Okay, I was not able to post BEFORE leaving home (for my holiday), but I'm posting from my hotel in Amsterdam!
It was a LONG flight, but at least it was non-stop! Arrived here in the Netherlands at 930am on 9/14 (after being awake since 4am 9/13). I'm not sure how many hours that is with the time difference. Haha. Took the train from the airport to our hotel and dumped off our stuff, then hit the streets and wandered around...FREAKING EXHAUSTED! Took a canal cruise...not sure that was a good idea, the rocking of the boat just made us want to NAP! Haha. Still, it was fun. Then we had some food (bitterballs, Dutch pancakes, fries with mayo) and drink (beer x3)! Then went back to hotel and collapsed...at around 4pm. Of course, that means I woke up at 2am. Sun's just now starting to rise, so another day begins.
Anyway...here's the chapters I'd hoped to give you yesterday! Thanks for reading!
Chapter Thirty-four
"Highgate Cemetery"
"Okay. So, I skimmed the intel, but...what's the full sitch here?" Buffy said after they'd been dropped off in front of Highgate's main entrance. The driver had frowned at their choice of drop off location—especially so late in the day—but left as soon as he'd been paid and didn't give them a second glance as he sped away on Swain's Lane.
Edna frowned. "Excuse me?"
Buffy turned her gaze from the cemetery's imposing west entrance and looked at the older woman. Well, older than Buffy woman, as Edna wasn't that old. At just forty-two, she was roughly the same age that Giles was when Buffy had gone to meet the Master, she realized as she looked at her Watcher's grandmother. But, to a girl who was only fifteen going on sixteen, that seemed ancient!
"You know, the situation. The state of affairs here. The circumstances surrounding today's memorial park mission." Buffy shrugged. "Like...does the Council really want me to just have a look-see?" she asked as she folded her arms over her chest and looked once again at the building in front of them—which was already starting to fall into the shadows as the sun slowly faded behind it. "I mean, if we find them, am I really supposed to just...hide and take notes? Because, I'm not much of a note-taker."
Edna chuckled a bit. "Why am I not surprised," she said—it was a statement rather than a question—causing the girl to huff at the obvious dig. "No Buffy. The Slayer is always supposed to vanquish vampires and destroy demons if at all possible. If we do encounter any, you are free to terminate them."
"Hmm. That's good, because I'm not sure I'll be capable of resisting a little pokeage if we find any."
Despite the girl's odd verbiage, Edna understood her meaning and nodded as she continued to study the Slayer. She was a true slayer—she wouldn't be able to help herself, if the opportunity to eliminate evil presented itself—but she was different as well. The Watcher thought the witch in the girl might be able to resist the nature of a slayer—that the nature of the witch might call her to use her magic instead. And Edna knew that this girl's magic differed from that of Lavinia and Sophronia's. But how different is it? the Watcher wondered as she eyed the girl.
"It is my understanding that you're...looking for something that could be used to create a wand for your use," she said, hoping to collect more information about Buffy Summers—and her sort of witchcraft.
Buffy frowned. "You're extremely well informed for someone not of the wizarding world...as well as being someone who's displeased with my new status in said community."
Edna pursed her lips, then shrugged. "It may not be an ideal situ—"
"For the Council, I'd imagine," Buffy cut in.
Edna pursed her lips at the interruption. "But the Council does want to assist you, Miss Summers."
Buffy hmm'd again. "And use me," she said.
Edna frowned. "I believe we could both be of use to the other."
Buffy shrugged. "I suppose," she said, her eyes going up to the sky as she wondered about the length of time they had before it was truly dark. She was still becoming accustomed to timing here and didn't always know when darkness would fall.
"So tell me...what do you need?" asked the Watcher.
With a sigh, Buffy turned to face the closed gate in front of them. "If I knew that, Edds, I'd have already procured it."
Edna sighed at the nickname. "Must you call me that?" she grumbled.
Buffy turned and grinned at the woman, then shrugged. "Term of endearment?" she said hoping Edna Giles accepted it.
Instead, the woman huffed, clearly annoyed.
"I could call you Auntie instead," Buffy said next, smirking when Edna's nose wrinkled up.
"I don't think my sisters would be too pleased by that," said Edna. Nor would Edmund, she decided—but kept that to herself. Neither one of them needed any verbal reminders of his feelings for the Slayer.
