Chapter Five:

Raksha smiled at the vampire just down from her, he was gorgeous, short white blond hair, a perfect body, and she strolled up to him. "Hello Spike." She purred.

He turned, and gave her a knowing look, "Raksha."

"Its been a while."

He stepped up to her, "Far too long."

Raksha calmly put her arms around his neck, "The memories."

"I remember." He smiled, and kissed her.

Chyana strolled through the streets; already she'd killed the two vampires she'd been out for, now she wanted to find Spike and kill him so she could go home to a nice warm bath.  Maybe with bubbles. . .

Movement, to the right.  Chyana moved to a position where she could see what it was.  She waited, and judging by the smell it was a vampire. Then she realized that it was just the vampire she had been looking for, Spike.  Perfect, she could kill him, then the guy tailing her, and go home.  Before she could pounce on him another shape came out of nowhere. Well, not nowhere. It dropped down out of the open sky.  She watched as the two of them embraced and then laughed.  She knew that laugh, Raksha.  Chyana was shocked; this wasn't her usual hunting method, if she had a usual hunting method.

"Chyana, you can come out now." Raksha called.

                Chyana debated it for a moment, and then decided to go see her. Could she say 'sucker for punishment'?

                "Looking good." Raksha commented.

"What do you want?" Chyana demanded, "And when did you start hanging around with this garbage? Your lunch?"

Raksha laughed, "Do you really think that I'd eat a cutey like Spike? We go way back." She gave Chyana a look that left no doubt about what kind of relationship they had. "Would you like to come out and have some fun with us?"

"Really, do we want a busy-body, do-good slayer wannabe with us?"  Spike asked as though he really didn't care.

"Now, now, love, she's my very good friend. Only one I haven't eaten." Raksha smiled at Chyana, "Would you like to go out with us?  There's a lovely little girl scouts meeting tonight, I just love those little tasty treats they provide."

Spike pulled Raksha up to him, "We could do what we did last night." He muttered into her hair.

"Now that's tempting." Raksha responded, licking her lips. "Chyana, care to bring a date?"

"Raksha, you disgust me." Chyana spat at her.            

Raksha looked hurt, "Chyana."

"No, don't 'Chyana' me, you're both crazed monsters."

"That's a bit harsh.  I think you should consider your position a bit more." Spike told her, "I've killed slayers before."

"And I've killed vampires,"

Raksha looked at them both, "I think that you should get along with each other, after all, my only friend and my current lover should get along."

"No, I vote we kill her." Spike said glaring at Chyana.

"I can't kill my friend, love."

"I'm not your friend, I was Raksha's friend, and you are not her.  You're only a demon who lives in her shell.  And I will kill you."

Raksha lost her happy look, "I think you should reconsider."

"No, if there's anything I know, I know demons."

"Is that the way you want it?"  Chyana merely pulled out a wooden stake, in response.  "Fine, then you die." Raksha smiled.

As soon as Raksha said it, Spike's features changed, and the demon within showed itself.  That didn't worry Chyana any, but when Raksha changed, she was a little concerned.   She couldn't face them both, not if she wanted to live.

Raksha felt the sudden wonderful release as she changed, becoming her true shape.  She was sick of Chyana.  Her morals, her 'you-can't-ever-have-any-fun' philosophy, and her 'I'm-oh-so-perfect' attitude. It wasn't even idealistic. It was arrogant. You can't kill her, whispered a soft-spoken voice in her mind. Watch me, she told it. But she's your best friend, it persisted. Shut up. You still care about her, don't become what you're not. I don't care about anyone, she told the voice. Yes, you do. Damn it, shut up. This was starting to lose its fun.

"Look, can we just kill her now?" Spike asked, as though he was doing an irritating chore.

Raksha shook her head, in order to get the voice out of her head, *Naturally* was her cool reply, broadcasted mentally.

Chyana stood in a fighting stance, and Spike advanced on her.  Raksha circled around behind her, crouching for her attack.  But she decided to let Spike play with her first. *You can toy with her, but the kill is mine.*

"Sure, luv, whatever you want." He replied lunging at Chyana. She countered, easily knocking Spike to the ground. He jumped back up and kicked Chyana, or rather tried to. Chyana grabbed his foot and threw him to the ground, a piece of wood in hand.  Spike growled, and attacked again. Chyana was ready, and raised her stake at him.  Again, Spike dodged, and still didn't manage to hit Chyana.  Then Chyana made her first offensive move, and ended up holding the stake above Spike's heart.

