on her coolness factor. Buffy easily gave all of the right answers. She knew how to play ball with the in crowd and she didn't want to alienate anyone on the first day of school. At the same time she didn't really like what she had seen of Cordelia Chase. She was too much like Buffy herself before she was called.
"Cor, let me ask you something." Cordelia paused in the monologue she was engaging in and said, "sure."
"This morning I met this guy and seemed kind of cute and I was wondering what you knew about him."
"Sure I got the dish. Is he a football player cause hooking up with one of them would really cement your social standing in the school."
Um, I don't think he plays football. His name is Xander and he's got the cutest brown eyes." Buffy seemed to grow more excited as she thought about the guy from that morning.
"HARRIS, you're telling me that you met and actually LIKED Xander Harris. Cordelia looked shocked at buffy's declaration. She stopped Buffy in the corridor and turned to face her. " Listen Buffy." Cordy's face grew serious. " Xander Harris has the worst reputation in the school. The social standing of him and his friends is like down her," holding her hand around her navel. " I'm like up her," and Cordelia held her hand at the top of her head. " Where would you rather be?"
"Umm up there."
"Exactly. So stay away from Xander Harris and his loser friends. Keep walking down this hall and you'll get to the library. I HOPE to see you around." Cordy walked off muttering to herself about Harris dragging a perfectly good girl down.
The library was dark and musty and cast in shadows. It was twin leveled with books covering every spare surface. Buffy wandered in looking for the librarian. She was here to get her class books. Just as she was starting to think the library was empty, middle-aged man walked out of an office she had missed in her perusal of the library.
"Miss Summers I presume?"
"Yup, that's me." Guess I'm the only new kid this week." Buffy laughed nervously. Something about this guy freaked her out. " I need some books for class."
"Here, take this." The librarian handed her an old thick book entitled VAMPYR. Buffy took the book with shaking hands.
"No, No, No. I don't do this anymore. I'm retired as the slayer." Buffy shook her head. " I want a real life, not just one filled with nights of fighting vamps. Besides do you have any idea how hard it is to keep a manicure beating up vamps by night." Buffy laughed nervously and handed the book back. " Find someone else."
"There is no one else. You are the slayer till the end. It is your destiny." The watcher looked at Buffy with sympathy. " Just as it is mine to guide you as your watcher."
"Don't you mean till I die," Buffy said bitterly. " I wouldn't be so keen on being my watcher either because Merrick didn't last too long. No deal. I'll get my books later." Buffy stalked off flinging open the doors of the library and moving into the corridor in a visible fury.
The librarian stared after the angry young slayer. " I'm sorry Buffy Summers, you cannot run from destiny."
The vampire walked through the sewer tunnels looking for a certain hidden passageway. He found it and descended deeper into a warren of tunnels that laced beneath Sunnydale. He easily was able to follow the scent of blood to the lair of the Master of the order of Aurelius. The ancient vampire had become stuck in his lair sixty years ago in a failed attempt to open the Hellmouth and ascend to the status of a True Demon. The vampire snorted at the thought. The Ancients always had such ornate plans. Probably had something to due with the rite of Masterhood that transformed a vampire into a master vampire. He would rather spend his time on wining, dining, and dining on beautiful women. That was good time.
He strode by several vampires wearing robes and bearing the holy symbol of Aurelis. The moved to stop him and stopped when they recognized him. They moved back in fear. This vampire was known for killing others of his kind. He moved through the cave and entered the inner sanctum of the master and stopped to watch a huge vampire lead of group of six priests kneeling on prayer mats as they chanted a benediction to a pool of blood. He cleared his throat. " Hello Luke. Long time no see, didn't miss you."
"You."
The smaller vampire sneered. " Yes, me. The master around?" The smaller looked around the cavern with distaste. He was well known for his hedonism and the dank lair of the master did not suite him in the slightest. He watched as the pool of blood began to bubble. A Figure began to rise from the pool. He stood nearly seven feet tall and was garbed in black bloodstained leather. He face resembled a bat crossed with a human. It was an exaggeration of the normal gameface of vampires. The figure raised his taloned hands to the ceiling. He intoned, " In three days, during the feast of the Blood Harvest I shall arise." He looked over at the visiting vampire and asked in normal tone, " was that over the top?"
"Not at all."
"It has been many centuries since I have last seen you. Not since you refused to join my order. What brings you to the hellmouth?"
"My wayward childe Faith has made Sunnydale her new home. I intend to bring her back to the way she was before. Even if I have to beat her with a crowbar to do it." The vampire sighed. " I need to know where the best hunting spot for kiddies to go. That's where she'd be, plying her trade," he finished with a distasteful grimace.
"Ahh, Faith. I always liked her. No one could wear blood he way she could. I do know of such a place. It is a local club called the Bronze. I am planning on sending Darla and Evan out tonight to go on a recruiting drive. I shall need a few more minions for the Harvest. You of course are welcomed to go with them tonight."
The smaller vampire looked pleased. " Thanks, I'll stay here until sunset."
"What will your plans for tonight be?"
"Oh, I was thinking about finding an adorable little girl and killing her, the hitting the club afterward." The vampire shrugged and adopted a thick brogue. " I think I'll go redhead tonight. Makes me feel all Irish."
The master smiled. " Good hunting Angelus."
Buffy searched the open yard of the high school looking for a certain redhead. She saw her sitting alone eating a sack lunch under a tree. She strolled over to the quiet redhead and sat down next to her.
"Willow Rosenberg?"
"Yes." Willow looked at the trendily dressed blond with a confused expression. " Are you talking to me?"
"Yup, my name is Buffy Summers and I heard through the grapevine you are so the person to talk to when it comes to schoolwork. And I so need help.
Willow relaxed visibly and began to chatter. " I love school. Science, math, taking tests, I love it all. We just got this cool new librarian, he's like from England and...
Buffy smiled as the quiet girl began ramble about her teachers and classes. < Wow she doesn't even breathe > buffy looked about to interrupt when two guys swooped down on her and Willow. One of them was a tall, tan, thin teenager with a wide smile. He dropped next to willow and draped an arm around her shoulder. The other guy was Xander Harris. He smiled widely at both buffy and willow. Once again Buffy was struck by the warmth and humor in his eyes and smile.
"Buffy, my new oldest friend. How's your first day." Xander sat down next to buffy and she shivered a little. She didn't know what it was but there was something about him. Something special. She almost missed what he was saying, " this is my buddy Jesse and I guess you already know Wills."
Jesse draped his other arm around her shoulders, " So Buff what's your story. Got any deep dark secrets you'd like to share with the class."
"Nope, Totally secretless, " she said with a smile. She began to talk to them and three started to get to know her. Buffy was surprised at how easily she was included in the obviously tight knit group. They made her feel like she belonged completely without judging her based on her clothes or appearance, a marked difference from Cordelia and her gang.
The lunch hour flew by as the group laughed and talked about school. The had just agreed to go to the bronze that night when Cordelia strolled up to Buffy like a princess mingling with the commoners and spoke to Buffy. " I hate to interrupt your downward mobility Buffy, but I wanted to tell you that gym was cancelled today thanks to the seriously dead body found in the boys locker room...again." She snorted at the thought of yet another death in the school.
Jesse sidled up to Cordelia. " If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you Cordy." He put a friendly had on her arm. She shook it off her and scowled at him, " get off me geek boy." Pain flashed across Jesse's face as he sat back down and stared blankly at his hand.
"Umm, How did he die Cordy? Where there any marks on his neck." Buffy looked quite concerned at what Cordelia was saying. Xander glanced flickered between Cordelia's beautiful but imperious face and Buffy's, which seemed scared and...resigned?
Buffy was PISSED. The mouth of Fricking HELL. This was where her mom had decided to mover her after the divorce. The whole idea was ridiculous and clearly someone upstairs hated her. The story that the librarian, Rupert Giles had told her was unbelievable. She had gone back to see him after examining the body stuffed in the locker and the librarian told her about the specialness of the place Buffy now called home. Buffy realized that she was going to be dragged back into the slaying game however reluctantly. On top of everything else someone was following her as she made her way to the bronze.
Ugh!!!
Faith shadowed Buffy quietly. She was busy trying to think of a way to introduce herself to Buffy. She was kind of shocked at the transformation that Buffy had undergone in the months after Faith left LA in order to train for her new mission. This new Buffy seemed to have no desire to slay. No desire to help others. No fire. Faith had heard about the vampire lord Lothos and how he killed Buffy's watcher Merrick. She needed to get Buffy's head in the game or she'd die. As she trailed Buffy deep in thought, she lost sight of her. Buffy had ducked into an alley quietly and as Faith rounded the corner she saw that Buffy had totally disappeared.
Faith entered the alley cautiously and paused under streetlight. She extended her senses trying to pinpoint Buffy's breath and heartbeat. It was a trick her sire had taught her. The body of a slayer sounded slightly different than that of a normal. Unfortunately the nearness of the local club interfered with her senses too much. She started to enter the alley when something hit her from behind. She went flying headfirst into the alley and would have landed hard on the ground had her reflexes not been as good as they were. She rolled over and flipped to her feet in a smooth lightning fast motion to face her attacker.
"Who the hell are you and why the hell are you following me." Buffy posed underneath the lamppost in a relaxed guard stance.
Faith easily slipped into the persona of a street tough. " Nice job on the ambush B. I give it an 8. Points off for no follow though and that stance is god-awful. She punctuated her sentence with a swift attack to Buffy's leg that caused her to fall. Faith knelt beside her. " Ya can't fight like this B. You're going to die without the fire.
Buffy flung faith off her. She stood up and dusted herself off angrily. " I told Giles that I wasn't doing this anymore."
I don't work for your watcher. I'm more of an independant agent. Names Faith."
