MULDER THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Round Four, Part One

Mulder The Vampire Slayer Round Four, Part One

Twilight had descended over Crystal City and once more the creatures of the night emerged from their shadowed hiding places to stalk, hunt and feed.

Inside an opulent apartment, two immortal Druids blissfully slept. Curled up to his older and sated lover, Finn awoke and carefully sat up in bed. He peered lovingly at Manus's slumbering face and felt a warm wave wash over him. This was soon replaced by ice cold reality when Finn's mind focused on the dark forces brewing in the Nation's capital. Dear old Manus was content with observing and not interfering, but Finn could not. If not warned, the Slayer would surely be dead within a few days. And by the time another was called it would be too late.

Slipping out from under the expensive sheets, Finn located his clothes strewn all about the floor and quickly and silently dressed. Manus would be angry, Finn thought as he ran a hand through his tangled black hair. He only saw two choices faces him: sit back and watch the vampires take over or give Fox Mulder a little push in the right direction to prevent an apocalypse.

Opting for the latter, Finn padded across the carpet and gently opened the bedroom door. With one last look at Manus, he left.

In bed, Manus opened one eye and smiled.

*****

Walter Skinner didn't know whether to be angry or astounded by the Slayer's request. "No, Mulder, we've got to get this book safely to the Watcher's Council."

Well, he's taking it better than I thought, Mulder mentally noted. He winced a little and threw Alex a hey!-back-me-up look. He had a tugging gut instinct about keeping the mysterious book with its constantly changing kaleidoscopic images. It was too important, and probably way too dangerous, Mulder thought, to be in anyone else's hands but his.

Skinner whipped off his wirerims and began to frantically polish them. "We must return the book to the Watcher's Council immediately." He slipped his glasses back on and fixed both his Slayer and Krycek with a stern glare. "Mulder whatever you're seeing the Council will be more help to us than just theorisizing what the book has to do with the Brotherhood."

Alex cocked his head. "What are they going to do with it?" he wondered. "Just pack it away in a musty old room?"

"Alex is right," Mulder quickly replied. "I'm able to see patterns within the pages that nobody else can. Skinner, I want to know why."

"My point precisely," Walter said, exasperated, "the Council can help us figure out what this all means."

"And what, we're supposed to wait for a bunch of stuffed shirts to arrive? By that time it may already be too late. Skinner, please just let me handle this. I know a couple of guys who've helped me in the past. They can probably tell us all we need to know a lot faster."

Skinner sighed in exasperation. "It's too dangerous for you to take it across town on your own."

"But, I won't be on my own," Mulder protested. "I'll be with Alex. Besides, the faster we know exactly what those mysterious symbols are, the better."

He smiled winningly, thinking that his Watcher would not be able to turn him down.

"No, Mulder." He shook his bald head emphatically. "If you were attacked out there_"

"You know I'd dust any vamp that came near me."

Skinner sighed as he continued. "Even so, if you lost the book and it ended up in vampire hands, I dread to think of the consequences."

"Skinner, we need help deciphering these symbols," Mulder said, waving the book before him. "My friends are occult experts. When my other Watcher died," he paused and took a meaningful breath, "they helped me on some pretty big demony things back in Texas."

"With the resources of the Council, they'll be able to tell us exactly what significance the book holds."

"But," Mulder pouted.

"The book is not leaving and that's final!"

Skinner's surly glare stopped Mulder in his tracks. How could he make his Watcher understand the feeling he had? Something told him that the book shouldn't be handed over to the Council.

Krycek, standing nearby, gave Mulder a nod and decided to step in between Watcher and Slayer.

"Look, this is getting us nowhere." He gently led Mulder aside and leaned in close to whisper. "Let me have a talk with Skinner," he began.

Mulder, remembering Alex's earlier suggestion about turning his Watcher into a Renfield to keep him out of Keiron's power, instantly sprang to mind.

"Alex," he started to argue, but the handsome Russian vampire cut him off.

"While you slip out of the door." He made a little gesture with his head and Mulder caught his drift with first a growing smile, then a wink.

Krycek turned on his heel to face the scowling Watcher. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Skinner," he said, walking past him to stand beside the large window. "Certainly we can work something out."

