Warriors of Light: Chapter 13
Disclaimer: All characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belonged to Joss Whedon, while the characters from the world of Anita Blake belong to Laurell K. Hamilton. Also the world of Kindred the Embrace belongs to FOX, Spelling Television Inc, White Wolf or the copyright individual....
“Life really is good, even if you are dead.”
(Narcissus in Chains, page 424, paragraph 3)
Chapter 13
“Lissa Luna?” Dolph questioned with a puzzled, eyeing both women. “Who is Lissa Luna?”
“
That’s what I want to know,” Anita asked.
Buffy sighed. “Buffy Summers is the name I was born with,” she answered. “When I married my husband, Julian, I had it changed to Lissa.”
“Why?” Dolph wanted to know.
She gave him a look. ”None of your business.”
His eyebrows flew up. “Okay,” he agreed, placatingly. “What I can do for you, Ms. Summers, or whatever your name is,” he noted sourly.
“You can call me Buffy, or Ms. Summers, if you prefer,” she said. “What I want,” she said. “…is to help.”
“Ms. Summers, what can you do that will differ from what we are doing?” he said tightly.
Agent Bradford came to Buffy’s rescue. “In the last two years, Ms Summers is one of the greatest Vampire Executioners on the west coast and rivals Ms. Blake here.”
“So you are a Vampire Executioner?” Dolph asked.
Buffy nodded.
”Well, we don’t need a Vampire Executioner on this case,” he said scowling. “From what I had observed, a vampire didn’t do this.”
“I’m more that a Vampire Executioner,” she admitted quietly, wondering why she was practically begging to be put on a case she wasn’t sure she wanted.
“Yes, she is,” agreed Agent Bradford. “She also a Federal Marshal.”
“Look Ms. Summers,” Dolph announced, impatient to get back to the crime scene. “We don’t need your help. We have Ms. Blake and she is both a Vampire Executioner and a Federal Marshal,” he stated with a dismissive nod.
“Wait,” she called, handing him an embossed card. “Here is my name and number. Right now my husband and I are staying at the Twilight Bay.”
Dolph took the card gingerly in his hand and glanced at it. “The vampire hotel downtown?” he asked, his voice carefully colored in neutral shades.
Buffy nodded.
“You are married to a vampire,” he spat in disbelief, his brows furrowed.
She nodded again.
Dolph shook his head and muttered as he walked away. “Why does every Vampire Executioner I meet, date or marry vampires? Don’t they know that the only good vampire is a dead one?”
“Is he always like that?” Buffy asked sharply.
“What do you mean?” Anita questioned.
“Your Lieutenant Storr better get his prejudice of vampires under control if he wants to continue in his job,” Buffy snapped frustrated. “Since I’m not wanted,” she continued, “I will mosey along. She gave them a perfunctory nod and allowed her guards to guide her away.
“How did you meet---Buffy or is it Lissa Luna?” Anita said quietly, watching the other woman’s retreating back.
“It’s both, actually, and I met her several months ago on a case.”
“Why does she have two names?” Anita demanded sourly.
Bradford eyed her for a moment, his eyes clear and observant. “Why don’t you ask her?”
Anita shivered at the look. She thought he might be seeing right through to her soul. She shook her head, she was being fanciful. “I think I shall,” she agreed. She turned her head, bit her lips and asked a little hesitantly, “Is she any good?”
“She is,” he admitted with a proud grin. “What she didn’t get to tell you is that she knows fifteen languages, studies all kind of martial arts, and is proficient in guns and other weaponry, such as swords.
“Wow!” Anita said, her eyes wide. “Your department could use someone with that kind of resume."
“Of course we tried to recruit her, but like you, it didn’t work out.”
“Why?” she asked.
“There were some issues,” he admitted wryly.
The issue was Buffy came to them and told them that it was unwise for them to continue to pursue her. It was the less-than-polite way she handled it that left a mark on the boys in the office; they'd never forget Buffy Summers anytime soon. So they had to mark her off the lists. Only Agent Bradford and a few key people knew how strong Buffy Summers really was.
Anita nodded; if he didn’t want to talk about what kind of issue it was, who was she to encourage him, even though she wanted to know. “But, Buffy Summers,” she muttered, “Come on, what kinda name is that? That name sounds like it belongs to some airhead cheerleader.”
“As a matter of fact,” he revealed with a grin.
“Don’t tell me she was a cheerleader. I used to hate them in school; all perky and bubbly,” she admitted shuddering.
“At one time she was, but that was several years ago.” His grin widens.
“What can an ex-cheerleader do that we can’t?” she asked resentfully.
“A lot of things, but then it’s your crime scene,” he announced, his expression tight with strain as he walked away. “For now,” he muttered. No matter how good Anita was or thought she was, they needed the help. After seeing babies being skinned year after year, he was tired. They needed to catch this guy immediately.
Anita sighed as she watched Bradley walk away. She could tell that he was disappointed in her. But she was more disappointed in herself. There was freak out there carving up women and babies, and all she could think about was that it was her crime scene. She was selfish.