Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Primal: Chapter 3.1 (Patreon)

Willy, despite being a rat, was also really good when it came to his information, and he wasn't really loyal to anyone, he just did whatever it took to save his own skin.

A part of me praised him for it, he was a survivor through and through. It was the kind of attitude one had to have in the days of old.

Strictly speaking, back in its hey-day, the Turok-Han who's soul I had munched, was not the strongest of its species. Or, at least, it wasn't always. There were stronger Turok-Han during the days of the Old Ones.

But they died.

By default, my Turok-Han became the strongest, and grew into role due to the simple fact, that it was the oldest of all Turok-Han still alive by time they all got sealed in the Hellmouth.

And the simple reason that Turok-Han survived so long, is because of how smart it was. Not intelligent like I and other modern humans are, but, while driven by pure instinct like its brethren, it learned to use that instinct to its benefit. Turok-Han were warriors by nature, but this Turok-Han, went down the route of the apex predator.

To simplify it, while the the vast majority of Turok-Han were Spike's, the one I had merged with, was an Angelus.
It was that part of me, the apex predator within me, that praised Willy's attitude.

Let me tell you, dreaming of its memories? Was a wild ride. I witnessed it personally slay an Old One that looked like a gigantic Scorpion. Sure, it basically let the army of Turok-Han wear it down through mass army attacks and scouted out its weaknesses before coming in at the end to deliver the final blow while it was tired and distracted-

But hey, it still killed an Old One, and that is badass as fuck.

Anyway yeah, I can trust Willy's information, because he does what he needs to survive and with my little showing in the bar with literally cannibalizing another vampire then killing him as easy as breathing…

Well, suffice to say, he knows better than to lie to me.

So, tracking down the general area of Rack's little moving pad wasn't all that hard thanks to Willy being ever so generous with his information.

The man didn't even charge me for the glass of blood I ordered. Swell guy he was, I should make sure to visit him more later.

"Mmm, should be about here I guess." I mused to myself, making my way through one of the downtown alleys.

I stopped in place and held my hand out before smirking as the air seemed to ripple and my hand disappeared.

Jackpot.

See, Rack cloaked his 'office' and magically moved it around Sunnydale. The only way to find it, was to be told specifically where it was at any one time by someone who'd been in there or feel it out.

And feeling it out is a lot harder than it sounds. Only those deep in magic or in with the 'Big Bad' could sense it. Rack was all about that dark magic shit after all.

And well, you didn't get much bigger and badder than an uber vamp, the vampires that vampires feared.

With my destination found, I followed my where my hand had disappeared and stepped forward. The space around my rippled and a moment later, I found myself standing in what looked like a worn down office waiting room.

It was threadbare, a few couches, a water dispenser and a table in the middle, not even any plants or anything.

The place was jampacked through, four guys, were spread between the couches and one chick.

The guys, despite having a variety of looks, all looked the exact same in a way. Pale, twitchy, blood shot eyes, greasy hair, sunken cheeks, bags under their eyes.

Absolutely jonesing for a hit they were.

Magic junkies man.

From what I remember and can put together, this is the place where Willow learned how to drain magic power from others and items. From what the First Evil explained to me about human magic users, they tended to have to enshrine themselves within nature and meditate for years on end for even the most meagre power boosts.

Rack wasn't about that shit though. Instead, he made some form of spell that allowed him to drain a part of other witches or warlocks power for himself, and then used his power to stimulate the growth of their own power.

Doing so though, stimulating their power made them go through a massive high, so high that only the most intense of drugs could hope to compete with it, full on out of this world trips, I vaguely remember Willow seeing forests grow out of the room and being taken to space and shit.

And the pleasure it made them feel as their power grew, made them addicted to it and so they kept coming back. Rack had a never ending line of magic junkies wanting a hit from his own power.

The power he'd amassed over the years, contributed a vast chunk of the power 'Dark Willow' wielded.

With the couches pretty much full, I leaned against the wall to wait and crossed my arms.

All the guys ignored me, staring daggers at the door leading into where Rack most likely was right now and every few seconds scratching at themselves anxiously.

It was almost freaky how in synch they were about it. Fucking junkies.

The girl was a bit different. She was a bit shaky, but more from nerves from what I can tell. She glanced up at me and met my eyes, before quickly looking away.

Actually, she's a bit familiar. Tan skin and dirty blonde shoulder length hair, taller than Buffy and curvier, dressed in a denim dress that left her shoulders bare and left a hint of cleavage in view.

I swear I should know who she is.

I was about to ask her what her name was, but before I could the door swung open and a pale fellow swaggered out, looking for all intents and purposes, just like the other junkies lounging on the couches.

But, he wasn't at all twitchy and there was a dopey smile on his face as he stumbled past me and outside, as he did though I caught sight of his eyes, his iris were pitch black.

What an idiot.

A moment later, a taller, older and broad shouldered man stepped out of the room as well, with long untamed hair and a scarred face.

Rack.

