Violence Disclaimer:  This is the part of the Book that contains some pretty explicit and detailed violence.  If you've seen the movie Blade 2, then you'll know.  I'm just putting what happened in that seen at the House of Pain in my story, only I'm substituting it with the Bronze.  Also, much of the details here are specific and taken off of the official Script for the movie taken from the Blade 2 DVD.  Just be warned.  And when you do come to it, if you don't like reading about violent fights, then skip past it.  And I promise, the Willow/Tara reunion is getting closer.

Spoilers:  Set in Season 7, sometime after the first couple episodes.  Willow is still in England with Giles.

Author's Note:  The idea for this story hit me after reading my friend Kaine Parker's Power Ranger story The Second Prophecy and after reading The Kali Prophecy, written by Celia.  I enjoyed both stories and inspiration comes from them both.  So, congrats to you both for magnificent stories.  I hope you enjoy the story.  Also, some of the characters in this book you'll recognize as characters from the movie "Blade 2", which I don't own.  Those characters are owned by the movie's writer, David Goyer.  The character Michael is, as you could guess, the Archangel Michael from the Bible.  Many authors have used him and you can add me to the list.  In the television series "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules", Charles Masure played him.  I see Charles Masure playing Michael here.  In the Hercules episode Revelations, Michael wore this white outfit with a shiny silver and gold chest armor.  If you've seen the episode, you know what I'm talking about.  That's how Michael looks in this story.

Special Note:  Just so the readers know this going in, the actual reunion between Willow and Tara isn't going to happen towards the end.  When I came up with this story, I wanted it to be a world in peril type of deal and I wanted our favorite lovers to have their special moment just as the big battle unfolds.  So, it won't happen until the end.  Just be warned.  But I promise, the journey will be worth it.

Prophecies & Legends
Book 1 - Rise of the Reapers
by The Devious One

Continuation of Chapter 4

The keys rattled in the door as Tara unlocked her hotel room door.  Opening the door silently, she flicked on the light as Buffy entered just behind her.  The Slayer closed the door and watched Tara as she moved through the hotel room.  Without speaking, Tara unfastened the cape and took it off of her shoulders and neatly folded it, taking her time doing it.  She wasn't sure what to say to Buffy.  So much had happened since Tara had died and she wasn't sure what to say or do now that they were at the hotel.

As Tara finished folding the cape, she slowly turned around, fully expecting to see Buffy watching her from the spot near the door.  But instead, Tara found herself caught up in a fierce hug coming from the blonde Slayer.  Buffy had moved forward, surprising herself with the emotions she'd suddenly felt swirling through her and just felt the need to have physical contact to convince herself that it really was Tara.  That the blonde woman was alive and not just a figment of her imagination.

"You are real." Buffy whispered, hugging Tara.

Tara closed her eyes and gently returned the hug.  The embrace lasted a few more moments before Buffy pulled back and stepped away, still watching Tara.  She watched as Tara sat down at the edge of her bed and looked at the floor, too emotional to say any words.  Buffy pulled up a plastic chair that was near her and sat down on it, glancing at Tara after a moment.

After a few moments of silence, Tara looks up and flicks her eyes at Buffy.  Buffy is watching her, still with a stunned expression.

"So..." Tara starts, "your looking good."

Buffy chuckled, looking at the floor a moment.  "Yeah.  Too bad I'm not feeling that good."

Tara fell silent, not knowing what to say really.

After a moment, Buffy's face turned serious.  "Tara, how....how is this possible?  I mean, excuse me for saying it....but your dead."

Tara nodded.  "It's a long story, Buffy." Tara responded.  "I was allowed to have a second chance by the Powers That Be."

Eyebrows raised up at hearing this.  Buffy showed surprise.  "You actually got to meet with the Powers..."

Tara quickly shook her head.  "No, I have a guide that was appointed to me.  He visited me in Heaven."

Buffy sucked in a breath.  She remembered all too clearly about the paradise of heaven.  "So, you were in heaven."

"Yeah, it was beautiful.  It was peaceful....and for the most part, I was content." Tara said.

"Most part?" Buffy replied in question.

Tara swallowed, emotions beginning to hit her.  It always happened when she thought about Willow.  "My mother was there....it was....I can't explain how it felt to see my mother again, Buffy." Tara said, seeing the emotions in Buffy's eyes.  She knew Buffy was thinking about Joyce Summers then.  "But, it wasn't perfect for me.  There was one thing missing.  Something that I needed."

Buffy gave her a smile.  "Willow."

Tara nodded.  "Yes.  I need Willow.  Not being with her....it's a horrible experience.  Especially now."

Hearing that brought something to mind to Buffy.  "Willow!  She's at Xander's.  Let's go over there!"

"No!" Tara exclaimed, rising up from her bed and grabbing Buffy's shoulder.

Surprised by the outburst, Buffy stopped.  "Tara, she needs to know about you.  Willow is in a horrible place right now.  She needs you."

Tara took several deep breaths as she tried to calm her ratting nerves.  "I know....but I can't.  Not yet."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"My guide, when he offered me this second chance, he told me that there is a catch." Tara said.

Buffy narrowed her eyes.  "What catch?"

Tara let go of Buffy's arm.  "For the first seven days and seven nights of my second chance, I have to stay away from Willow.  I can't let her see me or even know I'm back.  If I do, the Powers will take me away from Earth and cast me into Hell."

Buffy paled, shaking her head.  "I can't believe this."

"I know," Tara replied, "I wasn't even supposed to let anyone know I'm here.  I'm hoping you knowing about me won't be like breaking that rule."

"But why....why seven days?"

"My guide told me it's a test." Tara said.  "A test for both me....and Willow.  The test for me is being back and having the strength to stay away from her for the seven days.  The test for Willow....is accepting continuing on in this life without me."

"This is so not fair Tara.  Me knowing and having to watch Will be tormented." Buffy said, plopping back down on the plastic chair.

"I-Imagine how I feel." Tara said, sitting back down.  "This is t-torture for me Buffy."

They were both silent as they consumed the info provided.  Buffy shook her head, acknowledging once again that life sometimes was simply not fair.  Here she was, sitting in front of the one person that could make Willow's depression go away and could begin the healing process for her friend and she couldn't even tell her for seven days.  "So, what do we do now?" Buffy asked.

Tara smiled sadly.  "I need you to just act like this meeting never happened.  For the next seven days, just watch Willow for me.  That's about all that can be done at this point."

Buffy nodded, not liking it.  But, she did know one thing.  She knew where Tara was staying, so within the next seven days, she was planning on coming back here, just to assure herself that Tara was alright.  She wasn't about to lose Tara twice.

Chapter 5

The rest of that night and the majority of the next day passed by without much incident.  Buffy and the others had made the agreement with the Bloodpack to meet at the Magic Box to get ready just after sundown.  There, they would suit up and get ready for the night of hunting the Reapers.

And that's how it went.  The Bloodpack were in the back training room, getting themselves suited up for the night of battle while Buffy, Dawn, Xander, Giles, Willow, and Isheeta were in interior of the shop, getting themselves ready.  Isheeta was wearing her black leather with the chest armor and sword attached to her back.  Willow was wearing the same outfit she'd worn in England when she was speaking with Giles.  She left her hair down, but had it combed.

Xander wore his blue dress shirt, tucked into some jeans.  But at Anya's insistence, Xander had put on some armor under the shirt in case he got shot or something else while on the hunt.  Dawn had on a pair of blue jeans with a dark blue long sleeved shirt.  She had the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, much like Xander did.  Giles wore a pair of dark gray jeans with his gray sweater on over a white t-shirt.  He had his long leather trenchcoat nearby that he was going to wear.  It was equipped to hold weapons in it.

And Buffy was off to the side, wearing a pair of blue jeans, a soft white turtleneck sweater and a long overcoat made of the same soft material that her sweater was made of.  She had a sword strapped to her back that would not be visible after she put the overcoat on.  She hat her hair pulled up into a bun.

"So how's everybody doing?" Buffy asked, glancing around.  Her gaze locked with Willow and Buffy sighed.  She really wanted to let her friend know about Tara, but she knew she couldn't.  Not yet.

"Oh...you know..." Xander said, "about as good as can be, considering we're about to go on a suicide mission with a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters to hunt more bloodthirsty monsters."

Buffy glared at Xander for a moment.  "Are they ready yet?"

"They came in with an awful lot of equipment." Giles commented.

The training room door opened just then and Nyssa entered. 

"We are ready when you are, Buffy." Nyssa said as she and the other Bloodpack members entered the shop.

They were all wearing black armor over their bodies.  Lighthammer carried a large hammer like that of Olaf, except his hammer was sharper on the ends.  They walked over to Buffy and glared at the other humans.  Buffy watched them all move in with purpose.  Reinhardt, Buffy noticed, seemed to be sizing Isheeta up with a purpose.

"Got a problem?" Isheeta asked, not intimidated in the slightest.

