Lost Angeles
Chapter 1... To Stay and Slay
"Great... this was a new shirt." Buffy said angrily to herself as she studied the dust of the recently staked creature of the night staining the white sweater in the dirty mirror. It was her first new anything in a long time. Six months in Los Angeles, and she still found herself alone in the same small apartment. She'd done what she could to make the place home, a small flower pot on the one cracked window sill, a couple of posters of local bands covered the most obvious holes and mold. She even fixed the leaky sink, surprising the buildings irresponsible super. The water now only dripped every other day.
She'd managed to salvage a television with only one damaged knob. It got two channels, static, and less static. The latter occasionally picked up the news, not that it was worth looking at even then. Los Angeles wasn't like Sunnydale. The evening news wasn't always the latest grim murder, yet that was somehow worse in Buffy's eyes. It was if there were two worlds, and the news never seemed to care about what happened where Buffy resided. No, everything was always movie premieres and shiny weathermen chattering on about nothing important. She rubbed her shoulder where the latest creep had managed to get in a decent bruise, but somehow it was less painful then the last time she'd remembered it.
Buffy took her time removing her clothes, filling the small sink in her kitchen with water and soap, and then began to slowly wash out her clothes. The noise of a city approaching the middle of the night came through the adjacent open window, sirens' wailed, and the tenement house across the way echoed with the sounds of a squabbling couple. Buffy sighed, hoping that the stain would wash clean, but continually disappointed with the results. At least her bed was a little softer then when she'd moved in, she'd been paid in a mattress form after saving the owner of the local mattress emporium from a couple of ignorant vamps.
"Rent!" came the sound of a older man's voice from down the hall. The thin walls made it sound almost as if the old man was next to Buffy. She could even smell landlord's garlicky breath, and she made a face as she recalled their last run in. He was a cruel man with an even crueler voice, and she was sure it was only due to luck that she hadn't ended him last month when he saw him punch a fellow tenant in the stomach for the lightest of offenses. Still this wasn't Sunnydale, and Anne wasn't someone who could risk assaulting a human, even if he was vile piece of work. He somehow reminded her of Ted... "Ugh ...Ted" she said aloud finally breaking the silence of the room.
She hung the sweater over the barely working radiator, hoping it would dry just a little faster, and got dressed in one of the few outfits that was still in decent shape, and tied her hair back, tired of messing with it's slightly to long appearance. It had been months she'd gotten it cut, but somehow it mattered less to her. This wasn't much of a life, but she figured it was better then one spent having constantly apologize for what she'd done. Here at least she could still be the slayer, she didn't have to have grand plans, or worry about the future. There wasn't anyone of hers to care about getting hurt or injured, no one to worry about but herself and living another day. She could just...be...
She flopped down on the bed, tired from yet another day of working two jobs, the first at the second diner in as many months, and the other as the slayer. She missed her old life, and mused about what funny thing Xander might be saying, and how Willow would chuckle, Cordelia would scowl, and Giles would say something British and charming and funny in a completely different way. She wondered about her mother, about how much pain she must be in. But most of all, she wondered about Angel... where he'd gone... if he was still alive.
The television finally squawked to life, finally broadcasting one of the far and few between news reports.
STATIC "-several officers of the LAPD were qouted-" STATIC
"-unusual bite marks-" STATIC "work of stray dogs"STATIC
"victims completely drain-"STATIC "near south cental aven-"STATIC
Buffy perked up. That didn't sound like any stray dog's she'd heard of. She got to her feet, looking over to the small rusty refrigerator. Her stomach rumbled, and there were at least a dozen safer options then going out once again into the cold. She wondered if this might be the last time, again for hundredth time. The moment of indecision passed though. She was alone, there wasn't anyone to tell her stop, no one to say rest up for the night. There was only the four mostly barren walls, and Mister Pointy, and her deciding to enter the fray one more time.
"What do you say Senior Pointy? One more round?"
"As I live and breath..." the voice echoed down a small back alley adjacent to a large warehouse. The night sky above threatened to open up, as a roll of thunder echoed through the Badlands of Los Angeles, and area where few but the brave dared to tread during daylight, and none but the foolhardy after sundown.
"But...you don't breath Jack." said a nearby heavy set vampire who looked on eagerly at the innocent victim who was about to be devoured. Another vampire, female and clad in what looked to be street punk garb hung close, hissing as she too prepared to feed.
"It's a figure of speech Hodge," The vampire said exasperated. The tall dark creature wearing a hoodie stood with two other vampires, holding a young woman who was squirming trying to get free.
The heavy set vampire still seemed confused.
"I'm not gonna spell it out for you, geez, watch some western's sometime will ya'?" Jack spat out.
"Let's just eat already." the female vamp said growing restless. Lorna was dressed like a common housewife, if said housewife had been eaten and a demon had taken up residence in her corpse.
"Now, now, Lorna this one gave us quite the run, I think we've earned a little play time. Don't you pet?" The tall vamp said menacingly. He bore a large red colored mohawk, and his face was covered with tatoo's and piercings. He tossed the girl to Hodge, and chuckled.
"Let me go! Or-", a feisty dark skinned girl said, struggling in vain to free herself. The girl was sweating heavily, having just missed escaping the small pack.
"Or what, ain't no one here sweetie. Now... how's about you give us kiss. " Hodge said as he bore his fangs and prepared to bite into the small morsel in front of him.
