Part Twenty-One Buffy was soon to put that particular lesson to good use when she and Amanda felt another immortal near... The four of them sat at the table in their little sub-level hideaway. Winters had brought down a tray of drinks for them, after assuring Angelus that he had placed the order to stock the 'other' room. Amanda held a Martini in her hand as Buffy sipped slowly at a Bloody Mary before coughing it up slightly. "This is fucking awful!" The Slayer did a good impression of a whine. Angelus laughed. "You're the one who wanted to try it!" The vampire sipped at his whiskey. Buffy glared at him. "Whatever happened to 'I know what's best for you...'?" "Yeah, right, after you so beautifully kicked my ass out of bed after the last time..." he snorted. "Hmmph! Like a little argument from me has ever stopped you before...And you!" she turned on Nick. "You're supposed to be an ex-cop! I'm underage, you know! Why did you let me drink this stuff???" "Uhh..." Nick turned to the other two for help. Amanda came to his defense. "Really, Buffy..." the immortal chuckled. All three laughed as Buffy's accusing expression turned to a pout. Amanda took Buffy's drink and swapped it with her own. "Here, try this, it's so much better..." Buffy looked at Amanda with false suspicion as she took a sip. Buffy smiled as she finished the drink off. Amanda grimaced as she started on the Bloody Mary. Angelus rolled his eyes as he handed the blond immortal his whiskey, relieving her of the distasteful drink. "Uh, Buffy?" Angelus said questioningly as he stared at the drink. She realized that he wouldn't particularly enjoy the drink either without a little added incentive. The Slayer held her arm out, palm up. The dark-haired vampire brought her wrist to his mouth eagerly as his face changed. Nick, who had never seen the change, was startled, but soon got over it as he took in Buffy's unconcerned expression as she finished Amanda's Martini. Angelus held his wife's bleeding wrist over the drink and let the blood drip into the alcoholic beverage. Once he was satisfied, he ran his tongue over the tiny bite mark and took a sip of the drink. He had to admit that the added 'Buffy' flavor, was interesting to say the least. It seemed that Nick was the only one to still have his original drink. For that, he was grateful, especially when he took stock of what the other's were drinking. He grimaced at the various drinks, then gulped down his beer. "Well, you seem to be enjoying that Bloody Mary, Angelus," he remarked. The vampire chuckled. "Well, at least it lives up to it's name now..." "Wouldn't that make it a Bloody Buffy?" Nick questioned in a joking tone. "Oh, ha ha...very funny," Buffy pressed her lips together in annoyance. Once the Slayer had finished her drink, Amanda discarded her own and stood, revealing her sword. "Come on, Buffy. You've had a bit to drink, so let's see if you can best me, now..." Buffy gaped. "What? I'm a little off my game at the moment!" Amanda grinned. "That was the point. A truly viscous immortal will come after you when you're most vulnerable. They're not going to stop just because you've had a bit to drink." The Slayer grumbled as she stood, her sword ready for the first attack. As they dueled, Amanda continued with the instructions, correcting various attacks and defense shots, while informing Buffy of other 'need to know' tidbits. "But the most important thing..." Amanda continued, "...is to know when an immortal is present. You'll experience a..." Both females paused as knowledge swept over them. "The beginnings of a headache?" Buffy asked sweetly. "You too?" Buffy nodded. A few feet away, Nick turned to face the vampire seated next to him. "Do you get the feeling that we've missed something...?" Angelus nodded. "Just a little..." Part Twenty-Two "Stay here..." Amanda instructed the young immortal. She put her sword away and indicated for Angelus to follow. He was the only one of the group that was unkillable, the natural choice for backup. Buffy nodded. She understood that it could just be a regular, and non-violent immortal, or it could just as easily be an enemy of Amanda's. The Slayer didn't argue with her friend, or he choice of backup. She was learning... Buffy sighed before putting her sword away and taking a seat next to Nick, picking up another Martini. "Don't you just hate being left out..." she bitched in resignation. The ex-cop shrugged. "You get used to it. But then, I guess you won't have to..." Buffy's look turned dark. "And it finally dawns on me that the one thing I've wanted to escape for the past three years is the one thing that I can guarantee will follow me wherever I go, for the rest of eternity." Nick regarded her silently for a minute. "I got the impression that you enjoyed your life." Buffy grimaced. "When you face death every night...well... But I've grown to accept it. A couple of years ago, my death was prophesized and, obviously, it came true. That was one of the worst nights of my life, knowing that I would die if I did something to stop the Hellmouth from opening, but if I didn't, the rest of the world would die. "So I did my duty like a good little Slayer. But on the upside, I got immortality, even if I didn't know it..." she chuckled. "What's it like?" he asked curiously. "I'm not really sure that it's like anything. I mean, being the Slayer makes me strong, naturally, but