His eyes drifted around the room and settled on the girl, a hungry look appearing in his completely black eyes.

Yeah, that about measures up. The dude was a total predator and not in the sense I was. He was a predator in the sense that he liked tainting the innocent of young girls.

I think he was hinted at being a pedophile as well. And he definitely has the looks for it.

Just as suddenly as he was eyeing the girl he turned and looked at me and his eyes widened before a massive smirk came across his face.

"You, you're up next." he said simply, pointing at me and gesturing for me to enter the room.

"Wait, Rack, I'm next!" one of the junkies sputtered, only to be pushed out of the way by the one he was sitting next to claiming it was actually him.

Rack utterly ignored them and just eyed me, waiting.

Snorting, I did as he wanted and made my way into the room.

"Oh man, oh man!" Rack clapped his hands together and rubbed them together eagerly after closing the door, "You are givin' off some major crazy vibes bro." his grin was face splitting as he turned to me.

"How so?" I raised an eyebrow, actually curious.

"Like you don't know," he rolled his eyes and stepped forward and looked me in the eye, his dark black eyes seemed to suck in all light within the room, "I have the feeling of a vamp from you, but different, way heavier than any vampire I've ever had to deal with, master or otherwise, yet at the same time, like a human. Your power is like a mix of both and crazy strong, no idea how I didn't notice you coming from a mile away kid, now that you're next to me you're like a beacon, but I shoulda been able to sense this absurd power from halfway across town and miles away."

Huh, interesting. Perhaps because of the Enochian Runes? I didn't know they'd even shield me from magic sensing and shit. Nice.

"Seems you know why as well," Rack chuckled, shaking his head and stodd back a bit, "So what brings you here kid? What can ol' Rack do for you?"

"I need a few specific spells," I shrugged, "And I don't really feel like putting in all the work to learn them, I've not got the time for that. I'm sure you have ways of helping with that."

"A few spells huh? Depends on what ya' want," Rack shrugged, "I ain't really in the business of like givin' away shit that could be a threat to me in the future y'know?"

"Smart of you," I nodded, "But it shouldn't really be too big a bother for you in that case. I just want a spell that will let me drain the power and abilities of magical artefacts."

"Oh?" He raised a brow, "Ya' must have gotten yourself on some powerful artefacts, cuz lemme tell you, most of them ain't worth draining and the vast majority of ones with abilities are shit compared to even low tier spells."

"Something like that." I responded with a shrug of my own.

"Well whatever, not my business what you're gonna use it on," Rack rolled his black eyes, "But you gotta give to receive y'know? I need payment before I'll just zap this lil spell into your head bro."

"I already know, you aren't interested in money or shit, you want a bit of my magic, right?" I replied, raising a brow at him challengingly.

"Heh, shoulda figured with all that dark mojo comin' off of ya' that you wouldn't flinch at a tiny lil thing like this," Rack barked a laugh and held up two fingers, a crackle of red electricity appearing between them, "Guess we're in agreement then?"

"Aye, we are," I nodded, "So let's get to it already, I've got other places to be tonight."

Rack chuckled, "Alright then." he agreed and stepped towards me once again, fingers crackling with that red electricity and pressed it against my chest.

A jolt ran through my entire body and then enveloped it completely in just a few moments. It wasn't like electricity though, it was more like his magic power in an electrical current like sensation spreading through me and latching on to the magic within me and pulling on it, and while it did, spreading a sense of euphoria through my body.

Hmm, so that's how this worked, huh? It's not a spell at all, but rather, more like leeching or draining magic from the source using his own magic power as the 'fangs'.

How ironic, he was almost like a magic vampire.

"Oh god…I've never felt anything like this." Rack moaned and shuddered and I resisted the urge to break his neck.

I'm not a fan of a crispy ugly old dude that looks like a has been hippy that hasn't bathed in months getting off from me.
That's fucking nasty.

Thankfully, I'm not an utter loser that would lose myself to a brief sense of euphoria, I made it a personal rule to myself while young to make sure I'd never get addicted to anything after seeing the shit my family went through for their drug addictions.

Otherwise, I probably would have gotten caught up in the feeling and not noticed the ugly fuck getting off at 'tasting' my magic.

I'd seen people stabbed to death multiple times by time I was seven. It wasn;' pleasant. Probably part of the reason why I'm so fucked up, beyond having merged souls with a Gary Stu in a fictional universe and munched the soul of an ancient apex predator vampire.

And again thankfully, Rack was done within a minute or so and pulled his hand back from me with a groan, still shuddering lightly, "That…was amazing," his eyes rolled about in their sockets listlessly for a moment before focusing, "Your magic…it felt like tasting darkness itself."

Junky hippie lingo now, lovely. I'd seen these cunts on television talk about tasting the energy of the sun and shit.
How the fuck could you taste darkness?

"Glad you enjoyed yourself," I rolled my eyes, "Now the spell I want?" I asked.

