Nexus Chapter 12
Angelus strode into the great room and dropped down into the couch near the fire, crossing his ankles on the big coffee table. Following, Xander lowered himself gingerly, wincing and keeping his weight as much as possible on one hip. He had made the vampire good and mad last night, and he had the stripes to show for it. He leaned diffidently against Angelus and looked up at him with wistful dark eyes. Although the vampire had seemingly forgiven him last night, letting Xander sleep in his arms, so far this evening, he had been cool to his claimed.
Instead of the expected arm around his shoulder, drawing him close to the vampire´s side, Angelus took hold of Xander´s shoulders and turned him away then pulled him backward across his lap, arranging the boy´s arms up over his head on the cushions.
Xander glanced nervously around the room, which was filling with minions. He felt uncomfortably exposed in this position, his bare torso stretched out, arching across the vampire´s hard thighs. He knew better than to protest or try to wriggle away, though; Angelus didn´t like to be argued with in front of his minions, and Xander was apparently still on shaky ground anyway. He risked a glance up at his moody lover, fidgeting a little under the enigmatic dark gaze. A large hand settled on Xander´s abdomen, stroking lightly. Then one of the minions stepped forward to report, and Angelus turned his attention to the business of the evening.
Xander quickly grew really uncomfortable. While Angelus spoke with his followers, he toyed aimlessly with Xander´s body, stroking his soft skin, tracing the lines of his abs with his fingertips, gliding lightly over his collarbones. After a few minutes, he began to play with Xander´s nipples, rubbing them, tugging and rolling them between his fingers. Xander flushed with embarrassment even as he felt his cock begin to stir under the soft fleece of his sweatpants.
Oh, God no! Xander groaned inwardly and drew up his knees, hoping to hide the evidence of his arousal. He felt, more than saw, the furtive glances of the minions. Spike, on the other hand, made no effort to hide his interest in the show, staring intently. Xander looked his way just as the blond vampire´s nostrils flared, and Xander remembered with horror that vampires could smell arousal. Freaking, Xander reached down and caught Angelus´ wrist, stopping his tormenting touches.
Immediately, the vampire broke off his conversation, his gaze snapping down to Xander. Ignoring Xander´s pleading look, he flashed into game face and growled warningly at the boy. After a few moments, Xander, defeated, released the powerful wrist, dropped his gaze, and put his arm back over his head where the vampire had placed it. His attention returning to his minions, Angelus casually took Xander´s wrists in one hand and held them firmly.
Xander was apparently still being punished. Dispirited, he concentrated on fighting down the urge to burst into tears––because wouldn´t that be a memory to treasure, bawling in front of the whole clan––while Angelus resumed both his conversation and his cruelly erotic handling of Xander´s body.
Xander squeezed his eyes shut as cool fingers inched just under the waistband of his sweatpants to tease the fine dark hairs that ran in a trail down his belly. His skin quivered under the vampire´s touch as the hand made its leisurely journey back up his torso then began again to torment his nipples, twisting them almost roughly one after another. Xander bit back his moans, feeling his cock harden into steel and begin to ooze moisture.
That´s when he did it. Giving each of Xander´s nipples a hard little farewell tweak, Angelus matter–of–factly wormed his hand into Xander´s sweats, closed his big fist around the boy´s erection, and began to stroke him lightly.
Xander wanted to die right then and there. A hot, prickling rush of humiliation swept up his body, burning his skin. And his dick just kept getting harder. Xander wondered wildly if the vampire intended to bring him off right there. Xander stared wide–eyed up at Angelus´ face, trying desperately to get his attention, hoping he would relent in light of Xander´s big sad puppy eyes. No go; the vampire, engrossed in some report about a rival band of demons, never looked his way.
Nevertheless, Xander knew that Angelus´ seemingly idle caresses were anything but. He was beginning to know his beloved captor, and he was well aware that the vampire seldom did anything idly. This cruel seduction was, without a doubt, very deliberate.
