Chapter 11

Out of Mind, Out of Sight

Kennedy's body is lying where the bitch left her. Eyes still open. Hair drenched in a pool of her own blood.

Her throat…

You scrunch your fingers around the broadsword's handle. Knuckles white. Teeth grinding on your rage.

Giles pops the cap back onto the marker, looks over his work and lets out an audible sigh. He slumps down into the chair next to yours, his face pale and gaunt.

A naked woman, white skin, black hair, rising from a well of blood framed about in gold.

Always the well of blood. Acid burns your throat. Your leg throbs. Everything else is numb.

Amy gestures towards the whiteboard.

"This woman, may be a reference to Elizabeth Bathory? She was a hungarian noble, said to bathe in the blood of virgins to retain her youth." she says, looking mainly at you.

"No." Jenny says firmly. "There's no evidence at all that Báthory did any of the things she was accused of. Only hearsay and a seriously sketchy investigation that financially benefited the men investigating. The whole "Bathing in blood" thing came about long after the investigation. They just didn't like a woman to have that much power, is all."

"Uh. Quite. The watcher's journals about the time simply do not mention her. No slayer is recorded to have encountered Báthory or any vampires claiming to be descendants. It's likely Jenny is quite correct."

"That doesn't discount her." Amy says. The giant gold basin and all the gold chains and jewels on her fingers? Definitely fits the whole powerful noble vibe."

Giles takes a marker and adds an arrow from 'gold chains and jewelry' to the board to a circle in which he writes 'E.Báthory' and 'noble' within. Jenny scoffs.

"So this image of the well or bath of blood. The Master and Kakistos both had them in the heart of their lairs, like a throne room." Amy says, tapping her marker to her lip. "Let's say it is a status symbol among Vampire Kings, that would imply that this woman is or was of very high status."

"A Vampire Queen." you say.

"What if the girl in the image is a victim, not a vampire?" Jenny says.

"Or a sacrifice." Adds Amy. Jenny agrees.

"Hang on." Giles retrieves a book and flips through the pages. "Perhaps this is indeed a warning about a new queen rising to power here. There is mention of an infamous dark haired beauty with white skin… yes… part of the four known as The Whirlwind... a... uh... yes, her name was Drusilla."

"There must countless vampire women who fit that description." Amy says.

"Yes, but to be a Vampire Queen she would have to be able to conjure real respect or fear amongst vampires. Drusilla would have both the age and lineage. It says here that Drusilla's sire… Angelus, was himself sired by Darla, who was sired by The Master of House Aurelius. That is the same Master who tried to open The Hellmouth."

"So he got a wife to pass the time. Whoever she is, bitch has no standards. Dude is fugly as hell." you say, but bells are ringing in your mind. A sickly fanged smile splitting a beautiful face.

"Wait. You said Darla? I just remembered- that vamp chick with the schoolgirl kink was called Darla. But she's a blonde. Short hair. And has a thick southern drawl. This Queen spoke different. The words were more sort of, well defined."

"Yes. This Darla was indeed from the South." Giles confirms. "The fourth member of The Whirlwind was William The Bloody. I have seen references to him too." he blanks and looks about the room. "Ehm. Somewhere."

"House Aurelius may be gathering here for a ritual. The Whirlwind are reforming. Here. On the Hellmouth." Amy says.

"Great." you say, you try not to, but your eyes keep falling back down to Kennedy. Her limbs folded gently about her. Sickening reminiscent of a fashion model in a high end magazine. Poised. Coldly staring off into space.

"I'm sorry Faith, its terrible, I know but you know we have to leave her." Giles says.

You nod, and wonder how your own body will fall. Who will find you? Who will even care?

Another thought occurs to you then. How could the vampires take out a slayer in the middle of the day, in broad daylight?

A phone rings in Giles' office. He excuses himself and takes the call.

"Thank you for calling me back at such an hour. Yes. Yes, I am afraid so.

"You don't? But how is that…? I see. I understand. Yes. Of course. I will. And to you."

He places the phone onto the cradle solemnly.

"That was The Watcher's Council. They pass on their condolences. Also, disturbingly, they inform me that none of the potential Slayers under our watch have been activated. That can only mean whoever she is, we didn't find her in time."

"Or no Slayer was called." you mutter.

You broke it. You should have stayed dead.

"Well" Giles pulls his glasses off and runs a tired hand over his face. "Whoever she is, The Powers That Be always call her where she is needed most. That could be very well be nearby."

