Chapter 3
The Bronze
Xander arrived precisely at 8pm on the dot, and to his eternal surprise found Willow and Buffy out the front waiting for him.
"Ladies" called out Xander. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your punctuality?"
"Chocolate cookies" said Buffy, and grabbed Xander's hand with her left and Willow's with her right and dragged them into the Bronze, heading straight for the food bar.
Unseen on a rooftop overlooking the Bronze was Drusilla, who at the sight of Xander had to literally stop herself from jumping down there to be with him. She had a unassailable urge that had just come from nowhere. Quickly she scurried off to find some assistants to help her with her new plan.
Inside the Bronze Buffy, Xander and Willow were having a great time. All three of them had managed to forget about whatever troubles they were going through lately and just have pure fun. Willow even allowed herself to be dragged up to the dance floor, it was a going to be as good a night as any that they had spent together.
Drusilla made her way to an old vampire nest she suspected still existed in a abandoned shop, down a narrow alley not too far from the Bronze. Drusilla broke down the front door and was pleased to find some vampires still living there. They were in the middle of feeding from a middle aged woman when the four of them turned as one as their front door was kicked in.
Drusilla entered the nest in game face and held up her hand to signal she wasn't a threat. "I didn't come here to steal your food. I'm looking for help in killing the Slayer."
"Yeah lady, funny joke" said their leader, making his way towards Drusilla.
"I've seen her, she's at the Bronze with two friends, unarmed, no stakes" said Drusilla. This changed the vampires attitude and their leader turned back towards the other three with a look that said 'how about it?'.
Drusilla continued, "five of us, one unarmed Slayer. Plus two of her defenceless friends. You will be famous, and then this town can be ours."
One of the vampires still feeding from the woman stood up and with blood dripping from his mouth said "Yeah, lets do it. Ain't never gonna be a better time than now."
So in unspoken agreement the four vamps crowded around Drusilla as she explained what she wanted them to do.
It was after midnight and Willow, Xander and Buffy were leaving the Bronze. All three of them were on that natural high you get after a grand night out, and as they were walking home the girls were laughing at Xanders antics. Both Buffy and Willow were happy that Xander seemed back to his usual self.
Not long after leaving the Bronze Buffy stopped them and said "be careful. I'm getting a weird feeling here." Just as Buffy said that the three of them heard a blood curdling scream come from an alley just up ahead on the opposite side of the road.
Buffy turned to Willow and Xander and said forcefully "stay here. I'll sort this out" and sprinted off to the alley where the scream had originated. On turning the corner Buffy could see three vamps feeding off some unlucky guy. As they saw the Slayer they dropped their victim to the ground and retreated to the end of the alley.
Buffy approached casually and said "I'm sorry, but dinner is no longer being served." She made her way past the guy they had been feeding on and towards the three vamps who were waiting for her advance.
Willow and Xander had started walking along to the same alley when Xander heard movement near them. As he turned he started to warn Willow but before he could Drusilla had backhanded her from the side and knocked her out cold. Xander knew he was in deep trouble and knew Buffy was too far away to help. Drusilla approached him and gripped his arms in her cold hands with a strength he could not believe.
Xander closed his eyes as he saw Drusilla's head angle towards his. He cringed in terror as he waited helplessly for her fangs to sink into his neck and was surprised when her lips met his in a tender kiss. She clamped one hand over his mouth then threw him over her shoulder and said "Come my love, let us away before the Slayer returns." As Drusilla left she saw Buffy approach and pull out a stake from under her jacket. Dru whispered softly to herself "I might have fibbed about the Slayer being unarmed. Naughty me."
Buffy thought it was unusual that the vamps didn't either attack immediately or try and run away once they were discovered. she thought. Just then Buffy sensed movement behind her and turned slightly to see the victim was nothing of the sort. screamed Buffy in her mind. Quickly she pulled out a stake from under her jacket and attacked the lone vampire who had pretended to be being fed upon.
It was at least five minutes later before Buffy was able to dispose of all four vamps. They had looked at her strangely when she had pulled out a stake, she thought.
