The Future Is What We Make

TITLE: The future is what we make
EMAIL: wmj166@yahoo.com
PAIRINGS: Multiple/X
RATING: NC-17
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any part of Buffy et all, not Angel the Series.
BETA'D BY: Kris and James

Chapter 10

Xander rested in the bed, feeling the warm weight of Jennes settle behind him. He closed his eyes when Lourdey eased into the bed and obligingly he lifted his head, allowing the Jaztar to take his favorite spot, before resting his head on Lourdey's warm stomach.

God he felt like a total fuckin’ idiot! Dumbass, he sneered at himself, blinking rapidly to avoid the tears threatening to fall, and he drew in a shuddering breath. Again and again, struggling for control.

For five years he kept telling himself that this Angel wasn't *his* Angel so don’t confuse the two. But what did he do? Oh noooooo…..Not Mr. I’m-Too-Smart-For-My-Own-Good! The first chance he got to recapture the love he shared with the vampire he took it.

“God, didn't I learn anything from the Faith incident,” he whispered savagely to himself. The first love of his life tried to strangle him and the second probably didn’t even want him.

Jennes and Lourdey exchanged worried looks and began crooning softly to ease Xander's distress. Not just for the sake of their children, but because he was their…friend. Something that all three Jaztars never expected to feel for a human. Friendship was not something that truly existed among their people, at least not the varied sort that bound humans so tightly together. The concept of friendship still had the power to boggle their minds even after all the movies their youngling forced them to watch, explaining what made this person or that person ‘friends’. And what a friend did for the sake of friendship.

Lourdey continued to slowly stroke their little father's hair gently as Taryn entered the room. With electric temper snapping in the purple eyes before the other forcefully calmed himself. And Lourdey’s lips quirked in a half-smile of shared amusement with Jennes.

The youngling’s initial presence in their lives had come as a shock to say the least. While they were as closer than most Jaztar, still no other among their people would imagine becoming this impossibly entangled in another’s life, to allow himself to show weakness and vulnerability before a Warrior. Lourdey mused silently as he carded his fingers through silken locks, but Xander’s arrival changed them…changed the way they regarded each other. The boy changed them profoundly.

When Xander first began contacting them years ago, they had each consigned the letters to the trash bin, where they belonged. But fortunately, Jennes was as curious as the cats that humans seemed to love. It was he that had shamed them into reading the next missive that arrived the following week in their human homes.

Taryn, of course, had almost lost control when he had first read his letter. And that still had the power to make Lourdey smile as he remembered the look of congested rage that had darken the other’s face. The ebony-haired warrior hand was trembling in fury at the ‘unmitigated gall of the human’ that dared to contact them. However, Jennes was one of the rare Jaztars that found enjoyment in the oddest things and had dared to show his amusement which helped to Taryn to regain control somewhat. However, even the silver-haired Jaztar knew better than to test Taryn’s shaky restraints and had carefully concealed his laughter. At least, until Taryn had left, whereupon he collapsed to the floor in a manic fit of uproarious laughter, tears running from his vivid green eyes.

But they continued to read each letter in morbid curiosity. And although Taryn refused to read any of his letters, however, it was very convenient how the ebony-haired warrior always managed to show up when the letters arrived.

It had honestly scared Lourdey that whoever this Xander was, he KNEW them, because both his and Jennes letters always included some mention of Taryn as if the sender somehow knew that the most fierce of the three would not read his letters.

Surprisingly enough though it was Taryn that was the first to get an e-mail account and he sent a Xander a blistering e-mail. Threatening him with all sorts of bodily harm if the other didn’t stop sending him letters….immediately.

And when his letters stopped, Taryn became annoyingly superior, claiming that they were fools for continuing to read the letters and reply to the e-mails. However, it took about a month of silence from Xander to make Taryn cave in because not only did the letters stop but also the e-mails.

Not content with that, Xander even took it a step further.

At first T was was smugly please, as he continued to come over to their now weekly visits at Jennes’ home. Then growing puzzlement, followed by anger and annoyance set in as letters were read but he was neither referred nor inferred to by any means. Taryn would leave the house seemingly unmoved, but Lourdey saw the growing look of discontentment in the other’s purplish eyes.

Lourdey smiled as he recalled the extra letter that would often arrive at his home. The words were flat, the language simple yet there was almost a wistful quality to the tone of the letter, as if the sender was tired or lost. Looking for someone or something to belong too.

And perhaps that was when he began to believe that what Xander told them was the truth. Those letters *spoke * to him as only someone that truly knew him could do so. Maybe that was when he came to care deeply for the author of such poignant letters.

A human at that!

How his people would have howled at the thought. And he had been so shocked and horrified at his untypical Jaztar feelings of caring that he had stopped communicating for several days. He ignored the e-mails building on his computer as he tried to deny his unJaztar emotion. But he was a Jazter Warrior and he had never ran before a fight, not did he intend to start at this time. Fear or not, Jaztars confronted what they feared, standing proudly…no matter the cost, no matter the price. And should they lose their lives…so be it. But they did not run!

And he was grateful that he re-opened the dialogue with the unseen author each day.

Lourdey’s slanted a look of black-eyed amusement at Taryn. The ebony-haired warrior’s ‘grumpiness’ during the month of silence still made him smile. Although, the other would vehemently deny such an assertion, perhaps even with a knife in one hand and a sword in the other.

He and Jennes still enjoyed teasing the other about his ill-temper during his silent time in exile, and Lourdey chuckled out loud.