"There's nothing to work out." The A.D. turned to face the vampire. "I'm only going to say this once more: the book is going to the Watcher's Council first thing in the morning."

"I understand that," Krycek continued, while he watched from the corner of his eye as Mulder stealthily moved toward the front door. "But can't you see this from Mulder's point-of-view?"

Carefully turning the door knob, Mulder looked back and mouthed a "thank you" to Krycek before slipping away.

*****

With a sigh of relief, Mulder hurried out of the apartment building and trotted along the sidewalk hoping to put as much distance as he could between him and the wrath he'd surely receive from his Watcher. Skinner had already been through enough with Keiron's torture. Mulder just wanted to make things easier for him by deciphering the swirling images only he could see.

Feeling the comforting weight of Mr. Pointy, his favorite stake, within the inside pocket of his coat Mulder's keen eyes darted left to right for any signs of the undead. He exhaled deeply. Only a few days ago he'd started his new job on the X-Files, hoping for a normal life. Instead the Watcher's Council had tracked him down. Here he was prowling the darkened Crystal City streets trying to solve the mystery of an ancient text while staying alert for vampires and any demon that wanted to show its ugly face.

After the tragic events in Houston, events he reminded himself that had cost him his first Watcher, Merrick, Mulder was essentially alone. Who would have thought he'd have made friends so quickly? His new Watcher Skinner, his partner Scully, and Alex--a reluctant vampire who made his heart do triple somersaults every time their eyes met...

Whatever happened, Mulder was determined not to make the same mistakes again.

A sudden rustling in the wind made him pause on the sidewalk. He turned his head slightly. Someone was following him.

Was it Alex? I don't need a baby-sitter no matter how cute he might be, Mulder thought. Was it Skinner? If so, feet do your stuff. Or was it some bloodthirsty vamp who didn't know this was the Chosen One?

The steps grew closer, then fell silent.

Mulder nonchalantly continued on his way. At the end of the street he abruptly turned a corner and waited.

The footsteps hurried against the pavement. Mr. Pointy in hand, Mulder flattened himself against the building, then reached out and grabbed the young man's arm as he passed by. With his enhanced strength, Mulder slung him up against the wall and raised the stake.

"Hi, we haven't been introduced. I'm Mulder, the Vampire Slayer, and you're history!"

"Wait!"

"Oh my gosh..." Mulder loosened his grip and slowly dropped his raised right arm. He recognized the hottie immediately. "Y-your Riley Finn," he stammered.

"That's right." Finn nodded.

Riley Finn, the famous rock star Mulder had seen on "The Tonight Show" just before moving to Virginia. What was he doing here? Be kind, rewind, the Slayer thought. Had Riley Finn been turned into a vampire?

Mulder raised the stake threateningly again. Riley smoothed down his rumpled silk shirt and his eyes dismissed the stake. He was immortal after all.

"Slayer, I've come to help you."

This threw Mulder off guard. "Huh? Help me?" He paused. "Wait, how do you know I'm the Slayer? Was there an ad in the newspaper and no one told me about it?"

Finn chuckled softly. His voice was deep and made Mulder's head spin like a teenager. He guiltily thought of Alex and tried to compose himself.

"It's too long and complicated to go into," Riley explained. "But you have to know about the book you're carrying."

Mulder's free hand instantly felt inside of his jacket to make sure it was still there.

"Um, let me guess: psychic? Otherwise, you're starting to seriously wig me out."

The rock 'n' roller leaned in close and Mulder caught a whiff of his Aspen cologne. Riley's intense blue eyes seemed to bore straight through his own.

"Your friends won't be able to help you, Mulder," he said. "The book contains prophecies of the last days." He took a breath. "How the Slayer will confront the Master Vampire."

Hand on hip Mulder cocked his head to the side. He didn't like the sound of this one bit. Why should he trust this guy?

"What's the sitch with the cryptic Jedi act?" he asked. "If you know how to decipher the symbols just tell me."

"At the moment only you can see the changing patterns. The book is tremendously dangerous in the wrong hands, but in yours, you just might be able to defeat Spender."

Mulder dropped the smart-mouthed attitude. "What does Spender want?" he asked, seriously.

"To take over the world. Enslave humanity to the vampires. Surely you..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Mulder replied. "I know that, but he must have some other purpose."

