Immortal Assassins: Chapter Four
by Peter Withers
*San Salvador*

The paintball thing was spiteful and practically useless, but it was a fun thing to do in order to humiliate the vampires. I decided that since I overheard them talking about the fact that I wasn't dead, I at least make them feel insecure.

The next day:

I lean into a defensive stance in the gym about 8:00 in the morning. With only four hours of sleep, it took a little more effort than usual to properly wake up. I was feeling a little blurry around the edges. My feelings quickly sharpen up as I quickly move through my exercise routine. Strikes, punches, kicks and motions quickly became smooth and sharp motions. The only thing I wish I could use my sword in my practice but someone could just walk in. And the place that I had found, I haven't been able to moved in yet. The place is a one story house that I bought outright. It was worth over 100,000 dollars and located about a mile outside of Sunnydale. The place has a two car garage, three bedrooms, and a bathroom on the first floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second. I'm planning on setting up a dojo and my apartment on the first floor and my guest rooms on the other floor.

Later -

Buffy came out of 1st period and headed toward the second. She had 10 minutes to get there so she spent five of them talking to Willow and Zander.

"You have to wonder if San did anything foolish last night?" Willow said quietly.

"She was teaching her first period class today. Unless she tries to go after Angel between classes, she all right this morning," Buffy said.

"Fighting the forces of evil is definitely an after-school activity." A smooth voice says. San comes up to the trio. "I finally got a house to stay in."

"That's good."

"I've got to return a few books to Mr. Giles. I sort of, well. . .improperly. . . borrowed three of his books."

"You stole them."

"Hey, I didn't want you to know what I was after and anyways, I was planning on returning them when I was finished. At most, that was filching."

"But back onto the subject of my new home. I'm sort of worried about the security of my house. Do you know anything that can prevent vampires from entering a house if they've had an invitation? The Realtor said that the previous leaser disappeared about a month ago. If he just got eaten by a demon or something, I wouldn't worry. But if he's a vampire now, I don't know if he can enter the house now but I can't take the chance if he can."

"There is a spell to revoke an invitation. We can set it up for you."

"Thank you so much. I'm moving my stuff in today and even though I want to fight vampires, I don't want to live with them."

The first class bell rings, "It would be a good time for us to get to class, wouldn't it people." Snyder says, "You're on your last chance, Mrs. Summers. It would be my greatest pleasure to expel you from this school."

"Don't worry Principal Snyder," San speaks gently, "If Buffy is late, she'll be helping me arranging and moving the P.E. equipment for the next week or researching for my early lectures for that week."

"It is good to see a teacher actively disciplining students in this school. Keep it up, Mrs. Robbins." He turns and walks toward his office.

San mutters softly, almost too softly for Buffy and her friends to catch it, "Este hombre Synder esta un asno y un Hitler poco de ese escuela." She smiles tightly.

"What did you say? I know it's probably Spanish but I don't know it." Xander was curious.

"I basically called him an ass and a little Hitler." Buffy, Xander, and Willow stare at San for a minute before chuckling a bit.

San looks at her watch, "We've got about thirty seconds to get to class before we're late. Let's run." Buffy beats her by two steps and San steps into to the gym just as the bell rings.

*San Salvador*

"You were kidding about the moving the P.E. equipment, right San."

I gave her my best blank face, "It's good exercise for you. I figure you can move the weights today and work on the gymnastic pads tomorrow." I manage to keep that straight face for about three seconds because breaking up laughing.

"You want to joust again? I'm tired of beating up Giles."

"He trains you?"

"Yes."

"That English guy must be pretty good fighter."

I move in toward Buffy in a classic attack posture and she counters. She's getting better but so am I, surprisingly.

I wanted to say something that was bothering me to Buffy. "Your still hurting about Angel's turning to evil, aren't you?"

"It hurts a lot."

"This is why I'm taking him down and not you."

"How do you know you can take Angel on and win?"

"Hate is a clearer emotion than love, which you still have with Angel. Revenge is a good motivater."

"Not always."

"It is enough for me. Don't interfere with me or else."

That night:

San gets up about one hour after sundown and puts on her new blacksuit and black thigh boots. Over that she puts her leather jacket on. Her sword and other weapons were put in their respective places. After a minute's thought, she puts on the silver cross necklace that John gave her. She did this with a hint of sadness as she remembers a happier time and place with John.

San drives into town and stops near the Bronze. While it is a bit of a distance from the warehouses, it is a reasonable safe area considering the town she's in. She starts walking though the park in an indirect path when she feels the Buzz. ( No, not now. Not here of all places. ) She takes off her jacket and unsheathes her sword and places it in a one-handed grip slightly behind her back. After a minute, a tall man with a saber in hand walks out of the shadows. ( About 150 years old. ) San thought. It was her talent and curse. She can feel the age of other immortals with around a 90% accuracy. That talent also made her real sensitive to the Quickenings. When San has gotten Quickenings, she has been knocked out soon afterwards for about ten to fifteen minutes unlike other Immortals, who only feel woosy if they aren't seriously hurt by the fight. That is one reason why she has only 11 quickenings in 50 years.

"My name is Charleson and I'm here for your head."

"This is the worst possible time and place to do this. It would be better if we did this in another town and at another time. I can probably set a time in my appointment book."

"You have no choice in the matter. I'm issuing a challenge to you and this is not holy ground. Accept or I cut you down where you stand."

San sighs, "My name is Sandra Salvador and I accept." She brings her katana up in a rapid slash. Charleson blocks it and counters with a quick slash from left to right. San dances out of the way and counters the counter. The two immortals were so engrossed with their fighting, they didn't notice the vampire audience.

"Should we grab both of them or just wait for whoever wins?"

"The one who wins, stupid. I'm surprised someone hasn't dusted you yet."

San knew she was in deep shit. Charleson was a better than she is tonight. San was able to barely hold her own head on her shoulders. She couldn't keep on going much longer due to deep cuts in her leg and side that are freely bleeding.

"Your head is mine, Salvador," Charleson said. ( Arrogant bastard. ) What would be his weakness? He would go for her stomach. A nasty gut wound would double her over and he would gloat some more before taking her head.

San left her stomach open for a bait attack. He took with with a slice across. With a slight jump back, she missed some of it, enough to not seriously hurt her. The pain is bearable as she kneels down.

"That was easy," Charleson says arrogantly. "This is the reason why no women will come close to the Prize. Women are too weak and pathetic with the sword." He raises his sword.

"There can only be one." San turns a bit, flicks her wrist and a throwing knife embeds itself in Charleson's throat. He falls down gurgling and drops his sword. San gets up slowly and picks up his saber.

"It won't be you though," San sweeps Charleson's sword down and beheads him. She starts stumbling away as the Quickening's mist surrounds her and it's lightning starts hitting her. The electricity causes every fuse within a block to blow out along with the windows nearby. San screams with pain and a bit of pleasure as the Quickening picks her up slightly and spins her slowly. She passes out almost immediately after its over. The last thing she saw was dark shapes coming toward her.


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