Agent Fox Mulder (i_want_2) wrote in multi_fiction, @ 2009-01-08 07:52:00 |
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Entry tags: | angel, au, buffy, het, magnificent 7, rated: adult, slash, weekly promotion challenge, x-over |
Fic: Vin Slayer 5/7 The Magnificent Seven/Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Series: The Prophecy of the Seven
Title: Vin Slayer
Author: Lopaka Tanu And Erika Tanner
Disclaimer: I do not own Magnificent Seven or Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Characters: The Seven, Buffy Characters, Steven Travis.
Words:
Fandom: Magnificent Seven/Buffy: The Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Ezra/Chris, Vin/Charlotte, Casey/JD, Vin/JD - Others.
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Language, Violence, Character Death, Sexual Situation.
Summary: Vin is the unexpected victim of chance. Given his actions, he will become an unwilling pawn in the forces of light and dark. This is his story. Part 2 of the Vin Slayer verse.
Author's Note: Unbetaed, so beware. It is one of only four M7 collaborations I ever wrote. The series was never finished, so this has never been posted before.
______________________________________
Here We Go
The master knelt down and extended his hand. Waiting until the Annointed one had come to him, he lowered his head to look him in the eyes. "Your power has finally grown enough, my little one. Are you ready to take on one of our greatest enemies?"
"I am." The Annointed one said looking at him.
"Did you hear that?" The Master stood, raising a hand to the assembled Vampires, Demons, and various others in his cavern. "He is ready! The time of our glory is at hand!"
The assembled ones roared there approval.
Waiting until their cheers had died down, the Master reached down to cup the back of the head of the Annointed one with one hand. "Who will join in his victory? Who here will share in the defeat of the slayer?"
Vampires and demons both stepped forward to help kill the slayer. "We wish to kill the slayer." Spoke up a dark haired vampire. "We will kill that freak of a slayer."
Smiling fondly, the Master waved them down from the heights of the cave. "Now now, no need to call him names, at least not until you are face to face with it."
This brought a roar from the crowd.
"Who else shall join these fine warriors?" Raising his head high, he stared into the ranks of demons. Each of them brandishing swords, daggers, and an assortment of other weapons.
Several demons joined the group along with a few vampires. They came up to the back of the group.
One demon asked. "When do we go?"
Glancing down at his protege, the Master smiled fondly. "Why, now of course."
The Annointed one nodded with an evil grin.
Pushing the child vampire forward, he shouted confidently. "Go, my children, go! Kill that abomination!"
The Annointed One led hte group out of cavern. The group of fifty assorted demons and vampires cheered as they went. The leather bound demons wooped. some of the demons sliced the air in practice motions to cut the slayer down.
The cavern grew quiet as the last of the demons filed out. From his side of the barrier, the Master sighed. "This is the last time any slayer will ever pose a threat to me."
"Why aren't you waiting?" Ella asked.
Looking at her, he gave her his best impression of giddy. "The time is upon us, my most cherished."
"So you change your plans?" Ella looked at him.
Sobering up, he walked back to his throne. "No, the Annointed one and I have consulted the prophicies of Aurelius, the time is almost upon us. This army will not kill him, merely weaken him and then bring this slayer to me."
"I see." Ella said as she stopped at the barrier.
"No, you don't, but that is all right, I shall explain it to you." Rising up from his chair, he walked to the barrier to stand in front of Ella. "The prophicies of Aurelius are written in an ancient book, very rare, very priceless. Your pet... Childe, stole a copy of this from me a little over a year ago to aid the Slayer and her Watcher. The slayer was supposed to come to me then, but she was not in town at the moment and the timing passed. At first, I thought this was a mistake, then I discovered there was more to it. She was the wrong slayer."
"And this slayer is the right one?"
"Yes," he hissed in manic cheeriness. Clearing his throat, the Master brushed a hand against the barrier. "Soon, very soon the slayer will be brought before me. And it is written, 'in the time of the final darkness of the one who is of demon, but not born of demon, the world will know fear. War shall be made upon the gateway to darkness by the children of man, gods, and demon in search for control. When the stars align in the celestial bodies to match the points in their terrestrial homes, the Master shall rise and the Slayer will fall!' Glorious, absolutely beautiful!"
Ella smiled at him, knowing that he was right.
Walking back to his throne, he sat down and crossed his leg, one over the other. "So, tell me about what your Christos has been up to."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josiah put his glasses down, rubbing at his eyes in consternation. "This infernal book!"
Buck walked over the watcher. "what's wrong?"
"I have been trying to get further in my deciphering of this book that Chris brought to me about sixteen months ago." After putting back on his glasses, Josiah picked up the book and flipped through the pages. "Frankly, I had forgotten about it until Vin started riffling through some of Sarah's old belongings. In my anger, I had jerked the box from him and this book fell out. He took one look at it and ran. For a minute, I thought he was going to cry, but I can't be sure. It would make sense, that was a very emotional time for Sarah, for us all really."
"Could he be afraid of the book?" Buck curious as he watched Josiah with the book.
