She scanned her immediate surroundings straining in the only light, torches lining the walls. Tentatively turning her head as her eyes adjusted to the blackness, she sought to regain her bearings. She vaguely realized that in all likelihood, she was someplace unknown to her memory. Forcing herself uncomfortably to sit up, Buffy knew the door at a far end of the room would be locked from the outside. The walls surrounding her were painted a severe black; the furniture appeared to be from the dreams of some madman. Looking down, she saw her clothing laying in a heap by the bed. She felt a black hate emanating from the souls that lurked beyond the door. Instead of filling her with great dread, instead it aroused her usual curiosity. She sensed she should know her captors as well, but their identities danced maddeningly somewhere just beyond recollection.

It was just as well, she figured, acknowledging her fatigue. She was eager to lie down and drift back into a long, dreamless sleep. Reposing on the bed, however, something caught her attention as if by coincidence. It rested on the stone floor directly in her line of vision. Peering over to get a closer look, she saw it was a book, covered with thick dust as if it hadn't been disturbed for many years. Picking it up in both hands, she wiped the dust away and opened it, reading the first few pages.

The handwritten journal began with the words, "SAINTS PRESERVE THOSE WHO LEARN TO THEIR HORROR WHAT UNHOLY DEMONS LURK WITHIN THIS HOUSE...." that made her shiver.

She read on, trying to understand.... then, suddenly, it came to her! A horrible, mind-numbing fear, an almost unspeakable evil bore down on her soul like an insurmountable weight. It couldn't be discerned by the ordinary human eye, but it was a living entity all the same. Hearing the cries in the back of her mind (or was she?) Buffy perceived the endless suffering of countless unfortunate souls who had arrived here throughout the ages for reasons she couldn't fathom or understand. But she COULD feel their terror, their torment, their eternal agony.... it was almost too much to bear. The malefic feeling filled her with an insane, bone-chilling dread.

As she made a supreme - and ultimately futile - effort to shut this out of her consciousness, she perceived other things within her immediate world. Things that sent fresh chills straight up her spine and exploded inside her brain. She imagined hearing cold, mocking laughter, the impression much stronger than the last; inexplicably coming from inside her mind that rudely brought her back - SHOVED her back, actually - to full consciousness.

As she attempted to ascertain whether this was something she'd actually heard or simply believed she did, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps from the other side of the door. The door was unlocked with a loud CLICK and flung open with a loud CRASH that revealed two black-clad female figures standing on the other side of the opening. One of them held a black vinyl ensemble that she tossed acoss the room at Buffy.

"Put it on," she snapped imperiously, her guttural tone every bit as commanding as her appearance.

Deciding it might be better not to make a scene and bide her time observing things, Buffy dutifully complied, slipping into a thong bikini bottom, skintight pants and a matching top that fit her svelte body like a second skin. When she was dressed, the Vampire Slayer slowly pushed herself up from the bed and stood to face the newcomers.

"Come with us," the other female barked in a guttural voice.

Buffy padded across the room toward the women in her bare feet. Handcuffing her wrists behind her, they slammed the door behind them and re-locked it before they led her down the dark hallway and opened a door that looked like it hadn't been used for centuries. Using torch to light their way in the pitch-blackness, the two females escorted Buffy down a long, dim hallway with torches burning on either side at widely spaced intervals. The journey seemed almost endless but she finally saw a pair of ancient doors looming in the darkness. Reaching them, the women stepped forward, unlatched the heavy doors and swung them inward.

"Inside," one commanded harshly, giving Buffy's butt a little spank to spur her along.

Buffy was escorted into a vast hall which resembled a place of ancient pagan worship similar to one's she'd seen in the ancient texts. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she instinctively knew something wasn't quite right. Buffy and her captors walked through the hall to a huge altar at the far end of the room. A woman was standing there with her back to Buffy.

One of Buffy's escorts approached the woman, curtseyed and intoned, "We brought her as commanded, my liege."

Buffy recognized a familiar voice when the woman in front of the altar spoke to her minion, "She has no recollection of how she got here?"

"None, my liege," the escort answered quickly.

"Perhaps it is just as well," the faceless woman conceded. "She may still provide us with some amusement...."

Then, slowly, the woman turned to face Buffy who, as she revealed her face, at that moment KNEW where she was as Buffy found herself gazing into the grinning visage of her mortal - or perhaps, immortal would be a more appropriate term - enemy.

"Welcome to my home, Buffy," said Satanico Pandemonium, Sovereign of the House of Krinkyrt'Ra.

It took a few moments before Buffy instinctively knew what Satanico was referring to. Her castle (where Buffy assumed she was being held) while relatively close to the city was nonetheless still quite secluded from the outside world. It was almost as if no one dared go anywhere near the place, it's reputation alone prevented unwanted intrusions. A legion of rumors surrounded the place, many of which Buffy had heard and laughed off - before she knew better! They existed both in mortal and undead society, varying in degrees of accuracy; however, the message was always the same and always quite clear.... STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!

Something had drastically changed in Satanico's appearance from what Buffy had grown accustomed to since first learning of her existence as the reigning Sovereign of the House of Krinkyrt'Ra. They'd met face to face only once before, however briefly, but that first meeting had been memorable!

Upon joining the secretive underground base of operations referred to only as 'the Headquarters' - an organization of paranormal and occult investigators - Buffy had been immediately summoned to the main office by her employers and briefed on the existence of the cult, reportedly one of the most infamous and dangerous of the unseen vampire world. At first, she believed it existed only in whispered rumors and tales designed to frighten the superstitious, but as time went on and she tracked the cult, she gradually learned this wasn't true. Their meeting had been during the scuffle between Buffy and the minions under Satanico's command, a scuffle in which both principal parties involved had barely escaped in one piece...but that was another story.

