Speed the Vampire Slayer: Welcome to the Hellmouth - CSI:Miami/NY/BtVS - FRAO
Title: Speed the Vampire Slayer: Welcome to the Hellmouth
Fandom: CSI:Miami/NY/BtVS
Rating: FRAO
Pairing: Danny/Speed pre-slash. There will be more as the story progresses.
Prompt: Sunrise
Summary: The Slayer was in town. Sunnydale would never be the same...
Spoilers: This chapter - Welcolme to the Hellmouth & Harvest.
Timeline: Season one of Buffy.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:Miami, NY or Buffy. No profit is being made. 'Andrew' is used with permisson from Bj Wolf.
Warnings: Talk of Vampires, blood, violence, slash and sex
Crossover 100 Chart
In every generation, there is a chosen one. They alone shall stand against the Vampires, demons, and forces of darkness.
Los Angeles - 1997
The doors slammed closed with a bang that echoed loud in the silent night. Tim leant back against them, his chest heaving as he struggled to recapture the air his burning lungs desperately needed.
With his thumb, he wiped a stray drop of blood from his nose and grimaced. He hadn’t even realised he had been hit in the face. The desire for revenge had been burning so strong and bright that it overruled his senses, fuelling him with pure adrenaline.
A loud bang on the doors brought his attention back to the present and he shook his head, pushing thoughts of revenge to the back of his mind.
He had a gymnasium full of angry Vampires to deal with.
"You won’t get away with this!" a cold voice called through the chained and padlocked doors.
Tim chuckled darkly and reached into his pocket. "That’s where you’re wrong," he called back, withdrawing a lighter. "Because you’re locked inside a gasoline soaked gymnasium and…" he set a piece of wood alight and threw it through a window high above him.
"Oops, I just slipped and threw a burning block inside," he mock-pouted.
He bent down to brush a dark stain from his jeans; a dark stain that looked suspiciously like blood.
"Great," he muttered, standing upright once more. "Just what I need… A massive dry cleaning bill."
A sadistic grin twisted his face evilly and he saluted the building. "So long, boys."
~
Sweat coated his brow and his lungs were burning again. He threw the shovel onto the ground next to the freshly dug grave with a sigh and wiped his forehead with his sleeve.
The sun was starting to rise over the horizon, turning the sky a strange mix of orange and black.
He choked back a bitter sob as he fell to one knee. Lothos had killed one of the only two people Tim cared about. The brunette moved from one place to another, killing any Vampire that crossed his path; not caring about any human he encountered on his travels.
The only person that seemed to stand by his side, no matter how violent and bloody things became was his Watcher, Andrew Metcalfe. Tim had hated having a Watcher and had done everything he could think of to rebel against his destiny, but slowly Andrew had convinced him that he couldn’t outrun what was pre-ordained centuries before.
But now Andrew was gone; Lothos had kidnapped the older man in an attempt to draw out the Slayer. By the time Tim discovered Lothos’ hideout, Andrew had already been subjected to several hours of torture before being put out of his misery.
"I’m sorry, Andy," he whispered, pressing a kiss against the crucifix hanging around his neck. It was an amulet Andrew had given him and it hadn’t been removed once.
Tim got to his feet, brushing grass stains from his knees. He didn’t know what he could do on his own, but one thing he knew for certain.
The Slayer was dead. His fate was sealed. He had buried his destiny when he buried his best friend.
~
Sunnydale - 1997
He couldn’t believe he was standing in such a small town. ‘Sunnydale - Population 38,500’.
Tim shook his head and inhaled smoke from the cigarette hanging from his lips. What he did to deserve such a culture shock, the brunette didn’t know.
He smirked to himself; getting expelled for Arson might have contributed to his fate of being trapped in a town with only one Starbucks.
"Speed!" a female voice snapped from the lawn. "Put that out and help us get these boxes into the house. I want them in before dark."
With a sigh, he took one last drag before dropping the butt to the ground, using the toe of his sneaker to extinguish it.
Wearily he crossed the law, accepting the box Julia was waiting for him to take. Automatically his eyes flickered to the darkening sky. It would be night soon and he wanted to make sure he was safely inside his house.
He shook his head as he headed into the house. This was Sunnydale, not LA. He had left Vampires and the Vampire Slayer in the hills of Hollywood. Here, he could be a regular teenager who spent time with friends and got caught smoking in the school bathrooms.
The last thing he had to worry about was the undead.
~
There were candles everywhere; there must have been at least a hundred, maybe even more.
They were getting close, closer now than they had ever been before. In several days, their goal would be met and their mission accomplished.
Bound and gagged, their captive lay waiting, watching them with big brown eyes as she waited for the inevitable.
Her kidnapper smiled smugly, feeding hungrily on the fear he could feel pouring from her in waves.
In time she would serve her purpose and the Master would rise once more.
~
With a gasp Tim sat upright, looking around the room wildly. For a long moment he didn’t know where he was, then he sighed and fell back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling.
He was still in the middle of nowhere, in a town no one had ever heard of before. He groaned and closed his eyes, feeling nauseous at the mere thought of living in a godforsaken Hellhole.
Julia pounded on the door, and he cracked an eye open when the door opened. "Get your ass out of bed," she instructed. "You gotta go to school." She grimaced and averted her eyes. "And for Christ’s sake, Speed; cover yourself up."
Tim glanced down and blushed when he saw the sheets tangled around his legs, exposing his naked body to the room. "This is my room," he retorted. "You shouldn’t just burst in here like that. I could have been doing all kinds of things to somebody."
Julia rolled her eyes. "You haven’t been in the town a day yet. There’s no way you could find a guy here before me." She glanced at her watch and cursed. "I’m late… You can make your own breakfast."
"Some guardian, you are," Tim commented, earning him a glare and Julia’s middle finger.
"And if I hear you’ve skipped your first day, I’ll kill you," she promised, turning on her heel and heading down the corridor.
"Great," Tim drawled, tossing back the covers once he was sure she had gone. "My first glorious day at Sunnydale High School."
~
The dark figure grimaced as he stepped off the bus. The sun was fierce as he glanced around at his surroundings.
Whispers had been travelling through the city; something big was coming and the Slayer was on the move.
It had taken months of research before he figured out that Sunnydale was the centre of demonic activity recently.
He just wished it wasn’t so damn sunny. The bright light made his blue eyes sting and water.
With a sigh he slipped on his sunglasses; he had a Slayer to find.
~
The horn of the school bus sounded loud across the quad as students ran for their lives. Mabel was the worst bus driver in the history of Sunnydale buses and always seemed to be driving the same bus as Lindsay Monroe much to her chagrin.
She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she stepped off the bus. She always looked forward to the start of a new school year; it meant new books, new subjects and teachers. And a new semester also meant she was closer to leaving a certain blonde in her past.
Lindsay’s eyes narrowed as she looked across the quad. Sliding out of her gorgeous red convertible, with a simpering smile on her face was Calleigh Duquesne. Head cheerleader and the most popular girl in school.
