Vengeance, Lust and Sacrifice

Title: Vengeance, Lust and Sacrifice

Author: Mel M./Misty

Archive: The Realm, the Edge, and anyone else who asks

Pairing: H/T, D/L, B/. . .(read to find out ^.^)

Rating: Probably R for implied sex, violence and language

Spoilers: Anything from Buffy, BoP or Angel is fair game

Disclaimers: I don’t own anything attached to any show/characters mentioned and I’m making absolutely nothing off of this fic. Well, accept for maybe feedback.

Comments: This is a Tomb Raider/BoP/Buffy/Angel x-over in reply to the Tomb Raider/BoP challenge on my BoP Slash Fic group. Also, I need feedback. Remember, FEED ME! And enjoy!

Part 1

“What? But how?” Buffy growled.

“The Powers. They allowed Willow’s spell to be effective until the One was defeated. It appears they revoked the spell shortly after that,” the watcher explained.

“So it’s just me and Faith again?”

“Yes. Faith never actually died so no other slayers will be summoned until she does.”

“Well, at least the One’s gone,” Willow sighed, closing her eyes.

“Hey Xan-man, can ya give me a lift to the bus depot. I don’t wanna be late.”

“Uh, yeah, sure thing.”

Meanwhile. . .

His dark eyes shimmered psychotically as he thumbed through the text. “There you are beautiful,” he purred, staring at the picture before caressing it with his thumb.

“The sister gem to the Ring of Amara, looks like my luck’s changing already. And I have a pretty good idea of where you’re hiding. Once you’re mine the world, and that stupid bitch, will pay,” he laughed as he clapped the book shut. He stood, sin staining his hands as he left what was once his home.

In England. . .

“Miss Croft, there’s a gentleman on the phone who wishes to speak with you.”

Her plush lips spread into a grin. “Thank you, I’ll take the call in here,” she replied as she flicked the speaker phone on.

“Lara?”

“Hello. I’ve been expecting your call.”

“Sorry I’m an hour late but I had more pressing business to tend to. You understand, right?”

“Of course. Speaking of which, lets get down to business.”

“Right. We’ve already discussed payment, now I need you to get my gem. It’s called the Jewel of Inari. It’s one of two pieces in a collection. The other piece, the Ring of Amara, was destroyed but I still want the stone. In the envelope I sent is a picture of the gem as well as a map of New Gotham. Keep in mind that the gem could have been made into anything. I can still use it however.”

“Alright. Why New Gotham?”

“It was seen there seven years ago.”

“What makes you think it’s still there?”

“Seven years ago there was an incredible battle between the infamous Batman and his adversary the Joker. It was rumored that the Joker dropped it while trying to escape. A large portion of Gotham City was destroyed and built over. Now its secrets lay dormant beneath New Gotham. Unless someone else has found it I doubt it’s left the debris.”

“An underground city? That’s a new one. Anything else I should know about?”

“Unfortunately. There’s a man who’s after the jewel as well. He’s a vampire and if he gets the gem it will make him invincible. I’m counting on you to stop that from happening. All I want you to do is get it and get gone. Be careful Lara.”

“Always am. Well, the jet’s fueled up so when should I report in?”

“When you get the jewel. If things get complicated you know the number and you know who will help you.”

“Of course I do. After all, the old Gotham use to be my simulated playground. Talk to you again soon. Bye.”

Two days later in New Gotham. . .

Sighing, she stepped off the plane and hid her eyes from the slowly dimming rays of sunlight. Walking down the steps, she looked around. It looked almost exactly like the ground map he’d given her. How odd. She made her way to her car and drove to the hotel she’d reserved a room at. This adventure would be allot more comfortable than many of the others but she would also have to do her work by night. That didn’t bother her but she didn’t know this city and people might think her odd hours were suspicious. She signed for her key and took her luggage to the room. After making a phone call she headed out.

At the Clocktower. . .

“So what’s up?” Helena asked, studying the redhead closely.

Barbra sighed in confusion. “Nothing. Something’s coming. I don’t know what but I have a feeling it won’t be good.”

“What do you mean?” Dinah asked as she sat by the Delphi to sip her Kool-aide.

“Her spider sense is tingling Superkid. It has been a little too quiet around here. Somebody really evil’s on their way here, I can smell them. I better do sweeps alone tonight,” Helena suggested, knowing the kid wouldn’t like that.

“That’s a good idea but be careful Helena. We don’t know what’s out there or what they’re capable of. Not yet anyway,” the redhead agreed.

Dinah shrugged. She enjoyed sweeps but having a night off would be nice. Especially since she had somewhere to be later. They didn’t know about it but they would soon find out. “Whatever. I can play Monster Rancher 2 or hang out with Gabby. It IS Friday night,” she added slyly.

After sunset. . .

“Hello, I’m Lara.”

“Pleased to meet you Miss Croft. You’re here about some business, right? Would you like a drink?”

“Likewise Mr. Gibson. Mango mix on the rocks please. So, what can you tell me about Inari?”

He served her drink then checked to make sure nobody was paying attention. “All I know is that it’s here in New Gotham and I do know somebody who can help you even more. Her name’s Barbra.”

She nodded. “I’ve already contacted another source to arrange a meeting with her,” she replied, gulping her juice down in a few long swigs.

“Good. Here’s my cell number in case you need any meta info. I know every meta in this town so feel free to call any time.”

She tucked the card in her pocket and flashed him her signature smile. “Of course Gibson. Thank you for you help,” she whispered before disappearing into the crowd.

As she began walking she heard fighting and slipped into the alley behind a garbage can. She crept closer in the dark, knowing far to well of traps that may lay ahead. Then she felt a woman’s hands slap against her boots. She looked down in confusion, seeing a young woman staring up with trembling eyes. She was scared. “Are you

alright?” she asked softly, trying to hide her British accent.

Before the girl could answer they both heard a crash and looked to see what was happening. They saw the brunette rip the mugger from the walls interior, slam him to the ground and cuff him in less than five seconds. The girl was even more afraid now, scurrying off like a terrified mouse being hunted by a cat. Lara returned her attention to the woman, a smirk spreading across her lips. “You must be Huntress. I’ve heard allot about you, all good of course. That was very impressive.”

“Look lady, don’t talk to me like you’re my friend. You’re not. Now I have a question for you. How do you know who I am? I know you didn’t see me on the news. They don’t know what I do,” she hissed cautiously.

