Buffy: King of the Dark Chapter 11

7/31/2019 Buffy: King of the Dark Chapter 11

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Black Wednesday

Los Angeles

January 20, 2016

Two Days Before

He and Dru had never much liked Los Angeles. It was an okay city, large, well-

populated, with a nice underbelly filled with people that no one would really miss. Feeding was

easy and the weather wasnt bad, but there was something about L.A., Billyd never been able toput his finger on, that he just didnt care for. Maybe it was how dirty everything was; maybe it

was the falseness. It was a haven for liars and thieves, even by his old standards. And his old

sire, Angel, had called it home; that made it even less friendly. Hed struck a deal here withBuffy, once, a long time ago, and he and Dru had recruited Angel on their final mission together

here. Lotta bad memories of this place. I wouldnt mind seein the King tear the whole place

down, so long as me and mine get out alright.

He stepped back further into the shadows as he heard footsteps approach; the tunnelsremained dark, and, after a few days of uncharacteristic rain, damp. Though the sun was setting

overhead -- according to his watch, anyway -- Billy doubted the footfalls were made by any but

his kind. He expected them to start congregating; enough vampires had arrived in town in the lastthree days to make the place look like an undead convention. But the King had kept them all in

check. Not a sign, not a peep, not a single murder or feedi ng. Billy didnt know how the vampire

lord did it, but he managed it somehow. Not a single act of dissent, that they could detect.The city crackled with unspent energy. The wolves had gathered as well, and both sides

seemed to know they were merely waiting for their various leaders to give the go ahead, to start

the fight that would determine the fate of the earth, very likely. The vampires knew there were

wolves about; the wolves knew there were vampires. But none encountered the other, and none

of them even knew where to look. Billy knew the wolves hoped that the vampires would waitone more night; tomorrow night, the 21st, would be the first night of the full moon. Even though,

thanks to Willow and Payne Hollis old spellbook, there were suddenly a lot more alphas than

there used to be, Billy still doubted there would be enough without the moons aid to let thewolves stand for any length of time against the vampires.

The footsteps drew closer, and a glint of light hit the approaching couple. One stood taller

than the other, male, husky, with a long coat not dissimilar from Billys own. The other one wasa shorter blonde woman, slender, her voice high and soft as she talked to him. Billy waited until

they were close and stepped out into the tunnel, blocking their way.

I thought everybody was supposed to stay tucked away, he challenged them.

Youre not supposed to be roaming around either, the female hissed.

Billy frowned. I live here. Whats your excuse?You dont live here, the woman snapped back. Every vampire in the city has already

been called to the Kings service. She tilted her head. You must have a really wide stubborn

streak.

Billy chuckled. Thats me all over.

The big vampire clenched and unclenched his fists, staring at Billy, his yellow eyesboring into the souled vampire.

Whats his problem? Billy wondered.


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So, Casca spoke, youre just gonna keep everybody all cooped up until its time? Then

let a bunch of starving, pissed-off vampires loose on the city?

Thats right, the King agreed.

You dont think maybe they might not follow the plan if you do that? Theyll be so busy

thinkin about feedin that they wont fight?

Theyll fight, the King assured his companion. Trust me, theyll fight.What about the wolves, though? Casca needled him. The moon. Its full tomorrow

night.

The King raised an eyebrow. Have I given you any reason to suspect that Im not aware

of that?

Casca exhaled. The long delay, Imthinkin.

The King shook his head. I do not want them beaten as humans, Casca. Then the

survivors will say, We never had a real chance. Most of us were human. We can still beat him.

He raised an eyebrow. Not that it matters, of course. Ill be invulnerable by then. But I dontjust want to crush their army. I want to crush their spirit. I want this to be the last battle we ever

have to fight. I want the wolves to be so paralyzed with fear of me after this that they will never

think to rise up against me again.Casca frowned. Even though itd be easier if they were human? You know were gonna

take more losses if theyre wolves?

The King nodded. We will, certainly. But right now, Casca, they have hope. Each ofthem is praying that we wait one more night, until they can hit us full force, with everything they

have. By not acting, I give them hope.

And a chance.

The King shrugged. No. Not a chance. They have no chance against us, and you know

that. And they know it too. But by letting them pick the time and the place of the battle, by

giving them every advantage, I make our victory all the more sweet, all the more destructive.

They wont be able to make excuses about why I won. They will have to face the irrefutable factthat they are lesser.

Casca opened his mouth to speak when Kasinda entered the room, her eyephones

blinking around the edges. Gil, she spoke, her voice tight.

He sat up in the large chair. Yes? It must be very important for her to call me that in

front of another.

One ofthe lieutenants reports one of his patrols didnt come back. Looks like they were

ambushed right around sundown.

An accident? the King supposed. They caught a stray bit of sunlight, got careless?

Thats unlikely, Kasinda replied. These two were known to be careful and intelligent.

Thats why they were picked for patrol.

Ambushed, the King suspected.

Kasinda nodded. Thatd be my guess.

The King stood, unfolding his huge body fluidly. Call the lieutenants. Call everyone andtell them to spread the word. We move tonight.

I thought you said about the full moon and alla that, Casca pointed out.

The King held up a huge hand, one finger extended. We lost a patrol before dark. Thatmeans underground. Which means someone was actively hunting them, because we dont haveaccidents in the sewers. He extended another finger. The only people who could be hunting

them are werewolves. Its possible this was an isolated incident, but not likely. They were out


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looking for information; they werent hunting randomly. They wanted to catch one of our

patrols.

So they can get an idea of what our plans are, Kasinda realized.

The King nodded. Which is why we change the plans. Go tonight, before they can use

their knowledge to any advantage.

I thought this was all about crushing hope, Casca commented.If theyre all surprised tonight, that will dash their hopes pretty quickly, the King

pointed out.

*Burbank

You realize youre going to have trouble controlling all of these alphas when the war is

over, Willow said, slipping on a dark green sweatshirt.

Im thinkin there wont be so many left, Oz responded, tucking his t-shirt in his jeans.

In all the years he and Willow had been married, he hadnt gained more than five pounds; if ithadnt been for Willows influence, Oz doubted he would have bought any new clothes at all.

Id rather have to worry about dealing with a bunch of alphas than the alternative.I called Liz, Willow informed him. I may need her help with the spells tonight if we

want to get as many done as you said. She smoothed out the sweater and turned to her husband.

That spell just isnt meant to convert so many people at once. On someof them last night, Im

not even sure it took hold completely.

Oz snatched her hand as she passed by. Im sure you did the best you could.