Calleigh had the uncanny ability to make Lindsay feel like she was worthless after several seconds of being in the same room.
A screeching sound cut through the noise of students reuniting with their friends after the long summer.
Kids ran for cover as the black motorcycle sped towards them, leaving tire treads on the road behind it.
"Wonder who that is," a male voice murmured in her ear.
Lindsay turned and grinned, embracing her friend warmly. "Probably some show off," she shrugged. "Did you do the math we were assigned?"
Eric grimaced as they headed towards the main school building. "Yeah… I had some trouble with it."
"Which part?"
"The math," the other teenager admitted. "Can you help me out tonight? Be my study buddy?" His chocolate brown eyes were hopeful as he pleaded with her.
Lindsay smiled. "You should check out the Trig textbook…"
"Check it out?"
She chuckled. "From the library. You know, where the books live?"
Eric clicked his fingers. "Right! And that would be…?"
~
Tim was lost. He was completely and utterly lost.
Everything had been going fine; he had found a place to park his motorcycle and had a quick cigarette in the bathroom. But then he met with the principal, who was one of the strangest people he had ever met.
He was too busy looking at the map in his hand that he didn’t notice someone heading his direction until they collided.
"Oh!" a male voice exclaimed, bending down to pick up Tim’s fallen books. "Sorry, I should have been watching where I was going."
Tim smiled and accepted his books. "It’s okay."
"I’m Eric Delko, by the way," the darker skinned boy introduced himself, extending his hand.
"Tim Speedle." He sighed and glanced back down at the map. "You don’t know where room 2.8 is, do you?"
A few moments later, Tim was thanking Eric and on his way to first period History.
~
The library was not one of Tim’s favourite places to visit in his free period, but the girl he sat next to, Calleigh had said he needed his own history book if he was going to keep up with the rest of the class.
"Hello?" he called quietly, glancing around the empty library. "I’m new and need some help."
He stopped by the counter, looking around to see if there was some kind of bell he could ring to get someone’s attention.
An open newspaper with the heading ‘Three boys missing’ caught his eye and he pulled it closer, his brown eyes quickly scanning the article.
His brain wondered if it had been a human criminal mastermind that had taken the boys, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head.
There was nothing paranormal going on in Sunnydale. Crimes like that happened all over the world. They had nothing to do with evil forces.
"Mr Speedle?" a voice asked from behind him and he spun around in surprise.
"How did you know that?" he demanded, before rolling his eyes. "I guess you don’t get many new guys around here," he muttered.
"I’m Mr Caine," the redhead introduced himself. "I was told you be coming."
Tim frowned. "Yeah, well… I need some books."
"I have just what you’re looking for."
"You do?"
He watched as Caine made his way behind the desk, retrieving something that was out of Tim’s line of sight.
The brunette backed away when a thick dusty volume was placed on the counter; a book entitled ‘Vampyre’.
"That’s not what I’m looking for," Tim muttered, never taking his eyes of the other man.
He knew; the blue eyed librarian knew who Tim really was.
He didn’t know how word had got out and he didn’t care, when Caine moved to place the book away Tim turned on his heel and fled the library, vowing never to return again.
~
Dead people did not belong in lockers; despite common misconceptions, a locker was not ideal storage for a cadaver.
Crouching down next to the young man, Tim sighed and pulled his backpack closer. A quick glance around ensured he was still alone.
One movement of the dagger across the corpse’s neck was all it took to reduce him to a pile of ashes.
He may have left all Slayer duties in LA but he didn’t leave behind his common sense. He knew that there was only two ways to kill a Vampire; decapitation or fire. Carrying a dagger in his backpack was as common place as carrying his wallet in his pocket.
The librarian knew something about this and Tim was going to make it very clear he wanted nothing to do with Vampires anymore.
~
Tim threw himself down in a chair and put his feet up on the desk. "You heard about the dead guy in the locker right?" he called up to where Caine was stacking books.
"Yes."
"He’s got two puncture marks in his neck and his blood’s been drained," he sighed. "Don’t you think that’s bizarre?" he questioned at Caine’s blank look.
"I was afraid this would happen."
"Well I wasn’t," Tim glanced up at him. "I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find somewhere to park my motorcycle and I wouldn’t be able to find anywhere to buy decent cigarettes. I didn’t think there’d be Vampires on Campus. And I don’t care… I’m not getting involved."
Caine blinked and studied him for an uncomfortable minute. "Then why are you here?"
Tim paused in surprise, opening his mouth to think of a witty retorted but he couldn’t find anything to say.
"To tell you that I don’t care… which I don’t… And now I’ve told you, I’m gonna… go."
He turned and stalked down the stairs, berating himself for being so stupid.
"Will he rise again?" Caine asked quietly.
"Who?" He didn’t turn around.
The librarian sighed. "The boy."
This time he turned. "No. He won’t be doing anything, anytime soon. He’s dust. Now if you’’ excuse me…"
Caine slammed the book onto the shelf and followed him. "You really have no idea what’s going here, do you? Do you think it’s all just coincidence you’re here now? He was only the beginning."
"Why can’t I just be left alone?" Tim demanded, glaring at the older man.
"Because you are the Slayer. In every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world…"
Tim rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. One girl is supposed to able to rid the world of the evil there is. They made a mistake by a choosing a male Slayer and I don’t see why I should have to suffer the consequences."
"I really don’t understand this attitude. You’ve accepted your duty as the Slayer before. You slain hundreds of Vampires…"
"Yeah, been there; done that. I moving on, accept it."
"There are things you need to know about this town, Timothy."
"I know all I need to know."
Caine began pulling out various textbooks and volumes. "I believe this town is a centre of mystical energy. Things gravitate here as though they are drawn by something other worldly."
Tim had to admit his interest was peaked. "Like Vampires?" he ventured.
"Like zombies… werewolves… everything you’ve ever dreaded was under your bed but told yourself could never be by the light of day. They’re all real. And it’s time you faced up to it."
~
Eric heard the library doors swing closed and he stepped out from where he had been hiding behind the bookcases.
He had been looking for the book Lindsay instructed him to check out; he never realised how many books such a tiny room could hold.
The teenager had been crouched down looking when the new guy stalked in and started having it out with Caine.
Of course, none of it made sense. Talks of Vampires and werewolves, and everything else Eric watched movies about.
He had a strange feeling there was something different about Tim Speedle.
~
The house was cute, in a way that made him want to vomit a little. He hated how everything in these neighbourhoods looked alike.
He would much rather prefer to live in a small cottage that was crooked and stood out from the rest.
He stood upright, flicking his cigarette to the ground as a dark figure left the building. The Slayer was on the move.
Being careful not to make any sound he followed the girl, he didn’t want to give away his presence too soon so he made sure to stick to the shadows.
