SOLD!

Disclaimers in chapter 1
Chapter 2

Cordy and Wes jumped to their feet as Angel entered with Xander cradled in his arms.

"Cordy, call Buffy and let her know that I have Xander with me," he ordered calmly as he swiftly mounted the stairs.

"Wes, I need you to see if one of the Fiestea owners will speak with you, if they will, please ask them what was given to Xander."

"Hold up," Cordy cried out as Angel reached the top of the stairs. Her eyes roved over his outfit, "Not that I don't think you look absolutely da bomb, but," her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Are you evil?"

Angel sighed, "Why does everyone think I'm evil?"

"Well, maybe it's because of the leather pants and the sexy I'm-Gonna-Fuck-You-Into-Next-Week look you got going," Cordy replied sharply, before quickly taking a step back, "Not that that is a bad thing, ya know," she said hastily, "Right Wes?"

"Uhm, yes of course," Wes said hastily, "It's just that, uhm, we don't often see you wearing leather and," he gestured expressively at Angel's open shirt, "And and...rather less clothes like that frequently," he breathed a sigh of relief at the amused look on the Angel's face, then stiffened abruptly recalling Angelus often found humor in the strangest things, like torturing people. He started gingerly easing for the door.

"I can see where you might get that impression," Angel sighed, not really wanting to tell his little secret. He knew he had better or everybody'll get stake happy on him. " Look, I got permanently resouled a few months back making me a little bit of Angelus and a whole lot of me."

"Permanently?!" Both Cordy and Wesley screeched.

"Yeah, you remember that clan of demons a while back? The one that had the kidnapped children? Well as a thank you for getting their children back they offered to permanently cement my soul," was the simple explanation.

And suddenly Cordy's face glowed with malicious enthusiasm, "Does Buffy know and if not, can I, oh I don't know, just casually drop it into a conversation with her," she asked brightly.

Wes turned away, his shoulders beginning to shake.

Angel sighed, "No, you may not. I will tell her myself," he snapped.

"Okay, can I be there when you tell, then," was her second question asked quickly.

At that, Wesley totally lost it in howls of laughter.

Cordy punched him in the shoulder and stalked off muttering about 'dumb stupid men, I never get to have any friggin' fun!'.

Angel just shook his head and walked to his room. No matter how aggravation she caused, his unlife wouldn't be the same without her 'Panic, chaos, confusion
...my work here is done' attitude. Some days he didn't know whether to kill her or just stand back in awe at her unmitigated gall.

He lay Xander gently on his bed and pressed a hand to the boy's forehead, wincing at the blistering heat roiling off the fitfully sleeping boy. Wringing out the cold water from a washcloth he had grabbed from the bathroom shelf, Angel quickly made his way back to the ailing, feverish Xander, wiping the cold cloth gently over red flushed cheeks as he tried to ease the restlessly twisting body.

There came a knock on his door and calling out 'Enter' he continued to wipe the boy down. He didn't dare try to give him any medicine not knowing what the boy had in his system.

He looked up as Wes approached the bed, "What did they say," he asked quietly, continuing his slow easy motions.

"Apparently they gave him something called Zortan and it's supposed to be considered harmless to humans," Wes said quietly, regarding the restless movements of young Mr. Harris whenever Angel stopped.

Angel sighed in frustration, "Well, take it from me, it won't be the first time that they fucked shit up," he said savagely causing Xander to feebly rouse and try to move away. With a soft exclamation, Angel pulled him back, easily disregarding the weak blows until Xander was no longer restless under his stroking hand.
"Well what ever's wrong with him we need to do something to bring his fever down," Wesley said indicating the obviously sick Xander.

"Ya think?!" Angel said mockingly and closed his eyes at the look of offended dignity on Wesley's face.

"Look, I'm sorry....it's just been an extremely hellish night and I don't think it can get much worse unless we were in Hell itself," Angel said trying to suppress his angry frustration.

Just then Cordy came into the room and reported, "Buffy and Willow said that they were coming to stake you and get Xander."

"And I stand corrected." Angel closed his eyes, the last thing in the world he needed right now was to be fighting with Buffy and Willow making sure that they didn't succeed in killing him and making sure they didn't get hurt in the fight. He reviewed that in his mind...fuck them! He was more interested in staying dustfree.

"But I managed to convince them to stay home and that Xander was in good hands," Cordy said happily. I'm such a bad girl, she smirked, she just loved watching Angel squirm!

"And you couldn't have mention that to me first," Angel looked at her hard. One of these days and POW! right in the kisser.

"But the important thing is that I told you, right," Cordy gave him her most winning smile, watching him grind his teeth with secret glee.

Wesley put a comforting hand on Angel's shoulder, "Think Angel...if you kill her, she'll just find a way to come back and haunt us! Think of the rest of us, Gunn, Fred, me...think of the children!"

Angel opened his mouth to respond and..."Children?!" he turned to Wes in confusion.

Wesley blushed and mumbled, "Sorry that just slipped out."

Angel looked down at the restless boy, "So what are we gonna do," he asked quietly.

Cordy had darted into the bathroom and returned with a cooler cloth that Angel took gratefully. He began to gently wash Xander down as Cordy knelt and started unbuttoning Xander's jacket and shirt, easing them off. She stood back up and backed away from the bed.

All this sickness was making her feel queasy.

"Do about what?" Wesley looked confused.

"About Xander," Angel said with a little note of impatience as he smoothed the cloth down Xander's chest.

Wesley blinked and looked at Xander, then at Angel, "Is he bleeding," he asked busily.

Angel looked at him, startled, "No, of course not!"

"A demon?"

"No!"

Cordy looked back and forth between the two men, what the hell was Wesley talking about?

"How about under a curse?"

"NO!" Angel whispered furiously.

"Possessed?"

Angel just glared at him.

"Well, then I'm out of options. Besides, you brought him home and he's your Pet," he said smugly.

Uh oh, Cordy swiftly realized what Angel wanted them to do and started backing away slowly.

"What?! You're not gonna help," Angel looked aghast.

"Of course I will help," Wesley said, looking affronted. "I'll make sure to have Gunn and Cordy bring you plenty of water and blood," and he darted out of the door in a surprisingly burst of speed that almost rivaled Angel's.

I KNEW IT! Angel thought in triumph, I always suspected Wesley had demon blood in him.

"Freeze Cordy!" he ordered, without even looking at her.

"Look Angel, despite these big boobs, I am not in the least maternal or like caring for sick people, Florence Mockingbird I am not," Cordy said firmly, her hand on the doorknob.

"Nightingale," Angel said through clenched teeth.

"Nightingale...Nightingale?! What the hell are you talking about now? For God's sakes, Angel don't change the subject! I'm sorry but sick people make me sick, I don't know why but I start getting queasy and dizzy."

Angel wanted to say that she was already dizzy but knew there would be a stake in her hand soon after.

"But I *am* a champion getter," she said proudly, "You tell me to get something and I am so THERE! You couldn't find someone to be a better getter than me," she said brightly, smoothly opening the door. "I'll go get you that water," and darted away.

"Cowards," Angel snarled softly before looking down at the flushed boy. "Well, looks like it's just you and me, boyo."

