Green eyes widened, before darkening with worry. 'What could she say', the redhead wondered. The Slayer's hazel eyes, which had been sad, now looked hard and cold once more.

Willow sighed, maybe just this once, Buffy would think before she acted. Goddess, she hoped so. She glanced at Angel, then at the two blondes,
wondering just what she should tell the other woman about Tara and Spike.

"Well, it's complicated...", The wiccan began, suddenly not sure what to say, her voice trailed off. She licked dry lips and met Buffy's even gaze.

"Spike helps Tara, and I guess by proxy, he's been kinda helping us", Willow said finally.

The Slayer's eyes narrowed, her brow furrowing as she sought out Tara's gaze. While Willow felt bad for putting the other witch in the proverbial
fire, she was relieved to no longer be the one under the petite Slayer's watchful eye.

"So, let me get this straight...", Buffy mused aloud after a moment. For a moment, she sounded to Willow very much like the friend she had lost long
ago. The thought made the witch's heart contract painfully.

"I don't understand Tara... For some unknown reason you're consorting with vampire's now all of a sudden?", Buffy demanded, studying Tara's face.

"W-w-well actually I was, uh, consorting with this vampire before I ever met any of you. I--I didn't know you even knew him till he told me, and and
w-w-well I didn't think it was any of your business since he hasn't killed anyone since he's been with mm-me." Tara stumbled over her words, faltering under the shorter woman's glare.

Willow winced, wanting to hug the other witch for managing to even speak under the circumstances. She remembered all to well, how she had once been just that way.

"You expect me to believe that the vampire that spent a large part of my teenage years making me miserable, and trying to kill everyone I cared
about, is now on our side?", Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "He's a demon Tara, a vampire... And what do you mean he hasn't killed since he's
been with you? Why wouldn't he?"

"Its a long story", she sighed. "To make it short, all I'll say is that he CAN'T hurt humans now." The blond glanced at her vampire. "And I know he's a
vampire, believe me, I have no illusions about the fact that he's a demon, but I also know him. To me, he's just Spike", Tara said softly, leaning back against the platinum haired vampire. Spike's hand rested on her shoulder, squeezing softly, and Willow could see Buffy watching them, measuring everything seen and not.

"So how did you meet, and why the hell are you here now?", she demanded.

Tired of the prattle, and unhappy with the prospect of the Slayer knowing anything about his relationship with Tara, the vampire in question
interrupted.

"I found the ritual site", Spike said with deceptive softness, drawing a surprised gasp from the Slayer. Angel met his Grandchilde's eyes and nodded
once, knowing instinctively that Spike was telling the truth.

"Where?", Buffy urged aggressively. It was evident to Willow, that the blond was still fighting the urge to stake Spike despite the information.

"I can show you", Spike said between clenched teeth, cursing himself for having to help a Slayer.

"And why should I trust you?", the Buffy spat.

"Because I trust them, as does Angel", Willow said quietly.

"Well I--", Angel began, hastily closing his mouth, at one poisonous glance from his witch.

The Slayer closed her eyes and took a deep breath, before looking back at Tara. "You got anymore surprises for us?"

Tara looked down at her feet, shuffling in discomfort.

"Well yeah, actually," she said glancing at Willow before smiling. "I don't know how to say this, so I just will. Ummm, I'm a Daybreaker." Tara spoke
quietly, but with pride. She glanced at Spike before turning back to face the Slayer and her Watcher.

Giles had paled slightly at her announcement.

"And", Tara continued, "there is another Daybreaker in town. I just met him this morning."

Willow nodded, having expected as much. Right now, though, that was the last thing on her mind. If Spike was right, and he'd found where the murders were happening, that was what was now important. The redhead bit her lip in thought. She needed to see it so that she could gain a hand on figuring out any more about the ritual's final outcome. Shaking herself from her thoughts she looked over at Buffy, trying to gauge her reaction.

Buffy muttered something under her breath, before glancing at her Watcher. "Who, or what, is a Daybreaker?"

Giles cleared his throat slowly, looking down at his hands nervously. "A Daybreaker, is a member of an elite circle of magic users that are responsible for keeping the balance between light and dark, intact. I had always thought that they would approach Willow, given her extraordinary talents", the Englishman explained quickly.

Buffy nodded and Willow had a feeling that she didn't understand what was going on anymore then she had before.