Teasing! An almost unheard of concept once a Jaztar was past 90 years of age to indulge in.

“What are you laughing about?” Taryn asked warily. He had a feeling that the other was finding amusement at his expense.

“I was just remembering when Xander first began talking with us,” Lourdey replied softly, combing back their youngling’s hair.

And despite his sadness, Xander couldn’t help but to smile also as Jennes buried his face in his shoulder, trying vainly to stifle his laughter.

“In other words, you were laughing at me,” Taryn muttered resignedly, secretly pleased to see their little father smile.

“You were so grouchy when Xander stopped talking to you,” Jennes remarked with a definite note of amusement in his voice.

“I was not!” Taryn was indignant. “I was just concerned that, perhaps, I had been a bit abrupt with you.” He caressed Xander's face gently.

“Abrupt?!” Xander twisted his head up to meet Taryn's purplish eyes. “Taryn, abrupt would have been you saying ‘Don’t contact me ever again!’ You threatened me with disembowelment, hacking off my body parts, feeding them to my children before pissing down my neck. If my Taryn hadn’t told me that he, that you would react like that, I can guarantee that after your little e-mail you wouldna heard a damn thing from me again.”

“Well, perhaps I could have rephrased my words a bit differently.” The ebony-haired warrior admitted with a slow smile. He briefly exchanged pleased looks with the other two Jaztars.

And he wondered for the millionth time when did Xander come to mean so much to them, to him?! The boy was troublesome, aggravating, constantly trying his nerves with snippy remarks…but he dreaded the day when Xander would leave them for the vampire. At last admitting what Jennes and Lourdey already knew, that he was in love with the youngling. Perhaps, they all were in love with him.

He had indeed become a ‘grouchy bear’ when Xander had ceased communicating with him.

Only him.

At first he was arrogantly satisfied that he had put the Xander individual in his place, that the other was no longer contacting him. However, he had come to view the little tidbits of information about him that Xander included in his letters to Lourdey and Jennes' with secret pleasure. But after his disastrous e-mail all mention of him came to an abrupt end.

He would go over to Jennes’ every week, listening to them read their letters about what their future selves had done and he would smile inwardly, agreeing with the majority of what Xander wrote about the others. And eagerly he would be anticipating what the author would say about him. But there was nothing. Not one single word was written about him and he was surprised at the disappointment he felt.

He would go home, check his e-mail, thinking Xander would send him something. But all he received were those meat byproduct messages.

And he only became grumpier at every little letter and e-mail the others received, coming to realize that if he wanted Xander to talk to him, he would need to be the one to re-open communication between them.

Thankfully Xander accepted his overtures, opening up more and more to him each week. And like Lourdey, he sensed the emotional loneliness in Xander’s words as if they, demons and unseen strangers, were the only ones he could connect to. While some of the emotions were unfamiliar, he still tried to reach out, always wondering why he cared.

He was a Jaztar, a Warrior.

But still he held out his hand, not even counting the lifedebt that was owed.

And by the time they had finally met the author, they knew him as well as he knew them. It had caused considerable shock, years later, to open the door to a dark-eyed young man standing on the other side, a tentative smile on his face as if unsure of his welcome.

Xander.

Jennes gently smoothed his hand over the swelling of Xander’s belly as the youngling relaxed in the warm cocoon of safety they provided. He smiled as the uncomfortable tightness around his midsection eased and the boy’s eyes dropped heavily. And all three began to croon softly again, lulling Xander to, hopefully, a peaceful sleep.

He reflected on the changes that the boy brought to their lives, to his life. Despite his almost unJaztarlike frivolous attitude, he was Jaztar through and through. And like the others, he was annoyed when the letters first arrived. But unlike Lourdey and Taryn, he was almost insatiably curious. Wondering about the letters that arrived regularly each week.

It finally became too much for him and inside the letter, revealed in the simple words was…him.

A Jennes that he didn’t allow many to see. A Jaztar that craved laughter but settled for a tiny smile; a demon that enjoyed pranks and jests but had no outlet. But with that one letter, the first letter he read after his curiosity nearly killed him, he was, as the humans say, hooked.

Gladly.

Willingly hooked to the almost irrepressible spirit that authored the letter. And fascinated, he waited anxiously every week for the next letter and the next and the next. Examining each envelope for a betraying postmark, so that he could find ‘Xander’ but to no avail. Their little father had been very clever to route the letters through dozens of post offices, making the act of tracing them nearly impossible.

Finally, in desperation, he began ‘hounding’ the others, chiding them both for being frightened of a letter until they acceded to his demands.

And when Xander gave them an e-mail address, his euphoria knew no bounds. He had went out and bought the most powerful computer money could buy. The he hired someone to teach him how to turn it on and use it.

He had found a kindred soul in Xander. Through their e-mails, he learned about jokes, about laughter and joy. But beneath the apparent happiness in the letters, he sensed a wistful sadness in the simple words and it seemed as if he lived for Xander’s letters, and that annoying little box announcing ‘You’ve Got Mail’.

But he thought all was lost when Taryn sent that blistering e-mail, that Xander would never contact them, him again.

Thankfully, he was wrong as Xander began talking solely only he and Lourdey. And every letter, every e-mail drew attention to the fact that Taryn didn’t seem to exist anymore for Xander.

Jennes snorted softly, and didn’t that just burn the ebony-haired warrior to death. At times he thought Taryn would explode from rage alone. But Taryn surprised him, surprised them both by contacting Xander voluntarily. And he had no doubt that the arrogant Warrior never apologized.

