Promise

She settled gently on the cot, not wanting to jostle him and cause him further pain. The first tentative touch of the warm, damp cloth elicited a wince and a barely-concealed moan of pain.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, shushing him soothingly. “I know it hurts but I have to clean these.” She worked methodically, almost mechanically as she tried to be strong—to not give in to the tears and nausea that threatened at the horrific sight of the symbols carved deeply into his flesh.

“They’ll pay,” Buffy vowed silently as she gently cleaned her vampire’s mutilated body. “I promise.”