The Quickening

Previously:

"We don't know for sure. But the police initially stated that he had a wound to his heart. A stab wound," Trick said.

"Ah, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The Mayor asked with a wide smile.

"Slayer," Trick simply stated.

Chapter Sixty-Four:

"So they finally let you back on patrol, huh?" Buffy asked as she and Faith walked through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries in search of a little undead action.

"Yeah," Faith replied. "Wesley convinced Giles that I could handle it."

"You and Wes seem to be getting along much better lately," Buffy pointed out.

"He's alright," Faith said sincerely. "I thought he would be a pompous ass at first, but as it turns out, we have a lot in common."

"So how are you and Xander doing?" Buffy asked curiously. Faith smiled a little and looked down at the ground.

"We're really good," Faith acknowledged. "I've never met anyone like him. I never really pictured myself as a one-guy type of girl. But he's the only person I ever think about."

"I'm glad," Buffy replied. "You both deserve to be happy. Listen, Faith, I just wanted to apologize for the way I reacted to the whole situation with Alan. I should've been more supportive."

"Thanks, B. That means a lot," Faith said. "So how're you and Angel doing?" Faith asked, even though she knew that her sister slayer loathed to discuss her relationship with the souled vampire. Buffy sighed.

"Much of the same," she replied. "I don't think it's going to work."

"Not being able to knock boots has got to be tough," Faith sympathized.

"You have no idea," Buffy agreed.

"It's the hungry and horny, isn't it?" Faith said, smiling when Buffy laughed and shook her head.

"I still maintain that the hungry and horny really only applies to you," Buffy said evasively.

"Whatever, girlfriend," Faith replied. She was about to say more when something jumped out at her from her left and knocked her to the ground. Buffy immediately threw a hard right, knocking the demon back several feet.

"Hold on! That was entirely accidental," the demon said, throwing up his hands.

"Accidental my ass," Faith said, lifting herself to her feet. "You attacked me."

"No, you just happened to be standing where I was walking," the demon pointed out. "If you don't mind, I'd like to just get going…" he said, attempting to move around the slayers.

"Are you nuts?" Faith asked, blocking his exit. "We're slayers. It's our job to beat the shit out of scum like you. You're not going anywhere."

"Oh, scum? That's it, isn't it? Can't be a demon and be a good person at the same time. No, we're all just scum to you people. Well, I'll have you know that I pay my taxes just like everyone else. I'm not out there killing people. I'm just trying to live my life," the demon ranted. Faith looked over at Buffy and smirked.

"Chill, I didn't mean to insult you," Faith said.

"I think you owe me an apology," the demon said obstinately.

"What? No way in hell," Faith replied angrily.

"Faith," Buffy said humorously. "You did call him 'scum.'"

"Yeah, but he's a demon. How was I supposed to know he wasn't one of the bad guys?" Faith replied.

"Just apologize or he might start ranting again," Buffy whispered harshly. Faith glared over at her before sighing in defeat.

"Fine," she said, turning to the demon. "I apologize."

"Thank you," the demon responded. "So, you're the slayers, huh?

"That's right," Faith said. "What's it to you?"

"I was looking for you, actually. I may have something you'd be interested in," the demon replied.

"What?" Buffy asked interrogatively.

"The Books of Ascension. I'll give them to you for a good price. See, I'm trying to get the hell out of dodge. Bad things are gonna be going down here. I don't want to be around when they do," the demon explained.

"You want to sell us books? Who cares," Faith replied.

"Not just any books," the demon said quickly. "Besides, something tells me the Mayor wouldn't be too happy if you got your hands on them, if you know what I mean," the demon said.

"How much do you want for them?" Buffy asked noncommittally.

"Five large," the demon replied.

"That's a lot of money. These books better be good," Faith replied, stepping forward with her stake raised by her side.

"Don't worry," the demon said, backing up slightly. "They're worth every penny. But I want cash. Tomorrow, I'll get the books. Meet me back here."

"We'll think about it," Buffy said, grabbing Faith by the arm and pulling her along.

"Remember, in cash!" The demon called after them as they walked away.

"What do you think?" Faith asked, looking over at her sister slayer.

"I think I'd like to know more about these Books of Ascension," Buffy replied. "Anything we can get to pin down the Mayor would be great."

"Yeah," Faith replied earnestly. "It would."

