A few hours earlier, Anya walked with Patrick along the beach, watching the sun set. "I'm glad you came," he told her.
"I like your house. It's charming. And cozy."
"That's just another way of saying it's a tiny dump."
"It's a great little getaway. For weekends. It could be our vacation house."
"What do you mean our? Is this your way of saying you want me to move in with you?"
"We'd be moving in with each other. Sometimes, well, most of the time, we'd be at my place, cause it's so much nicer. But other times we'd be here. Wherever we were, we'd be together. Don't you want that?"
"No. I want more than that. But it's a good start."
"Sterl, honey bunny, do you ever think about the future? About our future?" Marriage. Kids."
"You sure you're ready for that? I thought you'd want to take it slow, considering what happened with your last guy."
"I don't mean tomorrow. But don't you want to spend the rest of your life with me?"
"Of course. I just didn't think you saw me as marriage material."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm not exactly the reliable, breadwinning, husband type. You know that."
"Who wants those boring things in a husband? Reliable, dependable - sounds like what you want in a kitchen appliance. Women who marry those types end up miserable (Anyaka would know). I love you as you are. I don't want to change you, even if you are unambitious and utterly without direction in your life. And I know you love me, flaws and all. You have a good heart. You respect me. You don't correct me or treat me like I don't belong here."
"Why would I do those things? You correct someone when they do something wrong. What do you do wrong?"
"I have been told by people in the past that I have a penchant for offending and annoying people by saying the wrong things at the wrong time. That my bluntness is rude and tactless and makes those around me uncomfortable."
"That's one of the things I love about you."
"You love me making people uncomfortable?"
"The only people you'd make uncomfortable are shallow, thin-skinned phonies and frauds I'd never want to talk to in the first place. You're not mean or malicious. You don't try to hurt people's feelings. And you're not blunt. You're witty and incisive and you speak your mind and I love it. Why would you expect me not to?
"Well, thing is, my other boyfriends haven't been quite so understanding. They didn't call me witty and incisive and, by the way, thank you. That's so sweet!"
"Obviously these other guys felt threatened by you. You're a strong woman. I love that, but some men find strong women intimidating."
"It wasn't them. They were just telling me what others were saying. Why the women didn't like spending time with me."
"My point exactly. They ostracized you cause they knew you were better than them. Just a bunch of dim, small-minded mediocrities who couldn't stand your radiant brilliance. Am I right?"
"You're amazing." She kissed him. "And right. Completely right." She turned around. "Oooh, here we go. this is what you brought me out here for, right?" He stood behind her, put his arms around her waist and they both looked West.
"The vanishing big orange ball was just an excuse to get you alone someplace romantic where I could ask you if you wanted to spend your life with me. But you, being so smart and clever, beat me to the punch."
"Are you making this up?"
"Of course. It was an flimsy excuse to have sex on the beach. But you got all serious and I went with the flow. I meant it though. I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. Wasn't sure you felt the same way."
Anya turned around the face him. "I do. Sterl, honey, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"There you go again. Beating me to the punch. That's what I was gonna say. Now I'm all out of romantic come-ons. What now?"
"Well. There was that proposal of yours."
"Wait. You think I asked you to marry me? Cause I wasn't. Not that I don't want to. But I'd need a ring, and a longer, better-prepared speech. Plus I'd probably want to be dressed nicer."
Anya smiled and laughed. "No silly. I meant the one about making love to me right here and now."
Sterling looked a little stunned. "You always surprise me. I love that. And I don't just mean the sexy surprises. I love the non-sexy ones as well." He looked back up the beach, to his right and his left.
"What are you looking for," Anya asked.
"Potential prying eyes of neighbors. It's still light out, and I don't want to put on a show. Doesn't look like anyone's home. Most of these places are vacation homes, and it's the off-season. That's the best thing about having a beach house in the off-season. You get the shore to yourself."
"Good thinking. After all, someone could videotape us and put it on the Internet and thousands of people would see it and violate our privacy and we wouldn't get one red cent. Wouldn't that be a nightmare." She ran out into the water. He ran after her, picked her up. She laughed. They played around some more. After all, Anya didn't see the point of a romantic weekend at the beach without a little frolic involved.