Yeah, but...it would be funny," Buffy said. "I mean, if they're my aunts, then, by extension...so are you, right? I'll have to let my mom know she has three more sisters...living in London...in 1942...when I get home to 1997." Buffy stopped there, her heart clenching with melancholy at the thought of her mother. It had only been two weeks since she'd seen her, but it felt like two years.
"If you return home," Edna corrected.
Buffy sighed. "Professor Dumbledore seems confident that they'll figure it out, so... when I go home," Buffy said firmly.
"And what about the people you'll leave here?" Edna asked.
"What about those I've already left behind?" Buffy countered. "My mom, my friends... Giles. I worry everyday about what my disappearance has done to them. It will be hard to leave here...of course it will be, but...I'll have to go when the time comes."
Edna nodded. She understood, but would Edmund understand when that time came? And the orphan boy...would he understand? And what would both boys do after the Slayer had left them? And what would losing Buffy do to her sisters?
"So, this is Highgate," Buffy stated plainly, her eyes going up to the pointed tower over the entrance gate. "Fancy shmancy."
"This is the gatehouse to Highgate Cemetery. It links the two Gothic style mortuary chapels," Edna explained, gesturing at the buildings on either side of the Tudor archway in front of them. "It is much more modest than the enormous neoclassical entrance at Kensal Green."
Buffy continued to stare up at it in awe. "I'm...impressed," she said with a nod. "We have twelve cemeteries in Sunnydale—which should be a testament to the evil surrounding the place—but I haven't seen one quite like this. Are there crypts and mausoleums and stuff in there?" She pointed at the gate.
Edna nodded. "Yes. As well as catacombs and...other stuff," she said, using the Slayer's wording.
"Nice," Buffy said—then turned and smirked at the Watcher. "Looks like we're making a little progress at getting you loosened up."
At this, Edna scowled—causing Buffy to chuckle at how quickly the Watcher's face scrunched up. "Still so touchy though. Where's your stiff upper lip?"
Edna's eyes narrowed, but she didn't comment.
"Well, let's get this party started, shall we?" Buffy said as she rubbed her palms together, then walked up to the gate and gave it a tempered slayer push. As the gate swung open, it produced a creepy horror movie creaking sound, causing Buffy to shiver a bit. Not that she was frightened by it. Not at all. It was just that the metal on metal squeal was like fingernails on a chalkboard to her. "Definitely in need of some WD-40 here," she said as she sidled through.
On the other side of the gatehouse, Buffy stood on a broad gravel road and looked around. The space inside appeared much more open than she'd expected it to be.
Directly in front of her, across the road, stood a colonnade—with fifteen archs, Buffy noted after counting them—and two winding paths leading off on either side of it. At the head of the path to her right stood a huge white cross. For a moment Buffy studied it, then she walked purposefully toward the colonnade—and the brick-walled stone staircase that lead up and into the grounds.
As she ascended the stairs, she could hear the soft twitter of birds in the trees. It was the only indication of life in the graveyard so far and it was peaceful.
Behind her, Edna followed silently, watching—as she had been trained to do—and letting the Slayer take the lead.
At the top of the stairs, Buffy glanced around again. Another large stone cross marked a grave on her right—and another beside it and behind it. There were, in fact, crosses everywhere. Some were enormous and elaborately-carved marble, others smaller and made of crumbling stone. And there was everything in between, the colors ranging from very light to gray to very dark; there were even a few in red.
It very much looked like a cemetery, though quite unlike the ones Buffy had visited before. Here, the graves were extremely close together—almost bunched up—whereas, at home, they were spread out, more sprawling. Obviously space was lacking here.
On the ground in between the graves—and all around them—were all sorts of foliage, ranging from ivy growing on the ground and up the trees to leaves that had fallen from the canopy of trees above to the shrubs that were in desperate need of a trimming. There was even moss growing up the trees and on some of the tombstones.
"It's a bit overgrown," Buffy commented as she walked, her eyes taking it all in.
Nodding curtly, Edna looked around and said, "Yes, it is in serious disrepair. I believe that, for the most part, Highgate has been left to its own devices. I haven't been here for quite some time. It is...more run down than I thought it would be. But then, there is a war on."
Buffy nodded, accepting the explanation. She'd seen the effects of what the war had done to the city and she wasn't surprised that less effort had been taken in a cemetery where none of the occupants were likely to complain. Obviously, there were other priorities, at the moment, and tending graves was not at the top of the list.
