Title: Killer
Author: Hungsta
Series: Strangers (if someone can think of a better name of this series, tell me, I'm drawing a blank) Disclaimer etc in first story "Strangers" Authors note: Carries on from my other two stories, "Strangers" and "Demons". This is shaping out to be a longer series than I had thought, I'm sorry, when I started this I had no idea it would go on for so long! And it seems that it will go on for a while more. But this part will be pretty short so give thanks for small mercies =0P
Dedication: to all those lovely people who have given me great feedback, (hint hint, nudge nudge… that's a little note to you, YES YOU *points straight at reader* I WANT FEEDBACK!!)

The waitress in the coffeehouse Buffy had entered turned up the television,

"…we have reason to believe that a serial killer is behind these murders," Gasps and murmuring from the reporters followed by a quick barrage of questions were stopped with a raised hand from the police spokesperson, "All questions will be answered later on." The police officer went back to the written statement he had been reading from. "In the last 2 days a very large number of young women have turned up in alleys and dumpsters all over the city, a high concentration around the nightclubs in the city central. There have been definite trends to all these killings. All victims had blonde shoulder length hair, athletic builds, and could be described as petite. We advise that woman that fit this description take all precautions necessary to protect themselves as much as possible when going out at night. The most significant these trend in the killings, is the way they were killed, all victims were completely drained of all their blood," Again the reporters gasped and started murmuring among themselves

. Buffy dropped the roll she was about to bite into and, as all the other patrons of the coffeehouse were doing, turned her full attention to the television screen.

"Please! Ladies and gentleman, quiet please!" The officer tried to regain control once again by raising his hands, and waited for silence.

Returning back to the statement, "Although we are not sure of how this is possible at the moment, we are confident we will find the cause very soon,"

Before he could continue, one very loud and important question was shouted out, "Do you have any idea who the serial killer is?"

"…We-we can't give out that information until a later date, I'm sorry."

"Please! You have no idea, do you?!" was shouted out as the rest of the room loudly protested to the policeman and started shouting all at once.

"I'm sorry ladies and gentleman, this is where we will have to end this press conference," the spokesperson shouted over the loud voices of the press and walked out.

Buffy quickly paid her bill, and ran out of the coffeehouse.

Even before Buffy was two steps in the front door the phone started ringing.

"Hello?" Buffy answering breathily from running all the way to her father's house.

"Oh thank god, Buffy! You're OK! I was…"

"…Giles! Did you see the news, those girls? …" cutting Giles off, Buffy asked quickly,

But was also cut off by Willow, "…BUFFY!! You are all right, right? We were so worried, Xander's frantic…"

Grabbing the phone off Willow, Giles said irritably, "OKAY STOP! Lets all take a breath… Now lets start again, Willow please go get the extension phone from the other room, that way we can all talk."

"Oh that's a good idea Giles!" Buffy heard Willow say in the background and soon heard the click of another phone being picked up.

"Now Buffy, am I correct in presuming you are fine?"

"Yes I'm fine, and I'm taking a big leap here, but I'm guessing you guys have watched the news lately?"

"News? Was there something on the news??" Willow asked confused.

"What? I guess I did take a big leap there. What are you guys talking about?" Buffy asked equally confused, but continued, "Well anyway, there's a whole bunch of girls being murdered here, and the freaky thing is that they all sounded like they looked like me. I think you were right when you said that stuff about the "upsurge" of vampire activity Giles. The past two days I've killed at least 8 vampires, more than I had the first two weeks I was here combined, and there seem to be more and more coming out of the woodwork.

Also all of the girls, they were drained of their blood, and we all know what that means. They've given to the evil red cross." Buffy said quickly, trying to get everything in.

"Oh dear me! This IS grim news. No Buffy, we have not learned of the murders," Giles was silent for a moment, "but we have found a very disturbing prophecy, it's a bit vague but what we've translated is very distressing," Giles was again silent.

"…Well Giles? What is it? You know I hate suspense, it usually means badness will be rearing it's ugly head," Buffy asked agitatedly.

There was another long silence.

"Ahh Buffy? Do you remember the Codex?" Willow took over from Giles.

"Oh yeah, that was a great read. You know, how it predicted my death and all," Buffy answered sarcastically.

"Ahh well yeah… Buffy?" Willow asked softly.

"No …NO WAY!" Buffy almost screamed into the phone.

"Look Buffy you've beaten it once, you can do it again," Willow tried to comfort Buffy before another long silence.

"So are you gonna tell me about my death or not?" Buffy asked sourly.

"O-of course Buffy. Oh I didn't mean… Willow, please hand me the Codex," Giles asked before Willow handed him the book of prophecies.

"A-ah it says, "One of the Chosen, shall give way for the path of the New, One of Darkness, shall lead the path to the light." I know it isn't much Buffy, and as I said earlier, it is rather vague but we have an idea of what the first part means," Giles said the last few works quietly.

"That I'm gonna die…Again," Buffy with finality.

"But you know Buffy, it could mean other things, you never know, ah-ah "Chosen" could be …a typo, and they could have meant…FROZEN, and…and the part about the new stuff, that could mean…ah-ah…"

"We both know it's not Will, thanks anyway. Look guys I have to go and patrol, it's getting dark. I'll ring later on."

"O-Of course Buffy. Be careful."

"I will Giles, you know me, I'm careful girl," Buffy replied sadly.