He was startled to see Xander's eyes flicker open and dazed eyes appear.

"Heheheh, I tricked him! I slept right through Angelus killing me," Xander whispered hoarsely.

Angel couldn't help but to laugh, "I didn't kill you and I'm not Angelus," he snickered.

"Angelus must have hit me with a two by four or something the way my head is pounding," Xander grumbled, his eyes closing in pleasure as he felt a blissful coolness caress his chest, well that was another myth about not feeling any pain in heaven.

They must be measuring me for my wings, he thought smugly. HA! In your face, Buffy Summers, *I'm* getting wings!

"Xander, what did they give you back at the auction," Angel whispered quietly, his eyes intent.

"Donno, some orange drink and a funny tasting chocolate," Xander shrugged and cried out as that movement jarred his aching head.

He yelled louder as he was ruthlessly seized and began to complain loudly. Somebody was going to be in BIG trouble once he found out where the head Angel Boss was, BIG trouble. He absolutely refused to believe he could possible be in Hell.

Angel carried Xander into the bathroom and knelt down with him over the toilet.

"Xander, listen to me....you have to throw up! The orange drink and the chocolate together becomes poison," Angel said urgently.

"LIAR! Chocolate is always good," Xander eyes widen at the Angel looking person blaspheming about chocolate.

He whimpered, "I'm in Hell! I'm a bad person and I don't even remember being bad," he wailed softly. He clutched desperately at the man, "Tell me the truth, Mister, how bad was I?! I can handle it," his lips quivered before he collapsed against the man's shirt.

"Oh for God's sakes! Xander, you're not in Hell and you're not a bad person," Angel patted Xander's back when the boy sagged against him crying. God the things I do! He had to get Xander to throw up before the poison really entered his system. He tried to figure out a way to get the boy to throw up.

A sly cunning light entered his eyes.

"Xander," he whispered softly, "Willow said that Spike put blood in the candy," and the reaction was immediate.

Xander felt his eyes bugging out, BLOOD?! In chocolate?! Is there no end to Spike's evil? He felt the bile at the back of his throat at the thought of the blood laced chocolate and twisted, emptying the contents of his stomach. Every time he thought of blood in chocolate he heaved into the toilet until he was retching dryly into the toilet.

Angel closed the lid and flushed the toilet. He frowned at the boy's clammy skin and swiftly began to unfasten Xander's pants ignoring the boy's futile attempts to stop him. Quickly pulling off Xander's shoes and socks, he pushed the pants down and stood up with Xander, allowing the pants to slide off.

"Come on, we have to get you into the shower," Angel said, pulling the protesting boy to the shower.

"But I d'wanna take a shower, I wanna take a bath," Xander whined, dragging his feet and abruptly sitting down, with a smug smile on his face. Ha, I won! He smirked. Nope, nope, nope not gonna take a shower and you can't make me, he stuck his tongue out at the man.

Angel sighed and quickly peeled off his clothes and scooping the whiny boy up in to his arms and stepping into the shower.

Xander gasped as he was lifted to his feet and then felt needles of ice raining down on his fiery back.

"C..co..cold," he stuttered out, shuddering. Then looked up in confusion at the man holding him. He frowned, "Do I know you?" the man seemed familiar somehow.

Oh fuck! Angel frowned, if he was lucky, the boy.s memory was just a side-effect of the fever. He adjusted the water to a more comfortable level for the boy pressing against him, and a uncomfortable stirring began between his legs at the heavy-lidded look on Xander's face. He swallowed harshly.

"Yeah, you know me, now let's get you out of here and into bed okay," Angel spoke gently to the confused boy.

"K," Xander smiled blindingly at the nice man.

Angel tried to help Xander out of the tub, but Xander kept slapping his hands away, so he stood back and watched as the boy tried to manuever a foot over the tub wall. He tried to help again, seeing as how the boy was having trouble getting his foot that high. He wanted desperately to get the boy covered, that loosing swaying cock was starting to have a serious affect on him.

"I can do it by myself," Xander whined, frowned as the man tried to help him again. Concentrating, he lifted his foot and again the stupid tub got higher. The man reached for him again, "No, I said I can do it," he shrank back against the wall away from the man, tugging his arm free.

"I can do it," he whined. He sidled closer the edge and carefully NOT watching the evil bathtub, he quickly lifted his foot over the edge and stepped away before it had time to change.

"HA! I showed it, didn't I," he tried to turned and almost fell back into the bathtub. The man grabbed him quickly and tried to pull him away.

Xander turned around and tried to kick the bathtub, "Oh ho, you trying to kill me now?! Take that you evil thing! I'm gonna get me a pick ax and chopped you up into little bits.....you ain't gonna be taking me down! Let go of me, I'm gonna teach this thing not to mess with me! It don't know know who it's fuckin' with!"

Angel sighed as he pulled the struggling Xander away from the innocent backtub, why me? Haven't I suffered enough?


Apparently not, he thought some time later as he got up for the tenth time, changing the sweat soaked sheets, trying desperately to bring Xander's fever down. Feeding him crushed ice and constantly wiping him down.

He had learned his lesson of not feeding Xander after the boy threw up all over him and he had given up on keeping clothes on the boy, considering that he would just have to pull them off within an hour or two after Xander had sweat through them.

It took almost two days for him to bring Xander's fever down and for the boy to rest comfortable. Between Cordy and Gunn changing the sheets, fetching water, ice, blood and cleaning up the place; and with Wesley and Fred fielding calls, handling his caseload they made it through Xander's fever.

And with a sigh of exhaustion to even his vampiric strength, Angel stripped and crawled into bed with the now restlessly, sleeping boy.


Xander woke slowly lying on his side, trying to catalog all his aches and pains. What in the hell happened to me, he wondered. Last thing I remember was the Auction....and somebody bought me?

Nightmarish images flickered through his mind of Angelus, Spike, a bunch of demons and he shuddered. Thank God that just was a nightmare, he gasped and then slowly smiled as he became aware of an arm draped over his waist, lightly clasping his stomach, feeling a body in the bed with him.

Well, well, well, so I did get lucky last night, he thought with a lascivious inward smile. He reached under the covers and stroked the back of the hand with a gentle touch.

I hope it was good for her as it apparently was for me, he thought fondly. Considering just how much I ache right now, man we must have torn the house down. I'm still naked and still at her house. Score! he crowed triumphantly.

He frowned, damn but her hand was big. Aw shit, did some fat girl buy me? Oh well, even if she is big and fat, she obviously knows a thing or two about sex, he thought stoutly, hey even fat girls need some loving.

I ain't never been this achy even after Anya wore me out. Besides, who am I to complain, any sex is good sex, considering I ain't had none since I called off the wedding.

He trailed his hand absently up the arm, frowning a the size and hairiness....he froze and pulled back the sheet hesitantly, his heart stopping at the sight of a man's arm draped over his waist.

It was cold. He listened intently, he couldn't hear any breathing. Oh god, I had the best sex of my life with a guy and killed him!

His heart began to race as he tried to move...he nearly had a heart attack when the arm twitched and pulled him close.

