Title: Sirens' Song
Author: Sinayah
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Buffy, Angel, or Xmen. They belong to very rich people who don't appreciate them as we fanfic writers do.
Disclaimer 2: The Chapter Title and Lyrics are from the Anastasia Soundtrack.
Authors Note: Many heartfelt thanks to my muse Zenura, without her I wouldn't have had the guts to write. If you like this story please review or send me an email, I'd really appreciate hearing what you think. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Journey to the Past
"Heart I'm trusting you, on this journey to the past…"
An hour later the X jet left the mansion with Wolverine at the controls. The teens lounged about in the cabin, talking amongst themselves and asking Serena questions about vampires and demons and how she'd come to be friends with some. The hypnotist answered their enthusiastic questions with pleasure, taking joy in watching them as she always did.
"So what's he look like Serena? Is he, like, cute?" Kitty asked. A typical teen girl, the brunette was a special treat to be around. Serena couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that her undead friend was considered a fine example of the male gender.
Taking out her wallet Serena opened it to the compartment where her pictures were stored. Flipping to the one of Spike and Dru, she handed it to Kitty. "See for yourself, that's Spike and Dru there. And before you ask, yes that is a doll Dru's holding; like I said before, she's rather insane."
"Gawd, that's one fine looking corpse Serena! Cheekbones like that should be illegal." Rogue gasped out, leaning over the seat to take a look. Both girls gushed over Spikes appearance while the guys leaned in to look and went into their own hormone fit over Drusilla. Even Logan, when shown the image had to comment on the lovely vampiress. "They don't make many like that any more." Was his assessment, glancing back at his female team mates and making a qualification that the few they did make seemed to have ended up living with him.
"What other pictures have you got? Oooh there's us Roguey, and there are the guys. Aww look at that one, don't Kurt and Evan look sweet sleeping on the couch together?" The girls were acting with classic teen character, going through mothers' purse.
Rogue took the wallet from her room mate and flipped through the pictures, stopping to examine the oldest one. The goth girl glanced from Serena to Pietro and back at the picture, then held up the image. "Hey Siren, is this what I think it is?"
"Mmm hmmm. I knew the speed demon when he was just a little boy. I recognized him at the big meeting last week." Serena said, not making a big deal out of it. Taking her wallet back, she tucked it into her bag and closed her eyes to have a cat nap before they arrived in Sunnydale, leaving her Ptichka to answer any questions.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was late afternoon when the X jet landed in a clearing of the woods that skirted the edge of Sunnydale. Logan didn't like leaving one of his mechanical babies in such an open spot but he also didn't want the jet in plain view somewhere in town. He hoped the commandos that had gotten hold of Chatterbox's friend didn't patrol the woods much; they'd surely know it was like no other aircraft in the world.
The group walked into town from the woods, much to their displeasure; they were kids after all and hiking wasn't their kind of fun. Serena led them to a hotel, not the dingiest place to stay in town, but not the finest accommodations either. Handing out room keys, one to the girls and one to the boys, she pocketed a third and said, "Now if anyone asks, this is a family weekend. Logan and I are married; Kurt and Rogue are our kids. Kitty you're Kurts girlfriend, Ptichka you're Rogues' boyfriend and Evan you're the boys best friend. I know this irks some of you but that's the only way I could think of to explain such a large group of people just here for the weekend."
When it looked like arguments were forthcoming from Kitty and Rogue the dark haired woman continued, "No if's, and's or but's guys. Now Kurt, Evan, and Pietro you share one room, Rogue and Kitty you're in the other. Logan and I will take the room between you in case you need us. Now go get settled, I want to have a look around town and do some reconnaissance around the watchers house before we go get Spike."
The kids went off, with the boys grumbling a little about having to room together, Evan especially not wanting to share a room with his rival. Logan and Serena went to their room and discussed plans for how to retrieve the vampire. "I like the idea of taking a look around before we just barge in, we don't want to fight them if we can help it." Logan said, though he thought that this slayer person might give him a good sparring match. So far the only person who could hold their own against him was Serena.
"I agree, the slayer and her group fight on the same side we do, only facing different enemies. I don't want to hurt her, I just want Spike back." Serenas' strong façade was beginning to slip, her worry for her undead friend growing now that they were in close proximity to him and she could sense his anger and frustration.
Seeing his little friends' emotions getting the better of her Logan wrapped his big arms around the woman and hugged her to his chest. "Shhh Chatterbox, we'll get him back and we'll figure out what they did to him. You just have to tough it out for one more night."
Serena leaned against her friend, drawing strength from his presence. "I can feel him Wolvie. He's so angry, and he's in pain. He's frustrated and his temper is horrible. I don't know how much longer he can take the humiliation of being restrained." Taking a deep breath to gain control again Siren hugged Logan tightly for another moment before letting go.
Reaching for her bag, the hypnotist said, "Thank you for helping me Logan. I can't tell you how much you mean to me. I'm going to take a quick shower and change. Call the kids and tell them we're going out." Pecking the big mans cheek with her lips; Serena went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Re emerging fifteen minutes later, Serena's friends almost didn't recognize her. Gone was the sweet woman who exuded love and happiness. In her place was the Siren, dressed in leather and lace; danger radiating from her in waves. Mouths agape, the five teens could only stare, while their guardian roared, "What in the HELL is that getup?"
"This is what one wears when one wants to intimidate the hell out of people and demons Logan." Siren gently patronized the big man. Turning to the group she laid out the plan for the evening's excursion. "Ok guys, this is how things are going to work. First, don't address me as anything but Siren. I have a reputation that will make most demons we happen to run into think twice about attacking us."
"Now, we're going to take in the local haunts. There's a teen club not far from here, the slayer and her friends like to hang out there. Logan, Pietro, Rogue, and Kitty will go in. You kids will mingle a bit; see if the slayer and her groupies are there. From what Spike's told me the slayer is a tiny little blonde girl, her name is Buffy. Her friends are a tall dark haired guy named Xander and a petite redhead named Willow. If any of them are there, try and talk to them, maybe they'll let information slip. Logan will be hanging around watching the three of you, in case you have any trouble." Siren detailed for her friends.
Before she went on to her own plans, she cautioned "Vampires often go to that club to find dinner. Pay close attention to people who approach you. Vamps are fairly pale, they have no pulse, and they'll feel cool to the touch. The younger ones also tend to wear really stupid looking clothes for some reason. If you run into one, don't go outside with it alone! If you want to try your hand at killing one, make sure Logan has followed you outside."
