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The rest of Firestarter
Ooookaayy, wasn't aware that i couldn't post the whole thing in one go without running out of space! Does that always happen? or will i always have to post in parts. OR can i do several lj cuts in the one posting, if you know what i mean?
Suki
xxx
Well, here's part two of part one. Hmm, is that confusing?
From Out Of Nowhere - Firestarter - Cont.....
Spike was mirroring Xander’s frantic panting, he was close now. Xander’s continued attack on his neck and shoulder were driving him into a frenzy. He glanced down at Xander’s smooth neck and longed to taste the blood that pulsed heavily beneath the thin layer of skin. He felt the urge to shift into his game face and fought against with all the strength he had. Xander looked back up to meet Spike’s strained gaze. He ran his fingers over Spike’s lips and kissed him softly “Let go” He whispered. Spike did not need to be told twice, he relaxed into his vampire visage and smiled gratefully at Xander.
“Spike? Please, touch me now. I need you…..Soon Spike…..soon.”
Spike understood the need and clawed desperately at the fastenings on Xander’s jeans. Warms hands brushed past his own and repeated his actions on his own Jeans. Two cries filled the room as they finally found each other. They both knew how close they were and the need for relief was now the only thing that mattered in the whole world. Spike whispered words of encouragement, as he stared into two glistening but unsure eyes and slowly and steadily they began to stroke each other.
Xander stared down to look for the first time at the hard straining length that he held in his hand. It was beautiful. He pumped it harder and faster and felt the pleasure grow inside him as Spike did the same. They couldn’t hold back any longer, they thrust their hips further together and Spike took hold of both them with one hand and pumped frantically, his other hand on Xander’s hip to steady him. “Spike, oh god Spike, *please*” Spike looked into Xander’s Pleading eyes. “Do it Spike…*please* I know you can.” Xander voice came out in a gasping rasp, and he leant his head back, exposing his neck to show Spike what he meant.
Spike wasted no more than a second before he dived forward and sank his long sharp fangs into the delicate flesh at Xander’s neck. Xander let out an ear-splitting cry as his orgasm rippled violently through his body. He grabbed at Spike’s arms for support and the vampire released his neck, unsure whether he had hurt his pet. Xander quickly leaned in to a cool shoulder and bit down hard. Spike released his own earth-shattering cry as a powerful orgasm was ripped from his own body.
Spike held tightly onto Xander’s trembling body. The one arm that was circled around the boy’s waist was the only thing that kept him from slumping bonelessly onto the bed. Spike’s other hand ran soothingly up and down Xander’s warm, damp back. They stayed like this for what seemed like an Eon, before Xander could muster the strength to wrench his head from Spike’s shoulder. When he did he found concerned blue eyes fixing him with an expression of concern. It was Spikes turn to tremble, he lifted shaky fingers up to the bite mark he had left at Xander’s neck. It was deep and still oozing blood. “Are you ok luv? I’m so sorry…” Spike’s eyes filled with tears and Xander understood why. “Ssh, Spike It’s ok. I wanted it. And it didn’t hurt….well actually that would be a complete lie, it hurt like hell.” Spike’s eyes widened in horror “No Spike, it was a good hurt. I liked the hurt…” Xander frowned at his own inability to string together a sentence that actually made sense. Spike knew what he meant and chanced a small smile.
“I think I know what you mean.” Spikes expression said “Duh!” He lifted his fingers to the love bite Xander had just given him. “You pet, bite bloody hard…..I like that” He grinned and looked down at the blood still trickling from the wound at Xander’s neck. “Can I?” Xander nodded his approval and Spike tumbled them sideways into the bed.
Spike carefully licked the wound clean and helped Xander out of his jeans and under the covers. “You look tired pet, why don’t you try to get some sleep?” Spike brushed his hand down Xander’s Cheek as he spoke. Xander’s eyes started to slip shut as replied. “No Spike, need shower, Angel…..” Spike hushed him with a soft kiss. “We have a couple of hours, luv. Sleep while you can. I’ll make sure you’re up and ready for when Angel arrives.” Spike didn’t get a reply, Xander was already asleep. The vampire spent a few minutes petting Xander’s hair before he headed for the bathroom, he stopped at the bedroom door, lighting a cigarette and turning back to face Xander. It was going to be a long night.
**
Spike sat on his couch chain smoking. He had a hundred thoughts travelling through his head and was having trouble plucking one out to analyze and deal with. What the hell were they going to do about Talzar? What was Angel going to do about it? What if Talzar took Xander? What was Angel going to say about him and Xan? He cocked his head to the side and listened intently to the shower spray coming from the other room.
Spike had woken his lover to tell him that Angel would probably be arriving soon. After a lengthy kiss, Xander had peeled Spike off him and had gone to shower. Another question popped into his head. How the bloody hell did Xander know that my chip isn’t working? As the thought entered and swirled around his brain, there was loud knock at the door. Spike stubbed out the half smoked cigarette in the ashtray and started toward the bathroom to warn Xander to get dressed. He stopped when he heard bare feet pattering madly and he couldn’t hold back a warm chuckle as a half naked Xander dashed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Clearly he’d heard the knock. Spike sucked in an unneeded breath and turned back to the front door.
“Angel.”
“William” The two vampires regarded each other warily.
“So how have you been, Will?” Angel wanted to make an effort to keep things as friendly as possible. Although they were both on speaking terms now, it was still so easy for a blazing row to erupt. Angel was surprised at the eager reply he got, rather than the rude, blunt one that he’d expected.
“Oh me? Yeah, I’m great, really, really great. And you?” Angel’s expression stayed as deadpan as ever, only one eyebrow lifting in slight surprise. Spike was clearly nervous about something, but at the same time he really did look happy.
Angel’s bewilderment was suddenly forgotten when he noticed a figure walking timidly towards them. “Xander? What are you….” Angel stopped and fixed Xander with an icy glare. The boy looked very uncomfortable and he flinched sharply as Angel rushed forward.
“Hey!” Spike called out. He knew his sire would never hurt any human without reason, but he was still indignant that Angel was breaching Xander’s personal space.
Angel gripped the tops of Xander’s arms, and stared, almost with disbelief at the two puncture marks on his neck. “Xander? Are you ok. Tell me what happened”
“Nothing Angel, it’s not what you think….”
“Jesus Spike, what have you done” Angel could feel his temper flaring at a rapid rate “When did you get rid of the chip? Do you know what the Slayer will do to you when she finds out that, not only are you feasting on the population again, but you’re your feeding on her fucking friends?”
Spike snorted at the “friends” reference and Angel misinterpreted it as a snort of indifference. Angel emitted a strange low growl, before turning back to Xander. He pulled the boy toward him and sniffed. It was Spikes turn to start growling. “Angel.” He warned.
Angel stiffened, the boy smelt nice and clean, the scent of coconut shampoo, layered through his hair. But Angel smelled more. He smelt sex. He kept one hand gripped firmly on Xander’s arm as he whirled around to face Spike. “How could you? You disgust me! How dare you “touch” him” Xander was squirming to release himself from Angel’s increasingly painful grip.
“I know what you’re thinking but….” Spike paused as he noticed Xander’s increasing distress “Oi, let up, will ya….”
Angel misinterpreted him again and grew even angrier, his voice bellowing around the apartment. “Is this why you brought me here? Did you want to share your *prize*? What do you think I am?” Xander’s struggles became frantic as the pain from Angels crushing grip shot up and down his arm like a bolt of lightening. “Angel! *Please* this isn’t what you think!”
Spike was most displeased at his Sires accusations, but he couldn’t really blame Angel for thinking the worse. His situation with Xander was a little unlikely. And an un-chipped Spike had violent track record with humans. What was really pissing him off was his Sires inability to realize that he was causing Xander some amount of pain.
The blonde vampire shifted into his game face. “Back off Angel, you’re hurting him” Spike’s deadly stare stopped Angel in his tracks. It was very rare indeed that Spike would look that way at him. Sure enough, he would shout, stomp his feet and perhaps smash a few things. But Spike had enough respect for his Sire to not give him the “I’m going to rip out your entrails, and make a soup out of them” look without good reason. Spike thinks *I’m* hurting Xander. What the hell is going on!
Xander’s squeals of pain finally got through to him, and Angel quickly released him. Unfortunately, Xander had picked this moment to try one last time to wrench his injured arm free. As Angel let go Xander pulled violently away, flinging himself backwards. His head hit the stone wall first and his body followed in a close second. He groaned and slid slowly down the surface, pretty coloured stars flashing in front of his eyes.
“You bloody idiot!” Spike yelled at Angel as he rushed to Xander’s side. The blonde vampire squatted down quickly and cradled the boy’s head against his chest. “Luv? You ok? Luv?” Spike shook him gently and Angel noted the slight panic in the other vampire’s voice.
“Spike?” Xander rubbed at his eyes with his fists, an action that Angel thought was very childlike, yet strangely endearing. Angel was sorry that he’d hurt the mortal. He certainly hadn’t meant to. He had just been so grief stricken to think that his childe could have done such terrible things to such a harmless young man. Yes, years ago, the unruly vamp would quite happily have ripped the guts out of any human that crossed his path, but rape? That wasn’t Spike. But when he had smelt the sex on Xander, he could think of no other explanation.
But now, looking at them together, Xander leaning into Spikes body for comfort and support, Spike stroking his hair and whispering soothing words, Angel could see and believe that there was something between them.
