((I do not own Buffy or the X-Men))

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Chapter 5: "On the town"

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She walked alone down the lamp-lit streets checking signs and a map periodically for direction. Had she known better, she wouldn't have. But she didn't know that her behavior marked her like a red halo, she looked a lot like prey.

Kitty stopped at a corner leading toward a long side-street. The bronze was just two blocks away according to her map, so she tucked it into her back pocket and walked briskly down the alley.

A loud noise, she jumped. A black cat crossed her path and mewed at her as her heart slowed back to it's regular pace.

"Cats." she rolled her eyes at herself. Sunneydale wasn't New-York, it was a quiet little suburb, a suburb with a surprising amount of industry but a suburb none-the-less.

Thump thumpa thump, thumpa thump thumpa thumpathumpa...

The music led her toward her destination. Audible from a block away in the business district, she followed the pounding rhythm to another back alley-way. There was a door with a sign over it that read "Bronze" but no security guard or line to get in. Well... how crowded did she expect it to be in a small town on a Thursday night?

Kitty covered half the alley in a few strides before the hair on the back of her neck began to tingle. Someone was watching her.

She pretended to drop something and looked around, checking behind her in the reflection of an old hub-cap. No one.

"Really kitty, your getting downright paranoid, get a grip on yours..." her thoughts were jolted from her mind as a strong hand grabbed the back of her neck and slammed her face-first into a wall.

Kitty tried to cry out but another strong hand reached around and covered her mouth, then her assailant turned her forcefully around.

It was a woman, dark haired and beautiful, but ever so pale. She held kitty against the wall easily, fixing her with a hungry, seductive stare.

Kitty bit down hard on the hand over her mouth but the woman didn't budge, she just smiled. Kitty had the distinct impression she may have enjoyed it.

"Ahhhh... " said the woman "...A fighter... I love it when the try to fight..."

The woman leaned in close and licked Kittie's ear. Kitty winced at the intimacy of it.

"Do me a favor darling..." the woman purred "... scream for me won't you?"

Kitty tried to scream, she honestly did, as the woman flung her head back, her face distorting into that of a cruel fanged creature with horrid yellowed eyes.

The woman-thing leaned forward, her mouth open and salivating. Kitty closed her eyes tight. The woman bit down. Then cried out.

"I BIT MMMA TONGUE!" she stammered as she stepped back covering her now bleeding mouth.

Another figure appeared behind Kitties assailant as she dropped to the ground massaging her unblemished throat.

"HWW DID YOU DOO THT!" the woman ranted in shock.

Then, it seemed almost dreamlike. A piece of wood stuck out through the woman-creatures chest, she screamed the horrific terrified scream of the dying, then exploded into a shower of crumbling dust shaped like a human skeleton.

Kitty skittered back against the wall, reaching around for something to use as a weapon. The shadowy figure stepped forward through the dust.

Kitty tried not to wince, reminding herself to keep her head.

A hand reached out toward her in a gesture of aid. Kitty waited a moment, reminding herself to breath... then hesitantly took the hand.

It was cold, strong, but very cold. The figure helped her to her feet, and, still holding her hand gently, stepped into the light.

It was a man, a beautiful man in a black trench-coat, his eyes were piercing and his gaze seemed to be going right through her into her very soul.

Kitty shuddered and the man released her hand, stepping backward reflexively. He was turning to leave.

"W... wait... " Kitty stuttered. "... I... what was that?"

The man didn't speak at first, just fixed her with his piercing eyes for a minute. Finally the deep melancholy voice lilted toward her "Do you really want to know?"

Kitty thought about it for a second, then nodded.

"A vampyre."

Kitty felt like sitting down again. After a moment she brushed the hair out of her face and asked "Who are you?"

The man paused for a second time. "A vampyre."

There was a wooshing sound and the shadowy figure was gone.

Kitty stood in the alley for a few minutes before turning to the door and the thumpa thumpa. All of a sudden inside felt like a good place to be, and she had a strange longing for the streets of New York City.

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A shorty but a goody. Sorry for the lag in update :D