Nexus Chapter 9
Revello Drive,
Fall, 2002
“You alright, Luv?” Spike paused in his narrative, studying the Slayer apprehensively.
After the first hour, they had quit on the hot chocolate and switched to beer. Now Buffy breathed deeply, took a long swig from hers and nodded, gesturing for Spike to continue.
“Right, then. So, for a couple of weeks, not much goin´ on; we don´t see the brat at all, but everyone in the house knows he´s up there. Holed up in Angelus´ chamber under guard, all I know is that he´s still alive–there´s food goin´ in from time t´ time, and it sure as hell wasn´t for Angelus; not a big eater, him. And me old sire sure isn´t havin´ much pleasure in his new toy; he´s in such a foul mood most of the time that the minions´d crawl over each other to avoid bein´ anywhere near him.” Spike frowned darkly, remembering. “He was a right picnic, pet.”
Buffy picked nervously at the label on her beer bottle. “We were going crazy.” She spoke quietly, her voice laced with remembered pain. “When Xander disappeared, of course we thought of Angelus first. And then, when we didn´t see him anymore–Angelus, I mean–it was pretty obvious. And horrible. No one wanted to say it out loud, but we were all thinking the same thing. Either Xander was being tortured, or turned. And I didn´t know which thought was worse.” She lifted her beer to drink again, and Spike noticed that her hand was shaking.
“I almost got myself into trouble a time or two; it slowed me down, y´know? ´Cause I couldn´t just stake a vamp anymore without taking a good look at him first. I was afraid that I´d stake Xander without knowing it was him, and then he´d just be dust, and we´d never know what had happened to him.”
Spike reached cautiously for Buffy´s hand, laying his fingertips lightly on the back of her wrist. She didn´t shake him off. “And I couldn´t find Angelus anywhere. Giles didn´t think he´d just grab Xander and take off; but of course we were all thinking that this was still about me!” Spike winced inwardly at the thread of hurt in her voice. “so we were pretty sure that he was hiding somewhere nearby, no doubt preparing some tasty surprise for me.” She shuddered, then sat back in her chair, arms crossed, frowning into the distance.
After a moment, she focused on Spike. “You know, I should have figured this out a long time ago. Looking back, there were all kinds of clues. If I had known Angel was bisexual!.”
Spike winced, again. This was the conversation he had bloody well hoped to avoid. “Angel may not be, luv.” Buffy raised an eyebrow at Spike´s obvious skepticism. “Or may think he´s not, but yes, I´ve got my doubts.”
Buffy let it pass. “But Angelus!”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Doesn´t that Watcher of yours tell you anything?”
She wrinkled her nose in a fashion that never failed to make Spike weak in the knees. “I read most of what the diaries said about Angelus, and I don´t remember anything about him liking men.”
Spike shook his head. Why him? Oh, well, in for a penny!.“Luv, virtually ALL vampires swing both ways. It´s just how we are.”
Buffy stared at him, her mouth in a silent “O,” absorbing the statement, including the pointed “we.” “So,” she ventured finally. “You and Angelus!?” She left the rest unsaid.
Spike sighed and studied his beer bottle for a time, then looked up and met Buffy´s eyes. “He was my Sire, Buffy. It´s part of it.” He studied her frozen expression tensely, his own face carefully bland, until a sudden blast of girl pheromones hit his nostrils. Well, that´s all right then. Relieved, and somewhat intrigued by her unspoken reaction, he tipped his bottle of beer to hide his smile, then went on with his tale.
“So, weeks pass, and nothin´s goin´ on–boy´s just up there. Don´t seem to be much goin´ on between ´em, that I can tell. Would have smelled it on Angelus, y´know. So, I was starting to think that maybe the boy was just bait, after all. But Drusilla, she´s insistin´ that Daddy was goin´ to claim ´im, and he was goin´ to stay with us forever. And, o´ course, she was looking forward to playing with Daddy´s kitten´ eventually.”
Spike rose and retrieved two beers from the fridge and slid one across the table to the Slayer, who was staring at him with round eyes, waiting. “Reasonable expectation, pet.” He shrugged. “Tradition an´ all. Ordinarily, if a Master claims a pet, he´ll share with his childer.”
