Xander was only paying half a mind to whatever it was Giles was
babbling on about; the rest of his attention was firmly fixed upon the
back of a bleached blond head - all he could see of the vampire who was
currently stretched out across Giles' couch. Xander stared at Spike
discreetly from beneath the bangs of his fringe and suppressed a sigh. It
had been three weeks since the 'incident' with the Oenan. Spike had kept
his word and said nothing about it to the others. Xander was both grateful
and frustrated by the vampire's reticence. Grateful because he *really*
didn't want to know what they would make of what had happened.
Frustrated, because the vampire had said nothing to him.

There had been no stolen kisses, no sly touches or secretive looks.
Nothing, zero, zip, nada...and it was beginning to tell on Xander's nerves.
It was as if it had never taken place. He had never been kidnapped by a
bunch of crazed demons and dragged off to their underground layer; he
had never been forced to have wild, hot sex with Spike, and they had
never made that deal in the sewer tunnel afterwards. 

The vampire barely even acknowledged his existence - though the lack of
insulting remarks was in itself strange.

Xander was starting to wonder if it really *had* been some bizarre
hallucination. Okay, he knew the Oenan part was real since everyone else
had spoken about it, but the rest ? Maybe he'd hit his head on that metal
rung harder than he'd thought ? Though if it was all a concussion induced
trauma, it had certainly made for some disturbingly erotic dreams.
Xander found he was fantasizing day and night about cool, pale skin, the
strange animalistic noises Spike made in the height of passion, and the
incredible tightness of the vampire's body when Xander had taken him.

The boy absently touched the scar on his arm and sank further into his
chair. One depressing thought had begun to torment him; maybe Spike
was just messing with his head ? Perhaps to the vampire this was no
more than an amusing joke at Xander's expense and that strange
conversation in the tunnel was Spike's way of twisting the knife. Xander
nibbled his lip unhappily; he looked up as he heard his name mentioned.
"What ?"

"I really am sorry, Xander. If there was anyone else..." Giles trailed off
awkwardly.

Xander stared across the table at the Watcher <Okay, what's going on ?>

"But it isn't as though B-Buffy or..or Willow could really keep him in the
girls dorm," Giles continued, apparently misinterpreting Xander's blank
look and silence for a refusal. "And....and you would be doing me a very
great favour. It really is only for a few days and I'm sure Spike will
behave himself."

"Spike ?" Xander croaked.

"Looks like it's just gonna be me and you again, pet." The vampire had
stood up and wandered over to join the small group gathered around the
table. Willow leaned away from Spike as he came up behind her.

Xander shook his head. "W-what ?"

Buffy frowned. "Get with the conversation, Xander. Giles' 'friend' is
coming to town. Spike needs to be rehoused for a few days. By virtue of
your lovely basement apartment, you get to be the lucky guy."

<Lucky ?....Well, maybe ?> "Okay, sure." Xander replied, a little *too*
chirpily.

"Wh-what ?"

"What?"

"Huh ?"

Three voices chorused in joint bewilderment. Clearly they had been
expecting more reluctance, not to mention several days of non-stop
bitching.

Xander floundered. "I....I mean....Well okay. But only for a few days." He
tried to sound put-out about it. 

Was it just him, or was Spike smirking ?


***********
Xander led the way into the basement. He had waited until the early
hours to avoid the likelihood of running into his parents. Xander's
stomach knotted at the thought of trying to explain to them why he was
sneaking a man into his room. The boy had been on edge since agreeing
to take Spike off Giles' hands; his initial delight fading into something
close to panic. Okay, so he was going to be alone with Spike for a few
days in very close confines. Was this a good thing ? he asked himself
frantically.

For his part the vampire hadn't said anything, merely gathering up his
coat and following Xander, when the boy swung by Giles' after work to
collect him. Xander listened to Spike's soft footfalls and suddenly
realised he didn't want to turn round to face the vampire. The boy
wandered over to the workbench by the wall and began to fiddle
nervously with the tools laid across it. Some sixth sense alerted him and
Xander spun around to find Spike standing immediately behind him; an
unreadable expression on the vampire's face.

Before Xander could open his mouth to speak, Spike stepped forward,
pressing the boy back against the bench. "So," the vampire murmured
softly. "Is this what you want ?" Spike emphasised his words, moving
even closer, driving himself up against the trembling boy. Xander
swallowed hard. He could feel the hard outline of Spike's body, the
sharpness of those narrow hips, the smell of leather and something that
was uniquely Spike - something timeless and inhuman and sexy as hell. 

Xander suppressed a whimper. "I...I...."

Spike pressed a finger to Xander's lips. "Yes or no, pet." He dropped his
hand away.

Xander blinked rapidly, he was already getting hard. "Yes," he
breathed.The word had barely left his lips when Spike devoured them in
a kiss that turned Xander's bones to water. The boy was unaware of being
lifted and turned around - until the bed nudged the backs of his legs.
Then he was tumbling backwards onto it; Spike followed, never
relinquishing Xander's lips for more than a heartbeat.

Clothes were shed with frantic urgency, sneakers and boots flung across
the room, until finally they were skin-to-skin. Xander forgot all about his
tortured uncertainties as he reached for Spike and drew the vampire hard
against him. Spike gave a low pleasure-filled growl and rubbed himself
along Xander's body. The vampire was murmuring something repeatedly
and gradually the words reached Xander's desire addled brain.

"Beautiful, pet. Sweet....so sweet. My pet..." 

Xander lay stunned beneath the vampire's endless litany of endearments.
Spike's soft, husky tenor murmured ceaselessly as he kissed his way
down Xander's torso, and the boy forgot everything as cold lips suddenly
closed around the head of his erection. "Ah..Oh !" Xander exclaimed, his
fingers knotting around the twisted bedsheets. Spike's skilful mouth
worked its way up and down the rapidly hardening length, licking and
sucking, swirling a cold tongue over the slit, probing it delicately. 
"Gods !" Xander cried.

Spike released him and looked up. "You might want to keep it down a
bit, pet. Parents upstairs. Remember ?" Blue eyes glittered in amusement.
Then the vampire returned to his task. Spike appeared to be enjoying
himself, he was making appreciative little noises which vibrated around
Xander's erection. Xander was certain he would die from the pleasure
and when Spike deep-throated him he thought for a moment perhaps he
had. 

The vampire swallowed the squirming boy down to the root, while his
fingers gently teased the velvet sac beneath. Xander shoved his own
fingers into his mouth to stifle his cries as he came, spurting his hot
seed
down the vampire's throat. Spike continued to milk him until Xander
began to whimper. The vampire let the softening member slip out of his
mouth, giving it one last loving lick before moving up to lie beside the
boy.

Xander opened his eyes and weakly turned his head. "Wow," he offered
breathlessly. Spike leered at him. Xander tried to move but found that his
limbs refused to obey. He managed to wave an arm somewhat feebly in
the vampire's direction. "Wh-what about you ?"

"It'll keep, pet. Get your breath back." Spike's grin widened. "You're
going to need it."

Xander's eyebrows shot up toward his hairline and he closed his eyes.
"You're going to kill me," the boy mumbled.

Spike laughed. "Fucked to death. Don't think I've used that one before."

Xander chose to ignore the less pleasant images that sentence conjured,
and concentrated instead on the feel of Spike's cool fingers stroking his
burning skin. He opened his eyes when the vampire's hand tightened
around his forearm. Spike was staring at something, blue eyes narrowed
in displeasure. "What ?" Xander asked a touch nervously.

Spike turned Xander's inner arm to face the boy. "*That* was stupid."

Xander was confused, and a touch hurt. "Why ?"

"Because, pet," the vampire growled. "That bloody bit of metal was
filthy. It's a wonder you didn't catch some festering infection. Could have
sent your whole bleedin' arm rotten." Spike was examining 'said arm' as
he spoke, peering at it closely.

Xander felt a ridiculous smile spread across his face. 

Spike glanced up at him and glared. "What's that for ?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't play stupid with me. Unlike some of 'em. *I* won't fall for it.
You're not half as dozy as you look." 

Xander's smile widened. There had been a compliment mixed up in there
somewhere.

Spike made a disgusted sound and pressed his lips to Xander's, kissing
the boy fiercely. When he pulled back the silly smile had been replaced
by a flushed, dazed expression. "Much better," the vampire said smugly,
leaning in to continue the kiss. With obvious effort, Xander raised his
hands and placed them again the vampire's chest, pushing ineffectually.
The vampire reluctantly allowed himself to be man-handled away.

"Bloody 'ell ! Now what ?" Spike moaned, clearly frustrated. 

"Why...why haven't you said anything ?" Xander demanded. "Is this all
just a game to you ?" The boy battled to contain the tears in his voice. 
He sat up, dragging the sheet around him like a shield. Xander's earth-
shattering release had brought his emotions to the surface; the fears and
desires that had haunted him. Days and nights of despair and confusion.
"For three weeks you don't even look at me ! Now you're tearing my
clothes off ? ! What am I supposed to think ? !" he exclaimed.

Spike appeared bemused by Xander's escalating hysteria. "If you ask 
me, pet. You're not thinking at all." The blond regarded the boy
mockingly. "What should I have said, peaches ? Hmm ?" Spike tilted his
head, as though carrying out a conversation with an invisible Giles.
"Excuse me, mate. I'm just taking Xander into the kitchen to shag his
brains out. That's okay in'it ? " He paused, as though waiting for a reply.
"What's that ? - You want to watch ???" The vampire pretended to be
shocked, then he shrugged. "Oh. Alright."

"You could have said something to *me* !" Xander protested, his voice
rising.

"You didn't say anything either." Spike pointed out.

Xander looked away; staring down at the bunched up sheets around his
legs. "I thought you'd changed your mind," the boy mumbled.

Spike pursed his lips thoughtfully, then rolled over onto his back. "Not
me, pet. Now you ? How was I to know you hadn't decided to forget the
whole bleedin' thing ?"

"No !" Xander exclaimed sharply. He flushed as Spike looked up at him.
"I...I mean I haven't. I don't want to." The boy's mouth twisted wryly.
"I'm
not sure I *could*, even if I *did* want to." Spike cocked an eyebrow at
him. "Y-you're all I can think about." Xander confessed in a soft whisper.

Spike looked pleased. "Really ?"

Xander nodded, his blush trailing down his throat. "I...I keep thinking
about...about what we did, and how it felt...."

Spike sat up and grinned at the boy wolfishly. "Wanna do it again ?"

"Now ? !" Xander exclaimed. "I....I don't think-"

Spike cut him off. "You're young," the vampire rejoined, dragging the
sheets away. "And hot," Spike added, crawling over to straddle Xander;
the blond put his face level with the boy's groin. Spike dipped his head
and placed a long lick down Xander's quiescent length; eliciting a sharp
gasp from the boy. "You'll soon get going. Should last longer now we've
taken the edge off."

<Edge ?> Xander's mind tried to grasp what Spike was saying <Hot ?
Me ? He means *me* ? !> The thoughts stopped spinning as Spike's cold
mouth reclaimed his soft flesh, suckling gently. Xander was amazed to
feel himself growing hard almost immediately. "Ahhh," he moaned.
Spike continued his skilful ministrations until Xander was fully erect
then the vampire sat back on his heels grinning. "See," he declared.
"Ready and willing." The blond stretched out on the bed beside the boy.
"So am I, so get on with it." The brisk words were a command.

Xander's numbed brain obeyed them instinctively, pulling himself up to
kneel next to the vampire. The boy stretched out an unsteady hand to
stroke the ivory white back; the one that had filled his dreams. It was as
perfect as he remembered, the skin - chilled satin, laid over lean muscle.
He frowned when his fingers brushed a minor flaw in the tapestry and his
eyes again followed the faint criss-cross pattern of scars marring the milk
white flesh. "W-what happened ?" he asked softly, tracing one indistinct
line with his finger.

"Hmph ?" The blond's head remained firmly buried in the pillows.

"You were whipped ?" Xander guessed, his voice tinged with horror.

"Flogged," Spike mumbled.

"Why ?"

Spike made an exasperated sound and turned over. "Do we have to talk
about this now ?"

"I...I'm sorry," Xander stammered, pulling his hands back.

Spike sat up and put his arms around the boy, nuzzling Xander's neck
lightly. "I just meant, pet, it's not a very pretty story and I can
guarantee it
will kill the mood."

"I think it already has," Xander confessed a touch guiltily. His erection
was rapidly wilting. 

Spike shook his head. "Not bloody likely," he hissed, "I want you,
*now*." The vampire lay back down, pulling Xander on top of him.
Spike kissed the boy fiercely, his hands running over Xander's naked
back, sliding down to cup the warm globes of the boy's firm buttocks.
Xander tensed, then whimpered softly into the kiss. After a moment or
two the boy's hips began to undulate softly as he rocked against the
vampire. The gentle thrusting increased and Spike turned them both over.
Xander was fully hard again, his erection jabbing into Spike's belly.

The vampire looked at it approvingly, gave the boy another powerful kiss
and then released him; rolling onto his back. He had an idea how they
could do this without Xander getting 'distracted' by the evidence of his
past. 

Xander lay on his back blinking. "Wha- ?"

"Come here, pet."

Xander obeyed blindly, moving over until he knelt between the vampire's
parted legs. The action seemed to restart his brain as he apparently
suddenly remembered something. "Hang on a minute." Spike growled as
Xander dived off the bed. The boy rifled around in a box beneath it,
before scrambling back up beside Spike. He clutched a small tube of
lubricant. 

Spike's eyebrows rose. "You keep *that* under there ?"

Xander blushed furiously. "Well...no....I-I kind of bought this after," he
mumbled. Actually he'd practically driven into the next state to purchase
it - and then left his money on the counter and fled; though he wasn't
about to confess any of that to Spike.

Spike looked mildly impressed. "My, my. Xander, pet. You have
unexpected depths." His eyes glittered. "Now get with the action."

Xander unscrewed the top and squeezed out a good sized amount. He
hesitated, looking down on the vampire, uncertain how to go about this.
Spike simply drew his legs up and waited. Xander swallowed hard,
nonetheless he reached out, placing his fingers against the opening of the
vampire's body. Spike hissed as Xander slowly inserted one slick finger,
easing it past the tight ring of muscle. "Alright ?" Xander whispered.

"Yess. Oh fuck," Spike groaned. "That's good."

Encouraged by Spike's comments, Xander let his finger sink deeper,
before twisting it sharply. Spike's hips lifted off the bed. "More, quick.
More !"

Xander quickly added another finger, pushing it in to join its mate. He
guessed perhaps he'd shoved it in a little too quickly when Spike yelped.
"S-sorry," Xander stammered, aghast.

"No, izst goood," Spike mumbled indistinctly. Xander frowned
worriedly, but didn't remove his fingers. "More." Xander's eyes widened.
Spike lifted his head. "Now," he ordered, glaring at the boy.

Xander shakily brought a third finger into play. This proved to be a *lot*
harder going and Spike grunted as the slick digit finally slid past the
opening muscle. Xander checked to see if the vampire was okay and
decided if the expression on Spike's face was anything to go by, he was
doing alright. Xander was also more than happy. The vampire's body
closed around his fingers like a velvet vice; the slippery gel enabling him
to slide them back and forth in a motion that soon had him thinking of
other things. It seemed the vampire's thoughts were in tune with his own.
Spike suddenly leaned up and pushed Xander's hand away. He took hold
of Xander's gel-coated fingers and used them to grease the boy's rigid
flesh. Xander gasped, his head falling back. Spike's eyes lingered for a
moment on the smooth column of the boy's exposed neck. Then the
vampire growled and dropped back down onto the bed.

Xander raised his head to look at him, slightly stunned. 

"Do me," was all Spike said.

Still uncertain how this was supposed to work, Xander shuffled forward.
The boy's unspoken question was answered as Spike arched his body up
and hooked his legs over Xander's shoulders. Xander quickly got with it.
It was definitely a little more awkward, but Xander decided that being
able to see the look on Spike's face as he entered him made it more than
worthwhile. Xander felt that he was sliding in even deeper than before,
falling into the cold tightness of the vampire's body.

His hands clutched Spike almost desperately as he began to thrust; he
was momentarily surprised when the vampire's hands moved to cover
them. This encounter felt very different to their first frenzied coupling.
That had been all fire and savagery; this was a slow intense burning that
Xander didn't want to end. He felt closer to Spike at this moment than
he'd felt to any creature in his life. It was bewildering but perfect.
Xander
looked down into eyes that changed from adriatic blue to gold. The
vampire's face rippled and Spike's fingers threaded through his own
clutching him tightly. Xander wasn't remotely alarmed by the emergence
of Spike's vampiric visage, realising that this was his lover's true face.
The blond seemed some how vulnerable like this, raw and open. Xander
began to increase the rhythm. Spike's lips curled back revealing jagged
teeth as the vampire began to pant.

Xander still found this a little strange. He had wondered if it were some
sort of lingering instinct left over from when Spike was alive. The
vampire was beginning to make those soft grunts and growls that Xander
remembered so well. Suddenly slow and easy wasn't enough and he
began to pound into the vampire with rough, almost brutal strokes. Spike
howled and then released Xander's hands - grabbing a pillow and holding
it over his face. Xander looked at the vampire frustrated, he wanted to
see Spike. An idea presented itself and he grabbed the pillow off the
vampire who glared at him startled. With a speed born of desperation
Xander ripped off the pillow case, twisted it and dived forward -
attempting to gag the vampire with it. The connection of their bodies
prevented him from reaching, but Spike seemed to have got the idea,
grinning with approval as he gagged himself, tying the pillow case
behind his head. The vampire's golden eyes held more than a hint of
mischief as he raised his hands above his head and crossed his wrists as
though they too were bound by some invisible cord.

That was all it took to send Xander over the edge. Biting his lip to
contain his own cries he drove into the vampire, faster, harder, deeper,
the bed squeaking and groaning in protest. Just as Xander felt his release
surging through him, Spike's yellow eyes rolled back and the vampire's
body stiffened and shuddered. Xander gasped out, "Spike !" and
collapsed forward over the vampire's chest. The boy lay there shaking.
After a moment he felt Spike arms move down to hold him. Xander
wriggled slightly, feeling the chill of Spike's seed against his skin; his
softening member slipped out of the vampire's body. Xander looked up,
Spike's face was still in its vampiric mask. The blond spat out what was
left of the shredded pillow case.

"Don't think your mum's gonna be too pleased pet." Spike grinned, using
a torn piece to wipe his sticky chest. "Though I have to admit it was an
inspired bit of thinkin'." Spike sounded faintly croaky, as though he had
been screaming hard into the makeshift gag.

Speech was something Xander's mind couldn't quite cope with yet.
"Ghuzst ?"

Spike kissed the top of the boy's head. "Go to sleep, pet."

"Mphmn," Xander mumbled closing his eyes as he snuggled against the
vampire's
chest. A contented, sleepy smile spread across his face as Spike began to
purr.

Part Two  

Spike's face slid back into its human mask as he gazed at the boy
sleeping soundly in his arms. This was not supposed to happen. This was
bleedin' stupid; not to mention suicidal if the Slayer ever found out.
Some how he didn't think her Buffyiness would take kindly to him
boffing one of her friends. However, the vampire was powerless to
prevent the purrs of sated contentment that reverberated through him.
The heavy, sleepy warmth of the boy's body was draped along his and he
was surrounded by the rich, silky odours of sex and the crisp clean scent
of Xander's skin and hair. Spike nuzzled the soft, dark waves and then
'tsked' himself in disgust. 

The vampire had been more than happy not to divulge what had gone
on in the Oenan lair to the Slayer and her Watcher. Being staked for his
part in the rescue attempt wasn't his idea of a satisfactory ending. Spike
had waited to see if Xander would say anything - half expecting the boy
to blurt it out over lunch. Certainly, Xander had seemed wound up
about it. They had walked back to the Watcher's house in silence to be
greeted with a mixture of relief and amazement by its occupants - who
clearly hadn't expected Spike to come through. The vampire had moved
off to a discreet distance to allow the inevitable hugs.....and to try and
avoid the equally inevitable questions. Xander had done all the talking,
basically that 'yes he was fine' and 'yes Spike *had* rescued him.' The
details of the rescue did not come out in the conversation. Xander had
glanced nervously at Spike once - over the top of Willow's head as the
girl hugged the boy - again. 

That had pretty much been it. After that the boy avoided eye contact. In
fact Xander avoided pretty much any kind of contact, shuffling away
whenever the vampire got too close. Spike had been bewildered and
irritated - what was the bloody kid playing at ? He could have simply
dismissed it as Xander having changed his mind, the boy now wanting to
forget the whole thing. Accept that Xander appeared to be spending a lot
more time at the Watcher's house and considerably more time watching
him. Spike could sense it without looking. He was a vampire for pities
sake - he knew when he was being watched....and he was most
*definitely* being watched.

When the Watcher had announced the imminent arrival of his 'orgasm
friend'. Spike had observed Xander closely for his reaction to the news
and hadn't missed the boy's pleased look. Xander appeared to be having
second thoughts as they entered the basement and Spike had decided
enough was enough. He had meant to ask the boy what the bleedin' hell 'e
was playin' at but pressed up against that warm and surprisingly muscular
body, Spike soon had other things on his mind. He had given Xander a
choice; though the vampire wasn't certain what he would have done if the
boy had said no. A bit of mind melting sex, and here he was - with a
warm snuggly Xan-pet draped over his chest. It felt disturbingly good. 

Spike wasn't solitary by nature, he'd spent more than enough time on his
own when he'd been alive. Since entering his undead existence, Spike
had rarely ever been alone. First he'd had the company of his Sire, then
Dru and whatever minions he chose to surround himself with. When Dru
had wandered off to pastures new - *again*, Spike had more-or-less
'adopted' Harmony. The girl wasn't bright enough to be scared of him, he
liked that, though it could also be bloody irritating. Still, her constant
prattle had kept him entertained. 

Spike was self aware enough to recognize he needed, perhaps even
craved, affection; however cruel and twisted the form might be. Angelus
had raped, beaten and humiliated the younger vampire on and off for
years, yet Spike had remained with his Sire until the latter had himself
disappeared one bleak night. Dru's neediness pulled at him like a lure, he
would have done almost anything for her and still would. Spike wanted
to be touched and held and admired and - in the darkest, sickest reaches
of his mind - some part of him even begged to be abused. Part of it was
his demon. The rest had been shaped by a past he'd endured before the
demon had taken hold. The past that had put the scars upon his back and
upon the soul he no longer possessed.

Since being crippled with the implant Spike had fallen into a pit of near
total despair; he'd hidden it behind frivolous remarks and scathing
comments. He was alone for the first time in too many years, and it
dredged up memories of a life he would just as soon forget. Spike
remembered only too well what it was like to be hungry and in pain - that
was not a past he cared to revisit. 

Truth-be-told, Spike was lonely and uncertain - he would not admit to
being afraid, even to himself. What if he was stuck with this implant for
the rest of his unlife, unable to hunt or create others of his kind ? Dru
would probably be happy to take care of him but even now she was
stronger she was still hopelessly muddled; she would probably toddle off
somewhere for a few years and leave him to starve. Angel would take
him in, but Spike wanted to be needed by his Sire, not pitied and looked
upon as a helpless burden. He still hadn't got round to explaining the
situation to Angel; the others had - amazingly - respected his request not
to tell the older vampire.

Now there was this boy, Xander. A young man who possessed both heart
and courage in seemingly inexhaustible quantities. Xander, who had
turned out to be surprisingly adaptable; certainly he didn't seem that
phased at taking a vampire into his bed, and a male vampire at that.
Spike found he felt oddly contented around the whelp. Xander was wary
of him, which fed his demon's ego, but at the same time the boy acted as
though Spike had some intelligence and feelings. As opposed to the
Slayer, who either saw him as prey or compared him to Angel - and
found him lacking <bloody cheek>. Or the Watcher who viewed him
with a sort of detached, scientific interest. Even worse the witch who
clearly pitied him. 

Xander at least, didn't hate or pity him. Spike liked that, 'hell he liked
the
boy', he wasn't ashamed to admit it. Plus the sex was good, remarkably
good considering Xander's inexperience, and the fact that he was a
human. That was the part that caused Spike the most concern, if you
could call it that. Perhaps a slight 'niggle' was closer to the truth.
Xander
could be hurt, both physically and emotionally, something Spike was
strangely loathe to see happen. <So> he told himself <I won't let it
happen.> Spike continued to watch the boy in his arms, feeling
almost......protective. Xander was his, just let the bloody Slayer or her
cronies say otherwise. Implant or no implant, he was still 'William the
Bloody' and no one was going to hurt the boy while he said so.

A small noise alerted him to Xander's wakened state and a muzzy dark
gaze peered at him from beneath a too-long fringe. "Is it morning ?" a
sleep roughened voice asked.

"No. Still night, luv. Go back to sleep," Spike murmured softy, tightening
his arms around the boy.

Xander squirmed and Spike reluctantly loosened his hold. Xander slid
off, leaving the vampire oddly bereft without the warmth of the boy's
body and the solid beat of his heart. Xander gave the blond a slightly
embarrassed smile. "This is seriously weird."

"Is it ?" Spike managed to sound both bored and nonchalant.

Xander gave a tight little laugh. "Well let me see. I'm in bed with a
vampire, a *male* vampire, who has tried to kill me on more than one
occasion."

"Haven't," Spike denied quickly. Xander raised his eyebrows. "Well
you're still alive aren't you," Spike defended sulkily.

Xander nibbled his lower lip nervously. "So, you're not going to try and
kill me again ? I mean if you could," the boy added.

Spike flinched at the mention of his 'problem'. "Suppose not," he
muttered peevishly.

"Really ?" The boy had a hopeful, puppyish look. 

Spike had fallen silent; he was giving some serious thought to what the
boy was asking of him, albeit unknowingly. Xander clearly had no
conception of what he had asked for. Contrary to popular belief,
vampires had a sense of honour. Admittedly it was perverse, not to
mention prone to changing at the drop of a hat and they rarely extended it
to humans. Nonetheless, if a Master vampire gave his protection it did
count for something. If Spike vowed to protect Xander then he would. If
he gave his word not to kill the boy now or in the future then he would
keep that promise. Did he want to kill the boy ? Right this minute ? - No.
What about at some point in the future ? - That was a little trickier.
Spike
looked at Xander, "Will you try and kill me ?"

Xander looked taken aback. "No !" he cried.

Spike shrugged. "You would have done before. In a heartbeat," he added.

Xander looked uncomfortable. "That was then," he mumbled.

"So," the vampire drawled. "A good hard shag and suddenly we're best
friends ?" His tone was scornful.

"I....I don't know," Xander confessed, running a hand through his thick
hair, ruffling it up in all directions. Spike could see the thoughts
playing
across the boy's upset face. Then Xander looked at him, jaw set, eyes
determined. "No. I *do* know. This...this *is* something. I don't know
what, but it is something. I won't kill you. Not now, not ever. You have
my word." The young man ended his speech by holding out his hand with
solemn ceremony.

Spike was silent. He hadn't expected *that* answer <hidden depths
indeed.> He looked closely and was shaken by the sincerity in the boy's
liquid brown eyes. <Bleedin' hell. He really means it.> Slowly, Spike
held out his own hand, wrapping slim, white fingers around Xander's.
"You have the word of William the Bloody, I won't try to kill you Xander
Harris. Not now, nor any time hence." He felt the warm fingers within his
own tremble slightly. Xander's serious face broke into a ecstatic smile.
Spike managed a half-embarrassed grin. The vampire pulled his hand
free. "Enough with the mushies. What does a bloke do to get fed around
here ?"

A short while later they were both relaxing comfortably on the bed;
Xander had donned his boxers, Spike preferred to stay nude. The boy
was happily devouring cold pizza, Spike had a mug of blood - courtesy of
Giles. Neither cared to look too closely at what the other was eating.
When they'd finished they both climbed back under the sheets and after a
moments hesitancy, Spike opened his arms and Xander nestled into them
happily. "*You*, are a cuddler," the vampire remarked, not sounding at
all displeased about it.

"Suppose I am," Xander agreed yawning. "Anya used to push me away,
said I made her too warm."

Spike sniggered. "Not likely to happen 'ere, pet."

Xander chuckled softly. "No, I suppose not." The boy twisted his head to
look up at the blond. "Do you feel cold ? I mean on the inside ?"

Spike gave him a look of fond exasperation. "If you mean do I feel like
I'm cold ? Then no. I don't."

"You're not really cold." Xander mused. "Just cool. It's kind nice really."

"That's because it's a balmy, Sunnyhell night. Just you wait until the
winter, pet." 

"I'll wear pyjamas."

"Not bloody likely."

Xander sniggered. "No PJ's ? What about my fluffy bunny slippers ?" 
Spike poked him. "Ow. You have really 'pointy' fingers." Xander peered
under the blankets to examine his abused ribs.

"Come here," the vampire offered. "I'll kiss it better." There followed
muffled giggles and wet sounds as Spike licked and kissed and slurped
along most of Xander's torso. 

Eventually the boy moaned. "Please, no more. I can't manage it again." 

Spike reluctantly crawled back up Xander's body to lay beside him. He
stroked the slight bulge beneath the boy's boxer's. "You sure about that ?"
he leered.

"Please," Xander gasped. "I'll never get up in the morning."

"So ? Stay in bed."

"Can't," the boy confessed ruefully. "I have to run my Uncle to the
doctors for nine."

