By David MycockWalking the Path 13/
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the vampire slayer or any other of the characters in this story they belong to Joss Whedon and whoever else created the characters used in this story. Any characters I created I own.
Pairing: Janna Kalderdash/Xander Harris
Summary: Set after the love spell episode. Xander begins to walk his own path after leaning of his true origins. This also has a twist from the love spell episode with Xander actually sleeping with Jenny during the spell and the reactions from the rest of the group.
Xander walked side by side with Kendra through Oak Ridge cemetery feeling anticipation running through his veins, he really hope to come face to face with Angelus tonight and from the look of the African slayer's face she hoped so as well.
Behind them came Mr Sabuto and Janna both armed with crossbows as they had agreed and behind them bringing up the rear were Sarah and Amy also armed with crossbows and stakes as was everyone else. Xander and Mr Sabuto were also armed with swords even though the group bar Janna and Sarah did not Xander's sword was magical.
Xander came to a halt as something moved ahead of the group, he pulled his sword and instantly felt the magic once again course through his body only this time he did not feel the presence try and penetrate his mind.
"What is it?" Kendra asked as she withdrew a stake
"I'm not sure yet" Xander replied as he moved forward holding his sword in a guard position
Suddenly two vampires charged out of the nearby tome straight for them, Xander swung his sword outwards catching the first one cutting it deeply in its chest whilst the second was dusted by Mr Sabuto's crossbow who then quickly reloaded
"Are we clear?" Janna asked looking around as Amy and Sarah raised their own crossbows
"No not by a long shot" a snide voice came out of the darkness as seven more vampires walked towards them led by a tall blond haired vampire they did not recognise
"And you would be?" Xander asked annoyed that Angelus wasn't leading them
"The one who will gain Angelus's favour when I bring him your head on a platter" the vampire responded with a cocky grin "The word has gone out that whoever can kill you will become his right hand man and that will be me" he added
"What's a matter dead boy too afraid to come out and do it himself" Xander taunted as he shifted his position ready to jump into the attack as Kendra moved to cover him prepared as well
"Taunting Angelus is not a wise thing to do human" another voice spat as a second group of seven vampires came into view
"Move into a circle" Mr Sabuto commanded as he quickly assessed the situation
The group quickly reformed their formation making sure they were covering the others; Xander was beginning to get the feeling Angelus was here and was waiting for the group to get tired out before he attacked.
"He's here" Xander finally spoke as the two groups of vampires argued about who would kill them "He's just going to use these guys to tire us out and then enter the fight" he warned them
"He's a coward" Kendra spat disdainfully
"Janna, Amy prepare some flame spells one to each group" Xander started as he grew tired of the stand off "Mr Sabuto, Sarah cover them" he added "I'll hit the first group, Kendra you have the second one take Mr Sabuto's sword it'll give you better reach" he finished
Kendra looked at him for a few seconds as if unsure of his plan before a nod from Mr Sabuto moved her into action, she quickly took the sword he offered her and prepared to jump the second group who were still arguing with the first group.
"We're ready" Janna whispered as she concentrated on holding the magic she had conjured
"Now" Xander said as he too prepared to jump into the fight
Two fire balls hit both groups killing three vampires on both sides, Sarah and Mr Sabuto both fired their crossbows dusting two more before Xander and Kendra charged into the shocked groups as the others tightened their formation.
Angelus shook his head in frustration as the two groups of vampires began to argue, this was the problem with lackeys as they tended to loose focus on plans when they were hoping to gain positions of power over the others.
Their arguing had given Harris and his group time to come up with a plan and execute it killing eight of the vampires he had hoped would ware down the hunters. He sighed as he signalled to the other vampires he had bought along with him to prepare to engage as Harris and the second slayer killed another two vampires. He looked at the leader of the group and nodded his head, at the signal the large group charged out of cover towards the circle of defenders whilst some of the vampires broke off and headed for Xander and Kendra
Lilith and Adrian stood atop one of the largest crypts in the cemetery their father had said Alexander would be in from his probe of the boy the night before; she reached out with her senses and soon sensed a large group of demonic vampires surrounding a small group of humans. Her eyes snapped open as she realised Alexander and his friends were in a situation they may not escape.