Oh God, not only did he have sex with a guy, but a vampire guy!

He tried frantically to pluck the heavy arm off of him, only to feel it tighten ever more pulling him back to the guy's chest. He froze in terror feeling something that he absolutely refused to identify, poking him in the back.

"Xander, for God's sake please just go back to sleep," he heard a voice say huskily in his ear.

Oh sweet mother of God, HE SLEPT WITH ANGELUS?! Remembering the nightmare images, he began to whimper softly, shaking with terror. He had turned into a Buffy!

Angel could feel the boy shaking, obviously having another nightmare, "Xander, what's wrong now?" He was getting too used to these frequent waking moments with Xander.

Would it kill the boy to freakin. let him get some fuckin' rest?! He sighed, he really shouldn.t blame the boy, he was still obviously recovering.

He began purring, knowing the boy would fall asleep within minutes of him purring.

"Y...yo...you and me," he heard the boy squeak out, and his purr stuttered to a halt in amazement.

He sat up in a rush, rolling Xander over and peering down into the boy's wide eyes, seeing clarity for the first time in days.

Xander, seeing Angelus looming over him, did the only thing he could think of.

.he punched Angelus in the nose and started screaming at the top of his lungs!

Angel fell back on the bed, clutching his nose, moaning in pain. He could vaguely hear people running to his bedroom, but he was in too much pain to care.

Adrenaline giving him strength, Xander tried to scramble out of the bed, but landed on the floor with a thump with his legs still tangled in the sheets.

Angel grabbed at the sheets frantically to cover himself but the door was thrusted open..revealing both he and Xander in all their naked glory!

Xander twisted, saw a lot of feet and tried to frantically crawl under the. He had made it halfway under the bed amid a lot of shouting when he felt his ankle grabbed and he was dragged kicking and screaming from under the bed.

He kicked desperately at whatever had his ankle, rejoicing at the scream of pain from a vampire and scrambled frantically to get back under the bed. They weren.t gonna get him that.s for damn sure!

And with a quick slithery move, he made it under the bed. Peering out, he could make out a guy curled over on the floor in the traditional pose of ‘My God, he kicked me in the nads…’

Hehehehe, he chortled then froze in alarm.

“Xander Harris, you get from under that bed, this minute,” Cordy shouted over Wesley.s moans of pain. “ And Angel, put some damn clothes on, nobody wants..”

“HAVE MERCY!” She stared, her mouth open in shock.

Angel glanced down and swiftly grabbed the sheet, covering himself up.

Cordy shook her head out of her glazed wonder, pinched Fred out of her daze. She peered under the bed at her former boyfriend seeing his eyes fill with tears.

“Oh God, Cordy, not you! But don.t worry, Buffy’ll be here soon and she’ll stake his dead ass. I bet she’ll be more than happy to stake you too!” Xander assured her tearfully. He wiped his eyes on his forearm.

“Oh, for God.s sakes,” Cordy muttered, and reaching into her shirt she pulled out a cross. “Look, dumbass, if I was a vampire would I be able to do this?” She held the cross in her hand under the bed and smiled at the relief that appeared in Xander.s eyes.

Xander laughed shakily as he began crawling out. “Boy, you would not believe the weird dream I had! First I dreamed that I was in bed with some big fat girl which was okay in my book, then I dreamed that I was naked in bed with Psycho Angel!"

Angel reclined on the bed just as Xander's emerged from under the bed. "Hello lover," he said in a low, deep throbbing voice.

Xander jumped at that voice behind him, not a dream! Hesitantly, he turned slowly to face....Angelus? He peered closer, breathing almost a sigh of relief at the sight of Angel.

"Oh shit, man you scared the fuck out of me! I thought I was naked in bed with Angelus," Xander started laughing in relief, his laughter dying down at the silence in the room.

"Well, you were half right," Angel drawled. He glanced meaningfully up and down at Xander.

Xander blinked, looked down and quickly scrambled to cover himself, blushing a bright red, stumbling slightly as his adrenaline rush wore off.

"Uhm, well, not that this hasn't been fun, but I'm so outta here," he said faintly and passed out.

Angel started to dive across the bed to catch the boy and halted abruptly, aware of Cordy and Fred's interested gaze on him as his sheet started coming undone. Wincing at the thud Xander made when he hit the floor and the disappointed, wistful looks on Cordy and Fred's faces.

Ignoring them, he carefully crawled across the bed and pulled Xander back into bed.

"Wes, call Buffy and let her know that Xander's okay now," he calmly ordered, arranging the boy in the bed.

"Yes, I'll get right on it," Wes whispered, trying to straighten up...slowly. He turned and hobbled out of the room, followed by sympathetic Gunn, Cordy and Fred.


It took another 12 hours of sleep for Xander to gain some of his strength back and stop feeling so tired.

Unfortunately, it was about this time that D'na arrived with 15 demon guards to check on Angel's Claim of the Pet.

Angel was upstairs getting dressed in the bathroom, idly listening to the boy's babble of words when Cordy's piercing shriek rent the air.

He ran out the bathroom, quickly yelling for Xander to get back into bed before darting out and down the stairs, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of D'na standing calmly in the lobby surrounded by huge imposing guards.

What the hell is he doing here, was his panicky thought. Careful, Angel, be cool, calm and controlled. Remember who you are, one of the baddest vampires, the Scourge of Europe....

"Angel, will you please get down here and deal with this...this creature," Cordy snarled over her shoulder, waving a hand imperiously to D'na and the guards.

...And apparently, Cordelia Chase personal attack dog.

D'na looked curiously at the mouthy little human, "You're cold and rude, which I find very appealing in females...."

Cordy instantly smiled, captivated by the demon's words, why what a sweet demon he was and so obviously perceptive.

"...but unfortunately you are human," he ended coldly.

Cordy abruptly lost her smile and stared daggers into the him, her mouth opening to make a scathing reply just as Angel's frantic signals to Wesley finally got through.

Wesley blinked as he belatedly recognized the demon and became desperate to stop Cordy from saying anything. Which was the only reason why he temporally lost his mind....as he hauled off and punched Cordy in the jaw.

Wesley looked triumphant at finally shutting Cordy up.

Both Angel and Gunn looked at each other then at Wesley in awe and sad dismay as Cordy dropped to the floor unconscious.

"Damn, Wes! I didn't you had it in you," Gunn said slowly and shook his head sorrowfully. "Man, you been a good friend and I'll miss you." He grabbed Wesley in a tight hug, feeling his eyes sting with tears. Real men don't cry, he told himself sternly, before stepping back.

"I..I'm gonna miss you too, Wesley," Fred looked at him shyly before hugging the puzzled man and stepping back to Gunn's side.

"I'm sorry, but..but...but I'm not going anywhere," Wesley stuttered, blinking in confusion.

"Well, I suspect you will be when Cordy comes too," Angel said looking down at her the sprawled figure.

Wesley looked at his hand in horror and paled alarmingly. He turned terrified eyes to Angel, mutely imploring him for help.

Angel tried to resist looking, but in the end sighed.

"Gunn, you and Fred get Cordy upstairs and get her comfortable," Angel said with a growl of annoyance at the pathetically grateful look Wesley gave him.

