The day wore on, late afternoon became evening. Willow returned from her day of self-pampering with Cordelia. Willow had always been pretty as far as any of them were concerned; even Cordelia secretly thought the red-head looked *okay*. Of course from Cordelia�s perspective, if you weren�t her, then you were just okay. But since Willow didn�t have any reason to down play her looks anymore, her friends got a major shock, well not Xander, who had always thought the young woman was exceptionally beautiful. If things had been different, the two of them might have wound up together. There had even been times when they�d discussed it and wondered why it never happened; it wasn�t as if they didn�t find each other attractive, but when Willow and Cordelia walked out of that salon, Ms. Chase got a very, very rude awakening. The attention she was so used to getting, attention she took for granted, wasn�t forth coming. Well, actually it was, just not in her direction. It all went to Willow. The witch literally glowed. Her hair shimmered, her eyes danced and the tiny bit of make-up she allowed to be dabbed on her already pale, flawless beauty, worked such a dramatic change that Cordelia found herself almost turning green with envy. She wasn�t used to sharing the spotlight or feeling threatened, or shown up. But it was happening and she would just have to learn to deal.

~~~~~

The men, who eyed them during their leisurely stroll along the busy streets, weren�t in the least bit interested in Cordelia. Willow received all the attention, the compliments, the free lunch, discounts on almost all of her purchases and countless free drinks and a multitude of phone numbers and business cards when they stopped for a quick drink during the happy-hour. Then the two returned to the Hyperion and Wes accidentally disconnected three calls he had on hold and booked Gunn on the wrong flight while making his reservations on-line. Gunn had phoned to say he�d finally completed the field work for his investigation. He was ready to head back to LA within the next day or so.

~~~~~

Angel almost staked his own foot when he broke the drawstring on the crossbow he�d been cleaning. At that point Cordelia left in a mild huff. No one noticed; all eyes were glued to Willow as she went in search of Xander to get his opinion of some of the outfits and other things she�d purchased from their mad money account.

~~~~~

It was during the mad dash to make themselves presentable that Xander discovered his Xander-sex possibilities list. �Throw me those would ya, luv?� Spike had called as Xander scrambled across the bed to the dresser on the other side, in search of a clean pair of boxer-briefs. The young man had reached down and grabbed the crumpled up black denim. The soft worn and fingerprint stained slip of paper caught his attention as it fluttered back to the floor. He plucked it up and tossed the jeans over his shoulder. Spike didn�t notice that he�d lost his keepsake until much later. Xander tossed the slip of paper on the dresser and grabbed his underwear. Properly attired they went out to chat with Willow, who took one look at them and blossomed into one of the biggest smiles she�d had on her face since she arrived in LA. It was clear to her, in that first instant, that Xander had definitely remembered Spike, and had let the vampire know in no uncertain terms of his returned memory.

~~~~~

Spike was momentarily speechless, and inordinately happy that he�d made his move on his Xan-pet when he had. At that moment, he harbored no doubts that Willow could give him serious competition for Xander�s affections if she had so decided. Boy was he glad they were so close they were like brother and sister, and anything *more* would reek of incest. Xander casually smacked him upside the back of the head when Spike�s eyes started to glaze over with fantastical possibilities centered on the witch. To his credit, Spike looked guilty and Xander kept his mock scowl light.

~~~~~

The attention didn�t stop there, but continued on the next day and the following day when Willow accompanied Xander to what was most likely destined to be his last visit with Marta.

Elliot sat on a bench near the hospital entrance, reading a battered paperback novel. He cut a rather striking figure with his hair tumbled over his brow, sideburns caressing the sides of his handsome face, stopping in a clean line at the level of his mouth. He was wearing dark, blue jeans, a light blue t-shirt, black shoes and leather jacket, both of which had that comfortable lived in look. He raised his head and squinted up at the brother and sister as their shadows fell across him. He experienced that flutter in the pit of his stomach and his hands became damp with sweat, like they did every time he was the beautiful red-head. Every time Elliot saw them, Xander and his sister looked better and better; today there seemed to be a bit more *gloss* to their natural polish.

�Elliot, hey,� Willow smiled.

�Willow, Xander,� Elliot smiled as he closed his book and stood up. He noticed the open admiration and attention the ravishing red-head was receiving from both men and women moving past them, and Elliot decided to make his move before he lost his chance. Once Xander was on his way to see his therapist, Elliot planned to ask Willow out on a date. Elliot had checked Xander�s chart and noted that there were only one or two more sessions scheduled with Marta. The wonder worker. If she hadn�t felt the need to schedule more than that, then it was fairly certain that her patient was making progress and wouldn�t really need her for much longer. With Xander no longer needing to visit him on his rotations, the young intern decided that if he didn�t speak up now, he couldn�t get another chance because they wouldn�t have a need to come to the hospital anymore.

Willow thought Elliot was nice, even cute but wasn�t seriously interested in him. She was on the verge of turning the young intern down when she remembered a recent conversation she�d had with Xander. He had told her that it was time for her to stop hiding herself from the world. He�d said a lot of things but the thing that got her the most had been, �If you don�t use it often enough, cobwebs will set in.� She agreed. Elliot did have a nice butt and showed signs of making Oz look average in the equipment department.

She wasn�t really all that ready to go on a real date, date, so suggested they all go out dancing together. Elliot agreed, figuring that she wanted to see how he would interact with the rest of her family before allowing him the pleasure of her company one-on-one. He couldn�t blame her, if he had a sister as pretty as Willow, he would want her to bring any guy interested in her around so he could have a look too. It was a known that siblings as close as Xander and Willow appeared to be, put a lot of stock in what the other thought of their potential love interest.

~~~~~

Wesley, Cordelia, and Angel were looking forward to Gunn�s return. He�d been gone for almost a month and a half, going from one case directly to the next, and they missed his face; the energy and attitude he brought to their close knit little family group.

