Lyra kept on taking deep breaths as she rode with Xander. Tonight was the big night for her. It was the night she was going to into a cemetery and stake her first vamp. That is if there was going to be a vampire. Xander told her that not every graveyard was going to have a vampire every single night. He told her they do like to hang out them, especially if there were large crypts. Those made nice dwellings for a vampire.
“So why now?” She asked Xander after a few minutes. “Why not just find out where their coffins are and then come back in the morning.”
“First of all they don’t sleep in coffins,” Xander explained. That was another myth that got busted. “Not all of them. A few do but most don’t.”
“Where do they sleep?” Lyra asked. She stared at her nails. She had painted them a deep red color, the same color as blood. She felt if she stared at something that was blood colored then she might get used to it and she might be able to get over her fear and be better at this slaying. Although Xander told her that vampires don’t bleed when you stake them. They just turn to dust.
“Wherever they want,” Xander replied. He pulled up along the side, right next to the locked gate. “You know what you have to do?”
“Find something with fangs or a freaky face and shove this into its chest,” Lyra said as she held up her stake. “I can ward them off with this.” She held up the wooden cross she received from Charley. “I just have to have faith in it.”
“The cross will work no matter what you feel,” Xander said. “Just looking at it will give them the ebbies.”
“What about the jeebies?”
“They get that from looking at that.” He pointed at the stake in her hand. “You got everything?”
“Stake in my right hand, cross in the left.” She held up the weapons. “Another cross hanging from my neck.”
“We can communicate with this,” Xander said as he clipped on a two way onto her belt. “I won’t be far.”
“I can do this,” Lyra said before she took a deep breath. She had super powers. She was going to be a hero, a fighter for good, a champion of justice. She took another deep breath.
“I will help you if you need it,” Xander assured her. “And afterwards I’ll treat you to an ice cream cone.”
“I kill a vampire and I get ice cream,” Lyra said. “Sounds about fair.” She stepped out of the car and looked up at the tall gate. “How do I get inside?”
“Climb. You have the ability to scale it.”
“I can climb walls and beat up and kill vampires. Can I also shoot webbing from my fingers?”
“No but you may feel your Slayer sense tingling if you are near a vampire.”
“Gotta hone in on my senses,” Lyra said. She had set up some more clips onto her belt and used them to hook the cross and stake to it. She took a deep breath and jumped and nearly made it to the top. She grabbed onto the bars to climb over it and scaled half way down before she let herself down in one large jump. Now all she had to do was find a vamp.
-
The wind felt surprisingly cool against Charley’s leathery wings. It was still summer and even during the middle of the night the wind felt warmer than it did in the spring or fall. A cool front was coming in. That had to be it. He should have checked the weather before taking flight, but he didn’t care. He needed to get out of there. He needed to get away from Regine and the others.
The night before they had singled out his left leg. She had him tied down with his leg exposed. Regine brought out a razor and acted like she was going to shave him. Well she did remove hair, and more. After she had finished cutting him she brought out the matches again. She struck them and let them fall on his bare and bleeding leg. Charley didn’t know what was worse, the sting of the cuts or the burning. His tormentor followed through with pouring a mixture of lemon juice and salt over his leg. The final act was to beat his leg with a wrench. He could not go out to hunt and was dependent on rat blood once again.
Charley had recovered a little during his daily sleep. The soil and the coffin both assisted in his accelerated healing. He still had a few scabs from where he was burned and his leg still hurt in a few places when he put some weight on it.
Tonight’s abuse was emotional instead of physical. Regine taunted him about how Belle slit Alex’s throat, How Charley drank half of his girlfriend’s blood. She brought up Peter Vincent and how Charley had failed him and finally added when Charley bit into the throat of his mother and drank from her.
After an hour he knew he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to get out and either walk or fly and since his leg was bothering him he took flight. He kept asking himself why he didn’t just leave. He knew the answers. Where would he go? He didn’t have any friends or knew anyone where he could sleep and if he told anyone what he was they would either think he was crazy or test to see if he was telling the truth and once they knew what he was they would stake him.
He knew he can’t kill them. He had tried before, especially with Bosworth and Belle during those early years. It was Regine who held him back. Her words, her command was a harness and leash that held him back. He had made it no secret that he wanted to kill them all and they knew he would if Regine relaxed on her word.
Charley wasn’t sure if he wanted to die. Ever since that quake he felt like his life had taken on a whole new meaning. That reoccurring dream with the princess had given him hope and for some reason there was also Lyra. He kept picturing her in his mind. He saw here wherever he went. He even saw her walking around in the cemetery below him. On a second look he noticed that there really was someone walking around and that someone was a young girl.
‘It couldn’t be her,’ he thought, but it did bare some investigation. He landed several feet in the shadows and turned back into his human form before he approached the girl.
