The battle was on. Demons of every imaginable size and shape were swarming them. Buffy was wielding a stake in one hand and a sword in the other. She and Angel were back to back. The ax in Angel's hands cut and cleaved almost faster then the eye could follow. Gunn and Wesley were defending a spiked out and pain wracked Doyle. One vision after another slammed into him; leaving him helpless. Cordelia was behind Angel's car firing her crossbow as fast as she could reload it. Her aim was perfect. Giles, Willow, and Tara were chanting; surrounded by blue light coming from the broken stone Tara held.
A simple geode. That was the cause of all this. Someone had found and broken open the stone. An army of homicidal demons had been released. The PTB had called in the L.A. crew before the Scoobies even had chance. But the demons had a seer of their own. One who could both receive and send visions. With Doyle out of commission the only thing they could do was try to reseal the stone.
Unfortunately, the spell to do had been lost. No Doyle meant no link to the Powers. That left them only one option...a restoration spell. Giles and the witches were trying to "heal" the geode. But the spell took all their energy and attention, so they couldn't defend themselves. Which was why Spike and Xander were armed...automatic weapon armed. They were the only ones who knew how to use them. Well, Angel or Giles could have. But they were otherwise occupied. That left the Big Bad and the Zeppo to guard the magic users.
For once things went as planned. Almost. The blue glow started pulling the demons back into the stone. When it got close to Angel he jumped behind his car. Doyle was pulled out of it's reach by Wes and Gunn. Spike dodged the light, but he bumped into Willow. She fell clutching her side and he staggered back clutching his head. He was hit by the light.
The screams were horrible. Sparks shot from the back of his skull and he fell to his knees. His body twisted and jerked. A tearing sound almost overrode the screams. Then there were two voices. One a human in pain, the other a demon enraged. Two forms were in the light now. A bleached blonde demon in black and an unrecognizable human in nothing. The demon howled, the human fell backwards, and the light disappeared. The demon went with it.
Xander was closest. He slowly turned the collapsed body over to look at it's face. A boy. Long golden blonde hair,
sharp cheek bones, he looked younger then Xander. For a moment the brunette didn't know who he was looking at. Then the eyes opened.
"Spike?!"
"What happened? I don't feel it. Is it gone?! Oh please God let it be gone!!" The voice was as cultured as Wesley's or Giles'. The eyes were guileless and full of desperate terrified hope. Xander felt his heart break inside those eyes.
"It's alright. You're gonna be ok...Wil."
Angel had reached them. He leaned down to get a closer look at the blonde, but he
wasn't prepared for the reaction he got. The human's eyes grew as big as saucers. He screamed and staggered up onto shaky legs. Naked,
terrified, and completely disoriented, he recognized Angel.
"No!! Please no!!!! NO!!" Xander caught him when he was about to fall. The terrified boy clutched Xander and buried his face in the brunette's neck. Sobs shook his whole body. "Please don't let him...don't let him hurt me anymore. Don't let him bring it back!"
Giles' apartment was full of angry, worried, shouting voices. Buffy was
screaming at Angel and Giles. Giles was trying to find a book to explain
what happened and completely ignoring Buffy. Angel's attention was focused
completely on the golden haired boy sitting on Giles' couch. Willow and Tara
were arguing with Cordelia and Gunn about what should be done with the boy.
Wesley and Doyle were trying to calm them down. Xander was sitting on Giles'
couch with an exhausted frightened boy. Wrapped in Angel's too big coat and
sipping from a cup of chamomile tea, Wil hadn't left Xander's side.
"Wil you remember...everything?"
"Yes. It's like...like watching a television program starring
yourself. Only you have no say in the script. It wasn't me...but it was."
"What do you mean?"
"Druscilla for example. It, the demon, it cared for her. But so did
I. And with you. It trusted you, so do I."
It was the eyes. They were sucking all the good sense right out of
Xander's brain. When Wil looked at him with a shy little smile and those big
blue eyes it was impossible for him not to reach out and brush the tangle of
gold off the boy's forehead. According to the truth they'd finally gotten
out of Angel, Wil had been only 17 when Dru had turned him. Insane as she
was, he'd have been just a minion or as crazy as her if Angel hadn't
"adopted" him. But Angelus had been resentful of the beautiful boy that made
heads tun everywhere they went. He was used to getting all the attention
from strangers and from Dru. He'd punished Wil severely and brutally for it.