She nodded. Itll go faster and better with Liz pitching in. I should have called her

sooner, but--

We already have a lot of cooks in the kitchen, Oz mentioned. And people are starting

to grumble.You mean Jordi. Willow seated herself next to him on the bed.

Oz sighed. Jordis doing more than grumbling. Hes convinced some of the Texaswolves to go hunting with him at night. He looked at Willow. I cant believe they want to

avenge Rourke. He was such a jerk. Im not glad he died, but I am glad I dont have to deal with

him any more.

Everybody else is following you, though, Willow pointed out. Thats good.

It is. He kissed her hand. They only have to follow me a few more days, one way or

the other.

This times gonna be different, Willow assured him. You said it yourself, we have

Buffy this time. Between her and your plan, the vampires dont stand a chance.

Oz shrugged. Ill still feel better when Buffy stakes the King and we can send everybodyhome. Wolves are territorial, and I can tell some of them are starting to get jumpy. He releasedWillows hand as she stood up. Were making them alphas because its a good idea, but I might

have had to use that as a bribe to get people to stay here, even if we werent.

Willow moved to her dresser and selected a pair of black jeans from a drawer. I just hatethat we had to send the kids away again. She sighed as she stepped into them. I always missthem so much, and they never know whats going on. And the school! God! Youd think the kids

belonged to them.


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Id rather have them be concerned. Thats why we chose that school.

I remember, Willow agreed, zipping up her jeans. That and the fact they were four

blocks away.

Ken and Maureen have been great, Jordi spoke. I bet they wouldnt be so thrilled

about Jordi, though.

Lisad smack him one good, Willow noted, referring to Jordis sister.Is she even still there in Encinitas?

Willow shook her head, removing a pair of boots from the closet and tugging them on.

Your cousin and you dont remember?

Oz shrugged. Got a lot on my mind.

Willow smiled. Shes in Amsterdam, on vacation. She sat back down next to Oz. So

far away. Lucky kid. She kissed him on the cheek.

Well take a nice long vacation when this is done, he promised her.

Willow kissed him again. Somewhere we can snuggle on the beach.

We can do that here, Oz pointed out.

Willow leaned in to give him a smoldering kiss when her eyephones went off on the

nightstand. Dammit, she whispered, leaning back and reaching for them. This is Willow. Goahead.

Willow, its me, Rachel. Billy and leather queen just got back from patrol. They said atfirst the King was planning on moving tomorrow night, but they saw too many vamps starting to

move tonight to buy into that. Rachel paused. I think its goin down.

Ill let him know, Willow responded. Start calling people.

Roger that, Rachel said, hanging up.

Oz looked at Willow.

Its time, she told him.

*Los Angeles

So wheres everyone else? Xander wondered. He stood on the beach, listening to the

waves crash against the surf in the early nighttime. Dark had just fully settled over the water, andit had turned chilly with the absence of the sun.

Theyll be here, Riley assured him.

I hope so, Buffy noted. Because its gonna be a long night with just the four of us out

here.

Laura nodded in agreement but said nothing.

Arent they supposed to have some wolves here? Xander wondered.

Theyll show, Riley spoke up. Theyre supposed to fall back here, really, most ofthem. They arent supposed to start here; theyre supposed to retreat to here. Trust me, when

everything starts getting hot and heavy, youll see them pop up. Therell be so many we wont

know what to do with them.

If they make it here, Laura added quietly. At Rileys glance, she continued, Im sorry,

Riley, its just that I dont like any plan where all we do is sit and wait to get hit. That doesntmake much sense to me.

Well know if Oz knows what hes talkin about soon enough, Buffy told them.


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Riley moved over to her. You dont care for Ozs plan either, do you?

Buffy glanced up at him in the moonlight. I believe Oz is gonna try to do whats right. I

believe he wants to win. I have faith in him. As long as Ive known him, hes never done anyoneI care about wrong. She shrugged. Hes been involved in this war formore than ten years. Me?

I sat locked away in my house for the last decade. I dont think I have the right to tell somebody

whos been fighting that long what to do.So youre playing along out of loyalty? Riley wondered.

Buffy nodded. And ego. Nobody can seem to kill this King guy. Well, Ive killed a lot

of other things that nobody could kill in my lifetime. I figure its this guys turn.

Xander smiled. Thats my Buffy, always--

She held up a hand. Theyre coming.

Who? Riley asked. The wolves?

Not the wolves, Buffy replied. Vampires. A lot of them.

That way, Laura supplied, pointing up the beach. A moment later the four of themcould make out a crowd of vampires, at least two dozen, heading their way over the sand.

Theyre not supposed to be here, Xander noted. Very not supposed to be here.

The sword, Buffy hissed. Xander drew it and handed it to her.You, Buffy spoke to Laura. You stay here and guard these two.

Laura nodded, and the older slayer took off lightly across the sand. She stopped about a

dozen paces in front of the approaching crowd of vampires. You guys know who I am? shewondered.

A few of them nodded. One cried out, Youre the slayer!

Thats right, Buffy answered. Im the slayer. And I know your boss is looking to kill

me himself, which means you guys cant. So that gives me a big advantage. Buffy smiled

grimly. Well, a bigger advantage.

We dont have to kill you, a husky voice pointed out. Just hurt you.

You cant even do that, Buffy snapped in response, diving into them. The sword sliced

left and right with lightning speed, the red blade blurring in her hands as she cut a swathe

through them. All around her, vampires burst into dust in a moment, one after another, like a tiny

huddle of fireworks spouting off all about the slayer. In a few seconds, a dozen vampires laydead, their ashes mixed in the sand.

Buffy held the sword up. Do we need a round two?

The vampires all drew weapons of their own, ranging from knives to nun-chuks tobaseball bats.

Fine, Buffy sighed.

She danced in among them again, dodging their blows as she lashed out with the sword,lopping off limbs, severing heads, and slicing through torsos. Each vampire began to sizzle the

second he was hit, and Buffys quick procession with the sword kept her moving from one to the

next, a graceful ballet that left tiny mounds of dust on the beach. She had cleared a wider space

around her, and the remaining vampires -- less than half the force they had arrived with --stepped back away from her.

I told you guys you didnt stand a chance, she addressed them. But no, you work for

the King, youre not gonna run away from some little girl, are you?A lone vampire charged her, his knife held high; Buffy caught his wrist in her free hand

and snapped it like a twig. She threw him down in the sand and impaled him on the sword; he

screamed and burst into dust.


