“Mary-Lynette” Ash grabbed her and gently turned her to face him “wait. Please. It wasn’t what you think” Mary-Lynette glared at him.
“Well what did you expect me to think Ash. What would you have thought if you saw some beautiful guy kissing me” Ash shook his head.
“No, Mare listen. It wasn’t like that” Mary-Lynette folded her arms over her chest.
“You know what Ash. I don’t care. You can have any girl you want and play with her any way you feel like. It doesn’t bother me at all”.
“Christopher there you are. Do you want to dance?” Mary-Lynette turned to the blond who had spoken and was no clinging onto Ash’s arm. Mary-Lynette slammed her up against the wall.
“Don’t touch him bitch! His mine” she hissed in her face. The girl’s eyes opened and Mary-Lynette flung her into the tables sending her sprawling. “See” she said to Ash “It doesn’t bother me at all” pivoting around she hurried out of the club leaving Ash staring after her. Shaking his head he started to follow but a hand clamped on his arm.
“Ash, leave her” he turned around to meet the purple eyes of Alitia. “Believe me. Let her cool down a little” Ash frowned.
“How would you know how she feels?” he demanded. Alitia laughed.
“I just know” she shrugged “trust me” Ash seemed to deflate and he bowed his head.
“I wasn’t doing anything, really. I wouldn’t…I wouldn’t hurt her like that” Alitia smiled.
“I know Ash and she knows it to. She’s probably just in a bad mood, it happened. Don’t worry, she’ll. Forgive you” giving his arm one last squeeze she turned on him and walked back into the crowd. Ash suddenly didn’t feel like staying here anymore he turned towards the door and stepped out into the cool night air.
Mary-Lynette wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. Okay maybe I was been just a little unreasonable, she thought but he shouldn’t have kissed her. But he didn’t actually kiss her, she corrected herself, the girl was one of those annoying types that follow good-looking guys around. She looked to the sky, it was cloudy and gray rain was on its way. Hey that rhymes Mary-Lynette thought dryly giving a small smile to herself. And speaking of way, where the hell am I going? She lowered her head and looked around at her surroundings.
A few houses lined the streets and the streetlights were dim, she hadn’t really noticed it before but it was quite dark. A lot darker than she’d realised. At least it fits my mood. Maybe I’ll. Head back to the hotel, I doubt Ash will want me staying in his room after the way I treated him. She thought sadly bowing her head, I’ll. Have to apologies for that, I do trust him. She kicked a stone and heard the grumble from the sky’s she groaned, ‘anything but rain’ she muttered ‘it couldn’t possibly get any worse if it did’ suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her roughly into the dark ally lining the streets.
‘I’m afraid it just did’ a voice hissed in her ear.
Angel heard the scream from down the road. He narrowed his eyes and broke into a run ears alert for where the sound had come from. He turned down an alley and came to a halt. A dark haired vampire had a girl up against the wall struggling to hold her there while his mouth was embedded in her neck. Angel morphed into his vamp face and pulled the wooden stake out from under his shirt.
The girl was struggling but her struggles where becoming weaker. Flinging the vamp off her he sneaked a glance at her. She had slid down the wall of the alley one hand touching her neck gingerly. The vamp had pulled himself to his feet and was circling Angel wearily. Eyes flashing he leaped for him.
Angel easily sidestepped the attack and stepped back fingering the stake pressed in his palm. Shaking his head the vampire wired around silver hungry eyes trained on him. Without wasting a second the vampire had sprung again and Angel had no trouble shoving the stake through his heart. The vampire's eyes opened wide and he turned to dust before his eyes. Angel blinked twice than turned around to look at the girl. She was no longer there.
Mary-Lynette ran ignoring the pelting rain. While running she listened for footsteps hoping that that neither of those demon things had followed. What were they anyway? Vampires? He had bitten her neck, drawing out blood but it hurt a lot more than Ash’s bite and it wasn’t healing nearly as fast.
Infact it was still bleeding.
Running as fast as her body would let her after losing a lot of blood she arrived at the hotel around ten minutes later, feeling dazed and shaky. Like she’s faint any minute. Luckily she was outside the hotel now.
