After sending the irritating vamp back to the scoobie gang, Cordelia stood and smoothed imaginary wrinkles from her creamy white gown. The soft *click-clack* of her high-heels fell silent when she stepped on the escalator. When she finally reached the fifth level Cordelia exited onto tiled a walkway with a chest-high, dull Plexiglas partition running the span of the mall�s pool shaped center. Cordelia had stood at the rail and looked out over the four, like-wise railed, levels below. She let her gaze travel up over the glass ceiling before turning to enter Nordstrom�s Brass Rail Cafe.

Helping herself to a cup of hot herbal tea the spirit settled her svelte form at a small round caf� table. She let her eyes admire the partition marking the edge of the caf� from the mall�s runway. The four foot high shiny brass rail with supports laced at five feet intervals. The space between each of the brass poles was filled with smoked glass with collages of famous Paris monuments etched in the surface.

The white clad figure sitting at the table shifted and raised a well manicured hand to run through the fluffiness of white/gold blonde hair. She sighed and her luminous eyes looked around at the emptiness.

�Goddess, I am *SO* Bored!� Cordelia whined.

The bored gaze shifted from the empty mall to the half empty china teacup. Her gold-shimmer glossed lips formed an uneasy line of worry as images began to swirl on the surface of the liquid.

Looking around quickly, Cordelia searched for the hazy spot, the one that always had Spike on the other side. An immaterial fist squeezed around her immaterial heart when she couldn�t find the window. The swirling liquid settled into a picture of Xander and an intense feeling of dread washed through the diety-ized ex-cheerleader.

It looked like Xander was arguing with Giles then he was shaking his head and walking out into the quickly cooling evening air without a jacket.

~Why is he laughing?~ Cordelia wondered and right behind that she wondered why he was walking home alone, why he�d even left the other�s. Hadn�t she stressed the importance of their all staying together to Spike? What in the galaxies where they doing down there anyway? She hated to admit it but she was seriously, no really I mean SERIOUSLY worried about her bumbling ex-boyfriend. Face it; Xander was ordinary and hopeless in the art of defending himself.

Cordelia searched desperately for the window that would allow her to reach out and grant Spike the visions. She really needed to warn them. She had glimpsed something lurking in the shadows.

~No, it was the shadows~

The realization struck her as she raced from level to level, every few steps sparing a quick glance at the events going on in the teacup. Cordelia had to remind herself not to squeeze to tightly or the delicate china would shatter with her luck.

�This isn�t exactly what I had in mind to cure my boredom!� her voice was shrill as she launched herself from her pumps; the heels had become lodged in that tight space in the grid of the escalator stair forcing the spirit to abandon them in her frantic search.

Her bare feet slapped the cool tiles sending odd echo�s through the vast space. There was the faint sound of a whistle or horn floating upward. Foregoing the escalators all together Cordelia vaulted over the rail and fluttered down � 3rd floor � she let go of the cup and reached for her waist. 2nd floor � the whir of a zipper and the swirl of the gown�s lower skirts falling away. Mezzanine � she adjusted the straps of the unitard�s bodice. 1st floor � Cordelia grabbed the teacup and looked in. LL her feet hit the cool floor and her she tore her eyes away from the teacup. It was definitely a train and Cordelia raced toward the sound.

Staccato slap of running feet and heavy breathing marked her course as Cordelia raced toward the large sign that read B.A.R.T., melted through the floor and found herself on some kind of train platform.

�Hurry, hurry! I have to warn them before this happens,� she wailed at the glow of a headlamp approaching through the tunnel toward the Powell Street station. Strong wind whipped her hair about her head as the train roared out of the tunnel into the station and continued past her into the tunnel leading to the next stop.

�NO!� Cordelia wailed.

:{�Be at peace little one�}: a shimmer of bells told her. :{�This must come to pass else all will be lost�}:

{:�But-but you don�t understand! Xander-�}: Cordelia screamed back.

:{�Will do what is necessary. He is Chosen. This is the first footfall on the path�}:

:{�What�s that supposed to mean?�}: Cordelia snapped.

