Act 2
Fade In:
Int.
Watchers Council – Hallway Outside Kennedy’s Apartment – Later that Night
Mink was now wearing a hooded jacket that covered almost all of his face, to the point that he couldn’t see where he was going. He was also wearing Kadin’s long black duster, which dragged on the floor around his feet.
Kennedy and Kadin kept him wedged between them as they walked. When they turned to stop at Kennedy’s front door, Mink kept walking forward and had to be redirected by Kadin.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Kennedy muttered as she stuck her keys into the lock. “Sneaking an unknown demon into the Council.”
When Kennedy got the door open, Kadin ushered Mink inside. Kennedy quickly shut the door, but didn’t lock it. She didn’t even notice when it didn’t close completely and remained slightly ajar.
“He’s not unknown,” Kadin objected once they were inside the apartment. “I know who he is.”
“Well, how about you let me in on the whole thing?” Kennedy asked sarcastically. “‘Cause I think I’m missing a big chapter of your life here.”
Mink shrugged the duster off his shoulders and walked a few feet away. He tried to push the hood off his head, but his hands were buried inside the sweatshirt’s long sleeves. After several comical and ultimately unsuccessful attempts, he tripped over his own feet and landed on his back. The hood slipped to the floor. Mink smiled in relief.
“It’s like I said,” Kadin replied without elaborating.
“You said one sentence,” Kennedy complained, “which, by the way, did not identify our little Nightcrawler wannabe.” She put her hands on her hips. “Fill. In. The. Gaps,” the Slayer insisted.
“Okay! Fine!” Kadin shot back.
Mink rolled onto his stomach and got to his feet. He began tottering about the living room, looking at everything. He left that area and investigated the other rooms.
Kadin took a deep breath to calm herself then went on. “When I ran away before, I did it because I was afraid of hurting you, and everybody else. I couldn’t control this-this thing inside me. I knew I needed help, so I –”
“So you did what? You looked up the local chapter of ‘Demon Fight Clubs ‘R Us’?”
When Mink came back out, his eye was caught by the open front door. He waddled that way, arms still lost in sleeves that were way too long. Within seconds, he was out the door and into the hallway.
“Look, I needed a way to test my powers without putting any humans at risk.”
“We could have done that here!”
“Ken, I demolished a freakin’ military facility last time I went berserk, and that was after I supposedly got a handle on my powers! I couldn’t take that risk.”
Kennedy and Kadin continued to argue, not even noticing the open door or Mink’s absence.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Hallway Outside Kennedy’s Apartment – Same Time
Wide-eyed and curious, the sweatshirt-clad Mink tottered off down the hallway.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Kennedy’s Apartment – Same Time
After a long moment of silent staring, Kennedy crossed her arms tightly. “Still, you should have told me,” she insisted. “When you came back, you should have told me…about the demon fight ring, what you went through and especially about the fact that this demon gang might be coming after you.”
Kadin nodded and hung her head, but said nothing.
Cut To:
Int.
Hallway Outside Kennedy’s Apartment – Same Time
When Mink rounded the corner a couple of doors down from Kennedy’s apartment, he hit something and immediately bounced back.
“What the hell?” came an angry voice.
Mink looked up and saw a shocked and alarmed Faith glaring down at him. He let out a shriek that was not unlike a pig squealing. He turned and tried to run down the hallway, but he found himself being yanked back by the sweatshirt’s hood. His squealing became a strangled gurgle as he shot back like a retreating yo-yo.
Faith flipped Mink around, grabbed him by the sweatshirt and slammed him to the floor on his back. She raised her fist, ready to pummel him.
“Faith! No! Stop!”
Recognizing Kennedy’s voice, Faith didn’t continue her punch, but she didn’t lower her fist, either. She kept holding Mink down and glanced up to see Kennedy and Kadin running over.
“Don’t hurt him,” Kadin said, putting her hand on Mink’s shoulder in a protective gesture.
“Who is he?” Faith asked.
“He’s a friend,” Kadin answered sincerely.