Xander leant forward, clutched the back of his head and grimaced. “Owww. Who hit me?” He complained. Spike carefully studied Xander’s face and decided he was ok. “The wall did” Spike replied in a monosyllabic tone. He slid an arm under Xander’s knees and scooped him up. The boy’s weight was not a problem for Spike’s vampiric strength. Angel followed them and watched as Spike gently deposited Xander on the couch. The older vampire crouched and took one of the boy’s hands in his own. Spike glared and emitted another warning growl. Angel ignored him. “Xander, I’m sorry about what just happened. I never meant to hurt you. I just jumped to the wrong conclusion. Can you ever forgive me?” Spike rolled his eyes at Angel’s “I was evil and must be punished for all eternity” expression.
“Sure” Xander nodded, attempting a small smile before pulling his hand back and shuffling towards Spike.
Angel went and sat on the couch opposite them and tried out his cheery voice. “Sooo.” He clapped his hands together once and immediately regretted it when Xander flinched. He carried on in his normal tone of voice. “How long have you two been together?”
Xander looked to Spike to answer the question. “Not long peaches. No-one else knows and we would prefer to keep it that way for now, just ‘till we know what *we* want and what we’re doing.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know, where we’re gonna live, here or a new place, Sunnydale or somewhere else.” Spike was well aware that this was not something they had discussed but Xander’s discretely pleased face was enough to assure Spike that they *would* be having that little discussion real soon. “Plus, we really *haven’t* been together long and we would just like to spend some time getting to know each other and just, you know, enjoy each other without the slayer and her band of idiots interfering.”
“You two might want to re-think that plan. Considering who else is wandering the delightful streets of Sunnydale” Angel spat the last words out. He got up and walked around to lean on the back of the couch. “If Talzar knows you’re here, and you can bet he does, be sure that he’s been watching you. And if he’s been watching, then no matter how discrete you think you’ve been, he will have seen you with Xander, a *human*. Talzar will not tolerate it. Spike, Xander is in great danger. We should tell Buffy and the others what is going on, they can help protect him. Either that or we need to get him out of town. Angel stood up straight and put his hands in his pockets, awaiting a reaction.
Xander turned to face his lover. “I am *not* leaving town, no way. I’m not leaving you.” Xander sat back and folded his arms. Determined eyes said not to bother arguing.
Spike lit another cigarette, ignoring the glares emanating from the rooms’ other two occupants.
“Fuck. So we have to tell the slayer? Shit. She’s gonna love this.” Spike pretended to talk to her: “Hey Buffy, you know that Talzar guy you’ve been trying to find out about? Well, he’s kinda my Gandpappy. What? Why didn’t I mention it before? Oh I couldn’t be bothered. Oh yes and by the way, I’m also shagging one of your best friends”
Xander cringed “She’s gonna be mad” he said to no-one in particular..
Angel approached cautiously and put his hand softly onto Xander’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll be with you. I’ll explain how you both feel about each other….”
“How the hell do you know about how we feel about each other, you’ve only been here five minutes!”
“Because Xander, I can see how Spike looks at you and I can see how you look at him. You’re clearly falling in love” Xander’s jaw dropped and Angel turned quickly to pick up his bags and walk away. Spike, however caught the smirk that was plastered all over his face. “Bastard” He muttered.
**
“How long has the chip been out, William?”
Under advice from Angel, Xander had gone back to bed. The older vampire wanted to be sure that the boy would be fully rested. The situation with Talzar could so easily spiral out of control and it was imperative that Xander be alert and ready to run if need be. Angel and Spike now sat opposite each other at the breakfast bar.
“Mm, 6 months maybe.”
Angel nodded slowly. “How did it happen?”
“No clue, peaches. Woke up one day and I was all fixed.” Spike held his arms up in a *Da Daaa* gesture.
Angel was dubious. “Will” He warned
Spike looked offended “No lie!” His voice turned almost ultrasonic in protest. “I really can’t explain it, Angel. To be truthful, I don’t know how long it was deactivated before I noticed. And it was a total accident that I found out.”
Angel motioned for Spike to go on.
“Some twat ran straight into me outside the bronze, the berk wasn’t even bloody sorry! Called me all the names under the bloody sun, he did. And well, you know me.” Spike paused to put on his cocky face. “I lost me temper. I’d had a bad night, and I wasn’t in the mood. So I risked a mind blowing migraine and punched the bastard. Was a good punch too! Wasn’t ‘till I was halfway home that I realized my lack of cranial agony.”
Angel leaned forward, his face in a contortion of puzzlement and bewilderment. “Will? You haven’t killed anyone.” It was not a question, Angel could feel a difference in his childe, whether that was because of Xander or just a mixture of unknown reasons, he wasn’t sure.
Spike tried to sound casual “Nah. Why would I? Got it pretty good here, un I?” He flapped a hand in the air. “I’d be stupid to risk it all”
“So I assume, by the fact that you’re not living in an ashtray, that slayer doesn’t know?” Spike shook his head vigorously and Angel continued. “And Xander, how long has he known?”
Spike shrugged. “Dunno. I only realized he knew tonight.”
Angel frowned deeply “He asked you to bite him?”
“Very perceptive petal.”
“Be careful with him, Will.”
“Yeah I know!” The ultrasonic tone returned. “He bit first ya know!”
**
6pm the next evening
It was Xander’s turn to wear a hole in the carpet. He’d been pacing for the last hour while the two vampires discussed what they knew about Talzar and put together the finer points of their plan to rid the world of him. “I still don’t see why I can’t be with you” He interrupted.
Spike’s voice became angry “NO! Look, we’ve been over and over this!” He softened his voice when he saw the familiar hurt steal across Xander’s face. “I just can’t risk it, pet. Talzar will hurt you to get to me, then, he’ll hurt me. You don’t want that, do you?”
Xander looked shocked “Of course not! I just want…..want…I just want to be with you.” He finished sadly.
Spike and Angel both understood, but it was Angel who spoke first. “I know, Xander. But it won’t be for long. Between Buffy, Spike and me, we will make short work of Talzar, but we need to be sure that you’re safe. We won’t be able to concentrate on the kill otherwise. It’s either this or we bundle you into the boot of my car and drop you somewhere out of town”
Xander ignored the joke and focused on a new question, a question that he could now see building behind Spike’s eyes. “Are you really gonna kill your Sire?”
Angel’s countenance barely changed. “I don’t have a choice. He’s evil incarnate. And someone needs to stop him.”
Spike felt that a change of subject was needed before Angel got all broody again. “So they’re definitely at Giles’s house now?” Spike said referring to Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang.
“Yep, I called and said you have some info on the bigger than bad, they’re all there waiting.” He turned to Angel. “I kinda didn’t mention that you were on the scene. I hope that was right.”
“Yes”
“Yeah pet, might as well save *all* the shocks for when we get there” Said Spike cheerfully. Xander groaned and leant his head on Spike’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry pet. They’ll get over it.” Spike rubbed gently at Xander’s newest bump. “How’s ya bonce babe?”
“Headache.”
“Sorry” Said Angel.
“I told you, it’s ok. Forgotten already.”
“Right then, we all fit?” Angel and Xander stared at him blankly. Spike shook his head in exasperation. “Are. We. Ready. To. Go?”
“Not just yet.” Angel reached into his bag and pulled out a long wooden box. Xander eyed it with suspicion. Angel carefully opened the box and produced an old, brass coloured syringe.
Xander’s eyes widened and he took a large jerky step back “Whoa, Angel man, what the hell is that?”
“It’s a syringe.”
Xander laughed nervously “I can see that. What’s it for?” He looked to Spike for a confirmation.
“It’s for you, pet” Spike grabbed him quickly, seeing that Xander was about to make a second date with the wall. “It’s Gritash blood. Its *real* bad for vampires”
“I don’t think I like where this is going. Please tell me you’re not gonna stick me with that.” Xander pointed unhappily at the syringe that was still in Angel’s hand.
“Oh no you don’t! Put those kicked puppy-dog eyes away. It’s. not. Going. To. Work.” He quickly shut his eyes and turned his head away before it did. “Angel. Tell ‘im.”
“It’s not harmful. It will stay in your system for about twenty-four hours. If the worst happens and Talzar finds you, he won’t be able to drain you. Can I?” Angel reached for Xander’s arm and waited.
Xander nodded a sullen approval “Why me? Why do these things only happen to me?”
“They don’t, pet. They happen to me too.” Spike rummaged through the pockets of his duster, his face twitching in sympathy, as he watched the needle sink into one of Xander’s veins. When Angel was done, Spike turned the mortal to face him. “Take this, luv” Spike held out a large shiny knife.
“Shit, Spike. You could take someone’s eye out with that thing…..Oh, kinda the point, I guess”
Spike handed Xander the weapon “It’s me lucky knife. This beauty’s seen me through a few scrapes, I can tell you. It’s just in case babe. Keep it safe, I’ll be wanting it back.”
Xander knew this was Spike’s way of saying: “*please* be safe” He flung his arms around his vampire, hiding his smile in Spike’s chest.
“Bloody hell, pet. Careful. You really will take someone’s eye out with that thing.”
**
“This *has* to be some sort of spell.” Buffy looked like she was on the point of freaking out. “Either that or I’m asleep. Yes that’s it, I’m still asleep. I’m in my bed, having a nice cosy nightmare, and *this* is so not happening.
Angel spoke firmly. “It is happening, Buffy. We really need you to deal, now. Any opinion you might have about Spike and Xander’s relationship, keep it for later. We have bigger problems.” Angel turned to Giles for support.
“Err, quite right Angel. If what you say is indeed correct, then we need to take steps to ensure Xander’s safety. And we need to act now, while we still have the upper hand”
“While Talzar is unaware of Angel you mean”
Giles waggled a finger. “Precisely Tara. If I’m not mistaken, Talzar will be unaware of Angel’s Souled condition.”