Wesley was really looking forward to his friend�s return. He missed Gunn�s solid presence and sharp wit. There were other things as well. Yes, Wes and Angel were close, and he had even come to feel differently about Spike and Xander now that he had the opportunity to get to know them outside of Sunnydale, away from the hell-mouthy/slayer-ish influences. He had quickly realized that Xander�s seeming disregard for him when he�d been assigned as Buffy�s Watcher had been the boy�s way of keeping everything at a distance. Xander was loyal to his *friends*, and in that blinding loyalty, he�d followed the pack, led by Buffy, in the shabby treatment the newly appointed Watcher had received upon his arrival in their midst. But none of them were Gunn. They didn�t have that sense of cool savvy that was the black man�s personal trademark. Gunn was somebody Wes felt he could talk to about anything. Not to say that Wes didn�t talk to Angel about things, it was just... different with Gunn.

~~~~~

Xander entered the office and waved at the receptionist.

�I�ll let her know you�re here.�

�Thanks.�

Inside of Marta�s office Xander flopped down into one of the deep leather recliners she had instead of a couch. �Xander, don�t flop like that its not good for your spine,� Marta admonished, just like always. Xander grinned at her as she made a note in his file and then moved from behind the desk.

They discussed sex, relationships, gay and straight, the perceptions of society, Xander�s perception. Marta seemed fascinated with the subject. It was almost boring for Xan. He smiled at her comments and observations. Her questions about sex clubs and slave auctions, the dominance and submissive roles the players fell into. She theorized on powerful men who anted to be beaten, whipped and subjugated; the women who held the whip and doled out the pleasurable pain and punishment. She couldn�t wrap her mind around some of the extremes � the body piercing and other painful acts.

She wanted to know what he thought, what Xander felt about it all. He admitted to understanding it, the going from one extreme to the next. �It�s about control,� he told her, �control and responsibility. Most guys need to let go of the control, to not always have to be the strong one in charge. To let someone else take the weight and be held accountable; for whatever took place. They fall into a *role* where they can be or do anything and not be responsible. Someone else is calling the shots.�

He told her he could see it and understood, but beyond the biting, it wasn�t really his thing, he didn�t like pain.

�Biting?�

Xander had blushed, �Yeah, my boyfriend likes to bite.�

�And how do you feel about that, Xander?�

�What? The fact that he wants me bad enough to want to gobble me up like candy, how do you think I feel? Hell I love it. It tells me exactly how strong his feelings are, how much he loves me. Spike can make me cum just from the feel of his teeth against my skin.� He had to bite his own tongue to keep from saying, �in me�. The thought of Spike biting into his willing body, his ass, made Xander hard. He couldn�t wait to get back to the hotel. Home. Spike.

They talked about his relationships with the people in his life. Buffy and the others in Sunnydale. Yes, he remembered them. He even missed their friendship � their presence in his life. It hadn�t all been bad. But he didn�t want to go back. Not after the liberating freedom of just being himself. Xander told what it had been like for him when he�d been part of the Scooby gang. �I was always on stage. They seemed to expect something from me, more than I was willing or able to give. Something more than anyone could give them. Does that make sense?�

They didn�t really *know* him, only the image they wanted him to fit into to make their lives comfortable. Xander had grown beyond them and their littleness. He�d always been beyond them, but had played a role, afraid that they wouldn�t be able to accept the real him. With Willow, he had always been able to just be *Xan*. They had known each other forever and didn�t expect the other to be anything other than who they were, just to make the other feel good, real, substantial. They loved each other for *who* they were, Spike was like that. Angel, Wes, and Cordy as well, they had gotten to know the real Xan. The one Willow knew and they liked him for him, Xander being Xan, fulfilled them, it fulfilled him. It felt right. His life was going forward.

He agreed that he should try and explain this to the people he was leaving behind, Buffy, Giles, his parents. They had been part of his life for a long time, they deserved to know the reason there was no longer space for them in his future. It would allow him closure.

Knowing Buffy, Xander decided he would write her. A letter would allow him to say everything that need to be said, without interruption, without having to go back and forth with the stubborn slayer.

~No, I�m stubborn, she�s just thick-headed~

Words on paper had no specific tone or inflection that could be unwittingly misconstrued. His letter would end with something like, �Buff-ster, you know I�ll always care, I do consider you to be a friend but people change, I�ve changed. I�ve grown up, willing to face the things in life that aren�t always of the good. I wish the same for you; you do deserve to be happy. We all have things to learn, things to face, I hope you find the strength to do that, face the truth and find happiness. Always, Xander.

Their session ended with a hug; Marta made sure Xander had her card and they agreed that it wasn�t necessary for him to come back, he was doing just fine. He could always call her if he needed to, anytime, her door was always open and his space in the recliner reserved for when ever he felt the need.

When Devon and Nikolas showed up later that day, as promised, they were instantly included in the upcoming weekend partying plans. Gunn would be back sometime on Friday. They planned to go out for dinner, and then get in some dancing. Devon agreed that, yes he was all for the dancing, he needed just need to *release*.

Nikolas spent time with Willow. They talked about magic, her affinity for computers. It was a strong possibility that she had affinity for the path of the Virtual Adept. Nikolas himself had not moveed into that area himself, he was still reeling from his last Ascension � Verbena. He could not instruct or guide her, but he knew of those who could. He had contacts in New Orleans that he was willing to put her in touch with.

Willow was impressed and moved by the creature's interest and concern for her well-being. Nilolas impressed upon her, the dangers of tapping into the mage-energies without the proper training, and having gone down the path of darkness once, was enough for the young witch. She promised to think about his offer. She wondered if Spike and Xander would be willing to go with her, relocate to New Orleans, if she decided that she wanted to learn more and be able to master her power. Either way, she would go, this was what she had been searching for anyway. Willow wasn't the kind of person to turn down a gift like this, an opportunity to advance to the next level. The prospect that she could become and Adept, like Nikolas, that she was more than just a Wiccan, opened doors of possibility Willow was ready to stride through with her head held high and her confidence of success securely anchored.

*****
Part 25:

POV: Xander

Xander sat has basket of clean clothing on the chair next to the dresser. Starting with the folded sweats and bottom drawer, he put everything away; finishing with the top drawer and his underwear. The folded slip of worn paper caught his attention and the young man picked it up. A smile lit his face as he unfolded what he recognized as his recipe for Xander-sex. He wondered what Spike had been doing with the piece of paper as he refolded and slid it into his back pocket. Xander was wearing a pair of the jeans that Spike loved to see clinging to his ass; the ones that made him all hungry, hot and drooly � the ones that only had enough space in the back pockets for a slip of paper. That thought, thinking about Spike getting hot and drooly over his butt, made Xander hot and drooly. Actually it made his ass hot. Heat, like when Spike bit into his fleshy, tanned globes, radiated inside the snug jeans and Xander adjusted his tightening crotch. Not having much space to begin with, the effect of thinking about Spike biting him made the jeans all that much tighter. He was completely aware of his body as it remembered Spike�s touch. Then a thought struck him and Xander was racing into the bathroom and dropping his pants. He stood in front of the large mirror opposite the bathtub and looked over his shoulder at his reflection, searching for the bite marks Spike and lovingly placed on his derriere.

~Gone! It�s gone, my love bite is gone. Shit!~

Xander wasn�t at all happy to discover his tanned skin was unblemished, that Spike�s mark had healed and faded, leaving his ass all nice and smooth. Xander didn�t like that. That mark was *his*, damn it. It was his badge of ownership, proof of their pairing, that they belonged to each other. Spike was his; he belonged to Xander as much as Xander belonged to his vampire.

~Well, he�ll just have to start over... oohhh *shivers* that�s gonna be fun~

Xander continued to brood over the vanished mark and starting over as he re-buttoned his jeans and made his way out of his suite. Xander was curious about the items he�d left stashed in the hotel closet, his jar of cherries, chocolate, and the candy bars. He was pretty sure Spike had them, and he didn�t think they had survived all this time, at least not the chocolate.

�Hey Wills,� Xander greeted his friend as he entered the lobby offices. Willow was playing on the computer and looked up to flash him a grin.

�Xan, sweetie, s�up?�

�The stuff from the hotel...�

�You mean the cherries, chocolate and the licorice whips?� Xander nodded. �Gonna have to buy more, that bag vanished the minute Spike got his hands on it.�

�Want to go shopping with me?�

�Sure, let me get my purse.�

