Part 13
"Think Angel will do the ritual at the mansion or someplace else?" Buffy asked Giles as they sat in the library before school started.
"I think Angel probably has Acathala at the mansion." Giles looks down at the letter that Kendra's Watcher sent with her. "Is this everything Sam knows?"
"Yes, sir."
"It says that the ritual must be done on the new moon which is in two days time so we need to stop him soon."
"So . . . we still got that rocket launcher, Buffy?" Xander asks half jokingly.
Buffy gives a little half smile, "Sorry, Xan. Rocket launcher went back home to the military."
Kendra looked at them in confusion. Buffy noticing her looks smiled, "We took out the Judge with a rocket launcher." She turns back to Giles, "Okay, all kidding aside. What about the ritual that Angel must perform? Does he need anything that maybe we can stop him from getting?"
"Y-yes, according to Kendra's Watcher Angel needs the Sword of Anktuth."
"Do you know where it is?"
Giles gave a little half smile, "Here."
"Here in Sunnydale?"
"Here in the library in the weapons cabinet."
"So they'll probably make a hit against the library tonight. We need to be prepared." The bell interrupts Buffy. "Gather as many weapons as you can and we'll meet back here."
Buffy and Xander just make it to their class before it starts. A cloaked figure enters the class and stands at the front. She tosses off her covering and looks around. Her eyes lock with Buffy's.
The teacher looks over at the strange woman with a ridged face, "Excuse me..."
"You will come tonight, at sundown to the graveyard." The vampire begins to smoke. "You will come to him or more will die."
The students scream and jump up but Buffy and Xander calmly watch the vampire who suddenly ignites.
"His hour is at hand!" The vampire says before turning to dust.
~~~~
"Let's go over the plan again. Buffy meets you in the graveyard while Spike and I hit the library and take Giles and Xander."
"And if the other Slayer shows up?" Spike asks.
Willow looked thoughtful, "If Kendra's here Buffy will make her stay at the library to protect Xander and Giles. Buffy wants the big show down with Angelus herself. She wouldn't send Kendra even though Kendra almost destroyed Angelus before and has no emotional link that would distract her. Buffy always runs on emotion and it's worked but this time we use it to our advantage."
Angelus smiles over at Spike and Willow, "I love it when a plan comes together. Divide and conquer. The oldest strategy in the world but it works so good."
Spike signals the other vampires, "Come on boys. It's show time." Spike wraps his arm around Willow's shoulder, "Ready, luv?"
"Can't wait."
Spike smirks and with his small army of minions they head toward the library.
~~~~
"Buffy it's probably a trap. You can't go alone."
"Xander, I need you here in case they still come here for the sword."
"Den, I'll go wit you."
"Kendra, you need to stay here to protect Xander and Giles. I'll be fine. I'll do what I have to do, I can take care of Angel."
Buffy looks determinedly at Giles. "The plan is still in place. It's just that there are two battlefields instead of one. Whichever one shows up here, you'll have to take care of. Do you think you'll be able to kill the demon with Willow's face?"
Giles remembered the smile on both Spike and Willow's face when they taunted him about Jenny's death. "Yes." He said tersely.
"Xan?"
With resolve he looked into Buffy's eyes and answered without really answering. "I'll do whatever I have to when it comes to Willow."
Buffy nodded and turned to leave, "You guys be careful. This may be a way to lure me out of the library and they'll be no one at the cemetery but I can't take that chance."
"You be careful, too."
Buffy just smiled and left.
The vampire waits until the blonde Slayer leaves and then he quietly exits the stacks and attacks Xander from behind. Vampires come in through the main door as Kendra whirls to defend. Xander and Giles are fighting off vampires as more enter. A vampire jumps over the table and tackles Giles to the floor. They struggle and Giles grabs a nearby book and smashes it against his attacker's head. Giles takes advantage of the vampire's momentary loss of concentration and is able to get away.
Xander elbows the vampire that is on his back but the vampire holds tight and soon Xander slumps to the floor from lack of oxygen. His attacker picks him up and slings him over his shoulder. With a final look at the others fighting he leaves to return to the mansion.
Kendra gives a vampire a roundhouse kick knocking him back over the desk. Another vampire attacks her but she blocks several swings and stakes it in the chest.
As Giles backs away from the now enraged vampire another comes up behind him and holds him tight. The vampire that Giles hit with a book punches him in the face. Giles' head snaps back from the force of the punch. The vampire holding him drops Giles to the floor.
