Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all associated with Joss Whedon or the Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel. Except Kira, she's mine ^-^

Silver Bullet

Prologue: Origins

"I'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all my childish fears
and if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone."

- Evanescence 'My Immortal'

An aura of heat and unexpectancy radiated from the large, forested park.

It had been the hottest, most humid summer Mayhem, New York had seen in at least one hundred years. It was boiling even for the southern states' standards. Most had retreated to their few fans and even some air conditioners inside the shelter of their homes. Some had opened their windows wide open to allow an extinct breeze to flow there, but in this heat, it seemed all but impossible for such a gust of wind. The enormous park, named Laurel forests and preserves, though, held a promising rustle in its botanicals, but it died as quickly as it occurred.

The moonlight peeked with caution through the thick undergrowth and canopy of the taiga forest. The unconscious humanoid creature lay still, the thick, heavy, misty air willing the dark turquoise eyes to open and life to breathe into the beautiful being.

Ashy blonde tresses scattered among the aromatic sweet grass and flowers, her clothes nearly torn to shreds with sticky burgundy blood accumulating beneath the pale green peasant blouse and dark blue jeans. The only movements made by Kira were the uncertain rises and falls of her chest.

Another moment later, her eyes fluttered open, breathing quickly in the sultry humid air. The young woman tried to get up, but the right leg would not respond. It was completely shattered and mutilated beyond recognition. The wave of memory hit her like a sledgehammer on a watermelon; a strange, but sweet guy, a strange club, a strange city, how could she have been so stupid? Her parents had always told her to never speak to strangers, but Kira had long since outlived that rule. She was twenty-one, for God's sake! Couldn't she make her own decisions, good decisions?

Apparently not.

The guy was a real sweetheart, a redhead guitarist who was sitting in the back of his van strumming some cords on an old, pretty acoustic guitar. He wasn't like the other show-off drunkards on campus; he was different- he was genuine.

He'd whisked her off into a world she'd never seen before and for a couple of hours, Kira had been extremely content with herself.

Well, until dusk arrived.

He had turned into some kind of… thing… hair erupted from various places on his body and his eyes… oh man, they were black. Heartless and lacking any sign of a conscience.

"Run." He'd told her. And Kira did.

But it didn't matter, because whatever had happened was completely blocked off of Kira's mind. It had simply disappeared.

Why couldn't she remember?

So much blood was seeping from her veins- it was all around her, spattered on the stones and weeds and grass and trees.

All you want is death, child. Let me give you it.

Kira faced up, heaving her body assent. If she was going to get killed by this… voice… she wasn't going to die a coward. She would stand up.

I'll give you death… but an immortal life with it. Sleep, child… sleep, Kira. The voice crooned.

Sleep…