Spike removed his hand "He can't go by himself ?" The vampire was well
aware that he sounded petulant and he didn't care. Xander gave a small
miserable shrug. Spike growled quietly. The vampire knew that the boy's
family was seriously lacking in most departments - namely the caring and
parenting ones. How Xander Harris had turned out as well-balanced and
compassionate as he had was little short of a miracle. Spike wondered if
the boy would let him kill them once he got this damn implant out ?
Probably not.

The vampire turned over onto his front, his arms folded under his chin.
Spike was restless now that the satiated after-glow was leaving his body.
It was night, his instincts called for him to be on the hunt. Beside him
Xander gave a little sigh and tentatively reached out a hand toward the
vampire, stroking Spike's back gingerly. Spike was instantly contrite. It
was hardly the boy's fault his family were selfish and demanding, or that
a bunch of soldier freaks had stuck this thing in him. Spike was about to
turn back onto his side to hold the boy when he felt warm fingers
exploring the faint network of scars on his skin. "You still wanna know
what happened ?" the vampire offered.

Xander looked at him. The boy's face seemed startlingly pale in the
darkness, his eyes huge and dark. "Y-you don't hav-"

Spike leaned up and placed a quick kiss on the boy's surprised mouth,
silencing him. He dropped back. "No, I don't *have* to. But I'm offering
to tell you. If you want to hear it ?"

Xander nodded mutely.

Spike hesitated. Okay, where to start ? "You know I was born in London,
right ?" Another silent nod. "Right, well. I suppose I should start there."
Spike's eyes fixed on some point in the distance as he began. "I have no
idea who my father was. Don't think my mother knew either." The
vampire glanced at Xander. "She was a whore," Spike explained before
looking away again.

"Oh," said Xander in a small voice. "Look if you don't wa-"

"It was a long time ago, pet. It doesn't bother me." That wasn't strictly
true, but Spike realised oddly, that he wanted to tell Xander about his
life
before he became a vampire. The boy had fallen silent again and Spike
continued. "Her name was Sarah. She was young, least she was young
when she add me. Which is probably how come she did, since she didn't
know how to do away with me." The blond's accent thickened as he lost
himself in the past.

"She never did this." Spike indicated his back. "She didn't have a whip.
She preferred her fists or whatever was to'and. She ' it me with a bloody
skillet once, split me bleedin' head open." He stroked his fingers across
the deep scar intersecting his eyebrow. "Blimey was she shook up about
it. Thought she'd bleedin' killed me she did. Was worried they were
gonna hang 'er." 

Xander was staring aghast at blond, remembering nights when he had
ducked to avoid his Uncle's drunken fists.

"When I was about ten she took up with a weasel-faced git called
Georgie Barrows. He was a pimp." Spike shrugged. "Neither bad nor
good as their sort go, but he had...'varied' tastes. She kicked 'im out
once.
He was gone for nearly a year, but 'e came back." The vampire's lips
pursed as though he had a bad taste in his mouth. "They'd go out drinking
most of the time and be sleepin' it off the rest. They paid no mind to me.
Then that changed."

Xander shivered. Something in the vampire's flat tone made him want to
turn away, to leave while he still could. He stayed, held captive by his
dawning horror.

"See, he'd decided I wasn't earnin' me keep. The few bits I knicked or
scavenged weren't enough. It was time for me to join the family
business." Spike fairly snarled out the last few words. "He took to being
nice to me, to try and win me round." The vampire laughed coldly. "All it
did was make me more bleedin' nervous." Spike's voice lowered to a dull
whisper. "So he bought some cheap drink and got 'er to get me drunk.
Not too much, just so as I couldn't slip away from 'im. He left 'er
drinkin'
the rest while he dragged me into the backroom. He bound me 'ands with
a bit of rope and then 'e did me." Spike's eyes were glassy lost in the
memory of that moment. "Fuck it hurt. I thought 'e was killin' me." Spike
shuddered and his gaze cleared. His voice was dry and bitter. "He said 'e
was doing me a favour. Considerin' ow as he could have got a better
price for me before, but it would be easier for me now that I was broken
in." The vampire snorted and shook his head. "Bastard. He just wanted at
me himself."

"Oh, gods."

Xander's soft voice alerted Spike and he glanced across at the boy.
Xander's face was drained and bloodless, his pallor at that moment
rivalling the vampire's. "You alright ?" he asked, concerned.

"Me ?" It came out as a breathy whisper. "I...I think I might be sick."

"No you won't," the vampire replied firmly. He pushed his memories
further away so that he could gather the shivering boy into his arms. "I
told you, pet. It was a long time ago. It's like...Well, it's like it
happened
to someone else."

Xander shook his head. "No. That's not true. You say that, but it's not
true. I can see it in your eyes."

Spike felt his chest tighten, a peculiar sensation. He was sure if he'd had
a living heart it would have beat faster. "You're a perceptive man, Xander
Harris. Never let anyone tell you otherwise," he whispered softly against
the boy's hair.

"W-was he the one who whipped you ?" Xander asked shakily.

Spike shook his head. "No. He never got the chance." He paused. "Do
you want me to go on ? The rest isn't any prettier."

Xander raised his head to look at him. "I...I'd like to know, but only if
you want to tell me."

Again, Spike felt a strange tightness. Did Xander really understand how
important it was for Spike to tell him all this ? How could the boy when
the Spike didn't understand himself ? He nodded. "Right well, don't say I
didn't warn you." He knew his attempt at brevity hadn't fooled Xander;
the boy's warm arms closed around Spike comfortingly. Locked in that
living embrace, Spike again surrendered himself to the pain of the past.

"It was rainin' I could hear it runnin' down the roof. He'd gone. To get
something to drink probably. I think I more or less crawled into the front
room. Me legs wouldn't hold me up. She'd drunk herself into a stupor,
passed out in the chair, snorin'. I went out into the rain. It was cold,
but it
felt good. You know how people say the rain feels clean ?"

Xander gave a minute nod.

"Well London rain ain't like that. It's full of muck and smoke and grime.
It's more like slime comin' out of the sky. But that night ? That night it
felt like the purest cleanest water I've ever known. I let it run over me
for
hours. Then I staggered down the side street and found a doorway to
sleep in." The vampire's arms tightened almost painfully around Xander,
but the boy didn't attempt to move. He stroked Spike's forearm gently,
holding it even closer to his chest. "I didn't go back the next day. I
stayed
there. I was afraid to go to sleep in case he found me. I couldn't walk
far.
When I did I started bleedin' again. I wasn't even hungry. You, well you
wouldn't really understand how strange that felt. I'd been hungry every
minute since the moment I was born. Someone walked past me eatin' a
pie, I could smell it. Usually me gut would have been screaming for it."
Spike gave a sad little laugh. "I threw up. The smell of it just turned me
stomach over."

The vampire seemed to realise he was in danger of cracking Xander's
ribs and he relaxed his death-grip a fraction. "I stayed in that doorway
all
day and all the next night. When it was gettin' light I went back. I made
meself walk, even though it hurt like 'ell. The place was quiet as the
grave. I knew it would be. I took a knife out of the drawer. It was a good
one with an ivory handle. I found it down by the river when I was
mudlarking." 

Xander frowned but didn't interrupt the vampire to ask what he meant.

"It was *my* knife," the vampire said. "She took it, but it was mine."
Spike's voice was eerily like that of the twelve year old child he had
been. "I went into the back room, they were both laid out on the bed,
sleepin' it off. He hadn't even taken off his boots. I stood next to the
bed
and looked at him. She was snorin but 'e was quiet, just breathin real
soft.
I could smell the drink on his breath. I took the knife and I stuck it in
'im."

Xander twitched. The eerie monotone of Spike's voice almost hid the
violence of his words. "I took it out real quick and stuck it in again and
again and again. She woke up with the blood splatterin 'er. She screamed.
There was so much blood. I'd never seen so much blood. It was like the
room wos painted in it. She was screamin' and screamin'........He never
said a word, 'e never even moved. Too bloody drunk to know I'd killed
'im. I think it was 'er screamin' that did it. I saw what I'd done and I
was
scared then. I...I dropped the knife and I ran. I ran all the way across
the
river bridge. I never went back. Maybe they hung 'er for killin' 'im."
Spike
sounded indifferent to the possibility. "I stayed across the river. I
thieved
mainly, whored a bit when I was real hungry. Preferred to thieve though.
Got caught once, climbin' in some fella's window. He decided to hand
out his own justice and near enough took all the skin off me back."

"The scars." Xander's voice sounded hoarse. "That's where the scars are
from ?"

"Yeah. Soddin git. Still if he'd handed me over to the law it would 'ave
been worse. To them we were gutter rats; animals to be killed or
controlled."

The boy shook his head slowly, almost dazed. "I...I can't imagine..."

"No. You can't," Spike snapped, harsher than he'd intended. The vampire
felt awkward all of a sudden. What had come over him, getting all
bloody maudlin and wittering on about his past to the whelp ? "This stays
between me and you, alright ?" He tried to keep the anxiety out of his
voice.

"I wouldn't tell any one !" the boy exclaimed indignantly. Spike didn't
answer and they lay, still and silent in the oppressive darkness. Spike was
trying to put the past back where it belonged - buried beneath several
lifetimes of memories. Xander was trying to connect this Spike with the
small boy who had stood, letting the rain wash away the blood and tears.
After a while Xander turned, so they were laying chest to chest. "Thank
you," he said simply. "Thank you for telling me."

"I could be lying." Spike stated, trying for a sly smile.

Xander gave the vampire a tender look and kissed the vampire's lips
chastely. "No. That was the truth. I'm 'perceptive guy'. Remember ?"

Spike grumbled wordlessly. Then said, "You'd better get to sleep if you
have to take that soddin' useless lump out in the morning." Xander made
to move off the vampire but Spike held onto him. "Stay."

"I'm heavy," Xander protested.

Spike raised his eyebrows at him. "Not to me, pet. 'Undead vampire guy'.
Remember."

"I remember," the boy mumbled. "You're nice and cold."

"So you keep saying." The vampire didn't sound at all put out about it.

"Well you are," Xander muttered sleepily. He yawned loudly. "I really am
glad you told me all that stuff."

"Hmm." Spike replied non-committally.

"Night," Xander whispered softly.

Spike waited until the boy's breathing softened out into sleep. "Night
luv," the
vampire said quietly, placing a tender kiss against Xander's temple, before
closing his
eyes

Part Three  

Giles' 'friend' announced that she could stay for another week, Giles
pleaded his case to Xander - a very classy bit of grovelling, Xander
thought - and things rapidly fell into a surreal routine. He went to work
on an evening, he did his chores at home and he occasionally swung by
the Watcher's to pick up supplies for Spike. The rest of the time was
spent in bed with Spike....or on the floor with Spike....or in the chair
with
Spike and once, when his family were out, in the shower with Spike. 

It wasn't all sex, though he was more than pleasantly sated in that
department. The vampire was also surprisingly good company.
Sometimes, admittedly usually before or after sex, they just talked.
Xander tried to steer the conversation away from 'who got killed and
how', and onto less disturbing topics. 

Spike had travelled extensively and the vampire had seen and done a lot
in his one-hundred-plus years. For the first time in his life Xander was
developing an appreciation for history. Colourful language aside, Spike
could conjure up the past so vividly that Xander lost himself in the
rhetoric. 

Xander had made a reference to Spike's childhood once - the first
morning after the vampire had told him. Xander needed to know how
Spike could stand to - well do it - after what had happened. Spike went
unusually thoughtful and serious, finally saying that there was a world of
difference between rape and sex. Xander could accept that, but he
remained troubled by what he'd learned. Whenever any of the others
made a dig or disparaging remark about the vampire, it was all Xander
could do not to shout at them. 

'You know nothing !' he wanted to yell. 'You know nothing about him !'

He was actually spending less and less time with either Buffy or Willow.
Xander made up excuses about being tired or having too much to do at
home. Though he scarcely need have bothered, between college,
witchcraft and slaying, neither girl really noticed his absence. As for
Giles, the Watcher was too busy 'entertaining' his guest to do more than
thrust a packet of blood into the boy's hand and say goodbye.

Spike, for his part, seemed more than happy to monopolise Xander. The
vampire even started meeting the boy at the bar after work. They would
walk home together, Spike pointing out places that had seen murder and
mayhem, reminiscing fondly, while Xander listened in fascinated horror -
before hurriedly changing the subject. 

Xander was confused, no doubt about it. He was falling hard for a guy,
that might have pressed more panic buttons were it not for the fact that
the guy in question was also a vampire who had died sometime in the last
century. Dating the dead kind of wiped the floor with any latent gender
issues. Not only that, but a dead guy who saw humans as 'happy meals on
legs'. Somehow he didn't feel this was the best scenario for a successful
relationship. Maybe Willow was right and he *was* a demon magnet,
only it seemed the attraction worked both ways.

Xander decided to do a little research, raiding Giles' shelves for a couple
of books on vampires and scouring the local library for volumes on
London and England in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
He discarded Giles' books early on. Xander decided he already knew
more than he cared to about vampire feeding habits, besides a lot of it
proved to be in Latin which didn't mean anything to him. Far more
interesting were the history books; now that he had a taste for it.

He devoured the first few volumes quickly and went back for more. The
books were filled with sketches of narrow, dirty streets filled with
hollow-eyed children and raggedly-dressed city dwellers. He read about
rat-catchers and sweeps and poor houses, about cholera and the 
starving masses. He poured over the passages regarding prostitution 
and punishments, swallowing hard when he realised the number of 
unpleasant fates that could have befallen the vampire.

Xander felt he was gaining an insight into Spike's defensive nature and
general hostility. Okay, maybe he was reading too much into it but
Xander had an idea that the Spike they knew, had existed long before the
demon took a hold. Buffy and Giles always insisted that a vampire had
nothing in common with its human counterpart, that the two were,
essentially, entirely different entities. Xander had never bought into that
theory. When he had looked into Jesse's eyes his friend had still been
there, albeit changed. Xander wondered if Buffy and Giles told
themselves nothing of the host remained in order to make slaying easier ?
It would certainly be harder to shove a stake into someone if you saw
them as a *someone* as opposed to a *something.*

Spike wasn't a something. Spike had emotions and feelings and not just
the 'tainted with evil kind.' The vampire could laugh at bad jokes, cuddle
in bed, flick blood at Xander because he knew it grossed the boy out and
fret when Xander was late home. He bitched and moaned about having to
drink pig's blood, made sly comments about Giles' 'orgasm friend' and got
righteously indignant when Xander's parents made 'unreasonable
demands' on Xander's time. During a heated-encounter, Xander had tried
to offer Spike his blood and the vampire had insisted on dragging out the
first aid kit to disinfect the blade first. Spike had watched him make the
incision - golden eyes wide and unblinking - and had carefully bathed
and bandaged the tiny nick afterwards.

Spike was...well.....in a word, complex.

Which was kind of fitting since this had to be the most complicated
relationship Xander had ever been in. On the plus side it was also the
hottest and most intense. Part of Xander was yelling - 'What the hell are
you doing ? ! *Hello* Undead guy. Pointy teeth. Bad.' - The other part
was telling him to sit back and enjoy the ride. He wasn't sure what, if
anything, Spike thought about the situation. 

The vampire had seemed both flattered and bemused when he found out
about Xander's 'research'. Spike had immediately dismissed history books
as - 'bollocks' - though that hadn't stopped the vampire demanding to see
them and then reading them from cover-to-cover. Spike made it
abundantly clear that normally books rated way down on his list of
preferred entertainments. Somewhat petulantly, the vampire confided to
Xander that he hadn't learned to read until after his 'death'. 

Angelus, remarkably, had taken the time to teach him. Though the older
vampire's attempts to further educate his wayward childe were less
successful. Boastfully, Spike claimed he could pick up any demonic
language simply by hearing it. Which, as far as he was concerned, was a
bloody sight more useful than knowing Latin, or who was shagging who
in some bleedin' novel. Spike did confess to having read some novels,
most, not surprisingly, in the horror genre. Anne Rice's books, the
vampire smirked, were a riot; apparently her Louis could out whine
Angel in the 'woe is me, I'm a poor little vampire' stakes.

Xander had begun to notice a distinct lack of hostility of late, whenever
Spike mentioned his former mentor. The vampire still made scathing
remarks but now they were spoken with something akin to affection.
Xander thought it was exceedingly weird, but it gave him the nudge he
needed to ask Spike about something that had plagued him more-or-less
since they first met. "What did you mean, when you said Angel was your
sire ?"

"Hmm ?" Spike's blond head remained bowed over his newspaper.

"At the school," said Xander. "When Angel offered me as an early
evening snack. You called him 'sire'. What's a sire ?"

"What did he say it meant ?" the vampire murmured distractedly.

"He didn't. I mean I asked him, but he got all closed mouthed and grim-
faced about it."

That got Spike's attention, he looked up frowning. "Grim ?"

"Well, tense."

"Silly sod," Spike muttered. "Gets all guilt stricken over any mention of
his childe."

"Childe ?"

Grumbling, Spike put down his paper. "You know how vampires are
made ?"

"Sure. They drain a person and then make the person drink from them."
Xander frowned. "Except, you know, that really doesn't work, because if
they're dead they can't drink."

Spike raised his eyes to the ceiling. "We give them the blood just
*before* they die. Only a taste. Vampire blood is very potent."

Xander shuddered reflexively, but part of him was wondering what it
tasted like. <Okay, we so do *not* want go there.> "So, then they're a
vampire ?"

"A minion."

Xander stared blankly.

"One bite, one drop, gives you a minion; a fledgling." Spike waved his
arm. "In time they get stronger," his expression darkened, "if they last
that long."

"I guess Buffy kind of reduces 'unlife expectancy'," said Xander artlessly.

"Yeah well, there's always more waiting in the wings, pet," Spike retorted
nastily. 

Xander glared at the vampire who stared back unrepentantly. Eventually
Xander swallowed his irritation and sat down on the end of the vampire's
chair; Spike drew his legs out of the way to make room. "You still
haven't explained what a *sire* is."

"I'm getting to it, if you'll bleedin' shut up," Spike grumbled. "A minion
is
just there to take orders or take a fall. They're cannon fodder. Most of
them are thick as bricks and you end up staking them yourself. If you
want something more by way of a companion, one who is bound to you
by ties of fealty and obedience, you create a childe. You 'sire' one by
giving them more blood, sometimes over days or weeks. It makes them
stronger, more powerful. It also binds them to you."

"Angel sired you," said Xander, understanding. "He fed you his blood."
Another thought struck the boy. "What made him choose you ? Did you
ask for it ?"

Spike snorted. "Not exactly, pet. If I'd know then what he was, I'd have
run the other bloody way."

Xander looked intrigued. "What happened ?"

Spike hesitated; there were parts of his past he didn't care to revisit and
this was one of them. There were too many conflicting emotions
surrounding the memories of his soulless Sire. Angelus was one open
wound Spike preferred to leave well alone, but Xander was giving him
those puppy-dog eyes and the vampire could feel his reluctance
wavering. He was half beginning to suspect that he was under some sort
of spell.

"Soddin 'ell," he snarled. "Alright. Listen up and don't interrupt. It was
late, I'd add a few drinks and I was out of funds, so I went out to get
some. He wasn't my usual mark, but I was hungry." The vampire laughed
humourlessly. "Trouble was, so was he. I trailed him down an alley. I
was starling to have a bad feeling about doin' him, he walked like a
ghost, not a sound; I half expected him to suddenly disappear. Then he
turned round so soddin' fast I nearly fell on me arse. His eyes were
glowing and practically pissed meself. He grabbed me before I could run,
threw me back against the wall. When he went to pick me up, I wasn't as
out of it as he thought and I stuck my knife in him; for all the bleedin'
good it did me."

Spike's grin widened. "Mind you, it was worth it for the look on the
pillock's face. I don't think he was used to his meals making much of a
fight of it. He snatched me up, ready to snap my neck or rip my throat
out," Spike's grin shifted into a sly smile,"but then he changed his mind."

"Why ?" Xander had apparently forgotten he wasn't supposed to
interrupt.

Spike didn't seem bothered; he smirked knowingly. "Let's just say he
liked my face."

"Wha-? Oh."

"He tore open my shirt and ran his hands over me; checking out the
goods I suppose. Anyway, I must have passed his little examination,
because the next thing I knew he was sinking his teeth into my neck."
Blue eyes widened, clearly thrilled at the recollection. "It's like all
your
senses burn down to one. All you can hear is your heart beating, getting
slower and slower. You're waiting for it to stop, because you know you're
dying. He puts your lips to his blood and part of you struggles, but the
thirst has you, and you drink. You're cold, the chill of his body makes
you ache, but the blood is hot, sliding over your tongue and pouring
down your throat. You crave more of it and all the while you're listening
to your heart beating, slower and slower. Until it stops and there's just
this terrifying silence."

Spike's gaze grew distant. "Then he looks at you, and you know you
belong to him." The vampire shuddered and snapped out of his reverie.
"That's what happened," he said matter-of-factly.

Xander was still processing. "O h m y g o d," he said slowly. "You and
him were...I mean you and...You and *Angel* ? !"

Spike didn't say anything, he could practically see the thoughts turning
over in Xander's head. <Come on, pet. You're a bright boy. Make that
leap of faith."

Xander had jumped to his feet and turned away, deep in thought.
Suddenly he spun back round to face the vampire, stabbing a finger at
him accusingly. "Y-you're doing it. You're doing it with Angel !" he
exclaimed. "That's why you're alright with him now." Xander slumped
back down onto the chair. He looked stunned. "This is....this is seriously
whacky. I mean you...You and *him*." Brown eyes pinned the vampire
with a penetrating gaze. "Was he with you when he was still with 
Buffy ?"

Spike snorted. "Sure. Guilt boy was doing both of us. Use your brain, pet.
Angel - cheat on Buffy ? He'd have dusted himself first."

The anger faded from Xander's gaze. "Okay. I'll except that, but it doesn't
explain how or why the two of you are suddenly so chummy."

Spike felt a flicker of delight at the jealousy in Xander's tone. "Pay
attention, luv. I told you he's my Sire."

"Oh, yes," said Xander scornfully. "You 'belong' to him."

Spike's mouth tightened in annoyance. "Careful, pet."

"Why ? What are you going to do ? Bite me," Xander taunted.

Spike growled and pushed his legs out hard, sending Xander flying off
the end of the seat. The instant his boots connected with the boy's legs a
jolt of white-hot agony stabbed through his head and he howled in pain
and anger. As the vampire fell back, clutching his head, he felt strong
arms close around him. A soft voice was murmuring over and over, "I'm
sorry, I'm sorry...."

"Xander," he croaked.

"Sssh. I've got you." 

Spike realised he was sat on the floor with his head in Xander's lap; the
boy's arms were wrapped around his shoulders, holding him. The pain
was slowly fading to a dull unpleasant ache. He turned his head so he
could look up into Xander's pale face. The boy looked unsettled and
anxious; Spike could practically taste the aura of unhappiness
surrounding him. Usually he would have exalted in it, instead he felt
something uncomfortably close to remorse <Bleedin 'ell.> 

"Are you okay ?" Xander asked.

"Fine," Spike muttered tersely, feeling another guilty twinge as the boy
unhappiness rose a notch. "Fuck." He sat up and turned his body to face
Xander's. "Listen, what's happening between me and Angel has nothing
to do with this," he grimaced, "with us." Xander's eyes widened. Spike
was vaguely insulted; okay, so he'd never talked about their relationship,
that didn't mean he didn't acknowledge it. He hoped the boy wasn't going
to make an issue of it.

"Us ?"

<There's that hope shot down in flames.> He made a non-committal
grunt, but Xander wasn't letting this go without getting some answers.

"There's an us ?"

"Soddin' hell. You sound like a girl."

"I do not !"

"Oh, please. - ''There's an us ?' " Spike said in an exaggerated falsetto.
The vampire fluttered his eyelashes and Xander's glare faltered as the
corners of his mouth twitched.

"Idiot."

"Pouff," said Spike and Xander thumped him on the arm. "Oy, no fair. I
can't hit back."

Xander grinned evilly. "I know."

Spike answered him with a grin of his own. "You are wicked, my pet."

"Rotten to the core," said Xander cheerfully. Not meaning a word of it.

"Vicious," said Spike, moving in close.

"I'm a bad Xander." Xander agreed, laying back as Spike straddled him.
"Punish me ?" he whispered hopefully.

Spike's expression was one of undiluted pleasure as he teased the boy's
throat with the tip of his tongue. Xander's heartbeat quickened and the
vampire lowered his head to rub his cheek against Xander's chest. "I can
hear your blood," he whispered, "it's rushing through your veins." Spike
raised his head to stare into Xander's eyes, "I can sense it."

Xander swallowed hard. If anyone had told him a few weeks ago 
that this sort of talk would turn him on, he'd have laughed himself silly, 

but Spike's sibilant voice ghosted over his body, calling to him.
"Drink from me ?" Xander hated the plea in his voice, but he was
powerless against the desire that gripped him.

Spike stood up and pulled Xander to his feet. "Take your clothes off." 
It was an order and Xander obeyed. His fingers felt stiff and clumsy as
they struggled with zippers and buttons. Finally he stepped out of his
boxers and stood naked, shivering with cold and anticipation. The
vampire was fetching their blade from its hiding place. This wasn't
something they had done often. Spike was oddly reluctant and Xander
didn't want any questions raised about the cuts on his body. Spike found
the knife and silently handed it to Xander, before hurriedly stripping off
his own clothing. Xander watched, unable to tear his eyes away. 

Spike was beautiful; it frightened Xander to admit it, but he could. The
vampire's body was all pure hard lines and stark white skin, cold and
perfect. A moving statue carved from unbreathing marble. Spike stepped
forward to stand in front of Xander and the boy raised the blade to his
chest. Xander kept his eyes fixed upon the Spike's face as he made the
incision, watching the fierce hunger as it appeared. Xander took a deep
ragged breath as the cold metal bit into his skin; it stung but there was
no
real pain. He kept the cut small, but enough that the blood would flow
freely for a while. It was already rushing up into the wound, scarlet
warmth dripping down his chest.

Xander looked at Spike who stood tense and waiting. The vampire
wouldn't move until Xander lay the blade aside and summoned him
forward. As the viscous fluid flowed over his nipple, Spike whimpered
softly. Xander set the blade on the work bench and nodded. Spike shot
forward grabbing Xander in an embrace so powerful the boy was lifted
off his feet. Xander watched the vampire push his face into the tiny
wound, nuzzling the folds of skin apart, lapping at the blood that had
already spilt. 

Dizzily, Xander felt himself being carried backwards until they both fell
onto the bed. Xander wound his arms and legs around his lover, he
shuddered and felt himself growing hard as a cold tongue delicately
probed the wound. "Careful," he murmured. It didn't hurt...yet, but he
knew that any pain would trigger the implant. The voluntary cutting by-
passed the device and Spike was safe so long as he didn't bite or gouge,
or do anything other than lap up the blood as it flowed. 

Even in the midst of his blood lust, Spike heeded Xander's warning and
withdrew. The vampire meticulously cleaned up the blood from around
Xander's nipple and then moved down his body. Without warning, Spike
suddenly swallowed Xander's erection down to the root; Xander cried
out, arching off the bed. He could feel liquid warmth swirling around his
hard length as the vampire bathed it with a mouthful of blood. 

Spike consumed the fluid, and Xander felt the coldness of the vampire's
mouth return as the blood dissipated. Spike didn't release him but
continued to suck vigorously while Xander writhed, clutching at the
sheets, knotting them around his fists. Xander came with almost painful
force, bucking up into the vampire's mouth as he emptied his seed down
Spike's throat. The vampire drank greedily, consuming every last
precious drop of the boy's fluid.

Xander whimpered as his sensitive flesh began to protest and Spike
released him. The vampire came up to claim a kiss. Xander's tongue
flickered out cautiously, tasting the familiar coolness of Spike's mouth
and the strange salty warmth of his own seed. It was odd but not
unpleasant. Spike kissed him hungrily, the vampire's passion not yet
spent. Xander could feel Spike's erection nudging his belly and he pushed
the vampire away. Spike allowed himself to be pushed back but he
looked less than pleased about it. Xander swallowed hard. "Lay down,"
he said softly.

Spike raised his eyebrows, but did as Xander asked. Xander looked at the
long, pale length of the vampire's erection and wondered if he could
really do this. He positioned himself between Spike's parted legs and
took hold of the cool, hard flesh in his hand. Then he took a deep breath
and lowered his mouth to the head, not hesitating but taking it straight
in.
He felt Spike's whole body go rigid and heard a muffled curse from
higher up the bed. Xander slowly accepted more of the satin hardness,
letting it slip easily past his lips. He gave a gentle, experimental suck
and
was rewarded by Spike crying out his name. 

Xander felt a strange exhilaration from knowing that he was giving Spike
pleasure this way, coupled with the incredible intimacy of holding such
vulnerability inside his mouth. Emboldened, Xander let it slide out just
enough to enable him to swirl his tongue around the head. Spike chanted
his name like a mantra. Xander could taste the fluid leaking from the tip,
he lapped at it curiously, it was cold and bitter-sweet - essence of Spike.
Never one for half measures, Xander shrugged off the last of his wariness
and gave himself wholeheartedly to what he was doing. He gagged when
he took Spike in to deeply, but quickly got the hang of how much he
could manage, and began to slide his lips wetly up and down the length. 

Xander used what he knew gave him pleasure, combined with a touch of
trial and error. It seemed to be working. Spike had apparently lost the
ability to form words and was now murmuring nonsensically, tearing at
the sheets with clawed hands. Suddenly the vampire stiffened and tried to
push Xander away. "Move..going to come," Spike ground out, clearly
struggling to hold back. Xander went completely still for a moment; then
he began to suck again. 