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Jordi let out a long, challenging howl, before he turned to the rest of the wolves and

nodded. They took off at a run in a direction that Billy noted was not only away from thevampires but directly toward the water. The wolves and the three friendly vampires followed

close behind him. And, after a moments hesitation, the Kings forces did as well.

I dont know about you lot, Billy mentioned, but the water isnt exactly healthy for us.

This isnt what Id call a great plan.Irnini began to speak when a Subaru whipped around the corner. The drivers side

window slid down. Billy!

Akilah! he called back.The passenger and rear doors popped open. Get in! Hurry up!

The wolves, for their part, darted around the wagon and continued running. Billy dove

across the hood and slid in the passengers side door; Beletseri and Irnini climbed into the back.Before the doors had even closed, Akilah had spun the car around and headed off after the

wolves. The vampires cried out behind her, but even the swiftest of them could not catch a car.

What were you doin out there without me? Akilah snarled at Billy.

I didnt know we were a team, he responded.

Yeah, well, with Rachel and Mikey getting all shmoozy on me, that makes you the onlygame in town. She glanced at him as she drove. So dont go disappearin on me again.

Sorry bout that, Billy apologized. I just figured you wouldnt be interested.

In killing vampires? Akilah asked. Are you nuts?

On these terms, anyway, he amended.

Akilah tore through a red light, ignoring the horns of the cars going the opposite

direction. I had to save your ass, didnt I? she asked him. Id say Imneeded.

Where are you taking us? Irnini inquired.

The water, Akilah told them. The King keeps sending forces to try and circle around

and cut us off. So far Buffys been holding her own, but I dont know how long that can last.

Shes gonna need our help.

The slayer needs our help? Beletseri wondered.

Akilah nodded. Everybody needs to help everybody else if were gonna get through

this.

Thats a change in your tune, Billy teased her.

Akilah gave him a sharp look. Hey, long as nobody else gets killed, thats all Im

sayin.Billy nodded in agreement as the Subaru sped on toward the sea.

*The rest of the humans had also elected to make their stand by the water, huddled

together in a small knot of a rise of sand that overlooked several entrances to the beach. Willow

and Liz had drawn a protective circle around the dune and reinforced it with magic; Willow

dearly wished more witches could have been there, but there werent many left in the world, andthey tended to stay apart to avoid suspicion. And being hunted. That way if they get one of us,

they dont get any more of us...Pike, Shelley, Rachel and Michael manned super-soakers. Three of the four had been

through dangerous vampire battles before; and Michael, while untested, struck Willow as being

very brave. Pike and Shelley had been there so long ago when Spike had tried to take Druscilla


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back from them; Rachel had been bitten in that attack. They knew the score, and Willow knew

they would fight to the death, if need be.Liz she was more worried about, and the young woman fussed and fidgeted, her

nervousness palpable. Though Willow would need her here, she wondered if Liz were really up

to the task. Shed only been in that single fight in Seattle, and though shed known Willow a long

time, Liz remained over-impressed by and slightly afraid of supernatural creatures. She didnteven like to be around werewolves all that much, and she understood they were the good guys.

Sam and Wesley were also present. Both of them had grown old, and Wesley had never

fully recovered from his injuries from the destruction of the Watchers Council building. Neitherof them would be much good in a physical fight, but both had adamantly refused to be left

behind in a hotel room somewhere, waiting impatiently for details of how the fighting was going.

It wont matter either way, Wesley had told her. If you lose, we shall certainly die as well.

We might as well be where we could make a bit of difference. Willow had relented, and nowthe two men sat cross-legged in the sand, poring over an old tome. Liz moved to join them.

That left Cordelia, who hadnt been exactly excited to sit on a sand dune and play bait for

the werewolves. But oddly enough, Cordelia had admitted that she didnt have anything bett er to

do, and that shed rather die in battle trying to save the world than live the slow death of hermarriage. Willow had felt a pang of sympathy and had allowed her to come. Cordelia managed

the communications end of the group, something she excelled at in any case. Her eyephonesflickered on and off with reports from Riley and Akilah. She would have been able to handle

more volume than that, but eyephones and wolves did not make for a happy partnership.

Heads up, Shelley spoke in a low tone. Company.They all looked up to see a gang of vampires emerge from a side street onto the upper

part of the beach, near the parking area that overlooked the ocean.

I thought the werewolves were supposed to keep them busy, Rachel complained.

Theres probably too many for the wolves to handle, Pike speculated. Cant keep em

all occupied.

What do we do? Liz wondered, her voice quivering slightly as more vampires spilled

out onto the sand, headed their way.

We dont panic, Willow instructed her. We have a sacred circle. They wont be able to

get inside that, and as long as no one wanders outside of the ward, well be fine. They cansurround us, but they cant hurt us. Willow flashed them a brief smile. And Ive learned a few

tricks that should surprise them.

I just checked with Riley, Cordelia noted. All clear where they are. He said they canswing by here if we need them.

Not just yet, Willow informed her.The vampires pooled near the concrete walkway until their numbers grew obviously

greater than the small band on the hill; they took off at a jog across the sand, saying nothing,

heading directly toward the humans. Pike and Shelley readied their super-soakers; Rachel and

Michael followed suit. The vampires came closer, closer, and the four of them fired, splatteringthe front line and causing them to erupt in smoke. As they tried to peel off their clothes, their

fingers disintegrating as they did so, the next bunch surged forward through them, only to

receive the same treatment. They too began to howl and rip at their clothes. By this time, the firstgroup were starting to burst open like overripe fruit; the second group exploded moments later.

The vampires drew up short, out of the range of the super-soakers, and spread out into a semi-

circle roughly surrounding the band of humans. Michael constantly shifted the aim of his gun,


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trying to cover everyone, but he couldnt. The vampires hollered and rushed them, a long ragged

line of attackers making their way across the sand, howling with rage. Pike, Shelley, and Rachelcontinued to fire in the same direction they had previously. Michael swung around and fired at

the far end of the line, swinging the huge water gun around slowly, trying to hit as many targets

as he could. A number of vampires fell screaming, clawing at their garments. But just as many

managed to avoid the deadly water and made it up to the edge of the barrier, only to slam into theinvisible wall. The gunners shifted their aim and fired again, splashing the vampires at point

blank range. Those stricken staggered back, and the rest of them clawed at the barrier

ineffectively. When they realized that this tactic would not work, those not convulsing in agonytook off at a dead run away from the hilltop, sprinting to get out of the range of the holy water.

They stopped at a safe distance, still numbering more than thirty, and considered what to do.

That took the bounce out of their step, Wesley commented.

