Lycanthrope, Vampirism, and Magick

Lycanthrope, Vampirism and Magick Chapter Eleven


“Let’s just everyone calm down. We’ve got more important things to think about than hurt feelings from five years ago. Somebody wants to use my children to re-open the Hellmouth and it’s not going to happen.”

Angel smiled at Piper. He had found himself liking Phoebe easily but now that he was getting to know the other two sisters he found he had the most in common with Piper. The woman would do anything to protect her family. He supposed she was part of his family now too, through Xander

When he saw Buffy not backing down he added his voice to the witch’s. “Sit down Buffy. We’re under siege almost, we don’t have time for this.”

Buffy gave him her own version of the evil eye, but he didn’t back down. He could see both sides of the argument, but as far as he was concerned he was backing Xander. Not just because they were lovers, but because the wolf had obviously made an attempt to make nice while Buffy tried to solve things with violence, as usual.

As a Slayer he knew she needed a shoot first ask questions later mentality, but if Xander had been human he could have been hurt. She had changed so much from the young girl she once was, she hardly laughed anymore. He wondered if it was dying that did it or the lack of having someone like Xander in her life.

Either way he could tell from the look in the young man’s eyes that it would take a lot for them to ever repair what was now broken. While the wolf was holding both Paige and Spike’s hands to keep calm, he was straining away from the witch, wanting to attack. Spike didn’t look much better; his Childe had always protected the ones he loved with a fierce devotion.

Buffy would have to watch her step very closely.

“Here’s what’s happening.” He took the time to explain what had happened both in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The stolen artifacts, the demons trying to take the children, Xander’s and Phoebe’s escape, all of it.

“You came by Sunnydale and you didn’t stop to ask us for help? We would have helped you Xander, you know that, you didn’t have to come to Angel.” Willow, looking all sad and betrayed by Xander’s decision. Surprisingly it was Wesley that came to his defense.

“Really I would think that taking two children to the very place the enemy wants them is a bad idea. Especially since Phoebe does not have an active power like her sisters.”

“That’s what we figured when Phoebe and Xander planned their route. Leo and I figured the further away the safer they’d be.”

“Oh and everyone listens to you? Are you their sister or their mother?”

Angel looked at the young slayer in disbelief. Did Kennedy have that much of a death wish to mess with Piper? He found himself growling at the girl and he wasn’t the only one. Voices were getting angry again and the babies in the room started crying. Angel found himself wishing he’d never called Giles, and the man looked pained to be there.

A shrill whistle came from one side of the room, and everyone stopped. Lorne, Fred and Phoebe were waving at everyone to settle down but it was Fred that spoke for that little group.

“Why don’t we let everyone get settled in to their rooms and get some rest and we…we can have an early supper. I think everyone will feel more comfortable later on and then we can decide what to do.”

“Good idea Fred, I can tell Wyatt and Chris need a nap.” Piper turned to him, completely ignoring Giles. “Who among your bunch eats the most?”

“That would be Fred.” He chuckled at the look on the woman’s face.

“That little thing? Oh that is so not fair.” The oldest witch shook her head and laughed.

“What?”

“Just thinking that you’re gonna have cow at the sight of a food bill no matter what we do. Xander eats enough for four people during the full moon, something to do with metabolism. I’ll send Paige with Fred and hopefully there’ll be enough for the rest of us.”

It was a good think that Spike had convinced him to use some of the money he’d made as Angelus, the hotel was looking better with the repairs and now he’d need it to feed the extra mouths. Angel turned to Giles aser wer went to supervise the food.

“What do you think?”

“I’m not sure to tell the truth. I agree with Buffy that Xander should not have walked away quite so easily but I can understand his hesitance. He did grow up quite nicely didn’t he?”

Angel suppressed a growl as he watched the man turn to him and polish his glasses. He’d noticed the way the Watcher had looked at Xander. Spike evidently had noticed too, now that Paige had left them alone he was working on taking the wolf’s tonsils out. Spike always was possessive. Not that he was any better.

“I meat about the situation, you know the little problem of Wolfram and Hart trying to take over the world?” He tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, really he did.

“Oh! That, well yes that is going to be a problem. I think there may be something of use in the books I brought at Wesley’s request. I’ll…” Giles had turned to look for something and had gotten an eyeful of Xander and Spike playing on the couch, and at Buffy headed towards Angel with a look of disgust on her face. “I’ll just go unpack shall I, and look for what we’ll need.”