“I know people around here Huntress, I’m not one of the bad guys. I need to know if you have any information on the Jewel of Inari.”

Huntress paused for a moment. Perhaps she knew Barbra, or maybe Alfred by the British accent. She processed this for a moment then replied, “I don’t know anything about any jewel and even if I did I wouldn’t be handing out the information to perfect strangers.”

“I understand. Relax, I’m really no threat unless you attempt to kill me,” the braided woman teased softly.

“So what about this jewel? Why do you want it?”

“Do you have Oracle on com?” she asked innocently, knowing her signal jammer would block the connection.

“No, I think I lost her. . .”

Huntress froze in shock as she felt the woman’s plush lips against hers.

Meanwhile. . .

“Where is it you little bitch! I know you’re hiding the information somewhere,” he growled, in front of her before she could even blink.

“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’ve never heard of this jewel,” she gasped as he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her out of her chair.

“A cripple? This should be easy. Your death will send them a message,” he laughed as his grip tightened.

“Get your hands off her jerk,” a voice screamed, catching his attention.

“What are you gonna do about it little girl?” he scoffed. She was really in no position to talk to him like that. Then he saw a familiar face enter the room.

“Hey Di, where should I. . .” the brunette paused as she walked in on the scene.

Dinah glared at the man, throwing several objects at him. He dropped Barbra and managed to dodge all of the items. He stared at them calmly. “This isn’t over. I’ll be back to finish this,” he threatened before jumping out the window.

Dinah rushed to her mentor’s side, helping her back into her chair. “Barbra, are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Who’s this?” she asked, gesturing toward the brunette.

“Her? It’s a long story but to make it simple she’s my half sister, Faith,” the blonde explained sheepishly.

“Hey. Nice to meet ya Babs. Heard lots about you,” Faith greeted with a wave.

Barbra smiled. “It’s nice to meet you too Faith. Do you know who that guy was? He seemed to recognize you when you walked in.”

“Yeah. His name’s Angelus.”

“Angelus? The vampire with a soul?”

“Yeah, only now he ain’t got his soul.”

“Shit,” the redhead groaned, taking her glasses off to rub the bridge of her nose. “So what’s he after?”

“Um, sorry for being clueless here but who is this Angelus guy and how do we stop him?” Dinah interrupted.

“He’s a vampire. He was cursed with a soul because of the fucked up things he did,” Faith began.

“If he has one moment of true happiness his soul is revoked and he becomes the ruthless killer he was before the curse,” Barbra continued.

“So we need to get his soul back? How exactly do we do that? And what do you mean he’s a vampire?”

Faith ducked her head. “Yeah, we need to get his soul back and the only way to do that is to curse him again. We need a witch for that. I’ve got someone I can call though. Di, vamps, demons and Gods are real. I know cause I’m a slayer and I deal with this shit all the time.”

“A what?”

“A slayer. To each generation a slayer is born. One chosen to dust vamps, kill demons and save the world.”

“Wait, I thought Buffy Summers was the slayer,” Barbra questioned, slightly weary of the brunette.

“She was. She was dead for two minutes a few years back. They brought her back but by then the Powers had chosen another slayer. When that one died I was chosen. Me and B worked together for a while. She’s still got the slayer strength and shit but they consider me the slayer now.”

“I see. Well then, I guess we’ve got some work to do. Dinah, plug your laptop into the Delphi. I’ll contact the Watchers Council to see if they can help us find out what Angelus is after. In the meantime, call your people Faith. I have a feeling we’ll need all the help we can get.”

Back in the alley. . .

“Mmmmh, that was great but unfortunately I have to go. I have work to do,” the woman whispered before standing to get dressed. She smiled wickedly as she dressed herself, watching the Huntress stare up at her in shock.

She leaned over and kissed the woman before whispering, “thanks. We will meet again Huntress.”

Huntress dressed herself and stood there in thought for a moment. She was use to gettin some and getting gone but there was something strange about that woman. Something she couldn’t point out but she could sense it. Sighing, she tapped her com to see if it was working. “Oracle, do you copy?”

When she got no reply she decided to head back.

At the tower. . .

“Hey B. Uh huh, New Gotham. She’s my sister baby. No, well none that could fuck better than you but that’s not what I called about. Listen we’ve got an Angelus problem.”

Dinah smiled as she glanced over at her sister who was on the phone. She couldn’t wait until this was over so they could sit down and catch up. She hadn’t seen Faith since she was five but they’d still kept in touch. She knew Faith had been in prison but she still trusted her with her life. Returning her eyes to the screen, she heard the conversation continue.

“Why not? Look, Red’s a big girl and she can take care of herself. Put her on the phone, I wanna ask her what the deal is,” Faith hissed, her temper flaring.

After a moment of silence the other two women heard a loud crash and jumped slightly. Their eyes focused on Faith who had her hand in one of the metal walls. “Son of a fuckin bitch,” she cursed, yanking her hand away from the large dent in the wall.

Barbra frowned. “They’re made of steel Faith. Are you alright?”

Faith was about to nod when she realized she couldn’t move her fingers. Her shoulders sank as she walked over to them. “We need to find a witch or stake Angelus. Do you know why he’s here Babs?”

“Actually, I’m working on that as we speak. The council doesn’t know anything but I still have a few people I’m contacting about it.”

Dinah looked at her sister’s hand. “Faith, maybe Barbra should look at that,” she suggested, motioning toward the slayer’s bloody, bruising hand.

Faith rested her arm on the counter, staring at the redhead. “I think it’s broken but it’ll be fine in a couple days.”

Barbra laughed. “I think I’m suppose to tell you how bad it is,” she teased, examining the wound.

Cleaning it up, she stitched the gash along Faith’s knuckles. “Well, if you heal like Helena then you’ll have full use of it in about two days. I think you’ll heal faster since you’re a slayer but don’t push it. The last thing we need is a wounded slayer.”

Huntress leapt in through the window, looking around frantically. “I heard a loud thud, is everything ok?”

When she saw the brunette she raised a brow. “And what is she doing here?”

Dinah narrowed her eyes. “She’s my sister. Faith, this is Helena.”

Faith waved with her good hand. “Hey. Sorry about the loud bang and the dent in the wall. I kinda lost my temper.”