That was when Spike appeared. In an effort to protect himself, the young
vampire took on the persona of a guttersnipe and a brat. This insured that
Angelus regained the attention he was missing, and that he rarely bothered
with Spike. When he did it was only to command the boy to his bed, something
that even as a vampire Wil hadn't liked. Angel believed it was because the
boy had been a complete virgin when he was turned. It was this little
revelation that had Buffy screaming her head off.
"Wil?" Angel's voice broke the newly forming connection between
Xander and the blonde. But this time Wil didn't try to run. He scooted
closer to the brunette and met Angel's eyes squarely. The vampire was
sitting on the coffee table, leaning forward to be closer to Wil.
"Wha..What do you want?"
"I'm sorry Wil. Of all the things I've done, what I did to you I
regret the most. I won't let it happen again. I promise."
"Like with Darla."
"What?"
"You let Druscilla turn her. If it comes to it will you kill Dru for
me? I doubt it."
"Wil..."
"You can't fix me. You can't undo it all. Just leave me alone."
"Wil please listen..."
"No." Xander's voice was calm and deadly. Angel's conversation was
over. The look in his eyes made it plain that if the vampire tried to get
near Wil again they'd need a whisk to get him off the rug. Angel was
impressed. "You have nothing else to say to him."
Angel stood and walked over to Doyle. The smaller man allowed himself to
be pulled into his lover's arms. The halfling caught Wes' eyes from across
the room. The ex-watcher stole a kiss from Gunn and then followed his
friends eyes to the couch. Xander was cradling a shaking Wil in his arms.
The boy's face was buried in the brunette's neck. Xander whispered softly to
the boy and Wil pressed closer to him. Oblivious to what was happening right
in front of her Buffy continued to yell. When Wes saw the boy cringe and
press closer to Xander he made a decision. Whatever happened, Wil would not
be hurt anymore. No matter what.
Part Three
Xander led a much calmer but very tired blonde into his apartment. He'd
known the boy would be staying with him, but he was surprised when Wes,
closely seconded by Doyle suggested it. It was odd, but it saved him having
to deal with Buffy and it got Wil away from Angel. That was the important
thing. The phone call to Anya had not been so easy. Telling her there would
be no sex because of the boy wasn't hard, it was listening to the whining
and the screaming that pissed him off. He was tired of her only concern
being her orgasms and her presents. When she threatened to break up with him
if he didn't leave Wil at Giles' he calmly told her goodbye and hung up. As
far as he was concerned, they were over.
The boy was looking around the place with a small smile on his face. It
was a sweet slightly nervous smile, but it was genuine. He touched the
kitchen counter, the back of the couch, and finally the stood directly in
front of Xander. He dropped his head and picked at imaginary lint on Angel's
coat. Xander's heart started to race. Wil nibbled softly on his bottom lip
and looked up at Xander from under his eyelashes. Xander felt his whole body
twitch.
"Wil?"
"I know. I feel it. I'm scared."
"Me too. I won't hurt you."
"Have you done this...with a man?"
"No, but Anya..."
"Oh."
"Angel...?"
"Doesn't count. It and him, not me. This is me."
Xander pushed the coat off the smaller man's shoulders. It fell to the
floor revealing the body underneath. Wil watched in silence while the
brunette removed his own clothes. Naked, the older boy took the ex-vampire's
hand and led him to the bedroom. Gently guiding the slim form down to the
bed, Xander laid on top of him. Wil's legs opened to cradle Xander's hips
between them. Two hard shafts rested against each other. A shiver ran
through the blonde's body, and Xander kissed him.
Hands tangled in gold, cock rubbing against it's match, the brunette
devoured the hot lush mouth beneath his won. Wil responded eagerly, wrapping
his arms around Xander and arching against him. Xander tore his mouth free
and latched onto an already hard nipple. Pink and hot it tasted fantastic.
He suckled and nibbled and then moved to the other one when Wil's hands came
up to hold his head in place.
Xander worked his way down the body moving beneath him. He paused to
kiss a flat stomach and run his tongue along the navel rim. Wil moaned and
gasped. Xander didn't pause again. He wasn't quite sure how to do this, but
he knew what he liked and he knew what he wanted. One slow lick up the
throbbing vein, and then he fastened his mouth on the head of Wils cock and
began to suck. Flicking his tongue over the slit, he moaned at the taste.