Taking a deep breath to stop herself from falling flat on her face she took a shaky step towards the lifts. No one was around so she got to the third floor easily. Shuffling to Gillian’s door she knocked and waited and knocked again. No answer, they weren’t home. Mary-Lynette almost cried with distraught feeling like she would faint any minute she shifted to the door where she’d knocked earlier. Ash’s room. Barely able to raise her fist to knock she waited outside, clothes soaked, shivering and blood running down her neck and staining her shirt.
The door opened and Ash stood there in his black jeans and tight blue shirt. His eyes opened with surprise than horror when he looked her over.
“I’m sorry Ash. I had no where else to go…” Mary-Lynette stuttered shivering. Ash reached out and touched her cheek gently.
“Shit Mare, you’re bleeding,” he said softly. Mary-Lynette looked at his handsome face filled with concern and fainted. Ash caught her.
Holding her gently in his arms he carried her to the bed and laid her gently down shutting the door behind him. She looked awful. Her face was pale and waxen, her shirt was stained with blood and her neck had two puncture marks ripped in. Hurrying to the bathroom he filled a small basin with Luke warm water and ran to Gillian’s room and found some bandages and some witchie healing stuff. He mixed it in the water his eyes never leaving Mary-Lynette’s still body.
Suddenly she groaned and blinked twice and tried to push herself up. Ash gently pushed her back down while he finished stirring. When he’d finished she pulled her up in a sitting position beside and started cleaning up the mark on her neck. Mary-Lynette took in a shaky breath.
“They weren’t human Ash. There faces…were like” she made a gestured with her hands, she looks like she’ll. Break down in hysterically sobs any minute, Ash thought biting his lower lip.
“It’s okay love. You can tell me later” he squeezed the washcloth out in the green basin and reached for the bandage. He gently wrapped the white material around her neck and fastened it. She turned to face him blue eyes wide, pupils dilated.
“Thanks Ash” she whispered softly “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said I-” Ash placed a finger on her lips silencing her.
“Let’s not talk about it now. Let’s just get you cleaned up, okay” he stared at her pointedly and she nodded.
“Okay” Ash grinned.
“Here’s a T-shirt and a pair of pajama pants of Gillian’s. You change while I clean up this” he pointed to the bowl and scooping it up in his hands he left the room. When he returned Mary-Lynette had changed and was sitting on the end of the bed hands clasped looking less dazed and much cleaner.
“How you feeling sweetheart” he asked sitting besides her studding her not so pale face. She shrugged. “Tired, I guess” she muttered eyes trained on her hands.
“Ash-I’m…I’m sorry about earlier tonight I know you wouldn’t do anything like that. I was just…mad” she raised her eyes to meet his and Ash realised they were filled with tears. “No, I’m the one who should be sorry Mare” he said pulling her body against hers gently stroking her hair.
“Why” she asked, “you didn’t do anything” Ash kissed the top of her head.
“I let this happen to you” he whispered. Mary-Lynette’s arms tightened around his waist and she buried her head in his shoulder fighting back tears. Ash realised that his own eyes were full, he quickly blinked back the tears that threatened to spill.
“They were ugly Ash. Horrible demon like faces and their teeth were in a different spot than yours. And it hurt” Mary-Lynette said pulling away and staring into his face. Ash frowned and Mary-Lynette continued. “Your teeth are here right” she reached up and gently pushed a finger in his mouth finger rubbing along where his canines were. “His were here” she moved her finger along rubbing back teeth and gazing into his eyes. Removing her finger she said, “It hurt Ash. God it hurt. It wasn’t like yours, this was like…” she thought for a word “more painful. And than this other one came and staked him, he just turned to dust. Poof and he was gone, just like that” her eyes were widening again and her breathing had quickened. Ash pulled her against him again.
