-Chapter Six-

Trouble at the Atlantis

Buffy walked down the dark streets of Suicide Slum, she was cold and alone and that was the way she liked her usual walks around this time of night. This had been the longest she had walked since, she had left Sunnydale and she felt worse than she had done before she walked out of her one bedroom apartment.

She heard a roaring behind her. It was from a car. It sounded sleek and monstrous. She turned to find a silver Porsche coming towards her, headlights on and shining in her face. It was sleek and expensive and its doors swung open in front of her as it came to a halt.

Clark stepped out of it wearing a black suit over a red silk shirt. It made him look older than what he was. She felt a small tingling inside her. She was attracted to him. There was an air of danger to him. A danger she needed and was trying to escape.

"Ready to go?" Clark asked taking off a pair of dark glasses and throwing them into car.

"I already told you 'no'," Buffy replied impatiently turning and walking back into her apartment building.

Clark followed her bouncing up the stairs to try and catch up to her. "Come on, so you're telling me that you would rather stay cooped up in," he looked around at the rotting and cracked walls, "this place, than go out and have some fun."

"Yes," Buffy snapped. She reached her front door and jangled her keys as she went to go in.

"You know, if you don't have anything to wear I-"

"It isn't that," Buffy snapped peeved by Clark's persistence. "I just want to be left alone."

She opened the door and walked in. Clark slipped in through the crack of the door. "Oooh, nice place you have here," Clark said mockingly, "it might need some repairs but, not bad."

"Did you just come here to bust m chops or what?" hissed Buffy, almost cat-like.

"Cool your jets kitty-cat," Clark replied, he pondered for a moment looking around the room. "You know, I could fix this place up in like ten minutes."

"Yeah, and I could lift a two-ton car," Buffy scoffed throwing her bag on her table. A whoosh of air blew at the back of her hair blowing her hair upwards and allowing a cold breeze to tinkle her neck. She turned around to see most of the room repaired. The walls were plastered and new wallpaper was striped across the walls. A black blur zoomed past her and strips of wallpaper started to climb the walls. The wallpaper started to climb all through the room like vines in a jungle, until finally-

Clark came to a complete halt.

"So, that was," he looked at his watch, "nine minutes and fifty nine seconds. A new personal best.

"What are you?" Buffy breathed in horror.

"Something that'll rock your world," Clark replied with smile, "why? You're not afraid, are you?"

"Are you a demon?" Buffy asked backing away and getting herself ready for a fight.

"No, but, let's just say I've touched the stars," Clark quipped casually. He turned and walked to the door. "And if you play your cards right. You could touch them as well."

Buffy watched him suspiciously. What or who is this guy? She thought, I could tell by today that there something not quite right with him. Is he Vampire? But, he was out in the sun. He says he's an alien. Do aliens exist? Don't trust him.

She watched him closely as he stood at the door way. He seemed at ease and calm as if he was free to do what ever he wanted. Could this be a trap? She thought fearfully, could the underworld know where I am? Well, the best way to know if it's a trap is to spring the trap.

"Hey," she called after him as him as he went to walk down the stairs. "Listen," she said running over to the door. "Let me get changed and I'll come with you."

Clark zoomed down the stairs and back again in a second. He held in a bag a white silk mini-dress. "I think this will look nice on you," he said handing it to her. He smiled at her with his pearly whites. She returned the smile, just play along she thought to herself.

The Atlantis was packed and banging with music that would split your eardrums. It wasn't the Bronze. The Bronze was small and quiet. This was monstrously loud. Clark led Buffy through the mounds of people and towards the bar area which was filled with blue lights against the shelves as they held the glasses and drinks up.

"So, Kal," Buffy said trying to sound seductive but, failing miserably. "What other... err... powers do you have?"

"Wouldn't you like to find out," Clark said playfully high-fiving the barman as he passed.

"Kal, the boss' having trouble with brewery about underage drinkers coming in," the barman said, "the boss doesn't want us serving to anyone underage."

Clark pulled his car keys and tossed them into the barman's hands. "Tell your boss he can give that to the brewery as compensation."

"You're the boss," the barman chimed. "What can I get you?"

"One bud and a vodka and coke," Clark replied slipping a ten dollar bill in the barman's pocket.

"Coming up," the barman disappeared under the bar taking out bottles.

"I really like the attitude," Buffy said playfully. She placed her hand on his chest stroking against the silk shirt, "so assertive. You know what you want and you take it."

"You seem to changed you tune," Clark said suspiciously. "What a new dress and wallpaper did all that for you?"

"What can I say I love a man who's good with his hands," she said stroking his chest. She felt something under his shirt. "What's that?" she asked seeing a small burn across his chest.

"It's a birthmark," Clark replied defensively.

"Pretty big isn't it?" she stroked it. Clark flinched in pain and grabbed her arm in anger.

"Don't touch!" he hissed.

"Get off of me!" Buffy spat pushing him back. He slammed against the bar. She walked away pushing past the people towards the side door. She could see Clark following her.

She walked out into side alley beside the club. She was doing it again. She was falling in love with a monster. How could she do this to Angel? He had only been dead for two months and already she had fallen for someone else.

"Anne!" Clark called as walked out of the club. "What's the matter with you? I take you out and you act like you want it, but, all you want to do is stay at home."

