Leaves of Grass

Here is the next chapter of Leaves of Grass. After a long bout with writers block I was finally able to squeeze this chpater out of my brain. Thanks for all the feedback from the previous chapters it really motivates me to continue writing this story. Here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Dearset now O soul,

Walk out with me toward the unknown region,

Where neither ground is for the feet nor any path to follow?

W.W 1881

Sunnydale

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!" An attractive blonde young woman says to herself as walks towards her dorm room as fast as she can. She had seen a bunch of guys follow her out of the local club they looked as if they were drunk. She had some self-defense training but she doubted that she could take on three of them at once so she opted for a quick retreat. She reaches into her pocket and feels her keys. Remembering her training she grips them is such a way so that the keys were poking out between her fingers.

Looking behind her while turning the corner she runs right into one of the men following her. She lets out a startled scream as she falls back.

"Well look at what we have here!" The he sneers.

"Please don't hurt me." She whimpered.

"Please don't hurt me!" He mimicked "Don't worry I would hurt you little girl. I'm just going to kill you!"

He was close enough for the woman to kick him in the groin. With her would be attacker bending over and grunting she takes her hand out of her pocket and swipes at his face. What happens next isn't what she expects. The man grunts and looks down, when he looks back up his face changes. His eyes are yellow and his forehead has ridges and he is growling.

Taking his hand and tracing the cuts on his cheeks he says, "Now that wasn't nice." Taking the blood and licking it off of his fingers he says, "I'm really going to enjoy killing you."

"I wouldn't count on that." Another voice said behind him. Looking back he sees a young girl looking at him holding a stake. "Slayer!" he hisses.

"The one and only" She says with a flourish. Standing waiting for the vampire to make the first move she becomes impatient and says to him, "Are you just going to stand there or do I have to walk over there and kick you undead ass!"

The Vampire chuckles, "Mark! Devon!" He yells out into the shadows, "Kill her!"

When he doesn't hear them answer he says again only with less confidence, "Didn't you hear me! Kill her! Mark? Devon?"

Another voice answers him. "If you are talking about your two friends back there they wont be coming anytime soon. Actually they won't be coming at all." A man says walking out of the shadows. He is wearing all black and also carries a stake.

The Vampire screams in rage running full speed at the girl taking a wide swing hoping to take her out with one punch. She leans back and the punch misses by the narrowest of margins. As she leans back she inverts the stake and brings her hand up to her right shoulder. Leaning forward and twisting her body she brings the stake out like a dagger piercing through clothes and skin penetrating the Vampire's heart. Within seconds the Vampire is dust like his brethren. The man and woman walk back to the girl who is still on the ground.

"Are you ok?" She asks looking her over for any injuries.

"Yeah, I think so."

"You should get going before anything else happens." The man says. "You want us to walk with you?"

Shaking her head she says, "No, I'll be fine. I'm only a few blocks from here anyway. Thanks for the save." The woman walks off leaving her to rescuers alone.

"Well Buffy, another night of saving the innocent is over. Do you want to head over to the Denny's to get a bite to eat?"

"Yeah I'm starved! I think I left my books in your car so I can study a little while we're there." She says to Riley

"And afterwards?" He asks

"We'll just have to wait and see." She says with a smile leaning into him for a kiss.

The young woman they had saved was making good time she was almost home. However she would never make it as a man stepped into her path. It was almost like he had appeared out of nowhere.

"Jesus! Not a gain! Look three other guys just tried the same thing and they're in pretty bad shape so just leave me alone!" She tries to bluff him.

"Then you won't have any problem dealing with me." He says with evil smile. "Why don't you try me?"

The woman again tries to use her keys as a weapon lashes out against the man in front of her. She thinks she is going to hit him when his hand comes up and grabs hold of her wrist. She screams in pain as he slightly twists her arm and squeezes harder.

Almost casually he throws her down onto the sidewalk. As she gets up he can hear him chuckling. "You have spirit!" He adds with low voice, "Good!" He walks toward her.

