The Gift

Chapter Two

Xander woke confused. His cheek itched, but when he reached down to scratch it, he couldn't move his arms. Suddenly, he remembered what had happened. Angel had given him to the blond vampire and Spike had bitten him! Xander could feel his heart racing and tried to control his slight panic.

"Easy, pet." A soft British voice filtered through his consciousness and he realized that his eyes were still closed. He opened them to find beautiful cerulean pools staring back at him.

Black eyelashes fluttered, smudged black eyeliner accentuating the bright blue irises. There were slight wrinkles around the eyes, like the person was smiling at him. Instinctively, he smiled back.

"That's right, Xan, you're all right." Xander looked at the mouth that offeoffering those comforting wo Pin Pink, well-shaped lips smiled at him, white teeth visible when words were spoken.

Xander relaxed and tried to look around. His hands were tied to bedposts. Oh, he was in a bed. It was soft. The ties were supple and silky and felt good on his skin. Wriggling his feet, he discovered that they too were tied.

He looked back at the face that he had opened his eyes to. A shock of white blond hair caught his eye, a scarred eyebrow. He triedtaketake in the whole picture. The blond vampire was sitting next to him on the bed, smiling.

Spike looked down at his new pet. He was devastatingly beautiful. Based on the atrocious clothing that he had removed from the boy's body, Spike ascertained that Xander had no idea how attractive he actually was.

He had sent the clothes with a minion with instructions that they be burned. Hd nod noted the sizes and sent out another to buy the boy some clothes that actually fit.

The muscled body that he had uncovered was pleasing to his eye. The boy was an athlete of sorts. Spike scrutinized the shape and placement of the muscles, swimmer, maybe? Xander's hair was thick and soft, if too short. Well, that could be rectified in just a few months.

The boy's mouth was crooked. Spike smiled. He loved the little imperfections that only added to Xander's character. He stroked Xander's chest gently, waiting for his pet to awaken.

He watched Xander as he struggled to wake, knowing the instant that it happened. He tried to calm the boy, apparently succeeding. Spike looked deeply into the russet eyes that were searching his.

"All better now, pet?" Xander nodded and pulled at his restraints.

"Those are there just to make you feel more secure. Hungry?" Xander nodded again, confused by the vampire's logic.

He watched as Spike stalked to the door, flinging it open and yelling to someone outside. By the time Spike had returned to the bed, another vampire, still in game face, had appeared with a tray of food.

"Here you are, pet." Spike loosened the silk binding Xander to the bed and helped him sit up, piling pillows behind him.

Xander's stomach growled at the smell of the food and he wondered how long he had been asleep. He stretched a little, pulling the muscles in his neck and feeling a twinge. He lifted a hand and touched the puncture wounds that decorated his tanned skin.

Spike watched his pet explore the wounds that he had left. He would need to finish the claim soon; he could smell the boy's desire as he touched the small marks.

The size of the marks themselves had been difficult to accomplish. Spike had never taken care not to hurt someone when he bit before. He was quite proud that the bite was relatively neat. It would leave a lovely scar.

Xander suddenly realized that he was naked underneath the covers. He flushed and looked at the vampire und underneath his lashes.

"You can talk, pet. It's ok." Spike reassured the boy.

"W..where are my clothes?" Xander's voice was rough. Spike lifted a glass of juice to Xander's lips and he drank dutifully. He took the glass when he realized how thirsty he actually was and drained the last of it.

"I had them burned. They were horrendous. Now eat, I want you strong." Xander looked down at the food on the tray and wondered if it were safe to eat. The vampire seemed nice enough, but he was still a demon.

"You're Spike, right?" Xander picked up a piece of toast, deciding that death was preferable over being hungry.

"Yeah, pet." Spike smiled and snagged a bit of potato off of Xander's plate, chewing it thoughtfully.

"You eat?" Xander asked, shocked.

"Of course. I like food, texture, taste,s als all good." Spike stole another bit of fried potato and moved back to the door of the bedroom.

"Be right back, pet." Spike disappeared into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

Xander glanced around the room as he continued to eat. Might as well stay healthy while he was being held prisoner. Prisoner? Xander anticipated a shock of fear, which never came.

