Introductions

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Part 28

Spike smiled as he leaned against the door jamb, watching his beloved typing away like a… well, like a demon actually, those long, tanned fingers stabbing willfully at keys.

“Figured it out, ‘ey luv?” he murmured, moving across the small room to press a slow kiss to his Claimed’s cheek.

Harris chuckled softly and saved the document before turning to return the kiss although his was on the sexy and stunning blond’s lips. “Mmmm…” he said softly, “I did, babe. Made Lavelle a sculptor. Something he takes up in Italy. He carves images of Spark from marble, molds them from clay… all sorts of things.” He grinned. “And I’m thinking Rowan maybe makes his best sculpture come to life, infusing it with Spark’s spirit and demon both… eventually. After Mary and everything.”

Spike laughed, pulling his beloved from his chair. “Knew you’d find a way, pet. Never had a single bloody doubt.”

“Hey! Working here!” Harris complained playfully, hands stroking firmly over cloth-covered muscles. His lips found their way to the edge of Spike’s jaw, nipping lightly before sliding down to dance over the barely there scar on his vampire’s neck.

“Yah, an’ that’s why you saved th’ bloody thing, ‘ey?” he answered with a smirk, leaning in to the warm caress as his own hands greedily roamed soft, humanly heated skin. “Noticed that, didn’t I?” he purred.

The brunette chuckled, taking one long, slow lick at the pale neck before pulling back. “Guess so, babe. So… why are you here, Spike? You’re usually out… somewhere by now... doing whatever it is you do.”

Spike pouted a bit as his beloved returned to his chair then shrugged. “Was bored, pet. Missed you. Thought I’d see if you wanted ta come out for a bit,” he answered, his eyes raking slowly over the tanned skin of his Xan’s chest. “Or stay in for a bit. That’d work for me too.”

It was the suggestive brow-waggle that had Harris laughing again. “And once more I say ‘energizer vamp’, babe. But I really need to work on this…” His voice trailed off as his vampire’s pout became deeper and he shook his head at what a wuss he’d become. “Fine, fine. We’ll go out.”

And the killer pout worked every time, Spike thought with a grin. Besides, he had a plan and that plan involved getting his beloved the hell out of their place and somewhere else. Getting the human drunk and maybe finding out whether he was still thinking about Mating or… maybe the bloke had decided against it, as he expected, and just didn’t want to say so.

His Xan was sweet that way. Wouldn’t ever say anything to hurt Spike’s feelings if he could help it. Still, the vampire wanted to know… it would be kinder-- better-- for him to KNOW rather than be running around with the question burning inside him and no answer in sight. The uncertainty was driving him crazy, in his head where nobody could see.

“Best be puttin’ some clothes on, then. Don’t much care ta keep interruptin' our time just ta kill th' blokes who'd be lookin' at you all lusty an' wantin'."

Harris shook his head, used to Spike's opinion of him by now but still not getting it. His vampire was the beautiful one, after all, and... Gods, who could blame anyone for noticing that? "Y'know, babe," he said with a grin, groping the blond playfully as he passed by on his way to get dressed, "It's a good thing I'm not the one with the killer instinct. There'd be one HUGE-ass pile of bodies by now if I killed everyone who looked at you."

Spike snorted and followed his Claimed to the bedroom, watching with satisfaction as the leather pants and silk shirt were pulled from the wardrobe. "Nah, pet... th' only reason anyone looks at me ta begin with is ta see who th' lucky bloke that got you is." He grinned, one hand sliding slowly over his own stomach when the human glanced at him. "Th' ONLY bloke that's got you, yah?"

He was smiling like an idiot, Harris knew, but that was okay. "Definitely, babe," he murmured, stepping closer as he settled the patch over his bad eye. "The one and only. Never gonna want or need any other guy," he added, pressing a soft, slow kiss to his love's lips.

"Good. An' seein' as we're in agreement on that, pet, we'd best be goin' or I'll throw you down an' ravish you right now," he purred, returning the kiss with a smile. "You need ta wear th' leather more often, Xan. Looks a right treat, it does."

Harris laughed and tangled his fingers with his blond's, tugging him out into the living room and towards the door. "I'll keep that in mind, babe," he answered, even as he made a mental note to go back to the store he'd gotten the pants at. He loved making Spike happy, after all, even if he was afraid to make him TRULY happy by Mating to him. Still, there were reasons for his reluctance, and not just the ones his claimed had mentioned before.

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"Bloody hell, slow down, luv!"

Harris glared at the vampire over his shoulder and walked faster. "Leave me alone, Spike," he snarled, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he strode angrily through the night.

"Fuck, Xan! I said I was sorry! I just... stop bloody runnin' away from me, you git!" He put on a small burst of vampiric speed, catching one strong, broad shoulder with a snarl of his own. "Told you I was sorry! What else do you want?"

