Nexus Chapter 20
The vampire Angelus prowled through his little kingdom, his responsibilities heavy on his shoulders, his brow furrowed with worry. His mind leapt from problem to problem, finding no peace.
He stopped at the French doors into the garden. In the wee hours before dawn, the air felt a little lighter, as if the earth was spinning faster to shake off the darkness. Out past the terrace, just at the edge of the woods that formed a crescent around the crumbling mansion, an ethereal white figure moved through the shadows.
It wasn´t unusual for Drusilla to be out at this time of the night communing with the stars under her adoring Spike´s fondly watchful gaze. This night´s resemblance to the many nights before was all on the surface, though. First, there was some road of estrangement between his two childer, and, much though he´d not like to admit it, it weighed on the father of the house. Especially when he let his mind travel back, past the black chasm that was the last century, to remember what each of them had been to him.
Had he not taken Drusilla and ruined her, defiled and broken her, some other evil would have. In life, that blend of virtue and magic was a lodestone to dark things, and it was only a matter of time.
He had reveled in that time; he had lived his own short lifetime in a worldly, sophisticated era when even the parson´s daughter showed her ankles and knew how to flirt and laugh knowingly at a bawdy jest.
He´s spent most of his first century of his unlife in Britain, carousing merrily through the reigns of the King Georges along with the rest of the populace, living and undead. Then came plump little whey–faced Vicky to the throne of Britain, and she and her humorless prig of a husband, Albert, had ushered in a period of unprecedented prudery. Little wonder that now, on the cusp of the twenty–first century, the word Victorian still meant strait–laced to a fault.
Nevertheless, Angelus had found the era surprisingly satisfying, for underneath the straitjacket of moral rectitude that was Victorian society, dark things took root and flourished. In his element, and inspired by the twisted underside of dear Vickie´s London, Angelus had done some of his best work. Why, he still occasionally heard mention of those magical months spent in Whitechapel near the end of the century, one of the creative high points of his vampiric career.
Not all of the pleasures of the day were to be found in the slums, of course; by the time Angelus was approaching his centenary as a vampire, the young girls, and the boys for that matter, were as a matter of course kept ignorant of every natural thing, as stupid and cosseted as prize lambs. Angelus smiled at the memory of the first time he had taken Drusilla; for all of her preternatural knowing, and the motherwit that cloaked her with a dignity beyond her years, the poor child had no inkling of the uses of the human body. Angelus smiled at the memory; the terrified maiden had been more frightened of his cock than of his demon´s visage.
How fascinated he´d been by her wisdom and innocence; he´d devoured it the way a cat crunches up a baby bird, bones and all. At least, he thought he had; just now and then, though, she´d remind him that he wasn´t as all–powerful as he thought.
Tonight was such a time. She´d come to him the morning before and proposed to help Daddy with his problem, and Angelus, worried enough to try anything, had indulged her. Now, the slim figure that customarily flitted crazily, dancing with stars and imaginary fairies, slowly paced a circle around the house, graceful and upright as a princess on a state occasion. It was as though her madness was not his victory, but her defense, a defense to be set aside at will.
Time fell away, and Angelus saw again the serious faced girl in her dark hoop–skirted dress, bundled up modestly after the fashion of the times in bonnet, lace mitts and shawl. For the moment, the insanity that had been his gift to her was in abeyance, and her natural power reached out and recalled to him the strong, quiet girl whom he had judged worthy to be gifted with the full measure of his cruelty.
Opening the doors, he stepped out onto the dark terrace, the scent of night blooming jasmine and strong cigarettes beguiling his senses.
“Bloom off the rose, then, Peaches? Honeymoon over?” Spike cut his eyes at his Sire, then leaned his head against the back of his wheelchair and sent a flock of smoke rings up into the black sky. “Thought sure you´d be up seein´ to yer bit o´ fluff, instead of bein´ out here sniffin´ after Dru,” he clarified, flicking the spent butt onto the flagstones near Angelus´ feet. “Ah, well. T´was nice while it lasted. Leave her in one piece, will y´, mate?” His face carefully impassive, Spike turned the chair and started toward the house.
His mood still nostalgic, Angelus caught the chair´s handle as it passed. “Nay. Stay and pass the time a while, Childe.” As he spoke, he dropped down into one of the wrought–iron garden chairs, propping his feet up on another.
Spike raised a suspicious eyebrow, but stayed, lighting another cigarette. After a moment´s hesitation, he offered the pack to his sire. Angelus looked at the offering then took one, nodding his thanks. Spike lit his own, then tossed the lighter to his sire, and the two of them smoked in silence for a time.
Under cover of a cloud of smoke, Angelus sneaked a long look at the creature who had long been his favored childe. Barely his childe at all, if the truth be known, but his favorite all the same. Darla, Angelus´ own sire, had had from him the devotion that was her due. Penn had been but a momentary diversion, Drusilla had awakened an appetite in him, but Spike had been a passion––his greatest, until Xander.
Drusilla had turned Will, but addled as she was, couldn´t care for him. Too witless to teach him what he needed to know as he matured, let alone keep her mind on the almost constant care and feeding a fledgling childe needed for the first weeks.