Serena reached into her bag again and pulled out a handful of silver and gold necklaces with crucifix pendants and some small vials of clear liquid. Handing a necklace and a vial to each of her team mates she said, "Put these on. Crosses will burn a vampire if they touch it, and the sight of one is enough to hold them off for a while. The liquid is holy water, throw it in their faces. Those things will hold a vamp off. To kill them you need to do one of two things. A wooden stake through the heart is most efficient, Evan would you shoot some out for us? Beheading works well too, Logan that should be perfect for you."
"Will anything else work? What about garlic and sunlight?" Rogue asked; fingering one of the stakes Evan had shot out of his hand. She was a fan of horror movies of all sorts, especially the old Dracula movies and was extremely curious about the real ones.
"Yeah Siren, is there anything else we need to know? This is just like, weird." Kitty said, putting the crucifix on and pocketing the holy water. 'I'm like, not letting Logan out of my sight until we're out of this place, it's like, creepy.' The young girl thought, taking a stake from the small pile on the floor.
Siren nodded, taking a few of the stakes and stashing them in various places on her body, including one up each sleeve loaded into a spring release device. The ankle length velvet and lace coat she wore made a good cover for weapons. "The garlic thing is a myth. It's just that the smell is irritating to a vamps sensitive nose. Sunlight will kill them, as will fire. Also, vamps look human until they're getting ready for a bite or trying to scare their victim. Their faces morph; forehead ridges develop and cover their eyebrows. Their eyes turn yellow, sort of like a cats. All their front teeth grow jagged edges, and their canines elongate to form fangs. And when you kill them, they explode into dust."
The dark haired woman lifted her hair away from her neck and said, "Take a close look at both sides of my neck. Those are vampire bite scars. No nice neat puncture marks in real life, instead you get a torn, ragged bite mark with the punctures on each side." She waited patiently as the kids looked at the faded white scars over each side of her neck.
Logan growled loudly, taking hold of her chin and turning it to get a good look at the marks that marred her pale throat. 'I'll kill whoever did that! No one marks her but me!' he thought, resisting the urge to pull the beautiful woman into his arms and prove that she was his. "Who did this?" he rumbled.
Siren stepped away and smacked Logans hand lightly. "Stop being all growly Logan, I swear you act just like Spike sometimes. Why do I always get stuck with the over protective men huh? Spike and Drusilla made these marks to protect me. Other vampires and demons see the scars and know that I'm under the protection of two different vampires. It's enough to scare most off, and their names send all but the bravest running in terror."
Logan quit growling, though it took effort. Her explanation of the marks made sense to his animalistic side, marking your territory to ward off trespassers. He still grumbled a bit though, not liking another's mark on the woman he considered his. 'I'll just have to have a conversation with this guy about whose woman she is.'
Seeing no more questions coming Siren continued detailing the night's activities. "While you four are checking the teen club Evan, Kurt, and I will be not far from here, at the local demon bar." Hearing the growling coming from Wolverine she placed a hand over his mouth before he could interrupt.
"Hush Wolvie, you don't have to worry about our safety. Besides the marks on my neck I have a reputation of my own in the demon world, and it's pretty nasty. Kurt will be going in sans image inducer; they'll think he's one of them. Evan will probably be talked about for years to come in that place just by shooting a stake out of his body." The dark skinned boy laughed, thinking that his mutation had a whole new purpose now.
"Trust me Wolvie, I love these kids and I wouldn't take them anywhere if I couldn't guarantee their protection." Looking into his sapphire eyes the powerful woman begged him to believe in her. Logan nodded his assent, kissing her palm before she removed it from his mouth.
Serena gave him a cheeky smile and clapped her hands once. "Ok troops; let's get this show on the road. Everyone grab a spare stake before you go and remember the cardinal rule; BE CAREFUL!" The group walked out to the courtyard and Serena pointed, "The club is that way. This is the main street of town, just follow it past the shopping district and turn right on Prescott. That will take you straight to the club, which is in a warehouse, have fun kids."
She hugged each of the three teens briefly and told Logan, "Meet us back here in an hour; we'll go by the groups' houses together. Watch them closely Wolvie, they think they're ready for this stuff, but it's a whole new ball game. Take care of yourself." Logan nodded and couldn't resist the urge this time to pull her against him and get some of his scent on her.
"You be careful too Chatterbox. First sign of trouble you have the Elf teleport you back here understand? I'll whop you good if you let yourself or those boys get hurt." The big man growled out before kissing her harshly on the lips. Before she could respond Logan had taken off, running after his charges.
Pressing a hand to her deeply rouged lips Serena thought, 'Wow, Wolvie sure is taking this protective thing overboard. But damned if I don't think I like it!' Letting out a 'humph' for the benefit of the boys the dark haired woman said "Remind me to do something nasty to that man when we get home. Maybe I'll make him kiss Scott again. Ah well, let's get going." Turning in the opposite direction from the way Logan, Pietro and the girls had gone Serena led her team mates to Willie's Place.
* * * * * * * * * *
It took Logan and his charges about twenty minutes to walk through the small town to the club which turned out to be called The Bronze. It was located in a rather seedy warehouse district not far from the main part of town. Seeing a line and a bouncer checking ID and taking a cover charge the older man pulled out his wallet and lined up with his friends.
The line moved swiftly and the four mutants went inside the club. Upon seeing the many features of the club, which boasted something for everyone, the teen's collective response was "Cool!" As the sole person over twenty five in the entire warehouse, Logan felt honour bound to say "God this is a nightmare. At least this place serves beer."
"You three go 'mingle'. I'm gonna stand up on the catwalk where I can keep an eye on you. Remember what Chatterbox said and be careful. You'll get worse from me than you'll get from any vampire you try to kill got it? Good, now go play." Logan ordered before heading to the bar for a beer to take onto the catwalk with him.
Watching the big badass Wolverine flee from a club filled with teenagers, Pietro and the girls chuckled. "Well you heard the Wolf, let's go play! We'll go out and dance a little first. Keep an eye out for the kids 'Rena described. If you think you see one of the girls let me handle it, you two can talk to any guys." Grabbing the hands of the unresisting girls Pietro cut a swath through the crowd on the dance floor and began dancing with both girls.
Logan watched them from above, noting how well they danced. 'Speedy has some moves on him that's for sure. Bet he knows that all the skirts are eyein him, just like all the hormone bomb boys are lookin at my girls.' He growled lowly and tried not to pop his claws when he saw a boy reach for Rogue, and chuckled when Pietro handled it by pulling the girl close to him and saying "Sorry dude, these two are mine."