Liz nodded. Way to go, guys!

Its not gonna do much good, Pike replied, once they realize that were pinned downand we cant follow them anywhere.

Thats the whole idea of this, Shelley reminded him. That well be a beacon they cant

ignore, and theyll keep committing forces to stopping us rather than fighting the slayer or thewolves. She smiled grimly. Were just a nice, deadly distraction.

They seem to have gotten that idea, Michael said as the knot of vampires began to

move away down the beach, south, toward Buffys position.

Ill let them know, Cordelia offered, dialing up Riley on the eyephones.

Its not like theyll have much luck against Buffy, though, Rachel said. Either way

theyre screwed-- stay out of the fight, or go get killed.Unless they thought to bring projectile weapons, Sam mentioned. Bullets can get

through a ward.

Willow shook her head. Not this one, they cant. No solid objects. Were safe so long as

we stay here.

I just wonder who else will come after us here, Wesley noted. We may have done too

good a job at repelling them.

Yeah, well, you should see what Buffys doing, Cordelia noted. Rileys giving me the

play by play and it isnt pretty. She smiled. Good for them.

*The bulk of the vampire army -- if such a disorganized mass could truly be called that --

was on the move. Oz was certain of that. He and the group of the eldest alphas that ran with him-- maybe thirty wolves tops -- moved about the battle encouraging or helping others. Across most

of the section of L.A. they had chosen to defend, the vampires advanced, in some places in great

numbers and in some places small. Oz noted with dismay that the King very cautiously was not

committing his troops to any one frontal assault, preferring to spool them out here and there,

almost as a response to Ozs tactic offlexibility. The smaller skirmishes would almost invariably

be followed up by the influx of a larger concentration of vampires, and then the wolves would

have to retreat. Oz had seen some werewolf casualties, sadly; broken bodies bleeding in thestreet, now human again in death. It was impossible to tell the vampire dead; they left no corpses,

just dust, and the breeze made sure the sandy remains intermingled with one another and with the


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native soot and dirt of the city. Oz believed they had killed many more than they had lost; but he

couldnt be certain.Moira nudged his shoulder. She and Jordi were to be his lieutenants this night, a show of

Ryan solidarity and of the three strongest alphas working side by side. But Jordi had had plans of

his own, and Oz couldnt spare him the time or effort to worry about him just now. Hed made it

clear that Jordi shouldnt run off, and the boy had. His fate is in his own hands now. Oz turned toglance at Moira.

She lifted her nose and whined softly, low, her ears up.

Oz turned to see a small group of vampires, lower in number even then his wolves,moving up the street. He knew that they were on the extreme northern edge of the boundary of

where he had decided the wolves could defend without compromising the plan, and he also

realized that the King was testing those boundaries so he could try to circumvent them withtroops in large enough numbers to mean something. Oz nodded to Moira and the wolves sprang

into action, heading toward the vampires.

Apparently this band really had only intended to play a scouting role, because as soon as

they saw the wolves they took off at a bolt in the opposite direction. Oz and his wolves followed,

and two blocks later they caught them just as the vampires were beginning to split up. Oz leapt, along, high arc, and landed atop a burly man in a Lakers jacket. He reached down with powerful

jaws and severed the head in a single sharp bite; the vampire disintegrated. Moira did much thesame with hers, and the two of them sped after another pair of escaping vampires.

The skirmish was over in moments. The werewolves blasted through the vampires in

what felt like far too short a time. Oz did a nosecount; everyone was accounted for. Moiraregarded him with high ears and a tilted head; she had her suspicions as well. But Oz merely

shrugged, thinking maybe they had gotten lucky.

He heard something, though, and turned to investigate, trotting up the block to peer

around the corner. He blinked once, his gray-green eyes going wide.An army of vampires marauded down the street, setting homes aflame and throwing

rocks through windows. The street itself was full of the undead, and Oz estimated there had to be

over a hundred of them present. Some pulled people from cars and bit them savagely; others

threatened those inside to invite them in. Still others carried torches and seemed intent on razingthis section of the city. Distantly, Oz could hear sirens; brave members of the police and fire

department would show up and be killed, never knowing what hit them. We have to do

something, he realized.He turned to the other wolves and signalled them; they advanced to his position, and Oz

gestured that they see for themselves the carnage that transpired. Most of them growled, their

tails standing stiffly in anger. Moira turned to him for instructions. Oz looked at the others asthey turned away from the horrible scenario.

He gestured with a paw toward the street. We have to do something.

Moira shook her head no.Its what they would expect.

The other wolves watched the two of them debate.Oz frowned, his eyes going hard. We cant just abandon them.

Moira set her feet apart in a defiant gesture, her legs taut. If we go help them and get

killed, the vampires may win and the whole world will suffer this fate. No.Oz growled low.I told you, the slayer is whats important, not us.Moira bared her teeth.And shell need us later. No. This pisses me off too, but no. This is

not why we are here.


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Oz glanced at the others, who wore mostly sympathetic looks. We should sacrifice those

people? he wondered, his eyebrows twitching, ears flicking back and forth.One of them, a greyish white wolf who resembled an Akida, stepped forward. Oz

recognized her as Alicia, from the Maryland tribe. She shook her head and flashed her incisors.

No, we shouldnt, she indicated. She shook her head.But we must. A few hundred deaths to save

a few million lives, that we have to do.A low growl escaped Ozs throat.I dont like this.

Moira rubbed her nose up against his ear.Neither do we. But you know its the right thing

to do.Oz closed his eyes and shook his head and led the wolves away, back down the street,

turning his back on the human suffering, hoping those who followed him were right and he was

wrong.

*Buffy returned the sword to Xander. Not that many this time, she noted.

Riley nodded. I think that was the group that Cordelia told us about that attackedWillows position. He glanced around. Not that many made it through.

He really wants the beach, Buffy surmised.Keeps sending people to try and take it.

Xander pointed. Like that angry-lookin mob over there. The four of them turned to seea mass of vampires moving down the beach toward them; in the dimness, they could see no end

to the army of bloodsuckers.

Theres your big numbers, Xander offered.

Buffy frowned. Thats a lotof vampires. She turned to Riley. Are they even bothering

to fight the wolves at all?

Riley tapped on his earphone and spoke softly. Akilah says they are. She says a wholemess of em came after Jordi and Billys group.

The Wild Bunch, Xander joked.

Yall, theyre comin, Laura reminded them. We better do somethin.

Sword, Buffy said to Xander. He handed it to her and she gave it to Laura. Here. I

dont need this. But you do. She started to walk toward the approaching horde of vampires.

