Sunnydale Reaper - One
Okay, what the heck was going on here? The one really, really ugly guy with a thing for leather was talking to the other really, really ugly guy about what? Slayers and Harvests and drinking blood?
It could be the blood loss talking, making him see things, but a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach told Jesse he was surrounded by vampires.
And some of them were looking at him like he was a not-so-happy meal.
"A Slayer! Have you any proof?" The ugly guy in the leather asked.
"Only that she fought me, and yet lives," the other ugly guy responded, the big one.
"Hmm, very nearly proof enough. I can't remember the last time that happened," the ugly guy in leather mused.
"1843. Madrid. He caught me sleeping."
"She mustn't be allowed to interfere with the Harvest!" The ugly guy in leather snarled, irritated.
"I would never let that happen!"
"Don't worry about it. I believe she'll come to us. We have something she wants," the ugly guy in leather said. Jesse felt entirely uncomfortable with the smile the big ugly guy gave him.
"If she is a Slayer, and this boy lives, she'll try to save him." That sounded… promising.
"I thought you nothing more than a meal, boy," said the big ugly guy. "Congratulations. You've just been upgraded. To bait."
Bait. Bait was good. Live bait was better though, right?
"Sorry I'm late!"
The two ugly guys looked just as surprised as Jesse was. A short, kinda pudgy guy picked his way carefully down towards them. The guy looked like the world's most unmemorable butcher – he wore a bloodstained apron, a red tee shirt, and a pair of old jeans.
The butcher guy glanced down at what looked suspiciously like a pink post-it note, then gave Jesse a bright smile. "I'm guessing you're Jesse?"
"Uh, yeah," Jesse said, looking around to see if either of the ugly guys had any clue about what was going on. The ugly guy in leather looked thoughtful.
The butcher guy's smile broadened. Jesse thought he felt something, when the butcher guy brushed his hand across Jesse's shoulder.
"Okay. Carry on," the butcher guy said cheerfully. Jesse looked towards the two ugly guys, and when he looked back, the butcher guy was gone.
A sinister smile spread across ugly leather guy's face. "Hey! Wait a minute! What's going—" Ugly leather guy lunged at him. Jesse screamed.
The next thing Jesse knew, he was dead. Or not, as the case was.