BUFFY
THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
INNER
LIGHT
Part
Seven
Sunset
The
Sun was dipping behind the houses of Sunnydale as Buffy got back to Giles'
house still carrying the bottles of holy water. Outside Giles and Xander were
loading a bunch of heavy looking crates into the back of Giles' decrepit old
car. She would be amazed if the thing could even start with the added weight of
the crates.
"Got
the holy water?" asked Xander as he turned away from loading one of the crates.
She grinned and flashed him the bottles.
"Did
you expect anything less?"
"Never
from the Buffster." He said hefting the last of the crates.
"Are
those…" Xander nodded.
"Freshly
requisitioned from our friendly neighbourhood military base."
"Great."
Buffy glanced around. "Where are Marcus and Willow?" Xander nodded in the
direction of Giles' house.
"Willow
and the big guy are looking through Giles' books to see if they can get any
more info on King."
"Well
study times over." Said Buffy tossing the bottles of holy water onto the backseat
of Giles' car. "We need to get moving." Giles nodded and slammed the car door.
"We
ought to at least go over the plan first though." He said.
"You're
right." Said Buffy. "But I think we ought to do it inside. I just had a run in
with a vamp before he flambéed in the sunlight and something tells me King
doesn't like what we're doing."
"Agreed."
Said Giles before making his way down to the house. Inside Willow and Marcus
were sat side by side on the sofa both with books open on their laps.
"Any
luck?" asked Buffy as she walked in. Marcus shook his head.
"Well
it's too late now. C'mon, we're going over the plan." Both Willow and Marcus
closed their books and turned to face her.
"First
off, Willow, can you remember the way to the temple on your own?"
"I
think so." Said Willow nervously.
"Good,"
said Buffy. "You get to drive there with Xander and Giles. When you get there
unload our gear and get it to the temple. Xander and Giles, when you get there
set up our little surprise and pour the holy water into the sewage. The vamps
will have to get through consecrated water to reach the temple. Marcus and me
will get there on foot dusting any of Kings boys we run into on the way.
Everybody happy with that?" Buffy almost jumped out of her skin at the sound of
a loud thud against the door. Slowly all eyes in the room turned to it.
"Who
do you think it is?" asked Xander quietly.
"There's
only one way to find out." Said Buffy. Slowly she stepped closer to it. All the
time her eyes were fixed upon the wooden panelling. She already knew who would
be on the other side. She didn't understand why. It wasn't like he could come
in. Gingerly she reached out and twisted the doorknob. The door opened so
slowly it was almost painful waiting for it. Suddenly it was as if time had sped
right back up again and she found herself staring into the dark brown eyes of
King.
"Good
evening Slayer." He said coldly. Behind him stood a band of immensely hungry
looking vampires, each one wearing the true face of a vampire. Only King
retained his human visage.
"What
are you doing here King?" she demanded. "Delivering me another warning?" The
ancient vampire glared at her.
"The
time for warnings is past Slayer. You did not heed my first and now you shall
pay the price." He leaned close to the doorframe threateningly. "Now tell me,
which parts do you want me to mail to your mother first?" This wasn't the first
time Buffy had been threatened by a vampire. As a matter of fact she was used
to it but there was something about King that made her nervous. Something that
she couldn't quite put her finger on and she hated that feeling. She'd felt the
same about the Master and they all knew how she'd reacted to that.
"Just
cut the crap King." She growled defensively. "We both know you can't come in so
why all the song and dance on the front doorstep?" He laughed. It wasn't a nice
sound.
"That's
what I love about humans!" he chuckled. "You're so gullible, blindly believing
every little detail you can be spoon fed. You see Slayer," he continued
reaching up and slowly tracing the outline of the doorframe as he spoke, "For
vampires not being able to enter a home unless invited is like a locked door
and as I'm sure you know all you need to be able to open a locked door is a
key." As he finished the sentence he stepped forward across the threshold and
into the house. As he did so the air around him seemed to crackle with
invisible energy. Buffy stepped back in surprise, her eyes fixed upon the
vampire who up into now had never demonstrated any abilities that made him a
force to be feared.
"All
of you," she said glancing back over her shoulder, "Get to the temple. Now."
"But
Buffy…" protested Giles.
"Just
go!" she yelled at him. He didn't argue a second time. As she stood and faced
down the vampire in front of her she listened as the back door slammed.
"What
do we do now Buffy?" She whirled round to see Marcus stood behind her.
"What
are you still doing here?" she demanded.
"Helping
you." Was his simple answer.
"How
touching." Sneered King. "Slayer and Reaver, side by side. Oh but where are my
manners, please," he gestured to the others outside the door. "Come in." The
assembled vampires whooped with joy and poured into the house like a wave of
sharp teeth and bad breath. Buffy staked the first to come at her with no
trouble but as soon as he disintegrated two more had taken its place. They
grabbed her by the arms and hurled her through the opening in the partition
wall into the kitchen area. Her head slammed heavily against Giles' oven as she
crashed to the floor. With her vision still spinning she picked herself up and
round housed the first vampire to appear. As the creature fell away she leapt
onto the next just behind him pummelling away with a series of furious blows to
its chest and head that had the vampire reeling. Vaulting back through the
partition opening she grabbed Giles' coat stand and used it like a makeshift
pike, staking the first vampire to approach her before whirling around to come
face to face with King. The moment she saw him she thrust her overly large
stake at where his heart should be only to find it piercing thin air.
"Buffy,
behind you!" yelled Marcus from where he was busy trying to free himself from
the grasp of three vampires. She spun around just in time to see King's pale
hand snake out and wrap around her throat. His grip tightened choking the air
out of her as he hoisted her off her feet.
"Go
ahead and struggle Slayer." He snarled as her dangling legs kicked vainly at
him. "It will only make the blood taste of your fear." The last thing Buffy
heard before King sank his fangs into her neck was Marcus crying out.
*****
King
snarled with pleasure as he dropped the Slayers bleeding body to the ground,
licking the excess blood from his lips as he stared down at her. It occurred to
him that he had never actually killed a Slayer before. Of course he hadn't
killed this one but from the injuries it wouldn't be long before she bled to
death. He should have done this centuries ago. Her blood had been delicious.
Perhaps the best he had ever tasted. He had expected more from the Slayer
though. She had been no challenge at all. It had all been so easy he was
actually stunned by the simplicity of it.
"Buffy!"
roared the Reaver from where three vampires held him tightly.
"We're
leaving." He said simply. The vampires nodded dropping the Reaver to the
ground. The broad man was instantly at the Slayers side, desperately attempting
to stem the blood flow from the two holes in her neck.
"I
warned her and told you Reaver." He hissed. "She should never have been
involved in this." He glanced out of the window and up at the darkening sky.
Already the final stars were gathering.
"Hurry."
He snapped as they headed for the door. "We don't have much time."