"That still doesn't explain Spike", Buffy said, glaring at the blond vampire.

"Let it go, Buffy", Angel said quietly, speaking for the first time since the confrontation began. "He can't kill people. Just leave it at that."

The Slayer nodded stiffly, her jaw clenching. "Okay. I get it", Buffy hissed. "Fine. So I take it we need to see this place, I guess you have to take us there Blondie." As she spoke, the young woman drew nearer to the platinum haired vampire. "Understand this though Spike, if you betray us, I
guarantee that you won't live to see another sunset."

He growled in response, quieting only when Tara placed a comforting hand on his arm. The vampire then grinned cockily at the Slayer, before turning his back on her completely and pulling the witch into his arms. The move was filled with such tenderness, that Willow found her hand reaching for Angel's.

"If he can't hurt anything, what help are is he going to be against a bunch of demons?", Buffy demanded, arms folded.

"I can kill demon's Slayer, I can hurt them just fine. Besides, in case you missed it-- the little group of witch wanna-be's pulling this off is quite
human Slayer. You plan on slaying them too?", Spike bit out, fuming at being put down.

"Enough!", Giles growled, surprising them all. He glanced at the assembled group. "I suggest that the three of you work out your issues at a later
time. Right now we need to know if Spike can find his way back to the ritual site", he said at last. Willow sighed quietly in relief, looking thankfully
at her mentor.

"We can take the sewers", Angel said, easily falling into the leadership role.

Buffy grunted in annoyance. "Oh yeah... almost forgot about that night creature sun allergy thing", she grumbled under her breath. "Boy, I wish I'd
worn my old sweats." Still mumbling, she sighed. "Fine, follow me", the Slayer said, leading the group towards the back of the magick shop.

Willow looked over at Giles. The Englishman was silent, his gaze following Spike and Tara as they followed Buffy into the other room. Those steel blue eyes soon found the redhead's gaze. They seemed to beg her for an explanation. Willow nodded slowly, wishing she didn't have to do this. She
moved toward Giles after giving Angel's hand a gentle squeeze, and urging him after the other witch and vampire.

"I'm sorry Giles. I wish I could have told you, but we only found out all of this a few days after we got here", the hacker looked away. "It all just
sort of happened... Angel tried to stake Spike, and Tara almost fried him to stop him from doing it, and then, well, I sort of almost fried her for
that...." Willow swallowed heavily and looked back up. "We kind of figured that if they were helping, it would be good. The more, the merrier, you
know?", she babbled. "Telling the rest of the story, Angel and I agreed, was up to them."

Giles nodded, before taking off his glasses and polishing them with one hand.

Willow sighed, praying that he really did understand. Already however, her nimble mind was moving on to consider other issues. The presence of another Daybreaker complicated matters. She was pretty sure this new person would not consider the vampires' off limits. In fact, if her and Angel's past dealings with them where any indication, this other Daybreaker meant grave danger for both of them, souled or not.

Giles turned away, towards the back of the store, and the redhead followed. It didn't appear, that he was going to say anything more to her. Willow's head drooped dispiritedly, and after a moment she followed.
 

~Part 37~

Buffy walked to the back of the magick shop, through the back room and to a corner where a tall bookcase stood. Bracing herself, the petite Slayer
pulled the heavy oak bookcase aside easily, exposing an access to the sewer system.

Tara gasped in surprise. "Wow, did you guys put that in yourselves?"

The Slayer shook her head, blowing a strand of long blond hair out of her eyes and smoothing it back. "Nope, its just another benefit of living on the
site of the former Hellmouth. This town was practically built with demons and vampires in mind as far as I can tell."

Grabbing the large metal handle with both hands, Buffy slammed it down with all of her strength. The door creaked open. A musty, unpleasant smell met her's and Tara's noses.

"And that, ladies and gentlevamps, is the reason we try not to use this thing. It takes weeks to air that smell out", Buffy commented, wrinkling her nose.

"Lets get on with this Slayer", Spike growled.

Buffy sneered at the bleached blond. "You sure I can't just stake him?", she asked, looking towards Angel.

"Don't look at me", the dark haired vampire responded. "Spike and I may be family, but he belongs to her", Angel said seriously, gesturing towards
Tara.