When Anya worried about getting caught on camera, she was forgetting about the little show she put on with Spike. Andrew, Warren and Jonathan could have saved the footage on their hard drive, burned some dvds or videotapes, and become porn moguls, a perfectly legal career path they would have loved. But since it was legal, it never crossed their minds. Neither for that matter did putting a camera in Spike's crypt, even though they planted one in every other building Buffy frequented. Course if they had hours and hours of that footage at their fingertips, they probably never would have had the time to get around to being supervillains.
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Zooey was in Willow's room, holding her hand, caressing her forehead. "Gosh. When you said we were going to spend tonight together, this isn't what I imagined. But it's good. You seem peaceful. And you stopped sweating. It would be great if you could wake up and talk me, tell me what happened, how you're feeling. But if you want to rest some more, that's fine. Whatever you want. I'm here for you. I love you, Willow. I want to be a part of your life."
"Xander? Buffy?" Willow opened her eyes. It took them a few seconds to focus. "Zooey."
"You're awake, sleepy head."
"Where is everybody?"
"They said they had a family thing to go to. Left about two hours ago. How are you feeling?"
"A little woozy. A lot groggy." She sat up in bed.
"What happened? You were fine last night. Was it food poisoning? That would explain the suddenness and the severity."
"Something like that."
"You still feel sick?"
"No. Just a little weak. So they all left." She stood up and looked out the window. It was dark. "I have to go. That family thing. They're expecting me."
"Okay. But last night you said you'd be free. Did this just come up?"
"Yes. Late last night. Kind of an emergency. Nothing to worry about. I'll see you tomorrow. I'm sorry, Zooey. I know it looks like I'm ditching you, but I'm not. It's complicated." Willow started getting dressed.
"Right. Family thing. Well, not literally. But you live with them, and you've known Xander your whole life, so they must feel like family." Willow went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.
"That's much better." Then she combed her hair. "Please don't take this personally. I'm sorry, but sometimes stuff comes up. I'll make it up to you tomorrow night. I promise."
"Is that a guarantee?"
"It is. If the world's still here tomorrow night, I'll spend it with you." She hustled down the stairs and into the kitchen. Had a quick bite to eat. Drank a lot of juice.
"I thought you'd be thirsty. You're stomach's all better, right?"
"Yeah. Except that it's completely empty. That's the only thing wrong with it. Now that I've taken care of that, gotta go." She walked to the door, then turned around before opening it. "Zooey, believe me when I say this has absolutely nothing to do with you. The time I spend with you, it's magical." She kissed Zooey, went to open the door, then kissed her again, then left. Zooey stood there, dumbfounded. She got her jacket and sat on the porch, trying to understand where she stood with Willow. Then Elijah walked up to the house.
"Hey Zooey. What are you doing here?"
"What? Who are you?"
"It's me, Elijah. Eli. I've jammed with your friends. Guitar, piano."
"Right, Eli. You're the prodigy. Elise mentioned how she was jealous of your improvising, all that jazz stuff."
"She shouldn't be, what with all her classical skills. I can't do Rachmaninov. She can practically play it backwards. Have you seen Dawn?"
"Buffy's kid sister? She's gone. They're all gone. Family thing. You playing gentleman caller with that girl?"
"We're friends. I know her from school. How do you know them?"
"I'm seeing Willow. She's out with them. I don't know how to say this, but do you think there's something odd about them?"
"I've noticed a few things. Dawn has . . . abilities. I think Buffy might, too."
"Huh. Hadn't noticed that. But the way they act when they're together. Like they have something to hide. A secret only they know. Course all really close friends get that way after a while."
"Or they could have secret identities," Elijah joked. "Then again, don't we all. I take it you don't have plans for tonight."
"Not anymore."
"Whadya say I come over to your place? To play guitar, of course. I've seen you onstage, so I know you're really good. Maybe you could teach me a few things."
"Sure. Sounds fun. I'm not in the habit of having boys your age spend the night with me, but you're supposed to be exceptionally gifted, so I'll make an exception."
"Oh, wait. You play right-handed. I'm a southpaw . . . Never mind. I can go both ways." They went into Zooey's car and drove out of town.
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Back on Main Street, gooey Dawny tried to walk, but slipped and fell. "Dawny are you hurt," Buffy asked.