He frowned. He was being held, forcibly, by William the Bloody, part of The Scourge of Europe, who killed people with railroad spikes and who Angel said never gave up when he wanted something. Why wasn't he afraid?

He examined his feelings closely. He had been afraid when Spike had bitten him, then he wasn't. Huh. He chewed a piece of bacon as he remembered. When Spike had said, 'mine', Xander's fear had all but vanished. Weird.

Well, fear was the mind killer. He shrugged and continued to eat, wondering what was going to happen next. He knew he should be afraid, but since he wasn't, he might as well enjoy the ride while it lasted.

Spike re-entered the room, carrying a pitcher. He refilled Xander's glass and the boy quickly drank it down.

"Where are we?" Spike looked pleased at the question.

"An old house that I found. Nice isn't it?" Xander nodded and held his glass out for more juice.

"That's good, Xan, drink as much as you want. You need to replenish your fluids." Xander complied with Spike's request and drank another tlasslasses of juice before stopping.

He wiped his mouth and Spike carried the empty tray into the hallway, leaving it on the floor.

Before he got back into the bed, Spike stripped off his shoes and shirt, leaving him clad in only a pair of black jeans. Xander scooted over as Spike flipped back the covers and climbed in.

He was a little nervous, but still not afraid.

"Spike?" He waited for an answer.

"Yes, pet?"

"Why am I not afraid? I should be afraid. You're a vampire and you're in bed with me and I'm naked, not to mention that you bit me earlier and dragged me here to a house that I have no idea where it is..." Spike placed a black tipped finger over Xander's rambling mouth.

"I have claimed you. You are the imminent consort of a Master Vampire, a gift from Angelus, Master of the House of Aurelius to his Favored Childe, Spike, who is also a Master. You have a very powerful position. You have no cause to be afraid of anything." Spike leaned in and kissed Xander.

Xander was shocked when he returned the kiss. S's m's mouth was cool and tasted of potatoes and something salty, earthy. Xander realized that he was tasting blood, but he didn't care. The kiss was delicious. Spike sought out all of the sensitive areas in Xander's mouth, drawing out the boy's taste from underneath the flavors of the food he had just consumed.

Xander tentatively pressed his tongue against Spike's and was surprised when he felt the other man draw it into his cool mouth. He explored the teeth that he found there, wondering where the fangs had gone.

Xander leaned into the kiss, demanding more. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man's back and tried to pull him into a different position, one that would give him better access to that luscious mouth.

Spike laughed and pulled away. Xander lay panting underneath him, lust filling his eyes.

"What's a consort, Spike?" Spike laughed again and pulled the boy tightly against him. Oh, his sire had chosen so well. He pulled back so that he could look the boy in the eyes as he answered him.

"A consort is what you will be as sos I s I finish the claiming. Now come here." Xander backed away from Spike, noticing the dazed look in the vampire's eyes.

"No, tell me what a consort is." Spike roared and leapt on top of Xander, pinning him to the bed. Xander snickered and struggled uselessly against him. Spike allowed his game face to fade away as he noticed the boy's reaction.

"You really aren't scared, are you?" Xander continued to laugh softly.

"Not at all. Please, tell me." The please did it. Spike pulled Xander up so that he was lounging back against the pile of pillows. He straddled the boy, rubbing his denim covered erection against Xander's silk covered one.

"A consort is the mate of a Master Vampire. Usually they are other vampires that the Master has taken as his own. Occasionally, a Master will choose a human. That is very rare. In factere ere has never been a human consort in the line of Aurelius before." Xander frowned and interrupted Spike.

"So why now?"

"Because, you were a gift from my sire." When Xander looked unhappy with his answer, Spike elaborated.

"Angelus hates humans. He always has. He looks at them as toys and food. Nonetheless, he recognized something in you that he knew I would want, so he offered you to me."

"But Angel gave me to you, not Angelus." Xander prompteike.ike.

"I know, pet, but Angelus is the one who recognized your strength. I accepted you as a gift. I had planned to keep you as a toy, but when I tasted you..." Spike trailed off. Xander felt pride when he saw the naked look of desire and need on the blonde's face.