Huntress looked at the dent then back at the woman. Why did everyone else bring people into the Clocktower? It was THEIR lair, not Freaks Anonymous. Sighing, she walked up and sat on the counter. “So, what’s up? I can tell there’s something wrong.”

“Just a psychotic vampire seeking the destruction of the entire world, nothing new,” Dinah replied with a sassy grin.

Huntress raised a brow. Great, that was all she needed. Two problems in a row. “What’s he looking for?”

“He mentioned some sort of jewel. He didn’t say why he wanted it but apparently he’s willing to kill for it,” Oracle replied.

Huntress nodded, catching the small hint of fear in Barbra’s voice. She would talk to her about that a little later. “Looks like we’re in the middle of a race.”

“What do you mean?” Dinah asked, lost on the older woman’s response.

“I met a woman tonight while doing sweeps. Didn’t catch her name but she was asking about a jewel too. She had a British accent. She knows about Huntress and Oracle but I don’t trust her.”

“That must have been when I lost you on the com set. We’ll keep an eye out for her. Maybe she can tell us more about this jewel. In the meantime I suggest we all get some sleep. Faith, you can sleep on the couch.”

Part 2

Huntress sighed as she hopped from rooftop to rooftop. She needed something to hurt. She didn’t like Faith and not knowing anything about the vampire on the loose was bothering her. Not to mention she was still trying to figure out what that woman wanted with the jewel. Hearing a scream she dropped down into the alley. Another petty mugger. Knocking him away from the blonde woman, she shook her head. “When are you lowlifes gonna get it? These are my streets and you can’t get away with shit like this.”

“Who the hell are you?” he growled, pulling a knife on her.

“I’m the Huntress and you’re the prey,” she replied as they circled each other.

The knife flew out of his hand and against one of the brick walls, clanking as it dropped to the ground. They both looked over at the blonde. The thug took this opportunity to run as Huntress approached the woman. “Are you ok?”

The woman nodded, “I-I’m fine.”

“How’d you do that? Are you a meta?”

“N-N-No. I’m a w-w-w-witch,” the blonde stuttered.

“Really? I might need your help then. My name’s Huntress.”

“N-Nice to meet y-y-you Huntress, I’m Tara. W-W-What do you n-need my h-h-help with?” she asked, cringing as pain shot through her body.

Huntress saw blood on the woman’s shirt and frowned. “You’re hurt,” she whispered, steel meeting light sapphire blue eyes.

Tara blushed. “S-S-Sorry I lied but I’ll b-be fine.”

Huntress fell into those eyes, losing herself in them for a moment. There was something special about this woman. It wasn’t the same feeling she’d gotten from the brunette the night before, it was deeper, like this witch was touching her soul. Smiling softly, she whispered, “I could take you to my place so we can clean up that wound. I can walk you back home after that if you want.”

“T-T-That would be n-nice but I don’t h-h-have a home. I’m n-n-new here.”

“Then you can stay the night at my place. I’ll take the couch, I don’t mind. C’mon,” the brunette replied, leading the girl to her apartment.

Meanwhile at the Clocktower. . .

“Barbra Gordon?”

The redhead spun around, yanking out her sticks. She stared cautiously. “Who are you and how did you get in here?” she demanded.

“Alfred let me in. I’m here for information on the Jewel of Inari.”

“You’re the one Huntress told me about. What is this jewel and why do you want it?”

“I want it because I was hired to find it for a good friend. I know his intentions are honorable and that’s why I need to get the gem before the vampire does.”

“I see. What does it do and why does Angelus need it?”

“I honestly don’t know. So, will you help me?”

Barbra pondered this then nodded. If Alfred trusted her enough to let her in then she would trust her until she had a reason not to. “Just promise you won’t hurt anyone.”

“I promise.”

At No Mans Land. . .

“So how’s life been since the last time we saw each other big sis?”

“Wish I could say it’s been smiles and sunshine but I ain’t gonna lie to ya Di. It’s been one hell of a ride,” the slayer replied, sipping her drink.

“Well, Barbra gave us the night off so we have plenty of time. Tell me more about this slayer thing. You never told me you were a slayer before, you just said things were getting tough.”

“You remember when I disappeared for about two years?”

“Yeah, right before you went to jail. What about it?”

“That’s when I found out I was a slayer. I thought it was all about dusting vamps until I got to Sunnydale and met B. She’s a slayer too.”

“How can there be two if only one is born for each generation?”

“Like I told Babs, B died. It was only for a few minutes but another one had already been summoned. B continued to slay and she met up with the new chick. The chick ended up kickin the bucket so I was called. My watcher was killed so I made my way to Sunny D, the Hellmouth.”

“Watcher? Hellmouth? Sorry but I’m new to this whole demons and vampires thing.”

“Watchers are the people who train slayers. They’re sent by this group called the Watchers Council who keep tabs on slayers so they don’t screw up. The Hellmouth is what it sounds like, the fuckin mouth of hell. It’s like a demon hot spot cause of all the bad vibes it puts out. Anyway, I met B and things were good for a while but things changed.”

“What happened?”

“I started feelin like I wasn’t helpin, like maybe I’d be better off doin somethin else. Then I killed someone cause I thought he was a vamp. The guilt sent me over the edge. I did allot of bad shit after that and ended up in a coma for somethin like six months. Had time to think but all I did was blame B. When I came out of the coma I went back to being a bitch again. I tried to fuck up B’s life and when we fought I realized that wasn’t how I wanted it to be. So I ran. I went to LA and tried fuckin things up there but Angel stopped me. He did me some good and that’s when I turned myself in. You know how prison treated me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this before Di, I just wanted to say it to your face, ya know?”

“Yeah, I know. Maybe after this Angelus thing blows over you can tell me a little more about this. I’d like to know who your friends are and stuff. Hey, you wanna play some pool?”

“Sure.”

An hour later at Helena’s apartment. . .

“Relax Tara, nobody can get to you here. What’s got you so tripped out anyway? Is somebody after you?”

The blonde sighed. “It’s complicated. You p-p-probably wouldn’t un-understand.”

“Try me.”

“Well, I was taken away from somebody I really loved and now I can’t be with her ever again. It’s only been a y-year and she’s m-m-moved on but I. . .I d-d-don’t know. I just feel. . .”