What about them? Laura asked. I cant just leave Riley and Xander defenseless. What

if some vampires get past us?

Buffy grinned. Its our job to make sure they dont. Come on.

Youre crazy, Laura snapped at her.

Buffy stared the younger, taller slayer in the eyes. Listen to me, Laura. If were gonnawin this, we have to let go of everything. No distractions. No worrying about the people we love.

We just focus on the battle and take care of the vampires. Got it?

But they dont-- Laura began, pointing at Riley and Xander.

Buffy put her hands on the other womans shoulders. This is what we were made for,Laura. Not finding a husband or being in love. We were built to kill. Thats all. Anything else wecan take from the world, thats a bonus. But this is why were here, right here and right now, to

stop this guy. So lets do that and well be okay. And theyll be okay. Buffy pulled two stakesfrom her coat and moved to intercept the vampires.

Buffy, Laura continued, listen to me. I dont think--


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Buffy whirled on her. We so dont have time for this. Now either use the sword and

fight with me or give it to me and go back and suck your thumb in Rileys shadow. She glanced

over at the vampires, who drew closer. I dont have time to baby you. Either do the job youwere born for and protect the man you love, or step aside and let me do it for you.

Laura scowled at her as Buffy stared at her, hazel eyes hard.

Lets go get them, Laura hissed, anger seething from her.Buffy smiled to herself as she turned around. Whatever it takes, were gonna beat these

guys. Whatever it takes.

Within moments, the vampires surged forward toward the slayers at a run. Laura raisedthe sword and Buffy lunged forward with her stakes. Laura watched, dumbfounded for a second,

as the older slayer danced between the vampires as if they stood still, staking them in rapid

succession. Laura stepped in and started hacking with the sword, cleaving into the mass ofundead as well, and soon they were stepping aside to give her a wider berth, the sword flicking in

and out, burning them up. As they moved away from Laura, Buffy would dance up behind them

and stake them, spinning, twirling, performing a dance of death that the vampires were simply

unprepared for. Word began to spread through the ranks of the destruction the dual slayers

caused, and those at the middle of the pack began to push backward, stumbling into theircompanions toward the rear who still advanced, unknowing. In two minutes time, the vampire

force had dissolved into utter chaos, each vampire for himself; Buffy and Laura continued to layinto them, to tear them apart, and soon they had cleared out a space on the beach, some breathing

room between them and the vampires.

Youre not gonna win this, Buffy addressed them. There are a hundred of you and

only two of us, and were kicking your asses.

The King will have your heart for his dinner before the sun rises, one of them cal led

out.

Buffy laughed. Bring it on. Where is this King guy anyway? Hes happy enough to send

his flunkies down here to die, but you notice hes nowhere in sight, dont you? She glanced atLaura. Typical vampire king. Just a coward at heart, like all of them.

Her words incensed an apparently loyal follower of the King, and he threw himself

forward, fangs bared. Silent, slayer! The King will--Buffy caught him by the throat in mid-air and smashed him to the beach; she staked him,

and he exploded. Guess Ill never know what hell do, she remarked, because hes too busy

being a coward to show up and fight for himself.

Hell come, another vampire assured her.

Buffy held her hands palm upward. When? Im waiting. It wont be dark forever, you

know.Two or three more vampires stepped forward, teeth flashing.

Buffy leapt high in the air, landing among them, and staked the three of them in a second.

She glared at the front ranks of the vampires, just a dozen feet from her now. Anybody else?

The vampires began to pull back, slowly retreating up the beach away from her andLaura.

Thats right, Buffy taunted them. Go on crawling back to your master.

Laura approached her. Do you really have to taunt them like that?

Buffy let out a breath. No. But Im not here to rack up a really high kill count. Im hereto dust one guy. Anything I can do to hurry that up a little, Im game. She started back toward

Xander and Riley.


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Buffy, Laura spoke.

The older slayer turned.

Excuse me for sayin this, but somethins changed about you. Before, you were all aboutnot wantin to be involved. But you seem pretty into it right now.

Buffy shrugged. I forgot how good it feels to fight, she admitted. What I said before

was true, Laura. We really werebuilt for this. Its what were supposed to be doing. She sighed.And it feels good to be doing it.

Youre not scared? Laura wondered as they walked.

Buffy shook her head. Not any more. I used to be, but I figure, at this point, if I wassupposed to get offed by a vampire, it woulda happened already.

Laura shook her head.

Buffy leaned closer. Besides, you see that guy over there, standing next to your

honeybun?

Xander? Laura clarified.

Buffy nodded. It would just kill him if anything happened to me. Kill him. And I wont

let that happen to him.

I thought you said we had to forget about the people we loved in battle, Laura pointedout.

Up here, Buffy tapped her on the head. But in your heart, no. You never forget them,not for a second. Laura was surprised to see Buffy smile. You should never forget why we dothis.

Laura blinked as Buffy walked up to Xander and embraced him, kissing him deeply.

You okay? Riley asked her.

What the hell, Laura told herself. She grabbed Riley and pulled him to her, parting his

lips and kissing him for all she was worth.

*Sometime back before the water, Jordi and his band had managed to lose Akilah and the

three good vampires. He wasnt sure where, and while he appreciated the fighting spirit the

vampires had demonstrated, Jordi wasnt certain it was a bad thing they had been split up. Thisway he and the wolves could move faster and cover more territory and not be burdened down by

the limitation of those with two legs. Billy and the rest of them meant well, and vampires werestrong; but this was the night of the wolves, their time, and Jordi felt that they alone should be

the ones to avenge the deaths in Boston and Denver. That his vampire allies had been separated

from him he only saw as a sign that it was at last time to act more boldly.His group had come across another small vampire patrol and annihilated them. This time

the group had been expecting the large follow-up vampire force and eluded them entirely. It

looked to Jordi like the King pursued the same plan as Oz; send small units of troops out to

engage the enemy and draw them in; then ambush them with larger, better prepared forces. Jordiwould have smiled had he been really capable that the King had adopted the same approach, and

that the similarity in battle plans left both of them prepared in case one got the upper hand.

Gonna be a close one, Jordi realized as he led the wolves through an alleyway, unless one of us

gets lucky and takes out the King early. He turned to Amy and snorted at her. She grunted in

reply and barked for the wolves attention.


