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Unobserved, the Blood Witch watched. No one knew her for what she was, no one could see past what she projected. They were innocent, naïve. They had not seen the true darkness of the world, not beyond their safe little film star lives.
They did not suspect what she was doing and she knew it was better that way. It worked so much better if they didn’t know. So much better.
She waited, biding her time, waiting for the opportunity to arise that she might take the blood of her spells target. She could cast many spells with her own blood, for blood was the source of her power, but the blood of another was much more powerful, binding the essence of the target to the spell. All it would take was a single drop and then the spell would be ready.
Soon.
Alyson Hannigan was browsing a potential script when she caught sight of her co star out of the corner of her eye.
"Hey Sarah. You look.. tired."
"Tell me about it." the petite blonde slumped down into a chair. "Between fight scenes, and training for fight scenes I’m beat. We had thirteen takes on that last one."
"Bad luck?" Alyson commented.
"Bad luck for me." A shoulder roll off a pile of crates might be alright for a real vampire slayer but I personally lack superhuman endurance."
"I’m lucky. All my abilities get added in with special effects."
"Well this bruise isn’t a special effect or make up. Ow."
Sarah Michelle Geller looked beat. Alyson knew how she felt. This latest Buffy episode was dragging. Somehow the scenes needed to be re-shot or a new sequence added. She herself wasn’t too bad, her physical exertion kept to a minimum but Sarah had it tough. Right now she looked like she was ready to slay someone for real if she didn’t get home to bed.
"Are you done for the night?" Alyson asked, closing her book.
"Yeah. They let me off at last. You?"
"Yeah. Luckily a midnight full moon is one of those special effects. I get to meet my bed time. Need a lift?"
"I guess I can use one. Hang on a sec, I’ll grab my stuff."
While most of the town lay sleeping, the Blood Witch stayed awake, readying various spells, scrying on events of the world. The nature of magic in the world meant it was important to keep a watch on it, at least for those that believed in it. So few did, many believed it was dying. But magic could no more die than dreams or darkness. Magic infused everything. All that had changed was relationship of people to it. The Blood Witch knew how to tune to this nature when needed, mixing her own blood with the life blood of the world. But not tonight. In fact not since she had put her plan into operation. The world could wait but there were those that deserved more attention. Those like Sarah.
Sarah slept. But she didn’t sleep well, at least not in her dreams.
In her dreams there was a demon, not one of the latex creations she was used to battling on set. This demon was a towering monstrosity, a whirling mass of chaos. Whenever she tired to make out it’s form it became something else. She was on the Buffy set, at least it seemed to be, but when she looked harder it was real. In that it was a perfect fiction, no set and cameras, just more graveyard. It shouldn’t have been like this. But it was and somehow it was even more frightening than a nightmare, more real. The demon seemed to ignore her, as if she was no threat. There were other forms, other shapes in the whirling chaos, fighting against the form.
Losing.
Sarah shivered, frozen in terror as she stared up at the shape.
Fear.
Cold fear gripped her and refused to let go.
She wanted to do something, anything but she couldn’t move. Still the mass of chaos swirled, growing in size, more shapes swirling within it. She wanted to scream. But no scream emerged.
Alyson was worried. Worried about Sarah. Her friend had looked terrible when she’d arrived on set and now looked even more tired.
"Rough night?" the red head asked cautiously.
"No. Yes. Just nightmares."
"Bad?"
"If you call waking up in a sweat and screaming bad. Ever have those?"
"I.. yeah.. Sometimes."
"And you really want to move but you can’t. It’s like there’s some invisible force holding you in place and . Hey are you okay?"
"Sure." Alyson swallowed. "It just sounds really creepy."
"Tell me about it. Between that and having to work like this all day, well things are kind of tiring me out."
"Well maybe your luck will change soon enough."
"I hope so. I really hope so."
"Sarah is your lip-"
"Bleeding. Yeah. I zigged when I should have zagged. Lunged when I should have ducked. You know how stage fighting can be."
"No. But I know you should get something on that. Here." She handed Sarah a tissue and the actress tenderly dabbed her lip.
"Do you know any natural recipes or something that can help sleep?"
"Warm milk? Sorry Sarah. I’m no more a witch than you are a Slayer."
"Shame. Then you could get me a sleeping potion and I could heal faster."
"Wishful thinking for us all."
"Yeah. I’m going to go and get some ice on this."
"Sure."
Sarah stood and headed off, pressing the tissue to her mouth. Alyson watched her with concern. Something was going on but she had no idea of what it might be. But she would do what she could for her friend.