Willow chipped in “He thinks Angel is still Angelus.”
“That’s part of the plan. My guise as Angelus will allow me to get close.” Angel gestured with a stake “This is all it will take, just like any other vampire. We just need to be sure he doesn’t see it coming. Buffy, Spike, Willow? I want you with me. Back up in case we develop a problem. Giles and Tara, I need you to stay here with Xander, the protection barrier Willow put up will keep you safe.”
“Ok, let’s get this over with now, coz I got a bleached vampire to interrogate tonight” Buffy grabbed a huge troll hammer and hauled it over her shoulder. Angel walked with her to the door and they waited for Spike and Willow to follow.
Willow gazed into Xander’s worried eyes and smiled cheekily. “I *so* knew you guys were doing it” She elbowed Xander lightly in the ribs and went to join Buffy and Angel.
“Come ‘ere pet.” Spike closed his arms around Xander. “Don’t worry; it’ll all be over soon. We’ve just got to get through tonight.” He smoothed a hand through Xander’s hair and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. “I love you” Xander tightened his grip around Spike’s waist and looked deeply into the vampires eyes. “I love you too” Spike leant down and captured Xander’s warm mouth for a brief, tender kiss, before joining the others at the door. Xander called after him. “Don’t come back dead” Spike whirled around at the door. “Not sure how I’m gonna manage that sweetheart. Already dead!” Xander frowned at the vampires humour. “Ok, so don’t come back in a dustpan then”
**
Xander, Tara and Giles sat at the dinning room table discussing Xander’s love life. “It’s most unconventional, I must say.” Giles had witnessed the tender moment the new lovers had shared earlier and had felt quite moved. Naturally though, he was still concerned. “If this is what you really want? Then, of course, we *all* endeavour to support you.” Tara nodded in silent agreement.
“What about Buffy” Xander asked.
Giles put a supportive hand on Xander’s shoulder. “She will come around, in time. Please don’t forget that Buffy’s experience’s with Angel have made her very wary indeed. Try not to worry too much, Xander. Things will work out.” Giles was doing his best to reassure the boy, but he still felt he needed to deliver an appropriate warning. “We will, however, be keeping a very close eye on the pair of you. If we think for a moment that Spike has become a danger to you, then be very sure that we *will* intervene.”
Xander instinctively touched the, now nearly healed, puncture wounds at his neck. He had needed to borrow a shirt with a collar to disguise it. Now, would definitely not be the time to advertise that he and Spike had dabbled in blood play. Giles locked eyes with him and continued “Contrary to what you might think, you are our most beloved friend and, I might add, a valued and trusted member of the team. We will not standby and see you lost to the dark side.”
Xander smiled happily. They do love me. They do need me. “Thanks G-man. That really means a lot. And just for the record, Spike isn’t as evil as he makes out. He’s a big pussy cat!
Giles adjusted his glasses. “I’m sure he is, Xander, but remember; even nice pussy-cats sometimes bite”
Xander swallowed a laugh and walked into the kitchen. “I know.”
**
Angel was tracking Talzar. He hoped he could deal with his sire without any of the others becoming involved. All the while Talzar thought he was Angelus[; - delete] he stood a chance of getting close. Close enough to slide a stake in and finish this before something really bad happened. Spike and Xander had only been together for a very short time, but Angel knew that Spike had already fallen hard. If something happened to Xander now, his childe would be destroyed. Angel’s second concern was this so called, Order of the Pure. So, take out Talzar and hopefully the Order would be disbanded.
Angel turned down another dark ally, his vampire senses on full alert. He caught the scent of an ancient vampire and howled up at the sky.
**
Spike stuck close to his sires scent. As much as he loved a good round of kick ass action, he secretly hoped that Angel would find Talzar first and finish him off. He just wanted it over. He wanted to take Xander back to his apartment and make love to him all night long and in the morning he wanted to cook him eggs again, maybe watch some TV with him. He wanted to do all the things that normal couples do. He did not want to be wandering the dark streets of Sunnydale, wondering whether or not Xander would make it through the night.
The trio had mostly walked in silence. Spike and Willow in deep thought, and Buffy still fuming about the blonde vampire hooking up with her best friend. She let out a loud huff that brought Spike back to reality.
“Give it a rest, slayer.”
“What? I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. I can feel you glaring daggers at me. Fuck. I can feel ‘em going through and out the other side.” Spike stabbed at his temple in illustration. “Just get over it. Finally I’ve found someone. The right someone. The only someone……and I’m not gonna let *you* bugger it up.”
“Is this about me?”
“Oh, you really are so self involved, aren’t you? No. This isn’t about you. There is no conspiracy. I am with Xander because I love him, *not* because I hate you or want to piss you off. Get it into your thick skull, slayer, not everything is about you.”
“You’re a pig, Spike.” Buffy went to storm away, but Spike quickly grabbed her and looked at Willow.
“We have to go back” Spike released the slayer and began striding back the way he came.
Willow protested. “But Angel said…”
“Fuck Angel.”
“What’s going on, Spike?”
“Something’s wrong, Buffy. I can feel it. I have to get to Xander.”
Something in her own slayer blood, told her that something was definitely up. She called to Willow as she rushed passed. “Find Angel.”
**
Tara shifted shyly in front of Xander. “So….y-you two are in love?”
“Yeah, I guess we are.” He said, smiling at the ground. He looked up sharply to meet Tara’s worried gaze.
“Are you ok, Xander? You look a little….pale?”
Xander suddenly felt light-headed, and he struggled to pull a shaky breath into his lungs.
Giles noticed the abrupt change in the boys breathing and rushed to his side. “Xander? Are you quite alright? Do you need to sit down?”
Xander couldn’t answer him. The air around him felt so much thinner than normal, as though all the oxygen was being siphoned away. He struggled again to breath, and swayed unexpectedly, as a wave of dizziness hit him. What the fuck?
Tara and Giles made a grab for him before he fell, and started to guide him over to the nearest chair. As they moved, they heard a loud fizzling sound. Tara was startled. “Giles! The barrier! It’s being breached!” As she spoke, a tremendous and almost deafening crack resounded above them. The barrier had failed.
Xander never heard the barrier give way and he never saw the flashes of blue lightening that streaked across the room, striking his friends. As his senses were pulled away from him, he only saw the room blacken and tilt, before the floor rushed up to meet him.
**
They all spoke at once. “WE ARE THE ORDER OF THE PURE. THE SLAYER MUST BE DISABLED.” At least 20 vampires stood in an arc, surrounding Buffy and Spike. The two were less than 200 yards from the house and Spike growled and snarled in fear and frustration.
“Jeez guys” Buffy chuckled in disbelief. “You’ve been watching far too much Star Trek. Borg much?”
“WE ARE THE ORDER OF THE PURE. THE SLAYER MUST BE DISABLED.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, don’t tell me. Resistance is futile?” Buffy quipped.
Spike looked towards the sky, staring up at crackling, blue lightening. “He’s here.”
Buffy turned quickly to face him. “It’s me they want, Spike. You have to get to the house. Get Xander and get out.”
“While you do what? Teach them the rules of cricket? They’ll rip you apart!”
“No….They wont.”
Spike wasn’t sure whether it was the steely determination on Buffy’s face or his own natural instinct to save the one he loved, that made him ignore the mini-army before him and run like crazy to Giles’ house. But run he did, faster than he ever had in his life.
**
“Sp-Spike?” Xander shook his head to clear the fuzziness, and immediately wished he hadn’t.
“Ssh, little one, Ssh. William will be here soon.” The voice was deep and cracked. Clearly a 40 a day man, then. Xander thought. He tried to withdraw from the putrefying stench that exuded from the ancient vampire. He gagged at the stink that was choking him like a poisonous cloud. I guess this must be the man himself.. He thought
It was barely a man. Its brownish skin ragged and crumpled, eyes a deep dangerous red, and huge yellow fangs that reminded Xander of a sabre tooth tiger. Xander winced and squirmed as the creature’s claw like hands digged painfully into his waist, pulling him into a standing position.
“So you must be William the Bloody’s lover. Am I right?”
Xander only nodded, his voice had taken a trip someplace else.
“And a human lover? Tut Tut. William always was one for breaking the rules.” Talzar scraped a long filthy fingernail down the youth’s cheek, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. “Lets you and me show him what happens when the rules are broken. But first, a small taste.” He held Xander jaw in an iron grip and leant in to kiss him. Talzar closed his mouth over Xander’s, slicing through the boys bottom lip with a razor sharp fang and drinking the thick, red fluid that escaped. The ancient vampire ran his hands appreciatively over the warm trembling body before him. “My my, little chick. You will make a fine vampire” Talzar demonstrated his wilful lust with a long hard stoke over Xander’s groin.
Xander shut his eyes tighter as a thousand memories flashed through his mind. His Father. The beatings. The rapes. No please, not this. Please don’t touch me. He jerked his lips away from the vampire’s bloody kiss and screamed.
Talzar was hypnotized by the cascade of blood that flowed over the youth’s lips. He gripped Xander’s hair and wrenched his head back, plundering the boys mouth for a second taste.
“Let him go.”
“Hello William.” Said the old vampire sweetly. “Long time, no see.”
“Long time, no care. I said, let him go.”
Talzar chuckled lightly at the blonde vampire. “Who? This human? I always expected you to fall in love one day, you always were a closet romantic. But with a human? A filthy human like this?” Talzar threw Xander to the floor so that he fell between them. “This will not do William. Turn him.”
“Not a chance.”