He spun quickly, fists opening only to grab roughly at the lapels of the leather duster and push his vampire into an alley and against the brick wall hard. "What do I want? What do I WANT?" He eye narrowed dangerously, glaring deep into gold-flecked blue. "I want," he said, forcing himself to speak slowly and deliberately, "to know what the HELL you thought you were doing! Jesus fuck, Spike, I thought we were closer than that! BETTER than that! But obviously not!"

"Fuck! Don't you GET it?" Harris almost wanted to cry but he couldn't. Not yet. He was still too... furious. "I LOVE you, you stupid vampire! And you're SUPPOSED to love ME!"

"I DO luv you, pet..."

"Do you? Is that why you tried to get me all fucked up instead of just ASKING me whatever you want to know? Because that's not screaming LOVE to me, Spike!" He felt it building inside him, a memory of a feeling, a reminder of the good and bad old days. And when it rose in his chest looking for release, he let it go, teeth bared in a loud, harsh growl.

Dark brows rose, almost meeting white-blond hair at the sound, the vibration he could feel against his chest. "B-bloody hell... what th' screamin' blue fuck was that?" he demanded breathlessly, something about it going directly to his groin. "X-xan..."

He could feel the slightly smaller, slightly more slender body arching against him and he snarled again, shoving Spike harder against the wall. "No. I'm not letting this go that easy, Spike. I want to know WHY!" Harris stared harder into the wide eyes, trying to ignore the way his own body was responding to his lover's. Time for that later, he told himself... after he knew what was going on.

His own growl sprung forth without any direction from him and he rocked himself hard into the big, warm shape of his Claimed. "Didn't... want... ta push you, luv..." he grated out, bone and skin shifting quickly. "Wanted ta know! Been stayin' bloody silent for months now an'... FUCK!"

Harris glared even more, seeing challenge, desire and a small trace of fear in the golden eyes. "I told you," he said without a moment's pause, "that I was thinking about it. I PROMISED, Spike! You should have just asked instead of... tricking me!"

And that was part of the problem, Harris realized. He'd thought Spike wanted to spend time with him-- somewhere out of their apartment for a change. And that had made him feel so... good. So special. Like... his love had wanted everyone to know that Harris was HIS, and instead... it had all been a plot to pick his brain. It felt... well, it hurt. And pissed him off. "You should have asked," he said again, suddenly feeling cold.

"Pet," Spike began, only to frown when his human's head shook sharply. He found himself alone against the wall suddenly, watching the tall, strong form stalking away again. "Bloody fuckin' hell," he growled to himself before shaking off his true face and following, trying to sense what was going through his Claimed's head through their bond.

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By the time he reached their building, the anger had transmuted fully to sadness and hurt feelings and disappointment-- in himself and in his vampire. He looked up at the towering edifice and sighed softly. If Spike had just... been honest with him, then maybe he wouldn't be debating whether he really wanted to go inside or not.

Not. That was what he decided a moment later. He didn't want to go up there, didn't want to go back to his new book, didn't want to have to stare around him at their home, their things and wonder when and how he hadn't seen that there was something wrong.

And there was something wrong. He knew that now. And whatever it was, it could be masked by frequent and brilliant sex but... just because it was hidden didn't mean it wasn't still there.

Harris turned away from 'home, the place' as well as 'home, the vampire'-- who he knew was still following him-- and walked sadly into the night. "I need to think," he tossed over his shoulder as he heard the small sounds of boot-clad feet starting again behind him. "Alone."

Spike frowned, feeling nothing but ghost-emotions over the link with his human. He could tell there was something bothering the bloke but... he had a feeling it was more than what his Xan had told him. The human couldn't possibly be that out of sorts just because he'd tried to pry the truth from him... could he?

He didn't want to let him go, not even for a minute but... "I DO luv you, pet... don't want ta lose you. Not by pushin' you for an answer an' not by waitin' too long ta get one." He sighed, finally stopping on the sidewalk. His shoulders slumped just a bit as the human paused for a second then kept walking.

He'd fucked up, Spike knew, although he wasn't sure of why he was surprised. He'd never been lucky in love, after all, and... apparently this time was no different than the others.

His feet dragged over rough and somewhat uneven cement as he turned and made his way into his building, sparing Andy a bare nod before disappearing into the elevator and beginning the long, slow ride up to the very empty apartment that didn't feel like home without his beloved inside.

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(A/N: Ahhhh... angst! *grins*

Many thanks to my reviewers-- in this case, RemityGirl, TheShadowCat, Susan and Kat-- for taking the time on part 27. Hope you enjoyed this part too. LOL

Susan-- didn't get it. Sorry. :( Might have gone to junk mail and gotten deleted before I got there. *sighs* Story of my life.

10 more parts to this one, I think... then it'll be on to the next. LOL

Thanks again, guys. *hugs and stuff* You rock!)