Buffy sized up the girl in front of her. She was beautiful if you liked dark haired bad girls with pouty lips. She wore skintight black leather pants and a too small black tee shirt with BAD TO THE BONE emblazoned across the front. Her dark makeup stood in sharp relief against pale skin. She crossed her hands beneath her breasts and graced Buffy with a sardonic smile. " You think the vamps are just going to accept that you've what...retired," she laughed. " They aren't going to stop coming for you."
Buffy snarled at her, " I'll make an exception with any vamp that comes near me and mine." She whirled around and walked toward the entrance to the bronze.
The Bronze was really packed with people. Surprising considering it was the first day of school. Buffy searched the room looking for her new friends. She easily spotted Cordelia and Harmony holding court with several of the football player. She also spotted Jesse flitting about the edges of the group visibly trying to catch the attention of Cordelia who both saw and ignored him.
She saw Willow waiting at the bar for Xander to show and Jesse to tire of courting Princess Cordy. She approached Willow and sat down next to her. " Hey Wills."
Willow turned and smiled shyly. "Hi Buffy."
Buffy smiled at the shy girl. " So where is Xander and Jesse. I figured they wouldn't leave you here alone to be swept up by some strange guy here at the Bronze." Willow laughed so hard she snorted Coke through her nose. " Oh Yeah, I'm quite the guy magnet. I fight them off daily with the stick I carry in my purse."
Well why not? Your smart, pretty and I have it pretty good authority that guys dig redheads. You have to carpe diem. Seize the day."
Willow blushed at the compliment. " It's just that when I meet a guy I get all tongue-tied and there's unsexy drooling. I doubt guys want a girl who can't talk and drools excessively."
"Wow, for a girl whose best friends are guys, you sure don't know them well. What's the deal with the three of you anyway? Why aren't you and one of the guys going out?" < please don't say anything about Xander >
"No, the three of us are like the three musketeers. We've known each other forever. Xander was my first kiss. We tried going out in middle school but it just didn't work. < YES > We're too much like brother and sister. We chalked it up to a fluke and never speak of it." She sized up Buffy and with a look that seemed out of place on the meek girl said, " He kisses very well, I might add. "
Buffy looked shocked at Willow. " I'm not blind, Buffy. I noticed you looking at Xander before. I say go for it." She looked happy for her old friend. And her new one as well. Buffy could only stare and laugh with Willow. " So, I'm that transparent huh."
"If Xander wasn't blind to life he would notice it too."
"So what's the 411 about Xander. Tell me about him."
Willow smiled as she thought about one of her two best friends. " He's loyal, funny, and just about the nicest guy in the world. The three of us have been friends since we were five. Whole yellow crayon thing." She laughed but her emerald eyes glistened. She might make light of the memory to Buffy but it must have meant something to her. " We don't have the greatest parents in the world but we've always been there for each other. Mine think I'm some kind of Skinner baby to test the newest psych theories on. Jesse's are worse than mine, but Xander's are really, really bad. He lives with his mom and stepfather and if you want to know more you'll have to earn his trust." Willow looked solemn at that the last bit. " Don't tell him I said anything. Its just that if you like him you need to know," she finished quietly
Buffy looked shocked. " He seems so happy, " she whispered.
"Yeah he does."
Buffy looked around the room trying to figure out what to say. She saw that Jesse had moved on from Cordelia and was talking to a very pretty college girl at the other end of the bar. Cordy was laughing with some dull-eyed jock. She looked up to the second level and saw something that truly frightened her. Her would be watcher stood on an upper level of the club and looked out over the crowd. He saw her and motioned to her. She turned to Willow and said, " I'll be right back. I'm off to mingle."
She moved to the upper level, weaving through the crowd upstairs. The crowd suddenly thinned as if the tweed clad librarian created an invisible no fun zone. Buffy smiled at the thought as she joined him at the railing. " Wow, you don't look out of place at all. That tweed works better than camouflage," she began.
"This place is a primary feeding ground for the undead. Your slayer senses should be able to pick up the vampires even through this din that passes for American music." Giles looked over at her. " Didn't your watcher ever teach you to hone your senses? Work on your instincts."
"Merrick tried, but I never had the gift. He told me not all slayers have the whole sixth sense thing. Guess it just skipped over Me." she shrugged.
"You can't run from your destiny you know. It won't just go away just because you want it to." The librarian looked over at his young charge.
Buffy didn't respond. She just stared off into space and began to talk. " At first I scared. I was just some dumb cheerleader. What did I know about fighting, about saving people? I tried but my heart wasn't in it. Then one of my friends at Hemery disappeared. I ran into Pike a few days later on a patrol through a graveyard." She smiled sadly at the thought. " I was so happy to see him. I threw my arms around him and hugged him. I never even thought about how cold he was. He vamped out and nearly killed me. I tried fighting him off but I couldn't. He was strong as a mortal and as a vamp he was stronger than me. He had me on the ground and was about to drink my blood when he suddenly burst into dust. I looked up and saw Merrick extending his hand to help me up. After that I realized that every vamp I killed was one less that would do something like that again. One more family would never wonder about a missing child. I threw myself into slaying. I did it when my friends abandoned me. I did it when my parent's marriage fell apart thanks to the stress that I was placing on them. I did it when I could barely hold a stake because of the antipsychotic medication I was on. I was doing it when Merrick died. I couldn't save my own watcher. Lothos killed him. I got him though, him and his whole gang. I paid them back for every bruise, for every tear they cost me. But end the end they won. Doubt crept into my soul." Buffy looked over at Giles. " I don't want to die Giles but that's not what I'm scared of. I don't want to fail anyone. I failed my parents. I wasn't the daughter they needed me to be. I failed Pike, I wasn't the friend he needed me to be. I failed Merrick because I wasn't the slayer he needed me to be. I don't want to fail anyone else. I don't want the responsibility of the world on my shoulders. I'm just some cheerleader," she finished so quietly that Giles wasn't sure he heard her right.
Giles stood quiet for a moment. " Buffy," he began.
"Way to go Willow," buffy suddenly exclaimed. She smiled suddenly as she saw something downstairs. Giles could only shake his head at the mercurial moods of teenage girls. He looked out and saw what Buffy was smiling at. Willow, a girl he had enjoyed meeting through his job as a librarian, was talking to a handsome man around college age. He leaned in close to the redhead and said something that caused the normally shy girl to laugh out loud and turn a little red. Her green eyes danced as she in turn whispered something to him. They got up to leave. He draped his calf length leather coat around Willows shoulders.
Buffy was a little impressed. Earlier she had encouraged Willow to when it came to meeting guys, and not ten minutes later a totally hot college guy was hitting her on. He was tall, with what seemed to be piercing eyes, and carefully mussed hair. < How much product does that guy use? > He wore a wine colored silk shirt and black leather pants. < Jesus, how tight are those pants. I'm surprised he can breathe. Wait a minute- > gotta go Giles. That guy is a vamp.
Giles looked shocked. " How can you tell? I thought you had no slayer sense."
"I don't. That guy is wearing leather pants so tight there's no way he can breathe in them." Buffy took off down the stairs weaving around the students on the stairwell.
Buffy darted down the stairs weaving around dancing students. She tried to keep willow in her sight gut she lost track of her in the press of the crowd. She looked around trying to spot Jesse or the chick he was talking to earlier. She couldn't spot them in the crowd.
< Damn>
"So Liam, you're a mythology and folklore student at Harvard?" Willow walked down the dark street with Liam at her side. She snuggled deeper into his leather jacket to keep warm. Although he had his arm draped around her he didn't have much body heat. He had agreed to get some ice cream with her and do some more talking in a quieter spot. She couldn't believe her luck. This hot older guy was so interested in her. He seemed interested in her ideas. Unlike the shallow high school boys, he seemed to respect her mind.
"Yes, I am visiting a friend of mine at Sunnydale University." Angelus for his part actually found himself becoming interested in the girl. She was quiet and mousy but possessed a youthful prettiness that would mature into true beauty over time. Combine that with a keen intellect and a clear repression of her base emotions and she was a prime candidate for turning. Unlike many vampires, angelus had extremely high standards when it came to whom he gifted with vampirism. It came from his snobbish renaissance upbringing. He found himself stirred by the mind of this girl in the short time he had known her. He was a master of seduction but he himself was becoming seduced by her mind and her shy innocence. He had decided that he would turn her. She would make a fine companion for himself and Faith once she was in the fold again. She would be his greatest performance piece since Faith. He still remembered the turning of Faith. The bloody alter, the baptism in the blood of the priest who had taken her in. It was a work of art. In that small Italian town they still speak of the cursed church of blood. Snapping out of his thoughts he said, " I know a shortcut." He took Willow by the hand and led her off the path toward Restfield Cemetery.
Buffy ran outside of the Bronze and frantically looked around. She had wasted several minutes inside, trying to find Jesse because he might have known where Willow might try and take a guy. She couldn't find him and she eventually stopped wasting time and left. She stopped to ask some the smokers outside the club if they had seen Willow. None of them had. She was starting to lose hope when Xander walked up to her.
"Buff, what's up?" Xander walked up to her with a worried expression.
"Willow left with a guy."
Xander broke out into a grin. " Good for her."
"No, No. Not good. Xand you're going to find this hard to believe, but the guy is dangerous." Buffy stared at Xander with sorrow. " Willow is in danger."
"Why, is the guy a vampire?" Buffy stared at Xander in shock.
"W-What?"
"I heard you talking to the librarian at school today. Buff, I think he's been messing with your head. Vampires don't exist." Xander looked seriously at Buffy.
"They are real, and Willow just left with one of them." Buffy silently implored Xander to believe her. " Do you know where she might take a guy to talk with him?
"Wendell's ice cream parlor. They're open all night and she loves their sherbet." Xander barely finished speaking before Buffy grabbed his arm and jerked him along side her. " Show me where it's at."