~Does everyone around me have to talk in riddles? I mean rilly! I�m a *Higher-Being* and I don�t talk in riddles~

She could feel the smile emanating from the shimmer next to her. If she squinted just *that* much.

:{�Stop that Cordelia, it�s not time for you to see my face.�}: the shimmer chided her. The image of a pale skinned woman with waist-length dark hair draped in flowing folds of liquid cloth blurred back into a much denser shimmer.

�Fine,� Cordelia snapped. �What about Xander?�

:{�As I said,�}: the shimmer belled as it began to fade, :{�this is but the first step.�}:

�Why did you show me this if I�m not allowed to warn the others?�

�This is but the first step,� a darker bell-toned male voice growled, �Pay attention. Meddling again I see,� the new shimmer commented to the other. The female shimmer glared.

:{�I�m warning you Old Wolf�}:

:{�This one is awfully dense sister dearest, why in the Name was she Chosen to be a Higher-Being?�}: the male growled as they faded completed away. Alone again Cordelia sat on the hard marble bench and stared down into the teacup.

*****
POV: Xander
*****

Xander was tired, just plain tired and he needed some peace and quiet away from the group so he could sort out his thoughts.

~I need to get away from these clowns and get some rest~

Xander thought in that dry, conversational inner-voice. He was no where close to being as stupid as they thought.

~some friends~

It didn't help that he didn't apply himself and his only excuse was boredom - sheer boredom with pretense. Being smarter and quicker than he let on made it difficult. Picking things up the first time around and then having to play it down because he couldn't explain how he did it, and because he hid this natural ability and immersed himself so deeply in the personae he stopped paying attention. By the time he did start, it was too late to do anything about the situation; grades were in and his said he wasn't smart enough to go to college with the rest of them. It didn't really matter to him because they were going to community college anyway and he would be going straight to an accredited university like UCLA, UC Berkeley, Princeton or Harvard when he got ready.

All this was important in and of itself and irrelevant to what was going on right now. Tired and fed up with the tedious stupidity, disregard, and manipulation directed his way with no regard to how he felt or what he thought, the young man decided to just drop the act altogether. Maybe it would do them good to get shaken up a bit, have the rug snatched out from under them. This was as good a time as any, another bit of craziness wouldn't be given that much attention and because it was him, it was almost certain not be noticed unless it directly affected any of them.

Xander�s distraction continued to grow right along with the crazy happenings around him. Spike finally free of his chip, and Xander still didn�t understand how he was responsible for that. Oh, he didn�t doubt that he�d done it, he�d been there and that was what continued to disturb him. Xander knew that the entire truth hadn�t been revealed but he didn�t say anything when he felt the falseness of Spike�s explanation about the PTB working through him, it had been him, Xander, who�d removed the chip. Ordinary � no special powers � barely minimal fighting skill Xander.

Xander sat at the table by himself picking over the remains of their hastily thrown together late meal, which of course he had been sent out to get. He turned the events of the past twenty-four, forty-eight (?) hours over in his mind. His sense of time seemed to still be off and he found himself constantly checking his watch.

As usual everyone was doing something *important* and ignoring him. Well, everyone except Willow who walked over to the table where Xander was sitting lost in thought.

�Hey Xan, how you doing?�

Xander looked up into her gimlet gaze and smiled, there was an air of wan tiredness about him. Willow knew how uncomfortable her friend was; she could see it in the tense set of his shoulders and the dullness of his normally bright, brown eyes.

�Oh, I�m okay I guess,� he told her quietly. Willow favored Xander with a penetrating look.

�Really Xan?�

Knowing he couldn�t fool the witch Xander sighed. They had been best-friends since the age of five or six, since that first birthday party when Willow Rosenberg had invited her 1st grade classmates to her home and she and the precocious Alexander Harris had become instant best friends. Willow knew all of his moods and the tactics Xander used to keep others at a distance when there was something on his mind he really didn�t want to talk about.