“You’re okay now Mare. No one will hurt you again. I promise”
Alitia groaned and slammed her hand on her annoying alarm clock that she’d set for 7.30am. School. Pulling herself out of bed she shrugged on some clothes, brushed her hair and teeth and grabbed her backpack. Checking herself in the mirror once more she opened the door to the hallway and stepped out. Gillian had moved out when David had arrived and Alitia now had a room all to herself, which suited her just fine. Waiting outside Ash’s door she tapped her watch impatiently, he was always late. She swore he didn’t see the day till it was half over. Dumping her bag on the floor she walked angrily to Ash’s door and knocked irritably muttering curses under her breath. If the stupid vampire didn’t hurry up they were going to be late again.
“Ash Redfern get you ass out here now!” she yelled through the door clenching her fists at her side.
*What the…* came the sleepy reply “School loser. Or did you forget?” Alitia snapped running a hand through her hair in annoyance.
*If you wake her, I’ll really hurt you* Ash snapped back suddenly now seeming awake. Alitia frowned.
“Wake who? You know I don’t want to know” Alitia yelled gritting her teeth.
*In fact. I’ve decided not to go to school today* Ash drawled still talking mentally.
“What!” Alitia choked “It’s the second day, you can’t just decide whether you can go or not. You have to! Theirry assigned us to it. You don’t have a choice Redfern” she snarled.
*Screw Theirry* was the reply. Alitia nearly screamed in annoyance. This guy was so annoying.
“Your impossible Ash, you know that?” Alitia could almost hear him grinning.
*I know* he answered smugly. Alitia groaned and slapped a hand on her forehead. Why had she been partnered with a jerk like Ash? Why couldn’t she go looking around with Rashel and Quinn? Or even hang around with the witch Gillian.
“Ash come on,” she asked once again. Listening closely she could hear muffled talking than Ash said.
“Okay, I’ll come…on one condition” Alitia crossed her arms over her chest. Who did this guy think he was “If Mare can come to” Alitia dropped her arms. Than threw them up in defeat.
“I don’t care what you do Redfern. I’m leaving now. School starts in 30 minutes and I’m hungry and need to feed. So goodbye” she snarled through gritted teeth. With that she swung her pack on her back and stormed off.
Mary-Lynette stared around the busy building with amazement. Sunnydale High was a lot bigger than the school she’d gone to. Glancing up at Ash he had a bored expression on his face and one hand was shoved into his pocket the other holding onto Mary-Lynette’s.
“You didn’t have to come you know” Ash said turning his now sea blue eyes to meet hers. Mary-Lynette shrugged.
“Someone had to protect you from all those crazy girls” she answered nudging him with her elbow Ash grinned.
“Hey, I can’t help it if I’m gorgeous and girls love me” Mary-Lynette laughed.
“And obnoxious and annoying” she said stopping him and touching his nose. Ash smirked
“But you love me for it” he replied coyly.
“Your right I do” Mary-Lynette answered sliding her arms around his waist and into the back pockets of his jeans. Ash leaned forwards placing a soft kiss on her mouth he too slipping his hands in her back pockets. “And your all mine” she muttered when he pulled away from her mouth. Ash snorted and shook his head in amusement.
“How’s your neck by the way Mare?” Mary-Lynette shrugged while Ash peered at her throat. She’d changed the bandage this morning to a small one that just covered the mark
“It’s okay I guess. Better than it was last night” Ash nodded than grinned.
“You can say that. When I saw your bedraggled broken body outside my door I didn’t know what’d happened. Than when you fainted…” he shuddered making a face as he did so. Mary-Lynette laughed and shook her head faintly.
“Who was that girl this morning anyway who woke us up?” Ash rolled his eyes and groaned.
“Alitia. She’s half witch half vampire or something, I don’t really remember I wasn’t really listening when Theirry was explaining” he shrugged.
“When Ash are you ever really listening? You always act like you’re half-asleep all the time. You’re like a big cat” Ash just grinned. Than another voice broke in.
“Hi Christopher how are you this morning” not another one Mary-Lynette thought, how many girls can one guy have attracted to him. But Ash was smiling.
“Hey Willow I’m fine and how are you?” Mary-Lynette disentangled herself from Ash arms and turned to face the girl standing behind her. She was small and petite with shoulder length red hair and a friendly smile. “Fine” she turned to Mary-Lynette and smiled holding out a hand.