“Can I just say EEUUUW? And that must be just peachy for the pet.” Buffy grimaced. “And what a new and fascinating application of the concept of ´ordinary.´;” She took a hefty swig of the fresh beer and added, daringly. “So, vamps really ARE kinky, huh?”
Spike leaned back in his chair, grinning and looking at her from heavy-lidded blue eyes. He rubbed his chest idly, and his voice dropped lower. “Better believe it, luv.”
Buffy decided she´d had quite enough beer and slid the bottle to the side. “So!” Buffy clasped her hands on the table. “!then, did you and Xander ever!?”
“Well, it turned out not to be an ordinary claim, di´n´t it?” Spike leaned closer. “Let me tell you how it all happened.”
Buffy thought for an instance that she had just missed something, but she was soon caught up in Spike´s narrative and the moment passed.
5 Years Earlier:
Just after dusk, Spike sat in his wheelchair near the fire in the main room of the mansion. Drusilla, quiet tonight, played with her dolls at his feet. Spike smoked continually, and his blue eyes were sharply alert, anticipatory. Naturally, he had spies among the minions; he´d made some of ´em himself, hadn´t he? From them, he knew that something had happened two nights before. Nobody knew the details; most of the eyewitnesses were dead, but it had something to do with Angelus throwing a jealous fit over his pet mortal and going on a rampage, slaughtering minions wholesale.
The one survivor among the lesser vampires was hanging in chains in the basement, in no shape to talk.
And Angelus had been holed up with his human ever since, emerging twice to feed.
Stuck in this bloody sodding wheelchair, unable to get around much, even to hunt, Spike was bored out of his platinum blond head. The high drama of his sire´s love life was the only meager sport that was to be had these days, so Spike was taking an interest.
Whatever feelings he had about being supplanted as Angelus´ favorite boy were hardly momentous; after a century-long abandonment by his sire, that ship had long since sailed. On the contrary, Spike´s enjoyment of events hinged on Dru´s prediction that Angelus was, for once, going to come out on the losing end of a romantic entanglement (if you could call the old man´s blood-spattered, crockery-throwing liaisons “romantic.”)
Looked as though the game was finally on; if Angelus was bedded down up there with the youth, he´d be claiming him, sure as anything. By way of confirmation, Dru was babbling under her breath about blood and love in the air like poison butterflies.
Minions who had business with the master began to gather, clustering out in the foyer, keeping their respectful distance from the master´s childer, both of whom were terrifying in their own right.
Spike pricked up his ears and tasted the air like a hound as he heard his sire´s footfall on the stairs. The crowd of minions parted like the red sea, and Angelus strode in.
Bingo.
His sire´s eyes flashed keenly, and he fairly radiated power. Trailing in his wake, clinging nervously to the master´s shirt, came the youth, with a fresh bite and a chain of love bruises on his throat and bare chest, and a dazed, rosy, well-fucked look about him.
Beside him, Drusilla began to keen softly and weave in circles, her fingers to her temples. Spike caught the scent of the two of them, and it rocked him backward. The ordinary claim was ritual and physiology; the vampire marked the human with sex and biting, putting his scent on the mortal so that any demon would keep its distance. The words made it all official. Spike didn´t care much for pomp and ceremony, but that put him in the minority. To his disgust, most of the vampire community ate it up, so, in spite of his distaste, Spike had a fairly comprehensive knowledge of the ritual culture of vampires.
That knowledge, and the heavy and unmistakable scent of magic, made it obvious that this was more than an ordinary claim. The addition of the actual spell made it a bond claim. This was indeed a fascinating development. The differences were subtle, but significant. For one thing, the bond claim, unlike an ordinary claim, could be accomplished only with the consent of the mortal. The presence of the magic strengthened the emotional ties between the vampire and his chosen mortal. For another, although the vampire could still theoretically do anything he wanted to his claimed, a bond claimed human was by tradition not killed by his claimant.
An ordinary claimed was no more than livestock in the hierarchy of vampires, but a bond claimed was a notch above; a bond claimed was much less likely to be offered to others against his will, and, if he outlived his claimant, he would be freed, instead of passed to another master as a chattel.
Ignoring the goggle-eyed minions, who could scent the magic, but whose understanding was purely on a primal, instinctual level, Angelus walked Xander over to his two children. Spike rolled his eyes. Yet another sodding ceremonial occasion. Beside him, Drusilla crooned, her eyes turned toward the ceiling as though the intoxicating magic were as visible as birds about her head.
