Feedback: Yes please but be very gentle. First fanfic and first slash.
Archive: If you want, but please let me know
Pairing: S/X
Rating: PG - NC 17 (maybe, I've never rated anything before)
Disclaimer: Most characters misrepresented in this tale belong to Joss Whedon,
Mutant Enemy and Neil Gaiman. I'm only taking them out to play, changing their
clothes and then putting them back. There may be some original characters floating
about. They are mine but usually don't admit to it.
Spoilers: Up to Buffy Season 6 sorta but definitely AU
Summary: Spike and Xander get to take a trip and go a bit further than intended.
Crossover eventually with Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.
'' '' '' '' '' '' '' ''
After his momentous morning <Spike likes me, wow!> Xander was feeling
hungry. Horny too, but there wasn't much he could about that with Mr.
Supernatural senses in the main room. <Smell me, he's been smelling me
wanting him all this time. Shit. So glad Anya couldn't do that or the break
up would have been so much nastier.>
When Xander emerged from the bathroom shaved but unwashed, he found Spike
already dressed and lounging in one of the chairs. He was wearing his
familiar boots, black jeans and duster. In concession to the London weather
he was wearing a dark red shirt over his plain black tee.
"I like that," Spike said with an appreciative leer.
"It's too tight."
"Nah, just about right, I reckon." Spike's look was admiring. The
white
tee sat nicely over Xander's work-firmed chest and stomach. "Unfortunately
you'll need to wear this. It's a little cool out." He tossed Xander a green
cable knit sweater.
Xander studied it. "I don't remember this one either."
"Red chose it. Thought you might get cold. Me, I'd rather just see you
in
the tee. Need to get you a tighter pair of jeans. Maybe a leather jacket."
The vampire nodded his head decisively.
Xander's stomach chose that moment to growl, which distracted him from an
image of Spike naked except for the battered duster. He began to pull on
his new sweater.
"Right, first we eat, then we pick up the book. Then we have a date at
the
Tower and then Whitechapel at night. I can show you where The Ripper was."
"Giles?" Xander's voice was muffled as he pulled the sweater over his head.
"No, Jack. Jack the Ripper, twit." Spike's tone was affectionate.
"Bloody
murder. Police baffled. Unsolved mystery. Peaches always reckoned he was a
vamp." Spike strolled over to the door.
"What ever happened to moonlight and roses? Such romance."
"Well I think it is. Romantic, I mean. Better than dead roses any day.
C'mon." Spike let Xander through the door, ghosting a pale hand over the
denim-clad behind as his boy passed through.
"Vampire romance didn't get much of a mention in Giles's book. With that
as
an example I can see why."
Spike paused at the top of the stair . With Xander a step below he was the
taller for a change. He ran a soft finger down the side of Xander's neck.
"Pet, vampires don't need to do romantic, we are romantic-tortured,
angsting, undead souls that we are." He flung his other am up dramatically
and pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, wearing his most
Angelesque expression, and waited to see if his pet would bite.
Xander turned and gave Spike an incredulous look, then laughed . "Yeah,
right, bleach boy. Angel maybe; you, nah. You don't have the patience to
work up a good angst. And you do torture, not tortured."
"But I can fake it for the punters if I've a mind." Spike suddenly
looked
serious and spoke in a softer voice, his finger curling round to the pulse
at Xander's neck. There had been no laughter when Xander mentioned torture.
"Chip, remember? I can't hurt you. Wouldn't want to, that way. Blood will
come into this though, eventually. I'm still a vampire."
Xander looked into the serious and worried blue eyes on level with his own.
"Oddly enough," he slipped his arms around the vampire's waist, "I
hadn't
even considered that you might hurt us. I don't know what you'll do when
the chip comes out, probably don't want too know, either. Yours, mine,
ours, remember. As for the blood, I know. Research boy, here." He squeezed
and inhaled the scent of Spike and leather. "I still have to think about
that. Now, let's eat before the beast in my stomach rises and engulfs us
all." Xander kept one arm around Spikes waist though, as they headed down
the stairs.