~~~~~
POV: Spike
~~~~~

He knew those two were up to something, he just didn�t have a clue as to what. The blonde leaned back, slouching comfortably in his chair. With the *ponce*, the *nancy-boy*, and *vision-girl* from hell, all out on some case or other, Spike took advantage of the opportunity to smoke and lit up right inside of the lobby office. He squinted, intense blue gaze watching Willow and Xander, through the plume of hazy, blue/grey smoke drifting around his head. Feet were propped up on the desk, Cordelia�s desk � even after she threatened to stake him if he left dirt like the last time.

�Um No. No staking the vampire, not mine anyway. If there�s stake-age, then I�ll be doing it.� The look on his pet�s face left no doubt in anyone�s mind what he meant, or that he was serious. �Nobody stakes *my* vampire, except me.� Deadly serious.

Cordy had backed off quickly. Now the two were huddled on the couch, looking like two adorably mischievous ankle-biters - just as cute as they wanted to be. Whispering and giggling and casting speculative looks in his direction. He could picture them at age six or seven, out in the sunshine in some kiddie park; heads together, like now, giggling. Plotting and planning trouble for some unsuspecting sucker.

Willow, all cute and skinny, dressed in a pale pink jumper, white sneakers and fancy ankle socks, the kind with the cutesy ruffles. Red hair, like flame, parted down the middle and hanging down the little girl�s back in two thick plaits; pink ribbons at the ends where the loose hair curled up. A smudge of dirt on the pert little nose at war for attention with the scattering of freckles across pale cheeks and the cutest little grin � one tooth missing, a gap in the precious smile.

Xander, dressed in dark blue painters pants. His sneakers were worn and dirty, typical little boy splashing through puddles. He would be wearing a faded, blue and white stripped shirt, the frayed cuffs flapping around his chubby wrist, a few buttons missing � a favorite shirt, obviously rescued from the rag-pile several times when no-one was looking. The pudgy cheeks flushed with health and laughter that actually sparkled in the dark brown eyes, chocolate orbs, wide and glowing with childish innocence, beneath the tumble of unruly brown curls resting on his brow, quirky little grin cheeky and mannish.

Then the image was gone, Spike raised an eyebrow at the couple when he realized they were watching him almost as intently as he was watching them. Xander gave him a mysterious little smile and turned back to Willow. Her emerald eyes sparkled and danced as she tilted her head to rest against Xander�s; him whispering, she grinning at Spike. Yep, they were definitely up to something. They had been acting shifty since earlier in the afternoon. He wondered where they had gone off to when they left, he hadn�t even seen them return, he�d been napping in his room, safe from the harmful rays of the sun that liked to stream through the open windows in Xander�s suite.

