Chapter Eight

Dawn walked slowly yet purposely with Oz at her side. She held Mr. Pointy at the ready as she came to the mausoleum.

"Careful." Oz cautioned, sniffing the air. "We're not alone."

Dawn stopped and pressed herself against the concrete wall. She twisted her head and looked around the corner. "All clear." She whispered to Oz.

Oz took the lead and crouched around the corner, stiff sniffing the air. He shook his head and pulled himself back to Dawn. "I still smell it." He whispered. "Hold this." He handed Dawn is backpack. Oz crouched onto the ground and pulled himself around the corner. Oz moved silently to the other end of the mausoleum and came to a stop. He turned and motioned to Dawn to follow.

Dawn lifted Oz's backpack onto her shoulder and shimmied across to meet Oz. Once there, Oz took his backpack and leaned out around the next corner. "There." He pointed at a figure in the dark.

"Human?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"No." Oz whispered.

"Let's go." Dawn said, reversing her hold on Mr. Pointy.

Oz began moving quickly, low to the ground and worked his way closer to the figure. Dawn followed as quickly as she could, but couldn't keep up with Oz. She felt her grip tighten on the stake.

Oz stopped suddenly and turned towards Dawn. "Behind you!" He shouted, breaking the silence.

Dawn stood up in a flash and turned. She was instantly struck and knocked back. Dawn tumbled over and regained her ground as quickly as possible. Not a vampire. She noted as the red horned beast stalked towards her. Dawn switched hands quickly and drew the hunting knife from her side. She steadied herself and attacked.

Oz began running at full speed towards Dawn, when he stopped suddenly and turned around. Oz's hand shot up in a blur as he blocked the attack. Another red horned demon began attacking Oz. Oz kicked and punched the demon, all the while trying to keep an eye on Dawn.

Dawn noticed Oz's situation and ran full speed at her demon. She crashed into him with everything she could muster before grabbing her sack of weapons and swinging it around to contact with the demon. She pushed the knife as hard as she could into the demon's throat and pulled it back out. Without another thought, she ran toward Oz.

"Hold on, hold on." Dawn kept repeating to herself. She crashed full speed into Oz's demon, knocking the demon into a nearby tree. Oz pounced as soon as he was free and began attacking the demon viciously. Oz' features began to change as his hands became less human and more wolf like. Oz batted at the demon on the ground.

Dawn stood frozen at the sight of this gentle man honing a power so frightening. She called to him as he stopped pawing the demon. "Oz?" Her voice trembled. She let out a terrible scream as Oz pounced towards her. Dawn ducked and covered her head.

Oz hit the third demon in a powerful frenzy and tore out his throat before he could raise a hand to Dawn. The demons dead, Oz stepped away and collapsed on the ground.

"Oz?" Dawn sobbed, running to his side. "Are you okay?"

Oz growled as his features returned to normal. "Tired." He whispered.

"I'll get help." Dawn cried.

"No." Oz said, reaching up to take her hand. "I just need a minute."

"What was that?" Dawn asked.

"I don't have to change all the way." Oz replied. "But it takes a little more out of me."

Dawn and Oz sat in the graveyard as Oz recovered his strength. They chatted about everything that had happened since Oz's last visit and spilt a donut that Dawn had taken with her. Once Oz was recovered, they set off to finish their patrol.

"What about them." Dawn asked, nodding to the three demons.

"Leave 'em." Oz said.

-

Buffy and Connor tracked the demon group silently, both in their own way. Connor moved quickly and quietly as he went around the left side of the group. Buffy moved quickly, although slower than Connor, as she rounded the right side. The two attacked fluidly at the same time in a moment of pure stillness. Buffy held her sword high and began swinging violently. Conner hefted the fighting axe and began swinging. Both going for maximum damage.

Buffy fought quickly, driving a hole in the demon group to get to the now sobbing woman. "Run." Buffy called, as she pulled the woman to her feet. "Go, now!" She commanded.

Connor quickly disposed of three additional demons as the woman ran for safety. Buffy and Connor stopped.

"One got away." Connor said, looking around the cemetery.

"Where?" Buffy asked, looking as well.

The demon dropped from the trees above, knocking Buffy down. He quickly kicked her in the stomach, knocking her about ten feet from where he stood. Connor raised his axe and brought it down on the back of the demons head. A slick crunch hit Connor's ears as the demon's head rolled across the ground. Connor rushed to Buffy's side.

"You okay?" Connor asked, helping Buffy to her feet.

Buffy held her stomach and nodded. "Took the wind out of me." She breathed. "We need to regroup." Buffy nodded toward the woods. "Amanda and Molly are waiting for us."

-

Angel rushed through the shadows, hot on the trail of a blue-faced demon. Gunn, Rona and Kennedy followed with weapons drawn. Angel dove into the air and knocked the demon to the ground. The demon rose and pushed Angel away.

"You cannot stop me!" The blue-faced demon laughed.

Angel smiled and removed his broadsword. "Really?" He smirked as he began attacking the demon. Slice after slice had little to no effect on the demon and Angel was tiring in his newly human form. Angel's arms and legs began burning under the weight of his attack. The demon fought back matching blow for blow. Angel jumped back, avoiding the demon's claw-like hands.

"You will die." The demon mocked, as Angel kicked him. "No mortal can stand alone against me and survive."

Angel punched again and jabbed his sword into the demons arm. "I'm not alone." Angel spat as Gunn charged full force toward the demon.

Kennedy grabbed her crossbow and fire into the demon's side as Rona and Gunn attacked full force with weapons in hand. Angel, Rona and Gunn converged on the demon as Kennedy prepared for the next phase.

"Now." Angel screamed, as Rona and Gunn tumbled away. Kennedy dove to the demon and pierced his chest with a large silver knife. Gunn quickly jumped up and began chopping the demon's head off as Angel helped Kennedy push the knife through the demon's skin. Rona grabbed her ax and began helping Gunn's attack.

The four slumped to the ground in victory.

"Ugh." Rona moaned looking at her clothes. "You think demon goo will come out in the washing machine?"

Kennedy chuckled.

"Come on." Angel said, standing, he offered his hand to Rona who pulled herself up.

"Should we report this to Mr. Giles?" Kennedy asked.

"When we get back." Gunn replied. "If we get back." He added, as he saw two more figures moving in the clearing.

-

Faith moved quickly with Chloe and Vi in tow. Her legs pumped heavily under her jeans as she pushed off and jumped the vampire. Faith popped up and kicked the vamp in the face knocking him into the large mausoleum's side. Chloe jumped in and staked him as Vi ran off in pursuit of another vampire.

Faith took off as quickly as she could. "Vi! Wait!" She screamed.

Vi stopped just as two vampires came out of the clearing. Vi pulled her stake from her jacket and lifted it to the ready. Vi kicked the first vampire away and started attacking the second. Within moments, Faith was there, pulling the first vampire away. Faith pushed her vampire to the side and began beating on it. Chloe moved behind Vi's vampire and motioned to Vi to maneuver the vampire closer. Vi jumped and kicked the vampire in the chest, pushing him back towards Chloe, who jabbed her stake through the vampire's chest.

"Missed the heart." The vamp sneered as he turned to a now frightened Chloe.

"That's okay." Vi said, jabbing her own stake through the vampire's back. He exploded in a cloud of dust.

The two girls turned quickly to see Faith finish off her vampire with a flourish and a twirl of her stake.

Vi, Chloe and Faith sighed. "Time to regroup." Faith said.

Vi nodded as she and Chloe made their way to the house.