Their sire stopped before them, his hand on his claimed´s shoulder. “My childer” He began, addressing them formally. “I present to you Alexander, my Claimed One, bound to me by the rite of the bond claim. I charge you with his safety; as you are bound to me by blood, so are you bound to look to his welfare.”
“Alexander, my Claimed One, bonded to me by your own consent, these are my Childer, Drusilla and Spike. Treat them with respect, as my own blood kin. In my absence, they are bound by duty to extend their protection to you, and in the event of my final death, they will see that you are returned safely to your people.”
Drusilla had stood at the approach of her sire. Now, the formalities observed, she clapped her hands and cooed “Pretty kitten, Daddy´s baby boy. Now we shall all play together.” As she pranced closer, Angelus drew Xander close against him with an arm across his chest and stopped Dru´s progress with his other arm extended between them. “Now, I´m telling both of you. You´re to keep your distance. There´s to be no playing together.” Drusilla whined with disappointment, pouting at her Daddy and pulling on her curls.
Spike lit a cigarette and squinted through the smoke. “Seems to me, Peaches, that you´ve changed yer tune. If I remember rightly, you once offered me this tasty little morsel.”
With a ferocity that made Drusilla whimper and shrink back, Angelus flashed into gameface and snarled, lips drawn back to show his impressive fangs. His voice was a vicious, sibilant hiss. “An´ if I remember rightly, boy, that wasna actually me. And I´m after givin´ ye fair warning. Touch my boy and I´ll give ye such a lesson in pain that ye´ll never forget it. Come on, boy.” A hand on the back of the boy´s neck, he turned him and led him away.
Spike watched them go with a raised eyebrow. Interestin´, that.
Days later:
Xander didn´t really notice the cold much anymore; the old stone mansion was continually damp and chilly, and Xander, at his vampire´s pleasure, habitually ran about in nothing but a pair of pajama pants or sweat pants (at most.)
So, he was frequently a little cold, and just didn´t pay that much attention. His body did, though. Now, unaware, he shivered a little, pressing a bit closer to the other occupant of the sofa (in spite of the fact that said occupant had no body heat to share.) Immediately, Angelus interrupted the instructions he was giving to a group of minions to snap at another to build up the fire. Xander recognized that this was for his benefit, and looked up from his Gameboy to send a warm glance Angelus´ way.
Alone in their chamber, Angelus, if he was in a mellow mood, might respond gratifyingly to Xander´s warm looks and cold feet, perhaps pulling him into his lap in the armchair before the fire to tease and kiss, or, more likely, carry him to the bed and raise his temperature in a more direct fashion.
However, down in the great hall, with his minions all about him, he made do with a quick cuddle, not looking at his boy, just a brief tightening of the arm draped casually around the youth´s shoulders.
It was enough. In the days since Angelus had claimed him, Xander had started to feel like he was figuring out the whole vampire love thing. There were certain facts; you just had to work ‘em out.
Like, for example, vampires were damn near insatiable. He had fallen asleep in Angelus´ arms that first day after a grueling sexual marathon, only to be awakened a bare two hours later by the vampire, spooned behind him, pushing his ever-ready cock yet again into Xander´s exhausted body.
“Ye´re awake then, boy?” The vampire purred into Xander´s ear.
“I am NOW.” Xander grunted as the vampire finished his slow, insistent glide into the heat of his drowsy boy.
The cool tongue licked softly, tracing the curve of Xander´s ear, then nibbling oh-so-softly at the lobe. “Does that feel good, my pretty?”
“Yeah, it feels good!” It was true. He was about half dead and could hardly get his eyes open, but the magnificent cock felt wonderful inside him, and his own was stirring, valiantly making one more comeback. “!just like it did the first fifty times.”
The vampire chuckled against Xander´s neck, making the boy shiver. “You´re exaggerating a wee bit, aren´t y´, sweet?” He pushed Xander slowly onto his belly, shifting onto him without losing the connection. “Think this is number six, actually.”
Having gotten them into the position he wanted, Angelus braced himself on his forearms. “Hold on, boy. We´re goin´ for a ride.”
