The Hacienda San Miguel was located 30 miles outside Tijuana; it was a place of luxury bought all by blood money. Statues from all over the world could be seen at the gardens, which were constantly patrolled by mercenaries. The house itself was a very old Spanish mansion that was at least 350 years old. Local politicians and members of the police were the usual guest of the house, but sometimes more powerful and sinister people were also invited.
The man behind all this was known by the locals as "El Señor de las sombras" "Lord of the shadows". It was a name that inspired fear all over the North of Mexico. His real name, which few people knew, was Ivan Zapata, and he was the man responsible of transporting all kinds of drugs into California. However, as much power as he had, Ivan Zapata also had his own bosses, the Drug lords from Colombia, South America were the real power in the business. Normally these Lords sent only emissaries to talk business with Ivan but this time, to his surprise, came one member of the Hernandez family. His name was Gustavo Hernandez and he was the oldest son of the most powerful drug dealer in his country. Gustavo was only 25 years old but already had a reputation of someone capable of anything.
Ivan noticed that when Gustavo arrived, his man had one man prisoner. Once they entered a private room and talked about business Ivan asked with curiosity "Gustavo, por que viniste? ¿Y quienes es esa persona que que trajiste?"Gustavo, why did you come? And who was that man you brought?"" Gustavo answered "Su nombre es Oscar Manrique" "His name is Oscar Manrique"" Ivan's eyes widened with surprise and he asked "el es un miembro de la familia manrique?"Is he a member of the Manrique family?"" Gustavo smiled and said "Si, veo que incluso aqui la reputacion de esa familia es conocida "Yes, I see that even here the reputation of that family is known"". Ivan was really surprised and in a way honored, sure he had heard of the Manrique, they were like the corleonne family in the Godfather movies, a family with a long tradition in the criminal world but that also created a code of honor and never got involved in the drug business. "Pero pense que todos ellos habian muerto veinte años atras "But I thought they all died twenty years ago" Ivan asked and Jaime answered "Todos menos uno, el es el unico sobreviviente e hijo de don Manuel Manrique "All but one, he is the only survivor and son of Don Manuel Manrique"
Ivan asked again "Pero para que lo has traido aca?" "But why have you brought him here?"" Gustavo made an evil smile and said "Quiero que me lo cuides por un tiempo, el no quiere hacer parte del mundo del crimen, pero yo se que clase de sangre corre por sus venas. El es un manrique y esa gente no puede escapar a su destino. Creo que con el en nuestra organización, el negocio tendria algo de la clase y honor que nunca ha tenido" "I want you to take care of him for a while, he doesn't want to be a part of the criminal world, but I know what kind of blood flows in his veins. He is a Manrique and those people can't escape their destiny. I think that with him in the organization, the business will have some of the class and honor it has never had"
At that moment one of Gustavo's men entered the room fallowed by Oscar Manrique, he was a man of about 28 years and his hands were tied by a rope.
When he came in, Ivan was finally able to see Oscar's face. He had a beautiful pale face, probably the most handsome man he had ever seen, but there was also sadness in those features. His dark eyes were those of a man who had seen to much in his short life "A donde me has traido Gustavo?" "Where have you taken me Gustavo?"" Gustavo answered slowly "Despertaste en el carro después que el avión aterrizo, pero no preguntaste antes. Ya no estamos en Colombia, te he traído a México y pienso dejarte aquí un tiempo para que reflexiones acerca de la propuesta que te hice" "You woke in the car after the plane landed, but you didn't ask before. We are no longer in Colombia, I have brought you to Mexico and I 'm Planning to leave you here for a while so that you think about the proposal I made you" Oscar made a humorless laugh and said "Ya conoces mi respuesta, nunca sere un miembro del crimen organizado. Hice esa promesa a mis padres y mis hermanas antes que murieran" "You already know my answer; I will never be a member of organized crime. I made that promise to both my parents and my sisters before they died"" he stopped for a while and then continued "Ademas, mi familia nunca asesino gente inocente y jamas se involucro en el negocio de las drogas... Teniamos honor" "Besides, My family never killed innocent people or got involved in drugs... We did have honor""
Gustavo was about to reply, when suddenly one of Ivan's man came into the room and said to his boss "Jefe, venga deprisa que Jaime y los muchachos han regresado de la visita que tenian pendiente con el cura y parece que algo malo ha ocurrido" "Boss, come quickly that Jaime and the boys have returned from the visit they have pendent with the priest and it seems something bad has happened" Ivan asked "¿Que paso? ¿Acaso no pudieron matar al curita?" "What happened? Were they not able to kill the priest?"" the man answered "No lo se jefe, no lo han dicho. Solo se que ello entraron como locos en la hacienda gritando cosas extrañas sobre el diablo y monstruos" "I don't know Boss, they didn't say. All I know is that they entered the hacienda like madman and screaming strange things about the devil and monsters"".