Angelus had never known what possessed him to rescue the weak, puny little thing; Gods knew he´d paid for the impulse under the lash of Darla´s cutting ridicule. But the decision had been a good one; the cruelty that had driven mad a strong character like Drusilla had––to his pleasure and surprise––hardened the effete William into something as sharp and strong and shining as a steel blade. Something that any sire would love.
Angelus looked soft–eyed at his beautiful childe, remembering all that had been between them, suddenly bothered by the sight of the wheelchair. I´ll heal him, he thought. It´s time he had his sire´s help. I´ll feed him, and I´ll do it this very night.
“What´s she about, anyhow?” Spike turned toward Angelus, and the older vampire shifted his gaze to Drusilla before the childe could see his weakness.
“Did she not tell ye, then?”
Spike scowled, his attention on Drusilla, missing the rare softness in his sire´s voice. “She´s not tellin´ me anythin´ these days, mate, includin´ good day or go t´ hell.” Spike picked nervously at the black polish on his nails, cigarette clamped in the corner of his mouth, squinting through the smoke at his princess, who still moved around the yard at a measured pace. “No thanks to you an´ your boy, you old bastard.”
“Guard your tongue if ye´re wantin´ t´ keep it in yer mouth, boy.” It was an old threat, uttered without heat. “Drusilla´s doin´ a bit of the old ways for us, protectin´ us and ours from this ´n´ that.”
Before Spike could make a reply, Angelus dropped his feet to the ground and sat up straight, his head lifting like a hound scenting the air. Curious, Spike tuned up his senses and heard bare feet padding across the stone floor within the house. Both vampires turned toward the sound just as Xander reached the terrace doors. Opening them a tiny crack, he peeked around the edge at Angelus, studiously ignoring the other vampire. “Hey.”
“Didn´t I tell ye to stay in bed, boy?” The words might have been scolding, were it not for the sugar–sweet caress in the demon´s voice.
Spike rolled his eyes behind his sire´s back. Xander watched his own toes rubbing aimlessly over the doorsill. “Couldn´t sleep.” He shrugged sheepishly, then looked at his vampire from under lowered lashes. “Missed you. Can I come out?”
Angelus frowned, concerned. He knew his boy well enough to recognize the unspoken message; he´d had a bad dream. The older vampire held out an arm in invitation, fingers beckoning. “Come on, then.”
The instant the invitation was extended, Xander made tracks across the flagstones––giving Spike a wide berth––and settled himself in Angelus´ lap (his natural habitat, he thought happily to himself) and snuggled close. Angelus pulled the edges of his shirt around Xander´s bare torso, careful of the bulky bandage on the boy´s chest. “Ye really shouldn´t be out here without a shirt,” the vampire fretted. More eye rolling from Spike.
“Honey, it´s like ninety degrees out here.” Xander exaggerated, burrowing his face into Angelus´ throat, thereby missing the vampire´s almost comical pleasure at the casual endearment. Unobserved, Spike stared at the oblivious pair with revolted disbelief.
“Still, the air´s damp, and it wouldn´t do to have m´ sweetling catchin´ a cold.” Angelus rubbed his cheek slowly against the boy´s hair, his voice a husky murmur.
“Oh, bloody hell.” Spike grumbled. “How would it do to have me spew up me dinner in a violent manner, you two are makin´ me that ill!”
The two lovers turned to stare at him, having very obviously forgotten his presence. “No one´s makin´ ye stay out here, boy,” growled Angelus.
“Too late now, need the fresh air to settle me stomach, don´t I?” The younger demon shook his head in disgust. “Tell y´ what mate, while you´re sweet–talking yer brat, why don´t y´ try to get him to tell y´ where he´s hid yer knackers?”
This time, Angelus´ growl of warning was unmistakably heartfelt. Spooked by the tension between the two vampires, Xander pressed closer to Angelus, fingers toying nervously with the fabric of the vampire´s shirt. Instantly, Angelus forgot his belligerent childe and gave his full attention to his boy, tightening his embrace and purring very softly.
Spike watched sourly for a few minutes, then observed casually, “Seein´ the two of y´ now, ´s hard to believe you were peddlin´ his sweet little arse for pocket change not too long ago.”
Xander flinched; Angelus gave him a quick reassuring squeeze, then very gently lifted him off his lap and set him on his feet further away from Spike. Then the vampire turned slowly in his seat and gave Spike his full attention. “What did you just say?” His tone was conversational.
More bravado than brains, that was ever Spike´s problem. Cocking his head to one side, the vampire enunciated clearly. “I SAID, seeing the two of you now, it´s–––”
Xander stood blinking owlishly. He was never, ever going to get used to Angelus moving that fast. One second he was sitting, seemingly relaxed, and an instant later, he had Spike out of the chair and dangling by his throat, shaking him like a rat.
His words cut off in a choked gurgle, Spike winced at the pain in his damaged spine, unaware that he had just squandered his chance at Sire´s blood to heal himself. Anyway, at that moment, the issue was survival; Spike had miscalculated badly, and his sire was more than a little pissed.
