Spirits of Vengeance: Spirits of Vengeance
by DeadPool
Disclaimer: Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles are not mine and are the property of B:TVS and Warner Brothers. Ghost Rider, Deathwatch, Blackout, and John Blaze are all property of Marvel Comics.



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Buffy Summers shook her head and tried to find the place where she had left off in her book in English class. She had been thinking about tonight and what kind of crazy things it's going to bring out. Halloween. It's normally a night where little kids dress up in costumes pretending to scare neighbors into giving them candy. For teenagers and adults there are parties to go to, and according to the numerous flyers at school, there was supposed to be a huge one at the Bronze. Buffy however, knew she'd never make it to the party. On so-called normal nights there seems to be at least a three vampire minimum, even though the Master had been dead for over two weeks now.

She felt someone give her a light nudge and that once again brought her out of her daydream. She looked over and saw one of her best friends, Alexander 'Xander' Harris passing her a note in an unusually subtle fashion-at least for him anyway. She opened the note carefully and quietly so she wouldn't alert the teacher to it's presence, and read it:

"Hey Buff, party at the Bronze, you going? Willow and I are gonna go home after school today and get into our costumes. Willow's going as a 50's girl or something like that, all I know is that she has one of those pink poodle skirts. I'm going as-guess what?--a vampire! I knew you'd love that one. Anyway, what're you going as?"

Buffy was about to write a note back to Xander when the bell rang for lunch. She gathered up her books and threw them into her backpack and waited in the hall until Xander caught up with her. "So, what're you going as?"

Buffy sighed and shook her head. "Xander, I thought you'd know better. Tonight's Halloween."

Xander blinked. "Yeah, that's probably the reason why the Bronze is having a Halloween party, because it's Halloween."

"You know how many vampires I have to dust normally each night right?" she asked.

"Not really, but...oh I get it, sorry Buffy," Xander apologized. "I didn't realize that the night crowd would probably throw a party of their own tonight as well."

"Yeah well, all part of being a Slayer I guess," Buffy said with mock enthusiasm as Xander held open the lunch room door for her. "Hey there's Willow; why does she keep changing tables every day?"

Xander shrugged as he sat down next to Buffy and across from Willow. "So anyway, Willow, a few of the guys are having some kind of pre-party tonight at the cemetery, want to come along? I figure we three have to know that place better than just about anyone else here."

"That's kind of morbid isn't it?" Willow asked between sips of her soda. "I mean, it is Halloween and all, but...I don't know, too many weird things have happened there."

"That's an understatement," Buffy added.

"You two wouldn't know the meaning of fun if you looked it up in a dictionary," Xander sighed taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Maybe, but at least I'm not the one with mustard on my pants," Buffy laughed.

"What!?" Xander exclaimed standing up. "Oh shit, you two stay here, I got to get some napkins now, be right back."


* * *
Sunnydale was one of the many suburbs surrounding one of the largest and most important cities in the United States, Los Angeles. As with all major cities the crime rate there is extremely high. Now although, when most people envision the word 'criminal,' they often see some lowlife mugger stealing the money from some unsuspecting victim and then possibly killing their them. While that is far from being far-fetched, the most dangerous kind of criminal is the kind that can not only act, but think, such as the crime bosses of LA. One such crime boss is a man known only as Deathwatch; it is assumed he uses this alias to avoid having people know who he actually is and what his family ties are. Who is known to hold a tight reign of control over several multi-national business industries.
"So you're telling me that these canisters hold the components that can make a cure for vampirism?" Blackout asked in a cranky voice. He was not only the new vampire leader of the area, but he had also studied the black arts, and in turn was able to shield himself from the sun's harmful rays.

Deathwatch smiled. "A bit early for you isn't it?"

"Yes, I'm not used to being up before sundown," Blackout yawned. "But enough about me and my sleeping habits, tell me, how do these things work?"

"Well you see," Deathwatch began," that's the tricky thing, only I know how to activate the components and while a cure to vampirism might be a God send to some, to people like you it's a major threat to your way of life, am I correct?"

Blackout's face grimaced. "Yes. What do you want? How much for them?"

Deathwatch leaned back in his chair. "Oh, I don't want money my friend, I want something, more appropriately, someone."

"Who and what happens to the canisters after we deliver?" Blackout asked.

"If you deliver successfully, then the canisters never see the light of day, much like you and your brethren," Deathwatch said as he lit a cigarette. "This 'someone' is a person who I believe you'll have a fun time capturing for me. Her name is Buffy Summers, also known as the Slayer."

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Willow said shaking her head.