Gunn and Fred exchanged uneasily looks, before Gunn asked, "Whadda we do if she wakes up? 'Cause I'm telling ya, man, I ain't taking the fall for Wes...I mean, you my boy and all, but I ain't goin' out like that," Gunn said, looking determined.

"Lie or run like hell," Angel said simply, turning away and motioning Wes to his side.

"Guess that's why you get paid the big bucks," Gunn said sardonically picking Cordy off the floor.

Angel turned, "Don't make me tell Cordy who ate her stash of Double Dutch Chocolate cookies."

"Look, I'm going okay?! Ain't no need to get nasty and all!" Gunn said with injured dignity, hastily running up the stairs.

Angel smirked before turning back to D'na who had been watching them with curious cool eyes.

"If you are quite finished?" he waited politely before continuing, "I'm here to see that you have Claimed your Pet, if not then I will take him back and he will be re-auctioned off."

Angel froze, his eyes widening slightly as he remembered D'na asking him whether he was going to Claim Xander or not.

"Angel, what's he talking about? Angel?!" Wesley looked at his frozen friend, he tried to shake Angel's arm lightly, recoiling at the horrified look Angel gave him before Angel blinked and the look vanished, replaced by an unreadable expression.

"Perhaps we should repair to my office," Angel spoke formally, gesturing D'na to his office.

"No," D'na said flatly, "This conversation will not take long. It is merely a Yes or No question. Did you Claim the Pet or did you not?"

Angel sighed in frustration, "It's not a simple answer. No I did not Claim him because he's been sick for three days! Apparently, he was give an orange drink and chocolate or at least what he assumed was chocolate," Angel gave D'na a meaningful look.

"That's impossible," D'na stated coolly, "Clearly he is human, so no one in their right mind would give a human Dolemen together with Zortan."

"Well, apparently somebody obviously wasn't in their right mind and did give him Dolemen," Angel said savagely.

D'na looked thoughtful before snapping his fingers and pointing. Suddenly appearing was a small misshapen demon, nervously twisting it's many hands.

"Male, dark hair, brown eyes and tall. Do you recall this creature," D'na stated frostily to the shivering figure, his eyes intent.

"Yes, Master D'na, Fir recalls this creature!" Fir nodded eagerly.

"Did you give this creature Dolemen to calm it down," D'na said in a curiously gentle voice.

"No?" Fir said tentatively, peering hopefully up at D'na. "Fir knows he is not supposed to give humans Dolemen." He hastily assured D'na, his heart racing in fear.

D'na cocked his head, "I see. But I don't remember saying that the Pet was human," his voice was achingly smooth with menace.

"But he was screaming and yelling and upsetting all my other Pets. He hit Fir! I only wanted to touch the pretty-pretty, I wasn't gonna hurt the blonde pretty, I just wanted to touch. He wouldn't let me touch the pretty-pretties. He was being BAD!" Fir wailed indignation, blubbering in terror.

"But you almost killed a Pet," D'na remarked in a final tone. His eyes flared.

Screams rent the lobby as the creature caught on fire, twisting and jerking in its death throes.

Upstairs, Xander sat up in bed in terror, shaking violently...

Gunn and Fred raced back to the top of the stairs, ready for anything....

Angel looked on with no expression on his face, holding a horrified Wes still with a solid grip of iron.

D'na snapped his fingers and the writhing creature disappeared.

"Good help is so hard to find these days," he sighed before turning to Angel.

"Clearly I am forced to give you additional time to claim your Pet. You have one week from tomorrow to Claim him or return him to me."

Angel's eyes flickered up the stairs to Gunn and Fred, silently warning them to go away. He turned back to D'na.

"He's still weak, give me five weeks to Claim him," Angel bargained. He figured that with four somebody was bound to come up with plan for him NOT to have to claim Xander.

Wes looked back and forth between the two demons, something about claiming was teasing at the back of his mind.

D'na shook his head, "Two weeks," he countered.

"Four weeks and as I said, he's still week and recovering from the poison," Angel said calmly. Okay, I'm sure we can find something within four weeks.

D'na tilted his head, "I'm getting the feeling that you are trying to stall and come up with a way not to claim your Pet. Perhaps I had better to see the Pet before I make a determination, yes?"

Angel almost hissed in rage, before turning and silently stalking up the stairs to his room, trailed by D'na and seven of the demons guards.

Xander jerked in alarm as Angel stalked in with a set tight look on his face, oh uh, somebody's got his panties in a bunch.

"Deadboy. Hey, I remember you!" He sat up looking at the silvery hair demon, "You were part of that dream...," he trailed off. He looked at Angel, "It wasn't a dream was it?"

"No," Angel said shortly, stepping aside as D'na strolled closer to the bed.

D'na looked closely at the young mortal, smelling the fading sickness of the boy.

"Very well, Angel, I will give you three weeks to complete your Claim of the mortal and that is my final offer," he said firmly as Angel was going to argue.

"Claim? What's this about a claim? Who's getting claimed? 'Cause I just want to go on the record here casting my vote with a firm HELL NO! Ain't nobody claiming me!" Xander said firmly, "Whatever it is, it don't sound like something I want to be a party to. Thanks but no thanks!"

D'na turned back to the young mortal, interested, "You are then saying you are rejecting the vampire's Claim," he asked carefully.

"Hell yeah!" Xander shouted glaring daggers at Angel.

"NO!" Angel yelled and glared at Xander, trying to get the idiot to shut up.

"Well, which will it be Angel? Yes or No? If No, then I will take the boy and hold him for the next Fiestea," D'na said calmly.

"What do you mean, auction block?" Xander said suspiciously, somehow he just knew this was all Angel's fault. He shot a venomous look at Angel.

"If the vampire does not Claim you within the next three weeks, you will be returned to me and held until the next Fiestea," D'na said with chilly patience.

"What?! I ain't no fuckin' slave or...or thing! I'm human! You got that? H.U.M.A.N. Human," Xander yelled, panting and starting to feel a little weak.

D'na ignored him, choosing to focus his attention on Angel.

Wesley felt the answer coming closer....

"Three weeks," Angel nodded his understanding, already plotting ways of avoiding Claiming Xander, he didn't care if it was only for five years. There had to be a way around the Claim.

"Oh and Angel, if in three weeks the Pet is not Claimed and you have found a way around the Claim, I will still come back here and kill every last one of the people currently residing in this place. Then I will find the Pet's family and friends and kill them as well. Do we understand each other," D'na lifted a cool brow to Angel set face.

"Perfectly," Angel growled, his eyes flashing with rage.

"What?! You're going to let him punk like that," Xander yelled at Angel.

D'na turned a looked at the boy, perhaps stronger measures were called for.

"Observe," he merely said, gesturing to the wall.

Xander turned his head to look, gasping slightly as Anya appeared walking down the stairs at Buffy's. Then the look of mute terror as she fell, tumbling before laying at the bottom, her leg at an impossible angle. He saw the look of silent horror on Buffy and Willow's face as they raced down the stairs to her.

"That didn't happen," Xander said, trying to convince himself as he shakily reached for the phone at the bedside and dialed Buffy's number.

