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“Everyone knows the plan, right?” Bill’s hands were tight on the wheel, their van circling the block, eyeing the rough-hewn walls surrounding the old monastery. No matter how many times they did this, it was always dangerous. Always the chance one of them wouldn’t be getting back in the van with them after. It all started after Pennywise. Georgie was dead. So were the other children. So many of them floating above them in the sewer, so many relics and trophies of all the children IT’s killed before. So many forgotten. The seven of them swore that day. Swore they would come back and kill Pennywise if they hadn’t already. Swore they would kill every other bit of slime in the world that preyed on children. Swore they would be the ones to put a stop to the things that went bump in the night. They were seventeen when they killed their first vampire. Mike was the one who figured it out, the open wounds on their neck, not a drop of blood left in their bodies. The papers from Bangor said it was a cult, blamed it on demon worshipers but they knew better. He knew better. It didn’t go down easy, Ben was bitten and Mike was tossed around like a doll but a stake to the heart and it was a pile of dust. College was a bitch for all of them, classes, training and patrolling kicked their ass. New York was dangerous, filled to the brim with gangs, demons, over priced coffee. But it also offered everything they needed. They all learned to fight; most demons had the benefit of strength on their side, so they had to be smarter. Magic shops were easy enough to find, the ones that weren’t bogus had no issue teaching, Stan taking to it like a duck to water. Mike and Ben had made its libraries their home, devouring every scrap they could find on the occult and moving to magic shops with Stan when needed. It didn’t take long for them to build a reputation; seven kids taking on the mystical underworld were bound to draw attention. After a few targeted attacks then never went anywhere alone. Between the seven of them, they managed to buy a van. It was nothing to brag about, but Eddie kept it running, spent hours cursing under the hood, came away coated in grease and soot but smiling all the same when the engine purred. That van was everything to them; it was an escape route, a med center, surveillance, more than once and to Eddie’s annoyance, a battering ram. Bill, Richie and Bev made connections where they could, other hunters, magic users, and a few non-evil demons. Through these contacts, they found their way across the country. L.A., Sunnydale, New Orleans and Cleveland, all featuring an assortment of demons, vampires and witches, all dead and left behind. They did their best to research, to make sure they only killed the ones they knew preyed on the innocent. “We bust in and crack some skulls!” Richie’s voice was loud in the van, like it always is. He smiled at all of them, rubbing the jagged scar on his wrist, a parting gift from a vampire when he got too reckless. “Ben, Eddie and I go in the front; the rest of you split up and take either side. Kill any blood suckers hiding in there and then we’re back to California to satisfy Bev’s little wanderlust.”Things went as smoothly as one would expect, they were able to get the drop on a few vampires, piles of dust littering the floor before it all went to shit. A vampire came at Bev, rushing her like she didn’t have an axe in her hand. Her axe would’ve taken its head off, but she was batted aside, flying across the room and crashing through the confessional booth. An instant was all it took for the tide to turn, more vampires rushed in, two Fyarl demons with them. Eddie reacted first, his knife slicing through the demons thick hide before sinking into its chest. “Let’s go assholes! Move!” His words spurred the rest of them on, snapping them out of their shock as they fought to end it. Bev woke slowly, the whole room swaying; it wasn’t until the claws sank into her neck that she was able to focus. The Fyarl stood in the center of the room, thick black horns curling out from the pink skin of its forehead, its teeth bared as it held a gasping Eddie in grasp. “You all have become quite a nuisance.” The vampire whispered in her ear. “I was planning on killing most of you quick but that little one killed its mate. She’s going to make him pay…” Its wet tongue dragged over her ear as she struggled in its grasp. Her ribs felt like someone filled her skin with broken glass and a shard of wood was sticking out of her thigh, even if she could get free, she wouldn’t be able to do much. Eddie thrashed in the middle of the room, trying in vain to get away from the demon as the Losers all fought to get free from the vampires holding them. Richie was screaming curses and threats into the air, glasses gone, blood coating his face from an ugly gash in his forehead. Eddie was dropped to the floor only for a cloven hoof to slam into his chest. The creature didn’t give him a moment to catch his bearings, beating him down. Stan was muttering spells; Ben had managed to get free for all of two steps before more vampires pinned him down. Despite the beating, Eddie kept getting up, trying to dodge, trying to get a hit in. His arm was broken, face nearly unrecognizable and for the first time since Pennywise Bev was convinced they were all going to die. Thousands of miles away a spell was taking place. The Hellmouth was opening, and with it an army led by the First Evil, and an army would be needed to answer it. “From now on, every girl in the world who might be a slayer...will be a slayer.”Beverly struggled, the claws tearing into her skin, flesh blood welling up. If she had an ounce of magic in her every demon in the city would be dead from the venom spewing from her mouth. “Every girl who could have the power…will have the power…” Warmth bloomed in her chest, spreading, working its way through her veins until her whole body was on fire. Strength. Power. It surged through her, filled her.“Can stand up, will stand up. …every one of us.” Bev’s head snapped back, her skull slamming into the vampire’s nose, breaking its grip. Instinct took over and she spun, grabbing the piece of wood in her thigh and piercing the vampire’s heart in an instant. She tossed a second clear across the room, watching as it slammed into one of the others holding Mike. The Fyarl demon ignored Eddie as it turned its sights toward the new threat. “What the fuck…” Richie’s voice was a whisper, but it sounded loud as ever in the shocked silence. Bev moved like a storm, dusting two vampires and tackling the Fyarl. She knocked the massive creature back, away from Eddie, her fists slamming into its chest. Vampires were quickly losing their nerve, some outright fleeing; the others letting the less threatening humans go to focus on Bev. Now free the Loser rallied, Stan and Richie running to Eddie’s side and doing what they could to keep him alive. Ben, Mike and Bill did what they could to give Bev space, fending off any vampires that got too close while she went toe to toe with the Fyarl. The creature roared as Bev tore one of its horns free, slamming it back into its face, its jagged teeth shattering from the blow. They traded blows, Bev getting knocked across the room only to launch half a ruined pew at it before sprinting back. “Bev!” Ben’s voice was clear and Bev reacted quicker then she’d ever done before, catching the dagger Ben threw and sinking it into the demons chest. “I’ll say it again, because it seems no one heard me. What the every loving fuck was that Marsh?” Eddie’s head cradled in his lap, Richie looked at all of them, half a second from passing out himself. “I- I have no idea.” Bev stared at her own hands, flexing them softly. “I just felt it, the power, the strength.” “Slayer.” Mike’s voice was gruff, laced with pain. “I love the band too Mike, but I don’t think Red here started singing for them to get strong.” “Gods Richie. Drop the sass.” Stan growled, his hands were glowing, the spell slowing knitting one of the worst gashes Eddie sported back together. “The vampire slayer. Previous one must’ve died.” “No… She’s alive.” At the questioning looks, Bev just shrugged. “I can just feel it. This power, it’s not just mine…” “You guys are too fucking loud…” Eddie’s voice came out weak and broken but every Loser’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Fuck Eddie.” Richie leaned in, pressing a wet kiss to his forehead. “I thought we lost you. No more fucking scaring me like that.” “I’ll get right on that.” Stan’s energy was fading fast, they wouldn’t be able to much more for Eddie here. In a wordless manner only born of years fighting with one another, Bev stepped in, picking Eddie up as gingerly as possible. Slowly they made their way back to the van. They needed time to lick their wounds, recoup and test the limits of Bev’s new powers. Hunts were going to be very different from now on.