Wil thrust up and he sank down on the shaft about a third of the way.
Resting his hands on the slim hips he encouraged them to move. One long
fingered hand twined in his hair while the other caressed his shoulders and
upper back.
Wil moved slowly at first. As he grew comfortable, Xander's jaw relaxed
and he was able to take more. Wil began to pick up speed and Xander took
hold of the base of the shaft. His hand moved in tandem with the blonde's
thrusting and soon they had found their rhythm.
"Xander!!" Liquid flooded the brunette's mouth. He did his best to
swallow it all but some escaped him. He continued to suckle until the flesh
in his mouth was lax. Then he slowly licked up what had spilled. Working his
way up the trembling body beneath him he was rewarded by a renewal of the
spent shaft and a deep kiss. Wil ran his hands over Xander's body.
Delighting in the warm sweat-slicked skin of his lover.
"Are you ok?"
"Mmmm Nummy."
"Huh?"
"That's how it thought of you, as it's Nummy Treat. Suits you."
"You think I'm nummy, huh?"
"Yes. Are you going to take me?"
"Yes. That ok?"
"Yes."
Wil leaned against the windowsill. His attention was focused completely
on the figure asleep amidst tangled sheets. Xander...Nummy. He shifted his
weight to the other leg and was reminded of how the sheets arrived in their
present state. He had no memories of pleasure from that act, Angelus had
used it for punishment. He never imagined that he would agree to such a
thing. But Xander had been so gentle and so honest. There were no hidden
motives in the act for him. He simply wanted to make love to Wil. Despite a
limited amount of experience, he'd been patient and calm. When they were
finally joined there was no pain, and the blonde knew that for the rest of
his life he would carry the beautiful memory of Xander's face as they moved
together.
When they found release their was kissing and smiling and laughter.
They'd been giddy with pleasure and happiness. Wil recognized the feeling,
love. He was completely and inarguably in love with Alexander LaVelle
Harris. And there was nothing finer in the universe then being able to fall
asleep in his strong warm arms, listening to their hearts beat in harmony.
It was only a century of survival instinct that woke him. Without even
thinking about it he rose from the bed to close the curtains. Even in sleep
he felt the sun.
It was warmth on his back that pulled his attention from the bed.
Warmth, but not burning. The sun was rising. Wil stood in the window and
watched the sunrise. It seemed so close, as though he could reach out and
touch the orb at it's center. Like a painting with a thousand different hues
of orange and red and yellow, running like watercolor into the oils of
violet and black.
"Wil? What's wrong?" Arms he knew wrapped around him. A warm body
pressed against his back and a syubbly cheek rest against his head. And the
sun was up.
He couldn't look away, not even for the worry in that beloved voice. Not
even when he felt warm fingers trace a wet path down his cheek. He didn't
even know he was crying until he felt Xander's fingers wipe the tears away.
There were no words. No way to explain the crashing joy that washed through
his soul. He was drowning in sunshine, free of the shadows. There was light
and hope. There was finally a morning after endless night.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the phone that pulled them from peace. Xander squeezed Wil one
last time and then moved away to answer it.
"Yeah?"
"Xander, bring Sp...Wil to the shop at once."
"Giles? What's up?"
"There's no time to explain. Just do it."
"You found away to fix the geode. To put all the demons back for
good."
"Xander we don't..."
"You're gonna let it loose. You're gonna make Wil into Spike again."
"Look, will you just..."
"FUCK YOU!!!"
The phone cracked from the force he slammed it down with. Going to the
closet he pulled two large hiking packs out. Drawers were opened and slammed
as he began quickly packing. The entire operation was accomplished in
silence. He was done in under five minutes, it was obviously something he'd
been prepared for for a long time.
When he looked up Wil was wearing a pair of sweats tied tight around his
hips and a gray t-shirt. The clothes were too big and obviously not his, but
he was dressed and ready to leave. Xander handed him one of the bags and
moved the dresser away from the wall. Kicking the baseboard in he reached
inside and pulled out a strongbox. It was shoved into one of the bags and
then they were ready.