"Hey, Dawn?" he started to say but was quickly cut off by Dawn.

"Xander, I'm sorry but I gotta go, Anya just fell down the stairs and broke her leg," Dawn said hurriedly and hung up.

Xander sat there with a blank look on his face at the dial tone, before slowly hanging up the phone.

"So how exactly does this Claimy thingie work," he said hesitantly, smiling at the nice demon guy.

"I shall leave it up to Angel to explain," D'na said smoothly, gathering his guards.

"Wes," Angel said without removing his attention from Xander, "Please escort D'na out."

Wes looked from Angel to Xander and nodded, politely gesturing D'na from the room.

"Remember, Angel three weeks," D'na said in parting.

Angel tilted his head, listening to their footsteps descend the stairs, the murmur of voices and the door shut.

"Deadboy, what the hell did you do," Xander said hoarsely.

"Me?! All I did was try to fuckin' help you," Angel said angrily, pacing back and forth.

"Help?! I sure don't want to be around when you don't help people," Xander snorted, "And what's up with the wardrobe anyway...sure you're not Angelus?" Xander squinted at him suspiciously.

Angel stopped pacing and looked at Xander sardonically, "Soul's permanent now boy." He sauntered closer to the bed, his eyes gleaming with a dark invitingness.

Xander looked at Deadboy nervously, uneasy about that look in Dea...Angel's eyes. He started scooting slowly across the bed away from the disturbing gleam in Dead...ah..Angel's eyes.

"Uhm, just to remind you of a couple of things," Xander said hastily, scooting faster across the bed as Angel knelt gracefully on the bed and started crawling to him.

"Not that I'm *implying* anything, you understand, but I just wanted to remind you that you are a MALE and I as well am a MALE," Xander laughed falsely as he scrambled out of the bed, backing slowly away from the predatory look in Deadboy's eyes.

"So, if you got you soul and all, I guess you can get your groove on with BUFFY.
Your soulmate. The one that you adore, remember," Xander squeaked out, pressed against the wall with Angel a bare foot from him.

"Shall I tell you about the Claim," Angel murmured backing away, noting the sigh of relief from the boy with a cool twist of his lips.

"Yes! Yes, tell me about the Claim, and then I can go home," Xander said hopefully taking a couple of steps away from the wall. This Deadboy was scaring the bejebbers out of him. Half soulboy and half evilboy. He didn't know how to react to him.

With a blur of speed that made Xander gasped in fright, Angel was pressing against him, pushing him back against the wall with his hands held above his head.

Whispering in his ear.

"By agreeing to Claim you, I own you now. You belong to me, everything that you own, belongs to me. You are mine to do as I see fit, as long as I don't kill you." He licked up the side of Xander's neck, inhaling the boy's scent, feeling his body stir hungrily.

"D..d..does this involves biting," Xander quavered out, he felt something growing pressing against his....he squeaked and began to babble, trying to ignore the way Angel was sniffing and licking at his neck.

"Cause if it involves biting, well hell, let's make with the biting cause we do want to keep you healthy and strong, and our friends AND your soulmate Buffy, the one that you adore, healthy and alive. Did I mention that Buffy considers me one of her closest friends? Yep, me and Buffy go back years and years, there's no better friend than good ole Buffy, she's a sweet girl and there's nothing she wouldn't do for her friends, absolutely nothing," he squeaked the last part out, shuddering as Angel began to rock against him. He tried to move his hands from the iron one, handed grip, above his head. Glaring furiously at the top of Angel's head, feeling Angel's cold tongue laving at his neck.

"Each demon has different ways of Claiming," he heard Angel whisper huskily, he shivered as the gust of breath across the wet spot on his neck.

When Angel looked up, he knew his eyes were a solid gold from the gasp and the increase of fear pouring off of Xander in waves.

"But for vampires, biting is only the last part of the Claim," he whispered into the boy's ear, before nibbling on a earlobe, smiling at the shudder that wracked through Xander's frame. Fear and the delicious scent of arousal.

"W...wha...what else is involved," Xander quivered out, already he could just about guess, but please let him be wrong, please....

"Sex," he heard Angel whispered against his neck. He squirmed desperately to get free, stopping abruptly at the answering response from Angel.

"Dammit, Angel, I am fuckin' so NOT gay! Let me go and stop playing mind games with me," Xander exploded, his face flushing with rage.

With a husky chuckle Angel, backed off and strolled away from the panting boy.

"What the fuck is your problem?! Just fuckin' bite me already so I can get back to Sunnydale." Xander snarled shakily, scrubbing at the wet spot on his neck.

"I'm afraid that you won't be going back to Sunnydale for a while and I wasn't lying about how vampires Claim someone," Angel said levelly and sprawled in his chair, looking at the flushed Xander broodingly.

"What?!" Xander looked horrified, pressing his ass abruptly back against the wall as if that was some protection.

Angel's mouth quirked wryly at the telling gesture.

"No way man! That part of me shall remain unexplored by anyone except my doctor and even he had better have a damn good reason for being back there!" Xander shouted angrily.

Angel sighed. "So you choose to allow your friends to die?" He remarked quietly.

At which Xander froze, remembering what the demon said. He looked at Angel uncertainly. "Would he really kill them," he whispered uneasily.

Angel sighed yet again, "The only thing that I know D'na cares about are the rules and regulation of the Fiestea. When it first started, the head of every major demon clan had to agree to abide by it's rule and humans were welcome attendees of the Fiestea. These rules are passed down to the rest of the demons within the clan and is ruthlessly enforced. And it has existed this way for thousands of years."

A dark look crossed Angel's face. "A long time ago, a bunch of humans thought they were smarter and tried to buck the rules. About fifty people were involved in the thief of a Pet from the Fiestea. D'na politely requested the return of the Pet and was laughed at by the people on the island, he killed fifteen of them before the Pet was returned broken and near death from the multiple rapes and beating she had endured. D'na destroyed every last person in Atlantis and then sank it beneath the ocean."

There was horrified silence from Xander.

"Everyone abides by the rules of the Fiestea," Angel said quietly, "No exceptions."

Xander sank despairingly to the floor, his head on his knees, starting at a slight touch on his shoulder.

"Xander, I promise that I won't hurt you," Angel whispered to the bent head, stroking the silken locks gently, pulling the boy into his arms.

"But I really don't wanna be gay," Xander nearly wailed out into Angel's chest, feeling tears prickling at his eyes.

"And you won't be," Angel smiled and tilted the boy's head up to gaze down into his wide eyes, "You won't be gay...you'll just be expanding your horizons."

Xander let out a watery chuckle and rolled his eyes. "Deadboy, even for you that was lame. With a line like that I have no idea how you got Buffy into bed."

Angel laughed. "Hey, give me a break. I've been out of practice this past week."

Xander snorted disgustedly at that, before a sober look crossed his face.

Xander looked at him somberly, "Angel I really don't want to do this, I don't want to have sex with you and I especially don't want to be gay either."

"Xander, I've already said that you won't be gay. And I assure you that you would probably be the last male that I would have sex with also," Angel said in exasperation.

