A prequel to "Until Sunrise", this takes place right after "Graduation:
Part 2". Angel and Wesley are long gone, Anya is still hiding away, and
Cordelia has just left Sunnydale as well.
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 18 hours till deadline
"What are you trying to prove?" Buffy snapped.
"I'm not trying to prove anything. Someone needed to stay to make sure you stay put."
"And it just had to be you?"
"I got you in that chair. I can keep you there."
"Oh yeah?" Buffy struggled with her bonds, but they would not loosen.
Buffy sulked.
"What's the deal with the fur ball?" Buffy finally asked to hide her embarrassment.
"Don't call him a fur ball." Bridgette ordered.
Buffy laughed. "Why not? Whatcha gonna to do to me?"
"Nothing." Bridgette said honestly, "It's him you have to worry about."
Ghost hissed to demonstrate.
Buffy laughed again. "Oh yeah, he'll 'suck me dry'. Please. He doesn't understand me."
"Yes he does. The demon that makes a vampire what it is, is as smart as any human. It's just that as a cat he can't speak. He may be in cat's clothing, but Ghost is very aware of his surroundings. He knows exactly what you are saying, Buffy."
"Really now? Well then tell me this: How can you trust him? He may be that cute lil putty tat, but he's also that pesky vampire."
"It's not the vampire I trust. What I trust is the bond we share;" Bridgette mused. " Ladies and Gentlemen, we now present two freaks of nature that no one has ever seen the likes of before!"
"Whatever." Buffy said.
But somewhere, deep inside, what Bridgette said hit home.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
COUNTDOWN: 14 hours till deadline
Another bloodless corpse was thrown to the ground.
At the town's water tower in Hammersmith Park, thirty people had dwindled to merely a dozen at the hands of the vampires.
"Get rid of the bodies when the sun sets." The vamp leader ordered. "If that crossbreed sees this it might sour the deal."
Kristin was terrified. But she still spoke. "You know, you really shouldn't be eating so many of us. My friend will know if you've been picking at us."
"And who gave you the right to speak?" The vampire spat.
He got hold of her in a flash and despite her struggling, leaned in to bite her.
"Stop." Came a commanding voice. "The girl is correct."
Kristin was released. She turned to where the voice came from. There stood two demons in robes. At first Kristin could not tell they were demons, but then she saw their eyes, so completely black, and one of them grinned, to reveal sharp, definitely not human teeth.
"You must forgive these cretins." The smiling demon told Kristin. "Derrick here is usually such a bright young vampire. Unfortunately the spell we cast on all of them has made them a bit…thoughtless."
The vampires growled. The humans whimpered. The demons glared at them all.
"You'll discard those bodies now." The second demon ordered.
"But it's broad daylight." The lead vamp Kristin now knew as Derrick protested.
"Which is why you are going take the tunnels, you imbecile." The first demon snarled.
After a beat, the vampires gathered up the dead and dragged them over to the sewer access. There were so many bodies; all the vamps had to leave.
"I knew we should have returned sooner." The second demon said.
"Hmm. Yes. Would have had a lot more to bargain with. But at least now we have some time to count our chips."
"Bargaining chips?" Kristin said aloud.
Her breath caught one second; the demons grabbed her up in another.
But all they simply did was take her away from prying ears.
"What's the deal? Why would you cast a spell on those vampires?"
"To make sure it would work on the Slayer, of course." The first replied.
"The Slayer? But----"
"What's a Slayer?" The second finished.
"A----actually I was wondering why you need the Slayer to be like that?"
"Oh, so you know the Slayer." The first tossed a snotty look at the second and the second lowered his head in embarrassment. "I thought you might. Well, then you know THIS Slayer has friends. Friends that keep her alive. Friends die, Slayer dies."
Kristin was silent for a moment. "It's not going to work." She said softly.
"Oh no? And why not?" The second sneered.
"I don't think you know just how many friends the Slayer has right now."
The second demon looked as though he wanted to hurt Kristin, but a look from the first demon stopped him.
"Trust us," The first said. "It won't matter."