The girl’s pace increased and for a moment he thought he had been discovered, but when she didn’t turn he figured he was still concealed by the darkness.
He frowned in the alleyway. She had definitely come down there, but she was nowhere to be found and there was no way out. He could sense she was still around but he couldn’t pin down her exact location.
Something colliding with his back knocked him to the floor and he let out a startled groan as he landed on the concrete.
"Whoa!" he accidentally let slip when he saw the person pinning him. "You’re a guy."
~
Tim growled and tightened his hand around the stranger’s throat. "Damn right, I am. Why the hell were you following me?"
"I know what you’re thinking…" the blonde managed to pry the other man’s fingers from his throat. "But I don’t bite."
Tim released him and got to his feet, straightening out his clothes. "Truth is, I thought you’d be… a woman," he admitted.
"What a way to boost a guys ego. What do you want?"
"The same thing you do," the stranger answered, flexing his neck painfully. "Did you have to hit so hard?"
"What is it with everyone in this town thinking they know what I want?"
The shorter man stepped closer. "You want to kill them. To kill them all."
"Wrong!" he snapped. "What I want is to be left alone!" He brushed past him and headed down the alley.
A chuckle escaped. "Do you really think that’s an option anymore?" Tim paused uncertainly. "You’re standing at the mouth of hell and it’s about to open. You can’t turn your back on it. You’ve got to be ready."
"Be ready for what?"
"The Harvest."
The brunette finally turned and studied the other man’s face. "Who are you?" he asked softly.
"Let’s just say… I’m a friend."
"Maybe I don’t want a friend."
"I didn’t say I was yours."
~
He couldn’t believe someone had finally taken his advice. That never happened; in fact he rarely gave advice.
But Lindsay seizing the moment with someone who was clearly a Vampire, if his clothes were anything to go by, had definitely not been his intention.
Despite everything he felt about being the Slayer, he knew that he could not let someone get hurt; especially not someone who was very nearly a friend.
"Are you leaving already?" Eric asked as Tim left the club. "The night’s still young."
"Oh, Eric, right? Have you seen Lindsay?"
"No, why?"
"She left with a guy." Eric nodded in approval; glad his friend had plucked up the courage to approach a member of the opposite sex. "Where would he take her?"
"I don’t know," Eric shrugged. "He’s not a Vampire is he?" he questioned, making Tim stop in his tracks. "Because then you’d have to slay him."
"Was there some kind of announcement in the newspaper that I missed?" Tim sighed in frustration. "Is there any one in this damn town that doesn’t know I’m the fucking Slayer?"
"I only know that you think you’re the Slayer. What I don’t get is…"
"Look it doesn’t matter. Where would he take her?" Tim pushed.
"You’re serious."
"You can either help me or I’ll figure it out myself. But if you don’t there’ll be one more dead body in the morning."
~
Of course, Vampires liked to frequent cemeteries. He didn’t know why when there were so many obstacles like tombstones to trip over, but the undead didn’t really make much sense so he tried not to think about it too much.
They heard a scream that sounded all too much like Lindsay and Tim bolted in the direction of the mausoleum.
Andrew had always told him not to rush into battle without thinking, but his friend was being attacked; the time for thinking had long since passed.
"Well this nice," he commented, bursting through the door.
A quick assessment told him there were two problems he had to deal with. One was tall and pretty lanky, while the other was just as thin and looked just as weak. This would be a piece of cake.
"You could do with some décor, maybe a few throw pillows, but it could be a place called home."
"Who the hell are you?" the blonde Vampire demanded.
"Thank god! Eric, stop the press! There is someone in this town who doesn’t already know. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep my private life… well, private."
Tim shook his arms as though he were a boxer preparing for a big fight. "How’d you want to do this? There’s the hard way or… well, actually there’s just the hard way. Sorry about that."
He figured he’d tackle the petite blonde first before taking on the male Vampire.
"Fine by me."
"Are you sure? I mean, we’re talking serious violence, strong violence, adult…" he heard footsteps behind him and span around, withdrawing his trusty dagger from inside his jacket.
"Oops," he whispered, watching as the dust of the guy floated away on the light breeze. "My bad! I hope you’re not allergic to dust."
~
Tim watched in amusement as Caine darted from bookcase to bookcase, pulling out one thick volume after another before handing them to Lindsay, who was stood at his side watching every move the redhead made.
"This world… our world, is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology it did not begin as a paradise," Caine spoke as he walked. "For untold eons Demons walked the Earth and made it their home; their Hell."
"Only a few remain now, certain beings with powers… certain abilities."
"Like Vampires?" Tim ventured a guess.
"Yes."
"We’re having a talk about Vampires," Eric stated. "This so oh very wrong."
"Vampires exist," Tim informed him. "You pretty much have to accept that so we can get past this." Everyone looked at him. "What? I was told the same thing after my first encounter with a Vampire. It’s no big deal."
"I think I need to sit down," Lindsay muttered.
Tim leant over and whispered, "You are sat down."
"Oh."
"According to the text books, the last demon to leave this realm fed of a human. Their blood was mixed and he became a human form possessed… infected by the demon’s soul. And so their ranks grew and grew. Killing; waiting for the old ones to return."
"There is one who can fight against them. A Slayer."
"And that would be a… what?" Eric demanded.
"For as long as there have been Vampires a Slayer has fought against them. One girl in all the world… a chosen one," Tim explained.
"But you’re not a…"
"Girl? I know, trust me I’m not. I would prove it to you but I’d get expelled for indecent exposure." Tim smirked.
Caine rolled his eyes, picking up where Tim left off. "When one Slayer dies a new one is appointed. The Slayer is supposed to a female and before yourself," he nodded in Tim’s direction, "there has never been a male Slayer. And I doubt there will be one after."
"I’m the mistake," Tim commented.
"So how do you kill them?" Eric questioned.
"You don’t," Caine argued. "He does."
Lindsay and Eric both looked at Tim curiously and the brunette sighed. "I think they should know. Just in case… you know, self defence?"
Caine bit his lip in thought before relenting. "Well, alright. Everything you’ve ever seen about Vampires you better forget right now, because they won’t do you any good. Vampires can’t be killed by Hollywood’s methods."
Eric raised his eyebrow and looked pointedly at Tim. "Translation?"
"Stakes don’t work since a Vampire’s heart isn’t beating in the first place; the only affect sunlight has on them, is that it makes their sting," Tim stated matter-of-factly.
"Crucifixes?"
Tim’s fingers instantly went to the chain dangling around his neck. "Only if they’re made of pure silver," he whispered, lost in his thoughts of Andrew. "They burn them for a few moments, which should give you chance to take their head."
~
"Well, that figures," Tim muttered, seeing the locked gates in front of him. "I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on you?" he asked the figure he could sense behind him.
The other man half-smiled. "They don’t really like me dropping in on them."
Tim turned. "Why wouldn’t they?"
"They really don’t like me."
