Demon Lord

by: Malaca

Chapter 4

Buffy glanced around at her friends hard at work to find a solution to the Demon Lord problem. She knew that she was little help in the research department. Buffy was the hack and slash kind, not the lets think about how we approach this. Anyway that she saw it, Buffy felt as though she was wasting time sitting here.

She stepped up to Giles who had his nose buried in the Cordex so deeply he looked something like a beaver, "Giles?"

He looked up absentmindedly, "Yes, Buff?"

"You guys look like you can handle it here. I'm going to go and do one more round before going home."

He pushed his glasses up slightly, "I'm afraid I have to disagree, it's much to dangerous out there for you to be alone."

"Trust me Giles, I'll be fine. It's not like we have actually seen this Demon Lord, for all we know it could be some superitous hoax!"

"Giles is right, you can't go alone," Willow looked concerned. Buffy grabbed an extra stake and held it up, "I won't be going alone. I'll be going with Mr. Pointy. Say it's a date."

"Be careful."

Buffy saluted Giles as she left, "Yes, sir!"

"Sometimes I worry about that girl," sighed Giles.

"You worry about her! Check out that fashion sense, yuck!" exclaimed Cordeila.

Oz raised and eyebrow and turned to Angel, "You going after her?"

Angel dropped the book he was holding and made for the door. Willow sighed.

"I guess that's a yes."

Buffy stalked through the dark night. It was quiet, but that was to be expected. People of Sunnydale tended to stay indoors during the night with all the strange assurances that seemed nightly. For Buffy those occurrences weren't strange and were very much nightly.

'What I wouldn't do for a normal life,' she thought.

Angel followed her silently making sure to stay in the shadows least the Slayer might see him. He winced, since when had he considered her just the Slayer?

So wrapped up in his thoughts Angel didn't notice the gray brown streaked shadow flicker around Buffy before it was too late.

"Buffy!" he cried as she disappeared into the shadow.

Angel blinked running towards where she was just standing. Not a mark on the ground to signify her ever is being there. Angel stiffened and made his way back to the library to inform Giles of what happened. He frowned, what just happened?

Malaca yawned and ruffled her blonde hair peering into the rearview mirror to check her appearance. She yawned again as she left the SUV making her way towards the school.

After talking and making plans for the others to come over here tonight she went on a short sweeping of the surrounding areas for demons. It was too quiet for her liking, especially when having a Demon Lord in town. This worried her and caused her not to be able to sleep by the time she actually got to bed.

She smirked, Ryo was so going to yell at her for not sleeping. It couldn't be helped she reasoned. The loud students of the school were so not what she wanted to be around at this time. But of course the assignment always came first and she had to keep up appearances.

Malaca grumbled and resolved to fall asleep at the first period bell. She smiled with that plan.

"Malaca!"

She grumbled and turned around giving the person a glare. Willow raised her hands up.

"It's just me!" she said.

Malaca sighed but gave her a smile, "Yes?"

Willow fidgeted, "Well...um...I was wondering if you had seen Buffy at all. She's kind of missing."

Malaca raised an eyebrow, "She is? Nope, haven't seen her since yesterday after school."

"Thanks," Willow sighed disappointed.

"Don't worry, she'll turn up. I'm sure of it," Malaca mentioned.

Willow looked up, "I hope so."

"Well since your alone, want to walk to class together? I wouldn't mind the company," she added.

Willow smiled, "I'd like that. Thank you."

Malaca shrugged, "No problem. Where is Xander?"

"Um...probably doing something you know Xander-like," Willow answered, "But then again, if he's with Cordeila then he's doing something non-Xander like."

Malaca laughed, "I'm afraid to ask."

"Um...Willow? Could I have a word with you?" asked a voice.

Malaca and Willow turned around in surprise. Malaca noted that it was Giles asking for Willow right in front of the library. She blinked having a feeling that he was more than a librarian but pushed it aside for later.

Willow looked at Malaca who smiled again, "Do you care if I go?"

"Not at all. Enjoy yourself with the 'Librarian'," Malaca said slightly sarcastic waving Willow a good-bye.

Willow followed Giles into the library where he shut and locked the door promptly. Giles looked to her and pushed his glasses up further on his nose.

"What's going on now Giles?" as they walked to the others.

"Yeah, I'm going to be late to class so this better be good," Cordeila groaned as she picked at her nails.

"Oh it is. Buffy's been kidnapped, at least we think so."

"What!"

Giles sighed, "Angel followed Buffy on patrol and saw it happen. He said that it was like a shadow engulfed her and he was too far away to do anything."

Xander blinked, "So your saying the only chance we had of beating this thing just disappeared? The only witness was a vampire who has a bad habit of being bad, and we are all okay with this? He could be not telling the whole story."

Giles pushed up his glasses again, "Yes, I suppose you have a point, but what motive would Angel have in lying? The Demon Lord is just as dangerous to him as to us. Right now we are assuming that the Demon Lord took her, for what purpose we can't be sure. I need to ask all of you to patrol tonight and look for her."

"But I have a hair appointment at 8!" Cordeila cried.

"Well if we don't stop this thing, you won't have to worry about your hair ever again," Giles commented.

"This is big guys, we've got to find Buff," Oz said, "but I can only help you tonight."

"Why is that?" Giles asked.

Willow smiled and patted Oz's arm, "'Cause Oz goes all wolfie on the night before the full moon."

"Well, right. I guess I forgot. You will be able to help out tonight?" Giles asked again.

Oz nodded his consent.

"Alright I need you all to meet here at sundown. We have to find the Slayer," Giles said to them all.

"Can I go to class now?" Cordeila asked.

Unknown to the Slayerettes a strong force was listening to their conversation at the door. As they came out, the force hides still listening. Only when they were all the way down the all did the force come out.

