Xanpet 5

Blood pulsed in my ears when what he said registered. I heard myself gasp out, "How?"

Spike pulled away from me trailing his fingers over my limp dick as he did. "Not really sure, mate."

Spike sat at the table. He turned and looked at me. "Cor, whelp!" Spike said when he saw me, "Sit down before you fall down."

I dropped to the seat next to his, stunned by his announcement. If he was telling the truth there was some major mojo going down. I hoped that Buffy and Willow were working on whatever had happened, because I really didn´t want to be stuck there. Especially with Spike. Why had he done this? What was he hoping to accomplish?

"Here," Spike said, piling a plate with food, "I know how much you bloody eat. Watching you stuff yourself while I was tied to that damn chair," Spike shuddered dramatically, "is enough to give a grown vamp indigestion."

He smirked, placing a plate in front of me. Spike was smirking, not smiling, but smirking at me. I was in the twilight zone. That was the only explanation that made any sense. Suddenly, I was in the presence of ´Sunnydale Spike´, that bad ass bleach blond vampire, minus the bleach.

"Spike, I..." I paused. He acted as if I hadn´t just crawled across the floor and begged for his forgiveness.

"Eat up. We´ll talk when you´ve finished."

I agreed by digging into the food. I almost moaned after I stuffed the first forkful in my mouth. This was much better than the crappy soup. After the first bite I realized I was starving and attacked my plate with gusto. "Slow down, Pet," Spike said, "it´s not going anywhere."

I froze as soon as he called me Pet, my fork halfway to my mouth. I started eating again when he didn´t say anything more, but I did eat much slower. I felt Spike watching me. At one point he leaned forward and filled a glass with red fluid from a bottle, setting it in front of me.

"Um... Spike, blood´s not really my thing," I said. He rolled his eyes, as he filled another glass with water.

"It´s red wine, ya dolt. Not a bad year either." Oh, I shrugged and tentatively sipped from the glass. I wasn´t much of a wine fan. I was surprised it had that sweet, fruity alcohol taste, but wasn´t nearly as bitter as the stuff Anya and I drank every now and again. I guess Spike was right, it was a good year. That thought made me pause: if it was 1889, how long had Spike been a vampire? It was obvious we were in Angelus´ house. I shivered in fear when I realized that Darla and Druscilla must be here somewhere. If only I had paid more attention to Giles´ lectures about the ´Scourge of Europe´. I studied Spike as he drank from his glass. I was pretty sure he wasn´t drinking wine.

"Wot," he said, "S´blood dripping on me chin or something?"

"Nah, Fang–Sp–spike," I stuttered over the half–voiced nickname, and fear flew through my eyes. Blue eyes glittered, but with amusement, not anger.

"See that Whelp, knew you could hold yer tongue, with the proper motivation." Spike waved a hand at my empty plate. "You done?"

My stomach hurt from all that I had eaten. "Bleagh! Yeah, I´m done."

I pushed the dish away from me. Spike walked over to the couch with his glass of blood. He turned back to face me. "What are you waitin´ fer, get yer arse over here. It´s warmer by the fire."

I stared at him, "Spike, I... can I put some clothes on?" I asked.

"Bloody hell! Is that wot´s been bothering ya?" Spike set his glass down on the floor and leaned back against the armrest. I would have sworn he was gonna laugh for a minute there. "Hafta get used to hanging out starkers, Whelp, Pets aren´t allowed clothes."

Horrified, I looked at Spike. "Ever?"

Spike shrugged at me. "Ya get clothes if I take you into town, but anywhere else, yer wearin´ skin."

Shit. I thought about it for a minute. "But... you, you´re a Master here. Can´t you–"

Spike´s growl cut off what I was going to ask. "Oi, listen up, Whelp."

Spike leaned toward me from his place on the couch, staring at me intently. "My Sire is already pissed that I even let you speak to me."

I could hear the growl underlying Spike´s voice. "I´m not about to give you a pair of pants just to have Angelus tear them off you while he tears the skin off my hide."

He relaxed back against the couch. "Get used to it, starting now. Haul yer bare ass over here. Bring your glass of wine and the bottle."

I gulped. The first time I explored hanging around my apartment naked was not a good experience. I had moved into my parents´ basement and reveled in the new freedom I felt, jerking off sprawled out on my bed. After, when I was showering, I decided to watch cartoons in the buff. It´s not like I could wander around my parents naked, but now I had my own place. The door was locked and I lay on my bed, slowly stroking myself. Not trying to get off, just being comfortable. I never heard Willow as she walked down the stairs, but I did hear her shriek.

"AAAHH!" I yelled, rolling off the side of the bed, falling to the floor. "Shit, Will, how did you get in here?"

She could barely answer me through her giggles. I peered over the bed. She had turned her back to me. "Your Mo–mom, le–let me in."

Fuck! My mom had a key. Why am I the last one to know? I rubbed my hand through my hair. "Stay there, just give me a sec."