……………………………..

"Five thousand dollars?" Wesley said, his voice rising several octaves. "Do we even have that kind of money?"

"We could get it," Giles replied.

"So these books, they're important then?" Faith asked.

"To be honest, I don't know much about them," Giles admitted.

"What does ascension even mean?" Xander asked.

"In this context, I'm not sure," Wesley said. "It's not a common term in demonology."

"Oh, I know!" Willow suddenly interrupted. "The Marenschadt text. In the section on genocide, it mentions ascension."

"Where did you find that volume?" Giles asked, surprised.

"In the top of your book cabinet," Willow replied, looking down at the table.

"With the rest of the stuff you keep hidden," Faith said, smirking.

"Someone's been a bad girl," Buffy teased.

Giles shook his head and disappeared into his office. When he reappeared, he had the book in his hands. Thumbing through it, he stopped on the section Willow had mentioned. "Here we go," he said. "There's a reference to the journal of Desmond Kane, pastor of a town called Sharpsville. 'May 26, 1723. Tomorrow is the Ascension. God help us all.' That was the last anyone heard."

"Of Kane?" Wesley asked.

"No," Giles replied grimly. "Of Sharpsville. The town disappeared off the face of the earth."

"I think we should start getting that money together," Wesley said.

"I agree," Giles replied. "Faith, I want you to meet with this demon tomorrow night. Buffy, while Faith is meeting with the demon, keep an eye on the Mayor's office. We don't want him finding out about these books."

"Sounds like a plan," Buffy said.

"I think that's enough for tonight," Giles said. As everyone began to collect their belongings and file out of the library, Giles turned to Faith. "I'd like to talk to you in my office."

"Okay," Faith said uncertainly as she stood and followed Giles into his library office. Closing the door behind them, Giles motioned for Faith to take a seat, which he did as well.

"I just wanted to talk to you about Alan Finch," Giles said. Faith nodded and looked down at her hands. "Stealing his body may have been the only course of action available to you; that remains to be seen. However, it worries me that you chose to handle it without contacting anyone."

"I went to Angel," Faith replied.

"Yes, but you should have told me what you were doing. We could have helped you, Faith. It was very dangerous going in there without any assistance."

"I know," Faith acknowledged. Giles sighed and reached over, taking one of her hands in his.

"I love you like a daughter, Faith. I only want what's best for you. It kills me to see you hurting. Nobody else may see it, but I can see the pain behind your eyes, Faith. I just want you to know that I'm here for you," Giles said. Faith nodded and blinked back tears. Moving forward in her chair, she wrapped her arms around Giles' neck and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I love you too," she whispered into his shirt. Giles smiled, blinking away his own tears, knowing that his makeshift family was going to be fine.

…………………..

Faith shoved her stake up the sleeve of her jacket. As she walked through the cemetery, carrying a brief case full of money, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. She was called to destroy demons, not pay them off. She knew that some demons were not evil; Angel had taught her that. But she did not know whether she trusted the demon who she was preparing to meet. They desperately needed information on the Mayor, however. Cordelia's revelation that the Mayor could not be injured had severely dampened their spirits. Whatever the Ascension was, Faith had a feeling it was not of the good. As she neared the location of her rendezvous with the demon, Faith mentally steeled herself. Giles had instructed her to retrieve the books by whatever means necessary. If the demon proved uncooperative, she was to take them by force.

Stopping at the meeting spot, Faith looked down at the watch that Wesley had lent to her. She was a couple of minutes early. "Great," Faith muttered to herself. "I have to wait around for his sorry ass."

"Whose sorry ass?" A voice behind her asked. Faith spun around, dropping the brief case, and assuming a defensive position.

"Who's there?" Faith asked.

"You don't remember me? Well, I'm hurt," Mr. Trick said, appearing out of the shadows. Faith felt a familiar pain rising in her heart as she looked into the face of one of Kakistos' minions. Trick had been there when Kakistos tortured and murdered her Watcher. Faith could still hear Kate's screams echoing somewhere in the abyss of her mind.

"I remember you," Faith growled.

"Good," Trick said. "I was hoping you would. It'll make this all the more enjoyable."

"Where is he?" Faith asked, kicking the brief case to the side and backing away as Trick advanced.

"The demon, you mean? He's dead. Nifty, little books he had too. The Mayor will be pleased to have them," Trick replied.