"So we have a mystery Queen, a Mystery Slayer and a gathering of the worst vampires in history?" you chuckle. "this just keeps getting better by the minute."

You all sit in silence. The library is deathly still.

"Sundown is in two hours." Jenny says. "We need a plan."

The weapon rack and anything suspicious in the Library now resides in the boot of Giles car. It feels like cruel abandonment, like the worst treachery, but you have to leave Kennedy's body where you found her. Clean up around her. Switch off the lights. Give her one last look. And walk away.

The janitor would find her body tomorrow.

You lead the team to Warren's house. Your best bet for clues. The Blood Queen had patched in, so maybe Jenny could work her magic and trace her.

You disable the camera before they enter the basement. Amy keeps watch upstairs. Cast spells to ward away evil. To alert her to danger. And, mercifully, to negate the rotting stench.

Your leg is carrying your weight now. Well, if you ignore the shooting pains whenever you straighten it. You have the wound bound tight and a fresh pair of leather pants to protect it. Sword in your lucky studded belt. Gloves over the bandages. Longbow strung across your back. A stake tucked behind you. One in your boot. One in your sleeve.

It doesn't feel enough.

"I'm gonna go reload those crossbows on the back door." you say as Jenny sets to work hacking into Warren's system. The air is static and sharp with ozone from her magic. Giles has really hit the jackpot with this one. Your mind wanders to Buffy, her eyes closed in bliss as the warmth of her breasts stroke against your chest. Her gasp, warm and sweet.

Faith.

"Hey Faith" Amy says as you pass her in the living room. Her eyes are red from crying, dirty blond hair damp at the tips from where she nervously sucks on it when engrossed in a book. "I'm really scared. I… "

"We won't let her win, Ames." you say. "We're gonna make her pay for what she did to Ken. Believe me. I will make her pay." she nods at you, sniffing. Tears trace down her cheeks.

"I never got to… she… Kennedy, these past weeks she just shut down. Pulled away, and just... shut me out. I should have been there for her. I wish…"

"Yeah." you say. "me too."

Night is coming. You feel it crawling down your spine as you sit in the living room, back to the wall. Facing the door. Compound bow notched, resting in your lap. You watch the orange glow dying through the holes you put through the window barricades.

Amy is curled up asleep next to you. Her many candles flickering gently around the sigil drawn upon the floor. Incense smoke curls lazily in the dying light.

Kennedy is dead. The Slayer is dead. Your limbs feel weak. Pathetically weak. You can smell your own blood drying. Kennedy is dead.

Amy murmurs in her sleep and shifts. A nightmare, perhaps. You place your hand gently on her hair, stroke gently.

'Oz. No.' she says, and then breathes in sharply. She does not wake, settles under your soothing touch.

You feel so tired. So sleepless. So numb. So sore. Horribly bored, yet your mind is a whirl. Things you could have done. Things you missed. Clues that could have made the world of difference. The bow feels heavy on your lap.

Giles is coming up the stairs. You count the steps as he wearily mounts them. Jenny follows along behind. She leans against Giles and buries her face into neck, wrapping her arms around him for comfort.

"She hid her tracks well." he whispers. "But we did get some information. Warren recorded it on a video camera. He realized he was being hacked before being turned. He was angry. Terrified. On the run."

"That why he abandoned April?" you say. Your voice is dry and raspy. You clear your throat.

"No." Jenny sighed. "Apparently before all that he found a flesh and blood girlfriend. April wasn't able to process this. She became unstable. Violent. He decided the safest way to deal with her was to just drop everything and leave town. Hoped her battery would die out soon enough."

"What an asshole." you grunt, carefully standing so as to not pull your stitches. "But if he left everything behind, what's with all this junk?"

"It's all brand new. Some of the books and components still have plastic wrap on them. Jenny found all the purchases happened within the last month. Perhaps The Blood Queen had him working on something under duress?"

"Five bucks says that's the girlfriend in the laundry sink." They both seem equally disturbed by the theory.

"No!" Amy yells, sitting bolt upright. Confused at her environment as she wakes. "Oz?"

"S'okay Ames. You just fell asleep."

"We could all use some sleep. I rustled us up some rooms under fake names for us all at a Motel. Sent a viral spell cast along too, should have printed out the sigil of warding. The Queen shouldn't be able to find us there."

"Okay. Let's motor."

The windshield of Gile's car has words written in blood. It simply says:

Amy Maddison you look so cute when you sleep.

Amy shares your room at the motel. Her nightmares keep you awake until dawn.