“Betrayed?” Helena asked, knowing how that felt. She’d felt betrayal too many times and the last thing she wanted was to get burned again. Or worse yet, burn somebody else.

Tara nodded sadly. “I gave my heart to her and now if I went back I know she’d choose that. . .that. . .” she was trying not to sob, her eyes barely holding her tears in.

“Bitch?” Huntress replied, pulling the blonde into her arms. “Shhh, she didn’t deserve you Tara. She’s an idiot for letting you go in the first place.”

Tara met the brunettes eyes. “How would you know? You’ve only known me for an hour,” she replied in disbelief.

“People will tell you everything you want to know if you talk to them for a while. And beside that I’m half cat so I can sense these things. You’re a kind, gently person and it shows in everything you say and do,” Helena explained.

The witch smiled as crimson flushed across her cheek. “Th-Th-Thank you.”

They looked into each other’s eyes, the world standing still as peacefulness consumed every fleeting breath. The moment carried them, their lip pressing together shyly at first. Then the kiss became a bit more daring as Helena’s pierced tongue entered the Wiccan’s mouth.

Back at the tower. . .

“Damn!”

“What is it Barbra?”

“No information on it at all! This is very unusual.”

She stalked over to the frustrated redhead and gently massaged her shoulders. “Maybe you should take a break. Your shoulders are really tense. I could give you a back rub.”

Barbra sighed. She really could use a break but she didn’t want to let her guard down. What were these woman’s intentions? With a smirk, she replied, “maybe I should get some sleep. You wanna come tuck me in too?”

“I’ve got a better idea,” she whispered, picking Babs up out of her chair.

“What the?” the redhead squeaked.

“I’ll carry you to bed,” she replied before kissing the woman. “And then we’ll see if you just want me to tuck you in.”

Barbra melted into the kiss, grinning when it ended. “Well maybe I want you to do more than tuck me in, hon.”

At No Mans Land

Sitting back down at the table after their game of pool, they ordered another drink. “So what’s been up with you? How’d you end up here in NG with Babs and H?”

“Well, it might sound weird but I’m a meta-human.”

“A what?”

“A meta-human. I’m a telekinetic touch telepath which means I can move things with my mind and read people’s minds when I touch them. I also see things in my dreams. That’s how I first met Helena and Barbra.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was nine at the time. There was this huge fight here between Batman and the Joker. The Joker sent one of his men to kill Helena’s mother and he went to kill Barbra himself. I saw Helena’s mom get stabbed and Barbra get shot.”

“Wait, I know about Batman but why did he go after H’s ma and Babs?”

“You know who Catwoman and Batgirl were, right?”

“Yeah. Heard about em allot from my friends in Buffalo.”

“Helena’s mother was Catwoman and Barbra was Batgirl.”

“So that’s why she’s in the chair. Why’d he go after Catwoman?”

“Because she was close to Batman. He’s Helena’s dad.”

“Oh. Shit, that sucks. So you saw this in a dream and it was actually happening?”

“Yeah. Seven years later I decided it was time to find these people and see if they could help me. I didn’t know what to expect but I didn’t care. I knew they were good people and I had to get away from my foster parents. Helena saved my life my first night here. I remembered her face and when I touched her I saw the Clocktower. I ended up following her back to the tower but security caught me before I got very far. I don’t remember very much up until I woke up and saw Barbra. I told them I could see into peoples minds. We worked together later that night and Barbra told me I could stay as long as I followed the rules. We’ve been through some hell together but having them in my life is worth it.”

“You really dig being here, huh? I’m glad you found your way here Di, I can’t see you anywhere else. So what is Helena? I mean, what’s her power?”

“Helena’s half cat. Well, not literally but she has heightened senses like a cat. She’s very feral sometimes. Her eyes even change. It’s kinda cool. When she’s like that we call her Huntress. Barbra’s not a meta but she’s very good at getting info and telling us where to go. She’s the brain. We call her Oracle.”

“Cool. I think I’m startin to like this place. Maybe I’ll visit more often once me and the others settle down. Found another Hellmouth we gotta take care of.”

“That should be fun. We should get back soon. I don’t want Barbra to worry.”

Part 3

“Hey Gibson.”

“Dinah? Hey, how are things with you and the ever so delightful Huntress?”

“Just fine but I need to know if you have any information on this Jewel of Inari. We need all the info we can get.”

“There was a woman asking about the same thing. I really don’t know anything about it. Sorry.”

“Well, thanks anyway Gibson. I have to get back to the tower but I’ll see you later.”

Moments later. . .

She walked along the streets of New Gotham, heading toward the Dockyards when she heard a shriek of fear. She turned into the alley and frowned. There was a young girl and a vampire fighting and it seemed he was winning. For some strange reason she felt protective of the blonde, and oddly attracted to her. It was far different than the lust she’d felt for the other two she’d had her way with. It was almost enlightening like she was walking on clouds. Returning to the situation she spoke up, “Leave her alone. Your problem’s with me vampire.”

He looked at her with narrowed eyes. “Great, more trouble. Just what I needed. You must be the little bitch who’s hunting down the jewel. You’re not gonna find it before I do.”

“You’re mistaken, I will find it before you do and I’m not a bitch though I can be if you really want.”

“Stay out of my way or I’ll kill you and the girl,” he growled before disappearing into the night.

The blonde began breathing again as she leaned against the wall. That had been a little too close for comfort. She jumped slightly when she felt slender fingers against her skin. She met the woman’s soft gaze and blushed. “Thanks,” she whispered shyly.

“No problem.”

“You’re the woman Huntress was talking about, aren’t you?”

“Yes. My name’s Lara.”

“Well Lara, I think we should go back to the tower and talk with the others about a plan.”

“And who might you be?”

“I’m Dinah, Black Canary’s daughter.”

Lara hesitated as she saw a trail of red ease across the girl’s chest. “You’re bleeding. Perhaps we should stop by my room to clean you up before returning you to the tower,” she suggested.

Later at the tower. . .

“Hey babe. . .WHAT? But. . .B, I don’t understand. . .I-I love you. . .Yeah, bye,” the slayer whispered, putting the phone down as shock sank into her stomach.

Dinah smiled as she and Lara walked in. Barbra froze in her tracks as Faith began pacing back and forth. “Barbra, Faith, this is Lara Croft. She’s a tomb raider and she’s after the jewel but she’s totally on the good side.”