Xander groaned as Angelus began to pump briskly into the warmth beneath him. “Oohhh, God, that´s good.”
“Not too sore, are you?”
“Now´s a fine time to ask!..no, don´t stop. Hurts good.” It did; the pleasure/pain in his over-used anus was surprisingly erotic, and the sensitivity of his cock made the friction of the sheets maddeningly exquisite. He cried out when he came, the orgasm almost painful. The vampire followed him over the edge, then lay quiet, still resting some of his weight on his arms, purring softly and licking Xander´s claim scar.
“Alright, then, sweet?”
The limp body beneath his emitted a weak groan. “I feel like I´ve been fighting demons all night.”
“Well, close to.” Angelus smirked against the nape of Xander´s neck.
“Well, I now know one thing for sure. It takes a real man to be a vampire´s bitch.”
“Aye, my pretty. Ye´re resilient, for a human. You fuck like a demon.” Angelus murmured low, almost a rumble against the boy´s ear. “My bitch.” He tried it out, rolling the words on his tongue. “My sweet, sweet bitch.”
Xander groaned again. “I am already SO sorry that I introduced that word into this conversation.”
Angelus slid his hands under the boy´s shoulders, pressing close, nuzzling the side of his face. “I like it.” He purred through his whisper. “My bitch. My very own hot, sweet bitch.”
“Oh, great.” Xander grumped, but he craned his neck to give the vampire access to more of his face. “Right now you´ve got one tired, sore bitch.”
Angelus rolled them carefully back onto their sides. “Sleep, then, pretty.” The vampire held him close, purring, and Xander drifted away, his lover´s half-hard cock still embedded in his sore hole.
And said hole had been sore ever since, a sensation that Xander, fortunately, found not unpleasant. Once he had allowed himself to submit, Xander discovered that submission was a place he was fairly comfortable in, and a little pain just heightened the eroticism.
The vampire often took pleasure in seducing him with soft words and hot kisses, but he was just as likely to stride into the room, horny from the hunt, and bend Xander without preamble over the nearest piece of furniture and fuck the hell out of him. That was pretty okay with Xander, too; besides being a budding submissive, he was also a perpetually horny teenager to boot, so–all good.
So, he liked getting fucked by Angelus all the time; he made a point of not thinking about how it would be if he didn´t. Because, that was another thing. Vampires weren´t too much into the hearts and flowers. Or the remembering to ask for consent. Sometimes it was more about the harsh words and rough touches. But that was okay, too.
You had to pay close attention to get the vampire love thing. It showed up in the little things. Like the way cool things like the Gameboy and books and magazines and boxes of Twinkies started showing up in the bedroom. Like the fact that Angelus had started holding court from the sofa.
Xander had been really happy to discover that one benefit of being claimed was the chance to get out of the bedroom some, but less thrilled to discover that Angelus expected to take meetings with his minions while seated in his chair–a throne-like deal covered in worn red velvet–with Xander perched on his knee.
Not that sitting in Angelus´ lap was a bad thing, actually it was pretty hot, but, Jeez, not in a room full of vampires. He felt like an idiot, and decided he wasn´t doing it, and said so. Angelus ignored him, just went on talking to whatever minion currently had his attention, holding onto Xander when he tried to wiggle away. So he told Angelus, kind of loudly, to let go of him, dammit. Whereupon Angelus hissed very softly in his ear that if he ever, ever again defied him or showed him even the slightest disrespect in front of his minions and childer, he would get his ass bared and blistered right then and there. Ass-blistering being another one of those things that had its charms only in private, Xander shut up quick and sat there.
Angelus wasn´t done making his point, maybe, or maybe it was because Xander was visibly sulking, but after he had sent the minions on their way, and Spike and Drusilla had wandered off somewhere, Angelus stood without a word, almost dumping Xander on the floor, caught him and threw him down over the back of the sofa, yanked his pants down, gave him a few sharp swats then fucked him so hard that Xander saw stars.
That´s when Xander found out what a generous winner the vamp could be. The next night, when Angelus came downstairs with Xander trailing after, he flung himself casually down on the sofa, propped his feet up on the coffee table, and pulled Xander down next to him. And that had been the routine ever since.
Angelus frowned as two minions came barreling into his presence, looking like they´d been through a war. He sat forward, giving his full attention as they began their story.