“Turn him, or…..or I will.” Spike noticed the slight falter in Talzar’s voice and struggled to keep his calm icy exterior. The poisoned blood.
“Touch him, and I’ll kill you.”
Talzar’s laugh bellowed around the room. “I suspect you mean to kill me anyway. And besides, he has not been marked. He is not yours. He is free game.”
“Wrong”
Talzar looked to the voice at the door.
“Angelus”
Angel casually stalked closer, trying to ease himself between Talzar and the boy lying semi-conscious on the ground.
“The boy belongs to William and I. And we will turn him when we choose.”
Talzar moved until he was nose to nose with Angel. He studied him for a few moments before a wide grin crossed his face. “Oh dear, Angelus, oh dear. When did you get a soul?”
“Fuck!” Spike dived towards his lover, scooping him up and backing away sharply.
Angel pulled out his stake and lunged at Talzar’s chest. The old vampire was too quick. He blocked the attack easily and countered with a devastating blow that sent Angel flying into the wall behind him.
“FOOLS! You think you can challenge me? I will show you the consequences of *challenging* my power.” Talzar pointed to Spike, who was desperately trying to bring Xander back to full consciousness. “You cannot protect him William. That boy has a minute to live and a second to die. You cannot stop me.”
*Whoosh* A hot ball of fire soared through the air and planted itself into Talzar’s back. He spun round to face one mightily pissed of witch. Tara. “WE CAN STOP YOU” Her voice resonated through the air as though spoken by a hundred hell gods. Talzar spun again, this time to face Willow. “WE CAN STOP YOU” The voice was identical. The witches raised there arms and chanted in unison. “FIRE AND WATER, WIND AND RAIN, WINGS OF HELL THAT PULSE THOUGH EVERY VIEN, SUN NOW SHINE, WORLD STOP TURNING, AN ETERNITY HERE FOR YOUR BURNING.”
Xander cringed into Spike’s body as a fierce wind whipped around them like a hurricane “Spike!”
“It’s ok, pet. Hold tight, I’ve got you.”
Frenzied fire and wind swirled around between the two witches as they chanted. “EESTA GANAA, EESTA GANAA, EESTA GANAA.” The magical cocktail settled into a floating mass of lava, a portal, pulsating like a giant living heart. The witches lowered their arms and waited, their eyes and hair blackened with dark magic.
Talzar felt himself being pulled by some invisible entity towards the fiery portal. He fought desperately to overpower the poison that was flowing through his veins and fight the witches’ dark, powerful magic that pulled him towards the gateway. He raised shaking arms to the ceiling and roared. “ESKADA!” A flash of brilliant white light pulsed through the room like a giant wave, blinding and throwing all but the witches and himself to the floor. Xander’s sensitive human eyes blurred and streamed as the wave passed through his vulnerable body. “ESKADA!” As the dizzying wave passed again, Spike squashed Xander into a ball on the floor and crushed his own body around him like a protective blanket. The wave dissipated, and Spike pushed himself onto his elbows, turning Xander over underneath him. “Xan?”
“Spike?......I can’t see.”
Spike growled. “I can.”
Spike glanced around and spotted Giles edging along the wall, trying to keep his balance. Spike shouted to him over the deafening roar of the wind. “Here, take Xander, stay here!” He pushed the two together and rushed to pull his sire to his feet. He pointed back to Xander and Giles. “Guard them!” Angel nodded, his eyes blinking rapidly as his vision returned to normal. He crouched defensively in front of the blinded humans and shifted his face back into his vampire visage.
Spike charged with the speed and strength of a jungle cat. He collided with Talzar and tore chunks of flesh from his bones. Talzar lashed out in a last desperate attempt to save himself. He was weak now. The poison he had drank from Xander’s lips snaked through his body like a venomous reptile, there was not much time left. He swooped and collected Angel’s discarded stake from the ground and plunged it into Spike’s chest.
“NOOOO!” Xander staggered to his feet, his vision partly restored, and watched, with tears streaming down his face, as Spike fell to the floor. Xander had registered that his lover was not a pile of dust but it did nothing to quell the rage and fury that flooded through his body. He pulled Spike’s dagger from his jacket and raced screaming towards Talzar. The knife sank deep into the vampires back, causing him to buck and thrash wildly. He planted a lucky backhand to Xander’s face and knocked him to the floor. The boy scrabbled over to Spike’s body and tugged him backwards along the ground.
“Ughrr. Bollocks!” Spike pulled the stake from chest and threw it to the ground. “Wrong side, luv.” He grinned into Xander’s shocked face. He got to his feet and dragged Xander out of the witches circle and out of Angel’s path. The souled vampire rushed forward catching Talzar’s shoulders in his vicious grip. He spun Talzar round to face him. “Goodbye Sire” And With a feral roar he flung his Sire into the portal.
**
“Now, what the hell is this? I just get my grove going with the YMCA out there and suddenly they all get bored and sign out. Just walked off. Not even so much of a goodbye. So in I come. And what am I finding? No big bad! I need the bad guy action!” Buffy had entered the house unseen a few moments before, she had scanned the room for her friends and found them to be alive and relatively well.
The Slayer had battled fiercely with the uber-minions, although at one point she was seriously perturbed that she could actually lose. Nothing to worry about, it seemed in the end. The vamps stopped trying to pull her limbs from her torso and shambled back down the road. Buffy was left standing in a fighting stance, and feeling a little bit silly.
Buffy’s friends were slowly and wearily rising to their feet. Giles helped Tara up and brushed pieces of flaked ceiling from her skirt, while Angel held a firm grip around Willows shoulders. He was the only thing preventing her from crumbling back to her knees. Buffy walked over to her L.A Ex. “Angel…where?” The slayers expression contained an unsaid question that Angel had little trouble interpreting. He pointed at the lovers in the corner. “They’re over there.”
Xander sat cradled against Spike’s chest. Heavy sobs ripped through his trembling body. Spike wrapped his arms protectively around his lover, calming violent tremors with gentle hands. “Sssh luv. It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s all over now. No-ones gonna hurt you pet; not now, not now I’m here.” Xander squeezed his lover in silent acknowledgement, and gained some control of his tears. He was tired. He was in pain. He was frightened. But somehow, as he lay in the arms of the man he loved, all those negative feelings started to slip away. My Spike, My Spike, My Spike.
Spike brushed thick strands of sable hair from Xander’s eyes, before placing a chaste kiss on the boy’s temple. “Let’s go, pet.” He whispered. The vampire, despite his injury, effortlessly scooped up the youth and turned defensively to the others. “We’re going” He barked, expecting a huge barrage of complaints, arguments and general spiteful remarks. None Came. They had all seen how Spike has risked his life to save Xander, and now they had seen the tender and loving way he had comforted and calmed him. Spike needed to take care of him. Spike needed to fix him. Buffy smiled warmly “I know it goes without saying, but, take care of him, Spike. We’ll call tomorrow, see how he’s doing.” The others nodded in silent agreement and understanding. Spike clearly loved Xander. He was never going to hurt him and he would always look after him. They didn’t know how they knew this, they just did. Spike acknowledged his own unspoken understanding with a nod of his own before moving to follow Angel out the door.
**
Xander sat on Buffy’s sofa sipping hot coffee. Considering the events that had taken place only two days ago, he felt surprisingly chipper. And well, why wouldn’t he? He looked around at all his friends, minus Angel who regrettably had to leave on important L.A business. They were chattering amongst themselves, and he smiled into his coffee. They were all alive, he was alive, he loved them and they loved him. He sighed contentedly and relaxed into the vampire that was curling around him.
“So where did he go?” Buffy asked quickly. She was desperately trying not to look at the two lovers who were sitting on the couch and seemingly trying to meld into one being.
Willow just shrugged “Some kind of hell, I think.” She looked over to Tara who nodded shyly in agreement.
“Ah. And we can all presume that you bought him a one way ticket to hell, yes?”
Giles stepped in before Willow could speak “Oh absolutely, Buffy. We won’t be seeing him again. Which, in a way, is a great pity….”
You could almost hear the silent gasps around the room and Giles backtracked quickly as angry yellow eyes bored thought his skull. “What I meant was… I mean what I was going to say…..what I was trying to say, if somewhat badly, was, now that Talzar has been banished we will never know what his great plan was. Who was this chosen one? Who were the Order Of The Pure? What did they really want? And Why did they all disappear so suddenly?”
Four pairs of eyes regarded him with part puzzlement and part boredom, and one pair of yellow eyes flashed with growing irritability.
“I really couldn’t give a shiny shite about any of that crap. Who gives a fuck? He’s gone. Good riddance. Now can we get back to the important stuff? The reason why we’re all here, perhaps?”
Xander squeezed his lover’s hand firmly in silent thanks. He did not want to talk about it. He wanted to forget. They all knew there was a chance that Talzar could come back one day, and the thought terrified him. But, for now, all he wanted to do was be with his friends and enjoy being alive.
Spike caught the mixture of emotions that were jumbled over Xander’s face and he leaned in to kiss some of them away. There was a lot of pain and hurt inside that boy and Spike was determined to get to the bottom of it all and help him to deal with it. He captured Xander’s honey sweet lips for a second taste, moaning softly as a warm tongue probed into his own cool mouth. Spike held tightly to the back of Xander’s neck and deepened the kiss. It was only the sound of several throats being cleared that brought them both back to reality and back to the situation before them.
Buffy spoke. “Spike’s right, we need to sort out what we are going to do” She looked hopefully around the room “Well come on, who’s gonna light the barbecue and who’s gonna go get the sausages?”
Coming very soon, the next instalment – Walk like an Egyptian.
