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Neighbors
by Gypsy Gray

"So, you blackmail all the people you bugger?"

"Only the one's who can afford it. I heard something interesting. I heard Aunty Toomay had a visitor about a week ago. And since then there have been six deaths, everyone of them turned out to be a case of vigilantism, at least that's what people are saying."

Spike growled under his breath and continued to walk along in silence. They had left the club about ten minutes ago and were now walking to Xander's house. When he had stepped out of his hiding place the boy had just smirked at him and taken off his robe. He'd watched while the brunette peeled off the g-string and got dressed. Tight black jeans, a red t-shirt that fit like a second skin, and black boots. The boy looked like a pro. They'd left side-by-side without saying a word. If Spike hadn't known where the boy lived he wouldn't have had a clue where they were going.

The old house was off a side street that was mostly black, no lights except for the ones in a few scattered windows. The shadows were full of all sorts of predators including other vampires, but none of them made a move on the boy. He provided a valuable service, and he didn't interfere with them. When they reached the front door they discovered Xander had a visitor. A vampire.

"Hello Andre."

"Bonjour Xavier. You have a new friend?"

"No. An old friend come for a visit."

"Bon. Andre de Renow, and you?"

"Spike will do." The Brit. was not pleased. He knew this Frenchman hadn't had Xander, but he could smell how much he wanted him. He took a step closer to the boy and smirked when he saw the other man bristle.

"Spike?"

"Yes, Andre. You've heard of him...William the Bloody." For his part, Xander was amused. He'd known for weeks that Andre wanted him, but he had no interest in the arrogant Frenchman. Spike, on the other hand, was beginning to get very interesting. 

"The Bloody? Who...Merde! The William the Bloody? Of course you are. My apologies, I just came by to pick up the potion Xavier was making for me."

"Come back tomorrow. He's busy tonight."

"Of course. Goodnight...Spike. Xavier."

"Goodnight Andre. I'll have the potion for you by eight tomorrow."

"Wee, thank you."

They watched him scurry off with out another word. Then they turned to face each other. Spike wore a look of smug amusement and it's match graced Xander's face. They stood there looking for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts of the other.

Spike wasn't sure what the hell he was doing. Ten months ago he'd been as surprise as the rest of them when Xander had taken off with out a word. He'd known something was going on between the boy and the Watcher, they each carried the other's scent. It was the quick departure of Giles' friend that tipped the vampire off. She had found out about Xander. Still, it didn't explain why the boy had run, with her gone the Watcher would've been with the boy again. He'd started asking about the brunette to ease his own curiosity and for potential blackmail material. Now, here he stood at the boy's house, chasing off another vamp, cause froggy had a hard on for the kid and trying to figure out how to get an invite in the front door. He'd worry about gettin' the boy out of his jeans after that.

Xander was completely confused. He'd made a life here, one completely different from who he used to be. The first thing he'd done when he got here was get a job stripping, it was something he knew he was good at. He'd found this house to stay in and spent his first check on books from an occult store. It didn't take long to learn the spells that would provide him with water, electricity, air conditioning, and heat; all without paying a single bill. He'd done it to see if he could...and because he knew Giles would never do such a thing. After that magic had come easy. He'd started selling spells for the right price and used that as leverage to not be a midnight snack for his neighbors. When an offer had come to work at "Cyrano's" he couldn't turn it down. The money was double and he had complete control over what he would and wouldn't do. 

It wasn't long before he started receiving offers from the wealthiest and most beautiful people in New Orleans. At first he'd turned them all down. Loneliness and grief had driven him to accept the first time. After that, he said yes whenever he felt like it. But the sex was empty and he always grew bored quickly. He never let himself forget that they only wanted him for what they saw on stage, and he couldn't help but resent them for it. Blackmail had been the only thing he could think of to keep his ass out of a sling. One of the men had turned out to be a state senator. His opposers had sent a private detective to follow him. The P.I. had found out his real name and age. In desperation Xander had agreed to sleep with him for his silence. The dick had forgotten his video camera was on and Xander had stolen the tape. Five grand kept it away from the guy's wife and a meeting in the right place at the right time had insured that the man was a meal for one of the baddies that hung around. And Xander never even had to kiss the guy. It was too easy.

Afterward, he'd returned home, thrown up, burned the tape, and gotten drunk. The next time he needed or wanted something he just found out who had it and seduced them. The trick with the blank negatives and the forgetting spell had come later. Once he'd learned that spell he'd stopped sleeping with any of them. The truth was, in the last four months he hadn't had sex with anyone. The act had lost it's appeal. Now, standing here looking at Spike, he realized the for the first time since Giles he actually wanted someone. It had been so long since he felt real honest desire. Now, he just had to figure out how to get Spike into bed without getting his throat torn out.

tbc