FIC : Family Bonds chapter 23 WIP

CHAPTER 23
The remainder of Shady Hill was deserted. No more disturbed graves, all the crypts empty. Spike and Xander walked Willow and Tara back to their car.

“Xan we’re going to check in with Giles at the shop. You coming?” Willow asked.

“Not tonight Will. Just not up for the big confrontation today. You can explain what happened, minus Spike’s crazy theories thanks.”

“Oi! None of that mate. My theory is as good as yours, better actually since mine is right.”

“That remains to be seen, Bleachie.”

“Xander I’ll call you when I’ve talked to my mentor, Maria. She should be able to tell me about those extra colours, um, you know, the gold.”

“Sure Tara,” Xander smiled. “And thanks.”

She smiled back and nodded, climbing behind the wheel.

 

Xander waved them off and watched till their car was out of sight. The moment it turned a corner, Spike was on him. His hands were pulling on Xander’s shirt, sliding underneath and over his back. His tongue forced its way deep into Xander’s mouth.

Xander responded eagerly; his hands on Spike’s face, pressing their lips harder together. When he ran out of breath, Xander pulled away panting. “What was that for? Not that I am in any way, shape or form complaining.”

“I need a reason?” Spike asked, twisting his body against Xander and nuzzling his neck.

“God no, never.” At that point, Xander’s stomach growled loudly.

Spike kissed him once more and sighed. “Right, food and fuck in that order. Get in the car then Harris. We’re eating at the Lion.”

Xander backed Spike up to the car and pushed him down over the hood, holding him there with one hand while the other unbuckled Spike’s jeans. “Food and fuck? And you say I have a way with words. So, appetizer, main, then fuck, what do you say?” Xander pulled Spike’s jeans down to his thighs, taking the jutting erection in his hand.

“I say knock yourself out Harris.” Spike lay back feeling the cool night air on his cock suddenly become a wet warmth sliding down its length. He felt the head hit the back of Xander’s throat, then the warm lips were moving back up as he withdrew.

Xander kept the tip in his mouth sucking hard and working his lips around the ridge, his tongue flicked over the slit then gently dipped in. He let his teeth rake gently down the underside of Spike’s cock as he slid back to the root, keeping up a steady suction. Xander slipped a finger in his mouth then slid his hand under Spike, probing at his entrance.

Spike groaned and thrust up into Xander’s mouth, then back to his finger. He grunted as the finger passed through the tight ring and found his prostate immediately. Xander was keeping up a steady stroke with both his finger and mouth and Spike felt the pressure building inside him. He jerked rhythmically in time with  Xander, his hands coming down to clutch at Xander’s hair. Very shortly, he was tensing his muscles and shooting deep into Xander’s throat. Xander held him still and swallowed against his cock, taking all the cool seed.

“Fuck Harris, you don’t muck around do you?”

Xander grabbed Spike by his duster and hauled him upright, slamming his lips onto Spike’s mouth. Spike tasted himself in Xander’s mouth and moaned and the combination of flavours assaulting his senses.

Xander pulled away and looked him in the eye, “Told you I was hungry.” He stepped back while Spike zipped himself up again. “Ok, lets go. In the car pal.” Xander walked around to his side pausing with his hand on the door. Had he just done that? Blown a vampire on the hood of his car in full view of anyone who might drive by? Why had he done that? Not his usual style, but then Spike was hot and Xander was feeling a little antsy. He shrugged and put the unusual behaviour down to the influence of his companion.

 

 Xander pulled up on the street, just a few doors from the Bear and Lion. He climbed out of the car feeling Spike’s hand on his ass. As his cock gave a twitch and began to fill he shook his head. Something about that guy had Xander in an almost perpetual state of arousal. He shut the door and turned around finding Spike there right in front of him. “Damn how do you do that?”

Spike shrugged and rolled his eyes. “Vampire, one of my many skills. You should see what else I can do.” He slid his hand over Xander crotch squeezing and kneading him to hardness.

“Do you ever stop with the horny?”

Spike snorted. “Do you want me to?”

“No,” Xander answered without hesitation. “It’s just that I’m finding myself wanting to do things with you in places I shouldn’t want to do anything with anyone. Like right now? I’m so hard I just want you to fuck me here in the middle of the street. But please don’t cause I know I would regret that choice.”

Spike chuckled. “Well mate, let’s get you fed and me watered, then I’ll fuck you anywhere and anyway you please. Okay?”

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

 

Spike led the way into the Lion, scanning the pub surreptitiously, counting heads, identifying demons, sizing up humans.

“Door-bitch!” a loud voice boomed across the room.

Spike smiled and shook his head. “Not been much of one of late Thomas.”

“Well you need to just come around more often, am I right? Evening Xander.”

“Hey Tom.” He pulled up a stool at the bar and leaned over to shake Tom’s huge hand. Spike stood next to Xander resting an arm over his shoulders.

“Any chance of some grub Tom? Rosie still got the kitchen open?”

“Sure has, just let me go see the old girl, tell her you’re here.” Tom put a beer each down in front of them and disappeared into the kitchen.

