Dark Alchemy

by Liquidram

A new threat comes to Sunnydale in a very attractive package.

2. Beginning of Part I - Dissolution - Chap...

chapter one

Masquerade	Night had crept in, bringing a soft chill to the mid-November air. To the ordinary eye, there was nothing odd about night here. People drove home from their jobs, or out to what passed for an evening's entertainment in this one-coffee-shop town. Most of them remained blissfully ignorant of the creatures that lurked among them in the shadows using the night to prey upon the human pestilence. This, too, was simply part of life and death in Sunnydale.
Solitude1056	Marcus had seen a faded red motel vacancy sign not far from where he dropped off the rental car. Unwilling to do too much more searching, he decided the low-rate motel would have to do. He'd traveled close to seven thousand miles in the previous week, and the wear on his body was beginning to erode his determination. He checked in and found his room easily, wrinkling his nose at the smell of other people still strong in the room. What I wouldn't give for room delivery, laundry service, and a good soak. Well, I couldn't expect everything to be up to the usual standards, he grumbled good-naturedly to himself. After washing his face, he carefully stowed his single piece of luggage with a muttered protection spell before locking the door behind him. Neither was enough to really protect it, he knew, from any but a casual observer. He sighed, knowing that would have to do as he left the motel. He'd reached what passed for downtown in this small town when he turned a corner and felt the ominous presence not far away. It's catching up already. He swore viciously and picked up his pace. There's got to be somewhere around here, he thought, where there's people, especially on a Friday night.
Brian	Just when he was certain it was just a matter of time before he turned the wrong corner and came face-to-face with the hunters, he became aware of a throbbing beat off to his left. It was some kind of café or nightspot. A name flashed past as he ducked inside the Bronze. Now that people surrounded him, the sensations receded. They were still searching for him, but the pounding music and people would confuse them. He ordered a beer, enjoying the cool relief on his throat. There were several young people dancing, one of them a pretty blonde. Watching her, he reflected that she seemed have some kind of aura surrounding her. She was laughing and joking with friends, but when he tried to probe her mind a little deeper, all he saw was blackness. It scared him almost as much as his pursuers.
Solitude1056	After a few minutes, he began to relax. His tolerance for the watered tastelessness of American beers was growing, he noted - he was actually beginning to enjoy them chilled. Stretching imperceptibly as he settled onto the barstool, he fingered the scribbled notes in his pocket. Marcus shrugged off the doubts and returned his attention to the attractive young women around him, marveling in the warm California air that encourages the exposure of so much flesh. He finished the beer, absent-mindedly patting his pocket one last time to make sure the paper was still there. He could risk what was outside, and continue his search. Or, he reflected, there was no reason he couldn't pause long enough to enjoy a welcoming sight like the petite blonde heading in his direction.
Talking Drum	She moved past him to an open space along the bar and leaned onto the rounded bar edge for a moment when she caught the bartender's attention. Marcus, looking at her in profile, thought he detected a certain sadness in her demeanor, but then he thought maybe he was just projecting his own mindset onto the pretty stranger. He could hear only pieces of the interaction between the two, but it appeared that the bartender was making a not too sly attempt to chat her up. "How about showing me some I.D.?" the bartender asked. The girl smiled slightly and displayed the purple "OKAY" stamp on the back of her right hand. "Sorry, not good enough. I'll need more," responded the bartender. She half-frowned and rolled her eyes, then pulled out the card and handed it to him. "You're cool. You just looked like you needed some identifying," the guy stated authoritatively as if he had just come up with some especially convincing line. The girl slowly nodded. "Yeah, right." She ordered a beer and a mineral water and turned around to survey the room while she waited for the bartender to return with her refreshments.
Liquidram	For a moment, he thought she was going to speak to him. She glanced his way, checking him out very carefully and paused for a mere second. Their eyes met, she smiled, but then took her drink and continued over to a table where others were obviously waiting for her. He watched her closely, then shook his head at himself. No, it's not possible, he thought, and pushed the thought away.
Little One	He knew he was starting to lose control. For months, Marcus had tried to ignore his feelings, preferring the cold analytical logic of collecting and ciphering through obscure facts, collecting gear, arranging and controlling as much as he could, knowing that if he allowed himself pleasure or pain, then all emotion would overcome. He kept busy knowing that if he stopped to unwind, then he would unravel. At first, he was successful but as his efforts were starting to reward him with the information he craved, he was losing control. The reins weren't being loosened but rather were being stretched. Unwanted emotions were welling with impossible force. For the last few weeks, he had had a constant ache in his jaws from clenching his teeth and his stomach ached.