�No Wills,� he told her. �You always manage to see right through me don�t you?�

Willow sat in the chair next to him and placed her hand over his on the table. �What�s the matter? Is there anything I can do?� she asked already knowing the answer would be �no�. Xander wasn�t the kind of person to burden others with his worries and concerns; he was the kind of person who tried to deal with everything on his own.

Xander shifted on the semi-comfortable chair, flexing his legs and smoothing his palms over the drab-green material of his cargo pants then looked down at the table between them. He reached out to poke at his half eaten sandwich with the garnish and chips on the side � Xander wasn�t all that fond of Starbuck�s but he was starting to develop a taste for the Turkey breast & Pesto on a French roll, he even liked the little raisins adding a bit of sweet yummy-ness.

Willow took his right hand between both of hers; her eyes were full of concern and curiosity as she rubbed his warm skin between her palms. She let her finger trace the two angry red puncture wounds between his thumb and forefinger before turning his hand over to study the identical bite-marks on the other side.

�Why Xan?� she breathed softly.

Not able to answer her question Xander shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. �I don�t...� he started and trailed off.

�I�m worried about you. You�re my best friend Xander Harris, you�re one of a kind and I don�t want to loose you.�

Xander smiled at that. �You won�t loose me Wills. If you haven�t managed to do so yet then I don�t think it�s going to happen.�

�But something is,� she told him with conviction. �Something�s going on Xander, something really big and none of us know what. This isn�t like any of the other prophecies of doom and *End of The World* dribble we�re always dealing with, I think this is very serious and...� her voiced faded out at the look in his eyes.

�You know. You know what I�m talking about don�t you?�

Xander slid his gaze away from hers; let it range around the semi-quiet room. Giles and Wesley were huddled in a corner going over different books and comparing notes. It was only a matter of time before they remembered he was there and his part in the PTB thing. When that happened they�d start getting curious and start asking questions. Xander didn�t want to deal with that. Things usually got detrimental when he became the focus of anything intense.

�Spike said we only had forty-eight hours to get Angel back.�

Xander looked at her. �That�s not true,� he said softly. They were sitting so close together now that their knees pressed. Xander�s skin felt hyper-sensitive and the press of the material sent tingles spidering through him. Willow let her finger glide over one of the small holes in her friends hand and Xander flinched.

�Sorry. Does it hurt?� she wanted to know

Xander smiled; if there was anyone he could tell this kind of stuff to it was Willow. �No, not hurt, but it feels... strange.�

Cocking her head to one side, �Really, how so?�

Gently he curled his fingers closed, covering the wound and freeing his hand from hers. Xander cupped his right hand in the palm of his left and settled them in his lap. He stared down at the pale flesh of his palm. He pressed his finger against one of the holes and a small bead of blood welled up. Without thinking Xander licked it away.

�When I touch them, I can feel it... but not in my palm,� there was a slight flush of on his face when he told her where he did feel the sensations. �Down there,� he whispered looking down at his crotch quickly. Willow frowned.

�It�s okay though, I�m sure it�ll go away.� He said with false surety. Xander had a feeling that the sensation wouldn�t vanish. He still wasn�t sure how he felt about that either but it didn�t seem like such a bad thing as he thought about Spike and his secret little website discovery.

�Why do you think what Spike said isn�t true?�

�Mostly because of the explanation he gave about the PTB working through me to remove the chip. Willow...� his voice faded again. He mustered a deep breath and forged ahead. �I don�t think it was the powers Wills, I think it was me. I did that, but I don�t know how and I don�t understand why?�

Nodding Willow patted his shoulder, �It�s going to be alright Xan. We�ll get Angel back and everything will be fine,� she told him as she rose. �I�m going to chat with Buffy for a minute and then Tara and I are going to go home and try and get some sleep. Maybe you should do the same?�

The young man nodded as she moved away. He watched the patterns of her swishing skirt as Willow crossed the room and plopped down on the couch next to her girlfriend.

There was something going on with the witch, something Xander considered to be of the *not good*. Alone with his thoughts once again, Xander contemplated the changes in Willow.