Turning around to run she sees two other men cutting off her retreat.

Turing back to the first man she starts to say, "If you want…" but she never finishes her sentence. The words are caught in her mouth as she feels a cold intrusion in her stomach. Looking down she sees a long piece of sharp steel protruding out of her stomach. The man is grinning maniacally as he pulls the sword out. Only when the sword is removed does she feel the burning pain. Her hands go to her stomach trying to keep her blood from spilling out onto the pavement. The man coolly flicks the blood off of his sword as she drops to the ground.

The last words she hears before she dies are "Prepare her." Her eyes gloss over as her life bleeds out onto the pavement. The two other men grab hold of the body and drag her off into the darkness.

For many the morning represents a new day of life. The morning is a time of rebirth when God's creatures can once again roam the Earth bathed in light. Morning is the start of a new day that marks the continuous movement of time. As the sun rises over the town of Sunnydale light falls upon a grisly scene. In the middle of one the parks lays a body that has been mutilated in a horrific manner. The hair that crowns the head once blonde is now matted a deep red, the color of blood. The body is naked and pink flesh can been seen through her stab wound on her stomach prominent against the pale skin.

Tear streaks can be seen on the sides of her face, only there aren't any tears, just blood. Where her eyes had once been are now dark holes unseeing. Her mouth is open in a silent scream to the heavens. Inside her mouth her tongue is also missing leaving only a stub of flesh in the back of her throat.

However that is not the worst of it. She is lying face up and to her sides are gruesome imitations of wings. They are made from her lungs pulled from her body flattened and spread out. Her rear ribs are used to accentuate the look of the wings looking like talons protruding from the tips of her wings. That is exactly how the early morning joggers had found the body.

When Giles shows them the pictures Buffy falls silent as she recognizes the girl from the night before. She had saved her only to have her fall victim to something infinitely worse.

Things were not boding well in the Sunnydale. Something big was going to happen and it would happen very soon.

Morning comes all to quickly for Xander. He feels a warmth against his body looking down he sees Faith's head lying down on his chest. Looking over to his dresser he sees that it is only six-thirty. Carefully reaching over he turns of his alarm that is set to go off at a quarter till seven. After doing so he just lies there reveling in the feel of Faith on his chest. Slowly he moves to get off of the bed without waking her.

Xander needed to start his morning workout. He thought against running this morning because if Faith wakes up to an open house she might freak out. Walking to his kitchen and opening the door that leads to his basement turned workout room he walks down the stairs leaving the door open. If Faith wakes up she would be able to hear him downstairs.

He goes through his entire warm up exercise and removes his shirt before starting his kata. It was one of the first forms that Adam had taught him. He had claimed that the form was passed to him from a Tibetan monk he had met a long time ago, the form promoted clarity and balance. Or at least that is what he had claimed it did. With Adam you could never tell how much of the truth you were getting. When he had seen both Adam and Cassandra do the kata the fluidity and preciseness of the movements mesmerized him. After learning the kata he believed what Adam had told him, every time he does this kata he feels centered and calm.

Closing his eyes he moves from movement to movement, his muscles had memorized the steps long ago and were now second nature. Each movement is slow and deliberate. His balance transferring from one foot to another with only a moment where his weight is equally distributed between the steps. He had found that he would be able to cycle through the kata a couple times before finishing his work out. Xander closes his eyes and lets the kata take its natural course.

Light filters in between the blinds and shines on Faith's face. The warmth and the light slowly wake Faith. Grumbling she pulls the blanket over her head to block out the sun, but the damage was already done she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Stretching under the sheets she finds that she is alone in the bed. She pulls the blankets off of her and steps out of bed. Stretching she realizes that she feels rested, more rested than she has felt in quite awhile. She remembers Xander staying with her throughout the night and his body warm against hers. Looking back on her life she cannot remember where she had just slept with another person, no sex, just sleep and it is something that comforts her for some reason. Leaning over she touches the indentation his head had left on his pillow. Her fingers linger on the spot for a short while feeling that the spot is still warm.