“I would really love to go, Cheryl,” the voice belonged to Lyra. How was it possible that they kept meeting like this? “I might have something else to do, but I really want to go to Geckos with you and Ronnie.” She was speaking into a cell. “I can’t really explain it.”
“Turn off the phone,” a voice came through as if it were on a speaker and Charley could see the two way that was attached to her belt. “Say goodbye and turn it off.”
“I’m going to have to call you and Ronnie later,” Lyra said in a slightly annoyed tone. “Bye.” She hung up and pressed the button to turn it off.
“You can’t slay and chat,” the voice came through the speaker again. “You need to be at full alert.”
“Jeeze, Xander,” Lyra grumbled. “It’s not like someone is sneaking up behind-“ she turned around as she talked. Her eyes widened at the sight of Charley and she held up her cross and gasped. “Oh,” her eyes closed and she sighed.
Charley frowned at the cross and sighed. He did not feel any form of discomfort. She did not have enough faith in it.
“Sorry,” Lyra apologized. “I thought you were a one of those things from the other night.”
“I can assure you that I am not the same as those creatures,” Charley said.
“What are you doing out here, Mr. Brewster?” Lyra asked and ignored her friend on the radio who kept asking who she was talking to.
“Please, just call me Charley.”
“Okay, Charley. What were you doing out here?”
“Trying to learn more about those things,” Charley answered. It was the truth after all. “May I ask what you were doing out here?”
Lyra shrugged. “I guess I can say the same.” She smiled. It was a pretty smile. “Kinda of interesting to see life imitate art. You play a vampire hunter and here you out trying to investigate vampires.”
“Those things weren’t vampires.”
“The legends and movies got a few things wrong,” Lyra said. “They never mentioned the forehead bumpies. Although they sort of did in Lost Boys.”
“Lyra!” Xander shouted, except it was not through the two way. The man with the eye patch was walking up to them. “You are supposed to be doing this alone.”
“Well sorry,” Lyra said as she rolled her eyes.
“What the hell is this?” Charley glared at the other man. “You are letting an innocent girl walk around alone here, in the middle of the night with who knows what walking around?”
“You don’t understand,” Xander said.
“Clearly I don’t,” Charley said. He felt his hands clenching up into fists. “You know how to kill these creatures. She doesn’t.”
“She has to learn,” Xander said.
“Who said she had to learn. Why are you bringing her into this?”
“Because she has the ability to fight.”
“Does she want to?” Charley turned to Lyra. “Do you want to?”
“I think I do,” Lyra said as she stared at the cross in her hands.
“There,” Xander said in a satisfied tone. “You should leave.”
“Not until I am certain Lyra is safe,” Charley said. “I also want to give her a gift.”
“Another gift?” Lyra asked.
“That might help protect you as well.” Charley reached into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic water gun. It was a miniature super soaker. “Take this and fill it with holy water.”
“I’ll take that.” Xander swiped it out of his hand. “I have a canteen with holy water on me.” He walked back to the gate where a large bag.
“How did you climb over the gate?” Lyra asked. “Both of you?”
“I might not be good as you,” Xander said as he pulled a canteen out of the bag. “but I still can climb.” He screwed off the top and poured the water into the gun.
“The same,” Charley said. “What is he putting you through and why are you going through with it?”
“You believe that vampires are real.” Lyra said. “And if so do you believe there are some people with the abilities to defeat them?”
“I believe.” It was hard not to since he was one of them. Lyra did seem to have some inhuman form of strength. She launched that wallet at her brother and she was able to pick up and throw one of those vampire like creatures.
“I don’t think I can explain much-“
“Lyra,” Xander’s whisper interrupted her. “Behind you.”
Charley turned the same as Lyra to see a figure shuffling along in the shadows. From the distance they were at they could see it was covered in dirt.
“Fresh out of the grave,” Xander continued to whisper. “That is the best time to get them when you are still new, cause they are still new to being a soulless demon.”
“Demon?” Charley repeated at the same time as Lyra. Those creatures from the other night were demons, not vampires.
“I thought I was going to fight and kill a vampire, not a demon,” Lyra said.
“Vampires are a kind of demon,” Xander said. “Now go and embrace your destiny.”
“Right,” Lyra agreed and crept around the tombstones in pursuit of the creature.
“Time to embrace your destiny?” Charley just stared at Xander. He fought back the urge to correct Xander about vampires. They were not demons, monsters yes, but not demons, and they did have souls. “You watch way too many movies.”
Xander shrugged. “I guess so.”
There were sounds of scuffles and a male crying out in pain. Followed by a female voice crying out in joy.
“Sounds like the little lady got the job done,” Xander said. His pleased smile was replaced with a panicked frown when they heard a scream.
