Perchance to Dream

by
Sanguied

Part Sixteen

Spike was uneasy just following Riley down the tunnels. It was warring feelings of kill, kill, kill and run, run, run. His counterpart was just happily chatting with the bloke. It was all Spike could do not to reach forward and snap the guys neck. That would stop the internal monologue, not to mention get him staked.

Even walking down the tunnels he was anxious, a bundle of energy. Spike ran the metal spike along the wall, until his counterpart glared and made him quit. All the humans walked by smiling and waving at him. They could again be thought of only as food and not a threat. A food, he could not enjoy. Before he knew he couldn’t but without the chip. It was getting harder by the moment not to just reach out and have a snack.

Then the people faded away and it was just the three of them walking down a dark tunnel. The sound of Riley’s heartbeat filled his ears, the pump of blood beneath a thin layer of skin. Just as the sound threatened to overtake him they stopped in front of a door.

Spike wasn’t interested in the size of the place or the greatness of the structure. All he saw was glass cages of food, all for him, well him and his counterpart.

Dinner was served.

A loudspeaker sprang to life and Spike tensed. Ready to defend his right to be here. “Leader Spike, and um, counterpart in the room.” The guards nodded towards him and straightened their poses. Interesting place this side of the mirror, Spike grinned.

He headed towards the cage front and center, four guards, had to be something good in there. He figured it had to be the elder everyone was so uptight about. He didn’t get a chance to approach the cage, when his counterpart grabbed his arm. “No, lets wait on him. I want him to last a while.”

Spike didn’t care. One was as good as another to him but he was a little curious about the bloke who made his counterparts hands shake. “Right mate, whatever you say.”

Riley, whom Spike was paying close attention to, walked back their way, clipboard in hand. “This is the list of the information we need, by cell. Willow said you might want it.” When Spike didn’t reach out for the board his counterpart gave him a look and took the board from Riley himself.

Scanning the list, Wil shrugged. “Might as well start with number one.”

Seeing a number on the top of each cell, Spike glanced around till he found # 1 in the far corner, to the left and without wasting time, headed that way.

Wil was envious of his counterpart’s barely contained excitement. Where he felt only a strange taste of anxiousness. It had been awhile since he’d done this. It was hard to remember when it had as much a part of him as his fangs.

He followed his counterpart at a much more sedate pace. Riley called out from behind him. “Do you want us to bring you anything?”

Spike turned back, tossing the spike from one hand to the other and flashed his fangs. “Got everything I need. How the hell do I get into these things?” Paused outside the glass box, Spike walked around it.

Wil ignored his counterpart and turned back to Riley. “Didn’t I have a toolbox around here somewhere?”

Riley paled. “Yeah, I’ll get it.” A guard beat him to it and Riley took it off his hands, before the man got close enough to upset the blond vampire. “Here.” Riley gingerly handed the medium sized toolbox over carefully and quickly, as if the toolbox was sin itself.

“Thanks.” He left Riley behind him going towards his counterpart, who was about ready to break the glass.

Wil showed his counterpart how to enter the box. Inside, a half demon cringed from them and moved away from the door. Wil thought at least a half-demon should last awhile and let him get into the spirit of things. Not to mention allow his counterpart to work off some of those post chip aggressions. Before they moved on to the finer points, like Frank.

Riley watched the blonds enter the cage. Then turned to the guards within the room. “Get the screen up and the disposal team ready for arrives.”

Several jumped to the command and only one paused, looking at Riley. “Riley, the leader didn’t ask for a screen?”

“You have obviously never seen Spike at work. If you want to keep your lunch, you’ll do it.” Seeing the others hastily throwing up screens and some of them old war veterans. The young guard took Riley at his word.

A few minutes’ later screams could be heard from within the cage the blondes had entered. The guards cringed and the new personal, that had questioned Riley, paled. He wondered what the hell anyone could do to make sounds pass through soundproofing? He was sure didn’t want to know and crossed himself, very thank full for the screens.

At 11:58 P.M Xan glanced up from his watch. They took the first steps to turn the tide of a war. Two semis parked, one filled with people, the other empty and waiting to be filled with weapons.

Xan, Will, Wes, Giles, and Angel stood on a hill overlooking the site, hidden within the trees from the guards below them. Still it wouldn’t be long before the two eighteen wheelers would be spotted. Xan glanced around memorizing this moment for later reference and in case.

Finally, he addressed them. “Alright, witchy woman just like we planned. Use Wes and Giles to focus. I want those guards gone and I don’t care where. As long as it’s far from here.” Looking at their ‘guests’, he added. “And in this universe.”

Willow nodded, running her fingers through her hair. Taking a deep breath, she began to chant and her fingers weaved through the air. Her voice rose and nerves gave way to power. Xan could feel it thumping around him, like a drum.