Servant was behind the reception desk when they descended. But for a
change of clothes she may have been there all day. "Good evening,
gentlemen. I trust you slept well." She wore a long black dress of an
old-fashioned style, with a long draped skirt and silver buttons on the
bodice. White lace at the wrist and throat accentuated the dress' severity.
"Yes, thank you, umm Ma- Umm, Servant." replied Xander
Servant gave a small approving smile. "A buffet meal has been served in
the
dining room. It contains human-appropriate food. It may be best, however,
to check with the maid before trying anything you do not recognise." She
turned to Spike. "I am afraid that all blood provided here is of the bagged
variety. It is as fresh as possible."
Spike spoke. "Your mistress, is she up yet?"
The thin dark brow arched consideringly. "She has risen but at present
is
absent. Do you have a message you wish me to convey?"
"When she's available I'd like t' chat with her. Catch up on the London
scene."
"I shall inform her of your request. If you will please follow me."
She
glided out from behind her desk, her movements stately and graceful. She
led them to an open arch way and indicated that they should proceed her in.
Spike made sure he entered ahead of Xander, eyes taking in the room,
assessing possible threats to himself and his own, Free Zone be buggered.
Detecting no immediate threat he reflexed slightly. Only one other vamp in
the room, young and no threat at all.
The dining room was not large but it was elegant. White-covered tables were
set with old silverware that reflected light from the chandelier. Servant
showed them to a table. "As many of our guests keep different hours, our
buffet is a mixture of breakfast and dinner. Please serve yourself as you
choose. The maid, Etita, will help you with any requests you may have."
Xander looked around at the other guests seated in the room. A Fyarl demon
in a business suit sat at one table frowning at a lap top screen. A family
of delicate-looking green somethings sat opposite. The father? was
reprimanding his son? who was trying to eat and play his Gameboy at the
same time. A Risa demon was sharing a table with a blond human-looking man.
"Right, let's get some nosh."
The two made their way to the buffet, Spike veering off towards a small,
glass-door fridge and a microwave. While Spike busied himself with blood
selection Xander surveyed the food. Where to start? Toast, eggs, bacon and
fried tomatoes. Not bad for a start. Xander poked tentatively at some
small blackish things. Not mushrooms. "What are you?" he wondered
out loud.
"They are Gedrish eyeballs, marinated and poached. They are safe for humans
but an acquired taste."
The maid had come up beside Xander as he studied the food.
"Ahhh, are they a taste worth acquiring?" Xander poked them again,
trying
not to look too ill at the thought of poached eyeballs.
"I couldn't say, Sir." Her eyes were downcast, not looking at Xander
as she
spoke.
"Well, I'm not going to test them, then. Do you think you could look at
me
when you talk?"
She cast a hesitant look sideways. "I'm supposed to follow vampire protocol
for lovers and pets." She said with a small grin at the end of the
sentence. "Servant is very strict about courtesy to our guests and personal
safety."
"Yeah, she scares me too. Look, you're not a vampire."
"No." the tone was indignant. "I'm half Gilsha."
"So if he doesn't mind," Xander waved a hand vaguely in Spike's direction,
"and I don't mind, can you at least look at me directly? Besides, he's
my
lover, not my owner."
Etita smiled again, head raised just a little. "For most vampires it's
the
same thing."
"They do have possessive down pat, don't they?" They shared amused smiles.
Spike strolled back, a mug of nicely heated blood in his hand. Beside
Xander Etita stiffened, eyes focused firmly downwards.
"Not tryin' t' seduce the help are you, pet? Not that kind of place."
Spike studied the bint. Demon bred, just the sort always attracted to his
pet. He suppressed a growl. The boy wouldn't like it if he started snarling
at everyone that looked at him. The damn Renfield wouldn't like him
growling at the staff either and he was unsure enough of her to be wary.