Xander hid his hurt at Angel's statement, unaware of the sharp look the other cast him, "Then what would you call it, it not being gay?!"

"I call it saving your friends lives," Angel said flatly, before sinking down beside Xander.

"Xander, you've done a lot to keep your friends safe. Things that they don't even know about," he began but was interrupted by Xander's sarcastic remark.

"Oh yeah, name one of them," Xander snorted, folding his arms crossly.

Angel stared at the bed, "How about the lie that you told Buffy when she went to fight Angelus? You told her Willow said to 'kick his ass'."

Xander tried to scramble away, restrained by Angel's iron grip. "You know," he choked out.

"Yeah, I know," Angel sighed, "Something that Willow said made me think and I asked a few questions to both Buffy and Willow and from there it was easy to figure out that you lied, thinking that Buffy would either be killed by stalling or again not be able to kill Angelus."

Xander quivered, "You're not mad?" he asked tentatively, his eyes watchful and his body tense.

"At the time I was and thought of thousands of ways to kill you, but I started thinking, remembering everything Angelus did, how many opportunities Buffy had and how many times she spared him. Probably I would have done the same had I been in your shoes."

"Oh," was all Xander could think to say, but rallied, "But that's only one time and it don't count," he said sullenly.

"Why not? You said give you one time and I gave you one," Angel regarded the mutinous face and sighed softly, "Xander, you are an extremely brave and resourceful young man, hell you face me down to save Buffy's life! And had it not been for the fact that we were practically competing for Buffy's affections we probably would have been friends."

"Not in this lifetime," Xander snorted, but relented after a look from Angel, "Fine! Maybe, just maybe," he stressed, "If you would stop acting so, so so 'look at me, I'm the best looking guy on the face of the planet'. You get all the girls and leave none for the rest of us," he complained.

"Xander, you do realize that didn't make a bit of sense, right," Angel looked at him with twitching lips.

"I know, I know, I just choked," Xander admitted with a sigh. He looked down, "So how does this Claiming thing work? You gonna sedu..seduc...," he kept choking on the word.

"Seduce you? Now would that be fair," Angel mocked him gently, raising Xander's head to meet his eyes, seeing the fear and panic lurking beneath the brave front the boy was putting on.

"Tell you what, why don't we start with something as simple as a kiss," he whispered, drawing closer to the boy and pulling them both to their knees.

" K," Xander quavered out, his eyes wide and fearful.

Xander had thought that Angel would press only a single close mouth kiss against his lips, to test the waters or to see just how bad he would freak out. However, the initial caress of Angel’s hand against his cheek startled him. A shiver of awareness coursed down his spine. He regarded the vampire with new eyes. He swallowed hard at the strangely intent look on Angel’s face. So the brush of Angel's hand against his cheek made him jump and regard Angel intently, almost fearfully.

Distrustful and very much concerned by the stirring of emotion and a certain part of his anatomy. His breath becoming ragged, Xander’s heart was pounding. It pounded even harder at the evocative glide of a cool fingertip against the sensitive folds of his ear. At Angel’s silken caress, he let out a breathy moan.

Satisfaction flaring within the amber depths of the vampire’s eyes at that soft sound, Angel put his 200 plus years of experience to good use. His intent was to rouse the senses of this unexpected and most reluctant Pet.

Fingers gliding with deceptive gentleness, he stroked fingers softly over his Pet. With skills recently honed to perfection, he softly caressed Xander’s face. His fingers, sensitive to the slightest change in temperature, felt the subtle increase of heat in the Xander’s face.

Years of hunting prey, the slow sensuous seduction as he circled a potential victim, touching, stroking warm human skin. Drawing closer to the climatic moment, one which would culminate in death. It was these moments that Angelus had adored. The feel of a human’s frenzied body, writhing against him as he thrust into moist, heated flesh.

Learning where the nerve points were. Knowing where to touch, stroke or caress. How long, how much pressure was too much or too little….These skillful traits he had since resumed upon the cementing of his soul. It was seduction, pure and simple.

Xander would never know what hit him.

Angel watched color bloom darkly in Xander’s cheeks. The signs of arousal were clear in the dilated eyes, the rapid heartbeats and the shudders that coursed through the lean body before him. The pheromones of an aroused human male permeated the air. Angel smiled. The smoldering look of approval in his eyes at Xander’s response cause a whimper to escaped trembling human lips.

His hand came to rest lightly on the Xander’s neck, briefly caressing the strongly corded muscles. Adding another layer to the web of sensuality he was weaving. Bringing his other hand around, he cupped Xander’s cheek. Bringing those very tempting lips ever closer.

"Open your mouth," he whispered seductively, thoroughly enjoying the dazed look on Xander’s face. He rotated a finger and thumb against the boy’s frozen jaw muscles. "Open for me, pretty boy.”

Captured by the haunting spell that Angel had so skillfully woven, Xander’s lips helplessly parted. The fitful moan he gave he gave was swallowed by Angel mouth. He arched, his lower body rubbing with delicious friction against Angel. Soft, gentle kisses of slow languid pressure, beguiled his senses. Subtly enticing his submission for Angel's erotically seductive pleasuring.

Again and again Angel supped deeply Xander’s willing mouth. Deepening his silent possession all the while, like the maestro conductor, orchestrating the boy’s rising passion, bringing to a full glorious life. It was long time before he chose to allow Xander's lips to leave his silken captivity.

He buried his face in the fragrant skin on the side of Xander's neck, gently suckling, nipping at the warm fragrant the skin there. He inhaled deeply, nearly groaning himself at the heady cocktail of scents rising from Xander.

Arousal and pheromones.

It was an exciting combination that would rouse a dead man. He smirked at the irony. He mouthed Xander’s neck, licking hungrily at the throbbing pulsating vein. Though the pounding sensation of life he felt against his tongue did not tempt him overly much; however it did excite his interest.

As for Xander it was as if he had been thrust into a new world, a vastly different dimension. One full of sensation, feelings and unknown emotion. He briefly glimpsed what Angelus must have been like when he seduced his victims.

He arched his neck further for Angel's delectation. No virgin, however, he had never been the recipient of a kiss like this from any woman. Anya, even at her most enthusiastic had never affected him like this.

This kiss was subtle, tempting beyond measure. Spiked with voluptuous unearthly passion, all he wanted was to give in. Submit to Angel’s desires.

He came back to himself slowly, no longer feeling the pressure of Angel’s lips. He started at the caress on Angel's fingers on his bare arm.

"Stop it, you made your point," he said, anger coming ot his rescue. He slapped Angel's hand away. "With skills like that you could probably get a response from a freakin' stone," he said irritably.

Angel drew back with a teasing smile. "Probably, but where's the fun in that?" Gradually his smile faded. "So, Xander what's it gonna be?"

Xander briefly looked down, then hastily away. "You already know what the answer is gonna be," he said angrily. He determinedly tried to ignore the way his pants bulged in the front.

"Yes, but without your cooperation, it won't work," Angel regarded the downcast head gently. "Rape was part of Angelus bag of tricks, not mine," he whispered softly.