"I'm fine. Just covered in snake slime. Slipping on it as I walk." When she fell, she dropped the sword. Luckily, she didn't fall on it. She struggled to her knees. Buffy and Xander went to grab her arms. But they backed off, afraid of getting the yucky yellow goo on their own hands. Dawn slowly stood up, one foot at a time. Willow came running to them.
"What happened down here? Looks like a disaster area. Dawn? Dawny? Is that you? My God, what happened?"
"I killed a giant snake. After it swallowed me. I'm fine. Just messy."
"Can someone please fill me in."
Patrick took this one. "Four demons came at nightfall. Two 20 foot-long snakes. A flying demon that looked like a teradactyl. And a 12-foot warrior dude. We took em down. Buffy got the bird and the big guy. Obviously Dawn smited one of the snakes. Xander did the other one in, with my assistance of course."
Willow marveled at the description. It was like a month or two of baddies in one night. "So was this that end of the world thing we were worried about?"
"No," Xander answered. "Which is both terrifying and disappointing."
"This was the diversion," Buffy explained.
Willow looked around. "Some diversion. Never seen an apocalypse with another apocalypse as its warmup act. Where now? That mansion?"
"Yep," Buffy replied. "Let's get going before it's too late."
Dawn slowly raised her hand, which was dripping in yellow slime. "Excuse me. I need to clean up first. I can't fight like this. Can't hold a weapon. Can't move much."
"Good point," Buffy replied. "Go home, shower, de-goo, and meet us ASAP. You know the red brick mansion on the hill off Sligo Parkway?"
"See you soon." Then Dawn began walking home. The other four got in Xander's truck.
Buffy wanted details. "I need a time frame. How long do we have before the ultimate disappearing act?"
"Midnight," Patrick replied.
"Midnight Pacific, right," Xander asked. "Cause if it's eastern, we're screwed.
"True midnight, 12 hours from true noon. For us, that's 11:40."
"So we have a little over three hours," Buffy realized. "I've pulled it off with tighter deadlines than that."
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Manu and Rama walked towards the Temple. "Showtime," Manu told Rama. They disappeared, then reappeared inside the Temple. It was completely dark. Manu took Rama's hands to form a circle. They chanted for about 20 seconds. Then the chamber became illuminated. Yet there was no light source providing the illumination. "Let the countdown begin," Manu told Rama with a smile.
Outside, Amur addressed the seven other vampires. "I need to tell you how important this moment is to all of us. You have been preparing for it your entire lives. Eternal salvation is at hand. But it will not be handed to you. It must be earned by each and every one of us. You are not fighting for glory or sport or pleasure. You are fighting for something much higher. And fear not death, because it can no longer touch you. Remember, all who perish tonight shall live again in the Eternal Paradise our Master is opening up the gates to. Do not let the Lower Ones deny us our salvation. Hold them back, and soon they will be no more, while you will be everything you always dreamed of. This is the first truly glorious battle in the history of this miserable planet. And Gnostos willing it shall be the last." The other vampires cheered. When the cheers died down, they felt a little bored.
"What do we do now," one of them asked Amur.
"Wait for our cowardly enemies to show their faces. Waiting is good. For time is not on their side."
Three vampires approached the property. In the vanguard was a serious-looking vampire of average height and build, with a shock of red hair and cloudy blue eyes.
"Tell me again why we're fighting other vampires," one of the other two asked their leader.
"Cuz thar naught like other vampires," he replied in a thick Scottish accent. "Thar a crazy suicide coolt. Think thar bettar than us. Think ware scum. Wont to kill us. Naught if we get them farst."
"Can't we just wait and kill them when they try to kill us," the other asked. "They come round our way, we'll lick em good."
"Naught that simple. They'll kill us with magics. Cowards. Fraid of a fair fight. Got it all planned out. But best-laid plans oft go angly."
"What was that," one of them asked.
"We're going to throw a monkey wrench in their works and destroy everything they've worked for," the other one explained. The dobermans ran at the three vampire trespassers. While the other two vampires started to run away, their leader stood still. A doberman leaped for his throat. He grabbed the doberman's head when the dog was in midair and snapped its neck so that the dog's snout faced backwards. He dropped the dead dog to the ground. He looked at the other nine dobermans and growled. They walked away. The leader smiled. He continued walking forward, joined by the other two.