Kendra sees two vampires standing over Giles and quickly goes to rescue him. She grabs one and pushes him to the floor and kicks the other one. Turning to attack the one that fell to the floor she is tackled from the side. She quickly regains her footing and is hit by a roundhouse kick.
As Kendra falls, Willow and Spike enter the library.
Spike looks around and smiles at the destruction that their small army has caused.
Kendra gets back up and sees three vampires approaching. She crouches down into battle stance but Spike yells, "She's mine."
Kendra whirls to face her new opponent. Spike smirks, "So we meet again, Slayer."
Kendra kicks Spike, which he easily blocks as well as two other swings. Spike hits Kendra and she falls to the floor. Kendra rolls to her feet in one fluid motion and punches Spike. He doubles for a moment but stands back up. Spike rushes Kendra and grabs her by the arms forcing her back against the counter.
Spike forcefully jerks her head to one side exposing her neck. He sinks his fangs in to her and begins to drink.
Willow comes to stand next to him. "Not too much. Remember we want her alive."
Spike stops feeding when he feels her heart slow. He drops the unconscious Kendra on the floor and steps over her. Willow smiles as Spike pulls her into an embrace. Willow licks the blood off of Spike's lips before kissing him.
Spike yells to a minion, "Bring her in."
A vampire enters the library with a young frightened girl and hands her over to Willow. The girl whimpers as Willow moves her hair out of the way exposing her throat. Willow leans down and smells her neck and looks over at Spike, "Not as good as Slayer blood but the fear's intoxicating." Willow turns back to the girl and sinks her fangs into her neck.
Spike watches as Willow drains the girl and drops her to the floor. Willow looks over at Kendra and back at the girl she just drained. She closes her eyes and mumbles and incantation. Soon there are two Kendra's lying on the floor.
Pointing to the Slayer and Giles Willow turns to a couple of vampires, "Grab them and lets go."
"How long will that Glamour spell last?" Spike asks Willow as she grabs the sword and they leave the library.
"Until I take it off."
"Bloody brilliant!"
~~~~
Buffy enters the cemetery and Angel steps out from behind a mausoleum.
"Hello, lover."
"Shouldn't you be out destroying the world now?"
"I wanted to say goodbye to you first and to personally thank you."
"Thank me, for what?" Buffy asked dreading that he was going to bring up the night she and Angel slept together.
"I wanted to thank you for Willow. She's a magnificent childe." Angel leans in close like he is going to confide something to Buffy, "And the sex . . .Best I've EVER had."
Angel smiles as Buffy winces in pain.
Buffy throws a punch but Angel easily grabs her arms and holds one. She swings the other and he holds that one, too and then pushes her away.
"Jeez, Buffy why don't you just phone in the fight. This is too easy, it's kind of a let down. I thought our fight would be harder than this."
Buffy pulls out her stake, "Come on, let's finish this. You and me."
Angel begins to chuckle, "You never learn, do you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you."
Buffy suddenly realizes this was another distraction like her mother was. She turns and heads back toward the library.
"And you fall for it every time!" Angel yells after her retreating body.
Sirens begin to pierce the night air. Buffy runs harder and faster hoping to get to the library before the police do. Buffy runs across the schoolyard and through the halls of Sunnydale High.
She throws open the library doors and looks around at the carnage that is the library. She sees Kendra lying on the floor and rushes to her side. Buffy lifts Kendra's head and gently lays it on her lap. She notices the bite barks and realizes that she's dead. Buffy gently strokes Kendra's face.
An officer rushes in to the library and sees a small blonde holding a victim. She raises her gun and yells, "Freeze!"
Buffy looks up and sees a gun pointing at her.
"Stand up and place your hands behind your head."
Buffy slowly stands, "I didn't do anything."
Another officer joins the first and walks past Buffy to the body on the ground. He reaches down and checks for a pulse but doesn't find one, "This one's dead."
The first officer grabs Buffy and leads her into the hallway.
"Wait what about the others?"
The first officer spins Buffy around as he reaches for his handcuffs, "You have the right . . ."
Buffy suddenly backhands him and sends him into the lockers. The second officer runs out of the library to see the first officer down and Buffy running down the hallway. He draws his gun and fires but hits a door window.
The officer grabs for his mic, "All units, we have a fugitive on foot at the high school. Homicide suspect, female, blonde, approximately sixteen years of age. She is considered very dangerous.
