Sweet Memories
by Kayla
Part One
Part Two Part Three
Part Four
Part Two
"Do you think this is a good idea?" Willow nervously chewed her lip as she
clutched Tara's hand with her own. "I mean, he's probably sleeping,
or...something." She glanced over at Buffy, not particularly wanting to go into
details about Xander's family.
The trio of girls stood outside the Harris residence, the late afternoon sun
shining brightly down on them. Birds were singing merrily, and children could be
heard laughing in the background. Such a light-hearted, happy scene. But it
wasn't going to last.
Buffy narrowed her eyes grimly. "Well, then. I guess it's time for his wake-up
call." With a toss of her head, she strode up the steps and rapped firmly on the
door. Her entire posture screamed irritated impatience as she waited for a
response.
Willow and Tara stood -- they weren't hiding, definitely not hiding -- behind
Buffy, wincing as loud footsteps clomped their way ever closer. The door was
flung open, and a scruffy, unshaven man stuck his head out, glaring at them
through watery, bloodshot eyes.
"What!?" the man snarled, his angry expression slowly replaced by a disgusting
leer as he looked the girls up and down. "Well, well, what can I do for you?" He
lounged against the doorframe, licking his lips as he continued to gaze hungrily
at them.
Unconsciously, the witches took a step back, cringing away from those eyes that
seemed to crawl along their skin.
Buffy just crossed her arms over her chest, jaw clenched as she glared back, not
even fighting the low growl in her throat. Eyes narrowed, she sneered at the
disheveled man. "We...talked last night. About Xander? Where is he?"
There was a soft snort as Mr. Harris rolled his eyes. "Oh, yeah. I remember
you." He stared hard at her, smirking as he lingered over the curves of her hips
and her bare legs. ""Mmm-mm! If I'da known you were so fine, maybe we coulda
worked something out." He peered over her shoulder at the other two. "You ain't
so bad either. Maybe we can all go inside, have us a nice little...discussion."
Buffy shuddered. "Um, eww? That has got to be the grossest thing I've ever
heard. Look, we just want to know where Xander is, so just tell us, and we're
out of here."
"Hmph. Your loss." He shrugged as he stepped back inside and began to close the
door. "I don't know where the little shit is, and I don't really give a fuck. So
go annoy someone else." The door slammed shut.
Buffy muttered under her breath as she led the other two away from the house.
Shaking herself, she rubbed her hands over her arms. "Gah, I think I need a
shower. That was a seriously creepy man."
Tara nodded in agreement, taking a deep breath as she continued to clutch at
Willow's hand. "He w-was very...icky."
"Yeah. I never liked visiting Xander when he was home. He scared me." Willow
held on tight to Tara, casting a last glance at the house her friend had lived
in for so long. "I'm...kinda glad Xander finally moved out. I just wish we knew
where he went!"
With a determined glint in her eyes, Buffy stated "We'll find him. Don't worry
about that. I don't give up on my friends. Now...I need ice cream. That guy's
attitude left a bad taste in my mouth. C'mon."
Alex swallowed hard as his breathing hitched, his eyes fixating on the other
man's lips.
A faint hint of sadness flickered across Wil's face when he received no
response. "Guess not, huh?" He tried to move away, startled when strong arms
gripped him by the waist and pulled him back.
Alex held Wil close to him, not letting him escape. Tugging lightly, he moved
the blonde around so he could get a better angle, then bent his head. He stared
into clear blue eyes that widened as he drew closer. His lips hovered over
Wil's, then his tongue slipped out and passed gently across them.
Wil gasped a wet warmth brushed over his mouth. His eyes drifted closed, and he
moaned softly when he felt Alex's lips settle lightly on his. The gentle
nibbling that began caused him to hiss in frustration, and he twined his hands
around Alex's neck to guide him closer, attempting to deepen the contact.
Alex complied, increasing the pressure and sucking Wil's lower lip into his
mouth. He laved it thoroughly, then proceeded to thrust his tongue into the
blonde's mouth.
Opening himself eagerly, Wil brought his own tongue into play. The two mobile
digits danced over each other, tasting, licking, probing every recess of their
joined mouths. Wil wiggled around, turning and straddling Alex's lap, never
losing contact with the burning pressure of his lips. His hands gripped the
brunette's shoulders, fisting into the fabric covering them. A loud groan
escaped him when he felt Alex's hands slide down to cover his ass, kneading
firmly.
The sound broke through Alex's haze, and his eyes snapped open. With deep
regret, he released the mounds of flesh that he'd just noticed were cupped in
his hands. Cradling Wil's head instead, he pulled the vampire away, whimpering
as lips clung to his briefly, and a tongue made a last, desperate attempt to
engage his once more. Panting harshly, he managed to gasp out, "Wait, wait,
slow! We said slow!"
"Fuck slow," Wil snarled, jerking his head out of its confines and darting back
in for another searing kiss.
An all-too-brief kiss it turned out, as Alex twisted his own head away. "Wil, we
decided--"
"To hell with what we decided!" Wil tried again, growling when Alex continued to
elude his attempts to resume their previous activity.
"Do you really mean that?" came the soft query.
"Yes!" Wil pouted, then sighed, ceasing his efforts. He relaxed, pressing his
forehead against Alex's. "No," he murmured, "but it feels so bloody good!"
"Yeah, tell me about it," Alex muttered ruefully.
They continued to cling to each other for a while, until Alex's breath
eventually evened out. Finally, the brunette gave a weak laugh. Rubbing his
hands down Wil's back, he said, "C'mon, why don't we watch some more tv? He
nodded toward the show that had been playing unnoticed all the while.
Reluctantly, Wil loosened his grip on Alex's shirt, making as if to shift over
to the other end of the couch.
"Hey! Who told you to go anywhere?" Smiling, Alex settled Wil back against his
chest, arms draped lightly around his waist.
Wil grinned, managing to sneak in one last, soft kiss before turning to watch
the television. "You know," he offered, relishing the feel of warm arms wrapped
around him, "I'd say we pretty much established one thing today."
"Really? What's that?"
With a smirk, Wil shifted against the hardness digging into the small of his
back. "You gotta admit, pet...we are definitely gay!"
"You sure 'bout this, luv?" Wil frowned worriedly as Alex pawed through his
closet, discarding item after item in an untidy heap on the floor.
"Yeah, I've gotta do this." The response was muffled, only becoming clearer when
Alex withdrew his head. As he continued to pick through his clothes, he went on.
"I mean, I lived there. Probably for a while. Maybe even with my family. I have
to find out what I can about then. And why the hell don't I have any decent
clothes!?" He tore at his hair, glaring at the gaudy pile of shirts and pants
he'd flung out behind him.
Wil snickered quietly as he too examined the variety of dubious styles and
colors displayed. "I get the feeling you didn't have a whole lot of fashion
sense, mate."
Alex glared over at him, then smirked. "Yeah, well, since you don't have any
clothes, guess what you're gonna end up wearing?" He held up a fluorescent
orange shirt, waving it meaningfully.
Wil blinked, wincing, then swore softly. Grimacing, he shoved in next to Alex,
digging around in what was beginning to seem a futile search for something
decent to wear. Eventually, though, they both managed to find some plain-colored
pants, and a couple of shirts that weren't quite so likely to blind anyone.
A few more minutes were spent back out in the living room, with Wil lounging on
the couch and Alex nervously checking out the window. When it was dark enough,
he stepped back, taking a deep breath and wiping suddenly damp hands on the
front of his pants. "Sun's down now."
"Guess we should get going, then." Wil stood, map in hand, and walked over to
Alex. "We don't have to do this, y'know."
