The scream of anguish and mourning that was torn from Angels’ throat when he first set eyes on Buffy, woke the living and the un–dead of Sunnydale. His cry that night signalled the Blood-Fast, the first in vampiric memory.

Willow, helped by Xander, arrived at the terrible scene. She limped down the alley, gagging on the faint scent hanging in the air. Buffy had been poisoned.

Angel sobbed over Buffy’s body, crushing her limp form to his chest. He murmured in her ear to wake up, to stop this cruel game. Interspersed with his pleas he howled and screamed, shaking her, trying to rouse her from her eternal slumber.

Willow stumbled to the ground, blinded by her tears. Angel looked at her, mortified. He held Buffy out to Willow, a pleading look in his eyes. Willow sadly shook her head; there was nothing anyone could do.

Xander stood guard at the alley’s entrance. His face hardened as the first of the vampires gathered there. He gripped the stake in his pocket. Angel was at his side, Buffy in his arms.

"They won’t harm you. I called for the Blood-Fast. It’s a mark of respect to a fallen warrior." Angel, sniffing back bloody tears, shifted Buffy’s weight so her head rested under his chin. She looked so peaceful that he could almost pretend she was only sleeping in his arms and not dead.

Xander surveyed the amassed throng. They wore human faces, all masked in genuine sorrow. He had never thought he’d see the day! He took his place on Angel’s right. Spike joined them walking next to and steadying Willow. Together they marched on to the ’Summers’ house to tell Buffy’s mother that her daughter was dead.

Buffy had named Willow her joint executor with Giles. Since Giles had vanished, Willow had to cope on her own. Buffy had drafted a typically jocular Will and Last Testament. At times they laughed, at times they cried. Humour is the twin of grief sometimes.

Willow’s duties as executor ended with the funeral and the reading the Will. She could go back to missing Giles. She longed for the warmth of his touch as he tucked her hair out of the way when they were researching and the scent of his cologne. Gulping back her tears, she felt immense guilt over the way she prevented him from saving Buffy. At least she could try to find him! People can’t vanish so totally. There must be a trace somewhere!

She started with what she knew about Buffy’s death. The poison used was cyanide, a fast acting poison that acts on the Krebs cycle of the body. When Buffy breathed in the poisoned dust it stopped her body absorbing any more oxygen. Cyanide is used to purify precious metal ores. She paused in her note taking and sipped the tea that Angel had made for her. Spike and Angel, were letting her stay at the mansion while she investigated Giles’ disappearance and Buffy’s murder. Willow called it murder now. Poison is traditionally a Femme Fatale’s weapon. So they were looking for a female vampire with connections to gold and silver mining. No, that’s too big. A Jewellers perhaps? The email alert sounded on her laptop. She cursed and hit the Read Mail button.

She stared at the message. Her mouth became dry, her heart pounding in her chest. All the information is here! Everything I need. Her eyes burned with tears of happiness. She had the identity of the vampire that ordered Buffy’s murder and best of all Giles was alive! Her ragged sobs brought Angel into the room, fearing the worst.

She searched down the page to see whom she had to thank for this bounty! She laughed out hysterically. Ethan Rayne!

"Good news?" He asked. Willow closed the lid on her laptop carefully, placed it to one side then leapt up catching him by the arm and whirling him round in a breathless twirl.

"Yes!" She squealed and kissed him impulsively. Angels’ eyes widened in shock. The contact was brief and unforgettable.

"Giles is alive in England. A vampire called Mary Sebastian ordered Buffy’s death. Do you know her?" Willow chattered breathlessly. She sounded like the Willow of years past, her eyes bright with unfulfilled promise and intelligence.

"I know her; we know her don’t we Spike?" He raised his voice unnecessarily. Spike shifted round a nearby pillar, a grim smile decorating his angular features.

"Yes. Don’t worry Pet. The vampire posse will take care of Mary Sebastian for you." He and Angel exchanged knowing looks. Willow stilled in her dizzy dance and her face became serious.

"I want to watch." Her witch–green eyes burned with vengeful fire.

End of part 6

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