“Looks like a busy night.” Xander said, taking in the variety of demons and humans sprinkled around the room.

“Yeah, that it is mate. You stay with me yeah? Don’t go wandering off.”

Xander frowned at him and pulled away from his arm. “What am I twelve?”

“No, mate I know damn well you are far from it. But if I’m right, this really isn’t the safest place for you to be on your own. I don’t want you to get caught up in something if I’m not around to help you out.”

“Oh come on Spike, again with the crazy?” When Xander saw the genuine concern on Spike’s face he relented. “Fine, you can shadow me everywhere until we find out that I’m right. I can make that sacrifice.” He grinned at Spike and got an exasperated sigh back.

“As you well should,” Spike put his arm back around Xander and kissed him. Xander had just pulled him closer by the waist of his jeans when they were interrupted.

“Well William I see you didn’t make an even bigger arse of yourself yesterday.” Rose came out from behind the bar and hugged Xander. “Hello chooky, did he apologise for being such a gormless twit?”

“Yes he certainly did, although not in as many words,” Xander told her with a grin.

“Good!” she patted his back.  “Daft sod should never have gone.”

“Oi! Enough with the insults woman.”

“Oh stop whining William and give me a hug. You’re lucky he took you back you silly boy.” Rose grabbed Spike around the shoulders and pulled him to her.

“Hey! Get your dead hands off my wife.” Tom laughed as he came back from the kitchen carrying two plates of food. “On second thoughts, grab away, she needs refuellin’, does my Rosie.” Tom put the food down on the bar and winked at Xander.

Spike stepped back with a smirk and held up his hands. “Not my job mate.”

Rose huffed at Tom and picked up the plates. “Come on Xander, we’ll get you a nice table out of the way. From what I’ve seen, you two need it, we don’t run that kind of establishment you know.”

Xander was about to protest when he saw the teasing glint in her eye. He followed her to the booth in an out of the way corner and looked around for Spike. Still talking to Tom. Xander thanked Rose and began to eat, too hungry to wait for Spike.

 

“So everythin’ worked out okay for you two?”

“So far Tom. Another set of demons went for him tonight. Caught a whiff of him and bypassed me completely. Don’t know what’s going on mate.” Spike frowned and shook his head.

“Told you, Spike. You’re gonna have to keep an eye on that one. Bilarl was in again last night nosin’ around. Now he’s a nice fella and all and I won’t bar him from the pub, so you need to watch your boy.”

“He thinks its nothing. Says it’s just misfortune. I don’t know Tom, he says I’m crazy thinking there’s something to it. What do you think?”

“Well I don’t know him at all really; he seems like a top bloke though. Me and Rosie are right fond of the little fella.  The other demons seem to be too. Now whether there’s more to it I can’t say. You’ll have to keep your peepers open and work that one out.”

“Bloody hell.” Spike sighed. “I guess I just keep fighting them off till we have some information either  way then.”

“If me or the old girl think of anythin’, we’ll let you know.”

Spike picked up their beer and nodded his thanks to Tom.

 

Xander had watched Spike and Tom’s exchange from across the room. He was too far away to pick up the words and could only hear a mumbling over the background sounds. He could tell from their faces though that it was something serious. When Spike sat down Xander pounced.

“What was that about? You didn’t look too happy, is something wrong?”

Spike considered lying to him but then reasoned with himself. If telling him that Tom had similar concerns made him more cautious and more open to the idea that something else was at work, then it could help Spike’s cause.

“He says Bill has been looking for you. He also says the other demons seem to fancy you a bit more than they should. Funny. I remember someone else telling you that a couple of hours ago.” Spike ate a forkful of his food.

“You’ve managed to convince Tom of this too now?”

“No Harris, it was Tom who raised it on Friday night. Since then, with everything that’s happened, I tend to agree with him.”

“Well I don’t, but I told you I would be careful and I meant that. Now, on the subject of conspiracy theory versus Hellmouth unpredictability I guess we have to agree to disagree on this, unless you want to fight about it. I don’t though.”

“No Harris, I’m not gonna fight with you. I can think of much better things to do with you, even though you piss me off no end over this.”

“I piss you off? Gee, I had no idea.”

“Shut up and eat your food, git.” He leered at Xander. “You’ve got better things to do.”

Xander ate quickly then jumped up and took the empty plates back to the bar, Spike following with the beer glasses.

 

“Oh you boys go right on through to the kitchen. Rosie wants to give that fella there the once over.” Tom lifted the partition in the bar and waved them through.

Xander impatiently hurried Spike through in front of him. “Come on, come on, places to be, vampires to do.”

Xander took the glasses off Spike and dropped them in the sink.

“Chooky you can look after those while I see to this one.”

“No problem,” he said happily and went to the sink to wash their plates.

 Rose turned back to Spike. “Right you, get it off, I want to see my handiwork.”

Spike peeled of his duster and Tshirt and stood still while Rose looked him over. “Oh, very good. Just the tiniest bit of scarring there but even that’s hard to see.”

He kissed her cheek. “You’re bloody brilliant Rose, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Rose blushed and handed him back his shirt. “Here get this back on before Tom comes back, I’ve had enough of his jokes tonight.”