Alex slipped an arm around Wil's waist, burying his face in the curve of the
blonde's neck. "I know. But...I mean, I should at least try. Y-you don't have to
come with me, though. If you don't want to."
Wil snorted, hugging Alex close. "Like I'm gonna let you go off by your
lonesome. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into without me watchin' your
back?" He stroked a hand through dark, silky hair, rumbling deep in his throat.
Smiling, Alex relaxed against the trim body. You're purring."
"Hm?" came the distracted response as Wil inhaled deeply, relishing the scent of
the human in his arms.
Alex placed a hand on Wil's vibrating chest. "You're purring. I like it." He
pressed closer in. "My big kitty cat."
Wil mock-glared at the top of Alex's head. "Kitty cat?" he asked with a curl of
his lip.
"Mmm. Big kitty cat. Wild cat? A lion...or panther maybe." He kissed the soft,
cool skin of Wil's neck, suppressing a chuckle as the purring got even louder.
Then he heaved a sigh. "We should go."
They parted slowly, grinning shyly at each other. Hands clasped together, they
left the apartment, locking it behind them.
Alex gulped as he looked up at the dark house. "You think anyone's home?"
Wil cocked his head, listening. "Yeah, I can hear two people inside." He glanced
at Alex, who was now staring at him in surprise. "What?"
"You can hear them?"
"Um, yeah." Wil shrugged bashfully, scuffing his feet.
Alex grinned. "Cool." The grin slipped as he once more turned back to the house.
"We can still leave."
"No. I'm not backing out now." He shuddered briefly. "It's just -- this place
makes me feel really uncomfortable."
"Want me to go knock? I can check things out, you can stay off to the side and
watch."
Alex wavered, then nodded gratefully. "Thanks," he whispered, giving Wil's hand
a last squeeze before letting it go and walking over to the corner of the house.
Wil straightened, marching up the steps and rapping loudly on the door. He
waited, pasting on a smile when the door creaked open.
"Yeah?" A frizzy haired, exhausted looking woman peered out at him.
"Hi, I'm a friend of Alexander's, and I--"
"He don't live here no more."
"Um, yeah, I know, I was just--"
"Who's at the door, woman!?" The shout echoed through the house, then the woman
was shoved aside, a scruffy man taking her place. "What do you want?"
Wil forced himself not to cringe under the derisive glare. "Yeah, I'm a friend
of Alexander's, I was wondering--"
"Look, how many times I gotta go through this?" He took a menacing step forward,
poking a finger into Wil's chest. "That useless bastard doesn't live here! And
good riddance. He was the most worthless excuse for a child it was my misfortune
to produce. So stop fucking annoying us about him!"
The door slammed shut, leaving Wil standing in shock. He looked over at Alex,
biting his lip when he saw how the brunette was hugging himself, tears shining
in his eyes. Wil growled, then raised a fist and banged on the door again.
"What!?" came the snarl when it was wrenched open again.
"Forgot somethin', mate." Wil drew his fist back, then let fly, clipping the man
solidly under the chin and sending him crashing back to land unconscious on the
floor inside the house. Wil glared at the still form, then wheeled around and
hurried over to Alex. He pulled the human close, gently stroking him until his
agitated quivering stopped.
"He...he...they..." Alex stared at the still-open door, eyes wide with betrayal.
"Forget 'em, pet. Again. They ain't worth it." He pressed several kisses to
Alex's face, licking at the wetness seeping from the dark eyes.
Alex clung to Wil, breath still hiccuping softly. Finally, he calmed, sighing
when Wil pulled away slightly.
Wil brushed a hand down Alex's cheek. "C'mon, luv. Let's go home.
Alex stepped inside the apartment, immediately feeling a profound sense of
relief. They stopped in the middle of the living room, staring through the open
doorway to the bedroom at the hideously colored pile of clothing.
Wil cleared his throat. "Think we could do a spot of shopping?"
Alex wrinkled his nose. "Definitely. And then maybe a ritual burning
afterwards." With a shudder, he crept over to the bedroom, gingerly closing the
door. "What about money, though? I don't remember seeing much in either of our
wallets." He tried not to lick his lips when Wil got that cute little wrinkle
between his eyebrows as he thought. Oooh, wanna nibble that. lick, and suck,
and... He cut that off, not wanting to embarrass himself, and assumed an
expression of nonchalance.
"You know, I think..." Wil walked over to the table where the phone was located,
sifting through the drawer. "Yes!" He turned, flourishing what was obviously a
checkbook. He tossed it to Alex, who caught it easily.
"Hey, cool. Hope I kept it balanced." He flipped it open, checking the balance.
"Woah." He sat abruptly in a chair, gaping.
Wil leaned over his shoulder to get a better look. "Wow, you're rich!"
"Well, not rich, but certainly not ad off. A few thousand dollars might not last
long, but we'll be ok for a little while. And we can afford a minor shopping
spree, which is definitely of the good."
"W-we? But...it's your money," Wil stated quietly.
Alex frowned, turning and pulling Wil over the back of the chair so the vampire
toppled into his lap. "Ours. We're in this as a team, got it? We share."
Wil laid his head on Alex's chest, listening to the steady 'thump, thump' of his
heartbeat. "Got it." Then he lifted his eyes, opening them wide and adding a
pout. "Shopping? Clothes?"
"Yeah, yeah. Up." They clambered to their feet and back out into the hallway,
where they paused. "Um, where to?"
Wil shrugged helplessly. "I dunno. Ask Mellie."
Alex hesitated, then smiled in agreement. They moved down to her apartment, and
Alex knocked lightly.
The door opened, and cheerful eyes twinkled up at them. "Well, hello boys! Fancy
you stopping by for a visit. Did you get a chance to eat some of that pie I
dropped off yesterday?"
Alex nodded vigorously. "We wondered where it came from -- didn't think I'd made
it! It was delicious."
"Oh, good. So...what can I do for you lovelies?"
Wil spoke up. "We need to do a bit of shopping, pick out some new clothes and
whatnot. Any suggestions where would be good?"
Mellie tapped a finger against her chin. "Now that you mention it, I need a few
things myself, and there's one of those 24-hour Wal-Marts not too far away. If
you give me a couple of minutes to get myself together, I can give you a ride
over."
"Sure, if it's not too much trouble or anything."
"Pish." Mellie waved her hand. "You boys just hold on, I'll be back in a jiff."
The door closed again, and Wil and Alex leaned back against the wall to wait.
Mellie shooed the boys down the stairs, following sedately behind. Out in the
parking garage, she led them toward a sporty looking car, unlocking the doors.
"Well?"
Alex and Wil stared at the vehicle in semi-shock. It had been pretty much
assumed that the middle-aged, practical lady would be driving something, well,
practical. They had not expected...this. It was...shiny. And red. And sporty
enough to make any girl...or guy...positively swoon.
Chuckling softly, Mellie winked. "Not what you expected from little ol' me, hmm?
Well, a girl's got to have a hobby. Come on, get in already."
Alex grinned, running a hand along the sleek lines of the car. He glanced over
at Wil. "You want the front?"
Wil shook his head. "Back seat."
Frowning, Alex leaned over to peer in the back. "Not much room."
"I know." Wil looked Alex up and down, then licked his lips. "There's somethin'
to be said for close quarters."
Alex stared at him wide-eyed, then blushed. Clearing his throat, he shrugged at
Mellie, then scrambled into the back seat. Wil followed, squeezing in beside
him.
Mellie just rolled her eyes and got in the driver's seat. She fastened her seat
belt and started the engine, adjusting her rearview mirror so she could see the
two behind her. "Now, don't you boys do anything that will ruin my interior,
hear?" Then, flooring the gas pedal, she squealed out of the garage.