Faith looked to Kennedy for confirmation. Kennedy just rolled her eyes and sighed before giving Faith a your-guess-is-as-good-as-mine shrug. Faith narrowed her eyes at Mink, but slowly released him.
Cut To:
Ext.
Warehouse – Same Time
A line of three black SUVs pulled up in front of an isolated and empty warehouse. A long, black Hummer limo pulled in behind them, followed by another trio of SUVs. Demons of various types, all dressed in suits, poured out of the SUVs and the front of the limo. One dashed to the side door of the limo and opened it.
A towering, dark blue demon with black and gold eyes emerged from the limo. He wore a tailored Italian suit that he straightened as he stood to his full height. The demon glanced around the area, sniffing the air. He made a disgusted face.
“Find her fast,” he told his minions. “Before the stench of this town ruins my suit.”
“At once, Krylak!” replied one of the underlings.
Then Krylak and his gang headed for the front door of the warehouse.
Cut To:
Int.
House on Campus – Ground Floor – Later that Night
The small crowd felt larger than it was, since so much of the ground floor space contained people. They were students, mostly, standing, crouching, sitting, most of them drinking, even more talking and a few making out.
Grace pressed her lips into a straight line as she wound her way through the forest of arms, legs, heads and torsos. In each hand, she held a drink. Hardly a drop was spilled by the time she reached the stairs.
Cut To:
Int.
House on Campus – Upstairs Bedroom – Moments Later
The second floor held slightly fewer people than the main room. Atop, a small hallway led to a bedroom, one with lots and lots and lots of books.
Inside the bedroom, Jeff stood to one side, his eyes fixed on a TV screen. Next to the machine stood a framed photograph of Lorinda.
On the screen itself, a grainy video image moved – a handsome older man bathed in blue light, wearing a long cape and upturned collar. His too-pale face mouthed words to a song that didn’t quite match the sound, a deep baritone with lots of timbre. Dark eyes burned on the screen as he sang.
Grace handed Jeff his drink, clearing her throat to get his attention. “Thanks,” he said with a glance.
“How come the words don’t match?”
Perched on a large cushion closer to the screen, Lorinda turned around. “Justin already explained that.”
“Not while I was here, he didn’t.”
“Well, that’s not his fault.”
“Well, I was getting me and Jeff drinks!”
Lorinda tilted her head. “Where’s mine?”
“In your hand.”
“Hey, hey, hey…” Jeff waved his hand between the two. He turned to Grace. “The video is of the performance in German. The audio is from a demo the same actor did of the song in English. Justin combined the two.” He gave a nod to the young man seated opposite Lorinda. “And, in my opinion, did a good job.”
“Thanks,” said Justin.
“Of course he did!” Lorinda grinned.
After a sigh, Grace asked, “What’s the show?”
“Tanz der Vampires. It is a huge, huge hit in Europe,” Justin said. “Unfortunately, the Broadway producers interfered and screwed up the English language version.”
Now Grace blinked. She looked at Jeff, who didn’t quite smile but still appeared amused. “Yeah,” he said. “Ironic.”
“Honestly,” Justin continued, “it’s a really good show!”
Lorinda sidled up to him and planted herself in his lap. “I know it is, sweetie.” She stroked his hair. “Don’t you worry about them.”
Then she gave him a peck on the lips. Smiling, she adjusted her weight and started to kiss him in earnest. Justin spared nearly half a second of self-conscious glancing in the direction of the other two. No more. The second floor held slightly fewer people than the main room. Then he was holding and kissing her back.
“Okay,” said Grace almost instantly, “Jeff? There was something I wanted to show you. Can you come with me?”
“Absolutely.”
The two of them did not run out of the room, but they did walk quickly. Lorinda’s giggle was shut off by the sound of the door shutting.
Cut To:
Int.
House on Campus – Ground Floor – Moments Later
The crowd on the first floor had, if anything, gotten larger, but was now more clustered into different groups. At the foot of the stairs, Jeff and Grace paused to sip their drinks. For several seconds, amid the buzz of the room, neither said anything.