Ivan' face was worried now, he turned his attention to his two guest and said "You will have to excuse us for a moment but I have some matters to attend to" He was interrupted by Gustavo "Quiero acompañarlo, tal vez esta sea la oportunidad de que nuestro amigito aqui conozca como se manejan los negocios" "I want to go with you, maybe this is the chance that our friend here will get to know how business are run"" although the intentions of Oscar hadn't changed, he was curious to know the situation.
They went to the garden where their man were waiting for them, when Ivan saw Jaime he approached him and was about to ask him about the incident, when suddenly they all heard a female voice "Nice place you got here" they all turned their faces and to their surprise three strangers where standing between them and the door of the house from which they just came. All the people raised their guns and Ivan was about to ask them who they were and how they got here, but was interrupted by Jaime's scream "SON ELLAS, SON ELLAS, LOS DEMONIOS DE SATAN""IT'S THEM, IT'S THEM, THE DEVILS OF SATAN"" He screamed as he tried to run but was held by Ivan's and Gustavo's man.
Buffy told Willow "I don't know Will, but I think he was talking about us", Willow didn't say a word, she just stared at all those man whose appearance wasn't exactly like the sisters of charity, however her gaze stopped on a very handsome man that somewhat was different from the rest and, then she noticed that his hands were tied.
Ivan finally managed to ask "Who the hell are you and how did you manage to get here unseen? Do you have any idea of where you are?" Buffy answered with a smile "We are just tourist visiting the local attractions; I guess this is the local spa and you must be the manager".
Ivan asked again in a tone that sent a chill even to his man "What have you done to my man? I have never seen them like that before… Are you working for the DEA or the Colombian authorities? If you are, then you are fools to have come this way" Buffy just answered with a fake confused tone "What, so you mean this is not a spa?" Ivan raised his gun and pointed it at the blond girl "I'm going to ask one more time, who the hell are you and who are you working for?" Buffy said to both Jeanette and Willow "I'm getting bored with this conversation, I hoped we would receive a warmer reception" than she turned her attention to Ivan, and as her eyes glowed yellow and her fangs extended, she said "You know, it's not very polite that you go point that to a girl". "QUE CARAJOS SON USTEDES?" "WHAT THE F..K ARE YOU?" Ivan screamed and then he fired his gun fallowed by his man. Meanwhile, Gustavo and Oscar, who were accustomed to all kind of situations in their country, just stared at them with incredulity and fear "Muchachos""boys"" Gustavo said to his man, who were just watching the scene and not firing their guns "Parece ser que llegamos en mal momento a Mexico, creo que es hora de marcharnos" It seems we arrived in a bad moment in Mexico, Perhaps it's time we leave". As they all began to retreat to their cars, Oscar stayed in his place but Gustavo slapped him on the face "VAMONOS, ANDANDO" "LET'S GO" He screamed.
Willow, who hadn't taken her eyes off the two Colombians and was not paying attention at the man firing at her, immediately took off and then landed at Gustavo's side "Mister, you are a bad man" then, for the first time in her short "unlife" as a vampire, she felt the hunger within rise, and before any of them could react, she grabbed him and then sank her fangs in his neck. For her it was an incredible experience, his blood tasted like nothing she has ever tried before and was much better than the packed blood Nicholas gave her. She paid no attention to Gustavo's man firing at her and only stopped when she heard a voice saying "Please señorita stop" she raised her face, a little line of blood running from her mouth to her chin, and looked at Oscar, then she looked at Gustavo, who was laying still conscious in her arms and had a look of horror in his face "My God what have I done?" She thought to herself "I..I just wanted to scare him" she thought, then she approached Gustavo's' man, who by now stopped firing and were looking at her with horror, and gave him to one of his man "Leave this place and don't come back" she finally said. The Colombians obeyed her without question, and in a few seconds they left in their cars. Willow then turned her attention to Oscar, who was looking at her with a mixture of fear and fascination, and said "Are you OK?" She asked him and Oscar just nodded "Please stays behind that tree while my friends and I take care of the bad guys" then she took off again.
Buffy and Jeanette were only smiling at Ivan and their man firing at them "I wonder if they will never learn some manners" Jeanette told Buffy. At that moment Willow landed at their side and Buffy said "I saw you took care of the other guys" Willow smiled and answered "It was….fun " she admitted to herself, then she turned her attention to the others and said "So, what about them?" Buffy answered "I don't know about you girls, but I think they need a lesson on how to treat properly a guest", then she jumped and landed right in front of Ivan. She grabbed his gun and then broke it in her right hand "You like to play rough hu?" she said to him and then grabbed him by the neck "You like to torment innocent people? As she held him, Willow and Jeannette approached the rest of the man, who by now started to run in all directions, "Do you want to go after them?" Willow asked the dark haired vampires and she answered "No, I don't think they are coming back, and besides we have the big fish in our hands. Gustavo managed to ask the blond girl that was holding him "What do you want? I can make you rich" Buffy, who was beginning to feel the same hunger Willow felt a few minutes ago, growled at him and said "Money? All I want is your blood"