“William of Aurelius,” Angelus spoke with icy formality that conveyed his fury more vividly than any howl of rage could do. “As your sire and master of this clan, I demand that you give my mate the respect due him, or forfeit your life.”
The moment the words were out of the demon´s mouth all of them froze into stillness, nearly identical shocked expressions on all three faces.
After a minute, Angelus lowered his child almost gently back into the wheelchair, then stepped back, his face showing stunned wonder at what had just issued from his own mouth. Xander stood transfixed, staring wide–eyed at his lover. Spike, shaken, gaped at his sire for a full ten seconds, then turned reluctantly toward Xander to do what he now had to do.
“Alexander, mate of my sire, Angelus of Aurelius, I humbly beg your pardon for my insulting behavior.” The demon bowed his head, apparently sincere.
Bewildered, Xander looked to Angelus for guidance. “You may give him your forgiveness, or you may banish him from this house.” The demon´s voice was as casual as though he were discussing what Xander wanted for dinner. “Since he is my childe, and he wasn´t told that you were my mate, I would rather not kill him.” The wry tone of the vampire´s voice on this last broke the tension; Angelus reached for Xander´s hand and drew him close, the ghost of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. Tradition had been satisfied, and now that he had named Xander his mate, Spike would tread more carefully. “But of course I can deny you nothing, Acushla.”
“OI!” Spike´s head snapped up, and he glared indignantly.
Angelus tore his attention away from Xander long enough to speak reprovingly to his childe. “Shut it, you. Ye´re in enough trouble.”
Unable to resist, Xander half turned away from Angelus and stuck his tongue out at the sulking vampire, who jerked upright in his chair.
“´Ere! Did you see that? Did you see what ´e just did?”
“I forgiiiiiiiive you, Spike!” sang Xander sweetly. He turned his sunniest grin on Angelus. “Can I tell him to go to his room?”
Angelus was the saved the trouble of replying by the fact that Spike, affronted, was already moving with speed toward the house. Having gotten himself with some difficulty over the threshold, Spike turned to face them, bowing in his chair with an exaggerated flourish. “I humbly bid you fond goodnight, O treasured consort of my honored sire” he intoned, sarcasm dripping. “May you slumber as though on a couch covered in silken rose petals of purest vermilion, with a pillow of spun sugar for yer precious princely head, an´ bejeweled hummingbirds singing lullabies, an´ great pouffy cherubs in little pink nightgowns guardin´ yer soddin´ dreams. Oh, and Peaches? Get stuffed.”
With that parting shot, Spike was off, wisely opting for a speedy getaway.
Xander and Angelus stared silently after the departed vampire for a startled moment, then Xander turned and addressed his lover with raised eyebrows. “Vermilion? Pretty impressive; many syllables.”
Angelus grinned at him. “Wanna know m´ childe´s deepest, darkest secret, sweetling?” The vampire leaned close to whisper in Xander´s ear. “He´s EDUCATED.”
Xander snickered. “No way.”
Angelus nodded gravely. “It´s true. Oxford. Latin, Greek, an´ all. ”
“Wow.” Xander absorbed that for a moment, then stepped closer to Angelus. “You know what else is totally surprising?”
The night breeze fluttered through Xander´s hair, and Angelus stroked it gently back into place. “What, dearling?”
Xander dropped his eyes, suddenly shy. “You said I was your mate.”
In the pause that followed, Drusilla´s voice, softly chanting, wafted toward them from the other side of the grounds. Angelus smiled softly down at the dark head. He´d not known that he was going to say that, until he had, but he found that he quite liked the notion. “Aye, that I did.” Angelus rocked a fraction closer to Xander, bathing in his body´s heat, but not quite touching. “An´ so ye are. My very own, my treasure. Th´ one I can´t be without.”
Almost overcome with love and gratitude, Xander swallowed against the lump in his throat, then leaned forward to rest his forehead against the vampire´s sternum, his arms coming up to wind around the powerful torso. Angelus wrapped his boy close in his strong arms, rocking him in his embrace.
“So pretty, Daddy and his darling, shining like stars fallen to Earth. The Moon says that she approves.” Drusilla cooed softly, stepping out of the darkness onto the flagstone terrace.
Angelus lifted his head and gazed at his childe. “All is well, then, Dru?”
Drusilla danced closer, smiling at the dark kitten who looked at her warily from the circle of Daddy´s embrace. “We´ve well begun, Daddy. Now we just need the old one. I´ve seen him coming, and he will make all safe, and we´ll all be family, forever and ever, and no one can take Daddy´s kitten away, not even time.” One slender hand, tipped with long black and white nails, reached daringly to stroke Xander´s bare arm where it lay against Angelus´ ribs. “Poor baby, so many things to frighten you. Soon, no one will touch you. No one but Daddy.”
Angelus, grateful for Drusilla´s help, made himself be patient as he gently pushed the cool white hand away from Xander´s warm skin. “Thank you, my childe. You´ve earned my gratitude.”
Drusilla drew back her hand and wrapped her arms around her slender form. “Don´t thank me yet, Daddy.” Her expression grew somber, and she closed her eyes and sing–songed “There´s many a slip, many a slip, many a slip ´tween the teacup and the lip.”