Kitty was enjoying the club and hoped that they could come back before they left. Pietro and Rogue were good dance partners and the little brunette was having a lot of fun. Her light blue eyes scanned the room and she saw a flash of red over at one of the tables. Curling up against Pietro's back she said loudly, "There's a redheaded girl over at that table, you should go talk to her, see if she's Willow."
Pietro looked over to where Kitty pointed and saw the redhead. He nodded his consent and slid gracefully from between the girls. "Don't go anywhere without me, and don't get separated. One of the girls who grabbed my ass was a vampire, I think, she certainly had the claws." He waited until they'd nodded consent before leaving the floor and approaching the red haired girl.
Using the moves that all bad boys are supposed to be experts at, Pietro sidled up to the young woman and said "Hey, mind if I sit down?" The girl looked up and he gave his best 'Aren't I just the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?' smirk. He saw the typical reaction in the girls' eyes, which filled with lust at the sight of the young man.
"Like sure! I'm Aura, what's your name?" the girl said. 'The red must be fake; this girl is blonder than me!' Pietro thought, seeing that this was one of the rich, popular girls that brought down the academic averages of every school in the world. Knowing she wasn't the girl he was looking for he attempted to extricate himself from her presence. "I'm, uhh, I'm gone. There's my girlfriend. Bye." Too eager to be away, the snowy haired boy dropped his cool façade and quickly left, making his way back to Rogue and Kitty.
"What I said before, forget it. You can talk to the girls too. I try to keep well away from that type. Kitty, please lose the habit of saying 'like' in every other sentence, trust me, it grates on a guys nerves after a few minutes and it makes you sound dumb." Pietro said, while taking Rogues hand, making a show in case the redhead was watching.
Having heard the spiel before, but unable to stop using the word when she was exited Kitty merely nodded and said, "I know, but I can't help it. It just kind of comes out." Looking around the club the brunette failed to see anyone else who might be the subjects they were looking for she continued, "Let's sit down and have a coke, I'm tired of dancing and I don't think the people we're looking for are going to show up."
Rogue and Pietro both agreed and the boy offered to go to the bar and bring back their refreshments, feeling gentlemanly. The line at the bar took him a few minutes and when he returned to the table they'd snagged the white haired boy had a treat for the girls. Along with their cokes he'd brought each one a large chocolate chip cookie.
He'd seen the over sized cookies while he was waiting and, since both girls had been nice to him all day, despite which side he normally fought on, he'd decided to buy them each a treat to say thanks. 'They really are nice. Even Daniels is okay if I don't start hassling him, and Kurt is funny as hell.' He thought, sitting down and handing each girl a cookie.
"Wow, thanks Pietro, I love chocolate chip cookies." Rogue said, taking a bite of hers. Kitty nodded her agreement and added a pretty smile. Both girls had noticed that away from the Brotherhood, Pietro had dropped his bad boy act and turned into a nice guy. Rogue had seen it before, but only in brief moments when they were alone.
"I remember. You used to make them when you lived with us. And they're my way of saying thanks for being nice to me today, even though I'm supposed to be the bad guy." He replied, a faint blush appearing on his pale cheeks. The trio talked for a few minutes, enjoying their drinks and the cookies.
Meanwhile, Logan was getting extremely bored up on the catwalk. He'd seen Pietro approach the red haired girl, and almost run away a minute later. 'So much for smooth moves Kid.' He'd thought. Watching the kids sitting down and talking amongst themselves he glanced at his watch and saw that it was nearly time to head back to the hotel.
The big man descended the staircase and was turning toward his charges when he saw a dark haired girl being led out of the club by an unusually pale man. Taking a deep breath of the air through his nostrils, Logan caught the scent of death. Following after the pair he quickly made his way out the side door and found himself in an alley.
Scanning the area, he heard a strangled scream from the back of the alley. He ran toward the sound and sure enough, found the man, face morphed, with his fangs in the girls' neck. Logan growled loudly and the vampire looked up. Before the vamp could make another move, Logan ran to the pair and took hold of the victims arm, pulling her behind him. He kept her there, a hand on her arm, and raised his other hand up in front of him.
As the vamp watched, the big man closed his fist. Thinking the human was going to try to fight him, the week old minion would have peed his pants if he could have when the man tightened his fist and three long, sharp metal claws broke through the skin between his knuckles. The vamp was still staring at Logan, mouth agape, a moment later when those claws severed his head from his body, returning him to dust.
Logan guided the frightened, bleeding girl back into the club, and told the bar tender to call an ambulance for her. Wanting to avoid being questioned he hurried over to the table where his charges were sitting and said, "Come on kids, time to go." They turned to him and saw how tense he was, and the telltale traces of blood on one hand that meant he'd popped his claws. Without comment, all three teens stood and walked out with their guardian.
* * * * * * * * * *
Serena, Evan, and Kurt were about half a block away from Willie's when the woman stopped them and pulled them into an alley. Glancing between the boys she said, "Okay boys time to put on your costumes. Kurt, turn off the image inducer. Don't worry; in this case your physical mutation will give you some protection. Evan, can you let some spikes come about half way out of your skin and hold them there? Just a few on your hands and arms. You'll probably get to fire them if I don't get the information I want within a few minutes."
"I can hold the spikes for about ten minutes, and then I have to either fire them or draw em back." The blond boy said, allowing several wooden spikes to come out over his hands and forearms. Kurt had switched off his holographic image and was flitting his eyes back and forth, waiting to be attacked.
Siren took the boys chin in her hands and looked into his opalescent eyes. "Honey, it's alright. No one's going to attack you for looking like this. I promise I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, my sweet child. You can trust me Kurt, I'll protect you." The blue boy calmed and she gave him a reassuring embrace. "Evan, change of plans; draw the spikes back for now and I'll just have you fire them when I need it okay? Good, now Kurt, peek around the corner and take a good look at the alleyway next to the bar that says 'Willie's' on the sign."
The teen did as asked, poking his head around the corner and taking a good look around. He saw the alley she wanted him to focus on and took a good look before drawing back and saying, "Okay Siren, I got a good look and there's no one around. What next?"
"I need you to teleport us to that alley. We'll move so that you can see it when you bamf, I just wanted you to get a good picture of it then. Think you can do it?" She asked.
"Sure thing, just hold on to me." The trio moved closer to the mouth of the alley they were in and held on to the blue teen. A moment later they appeared in a puff of sulphuric smoke in the alley next to the demon bar. "What was all that about anyway? We could have walked." The boy asked his friend, knowing that on this mission, Serena had a reason for every small action.
