Mothers (girlxgirl) (Book 3)

Rising Past

Faith's POV

I reach out and touch the cold marble of the stone. It makes my stomach lurch to feel it.

Dawn...

I finally get up the courage to open my eyes and look at the inscription on the headstone.

'Dawn Marie Summers

1987-2001

Beloved Sister

Darling Daughter

She was loved'

My eyes sting with tears and I squeeze them shut to keep them from coming. I whisper to her.

"I'm sorry Dawnie..."

I haven't been back here since the funeral. I haven't kneeled at her grave and stared at the engraving. I haven't touched the cold stone and cried like I did after the funeral was all over. I should've come back sooner to see my daughter. But I just couldn't face her until now.

I trace the D in her name with my finger. Taking another second to grieve, I stand up and put my hand on top of the headstone.

"I love you..."

I take a deep breath before making my way out of the cemetery. I scan the area one more time before leaving.

I guess there isn't as much action in this town as I thought. I've been patrolling all over town for a week now and I think I've had barely one vamp a night.

I walk out of the cemetery I just patrolled and head towards Restfield.

I'm not sure whether to worry or not. A lack of vampire activity means there probably aren't any new vampires rising, at least from graves. But the downside is they could also be gathering somewhere, making the way for something, and that can only be bad. Maybe I should stop by Giles' place and mention it, if he's around. His place is about 10 or 12 blocks east of Restfield, and my place is about 5 or 6 blocks from there. Maybe there's an apocalypse coming, wouldn't that be fun?

I catch a glimpse of the top of a crypt not too far from here and I know I'm close to Restfield. I stop across the street from the cemetery and all of the sudden I hear a car screeching down the street. I look to my left where the screeching is coming from. I see a young girl turn around just in time to see the car hit her as it stops.

What the hell? I can't remember the last time I heard about a car accident in Sunnydale, especially one where the driver actually drove off the road on purpose to hit someone.

Four large men get out of the small car as I start to make my way over there. They gather around what I'm assuming is an injured girl and one of them kneels down. I break into a run as I see the three others start to kick her, while the one kneeling starts punching her. As soon as I get there I grab two of the guys by the neck and throw them about 10 feet in the opposite directions. The third guy notices me and stops kicking the girl to attack me. I deflect the punch and fire back with a hard left to his face. He stumbles back a bit and I go for another punch when he looks at me, all vamped out.

Damn, I should've known.

His vampire face distracts me for a second and I get kicked in the back of my knee and I fall back onto the street.

Ow!

The vamp who kicked me tries to get on top of me but I was never much for lying on my back. I grab him by the shoulders to keep him from getting too close. Then use my right hand to hit him in the face several times. He's disoriented long enough for me to get my knees up and double kick him into the air and crashing into the car's windshield. The second vamp comes at me while the first vamp gets up from 10 feet away. I do a half break dance and scissor his legs, knocking him off his feet. I climb on top of him and pull out my stake before plunging into his heart.

He turns to dust as vamp number one takes up a fighting stance. I catch leg movement out of the corner of my eye from the girl I'm trying to save.

She's still alive, good.

I stand up and take a quick glance at the vamp on a windshield, making sure he's still out as I take up a fighting stance myself. He decides to strike first and I quickly duck his right hook then fire back with one shot to the stomach and two to his ugly vamp face. He tries for a left and I deflect it, using the momentum to hit him with a spinning backhand then spin the other way and take him down with a roundhouse to the face. I stake him quick and then windshield boy as he's starting to wake up. I face the last vamp and he runs off. I take a deep breath and look around to make sure there aren't more heading this way, then check on the girl. I kneel down and...

"Anya?"

I check her over.

She's still breathing, but she was hurt bad from the car and the beating. Why did they attack Anya? The fact that they ran her down makes me think it wasn't random. I'll worry about that later... right now she needs a doctor.

"Anya? Anya, can you hear me?"

Her head moves even though she's unconscious.

"I'm taking you to the hospital, don't worry."

I slide one hand under her head and the other behind her knees, lifting her up. I look around to get my bearings as to what the quickest way to the hospital is. I head towards it.