“Lyra,” Charley screamed and ran off towards the direction Lyra had gone off to. He knew the second he started to run was a big mistake since he put weight on his injured leg again. He grimaced as he limped as fast as he could.
“Wait,” Xander cried after him. “You are unarmed. I got weapons for the both of us.”
Charley ignored him. Even with his injured leg he was still making incredibly good pace. He had caught up with Lyra in less than a minute.
Lyra had used a good sideswipe kick to get one of the monsters on the ground while struck at another in the face with her cross. The second the wooden crucifix touched the creature’s face smoke wafted up and there was a sizzling sound. Looks like she formed faith after all.
Charley pounced on the downed monster and held him down while he watched Lyra in action. She had kicked at the monster she had burned before spinning around to face another running up to her. Lyra slammed the stake into its chest and turned around to stake the other before the dust could even settle.
“What are you?” The monster Charley held down asked.
“I’m an actual vampire,” Charley hissed. He knew his eyes had changed and his fangs had lengthened.
“Those are just contacts and fake fangs,” the creature said. “Yet you don’t smell human, but you also reek of a soul.
“Chaz,” Xander shouted from behind him.
Charley regained his human face and turned towards Xander who threw a stake at him. Charley caught it and shoved the pointed end into the monster’s chest. The creature turned to dust.
“No more,” Lyra said. Her voice was shaking.
“Looks like there are no more,” Xander agreed.
“No more vampires,” Lyra said. Her eyes were filled with tears. “No more of these demon creatures.” He walked toward them. She was now dirty and her hair was out of place. She had also scraped her knee. Blood was dripping from it.
Charley stared at the blood and felt his thirst increase. He felt his canines lengthen and knew his eyes had changed color again. He closed his eyes and spun around before he took a few deep breaths.
“You okay?” Xander asked.
“I’m bleeding,” Lyra gasped. “Maybe he doesn’t like it either.”
“Wha?t blood?” Xander asked.
“Yes,” Charley answered. He could use that as an excuse.
“You appear on a show about monsters and vampires, you play a vampire hunter and you can’t stand the sight of blood?”
“That’s fake blood,” Charley explained. “It’s different.”
“He’s got hemophobia,” Lyra said. “We both do. I can stand the sight of my own and I’m getting better with the fake stuff, but not the real stuff. What if I come across one that was eating. He’d have blood all over his mouth.”
“We are going to get you over it,” Xander said. “I’m going to help you get over your fear.”
“I’m not good at this,” Lyra said. Her voice made it sound like she was whining but she had a right to whine. “I’m going to come up on one with blood dripping form it’s mouth and I’m going to freak out and they are going to kill me.”
“They are not going to kill you.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m going to be there to help you,” Xander said.
“Help me what? Help me learn how to fight vampires. Maybe I’m not cut out for this. Maybe I don’t want to do this.”
“You just had your first hunt,” Xander continued in a slow and relaxing tone of voice. “You just need to sleep on it.”
“I don’t need to sleep on anything,” Lyra said. Charley had regained his composure and turned around to see her as she threw her stake on the ground. “I’m done. You said these things were a kind of demon. Are there other kinds of demons?”
“Yes,” Xander said in a somewhat defeated tone.
“And Slayers have to fight them as well?”
“Pretty much.”
She held up her hands. “Well you will have to find someone else. I don’t care if I have this gift. I don’t want this gift and I don’t want to fight anymore. I’m just going to try to live as a normal girl.”
“Lyra, please,” Xander tried to start.
“Leave her alone,” Charley said. “Just because she has some special skills does not mean she has to use them.”
“You stay out of this.” Xander pointed at him.
“I don’t care if she is the only one who could stop the evil that is out there,” Charley continued. “It is her choice.”
“You are right it is her choice,” Xander sighed. “And she isn’t the only one. There is nearly two thousand Slayers and we have about a quarter of them working with us.”
“Then stop pushing pressure on her.”
“I’m not pushing her. I’m guiding her. She could be a great hero. She shouldn’t give up so fast.”
“She made it clear that she doesn’t want to fight anymore.”
“Stop it,” Lyra cried. “Stop it both of you. I just want to go home.”
Xander sighed. “Let me at least give you a ride home. The both of you.”
“I can manage on my own,” Charley said.
“Not the way you’ve been limping,” Xander said. “How the heck are you going to climb back?”
“The same way I climbed in.” Charley gave his leg a gentle pat. “Of course that is how I got it like this.”
“Just be careful and take it easy.”
Lyra was the first to scale the fence. What kind of powers she had that would assist her climbing he did not show. She climbed the fence like any normal person would. Charley was next and he used both hands and his right leg to get over. Xander was last and he brought his bag of vampire fighting goodies with him.
“Drop Lyra off first,” Charley slid into the back and sat low so he would be able to avoid the rear view mirror.
“Fine,” Xander said as he and Lyra got into the front. They drove off.
-