Malaca frowned, 'The Slayer is Buffy? This is not good.'

"Okay guys are you almost done packing yet?" shouted Mia from the bottom floor.

A series of no's and hard bumps answered her. Mia sighed exasperated while Sage snuck up behind her and grabbed her waist. She shrieked in surprise and then yelled for Sage to put her down right away. Sage shrugged and placed her on the ground, but didn't release her from his hold. Mia sighed and leaned back on him closing her eyes.

"Mia?"

"Hmmm?"

"I want you to stay behind this time."

Mia dropped her jaw in shock, "WHAT!"

Sage nuzzled her hair, "You heard me. I want you to be safe for once, so could you please stay behind?"

"Date Sage, I never thought you'd sink so low."

"Mia, think about it. I just don't want you to get hurt. I'm sorry, but it's too much of a risk. You and Ulie should stay here, alright?"

"No, it's not alright. I want to go and help you guys out!" she demanded.

Sage buried his head in her hair taking a deep breath of her scent, "I need to know you are safe."

Mia sighed once, "Alright, I'll stay behind, but I will continue to look into a way to defeat this guy over here, no buts."

He smiled, "That's my girl."

Mia rolled her eyes slightly.

"Hey guys, what's going on down there?"

Sage looked upwards at Kento who was hanging over the balcony grinning like an idiot.

Mia winked at Sage, "I don't know, what where we doing?"

Sage smiled catching her drift, "I don't know, but how about this?"

Sage swooped down and kissed Mia on the lips. Mia wrapped her arms around Sage's neck and kissed him back while Kento made noises disentictly sounding like gagging.

"Ryo, calm down!"

Sage looked upwards with a sigh, "I think Ryo is a little anxious don't you think?"

"Nothing more than usual," Kento chuckled moving away from the balcony to check up on Ro and Ryo.

Mia smiled, "He's only like that when she's not around 'cause of a mission."

Sage nodded, "Exactly, I hope she's doing alright."

Malaca watched Buffy's friends the rest of the day. Listening to their conversations and noting every move, Malaca discovered what was going on. Apparently they were going to search for Buffy that night along with someone named Angel.

She frowned. It had to be that vampire that felt different, almost like he had a soul. Malaca shrugged, no time for strange mysteries. She had to help them find the Slayer or all was lost. She knew what some of the more archaic spells were capable of doing with a Slayer's blood, and none of them was pleasant.

Malaca shivered, vowing to help them all she could. The best choice she had right now to help them was to stay hidden and guard over them. Sighing, she cursed her luck. It looked like the Ronins would have to not see her for another night. It was time to go hunting, and Malaca couldn't wait.

She followed them to the library once more, this time wedging herself up in the balcony careful not to make any noise. Not that they would notice, the one called Cordeila whined too much and too loudly for them to ever hear. Malaca settled in and waited for sunset for them to move. It looked like it would be a very long wait.

Malaca kept herself entertained by examining their auras. Malaca was slightly impressed by the amount of unused power reflecting from each.

Willow had a silvery aura that was like a mist that hanged over her body. It wasn't focused, but it was powerful neither the less. The older man, supposedly the librarian was powerful to, but it was in a different sense. Malaca shook her head. Too anyone with a pinch of power, he was painfully noticeable. He was definitely not a librarian.

Malaca cocked her head. He felt almost like a watcher. It made sense though for when there is a Slayer there is a watcher. Not like watchers were a bad thing or anything, they just asked to many questions over the years. But that too was their jobs and she wouldn't do anything about it as long as they still helped to protect the mortal world and all that crap.

She switched to the others. Xander was normal enough for a human, but even he had an unusual aura, most likely from being with the Slayer so much. Cordeila was pathetically normal as well, but here aura as off-balanced for a human just like Xander. Now Oz, he was interesting. Definitely not all human. He felt almost wolfie. Wolfie as in supernatural wofie. She smirked, a werewolf of course.

Malaca blinked, now why was a mortal female dating a werewolf? They seemed to either not know or didn't care. She was betting on the not caring. There was no way a Slayer and a Watcher wouldn't notice the boy missing for three nights a month. Malaca shrugged. Maybe there was something to be said about Willow. She definitely not all that she seemed. That silvery aura almost looked like Akira, but Akira was a sorcerer. Maybe a witch-child?

She shrugged again, it did not matter right now who they were. What mattered now was finding out were the Slayer was and why did they take her. If the Demon Lord wanted her out of the way, he would simply kill her and not go to all the trouble of kidnapping. No, they wanted her for something that was for sure.

'What was that?'

Malaca felt a tug that was confusing. With her ability for sensing evil aura's and evil intentions Malaca was confused for once. This aura was evil there was no doubt. Even with being evil, it wasn't. Certainly a paradox, not really. It only was that crazy vampire that had some how aligned itself with its main hunter. The world is definetly screwed up when two enemies work together with no apparent reason.

Malaca paused. Now that she thought of it, the name Angel ringed a bell, but she couldn't pin where she had heard it. Malaca pushed it away for later, for they were on the move. She followed silently, but took the time to look out at the fading light. Malaca shook her head. It was a hunting game for sure. The question was, who was the hunter?

Hey all!

Malaca here! *Waves* Yes, I know I took a lot of time coming out with this part, so sue me! NO not really, I don't have that much to give. Anyways, the reason that I was so late was because my family went on vacation and then we moved to Pennsylvania shortly after. Not to mention the new sites that I'm working on and some family problems that basically equal up to divorce. So, yes I've had some problems, but that does not mean that Im gong to give up writing. No way, no how. Thanks for all the support and I'll hurry up to finish the next part.

Ja ne!

Malaca

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