Now they were face to face again, Buffy in the lion's den with no apparent way out! The difference in Satanico's appearance, Buffy saw as she studied her adversary closely, was barely noticeable at first glance, but within moments Satanico smiled at her and Buffy realized what it was. Two of her visible front teeth were now elongated into fangs, her eyes having a crimson hue; her true appearance when she wasn't under the eye of living society.

"I trust your journey here was without incident?" Satanico asked Buffy with a strong hint of biting sarcasm.

Buffy glared at the woman who had obviously been responsible for the sudden attack on her and those who had been accompanying her, two seasoned vampire hunters who belonged to the Headquarters and had staked out the obscure nightclub back in the city, wherever that was. While surveying the club, they'd been attacked without warning and rendered unconscious despite their best efforts to fight the vampires off.

Buffy recalled the heated battle; blades slicing the air, firearms shooting back into the tavern at the pursuing Order as they retreated, fists and martial arts moves impacting the enemy converging on them. Buffy and her companions fought valiantly until, after an eternity of combat seemed to pass, they'd been overpowered and rendered unconscious under the weight of their combined attackers.

"Oh, nothing to complain about," Buffy returned flatly, her eyes narrowing.

Taking in her surroundings, Buffy noticed the others lurking near-by, surrounding her. The vampiresses who attacked Buffy and her partners were among them, as was a bearded homeless man whose appearance seemed quite, quite ancient, suggesting a great evil lurked deep within. Returning her gaze to Satanico, Buffy's face hardened as she glared at her captor.

Demanding in a loud, confident voice, she asked, "Where are my companions?"

"We may require their presence later," the homeless man intoned deeply, saying nothing else.

Sidling up beside Buffy and running her fingertips lightly over the Slayer's arm, Satanico whispered, so that hardly anyone else could hear,

"My friend," she began sarcastically, "at least try to maintain a respectful tone. The last thing either of us wants is another incident like the one back in the city when you and your 'companions' entered our territory uninvited. Come to think of it, I believe you should be grateful to me for not having my minions simply claim your lives after intercepting you." She paused dramatically, then added, "...or claming your life myself, for that matter."

"Oh?" Buffy retorted with a mock quizzical tone. "You sound rather confident considering what transpired when we first met," was her only answer for the time being. But then, as an afterthought, added, "Surely your minions would've at least spared the life of a mortal whose life you owed."

"You were fortunate then, nothing more," Satanico retorted hotly. "Because of the generosity you showed me in which you 'allowed' me to escape, I at least afford you the courtesy of revealing to you our plans."

"In that case," Buffy replied defiantly, "however you choose to explain our last encounter, tell me where my companions are!"

"My minions have spared your friends, they're still back at the nightclub," Satanico obliged Buffy.

The response sounded gracious, although the Sovereign was still grinning; her countenance in a sardonic leer, her piercing eyes filled with dark promise. "I sense they have awakened and already set out to locate us. Whether they manage to find us remains to be seen. They may arrive here, although by then it may well be too late to curtail our plans for you."

Fixing her gaze on Satanico and her gathered minions who had moved close behind her, Buffy found it difficult not to direct her gaze back to the homeless man in front of the altar; a man who was now staring at Buffy with an intensely fierce, malevolence. His eyes bore into the woman, chilling her far more intensely than anything else had since she came to this catacomb. With some effort, she tore her eyes from him and turned to face Satanico.

"What is this place?" she demanded again, trying to keep her voice from faltering.

"Before I answer that, I'll tell you your assumption was correct, Buffy," Satanico spoke slowly, with a disarmingly calm patience. "The nightclub you and your friends infiltrated with such arrogant, foolish, overconfidence is indeed a place we use to lure unsuspecting mortals to our dominion. Mostly, we turn them there," she continued, moving closer to Buffy as she spoke and running her hand lightly up Buffy's back. "But sometimes, with special cases, we take the liberty of allowing certain select few to be our, er, 'guests' here."

Grabbing Buffy firmly by the hair, Satanico jerked her head back sharply. Grinning, she stared deep into Buffy's wide eyes as she went on, "This, incidentally, is one of those special times." Releasing her hair after a few moments, she turned her back and continued. "This place," she explained with an expansive wave of her arm, "is where I and my minions summon Kyxu'Xu'Kirtegeg. Tonight, he will again appear at our summoning...and, my dear girl, your soul is to be his sustenance."

As Satanico spoke, recent events that had occurred before she was brought here became clear to Buffy; almost as if everything happened by design. Just as that realization came into focus, it was chillingly confirmed an instant later as Satanico explained that the House of Krinkyrt'Ra had known she and her friends from the Headquarters had been stalking them for some time, that they were aware they'd be at the bar tonight and that Satanico had arranged for her minions to intercept them there. Indeed, all the events of the last week or so seemingly had been prearranged to finally culminate in what was to occur tonight in this lonely, godforsaken castle in the middle of nowhere. Buffy felt like she was an unwitting pawn in the game of an unseen, otherworldly, something that had arranged her life without her knowledge.

Buffy decided she didn't much care for the realization, or being a pawn of supernatural forces! Still, much as it should have filled her soul with mortal terror at the thought, the mere mention, of whatever it was she would have to do to provide 'sustenance' the feeling aroused her indignation, fueling and nurturing it into almost a tangible, living entity. She glared at Satanico; she wanted to leap toward the altar to attack her, but she knew even trying to physically attack the Sovereign would not only be futile, but possibly a fatal mistake, considering she was surrounded by her most loyal minions. Instead, Buffy asked a question, her voice sounding as dark and menacing as Satanico herself.

"Why choose me for the honor?" she said, managing to include a touch of sarcasm in her tone in spite of everything.