* * *
"What's your problem now?" Xander asked, annoyed from the amount of talking it took to convince Willow to come with him.
"I just think it's dumb, that's all," Willow said. "I mean it's nearly eight, the party at the Bronze will be starting soon."

"Are you really in that much of a hurry to be put down by Cordelia and her snob patrol?" Xander snapped.

Willow sighed. "No, I guess not."

"Hey, Xander that you?" a voice called out.

"Yeah, hey Jim, that you?" Xander asked.

Jim laughed. "Yeah, can't tell huh? I love ninjas, I've been a ninja for Halloween every year since I was a kid."

"Well, I decided to pick some a little more devious," Xander said.

"Oh yeah, a vampire, Bela Lugosi style no less," Jim said. "And who is your lovely date here...Willow that you?"

Willow smiled and blushed. "Yeah, do I look that different?"

Jim shook his head. "I can tell you one thing Willow, if this were the 50's, you'd have a date every night of the week."

"Ok, ok, enough Casanova, where's the rest of the goon squad?" Xander interrupted with a hint of jealousy and stepped in-between his friend and Willow.

"This way," Jim smirked.

"How come you didn't say I looked pretty?" Willow asked, hitting Xander in the side with her elbow as they both followed Jim.

"Ouch! Hey, I didn't say you didn't look pretty, right?" Xander said defensively.

Willow just turned her head and pretended to be in a huff; she enjoyed having him go after her for once instead of the other way around it usually is.

As they rounded the corner of the cemetery, they met the rest of Jim's friends. They were all dressed as ninjas. Willow crossed her arms across her chest. "I guess we're kind of out place here, huh?"

"No, in fact you two are the guests of honor!" Jim chuckled in a evil voice.

You're a vampire!" Xander shouted.

"Very perceptive my friend, although it'll do you no good," Jim said and then removed his katana from its sheath, his friends followed suit. "Oh and by the way, our swords, they ain't plastic."

Xander dodged Jim's blow by less than a tenth of an inch, Jim's sword sparked on the headstone where it hit. If Xander and Willow had any doubt as to the sword's authenticity, it was gone now. Xander turned to Willow and grabbed her hand, "Run!"

Both Willow and Xander took off at speeds the Sunnydale Track Team would be envious of, bolting down alley ways and through streets until they got lost. "Dammit!" Xander yelled.

"Quiet!" Willow scolded him. "They probably heard you!"

"Yeah, well, I can't run with this cape on!" Xander said annoyed.

"Here let me," Willow offered and undid Xander's cape just in time to see the ninja vampires round the corner. "Quick, in here!"

Xander followed and he and Willow hit behind some junk. "Where are we?" Xander asked hoping his olfactory sense was lying.

"I think we're in a junkyard," Willow answered and then took a good look around. "Yep, definitely a junkyard."

Suddenly there was a whoosh of air and Willow toppled to the ground. "Willow!" Xander screamed. He turned her and saw two shuriken stuck in her back.

"They were dipped in poison Xander," Jim said appearing behind him. "A deadly neurotoxin."

"You bastard," Xander seethed.

"Temper, temper," Jim smiled. "Now, if you come along quietly, I'll personally see to it that she receives the best medical attention.

"And if I don't?" Xander asked fearing he already knew the answer.

"Well," Jim began, "our orders are to take you and Miss Rosenberg alive, however, I seriously doubt she'd survive the trip. So tell me Alexander, what'll it be? Do as we say and save your friend or have us do it the hard way, in which the end result will be the same only you'll be minus one friend."

Xander about to answer and someone jumped down from a car pile and toppled Jim. It was Buffy's vampire semi-boyfriend, Angel. "Xander, get Willow and run! I'll handle Jimmy boy here and his karate film rejects!"

Xander scooped Willow up in his arms and then turned to Angel. "Thanks man, I owe you one."

"You saved Buffy's life," Angel said struggling to keep Jim pinned, "consider us even, now run, his friends are around here somewhere!"

Xander nodded and ran with Willow in his arms. As he got close to the entrance several vampires blocked it off and he had to make a detour. Hiding behind some wreckage, Xander was getting frantic. "I gotta save you Willow," Xander whispered, wishing he had told her how he feels about her. "They'll find us any minute," he said to himself and then noticed something among a pile of wrecked vehicles. There was an extremely high quality motorcycle laying on the heap. "What's this doing here?" he asked himself. "It looks brand new." Just then the gas cap began glowing, and for some reason, one that Xander couldn't explain, he was compelled to touch it, and so he did. What happen next was the most painful experience Xander had ever felt in his life; it felt like a million wounds had been ripped open and salt was poured all over them. He was engulfed in flames, and Xander thought this was the end and screamed.

