Eve looked at herself in the mirror. She liked what she saw. Her long pink hair framed her almost painfully pale face with such finesse that it looked as if a master artist had painted it on. The five clumps of hair she had let grow to cover her horns also looked fabulous. Eve always thought that her eyes were her best feature though. They were constantly changing due to her unique heritage. The rest of her body would make a prime Olympic athlete jealous. Yet her body was just a clever ruse, something the scientists had created to make her more pleasing to the human eye, something to hide the single flaw she possessed.

For most people it would have been a lifetime of worry and struggle to know that, not only were they part demon, but they were also made from the wonders of modern day genetics. For Eve it was just normal. Before she had escaped the government lab that had been her birthplace, she had asked her maker, Dr. William Newman, whether or not she had him to thank for giving her life. His answer still echoed in her mind, "I didn’t give you life, you took it for yourself." She still didn’t know what that meant and with Dr. Newman dead she probably never would. The memories of his death were fuzzy at best. She still wished that she could have thanked him for getting her out of that place. Eve wiped a tear from her eye as she remembered the kindly man she regarded as her father.

"Eve!" A voice yelled from downstairs.

"Coming!" Eve yelled back as cheerfully as she could muster.

Guess it’s time to go hunting, Eve thought as she bounded down the stairs with inhuman speed and grace. But for all her grace she was not able to stop from crashing into the youngest member of the Summers clan.

"Sorry, Dawnie," she apologized as she helped Dawn up from the ground. The brunette seemed to be dazed from the impact.

"It’s okay, I think I only broke half the bones in my body," Dawn said, wincing as she clutched her left side but looking like she was faking pain rather than actually having any.

"I really need to get a bell for around your neck. I can never tell where you are going to be next," Eve said with a smile as she continued down to the source of her summons.

After running down the stairs, she looked around at the place that had become her new home. The house had been through hell over the last few days with all the run-ins with demons and vampires. Still it had managed to hold up well with all the people living in it. The current resident list included not only Eve and the two Summers sisters but also Nate, and occasionally Gabriel and Raven.

"Eve, you ready yet?" Nate said, coming into the entry way from the dining room.

"Yeah, could you tell me again why we have to be the ones to do these stakeouts for this head honcho vampire guy? I mean Buffy faced the dude’s sire before this, why isn’t she out looking for him?"

"I think that was one of the battles Buffy would most like to forget, considering it was the first time she died. Plus I don’t think that Buffy ever really knew the Master’s modus operandi. She just killed him," Nate said nonchalantly as he opened the door for her. That was one thing you had to love about the boy, he knew how to treat a lady, even if she was part demon.
*

"Okay, this is officially the most boring thing that I have done since I got into Sunnydale," Eve whined as she and Nate walked between the tombstones in the Sunnydale Cemetery.

"Gabe said that this disciple guy might show up here, not that he would. There are a lot of places on Earth were mystical energy is a lot more potent than the Hellmouth," Nate said with a bit of know-it-all attitude.

That had to be his one flaw. He was just too damn pompous for his own good sometimes. But Eve was willing to overlook that just to be alone with him.

"Judging by the recent lack of demonic activity I would say that nothing wicked is coming this way anytime soon," Eve said with a grin.

"You’re probably right. Still we need to at least do two more sweeps of the cemetery before we call it a night, okay?" Nate smiled.

"Anyone ever tell you, you have a great smile? And anyways who said anything about calling it a night? I just want to get to the Bronze. Might be something fun going on," Eve said, grabbing Nate’s arm and pulling him close.

"Well, I guess nothing is wrong here. Let’s just head to the Bronze. I doubt that the Disciple is going to show his face in Sunnydale anyway. He must be too afraid of Buffy," Nate said, putting an arm around Eve.

"Why do you always talk about Buffy like that?" Eve snapped.

"Like what?" Nate said, caught off-guard by the harshness of Eve’s voice.

"Like she was some kind of god or something. So she has come back from the dead a few times. She is just a normal person. Well as normal as you can be in Sunnydale." Eve fumed as she turned to look Nate straight in the eye.

"The Slayer was someone that I was taught to look up to most of my life. And, well, Buffy is already kind of a legend. I know I shouldn’t be acting like she is any better than anyone else, but, I mean, she’s the Slayer. I guess I just went overboard on the respect thing," Nate said, breaking eye contact.