The leader stopped about one hundred yards from the Mausolus vampires. He went bumpy. "Lay on, men. Show em wut how real vampires foit." The two groups of vampires closed with each other, Amur and the Scotsman leading the way for their respective bands.
The Scotsman spoke to Amur. "Appears you're in command here. I say we do this honorably. Single combat. Losing side walks. Saves a lot of time and trouble."
"A duel," Amur replied. "How quaint. I would, but protocol forbids it. Duels are between equals. You are my inferior."
"Is that a challenge?"
"No, it's the truth. You are inferior to me and to each and every one of my men."
"We'll see bout that. What's yar name, coolt boy?"
"Amur."
"Never heard of it."
"What's yours, BOY?"
"Name's Pitt. Perhaps you heard of me."
"Sorry stranger. Pity I have to kill you, Pitt. No it's not. Let's get this over with," he says, looking bored. Pitt threw a right jab, which Amur dodged. He threw a left hook. Amur didn't dodge this. He just made his head disappear for a fraction of a second. Pitt looked stunned. "As I said, you're inferior." Amur kicked Pitt in the head, and he went down. Amur looked at his other fighters. They were just watching. "A little help? Dispatch the low-lifes!" They went into action. Pitt got up. He couldn't see Amur, because Amur was behind him. He tapped Pitt on the shoulder. Pitt turned and was floored by a right hook. He decided to focus on an easier target. Amur figured his seven could take these three on their own. He watched and evaluated their performance.
Pitt stood up and looked around at the scene. "Outgunned, outclassed, outnumbered. That's how I like it." He tore through the Mausolus vampires, kicking, punching, throwing everything in his path. "Pick em off one by one," he told his two fighters. He matched up against one of the Mausolans. Blocked its punches, dodged its kicks, then counterattacked. When his opponent grew weakened, he pulled out a stake. His opponent look frightened. Pitt smiled. "You fear death. That's why I can kill you." The vampire charged him. Pitt stepped out of the way and kicked it as it ran by. The vampire turned around. Pitt kicked him in the stomach. Then he punched him in the stomach andstaked him.
Amur looked worried. He gasped at the sight of one of his men being felled by a common vampire. Pitt noticed this, and walked in Amur's direction. "Who's inferior now? There are graveyards on every continent filled with the bones of men who didn't take me seriously! I'm going to kill every last one of your men, and you're going to watch, and then I'm going to make you swallow their dust!"
Amur returned to looking calm. His face was resolute. "Vampires should not run around with pointy wooden things in their hands." Then he sped by Pitt and entered the fray. Pitt looked confused. He rejoined the fight. One of his men was getting clobbered by several Mausolus. He went to work on them. One of them threw a punch. Pitt ducked, went behind the vampire, picked him up, and threw him feet first into another Mausolus. An enemy tried a roundhouse kick. Pitt ducked and swept the vampire's legs out from under him. Then Pitt leaped into the air and kicked a fourth Mausolus to the ground.
Amur went to work on the other vampire. He let this vampire hit him a few times. When Amur looked whooped, the vampire pulled out his stake. Amur smiled. When the vampire tried to stake Amur, he grabbed the vampire's wrist, flipped him to the ground, and took the stake from him. While the vampire was still on his back, Amur dusted him. Pitt realized one of his men was down. He looked at Amur. Amur held up the stake. "Told you," he joked. Pitt was enraged. He charged at Amur and leaped in the air. It look like he was going to try a flying drop kick to Amur's head. Instead, he wrapped his legs around Amur's right arm while still in midair. He grabbed the stake between his two heels. Pitt went to the ground, flipped the stake up in the air, stood up, and caught it. Then he turned around and threw the stake into the distance. "Care to have another go at it," Amur asked Pitt, thinking the Scotsman was vainglorious and rash enough to accept the challenge.
"And let my other man be ripped apart by six of your underlings?"
"You're not as stupid as you look," Amur remarked.