Serena inhaled deeply, lifting her arm and smelling the sleeve. "The smell from the dimension you travel in is really sulphurous. Around here it usually means you've been somewhere that's particularly nasty. I wanted us to carry the scent in with us, let the patrons know we aren't as innocent as we look." She closed her golden eyes for a moment, concentrating, and when she opened them again, the orbs were black as onyx and the long needle sharp fangs that were also part of her transformed state had emerged.
"Ok then, let's go find out where the slayer and her friends live shall we? Remember to address me only as Siren. Take shit from no one, if someone mouths off to either of you, use your powers. Leave them with no doubt that you're not to be messed with. Don't talk to anyone. I'll be using my computer to talk unless someone pisses me off. Are we ready? Let's go."
As she took the first step out of the alley, Serenas' whole demeanour changed. She was Siren again; a deadly, sultry beauty with a reputation for delivering a beautiful dirge and a ghastly death to anything that underestimated her. The two teens looked at her, then at each other, and followed.
The tension level in the demon bar went up a notch as the patrons watched the dark beauty saunter in past the beaded curtain. She was followed by a blue furred demon of unknown origins, and a human teenager. The young demon and the human, though they tried to seem confident, radiated nervousness. The black eyed, fanged woman however, radiated evil. The scent of sulphur hung in the air around the three. The womans jet coloured eyes scanned the room, a predator searching out hidden prey.
Serena spotted the bartender, a greasy little rodent of a man. Spike had told her about the double dealing snitch and she knew the weasel would have the information she needed. She stalked up to the bar and leaned against it, gesturing for her companions to watch her back. Glancing over her shoulder Siren was pleased to note that the boys stood tall at her back, facing the room full of demons and vampires. She turned back to face Willie and tapped on her computer keyboard. "Hello Willie. Come on over here and have a chat with me."
Willie the snitch was used to dealing with trouble. He dealt with evil on a daily basis, and usually enjoyed his lifestyle. Not even his encounters with the slayer fazed him anymore. But this woman was different from his usual clientele. She was beautiful, and her black eyes suggested power in the magicks; while her fangs and claws were reminiscent of a vampire. "Wh…Who are you?"
Again the long claws of the woman tapped at the small keyboard on her arm. "I am Siren. My friend's are Nightcrawler and Spyke. Now that we know each others' names, maybe you can give me a little information. What do you say; you wouldn't want to upset me would you?" As her computer asked the question, her onyx eyes met the muddy orbs of the bartender and he was caught.
The name had rung a bell with some of the vampire patrons and one large male rose up, denying her claim. "You're Siren? Right, and I'm The Master. I guess you didn't do enough research little girl. The Siren is a singer, and you haven't spoken a word since you came in here."
Serena turned to look at the large vampire, giving him a thorough once over before placing a hand on Evans arm, and making a small gesture towards the vamp when the boy looked at her. The blond teen nodded and held a fist out toward the offensive creature, then shot three stakes into its chest. Siren gave the boy a pleased smile as the dust settled.
Seeing the bartender trying to sneak out while Serena and Evan were occupied Kurt teleported to the little mans side, took hold of his arm, and teleported him back. The blue teen was also graced a smile of thanks from the woman as she tapped into her keyboard, "Not so fast Willie, we still have to have that little chat."
Giving up the thought of running, how could he flee when that little blue demon could teleport him back in an instant? Willie sighed and said, "What do you need?" The snitch hoped he had whatever information she wanted, not wanting to think of what she and her cohorts would do to him if he didn't.
"Why that's easy Willie, I want to know where the Slayer, the Watcher, and her little friends live. I also want any information you have on the soldier types that have been capturing demons around here." Came her reply. Seeing Willie nod that he did have the information she wanted, Siren nodded to Nightcrawler to let the man go.
Willie dashed around to the other side of the bar and bent to retrieve the list of names and addresses he'd had copied years ago because he'd been asked for the information so many times. "Here's the addresses and phone numbers, all of them are current. See there, those two; they're for the slayers mother and the redheads parents. The slayer and the witch have a dorm room together at the college, that's the information there. The watcher and the boy still live at the same places, those two addresses." The snitch babbled, wanting the strange woman and her friends out of his bar.
Serena took the list, looking it over and handing it to Evan, who pocketed it. "And the soldier boys?" she tapped out impatiently, hoping the little weasel had some information that would help her to both avoid the soldiers while they were in town, and help Spike get back to normal once they returned to Bayville. The dark haired woman was losing her cool and she knew it, so she ran a claw down the bartenders' cheek to speed him up a little.
Kurt sensed that his friend was becoming upset and wrapped his tail around her leg, giving it a squeeze of reassurance, without letting the watching demons see that she needed help keeping her composure. Willie started babbling again and the blue teen listened closely as he spoke.
"I…I don't have much info on them, I swear. Demons that see the guys don't usually come back to tell the tale, ya know? A few have managed to not get caught, and they say that the base is somewhere near the college campus. Only one guy has ever escaped, but the slayer's got him now. This guy, he's older than most of the vamps around here, his name's Spike, and if you can get him away from the slayer, he might be willing to tell you what he knows." The man said, getting nervous with the black eyed womans claws so near his throat. He hadn't been this scared since those apocalypse sister demons had beaten him nearly to death.
Siren nodded and replied, "Thank you Willie, you've been most helpful. Now, if you please, give me two bottles of your best whiskey and about a dozen bags of human blood. Since you've helped me so much, I'll even pay for them."
The bartender was quick to grab the things she asked for, stuffing them in one of the Styrofoam coolers he kept on hand for deliveries. He handed the cooler to the furry guy, not really expecting payment from someone who'd just intimidated information out of him. His mouth dropped open when the woman actually reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of large bills, peeling a hundred off the top and handing it to him. "Now be a good boy Willie and take that money, then duck down behind the bar and cover your ears."
Seeing the man obey her typed command, she spoke aloud for the first time since entering the bar. "Spyke, Nightcrawler, why don't you introduce these nasty creatures to whichever deity would want their worship?" Humming to keep the demons under her hypnosis, The Siren left her friends to stake all the vampires, withdrew a short sword from beneath her long coat, and proceeded to behead the demons.
Leaving the bar and its owner to clean up the bloody, gory, dusty mess they'd left in their wake Siren, Nightcrawler, and Spyke vanished in a puff of sulphuric smoke.