I did feel stronger after I died. Not much, though. Apart from that and the occasional immortal headache, everything is the same as it's always been." Buffy confided. Nick looked uneasy. "I just..." Buffy nodded in understanding. "You just wanted to know what it was like for Amanda..." "Yeah, I guess." Buffy's attention drifted elsewhere. "It's funny, you know. I've always thought that, as the Slayer, I would die young. I did, but it's so much different. I'd considered what would happen had I become a vampire, and it scared me, but this is something totally different. It's just the same as before, but it's still really different. "I'm not naive enough to believe that being immortal means that I'll live forever, but I could live through generations of my family, and still get to know each of them. I wouldn't want them to know who I really was, but I could look out for my friends and their families and things like that. I guess it would be the ultimate 'thank you for being my friend'. What do you think?" Nick grinned. "I think that you're to young to be contemplating such a deep subject..." The Slayer laughed. *~*~* "Well...?" Angelus was getting impatient. If he could, he'd wipe out every single hostile immortal and just have done with it, if it would prevent any and all harm from reaching his Slayer. "He's near," Amanda remarked as they carefully concealed their presence from those in the lobby. The immortal looked for the source of her discomfort. She soon spotted a young man who was doing the same thing. "Him?" She answered without removing her gaze from the young immortal. "It was a general phrasing, but it turns out to be a him. I don't think I know him, though." Amanda frowned. "I'd hazard a guess that he's even more recent than your Buffy." She concentrated a little harder. "Much younger..." "Where?" Amanda pointed in the direction of the front desk. She nearly jumped when Angelus growled dangerously. She turned to him, only to see that his face had transformed, his eyes seeking blood. The vampire grabbed Amanda's arm and dragged her back to the private elevator and down to their sub-level getaway. "Angelus? Wha-?" she protested. He clamped his hand over her mouth until they were safely in the elevator. He didn't say a word until they reached Buffy and Nick, who were chatting like they had been friends forever. The smile left Buffy's face when she saw Angelus' vampire visage. "What's wrong?" Buffy paled at his one word answer. "Xander." Part Twenty-Three "What?!?!" Buffy cried as she leapt from her seat. Nick looked up at her in surprise and shock. He quickly got over it as a protective wave washed over him. Angelus and Buffy had soon become his and Amanda's best friends... "Is there anything we can do?" Buffy shook her head as the shock still set in. Amanda turned to Angelus. "Who, pray tell, is Xander? And how does Buffy know him?" Angelus, his gaze still locked on Buffy, answered. "Xander was one of Buffy's friends. One of the infamous 'Scooby Gang'. They found out that 'Angelus' was back not long before Buffy and I left for parts unknown." Amanda frowned at him. "Back?" "The soul..." "Oh." The vampire continued. "Anyway, Xander's always been the negative one of the group. Always assumes the worst about Buffy, even though he's always been one of her best friends. He's also the one person that I have longed to torture to death very slowly..." Buffy slowly sank back into her chair and stared off into space. Angelus knelt beside her and gently picked up her hand, pressing his cool lips to her skin. "Buff, we can stay hidden away until he leaves, if that's what you would prefer..." Amanda began speaking. "He more than likely knows that there's another immortal here, but I can act as a decoy if you like. He has no reason to fight me, and he sounds like the type who'd rather run...not a good trait in an active immortal..." she commented. Buffy glanced at Amanda for that last comment. Seeing that Buffy had misunderstood, she tried again. "Not that I mean you're not a good immortal, Buffy. I, too, preferred to avoid a friend when I knew that it was either him or myself, that kind of confrontation is usually avoided among friends, but he sounds like a constant runner..." Buffy nodded. "He is. I don't remember ever seeing him really stand up to anyone without having some form of backup, namely me..." Angelus snorted. "You got that fucking right...he's a cowardly little prick! He'll want to fight Buffy just for being with me. He doesn't give a flying fuck if Buffy's happy, just that all's right in his little world." They all turned to Buffy. Amanda was the first to speak up. "It's up to you, Buffy. Do you want to face him and possibly have to kill him? Or do you want me to take him on, or just tell him to get the Hell out of Vegas?" Buffy's eyes silently pleaded to Nick for help. He was the only one who wouldn't be out for blood. Angelus, well, no one could say that he didn't look after his own, and Amanda was the same. Nick was the only one who understood. He was the only one who was still human... Nick understood her plea and gave his opinion. "If it was me, I'd get Amanda to sound him out first, then decide what to do..." he suggested off-handedly. Buffy nodded slowly. Angelus growled out his disappointment, while Amanda conceded the wisdom in the decision. Not that she was really one for thinking