Picked up another favourite and follows, so thank you to those people!


EPISODE THREE: Earshot

PROLOGUE

Buffy ran. It was what she did most nights, often, as now, with a demon on her tail. She headed into a children's play area, long deserted by its intended users who were probably safely in bed. And then she stumbled. The demon loomed over and she shrank away. It raised a foot to kick her. She blocked it. And smiled.

"You demons can't resist a rough and tumble, can you?"

Buffy was on her feet immediately, the demon taken by surprise by her feint. She struck back with punches and kicks, ready to strike a blow…and that was when a second demon, identical to the first, appeared out of nowhere and blocked her arm.

Buffy backed away, facing two opponents now. She drew a knife and hurled it, but her target caught it. The other demon managed to grab her from behind but she threw it into the swings. The demon who had caught the knife threw it back at her but she managed to catch it. As the nearest demon charged, she grabbed its arms, flung it so it landed on a picnic table, then plunged the knife into its chest, killing it.

The remaining demon clearly had no intention of sharing the fate of its fellow. It turned and ran down the street.

Buffy turned away from her downed opponent, taking in the empty space. "One down…one gone."

She thought nothing of the silvery patch of the demon's blood on her hand. Not even when it was absorbed into her skin…