Satanico offered a simple, concise explanation. "Simply because you have devoted so much time and effort to following us. You have sought entry where mortals are forbidden. For ages, it has been tradition within our House that those foolish enough to do as you have done must feed Kyxu'Xu'Kirtegeg his soul power."

The familiar way Satanico responded to her question filled Buffy with eerie foreboding. She visibly shuddered as she watched the homeless man move soundlessly to the altar and a formless Something lurking in the unseen world seemed to stir somewhere beneath them.

"His is the guardian spirit who watches over this place. His secret is something rarely shared with anyone outside our house," Satanico explained with blunt matter-of-factness. "Kept hidden even from many within our fold, her identity revealed only to a few of the higher hierarchy, myself included of course. We require your life force to be his sustenance as a warning to others, that those who would enter our world unbidden, as you have, not make the same mistake."

Her grin widened at the look of suppressed horror crossing Buffy's countenance.

"She should do quite nicely," the homeless man at the altar said suddenly, his powerful, resounding voice piercing the vast silence around them.

The very thought of serving as food, so to speak, for whatever it was the House of Krinkyrt'Ra planned to summon suddenly was too much for Buffy to cope with.

"Release me," she told Satanico evenly. "I'll never speak of this place to anyone as long as I live."

The Sovereign uttered a sharp, sardonic laugh at Buffy's half-hearted attempt to save her skin; again the malevolent laughter chilled her to the very core.

"That was a quite useless offer, and a rather inopportune moment to make it, I'm afraid," she intoned. "You know of our existence which makes you far too dangerous to be released. Besides, you cannot guarantee you can keep you word if we allow you to leave. No," Satanico continued with maddening patience as she toyed with the belt of her robe, "Kyxu'Xu'Kirtegeg must be summoned. There is quite simply no other way. Unless..." her voice trailed off as Satanico fell silent, as if deeply considering something.

Was she considering an alternative? If so, Buffy decided, almost anything would be preferable to whatever the Sovereign intended for her.

"Unless what?" Buffy prompted, desperately clinging to the thin reed of hope presented her.

Turning back to Buffy, Satanico appraised her with a tight smile for several moments.

"I had always wondered how you and I would fare against one another in hand-to-hand combat," she spoke thoughtfully and there appeared to be no mistaking her meaning.

"What are you implying?" Buffy demanded of the Sovereign in a harsh, warning tone; her expression darkening considerably in spite of her rising consternation.

"That you must personally prove yourself against the Sovereign in battle if you hope to escape us," the homeless man returned.

"Yes," Satanico agreed. "If you should be lucky enough to defeat me, you will be allowed to leave. If not...." her voice trailed off again, grinning chillingly as she lifted her hand in a cut-throat gesture that Buffy instantly didn't like thinking about.

"Be advised, Sovereign," Buffy intoned, emphasizing the last word with bitter sarcasm. "...that my friends at the Headquarters will be extremely displeased if anything happened to me."

Advancing upon her, the Sovereign suddenly lashed out, thundering with the rage of an exploding warhead, "Remember, Buffy, you are OUR GUEST here!" Then calming herself Satanico added, "You should feel honored, actually." Her voice radiating her supreme authority, she pointed out, "You are among the first to witness these games in ages, outside the members of our House." Then with a sardonic smirk, "Still, should you be as formidable an opponent as you appear to be, I am certain you will emerge unscathed...."
(A bit later....)
Buffy was taken from the catacomb and led deeper into the dark castle in the opposite direction from that whence they came. As she walked down dark, seemingly endless, torch-lit hallways, she noticed a multitude of doors lining either side of the hall exactly like that to her room. It crossed her mind to wonder what could possibly be lurking behind each one, perhaps other prisoners? Sacrificial victims? Or were they merely more of Satanico's minions? Finally she and her escorts rounded a corner and came to a door facing them at the end of one longer, darker hallway than the others.

Stepping ahead of her to open it, the towering women swung the door open and then shoved Buffy into what looked like a vast arena. In its center was a deep pit, surrounded by high stone pillars looking crazily like seating arrangements of some kind. There was a large multitude of vampires gathered around the pit and seeing her enter, they burst into wild, bloodthirsty cries, apparently at the prospect of seeing her torn limb from limb. Seizing Buffy's arms at either side, the women escorting her steered her roughly into the room and up to the edge of the fighting pit.

From an open doorway overlooking the opposite side of the stone arena appeared Buffy's adversary, Satanico Pandemonium herself. The gathered vampires cheered again with renewed savagery. Carrying herself with the air of someone who had participated in this event many times over, she appeared eager to appease the crowd by dismembering Buffy. There was a harsh brutality in the way the Sovereign carried herself as she approached the pit. The survival of the fittest....

Leering across the space between them at Buffy, the Sovereign jumped down into the bottom of the fighting pit, turned and awaited the vampire slayer. Satanico was dressed the same as Buffy whose attire had been altered during Satanico's entrance. Now both wore tight-fitting black vinyl thong bikini bottoms, high boots and a black vinyl bodice. These ensembles were decidedly skimpier, and the tight-fitting vinyl hugged Satanico's curvaceous body as perfectly as Buffy's did hers.

Staring back defiantly at Satanico who waited in the fighting pit, Buffy followed suit, jumping the long distance to the pit's bottom, then standing her ground and maintaining a calm stare as they faced each other. Amused by the potential ferocity in Buffy's posture, the leader of the House of Krinkyrt'Ra stared back, carefully watching every move Buffy made with that malevolent grin pasted on her face. Slowly, Satanico began to carefully stalk her adversary; hard-faced, fully prepared to take advantage of any mistake Buffy made.

