Title; A Childe Awakens, (BtVS) Author; Phoenixheart79 aka Carl/theblondiebear Rating; R overall, 18+ if you're british like me Disclaimer; I do not own BtVS, that privilige goes to Joss Whedon and M.E. I guess I own Sebastian, but the rest I'm just borrowing. I promise to put them back in the toy box when I'm done! Distribution; (not that anyone will want it! LOL) Please ask my permission before putting it anywhere else than the places I do. Feedback; Please! I write for me, but it's a boost to know what people think of my work. *********************************************************************** Chapter 10 Sebastian grunted as his fist slammed into the punch bag. Blow after blow slammed into it, rocking it hard and causing it’s mount to groan under the pressure. He’d been down here for over an hour and the sweat glistened on his bare chest. The door to the Summer’s basement opened, casting a sliver of light down on him. Footsteps sounded and he looked up. Xander came down the stairs, some wood over one shoulder and his toolkit in his free hand. He paused halfway as he caught sight of the shirtless Sebastian, then carried on down the stairs. He set the wood and tools down in a corner and turned to Sebastian, "Buffy asked me to knock up a training frame, human sized. It’d be easier with some help." he smiled. "Sure, why not." Sebastian said, grabbing a towel and draping it around his neck. The two set to work, chatting amiably. Since their experiences the previous night, Xander was a great deal more comfortable around Bastian. He was just a guy after all. A sweaty guy, Xander thought. Where did that thought come from? He asked himself. They worked swiftly, Bastian was a great deal more help than Xander had expected. A little over an hour later and they had finished. Xander stood back and admired their work. A wooden post, standing six foot tall, with a solid base and support legs to the back to keep it upright and, about a foot from the top, ‘arms’ spread out to left and right, then reached forwards in an ‘embrace’ that could be stood within. The whole thing had padded areas which matched critical or sensitive areas on a regular human or vampire. "It looks good." Bastian observed and stepped a little closer to Xander. "Thanks. Got the idea at school, Giles had one for Buffy to train with." He turned and was face to face with Bastian. "You’re welcome." the slayer said, his voice almost a whisper. Xander opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. Their eyes met and something sparked between them. The air was thick with unspoken emotions and more. Slowly, Bastian leaned in a little closer. The basement door opened and Buffy’s voice drifted down to them, "Bastian, can you come up here? Giles has a few questions about last night." "Sure! Be right there." he shouted back. Xander backed off quickly, grabbed his toolkit and headed up the stairs. He paused when he reached Buffy. "Your training frames ready." "Really?" He smiled. "I didn’t get my job by being pretty, Buffy. Amazingly, even to me, I’m actually skilled." Buffy smiled back, "Yeah, you are that." Bastian’s footsteps sounded on the stairs and Xander moved away, "See ya later Buffy." Willow sat at her desk in her room, searching for anything she could find on the totem. From the yard below, she could hear Kennedy putting the SiT’s through their paces. There was a soft knock on her door and she turned in time to see Xander closing the door gently behind him. "Hey Will, can we talk?" She shut her laptop and joined him on the edge of the bed. "Sure, what’s up?" "Sebastian." He laughed softly, "You know, when I said ‘gay me up’, I was joking." Willow laughed. "I thought there was something in you. Especially today." she held her hands up a little, "Hey, don’t blame me, I didn’t do this." Xander sighed, "I know Will. It’s just so confusing." She reached out and took his hand in hers and looked him in the eyes. "Look, I know it must be weird, but it’s nothing bad. It’s not a choice or a spell, it just is." "Yeah, well, I wish it would be is to someone else. I mean geez, I don’t need this now." "Do you mean that, you don’t want anything?" Willow asked, stroking his hand gently. "Yes. No. Oh, I don’t know Will. It’s all so confusing. I mean, for years, women." Willow smiled, "And rather obviously." A wry smile spread over his lips, "Yeah. Heck, Larry made a couple of passes at me. I think. Nothing, nada. Now, and especially after last night, Bastian just has to look at me and I start channelling some schoolgirl with a crush." Willow squeezed his hand and stared hard into his eyes, "Hey. You know, before Tara, I didn’t know. I was for the guys." "I remember." "Well, I