I pulled on some clothes then we left. Willow never brought it up and she hadn´t told anyone else about that morning either. I was embarrassed enough without dealing with the other Scoobies knowing what had happened. I cringed, just thinking about it now. "Yeah, I walked in on Xander jerking off to Bugs Bunny!"

I looked up at Spike who was waiting with a smirk and an arched eyebrow. I stood up with a sigh, grabbed the bottle of wine in one hand and my glass in the other and walked toward him. The heat of my blush spread across my entire body. My hands were busy, so it´s not like I could have covered myself. I probably wouldn´t have anyhow. It was just too damn girly.

Spike took the bottle of wine and the glass from me, setting them on the floor.

"See, that wasn´t so bad," he said, sitting down. I was surprised; I had expected him to make some snide comment. I shrugged and went to sit next to him.

"Wait." Spike threw a cushion down onto the floor between his feet. "Sit there."

I glared at him. I was definitely more comfortable around ´Sunnydale Spike´ and he was taking this too far.

"You´ve gotta be kiddin´ me." I said and moved to sit on the couch. Cool fingers circled my wrist, stopping me. I looked down into cold blue eyes.

"That wasn´t a suggestion, Pet." I swallowed hard and dropped onto the cushion between Spike´s feet, facing him. "Turn around, lean yer back up against the couch."

I frowned at the relaxed vampire in front of me. "No," I shook my head. "I want you to tell me what happened."

My heart raced when I realized that Spike might not tell me anything.

"I get my story, right?" I asked nervously. He leaned toward me with a smile, resting his elbows on his knees. "How could I refuse, Pet."

I shivered at the sound of his voice. This was not ´Sunnydale Spike´. Spike dug his teeth lightly into his lower lip as he reached up and ran a hand through my hair. His palm settled against the back of my neck. "After you begged me so sweetly. Crawling to me on yer knees, trying so hard to hold back those pretty tears, trembling as you knelt before me wearing nothing but the heady scent of fear and humiliation."

I felt nauseous. Without a word I turned away and leaned my back against the couch between Spike´s knees. I thought I heard him sigh. "It´d be easier if you´d just listen when I tell ya to do something, Whelp."

I didn´t say a word, but was beginning to agree with him.

"Ok, story. Short version. Do you remember what I said, after you sucker punched me in the cemetery?" Spike was combing his fingers through my hair as he spoke. I tried to ignore his gentle touch and threw my mind back, but just couldn´t remember much of what he had said; I just remembered that he pissed me off.

"No, I just remember I was angry." I sighed, "Um, I hit you, then Buffy got sick. What does this have to do with now?" I asked.

"Shh, Pet," Spike said, "s´my story, innit?" His fingers had left my hair to massage my neck. It felt really good. Anya had small hands, and her fingers weren´t nearly strong enough to give a good massage. I brought my knees up and leaned my head forward.

"Why are you being nice to me, now?"

"To soften you up, Whelp. Back to the story, anyhow, I was on the ground after you popped me a good one. Looked up at you and made a wish, I did, concerning you, me and Angelus."

I tensed at his words. "Shit!" I knew where this story was going. I pulled away from Spike´s hands and held my head with my own. Not happening, so not happening. I had stood up my bride and, although she was an ex–vengeance demon, many of her guests were not. Looks like someone from the bride´s side had granted Spike his wish. I didn´t want to ask. I didn´t want to know, but I had to know. I lifted my head up and stared into the fire. Watching the flames and wondering again why I had left the woman I loved standing at the altar.

"What... what did you wish for?"

At first, the only sound was the crackle of burning wood, then, "For you to belong to me, when Angelus and I were at our prime." Spike chuckled, "I wanted to teach you your place beside a Master Vampire."

I turned to glare at him. "This is not funny, Spike."

"Oi, get back here, Whelp," he pulled on my shoulders, "I´m not done wi´ me story yet." He started rubbing my shoulders again. "Anyhow, ´m not sure how it works. S´weird, being here, knowing what I know."

Oh god, another thought struck me. "Are you gonna try an´ stop Angelus from drinking that gypsy girl?" I asked. "Will you stop him from being cursed?"

Spike´s hand tightened on my shoulders. "I already told ´em, Pet." I tried to pull away, but Spike´s hold was too strong. "Stop fightin´, it´s not like it did me any good."

I tilted my head back to look at him. "Why? Whaddya mean?"

"Why´d I tell ´im? I had to, he´s my Sire, my–"

"Yeah, yeah, your Yoda. I remember. So?"

"I lost Angelus when he got his soul. I wanted to keep ´im this time round." I had never heard Spike sound so sad before, not even when Dru had left him.

"So, he doesn´t believe you?" I asked.

Spike´s hands just rested on me now, not moving. "No, I´m not sure what happens. It´s like when I try to tell ´im I´m talking gibberish or something. I think it scared him that I was going loonier than Dru."