She reached a feverish pitch and an eerie light burst from her fingers. She released it like a wave down the hill and when it cleared, no living thing was to be seen.

Xan glanced around but it looked as she had succeeded and he turned in time to see Angel catch Willow. “That’s my girl.” He mumbled, nodding at Angel, thanking him for the good catch. “Put her in the truck.”

The others clamored into the back of the truck. Xan in the front, sitting on the doors window, he leaned out to wave the other truck on and down the hill.

Spike’s tongue darted along his mouth getting all the blood from around it. Then he lifted his arm to give his hand the same treatment. To the guards around them, it was like watching a great cat cleaning itself. The same grin of satisfaction on his features.

The counterpart was much less covered with gore and blood. He wrote the answers to whatever questions had been needed onto the clipboard. Even less covered his sleeve still left a red smear along the white paper.

As Wil wrote, he bit back his own thrill. It was still there. At first it had been a little awkward and he’d watched his counterpart do most the work. The Second, he’d opened his toolbox and at the third. He’d used the tools with satisfactory results. Now it was beginning to feel natural.

Unfortunately, none of the captives had any real staying power. Within minutes, they were ready to give their mother up. Getting the information Xan had wanted was terribly easy and it left Wil thinking of who’d been trying to receive the information before them. Whoever they were, they’d been a piss poor excuse for a questioner.

Didn’t matter. He felt more like himself than he had in all the time he’d been out. More blood had been wasted than drunk but he was still blissfully full. He had blood in his hair and it dripped onto his cheek and he resisted the urge to laugh. Then he laughed anyway.

The guards wavered on their feet. Unsure if they should abandon post and leave the blondes to do their own bidding. It was obvious there would be no escapes.

Spike looked at his laughing counterpart and had to smile himself. Mate looked like he was finally having some fun.

Neither vampire noticed a couple of the guards sneaking out. The laughing had been hard enough to take, but when the other smiled, that smile. The smart ones thought it was time to make an exit.

Smart or not, Riley stayed in a chair, far away but he stayed. Forget Angel’s threat. No way was he letting Xan or his brother down a second time.

Wil dropped the clipboard to the ground, picked up the toolbox and used it to point towards another box, the elders. They headed that way and Riley left his chair to fetch the screen. The few guards that had remained followed.

Spike opened the door. It opened, as it would have for the other. He stood to the side letting his counterpart come face to face with the man who had caused him so much pain.

Wil stepped into the room. The elder didn’t look like much now. A fat, dirty human tied to a chair. He ignored the fear that crawled up his spine and shoved it down. When the elder raised his face to look at him. A rush of pure glee rose from deep inside at the look of terror on the man’s face.

Looking him carefully in the eye. Wil smirked. “Hello Frank.”

His counterpart chuckled at the look the man was giving the two of them. The elder looked back and forth between them and understanding bloomed. It doubled the terror in the elder’s eyes. Still Frank had enough strength to snarl. “Whore or should I say whores?”

Spike tightened his fists but this man had a ‘past’ with his counterpart and so he deferred to him. “Your show mate, what’s first?”

“I cut out his voice box as painfully as possible.” Spike dropped his toolbox and held out his hand. The counterpart gave him a look but handed him his spike.

Looking at it for a moment, he handed it back, mumbling. He opened his toolbox throwing out various articles, till his eyes gleamed and he pulled out another spike. This one was rusty, crusted with blood and rather dull. “I think this will work.”

His counterpart actually giggled and the elder wet his pants.

Xan punched the code into the wall, 10666WTB, unable to stop himself from saying bastards after every number.
People surrounded him but only those close to him could hear the utterances. Queen laughed and patted his shoulder. The doublewide door opened with the last bastard.

Xan’s eyes popped, floor to ceiling weapons. It was a leaders wet dream. A grin broke over his face. “Christmas came early this year.”

Queen’s eyes were just as wide as she rated the room with a tactful eye, not even looking at Xan, as she entered. “Looks like you were a really good boy, Xan.”

G entered after her, laughing. “You’d have to ask a certain undead blond about that.”

Angel growled and Xan snapped into business mode. “Back the semi up to the door and lets get going people. Double time. I want these trucks filled now.”

Xan stood at the door, watching armloads and cases go from the warehouse and into the truck. He adjusted his earpiece to hear the lookouts, so far all was clear. Still his nerves were jumping and his eyes continuously moving.

Something pulled at the back of his mind. He’d forgotten something and it pulled at him like inch in the middle of his back. “Hurry, people.” He called out again and Willow, recently revived, walked to his side.

“What is it Xan? I can see your mind working from across the room.” Xan patted her hand and squeezed it briefly before letting go. He looked over her shoulder and could see a lot of people but no one from his family.

“Where’s the family?” He liked being able to see his team. From here, he couldn’t even make out Reboot’s multi-colored hair.