Author: Sinayah
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Buffy, Angel, or Xmen. They belong to very rich people who don't appreciate them as we fanfic writers do.
Disclaimer 2: The Chapter Title and Lyrics are from the Anastasia Soundtrack.
Authors Note: Many heartfelt thanks to my muse Zenura, without her I wouldn't have had the guts to write. If you like this story please review or send me an email, I'd really appreciate hearing what you think. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Journey to the Past
"Heart I'm trusting you, on this journey to the past…"
An hour later the X jet left the mansion with Wolverine at the controls. The teens lounged about in the cabin, talking amongst themselves and asking Serena questions about vampires and demons and how she'd come to be friends with some. The hypnotist answered their enthusiastic questions with pleasure, taking joy in watching them as she always did.
"So what's he look like Serena? Is he, like, cute?" Kitty asked. A typical teen girl, the brunette was a special treat to be around. Serena couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that her undead friend was considered a fine example of the male gender.
Taking out her wallet Serena opened it to the compartment where her pictures were stored. Flipping to the one of Spike and Dru, she handed it to Kitty. "See for yourself, that's Spike and Dru there. And before you ask, yes that is a doll Dru's holding; like I said before, she's rather insane."
"Gawd, that's one fine looking corpse Serena! Cheekbones like that should be illegal." Rogue gasped out, leaning over the seat to take a look. Both girls gushed over Spikes appearance while the guys leaned in to look and went into their own hormone fit over Drusilla. Even Logan, when shown the image had to comment on the lovely vampiress. "They don't make many like that any more." Was his assessment, glancing back at his female team mates and making a qualification that the few they did make seemed to have ended up living with him.
"What other pictures have you got? Oooh there's us Roguey, and there are the guys. Aww look at that one, don't Kurt and Evan look sweet sleeping on the couch together?" The girls were acting with classic teen character, going through mothers' purse.
Rogue took the wallet from her room mate and flipped through the pictures, stopping to examine the oldest one. The goth girl glanced from Serena to Pietro and back at the picture, then held up the image. "Hey Siren, is this what I think it is?"
"Mmm hmmm. I knew the speed demon when he was just a little boy. I recognized him at the big meeting last week." Serena said, not making a big deal out of it. Taking her wallet back, she tucked it into her bag and closed her eyes to have a cat nap before they arrived in Sunnydale, leaving her Ptichka to answer any questions.
* * * * * * * * * *
It was late afternoon when the X jet landed in a clearing of the woods that skirted the edge of Sunnydale. Logan didn't like leaving one of his mechanical babies in such an open spot but he also didn't want the jet in plain view somewhere in town. He hoped the commandos that had gotten hold of Chatterbox's friend didn't patrol the woods much; they'd surely know it was like no other aircraft in the world.
The group walked into town from the woods, much to their displeasure; they were kids after all and hiking wasn't their kind of fun. Serena led them to a hotel, not the dingiest place to stay in town, but not the finest accommodations either. Handing out room keys, one to the girls and one to the boys, she pocketed a third and said, "Now if anyone asks, this is a family weekend. Logan and I are married; Kurt and Rogue are our kids. Kitty you're Kurts girlfriend, Ptichka you're Rogues' boyfriend and Evan you're the boys best friend. I know this irks some of you but that's the only way I could think of to explain such a large group of people just here for the weekend."
When it looked like arguments were forthcoming from Kitty and Rogue the dark haired woman continued, "No if's, and's or but's guys. Now Kurt, Evan, and Pietro you share one room, Rogue and Kitty you're in the other. Logan and I will take the room between you in case you need us. Now go get settled, I want to have a look around town and do some reconnaissance around the watchers house before we go get Spike."
The kids went off, with the boys grumbling a little about having to room together, Evan especially not wanting to share a room with his rival. Logan and Serena went to their room and discussed plans for how to retrieve the vampire. "I like the idea of taking a look around before we just barge in, we don't want to fight them if we can help it." Logan said, though he thought that this slayer person might give him a good sparring match. So far the only person who could hold their own against him was Serena.
"I agree, the slayer and her group fight on the same side we do, only facing different enemies. I don't want to hurt her, I just want Spike back." Serenas' strong façade was beginning to slip, her worry for her undead friend growing now that they were in close proximity to him and she could sense his anger and frustration.
Seeing his little friends' emotions getting the better of her Logan wrapped his big arms around the woman and hugged her to his chest. "Shhh Chatterbox, we'll get him back and we'll figure out what they did to him. You just have to tough it out for one more night."
Serena leaned against her friend, drawing strength from his presence. "I can feel him Wolvie. He's so angry, and he's in pain. He's frustrated and his temper is horrible. I don't know how much longer he can take the humiliation of being restrained." Taking a deep breath to gain control again Siren hugged Logan tightly for another moment before letting go.
Reaching for her bag, the hypnotist said, "Thank you for helping me Logan. I can't tell you how much you mean to me. I'm going to take a quick shower and change. Call the kids and tell them we're going out." Pecking the big mans cheek with her lips; Serena went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Re emerging fifteen minutes later, Serena's friends almost didn't recognize her. Gone was the sweet woman who exuded love and happiness. In her place was the Siren, dressed in leather and lace; danger radiating from her in waves. Mouths agape, the five teens could only stare, while their guardian roared, "What in the HELL is that getup?"
"This is what one wears when one wants to intimidate the hell out of people and demons Logan." Siren gently patronized the big man. Turning to the group she laid out the plan for the evening's excursion. "Ok guys, this is how things are going to work. First, don't address me as anything but Siren. I have a reputation that will make most demons we happen to run into think twice about attacking us."
"Now, we're going to take in the local haunts. There's a teen club not far from here, the slayer and her friends like to hang out there. Logan, Pietro, Rogue, and Kitty will go in. You kids will mingle a bit; see if the slayer and her groupies are there. From what Spike's told me the slayer is a tiny little blonde girl, her name is Buffy. Her friends are a tall dark haired guy named Xander and a petite redhead named Willow. If any of them are there, try and talk to them, maybe they'll let information slip. Logan will be hanging around watching the three of you, in case you have any trouble." Siren detailed for her friends.
Before she went on to her own plans, she cautioned "Vampires often go to that club to find dinner. Pay close attention to people who approach you. Vamps are fairly pale, they have no pulse, and they'll feel cool to the touch. The younger ones also tend to wear really stupid looking clothes for some reason. If you run into one, don't go outside with it alone! If you want to try your hand at killing one, make sure Logan has followed you outside."