And then something happened to Xander. His letters and e-mails got darker and grimmer, before finally stopping for a brief time. However, it amazed both he and Lourdey that Taryn was the one to continued sending e-mails as if Xander was still communicating with them.

And gradually Xander returnbut but different, sadder.

Explaining that someone tried to kill him and another someone had hit him. It was only later that he sent them a longer e-mail message, telling them it was Faith that tried to strangle him and Angel that had punched him, telling them that the vampire had done so as part of a ruse to fool Faith.

They already knew that in the Beforetime, Xander loved Faith and had two children with her, and that Angel, Xander believed, was his destined mate. And to be hurt by two people he desperately loved…they couldn't quite grasp the concept of how Xander was feeling until he told them to image their penis’ being cut off by a dull knife.

And finally after several years of communication, along with requests for face-to-face meetings they got to meet him.

Jennes grinned and stroked Xander’s hair. If they were anything but Jaztars Warriors perhaps their ‘requests’ would have sounded more like shameless begging and pleading. However, they were Jaztars and they had an image to uphold.

His smiled faded, but with the advent of the Oracles as well as Wolfram and Hart in town, time was swiftly running out. And he glanced at Taryn’s cool remote face, in more ways than one.

“You realize that Janek will not rest until you are dead? And should he learn of the children Xander carries he will try to seize them as well?” His voice was soft as he spoke, with a quick glance down assuring of a sleeping Xander.

Taryn blinked lazily. “As long as Xander remains alive that is all that matters,” he replied peacefully.

And it was true. Somewhere between receiving the boy’s letters and meeting him, the Jaztar had come to care for the youngling. And in the course of making a child with the youngling, he had lost a heart he never suspected he had. While the method Xander had insisted they use was unorthadox still the connection was valid between the four of them and the lives the boy carried.

He knew he would pay for striking Janek but he had no regrets. He had reacted instinctively to the threat and the fear in Xander’s voice when his brother had seized the youngling and forced a kiss on the unwilling boy. Before he knew it, he was on his brother enraged at the thought that Janek dared to trespass on what belong to them.

It took both Lourdey and Xander to stop him from castrating his brother with his bare hands. And he knew Janek would never let him get away with his actions, he also suspected that his brother realized Xander was pregnant.

“It was perfectly legitimate what you did.” Lourdey broke into his brooding thoughts.

“I’m sorry but we are still talking about Janek, right?” Jennes twisted his head to peer at the other sardonically.

“I forgot,” Lourdey blinked and shrugged.

“Yes, my brother will find a way around the legalities to claim his revenge. He has had a strong disregard for me ever since I won my Warrior’s Braid.” Taryn’s voice was low.

“Your brother is a jealous prick,” Jennes said bluntly.

Taryn nodded calmly. “While I have no idea what a prick is, but I do know that jealousy does fuel his actions concerning me.”

“And what shall we do about this situation?” Lourdey voice was calm.

But Taryn shook his head slightly in negation. “Do not concern yourself with this. This is my problem and I fear you may inadvertently get hurt in the process.”

“Do you remember that movie Xander made us watch a few months ago? The one with the candybar name? The one with the French humans with the feathers in their hats?” Jennes asked quietly, patiently watching Taryn.

“The Four Musketeers?” Taryn asked in puzzlement.

“Yes, that one. They had a motto: All for one and one for all.” Jennes eyes were unusually serious as he met the other’s eyes.

“Lourdey asked you a question, now I’m asking it as well. What are WE to do?”

Taryn smiled slowly, “All for one and one for all.” And it was as close to saying Thank You as he could come.

And Xander’s eyes were slits of silvery gray before he slowly closed them again, falling back to sleep.


Buffy, Dawn, Giles and Anya retreated back to their own homes the next day, while the L.A. crew stayed with Xander as did Willow and Tara. Spike stayed as well, reasoning that this was the best way for him to keep an eye on the Buffy and Angel situation.

And for the next four days, Xander and Angel danced around each other as the vampire tried to adjust to the idea that his one time enemy, a once determinedly unfriendly Xander now wanted to be his lover. Attractive as the idea was and enticed by the boy, he was still unsure if this was just a joke at his expense. Though, if it was a joke, at least he would have the pleasure of Xander in his bed.

While at the same time, Xander fought not to give into his despair at being rejected.

But all these concerns were pushed aside when Xander, feeling uneasy for no reason, doubled over as agony raged through him. Screaming as pain seemed to carve deeply into his flesh.

Angel whirled around at the first scream of pain, and he managed to dart forward as Xander fell to the floor, writhing at some unseen pain clawed at the boy.

“What’s wrong?” Willow shouted anxiously, running and sliding to her knees beside them.

“I don’t know! First, he was fine then BAMM! He was screaming,” Angel yelled in frustration as he tried to still Xander’s frantic movements.

And suddenly he was ripped away by ruthless hands as Jennes and Lourdey collapsed against Xander, moaning low in their throats.

Spike and Angel stared in stunned disbelief at the badly wounded Jaztars.

“What the bloody hell…” Spike said in shock as an involuntary shiver coursed through him. Whatever did this to the Jaztars, he would rather be on the other side of the world from it.

“Good Lord, what happened to them…” Giles exclaimed and dropped the newly arrived Wesley’s bags on the floor.

“We don’t know,” Willow said somberly, regarding how the Jaztars were wrapped around Xander like a pair of snakes.


