The Demon's Way

I must have been lying there for hours, just letting Spike’s fingers dance across my skin. I guess it was lucky that the undead don’t get tired as quickly as humans, because I could have let him do that forever. His hands were cool and strong, confident and sure. They knew just where to be strong and press the tension out of strained muscles, and where to gently sooth over bruised places. More than once I heard a pop as Spike shifted my spine back into its proper place.

“Looks like it’s not just you, pet,” I heard Spike whisper to Xander. “It must be the changing that messes with your back.”

“I’m not surprised, with all the shifting the bones have to do. It must have been hurting him pretty bad though, from the amount of times you’ve cracked it,” Xander replied, in an equally soft voice, like they didn’t want to wake me from the sleep I wasn’t in. I knew my back ached amazingly after each time I transformed, and it kept getting worse every time. I’d gone to a chiropractor once and it helped, but it was nothing compared to this.
It was a long time before Spike finished working all the aches and kinks out of my back, and he spent a surprising amount of time after that just running his hands over my skin, lightly enough that I knew it wasn’t doing anything other than making my skin tingle with pleasure.

Eventually, Spike’s hand slowed, then stopped and withdrew. I faked sleep as Xander got up and moved to sit next to Spike, and I could see him lean into Spike’s embrace out of the corner of my eye.

“Can’t we just stop this now?” Xander whispered pleadingly. “It’s not too late…”

“It’s past too late, love, and you know it,” Spike replied. “Don’t worry, pet, I know what ‘m doin’.”

“I’m just… I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“It’s not him I’m worried about here, it’s you.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m worried. You can’t just use people for your schemes.”

“Then what the hell am I supposed to use them for?” Spike joked, but Xander stayed silent, and after a minute Spike got serious again. “I’m not taking this lightly, you know,” he defended, and I think by this time they’d forgotten me, because Spike wasn’t bothering to keep his voice down. “I saw the pup around a few times in Sunnydale, and I know you two were friends. You need that now, and obviously the pup doesn’t have anything better to do. I want you to have some company, love.”

“So you kidnap and rape me a friend. No no, that makes perfect sense.”

“Didn’t kidnap ‘im. I bought ‘im for ya, that’s diff-… ‘Ey! Where are you going?”

“I know you’re full of shit, Spike, but I’m hungry,” Xander said, his voice annoyed. “I’m going down to the kitchen to see if I can get the minions to make me something to eat.”

“Bring up some nice rare steaks for our guest here, eh?” Spike said, but the only reply was the sound of a closing door. Spike chuckled to himself, then I felt him shift on the bed. “Alright, pup, now that we’re alone you can drop the sleeping beauty routine.”

“How did you know?” I asked, opening my eyes and shifting to look at him. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed and smirking at me.

“Your breathing never slowed down, and your heartbeat sped up every time we mentioned you in the conversation. If pet wasn’t so upset about this whole thing he would have noticed too. Or maybe not. Xander can be a little trusting when it comes to his friends.”

“You being paranoid doesn’t make him too trusting.”

“Pup, I think we’ve all lived long enough on the hellmouth to know that the world really is out to get us. It’s only paranoia if you’re wrong. It’s called prudent pessimism if you’re right.”

“Interesting philosophy.”

“And one that doesn’t get me dusted.”

“Always a bonus.”

“So, I don’t suppose you’ve managed to figure this whole thing out yet?”

“Well, I’m a little sketchy on the details, but from what I’ve gathered you and Xander are in a relationship, except Xander has been getting lonely for some friends, so you decided to buy me and give me to him.”

“Like a birthday present, ‘cept I forgot the ribbon.”

“But Xander feels guilty about taking me since I am, in fact, a living, breathing human being with feelings and emotions and stuff.”

“Lot of bother, those are.”

“And on top of all that, you’re a homosexual nymphomaniac with a bestiality kink.”

“Oi! I thought the whelp said you were smart. That was the only explanation you could come up with for the sex? Soddin’ lot of brains you ‘ave.”

“Well I was going to say that I’m just too damn sexy for you to resist, but I thought that might come off narcissistic.”

“Just a bit,” he said, smirking at me. “Well, since you haven’t managed to figure it out, I’ll tell you. Vampires show dominance through sex. If I’m going to have you around Xander all the time, I need to know that you’re submissive to me, otherwise I’d get jealous and probably maim or castrate you.”