The vampire's howls of bloodlust permeated the arena surrounding them, filling the air with the knowledge that the fighting would continue until only one was left standing. A grim pall settled over everything as the Sovereign of the House of Krinkyrt'Ra continually eyed her foe, saying nothing but in obvious anticipation of the conflict to follow. They each skirted the circular wall of their arena, their senses alert, as the tangible tension in the ancient arena reached a fever pitch that seemed to permeate everything.

The gathered throng of vampires leaned forward in their seats watching the impending battle and particularly the channel of mutual animosity that was opened between Buffy and Satanico. Leaping abruptly forward as if by some unspoken signal, vampiress and mortal clashed as quickly as their legs could carry them. Plowing toward Buffy, Satanico was fully aware of how alive, how wonderfully sexual she felt at the prospect of engaging once again in hand to hand combat. How she absolutely LUSTED for battle with the arrogant mortal who dared stalk she and her House and threaten them with extinction. Satanico promised herself that, one way or another, she would emerge the victor in this contest.

As the adversaries locked arms in the pit's center, Satanico shifted her weight, tossing Buffy over her hip like a rag doll. Buffy landed with a resounding thud on the floor of the pit and Satanico quickly turned and came at her. Kicking her feet up, bounding back to her feet and she met her foe's charge head-on. They engaged in a fierce exchange of aggression, both ducking some blows and taking others, summarily countering her opponent with punches, kicks and martial arts moves. The fighting pit resembled a grotesque war zone as endless, brutal blows by both Satanico and Buffy rained down on the other's body with endless vigor; each woman hell-bent on destroying the other.

With lightning quickness, Buffy reared back and delivered a sudden enzugiri to the Vampire Queen's face, then followed that with a vicious spear that knocked the Sovereign to the cold stone floor. Her face a mask of controlled fury, Satanico bounced back to her feet and leaped in the air, landing on Buffy's shoulders and clamping her thighs tight around her throat. Falling back, she flipped Buffy head over heels down to the floor. Standing up quickly and approaching her fallen adversary, Satanico lifted one booted foot and brutally stomped the vampire slayer's sensitive groin, just missing by inches Buffy's proud womanhood. Stomping again, Satanico this time targeted Buffy's solar plexus, savoring the sexual excitement her movements aroused in her.

The impact of Satanico's boot to her groin and solar plexus knocked the wind out of Buffy; her mouth sprang open wide in a grotesque rictus of an agony she couldn't even completely feel yet considering that she couldn't breathe. Lowering herself and sitting beside her enemy as she fought to catch her breath, Satanico stretched out her black vinyl clad legs, slamming them together with harsh inertia about the vampire slayer's throat.

The muscles of the Sovereign's thighs tightened around Buffy's neck, further cutting off her breathing just as she was regaining her wind. Her teeth clenching as the vampire's legs choked her unmercifully and Buffy desperately clawed and scratched at the encircling limbs, trying in vain to loosen their grip.

Feeling an inner warmth of pure sexuality enveloping her like a cimmerian shroud, Satanico grinned with inhuman passion as she increased the intensity of her leglock about her adversary's neck. Pulling Buffy’s neck deeper between her constricting thighs, Satanico clapped her palms over Buffy's ears, maintaining the tight grip with her vinyl-clad legs. Sadistically, with that cold, black grin again creasing her pretty face, Satanico repeated the slapping movement with both hands at regular intervals, relishing the feeling of her enemy's desperate squirming between her thighs. Buffy was desperate to maintain consciousness, not crumble before the Sovereign's merciless assault as Satanico punctuated her steadily tightening scissors with brutal ear-ringing blows to her ears.

Satanico squeezed tighter and tighter with a calculated ferocity, slowly, remorselessly, pushing the fading vampire slayer closer and closer to passing out as the compression of her legs and the sharp, cuffing blows were administered with almost mechanical precision. Buffy remembered the promise made to her earlier in the Sovereign's ritual quarters before the altar; the impression of what would befall her should she lose their contest and she was struck with a desperate plan. Craning her neck as far as she could, Buffy sank her teeth into the thigh coiled around the front of her neck, hoping her bite would have some effect on Satanico that led to her easing the pressure before it was too late!

And, as blind luck would have it, the unexpected bite of the vampire's thigh did catch Satanico totally by surprise. She had focused all her attention and channeled all her energy into choking Buffy into a quick and early defeat. Feeling Buffy's jaws exerting pressure as her teeth clamped hard onto the soft, yielding flesh of her inner thigh, she let out a startled cry, involuntarily reflexively easing the pressure on the slayer’s windpipe!

Sensing she’d discovered a route to escape, Buffy brought her legs up sharply, then kicked outward and the motion allowed her to wriggle her head from between her tormentor's muscular thighs. Gasping for air, Buffy sucked air like a drowning woman as she forced herself to roll away before she fell victim to another assault at the hands of the vampiress.

Satanico massaged the bite on her inner thigh, decidedly angry at the unexpected turn of events. But her anger was directed more at herself than toward Buffy. In her effort to establish her dominance too quickly, Satanico had grossly underestimated her tenacity which in turn allowed Buffy to mount an effective counterassault to rob Satanico of that very advantage. Although mortal, Buffy was a formidable opponent, something Satanico already knew from observing her fighting technique in their first encounter. She kicked herself for allowing her overconfidence to get the better of her judgment so early in the game; certainly in a battle with another undead she could well have lost the battle already and she resolved not make the same mistake again.

They began to circle again, more slowly this time as Buffy was already favoring her neck where Satanico had tortured her with her powerful thighs. The frenzied howls emanating from the gathering of Order minions weren't helping Buffy’s confidence and she had to remind herself she was in her opponent's lair, in the middle of a conflict between herself and the leader of the vampire cult whose members obviously expected to see her succumb to Satanico. Not exactly the most promising situation; still, the Sovereign HAD promised her freedom if she was victorious and that prospect was the thing that spurred her on - considering the alternative that awaited her if she refused to even fight.