"There!" one of the vampires pointed. "The girl must have died, follow me in."

Just as they were getting close, someone exploded out of the wreckage in a demonic looking motorcycle with fire for wheels and carrying Willow. "Ghost Rider lives again, the Spirit of Vengeance rides once more!"

As the motorcycle touched down on the ground the vampires couldn't believe what they were seeing. Ghost Rider looked like something they had never seen before. He was wearing a thick black biker jacket with spikes on the shoulders and cuffs, black gloves with spikes on the knuckles, black boots with spikes around them, charcoal gray jeans, several chains wrapped around his waist like a belt and where his head should have been, there was a human skull surrounded by flames. It's voice was something beyond evil-the closest thing resembling it was Darth Vader's.

"It's some kind of trick, get him!" one of the vampires commanded. Sensing the attack Ghost Rider climbed off his motorcycle and defended himself. The first vampire came at him from the front and swung a poorly guided punch. Ghost Rider caught it and crushed it, snapping bones like twigs. The vampire screamed.

"Now vengeance shall be mine!" Ghost Rider shouted and pushed his index and middle finger into the vampire's eyes while sticking his thumb inside the vampire's mouth and proceeded to shatter the vampire's skull, it died and disintegrated.

The next vampire tried to attack Ghost Rider from behind with his katana however the razor sharp sword merely deflected off of Ghost Rider without causing so much as a small tear. The vampire stood there dumbfounded as Ghost Rider grabbed the vampire and forcefully tore it's heart from it's chest and then used the vampire's own sword to decapitate it. He disintegrated like his partner had done moments before.

Ghost Rider realized that he was wasting far too much time dispatching his enemies; he needed to get Willow to a hospital, and fast, or else the poison in her veins would kill her. He returned to his motorcycle, its wheels of fire blazing, and took off like a bat out of hell.

Ghost Rider burst into the hospital carrying Willow's poisoned body. "This woman needs medical attention-now!" As he put Willow down on one of the hospital beds, one of the emergency room doctors tried to stop him from leaving. "Hey, wait a minute, you can just barge in here and-"

Ghost Rider stared at the doctor who stammered, "U-um...maybe you can."

Ghost Rider hopped up on his motorcycle and drove off. After he had gone about ten blocks, the Ghost Rider and his bike were again engulfed in flames. What was left was a high-quality racing motorcycle and Xander Harris. Xander passed out just before he heard a police car's siren come up behind him.

Xander awoke in a daze and in a hospital bed. He didn't know why he was in the hospital. All he could remember was being chased by vampires, Willow getting hurt and then...and then...he remembered touching a motorcycle with a bright glowing medallion-like gas cap, and then pain. He remembered the pain and then the transformation into some kind of hell-spawned demon, except instead of committing acts of evil, as did the vampires, he had tried to stop them and then save his best friend. He laid his head back down on his pillow. It was too weird to try and figure out, he thought, maybe later Giles can make something out of it. "Well, I'm glad to see you're feeling better Mr. Harris," a voice said.

Xander picked his head up and saw a middle-aged male doctor standing in the entrance of the room. "Who're you and what am I doing here?"

"Well," the doctor began, "my name is Doctor Greg Keenan, and you were picked up by a police officer around ten o'clock last night. You had passed out and so he took you here. Kind of strange though."

"Why is that strange?" Xander asked. "I mean besides the obvious."

"Well, it's just that several unusual things happened last night," the doctor said. "Perhaps the weirdest of them all was when that biker bought in a very sick young lady."

"Willow," Xander said quietly.

"Ah, so you know Ms. Rosenberg?" Doctor Keenan said, a bit surprised.

"Yeah," Xander said scooting off his bed, "she and I go to school together and we've been friends since pre-school. Can I go see her?"

"Well, visiting hours begin in about ten minutes or so..." Keenan said. "I don't see why not; go ahead, just try and be quiet, ok?"

Xander nodded and walked out of his room. He knew that he, besides the possibility of Buffy and Giles visiting, no one else would; both his and Willow's parents were gone on business trips.

He went down to the nurse's station and found the wing Willow was being kept in and slowly walked into her room. He couldn't believe his eyes. Her body was motionless, her eyes closes, and there were machines all around her, some attached to tubes that were stuck into her. He silently walked up to her and squeezed her hand while cursing himself. It was his fault. He had convinced her to go to the cemetery; if he had just listened to Willow they would have gone straight to the Bronze and none of this would have happened. Xander shook his head, he remembered becoming that monster, but what he couldn't understand was how he killed off those two vampires without the standard vampire gear and got Willow to safety.