"I'm just wondering why a Mage is joining this battle.  This business with the Reapers doesn't concern you and your people." Reinhardt replied.

"Dieter," Isheeta said, "this business involves every living thing on this planet.  So yes, it does involve me.  Besides, I may be infused with Mage powers by the Goddess, but I was trained as a child to fight the most fierce enemies.  I won't slow you down, if that's what your afraid of."

"Reinhardt, stop bickering with her.  We have a job to do." Asad ordered.  "Now, where's the first place vampires will congregate here?"

Buffy took a breath.  "The first place that comes to mind....is the Bronze."

"Then that's where we're heading." Nyssa said, more of an order to her troops than to Buffy.

*****

Business was bustling at the Bronze.  There were humans and vampires alike lining up at the door, being let in to have a night of partying and feeding inside the dancing facility.  Across the street, Buffy, Xander, Giles, Isheeta, Willow, and Dawn stood next to the members of the Bloodpack, watching the doors open and close as patrons were allowed inside.

Nyssa turned to Buffy.  "From what we can gather, the Reapers hunt in packs, targeting places where vampires usually hover over.  So far, they've attacked blood banks, safe houses, and clubs sort of like this one."

"So it's a safe bet they'll be here." Asad added.

"And these Reapers will go after Half Breeds?" Buffy asked.

Nyssa nodded.  "Yes.  Vampires are vampires to them, it makes no difference."

Buffy turned around to face them.  "Alright, listen up.  Giles is going to be at the rooftop of that building behind us.  Since Nyssa and Giles have told me about your weaknesses, we've come up with some weapons to fight against the Reapers."

Willow took that as her cue to move forward.  During most of the day, they'd had a meeting about how to beat the Reapers.  And since the Reaper Strain began from a Pure Blood, they figured the weaknesses of a Pure Blood vampire would be the same for the Reapers.  They'd spent the entire day making weapons to fight against them.  Willow and Giles opened the back door to the large dark van they brought with them.  It was filled with the weapons.  There were guns and boxes of bullets there.  She opened the boxes of bullets as she began to talk.  ".38, .45, 9 millimeter caliber.  All with foil capsules at the tip filled with silver nitrate and garlic extract." she paused for a moment.  "Now, this hyper velocity stake gun spits out a silver stake at 6,000 feet per second." Willow said as she tossed one to Buffy.

The Slayer caught it and looked at it as Giles continued.

"Now, since you Pure Bloods don't like sunlight, we've modified the gun's entry light with a UV filter.  Pop it open, instant UV light." Giles said.  The Watcher aimed the gun at Priest, with the filter still on, so there would be no burning of the vamp's skin.  Priest pulled his gun on him.

Buffy smiled at Giles's move.

"Filter's on, there won't be a problem." Giles said as he opened a crate that had the stake guns.

Willow gestured Buffy to come over to the side.  "Buffy, I've been working on these most of the day."

"What are they Will?" Buffy asked with a smile.

Willow showed two metal devices attached to her wrists.  "It's got an pneumatic syringe delivery system.  The vials on these are filled with an anti-coagulant called EDTA.  One punch with this, you'll blow your target, Pure Blood or Reaper, up like a balloon." she gestured with the devices on how they worked.  "The cartridge ejects, and they automatically reload."

Buffy smiled at Willow's work.  "Very nice, Will."

"It's the least I could do.  Kind of need to stay busy, y'know?"

"Yeah." Buffy said.

The Bloodpack neared them.  "Alright," Buffy said, "you all have your surveillance ear-pieces on.  That's how we all stay in contact with each other.  Will's gonna be in the van with Anya and they'll monitor us.  Let's find these Reapers and take care of them."

The group moved to the doors of the Bronze.  Giles had already cleared the passes for all of them and the person at the door opened the door to let them inside.  As they entered, they all began looking around.

"So, what exactly are we looking for in here?" Chupa asked.

"Anything that looks suspicious." Xander answered, shouldering his gun.

As they entered the main ballroom of the Bronze, they began to split up in different directions.  Buffy and Nyssa stayed together, Dawn stayed with Xander, Isheeta moved off by her self, Lighthammer went off by himself, Asad and Reinhardt moved off in a direction, and the rest split up by themselves.  Buffy walked to a corner wall and placed a small digital camera on the wall, mounting it there.  It blinked a red light after she posted it.

"Will, do you read me?" Buffy said into her small mouthpiece.

In the van, Willow and Anya were turning all the small monitors on.  Willow touched her ear.  "We're reading you loud and clear, Buffy.  Get to searching.  Giles, how are you up there?"

Up on top of the building across the street, Giles touched his ear piece, his weapon aimed at the building as he watched the building.  "I'm good, Willow."

Back in the ballroom of the Bronze, everyone was moving more and more into the dancing areas and the back areas, watching the dancing and partying going on while at the same time, keeping a watchful eye out for the Reapers.

Priest shook his head as he walked around.  "Look at them, they're not even Pure Bloods."

"They're a disgrace." Chupa said.

At a different spot in the Bronze, Reinhardt was staring with venomous hate at Buffy as she watched everything.  Silently, he raised his handgun at Buffy, the red tracking light aimed at her chest.  "Man, it would be so easy to be rid of her." Reinhardt said, watching the light at her chest.

Asad chuckled.

"What?" Reinhardt glared at the vampire.

"Look down." Asad said.  "He's got you too."

Reinhardt looked at his own chest and saw a red light at his chest.  He tracked the light and it came from a gun the Slayer was holding.  She had her arms crossed over her chest and the gun was in her hand.  Reinhardt watched with growing animosity as she looked his way with a smile.  Grudgingly, he lowered his weapon.  Looking her way, Reinhardt mouthed three words.  You're gonna die.

Buffy smirked from her position as she continued to look through the large crowd on the ballroom.

As all the dancing and partying were taking place above, below the metal ramps and the floor that they were all dancing on, the Reapers knelt, looking up, sniffing their noses at the scents of vampires and humans being above.

Off to the side, with his face showing a sneering look, Jared Nomak took a sniff of the air and snorted.  "The Slayer."

Back above where the Reapers were dwelling and waiting, Nyssa moved away from where the dancing was taking place and began roaming the halls and corridors that led below the main ballroom.  She moved around cautiously, placing a few cameras against the wall as she moved through.

She passed by a hallway that had closed doors to other rooms on each side and the hallway was slightly long.  She began moving down it carefully, cautiously, and slowly.

On a different side of where Nyssa was, Lighthammer and Verlaine moved through a lower junction of the Bronze's building.  Where they moved through appeared to be an old kitchen that was no longer used.  Verlaine headed to the back of it to look for any openings the Reapers might use.  Lighthammer moved to the other side of the area, his hammer in his hands, and looking around.

As Verlaine passed by a set of old crates, she heard the sound of something scraping the floor.  She turned quickly, but nothing was there.  Carefully, she continued moving, her stake gun in her hands.

Lighthammer passed by a large wall where it was obvious large stacks of meat where hung like in a slaughterhouse.  There were hooks set against the wall.  And as he continued to look, A Reaper with no shirt on leapt up on the table, keeping itself out of sight and moving around, watching Lighthammer's movements.

Sensing movement, Lighthammer turned around, but the Reaper ducked below, keeping out of sight.  Lighthammer pressed something on his hammer and a large sharp blade exuded from one side of his hammer.

Back outside the Bronze, Willow and Anya watched as a few more screens came up as the cameras were being displayed.  "How are you doing Willow?" Anya asked, slightly worried about the silence that had been going.

"I'm okay.  Glad to be out of the Coven for a while.  It's been good to be occupied with something." Willow said.

Anya nodded.

In the ballroom, the Pure Bloods kept moving through the ballroom.  Xander and Dawn passed by people, still not finding any of the Reapers.  "We're not finding any, yet." Xander said into his mouth-piece.

"Yeah, I don't see any of them either." Dawn said.

Asad, who was a little ways away, was moving slightly away from where Reinhardt.  He looked towards the far wall and saw a figure standing there.  The figure kept most of itself hid in shadows, but Asad could make out some facial features.  He saw the scar where his chin was and Asad knew.  Within a split second, though, some dancers moved in his path and when he moved around them, the figure was gone.  "I spotted one, but lost it.  They're here." Asad said into his mouth-piece.

"Keep looking then.  Be on the lookout." Buffy said.

Hearing the words through the earpiece, Willow and Anya glanced at the screens.  "Whoa, did you feel that?" Willow asked.

There was a slight shaking of the van and the lights inside it flickered.  Anya moved up to the front of the van and looked out the windows, but she didn't see anything.  "I don't see anything." Anya said.

Back underneath the ballroom, Buffy and Nyssa were both now going through the long hallways, looking through the rooms.  Nyssa walked over to where a ladder was displayed and began climbing up, seeing where the ladder led her.  Buffy watched her for a moment, then continued looking where she was.

