“My spell went wrong,

Please reverse it,

Don’t mess it up,

And don’t pervert it.” she said quickly.

Almost as if suffused with new life, Tara swung a heavily booted foot firmly towards the groin of the preacher and grunted as her toe connected with his genitals. Behind her, she heard the all too familiar sound of a vampire dusting and she kicked upwards, her boot smashing into the preachers face and knocking him backwards, his nose exploded across his face.

In the same motion, she twisted on the ball of her foot and grabbed the sword from Kennedy’s grasp, her spin never even faltering as she returned to her original position, the tip of the sword pressing into the preachers windpipe.

“Now, you have about three seconds to tell me who you are before I kill you!” she snarled at him.

The preacher giggled, blood bubbling in his mouth as he did so.

“The names Caleb little missy, and I suggest you put that pretty blade down before you go and hurt yourself or one of these poor innocent girls.”

He tried shifting backwards but Tara moved with him, piercing his skin slightly.

“Now now, you’re not setting a very good example for these girls.” he said, an almost paternal tone filling his voice.

“But you are dirty, so I shouldn’t expect too much from one of your sort!” he added, glaring over at Willow as he finished the sentence.

Willow returned the glare as she made her way to where Faith was laying, feeling for a pulse, she eventually found one but it was weak. With the help of Kennedy, Rona and Amanda, she lifted the lifeless slayer and began making her way back to the door.

“Now there, see what’s happening here?” Caleb continued, apparently not caring about the swords blade that was causing a fine line of dark blood to spill down his shirt.

“Those there girls are leaving, they know that the fight is pointless and so they run. It’s really highly cowardly and, well I’d be ashamed but then again, my boys, they don’t run!”

Tara glanced quickly to her right and noted that the others were indeed beating a retreat.

Still holding the sword with unshaking hands, Tara began back stepping towards the door.

“That’s right girly; you join your little friends, run away. It’s the best thing you can do!” Caleb seemed to love the sound of his own voice.

As she stepped into the twilight, Tara sensed a deep anger close to her and she wanted to turn and see what it was yet knew that her attention had to be on the man who was making his way towards her.

As soon as both her feet were outside, she felt a large, strong creature brush her thighs and the dog they had previously released sprinted down the corridor, growling and snarling as it leapt at the preacher, knocking him off his feet and attacking without mercy.

Tara slammed the door quickly, turned on her heels and followed the others into the undergrowth.