She struggled, but she couldn't move.
Faith was strapped down, arms, hands, legs and feet. Strangely enough, she wasn't bound to a table, but to a floor. Looking around, Faith saw that wherever she was must have been vacant for a long time.
Garbage was strewn about, cobwebs hung from the ceiling and doorframes and what little furniture that was in the room was broken into pieces. Her gaze found the doorway, she saw someone moving towards her. What was he holding? Who the hell is he?
Faith shot straight up in bed, startled into total consciousness. "Enough of the whacked dreams already," she spat.
Faith had been in L.A. for just over a week and her dreams had gotten worse. At first, she couldn't remember them. She just woke up all anxious-like.
If her dreams were of the Prophetic-Slayer-Type variety, that would have been one thing, but they weren't, at least she didn't think they were. Faith hadn't had enough prophetic dreams to know the difference.
On rare occasions, Faith wished she had an actual Watcher, this being one of those times. Wesley flashed through her mind briefly but after seeing him lately, she figured he didn't need anymore stress in his life.
She reached instinctively for her smokes, and realizing they weren't there, chuckled to herself. "Smoke-fricken'-free," she said throwing her covers back.
Since arriving here, she'd made a patrol of downtown L.A. part of her nightly routine. More often then not, Spike showed up. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later, but he was always there, keeping her company, helping her out, not that she needed it. She supposed tonight wouldn't be any different.
After dressing and grabbing a snack from the vending machine, Faith headed out the front entrance of the hotel.
As Faith was getting ready to cross the street, a car came screeching to a halt in front of her. She jumped back, staring at the Dodge Viper.
"Watch it ass…" Her voice trailed off when she realized it was Spike. "Damn! Nice wheels!"
Spike grinning, opened the passenger door and stated wickedly, "Get in."
Who was she to argue?
"So what gives? What's with the sporty car?" she inquired taking it all in.
"Figured you needed a change of scenery, a fact, innit?" Spike asked shifting. "The car comes compliments of Wolfram and Hart."
"Perks, always good. So what's my change of scenery anyway?"
"Crypts, headstones, vamps?" he asked.
Faith's face lit up. "About time."
"Knew it! Hang on." Spike sped up with a quick shift and a squeal of tires.
They hadn't been driving long when Faith saw it, a cemetery just off the beaten path.
"This is the first one I've seen here. Why is it that Sunnydale had so many cemeteries anyway?" She caught Spike's expression. "Never mind." Hellmouth.
Not waiting for the car to stop, Faith opened the door, leapt out and hurried up the steps leading to the gated entrance.
"Locks?" she asked Spike, who had finally joined her.
Faith chewed her lip indecisively. She could either break the lock or climb over the eight-foot brick wall that surrounded the place. She chose the latter. After making sure her weapons were in place she climbed up and over the wall, landing safely on other side.
"I would of wagered a broken lock," Spike volunteered, his feet thumping down on the ground next to her.
"Crossed my mind," shrugging her shoulders. "They'd have to replace it tomorrow. Kind of a waste." She walked away, not catching the surprised look that briefly flickered across Spike's face.
Faith felt it. The vamp was there. She heard Spike close behind. The Slayer didn't slow her pace; she did however, signal Spike to stop. When she glanced back, she saw he had ducked behind a tree.
Faith continued on, alone. That was part of the deal they made.
When it came to the hunt, Faith went solo. If she suspected something was close, she wanted to find it herself. The fight they'd share, the hunt was hers. Spike didn't seem to mind. She figured he was just glad to be away from Wolfram and Hart, especially away from Angel.
Could those two argue!
Up ahead was an old crumbling crypt. "In there," she whispered to no one in particular. "They're always in there."
She barely made it through the door.
"You gotta be The Slayer," the demon stated cockily.
"That would be A Slayer, not The Slayer. Guess you haven't heard?" Seeing the confusion in his eyes continued, "Big-Magic-Mojo. All Potential Slayers are now actual Slayers? There are hundreds of us now, maybe even thousands." Faith smiled. "You just happened to be lucky enough to get me." She moved closer to her target.
He smiled at her, his brown teeth barely visible in the moonlight. "I knew it was you, Faith. Word spreads fast, crazy Slayer in town. What is it with L.A.? We get all the crazies around here."
Faith did her best to contain her surprise. "No offense, but you are one nasty looking dude."
He moved in closer to her. She took her battle stance and raised her stake.
"I'm not going to kill you Slayer," he said, mockingly.
Faith laughed. "You got that right." Motioning towards her stake. "I'm going to kill you."
Game face now on, he made a move towards Faith. She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pushed him away just enough to bring up her elbow and hit him in the face. He staggered back but quickly regained his balance. She jumped up on a ledge and did a spinning roundhouse kick that knocked him down to the musty dirt floor. Before he could say anything else, her stake found his chest.
By the time Spike arrived she was sitting on the same ledge, waiting for him. "What took you so long?"
"Well, don't you just look all… giddy," he snickered.
"Cemeteries are just more happening." Faith jumped down and went to stand near Spike. "Word travels fast. He knew my name."
Spike looked concerned. "And that didn't bother you?"
Shrugging it off. "Why should it? I'm a Slayer, been here over a week. Word's gonna get out." She turned to leave the. "If he knew I'd like being on top, then I'd be worried," she added, she couldn't help it.
"Damn! Is that the case with all you Slayers?" Spike said, following her out.
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