"He couldn't have left too long ago she says to herself." Getting up she decides to look for him in the house. She walks past the 'computer room' as she had dubbed it mentally and sees that he is not there. She walks over to the dinning room and sees that he isn't there as well. Walking into the kitchen she sees that one of the doors is open.

Peering through the door she sees a set of stairs going down to what she could only guess is a basement. Faith goes to the drawers and opens them one at a time until she finds a drawer with some rubber bands. Finding what she wants she ties her hair back and quietly makes her way down the stairs. What she sees takes her breath away and surprises her at the same time. Xander is by himself, muscles taut from the controlled movements he is making. There is a slight sheen on his skin showing that he had already cycled through the movements multiple times already. The amount of balance, grace and control he shows is violently at odds with her memories of the old Xander, many things have indeed changed.

Looking around the room she is able to see weapons on the walls. Swords, staffs, punching pads are found on various shelves and pegs. In the corner she sees a punching bag hanging from a stand. In another corner is a speed bag. The floor is polished hardwood like what would be found on a dance floor or a dance studio.

Her visual exploration is interrupted by the sound of Xander's voice. "Hey, good to see you're awake. Sleep well?"

Turning back to look at Xander she replies smiling, "Very. Thank you for last night."

Taking a sip of water he nods, "Don't mention it, I know how you feel. If you need to talk some more about it I'd be more than happy to oblige." He says to her with a smile. "You hungry? I make a mean omelet."

"If that's a Denver omelet then you're on!" She says back thinking that she would like to share a lot with Xander.

"Good! You can help me then. I'll have you use your deft Slayer reflexes to make quick work of some veggies and ham and after breakfast we'll go get you some clothes." He says while walking towards her.

"Xander...I…" She stammers out wanting to thank him for his kindness and generosity but her tongue is not listing to her head.

Turning to face her he tells her, "Faith, I meant what I said last night, no questions asked." Smiling again he adds, "Besides you can't be wearing my clothes all the time now can you? Think of all the laundry I'll have to do by the end of the week!" Chuckling he grabs her hand and leads her back up the stairs.

Faith considers her hand in Xander's. It feels right to her, it feels good as she squeezes his hand gently. When she feels him squeeze back her heart beat quickens. Xander on the other hand was asking himself if he did the right thing by taking her hand but the quick, soft squeeze puts his mind at ease.

Across town Methos is helping Cassandra sit up, she had woken up a few minutes ago and was understandably incredibly stiff. Massaging her shoulders Methos asks her, "Do you remember anything?"

"Bits, nothing very substantial. I remember seeing Darius though and a few others though, I'm sure as to their meaning in the vision. I saw swords I think we were fighting…something. People were dying Methos, painful horrible deaths." She says closing her eyes trying to focus on the vision. "There were more of us fighting, young like Alexander. There was someone else though, someone with Alexander. A girl, her hair is like mine and there is something special about her. That's it right now I'm afraid."

Methos nods slowly, "Well the girl you saw is named Faith."

"Faith? How do you know?"

"I had sent Xander to get some books to research a few things that you had said while you were having you vision. When he returned he returned with her with him. A very beautiful young lady who happens to be a slayer."

"So that would explain her presence in my vision." She adds quickly, "What did I say while I had my vision."

"Well you had spoken the words in an old Celtic dialect so I had a hell of a trying to find all possible combinations. But simply put you said 'Hellmouth' and 'destruction'. I couldn't find much but it is at least a start. But it looks like we'll have to pay a visit to Xander's old neighborhood to see this thing through."

"The Hellmouth?"

"Yes or as modern man has dubbed it: Sunnydale. I'm not completely sure yet, you cannot believe how many prophecies regarding the Hellmouth refer to destruction."