Spike dressed and Xander finished cleaning up their plates. On the way out Xander stopped and paid Tom for the blood delivery, assuring him it was arriving as ordered. Spike frowned a little as the money changed hands but said nothing.

With a final thanks and promises of another meal soon, they headed back out to the car.

 

Xander had just beeped the car open when a voice called to him from across the street.

“Xander, hi!” Bilarl waved from the other sidewalk and crossed the road at a jog.

“Ah, Bilarl. Um, hi. Spike you remember Bilarl right?”

Spike let out a low growl and positioned himself beside Xander. He wrapped both arms around Xander’s waist and held him tight, his yellow eyes flashing from within a vamped-out face.

“Woah, easy there master. I was just saying hey.” Bilarl backed away with his hands up. “I get it; he’s not on the market. Shame though-”

“Billy!” The short sharp sound came from outside the door of the Lion. Tom stood there with a trash bag in one hand, the other beckoning the demon. “Come here lad.”

“Oh shit, Xander tell him I wasn’t doing anything, he’ll rip my arms off if he thinks I was hitting on you.”

Xander looked from Spike to Bilarl to Tom. It was true, he had only said hello, no harm done. “It’s okay Tom, Bill was just saying hi. We’re going now anyway,” he called back down the street.

“Thanks Xander,” he said, warily edging around Spike. “Um, see you later then.”

At Spike’s louder growl Bilarl high-tailed it down to the Lion. Xander heard Tom’s voice echo up to them.

“Serves you right you dozy blighter, messing with a master’s boy. Lucky he didn’t bite you.” Tom led Bilarl inside.

 

 

 “Game face for Bilarl, Spike? Was that necessary?”

Spike shook his head, looking at Xander from his regular blue eyes, but not letting him go. “Course it was Harris. Bilarl there is a demon, he needed to know that you aren’t up for grabs. My demon made sure he got that.”

Xander snorted, “Well I think you got that message across loud and clear.”

“Right then, one more message to send and we’re off.” Spike turned Xander around and slid his hands over his back and down to cup his ass.

“Oh I got that message long ago,” Xander laughed, kissing him. “Let’s get going; there’re more comfortable places than this.” They climbed into his car and Xander drove them back to his apartment, battling against wandering hands to keep his focus on the road.

 

 

Xander got up with his alarm the next morning and promptly tripped over the pants and boots strewn across the bedroom floor. Last night, they had been in a hurry, and he remembered there would be more coats and shirts thrown about the living room. Showered, shaved and dressed he headed off to work, leaving Spike to sleep.

It was a normal start to the day for Xander; high-cholesterol breakfast, reports and proposals. He worked steadily until just before lunch when a phone call came through.

“Mr Harris, a Ms Maclay on line two for you.”

He punched the button and transferred the call. “Hey Tara, what’s up?”

“Oh Xander, sorry to bother you at work but I was wondering if I could see you today. Maybe in your lunch break?”

“Well I’ve been a pretty popular guy for lunch dates this week and its only Wednesday. Sure, I’ll be free in about an hour, is that okay?”

“That would be great, I’ll bring you a sandwich. Oh and Xander, I’m bringing my mentor with me, she wants to meet you.”

“Umm, sure, ok. See you later.” He hung up the phone and tapped his pen on the desk. So not just as simple as asking the mentor, the mentor wanted to see for herself. Pushing it to the back of his mind, Xander again focused on his work until there was  knock at the door to tell him Tara had arrived. He grabbed his jacket and headed to the outer office.

Tara was standing there with a small, dark-haired woman. “Hi Xan. Um Xander Harris this is my mentor, Professor Maria Williams.”

The woman smiled and shook his proffered hand. “Good to meet you Mr Harris.”

“Oh Xander, please. Let’s go outside, there’s a tree with my name on it.” Xander picked up a ground sheet on the way out and spread it over the grass under the tree.

“So,” he said when they were all seated. “Why do I deserve the special visit?”

“Xander, I asked Maria about the odd colours I saw last night. She wanted to check herself, just in case I had seen it wrong.”

“Oh, ok, well what can you see?” he asked Maria.

“Nothing yet, I haven’t looked. I wouldn’t do that without your permission first. It would be quite ill-mannered,” she said with a frown.

“So you don’t just see this stuff all the time?”

“No Xan, you have to concentrate on it. It takes a bit of effort so you can’t just walk around looking at everyone’s colours. Besides, like Maria said, it’s a bit rude to just invade someone’s energies like that.”

“Well, ok, you have my permission to peek.”

Maria smiled and settled herself comfortably in front of Xander. “Thankyou Xander. Just relax.”

Xander watched as Maria’s eyes slipped out of focus and she gazed into the air around him. “Yes I see, the turquoise is strong isn’t it?” A small expression of surprise flitted over Maria’s face and then was gone. “Right Tara I can see the colours you mean. Of course you wouldn’t have been able to make anything of that. It’s not very common at all.”

Xander looked from Tara to Maria. “So what is it then? Do you know?”

“Oh yes Xander I do know. It’s magic. It’s the signature of a spell.”

TBC