Briefly, Buffy wondered about the afterlife and where the souls of the deceased went after leaving this life. Were there ghosts hanging about that she couldn't see? She'd read about ghosts in one of her school books and it sounded like they'd be visible to her—if they wanted to be seen.
"Well, now I understand why vampires might find this place appealing," Buffy commented, giving an indiscernible nod. "It's mucho creepy here and they have the run of the place." She sighed. "We should hurry. It's getting late and..." She tapped her wrist they way someone would if they wore a wristwatch. "Time is money...so to speak."
Edna frowned. "It's still early. We have at least two hours of light." She glanced up at the sky, which was intermittently obscured by trees, and frowned again. She'd chosen this time, so that they could investigate and then get out before actual darkness fell. It seemed they'd need to move more quickly than planned. "Perhaps only an hour and a half."
Buffy stopped and looked at the Watcher. "I'm sure you know that, in a shadowy place like this, they'll be out long before dark. And once it is dark, without a flashlight, we'll struggle to get out of here."
Edna gave a clipped nod. She'd brought a torch—in case of emergency—but they had to avoid using it because of the blackout. "I trust you."
Buffy's eyes went wide. "You do?"
"Of course. You are the Slayer."
Buffy scoffed. "I am just... a slayer in this time," she countered. "And you don't even know me. Or like me." Huffing, she threw her arms up and spun around and continued on the path. "Though, what's not to like, I'll never know. I'm perfectly delightful."
Edna sighed. "I don't dislike you, Miss Summers," she said, following.
"Could've fooled me," Buffy said with a snort of derision.
"I just have never known anyone like you," said Edna.
Buffy barked out a laugh. "Translation...someone out of your control," she said, studying the graves on either side of the path as she walked. Some were flat stone raised above ground level, others were traditional upright tombstones at the head of a tangle of weeds growing through what had started out as a plain dirt patch—and some had overly large angels, obelisks, crosses, or sun crosses marking the grave.
Edna watched the girl as she took in the cemetery. She appeared casual in her perusal of the place, but the Watcher could tell that every look was purposeful, every move calculated. The girl saw everything and Edna was impressed despite herself.
It did not seem to bother Buffy that they were alone in a cemetery or that it was approaching sunset. Or that the area was largely overgrown, making it appear more disturbing than it actually was. In fact, it looked as if the girl took it all in and saw the beauty in the eerie atmosphere. The Slayer clearly felt at home here—completely at ease—just as a slayer should.
"Where are we going anyway?" Buffy asked after a few minutes.
Not wanting to give away more information than she needed, Edna frowned. Then, changing her mind, she sighed—and silently reminded herself to trust the Slayer. Shrugging, she said, "I'm following your lead, Miss Summers. Go wherever you will."
Buffy glanced over her shoulder. "I didn't think following was in your nature, Mrs Giles. Tell me, is this following Council-approved or just Edna-sanctioned?" she asked with a smirk.
Edna harrumphed but didn't say anything.
After several minutes of walking in silence, Buffy stopped and looked up. "Wow. Look at this monstrosity!" she exclaimed. Before her rose a cross that was well over five feet tall, on a pedestal that was nearly the same height. It towered over them. Biting her lip as she inspected the grave marker. "Now, why would a vampire choose to live here?" the Slayer said, throwing her hand up at the huge cross.
Tsking, Edna shook her head. "Vampires are not alive, Buffy," she corrected.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I am well aware, but...thanks for the reminder. You know what I meant though, right? I mean... come on, if I were allergic to say, cats, I wouldn't reside with like...hundreds of them. There may even be thousands of these things here and they're like poison to them." Gesturing up at the goliath before her, she shook her head. "I just don't get it."
"It does seem rather ludicrous when you put it that way," said Edna.
"Right?! And, if they're so good at manipulating people, then why don't they find a way to make money...or steal it...and live lavishly? Or say, kill off a family and stay in their house. Not that I'm suggesting they should do that, mind you, but...I'm sure there are plenty of people who wouldn't be missed for some time should that occur."
Edna looked around and frowned. She'd never quite thought about the living situation of vampires before, mostly because they weren't actually living, but Buffy had a point. She would make a note of it in her journal and research the topic. Were there any vampires who chose to exist in the midst of the human population? Could they be capable of it?
"This can't be comfortable," Buffy continued.
"I don't believe comfort is a priority for the undead, Buffy," Edna said.
Buffy frowned. "Perhaps not, but...still."