"But how many prophecies mention immortals? Death? A witch? Or a combination of all of the above?"

Methos sits still for a second looking for the words to say next. "I'll give you three guesses." Is all he says.

Closing her eyes and praying that her instincts are wrong she says her next word with trepidation. "One."

Opening her eyes she looks at Adam and he just nods slowly. One. A number so specific that there was no leeway as to the possibility of being wrong though she hoped she was. "And the portents? How many have come to pass already?"

"A few." He says walking over to the dining room table. He picks up a note pad, some papers and walks back to the couch. "I'll just point out the particular points of interest. I can't believe that if someone could foresee the potential end of the world that they would write bloody limericks about it, couldn't just one prophecy be written in prose?" He says bringing a smile to Cassandra's face.

"Here you can see "Ancient enemies turned lovers."

"That could mean anybody." Cassandra says.

"True, I had thought so as well but if look at this passage here I had originally thought that the reference was to Hades and Persephone but after going over it one more time it translates to Death and Priestess." He pauses for the briefest of seconds, "Now you tell me if that could be anybody?"

"Fine," She concedes, "What else has passed?"

"One of the signs points out to a 'sanguine raptor' I took that at face value but after seeing this online this morning a quickly reassessed my opinion." Handing her a print out which read on top Grisly Murder. "I had hacked into the local police database and was able to come up with a copy of the report. It looks like the girl was killed first by a stab wound to her abdomen, but look at the pictures of how they found the body." He says handing her the pictures.

Cassandra paled when she sees the pictures. "A blood eagle? Who could do such a thing?"

"I'm not sure but it is going to happen again in about a week."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes later in the passage there is mention of a ceremony that will take place, it is called the 'awakening."

"I think I remember reading about it. I think that it is supposed to allow the person who casts the spell siphon off power from a source and add it to their own, awakening vast stores of power from within."

"Exactly, but here that power source is the Hellmouth itself. All the energies of hell focused onto one being would make that person all but invincible. By stealing energy from the Hellmouth you in turn open up the portal and allow whatever is on the other side cross over. Unleashing hell on earth."

"How does that tell you that someone will do this again a week?"

"This version of the ceremony is very precise. It calls for the eyes and tongue of three pure women. In order for the sacrifice to be valid the parts need to be harvested exactly one week apart, no more, no less. After the parts are harvested and prepared the ceremony must take place exactly three days after that. So that gives a total of three weeks and three days."

"So the blood eagle is just a ruse to throw off whoever is profiling the perpetrator."

"Exactly. Now at the end where you are given the possible outcomes of the prophecy we are given two. Option one the bad guys win and the world as we know it comes to an end."

"And option two?"

"We stop Armageddon."

"Meaning we're going to take a trip to Sunnydale." She says flatly.

"Right, I'm going to give Xander a call and explain the situation to him. I'll need a few hours to setup some identities for all of us and to secure some housing."

"I'll get our things together and contact some friends of mine who could help provide us with more mystical information once we get to Sunnydale."

The two ancients talk a little while more before going about their tasks. They are now part of a great struggle that will tax them physically and emotionally. They now can only do what they can, prepare for the worst. Hopefully they have helped their young ward enough to be ready for the battles ahead.

Xander and Faith pull up to his house in his '57 Cadillac. They had just gotten back from the mall. Xander true to his word took Faith out and bought her a new wardrobe. After breakfast he had cleared out his office and set it up again outside in the living room. He had called a furniture place ordered a queen-size bed some dressers and some lamps for Faith's room. It had taken them less than an hour to deliver and setup the things he had ordered. Although money can't buy happiness it can get you results if you want them quickly. Faith, being the practical down to earth girl she is, was finished shopping fairly quickly. A few pairs of jeans, many tops, a leather jacket and a pair of leather pants. They had also bought sheets and a comforter for her new bed. Xander thought that Faith would buy something red or black but she had surprised her again by buying sheets that were a ivory color and a comforter with a forest green and ivory pattern.