The blond witch coughed, a bright red flush creeping up her cheeks. "He does NOT belong to anybody. He's his own vampire....", she said hastily,
scratching her arm idly. Her brow furrowed and she stared into Buffy's eyes. "However", Tara said, in a slow, deceptively calm voice, "I will be very very upset if anyone tries to harm him in any way. Is that clear?"

Momentarily taken aback by the heretofore meek girl's sudden show of steel, Buffy nodded. "Crystal", she replied crisply.

Spike watched the exchange in surprise. Interesting, his little kitten had claws when she wanted. God, he bet she'd would be an absolute tiger in bed. 'It was always the quiet ones...', he thought. Chuckling, the vampire wasted no more time, and darted through the sewer entrance.

After a few feet, the tunnel took a sudden dip downwards. Spotting some metal rungs, he climbed down easily, and stood aside. He could feel his
Grandsire right behind him.

Angel landed gracefully beside Spike.

"They're right behind me", he told the blond. "What are we walking into here Spike?"

"I don't even know how to explain it Peaches.... I mean the Hellmouth when it was open, gave off that buzz. You know what I mean right, that feeling, powerful, seductive--"

"Evil", Angel supplied.

"Exactly. But this place, this place wasn't seductive or even vaguely enticing. It just felt WRONG, twisted even. Maybe even hungry. My demon was practically cowering", Spike muttered under his breath.

"I really don't want Willow anywhere near this place", Angel sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Believe me", Spike began, "if there were any way I could stop Tara from going, I would. But there's not. Shit, this place, I don't know how she's
going to deal with it.. it was--"

"Bloody?"

Spike blinked and looked over at his Grandsire. "Yeah."

Angel arched an eyebrow, and then looked down at the shorter vampire's legs. "Your lucky your jeans and boots were black, and Buffy didn't notice. But I can smell it on you... blood and magick. You reek."

"Incoming!", Buffy's voice sounded from the access tunnel overhead.

The two vampire's made space, and the Slayer landed lightly on her feet.

"Tara's right behind me."

"Move over Slayer", Spike spat out. Moving underneath the tunnel, he looked up. "Tara-pet?"

"I'm coming Spike. Catch me okay?"

"Of course luv."

For a moment, only the blond witch's feet were visible, as she dangled off the last rung. "Okay, here I come!", Tara yelled, as she let go. Spike caught her easily, planting a kiss on her lips before setting her down by his side.

Angel looked over at the witch. "Willow?"

"I heard her behind me. I didn't hear Giles though, I think he stayed. Somebody needed to mind the shop, I guess", Tara said.

The ensouled vampire nodded, looking up into the dark. "Wills?"

"I think I'm almost there Angel."

"Get down to the last rung, and then let go, I'll catch you", he said.

"Ummm, okay."

Abruptly, tiny sneakered feet appeared above him. "You're down there, right Angel?"

"Yes."

"Oh good", the redhead said. Without further ado, Willow let go and dropped into Angel's waiting arms. They grinned silently into each other's eyes, and Buffy found herself fighting the jealous bitterness she could taste at the back of her throat.

Turning to the platinum haired vamp, the Slayer wasted no further time. "Which way?"

"Follow me", Spike intoned, moving off into the sewer system, Tara's hand clasped in his own.

Buffy frowned. If she didn't hate the British vampire so much, she would have told them they looked good together. Grumbling under her breath about pushy vampires, and sneaky witches, she followed. While Angel and Willow brought up the rear.
 

~Part 38~

Buffy sighed, following Spike around wasn't really how she had imagined she'd been spending tonight. The platinum haired vampire held Tara's hand
firmly, as he lead them at a rather quick pace, through the sewers. The awful stench that seemed to stifle them before, lessened the further they
walked. She could feel Willow and Angel's presence. They were right behind her, moving at an easy pace.

"Spike just how far is this place?"

"Getting tired already Slayer? Really, I had expected more from you", Spike bit out, only to look contrite as Tara slapped his arm in retaliation.

"Be nice!", the blond witch hissed at her boyfriend, surprising Buffy.

The Slayer glanced back toward the two bringing up the rear. She frowned when a slight wave of jealousy moved through her as she watched them. The blond shook her head, confused by what she was feeling. She wasn't sure if she were jealous of Willow, or Angel. It was hard to believe the vampire and witch were now better, closer friends, then she'd ever been to the redhead.