"You are amazing, Xander. You don't realize your own potential. I am taking you as my consort, because it will only make you stronger. There are very few written records of human consorts in the older, more powerful lines, but it is said that a human consort gains many gifts from the bond. Increased sensitivity in hearing, taste and sight; increased strength and endurance... Somportports even hint that the vampire and their consort gain a better understanding of each other through their thoughts."

Spike stopped speaking to watch Xander. His face was a symphony of emotions. Obviously the boy was giving this a lot of thought. "What if I don't want to be your consort?" Spike laughed and allowed his human façade to fall.

"You will die, boy." Xander didn't react to Spike's growled declaration except to ponder the offer some more. Spike shook his head, confused.

Xander thought about his life. He was ak ofk of the highest accord. His best friend was a budding witch, with an IQ worlds away from his. They hung out with the Vampire Slayer and her watcher. On patrol, he was a liability. His girlfriend didn't like him and hid him away in a closet and his parents didn't care if he was around or not.

He looked at Spike. He was gorgeous. Xander could see the desire in Spike's eyes. Why on earth would this ethereal beauty want him? He could feel Spike's hardness against his own, could feel it pulsing with desire. Spike wanted him. Spike wanted to make him powerful. What did he want?

He wanted Spike.

"Ok." Xander smiled at the baffled vampire in his lap and lunged at him, covering him in kisses. Spike responded as quickly as he could, realizing that his pet was accepting the mating whole-heartedly, and not simply out of fear of his own death.

Xander was ed aed at his own audacity. He was lying, naked, on top of a vampire and kissing him breathless. Well, he was making himself breathless at any rate. He pulled back, panting, looking into stunned blue eyes.

"Is that all, Spike? Do you just want me because I'm strong?" He had to know. Spike shook his head.

"No, pet. I wouldn't take you as my mate simply because you are strong. pretpretty sure that I will love you before this is all over." Xander looked at Spike in wonder.

"Really?" His heart jumped. No one had ever wanted him before; no one had ever loved him. Willow loved him, sure, but she loved him like a brother. The desire that his young body was responding to in Spike's eyes was not brotherly at all.

"Really." Spike rolled them in the bed, lying across the warm body of his pet. He kissed Xander's forehead, eyes and nose before attaching himself to the boy's lips. He thrust his tongue into Xander's mouth, tasting the boy, learning the flavor of his mate.

Spike pushed off the boy and quickly stripped off his denims. Xander looked on, in what appeared to be lecherous fear, if such a thing were possible.

"You are beautiful, Spike." Xander bed aed and looked down at the bed.

Spike reached out and lifted Xander's chin. "So are you."

Carefully, he adjusted Xander on the bed, seeing only acceptance and desire in the chocolate pools of Xander's eyes. Spike began kissing the boy, beginning at his toes and working his way up his oh so warm body, licking and nibbling at the pieces of skin that cried out for his touch.

He sank his fangs into Xander's upper thigh, unable to resist the siren's call of blood. Xander screamed and thrust his hips up, wanting more of the incredible feeling. His cock was so hard that he was afraid it would explode.

"Spike!" Xander reached for the blond. Spike pulled his fangs out of the delectable flesh and moved up Xander's body, forcing the boy to taste his own blood. Xander sought out the warm liquid, sucking it off Spike's long, pink tongue, reveling in the flavor.

Spike noticed and sat up on his haunches. He used one clawed finger to draw a line across his left breast, borrowed blood flooding out of the wound. He pulled Xander into a sitting position.

"Drink, and be mine." Xander hesitated only for a moment before latching himself to Spike's chest, lapping at the crimson stream that flowed down white chiseled marble. He could feel the power and desire in Spike's blood and desperately wanted to be part of it.

When the blood stopped flowing freely, Xander attacked the wound, pressing against it with his tongue and teeth, seeking more of the elixir that he felt he had barely tasted. He gasped when Spike pulled him up and sank his fangs into his neck.

Xander threw his head back, exposing his neck more fully to the demon holding him. He could feel his blood lea his his body and warming Spike's. As Spike removed his fangs, Xander orgasmed, spraying warm fluid across their bellies.

Yellow eyes bored into him. "Mine!"

Xander smiled. "Yours!" As hyousyously affirmed his acceptance of Spike's claim, he felt the vampire jerk. Cool seed joined warm, intermingling and dripping off their tired bodies onto the silk beneath them.