"I don't think there is much that could scare that boy, and this book isn't one of them. These pages deal with the prophicy of the Master and his battle with the slayer. Vin accepts he will die young, he seems to be remarkably well adjusted to that fact, which bothers me." Looking at the pages, Josiah placed a hand to his mouth. His lips moved as he silently read the words to himself. "This doesn't make sense, after this one mention of the Annointed One, there is nothing else written about him."
Buck looked at the page. "Why? Did it say more before?"
"No, in other prophicies he is supposed to be the vampire Messiah." Josiah closed the book in disgust. "There should just be more mention of him is all."
"What does it say about him?" Buck asked wondering.
"It says the Annointed One will arise to lead his people to in battle with Victory. A vague refrence to him being unexpected and his appearance lying about the evil and strength within." Josiah dropped the book in a box of weapons, spiral notebooks, and girls clothes. "For a bloody messiah, there isn't shit about him written!"
"He will win the battle, hopefully it's not against us." Buck committed as he looked at the book in hte box.
"No, I don't think he will." Vin stood in the doorway of the Library's office. Walking over to the box, he reached in and picked out a stake and compared it with one from his jacket. Testing the weight from the one in the box, he tossed it in the air, letting it drop back in the box. "I prefer Mr. Pointy." Holding up the stake from his jacket, he showed Josiah the zigzaged wooden weapon.
"What did you do?" Josiah asked as he looked at the irregular stake.
"Nutting, Dhat stupid gerhl just didn't need et as much as I ded." Ignoring their looks, he replaced the stake in his jacket. "I am going to get something to eat, Josie. If JD comes in ask why I kissed him, tell him he is such a cutsy wutsy puppy and I luvy wuvy him so much! If Casey is with him, make sure she hears. God, I am so sick of the two of them. If I hear it one more time, I am going to have a Diabetic attack!"
Josiah and Buck watched him go."I take it he means the way the two of htem talk." Buck said and truned back toward the box.
"It is rather sickening, I just figured to let them have it while they could." Josiah followed Bucks gaze to the box. "I guess their time is up. Had I known that kissing JD would be enough to shut them up, I would have tried it long ago myself."
"They are in love." Buck told him.
"Yes, but that is no reason to sound like a couple with brain parasites." Flipping through some of the boxes more fimenen contents, Josiah pulled out a large shirt with several straps and extra material. "I remember when I got this for her, it was the first time I had seen her cry over clothes. Of course she followed it up with twenty minutes of cursing about pregnancy hormones and cute maternity clothes. I thought them more dignified than cute."
"It much have been hard for her especially knowing that the father of her child was vampire who was killing people." Buck committed as he looked at it.
Dropping the blouse as if burned, Josiah turned away from the box. "It was. Christos nearly killed her twice just by stress alone. If her friends hadn't been around, I am not sure she would have lived as long as she did."
"He killed her in the end." Buck reached down and got the book out.
"No, stress and a late term pregnancy did that." Josiah made to walk out of the office. "What exactly are you looking for?"
"Not sure." Buck said as he opened the book.
"Do be careful, brother, that isn't a toy. Despite it just being prophicies, there is still some magics in the book."
"Alright." Buck sat down, looking over the pages of the book.
"Let me know if you find anything, I have to go stop that boy from destroying the snack machine. I just remembered it is stuck and he has a short temper." As he finished the words, there came the sound of Vin cursing and something metal hitting the wall. "Heaven help me!" With that, Josiah dashed from the Library.
Buck looked at the page of the book he was on.
Buck looked at it for a minute then went to get the decipher key that was on Josiah's desk. He grabbed the small leather book and returned to the table and book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The moment the Annointed one cleared the sewer access, he looked around in disbelief. The first group he had sent ahead was no where to be found. Growling in anger, his face shifted. "Where are those morons?"
The demons moved around the Annointed One as did the vampires. The vampires looked around for the others that come before them.
Slamming his fist in to the nearest Vampire, he pulled out the demon's heart and watched it turn to dust. "Don't just stand there, find them!"
Vampires and demons moved forward adn into the trees ahead of them.
The Annointed One was about to follow when a shrill cry filled the night, freezing the massed demons. The cry was answered and echoed several times. "Who is there? I demand you show yourselves!" Left and right, his army disappeared one at a time. Their death screams drowned out the cries. "Face me!"
The last of the demons disappear into the night and the tree. all screaming. An unseen terror taking their lives. The one remaining demon turns to the Annointed One. "What do we..."
Facing where he heard his minion speaking, the Annointed One saw only trees. Growling, he stamped a foot causing the Earth under him to crack. "Where are you?" He stomped his foot again. This time, something fell out of the tree above him and him in the face. Looking down at it, he picked up the branch. He examined the red coated stick with anger. Looking up, his vampire self growled. "What the fuc..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Pardon me," Josiah asked in outrage.
Buck looked up from the book he was trying to decipher. Buck looked at him curiously.
"I am just saying, that faggot has got to go!" JD glared at Than. "There is no smoking in the school!"
Buck watched as Than stood in front of JD.
"What did you say?" Than questioned.
"I said put out your faggot, I don't want to die of lung cancer, fuck head!" JD stood head to chest with Than. Growling, his eyes glowed yellow.
