"Yep. You're good. But power alone isn't enough. A great fighter goes with the flow. She knows how to improvise." Buffy leaned back, surveying Kendra with interest. "Don't get me wrong, I mean, you havepotential-"

"Potential?" Furious, Kendra put the knife down. She marched over to Buffy and leaned into her face. "I could wipe the floor with you right now."

They stared at each other. And then Buffy smiled.

"That would be anger you're feeling," she said.

It caught Kendra completely off guard. "What?"

"You feel it, right? How the anger gives you fire?" Buffy nodded wisely. "A Slayer needs that."

At that moment Xander walked in and grabbed a book from Giles's desk. Kendra instantly froze, her eyes shyly aimed at the floor.

"'Scuze me, ladies," Xander said smoothly. He looked at Kendra. "Nice knife."

As Xander left, Buffy regarded the tongue-tied Kendra with sympathy. "I'm guessing dating isn't big with your Watcher either."

"I am not permitted to speak with boys," Kendra admitted.

Buffy couldn't help but smile. "Unless you're pummeling them, right?" And then her eyes widened with a sudden thought. "Wait a minute."

"What?"

"That guy," Buffy said. "The sleazoid you nearly decked in the bar."

Kendra was puzzled. "You think he might help us?"

"I think we might make him."

CHAPTER 21.

Angel was reeling from the pain.

As Drusilla knelt before him, one knee wedged between his long legs, he could see the dreaded bottle of holy water in her hand. She dangled it over him teasingly.

"Say uncle . . ."

Weakly, he looked away from her.

"Oh, that's right." A sly smile curled the corners of her lips. "Youkilled my uncle."

She splashed him again, delighting in his cries of pain. Spike entered the room behind her, his eyes fixed at once on their compromising positions. He wasn't pleased.

"That's it then," Spike said firmly. "Off to the church."

Drusilla looked up at him, all childlike innocence. She held out her bottle of holy water.

"It makes pretty colors," she smiled.

She got up to kiss him, but Spike scarcely seemed to notice. Right now he was interested in only one thing, and more than eager to get it over with.

He moved to untie Angel. Angel had seen Spike coming into the room-he'd seen the quick flash of jealousy and betrayal on Spike's face. And now a plan began to form, a plan that would ultimately bring about his release.

I'm sorry, Buffy . . .

Angel took a shuddering breath. He'd have to wait for just the right moment.

"I'll see him die soon enough," Spike went on, untying Angel's hands. "I've never been much for the pre-show."

This was Angel's chance. Without hesitation, he took it.

"Too bad," he mumbled to Spike. "That's what Drusilla likes best, as I recall."

Spike froze. He straightened very slowly.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Angel looked over at Drusilla, his tone leering. "Ask her," he nodded. "She knows what I mean."

Drusilladid know what he meant.

She couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Well?" Spike demanded, turning to face her.

Drusilla shook her finger at Angel. She gave a playful growl. "Shhhhhhh. Bad dog."

"You should let me talk, Dru," Angel taunted, grimacing through his pain. "Sounds like your boy could use some pointers." He shifted a sidelong glance at Spike. "She likes to be teased-"

"Keep your hole shut!" Spike yelled.

He'd had enough,more than enough. No need to be reminded of Angel and Dru's past together. He yanked Angel up by the throat and slammed him against a bedpost.

Angel could hardly stand, and he was in no condition to fight. Yet stubbornly he kept on, gasping out the words.

"Take care of her, Spike. The way she touched me just now, I can tell when she's not satisfied-"

"I saidshut up!" Spike shouted.

"Or maybe you two just don't have the fire that we did-"

"That'senough!"

Spike's hand tightened around Angel's neck. His other hand reached for a standing candelabra, smashing it into pieces, fashioning one of them as a stake.

Swiftly Spike drew back his arm. Angel could see the stake clutched there in Spike's hand, and he steeled himself bravely, a mere heartbeat away from death . . .

"Spike,no!" Drusilla cried.

And then Spike stopped.

For a long silent moment he glared at Angel.

And then, slowly, he smiled.

"Right," Spike mumbled. "Right, you almost got me."

He put the stake down. He tried to compose himself.

"Aren't you a 'throw himself to the lions' sort of sap these days?" he laughed. And then he roared like a beast into Angel's anguished face. "Well, the lions are on to you, baby. If I kill you now, you go quick and Dru hasn't got a chance. And if Dru dies, your little Rebecca of Sunnyhell Farm and all her mates are spared her coming-out party."

Drusilla nudged him gently, her eyes glowing with anticipation.

"Spike, the moon is rising. It's time."

She melted against him as he wrapped a protective arm about her.

"Too bad, Angelus," Spike said smugly. "Looks like you go the hard way-along with the rest of this miserable town."

CHAPTER 22.

Buffy slammed Willy into the bar while Kendra paced restlessly nearby.

"Honest!" Willy insisted. "I don't know where Angel is!"

"How about this ritual tonight?" Buffy said sharply. "What have you heard?"

"Nothing. It's all hush hush-"

Kendra was growing more impatient. "Justhit him, Buffy."

"She likes to hit," Buffy reminded the bartender.

"You know," Willy held up a tentative hand, "maybe I did hear something about this ritual. Yeah, it's coming back to me. But I'd-I'd have to take you there."

Buffy let him drop to the floor. She started dragging him toward the exit. "Let's go."

But Kendra hesitated "First, we must return to the Watcher."

"Excuse me?" Buffy stopped in disbelief. "While we run to Giles, the whole thing could go down-"

"But, it is procedure-"

"It's brainless, you mean! If we don't go now, Angel could be history."

"Is that all you're worried about?" Kendra drew herself up indignantly. "Your boyfriend?"

"It's not all," Buffy threw back. "But it's enough."

Kendra looked disgusted. "It's as I feared. He clouds your judgment. We can't stop this ritual alone-"

"He'lldie-"

"He's avampire. Heshould die! Why am I the only person who sees it?"

Kendra's patience was at an end. As she squared off with Buffy, she saw the look of pure coldness on Buffy's face. The facts had hit her hard, and Kendra knew it.

He's a vampire. He should die.

Without another word, Buffy grabbed Willy by the scruff of the neck and shoved him ahead of her out the door.

Frustrated, Kendra watched them leave. "Are you that big a fool?" she called.

Buffy looked back at her one last time. With hatred and murder in her eyes.

"Good riddance, then," Kendra muttered.

Buffy didn't hear the parting remark. Her thoughts, her heart, her entire focus was on Angel.

She followed Willy through a maze of dark streets. They were in the oldest section of town now, a veritable graveyard of condemned buildings, forgotten neighborhoods, and deserted shops. Leading her several more blocks, Willy suddenly stopped in front of an old abandoned church. He looked back at Buffy, then led her inside.

Buffy found herself in a shadowy vestibule. Her footsteps echoed hollowly across the floor, and her breathing whispered harshly into the shadows.

Willy guided her forward toward a thick bank of shadows in the corner.

"Here you go," Willy said. "Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch."

Buffy was right on his heels. She wasn't expecting the shadows to part, wasn't expecting the four strange figures who suddenly materialized from the darkness.

Xander's Mr. Pfister, the Police Lady, two of Spike's henchmen . . .

Before Buffy could react, they surrounded her.

Willy turned to one of the vampires with an oily grin.

"Here you go," Willy said. "Don't ever say your friend Willy don't come through in a pinch."