Her blatant over-use of her magic was getting to him. He was used to her over-protectiveness but he was seeing a new side of the witch and Xander didn�t know what to make of it. But then he couldn�t really talk if he was about to drop his pretenses and Xanderize everyone. He wondered if any of the others had noticed. He hoped so; it would make it easier when he broached the subject with Wesley. He wondered what the ex-Watcher would think.

And there lay yet another change. Wesley. He wondered what had happened in Los Angeles, what could have caused such strange tenseness whenever anyone mentioned Angel and Wolfram & Hart in the same sentence. It was a vicious cycle that took him round and round and Xander felt like he was on a demonic merry-go-round in some twisted demented evil-fun-house nightmare.

And it didn�t help matters at all when the voices in his head started up. There was always that constant internal struggle for dominance between himself, the hyena-boy spirit, and the remnants of the soldier, as each of his inner-selves tried to take control of the body and mind. The constant struggle to stay in control was wearing him out as the other two fought and strained at their chains with more fervor and urgency, as if sensing something dangerous coming their way. It was driving him crazy.

Once again Xander told himself that he needed some time alone, peace and quiet in order to try and deal with his inner turmoil. Once again he looked around noting that the others were still ignoring him.

Buffy was talking about leaving in a few minutes. She�d wanted to go home to check on Dawn and do whatever it was she did when she wasn�t around her slayerettes. Xander shook his head and smirked.

It just wasn�t possible to think about Buffy without thinking about all the drama she generated and how it contributed the distance growing between them. He and Willow had grown considerably closer for a while after the big fight between the three of them. They had continued to put forth efforts to maintain a semblance of normalcy after the merging so that Buffy could defeat Adam and put everything back the way it was supposed to be. They had all agreed to make more effort. All too soon Buffy had gone right back to acting the way she had before the big fallout, treating them as if the two were incompetent idiots who couldn�t manage without her. She seemed to be around a lot more too now, since Riley had gone off on some mission with his old team deep in the Amazon Rain Forest and Willow was hardly ever around with being all wrapped up in Tara and magic spells. She seemed to spend more time with magic than she did with her girlfriend lately.

*****

*****

The house had an air of sorrow and pain enveloping it, as if it harbored a living sickness pulsing someplace near its center; sealed in and growing stronger with age as it was fed, it was palpable. The once beautifully painted woodwork was now faded with its loosing battle against the elements; washed a pale sickly green under the dark smudge shimmering around it.

Nomac shunned the front walk and slipped around to the side where the shadows deepened, to wait. He didn�t have to wait long before he was rewarded with the arrival of Mr. Harris. Nomac watched the staggered approach of the old car as it turned into the drive where it sputtered and died as the sloppy drunk man cut the engine.

Mr. Harris sat behind the wheel of the car waiting for the world to stop lurching and his stomach to settle. After several long minutes he climbed out of the car, using the open door to pull his weight up on his feet before making a drunken beeline for the front porch. A rustle in the bushes near the side of the front yard pulled his attention and Mr. Harris stopped and peered around.

�Whoszat?� he muttered, �fuckin� nosey bitch.� He was about to take another unsteady step when a dark silhouette separated itself from the bush. He was barely able to make out the eerie glimmer of darkly burning eyes in a pale gaunt face hidden in the folds of a sweat-jacket hood before the shadow moved.

In a burst of preternatural speed Nomac covered the distance between Mr. Harris and himself, catching the heavy man in his arms and slamming him into the side of the car. The groan of metal under stress and shattering glass was covered by the sudden loud barking of a few nearby dogs.

Nomac hissed a stream of foul breath in the man�s pallid face and Mr. Harris began to babble.

�Pl-please, please don�t hurt me. I�ll give you anything, anything you want just name it.�

�Hmmm, now that does sound interesting,� the Reaper pressed his cold, lifeless body against the quivering flesh of Mr. Harris. �Umm so warm,� he breathed then rasped out, �what if I want you?�

Without waiting for an answer Nomac pulled the trembling man forward and then rammed his head through the backseat passenger window. Quickly, the Reaper pulled the man out and spun him around to slam Mr. Harris� back up against the side of the dented car. Slowly, almost reverently Nomac reached up, and using his forefinger and thumb he gently pulled the large splinter of blood-drenched glass from the man�s forehead. He held it up to the dim fluorescent glow cast by the nearby streetlight.