"Sure, Wolfy." Than put the cigarette out on JD's shirt.
Vin picked up Than by the scruff of his jacket and tossed him aside. "Idiots." Dusting off JD's shirt, he smacked the other guy upside his head. "It's called a fag, wanker!"
Than got up and tackled vin.
"Children!" Josiah moved from the book return, nursing a cup of hot tea. "Don't make me seperate you!"
Than pushed Vin against the floor.
Smacking the gang banger across the face back handed, Vin stood up and pulled his dagger. "Stay off me, chimney face!"
Than gets up and glares at Vin. "That the only way you can fight is with weapons."
"No, but I do so love seeing people bleed in elaborate cuts." He curled his fingers in a 'bring it on' motion.
"ENOUGH!" Josiah stepped between them. "I want this to stop we are all on the same side."
"Tell him to cool it then." JD stood beside Vin, glaring at Than. "He knows the rules, but prefers to drive me nuts with that stinky shit. He knows I have a sensitive nose!"
"All of you need to stop this. We have far more important things to deal with then petty matters like this." Josiah growled at them all.
Inez giggled as Casey mocked Josiah. The witch in training returned the glare Buck sent her way.
"Dammit this isn't some silly game. JD, you and Casey should know this more then anyone."
"I know that, but what do you expect? If I can't breathe, my eyes water and I can't see straight." JD took a step closer to Vin, his arm going out unconsciously to the slayer for acceptance.
"Than no more smoking in here or anywhere on the school grounds and not around JD. YOu understand?" Josiah glared at the ex gang leader.
"Fine! The little bitch can roll over and spreadem for his master all he wants, but he best not call me fag again!" Grabbing his pack, he stuffed them deep in his coat pocket.
Josiah turned to JD and Vin. "You two need to realize this isn't play time. You are supose to be doing something. Get to it."
"Bite me, Josie." Vin flipped him off and stormed out of the Library.
Josiah glared around the room and headed to his office.
"Why you gotta be that way, Than?" Buck set the decipher key down and sighed. "These kids aren't your enemies."
Than stepped up to Buck. "Your percious slayer killed my whole gang."
"If they were as big an assholes as you, I'm not surprised." JD sat down beside Casey and picked up his pencil.
Than turned toward where JD sat.
"Cool it, you two! You remind me of a couple old bitties." Inez stood up and put a sour look on her face. Glancing at Casey, she sneered. "But you are, Blanche, you are!"
Than glared at Inez.
Boxing her shoulders, Inez turned her sneer at Than. "Well, what do you want?"
"Nothing you have that's for sure." Than told her.
"For a guy who claims not to be a fag, you sure act like you aint interested in puss." Pushing up her bra, she stepped up.
"Not something that's as over used as your's is."
Inez looked at Casey. "Did he just call me a slut?
"Sounded like it to me." Casey spoke up.
"Oh, okay." Sitting down, she scooted back up to the table. "When you're right, you're right."
Than watched her and shook his head.
"What?" She looked at him innocently. "We are in agreement, I am a slut and you are a dickless fag."
"Bitch." Than growled.
"Actually, that is JD." Inez pointed at the werewolf with her pen.
"I'm not." JD growled at her.
"What, we're just calling it as we see it. You're a bitch, Than's a fag, I'm a slut, Casey is a android, Josiah is a coffee addict, Vin is a woman, and Buck here is the world's greatest lover. It all makes perfect sense." She shrugged and went back to writing in her tablet.
Than shook his head. He didn't have to prove anything to the slut.
Buck ran a finger over his mustache. "Well, one out of seven aint bad."
END SCENE
Here We Go
Chris watched through the open doorway as Josiah's lips moved while he read. Memories of many nights of doing just this same thing with the others flooded his mind and he had to shake them off before he moved on. Stepping into the office, he made sure to make enough noise that he got the man's attention. "So, I hear you have been busy."
Josiah jerked his head up. He reached in his desk to assure there was a cross and stake in the drawer. "Busy doing what?"
"Doing that slut's Job. They say this new slayer is a marvel of violent behaviour and destruction. In fact, many people on both sides would be glad to see him dead, or so I hear." Leaning back against the door, Chris folded his arms. "Is this slayer all that much different than those before him?"
"You've dealt with him, so why are you asking me?" Josiah sat back in his chair though he could reach the cross or stake if they were needed.
"There are those among the demon community who don't follow the rules of the hunt, Josiah. You know, prey on the weaker, the young and elderly first. Like Humans, they tend to go after the bigger prey. The stronger the opponent, the more they want to fight it." Cocking his head to the side, Chris smirked. "Then again, a slayer isn't always the strongest prey in town. Sometimes there are bigger fish in the pond."
"Who are the bigger fish in this pond you are talking about? There are not many stronger than the slayer." Josiah crossed his arms over his chest.
Chris shrugged. "I can't tell you anything about your opponents, that would be an outside source interfering, and WolfRam and Hart have a strict policy on breaking their contracts."
"Like you weren't involved before. I take we are talking about someone it the ranks of the Master being killed. Maybe someone that should live along time."