"How could they not? I mean you’re great at stalking people and being cryptic. What’s not to love?"
The other man ignored Tim’s sarcasm. "I knew you’d figure out where the entryway was sooner or later." He shook his head, "Truthfully? I thought it’d be sooner than this."
"Sorry I kept you waiting." Tim glared. "If you’re gonna be around - even if I don’t want you to be - giving me this cryptic, wise-man bullshit, the least you can do is tell me your name."
"Danny," he answered softly. "And you really shouldn’t be putting yourself at risk by going down there. Tonight is the Harvest. The Master walks tonight, unless you can stop it."
"Since you know so much about it, why don’t you stop them?"
"Because I’m not the Slayer," Danny replied. "They’ll be expecting you," he pointed out when Tim kicked the door open loudly.
"I’d hate to disappoint them, in that case. You gonna wish me luck?"
"Are you saying you’ll need it?"
~
Lindsay looked up hopefully when she heard the doors open. She sighed with relief when she saw Eric and Tim, both looking thankful to be back.
"Did you find Jesse? Is he dead?"
"Worse," Tim answered, slouching down in a nearby chair. "I’m sorry, Lindsay. We were too late."
"Have you guys figured anything out?" Eric looked at Caine.
"I bet you can’t make this day any worse."
"How about the end of the world?" Caine suggested.
"I take it back," Tim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You can. Lay it on me."
"Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful Vampire came to this shore and not just with the intention to feed," Caine began.
"He came here because this town a mystical centre?" Tim ventured.
"Yes. The Spanish called it, Boca del Infierno."
"Which roughly translates to, ‘Helmouth’," Lindsay explained.
"Hellmouth. Exactly. It’s a sort of portal between this reality and the next. And this Vampire wanted to open it."
Tim leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Bringing the demons back."
"And the end of the world with them," Eric stated.
"But then there was a huge earthquake and it swallowed half the town; him too." Lindsay was practically bouncing out of her chair with enthusiasm.
Eric was pacing the library. "And the Harvest thing is to bring him back."
"The chance only comes once in century, on this night. When it does, the Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds, which would be enough power to break free and open the portal."
"The minion is called ‘The Vessel’." Caine stood and drew a three-pointed star on the whiteboard. "The Vessel will bear this," he rapped on the board with a knuckle, "symbol."
"So I dust anyone sporting the Mercedes Benz logo," Tim shrugged, getting out of his seat. "And we stop the Harvest."
"That would be the basic idea, yes," Caine agreed. "As always, things may not be as simple as that."
~
Tim tugged the door; he used all his strength as a Slayer and the damn thing still wouldn’t budge. "Fuck!" he hissed.
"We’re too late," Caine sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"I’m sorry, Mr Perfect. I didn’t know Social Services would be at home checking up on me!"
"Can you break it down?"
"No way in hell." He flinched. "Sorry, poor choice of words. You guys try the back entrance. I’ll find my own way in."
"Where are you going?" Caine demanded.
"Don’t sweat it. I have an idea." He handed everyone a small sword. "Don’t be afraid to use these. And don’t breathe in the dust… it will make you sneeze."
~
Why was everything so cramped? Tim hated crawling through ventilation systems; he hated the way they made him feel - slightly panicked and claustrophobic.
But there was no other way in and he didn’t have time to wait around while he thought of one.
He flinched when the window smashed, before rolling his eyes. He didn’t have to worry about being overhead, the Vampires would be too busy focusing on the screams of their victims to notice.
Someone was speaking, saying things about the Master getting stronger and needing another. Tim noticed there was a three-pointed star on his forehead. "So he’s the Vessel," the teenager muttered to himself.
"There’s a pretty one here," the blonde that attacked him in the mausoleum said, pushing someone onto the stage.
"Calleigh," Tim whispered as he recognised the head cheerleader. He had to do something, or this guy would end up slaughtering his entire class.
Tim swung a punch at the nearest bad guy and sent him sailing over the railing, just as Luke was about to sink his fangs into Calleigh’s neck.
"Oops," he cringed. "I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
"You," Luke snarled, glaring up at the Slayer.
"Come on! There’s no way I’d miss a party like this! I’ll be right down." Tim placed his hands on the railing and threw himself over.
Gasps of amazement sounded when he landed perfectly, on the pool table below. ‘I knew there was something I liked about being a Slayer,’ he thought to himself as he dusted his hands off.
He span around, pulling the dagger from his belt and taking the head of the nearest vampire, reducing him to a pile of dust.
"I’m sorry," he apologised, waving his hand. "Where were we?"
"I want blood. Your blood."
"Fine by me." Tim ran across the dance floor and jumped up onto the stage.
One high kick in the jaw was all it took to send Luke flying into a pile of chairs.
"Boy, Vampires are ugly bastards." Tim shook his head, as Luke got to his feet once more.
He managed to knock Luke back several steps and he drew his dagger once more, with the intention of taking his head off.
Luke, however, intercepted his movement and knocked the blade from his hand, sending it flying. Tim took his eyes of the Vampire for a moment as he looked for his weapon and it was the only invitation Luke needed to send throw the Slayer against the wall.
~
"Eric, duck!" Tim shouted, grabbing a cymbal and throwing it as though it were a Frisbee.
Eric’s brown eyes widened as he saw the musical instrument come flying at him and he ducked quickly, seconds before it took his attacker’s head off.
"Go help the others," Tim instructed.
The instant Eric’s back was turned, Tim felt strong arms tighten around him; crushing his own arms against his body, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to use them.
He gasped for breath as the arms tightened, he could feel his lungs burning as they lost oxygen.
"I always wanted to kill a Slayer," Luke purred in his ear as Tim struggled to keep oxygen entering his body. "When the Master tastes your blood, he’ll be able to free himself. The Slayer’s blood will be the key."
Tim was running out of options and he knew it. When he heard Luke growl, he quickly threw his head back. The impact of his skull against Luke’s sent pains shooting through him, but it wasn’t anything a few painkillers couldn’t solve later.
"Do I taste okay?" Tim panted as Luke staggered back.
His hand clasped around the nearest microphone stand and he held it back, ready to throw it through Luke.
"You forget, that won’t kill me," Luke chucked.
"And you forget," Tim launched it through the window, "sunrise."
Luke screamed with pain and fell to the ground. Tim rolled his eyes, "It cant really kill you, moron." He grabbed his fallen sword and brought it across Luke’s neck. "I didn’t think he’d fall for it."
~
Danny’s blue eyes widened as several young Vampires fled from the bronze. "He did it," the blonde whispered.
His eyes were starting to sting again; cursing the sun, he slipped on his sunglasses once more. "I’ll be damned."
~
Caine watched as Tim, Eric and Lindsay crossed the quad, discussing new and inventive ways Tim could use to get kicked out of school again.
‘The fate of the world lies in the hand of a teenage rebel who rides a motorcycle?’ He thought to himself.
"The earth is doomed!"