Wil was thoroughly enjoying Mellie's driving, especially when a sharp turn
pressed him up against Alex. The other man didn't seem quite so happy, though.
In fact, he looked a bit...green. Uh-oh. Think this calls for a distraction. Wil
shifted even closer, turning Alex's face to him. "You ok?"
Alex swallowed, wincing as the car sped by a pedestrian, only inches away.
"Um...yeah." His eyes locked onto pale blue ones that glittered in the scant
light. He could feel a hand snaking down his back, pulling him sideways.
Wil tugged Alex closer, then nuzzled his heck, licking softly. With his lips, he
could feel the human's pulse jump, and started sucking.
Alex let his head drop back against the seat, baring his neck for further
exploration. The blonde took him up on the offer, and laid a path of damp kisses
along the exposed flesh. After what seemed an eternity, Alex felt the barest
whisper of touch against his lips, and opened his mouth eagerly. A slick tongue
darted inside, and he reached up, hands locking into silky hair as he dragged
the vampire into his lap.
The two continued to kiss and touch frantically, and amazingly enough, managed
to keep their hands above waist level. Of course, when Wil wiggled just so in
Alex's lap...
A loud coughing finally broke through their haze, and they noticed vaguely that
the car was no longer moving. Wil twisted around, coming face-to-face with an
amused Mellie.
"Glad you had fun on the drive over. Hate to break it short, but we should get
inside and start shopping. It may take awhile."
"Oh," Wil whispered, then looked back at Alex. He gave the flushed man a quick
peck on the lips, pried his hands off warm skin, and crawled out of the back
seat through the now-open door.
Alex frowned, quickly following after. He hesitated, then reached for Wil's hand
as they all began walking toward the entrance.
Once inside, Mellie grabbed a cart. "I'm going to head over to the pharmacy
section, then get some groceries. You boys get a cart a head for the men's
clothing, I'll meet you there in a little bit." With that, she walked off
briskly.
Alex let go of Wil's hand so he could get a shopping cart. The two walked
slowly, staring around the store. Wil pointed to the left. "Looks like clothes
are over there, pet."
Alex nodded and pushed the cart down the aisle. They looked around at the
assortment of clothes, deciding where to start. "Shoes and socks?" Alex asked.
Wil agreed, and dropped a few packs of plain white socks into the cart. In the
shoe section, they each picked out a pair of serviceable sneakers, and Wil even
managed to talk Alex into getting himself some black boots that were similar to
his own. Then it was over to the underwear section, where they halted.
"I've got enough boxers of my own, but you look like you might be smaller, and
mine probably aren't that comfortable. You should probably get some."
Wil shrugged agreeably. "Don't know what size I need, though."
"Oh." Alex thought a moment, then asked, "Well, what size were the ones you were
wearing when we first changed last night?"
Wil looked away, embarrassed. "Wzntwrny" he mumbled unintelligibly.
"Um, 'scuse me?"
Scuffling his feet, Wil repeated himself in a barely audible whisper. "I wasn't
wearing any."
Alex felt his brain blank as the image of Wil walking around commando while
wearing skin-tight jeans flashed in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he tried
to calm himself, scolding his unruly imagination. Although, if I'd known then,
I'd have tried for a better look. Giving himself a mental slap, he managed a
nonchalant grin. "No biggie. You probably wear almost the same size as me." He
scanned the rack of boxers, choosing a pair and handing them to Wil. "Here, try
these."
Wil took them and headed for the dressing rooms. A few minutes later, he
emerged, handing them back to Alex with a nod.
"Good. Now, pick out a few more pairs, and we can get down to the real
shopping." He helped Wil sort through the different styles, hissing softly when
his fingers slid over something soft and smooth. Pulling them out, he saw that
he'd come upon the selection of silk boxers. The ones he was currently holding
were a deep red color, and happened to be Wil's size. Grinning, he pawed through
the rest, finding a jet-black pair, also in Wil's size, and a couple of deep
blue and a black pair in his size. Spoils in hand, he turned and dumped them
into the cart.
"Oooh, nice!"
Alex jerked his head up to see Mellie smiling wickedly as she inspected the
contents of their cart. He blushed.
"Oh, don't be bashful, now. Where'd Wil get himself to?" She glanced around,
beaming when she spotted the blonde. She waved the vampire over, taking the
items in his hands and tossing them into their cart. "Come on, let's get to the
good stuff!" She hustled them over to the stacks of jeans, eyeing them both
critically before sniffing in satisfaction. In seconds, she'd extracted two
pairs of jeans, both a faded black, and thrust them at the bemused men. "Shoo!
Go try them on already!"
They obediently took the jeans and headed into separate dressing rooms, leaving
Mellie to guard the carts.
Mellie folded her arms, waiting impatiently. After what she deemed an adequate
amount of time, she called out, "Aren't you two ready yet?" She grinned at the
muffled responses of 'Bloody hell!' and 'They're too small!' and responded
forcefully, "Nonsense. Now get out here and let me see!"
Slowly, they stepped out of their respective rooms, halting as they caught sight
of one another.
"Turn."
Numbly, they complied, then resumed gaping at each other's snugly clad forms,
not even noticing Mellie's apreciative whistle. As one, they said, "You're
getting those."
Mellie clapped her hands delightedly. "Of course you are. I am a mother, I'm an
expert at picking out clothes. You two stay here, I'll get some more."
And so it went. Alex and Wil were shuffled in and out of the changing rooms,
trying on everything that Mellie brought them. And she was good. She picked out
styles and colors that looked stunning on them, occasionally throwing in
something that fit so perfectly, they almost drooled at the sight of silk-clad
chests, or curved butts encased in denim.
Hours later, they finally called a halt, changing back to their original clothes
and sitting, exhausted, on the floor. Neither could believe the stack of clothes
spilling from their cart, and groaned at the thought of lugging it all back up
to their apartment.
Mellie chuckled, knowing what they were thinking. "Oh, come one! You two are
young and strong...it should be a breeze!" She pulled them, groaning, to their
feet.
Checkout took a while, and Alex was grateful that they'd managed not to wipe out
his bank account. There was a sizeable dent in it, though. Still, when he
thought of his closet with its soon-to-be-displaced wardrobe, he figured it was
worth it.
Out in the parking lot, Wil stared dubiously at the small vehicle.
Mellie nudged him. "Have faith, dearie." Opening the trunk, she managed to
arrange most of their purchases in the seemingly tiny space. The rest were
loaded into the front passenger seat. Alex and Wil climbed into the back seat
once again, where they simply lay tiredly in each other's arms, dozing lightly.
Smiling indulgently, Mellie drove carefully home, actually obeying all the
traffic laws. Back at the apartment complex, she turned toward the back, melting
at the almost innocent picture the two men made. Light and dark, snuggled close
together. Reluctantly, she reached back to shake them awake.
She loaded them down with their many bags, then herded them upstairs. Snagging
Alex's key from his pocket, she unlocked their apartment, escorting them inside.
She held back a giggle when the bags cascaded to the floor, and the two men
blinked sleepily. Mellie managed to keep them from collapsing as well, guiding
them into their bedroom and seating them on the bed.
Feeling very much like a mother all over again, she tugged off their shoes and
socks, then tucked them in. With a kiss to their foreheads, she turned off the
light and backed out of the room. A last glance showed them back in each other's
embrace, sleeping deeply.
Still grinning widely, Mellie carefully skirted the mess in the living room and
let herself out.
Alex collapsed on the bed in relief. "Done. Finally." He stretched tired
muscles, glad to have finished the monumental task of reorganizing the closet.
There were now two garbage bags crammed full of rejected items, and his and
Wil's new wardrobe was noticeably less...vivid.