Jesse too found himself in Restfield Cemetery. This chick he had met named Darla wanted to make out with him in the graveyard. He thought she was a little weird, but after Cordelia had shot him down he was flattered by the attention of the beautiful college girl in the catholic schoolgirl outfit. So he let her guide him to a medium sized mausoleum.
"We're here," she whispered. She turned around and with unusual strength pushed him up against the wall. She pressed her lips to his face, her icy tongue finding the inside of his mouth. Her hands moved down his chest and drifted to his ass. She gave an experimental squeeze. She had been a vampire for many centuries but she never lost her lust for sex. She had been a whore as a mortal and unlike that whiner Faith she relished her profession. If she had not contracted syphilis during the course of her work, she would have never met the master. She used all of her centuries of experience on the boy. He should never have stood a chance. It was said that when Darla fucked someone, she could drain him or her in the middle of the act and they would never notice. One of the more entertaining rumors about her is that she once turned a guy in the middle of sex and he didn't realized it till he burned himself in the sun the next day.
So she was quite surprised when he pushed her away and shouted, " Willow."
Jesse pushed away Darla. He looked toward Willow and the guy she was with, a puzzled expression plastered on his face. He started toward Willow. It was one thing to risk himself in the cemetery, but there was no way in hell he was letting willow stay here with some guy.
Willow saw Jesse push away the girl who had been manhandling him on the mausoleum wall. He started toward her with a serious look on his face. Very un Jesse-like. He moved toward her when
Willow then saw something she would remember for the rest of her very long life. The girl's face changed. It became bumpy and her mouth grew fangs. It happened so fast she almost didn't believe her eyes. It was like a special effects morph. Her hand snapped out and snatched Jesse by the shoulder. She must have been strong because she completely stopped his forward momentum. She forced him to his knees with a single hand.
"Liam, do something," she shouted.
"Why, she's only going to kill him." Willow turned in shock and at the sight of Liam's face, began to scream.
They were running down the street, Buffy worried about Willow and Xander worried about Buffy and what the librarian had done to her to make her believe such an odd thing. They were by Restfield Cemetery when they heard a scream that sounded a lot like Willow. At the scream, Xander darted toward the cemetery, his face instantly becoming cold. No one messed with his Willow. Buffy following right behind. A high brick wall and a number of trees hid the cemetery. Restfield was a beautiful lightly wooded cemetery, so they couldn't see where willow was, they could only hear her screams. Xander hauled himself over the brick wall slowly, while buffy vaulted over the wall with a short running start. She swiftly outpaced Xander and began searching for Willow.
Buffy trailed Willows screams and burst into the clearing where the mausoleum lay secluded. She saw Willow screaming in terror as the vampire bent her head, exposing an appetizing expanse of neck. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jesse being dragged one handed into the crypt by a vamp in a schoolgirl outfit. Making a snap decision, she rushed the vamp near willow. He snarled at her and with a quick move shoved Willow into Buffy's path. Buffy vaulted over Willow and rushed the leather clad vamp.
Buffy laughed as she launched a series of punches with blurring speed. "Can't respect a vamp with hair that looks like that."
The vamp blocked the rapid blows with ease. He sent out a few probing blows of his own to test her reflexes. " Do you have any idea how hard it is to get your hair like that when you can't see your own reflection." He ducked a jumping spin kick that buffy twirled toward his head. He rushed inside Buffy's guard and landed a blow to Buffy's stomach that propelled her into a nearby tree. She lay there dazed as flakes of bark landed on her shoulders.
"Pathetic. I've fought a dozen slayers and you were the easiest I've ever beaten. You shouldn't have slacked off in your training. If you're wondering who is about to kill you, my names Angelus, The Scourge of Europe. Your watcher will have heard of me." He smiled in game face, revealing a mouth of fangs. " Not that you'll get the chance to ask him." Angelus approached Buffy and licked his lips. As he drew closer he began to stroke his groin leaving little question as to what he was going to do to Buffy.
He leaned over buffy when a form wearing a hideous green Hawaiian shirt tackled angelus and bore him to the ground. Xander began raining blows on his face. Xander's own face was a grimace of rage. This thing had assaulted Willow and was threatening Buffy. The first few blows caught the old vampire by surprise. He did nothing to protect his face since the strikes stung but did no real damage. Truth be told they kind of turned angelus on. After a few moments of pounding he tired of it and flung Xander off of him, throwing him a good fifteen feet. Angelus turned to where Buffy had been laying and found her gone.
Hearing movement behind him he whirled around only to meet Buffy's tiny but powerful fist. " Got my second wind." Buffy smiled as his head snapped back. Following up Buffy delivered a series of body blows. She felt his ribs give away under the brutal pounding. Retreating, Angelus maneuvered himself where Willow lay shaking on the ground. He snatched up his leather jacket and flung it over Buffy's head.
Buffy ripped the coat from her eyes and found the vampire gone. Growling she moved to try and track him when she remembered Jesse and second vampire. She looked toward the mausoleum and found the vamp and Jesse gone but the heavy stone door leading to the interior lay open. She cautious approached the entrance.
Xander felt like a giant bruise. His chest hurt and ribs were sore as hell. Whoever that guy was, he was strong. And buffy beat him back, moving faster than anyone Xander had ever seen. Too tired to get up, he crawled to where Willow lay weeping on the ground.
"Hey Wills." He smiled weakly at her. " I told you going home with strange guys was a bad idea."
Willow raised her blotchy face. " What were those things Xan." She began to break down again. " Oh God, she took Jesse."
"Jesse?"
"The girl he was talking to at the bronze was one of them too."
Xander tried to struggle to his feet. He tried to follow Buffy into mausoleum but he was too hurt. He slid to the ground and lay there. < I think I'm hurt bad. >
Faith stalked through the wooded Restfield Cemetery. She had left the Bronze and decided to take a walk to clear her mind and come up with something to reach the disheartened slayer. She was making a circuit of Restfield Cemetery to see if any newbie vamps had risen tonight. Her ears picked up a young girls scream and she raced to the area to protect who ever was screaming. She arrived to see Buffy drive off a vampire she did not recognize from behind. She saw Buffy run into the open crypt while some dark haired kid crawled over to a redheaded girl on the ground. Faith watched as the obviously injured boy comforted her and then tried to stand up to follow Buffy into the crypt. He ended up collapsing back to the ground. She left the safety of the trees and approached the two teenagers.
"Who are you?" Willow noticed the raven-haired vampire out of the corner of her eye and scowled at the newcomer. She placed herself between Faith and Xander.
"I'm a friend. The boy looks hurt and I just want to check him over. I know what these things are and how strong they can get." Faith knelt beside Xander and spoke in a calming voice, "So what's your name." She placed her hands on his chest as Willow hovered worriedly behind her. Faith was good at first aid. She had learned over the century she spent on the streets how to sense injuries using her heightened senses and bind simple wounds. Life was hard for girls on the streets, and unfortunately Faith had plenty of practice at homing her skills.
"Xander," he replied as he squirmed under her cold touch. He stared at her face as she concentrated on assessing his injuries. She was beautiful. Long dark hair, black eyes like a gypsy. She looked to be a few years older than he. Xander was drawn to her instantly.
Faith smiled at the boy. He had beautiful eyes. He also had an appalling sense of fashion. The green shirt he was wearing should never have seen the light of day. Still, it gave him a goofy charm. She began to speak quietly to Xander. " I'm just checking you for broken bones quickly. You really should go to the doctor to get fully checked out."
Xander suddenly focused on Faith, " No hospitals. My parents won't pay for it." He grimaces as he starts to talk. " I'll be fine as long as nothings broke. I've survived worse."
Faith furrows her brow and wonders why this kids parents wouldn't spring for a doctor. She stares at Xander and looks into his eyes. < That's why >
Too many questions.
Buffy entered the mausoleum. The entire room was cast in shadows. The only light source was the open door and the moonlight outside. Dust filled the air as her eyes slowly adjusted to the gloom. Although slayers possessed many abilities similar to their most hated foe the expanded senses of vampires was not one of them. She slowly circled the room looking for the girl vampire and Jesse. She didn't see them anywhere. Figuring that they escaped into some sort of secret passage she moved deeper into the room in order to examine the individual alcoves.
Faith was about to say something to Xander when she heard a smash coming from side the crypt. " Fuck, Buffy's in trouble." Xander and Willow looked to each other as Faith raced into the crypt moving almost as fast as Buffy. Willow looked to Xander and whispered, " What have we gotten into."
Xander stared worriedly after the leather-clad vampire. " I don't know Wills but I'm worried about Jesse. You know how many people disappear around here. I hope this new girl and Buffy know what they're doing."
Faith ran into the crypt and saw Buffy fighting a huge vampire. The vampire had a huge advantage in reach and despite his size; he was nearly as fast as she was. Faith raced up to the vamp and with a leap kicked him with both legs. She sent him flying into the crypt wall shaking the whole structure. He whirled around a growl forming deep in his throat. Faith recognized him immediately.
"Faith," Luke growled menacingly.
"Luke," Faith replied mockingly.
Forgetting the slayer for a moment Luke moved toward the souled vampire. Buffy rushed behind him and kicked him in the back of his leg forcing him down to one knee. She followed it up with a kick to the back of the head dropping Luke to the ground. Faith pulled a stake from the back of her pants and rushed Luke. She aimed for his back trying to hit the heart from behind. Luke managed to rise to his feet despite the beating the slayer was delivering. As Faith rushed to stake him he managed to catch her arm on the down stroke and whip Faith around slamming her into Buffy and sending both women to the ground.
Faith was worried. Luke was well known among the Aureliuns. He was a tough implacable opponent. His strength and pain threshold are off the charts high. He also lacked imagination. He wouldn't toy with either of them. He would just rip them limb from limb and feast on the marrow of the slayers bones and dance over her dust. She glanced over at Buffy and saw that she wasn't in a good way. Buffy was hurt and breathing hard. She hadn't been training and with the fight outside and now Luke, she wasn't holding up so well. Luke had slain his share of slayers in the past and she was bound and determined to not add Buffy to that list. She grabbed a small vial of holy water in her pocket and steeled herself for the pain. She pulled it out and rushed forward with the glass vial hidden in her hand.