Angelus shuddered and tightened his embrace around his boy. “Take whatever y´ need, my Drusilla, in the way of money and minions. Make it right for Daddy, my good, good girl.”
With a secretive smile, Drusilla drifted away into the stone mansion. Xander watched her go, then turned his face up to Angelus´, frowning. “So, that was all about what, now? What old one?”
“Don´t worry, dearling.” Angelus kissed Xander´s forehead, chasing the frown away. “Daft as she is, Drusilla knows her magics. She´s made a spell of protection around the house, to keep intruders at bay. And she´s got a plan to keep us safe in the long term.”
Xander snuggled closer into Angelus´ arms. “Well, I hope that you know that she knows what she´s doing.”
Angelus laughed softly. “I´ve done m´ homework, Acushla. It´ll work.” He drew back to cup Xander´s face in his broad palms. “And no one will take ye away from me.” Before Xander could question further, Angelus kissed his boy tenderly. “Let´s go upstairs.” Another kiss, this one deeper, hotter. “I want y´ naked in my bed.” Xander shivered, then gasped as Angelus trailed kissed down his neck and morphed against his throat, hissing “My sssssweet bitch.”
Xander woke up draped across Angelus, his head pillowed on the vampire´s broad chest. He lay still for a long time, or at least as long as his bladder would let him. He knew that the vampire would come awake the moment he stirred, and his lover––his mate!––looked so peaceful. Xander smiled giddily as he remembered hearing those words from Angelus the night before, and basked in his contentment.
Eventually, he sighed and shifted his weight off of the larger body. Instantly, as expected, Angelus woke and smiled at his boy, stretching like a big cat. “Will ye´ hurry back, sweet?”
Xander leaned over and stole a quick kiss before hoisting himself reluctantly off the bed. “You know it.” Too lazy to find his pants, Xander wrapped himself in a blanket and stumbled down the hall, toes curling away from the cold floor. Bladder relieved and teeth brushed, Xander hurried out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, shivering with the cold.
Angelus lay on his back, arms folded under his head. By the time Xander had tossed the blanket aside and pounced, the vampire had his arms wide open to catch his boy. “Careful, now, boy. Ye´re not healed yet. Y´ need to! ”
Xander laughed and hushed his big scary mother hen with a kiss. “I´m okay.” Grinning, he scrambled aboard his vampire, straddling the big torso. “In fact, I´m downright chipper.”
“So I see.” Angelus gave Xander one of the openly sweet smiles that no one else ever saw. Big hands came up to stroke Xander´s sides, watching the boy trace some kind of pattern on the vampire´s broad chest with his fingers. Ah, letters.
“What´s that ye´re writing on me, sweetling?”
Xander blushed ever so slightly and looked shyly up at Angelus through his eyelashes. “Xander´s Mate” he answered softly.
“Marking me, Acushla?” The vampire was amused.
Xander shrugged, ducking his head and smiling. “Invisible ink.”
“Would you mark me permanently if you could?” At that question, Xander peered up at him intently for a moment, as though gauging his mood.
“Yeah. Maybe I would.” Xander lifted his chin and looked the vampire straight in the eye.
Delighted, Angelus pulled Xander down to lie on his torso. “Ye have, sweetling, believe me,” he murmured against the boy´s warm ear. Xander shivered pleasurably at the sensation, snuggling closer, hands slipping up to slide under the vampire´s shoulders.
“If you were a vampire, you might carve it into me,” Angelus commented offhandedly.
“No way.” Xander shuddered at the thought of marring that perfect skin. “Not only do I decline to do carving of any kind on your faultless form, I would go so far as to be extremely pissed off at anyone who did.” He spread himself out protectively on Angelus´ big, lovely body as though hordes with penknives were descending even as they spoke.
Charmed by his boy´s show of protectiveness, Angelus teased gently. “Vampires, dearling. ´Twould heal in a day, an´ think o´ all that lovely blood.”
Xander peered at him disapprovingly, but Angelus could see the little spark lighting his boy´s warm brown eyes at the mention of his blood.
“I´d not mind wearin´ yer mark, sweetling.” Before Xander could protest, Angelus slashed an “X” on his left pectoral with a deceptively human looking fingernail.
“Eep! What part of ´no carving of my vampire´ did you not understand?” Even as he scolded, Xander was mesmerized by the oozing blood.
Angelus laughed softly and pulled Xander´s head gently down to the wound. With a soft moan, the boy tasted, then licked eagerly, sucking almost roughly on the edges of the wound. As always, he was soon as hard as steel from the taste of his mate´s blood, and he groaned and thrust hard against the corresponding hardness beneath his. Madly aroused by his boy´s mouth on his broken skin, and by his manifest desire, Angelus gripped Xander´s hips and ground up against him.
It was hot, short and sweet. Within a very few minutes, the two of them were rutting mindlessly against each other, hands clutching, mouths mashing together with more urgency than skill, whimpers and guttural groans soundtracking their clumsy, urgent coupling.