“In the back. They wanted to be the ones as far from the door as possible. In case we have to leave quickly, everyone closer to the door,”

“Will have a better chance of getting away and so they can make sure everyone gets out.” Willow nodded agreeing with him. It was what Xan himself would have done had he not been drawn to stay near the door.

“You still didn’t answer me.” Willow spoke softly and he turned back to her. He had been scanning around them, again.

“I don’t know Red. Something- I just don’t know.” He again listened to the all clears coming from the earpiece.

Willow linked her arm in his and together they watched.

Spike had to admit he was brilliant. Well his counterpart was but it was still him. He couldn’t help but wish it were he making those marks and causing such pretty blood designs.

Instead, he watched and silently cheered. He could smell the fear that had been coming off his counterpart was gone now, washed away by the blood. Only a few times had he helped and only with his counterparts permission.

The thing no longer resembled a human, new marks could not be seen through the blood. Naked, the thing no longer tried to move away. In fact, it barely moved at all. The heartbeat was slowing and Spike knew it was now only a matter of minutes. He grabbed his counterpart’s arm. “It’s time, want to feed?”

Wil stopped. Trying to pull his arm away to deliver another blow and listened to what his counterpart was saying. He titled his head to listen. The heartbeat was indeed very slow. “No, you don’t want to drink from him. I have a better idea.”

At 2:02 A.M the elder died.

Xan knew this because at that exact moment he knew what had been nagging him. When the Elder died, the door code began blinking and the door closing.

He screamed into the room and people dropped what they’d been carrying to spring towards the door. Xan was washed aside in the flow, trying to keep the door open with his body. It was a losing battle and his earpiece jumped to life.

“INCOMING…INCOMING!” From all sides the scouts screamed into his ear. He heard guns, screaming and his earpiece went dead.

“MOVE PEOPLE!” He screamed into the room and then there was someone by his side, pushing with him. He turned his head. “Angel, push man, my people have to get out!”

“Get the weapon Semi out of here, NOW!” The semi pulled away from the door, people hanging from the end as they tried to shut the doors. The other semi remained and people piled in.

Then the bullets came.

Wolfram & Hart were here.

Xan could feel the bullets whiz past him. One grazed his arm and he watched in slow motion as a bullet went threw a woman, struggling into the truck. Her body hit the ground and he watched as others, frantic to get into truck, trampled her.

He heard Angel scream out. Watched, as the vampire now in game face tried desperately to help with the door, which was still closing. Saw Angel flinch when a bullet caught him in the leg. At half speed the same bullet entered Xan’s leg and he looked down to see the blood pouring.

Still both held the door. Neither gave and neither let go. Then Queen and G’s faces appeared. Xan huffed to them. “Everyone out.”

“Almost.” Queen yelled keeping close to the ground. Since Xan was holding the door he couldn’t drop any lower and was in plain sight of the bullets.

Xan looked over to G, who was trying to help with the door, as Wes slid through with Willow right behind him. “Get in the truck! G, get them out of here!”

Willow cried out. “WE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU!”

Xan looked around. They were still missing Giles and Xander. “GO- DAMN IT-GO!”

“No!” Willow screamed.

Xan looked over to Wes still crouched by his feet outside the door. “This is an order, Wes. GO!”

Wes looked torn. He had to listen but his heart screamed and he made a decision. “No. I’m not leaving.”

Wes followed Queen and Willows example. However, instead of lifting a gun, the green ball erupted from his hand.

Xan rolled his eyes as another bullet nicked him. What the hell was use of being the leader, when no one listened? But his team weren’t just soldiers. They were family and they were not leaving one of their own.

The semi had to leave before Wolfram & Hart got any closer or else all those people would pay for their stupidity. Reboot kneeled next to Willow, trying to put her body between any bullets and the redhead. “Reboot. Get the semi out of here NOW!”

“My Wife,” Reboot started.

Willow covered her mouth and nodded at her then pushed her towards the truck, not letting her continue her plea. Reboot kissed Willow and made a run towards the semi-door and they covered her the best they could.

Without the protection of either truck they were almost completely out in the open. Willow threw up a shield; however, it was weak and some bullets punched through. One of which caught Angel, throwing him clear of the door and it was too heavy for Xan to hold back alone.

While someone pulled the vampire out of the way, Xan threw his legs up to brace against the door. Just as Giles crawled underneath and he saw Xander behind coming up after the watcher.

Queen screamed at him. “What took you so long?”

“Wolfram & Hart! They’re behind us!” Giles stood up and faced back into the room, while G guarded his back and shot into the darkness over Xan’s legs. Xan could feel Xander trying to push through but the passageway was getting to small. Xan put everything into one last push just enough to get Xander through.

Xan was flung from the door. He looked up from the ground to see his family. They were still standing and he’d never been prouder. Still fighting with everything they had and it was the last thing he saw, before the darkness grabbed him.