~
To be continued…
Fandom: CSI:Miami/NY/BtVS
Rating: FRAO
Pairing: Danny/Speed pre-slash. There will be more as the story progresses.
Prompt: Sunrise
Summary: The Slayer was in town. Sunnydale would never be the same...
Spoilers: This chapter - Welcolme to the Hellmouth & Harvest.
Timeline: Season one of Buffy.
Disclaimer: I don't own CSI:Miami, NY or Buffy. No profit is being made. 'Andrew' is used with permisson from Bj Wolf.
Warnings: Talk of Vampires, blood, violence, slash and sex
Crossover 100 Chart
In every generation, there is a chosen one. They alone shall stand against the Vampires, demons, and forces of darkness.
Los Angeles - 1997
The doors slammed closed with a bang that echoed loud in the silent night. Tim leant back against them, his chest heaving as he struggled to recapture the air his burning lungs desperately needed.
With his thumb, he wiped a stray drop of blood from his nose and grimaced. He hadn’t even realised he had been hit in the face. The desire for revenge had been burning so strong and bright that it overruled his senses, fuelling him with pure adrenaline.
A loud bang on the doors brought his attention back to the present and he shook his head, pushing thoughts of revenge to the back of his mind.
He had a gymnasium full of angry Vampires to deal with.
"You won’t get away with this!" a cold voice called through the chained and padlocked doors.
Tim chuckled darkly and reached into his pocket. "That’s where you’re wrong," he called back, withdrawing a lighter. "Because you’re locked inside a gasoline soaked gymnasium and…" he set a piece of wood alight and threw it through a window high above him.
"Oops, I just slipped and threw a burning block inside," he mock-pouted.
He bent down to brush a dark stain from his jeans; a dark stain that looked suspiciously like blood.
"Great," he muttered, standing upright once more. "Just what I need… A massive dry cleaning bill."
A sadistic grin twisted his face evilly and he saluted the building. "So long, boys."
~
Sweat coated his brow and his lungs were burning again. He threw the shovel onto the ground next to the freshly dug grave with a sigh and wiped his forehead with his sleeve.
The sun was starting to rise over the horizon, turning the sky a strange mix of orange and black.
He choked back a bitter sob as he fell to one knee. Lothos had killed one of the only two people Tim cared about. The brunette moved from one place to another, killing any Vampire that crossed his path; not caring about any human he encountered on his travels.
The only person that seemed to stand by his side, no matter how violent and bloody things became was his Watcher, Andrew Metcalfe. Tim had hated having a Watcher and had done everything he could think of to rebel against his destiny, but slowly Andrew had convinced him that he couldn’t outrun what was pre-ordained centuries before.
But now Andrew was gone; Lothos had kidnapped the older man in an attempt to draw out the Slayer. By the time Tim discovered Lothos’ hideout, Andrew had already been subjected to several hours of torture before being put out of his misery.
"I’m sorry, Andy," he whispered, pressing a kiss against the crucifix hanging around his neck. It was an amulet Andrew had given him and it hadn’t been removed once.
Tim got to his feet, brushing grass stains from his knees. He didn’t know what he could do on his own, but one thing he knew for certain.
The Slayer was dead. His fate was sealed. He had buried his destiny when he buried his best friend.
~
Sunnydale - 1997
He couldn’t believe he was standing in such a small town. ‘Sunnydale - Population 38,500’.
Tim shook his head and inhaled smoke from the cigarette hanging from his lips. What he did to deserve such a culture shock, the brunette didn’t know.
He smirked to himself; getting expelled for Arson might have contributed to his fate of being trapped in a town with only one Starbucks.
"Speed!" a female voice snapped from the lawn. "Put that out and help us get these boxes into the house. I want them in before dark."
With a sigh, he took one last drag before dropping the butt to the ground, using the toe of his sneaker to extinguish it.
Wearily he crossed the law, accepting the box Julia was waiting for him to take. Automatically his eyes flickered to the darkening sky. It would be night soon and he wanted to make sure he was safely inside his house.
He shook his head as he headed into the house. This was Sunnydale, not LA. He had left Vampires and the Vampire Slayer in the hills of Hollywood. Here, he could be a regular teenager who spent time with friends and got caught smoking in the school bathrooms.
The last thing he had to worry about was the undead.
~
There were candles everywhere; there must have been at least a hundred, maybe even more.
They were getting close, closer now than they had ever been before. In several days, their goal would be met and their mission accomplished.
Bound and gagged, their captive lay waiting, watching them with big brown eyes as she waited for the inevitable.
Her kidnapper smiled smugly, feeding hungrily on the fear he could feel pouring from her in waves.
In time she would serve her purpose and the Master would rise once more.
~
With a gasp Tim sat upright, looking around the room wildly. For a long moment he didn’t know where he was, then he sighed and fell back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling.
He was still in the middle of nowhere, in a town no one had ever heard of before. He groaned and closed his eyes, feeling nauseous at the mere thought of living in a godforsaken Hellhole.
Julia pounded on the door, and he cracked an eye open when the door opened. "Get your ass out of bed," she instructed. "You gotta go to school." She grimaced and averted her eyes. "And for Christ’s sake, Speed; cover yourself up."
Tim glanced down and blushed when he saw the sheets tangled around his legs, exposing his naked body to the room. "This is my room," he retorted. "You shouldn’t just burst in here like that. I could have been doing all kinds of things to somebody."
Julia rolled her eyes. "You haven’t been in the town a day yet. There’s no way you could find a guy here before me." She glanced at her watch and cursed. "I’m late… You can make your own breakfast."
"Some guardian, you are," Tim commented, earning him a glare and Julia’s middle finger.
"And if I hear you’ve skipped your first day, I’ll kill you," she promised, turning on her heel and heading down the corridor.
"Great," Tim drawled, tossing back the covers once he was sure she had gone. "My first glorious day at Sunnydale High School."
~
The dark figure grimaced as he stepped off the bus. The sun was fierce as he glanced around at his surroundings.
Whispers had been travelling through the city; something big was coming and the Slayer was on the move.
It had taken months of research before he figured out that Sunnydale was the centre of demonic activity recently.
He just wished it wasn’t so damn sunny. The bright light made his blue eyes sting and water.
With a sigh he slipped on his sunglasses; he had a Slayer to find.
~
The horn of the school bus sounded loud across the quad as students ran for their lives. Mabel was the worst bus driver in the history of Sunnydale buses and always seemed to be driving the same bus as Lindsay Monroe much to her chagrin.
She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she stepped off the bus. She always looked forward to the start of a new school year; it meant new books, new subjects and teachers. And a new semester also meant she was closer to leaving a certain blonde in her past.
Lindsay’s eyes narrowed as she looked across the quad. Sliding out of her gorgeous red convertible, with a simpering smile on her face was Calleigh Duquesne. Head cheerleader and the most popular girl in school.
Calleigh had the uncanny ability to make Lindsay feel like she was worthless after several seconds of being in the same room.