They nearly flew down the stairs to Xander's car. But before he got to
it, Wil was pulled to a tarp covered shape. A Camaro. A black, gleaming,
1968 "fuck you cops" fast Camaro. Xander stowed the bags in the back, pushed
Wil into the passenger seat, fastened their safety belts, and started the
car. The engine purred to life. The brunette threw the car into gear and
pealed out. They were doing 55 in under a minute, and Wil braced himself
when Xander shifted gears again.
They still hadn't said a word. There was nothing to say. They were
running. From the demon, from the Slayer, from Xander's friends, from the
good fight. Xander had spent his life from the time he was 15 doing the
right thing for the good of the world. After 15 years of swallowing shit and
blood and pain, he finally found someone worth all of it. No one was going
to take Wil away. No one.
The hotel was cheap and clean. The Terlax demon at the desk didn't say a word when they signed in as J. Smith+1. There was a page full of Smith, Doe, and Jones already. The room was in back and hidden from the two lane road that ran past. It was the kind of place you didn't find unless you were acquainted with the right people.
Wil watched as Xander dropped the packs on the one chair and then went back to the car. They'd been on the interstate for three hours when the brunette pulled off onto a little used exit. A small town consisting of a diner and a Mom and Pop general store was the first stop. The diner yielded breakfast and sandwiches for the road. The store was picked through for t-shirts, jeans, socks, under clothes, and a pair of black high-top Converse. Toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving kit, deodorant, and a small pair of silver John Lennon style reading glasses joined their purchases, and the whole lot was stuffed into an empty backpack. Finally, a plain black leather jacket that hung at mid-thigh was purchased from the trunk of a fellow diner patron's car. All in Wil's size. And all paid for out of the strongbox.
More hours of driving on backroads and what were barely more then paved paths brought them to the hotel. It was just after sunset. They ate the last of the sandwiches. Separate showers were taken. And now they were lying in bed beside each other. Wil was pretending to read a paperback mystery novel he found in the draw of the nightstand. A process made much easier by his glasses. Funny to be wearing them again after so many years, but nice not to have to squint at the words or hold the book just under his nose.
Xander is staring blankly at an old black and white movie on t.v. They had spoken. "What color do you want?" "Do they have chicken?" They'd laughed at Wil's rediscovery of food and his first encounter with jello. They hadn't discussed the time they had to pull off the road so he could make use of the bushes. The ex-vampire felt stupid for being happy that he had to relieve himself, but the half smile the brunette gave him told Wil he understood.
But they hadn't "really" talked. They hadn't discussed the car or the strongbox. Or the phone call. Wil closed his book and took off his glasses. A deep breath and the old forgotten gestures, pinching the bridge of his nose and pushing his hair back. And then he turned his whole body to face his...
"Are we lovers? I mean, committed to each other?"
"We should be committed, but...yeah. I want us to be."
"Good. Now, as your lover, I feel I should ask about..."
"Ask about?"
"Well, umm, I ah...this. All this."
"It was after Dracula. It finally hit me that I might not die, that I could really get turned. I didn't want to be dusted. Not by Buffy. So I started making plans. Selling stuff Drac left behind. Buying the car. Finding places to hide. Setting up a Swiss bank account. Buying my building. Making some long term investments. Preparing."
"Good Lord. I'm married to an entrepreneur."
Xander laughed loudly. The shadows that sat in his eyes faded. He pulled Wil into his arms and kissed him. With the somber mood broken they cuddled up together and kissed gently and sweetly.
"I want an orb of Thesely. In case."
"I know where to get one. I even learned the spell."
"Xander they're going to find us."
"I know. We're not running, we're getting them into our territory. No reason to give them the hometown advantage if we don't have to. We'll be there by tomorrow night. The others are probably waiting on us."
Where? What others?"
"Shh. You'll see. You'll see. Goodnight my Wil."
"Goodnight Xander.
The road led way back into woods that hadn't seen humans since Indians roamed free and white men weren't even stories. A forest actually, and Wil felt both swallowed up and protected by it. His lover seemed perfectly at ease here, pulling Wil across the seat to sit with his arms around him as they drove up the old dirt road. The end of the raod was greeted with deep kisses and a low purring growl from the body that held him close.
From the end of the road they shouldered the packs and walked. The forest grew denser, deeper, and darker as the sun set and the last of civilization was left behind. The cabin loomed out of growing twilight and the figure on the porch let out a whoop and came barreling down the path at them. A girl with dark hair falling down her back and laughter in her eyes threw herself into Xander's arms. He swung her around while she crowed in delight.