~~~~~
POV: Devon
~~~~~

Devon hummed under his breath as he flushed the toilet and let the lid fall shut. He moved to the bathtub and turned on the water for a shower. He adjusted the setting on the hand-held showerhead to the one for rapid burst of massaging hot water and stepped under the hot spray. Devon took his time, relaxing under the steady bullets of wet heat beating down on him. hair clung to his shapely head, sleek with levels of dark and light, distinguishing the three different colors. Droplets of water beaded across the walnut-ty expanse of his broad, but lean, shoulders as it streamed from hair and upturned face. Islands of suds cascaded down his lean form � muscular chest and torso, bumped up abdomen, back � here it slowed to linger over the high curve of buttock, wander curiously down the valley before resuming its caress down long, shapely legs; muscled from running track, gymnastics, and baseball.

Shower finished, Devon dried off and moved into the bedroom. He stopped in the doorway to admire his sleeping vampire, sprawled across the bed. Dark head turned in his direction, face barely visible through the glittery ink of hair draping head and shoulders. One arm bent, cheek pillowed on the palm. Top sheet and blanket kicked into a tangle near the foot of the bed. Naked, except for the thin bit of colored silk; black underwear. A molded, bronze, globe exposed invitingly when the knee bent and the silk became more intimate with the deep cleft. Devon moved closer to the bed, eyes drinking up the dark beauty of his vampire.

~Mine. His~

Transfixed now, the large towel of spun cotton pooled to the floor as Devon crept up onto the bed. He knelt between Nikolas� splayed legs, a light caress that would have stirred the hair along the calf, if there had been any. A tingle of sensation as the skin made contact and Devon skittered his fingers up to the hollow of bent knee. Violet orbs wide and tracking the sensuous movement, slow as the path was retraced. Nikolas stirred. The fingers stroked the soft sole of an elegant foot, head dipped, face closer; the brush of a kiss. Swirling, spiraled down until the pore-less expanse of bronzed, walnut-brown skin filled all sight � senses. The tingle became stronger, drawn out, as the contact became steady and firmly solid. Cinnamon hued hands tingling with contact as they moved up the thigh, coming to rest, possessively. Locks of hair seethed across the pillows, seeking for the sensations, a smile in his voice when he spoke. �Mmm dat�s nice, ch�r.�

Devon let his hands shape the curve of satiny skin, nudging the colored silk until both buttocks were completely exposed; continued into the small of the back. Kneaded up into the shoulders. Tendrils of hair stroked along the boy�s arms, he continued to massage. Nikolas flexed under the warm hands, muscles shifting like waves. Violet eyes blazing with desire � a thin band of glowing violet, an even thinner ring of silver-grey, surrounding a bottomless pool of shimmering black.

Nikolas shifted his head, stretched out his arm, hand towards the bathroom. Devon felt a *tingle* in the air around him, then the smack of a small bottle of scented oil against the back of his head.

Devon reached back for the bottle, Nikolas tensed, anticipating retaliation. �Merci f� de compliment, mon coeur, good ta know dis boy ain� lost de touch.� He opened the small bottle and poured a line of oil down the center of his vampire�s spine, over each pert cheek and down to the ankle. Nikolas� mutter melted into a drawn out purr. Devon worked his oiled hands into the vampire�s back, losing himself in the oiled skin, sheen of slippery satin. Mesmerized by the texture of softness over hard muscle and sinew � a living statute. Vibrating, communicating the pleasure of his touch back into him. Devon inhaled deeply as he stroked his fingers into the firm sides of sleek torso. Down to the slicked waistband and then up into the arm pits. Kneading across shoulders and down into biceps, forearms, hands, and then back again, following the satin path with lingering caresses.

The journey downward continued, teasing Nikolas� colored bit of silk into movement. Hips rolled seductively as Devon revealed his ass. Nikolas felt like melting when Devon lowered his head and kissed the image blazing in the small of his back. Devon wondered why he�d never noticed it before; then he realized that the Snoopy-JoeCool tattoo was gone, rubbed away in the emollient oils. The golden images � tiny glyphs. Devon leaned closer. �Are these...�

�Oui, amour, dey are,� Nikolas breathed, �don stop, please, feels so bien, Bronze.�

Devon fingered the small brands, recognizing the glyph for The Order of Hermes , The Akashic Brotherhood , Cult Ex , and Verbena � that one had faint glimmers of red with the gold. They were beginning to form a circle, and Devon could see the faint outlines of the Dreamspeaker glyph .

~Just like de one I have, in de exact same place~

�How is de petite garcon?�

�Bien, Xander is fine.� Devon�s reply was distracted. He�d scooted further down on the vampire�s thighs. His oily hands tried to grasp the shiny globes of satin; unable to find purchase, causing moans and hip squirming.

�Guess dat means ya ready t� go home...�

�Hmmm, not yet. Dere�s something dat Bronze wants first.� Hands found purchase for an instant; thumbs skittered into the tight valley.

�Mmmmrrr.�

�Ooohhh.� Devon shivered and made it happen again.

�Quoi?� wary growl. �Ya wanna do de nasty wit dat... dat... Angrrr-gel!?� Devon froze. Nikolas dared a peek over his shoulder. The second he turned, Devon locked him down with his burning gaze, held him; head lowering slowly, then, �Oww! Ya bit me?!�

�Hmm, oui, an� ya taste *bien*, too,� Devon spoke softly, voice like gold schlauger; thick and syrupy, smoothness with an easy burn. �Mais, Bronze hadn�t thought �bout *dat*...�

�Bon, don.� Devon gave that a lazy smile, then he bit Niko�s other cheek.

�Merde, dat feel *so bien*, b�b�.� Devon nipped him again, Nikolas moaned, legs spread a bit further, back arched; lifting buttocks � enticing.

�Dere�s some kinda microchip in de jeune homme�s vampire.�

�Quoi?� no longer drifting, purring; wary flatness with levels of inflection.

�Some kinda behavioral inhibitor modifier, I think.�

�Show me,� Nikolas demanded. Whips of jet hair lashing in agitation. Devon stilled, calling up that state of *reaching* out, toward the vampire-mage.

~~~~~
POV: Nikolas
~~~~~

The room around them fell away into the shifting of blue-green swirls. Nikolas could *see* images taking shape within � nightmarish visions of soldiers, metal rooms with shiny lights that hurt the skin. Burned like scalding holy water. There was some of that as well, and scalpels, and pain, endless � torture. Blood, tainted and malnourishing. Taunts, hate filled slurs, anger, resulting in unbelievable pain � unable to protect, self, lovers.

Devon had walked the vampire�s dreamscape. These terrifying nightmares swamped with humiliations, weakness from being locked in these memories.

Spike had often relived the nightmare of waking up in the hands of the Initiative; what they had done; crippling such a powerful *being*. Reduced to not even being able to defend against the lowliest of creatures. A damn dog could bite him and if he tried to kick the friggin beast � pain.

Devon showed him every instance of Spike�s suffering from the chip�s activation, the humiliation and pain Spike had suffered at the hands of this ignorant group of assholes. The young healer-mage let his fury burn through his vampire; knowing that Nikolas would *address* anything that infuriated his lil dragon-prince. Dragon-prince; that was Devon, his anger, temper, when roused. Single-minded in pursuing what angered. Roused from the deep volcano where it drowsed in the molten lava. Devon�s anger burned like that fabled dragon fire � incinerating. Nikolas would have done something bout the chip anyway, that went without saying.

~Hell, de homme is *Vampire*, mais he ain�t a True-Vampire, like moi, but Damn it! Spike is an immortal, *Kindred*. A VAMP, f� fucks sake!~

Oh yeah, that chip was coming out, and woe to anyone who got in the way. And there would be hunting. Nikolas could *hunt* down virtually anything, except his damn Sire, even he had limits � at the moment anyway. That chip stood in the way; between Spike and Xander being what they could be; were meant to be � Together.

Spike could only defend himself against other supernatural, demonic, beings � he could protect Xander from that. He could not protect Xander from other humans. He wouldn�t Claim his lover until he could. It would kill him, literally, if he claimed Xander and his Xan-pet died because Spike hadn�t been able to save him. He had almost lost Xander once already.

Spike needed Xander safe. Devon wanted Xander safe. Nikolas would make sure that Xander stayed safe. He liked Xander, and Devon liked the young man as well. He didn�t have many friends and had quickly become attached to Xander�s kindness, his friendship. If something happened to Xander, then Devon would come back. He wouldn�t be a happy healer if that happened. Devon had never used his power for anything other than healing. What he could heal, Devon could *un-heal*. That couldn�t be allowed � oh no-no-no-nooooo, never that! Nikolas would not allow Devon to destroy himself like that. The chip would come out Friday, when he and Devon met up with their new friends for a bit of �citement.

~Dancin� bien. Get ta get m� groove~

~~~~~

:{�An� den I�m gonna get mine.�}:

:{�*Den* ya gon leave Niko, hmmm?�}:

:{�Um, non.�}:

:{�Non? Really, ch�r?�}:

:{�Well, gonna go home, have ta, dere�s school, an� de com�pny, mais, not Rich.�}:

Nikolas went statue still. He couldn�t believe what he was hearing. :{�Devon?�}:

:{�I do love him, Niko, mais, don wanna see him get hurt because o� dat. Love him too much ta be de cause o� his deat�. An� I would be. De idiot would try an� p�tect m� and wind up dead. B�sides, Devon doesn�t *b�long* t� anyone cept you, ch�r.�}:

Nikolas flipped over then, his oily skin slithering against Devon�s skin where he sat, straddling the vampire�s legs. Nikolas sat up and Devon was grasped around the waist and settled in the vampire�s lap as he reclined back into the pillows. They both squirmed until Nikolas found a comfortable position for his erection. :{�Ya serious bout dis?�}:

:{�Oui, mon coeur, Devon b�longs ta ya.�}:

:{�Den I�m gonna Claim ya, Devon. Mark as m� *Consort* an� *Mate*.�} Devon shivered as Nikolas sent him images, showing him what was going to happen. Devon swallowed and Nikolas could hear the feeling in the boy�s thoughts.