As night fell and the moon rose, the Blood Witch performed her ritual. Now she had the vital piece of the spell. She had Sarah’s blood. A small stained issue, discarded where all thought it was of no further use. But their concept of useful was different to her own. To her the blood was the key to the spell, the spell that would soon weave itself around Sarah without her ever knowing. The Blood Witch held the tissue over the candle, letting the flames consume the paper and the blood. She chanted her words carefully, letting each tone flow perfectly. If all went to plan, Sarah would soon be at peace.
The demon. Again.
The same dream, exactly the same and once again there was nothing that she could do. She strained to move her muscles but physical control was absent. Suddenly things seemed to change. The grim battle scene lifted, the darkness was replaced with sunshine, the graveyard with a shady tree in a field. Control returned to her body and she sat down, no longer afraid. Everything seemed perfect. Sarah sat on the blanket that covered the green grass. A man approached. She didn’t know who he was, anybody, nobody it didn’t matter. In her dream she knew that she was content with him. Content to hold him tight, to feel safe and warm beside him. And when he touched her she felt no fear. She touched back and the dream proceeded to take a life of it’s own. She let go of her conscious mind, letting her dream self do what it wished, letting her dream lover do what he wished to her. Clothes were shed magically until they lay naked, side by side, pressed close together. Sarah savored the pure pleasure of the dream, knowing that there would be no ill effects or implications. It was just a dream. The safest sex of all.
"You’re looking better this morning." Alyson noted upon seeing Sarah for the first time that day. She did look better. Not only was she wide awake but there was a smile on her face and a spring in her step.
"Well, I had a good night."
"That’s great.. hold on you don’t mean.."
"No. Not that kind of a good night. Well not really. Kind of."
"I’m not sue I follow."
"Well you know how I was having bad dreams?"
"Yeah. Nightmares."
"Well last night I had a good dream. A very good dream."
"Oh. Those dreams. Lucky you."
"I’ll say. And I’m all ready to kick some vampire butt. In acting terms of course."
"Of course."
Sarah headed for make up, the spring in her step seeming to get greater with each stride. She was happy alright. Something had done her a world of good.
Alyson sighed. "I wish I could have dreams like that."
The Blood Witch smiled. Things were going perfectly. Sarah had no idea that the spell was in effect and no one else was any the wiser. For a time she could rest, letting the spell run it’s natural course. But there were other spells to cast, other things to observe in the world. For the moment she was content with the way Sarah was feeling. She herself could check the nature of her magic, detect how her spells were working. Now that she was enchanted she could watch Sarah if she so desired. She knelt down on the floor, tracing a circle in front of her. Pricking her finger she put a drop of blood into the center and focused. The drop would be the eye through which she could perceive her magic in effect, detecting how it operated in respect to the other magic of the world. Her spell was a small and subtle one, hardly anything to affect anything else, but it had been some time since she had checked that status. She closed her eyes and chanted.
Sarah sat in her dressing room, reading through lines for the upcoming scenes. She wasn’t needed for a while and, even though she was ready to get into action, a moment of quiet reflection would do her good. In mid-sentence she stopped. A shiver ran down her spine. Something was wrong. It was as if someone was watching her. Not just someone, something. Something dark. Something sinister. The memory of her nightmare suddenly came to her, pushing away the pleasant memory of the night before. But with the fear came a weariness. She felt her eyelids slipping, no matter how hard she tried to hold them open. She made a move to get up but instead her body slumped to the floor. She felt tired. So very tired.
Then blackness consumed her.
Suddenly the Blood Witch lurched from her trance, eyes flying open in shock. There was a disturbance, something in the balance of magic was being thrown out of alignment. Not just a ripple or a drip but a huge whirlpool of chaos. It was something she hadn’t detected, something she had overlooked all this time, not looking into the wider world, focusing only on the target of her spell. It was a spell that had gone very wrong. Because Sarah was the target of the magical upheaval.
Sarah blinked and looked around. It was a set, a Buffy set, cameras and all in place. But it was empty, not a soul to be seen anywhere. "Hello?" she called out but there was no reply.
It was dream. Suddenly she knew that it was just a dream, even though it seemed so vivid. But why was she dreaming or sleeping. It was the middle of the day. She spun on her heel as a voice seemed to whisper something through the still darkness. There was nothing to be seen anywhere.
"Is somebody there?"
"Is somebody there?" came the echoing reply.
Sarah walked forward, across the artificial graveyard to the source of the voice. "Who’s out there?"