Again, Satanico took the initiative as she charged Buffy, her hands outstretched as if to grab her throat. Just as the Sovereign expected her to do, the vampire slayer raised her hands to defend against the anticipated attack. The feint on Satanico's part was successfully as she changed her attack at the last instant, lowering her shoulder as she charged forward and wrapped her arms around Buffy’s waist, lifting her off the dirt floor of the pit. Hoisting the blonde in the air, Satanico tightened her arms, elating at the feel of the soft flesh yielding to her power as she drove forward and plowed Buffy’s back into the dirt, landing on top of her with her full body weight behind her shoulder as it smashed into the pit of Buffy’s stomach.

The impact again knocked the wind out of Buffy as Satanico’s weight gave added impetus to the slam, wrenching a pained moan from Buffy’s throat along with all the air from her lungs. Taking deep gulpss, fighting to catch her breath, Buffy had to think quickly as Satanico jumped to her feet, preparing to slam her weight back into her enemy's prone body again. But this time as the vampire’s body came down, Buffy raised her legs, kicking her boot-clad feet directly up into the brunette’s belly. Satanico collided with the unforgiving boots, expelling a huge breath of air as Buffy sent Satanico sailing in an arc over her head to the floor behind her.

As she hit the dirt floor, Satanico eased the impact by rolling and came up onto her knees, taking a moment to catch her breath. Enraged, she glared with unadulterated sheer hatred at her mortal adversary, got to her feet and hurtling herself at Buffy who met her aggression with equal fervor. Their vinyl-clad bodies slammed together in the center of the pit at top speed with a loud THWAP, each seeking a weakness to exploit in their adversary. Their animosity boiling over, they each clutched the other by the throat, taking a firm grip as they tried to strangle the other, channeling all their strength into their squeezing fingers and thumbs.

This time, Buffy opted to play the aggressor, driving her foot into Satanico's middle just below the top of her vinyl bodice. Absorbing the impact of the kick, the vampiress still had enough energy to lash out with her own leg as Buffy kicked, tripping the vampire slayer and grabbing her thigh with her arm, curling under her thigh as she rolled up Buffy's leg. The motion sent both women crashing to the pit's floor where Buffy hit hard on her butt.

This seemed to be a catalyst for both combatants and they unleashed the full fury of their shared animosity. Exploding in a mad fit of bloodlust, they rose up on their knees and proceeded to tear into each other, hammering wild, relentless flurries of punches and martial arts strikes. Fists thudded into and slammed with cruel intentions into exposed flesh and black vinyl in equal quantities as neither mortal nor vampire showed an sign of faltering. Their stalemate was soon broken, however, when Satanico ducked a wild swing by Buffy and grabbed her under her armpit with one arm while coiling her other around Buffy's throat. With a feral scream, Satanico stood up and pulled backward hard as Buffy gagged and choked, her oxygen supply again interrupted by the devastating hold being applied.

Satanico held Buffy like a demon possessed, her face flushed by her fierce determination to choke her into unconsciousness. Desperately, the vampire slayer pushed backward, slamming Satanico against the pit wall hard enough to daze her for just long enough to pull out of her grasp. Once free, Buffy turned and wrapped her arm around the vampire's neck, stiffening the muscles in her upper biceps on Satanico’s throat as the vampire struggled madly to free herself. Buffy felt as if she was wrestling an enraged bull as the brunette twisted her tightly muscled body. Buffy forced her leg between the Sovereign's thrashing thighs and rolled both combatants to the floor where they continued to buck and kick, their movements bespeaking their ferocious ardor.

They rolled across the width of the pit into the wall where Buffy maintained her choke on Satanico, her head leaning forward against Satanico's. In retaliation, the Sovereign grabbed Buffy's face with her fingers, her long fingernails digging into the skin as her hand covered a large part of her flushed face. Forcing her head back, Satanico applied pressure with one hand as her other hand slid down and dug into the soft, heaving flesh of Buffy's bare belly. Buffy winced the vampire's strong fingers pushing into the most sensitive areas of her abdomen. The talons gripping her stomach felt as if they’d dig their way through her flesh and rip out her insides. With a long, agonized scream, Buffy raised her foot and slammed the heel of her boot into her tormentor's groin.

Buffy seized the fingers gripping her face and stomach as she repeatedly rammed her butt into Satanico's lower body. With a supreme effort, she was finally able to pry away the fingers that tortured her, but not before she felt the searing pain of fangs piercing the skin on her neck as the audience renewed their howls of bloodlust. Screaming again - quite loudly - at the painful bite, Buffy redoubled her effort to pull the Sovereign's fingers from her.

Finally accomplishing this, Buffy could feel small cuts on her face where the sharpened fingernails had assaulted her and the thin lines of blood trickled from the wounds on her neck where Satanico had bitten her. As they again faced off on their knees, Buffy saw the smug, mocking, evil grin on her foe's face.

Her movements fueled more by rage than before, Buffy threw herself at her undead enemy, tackling her to the floor. Their hands flailed and fenced for purchase until Satanico lunged with startling quickness and, for a second time, Buffy felt the searing pain of her fangs piercing the skin of her neck followed by a gurgling sound. In horror, Buffy realized the vampire was sucking her blood! Screaming in rage, she pulled at Satanico’s long hair, pulling her head back and belting her across the face with all the strength she could muster. Buffy swung her foe around and scissored her legs around the Sovereign’s waist, locked her ankles at the same moment she swept her hands up under Satanico's armpits and locked them behind her neck in a perfect full-nelson.