Close, but needing just a bit more friction, Angelus, still on his back, assumed an uncharacteristic position, wrapping long, strong legs around Xander´s hips, drawing him closer and crushing their cocks together.
Having those powerful legs spread for him, ankles linked behind his back, was almost like fucking Angelus; at the thought of it, Xander´s orgasm ripped through him like flashfire.
Xander yelled out his climax, his face frozen in ecstasy. The picture he made, and the feel of his hot seed shooting onto Angelus´ cool skin, was enough to push the vampire over the edge, and he howled and came, his own semen mixing with his boy´s.
Minutes passed, both boy and vampire drifting in afterglow. Eventually, Xander felt lucid enough to try to speak. Raising his head sluggishly, he met the vampire´s dark gaze. “Guh” he offered, intelligently, then dropped his head down, his nose squashing against Angelus´ hard chest..
“Couldna said it better meself, Acushla.” One groping hand came up, found the boy´s thick silky hair and rubbed idly.
Xander found the strength to turn his head a fraction, regarding the jagged “X” in Angelus´ skin at close range. “It´s healing already.”
“Aye, vampires are like that, sweet” he reminded.
Xander thought a minute, frowned. “Angelus?”
“Hmm?”
“How come Chip isn´t around? Shouldn´t he be okay by now?”
Angelus sighed, rubbing soothing circles on the boy´s scalp. “Soon, I think, sweetling.”
“But, you said you were giving him your blood. Shouldn´t that make him heal really fast?”
Time to tell the whole of it, Angelus thought, a little uneasily. “As I said, I think yer Chip will soon be well. Just! there´s a thing or two I need to tell you.”
“Okay! ” Xander crossed his arms across Angelus´ chest and rested his chin on his wrists. “this doesn´t sound good. Let´s hear it.”
“First of all, it´s very, very unusual for a Master to give blood to a minion. Especially one not his own. Ye understand about that, don´t ye? About him not really being my minion?”
Xander lifted his head to nod knowingly. “Yeah. Spike bit him. Had something to do with bad Victorian poetry.”
Arrested by this tidbit, Angelus stared a moment, his eyebrows climbing almost into his hairline. Finally, a soft chuckle. “Well, now, there´s a story I´d like to be hearing someday.” He gathered his thoughts, then continued. “Well, anyway, it´s not usual for a master to give his blood even to his own minion. But your Chip was hurt bad, worse than I wanted to let on to ye, ´specially when ye were hurt s´ bad yersel´.”
Xander looked at him steadily, then asked softly “So, why did you?”
Angelus regarded him soberly. “He´s loyal, an´ I owed him my loyalty in return. Especially after he told me that he was prepared to take ye away from me while I was out of me mind. Had I not come to me senses when I did, I might have killed ye, my precious, and he was thinkin´ to protect ye. For that, I owed him a debt greater than tradition. So I fed him.”
“Oh, honey.” Xander breathed, thrilling the vampire again with the endearment. “Did you do that for me?”
“Aye, my own.” The vampire´s voice was husky. “But, I have to tell you.” He stroked Xander´s hair, winding his fingers carefully in the dark locks. “To save him for ye, I had to lose him for ye. Since I fed him, he´s almost a foster childe. It´s hard to explain, but since he was a more or less mature vampire when I fed him, he´s not quite my childe, but he´s more than a minion. I´m sorry, my own, but he can´t be owned now; he´s not yours anymore.”
To his relief, Xander looked pleased. “That´s okay. Do you think he´ll still want to be my friend?”
Angelus thought for a moment. As a minion, Chip had been unusually capable of finer emotions; his affection for Xander was singular. That was unlikely to change. “Aye, I´m fairly certain he´ll want that, sweetling.”
“Excellent.” Xander nuzzled the cool skin of Angelus´ chest.
“There´s more.” Angelus sounded uneasy, and Xander gave his full attention.
“Since I´ve been feeding him with my blood, he´s likely to want to be near me.” Angelus was choosing his words carefully.
Xander reviewed what he knew about vampire behavior. “Do you mean he might want to have sex with you?” He looked a little dubious at the idea.
“I don´t think so, but I´m not sure.” Angelus answered honestly. The circumstances were too rare for him to know with any certainty how any of this would go. “More likely, he´s just goin´ to want to be close.”
Xander thought it over. “I really, really like Chip, and like you said, he´s been really loyal.” He thought some more, then made up his mind. “Give him whatever he needs, just! ” he turned wistful brown eyes up to Angelus. “! I still want to be your mate, y´know? Don´t fall in love with him, okay?”
Angelus laughed softly and rolled them onto their sides, nuzzling Xander´s hair, brow, cheek. “Don´t worry about that, precious. It´s not the same with childer as with mates. Just don´t wonder if ye see him clingin´ t´me, yeah?”
“´kay.” Xander snuggled against his vampire and laughed softly. “So, does this mean that Chip´s like my stepson? I mean, if I´m your mate! ”
Angelus chuckled. “S´pose it does at that, Acushla. Do you want to see him?”
“Yes, please!” Xander bounded up eagerly.
Angelus stretched lazily, then rose and found his pants. “Very well, then, sweetling. Dress yersel, and we´ll go.”