A screeching sound cut through the noise of students reuniting with their friends after the long summer.
Kids ran for cover as the black motorcycle sped towards them, leaving tire treads on the road behind it.
"Wonder who that is," a male voice murmured in her ear.
Lindsay turned and grinned, embracing her friend warmly. "Probably some show off," she shrugged. "Did you do the math we were assigned?"
Eric grimaced as they headed towards the main school building. "Yeah… I had some trouble with it."
"Which part?"
"The math," the other teenager admitted. "Can you help me out tonight? Be my study buddy?" His chocolate brown eyes were hopeful as he pleaded with her.
Lindsay smiled. "You should check out the Trig textbook…"
"Check it out?"
She chuckled. "From the library. You know, where the books live?"
Eric clicked his fingers. "Right! And that would be…?"
~
Tim was lost. He was completely and utterly lost.
Everything had been going fine; he had found a place to park his motorcycle and had a quick cigarette in the bathroom. But then he met with the principal, who was one of the strangest people he had ever met.
He was too busy looking at the map in his hand that he didn’t notice someone heading his direction until they collided.
"Oh!" a male voice exclaimed, bending down to pick up Tim’s fallen books. "Sorry, I should have been watching where I was going."
Tim smiled and accepted his books. "It’s okay."
"I’m Eric Delko, by the way," the darker skinned boy introduced himself, extending his hand.
"Tim Speedle." He sighed and glanced back down at the map. "You don’t know where room 2.8 is, do you?"
A few moments later, Tim was thanking Eric and on his way to first period History.
~
The library was not one of Tim’s favourite places to visit in his free period, but the girl he sat next to, Calleigh had said he needed his own history book if he was going to keep up with the rest of the class.
"Hello?" he called quietly, glancing around the empty library. "I’m new and need some help."
He stopped by the counter, looking around to see if there was some kind of bell he could ring to get someone’s attention.
An open newspaper with the heading ‘Three boys missing’ caught his eye and he pulled it closer, his brown eyes quickly scanning the article.
His brain wondered if it had been a human criminal mastermind that had taken the boys, but he quickly shook the thought out of his head.
There was nothing paranormal going on in Sunnydale. Crimes like that happened all over the world. They had nothing to do with evil forces.
"Mr Speedle?" a voice asked from behind him and he spun around in surprise.
"How did you know that?" he demanded, before rolling his eyes. "I guess you don’t get many new guys around here," he muttered.
"I’m Mr Caine," the redhead introduced himself. "I was told you be coming."
Tim frowned. "Yeah, well… I need some books."
"I have just what you’re looking for."
"You do?"
He watched as Caine made his way behind the desk, retrieving something that was out of Tim’s line of sight.
The brunette backed away when a thick dusty volume was placed on the counter; a book entitled ‘Vampyre’.
"That’s not what I’m looking for," Tim muttered, never taking his eyes of the other man.
He knew; the blue eyed librarian knew who Tim really was.
He didn’t know how word had got out and he didn’t care, when Caine moved to place the book away Tim turned on his heel and fled the library, vowing never to return again.
~
Dead people did not belong in lockers; despite common misconceptions, a locker was not ideal storage for a cadaver.
Crouching down next to the young man, Tim sighed and pulled his backpack closer. A quick glance around ensured he was still alone.
One movement of the dagger across the corpse’s neck was all it took to reduce him to a pile of ashes.
He may have left all Slayer duties in LA but he didn’t leave behind his common sense. He knew that there was only two ways to kill a Vampire; decapitation or fire. Carrying a dagger in his backpack was as common place as carrying his wallet in his pocket.
The librarian knew something about this and Tim was going to make it very clear he wanted nothing to do with Vampires anymore.
~
Tim threw himself down in a chair and put his feet up on the desk. "You heard about the dead guy in the locker right?" he called up to where Caine was stacking books.
"Yes."
"He’s got two puncture marks in his neck and his blood’s been drained," he sighed. "Don’t you think that’s bizarre?" he questioned at Caine’s blank look.
"I was afraid this would happen."
"Well I wasn’t," Tim glanced up at him. "I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find somewhere to park my motorcycle and I wouldn’t be able to find anywhere to buy decent cigarettes. I didn’t think there’d be Vampires on Campus. And I don’t care… I’m not getting involved."
Caine blinked and studied him for an uncomfortable minute. "Then why are you here?"
Tim paused in surprise, opening his mouth to think of a witty retorted but he couldn’t find anything to say.
"To tell you that I don’t care… which I don’t… And now I’ve told you, I’m gonna… go."
He turned and stalked down the stairs, berating himself for being so stupid.
"Will he rise again?" Caine asked quietly.
"Who?" He didn’t turn around.
The librarian sighed. "The boy."
This time he turned. "No. He won’t be doing anything, anytime soon. He’s dust. Now if you’’ excuse me…"
Caine slammed the book onto the shelf and followed him. "You really have no idea what’s going here, do you? Do you think it’s all just coincidence you’re here now? He was only the beginning."
"Why can’t I just be left alone?" Tim demanded, glaring at the older man.
"Because you are the Slayer. In every generation, a Slayer is born. One girl in all the world…"
Tim rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all before. One girl is supposed to able to rid the world of the evil there is. They made a mistake by a choosing a male Slayer and I don’t see why I should have to suffer the consequences."
"I really don’t understand this attitude. You’ve accepted your duty as the Slayer before. You slain hundreds of Vampires…"
"Yeah, been there; done that. I moving on, accept it."
"There are things you need to know about this town, Timothy."
"I know all I need to know."
Caine began pulling out various textbooks and volumes. "I believe this town is a centre of mystical energy. Things gravitate here as though they are drawn by something other worldly."
Tim had to admit his interest was peaked. "Like Vampires?" he ventured.
"Like zombies… werewolves… everything you’ve ever dreaded was under your bed but told yourself could never be by the light of day. They’re all real. And it’s time you faced up to it."
~
Eric heard the library doors swing closed and he stepped out from where he had been hiding behind the bookcases.
He had been looking for the book Lindsay instructed him to check out; he never realised how many books such a tiny room could hold.
The teenager had been crouched down looking when the new guy stalked in and started having it out with Caine.
Of course, none of it made sense. Talks of Vampires and werewolves, and everything else Eric watched movies about.
He had a strange feeling there was something different about Tim Speedle.
~
The house was cute, in a way that made him want to vomit a little. He hated how everything in these neighbourhoods looked alike.
He would much rather prefer to live in a small cottage that was crooked and stood out from the rest.
He stood upright, flicking his cigarette to the ground as a dark figure left the building. The Slayer was on the move.
Being careful not to make any sound he followed the girl, he didn’t want to give away his presence too soon so he made sure to stick to the shadows.
The girl’s pace increased and for a moment he thought he had been discovered, but when she didn’t turn he figured he was still concealed by the darkness.