Suki
xxx
Well, here's part two of part one. Hmm, is that confusing?
From Out Of Nowhere - Firestarter - Cont.....
Spike was mirroring Xander’s frantic panting, he was close now. Xander’s continued attack on his neck and shoulder were driving him into a frenzy. He glanced down at Xander’s smooth neck and longed to taste the blood that pulsed heavily beneath the thin layer of skin. He felt the urge to shift into his game face and fought against with all the strength he had. Xander looked back up to meet Spike’s strained gaze. He ran his fingers over Spike’s lips and kissed him softly “Let go” He whispered. Spike did not need to be told twice, he relaxed into his vampire visage and smiled gratefully at Xander.
“Spike? Please, touch me now. I need you…..Soon Spike…..soon.”
Spike understood the need and clawed desperately at the fastenings on Xander’s jeans. Warms hands brushed past his own and repeated his actions on his own Jeans. Two cries filled the room as they finally found each other. They both knew how close they were and the need for relief was now the only thing that mattered in the whole world. Spike whispered words of encouragement, as he stared into two glistening but unsure eyes and slowly and steadily they began to stroke each other.
Xander stared down to look for the first time at the hard straining length that he held in his hand. It was beautiful. He pumped it harder and faster and felt the pleasure grow inside him as Spike did the same. They couldn’t hold back any longer, they thrust their hips further together and Spike took hold of both them with one hand and pumped frantically, his other hand on Xander’s hip to steady him. “Spike, oh god Spike, *please*” Spike looked into Xander’s Pleading eyes. “Do it Spike…*please* I know you can.” Xander voice came out in a gasping rasp, and he leant his head back, exposing his neck to show Spike what he meant.
Spike wasted no more than a second before he dived forward and sank his long sharp fangs into the delicate flesh at Xander’s neck. Xander let out an ear-splitting cry as his orgasm rippled violently through his body. He grabbed at Spike’s arms for support and the vampire released his neck, unsure whether he had hurt his pet. Xander quickly leaned in to a cool shoulder and bit down hard. Spike released his own earth-shattering cry as a powerful orgasm was ripped from his own body.
Spike held tightly onto Xander’s trembling body. The one arm that was circled around the boy’s waist was the only thing that kept him from slumping bonelessly onto the bed. Spike’s other hand ran soothingly up and down Xander’s warm, damp back. They stayed like this for what seemed like an Eon, before Xander could muster the strength to wrench his head from Spike’s shoulder. When he did he found concerned blue eyes fixing him with an expression of concern. It was Spikes turn to tremble, he lifted shaky fingers up to the bite mark he had left at Xander’s neck. It was deep and still oozing blood. “Are you ok luv? I’m so sorry…” Spike’s eyes filled with tears and Xander understood why. “Ssh, Spike It’s ok. I wanted it. And it didn’t hurt….well actually that would be a complete lie, it hurt like hell.” Spike’s eyes widened in horror “No Spike, it was a good hurt. I liked the hurt…” Xander frowned at his own inability to string together a sentence that actually made sense. Spike knew what he meant and chanced a small smile.
“I think I know what you mean.” Spikes expression said “Duh!” He lifted his fingers to the love bite Xander had just given him. “You pet, bite bloody hard…..I like that” He grinned and looked down at the blood still trickling from the wound at Xander’s neck. “Can I?” Xander nodded his approval and Spike tumbled them sideways into the bed.
Spike carefully licked the wound clean and helped Xander out of his jeans and under the covers. “You look tired pet, why don’t you try to get some sleep?” Spike brushed his hand down Xander’s Cheek as he spoke. Xander’s eyes started to slip shut as replied. “No Spike, need shower, Angel…..” Spike hushed him with a soft kiss. “We have a couple of hours, luv. Sleep while you can. I’ll make sure you’re up and ready for when Angel arrives.” Spike didn’t get a reply, Xander was already asleep. The vampire spent a few minutes petting Xander’s hair before he headed for the bathroom, he stopped at the bedroom door, lighting a cigarette and turning back to face Xander. It was going to be a long night.
**
Spike sat on his couch chain smoking. He had a hundred thoughts travelling through his head and was having trouble plucking one out to analyze and deal with. What the hell were they going to do about Talzar? What was Angel going to do about it? What if Talzar took Xander? What was Angel going to say about him and Xan? He cocked his head to the side and listened intently to the shower spray coming from the other room.
Spike had woken his lover to tell him that Angel would probably be arriving soon. After a lengthy kiss, Xander had peeled Spike off him and had gone to shower. Another question popped into his head. How the bloody hell did Xander know that my chip isn’t working? As the thought entered and swirled around his brain, there was loud knock at the door. Spike stubbed out the half smoked cigarette in the ashtray and started toward the bathroom to warn Xander to get dressed. He stopped when he heard bare feet pattering madly and he couldn’t hold back a warm chuckle as a half naked Xander dashed out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Clearly he’d heard the knock. Spike sucked in an unneeded breath and turned back to the front door.
“Angel.”
“William” The two vampires regarded each other warily.
“So how have you been, Will?” Angel wanted to make an effort to keep things as friendly as possible. Although they were both on speaking terms now, it was still so easy for a blazing row to erupt. Angel was surprised at the eager reply he got, rather than the rude, blunt one that he’d expected.
“Oh me? Yeah, I’m great, really, really great. And you?” Angel’s expression stayed as deadpan as ever, only one eyebrow lifting in slight surprise. Spike was clearly nervous about something, but at the same time he really did look happy.
Angel’s bewilderment was suddenly forgotten when he noticed a figure walking timidly towards them. “Xander? What are you….” Angel stopped and fixed Xander with an icy glare. The boy looked very uncomfortable and he flinched sharply as Angel rushed forward.
“Hey!” Spike called out. He knew his sire would never hurt any human without reason, but he was still indignant that Angel was breaching Xander’s personal space.
Angel gripped the tops of Xander’s arms, and stared, almost with disbelief at the two puncture marks on his neck. “Xander? Are you ok. Tell me what happened”
“Nothing Angel, it’s not what you think….”
“Jesus Spike, what have you done” Angel could feel his temper flaring at a rapid rate “When did you get rid of the chip? Do you know what the Slayer will do to you when she finds out that, not only are you feasting on the population again, but you’re your feeding on her fucking friends?”
Spike snorted at the “friends” reference and Angel misinterpreted it as a snort of indifference. Angel emitted a strange low growl, before turning back to Xander. He pulled the boy toward him and sniffed. It was Spikes turn to start growling. “Angel.” He warned.
Angel stiffened, the boy smelt nice and clean, the scent of coconut shampoo, layered through his hair. But Angel smelled more. He smelt sex. He kept one hand gripped firmly on Xander’s arm as he whirled around to face Spike. “How could you? You disgust me! How dare you “touch” him” Xander was squirming to release himself from Angel’s increasingly painful grip.
“I know what you’re thinking but….” Spike paused as he noticed Xander’s increasing distress “Oi, let up, will ya….”
Angel misinterpreted him again and grew even angrier, his voice bellowing around the apartment. “Is this why you brought me here? Did you want to share your *prize*? What do you think I am?” Xander’s struggles became frantic as the pain from Angels crushing grip shot up and down his arm like a bolt of lightening. “Angel! *Please* this isn’t what you think!”
Spike was most displeased at his Sires accusations, but he couldn’t really blame Angel for thinking the worse. His situation with Xander was a little unlikely. And an un-chipped Spike had violent track record with humans. What was really pissing him off was his Sires inability to realize that he was causing Xander some amount of pain.
The blonde vampire shifted into his game face. “Back off Angel, you’re hurting him” Spike’s deadly stare stopped Angel in his tracks. It was very rare indeed that Spike would look that way at him. Sure enough, he would shout, stomp his feet and perhaps smash a few things. But Spike had enough respect for his Sire to not give him the “I’m going to rip out your entrails, and make a soup out of them” look without good reason. Spike thinks *I’m* hurting Xander. What the hell is going on!
Xander’s squeals of pain finally got through to him, and Angel quickly released him. Unfortunately, Xander had picked this moment to try one last time to wrench his injured arm free. As Angel let go Xander pulled violently away, flinging himself backwards. His head hit the stone wall first and his body followed in a close second. He groaned and slid slowly down the surface, pretty coloured stars flashing in front of his eyes.
“You bloody idiot!” Spike yelled at Angel as he rushed to Xander’s side. The blonde vampire squatted down quickly and cradled the boy’s head against his chest. “Luv? You ok? Luv?” Spike shook him gently and Angel noted the slight panic in the other vampire’s voice.
“Spike?” Xander rubbed at his eyes with his fists, an action that Angel thought was very childlike, yet strangely endearing. Angel was sorry that he’d hurt the mortal. He certainly hadn’t meant to. He had just been so grief stricken to think that his childe could have done such terrible things to such a harmless young man. Yes, years ago, the unruly vamp would quite happily have ripped the guts out of any human that crossed his path, but rape? That wasn’t Spike. But when he had smelt the sex on Xander, he could think of no other explanation.
But now, looking at them together, Xander leaning into Spikes body for comfort and support, Spike stroking his hair and whispering soothing words, Angel could see and believe that there was something between them.
Xander leant forward, clutched the back of his head and grimaced. “Owww. Who hit me?” He complained. Spike carefully studied Xander’s face and decided he was ok. “The wall did” Spike replied in a monosyllabic tone. He slid an arm under Xander’s knees and scooped him up. The boy’s weight was not a problem for Spike’s vampiric strength. Angel followed them and watched as Spike gently deposited Xander on the couch. The older vampire crouched and took one of the boy’s hands in his own. Spike glared and emitted another warning growl. Angel ignored him. “Xander, I’m sorry about what just happened. I never meant to hurt you. I just jumped to the wrong conclusion. Can you ever forgive me?” Spike rolled his eyes at Angel’s “I was evil and must be punished for all eternity” expression.