“Hi, you must be new here to. I’m Willow” Mary-Lynette slid her hand into the redheads.
“Ma-”
“Maddy” Ash cut in throwing a glance at Mary-Lynette. “Her name’s Maddy. Right Maddy” Ash continued staring at her pointidly. *I’ll explain later* Mary-Lynette stared at him than nodded.
“Yep, Maddy. That’s me” she smiled at Willow who was watching with a confused smile on her face. She opened her mouth to say something but the bell to first period cut in. “Well, look at the time” Mary-Lynette gushed “we’d really better go to class” Ash nodded and Mary-Lynette grabbed his hand in hers and pulled him off. She would question him as soon as they got out of earshot. “Seeya Willow” she called over her shoulder. The redhead lifted a hand and waved turning around and walking off.
“Bring me the amulet” Metallic ordered snapping his fingers impatiently. He held out a hand and the smooth shaped object was placed in it with a silver chain. He studied the red jewel in his hand and smiled, it wasn’t a nice smile. He rubbed a thumb over it admiring its beauty…and deadly power. “Not long now. Not long now” he muttered raising his eyes to meet the vampire’s before him. “Is everything ready?” he snapped. The vampire nodded looking cautious and uneasy.
“Yes sir. All we need is the fifteen humans and the blood moon, that’s it” he grinned which looked strange if you thought about it. A man with the face of a demon smiling animal eyes now excited “Tomorrow night it is. That’s the night of the blood moon”
Metallic nodded slipping the amulet around his neck still holding the jewel between his thumb and forefinger. “Tomorrow night it is than” he said dropping the amulet letting it fall loosely around his neck “and what of the slayer?” he added. The vampire swallowed,
“She doesn’t know of it. But that goody goody vampire of hers Angel may. After all he would probably guess considering that this has been done before and he was involved. It only happens every one hundred and fifty years it-” he was cut off as Metallic reached out and gripped the vampire by his shirt collar and pulled him towards him.
“I don’t want anything to go wrong” he snarled “if it does and that slayer is involved. You will take the blame along with every single vampire that lives down here. You understand?” the vampire nodded and Metallic dropped him roughly on the ground. “Good. Now go away” the vampire pulled himself up nodded and hurried out thankfully. Metallic gripped the amulet once again feeling its power through his fingertips. Nothing would go wrong, nothing. He would have control the world in two days, humans would be used as toys and food. Nothing else. Victory was so close he could almost taste it.
Buffy Summers groaned and slammed the book shut. “Nothing in here” she said looking up at Willow and Xander with their faces in a book, frowns creasing their foreheads. Xander shut his with a bang.
“Nope, nothing here either…” Willow shook her head as well and turned to Giles leaning over the library counter flicking through a thick dusty book, face stern.
“We have to keep looking,” he said staring at the group before him. Buffy nodded, Giles was right. They had to, the world depended on it. She reluctantly picked up another book from the stack on the table and opened it. It was going to be a long day.
“Maddy…” the teacher was writing busily. She lifted her head again to meet Mary-Lynette’s “Maddy who?”
“My name is Maddy…” she thought for a surname, it was funny when you couldn’t even think of one word, but not in this situation. Ash wasn’t been any help, he was staring out the window keeping his eyes away from Mary-Lynette at this point. “Maddy Redfern” as soon as she said it she regretted it. Ash who was sitting beside her raised his eyes and Mary-Lynette shrugged. The whole class of twenty-six had there eyes on her.
“Redfern…” the teacher muttered pen moving again. “Okay Maddy you can take your Seat” Mary-Lynette thankfully sat down next to Ash and he grinned at her.
“You know Mare” he whispered “I can see you as a Redfern” Mary-Lynette smiled.
“That’s sweet Ash. But don’t get any idea’s” he grasped her hand in his smiling evilly.
“What type of idea’s are you talking about” he whispered leaning forward and softly touching his lips to Mary-Lynette’s ear. She shivered at his warm touch as his lips gently moved down from her ear to the corner of her mouth she tilted her head to the side slightly lips inches from his, warm breath mingling, Ash started to close the distance.