“Sorry you had to see that,” mumbled Jeff.
“No problem! Really!”
“You sure?” Jeff looked perplexed.
Grace sighed. “Folks go through stuff all the time. I mean, not exactly the world’s leading expert here – not even somebody with a whole lot of experience, but I like to think…” She paused, looking for the right words. “Me, I am fine. How are you?” She turned her full attention to him.
He hesitated, then shrugged. “I gave up trying to make Lorinda’s choices for her a while back. Actually, I think that’s one reason she listens to me…as much as she does. I try to offer facts, discuss the pros and cons of things…and hope she makes smart decisions.”
“Um. Okay.”
“But are you sure you’re okay with, well, that?” He tilted his head upstairs.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh.” Jeff looked puzzled. “I didn’t know things were…open with you two.”
Suddenly, a horrified look came over Grace’s face. “Frag me! You, too? Jeez, how many people think me and Lorinda…? You know, just because it seems every other girl at the Council practices the Sapphic arts doesn’t mean I do, too. Is it something about me? Dear Gawd!”
“Honestly, it isn’t that! But, well…”
“What?”
Jeff took a breath. “Promise you won’t tell?”
“Done! Now, give.”
“Well…I found something in her locker one day and…” He was having trouble looking into Grace’s eyes. “Something that, well…”
“What?”
To answer, Jeff leaned over and whispered something in Grace’s ear.
Grace’s eyes went huge. Her jaw actually dropped. “And you think she got it for me?”
“Well, you two are pretty chummy.”
“Chummy, yeah, maybe. Friends with benefits – heck no.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
Faith, Robin, and Andrew sat on one side of the table, while Kennedy, Mink, and Kadin sat on the other. No one was saying a word; they seemed to be waiting. Then the door flew open, and a cranky-looking, clearly-roused-from-sleep Buffy stormed in.
“Okay, this better be good,” Buffy grumbled. “I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream, getting some beauty sleep before my…thing I have tonight.”
“A date?” Andrew asked, incredulous. “You have a date?”
“With who?” Robin asked.
“Damn, B,” Faith added. “Did Jim decide he’s not as gay as he thought, because I don’t know of any other –?”
“Guys!” Buffy said forcefully. “Why am I here?” She sat down in the chair at the head of the table, her gaze then landing on Mink. Her left eyebrow slowly went up; he slowly sank down in his chair. “I’m assuming it has something to do with our visitor,” Buffy said pointedly, as she looked at Kadin and then Kennedy.
“Yeah, um, this is Mink,” Kennedy said. “Uh, Mink, this is Buffy Summers. She’s in charge of the Council.”
Mink lowered his head and bobbed a few nods. “N-N-Nice to meet you.”
Buffy gave him a quick nod, then turned back to Kennedy. “What’s the situation?”
Kadin answered for her. “I’ve got a gang of demons after me.”
Buffy waited. She looked around the room, but no one added anything. She scooted closer to the table and rested her arms on top. “Sorry. I thought there would be more to the story than that. Like something new?”
“Look, I know Kadin’s got a bad habit of making enemies…” Kennedy began.
“And leavin’ ’em alive to come after her,” Faith interjected.
“But…” Kennedy said, ignoring Faith’s comment, “…the guy who runs this gang…”
“Krylak,” Kadin provided.
“Yeah, Krylak,” Kennedy went on. “He’s really dangerous. He runs a demon fight club, a kind of gladiator’s arena for demons.”
“Let me guess,” Robin speculated, “you busted up his ring, killed off his gladiators and now he’s looking for revenge.”
Kadin dropped her gaze. “Not exactly.” When no one said anything in reply, she glanced up and saw the others waiting for an explanation. “I was one of his fighters,” she finally said.
Around the table, eyes widened and mouths dropped open.
“No way,” Andrew said, half in surprise and half in awe.
Cut To:
Ext.
Watchers Council – Parking Garage – Same Time
Krylak and his gang of demons pulled up to the gate, with Krylak’s Hummer limo in the lead. An armed man stepped from the guardhouse and approached the vehicle. The windows of the limo were darkly tinted, and he could not see inside. He tapped on the driver’s window.