Minutes later, Xander was following Angelus up the stairway to the attic. So soon after sundown, many of the minions were just stirring, and Angelus kept Xander close to him as the vampires jumped to attention at their master´s presence among them.
At the end of the room, Angelus pulled the curtain aside. The erstwhile Dr. Thomas Aurelius Fleming sat propped on his pillows reading a volume of Plato, looking pale and drawn, though the fearsome wound on his neck was nearly healed.
At the sight of his savior, Chip reached yearningly for Angelus, eyes adoring. A moment later, he caught sight of Xander as well, and the look of pleasure that crossed the wan face reassured Angelus.
Pleased, he caught Chip´s hand and sat on the edge of the bed next to him, curving an arm lightly around his adoptive childe´s thin shoulders. Chip smiled gratefully up at Angelus, then turned eager eyes to Xander. “Master Xander. Thank you for coming to see me.”
Xander turned that megawatt smile of his on his loyal protector, taking his free hand in his own. “God, I´m soooo glad you´re okay, Chip. I´ve really missed you.” Picking up the book Chip had dropped, he scanned it, then looked up, puzzled. “Hey, thought you could barely read; so what´s the what?”
Beaming, Chip decoded Xander–speak almost as easily as he did ancient tongues. “It´s Greek, Master. My comprehension seems to have improved a great deal since Master Angelus was good enough to share his blood with me. I´ve been spending my time renewing my acquaintance with some old friends.” The vampire indicated a stack of books on the table by his bed.
Xander glanced over the titles. Heavy stuff. He beamed at Chip, delighted. “I´m glad. Really, really glad.”
“Thank you for your great patience, Master Xander. Never fear, I´ll soon be back to my post.”
Xander gave the cold hand in his a gentle squeeze. “Don´t worry about that. Angelus explained everything to me. You´re not a minion any more, so you don´t have to! .”
Drawing himself proudly upright in the bed, Chip spoke decisively. “My service to you is not a matter of obligation, young master, but of choice. With your permission, and that of Master Angelus, I would consider it a privilege to be allowed to continue to serve you as I have done.”
Xander swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. “You´ve been a really, really good friend to me. None better.” He glanced at Angelus, who had pressed his face into his foster childe´s sandy hair. “Is there anything I can get you? Anything at all? It would really make me happy if I could do something for you.”
Chip smiled affectionately at his young master. “Your own renewed good health, and your presence at my bedside, are gift enough. And I shall be resuming my duties, with pleasure, very soon.”
Anxious to do something for his friend, Xander persisted. “Please, if you think of anything you want, will you send word?” A look at Angelus, and the master vampire nodded his agreement.
“Aye, you are family now, and it pleases my mate to see you well cared for.” Angelus saw the spark of pleasure in the minion´s eyes when Angelus acknowledged the boy his mate, and the vampire felt again the full weight of his debt to this faithful servant. “It pleases me also. So, whatever you wish, you have but to ask.”
Chip bowed his head in humble gratitude, and Xander squeezed the pale slender hand before rising to take his leave.
Angelus enfolded the frail Chip in his arms before following suit, and the younger vampire sighed, returning the embrace, and murmured “I thank you, Master.”
Angelus drew back to look into the pale blue eyes. “Ye´ll call me Sire.” With that, he included Chip once and for all in the charmed circle of those entitled to some measure of his mercy and protection.
Aware of his adoptive childe´s yearning for his affection, Angelus gave Chip´s shoulder a last squeeze and ran one large, gentle hand through the healing vampire´s thin sandy hair as he stood. Xander sent Chip a fond smile, then let Angelus lead him away.
Only a few vampires now remained in the fetid dormitory, but Xander shuddered and drew closer to his mate´s imposing form. Angelus obligingly tightened his arm about his boy, smiling. “You´re not nervous, sweetling! D´ye think any of them would dare even look at you?”
Xander pressed even closer, but shook his head. “No, I know I´m always safe with you! .”
“That you are, Acushla.” Angelus interrupted and stopped in the doorway to kiss his boy, entirely unconcerned about onlookers.
As they started down the stairs, Xander threw a glance back over his shoulder. “It´s just that room. It gives me the wiggins.”
“Then best don´t go up there without me.”
“Actually, I was wondering! ”
“What, dearling?” They had reached the bedroom, and Angelus closed the door behind him and drew Xander into his arms, giving his boy his full attention.
“Could we by any chance give Chip his own room?” Xander looked up at him earnestly, big doe eyes pleading.
Angelus smiled and pressed cool lips to the boy´s smooth forehead. Instead of replying, he flung open the door and gave instructions that one of the empty bedrooms down the hall was to be prepared, and the wounded vampire moved into it as soon as it was ready.
Orders given and accepted, Angelus closed the door again and turned back to his boy, who was now gazing at him gratefully, soft eyes adoring.
“Thanks.” Xander melted against him, cheek rubbing gently against his chest.
“Didn´t I tell ye that I can deny ye nothing, my very own?” He wound his fingers into Xander´s dark hair and tugged gently to lift the boy´s face up to steal a kiss.