She thought about Angel. He'd once mentioned that he had a place that was not completely underground—that it was a basement apartment and poorly lit and very tiny. It was her understanding that most vampires weren't interested in living above ground, so unless they chose the sewers—which was just gross—a cemetery with crypts and catacombs would be perfect. Or at least acceptable.
"Where are the tombs and mausoleums?" Buffy asked.
"There's one not far ahead," said Edna. "At the fork in the path. Or rather, just before the fork in the path."
Buffy nodded and hurried forward, interested to see how it compared to what she'd seen in other cemeteries.
At the crypt, Buffy frowned at the open doors. "Are they always left open like this?" she asked as she stepped tentatively forward to peer inside. She couldn't see much.
Edna shrugged. "I doubt it," she said. "Perhaps someone came to pay their respects and forgot to close it."
Buffed hmm'd. "Hello? Anyone awake in there?" she called out—the volume of her voice and subsequent echo causing the Watcher to cringe. Not expecting any sort of response, however, the Slayer started down the stairs—she counted ten of them—the dirt on the steps crunching as she descended into the darkening crypt.
Behind her, Edna pulled out a stake—and her torch—and followed.
At the bottom of the steps, Edna turned on her torch and shined it around the crypt. The walls were lined with shelves—a few of them containing a wooden coffin or two—but there wasn't really anywhere for a vampire to hide unless it had retreated into one of the coffins and, in Buffy's experience, vampires didn't use coffins—or hide, for that matter.
"Nobody's here, except General Sir Loftus Otway CB and company," said the Slayer, pouting a bit as her eyes did another sweep of the tomb.
"You were hoping there would be?" Edna asked.
Buffy shrugged. "We're out hunting, aren't we? Might as well have a reason to be here."
Edna frowned at the girl's cavalier attitude, but stowed her stake and followed the Slayer up and out. "We aren't hunting, Buffy," she said as she took the steps. "We're on reconnaissance."
Buffy snorted. "I'm always hunting," she said. "Or at least on the lookout."
Edna nodded. "Constant vigilance," she said, thinking it a good thing.
Buffy nodded emphatically. "Exactly," she said—then eyed Edna Giles. "Keeping that in mind, don't you think you should keep your weapon in hand?"
Edna pursed her lips. "My weapon is always hunting, remember?" she said with a smirk—causing Buffy to chuckle.
"Touché," said the Slayer.
"Besides, don't think for a moment that I've only brought you and one stake." She opened her jacket to reveal several well-placed weapons.
Buffy nodded. "Edmund is...a chip off the old block," she said. "I'm impressed."
Edna grinned—and it was the first true look on the woman's face.
"Alrighty then," the Slayer said as she shut the crypt's double doors and started walking on the path again. "Looks like we're ready."
After walking in silence for a short time, Buffy spoke. "The floor was pretty," she commented. "It always amazes me the care that's taken in some of the crypts. I mean, the coffins were a bit trashed and the whole place could use a makeover, but the mosaic tile on the floor was nice."
Edna snorted.
"What?" Buffy asked, turning to look at the Watcher, but still walking—backward.
"Leave it to you to find beauty a graveyard," Edna said with a shake of her head.
Buffy laughed. "What isn't beautiful about this place? I mean, aside from all the dead people." She smirked. "It's so...peaceful here."
"It's interesting that you are able to put a positive spin on a tiny underground room that is full of coffins," the woman said.
Buffy shrugged. "Gotta stay positive," she said as she turned forward again. "And I didn't just mean the Mr Otway's family crypt, I meant this entire place; the overall symmetry makes it very pleasing to the eye. Like art."
Edna Hmm'd—then glanced around and, listening to the birds chirping, nodded. "It is peaceful," she admitted. "Do you enjoy art?"
Buffy shrugged. "My mother runs the art gallery in Sunnydale. She's had some rather interesting pieces."
After they'd walked for a bit there was another fork in the path. The Slayer stopped and looked in all directions—and Edna watched to see which way the girl would choose. She appeared undecided, but Edna was sure she was just taking it all in.
Glancing both left and right, Buffy continued forward, on the path that gently curved to the right. She didn't quite know what she was looking for, only that she was searching and would know it when she saw it. There were always signs when there was vampire activity.
To one side, there was an ascending embankment, every yard seemingly occupied by the dead—but no vampires.
Yet.
At the next fork, Buffy hardly stopped at all—they had arrived at Egyptian Avenue. It was here that the hair on the back of her neck rose.
"We are not alone anymore," Buffy whispered.
