The Master seethed with anger. Buffy Summers, the Slayer, had been a persistent thorn in his side, eliminating his minions one by one. His latest loss was Zachary, a loyal vampire who had served him well. The Slayer's increasing boldness and success were unacceptable. He needed a new strategy, one that would ensure her demise.

Darla, his trusted lieutenant, had come to him with a proposal. "Let me handle the Slayer, Master. She's become too much of a nuisance."

The Master regarded Darla with cold eyes. "You are too personally involved, Darla. Your emotions cloud your judgment."

Darla bristled but held her tongue. She knew better than to argue with the Master when he was in this mood.

"No," the Master continued. "We need a more calculated approach. I will send the Three."

The mention of the Three sent a ripple of unease through the gathered minions. The Three were legendary among vampire kind—a trio of warrior vampires renowned for their strength and brutality. They were the perfect instruments for the Master's plans.

"Summon them," the Master commanded.

---

That evening, Buffy was on her way home from the Bronze. It had been pre-fumigation night, and the club was packed with people dancing and enjoying themselves before the exterminators came to clear out the cockroaches. Buffy had spent the night trying to unwind, but her Slayer senses were always on alert.

As she walked through the dark streets, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She wasn't alone. Buffy quickened her pace, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of danger.

Suddenly, the Three emerged from the darkness, surrounding her. Each of them wore ancient armor and carried deadly weapons. They moved with a predatory grace that sent chills down Buffy's spine.

"You must be the Slayer," one of them hissed, baring his fangs.

Buffy readied herself for the fight. "And you must be the welcoming committee. Sorry, not interested."

The Three attacked in unison, their coordinated assault pushing Buffy to her limits. She fought back fiercely, but their combined strength was overwhelming. Just as one of them managed to grab her in a chokehold, Angel appeared out of nowhere, launching himself at the nearest vampire.

"Angel!" Buffy gasped, surprised and relieved.

Angel's intervention gave Buffy the break she needed to escape the deadly grip. They fought side by side, but even with Angel's help, the odds were against them. Angel took a nasty hit, a deep gash opening on his side.

"We need to get out of here," Angel grunted, clutching his wound.

Buffy nodded, grabbing his arm. "This way!"

They ran through the streets, the Three hot on their heels. Buffy led Angel to her house, shouting for him to get inside. As they crossed the threshold, she slammed the door shut behind them.

The Three skidded to a halt outside, unable to enter. Angel slumped against the wall, breathing heavily.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Vampires can't enter a house unless invited," he explained, wincing in pain.

"I've heard that," Buffy replied, slightly breathless herself. "But I've never had to put it to the test before."

She helped Angel to the couch, where he removed his jacket and shirt so she could tend to his wound. As she worked, Buffy noticed a tattoo on his back—a small, intricate design that piqued her curiosity.

"Thank you for your help," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "How did you happen to be so close by?"

Angel looked at her, his eyes dark with a mixture of pain and something else she couldn't quite place. "I was following you. I sensed danger."

Buffy's mother, Joyce, came home from working late. Buffy flew to the front door to make sure Joyce was safe and that no vampires got in. She coaxed her mother to go to bed immediately, but Joyce's curiosity was piqued when she saw Angel.

"Who's this?" Joyce asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Buffy improvised quickly. "This is Angel. He's a college student tutoring me in history."

Joyce looked mildly skeptical but didn't press the issue. "Well, nice to meet you, Angel. Don't stay up too late, Buffy."

Once Joyce went upstairs, Buffy pretended to send Angel off but instead sneaked him up to her bedroom. "You can stay here for the night," she whispered. "I don't want to get you killed out there."

Angel insisted on taking the floor, but Buffy sent him to the window to see if the "fang gang" was still lurking, using the opportunity to change into her pajamas.

---

The next morning, Buffy recounted the events to her friends, including Cyrus. Xander was immediately suspicious. "He's trying to seduce you by saving your life and getting stabbed. It's classic."

Giles, however, was more focused on the practical implications. "The Three are no longer a threat. They must offer their lives to the Master in penance for failing their mission."

Indeed, in the Master's lair, the Three knelt before him, accepting their fate. The Master allowed Darla to execute them, using the moment as a lesson in power for the Anointed One.

Back at the library, Buffy began weapons training with Giles. She was disappointed to start with the quarterstaff instead of the "cool" crossbow but quickly proved her prowess by defeating Giles in a staff-to-staff combat.

Returning home, Buffy brought some supper for Angel, who had waited out the day in her room. "How did you pass the time?" she asked.

"I did a little reading, a lot of thinking," Angel replied, his eyes glancing at her diary, which was askew.

Buffy noticed it too and began to panic, explaining away entries that revealed her crush on "A."

Angel stopped her, his voice gentle. "Your mother moved it while straightening up. I swear, I didn't read it."

Relief washed over Buffy. Angel then confessed, "I don't think I should be around you, Buffy. All I want to do is kiss you."

Buffy's heart raced as she approached him. "Then do it."

They kissed, but Angel suddenly pulled back with a snarl. His face transformed, revealing his true nature as a vampire. Buffy screamed, and Angel fled through the window.

Joyce rushed into the room, asking what happened. Buffy, shaken, could only say, "I saw a shadow."

---

The next morning, Buffy brought her friends up to speed, including Cyrus. "Angel is a vampire," she said, her voice trembling with the revelation.

Giles was firm. "There are no good vampires, Buffy. A vampire, lacking a soul, is not even a person."

Xander, always direct, urged, "You have to slay him, Buffy."

Cyrus, however, looked thoughtful. "There might be more to this. Let's not rush to conclusions."

Angel, meanwhile, returned to his apartment, where he found Darla waiting for him. She taunted him, saying, "Humans will never accept you for who you are, Angel. But neither do we."

In the Master's lair, Darla insisted on being allowed to kill Buffy. The Master, intrigued by her plan to use Angel, conceded.

That evening, Buffy struggled with her history homework, distracted by thoughts of Angel. Willow, who was tutoring her, was equally distracted by her own feelings for Xander.

Darla, lurking in the shadows, eavesdropped on their conversation. She then went to Buffy's house, where she tricked Joyce into inviting her in by claiming to be a study buddy.

Angel, prowling around Buffy's house, heard Joyce's scream and rushed in just as Darla began to drink from her. Darla shoved the unconscious Joyce into Angel's arms, daring him to drink too. Buffy arrived to find Angel in this compromising position. She threw him out of the house and called for an ambulance.

At the hospital, Joyce, disoriented, recalled inviting a "study friend" inside. Buffy misunderstood, thinking she meant Angel instead of Darla. Determined to confront him, Buffy stormed to the library, grabbed a crossbow, and set out to find Angel.