Angelus´ attention to his minion´s tale was feigned; in fact, nearly his entire attention was on Xander. The vampire was hyper–aware of every nuance of Xander´s misery, as well as his deliciously escalating arousal. A part of Angelus wondered why he was doing this. He knew that his boy was proud, and he knew that what he was forcing him into was going to be a harsh blow to that pride.
The vampire told himself that it couldn´t be helped. He had been overindulgent, and the boy had grown overconfident; he clearly thought he had some kind of power over his master. Deep in his unbeating heart, Angelus knew that it was true, and he was fighting it. Angelus wasn´t used to fearing anything, or struggling with inner conflict. Part of him––a weak and despised part of him––wanted to coddle and protect his boy. Another part of him was outraged; Angelus´ sense of himself was severely compromised by this weakness, and he felt emasculated, diminished.
Angelus had been shaken by the incident the night before. By rights, he should be sharing his tasty little human with Spike and Drusilla. Instead, he not only denied them, but, sickened and warped by his obsession, he had come within a hair´s breadth of murdering his own childer for the crime of coming too close to his boy.
Last night, after his exhausted boy had fallen asleep in his arms, Angelus had lain awake, brooding. It couldn´t go on. His weakness for the brat was making him vulnerable. Hadn´t he been the one who´d always ridiculed other masters who made fools of themselves with human lovers? And now, here he was, making a complete twat of himself over this cow–eyed brat. He resolved to make some changes. Take the boy down a notch or two, for starters. How? Angelus briefly considered using the witch, but quickly discarded the idea. He wanted Xander humbled, not broken.
He thought of moving Xander out of his bedroom. He could keep the boy in the adjacent bedroom and visit him at his own pleasure. Just as that idea began to take root, Xander had sighed in his sleep and snuggled deeper into the curve of the vampire´s body and Angelus knew that there was no way in all Hell´s dimensions that he was going to forgo the pleasure of this sweet warmth in his bed. He´d set himself to think of something else.
So, now, this little demonstration was meant to serve as a reminder of which of them was master and which was slave; Angelus just wasn´t sure which one of them was most in need of it.
He could feel Xander´s big brown eyes looking up at him, imploring him silently. Angelus, wary of his own weakness, refused to look. It was important to see this through, even if his boy was being endearingly good. Angelus had anticipated that Xander might very well rebel rather than submit to this degradation, and he was prepared to make good on his earlier threat. His own cock hardened further against Xander´s body as he imagined spanking Xander´s bare ass under the avid stares of his Childer and minions.
As arousing as the idea was––he liked spanking Xander almost as much as he liked fucking Xander––Angelus found himself hoping that Xander would continue to be compliant. Because he had a reputation to maintain, he feared that if he spanked Xander in public, he would, inevitably, spank him too hard.
Angelus couldn´t suppress a certain amount of pride in Xander´s reaction to the corporal punishment he´d received in the past; vampire like, the boy seldom failed to be wildly aroused by it. His reaction fed the vampire´s passion, tempting him to greater violence. If he wasn´t careful, he was going to injure the boy some day. Last night, when he used his belt on the boy––well, of course, he´d held back, but not as much as he might have. And Xander had born up so well!.
Feeling himself soften toward the boy, Angelus resolutely turned his attention back to the present. Xander lay trembling across his lap, panting, his heart racing as he fought for control. Angelus slid his palm down the boy´s hardness to cup his balls, feeling them full and tight. Wouldn´t be long now. A few more hard, skillful strokes, and Xander went taut as a drawn bow and bit his lip to stifle his moans.
Xander lay dazed and ashamed, his spunk soaking the front of his sweatpants. Angelus, still carrying on his conversation, lifted his hand to his mouth, casually licking his fingers. For all of his studied casualness, Angelus was still very aware of his claimed. A part of him was glad that he had provided this lesson in humility to his mortal. But the bond claim worried at him, pushing him to comfort his distressed claimed. He was glad of the distraction provided by the approach of two of his minions, proud of their night´s work and anxious to tell their tale.
