Tuesday night

The Cemetery

The sound of crumbling granite lifted dust into the air. Even as the headstone fell to the ground, its former occupant launched a dizzying attack at the young woman facing the grave. The lone spectator winced in sympathy as the fight escalated into a frenzied exchange of blows. A powerful front kick was evaded, leaving the young woman open for the tremendous uppercut that sent the brunette crashing to the ground.

"Get up!" Ashley chided, hurrying towards the fallen girl. She was unheeded by the vampire, who was already streaking away from them.

"He's getting away!"

"Ya think?" Retorted the combatant, who took a moment to slick a stray strand of hair back into her slick ponytail. "Punk kicked my stake- see where it went?"

"Uh…" Less confident than her companion, she navigated the open grave more carefully. "Heads up!"

The Slayer was already loping after the vampire and caught the stake with easy grace. Ashley didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of catching up to the pair, but she tried gamely.

"So yours turned out to actually be a vamp?" An older guy- just two or so years older than Ashley herself- cut across the cemetery towards her. He easily pushed 6 feet, with a casual confidence that tended to make Ashley's eyes gravitate towards him. She was less than enthused to see the pretty and petite woman in the bulky sweater walking aside a lanky, tall girl just behind Mike. He came complete with sister and girlfriend, no kung fu grip.

"Goddamn sumbitch tore my sweater." Joliene cut across Ashley's response as she swung in from the opposite direction. She exchanged a knowing look to Vicky, Mike's younger sister, but received a disappointed glance in return.

"Same time tomorrow?"

"Babe, I have that thing." Janna deferred. Mike glanced at her, but then to his sister to make sure that she could make it. Ashley marked that flare in Janna's eyes gleefully- and then quickly dropped her gaze when Janna's dark eyes flicked towards her own baby blues.

Mike made noises about driving everyone home and Ashley was the only one to turn it down. She'd seen that look in Janna's eyes and didn't look forward to possibly having a conversation about it- ever.

"Any spooky shit happens, run like hell. Don't be the dumb blond."

"No dumb blonds. Check." She was dish water blonde, anyway.

Not thirty seconds later, she was already regretting her choice. Walking alone through a cemetery is creepy enough. Walking about one when you know that vampires might pop out of a grave for a midnight snack just compounds things.

A low noise attracted her attention, as startling as an ice water dousing. She steadily moved backwards, not daring to make much noise. No hello-ing anything in the dark for her, thank you very much. Her breath came in quick gasps as she heard a rustling- behind her. She whirled about, but couldn't see a damn thing but darkness.

"Kendra- wait-"

The rustling quickly became apparent as someone slammed into her, knocking her to the ground.

"You're not Kendra!"

"Ow…" Was all Ashley managed, slowly clambering to her feet. "You play powderpuff or something?"

"What? No! Have you seen a blond…" The girl suddenly stopped speaking, turning away to study the cemetery. Ashley's eyes widened as she took the girl's appearance in. Disheveled auburn hair was falling out of her ponytail, dirt was practically caked on her hands- her face gave Ashley the most pause. The girl didn't seem aware of being observed, with her head cocked at an odd angle- she seemed to be listening.

"Won't help a bit; creep factor makes mountains out of molehills out here. Are you alright? You're bleeding-"

"Am I?" The girl ran the back of her hand across her mouth, looking surprised to find blood glistening on her skin.

"Can-"

A sudden darting motion sent a jolt through the stranger, causing her to start jogging after the sounds of crashing underbrush.

"Wait!" Ashley cried, starting after her. "Why chase after something in a frickin' cemetery, are you crazy?"

Wednesday afternoon,

School Parking Lot

"Bet that went over well." Vicky gave Ashley a sympathetic glance. That next afternoon, Ashley had brought Joliene & Vicky together after school to tell of her weird encounter with the bleeding brunette the night before.

"Don't even think she heard me, she just took off."

"And this is part of our 'weird with a beard' club why?" Joliene muttered, tossing Ashley an annoyed glance.

"Trust me." Ashley insisted. "It was something for the weird club."

A car honked- Mike had come to pick them up from school. Already a freshman in the local state college, he'd insisted on training three times a week at his apartment for the last week. In ten minutes, everyone- minus Janna- were gathered in Mike's apartment.

"I'm not feeling it." Joliene blew out a puff of air.

"Just try it. Breathe- jab- breathe-"

"Mike, I don't think a book about kung fu teaches kung fu. I think you need to actually you know- kung fu."

"Okay." Mike closed the book and tossed it aside. "You two fight."
"What?"

"Finally!"

While Vicky was still glancing at her brother in confusion, her fellow Slayer jumped onto the low coffee table to shoot an elevated kick at Vicky's face. The younger Slayer stumbled back as Joliene jumped across the table- and Vicky seized her by her shoulders, spinning to slam her into the wall. Dark hair flew as their blows glanced off of each others faces- most of them glancing off of blocking forearms.

Joliene broke the momentum with a straight leg kick to Vicky's abdomen, sending her flying back. Ashley was there playing with Mike's Louisville Slugger- and Vicky was off again, swinging widely at Joliene's head. Joliene evaded the attack, ducking around to kick Vicky in the small of the back. Vicky fell forward into a somersault as Joliene prepared for a punch- and Vicky turned and jabbed her in the face with the bat.

"Ow!"

"Okay, stop." Mike called, stepping between the girls. "Not bad- Jo, nice improv off that first kick. Vicky- bats a nice touch. Could snap it and kill her- if she was, you know, actually a vamp- but both of you were too punchy."

"It was a fight."

"I kicked her ass."

"Hey!" Vicky protested. "I was the one with the killing instrument. What were you gonna do, pummel to ash?"

"She has a point, Jo-"

"Hey guys." Ashley interrupted, having quit watching the fight to Google. "Remember how that girl was looking for Kendra?"

"Not a good time, Ashley." Mike said shortly.

Ashley inwardly winced, but continued unabashed. "Kendra Wiley disappeared one week ago. Presumed dead." That got the others attention as they gathered around the computer.

"She was our age. Eighteen."

"Your age." Vicky, who was sixteen, corrected.

"So what do we think? Friend was looking for her friend in a cemetery? Kinda morbid."

"Let's find out more." Mike, the unofficial leader, decided. "She went to your school- look her up tomorrow. I'll tap a source at work."

Mike was pursuing a degree in criminology- and had an internship with 'troubled kids' under more experienced sociologists and police officers. Hopefully, he'd turn up something more than a clip in the local paper.