“Coward.” He watched at the older man all but ran up the stairs. Angel had faced many things, but a seriously pissed off Buffy was rather frightening. He didn’t blame the Watcher for retreating; he wished he could run himself. Buffy was relentless though, better to face her first thing.

“Angel! Are you just going to let those two…perverts do that on your sofa?”

“Why not? Spike lives here, and now Xander too. He’s staying here in L.A. with us once this is all over.”

“But it’s Xander and Spike!”

“So? They’re kind of cute together don’t you think? Besides it’s not as if you’re still dating Spike.”

“What Spike and I did falls more under the category of metal institution than dating, and Xander wasn’t gay after Graduation. Must be a werewolf thing.” Her nose was crinkled up in an expression he was sure she practiced. He was not going to be the one who brought up the different pheromones he’s scented off the wolf when he was a boy.

“What do you want Buffy? I’m sure you aren’t here to talk about werewolf mating practices.”

“Can we talk somewhere more private Angel?”

He led her to the other side of the lobby, private but he knew his boys could hear them. He had to stifle a chuckle at the thought of calling Spike and Xander his boys, neither man would appreciate it but since he was the eldest that was how he thought of them.

“Yes Buffy?”

She looked uncomfortable yet excited and her scent was of lust and anger. He felt like banging his head against something hard, preferably wood. He could almost hear the temper tantrum that was about to happen.

“It’s like this Angel, I’ve done a lot of growing up and training of new slayers and all since we last talked. I…I told Dawn I’d be taking a vacation after this and I know you still have the curse thing going I was wondering if you’d like to come with us now that you’ve gotten over the death of Connor.”

He felt a pang of anger. How dare this child say he was over the loss of his beautiful baby boy! He might be dealing better with it thanks mostly to Spike and then Xander, but losing a child was not something he could just get over.

“I’m not over it Buffy, I lost my child, I’ll never be over it. It was my fault, I should have done something different or…”

As he started to feel overwhelmed with grief a large dark colored wolf padded through to where they sat and lay down at his feet giving him puppy dog eyes. Xander. He smiled and reached down to rub the scruff of the wolf’s neck. Buffy didn’t seem to realize who it was and kept talking.

“I know that, I still miss Mom. I just thought, well I thought that maybe we could try again. We aren’t the same people we were years ago. What we had, what little time we had it was good, don’t you want that again?”

He looked at her and remembered the golden sixteen-year-old he had fell in love with. She had been so full of laugher and light. Now, that light was dimmed by time and experience. Still he found he could answer her honestly.

“What we had was good, yes, but it wasn’t right. I think we both know that. Besides I have my family here, Spike and Xander, Fred and Wes. I can’t give them up. I won’t.”

“So the dogface boy is family now? Since when?”

He felt Xander tense under his fingers and made sure to scratch him under his chin. Phoebe had been quite open about how Xander was like a big puppy in his wolf form as long as no one threatened his pack.

“He’s one of us Buffy. If it wasn’t for Spike and now Xander I don’t know what I would do.”

“Spike? Helped you? He’s always hated you. Wait a minute you mean…?”

“Yes, they’re mine and I’m theirs. Simple really. I probably would have walked into the sun if it hadn’t been for Spike and I’ve, we’ve laughed more than we have in years since Xander came. It’s like I’ve found something that I’ve lost.”

Her lips were thinned in anger and she all but radiated hate. “And what about your soul?”

“I’ll never have a moment of pure happiness again, not with Connor dead.”


“So you jumped Spike and Xander?”

“I’ve always loved Spike, maybe not always in the same way but love none the less. We just can’t be together with just us that well; we’re too much alike. Xander helps keeps us balanced. It’s like a stool with three legs, without the third it will fall over because there isn’t enough support.”

“You loved Spike when you were with me?”

“He’s my de Bde Buffy. Drusilla may have turned him but I’m the one that raised him. We may argue and even try to kill each other at times but that would never change that. You can love more than one person Buffy, especially if the other two both love you unconditionally.”

“I loved you like that once, and I can again if you’ll just let me.” She looked so sad and confused, it hurt to see but he wasn’t going to lie to her just to make her feel better.

“No Buffy, it always bothered you when I showed my true face, or reminded you that I was a vampire. This is what I am.” His face rippled and he bared his fangs and Buffy jumped back, just a little.

“I could get used to it, for you Angel.”


He nudged Xander and stood up, bent over and kissed Buffy on the cheek. A kiss goodbye.

“You shouldn’t have to Buffy, you should find someone you love without having to get used to who they are. He’s out there for you somewhere, you just have to open your heart and look.”