* * * * * * * * * *
MEANWHILE…
"What took you guys so long?" Bridgette demanded to know.
"Another owner at the shop was killed. "Xander explained. "Had to wait for the cops to leave before we could break in."
"And of course Giles's guy wanted to play hardball." Willow added.
"I swear I don't know what's come over the chap." Giles said, putting down the bag he was holding.
"You sound worried." Oz commented. "What's up?"
Just then Buffy leapt out of her chair and went for Xander's jugular. But with her own speed Bridgette whipped up the traq gun and shot Buffy. She fell at Xander's feet and didn't get up.
"She is." Bridgette replied off handedly.
Xander looked like a deer caught in headlights for all of ten seconds before he fell backwards into Willow and Oz.
"She's been ready to do that for the last hour at least." Bridgette explained as she helped Oz and Willow sit Xander on the couch. "We have to get the spell done now before she gets worse."
"Worse?" Xander's voice cracked. "There's a worse then trying to rip my throat out?"
"Okay help me set this stuff up." Willow said to Bridgette. "Oz, you and Giles----"
"Bloody hell."
Everyone spun to look at Giles, who was reading the pages Willow had printed out. He tossed the pages in the air. "We can't do the spell."
"WHAT?" Everyone shouted.
"It won't work until midnight. Willow you really need to pay attention."
Willow picked up the pages. "I do pay attention." Willow read what Giles pointed out. "I just need to pay attention to everything."
"What are we going to do about Buffy?" Oz asked.
"Moved up to chains?" Xander suggested.
"Chain her in the tub?" Oz added.
"On it." Bridgette said and started dragging Buffy in that direction.
"What are we going to do without the Slayer?" Willow asked after a moment.
"Well the meeting wasn't to be until three," Giles reminded. "From midnight till then should be sufficient time to rescue Bridgette's friend and any others, and do it WITH Buffy."
"We're dealing with vampires Giles." Xander spoke up. "Not expecting honesty here. They could all be----"
"No. Kristin's alive. I can feel it." Bridgette came back out for the chains. "We just need to stake the place out. Find out what we're dealing with."
"Do we hear a plan?" Oz asked.
Bridgette smiled.
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 18 hours till deadline
"What are you trying to prove?" Buffy snapped.
"I'm not trying to prove anything. Someone needed to stay to make sure you stay put."
"And it just had to be you?"
"I got you in that chair. I can keep you there."
"Oh yeah?" Buffy struggled with her bonds, but they would not loosen.
Buffy sulked.
"What's the deal with the fur ball?" Buffy finally asked to hide her embarrassment.
"Don't call him a fur ball." Bridgette ordered.
Buffy laughed. "Why not? Whatcha gonna to do to me?"
"Nothing." Bridgette said honestly, "It's him you have to worry about."
Ghost hissed to demonstrate.
Buffy laughed again. "Oh yeah, he'll 'suck me dry'. Please. He doesn't understand me."
"Yes he does. The demon that makes a vampire what it is, is as smart as any human. It's just that as a cat he can't speak. He may be in cat's clothing, but Ghost is very aware of his surroundings. He knows exactly what you are saying, Buffy."
"Really now? Well then tell me this: How can you trust him? He may be that cute lil putty tat, but he's also that pesky vampire."
"It's not the vampire I trust. What I trust is the bond we share;" Bridgette mused. " Ladies and Gentlemen, we now present two freaks of nature that no one has ever seen the likes of before!"
"Whatever." Buffy said.
But somewhere, deep inside, what Bridgette said hit home.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
COUNTDOWN: 14 hours till deadline
Another bloodless corpse was thrown to the ground.
At the town's water tower in Hammersmith Park, thirty people had dwindled to merely a dozen at the hands of the vampires.
"Get rid of the bodies when the sun sets." The vamp leader ordered. "If that crossbreed sees this it might sour the deal."
Kristin was terrified. But she still spoke. "You know, you really shouldn't be eating so many of us. My friend will know if you've been picking at us."
"And who gave you the right to speak?" The vampire spat.
He got hold of her in a flash and despite her struggling, leaned in to bite her.