"Kiss this-" Came a yell from atop a nearby car. There a figure in a black coat with fingerless gloves fired a crossbow that flew with potent accuracy, slamming into the chest of the monster that held Alonna aloft.
"It's a set-" The words left Hodges' mouth as he grimaced, and turned to ash. Now free, Alonna turned and ran. Several other teenagers popped up from their hiding places completing the ambush.
The female vampire turned to see Charles Gunn, clad in black jeans and sneakers, with a t-shrit reading 'Malcom X', reloading.
"It's him!" Jack said angrily. His face turning into the grim visage of vampire, and preparing to fight.
Jack turned his attention to the closest teen, a young man wielding a wooden stake. The boy struck hard, but missed the heart. Grabbing the spear, Hodge lifted the boy in the air and tossed him across the alley into a nearby car, knocking him out cold with a smash.
A young teenage girl and a partner tried to corner the female vamp with improvised stakes, but the creature of the night was too fast, in a short order one had her knee broken, and the other was knocked out. Lorna skulked off, clearly not interested in putting herself at any further risk.
"Jason watch your back!" Alonna called, as the young man tangled with Jack. Gun fired again but this time the bolt missed, hitting Jack in the shoulder. Removing the offending bolt, Jack rammed it into the arm of Jason, who dropped his stake and fell back, as Gunn moved up.
"Get out of here, take Alonna and the others..." Gunn said as Jack was about to be on them.
"But-" Jason tried to protest.
"GO!" Gunned yelled authoritatively, as he pulled a stake from his jacket.
"So, you're the one they call Gunn. Heard this was your turf. Dustin' our kind like it was nothing." Jack said as he paced back and forth, he ran his hand threw his mohawk, and turned to look at Gunn.
"Apparently not, if you had you'd a never come here vamp." Gunn said psyching himself up for the fight he knew might be too much for him.
"You think I'm afraid of a little human, you might be big with your 'bros', but against me, you're just another snack." Jack said finally coming to a stop.
"I sure hear a lot of talkin'. We gonna fight or chat Oprah style? You don't know me Jack, cause it'll take a hell of a lot more then one vampire to scare me." Gunn replied defiantly
"How about five?" Jack said with a smile. From around the corner came two more vampires, and another two seemed to drop down from the buildings to the left and right of Charles, who now found himself alone and out numbered. We planned the ambush too close to the vamps nest, Gunn swore to himself silently.
"Five to one? Seems a little one sided, sure you don't want to call for more backup?" Gunn said as the vamp's approached. A crack of thunder rolled through, and Gunn took a breath ready to fight to the last.
"Hey... " said a tiny voice at the end of the street. The vamps and Gunn all turned to see a small blonde teenager approaching with an extremely casual attitude. She was wearing a tattered yellow jacket, and tornup jeans, just the sort of garb someone might wear into the badlands if they were looking to get eaten.
"You guy's having a dance off West Side story-like? 'cause I've gotta see that. Course the Jets' and the Sharks' were about even and this seems... well less fair."
"Girl...get out of here!" Gunn said as he tried to warn the girl off.
"No, let her stay, I enjoy having a living audience." Jack signaled for two of his fellow vampires to grab the girl, and they approached, eagerly anticipating an easy mark.
Gunn then charged, catching Jack off guard, and crashing into the closest Vampire near him. Grabbing his stake he dusted the fiend, as Jack grabbed him from behind. Gunn elbowed his face, broke free and yelled out, warning the girl off again.
"Look out!"
"Oh, don't worry about me... I always put on a show." Buffy said as she surprised the closest Vampire with a kick to the chest that sent him flying. The other vampire was stunned by the blow, and watched as the girl plunged a stake through his chest.
The fifth vampire approached the girl, this time engaging her fully, the element of surprise gone. The girl blocked each blow was timing and precision, and he could only growl as she flipped him over using her impressive leverage.
Jack continued to tangle with Gunn, his superior strength only negated by the speed and reflexes of a Gunn whose life had been spent fighting to survive similar odds. Still Gunn was at a distinct disadvantage, and a serious backhand from Jack send him spinning. As Gunn tried to rally, Jack took a moment to recognize who and what was attacking them. He'd heard of them, but-
He watched as Buffy slammed her fist into another Vampires face, knocking him for a loop.
"The Slayer!? Screw this..." He said aloud, and then retreated into the night, aware the odd's were no longer looking good.
Gunn got to his feet slowly, trying to recover his senses from the blow. The rain began too poor now, large fat rain drops that soaked anything uncovered, anything left open to the elements.
A few moments passed, as Buffy finished her fight with the last vamp, Having broken broken the fifth vampires' arm. The creature howled in pain, and Buffy approached. "Not yet!", the beast appealed strangely.
"Sorry, but Officer Krupke's not on duty tonight." She quipped and staked him. Relaxing just slightly Buffy dropped her guard... as a figure leapt from atop a nearby hollowed out van and latched on to her back. Lorna, who had waited for the perfect moment to strike, finally had it. Buffy struggled, but Lorna held tight and bit down, beginning to feed.
Buffy screamed, but couldn't break the grip, and she could quickly feel the blood loss becoming critical. Her world began to fade... the colors of the dark night began to grey. Maybe this time... She fell to her knees still within Lorna's grip. Maybe I'll see Angel... maybe he's waiting for me... maybe... maybe...