Lycanthrope, Vampirism, and Magick

Lycanthrope, Vampirism and Magick Chapter Sixteen

Angel pushed the hair out of Xander’s face and used his fingers to trace his lips. Spike had told him what happened. Xander had nearly died saving someone who was pissed at him. He shook his head. The pup really was a white knight.

“He’ll be okay Sire.”

“I know Spike, but I can’t help but feel guilty. If I had been here he wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

“Bollocks. They came prepared with silver nitrate. We’re just lucky they didn’t anticipate the light witch using her powers to sparkle it out of him.”

“What are they doing now?”

Spike left the doorway he had been propping up and came to sit by Angel on the bed. “They’re in the lobby. Getting ready to paint horrible pictures on the floor with smelly potions or some such thing. I asked Phoebe if I could scribble ‘Spike was here’ but all I got was a glare. How is he?”

They had moved Xander to a separate room when the two babies had shown signs of waking up and demanding to be fed. Everyone was on edge, getting ready for the spell while still trying to keep watch for an attack. Angel had been keeping an eye on the front of the hotel from the window but had rushed to the bed when Xander had stirred.

“Better I think. He was moaning in his sleep just a bit ago.”

“How do you know he’s better then Pillock? He could be hurting.”

Angel gave a low chuckle. “Believe me Spike, it was a good kind of moan.”

Spike leered at him. “Pick up any pointers Sire? For all that he’s young the pup sure is enthusiastic.”

“Stop it. I’m not talking sex with you while he’s sick or when we could be attacked.” He left Spike and Xander in the bed and went back to his post by the window. False dawn was starting to lighten up the sky and soon he’d have to go down to the lobby to keep watch to keep from being dusted by the morning light.

“I don’t know about you Peaches, but I sure as hell hoping this works. Then those lawyers will all be out of our hair and maybe things will calm down in LA. We can take a week off and spend it getting to know Xan better.”

Angel looked over to the bed to find that Spike had slid up to sit at the head of the bed with his legs stretched out in front of him. Xander’s head was now resting on Spike’s shoulder and his Childe was rubbing the wolf’s back in circles.

It made for a cute picture, something that made Angel smile.

“What the hell are you smirking at?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing my arse, you’re smirking. What?”

“Nothing, really. Just thinking how cute the two of you are together all cuddled up like that.”

Spike spluttered and looked pissed but didn’t stop petting on Xander. “Cute? I think not! Vampire here, we don’t do cute.”

Spike was pouting, which only made him cuter and Angel gave him a look. “You’re cute. Get over it.”

“You’re both cute but if you don’t shut the hell up I’m peeing in your shoes as soon as I can stand up and shift.”

“Xander!” Spike was immediately helping Xander to sit up as Angel once again walked over from the window.

“How are you feeling pet?”

“Like I’ve been run over by a whole caravan of mack trucks, and I have a nasty taste in my mouth. It was silver wasn’t it? Damn I hate that fucking stuff. I take it we’re not dead since you two are in here with me. Unless I’ve been really good and this is heaven.”

“Don’t think it’s heaven pup, for one, me and the poof here probably still wouldn’t get in, for another I doubt you’d hurt in heaven. No Xan, you’re still alive.” Spike’s voice contained laughter and Angel couldn’t help but silently agree with it. If Xander was awake enough for a half-babble and a snark he was going to be okay.

“Oh goodie. I’d hate to die and not notice.”

“We’ll be sure to send you a memo if and when it actually happens then.” Angel replied dryly.

“Thanks Angel. Gods I hurt. What happened?”

“Long story or short?”

“Short please, Angel. My head can’t take a lecture.”

“You got hit by silver nitrate and Spike and the others killed all the bad guys and healed you. We managed to kidnap Eve and kill all the bad guys that were chasing us but more are coming and all the magic people are downstairs working to bind Wolfram & Hart from ever doing evil again. At least the people of this branch of Wolfram & Hart. Hopefully we can do it before all their forces decide to visit us personally and express their displeasure.”

Xander tried to laugh and ended up coughing while Spike pounded on his back. “Ow! Stop that, it’s not helping!” He sat still for a moment and caught his breath. “’Express their displeasure’, Angel you have a weird way of looking at things. In other words we’re about to get our collective asses kicked, yet you two are both up here babying me.”

Angel found himself looking guiltily at Spike and Spike was looking at the floor. “Umm, we were keeping watch from the windows. Well I was. Spike was downstairs, until just now.” Spike didn’t say anything but he gave Xander the hurt puppy look that had always made Angelus cave and do anything his boy wanted. Evidently it worked on Xander as well as it did on Angel.

“Okay. Come on, I wanna see these bastards get on the express train to hell.”

“Umm, Xander don’t get me wrong, but shouldn’t you be resting?” Angel tried to make it a request, whereas he could tell Spike was going to just order Xander to stay in bed. He really didn’t think that would work.”

“No way!! You haven’t seen it when Paige really gets going on her potions and vanquishes someone. They go poof real good and parts get splattered all over!! I promise to be good and sit still. Well unless someone tries to kill me again.” Xander turned his own version of a pout on his lovers and with a sigh Angel nodded. He didn’t think it was a good idea. Plus Piper would no doubt fuss at him.