"Stop." Came a commanding voice. "The girl is correct."
Kristin was released. She turned to where the voice came from. There stood two demons in robes. At first Kristin could not tell they were demons, but then she saw their eyes, so completely black, and one of them grinned, to reveal sharp, definitely not human teeth.
"You must forgive these cretins." The smiling demon told Kristin. "Derrick here is usually such a bright young vampire. Unfortunately the spell we cast on all of them has made them a bit…thoughtless."
The vampires growled. The humans whimpered. The demons glared at them all.
"You'll discard those bodies now." The second demon ordered.
"But it's broad daylight." The lead vamp Kristin now knew as Derrick protested.
"Which is why you are going take the tunnels, you imbecile." The first demon snarled.
After a beat, the vampires gathered up the dead and dragged them over to the sewer access. There were so many bodies; all the vamps had to leave.
"I knew we should have returned sooner." The second demon said.
"Hmm. Yes. Would have had a lot more to bargain with. But at least now we have some time to count our chips."
"Bargaining chips?" Kristin said aloud.
Her breath caught one second; the demons grabbed her up in another.
But all they simply did was take her away from prying ears.
"What's the deal? Why would you cast a spell on those vampires?"
"To make sure it would work on the Slayer, of course." The first replied.
"The Slayer? But----"
"What's a Slayer?" The second finished.
"A----actually I was wondering why you need the Slayer to be like that?"
"Oh, so you know the Slayer." The first tossed a snotty look at the second and the second lowered his head in embarrassment. "I thought you might. Well, then you know THIS Slayer has friends. Friends that keep her alive. Friends die, Slayer dies."
Kristin was silent for a moment. "It's not going to work." She said softly.
"Oh no? And why not?" The second sneered.
"I don't think you know just how many friends the Slayer has right now."
The second demon looked as though he wanted to hurt Kristin, but a look from the first demon stopped him.
"Trust us," The first said. "It won't matter."
* * * * * * * * * *
MEANWHILE…
"What took you guys so long?" Bridgette demanded to know.
"Another owner at the shop was killed. "Xander explained. "Had to wait for the cops to leave before we could break in."
"And of course Giles's guy wanted to play hardball." Willow added.
"I swear I don't know what's come over the chap." Giles said, putting down the bag he was holding.
"You sound worried." Oz commented. "What's up?"
Just then Buffy leapt out of her chair and went for Xander's jugular. But with her own speed Bridgette whipped up the traq gun and shot Buffy. She fell at Xander's feet and didn't get up.
"She is." Bridgette replied off handedly.
Xander looked like a deer caught in headlights for all of ten seconds before he fell backwards into Willow and Oz.
"She's been ready to do that for the last hour at least." Bridgette explained as she helped Oz and Willow sit Xander on the couch. "We have to get the spell done now before she gets worse."
"Worse?" Xander's voice cracked. "There's a worse then trying to rip my throat out?"
"Okay help me set this stuff up." Willow said to Bridgette. "Oz, you and Giles----"
"Bloody hell."
Everyone spun to look at Giles, who was reading the pages Willow had printed out. He tossed the pages in the air. "We can't do the spell."
"WHAT?" Everyone shouted.
"It won't work until midnight. Willow you really need to pay attention."
Willow picked up the pages. "I do pay attention." Willow read what Giles pointed out. "I just need to pay attention to everything."
"What are we going to do about Buffy?" Oz asked.
"Moved up to chains?" Xander suggested.
"Chain her in the tub?" Oz added.
"On it." Bridgette said and started dragging Buffy in that direction.
"What are we going to do without the Slayer?" Willow asked after a moment.
"Well the meeting wasn't to be until three," Giles reminded. "From midnight till then should be sufficient time to rescue Bridgette's friend and any others, and do it WITH Buffy."
"We're dealing with vampires Giles." Xander spoke up. "Not expecting honesty here. They could all be----"
"No. Kristin's alive. I can feel it." Bridgette came back out for the chains. "We just need to stake the place out. Find out what we're dealing with."
"Do we hear a plan?" Oz asked.
Bridgette smiled.