Spike released Xander's shoulders to snatch up a pillow. The vampire
buried his face in it, trying to muffle his howls as he came. Xander
choked a bit as his mouth suddenly filled with cold viscous fluid. He
swallowed as much as he could, surprised that it wasn't actually that bad.
Some escaped, trickling stickily out of the corner of his mouth. He
released Spike when the steady pulsing stream finally stopped, and sat
back, automatically licking his lips. 

Spike was watching.

The vampire moved with supernatural speed, grabbing and kissing him
with such bruising savagery that finally Xander squirmed and
whimpered. Spike relinquished his lips but maintained the near crushing
grip on Xander's arms. He was in full vamp face and Xander realised
Spike was in fact holding back - or his fangs would have torn into his
lips. "Mine," the vampire snarled. It took the stunned boy a moment to
realise what Spike meant. When he did, he was shaken. 

Xander had no real knowledge of vampire's ways and customs, but he
recognized that Spike was declaring some sort of 'ownership'. Did he
really want to belong to Spike ? A once brutal kille
r who survived on the
blood of his victims, and who would do so again in a heartbeat, of that
Xander had no doubts. Xander looked into yellow-gold eyes and again
glimpsed that peculiar vulnerability. He leaned back in and breathed his
answer over the vampire's cold lips. "Your's," he whispered, kissing
Spike gently. A stunned pause, and Spike's arms came around him. 

Still kissing, they lay back upon the bed

Part Four  

Xander's mind was tying itself in knots, half trying to imagine Spike with
*Angel* ??? - half trying very hard not to. He had woken guilty and
panicked from one particularly erotic dream, in which deadboy had
played a less than passive role. What on earth did that mean ? ! 

Was he jealous at the idea of Spike being with Angel ?...Yes...No...Yes
He wasn't sure. 

Xander was thoroughly confused, or rather, he was even more thoroughly
confused. 

Spike hadn't explained further about the Sire/childe thing and Xander
was left guessing as to what it actually entailed. Spike and Deadboy 
were intimate, he knew that, but he didn't think they were lovers in the 
lovey-dovey sense of the word. Xander returned to Giles' books to 
see if he could find out anything more, but it seemed that either the
relationship between Sire and childe was a closely guarded secret, or 
else it was considered unfit to print. 

Xander wondered if Angel would be jealous of him, and where on earth
did Drusilla fit into all of this ? !

His preoccupation proved to be a problem at work, and after giving
another customer the wrong drinks *and* the wrong change, his boss
took him aside for a 'quiet word'. Tense and agitated, Xander responded
with a smart-mouthed come-back that had him out of the door minus his
night's wages....and a job. 

It was getting late. Xander wondered it was too late to call on Giles. He
wanted to pick up some supplies for Spike since it would save him from
making the trip in the morning; Xander was already consoling himself
with the though of an uninterrupted day in bed with Spike - or preferably
several days....and nights. 

Xander had left the vampire fiddling around with a broken stereo.
Xander's parents had handed it to him earlier in the day, with strict
instructions that it was to be working by the following evening. Spike
had surprised Xander by offering to take a look at it for him while he was
at work. Spike defended himself by saying that he had his own claims on
Xander's time and that didn't involve the boy doing odd-jobs for scum.

Xander decided he would take a chance on Giles being in and not
'occupied' and he made his way over to the Watcher's house. When he
arrived he knocked quietly. After a moment or two, the door opened to
reveal a rather rumpled looking Giles struggling into a sumptuous dark
blue robe. "Xander. I..ah...wasn't expecting-"

Xander cut in quickly, "I know and I'm sorry to drop by so late but I need
to pick up some supplies for Spike."

"Now ?"

"I'm going to be busy all of tomorrow. I've got some things do at home." 
<Yeh, like Spike.>

"Oh, right, well come in. It's rather fortuitous that you've stopped by
actually."

"It is ?" Xander followed the Watcher through into the kitchen.

"Hmm, yes." Giles rummaged around at the back of the fridge and
carefully withdrew a packet of blood. He handed it to Xander.
"Unfortunately my..ah..friend has to return home tomorrow. So you can
bring Spike over in the evening."

Xander struggled to hide his reaction to this unwelcome piece of news.
He managed a terse nod and a mumbled affirmative.

Giles didn't seem to notice Xander's lack of enthusiasm. He gave Xander
a brief smile, which faded as the older man glanced out into the main
room. The Watcher's expression and the accompanying heavy sigh,
suggested that Giles was as loathe to see Spike return as Xander was to
have him leave.

*********************************************

It was only the thought of getting back to Spike that tugged Xander's feet
forward as he trudged home. This night was a severe loss on all fronts.
<All I need now is to be attacked by some kind of green scaly demon.>
Xander thought gloomily. He glanced around him nervously. <Not smart,
Harris. Do the words 'tempting fate' mean *anything* to you ?> 

Fortunately all the green scaly demons appeared to be occupied
elsewhere.

Xander knew his parents were going to give him major grief over his job,
but for once it didn't bother him. Sure, they would shout and scream and
shove him about, but he could deal with it. What was really tearing him
apart was the thought of losing Spike. Xander had tried and failed to
come up with an excuse for hanging on to his houseguest; somehow he
didn't think - 'he's teaching me how to deep throat' - would be a
particularly good choice. 

As his house came into sight, Xander felt his stomach tighten. He had
been anxiously toying with the idea of asking Spike something. A
'something' that had him both thrilled and fearful. The realisation that
this might be his last chance had pushed Xander into reaching a decision.
Trying to phrase the question in his mind, Xander slowly descended the
basement steps. The radio was burbling away quietly on the workbench.
Xander frowned, if Spike had fixed it why hadn't the vampire come to
join him at the bar ? 

The vampire in question was on the bed, laid on his belly - perfectly nude
and seemingly asleep. Xander approached quietly and crouched down
beside his lover. He scratched his nails lightly over Spike's shoulders. 

Spike shifted slightly. "Hmm, Dru baby," he murmured.

"Hey !" Xander pulled his hand back as though stung. Stumbling to his
feet he tried to move away, but marble-white arms locked around his
body and he was pulled forward onto the bed. Xander struggled fiercely.
Cold lips pressed against his ear.

"Keep still, pet, you'll only hurt yourself."

"*Let me go.*" Xander hissed through clenched teeth. Recognizing the
futility of his struggles he stopped them and lay rigid, his whole body
trembling with rage.

Spike nuzzled his ear. "I knew it was you."

"Yeh, right." Xander's voice was filled with hurt.

Spike turned him around easily and gave the boy a look. "I could hear
your heart beat up the stairs."

Xander peered at Spike suspiciously from under long dark lashes. "It
could have been some one else."

Spike snorted. "Oh please, who ? We don't exactly have that many
visitors. Anyway I know what your heart sounds like. Plus I can smell
you."

"Smell me ?"

Spike buried his nose in Xander's hair and inhaled. "Eau d'Xander."

Xander jerked his head away. "So why the pretence ?"

"Duh, cos I'm an evil soulless vampire ?" said Spike, with a look that said
it should have been obvious.

Xander rolled his eyes. "You're a complete git." 

Spike smirked. 

"And I cannot *believe* I'm starting to talk like you," Xander moaned.

"I'm a bad influence," Spike agreed. Xander gave him an exasperated
look. "So, you still mad ?" The vampire tried not to sound like he cared
one way or the other.

"No." Xander relaxed a fraction, snuggling up against Spike.

"Well what's wrong ? Something's put you in a pissy mood." Spike
stroked a finger along the soft velvet of Xander's bottom lip. "Look at
that. Worse than the bleedin' Slayer."

Xander glared at the vampire. "What's wrong ? Well let me see. I've lost
my job, which they are *not* going to be happy about."

Spike tightened his hold on the boy. He didn't need to ask who 'they'
were. The vampire re-cursed the bloody implant that had crippled him.
Without it he would be up there right now, ripping out their throats and
painting the walls in their blood. The moment he got rid of the soddin'
thing he was going to shred Xander's family into very small and very
messy pieces, starting with that git-faced Uncle. A cruel smile played
across the vampire's face as he considered some of the torments he could
inflict. Angelus had taught him well in that regard and Spike had been a
diligent student.

Xander was still speaking. "...then I called on Giles."

"Hmm ? And what does his royal-watchfulness have to say ?" Spike was
distracted again - watching Xander's bottom lip.

"His friend's leaving," said Xander quietly. "You go back tomorrow
night."

Spike stopped staring at Xander's mouth and let his gaze travel upwards
to a pair of dark brown eyes swimming in misery. "Ah," he said.

" 'Ah' ? - That's all you have to say ?"

Spike's temper flared. "Well it's not like I have any say in where you
wankers' put me. Do you think I want to shack up with his 'Stuffyness' ?
Have you any idea what it's like, living with that pillock ?" The vampire
did a cruel imitation of Giles' cultured tones. "Do keep you feet off the
couch, Spike. Try not to put your blood next to the milk, Spike. *No* not
that mug, Spike." The vampire ended his tirade with a muttered, "Git."

"You could say that you want to stay here," Xander suggested.

"Which wouldn't be remotely suspicious," Spike drawled sarcastically.
"Seen as how we're supposed to hate one another."

Xander extricated himself from the vampire's embrace and sat up. "So
what ?" he asked, "You're just going to go back ?" He couldn't believe
that Spike was being so blase about this.

"Have to, won't I." Spike certainly sounded unconcerned. However, a
closer look revealed the coiled tightness of his jaw and the deepening
displeasure in cold blue eyes. Spike was not quite as indifferent as he
might pretend.

"So this is our last night," said Xander softly, speaking more to himself
than the vampire.

Spike answered him any way. "Looks like it," he muttered.

Xander fell silent for a moment, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth.
Spike didn't notice the boy's agitation, he had rolled over onto his back
and was staring up at the ceiling. Xander broke the silence finally.
"If....If
this is our last night, then willyoudome ?" The last part came out in a
rush, the words running into one another

"D o y o u ?" Spike repeated slowly.

Xander blushed but his gaze remained steady. "You know. 'Take me'. I..I
want you to take me."

"Ah," Spike looked troubled. "Slight problem there, pet. You see-"

"You don't want to," Xander interjected. The boy looked crushed but he
was attempting to shrug it off. "Hey, no big de-"

"Will you shut up and let me finish," Spike snapped. "I would gladly nail
you to the bleedin' mattress and fuck you senseless, but regardless of my
talent in that department, I may have trouble performing through the
bloody nauseating agony ripping through my skull." Spike tapped the
side of his head.

"Wha-? Oh, the implant." Xander was confused. "Why would that....?"

Spike looked at him pointedly.

Xander flushed even deeper. "It might not," he mumbled.

"Believe me it'll hurt." Spike's gaze softened. "I'd be gentle, pet, but
first
times always twinge a bit." Xander's face was virtually scarlet. Spike
found the boy's awkward embarrassment oddly endearing, much to his
mortification.

Xander lay back down on the bed. An aura of misery surrounded the boy
but Spike didn't try to hold him. Xander's entire poise said 'DON'T
TOUCH ME' in neon letters eight feet high. Something else was now
rattling around in that strange head. Spike was fairly sure he didn't want
to know what it was. The vampire also knew he was probably going to
find out regardless.

"What would you do-" 

<Bingo>

"-if she came back ?" Xander asked quietly.

"Who ?" Spike feigned ignorance. Xander didn't even bother replying, the
boy just waited for Spike to answer him properly. The vampire was
determined to hold out but after thirty seconds he could feel his resolve
cracking. "It's complicated, pet. I mean there's a lot of history to
consider."

"I know that," said Xander softly.

"And, well, she needs me." A scowl appeared upon the vampire's face.
"Except when she doesn't," he added.

"So you'd go back to her ?"

"Haven't given it much thought, pet." Spike lied.

Xander turned onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow so he
could look down on the vampire. "You'd leave me." It wasn't really a
question. 

Spike moved - a pale blur - and suddenly Xander found himself pinned
back against the bed. "No," the vampire hissed, his face touching
Xander's. "You're *mine*. I'm not giving you up."

Xander tried to suppress the rush of warmth he felt at Spike's possessive
declaration. "I don't do threesomes," he insisted.

"So I'll do you, then I'll do Drusilla. Not a problem," said Spike.

The vampire's matter-of-factness was infuriating. "What if I don't want to
share ?" Xander asked.

"Getting possessive are we, luv ?" Spike's eyes were shining. Evidently
he liked the idea.

Xander felt his anger drain away as quickly as it had surged up. "I
just...I
just don't want to be a third wheel."

Spike kissed him then drew back. "You never could be," the vampire said
simply. He kissed the furrow on Xander's brow with a tenderness that
made dark brown eyes widen. "If it helps any," Spike added. "I've never
told Dru any of that stuff. You know, what I told you, about when I was a
kid." He shrugged a touch awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with
revealing this much. 

Xander reached for the vampire and pulled him down for another kiss.
His way of saying thank you without actually saying the words - knowing
the vampire wouldn't want to hear them. Spike kissed him back, silently
accepting Xander's wordless gratitude. The kiss began to heat up a little
and Xander was extremely aware of the vampire's cold hard body
pressing down upon him. Strange how erotic it was to have Spike's naked
skin rubbing over his own clothed flesh. Chilled lips left his mouth to
nibbled along his jaw, an icy tongue tracing the whorl of his ear. Xander
shivered with pleasure and closed his eyes. 

"Let's go out" 

Xander's eyes shot open. "What ? !" He had barely expressed his dismay
before the vampire had clambered off him. "Out ? Why ?" He couldn't
keep whine out of his voice.

Spike was hunting for his trousers. "Cos I said so and it'll be fun."

"Fun ?" Xander repeated weakly. He was so hard he wasn't even sure he
could stand up and Spike wanted to go out ?

The vampire apparently was unhindered by his own arousal, tucking it
into his jeans."Will you shift your arse," he said.

Xander reluctantly got up and, as Spike shoved on his boots, allowed
himself to be led up out into the cool night air.

*****************************************

Sometime later an extremely agitated Xander paced back and forth
beside his lover. Spike had already stripped off his shirt and boots and
was now removing his jeans with the same casual grace. 

"We can't do this," Xander hissed frantically. "Someone will catch us."

"Who ?" Spike asked scornfully. "There's no security bloke and I've done
the alarm."

Xander looked dismayed by the reminder. He had followed Spike across
town, increasingly puzzled as to their destination. When Spike finally
brought them both here, Xander had been bewildered. He'd protested
quite vocally, in a near-panicked whisper, when Spike had proceeded to
pick the locks and disable the alarm system. The vampire had ignored
him. 

"Take your clothes off," Spike ordered.

"No." Xander was vehement. "I am not skinny dipping in the town pool."

"Why ? Who's gonna see you ?" Spike spread his arms wide to indicate
the distinct lack of spectators.

"I don't care."

"Suit yourself." Spike turned away and dived into the pool with an ease
Xander instantly envied. 

He waited until the vampire resurfaced to ask, "Where did you learn to
dive like that ?"

"Oh 'ere and there," said Spike. He grinned. "I've been about-a-bit, you
know."

"Yeh, I know," Xander muttered under his breath.

"I heard that." Spike called out as he began to do a lazy back crawl across
the pool. "Now will you quit your bleedin' whining and get in."

"I know I am going to regret this." Xander sighed and began to unfasten
his jeans. The place was eerily silent, his every movement, even his
breathing, seemed uncomfortably loud. The only illumination came from
outside, shining in through the row of windows that ran the length of one
wall. As Xander stood, shivering in just his boxers, Spike swam over and
hauled himself up out of the pool. 

A mixture of silvery moonlight and the stark yellow glare of the
streetlamps gave Spike's skin an ethereal incandescence. By contrast,
dark shadows played across the vampire's face, accentuating the severity
of his cheekbones and the hard line of his jaw. Xander thought his lover
had never looked less human or more otherworldly. His breath caught in
his throat. "You're beautiful." The words escaped before he could think
to hold them back and Xander cringed, flushing hotly. He dropped his
gaze, waiting for the inevitable scornful retort.

It never came. Xander glanced up to find Spike was staring at him with a
mixture of bewilderment and bemused pleasure. Silently, the vampire
beckoned him forward. Xander came, one step in front of the other,
slowly, until their bodies were almost touching. Spike reached out
without saying a word and hooked his fingers into the waistband of
Xander's boxers. The vampire slipped them off the boy's hips, ducking as
he slid them down to Xander's ankles. Xander stepped out of them,
swallowing hard, Spike looked up at him and grinned wolfishly. Then the
vampire stood, kicking the boxers away before pulling Xander into his
arms.

Naked, skin-to-skin, Xander gasped, feeling the chill of Spike's body
seeping into his own. Spike smiled, not his usual smirk or grimace but a
genuine smile that Xander felt down to his toes.

"Kiss me," the vampire said softly.

Xander obeyed gladly. The kiss was oddly tender; a sharp sweetness that
stole his breath and made his body ache with longing. He pushed his
hands up between their bodies, running them over Spike's chest - the
nipples eager points rubbing against him. Spike arched into his touch,
making a sound half way between a purr and a growl.

Spike broke the kiss much to Xander's dismay, but before he could voice
a protest the vampire was tugging at him. 

"Come on," was all Spike said as the vampire walked backward along 
the poolside; as sure-footed as a cat. Xander followed carefully, wary of
the slippery wet surface. Spike stopped next to the kiddie pool at the far
end of the building.

"Wha-?" Xander started to ask. Spike put his hand over his mouth
silencing him.

"Not a whisper."

Xander's eyes narrowed but he closed his mouth and Spike moved his
hand away. The vampire led them down into the water, at first Xander
resisted, but a sharp tug and a warning look had him following the
vampire down the steps into the shallow pool. The water was a pleasing
warmth stealing up his legs as he entered and when Spike lay down
Xander needed little encouragement to follow suit. The soft swell lapped
against his chest and he closed his eyes and let his head tip back.

"Ever done it in the water, pet ?"

Xander opened his eyes very quickly and stared hard at the vampire,
who's face bore a wicked grin. "Oh no !" Xander exclaimed in a loud
whisper. "We are *not* doing it in the kiddie pool." His stern gaze left
Spike totally unphased.

The vampire's voice could have coaxed blood from a stone. "Oh come
on, pet. Where's your sense of adventure ?"

"Read my lips N O, *no*. I don't care how mind blowingly good it is."
Xander lowered his voice even though there was no one to hear him, "I
am not, repeat *not* doing it here." He tried to stand up but Spike
grabbed hold of his wrists.

"What ?" the vampire murmured huskily. "You don't want me ?" Spike's
expression was one of mock hurt.

Xander grit his teeth and then shut his eyes as Spike writhed sinuously
against him. The shower *had* been fun; a wet, slippery Spike was most
definitely something to be savoured, but part of him balked at the
thought of doing it here. What if someone did catch them ? Breaking and
entering, plus lewd conduct with a dead guy - was it still necrophilia if
the dead guy could move and talk ? - Xander's mind began calculating
prison terms.

Then Spike's blond head disappeared beneath the surface of the water
and Xander's mind stopped calculating anything - except that it would
seem there were definite advantages to having a lover who didn't need to
breath. Though how Spike was doing 'that', without swallowing a good
deal of the pool as well, was something of a puzzle.

The tiles were hard and smooth against his back, while the warm water
continued to lap against his chest, teasing his nipples as they hardened.
Every part of him felt hyper-sensitive, goosebumps peppering the skin
that wasn't submerged, every tiny hair standing on end. "I am *not* doing
this," he ground out tightly - then Spike did that thing with his tongue
and, "Oh fuck." Xander gasped, his hips bucking up instinctively. He
groaned when the cold mouth released him.

Spike re-surfaced and crouched over Xander, an expectant look on his
face. Xander just lay beneath him, trembling, watching as jewels of water
trickled down Spike's angular face. The tension was palpable and Xander
knew there was no way he was getting out of this pool without
submitting. "Alright, but make it quick." Spike looked affronted.
"Someone might come," Xander pleaded desperately.

Spike smirked. "I bloody well hope so, pet." .

Xander groaned and tried to kick the vampire, who just chuckled
throatily and tightened his grip on Xander's wrists. The boy yelped softly
when it began to hurt. "Alright, alright," Xander agreed. "Slow, we'll do
it slow. Now please let go, I think you're breaking my wrists."

Spike loosened his hold but didn't let go. He leaned forward until his lips
brushed over Xander's in a not-quite-kiss. "You're easy," Spike taunted.

"Says you," Xander shot back, before devouring the vampire's lips in a
hard kiss. After a brief moment he broke off gasping. "This...this is
unsanitary."

Spike rolled his eyes. "Oh please. There's enough bleedin' chemicals in
this water to sterilise a Waorog demon."

"They're dirty ?"

"Disgusting. Now will you shut up ?"

"Okay."

More frantic kissing, then Xander began to squirm, pulling his mouth
away again. Spike growled, "Will you stop being so bloody difficult. No-
one will see us, the pool is sanitized. Now will you just soddin' fuck me."

"I ju-just needed t-to breathe," Xander gasped breathlessly.

"Oh." Spike looked slightly contrite.

Something struck Xander as he recovered his breath. "We've no
lube."Spike smiled knowingly. Confused, Xander looked at him. 
"What ?"The vampire released Xander's wrists and took hold of the 
boy's right hand leading it around his body. Xander quickly caught on
and let his fingers brush the opening of Spike's body. It was slippery,
very
slippery.

"Ready and waiting, pet," said Spike.

"Wha-yo-uh," said Xander. His brain finally caught up with the
programme. "You lubed yourself ?" Spike shrugged. Xander's eyes
widened. "And you call *me* easy ?"

"Whatever," said Spike. "Now fuck me."

There was something about the vampire's bluntness that never failed to 
trigger a response in Xander. It was as though the words 'fuck me' in
Spike's voice had burned themselves into his brain. Fortunately for them
both, the response it triggered was pretty much a 'do Spike *now*'. Spike
needed little encouragement to turn around, laying so his body was
draped over the steps. It didn't look very comfortable to Xander, but the
vampire's expression made it clear that Spike didn't want to wait any
longer. 

The water made them both slightly buoyant, which was both a help and a
hindrance. The latter was most definitely in force until Xander managed
to get a good grip on Spike's slender hips and, with a little difficulty,
thrust forwa
rd - into instant bliss. Spike was cold and tight, his internal
muscles clutching Xander's erection with a velvet snugness. The water
bathed them in a warm, rippling, cocoon - cushioning their bodies.
Building up a rhythm proved a test of skill and stamina, but Xander
finally managed to got a purchase on the slippery tiles and he began to
thrust in earnest. Spike was vocal in his appreciation and the vampire's
grunts and growls soon filled the empty silence.

Xander was desperate to come but he was equally desperate to bring his
lover to completion first. He couldn't touch Spike's erection, he needed
both hands to maintain his slender purchase. Xander wasn't sure what
made him do it - it was definitely more instinct than reasoning. Leaning
forward over the vampire Xander lowered his head and, trying not to
swallow any water, he bit down as hard as he dare. It proved to be pretty
hard as the sharp coppery tang of blood filled his mouth.

Two things happened instantly - Spike went absolutely rigid, every
muscle tense and drawn. Then the vampire threw back his head and
howled. He bucked back against Xander with such violence he almost
threw the boy off. Xander cried out as the muscles clenched around his
member, ringing the release from his body. He came so hard he saw
spots of light dancing around the edges of his vision. Spent, his erection 
slipped out of Spike and he felt himself falling backwards. He thought he
heard a voice somewhere far off calling his name.

"Xander. Bleedin' hell, Xander. Come on, pet."

Xander blinked owlishly. "Hmphzzt ?" If he had been more awake he
would have seen the sudden rush of relief that darted across the vampire's
face.

"About fuckin' time. A word of advice, pet. When you do it in water
*don't* pass out afterwards. You nearly flamin' drowned, you soddin-"

"Hey," Xander protested weakly. "Insults are *not* welcome. Still
bathing in the after-glow here."

Spike grumbled something else, then grinned. "It was bloody good."
Xander nodded, his expression still slightly dazed. Spike turned his head,
trying to look over his own shoulder. "You drew blood." The vampire's
voice held a touch of marvel.

"I did ?" Xander tried to think. "Oh, yeh. I did."

Spike turned himself half around to show Xander the bitemark. Xander
stared at the twin rows of tiny puncture wounds dotted with drops of
scarlet blood. Spike ran his fingers over them, smearing the blood across
his skin. Fresh droplets flooded the tiny holes, but Xander could see that
the wounds were already closing. 

"I....I'm sorry," he wasn't sure what else to say.

Spike spun back around to stare at him incredulously. "Sorry ? !"

"For the..ah...bite," said Xander.

Spike shook his head. "Idiot," he said fondly. "You give me one of the
best fucks I've ever had and then apologise for it ? Don't be such a twat."

"Huh ?"

"Why did you bite me ?" Spike asked, slipping down to lie back in the
water beside Xander.

Xander looked away. "It just felt....right," he offered helplessly. He
wasn't all that sure why he had done it.

Spike drew Xander back to face him and then kissed the boy deeply. "It
was," he said simply.

"It-it was ?" Xander repeated.

Spike nodded. "When vampire's shag one another there's a lot of biting, a
lot of blood. You understand."

Xander did and he was vaguely unsettled that the thought of it didn't
disgust him - quite the opposite - he felt a stirring warmth in his groin.

Perhaps Spike sense his response, whatever the reason the vampire
looked somewhat smug and pleased. "You are something special, pet."
He kissed Xander again. "Glad I never killed you before."

Xander had recovered his scattered wits enough to jab the vampire in the
ribs for that last remark - even as his brain was still processing the
first
one. <Special ? Spike thought he was something special ?> 

Spike straddled him suddenly, rubbing his groin against Xander's,
making the boy moan. Spike growled. "*Fuck I want you,*" he hissed. "I
want to bury myself so far inside you that you can taste me when I
come." Xander shivered, Spike's words beginning to make him hard
again. Spike pulled away just as abruptly and slammed his fist into the
side of the pool. Xander jumped, staring, eyes wide with shock. Spike
pressed his forehead against the poolside, gazing sightlessly into the
water, his knuckles crushed and bleeding from the force of the blow.
"Fuckin' soldier boys, when I get this thing out of me I'm going to rip
their livin' hearts out and eat 'em." It was a promise, not a threat. 

Xander silently hoped that whoever the commando-types were, they had
the sense to stay out of Spike's way. He gently took hold of Spike's
injured hand. "Come on. We'd better get this seen to."

Spike's gaze cleared and he looked at the boy. "It'll heal," he said
gruffly.

"So, humour me," said Xander. "I like to decide when and where my
lover bleeds."

"Is that what I am," Spike asked slyly. "Your lover ?"

Xander had used the term without thinking, but he smiled an affirmative,
his gaze a touch bashful. "I don't just do anybody in the kiddie pool, you
know."

Spike looked surprised, then the vampire laughed. "Xander Harris, you
are a constant source of wonder."

"I'll take that as a complement, I think," said Xander uncertainly.

"Meant it as one," Spike confided and gave the startled boy a quick kiss
before moving away to dress. 

Xander shook off his surprise and went to help. Spike refused it, until it
became apparent he wasn't going to be able to fasten either his boots or
his jeans with a smashed hand. As they left Xander took one last look
around him. "I still can't believe I had *sex* in the kiddie pool...."

Spike laughed at the slightly appalled tone in the boy's voice.

Part Five  

Spike listened with some amusement as the Slayer enthusiastically
described her latest demonic adversary. Her Watcher was frantically
flicking through an enormous dusty tome in an attempt to identify it.
Spike smirked evilly, he could save the bloke the bother but why spoil
their fun, or his. 

The vampire knew exactly what Buffy's mysterious assailant was, he also
knew how to kill it and what happened when you did. 

Queresh demons could only be killed with a pure iron blade. Spike
wished he could be there when the Slayer finally stuck the knife in.
When a Queresh died it exploded - very impressive it was - and very,
very messy. The thought of her blonde Buffyness getting sprayed in foul
smelling blood and guts cheered Spike up slightly.

However, in the depths of his unbeating heart Spike remained depressed.
His implant was only part of it. Spike had been back at the Watcher's 
for five days and quite simply he missed Xander. The vampire was
nauseated by his own patheticness. Unfortunately, no matter how 
many times he told himself that the boy was merely an entertaining
distraction - and an irritatingly inconvenient one at that - it didn't
help. 

He wanted Xander, by his side and in his bed, where the boy belonged.

Spike glanced over at the couch where Xander sat, apparently assisting
Giles with research. The vampire knew full well Xander was faking it.
Those dark brown eyes hadn't moved once across the page, instead they
stared at it blankly, lost in thought. Spike's smirk vanished rapidly and
it
was all he could do not to grind his teeth in frustration. 

Xander had turned up at the Watcher's every day since Spike's departure.
During these brief visits the boy was always worryingly quiet, almost
withdrawn. On one occasion Xander had absently rubbed at his arm,
scrunching up his sleeve slightly. The vampire's keen eyesight had
instantly picked up on the discolouration marking Xander's skin. 

Bruises. 

Bruises, Spike had not put there. 

Bruises, in the shape of a hand print, as though some one had grabbed the
boy fiercely.

Spike had tried to speak to Xander about it, but it was impossible to
snatch more than thirty seconds alone without somebody interrupting.
Spike was silently seething. Why wouldn't the boy fight back ? He'd seen
Xander tackle vampires and various unspeakable demons without batting
an eyelid, but the whelp took the abuse his own family handed out as
though it was a friggin' duty. 