“Sure” Xander nodded, attempting a small smile before pulling his hand back and shuffling towards Spike.
Angel went and sat on the couch opposite them and tried out his cheery voice. “Sooo.” He clapped his hands together once and immediately regretted it when Xander flinched. He carried on in his normal tone of voice. “How long have you two been together?”
Xander looked to Spike to answer the question. “Not long peaches. No-one else knows and we would prefer to keep it that way for now, just ‘till we know what *we* want and what we’re doing.”
“What does that mean?”
“You know, where we’re gonna live, here or a new place, Sunnydale or somewhere else.” Spike was well aware that this was not something they had discussed but Xander’s discretely pleased face was enough to assure Spike that they *would* be having that little discussion real soon. “Plus, we really *haven’t* been together long and we would just like to spend some time getting to know each other and just, you know, enjoy each other without the slayer and her band of idiots interfering.”
“You two might want to re-think that plan. Considering who else is wandering the delightful streets of Sunnydale” Angel spat the last words out. He got up and walked around to lean on the back of the couch. “If Talzar knows you’re here, and you can bet he does, be sure that he’s been watching you. And if he’s been watching, then no matter how discrete you think you’ve been, he will have seen you with Xander, a *human*. Talzar will not tolerate it. Spike, Xander is in great danger. We should tell Buffy and the others what is going on, they can help protect him. Either that or we need to get him out of town. Angel stood up straight and put his hands in his pockets, awaiting a reaction.
Xander turned to face his lover. “I am *not* leaving town, no way. I’m not leaving you.” Xander sat back and folded his arms. Determined eyes said not to bother arguing.
Spike lit another cigarette, ignoring the glares emanating from the rooms’ other two occupants.
“Fuck. So we have to tell the slayer? Shit. She’s gonna love this.” Spike pretended to talk to her: “Hey Buffy, you know that Talzar guy you’ve been trying to find out about? Well, he’s kinda my Gandpappy. What? Why didn’t I mention it before? Oh I couldn’t be bothered. Oh yes and by the way, I’m also shagging one of your best friends”
Xander cringed “She’s gonna be mad” he said to no-one in particular..
Angel approached cautiously and put his hand softly onto Xander’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I’ll be with you. I’ll explain how you both feel about each other….”
“How the hell do you know about how we feel about each other, you’ve only been here five minutes!”
“Because Xander, I can see how Spike looks at you and I can see how you look at him. You’re clearly falling in love” Xander’s jaw dropped and Angel turned quickly to pick up his bags and walk away. Spike, however caught the smirk that was plastered all over his face. “Bastard” He muttered.
**
“How long has the chip been out, William?”
Under advice from Angel, Xander had gone back to bed. The older vampire wanted to be sure that the boy would be fully rested. The situation with Talzar could so easily spiral out of control and it was imperative that Xander be alert and ready to run if need be. Angel and Spike now sat opposite each other at the breakfast bar.
“Mm, 6 months maybe.”
Angel nodded slowly. “How did it happen?”
“No clue, peaches. Woke up one day and I was all fixed.” Spike held his arms up in a *Da Daaa* gesture.
Angel was dubious. “Will” He warned
Spike looked offended “No lie!” His voice turned almost ultrasonic in protest. “I really can’t explain it, Angel. To be truthful, I don’t know how long it was deactivated before I noticed. And it was a total accident that I found out.”
Angel motioned for Spike to go on.
“Some twat ran straight into me outside the bronze, the berk wasn’t even bloody sorry! Called me all the names under the bloody sun, he did. And well, you know me.” Spike paused to put on his cocky face. “I lost me temper. I’d had a bad night, and I wasn’t in the mood. So I risked a mind blowing migraine and punched the bastard. Was a good punch too! Wasn’t ‘till I was halfway home that I realized my lack of cranial agony.”
Angel leaned forward, his face in a contortion of puzzlement and bewilderment. “Will? You haven’t killed anyone.” It was not a question, Angel could feel a difference in his childe, whether that was because of Xander or just a mixture of unknown reasons, he wasn’t sure.
Spike tried to sound casual “Nah. Why would I? Got it pretty good here, un I?” He flapped a hand in the air. “I’d be stupid to risk it all”
“So I assume, by the fact that you’re not living in an ashtray, that slayer doesn’t know?” Spike shook his head vigorously and Angel continued. “And Xander, how long has he known?”
Spike shrugged. “Dunno. I only realized he knew tonight.”
Angel frowned deeply “He asked you to bite him?”
“Very perceptive petal.”
“Be careful with him, Will.”
“Yeah I know!” The ultrasonic tone returned. “He bit first ya know!”
**
6pm the next evening
It was Xander’s turn to wear a hole in the carpet. He’d been pacing for the last hour while the two vampires discussed what they knew about Talzar and put together the finer points of their plan to rid the world of him. “I still don’t see why I can’t be with you” He interrupted.
Spike’s voice became angry “NO! Look, we’ve been over and over this!” He softened his voice when he saw the familiar hurt steal across Xander’s face. “I just can’t risk it, pet. Talzar will hurt you to get to me, then, he’ll hurt me. You don’t want that, do you?”
Xander looked shocked “Of course not! I just want…..want…I just want to be with you.” He finished sadly.
Spike and Angel both understood, but it was Angel who spoke first. “I know, Xander. But it won’t be for long. Between Buffy, Spike and me, we will make short work of Talzar, but we need to be sure that you’re safe. We won’t be able to concentrate on the kill otherwise. It’s either this or we bundle you into the boot of my car and drop you somewhere out of town”
Xander ignored the joke and focused on a new question, a question that he could now see building behind Spike’s eyes. “Are you really gonna kill your Sire?”
Angel’s countenance barely changed. “I don’t have a choice. He’s evil incarnate. And someone needs to stop him.”
Spike felt that a change of subject was needed before Angel got all broody again. “So they’re definitely at Giles’s house now?” Spike said referring to Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang.
“Yep, I called and said you have some info on the bigger than bad, they’re all there waiting.” He turned to Angel. “I kinda didn’t mention that you were on the scene. I hope that was right.”
“Yes”
“Yeah pet, might as well save *all* the shocks for when we get there” Said Spike cheerfully. Xander groaned and leant his head on Spike’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry pet. They’ll get over it.” Spike rubbed gently at Xander’s newest bump. “How’s ya bonce babe?”
“Headache.”
“Sorry” Said Angel.
“I told you, it’s ok. Forgotten already.”
“Right then, we all fit?” Angel and Xander stared at him blankly. Spike shook his head in exasperation. “Are. We. Ready. To. Go?”
“Not just yet.” Angel reached into his bag and pulled out a long wooden box. Xander eyed it with suspicion. Angel carefully opened the box and produced an old, brass coloured syringe.
Xander’s eyes widened and he took a large jerky step back “Whoa, Angel man, what the hell is that?”
“It’s a syringe.”
Xander laughed nervously “I can see that. What’s it for?” He looked to Spike for a confirmation.
“It’s for you, pet” Spike grabbed him quickly, seeing that Xander was about to make a second date with the wall. “It’s Gritash blood. Its *real* bad for vampires”
“I don’t think I like where this is going. Please tell me you’re not gonna stick me with that.” Xander pointed unhappily at the syringe that was still in Angel’s hand.
“Oh no you don’t! Put those kicked puppy-dog eyes away. It’s. not. Going. To. Work.” He quickly shut his eyes and turned his head away before it did. “Angel. Tell ‘im.”
“It’s not harmful. It will stay in your system for about twenty-four hours. If the worst happens and Talzar finds you, he won’t be able to drain you. Can I?” Angel reached for Xander’s arm and waited.
Xander nodded a sullen approval “Why me? Why do these things only happen to me?”
“They don’t, pet. They happen to me too.” Spike rummaged through the pockets of his duster, his face twitching in sympathy, as he watched the needle sink into one of Xander’s veins. When Angel was done, Spike turned the mortal to face him. “Take this, luv” Spike held out a large shiny knife.
“Shit, Spike. You could take someone’s eye out with that thing…..Oh, kinda the point, I guess”
Spike handed Xander the weapon “It’s me lucky knife. This beauty’s seen me through a few scrapes, I can tell you. It’s just in case babe. Keep it safe, I’ll be wanting it back.”
Xander knew this was Spike’s way of saying: “*please* be safe” He flung his arms around his vampire, hiding his smile in Spike’s chest.
“Bloody hell, pet. Careful. You really will take someone’s eye out with that thing.”
**
“This *has* to be some sort of spell.” Buffy looked like she was on the point of freaking out. “Either that or I’m asleep. Yes that’s it, I’m still asleep. I’m in my bed, having a nice cosy nightmare, and *this* is so not happening.
Angel spoke firmly. “It is happening, Buffy. We really need you to deal, now. Any opinion you might have about Spike and Xander’s relationship, keep it for later. We have bigger problems.” Angel turned to Giles for support.
“Err, quite right Angel. If what you say is indeed correct, then we need to take steps to ensure Xander’s safety. And we need to act now, while we still have the upper hand”
“While Talzar is unaware of Angel you mean”
Giles waggled a finger. “Precisely Tara. If I’m not mistaken, Talzar will be unaware of Angel’s Souled condition.”
Willow chipped in “He thinks Angel is still Angelus.”