“Pleased to meet all of you,” Lara added with a wave.

“Likewise Miss Croft. So what do you know about the Jewel of Inari?” Barbra replied with a faint smirk.

Huntress stalked in from the balcony, halting instantly at the site of the woman. She glanced at Barbra then focused her cat eyes on Dinah. “Let me guess, another vigilante.”

“Actually, my name’s Lara Croft and I’m a tomb raider,” the braided brunette replied matter of factly.

Huntress grinned. “Nice to finally put a face to a name. Well, I’ve got a surprise myself super friends.”

“Maybe we should focus on Angelus first,” Faith suggested, receiving a glare from the Huntress.

“Angelus won’t be a problem. I’m sure of that,” Huntress scoffed arrogantly.

“Did you find something Huntress?” Oracle asked calmly, noticing everyone else there seemed offended by the meta’s attitude.

“She f-f-found me,” a soft voice replied as the blonde walked in from the balcony.

Faith froze, her heart skipping a beat. “I thought you were dead!”

“I w-w-was. Nature’s balance was thrown off w-w-when I died and kept getting messed up by the ch-chain of events. The Powers allowed me to r-r-return under one c-condition.”

“Red?” Faith asked, almost in shock.

Tara nodded. “I c-can’t seek W-W-W-Willow out. If we ever meet again, it has to be by accident.”

“I think I could arrange that,” Faith snickered, a grin sliding across her lips.

“N-N-No! You don’t understand. Nobody can interfere.”

“So anyone who knows this Willow chick has to play dumb if they meet up with you?” Dinah asked, starting to wonder if her life really was as weird as she’d thought.

The witch nodded. “Anyone who k-knows the truth. By the way, I’m Tara”

Oracle stared in amazement. The idea of people coming back from the dead bewildered her but she’d have time to question this woman about that later. She looked the blonde over then met Huntress’ gaze. “What, exactly, is she capable of doing to Angelus that we can’t?”

Faith laughed. “Hey Babs, standin right there is one of the most powerful witches in the world. Red told me bout all the shit she could do before she died so I’m guessin she’s just as good now.”

Oracle’s face faltered. She looked over at the woman. “Tara, right? Are you sure you can cast the curse properly?”

Tara nodded. “Yes. My. . .Willow had to return his s-soul once and I still remember what book sh-she said she used,” the blonde answered, her stutter slowly slipping away. She could tell that nobody there was comfortable with her, well aside from Huntress.

“Great. Now what do we do about the Jewel of Inari?” Dinah asked, hoping this witch knew what she was doing.

“Jewel of Inari?” the Wiccan whispered, slightly shaken but maintaining her composure. This she knew about.

“Do you know anything about it Tara?” Oracle asked softly.

She nodded. “It’s the sister jewel to Amara. The two jewels were divided by the Gods because their power combined could destroy worlds. Amara was made into the legendary Ring of Amara which made the vampire who wore it immune to everything as long as they wore it.”

“The Slayer destroyed that one after William the Bloody tried to use it, correct?” Oracle asked, recalling an article from the council she had skimmed through.

“Yes. The other gem is the rare one. The Jewel of Inari is orange with a yellow design and it looks like a smooth rock with sand swirls in it. It’s actually much stronger than the ring and in its pure form it can be consumed.”

“Consumed? As in swallowing it?”

“No. The jewel has a spell on it that allows the vampire to become one with it which means it would be inside of him where we couldn’t get to it.”

“Ok, that doesn’t sound good. We have to find this thing before fang boy does or we’re fucked,” Huntress proposed.

Part 4

They circled him like a pack of hyenas, each ready to attack at any given moment. He was not afraid, however. This was a game to him and it would be them who ended up bleeding and crawling away helplessly as they dangled on the brink of death. They were his prey and they had no idea what they were tampering with. One swooped in, a primal scream echoing in the air as the man twisted his arm a complete 180 degrees. They moved in as he threw the wounded mortal onto two others.

An onlooker hiding amongst the shadows took notice of the scuffle and watched contently. His fluid motions proved him to be far wiser than those attacking him. There was something different about this man. Something that went far beyond what humans are use to seeing but that was what he wanted. This man could give him the one thing life never would. He could sense death thick in the night air as the man revealed his true face. It stunned him for a moment but then everything made sense.

He snapped one thugs neck, grabbing another by the throat. He sunk his fangs in, drinking the life from the man’s body. He discarded his meal then finished off the other two thugs. Pulling out a handkerchief, he cleaned his pale, death stained fingers.

“That wasn’t bad big guy,” the onlooker complimented, tempting fate for he had nothing left to lose.

Before he could blink he found himself pressed against the wall with bloody fangs inches from his face. “I felt you watching. Is there a reason for that or are you another victim?” the vampire growled angrily.

“I have something you want,” he replied, his eyes as cold as the vampire’s.

His face became human again as he wiped the blood from his lips and let the man go. “I’m listening.”

“I know where the jewel is.”

“And what do you want from me?”

“I want you to kill Huntress, Oracle and that little blonde bitch, Dinah.”

“You know the world is gonna die when I get that jewel so tell me the truth. What are you after?”

The man grinned. “I wanna be a part of it. I want this world gone as much as you do but to do that I need you to turn me after you consume the jewel. So what do you say?”

The vampire contemplated this for a moment then nodded. “Your loyalty will speak for itself and then I’ll turn you.”

“Sounds good to me boss. By the way, you can call me Frankie.”

“I’m Angelus. Now lets get down to business.”

Meanwhile. . .

“Where’s Bab’s and Wicca?”

“They went out to get the spell book and supplies they need for the curse,” Dinah replied, sitting next to Lara on the couch as Huntress paced beside the Delphi.

“Huntress, you ok? You seem a little broody,” the slayer asked, wondering what was on her mind.

Huntress looked up at them with narrowed eyes. “I need something to hurt. There’s gonna be a fight and I need to be ready. I can’t stand here and do nothing.”

“You wanna train? My hands all healed up and I gotta work it so I don’t hurt it again.”

That was the best idea she’d heard all day. Somebody more skilled than Dinah was asking to spar. “Sure, if you can keep up,” she challenged as they disappeared into the training room.