Edna looked around, but saw nothing. "Are you sure?"
Buffy nodded. "Positive."
"This the entrance to the Circle of Lebanon," Edna said. "I'm a little surprised that they're here. I had my money on the Cutting Catacombs, which are...more out of the way and largely unoccupied."
Buffy shrugged. "Maybe just out for a stroll?"
Edna rolled her eyes. "Vampires don't stroll, Buffy," she drawled.
"Sure we do," came an amused voice from somewhere ahead of them.
Edna immediately pulled out her stake and brandished it—though she could not see anything ahead of them just yet.
Buffy, on the other hand, didn't bother. Instead, she signaled the Watcher to follow as she slowly crept forward through the somewhat darker tunnel. She would have liked to inspect as she went—she counted eight iron doors on each side of the tunnel—but that was no longer an option.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to hang around when there's a slayer on the loose?" Buffy inquired, her tone steady—and quiet, because the creature didn't require volume to hear her.
Silence.
When Buffy and Edna reached the end of the tunnel and entered the interior circular space, they turned when they saw movement to their right—and saw a figure ahead that was keeping to the shadows.
"It was our understanding that Ms Winters was not in this country," said the shadowy figure as he stepped forward and became just slightly more visible.
Our, Buffy noted as she watched the figure move some more—he almost glided, his movement was so fluid—this time stepping into full view. He was extremely tall, with very dark, shoulder-length hair, and a very pale complexion—which was not surprising. And very good-looking. Why did vampires always have to be so handsome?! she wondered.
"Hmm. You're not wrong," the Slayer said, her eyes going to Edna—who looked ready for anything. Mildly impressed—because she was more used to Giles bumbling about—she looked at the man in front of them and continued to study him. He looked somewhat confused.
"I'm not?" he asked, his eyes going up to the sky.
Buffy studied him as he squinted up at the indirect light—it obviously still pained him.
"How is it that you can be in both places, Slayer?" he asked, turning his eyes on her again. "And...who is this one?"
"She is...my Watcher," said Buffy. Even from a distance, she could see the redness of the vampire's eyes. They almost glowed. "You know what a Watcher is, right silly vampire?"
The vampire scowled at her demeaning tone, but did not answer.
"Buffy, don't antagonize it," Edna hissed.
Buffy chortled—causing the creature to narrow its eyes.
"Buffy?" it queried, cocking its head. "Is that short for something? Elizabeth, perhaps?"
Buffy scoffed. "Um. No. Why do people think that?"
"It's not a person, Buffy," Edna corrected.
The creature frowned and spoke again—but did not address the Slayer's question or her Watcher's comment. "We were told the Slayer's name was Elizabeth Winters—"
"Told by whom?" Buffy interrupted.
The vampire studied the Slayer. "Does it matter?"
Buffy shrugged. "I suppose not," she said. "But I gotta say, your sources suck."
"So you are not Elizabeth Winters..." it said, apparently needing to verify.
"I am not! Nor am I Buffy Winters, but...Winters...Summers...whatever?" Buffy said, giving a dismissive wave as she took purposeful steps in the vampire's direction. "A slayer's a slayer, right? And...what's in a name anyway?"
Behind her, Edna looked around. There didn't appear to be any others close by, but then...she hadn't known this one was close until Buffy said it was and it had appeared.
The vampire looked up at the sky again, then stepped completely from the shadows—the sun was no longer glaring down into the circle.
"You're a new one then," it stated.
Buffy shrugged. "Something like that and yet...not," she denied. "Come on then, show us your game face, so we can do this thing." Still, she did not pull out a weapon.
It just stared at her—causing Buffy to sigh.
"Gawd, I hate it when they want to talk first," she said, her eyes staying on the vampire as she spoke to Edna. "Some of them can be so chatty. All without actually saying anything. It's exhausting!" Squaring her shoulders, she addressed the vampire again. "Okay. Let's see. Hi there, I'm Buffy Summers and...you are? Please don't say Vladimir."
The vampire blinked, then cocked his head. "No one you know, little slayer," he said condescendingly.
Buffy shrugged. "You know who I am, so...fairs fair, right?"
"Life isn't fair," it responded.
"Aww, still mourning the loss of your life?" Buffy countered, taking a few steps closer. She could see now that its eyes were not actually red. Instead, they were just dark and glassy, but seriously red-rimmed—which had given her the impression that they were red themselves.
"It has been a very, very long time since I had a life," it said, drawing nearer.