And they gathered around the entwined trio, noting in thankful relief that the short painfilled cries were now reduced to a faint whimpering from Xander.

It took almost an hour for all three to calm down, then another thirty minutes before Jennes and Lourdey unwrapped themselves from around Xander and slowly stood erect. Reaching down a hand, the helped a shaky grim faced Xander to his feet.

“Where’s Taryn?” Xander’s voice, while hoarse from screaming, was still no less demanding.

“Alvn claimed a retroactive Consort status on Janek and had his guards seize Taryn,” Jennes voice was bitter as he spoke with some hesitancy.

“Take me to him now.” Came the icy response.

“NO! Xander, if you attempt to go, Janek will, in all probability, lay claim to Taryn’s children. This is not what he would have wished to happen,” Lourdey spoke with unusual harshness. He eyes burned with almost uncontrollable rage at this situation they were in. Every instinct screamed for him to immediately take Xander to safety while other instincts yelled to destroy Janek and Alvn to avenge the insult to them.

“Either with you or without you…I will bring Taryn home.” Xander had descended into arctic calm.

No more.

No more will he allow another person he cared about to die. And he knew that was what Janek was going to do to Taryn. Then and now the ugly hatred and jealously existed in Taryn’s brother.

And at the cold remote look on Xander’s face the two Jaztars bowed their heads, secret gladness in their hearts. If Taryn was dead then he deserved to be among those that cared for him in life.

“Maybe we should all go…there’s safety in numbers. Besides, Cordy and Gunn can be highly volatile with axes,” Angel suggested quietly, but Xander’s fierce reaction to Taryn’s capture led him to believe that perhaps there was something else stirring between the dangerous Jaztar and the boy.

Xander looked narrowly at him then nodded, he could use all the help he could get to stay in control.


Piling into cars, they made the two-hour journey to the Jaztar compound and were grudgingly admitted. And they were soon in the throne room…with a Jaztar in chains on the floor.

And Xander felt his stomach heave at the sight of a mutilated Taryn. A bloody eye socket, hair brutally ripped from his skull and blood pooling from the whip marks over his body.

Xander held back his scream of horror tightly in check when he, Jennes and Lourdey rolled Taryn over….they had cut off his penis.

Lourdey hissed violently, his face shifted into demonic mode as he and Jennes locked eyes before they turned to meet Janek's dark, malevolent eyes. Without a penis, even if Taryn could recover, he could no longer be considered a father…not now or ever without that symbol of fatherhood.

Xander sank deep into Taryn’s painfilled eyes, tears dripping silently down his face.

“No tears…,” Taryn whispered hoarsely, touching Xander gently on the arm.

“…Not crying…” Xander replied shakily.

“Oh…roof leaking…” came the raspy response. “Go home…take care of babies…Angel help,” Taryn said weakly, rolling his head painfully to regard the vampire.

“You love…be hap…py,” he tried to smile and gasped at a surge of pain.

Xander ignored the argument raging around him as he focused on Taryn’s bloody face.

“Was already happy…’ he replied gruffly. “Just wanted love too.” His voice was low raspy as he spoke.

Taryn shook his head, “Was loved…I love.”

“Not that kinda lov….” And Xander looked into Taryn’s eyes and finally saw the truth the other had carefully kept hidden.

And Xander screamed his rage.

“NO MORE! Do you hear me?! NO FUCKIN’ MORE! I gave you everything! My son, my daughters, my family and friends! But no more, do you hear me!” He kept screaming. Tears rolling down his face at everyone he had sacrificed to begin again and his eyes became a liquid gray, alive with iridescent colors swirling in their depths.

And if he could, Taryn would have feared what Xander was doing. But he couldn’t fear Xander.

He couldn’t fear anything…not anymore as his eye drifted close.

“I gave you everything! Now PAY ME DAMN YOU! PAY ME!” And Xander's voice rose in a howl of anguished grief and rage.

And deep within Xander, a raging one-side conference was taking place. With Hyena and Soldier on one side, undulating gray mist on the other side.

“The boy has given up everything to your cause, expecting nothing in return. And that is what has been given to him: NOTHING,” Soldier's voice was sharp as he addressed the gray cloud.

“The cub gave you everyone he cared for and yet still you demand more. You created him to be human. But without hope or even a promise of reward why should he continue to struggle in your service?” Hyena growled harshly.

She and Soldier had been arguing for Xander for hours now and she was tired. She swung her head and regarded her cub as he struggled not ty. y.

They had met the Other, giving him their approval before he met with their Xander. Feelings of sorrow were still with her, with them at the Other’s sacrifice. But she had enough. Whatever Xander decided to do, she was united with him. They were united with him.

“And you think there’s a difference between you and your Children,” she said in rich disgust, with a contemptuous flick of her tail at the gray roiling cloud.

Perhaps her life would be enough to maintain the demon’s, she mused. Then gathering her haunches beneath she prepared to leap.

~Perhaps OUR lives, you mean?~ Soldier smiled, saluting her in farewell as he turned to jump as well.

The gray mist froze then exploded outward…


Lourdey recovered from Xander’ scream first, turning to King Saln. “Taryn is a father to be! What Janek and Alvn did was improper and against the Law! “ He was so furious that he didn’t even care that he was angering the High King.

“Watch yourself, Judicator Lourdey. For while I may be willing to concede that Taryn was a father, YOU are not!” Saln’ eyes were narrowed to deadly slits of rage.

Sourd frowned, looking at all four males, including the now unFathered Taryn and smiled nastily.