Xander looked at Spike's face. Was that a hint of jealousy frosting the
blue eyes? "Nah, just subverting the locals."
"Best not to, love, The Master of this place mightn't like it. Playin'
by
the rules, remember? You don't want to get 'er into trouble."
"Will it?" Xander shot a concerned look at the girl.
"Possibly."
"Sorry." A sigh. "Mates, lovers or pets. It's not a sociable
life, is it?
Thanks," he said to Etita. He bore his laden plate back to the table. He'd
automatically collected more than he needed since Spike's breakfast habits
consisted of freshly warmed blood and whatever he could steal from
Xander's plate. Xander counted to ten in his head and grinned. Right on
schedule Spike swiped a forkful of scrambled eggs . Xander didn't even
wince when it was dunked in blood before being consumed. He did wonder when
this had become normal for him.
Spike swallowed his mouthful of stolen food. "Pet, you know there are
certain ways minions, like 'er , are supposed to behave. It keeps their
mortality rate from .misunderstandings, down if nothing else. Not that I
don't trust you, well sorta."
Xander gave the vampire a dark look at that and fended off the next fork
incursion. "Only sorta, well thanks."
"Vampiric nature and all. Evil folks, we don't do trust in general so
that's why there're the formal codes of behaviour. Some times, some
places, it's ok to ignore the rules, an' sometimes obeyin' 'em keeps others
safe. Understand?" Spike liberated a piece of bacon while Xander considered.
"Safe from you?"
"She looked at you and smiled with you. Given that vampires have trust
issues, how do you think I would have reacted if I hadn't been me?" Spike
leaned across the table and traced his finger down Xanders cheek to his
mouth, whispering his fingers across the curve of his lips.
"Hurt her?" Xander lightly kissed the finger as it brushed over his lips.
"And maybe you too, 'cause generally vampire's don't really trust their
lovers. The rules help keep wholesale slaughter down. Not that slaughter is
a bad thing, properly done." He smirked at Xander's ewwww face. "Ain't
you,
pet, trust you as much as I can, but its part o'the nature, you know. "
Xander nodded. He had some questions about mates versus lovers because
apparently they weren't at all the same thing. He opened his mouth to ask
the most pressing question bubbling in his mind when a new vampire entered
the dining room.
Xander saw her, a petite red head with clear green eyes, not much more than
sixteen when she'd been turned. She should have been sweet, with curls and
freckles. Instead she exuded an aura of age and menace.
Spike felt her, like fingernails on a black board. Vampire, old yet wrong
somehow. "Shit." He breathed and twisted sideways in his seat to look..
"Spike." Xander put hand on his arm. "What is it?"
"It," said the new vampire not unamusedly. "would be the Mistress
of this
house. I am the Master Elena."
Spike sniffed, nostrils flaring, trying to establish what it was about this
vampire that set his senses off. A glance at the youngster seated with the
Risa demon showed no reaction from him. A proximity thing then, perhaps? He
tensed and allowed his facial ridges to shadow his forehead, not
threatening the other Master, but letting her know he was prepared to
defend himself or Xander as needed.
The red-headed vampire raised one brow at Spike's wariness but didn't seem
inclined to comment on it. . "You left a message requesting my presence."
Spike shot Xander a look. His pet had kept his hand on his arm and looked
to be bursting with questions but he kept quiet, waiting to follow Spike's
lead. Spike wanted to send him away but knew the whelp would not go. Always
was too brave for his own good.
Elena looked from Xander to Spike. "Here and now, in this place, I have
no
intention of dishonouring your claim." Her words had a formal ring.
Spike narrowed his eyes for a second "All right then." After a few
seconds
the fingernails feeling had reduced but it nagged at him. What the hell was
she?
The redhead smiled. "Not one for the formality, are you? Most Masters
would
insist on the whole rigmarole." She pulled up another chair and settled
at
the table. "You wanted the latest London intelligence?"