A strange silence fell upon the two remaining in the room. Lara studied the young blonde closely, wondering what was on the girl’s mind. Realizing it was far too quiet she whispered softly, “so, Dinah, are you a meta-human as well?”

“Yeah,” the teen replied nervously. She couldn’t meet the woman’s eyes in fear that she would fall. She could feel the woman’s attraction to her and it made her jumpy. She really didn’t know how to deal with this. She wanted this total stranger to be with her but she didn’t know if now was the right time.

The brunette sensed the girl’s discomfort yet chose to ignore it as she spoke again, “what powers do you have? Barbra explained their powers to me but she didn’t mention yours for some reason.”

“That’s because my powers are still being tuned. I still have allot of training to do with them. I’m a telekinetic touch telepath. I move things with my mind. I also see things in my dreams and when I touch people,” the blonde admitted, relaxing a bit.

“Things like events or do you feel their emotions?” Lara prodded, very curious about the girl’s abilities.

“No emotions, thankfully. Just events. I can see things only they know or events that are happening. I actually met Barbra and Helena for the first time through a dream but that’s a really long story,” the teen explained.

The woman grinned devilishly as she ran her slender fingers up the girl’s arm. Dinah felt dizzy for a moment as she was thrown into the woman’s mind. She found herself in a candlelit room on a satin sheeted bed. Was this a fantasy? Out of the darkness the woman stalked towards her, clad in her regular attire. She sat on the girl’s lap and kissed her gently. The teen flashed back to reality, again feeling slightly dizzy as the room stopped spinning. Dinah gasped in surprise as plush lips captured hers. She melted into the kiss, caressing the woman’s back as she closed her eyes.

Lara was the first to pull away, meeting the girl’s gaze a moment later. She felt the girl’s uneven breathing against her lips as she fell into the teens stunning baby blues. She placed another gentle kiss on the girl’s lips before sliding off her lap and onto the couch cushion. Sitting beside her, she waited for the girl to speak.

Dinah blinked several times before she realized the brunette wasn’t in front of her anymore. She took a minute to think about this and then threw logic out the window. “Where did you learn how to kiss like that? Is it some kind of British thing?”

Lara laughed softly. “Is that your way of saying you liked it? I’d like to show you allot more than that and I don’t just mean between the sheets luv.”

After a moment of silence Dinah smiled at the worry on the brunette’s face. “I come with baggage. Barbra’s not gonna like this and Helena might try to kill you. I’m not joking either!”

“I’m sure Barbra will be alright with it as long as we follow her rules. As for Helena, I think I can handle her. Trust me, I’ve dealt with far worse. Besides, she’ll have her own little girlfriend to play with.”

“You have a point but what about your baggage?”

“The only baggage I have is my work,” she admitted sadly. That was the one thing she couldn’t control. She was falling for this girl but she wouldn’t give up her work.

The teen grinned as she replied, “I have three months of vacation for summer and I have the weekends off school. Besides, I only have one more year of high school to go.”

“What about college?” the brunette questioned.

“I wanna go to New Gotham University so I can still be here for Barbra and Helena but that doesn’t mean we won’t see each other. I’ll have vacation time and I’m sure you vacation too. I can work around that. Can you?”

Lara paused. She realized what she was getting herself into and for once she didn’t want to run the other way. Kissing the girl softly, she whispered, “of course I can. I have my own jet so I can see you whenever I want.”

“Really? You have a jet? Next you’re gonna tell me you own a huge mansion.”

“I do but I’ll let you see it yourself this summer,” the brunette purred, pressing against the girl.

She jumped back when she felt a prick against her skin. She tilted her head, examining the necklace her girlfriend wore. It was a small heart shaped locket with an orange and yellow jewel in the center. “Dinah, where’d you get that?”

Dinah looked at her locket and smiled. “My mom sent that to me for my birthday. It was only a month or so after the battle with the Joker. She thought it would cheer me up because she couldn’t see me. She didn’t know I was a meta and that my foster parents thought I was a freak.”

“We might want to have Tara look at it when they get back. It looks oddly familiar,” Lara whispered, staring at the jewel. It was mesmerizing but she managed to look away and lean back against the couch.

“Have me t-take a look at w-what?” Tara asked as the elevator door opened.

“This,” Lara replied as she held the locket up.

Tara’s mouth nearly fell to the floor when she saw it. She looked it over just to be sure then nodded. “That’s the Jewel of Inari and we need to protect it so Angelus can’t get to it.”

The next night. . .

“I think we should do sweeps tonight,” Oracle suggested.

“I second that Babs. I’m itchin for a good fight,” Faith replied, ready if Angelus pulled anything.

“I’m in. No offence but it’s a little boring around here,” Dinah added.

Lara smiled. “What, exactly, will we be doing?” she asked, not understanding what sweeps were.

“S-S-Sweeps are where w-we patrol the area in search of a-a-anything strange,” Tara replied.

“Then I suppose I’ll go,” Lara replied, hoping she would get to spend some time alone with Dinah.

Huntress sighed. Everyone else was going which meant she had to as well. She didn’t trust a few members of the party but she was stuck with them. She’d give them one chance and after that they’d be sorry. She realized everyone was staring at her and replied nonchalantly, “this is my city and that prick doesn’t have a chance. We should leave soon so when he crawls out of his hole we can catch him.”

Oracle smiled. “Huntress, you’re in charge. I’ll have Lara on com in case something happens.”

“There are four main spots in the city where he might be. Tara, you take the east side. Faith, take the north side. Lara and Dinah, you two cover the west side and I’ll check the south side. Meet back at No Man’s Land in an hour and a half,” Huntress instructed before leaping out the window.

Two hours later at No Mans Land. . .

Faith sighed, walking into the meta hang out. Walking over to the others she noticed something. “Hey all. Got nothin up north. What about you guys?”

“East side was pretty slow. It’s the rich side of town,” Tara replied, slightly frustrated. She knew why Helena had sent her there and she wasn’t happy about it.

“Nothin in ghettoville either,” Huntress sighed as Lara approached. “Where’s Dinah?”

“The west side is rather vast so we split up. I told her to meet us here. Isn’t she back yet?” the Brit replied, worry now sinking in her stomach.

Huntress waved Gibson over. “Hey, have you seen Dinah?”

“Not tonight.”

“Thanks.” She looked at the others with a frown.

“Oracle, do you copy?” Lara whispered after turning her com set back on.