“Maddy and Christopher. Please save make-out sessions till you get home, than you can do what you want” the teacher’s snide voice cut in.
Mary-Lynette pulled away in embarrassment, cheeks burning. Students around her were sniggering and whispering to each other.
“Oh we will” Ash said lounging back in his chair and returning his gaze back outside.
“Christopher. Don’t think I didn’t notice you weren’t at your detention yesterday” Ash blinked
“Detention…” the teacher rolled her eyes.
“Don’t play that innocent act on me mister. You can have a double one tonight in this room straight after school, and if you don’t come this time you’ll be having them for a month, do I make myself clear. You should think about the consequences before you decide to cut class,” she added turning back to the board. Ash made a rude sign behind her back keeping his eyes away from Mary-Lynette. She poked him in the stomach.
“You skipped class on your first day at school” Ash cringed.
“I didn’t mean too, it was an accident” he whispered turning to face her “really it was”
“I’ve found it” Willow exclaimed happily.
Buffy raised her eyes from the book in her lap excitedly. She quickly slammed the book on her lap closed and hurried over to the redhead’s side, followed closely by Xander and Giles.
“Blood amulet” Willow read “On the blood moon” she raised her eyes “which is tonight, tomorrow night” she paused “and was last night”
Buffy bit her lip. “And…what is it Will. Does it say?”
“The amulet has the power to turn back time. Rewrite things than return to the future” she swallowed and continued “All you have to do is think of the time where you wish to travel to, the place and right it”
Buffy felt sweat break out on her forehead, this was worse than she thought. It was worse than any of them thought.
“But…” Willow said, “It gets worse. To activate the amulet, you must have the young blood of fifteen people…” she covered her mouth with her hand and gazed up at them from wide eyes.
“Fifteen people…” Buffy whispered “young blood” she frowned “that must mean teenagers. And the place where you enough teenagers on one night at the same time” she swallowed looking shocked, this was bad. They all knew it.
“The Bronze” they all said in union.
Mary-Lynette Carter flopped down on the large double bed and sighed. Ash had reluctantly stayed after school for his double detention. She smiled slightly, he had tried everything to get out of it, but the teacher was like a rock. Refusing to budge no matter how hard he pleaded and whined.
Rolling on her stomach she crawled to her bag lying on the floor and unzipped the zipper. Pulling out the book that she had to read for English she opened it to the first page. The teacher had slapped down a thick book of the full version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. She had to read it before next week. It shouldn’t be to hard a task, Shakespeare was a hard person to understand, but Mary-Lynette found it easy when you liked the author and his work.
She smiled and opened the book. Ash was always getting himself into some sort of trouble, or rather trouble found him.
Sunnydale, Mary-Lynette thought, it was a strange town. She shuddered remembering what happened the night before and gingerly touched her neck. Since when did a town have demon creatures running around biting people’s necks? What was this place? Hells neighbor?
Sliding off the bed she made her way to the window and slammed it shut, she didn’t want any nasty’s coming in here. Walking around to the other windows in the small room she checked the locks and made sure they were tight. Satisfied she turned to make her way back to the bed.
A knock sounded at the door. Mary-Lynette frowned and walked towards it. She opened it cautiously and peered around.
“Hi, it’s just me” a voice said.
Alitia. Mary-Lynette recognized the girl’s voice. She was the one who’d driven her home from school. Pretty girl with long hair, which she had pulled back in a braid and dark purple eyes. Eyes that seemed to notice and take in anything and everything.
“Alitia. Hi” Mary-Lynette said pulling the door open wider. Alitia grinned.
“Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you want to some meet some people. You’ve already meet Gillian and David. These are the other two on the mission”
Mary-Lynette smiled at the vampire standing outside the door and nodded. Walking out she shut it gently behind her.
“Great” Alitia said happily “I know, Quinn is dying to meet you. He’s a good friend of Ash’s” she smirked. Than turned around beckoning for Mary-Lynette to follow.
Alitia led Mary-Lynette, who she now knew was Ash’s soulmate to Quinn and Rashel’s room, which was slightly bigger than all the others were because it had a tiny lounge room with a few couches and chairs. Ash and Quinn had argued over who got it for ages, till Quinn jumped in and slammed the door on Ash and locking it.
