Chapter 7

Buffy and Nina watched, almost serenely, as the ring of vampires tightened around them. Buffy appeared almost bored and Nina was getting a glint in her eyes that had nothing to do with fear. If the vampires had not been so arrogantly full of themselves they might have sensed that these two women were not the ones who needed to be afraid.

Even Buffy raised an eyebrow when Nina started taking her clothing off.

"Is that necessary?" she inquired.

"If I'm going to have anything to wear after we're done it is," Nina replied.

The vamps were confused about the casual attitude of the two young women but eyes brightened at Nina's actions.

"Well, perhaps if you are a VERY good girl there might be a possibility of you being here to wear something ... after," the leader said with a smirk, even as he appreciatively eyed Nina's body. He cocked one eye over at Buffy. "Going to join her?"

"Join her?" Buffy asked, wide-eyed in pretended embarrassment. "I mean, she's awfully cute and all but I don't swing that way." She knew perfectly well what the leader meant as well as the certain knowledge that the vampires had no intention of leaving them alive no matter what the two girls promised or did. It would just make it more fun for the vampires to allow their victims the thought they might be released and then snatching their lives from them just when they thought they were getting away.

Buffy had left "Mister Pointy" in Rome in her hurry but being unarmed never had fazed the Slayer, especially in an area with lots of trees, which meant lots of wooden branches, all of which offered her weapons. For one brief moment she considered giving the unsuspecting vampires a chance to leave. But then she decided that was a silly idea. It wasn't as though they would leave and go straight. They'd kill some innocent that very night. So they really needed dusting. Besides, it seemed like an excellent, although unusual, way to bond a little with Nina.

"Ready?" the Slayer cast a sideways look and a little grin at the now nude woman beside her. Damn. Nina WAS good looking. Buffy had never leaned that way, well, maybe a time or two she had looked over Faith and wondered what it would be like with her, but Nina could stir something if she let it. Shaking her head, Buffy looked at the leader as Nina called back.

"Born ready."

Buffy nodded. She stomped on a broken branch in front of her, breaking it in two and spinning half of it up to her hand. With one blinding move she stabbed the vampire to the leader's right through the heart. As he exploded into dust a deep menacing growl came from beside her and the fun really started.

Shock of seeing one of their number taken out before they even knew the fight had started and paralyzed by the sight of the cute naked blonde girl growing two feet taller and suddenly being covered in hair, the vampires hesitated for seconds they couldn't afford. Buffy spun left, then right and two more were gone. One of the ones who had been sneaking up behind them spun through the air and was impaled on a limb sticking out from one of the trees. Buffy nodded in appreciation of Nina's aim.

In less than three minutes the only survivor was the still stunned leader. He recovered his wits enough to take to his heels but he got no more than twenty feet before being pulled down by the girl werewolf.

"Wait a minute Nina," snapped Buffy, who hoped that the self control she had been informed that Angel's partner had in her were-form was in fact true. She was relieved to see the wolven creature flash her what might have actually been a grin and nod. of course its hard to pick out a grin when three inch fangs fill someone's mouth but it COULD have been just that. Regardless, Nina simply held the last vamp immobile rather than tearing his head off.

Buffy tapped the tip of the now dust covered stick against the undead chest. "what are you doing here tonight? I haven't heard that this is one of your regular hunting areas. Usually you guys stay in town where the occasional missing person will be simply forgotten."

"To hell with you," gasped the vampire.

Buffy shrugged. "You first." She pressed the branch against his chest, the skin breaking as she pushed.

"Wait, wait," gasped the vampire. "We were told to come here. We were told that two women would be here, both blonde and that there would be a reward for taking them both out. Money, blood and live slaves to use and then kill were all promised to us."

"By whom?" when no immediate answer came Buffy set her foot against the other end of the branch that now stuck out slightly from the vampire's chest. She tapped it deeper, almost reaching his heart.

"By WHOM?"

The vampire twisted under the improvised stake. "I don't know his name. I'd never seen him before. But he walked in to where we stay like he owned the place. White guy, around 30. He had some powerful mojo. Wasn't scared a bit. Not that any of us thought about snacking on him."