Finn became very quiet until only their breathing and the sighing of the night wind could be heard.

"C'mon," Mulder pressed. "You're scaring me."

"You should be scared, Slayer. Spender wants, no he needs an heir by his side. And that heir is..."

Riley broke off as two large vampires jumped them out of nowhere. Mulder spun around and gave the first one a roundhouse kick to the throat, while the second one charged Finn. The Druid-cum-rocker swiftly ducked and landed a well placed punch to the vampire's abdomen. The vampire dropped, but swiftly regained his feet. Snarling, he swung round for another attack.

Nearby Mulder, who held his stake aloft once more, dodged the first vampire's slashing claws. With a forward facing kick, he sent the growling vampire staggering backward.

"You boys never learn, do you?" he taunted. "What did mom say, 'No rough-housing or you'll get a time out'.

Mulder flashed his right arm out and plunged his stake into the advancing vampire. The demon exploded in a shower of dust. With lightning fast reflexes, Mulder whirled around to help Finn.

The remaining vampire, who's demon strength was far greater than the immortal Druid's, held Finn tightly with one arm while pulling his neck back with the other. Flesh exposed and pulse jumping, the vampire moved to sink his fangs into the delicious neck.

"Hey!" A voice called.

The vampire turned, its yellow eyes wide.

"You might wanna see your dentist about that overbite." Mulder plunged the stake through the vampire's back. The surprised demon imploded.

With a deep groan Riley sank to his knees. Mulder knelt by his side.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

Looking closely the Slayer could see that the vampire has dug its claws into Finn's side. Even in the dim street lights, the gash looked terrible. A sound swept Mulder's attention away. He could sense more vampires approaching and, in the distance, he could see glowing eyes in the darkness.

Wrapping one of Riley's arms about his shoulder, Mulder helped him to stand. "C'mon," he said. "I've gotta get 'ya out of here."

"The Codex," Riley told him, gritting through the pain. "The Hyperion... Codex. It's... what you'll need... to decipher... the book."

Helping him down the sidewalk, Mulder glanced behind them.

"Talk later," he replied, dryly. "We've got about a dozen undead party crashers on our backs."

Holding his aching side, Riley forced his legs to move faster. He'd already risked too much by warning the Slayer to be a liability to him now.

Beside him, Mulder scanned the streets looking for somewhere safe. He still wasn't sure if he could trust Riley Finn, but he seemed to know what he was talking about. Turning a corner they found themselves facing a row of shops. Mulder knew they couldn't hide there. Public places were an open invitation for vampires. No, what they needed was an empty house. At least that way Mulder could set Riley somewhere safe why he fought off the vamp brigade.

Behind them, the vampires were advancing...

*****

Within his candlelit study, Spender sat back in a cushioned chair and opened a fresh pack of morley's. The time of the Brotherhood was fast approaching. He should have been elated at the thought of subjugating mankind, instead his mind was filled with finding and turning his heir. He glanced up, momentarily distracted, to see Xanax descend the spiral staircase and enter the room. Spender found it increasingly hard to read the demon's expression.

"Well?" he asked, simply.

Xanax stood before the antique mahogany desk which, ironically, came from the first pilgrims.

"I sent out some of your best followers to find the Slayer," he reported.

"And?" Spender took a long drag of cigarette.

"They have him on the run." Xanax averted his eyes. "But, once again, he had help."

Spender sat up at this news. "Alex?" His question came out as a hiss.

Xanax shook his head. "I do not know. It's possible."

Charles sat back, quietly thinking. After several moments, he glanced back up at the demon.

"We need something to distract the Slayer," he decided, "something to tear him away from dear Alex." Spender blew out a puff of noxious blue smoke.

Xanax watched him carefully, wondering what the ancient vampire had in mind.

"The Triad," Spender finally announced.

Xanax gaped for a moment. "The Triad? But Charles, they're only called in the greatest need," he protested.

"A Slayer being helped by one of our own certainly qualifies under that category, Xanax."

"Yes, but, once the Triad is called, there's no stopping them. What if they kill the Slayer?"

Spender did not see this as a concern. Instead, he merely chuckled at the thought. "I'm quite confident Fox Mulder can handle himself."

*****

Bertina's next!