didn’t just get up one day and go ‘right, that’s it, I’m gay’. It was Tara. I fell in love with her. Not the woman, the person. She was and from what you said, still is, sweet and kind and she stole my heart. That she was a she," Willow shook her head gently, "not important." She withdrew her hands from around his and stroked a cheek, "You want my advice? Stop hiding. If part of you wants to, then let him in." Xander smiled and patted her knee softly. He stood up and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Cheers Will, I think I might." He slipped out of her room and Kennedy slid in. "What was all that?" "Xander needed some advice." Kennedy looked down the empty hall where Xander had just passed her. "Sebastian?" Willow nodded as Kennedy sat beside her and rested a head on her shoulder. "I hope it works out." "Me too." Willow said, running a hand through Kennedy’s hair, "Me too." The Mansion, one hour before sunset. In the great hall, Willow and Amy surveyed the forces before them. Twenty eight vampires and themselves. Some had swords, knives and daggers. A couple hefted assault rifles in the air. But over half simply wore their demonic visage. Willow had more she could have called on now, but this should be more than enough and she had purposefully picked the strongest and meanest fighters. On this hunt, they couldn’t afford any dead weight. She stepped away from Amy and silence rippled through the crowd. "Okay, we go in three teams, ten to a team. Amy and myself will lead the primary team. The second team will go around the back in case they try to escape and the third will wait at the end of the road in case they are needed." A grumble of dissent spread through the crowd, but Willow raised her voice, "Silence! We do it this way because I say so! It is our best chance of success! Now Go!" The vampires broke up and headed for one of three of the side doors, where a van with blacked out windows waited at each. The vans inched forwards and arms clad in heavy leather gauntlets shot out and slammed the doors shut. Kicking up clouds of dust, the three vans raced off into the rapidly increasing darkness. The Summer’s home. "Okay, here’s what we’re going to do." The living room was crowded, SiT’s and the Scooby gang gathered around, listening to her plan. "Myself and Sebastian will go on patrol, find one of..." She paused for a moment, "Willow’s vampires and find out where she’s based. Then we attack, get the pieces of the totem, assemble it and destroy it once and for all." One of the Slayers in Training, Rhona, stepped forwards, "Wait, this thing that’s gonna make the vampires even stronger, you want to put it together? Anya was right, this is crazy!" Buffy looked at her, "Maybe, but if you can show me another way to do it, I’m open to suggestions." Rhona stepped back, a sullen look on her face. "Okay, Giles, Xander, Willow, Robin, stay here and watch the others, we’re going to find us a vampire." "Err, Buffy." It was Kennedy, stood by one of the windows, "You won’t have far to look." She pulled the drape back and they saw a black van out on the street. As they watched, the doors opened and Willow and Amy stepped out. A number of the SiT’s gasped in shock, they’d heard about Willow’s vampire double, but never really believed it. Willow’s voice filtered in to them, "Slayer! Pass me the totem and I’ll let you live!" As they watched, the vampires fanned out in front of the house. One of them was carrying an assault rifle. ********************************************************************** Chapter 11 "Slayer! Pass me the totem and I’ll let you live!" The gathered crowd in the Summer’s living room looked around nervously, then Buffy stepped forward and shouted back, "Willow! You know you can’t get in here. Leave us and we’ll bring it to you!" The vampire laughed, "Now Slayer, I can’t do that," Buffy raised an arm, out of sight of the window, pointed at a few of the SiT’s and waved them upstairs, whispering for them to grab some weapons. Quickly they slipped away. Willow continued talking, "my master wants the totem tonight." As Buffy looked out the window, Sebastian slipped up the stairs, grabbing a crossbow from the weapons cache they had been assembling and dragging Dawn with him. "Well then, you can come and get it." Buffy shouted back then laughed, "Oh, wait, you can’t, can you, because you haven’t been invited in. Just get out of our faces, Willow." Again the vampire laughed, "How wrong you are slayer. I will prise the totem from your cold dead fingers!" She signalled and the vampire with the assault rifle prepared to fire. "Everyone down!" Buffy cried, diving over the sofa. With a sound like thunder the rifle