Liquidram	Shaking his head at himself, Marcus downed the last of his beer. He threw a few bills on the counter and got up to leave.
Little One	Another girl approached, looking slyly in his direction. Marcus racked his brain for the most intelligent opening line he could think of, in case she actually said anything to him. Somehow, 'ever wonder what it'd be like to know the day you'll die?' sounded a little too desperate, if not outright bizarre.
Solitude1056	Deciding to avoid the issue altogether, he turned on his heel and immediately ran into a redhead who'd been standing directly behind him. Their hands collided and her drink spilled all over him. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry about your shirt," she exclaimed, as he froze in place, his mind just beginning to register the trickles of ice water down the front of his shirt. Small ice cubes seemed to be settling between his jeans and his hips. He wondered, stupidly, if scooping them out with his fingers would be considered gauche. He realized she was still talking. "Here's some napkins, do you need anymore? Hey," she interrupted herself to peer closer at him in the club's darkness. "Are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine, just surprised," he said, uncomfortable with her scrutiny and wondering if his accent sounded too forced. After a pause, he realized she was staring intently at the slender chain around his neck. He forced himself to breathe normally and pretended to ignore her expression as he dabbed at his shirt, surreptitiously pulling it out until the medallion slipped beneath his shirt again. She frowned at him, as if she didn't believe him. "Really, I'm fine. My shirt and I will survive," he offered lamely, trying to distract her attention with a joke. Not my strongest skill, he thought with a rueful inward smile. "You're at the college?" she asked, making conversation as she handed him another handful of napkins to pat his shirt dry. "No," he said. Then, since he wasn't sure what else to say, he added, "I'm, uh, just visiting." She smiled pleasantly, her curiosity apparently forgotten. Emboldened by her attention, he asked her about a payphone, and she nodded towards a back corner. Taking the wet napkins from him, she walked off with a stranger's smile, throwing the napkins away as she went.
Liquidram	Willow, with an arm lightly hung over Tara's shoulder, couldn't resist a glance back at the stranger, her eyes wide. "That guy I just iced down - did you see him?" Tara frowned slightly and squinted past Willow to see through the smoky bar, then shook her head. "Who? No. Why?" "Ooh," Willow wriggled a bit, rolling her eyes. "He was like Dracula, he of the dark penetrating eyes. Quite tall, with this gorgeous black hair that..." she trailed off, seeing Tara's arched eyebrow. "...That looks like it badly needs to be shampooed," she finished, then wrinkled her nose. "Very yuck. Very, uh, yuck." Just then, Willow saw the stranger moving through the crowd. Nudging Tara, she jerked her head in the stranger's direction in what she hoped was a nonchalant manner. "There," she exclaimed. "There, see him?"
Solitude1056	Marcus began navigating the crowd, with one eye still on the redhead's retreating figure as she headed towards a group of people standing around a table. One of the women in the group made a point of embracing the redhead casually, and turning to look directly at him. Involuntarily, he shivered... and it wasn't because of the ice. He turned and headed for the door. There were other payphones, in safer places.
Liquidram	Tara nodded, amused, then studied the man, her expression suddenly intent. Willow caught Tara's look and glanced over at the man again as he deftly stepped out of the way of several dancers. "What? What is it? Vampire?" She didn't say anything else, but her expression was clear that she was half-hoping it was the famous vampire again. Tara shook her head. "No, not vampire." She smiled at Willow, then glanced back at the stranger again and her smile faded. "I'd like to leave now." Willow's jaw dropped slightly at Tara's unexpected announcement. She barely had a chance to explain to Xander before Tara was thrusting their coats at her. "I don't feel well," Tara quietly stated. She didn't say another word until they'd left the club, with Willow on her heels, looking worried.
Purrfection	Marcus entered the night, welcoming the cold like a mother's embrace and impulsively ducked into a doorway to survey the area. It wasn't long before the club's doors opened and the two women stepped into the street.
Solitude1056	Marcus wondered why he'd not gotten the redhead's name, but then, he hadn't introduced himself, either. He couldn't be sure that anyone would really recognize his own name, anyway. But the same sense that triggered a warning about the blonde girl told him to watch his back. Casting about for a sense of his pursuers, he was gratified to feel no sense of them around. Marcus watched the women walk past. Their hands were linked and their heads were close together in whispered conversation. They appeared to be oblivious to him, and he waited a few minutes more before ducking out to follow them. That quiet voice was telling him to keep an eye on them.