“We went out early!” began one.
“!because of sentry duty later.” The second minion interrupted.
The first gave the second a “who´s telling this story?” look and shouldered him aside, continuing. “We were in the park off of Stanhope street, hunting, and we ran up against the Slayer.”
Angelus felt Xander tense beside him, his game forgotten.
“We had Ed and Tim with us. She dusted both of them.”
Angelus cursed softly. “Whose blood?” He indicated the first minion´s stained shirt.
The minion grinned proudly. “That´s the cool part. The slayer had her friend, the little red-head, with her. I got a taste. She was sweet, tasted of magic.”
Moving quickly, Angelus got hold of the back of Xander´s neck before he could spring up. A warning growl from the vampire, and the boy made a tortured sound and subsided.
“Did you drain her?” Angelus´ voice was studiedly casual.
The minion´s grin faded and he looked down at his shoes. “No. The Slayer came to her aid and the two of us barely escaped.”
Angelus took his time to deliberate. From Angel´s interaction with the Scoobies, he well knew of the close bond between his boy and the witch. For a moment, furious jealousy sparked his dark eyes with gold, then the palpable misery rolling off of his boy recalled him. Xander had his head down, but Angelus didn´t need to see the brown eyes to be aware of his boy´s distress.
His decision made, he took a moment to privately call himself a great nancy twat, then shifted into gameface and laid down the law. “For once, your incompetence works in your favor. If she has magic, I have use for her and don´t want her touched.” Carefully, he met his minions´ eyes, one after another. “She´s to be given safe passage.” He turned his attention back to the two storytellers. “You can make it your task to spread the word to the other clans, and the local demons as well. Tell them she´s under my protection and anyone that harms her deals with me.” Every inch the ancient and powerful demon master, no one in the room doubted that he was serious. Willow Rosenberg would be safe in Sunnydale.
Fifteen minutes later, Angelus and Xander were alone in the big room.
“So, what plans do you have for Willow?” Xander kept his voice level.
Angelus sipped his brandy and scowled into the fire. “It´s not your place to question me boy, but, if you must know, I thought I might want to eat her myself a year or two down the road!..What are you doing?”
Xander had slipped off the sofa and was kneeling between Angelus´ spread thighs. “I´m saying thank you.” He smiled up at the vampire and began slowly to lower the zipper on Angelus´ leather pants. “I know you did that for me, whether you´ll admit it or not.”
The urge to deny it lost ground instantly to the desire to graciously accept his boy´s thanks. And what a delicious expression of gratitude it was; the boy always accepted his attentions eagerly and participated with gusto, but this was the first time he´d ever initiated anything. It was wildly sexy; by the time the boy got his pants open, the vampire´s cock was already half hard. Xander extracted it gently from the soft leather–no underwear, of course–and held it, admiring the size and weight of it as it thickened and lengthened, watching it flush red with borrowed blood.
Within seconds, Angelus was rock-hard, just from the light pressure of the boy´s warm hand, and warm gaze. Finally, the boy smiled sweetly up at him, then bent and pressed a soft kiss to the broad head of the vampire´s erect cock, flicking out his tongue to press lightly into the slit, hungry for the first taste of the precome that had begun to form there. Angelus groaned and dropped his head back as Xander unconsciously repeated his actions of their first time, licking down the vampire´s growing erection to nuzzle the soft skin where cock and balls meet, reveling in the rich musky Angelus-scent he found there.
Xander wormed his hand into the leather pants to cup the substantial weight of the vampire´s balls, licking the lightly haired, velvety skin there. Xander loved this part, the lazy exploration, the smelling, licking, nuzzling mapping of the most private parts of Angelus´ body preceding the main event.
Angelus seemed to like it too; it always made him purr, increasing Xander´s arousal as they spiraled up together. Xander felt a little thrill of pride as he began to suck softly on the silky purple head; judging from the groans coming from the vampire, he was getting good at this. Of course, Angelus´ size made it difficult, but Xander did love a challenge.
Gripping the base in his warm fist, Xander concentrated on suppressing his gag reflex as he slowly lowered his mouth on the meaty column, taking the head into his throat and swallowing against the delicate skin.
Xander hummed with pleasure as the vampire´s purr escalated suddenly into a roar. Liking that result, he sealed his lips tightly around the shaft in his mouth and drew back slowly, then slid back down and swallowed around the head again.