He frowned in the alleyway. She had definitely come down there, but she was nowhere to be found and there was no way out. He could sense she was still around but he couldn’t pin down her exact location.
Something colliding with his back knocked him to the floor and he let out a startled groan as he landed on the concrete.
"Whoa!" he accidentally let slip when he saw the person pinning him. "You’re a guy."
~
Tim growled and tightened his hand around the stranger’s throat. "Damn right, I am. Why the hell were you following me?"
"I know what you’re thinking…" the blonde managed to pry the other man’s fingers from his throat. "But I don’t bite."
Tim released him and got to his feet, straightening out his clothes. "Truth is, I thought you’d be… a woman," he admitted.
"What a way to boost a guys ego. What do you want?"
"The same thing you do," the stranger answered, flexing his neck painfully. "Did you have to hit so hard?"
"What is it with everyone in this town thinking they know what I want?"
The shorter man stepped closer. "You want to kill them. To kill them all."
"Wrong!" he snapped. "What I want is to be left alone!" He brushed past him and headed down the alley.
A chuckle escaped. "Do you really think that’s an option anymore?" Tim paused uncertainly. "You’re standing at the mouth of hell and it’s about to open. You can’t turn your back on it. You’ve got to be ready."
"Be ready for what?"
"The Harvest."
The brunette finally turned and studied the other man’s face. "Who are you?" he asked softly.
"Let’s just say… I’m a friend."
"Maybe I don’t want a friend."
"I didn’t say I was yours."
~
He couldn’t believe someone had finally taken his advice. That never happened; in fact he rarely gave advice.
But Lindsay seizing the moment with someone who was clearly a Vampire, if his clothes were anything to go by, had definitely not been his intention.
Despite everything he felt about being the Slayer, he knew that he could not let someone get hurt; especially not someone who was very nearly a friend.
"Are you leaving already?" Eric asked as Tim left the club. "The night’s still young."
"Oh, Eric, right? Have you seen Lindsay?"
"No, why?"
"She left with a guy." Eric nodded in approval; glad his friend had plucked up the courage to approach a member of the opposite sex. "Where would he take her?"
"I don’t know," Eric shrugged. "He’s not a Vampire is he?" he questioned, making Tim stop in his tracks. "Because then you’d have to slay him."
"Was there some kind of announcement in the newspaper that I missed?" Tim sighed in frustration. "Is there any one in this damn town that doesn’t know I’m the fucking Slayer?"
"I only know that you think you’re the Slayer. What I don’t get is…"
"Look it doesn’t matter. Where would he take her?" Tim pushed.
"You’re serious."
"You can either help me or I’ll figure it out myself. But if you don’t there’ll be one more dead body in the morning."
~
Of course, Vampires liked to frequent cemeteries. He didn’t know why when there were so many obstacles like tombstones to trip over, but the undead didn’t really make much sense so he tried not to think about it too much.
They heard a scream that sounded all too much like Lindsay and Tim bolted in the direction of the mausoleum.
Andrew had always told him not to rush into battle without thinking, but his friend was being attacked; the time for thinking had long since passed.
"Well this nice," he commented, bursting through the door.
A quick assessment told him there were two problems he had to deal with. One was tall and pretty lanky, while the other was just as thin and looked just as weak. This would be a piece of cake.
"You could do with some décor, maybe a few throw pillows, but it could be a place called home."
"Who the hell are you?" the blonde Vampire demanded.
"Thank god! Eric, stop the press! There is someone in this town who doesn’t already know. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep my private life… well, private."
Tim shook his arms as though he were a boxer preparing for a big fight. "How’d you want to do this? There’s the hard way or… well, actually there’s just the hard way. Sorry about that."
He figured he’d tackle the petite blonde first before taking on the male Vampire.
"Fine by me."
"Are you sure? I mean, we’re talking serious violence, strong violence, adult…" he heard footsteps behind him and span around, withdrawing his trusty dagger from inside his jacket.
"Oops," he whispered, watching as the dust of the guy floated away on the light breeze. "My bad! I hope you’re not allergic to dust."
~
Tim watched in amusement as Caine darted from bookcase to bookcase, pulling out one thick volume after another before handing them to Lindsay, who was stood at his side watching every move the redhead made.
"This world… our world, is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology it did not begin as a paradise," Caine spoke as he walked. "For untold eons Demons walked the Earth and made it their home; their Hell."
"Only a few remain now, certain beings with powers… certain abilities."
"Like Vampires?" Tim ventured a guess.
"Yes."
"We’re having a talk about Vampires," Eric stated. "This so oh very wrong."
"Vampires exist," Tim informed him. "You pretty much have to accept that so we can get past this." Everyone looked at him. "What? I was told the same thing after my first encounter with a Vampire. It’s no big deal."
"I think I need to sit down," Lindsay muttered.
Tim leant over and whispered, "You are sat down."
"Oh."
"According to the text books, the last demon to leave this realm fed of a human. Their blood was mixed and he became a human form possessed… infected by the demon’s soul. And so their ranks grew and grew. Killing; waiting for the old ones to return."
"There is one who can fight against them. A Slayer."
"And that would be a… what?" Eric demanded.
"For as long as there have been Vampires a Slayer has fought against them. One girl in all the world… a chosen one," Tim explained.
"But you’re not a…"
"Girl? I know, trust me I’m not. I would prove it to you but I’d get expelled for indecent exposure." Tim smirked.
Caine rolled his eyes, picking up where Tim left off. "When one Slayer dies a new one is appointed. The Slayer is supposed to a female and before yourself," he nodded in Tim’s direction, "there has never been a male Slayer. And I doubt there will be one after."
"I’m the mistake," Tim commented.
"So how do you kill them?" Eric questioned.
"You don’t," Caine argued. "He does."
Lindsay and Eric both looked at Tim curiously and the brunette sighed. "I think they should know. Just in case… you know, self defence?"
Caine bit his lip in thought before relenting. "Well, alright. Everything you’ve ever seen about Vampires you better forget right now, because they won’t do you any good. Vampires can’t be killed by Hollywood’s methods."
Eric raised his eyebrow and looked pointedly at Tim. "Translation?"
"Stakes don’t work since a Vampire’s heart isn’t beating in the first place; the only affect sunlight has on them, is that it makes their sting," Tim stated matter-of-factly.
"Crucifixes?"
Tim’s fingers instantly went to the chain dangling around his neck. "Only if they’re made of pure silver," he whispered, lost in his thoughts of Andrew. "They burn them for a few moments, which should give you chance to take their head."
~
"Well, that figures," Tim muttered, seeing the locked gates in front of him. "I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on you?" he asked the figure he could sense behind him.
The other man half-smiled. "They don’t really like me dropping in on them."
Tim turned. "Why wouldn’t they?"
"They really don’t like me."
"How could they not? I mean you’re great at stalking people and being cryptic. What’s not to love?"