Bess	He considered returning to the club, but shook his head. It's not like you were there for a good time. It's not like you've done anything for a good time lately. He watched the blonde's fingers entwined with her lover's and felt a twinge. You can't miss what you don't have, he told himself, but that was a lie, and he knew it. He stepped over a puddle. The moon caught his reflection in the muddy water, and for a moment, he flashed by, iced in white. That's what I am. A sort of ghost. He remembered the blonde's face as she watched him. A ghost that doesn't belong. The sooner I get out of this town, the better. People notice too much. Marcus' thoughts were interrupted by a choked cry echoing out of the alley to his right. He ducked behind a dumpster in time to see two shadows stumble into the street. The second was faster, and closed the gap between them in an instant. Marcus put a hand to his hip as his stomach flip-flopped. I hate vampires, he sighed to himself, and picked up a busted chair leg from next to the dumpster.
Lady Starlight	Just as Marcus straightened up, a female vampire shoved into him. He countered the force of her shove and drove the wooden object into her chest. Silently, the vampire evaporated in a soft whoosh of dust. Marcus pushed himself away from the dumpster as he heard a Cockney voice angrily lecturing someone. "If you would - oh bloody hell. Just stand still and this will go much smoother." Marcus watched in open-mouthed awe as the vampire plunged a stake into the heart of the stocky second vampire. I know him, Marcus thought, perplexed, recognizing the blond vampire from his mother's books. The rumors are true. He choked back a cough from the dusty remains drifting in the air. The leather-clad vampire spun in a circle, muttering something, and walked right into Marcus. "Bloody hell, mate! Watch where you're going!" "You watch," Marcus retorted. Still stunned, he got right to the point. "You're William the Bloody, aren't you." The vampire lit a cigarette, and nonchalantly tossed the burnt match aside. "Who wants to know?"
Solitude1056	Marcus slowly lowered his fighting arm, narrowed his eyes at the vampire, throwing the stake away. It clattered hollowly in the empty alley, and Marcus noticed the vampire's shoulders tense abruptly at the unexpected gesture. "No one you'd know." Marcus shifted his weight onto his back leg, prepared to swing if necessary, aware that if the rumors were true, he wouldn't need to waste the effort. The vampire shrugged his jacket slightly, nonplussed at the response. Before he could speak again, Marcus turned on his heel and walked out of the alley without looking back. The vampire's jaw dropped in irritated shock at the gall, his hand frozen halfway to his cigarette in preparation for a fast retort that didn't seem to be coming. Marcus purposefully walked as casually as possible, and considered whistling but decided that might be overdoing it. Great, he thought to himself, the town's got a bloody resident living legend, too. He smiled to himself, grimly. Or unliving legend, I suppose. He'd gone a short distance before he realized his legs were shaking slightly. A gutsy move, just when he least needed attention - of any kind. Unnerved by the chance meeting, he stopped at the corner to get his bearings. The gods were paying attention tonight: the two girls hadn't gotten too far ahead of him. One of them had paused to dig in her purse for something, while the other seemed to be saying something. Their voices didn't travel far in the late night street, and he leaned against the wall, doing his best to blend into the shadows. It was an easy skill for him, but he wished he could manage it in closer quarters. His curiosity was growing as to why he felt compelled to know more about these young women. As if sensing something, the blonde who'd been talking abruptly fell silent as she turned to stare directly at his location. Marcus knew she couldn't see him, but he still felt a distinct chill up his spine at the sensation that she was seeing directly through him. He swore softly under his breath as she grabbed the redhead by the shoulders, pushing her along while glancing several times over her shoulder at him. The redhead's surprised squawks were audible from down the block. He waited until he couldn't hear them anymore before venturing away from the building to begin following the traces they'd left in the air.
Purplegrrl	Spike finished his cigarette and tossed the glowing butt to the ground. Bloody wanker, he thought peevishly. Having no pressing engagements and nothing better to do, Spike decided to follow the dark stranger. Stepping out of the alley, he saw the stranger heading through the dark streets after Willow and Tara. Not that he'd mind a little blood and mayhem, but Spike had a soft spot for Willow, and Tara seemed an all-right girl, as well. Hadn't even held it against me when I'd punched her in the face to prove she wasn't a demon, he mused. Keeping well back so as not to draw attention, Spike kept all three in sight until the two young women entered their apartment. Spike now only had to keep an eye on the stranger. An easier task, especially if the bloke was going to stand there sniffing the air like a bleedin' spaniel.