Angelus listened keenly as they described how they had routed a nest of Fyarl demons and raided their lair. They had come away with valuable booty, a case of rare Fyarlian brandy, which they proudly offered in tribute to their master.
Angelus looked with interest at the prize they set before him. Fyarlian brandy was considered a rare delicacy in the demon world, a fine brew of legendary effect, so strong that it was said that one sip would kill a human.
One of the two minions involved in the raid offered a balloon glass with a flourish while the other uncorked a bottle of the precious stuff, pouring a generous measure for the master.
Angelus, well pleased, gave formal thanks to his faithful minions, praising them and making a mental note to find a way to reward them in the near future, then ordered that the case be carried up to his chamber.
Sipping the fine brew experimentally, he found it very much to his taste, the effects almost immediate. Subtle but intense, the brandy flowed through his veins, enhancing his senses. A new certainty flooded his consciousness, whispering to him of his power, his mastery.
Angelus took another long draught of the brew in his glass, savoring the euphoria that it brought. This was how it was supposed to be. Feeling strong and assured, free of that creeping unease over Xander for the first time in weeks, he looked around the room, gazing with pleasure at his minions, his childer, his toy across his lap––his world, his dominion, well under his control.
With a growl of pleasure, he dismissed them all, sending them away, happy to be left alone with his Xander, his sweet bitch, his pretty little slut!.Angelus was suddenly burning with desire, and he quickly pushed his bewildered boy off his lap, wrestling him down to his knees where he belonged. Xander was saying something, but Angelus was too caught up in lust to listen, the boy´s voice a pleading blur. Ah, bliss. With only a little force, the rosy mouth was open, swallowing him down, obeying the hard hand on his dark head, obediently sucking, crying a little, but so good, so good.
Lost in a fog, he came hard, holding that dark head down, his arousal fed by the intoxicating hint of fear, and the gagging sounds as Xander took his seed, took it all, swallowing fast to keep from choking on it. Oh, yes, his boy adored him, and all was right with the world.
Lighthearted, Angelus caught his limp, whimpering boy up, slinging him across his shoulder and carrying him upstairs. Things were so good, now. He flung the boy down across the bed and stared hungrily at him. Hells, what riches. Xander lay on the mattress, staring up at him dazedly, half naked and so debauched, pants wet with come, dark eyes dazed, lips swollen and rosy, beautiful little tits all red and inflamed.
With a snarl, Angelus fell on his claimed, mouth seeking out the pouting nipples, sucking hard, hard, pleasured by the frantic little whimpers that issued from the boy. “Don´t worry, my little slut, my pussyboy, I know what you need. Gonna give it to you.”
As he spoke, Angelus ripped the sweats off the boy, then opened his own leather pants. Doubled the boy´s thighs hard back against his body, then Angelus was rising up, shoving in almost as hard as his strength would let him, pleasured past knowing by the boy´s screams. “Gods, you´re hot. Hotter than anything. Can´t believe how bad you need this. Want this. You´re mine, my whore, my dirty whore. Givin´ you what you need. Take it. Whore. You´re a whore, and you´re all mine. GODS! You whore. You WHORE.”
Lost in a nightmare, Xander lay with his feet up over his head as the vampire pounded into him, apparently getting punished for every bad thing he had ever done in his life, and then some. Mutely pleading, he stared up at Angelus´ face. Dark eyes were on fire, but no one was home. Xander whimpered, part of him wanting it even though he felt tortured and scared as the vampire drove him hard, hurting him, the insistent voice whispering terrible things to him, things that confused him, arousing him even as they hurt.
Angelus shoved hard into him, deep as he could go, and held there while he howled and came, wanting to fill his slut full of his seed, fill him so full that it would drip down his thighs until Angelus was inside him again.
Pulling out, he saw the boy´s erection still angry and swollen. He grabbed Xander‘s limp hand in his and carried it to the boy‘s hard cock. “Jerk yourself off. I want to watch you come.”
