ONE YEAR AGO

"I don't see why they have to make such a fuss."

"It's your birthday--let your mother be happy--and please do try to behave yourself."

JD--or Johanna as she was known back then--sighed, "I'd much rather be hanging out with Kit..."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted saying them. She knew that her nanny frowned on her relationship with Kit the stable boy and didn't like her spending time with him. But, Kit was her best friend. He was the only one that she could really talk to. They read dime store novels together and dreamed about going out west to become cowboys--and though they knew that that would never happen, they still had fun pretending. Plus, she didn't have to worry about being a lady around Kit and could speak and act casually.

Her mother was forever telling her to be more ladylike--reminding her that a lady must "look speak, and act elegantly at all times". The one time that her mother had caught her sitting with Kit in the barn she had been positively scandalized. That she was with a boy un chaporoned! And the hired help at that!

At least Johanna had managed to hide the book they had been reading. Dime store novels were not fit reading for a lady. Actually, according to her mother nothing was fit reading for a lady--a lady needed to look pretty and nothing more. Like her mother's friends. Their conversations were frightfully dull and their hobbies (only ones fit for a lady of course) even more so. Johanna hoped she would never be like her mother's friends who seemed unable to do anything on their own. She loved adventure--which was a good thing considering her Calling. Which was something that Kit was the only one besides Mrs. Pierce who knew about.

Mrs. Pierce, her nanny, who was also her Watcher, wanted her to focus more on her duty and didn't believe in her wasting her time with 'childish games' and as such did not want her spending time with Kit. Especially since Kit had found out. Mrs. Pierce had been livid that he knew--her Calling was a secret one. She took her duties as Watcher very seriously- -making sure Johanna was trained and ready to face just about anything.

After all, Johanna was the Slayer--the one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to fight the vampires and other forces of darkness. The fate of the world rested on her shoulders and as of today she was 17 years old. If she managed to survive till her next birthday, she will have outlasted many of her predecessors. She was well aware that most Slayers only lasted a year or two after they were Called and it was a rarity to make it past their 18th birthday.

Johanna rolled her eyes as she was lectured once again on that very subject. Then her maids appeared at the doorway and it was with a long suffering sigh that she let them dress her and do her hair and listened as they chattered about why she had not yet found a suitor. Oh, how she loathed the fancy dresses with the many layers and corsets and endless ribbons and buttons. They took forever to get on and off--and many were hard to move around in.

Once they had gone, she made a few adjustments to her outfit. No one would notice if it was missing a few layers--she couldn't afford to have her movements hampered too much. She also added a knife strapped to her ankle and hid a stake at her waist--buried under layers of fabric. As the Slayer she never knew when she might have to leave unexpectedly to take care of a problem.

That done, she glanced at the window considering. She didn't think that anyone would know if she snuck out for a minute... After only a moments hesitation, she quickly jumped from the window, nearly snagging her dress in the process and ran to find Kit. She couldn't wait to see him as she had gotten a gift for him. Though it was her birthday and not his, she had seen the perfect present for him and couldn't resist buying it. She had gotten him a hat--just like Bat Masterson's and as she got it from its hiding place she thought about the expression that was sure to be on his face when she gave it to him.

Running to the stables, holding the ends of her dress up as she went, she paused breathlessly at the stable door.

"Kit...!" She stopped suddenly as she saw him. He was lying on the floor of the barn with his neck at an unnatural angle, his skin a deathly white and his eyes wide and staring.
Horrified, she covered her mouth and took an involuntary step backward.

"No..." she breathed as tears glistened in her eyes. Then, she quickly ran out of the barn--the hat slipping forgotten from her fingers.

As she ran to the house she could see that the party had already started. About to shout some kind of a warning, she paused at the doorway. But, the words died on her lips as she realized in horror that THEY had already been there.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder. Turing around to confront her attacker, she realized with relief that it was her Watcher but the relief was short-lived as she watched her Watcher's face shift to that of a monster's. Her eyes tearful, Johanna fought for her life.

The fight brought her further into the room and as she kicked her way free from what was once her Watcher she realized just how outnumbered she was. Bodies of guests lay torn and bloody on the ground, but not all stayed that way. She lost count of how many had been Turned as she glanced desperately around for some sort of help. It wouldn't be long before they were upon her.

Her frantic eyes took in the writing--red and dripping on the back wall that said 'Happy Birthday Slayer' and a feeling of hopelessness washed over her. All she could think of was how desperately she had fought to keep her two lives separate and how they had invaded her safe normal life --tainting it and making it theirs. There were too many of them. She was going to die here on her birthday.

Then, in the next instant they were upon her. The stake she gripped in her hand like a lifeline was wrenched away from her and quickly disappeared. In the next instant she was knocked over from the side and as the air rushed out of her she glanced up. At the elaborate candelabra that her mother had insisted on buying. The one that she had bragged about having the most and brightest candles that you have ever seen. The one with the candles flickering so hot and bright.

She mustered all her strength and took a desperate leap at the rope holding up the candelabra. Pulling out the knife sheaved to her ankle she quickly cut the rope. It seemed to fall in slow motion and they were upon her again. Then, with a great crack the candelabra hit the ground the flames licking eagerly at anything and everything in its wake.

The sight gave her hope. She would not die here. Working solely on instinct she fought and clawed her way to a window and dove outside. Quickly finding a makeshift stake she set to killing anything that made it outside. And she stayed that way long past when all movement had ceased. She stared unblinking at the roaring flames, the echoes of screams still ringing in her ears. She was covered from head to toe in dirt, soot, and blood. Her once grand dress was torn beyond repair.

She had won--but she didn't feel like she had. She had lost all that she knew and loved that night and there was no getting it back. Her life had changed forever and it would never ever be the same again.

She didn't cry for her parents--she barely knew them. They had always been off doing their own thing while she was left in the care of Mrs. Pierce. Her Watcher had been like a mother to her--much more so then her real mother had ever been. She had always been there for her through the worst of everything. Teaching her when she was just a little child, guiding her as a Potential, and helping her through the excitement and fears of being Chosen. The Council was sure to send another Watcher now- -but she wanted no other. No one could ever take the place of Mrs. Pierce.

Then there was Kit. Her best friend with his ready wit and goofy smile. She doubted she could ever find a truer friend...

But now they were all gone--turned to dust and mixed with the ashes of her old life. She knew that she could never go back to that now--back to the parties where the most that anyone worried about was the latest fashions. She had come to loath them and their frivolities...and yet desperately wished to be like them--to have no other worry than what color of dress she should wear. But she had seen too much. She knew what lurked in the shadows outside the brightly lit drawing rooms and could no longer pretend that she didn't. She had been foolish to believe that they would stay there in the shadows--that she could slip out of her role as the Slayer as easily as she changed her clothes...

She didn't know how long she stood there--watching the flames consume all she had ever known. When the flames started to die down, she finally turned away. The life of Lady Johanna Lunsford was over--and she hadn't a clue what to do now.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she tensed. But it was only a hat rolling in the wind. A brown bowler hat. Perhaps it was time to start a new life. One that she and Kit had often dreamed about...

PRESENT DAY

JD shook her head to rid it of memories. It did no good to linger on the past. She had a feeling that it would take all she had to get out of her present situation alive. After all, she was nowhere near the top of her game. And there was no way that her losing her powers was a coincidence. But now was not the time to think about the consequences of that thought. Holding her breath she slowly stepped away from the door--there was no getting out that way. Her eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness and she strained her ears for any sound of movement. Powers or no she was still the Slayer and she would find a way out.
Or die trying, she thought grimly.