Gods And Monsters

Chapter Fifty-nine:

The Potential Slayers were settling in without too much difficulty at the Summers' residence. Willow hurried about nervously, consulting with Kennedy for advice on the sleeping arrangements.

Hel hopped in the shower to rinse off and wash her hair, basking in the hot steam for longer than necessary. Once out, she quickly dried herself off. She then donned a black bralette, yanked on a pair of vertically pinstriped, black and dark grey skinny jeans, and slipped her arms into an oversized, soft grey cardigan with a deep V-neck.

Upon returning downstairs, she asked to borrow Willow's laptop for a moment. Hel set to work perusing the Internet, combing website after website for any useful data on the First.

Her determined pursuit for information continued into the early hours of the morning. She began to experience difficulty keeping her eyes open, her mind clouding over. Her shoulders were sagging under the sheer weight of exhaustion.

All of a sudden, a pinprick of light appeared at the end of the vast, dark tunnel.

She jolted upright, eyes widening as they skimmed along the lines of typewritten text. Her lips spread into a triumphant smile. At long last, useful information had been uncovered, information that could be catastrophic to the First's plan.

Without warning, the laptop screen blacked out.

The First, under the guise of Spike, manifested before her. The counterfeit was flawless, from his black leather duster to the toes of his sturdy combat boots. "Curiosity killed the cat, luv. If I were you, I'd stop prying before someone gets hurt."

Hel strode abruptly.

"Take this as a friendly warning, my dear." The First began, monotone. "Back off."

A smug smile curved her lips. "I will end you."

"No you won't." The unnerving, stone-cold eyes of the First never once blinked or strayed from her as a sly smile crept across its lips. "No one ever gets to me. And no one ever will."

"I did."

"You've come the closest. Now you're in my way."

"Thank you." Came her witty response.

"I didn't mean it as a compliment."

"Yes, you did."

"Okay, yeah, I did." The First admitted, shrugging.

She smirked proudly.

"Well, I'd better be off." The First glanced around the living room with disinterest. "It was so nice to have had a proper chat." Its focus returning to her, the First smiled. "Chow."

The incorporeal entity vanished into thin air, leaving behind a chilling silence in its wake.

Sighing, Hel shut the lid of the laptop in defeat. She turned and headed upstairs, into Buffy's vacant bedroom. She made herself comfortable, tucked under the eiderdown duvet of the queen-sized bed. Her eyes slipping shut, she attempted to clear her mind and relax her anxious body.

Hel laid there for hours, tossing and turning. She was too restless to fall asleep. Her mind was otherwise engaged, mulling over a plethora of unpleasant scenarios.