“I copy Lara. What up?”

“Where’s Dinah? I told her to meet us here but she hasn’t arrived yet.”

“I’m getting a weak signal from the docks. Be careful.”

“She’s at the docks. Lets go.”

Ten minutes later. . .

Huntress stopped them as they approached the abandon dock yards. “Lara, scope it out so we know what to expect.”

Moments later. . .

“He’s got four vampires and about ten thugs.”

“Good. That sounds easy enough. Tara, start that spell of yours. Lara, you’re staying here. If any get past us they’re fair game but no guns. We don’t kill,” Huntress instructed.

“Right then. Good luck,” Lara replied, sitting beside Tara. She wanted to go with them but she knew it was better that she was staying. Tara would need her help, unlike Huntress.

They made their way through the debris, stopping only when they heard voices.

“So what’s the plan H?”

“You take the vamps and I’ll handle the thugs.”

“That ain’t no fun. Betcha I could dust those vamps, take out half those thugs and not break a sweat,” the slayer challenged.

Huntress smirked. She was starting to like this chick. “I could take all of the thugs out and not break a sweat.”

“You think so, huh?”

“I know so.”

“What do ya say to a challenge?”

“I say we make it fair. Whoever dusts two vamps and ties up five thugs first wins,” Huntress proposed.

“You’re on.”

A few minutes later. . .

Tara began her chanting, changing a few phrases from the original text. Lara noticed this but said nothing. This girl was a very powerful witch and if she needed to change the words than so be it.

Meanwhile. . .

Angelus grabbed the necklace and tore it off the girl’s neck. Looking at it closely he growled in frustration. They’d swapped the jewel and he was running out of time.

Both fighters had finished off the thugs and vamps in record timing as well as finishing at the same time. Huntress didn’t waste a second as she landed a roundhouse kick against Angelus. The adrenaline was flowing but she knew her job was to keep him busy until he got his soul back. They threw and blocked punches almost quicker than the human eye could see as their allies battled as well.

Faith glared at Frankie, her eyes burning with anger. She would show that punk what a slayer was made of and make him pay for messing with her little sister.

Frankie laughed as he pulled a long, sharp blade from his coat. He placed the tip at Dinah’s throat, meeting the slayer’s gaze. “Come any closer and Blondie here gets to see what Hell looks like.”

Faith paused, taking a step back. She notice he was tense and grinned. She moved in quicker than he could react, knocking him away from the blonde. She pinned him to the ground as the sky lit up.

Huntress backed away as a stream of lightning struck Angelus, returning his soul to him. He blinked in confusion, wondering where he was. He fell to his knees, holding his head in pain as the memories of what Angelus had done seeped into his mind.

Frankie got lucky as he kicked the slayer off of him. He blindly charged at her with the blade aimed at her stomach. Faith realized he was coming at her and quickly moved out of the way. He stumbled forward, falling to the ground. When he hit the ground he made a soft whimpering sound as the blade drove right through his heart.

Faith untied Dinah with a sigh. “Are you ok?”

“Five by five,” Dinah snickered as she glanced at her sister.

Huntress raised a brow then shook her head. “We should get back to the tower. I need something to eat.”

Faith grinned. “Ain’t it crazy how slayin makes you hungry or horny?”

They all laughed then looked at Angel. He bowed his head, ashamed that he had lived to see another night. “I really hate to ask but do you think it would be alright if I went back to this tower with all of you?”

Later at the tower. . .

“Excuse me, I must make a phone call,” Lara whispered, slipping out of the room.

He sighed softly as the room fell silent. “I’m sorry for all of the trouble I’ve put everyone through. I didn’t intentionally lose my soul, it was taken from me. Thank you for helping me. I really appreciate it,” he whispered.

“Don’t thank us big guy. Thank Wicca over there. She’s the one who gave you that soul of yours back,” Faith replied playfully. She was glad this had ended well although she could sense a little tension in the air.

“Speaking of the curse,” Oracle began, staring at Tara. “You added a verse and since I don’t know the language I wasn’t able to translate it. What did it do?”

“It changed the rule originally put into the curse,” the witch explained.

“Changed it? How?” Angel asked, slightly worried.

“You can’t have a true moment of happiness with your first love,” Tara explained.

“Well, that won’t be a problem. Darla’s long gone,” he replied.

Meanwhile. . .

“Hello?”

“Lara?”

“Were you expecting someone else? I have your jewel Bruce. What do you want me to do with it?”

“What’s the status on the vampire?”

“He’s got his soul back. It appears the witch chanted the spell with an additional verse that changed it. Now he can’t lose his soul unless he’s with his first love. Why’s that important?”

“Because I need you to put it inside of him. He’ll be an asset to everyone there if he has both his soul and the jewel.”

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

“Lets just say not all of it was a coincidence.”

Moments later. . .

Lara crept back in, sliding down into the seat next to Dinah.

“So what did the boss man say L?” Faith asked, overhearing a small part of the conversation.

“He said it would be best if we allow Angel to consume the jewel,” she replied.

“Hold on. It’s still possible for Angel to lose his soul. If somebody extracts his soul. . .” Oracle paused. “It would be the end of the world.”

Lara shook her head. “Once the jewel is placed inside of his chest it will preserve him. The magiks used on the jewel are far more powerful than any being aside from the Gods themselves which would deflect any attempts at removing his soul,” she explained.

“So it’s a sure fire way of making sure he keeps his soul? Sounds good to me. What do you think Barbra?” Helena asked softly, desperately wanting to get out of here. She glanced at Tara hungrily and licked her lips, causing the blonde to duck her head and blush.

“I agree. It’s the only way to make sure nothing happens to that jewel,” the redhead agreed. Then a thought occurred to her. “I hope you don’t mind me asking but do you plan on staying here Angel?”

“I’d like to but I think I’d be more help to Buffy and her friends. I’ll head there when Faith goes back,” he replied, hoping he could now be what Buffy needed without having to worry about his soul.

“You can go find that fuckin tramp if you wanna big guy but she ain’t gonna be waitin with open arms,” Faith growled, more to herself than anyone else.

Angel raised a brow as his temper flared. She had to have a reason for saying something like that. As he was about to speak he heard her voice again, “just drop it Dead Boy. I ain’t gonna hurt anyone with the bitter truth. Get your gem and live happily ever after. Someone should.”

