Chapter 3: And So It Begins
A/N: I know I haven't updated in a VERY long time, but lookee here…I'M BACK! READ ON!
Little less than 3 hours later, the sunset, falling between various buildings of the still illuminated city. Jimena stepped on the next street, the white lettering on the sign reading 'Wilshire Blvd.'. She remembered this as enemy territory once, but that was a while back. Things changed, she wasn't exactly sure how, but they did. It was true people still were afraid of her, she wasn't about to let that change, but as far as she knew, she had no enemies here. Unfortunately, that didn't erase the sinking notion in the pit of her stomach.
Normally she didn't fear much. She could handle anyone who tried to jump her. Of course, since that afternoon all the way back in May, things hadn't been quite the same. First off, she had been having bizarre nightmares of people getting slashed to death. But, the most unusual part of the nightmare were the fact that she could smell the rotting flesh, feel the blood on her hands, and hear the screams of the victims floating past her, as if far away. Not only were there dreams, but last time she got in a fight, one punch to the guy, sent him clear across the room. And to top it off, she always felt like she was being watched.
She kept trying to shrug the feeling off, like it was nothing, but she knew deep down it wasn't, so it grew. Usually all a person could hear in this part of the city after sunset was the familiar shuffling of trash in the alleyways, from rats or possibly a homeless person. But it felt to her as if a stranger was closing in.
With relief, she turned the corner and crossed the street, the feeling in her stomach disappearing. Cars and trucks sped by as she turned back to the previous street she had been on. Her dark eyes searched the dimly lit block before she continued on her way, figuring it was just paranoia.
Back on Wilshire, in the shadows, a tall, dark figure leaned against the pole of the street sign. "Slayer."
---
"The term sounds kinda familiar." Karyl muttered, plopping the large book in his hands to the table. The large print on the front read 'VAMPYR'. He and few other followers were gathered in the less than cozy, trashed room in an abandoned building. "Slayer…and the ex-goddess is one of them. Figured it'd be her."
Tymmie sat down next to him on the brown, worn out couch. He stared at the book, fixated. "We just have to reach her before those newcomers do."
"How're we supposed to do that?" A boy near the heavy black curtained window queried. This boy, Alec, was an Initiate and had yet to even face the Daughters. His once tanned skin was now pale and riddled with scars. One scar stood out, though. On his neck, two tiny marks were covered by a spiked collar. He had dyed most of his hair a neon green, contrasting the light brown. His emerald eyes gleamed gold for a split second, revealing his frustration. "The newcomers have even defeated one of the incarnations of the Atrox, the First Evil. How're we supposed to reach this girl in time?"
"The Queen of Swords expects on offering…Nasty little children, tasting of ash…fail and mummy must punish you all…" A hauntingly amused voice drifted over them from the dark threshold at the opposite end of the room.
Karyl's lips slowly curled into a deranged smile, as he stared into the glowing eyes of the creature in the threshold. "We won't. Have we yet?"
A dark-haired, slender girl strolled over to them from Alec's side, a mischievous smirk on her black-painted lips. "As a matter of fact, no, you haven't."
"One slayer down…" Tymmie's eyes raised to the girl's, his expression now matching hers.
Karyl stood, sauntering over to her. "…one to go."
---
"The Chosen?" Vanessa queried, pacing in her room. "The Chosen what?"
Catty, who had been sitting on Vanessa's bed, drawing on her hand absent-mindedly, glanced up to Vanessa. "Chosen Followers maybe?"
"What if it's worse than that?" Vanessa stopped. Her mind wandered over the possibilities. "Chosen Regulators? Or maybe it's referring to someone we already know."
Catty's eyes widened, surprised at her friend, but knowing who she meant. "Stanton maybe?"
Vanessa sat down next to Catty, sighing deeply. "What if it is?"
"If it is, it is. Right now, we should be getting ready." Off Vanessa confused glance, the brunette stood. "Remember? Planet Bang tonight, we're meeting up with Serena, Tianna, and Jimena…"
"…To get our minds off all the craziness. I know, I know." Vanessa agreed reluctantly. Her gazed was suddenly caught by the etching Catty had been doing on her hand. The pen marks had made out a star with a thin circle around it. Before being able to comment on the odd marking, Catty went on.
"So, no more craziness, at least 'til tomorrow, okay?" She gave her friend a reassuring smile, before she noticed Vanessa's attention on her right hand. "What?"
"The drawing on your hand…" Vanessa's eyebrows furrowed curiously. "Isn't that a…"
Catty glanced down at her hand, seemingly surprised herself. Her breath caught. "A…pentagram." She shook her head. "I didn't…I mean I, how did…?"
By her friend's reaction, a terrifying sensation jolted up Vanessa's spine. "Something's coming."
---
Hmm…there's a Slayer who's a Follower? Imagine the possibilities.
Okie doke, time to answer some reviews.
BunnyKat: Thanks! And it takes place Post- Book 10.
Rose: Of course Spike will be in it! It would be a BtVS fic w/o him. I have some plans for him in later chapters.
Wiccan-One14: Yeah, Latin is a pain, but well worth looking up if ppl keep reviewing.
Dragon Scar: Always appreciate constructive criticism. Buffy called Dawn into action for a good reason which will be revealed in chapter 4.
charmedmoonKarina: I agree w/ the whole 'Serena/Stanton' overkill. It's hard to find a story NOT about them.
Well, until next time, peace out!