Nyssa reached the top of the ladder and looked around.  She pulled out her flashlight and shined it through the darkened area.  Her light didn't show anything as she looked.  As the Pure Blood continued to show her light through the darkened area, she heard a crack behind her.  She turned and looked back down the ladder and down the hallway.  She slowly climbed down the ladder and went to investigate.

Meanwhile, Buffy opened a door, a little ways away and entered a room, looking around cautiously and frowning as she didn't spot anything.  She sighed, and moved to the left, continuing her search of the room.

There was a room blocked off by two thick crimson red curtains and Nyssa moved beyond them with her hands, flickering her eyes back and forth, not finding anything.  She walked into the center of the room and moved her head, looking for any openings.

Back outside, Anya moved to the front seat again, looking out the windows.  She and Willow had felt the van move again.

"Giles, come in Giles..." Willow said.

There was no answer.

"Giles, they're on the roof.  They're on the roof of the van.  Come in!" Willow said again.

Again, there was no answer from the Watcher.

Willow grabbed two pistols that were packed with silver bullets and pulled the hammers back, arming them.  Opening the back doors to the van, she slowly stepped out, looking around the area where the van was.  So far, the coast was clear.

Back inside the building, Nyssa had left the room and was moving past the curtains.  She looked on the left, then on the right.  There was no sign of the Reapers anywhere.  She turned to walk down another hallway, when she felt something.  She turned back and suddenly, Jared Nomak leapt up out of nowhere and grabbed her right shoulder with his left hand and covered her mouth with his right hand.  He smiled.

"Ssh." Nomak whispered.

Down at the unused kitchen, Lighthammer cautiously moved towards a far wall when the Reaper without the shirt leapt onto the table, snarling.  Lighthammer turned around swiftly, seeing the creature and gripped his hammer.  "There you are." he said.

Back in the ballroom, the other Bloodpack members and the other humans move around, searching for more of the Reapers.  Chupa and Asad continue moving along, looking at the faces, for a Reaper.  Reinhardt, who stands, with his back towards an exit, staring around.  From behind him, a Reaper moves stealthily, removing it's hood, moving towards the Pure Blood.

The Reaper then reached out with it's right claw towards Reinhardt.

Outside, Willow blinks against the night air, preferring not to use her magick as she points the guns in all directions.  She took a few deep breaths at not seeing anything.  Sighing, she turned around and stopped cold.  There were four Reapers standing a little ways away, staring at her.  After a moment, they began running at her.  Willow turns and moved back into the van, her and Anya shutting the doors and locking them just as the Reapers leap at the van, hitting at it, trying to get at them.

As the Reapers banged and banged at the door, Willow yelled into her mouth-piece, her voice slightly filtered and panicked somewhat.  "They're here!!  Watch out!!"

Back inside, Buffy heard the warning as she walked by the ladder Nyssa had gone up earlier.  She passed it and turned to her left, walking past the curtains.  She went on immediate alert when she saw Jared Nomak holding Nyssa in his grasp.  Nomak stared at her with a sickly smile as she approached.  "Nomak." she said.

Nomak tilted his head.  "The Slayer, my...this is a surprise."

"Somehow, I doubt you really think you and I wouldn't cross paths." Buffy said.

Nomak nodded his head.  "What am I to you," he said, studying her, "is the enemy of my enemy my friend..." he paused, "or my enemy."

Buffy glanced at Nyssa and she saw that Nyssa gave her a single nod.  A moment passed by before Nyssa lifted her leg and kicked Nomack in the gut, twisting around and moving her body away as she did so.  Buffy hoisted her pistol with the silver nitrate bullets and aimed at Nomak.  He looked up at her, exposing his teeth.  She fired.  The bullet collided with Nomak's forehead, making his body fly backwards and crash through an antique bookcase behind him.

Back at the ballroom, the Reaper nearly had his claw on Reinhardt when Chupa and Asad spotted and they opened fire on the Reaper.  The Reaper screeched as it moved back.  Reinhardt turned around and spotted the Reaper.  He raised his gun and opened fire.

At the sound of gunfire, the humans and Half Breeds start a commotion and begin running away from the violence.  Another Reaper explodes out from a walk-in, rather than the door behind Reinhardt.  He leapt atop the vampire, slamming him to the floor.  The Reaper moved at Reinhardt again, but Snowman moves in, hitting the Reaper with a swift kick, knocking it back.

Back downstairs, Jared Nomak gets to his feet, snarling at Buffy and Nyssa, who advanced towards him.

"Come after me if you like." he invited as he took off to the left.  Nyssa started to go after him, but for some reason, Buffy stopped her.

"Daylight." Buffy said as she turned to advance after the leader of the Reapers.

At the kitchen, Lighthammer swung his hammer, missing the Reaper and taking out a chunk of the wall instead.  Lighthammer swung and missed again, this time taking a chunk of the floor.  Verlaine moved forward and emptied her automatic rifle into the Reaper as it turned to Lighthammer, catching the war hammer and throwing it away.  Then, it's face moved, the lower jaw disengaging and splitting open, revealing a freakishly enlarged esophagus lined with serrated, sharklike teeth.

Faster than Lighthammer can react, the Reaper latches it's grossly expanded mouth onto Lighthammer's throat and began draining him before Verlaine's eyes.  The Reaper shuddered and the whites of his eyes bled red as an ecstatic wave washed over him.  His pale flesh, pulsing with engorged veinwork, suddenly became flushed, turning crimson as Lighthammer screamed from the sudden pain.

Lighthammer's face became increasingly pallid as his face began caving inward, shrinking as every millimeter of blood is vacuumed out of him.  At the Reaper's bare back, blood vessels began popping up beneath the Reaper's briefly translucent skin, becoming engorged and dilated.  The veins continued to swell, racing up his neck, then branching out over his face, chest, and arms.

Horrified by what she just witnessed, Verlaine turned and began retreating back towards the ballroom.  At the ballroom, however, there is chaos erupting throughout the place.  Vampire patrons and human patrons fled for their lives as the Bloodpack fire, unleashing a hailstorm of bullets, cutting into vampires and Reapers alike as the Reaper nearest Priest turned in his direction.  The Reaper was the vampire nurse from the Bloodbank.  She leapt at Priest.  The Pure Blood tried to fire a Glaser round through the Reaper's head, but it didn't stop her.  The Reaper twisted in mid-leap, falling to the floor, then picking herself up again.  The Reaper didn't seemed fazed by the custom made ammo.

Outside in the van, Willow and Anya are trying their best to keep the Reapers from getting into the van.  Willow is in the driver's seat, trying to turn the lights on that are equipped with UV lights.  She turned to Anya.  "Anya, try to lead them away!" she yelled.

"How?" the vengeance demon asked.

"Do the teleporting thing?  You know, teleport out there, then when they go for you, teleport back here?" Willow said.

"That's a good idea." Anya said as she vanished from the interior of the van and re-appeared several feet from the van.  "Hey!!!" she yelled at them.

The Reapers snarled and leapt away from the van and began heading her way.  At the last second, she teleported herself about fifteen feet from them and taunted them again with another yell.  They snarled as they headed after her again.  In the van, Willow breathed a sigh of relief.  Her sigh of relief was short lived as a Reaper suddenly appeared in front of the van, holding onto the front of the van.  This Reaper had a bandage wrapped around his nose.  It snarled at her, drawing the attention of the other Reapers back to the van.  With screeches, they headed back over.

"Great." Willow groused.

Back in the ballroom, the members of the Bloodpack are not having much luck with the Reapers.  The Reapers are shrugging off the firepower.  Asad leapt up, snapping a Reaper's neck with a spinning heel kick, but the Reaper snarled and kept coming after him.

Priest, very much alarmed now, reached for a specialized shotgun instead.  The Reaper that was after him continued forward, moving so fast she almost seemed a blur as the sound of ba-boom sounded twice as Priest pumped his shotgun repeatedly.  Two projectile wires fire out, the cable caught the Reaper in the mid-section, electricuting it after Priest pressed a button on the shotgun.

The Reaper screeched, but kept coming after Priest.  The Reaper grabbed Priest by his shirt and threw him over the bar, Priest's body crashing through the mirror and to the other side.  Reinhardt and Chupa began firing at the Reaper as it leapt after Priest.

As Priest got to his feet on the other side of the bar, the Reaper launched itself at Priest, it hitting him in the chest, knocking him back to the floor.  Priest panicked as he struggled with the thing and tried to fend off it claws and fangs as it locked it's mouth into his neck.  Priest screamed.

Back outside, Willow was at the wheel, trying to get the van to start.  "Giles, come in!  Where are you!!" she yelled.  There still, was no answer.  After a long moment, she gave up with starting the van and tried to get the faulty headlight wiring to work, the windshield beginning to shatter beneath the Reaper's pounding fists.  As one of the Reapers tried to open the hole in the glass, a burst of energy came from nowhere, engulfing that Reaper and reducing it to ash.  Willow would've questioned it, but she was busy with the wires.  As the redhead continued to fiddle with the wires, the Reaper with the bandage grabbed her around the throat, pulling her forward over the wheel.  The Reaper's enlarged maw flowers open and it leans forward to bite her when the wires spark together and the headlights come on, illuminating the Reapers in a wash of UV light.  The effect is instantaneous.  The Reapers how and screech as they all begin to burst in flames.