before she leapt, but anyway... "Do it, please?" Buffy murmured. "Angelus will be staying down here out of the way...but it's up to Nick whether or not he wants to stay here with us or help Amanda." The man knew that Buffy would prefer for him to be safe and stay with she and Angelus, since he was easily killable, but he chose to be Amanda's silent backup. "I'll go, but I'll keep to the shadows and see if there's anything else to his visit." He turned to Angelus. "Will I be able to talk to Winters?" The vampire nodded. "He knows that both you and Amanda are friends, so he will answer anything and he will follow your instructions, should you need him. You also have a range of electronic listening devices at your disposal, care of Winters. The man really comes in handy..." he chuckled. "That's illegal..." Nick told them. But before anyone could react, he grinned. "But then, so is your very existence, so..." Angelus stood and clasped Nick's hand. "It's very rare for a vampire, but especially this vampire, but you're one human that I'm glad to call friend," Angelus told him honestly. Nick nodded as Buffy smiled. "Thanks man, that means a lot." Nick gave Buffy a hug and pointed his finger in her face. "Now...you, stay safe, ya hear?" She nodded. "Be careful. If you have to, then kill him. You guys are the best friends this Slayer could have, and I won't see you harmed by him..." The two nodded and left. Angelus grabbed Buffy around the waist from behind. "So, what are we going to do in the meantime?" Buffy giggled as she ran her hand across the front of his slacks... Part Twenty-Four Amanda heard the slight giggle just as she and Nick got on the elevator. She rolled her eyes at the couple's obviously favorite pastime. "Fantastic," Amanda muttered. "We risk ourselves for their sake and they fuck like bunnies..." "Hmm? Did you say something, 'Manda?" She turned to her newest partner in crime, Nick. She had tended to avoid entanglements with mortals ever since that debacle with Morgan's son, but there was something about Nick that tugged at her heartstrings... "No. But I would like to know exactly how you've planned this..." Nicked stared at her, agape. "You're kidding, right? Usually, it takes barely short of an army to get you to admit that my way is the best way..." She laughed. "Oh, no, Nicky. This time, it's Buffy's life at stake, not mine...I was just having a bit of fun!" Amanda thought she heard a low, "Now she tells me..." But she couldn't be sure. Seconds later, the lift opened for them in the lobby. Winters was waiting for them patiently when they exited the lift. Nick was surprised to say the least. The ex-cop frowned at the man. "Is something the matter?" Winters smiled. "I was just about to ask the same thing, Sir." "I beg your pardon?" Amanda asked. "You came up alone, without Angelus or his mate." At their blank looks, the concierge elaborated. "There are surveillance cameras in the lift. They're hooked up to my private office, so only I have access, but you've never journeyed up here without the boss or his wife, so I assumed..." he trailed off. Nick stuck out his hand, and Winters took it quickly. "Not bad deductions, man. And in this instant, they paid off." The man nodded, understanding that he would listen until Nick was finished. "Here's the thing. Buffy has friends, right? Well, one of these friends happens to hate your boss, Angelus, like the plague. Anyway, he's immortal, like Buffy, and Amanda, here." Nick put his arm around the smaller man's shoulders and steered him back to his office, where they could discuss the situation in private. Amanda followed the two men, still keeping an eye out for trouble. When they reached his office, they took their seats and continued. "So, Angelus wants us to do a little surveillance of our own on Mr Alexander LaVelle Harris, just until we find out whether or not his sudden presence in Las Vegas, as an immortal, is just a coincidence. If so, then we'll leave him be and keep him away from Buffy until he leaves..." Nick trailed off. Amanda took up the story. "And if not...well, there will be another headless immortal in this world..." Winters nodded. He had both the equipment and the know-how to aid them. He hadn't realized how interesting his job could be until he had begun working for Angelus... He sighed, at least no one could say that his job was mundane. "All right. I'll fit Nick with the equipment, and I'll ask a certain someone on staff to plant listening and tracking devices on Mr Harris's person. Technology is getting better and better, isn't it?" he grinned at the thought of the devices they would be using. It was his boss's wife who could be in trouble, so, naturally, everything was top of the line, including the help. *~*~* Meanwhile, down a million flights of stairs... Buffy and Angelus were too engrossed in each other to worry about what was going on above them. The vampire in question had his eyes rolled back in his head and was groaning out his pleasure as his lovely Buffy sucked hard on his engorged shaft. The Slayer rested above her lover, her hands planted firmly at the base of his erection, holding him firm as her mouth worked wonders on the sensitive area. She ran her tongue over his aching cock as he grasped a handful of her hair and forced her to stay still as he thrust himself down her throat. She was no stranger to this kind of