He glanced back at the Slayer - who was still wittering on about her
attacker, and the Watcher - who was buried in his bloody book. The
witch couldn't even find the time to put in an appearance - too busy with
her new friend. What was wrong with them all ? Were they soddin' 
blind ? Spike wanted to smash their heads together, or rip 'em off their
bloody necks. He hated them for being so caught up in their own pathetic
lives that they couldn't see that Xander was floundering in his.

Spike turned his gaze back toward his lover. Xander hadn't moved, he
was curled up in a tight miserable huddle, as though trying to disappear
into the couch. Spike suppressed the urge to shout at them to just *look*
at the boy. He knew Xander wouldn't want to be the focus of attention
and besides he didn't want them sticking their bleedin' noses in. The
vampire just wanted them to take *some* notice; to realise that their
sarcastic, mouthy friend had been replaced by this pale, taciturn stranger.

He stared hard at the boy, trying to get Xander's attention. Spike knew
he'd succeeded when his lover's heart beat quickened, but Xander
steadfastly refused to look at him. It seemed that Xander was dealing
with their enforced separation the only way he could - by ignoring Spike.

Spike wanted to kill something.

The vampire had played around with the idea of being such an
unbearable prick that Giles would kick him out. The plan had drawbacks.
The Watcher seemed to have decided that, implant or no implant, Spike
was too destructive a force to be unleashed on Sunnydale without close
supervision. This basically meant that if the Watcher ever tired of having
Spike underfoot he would be unlikely to just turn him loose. Far more
probable was the likelihood that Spike would find himself turned over to
the Slayer for dusting.

Aright, so the git had said they wouldn't hurt a 'defenceless creature' -
not
that he *was* bloody defenceless - but still, he wasn't willing to lay his
existence on it. Spike had put aside all thoughts of entering Hell any time
soon. In a strange and mildly troubling way, he was happier with Xander
than he had been for some time. Spike had given a lot of thought to what
he would do when Dru came back and she would, he was confident of
that. He missed his dark goddess. However, a small niggly part of him
chose to point out that having her around didn't necessarily make for a
happy, contented Spike.

Drusilla was a beautiful, wicked, alluring temptress. She was also bloody
high maintenance. Even after the spell to restore her strength, her sanity
remained highly questionable. Keeping her and Miss fuckin' Edith
satisfied was, more often than not, an exhausting and unrewarding task.
Dru was all take and no give. 

It had been different when she was totally dependent on him; Spike 
had found a perverse pleasure in her neediness. That changed once 
she was stronger. Now she was no longer needy, just flamin' demanding
and he was tired of it. He was tired of her incessant harping about
Angelus and the past. He was tired of her bloody dolls and her soddin' 
tea parties. He was extremely tired of her annoying little habit of
flinging
herself, open-legged, at every scabby demon who paid her a fuckin'
compliment. The bleedin' Slayer was right....his girl was a 'ho.

Spike was decided. When Dru showed up she would have to accept
Xander. No doubt she would pout and sulk, and stamp her dainty little
feet....and then go off and shag some scum-faced bastard. No matter how
shrewish she got, Xander was staying and if she dared to try and hurt the 
boy.....Well, just let her try. Spike was more than capable of disciplining
his blackhearted beauty.

Xander was his. *No one* interfered with that.

Thoughts of making Xander 'his' in a more literal sense tortmented him.
Spike wanted the boy so badly it was becoming a permanent ache.
Perhaps he should have risked it with the implant ? The vampire's
expression darkened. No, definitely *not* a good idea. The pain was
intolerable, a wrenching agony that quite simply paralysed him. Spike
was no stranger to pain - dealing or receiving - but there was no pleasure
to this mind numbing torture.

Spike wanted to make it good for Xander. He wanted the boy to enjoy it, 
so they could do it again....and again....and again. Like any vampire,
Spike enjoyed a bit of violence and suffering. However, Spike preferred
his lovers hot and willing; rape didn't do it for him. If it were part of
mutual fun and games, pain had a place, Spike had no qualms about
making his lovers bleed or scream as long it was pleasurable for all
concerned. As a method of torture, rape was also useful and Spike had
applied it in the past, but he didn't get off on it.

Spike didn't want to rape Xander, he just wanted to fuck the whelp into
unconsciousness.

Spike squirmed uncomfortably, <Fuck> he was getting hard thinking
about it. This wasn't good. Perhaps the time had come for drastic action ?
Suppressing the perverse desire to put up his hand to signal for attention,
the vampire interrupted the Slayer in mid-flow, "I want to go to L.A."
Three pairs of startled eyes focused on them. One pair quickly narrowed
in annoyance.

"Excuse me ?" Buffy didn't sound at all happy at having her little tirade
interrupted.

Giles was more succinct. "Out of the question."

Spike held on to his temper...just. "Why ? It's not like I can hurt
anybody.
I'm the one most likely to get done over. Probably get bloody mugged or
something."

"So, why go ?" asked Buffy.

Spike glared at her. "Because that's where your soddin' ex is holed up and
I need him to do something for me." 

The Slayer flinched at the mention of her ex-lover but recovered quickly.
She gave a mocking little laugh. "Angel, help you ? Why on earth would
you even th-"

Spike cut her off, "He will."

"Whether he will or he won't isn't really the point," said Giles testily.
"Though I must say, I tend to agree with Buffy that it would seem 
highly unlikely. The main issue is just how did you propose getting 
there ?"

"Xander."

Xander blinked sharply, someone had said his name. Xander glanced up
and to his dismay discovered everyone was looking at him. <Damn>. 
He managed a less than intelligent "Wha-?", before Buffy jumped back
in.

"Xander has just got rid of you. There is no way he'd agree to drive you
to L.A."

<L.A ?> Xander stared at the others a touch wildly. He was completely
lost. His question was to no-one in particular. "What's in L.A ?"

"Angel." Buffy and Spike both glared at one another.

"A-Angel ? Why do we want to go see him ?" In his bewilderment
Xander addressed Spike directly.

Fortunately the 'we' was misconstrued by Buffy. "*We* don't," she said
"Spike seems to be under the rather entertaining delusion that Angel
would be willing to help him."

"I don't need his soddin help," said Spike angrily. "I just want him to do
something for me."

"Help you." Buffy repeated, smiling at the vampire with false sweetness.

Spike ground his teeth. Xander was looking at his lover, hoping for some
kind of a clue as to what was going on here. Spike either had the same
idea or he sensed Xander's agitation from across the room. Blue eyes
suddenly stared very intently into bewildered brown one - their message
was clear and urgent - say *yes*.

"Okay," said Xander.

"What ?" Giles sounded taken aback. Buffy looked nonplused. Giles'
frown deepened as he turned to the boy. "Xander, you are under no
obligation to-"

"I know," Xander interrupted. "I don't mind." He glanced at Spike who
was glowering at him. Xander was confused until he realised that his
inexplicable willingness to assist the vampire would be viewed with deep
suspicion by his friends. He tried to cover himself, "Hey. I mean this is
L.A. Clubs and girls and...er girls." The looks he received from both
Slayer and Watcher suggested they'd fallen for it. <Yep. That's me, 'Mr
Shallow'. Lap it up guys.> Xander thought a touch bitterly.

"What about your work ?" the Watcher asked, pushing his glasses back
up his nose.

"Oh, they owe me some time off. I can clear a few days with them, no
problem." Xander decided now was not the time to mention that he had
lost 'said job' nearly a week ago. Xander was still trying to work out what
was going on here. He wasn't all that thrilled with the idea of paying
Angel a visit, but getting Spike alone for *any* length of time sounded
pretty good.

"Well..ah...what about transport ?" Giles appeared to be given the
proposal serious consideration. Either that, or the Watcher was fishing
for reasons why they couldn't go.

"I have a car," Xander admitted. "I bought it off my Uncle." He hadn't
actually had much of a choice; his Uncle had wanted to off-load it onto
to someone, Xander had some cash saved and his parents 'persuaded'
him it that would be a good buy. They hadn't been troubled by its
unroadworthy condition, or that Xander had been saving up his money to
purchase a T.V and a new stereo. 

Xander had managed to persuade an acquaintance with a truck to tow it
home when it inevitably broke down - blew up would be more accurate.
Xander had spent some of his recent funds on spare parts and Spike had
been tinkering with it. Amazingly it now ran with something close to a
normal engine noise. It was even possible that it would manage the
proposed trip to L.A. 

"Well in that case perhaps-"

Buffy rounded on her Watcher. "He's not going."

Xander and Spike both glared at her, neither certain as to who she meant
by 'he' and not caring for her high-handed manner one way or the other.

"Look, if it'll get Spike out of your way for a while, what's the big deal
here ?" Xander asked. "I mean, come on. Let Deadboy pick up the
plasma tab for a few days."

The idea was evidently having increasing appeal with the Watcher. Giles'
expression suggested he was envisioning Spike-free days and nights. No
more nauseating television programmes, no scuff marks on his table, no
weetabix crumbs down the back of his couch, no blood congealing in one
of his favourite mugs. "Well if you're sure that you don't mind ?"

"Giles !" Buffy clearly couldn't believe that her Watcher was even
entertaining the idea.

Giles winced slightly beneath her steely-eyed disapproval. "Please,
Buffy. I know that sanctioning such a trip seems somewhat..ahm...
unorthodox. However, I have to point out that we did make a deal. 
We agreed to explore all possible avenues in assisting Spike regain
his..er..potency."

Spike glared at the Watcher with an intense loathing that didn't bode well
for Giles should the vampire's 'potency' ever be restored.

"I know," said Buffy reluctantly.

"Angel may well have resources at his disposal that we do not. It would
make sense for us to utilise them." Giles' argument was a reasonable one
and even through her displeasure Buffy could see the point he was trying
to make. She looked at Xander.

Xander shrugged. "I really don't mind, Buffy. Hey, whatever gets rid of
him quicker, right ?" The boy indicated Spike with a nod of his head. The
vampire smirked.

Buffy relented unwillingly. "Okay, but someone will have to ring Angel
first and warn him that he's about to have a visitor." Her tone said that
'someone', would not be her.

"I will," Giles offered after a short awkward silence.

Buffy smiled at him gratefully. "Thanks, Giles."

The two shared a look of warm understanding. Spike rolled his eyes.
"Look people, I hate to interrupt the 'hearts and flowers' moment, but can
we bloody well get on with it." The vampire enjoyed the flush which
stained both their cheeks.

Scowling the Watcher went to the phone. Buffy wandered through into
the kitchen. Xander took the opportunity to have a discreet word with his
lover. "Why *do* you want to go to L.A ?" he asked in a low whisper.

Spike detected a touch of jealousy in Xander's tone. "Because, pet, he's
my Sire."

"So ?"

"*So*, he can help us."

"By getting the implant out of your head ?" Spike's reply was
unintelligible. "What ?" Xander frowned.

The vampire was saved from having to repeat himself when Giles
gestured him to come to the phone. "Angel wants to have a word with
you."

Spike reluctantly took the receiver and spoke softly into it. "Angel, it's
Will." 

Giles raised his eyebrows. The blond vampire listened in silence for a
few moments before handing the receiver back without saying goodbye.
A short while later the Watcher replaced the handset and turned to
address Xander and Buffy - who had wandered back to join them. "It
seems that Angel is agreeable to Spike joining him in L.A."

"What about me ?" asked Xander anxiously.

"What ? Oh, yes, the both of you," said Giles.

Xander didn't know how to take that. So, Angel didn't seem to mind
putting him up for a few days, that was probably good. Of course, Angel
didn't know that he had been playing a pivotal role in Xander's wet
dreams as of late. Xander didn't want to even *think* about the
possibility of Angel finding out. It shouldn't be a problem. They were
definite night-time guys, right ? So when he was humping the mattress,
Spike and Angel would be hitting the streets. No chance of Deadboy
hearing him call out anything indiscreet in his sleep. Xander's mind back
tracked. Spike and Angel - going out - together - Okay, this was *not*
good. He jumped when Spike slung a companionable arm about his
shoulders. 

"Pack your bags. It looks like were off to L.A." The vampire smiled
triumphantly at the Slayer, who stared hatefully back.

Xander didn't require much in the way of acting ability to convey his own
mixed feelings.

Part Six  

The journey to L.A. was tense, to say the least. Spike refused to say
exactly why he wanted to see Angel and Xander refused to discuss his
troubles at home, both resented the other's reticence. They passed the trip
in an awkward, angry silence. Finally, they entered the city. With Spike's
terse directions it didn't take them long to locate the large, gloomy
building bearing the sign - 'Angel Investigations'.

Spike insisted that they leave the car in an unlit alley around the back.
Xander was far from happy, "This is L.A. It'll be *parts* three hours from
now." Spike ignored him. The vampire walked toward the sewer entrance 
at the mouth of the alley. Crouching down beside it, Spike slid off the
cover. Xander had followed the vampire but once he saw what Spike was
doing he took a step back. "No way," Xander shook his head. "I am *not*
going down there."

"Will you give it a rest," Spike snapped. The vampire was on edge at the
thought of seeing his Sire, coupled with the less than pleasing prospect of
having to explain his 'little situation' to Angel. He looked up at Xander;
the boy had adopted a defiant stance - legs slightly apart, arms folded,
mouth set in a hard line. Spike stood and walked around the opening; as
he reached Xander the boy took another step back. Spike smiled tightly,
"Last chance, pet."

"No," said Xander.

Spike shrugged, carefully picked Xander up and dropped the boy down
the hole. There was a yell and a splash followed by a string of expletives.
Spike grinned, at least the implant didn't stop all his fun. He crouched
back down beside the sewer opening. "Well, I'm shocked. I never knew
you knew such language, pet." Xander's reply elicited a surprised laugh
from the vampire. "Do you even know what that means ?" Xander told
him in no uncertain terms. Spike looked mildly impressed. "I guess you
do."

The vampire jumped down into the tunnel to join his incensed lover, 
reaching up to drag the cover back over the opening. The tunnel was
plunged into inky blackness and Xander's curses abruptly broke off.
"Spike ?" the boy whispered softly.

"Here." Spike reached for Xander's hand.

Xander jumped as icy cold fingers brushed his skin. "Don't *do* that."

"Sorry." Spike sounded anything but apologetic, there was laughter in his
voice. However, the vampire waited patiently until Xander located him
in the darkness and latched on to his arm. "Okay now ?" he asked.

"No," Xander grumbled. "Why are we in a sewer ? I thought Angel was
expecting us."

"*He* is, but he'll be less than pleased if we spring ourselves upon the
Irish git or the girl."

"Girl ? Oh Cordy, right. Who's the 'Irish git' ?"

"Some guy who has visions."

"Visions ?"

"*Yes*. Now are we done with the soddin' questions, only I thought you
wanted to get out of this bloody tunnel ?"

"I do," said Xander, he hesitated. "Er, Spike ?"

The vampire gave a muffled curse. "*What ?*"

"If they don't know that you visit Angel. That would mean that they don't
know that you and he...?"

"No."

"Oh." Xander found himself wondering how on earth Angel kept it a
secret. Spike was quite...well....vocal. Was that a Spike thing or a
vampire thing ? Did they have to gag each other ? Or did they just send
Cordy and the vision guy out for a really long lunch ? Xander's mind
began to entertain thoughts of Angel and Spike together in various...
..ah...'situations'. <Okay, bad idea.
Think..demons....ooze...slime....Angel
licking Spike's-*NO* ! Bad. Very bad.> Xander groaned inwardly.

"You alright, pet ?"

Belatedly, Xander realised that while all he could see was empty black
nothingness, Spike was gazing at him with glowing cat-like eyes. "Fine,"
he muttered. "Let's just get this over with." Despite the fact that he
couldn't see, Xander tried to walk away. He was stopped by a hand on his
arm. Unnaturally cold fingers clutched him tightly, the chill seeping
through the thin cotton of his jacket and the shirt beneath it. Xander
shivered, then jumped as Spike's other hand grabbed the back of his
neck. 

Powerful fingers held him fast, Xander opened his mouth to speak but 
was silenced as cold satin lips closed over his. The kiss had a frenzied
desperation to it; Spike thrust against Xander, sending the boy stumbling
backward into the wall. Xander winced as the jagged brickwork dug
painfully into his tender flesh but he didn't try to twist away. He ignored
the stinging hurt and surrendered himself wholly to the kiss - a willing
sacrifice to Spike's wordless claiming. 

For a brief moment the silence of the tunnel was broken by the rough
rasp of denim, the slap of leather and the quiet urgency of duelling lips
and tongues. Spike ended it finally. The vampire paused, his lips still
resting against Xander's. "Remember that," he said cryptically. Xander
felt the words tingle against his kiss-bruised mouth. Then Spike drew
back, threading icy fingers through Xander's, before turning and carefully
leading the way through the tunnel.

Dazed from the kiss, Xander stumbled after him, futilely trying to see in
the blackness. As they turned sharply, entering a second tunnel, Xander
found he was able to make out shapes in the shadows; the darkness here
wasn't quite so...dark. They wandered on a while longer, then Spike
released him. The vampire nimbly climbed up some metal rungs set into
the wall. Spike used his fist to bang loudly on the trap door above his
head. The pounding reverberated around them. "Discreet, much," Xander
muttered sarcastically.

Spike heard him. "Is it my fault the soddin' pouff likes to bolt his door."
The vampire turned his glare back to the trapdoor. "Come on you flamin'
nancy. Open up." Xander was about to say something when there was the
scrape of a bolt being slid back and the trapdoor suddenly swung open.
The result was a small square of very welcome light, Xander resisted the
urge to rush at it; Spike squinted and turned his face away. Grumbling
and muttering the vampire disappeared up through the opening. Xander 
followed, instinctively reaching for the hand that pulled him up, flinching
when he saw who it belonged to. "Angel," he said awkwardly, pulling his
hand free.

Xander looked for his lover. Spike stood to his right - the image of
unruffled apathy. Only Xander knew differently, he had learned to spot
the danger signs and instantly recognized his lover's extreme agitation.
Angel was....well, inscrutable as always. <Nice to see you too Deadboy.>

"Hello, peaches," said Spike cockily.

"Spike." Angel grimaced, then turned to look at Xander, "Xander."

Not exactly a warm welcome, Xander mused, but then Angel wasn't
exactly 'Mr Enthusive'... unless he was beating someone up. Xander
nervously wondered if he was about to glimpse an enthusive Angel. Time
to break the awkward silence. "So, Dea- Angel. This is your place ?"
<Great, start calling him Deadboy and maybe he'll just break your arms.>

If Angel was irritated by the near-mention of his old nickname he didn't
show it. The vampire gave Xander a distracted nod before returning his
attention to Spike. The blond was patting down his pockets looking for a
smoke. Xander waited for the inevitable tantrum. Spike had apparently
forgotten that Xander had confiscated the packet half-way through their
journey, snatching them out of the vampire's hand and shoving them into
his own pocket. 

"Fuck."

Blue eyes glared at Xander with sudden realisation. Xander shook his
head fondly and reached into his pocket to retrieve the cigarettes. Neither
noticed Angel's confused frown as Xander handed them to Spike - who
muttered a, "Cheers, pet." However, before Spike could light up Angel
plucked the cigarette out of the younger vampire's hand. "Oy !"

"No smoking."

"Angel, come on. One smoke. It's not like it's going to kill you. *Angel.*"

Angel ignored his childe's whining and walked through into the kitchen.
"Tea or coffee ?"

Xander blinked. "Wha-? Oh, me. I..er...I'll have coffee. Please. 
Thanks." Xander bit his blundering tongue and followed Angel into the
kitchen area. It was strangely warm and homely, Xander thought, for a
vampire's underground lair. Numerous cooking utensils filled the 
shelves and poked out of pots that lined the back of the worktops.
<Angel cooks ???>

Angel certainly made coffee. The vampire busied himself for a few
moments before handing Xander a scalding cup of black coffee. "Sorry,"
he apologised. "I keep forgetting to buy milk."

"No problem," said Xander, clutching his cup awkwardly. <Where the
hell was Spike ?>

As though answering his silent summons the blond traipsed sullenly
through into the kitchen. "Don't see why I can't have a bloody smoke."

Angel settled his large frame into one of the wooden table chairs. Xander
hastened to follow suit. Spike rebelliously slouched back against the
work top. The dark haired vampire set his mug down on the table and
fixed the blond with a cold stare. "Why are you here, Spike ?"

"What ? Can't a guy visit an old mate ?"

"Spike." Angel's voice held a tone of warning, evidently the older
vampire's patience had a very limited run where Spike was concerned.
Spike peeled himself away from the worktop and dropped heavily into
the chair at the end of the table facing his Sire. Angel's annoyance
seemed to fade slightly as he took in his childe's unhappy form."What
sort of trouble are you in now ?" he asked.

Xander fought down an insane urge to giggle. Angel sounded so much
the world-weary parent addressing his recalcitrant child. Which, Xander
supposed, in a bizarre way he was.

Spike offered his Sire an uncomfortable smile. "No trouble, pet. Just a bit
of a situation."

Angel seemed to be considering whether or not he actually wanted to
hear this. He glanced at Xander, who shrugged a touch helplessly.
Xander still wasn't sure why they were here. It seemed highly unlikely
that Spike had come to make a confession. Another hysterical giggle
bubbled up, as Xander wondered if he was about to be introduced as
Spike's intended. Would that make Angel his future father-in-law ? The
laughter made a rapid exit as Xander suddenly had the horrible feeling
that was exactly what Spike was about to do. He tried and failed to meet
his lover's eyes as Spike began his halting explanation.

The younger vampire didn't stay seated for very long and the other two
watched as Spike paced wildly back and forth across the floor, his voice
rising and his language growing increasingly colourful as he told his Sire
what those - "Fuckin' bleedin' nancy soldiers" - had done to him. Spike
ended his tirade suddenly, growling low in the back of his throat; he spun
around, venting his frustrations upon a defenceless kitchen cupboard -
driving his fist straight through the wooden door. Spike didn't seem to
notice the rivulets of blood running down his wrist; he stood, panting, in
full vamp face. 

Angel was on his feet in an instant, but Xander was closer and as the boy
stood up his chair blocked the older vampire's path. So, it was Xander
who reached Spike first and gently eased his hand out of the shattered
wooden door, and it was Xander who led his lover over to the sink and
carefully began picking out splinters. Angel stood behind them, baffled
by this strange behaviour. Eventually, Xander returned Spike to the table
and resumed his place beside him. Angel walked around behind his
childe to reach his own seat. The older vampire let his hand linger
against the back of Spike's neck before he moved away and sat down.

"I'm sorry, Will," Angel said softly.

It was clearly on the brink of Spike's lips to make some stinging retort,
but faced with Angel's sincere compassion Spike slumped in his seat.
"I'm alright." The words were ringed with an uncertain defiance. Xander
wanted to reach out and take hold of one of Spike's hands. The long
white fingers were trembling slightly, though probably more with rage
than anything else.

"What do you want me to do ?" Angel asked.

Spike's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. "Don't worry. I don't expect you
to help me get it out. I wouldn't want to compromise your bleedin'
morals."

Angel met Spike's sneering look without flinching. "I'll look into it." 

Xander saw Spike twitch slightly. Evidently the younger vampire hadn't
expected Angel's assistance. Xander frowned, if Spike hadn't believed
Angel would help him with the implant then why were they here ?

Spike was staring at the table top. "Thanks," he muttered ungratefully.
The gratitude was in the vampire's cold blue eyes when he looked up at
his Sire. 

Xander felt a stab of hurt at the obvious empathy that passed between the
two. It made him painfully aware of his outsider status. Xander knew that
he was witnessing a bond that had been created more than a century
before his own birth. Xander's breath hitched sharply. It didn't go
unnoticed. A pair of dark brown eyes beheld him closely, concern and
curiosity in their depths. Xander wanted to say something to break the
tension but he didn't trust himself to speak. A cold hand settled over his
and he glanced up surprised. 

"You okay, pet ?" Spike asked. 

The vampire's expression was tender and Xander felt a warmth spread
through his chest knowing that this look was for him and him alone. He
nodded. "Sure." He indicated his mug, "Hot coffee." He knew the excuse
was lame, the coffee was cooling rapidly and he hadn't even sipped it yet,
but Spike nodded, accepting it - letting Xander off the hook with his
dignity intact.

Angel cleared his throat. "So, Spike. Have you got something else to tell
me ?" 

Xander heard the puzzled amusement in Angel's voice and he blushed
hotly. He tried to squirm his hand free from under Spike's. The blond
vampire merely tightened his hold.

"We're together. Do you a problem with that ?" Spike's shot his Sire a
challenging stare.

Angel shook his head. "No. Not unless Xander does ?" He looked at the
boy questioningly.

"Me ?" Xander shook his head. "No..I-I mean...I'm fine with it." He
wanted desperately to crawl under the table.

From Angel's expression it was impossible to tell if the vampire had
accepted Xander's stammered declaration as the truth. Those
impenetrable dark brown eyes locked with Spike's. "How did this 
happen ?"

Spike shrugged. "We kind of fell in together."

"Because of the implant ?" Angel asked.

"Sort of." Spike didn't look very happy with where the conversation was
going. Neither did Xander.

"Sort of *how* ?" Angel could be aggravatingly persistent and he was
more than used to dragging information out of a reticent Spike.

"We had a run in with some guys."

"The soldiers ?"

Spike released Xander's hand in order to run long white fingers edgily
through his short hair. He ruffled up the blond waves and swallowed a
few times before muttering, "Oenan," under his breath.

Angel's mild amusement blossomed into a full blown smirk. "Spike,
Spike." The dark vampire shook his head gently and gave an exaggerated
sigh. "I thought you'd learned your lesson with them."

Spike glared. "It wasn't me, you tosser. It was the boy."

Angel's amusement abruptly vanished. "Xander ?" he asked. The blond
gave a terse nod. Xander was staring mutely at the table top, his fingers
clutching the edge so tightly they were almost as white as the vampires.
"Xander," Angel repeated. "Are you alright ?"

"He's fine," Spike cut in. "I rescued him didn't I."

Angel frowned. "How ?"

"What do you mean *how* ? How do you bleedin' think !" Spike sneered
in disgust.

"Xander ?" The urgency in Angel's quiet voice finally broke through
Xander's daze.

"Hmm ?"

"With the Oenan. What happened - you're alright with it ?" Angel pressed
the boy for an answer. Spike stayed silent but he watched Xander closely
and with a fierce protectiveness that didn't go unnoticed by the older
vampire.

Xander had paled but he flushed pinkly as he spoke. "Yeah. I mean it
wasn't fun...Well, some of it was...or at least it would have been, if they
hadn't been watching..." Xander stopped when he realised that he was
babbling without any real thought to what he was saying. 

With difficulty Xander met Angel's steady gaze, surprised at the concern
and compassion it held. He managed a nervous smile. "I'm fine with it,
honest. I mean I'll be more than happy if I never see those guys again, but
the whole other thing ?" Xander gave Spike a warm look. "Yeah, I'm
good with that." Angel held his gaze for a few moments more then
nodded silently and looked back at Spike. Xander felt himself relax a
fraction, <Okay, now that wasn't so bad> he thought.

Spike's face slipped back into its smooth human planes. "That's kind of
why were here," he said. "He's fine with it. I'm fine with it. It's this
fuckin'
implant that's screwin' it all up." Angel arched an eyebrow queryingly but
didn't say anything. Xander felt his tension return; his mind now rattling
with half a dozen possibilities as to why Spike *had* brought them here. 

Spike emitted a frustrated snarl and stood with such force that his chair
was thrown backward. Xander jumped. Angel didn't bat an eyelid.The
blond vampire resumed his pacing, hands bunched into tight, white fists.
A stream of vitriolic abuse, directed toward those that had put him in this
mess, poured from his mouth. Xander sat stiffly, unsettled by Spike's
uncontrolled ranting. 

Angel slowly unwound himself from his chair and stood up. He walked
toward the younger vampire and succeeded in corralling Spike in one
corner of the kitchen. Spike snarled viciously and spun around in full
game face. Xander flinched instinctively, certain that Spike was about to
attack Angel. The dark haired vampire didn't stand aside, he pressed
closer and said something in a low voice that Xander couldn't quite make
out, though he thought he heard a soft 'Will' in there somewhere. Spike
stopped growling and stood, shaking violently. 

"Xander ?"

Xander almost missed Angel's soft summons. He stood up and hesitantly
walked over to the two vampires. Angel moved aside to let him reach
Spike. Xander looked at Angel, confused. Angel motioned that he should
step closer, Xander did and suddenly found himself enveloped by a
shivering Spike. Xander was at a loss, but wrapped his arms around his
lover as best he could. Angel smiled and nodded approvingly before
moving over to the fridge. Still bewildered, Xander continued to soothe
his lover, keeping half an eye on Angel who was taking a bag of blood
out of the fridge. 

Angel emptied the blood into a small deep bowl and came back to stand
beside them. "Will," he called softly. Spike raised his head off Xander's
shoulder. Angel held up the bowl of blood. 

Spike pushed himself away from Xander in a manner that suggested he
was mortified at having 'lost it' in front of his Sire and his lover. He
all
but snatched the bowl from Angel and downed it messily, the blood that 
escaped trickling in scarlet ribbons down his jaw and throat. When he'd
done he wiped his mouth across his sleeve and thrust the bowl back at
Angel. "Pig's blood," he announced, "is fuckin' disgusting." Angel gave
him a half-shrug which implied that he agreed. 