The vampire groaned, and Xander began to bob rhythmically, squeezing the base with his fist in little pulses and caressing Angelus´ sac with the other hand. Glancing up through his lashes, he saw the vampire´s face frozen in a mask of bliss, hands flexing on his thighs.
Pleased with his success, Xander redoubled his efforts, applying more suction on the upstroke and pressing the underside hard with his tongue. Angelus made a strangled sound, and twined one hand into Xander´s dark hair. That was his signal; with deliberate care, Xander scraped his teeth lightly along the satiny skin.
As expected, the vampire went still, except for his hand tightening in Xander´s hair. Pressing, he held Xander´s head down as he came with a howl, jetting his tepid seed into his boy´s willing throat.
After the last wave of his orgasm faded away, the vampire relaxed back against the sofa, smirking appreciatively at his boy. “It´s a rare talent ye´ve got, my sweet bitch.”
Xander rolled his eyes, not really annoyed; the vampire seemed to save that name for moments when he was feeling especially affectionate, and Xander had learned to hear it as an endearment.
He licked his lover clean, tucked him away and zipped up his pants, then sat back on his heels and grinned up at the satisfied demon, provocatively licking a stray drop of come off of his bottom lip.
With a growl, Angelus pounced, dragging Xander into his lap to steal back his own flavor from his boy´s laughing mouth. Xander melted into the demon´s embrace, offering himself up eagerly. Wasn´t much that got Xander hot as fast as sucking his vampire´s cock, and he was more than ready for a go.
Sucking gently on the tongue ravishing his mouth, Xander stroked his vamp´s powerful torso, gently teasing his nipples erect. Angelus reciprocated by cupping his boy´s erection through the fabric of his pants, squeezing with a gentle rhythm.
“Look, Spike! Daddy and the baby are playing a game!” The sound of the trilling voice jerked the pair on the sofa from their kiss.
“So I see, Dru. Oi, Peaches. You just havin´ a snog, or are you gonna shag your dolly right here? ´Cause we all use the furniture, you know.”
Angelus snarled at the pair gamefaced, clutching Xander to him possessively.
“Angelus, ease up!” Xander whispered urgently. “You´re squashing me.” The vampire immediately loosened his embrace, petting him apologetically while keeping his eyes on his childer.
Spike lit a cigarette and smirked at his sire through the smoke. “Y´heard the boy, Angelus. Ease up! I´m not offerin´ to fight you for your bit o´ fluff.”
“But he´s ever so pretty, Daddy! Pretty and soft, like a little animal, but full of things that shimmer and shine.” Drusilla was edging forward as though mesmerized, her mad eyes devouring Xander.
Angelus snarled and snapped his fangs at her as she drew closer, and Spike hastily reached forward and caught her skirts, drawing her backwards. “Easy, Dru, luv. Daddy says we can´t play with this one, remember?”
“Oh, but why, Daddy?” She wailed. “I shan´t hurt him, I promise I shan´t.” She tilted her head, twisting a lock of her dark hair. “Wouldn´t you like to visit my playhouse, little kitten? We could have tea and all sorts of lovely things. Wouldn´t that be ever so nice?”
Xander assayed a nervous little smile at the vampiress, but Angelus had had enough. “Once and for all, Drusilla, this boy is MY plaything and no one else´s. Ye´re to keep your distance, both of ye. Do I make mysel´ quite clear?”
“Clear as water, mate.” Spike sounded bored. “But, bloody hell, if you´re not going to share, you might at least take it upstairs instead o´ forcin´ the rest of us to step around you.”
“Or roll around us, in your case.” The vampire taunted, hissing through his fangs. “Well, at least now we can´t say that ye never came up with a good idea, Spike.”
Xander squeaked in alarm as the vampire stood abruptly, hoisting his boy playfully over his shoulder in a fireman´s carry. “So we´ll be takin´ yer good advice and wishin´ both o´ ye a good day.”
Once they were out of the room and mounting the stairs, Xander grumbled, “Thanks for letting me make such a dignified exit.”
“Hush, boy.” The vampire gave the boy´s ass a sharp slap, grinning when Xander responded with a little moan of desire. Angelus found himself hoping that his boy would choose this night to misbehave.