"That was before, Josiah, I am no longer allowed to participate in this game." Giving his former friend a thoughtful expression, Chris tensed a little. "What do you know about someone in the Master's army dying?"
"I've not heard anything. One could always hope your sire has died, but you probably wouldn't be in such a good mood if it had been. I can of afew others like the Annointed One."
Josiah watched hte vampire's face as he leaned forward.
Chris looked down and raised his eyebrows. "Not bad, but you are probably right." Suddenly, his eyes shot up and met those of Josiah's. "Ella isn't dead, not that it matters to me at the moment."
"So something has happened to the Annointed One." Josiah watched Chris.
"Ah-uh-ah! That would be telling." Standing erect again, he started walking around the office scanning the shelves. "Read any good books here lately?"
"I'm always reading good books, you should remember that." Josiah stood up. He took the cross, he place in easy reach and moved to the front of his desk. "Might is good book have a name."
Chris scratched at his head and screwed up his face. "You know, I can't rightly recall. But I think it was written by a guy with a weird name that began with an A. One of those prophets of doom and gloom always spouting about one such gibberish or another. Though there are a few verses I enjoyed. Something about terror, a person rising and another falling." Giving another shrug, he sighed. "I can't remember. Oh well, if you find it, let me know what it says, will you?"
Josiah snorted. "Why would I tell the enemy any suck thing." He knew Chris could be talking about just about any book, but something in hte back of his mind told him should know what book it was.
Snapping his fingers, Chris pointed at Josiah. Smirking when the watcher froze, he gave him a wink. "I remember, it is a book I gave you about eighteen months ago. I gave you my impression back then about those same verses, I think I was wrong, which shouldn't surprise you one bit. And before you dismiss me out of hand, read it and tell me what you think. There are somethings in there that we should get together on, it could be fun." He started for the door and stopped just at the jam. "If not for me, then for your slayer. Sarah is gone, but Vin is here now, he needs someone Josiah. He might identify with a few of the things in that book. Just a thought." With that he disappeared from the door way.
Josiah moved to the box that had the book in it. He didn't like looking it, because he needed to find out what the book said. He had too.
He looked through the box, but the book wasn't there. "Where the hell has it gone-?" Josiah wondered out loud.
"Was that Chris I just saw?" JD stood in the doorway, his hand up and pointing back the way he had entered with his thumb. "Also, what are you looking for, perhaps I can help?"
"It was and I"m looking for that book he gave me sometime ago." Josiah looked through another box.
JD frowned. "What book? I don't remember any book. I've only been a member of the team for about a year and most of that time Chris was Christos."
"It's a leather bond book that was in with Sarah's things." Josiah dug through another box and silently swore that it wasn't there.
"Leather bound?" Glancing around Josiah's office at all the leather books, he shook his head. "Can you be more specific?"
"It's a book of prophicy. I haven't deciphered it yet."
"Again, not ringing any bells here, Josiah. You are still thinking too big." Coming into the office, he strolled up to the desk and started going through the supplies. When he found a black pen, he grabbed it and turned to go.
"Dammit." Josiah cursed, it wasn't in the boxes on his offices. Where could it be, he wondered.
"You sound like Buck. He is cursing up a storm and breaking pens left and right." He held up the black, metal pen and shook it. "I don't think he can break this one."
"Why is he breaking pens?" Josiah turned and looked at the young man.
Facing the old man, JD shook his head in disgust. "He is trying to decipher this old book using that little black decipher key you were using yesterday."
"What book?" Josiah said and left his office and walked over to Buck.
Glancing up from the leather book, Buck glowered at Josiah. His bloodshot eyes spoke of sleepless hours of working. "What," he snapped.
"You have the book I've been looking for. Have you found anything out yet?" Josiah glared at the younger man.
"Yeah, that this guy had poor penmanship! There is nothing more frustraiting than trying to read something from a guy who refuses to dot his glyphics properly!" Snorting, he stuck out a hand to JD for the pen.
"I need to know what it says about about the Annointed One and now would be good." Josiah folded his arms over his chest.
"Oh, that," Buck took in a deep breath. "Well, the little shit is dead."
"Thanks. Chris told me that in away. What killed him?" Josiah sighed.
"Would you believe something that makes satan look like a little girl with funky pig tails?"
Josiah cleared his throat. "At this time I would believe almost anything. What is this thing?"
"A group called the Valtar. Wicked looking buggers." Buck frowned at his language. "Damn brit slang. Anyways, these cretures aren't your garden variety demons. They prefer to attack from above and eat their prey while they are still alive."
"Great and they are here."
"Here here?" Buck jumped up from his seat in panic.
"Not in the library, at the hellmouth. That's what Chris was trying not to tell me." Josiah focused on Buck. "Does it tell how to kill them?"
"I haven't gotten that far. This slob liked to rant about this great darkness that is about to decend upon the world if not stopped. It scared him, but excited him, like one of them people who gets off on the thrill of danger." Buck gave Inez a frown as she giggled. "Aside from some asinine comments by those who shall remain nameless," there were several coughs from the assembled group that included Inez's name in the noise, "I was close to finishing deciphering it."
"Alright, let me know when you do. We'll need to know, so they won't take us by surprise." Josiah headed back to his office.