Once she had the hold secure, Buffy twisted Satanico's squirming body at uncomfortable angles in an effort to weaken her...and to get payback for being bitten. Throwing her head back, gritting her teeth with her exertions, Buffy alternated between twisting Satanico from side to side and yanking backward hard, stretching her body, straining to weaken Satanico. Her movement became more and more fevered as time dragged on until, deciding her tactic wasn’t succeeding, she changed tactics. She flipped the Sovereign face down on the floor and grabbed her wrists. Standing, Buffy slammed her foot into the middle of the vampire's back, jerking her arms upward and savoring the sweet sound of the pained grunts of her undead foe.

By now Buffy's rage had pushed her beyond rational thought but, her lust for revenge still unsatisfied, she dropped onto Satanico's back, grabbed her under the chin and pulled her head back to administer even more pain. Satanico's teeth were in agony as Buffy took pleasure in making her suffer, almost as if she wanted to break the vampire in half. The howls of the crowd around them increased to a deafening roar as an infuriated scream issued through Satanico's tightly-clenched teeth. Digging her fingernails into Buffy's wrists, the vampire clawed at Buffy's flesh, her sharp nails carving long red scratches on her flesh.

In her haste to adjust her grip to avoid Satanico’s sharp nails, Buffy lost her grip on Satanico’s wrists. With her hands suddenly free, the vampire lashed out, slamming her fists back into the slayer's face, one connecting solidly with Buffy's eye. Buffy was forced to raise her hands to protect her beautiful face which gave Satanico the opportunity to squirm over onto her back still trapped between Buffy's thighs. Now, she raised her strong legs and coiled them around the mortal's waist like hungry serpents, tightening their grip on Buffy’s slender body.

Forcing her over backward to the floor, Satanico's thighs again tightened around Buffy’s waist, constricting her movement and hindering her breathing with a series of pulses, each of increasing strength and power. Each squeezed more air from Buffy as Satanico was determined to crush her into oblivion. Having regained the advantage, Satanico again felt a sexually arousal welling up inside her loins at her awareness that she was not only causing Buffy discomfort, but that she was doing it in such a sexually suggestive hold.

The Sovereign's sexual excitement soon became obvious to Buffy as the compression's continued with increasing strength. She was too consumed with the tightness of the encircling legs crushing her midriff to consider a response to the sexual element of their contest at this point. Buffy uttered a long, drawn-out, agonized groan as Satanico's legs tightened further still around her with another pulse, she reached out and dug her own fingernails into Satanico's face, raking the flesh in an attempt to lessen the pressure of the vampire's thigh. Grabbing her wrist, Satanico tried to turn the tables and put Buffy in a hold similar to the one she’d been trapped in moments before. Whipping her lithe frame convulsively, Buffy slammed her fists into the crushing legs surrounding her as she forced her upper body forward and rolled Satanico onto her back.

Wriggling her way out of Satanico’s agonizing scissors, Buffy hauled Satanico up by the hair, wrapped an arm around her neck and put her thigh behind her leg, twisting the Sovereign's body back over it. Satanico let out a pained gasp as her body was being stretched at a severe angle. Opting for even more payback, Buffy twisted her other hand in a claw and plunged it into the Sovereign's belly to increase the effect of the hold. It was like trying to hold a mad bull as the vampire slayer's effort to keep the hold progressed from stoic to writhing, matching the increasingly wild struggles of the vampiress to free herself. Satanico's movements became so uncontrollable that Buffy had to spin Satanico around and clasp her arms around her waist.

Despite the protest from her muscles, Buffy lifted the shorter Satanico off the floor, ran across the pit and rammed the vampire to the floor flat on her back. Keeping her arms tight around her, Buffy exerted pressure as Satanico's legs swept upward along her’s, slamming closed around Buffy's middle below her ribs like a Venus flytrap ensnaring prey. Feeling the Sovereign's powerful thighs crushing her again, Buffy began to buck like a crazed mare, fighting to keep her arms locked around Satanico’s waist.

For what seemed like an eternity, they remained frozen in their contest of physical strength, each trying to out-crush the other. The signs of discomfort were becoming apparent on Satanico's face, Buffy could feel the effects of the vampiress’ bites and the loss of blood from her wounds was beginning to take a toll on her strength and stamina.

On and on they writhed, each exerting themselves trying to tighten the hold on the other's midsection. The physical strain was obvious on both faces as their efforts were doubled and then redoubled as their strong limbs compressed each other's body. Their breathing grew labored and their limbs started to tremble from the strain as they poured every ounce of their well-trained muscles into the battle. Despite Buffy’s formidable strength gained in extensive training at the Headquarters, Satanico's encircling thighs were like steel cables squeezing the life from her body. Buffy let out another involuntary groan as the Sovereign's legs pulsed and squeezed a little tighter. Bucking, trying to adjust her body for better purchase, Buffy concentrated her energy on tightening her arms around the vampire’s waist.

Satanico squinted her eyes with her exertion, grinning at Buffy with an almost hypnotic quality. Her head was bowed slightly, her eyes staring up at Buffy gave her expression a chilling effect. She savored the sexual excitement she was experiencing as she compressed the vampire slayer between her legs. She began to wriggle and squirm deliciously, her legs alternately tightening and easing the pressure on Buffy’s midsection.

Coughing and gasping for air as the assault on her lungs continued, Buffy was unprepared when Satanico leaned forward to try to bite her neck again Feeling the Sovereign's lips brush her skin preparatory to sinking her fangs in again, Buffy quickly released her bearhug and drove her fist into Satanico’s mouth. The punch snapped her head, but quickly collecting herself, Satanico returned the blow, blasting her fist into Buffy's face with a sharp thrust that caught Buffy in the mouth, dazing her terribly. Satanico was preparing to inflict a deadly bite on the mortal when, in desperation, Buffy threw another punch to the Sovereign's face.