"All about business huh kid? You'll harsh my buzz with that attitude," he huffed, before holding his hand up again, "But yeah, yeah, I'm good for my word kid." he pressed two fingers against my temple and I felt his magic spread through into my mind, followed by a rush of information.

It was a bit disorienting, but easy to adapt to and internalize for the most part. And honestly, not all that different from the way Rack used his power to leech from me a minute ago.

"There ya' go kid, feel free to head on out then, I'ma just chillax here and enjoy this feelin' ya' gave me," he chuckled, turning away from me, "Feel free to look me up if you need any more spells."

"I'll be sure to do that." I replied with a grin.

I held up two fingers, red electricity crackling between my fingers for a brief moment before I snuffed it out.

Childs play to imitate.

The First Evil chose me specifically because of my innate magic power and talent. The Turok-Han were instinct given form, and the Turok-Han I had merged with had mastered that instinct. They were never taught anything, they adapted and learned by watching and feeling.

It was tempting, oh so tempting to kill him here while he was off guard and drain his own massive magic power for myself. In doing so, I'd make sure 'Dark Willow' could never become the same threat she was in this universe from that act alone.

But, I won't. I have more than enough magic power for now, and little ways to use it. And I can always grow my magic power more by draining other vampires. The chunk he'd drained from me? It was little more than I seemed to have gained from the vampire I drained earlier.

I can use this guy as basically a download centre for spells by paying with magic I harvest from other vampires. And in the process, he will become much more magically powerful himself.

And then once I run out of uses for him? Well, that immense magic power of his will be added to my own.

I bid him goodbye and stepped out of the room, closing it behind me. All eyes were on me as I made to leave, but just as I was about to, I paused and met the eyes of the girl.

"What's your name girl?" I asked.

She blinked, "Amy…Amy Madison, and you?" she asked.

That's who she is! It's Amy, one of the first witches ever introduced in Buffy, the hot one that turned herself into a rat, lived as Willow's pet then introduced Willow to Rack in season six.

"Amy huh?" I smirked, "You shouldn't bother with Rack, he'll have you hooked like these junkies and most likely have you in his bed quite a lot as well while he's at it."

"Who you calling a junkie line skipper!?" one of them growled at me, the others weren't even paying me any attention anymore.

I ignored him.

She cringed, "You think so?" she whispered, swallowing visibly.

"Oh yeah, he's a big scary dark warlock, he loves corrupting innocent girls like you," I chuckled, "What even brought a good looking girl into a trash heap like this anyway?"

"…You're one to talk," she shot back before sighing, shoulders slumping, "I need power, that's it. What I have now isn't enough, not even close."

"I'm strong and powerful but lacking in knowledge, he's a quick way to get it without any risk," I shrugged, "What do you need power for?"

I'm actually quite curious how Amy who was for all intents and purposes, quite likeable and nice in the early seasons ended up the way she did.

Amy scoffed, "Are you kidding, have you seen this town? It's crawling with vampires and demons of all kinds, power is what you need to be safe in this place," she replied, then clasped her hands together, "…Plus, there's this person I need more power to deal with. She's stuck right now, but if she ever gets free, she's gonna come for me and I want to make sure I can take her down if she ever does."

A she? She wasn't enemies with Buffy or anything like that from what I remember, who could….

Wait, how could I forget. Her mother! The bitch who snatched Amy's body from her to be a cheerleader and then wanted to kill her.

The one who's currently trapped in a trophy in Sunnydale High…

"How good are you with general magic? You know, rituals, boundaries to keep vampires out, barriers and the like?" I asked.

Amy blinked at the sudden topic change, "I'm pretty good at it I'd say, I just don't have enough power to pull off big stuff." she replied.

Heh I can work with this. I'm all about that boom boom shit. Power, strength, that's what I want. I don't really want to spend time learning all these basics spells.

Willow took fucking months just to be able to float a pencil.

A witch who knows all the basics and can do it all for me early on? Yeah, I can work with that.

"How about you work for me then?" I grinned at her, "I could use someone like you to do general spells for me so I don't need to learn them. In return, I'll protect you from anything in this town and I'll even give you way more power than Rack will be able to give you."

Amy stared at me with a frown, "…And how will you do that?" she asked hesitantly.

I glanced meaningfully at Rack's door before holding my hand out to her, "Come, I'll show you." I said.

She glanced at Rack's door, frown deepening. Before nodding slowly and taking my hand, letting me pull her to her feet.

Good, she was smart, she caught on that I didn't want to mention so close to Rack.

I led her by hand outside and didn't say a word, the only sounds being of my boots and her high heels clicking on the pavement as we walked.

"So…how will you give me more power than Rack can?" Amy asked once we turned the corner and were out of sight of the alley the where the entrance to Rack's place was.

I held up my fingers and allowed the red electricity to crackle between them, "How about I take the power of the one that has you so terrified and give it you?" I smirked.

Amy's eyes widened in shock, "Oh my god…you stole Rack's spell." she gaped.

Well technically, yeah. "Well I don't see his name on it." I shrugged, petulantly.