“Okay” Alitia turned to Mary-Lynette “there in here” opening the door she walked in, Mary-Lynette following close behind. The door shut behind them.
Quinn was lounging in the chair head tilted back and staring at the roof. Rachel raised her cat eyes when they walked in. Quinn lowered his head.
“So you’re the girl, who stole Ash’s heart,” he said grinning wickedly. Mary-Lynette looked slightly embarrassed but gave a small short nod.
“I’m Rashel” in one fluid motion the black hared vampire hunter got to her feet and walked to Mary-Lynette and held out her hand and shook Mary-Lynette’s. She turned around and glared at Quinn. He to stood up and walked over and shook her hand.
“Quinn” he walked backwards till he was back on the couch again than grinned “so where’s Ash at the moment?”
“He’s got double detention,” Mary-Lynette said studying the black hared vampire before her. Quinn chuckled shaking his head.
“Figures. I told him he’d get in trouble for skipping class than refusing to go to detention” he rolled his black eyes in amusement.
“Hey guys” the door opened and a small blond haired girl walked in followed closely by David. “Oh, hey Mary-Lynette. How are you?” she asked again.
Mary-Lynette shrugged “fine and yourself”
Gillian grinned “great” she said enthusiastically
“And is there a reason why you feel go ‘great’” Quinn asked dryly eye the two with amusement. Both flushed a shade of red and Quinn grinned. “I knew it. There is always a reason”
Rashel beside him elbowed him slyly in the ribs and he shut up, still grinning.
“Actually we made a booking at a restaurant tonight” David said slumping in the chair opposite Quinn and Rashel.
“Yeah. We got sick of having two minute noodles for breakfast lunch and tea” Gillian commented sliding down next to her soulmate.
“Really” Quinn asked no longer sounding very interested.
“We booked all of us in for six o’clock. Even those who don’t need food” David went on eyeing Quinn and Alitia.
“We still need food,” Alitia said pulling Mary-Lynette down in the remaining seats “just not the same as humans. We tend to have a fetish for things in a darker shade of colour” Quinn and Alitia exchanged a look. Both grinned.
“We’d be very happy if any of you want to play pin-cushion for a moment while where on the topic of food” Quinn muttered slyly eyeing the three humans and witch seated around him.
Rashel beside him glared at him. “Ignore him. I’ll beat him up later” Quinn lost his smirk and sat very still beside the dark hared vampire slayer hands clasped together.
Alitia rolled her eyes and turned to Mary-Lynette.
“Those two are always arguing over something or other. I still can’t believe there going out” she shook her head and Mary-Lynette grinned at Alitia’s sly comment.
“I was thinking that we could have a nice dinner than go to the Bronze” Gillian was saying in her chirpy excited voice. Quinn rolled his eyes and Rashel nodded.
“That could be fun”
“Yeah and when we go to the Bronze, maybe you two can actually have a look around instead of playing tonsil hockey all night” Alitia piped up grinned wickedly at the two on the couch.
Quinn turned his black eyes to meet Alitia’s and he glared. Rashel ignored the comment all together.
“So six” Mary-Lynette asked.
“Six” Gillian confirmed nodding her blond head vigorously. Mary-Lynette stood up wiping her hands on her jeans as she did so.
“Well, I’d better get going, I have a huge book I have to read before next week” smiling at them all she made her way to the door and stepped out shutting it softly behind her.
When she arrived in her room she kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed and resumed her position with Romeo and Juliet.
For been so engrossed in her novel she didn’t hear the door open, but heard it slam. Snapping her head up and gave a sigh of relief when she saw Ash trudge in.
“It was horrible” he muttered flopping face first on the bed “she made me do math’s”
Mary-Lynette softly shut her book and stared at her blond soulmate lying at her feet.
“She made you do Math’s huh?” Ash nodded
“You know I never listened in class and now she knows that I can barely add up two and two and she thinks I need special help,” he said angrily clenching his fists “and she keeps looking at me in a funny way” he wined “it was awful”
Settling her book on the bed beside her she crawled over to Ash and straddled his waist and begin massaging his shoulders.
