Part Five

Night set and Xander hurried home after work. His car had broken down at the worst point possible and he tried to get home before running into anything dangerous. He was trembling slightly, his eyes darting around. His foot cracked a twig that had blown on the path The sound of it echoes through the shades of the park.

He froze, hoping nobody had heard him. It was starting to feel a tad bit chilly to him and he closed the last button of his jacket. Careful for any sound or movement he proceeded, praying to stay safe. Was he getting paranoid here? Or were there really footsteps sounding in the background. He wasn't sure which would be the worst. What the hell was behind him?

*******

"A Daywalker?" What's a Daywalker?" Buffy held Spike up against the wall. His feet barely touched the floor.

"They're vampires." Spike snorted in disgust at Giles words.
"Well they are, sort of."

"They're bloody idiots, that's what they are. Way to soft and cuddly. You'd like them."
The vampire chuckled as if in afterthought, making clear this wasn't a compliment.

"Sweet?" Giles took off his glasses for a second, wondering.

"They don't kill. They're bloody ridiculous."

"Giles?"

"The Council has little or no knowledge about them. The Slayer is usually sent to those locations with the worst demonic infestation. Daywalkers tend to avoid those places."

"Great G-man, useful as ever."

"Buffy!" The stodgy ex-Watcher nearly spat out in indignation. "Look here ..."

Spike considered letting them squabble some longer, but got tired of it.
"They're immune to sunlight. Amongst others. If it weren't for that damn conscience of theirs they'd be the most powerful vampires around. But with it ... They won't even drink human blood. "

Buffy didn't believe it. "But they're vampires? How can they have a conscience?"

"Word is, they're souled."

********

Xander turned up, searching for any sign of whatever was behind him.

"Murderer." The word was whispered so low, it could have been confused with the wind. Xander knew better though, he started running.

"Murderer!" The word came from the front of him. It was louder this time.

"I'm not." he tried to defend himself.

A shape appeared before him, as if formed out of the wind. It Quickly took a more solid shape.
"You killed her! I could smell you all over her."
Xander no longer bothered trying to deny the claims, he just ran, but the other grabbed him before he could get away.

"It wasn't me." he tried as the others face changed, his eyes turning inhumanly yellow.

"Then who? Why would someone kill her, can you tell me that?"

"A vampire." Xander tried, pulling up a last hope.

"You're lying!"

"No." Xander faced him, trying to show he was telling the truth.
"She was bitten for crying out loud. All the blood was out of her when I found her."
The other looked at him, not sure if he was willing to believe him.
"I didn't do it."

To be continued