Serena reached into her bag again and pulled out a handful of silver and gold necklaces with crucifix pendants and some small vials of clear liquid. Handing a necklace and a vial to each of her team mates she said, "Put these on. Crosses will burn a vampire if they touch it, and the sight of one is enough to hold them off for a while. The liquid is holy water, throw it in their faces. Those things will hold a vamp off. To kill them you need to do one of two things. A wooden stake through the heart is most efficient, Evan would you shoot some out for us? Beheading works well too, Logan that should be perfect for you."
"Will anything else work? What about garlic and sunlight?" Rogue asked; fingering one of the stakes Evan had shot out of his hand. She was a fan of horror movies of all sorts, especially the old Dracula movies and was extremely curious about the real ones.
"Yeah Siren, is there anything else we need to know? This is just like, weird." Kitty said, putting the crucifix on and pocketing the holy water. 'I'm like, not letting Logan out of my sight until we're out of this place, it's like, creepy.' The young girl thought, taking a stake from the small pile on the floor.
Siren nodded, taking a few of the stakes and stashing them in various places on her body, including one up each sleeve loaded into a spring release device. The ankle length velvet and lace coat she wore made a good cover for weapons. "The garlic thing is a myth. It's just that the smell is irritating to a vamps sensitive nose. Sunlight will kill them, as will fire. Also, vamps look human until they're getting ready for a bite or trying to scare their victim. Their faces morph; forehead ridges develop and cover their eyebrows. Their eyes turn yellow, sort of like a cats. All their front teeth grow jagged edges, and their canines elongate to form fangs. And when you kill them, they explode into dust."
The dark haired woman lifted her hair away from her neck and said, "Take a close look at both sides of my neck. Those are vampire bite scars. No nice neat puncture marks in real life, instead you get a torn, ragged bite mark with the punctures on each side." She waited patiently as the kids looked at the faded white scars over each side of her neck.
Logan growled loudly, taking hold of her chin and turning it to get a good look at the marks that marred her pale throat. 'I'll kill whoever did that! No one marks her but me!' he thought, resisting the urge to pull the beautiful woman into his arms and prove that she was his. "Who did this?" he rumbled.
Siren stepped away and smacked Logans hand lightly. "Stop being all growly Logan, I swear you act just like Spike sometimes. Why do I always get stuck with the over protective men huh? Spike and Drusilla made these marks to protect me. Other vampires and demons see the scars and know that I'm under the protection of two different vampires. It's enough to scare most off, and their names send all but the bravest running in terror."
Logan quit growling, though it took effort. Her explanation of the marks made sense to his animalistic side, marking your territory to ward off trespassers. He still grumbled a bit though, not liking another's mark on the woman he considered his. 'I'll just have to have a conversation with this guy about whose woman she is.'
Seeing no more questions coming Siren continued detailing the night's activities. "While you four are checking the teen club Evan, Kurt, and I will be not far from here, at the local demon bar." Hearing the growling coming from Wolverine she placed a hand over his mouth before he could interrupt.
"Hush Wolvie, you don't have to worry about our safety. Besides the marks on my neck I have a reputation of my own in the demon world, and it's pretty nasty. Kurt will be going in sans image inducer; they'll think he's one of them. Evan will probably be talked about for years to come in that place just by shooting a stake out of his body." The dark skinned boy laughed, thinking that his mutation had a whole new purpose now.
"Trust me Wolvie, I love these kids and I wouldn't take them anywhere if I couldn't guarantee their protection." Looking into his sapphire eyes the powerful woman begged him to believe in her. Logan nodded his assent, kissing her palm before she removed it from his mouth.
Serena gave him a cheeky smile and clapped her hands once. "Ok troops; let's get this show on the road. Everyone grab a spare stake before you go and remember the cardinal rule; BE CAREFUL!" The group walked out to the courtyard and Serena pointed, "The club is that way. This is the main street of town, just follow it past the shopping district and turn right on Prescott. That will take you straight to the club, which is in a warehouse, have fun kids."
She hugged each of the three teens briefly and told Logan, "Meet us back here in an hour; we'll go by the groups' houses together. Watch them closely Wolvie, they think they're ready for this stuff, but it's a whole new ball game. Take care of yourself." Logan nodded and couldn't resist the urge this time to pull her against him and get some of his scent on her.
"You be careful too Chatterbox. First sign of trouble you have the Elf teleport you back here understand? I'll whop you good if you let yourself or those boys get hurt." The big man growled out before kissing her harshly on the lips. Before she could respond Logan had taken off, running after his charges.
Pressing a hand to her deeply rouged lips Serena thought, 'Wow, Wolvie sure is taking this protective thing overboard. But damned if I don't think I like it!' Letting out a 'humph' for the benefit of the boys the dark haired woman said "Remind me to do something nasty to that man when we get home. Maybe I'll make him kiss Scott again. Ah well, let's get going." Turning in the opposite direction from the way Logan, Pietro and the girls had gone Serena led her team mates to Willie's Place.
* * * * * * * * * *
It took Logan and his charges about twenty minutes to walk through the small town to the club which turned out to be called The Bronze. It was located in a rather seedy warehouse district not far from the main part of town. Seeing a line and a bouncer checking ID and taking a cover charge the older man pulled out his wallet and lined up with his friends.
The line moved swiftly and the four mutants went inside the club. Upon seeing the many features of the club, which boasted something for everyone, the teen's collective response was "Cool!" As the sole person over twenty five in the entire warehouse, Logan felt honour bound to say "God this is a nightmare. At least this place serves beer."
"You three go 'mingle'. I'm gonna stand up on the catwalk where I can keep an eye on you. Remember what Chatterbox said and be careful. You'll get worse from me than you'll get from any vampire you try to kill got it? Good, now go play." Logan ordered before heading to the bar for a beer to take onto the catwalk with him.
Watching the big badass Wolverine flee from a club filled with teenagers, Pietro and the girls chuckled. "Well you heard the Wolf, let's go play! We'll go out and dance a little first. Keep an eye out for the kids 'Rena described. If you think you see one of the girls let me handle it, you two can talk to any guys." Grabbing the hands of the unresisting girls Pietro cut a swath through the crowd on the dance floor and began dancing with both girls.
Logan watched them from above, noting how well they danced. 'Speedy has some moves on him that's for sure. Bet he knows that all the skirts are eyein him, just like all the hormone bomb boys are lookin at my girls.' He growled lowly and tried not to pop his claws when he saw a boy reach for Rogue, and chuckled when Pietro handled it by pulling the girl close to him and saying "Sorry dude, these two are mine."