The other man ignored Tim’s sarcasm. "I knew you’d figure out where the entryway was sooner or later." He shook his head, "Truthfully? I thought it’d be sooner than this."
"Sorry I kept you waiting." Tim glared. "If you’re gonna be around - even if I don’t want you to be - giving me this cryptic, wise-man bullshit, the least you can do is tell me your name."
"Danny," he answered softly. "And you really shouldn’t be putting yourself at risk by going down there. Tonight is the Harvest. The Master walks tonight, unless you can stop it."
"Since you know so much about it, why don’t you stop them?"
"Because I’m not the Slayer," Danny replied. "They’ll be expecting you," he pointed out when Tim kicked the door open loudly.
"I’d hate to disappoint them, in that case. You gonna wish me luck?"
"Are you saying you’ll need it?"
~
Lindsay looked up hopefully when she heard the doors open. She sighed with relief when she saw Eric and Tim, both looking thankful to be back.
"Did you find Jesse? Is he dead?"
"Worse," Tim answered, slouching down in a nearby chair. "I’m sorry, Lindsay. We were too late."
"Have you guys figured anything out?" Eric looked at Caine.
"I bet you can’t make this day any worse."
"How about the end of the world?" Caine suggested.
"I take it back," Tim sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You can. Lay it on me."
"Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful Vampire came to this shore and not just with the intention to feed," Caine began.
"He came here because this town a mystical centre?" Tim ventured.
"Yes. The Spanish called it, Boca del Infierno."
"Which roughly translates to, ‘Helmouth’," Lindsay explained.
"Hellmouth. Exactly. It’s a sort of portal between this reality and the next. And this Vampire wanted to open it."
Tim leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Bringing the demons back."
"And the end of the world with them," Eric stated.
"But then there was a huge earthquake and it swallowed half the town; him too." Lindsay was practically bouncing out of her chair with enthusiasm.
Eric was pacing the library. "And the Harvest thing is to bring him back."
"The chance only comes once in century, on this night. When it does, the Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds, which would be enough power to break free and open the portal."
"The minion is called ‘The Vessel’." Caine stood and drew a three-pointed star on the whiteboard. "The Vessel will bear this," he rapped on the board with a knuckle, "symbol."
"So I dust anyone sporting the Mercedes Benz logo," Tim shrugged, getting out of his seat. "And we stop the Harvest."
"That would be the basic idea, yes," Caine agreed. "As always, things may not be as simple as that."
~
Tim tugged the door; he used all his strength as a Slayer and the damn thing still wouldn’t budge. "Fuck!" he hissed.
"We’re too late," Caine sighed, running his hand through his hair.
"I’m sorry, Mr Perfect. I didn’t know Social Services would be at home checking up on me!"
"Can you break it down?"
"No way in hell." He flinched. "Sorry, poor choice of words. You guys try the back entrance. I’ll find my own way in."
"Where are you going?" Caine demanded.
"Don’t sweat it. I have an idea." He handed everyone a small sword. "Don’t be afraid to use these. And don’t breathe in the dust… it will make you sneeze."
~
Why was everything so cramped? Tim hated crawling through ventilation systems; he hated the way they made him feel - slightly panicked and claustrophobic.
But there was no other way in and he didn’t have time to wait around while he thought of one.
He flinched when the window smashed, before rolling his eyes. He didn’t have to worry about being overhead, the Vampires would be too busy focusing on the screams of their victims to notice.
Someone was speaking, saying things about the Master getting stronger and needing another. Tim noticed there was a three-pointed star on his forehead. "So he’s the Vessel," the teenager muttered to himself.
"There’s a pretty one here," the blonde that attacked him in the mausoleum said, pushing someone onto the stage.
"Calleigh," Tim whispered as he recognised the head cheerleader. He had to do something, or this guy would end up slaughtering his entire class.
Tim swung a punch at the nearest bad guy and sent him sailing over the railing, just as Luke was about to sink his fangs into Calleigh’s neck.
"Oops," he cringed. "I’m sorry. Am I interrupting something?"
"You," Luke snarled, glaring up at the Slayer.
"Come on! There’s no way I’d miss a party like this! I’ll be right down." Tim placed his hands on the railing and threw himself over.
Gasps of amazement sounded when he landed perfectly, on the pool table below. ‘I knew there was something I liked about being a Slayer,’ he thought to himself as he dusted his hands off.
He span around, pulling the dagger from his belt and taking the head of the nearest vampire, reducing him to a pile of dust.
"I’m sorry," he apologised, waving his hand. "Where were we?"
"I want blood. Your blood."
"Fine by me." Tim ran across the dance floor and jumped up onto the stage.
One high kick in the jaw was all it took to send Luke flying into a pile of chairs.
"Boy, Vampires are ugly bastards." Tim shook his head, as Luke got to his feet once more.
He managed to knock Luke back several steps and he drew his dagger once more, with the intention of taking his head off.
Luke, however, intercepted his movement and knocked the blade from his hand, sending it flying. Tim took his eyes of the Vampire for a moment as he looked for his weapon and it was the only invitation Luke needed to send throw the Slayer against the wall.
~
"Eric, duck!" Tim shouted, grabbing a cymbal and throwing it as though it were a Frisbee.
Eric’s brown eyes widened as he saw the musical instrument come flying at him and he ducked quickly, seconds before it took his attacker’s head off.
"Go help the others," Tim instructed.
The instant Eric’s back was turned, Tim felt strong arms tighten around him; crushing his own arms against his body, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to use them.
He gasped for breath as the arms tightened, he could feel his lungs burning as they lost oxygen.
"I always wanted to kill a Slayer," Luke purred in his ear as Tim struggled to keep oxygen entering his body. "When the Master tastes your blood, he’ll be able to free himself. The Slayer’s blood will be the key."
Tim was running out of options and he knew it. When he heard Luke growl, he quickly threw his head back. The impact of his skull against Luke’s sent pains shooting through him, but it wasn’t anything a few painkillers couldn’t solve later.
"Do I taste okay?" Tim panted as Luke staggered back.
His hand clasped around the nearest microphone stand and he held it back, ready to throw it through Luke.
"You forget, that won’t kill me," Luke chucked.
"And you forget," Tim launched it through the window, "sunrise."
Luke screamed with pain and fell to the ground. Tim rolled his eyes, "It cant really kill you, moron." He grabbed his fallen sword and brought it across Luke’s neck. "I didn’t think he’d fall for it."
~
Danny’s blue eyes widened as several young Vampires fled from the bronze. "He did it," the blonde whispered.
His eyes were starting to sting again; cursing the sun, he slipped on his sunglasses once more. "I’ll be damned."
~
Caine watched as Tim, Eric and Lindsay crossed the quad, discussing new and inventive ways Tim could use to get kicked out of school again.
‘The fate of the world lies in the hand of a teenage rebel who rides a motorcycle?’ He thought to himself.
"The earth is doomed!"
~
To be continued…