“That’s part of the plan. My guise as Angelus will allow me to get close.” Angel gestured with a stake “This is all it will take, just like any other vampire. We just need to be sure he doesn’t see it coming. Buffy, Spike, Willow? I want you with me. Back up in case we develop a problem. Giles and Tara, I need you to stay here with Xander, the protection barrier Willow put up will keep you safe.”
“Ok, let’s get this over with now, coz I got a bleached vampire to interrogate tonight” Buffy grabbed a huge troll hammer and hauled it over her shoulder. Angel walked with her to the door and they waited for Spike and Willow to follow.
Willow gazed into Xander’s worried eyes and smiled cheekily. “I *so* knew you guys were doing it” She elbowed Xander lightly in the ribs and went to join Buffy and Angel.
“Come ‘ere pet.” Spike closed his arms around Xander. “Don’t worry; it’ll all be over soon. We’ve just got to get through tonight.” He smoothed a hand through Xander’s hair and placed a chaste kiss on his forehead. “I love you” Xander tightened his grip around Spike’s waist and looked deeply into the vampires eyes. “I love you too” Spike leant down and captured Xander’s warm mouth for a brief, tender kiss, before joining the others at the door. Xander called after him. “Don’t come back dead” Spike whirled around at the door. “Not sure how I’m gonna manage that sweetheart. Already dead!” Xander frowned at the vampires humour. “Ok, so don’t come back in a dustpan then”
**
Xander, Tara and Giles sat at the dinning room table discussing Xander’s love life. “It’s most unconventional, I must say.” Giles had witnessed the tender moment the new lovers had shared earlier and had felt quite moved. Naturally though, he was still concerned. “If this is what you really want? Then, of course, we *all* endeavour to support you.” Tara nodded in silent agreement.
“What about Buffy” Xander asked.
Giles put a supportive hand on Xander’s shoulder. “She will come around, in time. Please don’t forget that Buffy’s experience’s with Angel have made her very wary indeed. Try not to worry too much, Xander. Things will work out.” Giles was doing his best to reassure the boy, but he still felt he needed to deliver an appropriate warning. “We will, however, be keeping a very close eye on the pair of you. If we think for a moment that Spike has become a danger to you, then be very sure that we *will* intervene.”
Xander instinctively touched the, now nearly healed, puncture wounds at his neck. He had needed to borrow a shirt with a collar to disguise it. Now, would definitely not be the time to advertise that he and Spike had dabbled in blood play. Giles locked eyes with him and continued “Contrary to what you might think, you are our most beloved friend and, I might add, a valued and trusted member of the team. We will not standby and see you lost to the dark side.”
Xander smiled happily. They do love me. They do need me. “Thanks G-man. That really means a lot. And just for the record, Spike isn’t as evil as he makes out. He’s a big pussy cat!
Giles adjusted his glasses. “I’m sure he is, Xander, but remember; even nice pussy-cats sometimes bite”
Xander swallowed a laugh and walked into the kitchen. “I know.”
**
Angel was tracking Talzar. He hoped he could deal with his sire without any of the others becoming involved. All the while Talzar thought he was Angelus[; - delete] he stood a chance of getting close. Close enough to slide a stake in and finish this before something really bad happened. Spike and Xander had only been together for a very short time, but Angel knew that Spike had already fallen hard. If something happened to Xander now, his childe would be destroyed. Angel’s second concern was this so called, Order of the Pure. So, take out Talzar and hopefully the Order would be disbanded.
Angel turned down another dark ally, his vampire senses on full alert. He caught the scent of an ancient vampire and howled up at the sky.
**
Spike stuck close to his sires scent. As much as he loved a good round of kick ass action, he secretly hoped that Angel would find Talzar first and finish him off. He just wanted it over. He wanted to take Xander back to his apartment and make love to him all night long and in the morning he wanted to cook him eggs again, maybe watch some TV with him. He wanted to do all the things that normal couples do. He did not want to be wandering the dark streets of Sunnydale, wondering whether or not Xander would make it through the night.
The trio had mostly walked in silence. Spike and Willow in deep thought, and Buffy still fuming about the blonde vampire hooking up with her best friend. She let out a loud huff that brought Spike back to reality.
“Give it a rest, slayer.”
“What? I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t need to. I can feel you glaring daggers at me. Fuck. I can feel ‘em going through and out the other side.” Spike stabbed at his temple in illustration. “Just get over it. Finally I’ve found someone. The right someone. The only someone……and I’m not gonna let *you* bugger it up.”
“Is this about me?”
“Oh, you really are so self involved, aren’t you? No. This isn’t about you. There is no conspiracy. I am with Xander because I love him, *not* because I hate you or want to piss you off. Get it into your thick skull, slayer, not everything is about you.”
“You’re a pig, Spike.” Buffy went to storm away, but Spike quickly grabbed her and looked at Willow.
“We have to go back” Spike released the slayer and began striding back the way he came.
Willow protested. “But Angel said…”
“Fuck Angel.”
“What’s going on, Spike?”
“Something’s wrong, Buffy. I can feel it. I have to get to Xander.”
Something in her own slayer blood, told her that something was definitely up. She called to Willow as she rushed passed. “Find Angel.”
**
Tara shifted shyly in front of Xander. “So….y-you two are in love?”
“Yeah, I guess we are.” He said, smiling at the ground. He looked up sharply to meet Tara’s worried gaze.
“Are you ok, Xander? You look a little….pale?”
Xander suddenly felt light-headed, and he struggled to pull a shaky breath into his lungs.
Giles noticed the abrupt change in the boys breathing and rushed to his side. “Xander? Are you quite alright? Do you need to sit down?”
Xander couldn’t answer him. The air around him felt so much thinner than normal, as though all the oxygen was being siphoned away. He struggled again to breath, and swayed unexpectedly, as a wave of dizziness hit him. What the fuck?
Tara and Giles made a grab for him before he fell, and started to guide him over to the nearest chair. As they moved, they heard a loud fizzling sound. Tara was startled. “Giles! The barrier! It’s being breached!” As she spoke, a tremendous and almost deafening crack resounded above them. The barrier had failed.
Xander never heard the barrier give way and he never saw the flashes of blue lightening that streaked across the room, striking his friends. As his senses were pulled away from him, he only saw the room blacken and tilt, before the floor rushed up to meet him.
**
They all spoke at once. “WE ARE THE ORDER OF THE PURE. THE SLAYER MUST BE DISABLED.” At least 20 vampires stood in an arc, surrounding Buffy and Spike. The two were less than 200 yards from the house and Spike growled and snarled in fear and frustration.
“Jeez guys” Buffy chuckled in disbelief. “You’ve been watching far too much Star Trek. Borg much?”
“WE ARE THE ORDER OF THE PURE. THE SLAYER MUST BE DISABLED.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, don’t tell me. Resistance is futile?” Buffy quipped.
Spike looked towards the sky, staring up at crackling, blue lightening. “He’s here.”
Buffy turned quickly to face him. “It’s me they want, Spike. You have to get to the house. Get Xander and get out.”
“While you do what? Teach them the rules of cricket? They’ll rip you apart!”
“No….They wont.”
Spike wasn’t sure whether it was the steely determination on Buffy’s face or his own natural instinct to save the one he loved, that made him ignore the mini-army before him and run like crazy to Giles’ house. But run he did, faster than he ever had in his life.
**
“Sp-Spike?” Xander shook his head to clear the fuzziness, and immediately wished he hadn’t.
“Ssh, little one, Ssh. William will be here soon.” The voice was deep and cracked. Clearly a 40 a day man, then. Xander thought. He tried to withdraw from the putrefying stench that exuded from the ancient vampire. He gagged at the stink that was choking him like a poisonous cloud. I guess this must be the man himself.. He thought
It was barely a man. Its brownish skin ragged and crumpled, eyes a deep dangerous red, and huge yellow fangs that reminded Xander of a sabre tooth tiger. Xander winced and squirmed as the creature’s claw like hands digged painfully into his waist, pulling him into a standing position.
“So you must be William the Bloody’s lover. Am I right?”
Xander only nodded, his voice had taken a trip someplace else.
“And a human lover? Tut Tut. William always was one for breaking the rules.” Talzar scraped a long filthy fingernail down the youth’s cheek, leaving a bloody trail in its wake. “Lets you and me show him what happens when the rules are broken. But first, a small taste.” He held Xander jaw in an iron grip and leant in to kiss him. Talzar closed his mouth over Xander’s, slicing through the boys bottom lip with a razor sharp fang and drinking the thick, red fluid that escaped. The ancient vampire ran his hands appreciatively over the warm trembling body before him. “My my, little chick. You will make a fine vampire” Talzar demonstrated his wilful lust with a long hard stoke over Xander’s groin.
Xander shut his eyes tighter as a thousand memories flashed through his mind. His Father. The beatings. The rapes. No please, not this. Please don’t touch me. He jerked his lips away from the vampire’s bloody kiss and screamed.
Talzar was hypnotized by the cascade of blood that flowed over the youth’s lips. He gripped Xander’s hair and wrenched his head back, plundering the boys mouth for a second taste.
“Let him go.”
“Hello William.” Said the old vampire sweetly. “Long time, no see.”
“Long time, no care. I said, let him go.”
Talzar chuckled lightly at the blonde vampire. “Who? This human? I always expected you to fall in love one day, you always were a closet romantic. But with a human? A filthy human like this?” Talzar threw Xander to the floor so that he fell between them. “This will not do William. Turn him.”
“Not a chance.”
“Turn him, or…..or I will.” Spike noticed the slight falter in Talzar’s voice and struggled to keep his calm icy exterior. The poisoned blood.