"Nice try," Pitt responded, thinking Amur's comment was another attempt to provoke him. He ran away from Amur and went back to pummelling the lesser vampires. His goal was to keep his other vampire from being double-teamed. Pitt did not get bogged down in single combat. He moved around, knocking down one vampire and then leaving him to go after another. He would just keep pounding them until he found an opening, an easy stake. Then he found it. A vampire tried to kick Pitt in the head. He ducked and slipped behind his opponent. Then he swept this vampire's other leg out from under him. The vampire flew in the air and fell backward, Pitt held his stake, point upward, about a foot off the ground. The vampire fell down and got dusted.
Amur whistled and backed up. The five other Mausolus joined him. "What's happening," Ian asked Pitt.
"They're finally taking us seriously."
"They're scared."
"Precisely. Now I've been working real hard to get you one-on-ones, but you're not producing. Let's see you get to staking." The Mausolus vampires came back. Amur went at Pitt, followed by four vampires. The other Mausolus went to fight Ian. Pitt smiled. "Five to one, one on five, no of you gets out alive."
"This time I'm not letting you run away from me," Amur replied. He stood in front of Pitt, but neither was willing to make the first move.
"Take you best shot," Pitt told him.
"Maybe later." One of the other Mausoleans punched Pitt. Then another. He went down, and they quadruple-teamed him, kicking him while he was down. Pitt struggle to his feet. He punched one, but another punched him from the side. He hit that vampire, but was kicked by another. He knew he couldn't take them all at once, not when they were fighting as a team. So he backpedaled, creating some space between him an his attackers. They charged at him. He grabbed the heads of two Mausoleans and banged them together. They went down. Now there were two left standing – one to Pitt's right, and one to his left. He knocked down the one on his right with a spin kick. The other vamp tried to kick him in the head. Pitt ducked. Then he kicked this vampire in the chin. He looked at his handiwork and smiled. Amur came from behind, kicked Pitt, picked him up, and tossed him 20 feet in the air.
Pitt crashed to the ground and stood up to face Amur. "Please tell these aren't your best men," Pitt joked. "Coos if they are, your little coolt is a joke."
"You will not defeat my Brethren by killing them." Amur responded. "You are fighting a lost cause. I will grant you this – you know how to lose with style." He punched Pitt in the face. Pitt counterpunched. Amur blocked this and hit Pitt again. He staggered backwards. He kicked Amur in the chest, but his foot went right through him. Amur tried to kick him. Pitt ducked. He saw Amur preparing to throw a right jab. He punched Amur in the face as Amur tried to land his own blow. This time Pitt connected. Amur threw a left cross. Pitt did not try to block it. Instead, he threw a left jab. Both fighters landed their blows almost simultaneously. Amur tried a spin kick. Before he could spin all the way around, Pitt kicked him in the head. Amur fell backwards to the ground.
"Gaut it! Gaut it," Pitt exulted. "The hocus-pocus, it's your shield. Can't hide behind your shield and stab with your sword at the same time, con ya?"
"That will not matter when your other man is done for," Amur replied, slightly nervous his crude opponent had figured this out. He was looking at Ian, who was hard-pressed by the Mausolus he was fighting.
Pitt was getting impatient. "Aye! For fooks sake Ian! Finish the joob!" Ian got kicked in the face and fell to the ground. He stood up, but was kicked in the stomach. He took two right jabs to the face. Then a left hook spun him around. As he spun around, he pulled his stake out of his sleeve. When he came full circle, the Mausolus moved in to deliver more punishment. At that moment, Ian staked him. The Mausolus never saw it coming. "That's the way laddie! Show um wot yu got." Two Mausolus charged at Ian. The other two, along with Amur, went after Pitt. He tried a backflip kick to kick the two fighters at once. Their heads vanished just as his feet met them, and he stood up to find he had done no damage. He punched one of them. The other one knocked Pitt down. While he was on his knees, Amur kicked him in the mouth.
Pitt got up and backpedaled for space. He looked to his right and saw Ian in trouble. One of the Mausolus had taken his stake, and the other one held Ian from behind. Pitt ran to his aid, flying through the air and landing a powerful kick on the vampire holding the stake. The blow sent the Mausolus rolling along the ground. He stopped rolling twenty feet from Pitt. Ian, who was still being held from behind, ducked, and Pitt hit the other Mausolus in the mouth. He let go of Ian. Ian kicked him in the face. The vampire ran away from the two of them. Amur and his four remaining fighters regrouped. "If we're together, no way they can take us," Ian told Pitt.