Satanico released her devastating leg scissors and rolled onto her back shaking her head. Before much time passed, however, they were again rolling on the floor of the pit, trading brutal blows until Satanico again trapped Buffy in her legs, sitting down on the slayer’s sweaty back and then gathering her up with all four of her limbs, bending her body sharply back in an effort to weaken her. The shapely, sweaty, thighs of the Sovereign clamped down tight around Buffy's slender waist with frighteningly relentless strength.

Buffy gasped as the encircling legs and arms tightened on her body, the pressure the Sovereign exerted mounting with each moment. Buffy desperately stretched and shifted her slender frame as Satanico's curvaceous legs scissored her, pressing into her sides with seemingly endless reserves of power; Buffy desperately maintaining a fading hope she could somehow, some way, fight her way out of the vampire’s grasp still one more time.

Satanico gave a mockingly, evil laugh at Buffy’s fading attempts to writhe free as she kept tightening her grip farther. Holding Buffy trapped helplessly for a moment, the Sovereign finally released her and stood up, hauling the panting mortal up by the hair. She took her around the waist in both arms, lifting her and then taking three quick steps before she dropped to one knee and powered Buffy's crotch down on her extended thigh. Buffy’s butt bounced off the thick mass of muscle and spikes of sharp pain shot up her spine, mushrooming in her brain in an explosion of a blinding flash of sheer agony! Buffy fell forward and lay flat on her belly with her legs spread and her ass slightly raised to allow her hands to clutch the aching mound between; her mouth gaped open, eyes bulged wide, she couldn’t get her breath. Looking down at the prostrate blonde, Satanico chortled evilly as she kicked Buffy in the ribs to roll her over, straddled her and then dropped; her taut ass slapping into Buffy's sweat-slick belly with a resounding SPLAT as all remaining air was knocked out of Buffy.

She let out a plaintive wail as the Sovereign straddled her, sitting up facing her feet and sliding back onto her neck facing Buffy's legs as she wiggled her vinyl-clad bottom to work Buffy’s face deep into the space between her legs. Buffy bucked helplessly as Satanico's thighs pressed on her red cheeks with reinforced vigor; her weak protests muffled by the vampiress' crotch as it covered her flushed, agonized, face. With a sudden rage of malevolent joy, Satanico balled her fists and started to slam them as brutally as possible, down onto Buffy’s throbbing crotch! Waves of pain swept through her body, increasing in intensity with each punch the vampiress rained down on her.

Buffy raised her feet and tried to get them around her tormentor's waist. She managed to get her legs around the Sovereign; locked her ankles and started to pull down to topple Satanico from her perch. But the vampire saw the legs coming up and patiently waited until Buffy got them around her, then she grabbed the underside of Buffy's thighs and leaned backward, pressing down onto Buffy's face with her crotch while pounding her fist down on the unprotected V between Buffy's spread legs. Buffy screamed loud and often as Satanico assaulted her already battered womanhood. With a massive effort, Buffy got her legs free and, with an arch of her back, she propelled Satanico forward, throwing her face down to the floor between her feet.

Satanico managed to keep her arms locked around Buffy's legs as she half-carried, half-dragged the slayer with her as she rolled across the pit. She stood up, keeping a firm grip on one Buffy's legs despite her frantic thrashing. Bending her kicking limbs upward over her body, she planted a foot in the middle of Buffy’s back and applied pressure to the mortal causing as much pain and discomfort as she could while savoring each agonized howl from Buffy’s throat. Satanico grinned as she let the thrashing legs fall to the floor and, standing up, she followed behind Buffy as the mortal crawled slowly across the dirt and got, slowly and painfully, to her knees.

The Sovereign clearly enjoyed using her power to twist her hapless victim's slender frame to extremely painful limits. She decided more stretching would be appropriate at this stage of the game so, gripping Buffy by the ankles, she lifted her legs and secured them under her armpits as she straddled Buffy’s back, grabbed her under the chin and stretched her body agonizingly. Buffy felt like her organs were being slowly torn apart inside and she screamed piercing cries as Satanico maintained the hold, stretching her body beyond the limit of her endurance. Satanico resolved to stretch and twist Buffy until the vaunted Vampire Slayer was beyond fighting back or even raising her voice to scream in protest. Then, when she was utterly helpless, and only then, would she deliver the merciful coup de grace.

The vampiress maintained her hold until she was satisfied she’d wrung the will to resist from Buffy. Allowing her limbs to fall in disorder to the floor, she stood over her vanquished opponent for a few moments. Buffy was utterly exhausted; she lay prostrate on the floor, unable to stop Satanico as she positioned herself behind her to coil her legs around her waist. Fixing her thighs around the now black and blue area between Buffy’s aching ribs and her hips, she squeezed fiercely, expending her energy to force the last breath from Buffy’s body.

Her legs, crossed at the ankles just above Buffy 's navel, pressed against the sides of her tired flesh like a ravenous boa constrictor, sensing victory lay in her ability to crush the fight from Buffy who sensed the fight was over. Still, every fiber of her being refused to submit to the vampire as her body whipped and thrashed with rapidly decreasing strength. The crushing legs around her waist would not, could not, be denied, however, and they continued crushing the air from the slayer’s body.

Exhausted as she was, Buffy was still unprepared for the next assault as she felt Satanico's sharp fangs piercing the soft flesh of her neck for the third time! Buffy spent the last of her oxygen howling in agony as Satanico hungrily sucked the blood from her neck, draining the last of her strength until, mercifully, she slipped into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.
******
Buffy seemed to know she was dreaming! She saw herself standing alone beside a dark, lonely highway. It was the dead of night, but there were no stars. It was as if they’d all burned out in space countless ages ago. A surreal blue glow emanating from behind a large mountain far off in the distance, provided the only light as far as she could see in any direction. Gazing out into the darkness, she strained her eyes and imagined she saw a faint shape on the horizon, heading straight for her. At first she couldn't make it out, but eventually as the shape drifted toward her, she saw it was moving without moving its legs.