Xander was a little uncomfortable when she had taken him into a Victoria Secrets to get some underwear. She had taken every possible opportunity to embarrass him asking how he thought she would look in some of the racier lingerie. Most of the time he would mumble 'fine' or 'great.' The saleswomen all knew what she was doing and they all had chuckled and grinned at his expense.

What had really surprised Xander was when Faith had taken him into one of the more formal boutiques. He had asked her what she wanted at that store and her reply came, "I hope you don't expect me to go out in jeans and leather all of the time do you? A girl has got to have something when she wants to dress up. Besides you said you would buy whatever I wanted."

She and the boutique owner went into the back and left Xander waiting in the store for about an hour. When they came back she had several packages and told Xander that she would be getting them. He asked her what were they she only said with a grin "It's a surprise."

Upon entering the house Faith went to her room put her stuff away. As she was putting her clothes into her closet and dresser she sits back and looks at her room. Her own room she thinks to herself. She thinks back to the places she had to stay in her life. All of them run down, dirty and cheap. The one place she had stayed in that was nice was with her old watcher before she was killed. After that it was a string of run down motels. For once she had her own room, new clothes and someone to share her good fortune with. Lying down in her bed she closes her eyes finally contented with her life. Opening her eyes she decides that she can put her clothes away later and goes to see what Xander is doing.

Xander meanwhile is in his kitchen looking through his pantry for something to make for lunch. Picking out some ingredients he walks out of his pantry to put the food down on the counter. Walking back to his refrigerator he decides to call is messaging service to see if he missed any calls.

"Please dial your password and press pound." The recorded voice said to him. He dials his password. "Thank you. You have one unheard voice message. To listen to your message press one." He presses one and his message is played.

"Xander, its Adam. Cassandra is awake and she is fine. Something has come up and it involves you and your friend Faith as well. Get packed and come over, we'll be gone for a few weeks. We'll explain when you get here."

He hangs up the phone and goes to his cell phone that he had forgotten on the counter that morning before going out with Faith. It had seven missed calls and a voice mail. He didn't need to check the times or the message to know that it was Adam. "Damn." He says under his breath. "Damn!" He had wanted to spend some time with Faith but it looks like they would have to do that on the way to Adam's.

"What's wrong?" Faith's voice comes from the kitchen door worry on her face.

Turning around he says to her, "Something's come up." He says holding up the phone.

"What?"

"I don't know but Adam says that we both need to be there. We need to pack our bags."

"I don't have any bags though."

"Then we'll just have to share," he says over his shoulder as he makes his way to his room.

Faith makes her way back to her room. "I guess I won't be putting everything away after all." She says as she gathers parts of her new wardrobe together.

Xander and Faith pull up to the house thirty minutes later. Faith had asked him what was going on and he answered truthfully that he didn't know what was going on only that Adam had told him to pack a bag and to bring her with him.

Walking to the house he able to feel both Adam and Cassandra inside. When Cassandra opens the door he feels relieved that she is all right.

"How do you feel?" He asks her.

"Much better now. Thank you."

"Are you sure?" his concern is evident.

"I'm sure." She says, "Although Adam and myself have taught Alexander many things my lessons of social graces seem to have not stuck with him." She says facing Faith.

Xander embarrassed for not introducing them earlier, "Cassandra this is Faith. Faith, Cassandra."

"A pleasure to meet you." Cassandra says, "Please come in."

Walking into the house Faith says with a smile, "It nice to meet you too." There was something about the woman that radiated off of her, a sense of dignity that hung in the air. "I'm sorry, I didn't get to meet you last night."

"No I was indisposed at the time, I had a spell." Cassandra replied.

Faith nods not quite understanding the meaning of her words. She and Xander follow Cassandra into the house. They find Adam sitting in the living room looking at papers and books strewn across the table. Looking up he sees that both Xander and Faith are here.

"Good, you made it." Adam says.