Spike looked at them both sullenly. "Sit down," he snapped. Xander
moved to obey but hesitated when Angel remained where he was. The
older vampire gave Spike a long hard look. "Please," Spike mumbled.
Angel sat and Xander gratefully sank back down into his own chair, his
legs felt a touch shaky. Spike was still in game face but he seemed
calmer, though he was staring at them both in a manner that made
Xander very nervous. Finally, Spike's face shifted into its human planes.
Blue eyes released Xander and focused solely on Angel. "I need you to
do something for me," he said quietly.

Angel obviously had the measure of his childe's tone as he nodded and
simply said, "Name it."

"I want him," said Spike simply, "but this" - he tapped his head - "means
I can't do him. Not the first time."

Xander was listening to all this in a stunned silence <Oh, gods.> He
suddenly had an inkling of where all this was leading. 

Spike was staring at his Sire urgently. "I need you to do him for me. Be
his 'first' for me." Spike's mouth twisted bitterly. "Bad enough that I
can't
friggin' hunt and kill for meself. I have to rely on their fuckin' charity.
But this ? !" He turned a pleading gaze onto Angel, dark blue eyes
glittering with emotion. "I can't even satisfy me own lover. I can't take
him like he wants to be took..." Spike broke off and looked away.

<Oh...my....god..> Xander let his head drop forward onto the table with a
dull thump,
then folded his arms over it, covering his ears. Xander had never wished so
desperately for the spontaneous creation of a Hellmouth - just beneath his
chair would
be perfect. He heard muffled voices around him, but with his head buried
beneath his
arms, he thankfully could no longer hear what they were saying. <Okay. Any
minute
now I'm going to wake up. Any minute....Please ?> 

Part Seven  

Xander thought he might be about to hyper-ventilate and in an attempt to
calm himself down he began to count silently and slowly. He'd nearly
reached three figures before he realised that something was different.
Xander stopped counting and listened carefully, but could hear only the
sound of his own harsh breathing, the muffled voices had fallen silent.
Reluctantly, he lowered his arms and raised his head from the table. 

Angel sat, leaning back in his chair, large hands cradling a cup of fresh
steaming coffee. Another cup had been placed in front of Xander. The
boy reached for it, wrapping his fingers around the smooth ceramic -
drawing comfort from the near-scorching heat. 

Of Spike, there was no sign.

Angel apparently had no difficulty interpreting Xander's frown. "I asked
him to leave us alone for a while," the vampire explained.

"Why ?" Xander asked sharply, his awkward embarrassment hid itself
behind a mask of anger.

"I wanted to talk to you," said Angel. "I need to know how you feel about
this."

Xander snorted indelicately. His voice held a hint of hysteria, "Well, let
me see. My vampire lover has just handed me over to the guy I used to
think of as my worst enemy. Oh, yeah and this guy also hates my guts."
Xander spat out the last part and looked away, staring down into his cup,
seeing his distorted reflection in the dark liquid.

"Used to ?" Angel asked mildly. 

Xander peered at Angel from beneath his fringe. "Yeah, well. I did," he
sighed heavily, "but I guess I don't any more."

The corner of Angel's mouth twitched as though he was fighting a grin.
"Well, just for the record, I don't 'hate your guts' any more either." He
shrugged lightly. "I never actually did." Xander shot him a 'yeah right'
look. Angel leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "I was
jealous," the vampire confessed. "I didn't hate you. I admired your
courage and your resolve." Angel's lips quirked into a half-smile. "Even
if you were a mouthy little prick on occasion."

Xander's mouth fell open. He didn't know what startled him the most, the
revelation that Angel didn't - and never had - hated him, the fact that the
vampire had just paid him a compliment, or Angel's casual use of the
word 'prick'. He picked one and ran with it. "You were jealous ? Of me ?"

Angel nodded reluctantly. "You're young and *alive*. You could walk
with Buffy in the sunlight, eat ice-cream with her, sit with her in
lessons,
talk with her about bands and stuff I don't even understand - teenage
stuff." Angel's expression darkened. "I..I knew from the start that my
relationship with Buffy was a mistake." Haunted eyes locked with
Xander's. "I'm dead, Xander. I have been dead for over two hundred
years. I exist only because of the demon that resides within me. I am
bound to the darkness and I feed upon blood. I have no business
interfering in her life."

"She loves you," said Xander softly.

A flash of pain darted across Angel's face. "And I love her," he said
hoarsely. "More than she will ever know. But I *have* to stay away from
her. She has to live her life amongst the living."

Xander suddenly felt something he thought he'd never feel for the undead
being before him - sympathy. Sympathy and compassion. Angel loved
Buffy, you'd have to be an idiot not to recognize that. Xander had always
thought Angel was being unnecessarily cruel by flitting in and out of
Buffy's life and then disappearing altogether. Now he realised just how
hard it had been for Angel to let go. Xander didn't know what to say.
After a moment's awkward silence he decided, in the face of Angel's
honesty, the least he could do was repay in kind.

"I envied you." Angel looked at him in surprise. Xander pressed on
quickly before his courage could fail him. "I mean, you were this tall,
dark handsome guy, with the air of mystery. I felt like a total nobody next
to you. More than normal that is," Xander added.

"You're not a 'nobody', Xander," said Angel firmly.

Xander gave him a 'whatever' shrug and carried on. "I knew that with you
around, Buffy wouldn't even notice me." His voice dropped. "Course, that
was before I realised she'd never see me *that way*."

"She cares about you-"

Xander cut in, "-as a friend. Yes, I know." He smiled. "And believe me, it
means a lot to have her *as a friend*. I get that now."

Angel smiled, the warmth reached his eyes and melted some of the
sorrow residing there. "You've grown up, Xander Harris."

"Well, gee 'Dad', thanks," said Xander, with no trace of malice. The boy
paused, then released his cup to hold out a hand. "So, friends ?" he asked.

Angel looked taken aback but he quickly put his hand into Xander's.
Xander held the cold fingers firmly and smiled. Angel matched his smile.
"Friends," the vampire said. They shook on it, before snatching their
hands back, both pleased and a touch embarrassed. 

"Guess this means I'll have to stop bad-mouthing you," Xander teased. He
blushed and ducked his head as he recalled some of the things he'd said
about the vampire.

"Yeah," Angel dead-panned. "You know, if we cut out all the insults it's
going to make for some *really* short conversations."

"Short is good," offered Xander. "It's concise. Too the point....and we're
leading up to something here aren't we ?" He winced.

"I thought we might get straight to the point," said Angel.

"Me and Spike ?"

"You, Spike...This."

Xander indicated himself and Angel. "This ?" he asked nervously. 

Angel nodded, "That, and what's going on with you and Spike. Forgive
me when I say that I'm finding it hard to believe. It's just, I thought you
bore something of a grudge against my kind - Spike in particular."

Xander didn't miss the slight warning tone in Angel's voice. He also
hadn't missed the fact that Angel had made a point of identifying himself
with Spike, the reason was very clear - we're vampires, he's my childe,
state your place and purpose, or back off. Xander swallowed hard. "I
know it's a little weird," he chuckled awkwardly. "I mean it's seriously
weird, but we really are together. I'm not sure how it works or why, but it
does. I mean," he flushed, "he's not forcing me or anything, if that's what
your thinking."

"I wasn't," said Angel coolly. "I know Spike. That's not his way. He might
trick, bully or manipulate you over other matters, but in relationships
Spike is always pretty direct."

"So what's your problem ?" Xander asked defensively. This probing was
unsettling him, and making him think harder than he cared to about what
*was* going on between him and Spike.

"My problem is - do you really know what you're getting into here ?
Spike is a vampire." Xander gave Angel a 'well duh' look. "A *soulless*
vampire," Angel clarified. "He's also psychopathic and possessive. That's
his nature. He might not mean to hurt you, but that doesn't mean that he
won't." Angel lowered his voice. "I never *ever* meant to hurt Buffy and
we both know what the result was. Do you understand what I'm saying ?"

Xander suddenly had to put some space between him and Angel's intense
gaze. He stood up and walked away, pausing at the end of the kitchen.
"Look, I can't pretend that I have your history with Spike. Okay, maybe
you *do* know him better than me. I mean, you're his Sire. That's got to
count for something, right ?"

Angel's dark eyes registered a faint flicker of surprise that Xander knew
anything about a Sire's relationship to his childe. He hid it quickly and
motioned for Xander to go on. Xander took a deep breath. "Right. Fine. I
still know *some* things about him and I know he cares for me in his
own twisted soulless fashion and...I....I need that. Maybe that makes me
nuts or weird, or in need of some serious shrink-time. I don't know."
Agitated, Xander ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it up wildly.
"I
just know that I want 'this', whatever it is. I want Spike."

"I can understand that," said Angel quietly.

"Can you ?" Xander asked bitterly.

Angel smiled a touch sadly. "Yes."

Xander looked at the vampire closely. "Why did you turn him ? He...told
me a bit about it. He said that he thought you were going to kill him. I
mean, really kill him, for good."

"I wanted him," said Angel simply. He looked at Xander, meeting the
boy's hard stare. "I saw a beautiful sharp-faced street whore, with a
savagery to rival my own. I wanted him in my bed and by my side, so I
drank his blood and forced him to consume mine. I made him into a
savage remorseless killer who could walk with me through all eternity. I
condemned him to the unlife that is his eternal existence." Angel finished
brutally.

"Why do you do that ?"

Angel was bewildered by the exasperation in Xander's tone. "What ?" he
asked.

"Try to provoke people. Rattle on and on about how evil and unlovable
you are," said Xander moving back over to the table.

"Because I was," said Angel.

"*Was* being the operative word here," Xander pointed out. "Was - as in
past tense. Jeez, get with the picture. You are *not* him, believe me. I've
met both of you, and you are most definitely *not* the same guy."
Xander waved a hand toward the seated vampire. "You don't even dress
alike. He dresses like some 70's gigolo. You, well, you have a little more
class."

Angel looked down, taking in his dark slacks and soft navy blue jumper.
Definitely *not* something that Angelus would allow himself to be seen
dead in.....so-to-speak. He smiled and looked back up. "Thank you," he
said.

Xander smiled back. "Don't mention it, but hey - you start wearing those
leather pants again and I'm out of here."

Angel chuckled softy, he would never have thought that he could see
laughter in anything surrounding 'Angelus', but Xander had helped him
find it....and it felt good.

Xander sat back down. Angel sensed the curiosity emanating from the
boy and he cocked an eyebrow at him. "What ?"

Xander looked back at him steadily. "Spike, he...he said that you and him
were kind of together." Angel schooled his features into a neutral mask.
"He told me about the business with the ring and...and afterwards..."
Xander's voice trailed off.

Angel kept his expression blank. "Does it bother you ?"

"That you're doing the whacky with my lover ?" Xander shrugged. "It's
weird, but on top of all the other weird stuff that's been happening to me
lately...I guess I can deal."

"What about Dru ?" Angel saw the boy twitch. "She's bound to resurface
sooner or later," he warned gently.

"I know," said Xander softly, "and..I...I'll deal when she does."

They both fell silent, taking a few halting sips of coffee, while the
tension that had risen uncoiled around them. It wasn't quite a
companionable silence, but it was close. Angel broke it. "You're right,"
he said.

"About what ?" Xander asked nonplused.

"Spike cares about you." Angel leaned forward, resting his forearms back
on the table. "He'd never have brought you here otherwise."

"Do you mind ?"

Angel shook his head. "No."

"But you don't want to do..this." Xander turned pink as he spoke.

"I didn't say that," the vampire said evenly.

Xander snorted. "You didn't have to. For a guy with so few facial
expressions you're pretty easy to read."

"Am I ?" The question was asked lightly, but something in that soft voice
made Xander realise that he *was* addressing a vampire, and a very old
and powerful vampire at that."Perhaps you're not reading me as well as
you think," Angel suggested.

"Maybe," Xander said softly. He suddenly found the table top immensely
fascinating and he studied it intently, refusing to meet the vampire's
gaze.
There was a slightly awkward pause and then Xander asked, "So, would
you ?" Angel raised an eyebrow. Xander swallowed hard, "I mean will
you do..it ?"

"Are you sure it's what you want ?" Angel asked quietly. It was
impossible to read anything in the vampire's tone.

Xander nodded. "Yes. I..I want Spike." The boy's cheeks flushed
crimson. "This..this is the only way. I-I understand that."

"No one's forcing you, Xander. Don't feel that you have to do this for
him."

Xander looked up from the table and met Angel's gaze. "I'm not. I'm
doing it for me," he said simply. "I..I want him." His eyes pleaded for
Angel to understand. 

The vampire did, but he wanted to be certain that Xander knew what he
was getting into. "What Spike asked," Angel checked to see if he had
Xander's full attention and continued when he knew he did. "It isn't
unusual, not amongst our kind. We..." Angel stopped and bit his lip.
Xander waited. Angel cursed his childe and took the plunge. 

"Vampires have very few inhibitions regarding sex, either in partners 
or practices. Gender isn't an issue. *Species* isn't really an issue. If 

it's physically possible a vampire will find away. Some do form
monogamous ties, but it's unusual. However, deeper bonds exist 
between those who share blood. I...I sired Spike and Dru, so they are
bound to me and to each other. In a way, I suppose you could say we
are family and Vampire 'families' share things, including lovers. There's
nothing uncommon in a childe offering his Sire the first bite of the apple,
so-to-speak."

Angel still had Xander's full attention, though the boy looked flushed and
ill at ease. Angel wasn't exactly comfortable either. Sitting down with
Xander Harris, chatting about vampire sexual practices over a cup of
coffee, wasn't how he'd anticipated spending this evening. "But...but
that's not what Spike is doing ?" Xander asked. 

Angel didn't miss the faint edge of desperation in the boy's tone. "No," he
reassured Xander. "Spike is possessive of his lovers. He guards them
jealously, he always has. He wouldn't have brought you to me first."
Angel chose to leave unsaid the possibility that Spike might have decided
to share later. "He hates asking me for anything," Angel admitted. That
much at least was true. 

Spike had never liked asking Angelus for help and he appeared to be
even more loathe to approach Angel. Angel wasn't certain why, he knew
there was more to it than simple pride, or Spike's stubborn nature. Spike
had feared Angelus. His reasons for avoiding Angel were undoubtedly
more complex. Angel sighed inwardly, his favourite childe had always
been a contrary creature.

"So, he's doing this because he wants me ?" Xander asked carefully.

Angel was troubled by the uncertainty in the boy's voice. Was it so hard
for Xander to believe that any one would want him ? Alright, so the boy
had never faired all that well in that department, had it put such a huge
dent in his self esteem ? "Yes, Xander. He's doing all this because he
wants you. The question here is - what do *you* want ? You say that 
you want him, but how much ? Enough to bed your former enemy ?"
Angel could be as blunt as Spike when he wished, though he felt a
decidedly un-Spike-like twinge of guilt at Xander's sudden flinch.

"I...I don't think of you that way any more." Xander held Angel's gaze
determinedly. "I haven't for a long time. I think," Xander drew in a deep
breath, "I *know* that was all just because of Buffy. Me liking her, her
liking you. But that isn't there now. I mean," he added hurriedly," she
still
likes you. But I..I just like her as a friend. Nothing else."

The boy's gaze darted away briefly and then returned. "I...I'd like to, I
mean I want to," he stammered shyly. "That is if you don't mind ?"

Angel couldn't quite hide the smirk that settled on his face. "I'm sure I
could cope with the hardship," he said dryly, enjoying the surprised flush
that stole down Xander's throat as he let his eyes rake over the boy's
body. He wasn't doing it to be cruel or to make Xander feel even more
uncomfortable. Angel just wanted to make it clear to Xander that he did
find the young man desirable and that this wouldn't be some sort of noble
self-sacrifice on his part.

"Is that a yes ?" Xander asked boldly.

Angel nodded. "That's a yes."

Xander released a shaky breath and wiped slightly damp palms off on his
trouser legs. 

Angel stood up. "I suppose we'd better let Spike back in."

Xander followed the vampire out of the kitchen. "Back in ? Where is 
he ?" Angel stopped and smirked at Xander before dropping his gaze to
the floor. Xander looked down - at the trap door at their feet. "In the
sewer ?!"

"It's the only place I could be certain that he wouldn't eavesdrop," Angel
explained. A savage amusement glittered in his dark eyes.

Xander took a step back. He had an idea that his lover wasn't going to be
at all happy at being holed up in cold, damp, stinky sewer tunnel all this
time.

He was right.

Spike practically shot up out of the tunnel. "About bleedin' time. What
were you two nancies nattering about ? My idea of a good time in L.A
does not involve sitting in some soddin' sewer all bloody night."

"What's the matter, Spike ? Getting propositioned by the rats ?" Angel
taunted.

Spike flipped Angel the finger and threw himself down onto the couch.
Somewhat gingerly, Xander took the place beside him. Spike looked
back and forth between the boy and his Sire. "So ?" he asked bluntly. 

Xander's mouth had dried up, he looked up at Angel helplessly. Angel
stepped in smoothly. "We're agreeable to your proposal," the vampire
replied formally.

Spike tried to conceal his relief, but eyes betrayed him - they shone with
unrestrained emotion. He gave his Sire a discreet nod of gratitude then
turned to look at Xander, who offered him a wobbly smile. Spike's
delight faded slightly. "You're sure ?" he asked, concerned at Xander's
continuing silence.

Xander finally found his voice. He nodded decisively. "I'm sur-" He never
got the
chance to finish as Spike cupped his face with both hands and kissed him so
hard he
quite literally saw stars. The vampire's tongue plundered Xander's mouth,
moving
slickly against his own. Angel no longer existed for either of them as the
kiss went on
and on. Neither noticed when, smiling fondly, Angel turned and walked away
leaving
them alone.

Part Eight  

It was a slightly rumpled and somewhat abashed looking Xander who
appeared outside Angel's office. He hovered awkwardly in the doorway.
"I wasn't sure...I mean, is it okay to come up ?" he asked.

Angel put down his book. The vampire had tried to lose himself within
the crinkled yellow pages in a vain attempt to shut out the sounds of
passion rising up from below. Angel had been seriously considering
going out for a walk when they'd finally fallen blissfully silent. He
smiled
at Xander, "Sure, come in. Everyone went home hours ago."

Xander stepped into the office, grinning sheepishly. "I..er..I'm sorry
about..ah...that." Xander was pretty certain that it wasn't proper
etiquette
to make out on your host's couch, especially when the host was around to
witness it.

Angel didn't look bothered. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm used to it.
Discretion and Spike don't exactly go hand in hand." They shared a
knowing look and both smirked slightly as Spike entered the office. 

The vampire's short hair was in violent disarray, bleached-white waves
standing up in all directions. He threw a glare at his Sire and dropped
heavily into the chair in front of the desk. Spike swung his legs up,
resting his battered muddy boots on the woodwork. Angel's smirk
disappeared behind a frown and he leaned over the desk to push Spike's
feet to the floor. Angel stared hard at his unruly offspring, who glowered
back defiantly. Xander was beginning to feel like the oldest person in the
room. 

Angel's gaze narrowed, his sharp eyes spotting something. The vampire's
annoyance fled as the corners of his mouth twitched in amusement.
Spike frowned, puzzled and suspicious at his Sire's sudden return to
humour. Angel let his gaze drift nonchalantly around the room as he
leaned back in his chair, at the same time he discreetly - but deliberately
- stroked the fingers of one hand over the lower part of his face. Spike's
frown deepened. The younger vampire mimicked his elder's actions and
his puzzlement was replaced by a smug smile as his sensitive fingers
encountered something. The blond's smiled broadened into a grin as he
wiped away the faint traces of Xander's spent passion.

Xander had watched the silent exchange with some confusion. He caught
on and blushed furiously.

"So," Spike drawled. "We going out then or what ?" The other two stared
at him silently. "Come on. We're in L.A. We should be out havin' fun, not
sat around here moping." The vampire's gaze turned inward as he
continued in a maudlin tone, "I haven't been out for soddin' ages. I'm
lucky if that git even lets me get out of the bloody bath."

Angel's eyebrows crept up toward his hairline with that last remark.
Xander mouthed - 'long story' - and the older vampire wisely chose not to
ask. Spike carried on with his litany of complaints. "....no music, no
dancing, no drinking. It's like being in a bloody monastery, but less fun.
I
need to go out. I want some action." Spike snapped out of his funk and
stared at them both intently. "Plus, you two could do with a few drinks.
You need to lighten up a bit."

Angel looked as though he was considering the idea. Xander looked
somewhat unhappy about it. "I...umm...didn't really bring any 'going out'
gear," he admitted reluctantly.

"Not a problem." Spike stood, slinging an arm around Angel's broad
shoulders. "Peaches has more clothes than a bloody girl. He can lend you
something."

Xander tried not to look too hopeful. Angel glared at Spike, pulling away
sharply. The older vampire eyed Xander critically. "You've filled out a
bit. I should have something that will fit." Angel turned a cool smile
upon his childe. "You can borrow something as well."

"I am *not* wearing one of your poncey outfits." Spike protested.

Angel was unrelenting. "It won't kill you to lose that shirt and T-shirt
for
one night and you can clean your boots." Spike's mouth fell open but
nothing came out. "There's some cleaning stuff under the sink," Angel
finished.

Spike found his voice. "Piss off." He was virtually bristling. 

Xander hid a smile behind his hand. He knew who had his winning bet
for this argument.

"If I have to go out with you," said Angel calmly. "The least you can do is
scrape of some of that sewer muck."

"And who's fuckin' fault is it that I smell like a flamin' sewer !" Spike's
eyes glittered gold.

"Will, get cleaned up." The softness of Angel's voice did nothing to
disguise the implicit threat behind it. Xander watched in disbelief as
Spike stormed off, muttering and cursing under his non-existent breath.
Angel walked after him. "I'll find you something to wear," he told Xander
You can have a shower if you like, I'll get you a towel."

"Thanks," Xander called after Angel's retreating back. He hurried to
catch up with the vampire. Xander was beginning to understand how
Alice felt when she fell down that rabbit hole <and I thought my life
couldn't get any weirder.>

**********************************************

Xander exited the shower in a cloud of steam and spent several minutes
cursing the absence of a mirror. He managed as best he could and
emerged from the bathroom reasonably well-groomed. Xander paused
just outside the doorway, feeling a touch exposed with only a towel to
preserve his modesty. The cool air raised goosebumps along his bare
skin. Neither Spike nor Angel were in sight, but Xander could hear
muffled voices.

He padded barefoot over to the bed, where Angel had said he'd leave out
the clothes. Xander gaped at what the vampire had left for him. The soft
looking black slacks were casual but obviously expensive; however, it
was the shirt which really held his attention. Xander guessed that it was
real silk, a rich wine-coloured red, it shimmered in the muted lamp light.
Xander touched it, the shirt felt even softer than it looked.

Panic suddenly clawed at Xander. What was the hell was he doing ? He
was Xander Harris, officiated member of the Scooby gang, slayerette of
vampires and other nasties that go bump in the night. Now he was
borrowing their clothes and planning nights on the town ? Something
was most definitely *not* right here. He was losing it, that had to be it.
All these freaky goings on had finally proved too much and he had
snapped. It was one bump on the head too many for good old Xander. 

<What else can it be ?> he asked himself. A sound alerted him and
Xander spun around. Whereupon his mouth fell open. <Well, gee> he
thought sarcastically <What else *could* it be, Xander.>

Angel was wearing a pair of dark trousers similar to the ones on the bed.
He had teamed them with a silk shirt in a deep garnet red and a black
leather coat. Xander's stunned gaze slid away from Angel to travel the
length of his lover, where it lingered longingly. Spike had cleaned up
*very* nicely. The blond vampire had kept his black jeans and boots -
now neatly polished - plus his somewhat battered duster. However, it was
the shirt he'd borrowed from Angel that made Xander's mouth run dry. It
was black satin, sleek and slippery looking; it moulded itself perfectly to
the contours of Spike's hard lean frame. 

Spike settled himself on the end of the bed. "Come on, pet. We're
wasting serious drinking time here. Get your kit on."

"Huh ?"

Angel was bemused but he'd picked up on Xander's embarrassment and
told them that he'd wait upstairs.

*********************************************

Spike nodded approvingly as Xander finished fastening the last few
buttons on his borrowed shirt. "You look good," he commented.

"I do ?" Xander wished he had a mirror. This felt even better than the tux
he rented for the prom. He felt....well...in a word, sexy. Spike evidently
shared that feeling as the vampire stood up and rubbed against him. 

"Hmm," Spike purred against Xander's ear. "Delicious, pet." To Xander's
disappointment the vampire then stepped away. "We'd best not keep
peaches waiting," Spike explained as he walked off. "Or he'll settle down
with one of his bloody books and a mug of cocoa." Xander grinned and
followed his lover.

*********************************************

Spike took them into a run-down part of the city littered with derelict
buildings and late night liquor stores. They turned down a dark narrow,
alley. It was eerily quiet and Xander felt slightly uneasy, despite being
flanked by two vampires. This wasn't anything like what Xander had
been expecting - not that he'd really had any idea what to expect. There
were no lights, no sounds escaping out onto the street, nothing to indicate
the presence of a club. There was just a plain grey door with two
*extremely* large demonic-types standing in front of it. 

<Interesting choice in doormen> Xander mused silently. Though if the
clientele lining up outside were an example of the club's usual crowd, the
doormen's outlandish size probably came in very handy. The queue that
stretched down to the end of the alley were definitely not your usual club
mix....unless it was hallowe'en. Except these weren't costumes - every
horn, scale and inexplicable bulbous bit was a bona fide demon part.

"A demon club. Well, I'm going to blend *right* in," Xander muttered
under his breath.

Angel placed a heavy hand upon Spike's shoulder when it looked like the
younger vampire was about to push his way to the front of the queue.
Spike reluctantly let himself be steered to the back. The blond searched
fruitlessly through his pockets. "Fuck. I need some smokes."

"Get them inside," said Angel.

Spike gave him a scornful look. "Do you know the kind of crap they sell
in here ? Look, wait here while I nip and get some." He walked off. After
a few paces he turned and came back. His face bore an irritated
expression as he stared at Angel. "I..er.." 

Angel sighed and put his hand into his pocket, pulling out a handful of
crumpled notes, Spike all but snatched them from him. "I want the
change," Angel called after the departing blond.

"Yeah, whatever," said Spike. A moment later he'd disappeared around
the corner of the alley.

Xander and Angel waited in a slightly awkward silence as the queue
slowly shuffled forward. Xander berated himself <Well, it would appear
that you have been struck with a terrible affliction. You have completely
lost the ability to make meaningless conversation. You are doomed.> He
stared woefully at the mouth of the alley, wishing Spike would reappear.

The queue continued to move forward at a painful pace - the doormen
vetting each would-be clubber carefully. (Xander wondered what on
earth they classed as an undesirable.') There was still no sign of Spike
and Xander was getting anxious. "What if he's in some sort of trouble ?"
he asked Angel.

"Spike can handle himself," Angel assured him.

Xander shook his head, his voice low and urgent. "Not with humans. The
implant, remember ?"

Angel looked disturbed by the reminder. "Come on," he said. Xander
needed no second bidding as he followed the vampire out of the alley.

Part Nine  

Trouble had indeed found Spike, or was just about to, as he exited the
late-night corner store. A group of twenty-something's, much the worse
for their night's activities, were milling about on the sidewalk. They were
trying to scrounge together enough funds for more drink. Head down
counting his change, Spike didn't side-step to avoid colliding with one of
the group - who rebounded of the vampire as though he'd hit a wall. 

Irritated, Spike snapped off a retort without thinking. Drunk number one
took offence at the remark as did his closest friend, drunk number two.
Both took a swing at Spike. The vampire ducked the first blow easily and
instinctively blocked the second. As his arm powered forward and
connected with the young man's fist, a bolt of blinding agony exploded
through his head.

<No !> Spike shouted in silent protest. <I'm not attacking the bastards.
I'm defending myself !> The implant was cruelly indifferent to his cries,
sending shards of agony shooting through his skull. Angry and half
crazed with pain, Spike reacted the only way he knew - with extreme
violence. He struck out blindly and his fist hit something with a very
satisfying crunch of bone and gristle.

Unfortunately, his unthinking savagery only compounded his torment
sending fresh shrieks of agony splintering through his skull. Tears
pricked his eyes and Spike stumbled to his knees clutching his head.
Drunk number one had fallen back when his friend's nose burst open
beneath Spike's fist. The young man was confused by Spike's sudden
collapse but took advantage, planting a vicious kick against Spike's ribs.

Spike growled as the demon within him howled in rage. His face
shimmered and shifted into its true form. His attackers were too drunk to 
care or notice. More blows followed, clumsy and uncoordinated but
brutally effective. Spike tasted blood as a ring sliced into his cheek. The
vampire barely felt the pain of the boots and fists that rained down upon
him; it was lost amidst the streaks of white hot agony that resonated
through his head. Every time he tried to push one of his attackers away a
new stab of pain sheared through him and he fell back.

Spike was driven down. He curled up, his hands holding his head
protectively, cheek pressed against the cold concrete. The vampire could
smell oil and gasoline, bubblegum and the sourness of the street itself.
<Fuck> was his last coherent thought as a boot connected solidly with
the back of his skull and a veil of darkness descended over him.

************************************************

Angel saw them first - a small group of shouting, jeering youths
staggering about drunkenly beneath a spluttering street lamp. As they
stumbled back and forth, they formed a broken ring around something
lying on the sidewalk. It took Angel a brief moment before his eyes
picked out the prone figure at their feet. He focused on a black shape and
a very familiar white-blond head.