:{�K.�}:

Nikolas studied him intensely. :{�Mais, ch�re, when Niko does... ya won�t be completely human anymore.�}:

:{�Bronze ain�t completely human now, ya said.�}:

:{�Oui, but de bloods gonna trigger your potentials, love, all of dem.�}:

:{�Dat may not be such a bad ting, non? Dis boy will have a betta chance at stayin �live when ya Sire shows up, oui.�}:

:{�Dis ain�t a game, damn it.�}:

�I know dat, dummy.�

�Watch it, brat.�

�Oooh, m-mais I a-am,� Devon stuttered as he stroked his hands across the vampire�s lean shoulders and Nikolas shifted him against his erection. Devon leaned down to brush light kisses across Nikolas� face; brows, eyelids and lashes, down his aristocratic nose. He lingered over Nikolas� full lips as he stretched out and covered his naked lover with his own nakedness. Their oily erections rubbed together as the kiss deepened. Nikolas ran his hands down Devon�s back, stroking his body as he stroked his mind with more images of his claiming and marking of his consort.

~~~~~

Vivid pictures of his dark cock slipping free of Devon�s pouty lips; cum coating the young man�s chest, neck and chin; long fingers working the glittery fluid into the skin. Another flash � Devon on his back, Nikolas cuming across his jerking cock and belly, slick rubbing into his skin. On their knees and Devon could actually feel Nikolas� large phallus stroking his inner heat. Thick, swamping, sensations of desire as they moved together above the bed, Nikolas covering his body in his fragrant ejaculate � desert sand and heat, the lush green and moisture of an oasis. Rich oils, layered with Egyptian musk and Blue Nile passion blossoms. �Mine,� he whispered lowering his head to lap at the fangs, thrilling from the tongue trying to capture the taste he carried. The taste of Nikolas was intoxicating. Nikolas bit his bottom lip. A gleam of softly glowing violet, bronze, and blue-green shimmered in the air around them. The gleam slipped into glimmers of tiny of colored motes, swirling around like mist. Their cocks throbbed. Slick, fragrant pre-cum oozed from dark, reddish-brown slits. The glimmers became a definite violet and bronze glow sizzling with tiny tongues of silver lightening as it expanded, surrounding them in a softly glowing dome of light.

Their bodies floated in the center of the mage-sphere Nikolas created, the violet/bronze bubble floated several feet above the bed; blue-green bolts sizzled through it. No sense of time as it went on and on. Nikolas� hardness, gentle and loving, burning fires within, across his skin. Endless torrents of cum across his skin, seeping into his pores with little zinging sensations that totally overwhelmed him. Clever fingers doing things to his super-sensitive nipples, wet hot tongue swirling around them before the quick and slightly painful nip of teeth. Mesmerizing purrs against the planes of his washboard abdomen, brush of kissing lips, swipe and swirl of tongue dipping into navel; drunk on power. Body quivering at every breath against hyper-sensitive skin overwhelming senses with the sweet smelling aroma of blood/Devon/need/lust and sweat. Eyes gun-metal dark with passion seared. Nikolas, a vibration of muscles, melting him into scorching waves of pleasure and liquid pools of silver. He could feel every �invisible� hair follicle along the shaft stroking along the tight ring of muscle. They were drowning in heat, aggression, and animal instinct; a melting fire, turning them into oozing swirls of smelted violet/bronze, streaks of cooling silver/blue-green, and pulses of scarlet passion. Sweat slick flesh sliding sensuously, soft intense murmurs and answering purrs, the catch of breath as the heat rose; both lost as they rode the mounting storm to its peak.

The sear of the vampire�s blood-kiss on his chest, above his heart, Devon�s thoughts whimpered and he was answered by a wild and feral wave of hungry emotion. It broke over him and crashed him against the walls of his mind and he swooned as he felt the sharp sting of being pierced, the electric shock and gentle press of soft lips, and then the sudden pull of his lifeblood. It all seemed to rush to that one point, draining out of his head so his brain felt starved for oxygen, flooding that point of tight intense suction before running straight down into his throbbing groin. Hanging there Nikolas had his head thrown back as he broke the blood-kiss, hair a mass of slithering coils hanging beneath them, hot blood in his mouth as it was pressed to the bleeding gash on his vampire�s chest, over his un-beating heart feeding Devon from the fount of his blood; implosion, explosions of power and light scouring through his awareness. Tradition glyphs of power swirling through and taking over his mindscape, drowning energy poured through him. Colors and streaks of forked lightening as the powerful, ancient blood woke the power that had been lying dormant within the young Healer. They exploded into the ultimate orgasm, colors exploded along the surface of the mage-sphere in a silent display. Colors bled out into the room as they slowly sank back down to the bed. The mage-sphere grew brighter and brighter while shrinking down to a small spinning globe spitting violet-silver lightening just over Devon�s head.

Nikolas watched as the ball of mage-energy turned completely blue-green with streaks of violet-silver lightening before seeping into the boy�s sweaty brow. Devon�s body arced up once more as fire burned across his mind, down his spine and centered in the small of his back. Nikolas gathered Devon to his chest, holding him while he pressed his glowing palm to the circle of raised skin in the small of Devon�s back. When he shifted his hold on his lover and lowered them into the damp tangle of sheets, there were three new glyphs on the quasi-mortal�s skin, glowing with soft traceries of violet-silver light � the glyph for Cult Ex, the Order of Hermes, and the Akashic Brotherhood. The marks of his heritage; sealing him to his Consort and Mate and they lay there, limp and unable to move in the aftermath.

*****
Part 26:

Giggling. Whispering. What the hell were the two of them doing in there? Images skipped through Spike�s mind as he stood in the hall outside of the whelp�s suite. Willow and his Xan-pet, giggling; it made the bleached-blonde nervous as hell. A giggling Xander was a good thing, but only when Spike was responsible for the giggling. Not Red. Not the two of them, in there, giggling and murmuring in soft tones that Spike couldn�t quite decipher. It was enough to make any evil undead soulless and chipped, head over heels in love with a mortal until yer blind and dizzy, master vampire nervous. Spike was very, very nervous.

He gripped his basket of laundry and made his way to the basement apartment he shared with his Sire. Of course that was no longer the case, now Spike just kept his clothing in the room and did his sleeping in Xander�s room. Spike brushed a thumb over the folded articles of clothing in the basket, enjoying their softness � all of his black jeans and t-shirts, and his socks had never been this white before. Considering the last time Xander did laundry, when he put too much soap in the washer and had Spike, Angel, Cordy, Willow, and Wes manning the mop brigade because the machine had exploded layers of suds across the washing area, he wasn�t allowed to do the laundry alone anymore. Not only that, but he had to read the instructions on each container every singe time he did a load, those were the rules. So it had been with trepidation and mild amusement that Spike and Xander had done the laundry that morning.

