Fury of the Beast 4/?
Feedback: Please. I need feedback more than a vampire needs blood.
Disclaimer: I'm broke, and have no money. So suing me would be pointless, as the legal bills will put everyone in debt. Except for the lawyers........grumble.
Xander sat in the room, sobbing to himself, until Christof and Anezka returned to evade the daylight.
He felt something inside him.
Something dark. Something that wanted his to do terrible things. Something...
Evil.
He shuddered, feeling it grow stronger.
Christof and Anezka came in with bloodbags, which almost sent Xander into a frenzy.
"Alexander, you must feed. Or the Beast will claim you." Anezka said.
He ripped into one with his fangs, feeling his feral instincts force him to do something he'd never do normally.
Both of the elder vampires watched in sadness at what they made him into.
Quickly, Xander finished off three bags, and he no longer felt the creature inside him with such force.
"Alexander, I regret that you have been brought into this new, dark world, but we saw little choice." Christof said.
Xander nodded, sadly.
"This night, Alexander, I shall teach you what it means to be Kindred. How to feed. How to survive. How to use your new powers." Christof said.
"Feed? No! I'm not going to kill anybody!" Xander almost yelled.
"Alexander, calm down! We're not asking you to!" Anezka said.
He calmed a little, taking deep, unneeded breaths.
"We require blood to survive, but we do not kill those we feed upon. To kill during the feeding is to unleash the Beast. To lose oneself in it's evil. We have greater power than mortals, and it is our duty to protect them from the evils that walk by night." Christof said, remembering his first few nights as a vampire.
Xander chuckled a little.
"So, you're acting like Angel? Thought he was the only fairly good-guy vamp around."
Christof and Anezka looked at the other.
"Angel?" They said at the same time.
Xander blinked.
Anezka looked at Xander, with piercing eyes.
"Is this Angel, tall, handsome, spiked hair, wear a black trenchcoat?" She asked.
Xander nodded.
"You've met?" Xander asked.
"Yes, we've met. One of those demonic creatures tried to feed upon me, but this one jumped in. It was not needed, but the action speaks of a kind soul." Anezka replied.
Xander chuckled for a moment, thinking about the expression on Angel's face when he saw the 'damsel in distress', kick ass.
"Young one, it is important for you to find an anchor for your humanity. Something so important to you that even the Beast cannot change your feelings." Christof said, forgetting about Angel for the moment.
Xander's eyes grew distant for a moment, thinking about Buffy.
After a few moments, he nodded.
"When do I start learning to use my new powers?" He said.
"At nightfall. It will be needed for you to cut the ties to your mortal life." Anezka said.
"What? No! I can't! What about my friends?!" Xander said.
"It is for the best, Alexander. If you break the Masquerade, other vampires will hunt you. It is for the protection of all of us. If hunters learn of us, our lives will be in danger. You will be destroyed if you do not learn how to hide yourself among mortals." Christof said.
"But, the demons don't care! They don't hide! Why haven't they been wiped out?!" Xander yelled.
"I assume that the demonic vampires are destroyed when they meet our Justicars. I am certain that they are more nomadic than Kindred, moving from place to place before a Blood Hunt can be called. It also seems that they feel like clanless vampires, and are ignored by the Kindred. There are many ways they could escape notice." Anezka said.
Christof sighed.
"Anezka, can you teach this young one about what it is to be one of us? I must still meet our contact."
"What contact?" Xander said.
"We are on a mission of great import, young one. One that effects all lives, Kindred and mortal alike." Anezka said.
"What mission?" Xander said, interested.
"I am afraid you may not be prepared to hear it." Christof said.
"What?!" Xander said, hurt.
"Young one, it will not help you to know right now. I promise you, we will tell you when the time comes." Anezka said, concern on her face.
Xander nodded, slowly.
"Now, we await nightfall. Then we will begin." Anezka said.Christof walked into Willy's looking for his mysterious friend.
He saw her in the back, leaning against the wall, watching him.
He went over and sat down across from her.
"I never expected to see you again. I heard about what happened to your clan." He said.
"It happened a long time ago, Christof. Nothing you say now will change that."
"I know. Can you tell me where it is?" Christof said.
She sighed.
"Christof, I admit I misled you. One of them isn't here."
"What?! Why did you call me then?!" His eyes hardened from anger.
"Christof, I called you here because I have a mission as important as the one you are on. This city, it sits on top of a portal to Hell. Many demonic vampires have tried to open it, and send us all into Hell. I have been here for two hundred years, Christof. I've kept it shut with all of my power, but it is not easy to keep stopping those creatures. A year ago I nearly failed." She said.
