Lust

Chapter 9: Something this way comes

Faith ran into the middle of the street, anger filling her as the air burned around her. A lone figure stood on the sidewalk, underneath the dying lamp light. Faith spun standing straight up, her trench falling still around her feet as she looked at the girl. The girl silently walked towards her, no footsteps could be heard as if she was floating on air. Faith stood quietly her glowing eyes starting to change color for gold to emerald. The girl walked within three feet of Faith, smiling at her. Faith looked at her confused, recognizing something in the girls eyes and demeanor.

“You are not human” she said huskily, the moonlight softly curving over her features are her unruly hair fell into her face. The young girl smiled at her and Faith’s unneeded breath caught in her throat.

“Neither are you Vera”.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffy paced back and forth as Willow and Giles watched her in the kitchen. “Why does this always happen! We always get half of the damn messages because it is always in some dead language!” she growled looking down at the piece of paper that Giles had written the part of the prophecy he could translate on it. Willow rubbed her temples as she felt another migraine start to form. Kennedy was immediately by her side, rubbing her neck and shoulders. Willow cast an appreciatory glance over her shoulder before turning back to the irate slayer.

“Maybe your new friend can help. I mean she is old so she might be able to read the rest of the prophecy” Willow said as Giles nodded his agreement.

“I’ll go to her today and see what I can do. Until then I think it is time to call in the bases” Buffy said, sitting down on one of the stools. Willow shook her head,

“Don’t you think that pulling in the troops will trigger that something is going to happen? If someone is watching it might just trigger all of the things that are in the prophecy.”

“I agree with Willow I believe it is too early to tell what is going on” Giles said, taking his glasses off again. Buffy shook her head at them, looking at Kennedy for help.

“I think Buffy is right. The prophecy seems to describe this huge battle. It will take weeks for all the girls to come in and get them settled and ready. I think we should call them in now so that if anything is going to happen, we will be ready. We also don’t want them to be isolated from each other. It will just make them easier to pick off. They should be brought in.” Kennedy said, nodding at Buffy’s appreciatory smile. Willow sighed, knowing that the final decision was left to Buffy.

“One question though Buffy” she said as Kennedy’s arms wrapped around her waist.

“What?” she asked as she stood up.

“Where are we going to put them?”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angel walked into his office, flinching as the sun shone through the window. He was still not used to the fact that he could look outside all day and not be burned. His mind wandered back to the strange woman that came for the deeds. He put Wesley in full research mode, but so far nothing came from it.

“A vampire with a soul” a voice said behind him. Angel spun around in full game face, growling at the person behind him. Ronwe shook his head, holding his hands up in signs of peace.

“Who are you?” Angel growled, shifting back into his human visage. Ronwe motioned for him to take a seat.

“My name is Ronwe and I am the high council to Lucifer. I am here to talk to you about business. I need your help finding a woman” he said, sitting down in front of him.

“Why” Angel asked bluntly.

“Well see she is getting in the way of an important turn of events for this world. We are trying to save it but it seems that all she wants to do is destroy it. She already tried to get the slayer but I convinced her not to trust her. Now I need to find her before she causes anymore damage. Angel looked at his suspiciously.

“I might be able to help you but you need to wait a few days so my men can work” Angel said, standing up, extending his hand. Ronwe stood up, shaking his hand firmly.

“Thank you for your cooperation” Ronwe smiled as Angel’s eyes flashed black for a second. Angel looked at him confused.

“No problem” he said sitting down, shaking his head. Ronwe turned and disappeared.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffy put the phone back on the hook as she looked over at Willow. “Well the girls from Asia and London are going to be coming within the week. The girls from Arizona, Ohio, Boston and Maine will be here within three days. I can’t get a hold of the girls in South America or Africa and the line is busy in India” she said rubbing her numb ear.

“What about the girls from Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Russia” Willow asked. Buffy sighed as she stretched her arms up in the air, the vertebrae in her back making loud popping noises as they went back into place.

“Didn’t get a chance to call yet, my ear is numb. I am glad you put one girl who spoke English at each destination otherwise I would have been on that phone longer” she grumbled. Willow chuckled at her friend looking down as she figured out what to say next to the slayer.

“Buffy, um how are we going to feed all these girls? How are we going to house them? They are over 300 slayers, we all cannot fit in this house” she said softly. Buffy rubbed her face as she sighed.

“Remember at the beginning when I asked you to open that account in Switzerland? I put a check in it every week, you know the money that we used to get from the council then the money we started to make with your internet business and what money I brought in from my odd jobs?” Buffy said, smirking at her friend. Willow nodded, her curiosity peaking.