Spike groaned and looked at Wil, who made the same face. Something was wrong with their Sire. He wasn’t dead but Angel felt really off and having so recently fed off of him, Spike felt it more.

Even admiring their work didn’t make him feel better. The feeling nagged at him. Looking once more at their creation. They headed towards the cell door.

Wil grabbed the others arm. “Xan! What if something’s happened to him? We have to get upstairs.” Spike could sense the fear coming off his counterpart more than fear, absolute terror.

Two blond blurs of vampiric speed flew from the cell warehouse and into the tunnels.
Riley watched them leave and turned to run after them. However the screens fell away and he couldn’t help but look. Then he couldn’t look away.

Immediately noticeable was the glass fractures that ran down, starting with the spikes that had been forced into it. Blood ran rivers along the fractures and a mass of matter hung, crucified. A spike forced through each hand, one through the feet and one. Riley turned green and heard the others gagging around him and one spike through the things genitals.

The elder’s head was looking towards the floor but if one came close enough to the glass they could look up into wide, empty eye sockets. In large, bold letters, written across the glass in dripping blood were the words. “Luv Spike.”

A guard coughed next to Riley as both stood silently looking up. “Shall we clean it up?”

“No. Put the screens back up and leave it for Xan. He’ll decide what to do with it.” The guard looked relieved taking an easy breath and both turned away. As the screens were replaced, blocking the crucified from view.

Riley was barely able to keep the blondes in his sight as they tore through the tunnels. He had no idea what had put them in such a hurry. They looked a fright covered in blood and people scattered from them. Some screaming, Riley followed behind calming people.

Finally he was close enough to yell the distance. “What’s wrong?”

One, he wasn’t sure which, yelled back not slowing at all. “Angel’s down and Xan was with him.”

Riley started yelling to clear the path. If the blondes said something was wrong. Damnit something was wrong.

Part Seventeen

Xan opened his eyes just enough to see, if he tilted his head back. Captured. Wil was going to kill him. Wait, not captured. Not unless he was hallucinating a blood covered, blood covered! Xan sat straight up on the bed. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

That same blood covered vampire jumped into his arms. “Xan!” Xan wrapped his arms around the vampire tightly. God, he was a live. Wil was alive but the blood. He released the blond and leaned back to look at him. “Why are you covered in blood? Are you hurt?”

The longhaired blond looked down at himself and smirked slightly. “It’s not mine.”

Then Xan understood and grabbed the blond again. The blond leaned back to kiss him, hard and passionately. Xan raised a hand to the blonde’s hair.

Needing to breath, Xan leaned back. Wil was practically on his lap and he remembered getting shot, several times in fact but felt no pain. “What’s happened? Where is everyone?” His eyes searched around. He was in the hospital room in the tunnels. In the next bed, Willow was laid out and he could see her chest moving. Xander was sitting by her side.

He craned his neck to see around them and to the next bed over. Where Wes was pale, silent and almost sitting in Drusilla’s lap. She sang to him as she rocked him and ran her fingers through his hair. Xan started to get up. He had to check on his family. The weight on his lap stopped him. “They’re alright just tired. Well unconscious but they’ll be fine. They had to bring you back from the dead and all.”

“What?” Xan stared at the blond, who nodded.

“You were dead. You died in the truck on the way back here. They had to use everything they had to bring you back. Giles is out for the count around here somewhere. Wes took a bullet, but Dru’s healing him up right as rain.” The blond reached out and took his hand. Xan was too shocked to speak. He’d been dead, not undead, not almost, but dead.

His voice sounded raw. “And the others?” Afraid of the answer but he had to know.

“Queen’s fine. She’s upstairs taking command. G is with her, he took a bullet in the shoulder but they patched him up and he was on his way.” He used his hold on the blonds’ hand to pull him closer until the blond rested against him. His family was fine. He had been dead, but now was not and in no pain.

“Where’s Angel?” Quieter he added. “What were our loses?” All this good couldn’t come free. As a leader Xan knew this. His family maybe whole but someone was out there, in the tunnels, mourning.

Wil squirmed in his lap. Not answering the last part of the question instead he gestured to Xan’s right. Where, so busy looking over Willow and Wes, Xan had not looked yet. There in the corner far back from the busy room, sat a very weary looking Angel, dirty and war torn.

Xan had never seen the vampire so messed up. Yet Angel only had eyes for the blond vampire wrapped in his arms. Spike’s face hid within his Sire’s shoulder. Angel rocked and spoke in low tones to his childe. His bandaged hands soothing with small circles on the blonde’s lower back.

Wil spoke from his lap. “We almost lost him. Sire had more bullets than you did. It took a lot of blood and name calling to get him to drink. He’s been drinking on and off since you blokes drove in. Looks a lot better than he did. Queen says he’ll be anal retentive in no time.”

