The Ancients by mike

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Fox.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere else, please ask me first.
Feedback: Constructive comments are encouraged.
Spoilers: None.
Author's Notes: This picks up three years after the events of Dark Alliance.
Pairing: Willow/Buffy

The rain had stopped hours before leaving the asphalt streets and concrete sidewalks damp in the cold January night. The street was narrow without feeling closed in by the mostly brick two story buildings. The hour was late enough so that the streets were mostly bare of pedestrians and only an occasional car was seen. The only visible pedestrian walked with casual purpose as he approached his destination.

He looks confident as he strolls to the front door of Fernando's Hideaway. His nostrils flare slightly as he inhales the odors of alcohol, smoke and human perspiration. His cold eyes glint and thin lips twitch expectantly as he detects the odor of warm coursing blood still bound by living flesh. He opens the door to enter and fast paced music can be heard from within. The door closes behind him. He's on the hunt but unaware that tonight, he is the hunted.

Sandy and Marcia had halted about twenty feet behind when he stopped in front of the nightclub. They stayed hidden in the darkened doorway of a golf shop that was closed for the night. A couple leaving the restaurant passes by them oblivious to their presence.

Marcia smiles as her thoughts turn towards her companion. 'I can literally feel how excited she is, just like I felt the vampire even before we saw him. It's infectious. Can't get too excited, I'll start breathing heavy and give us away. She's squeezing my hand, our signal. OK Will... no Marcia. I'm Marcia. One more time, OK Marcia, breath slowly, calm down. Don't want to blow this for her. She hasn't staked a vamp in nearly three years. You can't screw this up for her. Breath, slower, breath, better. She's stopped squeezing, must have worked. Yea me!' Self-congratulatory warmth further eased her apprehension.

'It's been like this ever since that kiss.' Her mind begins to wander again, just as naturally as geese flying south in the winter.

'It was one hell of a kiss, brought her back to life after all. But it did a lot more. Connected us like nothing I ever imagined. It's just all so incredible! Oops, more squeezing. Breathe Marcia, breath.' She commanded while forcing her wayward thoughts back to the issue at hand.

'She's so still beside me. Like a cat waiting to pounce. Cat, I miss Liza but someone had to stay and watch after mom. I really miss how she'd lay across our necks as Sandy spoons me. Her fur was so soft, feeling so nice to stroke. Sandy's like a cat right now and mmmmm, she's so nice to stroke also. Argh, again with the squeezing. Where is that stupid vamp!' Marcia's breathing once again came under control as frustration cooled her ardor.

'Well it's about time.' Marcia nearly muttered out loud as a tall, dark haired man exited the club. He was holding the door open and a blond in a suede coat with a fur collar joined him.

'Ah, don't they look cute, joining arms as they walk. He's whispering something into her ear. Two quick squeezes from Sandy, this is it. I miss her hand but I see her just ahead of me. Well not see, see her, more like one of those after images you get on the back of your retina that you can only see after you close your eyes. Gotta stay close, but not too close. And quiet, can't make a sound, which would be bad.' Marcia used this last thought, repeating it over and over in her head as she stayed a safe distance behind the stalking slayer.

'Sandy's moving out towards the curb. Uh, where'd the vamp and girl go? Damn, focusing on her so much I wasn't watching. Better follow Sandy. Oh, there they are, dark alley. They're just shadows against the wall. Was that disgusting twitter a giggle? Must be a side effect from all the peroxide.' Marcia watched in tense silence as she sensed Sandy glide silently towards the unsuspecting pair.

"You're smell is intoxicating." The deep voice of the vampire said as slowly and softly as the stroke of his fingers on the girl's neck.

'Oh wow, it's going to happen. Sandy, why are you waiting? He's going to do it. Can't yell, have to stay quiet. Please Sandy, don't let him do it. Can't you see his hand on her mouth now? There, his face just went all bumpy. Hurry, before it's too late! She's struggling, trying to scream. Those fangs are so close. Can't yell, must stay quiet.' Marcia held her breath as panic began to overwhelm her.

'Wow, flying vamp. Crunch, ouch, that must of hurt. Hey, is he surprised. Fun...ny. He's looking all around. Can't see my girl though. No you can't. He's even growling, looking really scary, moving slowly. But not going to help you mister vampire, no siree. Ah, did someone trip you. You've fallen and can't get up. Well not a problem anymore.' Marcia finally allowed herself to breath as the vampire combusted and his dust settled softly to mix with the damp asphalt.

'What's that sound? Oh my god, I forgot the girl. She's crying, all curled up on the ground. She's gotta be scared out of her wits.' Marcia moved without realizing to help the frightened girl.

'Ahhh, Sandy hand, holding mine. Keeping me from going to the girl. She looks so scared and helpless. But she can't see you stupid. You'd probably just scare her more.' Marcia chastised as she waited helplessly.

"Go, go home." Sandy's voice reached the sobbing girl. Her crying sounds halted, but not her tears. Her searching eyes became more frantic and terrified as each unsuccessful pass found nothing.

With a panic induced screech and fear driven strength the girl scrambled to her feet and dashed from the dark alley.

"Help!" Her frightened cries mixed with the sound of clicking heels as she rapidly made her escape.

Sandy guides Marcia into the darkened alley where they could finally converse without being overheard.

"You do realize you'd have given her a heart attack if you had touched her, don't you?" Sandy's whispered reproach was mitigated with a humorous chuckle.

"She looked so scared. I didn't think, just sorta started to move." Marcia offered in defense, her shrug and embarrassed expression while not seen were certainly felt by her sympathetically amused companion.