Buffy sighed, occasionally glancing at them from the corner of her eye. They weren't even doing anything particularly couplely as they walked. It was just the way they were with each other. The ease and trust they displayed with one another. Like the way her hand rested easily in his, or Angel's fingers absently caressed the palm of the Willow's hand. Tearing her eyes away she found herself once again watching the couple in front of her. Not for the first time, since they'd gone into the sewers, the blond Slayer found herself wishing Xander was there. At least then she would have someone to lean on, as well. This whole situation was starting to give her the wiggins.

Spike paused then and Buffy found herself wondering what the hold up was.

"Tara, pet...?", the vampire whispered softly, gazing at the woman by his side tenderly. Tara nodded after a moment, seemingly knowing what the
vampire was asking without his needing to finish the question.

They continued to move and the Slayer gagged. The scent of blood hitting her hard, making her to cough for a moment.

Behind her, Angel gasped, his demon cowering back even as he reached out to catch hold of the red-haired witch by his side.

"Oh my gods", the hacker whispered, before gently pulling free from the dark vampire's hold. She moved toward a sickly pale-faced Tara. The other witch looked as if she would be sick, while Buffy just stared at the sight in horrified shock.

She couldn't say that what she saw was really a surprise. It was only blood. She'd seen worse. In fact she was pretty damned sure they all had. What she couldn't understand was the almost insane sense of fear that was whispering through her. It was unlike any feeling she'd ever known. Her skin crawled with dread as she stared at the pool. It reeked of death and decay, and her stomach churned unhappily in response to what she was seeing. Buffy shivered, feeling suddenly cold, her face loosing all of its color as realization hit her.

"I dreamed about this place," the Slayer murmured in horrified shock, almost to herself.

She needed to talk to Giles and they needed to get the hell out of there, before someone found them. Her mind began to replay the dream that had
hovered just out of her grasp since she'd had it.

She could see Willow and Tara. Both witches' were being held by cloaked, ornamental dagger wielding humans. She knew they were humans, and she knew now that what Spike claimed about the chip was true as well... as in her mind's eye, she saw him unable to do anything as the cloaked figure holding Tara slit her throat while whispering words in a language the Slayer didn't recognize. She shook herself from the vision's grip, surprised to see that all eyes were on her.

"What?", Buffy demanded, glancing at them.

"Well you've been chanting 'we have to get out of here' for the last five minutes," Spike said calmly, "and for once, I agree with you completely." He
turned to his witch.

"Tara...luv?", Spike said uncertainly. Tara ignored him, moving instead toward the pool of blood, her eyes seeming transfixed on something he
couldn't see.

"Tara!", Willow shouted loudly. The redhead sprinted across the small expanse between them and grabbed the taller girl's arm.

"Tara snap out of it." She shook the blond slightly, crying her name in a voice, which grew more and more panicked.

Seeing the futility of her actions, the hacker finally turned to the bleached blond vampire. Although he appeared as calm and collected as ever,
the redhead only just discerned the pain in his ice blue eyes before he shuttered them, closing them all out.

"Spike", Willow said finally, "take her." The chipped vampire moved toward the pale, still witch and took her hand. He pulled her quickly after them as
they retreated from the space.

"What's wrong with her?", Buffy asked, worry clear on her face. Even if Tara hadn't been completely truthful, she had was a Scooby, and she considered her a friend.

"She's in shock", Willow explained. Buffy found herself wondering why.

"I don't understand, she's seen worse then that", Buffy stated, even as her mind worked to decode more of what her dream had shone her.

"No Buffy, she hasn't, and neither have I... That wasn't just blood back there. Those were souls", Willow managed to say, even though her eyes were tightly closed, in an effort to push the image of what she'd just seen out of her brain.

Buffy gasped, turning again to look down toward the end of the darkened sewer tunnel. She shivered, her mind's eye catching on a wraith-like image withering in pain. Was it real? Or was her imagination running away with her?

"They aren't just killing them somehow they've managed to connect the blood with the soul, and it's trapping them here, its--", Willow choked on her words, and Angel paused at her side, touching her face, with careful fingertips.

"Will", he whispered.

The redhead shivered, and Buffy realized the hacker was fighting off the same horror that had stolen the other girl's senses.

"So what do we do, how do we fix this?", the golden Slayer asked decisively. She finally understood that this would take everyone's combined efforts to defeat. This was huge, and there was a very small, very scared part of herself that knew this was only the tip of the iceberg.