opened fire, the window’s shattering, glass showering down on the occupants. Bullet holes ripped across the wall, a lamp shattered, padding from the sofa filled the air like confetti. One of the SiT’s fell to the floor, screaming and clutching her shoulder. Another dropped to the floor, a hole in her forehead, eyes glazed over. As she fell forward a few cries filled the room. The back of her head was a gaping hole. Blood and other things began to pool on the carpet. Robin slumped against the far wall, blood pouring from a bullet wound in his shoulder and another in his thigh. From upstairs, barely audible over the gunfire, Buffy heard the breaking of glass and the gunfire ceased. She looked up just in time to see the vampire with the rifle explode into cinder and ash. Another staggered back, clutching at the crossbow bolt in his chest. Moments later he too was swirling away on the wind. Buffy turned to Giles, "Get upstairs, find Dawn if you can and protect her!". He slipped up the stairs, keeping low. In the lull, Kennedy grabbed a SiT and dragged her to the kitchen. They opened the backdoor and stopped. Ten vampires stood in the backyard, all wearing their game faces. One was carrying an assault rifle. Slamming the door shut, Kennedy shouted back to Buffy, "There’s more out back! And they’ve got a rifle too!" "Everyone, arm yourselves but stay calm! They can’t get in without an invitation and ...." Buffy paused as she heard the sound of a key turning in the front door lock. "What the?" The door swung wide, vampire Willow, a silver key in her hand, and a vampire stood on the doorstep, the others running forwards. Another crumbled to ash as a crossbow bolt pierced his chest. The vampire next to Willow smiled and stepped forward, into the Summer’s hall. He laughed. Buffy stared. "How?" Willow smiled and waved the key at her, then signalled and the vampires rushed in, Amy stopping at Willow’s side. Willow touched the witch’s hand and Amy snapped her fingers. Overhead, but unseen to those within the house, a green flash of light lit up the sky for a moment. Instantly, more gunfire echoed from the back of the house, the kitchen window exploding in a shower of glass. One of the girls screamed and staggered into the living room, clutching her side and bleeding from dozens of cuts all over her body. She collapsed in the doorway between kitchen and living room. With a crash the backdoor was kicked off it’s hinges and more vampires stormed in. Buffy grabbed a sword and charged the ones coming from the kitchen as Sebastian came running down the stairs. Halfway, he stopped and leapt over the bannister, grabbing at his sword as he fell. He landed in a crouch, and swept his leg round, sending the nearest vampire crashing to the floor. He stood and drew the sword from it’s sheath, flinging it off to one side. With a cry, he swept forward, the sword swinging wide and decapitating two vampires in one blow. A stake in his other hand, he spun with the movement of the blade and backhanded a third vampire, who exploded into cinder and ash. Xander charged at a vampire, a stake in one hand and a short sword in another. He lunged and the blade pierced the vampires side. She howled in pain and slammed him with a backhander that sent him flying and crashing into the bannister of the stairs. He slumped down, unconscious. Sebastian looked around and spotted Willow, crouched behind a chair, bleeding from a graze on her head, "Willow!" She looked up, "Do it!" the sword arced through the air. In the kitchen, Buffy let fly a snap kick to the side of one vamp, who staggered and knocked one of her friends over, dragging the draining rack from the sink. A dozen kitchen knives slammed into her chest and throat. Buffy whirled, punching another, swinging her sword and decapitating a third. She heard a click and turned to see the vamp with the assault rifle raising it in her direction. Time slowed down. She could see his finger tightening on the trigger. Buffy leapt into a somersault just as the bullets ripped into the cabinets behind her. She landed on the breakfast bar as the vampire stopped firing and tried to adjust his aim. Her foot caught him on the chin and he reeled backwards. She dropped down, her sword swinging. With a thunk, the rifle fell to the floor and the vampire screamed, clutching at the stump which had been his hand. "That’ll teach you to pla..." Buffy staggered back as a vampire punched her in the face. Around her, SiT’s fought with axes, swords and stakes, but even with their training, they were just girls. Girls against vampires. But, to Buffy’s astonishment, they were fighting well. One of them cried out and swung at the vampire that had