Buffy ran out of the alley and started "Sorry guys.." before she realised that something was wrong. Xander was nowhere to be seen and Willow was lying unconscious with a darkening purple bruise under her left eye. Buffy started to get very worried. "Xander" she screamed at the top of her voice, "Xander, where are you?". There was no reply.
Quickly Buffy searched around to see if Xander was out cold or hurt nearby, but could find no sign of him. Reluctantly Buffy picked up Willow and headed as fast as she could towards Giles' house.
Giles and Jenny had enjoyed a nice dinner together, and were sitting casually on the couch listening to music when the front door threatened to be knocked off its hinges. Giles raced up and opened it to find a tearful Buffy holding a very lifeless looking Willow over her shoulder. Hastily Giles ushered her in and directed Buffy to lie Willow on the couch.
"Oh no! Willow" cried Jenny at the site of Willow with a huge bruise on her face.
"Buffy, what on earth happened? I thought you weren't patrolling tonight" said Giles.
"I wasn't Giles. Me, Willow and Xander went to the Bronze, and after we left I heard a scream from a nearby alley" said Buffy. She went on to explain what had happened and that Xander was missing.
"Buffy I can't help but think that Xander's disappearance and your encounter in the alley are connected" said Giles, thoughtfully. "They drew you away from Willow and Xander and then closed the door on your retreat from the alley."
"Oh no" wept Buffy. "This is all my fault".
Giles looked at Buffy sternly. "No, it isn't Buffy. Unfortunately you were the victim of a rather well thought out scheme, the purpose of which looks like to have kidnapped Xander. I think if his captor wanted to kill him you would have found him dead next to Willow."
Jenny had been tending to Willow and when she noticed her eyelids fluttering, called out to Giles. "Rupert. I think Willow is coming around."
Giles and Buffy came over to the couch and knelt beside it. Willow slowly started to open her eyes and was clearly confused about where she was.
"Willow" said Giles softly. "It's Giles, you're at my house. You were attacked earlier. Can you remember what happened?"
Willow looked dazed for a few seconds, then sat up abruptly and said "Drusilla".
The Bronze
Xander arrived precisely at 8pm on the dot, and to his eternal surprise found Willow and Buffy out the front waiting for him.
"Ladies" called out Xander. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your punctuality?"
"Chocolate cookies" said Buffy, and grabbed Xander's hand with her left and Willow's with her right and dragged them into the Bronze, heading straight for the food bar.
Unseen on a rooftop overlooking the Bronze was Drusilla, who at the sight of Xander had to literally stop herself from jumping down there to be with him. She had a unassailable urge that had just come from nowhere. Quickly she scurried off to find some assistants to help her with her new plan.
Inside the Bronze Buffy, Xander and Willow were having a great time. All three of them had managed to forget about whatever troubles they were going through lately and just have pure fun. Willow even allowed herself to be dragged up to the dance floor, it was a going to be as good a night as any that they had spent together.
Drusilla made her way to an old vampire nest she suspected still existed in a abandoned shop, down a narrow alley not too far from the Bronze. Drusilla broke down the front door and was pleased to find some vampires still living there. They were in the middle of feeding from a middle aged woman when the four of them turned as one as their front door was kicked in.
Drusilla entered the nest in game face and held up her hand to signal she wasn't a threat. "I didn't come here to steal your food. I'm looking for help in killing the Slayer."
"Yeah lady, funny joke" said their leader, making his way towards Drusilla.
"I've seen her, she's at the Bronze with two friends, unarmed, no stakes" said Drusilla. This changed the vampires attitude and their leader turned back towards the other three with a look that said 'how about it?'.
Drusilla continued, "five of us, one unarmed Slayer. Plus two of her defenceless friends. You will be famous, and then this town can be ours."
One of the vampires still feeding from the woman stood up and with blood dripping from his mouth said "Yeah, lets do it. Ain't never gonna be a better time than now."
So in unspoken agreement the four vamps crowded around Drusilla as she explained what she wanted them to do.
It was after midnight and Willow, Xander and Buffy were leaving the Bronze. All three of them were on that natural high you get after a grand night out, and as they were walking home the girls were laughing at Xanders antics. Both Buffy and Willow were happy that Xander seemed back to his usual self.