As Anya re-materializes in the van, Willow cups her ear and yells into her mouth-piece.  "Use your entry lights!!!  They can't stand the UV lights!!!"

Back at the basement of the Bronze, Asad heard Willow's call through the comm system as he continued to fend off a Reaper's attack.  Asad managed to get hold of his rifle and he flicked the UV switch off and turns the light on, aiming it at the Reaper's face.  The Reaper's head catches on fire and Asad shouts to the others as loudly as he can.  "Use your entry lights!!!"

At hearing the call by Asad, the other members of the Bloodpack click on the entry lights mounted atop their guns.  Xander, Isheeta, and Dawn, likewise, do the same.  And the entire group begin getting the advantage over the Reapers.  The UV beams are the only thing that seemed to be driving the Reapers back.  

Buffy headed down a corridor that went underneath the streets, towards the old abandoned church next door.  She followed Nomak here and she knew he was somewhere in the church.  She heard Asad's voice come in over the com.  "Daylight's coming, your on your own Buffy." Asad said.

Buffy entered the old church, looking around.  The seats were stacked together with a long wide strip of wood situated on top.  Silently, Buffy leapt up on top of the wood and began walking across.  Halfway across, Nomak leapt from the ceiling to the wood, making a thump that drew her attention.  She turned and stared at him.

As Buffy cautiously advanced toward Nomak, the Reaper smiled, a wolfish grin.  The Reaper's face began to smoke from the sun's rays that have been filtering through the windows.  In response, a polarized nictomembrane slid down over Nomak's irises, like something seen on a crocodile to protect it's eyes from harsh light.

"Well....here we are.  Me, leader of the Reapers and you....the Vampire Slayer." Nomak said.

"One of us has to die, Jared." Buffy replied.

"It will be you then." Nomak hissed just before he lunged, scooping a rusty iron up off the ground and he moved forward, swinging it at Buffy.  She pulled out her sword as he began swinging.  The Slayer parried and stepped backward, taking a blow to the head in the process, then another at the side.

The two fighters exchanged a flurry of blows back and forth until their weapons locked together and they became face to face.  Nomak's back was to the sun's rays now.  His whole body began to lightly smoke.  Both of them began to tremble, straining against their weapons, using every ounce of strength to keep the other at bay.  And just when it looked like Nomake was gaining the advantage over Buffy, the Slayer pivotted the flat edge of her sword upwards, catching the light of the rising sun and reflecting it directly at Nomak's eyes.

Nomak screamed from the sun's rays hitting him and he reared back, his face catching fire.  Then he stumbled backward and fell, right off the ledge of the wood.  Buffy moves over and hurried to the wood's edge and looked down.  Nomak was nowhere to be found.  Buffy thinned her lips, dombfounded.

She began heading out of the church, upset that she didn't slay the Reaper's leader.

Chapter 6

About ten minutes later, Buffy returned to the scene of the melee.  The Reapers were gone, fled and leaving Nyssa and the others to lick their wounds and survey the carnage.  Willow and Anya entered the ballroom as Buffy did, though on opposite ends of the room.  There were quite a few full-body ash outlines marking the passing of various vampires.  Buffy approached Nyssa.  The vampire looked at Buffy's wounds.

"You're hurt." Nyssa said, glancing at the Slayer.

Buffy brushed off her concern.  "I'll heal."

"What about Nomak?" Nyssa asked.

"He escaped." Buffy answered.  "You know, you told me about all your weaknesses, why didn't you tell me they were immune to silver and garlic."

"I didn't know." Nyssa replied.

Buffy stopped and regarded Nyssa silently.  She shook her head after a moment.  "If you did, would you have told me or my friends?"

"Buffy, I think you know the truth when you hear it." Nyssa said.

"Uh huh, then tell me this.....when Nomak had you, why didn't he kill you?" Buffy said as she walked over to her friends.  "How are you guys doing?"

"Okay." Willow answered.

"We're alright." Dawn said.

Nyssa and Asad walked over to them.

"Did you lose anybody?" Buffy asked them.

"Priest and Lighthammer." Asad answered.

Nyssa and Asad led them over to where Priest was lying, screaming and grunting.  He was already beginning to turn.

"How long has it been since he's been bitten?" Willow asked.

"About twenty minutes." Asad answered.

"His skin is burning." Chupa said, struggling to hold Priest down.

"He's already starting to change into one of them." Willow said, kneeling down next to the vampire.

Priest suddenly released an agonized scream as Buffy and the others gathered around him.  He undergone a horrifying change, taking on the gaunt, vein-engorged features of a proper Reaper.  He then snarled and wailed, gnashing his teeth like a rabid animal.  Reinhardt and the Bloodpack looked uneasy at what happened.  They are shaken by their teammate's downward progression.

Reinhardt shakes his head and paced, annoyed by Priest's wailing.  "Jesus!  Can't you get him to shut the hell up!!!"

Nyssa kneeled down near Willow, watching Priest.  "His blood cells aren't producing oxygen anymore.  His own body is suffocating him."

"These things are like crack addicts, if they don't feed every few hours, they'll feed on themselves.

As if hearing the words, Priest started convulsing, his flesh tightened and drawing taut around his increasingly skeletal form.  His screams became unbearable, twisting into a high-pitched ululation that's making the Bloodpack's skin crawl.

"Somebody put him out of his misery already!!" Reinhardt yelled.

"You kill him, I'm not doing it!!" Verlaine yelled back.

Priest lurched forward, jerking itself free from Chupa and Snowman's restraining arms.  "Mierda!!" Chupa yelled.

The juddering horror that used to be Priest staggers to its feet.  Reinhardt and his men panicked, stumbling backwards.  The headless monstrosity lunges straight at Buffy.  Without batting an eye, Buffy draws her pistol out, briefly aiming it at the on rushing creature's chest, then turning around and blasting at the blacked-out window above and behind it.

Blazing shafts of sunlight sliced down throughthe darkness, spotlighting Priest like an ant beneath a magnifying glass.  Within moments, Priest's body is incinerated in midstep, collapsing to the floor, just inches before Buffy.  One of it's claws feebly grabs Buffy's boot, then grows forever still.  Buffy shifted his foot, causing the cinder-like hand gripping her boot to crumble to dust.

"Well, if this is the best you Pure Bloods have to offer, I'm not impressed." Giles said as he entered the ballroom.

Willow walked over to her, Anya following.  "I thought you were supposed to be watching us, Giles."

"Yeah, where were you!!" Anya agreed.

"I ran into some Reaper action is where I was.  I apologize for my absence Willow." Giles said.

Isheeta came over to help calm Willow down using the breathing techniques she'd been teaching Willow about at the Coven.

"Oh yeah," Chupa said, visibly angry, "like what?  In case you hadn't noticed, we lost two men while you were out fooling around."

Giles took off his glasses and glanced at Buffy.  "Let me show you."

*****

Giles led the entire group to the drainage area of the Bronze, where an octogonal iron culvert was at, just beneath the ballroom.  Giles turned on a flashlight and shows the opening.  "I saw some Reapers head down there.  I'm guessing that this where they came in here from.  Which means..."

"There in the tunnels." Xander concluded.

Buffy walked further into the area and dropped down into the sewer line at the tunnels.  The area is claustrophobic and damp.  There are torn pieces of insulation hanging from the ceiling, saturated and dripping with blood.  She turns and crouch-walked further in.  She hears wind and shines her flashlight, displaying a portion of the brick wall that looks like it's been clawed open.

"Everything okay?" Nyssa asked.

Buffy slowly turned and returned to the drain-pipe, pulling herself back up.  At the shadows where the insulation is, however, there is someone crouched in the shadows there, clinging to the ceiling upside down.  Nomak moved out of the shadows, his red eyes shining in the darkness.

"See you soon, Slayer." Nomak whispered, vanishing back into the darkness.

Chapter 7

Willow slowly opened her eyes to the beginnings of a new day.  Turning on her back, she opened her mouth and yawned.  Her back was sore, as was her legs from the use of muscles the previous night when they had their encounter with the Reapers.  Willow had to admit it, she was fascinated with them.  One thing the redhead was happy about was finally having something to keep her mind occupied.

She needed it now.  Especially now that she was so close re-opening those old wounds that dealt with Tara's death.  She simply didn't want to face them, but she knew eventually, she would have to.  That's what Isheeta kept telling her.

Willow sat up and moved her legs over the side of the bed, glancing around the room.  Isheeta had taken the couch to sleep on and Willow was sleeping on the extra bed in the guest room.  As far as she knew, Xander hadn't yet gotten up out of bed.  Willow sighed, she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to stay out of the Coven before Isheeta took her back.  She knew she'd have to go back.