Little One	Marcus stopped at the apartment building. Satisfied that he could pick up the trail again if he chose, he decided he'd been over the area enough that he could sleep in relative safety one more night. He doubted his pursuers would guess that he'd stay in the area. His previous paths through the small town would have to be enough to muddle his scent until morning. He began the long trudge back to the motel. He had a lot to think about before he made any more moves.
Solitude1056	Tara let the curtain drop back into place, hoping the movement wouldn't be visible from the street. Whatever it was, was leaving, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief. The bathroom door opened. Willow sauntered in, her damp hair plastered to her forehead, her favorite yellow towel wrapped loosely around her chest. Willow noticed Tara still by the window, and crossed the room to wrap her arms around Tara from behind, resting her chin on Tara's shoulder. "What's out there? Are you still watching for your shadow?" she asked. Tara stiffened slightly, and Willow turned Tara around to face her. "Tara, come on, tell me what it is." "I thought it was just me, but on the way home there was something..." Tara leaned against Willow until the wet towel began making her shirt damp. "But it's, it's gone now. Oh, now I'm wet, too," Tara said. Willow laughed quietly and stepped back into the bedroom to get ready for bed, and Tara followed, sinking on the bed with a sigh. "I-I think it was that guy you bumped into at the Bronze." "Really? You said you didn't see anything. A big lotta nothing to drag me back here at top speed." Willow shook her head and sprayed water across the mirror. "If you wanted attention, you could've just said so," she added, teasing. Tara's expression didn't change. "It was like there was supposed to be something there, and there wasn't anything at all." Tara glanced nervously over her shoulder at the window and frowned. She was positive it was gone. Wasn't it? "I'm pretty sure it was the same guy." "He seemed like a nice guy," Willow mused, "if a little weird. And he was wearing this charm, on a cord, around his neck. It looked like..." Willow shrugged off her first impression, unable to articulate what the man's pendant had reminded her of. She made a face at Tara in the mirror and picked up her hairbrush. "But not a vampire." Willow made a face, negating that option. "He didn't - feel, I guess - like one." "N-no, there's something else." Tara looked thoughtful. "He felt, uh, familiar. Li-like, like, I'd met him before. Somewhere." Willow glanced at Tara's face reflected in the mirror. "You know him? He said he wasn't a student here." "No, not him personally. I, I - I feel like I know him, like he's..." Tara's voice trailed off, and her eyes grew large. "Willow, you remember when I told you about how each person has a signature, a vibe, something that's them, how you know it's them?" Willow nodded. "It's just that -" Tara finally said, "that he reminds me of ... Buffy." Tara's voice trailed off. "What do you mean?" "It's like hearing someone's voice and knowing it's a guy, or a girl, no matter how high or low they talk," Tara mused. "And it's the same with..." Willow stared at Tara, and Tara stared back. After a pause, Willow put down the hairbrush and sat next to Tara while she thought about it. Tara continued to glance over her shoulder at the window, still worried. "First thing in the morning," Willow finally said, "we go talk to Giles. Xander's getting him at the airport in the morning. As long as he's back visiting, he can help." "Shouldn't we tell Buffy?" "Sleep first." Tara nodded, relieved, and willing to set aside worrying until the rest of the gang could help. Then she raised an eyebrow at Willow. "Just sleep?" Willow smiled wickedly, and leaned over Tara to turn out the light.
Purplegrrl	Spike watched as the guy turned to go, obviously having finished sniffing the air and staring up at the lit windows of the apartments. A combination of curiosity and boredom inspired the vampire to continue following, and his fingers itched for another cigarette. If the stranger's sense of smell were as acute as his own, the smoke would be a dead giveaway he was being followed. Scowling, Spike stuffed his hands into the pockets of his black leather duster and kept walking. At least I didn't have to mix it up with him for messing with Will and her girlfriend, Spike thought. The guy's sniffing... that's reason enough to be suspicious. Intrigued, Spike forgot his boredom and nicotine cravings. Something new and probably bad has come to Sunnyhell.