Buffy watched as Faith charged the large vampire she had identified as Luke. She raised her fist high and smashed the glass vial into his eyes. Luke's face began to steam and he clawed at his eyes with one hand while screaming. He blindly swung a large ham-like fist into the side of Faith's head sending her crashing to the ground. She lay stunned clutching a bloody hand. Buffy finally managed to recover some strength and snatch Faiths forgotten stake on the mausoleum floor and rushed the blinded vampire. He heard her coming and swung blindly in her direction although she easily sidestepped the wild shots. Ducking under his swinging arms she slammed her stake into Luke's heart. He continued to bellow for a moment before collapsing into dust.
Coughing on the vampire dust Buffy went to go check on Faith. She was worried about the other girl. While she clearly could fight she also took some serious blows and not everyone was as tough as the slayer.
Faith was already getting up off the ground. Her left hand was bloody and she shook her head trying to clear the cobwebs. She looked up at Buffy and smiled weakly. " We make a pretty good team B."
"Yeah we do." Buffy looked surprised at how well Faith was holding up. "You going to be okay."
"Five by five." At Buffy's strange look she clarified, "Don't worry I'll be fine." She looked down at her hand and winched. The shards of glass were covered in holy water and burned like hell. Luckily Buffy couldn't see the burns through the blood from the slices coating her hand and lower arm. Together they left the crypt.
When they got outside they saw Willow fussing over Xander as he leaned up against a tree. He looked a little better although both Faith and Buffy saw that movement pained him still. Buffy rushed over to him, a concerned look on her face.
< She likes him > Faith proceeded over to the two teenagers more slowly as she faked being more hurt than she was. Wouldn't do to let the vampire cat out of the bag. That was one thing she had no desire to explain to the slayer.
"Xander, are you all right."
"Sure Buff, no problem. Just my pride was hurt. That and my ribs." Xander smiled weakly at Buffy. His eyes slid over to the slowly approaching Faith. Even hurt and bloody, Xander thought she was beautiful. " Who's your friend? "
"That's Faith. She's some else who hunts vampires." Xander groaned and rolled his eyes. " You got me. I believe you about the bloodsuckers."
Willows large green eyes widened even further as she listened to her oldest friend and her newest friend talk about fictional monsters. " Hold on a minute. What's going on here? Vampires? I was walking to get some ice cream and the guy I was with suddenly got all Grrrr. What's up with that? And them Jesse was grabbed by the slut with the weird face and where is he anyway. You helped him right?"
"Where is Jesse anyway?" Xander looked concerned for his other friend.
Buffy looked down and said, " I couldn't get to him in time. By the time I got inside they had already gone down some kind of tunnel underneath the crypt."
"Lets go after him then." Xander pushed himself off of the tree and began toward the crypt swaying along the way. Faith caught him as fell.
"You ain't going no place Xander." Faith looked into the young man's eyes. " We can't follow him. The sewers are the home turf of the vamps. We'd never survive."
"Faiths right. Jesse is lost for now. Right now we need to get you to a doctor." Buffy looked forlornly at her new friend. Getting one of his best friends killed was hardly a way to get on his good side. Besides, losing Jesse was totally her fault because she was out of shape and let her skills rust. If she was going to do this slaying thing she was going to have to work hard. She paused in her thoughts. Slaying. Somehow during this crisis she had resolved in her mind that she was going to get back on the slaying horse. It felt right, somehow. Like she was back on the path she was meant to be on.
Xander suddenly looked scared. " I already said no doctors. I'll be fine."
Faith could see the fear in his eyes. She knew why he didn't want to go to see the doctor. She spoke up before she could think. "He can come over to my place. I know some first aid. Enough to know if he really needs a doctor or can get by with just some rest. I'll look him over and then send him on home."
Willow looked a little upset. " Who are you? I'm not just going to let my friend go off with some stranger he just met. You could be some"- Willow began to wave her hands around worriedly.
Buffy said, " I hate to say this cause you did just save my life but I still don't trust you. Xander can come home with me and I'll look him over." She tried to ignore the note of jealousy that crept into her voice.
Xander looked at the raven-haired vampire. She looked back almost...nervously? There was something about her that he trusted. He could see in her eyes that she understood, understood the way Jesse did. The way Willow and Buffy could never understand.
"I'll go with her. I trust her." Faith looked over at him in surprise. She draped his arm around her shoulder and the two battered warriors walked away from the crypt. Xander looked back and said, " Will, Buff, I'll call when I get home so you know I got there safely."
Buffy and Willow looked at each other in surprise. Then willow shrugged her shoulders and said, " Walk me home, Buffy?"
"Sure."
Faith and Xander walked in silence back to faiths apartment. She happened to live only a few blocks away from the cemetery in a nice apartment. Although Faith had only a small amount of money saved up, property prices in Sunnydale were very cheap considering the high mortality rate. She led Xander up to the second floor of her building and to her room.
Faiths apartment was small and spartan. She had very little need for material things. A threadbare couch and a worn coffee table with a dog-eared copy of the bible resting on it. A table and pair of chairs sat in the unused looking kitchen. Most of her furniture was taken from the lairs of vampire that she killed. Xander looked around. Faith's place was dark and didn't look much like a home, but it was still nicer than where Xander grew up.
"Nice place."
Faith snorted at the lie. " No its not, but it don't need to be. Go sit down at the table." She motioned to the small table in the kitchen. She smiled, "And while you're at it, take off your shirt."
She walked off into the bathroom, as Xander's face grew red. She returned having wrapped her injured hand in a crude bandage and with a small jar of green jelly. Xander still had not taken off his shirt. " Off with it Xander. I'm not letting you out of here without checking you out. I'm not gonna take advantage of you, " she said while laughing.
Xander reluctantly unbuttoned his Hawaiian shirt and discarded it. Underneath Xander wore a white tee shirt and dog tags. He paused for a moment while Faith raised her eyebrow at him. He sighed and pulled off his tee shirt. Faith sucked in her breath. Xander's chest had several fresh purplish bruises. That was expected. What wasn't, were the yellowing bruises that covered Xander's chest and back. That and pale thin scars from what looked like a belt buckle. Xander stared past Faith and in a dull voice said, " Get it over with."
Faith traced her finger along a bad particularly bad scar along his chest. " Who did this? Your dad?" She asked quietly. It was usually their dad. It always was with the girls on the street.
Xander absently rubbed the dog tags around his neck. He snapped to attention when Faith spoke. " No-no, my dad would never- it was my stepfather," he snapped at Faith. " My real dad died when I was little," he continued in a softer voice, " He was in the army and he was lost on a mission. These are all I have left of him," He said while fingering the dog tags he wore around his neck.
Faith didn't say anything. Instead she stepped forward and placed her hands on his sides. She felt his ribs, probing them for breaks. She closed her eyes and used her keen vampire senses to try and find any internal bleeding. She breathed a sigh of relief because she wasn't finding any serious injuries although there were plenty of old ones that she was sensing. She grabbed the jar of green jell and told Xander, " This is an herbal infusion. It should speed up the healing process."
Xander smiled. "How can I turn down a beautiful stranger oiling me up?"
With an exaggerate wink Faith scooped out a handful of the mint smelling jell and proceeded to rub it into his chest with her good hand. The Jell was cold and filled Xander's nostrils with a pleasant mint smell. He could feel his lungs expand to take in the fragrant air and his muscles relax under Faiths strong, cold hand. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of for once being the person who was being taken care of. Faith stared at his face, as the pain, which had traced lines in his face since she had met him earlier that night, finally relaxed.
"All done." Faith got up and washed her good hand of the jell. She stood in front of the sink and unwrapped the crude bandage she had made covering her injured hand. Pieces of holy water soaked glass were still stuck in her hand. She heard Xander come up behind her and say softly, " Let me help you with that."
Silently she turned around and held out her bloody hand. Xander ran hot water in the sink and produced tweezers from a Swiss army knife he pulled out of his pocket. He stood over the sink and gently pulled out the fragments of glass and dropped them in the trash. She watched his face as he concentrated on her hand. He bit his lower lip as he focused on removing the tiny shards without hurting her hand any further. Finishing with that task he dipped her hand in the warm water in the sink and sponged away the blood. Faith felt her demon rise as the cloud of blood settled on the bottom of the sink. Luckily Xander did not notice her lips pull back or her eyes rapidly flicker from brown to gold. Pulling her hand out of the water he scooped up some of the healing jelly and massaged it into her hands. After that he gently rewrapped her hands in clean bandages.
"Thank you." " Only repaying the favor." He paused for a moment, standing close to Faith. He started to lean forward and then Faith pulled back. Xander, pushing the surprised look off his face, walked over to the table and pulled on his shirt. " I- I should go."
Something in Faith wanted him to stay. She was lonely, had been for longer than she cared to remember. And she liked Xander. He was strong, stronger than even he knew. In her years on the street she had met other children who had been abused. Most of them held defeat in their eyes. That's why they were on the street. His eyes possessed steel that the others had not had. He would stand unbowed under the cross he had to bear, and that was something Faith could respect. And was something that she feared. He was someone she could lose herself in and that was something she could not afford to do. She was going to have to keep her distance from him. He was too much temptation. She was here for Buffy. There was something she could do for him though. She walked over to her coffee table and pulled out a small box. She walked back to Xander and handed it to him. " Vampires fear the Lord and symbols of his power. Take this."
Xander opened the box and saw a beautiful crucifix enameled in gold. " I can't take this. Take it back."
"No, I want you to have it. It's a last line of defense against vampires." There was silence for an moment and then she cleared her throat and spoke," Let me walk you home. Its not safe out."