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Jordi gestured to the east and bared his fangs, a sure sign he was referring to the

vampires. The wolves nodded their agreement and Jordi gestured with one paw to his head, andthen mimed cutting it off. The wolves caught his meaning plainly and nodded their support. Jordi

yipped his gratitude for their approval and moved them back eastward, darting past a block that

lay largely aflame; the firemen who had responded to the call had been turned, and even now

used their knowledge and tools to help the fire spread. Amy paused, sniffing at the air; but Jordipulled her onward, shaking his head. We cant get involved.

One of the Texas wolves, a smaller male with a glossy black coat, came padding up to

Jordi, eyes alight. He pointed northeast with his nose and pawed the ground. Jordi growled histhanks and led the wolf band off in that direction. They slipped in behind another vampire patrol

and continued east, dodging the larger groups of vampires and ignoring the smaller ones, for

now. They didnt want to be caught and they didnt want to be torn up in a needless fight. So farthey had managed not to accrue any but minor injuries, and Jordi aimed to keep it that way until

it really counted.

They darted through the city, ever eastward, moving deeper and deeper into the vampire

ranks, until Jordi could sense them all around him, on every side. He knew what they were doing

was dangerous, but he also knew by sitting and waiting for the King to take the initiative that Ozwas dooming them all. Hed tried to reason with his cousin, but in the end Oz was simply too

stubborn to listen.Ill show him I was right and then hell apologize and itll all be okay again.

He can get on with his life with Willow, and I can go around ignoring the fact that Im half inlove with Cordelia. Jordi shook his head and focused on his surroundings. We have to be close

now. We have to be. Were right in the middle of the goddamn vampires, he has to be here

somewhere...

Amy stopped ahead of him, her body going rigid as she stared out the side street. Jordi

moved up to her, following her gaze, and he saw a host of vampires corralling a group of human

pedestrians into a circle. The humans looked frightened; some of them had obviously tried toresist, and they bore wounds to attest to their folly. Here and there a vampire would lean in and

grab at a human; occasionally they would get a good hold and then theyd feed, the humans

limbs going limp as the vampire drained the life out of him. And then the vampire would slice

his own hand, and let the blood drip back into the mouth of the freshly dead human. My God,

theyre rebuilding their army! Jordi realized with horror. He could feel all of the hair on his body

stand on end.

The less you struggle, the easier this will be, a huge vampire addressed them, his basso

voice booming out. Dont think of it as death. Think of it as eternal life. No one else on theplanet would do you this favor, but I will. He smiled, long incisors showing. Free of charge!

With that, the vampires fell upon the humans en masse, and the crowd began to scream. Jorditurned to the other wolves and nodded; the fifteen of them took off across the open space, darting

around several cars that had been stopped dead in the streets and heading directly for the huge

vampire. Jordi had never in his life seen the King, but he was certain, from the descriptions he

had read and heard, that this monster must be him. They zipped inside the outer ring of vampires;the undead sentries lacked the power and speed to stop them. A Texas wolf stopped to maul one

of the outer guards; he achieved his goal, tearing the mans throat out, but in stopping to fight he

had made himself a target. Others converged upon him, and he went down snarling andgrowling, biting as many vampires as he could before the restrained him with sheer numbers and

twisted his head until they snapped his neck.


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Most of the vampires were too absorbed in the feeding to notice him, and Jordi could spot

the tall monstrosity, so close, his face turned toward the bloodletting, his demonic featurescreased in delight as his people fed on the humans that Jordi and the wolves were trying to

protect.Just a few more seconds, Jordi pleaded as he leapt up over a shorter vampire, opening his

jaws wide, preparing to tear the big vamps head off.

He missed. The huge vampire ducked out of the way and readied himself for the wolfbehind Jordi. He caught that one easily, massive arms closing around the wolf; he burrowed his

teeth through the wolfs hair and hide and bit his neck, teeth closing in on the jugular and

piercing it. The vampire spat the blood out -- werewolf blood was evidently not pleasing to him -- and snapped the wolfs neck easily. By that time, other vampires had realized the werewolveswere among them, and all of the Texans had a fight on their hand.

Amy managed to dodge the vampires trying to catch her and she made a leap at the hugevampire; but a black jumpsuit-clad female vamp shifted in front of him and shot at her with a

pistol. The bullet caught Amy in the shoulder, throwing off her leap. She snarled and landed on

the ground in front of the vampire leader.

You have spirit, he noted as he reached for her. She snapped at his hand but missed; the

vampire caught her by the neck and lifted her up.Jordi barked at him loudly.

The vampire caught Jordis eye and smiled. You want this one? he asked. Amythrashed him his hand, but his grip remained iron-tight.

The female fired again, hitting Amy in the head, and her body slumped. Jordi watched,

horrified, as she shifted back to human in front of his eyes. He let out a howl and threw himselfat the vampire. The female fired at him and missed; he hit the tall male square in the chest,

knocking him over, and Amys corpse fell to the ground.

You want me, alpha? the vampire hissed as Jordi tried to find purchase on his throat. I

thought you were too afraid of me for an attack like this.Jordi snarled as his teeth found the vampires soft throat.

Just as he began to bite, he felt a massive pressure on his own neck, constricting, cutting

off his air. He dug in with his paws, trying to bite the neck, but his jaws would not close; the

hands around his throat made it impossible. He tried to gulp in more air but found he couldnt;the hands continued to clamp down on him.

Youre not the one I really want, the vampire mumbled as he closed his hands on

Jordis neck. Im happy to have you out of the way, but the one I really want is the slayer.

Damn you, Jordi swore as his vision began to dim. Damn you. He tried one last time to

bite the vampire, but he could barely remain conscious. Im going to die and you dont even give

a damn about me. Damn you!

One final snap, and Jordis neck broke. His body morphed to a human shape, and thevampire slid him to the side and sat up.

Kasinda bent down, staring at the Kings neck. My lord, are you all right?

The King nodded, feeling the blood dribble out. I will be fine. He looked at Kasinda.

He got close.

She nodded. Yes, he did, Gil.

His yellow eyes narrowed. Dont let it happen again. I dont want to fight anyone but the

slayer.

Of course, my lord.


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Moira nudged Oz, and he turned to look at her. She tilted her head toward the sea and

raised her eyebrows questioningly.Oz shook his head.Not yet. Our job isnt done yet.Moira gazed at him questioningly.

He indicated southward with a jog of his head. There are others. We have to get word to

them. Time for them to fall back to the sea.Moira nodded and yapped at the others. Oz moved to their head and led them forward,

cutting across town, looking for another group of werewolves to save before it was too late.

This is the way the plan is supposed to go, Oz told himself as the alphas loped along. You

knew we couldnt beat him, that hed have too many. And now hell be over-confident when he

faces Buffy. This is what you worked for, planned for.