Tears streamed from his eyes and Mr. Harris moaned and whimpered in pain and fear. Nomac was panting and grunting in excitement and hunger, his black eyes gleamed and he drooled a bit as he brought the bloody shard to his blue-tinged lips and let his slime coated tongue slide into view. In one quick motion the creature popped the shard into his mouth, savored the taste and then slowly pulled it free using his lips and tongue to clean away the blood. The wet sucking and slurping sounds dispersed between the pants and moans were broken by the sound Mr. Harris� bladder releasing itself in one powerful burst. Acrid yellow urine stained the crotch of his plaid polyester pants and streamed down his leg to form a spreading puddle around his feet.

Nomac heaved him away from the car and slammed Mr. Harris to the concrete walkway shattering the back of his skull and breaking his pelvis with the force. Hovering over the dying man, Nomac whispered, �Time to eat,� and glued his lips to the thick sweaty neck. His fangs broke the skin covering the fleshy rolls and worried through muscle and tissue until they found the jugular. In one swift deep pull Nomac drained Mr. Harris.

Rising to his feet, the Reaper licked his lips and stared at the cold corpse for a second before turning to bob and weave drunkenly up the walk.

�Fine vintage,� he chuckled as the alcohol rushed through his veins and was burned off by the time he reached the front door. He knocked firmly and smiled hungrily. There was a slightly glazed look in his eyes at the sluggish sounds on the other side of the door.

*****

*****

It wasn�t really safe for anyone to be walking the streets of SunnyHell at night, most definitely not alone but no matter what they said Xander seemed bent of doing just that.

�Look G-man, I�m tired and...�

�Don�t call me that Xander, I�ve told you that a million times!� Giles snapped, finally pushed to the limits and losing his patience.

Xander�s tired expression slowly changed to one of studied coolness touched with just enough scorn to match his tone.

�Look G-Man,� and his lips curled a smirk around the tag-name while one dark eyebrow quirked up mockingly. Giles� mouth fell open in astonishment at the young man�s tone.

~Xanderized, works every time~

Spike snicker and muttered under his breath, "cor whelp what bug crawled up your butt?" it was said low enough that the mortal shouldn't have heard him but somehow Xander had. His dark brown eyes were mocking when he looked across the room at the now dark-blonde haired vampire.

"Up yours bleached- Damn! Can�t call you that anymore either,� and Xander shrugged, �oh well no matter.�

He turned back to Giles, �I said I�m tired. It�s starting to get close and strong in these clothes and I want a hot shower and I do not want to take Spike home with me.� Xander finished his original thought. His shaggy brown head cocked to the side as his gaze swept the room; considering his next words while massaging the ball of his thumb into the tender space between the fang marks.

His prolonged silence gave Giles another opportunity to try and explain the situation.

�Xander, I understand that you�re exhausted, we are all past the point of our endurance believe me I know. What I�m trying to say � sorry wrong word � ask. Yes, what I�m trying to ask is if you would be good enough to provide Spike with shelter for a couple of hours. We all need to get some sleep and I only have so much space, Xander. Wesley and Gunn are going to need to use the guestroom and since you have your own apartment I was hoping Spike could go with you; he definitely can�t go with any of the girls.�

�No, you�re right he can�t but that�s really not my problem. Spike has a crypt, let him go there.�

�Xander be reasonable. Neither you or Spike should be alone, none of us should...�

Xander cut him off, �Still not my problem. Besides, since you all seem to have it so well under control and you said it yourself, it�s not like you really need me... for anything."

�Xander that�s not true.� Buffy tried to tell him.

�Oh wait, I forgot. You do need me... to run out and get doughnuts right? I mean you guys are even calling me *doughnut-boy*...�

Surprised by the coldness of their friends tone the scoobies, Wes, and Gunn were speechless for a moment too long.

�Just what I thought,� Xander laughed shaking his head as he stalked out. Spike caught the strong smell of blood and saw Xander moving his hand in the direction of his mouth as the young man stalked out the front door.

