"What do you mean you can't find anything?" Buffy stood in Giles' house with her hands on her hips. How could he not know? Had he not consulted his books? She did not understand. If Giles consulted his books, that meant there was an answer, there had to be, and yet, there he stood empty handed. She was starting to stress.

"Buffy…I, I don't know what to say. We have turned this library inside out, completely dissected my books. There is no vampire or demon with an M.O. even remotely close to this. Not a single one. I have no clue where to look or what to do. I could consult the council, but after the Faith incident I assumed that you wouldn't want them involved." As he took his glasses of and rubbed them clean on his sweater, she could see the tension in his brow. Even Giles was stumped.

"I've been looking for a revealing spell strong enough to give us some information, but I'm gonna need your help Buff." Willow flipped her hair out of her face and handed the thick, leather-bound spell book to Tara. "I think I can whip something up….but I need demon blood. Vamp or traditional, it doesn't matter. I know it's asking a lot, but would Spike be willing?" Willow stared at the ground biting her lip, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I s'pose I could contribute." Spike closed the door as he walked into the tiny house. "At least I'll be doing something constructive." He dropped his leather duster on the floor and collapsed onto the tattered couch. She could see the frustration on his face, she knew that he felt useless.

"Ohhh! Thank you Spike! With your blood, I'm positive it'll work!" Willow clapped her hands and turned on her heel towards Giles' cabinets to raid them for ingredients, even though she knew she was going to have to go to the Magic Box for almost everything she needed…most people don't have eye of newt just hanging around their kitchen.

Right when the mood was finally starting to lift, Giles came through the hallway with a heavy expression. Buffy had heard the phone ring, but didn't think twice about it. Now she was regretting how inobservant she had been.

"What's wrong Giles?" Buffy knew something was off. "Who was that on the phone?"

"That was the council. Apparently they got wind of the events from the past week, and they too are…alarmed, to say the least." He shook his head, "They have

also been keeping tabs on the police reports from the crime scenes, and they found something out…it's strange to say the least, but nothing short of interesting."

"Well? Tell us!" she didn't mean to cut him off, but she was just so stressed out, she couldn't help it.

"A man was murdered last night, a convict, not someone anyone will miss, but a human just the same. But, while the murderer was in his house, his wife came home. She said she saw a man plunge out of their window…but he left his bag behind, and in it was a, a blood slide." Giles shook his head once more, standing there in disbelief. "I just don't understand, why?"

"So, wait a sec. This sicko is takin' freakin' blood slides?!" Xander looked disgusted as he squirmed in his seat.

"So the poor bloake is collectin' the blood? What in the actual hell?" Spike spat at the sink, looking appalled.

"That's it. Why? Just why?" Buffy paced around the living room. "Blood slides? No. This vamp was probably sadistic before we even got our hands on him. A Lost cause. I have to stop this. The fact that he's taking trophies shows how sadistic he is, it's not okay. Not at all." She turned on her heel and ran to the weapons trunk and loaded down her knap sack.

"And where are you going?" Giles asked as he looked down over his glasses.

"To slay." And with that, Buffy stomped out of his door.