Wil sat next to him, bouncing slightly. "Wow. Looks good." He scooted closer,
grinning when Alex wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him down.
Alex nipped an earlobe. "Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" His tongue swirled out,
flicking over cool skin until it brushed against Wil's lips. He kissed the
vampire softly, mouths barely touching as tongues ghosted over each other.
They cuddled for a while, until Alex noticed the time. Eyes wide, he sprang up
from the bed, pulling Wil with him. "It's 8:15! C'mon, we have to get ready!"
Wil groaned as Alex immediately began to ransack their closet, destroying the
neat arrangements of clothes. With a roll of his eyes, he moved behind Alex,
kissing the nape of his neck. When the man paused and looked back at him, he
tilted his head toward the door. "I'm gonna go shower, get cleaned up."
Alex nodded and went back to his task of choosing the perfect outfit for the
party. He had just decided on a pair of pants that outlined his ass perfectly
and a dark button-down shirt when he heard a soft noise. Turning, he gulped at
the slightly damp, towel-clad man in front of him. He watched a bead of water
slide down a smooth chest, catching briefly on an erect nipple. He gaped as the
vampire moved to the dresser.
"Shower's free, luv."
Alex blinked. "Huh?" He shook his head to clear it, flushing darkly as he backed
away. "Um, yeah." Turning, he fled to the bathroom.
Wil watched him go, smiling. His nose twitched as he once more detected the
scent he'd come to associate with Alex being aroused. Humming happily, he made
short work of picking out his own outfit. Towel discarded by the door, he was
about to step into his boxers when the apartment was fairly flooded by the same
scent as before.
Standing still, he listened closely, just barely hearing the sounds of flesh
sliding over flesh through the pattering of the shower. He sunk shakily down on
the bed as he realized that, at this very moment, Alex was touching himself.
Remembering how he had awakened just a few hours before, cradled by the heat of
Alex's body, he felt himself harden considerably.
Concentrating on the faint sounds from the bathroom, he closed a hand over his
erection, stroking slowly. Closing his eyes, he imagined Alex in the shower,
water cascading over his muscled body as he touched himself, one hand around his
cock and the other playing over his chest, toying with hardened nipples. Wil
stroked in time to the rhythm he could tell Alex was using, moaning when he
heard Alex whimper softly.
Lying back on the mattress, he spread his legs wider, matching his movements to
what he pictured Alex doing. Breathy little grunts and moans escaped him as his
fingers danced over the taut flesh of his cock, spreading the leaking fluid over
it as he increased the speed of his stroking.
He pressed against the dripping head, rubbing it, then reached lower to capture
his balls and roll them between slender fingers. He heard Alex's breath catch in
a gasp, then a low moan of his name, could smell the human's seed sharp in the
air.
Thrusting his hips up sharply, Wil shuddered, cum spurting out to coat his
belly. Then he lay exhausted, panting for breath he didn't need. Lifting his
hand, he smeared it over the mess on his stomach, bringing it to his face. Not
even thinking about his actions, he sucked in each digit, cleaning the sticky
fluid off his skin. He dimly heard the shower shut off, but it didn't really
register. Busy cleaning himself off, he didn't become aware of another presence
until a sharp gasp captured his attention.
Startled, the vampire looked up, meeting brown eyes huge with astonishment. He
jerked upright, staring mortified at Alex.
Alex just gaped at the naked form sprawled on the bed. Granted, he'd just been
jerking off to a mental image of that very thing, but to be met with the
reality... And it wasn't too difficult to figure out what Wil had been doing,
either, not from the smell in the room. Or the lingering traces of evidence on
the blonde's hand and stomach and softened co--. Alex flushed deeply,
reluctantly averting his eyes. "Um, s-sorry. I-I just--" He fell silent.
Wil was at a loss for words. He couldn't believe he'd just been caught like this
by his boyfr-- Hey, wait a minute. Why is this a bad thing? Wil grinned,
relaxing into a lewd display. He licked his lips, eyes lidded, and whispered
huskily, "I heard you tossin' off in the shower, pet. Heard you say my name."
Gulping, Alex found his gaze drawn back to Wil, and his breath caught at how the
blonde had assumed an inviting pose. "Wiiil..." he groaned, taking a step
forward before halting.
Wil shifted, drawing attention to his cock, which wasn't nearly as soft as it
had been. "I thought about you when I came, Alex. About touching you, tasting
you." He dropped his eyes to stare at the tenting of Alex's towel.
By this time, Alex figured he had acquired a permanent red hue. Not to mention
the perpetual hard-on. He closed his eyes, purposefully turning away from Wil
once again. "Wil, w-we agreed..." He heard a loud sigh from the bed, then a
rustling as the vampire got up and pulled on a pair of boxers. A soft touch on
his back made him twist his head around.
Wil shuffled his feet, repentant look in his face as he timidly nibbled his
lower lip. "I know," he whispered, "but you just looked so...and I only wanted
to tease you a bit." He shrugged diffidently.
Alex felt like a complete heel for putting that anguished look on Wil's face, so
he pulled the other man into a hug. A hug that ended rather quickly as bare
chests met and hard cocks brushed against each other, sending a flash through
each man that had them jumping away from each other in an attempt to control the
surge of desire that bolted through them. Clearing his throat, Alex waved toward
the clothes he'd picked out earlier. "I'm, uh, just gonna...get dressed."
Wil nodded, watching him intently, making no move to turn away. Alex blinked,
then hesitantly let his towel drop so he could pull on his own boxers. When he
straightened, Wil was grinning cockily at him, eyes twinkling with a mixture of
humor and desire. He smiled back somewhat bashfully, then finished dressing.
Wil too dressed, pulling on his tight jeans and sleeveless white t-shirt, adding
an unbuttoned short-sleeve shirt over that. Done, he whistled admiringly at
Alex, making noises of approval as he eyed the human, who obligingly struck a
pose to show off his outfit. Laughing, they managed to pull on their shoes and
make it out of the apartment without totally breaking down.
Wil and Alex practically clung to each other, amazed by the variety of species
evident at the party, and not wanting to get separated from each other. That
plan was ruined, though, when Mellie appeared with a pale-haired woman in tow.
"There you are! Boys, I'd like you to meet Jenna. Jenna, Alex and Wil." She
nudged the woman forward. "Now, Wil needs you to explain a few vampire things to
him, and I'm going to introduce Alex around." Matching actions with words, she
took hold of Alex and led him away, ignoring his pleading looks back at Wil.
"But-but-but--"
"Nonsense, he'll be fine. Now don't dawdle, there's a lot of folks who want to
meet you!"
As Mellie steered him past the buffet table, Alex managed to grab a few of the
more edible looking snacks. He stuffed one in his mouth just as his
self-appointed guide turned to him.
Mellie took one look at what he was eating, and a strange expression crossed her
face. "Um, do you know what that is?"
Alex paused, hastily swallowing the delicious treat. "Do I want to?"
"Probably not."
"Well then, why don't we just let me keep on believing it was something very
normal and innocent. It will be easier on everyone that way." Determinedly not
thinking about what he might be consuming, he finished off the other bits of
food he'd grabbed.
"Hmm." Mellie's mouth twitched into an almost-smile as she watched him polish
off every crumb. She rolled her eyes, then scanned the nearby crowd, waving
madly when she spotted a tall, sophisticated looking woman. "Oh, it's Sophia!
Come on, Alex!"
Alex stared up at the woman, who had to be at least seven feet tall. "Um, hi."
Sophia smiled, making her entire face light up. "You must be Alex. My, my. You
are a pretty one." She brushed a slim finger over his jaw. "I'm Sophia."
"H-hello, Sophia." Alex stuttered.