"I know she gives off those living legend vibes sometimes. I just don’t get it, I guess. Probably part of not being around that long," Eve said apologetically. "So, we going to the Bronze now?"

"Still think we need to have one more check of this place. Then we can go to the Bronze," Nate said, sounding thankful that Eve had changed the subject.

"Wait I’ve got a better idea. I can just see if anything is here with my telepathy," Eve said, her eyes twinkling with an unseen power.

"I thought that was too stressful for you to do?" Nate asked with concern in his voice.

"I can handle it, Nate. Besides, this way I get to party my headache away." Eve smiled at him and batted her lashes.

Eve’s mind reached out from beyond her body. It circled the entire graveyard looking for another mind to locate. The energy that it expended drained Eve badly, but all she could sense was Nate. Then just as she was about to call off the search, she caught a glimmer of something, something powerful but chaotic, and it was headed out of the cemetery.

"Got something. It’s strange. It’s like it is only coherent for a few seconds and then goes back to nothing. Like it has powers of its own that are shielding it except for when it is cognizant," Eve said, knitting her brow with concentration.

"Which direction?" Nate said, looking around for anything out of the ordinary.

"Toward the back entrance, close to the crypt Spike used to have," Eve said still deep in concentration.

"Let’s go," Nate said, running in the direction Eve had indicated.

So much for a slow night, Eve thought as she followed him.

*

Eve and Nate followed the mind to a few blocks from Giles’ new apartment in Sunnydale.

"Nate, stop," Eve ordered as she slowed. "Something’s wrong. It’s weird I think whatever it is we are chasing knows we’re chasing it. I can feel its mind now. A thousand broken images all darker then the next. I think we might be in trouble," Eve said as a cloud of uncertainty passed over her face.

"Do you know who it is yet?" Nate asked.

"Wait, I think I have something…" Eve trailed as her eyes lost focus and her mind escaped her body once more.

"The light surrounds you both, nothing but light," a voice said whimsically from the bushes behind the duo.

"Who’s there?" Nate questioned, taking a defensive stance beside Eve.

"Drusilla," Eve answered, looking at the bushes with rapt attention.

"Dru?" Nate whispered. His first run-in with the psycho vampire hadn’t gone too well and had cost him his bike.

"Strange, how is there light in you two when darkness is creeping out everywhere?" Drusilla inquired as she silently moved out of the bushes. The black haired vampire looked like she had been through the ringer. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn.

"You know something about what’s happening?" Eve asked, not daring to peek inside the mind of the vampire.

"The voices tell me so much, darkness and death spreading everywhere. Why I need to find my Spike. He can help me. Keep me from the Disciple, keep me from dying," Drusilla purred in response.

"The Disciple? Tell us what you know about the Disciple," Nate demanded, moving in closer to Dru.

"Naughty, naughty. Shan’t tell you anything till I get to see Spike," Drusilla said, holding up her index finger to scold them.

"Come with us. We can take you to Spike," Eve said, dropping her hands to her sides.

"Eve, don’t…." Nate began, but, before he could finish his sentence, Dru had barreled headlong into Eve, knocking her to the ground.

"She doesn’t really like us remember?" Nate said as he helped Eve up.

"Sorry. I lost my mind. I blame it on being in hers," Eve quipped as she followed Nate in pursuit of Dru.

Drusilla might have been hurt, but that didn’t stop her from being fast, Eve noted as she chased her down. The path that Dru ran was erratic, much like the state of mind she was notorious for having. They caught up with Dru just outside Giles’ apartment. For some odd reason she was knocking on the door.

"Drusilla?" Giles said as he opened the door for the vampire.

"Spike…Spike has to see his princess," Dru said, her voice cracking and her hands on both sides of the doorframe.

"Dru?" Spike said, coming up from behind Giles looking slightly bewildered.

"Your princess?" Drusilla asked, looking into Spike’s eyes like a puppy dog expecting a treat.

"What in bloody hell are you doing here?" Spike asked her. Really he was none too thrilled to see his sire, considering their last encounter had almost ended with her staking him.

"She wants to talk to you about something dealing with the Disciple," Nate replied as he and Eve walked to block Dru from the behind.

"Let’s get her to the Magic Box. There is no way am I letting her come in here," Giles said backing out of the doorway.

"Giles, call Buffy and the others. Nate, Spike, and I will escort our little friend to the Magic Box," Eve said with a fake enthusiasm.

