CHAPTER FOUR

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𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕

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𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕

"This world is older than any of you know," Giles said as he spun a globe, a large stack of books balanced in his left hand. "Contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. Demons walked the earth, making it their home, their Hell. But in time they lost their purchase on reality, and the way was made for mortal animals, for man. What is left of the old ones are vestiges, certain magicks, certain creatures—"

"—and vampires." Buffy and I said in unison. She gave me a small smile as Willow dabbed the last bit of antiseptic on the cut on my arm, before covering the wound with a band-aid. I was sitting down, my feet propped up in the chair beside me while Xander and Buffy were standing.

"Okay, this is where I have a problem," Xander told us. "See, because we're talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it. Katy's never included us in her vampire talks before."

Willow spoke up, a fearful expression on her face. "Please don't tell me what's what we saw last night..."

"No, no, those weren't vampires," Buffy said, sarcasm evident in her voice. "Those were just guys in a thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies—it could've been rabies. And that guy turning to dust? Just a trick of the light." Xander gave her an amused glance.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "No need to lie, Buffy. They already know about vampires. I'm a slayer myself. Not the Slayer, but you get the idea."

"That's what I said when I first saw a vampire," Buffy continued sarcastically. I blink when I realize she was using sarcasm. A good job on her part. "Well, after I was done with the screaming part."

"Oh, I—I need to sit down," Willow said, looking like she was going to faint.

I chuckled, pointing at her chair. "You are sitting down, Will."

"Good for me."

Xander turned to face Giles. "So...are some vampires demons?"

"The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood," he replied, gazing down at the novel he held in his hand. "He was a human form possessed—"

"—or infected, rather, by the demon's soul," I concluded. Xander gave me a bewildered look, and I returned a smirk.

"What, Xand? Although I hate public schooling with a burning passion and that most people see me as a slacker, I do my research."

He scratched the back of his neck, a blush tinting his cheeks. "Oh," he mumbled as Buffy stared at us quizically. "I should've known that."

Giles gave us an annoyed look and continued with what he was saying. "He bit another, and another, and so they walk the Earth, feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and the old ones to return."

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