Laying an arm across his shoulders, Sophia glanced at Mellie. "I'm going to
steal him away from you for a moment, darling. Don't worry, I won't hurt him!"
"I'll be back to collect him in a bit, then." Mellie shooed them off together,
then went back to her mingling.
Leading Alex off into a semi-private corner, Sophia studied him intently. "So,
Alex. Tell me. Are you working?"
Alex blinked. "Well, no, not at the moment."
"Ah. See, I have a few openings, and trust me, you'd be an absolutely divine
addition. You could make a fortune."
"Wow. Cool. What...exactly would I be doing, though."
Sophia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, starting off, you wouldn't get any
of the more eclectic customers, not until you felt you were ready. Your contract
would be for three months, renewable if you like every three months after. And
you'd only have to accept customers you feel comfortable with. You'd keep 60% of
what you earn, and any extras are automatically yours."
Alex considered this explanation. "Um, sorry if I got this wrong, but...it
sounds like you're offering to...to be my pimp."
"Well, yes. Essentially. Although I find that such a vulgar term. Everyone who
works for me does so completely voluntarily, and only stays as long as he or she
wants. I don't force them to work for me, merely give them the opportunity. Like
I'm doing now."
"Oh. Well, you know, I'm really flattered and all, but--" He searched the room,
then pointed with relief. "See that blonde vampire talking with Jenna? He's my
b-boyfriend, and we're kinda...um, exclusive."
"Ah. Pity. He's quite the lovely one himself. Are you certain? You could work
together, you'd have all the customers fighting for a moment of your time."
"I...don't think so. Um, thanks for the offer, though."
Sophia sighed. "Well, it was too much to hope for, I suppose. I must say, my
customers did get a bit spoiled with that one boy who worked for me. Danny was a
werewolf, you know, small but very energetic. Everyone was sad to see him go. He
was a favorite among the customers, and all the residents here loved him." She
smiled, lifting a hand to show Alex the shimmering blue polish on her nails. "He
recommended this color to me, you know. Said it would suit me much better than
it did him." Another sad sigh. "We all miss him terribly."
"I'm sorry. He sounds like a great guy."
Mellie reappeared beside him. "So, you two have a nice chat?"
Alex blushed, but Sophia simply giggled and answered, "I'm afraid I've been
turned down, darling. Such a loss."
With a superior sniff, Mellie responded, "Well, I told you that you wouldn't be
able to pry Alex and Wil away from each other long enough to entertain anyone
else." Then she smiled warmly. "They're in looooove," she whispered loudly, much
to Alex's further embarrassment. Laughing, Mellie dragged him away again, and he
waved at the disappearing Sophia. "Come, come, lots more to meet."
Wil watched helplessly as Alex was dragged away by their insistent neighbor.
Controlling the urge to sprint after them and drag him back, he shifted his gaze
to the lovely woman beside him. He gave her a half-grin. "Um, hey."
Jenna flicked a glance up at him through long, pale lashes. "Hi," she replied
softly, then went back to an intense study of her feet.
Wil nodded, then started studying the room. Unsurprisingly, his eyes seemed
drawn toward Alex, and he watched as the human was led over to a tall woman and
engaged in a conversation that seemed to leave him rather disconcerted.
"That's Sophia," came a shy whisper, and he once more turned to look at Jenna.
"Yeah? Who's she? Not tryin' to hit on my Alex, is she?"
Smiling briefly, Jenna shook her head. "No. Probably trying to recruit him,
though."
"Recruit?"
Brushing her hair behind her ears, Jenna finally looked at him straight on. Her
brilliant, violet eyes startled Wil momentarily, but he quickly recovered.
"Uh-huh. She's always on the lookout for new additions. She's, um, she's...a
proprietor."
Wil blinked. "Proprietor? Y'mean a pimp?" He bristled, all set to go snatch his
lover from the woman's evil clutches.
Jenna giggled, eyes sparkling merrily. "Not really. She just, um,
arranges...dates. Between her clients and willing employees."
"Sounds like a mighty fancy way of saying' she's procuring johns for her herd of
hustlers."
"Mmm, not really. I mean, everyone who works for her is willing, they pretty
much call the shots on the 'dates', and no one has ever gotten hurt...except for
once when Sophia went after a client who marked up one of her boys. People were
finding pieces of that guy around town for weeks. Sophia is very protective."
"Huh." Wil brightened when he saw Alex point his way while shaking his head at
the woman. He held still as she assessed him, giving her a cocky grin.
Again Jenna giggled as she watched the by-play. "Oh boy, now she's probably
gonna try to get you both as a two-for-one deal."
"Yeah, well, she's gonna be out of luck, then," he growled, relieved when Mellie
finally returned to lead Alex off in another direction. "So," he said, changing
the subject. "Mellie said you could tell me a few things. Y'know, about bein' a
vampire an' all."
"I guess. Um, big stuff. Sun is bad, stay away from pointy bits of wood, losing
your head will dust you. Fire is a big no-no too."
"Right. Pretty much got those figured out on my own." Wil grimaced as he was
jostled by a passer-by. "C'mon, let's move out of the way." He led Jenna off to
a less occupied area, snagging a couple of glasses of blood that were carried by
on a tray. He handed one to the other vampire.
"Thanks." Jenna sipped gratefully, then asked, "So, what did you need to know
about, then?"
Wil thought about it. "Well, what about this 'Sire' thing? What's that?"
"Ok. See, once a vampire is strong enough, he can sire either minions or
childer. Minions are generally pretty dumb, they do the dirty work. Childer
start out as fledglings, and are smarter and stronger, generally because they
get a bigger dose of the sire's blood during the turning process. Plus, the
vampire who sires them tends to sort of take the fledglings under his wing, so
to speak, but minions are pretty much left to fend for themselves."
Wil shrugged. "Sounds simple enough. What's all this about some Slayer girl,
though?"
Jenna gasped. Her glass slipped trough trembling fingers to shatter against the
floor. Sorrow-filled eyes gazed blankly at Wil, and he stepped closer,
concerned.
"Hey, you all right?"
Jenna backed away a step, shaking her head. Her chest rose and fell quickly as
she took sharp breaths of air. Frowning, Wil hustled her away from the large
gathering, searching until he found a deserted room. He pushed her down into a
chair, patting her cheeks gently.
Blinking, Jenna slowly came back to awareness, looking around in confusion.
"What happened?" Wil asked, taking a seat beside her.
"I was..." Jenna rubbed at her nose, sniffling. "I was...remembering."
"Remembering what?"
Jenna didn't respond for long moments, then she visibly braced herself and began
to speak. "Three years ago, I died. And then I woke up again."
Jenna hung precariously from the tree branch, balancing carefully so she could
reach out and tap gently on the window. "Leesha!" she hissed loudly.
A moment later, the window slid open, and a dark-haired girl poked her head
out. "Jenna!" she whispered loudly. "What are you doing here?"
Jenna grinned. "Come on! Today was my last day of school, and I want to party!
I'm free at last!"
"Well, you might be free, but I still have classes. For another week. Mom'll
kill me if she finds out I snuck out!"
"Well, don't tell her, silly!"
"Jenna!"
Jenna pouted. "Alicia," she whined, "Pleeeeease?" She attempted her best puppy
dog look, which must have worked because Alicia disappeared from the window,
returning after a minute and swinging herself out over the ledge.
"Back up so I can get out!" she admonished softly, and Jenna complied.
Quietly, the girls made their way to the base of the tree. Once on the ground,
Jenna smiled happily, gently taking Alicia's hand in her own. "Thanks," she
said gratefully. "The night just wouldn't be complete without you." Leaning
in, she laid her lips over the other girl's, kissing her softly.
