The New vampire hauled Darla to her feet, snarling, "You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master. We're almost at Harvest and you dally with this child?"

"We had someone. But then she came, she killed Thomas, Luke. She's strong." Darla whimpered

Luke scoffed and shoved her toward the door, "You go. I'll see if I can handle the little girl."

As Buffy tried to get her feet under her, her assailant turned his attention to Odette, or more accurately to the bloodsucker who rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Luke. S'been a while." Axel greeted calmly

"Axel, the Master said he felt your presence. Have you come back to the fold?"

Axel shrugged, completely unphased by Odette's struggles. "Been missing the old Geezer."

Luke flashed his fangs in a hiss. "Such insolence! I see your travels have done nothing to remind you of your place."

Axel threw his head back and laughed. "My place, oh that's rich," he ran his free hand through Odette's curls, causing her to flinch, before turning his attention back to the tall vampire. "Meanwhile it appears your offerings have gone walkabout."

Luke opened his mouth, but never got a chance to speak his piece. As Buffy had snuck up behind him with an old wooden panel and bashed it over his head. Unfortunately, however, it didn't even phase Luke as he spun and lunged at the Slayer.

"You are strong. I'm stronger."

As they fought Odette fought to keep her eyes open as grey haze grew from the edge of her vision. She flinched weakly as Axel burrowed his nose in her hair, just behind her ear, and inhaled.

"mmmmm they seem to be busy and it's getting late pet, I think we'd better choof off." She squealed, panicked as Axel adjusted his grip to pin her arms and dragged her toward the mausoleum door.

"Odette!" Buffy called but had to duck as Luke swung at her.

Just as Axel was ducking them outside Odette caught the last few taunting sentences Luke shot at the blonde. "You think you can stop me? Stop us? You have no idea what you're dealing with. 'And like a plague of boils, the race of man covered the earth. But, on the third day of the newest light will come the Harvest.'"

The surroundings blurred, and when they came back into focus, animalistic growls echoed around. Odette felt her stomach drop when she saw a large number of vampires surrounding her friends. Jesse was still bleeding profusely and Xander was trying to keep the others behind him. Odette tried to call out but her voice only croaked. Xander turned and paled at the sight of her bloodstained shirt.

"Det!" he called out.

"….ook out!" Odette managed to cry out weakly. But her warning hadn't come soon enough as one of the vampires and blurred to motion right behind him and knocked him in the back of the head with a chunk of tombstone. With an 'oof' Xander dropped like a lead weight. Jesse stumbled forward; hand outstretched only to have his wrist grabbed by Darla. Willow shrieked and backed away as several vampires stalked closer.

"You all finished up corralling the offerings." Darla ordered with a toss of her head. She turned and smiled. "Axel would you care to accompany me? Master has missed you."

Odette tried once more to struggle free when suddenly she was spun around and shoved against the trunk of a tree. Axel grabbed her chin firmly and tilted it till she was forced to meet his gaze. The green and gold seemed to spin in his eyes, letting of an ethereal glow. Odette felt her muscles go slack and she stared helplessly into his eyes.

"Now little bird," Axel's voice seemed to purr in an echo throughout her head. "We are going to go on a little trip. And you look so tired, I think you should just" he waved a hand briefly before her eyes, "Sleep pet." And no sooner had he finished did Odette feel her legs give out and could barely hear Willow screaming for help before her world went black.

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As Axel and the other vampires dragged their meager catch through the underground tunnels he couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic, much of the master's decorative style still shown through. The mouthy dark-skinned, red-haired bird was thrown over his shoulder. He licked the front of his canines, relishing the sharp bite that came with the remaining stains of her blood. He wasn't sure what gave her blood that zing, but he was sure to av a go at figuring the bird out. Axel shivered as they passed through the barrier containing the ancient vampire.

The bald head lifted from its meal, dropping the drained male to the ground. The corpse was dragged away. Darla and several other vamps bowed but the master raised a hand to halt any comments as he locked eyes with the green eyed vampire.

"Axel" his voice was as soft and scratchy as Axel remembered. "My child you've returned."

Axel shrugged, "What can I say, Sire, hurd you was havin a shin dig and figured the invite was outstanding." The master walked forward, grabbed the back of Axel's head and brought his forehead into contact with his own.

"I have missed you my child." The master pulled back and tilted his head at the girl over Axel's shoulder. "Helping Darla with the offering gatherings my boy?"

