High

Chapter 2: It Never Raynes...

"We need to find who this drug dealer is." said Angel to the assembled group. The vampire could sense the atmosphere in the group. Things must not have gone well between Oz and Laura.

"We need to split up, hit the streets and bars. Find out if anyone knows anything about this junk."

"I know where I'm heading then." said Spike, grabbing his coat."I'll be back at closing time.."

As Spike left the hotel, Angel turned to the rest of the group.

"Oz, Laura, I want you two to patrol the streets, see if you can find anything. Faith, we will head down the docks."

Oz walked out of the door without uttering a word, Laura following after him.

"Was that a good idea?" said Faith.

"Give them time."

Spike sat at the bar of The Bloodwyrm, a small demon bar that had become very popular with humans looking for danger in recent years. Humans would arrive, drink too much, insult the wrong Chaos demon and end up skinned. There was the occasional tough human that was welcome though, ones who could hold their own against some of the demons. Spike looked at the time. He had only been there an hour, and already had to stake two vampires looking for trouble. He was about to leave when a young kid, couldn't have been more than seventeen stumbled through the door, obviously high. A demon instantly made for the kid, meaning the kid to be his midnight snack, but before Spike had gotten off his stool, the kid had thrown the demon through a wall.

Woah, Spike thought. Looks like I got something here...

Meanwhile, Oz and Laura made their way down to the more dangerous parts of L.A. The had not said a word to each other the entire time. They made their way into an area filled with large warehouses and other empty buildings.

"Oz, stop."

The werewolf turned and looked at Laura.

"What? Did you see something?"

"No. But we need to talk. I'm not letting one drunken moment spoil what could still be."

"Yeah. Good luck with that."

"Oz, I'm serious."

"Look Laura, I told you before. I was hurt. I care about you, and hearing Faith say that it really stung. I think..." Oz trailed off.

"What? What do you think?"

"I think you should get out of my way.." Oz said, crouching.

"What?" Laura said, turning around to see the group of gang thugs standing behind her.

"Oh..."

Back at the bar, Spike managed to knock down the little punk with a kick to the face. The brat was strong. He had already managed to put Spike through the bar. The kid may be strong, Spike thought, but he wasn't much of a fighter. The vampire ducked under the kid's punch and rose to drive his elbow into the boys face. He slammed the kid into a wall and held him there.

"Talk punk. Where did you get the junk from?"

"Man... its so good.. I feel like I am flying.."

"You will if you don't tell me who sold you this crap." Spike slammed the kid into the wall again.

"Dude, chill... I can set you up man. Guy's name is Rayne. Chill man.."

Spike knocked the punk out.

"Lets go see if that name rings a bell with anyone else.."

Oz shifted into wolf form. Laura could hear the scrape of bone and the horrible ripping sound his skin made as the wolf burst free of Oz's body. They started to fight the super thugs, who seemed to be getting stronger by the minute. Laura drew her axes, and began to fend of the clubbing blows from the thug's makeshift weapons. Oz lashed out with his claws, knocking the thugs to the ground.

Suddenly they started to back off, edging away from the werewolf.

"Yeah thats it!" Laura yelled, "You better run!"

"Uh, Lau, " Oz said as he shifted back to human form. "I don't think they are running.."

They looked at the thugs as they started to change. Laura heard that familiar ripping noise that Oz made, as the thugs' skin started to stretch and warp. Their hands changed to claws, and a horn burst from their foreheads.

Laura looked at Oz.

"You know, this is why they say drugs are bad..."