Willow let her thoughts move to what lay ahead of them.  Buffy had decided to let the Bloodpack and her friends spend the day letting their wounds rest and heal and then, they'd go out into the tunnels, hunting after the Reapers at first light of the next day.  Willow remembered the conversation when Buffy had made that decision.

It was after she'd come up from the drain pipe.  She'd walked over to the others, who looked exhausted and beaten up.  She'd put her hands on her hips and looked at the Pure Bloods.

"Alright, everyone take the remainder of the day off.  At first light in the morning, be ready." Buffy told them as she started walking away, her friends following alongside her.

"What happens at sunrise?" Asad asked.

"We go after them." Xander answered, already knowing that's what Buffy wanted to do.

"You gotta be joking?" Chupa huffed, clearly believing the idea to be suicide.

Buffy had turned around.  "You've seen what we're up against.  Daylight's about the only advantage we've got right now.  They'll be more vulnerable then."

Reinhardt had stepped in.  "And so will we, Slayer."

Buffy stared at Reinhardt for a long moment, before looking at them.  "Look, let's get one thing straight.  These things, the Reapers, they are a threat to humanity.  That's what I care about, them.  I don't care if they take you out.  The only reason I'm in this with you is to prevent them from taking out humans."

Reinhardt snarled at her.  "Spare me the race card, OJ.  We're not going out into the sun.  It's too risky for us."

Buffy stepped up to him.  "You don't have a choice.  You're just going to have to protect yourselves as best you can."

Buffy then turned and walked away, the others following her.  As they left, Nyssa had watched them go.  And after they'd gone, the others came near Nyssa.

"You buying any of this crap?" Reinhardt had asked.

Nyssa had stared him down, obviously conflicted.

"This Slayer doesn't know what the hell she's doing.  We already lost Priest and Lighthammer, who's gonna be next?  Screw that bitch!  To hell with her rules.  First chance I get, I'm taking that Watcher out and having a little meal." Chupa had said.

"What do you think, Asad?" Verlaine had asked.

Asad had looked at all of them.  "I don't think, I follow orders.  Overlord Damaskinos ordered us to follow the Slayer's orders.  And until he says otherwise, that's what I do."

Asad looks at Nyssa, clearly concerned.  She looks over to where Buffy and the others departed.

Willow got out of bed and walked over to her bag of clothing and grabbed something to wear.  With a sigh, she turned and headed to the shower to get cleaned.

*****

Back in the Czech Republic, at Overlord Damaskinos's lair, he is in his vast bedroom with an elegantly tiled pool area, partitioned off by a series of letticed screens.  In the counterpoint to this are a series of muted monitors tuned to the pulse of the world.  Stations like CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, and others are seen on the monitors.

Damaskinos is seated in a robe, finishing a meal, his eyes flicking over the monitors and tracking current events, market fluctuations and it appears as though he is a Pure Blood of true polymath and that he owes his entire existence to resourcefulness rather than luck.  His eyes dart to the side as Karel Kounen entered.

The lawyer stands to the side, waiting to be acknowledged by the Overlord.

"Yes..." Damaskinos inquires, looking over.

"They've made contact with the Reapers." Karel said.

Damaskinos looked up.  "Any casualties?"

"Two so far.  Priest and Lighthammer were lost.  None of the Slayer's people." Karel said.

"That's a shame." Damaskinos said before going back to his meal.

"The Slayer and her people are very resourceful." Karel Kounen said.

"An inevitability, I suppose." Damaskinos said.

Karel stayed silent for a moment before he shook his head.  "This is a dangerous game you are playing, Damaskinos."

Damaskinos set his fork down on the table.  "Any game worthy of being played is.  One must be patient.  In this way, I have outlived my enemies.  All of them.  And in this way, I will outlive this Slayer."

Damaskinos rises from the table, his meal forgotten.  He stepped beyond the screens and into the pool area where patterns of ruby light flickered off the tiled walls.  Karel followed behind.  "The Slayer is too volatile.  You are not going to be able to keep manipulating her for much longer."

The Overlord stepped into the steaming liquid, red crimson blood.  His robe spread out and floated on the surface as the blood touched his old skin.  "You worry too much, Kounen.  I have assurance from Reinhardt that events are unfolding as I have scripted."

"As you have scripted," Karel repeated, "you have already lost two of your own, how many more are you willing to sacrifice?"

Damaskinos sunk his body into the bloodbath until he was waist-deep in the crimson fluid.  "As many as it takes."

"Even your own daughter?" Karel said, surprised by Damaskinos's words.

"Yes," Damaskinos replied, "even her." He paused and then turned, pointing to the side.  "Do you see that jar over there?"

Karel nodded.   On the shelf was a gold and crystal Coptic jar.  A heart floated within.

"It contains the heart I was born with." he touched a pale scar on his chest.  "I had it removed long ago.  It it is something I relinquished a long time ago.  Only a fool would appeal to it now." Damaskinos smiled.

*****

Buffy exited her bedroom after changing clothes as she just had her shower.  She heard the door open downstairs and she moved towards the stairs.  Looking down, she saw that Dawn had opened the door to welcome Xander, Willow, and Isheeta.  Giles was in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready.

Seeing Willow's forlorn face once again reminded Buffy of what she discovered before the actual fight last night.  Finding Tara, alive and well, and knowing she had to wait before Willow could know, it was very disheartening to the Slayer, especially when she wanted all of her friends to be happy.  That especially included Willow.

She walked downstairs, dressed in a sleeveless tank top and a pair of black sweats.  Giles was wearing a light brown t-shirt with his customary jeans on.  Xander had changed into a regular white t-shirt with a pair of blue jeans on.  Willow had changed into her blue jean skirt and the pink top she'd worn the night she'd had her reconciliation with Tara.  It saddened her to wear it, but she knew the time to accept the realities of life and move forward was at hand and she was going to try.

They all moved into the dining room as Giles called out to them.  Giles brought in eggs, bacon, some toast, biscuits, and some sausage and orange juice.  Once everyone filled their plates, they began their breakfast.

"So uh..." Xander said, "what exactly is the deal with these Pure Blood guys?  Was it me....or were they a little too pushy last night."

As conversation continued regarding the trustfulness of the Bloodpack, Buffy let her mind drift back to the night before.  Just before she'd made it back home, Nyssa had caught up to her and they'd had a conversation that got Buffy's attention.

Buffy, Giles, and Dawn had nearly been back at the house when Nyssa had caught up to them.

"Can I speak to you for a minute?" Nyssa had inquired.

Buffy'd looked at her for a moment, thinking.  "Giles, you and Dawn go ahead to the house.  I won't be long."

"You sure Buffy?" Dawn had asked, eyeing the Pure Blood.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Buffy had smiled at her sister as Giles led her towards the house.  "What?"

"Buffy...the way you talk to them...us..." Nyssa had said, crossing her arms over her chest, "we are together in this, remember?"

"I remember." Buffy had replied.

"Why do you hate our kind so much?" Nyssa had then asked, stepping forward, needing the answer.

"It's fate." Buffy had replied.  "You...vampire, me....Vampire Slayer.  It must be in my blood."

"Well, it's in mine too." Nyssa had said, "I'm a Vampire, I was born a Pure Blood.  There is a difference between us..." she'd said as she turned to leave, "I've accepted what I am and the responsibilities that comes with it.  I wonder if you have."

Buffy hadn't responded after that and had gone home.  Buffy had thought that even before her death with the incident on that steel tower that she'd made peace with being the Slayer and Nyssa's words had been genuine.  Buffy began to wonder if in fact, she hadn't made peace with being the Slayer.

"Buffy..." Dawn's voice brought Buffy back to the present.

"Huh...what?" Buffy said.

"We were just wondering when you wanted us to go down there with the weapons for the Bloodpack?" Giles asked.  "If we're going to defeat these Reapers, we're going to need them as much as they'll need us."

"Oh right, I guess we can go after breakfast.  Will, you up for it?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, I've got a couple ideas that might work when we get down there." Willow replied.

They continued to eat their breakfast, talking about the upcoming battle with the Reapers and Jared Nomak.

*****

Tara closed her eyes and relaxed her body as the shower's hot tempered water dampened over her skin.  She needed this shower more than she could say.  Having used magick last night for the first time in what seemed forever, Tara's skin was still left tingling.  Tara wasn't sure what had tempted her to follow Willow and the others from the Magic Box to the Bronze, but something made her do it.

And, in the long run, she was glad that she did.  She'd stayed out of sight, in between some buildings, when they arrived at the Bronze.  Tara hadn't recognized the people that were with Buffy and the others, but she felt bad vibes coming off of them and she was glad that Willow was with Anya in that black van.  But then, Tara's fears had risen when she'd seen strange looking creatures, demons she'd thought firstly, attack the van with Willow inside it and Tara had just reacted.