"Adam what's up?" Xander asks.

Before he continues Adam asks glancing at Faith, "Does she know?"

"Yes, she knows what I am."

"Excuse me, but I am in the room here. If you have a question you could at least direct it at me." Faith says with annoyance.

They both mumble sorry slightly embarrassed of their actions. Cassandra picks up and says, "You'll have to excuse them. They are sweet most of the time but once in a while they tend to get hardheaded. If Alexander has trusted you with his secret then we can trust you with ours."

"You both are like Xander aren't you?" Faith asks.

"Yes. We were the one that found him after his first death." She looks at her and then says, "Since you know of our secret would you like to tell us yours?"

Faith looks from at the couple in front of her, then to Xander. Seeing the look of betrayal on her face Xander interjects, "I didn't tell them, I swear."

Cassandra quickly adds, "Faith we trust you enough to tell you our secret, a secret that could possibly endanger our lives as well as Xander's. You sharing your secret with us shows that you trust us as well."

Faith looks at Xander who nods slightly. "I am a slayer. A girl who has be given special abilities to fight vampires and demons." She says evenly. Looking directly at Cassandra she asks, "How did you know?"

"Adam told me this morning." She replies

"Okay." She says now turning to Adam, "How did you know?"

"I could sense your presence. I have met a few slayers in my time, you tend to give off a very distinct presence." Adam explains.

"When I was walking up to the house yesterday I could feel a strange sensation coming from you too. You're not a vampire you're like Xander but I can't sense Xander but I could sense you yesterday." Faith stops and closes her eyes in concentration, "But right now I can't sense you at all."

Cassandra asks her, "You can focus your gifts on a single person or area?"

"Oh yeah, Buffy and me would be able to do that kind of stuff all the time."

"Buffy?" Adam asks curiously.

"The other slayer," Xander says and quickly adds, "I'll explain later."

"Very well then," Adam says accepting the answer, "The reason why you can't sense me now is because I'm muting my quickening."

"Muting?" Xander asks curiously.

"Yes I'll demonstrate, this may be a bit uncomfortable so I'll do it quickly." Adam sits back slightly and takes a deep breath. What hits Faith is like nothing she had ever felt from a demon or a vampire. It was as if someone had taken her spine and turned it to a block of ice. She doubles over slightly clutching her stomach and forcing her breakfast to stay where it was supposed to stay. She is able to see Xander momentarily clutch his head and Cassandra sits where she is unfazed. As soon as it had hit her it was gone. Sitting up she gasps for air as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She feels Xander's reassuring hands on her shoulders as she slowly regains control of her breathing.

"Damn." She says when she has half a breath looking at Adam wide-eyed.

"Jesus Adam!" Xander exclaims, "What the hell was that?"

"That my young friend is but a fraction of my true power. I am able to mask my quickening allowing me to hide quickly and avoid fights. Cassandra is able to do the same thing," Adam pauses slightly and looks at Xander, "and so can Xander."

Xander looks at him startled. "I can?"

"Yes, albeit for you it looks like it is an involuntary action where I have to consciously mask myself."

"How do you know?" Xander asks.

"I can feel it." Adam replies. "I think it has something to do with where you came from."

"Sunnydale?"

"Yes, which is actually why I had asked you to meet us here." Adam takes out his research and begins to tell them everything he had found out. He tells them about the sacrifices and the portents that have come to pass and the time they have left in order to stop the coming destruction.

Faith is the first to ask a question, "One of the signs mentioned Death and a Priestess. I understand that you are the Priestess,"directing the statement to Cassandra then she asks Adam, "But I don't see how you could be Death."

Adam mulls over his words quickly, "I have been alive a long time. With that long life comes opportunity to make many decisions, many of them which I regret in retrospect." Adam pauses for a second, "One such decision led me to become a monster. Have you ever read the bible?" He asks her.

"Not really." Faith answers truthfully.