punched Buffy, hacking into him again and again with a battleaxe. Blood pooled on the floor until she finally decapitated him. Another gave a strangled cry as a blond vampire sank her fangs into the girls neck. "No!" Buffy cried and took a step forward, preparing to strike when the vampire collapsed into dust. Kennedy caught the girl as she collapsed, then both went flying into the work top as a vampire punched Kennedy in the face. With a roar, the vampire who had been carrying the rifle lunged at Buffy. She stepped into his charge, grabbed his jacket and used his momentum to send him sailing through the doorway. She grabbed a wooden spoon from the work top and slammed it with all her force into the back of the vampire that had punched Kennedy. He erupted in a fountain of ash. Her short sword swung in a glittering arc and decapitated another vampire. She staggered as a vampire jumped on her back, dropping the sword. Her head was pushed forward as the creature prepared to strike. The hairs on the back of her neck tingled as the creature drew nearer and she slammed her head back, shattering the nose of her assailant. The vampire dropped down, howling in pain. Swiftly, one of the girls stepped in and staked the vampire. A strangled cry and Buffy looked up to see another girl in the clutches of a vampire. Despair washed over her, there was just too many. She heard screeching brakes from outside and doors slamming, but no sirens. ‘It has to be more vampires’ she thought. They were doomed. Through all this, one thought stayed in her mind. How had they gotten in? The sword sailed through the air. Willow leapt up and caught it, but even as she did, a vampire barrelled into her, sending them tumbling and smashing the coffee table. She cried out as a piece of wood pierced her side. She struggled in the vampires grip, but it was too strong and Willow just wasn’t that proficient in hand to hand fighting. She was a crossbow girl. Suddenly, the pressure on her disappeared and she was covered in a layer of ash. One of the youngest Slayers in Training stood grinning down at her, but the grin vanished as a vampire slammed into her, sending the pair tumbling away from Willow. She crawled back behind the chair and drew a breath, steadying herself and blocking out the pain. She laid her fingertips on the blade and closed her eyes, calming herself. She dropped her barriers. A great wind rushed from her and through the living room, sending girls, vampires, furniture and Sebastian flying. The chair Willow was crouched behind vanished through the window, carried on the wind. Those who could, turned to stare. A bright white light flowed down her arms, becoming blinding white at her finger tips. After a second, the light reduced to a dull glow and the wind stopped. Then a new light filled the room. Starting at the hilt, a red fire traced along the engravings of the sword, until it reached the mouth of the serpent. With a roar of energy a fiery red serpents head burst forth from the blade tip and surged through the room, before slamming into Sebastian’s chest and disappearing within him. Willow slumped backwards, restoring her barriers on instinct more than thought. Her eyes flashed open, she grabbed the sword and hurled it towards Sebastian while the vampires were still stunned. The wind rushed through the kitchen, although it was less intense than in the living room. Buffy had no idea what it was, but the vampires paused. It was their final mistake. She kicked the sword into her hand, bringing it up in an arc with such force that she cut one girl, who couldn’t have been much older than Dawn when she died, clean in half from waist to shoulder. Her heart cleaved in two, the vampire crumbled to ash. Buffy’s swing continued and decapitated another. Kennedy grabbed a battleaxe and decapitated the handless rifleman who was rushing back in the door. The vampires paused. The odds were turning. Then they turned and fled into the night, as if on some invisible signal, some pushing past Kennedy and the others jumping through the window. Sebastian reached a single hand outwards, fingers closing around the hilt. He swung the sword in a great arc, trailing flickers of red energy. Four vampires exploded into cinder and ash immediately. The last vampire paused, looking around. Amy and Willow were nowhere to be seen. And the totem was gone. He turned to run when ten more vampires appeared in the doorway and window. Sebastian smiled, his sword hanging loose in his hand at his side, red arcs of energy tracing up his wrist. He took a step forward, raising the sword, "Let’s dance." Suddenly, the vampires paused, then turned and vanished into the night. The sounds of