Axel grinned sheepishly. "Actually sire, I know it's going to seem like I've lost the plot, but there somethin bout this bird. And I've always wanted a pet." He's grin turned feral and the master chuckled, patting his cheek.

"You are a breath of fresh air my boy. Very well, so long as all else goes to plan you may keep the girl. Consider it your welcome home present."

Axel bowed "appreciate it sire, as generous to your flock as always." He turned at a dismissive gesture from the master and helped the other vamps lead the cattle to their holding sell. Grinning he looked over his shoulder as Darla pulled the already bit boy toward his sire. "Well looks like that bloke's got a run of outs." He muttered before turning away, he shifted his new little pet, so he cradled her in his arms. Grinning down at her he bent to whisper in her ear. "We are gonna have fun you and me pet. You can wager on that."

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Back at the school library Giles collapsed in his chair, tears filling his eyes, face pale.

"Odette?" he whispered brokenly. Buffy shook her head sadly.

"By the time I'd caught up to Willow and Xander that creepy vamp with the Australian accent was long gone with her and Jesse." Giles pinched the bridge of his nose as the others fidgeted about.

"I'm so scattered." Willow whimpered as she fell into a nearby chair, and Xander paced with his fists clenched. "What is even happening here?"

Giles rose heading over to a globe as he trailed off into an explanation, desperate to keep his head and hands busy, or he would surely spiral into despair.

"This world is older than any of you know, and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons, demons walked the earth made it their home… their Hell. In time they lost their purchase on this reality, and the was made for the mortal animals. For man. What remains of the old ones are vestiges: certain magics, certain creatures…"

"And Vampires" Buffy finished, crossing her arms.

Xander rubbed at his forehead, frustratedly. "OK, this is where I have a problem, see, because we're now talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it."

"Isn't that what we saw last night?" Willow whimpered.

Buffy scoffed jokingly, "No, those weren't vampires. Those were just guys in thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies – it coulda been rabies. And that guy turning to dust… just a trick of the light. That's….." she trailed off at Giles headed glare.

"I'd appreciate if you didn't make lite of this situation. Odette is in danger; I don't even know if she's alive and you're playing word games."

Buffy coughed into her fist sheepishly, "Sorry"

"So, vampires are demons." Xander tried getting the explanation back on track.

Giles sighed, "The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed – infected – by the demon's soul. He bit another, and another… and so they walk the earth, feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and waiting for the old ones to return." He shook his head realizing he went into a rant again and sat, digging through his texts to find anything about the location where they would have taken his daughter. "Anyway, the slayer hunts vampires. Buffy is the Slayer, don't tell anyone. I think that is all the vampire information you need."

"Except for one thing. How do you kill them?"

Buffy shook her head. "You don't. I do."

Willow rung her hands, "But Odette, and Jesse! We have to…"

Buffy cut her off, "they are my responsibility, I let them get taken."

"That's not true." Xander reassured

Willow tried to stand, "If you hand't shown up, they would have… taken us too… " She quickly fell back into the chair, "Does anybody mind if I pass out?"

Buffy placed her hands on Willow's shoulders. "Breathe. This big guy. Luke, he talked about an offering to the master, I don't know who or what, but if they weren't just feeding, Jesse and Odette may still be alive. I'm gonna find them."

Willow looked to Giles, "Maybe this is the dumb questions, but shouldn't we call the police?"

He scoffed, "And you think they'd believe us?"

"We don't have to say vampires. We could just say there was… a bad man."

Buffy shot her an unimpressed glance. "They couldn't handle it if they did show up. They'd only show up with guns."

Giles raised his head and the look he shot Buffy was full of so much concern and pain that it made the slayer take a step back. "You've no idea where they took Them?" he whispered.

She shook her head, "I looked around, but… soon as they got clear of the woods they could have just – whoom."

Xander paled, "They can fly?!"

Buffy rolled her eyes, "They can drive."

Willow tilted he head, "I don't remember hearing a car…"

Giles sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Let's take an enormous intuitive leap and say they went underground."

Buffy nodded, "Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get anywhere in the entire town without catching any rays. But I didn't see any access around there."

"If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we could go to the building commission."

Buffy groaned, "We so don't have time."

Willow raised a hand tentatively. "Uh, guys? There may be another way."

Giles raised an eyebrow but gestured for her to continue. "By all means, anything that's faster. Odette and your young friend are on borrowed time. The faster we can retrieve them the better."