“Well I learned a lot about money through Anya, and with careful planning and everything that has been going on I have been able to save close to 75 million dollars in the past 7 years through various investments” she said, smiling at Willow who grabbed at the table next to her.

“How the hell could you save that kind of money?” she asked, her pride for her friend growing.

“Well it started off with wanting to help my mom out if anything happened to me. Then it kind of turned into an emergency fund into the Scooby fund, you know if anyone of us got into trouble. I lied when I said the amount the council gave me was minimal. They gave me close to a thousand dollars a month. One fourth of that I used, the rest went into the Scooby fund. Angel has also been helping, since he has been alive for couple hundred years he amassed a lot of money. Ever since he joined Wolfram and Hart he gave me all the money and bonds he has accumulated over the years. And after you made your company and the council was no more, whatever money you gave me for rent went into the fund and I picked up the entire bill. That is why I dropped out of college sooner than I should and started to work extra hours at the Double Meat Palace and I got a second job down at a nightclub as a bartender slash bouncer” Buffy explained, still smirking at Willow’s face.

“How, what… I mean what are you going to do with the money?” Willow finally asked.

“Well remember when Xander’s old construction company built that huge warehouse for that warehouse corporation, who then backed out before the battle?”

“You mean those ones that I’ve seen workers come in and out of with all types of equipment?” she asked.

“Yea well I am making it into barracks basically, but on the outside it looks perfectly normal. Wait till you see it on the inside. And there is one added bonus if you will just follow me into your apartment” Buffy said as she walked downstairs.

“What’s up” Kennedy said from the bed. She was wearing a small shirt that showed off her pierced naval and really small shorts. “Wow never realized how hot ken is” Buffy thought, scrunching her nose. “What the fuck is going on with me?” she asked herself, shaking her head as she went to the far side of the basement.

“Watch” she said as she pulled back an old tapestry of her mothers. She tapped three stones and stepped back as the wall opened up into a passageway.

“What the fuck” Kennedy said, crawling out of the bed quickly. Her feet got tangled in the sheets as she crashed to the floor in a heap. She growled as she stood up, twisting and pulling until she was free from the sheets. “Why is there a secret passageway in our apartment?” she growled as Willow inspected the door.

“I had this put in before you moved down here. It leads to the building that I bought. It only takes five minutes running to get there through this tunnel. So we can keep the visage that everyone is in one place where in reality”

“They are in the other buildings” Willow finished smiling at Buffy.

“Ummm could someone explain what the hell is going on!” Kennedy yelled at them.

“Follow me and I will show you exactly what you are asking” Buffy said, ducking into the tunnel. Kennedy and Willow looked at each other before following their friend into the tunnel. Willow looked down as Buffy lead them through the silver tunnel. The sides were made of metal panels but the floor was carpeted. The light overhead wasn’t bright, but it allowed decent sight without being blinded. Red light bulbs ran along the ceiling, next to spaces in the ceiling.

“What are the spaces in the ceiling for?” Willow asked, her voice echoing off the walls.

“In case something follows the girls into the tunnel. Panic signals activate walls that will crash down to prevent anything from reaching the house” Buffy said nonchalantly as the end of the tunnel came in sight.

“What happens if a girl gets caught?” Kennedy asked. Buffy’s shoulder sagged a little as she turned to look at Kennedy.

“Unfortunately they have to fight if they get caught. I was able to install panels in the walls” Buffy said pressing down the one the walls, “that open to find a sword, stake and crossbow” Buffy finished as the wall flipped around to show the weapons.

“It seems like you have this all planned out but don’t you think that all that there isn’t enough time for all the girls to make it down the hall. You know as well as I know that if someone starts to panic they screw up” Willow said as the exited the tunnel.

“I know which is why the walls are about every 30 yards” Buffy said as she reached around the corner to turn the light on.

“Buffy, that is practically impossible to run in five seconds” Willow said looking at her incredulously.

“Yes for a normal human being, but for a slayer, no” she said as the lights turned on overhead.

“Yea but that is still cutting it close, even for a slayer” Kennedy said as she walked into the building.

“Wow” Willow said behind her. Buffy smiled as Kennedy and Willow looked around, awestruck.

“Is it me or does this remind me of the one of the Initiative hallways?” Willow asked Buffy who nodded.

“I took a page out of their book. Except the whole demon testing and holding cell thing, that really isn’t my style” she said as Kennedy walked into the middle of the building.