"Did you hear that," Pitt asked Ian.
"Hear what," Ian wondered. Pitt turned around.
"The Slayer."
"Where? I don't see her."
"She's here. Let's go. Fall bock." Pitt and Ian ran to the mansion and climbed on the roof. They leaned against the chimney and looked down at the Mausolus. "Best shew in toon," Pitt told Ian.
Buffy walked onto the property with Patrick. In each hand he held wooden poles about 30 inches long. At the bottom end of the poles were stakes. At the top masses of white rags. "Your stakes are a little too big," Buffy told him.
"That's because they are torches. Fire one end, pointy on the other."
"Not a bad idea," Buffy responded. She got a good look at the enemy. "I only see five. You said there were eight."
"The other three could be lying in wait," Patrick surmised.
"You sure you're comfortable with this," Buffy asked.
"Don't worry. I have a secret weapon. Don't asked me to tell you what it is. Then it wouldn't be a secret." Buffy didn't bother paying attention to Patrick's bluster.
"Don't try to be the hero," she cautioned.
"No chance of that," he joked back.
"I'll deal with the Slayer," Amur told his fighters. "You four can feast on the other one." He approached Buffy. "Now we'll see what you're made of," he told her. She kicked him in the stomach. Then the face. Amur staggered backward. Buffy landed four punches. Then a spin kick. Amur threw a right jab. Buffy blocked the blow by grabbing his right fist in her left hand. She punched him twice in the face with her right hand. Then a left hook. Then she staked him in the heart. It felt like nothing was there, like she was stabbing air. "Now we'll see what I'm made of," Amur told Buffy before connecting with a powerful left uppercut. She flew back through the air.
When the four Mausolus approached, Patrick lit his torches. The vamps became more cautious. Slowly they surrounded him. Patrick waved the torches around to keep them at a distance. "That's right. Fire bad. Fire very bad," he nervously taunted while rotating back and forth, making sure none of the four snuck up on him. With the two torches he was able to ward off attacks from all sides. "By the way gentleman, I'm just the decoy. The diversion. The one who distracts you while the Slayer stakes you in the back. One of the Mausolus looked over at Buffy and Amur. Patrick thrust one of his torches at the distracted vampire. He flinched and moved out of the way. This allowed Patrick to escape from the circle. "Made you look." He backpedaled and ran around, trying to keep the vamps at a safe distance. After a little while, the vamps got smart and cut him off on all sides. Once again, he was surrounded. Patrick knew it was only a matter of time before one of them took him out.
Buffy got up. Amur slowly closed with her. He was grateful to finally be fighting a worthy opponent. "I bet you're thinking, I need a bigger stake.' Sorry, I'm not a cloven-hoofed missing link. Or maybe you think I'm going to try to drown you in a very shallow puddle of water. Sorry. Not a bat-faced moron." Buffy tried to kick him in the face. He dodged the blow. He threw a punch. She blocked it. She threw a punch. He blocked it, grabbed hold of her, and tossed her over his shoulder. She landed about ten feet behind him. He turned around. "You want to know something? I'm starting to like this. The bloodlust. The visceral pleasure. I know it's a guilty pleasure, but aren't they the best kind?" She charged him. He threw her again. "Why so impatient? I'm trying to have a civilized conversation with you, Buffy. You remember the bat-faced moron, the False Master, don't you? Aurelius. Or as I called him, Ari. The Brethren was most pleased when you killed that miserable old bore. Had forty days and nights of celebrations. Sorry we never got around to thanking you." Buffy threw a few more punches. Amur stood still. They went right through him. "Buffy, it takes two to have a fight. Relax. Save your strength. Now the False Master – or Ari as I called him when I journeyed down to the Underworld with Rama and Manu to tease and torment him – Ari made a Faustian bargain."
"He sold his soul for eternal life," Buffy asked. "All you vamps do that."
"No Buffy. That's called getting something for nothing. Ari made a trade. He made himself stronger than any vampire. Yet as he became physically stronger, he also became mentally weaker. Brawn for brains. That was his Faustian bargain. Poor bastard had the intellect of an eight-year old." Buffy went to kick him. Amur ducked. He threw a punch. She moved out of the way. Buffy connected with a flying kick. Amur stumbled backwards. She threw a punch. He blocked it and hit her in the face, then the stomach. He picked Buffy up and threw her to the ground. He closed in. She kicked him in the face and sprang back to her feet. He threw a left and a right. She blocked both punches by grabbing his arms. He head-butted her in the nose. She backed up and circled right. She tried a kick. He ducked and tried a kick of his own. She blocked it. Amur threw a right cross. Buffy ducked, kicked Amur in the stomach, and landed an uppercut to his chin.