“Mmmmm.” Xander pressed closed, winding his arms around his vampire´s neck, eager for more kisses. He got plenty of them.
Xander woke and stretched luxuriantly, sighing at the absence of the large comforting presence on the other side of the bed. Damn. Cussing the absence of windows and clocks that might let him know how soon he could expect his Angelus back, he stumbled out of bed in search of the bathroom.
He flung the door open, then stopped short, a slow grin spreading across his face. Generally, he opened the door to the sight of his guard du jour springing up from his place on the floor. Instead, he beheld Chip seated comfortably in a rocking chair dragged from his own room down the hall, smiling placidly up at him, a leather bound volume cradled in his thin hands.
“Hello, young master.” The vampire laid the book aside and stood to accompany Xander to the bathroom.
“You didn´t have to get up.” Xander leaned against the doorframe, his delight evident in the spark in his eyes. “You must be feeling better.”
Chip nodded. “Much better, Master Xander.” He beamed suddenly, the smile transforming his plain face. “And I´m very glad to be back in your service.”
“And I´m wayyyy happy to see that you´re okay. But you really, really don´t have to do this. You´re like, my best buddy. You don´t have to be my guard, too.”
Warmed by the words, Chip smiled tenderly at his young charge. “It pleases me to render you this small service.” He tipped his head and looked at the youth almost shyly. “You remind me of what it was to be human.” He paused, then continued hesitantly. “What it was to dream of having children.” His expression was wistful. “To perhaps have a fine son like you.”
Xander went still, shaken by a sudden wave of emotion. “My dad doesn´t seem real excited about it.”
“I see.” Chip deliberated for a moment. “Is your father a fool, by any chance?”
Xander frowned and thought, as if it were the first time the notion had crossed his mind. Eventually, he met Chip´s eyes and answered. “Yeah.” The boy straightened his shoulders. “Yeah. I guess he is, maybe.”
Chip nodded wisely. “I thought he must be.” He dropped a gentle hand to Xander´s shoulder and steered the lad in the direction of the bathroom. “It´s a shame you don´t have a father worthy of you, young master.” He gave Xander´s shoulder a squeeze.
Xander turned at the bathroom door and listed suddenly into the vampire´s startled embrace, hugging fiercely. Chip hesitated for a moment, then closed his arms around the boy, holding him as long as he dared. When the call of the warm, living blood threatened the vampire´s control, he pushed Xander gently away.
When the bathroom door closed between him and the smiling boy, Chip turned and froze in place at the sight of Angelus at the top of the stairs, watching, still and cold as a basilisk. In a flash, the lesser vampire was on his knees, distraught at having perhaps incurred the displeasure of his now–adored master. “I beg your pardon, Sire. I did not mean to overstep! .”
Chip shuddered with relief when a large hand smoothed through his thin hair and cupped his cheek, pressing his head reassuringly against his sire´s hip. “All´s well, Childe. I heard what you said to my boy, and I thank you for it.” Angelus stroked his youngest soothingly. “Of all my court, minions and childer, it´s you alone that I trust so close to my mate.” The caressing hand moved lightly down Chip´s neck, fingertips gentle on the scar at the back, even as the thumb pressed slightly in warning at the base of the childe´s throat. “Should you ever betray that trust! ”
“Never, Sire!” Seeking further comfort, Chip bracketed his sire´s hips and, in a purely vampiric gesture of filial affection, nuzzled at Angelus´ crotch, mouthing the outline of his sire´s cock through the dark fabric of his pants.
Angelus kept a keen ear on Xander´s progress in the shower, but accepted Chip´s attentions passively, cock twitching under the worshipful lips, prepared to give the childe whatever he needed.
However, Chip seemed to be contented with just pressing his face intimately against his sire´s clothed loins, eyes closed as he savored the blended scent of the two beings he loved. He wrapped his arms around Angelus´ hips and clung, sighing as his sire´s fingers carded through his fine hair again and again.
When the shower shut off, Chip sighed again and drew slowly away from his sire. By the time Xander emerged from the bathroom, towel around hips, skin and hair still dripping, the two vampires were standing forehead to forehead, carrying on a softly whispered conversation.
Xander stood and watched with a grin, unthreatened by their closeness. After a moment, Chip nodded, and Angelus gave his shoulder a squeeze. Childe returned to his post in the corner by the bedroom door while Sire turned his full attention to his boy, licking water droplets from the warm throat, purring with pleasure.
“Well, hello to you, too.” Xander chuckled breathlessly against his mate´s soft hair. “So, wanna take this to the bedroom?”
“Aye. The bedroom! .” the vampire rumbled softly against his boy´s skin, backing him on down the hall.
“Holy monolith!” Xander stopped as they passed the stairway, his attention diverted by what seemed to be a boulder in the foyer. “What in the frilly hell is that?”
“It´s nothing.” Made even more single–minded than usual by his childe´s gentle touches followed by the appearance of a warm, shower damp Xander, Angelus tried to hurry the boy toward his goal, but Xander chose that moment to be obstinate. “Whoa a minute. That´s the absolute hugest nothing I´ve ever seen. For nothing, it´s something.”