Bodies came rushing out of the house. Young people, all Xander's age and all...different. Without the demon Wil had no power of his own, but over a century as a non-human had left him with sensitive to certain things. These people were not quite human. A familiar figure came out of the cabin at last and the blonde turned a questioning look to his lover as Oz walked over to them.
"Wil this is my home. And except for a few strays, these are my pack."
"Pack?"
The girl Xander had been holding stepped away and began circling Wil. She waited until they were facing each other and then leaned into him. A delicate sniff at the side of his neck and she leaned away to smile at him. Then she threw her arms around him and he was hugged as tightly as Xander had been. He heard a growl and turned to see Xander stepping closer. The girl released him and stood beside a tall boy that Wil thought he recognized.
"Xander has a mate. Xander has a mate." Her voice was sing-songy and the words dripped amusement and satisfaction. The group started laughing and Wil would have been insulted except strong arms circled his waist and pulled him back against his lover's chest.
"Rhonda...enough."
"Sorry Xan, just teasing."
"He's pretty. Where did you get him?" A slim girl with short hair and an eyebrow ring seperated herself from the group. She stood next to Rhonda and the tall boy. From within the group two more figures made their presence known. One broad shouldered and tall moved to stand beside the tall boy with Rhonda. Another shorter boy moved away from Oz and stood directly in front of Xander.
"Everything's ready. We even have a surprise."
"A surprise Kyle? Show me."
The boy ducked his head in an unmistakable show of respect. He turned and led them into the cabin. Wil noticed that Oz walked beside them, followed closely by the group of two girls and two boys. The rest of them followed behind the smaller group. The boy, Kyle, led them to a room at the back of the cabin. Inside were two glowing orbs.
"Xander, wha..."
"I called them from the hotel. Oz knew where to find them." Xander placed a kiss in the palm of Wil's hand. Pulling his lover into his arms he whispered sfotly to him. "No one will ever take you from me. We'll never be apart."
Xander leaned against the window frame. The sounds of the shower almost drowned out the crickets and other night sounds. He could hear the scurrying of tiny feet as field mouse ran from the eyes of owls. Owls with rustling feathers that sounded like popcorn kernels shaking in their bag. Since the hyena incident his senses had been heightened. Not as much as the cop on that Sentinel show, but more then the average person. His strength and speed were also increased, something he'd been very careful to keep hidden. Being not quite human around Buffy was a sure way to end up dead. Unless your name was Angel. Slayer thy hypocrisy knows no bounds.
After the hyena thing he'd tried really hard to put it all behind him. But Kyle and Rhonda still nodded to him in the hallways. Tor and Heidi stepped aside when he walked passed him. The connection was still there. They were still a pack and he was still the leader. He kept their connection a closely guarded secret, and used the excuse of a road trip to satisfied his instincts. The cabin and the surrounding ground were purchased with money the others collected from the nests and hordes of various demons. It was a simple set up really. The Scooby gang killed the bad guys, and then Xander called in his pack. Anything valuable and mundane was taken to a regular pawnshop, the arcane was fenced through Willy. Every cent was squirreled away for one purpose. A safe haven for the pack.
Oz came after escaping the initiative. He'd been adopted into the clan and claimed Kyle for his mate soon after. Xander didn't mind. Oz and Kyle were his only real rivals for the alpha position. Oz didn't want it, and with Kyle as the werewolf's beta he was no longer a potential rival. Instead the two of them became Xander's seconds, caring for the pack in his absence. Returning to Sunnydale had been a difficult, but necessary choice. He needed a mate. Rhonda was the obvious choice. She was the alpha female. But there was no desire between them. He saw a sibling when he looked at her, not a lover. The same went for Heidi and the other females. It hadn't occurred to him then that his mate might be male.
Anya had seemed perfect, but even from the beginning he knew it wasn't her. The sex was acceptable and she was able to meet his needs, but as kind as he tried to be to her he simply couldn't deal with her whining all the time. She was almost as bad as Buffy. Still, there had been plenty of time. His pack was safe and growing. Thanks to the influx of individuals and small groups seeking a haven from the world. And thanks to Rhonda. Relentless pestering and a discovered talent for fertility magic had led to a remarkable number of pregnancies. Nearly 60% of their female population with mates were pregnant within a week of agreeing to Rhonda's plans. A little more magic, and those females who had mates who could not give them children (mostly other females) were carrying children. Further magic, and much yelling by Rhonda about everyone doing their part, and there were pregnant men all over the place.