“I beg to differ, oh my king. They are all linked to the human boy. He carries a child for all three. And should it be proven that either Alvn or Janek or both knew of Taryn’s Fathered Status then that is a capital punishment of death,” he proclaimed with a cheerful smile at both Alvn and his consort. Silently mouthing ‘Death’ several times just to see Janek flinch.

Alvn cast a cold look at Janek, before turning back to the High Shaman. “I regret that I have little knowledge to shed. Janek returned to me covered in bruises and blood, claiming that Taryn had attacked him without provocation. This was an insult not only to him but to me as well. I may have went to far in seeking the death penalty for a crime against a Consort but I did not know of Prince Taryn’s Fathered Status.”

And as he finished speaking a tremendous force blasted Xander away from Taryn before a roiling gray cloud appeared above Taryn’s nearly motionless body.

Rendering the court absolutely silent in horrified wonder.

Circling faster and faster the cloud now appeared like a miniature whirlpool, with static lightening crackling through the dark sections.

“Xander…” Jennes breathed, staring up at the seething cloud. “What did you do?”

“Wasn’t me…” Xander replied shakily as he stood up with Lourdey and Jennes’ help.

Then a funnel began dropping from the cloud, touching the floor, shifting rapidly as if blindly searching for something. Then it touched Taryn’s leg. And this time there was no slow buildup of energy or power as it seized him, lifting him into air, drawing him into the maelstrom of surging power.

Taryn’s eyes opened wide in shock as pain played over his nerves. He stiffened as his open wounds were tortured, between his legs, the empty eye socket…
everywhere and his roar of agony sent shudders down every beings spines.

As the roaring, bellowing cries continued unabated, somehow the Scoobies and L.A. gang found themselves crowded around Xander and his Jaztars. While the court Jaztars tried to avoid looking like they were huddling close together for protection.

Angel and Spike traded twin amused smirks. Despite their terror, it felt good to see the Jaztars about to piss in their pants.

Finally, the anguished scream and crackling light stopped flickering through the gray maelstrom. And Taryn was dropped unceremoniously to the floor, crouching with catlike grace. Ebony hair spilled and seethed around him, hair that had appeared to be far longer than when he arrived at court.

“Taryn…” Xander said in the hushed silence.

And slowly the naked Warrior stood erect...whole and physically perfect.

“Yes, Xander…” Taryn turned to face them and had time to shake his hair behind one golden shoulder, before Xander slammed into him. Shaking with suppressed sobs.

Cordy and Fred sighed in disappointed at seeing all that….and they eyed Angel, Wesley and Gunn in grave disappointment.

Buffy forgot to cover Dawn’s eyes, she was to busy ogling Taryn as well as Anya, Tara and Willow. One thought uppermost in all the females mind: DAMN!

Cordy snorted, if Xander wasn’t gay, then he needed to be, just to get a piece of THAT! Boy’ll be walking bowlegged for weeks. Let her switch bodies with Xander and she’ll be gayer than a fuckin’ rainbow.

And the females turned speculative eyes on the other demons in their midst.

Angel casually sidled behind an oblivious Wesley while Spike smoothly shuffled behind Giles, neither demon liked the looks in the girls’ eyes.

“Shhh, little father…” Taryn crooned softly into Xander’s ears. “You will make yourself sick, then the babies will get sick and you know how I hate being ill. It makes me all grouchy,” he teased gently and was rewarded with a watery chuckle before Xander drew back and smiled up at him.

Then slowly his smiled faded as he searched Taryn’s eyes for what he had read there previously and he away hurriedly, blushing.

“Shocking, isn’t it? That I can admit that I care, that I love you,” Taryn whispered softly. Then he tilted the youngling’s red face upwards and kissed him gently before he met Xander’s eyes again.

And Xander’s eyes faded to gray as he looked up at Taryn.

Taryn looked over Xander’s head to the wary, yet relieved Jennes and Lourdey.

“Your turn…” and twin funnels lashed out of the whirling mist, lifted the yelling demons into the air while electric crackling energies played over their bodies before they were swiftly dropped back to the floor.

And like Taryn their hair was a lot longer but now all the Jaztar saw the difference in the three Jaztar before them.

Alpha males.

Prime Warriors.

Sourd drew in his breath harshly, his eyes wide in astonished awe. Prime Warriors, subject only to the Queen, stood on either side of the human. Guardians, Warriors that had not been seen for thousands of years. Not since…and his eyes widened as a sudden thought flashed through his mind. He met the human’s luminous gray eyes, mouthing a single shocked word: Queen? And he drew in a shaky breath at the human’s slow nod.

“We must go now,” Lourdey said loud enough for all to hear. And his eyes fastened thoughtfully on Alvn’s face as Jennes and Taryn’s watched Saln and Janek respectively.

And Saln nearly shifted to his more demonic form in rage as he read his fate in Prince Jennes’ eyes. Law or no, those three and possibly the human must die!

He met a few other king’s eyes in agreement, Prime Warriors were dangerous because their loyalty was only to the Queen and without a Queen to command them…there was no checking them. Already he could see his warriors standing prouder under the gazes sweeping over them.

Angel removed his duster and extended it silently, unsurprised to have it seized roughly from him. He met the other’s gaze, an unspoken emotion flashing briefly in the Jaztar’s eyes.

Xander was nearly vibrating with tension and he kept darting nervous peeks up at Taryn. Oboyoboyoboyoboyoboy ran endlessly through his mind. He would dearly LOVE, absolutely love to know how he got into messes like this. He was in a friggin’ love triangle!

