Eddie turned and locked the door of his bookshop behind him then stood in the humid L.A night of November 15th.

He waited and looked up and down the empty street, the darkened row of flats across the road looming like a faceless monster. Eddie leaned against the door of his shop and contemplated on what the night lay ahead for himself and his Slayer. He had trained her well and Master Harring would have a fine difficult task of annihilating her. But the liquid. The power draining solution would be taking effect right now, but all in preparation...

"Hey Eddie," came Carly's voice as she appeared from the corner beside the bookshop. The Watcher turned to his Slayer and observed her face. She was scared. Her eyes fell to her feet then slid back up again, a sure sign Eddie knew was that she was calculating also, deciding on a plan of action to defeat Master Harring.

"Carly?"

Her wide blue eyes flicked upwards. "Yeah? I'm totally cool, what ya talking 'bout? I'm so relaxed its unbelievable this Master – guy – thing ain't got nothing on me ya hear? I'm totally cool okay?"

Eddie just needed to look at her for the Slayer to sigh and hunch her shoulders. "Okay I'm stressed alright? I ain't ever faced a vamp like this before. I thought it'd be a piece of cake but I'm beginning to think it isn't. I feel like crap," she sighed and clapped a hand to her forehead. Eddie guilty glanced to the pavement but then spun around at the sound of footsteps.

Arrius was striding toward them, the hood of his long sweeping coat drawn above his shadowed face. He pulled it down and stood in the moonlight, his narrowed eyes searching the couple.

"You brought weapons Eddie?" Arrius asked.

Eddie nodded then opened the inside of his coat. "Sure have," he had three stakes attached to the inside of the coat along with a bottle of holy water stuffed inside a small pocket. On the left side of his coat was an axe and a few knives. Arrius nodded approvingly then glanced at Carly.

Like a mischievous schoolgirl, Carly rolled her eyes then emptied her pockets. She had two stakes, a minute bottle of holy water and the butchers knife she had cut herself with in front of Aaron.

"Good, I'm glad you have thought ahead for tonight. The last Slayer, well -"

"Hey!" Carly exclaimed, outraged. "The last Slayer probably did one hell of a job okay? So don't even dare talk crap about her! You don't even know what it's like to take this on, jeez..."

Arrius cocked a thick eyebrow. "I like your attitude Slayer. You're strong headed." Carly pouted and raised her chin then folded her arms.

"We have no time to stand around and talk, come on." Eddie demanded, indicating to his stationary car just beside the trio. He retrieved his key from the outer pocket of his coat and pressed the small button. The cars lights flashed an orange as it unlocked. Eddie rounded to the drivers side and got in. Arrius followed into the passengers seat and Carly sighed. This was it. The largest fight of her life. And none shall leave there alive, or dead.

The old Ford pulled up across the road from the magnificent Golden Lion Hotel the two life sized golden lion statues situated within the hotel just behind the large glass entrances.

Carly sat on the back seat of the car and eyed the hotel with apprehension. She couldn't spot Master Harring within or outside the hotel but her attention was turned to three large black Chryslers which pulled up within the crescent shaped drop off point. Master Harring emerged from the first, his long ponytail of silver hair swinging in the moonlight. His eyes swept around the surrounding area then he disappeared inside the hotel. Following from the remaining two Chryslers, were six hooded men Carly instantly concluded were vampires, she felt that ripple of familiarity up her spine.

"Alright, now we wait for Father Rannusae. Carly!" Eddie called as he turned in his seat to the Slayer whom whipped out one of her stakes and reached for the door.

"I just can't wait to stake that sucker," Carly hissed, as she sunk back into her seat and twisted the thick stake in her hands.

Arrius laughed heartily. "Oh Slayer you are a character aren't you?" "Yeah, well, I've gotta duty to fill so I'm gonna want to do it to the best I can." Upon Carly's words, Eddie shushed them to silence and pointed to two white Chevrolet SUV's which pulled up behind the three Chryslers.

A tall, robed, man stepped out of the first Chevrolet with a high cheekbone and black hair tied into a tight bun upon the top of his head. He was followed by two more men in the same strangely patterned robe but both with no hair whatsoever. In the second Chevrolet emerged six women dressed in blood red skin suits which shone from the light from within the hotel. They all carried long cases by their sides like and all looked murderous. With a sweeping glance like Master Harring, Father Rannusae and his associates all turned and entered the hotel.

"And that, Carly, is Father Rannusae. He is the head of the Diamond Clan and the founder of the Rannu religion."

Carly raised her eyebrows. "I'm guessing midnight sacrifices, kinda female orientated and a lot of pagan type rituals?"

"Correct. But be warned Carly, Father Rannusae -"

"Is in league with the Creepers, a clan of highly dangerous Bludrun demons. Although the Diamond Clan are not vampires unlike the BlackWing Clan, they have connections. Father Rannusae does not expect me to be here today, I'm just his - lapdog." Arrius sighed, his eyes shifting across the magnificent hotel on the other side of the scarcely busy road.

"You gotta plan Eddie? I'm too preoccupied on how to murder Master Harring exceptionally slowly and painfully." Carly growled.

"Well, we are going to enter through the back entrance, as I have a key card from when I worked there before I joined the Watchers Council. When we get inside, there's a corridor for the employees, toilets, changing rooms, coffee rooms, the usual. Beyond this there is a flight of stairs to the main building and then the conference rooms to the left. I guarantee that is where they shall have their meeting." Eddie explained as he shifted in his seat to Carly. She nodded rapidly. She just wanted to get in there and tear off their heads.

"Look, can we go now? I'm growing old sat here."

"Alright, Eddie lead the way." The Watcher opened his car door then got out and stealthily made his way across the road to the pavement on the other side. Carly followed and Arrius brought up the rear, looking swiftly around the deserted street.

Eddie rounded the hotel and came to the grimy alleyway to the back of the large building. Stacks of rubbish bags and trash cans littered the alley and it stunk of cigarette butts and rotten meat. Two uniformed waiters were chatting loudly and smoking, their backs up against the brick of the hotel. Eddie gestured Carly over and pointed to the two men. She nodded and grinned. The Slayer slipped forward then crouched behind a trash can and, faster than a slink blonde ferret, she whipped forward and struck both waiters with one shot to the back of the neck making them keel over unconscious.

Carly leant against the wall and clutched her stomach. She felt weak and queasy. What the heck was wrong with her? She hadn't felt as bad as this since she was called and that was two years ago. She waved off any stray possibility and brought it to a cold. That's all it was, a cold.

Eddie ran up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You okay Carly?"

"Yeah, I'm just feeling a little – crap." Carly mumbled. Eddie glanced away guiltily then approached the door. He kicked aside the knocked out waiters and pulled out the key card from the inside of his jacket. He swiped it down the metal parting and the door swung open. Arrius rushed forward and disappeared inside followed by a muttering Carly then a nauseous Eddie.