“What were our loses? How did I get to the truck in the first place?” Xan tried to put everything in prospective but it was almost too much. He wasn’t able to tackle the large subject of his own death fully yet. Man, they had been serious when they’d said he wouldn’t be dying on them.

“Angel carried you. The truck had waited on the hill. Holding off Wolfram & Hart till you blokes got there.” The vampire ran his slim hands over Xan’s arms, chest, and face then repeated the gesture making sure Xan was really there. Convincing himself Xan was indeed alive.

“Reboot was stupid. She should have done what I told her. William for the last time, what were the loses?”

“Out of the 87 you took, baring minor injures, 67 made it back alive.” Spike dropped his head. Not for the fallen mortals, because hey what did he care he had Xan but for how Xan would take the news.

“Oh God, 20 didn’t make it.” Xan buried his face in his hands. Stupid, he had led 20 people to their deaths. Now he would have to find their families and explain why they had died.

Wil stroked the back of his hair. “Yeah, but 67 made it back because of you. Queen said the weapons you blokes got could very well help us beat Wolfram & hart. Queen said she’d take care of everything.”

Xan nodded. “I haven’t even told them about our Angel. Now I leave Queen to do my job.”

The blond tensed in his lap. “What about him?”

“I know. Please baby-don’t be mad. I can’t take it right now but I know. Why else would you be with me? Damn, I have got to get out of this bed.” Xan busied himself with trying to pull himself out of the sheets he was entwined in.

Wil caught his chin and though Xan’s fought it, he found himself looking the vampire in the eyes. “I’m not mad as for why I’m with you. You are the strongest force of nature I have ever met and I fell in love with you. Nothing could change that, not now, not ever.”

Xan swallowed hard. “I love you too. You mean so much,” His voice broke off and his eyes filled with emotion, to think he’d almost lost this. “I have to get up. I have people to talk to and I have to make sure,” Xan again tried to move the mass of vampire on his lap.

“Yes, you have to get up but you’re going nowhere but with me. I promised Queen.” Spike got off the bed and helped Xan up.

“Oh, you did and where are we going?” Able to put his feet on the floor he did. Then quickly had to put a hand back to help himself as his feet decided not to help in the standing process.

“Your room. I promised a shower for me and bed rest for you. Now I don’t promise anything often. Don’t make me a liar.”

To forget his duties just for a little while, just to be happy he was alive with Wil alone. To be Xan and not Leader Xan, to revival, to relax, it sounded so good. To good, he wasn’t just a man. He was a leader with obligations to the families of those people that didn’t make it back and to the people that did. “I’ll do that after I,”

Wil grabbed his arms. “Not after. Now, right now. Queen is taking care of everything. I’m taking care of you.”

Xan looked down at the vampire. At the small frown on his lovely mouth and his eyes so full love and fear. He had scared Wil. Maybe he didn’t deserve to let it all go but Wil deserved to see he was all right. Wil deserved his time. He tapped the vampire’s nose and actually smiled when Wil crinkled said nose. “All right holy terror, love of my heart, lead the way.”

Xan almost resisted the arm hold the vampire led him with but decided it wasn’t worth it. He was enjoying any touch and the concern Wil was showing far too much to disrupt it. Even for his dignity. Xan looked back over his family one more time. Seeing Angel and the other Spike still where they were he stopped. “What about them?”

Wil looked back. “Sire has a lot more blood to drink. Once he’s had enough. Queen will kick them to the room. Right now the only people that can get close enough to them, without my counterpart going off, is those bringing blood for Angel.”

Xan nodded. Satisfied with the answer and allowed himself to be led away.
Getting to his room was a process. His legs felt stiff and he didn’t want to know why. All he was willing to admit was that he felt as old as the vampire helping him along. However, between the two of them, Xan felt he looked older to boot.

Xan allowed himself a small smile, picturing himself at 90 being helped along by a young and beautiful Wil. What people would think when Spike leaned over to give him quick peck on the cheek as he was doing now? Lucky me, Xan concluded.

People must have heard about his ‘condition’. Everyone they past nodded and smiled and thankfully no one stopped them. He leaned against the wall next to his door as Spike opened the room. He realized the last time he’d been in this exact spot, 20 people had been alive. Who were now dead and the injured had been healthy.

Xan pushed the thought away. There was plenty of time for guilt and grief later. Now, he forced a smile, was time to be thankful and enjoy love. Spike held the door open for him. Xan could see possibilities in a Wil that would do anything for him. However, he wasn’t one to abuse power, much. He allowed himself to be maneuvered towards the bathroom with only a very small plan forming.

Xan smiled. “You know how the water is around here. The hot will be gone in minutes. Why don’t you join me and wash my back?” He wagged his eyebrows at the blond.

The blond smiled, small spots of red forming and he returned his attention to the shower. “Alright.”