It drew remorselessly closer and as it came into clear sight she perceived with suppressed horror that it was herself. An evil smile crossed the face of the vision, its eyes filled with the insanity of eons past. The figure profoundly unnerved her, still, she felt strangely drawn to it for some unfathomable reason.

Buffy approached the figure on unsteady legs; the vision's evil smile broadened as the between them lessened. Drawn inexorably onward, she suddenly realized that she lusted for this creature. They kissed passionately in the darkness, petting and caressing each other's naked bodies, eventually lowering themselves to the cold, cold ground at their feet.

"Make love to me," the Buffy-thing begged.

Buffy was more than willing to please the creature. She lowered herself between its legs....then it began to change!

Where its vagina had been suddenly became a cavernous mouth with long, dagger-sharp, teeth. The arms and legs stiffened, coarsened and turned black, sprouting stiff hair resembling those of a fly. A rotten stench emanated as it laughed gutturally. Tentacles sprouted from beneath the thing, reached for Buffy's neck and waist, threatening to crush her body if she attempted escape. They held her, pulling her closer to the gaping mouth.

Buffy SCREAMED....
******
Buffy awoke and imagined that she’d screamed. She remembered clearly enough as she sat up straight in her bed snapping wide awake, but was uncertain of anything more than that. What she wasn't aware of was how long she’d slept. The dream was horrifyingly fresh in her mind, although she wouldn’t understand the implications of it until it was revealed to her later. Buffy raised her knees to her chest, wrapped her arms protectively around them and shivered as she sought to comfort herself.

She winced as sudden waves of agony washing over her aching limbs when she moved them. She realized as she slowly returned to full consciousness, that her entire body ached from the consistent abuse she’d been subjected to at the hands of the cruel Sovereign Satanico Pandemonium; skirting outside her memory was the crushing grip of the vampiress and the piercing agony of her fangs entering her neck. Running her hand over her neck, Buffy felt where the punctures were supposed to be.... nothing!

“That’s odd,” she thought.

Then the door suddenly opened and, wincing at the abrupt movement, she twisted around following the sound and realized she was back in the same room where she’d awakened when first being brought here. The same two women, minions of the House of Krinkyrt'Ra, entered followed by their mistress, Satanico Pandemonium.

One of the minions carried a large, ancient-looking chalice as they approached her on the bed where Buffy sat glowering at the Sovereign as if considering attacking her again to continue the struggle where they’d left off. Seeing Buffy’s body tensing as she eyed Satanico, the minions stepped forward in a silent threat of warning. As for Satanico herself, she was leering at the glaring vampire slayer with an oddly knowing expression on her face as the minion holding the chalice approached solemnly, extending the liquid-filled chalice to Buffy’s lips.

"Drink," she ordered in a harsh, rasping voice.

It was then that Buffy felt her throat was inexplicably parched. Gripping the chalice in both hands, she slowly raised the chalice to her lips and, after looking at it suspiciously, she drank. The liquid had an oddly sweet taste, she noticed as she drained it completely. Almost immediately, Buffy's body began to convulse horribly. Gagging and choking for air, her body stiffened in its throes as she tried to focus her mind, telling it to relax and ride out whatever it was that had seized her body. She was unable to do anything else as the convulsions racked her insides, she flopped back on the bed, her arms flung out, her legs splayed out stiffly as her body arched and bucked. Then her hands shot to her throat as she gasped for air....Then, as abruptly as it had started, it was over. Buffy was left lying limp, panting and perspiring as she lay sprawled prostrate on her back on the bed.

"It is complete," Satanico intoned with satisfaction, watching Buffy carefully.

The Sovereign's words carried an ominous meaning that suggested something unspeakable. She glared at the leering Satanico again.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, although for some reason she imagined she already knew. “What have you done to me?”

"You have been turned," the vampiress answered cheerily. "You may now consider yourself one of us. Congratulations my dear."

The revelation sent shockwaves throughout Buffy. It was impossible! Then, with horrifying clarity, realization dawned. During the battle with the Sovereign, she’d been bitten by Satanico a total of three times. What was it, the legend? she searched her memory desperately.

Thinking hard, scouring her brain, she suddenly recalled the old folk tale, if a vampire drinks of your blood three times.... you become a vampire, forever serving the whim of the one who turned you, eternally to do his bidding. With dawning horror, Buffy realized this is what happened to her. Her life as a mortal was a thing of the past.... forever. Though technically alive, Buffy the Vampire Slayer had become a member of the undead!

Screaming "NO!!!!" at the top of her lungs, Buffy rose from the bed, hurtling toward Satanico as if she could put an end to her existence.

The minions moved to intercept her, but the Sovereign handled Buffy herself, smashing her fist into Buffy's weakened solar plexus, doubling her over in complete agony as she dropped to her knees clutching herself and struggling not to vomit.

"I suggest you save your strength, Buffy," Satanico offered amiably. "After all, you ARE going to need it for what I have in store for you."

Buffy was enraged beyond rational thought; she glared with naked hatefulness at the woman who turned her without her.

"I want to tear you apart," she spat defiantly.

"You're at liberty to make that attempt when we meet in the arena again," Satanico intoned. "You see, since I’m the one who turned you, you may consider yourself my childe....and my 'sparring partner' - so to speak. That means, we’ll be spending a great deal of time together in the arena, whenever I feel one of us can use the practice."

Her voice booming cold, mocking laughter at her "childe" as Satanico turned abruptly and left Buffy’s quarters with her minions in tow, leaving Buffy alone with her thoughts.

“So this is what was to be,” she mused bitterly. “Living an eternal existence to provide entertainment for my greatest foe and her House.”