*****

*****

Nomac tore through the Harris home in a towering rage at not finding what he sought. The boy�s smell was all over the place but the room hadn�t been entered in a very long time. There was a fine layer of dust on almost everything on the second floor, but the dust in Xander�s old room was thickest. Grabbing the heavy dresser the Reaper raised it high above his head then smashed it down against the floor with a loud roar. The force splintered the wood and cracked several floor boards.

Panting, his chest heaving and eyes blazing, Nomac fought for control and focus. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and opened his other senses to the world around him. Reaching out he brushed the presence of his first two minion-reapers while searching for the boy.

The hood of his dingy sweat-jacket lay cowled around his neck, exposing his bruised and ghastly bald head. Tiny blue and purple veins pulsed visibly just under the translucent skin shining sickly under the glow of the single remaining light bulb. Several minutes later the feral red/yellow-ringed, black eyes fluttered open and the Reaper smiled, turned and walked out of the room. Nomac shattered the light bulb on his way out as an afterthought, the final brushstroke on his masterpiece of destruction.

Collecting his minion-reapers, Nomac headed out into the night with a night-gowned and hair-rollered (several missing) Mrs. Harris, and a broken Mr. Harris; his left arm hanging limply and his right hip riding on a strange angle forcing him to drag his left leg behind.

Nomac�s senses were guiding him to a nice little apartment across town. An apartment where a certain young man would soon cease to live.

*****

*****

Xander reached out and gave the faucet knob a good turn. He shivered as the hot spray died and a draft of cool air from the open window caressed his skin. Using his hands to sluice the beads of water down his muscular body Xander stepped out of the bathtub and reached for the large towel hanging on the back of the door. He ran it over his body with lazy movements before tossing it to the side in favor of another to dry his hair. With a third fresh towel wrapped around his waist the young man stepped out into the hall and started for his living room. He froze in mid-step as he entered the room and found Spike lounging on his couch.

�What the hell are you doing here and how the fuck did you get in?� Xander snapped. He balled his fist on his hips and glared at the smirking vampire. Adrenaline rushed through him and his pounding heart sounded loud in his ears.

Spike let his gaze sweep over the exposed flesh heated with anger. �We covered that back at the old poof�s place didn�t we? I�m staying here with you Xan-pet. Gonna keep you safe and make sure nothing happens to you, I am.� Something stirred inside him at the display of control over the sudden spurt of fear he�d sensed when Xander discovered him.

�Yeah right,� the mortal smirked at him. �Why the sudden interest in my well-being Spike, up until yesterday you�ve pretty much gone out of your way to make my life pure hell. What do you want?�

Spike studied the mortal, perplexed by the change in attitude. He�d spent enough time around the Sunnydale crew to feel like he knew them all pretty well, how they would react in certain situations. What was facing him now just didn�t fit with the Xander he was used to. He knew the boy was incredibly smart and hid it from the others, Spike didn�t understand that but then Xander wasn�t an easy person to understand and his complexity was the factor that held Spike enthralled. When he stopped to think about it � like he was doing at the moment � Spike had been expecting something along these lines to eventually happen; there as only so much mistreatment a person was willing to put up with from people who claimed to care about them. He hadn�t expected this. And, as with all things *Xander* it would happen during the midst of a major crisis.

�So we haven�t always been bosom-buddies things change, shit happens. Like this,� Spike tapped his head and shifted to game-face, �or this,� he finished with a quick movement that had him standing next to Xander and gripping his right wrist. They both looked at Spike�s mark on his hand then locked eyes with the vampire in an intense battle of wills.

�With everything that�s happened and going to happen... Hell, whelp,� Spike released the warm wrist and started pacing the small space. �Look Xan, I�m worried and if I�m worried then we�re really in the crapper right? It�s not safe for any of us right now. We don�t know what this Wolfram & Hart co-op is up to, why they snatched Angel in the first place or what they�re likely to do next. Under those conditions its better for us to stick together, trust each other to watch our backs.�

�Is that why you�ve been lying to us?� Xander asked. He shivered a bit from the caress of cool air created by Spike�s restless pacing. Xander realized he was still naked except for the towel around his waist and the one across his shoulders he�d been using to dry his hair.