His demon roared in rage and anguish and Angel's eyes gleamed gold as
his vampiric nature took hold. He raced across the road, coat tails
flapping like the wings of an angry bird. The vampire plucked the two
closest drunks off the ground as though they were made of paper. One
was thrown into the road while the other bounced off the street lamp and
collapsed back onto the sidewalk, blood streaming from his face.

Xander had struggled to keep pace with the vampire and reached the end
of the street in time to see the two man sail through the air. He watched
in horror, his eyes following one victim as he crashed back to earth. Then
Xander's gaze caught on another shape huddled on the ground - a slender
form, wrapped in an old black duster - a red mist enveloped him and he
rushed across the road to join the fray. 

As soon as he reached them, Xander knocked the closest drunk to the
ground. The man wasn't so far gone that he couldn't recognize the crazed
fury on Xander's face and he crawled away as fast as his unsteady limbs
would carry him. Xander grabbed the next nearest and spun him around
before flooring him with a neat right cross. Xander followed his victim
down and continued to pummel him - feeding the white hot rage flowing
through his veins.

"Xander....Xander....You're killing him...Stop !"

Panting wildly, Xander finally registered that the voice belonged to 
Angel and he found himself being lifted off his victim. Xander looked
down at the broken bloody figure at his feet, a strange numbness draining
away his rage. Oddly, he felt no remorse and turned away coldly. All his
concern was for Spike.

Angel also appeared to have regained some measure of control, though
his features had settled somewhere between vampire and human and he
kept his head bowed as he tended to his childe. Fortunately, there were
few onlookers and those that had chosen to stop and stare maintained a
cautious distance. The drunks were either unconscious or had made a
rapid exit.

With Angel's assistance Spike slowly sat up. He had a small cut to the
corner of his mouth and another across his right cheekbone. When Angel
touched the back of his childe's head the older vampire's fingers came
away sticky with blood. Whatever other injuries Spike had were hidden
beneath his duster. The leather had probably afforded him some
protection but from the number of dusty foot prints it bore he was
probably pretty much black and blue.

White-faced and worried, Xander dropped to a crouch beside his lover.
Spike winced and angrily shook off Angel's arm. He swayed and Xander
reached out to steady him. Spike shoved the boy back violently, cursing
when the implant reacted. "Fuck off," Spike snarled. "I don't need your
soddin useless help." He staggered painfully to his feet and made his way
back across the road, weaving slightly.

Angel helped Xander up. "He doesn't mean it," he tried to reassure the
boy. "He's just-"

Xander waved him off. "I know," he said quietly and followed his lover
across the road. Xander did understand, Spike's attitude hurt, but he
accepted it. He knew how hard it was for his lover to be so helpless. He
knew that Spike was uncertain and afraid and he knew that with Spike
such feelings naturally expressed themselves as anger. Xander wasn't
naive enough to believe that when Spike said something hurtful the
vampire didn't mean it. Spike meant every cruel and unkind word he 
said - that was his nature - but Xander was learning not to take those
words too much to heart. 

It was easier in theory than in practice but Xander was making a valiant
effort. It helped when he recalled the things Spike said when he was in a
good mood. Spike could be as silver tongued with his compliments as he
was cutting with his insults. Such were the pro's and con's of dating an
evil soulless undead guy, with a century or so's experience in flattery and
cruelty.

Xander caught up with Spike at the entrance to the alley. The vampire
had shifted back into his human visage and was trying to wipe the blood
and dirt off his face. Xander approached cautiously until he was sure that
he wouldn't be rebuffed. By the time Angel joined them, Xander was
tenderly cleaning his lover's face with a large white handkerchief. Angel
smiled as the boy tried to get Spike to spit on it.

"My gob's full of blood. You do it," said Spike.

Xander pulled a face.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Oh please, not the bleedin' hygiene thing again.
I've had worse soddin' things on my face than your spit. Besides, it's not
like I'm not intimate with your saliva." He leered at Xander who sighed
and spat on the handkerchief. Spike continued as Xander carefully
dabbed at the cut by his mouth. "Before any one asks, *no* we are *not*
going home. Not until I've had a bloody drink." <and found a demon to
beat to death> he added silently. He'd finally had enough of Xander's
ministrations and he pulled away. "You done ?"

"All spick span and ship shape," said Xander lightly. He frowned at the
blood and dirt sodden hanky. 

Spike made a disgusted sound and snatched it out of his hand, throwing it
away. "Good, let's go then. It'll be soddin' morning before I get a drink"
He stalked off down the alley.

"You alright ?" Angel asked as he melted out of the shadows beside
Xander.

Xander twitched. "I'm fine." He managed a shaky smile. "Or at least I
will be when I my insides stop trying to crawl up out of my throat."

"Come on." Angel put an arm around Xander's slightly trembling
shoulders. "It's just shock. You need a drink." 

Xander allowed himself to be led back to the club entrance. Spike was
waiting for them. "Will you tossers hurry up." The queue had all but
gone, only a handful of demons were still waiting to be let inside. Spike
was no longer in any mood to wait and he went straight up to the door.
The doormen instantly moved to block his way. Spike didn't even break
his stride, he shifted into his game face and hissed, the doormen stepped
aside with surprising speed for creatures their size and Spike strode past
them.

Angel and Xander were close on his heels. The doormen attempted to
reassert their now somewhat dented authority. Angel looked faintly
apologetic as he let his own vampiric nature surface - and the doormen
stepped aside to let them through. Xander could hear them muttering
after they'd gone past. "I don't think they liked us much."

"Vampires aren't popular in demon clubs," Angel explained.

"I wonder why," Xander muttered.

Angel caught the question but apparently missed the sarcasm. "Vampires
like blood and they're not that fussy how they get it. They tend to start
fights." Angel looked vaguely embarrassed. "I mean, so do other demons,
but vampires tend to be a bit harder on the fixtures and furnishings."

Xander summed it up a touch more succinctly. "You trash places." 

Angel shrugged. "Let's find Spike." He moved off and Xander fixed
himself firmly to the vampire's side. Secretly, Xander was delighted with
the vampires' subtle show of force. <Yeah, I'm hanging with the seriously
cool crowd now.>

Part Ten  

A smoky haze curled around them as they made their way to the top of
the stairwell. The dimly lit club was two-tiered, with the bar and dance
floor on the lower level. Xander had to keep remembering to close his
mouth as he stared around him. The music blaring out through the sound
system was loud and heavy, with a deep thumping backbeat; it didn't stop
a pair of demons slow-dancing to it. At least Xander *thought* they were
slow-dancing. This was evidently an 'anything goes' kind of a club.

Some of Xander's tension dissipated as he picked out his lover amongst
the crowd. Spike was bounding down the stairs heading for the bar.
Angel and Xander followed him. With a distinct lack of subtlety, Spike
got the bartender's attention and a slender copper-skinned demon hurried
over to serve them. Spike ordered the first round. Angel - with an air of
world-weary resignation - paid for them.

Xander accepted the glass handed to him and glanced around wide-eyed
and wary. He was trying hard not to freak out, not that the clientele were
paying him any attention, but rubbing shoulders with demons certainly
got the old adrenalin pumping. Everywhere he looked there was horns,
scales and slime. There were a handful of human faces, Xander assumed
they were vampires. He peered past Angel to watch as a grey nobbly-
skinned demon downed a glass of viscous red liquid.

"Please tell me that was a Bloody Mary," Xander whispered to Spike.

The blond vampire shrugged. "The blood parts right," he grinned evilly,
"don't know about her name being Mary though." Xander paled. "Demon
club, pet. Serves pretty much anything or anyone." Spike leaned in
closer, his lips brushing Xander's ear. "Relax, luv. No-one will lay a
finger on you."

Xander gulped a mouthful of his drink, and blinked in surprise. As a rule
he disliked alcohol - the smell was too reminiscent of his Uncle's sour
breath. However, this wasn't like anything he'd tried before, it was sweet
and extremely moreish. He took another large mouthful. 

Spike smiled at him. "A 'Spike special'. You might want to sip it a bit
slower, pet, it packs quite a punch. Two or three of them and you'll be
ready for anything." The vampire's leer left no doubt as to what he meant.

Xander felt the tips of his ears burning with embarrassment. A feeling
which increased ten-fold when Spike leaned in and kissed him. "What ?"
Spike asked, seeing Xander's expression. "There's a no necking in public
rule ? Sod that." The vampire grabbed Xander kissing him long and hard.
Xander resisted....for about half a heartbeat.....then the cool seduction
of
Spike's kiss drew him in. Somehow, he managed to hold onto his drink.

Spike finally released him and Xander sank back against the bar, still
flushed, but now for a very different reason.

"Spike." Angel's voice was equal parts exasperation and a mild warning
tone.

"Piss off," said Spike cheerfully. "You could do with a good kiss
yourself. I've known rotting corpses less stiff than you." He turned to
look
at Xander. "Kiss him."

Xander choked on a mouthful of drink. "Wha-what ?"

"K i s s h i m," Spike repeated slowly, indicating Angel with the tilt of
his head.

"Leave the boy alone, Spike." Angel looked irritated and uncomfortable.
He was used to his childe's games. That didn't mean he liked them.

Spike's expression implied he was considering whether or not to push his
luck. Eventually he gave an indifferent shrug and turned his back on
them both. Xander stood unhappily between the vampires. These two
were together ? Bedtimes must be a whole lot of fun. That thought drew
Xander's mind onto other related topics...such as where the night was
heading. If he couldn't even bring himself to *kiss* Angel, what hope
was there for the rest of the evening's plans ?

Xander peered sideways at a glowering Angel. <Okay, time for a little
honesty here. Do I find him attractive ?> Xander gave his head a tiny
shake in self-disgust. <Well, duh. Just a bit.> In truth, Xander was a
touch alarmed by how eagerly his body was tuning itself into Angel's
physical charms.

It wasn't so much that he was attracted to someone other than Spike.
Xander knew that this attraction was different. He liked Angel, but this
was lust pure and simple. With Spike there was still the lust factor - *was
there ever* - but there were also other deeper forces at work. Xander
hadn't yet found the courage to face them. Nonetheless, he knew that
they were there. 

No, the faint stirrings of panic arose from the revelation that another guy
could turn him on. Xander could no longer put his attraction to Spike
down to a one-off freaky occurrence. Xander let his gaze drift over to the
one human-looking woman in the room. She was raven haired, with a red
dress split down the back and the front and pretty much everywhere else.
Whenever she moved she revealed a reasonable amount of creamy white
skin.

Xander focused on her and found to his dismay that while he could
appreciate her...er...attributes, they did nothing for him. No fire hot
flashes darted through his body, there was no sudden tightening in his
groin. Nothing, zip, nada. It was like looking at a double chocolate fudge
sundae - fantastic but not remotely erotic. In fact ice cream turned him
on more than this.

Xander turned back to face the bar and downed the rest of his drink in
one gulp. It seemed that his mind, body and emotions had finally meshed
and it was going to be the guy thing that did it for him. The jury was
still
out over whether or not it was only a dead-guy thing. Okay, he could
handle. He'd fought demons, battled vampires and even assisted in
averting the odd apocalypse or two. He wasn't about to get all torn up
over falling in love with a....

Xander's mind froze. He took a few deep shuddering breaths and ran
through that last part again. 

He loved Spike. 

Strangely, it wasn't that much of a shock. Perhaps because on some level
he had already known and accepted it. Xander tried to reassure himself.
Was it such a terrible thing ? At least know he knew that he *could* fall
in love and that he wasn't missing some vital part. So, okay, he'd chosen
to lose his heart to an evil soulless vampire...... 

Xander winced. This might be bad. What did he want to do about it ?

He looked at Spike. The blond vampire had turned to face the dance
floor and was nodding his head vigorously in time to the music. Spike
had shifted back into his human visage and his blue eyes gleamed with
an intense energy. Xander felt a warmth settle in his chest. What did he
want to do about it ? - Nothing. *Not a thing*. He was the happiest he'd
ever been and if he could avoid messing this up he'd hang on to it for as
long as it lasted. 

"What's the dozy grin for ?" Spike asked.

"Hmm. Oh, nothing." <A few life altering revelations. No biggie.>

"Good. You can come and dance then."

"Wha-?"

Spike plucked the empty glass out of Xander's fingers and dragged him
out onto the dance floor. Xander went reluctantly <Okay, now *this* is
terrifying.> "Look, I'm really not much of a mover and a shaker. Maybe
Angel-"

"-doesn't dance," said Spike. "Unless you count that slow nancy stuff."
The vampire grinned wickedly. "Or a waltz. He does a great waltz."

Xander stood rigidly, feeling increasingly stupid as demons stomped and
gyrated around him, arms, legs and miscellaneous appendages flailing
wildly. Spike stepped up close. "You can dance," he said softly. "I saw
you, at that place your lot hangs out in."

"The Bronze ?"

"Yeah, that's the spot. You were dancing with the Slayer and the Witch,
the first time I saw you."

"You noticed me ?" Xander's voice rose in surprise.

Spike's eyes narrowed. "I notice lots of stuff." He indicated around them
with a nod of his head. "They don't care what you look like. They don't
care if I dance with you or tear out your living heart. They're lost in
their
own little worlds." Spike wrapped leather-clad arms around Xander's
waist and pulled the boy hard against him. "So are we," he whispered
softly.

Xander shivered and melted against his lover. The music seemed to fade
around him as he inhaled the musky scent of leather, smoke and Spike.
"Eau d'Spike," he said.

Spike rumbled in wordless approval and nibbled Xander's ear. They
moved slowly, rocking against each other. Spike sought out his lover's
lips and they kissed deeply. No one intruded into their private piece of
the dance floor. Some recognized Spike for what he was and stayed well
clear, the others tuned into their wariness and followed suit.

Alone and equally undisturbed, Angel marked out his time at the bar. He
still nursed his first drink as he watched his childe dancing with Xander.
The depth and intensity of this unexpected union continued to surprise
him. He wondered if Spike realised yet just how deeply he'd fallen. Angel
recognized the signs, he knew his childe well. Spike was in love.

Some might argue that such an emotion was beyond the capabilities of a
soulless creature. Angel knew better. Vampire possessed all the emotions
of their human counterparts - anger, hate, pain, suffering, longing and
loneliness. They could feel love, albeit it a darker kind. Admittedly, some
vampires had a limited capacity for such a complex sentiment. Most
minions were little more than brutish killers incapable of any but the
most stunted emotions.

Spike wasn't like that. He exalted in his demonic nature but he was much
more than a savage killer. The blond vampire would be revolted by the
very idea, but Angel often felt Spike was more 'human' than some of the
so-called humans he'd encountered during his long existence. This didn't
mean that Angel wasn't seriously worried about this current situation.
Angel was concerned for Xander but short of staking Spike - which he
couldn't do - there was no way of making Spike surrender his claim.

As for Xander. Angel was pleased that the enmity no longer existed
between them but he wasn't fool enough to think that this meant they
were now best friends. Any suggestions he might make that Xander
would be better staying away from Spike would undoubtedly be greeted
with hostility and suspicion.

Besides which, who was to say his fears were well-founded ? Spike was
in love with Xander and Angel had a pretty good notion that the feeling
was mutual. It was bizarre and crazy and dangerous, that didn't mean it
couldn't work. He'd borne witness to some pretty strange stuff in two-and-
a-half centuries, maybe he should just stand back and let The Powers
That Be handle this one ?

He could still keep an eye on Spike, there was no harm in that;
monitoring his wayward childe was almost second nature. Angel watched
as things heated up - the kisses growing increasingly frantic. Spike's
hands disappeared beneath Xander's shirt and Angel turned away. He
could keep an eye on Spike without being a voyeur.

************************************************

Angel wasn't alone for long. Spike and Xander finally returned from the
dance floor. Xander was flushed, his shirt hanging half open. 

Spike was clearly impatient to be under way. "Drink up, peaches. We're
off." 

Angel waved his empty glass and the blond vampire nodded and turned
to go. As they prepared to leave a scaly demon with intensely bad breath
barrelled into Xander, sending the boy hurtling back against the bar. He
struck it with an 'oof' and fell to the floor. Angel helped him up. Spike
was otherwise engaged, driving the demon's scaly face into the top of the
bar. Spike's yellow eyes promised further violence. "Bethfer janog," he
snarled.

Xander looked questioningly at Angel, who stood by dispassionately.
"He's demanding an apology," Angel translated. The older vampire
slipped into his true face and he looked down at the squirming demon.
"Megesh naroc." (I suggest you make one.)

The demon eyes bulged as he realised the nature of his attacker. "Beja,
beja," he cried in a muffled voice, his lips mashed against the bar.
"Pushka dejoina vampirae. Jula beja. Kindela mee."

Spike grinned savagely."He says he's sorry, pet. He'd no idea you were the
consort of a vampire."

Xander blinked <consort ?>

"He's very sorry," Spike continued, "and he begs you to let him live."
Spike looked wholly indifferent to the idea. "Up to you, luv. Shall I kill
him ?"

"What ? No !" Xander exclaimed. He looked down at the demon who was
beginning to turn a peculiar shade of orange. "Let him go. I..I accept his
apology." It was surprisingly easy to be magnanimous when your vampire
lover was grinding your 'attackers' face into the Formica.

Spike looked disappointed but he released the demon, spinning the
creature around and using a well-placed boot to send it flying back
toward the dance floor. "Right, let's go." He grabbed Xander's arm and
walked off toward the exit.

A thoughtful looking Angel followed them.

Part Eleven  

Spike watched Xander closely. He could feel the tension surrounding his
lover and it bothered the vampire more than he cared to admit. Perhaps
he should have let the lad have another couple of drinks ? It didn't help
that he wasn't exactly in a peachy mood himself. The incident outside the
store had shaken him, serving as an unwanted reminder of his current
vulnerable state. Spike shoved the thought aside. This was temporary. He
would get this flamin' device out of his head and then the world had
better look out. The lone wolf would be on the prowl and out for blood -
literally.

Consoled by that thought and warmed by the memory of the fear on the
demon's face, Spike's mood improved. He kept his gaze locked on his
lover. Xander looked good. Dru had always looked great in red. Xander
looked even better. Angel didn't look bad either. Spike smirked and
complemented himself on his taste. Yep, the rest of the night promised to
be a lot of fun. 

His grin faded slightly. Except the night would never get off the bloody
ground if he couldn't get these two to lighten up a bit. Brood-boy had that
soddin' morose look which meant he was thinking hard about something
and Xander looked like he might bolt at any moment. Spike was
mystified. He'd never understood why any one bothered to get all worked
up over sex. Why couldn't they just go with it ?

The vampire moved closer to Xander, draping an arm across the boy's
shoulders. "Alright, pet ?"

"Fine," said Xander, sounding anything but.

Spike frowned. "You know you don't have to do this ?" <...and I can't
believe I'm saying this...> "We can call it a night if you want."

Xander's gaze flickered nervously onto Angel, who'd overtaken them and
was walking several paces ahead. "I want to...I just.....I mean..."
Xander's
voice trailed off and he stared down at the ground miserably.

"You know, some people would give their right arm for a threesome 
with me and the pouff," said Spike a touch peevishly. Here he was,
anticipating an evening of explosive sex and his lover was acting as
though he was about to go three rounds with a bloody Oenan.

Xander looked at him, wide-eyed. "Th-threesome ?"

Spike snorted. "You don't think I'd let hair-boy 'have at you' all by
himself
do you." Spike looked hard at Xander. "Bleedin' hell you did !"

"I...I" Xander was lost for words.

Spike didn't know whether to laugh or kill something. He stopped and
pulled the startled boy toward him. "You are *mine*. No one touches you
without my say so," he said fiercely.

Xander's dark eyes glittered. Something about the way Spike said 'mine'
sent a violent thrill shuddering through his body. He wrapped his arms
around the vampire's hard body and slowly brushed his lips over Spike's.
The vampire stiffened and then responded to the gentle assault, a cold
tongue flickering across Xander's lips. Xander let the icy velvet probe his
mouth, stealing the bloodheat from his body. 

They ended the kiss by mutual consent, slowly drawing back to look at
one another. Something unspoken passed between them and Spike
silently took Xander's hand as they walked after Angel.

*************************************************

Xander sat alone on Angel's couch trying to unravel the cold knot of fear
coiled inside his stomach. He was apprehensive of what was about to
happen but he was more afraid that he would somehow mess this up. 
He wanted this so badly. He wanted *Spike* so badly. It was an ache, 
a craving - one that haunted his every waking moment and pursued 
him relentlessly through his dreams. Now he was finally close to
obtaining what he most wanted and he was filled with misgivings. 

What if he couldn't do this ? Would Spike leave him for someone he
could have ?....Someone like Angel, who wasn't human and for whom 
the implant wasn't a consideration. 

He had accepted that his lover and Angel were intimate but Xander didn't
know any more than that. In truth, he'd been afraid to ask and now he was
terrified to find out. They undoubtedly had years of intimacy between
them. What did they want with him ? How could he possibly compete
with several lifetimes of experience ?

Spike and Angel had wandered off into the kitchen to feed. Xander had
heard his lover complaining bitterly - presumably another rant about the
disgusting nature of animal blood. He'd turned down Angel's offer of
food, not sure that his stomach could handle it. The tension that had
faded after the kiss in the alleyway was returning in force. Xander rubbed
damp palms against his trousers.

He heard noises from the vicinity of the bathroom, evidently the vampires
had decided blood breath was not a good idea. Xander's stomach lurched
as they appeared and he leapt up from the couch - almost falling back
down as his balance faltered. Spike was beside him in an instant. Angel
slowly came over to stand by them.

Xander could feel his heart thudding against his rib cage, a tumultuous
excitement doing battle with his nerves. Angel stepped closer. Xander
felt suffocated, the air around him seemed thick and cloying. He pulled at
his collar, tugging it away from his throat.

"It's alright, Xander."

Angel's voice startled him and Xander looked at the vampire blinking
stupidly. Angel's expression was kind and understanding. "We don't have
to do this," he said softly, echoing Spike's words.

Xander tried to find his voice. He wet his lips a few times - not missing
how Angel followed the action with his eyes. "No," he forced out
hoarsely. "I want to."

Angel's smiled and stroked a cold finger along the edge of Xander's jaw.
"Then relax, enjoy it." The vampire let his finger slip down to caress the
delicate skin of Xander's throat. "I won't hurt you, Xander." It was a
whispered promise, one that made Xander tremble with fear and longing.
Angel's sibilant tones seduced him, the voice of a Master vampire.
Xander felt a cold, hard body press against his back as Spike's arms
encircled him from behind.

"He has a real sensitive neck," Spike informed his Sire. "For a human," he
added.

"He does ?" Angel sounded intrigued. The vampire lowered his head to
Xander's throat.

Xander found himself tipping his head back, exposing the column of his
throat to Angel's cold lips. His breath hitched as they nibbled lightly
along his skin. It wasn't unpleasant, quite the reverse, Angel's lips were
as
cool and satiny as Spike's. Xander shuddered when an icy tongue
fluttered against the pulse of his throat.

"Hmm, you like that, don't you, pet." Spike purred, and Xander felt a
second pair of cold lips press against the nape of his neck, covering it in
soft kisses. He swayed dizzily and two pairs of arms held him upright.
The lips that teased the front of his throat moved up to nip his jaw
playfully. They moved higher, placing a small feather-light kiss against
the corner of his mouth. Xander moaned softly.

Angel drew back, his dark eyes held a silent question. Xander nodded. At
the first touch of Angel's mouth against his own, a tremor wracked
Xander's frame and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut. <I'm kissing
Angel....> he thought dazedly. Then Angel's lips moved slightly and
Xander hesitantly yielded to their gentle coaxing. 

A cold tongue brushed his mouth, sending a further shiver through his
body. Xander parted his lips slightly, jumping when the same tongue
slipped inside and swirled around his mouth. Tentatively, Xander
responded, brushing his tongue against Angel's. Xander tasted the
tingling freshness of mint and a faint coppery tang of blood. Behind them
lay the indescribable flavour of Angel - somehow warm and rich despite
the unnatural coolness of the vampire's mouth.

Xander's fears faded as he lost himself in the kiss. He clutched Angel's
shoulders fiercely, his fingers driving into the muscle. His eagerness fed
the vampire's rising desire and the kiss became increasingly frenetic as
they plundered one another's mouths. Spike was not an idle onlooker,
Xander felt his lover's long cold fingers ghost beneath his shirt. The
vampire's blunt nails scratched across his belly, moving upward to tug
and pinch his nipples, teasing them into hardness. All the while Spike
rubbed against him, like a cat demanding to be petted.

Suddenly, Xander found himself being torn from Angel's embrace. The
older vampire drew his hands away instantly, as Spike spun Xander
around and claimed his mouth in a bruising kiss. Xander's legs buckled
beneath him and light-headed he leaned in toward his lover. As the kiss
ended, he dimly heard a voice growl out "Bed", before he found himself
being pulled along by two pairs of urgent hands. 

Xander was half carried across the room, his legs scarcely able to support
him. The vampires stripped him of his clothing as they walked. Xander
almost whimpered with relief. A firestorm was raging beneath his skin
and even the fragile silk of the shirt felt unbearable as it clung stickily
to
his chest. Spike simply tore the shirt apart, sending buttons flying across
the room. Angel applied himself to the task of removing Xander's shoes,
slacks and socks.

They stopped beside the bed. Xander stood, hot and dizzy, clad only in
his boxers. He watched wide-eyed as the vampires removed their clothing
with desperate haste. Xander's rapt gaze travelled over ivory skin and
hard lean muscle, it faltered at a point just above Angel's waistline.
Xander drew in a deep breath and looked down. He swallowed. It would
seem that the vampire was impressively built everywhere. 

Spike was through wasting time and he grabbed Xander, tumbling them
both onto the bed.

Angel hung back, his hands clenched into bloodless fists.

Straddling Xander, Spike glanced over his shoulder at his Sire. The
younger vampire growled softly. Angel responded to the wordless call,
moving forward so quickly that to Xander's startled eyes he appeared to
blur. Angel wrenched Spike's head back, devouring his childe's lips in a
savage kiss. 

Pinned to the bed, Xander felt his erection twitch in response, there was
something powerfully erotic in watching Spike yield to Angel's brutal
claiming. Boldly, he stretched out a trembling hand and touched Angel's
chest. He stroked it, fascinated by the perfect smoothness of that cold
marble-like skin. He needed more. 

As always, Spike appeared to anticipate what Xander wanted and the
vampire loosened his grip, allowing Xander to wriggle out from under
him. Xander stroked his lover's body, placing hard kisses and soft bites
along the vampire's torso. He smiled as his lips tingled with the purr that
resounded through Spike's body. Xander sat up and turned his attention 
to Angel, who was still hungrily kissing the younger vampire. Yet another
advantage of not needing to pause for breath.

Xander let his gaze linger upon the broad expanse of milk-white skin.
<Mine> The thought was tinged with awe. Okay, it was his....Now what
to do with it ? Impulsively, Xander knelt up and ran his tongue along
Angel's collar bone, when he reached the fleshy muscle joint he sank his
teeth in slightly.

The response was immediate. Angel released Spike with a growl and
turned to look at an alarmed Xander. Gold gleamed behind the shadowed
darkness of his eyes. "Again," the vampire hissed.

Xander blinked but quickly put his mouth back over the bitemark. He bit
down slowly. 

"Harder," Angel gasped in a strained voice.

Xander obeyed. He felt his teeth cut into the vampire's skin and he tasted
salt and blood....and Angel. 

When he'd bitten Spike, Xander had barely tasted the vampire's 
blood - diluted by the pool water it had been the faintest tingle upon his
tongue. Now he kept his mouth pressed over the wound and sucked hard.
Rich liquid heat burst across his tongue like an electric charge. Xander
shuddered and drew harder upon the torn flesh. The blood seemed to call
to him and he craved more.

Angel gave a throaty purr and gently pushed Xander way. Xander
whimpered in protest. Angel silenced him with a kiss, stealing the blood
back from Xander's mouth. When that kiss ended Spike initiated another,
kissing Xander with such thoroughness that the boy knew he was trying
to find the last traces of Angel's blood. 

Finally, Spike withdrew and turned hopeful eyes upon his Sire. Xander
watched as the older vampire beckoned his childe forward. Angel stroked
his finger across the already healing wound and offered the bloody digit
to his childe. It was clear that Spike would have preferred the original
source. Xander had an idea that for a childe to feed off their Sire was
something of an event.

Spike didn't hesitate for long however, he darted forward and took the
finger into his mouth. Cheekbones sharpened as Spike sucked upon it
with evident enjoyment. Angel watched his childe impassively, after a
brief while he made to pull his finger free and Spike's lips curled back in
displeasure. The younger vampire growled and Xander felt a cold chill
sweep through his body as he recognized the threat in his lover's wordless
utterance. Angel's eyes narrowed and he growled in response. Spike
reluctantly let go and he sat back on his heels, his expression sullen.

Angel looked amused. Xander was slightly uncomfortable; Spike clearly
wasn't too happy that he had been granted a privilege denied to the
younger vampire. Xander looked at Angel, his eyes silently pleading.
Angel frowned and then nodded. "Spike." The blond vampire hadn't seen
the silent exchange and he looked up at the sound of his Sire's voice.
Angel reached for Spike's hand and placed it against his chest. "Drink,"
he said softly. Spike's eyes widened but he quickly slipped into his game
face and pressed his lips to Angel's chest.

