"Okay, so what's the big deal?" asked Buffy. "It's another vamp. I say we find here, stake her, then we can go out and party."
The nights' patrol had netted exactly zero. Not even a rumor of a vampire running around. Angel had finally made an appearance and convinced Buffy that the vampires weren't out that night. So Buffy had gone home. The next day, she had received an urgent call from Giles telling her he needed to talk to her immediately.
"It's much more than that," said Giles. "This is no ordinary vampire. Amanda Walken is one of the most powerful vampires that's every existed. And if she's working with the Berman Brothers', that makes her even more dangerous."
"Why not find out where this she vampire is, then we can all go over and torch the place?" Xander asked. "I'll bring the marshmallows. Whose got the hot dogs?"
"Tell them," said Angel.
Angel was in even a more somber mood than usual. Buffy had found it strange that Giles and Angel seemed to know something the others didn't. They often had the same information that the others didn't have but they usually weren't hesitant about passing that information on. But there was obviously something the two knew that they weren't agreeing on whether they should tell Buffy.
"Tell them, Giles," Angel repeated. "They have a right to know. If you won't tell them, I will."
"Tell us what?" demanded Buffy. "Is there something about this Amanda you haven't told us yet? Come on, Giles, spit it out. If there's something I can use against her, tell me what it is."
"It's not that, exactly," said Giles. "Amanda Walken was a farm girl in England in the 1500s. When she was 17, she, uh, got the 'calling', so to speak. She was very effective, to be sure. One of the most effective that's ever lived."
"Effective what?" demanded Buffy, her patience running thin. Clearly, there was something Giles was trying to say without having to actually say it.
"She used to be a Slayer," interjected Angel. "And, as Giles says, she was one of the best."
"A Slayer?" questioned Xander. "As in 'in each generation there is one chosen'? That type of Slayer?"
"Yes," said Giles uncomfortably. "Amanda became the Slayer in 1522. And, as Angel has intimated, she was quite effective. Then, in 1525, she met a particularly strong vampire. Not much is really known about what happened, actually.
"Amanda and the vampire fought several times. Then, the next thing anyone knew, a new Slayer appeared. Everyone knew what that meant. Amanda had been killed. Her successor was chosen and a new Slayer appeared."
"But the story doesn't end there," continued Angel. "A few days later, the new Slayer was killed. By Amanda. Somehow, for some reason, she decided to become a vampire. And her first kill was her own successor."
"Whoa," said Willow. "A Slayer vampire? Who slays Slayers? I'll bet her Watcher was like really embarrassed."
"Not for very long," said Giles. "After killing her Slayer, she killed her Watcher. Then she murdered her entire family, as well as the families of her Watcher and her successor."
"One nasty vamp," said Xander. "And no one has been able to stop this queen bitch from Hell?"
"No," said Giles. "Now you understand why it is so dangerous for you, Buffy. If Amanda is in Sunnydale, there can be only one reason."
"She's after me," said Buffy. "Because I'm the Slayer."
"Precisely," said Giles. "Amanda has made a career of sorts killing Slayers. She's responsible for the deaths of at least 14 Slayers over the past five hundred years."
"And it's not just the Slayers she goes after," said Angel. "She also kills the Slayers' Watcher, her friends, her family, anyone who's close to her. None of you are safe. Not until we can put an end to her."
"Okay," said Buffy, "we just do as Xander said. Find out where she lives, then we torch the place."
"It's not going to be that easy," said Giles. "Most likely, she's hold up in some highly protected place. When Amanda comes into an area, she collects local vampires to use as guards and what have you. She'll be surrounded by an army of undead to protect her."
"But she'll go after Buffy herself," said Angel. "She always makes that kill personally."
"No problem," said Buffy. "When she shows up, I'll just stake her. Problem solved."
"It's not going to be that easy," said Giles.
"Why not?" Buffy asked. "She's just another vampire. One pointy little stick and it's all over. I'll just need a broom and a dustpan."
"As I said," said Giles, "she's no ordinary vampire. She used to be a Slayer. Which means she has not only the power of a vampire, but also the abilities of a Slayer."
"Which makes her about ten times more dangerous and more powerful than any vampire," continued Angel.
Buffy just stared at Giles and Angel. She was well aware of how powerful someone would be with both the powers of a vampire and a Slayer. She had just never thought she'd be facing someone like that.