Bolivia, One Year Ago
The small taberna was like many others that clung to the edges of the Amazon Jungle, a hybrid of wood and prefabricated metal, strung with multicolored Christmas lights inside and out. The lights, as well as the refrigerator and vintage jukebox inside were powered by a creaky old gas generator sputtering away in a shed attached to the back of the building. The whole thing looked like it could explode at any minute.
Riley Finn walked across the wooden planks that led up to the doorway, and into the taberna. He sat down heavily in a wooden chair, and shrugged off his backpack onto the floor. The bartender was already setting a bottle of amber whiskey and a glass on the table. Mr. Finn was well-known in this establishment. He poured himself a glass, and sighed wearily, running his hand along the fresh scar that bisected his eyebrow, and ran down across his cheekbone.
"I like a man with scars on his face. It adds...... character."
Riley looked up from his glass at the woman who'd just joined him at the table. She was British, from her voice, and seemed as out of place as he did here. Or maybe perfectly in place.
"Now, what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this, or am I being too obvious?"
"I'm not a girl... and I'm not very nice. The real question is, what's brought a handsome young man to try and drown himself in a bottle of cheap whiskey? In a place like this....."
"That is a very good question. And a very long story." He looked down.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I hit a sore spot." She mock-pouted, sticking her lower lip out and looking up at him through her eyelashes. "Let me make it all better?"
"How." His voice was flat.
"Follow me."
She got up, and walked towards the door, looking back and beckoning to Riley. He shrugged, grabbed his pack and the bottle, and followed her out. The night was humid and heavy, but the sky was clear.
"So many stars. They speak to me, the stars do."
"That's just the parrots. And the monkeys."
She turned to him. "Is that what you think? So little imagination you have. What took your dreams from you, I wonder? Let me help you find them again...." She had moved towards him as she spoke, whispering the last into his ear. Riley took a deep breath, and pulled her to him, kissing her roughly. She brushed her lips along the side of his neck. Riley sighed.
"I know what you are."
"You think? The stars are speaking to me now.... they're telling me how much she hurt you. She hurt me too, you know...... oh yes."
He pulled back from her. "Who are you?"
"She hurt me. First she took Daddy, then she took my boy from me. My darling, bad, bad boy. I think she owes me another."
The woman's face changed, vampiric ridges forming.
"My name is Drusilla."
The stake dropped from Riley's hand as she leaned in to feed.
---------------------Sunnydale, Present Day
Buffy walked home from work, a Doublemeat Palace bag in her hand. She didn't think she could ever eat another burger again, and even Dawn was sick of the Doublemeat Medleys, but Willow liked the fries. Plus, she hadn't had time to do the grocery shopping... again.... so there wasn't much else to eat in the house.
"Delicious and nutritious" She thought out loud to herself.
"Much like you, pet."
The voice startled her, and she nearly dropped the bag.
"Spike? What are you doing here? I... I..."
"I know you meant what you said, Slayer. I was just in the neighborhood, and.... oh, bloody hell. I followed you. Wanted to make sure you were all right, wot with the goin's on with Loser-boy and 'is demon babe and all."
"Spike. I can take care of myself." She paused, seeing the look of pain that crossed his face. "But.... thank you."
"Sure." They walked in awkward silence for a few yards. Buffy stopped.
"Spike, it's ok, really. Look, see my house there at the end of the street? I think I can make it that far without something jumping out at me."
"Well.... all right then." Spike disappeared into the shadows, too quickly. It was obvious he was feeling the same tension as Buffy. The attraction between them was still powerful, more so now that they were no longer acting on it. Buffy sighed. It was too much to hope for, to have a normal life, and normal relationships on the Hellmouth. Both Xander and Anya had been out of sight for a week, ever since they called off their wedding. Tara had been running the Magic Box for Anya.... at least she and Willow seemed to be taking steps to patch things up. Buffy was glad to see some of her friends happy.
She had reached her house, and stopped to check the mailbox when she sensed someone behind her.
"I told you, you didn't have to follow me...."
She turned around. There was no one there. She frowned, shook her head, and went inside.
---------------------The Next Evening
The young couple half-ran through the graveyard, giggling and ducking under tree branches. The girl looked about 15, with wavy hair the color of clover honey. Her companion looked a little older, with longish brown hair that nearly touched his shoulders. Both staggered a bit, and carried open cans of beer. They stopped, breathless, and sank to the ground leaning against the side of a crypt. The young man reached inside his denim jacket, pulled out a joint, lit it, and passed it to the girl. She took it, inhaled deeply, and immediately coughed and sputtered.
"Easy..." the boy said. "Don't try to suck it all in at once. See? Like this." He took the joint from her and demonstrated, holding the smoke in until he too coughed and choked. She laughed at him, and ruffled his hair.
''Silly."
He smiled at her, and reached out to stroke her cheek. "You picked an... interesting place to come and party."
"I know, isn't it neat? And, no one will come and disturb us here." She replied.
"Probably not, with the stories I've heard. I mean, aren't you scared? This being Sunnydale and all. Hell, I've only been here a couple of months, and I've heard the stories."
"I grew up here. I'm not afraid." She leaned in and kissed him, her hands wandering down his chest. He sighed, and slid the straps of her tank top down her shoulders, pushing her into the crypt wall. He buried his face against the side of her neck.
"Of course, you'd think kids would know better than to make out in a cemetary. Haven't you ever seen a horror movie?" Her face changed as she spoke, and grabbed the boy by the hair, stretching his neck out to bite.
''And you'd think that by now vampires would know better than to stick around in Sunnydale." Buffy stepped around the side of the crypt and leaned against the wall. "Or maybe you've never heard the word 'Slayer''
The vampire tossed the boy to the side and leapt at Buffy, who easily dodged the clumsy attack, grabbing the girl by the arm and flipping her into a nearby headstone. She pulled out a stake and walked over to the stunned vamp.
"This is just getting too easy."
"Wrong!" Powerful hands lifted Buffy by the back of her jacket, and repeatedly slammed her face-first into the crypt, before throwing her to the ground. She looked up and saw a muscle-bound vampire dressed in black leather biker gear. He bent over to pick her up, with a leer on his face. "Never had Slayer blood before, heard there's nothing quite like it. Me an' Tina, we're gonna have us a real treat tonight!"
Buffy looked up wide-eyed, then brought her foot up hard into the male vampire's crotch. He doubled over in pain as she leapt to her feet and brought both her fists down hard on the back of his neck. She pulled a stake out of her jacket and stabbed into his back, dusting him.
"That's for ruining my jacket, you cre...."
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" The female vampire, Tina, tackled Buffy, knocking the stake from her hand. She straddled Buffy on the ground, punching her in the face over and over, snarling in inarticulate rage. Buffy reached up and tried to grab Tina's hands, when she suddenly exploded into a cloud of ash. Buffy blinked, and wiped her eyes to clear out the bits of Tina.
"Ow. That stings. They don't tell you that in the Slayer Handbook... 'what to do if you get vampire dust in your eyes'. I know I told you not to follow me, but........ Riley??!??!"
"Hello Buffy." He held his hand down to help her up.