He turned and walked away, waiting for Xander a moment as he turned to look at the woman who they had both loved at one point in time, before joining Spike and going upstairs.

****

Xander was quite happily stuffing his face from the buffet that Fred and Paige had put together. The two women couldn’t decide what to get so they got a little bit of everything. Pizza, tacos, chow mien, hamburgers. It was a take-out food junkie’s dream.

“Wow, you eat almost as bad as I do. Charles and Wesley always tease me about how much I eat, but when you’re stuck in a hell dimension with no Taco Bell you appreciate the finer things in life.”

Xander stuffed the end of an egg roll into his face and swallowed before laughing. “Man you must be one fierce woman. Surviving in hell with no McDonald’s? Wow, I think you’re my new hero Fred!”

The others laughed and Wesley picked up Fred’s hand and kissed it like he was a knight and she was his lady. “I think you’ll find our Fred has many wonderful qualities.”

Xander grinned at the woman’s blush. He was sitting and eating with the Hyperion people, they were his pack now that he was with Spike and Angel. Fred was really fun to be around, she could babble more than him in high school even. And Wesley was a great guy now that he had that Watcher pole out of his ass.


Of course Gunn was sitting with Phoebe and her sisters and Leo getting grilled. It was fun watching the big man squirm under the family’s questions. Still he knew about demons, and wasn’t the Source of all Evil, so Xander knew the man would pass the Halliwell test. The Sunnydale people, except for Buffy, were sticking together on the other side of the room.

“I still think it’s interesting how you have to eat so much during the full moon Xander. It’s probably because changing forms burns more calories and the moon gives you more energy. Maybe after all this is over I could do a few tests?” By the end of Fred’s sentence he could tell she was mainly talking to herself.

“Hey as long as you don’t treat me like a giant guinea pig I might let you Fred. Just don’t count on me sitting still for too long, I hate doctors and tests like that.” He noticed Spike slip into the room and excused himself. Angel had left to meet a contact and Spike had stayed behind to let Xander get to know the others.

He slipped his arms around the vampire’s waist. “Well?”

“You were right Pup. She slipped into our room and tried talking to me. I get the feeling she genuinely wanted Angel though, and she was only coming on to me to hurt you two.”

Xander kissed Spike on his neck and let him lean on him. He knew he would hate it if someone used him like Buffy kept on using Spike and he wanted to make sure the vampire knew he was loved. He pulled him ithe the lobby, pushed him down and sat on his lap.

“I’m sorry Spike, but you didn’t see the look on her face. It was all jealousy and hatred. More for me than for you I think. She wants to take you away from us thinking that without you Angel and me wouldn’t stay together.”

“It won’t work.” Xander looked up and there was Angel back from his visit. He could see the thunderclouds brewing in the dark vampire’s eyes. Xander reached up and pulled him onto the couch with Spike, moving around so he was sitting on both their laps. It was uncomfortable but they needed it.

“Nope it won’t. We belong to each other now and Buffy, Willow, the Gang here will have to get used to it.”

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying being together. Xander had never felt more like he was at home in all of his years. He hated the fact that Willow was avoiding him, but that wasn’t something he could change easily. Maybe before she went back to Sunnydale he’d try to talk to her but his mates needed him right now.

“The hotel is being watched, I think they know the Halliwells’ are here.”

Xander looked at Angel and he had that blank look that meant he was over controlling his emotions. The vampire was pissed, either at Wolfram and Hart or Buffy. As long as it wasn’t him or Spike he didn’t care.

“Not surprising, it’s like they’ve got someone that can track their magical essence or something, it’s creepy. We’ll probably be attack later on tonight.”

“The sun’s going to set soon, we’d better get to work.”

They moved back into the dining room, and Xander noticed that Buffy had sat down with Willow and Kennedy while Giles had moved to talk to Wesley. Everyone was there except Lorne and he was watching the boys. He was glad the three Halliwell women were giving the demon a chance.

“Listen up boys and girls, Peaches here saw that the hotel’s being watched and we’re gonna have visitors sometime tonight most likely. We need to figure out a plan of attack.”

He stood flanking Angel on one side while Spike was on the other. He loved the sound of Spike’s voice, and he loved the look on Angel’s face every time the blonde vampire called him Peaches. He was so glad he’d swallowed his pride and come here; he couldn’t imagine life without these two men in it.