He jumped as a long-fingered hand covered his fidgeting fingers while a low croon began filling the car, and he felt himself relaxing, leaning towards Taryn.

On his other side, Angel eyed the cool expression on the demon’s face as he crooned softly and the way Xander seemed to calm down. And not to be outdone, especially since he was ready to stake his Claim, he began purring, throwing a triumphant smirk to Taryn as Xander began leaning toward him.

Taryn never stopped crooning as his lip lifted in a silent snarl.

But suddenly reinforcement arrived from the back of the SUV in the form of Jennes’ adding his low croon to Taryn, merging the two into one powerful enthralling sound.

And slowly Xander leaned towards Taryn.

Willow and Gunn exchanged puzzled looks in the front seat before Willow opened her mouth…

Spike glanced over at Jennes who looked challengingly at him. Bloody poofer and his face shifted as he hissed nastily at the other demon before he started purring. His purr providing a rippling counterpoint to Angel’s purr, and he threw a triumphant smirk at Jennes.

And Jennes punched him in the face.

Gunn continued driving in sheer disbelief while Willow turned around and regarded the fighting demons in the rear seat with her mouth open. Then her eyes shifted to Angel and Taryn who continued their staring duel as one purred and the other crooned. And her eyes fell on Xander….asleep in the middle. How can he be asleep at a time like this?!

And as the hisses and growls got louder she exchanged another disbelieving look with Gunn…

“Stop that fighting this minute!” She yelled shrilly. She was hardly able to believe it was her voice. Oh my God, do I really sound like my mother? But helpless she had to continue, “If I have to tell Gunn to stop this car and come back there, you are all gonna be sorry! Taryn, Angel that goes for you too!”

“Yeah! Don’t make me take off my belt, ‘cause I will,” Gunn yelled back furiously as the car rocked violently again.

Blinking the four demons eyed the humans and briefly considering ripping off their heads for daring to interrupt them. Then both Spike and Angel shook their head rapidly, banishing the thoughts of dismembering their humans.

“He started it…” Spike muttered, sulkily retiring to his side of the seat and glaring out the window.

“Spike…” Willow said in a warning voice before facing forward with a sigh.

Taryn quietly stated, without looking at Angel, “We will discuss this further vampire.”

“Bet of it…” Angel growled back.


“What the hell...“ Cordy asked incredulously as Spike and Jennes exited the car, both with bruised and bloody scratches on their faces.

Giles examined the two demons as they entered the living room. “Yes, we saw the car rocking and were unsure whether to continue or stop to assist you.”

Gunn jerked a thumb at a stone-faced Angel stalking after Xander and Taryn.

“Tension was getting so thick in the car that you could eat it with a fork, when SupadupaFly started up with this weird ass crooning sound which seem to making shit better then my boy, Angel started purring and then here comes the Chorus boys joining in the duet. And the next thing I know the Blond menaces are hissing and growling up in the back. I had to threaten to take off my belt!” Gunn snorted as he threw himself on the couch.

And despite himself, Wesley couldn't resist asking, “And then what would have happened when you did that?”

Gunn just grinned, “Pants’ll fall off. What? You think I’m crazy enough to get in the middle of two kickass demons that wanna fight? Boy, ya must be outta yo mind!”


As Xander beat a hasty retreat to his bedroom, Taryn placed a hand on Angel’s arm, stopping him from following after the youngling.

“Vampire, I will give you tonight only,” before the demon strode away rapidly.

And Angel's eyes narrowed on Taryn's retreating back, before he continued after Xander.

Finally he and Xander were alone.

Angel slowly frowned as the boy drifted around the bedroom, studious avoiding all eye contact with him. First, was he’s all hot and bothered to get me into bed, and now he’s acting like…and he understood.

“Xander,” he called softly and waited until the wide dark eyes lifted hesitantly to his face. And walking over to the nervous young man, he touched Xander’s cheek softly.

“Nothing has to happen unless you want it to,” he quietly said, searching the darken gaze.

Xander nodded his head before lowering is gaze to the carpet, “I…I…I know that you’re not my Angel and you would probably rather be with Buffy or…or…Cordy and you don’t love me but…,” his words were quickly stopped by Angel pressing a kiss to his lips.

He sighed softly, his arms quickly sliding around Angel’s neck and into his hair, holding the vampire tightly against him…

And they kissed.

…Flickering sparks of excitement, of desire surged through him, swiftly roaring into wildfire of passion, beginning to consume him in its intensity…

And he moaned.

Ravenous need, torrid kisses, cool firm flesh all combined together to send him arching into Angel with a soft mewl of hunger as he rubbed insistently against the vampire. And whimpering softly, he opened passion-glazed eyes as Angel slowly raised his head. He flushed at the look of sensual satisfaction in the vampire’s eyes and looked away.

“I don’t want Cordy and I sure as hell don’t want Buffy, but you…oh, but I do want you. And if your Angel was anything like me, he was a very lucky and contented vampire,” Angel whispered softly, backing them gradually to the bed.

Xander squeaked as the back of his legs hit the bed and he would have fallen backwards, had Angel not caught him.

“Xander, I understand that I’m not the Angel that you fell in love with, but maybe we can try to work this out,” Angel began seriously, then with a glint of laughter in his eyes, “If only for the sake of the children.”