"I found them follow me" She spoke quickly as she once again changed into a flock of bats and headed for where the battle was raging followed a second later by her brother
Xander painfully got back to his feet trying to ignore the pain in his side from where he had taken numerous hits from the new wave of vampires; he jumped away from Angelus right hook as the insane vampire finally joined the fight.
Kendra flew past his position landing in a heap against a headstone; she quickly jumped back to her feet and charged the vampires she was currently fighting not even bothering to think of the pain her boy was currently in helped by the slayer spirit within her.
In the defensive circle Janna had raised a shield to keep the vampires out whilst the others fired both spells and arrows out of it dusting the attack creatures, however keeping the spell up was becoming difficult as she felt her strength begin to drop and she also began to feel sick.
"I can't hold it much longer" she shouted in a stained voice
"Sarah do you think you can power it?" Mr Sabuto asked becoming concerned for their chances of survival
"No I don't have that kind of power" Sarah answered as she fired another flame spell at a charging vampire
"Neither do I" Amy said before she could be asked keeping her focus on the fight
Suddenly two large booms echoed over the cemetery and two vampires were quickly dusted surprising everyone bar Xander and Angelus who continued their fight.
Everyone else looked around for the source of the sound and was shocked to see two figures enter both holding rather large guns in their hands which looked like they had been fired recently; they were dressed in what looked like black armour and long coats with red trimmings. But the most striking features of the pair were their red iris's, the attacking vampires halted to stare at these intruders whilst Janna and the others feared they were about to have even more trouble.
Lilith raised her hand cannon again and fired again dusting another vampire whilst Adrian decided to go for brute force and transformed into his wolf form and charged into the group of vampires closest to the defending circle shocking them even more
Xander growled in pain as he managed to land a blow to Angelus's leg as the vampire grew cocky in his attack, he was tiring fast and he kept loosing his grip on his memories of the skills he had gain when he had been a solider
Angelus suddenly stopped his attack as he looked over Xander's shoulder with a surprised look on his face; Xander turned too and was shocked to see most of the attacking vampires were dead whilst the remaining ones were trying to running away from two strangers
He turned back to face Angelus to see that he had run off two obviously not willing to risk been killed by the new comers as easily as his followers were been killed. He felt relieved that the main fight was over; as much as he wanted to kill Angelus he did not want to die leaving his friends and his lover alone not when they had so much to do. If it was just him he would gladly trade his life for the destruction of Angelus but not now not with so much to loose, he turned to face the two figures as Janna finally let the shield drop unable to power it any longer whilst the others trained their crossbows on them
"Who are you?" Xander asked as he walked over to the group keeping the sword pointing at the new arrivals
"We are here to help you Alexander" Lilith replied as she reloaded her weapons before putting them away as Adrian returned to his normal form
"How do you know my name?" Xander asked as he helped Janna to her feet not noticing the look on her face as she looked at the strangers
"We will explain as much as we can but not here come let us leave this place before your enemy returns with more followers" Adrian replied
"Alex they're okay we can trust them" Janna spoke before anyone else can say anything
"How do you know that?" Mr Sabuto asked
"They're Romany I can feel it in their auras" Janna answered as she began to feel the exsurshtion threaten to overwhelm her
The group stared at the strangers for a few seconds as Xander lifted Janna into his arms to carry her as he saw how tired she was
"Okay we'll come with you" Xander said trusting Janna's advice "I Guess we should at least listen to you after you saved our lives" he added
The others did not look as confident but decided to follow them as well, as Mr Sabuto decided they needed to know who these people were as well as the fact that Xander had a point that without the strangers help they would of eventually have been overwhelmed and then killed.