"You work for the Mayor now?" Faith asked. "Always gotta be someone's bitch, huh?"

"I would watch your mouth, if I were you, Faith," Trick snarled, his face morphing into its demon form.

"Why's that?" Faith taunted. "Think you can take me?"

"I know I can," Trick said. "You're nothing but a little girl. I remember how pathetic you were when Kakistos broke you down."

"Yeah, but who's the big pile of dust now, huh? Me or him?" Faith reminded Trick.

"He didn't die by your hands," Trick said.

"Still dead though," Faith countered. "And I'm still kicking. So who won in the end?"

"You may still be kicking now," Trick said. "But I haven't had my turn yet." Trick lunged at Faith, catching her off guard, and sweeping her legs out from under her. Faith landed hard on the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. Rolling away as Trick lunged at her again, she sprung to feet. Lashing out, she punched him in the side of the face, knocking him backwards. Trick smiled and reached over, wiping the blood away from his cheek. Sucking on one of his bloodied fingers, he laughed. "I can't wait to taste your blood, bitch."

"Not gonna happen," Faith replied. Trick advanced, throwing several punches at the dark haired slayer. Faith blocked the first, ducked, and threw her fist into Trick's side. She could hear several of his ribs breaking from the impact. Lifting his knee, he thrust it forward into Faith's stomach. Grabbing the slayer by the neck, he tossed her to the side. Faith slammed into a gravestone, the marker cracking and breaking from the force of her body hitting it. Stars exploded in front of Faith's eyes and she shook off a wave of nausea. Faith touched the back of her head, grimacing when she felt warm blood seeping between her fingers.

"Ready to give up yet?" Trick asked, walking over. "I really have some questions I'd like to ask you."

"Questions?" Faith asked.

"About Alan Finch," Trick replied. Faith felt her blood run cold.

"I don't know who that is," Faith responded, lifting herself to her feet. The world was spinning, but she managed to back away from Trick without stumbling.

"You don't look so good, slayer. You might have a concussion," Trick said. "Alan Finch was the Deputy Mayor of Sunnydale, until someone murdered him. The Mayor is very determined to find out who did it."

"Why are you asking me?" Faith asked, blocking a punch that Trick threw her way. Moving away from him, she tried to keep some distance between them as they circled each other.

"Well, Finch was stabbed through the heart. The police never got a chance to figure out with what, as someone broke into the morgue and stole his body. But it's not too common for someone to get stabbed in the heart, unless you're in a town where there's two slayers, who routinely stab things in the heart with sharp, pointy objects," Trick surmised. "We thought the best place to start looking would be with a slayer. Imagine my luck when I stumbled across a demon who was meeting with a slayer this very night exactly where I happened to be looking for her."

"You're barking up the wrong tree," Faith countered. "I didn't kill Alan Finch. I don't know who did."

"I think you're lying," Trick said. "In fact, I know you are. I personally don't care whether it was you or that blonde bitch. The fact remains that I told the Mayor I would take care of it. I go back there without having killed you, he's not going to be happy. That wouldn't be good for me. Therefore," Trick said, producing a large knife, "it's in my best interest to destroy you."

Faith stared at the knife. The odds were not in her favor. She had cracked her head hard against the tombstone. Trick was armed with a knife. Letting the stake fall out of her sleeve, she raised, it, preparing for Trick's attack. Trick vaulted over a gravestone and kicked Faith in the face, knocking her back. Rolling to his feet, Trick dodged a punch and swept Faith's feet out from under her. Crawling on top of her, he grabbed her arm, twisting until she cried out in pain and the stake fell from her hands. Then he raised the knife over her heart. Bucking with all of her strength, Faith tried to dislodge Trick to no avail. Grabbing his hand with her other arm, she fought to stay the blade.

Slowly, the point of the knife drove closer to its target. Sweat broke out on Faith's forehead as she struggled against the vampire. Faith screamed out in pain as the knife pierced her skin. Red, hot pain flashed through her mind and her grip on Trick's arm loosened. Trick capitalized on the opportunity, driving the knife into Faith's chest with all of his strength. "How does that feel, slayer?" Trick whispered into her ear. Faith felt a strange chill spreading through her bones and the last thing she saw before the world turned black were Trick's yellow eyes boring into her soul.