Closing the box, Xander snorted. " Tell me something I don't know."
Faith walked over to him and kissed him gently on the cheek. " We don't have time for that list." She walked over to the door and opened it. " Aren't you coming?"
Xander touched his cheek in surprise. " Be right there."
Xander felt much better the next day. When he got up in the morning his bruises were gone. Whatever cream Faith had smeared over him had really helped him. Even the older scars that he'd rather not think about seemed diminished. Almost like magic. He got dressed and left to meet Willow and walk to school with her like he had always done. The two of them walked in silence as they both contemplated their missing friend. When they got to school Buffy was waiting for them. As they walked up to Buffy, her face lit up in a smile.
"I'm glad you guys are here," she said smiling at Xander. " Hell, I'm glad you two are still talking to me after last night."
Xander snorted. " Yah think a little thing like a near death experience or painful bruising is going stop me from making a new friend."
Buffy laughed. " I hope not. I want to be friends," she said shyly. Then her face grew solemn as she shifted gears. " There's a guy here that I want you to meet. He can explain the rules and the wherefores of vampires better than I can. He's my watcher."
Willow and Xander looked at each other. " What's a Watcher?" Willow asked.
To say that Giles had been outraged that Buffy had revealed her "Sacred Duty" to civilians was a slight understatement. Xander stared in amusement as the librarian rubbed the bridge of his nose while he lectured Buffy on the necessity of secrecy. He had raved for several minutes until buffy threatened to quit again. He shut up long enough to explain the basics of the hidden world and the role Slayers and Watchers played in it. He then explained about vampires and how to kill them. After giving them the basics the two teenagers looked at each other in shock as they digested the information.
Xander was the first one to speak. " What are we going to do about Jesse?" He looked around at Buffy and Giles. They wouldn't meet his gaze. " We can't just leave him with these vampires. Who knows what they're going to do to him."
Buffy looked down and started to speak when Giles interrupted her. " Mr. Harris, YOU'RE not going to do anything. It isn't your destiny. You'll merely slow down Miss Summers while she does her job," he looked directly at Buffy while emphasizing the last part. " Besides," he continued, "I am afraid that your friend Jesse is no doubt dead, perhaps even turned. I will not risk Buffy's life on a futile mission."
"I don't accept that." Xander slammed his hand down on the table. Buffy reached over and covered his hand with hers. " Xander, you know that if I thought it save his life I'd go after Jesse," and she shot a look at Giles. " Watcher or no watcher. But he's right. Jesse probably is not going to make it."
"Besides," Giles added, " We have larger problems. I have been consulting my books and based on what I have been able to ascertain, a rare conflux will be occurring in a few days. It will culminate in the Night of the Harvest. I believe that the Master of the order of Aurelius, who is the local vampire leader, will try to rise on that night."
Willow raised her hand. Xander looked over at her and smiled absently. Willow had the same look on her face that only happened when she was tackling a particularly difficult computer problem. Or when Xander and Jesse managed to drag her on one of their hair- brained schemes. < Don't think about Jesse >
"Yes, Miss Rosenberg." Giles nodded politely. He appreciated the young redheads decorum.
"Who is the master and what do you mean by rise? If he's so powerful why hasn't he attacked buffy personally?" Willow cocked her head as she asked her pointed questions.
Giles smiled at the intelligent questions. He slipped into lecture mode. " The master is the local vampire leader. No one is quite sure how old he his but the order of Aurelius is known to date back to the age of the Roman Empire. He came to Sunnydale over one century ago in order to try and siphon off the power of the Hellmouth and open it to let in the ancient demons which once held dominion over the earth. A freak earthquake at the moment of his ritual caused him to become mystically 'stuck' in his lair. It is my belief that he will use the power of the Harvest to break free of his prison."
Buffy perked up. " If he's stuck in that prison then he'll be easy to hunt down. I can go stake him and no more Harvest. It'll be a party." She smiled brightly.
Giles stared at his slayer gravely. " Buffy, stakes do not work on the Master."
"We'll that's not very fair. How am I supposed to kill him?" Buffy looked disgruntled as she folded her hands and pouted. Then she got confused. " How did he become immune to staking, cause if vampires are going to change the rules then I'm going to-"
"Because the master has performed the Rite of Amara," came a voice from up above. Everyone looked up and saw Faith sitting on the edge of the banister on the second story of the library. She wore her trademark black leather pants and an Iron Maiden tee shirt covered by a black leather jacket. She walked down the stairs taking them two at a time and yet making not the slightest sound.
Giles looked surprised. " You know of the Rite of Amara?" Then it was his turn to look confused. " Who are you?" He then sighed and shifted his gaze to Buffy. " Are you totally unable to keep your sacred duty secret? Perhaps we should have some sort of assembly."
"Its not her fault watcher man. I knew who she was before she ever set foot in Sunnydale. The Powers sent me to help her." Faith paused for a second. "I have a lot of first hand knowledge about vamps and The Powers that Be sent me as back up for B," she said as she motioned toward the confused looking slayer.
Giles looked impressed at Faiths mention of the powers that be. " I cannot really argue with someone sent by higher beings," He looked back at Buffy, " I apologize Miss Summers."
"How 'bout sharing with the rest of the class," Buffy muttered, " for those that didn't get the time life series on freaky stuff. Why the hell can't I stick the Master like all the rest of the vamps I've killed?"
"Really buffy, did Merrick teach you nothing?" Giles asked exasperatedly. " The rite of Amara is a powerful ritual usable only by vampires. It strengthens the demon inside enhancing their latent abilities while physically twisting them permanently into their demonic countenance."
At Buffy and Xander's confused look Faith clarified, " He means it turns them into super vampires. The vampires who use it end up the head of vampire cults or powerful vampire clans. They also stay in game face permanently and gain unique powers and vulnerabilities."
"Fascinating," Buffy interrupted. " But what I want to know is if he can't be staked how can I kill him?"
"There is no way to kno-" Giles started to say.
"Actually I do know," Faith interrupted. " The master can only be slain using a weapon of blessed silver. Unfortunately I don't know of any weapon around here that meets that qualification."
"I can see what the council can come up with."
Just then the first period bell rang and students filled the halls. Giles looked at the three students and told them to get to class. " I'll expect to see you after school for training buffy. I want you in tip top shape for the Harvest." Buffy nodded her head and waved her hand in acquiescence.
"As for the two of you," Giles said motioning toward Willow and Xander, " Needless to say I must have your absolute silence about who Buffy is and what she does at night. Now that you two know enough to keep safe at night, it would be best if you just stopped thinking about it and just remained Buffy's school chums. You don't have the same capabilities she does."
Xander and Willow looked shocked at what Giles was asking them to do. The two of them nodded silently at him as the three students got up to go to class. Xander was walking in between Buffy and Willow when Faith called out softly, " Wait a minute Xander."
Xander paused and motioned Willow and Buffy to keep going. Buffy scowled but left. Faith walked over to Xander and said, " I heard about your friend Jesse. I have some contacts that hear stuff. I might be able to find out what happened to him."
Xander looked shocked. " Thanks, but you don't have to-"
Faith looked down. " Don't worry about it. I got the contacts, so it be a shame not to use them," she laughed nervously. Then she grew serious. " I am not going to make any promises. I know vampires and your friend's chances ain't great. But if-if he's still alive we might have a chance to rescue him."
"I don't know what to say." Xander looked grimly at Faith. " You're taking a big chance helping me out. I don't want you to do anything dangerous. Jesse wouldn't want that, and neither do I."
"Don't say anything." Faith walked off into the rear of the library. She paused before disappearing into the dark alcove she appeared from. "De Oppreso Liber. Isn't that the motto of your fathers branch of the military, Xander?"
"Yes." Xander looked confused. That was Latin for liberator of the oppressed. It was the motto of the green berets. His father had been one.
Faith smiled sadly. " I've sat on the sidelines for too long. People like Buffy have shone courage and I don't think you got those bruises from sitting on the sidelines. I've just been a coward." She sighed, " I've been a coward for too long." She shook her head, " The people in Sunnydale are as oppressed as any those your father fought to help. High School newspapers shouldn't have obituaries. Towns shouldn't have twelve cemeteries. Families shouldn't be forced to rely on substandard police when members go missing. I'm done sitting on the sidelines." Her eyes bored into Xander and for the first time he realized how dark it was in the library. The entire room was cast in shadows and Faith seemed to almost draw the darkness into herself. " If I can help I will. Starting with your friend." At that she disappeared and Xander was left alone in the darkness.
The Master raged in his lair. Last night was an unmitigated disaster. He lost his right hand servant to that dammed new slayer. His best diviners could only tell him that Luke was slain by the slayer and she had some sort of help. Darla had returned with her toy and did not know what had happened to Luke, and Angelus had seriously hurt by the slayer. His shattered ribs would take several days to heal. While he was laid out he was in no condition to tell the master what had happened. The thought that the slayer might have help disturbed him more than he allowed his servants to see. It was unnatural. For uncounted millennia slayers have worked with only the aid of the watchers council. It was one of the things that made them so easy to kill. The master felt helpless and he did not relish the feeling at all.
"Come here." The master motioned to one of his robed vampire priests. The priest approached cautiously. The mastered snatched his head with his spidery fingers and gave a sharp twist. The priest collapsed into dust and the master sighed.
"Make you feel better?" Darla exited one of the side tunnels with a smirk on her face. Now that Luke was dead she was the eldest childe in the order of Aurelius. She wore a tattered blanket draped about her nude form.
"It did." The master smiled. " How is the newest member of our family?"
"Excellent. He should awaken in a few more hours." Darla smiled wickedly. She had ridden the teenager for hours taking just small amounts of blood during their marathon session of fucking. By the end of the evening the boy had been so twisted by the pain/pleasure dynamic he had drunk of her blood with glee. Darla was nothing if not the ultimate mistress of pain.