"Hey," a lovely female voice called about him.

Xander turned around. "Hi Buffy."

"So, what happened last night?" Buffy asked. I heard you ran into some vampires dressed as ninjas, how'd you get away?"

"It's a complicated story," Xander said tiredly. "How'd you find out anyway? It's not as if dead vampires leave a trace."

Buffy smiled and then walked over to Willow. "Angel told me."

"Oh yeah!" Xander shouted and then shut his mouth quickly, remembering he was in a hospital. "We totally forgot about him. He saved out lives by the way."

"I know, but something troubles me," Buffy said. "Angel came back to the library last night fairly injured, and you know how tough he is, so how did you come out without a scratch?"

Xander sighed. "As I said, long story. Let's get out of here, ok Buff?"

Buffy nodded and followed Xander out of the hospital. "You walk here?"

"Nah," Buffy answered. "My mom drove me, she's waiting outside; we're going shopping right after this."

Xander chuckled and then looked around frantically. "Hey, where's my motorcycle?"

Buffy pressed her hand to Xander's forehead. "Maybe you shouldn't have checked out yet Xander."

"What!?" he exclaimed.

"You don't have a motorcycle silly!" Buffy laughed.

"Yeah, but...I...oh I don't know," Xander sighed.

A car horn broke up their conversation and Xander turned to see who it was. It was Buffy's mother, who had obviously gotten impatient and was telling Buffy to hurry it up. "Look, I got to go Xander, you need a lift?"

"Nah, I think I'll walk," Xander said. "I think I need some time to sort a few things out."

Buffy shrugged and got into the passenger seat of her mother's car and rolled down the window. "Take care of yourself ok?"

Xander nodded as Buffy's mom drove off. Xander sighed. He had secretly always wanted powers, to be someone special, like Buffy. However, it turned out to be just as big a pain in the neck for him as it was for her. He cracked a smile and began to freak out as he noticed something-his body was vanishing.


* * *
"What do you mean they escaped?" an angry Deathwatch asked.
Blackout shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "The vampires I assigned to this job were dressed as ninjas sir, and posed as Xander Harris's friends. We had his real friends taken care of hours before. Anyway, I think they succeeded in poisoning one of the Slayer's friends, Willow Rosenberg."

"I didn't want them poisoned, hurt, mangled, chopped, bitten, shot or otherwise injured!" Deathwatch snapped. "I wanted them in perfect condition and in my possession!"

"Yes sir, I know, if I may continue?" Blackout asked; Deathwatch nodded. "Ok sir, after Rosenberg was poisoned, that vampire-turned traitor, Angel jumped in and gave them time to get away. Now here's the strange part-according to the survivors, Harris did not reappear, but some crazed biker with a flaming skull for a head came barreling out in a motorcycle with wheels made out of flame. He killed two of my men without using a stake through the heart."

"So...we're dealing with someone who has supernatural powers are we?" Deathwatch speculated.

"I would have to say so sir," Blackout agreed. "Whatever he is, he's powerful, and could be an even greater threat than the Slayer."

"Order the majority of your men to stay off the streets, and send in a select few to spy on the Slayer," Deathwatch ordered. "I have a feeling, considering this new threat took Rosenberg out of harm's way that he is somehow linked to the Slayer."

"I'll get right on it," Blackout said and left Deathwatch's office.


* * *
Xander reappeared in a dimly room. It took his eyes a few moments to adjust, and it was then that he realized he was in some kind of throne room. Sitting on the throne was a man who could have been the spitting image of Errol Flynn, dressed like a noble Englishman save the blood red cape. Beside him was a man with fiery red hair tied up into a pony tail and wore a black trench coat, a dark and light blue shirt, beige pants, and dark brown boots. "Welcome," the Englishman said. "I realize this has to be somewhat of a shock for you Mr. Harris, but let me assure you that none of this has happened by chance or mere coincidence."
"Hold it, T on the field!" Xander said making a time out gesture. "Just who are you guys, what am I am doing here, how do you know my name and what the hell are you talking about?"

"Son, if I were I'd shut my yap and listen," the man in the trench coat snapped.

The Englishman cracked a smile. "Now, now Johnathan, we shouldn't be so hard on the boy, after all he is new to this and the last twenty-four hours for him have been somewhat of a roller coaster ride."

"I am known as Doctor Huge Strange," he continued. "I am the world's most powerful human wizard and one of the foremost leading scholars of wizardry."

