The Grey Area

Part 2: Wash


Spike gets daily scheduled washings.

Ambrus attempts to be there for most of them, but he unfortunately still has a life outside of his new toy, and so he can't make every one. His human minions continue the routine even without his presence, and he knows that they do so in a meticulous and restrained manner. Ambrus has specifically told them that he does not want them touching Spike sexually in any way, outside of what he allows. And they obey, because they are well paid, and because Ambrus is a dangerous man in his own right.

He fully intends to eventually show Spike just exactly why, one day.

But for the moment, he has the day off, and is able to admire the strung up vampire in the showers. Spike is standing with his hands shackled in heavy leather restraints high above his head, with his legs spread and bound at the ankle to short chains leading to sturdy rings in the floor.

A softly light blue ball gag parts the vampire's lips. Ambrus likes just how closely similar the shade of the gag is to the color of Spike's eyes. But even more he likes what the item does to the vampire, the power it wrests from the beautiful creature. All Spike had to fight back with were words -- ineffectual defiance in a hopeless situation. Now, he has not even those. Not unless his captor allows it.

Droplets of water slide together and run down milky skin like liquid quartz. The vampire's muscles are bunched, and the man knows that even now he is surreptitiously attempting to find weakness in his bonds, or perhaps hoping that he can make them loose enough to slip through. Knows that even if he does, there's a very slim chance he'd manage to make it out of his prison, anyway.

The dominance thrills Ambrus.

He steps behind Spike, and raises a bottle of body wash. Upending the item, he squeezes and watches the gel pour out onto Spike's wet back. The vampire's shoulder muscles twitch with the sudden cold, but Spike makes no other movement or protest. Ambrus has not really hurt him physically in any way since having brought him here, and eventually the vampire must have realized that fighting for the sake of his dignity in more easily endured situations such as this was both useless and tiring.

Or maybe his passivity is due to the fact that Ambrus spent the better part of the morning testing out just how many times he could consecutively bring the vampire to orgasm. By the end, even Spike's considerable constitution had broken down and screamed for a rest.

Raising a sponge saturated with water, Ambrus works the gel around the vampire's muscled back. It foams and begins to give off the light smell of hazelnut as he rubs it around, running it over the taut shoulder blades, down the slight hint of spine through the skin, and over well-formed flanks.

Spike becomes particularly tense when Ambrus pays special attention to the muscled globes, running the sponge over his opening. He hasn't taken the vampire yet -- the mood hasn't struck him. But both he and Spike know that it one day will, and the vampire waits for the event in obvious fearful anticipation. Perhaps he believes that it might be today, or right now, with water and lathered soap and Spike's body drawn deliciously tight.

Ambrus allows the vampire to wonder for a few more moments before he abandons the area and goes lower, massaging the stretched leg muscles while simultaneously cleansing the skin. He moves back up the vampire's body, cleaning the back of the neck last. There is a thick line of raw skin to attest to Spike's struggles against the collar and chain he often wears.

The man takes care to not irritate the area too much as he finishes up the vampire's back. "That material has been tried and tested in holding werewolves down by merely their necks." Ambrus says as he moves over to set the items down and pick up the nozzle at the end of the hose he had used to soak Spike. "By all means, continue to fight it. I just thought I'd let you know that it's unlikely you'll break it."

After rinsing the soap from the vampire's back, Ambrus sprays his front once more, grinning when Spike winces and turns his head away as he aims the spray at the vampire's face. "Sorry about that," Ambrus says, and Spike turns to glare at him through water-clumped eyelashes.

The man's eyes travel down to the vampire's groin. He laughs when he notices Spike attempting to close his legs, as if he could hide the organ from Ambrus's attentions. It's still too soon for the vampire to have done any notable recovering from this morning's activities. His penis is probably still painfully sensitive.

But Ambrus doesn't care.

He sets the hose down and takes up the sponge and body wash again, this time pouring the liquid soap directly onto the sponge before setting the bottle down. He steps forward so Spike and he are nearly touching, reaching up to trace along the vampire's stretched lips with one hand before gently kissing the dripping skin. Spike jerks back minutely with a small sound, but Ambrus ignores him. He begins to run the sponge up the vampire's thigh, smirking in pleasure.

"Well, let's get your front cleaned up, shall we?"

Spike simply closes his eyes and turns to press his face into one of his forcibly outstretched arms.


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"Spike's gone."

Angel didn't even bother to look up from the papers on his desk. "Really couldn't care less."

Gunn looked unimpressed. "Really? Because I seem to recall that the last time Blondie-Bear was set on leaving, his destination involved a reunion with a certain Vampire Slayer." Gunn moved closer to the desk. "Also recall you being very adamant about preventing that."

This time Angel did glance up, the same deep defensiveness and pain that came about from every mention of Buffy inexorably present. "The end of the world was at stake."

"Is there a reason to believe it's not, anymore?"

"Well, I'm sure if that's the case, we'll find out soon enough."

Gunn felt his shoulders stiffen at Angel's flippant tone. "You know, I think I liked your broody and insecure reaction a lot more."

Angel sighed in exasperation. "Spike's not one of my employees, Gunn. He can do whatever he wants." The vampire closed the folder to the papers and stood from his chair, file in his hand. "Besides, all he ever did while he was here was be annoying."

"He was a ghost." Gunn said flatly as he followed Angel out of his office and to the front desk.

"And now he's not." Angel handed the folder to his secretary, who was currently taking a call. "Harmony, here's the list of new appointments for next month." Harmony took the papers with a nod, still talking to the client on the other line. Angel turned to Gunn, and raised his hands in a staying gesture when the man attempted to speak. "Look, I really can't have this conversation right now. I've got a meeting. You can come consult if you want, but I don't want to hear about this anymore. Use your resources to look for him if it means that much to you. He hasn't been gone that long -- it shouldn't be too hard to find him."

"Angel, he's been missing nearly a week."

The vampire paused for a moment, staring at Gunn, something unreadable in his dark eyes as he regarded the man. Gunn thought it looked like the souled vampire was trying to read him, to find out what information he had in his head, and unwilling to simply ask for it.

Then Angel's demeanor softened and he shook his head. "I've got demons to talk to." he murmured, dismissively stepping around Gunn to head towards his meeting.

Gunn watched Angel's retreating back with a frown.