Christof's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Allow me to explain something, Christof. In the early part of this century, a powerful demonic vampire came to this place, and sought to open the portal. He called himself The Master. He would have succeeded, if I didn't interfere with the ritual. I used my strength and interfered with the mystic ritual, which caused an earthquake and sealed him in a church that sank into the ground. I called you here, Christof, because you can guard this place far better than I can. You're stronger, you've stolen powers from the Tremere, and mastered many more powers than Kindred older than you." She said.
"I'm trying to prevent Gehenna! I must not stop this mission! I must try and save all of us!" Christof said.
"Christof, even if you kill all of them, if even one demon opens the portal, we are all doomed, and your mission is for naught. They will consume all of us, yes. But to exist in Hell is far worse."
He stayed silent.
"Christof, I heard what you managed to do. Destroying a Methuselah is an astonishing feat. Especially one that is several thousand years old. You are far stronger than I, Christof. You can prevent the demons from dragging this world into Hell."
"I must stop the Antediluvians, nothing you say will change that. "
Anger obvious in his stride, he walked out the door, leaving her to sit in her chair, and ponder.
Xander ran through the night, chasing his prey.
The prey was running through the street, trying to lose the newborn vampire.
Panic showed on the prey's face, her brunette hair twirling about as she ran.
With a growl, Xander grabbed the woman, sinking his fangs into her flesh.
He drank deeply, feeling the Beast within howl.
The woman's heartbeat slowed, as the panic faded, replaced by the euphoria a Kindred's bite gave mortals.
Xander drew his fangs out of her flesh, watching in fascination as the wound made by his fangs closed, as if it never happened.
"Wha?" The woman said, confused. She was already beginning to forget what had just happened to her.
"You okay?" Xander said, worried he may have taken too much The woman shook her head.
"Come on, I'll help you get home." Xander said.
He escorted her back to her place, ensuring she would not be prey to the demonic vampires in Sunnydale.
Over the next few nights, Xander learned how to use the powers of his blood, to run at superhuman speeds, to entrance mortals with his gaze, to use his newfound strength.
Anezka was a good teacher.
While he learned, he hunted the vampires who walked the night, looking for mortals.
What better way for him to grow stronger, than to kill the ones who harm the innocent?
He's saving people's lives, and learning how to keep himself alive at the same time.
He had, luckily, not seen hide or hair of the Scooby gang, but he knew even now it would not last.
They would meet if he stayed here in Sunnydale, as sure as water ran downhill.
What would he do when it happened?
Buffy walked into Giles' place, spotting him on the couch, watching his TV.
"Giles? Did you find anything about Xander?" She asked.
He looked up at her.
"No, I haven't. I'm sure he's all right, however."
"Giles, he hasn't been seen by any of us for a week! He doesn't do that! He'd call once in a while!" Buffy said, worried.
"Right now, Buffy, we can't help him. If he's all right, he'll call us sometime. If not........" Giles said, sighing.
"If not, it won't matter." She finished for him.
He nodded.
"In any case, I was sent a security tape by a friend of mine back in England. Now, the Watchers train and guide the Slayer, as you know. But they also fund various hunter groups. One of them is the Society of Leopold, who hunt vampires." Giles said.
"Why didn't I know about this before? I could have used some help."
"Most hunter groups act independently, reporting to the Watchers, but are quite busy hunting vampires and other demons. There are more threats in the world than in Sunnydale, and a Slayer is quite enough here." Giles said.
"Yeah, right. Anyway, what's on the tape?"
"Something quite disturbing."
He pushed play on the VCR, and the pair sat back and watched what was happening on the tape.
They were looking at a loading area, a worker was operating a forklift, and another was directing hm.
There were crates all around, ancient swords and weapons and rare equipment lying on them.
They set a large coffin down near a large pile of boxes.
"Good work brother, I'll inform Father Allaitus it's arrived." One said.
The worker driving the forklift left, after looking at the weapons lying on a nearby crate.
The other went and examined a long black sword, and studied it carefully, testing the metal.
The coffin's lid exploded upward, a long, pale arm raised up, unclenching the fist that had broken the coffin.
A moment later, a tall, pale vampire jumped out of the ruin of the coffin, landing on his feet with the grace of a cat.
He was wearing old tattered clothing. The ruins of a red cape clung to his neck. The rotted, torn remains of his garb showed what looked like a red cross. His legs were fitted in old leather.
The pale creature looked at the shocked lab worker with one thing evident on his face.
Anger.
"My god, that's him......." Buffy said.
The newly risen Christof began to speak.
"Where is she?" He rasped.
"W-who?" The frighted worker said.