She'd stepped out of the alley and thrust her hand out, saying a quick chant for a ball of sunlight.  Thankfully, it had been the right decision because the creature that had been reaching in the van for Willow had suddenly burst into flames.  Tara had stepped back into the shadows as she watched the van's headlights and UV lights come on and seen the rest of those creatures burst into flames.

After knowing that Willow was safe, Tara had snuck back away and returned to the hotel, before the urge to stay and go to Willow hit her.  She couldn't lose her composure now.  She had just less than six days to go before she could go to Willow and be with her again.  She needed to be strong more now than ever.

Tara stepped out of the shower after turning it off and wrapped a towel around her body.  Within ten minutes, she was dressed in the clothing she had the day before.  She needed to go buy some new clothes and she was going to do that today.  She stepped out of the bathroom after changing into her clothes and began running her fingers through her hair.  She went to sit on the bed when she felt the air around her crackle as a golden shimmer materialized in front of her.  Tara stepped back as Skip appeared.

"Hi..um...Skip?" Tara said, sitting down.

Skip looked at her.  "You made a very risky decision last night, Tara.  Do you realize that?"

Tara averted his gaze, understanding what he was referring to.  "I know."

"I watched what unfolded last night.  Tara, your face was clearly visible, even at the level of darkness that was out there.  Miss Rosenberg could have seen you.  Do you realize how close you came to winding up in Hell?"

Tara looked up.  "I'm sorry, but....I just had this feeling that Willow was going to be in danger.  I had to make sure she was okay.  Even if that meant breaking the agreement."

Skip shook his head, clearly annoyed.  "You know, if my superior Michael had known about your little move, you would be in Hell right now.  And if he does find out about it, believe me, you and I both are going to be in for it.  He's not nearly as nice as I am."

"Nothing like that will happen again.  I want to be with Willow, I won't endanger that now." Tara promised.

"Well.....I guess I can let it go." Skip told her.  "But there is one other technicality that we should address."

"Um...t-there is?"

Skip nodded, giving her a chastising look.  "Tara, you made contact with the Slayer.  And the first night you were back, too."

Tara paled, knowing this would come up eventually.  "Y-yes...I d-did."

Skip raised his hands to his hips.  "Tara, I realize that that incident was unavoidable, but you have to be more careful.  You still have about five days remaining.  If you don't start being careful, you will wind up in Hell and I can't help you if that happens."

"I-I understand." Tara whispered, looking down.

"Now now...don't get sad." Skip said, holding his hand out to her, palm up.  She looked at it, then at his face.  When she moved her eyes back to his hand, they widened at what was there.  "This is for you.  Until you are properly getting back to your old routine, I'm going to be helping you with your Earthly needs."

Tara took the thick pile of money and held them.  There were twenties there.  Looking at it, she was sure there was about two thousand there.  "Th-thank you."

"Not a problem Tara, just remember.  Stay out of sight and be careful when you go outside." Skip told her before he vanished in his customary style of gold shimmer.

Tara stared at the money, still too shocked to say anything.  "Five days to go." she told herself.  "You can do this."

Chapter 8

Instead of the cemetery like they were told, Buffy and the others found a note in the crypt that led them to a warehouse where the Bloodpack had decided to go.  They entered the warehouse and spotted the Bloodpack getting their equipment ready.

Giles, Isheeta, and Willow moved off to one side and began working on Willow's ideas for some new weapons.  Buffy stayed off to the side and watched the others.

That was about two hours ago and now, Willow and Isheeta were pushing a rolling cart, full of their weapon designs towards the vampires.  Buffy, Xander, and Dawn walked over.  Anya walked over from the other side.  There are a half dozen UV laser guns, along with a collection of UV flashing grenades and a much bigger explosive device secured into a backpack carrier.

Buffy picks up one of the UV lasers.  She sights down the length of it and then puts it down.  She grabbed a power pack and slapped it into the base of the gun.  Willow notices and looks at her.  "The powerpacks have a limited charge, Buffy.  Maybe ten minutes of continuous use at most."

"Alright." Buffy said.

Nyssa walks over and gestured to the flashbang grenades.  "What are these?" she asked.

"UV flashbang grenades with plug-in phospher sticks," Giles answered, "this is to be used last.  We wired together a couple dozen of the grenades.  But I'd be careful where you use these because you could end up frying yourselves in the process."

"Thanks for the warning Watcher." Chupa said, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Asad spoke up, "What good is all this firepower if we don't know where they're hiding?"

"Oh, but we do." Buffy said.

"How's that?" Reinhardt asked.

Buffy looked at Nyssa.  She tossed Reinhardt a aerosol cannister.  He takes the cannister and sprays a little in the air.  The scent wrinkles his nose in disgust, gagging.  "Ugh, what is this foul crap?" he asked, sickened.

"They're pheromones.  I infused them after Asad and I went down to burn Lighthammer's body before he turned.  He was already almost completely turned, but we managed to get some of the pheromones from his adrenal glands.  All mammals use them to mark their territory.  Even vampires." Nyssa said.

"Screw that, I'm not spraying some nasty's juice on me!" Chupa huffed.

"Trust me, the Reapers will key to it.  If we use this, we'll draw them out." Nyssa told them.

"Alright," Buffy said, "everyone suit up.  We're not waiting for the night to be over.  Let's go after these things now and be done with it."

They grouched at her, but began doing as they were told, putting on their black armor and getting their weapons set.

*****

Less than on hour later, around noon time, they were beneath the Bronze, at the drainage area.  They are at the octagonal iron culvert.  The mechanized, sectional portions of the culvert covering grinded upward, flowering open and apart like some blood and rusted encrusted gateway to Hell.

One by one, the group of hunters descend into the claustrophobic chamber.  Verlaine lugged the UV bomb on her back while Buffy led them to the clawed open portion of the brick wall, then on through.

Moving forward, she led her friends and the vampires along a grime-encrusted line which sloped gradually downward, sloshing through ankle-deep run off water collected from the city above them.  Tendrils of mist drifted about, cutting their field of vision even further.  Here and there, thin shafts of sunlight cut down through the cracks in the street above, requiring the vampires to cautiously circumvent them.  Reaching a four-way intersection of tunnels, Buffy paused.

"Okay, time for Nyssa's pheromones." Buffy said.

Buffy reached back and opened a statchel.  She had a armored suit on over her white tank top.  Inside the statchel are a dozen distinctive aluminum atomizers.  She hands them out to everyone.  Giles triggered a can, spraying a thin mist over his face and wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"That's disgusting." Giles commented.

"Okay," Buffy said, "we'll split up into three different teams.  First team that makes contact wins the prize.  Try to maintain radio silence from her on out."

Buffy used her hands to indicate who goes where.  She indicated that Nyssa and Dawn were to go with her.  Isheeta, Willow, and Snowman were designated as the other group while Giles, Chupa, Reinhardt, and Verlaine were the last group.  Giles, Chupa, Reinhardt, and Verlaine headed towards the Eastern tunnel while Isheeta, Willow, and Snowman headed off to the Western tunnel.  Buffy led Nyssa and Dawn towards the Northern tunnel.

At the Eastern tunnel, it's very dark with no shafts of sunlight slicing down from above.  Giles turned on his UV entry light on his weapon to see.  Chupa reached out with his hand, partially blocking the beam.  "Idiot, do you wanna attract them to us before we're ready?" he hissed.

"Well, vampires can see in the dark, what am I supposed to do?" Giles asked.

Reinhardt tossed a pair of night vision goggles at Giles.  "Bifocals grandpa, and try to keep your ass up."

They continue onward through the Eastern tunnel.

At the Northern tunnel, Buffy, Nyssa, and Dawn trudged along.  The tunnel sloped inward, forming a v-shaped channel where a trickle of water flowed.  Buffy noticed something bobbing in the water.  He nudged it carefully with his foot and knocks it free.  It's a broken human tibia, which twirls around, then flows past their legs.  Gross to the max. Buffy thought.

A few steps later on, Nyssa noticed something else.  She stooped into waist-deep water, picking up what she thought was an isolated human rib, but it was nothing more than tangled mass of hair, mud, and bones.

At the Eastern tunnel, Giles and Chupa moved along side by side.  Reinhardt and Verlaine were up ahead of them.  Chupa appeared very anxious, his eyes darting about.  Occasionally, they end up coming across a transection with small conduits leading off to the right and to the left.  Then, they reached the stooped, narrower tunnel and have to move single file.

Suddenly, they feel a blast of light and thunderous sound exploding above them.  Giles and Chupa look up to see a train rocketing by on a track above them.  "Shit!" Giles said, startled.

For a split second, the flashing train lights illuminated three Reaper faces, pale and haunting, hanging upside down.

At the Northern tunnel, Buffy, Dawn, and Nyssa reached a dead-end where the tunnel had caved in.  A berm of human bones sloped upward from the water, skulls and ribs, vertebrae, tibias, metatarsi.  Buffy kneeled down and inspected them.  There are gnaw marks on them.

"Must be hundreds of these skeletons here.  Demons probably did this before the Reapers came." Buffy said.

"So..." Dawn said.