“You’re very tense” Mary-Lynette muttered.
“So would you be” he answered voice slightly muffled.
“Does this feel good?” Mary-Lynette asked leaning forward slightly to see if she could get a glimpse at his face.
“Mmmm…would it be easier if I took off my shirt?”
Mary-Lynette smiled and leaned back “actually it would be, I was just thinking that” they somehow managed to get his shirt off his body and Mary-Lynette began kneading the tense muscles in his back.
“Yeah, this definitely feels good” Ash murmured shifting slightly beneath her.
Mary-Lynette didn’t answer.
Alitia slid in the booth followed by Gillian and David. Rashel and Quinn were already seated.
“So what have we discovered exactly” David asked studying the small group of people before.
“Something big is going to happen” Rashel said glancing quickly at her soulmate.
“Like in what kind of big? Little big or big big” Gillian inquired clasping her hands together on top of the table.
“Big big” Rashel continued “where not quite sure what yet, but we over heard a couple of vampires talking about it yesterday. Unfortunately they figured out we were there before we could hear just what”
“Vampires? Here? In Sunnydale?” Gillian asked eyes widening.
Quinn nodded “Not Night World vampires, a different sort. I’d heard a rumor about them making a comeback but I never really listened to rumors…until now”
“How many sorts of vampires can there be?” David muttered.
Rashel shrugged “I only thought there was only two kinds as well. Made and lamia, I guess there’s three types now”
“And speaking of lamia” Quinn said, “where’s that annoying Redfern and soulmate?”
As if on cue Ash walked in followed by Mary-Lynette. Ash surveyed what was around him his eyes settling on the group and he turned to the darker haired girl behind him and she followed his gaze and smiled. Gillian waved them over and the two pushed themselves through and seated themselves in the two remaining seats. Mary-Lynette smiled at them all looking slightly nervous.
“What happened to you neck” Rashel’s voice cut in and Alitia watched Mary-Lynette stiffen slightly and slowly raise her hand to touch her neck. She threw a glance in Ash’s direction and he gripped her hand under the table.
“Vampire” Ash spat his ever-changing eyes narrowing in anger.
“You mean you were bitten?” David choked hands clutching the table in shock.
“”Na, she got them when she was doing the moonwalk” Ash sneered sarcastically “how else did you think she got them idiot?”
David still seemed lost for words and he didn’t answer to Ash’s harsh comment.
“So when did this happen” Rashel asked leaning forward slightly and studied the puncture mark on her neck.
Mary-Lynette hesitated “Uh…about two days ago”
“And you didn’t tell us?”
Mary-Lynette shifted uncomfortably “I was planning to-”
“You really should have. We could have found out who the jerk was and staked him”
“He was”
“Was what?”
“Staked. The other guy staked him. He turned to dust”
“Other guy” Alitia asked suddenly becoming interested
“The first one bit me and that this other guy. Vampire as well. Came up and pulled him off me, staked him. He turned to dust”
Rashel studied her for another moment than leaned back in the chair. “What happened to the second vampire?”
Mary-Lynette looked down “I don’t know. I ran away as fast as I could”
“You ran away”
“What would you have done Rashel” Ash asked his upper lip curving into something like a sneer.
“Hey she was just asking” Quinn said defending his soulmate.
“Yeah, well maybe she should give Mary-Lynnette a break” the two glared at each other.
“Maybe we should just skip dinner and head straight over to the Bronze” Gillian piped up breaking the tension in the air. David nodded agreeing with his witch soulmate.
Alitia grinned. “Sounds good to me”
“Whatever…” Ash muttered finally tearing his gaze away from Quinn’s.
“Okay, but just be on the lookout. Something is going to happen but I don’t know quite what. Just be careful,” Rashel warned shifting her cat green eyes to each of the faces surrounding her. “Watch your backs” she whispered before standing up and making her way out of the small restaurant, followed closely by Quinn.
“I don’t like it” Rashel was saying.
“What’s to like” Quinn answered staring around at the busy club. Rashel’s eyes narrowed slightly and she shook her head.