Spike nodded, still a little distracted. "Haven't been 'ere in a long
time.
Expect the power structure has changed?"
Elena shook her head. "I doubt it. No Master of the city, nothing new
there. London itself doesn't seem to allow it. The Gilded Chair remains
empty and is likely to stay that way. There is the usual hierarchical
politicking. I don't get involved in that, so all my information is
second-hand." She smiled a very nasty grin. "If you're not here long
that
shouldn't bother you. The only restricted feeding zone is around Holland
Park. That belongs to Master Wolfgang and his menage. You want to feed
there, you do the whole court and permission ritual. Otherwise, there are
no real feeding territories as such. There's a demon boss who has territory
in the East End. Don't bother his minions and they won't bother you."
Spike was surprised; nothing really had changed since his last visit.
"Inner London suffers from a plague of unowned fledglings, made and
released. Some of them have formed Blood Gangs. They shouldn't be an issue,
but keep an eye on your boy." She turned her head and looked at Xander.
Xander knew he was supposed to duck his head but instead he looked at her,
meeting her eyes squarely. They were old eyes, cold and predatory. They
assessed him unblinkingly. "Your pup has courage."
She returned her gaze to Spike who was growling threateningly. "Hush.
I
promised not to dishonour your claim. Best be marking him soon. Or turn
him-he looks very tasty." She returned to business. " Docklands belongs
to
the Scourge. Sensible vamps don't go there alone. So far that's the only
territory they have and not for much longer-word is the Masters Council
have decided to do something about them. The Scourge have it in for vamps
in this town, they tried to take Master Phillipe and his court. Stupid
specist bastards. Thats about it, really. Questions?" She leaned back in
her seat.
"Nah, names have changed but otherwise it's all th' same. 'Cept the
Scourge, really didn't think that had spread this far." She shrugged and
Spike continued to study her, almost tasting the familiar wrongness of
her, finally understanding what made him so uncomfortable. "Bugger me.
You're a freakin' turned Slayer, aren't you?"
"Perceptive of you, or else I'm not masking as well as I should be."
"Well, I've had a little Slayer experience. I know how they should feel."
Spike replied modestly.
Xander raised his eyebrows at that and mouthed 'feel' with a well-attempted
leer tacked on.
'Bloody spell' Spike mouthed back with a mock glare.
"William the Bloody. Two Slayers at the last count." She seemed neither
impressed nor unimpressed, merely stating a fact, ignoring the byplay
between human and vampire.
Xander reviewed his admittedly small knowledge of turned Slayers, not that
many Slayers ever got turned. Apparently most vampires had an instinctive
understanding that turning a Slayer was a Bad Thing. Kill them, drain them
and bathe in their blood but don't turn them. In general they were quite
insane and powerful enough that their first kill was usually the idiot who
made them. But if she had been a Slayer then that meant that possibly
Servant.. "Oh! Don't tell me Servant was your Watcher?" He blurted
out
without meaning to. His face was ashen at the thought of Giles in thrall
for eternity.
The cold, old eyes fixed him unblinkingly. "If you don't want the answer,
don't ask the question., pup." She tilted her head to one side, watching
even more colour drain from the boys face as he processed that answer of
sorts. She smiled, pleased. "Do you really want the answer, human child?"
She snorted softly when Xander shook his head. "I didn't think so."
"Leave 'im alone, Mistress of the house. Mine." Spike's tone was
mild but
his eyes were possessive.
The green eyed vampire turned her attention back to Spike. Blue eyes
clashed with green. Elana was old and powerful but in the end, it was the
green eyes that looked away from the determined blue.
Elena laughed clear and bright. "Obviously yours, and safe enough here.
I
apologise, pup and forget my duty as Hostess." She rose from the table.
"The maid shall see to your wants. Perhaps, pup we shall talk later. A
human aligned to a vampire, worried about a mere Watcher? I smell a
story." The Master of The Haven stalked away.
Xander shuddered.