Friday was out patrolling with Lilly, when they both got that feeling that there were vampires nearby. They hid themselves in nearby bushes.
"How many do you count?" Lilly whispered in awe, not believing her eyes.
"Nine," Friday replied. "Looks like we stumbled on a nest."
"Yeah... we should get help."
"Naw, we can handle them."
"Maybe you can. But I'm only good one on one. And I doubt that you can handle eight on one."
Friday looked at her, then smiled.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said. "Sorry, sometimes I forget."
"Ha. You never forget that you're the best," Lilly grinned. "We passed Katrina and Sally earlier... they shouldn't be too far away. I'll go get them."
"Okay. I'll stay here and keep an eye on this group, although I doubt we'd loose them."
"You could defend yourself better if they find you anyway," Lilly replied. "Good luck."
"Good luck to you too," Friday nodded.
Stealthily, Lilly moved away from the camp and into the direction they last saw their friends. Friday watched the nest, impatient and itching to start dusting the vampires. She traced the handle of her sai-stake impatiently. Just as she was being sorely tempted to just start the fight on her own, Lilly returned with Salena and Katrina.
"Great, you're here," Friday said. "We miscounted earlier, Lilly - there's eleven of the suckers."
"Great," Katrina muttered.
Salena hefted her crossbow, bolts at the ready.
"Any of you guys got ranged?" she asked.
"I can throw my sais," Friday said, "but I've only the two."
"Afraid not," Lilly said.
"Okay, well, I'll start taking them out with my crossbow," Salena said. "You guys stay put until the last minute."
"Right, we want to take out as many as possible, as quickly as possible, but we don't want to put you in any danger," Friday replied. "Okay, lets get started."
Friday, Lill and Katrina readied themselves while Salena loaded her crossbow. She was going to make her first shot count, so she took her time with it - it was the following shots that she wouldn't have time for. She aimed for the nearest vampire and waiting until she had a good view of his chest before she fired.
The bolt his the vampire in his heart, and with a startled yell, he dissolved into dust. Salena reloaded for the next target, but by this point the rest of the vampires were aware of their presense. They started towards them. Salena got off another two shots before Friday and Katrina entered the fray. Now it would be hard for Salena to get good shots, but Lilly was giving her cover.
Friday and Katrina moved like lighting. Friday because of her extra dosage of slayer skills, and Katrina because of her many years in gymnatics. But that was not to say that the many vampires were not formidable opponants!
And then the worst happened - Katrina suddenly found herself unable to move. She tried to cry out, but there was only evil laugher and a taunting voice in her head as response. She looked in horror as a smug vampire moved towards her - and was taken out by one of Salena's bolts.
"Katrina?!"
She wasn't sure who called her name in the mess, only that she couldn't move... and that laughter continued.
"Friday! Help Katrina!"
Friday moved her head, frowned seeing Katrina's prone state and absently dusted the nearest vampire. She moved over to give her friend some cover while she tried to figure out the problem. Hyponotisim perhaps?
*You can't help her, Friday Black,* the voice taunted.
*Telepath!*
*Well, now, aren't we the smart cookie?*
Damn it, how could she have not noticed the vampire with the extra strength - perhaphs because they were amongst a nest? The vampire chuckled.
*Very good,* he said. *I was worried I'd have to - now why did you have to kill Frank for?*
*Because I'm a vampire slayer, duh,* Friday replied, having just dusted another vampire - Frank presumably. *I slay vampires. And other demons for that matter.*
*Not any more.*
And Friday found herself in the same position as Katrina - stuck and unable to move. What was worse, only Lilly and Salena were free, and there were still five vampires left to kill. Salena could probably handle it, although her specialties were ranged and kick boxing. Lilly was definitely the weakest fighter of them all.
*Really? How interesting,* the vampire picked the thought right out of her head. *Friday! I'm surprised at you, using language like that. You never use language like that.*
*Leave. Her. Alone! Oh hell no!*
To Friday's personal horror, four of the vampires went straight for Lilly. Friday struggled to get free. The fifth vampire moved into Friday's line of sight and smirked as Lilly, overwhelmed by the numbers, took down one before succumming herself.
The vampire laughed.
*Shall I take you out next? Or make you watch your friends die?*
He moved towards Katrina, mouth wide, fangs protruding - then at the critical moment, he became a she. Startled, his grip on Katrina and Friday was released. Friday threw her sai-stake, then, not waiting to see if she hit her target, she and Katrina went for Salena to help her defeat the remaining vampires.
Each girl took out one of the three vampires. The battlefield clear, Salena stood staring, Katrina collapsed to the ground and Friday moved to Lilly's side, tears welling at her eyes.
"Oh Lilly," she wept. "I'm so sorry..."
She should have controlled her thoughts better. She had been dealing with a freaking telepath! She should have known better than to be assessing her friends strengths and weaknesses like that. She may as well have killed her herself.
"Is she..." Katrina asked.
Friday's response was a burst of tears.
"Oh hell," Katrina bit her lip.
There was silence between the girls for awhile, other than the noice of crying.
"Umm, where'd the last one go?" Salena asked. "The one that hung around with you guys."
Katrina and Friday looked up at the spot that they'd last seen it. Friday's sai-stake was no where to be seen.
"Didn't... didn't I dust it?" Friday asked.
"Where's your sai?"
"Oh man... please tell me we did kill that bastard," Katrina said. "It was a darn human/dath hybrid. Telepathic."
"Dath? So he'd be able to do that atom manipulation thing you can, Friday?"
"Uh huh," Friday sniffed.
Katrina swore.
"He probably dusted it before your sai hit him," she cursed. "Probably picked the thought right out of your head just in time and now the bastards' gotten away. Damnit!"
"She," Friday corrected. "He's a she now."
"Well, that's little consolation."
More slience.
"We should get back," Salena said at last. "We need to... to tell everyone about Lilly. And we need to make sure everyone knows about this vampire. I hope they can think of some way to protect all of us from his telepathy. Her telepathy, I mean."
"I'll carry Lilly," Friday said, standing. "It's my fault she's dead."
"Day," Katrina said, also standing. "You can't blame yourself for Lilly's death -"
"Yes I can, damnit!" Friday replied. "He found out she was the worst fighter from me! He found out she couldn't handle more than one vampire at a time from me! It was my fault!"
"Day, he was a telepath! He could have picked that thought out of my head, or Sally's head just as easily," Katrina pointed out.
"We need to get back," Friday replied stubbornly.
She carefully picked up Lilly's body, and started carrying it back to the school. Katrina and Salena, to weary to argue, followed silently behind.