“I think I’d rather be maimed.”

“I figured, so sex was the only option.”

“But… I mean, I didn’t technically submit. You raped me.”

“I overpowered you. That’s just as good as submission in a vampire’s eyes. It means you’ll be loyal until you have the means to overpower me, which is all a vampire ever asks for.”

“Ah. So, how does this jealousy thing work with Xander taking me first? I mean, I wasn’t submissive to you then, so why did you let Xander have me before you, or at all?”

“See, there’s a simple explanation for that one. I didn’t want there to be any mistake about who you belong to. I wasn’t going to have you competing with Xander for a place in the hierarchy. If Xander takes you first, you know you belong to him. And he knows he belongs to me, so you belong to me as well.”

“So why did you screw me?”

“Because I wanted you to know you belong to me, and possibly because you do have a sexy little ass.”

“I always knew being this damn sexy would come back to bite me.”

“Literally.”

“So… what do I do now? What am I supposed to do here?”

“Balance, mate.”

“Excuse me?”

“Balance. You’re here to keep a balance between me ‘n Xander.”

“I’m assuming you don’t mean weight wise.”

“I mean that Xander requires a minimum level of constant attention. He needs someone around all the time, otherwise he gets lonely. I, on the other hand, need a ton of attention when I’m around, but I have duties to fulfill as master vampire and all that rot. So, I want to spend whole weeks together having sex and partying, and then I spend the rest of the month doing Big Bad stuff.”

“I’ll assume it’s not working?”

“Not a bit. Spending a whole week with Xander messes up his schedule or whatever. He gets tired and cranky. Then I leave for a few weeks and he’s just miserable without me. Can’t say I blame him. Last time, though, he stopped eating and taking his meds. The minions aren’t smart enough to make him and the fledges, when I had them around, were trying to kill him so they could take his place or use him to get in my good graces.”

“But not through feeding or medicating him?”

“No.”

“’Cause that’s the first thing I’d try.”

“Xander isn’t a vampire, so the fledges see it more as ‘Down with the outsider!’ than ‘Better butter up the girlfriend,’ you see? Since Xander’s not technically a vampire, he’s not a part of the hierarchy.”

“For how long?”

“You can’t really just drop into vampire culture, mate.”

“No, I mean, how long won’t he be a vampire for?”

“That’s probably a talk saved for a better time,” Spike said, his face going serious.

“I want to know if I’m going to be on the menu any time soon.”

“Who’s talking about a menu?” Xander asked, entering the room and flopping down on the bed. I noticed that he was dressed in a dark blue bath robe, and wondered where I could get one. Being naked was bad enough, and being naked around a perverted vampire was even worse.

“No one, love. Don’t fancy I’d want to eat either of you. Too gamy.”

“Never kept you from taking a nibble,” Xander protested.

“Might get myself a nibble right now,” Spike growled playfully, pinning Xander to the bed and nibbling
at his neck.

“Hey!” Xander protested, but he was laughing already. “Get off, you leech!”

“Mm, but I’m your leech,” Spike said, curling around Xander and pushing open his robe.

“No no!” Xander protested, pushing the vampire’s hand away. “Not in front of the guest.”

“Come on! After what we just put him through? You can’t honestly think he’ll be embarrassed if we get a little frisky.”

“Yes, yes you can,” I protested, afraid that the “getting frisky” might lead to something that included
me.

“Don’t worry,” Xander soothed, pushing away a very miffed-looking vampire. “We’re not going to get in to anything. Besides, the food will be here in just a couple minutes.”

“Always knew you’d pick a hot meal over me any day,” Spike pouted.

“Good thing they usually come as a package deal.”

“Alright, that’s it,” Spike said, leaping up from the bed and walking into a closet, coming back a moment later dressed in leather pants and a black skintight top. It was the picture of casual sadistic. “’M not going to stick around here, let you tromp all over my affections ‘n all. I’ll be with the minions if y’ need me.”

“Later, baby,” Xander dismissed cheekily, grinning at the vampire. For a sadistic master vampire, Spike had let Xander get away with a lot of attitude through the playful banter, but I guess even Spike had his limits as he frowned and advanced on Xander. There was an instant change to Spike’s body language, his shoulders tensed and his steps became fluid and aggressive. He stopped in front of where Xander was sitting on the bed. Xander, for his part, lost the grin and became serious, but he didn’t seem frightened. He tilted his head, baring his neck in what seemed to be unconscious submissive behavior, but he wasn’t shaking in fear or groveling. Maybe he knew Spike would have to show his dominance. Maybe he wanted him to.

