Rebirth

Title: Rebirth
Author: cHeWtOy with encouragement from Cecil the monochrome duck.
Distribution: Anywhere that wants it - if you're that sick I'm not gonna
stop you...
Disclaimer: Joss owns the characters, except the stuff on Dhampires which
is pretty much lifted straight from Dhampire: Stillborn, by Nancy A
Collins. Any bits that are too bad to lay at their feet are my fault.
Notes: This is my origin story. It's set between Pangs and Something Blue
(season 4)
Dedication: Soul for beta-ing, Nightbird for mentioning me in a dedication
earlier, and everyone that's said hi so far :)
Feedback: I know it's poor - but I'm a sucker for punishment, so tell
me how poor you think it is...

"I think we have a problem. The reports of disappearances in the
newspaper over the past few days seem to have increased dramatically -
Willow and I have cross referenced the locations and come up with this."

Giles shows them a computer printout of a map of Sunnydale. Red dots
indicate the locations of the disappearances and when joined they form
a rough pentagram.

"I believe some sort of ritual summoning is going to take place tonight
at midnight in the centre of the pentagram. This abandoned warehouse
would seem to be the most likely location."

Buffy sighs, "Great, another abandoned warehouse - don't these guys
ever use any imagination? We'll use the usual plan - I arrive in the
nick of time to stop the ritual then I come back here for a lecture.
Xander, you wanna come with?"

"Sure - anything to get me away from laughing boy in the bathroom"

The coarse british accents of Spike issue from behind the locked
door, "Oi! I heard that. Can you at least try to be nice - I am a
bloody guest you know. And where's my dinner?"

Buffy's eyes wander to the mug waiting on the draining board, but
before she can move Giles ushers her and Xander to the door,

"I'll deal with Spike - you two should be going. Good luck."

One funky wipe effect later we are outside in the rain, watching the
the door of the abandoned warehouse...

"This is the place." Buffy grabs the padlock on the door and rips it
off. "OK, let's go."

"Are you getting anything on the slayer radar? I can't see a thing
in all this dark."

"Quiet Xander, we don't know what we're dealing with yet."

"You're dealing with me."

Suddenly the warehouse is drenched in light, revealing not only the
black clad figure of the speaker, but also the recent abductees.

"Eeeew, body bits" Buffy and Xander chorus together.

"So, you are the one who is going to stop me are you?" The figure
locks eyes with Xander and starts walking in the pair's direction.
As he approached he carefully removes his duster and places it on the
floor to one side, underneath he wears an equally black t-shirt. His
arms and face are coated with fresh blood.

Xander darts behind a nearby packing crate, shaking his head, "Uh-uh,
I'm just the backup. She's the slayer"

"So little girl - you are the slayer. Well, here I am. Give it your
best shot."

Buffy launches herself forward, letting Mr Pointy fall into her hand
from its hiding place in her sleeve. The stake strikes home into the
heart and the figure drops motionless to the floor - face down in
a pool of black blood. He was dead before he even had the chance to
move.

Xander peers out from behind the crate, "Well that was an anti-climax."

"It sure was. Oh well, mission accomplished. Let's get back to Giles',
this place gives me the wiggins."

To save repetition we rejoin the gang just after Buffy has finished
relaying the story to Giles...

They all turn as a laugh issues from the bathroom.

"God, you lot really are a bunch of clueless wankers aren't you?
Sounds like you just faced a dhampire love - and you've just given
him exactly what he wanted."

"A what?" asks Buffy, turning to Giles.

"Dhampire - they're half human half vampire - the product of a vampire
feeding on a pregnant woman but not killing her. Legend has it that
their blood is completely unpalatable to full vampires and that the only
way they can gain eternal life is to commit the most foul atrocities
imaginable, damning their soul beyond all hope for redemption." His
tone turns even more serious than usual as he continues, "If they are
killed by an innocent hand during the depths of their depravity it opens
a portal to the nether realms and allows a demon to gain control of
their body - giving them the full powers of their birthright. I rather
think that Spike could be right about your giving this unknown foe what
he wanted."

Back at the warehouse the black clad man slowly rises from the floor
and reaches for the abandoned duster - a deep bellowing laugh echoes
through the night...

The Beginning