Spike however looked excited. Probably at the thought of flying entrails or something. “Right then, need help getting up or can you shift your own arse?”

“Umm, I think I can get it.” Xander started to throw back the covers on the bed and then stopped, his eyes wide open. “Guys? Just how many people saw me completely naked last night?


*****

Xander sneezed for the fifteenth time and glared at Paige. “What the fuck is that stuff anyway?”

She looked over from where she was working with one of two mortal and pestles. “Well this is a mixture of cinquefoil and mustard and I’ve added some red pepper to speed the powder along. It’s supposed to spread confusion. Then I’ll be doing a protection and binding powder, but I’ll need to do a spell with that so I’ll go somewhere quiet where I can do that.”

Xander looked around the busy lobby. Piper and Leo were fussing over Chris and Wyatt while Lorne was talking to Gunn. Wesley and Fred, of all people, were working with the weapons. Willow and Giles were making a run to various magic shops for more supplies and everyone else was keeping watch from different areas of the hotel. He’d been fussed at for coming downstairs while he was still hurt and then pressed into working on the binding spell with the witches.

“Good idea, while you’re at it see if you can do a spell to keep my hand from cramping.”

“Quit whining you big puppy! It’s not like I’m having fun writing out all these names either!” Phoebe’s voice was teasing, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

He returned the gesture. “Tell me why we’re writing all these names down again?”

“Because we’re working to bind Wolfram & Hart, and not just Eve. She’s just the focus for the spell. So therefore we need to have the names off all the employees at Wolfram & Hart listed for the spell so we can bind them all.”

Xander groaned as the eldest sister sat down beside him, Wyatt in her lap. “I get that, really I do, but damn this will take forever. I didn’t think there was this many people in one office building.”

Piper laughed and started to write names out on the giant piece of parchment herself. “It’s not just the LA branch of Wolfram & Hart, that’s why. We’re binding everyone who works for them. Everywhere.”

Xander felt his jaw drop as he looked at the three sisters. “Wow. You really don’t fool around, do you?”

“Not when it comes to my family.” Piper definitely reminded him of a mother bear just then, one all growling and ready to rip out someone’s lungs for bothering her cubs.

“Okay, check. Bothering the babies pisses you off.”

Paige reached over and smacked him on the head. “It’s not just the babies you big dummy! You too! They did their best to kill you.”

Phoebe nodded. “And if it wasn’t for Piper blowing up part of the building where there were snipers placed last night they would have gotten Gunn. I can’t let him die, he’s the first guy that isn’t evil and not phased by the whole demon-hunting thing I’ve met that’s straight! It’s like…letting the bad guys kill the off something on the endangered species list! Here I thought I’d never find a guy that could get all of me and they try to shoot him!”

Xander laughed and watched at Paige made faces at her sister. “Sure, go ahead and brag that I’m the only one who hasn’t gotten a honey out of this trip.”

“Hey I only took one guy!! Xander’s the one being all selfish, he’s hogging two!”

Xander just blushed and shrugged. The time passed quickly, one name following another on the papers, with Piper adding strange symbols here and there in-between them. It was oddly comforting in a way, reminding him of past years when the Scoobies would gather around and research. Lorne had joined them in their efforts, then Fred and Gunn. Despite the fact that everyone was obviously on edge from looking over their shoulders it was a nice feeling, to be part of a big group again. Familyish. If there was such a word.

They had nearly finished the writing all the names when the doors to the lobby flew open and Giles and Willow rushed in. They were both carrying large bags and were out of breath, but surprisingly Giles was the first to recover.

“I’m afraid we don’t have much time, we had to fight a few Nostious demons off. They were watching a few blocks away.”

Willow nodded, her normally fair face seemed even paler and there were dark circles around her eyes. “It looks like there’s going to be a storm too, lots of dark clouds gathering and everything.”

“Great, just great. I hate LA. Did you manage to get more candles and crystals?” They were all working frantically to get the last of the thousands of names written and Piper got up to help Willow and Giles with the items in the bag.

The redhead nodded. “But we’ve got to hurry!”

“Right. Paige, finish the potions, Phoebe go get Eve, I locked her in a closet on the second floor. The three of us will draw the circle and set out the crystals.” Piper handed Wyatt to Lorne. “Take him and Chris into the back room.”

As the oldest Halliwell sister was giving out orders, Spike, Angel and the two slayers came from different directions of the hotel. Xander stood up, giving his stack of papers to Wesley who was gathering them all up. “What do you need me to do?”

Paige looked over at him. “Are you feeling up to shifting yet?” Xander nodded. “Do it, all the way Xan.”

Xander did as he was told, and yelped in pain. He turned and growled at Paige.

“What? I needed the fur of a black dog, I figure the fur from a black werewolf will be three times as powerful.” The youngest of the Halliwells held a large tuft of hair that she’d just pulled from his back in-between her fingers.

He growled again. When this was all over he was going find her favorite pair of dancing shoes and use them as a chew toy.