Xander watched as thin rivulets of blood trickled down Angel's chest. He
could hear the soft sounds Spike made as he fed. Spellbound, Xander
dragged his finger through one bloody trail, smearing it across Angel's
torso. He stared hard at the glistening scarlet coating his forefinger. It
was 
different - actually *seeing* the blood - and it was with a vague sense of
horror that Xander found himself putting the gory digit into his mouth. 

Whatever revulsion he might have felt evaporated as he tasted the
intoxicating elixir. It was all Xander could do not to push Spike away and
drink from Angel himself. He wiped his whole hand over the thin bloody
streams and eagerly brought it back up to his mouth. 

Angel's eyes had drifted shut as his childe fed from him. They re-opened
slowly and he glanced across at Xander. Angel frowned and he quickly
pushed Spike away. Spike made a disgruntled noise and fell back, his lips
and teeth red with blood. Angel tugged Xander's hand down from his
mouth and shook his head. "Best not," he said.

Xander frowned puzzled.

"There's power in it," Spike explained gently. "You can handle a bit, but
too much can be dangerous, pet." 

Angel brought Xander's wet palm up to his mouth and began to lathe
away the remainder of the blood with his own tongue. Xander's frown
vanished as a thrilled shiver stole through his body. Spike pushed back
his vampiric visage and joined in, licking at the tiny droplets that dotted
Xander's arm. 

Even when the last of the blood was gone they continued with their
impromptu tongue bath, licking his chest and belly. Xander gasped as
Spike's cold tongue swirled around his navel and he was pushed back
upon the bed. He couldn't have resisted if he'd wanted to.

Not that he wanted to. This was heaven.

Or perhaps it was hell ? Since it was demons not seraphs who were
leading him along the path of ecstasy.

Xander didn't much care at this point.

The bed proved amply big enough for three and Xander found himself
placed in the middle facing Spike. Angel's tongue trailed across his back
and shoulders; Spike had found his nipples and was suckling on them
with the eagerness of a newborn. Xander was having difficulty breathing
through the haze of pleasure that enveloped him; a myriad of sensations
burning away his ability to act or think. He cried out when Spike slipped
down his body and took his erection into that cold, skilful mouth.

Lost in his lover's ministrations, Xander didn't sense Angel's sudden
departure, but he did feel the mattress dip slightly as the vampire
returned. Cold lips covered his back and shoulders in a blanket of kisses.
A voice caressed his ear. "...so beautiful. You're so beautiful. Don't be
afraid, Xander..."

The voice wove a slow hypnotic spell around him as Xander thrust lazily
into Spike's mouth, his fingers gripping the short blond waves. Hands
smoothed over his back, gliding down to cup his buttocks. Xander tensed
slightly and the hands moved upward, coaxing the tension out of his
muscles. The soft voice continued, though Xander could no longer make
out the words. It formed a whispering chant, lulling him, and gradually he
relaxed again. 

Spike released his rigid length and suckled gently upon the velvet sac
beneath, Xander uttered a sharp groan and curled his legs up toward his
chest. He was too lost in the sensations Spike was creating to fully
register the finger slick finger that slipped in between his buttock
cheeks.
It was only when it probed very gently at the opening to his body that
Xander whimpered in protest.

Immediately Spike moved back up his body so they were face-to-face.
"Here, I've got you. I've got you," the vampire murmured softly. Xander
found himself being lifted and turned - cradled against Spike's chest as
the blond vampire lay back against the bed.

The finger had withdrawn at Xander's small cry of alarm. Strong, oiled
hands now rubbed his body, gliding over the backs of his legs, his arms,
kneading his shoulders - drawing the tension out of rigid muscles. Spike
found Xander's mouth and they engaged in a slow, deep kiss. This time
when Angel's finger trailed down his crease Xander only wriggled
slightly. 

He stopped wriggling as the cold digit stroked along his perineum,
unwinding soft coils of pleasure. Back and forth it whispered over the
sensitive skin. Xander began to rock into the caress. He squirmed when
the finger probed gently at the entrance to his body, but this time it
didn't
move away. The kiss broke for air and Spike's gaze held Xander fast, as
Angel slowly eased his oiled finger past the tight, virgin muscle.

Xander shivered and Spike began to cover his face in tender kisses,
showering them across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, tickling his
eyelashes. Spike's sibilant voice joined Angel's and the vampires
murmured to him soothingly, cold fingers stroking his skin.

Cradled against Spike's chest, Xander surrendered to the intrusion that
pushed slickly into his body. He lay, open and exposed, but he wasn't
afraid. Angel's touch was infinitely gentle, and though there was some
discomfort, it didn't really hurt. The fullness felt strange as his muscles
closed around the vampire's finger and Xander wriggled again - trying to
decide if this felt good....or just odd.

Then the finger moved and Xander saw stars. He cried out, arching back,
then thrusting forward, his hips grinding into Spike's. "A-again," he
pleaded. Ribbons of ecstasy wound around him, tightening into bands
that crushed the air from of his lungs. When Angel withdrew, Xander
sank into his lover's embrace panting wildly. After a moment he lifted his
head weakly. 

Spike's face bore a wicked grin."Good, pet ?"

"Mmguph," said Xander intelligently. He was pressed harder into Spike's
unyielding body as Angel leaned forward. A cold tongue traced moist
patterns across his shoulder blades. Xander felt like purring.

"More ?" a soft voice asked.

"Hmm," Xander murmured.

There was a brief pause. Then Angel warned - "This might be cold."

<Wha-?> Xander gasped as the oil hit his skin, drizzling between his
buttocks. He twitched and tried to squirm away.

Spike grunted as the full weight of Xander's body pressed down upon his
erection. "Bloody hell."

Xander glanced worriedly at his lover. Gold reflected back at him, Spike
had apparently enjoyed the punishing contact. As Spike kissed his neck
Xander felt the vampire's teeth graze his skin. Spike froze then pulled
back sharply. Xander could see the regret in those wide yellow eyes and
he kissed his lover, cautious of the razor-edged teeth.

The initial shock of the cold oil had subsided and Xander willed himself
to relax as Angel's finger began to ease its way back into his body. He
was forced to break the kiss as the finger crooked inside him sending
bolts of ecstasy up and down his spine. 

Xander barely heard the low voice that told him to be ready. Then he felt
himself being uncomfortably stretched as a second finger joined the first.
This time it hurt, not a lot, but sufficient to drag a tiny whimper from
him. The fingers remained still until he relaxed a fraction, then they
moved again.

Spike nuzzled Xander's face as the fingers pushed deeper. Gradually the
hurt faded and Xander was only aware of the fullness and the intensity of
Angel's touch. Spike's arms stroked his back, calming trembling muscles.

"Alright, pet ?" Spike sounded concerned, his voice rough-edged with
desire.

Xander nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Can I move ?" Angel asked. 

Xander could hear the strain in the vampire's voice. He gave another terse
nod and Angel moved his fingers cautiously. Xander felt a sharp twinge
of pain which quickly melted into a burning warmth as Angel thrust
slowly, the vampire's fingers sliding slickly in and out of the tight hot
channel. Xander's body responded on an instinctive level, rocking back
into each thrust. 

Xander's breathing quickened and as he rocked he felt Spike take up the
motion - the vampire's narrow hips driving up to meet his own. Xander
felt his erection growing hot and heavy with the delicious friction. Spike
benefited from the same and the vampire began to 'pant'. The pressure
built and Xander moaned as he tried to hold back.

"Let go, luv. Let go," Spike urged him.

Xander shuddered - every muscle tensed - and he came, his seed shooting
out between their bodies. He sank into Spike's arms, gasping and shaking.
Spike tenderly stroked back the sweaty strands of his fringe. Darkness
fluttered around the edges of his vision and he was only vaguely aware of
Angel's fingers slipping free of his body. As the vampire moved to lay
down, Xander turned his head to face him.

"You okay ?" Angel asked softly.

Xander tried to get his brain and mouth to work in tandem....It proved 
difficult. He decided that if he was any more okay he'd be unconscious.
"F-fine," he managed finally, still breathing hard. Xander was surprised
by the intensity of the relief that flashed across Angel's face. He was
even
more surprised when the vampire leaned in and placed a quick but firm
kiss upon his startled mouth.

"Ready for round two ?" Spike teased.

"Need to... g-get my breath back," Xander mumbled, 
his face pressed into
the vampire's chest. Spike laughed softly. 

Angel stroked Xander's shoulders. "Sleep," he whispered.

It played around the edges of Xander's mind that neither vampire had
come, but he was too drained to think much more of it and he succumbed
to a sated sleep. 

The two vampires remained awake, cradling the sleeping boy between
them.

Part Twelve  

Xander's limbs felt lax and heavy but he was more-or-less awake and he
forced his eyes open. He blinked blearily, rubbing his face against the
smooth chest beneath his cheek. He was still cradled loosely against
Spike's body, his lips next to a flushed pink nipple. Following an impulse,
Xander let his tongue dart out to sweep across the sensitive bud. It 
hardened as Spike moaned softly.

Emboldened by the wordless encouragement, Xander sucked hard upon
the taut nub, grazing it lightly with his teeth. Spike's answering purr
sent
a coil of heat through his body. Xander teased the captured nipple a while
longer before reluctantly relinquishing it. He slowly raised his head to
meet Spike's golden-eyed gaze. 

Xander placed his hands upon the bed, either side of his lover, and raised
himself up. Spike made no attempt to restrain him, lowering his own
arms to his sides. Xander moved up his lover's body until they were face-
to-face. He held Spike's gaze for a moment, then wiggled up a touch
higher so that his lips were level with the line of ridges marking Spike's
brow. 

Xander lowered his face to his lover's and with his tongue he slowly 
traced the outline of ridges around Spike's left eye. He followed the lines
and creases across the bridge of the vampire's nose to the right eye.
Xander travelled back along a similar path, this time placing soft kisses
across the folds and furrows. Xander raised his head. Spike's mouth had
fallen open and he was doing that strange breathless pant.

Carefully, Xander pressed his lips to the vampire's. He pushed his tongue
into Spike's mouth and the vampire's tongue rose to tangle with his own.
The kiss started slow and cautious but quickly grew more urgent. Xander
caught his tongue upon a needle-sharp fang and the coppery tang of blood
filled his mouth. Spike drank from him eagerly, sucking on the tiny
wound to draw out more.

Xander broke the kiss, his lips stained with scarlet. He turned to look at
Angel. The older vampire was watching them with an unreadable
expression - though Xander thought he could see a growing hunger in
those impenetrable eyes. Xander leaned toward the vampire, hiding a
small triumphant smile when Angel eagerly came forward to taste his
lips.

Angel's kiss was much more hesitant than Spike's. As the vampire tasted
the blood, Xander felt the quiver that passed through Angel's frame.
Fuelled by desire, Xander deepened the kiss, aggressively forcing Angel's
lips apart. He felt the change as Angel shed the fragile veneer of his
humanity, his features shifting into their coarser vampiric guise. Sure
enough when Xander drew back, Angel's eyes were wide and golden.

"X-Xander," the vampire whispered brokenly. 

Xander hushed him with another kiss. This time he deliberately sliced his
tongue open upon a jagged tooth, letting the blood trickle into Angel's
mouth. Xander knew that he was courting the vampires' blood lust and
the implicit danger was a rush that went directly to his groin. He was
already hard when Spike's cool fingers closed around his satin length,
stroking it gently but firmly. 

Despite having come twice in the course of the evening, Xander knew he
was about to come again - and he wanted Angel inside of him when he
did. He tore his lips from Angel's. "I'm ready," he gasped urgently.

He knew that Angel had understood his breathless declaration when those
wide golden eyes opened even wider. There was a raw hunger in Angel's
face that made Xander's heart quicken. Angel moved into position and
Xander turned back into his lover's embrace. "Hold me," he whispered, a
faint edge of fear to his voice. Spike's arms tightened around him.

"You're mine," the blond growled. "Remember, you're *mine*."

"Yours," Xander echoed fervently. They kissed as Angel's hands kneaded
Xander's buttocks and rubbed the muscles of his back, readying him. Oil-
slicked fingers slid into him and Xander murmured wordlessly. They
stretched and opened him, working some of the oil into his tight passage,
then they withdrew.

Xander was unable to prevent the shiver of fear that shuddered through
him as he felt the cold blunt head of Angel's erection nudge against the
entrance to his body. He knew that both vampires had felt it when Angel
froze and Spike cupped his face between both hands. "I have you," the
blond vampire whispered tenderly. Xander willed himself to relax.

"Ready ?" Angel's soft voice asked.

"Y-yes," Xander replied, cursing the tremor in his voice. However, Angel
seemed to accept his answer and the vampire pushed forward slowly.
Xander gasped sharply and buried his face into the crook of Spike's neck.
It hurt, oh gods it hurt. Far bigger than Angel's fingers it burned as it
breached the tight ring of muscle. The pain seemed to go on and on as
Xander grit his teeth to stop himself from crying out.

********************************************

Xander had no way of knowing how hard it was for Angel not to simply
force his way in. It had been a long time since the vampire had taken a
living, human male and even longer since he had attempted to do so with
any sort of care or kindness. The vampire's teeth cut his lips as he fought
the urge to thrust too deeply, too quickly. Xander was virgin tight, velvet
wetness and the heat...Angel had forgotten how blood warmth felt
enclosed around him as Xander's muscles clenched his erection.

Halfway in he paused to let Xander catch his breath. The boy was
trembling, but behind the sharp acrid smell of fear, Angel could detect a
ribbon of desire slowly unwinding. That gave him the impetuous he
needed and with one last thrust he eased his way fully inside, his loins
flush with Xander's buttocks. Xander gave a tiny yelp and lay quivering
beneath him.

Angel met his childe's golden-eyed gaze. Spike's expression was wary as
he held his trembling lover tightly, but Angel could see the acceptance in
his face. Spike understood that some measure of pain was unavoidable -
that was the only reason why he was allowing Angel to do this.
Otherwise, Angel was pretty damned sure he'd never have got within
hand-shaking distance of Xander. 

Angel stroked his fingers across the boy's back, the strangeness of the
moment suddenly striking him. Never had he dreamed that his pseudo-
friendship with Xander would take this unexpected twist. He could only
be grateful that it had. Angel suppressed a surge of sadness, it would be
so easy to fall in love with this boy.....Something he could never let
happen. He looked back up at Spike and knew that his childe had read his
thoughts. 

Ashamed, Angel dropped his gaze away. Spike's foot nudged him and he
glanced back up. Spike's eyes smiled at him, there was nothing cruel or
mocking in their gaze. Just an understanding and perhaps even a faint
trace of sympathy. Angel felt the muscles gripping his erection loosen
minutely. "I'm going to move now, Xander. It will hurt at first, but don't
tense up, okay ?" 

Xander nodded his face still buried in Spike's neck. 

Angel pulled back slowly. He heard the hiss of Xander's breath escaping
through tightly clenched teeth. Angel gripped the boy's hips and pushed
back in again, Xander moaned. Angel struggled to ignore the boy's
distress and pulled out again. When he pushed back in he adjusted the
angle very slightly and Xander gave a very different kind of moan.

"Good ?" he asked anxiously.

Xander nodded."Y-yes." His voice held a touch of surprise.

Angel smiled knowingly, sliding his hard length almost all the way out
and then thrusting deeply back in. 

Xander cried out and bucked against Spike. "Oh gods. More, *please*
more," he begged.

Angel responded willingly, thrusting more easily now that Xander's tight
channel had opened to him. He kept the rhythm slow at first but as
Xander began to push back into each thrust he upped the tempo. Spike
moved with them, driving his own erection up into Xander's belly. The
scent of arousal hung heavily in the air and Angel felt his release drawing
closer. 

Suddenly, Xander stiffened and Angel felt the boy's inner muscles tighten
almost painfully around him. With a sound very like a sob, Xander came
collapsing heavily across Spike. It was evidently all that the younger
vampire had been waiting for as he gave a long unearthly howl signalling
his own release. Angel continued to thrust...once...twice more....and then
he came silently, struggling not to fall forward across the other two.

He let his erection slip free of Xander and he dropped down beside them
on the bed. Spike kept one arm firmly wrapped around Xander but his
free hand sought out Angel's and he interlaced their fingers. Angel was
surprised when Spike squeezed his hand, he squeezed back and heard
Spike's soft purr. The younger vampire's sounds of pleasure echoed
around the basement and summoned a response in Angel.

Xander was only semi-conscious but he turned a flushed face toward
them. "Cats," he mumbled. "Nice pussies." The boy giggled.

"Go to sleep, idiot," Spike rumbled affectionately.

Angel felt too replete to join the playful bickering and he closed his
eyes, feeling the
soft thrumming spiralling up through his chest as he continued to purr.
Xander's soft
snores were soon added to the vampires' sounds of contentment. The latter
faded as
Spike and Angel also succumbed to sleep.

Part Thirteen  

Xander turned over and winced as several well-used body parts twinged
in vehement protest. He hurt pretty much everywhere, his muscles ached,
his skin felt tenderized, some bits actually throbbed.......and he had
never
been so blissfully happy in his life. He buried a self-satisfied smile into
the pillow and sighed contentedly. 

For five days he'd only left Angel's bed for necessary calls of nature and
the occasional much needed shower. Xander had no idea where his
clothes were; presumably his unpacked bag was around somewhere. (He
*hoped* someone had brought it out of the car since he still wasn't overly
optimistic about the vehicle's survival.) 

If this was all some erotic dream Xander decided he wouldn't bother
waking up. The role of 'willing sex-slave' to two Master vampires was a
part he was prepared to play forever. He only hoped his body would hold
out. Xander envied Spike and Angel their recuperative abilities; in
between lengthy sex sessions all he wanted to do was sleep. Even eating
seemed too much of an effort. Spike had resorted to hand feeding him as
he lay back against the pillows, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Yep, they were probably killing him....but what a way to go.

Xander stretched out a foot, it connected with a cold leg, provoking an
unintelligible grumble from his lover. Spike had rarely left his side
during the past five days. The vampire seemed more than happy to spend
his time kissing, licking or sucking Xander. Xander for one, was not
about to complain. Maybe Spike was somewhat orally fixated - it was
only a good thing from his point of view. 

Angel had taken Xander as frequently as the young man's body would
allow. Xander was whole-heartedly enthusiastic and it was with a certain
regret, that he acknowledged he did need a certain amount of recovery
time between sessions. 

Xander ignored the little voice in side his head that screamed at him - 
demanding to know what the hell he thought he was doing. So he'd
discovered that he liked to be fucked - by a vampire. What of it ? 
There were worse addictions.

Xander poked his lover's leg sharply with his toe.

"Mmphzt ?" Spike mumbled.

Xander continued to prod the vampire until, with an annoyed grunt, Spike
turned around to face him. "What ? !" the blond snapped.

Xander smiled suggestively.

Spike's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Again ?" A wide grin spread across
the vampire's face. "Bloody hell, you're insatiable." He pulled Xander into
his arms. "I like that," he purred. The heated kiss that followed was
interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. They shot apart
and looked up startled - to see a sheepish Angel standing by the foot of
the bed putting on his coat.

Xander suppressed a sigh. It didn't look like there would be any further
threesome action for a while. Still, that meant he could have some fun
alone with Spike. Xander brightened at the thought. Much as he enjoyed
their...er....'group activities'....one-to-one with Spike remained
uncontested for sheer explosive intensity.

"I have to go out," said Angel unnecessarily.

Spike snorted. "Let me guess. Vision-boy saw a damsel in distress and
you have to go and save the stupid bint."

Angel looked apologetic.

Spike waved him away. "Go on. Do your bloody knight in shining armour
bit. Just get a move on."

"Actually," Angel's tone was flat but he appeared to be trying to convey
something with his eyes. "I might be a while."

"So ?" Spike snapped, failing miserably to look unperturbed by this news.

"I'm sure that you can both get along without me." The older vampire
placed a peculiar emphasis on the last two words.

"Too bloody right," Spike mumbled. He'd laced his fingers behind his
head and lay stretched out across the bed. He was the picture of casual
indifference - if one ignored the rigidly locked muscles and tightly
clenched jaw.

"I mean you two can...." Angel's voice trailed off and he looked at them
pointedly.

Xander finally clicked to what Angel was trying to tell them and he felt a
frisson of nervous excitement.

Spike was none the wiser. "What ?"

Angel was losing patience with his childe. He shook his head
despairingly. "Will, why did you come here ?"

The younger vampire glared at him. "Cos I had no bloody choice. Not if I
ever want to-" Spike stopped, blue eyes wide. Angel nodded wordlessly.
Spike's gaze instantly focused on Xander and he tore back the bedsheets.
Xander gave a startled yelp and lay shivering as Spike feasted upon him
with gold-tinged eyes. He found himself wondering if he would survive
this encounter.

Angel evidently shared his concerns. "Have a care, Spike. He's not like
us."

Spike ripped his gaze away from Xander to stare scornfully at his Sire. "I
know that you pouff." Angel scowled and Spike's expression softened 
seductively. He crawled toward his Sire, leaning over the iron bedstead.
"Come 'ere."

Still frowning, Angel moved closer. 

Spike knelt up and cupped the older vampire's face between long white
fingers. The kiss was slow and deep. When Spike finally drew back he
looked long and hard at his Sire. Angel evidently read something in his
childe's face as he nodded, the faint trace of a smile playing upon his
lips.
Xander guessed that in his own way, Spike had just said 'thank you'. 

Angel glanced at Xander once before he walked away, his dark eyes
shadowed with sadness. Xander had a sudden urge to call him back.
Okay, so he wasn't in love with Angel. This new intimacy had forged
*something* between them, something less than love but more than
friendship. However he remained silent, lowering his gaze to the bed.

He glanced back up as Spike lay down beside him and couldn't help
looking around for the older vampire, but Angel had gone. 

Spike had evidently followed Xander's eyes."You want to wait until hair-
boy gets back ?"

Xander hid a smile at his lover's failed attempt at nonchalance. Spike
didn't share well, he was jealous and possessive by nature. Xander knew
the vampire had only tolerated Angel's intrusion in their relationship
because it was necessary. Now it appeared that was no longer the case
and Spike was reverting to type.

This was the perfect opportunity for a little payback and Xander couldn't
pass it up. He pretended to give the suggestion some thought. "Maybe we
should." Xander stroked his fingers through Spike's hair, ruffling up the
blond waves. "It won't be the same without him."

Spike's sullen expression wavered and Xander caught a glimpse of panic
in those blue-gold eyes. He decided not to torment his lover any further.
Sliding down the pillows, Xander lay face-to-face with the vampire.
"Idiot," he said fondly.

A puzzled look, a flash of surprise and Spike's eyes widened in
admiration. "You bastard."

"Hmm," Xander agreed as he nipped Spike's nose playfully.

Spike was fighting a grin. "Brat," he growled.

"Yep," said Xander smiling.

Spike lost the fight and grinned back at him. "You, my pet, have a real
evil streak."

"I'm learning from the Master," said Xander with mock solemnity.

"Master ?" Spike rolled the word across his tongue. "Hmm. Yeah, I like
that." The vampire grabbed Xander's wrists pinning him back against the
bed. "Say it again."

"Master," Xander repeated, his voice thick with desire.

"Tell me what you want," Spike demanded.

"You."

"Ask me. I want to hear you say it."

Xander met his lover's gaze without a trace of embarrassment. "Fuck me.
I want you to fuck me." The words had barely left his lips when Spike
kissed him, drawing Xander's tongue into the cool recess of his mouth.
The kiss was slow and deep; a sharp sweetness that made Xander forget
every ache and sore spot. The vampire released his wrists and Xander
reached for his lover, stroking his hands across Spike's shoulders and
back.

Things rapidly became more heated, the kisses growing increasingly
urgent as they thrust against one another. Blunt nails scratched down
Xander's chest, making him gasp and arch upward. The same strong
hands continued down his body. Xander whimpered as they skirted his
erection and slipped beneath his hips. The whimper became a heated
moan as Spike's long fingers cupped his buttocks and began to knead
them roughly.

The slow burning heat was now a desperate conflagration. They had both
wanted this for far too long to spend any further time on foreplay. Xander
gasped out, "Oil," as Spike reached down to retrieve the bottle from the
floor. 

Spike handed it to Xander and lay back on the bed."Get me ready." 

His hands shaking, Xander opened the bottle and poured the oil into his
palm. 

"Hurry up," Spike hissed.

Xander quickly placed his fingers around the vampire's erection. Spike
gave a strange choked growl and thrust up into his hand. Xander stroked
his oil-slicked fingers up and down the cold satin length, feeling it swell
and harden still further. He brushed his thumb gently across the weeping
tip and Spike shuddered. 

"Enough," the vampire growled roughly, snatching up the bottle of oil.
"Come here."

As Spike knelt up and coated his fingers in the oil, Xander followed the
vampire's lead and knelt facing him. Spike's arm encircled Xander's
waist, while his free hand roamed across Xander's back and buttocks.
Xander rested his head against the vampire's shoulder swaying slightly as
long, cold fingers gently eased their way into his body.

"Alright ?" Spike asked gruffly.

Xander offered a, "Hmm" of assent. He pressed hard against his lover as
Spike's slick fingers slid in and out of his body. His breathing quickened,
his erection rubbing against the vampire's belly. "Please, Spike," he
whispered frantically. He was too close. 

Spike withdrew his fingers. "Lay down."

Xander lay down - on his back.

Spike frowned. "Turn over."

Xander shook his head. Angel hadn't taken him this way but he knew
what he wanted. "No, I want to see you."

Spike looked uncertain. "It might hurt this way."

Xander smiled at his lover. "It won't." His quiet confidence seemed to
reassure the vampire, who moved to kneel between Xander's parted
thighs. 

Spike lifted Xander's legs and positioned himself. "Ready ?" 

Unable to speak, Xander nodded and Spike cautiously pushed forward.

Xander held his breath; he felt a burning ache as his lover's hard length
pushed past the tight ring of muscle, but no real pain, just the incredible
sensation of being stretched and filled. He moaned, releasing a ragged
breath, and looked up at Spike. For once, the vampire's expression was
totally unguarded and he wore a look of stunned wonder. 

Xander stretched out a hand and Spike leaned in to catch his questing
fingers, kissing and licking them. The vampire drew one into his mouth
and swirled his tongue around it, eyes half-closed in ecstasy.

"Spike, please.." Xander begged, he needed more. A low moan was torn
from him as the vampire began to move. <Oh gods, *yes* !> Xander
gripped Spike's arms, feeling the shudder that passed through his lover's
body. Spike moved slowly, pulling almost all the way out, then sinking
back in again - deep, so very deep. Xander's breath caught as he arched
up, gently thrusting into Spike's downward stroke, taking the vampire in
even deeper.

Spike hissed and Xander felt a thrill slice through him. The change was
rapid, smooth human planes developing bold vampiric ridges, as wide
eyes turned brilliant gold. Xander stared hungrily at his lover and his
gaze
fell upon the faint, thready veins blossoming beneath the vampire's skin. 

Xander tracked the violet web across Spike's chest. His tongue darted out
to wet his lips - he knew what he wanted. He looked around him
frantically and his eyes caught on the object nestling amongst the pillows.
Xander stared urgently at the little glass vial. "B-break the..b-bottle." 

"Wha-?"

"Do it," Xander hissed, his voice low and urgent.

Spike grabbed the narrow vial and simply snapped it in two. Frowning, he
held out the broken pieces. Xander snatched one and jabbed it into his
hand. Tugging it across his palm he tore open a jagged gash. The oil
clinging to the coloured glass sent a buzz of pain humming along the cut
and Xander threw the shard aside. He clenched and unclenched his
fingers, digging them into his palm until he felt a sticky warmth oozing
out over skin. 

Finally, he looked up at his lover, holding out a gory hand; Spike threw
the bottle's shattered remains to the floor and reached for it. Xander
squirmed with delight as his lover's tongue swept between his fingers.
The cold, wet touch fluttered along the cut, delicately lapping up the
blood as it rose into the wound. Impatiently, he thrust upwards and Spike
released his hand and gripped his hips.

The time for slow and gentle was long past and Spike drove in with long,
deep strokes. Xander met him thrust for thrust, struggling to drag enough
air into his lungs as his lover pounded into him. Sweat prickled his brow.
His hand felt hot and aching, rivulets of blood running down his arm.
Xander licked it from his skin, the metallic tang sharp against his tongue.
Through a haze of desire he heard Spike's growl and he gazed up at his
lover. 

The vampire arched forward and kissed Xander fiercely, keeping his
fangs well away from Xander's soft lips. The angle of his thrusts changed
and Xander cried out into the kiss. His body jerked as the sensations
exploded through his body but Spike refused to relinquish his mouth,
pushing his tongue against Xander's, tasting blood and saliva. 

He felt Spike take his injured hand and put it down between their bodies.
Xander instinctively curled his bloody fingers around his erection. The
vampire placed his own hand over the top and Xander gasped, hot and
cold cradling his flesh. Spike broke the kiss, panting, and stroked
Xander's straining hardness in rhythm with his thrusts, drawing their
hands up and down the velvet length. Xander stiffened....so close...so
close.... 

Like a sheet of flame his orgasm tore though him and he cried out, his
seed shooting over his belly. Spike continued to drive into him, the
vampire's thrusts growing increasingly wild and erratic. Suddenly Spike
threw his head back and howled and Xander felt his lover's cold seed rush
into him. Spike hung suspended for a moment, every muscle rigid, then
he collapsed forward shivering, burying his face against Xander. 

After a while, the vampire shifted his hips slightly and slipped free; he
remained draped across Xander. At that precise moment, Xander couldn't
have moved if his mother and the entire 'scooby gang' had miraculously
materialised at the foot of the bed. He felt boneless, floating in a sea of
sheer contentment and satiated bliss. A smile spread across his face as he
heard a deep rumbling purr. Then Xander felt a cold tongue brush across
his skin. He forced his eyes open and looked down.