vans retreating into the darkness could be heard. Buffy staggered into the living room, followed by Kennedy and other survivors from the kitchen. She looked around at the destruction. On the stairs, Xander began to stir, coming round. "What happened, where did they go?" Sebastian looked at her, "They got the totem. I’m sorry." "No, it’s okay, you did your best. Against those numbers, we were lucky to survive." Sebastian started for the door, "We have to get it back, are you coming?" "No, Bastian, we have to clear up here first. Besides, if I know my dark rituals, and I should, I’ve lived through enough, it’s not gonna be a case of putting it together, they’re gonna have rituals to perform." "You’re sure?" "Well, no, but we don’t have any choice. We have to get these people seen to, first and foremost. If they get it together, we’ll deal with that if it happens." Sebastian sighed, then laid his sword on the remains of the sofa. "You’re right. Let’s get these folks seen to." *********************************************************************** Chapter 12 In the distance, Buffy could hear sirens approaching, a neighbour must have called nine-one-one. It sounded like half the towns emergency services were headed their way. She looked around. The living room and kitchen were littered with swords, knives, stakes and a wide variety of very dangerous looking implements. She grabbed a pair of Slayers in Training by the arms. "Quick, help me clear these away. Just take them downstairs." Swiftly they gathered up the weapons, others helping them. Just as the last girl disappeared down the stairs to the basement, the first police car arrived, blue and red lights casting eery shadows through the living room. In the silence they heard car doors slam shut and the sound of two guns been cocked. From outside a firm, commanding voice could be heard, "Throw down your weapons and come out with your hands up!" Immediately, Buffy stepped towards the doorway, shouting to the officers, "It’s okay! They’ve gone!" slowly, she stepped into the doorway, her arms raised high. She was bleeding from cuts to her face and arms, hair a tangled mass and her blouse torn across the left shoulder, hanging loose. On seeing her, the two police officers raised their guns skyward and started forwards. "Are you okay Miss?" one asked. It was the same voice that had made the demand earlier. His partner seemed very young to Buffy, definitely a little green around the edges. In Sunnydale, he’d either lose that greenness fast or he’d be in a body-bag. Buffy nodded and stepped back as the officers entered the house. They stopped and took in the carnage. The living room was a disaster area. The younger officer took one look at the dead girl and her brains leaking onto the carpet and bolted out the door. Retching could be heard. It was as if someone had flipped a switch. A half dozen girls rushed out the door and soon the rancid smell of vomit was drifting inside. The officer took off his jacket and laid it over the dead girl, then turned to Buffy. "What happened here, Miss ...?" He paused, looking at Buffy. "Summers, Buffy Summers." "Miss Summers, what happened?" He asked again. "We, we were having a get together." Buffy started. "When we heard someone pull up sharp outside. One of my friends looked out the window and said a gang was out there. Then they started shooting. We tried to escape out back, but there were more. They forced their way in." "Why did they attack you, Miss Summers?" "I, I have no idea." she looked around her living room. Or what had been her living room. She walked over to the wreckage of the coffee table, rummaging around. She looked up. "We acquired an antique earlier today, but it’s gone." "I see, this antique, was it valuable?" "Not that I’m aware, just sentimental really." "Strange. Well, if you’d take a seat, we’ll be taking full statement’s from you and your friends shortly." Two hours later, the last police car pulled away. The girls body, Hannah, had been taken away by the coroner. A lone police car remained, on watch in case the ‘gang’ returned. Yellow crime scene tape surrounded the house. Xander had rushed out to the construction sight, along with Giles and was just finishing boarding up the windows and kitchen door. Willow was lying on what was left of the sofa, her side bandaged up. The wood hadn’t pierced very deep. The wound had already pretty much closed by the time the paramedics reached her, so they had just cleaned her up. Robin and a couple of the girls had been taken to hospital and would be in overnight at the very least. In the meantime, the survivors were packing up and preparing to stay over at Xanders’ apartment for a few