Plan A: a success, next step to get his vampire to bed ‘rest’ with him. Xan as quickly as his stiff body allowed pulled the holey and blood-ridden clothing off. There went his ‘lucky’ shirt, which considering he died in the darn thing wasn’t much of a loss as far as ‘lucky’ shirts went. Xan stepped around the blond as the shower kicked to life and into the shower, slightly shivering and not from cold.

Xan watched, under hooded eyes as the duster came off then the tee shirt. How the heck had the vampire managed to get blood under his clothing? Xan didn’t want to ask. He tensed when the blond reached the button of the black jeans. Nothing underneath, he had always thought the vampire went commando. Not that he’d ever thought about it, a lot.

It was a small shower and the vampire briefly pressed against him and then stood in front of him. Hot water washed the blood off, making marked pink rivers that flowed down the marble skin and then to the drain. If Xan hadn’t already died once today, he would have considered doing so now. Instead he passed the soap.

The small shower was perfect for contact. However it lacked the room to do more than steal kisses and grabs at flesh, which both took advantage of. Xan swore he’d never take another shower without the blond to message the shampoo into his hair and to use the washcloth, in ways that surely was considered improper use. Xan took great joy in returning the favor when he took his turn.
All to soon, only minutes into their shower, the water started getting on the chilly side. Spike was making small circles with a washcloth on his back but knowing how much the vampire hated being cold. He washed the soap off and shut the water off.

Being catered to was a new experience for Xan and being hand towel dried made a nice reason to be thankful for his return to life. Taking a towel of his own, he tried to dry the still dripping vampire who dodged his hands.

“I can dry myself.” The vampire took the towel from Xan and began to do so.

Xan took it back. “So can I. I want to.” Xan resisted smiling when Spike released the towel. He was just as indebt with his drying method as Spike had been. Kneeling before the blond Xan looked up. Spike’s head was down towards him. His eyes were closed and Xan could just make out slight breaths coming from the vampire, who didn’t need to breathe, which made the action all the sexier.

Xan was face level with the vampire’s growing desire and couldn’t help but blow a stream of hot breath along the vampire’s cock. The hips beneath his hands twitched and he heard the vampire’s shoulders hit the wall.

Encouraged, Xan leaned forward. This time he flicked his tongue against the head. A huff came from the blond and something close to a whimper came from Xan. They needed to move this to the bedroom with a glance down at himself he added, and fast.

Xan pulled himself up the blond, kissing a defined peck and nipping at a nipple. Until he was once again on his feet, “Come to bed with me, please?”

The vampire shook himself. “You need rest.”

Kissing Spike, he whispered into blond hair. “No, I need you. I have for so long.”

Spike didn’t answer but Xan took the answer to be a yes when he was pulled towards the bedroom. Xan allowed himself to be pushed onto the bed and crawled up to lean against the headboard. He nearly choked on his own breath watching the blond crawl up the bed towards him.

The blond straddled his hips and Xan took quick breaths as his cock came in contact with the soft skin and friction. Xan groaned trying to pull himself together before this ended without a start.

He leaned forward, dropping Spike to lie on the bed and Xan settled between his thighs. He ran his hands up the trembling thighs careful not to lay his weight on Spike.

It was that dream. One he never wanted to end, wanting, needing to remember every taste and every moan. Xan watched his own fingers trace Spike’s face and felt the blond purr into his hand. He slid down, lowering his body, so he could taste the cool skin and ran his tongue along the hard nub of nipple.

He felt the blond kiss his hand and felt the hands on his shoulders rubbing. The grip increased when he traced the tight stomach by drawing designs with his warm tongue. Ignoring the hands trying to pull him up. He slid lower till the throbbing cock brushed his cheek. Xan turned and ran his tongue along the vein and smiled at the moan from above his head and the hands running through his hair.

Xan’s own cock twitched as the hips beneath his hands rose. Unable to tease both himself and his lover, he took the cock into his mouth. A throb from the member in his mouth reminded Xan how lonely he had been. It had been awhile, but one can never underestimate determination. He remembered to breath through his nose as he worked his way to the base.

The bitten off scream from Spike and the sudden rise and fall of the hips beneath his hands told him he’d done something right. The fact he could control the vampire’s movements with his hands showed him how greatly the blond was holding back. Xan worked up a rhythm, increasing his speed, with the pivoting of Spike’s hips.

Xan lifted his head enough to watch as his lover tossed his head back and forth. The long blond hair flying with the motion, Spike’s head bent back, his eyes closed and his mouth open. Xan increased his speed on the blond and grinded his own hips into the bed.

A thought filtered through. Why hadn’t Spike slipped into game face? He thought during sex a vampire would be unable to help it. The thought slipped away as the hips beneath his hands tightened, arched. Xan lifted his head away to watch the fluid land on the tight stomach in a perfect arch.