"Good. I will need all the servants that I can gather for the Harvest. Since the slayer is out there and active with some sort of ally, I want us to lay low so we attract no more attention or lose any more servitors. Even if we have fewer forces than I would like." The master paused for a second and shook his head as memories of wars long over assaulted him. " Since Luke is slain I want you to be the vessel. You will partake of my power and speed my ascension to Godhood."
Looking humbled, Darla said "Master I am honored."
The rest of the school day passed by rather quickly. Xander was surprised at how normal everything seemed. Jesse was missing and probably dead and people like Cordelia and Harmony drifted through the school just like it was a normal day. It took a while for him to realize that for them it was normal. Their eyes hadn't been opened up to the hidden world. It weirded him out. In class he talked with Willow about it and the answer he got from her surprised him.
"I'm not surprised that you see everything so differently." Willow looked at Xander with that knowing Willowy look. Xander smiled. Leave it to her to know his own mind better than he did. She always had. " You've had a big shock with Jesse missing and everything else. Everything is different." She shrugged her shoulders, " So do I. We just went from midterms seeming like the end of world to the actual end of the world. "
"Maybe you think midterms are the end of the world," Xander said laughing. Then his face grew serious. " I want to help Buffy." That simple statement surprised Xander even as he was saying it. He had been playing Faith's statement in his mind all day and he realized that he couldn't go back. He could not live in ignorance. He had to help now that he knew. He couldn't leave Buffy to fight with only Faith and that old librarian for help. It's not the right thing to do. Its not what his father would do.
Willow looked at Xander sadly. She knew that he had been thinking about helping Buffy and not just in order to find Jesse. She really did know Xander better than he knew himself. She had asked her mom one day what Xander's father was like and she was told that he always saw himself as a knight in shining armor. That was the reason he joined the green berets. Willow still remembered her mother's final comment on the subject. " Anthony Harris could no more turn his back on someone who need help than he could turn off the love he had for his family. He was one of the most decent men I have ever known. That man was a regular white knight." Sometimes she regretted ever telling Xander that. He was more like his father than he could ever know. Willow could only worry for her best friend and hope that he wouldn't come to the same end as his father did.
After school Xander and Willow walked to the library. They walked into the back and paused to watch buffy training with Giles. Or more accurately training Giles to be a punching bag. She leapt and twirled around the watcher armed with a stake as she mock slew him over and over again. She stopped when she noticed Xander and Willow. She gave Xander a big smile as she saw him. She adjusted her sweat stained workout clothing.
"Xand, Wills, what are you guys doing here?"
Willow looked distinctly uncomfortable. Xander just said, " We want to help. With the slaying."
Buffy looked shocked. " You do?"
"We do. It's not right that you have to fight these things on you own with so little help. Wills and I already know about your secret and a few extra pairs of hands never killed anyone." Xander looked very pleased with his statement. He noticed Buffy looking him over appraisingly.
"Out of the question." Giles stood up where he had been doubled over trying to catch his breath. " You two have no training and cannot possibly grasp what you are asking to do. I forbid it."
Xander was so surprised at the venom in Giles voice that he didn't respond.
Even more surprisingly Willow did. The mousy redhead seemed to stretch up several inches in height and her face took on a look of such...resolve that it surprised the middle-aged watcher. " We probably lost our best friend to these things. We've been to more funerals than anyone our age should ever have to go. We FINALLY know what goes bump in the night and we want to make sure that, as few other people have to go through it as possible. As a bonus we can also help out our new friend who has to spend her life doing this. We can do this. We will do this. We can help with her burden. You say we can't do this because we aren't trained, then TRAIN US because we are not giving up."
After Willows outburst in the library, which seemed to take everyone by surprise including Willow, Giles eventually acquiesced to helping Buffy in her night job " in a research capacity only."
The next few days passed in a blur of activity for the slayer and her allies. Buffy continued to train and found her slayer instincts, which had seemed to atrophy after she stopped training when Merrick died, came back with a vengeance. She went out on nightly patrols but few vamps raised their heads for her to slay. Faith, who would appear to dispense information and then irritatingly disappear, said that the master was laying low for the harvest. She also told Buffy that the harvest was going to happen at the Bronze. Faith gave some very bad news to Xander. All her sources said that Jesse was dead.
Xander took the news hard. Buffy never brought it up, but the red rims around Xander's eyes told her that he spent more than a little time crying as did Willow. Buffy tried to talk to him about it, to share because she too had lost a good friend to vampires. Xander wouldn't talk to her though. That wouldn't have bothered her so much if she hadn't seen a day later Xander talking to Faith. She had her arms around him as he talked with her. She seemed to be doing a good job comforting Xander. Something Buffy would have liked to do for him.
"You all know the plan?" Buffy and group were huddled around one of the back tables in the Bronze. They received more than a few odd looks because of the middle-aged librarian that sat at the table with them.
"Yes buffy," they all chorus softly. They had only been asked a half dozen times or so.
She smiled at all of them. " I just want all of us to walk away."
"So when the vamps appear and start grabbing people you start the ass whooping and we start herding people to the doors," Xander said. He looked around at the club. " Where's Faith," he asked.
< Great, ask 'bout Faith. Damn bad girls get all the guys > " She's around here somewhere Xander. She's out mingling." Buffy stared at whole group. " Remember that no one here is to be a hero. Just get the people out. Leave the fighting to me and Faith."
"Why Faith," Willow asked.
"Because Faith is trained in Aikido. She doesn't need to be as strong as a vampire in order to fight them."
They continued to talk in soft tones for another ten minutes refining the plan. Then all hell broke loose.
Faith sat at the bar smiling. She heard what Buffy had said across the room. That little bit about Aikido was a masterstroke. It neatly explained how she was able to hold her own in a fight against a nearly master class vampire and escape with no serious injury. She saw a guy slip the bartender a bill and whisper something in his ear. The bartender walked over and gave faith a drink.
"From the guy at the end of the bar." Faith looked over at the teenager and he raised his drink. Faith smiled at him absently not truly interested. She could feel the power of the night beginning to rise. It was bubbling up out of the Hellmouth, tugged out by mystic gravity created by the rare astrological event called the Harvest. It was causing her whole body to tingle, including that special spot between her legs.
< Now is no time to be horny Faithy. Got the redemption gig going on tonight >
Special tingling led to thinking about Xander. Faith had gotten to know the boy better over the several days before the Harvest and she was rapidly becoming taken with him. He looked so lost when he heard about his friend's death. Faith had tried to talk with him since she was no stranger to either loss or pain, but that didn't go over so well. Want. Take. Have. She had spent so much time living on the streets using those as her watchwords that now that she met someone that she really liked she could barely speak to him. The whole lack of meaningful human contact for a few decades really put a damper on her comforting skills. And she did like him. That surprised her more than anything else in this godforsaken town. She would never have expected to meet someone, let alone a teenager who touched her the way he did.
Faith was just beginning to get a good brood going on when the club doors opened and all hell broke loose.
Buffy and the gang saw a group of about ten vampires walk into the club. The lead vamp was a blond girl wearing a catholic school uniform and had the bloody sign of the vessel scrawled across her forehead. With a girlish flounce she hopped up onto the band stage and grabbed the mike from lead singers hand. " Nobody leave your seats. The floor shows is just getting started and it gonna be a hell of ride," she said with a wicked smile on her face. She then turned to the now micophoneless lead singer and bit into his throat. The Bronze was totally silent except for the sounds of blond vampires slurping. After a few moments she dropped the now ashen figure off the stage. " Next," she shouted in a voice that was far deeper than it should have been.
People began screaming and running towards the nearest exits. The students were stopped at the doors by vampires that forced them back into the club. Buffy shouted above the din, " Everyone break!" The gang leapt up and went in different directions.
Willow tried making her way to the alley door in order to help the kids trying to get out that way. She tightly gripped her cross and fingered the vial of holy water in her pocket.
< Remember no fighting. Just drive off the vamps with the cross and get the kids out >
The press of kids moving back into the club caused the slight redhead to be pushed out of the way into a darkened area of the club. Willow fought against the press of kids but the slight girl couldn't get past them to the door. The shy girl began to growl in frustration.
"That's my girl," said a deep and familiar voice from behind her.
Willow turned around slowly, a white knuckled grip on her cross. " Liam?"
Angelus smiled viciously in game face even as his chest twinged. His ribs still hurt from that dammed slayer. " No my dear," he drawled. " The names Angelus. Have I told you how much I love redheads," he whispered seductively as he drew closer to willow.
Giles made his way to the front door. He clutched a cross in is right hand and a stake in his left. The students parted around him and he easily made his way to the door. He saw a pair of vampires guarding the front door. The first stood in front of Giles and said, " Nobody's going anywhere old man."
The second added, " Picked the wrong night to hit up the chickies English."
"Chickies," Giles growled dangerously. " I have never in my life 'hit up chickies'." He swung his cross like a club and struck the first vampire in the side of his head cause the vampire to shriek in pain and fall to the ground as his faced steamed. Giles followed it up with a blow from his stake turning the vampire into a pile of dust. He whirled on the other vampire by the door.
Buffy fixed her face in slayer mode and made her way to the stage. The vessel was already working on her third victim. Buffy saw several vampires rush her from the left and the right. She snatched up a pair of Billiard balls and whipped them across her chest in parallel lines. The two balls struck the first two vampires in the chest with a loud crack. Both vampires fell to the ground and one of them collapsed into dust.
Buffy arched her eyebrows in surprise. < Must have punctured his heart with one of his ribs > " Eight ball in the corner vampire," Buffy laughed. " Those your best minions vampslut?" She grabbed a pool stick and broke it over her knee.
Darla arched her eyebrow. " I have tapped into a reserve of power that you cannot possibly grasp." Darla leapt off the stage landing a few feet from Buffy. " Your blood shall free the master. I can feel it."