"There is something you should know about this, Josiah," Buck called after him.
Josiah turned back toward him. "what?"
"Whatever this Aurelious guy is going on about, it is already here among us. The shit is gonna get bad and fast." He was reluctant to finish knowing how the man felt about the rest.
"Reckon you need to finish the book so we can prepare for it."
"That isn't all, Josiah." He winced at the other man's expression. "It says there is only one person who is strong enough to stop it and it aint you or me."
Josiah sighed. "You plan on telling me before the enemy is at the door."
"It's Chris. Now I triple checked this and it specifically says, 'the vampire with the soul shall triumph in the moment of greatest sadness and the heavens shall scream their anguish. Blood will run from the eyes of the children of the fallen. The Earth will shake her fears as the Master once again sets foot on her flesh.' That sounds like whatever Chris does, it will stop the great evil, but in so doing, free the Master." Buck looked down. "I am sorry, but that's what is says. There are a few passages before it about the Valtar I skipped over because they aren't around for this big evil and I wanted to find out if we stop it."
"Do you know what the big evil is?" Josiah stepped back toward BUck.
Shaking his head, Buck shifted uncomfortably. "No, but it has to be something really powerful because it scared the fuck out of this Aurelious guy."
"Can you find out what is is?"
"No, we won't know it until we see it. I'm sorry, pardner, thats all I know."
"Fine. there is a great evil and we won't know it until we see it. Great just great." Josiah throw his hands in the air and went to his office. Slamming the door close.
"What's all the excitement about?" Vin entered the library startling Casey, JD, Inez, Buck and Than.
"The boy wonder over there has told Josiah some glum and doom and he has gone off mad."
Vin smiled at Casey and patted his leg. "JD."
JD rolled his eyes, but went to Vin.
"I gotta go, Charlotte has me patroling until dawn for saying yes when I answered the fat question. Just wanted to stop by and get JD before I went." He walked over to the counter and jumped up to lean over it bearing his ass to the room. He ignored the whistle from Inez and grabbed a box from under the return desk. Sliding back down, he shook the box of girl scout cookies at them. "JD snacks, Josie always has an extra box back there in case we get hungry after slaying. Come on, JD."
"You act just like Sarah." Casey committed.
"Duh, that's cause I... have her memories." Vin's face went neutral. "I'm out of here." He stomped out of the Library dragging JD by the collar.
END SCENE
Here We Go.
Ella weaved her way through the array of demons, vampires, and humans heading out of the cavern as she entered. She walked up the barrier.
The master looked at her. "What have you found out my darling?" The master asked her as he shifted on his throne.
Running a bloodied handkerchief over her fangs, Ella removed the excess blood and tossed it over her shoulder. "Sorry I'm late, I had to stop for a bite to eat. Those scrawny highschool girls are so stringy."
"Well did you find anything out from the lawyer?" The Master really didn't trust that man that WolfRam & Hart.
Sighing, Ella ran hand through her hair before answering. "Nothing aside from the fact that it wasn't an outside force. He said he couldn't tell me who because that 'would' be an outside intervention. I didn't trust him so I followed his little lap dog, that souled childe of mine," she sneered. Giving a grunt from being knocked to the side, she snapped the offending demon's neck. "It is so hard to find trained demons these days!"
"What did you find out from the lap dog?"
"Nothing, I followed him to the Library, you know the one that sits above the HellMouth? I don't know what he said, but he probably insinuated that damn Watcher would get the information he sought in that book of prophicies he stole from you. Because the next thing I know, Christos is gone and that Watcher is ringing the neck of his pet half demon for information about it." She walked up to the barrier and trailed a hand down it with seductive ease and stroke a pose. "But that is where things actually get interesting."
The Master motioned for her to continue.
"No." She stuck out her bottom lip in a poute. "I don't feel like it."
"Why?" The Master stood and walked to the barrier.
Her posture suddenly turned violent and she growled at him. "I am tired of being just another lackey!"
"You want something more, I want something more."
Ella turned her back to him and started to slink off. "Well, since you are stuck behind that barrier and I am out here, there is nothing you can do to stop me if I decide to leave."
"Leave, but remember. I have ways of taking care of former lackeys." The Master watched the female vampire.
"Oh I know all too well how you treat those who fall from your favor! My Christos would never have been cursed with that filthy soul had you not thrown him from our family!" Spinning on one heel, the other shot out and broke the leg of an encrouching demon. She ripped his head off with her hands and tossed it at the barrier. "Do you know what they say about me? That my only childe is a ensouled lapdog for a Human and me being just another of your disguarded whores! Me, the once most feared Vampire in all of Europe and Asia is the laughing stock of a back water, two bit, piss water hellmouth!"
"I'm not interested in the name calling. I"m interested in information you were supose to get."
"Oh, but isn't that always what you care about? Not the demon, but the information." Smirking, she gave a pleased snort. "I don't think so, not this time. Find someone else to be your bitch."
"With the Annointed One gone. I need someone to replace him."
"Too bad."
"I might be willing to put a smart vampire there, proved I can find a smart vampire." The Master turned and walked back toward his throne.