Raksha, bored with the lopsided fight, and deciding not to let Chyana kill her current boy-toy, jumped and landed on top of Chyana, pushing her to the ground.  *Sorry, Chyana, but sadly, I'm going to have to kill you now.* Raksha informed her, not really looking forward to it.

 She raised a massive paw, razor sharp silver claws shone in the moonlight.  Chyana looked at her, almost sadly, but not fearfully. Chyana would never show fear.  She brought her paw down - three very heavy weights slammed into her side, knocking her to the ground, before she could kill Chyana.  Strangely, Raksha was a little relieved, but still very pissed off.

Chyana was caught completely off guard when Raksha was suddenly off her and on the ground.  She looked up in time to see Angel and two strangers jumping back from Raksha's form.  She also realized that she was a very sore little girl, Raksha had hit her hard.  Angel ran up to her.

"Are you alright?" Concern showed in his voice.

"Fine." Chyana muttered.

Raksha's roar, made Angel and Chyana cringe.  She was, really, really, pissed off.  She stood her full height, spread her wings, and gave another infuriated roar.   The two strangers stepped back.  Not sure what to do next.   Angel circled around Raksha, and leaped onto her back.  Raksha shook him off like a bothersome bug.  The other two attacked next, with results no better than Angel's.  Raksha turned on Chyana.

"Angel, get out of here!" Chyana screamed at him.  Not really thinking that Angel would leave, she knew he wouldn't. Just a plea for him not to die. Both he and the strangers, who Chyana thought were vampires, stayed.  Spike laughed, a very insane sound.

"That's it, baby," He called to Raksha, "That's the way to kill the bitch."

But Raksha stopped and looked at them.  She turned and saw a van screech to a halt behind her.  Six people dressed as ninjas got out rushing Raksha with weapons.  Raksha turned on them, hissed, and attacked.  A brutal, quick attack that left at least two of them dead, or close to it.  The rest still attacked, as the strangers urged Angel and Chyana to follow them.  Chyana ran to the van, but stopped.  Raksha had one of the ninjas in her mouth and was ready to chomp him in half.  Chyana threw a dagger from the ground; it logged in Raksha's side.  She barely noticed it but was surprised enough she still dropped the man.  Then everyone ran away from Raksha, carrying the injured and dead.

 Just as Chyana was about to get in the van, she saw two little kids run into the alley. They were thin and dirty. Homeless, they must have been sleeping near here. The commotion woke them up. They screamed when they saw Raksha and started to run away.  Chyana was sure she saw Raksha smile as she lunged at the kids.  She pinned one to the ground by putting one claw through its leg, and picked the other up.   Chyana jumped out of the van, and ran at Raksha.

"Raksha!" she screamed, "Don't you dare!"

Raksha looked at her, and amazingly dropped the child ungracefully on the ground, and ripped her claw out of the screaming child's leg.  Chyana would be surprised if the child would keep the leg.  Raksha slowly and deliberately licked the blood off her claws.  Then turned back to the trembling children.

"NO!  Raksha, you are not that evil." Chyana knew that if Raksha killed the kids she would feel forever responsible for their deaths.  She was the one who made Raksha mad.  "If you want to take out your aggressions, do it with me."

Then Raksha changed back to human.  Her elegant eyes were flame red, and burning with anger.  She picked up one child by the hair and made him stand beside her.

"Do you think I haven't killed a child before?" Then her eyes changed, becoming baby blue, a pleasant smile appeared on her face.  That scared Chyana more then any rage she had ever seen. "But what a pretty little child. So tasty looking." Raksha licked her lips.

"Raksha, if you have a problem, take it up with me, not the child."

"Really. I have a wonderful proposition." Raksha sounded like a five-year-old threatening to play on the freeway; "We fight. No special powers. Just a quick appraisal of each other's abilities. If I win, I get a new pet.  If you win, I leave LA, and let you keep a new pet."

"Fine, we fight."

Raksha leaned down, her beautiful face a few centimeters away from the cowering child, "Be a good lad, and don't move." She kissed his forehead, and he jumped as if a snake bit him, "Hmmm…. Not a very brave child, are you?" She sat him on top of a garbage dumpster, "Now stay. If you prove capable of learning, I just might keep you alive, for a while."

She and Raksha faced off.  But before the fight could start every available person leaped on Raksha.

"Fuck you, Chyana, and I will be back for you."  She yelled as she changed and leaped onto the building and began climbing up the side of it, once at the top of the building she growled and flew off.

"Oh damn."