pleasure, so Buffy had no trouble accommodating his wish to cum deep in her mouth. In fact, she encouraged him by moving her fingers down until her fingers encountered the heavy sacs on either side of him, just hanging there for her to pleasure, to make him beg for her to end this wondrous torture that she was inflicting up on his cool body... Angelus let out a strangled groan as she cupped the twin balls and gently stroked them with the pads of her thumbs. His hips began thrusting with the rhythm he had set, his hands forcing her to go down on him over and over until his body jackknifed with the sweet release that Buffy craved for him. Only then, would it be her turn to be the alter upon which her lover would worship... *~*~* Winters opened the panel and handed Nick a few electronic devices. He made conversation while doing so. "I assume that Angelus has stayed with Buffy..." Amanda nodded. "They'll stay down there until we give them the all clear." Winters smirked. "I can't imagine Angelus staying put down there for more than twenty-four hours... he'd be bored and irritable." Amanda grimaced. "I wouldn't be surprised if we had to drag him out of there by the time we get back..." Part Twenty-Five The immortal named 'Xander', was seated in the hotel dining room, casually checking out the other patrons. The sudden jerk of his head indicated that he felt her enter the room. Amanda boldly strode up to him and sat in the chair across from his. "Who are you and what do you want?" Xander nearly jumped out of his skin as an older...immortal...female took the seat across from his and began grilling him. "Uhh....ugh...umm..." Amanda his her disgust at his virtual slobbering. "I take it that you're new and you're still finding your feet?" He nodded. "So I don't have to kill you?" she questioned. He shook his head. "Give me one good reason why not...?" she starting to enjoy making this boy squirm. "Uhh...I'm a lovable guy?" he tried. "Uh, yeah...right...Stay out of trouble, kid. Don't go killing anything big and nasty..." With that warning fresh in his mind, Amanda left to find Nick. *~*~* Buffy was laid back in a beach chair as she and chatted over frozen daiquiris in Angelus' Beach Front scene. After their earlier fun in the main room, Angelus had carried her, naked, to yet another 'scenic' room. She couldn't believe just how real it looked. The far wall was a projection screen. They had the projector running, and in the darkness of the 'night' a scene played before them on the screen. The moon was high and bright in the sky as the water softly lapped against her feet. Buffy reached down beside her and picked up a handful of sand that covered the entire floor of the room. It even covered the bottom of the 'sea'. She watched as her lover rose from his beach chair and marched his naked body into the cool water and went for a swim. "Baby?" she called. The vampire turned back to her. "What's the matter?" "Uh, are there any fish in there?" Buffy asked. He shook his head with a laugh. "No way! I wouldn't want any living creatures upsetting my quiet time ...and they're so hard to take care of. There are a few plants over the other side, though." Buffy grinned. She couldn't believe how much detail each room went into. Okay, so she'd only visited two rooms, but she'd bet that the others would be just as good, if not better. The Slayer stood and went to join him in the water... *~*~* They had been right. Amanda couldn't believe just how easy it had been to deal with Xander. It was obvious that he ha no ulterior motive to his trip to Las Vegas, and he had no knowledge of Buffy and Angelus' residence there. But naturally, being the thorough immortal she was, she checked in with Nick first. The man in question was listening in on a phone conversation that Xander Harris had placed. Apparently, he was checking in with a man named Giles. Amanda was shocked as Nick's face paled. He gestured her over. She picked up the spare headset and listened in... "I haven't seen Buffy anywhere. I haven't even run into Angelus, yet..." "Xander, I was informed that Buffy was there." Are you recording this? Amanda mouthed to Nick. He nodded. "Well, are you sure that your sources are right? I mean, Buffy would be out shopping or something, and it's not like she didn't have the money for this place. I asked the guy at the front desk if she was checked in. He said that he wasn't supposed to give out that kind of information, but I slipped him a fifty. He said that she wasn't checked in here. "I checked out a couple of the other places, including the dumps. No one recognizes her from the picture, and she isn't registered anywhere under 'Buffy', 'Summers', or 'Anne'. Pick a combination, I tried it." "Have you tried Angelus? If he's found her already, then obviously she wouldn't be checked in anywhere!! I really don't understand how you've survived this long, Xander." "Yeah, okay, see ya later, Giles. Say 'hi' to the Willster for me..." The connection was severed as Xander hung up. The couple heard the other man muttering to himself as he also hung up. Nick left the equipment running as he pulled the tape from the recorder. He quickly replaced it, then grabbed his jacket and keys. "Where are you going?" Amanda demanded. "I've gotta tell Buffy and Angelus. Are you coming?" Amanda nodded and followed him back to where Buffy and Angelus were waiting. Continue 