"You really are an old fool!" Glaring, Ella tossed another minion at the barrier. "I need your blood! How am I supposed to get it, walk through the barrier.... Oooops, forgot, the only one who could do that is now dust in the wind!"
"The same fate can befall you too." At the throne he turned and sat down.
"Well that really is just too bad, isn't it. Because none of your remaining minions are strong enough to destroy me." Walking up the steps that lead out of the cavern, she began to smile. "May be I will drop in on you from time to time say in about fifty years."
"By then I should be free and I'll kill you myself. It will give me something to look forward too." The Master cleaned his nails.
"Aren't you even going to try and pursued me to stop?" She faced him at the top of the steps.
"As you put it there is nothing I can do. Though I do know someone that can finish and you will no longer have my protection. I shall make it know you are a freelancer and you are on your own." The Master shapped his fingers and a demon came up to the barrier. "I see I have someone to start to spread the news. YOu walk out that door and you lose everything you have and anything my might gain including your child."
"Since you put it that way." Ella smiled at him prettily, turned, and left.
"Tell all that Ella is no longer part of our organization and she is game for any." The Master waved the demon off. "To bad as she would have been the perfect one to replace the Annointed One." He shrugged and leaned back.
The Master throw a chalice at the barrier and let the silent tears run down his face.
A blue, horned demon suddenly appeared beside the Master. Tutting, he pulled out a dagger and stabbed the master in the chest. With a whirl of blackness and lightening, he disappeared, dagger and all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taking the blood stained dagger from the demon, she smiled in delight. "Excellent." Ella handed over the thick, leather bound book. "There, our deal is complete."
The demon nodded and disappeared.
She held a small vile under the dagger while squeezing the handle. A small squirt of blood shot out from a hidden tube inside the dagger's blade. When the last of the blood had finished dripping into the small vessel, she capped it and smiled. "One way or another, my beloved, you will serve our line."
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A tall, lanky vampire edged close to the barrier and placed a hand on it. He growled when he couldn't break through it. "Master, what has happened?"
The Master held his hand over his chest where blood seaped through his fingers. "I was stabbed by d'Hoffryn. Find him!"
"There is no way we can find him. D'Hoffryn is a multidimensional being, my lord." He backed away from the barrier, cowering in fear.
The master waved him off.
"What do you wish of me, my lord?"
"Nothing."
He bowed once and fled the cavern with the rest of the minions to leave the Master with his grief.
End scene.
Here We Go
Buck traced the last letter on to the paper with a sigh. With a sense of satisfaction of a job well done, he examined the translation and began reading under his breath. "The dark night's herald will trumpet loud its begin with the blood from those who spell death from above. In the moment of recoking for their crimes, they who have triumphed over the messiah of all vampires, a new darkness will be formed. Their entire might shall be consumed by this shadow of screams, that which strikes terror in all life, the... some unknown symbol." He scanned the passage again and tried to place the symbol. "Where have I seen you before?"
Than looked down at where he had written. "Sounds like those Valtar get what they deserves."
"I'm sure they do, it's what gives it to them that bothers me." Buck rubbed at his forehead and shook it with exhasperation. "I should be out in some sweet lady's bed, not in a library going over ancient and obscure prophicies. Some times I think there is no justice in the world."
"I'm sure the lady will wait for someone like you." Nathan told him as he slid on the table.
"Well there had better be, all this good guy stuff is making my skin itch." Giving a dramatic shake, Buck's skin turned green and spikes covered his face. "What's a demon supposed to do around here?"
Than smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Die?"
Scowling, Buck focused back on his work. "Did you ever think that is why Vin is so gung ho about killing your guys?"
"You are going to enlighten me." Than put his hand over Buck's work.
"I did a little diggin in to your past, NaTHANial Jackson. Quite a little reputation you had back in good ole L.A. Even went so far as to start your own little band of merry men." He grabbed Than's wrist in a painful grip and removed it from his work. "The night they were executed, I was to be their next target in a long string of xenophobic kills. If Vin hadn't killed them, they would have killed me for no other reason than I was different. Hey, I'm half demon, so I guess that means I must be evil, right? Just like you're black so you're automatically a thief, a liar, and a rapist."
"You little bastard. I may be black, but I'm NOT a rapist." Than growled deep in his throat. "You want to take me on." Than motioned for Buck to bring it on...
"Boy, you gotta lot to learn about the true nature of prejudice. You are too blind by your own hate to see how much of a bigot you are. Take a look around you, Than, hate exists in all forms, it is what drives us to become the monsters we fight." Buck sat stunned at his own revelation. "I guess Josiah isn't just blowing smoke about learning this stuff."
Than sighed. "You might be right there."
"I understand they were your crew, the people you depend on, but they weren't the same people you once knew. They lost their way a long time ago. If I thought you were like that, that you would kill me simple out of principle of my other half, I wouldn't even be in the same room with you." Buck gave him what he hoped was a supportive smile. "I trust you to be a decent human being, not for the sake of it, but because you are."
Than nodded. "I see."
"Good, because I am just about of my Josiahisms."
"The old man has been teaching you alot it seems.."