He pressed a brief kiss on the boy's flushing cheek before drawing back and coming to his feet. He extended a hand to Xander and waited patiently for him to decide. Smiling inward as the boy looked up with a angry sigh before taking his hand, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet.

Xander squirmed under the slow look Angel gave him, he was not GAY! he whispered furiously to himself, sternly yelling at Xander Jr. to simmer down, now.

Angel hid a small smile, "Xander, if you fight me on this, you'll only wind up hurting yourself. I won't Claim an unwilling person."

He hated to crush that look of hope on the boy's face, "And D'na will know that you are still unClaimed," but Xander had to realize the seriousness of what was going on.

Xander drew in a ragged breath, "Can I have a few days b..be..before you Claim me," he asked shakily.

Angel stepped closer and drew the unwilling, shivering body to him. Rubbing the boy's quivering back gently, "I can give you four days," he whispered before stepping away.

"What about my job, my apartment," Xander said desperately.

Angel stoked his fingers gently down the boy's face, "Xander, your home is with me for the next five years. This hotel needs plenty of work down around here and if you don't want to work here, I have contacts all over the city. I won't guarantee you a job outside of the hotel, you will have to work for that because I believe you have too much pride for that. As for your apartment, you can kept it or let someone else sublet it. You won't be returning to it for a long while."

At those soft words, realization crash through Xander, he wasn't going anywhere for the next five years. Summoning his shaky courage, he essayed a brave smile, flushing at the warm approval in Angel eyes.

"Well, I got a couple days to get use to the idea of sl...slee...," Xander tried to choked out, blushing at the laughter in Angel's eyes.

"Don't stress yourself over this, my Pet," Angel smiled and left the room, leaving a very confused Xander musing over his Claiming.

Three day later they had a small party where things got a little interesting.

At Cordy's request, Gunn snorted who the hell was he kidding, damn girl ordered him! Him! The baddest sonavabitch this side of town, taking orders from a skinny-ass crazy White girl. I'm fuckin' original bad boy, I don't take orders from no damn girl, I don't take shit from nobody.

I'm only inviting the guys over 'cuz I *want* to, not cuz she done *ordered* me! He strode into the hotel, his head held high and proud.

"Gunn, did you remember to pick up my favorite ice cream from the store," Cordy asked without looking up from her keyboard.

"Yep, Mint Mocha Double Chocolate just like you wanted and I got you some of your favorite cookies, too. I even got some of those Twinkies and some Chocolate bars for Xander," he said. He ignored Wesley snickering and fake coughing spasms of 'asskisser'.

Cordy looked up and smiled brilliantly at the thoughtful gesture. "Gunn, you're just too good to me," she exclaimed jumping up and kissing his cheek.

Yeah, that's right, he thought glaring at the snickering Wes. You gonna get yours, man, you just wait and see. Why the hell did Wes think he was doing this shit anyway. You gotta get on Cordy's good side and she wont make your life hell. Even slow ass Angel already figured that one out.

It was kinda funny though that that skinny White kid that Angel had stashed upstairs just seemed to ignore Cordy's temper. Gunn shook his head, at first glance the boy looked like a total idiot but the dude got some balls if he could just blow off Cordy time and again, leaving *her* fuming is his dust. Boy, must got some sorta secret power and shit.

"Oh and I ran into Jay-T, Pauly and C-note, they gonna be around here around five, six with their girlies, give Xander a chance to met some new people," he added over his should as he went to put away the groceries.

"I hope they don't bring that skanky ho, Tina," Cordy yelled after him. "You know what a bitch she can be with that mouth of hers and I don't want Xander running back to his room."

Gunn paused in putting away the groceries as he grappled with the fact that Cordy of all people was dissing Tina! The only reason why those two didn't get along was because they had the exact same personalities. He shuddered remembering the last time the two got in a dissing match. Man and he thought Lota demons were vicious.

From that day he vowed to stay on her good side!

"Did you hear me," Cordy yelled to the kitchen.

Gunn started and resumed putting away the groceries, "Yeah and I told them to make sure she didn't show up."

Yeah he was the man, but his mama didn't raise no fool either.

As five o'clock rolled around, Gunn's friends arrive. Cordy managed to coax Xander from his room, actually she dragged him kicking and screaming from his room.

She glared murderously at Gunn who carefully avoided her eyes. That skanky slut Tina was here! She knew what the bitch wanted: Gunn. And there was no fuckin' way was she gonna let that tramp break up Fred and Gunn.

Her eyes narrowed furiously at the skintight outfit, the girl was wearing, she might as well be naked it was so tight and short, barely covering her big ass. Whore! She sneered, pulling the nervous and protesting Xander to where everyone was gathered.

"Cordy, really, I don't want to be downstairs. Beside I'm not dressed for a party," he gave a fake chuckle, dragging his feet.

"You are not hiding in your room any more. I got clear instructions from Willow on how to handle the care and feeding of a Xander. And anyway i told you an hour ago that people were coming over and to get changed. Besides," she took in his low riding gray sweat pant, wife beater T-shirt and bare feet, "You look perfectly fine. Now c'mon," and she dragged him over to the gyrating figures.

Quickly introducing everyone, snarling as she spoke Tina's name.

"Cordy, I'm surprised," Tina purred mockingly, "I know you must be hard up and desperate, but....," she waved a hand at the blushing White guy Cordy had an iron grip on. Her lips shaped into a malicious smile at the furious look that crossed Cordy's face.

At that, nasty insults traded back and forth

"Slut!"

"Whore!"

"Bitch!"

"Skank!"

"Tramp!"

"Two-dollar Whore!"

The dual of words were exchanged with poisonous smiles on their faces, before their ruffled feathers were smoothed down, the pecking order was established, and they settled into neutral corners.

Xander, having escaped was sitting by Fred, watching in fascination as the two high powered uber-bitches traded verbal blows. His money was on Cordy coming out ahead.

He finally turned his attention tot he forlorn looking Fred. He instinctively liked her, being drawn to her shyness so much like Willow back when they were kids. So he treated her like the treated Willow when she was down in the mouth.

"Hey, there pretty lady, you come here often," he asked with a leer, relieved to see her tentative smile before it vanished. He twisted to see why she looked upset and saw Tina rubbing up against Gunn who looked like he didn't know whether to run away screaming or continue dancing. Xander snorted if what Tina was doing could be called dancing.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at the desolate look on Fred's face and determinely he got up.

"Hey, it was Tina right," Xander said calmly in the pause between songs, "Mind dancing with me," he asked her with a little grin.

Tina whirled around and at the first sign of her distraction, Gunn made his escape.

Tina's eyes glittered coldly as she watched Gunn retreat swiftly away from her. Her mouth tightened as she glanced up at Xander and saw that he planned it, distracting her to let Gnn get away.

Her eyes narrowed fractionally and then she heard a song begin. Her eyes gleamed and her lips curved into a chilly smile. Oh yeah, she'll fix this stupid White boy and by the time she was done with him, he won't be able to walk straight.

"Sure, I'll dance with you," she purred, pressing against him, her body moving erotically to the song.

Xander's eyes had narrowed also, easily recognizing the look in Tina's eyes.

