The doors to the library swung wide and then slammed, causing Angel to look up from the dusty tome he had been skimming. He rubbed at his eyes and greeted Mr. Masterson, the school librarian and his Watcher.

"Please tell me you found something on this creepy Vampire overlord guy" Angel said as he slammed his book closed. "There's nothing in any of these histories".

Mr. Masterson sank down into one of the chairs around the table and ran his hand over his bald head. "Unfortunately, the University library doesn't have anything that we don't already know. I even called some old friends in Boston, but their demonologies don't mention him either." He picked up a slim volume bound in some sort of exotic scaly hide and began flipping through the pages halfheartedly. "I believe the only way we are going to gather more intelligence on this mysterious figure is for you to patrol tonight. Perhaps you can question any vampires you find?"

A smile grew across Angel's face and he stood up, grabbing his backpack. The research part of slaying was never his favorite part, he much preferred the adrenaline rush of getting in fights and staking vamps. "That's the best idea I have heard all day" he said, practically sprinting toward the library door.

"Which cemetery will you patrol first?" Masterson called after him, "Hillside or Beresford?"

"Neither" Angel called over his shoulder, "I'll go to the Bronze"

The older man stood up looking annoyed. "Angel, this is serious. The blood moon is only three days away, this is no time-"

Angel paused in the doorway "If you were a Vampire, where would you be: a empty cemetery or a club filled with a bunch of red blooded American teenagers?" Masterson snorted and raised one eyebrow as Angel disappeared out the door, but didn't object.

An hour later, Angel was in his room pawing through his closet while holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"—and if any Vamps show up, instead of staking them right away, I'll grill them for information about the blood moon ritual - of course, after they tell me what they know I'll stake them anywa- No, you can't stake them. You could barely lift the javelin in Gym last week" Angel half smiled as his friend Will heaped abuse on him from the other end of the call. While he listened, he heaved a heavy gym bag out of the bottom of his closet and unto his bed. He pawed through the lacrosse sticks and pads until he found a smaller black bag at the bottom, which he half unzipped and peered inside. Four stakes, recently sharpened, a metal cross, and a few vials of holy water. Satisfied, he zipped the bag back up and swung it back over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to the phone and cut in "I was just kidding man, I know you are on varsity wrestling. Listen, if one of us has to wrestle the vamp, it can be you. Just meet me at the Bronze at-" he looked down at his watch, "9:30. Bye"

A few minutes later, Angel had moved into the bathroom and was carefully coaxing the hair above his forehead to stand on end. As he scowled at his reflection and prodded his hair with gelled up finger, his father popped his head around the door.

"So, going to the Bronze tonight, eh son? Is Darla going to be there by any chance" He smiled under his moustache.

"Darla and I broke up last month" Angel said grimacing. It got too hard trying to date Darla and fulfill his slayer duties. After trying to explain to her the twelfth time that he couldn't go on date nights because he had to do extra nighttime lacrosse training, she dumped him. He found himself unexpectedly relieved after she did. He had been crushing on Darla since he was in 6th grade. Before he got called as the new slayer, he would have given anything to take her to spring formal. Of course, the spring formal was attached by a plague of poisonous falthar demons and he spent more time setting them on fire than he did dancing with her.

"Shame, she was pretty." His father said as he retreated. "Have fun tonight, and don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

The Bronze was not that cool, by normal standards, but it was the only place to dance in town and they let in teenagers. Angel leaned back against the bar and surveyed the crowd. He could usually spot a vampire in a crowd. They moved differently, dressed differently, looked like a fox in a henhouse. Over in a corner, Will was playing pool and his girlfriend Dru was dancing dreamily to the music blasting from the stage.

Slowly, Angel felt a prickling feeling on the back of his neck, like someone was watching him. He sipped his Coke and tried not to be obvious as he scanned the room. After a moment, his gaze fell on a girl, settled deep in the shadows on the other side of the club. She was small, and pretty, what he could see of her. Blonde, with big eyes and a little turned up nose. Once their eyes met, she smiled and pushed off the wall where she had been leaning. Now that she was out of shadow, he could see that she was wearing a leather jacket and dark jeans. Angel thought for a moment she was coming over to him, until she broke his gaze and headed for the exit. The smile never left her face, like the was confident he would follow her.

Of course, she was right. Angel put his drink down on the bar, his eyes never leaving her back, and followed.