"Trifle not with me, servant of the Tzimisce, for the hunger is so great in me, I would gladly squeeze all thy blood from thee, and still not be sated. Where is Anezka?" Christof said.
"I-Idon't know any Anezka!" The worker stammered.
"Where is thy master? For if one such as I survived, surely the ancient Vukodlak endures still." Christof rasped.
"I don't know anyone named Vukodlak!." The worker says, voice shaking.
"Thou speaks the language of England, but in a manner most passing strange...........Who is thy master mortal?!"
"I work with the Society of Leopold." The worker said, beginning to calm down a little.
"I know them not!" The vampire replied, almost snarling.
The worker's voice was suddenly cold.
"We slay vampires."
The worker quickly drew a gun, and shot the ancient vampire standing before him.
Most vampires when shot, are injured, are forced back, holding the wound, as it hurts like hell.
Christof didn't even feel the bullet.
He quickly ran up to the human, throwing a punch at the mortal's face.
There was a loud snap, and the worker fell to the floor, dead.
The vampire spoke.
"My name is Christof Romuald. I was a man of God, and a soldier of Heaven's cause. I am now outcast of Heaven, and not even, a man. I am Kindred."
He paused for a moment.
"I am a vampire."
The vampire began to collect the ancient weapons around the room, not neglecting the gun.
The scene changed, to another storage room.
Three workers were inside, looking over the items within.
Two of them looked at something off-screen, and began shooting.
There were more gunshots, and the two fell over, dead.
Christof appeared with the black sword in hand, moving almost faster than the eyes could see.
The third worker fell over, a large bloody rent in his side where the sword passed through.
The scene changed again, and the Slayer and Watcher could only watch as one lone vampire eliminated many experienced vampire hunters.
"This is most disturbing. We are facing a vampire that had been present in the Crusades, and has many powers that normal vampires do not." Giles was saying.
The Scooby Gang, including Riley, minus Xander, was present in Giles' flat, and were discussing what to do about Christof.
Everyone had seen the tape, and were quite subdued.
"The Initiative is outmatched. This one escaped, and in the commotion, another one made it out. Whatever this vamp can do, it's really good at doing it." Riley said.
"Maybe we should think about that spell of quickening? I might need it to fight this guy." Buffy said.
"It might be useful, but be careful. This vampire is extremely strong, and seems to be quick on his feet. From the looks of his clothing he was sent into a slumber for centuries, and very quickly he learned how to use modern weaponry." Giles said.
"I can't believe he tricked me like that........" Riley says, confused.
"It is possible that he has the power to manipulate others, Riley. We must be very careful if we cross paths with him." Giles said.
"I hope Xander didn't meet this vampire." Anya whispered, worry on her face.
"Anya, I'm sure he's okay. Xander's a survivor." Willow said.
Outside the window, Xander sighed.
"Apparently, I'm not that good." He whispered to himself.
He walked away.
The next night.
Buffy was patrolling through the town, looking for any stupid nasties that decided to attack her, when she felt a presence.
A vampire. Younger than Christof, weaker, perhaps a fledgling.
She looked around, and sensed it coming from the park.
She found Xander and another woman, standing by a tree, quietly talking.
Who was she?
She crouched behind a bush and listened, but couldn't hear what they were saying.
She stepped on a twig, which made a loud SNAP.
Both of them looked over.
"Come on out, we know you're there." The woman said.
She stepped out of her hiding spot.
"Buffy....." Xander said.
"Xander, where have you been? We've been worried sick!" Buffy said.
"I wish I could have told you, Buffy, but I was scared." He replied.
"Scared of what?"
Then, her senses homed in on both of them.
"Oh, God..........Xander?" She said, shock on her face.
"I'm sorry Buffy. I couldn't stop this from happening to me." He said, sorrow all over his face.
"Letting them turn you? Becoming a vampire? My friend never would have given in to that!" She said, drawing her stake.
"I didn't give in, Buffy. This just happened to me. I wish it didn't, but it did."
"Xander........"
"Buffy, I'm not going to try to attack you. I'm not like the vampires we meet on a regular basis around here."
She pulled up her resolve.
"You're not Xander. You sound like Xander, look like Xander, talk like Xander, but you're just a demon with his face." She said, her face cold.
She had to steel herself. This wasn't her friend. She would be freeing him, not killing him. If she let him go, he'd go and do terrible things.
She'd already done that with Angelus.
She ran at him, stake extended.
He dodged to the left, barely evading her attack.
She kept striking, the demon with Xander's face avoiding her.
With a quick move, he tripped her.
He ran back a bit, then turned to look at her getting up.
"I'm sorry Buffy."
He then turned, and ran into the night.
That's it for now, I'll get to the next part soon.
Feedback please.
Nick.