It was not the driver’s window that opened, however. It was the window to the main passenger area. The tall guard hesitated for a moment but then moved down to the open window.
“Identification, please,” he instructed, as he leaned down to look inside the window.
In a flash, Krylak snatched the front of the guard’s uniform and dragged him through the window. The man didn’t even have time to scream or draw his weapon before he disappeared inside.
Inside the passenger area, Krylak held the helpless guard by the neck, squeezing his fist just enough to render the man limp in his grasp, but leaving him conscious. Krylak curled his hand into a claw-shape and pressed it into the man’s chest.
Krylak’s fingers magically sank into the guard’s chest. A bright light came out of the man’s chest, moved along Krylak’s arm, and streamed into the demon’s body. The man’s mouth opened, and his face contorted into a silent, but agonized, scream. Krylak began to hum in ecstasy.
The more the light passed out of the guard, the more shrunken and desiccated he became, until finally he was just an empty shell. Krylak pulled his hand out of the man and let the husk of his body fall to the limo’s floorboard. As the final flickers of the man’s soul-light lingered on his hand, Krylak crudely licked his fingers.
“That’s gooood,” he said, a wicked smile creasing his face.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Same Time
Before anyone could blurt out an appalled “What?” In response to her announcement, Kadin went on rapidly. “I agreed to fight in the ring because it helped me learn to control my power. I needed a safe way to –”
“Safe way?” Faith repeated. “You throw yourself into a ring with God knows what, and you call it safe? What’s the matter with you?” she accused. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”
“Not safe for me,” Kadin shot back. “Safe for everybody else.”
When Faith started to object more, Buffy cut her off. “Okay, enough about the whys. Where does Mink fit into all this?”
“Mink came here to warn me,” Kadin said. “He said that Krylak was on his way to hunt me down, that he was going to force me to finish my contract.” Kadin gave Mink a fond glance. “When I was fighting in the ring, Mink would take care of me after each bout…wash off the blood, sew me up, whatever I needed. He’s the one who eventually convinced me to leave the ring and go home.”
Flash To:
Int.
New York City – Underground Prep Room – Night
Kadin stumbled into the room after a hard shove from one of the demon guards. She winced and gasped as she clutched at her side with her left hand.
The other demons lining the room were too busy wrapping their fists or shadow boxing at the nearest wall to pay much attention. The hunter hunched over, nearly crawling the last few steps as she made her way back to her spot by the far wall. She collapsed into a heap with a deep, painful sigh.
A tiny blue figure slipped out of the darkness with a bowl of water and an old and worn bloody rag.
The creature set to work dabbing at the cuts on her face as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. She winced as he moved down to wash the cut in her side.
“Thanks, Mink,” she offered with a light smile. She turned her head over to glance at the tiny creature.
Mink offered the smile back as he continued his uiet work.
“Got your ass kicked again, eh?” a voice chuckled as a man walked up to plop down next to Kadin’s slumped form. He appeared to be in his late-twenties, with shaggy blonde hair.
“Bite me, Charlie,” the hunter offered with her eyes closed, but a smile tugging at her lips.
Charlie leaned over to glance down at her side. “Looks like something already did.”
Kadin let out a deep, heavy breath. “He wasn’t so…tough,” she winced as Mink worked the rag across the deep gash. “His head rolled just as good as the others.”
Charlie’s smile faltered, his shoulders slumping slightly as he leaned back against the wall. “You killed another one?”
“Had to,” Kadin offered softly. She picked her head up off the wall, opening her eyes as she glanced over at the man. “You know how it is.”
The blue-eyed man blinked as his expression saddened. “You don’t have to kill them. You just have to make sure they can’t get back up.”
“It’s us or them, Charlie,” Kadin said, keeping her eyes level with his.
Charlie finally sighed after a long, tense moment. He smiled slightly. “You just better be glad you’re so good. I’ve seen the ones they’ve been putting you up against.”