Wil looked slightly hurt that he hadn’t swallowed. Xan identified the look before it was quickly covered with a smile. Xan leaned forward to kiss the blond and nipped at the blonde’s lips and looked down. “I don’t have any lube around here and as tasty,” He dropped his head to lick at the liquid on the vampires’ stomach. “As you are. I think we have better uses for it.”

The smile was real this time and amplified by a wiggle of his hips. Xan moaned and gasped. “I’m not going to do this. Unless you say it’s all right. Please say it’s alright or I might just die on you.”

“Not again you’re not.” The hips wiggled again and Xan was sure it was a sin to tease like this.

“Is that a yes or a threat?” The thighs opened a little further.

“It’s a yes.” The blond started to twist as if to turn over.
Xan kissed the hip and used his hand to push it back flat unto the mattress. “Oh no you don’t. I want to watch every look.” Xan leaned up dropping a quick kiss to Wil’s lips and whispered. “Every moan.” Which got a moaned returned. “Every unneeded little breath. I want to watch you.”

At the blond desperate nodding Xan put his hand between them and got his fingers covered in the cool liquid. His fingers searched and finding what he wanted, he slipped one finger inside. It wasn’t living human hot but it was the warmest place on the vampire and so unbelievably tight.

The blond withered. “No, want you now. No teasing.”

Xan retracted his hand. He wasn’t teasing. He was preparing. He opened his mouth to explain but the hips wiggled again. Xan decided the vampire knew what he was doing.

He wiped the blonde’s stomach clean and used it all to coat himself. He still worried it wasn’t enough. Then Wil raised his hips and all independent thought went south. Xan was careful, trying to go slowly and heard the slight gasp from beneath him as the head entered.

“Okay?” He huffed down to the blond. In response, Wil arched, put both feet flat on either side of Xan and pushed himself more fully onto him.

Gasping breaths the blond smiled with a slightly dazed expression. “I am now.” Legs wrapped around Xan’s waist, pulling him closer and leaving Xan little room to maneuver. Still, he was deviously happy with the position and put his elbows on either side of the blonde’s head.

Xan kissed him, diving into the sweet mouth. Wil’s head tilted back and Xan ran his tongue along the sharp jaw line. Xan felt the cock between them awaken and he arched to increase the friction.

Xan’s whole body hummed his cock was sending urgent messages. Wil was silk covering steel. Every ripple in the muscles beneath him pushed him to move faster and to go deeper. Reminding him, who he was with, who his lover was. Xan lifted his head from the neck he’d been nibbling on and watched the blonde’s eyes switch from cobalt blue to yellow then back.

He was fighting it. Xan recognized it and the word bastards entered his mind. “Wil please, let go. Please, I want you to. Want to see all of you.” The words were murmured, close to the vampire’s ear.

Xan didn’t think his words had any affect at all. An un-human noise rose from the vampire and the eyes turned, ridges formed and the blond turned his face away.

Xan followed the movement, licking ridges and mumbling nonsense. “Beautiful, so beautiful. Bite me,”

That got the blonds attention. “You think this is beautiful? I can’t bite you.”

“Yes. Everything about you is beautiful. Everything. I want you to bite. I need it.” He bit Wil’s neck to make the point, hard. Wil screamed, bucked and squirmed to get to his neck. Xan tilted it giving the vampire access.

Xan could feel the unneeded breath on his neck, the hesitation and tilted his head more. Sharp teeth slid into him sending a direct bolt to his cock. Xan could feel breath against his neck from Wil’s nose, cool lips and never felt anything so blinding.

His vision lost focus. He was nothing but the heat rising from his neck, the hammering of his hips and the ragged scream that burst from him, when the lights exploded.

Xan shook his head trying to uncross his eyes. He was lying full out on top of Wil, whose lips he could feel licking at his neck. Without moving, he kissed the head next to him. “I love you and right now. I cannot stress that enough.”

The blond beneath him chuckled. “Then could you lose some weight? You’re a little heavy.”

Slightly wishing he could stay but practically prevailed and he pulled back, groaning at the loss and grinning when the blond did the same.

He looked and noticed they were at the end of the bed. “Good sex is when you start off at the head of the bed and end up at the end.” He kissed the blond before collapsing next to him.

Wil turn on his side playing with Xan’s nipple and smirked. “You said I was beautiful.”

Xan looked down at the smiling blond. “Now normally I would tell you not to listen to me during sex. Like if I promise you a pony or your choice for dinner.” Wil’s smile dropped a little. “However in this case you can quote me all you like.”

“I really wanted that pony?” Wil pouted. Xan laughed and pulled him closer.

“Another shower or sleep?” Xan asked the blond hair.