“I’d better get a better goodbye than that,” Spike growled at his mate. Xander didn’t reply, but he sat up on his knees and rubbed his cheek against Spike’s abs, following his ribcage up to his neck, where Xander placed a string of kisses on Spike’s jaw line. I could almost see the animal instincts that drove his submissive-affectionate response.

The actions seemed to appease Spike, who smirked and took a hold of Xander’s head to deliver his own, passionate kiss to Xander’s lips. Xander moaned and squirmed against him, panting as they parted.

“Now that’s the way a vampire wants to be seen off, pet,” Spike said, petting Xander’s hair.

“Return soon,” Xander said quietly, his voice brimming with affection. Strange that a big, bad vampire would inspire such devotion.

With a final kiss to Xander’s forehead, Spike turned and sauntered out of the room.

“God, he’s sexy when he’s angry,” Xander admitted, staring at Spike’s back. A moment later he glanced at me, blushed, and turned quickly away. “Sorry. I forgot you were there.”

“You were understandably preoccupied with his lips.”

“Eh… yeah. I… sorry.”

“For what?”

“The kiss? The rape? The whole world?”

“That’s pretty cool. I’ve never seen someone sorry for the whole world before.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I just forgot you were here. I don’t want to make you… uncomfortable.”

“Xander… I’m naked. I’ve had sex with both of you. A kiss really pales in comparison.”

“I… Yeah, I guess. Just… does it bother you?”

“Kissing?”

“No!” Xander huffed, aggravated by his own inability to speak clearly. “That I’m… That I’m gay.”

“Oh. No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“You mean…”

“It doesn’t bother me.”

“Not at all?”

“No,” I repeated again. “Do you want it to?”

“To what?”

“To bother me.”

“Of course not… just… Doesn’t it surprise you?”

“No.”

“Thanks.”

“That’s not what I mean. You were never obviously gay, but you were always trying too hard with the girls. Like you had to prove something. And you were never satisfied. It was like you were always trying to find something in your girlfriend, but you never managed to find it.”

“Never suspected I was looking for a 200 year old blonde guy.”

“It’s not one of the standard dating stereotypes.”

“Not outside of the hellmouth.”

“We’re a breed of our own.”

“That we are,” he agreed. It seemed that he’d finished what he had to say, but I just couldn’t keep my
curiosity in check. I just had to know what was going on between him and the vamp.

“So… I don’t get it. Why are you here? I thought you and Spike hated each other. You’re the white knight. What are you doing dating the dark prince?”

“Didn’t you hear? I have a habit of dating things that are bad for me.”

“So why don’t you leave him?”

“Because I also have a tendency to fall for those same things,” Xander joked back, then suddenly got
serious. “I do love him, Oz. And he loves me. That’s why I put up with all this. That’s why he does all this. If he were just being an asshole about you, I would have grabbed you and high-tailed it hours ago, but he’s not. He really is trying to help me, in his twisted, evil, brainless, pathetic sort of way.”

“So I’m like an anniversary present?”

“Probably. Spike has a tendency to give me an anniversary present every few months because he can’t remember when it is.”

“When is it?”

“Hell if I know. I just like getting presents all the time.”

“Ah,” I said, smiling as Xander grinned. “So is Spike good at giving gifts?”

“Sometimes. The first few were really awful. I mean, they were expensive, but it was all this girly,
romantic crap. Like a roomful of roses or the weird underwear. Actually, I think he liked the underwear more than I did. Once he got to know me a little better, though, the gifts got really thoughtful. Like, instead of getting me expensive junk he gets stuff that I really need.”

“Like what?”

“He bought me power tools last time.”

“Useful both as household appliances and demon killers.”

“Well… not these ones. Spike saw me struggling with some of the bigger pieces of wood I was working on, so he bought me a really expensive carpentry set.”

“You still do that?”

“Yeah, I really like working with my hands.”

“I’m surprised Spike lets that much wood close to him.”

“It keeps the minions in line.”

“Ah. Any other wonderful gifts? Though I have to say that would probably be hard to top.”

“You.”

“I rate better than power tools. Awesome.”