"But why'd you wait so long? I was sure he was going to bite her." Marcia pounced quickly to redirect the focus of discussion away from her near mistake.

Sandy pulled Marcia into a comforting embrace. When she felt Marcia's hand caress her back she replied softly.

"I wanted her to be scared, so scared that maybe she'll think before doing something that could get her killed next time." Sandy kissed Marcia's cheek then let out a troubled sigh.

"I can't be here to protect her next time. And there would have been a next time if she wasn't made aware of how close she came to death." Her words scratched like a broken record echoing a lost weekend.

"I understand." Marcia replied quietly, knowing her simple words would be believed.

"You're the only one who can." Sandy responded as she gave a slight extra squeeze of gratitude.

"Hey, that club sounded like it has dancing. What do you say to losing George and Marion and kicking up our heels? After all, checkout's not till noon." Marcia said excitedly.

Moments later two dark beauties were walking arm in arm along First Street. The taller girl turned her head as she asked her companion mischievously.

The shorter girl turned her head away to cover her blush and mumbled something incoherent.

"Sandy, I'm over here. Try that one more time so that I can hear." Marcia prodded as she suspected something juicy.

Sandy reluctantly turned her head half way towards Marcia and grudgingly responded. "I said it felt like fore play."

Marcia nearly chocked on her laughter. "I knew it!" Marcia exclaimed triumphantly.

Sandy stopped them both in their tracks. Turning to Marcia she demanded quickly. "What do you mean you knew it?"

Still getting her mirth under control, Marcia replied smugly. "I just remember those nights you'd cuddle up to me after slaying. Your body was practically vibrating. It was incredible! Just being near you got me turned on." As Sandy frowned with embarrassment, Marcia softened her voice.

"You should have told me. You must have been so frustrated and just think of all the fun we missed." Marcia's understanding tone seemed to alleviate the blush in Sandy's cheeks.

"We agreed to hold off on the physical stuff until after everything. And I was afraid that horny slayer would scare you off." Sandy's meek voice nearly broke Marcia's heart.

"I would never have been frightened by you. And it's ok now because I really like horny slayer. In fact, I think I would like some horny slayer right now." Marcia's sultry words caused Sandy's eyes to dilate as her heart began to race.

"Now you're talking." Marcia yelled as she took off running in the direction of their hotel.

"There's not going to be much talking involved." Sandy yelled back as she quickly moved to follow her heart's desire.

The already loud atmosphere at Pizza Pipeline was suddenly exacerbated by the sudden pounding of fists. Eight college students had impatiently begun adding a drum chorus to the raucous din.

The night manager rolled his eyes. 'Another group looking to get out of leaving a tip.' The cynical thought went through his mind like an annoying jingle.

'They deserve to get Dot, but the noise is giving me a headache.' His decision made, he yelled into the back.

"Harris, table seven, now!" He yelled then jerked back as a confused face crowned with tousled dark hair appeared before him.

"Did you forget that I'm off shift in ten minutes?" Harris glared down at the somewhat portly round-faced manager.

"No, I didn't forget. But if I give those idiots Dot, she'll just piss them off." A sigh of reluctant capitulation caused his corpulent lips to flutter with a flatulent sound. "Look, take care of them and I'll add a half hour to your time to cover the tip they're not going to leave.

Xander Harris weighed the proposal against his need to get back to his dorm room to finish his paper on 'The longevity of ancient mechanical constructs'. But seeing the usually 'don't give a shit' face showing the tiniest hint of pleading left him no option.

Xander nodded his head slightly in acceptance and left to take care of table seven. It was an insignificant task but that wasn't the point. Someone was counting on him to do something and he'd sworn on Willow's empty grave that he would never let anyone down again.

Sunlight filled the massive office drenching the walls and renaissance art with its life giving warmth. A beautiful desk made painstakingly from rosewood was the centerpiece of the room situated in front of the massive wood and glass doors that lead out to a meticulously tended garden. The sole occupant was seated behind the desk with his back to the light.

Dark brown hair flowed down to just past his shoulders as he leaned slightly forward reading the letter he held in his deceptively delicate looking hands. A youthful face frowned as he considered the possibilities in the communiqué. Touching a button on a control pad was followed by the gentle whisper of heavy drapes closing until they blocked all natural light from the room. The room took on a more ominous appearance as lamps cast shadows turning the previously inviting room into a place of danger and mystery.

Moments after a second button was pushed there was a gentle knock on the door directly opposite the desk.

The door opened noiselessly and a tall pale skinned man with sandy colored hair entered with eyes cast downward. After closing the door he approached within five feet of the desk not once looking up at the person sitting there.

"Nicolai has disappeared. Castor has already made inquiries and it appears that Nicolai has either been captured or slain." The words while calm carried with them an underlying anger that nearly made the vampire glance up.

"He disappeared two weeks ago. Send Terrance and his team to Portland. I want to know what happened and the responsible parties dealt with swiftly." He pursed his lips slightly as he considered another possibility.

"Also contact the watchers. Find out if any of their field operatives or the slayer have been in the area recently." He finished with a slight wave of his hand dismissing the servant.

Alone again he kept the room dark to complement his mood. 'Portland is a controlled area and Castor has maintained the balance there for a hundred years now without a single problem. And Nicolai is too experienced to be caught unaware. It's such an isolated incident and the watchers would be insane to threaten the covenant over something so insignificant.' He considered another possibility and quickly dismissed it.

"It can't be another slayer; there is only one and all the previous have been accounted for." Fully confident that his orders would be carried out and the matter resolved soon the ancient with the face of a young man opened the room to sunlight that only ancients such as he could enjoy without fear.

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The Ancients

by mike

Copyright © 2003

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