When no one had an answer to Buffy's question, the group lapsed into silence.

They continued to walk back the way they had come. Unhappy with simply leading Tara by the hand, Spike carefully lifted her into his arms and began to move even more quickly. The Slayer sighed, wondering how long they'd been gone. She hadn't worn her watch today.
 

~Part 39~

Liam wandered about the little magick shop. He was actually a bit impressed at the depth and breadth of their assortment of charms and spell components. There was also a pretty wide variety of books. Everything from basic wicca, to demonology, to astral projection was covered in the titles. Most of the books were very basic, but he was impressed nonetheless. He really hadn't expected even that much in this little podunk California town. It also hadn't escaped his notice that above him on the second level, there were more books. Older looking books. He found himself wondering about their contents.

Frowning, he gave the store another once over and sighed. The witch hadn't seen the blond Daybreaker since he'd come in. He had been under the
impression that she worked here. Perhaps she had the day off? He didn't know.

The elder man behind the counter had been watching him. He didn't think he'd done anything particularly suspicious, and it occurred to Liam that perhaps the man was one of the allies, Tara had spoken of. He frowned and concentrated on the man, trying not to be too obvious. There was a touch of magick about him, but mostly all he could discern was a sense of-- the witch searched for the correct term--knowledge, perhaps.

Sighing, Liam decided to bite the bullet. Striding to the counter, the dark haired witch cleared his throat when the bespectacled man did not raise his head from the book he appeared to be pouring through.

Giles raised his head and appraised the man before him. "Yes, may I help you?"

"I hope so. I understood that Tara McCoy worked here. Will she be in at some point today?", Liam asked.

The former Watcher frowned. In all the time Tara had worked for him, no one had ever come to see her at the shop. Instant suspicion met the stranger's query. As far as Giles was concerned, the blond girl was one of his charges, and therefore someone he would protect.

Liam wondered what it was he had said. He could practically see the storm clouds gather overhead. This man was not going to be of much help.

Giles stared at the taller man, his eyes sliding to the small pin he wore on his jacket. Saying nothing, the Englishman mentally nodded, as if he'd
expected what he saw. The Daybreaker's insignia. This was the other Daybreaker Tara had mentioned. Still, Giles didn't relish an outsider's
interference.

"Tara went on her lunch break some time ago", he finally answered. Glancing at his watch, the blue-grey eyed man, made a show of checking the time. "Hmm... she appears to be somewhat late in returning. Perhaps she's gone ill. Do you want to wait?"

Liam nodded. "Yes, I'll wait a while longer. Maybe pick up a few necessities while I'm here."

"Be my guest", Giles said accommodatingly.

The door to the shop rang loudly.

"Hey G-man", a voice called out.

Liam watched the newcomer surreptitiously. A well built, dark haired young man spoke with the shopkeeper.

Interesting, the boy didn't have any latent magickal abilities that he could sense, and there was no family resemblance to speak of. So what was an older man, doing with an acquaintance less than half his age?
 

~Part 40~

"Giles, have you seen Buffy?", Xander asked, a trifle loudly in Giles' opinion.

"Could you lower your voice?", Giles murmured under his breath, looking meaningfully over Xander's shoulder.

"Ooops.. company, huh?", the construction worker asked, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder.

The Englishman nodded. "And in answer to your question, yes Buffy was here." Pausing, Giles pushed his glasses back up to their proper place. "She left with-- er, the others. It seems they had a breakthrough with the possible location of the murder site", he said very quietly.

"Oh... heavy", Xander sighed. "I had hoped to catch her and Wills. We really need to get what's going on cleared up between all of us."

"Don't you think you should include Angel in that conversation?", Giles asked, peering at the younger man.

Xander ignored the question. The former Watcher sighed. Avoiding the issue, the young man turned slightly, frowning as he watched the aforementioned customer peruse the store. So far the man had three crosses, and a bunch of pointy, ornamental sticks which doubled as stakes for the Slayerettes. Giles watched as well, a small frown on his face.

Xander turned back to the older man and quirked his eyebrows. The British man shrugged eloquently, and gestured unobtrusively toward the stranger, prompting his friend. Xander sighed dramatically, and turned, meandering his way about the shop.