Not long after leaving the Bronze Buffy stopped them and said "be careful. I'm getting a weird feeling here." Just as Buffy said that the three of them heard a blood curdling scream come from an alley just up ahead on the opposite side of the road.
Buffy turned to Willow and Xander and said forcefully "stay here. I'll sort this out" and sprinted off to the alley where the scream had originated. On turning the corner Buffy could see three vamps feeding off some unlucky guy. As they saw the Slayer they dropped their victim to the ground and retreated to the end of the alley.
Buffy approached casually and said "I'm sorry, but dinner is no longer being served." She made her way past the guy they had been feeding on and towards the three vamps who were waiting for her advance.
Willow and Xander had started walking along to the same alley when Xander heard movement near them. As he turned he started to warn Willow but before he could Drusilla had backhanded her from the side and knocked her out cold. Xander knew he was in deep trouble and knew Buffy was too far away to help. Drusilla approached him and gripped his arms in her cold hands with a strength he could not believe.
Xander closed his eyes as he saw Drusilla's head angle towards his. He cringed in terror as he waited helplessly for her fangs to sink into his neck and was surprised when her lips met his in a tender kiss. She clamped one hand over his mouth then threw him over her shoulder and said "Come my love, let us away before the Slayer returns." As Drusilla left she saw Buffy approach and pull out a stake from under her jacket. Dru whispered softly to herself "I might have fibbed about the Slayer being unarmed. Naughty me."
Buffy thought it was unusual that the vamps didn't either attack immediately or try and run away once they were discovered. she thought. Just then Buffy sensed movement behind her and turned slightly to see the victim was nothing of the sort. screamed Buffy in her mind. Quickly she pulled out a stake from under her jacket and attacked the lone vampire who had pretended to be being fed upon.
It was at least five minutes later before Buffy was able to dispose of all four vamps. They had looked at her strangely when she had pulled out a stake, she thought.
Buffy ran out of the alley and started "Sorry guys.." before she realised that something was wrong. Xander was nowhere to be seen and Willow was lying unconscious with a darkening purple bruise under her left eye. Buffy started to get very worried. "Xander" she screamed at the top of her voice, "Xander, where are you?". There was no reply.
Quickly Buffy searched around to see if Xander was out cold or hurt nearby, but could find no sign of him. Reluctantly Buffy picked up Willow and headed as fast as she could towards Giles' house.
Giles and Jenny had enjoyed a nice dinner together, and were sitting casually on the couch listening to music when the front door threatened to be knocked off its hinges. Giles raced up and opened it to find a tearful Buffy holding a very lifeless looking Willow over her shoulder. Hastily Giles ushered her in and directed Buffy to lie Willow on the couch.
"Oh no! Willow" cried Jenny at the site of Willow with a huge bruise on her face.
"Buffy, what on earth happened? I thought you weren't patrolling tonight" said Giles.
"I wasn't Giles. Me, Willow and Xander went to the Bronze, and after we left I heard a scream from a nearby alley" said Buffy. She went on to explain what had happened and that Xander was missing.
"Buffy I can't help but think that Xander's disappearance and your encounter in the alley are connected" said Giles, thoughtfully. "They drew you away from Willow and Xander and then closed the door on your retreat from the alley."
"Oh no" wept Buffy. "This is all my fault".
Giles looked at Buffy sternly. "No, it isn't Buffy. Unfortunately you were the victim of a rather well thought out scheme, the purpose of which looks like to have kidnapped Xander. I think if his captor wanted to kill him you would have found him dead next to Willow."
Jenny had been tending to Willow and when she noticed her eyelids fluttering, called out to Giles. "Rupert. I think Willow is coming around."
Giles and Buffy came over to the couch and knelt beside it. Willow slowly started to open her eyes and was clearly confused about where she was.
"Willow" said Giles softly. "It's Giles, you're at my house. You were attacked earlier. Can you remember what happened?"
Willow looked dazed for a few seconds, then sat up abruptly and said "Drusilla".