Everyone watched as the slayer walked out onto the balcony. Lara silently handed Angel the jewel. He held it near his chest, gasping as his flesh separated. The jewel was sucked into his body, his chest healing itself instantly. He fell to his knees in pain, panting as he clutched the area where the wound had been just seconds before.

“Now that all the fun’s over with we’re gonna go home and crash. See you tomorrow Barbra,” Helena yawned as she guided Tara to the balcony. She waved a farewell to the sullen brunette before sweeping the blonde off her feet and leaping off of the building.

Faith watched contently though she wanted to scream. Love was such a funny thing and it did work in mysterious ways but not for her. For this slayer there was nothing but darkness now. She sighed and returned to the group. She knew Lara would be whisking her little sister off soon and she wanted to make sure she got in a good glaring before that happened. If she didn’t protect the kid’s heart, who would?

“Barbra, I was wondering if I could stay with Lara tonight,” Dinah practically begged.

“Sure but first you have to explain how you and Faith are related. I looked it up and there’s no record of her or her parents,” Barbra replied.

“That’s cause our pops is the same guy. He walked out on all of us a month after Di was born,” Faith replied, sitting on the couch.

“I lived with Faith allot when we were young because my mom was out saving the world. Our moms were really close. The reason I ended up in foster care was because Faith’s mom wouldn’t take me,” Dinah continued.

“She’s lucky she didn’t get stuck with my ma. We’ve been keepin in touch since we found each other again about four years ago,” Faith added with a slight smile.

“Um, Dinah? I was wondering if I could sleep in your room tonight. I’ll be heading out to find Buffy tomorrow,” Angel whispered.

“It’s cool with me. Don’t have too much fun without me!” she joked as she and Lara got into the elevator.

“We’ll try,” Barbra teased, knowing that sounded odd coming out of her mouth. Fun wasn’t something she was very good at for some reason.

“Goodnight ladies,” Angel nodded then went into the kid’s room and shut the door.

Faith stretched out on the couch, yawning briefly before focusing her attention on the redhead. She studied her for a moment, tracing her profiled face with her eyes. Her teeth were clenched, emphasizing her jawbone and her eyes were focused on the screen through glare resistant glasses as she scanned the information. Faith smiled softly, speaking slightly above a whisper, “whatcha doin?”

The redhead broke out of her trance, her emerald gaze landing on the slayer. “I’m just reading.”

“Ya look cute when you read Babs,” the slayer commented, waiting for a response.

Barbra raised a brow. “Um, thanks, I think. Don’t you have a girlfriend?”

“Thought I did but things are never what they seem. People change, ya know?”

“Believe me, I know. Life’s taught me that the hard way.”

Faith stood, walking over to the older woman. She smiled down at her briefly before leaning down to kiss her. The slayer kissed the redhead softly, breathing in her scent as their tongues dueled. When the kiss ended Faith met the older woman’s eyes and smiled.

Barbra looked up at the woman, still breathless. She really did like Faith but she also knew the younger woman had been hurt. She wouldn’t take advantage of her like that. “Faith, I can’t. You just got out of a relationship. You’re hurt and I won’t take advantage of that. I also won’t let myself be used as a rebound.”

“I don’t do rebounds,” Faith whispered, slightly hurt by they way Barbra had said the last sentence.

She furrowed her brows. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean I don’t just pick chicks at random so I can fuck um and leave. That ain’t me anymore. There’s gotta be somethin there or I won’t even try. I really dig you Babs and I think we could be good together,” the brunette explained. Unable to resist she placed another kiss on the woman’s lips.

Barbra closed her eyes. It had been a long time since she’d actually tried letting anyone in and her heart was telling her the time had arrived. They parted, staring into each other’s eyes. “Maybe we should move slow,” the redhead whispered.

Faith grinned. “My heart needs some time Babs but that don’t mean we gotta physically slow down. I’m ready for that whenever you are. Gotta warn ya though. Slayers have very big appetites.”

“So do I,” the redhead purred, grabbing the brunette’s hand as she led her into her bedroom.

Barbra shut the door quietly. Turning around she stopped dead in her tracks. Faith stood there with nothing but a dark, sinful grin. She gently pulled Barbra out of the chair and held her up against the wall. Kissing her passionately, she unbuttoned her shirt and threw it aside. She unsnapped her lover’s bra with one hand and dropped the woman’s pants with the other. They kissed wildly, their hands slowly caressing the other’s body.

At Helena’s apartment. . .

Helena pressed her lips to the blonde’s neck as the warm water cascaded down their bodies. She trailed feather light kisses down her lover’s body, stopping at her breasts. She hungrily sucked one rosy nub into her mouth, rolling her piercing along it. Tara gasped softly, running her slender fingers through dark brown hair.

The brunette continued her journey south, playfully nipping and kissing at the baby soft skin. Holding the blonde up with one hand, she spread her legs and placed each over a shoulder. Tara closed her eyed, moaning quietly. “Please, don’t stop,” she purred feverishly, raking her nails up her lover’s back.

Helena guided her piercing along her lover’s smooth slit, teasing the folds with her slick tongue.

In Lara’s hotel room. . .

“Are you ready?” Lara murmured, her stare filled with passion and lust.

“Mmmmh, oh yes,” the blonde panted as her eyes slid shut.

The brunette blew warm air against the girl’s wet folds, sending shivers up her spine. She flicked the tip of her tongue against the teen’s entrance before forcing it in. She slid it in as far as she could, moving it in and out slowly. Dinah writhed beneath her lover, holding in her cries of pleasure. She clutched the satin sheets as a slender digit slipped inside of her. “Lara,” she gasped, moving against her lover’s finger and tongue.

She thrust into the girl faster, her own heart racing with anticipation. The girl quivered, her body trembling uncontrollably. The brunette added a second finger as she sucked the blonde’s love bud into her mouth.

Dinah cried out as she spun into ecstasy. She felt a flood of heat release from her body as her lover drank from her. Her eyes rolled back in her head as tender digits found her g-spot. Sweltering heat engulfed her once more as she rode her second wave of desire.

New Gotham bore such relentless strife but the battle was won for just this night. Peace had settled as they fell into each other’s arms, love and passion keeping all of them warm. May love find you as it’s found them, for this is where my story ends.

~<>~ The End ~<>~