Kitty was enjoying the club and hoped that they could come back before they left. Pietro and Rogue were good dance partners and the little brunette was having a lot of fun. Her light blue eyes scanned the room and she saw a flash of red over at one of the tables. Curling up against Pietro's back she said loudly, "There's a redheaded girl over at that table, you should go talk to her, see if she's Willow."
Pietro looked over to where Kitty pointed and saw the redhead. He nodded his consent and slid gracefully from between the girls. "Don't go anywhere without me, and don't get separated. One of the girls who grabbed my ass was a vampire, I think, she certainly had the claws." He waited until they'd nodded consent before leaving the floor and approaching the red haired girl.
Using the moves that all bad boys are supposed to be experts at, Pietro sidled up to the young woman and said "Hey, mind if I sit down?" The girl looked up and he gave his best 'Aren't I just the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?' smirk. He saw the typical reaction in the girls' eyes, which filled with lust at the sight of the young man.
"Like sure! I'm Aura, what's your name?" the girl said. 'The red must be fake; this girl is blonder than me!' Pietro thought, seeing that this was one of the rich, popular girls that brought down the academic averages of every school in the world. Knowing she wasn't the girl he was looking for he attempted to extricate himself from her presence. "I'm, uhh, I'm gone. There's my girlfriend. Bye." Too eager to be away, the snowy haired boy dropped his cool façade and quickly left, making his way back to Rogue and Kitty.
"What I said before, forget it. You can talk to the girls too. I try to keep well away from that type. Kitty, please lose the habit of saying 'like' in every other sentence, trust me, it grates on a guys nerves after a few minutes and it makes you sound dumb." Pietro said, while taking Rogues hand, making a show in case the redhead was watching.
Having heard the spiel before, but unable to stop using the word when she was exited Kitty merely nodded and said, "I know, but I can't help it. It just kind of comes out." Looking around the club the brunette failed to see anyone else who might be the subjects they were looking for she continued, "Let's sit down and have a coke, I'm tired of dancing and I don't think the people we're looking for are going to show up."
Rogue and Pietro both agreed and the boy offered to go to the bar and bring back their refreshments, feeling gentlemanly. The line at the bar took him a few minutes and when he returned to the table they'd snagged the white haired boy had a treat for the girls. Along with their cokes he'd brought each one a large chocolate chip cookie.
He'd seen the over sized cookies while he was waiting and, since both girls had been nice to him all day, despite which side he normally fought on, he'd decided to buy them each a treat to say thanks. 'They really are nice. Even Daniels is okay if I don't start hassling him, and Kurt is funny as hell.' He thought, sitting down and handing each girl a cookie.
"Wow, thanks Pietro, I love chocolate chip cookies." Rogue said, taking a bite of hers. Kitty nodded her agreement and added a pretty smile. Both girls had noticed that away from the Brotherhood, Pietro had dropped his bad boy act and turned into a nice guy. Rogue had seen it before, but only in brief moments when they were alone.
"I remember. You used to make them when you lived with us. And they're my way of saying thanks for being nice to me today, even though I'm supposed to be the bad guy." He replied, a faint blush appearing on his pale cheeks. The trio talked for a few minutes, enjoying their drinks and the cookies.
Meanwhile, Logan was getting extremely bored up on the catwalk. He'd seen Pietro approach the red haired girl, and almost run away a minute later. 'So much for smooth moves Kid.' He'd thought. Watching the kids sitting down and talking amongst themselves he glanced at his watch and saw that it was nearly time to head back to the hotel.
The big man descended the staircase and was turning toward his charges when he saw a dark haired girl being led out of the club by an unusually pale man. Taking a deep breath of the air through his nostrils, Logan caught the scent of death. Following after the pair he quickly made his way out the side door and found himself in an alley.
Scanning the area, he heard a strangled scream from the back of the alley. He ran toward the sound and sure enough, found the man, face morphed, with his fangs in the girls' neck. Logan growled loudly and the vampire looked up. Before the vamp could make another move, Logan ran to the pair and took hold of the victims arm, pulling her behind him. He kept her there, a hand on her arm, and raised his other hand up in front of him.
As the vamp watched, the big man closed his fist. Thinking the human was going to try to fight him, the week old minion would have peed his pants if he could have when the man tightened his fist and three long, sharp metal claws broke through the skin between his knuckles. The vamp was still staring at Logan, mouth agape, a moment later when those claws severed his head from his body, returning him to dust.
Logan guided the frightened, bleeding girl back into the club, and told the bar tender to call an ambulance for her. Wanting to avoid being questioned he hurried over to the table where his charges were sitting and said, "Come on kids, time to go." They turned to him and saw how tense he was, and the telltale traces of blood on one hand that meant he'd popped his claws. Without comment, all three teens stood and walked out with their guardian.
* * * * * * * * * *
Serena, Evan, and Kurt were about half a block away from Willie's when the woman stopped them and pulled them into an alley. Glancing between the boys she said, "Okay boys time to put on your costumes. Kurt, turn off the image inducer. Don't worry; in this case your physical mutation will give you some protection. Evan, can you let some spikes come about half way out of your skin and hold them there? Just a few on your hands and arms. You'll probably get to fire them if I don't get the information I want within a few minutes."
"I can hold the spikes for about ten minutes, and then I have to either fire them or draw em back." The blond boy said, allowing several wooden spikes to come out over his hands and forearms. Kurt had switched off his holographic image and was flitting his eyes back and forth, waiting to be attacked.
Siren took the boys chin in her hands and looked into his opalescent eyes. "Honey, it's alright. No one's going to attack you for looking like this. I promise I won't let anyone or anything hurt you, my sweet child. You can trust me Kurt, I'll protect you." The blue boy calmed and she gave him a reassuring embrace. "Evan, change of plans; draw the spikes back for now and I'll just have you fire them when I need it okay? Good, now Kurt, peek around the corner and take a good look at the alleyway next to the bar that says 'Willie's' on the sign."
The teen did as asked, poking his head around the corner and taking a good look around. He saw the alley she wanted him to focus on and took a good look before drawing back and saying, "Okay Siren, I got a good look and there's no one around. What next?"
"I need you to teleport us to that alley. We'll move so that you can see it when you bamf, I just wanted you to get a good picture of it then. Think you can do it?" She asked.
"Sure thing, just hold on to me." The trio moved closer to the mouth of the alley they were in and held on to the blue teen. A moment later they appeared in a puff of sulphuric smoke in the alley next to the demon bar. "What was all that about anyway? We could have walked." The boy asked his friend, knowing that on this mission, Serena had a reason for every small action.