Which was one of the reasons Xander was waiting for Wil to get out of the shower. After showing them both the orbs, Kyle had announced that he was going to have a child with Oz. They had seemed so happy, Xander had truly been pleased for them. Then Rhonda struck. Hands firmly planted on hips, she demanded that as their leader he fulfill his obligations and give them an heir. Wil had turned bright red. Rhonda had smiled. Arms across her chest, chin jutted out, she calmly informed them that if Spike were pregnant before he was rejoined with the demon then he could carry the child to term with no ill effects to him or the baby. Wil turned purple.
A long conversation and much floor pacing had followed. When all the debating, demanding, begging, and reassuring was done a decision had been made. Now they had to deal with the consequences of that decision. When the water turned off Xander turned around to face his lover. This was not going to be easy.
"Doyle, what did you see?" Wesley's voice was a whisper. He and Doyle had been discussing ways to throw the group of raving morons further off the trail. The entire bunch of assorted idiots had set out on the trail of Xander and Wil as soon as they realized the two of them had run. Their collective efforts to track the supposed fugitives ha revealed some very interesting facts.
First, since graduating from high school Xander Harris had disappeared. He'd had no jobs, signed no contracts, had no mailing address, paid no taxes, received no mail. While living at his parents' home Xander's mail had come to LaVelle Harrison. All his jobs had him listed the same way. Since moving to his new apartment his name had become Alec LaVelle. Willow had even been able to pull up copies of Mr. LaVelle's birth certificate, driver's license, high school diploma, motorcycle license, several deeds, the balance of his bank account in town, and instances where funds had been transferred to and from what could only be multiple Swiss bank accounts.
Alec LaVelle owned the shopping complex where the "Magic Box" was located, a few residential neighborhoods (including the ones with the Summers, Rosenberg, and Harris, homes in them), The Bronze, and the land that contains the rubble of Sunnydale High and the Hellmouth. He had close to two million dollars in his account in the local bank and an undisclosed some spread out in his Swiss accounts. There was an impressive stock portfolio and tax and payroll records showing him as the sole owner of a successful construction company and a few other small businesses. Xander was filthy fucking rich. And Buffy was seriously pissed off.
Some of the money had been there for awhile, but a huge infusion of cash, stocks, and overseas properties had come fairly recently. When Willow compared the dates it suddenly became apparent what happened to all of Dracula's things. They hadn't vanished into thin air, they'd liquidated themselves into Xander's pockets.
While the Scoobies were incensed, the L.A. groups was suitably impressed. Cordelia was discussing ways to get Xander into the firm as a backer and Gunn was trying to find out the exact size of charity donations that would be useful as tax right offs. Angel was another story. He'd made it clear that he didn't care if Xander owned the Empire State Building and was planning to climb it and swat down airplanes, his only concern was Wil. He absolutely didn't approve of rejoining the boy and the demon. He wanted Wil protected at all costs. So when Wes had gotten the idea of an orb of Thesaly, the vampire had taken Gunn and begun searching or one. The two of them had returned only moments before Doyle had been struck with a vision.
"There safe. There not far, just a coupla days of drive. But we need more time. We 'ave to keep everyone 'ere 'til sunrise, then we can tell the Slayer."
"Time for what?"
"Ta finish, and ta use our orb."
"Our...they have one of their own?"
"Yes." Doyle's voice was a whisper. Wesley pulled him further into the shadows of Giles' hallway.
"Francis, what do we need our orb for?" The former watcher's voice was quiet and gentle. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. Doyle and Angel loved each other completely, but because of the curse it was impossible for them to consummate their relationship.
"It...for Angel. They showed me...there's a spell, at the lad's place. It can change the curse....his soul will be permanent."
"Xander knew this?"
"No. He just thought it would work if someone else was turned. He didn't know it could help Angel."
"I'll go to the apartment. You tell Angel."
"Don't go alone. Tis a Hellmouth ya know."
"Gunn will accompany me. Be careful Doyle, if Buffy finds out..."
"Aye. I'll not be givin her royal bitchness a reason ta shorten my life."