"Who’s out there?"
"Hello?"
"Hello?"
Sarah stopped, looking in front of her. Suddenly the gravestones seemed to form a pattern. It was as if she was facing a mirror image of the cemetery, identical gravestones in front and behind her. But there was a difference. Whereas behind her was a studio, the grave yard in front of her wound off into the distance, city light visible. And there, In the middle of the mirror graveyard was a mirror Sarah. But it wasn’t Sarah, she knew that straight away. It was Buffy, complete with stake in hand, watching Sarah watching her. Wordlessly Sarah stepped forward, reaching out her hand as Buffy did the same. Then they touched.
"SARAH!"
Sarah’s eyes flew open. She shook her head and blinked, taking a fast track ride back to reality. Alyson was kneeling beside her on the floor of her room.
"Alyson. What’s going on?"
"You must have blacked out there."
"No. I. I was having a dream."
"A.. dream?" Alyson swallowed nervously.
"Yeah. For some reason I fell asleep and was dreaming."
"Good dream or bad dream?"
Sarah considered for a second. "Weird dream. I was on set but no-one else was there. And there was this whole other set only it was real. And there was a real Buffy. I just touched her hand and you woke me. Does that mean anything to you?"
"No. But I think it means something. Sarah you’re in serious danger."
"What?"
"Something really bad is about to happen. I meant to protect you but all it did was hide the warning signs."
"The what? What are you talking about?"
"Come with me right now."
Sarah was still too groggy to put up any sort of a fight. Alyson led her by her hand, out of her dressing room and to her own. Only once they were inside, with the door locked, did Alyson talk again. "Sarah, there’s a massive convergence of magic focusing on you."
"Magic? What are you talking about?"
"Look, Sarah you know how I said I’m not a witch? Well I am. And I can cast spells and that sort of thing. I cast a spell on you yesterday…"
"You did what?"
"It was a protection spell. I was worried you’d get sick or hurt or something. But instead it just covered up the signs that something was out to get you."
"Okay, Alyson I’m going to go and get help now."
"No!" The red head put her hand firmly on Sarah’s shoulder. "It’s not something you can stop like that. I think it has something to do with your dreams. And why you fell asleep just now."
"Alyson I really think you should calm down."
"You don’t believe me? Fine." She raised her hand and produced a needle, pricking her finger.
"Alyson?" Sarah’s eye filled with sudden fear. "What are you doing?"
"The magic I use requires blood to work. I’m a blood witch"
"Oh." Was all Sarah managed to say, shuffling towards the door carefully."
Alyson chanted a quick incantation and the drop of blood floated out into the air and flared into a small globe of red light.
Sarah stopped and blinked, disbelieving of what she saw. "Is.. that..?" the blonde stared at the hovering light.
"Magic." Answered Alyson.
"But.. but.. when did you learn magic.. how did you learn magic?"
"I.." Alyson stopped and swallowed nervously, diverting her eyes. The globe of light faded from vision "I’d rather not talk about it. Anyway," she shook her attention back to the present, "There’s something out there coming to get you. I could sense it in the flow of magic."
"You cast a spell on me?" Sarah suddenly realized. "You didn’t even tell me?"
"I couldn’t. Protection spells are voided if the subject is told about it. Which I just did but it wasn’t going to work anyway. It just deluded you."
"From what?"
"From the truth. Those dreams were a warning they were about to tell you something before my interfering spell got in the way. Damn it!"
"Alyson don’t beat yourself up. You were just trying to help." Sarah was amazed at the speed at which she was buying in to the magic explanation. "So how can I find that information."
"I don’t know how long we’ve got. This room has wards on it but I think this thing is more powerful than that. We have to find out what you saw."
"How?"
"Ever been hypnotized?"
"Not that I can remember."
"Yeah well pretty much no one remembers." Alyson said softly.
"Remembers what?"
"Never mind. Look are you willing to do this?"
"I guess. I can trust you right?"
"Sarah, I may be a witch but I’m still your friend. Give me your hand." Sarah stretched out her palm. "This might sting for a second."
"What? Ow!" Sarah flinched as a small needled pricked her finger. Alyson squeezed and a small droplet of blood formed.
"I know what you’re thinking, It’s a pretty lame way to cast magic. But beggars can’t be choosers. Oh and the needles magically sterile if you’re worried."
"I trust you."
"Okay then."
Once again Alyson chanted and the droplet of blood spun into the air to become a glimmering red light.