"Right. Meet you there," Giles replied as he retreated to his phone.

"So, I guess we are going to have a little march then?" Spike said, grabbing his duster and Drusilla’s arm.

"Guess so," Nate said as he moved to the left flank of the undead former couple.

"Keep a tight grip on her. She’s tricky," Eve joked.

"Believe me. I know," Spike said as he tightened his grip on Dru’s arm.

"You’re hurting me." Dru winced as she felt the increase of pressure.

"You know you love it," Spike replied. At this, Drusilla leaned into Spike and cuddled up to his chest as they walked.

Better hope that Buffy doesn’t see her cuddled up to him like that, Eve thought to Nate with a bit of glee.

I think that would definitely fall in the not good category. Might make Buffy take her out sooner then we need to. Wonder if she really has information on the Disciple? Nate thought back.

Don’t know. Not going to risk a trip into her mind unless I have to. I have the feeling she might be able to stop me even if I wanted to.

"Tell them to stop talking," Dru whispered to Spike.

"Don’t think we can stop that Dru," Spike said, feeling slightly repulsed to have Drusilla resting on him like that. Obviously, she had been through the ringer lately, but he wondered what could have done this to her. Guess we’ll find out soon enough.

*

Buffy could hardly believe it when she had gotten the call from Giles, how could Drusilla still be in town? She normally just sped away as fast as she could after she didn’t get her way.

"Tell me again why I can’t come?" Dawn asked Buffy disappointedly.

"Because Drusilla is dangerous. Very dangerous." Buffy told her little sister, knowing this wouldn’t stop her from asking again.

"It’s not like I haven’t been in dangerous situations before," Dawn said, leaning up against the door to Buffy’s bedroom.

"Dawnie, Drusilla is more dangerous then most vampires. She’s really, really crazy. Kinda makes it hard to predict what she’ll do," Buffy said as she walked down the stairs to the front door. "Be back late, so lock the door and don’t open it for anybody, okay? I think Tara might come over in a minute or two, so maybe you two can do something fun."

"Sure," Dawn said as she watched her sister walk out into the night.

*

At the Magic Box, most of the gang had already arrived. The only ones missing from this party still were Willow and Sasha. Buffy guessed they were just cleaning up after a training session. The L.A. gang had been excused from this particular meeting. Their quick, unexpected trip to Sunnydale and everything they had learned about the latest potential apocalypse had kind of wiped them out. Buffy and Giles had agreed that what they needed most now was rest. The Slayer and her Watcher knew that rest would soon be a luxury that none of them could afford.

"So, what do you know?" Buffy asked as she placed her coat on the large, round table.

"Won’t tell you," Dru said, looking at Buffy with utter contempt in her eyes. "I’ll only tell Spike."

Buffy cast a look over at Spike who had retreated to a safe distance in the corner. Apparently, he had already divined that Buffy wanted him as far away from Dru as possible.

"Did she tell you two anything?" Buffy asked Eve and Nate, who had taken seats opposite Drusilla at the table.

"Nothing, except that she wants to be kept from the Disciple for some reason." Nate shrugged.

Buffy watched Drusilla as she shuddered when Nate said ‘Disciple’.

"You’re afraid of the Disciple?" Buffy asked, surprised that someone as crazy as Dru could be afraid of anything; especially if it was as dark as she was.

"Too much darkness surrounds him. Even I cannot see. He can see me though. He sees through me to the core." Dru shuddered again.

"What, luv?" Spike asked, coming out of the corner. Buffy shot a glance at him that made him wince. Dru looked at both of them before deciding that this meeting wasn’t going to help her. She quickly assumed her game face.

Buffy didn’t have time to dodge the punch that Dru planted in her stomach, nor did she have the time to block the swift kick that Dru applied to her head. Nate and Eve jumped from their seats only to be thrown back, into Giles.

"Luv, calm down," Spike said, putting his hands up and walking slowly toward the psychotic vampire he had once loved.

"Spike. You’ll not hurt your princess, will you?" Dru said, her face once again assuming more human features.

"Of course not," Spike said, humoring her.

Dru looked at him a moment before deciding he was lying and kicking him hard in the chest. Dru looked around before deciding that she had best be leaving. She had been lucky to get all of them down for even a short period of time, and, even as she was running to the door, Eve and Nate were getting to their feet.

"You’re not going anywhere," a voice from behind Drusilla snarled.