Part Nine
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"A child, our child...yes Xander. I want this. It's the only chance
we'll ever have."
"I love you Wil."
"Show me."
The taller man pulled his companion into his arms. Their mouths met in a
slow kiss. Wil stepped away from his lover and walked to the center of the
room. Looking Xander in the eye, he dropped his towel. Placing his hands on
his shoulders, he slowly ran them down his body. Over his nipples, past a
flat stomach, through a tangle of sandy curls that still held drops of
water, left hand down to cup his sac, right hand stroking slowly up and down
his hard shaft. He was beautiful, wanton, and everything Xander ever wanted
in the world.
The dark haired man stared in awe at his mate. The man was too beautiful
to be real. Xander felt the hyena growl in his head. He only realized he'd
growled out loud when Wil's hips jerked forward and the blonde gasped. The
larger man charged across the room. Pinning his mate to the mattress he
forced the smaller man's hands above his head. When he was sure Wil wouldn't
move he grabbed the lube from the nightstand. Slicking his shaft with one
hand and pulling Wil onto his knees with the other.
One long constant push connected them. When he was fully inside his
lover, Xander shifted them until he was lying on his back with Wil
straddling him. The smaller man braced himself against his lover's shoulders
and began moving at once. Raising and lowering himself, he set the pace and
controlled their lovemaking.
They moved together slowly. The hyena had already claimed it's mate, now
it simply thrilled at the sight of the other's pleasure. Wil removed his
hands from the shoulders beneath him and entwined the fingers of both hands
with that of his lover's. Their eyes remained locked on each other, and
release came to them both quickly.
Xander held Wil as they both recovered from their intense lovemaking.
Wil raised his head and reached for the vial on the nightstand. Pulling out
the cork he drank the purple liquid in one gulp. They both felt the magic
take effect. It moved through the blonde like a lightening strike and the he
shook with the force of it.
"That's it. I can feel it. It's worked."
"One day. We only have to get through one day. Rhonda said that with
the acceleration spell it will be safe to use the orbs in just under 24
hours."
"They'll know where we are by then."
"I know"
"If anything happens to me..."
Wil was cut off by an angry growl. Xander pulled the smaller man closer
and growled again. Low rumbling, it was a sound of rage and fear. The others
were getting ready for the worst the Scoobies had to offer. Larry and Tor
were organizing patrols to scout the forest. They would know the moment the
Slayer arrived.
Thinking of Larry brought a smile to Xander's face. Even with all the
new and different races of non-human that showed up looking for refuge, he
hadn't been prepared when the big football player had walked out o the
trees. Everyone had thought that Larry was killed at graduation, but the
body they buried had actually been in a kind of stasis. Larry hadn't even
known he wasn't human; at least not until he woke up to the sounds of his
parents digging him up.
Larry was something called a Sim'arg. Not a demon, but definitely not
human. Incredibly strong and fiercely loyal. Sim'args were highly respected
beings. Larry's parents had chosen to settle on the Hellmouth for one simple
reason, his mother was half human. When Larry had shown no signs of the
horns and purple skin that marked his species his parents had decided to
live somewhere that their son could be with other humans. It wasn't until
after he was "killed" that his parents realized his nature was simply laying
dormant.
The larger man had received another shock when he found himself being
actively pursued. Jonathon had found his way to their haven by chance and
need, but had become invaluable almost immediately. The quiet young man's
gentle nature endeared him to everyone, and he quickly became the de facto
baby-sitter for all the parents. It wasn't long before he'd advanced to the
position of honorary teacher. It was made official just before Larry
arrived, and the bigger man met his match when he came up against Uncle Jon.
It was only a few weeks later that the news spread through the group,
Uncle Jon was going to have a baby. Their son, Zac, was the first of four.
And Jonathon was carrying the fifth now. He and the others who were carrying
children, as well as the children, had moved to another location deeper in
the forest. Somewhere they would be safe from what was coming. Kyle had gone
with them. Only the fighters had stayed behind.
Xander snuggled Wil closer and let himself join his lover in sleep. They
would need all the energy they could get for this fight. But even as he
drifted off, his mind was trying to find some way to convince Wil to join
Jonathon and Kyle. The blonde would never go willingly.... Maybe he could
tie him up in the covers and get Larry to carry him to safety. Maybe...
tbc