Xander was looking away, halfway ashamed of how he was acting…like some sort of..of…rent boy when Angel said that. And leaning back in thedle dle of his vampire’s arms he gave the other an incredulous look before slowly he began to giggle uncontrollably as the stress of Taryn's capture, the look in the other demon's eyes finally caught up with him.

Manly giggles, of course, not some girly giggles.

And Angel smiled down into the laughing face as he lowered them into the bed. Feeling Xander’s body jerking against his from the force of the young man’s laughter, he gritted his teeth at each unconscious teasing brush of the boy’s body against his.

Finally, Xander’s laughter died down as he rested in Angel’s arms and breathed shakily. It had been so long…so fuckin’ long and he just wanted to hold on to this dream for as long as possible before he had to let this Angel go. This was too soon, too fast for them both and just because his Angel loved him, didn’t mean that this Angel would also.

And there was also Taryn to considered. What was he to do about him?

“You’re thinking too hard,” he heard Angel whisper softly and Xander smiled painfully.

Angel drew back his head, “Xander, you’re trying to make this situation out to be worse than it really is. I’m a Warrior in the service of the PTBs, though that might be changing very soon if they pull the same shit again. And if the price of saving the world is making love to you, then hell, I’ll be first in line after beating everyone else to death with a big stick. You call to both my demon and soul. And there’s nothing more I would love to do than make love to you.” He regarded the boy’s wide uncertain gaze, hoping the truth was visible in his eyes and he smiled at the crooked grin that slowly crossed Xander’s face.

“Beat ‘em off with a stick, huh? I think you overestimate my X-appeal,” Xander smirked.

“And I think you underestimate it,” Angel replied seriously gazing down into warm brown eyes.

“Oh,” was all Xander could say before he ducked his head feeling oddly shy again.

“Now why don’t you go to sleep? You can think about where we’ll all be living when we get up, deal?” Angel smiled down into the astonished face.

Saying firmly, “Sleep now, talk later,” as Xander opened his mouth.

“Fine,” Xander grumbled, you would think that with three alpha overprotective males around that he wouldn’t want a fourth. But nooooo, he just had to grab another. He grinned, was he fuckin’ lucky or what? And he fell asleep with a smile on his face.

And Angel soon followed, waking up some an hour later as the bed shifted. Blinking, his eyes turning gold as Lourdey clambered into bed with them.

“Go back to sleep, vampire. There will be time enough to deal with what is to come in the morning. Besides, Xander carries Jaztar’s children and as such they are dependent on us remaining together, otherwise the four of us will be in a great deal of pain,” Lourdey answered the unspoken question calmly as he yawned and pulled Xander closer to him before falling asleep.

Okay, this is really going to take some major getting used to, was Angel’s wry thought before he took Lourdey’s advice and fell back to sleep.


Xander woke up some time later to the sound of low growling. Blinking he wondered when and how did a lion get into his bedroom, and where the hell was Lourdey? And sitting up in his bed, he regarded the angry vampire standing in front of the bed, snarling at a growling Taryn. Maybe a lion would have been better to wake up to.

Clambering out of bed, he wandered his room, now very wide awake and unhappily aware of two very large, very possessive Alpha demons glaring at each other. He turned towards the opening door in glad relief, anything would be better than this macho bullshit staring contest over him…

Crap! He snarled silently as it became a three against one contest when Jennes and Lourdey entered.

“Okay, enough with the staring! Sheesh! You'd think somebody’s eyes would catch on fire from the stares,” he muttered under his breath. Then squeaked in alarm as first one, then two, now all four eyes were on him and he was the recipient of THE STARE.

“Uhm, ya think maybe you can turn the wattage down a couple of notches?” He asked then slowly began backing away from their intent stares.

“We seem to have a problem,” Taryn purred softly, gracefully pacing towards their youngling.

“Problem?! What problem? Uhm, when did this problem develop because I really don’t remember you mentioning a problem, especially since I’ve been, like, right next to you except for when that asshole was torturing you. Did I mention how bad, really bad I felt? But anyhow, maybe your idea of a problem not really a Problem per se, but more of an itch or…or a bother. Yeah, a bother…I heard Giles use that word a lot about me and …” his nervous spate of words were cut off by Taryn’s intense, sizzling kiss.

A kiss that left him dazed and breathless with wonder when he was released, swaying drunkenly from side to side.

Angel growled softly. He pulled Xander to him and swiftly captured the lush lips that just begged to plundered. And he did, slowly…thoroughly before he lifted his head.

“Oh my…” was all Xander could whisper, staring wide-eyed at nothing.

Angel and Taryn exchanged reluctant nods as Xander was turned again and kissed by both Jennes and Lourdey.

Either they learned swiftly to share or they would wind up tearing the boy to pieces in their battle for his affections.

And the next thing Xander knew he was stretched out naked on his bed with four hungry males gazing at him possessively.

He quavered with lust and trepidation, uh oh Xander, you’ve done it now!

They pounced and he lost all reason, all will to think.

Only feel. The hands, the mouths brushing over him, caressing him endlessly.

And all too soon he was poised above Taryn's extremely eager mouth while Angel slowly pressed into him. All he could do was sigh in half-remembered pleasure at the sensation of being so full, so complete. Eyeing the thick slab of meat bobbling at Taryn's crotch he wondered if the would be able to take it all, but he didn't have to wonder for long as Lourdey enveloped the thick organ in his mouth instead.