Kadin shrugged. “It’s…easy,” she said, and Charlie winced. “I just wish I could get a better hold on the transitioning. I’m not quite as fast as I want to be yet.” She looked up to see him smiling back awkwardly. “I’m not as in control as I thought I’d be, either.” She averted her gaze to the dirt floor. She flexed the bloodied knuckles on her right hand, the silence stretching on between them.
Charlie sighed again, but forced a smile. “You’ll get there,” he offered weakly. Kadin looked back up to offer him a smile. He pushed himself to his feet before quietly walking away.
Mink leaned up to whisper next to Kadin’s ear. “You need leave,” he said as he rested his tiny hand on her forearm. “Before too late.”
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Conference Room – Resume
“Okay, so Mink’s the cornerman. Got it,” Buffy said. “But this Krylon guy…”
“Krylak,” Kadin corrected.
“Krylak,” Buffy amended, “he’s –”
Mink suddenly drew in a loud gasp, his frightened eyes darting around the room.
“Mink, what is it?” Kadin asked, concerned.
“He’s here,” Mink said just before the security alarms began blaring.
Kadin dashed out of the meeting room before anyone could stop her.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Lobby – Moments Later
As Kadin came rushing out of the stairwell, she found Krylak and his horde of demons demolishing the lobby. The receptionist and two armed guards already lay unmoving upon the floor. When Krylak saw Kadin arrive, he barked an order at his minions, causing the demons to cease their rampage and cluster around him.
“Hunter,” he growled. “Did you really think you could hide from me behind these pathetic walls?” He gestured in disdain toward the Council lobby.
“I wasn’t hiding,” Kadin answered.
Just then, Faith and Kennedy came dashing into the lobby, followed by Buffy, Andrew, and Robin. Within seconds, a squad of armed slayers poured in as well.
Buffy surveyed the scene.
“Not again,” she sighed. “Damn it! There goes the budget. I just finished paying the building contractors from the last trashing.”
Krylak was unfazed by the show of strength. He took a step closer to Kadin. “I’d hate to see all of your little…friends perish.” His black and gold eyes flashed as he added, “You know what I’m capable of.”
Kadin’s eyes grew dark, and her lip curled into the briefest of smiles. “It’s nothing compared to me.”
With a roar, Kadin morphed into her demonic form and rushed Krylak. He smiled and stepped back, letting his minions take the first wave. Faith and Kennedy and the other slayers jumped into the fray. Buffy, Robin and Andrew ran to see about the receptionist and guards.
Kadin ripped her way through Krylak’s minions, never taking her eyes off her goal, Krylak himself. Her obsession with Krylak left her vulnerable, though, and soon a half dozen of the demons began to overtake her.
“Kadin!” Kennedy screamed when she saw Kadin go down. She gave her opponent a vicious kick and then ran to help her girlfriend.
Kennedy stabbed one demon in the back with her dagger and yanked him off the pile. When the demon next to him rose to attack her, Kennedy drove her blade into his heart and kicked him away.
When Kennedy went for another, though, she was struck in the back of the head with a large dark blue fist. She staggered and dropped her weapon. Then that same blue hand wrapped around her neck from behind and dragged her away from where Kadin was still fighting.
Kennedy began to choke. She clawed uselessly at the fingers compressing her throat and scrambled to get a foothold, but Krylak held her firmly in his hand as he waited.
Suddenly, the four demons on top of Kadin blew back in a concussive force, leaving the hunter standing alone among writhing demon bodies. She whipped around, growling, fangs bared, until her black eyes landed on Krylak.
When he knew Kadin was watching, Krylak smiled and drew Kennedy close. He curled his free hand into a claw and magically sank it into the slayer’s back. Kennedy arched into a convulsion and then froze as Krylak began draining her soul-light from her body.
“Stop!”
At the sound of Kadin’s voice, Krylak paused in sucking Kennedy’s soul and looked up. He saw that the hunter had already returned to her human form.
