In Sunnydale, Buffy tapped her pen softly against the corner of the big heavy book she was reading. College was no fun. To be honest, she couldn't even remember what she was studying.
"Wah!" She cried, shutting the book
"What?" Willow asked, looking at her from across the dorm.
"I... I can't do this anymore!" She shouted "This is frying my brain! Books bad! Tv.. good."
Willow rolled her eyes.
"Poor Buffy... why don't you go out and partol?"
"I would.. but there's been nothing to partol..." She said evenly "No vampires or anything... it's so weird... the cementary's been empty lately."
"Where do you think all of the vampires have gone?" Willow asked
"Well I'm sure it's not into Hershey's "Cookies and Cream"."
Willow laughed.
"Maybe I should pay a visit to Willy's." Buffy said "See if I can beat some info out of him."
As usual, Willy's was filthy. So filthy in fact that Buffy began to wonder how on earth the health inspector gave this place an A minus. It was pretty disturbing.
Buffy shook off the wave of dizziness caused by the sudden wave of cigarette and god knows what else smoke and the initial stink of demons. She moved up to the bar and sat down.
"S-Slayer..." Willy sat, shaking nervously "What can I get ya?"
"Do you have anything that comes in a glass that's actually been washed this week?"
Willy thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Not exactly like I have clientel with high standards comming in here ya know?"
Buffy shrugged.
"I need information."
"And how exactly are you planning on making this worth my while?" He asked
"I won't gut you like a cat fish."
"That works for me. What do you need?" Willy asked, furiously cleaning a glass
"You've probably noticed..." Buffy said "All of the vampires in this town are... well... gone."
"Oh yeah... I've noticed... most of my good paying clients are gone..."
"Do you know anything about it?"
"Hm... well ya know... I heard a rumor... and this is just a rumor, so I can't guarantee that it's right and all, but I heard... that there's this being or thing arrising in L.A., that's calling of the vampires to it. Some call it the King of the Damned... hm... but that's about all I know."
Buffy thought for a moment.
King of the Damned?
"You think of anything else, you let me know." Buffy said
Willy nodded, and Buffy slid off of the sticky stool and out of the building.
"King of the Damned?"
Buffy looked up at Giles, as he was pressing his glasses into his bottom lip as he did when thinking.
"Yeah. That's what Willy said." Buffy replied "Why, do you know something?"
"And you say he's arrising?"
"Yes."
"Oh... dear..."
"What?" Buffy asked
"You'd better sit down... this may take a while."
Buffy sat and looked up at Giles.
"What?"
"Buffy... the King of the Damned is extremely dangerous..."
"What is it?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. The King of all that are Damned. The ruler of all..."
"Vampires?"
"Yes."
Buffy sighed.
"How can something like that still be around, and I not know about it?"
"Well... according to my knowledge, he died milenia ago... but apparently know he's back. Which is not good at all."
"But I mean... he is the king of vampires... so shouldn't he be one himself?"
"Yes and no." Giles said "He may be a vampire... but he's not your typical one. Legand has it that he can walk in the light. That he has incredibal strenght and speed, and something else..." He thought for a moment "Oh... he can, in a way, control vampires and humans alike."
"Like Dracula?"
"Oh Buffy... the King's power makes Dracula's look like a cheap parlor trick."
"So, he's awakened... aparently... in L.A."
"Yes, if what you say is true."
"So... that means I have to go there."
"Well, Buffy, maybe you should leave the fight in L.A. to those already there." Giles said
"But... Angel... he's a vampire... and if this guy controls vampires..."
"He might be under his control." Giles said "Right... you contact them. I'll make arrangements for your trip."
Buffy stood and moved over to the phone and dialed the number. After a few rings, a sleepy Cordelia answered.
"yawn Angel Investigations... we... how's that go again?"
"Cordelia... it's Buffy."
"Oh yawn hey Buffy."
"We need to talk."
"What about?"
"I got word that the King of the Damned has awakened again... In L.A."
There was a pause, and then another yawn.
"Oh... don't worry about that." She said "It's... it's no biggie."
"No biggie?"
"Oh yeah. It's cool... it's actually a pretty funny story." She said
"Humor me."
"Well... the King of the Damned, is your ex."
"What?"
"Angel is the new King of the Damned Buffy."
Silence.
"PARDON!"
After a few more minuets of Cordelia explaining and rewording, Buffy hung up the phone.
"Giles?" She called
A moment later, he entered the kitchen.
"Yes?"
"You're not going to believe this... but--."