Liam picked up a book, the side of his mouth quivered as he beat down the urge to smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the young man make his way to where he had seated himself.

"You know, if you're having large mosquito problems", Xander said, by way of introduction, "there are easier ways to deal with them than those", he said, looking meaningfully at the stack of stakes on the table by the Daybreaker.

"You don't say?", Liam remarked, noncommittally. "Like what?"

The youth didn't answer, only stuck out his thumb and pointed at something behind him. The witch blinked and looked over the dark haired man's
shoulder. He was surprised to find a crossbow, tucked into a glass case in the corner. A really big crossbow. How had he missed seeing that before?

"So you know?", Liam asked, dark eyes searching the younger man's face.

"About the things that go bump in the night?", Xander said grinning. "Yeah you could say, I have a clue."

~~~~~~

Giles looked at his watch and frowned. He hadn't expected Xander and this newcomer to get into such a lengthy conversation. He'd simply been hoping the boy could feel the Daybreaker out. Already, they'd been seated at that table talking in urgent whispers for ten minutes.

He breathed a sigh of relief when both men got up.

'Wonderful', Giles thought, 'he's leaving. The others should be back soon, I hope.'

Liam moved straight towards the former Watcher, carrying his purchases. Giles rung him out quickly. Xander stood next to the Daybreaker his face
unreadable.

"G-man, meet Liam, Liam, meet Giles", he said by introduction finally.

Giles nodded reservedly, while Liam smiled. "Nice to meet you Gile-- er, Mr. Giles?"

The Englishman remained silent, nodding pleasantly, and placing the witch's purchases in a plastic bag with the shop's logo. His brow furrowed when he noticed Xander follow the Liam fellow out the door.

"Xander, I thought you wanted to see Buffy?", Giles called out.

"Tell her, I'll see her at home later. I'm going to show Liam where to get a good cup of coffee in this burg", the construction worker shouted over his
shoulder.

Giles crossed his arms, feeling the beginnings of a pounding headache start behind his eyeballs. Why did what just happened, give him a feeling of
foreboding?

~~~~~~

Buffy watched in silence, a small frown on her face, as Spike walked away from them, Tara still in his arms. The blond witch hadn't said a word since
they'd left the pool of blood, her eyes still seemed to see beyond her immediate surroundings and through them all, to some nameless horror, the
Slayer was glad she hadn't been able to witness.

The chipped vampire had curtly told them that he was taking his witch home. Although part of Buffy railed at allowing the bleached blond to walk away with a, to all intents and purposes, helpless human, the looks Angel and Willow had sent her way had told her to mind her own business.

Once Spike had disappeared from view, the petite Slayer had turned her gaze to the remaining witch and vampire. Willow did not look well. She was
breathing rapidly, and silent, heavy tears fell from her eyes. The redhead never said a word, only leaning on Angel heavily, his hand still clasped
tightly in her own.

Angel could feel Willow's pain, both figuratively and literally.  Although she had physically not said a word, the vampire felt as though he could hear
her screams and sobs in his head. He wasn't exactly sure how, but he knew it was happening.

The red witch trembled against his taller form, and he wrapped his arms around her, actually afraid for a moment that she was going to collapse.

"You should take her home too, Angel", Buffy said, her eyes moving to the small access tunnel above her. "I think she might be heading to Tara-land
and needs to be taken care of."

Angel nodded, happy to comply. It was what he'd wanted to do from the moment they'd seen that place, but at first he had assumed Willow would fight him on returning home so soon. He'd thought she'd want to catalog what she'd seen and discuss gameplans with Giles and Tara. He hadn't realized she'd be affected this deeply. But after their experience, she was as malleable and quiet as a doll. It was frightening for him to see her this way.

All he wanted was to wrap his witch up in his embrace and forget the world, never letting her go.

The dark haired vampire tore his eyes away from the redhead with difficulty, meeting Buffy's somber hazel gaze.

'God its really over...', the Slayer thought, moisture welling in her eyes.

Angel turned away, pulling a trembling Willow into his arms. A small hand on his shoulder gave him pause.

"Take care of her Angel", Buffy whispered.

"I will", the souled vampire stated seriously, his back to the blond. He began his trip through the sewers with his precious cargo, unaware Buffy
watched until he was out of sight, before leaping up with ease, catching hold of the lowest rung and pulling herself back up towards the magick shop.

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