Krylak smiled evenly as he held the slayer by the throat. “I’ll drain her of every last drop,” he snarled in the hunter’s direction. “Unless you really do want a mindless sex object for a girlfriend, I suggest you come with me nice and easy now.”
Faith moved to jump towards her friend, but was stopped as Kadin reached out to grab her by the arm. “Don’t,” the hunter warned with a low, steely whisper. She never took her eyes from the demon as she slowly released the slayer’s arm.
“Let her go,” she told him coldly with a light nod towards her lover. “Let her go and I’m yours.”
Krylak released his grip on Kennedy’s neck and she dropped to the floor in a heap. “I have marked her,” he warned calmly. “You know what I can do if I so choose.”
Kadin eyed her lover wearily. “I know,” she responded softly. “I won’t fight you.”
Kennedy looked up at Kadin weakly before her eyes slowly rolled back in her head, sending her into a face plant straight onto the floor.
Two of Krylak’s minions stepped up to roughly grab the hunter by her arms.
“Don’t interfere. Let us go,” Kadin warned the gathered troops. She glanced back at Kennedy’s crumpled form as the demons led her towards the door.
Buffy and Faith rushed to the fallen slayer’s side, the brunette pausing to look up at Kadin as the hunter was dragged away. Another hard yank on her arm pulled Kadin’s eyes back to the front as she was led out into the darkness.
“What the hell happened out here?” The two slayers heard a voice ask. They both turned around.
“Xander!” Buffy exclaimed. “Look, uh, something came up…obviously…and…”
A look of understanding crossed Faith’s face as she watched the pair.
“I got this, B,” she told her. She then turned to two of the other girls. “Call the infirmary. Get a gurney,” she ordered, and they took off.
“No,” Buffy said, “I really should –”
“Go,” Faith told her. “I’ll call if we need ya,” she added. “I promise.” Buffy still didn’t move and Faith pulled her closer. “If not now, B, when? Huh? Saving lives is great, but having one is important too. So go.”
Faith didn’t say anything more. She went straight back to Kennedy’s side.
Xander moved closer, but didn’t seem to know what to say.
“Can we at least get her settled?” Buffy asked Xander as she pointed to Kennedy.
“Absolutely,” Xander replied.
Buffy grinned.
Cut To:
Int.
Krylak’s Limo – Moments Later
Kadin stared out the window as the limo traveled along a darkened street. Her chains rattled as she pulled her hands closer to her body.
“Comfy?” Krylak taunted with a smirk, but the hunter just ignored him.
“Come now,” he pressed her, pouring a glass of champagne from the bottle next to him. “You knew this was coming.” He lifted the glass to his lips and took a long, slow sip. He kept his eyes on the hunter’s silent form. “Or maybe you’ve been too distracted with that hot little slayer of yours.”
Kadin’s head whipped around, leveling an icy stare at the demon. “Leave her outta this,” she snarled.
Krylak chuckled cruelly. “Ahh,” he taunted again. “So it does have an Achilles heel, after all.”
“I’m not an it,” Kadin shot back. “And Kennedy’s the strongest thing about me. She loves me.”
“Love?” Krylak smirked. “What does a beast like you know of love?”
Kadin’s expression wavered and she swallowed back as a shadow of doubt passed through her deep eyes. “I’m not a beast,” she shot back with a quiver in her voice. “I’m a human being.”
Krylak raised his glass with another evil smile. “And what could be more beast-like than that?”
Kadin’s brow furrowed as he let out another harsh chuckle.
“Look at this thing you call…war,” he offered with another sip of his champagne. “You kill each other. Rape. Torture. Destroy homes and lives in the blink of an eye.” He finished off his drink and slapped his knee with a satisfied sigh. “And you call us the demons.”
“We’re not all like that,” Kadin rasped in response. She slumped in her seat slightly and licked her dry lips. “We do good, too. We give food, shelter…medicine to those who need it.”
“A token gesture to ease the guilt-ridden heart,” Krylak said, as he reached to pour himself another glass of champagne. “God creates…and man destroys.”
Kadin snorted. “What do you know about God?”