Patrick looked over and noticed Buffy was getting nowhere with her opponent. "Buffy! Start by taking out some of the easy marks! These four can't take me. ME! Think what you could do to them." Buffy ran toward Patrick. They turned to face her. Patrick snuck up behind on of them an lit his shirt on fire. The vamp quickly extinguished it. Buffy went to work, knocking down vamps left and right.
"Look at her. Jus loik me," Pitt told Ian. "Cept withoot the flair." One of the vamps grabbed Buffy by her shirt. She head-butted him. Then she picked him up, threw him down face-first, and staked him in the back. While she was bent down dusting this vamp, another Mausolus tried to kick her. She grabbed his foot and threw him to the ground. Two vamps were left standing. She punched one of the in them face in the face with a left hook, and hit the other run with a right elbow when it tried to blindside her from behind. Buffy turned around and kicked that vampire twice in the face with her right foot, then knocked him down with a left spin kick to the chest. Another vampire ran at her. She turned, stepped out of the way, and threw him to the ground. There was one vampire standing. She stood between him and his Brethren. She ran at him. He evaded her and fled to join the other two Mausolus. Clearly they were intimidated.
Patrick moved towards Amur. "You're mine, overbite! Prepare to die, again! Fear me while you still have the chance!" He charged Amur, flailing his torches wildly. Amur took a few steps back and dodged them. Patrick thrust his right torch towards Amur. He put his left hand on the flame, extinguishing it. Then he pulled the stick out of Patrick's right hand and threw it to the ground. Patrick gripped the other torch with both hands. He raised it over his head and swung downward. Amur reached up, grabbed Patrick's hands, and blew out the torch with his breath. Then he tattooed Patrick's face with a right cross. Patrick fell to the ground. He got on his knees. While still grabbing the unlit torch, he crossed both hands as if in prayer. "Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me. Please God, don't let me die." Then he sped up his delivery. "HailMaryfullofgracetheLordiswith thee HolyMarymotherofGodprayforusnowandatthehourofourdeath." Amur laughed. He bent downward to bit Patrick in the neck. Patrick flipped the unlit torch around, so that the pointy end faced up. He stuck it into Amur's heart. "Amen," Patrick told him. Amur looked down. He put his hands to his chest. His mouth was agape with bewilderment. He turned to dust.
Patrick stood up and raised both fists over his head. "Awww yeeeah! How you like me now? You see what I can do. Who wants to be next? Cum on!" With their leader dead, the three remaining Mausolus fled into the Grove where the Temple was. "That's right. Run for your undead lives! Suckers!" Patrick calmed down a bit.
"How did you do it," Buffy asked. She couldn't believe it herself.
"I used the secret weapon. Hubris. A Mausolus doesn't put up his defenses unless he feels threatened."
"So what you're saying is he thought you were a pathetic loser."
"And now he's sawdust. I did what you couldn't. Don't mean to knock your prowess. But that's exactly why you could never do it. He respects you. He'd be ready for you every time."
"Fine, I'll admit it. Nice work. I'm impressed. Happy now?"
"In pain." He grabbed his left cheek. "The numbness is gone, and the pain, ow, ow, he really hit me. Had to let him for the plan to work, but, ow, I think he broke my face."
"Can you go on?"
"What choice do I have? In less than two hours I'll feel nothing. I'll BE nothing. And I'm beginning to see how this demon-fighting thing can fun when it doesn't result in death or maiming." Patrick picked up his two torches and walked with Buffy towards the grove. "Nice job yourself," he told her. "You killed one. I killed one. Granted, mine was the stronger one. I mean, that was the Eighth Degree! The leader! Course I'm bet you handled the quadruple-team much better than I did."
"I'm sure I'll save your life a few more times tonight to make up for it," Buffy replied sarcastically. "Hopefully Xander and Willow are making as much progress as we are."