Drusilla turned around in time to see Sasha and Willow come in the back entrance. Willow ran to help Giles get up. Sasha strode forward keeping her eyes on the vampire she hated so much.

"I remember you…" Drusilla had time to say before Sasha’s magicks lifted her from the ground and threw her into a bookshelf.

Buffy and Spike rose from the ground at the same time to embrace, and then watched as their resident super sorceress tossed Drusilla back and forth against the walls of the Magic Box. Finally, Sasha raised her hand. Drusilla stopped in mid-flight and dropped to the ground.

"You have a real nasty streak you know," Spike told Sasha.

"Only when necessary," Sasha said, turning around to give the group a half-grin.

"Guess we were a little late for the party, huh?" Willow asked Giles.

"I’d say you were right on time," Giles said, giving the young witch a smile.

"Okay, is she lucid enough to tell us what she knows?" Eve asked Sasha as she walked up to the bruised vampire.

"I doubt it. I doubt she would tell us even if she were," Sasha said turning back to the vampire.

"Sasha, could you perform some kind of truth spell?" Giles asked.

"Possibly," Sasha answered, using her gifts to lift Drusilla and place her on the table. "She most likely wouldn’t be able to tell us anything that made any sense though."

"Does that mean what I think it means?" Eve asked the group.

"If you wouldn’t mind," Giles asked, taking off his glasses to clean them.

"Fine, somebody just better have a bottle of Tylenol handy afterwards though," Eve said, walking toward Dru’s unconscious form.

"Here," Nate said, picking up one of the overturned chairs for Eve to sit in.

"Thanks," Eve said, giving Nate a long smile.

"Ah-hmm…I believe we had best get on with this. Hopefully Dru’s mind will be less cluttered in her unconscious state," Sasha said, looking at the pair.

"Sure, one second," Eve said, taking her seat and placing her hands on Dru’s temples.
As Eve willed her mind to leave her body, she felt a shiver. Something was still active in Dru’s mind, something as dark as Dru herself.

*

So this is the inside of Dru’s mind, Eve thought to herself as she looked around. The landscape was warped and blood seemed to be falling all around her. Well, not time for a sightseeing tour. Got to find out what she knows.

The landscape of Dru’s mind only got increasingly unstable as Eve walked through it. Dark poisons seemed to crawl out of every crevice. Why do I feel as if this is going to take some time?

Because it is…A form arose from the squalor around Eve it was the form of a younger Dru.

Who are you? Eve thought to this figure.

The Drusilla that was before the evil, before the death, before the unspeakable torture.

So you’re the human Dru? Can you help me sort through this mess? Eve thought with a glimmer of hope.

No. I have no power over her. I am just the ghost of a young girl. A whisper of what was. The form thought before losing shape and sinking back into the muck from which it was formed.

Lotsa help she was, Eve thought turning back to her original path to see an older more malevolent looking Dru. Let me guess you’re the real Dru right?

So pretty, so smart…This version of Dru thought.

Well that’s what all the boys tell me…Eve thought, grinning even though she knew this was about to get rough. So you want to do this the hard way or do you just want to tell me what you know?

Dru rushed Eve before she could raise any shields, effectively answering her question.

Okay I am starting to get pissed, Eve thought, throwing Dru off with a power that could not have been had in the real world. Here I have the power. Now tell me what I want to know.

You want to hear the whispers? Drusilla asked, swaying back and forth.

Yes, I want to hear these whispers of yours about the Disciple, Eve thought back with a bit of relief. Then she realized what was happening. Drusilla’s mind had covered her and she was feeling and seeing all Drusilla had ever felt or seen. It was like drowning in pancake syrup that had little razors in it. How could she help but scream?

*

"AH!" Eve screamed and fell out of her chair.

"Eve!" Nate said, rushing to her side to help her up. Eve’s body was shaking horribly, and her eyes were rolled up in her head. "What’s wrong with her?" Nate yelled at Sasha.

"Drusilla gave her what she wanted. It’s too much for her to handle. Someone is going to have to be her focus," Sasha said, rushing to her side.

"Okay then, I’ll be her focus. Get me in there," Nate said, looking into Sasha’s eyes with desperation.

"This is going to be painful," Sasha warned.

"I don’t care. Let me help her," Nate retorted.

Sasha nodded and placed her hand on the foreheads of both champions. Her energies seethed out to create a connection between the two.