Xander felt his head seized and turned, blearily focusing on Jennes' aroused face, before his lips were claimed in an ravenous kiss by the other. And he whimpered into Jennes' mouth when Angel began to move, strongly...deeply in his narrow passageway. His hand dropped to Jennes achingly hard shaft and tentatively he began to stroke the demon while thrusting deeply into Taryn's wet, heated embrace, as Angel began to fuck him to oblivion.

After that, he was lost in pure sensation...he was nothing but a bundle of pleasurable nerves as he was twisted, impaled and flooded with cum. Again and again and again.

He had no idea how many times he had lips wrapped around his poor aching cock or finally was allowed to taste any of their hard dicks. He was fucked, and had fucked them in so many positions that he could probably write his own book.

And finally, they allowed him to rest his tired overstimulated body.

The four demons exchanged tired, satisfied smirks at the look of satiated pleasure on the lithe body sprawled in the bed. Taryn gently picked Xander up and gestured to the door, signaling Angel to join them as well as he led the procession to his bedroom.

He placed Xander in the middle of the bed, as always. The four males then cleaned their slumbering exhausted boy as well as they could before the Jaztars went to take their usual sleeping position around their youngling. They paused as they regarded Angel standing there, watching them uncertainly. And reluctantly, Jennes gave way, allowing the vampire to spoon behind Xander, while he spooned behind the vampire.


Xander sank deeply, past conscious thought, deeper still…beyond subconscious thought until he reached his center.

~“What the hell game were you playing?”~ he yelled angrily to the undulating mist, looking around for Hyena and Soldier.

~NO GAME, MY CHOSEN~

~”Then what did you do to Taryn, Jennes and Lourdey? Better yet, why did you do it?”~ he demanded, frowning at the lack of his inward Companions. He smiled as a ghost image of Joce ran past him, chased by laughing Mikey. And as always, his breath caught before he exhaled shudderingly.

~TEST~

~”A test? A test of what? Who the hell were you testing? Me?~” he replied, confusion evident in his eyes.

~”Not you…us,”~ Hyena answered quietly, sitting down on her haunches while Joce and Mikey clambered all over her. Her eyes were half-closed in pleasure as she finally lay down, then split herself…one for the children and one to continue the conversation.

Her ghost image got up carefully with the children riding her and paced away slowly.

~”Why were you two tested?”~ And he turned a puzzled look on Soldier and Hyena.

~”To see what WE were willing to sacrifice,”~ Soldier replied calmly and seeing the look of confusion still on Xander's face he tried to explain.

~”Hyena and I have existed almost as long as there have been Dark and Light Powers. There has always been a force standing Guard, Defending something or even someone. I am Soldier and I have been such for over a millenium. I have watched thousands of Chosens created. There were good men and women as well as foolish, ignorant ones. Those that heeded my advice, I guided them carefully, Protected them, taught them how to think and defend. Those that did not listen, I left alone and watched them die at a very young age. But I’ve always watched them die, the good ones as well as the foolish ones. I stayed apart from their lives, never getting involved.”~

~”And just as there have been a Soldier, there has always been the Attacker, someone or something acts aggressively, that takes from another. I am Hyena and I also have seen thousands of Chosens birthed. I have taught them strategy, tactics, different methods of attacks. And those that would listen, lived a much longer life under my tutelage. I’ve guided them, counseled them and I’ve watched them fall in battle. And then I would retire into Sleep, patiently awaiting the birth of a new Chosen. I never allowed myself to get too involved with a Chosen’s life. All were the same. For those that listened and sought our counsel, some had dreams of avarice, desires of ruling the world. Why should I care, why should we care? They would fail and there would always come another Chosen.~ Hyena growled softly.

~”Then you were born, and as always we watched, counseled and strove to protect you as best we could. Sometimes you would heed our advice, other times you would foolishly disregard out words of con aon and get hurt. But you always got up, learned from your mistake and were ready to do battle again. And no matter how badly you were hurt inside, you always got up. You didn’t cry, or whimper or blame us. You merely got up and fought on. You began to intrigue us and we took a greater interest in your life. But still we did not become too involved because soon you would be gone and there would come another Chosen. Then came the Other and we knew shame.~ and she bowed her proud head.

And Soldier took up the narration. ~You didn’t differentiate between the Light and the Dark, human and demon. For you, it was a struggle for survival for your people, for the ones you loved. Demons, humans…it made no difference to you. You would protect them as long as they were part of your Pack and they followed you because they knew you would grant them the same rights you would a human. You did not see the outside, you only judged them for their inner selves. And you choose to sacrifice all that you had won, all that you had fought for to set things right, with no hope of reward or a promise of a better life.”~

~”This was our test, to see had we learned anything from you. What we were willing to sacrifice for the greater good…for another? You gave up so much and all we could give you were ghost images of your children. However, when the Jaztar was dying, we knew that we could give you more…someone that loved you with all your faults, should the vampire not turn to you as you wanted. You have been focused on the vampire for so many years, that you never allowed for the idea that another would care for you or that you would care for him as well. We wanted to give you that time to come to accept his love, their love for you. Despite your love for the vampire, it was the Jaztars that made you stronger. You needed them as much as you needed the vampire.~ Soldier finished quietly.

~”And did you pass the test?~ Xander questioned them softly, hot anger boiling in his eyes.

~”We did not even know we were being tested.”~ Hyena protested quietly and shrugged her shoulders at the cub’s look.

All three turned to the seething cloud and three pairs of eyes became liquid gray as they waited.

Then cuddled between the hard, firm bodies Xander smiled and snuggled closer to his mates.