"How 'bout you feel this." Buffy rushed blond vampire and struck out at her with the pool sticks, moving them so fast they almost hummed.
Darla laughed and easily evaded the attacks. Her hand snapped out faster than Buffy's eyes could follow and grabbed her wrist. She swung Buffy around and slammed her into the stage. " Too slow slayer," She giggled.
< Perhaps I could have planned this better > Buffy groaned and got back to her feet.
Xander got up and went to help Willow. He trusted Giles to clear out the front door on his own. He was moving toward the rear when he lost sight of Willow in the crowd
"Willow," he shouted. He couldn't spot his redheaded friend anywhere in the press of the panicking crowd.
"Dude, don't worry. Wills got a new boyfriend." Xander's spine stiffened and his blood turned to ice as he turned around.
"Jesse?"
Jesse stood in the chaos of the Bronze smiling in game face. His yellow eyes gleamed in the dimly lit club. A huge smile plastered across face. He held a limp Cordelia Chase by her neck, a trickle of blood dripping from her throat. She blinked in confusion and seemed slightly dazed.
"Dude, you look like you've seen a ghost." Jesse laughed and a dribble of blood left the corner of his mouth.
"I am," Xander said quietly. " Your dead."
Jesse smiled and shook Cordelia. " I'm not dead, I'm just different. Better."
Xander shook his head and lifted his cross and stake. " Your not better, you're a vampire, a monster."
"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?"
"Do you know what I like about redheads, Willow?" Angelus slowly drew closer to willow. His every movement seduced her eyes. Willow blinked and her pulse quickened. He was so beautiful.
"What?"
"Your always so passionate. Redheads are always so filled with fire. Usually that makes me just want to kill them creatively," he said casually. " But when that fire mixes with intelligence, it makes me want to turn them." Angelus smiled and licked his lips. " I can tell your passion is just waiting to come out. I can make you blossom Willow."
< Wow he really likes me. > For a moment Willow is lost in the vampire's low voice. For an instant she can see herself special, powerful and eternal. Queen C would bow at her feet.
Then she remembered Jesse.
"No."
Angelus smiled. " Oh well," he sighed, " I'll just have to break you." He shrugged his shoulders. " That's more fun anyway." He proceeded forward backing Willow into a wall.
Giles whirled on the other loud mouth vampire. He lifted his cross and stake and rushed the vampire. The vampire smiled and sent the rushing librarian to the ground with a jab to the face. He leapt onto the aging watcher and went for his throat.
"Bloody Hell," Giles muttered. He kicked the vampire in the groin and pushed him off. Giles started to get up not noticing a pair of vampires coming up behind him.
Buffy flew against the stage for the third time. <She's too damn fast. Can't land a blow >
Darla cocked her head, "Awww, no more witty repartee slayer? Did you bite off more than you could chew? Cause you know I won't." she smiled and leapt to attack the slayer again.
Buffy rolled away and Darla couldn't stop herself. She slammed into the stage and rolled over onto her back. Buffy wasted no time in attacking the fallen vampires. She jumped forward and slammed part of the broken pool stick into her leg pinning her to the stage. The other half of the stick went towards Darla's heart. Darla's hand flew up and caught the down swing. She growled and pushed Buffy off of her. Darla screamed and pulled her pinned leg free of pool stick Blood poured down her leg. The once lightning quick vessel limped forward to attack
"You should take care of that," Buffy smiled, " It could get infected."
"I bet the slayer and her watcher told you all kinds of things." Jesse shook his head and his face morphed back into the familiar visage that Xander knew. " I didn't lose my soul. I lost my inhibitions. I was pathetic, the way I went after her," and he gave the barely conscious cordelia a shake. He leaned forward, " I'm not pathetic anymore. Cordy wanted me. I could smell it on her before I bit her. She liked the new me." He paused for a second.
"This isn't you man." Xander's voice held little conviction. He could tell that Jesse was different, eviler than Jesse should have been. But he had all of Jesse's mannerisms. The way he stood, the way he talked. It was Jesse. Then something Jesse said snapped him back to the present.
"I can make you like me you know?" Jesse smiled. " I can give you the power. Not that I'll turn you personally, cause that would be gay," and he rolled his eyes, " but I can get my girl to do it for me." He nodded to Darla fighting Buffy by the stage. He leaned forward, " We'll be brothers for real. Nobody will ever hurt you again. Your stepdad won't ever hurt you again. It's always been us man, you and me and willow against the world, the three musketeers forever. Think about the damage we can do. The blood will flow and no one will ever make fun of us again."
As Jesse talked about the blood that would spill, his human seeming eyes glowed with a dark fervor. Xander shivered. It was the calm level way this thing talked about death, mayhem, and murder that finally convinced Xander that everything Buffy and Giles had said was true. His friend really was dead. Whatever was in front of him was just a shell. Xander stepped back and lifted his stake and cross.
Giles beat the vampire by the doorway with his cross. His face was cold and dead as he methodically attacked the second vampire. Several of the students standing by the door had a hard time believing that this cold man was the same kindly befuddled librarian they had gotten their books from earlier.
Several vampires advanced behind Giles licking their lips. A voice called out, " Teach, behind you." Giles turned around to meet the two onrushing vampires. The one he had been beating on leapt up and grabbed him from behind. Giles thrashed about trying to get free.
One of the vampires started humming the theme song to COPS. The other one began to sing loudly and off key as they advanced. " Whatcha gonna do when we come for you... Whatcha gonna do..."
Giles first looked shocked at the pair of vampires and then just smiled. The two advancing vampires looked at each other quizzically. Then one of them exploded into dust as Faith melted out of the crowd. She laughed and turned the stake over in her hand. She looked to Giles and the vampire behind him. " The master should recruit fewer TV addicts. They make wicked bad vamps."
The surviving vampire rushed Faith. She danced out of the way and evaded his slow clumsy blows. She snapped a kick to his knee, and the answering crack caused several of the fear-paralyzed students to wince in sympathy. She quickly backhanded the vampire and staked him.
Giles stepped on the instep of the vampire behind him and pulled away when the vampire flinched. He slammed his elbow into the vampires gut and whirled around and thrust out his stake ending the undead party crasher.
He doubled over breathing hard. " I'm too bloody old for this," he muttered. " He motioned to the stage, " go check on Buffy, Faith." Faith nodded sharply and ran. She saw three vampires sneaking up behind the slayer. She seemed intent on keeping the upper hand against Darla.
"I'm really n-n-not all that fiery," Willow stuttered. " I'm real shy. You should get someone a little wilder. Someone that would really like to be a vampire." Willow stealthily put her hands around a vial of holy water in her pocket.
"Oh but you are." Angelus smiled and shifted into game. " I can feel your passion. It writhes inside you waiting to come out. I can smell your power. " Angelus quickly lunged forward.
Willow dodged away and flung the vial on Angelus face. " Feel this," she shouted. As Angelus pawed at his face Willow darted past him. He grabbed at her but she swiftly disappeared into the crowd.
Angelus peered through a veil of holy water. He blinked as he tried to track the redhead through the crowd but was unable to keep sight of her.
< Another time fiery Willow > Angelus smiled through the pain. He swiftly made his way to the fire exit and disappeared into the alley.
Buffy danced around Darla. The deep leg wound Buffy had inflicted on her slowed the vampire. Darla was still lightning fast but she didn't have the maneuverability that Buffy did.
Buffy launched a sidekick that Darla was too slow to block and knocked her into the stage. Buffy rushed forward to press the attack.
< Why she smiling. I'm kicking her ass > Buffy's thought was answered when a hammer like blow struck her from behind. Buffy went sprawling as three vampires attacked her from behind. She spun around trying to keep Darla in her peripheral vision as she moved to attack the other vampires.
Buffy had been training for the last several days and she had recovered much of her old skills but 3 vampires plus the vessel were a bit much for her slaying abilities. She charged the other vampires. She slammed her elbow in the first ones face, sending him stumbling back while at the same moment throwing a blind kick straight backwards connecting with a vampire who was trying to attack her rear. She snapped out a series of punches and kicks trying to keep the vampires at bay. She couldn't focus on one vampire long enough to stake it. It was all she could do to fight a holding action.
Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Faith rushing out of the crowd onto the dance floor. Faith barreled into two of the vampires surrounding Buffy, carrying them to the ground.
Darla raised her eyebrows in surprise. " Faith," she spat, " I'm surprised you got off your back long enough to come here tonight."
Faith laughed as she blocked and evaded the two vampires she was dealing with. " Well once I heard you were work'n the town I knew I wasn't getting any customers."
Buffy looked on in surprise as the two old adversaries insulted with each other before she turned on the third vampire and the vessel. A quick strike with the pool cue ended the nameless vampires existence. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Faith dust one of the vamps and begin to work over the other.
Darla and Buffy began to trade blows faster than most of the crowd could follow. Buffy bled from her mouth and Darla from a cut above her eyebrow.
"That dark haired boy is cute, slayer. Do you like him?" Darla smiled as buffy shot a quick glance at Xander talking to Jesse.
"I wonder what Jesse's telling him? You know he was very eager to have that little redhead and that dark haired boy both turned." Darla smiled wickedly. " I think it's adorable."
Buffy's eyes flashed dangerously. " Leave Xander alone." She slashed Darla across the face with the pool cue while kicking her in the stomach. Darla staggered back and Buffy pressed the advantage.
"You *punch* aren't *Kick* Going * uppercut* to * Breaks jaw * Touch * blow to her bad leg* HIM."
The threat against the guy she liked seemed to spur her to even greater speeds. The blows came fast and furious and by the time buffy shouted HIM, Darla was on her knees trying to work her broken jaw. Bloody drool bubbled from her mouth. She choked as Buffy raised her stake and with a blindingly fast thrust turned the vessel into so much drifting dust.
"Nice job B." Faiths distinctive drawl caused the slayer to snap out of her frenzy. " Remind me to not get on your bad side."