~~~~~

�Xan, luv,� Spike breathed when he dragged himself into his room early that morning and found Xander there. The young man was on his knees surrounded by the bundles of dirty clothing his lover had a knack for tossing wherever he pulled them off.

~And he talks about me being a slob. So, Not.~

�Spikey,� Xander looked up as he began to stuff the little piles of clothing into his laundry basket. The direction of his eyes clearly saying he was referring to his lover�s hair.

�Wot ya doing, pet?�

�Um, laundry?� Xander told him, stating the obvious. Spike nodded and continued to watch his lover. No one had ever bothered to do something like this for him before, not that he could remember, in his long undead life. It was a normal thing for humans, doing these little things, but to someone like the vampire it was a big thing. The small domestic task was something that reminded him that he was thought about, played an important part in someone�s life, that he was loved.

The blonde followed Xander out into the basement, across the large expanse, and into the washing facility where the large washers and dryers were stationed. Angel had invested in a couple of those industrial sized appliances due to the amount of laundry they were forced to do on account of all the slime, ooze, blood, and other gross stuff that demons and things that go *bump* in the night, splattered them with during their death throes. Spike grinned as Xander loaded up both washing machines and began the wash cycle.

�You might want to put the soap in, luv.�

�In a sec,� Xander muttered as he started the second machine. Spike continued to watch as Xander picked up the bottle of liquid laundry soap and undid the cap. A generous amount was measured out into the cup-lid and the bottle placed on the shelf. Xander moved to the first machine and was about to pour the soap in when Spike stopped him.

�Oi, think ya forgot summat?�

�What are you talking about?� Xander wondered what Spike was up to this time.

�The rules, pet, the rules.�

They both stared at each other. Xander finally swore as he realized that Spike was going to make him read the instructions on the damn bottle. �I don�t believe this!�

�Xan, the rules are you don�t do laundry without someone there to make sure you remember to read the instructions on the soap... ya do remember what happened last time, don�t ya, pet?�

Xander glared at Spike for several seconds. He carefully sat down the cup-lid and retrieved the bottle. �Step 1. Pre-treat; for heavily soiled areas, pour directly onto fabric and rub. Then add item directly to washer. Well, let�s see... that would be all of Spike�s stuff. I�ll wash that last, gonna take a lot of pre-soaking.� Spike let out an affronted growl, Xander ignored him and continued.

�Step 2. Measure � ahh, this must be the part they don�t think I remember, yeah that�s it the measuring.� He shot Spike another glower. �Fill cap to top line for normal loads.� Xander peeked into the cap. �Looks about right to me, what do you think?� he held the cap out to Spike for his inspection.

�Just get on with it, smart ass.�

Xander gave him one of his Xander-on-the-edge-of-dementia grins. �Use more for larger or heavily soiled loads. Spike if I don�t pre-treat your stuff, ya think I should double the amount of soap?� Xander teased.

�Don�t you friggin dare!�

Xander snickered. �Step 3. Pour into washer as it fills with water, then add laundry. Cleans in all temperatures... is that enough for your or should I read the Keep out of reach of children warning?�

�Fuck you Xander,� Spike groused.

�Any time, junior, any time.�

The vampire just snorted good-naturedly and continued to watch as Xander poured in the soap and started on the fabric softener. There were two little semi-clear, plastic balls, each about the size of a baseball. Spike watched as the boy began to pour the fabric softener into the first ball. �There�s a reason those things have a fill line, ya know.� Spike commented, directing a pointed glance at the dispenser ball Xander had in the palm of his hand. The young man had poured in enough of the stuff to fill three-quarters of the ball before pulling the stopper seal up into place.

�Of course there is, it�s for amateurs, like you.� Xander filled the second automatic fabric dispensing ball and pulled the weighted stopper seal into place before tossing one into each washing machine. �I�m not an armature, so I never pay attention to that. Besides,� he continued with a cheeky grin, �my socks and towels can never be soft enough, I like it when they�re fluffiest,� Xander was saying as he turned back to face Spike. The vampire was no longer leaning against the door jamb puffing on a cigarette, but was now less than kissing distance of Xander.

�Fluffiest?�

�Yeh,� Xander grinned, �if you add more of this goop, it makes the towels really, really soft and fluffy.�

Spike cast a doubtful look but kept his comments to himself. He decided he�d wait until the batch came out of the dryer first, there was the distinct feeling that this would be the very last time Xander was allowed to do the laundry... ever; after the time he�d used too much soap and there had been bubbles and suds all over the place, Angel had made Xander promise to read the directions listed on the containers more carefully before just dumping in what he thought was a good amount.

Brown eyes blinked and refocused on intense blues mere inches from his face. �Wh-what?� The breathy word stirred the air across Spike�s cool skin, making him hot.

�Anytime, that�s what ya said innit?� Spike leered. Xander opened his mouth to draw a breath for a smart remark and drew in the vampire�s tongue instead. Spike�s hands settled on his waist, pulling Xander closer. The kiss deepened as they both focused more and more of their efforts into trying to out kiss the other. When Spike finally released Xander the boy�s face was flushed and his eyes slightly glazed. �Breathe, pet, breathe,� Spike crooned into Xander�s ear. Xander took a shaky breath and held on to his lover. Spike let his hands move around Xander�s waist, slide down and cup his perky ass and pulled their groins tighter. Xander let out a sigh of pleasure. �I think we should wash the kits we got on,� Spike whispered and smiled at the small catch in Xander�s breathing as he began to pull the boy�s clothes off.

