***

Amber Lee Williams walked through the cemetery, keeping an eye out for her friends. Somehow, they had convinced her to take a shortcut through the graveyard. She knew it very well could be a sort of trap, so she just tried to keep her cool.

 As she walked, she remembered how the conversation with her friends had gone. Amber Lee paused there for a second. Could she really call Jack and Hannah her friends? She had just met them at the Bronze two weeks ago, and never saw them at school.

 Jack had dared her first. “Hey Amber, I bet you’ve never been in the cemetery before, have you?” She had shaken her head, and Jack had grinned. “Cool. Meet us there tonight, okay?”

 “But…” she had started, not knowing what to do or say, “it’s not on my way home.” It was a lame excuse, but she had needed *some*thing.

 Hannah had waved Amber Lee’s response aside. “I know where your house is. Just follow the path and jump the fence, and you’ll know where you are.” She seemed determined to meet Amber Lee.

 And now that Amber Lee thought about it, Hannah didn’t know where Amber Lee’s house was. So…

 Amber Lee tensed and continued her walk.

***

 A loud ringing by Giles’ ear brought him to a swift standing position. Quickly, bent down and picked up the receiver and brought it to his ear.

 The Watcher’s Council was fast and precise. Within minutes they told him where the new Slayer would be, who she was, and how fast Giles needed to find her. Which was pretty quickly.

 Giles hung up immediately after the conversation had ended, and donned his coat nervously. The new Slayer was in Sunnydale, most likely wandering the cemeteries. Giles wondered for a moment how they knew so much, but quickly dismissed the question from his mind. After he retired from already training three Slayers, they’d better tell him all he wanted to know.

 He exited his place quietly, taking with him a stake or two in case of an emergency. He debated silently about telling Angel he was off, but decided speed was required in order to meet the girl in time. Determined, he set off soundlessly into the night.

***

 Angel heard the door shut downstairs, and knew that Giles was out looking for the new Slayer. He shook his head to himself, acknowledging the fact that the Council worked quickly. He was about to comment on it to no one when he heard a soft moaning from the bed.

 His eyes flew to Willow lying on the bed as she began to stir underneath the sheets. Quickly, he crept to her side, taking her small hand in his own. She rolled to face him, and her eyes opened slowly. She blinked once, twice, then smiled.

 “Hey, handsome,” she said weakly, “what took ya so long?”

***

 Buffy was sound asleep in bed. Her dreams were riddled with Xanders and popsicle sticks, dead Faiths, and a strange girl with red hair in a cemetery. Occasionally a Willow would pop in, smile at her, and hug her close as a friend. Buffy, still in the dreams, didn’t know what to make of it, so she just went along with it until she woke up the next morning.

***

 “Okay, I think this qualifies as being majorly spookworthy now.” Amber Lee crept up to the wall of the cemetery. The large brick fortress was nearly ten feet high. There was no way she could just ‘jump the fence’. The thing could keep out the undead. Or keep in…at that thought, she shuddered.

 A twig snapped. Tense and extremely scared, she whipped around defensively. “Who’s there?” she cried out, her voice a pitch higher than usual.

 Two intimidating shadows morphed into two recognizable figures. “Amber, honey, switch to decaf!” It was Hannah and Jack, right where they’d said they’d be.

 “Oh god, you guys, I swear you scared me. Thanks so much for the heart attack.” Amber Lee’s tension was fading with the sight of her friends.

 Jack smiled seductively and advanced on Amber Lee. “Oh really?” he said. “Hannah, go…get the others.” He grinned. Amber Lee could feel herself blush. She had sensed a connection between her and Jack, and as Hannah left her sight, the bond seemed even stronger.

 The dark-haired boy crept up around Amber Lee, coming from the back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his grip gentle but firm. Then slowly, sensuously, he began to nibble on Amber Lee’s ear.

 The girl sighed in pleasure. She liked being held like this, having him treat her this way. His touch was like silk, and she cuddled up to him. His teeth were so loving, so sharp…

 Sharp?

 Jack let out a pained scream and backed away from Amber Lee. In the dim graveyard light, it almost look like his lip was burnt. But what else did she see there?

 “You bitch! You did that on purpose!” he yelled, his face contorted.

 “Did what?” she said, confused. She looked at Jack’s face again, and this time saw a face of scarred and rotten flesh. His blue eyes glowed electric, and his teeth were long and sharp. A vampire?
 
Amber Lee screamed, only to see a vamped-out Hannah come running to Jack’s side. “What’s wrong, Jack? Did the meal bite?” she joked.

 “It’s her, the bitch!” Jack yelled. “It’s that damn Slayer! She’s out to get us back for the one we had last week!” He was rabid from hunger and pain, and his survival instinct kicked in. He ran, with Hannah right beside him.

 Amber Lee stood by the wall in silence, contemplating what she had just experienced. “What the hell…?” she mused out loud.

 “Exactly,” responded a voice from the shadows.

 She screamed again as a middle-aged man stepped from behind a large tombstone. “Get away! I’m no Slayer!” She ran behind a small tombstone, peeking at the stranger from behind it.

 “But you are, Amber Lee, you *are*.” The man’s voice was gentle, but firm, like Jack’s touch… ”And I must commend you for your taste in jewelry. Crosses…very practical.” He took a step towards her. “Come with me.”
 
She stood and looked at him quizzically. “I think…I need…to lay down,” she said distantly. And she did.

 Face first.