Xander arched an eyebrow. "What about 'Jean-Claude van Damme' over there?"

My name's John Blaze," the man said, lighting up a cigarette. "My credentials aren't nearly as interesting as the good doctor's, however, you and I share something in common."

"Yeah?" Xander sneered. "What's that?"

Blaze took a slow puff from his cigarette and then blew the smoke out through his nostrils. "I was once possessed by the same demon you are currently possessed by."

Xander stood there not believing any of this. "Ok tough guy, how'd you get rid of it then?

"He didn't," Strange said. "Zarathos rejected him as a host for the Spirit of Vengeance."

"Zarathos?" Xander asked, taking a seat.

"Yeah kid, Zarathos, it's the name of the demon who's using your body as a host," Blaze interjected. "Only according to the doc here, it won't part with you like it did me."

"What?!" Xander screamed. "Why not!?"

"Calm down young man," Strange scolded. "The reason is, I think Zarathos has finally found his host, the one man who fits his needs to use as a vessel for the Spirit of Vengeance."

"Lucky me," Xander said shaking his head. "And what's the deal with this 'Spirit of Vengeance' bullshit?"

Blaze ripped off his sunglasses and stared down the teenager. "It's far from bullshit kid; you at this moment have the power to transform yourself into the world's most powerful force against evil, and the forces of darkness!"

"Enough!" Strange shouted. "I think we can better discuss things during breakfast wouldn't you say?"

For the next five hours, Doctor Hugo Strange and Demon Hunter John Blaze tell younh Xander Harris all they know about the approaching forces of darkness, Zarathos, why he was chosen to become Zarathos's host, and how to use his special abilties.

"Ok, so let me get this straight," Xander started, "I was chosen by Zarathos to combat evil in the form of Ghost Rider, and while in that form I have incredible hell-spawned powers and near invincibility; my motorcycle while in it's normal form is a racing motorcycle and can be called by me at any time to appear when I need it just by thinking about it, and while in it's hell version complete with fire for wheel's it's called the Hell-Storm, and to transform into the Ghost Rider I must touch that medallion-like gas cap on the motorcycle while it's glowing and then can change back whenever I feel like it?"

Both Strange and Blaze nodded. "Yes, that's about the size of it."

Xander whistled. "Wow, never thought I'd be like Buffy-hey, that reminds me, what're your parts in this? Are you two like my watchers or assistants or what?"

Blaze stood dumbfounded. "What? I'm a demon hunter, and I've been assigned to assist you in your fight against evil, and while you're learning how to control yourself as the Ghost Rider, try and keep you out of too much trouble."

Strange exhaled slowly. "Watcher eh? I take it you're friends with this generation's Slayer then."

"Yeah," Xander nodded feeling it was okay to divulge his friend's secret. "Her name is Buffy Summers and she's a classmate of mine at Sunnydale High School.

Strange smiled. "Well, yes, I guess in a certain way, I could be classified as your watcher."

"So, when do we begin?" Xander eagerly asked.

"Later tonight," Blaze answered, and removed a large hellish looking shotgun from his trench coat. "This my friend, is a very special shotgun acquired for me by Doctor Strange here. It shoots off blasts of pure hellfire, which needless to say can destroy just about anything or anyone that gets in its way."

Xander, having always been somewhat of a gun nut, stared at Blaze's shotgun. "Um...so how do I get in touch with you then?"

"You don't," Strange answered as waved his hands. "He'll get in touch with you."

Xander felt a funny feeling and then realized why the doctor had waved his hands, it was a spell to send him back to Sunnydale. "Wait, I still have a few more-"

He was gone. Blaze now stood next to Strange and sighed. "You think he's ready?"

"He's got to be," Strange answered. "Or else the world had better get ready for doomsday."


* * *
It became clear to Xander that magic, much like science, was an inexact thing at best, or else he wouldn't have reappeared in one of his neighbor's trees. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Xander quickly and quietly managed to climb down the tree and ran into his own backyard. "Well, this is it, time to see if that crazy English coot was right," Xander muttered to himself as he glanced around to make sure no one was watching. Xander closed his and mentally called out for his motorcycle. In a flash of light, there stood, in front of Xander, was his motorcycle; he couldn't believe it had worked. "Holy shit!," he exclaimed. "I can't believe it, wow, wait'll Buffy and Giles hear about..."
Just then he realized that perhaps he shouldn't tell his friends about his newfound power. True, he was fighting on the same side as Buffy, but it seemed like Doctor Strange had wanted this to remain a secret and had is own agenda. If Buffy and Giles new about him being Ghost Rider then they'd probably want him to assist Buffy and that would take time out of whatever it is Strange and Blaze wanted him to do. Xander shook his head-he couldn't get over it, he had wanted something like this to happen to him since he first found out Buffy was the Slayer and now he couldn't tell her or anybody. Just like the real world he thought, the more responsibility you have, the less fun everything gets.