"Don't even get me started. That man doesn't know the meaning of shut up." Rolling his eyes in exhasperation, Buck leaned over his work. "The only thing I can think doing to avoid his lecturing is to decipher this damn book and I can't even seem to get that done."
"Something I can do to help." Than asked as he looked over the book.
"Not unless you speak this language. The meaning of this symbol just isn't in this key and the only other people who might know what it means are either dead or on another plain of existance. Either way, they are not talking." Buck placed his head in hands. "Its hopeless, I'm going to be lectured to death for want of a symbol."
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Vin tossed up the steak in the air and caught it as it came back down. "I don't care! It is my job, I am good at it, I am going to do it."
"I know it is what you do, but the Master's people are going to be hunting for who killed the Annointed One." Josiah told the young man.
Slamming the stake into the metal desk he was sitting on, Vin slid on to the floor. "I don't give a damn! I can take care of myself!"
"I realize that, but I would like you to learn to use caution." Josiah stood.
"You always say that! Even when I was fighting Christos, all you could do was try and coddle me. I am not a little girl anymore!" Vin hands clenched so tightly in to fists he started to hurt himself from the strength. "Sarah felt the same way I do about hiding instead of facing our problems head on. If it is going to happen, running away won't make it stop."
"I'm not asking you to run away, just to pick your battles wisely."
"There is no picking battles, it is all the same. They pick on me, I send them all on their merry way to hell."
"Vin, this isn't a grudge match."
Vin stepped up to the older man, pushing Charlotte out of his way when she tried to stop him. "You're right, this isn't a grudge match. You have to have know something about them before you can develop a grudge and I don't plan on letting any of them live long enough for even introductions."
Josiah sighed and put his hands on Vin's shoulders. "Being the slayer is much more then killing."
"No," he shoved Josiah's hands off, "it isn't. I am death, plain and simple. Now if you have no special uglies who go bump in the night you wanted dead, I will just go off and patrol."
"I don't at the moment, but think about what I said." Josiah shook his head, he didn't know what to do with the boy.
Vin seemed to think on it, looking off into the distance and counting off on his fingers. "You want me to be a shivering coward who only fights when you are sure I can win, and only when it is a really really big emergency, got it. JD, lets go." He grabbed the werewolf by the collar and dragged him from the library's office.
"That's not what I said." Josiah muttered as he sat down.
Charlotte slunk over to stand behind her fellow Watcher and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "He will come around eventually, Josiah, he just needs a more feminine hand to guide him for now."
Josiah nodded, but didn't say what he felt inside. He felt disaster on the horizon. The boy was out of control.
A tight smile flitted across her face and then was gone. Squeezing his shoulder one more time, Charlotte let go and turned for the door. "I will be at home of you need me. I didn't realize dealing with eight classes of students and a full time slayer would be so much work."
Josiah nodded. Though he was lost in his own thoughts of the slayer.
Glaring at the man, she sneered in disgust before she walked out.
Josiah looked up when the door closed. "Dammit." Josiah hated this. He hated the feeling of not being able to do more or knew more.
Knocking on the door, Than opened it and stuck his head in. "Yo, Josiah, we gotta problem out here you should take a look at."
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Ezra sighed as he sat down in his easy chair placing a heated cloth over his eyes. "I swear those heathen are tryin to terminate my existance, Mr. Larabee."
"How is that?" Chris leaned against a door frame watching the lawyer.
"You should know, as I noted your presence through most of the day. And I'll have you know your constant masturbation has also left its own indelible mark. My ten o'clock class believes that not only have I am pubescent from the cracking of my voice, but that I am also incognitent." He spread his legs gingerly when his lower extremities twitched from muscle memory. "I hereby inform you that you are cut off from further sexual relations until this mischief streak of yours has run its course."
"That would be no fun." Chris smirked as he stepped forward.
"Frankly put, I do not care." Leaning back, he put up the foot rest and tried to rest.
Chris walked up and rubbed his hand along Ezra's leg.
Peeking out from under the edge of the cloth, he glared at the vampire. "Just what do you think you are doing?"
"Well if I can't have my fun doing the day I'll have some fun now." Chris slid his hand higher on Ezra's leg.
"I suggest you remove your offending appendage from my leg this instant if you wish to keep it from becoming so much soot." Sitting up, Ezra trapped Chris' hand with his own. "I am serious, I do not intend to be forced into this situation any longer. I am my own person and you will learn to respect that or suffer the consequences."
"YOu know you enjoy it just as much as I do." Chris pulled Ezra's hand to his mouth.
Ezra's free hand shot out and stabbed a hat pen in Chris' leg. Grimacing from the shared pain, he twisted the metal in the vampire's flesh. "I told you no!" Lowering the foot rest, he leaned forward. "I am the top lawyer of WolfRam and Harts special projects division, a little pain means nothing."
Chris pulled away grimaced. Then he laughed. "Top lawyer, yeah that is why you here and not in LA."
"Do not mock me, you impotent leech! The very fact that I am in this position is entirely your fault. Had you been more choosy in your sexual partners, we would not be having this conversation." Grabbing the pin, he jerked it out of Chris' leg and stabbed him in the rear. "My position in the firm was assured. Nothing that back alley tramp Lilah could have done would change that fact! No, it had to be the lowest scum to ever climb its way out of a bog!"