“No, I mean, Spike always gets me things I need, and… and I think he might be right.”

“Xander…” I said, backing up a little. “Look, I really don’t think we’ve been in this relationship long enough for you to need me. Really, this isn’t a relationship at all, and need is such a strong word for…”

“That’s not what I mean,” Xander interrupted, shaking his head. “I don’t… I don’t mean that I need you
as a lover. I meant that I need a friend. No, that’s not right either. I need someone that I can talk to when Spike isn’t around, who will do things with me that Spike doesn’t want to, to hunt with me and run with me. I need…”

“A pack.”

“Yes! Yes, exactly! Hyenas form clans, werewolves form packs, and vampires form covens! It’s perfect!”

“Except for the part where I don’t want to join.”

“Yeah, well, that part’s a little iffy, but it’s still pretty close.”

“Where does Spike fit in all this?”

“He just wants me to be happy. You’ve seen how devoted he is. It’s just in his nature to care and protect.”

“Yeah, but isn’t he jealous?”

“Amazingly so. That’s why you’re getting screwed.”

“Literally.”

“He doesn’t think it would work as just friends, and I don’t think he could allow me to have someone so close all the time without getting jealous. If you’re part of our relationship, though, you’re not competition anymore. Besides, I think Spike has a thing for dark eyed boys.”

“Ah.”

“You see… Spike really is just trying to help. He thinks that just because you’d gotten in a little trouble it’s okay to make you do this kind of stuff. I know… I know you really want to leave, but…”

“Spike’s right this time, Xander,” I assured him, even though I was just reaching the conclusion myself. “I really don’t have anything better to do. The band is gone, my pack’s been sold off, and I’m not even in a relationship right now. Besides, Willow went gay and seemed pretty happy with it. I was thinking I might try the same thing myself.”

“Really?” Xander said, and I saw his face break out in the first genuine smile I’d seen on him. He really was just like a brother to Willow. His smile was just as blinding, not quite as naive but even more intense. But maybe that was just because he was older.

“No. But I’m thinking about it now. I think I could give this a try. I mean, what could it really hurt? Don’t! Don’t tell me, alright? Otherwise I’ll probably bolt right now.”

“Don’t worry. What you faced yesterday and last night is really the worst of it. I promise, when we do it next time it’ll feel a lot better for you.”

“When? Not if?”

“Not unless you manage to get away from Spike tonight. He’s… He’s rather demanding in the bedroom.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” I replied, hoping my sarcasm was evident. Xander laughed, so I assumed he got it.

“I guess I don’t really have to explain too much about Spike’s bedroom skills to you. Anyway, though, I think I smell the food coming,” Xander said, and as if on cue a red-haired female vampire entered the room carrying two very large trays of food. She deposited the trays on the bed, then quietly turned and walked back out, never once even glancing at myself or Xander.

“Alright! Scrambled eggs, bacon, and extremely rare venison! Breakfast of champions, right?” Xander asked, undisturbed by the cold shoulder the vampire had given us.

“If you’re a Doberman.”

“Or a werewolf.”

“Touché.”

“Man, I’ve missed this banter.”

“Spike doesn’t engage in witty wordplay?”

“He does, but he’s a really sore loser about it. He gets all ‘Rawr!’ and ‘Respect the master vampire!’ on me. It’s a lot more fun with you.”

“I’m glad to be of service,” I told him as we both began to eat. I hesitated, but then decided that Xander had been pretty up front with me so far, so I might as well ask. “Are the minions always like that?”

“Like what?”

“You know, cold and distant. She didn’t even look at you. Or did you just piss that one off?”

“No,” Xander said, then sighed. “Honestly, I kind of wish Spike hadn’t killed most of the fledges. They were nasty to me, but at least they acknowledged my existence. The minions are so afraid of doing the wrong thing that they won’t even look at me. It really sucks.”

“That’d make things pretty lonely when Spike isn’t around.”

“You have no idea.”

“You should get a puppy.”

“I think… I think I sort of did.”

“That’s cold.”

“Big, bad vampire gives big, bad puppy. Or, in this case, werewolf. It makes sense.”

“If you’re neurotic.”

“We’re all a bit messed up, don’t you think?”

“Hell-mouth syndrome. We should have a foundation.”

“That’d work well, until all the nurses get eaten.”

“That’s part of the syndrome, don’t you think?”

“Probably.”