* * *
It was around nine o'clock at night when Buffy got herself to the school's library with her slaying gear. Giles was not pleased however, he had wanted her here earlier. "Where were you?"
Buffy slammed her equipment down on one of the tables. "My mom; she kept wanting to do some kind of mother-daughter thing tonight, and I had to make up an excuse good enough to get out of there."

"I do wish Slayers weren't teenage girls," Giles sighed. "They're always so complicated and their lives full of strange little problems."

"Giles, there are I times I wish Slayers weren't teenage girls either," Buffy said.

"So, how is Willow doing?" Giles asked hoping to change the subject.

"No better, or worse, than this morning Giles," Buffy answered.

"Poor girl, I hope she gets better," Giles said. "What about Xander? How is he taking all of this?"

"Last I spoke to him he sounded real depressed and was brooding," Buffy said. "Brooding over what I can't tell you, he didn't want to share his thoughts with me."

Giles adjusted his glasses. "Well, it doesn't matter right now. What does matter is that you get out there and go hunt down a few more vampires."

Buffy grabbed a few stakes and straightened out her cross. "While I'm doing that, I want you to try and find out some information in your books, maybe something that talks about another vampire taking over the Master's position or something."

"Right, oh and do be careful, ok?" Giles cautioned.


* * *
Xander was waiting. Actually, he decided to wait near the school, just in case Buffy needed any help. No, that wasn't it, he thought, he went there in case he needed help. He couldn't wait for Blaze any longer, he mentally commanded his motorcycle's gas cap to glow, and once it did he touched it. Both he and his bike were consumed by magical flames, originally created deep within the bowels of hell. After Xander's vision cleared again he could he had become the Ghost Rider; his motorcycle the Hell-Storm. Xander caught a glimpse of himself as the Ghost Rider in the reflection of one of the school's windows and couldn't get over just how menacing and how evil he looked. Xander breathed slowly, and told himself that while he is the Ghost Rider, he will think and act like him, not Xander Harris-if for nothing else, to keep his identity a secret.
"Hi, my name's Buffy," a voice shouted out from behind him. Ghost Rider turned around just in time to see Buffy jump kick and knock him off his motorcycle.

"Wait!" Ghost Rider yelled.

"I don't think so," Buffy said, balling her hand up in a fist. "You look, and sound evil, and my instincts tell me you had something to do with my friend getting hurt!"

She hit Ghost Rider and silently cried out in pain. It was like hitting a brick wall, she thought. Buffy grabbed Ghost Rider's arm and flung him as hard as she could. Unfortunately, she had underestimated her strength and he went flying into the library, crashing right through one of the windows.

Giles stopped and stared at Ghost Rider and moved behind his desk grabbing one of the crossbows from the back room. "Just what we need, some kind of demon."

Buffy ran into the library at full speed and glanced once at Giles to make sure he was all right and then turned her attention to Ghost Rider. "Ok flaming skull boy, now you tell me what you had to do with my friend's injury last night."

Ghost Rider had had quite enough of this girl's attitude. She refused to listen to reason, and even if she is the Slayer, and on his side, she had to be taught a quick lesson. "Listen to me, I shall give you one more chance to back off Slayer, or I will have to resort to violence."

Buffy took this as not only a threat, but as in insult and ran towards him. "Maybe you'll want to talk after I knock you around a few times."

Ghost Rider remained still and rigid, but his chains didn't. Mentally commanding them, the chains snapped to life and like metallic tendrils rose to defend their master. One of the chains bolted forward and wrapped itself tightly around Buffy and then thrust her, back first, into the wall. She was pinned against the wall and she knew it. "Now, I need you to stop attacking me so I can explain myself!"

"Release her!" Giles shouted and pressed the trigger on the crossbow. Since the weapon had been designed for hunting vampires there was a aerodynamically shaped stake in place of an arrow. Even though the stake was designed to be shot, it was still much slower than an arrow and allowed Ghost Rider more than enough time to grab it mid-flight and crush it.

"I'm not your enemy," Ghost Rider said, both slowly and carefully so that Buffy and Giles would understand him without having to repeat himself. "I'm the one who took Willow and got her out of that mess; I'm the one who killed two vampires in her defense, and I am the one who brought her to the hospital!"