"So I think Damaskinos may have underestimated how many Reapers we're dealing with." Buffy answered.

"My father told you the truth." Nyssa promised.

"We'll see." Buffy replied.

At the Western tunnel, Isheeta, Snowman, and Willow, weapons at the ready, cautiously moved forward.  Isheeta gasped, startled by half a dozen Reapers laying on the tunnel floor before them in a stagnant pool of sewage water, dead.

Back at the Eastern tunnel, Giles is slightly ahead of Chupa and Reinhardt and Verlaine are back with Chupa.  Chupa looked at the Watcher.  "Hey Watcher?"

As Giles turned to acknowledge him, Chupa stepped forward and slammed Giles in the side of the head, swiping his night vision goggles off.  As Giles vainly searched for his goggles, Chupa kicked him in the stomach.

"What the hell are you doing?" Giles gasped.

Chupa smirked.  "Ain't nobody here now but you and me, Watcher.  I'd say this is as good a time as any to settle up for Lighthammer and Priest."

Chupa moved stealthily in darkness, violently kicking the Watcher.  Giles tried to move away, then reached for his pheromone atomizer and locked it in the on-position.  As Chupa continued to pummel on Giles, the atomizer rolled away, spraying it's contents to lure the Reapers.

At the Northern tunnel, Buffy, Dawn, and Nyssa are at the berm of human bones.  "Buffy, we've got six Reapers, all dead." Nyssa said.

"I know." Buffy replied, concerned.

And at the Western tunnel, Snowman nodded to Isheeta and Willow.  The two train their UV lasers on the area where the Reaper corpses were, but the Reaper bodies are gone.  Isheeta turned to look at Snowman, but he's vanished.  Asad came moving up.

"What happened?" the vampire asked.

Just then, a noise came from above.  Isheeta and the others whip their UV lasers in that direction.  "Holy....." Asad said, "they were playing possum."

A horde of the Reapers skittered away from the lights as they were shined at them.   Back at the Eastern tunnel, the pheromone atomizer is continuing to spray as Giles is pummeled, trying to fight back, but unable to against the Pure Blood.  He is bleeding from the mouth.  Chupa reached for his handgun just as Giles grabbed the damaged night vision goggles.  He swings them upward to see nearly a dozen Reapers just behind Chupa, nearing him.

Clinging to the ceiling above, the Reapers drop down on Chupa like a pack of wild dogs, literally tearing him in half as Giles gets out of there.

Back at the Northern tunnel, the berm of human bones suddenly explodes apart as a Reaper charges out and at Buffy, hitting her in the chest and driving her backwards.  As Buffy fell, her entry light swings upward, illuminating another Reaper above.  The Reaper dropped down atop Nyssa, knocking the UV gun into the water.  More Reapers begin converging in on them from the side tunnels in a cacophony of shadow and noise.

Back at the Western tunnel, Isheeta and Willow were firing their UV lasers.  The pumping flashes of their guns throw crazy shadows in every direction, adding to the unbridled chaos of strobing light and noise.  More and more Reapers are swarming towards them.  Asad, Willow, and Isheeta retreat, running away from the Reapers.

A Reaper suddenly leapt up, landing on Asad's back.  It grabbed his head and deftly snapped his spine in half with a sickening crunch.  Isheeta and Willow continue running.

At the Eastern tunnel, Giles was backing away from the sounds of the Reapers slaughtering Chupa.  He found his gun and flicks the UV entry light on.  The attacking Reapers move away and Giles whirls about, sweeping the UV beam around, but all he could see is darkness.  Then, a bone chilling whisper cuts through the shadows.  "Watcher..." it's Nomak's voice.

Giles spins around to see Nomak right behind him.  As Giles whips the UV gun up, Nomak stops it.  The beam is mere millimeters from the Reaper's face, close enough to illuminate his nightmarish features, but not close enough to burn.

"What do you want?" Giles asked.

"If you survive this, tell the Slayer, my end is my beginning.  And, tell her this.  Tell Buffy," Nomak said as he removed a ring from his finger, "about this ring.  About the truth.  The truth, old Watcher..." Nomak said.  Then, in the blink of an eye, Nomak is gone.  Giles turns around, shining the UV this way and that, but he is alone.

Back at the Northern tunnel, Buffy fired her UV into a Reaper's torso.  As the Reaper incinerates, Buffy spun, firing at another Reaper.  Near by, Dawn and Nyssa fire their UV weapons at two Reapers that are closing in on them.

Dawn's UV light flickers off and she looks frightened.  "Buffy!"

Buffy looked over.  "Take mine!"

Buffy tossed Dawn her UV gun and pulled out her sword.  Dawn grabbed it and swept the lethal beam over the two Reapers.  Buffy retreated back into the water, calm, letting the creatures come after her.  As they begin to close in on her, she slips the tip of her sword beneath the surface of the water, waiting.

As one, the Reapers converge on Buffy.  She swings her sword up from the water, hacking away at them, using their own momentum against them.  Buffy reached for one of the UV grenades clipped to her harness and pulled the pin with her teeth before shoving it into the on-rushing Reaper's mouth.  Buffy got out of the water and grabbed Dawn's arm, moving them back through the tunnel with Nyssa following.  "Re-group!!  Re-group!!" she yelled to the radio.

At the Western tunnels, Isheeta and Willow are also retreating.  Isheeta pulled a pin on one of the UV grenades and threw it behind her.  Seconds later, a UV light fills the tunnels and they find themselves back at the four-way juncture where Buffy, Dawn, and Nyssa are also.  They all quickly regroup as Reinhardt stumbles out of one of the tunnels.  They are knee-deep in water, out of breath, riding adrenaline highs.

"Where is Chupa?" Nyssa asked.

"Forget him, he's gone." Giles answered as he appeared.

"Same with Snowman." Isheeta commented.

"Verlaine is gone as well." Reinhardt said, surprised to see Giles.

"Guess that pheromones worked after all." Willow said, out of breath.

"A little too well, I'd say." Buffy said.

They look at her.

She points up and around them.  They all look to see dozens and dozens of red eyes staring back at them.  Then, a hissing sound came from the opposite direction and Buffy and the others spin around to see more red eyed Reapers.

There are Reapers coming in all directions, surrounding them.  "Perfect, we got the whole Partridge family here." Xander commented.

They keep moving back until they are all bumping backs with each other, each one of them covering a tunnel opening.  A Reaper lunged at them from the North as Buffy triggered her UV laser, scorching the creature.  It howls and slunk backward.  Two more Reapers attack from the East and West as Buffy and Nyssa respond in kind, burning the creatures in mid-air.

But even as they fire, their UV beams weaken and the flashes of light coming from their barrels pulsing less frequently.  "Unless someone has an idea," Giles said, "I'd say we're about half a battery away from being a Reaper meal."

The smaller group have been managing to keep the Reapers at bay, but just barely.  Buffy motions to Nyssa.  "Give me the rest of the pheromones."

Nyssa reached inside her harness and hands the remaining atomizers to her.  Buffy crushes the bag in her fist, letting the fluid within to spill over her face and chest.

"What are you doing?" Dawn asked.

The Reapers become more agitated and they hissed loudly, pressing in on them closer and closer.  Blade nodded towards the Eestern tunnel.  "Verlaine's body is back there somewhere with the UV bomb.  If you train your guns in that direction, you'll drive an opening in their ranks.  I'll run for it.  When the Reapers come after me, you make a break for it the other way."

"Buffy, you won't make it." Willow said.

"Then I'll die trying, won't I." Buffy said.

"Buffy..." Nyssa tried.

"Save it, I don't want to hear your words.  Let's go NOW!!!" Buffy yelled.

The group spun around, firing their UV lasers down the Eastern tunnel.  The Reapers shriek, falling to either side, their bodies burning.  Buffy charged forward, firing her dying UV laser.  As she made it past the line of Reapers, they started after her, driving into a frenzy by the pheromones.  The Reapers in the Northern and Eastern tunnels flood after Buffy too, leaving the others to contend with the Reapers in the Southern tunnel.  They discharge their weapons, shouldering Reapers aside, making a mad dash for freedom.

Buffy ran, splashing and stumbling through the water, just a hair's breadth ahead of the howling Reaper horde.  Suddenly, the tunnel widens out into a larger chamber.  At the Southern tunnel, Giles and the others fire back at the small group of Reapers which have followed them, rather than Buffy.  Giles, cut off from Nyssa and the others, spots a mainenance ladder and ran for it, dragging himself up the rungs.  A Reaper leapt up the ladder after him.

Giles reached the top of the ladder, but his exit is blocked by a manhole cover.  It's stuck and won't budge.  Giles swings up his shotgun, firing into the cover.  The cover's blown upwards, sending a shaft of blinding sunlight down on the Reaper below.  As the Reaper incinerates, Giles scurries upwards to safety.