Serena inhaled deeply, lifting her arm and smelling the sleeve. "The smell from the dimension you travel in is really sulphurous. Around here it usually means you've been somewhere that's particularly nasty. I wanted us to carry the scent in with us, let the patrons know we aren't as innocent as we look." She closed her golden eyes for a moment, concentrating, and when she opened them again, the orbs were black as onyx and the long needle sharp fangs that were also part of her transformed state had emerged.
"Ok then, let's go find out where the slayer and her friends live shall we? Remember to address me only as Siren. Take shit from no one, if someone mouths off to either of you, use your powers. Leave them with no doubt that you're not to be messed with. Don't talk to anyone. I'll be using my computer to talk unless someone pisses me off. Are we ready? Let's go."
As she took the first step out of the alley, Serenas' whole demeanour changed. She was Siren again; a deadly, sultry beauty with a reputation for delivering a beautiful dirge and a ghastly death to anything that underestimated her. The two teens looked at her, then at each other, and followed.
The tension level in the demon bar went up a notch as the patrons watched the dark beauty saunter in past the beaded curtain. She was followed by a blue furred demon of unknown origins, and a human teenager. The young demon and the human, though they tried to seem confident, radiated nervousness. The black eyed, fanged woman however, radiated evil. The scent of sulphur hung in the air around the three. The womans jet coloured eyes scanned the room, a predator searching out hidden prey.
Serena spotted the bartender, a greasy little rodent of a man. Spike had told her about the double dealing snitch and she knew the weasel would have the information she needed. She stalked up to the bar and leaned against it, gesturing for her companions to watch her back. Glancing over her shoulder Siren was pleased to note that the boys stood tall at her back, facing the room full of demons and vampires. She turned back to face Willie and tapped on her computer keyboard. "Hello Willie. Come on over here and have a chat with me."
Willie the snitch was used to dealing with trouble. He dealt with evil on a daily basis, and usually enjoyed his lifestyle. Not even his encounters with the slayer fazed him anymore. But this woman was different from his usual clientele. She was beautiful, and her black eyes suggested power in the magicks; while her fangs and claws were reminiscent of a vampire. "Wh…Who are you?"
Again the long claws of the woman tapped at the small keyboard on her arm. "I am Siren. My friend's are Nightcrawler and Spyke. Now that we know each others' names, maybe you can give me a little information. What do you say; you wouldn't want to upset me would you?" As her computer asked the question, her onyx eyes met the muddy orbs of the bartender and he was caught.
The name had rung a bell with some of the vampire patrons and one large male rose up, denying her claim. "You're Siren? Right, and I'm The Master. I guess you didn't do enough research little girl. The Siren is a singer, and you haven't spoken a word since you came in here."
Serena turned to look at the large vampire, giving him a thorough once over before placing a hand on Evans arm, and making a small gesture towards the vamp when the boy looked at her. The blond teen nodded and held a fist out toward the offensive creature, then shot three stakes into its chest. Siren gave the boy a pleased smile as the dust settled.
Seeing the bartender trying to sneak out while Serena and Evan were occupied Kurt teleported to the little mans side, took hold of his arm, and teleported him back. The blue teen was also graced a smile of thanks from the woman as she tapped into her keyboard, "Not so fast Willie, we still have to have that little chat."
Giving up the thought of running, how could he flee when that little blue demon could teleport him back in an instant? Willie sighed and said, "What do you need?" The snitch hoped he had whatever information she wanted, not wanting to think of what she and her cohorts would do to him if he didn't.
"Why that's easy Willie, I want to know where the Slayer, the Watcher, and her little friends live. I also want any information you have on the soldier types that have been capturing demons around here." Came her reply. Seeing Willie nod that he did have the information she wanted, Siren nodded to Nightcrawler to let the man go.
Willie dashed around to the other side of the bar and bent to retrieve the list of names and addresses he'd had copied years ago because he'd been asked for the information so many times. "Here's the addresses and phone numbers, all of them are current. See there, those two; they're for the slayers mother and the redheads parents. The slayer and the witch have a dorm room together at the college, that's the information there. The watcher and the boy still live at the same places, those two addresses." The snitch babbled, wanting the strange woman and her friends out of his bar.
Serena took the list, looking it over and handing it to Evan, who pocketed it. "And the soldier boys?" she tapped out impatiently, hoping the little weasel had some information that would help her to both avoid the soldiers while they were in town, and help Spike get back to normal once they returned to Bayville. The dark haired woman was losing her cool and she knew it, so she ran a claw down the bartenders' cheek to speed him up a little.
Kurt sensed that his friend was becoming upset and wrapped his tail around her leg, giving it a squeeze of reassurance, without letting the watching demons see that she needed help keeping her composure. Willie started babbling again and the blue teen listened closely as he spoke.
"I…I don't have much info on them, I swear. Demons that see the guys don't usually come back to tell the tale, ya know? A few have managed to not get caught, and they say that the base is somewhere near the college campus. Only one guy has ever escaped, but the slayer's got him now. This guy, he's older than most of the vamps around here, his name's Spike, and if you can get him away from the slayer, he might be willing to tell you what he knows." The man said, getting nervous with the black eyed womans claws so near his throat. He hadn't been this scared since those apocalypse sister demons had beaten him nearly to death.
Siren nodded and replied, "Thank you Willie, you've been most helpful. Now, if you please, give me two bottles of your best whiskey and about a dozen bags of human blood. Since you've helped me so much, I'll even pay for them."
The bartender was quick to grab the things she asked for, stuffing them in one of the Styrofoam coolers he kept on hand for deliveries. He handed the cooler to the furry guy, not really expecting payment from someone who'd just intimidated information out of him. His mouth dropped open when the woman actually reached into her pocket and pulled out a wad of large bills, peeling a hundred off the top and handing it to him. "Now be a good boy Willie and take that money, then duck down behind the bar and cover your ears."
Seeing the man obey her typed command, she spoke aloud for the first time since entering the bar. "Spyke, Nightcrawler, why don't you introduce these nasty creatures to whichever deity would want their worship?" Humming to keep the demons under her hypnosis, The Siren left her friends to stake all the vampires, withdrew a short sword from beneath her long coat, and proceeded to behead the demons.
Leaving the bar and its owner to clean up the bloody, gory, dusty mess they'd left in their wake Siren, Nightcrawler, and Spyke vanished in a puff of sulphuric smoke.