"I think some how you had something to do with my choice." Chris moved away.
"Not by choice, I assure you, Mr. Larabee." Ezra jerked the pen from Chris' rear and dropped it on the floor. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to inform me why you seemed extremely enthusiastic today?"
"Reckon it might have had something to do with a little blonde bird that visited."
"Bird? I wasn't aware of any feathered menace."
Chris smirked. "I think someone might call them a bombshell too."
Ezra gave Chris a dark expression. "Just spit it out already!"
"Your friend Mrs. Travis stopped by today. I just seemed to have alot of enegry build up after that." Chris shrugged.
"That frigid cow is far from my aquaintance, she represents all I loath and ditest in polite society." Ezra looked down at his nose at Chris despite only being at his waist level.
Chris chuckled. "She told me to give you these." Chris handed him a manilla envelop.
Narrowing his eyes and tightening his lips, Ezra reached out and took the envelope from Chris. Holding it carefully, he opened it like a snake would jump out and bite him. When the flap was undone, he looked inside and shivered with revulsion. "Mr. Larabee, I believe these are more to your taste." He tossed the envelope to Chris, a pair of sheer red panties falling out. "I am sure they will fit you just perfectly."
Chris picked them up. "I think I would like to see you in these. You would look hot." Chris laughed.
"Your attempt at humor has fallen flat, I would suggest you stick with your night job." Ezra quickly sat back in the chair and kicked up the foot rest.
Chris tossed the panties at Ezra where they land on the man's head. Chris chuckled and wandered into the other room.
Counting to ten in every language he knew, Ezra torn the underwear from his head and threw them at the fire place. He reached out a hand and flicked the switch on the wall beside his chair and watched the gas fire place burn the undies. It would be a bitch to clean out the grate later, but right now it served to distract him from killing the vampire and thus himself.
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Vin tossed his hair over his shoulder then frowned at the gesture. "God, Josiah is such a stick in the mud! There are no vamps out tonight."
"I don't think he's worried about the vamps." JD looked around. "Hey this could mean we can turn in early."
"I don't think so, fluffy." He stroked behind JD's fur covered ear. "There has to be something out here being bad and I am itching for a slay."
"You can slay tomorrow night." JD whined, but it turned into something like a purr.
"Don't even try it, JD, I am going to kill something even if I have to go down into the sewers and drag those cowards out myself," he shouted into the night to let whatever might be out there know he was there.
"You might scare them off of you are going to be noisy." JD told him. "We should go to the cementary."
"Noise only scares away fish and deer." He let go of JD and pointed for the wolf-man to lead on. "Flush out a few vamps."
JD sighed. Then walked infront of his master. "Not now. Tell me what do you think about besides slaying."
"There isn't much I think about. Most of my time is spent dealing with these blasted memories and trying to sort out myself from them." Vin tossed his stake up in the air and caught it mid flight. "At times I lose myself in the memories of the previous slayers so deeply that when something comes up to remind me who I am, it completely throws me."
"You mean you forget who you are, Vin Tanner."
Frowning, Vin looked away. "Vin Tanner is just a name, it holds no more meaning for me than that outfit you are wearing. Just what were you thinking mixing yellows and blues?"
"Hey I like my clothes." JD looked down at his clothes. "At least I have clothes on this time." JD blushed as the comment left his lips.
"Yeah, unlike the past week when you felt it necessary to tease me with your tight little man-wolf body." Vin chuckled as JD stuck out his tongue. A pang of memory hit him and he gasped.
"Vin what's wrong?" JD stepped closer.
"Nothing, JD, just remembering when we used to hunt these same streets with the others. It just seems so quiet now that they are gone." Clearing his throat, he moved ahead quickly. "We should head over to the West Side Cemetary."
"I remember them days too." JD said as he ran up to him.
Tracing a hand down his abdomen, Vin took a shakey breath. "I can't believe I'm not her. There are so many things that are the same and it is so hard...."
"What's hte same?" JD tilted his head sideways.
"You are and so is Josiah, the Library the school, everyone is the same. It just doesn't make sense. She died, the world should be different, but it isn't. Now I am here and everyday it gets harder and harder not to just let go and become Sarah." Grabbing his head, he growled in anger. "I am not Sarah!"
JD watched him with a mixture of fear and sympathy.
Lowering his head, Vin walked on away from JD.
JD catch up and put a hand on his shoulder. "I know you are not Sarah."
Glancing up, Vin blinked back tears. "But I don't."
JD pulled him in to an embrace and nuzzled him.
Vin pushed JD slowly away. "That's enough, dog breath."
"I told you should have gotten me the breath control dog biscuits."
"Ha ha, JD." Messing up the werewolf's hair, he gave JD a noogie. "Xander was much better at the jokes."
"Yeah, right." JD said as he brushed at his hair with his paws.
Vin stopped mid step. Looking up, he cocked his head.
JD looked at him then up. Wondering if he had spotted some vampires.
A slow smile spread across Vin's face. "Well, looks like I found something to play with after all."
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