Hours later, they lay in a secluded glade, holding each other close as they
recovered their breath. Jenna trailed her hand along damp, flushed skin that
seemed to glow in the moonlight. "You're so beautiful, Leesha."
Alicia arched under the feathery touch. "Mmmm," she purred. "So are you. So
bright, like sunlight."
"And you're so dark, night to my day."
"And we'll always be together?"
"Forever and ever."
There was silence as they held each other, basking in the afterglow of their
lovemaking. Finally, Alicia spoke again.
"We should get dressed."
"Don't wanna." Jenna licked a bare shoulder, then kissed it.
Moaning, Alicia moved away. "If we start again, I'll never get home. And I do
have class in the morning."
"You could skip."
"Jenn!"
Jenna sighed heavily, then sat up and gathered their clothes, sorting through
and pulling out her own. She watched as Alicia dressed. "I can't wait until
you graduate next year. Then we can go away from here, move in together. Not
have to hide any more. From your parents or mine."
Alicia finished dressing, smiling at Jenna. "One more year. We can do it."
"Yeah," Jenna breathed, pulling her in for another kiss. "As long as we have
each other."
Alicia snuck in a quick grope before smacking Jenna's still-bare ass. "Get
dressed, you!"
Jenna gave Alicia a final kiss, then watched as her lover ascended the tree,
sneaking back into her bedroom. With a wave, she turned and left. Walking
briskly, she made her way down the dimly lit street to her house, only a
half-mile away. She had almost reached it when a strong hand latched onto her
arm, yanking her off the sidewalk and into a dark alley.
She opened her mouth to scream, but another hand clamped down over it,
blocking her cries. Staring in horror at the deformed face in front of her,
she flinched back as the hand released her arm and reached up to stroke her
throat. Jenna struggled, but somehow the hands held her pinned to the wall
behind her.
"So pretty," crooned the voice, then a tongue appeared to lick over inhumanly
sharp teeth. "It would be such a shame to kill you. Such a lovely little
treat. I could keep you forever."
A muffled shriek sounded as thin lips grazed her neck, then teeth pierced her
skin. Jenna's struggles became weaker and weaker as her vision dulled. Through
a fog, she felt something pressed to her mouth, a salty taste flooding into
her. Reflexively, she swallowed.
"That's it," coaxed the voice. "Drink deep and come back to me, pretty. Then I
can have you for eternity."
Jenna shuddered as the dark encompassed her.
Alicia woke, blinking sleepily. The pounding on her door continued and,
groaning, she stumbled out of bed and wrenched the door open. "Huh?" she asked
incoherently as she rubbed at her eyes, squinting at her mother. "Wazzt?"
She came quickly awake at the look on her mother's face, a mixture of concern,
anxiety and sadness. "What? What's wrong?"
"It's...your friend Jenna. She's..."
Alicia felt cold finger of dread wrap around her heart. "What. She's what?"
she demanded.
"I'm so sorry, dear. She was killed last night. Her body was found early this
morning, she's de--"
"No!" Alicia slapped her hands over her ears. "No! It's not true! You're
lying!" Backing into her room, she slammed the door shut before collapsing
onto her bed. "No," she whimpered, curling into a tight ball and rocking
herself. "No. You promised, Jenna. You said forever. You promised!"
Crying brokenly, she huddled on her bed, tears drenching her pillow.
It had been a lovely funeral. Alicia couldn't help but keep thinking that over
and over as she sat numbly by her lover's grave.
She'd gone through the day in a trance, ignoring all the well-meaning words of
comfort directed her way. No one knew. Know one knew what Jenna had really
been to her. Unable to stand the platitudes any longer, she'd finally left,
returning to her house and locking herself in her room. Eventually, her mother
quit trying to cajole her out, leaving her to grieve alone. And at sunset, she
exited her room through the window, making her way across town to the freshly
dug grave that was her love's final resting-place.
Alicia brushed a hand over the words engraved on the headstone. Two years.
They'd had barely two glorious years together before being so cruelly
separated. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she sobbed harshly.
Jenna woke, gasping. Dark, so dark. She tried to sit up, but couldn't.
Trapped!
Frantic, she clawed at the lid to her cage. Fingers easily shredded through
the satin covering, then ripped through the wood. Jagged chunks fell around
her, and she paid no attention to the splinter that wormed their way under her
nails. Finally, finally, the wood was out of her way. Fingers sunk into soft
earth, and she dug her way up through the confining soil. Her gown caught on
an edge of wood and, frustrated, she kicked it, breaking it off.
A hand burst through the ground, grasping convulsively at the night air. So
close now. Jenna dragged herself up, emerging from the mound like a child
being born. Spitting dirt from her mouth, she crouched on the small hill,
panting. A low cry made her jerk her head up, and she met the astonished eyes
of her lover.
Alicia had scrambled away as the grave had begun to tremble beneath her. She
watched in disbelief as a pale hand shot forth from the ground, and a
dirt-streaked woman crawled out. She gave a cry when she recognized Jenna,
disbelief mingled with desperate hope surging through her. "Jenna?" she gasped
out, holding back a scream when her lover's beautiful violet eyes briefly
flashed yellow.
Jenna shook herself, staring around in confusion. "I was...there was a man. In
the alley. He..."
Squashing the momentary flash of fear that surfaced in her, Alicia darted
forward and wrapped her arms around Jenna, pulling her in tightly and rocking.
"Jenn. Oh my god, Jenn! You were...they said you were dead!" She pressed
feverish kisses to the smudged face, laughing and crying breathlessly.
Jenna found herself caught up in the rhythm of her lover's heartbeat, the
pulse of blood inside her veins like a siren call. She struggled to
concentrate. "I don't...understand. What...what happened?"
"You're back! You promised you wouldn't leave, and you came back for me!"
"Not precisely," came the venomous, hissing voice behind them.
They whirled, Jenna flinching back from the man that some part of her
recognized. "No..." she moaned.
"What? What is it? Who is he?" Alicia clutched Jenna to her, glaring at the
intruder.
"Me? I am her master, her creator. I made her what she is. When I saw her last
night, I knew she would be mine." He cackled at Alicia's look of outrage and
denial. Then he turned his burning gaze upon Jenna. "Come to me, Childe. Come
to your Sire and master."
"No," Jenna whispered shaking her head. "No, no, nononononono," she chanted,
her voice growing louder with every repetition.
A look of pure fury crossed the man's face, and he stalked forward. He grabbed
one of Jenna's arms, jerking her off the ground. "You will obey me, Childe!"
he growled, belting her hard across the face.
Alicia's eyes narrowed at this violence toward her lover. Scanning the area,
she covertly picked up one of the sharp hunks of wood that had been dragged
out of the grave when Jenna had emerged. She crept after the man, who was even
now dragging Jenna away. Leaping, she plunged the makeshift weapon into the
man's back, and he spun about, glaring at the bloody piece of wood she'd
retained.
"You little bitch," he snarled, casually flinging Jenna away from him. "I
would have let you live, but now? Now you will pay for that." He jumped at
her, tackling her to the ground.
Alicia struggled futilely as sharp teeth lowered themselves to her neck. Then
the man pulled up with a jerk, twisting about to gaze in disbelief at his
newly created childe.
Jenna stood, another chunk of wood clenched tight in her fist, glaring
poisonously at him. "Don't. You. Touch her!" Again she struck, knocking him
off the other girl. Simultaneously, both girls attacked him, plunging their
weapons into his body over and over until, by chance, one strike managed to
pierce his heart. He had one last second to stare in complete shock at his
lovely Childe and her ferocious lover before he collapsed into dust.
The girls fell to the ground, clinging to each other once more.