They rounded a corner and stopped; naked, dead bodies, former wolves, were draped allover the street. Heads lolled at ugly angles; blood still flowed from horrible wounds. All of the

bodies had been bitten, some many times. Piles of dust shifted in the breeze; the wolves had sold

their lives dearly. But the fact remained that they were dead, a lot of them, and they would never

get a proper burial; their families would probably never know what had happened to them.

Thats the plan, all right, Oz told himself.Drawbacks and all.

*Akilah killed the Subaru and the four of them climbed out, making their way down to the

beach. At first they had tried to help somewhere else in the battle, but Jordis group haddisappeared quickly, and nearly every other band of wolves they had encountered had been in

retreat. They had driven around for a long time, vainly seeking a part of the conflict where they

could jump in and help. But the Kings forces seemed to have gained the upper hand and were

driving the wolves back toward the beach. Beletseri commented on how undesirable that wasuntil Akilah reminded her that that was the plan all along.

They could see wolves spurting across the beach from several different access points, all

of them heading away from the streets and directly toward the water. Some wolves had already

gathered there, freezing in the chilly ocean; the rest moved quickly to join them. Billy searched

in vain for Buffy, but amidst all the chaos on the beach, he couldnt find her. Irnini stopped themand pointed to the north; an entire legion of vampires advanced from that direction, a line of

them moving steadily across the sand from just above the waterline to the very edge of the beach.

Nothings getting past them, the tall vampire noted.

Akilah touched her eyephones. Cordelia, gimme some directions, pronto.

Where are you? Cordelia inquired.

Just came onto the beach by the Sunset Towers, Akilah told her. Got an army of

vamps comin from the north, about a quarter mile away from us.

A long pause, then Cordelia told her, Were south of you, on a big dune about thirty feet

in from the water. Hurry up!Akilah relayed that to the rest of them, and they took off as quickly as they could across

the sand, heading southward. I wish it was later, Akilah mentioned as they ran. We still have

almost four hours until sunrise.The vampires shrugged as they ran; none of them were eager to be caught out here when

the sun came up.

Beletseri stopped. Look! she gasped.


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The wave of vampires from the north had encountered a band of werewolves trying to get

down to the beach. They clashed for a long minute, and then the army paused while more andmore of them turned their attention to the werewolves. From their vantage point, the foursome

could see vampire bodies exploding into dust, at first with encouraging frequency. But that began

to slow down, and within another minute it had ceased all together.

Come on! Irnini urged them. We have to get to the others. They took off again.It only took them another ten minutes to reach the group of humans clustered on the top

of the dune. A group of werewolves, maybe fifty strong, had taken up positions there, and they

snarled as the three vampires approached. But Willow called out to them that it was all right, tolet this group pass, that they fought the King; and reluctantly, the wolves parted to allow the

foursome access to the sacred circle.

Akilah was the first to reach the wall; she bounced off of it abruptly and fell on herbehind.

What the hell? she wondered.

Sorry, Willow spoke. I made it so that no one could pass the barrier.

Can you update that real quick? Say, have it only admit people with souls?

Liz stepped toward her. Thats too complicated. It would take too long. She glanced a tWillow. Anyway, its not safe to tamper with such a powerful spell without a lot of research

first.

Willow furrowed her brow. Stay close, she told Akilah. Ill work on it. If I can get youin here, I will.

Thats not exactly reassuring, Akilah commented, getting to her feet.

Irnini turned to Beletseri. We should go help the slayer.

Beletseri raised both eyebrows, her green eyes going completely round. What?

We cant do any good here, Irnini rationalized. And the slayer will be taking on the

King. We might be able to help her. We know him. She shrugged. Well, I know him, anyway.

You know him? Billy growled.

Knew him. A long, long time ago. Irnini brushed her long hair out of her face. I was

his captain of the guard.

Nice time to tell us! Billy groused. You might have some nice information we could

use.

The tall leather-clad vampire shrugged. Not really. Hes really hard to kill, and he

knows everything there is to know about warfare like this. She shrugged. Nothing useful.Billy fumed at her silently.

Dont look now, Pike spoke, but here they come, and they look pissed.

Thats a lot of vampires, Rachel murmured as the army, stretching as far back northaround the beach as they could see, drew up close to them.

Stick to the plan, Willow advised them. Stay within the circle and use the super-

soakers wisely. If they cant get at us, theyll just get frustrated.

Thats real nice for you guys inside the circle, Akilah pointed out. But us and thewolves gonna get our asses handed to us.

Not if I can help it, Willow assured her.

The vampires moved closer, until they stood just beyond super-soaker range. One of

them moved forward, a short, lean male with thinning brown hair. Lissen, you guys, he calledout. We aint in this to kill all you guys. You wanna just pack up and go, you can go. Well

letcha pass, no strings attached. He surveyed them. All we want is the slayer.


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You cannot have her! Wesley responded. We will fight you with every resource we

have before we abandon the slayer to the likes of you.

Then youll die, the man assured them. Hey, I tried. He turned to the vampires.Take em, fellas.

The line of vampires approached, slowly curving around the contours of the dune, the

undead maneuvering themselves into position. The werewolves gathered in a loose semi-circle infront of the dune, ready for the inevitable onslaught. With a loud battle call, the vampires

charged over the sand, teeth flashing in the moonlight as they cried out. Those with super-

soakers let fly; the water splashed among the vampires, burning them. But this time there weresimply too many, and they continued charging even though the front ranks were continually

being soaked. The werewolves bolted forward, slamming into the confused vampires; for a brief

moment they seized the initiative in the battle and began to advance. But the sheer weight ofnumbers pressed them back, and within minutes the surviving wolves found their backs up

against the barrier. Those inside had spent their super-soakers completely and stood watching as

the mass of vampires gathered around them, ready to strike.

Suddenly the vampires parted; someone made his way to the front of their line. Willow

and Liz repressed a shudder; cold descended upon them, and they stared in horror at the dark,shadowy figure.

Witches? the gravelly voice wondered. I thought I had you all hunted to extinction.

Oh my God, Wesley mumbled.

What? Rachel blurted. What? Who is that?

Were in deep shit, Irnini informed them. Very deep shit.

Thats the First, Wesley provided. The King is working for the First. He looked atWillow. This is much graver than I thought.

The First raised an arm; the ghostly, skeletal hand appeared. A sacred circle? he

addressed them. Is that all?He waved his hand, and Willow could feel the barrier drop, despite her efforts to resist

the Firsts magic.