"In the bible the book of Revelations describes the end of time. In that book the coming of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse heralds the end of time." Another slight pause, "Those horsemen are modeled after myself and three other men. We were the scourge of three continents cities cowered at our feet and I," he pauses closes his eye for a brief second before opening them to continue, "I was Death." Adam sits back and lets his words sink in to her mind. "Since then I have made a great effort to change, I am no longer that person and have spent a good majority of my life to payback all that I have taken. I don't expect you to understand, just to know that I am not that person any more."

Faith nods and says, "I understand more than you think." She then goes on to tell the story of her life. Growing up in Boston, her calling as a slayer and the events that led up to her coma. At the end of her story her eyes were watering and her breath was becoming ragged. She half expected them to throw her out of their home rejecting her. What happened next surprised and comforted her. Cassandra go up from the chair she was sitting on and sits next to Faith. Cassandra reaches her arms around Faith and brings her into a warm embrace. Faith stiffens at first but then softens and buries her face into her shoulder silent tears running down her face.

"Shhhh child," Cassandra coos, "It'll be alright, you'll see. Remind me to tell you how easily forgiveness comes, even between the deadliest of enemies."

Nodding and wiping the tears from her face she says, "I'm curious, why did you think I needed to be there as well?"

"I'll answer that question." Cassandra says. "Even though I'm Immortal I also have other attributes that are unique to the human race."

"Such as?"

"Second sight among other abilities. Last night I had a vision. That vision is what led Adam to find all this." She gestures to Adam's research. "In that vision I saw many things. I saw Adam, Alexander, myself and you." She let the words hang for a moment. "I believe that Alexander has come to us for a reason just as you have come to him. I do not pretend to know or understand what those reasons are but I do know that we are all going to play a part in this and if we don't then horrible things will happen."

Silence follows as they all contemplate her words. Again it is Faith who breaks the silence. "When do we leave?"

Adam smiles at Xander then at Faith. "If you two packed your bags like I had asked we will leave immediately. But first we'll have to make some changes.

Xander looks a little uncomfortable and says, "Changes?"

Adam just smiles and nods.

Sunnydale had certainly changed dramatically. A university had brought forth a large boom in the small suburban city. Industry and business had sprouted up throughout the city attracted by the University hoping to glean new graduates with new ideas looking for the next innovator to revolutionize the world. To cater to this crowd a new center of activity had evolved a center full of chic restaurants and social clubs. All of them designed to draw in the younger crowd and the neo-jet setters that had begun to flock to the city.

Inside one such hot spot a couple sits at a table. They are eating the Californian-style meal, which is colorful, sweet and sour, and prepared with the greatest care. Such a meal is very costly, something that you would see on television. However that doesn't matter to this couple as they enjoy their meal.

The man is wearing expensive clothes. A ribbed brown shirt contrasts with the ivory colored slacks. His brown leather jacket sits neatly folded across the back of his chair. His hair is short with streaks of blond as if his hair had once been colored yellow but now his natural color was gaining dominance once again. His lean muscular body is framed perfectly by his clothing. His hazel eyes focus intently on his dining partner across the table.

His partner is a beautiful young lady. Her olive green dress is cut perfectly for her figure. The neckline drapes casually below her collarbone leaving her neck exposed, her hair only accentuates her neck even more. It is worn up tonight, nothing elaborate, but still elegant. Her hair also shows the light streaks which is the trend with her generation. Her entire ensemble shows her beauty but does not undermine her confidence. Her green eyes focus on her dinning partner as they discuss their day and the events that have led up to that point.

To those watching them out of the corners of their eyes note an air of royalty around them. The few in the restaurant who had met them earlier in the week know little of Harrison and Amanda Pierce. Harrison is Vice-President and heir to a large company that was looking to relocate to Sunnydale. He and his father Ben were both in the area looking at potential sites to house their business. Father and Son collectively were reported to be some of the wealthiest people alive. In terms of familiar wealth only the Rockefellers and the Waltons could top the Pierces. Each had bought a house in the area in anticipation of the move. Sunnydale had exactly what they needed, low property values in a very nice area.