Buffy smiled tiredly as she saw the two remaining vampires dart out of the club. " Don't worry Faith, humans are safe from my slayery wrath."
Faiths smiled dropped a little. " Right."
Buffy and Faith turned around, both girls looking out for the same boy. Their eyes sought out Xander's form and found him. He stood next to a horrified Cordelia Chase as he stared in shock at the stake in his hand, ash falling like snowflakes around him.
"Leave now Jesse, live to fight another day." Xanders voice was laced with sadness. His friend was gone. "Don't make me have to kill you."
"No can do bro." Jesse dropped cordelia and thumped his chest. " I got responsibility now. I cannot just leave. I'm a member of the order or Aurelius now." Jesse shook his head. " It doesn't have to be like this. Come with me, we can be great together."
"I don't think so bro." Xander stepped back and lifted his cross and stake.
Jesse quickly lunged forward, only to stumble back when Xander struck him with the cross. He quickly recovered and smiled, " look who's the tough guy. How come you never fought back against your dad?"
"That's not my dad," Xander growled.
For as long as he lived, Xander would never forget the next few seconds. He lost his temper and charged Jesse, and at the same moment Cordelia struck like a serpent.
"How dare you bite me you dweeb," Cordelia shrieked like a banshee as she shoved Jesse as hard as she could from behind. Jesse was caught by surprise and stumbled forward.
Right onto Xander's stake.
Jesse's eyes widened and began to laugh. " Of all the ways to..." He collapsed into dust that drifted around Xander like cloud.
Xander just sat there, eyes widened in shock.
The next few days past by in a flash for the gang. The police and students at the bronze seemed to pass off the harvest as just a turf war some Sunnydale gangs. Cordelia seemed to repress the whole event along with most the Sunnydale high class.
Willow seemed to bounce back from her ordeal with commendable speed. She took some precautions against her vampiric suitor, although Angelus had yet to make a return appearance.
Buffy quickly healed from the injuries that she obtained against the Vessel and the other minions against the master. She seemed to carefully watch Xander and Willow to make sure they were dealing with happened. She wasn't too worried about Willow but very concerned about Xander.
Xander seemed to be his old self at school complete with off color jokes, but Buffy (who was hyperaware about all things Xander) noticed that he seemed a little off. She tried to get him to talk about but all he would say was that he was fine.
He wasn't
Faith walked down the dark street, cold air whipping her leather jacket around. She was making a quick circuit around Sunnydale. Buffy's mom caught her coming home the night of the harvest and quickly grounded her so she couldn't patrol. Faith had just finished the cemeteries and willow's home. She was taking special care to protect the redhead from her sire. She knew first hand about the 'traditions' Angelus like to put his childer through.
She was on her way Xander's house when she caught a whiff of something alcohol soaked. She then spied a dark figure stumbling along the sidewalk.
< Stupid drunk> Faith rushed over to the guy. A drunkard would not last long on the streets of Sunnydale.
< Jesus Christ> it was Xander. His eyes were red and held a brown-sacked bottle. He smiled too widely at Faith and waved drunkenly at her.
"fasith," Xander said drunkenly and smiling widely, " Ish good to see you."
Faith could smell the alcohol pouring from his pores. He reeked of it. Any vamp that drank him would wake up with one hell of a headache. She sighed, " What the hell are you doing Xan. Your gonna get killed."
Xander's too bright eyes focused in on Faith. " I wash gonna shee Willow."
Faith looked at Xander in confusion. " What."
He took great pains to speak clearly. " I am on my way to see Willow. I wanted to talk to her."
"About what?"
Xander's control slipped as his eyes teared up. " Jesse." He paused for a moment. " His parents called today. They wanted to know if I'd seen him anywhere." His lips began to quiver. " I told them no. Now Jesse's just going to be another statistic and no ones going to remember him. He wasn't popular the way Harmony's older sister was. No spread in the year book for my buddy," he added bitterly.
Faith's heart went out to Xander. No one remembered her family either. Of course she murdered hers, so it was hardly the same thing. " What's with the tequila Xander. That worm don't got any answers."
"Just makes me forget. I see his eyes at night, Faith." Xander looked down and whispered, " All I want to do is forget."
Faith ached to take him into her arms but she knew she shouldn't. Xander was a distraction. Xander was something she didn't have time for. Xander was hugging her and sobbing like a child. < Huh? >
"Shush," she cooed. " It'll be okay." For a moment she let him stay there and she comforted him. It wasn't going to hurt anything to pretend for a minute. Pretend she was just a girl and he was just a guy. Just for a little while.
From where he was buried in her shoulder a muffled voice. " I hate them all Faith."
"What?"
Xander looked up and his red eyes were angry. " Vampires, I fucking hate all vampires."
If Faith had a heart it would have stopped. The coldness in Xander's voice shook her to the core. She pushed him away.
"I'll walk you to Willows," she answered coldly.
The walk to Willow's home past by in uncomfortable silence. Xander weaved a little uncertainly although Faiths strong grip held him mostly steady. He sneaking glances at Faith who kept her eyes straight ahead.
< He hates you. He hates everything you are> a tiny voice whispered in faiths mind.
< No he doesn't. He'd understand why I lied >
< Liar> the voice whispered.
The home of Ira and Shelia Rosenberg was a well-maintained two story home on a long street of well-maintained two story homes. The grass was green and freshly cut. The plants that lined the driveway were perky and green. It was a beautiful home, beautiful and sterile. Just like Ira and Shelia Rosenberg. Faith would never know how two cold behaviorists could have raised such a lovely child as Willow. She suspected that it had something to do with her friendship with Xander Harris.
She guided Xander up to the rear of the house and tossed a few rocks up to Willows window. The light came on and Faith saw Willow peer out the window and then motion to the back door. A few moments later, the porch light came on and Willow opened the door. She wore a tight blue tee shirt and cotton PJ bottoms. Her long red hair was divided into two ponytails. She rubbed sleep from her eyes and asked a fuzzy " Whatta you want Faith?" Then her eyes took in Xander's drunken form and her voice sharpened, " what happened to him?"
"Hey willow, what's up," Xander said in a loud stage whisper. Willow winced and looked behind her.
"I caught him wandering around the street trying to make his way here." Faith dropped her eyes. " Jesse's parents called him today and he took it...poorly."
"I know, they called me too," Willow whispered sadly. " It's not easy knowing what happened. I can only imagine what it must be like to be the one that actually-," Willow just shuddered.
"I don't know how to help him willow, this," and she motioned with her hands at the drunk Xander, " This is outside my area of expertise."
"I'll take it from here faith." Willow grabbed Xander and dragged him inside. He stumbled over the lip of the doorway and crashed to the floor.
"Quiet Xander," Willow hissed. Then she turned to Faith who was looking uncomfortable on the other side of entryway.
"Thanks Faith for looking out for him."
"Five by Five Willow, I only wish I could do more."
"Don't worry. I'll get him better," Willow said while clutching Xander's hand
Faith turned and walked away, an idea forming in her mind.
< Maybe there is something I can do for Xander >
Glen Marconi heard the knock on the front door of his home. His wife had already passed out upstairs so he sighed and moved his bulk off the couch where he'd been watching WWF Raw and answered the door. He received a pleasant surprise when he answered.
A beautiful young girl stood on the other side of the threshold. She wore tight jeans and a tee shirt with the name of some band he never heard of across the front. She was fucking hot too, he noticed right away.
"Is this the Harris residence," she asked in a sultry voice. Glen watched her pouty lips move and felt something stir in his loins. God only knows his wife wasn't getting the job done.
"Yeah, Susan Harris lives here, although I pay all the damn bills." < Only damn thing the bitch ever stood up to me on. Her Xander had to have his Daddy's last name. The Big Fucking Hero >
"Xander lives here right?" She twirled a strand of her ebony hair absently. Glen watched in fascination as her hips swayed back and forth.
"He ain't here right now and I don't know when he's gonna get back." < Don't care either >
"Huh." She seemed disappointed. " We had a date tonight and he never showed. I was kinda worried about him."
Glen's eyebrows shot up. " He had a date with you?"
The girl smiled, " Uh huh. I don't normally date guys that young but he seemed real nice." Then she seemed to look him up and down. " I usually go for you know older guys," and she smiled seductively.
< Hell yeah. The guys aren't going to believe this > " you wanna come in?"
Faith smiled. " Thanks for the invite."
Glen was so excited that he failed to notice the girl's smile became far more predatory and far less seductive as she crossed the threshold.
Faith ran out of the Harris home, moving at vampire speed and not caring who saw her.
< I came so close. Too close > Faith quaked as she contemplated what went wrong inside Xander's home. It started out so well. Xander's step father easily fell prey to her charms and let her in his house. She played the seductress until she crossed the threshold. She smacked him around a couple of times telling him to leave Xander alone.
< It was the blood >
She accidentally cut him with one of her long nails when she was slapping him around. The scent of blood that dripped down his scalp made her chained up demon wail against the bonds of her soul. Faith would have liked to say that she was able to fight off the temptation but she didn't. She licked Xander's stepfather, licked the blood that dripped from his face.
< Good Lord, it tasted so good >
Faith ran to a small park near Xander's house. She sagged up against a large tree and shook. Faith wrapped her arms around her body as the enormity of what she did hit her. She drank human blood. Tasted in it. Reveled in the violence and threats she made. Nearly every sin she was trying to atone for she managed to commit in the span of a few minutes, in the name of a boy she barely knew.
She was failing in her penance.
She was falling for Xander.
Hard.
He was her temptation. A test by God to stay the course he put upon her.
And something deep inside her knew she was going to fail.
And didn't care.
coming up next
Forgive Us Our Trespasses.
What's going to happen when Xander finds out his new love's secret...And Buffy decides to take matters into her own hands...Angelus makes a play for his new obsession-Willow.