Xander stood naked and watched as Spike quickly crossed to the nearest machine and threw their clothing inside. �Come �ere, luv,� Spike purred and Xander closed the distance between them faster than Spike thought possible.

~~~~~

Xander had been nice enough to wash all the towels that had piled up during the past couple of days. It seemed that they were taking a lot of showers with the increase of demon oriented cases they were dealing with, not to mention the visions that Cordelia blessed them with as well. His Childe�s lover had stopped by earlier with a basket full of clean towels, all nicely folded, just in time for the shower Angel was headed for after climbing up out of the sewers, yet again.

Thoughts of the mortal and the heavy scent of sex surrounding him did some very interesting things to and for the vampire�s imagination as he stripped and stepped under the hot spray. It had been all Angel could do not to grab Xander and just bury his nose in the boy�s skin, he smelled so damn good. Angel could smell Spike all over Xander, and that scent alone was enough to arouse the elder vampire; add to it the layer of Xander�s own enticing sweetness, and the perfume of fresh, wild sex, and well, Angel couldn�t help but wrap his fist around his stiff cock and stroke himself off before he could concentrate on getting clean.

With his shower completed, Angel stepped out of the tub and ran his hands down the length of his muscular frame, sluicing off droplets of water. He smiled as he reached for the large, fluffy, white towel hanging on the rack. Several minutes later he was still trying to get dry and was no longer smiling. After a good five minutes, Angel was swearing and grabbing another towel, praying that it didn�t take another five minutes to get his hair dry. It didn�t, five minutes later he was only slightly less wet about the head.

~Well at least the rest of me has managed to air dry~

Angel shook his head and grabbed yet a third towel as he left the bathroom and made his way into his bedroom to get dressed.

~~~~~

Spike had finished putting away the last of his clothes and was sitting at the table in Angel�s kitchen. His pale hands toyed with a slim, black, jewel box with thoughtful contemplation. Carnelian-blue eyes blinked up as Angel entered the alcove and took a seat at the table across from him.

�Will,� Angel�s voice was low, hints of concern creating compelling undertones.

�Sire,� Spike�s tone was wary.

Angel considered his Childe. It was obvious that Spike was troubled by something, the blonde vampire had been silent, broody, if the truth be told and that wasn�t his Childe � Spike didn�t do brooding. That was Angel�s domain. Whatever was bothering Spike wasn�t some trivial inconsequential.

�You want to talk about what�s bothering you?�

�Why do you care?�

Angel sighed. �I do care, Wil, when are you going to accept that? I�m not going to stop caring, I never have. Things may be different between us now, you have Xander and I�m really happy for you, you deserve to be happy, but no matter what you do or who you�re with, you will always be mine, I will always love you and I will always care and try to be there when I can.�

Spike was speechless. He had never expected Angel to reveal his true feelings, how he felt about Spike. Knowing that Angel still loved him made Spike feel weak and strong at the same time. Now he knew for certain that there were two people in the world who truly loved him for him; for Spike, for William and he was no longer afraid to be William. For Xander he could put aside his more violent nature and try and be the kind of caring, loving, supporting, young man he had been in real life. He could do that for his Sire as well, especially since Angel was giving him the opportunity to do so without thinking less of him.

�Thank you.�

�You�re welcome. Now, do you want to talk?� Angel asked as he rose and moved toward the fridge to get some blood. �Oh, incidentally, Spike, your human isn�t allowed to do the laundry again � ever.� Angel finished with a slight growl. He emptied the packets of blood into two mugs and placed them in the micro-wave and set the timer.

Spike burst out laughing and the elder vampire turned to glower. �Problems getting dry, Peaches?� Spike teased. Angel continued to glower at his amused Childe. �How long did it take, pet?� Spike continued with barely suppressed glee.

�Almostfiveminutes,� Angel muttered under his breath.

�Wot? Wot was that, Sire?� Spike raised his eyebrows in rapt expectation as Angel returned to the table with their mugs.

�I said,� Angel growled, �almost five full minutes,� he finished somewhat sheepishly as Spike fell off his chair in another fit of hysterical laughter. He had a mental image of Angel getting confused, then bewildered and finally frustrated as he tried fruitlessly to dry off with the towels his Xan-pet had laundered. It was a known fact that fabric softener was a water repellent, the more you used the more water it repelled. Xander had tripled the amount of the stuff he was supposed to put inside that handy-dandy, pre-measure, and marked dispenser-ball. It also probably didn�t help that Spike got his boy so worked up during the wash cycle, that Xander had put at least five or six of those dryer sheets in with each batch before Spike dragged him off to the closest bed.

Angel watched the blonde roll around on the floor holding his mid-section and couldn�t hold back from joining in the laughter, even if it was at his expense. Things were good. After their laughter had died down to chuckles and Spike had resumed his seat Angel spoke. �I just have to ask, who let Xander do the laundry, and was he alone?�

�Nah, I was with the whelp, and before you ask, yeh, he followed the directions. He wasn�t too thrilled about being �monitored� but he did it.�

�Something must have gone wrong.�

�What makes you say that?�

Angel took a deep breath, muttered something, took another deep breath � not that he needed any of them but it was good for effect, Angel liked effect. �Spike, I just spent five minutes trying to dry off. That didn�t include the drying time for my hair!�

�Hmmm, must have been all that fabric softening goop, gonna have to watch that the next time.� Spike said with a straight face.