Krylak gave her a confident smile. “You’d be surprised.”
Kadin’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, please,” she snorted again. “Religious demons? Give me a freakin’ break.”
“And what of your slayer, hmm?” he shot back instantly. “What will she think of you if she ever found out what you have done?”
Kadin’s expression fell once again and she swallowed uneasily. “She…s-she loves me.”
“Love is but an illusion to dull the pain of existence. A mere trick of nature to fool humans into procreation.”
“Bitter, are we?” Kadin shot back with a smirk.
Krylak smirked back at her. “Indeed.” Kadin’s smile faltered and he just laughed. “Who in their right mind would ever want to give a beast like you the power to shape a life?”
Kadin grit her teeth. “I’m not a beast.”
Krylak lifted his glass to his lips as he nodded to her bloodstained hands.
“Oh really?”
Flash To:
Int.
New York City – Underground Arena – The Ring – Night
Kadin, in full beast form, straddled the back of her downed opponent. Blood dripped from her mouth and claws as she dipped her head back and howled.
The crowd roared around her as she reached down to snap the demon’s neck. She twisted her arms, warm blood spraying across her face. Then she lifted the demon’s head into the air.
The audience erupted in loud cheers, and she howled again.
Flash To:
Int.
New York City – Underground Arena – Prep Room – Night
Kadin was escorted into the room, receiving a smile from the demon guard as he slipped her a hand full of cash. Kadin smiled back as she accepted the money, the green suddenly stained dark red as it passed into her bloodied hands.
Charlie stepped up from his place in the back of the room. “You’re not even trying to rein it in,” he accused her. “You tore that poor thing apart like an…animal.”
“He was a demon, Charlie,” Kadin sighed and shook her head as she tried to brush past him. “He deserved it.”
The man reached up at the last moment to grab her by the arm, his fingers becoming instantly coated with blood. His eyes flashed a glowing red at the sight of the blood, but he quickly shook it off as he looked up to meet her gaze. Kadin looked back at him, her eyes darkening and her chest rumbling with a growl.
Charlie instantly dropped her arm and took a step back. “You have to learn to control it,” he warned her again. “Before it learns to control you.”
“Spare me the poetic crap, Charlie,” Kadin snorted as she walked over to grab one of the rags before starting to wipe the blood from her face. “Are all you Dexlar demons Robert Frost wannabes? Or is that just part of your unique personality?”
Charlie shook his head, sighing as he watched Kadin collapse onto one of the hard wood benches. He gave her one last look before he moved to take a step away. He stopped to glance back over his shoulder. “Be careful, Hunter,” he said, his voice now gentle. “Or you’ll become the thing you’re trying so hard to fight.”
Kadin looked up, still clutching the bloodstained rag in her hand as she watched him disappear back into the darkness. Her eyes slowly dropped down to her hands. She squeezed her fingers slightly as she watched the rag become even more soaked with the dark liquid. A pained expression slowly crept onto her face.
Cut To:
Int.
Krylak’s Limo – Resume
Kadin looked down as she flexed her fingers, a similar expression on her face.
Krylak laughed as he took another sip of his champagne.
Cut To:
Int.
Watchers Council – Infirmary – Later that night
Kennedy’s eyes slowly opened. A moment later, she suddenly shot up in bed, looking around the room frantically.
“Easy, Slick,” Faith said softly. She stood up to place her hands on the other slayer’s shoulders. She gently guided Kennedy back down towards the bed.
“K…Kadin,” Kennedy breathed desperately. She blinked back and slipped her tongue out to wet her chapped lips. “Have to…save her…”
Faith smiled. “You leave the savin’ to me,” she chuckled slightly. “You need to rest.”
“I…I-I can’t,” Kennedy protested weakly. She winced as she tried to sit up, only to gently be guided back down onto the bed once again.
“We don’t even know where she is yet, Slick,” Faith told her. Kennedy’s eyes widened and Faith’s face showed her sudden realization that wasn’t the right thing to say. “Dammit.”
Fade to Black
End of Act Two