days, while the police forensics teams went over the house. Buffy wished they would just go away, they wouldn’t find anything useful. Fingerprints from unknown assailants and some dust. They were just getting in her way. But, there was nothing to be done about it now. There had been a brutal killing in her home and it had to be investigated. Along with the others, she carried "weekend bags" out to Xanders’ car. The officer on watch got out of the car and approached her. "Need a hand, miss?" Buffy smiled and shook her head, "It’s okay, just girly stuff." The officer smiled, nodded and returned to the patrol car. Xander opened the trunk for her and she dropped the bag she was carrying. The girly stuff made a few clangs and clanks that sounded an awful lot like swords and axes rattling against each other. She smiled at Xander, "See, just like I told the officer. Girly stuff." Xander shook his head, "Buff, I sincerely doubt that axes and short swords would fit Barbies’ idea of girly stuff." "What, they all match the ensemble. I’m the first slayer to be clothing and weapon fashion conscious." A few more bags were loaded into the trunk, then it was shut. As many people as possible piled into Xanders’ car, Giles’ and Sebastian’s hire cars. Buffy looked around. There were still a few girls stood in the doorway, they would have to make another trip. Willow and Kennedy stayed behind to watch over those who were left. Willow stood at the door and waved as they pulled away. Half an hour later, the second trip was complete and they were all gathered in Xanders’ apartment. Xander had called Anya, but she hadn’t been in. He turned back to the main conversation as it turned from how and why to grief and blame at Hannah’s death. Rhona was off on one again, bemoaning Buffy’s leadership. He went into the little kitchenette, grabbed a cold one from the fridge and slammed the door shut with so much force that everyone stopped bickering and looked at him. He walked back into their midst, looking around, the contempt on his face pure and undiluted. "How dare you attack her." He said, his voice cold, "She made the only call possible in the situation, with the information at hand. And you attack her? What would make you happy? If she’d been killed instead of Hannah? If so, you’d all be dead too. We were lucky. The number of vampires that attacked us tonight, we’re lucky there was only one death. Now sit down and shut up unless you have something productive to add." Rhonas’ mouth worked a couple of times, then she slumped back down onto the floor, looking despondent. Buffy reached up as Xander passed her, stroking his hand lightly and smiled, "Thanks Xand." he smiled back and nodded slightly. He sat down on the sofa, Willow and Kennedy shuffling a little closer together to make room for him. Kennedy picked the conversation up, "I just don’t get it. How did they get in? I didn’t see anyone stood at the door offering out individual invitations." Buffy shook her head, the confusion evident on her face, "I have no idea." "I do." Buffy looked up at the sound of Willows’ voice. "Will?" "Remember what I said earlier? About touching and remembering a lot of dark magick?" Buffy nodded, "It was that key Buffy, the one I, her, umm, you know what I mean, had. Amy must have made it. It’s a ‘universal key’ for lack of a better term. It unlocks a house, magickally speaking. All those wards me and Tara cast, they’re useless. And it acts like an open invitation for vampires. The barriers that stop them from entering unless invited have been unlocked." Giles looked at her, shock on his face, "A Demastas key? I thought they were myth, a legend." Willow shook her head. "They’re hard to make, they require a lot of concentration." "The kind of concentration only a vampire can muster." Giles added, Willow nodding in agreement. Buffy looked between them. "Is there any spell we can do, make the house secure?" "Buffy, I don’t think you understand." Giles answered, "That key will unlock any home. As long as it exists, every single man, woman and child in Sunnydale is in terrible danger." "Besides," Willow added, "no spell will lock the house again. We need the key to do it. Only the key that unlocked a house can lock it up again." "I don’t believe this." Buffy said, shaking her head, "I’m about to face an army of slayer strength vampires, I’ve got to destroy a totem and now I’ve got to get a key off Willow’s skanky double before I dust her." "I don’t know, sounds like a challenge to me." Sebastian smiled, "Besides, I have a cunning plan." He looked around at their faces, "I don’t believe it. You’ve never seen Blackadder?" "Uncultured heathen." Giles muttered, smiling. TBC........