*

Nate opened his eyes to see the horrible mess that had become Eve’s mind. Darkness and death seemed to stink from every inch of the landscape. A large obelisk stood twenty feet in front of him. The obelisk was screaming.
Eve! Nate’s mind called out as he made his way to the obelisk. EVE!

Still no answer from the obelisk, only screams. Nate touched the blood red stone and had a flash of some dark terror. This was definitely where Eve was. Now to figure out a way to get her out. After a few seconds of thinking, Nate decided that the direct approach was probably best.

He struck the obelisk over and over again with all the force at his disposal. Little by little, fragments of the stone began to break apart, but the cost for his progress was to witness all of the horrible visions that Drusilla had seen over her extended lifespan. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he could see one of Eve’s hands sticking out.

Eve, can you hear me? Nate questioned, grasping her hand but still pounding away with his other one. Eve’s hand tightened on Nate’s with a force that made him wince with pain. Eve, can you help me?

Eve’s hand slacked a bit and then let go completely. Nate backed away slowly to look at what was happening. The color of the obelisk was changing from a blood red to a dazzling white. Cracks began to pop all around the obelisk and then a force came crashing out sending Nate on his back and fragments of obelisk scattering everywhere.

Are you okay? Eve and Nate thought to each other at the same time.

Yes, they both answered again in unison.

So you came in to save me? Eve asked Nate as she helped him to his feet.

Of course, you were flopping around like you had been skewered or something. Nate thought back, not letting go of her hand.

Thanks, for bringing me out of it. Eve thought to Nate before she kissed him.

*

They were still kissing when they finally came back into their bodies. The others were just watching with a bit of embarrassment.

"So, uh, did you find out anything?" Buffy asked Eve.

"Yes, loads of stuff. Some of it is still too dark for me to make sense of though," Eve told the group. "Where did Dru go?"

"Sasha decided to send her back to the crypt. Doesn’t think she will be a problem anymore," Buffy said, tossing her head in Sasha’s direction.

"Maybe it would be best to give her a little time to sort things out?" Nate questioned Giles and Sasha.

"We really need the information now," Sasha said, looking at the couple.

"Yes, best to face this now while it’s fresh," Giles said, cleaning his glasses again.

Nate looked inquisitively at Eve to see if it was okay with her.

"It’s really fine. I think I can probably get to most of it now," Eve told him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Just tell us what you can," Buffy told Eve with concern in her voice.

"From what I can tell, the Disciple is drawing demons and vamps to him like moths to a flame. Except this flame is going to use them as an army. I think the Disciple won’t be showing up here though," Eve said, even puzzling herself.

"Scared of Buffy is he?" Spike snickered.

"No," Eve said, looking as serious as anyone had seen her. "He’s not afraid, just smart. The Hellmouth is closed and can’t be used for the ritual he is going to perform. Plus, if he comes to Sunnydale, it gives Buffy and the rest of us more of a chance to screw with his timetable."

"Ah," Giles said. "Did Drusilla know where he was, or anything else that could have been of help?"

"No, she was telling the truth. The First is shielding him at all costs. There is only darkness emanating from him. Darkness and power and death. He seemed to be interested in Drusilla for some reason."

"That should be enough for tonight then," Sasha stated, looking around the shop before repairing it to its full glory.

"So, anyone want to go to the Bronze?" Eve asked the group.

"I’ll follow you anywhere," Nate said, grabbing her hand and heading for the door.

"Anyone else think that they’re getting old?" Buffy said, throwing up a hand to point to the new couple.

"Getting old just means getting better, luv," Spike said, draping his arms around Buffy.

*

A small village at the bottom of one of the Carpathian Mountains had an old legend about some dark evil in a cave. Most of the villages surrounding the mountains had a legend of some sort about an unspeakable evil being sealed in one of the many caves the mountain hid. Of course, this particular village actually had a monster hiding in a cave, and now that monster was alive.

The Disciple hadn’t seen anything but his cave for centuries. His clothes alone bore witness to this fact. The ropes that the Master had left for him were tattered with age and soiled with the filth of the animals that had shared the cave with him.
Now I am free to feast, the Disciple thought, smelling the people of the village below.
When he had first entered the village it was teeming with life but a life that seemed old-fashioned. By the time he had left the town, life was not a word that could be used to describe it. Bodies were everywhere. Some would rise tomorrow night and some would just feed the vermin. Ah…it was great to be out.