"You look like a demon and you sound like a demon," Buffy said. "How do we know we can trust you?"

Ghost Rider's chained tightened around Buffy. "You can't, you'll just have to tale my-wait, I sense danger, evil; the innocent are being preyed upon at the Bronze!"

"What!?" Buffy asked, not quite getting the gist of what he said. "You mean vamps?"

"Yes," Ghost Rider said releasing Buffy, his chains returning to him and wrapping around his waist. "We must leave at once."

Buffy followed Ghost Rider. "Wait, the Bronze is clear across town, we'll never get there in time!"

"I know I will," Ghost Rider said climbing onto the Hell-Storm. "You will to if you ride with me."

Buffy looked back at Giles who nodded, silently telling her it is the only way to get to the Bronze quickly. Buffy took her place behind Ghost Rider and put her arms around his waist to hold on. "I hope you're a good driver."

Ghost Rider didn't answer, and peeled out of the school's parking lot. While driving Ghost Rider took this time to think. Normally, as Xander he thought, he would have been delighted to have Buffy's arms around him, but now all it seemed like was a necessity. Even worse, Buffy and Giles seemed to fear him. Although, he thought, if he were them, he wouldn't find himself overly trustworthy and friendly-looking.

In less than five minutes they had arrived at the Bronze, and not a moment too soon. Windows were smashed, cars destroyed, the streets and doorway littered with dead bodies, some of them drained of their blood. As Ghost Rider and Buffy made their way in, they saw what they were certain was hell-vampires were jumping around like crazy attacking anyone and anything that moves; the inside had an even more impressive body count than the outside.

"Ok, move out, I'll the left, you take the right!" Buffy commanded and went to work.

Ghost Rider, although slightly peeved, followed her orders. "The mortal thinks she needs to give me instructions!?"

As they joined the fray, the battle became even more violent, and bloody-Buffy with her stakes, crosses and holy water, and Ghost Rider with his supernatural powers and chains.

Out of nowhere a hand grabbed Buffy's shoulder and shoved her to the side. Buffy was about to protest when she saw the man raise and aim his hellish looking shotgun and then cringed when he fired it. She looked off in amazement as she saw what looked like a bolt of fire stream out of the shotgun's barrel and obliterate the vampire he had taken aim at. He then turned to Buffy. "Sorry about that kid; I had the shot, and you were in the way so I moved you. No hard feelings right?"

"Of course not," Buffy said, running off making sure to stomp on his foot. "Ghost Rider, where are you?"

Her answer was given in the form of a lifeless chunk of vampire flesh hitting the wall next to her. "A simple, 'Yeah Buff, I'm here!,' would do!"

That man grabbed Buffy again and shoved her to the floor just in time to avoid getting hit by a shower of bullets. "You know, for a Slayer of your reputation, you're not impressing me."

"Who the hell are you anyway?" Buffy snapped, moving away from him.

"Demon Hunter John Blaze, at your service ma'am," Blaze said, trying to sound dignified.

"Blaze!" Ghost Rider shouted while decapitating yet another vampire. "Where were you earlier? Did you know about this?"

"I was late," Blaze yelled back kneeing a vampire in the groin and then blasting his face off. "And yeah, I knew about this; that's why I was here before you!"

Buffy took aim with her crossbow and shot a vampire behind Ghost Rider right through the heart. "You know that creep? Where'd he get a gun that can kill vampires anyway?"

"Yes, and I don't know, and at the moment, I don't care," Ghost Rider said, shifting his position so he and Buffy could fight back-to-back. "We have more pressing matters at hand."

"You mean besides being over-run by a zillion vampires in a close area?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"Yes," Ghost Rider said, pointing to the explosives the vampires had set in all four corners of the dance club. "Those are set to go off any minute now, we must vacate the area."

Ghost Rider grabbed Buffy and lead her out of the Bronze; Buffy did not want to leave yet however. "What're you doing? There're still people in there!"

"No one in there is alive anymore, they're either dead or undead," Ghost Rider informed, plopping Buffy down on his motorcycle. "We must be off!"

With that Ghost Rider and Buffy sped away, all in a nick of time too, as the entire dance club went up just as they got beyond blast range. Buffy's inquisitiveness perked up again as they drove along. "What about your friend, Blaze?"

"John Blaze is a cruel and harsh man with no qualms about killing anyone or anything in his path," Ghost Rider growled. "He is far from my friend; at best I would say we have a working relationship."

"I wouldn't call your methods relaxed and easy going either buddy," Buffy smirked and then got deeply depressed. "I can't believe it's really gone."