Go, she counseled. Now. We all have to get to Buffy now!

Wesley looked up at her. No, you must get to Buffy now. And everyone else who can

run.You have to come with us! Pike urged him.

Id slow you down and get you killed. Go!Billy, Irnini, and Beletseri did not have to be told again. Akilah reached inside the circle

and grabbed Rachel and Michael and began to run. A few vampires gave chase.

This isnt fair, Shelley argued.

Wesley turned to her. Go. Its not a request. Youre a member of the Council and I am

its head. Go.

Pike nodded and clasped Shelleys hand. They bolted.

Wesley turned to Willow, Liz, and Cordelia. Go. All of you. He glanced at Willow.

You could give me the Orb of Order, though. That I would appreciate.

Willow gave Wesley a hug and slipped the metal ball with the crosses into his pocket.

Good luck, she told him, and then the three women took off after the others.

So this is how it ends, Sam said to Wesley as the vampires advanced on the dune.

Wesley nodded. Im afraid so. We just have to hope Buffy Summers really is the One.


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Sam gave Wesley a smile as the younger man drew the crimson gold sphere from his

pocket. Did you really ever have any doubt?

Sam shook his head. Not much. Rupert always believed it, may God rest his soul.

The vampires were nearly upon them.

That he did, agreed Wesley. He held up thesphere. Deus deletor! he called out.

The little metallic ball, comprised of crosses carved upon crosses, suddenly shattered intoa thousand small fragments, each of them the shape of the cross, and flew outward in every

direction.

*Back in the water! Buffy shouted as the wolves began to move ashore. The vampires

closed in from every direction now; while the force coming in from the north had been

decimated by Sam and Wesleys sacrifice, they still numbered in the scores. Vampires pouredforth onto the beach from the city, and a host moved up the beach from the south as well. It

looked utterly hopeless.

Get back in the water! Buffy ordered them again; the wolves seemed to not want tocomply.

Oz, Moira, and Alicia approached the slight rise where Buffy stood. Willow and the

others from her hilltop stood with the slayers. Willow reached down and rubbed Ozs headaffectionately.

Buffy turned to them. Oz, get them back in that water or were going to have a ton of

dead bodies we dont need. Oz glanced at Willow and nodded; he and the other two wolves

moved down toward the water, braying loudly so that the werewolves would recognize him and

heed his instructions. The vampires drew ever closer, and Oz was hard-pressed to drive his

followers back into the surf. With dismay he saw that while a good number of wolves still stood,a larger percentage of them had died this night.

You too, Will, guys. Everybody has to go back in the water. Thats the plan. Buffy held

out her hand, and Xander handed her the red sword.

You have everything you need? Willow inquired.

Buffy nodded. Laura and I have it under control. Now go! Theres nothing more you cando here.

Willow gave Buffy a brief hug and started off toward the water, Liz in tow. Racheltouched Buffys hand briefly before she departed, and Pike and Shelley flipped her a salute.

What about us? Billy wondered. Me and the gals cant do the water thing.

Get as close as you can, Buffy told him. If this doesnt work, mingle in with his armyand get to safety. You hear me?

Billy nodded. Right, slayer. Give im hell.

I intend to, Buffy assured him.

Riley embraced Laura. Youre sure about this? he whispered.

She kissed him. I am. You trained me for it. Im ready.

Reluctantly he released her and headed off toward the water.

Xander kissed Buffy. I lost you once, he murmured. I dont want to lose you again.

You wont, Buffy promised him. I have no intention of dying tonight. She kissed himback. Now go, before some stupid vampire chases after you.


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Xander couldnt tear his eyes away from her as he shuffled down the sand toward the

waters edge.

Buffy turned to Laura. Ready?

The younger slayer nodded that she was.

Buffy held up the sword and called out, This is your last warning. Im the slayer. If you

dont all get your pasty asses off this beach now, Ill kill every last one of you. And you know Ican do it.

An idle boast from a frightened girl, a voice called out. Buffy could see him, even

though he stood several men deep in the vast sea of undead. He was taller than the othervampires by a full head, and they parted before him as he advanced, making way for their leader.

Soon the King, and Kasinda, stood at the fore of the still-large vampire army.

Im not afraid of you, Buffy told him. Youre just another ugly vampire with

delusions of grandeur. Okay, youre a big, old, smart, ugly vampire, but in the end you can go

down the same way: stakes, holy water, crosses, yadda yadda yadda. Buffy shook her head.You dont have a prayer against me.

The vampires erupted into laughter, and the King raised an eyebrow as he shifted his

features to his hideous demonic face. Is that so? I have waited a long time to fight you. Yourblood will be the very essence that makes me invulnerable. After I kill you, the world will be

mine.

At nighttime, anyway, Buffy pointed out. I wouldnt go making plans just yet, bigguy. You still have to get through me.

The King stepped forward, alone. Come and get me, slayer. If you can.Buffy leapt toward him, fast, feet first, kicking him on the chest and knocking him to the

ground. She rolled back away from the vampire army and rose to face him.

The King stood up quickly, the smirk gone from his features.

You didnt expect that, didja? Buffy teased him.He lashed out, speedy himself, and powerful, his huge hand socking her in the jaw. Buffy

staggered back and almost lost her balance. She glared up at the huge vampire with anger.

Dont underestimate me, the King warned her, slapping at her again, hitting her on the

shoulder and sending her sprawling into the sand. Buffy rolled with the force of the blow, but toher surprise the King was on her again before she could get to her feet. He lifted her up and

threw her bodily across the sand. Buffy landed hard and grunted as she somersaulted to her feet.

The King came at her once more, but this time she lashed out with a good, hard kick, and it washis turn to stumble backward. Buffy circled to the side and stabbed at him with the red sword;

but he dodged back, moving away from the vampires, his back momentarily to the water.

Laura saw her chance and threw herself at the King while his back was turned. Shelanded atop him, planting the stake in his back. But either her aim was off, or his heart was too

deeply buried for the stake to hit it; she didnt kill him. She snatched the soul cage amulet fromher pocket and was about to place it on his neck when he reached back and plucked her off of

him, throwing her across the sand to land at the feet of the vampire army.

Hold that one! the King roared even as Buffy charged him with the sword. She swung,but he ducked, and he popped her one on the chin, which staggered her back.

Kasinda grabbed Laura, restraining her. Laura struggled to free herself, but the vampire

proved too strong. Panicking, Laura slapped the soul cage onto Kasindas forehead and cried,Release!, just as Willow had instructed her earlier that evening.


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Buffy: King of the Dark Chapter 11

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