Spike stopped near the front door and stared at him. �Whadda ya mean?� he dissembled.

Xander shook his head; there was a look of mild disgust on his face as he turned away from the other man. �*Trust* Spike? Yeah. Right.� Xander started down the hall toward his bedroom. �It�s not in your nature to be trustworthy Spike, you haven�t done anything to be worthy of my trust and I want you...� Xander trailed off when Spike grabbed his upper arm and kept him from walking away.

�Yes pet, you want me to?�

�Huh?� Xander murmured as the vampire�s cool grip held him immobile. There was a mild hint of dust, peroxide and musk swirling around him as Spike invaded his personal space. His stomach was trying to do little flip-flops and the blood in his head decided it was a good time to travel southward.

Spike restrained the urges that jolted though him when his hand made contact with Xander�s warm flesh for the second time in less than five minutes. And there was that tantalizing scent Xander exuded. Having the boy this close, undressed the way he was, was sorely trying Spike�s self-control as his demon railed at him to take the next step and claim what it wanted. Xander had freely offered him blood and in his demon�s mind that was the best kind of courtship. *Mine* rang in the vaults of the vampire�s brain as he forced Xander to lean in close enough to hear his next words. Spike�s voice was barely a whisper, a soft purr, �You want me to?�

�Leave,� Xander whispered back. His throat muscles worked and his breathing was mildly labored.

�You sure �bout that pet?� Spike asked eyeing the towel which was now tented over the pole of Xander�s stiff cock. Spike reached for the towel and Xander sidestepped, twisting his arm free and walked down the hall.

�Don�t be here when I come back,� Xander threw over his shoulder before slamming the bedroom door.

Spike grinned and fingered the fluffy white bath-sheet as he moved back toward the living-room. Spotting the television, Spike quickly located the remote and plopped down on the couch with the towel draped over his shoulder, one leg stretched the length of the old sofa-bed and the other foot firmly planted on the floor while channel-surfing in hopes of finding a re-run of �Passions�.

*****

*****

Nomac raised his head, nose in the wind and scented the air. He shivered in utter bliss as he caught a hint of cinnamon and chocolate mixed with the darkness wafting through the air in the close halls. He walked slowly behind the Harris� as they headed toward their son�s apartment door. They had been to the complex on a few select excursions in the past to hit their son up for money when Mr. Harris wasted his monthly paycheck in the span of a two day drinking binge. Mrs. Harris had badgered Xander for a spare key, �Just in case of an emergency,� so they easily overcame the �invitation� barriers that applied to the local vampire population. Nomac laughed at that absurdity, having to be invited in had never stopped him or any of his kind in the past and then he sneezed as the smell of aged dust and peroxide irritated his nose.

*****
POV: Xander
*****

Xander slammed the bedroom door and looked down at his erection. He was about to reach for it when he remembered that he�d left Spike in his living-room; knew the stubborn vamp wouldn�t leave and would probably smell him jerking off. Sighing mentally Xander tossed the damp towel on the bed and headed for his dresser.

He froze halfway across the room at the loud crash that could only be his front door being torn down.

Spike was off the couch in an instant, fangs bared and eyes flashing amber as the door to Xander�s apartment was torn off the hinges and slammed against the wall. A strong aura of foulness washed through the room causing the fine hairs in the vampire�s body to stand up. He didn�t want to believe what he was seeing as what looked like Xander�s parents tried to burst through the doorway at the same time, tearing sections of the frame away as they fought to get at him. That brief moment allowed Spike to accept and act as he quickly positioned himself in the path leading to the hall. His eyes searched the room desperately for a weapon and Spike grinned when he spotted Xander�s black satchel full of his slayerette gear.

Spike quickly snagged the strap and dragged the satchel toward him as the Harris� finally managed to create a doorway large enough for the two of them to get through at the same time. His fingers wrapped around two slim lengths of smooth wood and the bag was dropped as Spike raised his weapons against the concerted attack.