"I don't have a home," Buffy grumbled.

"I just decorated it. You have a home," Clark scoffed.

"It doesn't fell like home. Home is where your friends are, where your family is," Buffy barked angrily.

"Family slows you down. Makes you weak," Clark scoffed.

"Is that what you believe?" Buffy said arching one eyebrow up.

"Yes," he said and she saw him finger the ring around his finger.

"My spider sense is telling me it's not you talking," Buffy said looking at the ring, "it's the ring isn't it. It's possessing you."

"No, it's freeing me," Clark snapped defensively. He clenched his fist so that the ring seemed much more potent as the street lamp beamed on it.

"I'm going to take that ring from you whether you like it or not," Buffy said calmly.

"I'd like to see you try," Clark replied smugly.

Buffy watched him. He was motionless and cocky. She could see it in his eyes. He knew he would win. It was Angel all over again. The cockiness was written across his face.

Buffy suddenly, felt herself being lifted up into the air as Clark zoomed towards her grabbing her by the throat. He had come at her with such speed and velocity she didn't have time to stop him or even block his attack. His grip was almost vice-like. She could hardly breathe. She was loosing consciousness. She used what little strength she had to kick Clark. He recoiled as she kicked free dropping to the ground.

Buffy swept her leg around knocking Clark's under him. He fell to the ground with a loud bang. Buffy jumped up and sent her foot down at Clark. Clark grabbed her foot pushing back. He didn't even push hard but, yet he was still thrown back about five feet. Buffy felt herself crash in to large dumpster. She groaned as she stood up a searing pain filling her back.

Clark stood watching her get up. "You're doing well," he said, "but, you can't beat me no matter how strong you are."

Buffy went to call back a witty comeback but, she was interrupted by a shrill high-pitched scream. Both Clark and Buffy turned to see a shrivelled blond haired girl running towards them wearing what looked like rags.

"PLEASE! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She screamed her shrivelled eyes making her younger than she was. "PLEASE! THEY'RE COMING FOR ME."

And they came. Three fanged Vampires ran around the corner a blood thirsty look in their red eyes as they saw the girl, Buffy and Clark stood there. It was a buffet for them. Buffy ran over and stood in front of the girl. "Don't worry I'll protect you," Buffy said protectively holding her arms in front of the girl as if shielding her. "Kal, I'm going to need your help."

"Why should I help you?" Clark said stiffly.

"Because if you don't," Buffy said angrily as a vampire lunged at her. She punched him. He fell to the ground. "We'll all die."

"Fine."

The other vampire lunged at Buffy. Grabbing her as his fallen comrade grabbed her feet. Clark appeared behind the vampire, he grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and threw him across the alleyway. "I'll handle that guy," Clark said, "I think you can handle two."

Clark zoomed towards the vampire. He laughed as he aw the crazy clothes he was wearing. He looked as if he was from the eighties. He had the cuffs of his shirt and jacket rolled up and a strange pattern could be seen across his yellow shirt. "Nice shirt, what is this 80's night," Clark scoffed. The Vampire lunged at Clark. Clark was surprised by just how strong it was. It slammed him against the wall. Brick fell against him. It pinned him against it.

"Not so tough now eh?" the vampire sneered. He leaned into Clark and went to bite him.

The vampire screamed in pain as a loud crack echoed near Clark's ears as the vampire set his teeth into him. "MY TEETH!" The vampire screamed. Clark looked as he saw the vampire's fangs were chipped and broken. He smiled satisfied by the turn off events and punched him in the jaw. He flew into the air crashing into a large pile of bin bags.

Clark turned to a shrill scream coming from the girl in rags. He saw Buffy taking on two vampires. Both seemed more in style than the 80s vampire. They were all wearing Armani suits. He liked their style.

Buffy did a round house kick knocking one down and head butted the other from behind. She flipped over the one on the floor stamped down on his back. She grabbed a old broken chair from the dumpster and broke the leg off of it. She held it offensively at the vampires. They circles her.

One lunged at the girl in rags the other at Buffy. She stabbed the other with the leg. He disappeared in a ball of dust. Lark focused on the one holding the girl in rags. He felt his eyes beginnining to burn and two streaks of fire shot at the vampire. He turned into a ball of dust the same as the other disappearing with a scream.

Clark turned around just as the last vampire jumped out of the bin bags and sprinted towards him. Clark's eyes burnt getting ready to fire, but, suddenly, a wooden chair leg spun into the vampire and he turned to dust. Clark turned to see the girl fall to the ground. Buffy ran over to her.

"Help me, get her somewhere safe," Buffy ordered as Clark stood over them.

"Why should I?" Clark barked.

"There could be more after her," Buffy barked back. "Besides," she added wilily, "that means more of them for you to fight. You did good back then, and there are stronger ones out there. There might be one stronger than you."

"I doubt it," Clark scoffed arrogantly. "Alright," he groaned picking the girl up. "We'll take her back to my place. And then, I'll show you there' no one tougher than me."

Buffy smiled cunningly as he skulked off into the shadows of the dark alleyway. She looked back at where the vampires where and wondered what they wanted with her. Why was she wearing those rags? And why did she look so familiar?