“Touch him, and I’ll kill you.”
Talzar’s laugh bellowed around the room. “I suspect you mean to kill me anyway. And besides, he has not been marked. He is not yours. He is free game.”
“Wrong”
Talzar looked to the voice at the door.
“Angelus”
Angel casually stalked closer, trying to ease himself between Talzar and the boy lying semi-conscious on the ground.
“The boy belongs to William and I. And we will turn him when we choose.”
Talzar moved until he was nose to nose with Angel. He studied him for a few moments before a wide grin crossed his face. “Oh dear, Angelus, oh dear. When did you get a soul?”
“Fuck!” Spike dived towards his lover, scooping him up and backing away sharply.
Angel pulled out his stake and lunged at Talzar’s chest. The old vampire was too quick. He blocked the attack easily and countered with a devastating blow that sent Angel flying into the wall behind him.
“FOOLS! You think you can challenge me? I will show you the consequences of *challenging* my power.” Talzar pointed to Spike, who was desperately trying to bring Xander back to full consciousness. “You cannot protect him William. That boy has a minute to live and a second to die. You cannot stop me.”
*Whoosh* A hot ball of fire soared through the air and planted itself into Talzar’s back. He spun round to face one mightily pissed of witch. Tara. “WE CAN STOP YOU” Her voice resonated through the air as though spoken by a hundred hell gods. Talzar spun again, this time to face Willow. “WE CAN STOP YOU” The voice was identical. The witches raised there arms and chanted in unison. “FIRE AND WATER, WIND AND RAIN, WINGS OF HELL THAT PULSE THOUGH EVERY VIEN, SUN NOW SHINE, WORLD STOP TURNING, AN ETERNITY HERE FOR YOUR BURNING.”
Xander cringed into Spike’s body as a fierce wind whipped around them like a hurricane “Spike!”
“It’s ok, pet. Hold tight, I’ve got you.”
Frenzied fire and wind swirled around between the two witches as they chanted. “EESTA GANAA, EESTA GANAA, EESTA GANAA.” The magical cocktail settled into a floating mass of lava, a portal, pulsating like a giant living heart. The witches lowered their arms and waited, their eyes and hair blackened with dark magic.
Talzar felt himself being pulled by some invisible entity towards the fiery portal. He fought desperately to overpower the poison that was flowing through his veins and fight the witches’ dark, powerful magic that pulled him towards the gateway. He raised shaking arms to the ceiling and roared. “ESKADA!” A flash of brilliant white light pulsed through the room like a giant wave, blinding and throwing all but the witches and himself to the floor. Xander’s sensitive human eyes blurred and streamed as the wave passed through his vulnerable body. “ESKADA!” As the dizzying wave passed again, Spike squashed Xander into a ball on the floor and crushed his own body around him like a protective blanket. The wave dissipated, and Spike pushed himself onto his elbows, turning Xander over underneath him. “Xan?”
“Spike?......I can’t see.”
Spike growled. “I can.”
Spike glanced around and spotted Giles edging along the wall, trying to keep his balance. Spike shouted to him over the deafening roar of the wind. “Here, take Xander, stay here!” He pushed the two together and rushed to pull his sire to his feet. He pointed back to Xander and Giles. “Guard them!” Angel nodded, his eyes blinking rapidly as his vision returned to normal. He crouched defensively in front of the blinded humans and shifted his face back into his vampire visage.
Spike charged with the speed and strength of a jungle cat. He collided with Talzar and tore chunks of flesh from his bones. Talzar lashed out in a last desperate attempt to save himself. He was weak now. The poison he had drank from Xander’s lips snaked through his body like a venomous reptile, there was not much time left. He swooped and collected Angel’s discarded stake from the ground and plunged it into Spike’s chest.
“NOOOO!” Xander staggered to his feet, his vision partly restored, and watched, with tears streaming down his face, as Spike fell to the floor. Xander had registered that his lover was not a pile of dust but it did nothing to quell the rage and fury that flooded through his body. He pulled Spike’s dagger from his jacket and raced screaming towards Talzar. The knife sank deep into the vampires back, causing him to buck and thrash wildly. He planted a lucky backhand to Xander’s face and knocked him to the floor. The boy scrabbled over to Spike’s body and tugged him backwards along the ground.
“Ughrr. Bollocks!” Spike pulled the stake from chest and threw it to the ground. “Wrong side, luv.” He grinned into Xander’s shocked face. He got to his feet and dragged Xander out of the witches circle and out of Angel’s path. The souled vampire rushed forward catching Talzar’s shoulders in his vicious grip. He spun Talzar round to face him. “Goodbye Sire” And With a feral roar he flung his Sire into the portal.
**
“Now, what the hell is this? I just get my grove going with the YMCA out there and suddenly they all get bored and sign out. Just walked off. Not even so much of a goodbye. So in I come. And what am I finding? No big bad! I need the bad guy action!” Buffy had entered the house unseen a few moments before, she had scanned the room for her friends and found them to be alive and relatively well.
The Slayer had battled fiercely with the uber-minions, although at one point she was seriously perturbed that she could actually lose. Nothing to worry about, it seemed in the end. The vamps stopped trying to pull her limbs from her torso and shambled back down the road. Buffy was left standing in a fighting stance, and feeling a little bit silly.
Buffy’s friends were slowly and wearily rising to their feet. Giles helped Tara up and brushed pieces of flaked ceiling from her skirt, while Angel held a firm grip around Willows shoulders. He was the only thing preventing her from crumbling back to her knees. Buffy walked over to her L.A Ex. “Angel…where?” The slayers expression contained an unsaid question that Angel had little trouble interpreting. He pointed at the lovers in the corner. “They’re over there.”
Xander sat cradled against Spike’s chest. Heavy sobs ripped through his trembling body. Spike wrapped his arms protectively around his lover, calming violent tremors with gentle hands. “Sssh luv. It’s ok. It’s ok. It’s all over now. No-ones gonna hurt you pet; not now, not now I’m here.” Xander squeezed his lover in silent acknowledgement, and gained some control of his tears. He was tired. He was in pain. He was frightened. But somehow, as he lay in the arms of the man he loved, all those negative feelings started to slip away. My Spike, My Spike, My Spike.
Spike brushed thick strands of sable hair from Xander’s eyes, before placing a chaste kiss on the boy’s temple. “Let’s go, pet.” He whispered. The vampire, despite his injury, effortlessly scooped up the youth and turned defensively to the others. “We’re going” He barked, expecting a huge barrage of complaints, arguments and general spiteful remarks. None Came. They had all seen how Spike has risked his life to save Xander, and now they had seen the tender and loving way he had comforted and calmed him. Spike needed to take care of him. Spike needed to fix him. Buffy smiled warmly “I know it goes without saying, but, take care of him, Spike. We’ll call tomorrow, see how he’s doing.” The others nodded in silent agreement and understanding. Spike clearly loved Xander. He was never going to hurt him and he would always look after him. They didn’t know how they knew this, they just did. Spike acknowledged his own unspoken understanding with a nod of his own before moving to follow Angel out the door.
**
Xander sat on Buffy’s sofa sipping hot coffee. Considering the events that had taken place only two days ago, he felt surprisingly chipper. And well, why wouldn’t he? He looked around at all his friends, minus Angel who regrettably had to leave on important L.A business. They were chattering amongst themselves, and he smiled into his coffee. They were all alive, he was alive, he loved them and they loved him. He sighed contentedly and relaxed into the vampire that was curling around him.
“So where did he go?” Buffy asked quickly. She was desperately trying not to look at the two lovers who were sitting on the couch and seemingly trying to meld into one being.
Willow just shrugged “Some kind of hell, I think.” She looked over to Tara who nodded shyly in agreement.
“Ah. And we can all presume that you bought him a one way ticket to hell, yes?”
Giles stepped in before Willow could speak “Oh absolutely, Buffy. We won’t be seeing him again. Which, in a way, is a great pity….”
You could almost hear the silent gasps around the room and Giles backtracked quickly as angry yellow eyes bored thought his skull. “What I meant was… I mean what I was going to say…..what I was trying to say, if somewhat badly, was, now that Talzar has been banished we will never know what his great plan was. Who was this chosen one? Who were the Order Of The Pure? What did they really want? And Why did they all disappear so suddenly?”
Four pairs of eyes regarded him with part puzzlement and part boredom, and one pair of yellow eyes flashed with growing irritability.
“I really couldn’t give a shiny shite about any of that crap. Who gives a fuck? He’s gone. Good riddance. Now can we get back to the important stuff? The reason why we’re all here, perhaps?”
Xander squeezed his lover’s hand firmly in silent thanks. He did not want to talk about it. He wanted to forget. They all knew there was a chance that Talzar could come back one day, and the thought terrified him. But, for now, all he wanted to do was be with his friends and enjoy being alive.
Spike caught the mixture of emotions that were jumbled over Xander’s face and he leaned in to kiss some of them away. There was a lot of pain and hurt inside that boy and Spike was determined to get to the bottom of it all and help him to deal with it. He captured Xander’s honey sweet lips for a second taste, moaning softly as a warm tongue probed into his own cool mouth. Spike held tightly to the back of Xander’s neck and deepened the kiss. It was only the sound of several throats being cleared that brought them both back to reality and back to the situation before them.
Buffy spoke. “Spike’s right, we need to sort out what we are going to do” She looked hopefully around the room “Well come on, who’s gonna light the barbecue and who’s gonna go get the sausages?”
Coming very soon, the next instalment – Walk like an Egyptian.
Re: Ta for the biscuits