“Something’s bad is going to happen. I can just feel it”
Quinn nodded. “I just wish we knew what we were up against. I mean. Only five of us can really fight it. Whatever it is. That is if it does come”
“This town is right on the hellmouth. It’s riddled with demons of practically every sort, shape and size”
“Theirry said something about a slayer, you remember?”
“Yeah. The chosen one, she alone will fight the darkness of evil blar, blar, blar. I Haven’t seen any traces of any slayer” Quinn snickered at her dry remark.
“Or maybe, Theirry was talking bullshit, you know?” Rashel shook her head.
“Sorry. No”
“Maybe there really isn’t any slayer, maybe-” Just than the doors to the night club flew open and a large groups of people stormed in. Well, you couldn’t really call them people, their faces were all twistered into the shape of a demon. All of them radiating evil.
Minutes Before
“No, sweetheart. You hold the cue like this” Ash showed her from across the table demonstrating with his thum and fingers. “And you hit the ball like this” he hit the ball softly and Mary-Lynette watched it knock the red ball into the hole. She frowned.
“You make it seem easy” Ash laughed.
“I can’t believe you have never played pool before. Ever” Mary-Lynette scowled at him.
“Well sorry, Mr. I’ve done everything. Maybe There are no pool tables where I come from” She turned her attention back to the table and the long cue in her hand and focused on the ball. Lining up the cue she counted to three and drew back her elbow and shoved the wooden stick forward to meet the ball. But missed it all together and landed with an “oomph” on the table. Glaring angrily at the white ball she pushed her self back to her feet and raised her eyes to Ash. He was struggling to keep a straight face. She frowned at him when he suddenly burst out laughing.
“Sorry, you just looked so funny” he said between laughter. Mary-Lynette’s frowned deepened. No girl liked to be told they looked funny, especially by their boyfriend.
“Well, I glad you found it amusing, because I sure didn’t” She snarled at him, her eyes flashing angrily and clenching the cue in her hand. Ash lost his smile.
“Sorry sweety, but it just-” he stopped when Mary-Lynette’s glare didn’t soften “Here, look I’ll show you” he walked around the pool table and stood behind her. Leaning over he grabbed the long stick in his hands. “Now put your hand here, Like that. And your other one here, good” He laid his hands on top of hers and grinned down at her. “Now is this better?”
“To you maybe. But your not the one been squashed” she replied. She didn’t want to tell him this his body this close made her skin tingle where they touched and her heartbeat quicken. He shrugged.
“Yeah. And your completely at my mercy” he smiled sweetly and Mary-Lynette turned her head away from him when he leaned forward to kiss her.
“Concentrate on pool, Mister Redfern” She heard him sigh and mutter something under his breath.
“Okay, fine. Now aim the cue up, like this. Good. And hit it softly. No need to hit it as hard as you did before, Okay. Not to hard” gently Mary-Lynette pulled the cue back and made contact with the white ball. “orange ball, corner pocket” Ash muttered in her ear, as the orange ball plopped in the hole. She turned away and grinned at him.
“I did it, Ash. The ball went in the hole” Ash smiled back.
“You sure did Mare” She leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on his lips.
“Thanks. I’m sure now I can do it by myself” just to show him she could she brought her elbow back still clutching the cue and felt it ram into something solid, that was than followed by and ‘oopmh” and a few curses. Turning around Mary-Lynette spotted Ash bending over clutching his stomach with both hands. Dropping the cue she bent down beside him and studied him. “Oh, Ash I’m really sorry. I…didn’t mean to. It doesn’t hurt that much does it?”
Ash raised his head and glared. “The cue is wood Mary-Lynette. Of course it hurts”
“Sorry. It was an accident really. If it makes you feel any better, I still missed the ball” he raised his head again and studied Mary-Lynette’s concerned face. And he felt a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“You missed it again?” She nodded sadly.
“I really don’t think Pool is my game. I think I’ll stay to star-watching” she smiled at him. “Do you forgive me sweetheart?” he nodded, bringing her into a hug.
“Of course I do, how can I not?” he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. And that was when the screaming started.
To Be Continued...