“I do believe that with Phoebe’s help we managed to sufficiently ward the hotel, although
Mr. Giles Ms. Ms. Rosenberg are quite welcome to add any protections they can devise. I opened them long enough for the Sunnydale people to be brought in, but other than that no one should be able to gain entry. If anyone dares, well I daresay with the Charmed Ones, two slayers, two vampires, a werewolf and the rest of this motley crew we’ll be more than able to defend the two children. I would suggest that at least three people guard them though, just in case.”

“No problem there Wes, I usually guard them when something’s going on.” Xander spoke up. He knew he could con Spike at least into keeping him company, maybe Angel too. He’d never had the chance to play with Conner when he was Wyatt’s age, toddlers were so much fun.

“That’s right, you’re Uncle Fluffy aren’t you Pup?”

“Watch it Blondie, before you become Uncle Fang!” Xander turned to stare at first Spike and then Angel, both of which were laughing. “You either mister, or should I say Uncle Mousse?”

The room started to descend into chaos again, before Wesley raised his voice.

“I do believe that starting tomorrow we should plan out a frontal assault on one of Wolfram and Hart’s smaller offices and find what information about the ritual we can. They still need certain items, perhaps with the added magickal firepower we’ll be able to intercept their next attempt.”

“We can also look in the Book of Shadows, maybe there’s something in there that will permanently seal the Hellmouth. We can do that tonight after we attempt to heal Sleeping Beauty upstairs.”

“Paige I swear to god I don’t know anyone who likes to research more than you do. It’s not natural, I’m telling you.” Xander shook his head and laughed at his friend. She took her job as a witch seriously. Well, most of the time. He seemed to remember Phoebe telling him about a spell that gave the youngest witch Mr. Right for a boyfriend.

“Aren’t you all forgetting something?” Kennedy. What Willow saw in the bossy girl he’d never know. “It’s almost moonrise and Mr. Hyde there isn’t chained up. Shouldn’t you be getting locked up or something?”

“Umm, hello? What part of ‘I’m in control of my beast’ did you not get?”

This time it was Buffy that spoke up, and he knew it had been a set up between the two slayers at least; he really didn’t want to think Wills was in on this.

“That’s what Oz said before he tried to hurt T I I don’t think we should trust that you could control. Willow we’ll need some chains.”

He watched in horror as the girl he’d been best friends with for years and stole Barbie’s from conjured up a set of heavy manacles. He found himself shaking, and almost jumped when Angel put a hand on his shoulder. He whined low in his throat. He hadn’t had a chance to talk about this to Angel and Spike; they didn’t know how claustrophobic he could be.

He watched as the two slayers moved to pin him in, to chain him. Spike jumped in front of him in game face and Angel wrapped him up, trying to comfort him. Still he couldn’t help but panic, he remembered what it was like to be chained and not be free. Not be able to move and run.

“Chains!” Paige’s hands glowed white and the chains that were in Buffy’s hands were now in hers. The blonde slayer made a move to take them from her and Piper made a move with her hands, freezing both slayers in their tracks.

Phoebe came over to where he was shaking in Angel’s arms and ran her fingers through his hair, trying to calm him.

“It’s okay honey, we won’t let them chain you up.” She looked up at Angel. “Why don’t you boys take him upstairs, we’ll deal with this.”

Less than five minuets later Xander was in the room he was sharing with the vampires at the far end of the hotel.

“Tell us Pup. You promised.” Spike’s arms squeezed around his middle comfortingly while Angel sat in front of him.

“It’s simple really. I was working as a roustabout in a carnival. The owner saw me change one night and a week later I woke up in silver chains. I tried getting away, but I finally had to kill him to get the keys. It was the first time I killed a human. I don’t like talking about it, or thinking about it, but I can’t stand being locked up in any way shape or form. I get nervous in a car with the fucking doors locked.”

Both vampires looked sad, but he could tell Spike understood. “Don’t worry Pup, we’ll protect you, and your three friends, they took care of the slayers right proper. Wonder if they can freeze them and we can change their clothes while they’re out? Buffy would look so good in a leather skirt with fishnets, like the trollop she acts like.”

Angel held his hand, offering support. “I hate to say it, but I think that it was Buffy’s way of getting back at us. We won’t let her near you Xander.”

“Thanks guys. I know you will; it’s just something I’ll have to work out. Moon’s about to set, let’s go up to the roof and watch?” It was so nice to be accepted, he cherished this feeling of safety.

They walked up to the roof, but Xander could feel the eyes on the back of his neck. Whether it was Buffy, one of the other Sunnydale people or Wolfram and Hart he wasn’t sure, but it didn’t give him a good feeling.