"Wow. Pretty intense." Wil patted her hand in sympathy. "But you managed to dust
him."
"It was luck. Pure and simple. We surprised him, caught him off guard."
"Still. Quite an accomplishment." He frowned at Jenna's still-trembling hands,
leaving the room briefly and returning with another glass of blood.
Jenna sipped at it, slowly calming.
"So, what happened then?"
"Well, we managed to find someone who could explain just what the hell had
happened to me. We were pretty shocked to find out that, yes, vampires were very
real. So, I learned about what it meant to be one. I spent a while worrying that
I might lose control and hurt Alicia, but that never happened. Like I said,
childer, even the youngest fledglings, are stronger than minions, and don't have
a burning need to kill indiscriminately."
"So you stayed together, then?"
Jenna nodded. "Yeah. Alicia refused to be afraid of what I was, she wouldn't
leave me. But everyone we knew thought I was dead, and, well, I was. So I found
myself someplace to stay during the day, and kept seeing her secretly, visiting
her in the night when no one would know." She snorted wryly. "In other words,
things were pretty much the same as before, except I no longer lived at home."
"How long did that last?"
"I managed to convince Alicia to finish school, even though she wanted to just
run off with me right then. So that situation lasted for an entire year. After
her graduation, we returned to our glade and made love again; and as we lay in
the moonlight, she asked me to turn her."
"What!?" Jenna bolted upright.
Alicia watched her calmly, fingering the silver locket Jenna had given her for
graduation. In it were two tiny pictures, one of each of them. "I said, I want
you to turn me."
Scooting back, Jenna shook her head violently. "No. No. I can't. I won't."
Ignoring her protests, Alicia explained her reasoning. "Look, I'm human,
you're a vampire. Ergo, I will eventually age and die, while you have the
potential to live forever. So I want you to turn me, that way we'll never have
to be alone. Like we promised each other. Together, forever."
"I...I..." Jenna swallowed, then stared her lover in the eye. "Leesha, are you
sure? Absolutely positive?"
Alicia smiled. "Forever with you? No being all old and gray and wrinkly while
you stay young and beautiful? Like I even have to think about that. So here's
the plan; you turn me, we make mad passionate love in our glade one last time,
and then we get the fuck out of this town." She tilted her head to the side,
baring her neck.
Jenna kissed her soft skin. "I love you," she breathed before her fangs
slipped gently into Alicia's flesh.
Alicia's eyes fluttered closed, and she raised her arms to embrace her lover.
"Love you too, Jenn."
When she felt Alicia's pulse weaken, Jenna pulled back, biting open the vein
in her wrist. She held it to her lover's mouth, relieved when the woman began
to lap at the blood seeping from the wound. As they exchanged blood, both
could feel themselves drawn closer together, forming a deep bond that they'd
never dreamed could exist.
When it was finished, Jenna carefully dressed then lifted Alicia's still body,
carrying her to the shelter she'd fashioned nearby. No sunlight penetrated
this place, and they would be safe during the long hours of the day until her
Childe rose the next night.
The sun had finally set, and Jenna once more picked up the body of her lover,
easing out of their shelter and back into the glade where she wanted Alicia to
wake. She settled back, waiting.
An hour passed, then another. Then, finally, Alicia's body quivered, her eyes
popped open, and she sat up, blinking. Her eyes lit on Jenna, and she smiled,
lurching forward.
They kissed, melding themselves together. Then Alicia pulled back.
"Jenn...inside me. So hungry, it's burning inside me. I need..."
Jenna lay back on the soft grass, grinning in understanding. "Come, love. Feed
from me."
Laughing, Alicia pounced, kissing pale flesh before sinking her fangs in,
feasting on her Sire's taste.
Jenna closed her eyes, moaning. She could feel herself being drawn into her
lover, and her body tingled with desire. She clasped her hands to Alicia's
head, holding her in place.
Then, without warning, her hands were empty. She gasped, eyes opening to see a
small blonde girl standing over her, smug grin on her face and sharpened stake
held in her hand.
Horrified, Jenna looked down at her dust-covered chest. Her lover was gone,
and all that remained was the sparkling locket which had been around her neck.
"Hey, don't worry, she's gone now," came the cheerful explanation. "She can't
hurt you any more."
Jenna's fingers sifted through the dust to pluck up the locket. She raised
shocked eyes again, shaking her head. As she stared, the young woman held a
hand out to help her up, and she felt rage building in her chest. Her features
shifted, and the girl jumped back, raising the stake again.
"Why?" Jenna questioned brokenly. "She...she never hurt you. Never hurt
anyone."
The girl snorted. "She was a vamp. And so are you. And me...I'm the Slayer."
She shrugged. "It's kind of in the job description for me to dust you."
Jenna blinked through the tears in her eyes. She sat frozen as the girl drew
closer, almost welcoming the thought of that stake puncturing her chest and
sending her to join her lover again.
"Buffy! You find it?"
The girl glanced behind her, and another girl, a redhead, crashed into the
formerly serene glade, coming to a halt as she saw her friend standing over
what was apparently a vampire.
"Willow, I'm kinda busy, you mind?" Buffy turned back to finish her job,
looking around in confusion when she saw that the vampire had vanished.
Jenna ran. She ran hard, sobbing, pushing her way through the woods blindly as
tree branches lashed at her. Perhaps if she ran far enough, fast enough, she
would wake from this nightmare in which she was so terribly alone.
A root tripped her, and she went crashing to the ground. Rolling, she righted
herself, bringing her clenched fist close to her face. She opened it, and
Alicia's locket tumbled into her lap. In the palm of her hand lay the remnants
of her lover's ashes.
With her other hand, she opened the locket, seeing the face of her beloved as
it had been such a short time ago. Carefully, she poured the ashes from her
shaking hand into the locket, then snapped it shut. Clutching it to her
breast, she howled out her anguish into the uncaring night.
Jenna fingered the locket around her neck, openly weeping. She barely noticed
Wil's whispered curses, or the arms that came around her shoulders to hug her
close. She pressed her face into the offered chest, soaking it with her silent
tears.
The door opened, and Alex stuck his head in, grinning. The grin slowly slid away
as he saw Wil holding the other vampire in his arms. Something akin to jealousy
flickered in him, until he noticed how Wil was shooting him a pleading glance as
the woman in his arms shook with her sobs.
He knelt next to them, reaching out a comforting hand. "What is it? Is she ok?"
Wil hesitated, then gave Alex an abbreviated version of the tale Jenna had
shared with him. Alex's eyes narrowed with anger, and he rubbed soothing circles
on Jenna's back.
Between them, the two held her and rocked her, whispering gentle words in an
effort to alleviate her obvious pain. Eventually, she pulled away from them,
wiping her swollen eyes.
Wil could almost feel the pain of loss that Jenna must have experienced. To have
her childe and lover torn away from her like that... He snarled. "We should find
the bitch an' kill her," he muttered.
Alex nodded. "Damn right."
Jenna shook her head frantically. "No! No, you have to stay away from her! She's
the Slayer!" She gripped Wil's shirt convulsively. "She'll destroy everything
you hold dear, everyone you love," she pleaded, flicking a glance at Alex. "She
doesn't care who she hurts, she's a killer!"
Wil patted her hand awkwardly. "Shh, ok, ok. If you want us to stay away from
her, we will. But if she comes after us on her own, she's fair game!"
Sighing with relief, Jenna released the blonde's shirt. "Thank you," she
whispered.
They all sat in silence for a bit, then Jenna stood. Shaking herself resolutely,
she held out her hands to the two men. "Come on, guys. The party's still going,
and we should get back to it."
"You sure?" Alex asked. "You look like you should probably call it a night
instead."