“Sleep.” A weary voice replied and Xan agreed. He snagged a pillow with his feet and arranging that, pulled the cover over them. All without disturbing the head on his shoulder and feeling accomplished. Xan whispered into the blond hair as his eyes closed. “Stay with me forever.”

The blond cuddled his shoulder and whispered back. “I think I can arrange that.” Xan let the implications of that statement slide with him into sleep.

Dream Sequence Part 2

Hands, human hands holding his head and gripping his hair, a voice growling. Fragments of pictures of something else broke through. Something nice, of love, but that wasn’t here.

He was in his room. He could tell by the carpet. He spent a lot of time looking at this carpet. His back burnt and he could feel deep cuts struggling to heal. Blood slid from his back and was absorbed into the shirt he wore. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the tip of a whip and the drop of blood, his blood that hit the white carpet.

“My pretty little William.” He knew that voice, Thomas. He tensed when the whip left his sight and groaned as another lash was made on his back. Thomas the pervert, the one that liked to pretend, the one that disgusted him the most, which was saying a lot, the one that liked kids.

The whip dropped to the floor by his face and he didn’t dare reach for it as much as he wanted to. He knew the punishment. He couldn’t remember how long he’d been here in this room. Long enough that faces from ‘before’ were blurry and this was all he knew.

“I want you on your knees now William.” He didn’t fight the hand that used his hair to pull him up. There was no point. The collar would only let him do so much before it either froze him or gave him unspeakable pain.

He could only fight very little and then only when someone wanted him too, which, with Thomas, he could tell was not yet. They only had to skin him once for him to remember that.

On his knees in front of the man head lowered he could see the hated suit. Thomas’ favorite fashion statement for him, a white collared shirt, now shredded in the back, the hated navy tie and navy pants.

Thomas couldn’t see his face and Will allowed his eyes to roll as the man’s fingers played in his hair. “You know what to do, don’t you William?” Thomas griped his chin, and painfully raised Wil’s eyes to meet his.

William couldn’t answer him and they both knew it. His vocal cords had just recently been re-cut. Seeing how once they had healed all he could do was swear.

Figuring, by now, he could ‘do’ anything – anyway it could be done and that Thomas wanted some kind of answer, he nodded. That got his chin released and Thomas smiled. “Good boy. If you do it well. I might not have to get the toys out.”

Wil shuttered. He hated the ‘toys’ and his whole body ached already. He nodded and raised his hands to Thomas’ business suit pants. He reached and arranged the heavy cock, so it bobbed in front of him and not wasting any time. Certainly not thinking. He swallowed. Deep throating hurt and he hated himself for the whimper but Thomas enjoyed it.

Thomas grabbed his hair to control his mouth, pushing and pulling and he mindlessly went along with the action. Never more wishing he could just bite down, hard. Having done so once before he knew Wolfram & Hart would just fix the man and then there would be hell to pay. He relaxed his jaw and used his tongue.

Thomas used his grip to throw him to the floor and Wil watched as Thomas went to one of the many cabinets. He flinched, worried about what the heck the man was grabbing. A long, very shiny, double-edged knife, Wil crawled back on his hands.

Thomas cruelly smiled. “Don’t worry, William my sweet. You did good. I’m not going to cut you, much.”

Wil whimpered. Thomas grinned and advanced. He used the knife to cut clothing and skin, the hated tie, the ruined shirt, and then the pants. Wil tried to hold still but jumped every time the knife caught him.

Leaving him in boxers, Thomas’ choice in underwear. “On the bed William.”

He stood on his own and sighed with relief when he heard the knife hit the floor behind him. Once on the bed the stiff sheet irritated his back and he sat up to avoid them. Only to be pushed back forcibly. Thomas pulled his boxers off and then standing at the side of the bed made short work of his own clothing.

As Thomas crawled onto the bed like a timed rehearsed action Wil knew this was the time to make a scene with Thomas. Internally sighing, he backed away and began to whimper. Thomas grabbed him and using all the strength the collar allowed, he pushed against the man.

They both knew it was an act. They both knew it wasn’t real. Both knew with a word Wil would not be able to move much less fight. It wasn’t real. This was all a game. It wasn’t fear that made him cringe when Thomas yanked his legs apart. It wasn’t pain that made his tears flow when Thomas roughly entered him. It was humiliation and that was real.

Wil blinked. He lay very still for a moment and tried to remember where he was and who exactly was holding him. Xan’s warm chuckle vibrated his chest and Wil remembered and clung to him.

He could hear voices, which must have been what had awoken him and one voice in particular that used a wide margin of curse words, loudly. Recognizing his counterpart, Wil realized this was the second time his counterpart had saved him from a nightmare.
Not really wanting to break the mood but wanting to know Wil asked him. “Why are they yelling?”

Xan chuckled again and kissed the blond head on his shoulder. “Sounds like Angel and Spike just figured out that our shower goes from hot to freeze.”

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