Nomac stepped over the fallen bits of plaster and smiled as his minion-reapers forced the blonde abomination away from the hall.

He sniffed the air in the apartment and wrinkled his nose at Spike�s scent over everything. He spared the battling vampires a look of contempt, locking eyes with Spike momentarily before grinning and turning toward the closed door.

Xander was suddenly calm. His labored breathing evened out and his heart-rate slowed to a steady beat that seemed to pulse through his body. He felt himself shifting into that elsewhere perspective as he moved with calm purpose.

Xander spared a distant look at the closed door and his lips pressed into a grim line, as if he could see through the hollow wooden panels, see what was moving toward the door. Ignoring his nakedness Xander moved to the tall chest in the corner and opened one of the drawers. He reached in and pulled out the large serrated blade that he�d carried when he had been the Soldier.

There was a hideous shriek from the other room and then the door to the bedroom was blown in under the force of the Reaper�s attack. Nomac burst into the room behind the door. The door slammed into the naked young man and the blade fell from his hand as Xander was thrown across the room. Xander hit the tiny window and it shattered against his back. Struggling, Xander shoved the door away and fell forward on top of it. His distant vision tried to focus on the ratty, converse clad feet.

Groaning and shaking his head to clear the stars swirling around in his eyes Xander�s wide gaze tore up over the grimy and torn blue jeans and ratty grey sweat-jacket to finally focus on the hideous face of his attacker.

Nomac felt a mild fire burn through him as something crossed his path somewhere back near the Harris house, mixing with the sudden anticipation of the kill and he morphed into his hideously mutated game face. His brow remained free of ridges but his glittering black eyes flashed with the yellow-red rings pulsing sickly and the small jagged line running down his chin began to quiver. It parted like a small seam from his thin, blue lower lip down. The crack widened and spread as it snaked and vanished beneath the weak chin; sickly sounds of flesh tearing and parting as the lower part of his face separated, folding back like double doors to reveal the double row of tiny opaque fangs. Streamers of saliva and slime stretched between the two halves of quivering flesh as a thick pinkish thing snaked up and out of the mucus coated throat. Dripping, it lashed out into the air and blossomed like an orchid. There were rows of venomous teeth lining its petal-like flaps, shining with a glittering greenish ichor.

Xander scrambled frantically across the floor desperate to reach the dagger he�d dropped when the door had sent him reeling. Fear raced through him trying to undermine his calm perspective, driving Xander to fight for survival like he never had before, somehow knowing that if he didn�t then his fate would be worse than death.

The scrapes on his knuckles stung but the burn of pain from the cuts on his back was worse. Xander could see the glitter of glass splinters embedded in his tender flesh as he fingers brushed the dagger and the rasping sounds kept coming closer. Clenching his teeth against the stabbing pains in his ribs and the gash across his forehead Xander gave one final lunge of desperation, the puncture wounds on his hand pulsed hotly and blood slicked his palm as his fingers curled around the knife-hilt and then he was flipping over with a slashing motion. The serrated blade made impact and Xander felt the tug of resistance as the wicked knife tore through flesh and hot acrid liquid gushed over his bleeding hand. He gagged and choked as the creature continued to sail over and past him, bathing him from chest to hair in its viscous life fluids. Xander rolled to his left; eyes squeezed shut against the sting of the yellow-red Reaper blood splashed across his face.

Gagging and wracked with dry heaves Xander got to his knees. His entire body flinched back away from the loud noise of the Reaper ripping out the rest of the window and crashing through the wall, its natural instinct of self-preservation driving it to retreat and heal before incurring further damage. Frantically trying to get the thick liquid off his smoking skin Xander clawed and his face and hands, his throat burned and his stomach churned from the blood he�d ingested. Intense burning fire raged through him and Xander�s cry of agony was cut short by the flood of vomit boiling up his throat and out past his stretched lips. Falling to his side he wrapped his arms around his middle and curled up into a fetal position as the poisonous blood raged through him. Wishing he were already dead, Xander Harris collapsed under the pain as his vision went first blurry and then dark.

*****