Ghost Rider didn't respond so she kept on talking. "The Bronze was the most fun place to hang out in Sunnydale-it was were I met my friends, Willow and Xander, and where I finally killed the Master."

Secretly Ghost Rider was glad she mentioned Xander, at least he was thinking about him, and perhaps he thought, it was time to tell her, and Giles, who he really was.


* * *
From his helicopter, Deathwatch and Blackout were out to witness firsthand the destruction Blackout's vampire's had wrought. However, Deathwatch was not pleased. "This is how you 'destroyed the Slayer?' By blowing a teen hang out causing a massacre?"
"Sir," Blackout began, "I assure you that all of this was done with the best possible intention, and at this moment I am awaiting word from my team's unit leader on the Slayer's demise."

As if on cue, the phone rang and Blackout picked it up. As the conversation went on, Deathwatch could tell from the distorted expressions Blackout made that the Slayer was still alive and well.

As Blackout hung up the phone, Deathwatch grabbed him by the throat. "Let me make this as clear as possible, we not only missed the Slayer, but we now have the cops after your vampire team. You've screwed up one too many times, but being the generous person I am, I am giving you once last chance to redeem yourself-I want you to kill the Slayer, yourself, tonight."


* * *
Both Buffy and Giles's jaws dropped. They couldn't believe the story the Ghost Rider was telling them. It just couldn't be true, Buffy thought, Xander is...well...too dopey to become the so-called 'Spirit of Vengeance.'
"You don't believe me?" Ghost Rider asked.

"Well, you have to admit, it is rather hard to swallow," Giles said.

"And that a five foot three inch sixteen year old girl is this generation's one and only Slayer isn't?" Ghost Rider shot back.

"Look," Buffy began, "maybe if you could just prove it to us, we'd believe you."

"All right, watch this," Ghost Rider said, standing up. In a whirl of magical hell-fire, Ghost Rider was transformed back into plain old Xander Harris. "Believe me now?"

Buffy ran up and hugged Xander. "Hey, not that I'm complaining mind you, but what was that for?"

"It's because your safe, and that you helped me out back there," Buffy said smiling.

A gun shot rang out and Giles collapsed to the floor, clutching his left arm. Buffy ran over to him to see if he was okay and then turned to his assailant. "Who are you!?"

"I am the new Master of the vampires," the tall dark figure said. "My name is Blackout, however you may call me death."

Buffy thought about jumping him, but changed her mind when she saw who he was aiming at. There was no way Xander could dodge a bullet, not in his human form and if he called his motorcycle he'd be shot for sure before he could transform. "Ok, fine, take me but leave the others, they're of no value to you."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that little girl," Blackout said, "however, I will take your first."

Blackout changed his target at astonishing speed, and was about to pull the trigger, except a voice called out behind him ruining his concentration. "Buffy, duck!"

Buffy, being a Slayer and trained to know better than to ask 'why' in certain situations did what she was told instantly. As soon as she hit the deck, Blackout was obliterated in a familiar way. She stood up, and tried to piece together the remains of Blackout's body. "Blaze is that you?"

"Sure is kid," Blaze chuckled. "Yeah, maybe my methods aren't as clean or fashionable as yours or your friend's over there, but it gets the job done, and in a hurry too."

"How did you escape the blast?" Xander asked.

Blaze smiled and gently tapped his belt buckle. "Teleportation device installed on my belt as a buckle by the doc; nifty little gadget to have around for times like that."

"Um...not to interrupt the party of anything but...ow!" Giles said, getting up rather unsuccessfully from the floor.

"Oh right, sorry Giles," Buffy said and helped him up. "C'mon Xander, lets get him to the hospital before he bleeds to death all over me."

As Xander helped Buffy get Giles up, Blaze made them an offer they couldn't refuse. "I'll take ya in my car; motorcycle's not built for free and I'm going that way anyhow, so hurry up!"


* * *
It was Monday afternoon when they went to go see Willow again, and this time, by some miracle, the intravenous medication had worked, purging the neurotoxin from her veins. In fact, Willow was feeling almost a hundred percent better by the time she saw her friends, and couldn't wait to be brought up to speed on what had happened since Friday night. "Giles, why is your arm in a sling?"
"Oh," Buffy answered said before Giles could get a word in, "gunshot wound from an unexpected guest. Don't worry though he's fine, and got a lot of sympathy from Ms. Calendar."

"What visitor? What happened? I have a lot to catch up on don't I?" Willow asked feeling overwhelmed.

Xander chuckled. "Will, you don't know the half of it."

THE END


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