Angelus sighed. “It´s something to do with the protection spell Dru´s doing; remember, I told you?”
Xander raised a suspicious eyebrow. “So, which is it? Something or nothing?”
Well, I wanted his spirit back! thought Angelus with a sigh. “It´s a something that´s nothing for ye to worry about, brat.” The vampire lifted the damp hair from the nape of the boy´s neck and pressed his open mouth there.
“N–n–not playing fair! .” Soft lips trailed up and around his neck to his ear, nibbling gently. At that point, Xander forgot what they were talking about and let himself be guided into the bedroom. Chip rocked lazily and kept his eyes on his book to hide the spark of amusement in his blue eyes.
Once behind their closed chamber door, Xander pressed against his mate, pulling the proud head down for a kiss. He took his time, letting his vampire know he´d been missed. Angelus groaned softly as soft, warm lips and tongue explored his mouth thoroughly, a warm body pressed closely to him.
When Xander at last broke the kiss to press his lips against the vampire´s cool throat, Angelus growled softly. “Oh, Acushla, what you do to me! .”
“Missed you. Hate waking up alone.” He chewed lightly on the vampire´s neck, standing tiptoe to press his erection against the matching hardness. “Are you in for the night?”
Angelus gripped his boy´s hips, grinding slowly against the tempting flesh. “Alas, nay, me own dearling. I´ll have to be downstairs tonight, keeping an eye on Drusilla. After tonight, all will be easier for us. But I´ve a favor to ask of ye, Acushla.”
Xander sighed his disappointment, but smiled gently at his mate. “That´s a switch; usually it´s me asking you.”
“Stay here in the room this night, will ye please, my own? I´d feel easier in me mind if I knew ye were safe up here with our Chip watchin´ over ye.”
Xander looked up at him, the tiny frown showing on his forehead. Angelus, predictably, pressed his mouth against the darling little furrow, soothing it away with his tongue.
“Okay, if that´s what you want, I promise. Just! do you have to go right away?” His hands wandered, finding the vampire´s hard little nipples through the silk of his shirt.
Angelus groaned and cupped Xander´s butt, dragging him up hard against him. “Nay, pretty. I´ll bide with ye awhile.”
“Yay. I´m all about the biding.” Xander grinned up at his mate, then giggled as he was suddenly swung up in strong arms and carried to their bed.
Angelus placed his precious burden gently on the mattress, pulling the towel away as he straightened. Xander lay spread out before him in his naked glory, flushed from his shower and his arousal, his cock lying red and dripping against his firm belly.
Eyes locked on the bounty before him, Angelus stripped hurriedly and laid himself down beside his boy, pulling the sweet warm body into his arms, gathering him close.
Lying side by side, face to face, the mated pair spent long, long minutes kissing, stroking, whispering words of praise to each other, their leisurely lovemaking building slowly toward crescendo.
Finally, Xander began to whimper, begging for the joy that only his Angelus could give him. Angelus prepared him tenderly then knelt between the golden thighs, drawing the long strong legs up over his shoulder before slowly, slowly, sinking his hard, proud length into the receptive body.
Xander cried out softly, writhing under the vampire´s avid gaze. Angelus murmured to him “Is it good, m´ dearling, m´ precious one, my mate?” He rested, unmoving, buried to the hilt in his boy, his sweet bitch.
“Yes. Oh, God, yes. So good. Can´t live without this, without you.” Xander whimpered softly. “Please, please, Master! ” Angelus hissed at the reaction the word evoked in him. “Please fuck me. Need you, need you always.”
With a soft growl, Angelus began to move, stroking insistently in and out of his beautiful boy. “Yes, my pretty, my sweet bitch, my very own mate. I´ll give you what you need. I´ll always give you what you need.”
Slender ankles locked behind the small of his back, using the leverage to slam his hips up to meet Angelus´ strokes. “Need you, you feel so good in me,” the boy whimpered. “Need you inside me always. Love you, love you, my master, my Angelus, my mate.”
Angelus angled himself to thrust against his boy´s prostate with each stroke and reached between them to wrap his fist around Xander´s hard cock, stripping in time with his hard thrusts.
Xander cried out, so very close, and arched his neck in invitation. Angelus howled and sank his fangs into the beloved throat, and they came together, their mingled cries rising as one.
Exhausted by Angelus´ lovemaking, Xander swam up slowly from deep slumber, only gradually becoming aware of muffled sounds of struggle outside the door of the chamber. Disoriented, he sat up and gave his head a shake to clear away the muzziness. As he gathered himself and stumbled out of bed, the sounds died away, and all was stillness. He hesitated, then padded to the door and opened it cautiously.
What did you do, he remembered wondering once before, when your greatest terror and your only comfort were all wrapped up in the same package?
On the other side of the threshold stood one of his best friends, eyes huge with grief and exhaustion. Buffy stared at him, trembling, a stake clutched in her hand. On the floor around her, he saw a bloodied sword, a swirl of ashes, and a leather bound book, lying open as though flung aside in haste.
“It´s! it´s okay, Xander. It´s over now. You´re safe.” Xander stood as though turned to icy stone as the slender girl threw herself into his arms and wept.