"No. I'm not going to let her ruin tonight for me." She pulled them up and
strode from the room, determined to have some fun.
Alex yawned hugely as he and Wil stumbled back into their apartment. The party
had lasted until the wee hours of the morning; in fact, sunrise wasn't too far
off. They'd had a lot of fun after Jenna had forcibly dragged them back,
insisting on partying it up. There had been dancing, with Alex glowering
whenever Jenna whisked Wil away for a dance with her. The food was excellent,
even though Alex still didn't want to know what it was he was actually eating.
And the people...everyone seemed so friendly. Well, except for that one
demon...a Fyarl was it? He'd hovered around Jenna protectively once they'd
reappeared, snarling every so often. Jenna had seemed at ease with him, simply
smiling at his antics. She'd confided to the two that the Fyarl, Arkten, had
appointed himself to the position of bodyguard for her, and as she didn't really
object, she'd managed to acquire an extremely protective companion to ward off
any...unpleasantness.
Alex would have tried to make conversation with Arkten, but it seemed that the
demon didn't exactly speak English, although he appeared to understand it well
enough.
Mellie did make another appearance to check up on them, making sure they were
feeling welcome and all. It had really been a great evening.
Now, though, Alex could practically feel sleep tugging at him, beckoning
invitingly. Will wasn't much better off, glassy eyes blinking tiredly as he
trailed in after Alex. It was all the two men could do to make their way to the
bedroom, peel off their outer clothes, and creep under the covers.
Snuggling up against Alex's warmth, Wil sighed deeply. "Alex?"
"Mm-hmm?" Alex shifted so his head was propped up on Wil's shoulder.
"Y'think this Slayer chit'll find us? Me?"
Alex tightened his hold on Wil. "Doesn't matter," he stated firmly. "She won't
get the chance to hurt you or anyone else here."
"Oh." Wil grinned stupidly. "'Kay."
Yawning, Alex burrowed in closer to Wil, breathing in the vampire's scent.
"Alex?"
"Hmmm?"
Wil turned his head and pressed a kiss into Alex's hair. "I like you, Alex.
Really."
Alex smiled. "Like you too, Wil," he responded quietly, returning the kiss with
one to the other man's collarbone.
"Ok, then."
There was a soft rustle of blankets as the two made themselves comfortable for
the night. Then, nothing but the hushed whisper of Alex's breathing.
"So, what do you wanna do?"
Wil shrugged. "I dunno, pet. What do you wanna do?"
Alex glared. "Oh no, don't you even start that! I am so not getting into one of
those conversations."
"Sorry," Wil mumbled unrepentantly, a smile fighting for appearance on his face.
"Good." Alex sat back on the sofa. He stretched his legs out, tilting his head
back to stare at the ceiling. "So? What do you wanna do?"
"I dunno, what--" Wil shrieked with laughter as a sofa pillow was hurled at him,
and he ducked. Grabbing one of the small pillows, he retaliated, whacking Alex
firmly in the chest.
"Ok, that's it, you asked for it!" Alex vaulted over the back of the sofa,
taking a pillow with him.
Wil hastily scooped up his pillow, waiting for Alex to reemerge. And waiting.
And...waiting. He frowned, lowering his makeshift weapon slightly. He crept
carefully around the sofa, ready to attack.
He blinked. Alex wasn't there. Eyes wide, he backed up a step. He frowned,
concentrating his hearing, searching for some indication of his boyfriend's
whereabouts. A scuff on the carpet behind him alerted him, and he whirled
swiftly.
Too late.
Alex pounced, knocking Wil back onto the sofa, landing on top of him. Laughing,
he fended off the halfhearted blows aimed at him. He wrestled Wil's pillow away,
having to resort to a sneak attack of tickling the blonde man's ribs in order to
make him lose his grip. Now with both pillows, Alex crouched over Wil
victoriously. "Ha! Thought you could get away with it, huh? Well, it takes more
cunning than that to put one over on me!" His eyes narrowed in contemplation,
then he tossed the pillows aside. Waggling his fingers suggestively, he
snickered when Wil let out a whimper and tried to squirm away.
"Oh, you are ticklish, aren't you. Well, well. Won't take much to break you,
then." Then he darted in, fingers seeking out sensitive areas on pale flesh.
Wil gasped as Alex's fingers seemed to home on his every ticklish spot. Laughing
weakly, he bucked up, trying to shove Alex off him. He must have surprised the
man, because he did manage to dislodge him partially. Taking advantage of this
turn of events, he shoved Alex off, toppling him to the floor. Leaping back up,
he bent and easily hefted the man, carrying him over his shoulder into the
bedroom. He tossed him onto the bed, grabbing up one of the larger pillows
there. He was about to really let Alex have it when he saw how the brunette was
staring at him.
He looked down at himself, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. "What?"
Alex licked his lips at he stared at Wil's lean body. "You were carrying me," he
answered in a husky voice.
"Oh. Yeah." Wil thought about it, then grinned. "Pretty neat, huh?"
Alex growled under his breath, rolling over and crawling across the bed toward
Wil. His eyes were dark, hungrily devouring the vampire.
Wil swallowed hard, letting the pillow drop unnoticed to the floor. "Alex?" he
questioned weakly, voice almost squeaking on the name.
Alex reached up and yanked on Wil's arm, pulling the man down on top of him.
Hand firmly fixed in pale blonde hair, he dragged Wil's head closer to his own,
tongue darting out to drag across lips that remained sealed for one astonished
second, then parted eagerly.
Wil suckled on Alex's tongue as it entered his mouth. After a moment, he pulled
away from his boyfriend's clinging mouth, putting enough space between him so he
could give the man an amused smirk. "So, you like it when I'm forceful, huh?"
There was a rumble deep in his chest as he shoved Alex onto his back, pinning
his arms up over his head. "I can work with that."
He bent, but before his lips touched Alex's, he stopped. He blew lightly across
them, then, cocking his head, sat up and moved away from Alex, rising from the
bed and standing there nonchalantly.
Alex gaped at him in disbelief. "What--?"
Wil made a show of stretching. "Well, y'know, you wanted to take it slow an'
all." He shrugged casually. "Wouldn't want you to think I was tryin' to trick
you into anything." He stood there innocently as Alex continued to blink up at
him in consternation.
Alex was in a state of shock, mingled with disbelief. His jaw was hanging open
as he continued to lie there unmoving. His eyes drifted over the blonde's
seemingly relaxed stance, narrowing when they fell below the waist. He tossed
his head, sitting up. "Right. Good thinking." He stood and walked past Wil, one
hand brushing not-quite-accidentally over the prominent mound in the vampire's
pants. He smirked to himself as he heard a muted groan.
That fleeting touch sent a shock of arousal surging through Wil, but he wasn't
about to let Alex know that. Well, at least not more than was already obvious.
He took a moment to calm himself, then strolled to the foot of the bed. "Glad
you see it my way, then." He stooped and picked up the fallen pillow. Instead of
replacing it on the bed, though, he quickly turned and walloped Alex over the
head with it. As Alex swung around with a furious expression, Wil pitched the
pillow aside and darted back out to the living room.
Alex shook his head bemusedly, then followed at a more sedate pace. He knew Wil
would be expecting some form of retaliation, so he decided to bide his time.
Wil watched him warily as he approached the sofa, not relaxing one bit even as
the man made himself comfortable, feet propped up on the coffee table. As the
minutes ticked by without a single movement, Wil gradually found himself
unwinding.
Alex grinned. "So. Wanna go to a club or something later on?"
Wil studied him, looking for some sort of hidden meaning or threat in that
question. Finding none, he shrugged. "Sounds good."
Alex nodded. "Cool." He reached for the remote, switching on the television.
Part Three