Lady Starlight	Buffy closed the door and stretched before she put her coat away. "Buffy?" Dawn called from where she sat on the sofa. "You home already?" "Yeah. Whatcha up to?" Buffy glanced at the television's flickering black and white shapes as she walked into the living room and sat down beside Dawn. "What's that?" "It's an old movie directed by Cocteau. My art teacher said he used light and shadow really well. He managed this chiaroscuro effect that's unbelievable. Here, I'll rewind it so you can see it." "Unh-hunh. Not really a fan of movies you have to read." She yawned and dropped her head against the couch for a minute. "How was the Bronze?" "Bronze-y mostly. Tara and Willow bailed pretty quick, musta been some Wicca thing..." "Like 'playing checkers'?" "You are never going to forget that, are you? Anyway, I didn't want to watch Xander and Anya sucking face, so I did a quick patrol, and now I'm here. How was your night?" "Fine. Finished my homework, did the dishes, and now it's movie time." Buffy squinted at the screen. "And I can see that Cousteau is terribly fascinating, but I think I'm going to bed now." She got off the couch, dropped an affectionate kiss on the top of Dawn's head and started for the stairs. "Don't stay up too late, 'kay?" "I won't. It's almost over anyway. G'night." "G'night."
Rowan	Leaning against a building, Spike waited as Sniffing Boy studied the street signs carefully before choosing which way to go. Bored, Spike fought back a growl at the fact that this was the fourth time the stranger had led him back around to this same intersection. A new Big Bad. Spike rolled the thought around in his head for a minute. No. Doesn't fit. Whatever it is, it doesn't have the best sense of direction. The young man was on the move again, his pace steady as he strode along the sidewalk as though this wasn't the second time he'd walked down this street. Behind him, Spike took his time, muttering quietly to himself. What're the chances he'll end up at the same corner again, Spike thought, and his wool-gathering almost caused him to lose the man as the stranger ducked down a side street. As luck would have it, the stranger had stopped in front of one of the buildings. Spike stepped back into shadows and watched as the man stared down the dark steps that led to the basement apartment. Doc's apartment isn't usually on the list of tourist attractions. Spike's eyes narrowed dangerously as he recognized the location. Now I know he's up to no good.
Purplegrrl	The stranger was moving again. Spike made a mental note to tell Buffy first thing in the morning. In the meantime, he decided he'd keep an eye on the stranger. He continued to follow the stranger to a rundown motel in the less desirable part of Sunnydale. From the darkness of a deep doorway across the street from the motel, the vampire swore under his breath. This stranger was staying in the most derelict flophouse on this Hellmouth or any other, but it was still a step up from the dusty crypt Spike called home. Although on second thought, Spike consoled himself with the knowledge that at least his crypt had a telly, and all the better to watch his favorite show, but lately that had been interrupted by the American football season. All that sunshine and grass. Dog racing - now there's a sport. Can even be done at night. From his vantage point, Spike watched the stranger leave the motel office and angle across the parking lot to his room. A moment at the door with the key and the stranger was inside. Spike considered confronting him. Gaining entrance to a motel room was not a problem for the vampire, but fighting humans really wasn't Spike's cup of blood. Spike drew the pack of cigarettes from his pocket and put one to his lips. Careful to shield the lighter's sudden flame from possible prying eyes, he lit the cigarette and took a deep drag. He'd keep an eye on the stranger's room. If he left again before sunrise, he'd have a certain blond vampire for a tail. It always paid to know who the players were. Smoking cigarette after cigarette until the pack was empty, Spike continued to watch the dilapidated motel. He only left when the birds began to chirp, heralding the coming sunrise.
Talking Drum	The travelers slept as the northbound bus trundled down the highway. Nervous didn't adequately describe how he felt, but being sixteen, a runaway and self-educated for the past three years, he couldn't think of any other word at this time to capture his exact frame of mind. He'd never expected to make this journey, but now that he'd started, his mind was made up. He just had to pay his respects, and then go back to the life he'd finally managed to create for himself. He dug in his backpack and pulled out the roundtrip bus ticket. Stuck in the envelope with it was the note from Anne, with a single word. Sunnydale. That was all. She'd refused to tell him the girl's real name, but he wasn't surprised. After all, Simon wasn't his real name. The Street renamed him, just like everyone else. In fact, he couldn't remember his real family or if they even ever really existed, nor did he have any recollection of home. Anyway, when you've been reborn you're not the same person anymore. All that other stuff is a world away. In another hour or so, he figured, he'd be in Sunnydale. He could catch a bit more sleep before the bus arrived. As his eyes drooped, he heard a young girl's voice saying something he couldn't quite make out, and he crossed from groggy consciousness to the void of death-like sleep.
Solitude1056	When the bus pulled up to the station at mid-morning, Simon's sneakers were among the first to touch ground. His stomach queasy from the long ride, he hefted his backpack to his shoulders. First stop, he decided, is the library.
~ continue to next chapter ~