Lost in the Dark, Cleansed in the Flame

Chapter 3 - Spike

Spike fought his way back to consciousness, his first and only
thoughts for Xander. He found himself game faced and growling,
having to restrain himself from attacking the Watcher and Slayer
watching over him.

Someone was hurting Xander. Attacking his mate. Someone he
couldn't get his hands on. His fists clenched at his sides, the nails
digging into his palms and leaving small crescent shaped pools of
blood. The only thing stopping him from chasing the bastards down
was the fact that the sun was still shining.

He listened half-heartedly to the Watcher's plan, nodded a curt
greeting to the witches when they arrived, and dutifully drank the rest
of the blood he'd been given. All of this he did in an off-hand cursory
fashion. His focus remained centered on two things. The faint
awareness he still had of his lover, and the internal clock that told him
exactly how much time he had before the sun would set. pon pon waking he'd found that he had not completely lost the
connection with Xand He He could tell that his mate was unconscious,
only because he no longer felt any of the echoing pain they'd shared
only hours before. He tried to send reassurance and love back
through the bond, hoping it would help to comfort his Xan.

Eventually he convinced the gang that he still wasn't up to par. Asked
if he could lay down for awhile in a room upstairs. He knew that they
would never allow him to go after Xander, and he also knew he could
do nothing else. So he let them believe that he agreed. That he
would wait, too weak to do much more than that anyway.

He lay, listening for Xander's voice. Waiting to hear that his lover had
regained consciousness. He got nothing but silence. Spike gritted
his teeth, hating his weaknesses. Hating the sun, preventing him
from going to his Xan.

Slowly, as the sun crept below the horizon, Spike made his way out
the second story bedroom window. Dropping to the ground, he swept
the street with his eyes, finding nothing he headed east following the
pull of the Claim.

***

"Hostile 17 is on the move sir."

"Follow him. Make sure to keep all recording devices activated. We'll
have a unit meet you at the perimeter."

"Yes sir."

***

The fight was brief but fierce. Five mene oue out of the shadows,
circling Spike as he snarled and spat at them. The first man attacked,
Spike lashed out falling to his knees at the first zap from the chip.
Ignoring the pain he stood again, taking down the first man with a well
placed kick to his midsecti
B
Behind him three men attacked at once. Two going for his arms to
hold him in place while the other came forward with one of their stun
guns. He knew what it was immediately, having been on the
receiving end more than once. In a sudden blaze of movement he
clapped his hands together, throwing the men on each arm into one
another. They collapsed in a heap on the ground before him.

But the combined pain from the chip and a blast from the stun gun
had rendered Spike unconscious. The remaining men dragged him
through the woods not bothering to carry him fully.

***

"The subject has been captured sir."

"Very good. Bring him in for the procedure."

"Yes sir." The soldier clicked off.

The younger man again voiced his concerns. "Are you sure this is
wise?"

"The wisdom of the course is irrelevant. It is necessary." The older
man admonished.

"But to free him from his chains - "

The older man interrupted. "It is necessary."

For a moment there was silence between the two.

"They are the strongest of the pairs so far." The younger man
offered.

"Yes. They are our best hope." The older man turned to face the
younger once more. "Time is running short."

***

Spike woke to the feel of metal slicing through his skin. Immediately
he vamped out. Tears pricked his eyes, but he refused to cry out as
he felt warm fingers prise the cut open further. Theck fck feel of his
skin being peeled off the back of his head made him shiver.

He tried not to react as he felt those same fingers reach in to root
around his gray matter. But his body betrayed him. Shudders
wracked his frame and he gave an involuntary howl as pain shot
through him with the first slice. Eventually he passed out.

In a white room a few doors down from the operation Xander's young
body thrashed and squirmed. Still unconscious he was nevertheless
aware of the sustained torture his mate was in. The recording
devices, having been set to run 24 hours, captured the last whispered
word before his body finally lay still.

"Spike."

***

{Xan?}

{You shouldn't have come Spike.}

{Had to luv. You know that.}

{I know.} He smiled, despite the fact that the surrounding darkness
would not allow his mate to see. The smile was soon replaced with a
frown. {They hurt you.}

{Yeah.}

{Will they kill us?}

{Don't know luv. Don't think so. Would have donreadready I think.}

{I'm sorry Spike.}

{Not your fault pet.}

{Should have been paying more attention.}

{No luv. Wouldn't have mattered. They'd of got one of us eventually.}

They were silent for awhile, just basking in each other's essence.
Soon, too soon, Xander felt Spike slipping away. {Spike?}

{Come back with me now Xan.}

{I like it here.}

{I know luv. But the others will come for us soon. We need to be
ready.}

{Don't leave me Spike.}

{Never luv. Just come with me.}
luctluctantly Xander followed.

***

They woke in each other's arms, still in Xander's white room. Though
he supposed it was his and Spike's now. He breathed a sigh of relief.
At least they put them together.

He was watching as Spike's eyes fluttered open. His face was paler
than normal, and it worried Xander. He could see the white bandage
taped to the back of his lover's head. What had they done this time?
Another chip? What the hell for?

"You okay Spike?" He whispered, stroking his lover's cheek.

"Yeah luv." Spike answered hoarsely. "Don't suppose they left any
blood out for me?"

Xander sat up, glancing around the room. It was still as empty as it
had been the first time he'd woken up here. "Nope."

"Didn't figure." Spike answered, also sitting up. Though he was a bit
more wobbly than Xander.

Without preamble Xander lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit down
hard. Spike's nostrils flared at the fiscenscent of his mate's blood.
"Xan! You shouldn't have done that." He admonished.

"You need it." Was Xander's only reply as he lifted his bloody wrist to
the vampire's mouth.

"So do you. You're weak and injured as well." Spike protested, but
instinct soon took over and he lapped at the dripping blood. As soon
as the bite was cleaned and the bleeding had stopped, Spike brought
Xander forward to kiss him gently on the .
.

"Thank you luv." He trailed wet kisses down from Xander's mouth to
his neck. Nipping and licking in especially sensitive places. "Now
your turn." Quickly he dropped his fangs and scratched a short gash
along his forearm, bringing the cut up to Xander's lips. "Go on. It'll
help you heal."

As soon as Xander had licked the last drops clean, they lay back
down together. Spike gathering the young man into his arms,
Xander's head resting on his chest. It was in that position that they
both fell asleep.

***

"Do you suppose that's how they got around the chip the first time?"
The younger man asked.

"No. For the Claim to take hold, the vampire must make the bite
himself. He must have forced himself to endure the pain." The older
answered.

"Maybe we didn't have to remove the chip after all." The younger
suggested.

"Don't second guess me!" The older spat out.

The younger didn't answer. But the seeds of doubt, already firmly
planted, had begun to take root.