Crying, but shamefully aroused, Xander stroked himself obediently while Angelus stood over him watching. Just as he was about to come, the vampire shoved two fingers up him, twisting them against the boy´s tender prostate while Xander screamed and shot his load. Angelus removed his fingers and pressed them against Xander´s swollen lips. “Suck on these.” Squeezing his eyes closed, Xander opened his mouth and took the fingers in, sucking. “That´s my come, slut. My come from your tight little ass. Taste my ownership, and remember it.”
“Yeah, whore. You love it.” Withdrawing his fingers, Angelus began dressing to go out. Xander turned onto his side and drew up his knees, drawing into a fetal ball, struggling not to cry. He didn´t need to taste Fyarlian brandy to know that he hated it. Really, really hated it.
When Angelus was fully dressed, he returned to the bed. “Pretty boy. Sit up, I have something for you.” Reluctantly obedient, Xander sat up, and Angelus waved something in front of his eyes. “Remember this?” He held the black leather collar that he had made Xander wear his first night at the mansion. “Makes you nostalgic, doesn´t it?” Xander looked at it dull–eyed for a moment, then looked up at Angelus. “Why are you doing this?”
Angelus smirked at him. “Not that it´s your place to question, but I´m doing this because you´ve very obviously forgotten your place.” He buckled the collar around the teen´s neck, securing it with a tiny lock.
“Please, can we talk about this?” The vampire, ignoring him, took another swig of brandy. Xander tried again. “Angelus!..”
The vampire swung towards him. “Now, see? That´s exactly what I´m talking about. I´ve let you get away with murder.” He stepped closer to Xander, suddenly menacing. “First, you talk too much. Little pussyboys are better used than heard. Second, when you address me, you call me master.” Thick, strong fingers slid inside the collar, twisting the thick leather, choking the boy. “Say it.” Xander looked up at him silently, and he twisted a little harder, the stiff edges cutting into the tender skin. “SAY IT!”
“Master.” Xander submitted, panicky from the lack of air.
“That´s better.” Angelus released the collar, then returned to the chest at the bottom of the wardrobe. Returning with a length of chain, Angelus locked one end to Xander´s collar and fastened the other end to a U–bolt on the wall above the bed. “As we learned last night, can´t have you running about on the loose.” He smirked maniacally down at the boy. “You´re too good a little whore to lose. In fact, here!.” Reaching into his pocket, Angelus brought forth a bundle of bills and dropped a one dollar bill on the mattress next to Xander. “That´s for services rendered tonight.” Laughing at his own little joke, the vampire swept out of the room, his interest in the hunt rekindled.
Sunnydale, 2002
“So, Xander discovered the softer side of Angelus, and it´s all love, love, love?” She shook her head. “That doesn´t make sense. First of all, Angelus suddenly went on this big rampage, and I was finding mutilated bodies all over the place, and second, when we got Xander back he looked!.”
Spike was shaking his head. “Look, Angelus got hold of a big stash of Fyarlian brandy. Know anything about it? No? Well, it´s like crack for vampires, and Angelus turned out to be one hell of a mean drunk. Droopy boy went through a rough patch. That´s all.”
“That´s all? As in that´s all you´re going to tell me?”
Spike drained his beer. “Yeah. That´s all I´m gonna say about it, pet.”
“Who are you protecting? And come to think of it, much as you and Xander bitch at each other, I´ve noticed––no, don´t bother to deny it––I´ve noticed that you´ve always protected Xander more than anyone else.”
Spike got up to fetch himself another beer, then sat back down heavily. “When all´s said and done, we vampires are loyal to family. And I don´t fancy being hunted to the ends of the earth if me sire ever comes back and discovers that I´d let his little fancy get hurt. ´Sides, t´was the least I could do for the boy, innit?”
Buffy frowned at the shadow that crossed the vampire´s features as he remembered, but wisely chose put her questions temporarily aside and drop the subject.