Buffy nodded. "See, now we're getting somewhere," she said. "I don't have your name yet, but I do know you're an old geezer. Which should have been totally obvo by that ancient trechy duster thing you're wearing there." She gestured at his coat as she looked him up and down. "Where are all your buddies, not Vlad?"
"Out for a stroll," the vampire said, almost amused.
Edna snorted. "For a meal, more likely."
The vampire smirked. "Perhaps that would be more accurate."
"Perhaps you ought to have gone with them!" Edna snapped.
"And you stayed behind, because...?" Buffy pushed.
It shrugged. "I sensed that my meal would be coming to me."
"Arrogant son of a bitch!" Edna cursed.
"Now, now, Eddy," Buffy chided. "They can't seem to help themselves. I think it comes with loss of soul."
The vampire glared—as did Edna for what she'd been called.
"Oh! That's a sore spot as well, huh?" Buffy realized. "Hmm. Unusual."
"Impossible," Edna corrected. "It doesn't care about losing its soul, Buffy. It prefers it that way and it's trying to trick you."
"Impossible," Buffy said. "This one's not enough of a trickster to best me. I will trounce him if he tries"
The vampire smirked. "Who's the arrogant one now?"
Buffy shrugged. "I call it like I see it...Vlady," she said. "Besides, I assure you I'm quite good. You won't even know what hit you."
The vampire was now fairly close and Buffy could see the dark circles under its eyes—and that he was intrigued by her.
"You are American," it said. "Like the Winters slayer."
"Again with the takesies and no givesies," she said, pouting a bit.
"These are rare times for an American girl to be out walking around London," the vampire said. "Even for a slayer."
Buffy gave a short nod. "True. But here I am." She shrugged.
The vampire cocked its head. "Why are you here?"
Buffy shrugged. "Why are you here?"
"I live here," it said.
Behind Buffy, Edna snorted.
"We're just out taking a gander," Buffy responded. "You know, seeing what's the what here." She waved her hand in a small arc, gesturing about the cemetery, then reached into a pocket and pulled out a long narrow piece of wood and twiddled it a bit—causing a few sparks to light up the growing darkness—then poked it into her ponytail. "But I think that's enough of the questions, don't you?"
Frowning, the vampire eyed the wood sticking through in her hair. "That's not a very large stake," it commented, shifting backward a step.
"Oh. This old thing?" Buffy said, flicking her fingers up at the wand she'd stuck in her ponytail—then pulling out a real stake and brandishing it threateningly. "Just a back up."
The vampire's eyes narrowed as he took another step away from the Slayer.
"Tell you what though," Buffy continued, "give me a few strands of your hair and I'll let you go."
"Buffy!" Edna burst. "You cannot do that!"
Buffy didn't respond to the Watcher except to hold up a quieting hand. Instead, she kept her eyes on the vampire. "I won't even pursue you later...if you're a good little boy and promise not to feed on any people."
Edna huffed. "You know it won't be able to stop itself," she hissed.
The vampire eyed her stake—and the stick in her hair—and then took several more steps away from her. "You are willing to allow me to walk away from you without a fight to the death."
Edna huffed again. "You're already dead!" she snapped.
Buffy shrugged. "If you give me what I want, then..."
"I could just kill you," it said—then glanced behind the Slayer. "And her."
"You could try," Buffy countered, smirking with confidence. "But if you do try, I promise that I'll take what I want from you anyway and then dust you."
"You are...an odd slayer," the vampire said.
"Isn'tthat the truth!" Edna grumbled.
"Will you willingly give me what I'm asking for?" Buffy asked.
The vampire studied the Slayer for a few moments, then dipped its head to accept the bargain. "I will."
Buffy grinned, then held out her hand.
Again, the vampire studied her, then reached up and ran pale, long-nailed fingers through its hair—extracting the strands she had asked for. For a moment, he looked at the hair, curious at the Slayer's interest.
"I do not know why aslayer would want vampire hair, but if it keeps you away from me, then...I willingly offer it to you," it said as it extended its hand and dropped the hair into the Slayer's outstretched hand—then quickly moved away, almost into the shadows again.
"Thanks!" Buffy said. "And remember your promise, because...well, the Slayer is in town, so..." She shrugged. "Go tell your friends."
"Vampires don't have friends, Buffy," Edna snarled and the vampire said—in unison—the vampire's voice coming from a distance as it quickly jumped up onto the top of the catacombs and disappeared from their sight completely.
Buffy snorted.