Harrison or Harry as those he had introduced himself to lived with his wife Amanda. They had met in college. They shared a political science course together and met in their discussion group. After a late night study session they knew that they wanted to be together.

After an hour of dinning and a bottle of wine both decide it is time to retire.

"Harry I'm tired, let's go home." Amanda said.

"Sure thing." Waving to the waiter he signals for the check. Upon receiving the check he pulls out his Visa and pays for the bill plus twenty-five percent for tip. Mr. Pierce tips very well. Leaving the check on the table he pulls on his jacket and helps Amanda with her coat, a white cotton long sleeve pullover.

They had parked a few blocks away from their destination and had walked to the restaurant after seeing a move at a nearby theatre. However the sun was still out at that time, the sun had set long ago while they were eating their dinner. Like any center of activity Sunnydale's center has fallen victim to the problems that plague any city centers. There was one major difference between Sunnydale and the rest of the world the major problem was already dead.

"Well looks like we have us some really rich blood on our hands, don't it boys?" a voice from the shadows in front of them says. A figure walks out of the alley in front of them as well as a few others.

"Look we don't want any trouble." Harrison said stepping in front of his wife. They were almost to their car.

"Good because we hate it when we have to fight for our dinner." The leader said his face transforming. As if that was the queue to start attacking, they were out numbered two to one plus the leader who was hanging back content to let his lackeys do most of the work.

The vampires thought they had it easy as the first reached the woman. They thought they had easy as they heard the singing sound of metal against metal as the man pulls his sword out of its hidden sheath. They thought they had it easy right up until they woman pulls a stake from the hem of her dress and stabs the closest vampire in the heart. They thought they had it easy until the man takes his sword and slices off the head of the closest vampire and chops off the arm of the next. The vampires learn far too late that appearances can be deceiving. Harrison takes quickly takes the head of the vampire he had disarmed. Looking back at his wife he sees that she has just staked that last vampire leaving one very startled looking leader standing in fear.

"Dear," He says to his wife, "If you would be so kind." Gesturing to the last vampire who has now begun to run away from them.

"With pleasure." She says as she launches the stake in her hand catching the vampire in his back. The stake is thrown with such force that it punctures easily through the vampires clothing and it heart. Turning it to dust.

Sheathing his sword and reaching over to his wife he caresses her cheek. "You ok?"

Smiling and touching the hand on her face she says, "Yeah, nice workout huh?"

"You got that right." He says to her. They linger a while like that until he feels her pull away and look over his shoulder. There is someone at the other end of the alley. A girl about their age maybe a little younger watching them with wide eyes. They realize that the blond girl had seen them kill the vampires. Pulling away from each other they look at each other and smile. Turning to face the girl they smile a bow slightly and hurry to their car a few yards away. Jumping in they quickly pull away leaving the girl to stare at the retreating car.

Inside of the car Harrison turns to Amanda and says, "Interesting homecoming huh Faith?"

"You can say that again. Let's go home."

The car pulls way on the road and makes it way towards its destination. Meanwhile close by the alley at a pay phone the young woman they had left behind was frantically trying to make a call. "Operator I'd like to place a collect call. Yes Rupert Giles. Thank you. Yes my name is Tara. Giles? Giles yes it's me Tara, I know its late but we need to get everybody together. No I'm fine. You wont believe what I just saw. No it looks like there are new players in the game. I'll explain more later. Yeah, just get everyone there. I'll see you soon."

Hanging up the phone Tara quickly makes her way to her car and pulls away in the direction of Giles' shop. At his home Giles begins to dial the appropriate numbers to summon his young wards as he wonders who the new players are. Only time will tell.

Thanks to all those who stuck with the story through all of the character development. As I promised this chapter really starts to pick up the pace of the story. I look forward to all comments and feedback you have.