"Now Sarah, I want you to focus on the light. Just look at it, concentrate on it. Forget about everything else and just listen to the sound of my voice. Watch the light. Watch it spinning around, spinning around. I want you to watch in spinning, concentrate on it spinning around, spinning around.
Sarah watched the red light as it spun before her, relaxing her mind as she did. She listened to Alyson’s voice, a voice she trusted, smooth and passive, repeating the words over and over.
"Watch the light spinning. Just relax. Relax. You’re starting to feel drowsy now, just slightly drowsy, still watching the light, Feeling sleepy, sleepy."
Alyson took Sarah’s hand and gently squeezed another drop of blood, this time casting a sleep spell. Sarah’s eyes drooped, struggling to remain open as she watched the spinning light.
"Don’t fight it Sarah. You’re feeling very sleepy. Very sleepy." Sarah’s eyes closed and didn’t open again, her face peaceful. "Do you feel safe Sarah?"
"Yes.. I’m safe here." She replied dreamily.
"Good. Now I want you to remember the dream you had the other night. But you’re not going to be scared now because I’ll be there with you and you’re safe alright?"
"Alright." Sarah agreed.
"Good. Now You’re in the dream now Sarah. Totally safe. Nothing can hurt you."
"Nothing can hurt me."
"Tell me where you are."
"Sunnydale."
"You’re on the set here?"
"No. I’m in Sunnydale. In the graveyard."
"What time is it?"
"Night."
"And what can you see."
"It.." Sarah twitched in discomfort. "It’s here."
"Sarah? What is it?"
"I.. I don’t know. It’s evil. Dark. I’m scared. I’m so scared."
"Don’t be scared Sarah. I’m here. You’re safe remember?"
"Okay." Sarah replied with a tremble in her voice.
"What does it look like."
"It’s like a storm. A huge storm. All dust and clouds but it’s made up of things so many things. Like a patchwork man. I can’t move I want to run away. I can’t run. It’s so evil I can feel it. Help me. Help me."
"I’m here Sarah." Alyson gripped her friends hand, partly for her own comfort as well. "Is there anyone else in the dream?"
"Yes. I.. I can’t make them out. They’re trying to fight it but they can’t it’s too strong. They can’t beat it. And I can’t help them. It’s too frightening. Help. Help me. I don’t want to be here. I want to get away please help. Help!"
"Sarah." You’re safe here.
"No! It’s coming to get me. It’s coming to get us all." Sarah squirmed in distress, flinching from side to side.
"Sarah on the count of three you’ll wake up alright."
"Please!"
"One."
"Somebody help me!"
"Two."
"No!"
"Three."
Sarah’s eyes flew open, tears dripping from them. She gasped for breath, having just woken from a nightmare. She tried to say something and failed. Instead she just leant forward and hugged Alyson. After a few seconds Alyson broke the silence. "We have to get ready."
"It’s coming to get me isn’t it?"
"I don’t know what it is Sarah but I’ll do my best to protect you. Where’s the best place we can.."
"Alyson!"
The young witch turned to look behind her. There she saw her dressing table mirror folding in on itself, spinning about in a liquid swirl. "Sarah! Move!" Alyson stood and pulled Sarah up after her. Behind them the maelstrom was increasing in size, starting to reach for them. Alyson fumbled with her door lock then finally opened it, both girls rocketing out of the door, much to the surprise of the set crew. When they looked in at the room the girls had just run from, there was nothing at all out of the ordinary.
The girls ran, exiting the soundstage and sprinting, in no particular direction, across the Warner Brothers sight. They ran until they could find an isolated spot, somewhere that Alyson could cast more powerful spells without attracting attention.
"Did we get away from it?" Sarah asked, looking about with concern.
"I don’t think it’s something we can get away from."
"You’ve dealt with this sort of thing before right?"
"Well. Sort of. I guess."
"How many times?"
"Once."
"What was…"
"Don’t ask."
The wall beside them started to bent, taking the form of the mouth, opening up to draw them in.
"I hate this part." Alyson gritted her teeth a drew a blade across her palm, squeezing it into a fist as she chanted, ignoring the burning pain. Before them a red translucent barrier formed, blocking off the swirling maelstrom. Now that it had formed it was less of a mouth and more of a portal, a portal into something that neither girl wanted to know.
"Can you hold that for long?" Sarah asked, staring at the gaping maw.
"No." Alyson admitted.
"So what can we do?"
"Hold out as long as we can and hope some help arrives."
"What are the chances of that?"
"Unlikely." Alyson peered into the abyss, inches away from her face. "Very unlikely."
THE END??
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