Buffy reached Verlaine's half-submerged body and she tore the backpack carrier off the dead vampire and hefted it onto her shoulder, charging up an elevated concrete embankment as Nyssa and the others find themselves cornered.  Their UV lasers are shot.  The Reapers close in on them.

Buffy struggles upward as the Reapers topple on one another to get to her.  She lifted the UV cluster bomb triumphantly above her head, triggering the device.  Suddenly, everything goes white.  No explosions, just blinding, purifying light comes out with a retina-burn beam.  In that brief instant, the Reapers, all of them, are frozen, revealed as wraith-like x-ray images of bone and muscle.

The remaining vampires dive into the water, including Reinhardt and Nyssa, as the light overtakes the Reapers above them and Willow and the others close their eyes from the bright light.  The light slowly ends, leaving darkness, then patterns of subtle shadow and light.  Buffy takes out a flare and strikes it, breathing heavily.  In sputtering aureole, the aftermath is seen to Buffy's eyes.

Buffy crouched, unscathed, as if she were standing in ground zero of the aftermath from Hiroshima.  Scores of Reaper ash-outlines radiate out from him, some of them flash-seared into the surrounding brickwork walls like permanent shadows.

Buffy slowly made her way down the tunnel, using the sputtering flare to guide her.  As before, she sees nothing but Reaper ash outlines.  But then, she moves and saw Nyssa, bleeding and burned heavily from the flash.  Buffy crouched down and moved Nyssa's head up.  Without speaking and making a quick decision, Buffy moved Nyssa's lips to her wrist and winced as Nyssa bit into her skin, drinking Buffy's blood.

Moments passed by before Buffy pulled Nyssa's head away and moved back, breathing heavily.  Across the chamber, Nomak watched it all happen.  The last Reaper was about to move forward when taser shots were fired, hitting Buffy and knocking her unconscious.  Troops dressed in the uniforms that were at Damaskinos's lair rushed in, making sure the Slayer was down.

As they subdued her and checked on Nyssa, Buffy looked up to see Karel Kounen's face.  "You've done a great job, Slayer." he said.

Behind him, Reinhardt walked up.  "Not that great, I'd say."  Reinhardt punctuated his words by a kick to Buffy's ribs.

Chapter 9

Tara kneeled on one knee and watched with fear gripping her as uniformed people grabbed Buffy, Willow, Giles, Isheeta, Xander, Dawn, and Anya and pulled them into an armored van.  She saw a few others brought out as well.  She pulled the cape tighter around her as a bald headed person, Reinhardt, looked her way, before they all filed out into the vans began leaving.

Tara knew she needed to move now.  She wasn't about to let Willow remain in danger.  She turned around and came face to face with Skip.  She watched and he watched her silently.  "You know what I'm wanting to do." she said, matter of factly.

Skip nodded.  "Yes, I do.  But I am here to tell you something of importance Tara.  The Powers have just made an important decision.  They have withdrawn the seven day periodical test between you and Willow.  I am allowed to transport you there by teleportation, but once your there, you are on your own.  Do you understand?"

Tara nodded.  "Yes."

Skip sighed.  "I wish you luck, Tara.  And I am going to help you out even more.  I've enchanted your cape.  As long as you wear it, with the hood over your head, you will be invisible from sight.  That will help you to better save your Willow and your friends."

"Thank you." Tara replied.

*****

Inside Overlord Damaskinos's vast bedroom, Nyssa slowly awakened, leaning up and gasping at the pains from the burns.  She swung her legs over the side of the bed and looked around, recognizing where she was within moments.

"What is it, my daughter?" Damaskinos's voice rang out.

She looked to the left and saw him sitting at a table, writing something.  Looking down, she glanced at her hand, at the ring on her hand.  "I have shamed you father." she said.  "I've dishonored the family crest."

Damaskinos looked up and over at her as she moved towards him.  She moved over and kneeled down at his feet, lowering her head to his lap.  "Buffy saved my life."

"I understand." Damaskinos said, petting her hair.

"She is brave and honorable." she said.  "Is she still alive?"

Damaskinos smiled.

*****

Buffy opened her eyes, adjusting to the blinding light that encompassed the chamber she was lying in.  She sat up and looked around, there were Vampire guards posted everywhere, watching everything.  Getting to her feet, Buffy checked her waist for any spare weapons.

"They took our weapons." Willow said.

Buffy turned around to see Willow, Giles, Isheeta, Dawn, and Xander.  "All of them." Giles added.

"And Anya?" Buffy asked.

"She teleported out before they could get her." Dawn said.

"Where are we?" Buffy asked.

"From what I can gather, some kind of chamber." Giles said, "Deep in their lair."

Giles walked over to Buffy.  "They've been lying to us from day one."

"What?" Buffy said.

"Yeah." Giles said, "the Reaper Strain didn't evolve, it was designed."

"My god." Buffy closed her eyes.

"Designed," Giles said again, "Nomak told me.  He cornered me in the tunnels and explained it to me.  Then, he just let me go."

"Did he..." a ghostly voice came from above them.  They all looked up and saw Damaskinos, standing with Reinhardt and Nyssa.  "...how generous of him."

Damaskinos stood next to a massive control panel, pressing a button.  A pair of massive doors slide apart revealing the Eugenics Chamber.  It is a vast, multitiered, temperature-controlled chamber, equal parts 21st central medical facility and Hammer House of Horror.  A network of catwalks look down upon the circular chamber, the center of which is dominated by a massive, steel cask, which is in turn ringed by a safety railing.  The operation looks not unlike a small scale purification plant, or perhaps a futuristic distillery.  Only in this instance, the liquid churning within the cask is human blood.

There are tiny embryos, each no bigger than a thumbnail, lined the walls of the chamber, preserved in credit card sized cryo cases.  There are thousands of them, resting atop one another in racks that stretch from the floor upwards.  As Damaskinos removed an embryo from the rack, another embryo is behind it.  That cryo-case now slides forward with a whir, taking the place of the one which was removed.  There are countless more unseen.

Damaskinos held the translucent cryo-case up to the light, the embryo within shuddering, it's tiny heart beating.  "I brought you all here to witness the fruit of our labors here."  Damaskinos continued, "For years, I've struggled to rid the Pure Blood race of any hereditary weaknesses.  And so, recombining DNA..." he said, "was simply the next logical step."

"Creating a new breed." Buffy said.

"Yes.  Nomak was the first....a failure." Damaskinos continued, "But in time, we will be able to create a new pure race, begotten from my own flesh, immune to silver, imminue to stakes, eventually...even sunlight."

Giles moved forward, holding the ring.  "I've got a question for you.  You want to explain how Nomak got ahold of this ring?"

He tossed the ring at Damaskinos's feet, Nyssa watching with growing confusion.  Damaskinos watched as his daughter slowly reached down and picked the ring up, looking at him fearfully, not wanting to acknowledge the truth.  "Father..."

"I would have thought that was obvious at this point." Damaskinos said, looking at his daughter.  "I gave it to him, of course.  A gift, from father....to son."

Isheeta, needing something clarified, stepped forward.  "Explain this to me cause I'm confused, where did you get the DNA material you spliced into Nomak?"

Damaskinos glanced at all of them briefly, hearing her daughter's breathing as she turned and left.  His eyes drifted to Buffy and stayed there.  "Somehow, I think you know."

"No." Buffy paled.

"Yes, we took the genetic material from blood samples collected from you." Damaskinos said.

"You..." Nyssa said, returning after a moment, "you would experiment on your own son?"

"You, my child, have lost your perspective.  Who do you think God favors in the web?  The spider...or the fly?" Damaskinos asked, staring at his daughter.

"But....your own child?" Nyssa repeated, clearly horrified.

Damaskinos reached out and grabbed Nyssa around the throat.  Buffy moved forward to help, but the guard pointed the guns at her, keeping her back.  "I have fathered thousands of children in the centuries since I first walked this Earth.  Make no mistake, Nyssa, those blood ties mean nothing to me when measured against the ascendancy of our race.  Nothing!  If you have any interest of remaining alive, you would do well to remember that."

He released her and watched as she stumbled away from all of them.  He turned to Reinhardt.  "You know what to do."

Reinhardt smiled and turned to the captives.  "Guards, take them all but the Slayer to the holding cells.  Oh and Miss Mage?"

Isheeta glared at him.

"This entire structure is protected by powerful shamans, so you can't cast in here." he laughed.  "Now, you three, grab the Slayer and follow me."

Several guards moved forward and grabbed the others and dragged them to the side doors while three guards grabbed Buffy and pulled her in the direction that Reinhardt was walking.  "I'm afraid your reign over the Vampires is about to end, my dear." Reinhardt said, whistling while he walked.

Up on the railing, watching the entire scene unfold, Tara stood stock still, not sure what to do.  She had her robe on, and that kept her from being seen thanks to Skip.  She took a deep breath.  The greater good came before personal wants and needs.  That's what Tara's mother always told her.  Tara took a deep breath and went to follow the guards taking Buffy with Reinhardt.

Continue on to Part 3 & the Conclusion!