I could almost hear the smile in Spike´s voice. I never knew what Angelus had meant to Spike. I was beginning to find out. I frowned: Anya had told me about wishes that she had granted and something wasn´t fitting.

"Spike, I don´t get it. If you just wished me back here, why are you here? Not that I´m complainin´ or anything, cause if you didn´t know me, I´d be dead. And again, not that I´m not happy about it, but from what Anya used to say about her curses, nothing should be stopping you from telling Angelus about the gypsies, so what´s up with that?" I looked at him perplexed.

"Don´t know, don´t care," Spike said, "I´m back wi´ me Sire, and I´ve a pretty Pet. I´m gonna enjoy myself. I´ll worry about the other stuff later."

I leapt to my feet and turned fully around to look at him. "Pet! You can´t make me your Pet!" I said indignantly. "Just get me outta here, you can hang with your Sire or whatever, but don´t count me in!"

Spike just looked at me and laughed.

"What the hell´s so funny? This is not funny, Spike." I glared at him, my arms crossed in front of my chest. He´d had his fun at my expense, but enough was enough.

"Yo–you ca–can´t lea–leave." Spike gasped out, wiping his eyes.

"Why not?" I asked tightly.

Spike looked at me quizzically. "You really don´t get it."

"Argh! Yes, I´m stupid, I don´t get it, so enlighten me."

Spike´s hands reached out and he held my hips. I suddenly remembered that I was very much naked and Spike was very much not. Each cool finger burned into my flesh, but I was too angry to be embarrassed, yet. He tugged me forward and then I did blush, because my groin was so close to his face.

"Uh, Spike," I said. He lifted his head and looked up at me.

"You´ve been taken into the House of Aurelius as the Pet of William the Bloody, Childe of Angelus." Spike smiled up at me. "You don´t get to leave."

My heart thudded in my chest again. I couldn´t leave?

"Besides, what would you do in Nineteenth Century France?" Spike asked.

Damn, I knew that language had sounded familiar. I almost failed French all four years that I had to take it. "Fr–France?"

Spike´s thumbs started rubbing small circles on my hips. My thoughts raced frantically. "Okay, so, uh, I can´t speak French, but I could learn an´ I do construction, so I bet I could find work, it´s not like I need to be able to talk to nail shit together. They had to be building things, even back now, er, then, whatever."

Spike growled and I stopped babbling and looked down at him. I stared into sapphire eyes, ringed with gold. I felt sick again. Spike wanted to keep me as his Pet.

"I don´t think I explained clearly," Spike said. "If you were to leave, it would be an insult to this House and to Angelus. If I were the one to let you go I would be beaten to within an inch of dust. Either way, Angelus would hunt you down, find you, and if he didn´t drain you right off, he´d pass that tight ass of yours around to all the minions, after having his own fun breaking you open. If you were lucky, you´d be drained quickly; if not, you´d be fucked to death within a couple of hours."

My eyes grew wide as Spike spoke. "I... I... "

I tumbled away from him, thankful that he let me go because the meal that was so good going down, left a lot to be desired coming up. I retched onto the stone floor, and even after everything came up, I still choked with dry heaves.

"Come on, stop now." Spike stroked my hair.

I scrabbled away from his touch, pressing myself tightly to a cool stone wall. I´d never been so terrified in all my life. Tremors shook my body. I bowed my head and hugged my knees tightly to my chest. I wanted to throw up again. How the hell did I get myself into these situations? Shit happens, I understood that, but why couldn´t I have normal shit happen to me? Like, say, get hit by a car? Hell, I´d even settle for struck by lightening. Rare, yet still within the realm of normalcy. This was a vengeance demon´s curse. I almost cried when I realized that I couldn´t even be rescued. I was stuck there, in that reality, as William the Bloody´s Pet. I would be dead before Buffy and the others were even born. I cringed when I felt Spike kneel near me. If it were possible, I pressed myself even more tightly against the wall.

"Shh, shh, it´ll be okay. You´ll see." Spike started crooning nonsense words to me as he stroked my hair.

I breathed easier after a few minutes. Okay, it´s not like Spike was gonna do that stuff to me, I rationalized. Angelus would, though; I believed Spike when he said that. Spike´s Sire had always been more than a lot unstable.

"Come on Mate," Spike said, "the stone´s cold and you´re shivering. Do you want to go to the bed or the couch?"

I didn´t look at him as I whispered, "Bed."

I shook slightly as Spike helped me to my feet walking with me to the bed. Soon I was propped up against pillows resting on the headboard, the covers pooled around my hips. Spike handed me a glass of water. I drank half of it and handed it back; he set the glass down.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, "um, I kind of made a mess."

"Pfft, no big," Spike waved a hand, "that´s wot minions are for." Spike sat down on the edge of the bed, beside my hip.

"Your Pet, huh?" My fingers fidgeted in my lap. Spike reached out and twisted a lock of my hair around his finger, then released it.

"Yeah, you belong to me now, Harris, try and get used to the idea."

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