Spike was lapping the semen off his belly.

"Oh gods," he murmured.

"Nice, pet ?"

Xander opened and closed his mouth a few times before he could speak.
"Oh *yes*, nice. Hmm. More than nice." He shut his eyes, a dreamy look
floating across his face. "Don't stop."

"*Never*"

Something in the vampire's tone made Xander re-open his eyes and look
at his lover. Spike's golden eyes stared back. There was nothing human in
that ancient, unblinking gaze but Xander could read the promise it held.
Spike would never let him go and Xander knew he should be afraid. 

He wasn't. 

This was what he'd wanted all his life. 

Xander ran his finger through the pool of cooling semen, putting it to
Spike's lips. The vampire's eyes never left his as Spike drew the finger
into his mouth and sucked it clean. "Never," Xander whispered softly. 
He held out his arms and Spike moved into the embrace, turning them so
they lay side by side. 

The air felt cold against Xander's bare skin and he shivered. Spike
quickly snagged the corner of a blanket with his foot and dragged it up
the bed, carefully tucking it around Xander's body. Spike met his amused
look with a mild grimace. "You're no good to me if you're sick," the
vampire muttered. 

Xander tried to hide his grin - he failed.

Spike looked unsettled. "I know what your bloody lot are like. You get
sick all the time. I don't want you coughing and sneezing all over the
soddin' place."

Xander kissed him. "I love you too," he said simply. 

Spike went still, golden eyes very wide. Xander smiled a touch sadly. "I
know you can't say-"

"Iloveyou." 

Xander blinked. The words had been scrambled together but he had
definitely heard them. "You-?"

"I am *not* saying it again." 

"Okay." Xander didn't care. Spike had said it. 

"Will you get that soppy look off your face."

"Hmm ?" 

Spike growled and kissed him hard. When he drew back, Xander looked 
dazed. Spike looked smug. "Works every time," he boasted.

Xander's expression cleared a little. "Oh yeah ?" He grabbed Spike's face
with both hands and kissed the vampire until he had to stop to breathe. It
was his turn to look smug at Spike's glazed expression. "I rest my case,"
he said, smirking slightly.

Spike shot him a pained look. "Go to sleep."

Xander was more than happy to follow the suggestion. He snuggled up
against the vampire's hard chest and was asleep within minutes. 

*******************************************************

Spike lay awake watching him. The vampire's expression was vaguely
troubled. He
tightened his hold around the boy. "I'm not letting you go, Xander Harris,
" he
whispered. "Not ever. You're mine now, and what's mine I keep."

Part Fourteen

Angel returned some hours later to find Spike applying a bandage to
Xander's hand. The older vampire's face tightened with concern and he
stalked over to the bed. "What happened ?" he demanded, trying to take
hold of the injured hand. Spike roughly elbowed him aside and finished
tying off the bandage. Angel's jaw clenched and he glowered at his
childe.

Xander laughed nervously. "Hey, time out guys." He waved his bandaged
hand at Angel. "It's nothing. Really. Just a scratch. I...er...caught it on
something" <...and could I be any less convincing> he thought, giving his
head a mental shake.

Angel evidently agreed. Velvet brown eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Caught it on *what* exactly ?" 

Xander chewed his lip nervously and struggled to meet Angel's gaze. The
tension in the room crept up a notch as he remained silent.

Spike stepped in. "Enough with the interrogation. The bottle broke and
the clumsy brat fell out of bed and put his hand on it." The vampire
smirked unpleasantly. "He's lucky it was only his hand." Xander shot his
lover an irritated look which Spike ignored. 

Angel seemed to be trying to gauge the truth from Spike's expression. His
gaze returned to Xander for confirmation. 

Xander tried to look suitably chagrined; he suspected that Angel knew he
was being double-teamed - he just hoped the vampire would let the
matter drop. After an uncomfortable pause, Angel nodded and the tension
in the room eased slightly. 

Spike gathered Xander into his arms and slouched back against the
pillows. "So," he drawled. "You rescued the screaming girl and saved the
day...again."

"Guy," said Angel flatly.

"Uh ?"

"The screaming girl was a guy," Angel explained. "Though he was
screaming," the vampire conceded.

"Why ?" Spike sounded amused.

"Agartofv demon."

Spike's eyebrows rose. "Nasty. I'm impressed, pet. You deal with that all
by yourself ?"

It wasn't really a question and Xander was disturbed by the underlying
malice in his lover's voice.

"No," said Angel quietly. "Doyle helped."

"Doyle ? Oh yes," Spike sneered. "That green-eyed, dark-haired demon
boy you hanker after."

<Spike, shut up. *Please* shut up.> Xander willed silently as he
instinctively shrank away from Angel. The older vampire looked
extremely pissed.

Hackles raised, Angel addressed his childe coldly. "I'll only say this
once,
Spike. Leave it alone. You don't want-"

Spike cut in. "I don't want to 'what' ? Point out how soddin' pathetic
you're
being ?" He shook his head in disgust. "It's bloody obvious you want him.
I don't understand why you just don't-"

"No, you don't understand," Angel snarled, leaping to his feet. The
sudden flare of rage was quickly subdued and his expression became
tortured. "You don't understand," he repeated softly. "I...I can't...I-" He
broke off suddenly and walked away without another word.

"Fuck," said Spike, slipping out from behind Xander. He got up, but
hesitated by the bed, clearly uncertain whether or not to follow his Sire.
He looked to Xander for help.

Xander smiled encouragingly. "Go on," he urged. "Go after him."

Spike flashed him a quick grin and left.

*********************************************

Angel hadn't gone far; he stood in front of a cluttered bookshelf, his back
to the room. Spike approached cautiously. "I...erm..." The younger
vampire's mouth tightened. "I'm sorry," he forced out. Angel gave no sign
that he accepted the ungracious apology and Spike turned to go. 

Something pulled him back. 

Slowly, reluctantly, Spike walked over to his Sire. He stopped when his
body brushed against Angel's. A strained silence followed; Spike waited
impatiently until finally, Angel looked at him. The older vampire's eyes
were filled with pain. Spike felt a flash of something uncomfortably close
to guilt. "I really am," he continued awkwardly. "I mean..Well, you know
what I'm like."

"All mouth and no brains ?" Angel suggested harshly.

Spike's eyes narrowed. "We can't all be the strong, silent type," he
snapped, turning to leave again. This time Angel's weary voice stopped
him.

"I don't want to fight, Will."

Spike moved closer. "Then we won't," he said quietly. Angel gave him a
faint, sad smile that destroyed what remained of his anger. He leaned
against the bookshelf, effecting a casual sprawl not entirely at odds with
his current unclad state. "This curse things a real bitch, eh, pet."

Angel reached out and ran a finger along Spike's jaw. "It does tend to cut
into my social life." Despite the dry humour Angel's voice was thick with
pain.

"You have me." Spike cursed as the words left his lips. Could he sound
any more pathetic.

Angel merely nodded. "I know."

Spike couldn't stop himself. "But it's not enough, right ?" Nor was he able
to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Angel didn't miss it. He tipped Spike's head back gently and met his
childe's troubled gaze. "Am I enough for you ?" he asked.

Spike jerked free of Angel's touch. "Unfair," he muttered.

"But true," said Angel calmly. He placed his hands upon Spike's
shoulders and waited until the younger vampire met his gaze. "We need
each other, Will. We're bound together in ways no one else could ever
understand." He put his face to his childe's. "I'll never let you go and
you'll never release me. I know that. So do you." 

Spike remained silent. Angel continued. "But there's too much hate and
pain between us for this to really work. Maybe one day we'll be able to let
that go, I don't know. I do know that we need someone who can love
us for who we are now. Someone who doesn't care about our past and has
no claims upon it."

"A nice uncomplicated shag," said Spike nastily. Angel's fingers
tightened on his shoulders.

"*No*. You know that's not what I'm talking about." Spike stared at him
sullenly. Angel prayed for patience. "Can you honestly say that what's
going on between you and Xander is *uncomplicated*, because from
where I'm standing it looks anything but." He felt Spike's muscles tense 
beneath his fingers and Angel knew he'd hit a nerve. "You know what
will happen when the rest of them find out and they *will* find out. No
secret, however closely guarded, stays buried forever."

"How do you know they don't already know ?" said Spike defensively.

Angel gave him a look. "Perhaps because you arrived in a battered green
Taurus - not a small brown box marked 'Spike dust.'"

Spike looked vexed. "She won't like it, will she."

"That's pretty much a given," Angel agreed.

"You won't snitch on us ?"

Angel didn't need to answer, his expression said it all and Spike had the
grace to look slightly apologetic. "Loving someone is always
complicated, Will," said Angel softly.

"I don't lo-" The denial died on Spike's lips and he glared daggers at his
Sire. "You right bastard."

"Why ? Because I made you admit to something we both already know.
Did you think that I can't see how you feel about the boy. You're my
childe, and as much as that pains you, it doesn't make it any the less
true."

"So ?" said Spike sullenly.

"*So*, that means I know how you act when you're in love," said Angel.

Spike pushed the older vampire's hands away and stood up, pacing across
the room. "I didn't want to. I mean - *look at him*. He's a human, a
bloody useless whelp who hangs out with the Slayer." Spike stopped
pacing and raised his eyes to the ceiling. "I mean - a friend of the
Slayer.
*What* am I thinking ?" He turned his gaze back to Angel. "Course, it
*could* be worse. At least I'm not stupid enough to shag the bitch
herself."

Angel's glare would have broken lesser creatures; as it was even 
Spike wilted slightly and he meekly came back to lean against the
bookshelf. However, he was far from crushed and he shrugged
nonchalantly."Maybe I do love the brat. So what ?"

The older vampire's eyes gleamed with gold. "Don't hurt him." The soft
voice was very serious.

Spike met Angel's hard stare coldly. "I won't." 

The two words formed a promise - one Angel heard and accepted.

Silence fell, but Spike was too restless to let it stretch out for long.
"So,
what about you and..." He let his voice trail off.

Angel's face tightened in distress. "Nothing can happen."

"Does he want you ?" 

"I...I don't know."

Spike looked smug. "That means he does."

Angel glared at him.

"What ?" Spike asked innocently. "Come on. We're the same, remember.
We can taste it when they fear us...and when they want us. He wants
you."

"Maybe," said Angel softly.

"Does he know about the Gypsy thing ?"

"Yes."

"Well, that should make things easier-"

Angel cut Spike off. "Why ? It doesn't change anything. He knows about
the curse. Great. All that means is that he suffers too."

Spike fell silent again for a moment. Then he said," Maybe you should try
fixing it."

"Fixing it ?" said Angel slowly.

"Don't look at me like that," Spike snapped. "You know what I mean. Get
it lifted or something. It's a curse. They can be broken you know."

Angel shook his head. "It's too risky-"

"Why ?" Spike demanded. "Because if it goes wrong you're Angelus 
again ?" The blond shrugged. "What of it ? Then you can grab the half-
breed and fuck him senseless." He flinched when Angel shifted into his
game face and then hissed as the older vampire grabbed him by the throat
and lifted him off the floor. Spike instantly shifted into his vampiric
visage, gold eyes bulging as Angel crushed his throat.

"So you don't care if I become him again. Why Spike, I confess I'm a little
surprised. I mean the pain thing I understand, but I never thought that you
got off on the humiliation. Should I be doing something about that ? I'm
sure I could bring it into our 'relationship'. That is, if you really want
me
to." Angel held onto his squirming childe a second or two longer and then
released him.

Spike hissed and drew away. "I hate you," he snarled.

The words drew away some of Angel's rage, and he nodded sadly. "I
know."

Spike looked confused - and thoughtful. There was a weighty pause, then
he walked up to the older vampire. Angel frowned, but before he could
open his mouth to speak, Spike kissed him. The kiss was urgent and
needy, Angel's resistance crumbled and he kissed his childe back. Their
fangs cut one another's lips and they both tasted blood - it only made the
kiss more fervid. When it eventually ended Angel stared dazedly at his
childe.

"Want you," Spike growled.

"Bed," said Angel simply.

*************************************************



Xander had been left alone with his thoughts - not an altogether
comfortable arrangement. He was trying very hard to steer his mind away
from troublesome topics...like Sunnydale...his friends....and what Spike
was doing out there with Angel.

He wasn't jealous exactly, but the idea of his lover and Angel did leave
him somewhat disconcerted. Xander was self-aware enough to know that
it was his own insecurities that plagued him. The little voice that asked
what *he* possibly had to offer a one-hundred and twenty-six year old
vampire. Spike and Angel had a past. They were virtually related.

<Eww, okay, do *not* go there> 

No matter what, Xander couldn't avoid the obvious fact that Angel and
Spike were both vampires, who shared a long and complicated history.
While he was just a High School failure, living in his parents' basement,
with no idea where he was going in life. He stared glumly at his bandaged
hand; it itched. He was trying to push his finger underneath the bandage
to scratch it, when Spike and Angel literally fell into the room and onto
the bed.

Spike was still nude and Angel was rapidly losing what was left of his
clothing. They were both vamped out - emitting strange growls and
mewls as they clawed at Angel's trousers. Xander hesitated, then tried to
scramble out of the way as the two now fully naked vampires rolled
across the bed.

A hand snaked out and snared his leg. Xander looked down and met his
lover's golden stare.

"Stay," Spike hissed. It wasn't a request.

Xander froze and moved back onto the bed. This was the first time he
had witnessed Angel and his lover really 'going at it'. Up until now they
had concentrated all their attentions on him and only spared each another
fleeting touches, kisses...and bites. Xander stared wide-eyed as the two
vampires really went for it. As he did so, he realised how much care they
had taken with him - and how much they had held back.

No human would survive this kind of foreplay, if you could really call it
that. It was more like watching an excerpt from the discovery channel.
Both vampires seemed to be jostling for the upper hand, biting,
scratching and wrestling one another around the bed. Xander struggled to
keep out of the way. This very different to the earlier bloodplay - at one
point when Angel sank his teeth into Spike's shoulder, Xander glimpsed
bone.

He knew he should be sickened by this - Shouldn't he ?

He wasn't. 

Dark red blood smeared the vampires' pale bodies, tears and puncture
wounds split their skin. The sounds they made were terrifying - deep
growls and angry hisses. There was an animalistic frenzy to their sexual
play and Xander's erection twitched with every grunt and growl. He was
aroused beyond caring; he no longer tried to move out of the way and
yelped when Angel's nails scratched down his leg. They left a faint
bloody trail and a raised edge of broken skin. 

Spike twisted in Angel's grip and grabbed Xander's leg, running his
tongue down the graze. Xander whimpered softly. Angel seized Spike's
hips and pulled the younger vampire up onto his haunches. Spike knelt on
all fours, Xander lay half beneath him. Angel moved into position. It
seemed that blood and saliva were acceptable vampire lubricants and
Angel thrust forward savagely. 

Xander didn't miss the way his lover's muscles tensed with pain, nor did
he miss the stab of agony and ecstasy that passed across Spike's face.
Golden eyes bore into him.

Spike was panting, his body shaking with the force of Angel's thrusts.
"Touch...yourself," he growled.

Xander didn't wait to be told twice, his hand found his erection and he
curled too-warm fingers around his already heated flesh. His other hand
boldly moved across his chest, teasing his nipples into hard peaks. Spike
watched him with wide, unblinking eyes. Xander moved his hand faster,
feeling the pressure building up through his body. 

Spike's arms shook with the effort of holding himself upright as Angel
pounded into him. Suddenly Angel leaned forward and sank his fangs
into the back of Spike's neck; the younger vampire howled and arched his
throat back. 

Seized by an instinctive urge, Xander sat up and sank his own teeth into
Spike's throat, tasting the hot salty blood as it flowed into his mouth.
Spike howled again and Xander felt the vampire's cold seed upon his
skin. Angel thrust hard again and again, driving Spike forward as Xander
tenaciously retained his bite-hold on his lover's throat. Finally, with a
muted howl, Angel came. Xander felt the force of it through Spike's
trembling body.

Xander sucked hard on the wound he'd created, while his hand continued
to frantically pump his erection. Cold fingers joined his own and with a
sharp cry he came. The three of them collapsed onto the bed. Xander
gasped and squirmed in protest as the combined weight of the other two
pushed the air out of his lungs. Thankfully, they realised his dilemma and
moved off him before his ribs could break.

Shivering and bloody the three of them lay tangled together, one gasping
for breath, the other two panting noisily.

A voice startled them.

"Angel ? Hello, Angel are you down here ?"

Xander stiffened <Cordy ? !> 

Angel cursed and leapt up off the bed. He was at the door when Spike's
lazy voice called out.

"You might want to put something on first, peaches. Don't want to shock
the hired help now, do we."

Angel looked down as his naked bloody body and cursed again. Spike
chuckled.

"Angel ?" Cordelia's voice was a little more strident this time. "Dammit.
Where is he ? I mean, is it too much to ask that the boss says something
before he flits off to who knows where. No, I don't think so...." Cordelia
continued to grumble to herself as she made her way down the stairs.
Angel had found his robe and went out to intercept her.

Xander remained tense as Spike wrapped his arms around him and rested
his chin on his shoulder.

"You bite bloody hard, pet."

"Oh...I..er."

"*Don't* even think of saying your sorry," Spike muttered quietly.

"It was okay ?" Xander whispered.

"Hmm," Spike murmured a wordless affirmative as he nibbled Xander's
shoulder.

Xander let out a long shaky breath as he felt the vampire's fangs graze
over his skin. Angel never bit him. Spike couldn't. Xander wondered
what it would feel like to have those long, needle sharp teeth sink into
his
skin. He shuddered.

"You all right, pet ?"

"Fine." Xander strained to listen to the voices outside. "What are they
saying ?"

Spike tilted his head slightly. "Something about a phone call and princess
is moaning that she's not here to run around after peaches. Ouch."

"What ?"

"He's unwisely pointed out that - as reception - it could be said to be in
her job description."

"Ouch," Xander agreed. From the raised voices outside it seemed that
Cordelia had also taken objection to it. The voices grew fainter as they
moved upstairs. Xander turned around to face Spike and admired the
imprint of his teeth in the vampire's throat. He stroked his finger over
the
tiny puncture marks, still oozing blood. "Does it hurt ?"

Spike leered at him. "Only in a good way, pet." Xander looked troubled.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Don't start getting all hung up about it. So you
like
blood and biting. Nothing wrong in that. It's not like your hurting any
one." Spike's expression turned wistful. "Though that can be fun too," he
added.

Xander smacked him lightly on the arm. "I believe that comes under the
'places we don't go'. Yes ?"

The vampire nodded reluctantly. "All I'm saying is don't go getting your
panties in a twist about it. Who decides what's normal and what's not.
What's good and what's bad."

"Well, I think I can safely say I'm good and you're bad," said Xander
dryly.

Spike grinned. "You like me when I'm bad."

Xander didn't argue. "Maybe," he conceded reluctantly. "I'm not sure
about the whole homicidal thing though."

Spike shrugged. "Comes with the territory, pet."

Xander stroked the vampire's hair, running his fingers through the soft
blond waves. "We get this thing out of you and you'll kill again, won't
you." It wasn't a question.

Spike's face shimmered, taking on his human guise. Dark blue eyes never
wavered from Xander's as he caught hold of the hand and drew it down to
his lips, placing a kiss upon the open palm. "Mine," he said softly.

Xander smiled a little sadly. "Yours," he whispered. He felt his chest
tighten as he spoke. He knew now that there was no going back from this.
He loved Spike and no matter what happened, he would stay with him.

The uneasy silence was broken by Angel's return. The older vampire
didn't look too happy either. Xander felt a stab of anxiety. He managed a
wobbly smile. "What's up. Cordy rewriting her contract ?"

Angel didn't smile back. "The phone call. It was Giles."

Spike snarled something unrepeatable and Xander poked the vampire in
the ribs. "So, what did the G-Man have to say ?" he asked lightly. A cold,
heavy lump had settled in his stomach.

"Your parents have been ringing him, trying to find out when you're
coming back. It seems that some friend of your father's has got you a job.
They want you to start Monday," said Angel quietly. He'd barely finished
when Spike jumped up and stormed past him into the other room. Xander
was left sitting, somewhat forlornly on the bed. 

Angel came to sit beside him. "Will you go back ?" he asked.

Xander's mouth twisted bitterly. "I'll have to. They'll only hound poor
Giles until he coughs up where I am and I really don't want my Dad
knocking on the door." He shot Angel an apologetic look. "I mean no
offence or anything..but-"

"-you don't want your father finding out about your two vampire lovers,"
Angel interjected.

Xander nodded morosely. "Something like that. I mean the 'guy' thing
would freak him. The undead guy thing - " Xander shuddered "- doesn't
actually bear thinking about."

"You can stay if you want to." The unspoken declaration was that Angel
was prepared to do whatever was necessary if Xander did choose to stay.

Xander drew in a deep breath. "No. I...I'd better go back." He looked
urgently at Angel. "You'll see that Spike's okay ?" He was surprised when
Angel smiled and placed a cold hand against his cheek.

"Do you really think that he'll stay here without you." The vampire stated
simply.

Xander was confused. "I don't...I mean I didn't think." He stared hard at
Angel. "You and him-"

Angel cut in, "-are together, yes. But not in the way you seem to think.
We're not *in* love with one another." Angel left unsaid the inference
that Spike *was* in love with Xander. "He won't stay with me," the
vampire finished.

"He's not safe in Sunnydale," said Xander worriedly. "The Initiative are
still hunting him."

Evidently, Angel shared his concern, the vampire's gaze darkened. "I
know," he said quietly, "and so does Spike. For all his mouthy bravado,
he's far from stupid. You can be certain that he knows the score."

"Course I do, pet." Spike was slouched against the door frame. "I never
play a game without knowing the odds." He wandered over to the bed and
sat down next to Xander. "You'd better find some clothes, luv. The police
are kind of funny about nude drivers around here."

"You're not going to try and talk me out of it ?" Xander asked, surprised.

Spike shrugged. "Why would I want to do that ?" Angel slapped his
childe across the head. "Ow !" Spike glared at Angel. "Alright, I heard
what you said and I don't fancy having your bleedin' father breathing
down my neck." <at least not until I can rip his out throat and tie his
intestines in a bow.>

"You could sta-" Xander fell abruptly silent under the look Spike gave
him. "I'll get dressed," he said quietly.

Angel went over to the wardrobe and retrieved Xander's bag. "You'd
better have a shower," the vampire suggested gently.

Xander nodded mutely and took his bag with him.

********************************************

Alone, the two vampires sat together on the rumpled bed.

"I want to kill them," Spike hissed.

"I know," said Angel. Despite the calmness of his voice, the look in
Angel's eyes implied that he shared his childe's sentiments. He sighed and
stood up. "But you can't."

Spike looked up at him. "You could."

"No."

"Why-"

Angel cut him off. "Because Xander has enough to deal with, without
coping with the guilt of his parents deaths." He ran his hand over his face
wearily. "It won't solve anything, Will. You know that. Xander has to find
a way to face them on his own terms."

"They've got him whipped," Spike spat. "Eighteen years of abuse and he
doesn't even know how to stand up to them."

"So show him," said Angel softly. "Teach him how to make a stand."

"Yeah, cos I'm so good at that," said Spike sarcastically.

"Yes," said Angel evenly. "You are."

Spike blinked.

Angel's gaze grew urgent. "You suffered decades of abuse. You still
found the strength to turn against me."

"Not you," Spike mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"Whatever," said Angel. "You did it."

Spike looked back up, his expression pained. "I hit you on the back of the
head with an iron pipe. Hardly my proudest moment."

"It doesn't matter," Angel insisted. "Can you honestly say it was easy ?"
Spike looked uncomfortable. "Or," Angel continued, "did it take
everything you had to turn against me. To fight a lifetime's conditioning."

"You think Xander can do that ?"

"Don't you ?"

"He's strong," Spike admitted. "He's got guts too. Even if he does mouth
off stupidly sometimes."

"Now who does that remind me of," Angel teased. Spike kicked out at
him, Angel side-stepped it easily.

"Prick," said Spike good good-naturedly. The blond lay back on the 
bed, his arms stretched out above his head. "So, what about this 
bloody thing ?" He tapped the side of his head.

"I'll keep looking into it," Angel promised. "It looks like it might have
to
be a spell."

"Bloody hell," Spike moaned. "I don't trust all that mojo stuff."

"Yeah well, unfortunately I don't know too many vampire specialists in
the medical profession," Angel deadpanned. "Your only chance is
probably some kind of Peresee incantation. That should short out the
implant without us needing to remove it." 

"So do it," said Spike, sitting back up.

Angel gave him a look. "It's not that easy. I'll have to narrow the field
of
the spell. It'll have to be very specific or I'll short circuit your brain
along
with the device."

"Oh, great."

"I can do it," Angel insisted. "But it'll take some time. I'll contact you
when I've made all the adjustments."

"Right," Spike stood up and began to look around for his clothes. "Well,
when you're ready I'll be at the Watcher's place."

Angel frowned. "You're not staying with Xander."

Spike paused fastening his shirt, a flash of pain darted across his face.
"No," he said quietly. "We couldn't come up with a good excuse for my
being there."

"So you're living with Giles ?"

This time the pain on Spike's face was of an entirely different nature. "It
seems the wanker thinks I'm too much trouble to be allowed to roam
around the town, so he's taken it upon himself to be my keeper," the
vampire muttered.

Angel wisely hid his amusement. Somehow he didn't think that the
Watcher and his childe would make particularly harmonious roomies.
"I'll be in touch. If you need me-"

"-I won't," said Spike quickly. He snatched his jeans up from the chair.
Angel turned to leave. "Course if I do," Spike called after him, "You'll be
here. Right ?"

Angel looked back at his childe, who was wriggling into his jeans. He
nodded. "I'll be here." He held Spike's gaze a moment longer, as a silent
understanding passed between them. Then he went to see if Xander was
ready to go.

***************************************************

The parting was awkward - at least on Xander and Angel's part. Spike
simply nodded once to his Sire and then jumped down into the sewer.

Angel and Xander were left looking at one another.

"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you around," said Xander lightly. Angel
simply nodded. Xander hesitated a moment longer and then looked down
the open trap door. "Spike ?"

"What ?"

"Catch," said Xander - throwing his bag down the hole. There was a
muffled curse from below, but no splash, so he presumed his things were
safe. Xander gave Angel a shy smile and went to climb down the ladder.
He gasped when Angel suddenly grabbed him and kissed him hard
enough to make him see stars. 

Angel held him for a moment when the kiss ended. "Look after yourself,"
the vampire whispered, and then released him and stepped back.

Xander's dazed look transformed into a broad grin. "You too - 'Deadboy'."

Angel gave him a pained look that didn't quite cover his smile.

***********************************************

Xander climbed down the ladder into darkness. "Spike ?" Cold fingers
found his - this time he didn't jump.

"Come on, pet." Spike began to lead him down the tunnel. "We have to
get a move on and this time," said the vampire, "I'm driving."

"Oh no," said Xander vehemently.

"Why not ?" 

Xander could 'hear' the annoyed pout in Spike's voice. "Hmm, let me see.
Perhaps because I'd like to stay amongst the living," he said
sarcastically.

"I'm a bloody good driver," the vampire declared.

"You are," Xander agreed. Then he added, "For a dead guy."

"Oy, watch it."

"Or you'll do what ? *EWW* !" Xander yelped as something cold and
slimey was shoved down his back. "What *was* that ? !"

An evil laugh was his only answer.

"That...that smells disgusting," said Xander. "Oh gross. You put sewer
slime down my neck. You bastard."

"Now, pet. Language. Whatever would his royal Watchfulness say if he
heard you talking like that," said Spike, his voice full of amusement.

"Sod Giles," said Xander succinctly. 

"I don't- ughmph." Whatever Spike had been about to say was lost as
Xander scraped the sewer sludge off his back and managed to rub it into
the vampire's neck. It was quite an accomplishment, considering Xander
could barely see anything. Admittedly, most of the muck came off on
Spike's coat, but a small amount found its way into the vampire's ear.

Spike didn't bother retaliating - directly. He simply grabbed Xander up
and swung him over his shoulder. He held onto Xander's bag with his
other hand. "Okay, pet. Now you are going to say lots of nice things about
me between here and the way out. Or I might stumble and drop you in the
muck."

"You wouldn't dare-" Xander stopped. "I take that back," he said quickly.

"Now you've got the idea, pet. So you were saying ?"

"Er..you've got great hair ?"

"Careful, pet."

Xander squeaked as the vampire tilted him down toward the swirling
filth. "No really. You have great hair...and I...I love your accent...and
that
little patch of skin behind your knee. The bit where when I scratch it you
purr-"

"I do not soddin' well purr."

"You don't- Please, be serious."

"I *don't* purr."

"You do....aagh...Okay, you don't purr. Jeez."

"I might growl a bit."

"A bit ? ! ?"

"Now and then. Any way, *you* snore."

"I don't !"

"Yes you do, pet. Wake the dead you could. Well, keep 'em awake."

"Ha, ha. Oh please, my sides are splitting."

"Really ?"

"No..No ! Don't- *Umpgh*...........You did that on purpose."

"I slipped."

"I have slime in my hair. It smells. I have to drive back to Sunnydale
smelling like something I scraped off my shoe."

"I'm driving."

"No, you are not-*Aargh!*" There was a heavy sigh. "Don't tell me, you
slipped."


THE END.