"Go rescue him," Cordy hissed at Gunn, trying to push him towards Tina and Xander. "That bitch'll eat him alive!"

Gunn looked down at her in disbelief, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Cordy rolled her eyes, "Idiot! You know what I mean," and she smacked him upside the head.

"Cordy, not in front of my boys," Gunn whispered desperately, hunching his shoulders in anticipation of her next blow.


Finally the song went off and Xander followed after Tina with clenched teeth. Gunn gave him a sympathetic look and his cheeks burned with shame. Damn her anyway, he was just trying to help Fred out.

Another song came on and he stopped, listened....and a slow dark smile crossed his face, sending an uneasy shiver up the spines of everyone watching.

"Uh oh," Cordy said uneasily, "I don't think I'm liking the look on Xander face.

Xander took two rapid steps and grabbed Tina's arm, yanking her into his arms.

"What the fuck is your goddamn problem, you fuckin' dumbass," Tina shouted, bracing her other hand against his shoulder, her body pressed tight against him, straddling his leg.

"Uh oh, Tina gonna get medieval on your boy's ass," Jay-T shook his head sorrowfully, making sure he was far away as possible for the coming bloodshed.

Pauly sighed, "Damn, Cordy! I sure am sorry about your friend 'n all."

"Stop acting like he's gonna die," Cordy snapped turning on them.

Gunn said simply, "He will by the time Tina's finished with him."

"My turn," Xander whispered huskily and began to sing, writhing against her.

"How can I put this in a way so as not to offend or unnerve," he said in time with the song and he ground his hips hard into her, watching her eyes widen.

"But there's a rumor goin' all around that you ain't been gettin' served; They say that you ain't 'You know what' in, baby, who knows how long; It's hard for me to say what's right when all I wanna do is wrong," he whispered as he circled his hips against her, listening to her gasp.

"Get off..23 positions in a one night stand," he whispered, his lips a inch from hers, "Get off...I'll only call you after if you say I can," he ground his hips against hers. "Get off, let a woman be a woman and a man be a man," his hips pumped into hers before he stepped away, with his arms outstretched.

"Get off,,,If you want to, baby, here I am," he rolled his hips and raised a brow at her.

(The others stood frozen in shock, Wesley muttered "Oh My God!")

//I clocked the jizz from a friend of yours named Vanessa Bet//
//she said you told her a fantasy that got her all wet//
(he caressed his chest and slid his hand down to the front of his pants) //Something about a little box with a mirror and a tongue inside //
//what she told me then got me so hot, I knew that we could slide, ooh//
(he smiled wickedly, his expression one of dark seduction, his hips writhing to the music)

(Tina chuckled quietly, damn this White Boy can dance!)

(She glided to him and the watching people were witnessed to one of the most nastiest, raunchiest, erotic dance moves imaginable.)

//Get off..23 positions in a one night stand;//
//Get off, I'll only call you after if you say I can,//
//Get off, let a woman be a woman and a man be a man//
//Get off If you want two, baby, here I am//

(This time Tina stepped away, with her arms outstretched, her eyes saying 'Challenge met and accepted')

(They stepped forward and Xander whirled her around, her back to his front, their bodies grinding together in an erotic duet of movement....)

//Naw, little cutie, I ain't drinkin'//
//But scope this, I was just thinkin'//
//You plus me, what a ride...//

(And he licked up the side of cheek and his hips continuing to grind and circle against her ass....)

//If you was thinkin' the same, we could continue outside;//
//Lay your pretty body against a parkin' meter;//
//Strip your dress down like I was strippin' a Peter Paul's..Almond Joy;//
//Lemme show you, baby, I'm a talented boy....//

(He dropped to his knees, raising one leg with his foot flat against the floor and pumped his hips, while she twisted and undulated before him....)

(Cordy whimpered softly and leaned heavily against the counter, Angel watched with no expression other than the tightening of his had around his coffee cup.)

//Everybody grab a body//
//Pump it like you want somebody//
//Get off //
//So here we, so here we //

(And his hips beat out a rapid tattoo, dry humping the air before he swiftly climbed to his feet. Gunn wondered why the hell didn't they just go find a room.)

//So here we are, here we are in my paisley crib// (Xander gestured to the lobby)
//What cha want to eat //
//Ribs!// (her eyes dropped meaningfully to his crotch)
//Naw toy, I don't serve ribs//
//You better be happy that dress is still on//
//I heard the rip when you sat down//
//Honey, them hips is gone//
//But that's alright, I clock 'em that way//

(He stepped up to her as she whirled around, pulling her back into his crotch, both of them breathing hard)

//Remind me of somethin' James used to say//
//"I like 'em fat, I like 'em proud//
//You got to have a mother for me"//
//Now move your big ass 'round this way//
//So I can work on that zipper, baby//

(she ground her ass hard against his groin, as he dipped and pumped his hips against ass)

//Tonight you're a star and I'm the Big Dipper//
//Na, na, na, na ;na, na, na, na//

(Gunn looked around at the entranced faces of the drooling girls and, he blinked, Jay-T?! He gulped as Tina and Xander turned to them. Standing in profile to them, their hips writhing, moving in time with the hard driving beat; moving like they've been dancing together for years, undulating, writhing, twisting against each other. His eyes grew wide and entranced watching them, watching as their hips moved, circling their counterpart, chests stroking against each other)

(Wesley leaned and whispered to Angel, "I think those two need to be examined. I think they may have been possessed by snakes or lust demons...no human body can really move like that!" He stepped back slightly in alarm as Angel's coffee cup shattered.)

Xander undulated his chest against Tina's again, their eyes glittering with the challenge of dancing, of cutting loose. He danced back just as she danced forward, bodies moving in time with each other. It had been a long time since he had such a responsive partner. Another song came on and they began dancing again. Hot, sweaty bodies, moving to the pulsating beat of the music.

And finally after the fourth song came to an end, Xander stared at Tina, both breathing harshly before he slowly smiled, mischievously.

Tina started laughing and pulled Xander in a tight hug.

"Can't breathe," Xander rasped out.

"Alright you win, I ain't gonna mess with your friends and shit....you my boy. Anytime you want to come hang with me, give me a holla," she said releasing him. "Damn boy, I ain't seen moves like that since I stopped dancing at Ladies Night." She gave him a grin at his blush before turning and giving a quick blinding smile at the dumbstruck watchers, "Yo, Cordy you take care of my boy, here and I won't hafta come back and fuck you up."

And with a final hug to Xander, she left. Xander watched her go with a wistful look, he hadn't had that much fun in years! He jumped as he noticed Willow, Dawn and Spike standing in the doorway, their mouths hanging open in shock.

His smile quickly disappeared and he started backing away, wondering what the hell was wrong with them, he turned and jumped back in alarm at the sight of Gunn and the rest of them watching him, tongues hanging out.

"What?!" he looked at them panicky, his eyes seeking Angel's unreadable expression. Did he do something wrong?

Cordy closed her mouth, "Where in the hell did you learn to dance like that?!" she demanded hotly. "And why the hell didn't you ever dance like that with me," she added crossly with folded arms.

"And what did she mean by Ladies Night? You told me that you only washed dishes there," Willow demanded hotly.