“This floor is underground and is where all the girls will be sleeping. I did not want them on the main floor in case someone got in upstairs” Buffy said as they followed her down the corridor. “Each girl will bunk with another girl. That will be her partner, they are responsible for each other and are to look out for one another. Each room has internet access and a direct phone line to the house, but no where else. If they want to talk to someone outside they have to come up to the main house. There is television and down there is a theater, I don’t want them to go stir crazy. There is also a gaming system around that corner behind the stairs” motioned as she sat on the steps. Kennedy looked up, seeing the red lights again.

“Those lights indicate if something is wrong at the house or here. This button over here signals the panic alarm at the house, which is installed much like a security box. It will ring the alarm at the house, and after two minutes it will turn off. No matter what there will be two people left in the house at all times plus one adult. There is no ifs ands or buts about it” Buffy said as she started up the stairs. Willow looked at Kennedy who was frowning at Buffy.

“Is it me or does all of this seem overboard?” Kennedy asked her.

“I don’t know I mean, she’s done all of this, which must have taken longer than she lets on and she ran the chance of never needing it” Willow said as they followed her up.

Willow’s breath caught in her throat as she looked over the room. Kennedy shook her head, watching as Buffy walked ahead of them.

“The main floor is divided into different areas, that section is the weight room ” Buffy said, motioning to the chain-link fence that surrounded the lifting equipment “And over there are the different martial arts areas” she motioned to the twelve rooms separated by a partition wall. Buffy motioned for them to follow her as she continued the tour.

“There is a swimming pool and track. There are three meditation rooms and a weapons room. That only holds swords, stakes, axes, you know the usual. Upstairs are the classrooms and magic areas. On the outside it looks like a normal warehouse, on the inside, it’s a slayer’s paradise” Buffy chuckled, looking to see Kennedy’s and Willow’s reaction.

“Holy shit Buffy this is way too much I mean yes I said bring the girls in but don’t you think this is too much?” Kennedy asked, looking into one of the martial arts rooms.

“There is a war coming, maybe today maybe 6 months from now I don’t know. But I want these girls to be better prepared then we were during the battle with the First.” she muttered, walking back towards the tunnel. Willow looked over at Kennedy before jogging over to Buffy.

“It is not your fault that they are dead Buffy. You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened to the girls. We won and we knew that some were not going to make it. I wish that you would stop blaming yourself” Willow said as Buffy smiled sadly at her.

“Always easier said then done”.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Who are you and how the hell do you know that name?” Faith demanded.

“It is not important now” the girl said smiling at her. Faith looked at the young girl before her, taking in her beauty.

“What is it that you want from me?” she asked straightening herself out.

“I am your guide and I am Buffy’s guide. There is a greater role for you in this war. I am here to make sure that all that is to come, happens” she said smiling at her. Faith’s breath caught in her throat again.

“Wha… What does Buffy have to do with this besides staying on the right side of the war” Faith asked as the girl started to back away from her.

“You know, for being a 5 billion year old demon, you sure are dense. But don’t worry Vera, everything will be fine” the girl said as she turned to walk away.

“What do you see to gain out of whatever it is you are here to do” Faith yelled out to her.

“Love, all I can do is love” the girl said, disappearing into the night.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lucifer looked over the ocean as the waves crashed violently on the jagged rocks below him. The sun was setting over the turbulent seas as the sky swirled purple and black. Ronwe appeared behind him, bowing.

“Sir it is taken care of” he said smiling as he stood next to Lucifer.

“So the vampire was easy to take care of?” Lucifer asked, not looking at Ronwe.

“Yes my lord, it seems his soul has weakened him substantially” Ronwe smiled.

“What about the blonde one?” Lucifer asked as the wind rushed against them.

“He won’t be as easy. His love for the slayer will keep him on the side of good as long as she is there” he said, looking up at Lucifer.

“Then we must make sure that she is switched. We take the slayer out of the picture and no matter how powerful Amdis is, she will fall” Lucifer growled, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yes my lord” Ronwe said bowing.

“Go leave me in peace” Lucifer ordered, staring as Ronwe disappeared before him.

Ronwe appeared in his private laboratory, startling his assistants. “Get back to work! We don’t have time to waste. This needs to be done before I make my move or all this trouble over the past billion years will be in vain!” Ronwe bellowed, watching his assistants scramble like ants. Ronwe walked over to a table in the middle of the room, looking down at the First.

“I will make sure you do not fail me again!”

a/n: Sorry it took so long I’ll hopefully have an update soon.