~Am I good or what?~

~~~~~

Nikolas woke wrapped in Bliss. Devon was still twined around him. Legs around his waist; arms about his neck and chest and his semi-erect phallus trapped between their bodies; Nikolas flexed languidly, enjoying the soft whimper Devon made as he came slowly awake. The vampire waited until his lil prince was fully awake before easing himself from the young man�s tight clutches. Devon muttered when he was released, turning into the kiss Nikolas ghosted over his swollen lips. He smiled, looking like a child having happy dreams for a change. Nikolas slipped from the bed and made his way into the bathroom. He studied his reflection in the mirror for several long minutes, then picked up one of the toothbrushes and carefully cleaned his teeth. He grunted around a mouth of sudsy toothpaste when Devon brushed against him, on his way to the toilet.

Nikolas rinsed out his mouth and smiled at Devon in the mirror. �Bath or shower, b�b�?� Devon grunted and Nikolas decided that meant �bath, I�m too tired to stand up right now�. Nikolas moved to the tub and began to prepare the bath, filling the tub with hot water and green-tea bath oil beads. He liked the fragrance; soothing with hints of aloe, peony flowers, sandalwood, and jojoba extracts, that always surrounded Devon.

Devon flushed the toilet and moved to the sink to wash his hands before reaching for the dry toothbrush. After rinsing his mouth and face, the young man turned to face the vampire where he sat perched on the edge of the large tub watching him. Devon smiled shyly as he stepped closer to his lover. Nikolas tilted his head so that he could look up into Devon�s face. �Ya okay, mon coeur?�

�Oui, Niko, bien,� Devon sighed as he caressed the vampire�s glittery head. Nikolas smiled as Devon used his shoulder as a brace while stepping into the steamy water. �Ahh, dat feels bien,� Devon murmured as he sank down into the fragrant water. He submerged himself completely in the green-tinted liquid and lay on the bottom of the tub for a full minute before allowing just his head to break the surface. Water lapped at the center of his chin and the ends of Devon�s thick hair floated around his head in languid streamers.

�Don� drown,� Nikolas teased as he rose and moved back into the bedroom.

Nikolas stood in the room�s center and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, inhaling the aromas permeating the air. His hair stirred against his back as the vampire-mage reached out for the ever present flow of mage-energies around him. A small grin brushed his full lips as the French-doors leading to the balcony slowly opened. A gentle breeze of smog tainted air swept through the room and Nikolas wrinkled his nose in distaste. He opened his eyes and let his silver gaze scan over the mess they�d managed to make in less than twenty-four hours.

A flick of fingers in the direction of the bed replaced the soiled sheets with fresh bedding. A frown at the silk sheets and the deep scarlet lightened to a rich, antique gold. Satisfied, the blankets and spread slithered up onto the bed and smoothed themselves across the large expanse. A final twitch near one corner and the pillows were fluffing themselves up and bouncing into place.

While the bed was making itself, Nikolas turned his attention to the clothing strewn across the floor and the matching chairs against one wall. Garments twitched, and feeling playful, Nikolas made a pair of pants float over to hover above a pair of sneakers. A shirt fluttered up to drape itself in the air above the pants, the hem just below the waist-line, as if an invisible person were wearing the mismatched outfit. The vampire�s glittery-dark head tilted, the outfit bowed mockingly. Nikolas giggled and then set the bit of magery to gathering up the rest of the clothing while he turned his attention to the unpacked bags near the closet. The closet doors swept open and outfits floated out of the bags to dance their way into the closet and drape gracefully over the waiting hangers when they finally came to rest. With a critical eye, the vampire-mageling noticed the complete absence of any colors closely or even remotely related to crimson. The closet doors banged shut with a pout and snapping whip-crack of dark hair.

Nikolas� pique quickly vanished as his silver gaze fell on the large stuffed Snoopy, hiding in a corner. Devon had presented the gift to his vampire, inside of a large white box wrapped in blood red ribbons and bows. The Snoopy-doll was dressed in his JoeCool attire � a pair of baggy blue jeans, white sneakers, and a red turtleneck sweater, and had the nerve to be sporting a pair of Ray-Bans. JoeCool twitched, looked around the room; ears curled up like rollers and then popped straight out to the sides before coming to rest after a clearing shake of the head. The stuffed toy got to its feet and straightened his little outfit before tipping his shades at Niko, rather cockily, who fell into another fit of giggles.

By the time he was done with playing, the room was spotless and orderly; JoeCool was lounging in one of the chairs near the table and the dirty garments had hidden themselves in neat little folded stacks in a corner at the back of the closet.

~Mais, I�ll get Bronze ta do de laundry later. Either dat, or de boy will go out and buy more clean clothes~

~~~~~

While Devon finished up his bath-time with a shower rinse down, Nikolas moved into the suite�s main rooms and started cleaning up in there. Pillows fluffed up and plopped down on the couch where they belonged, windows cracked to let in fresh smog, which quickly got on the vampire�s last nerve and forced him to do something about the *stanky* air. Several sticks of incense waved through the air left behind a cleansing of rich Egyptian scents.

Nikolas was stacking up the array of CD�s and DVD�s Devon had acquired on his expedition when the boy�s cell phone began to chime from some secret place. Nikolas squinted and let his gaze drift around the room, searching; his head tilted to the side then turning toward the couch where he spied the gadget hiding out.

~Really gotta stop jumpin� de boy like dat, mais all de lil gadgets get lost when Niko pounces~ *smirk*

Nikolas scampered across the floor and came to rest near the couch. Reaching under, he snagged the chiming gadget and settled on the floor, letting his back rest against the couch as he flipped the phone open, and thankfully silent.

�Heyla~�

//Dayum, baby, its good to hear your sexy voice,// Richard Johnston drawled on his end of the line. Nikolas snickered but didn�t say anything.

//Baby, check this out, remember that video I was shooting before you bounced? Well, that kooky show, E.B.B., they want to use your clip as part of another exclusive interview that�s airing today.//

�Really?� Nikolas asked in that six-year old voice.

//Uh, yeh, really. Devon when are you coming back? I hell-a miss ya babe, and you�ve been with that freaky vamp-dude way too long. You�re doing that *voice* that drives me crazy.// Rich complained. //And I bet you�re even pouting and all puppy-dog eyes too.//

�Grrrrreally, boy? Good ta know de voice does zactly what its s�pposed ta.�

//Um, Ni-Nikolas?//

�Oui, homme, Niko� Nikolas rolled his eyes. *fang grin*

//*Swallow* Oh Shit! Dude, look...//

�Boy, hush,� Nikolas growled. Rich continued to silently swear at himself. �Homme, do dat later, its bien dat ya called, Niko needs ta talk to ya. De lil dragon is in de bath; ya call him back later and tell him bout de interview ting ya�self. Congrats, by de way.�

//Really? Wow. Nikolas, dude, thanks. That really means a lot coming from you.//

�Mais, I know.� Still smirking. �Richard?�

//Oh man, you said my name, damn-it. My whole name, dude, that is not a good thing.//

�Non, mon ami, its not. Y� member dat lil conversation Niko gives ya de first time we met...�

//Um... Yeh... Oh, oh fuck!//

�Calm down, homme, Devon�s still human, or as human as he was when he got here.�

//What the fuck is that supposed to mean?//

�Grrrowl.�

//Yeah, grrrrr, and I�m waiting.//

~De homme really cares bout my lil prince. Dat�s sweet, and sad too~

�He ain�t Vampire... yet. De rest isn�t mine to tell. Devon will tell y� when he�s ready. Listen and understand. Try an� see it from his side. An ya betta not hurt him.�

//Don�t be stupid, I love him. I would never do anything to hurt him.//

�Bon, mais, ya gonna have ta �member dat when ya let him go. Richard, it�s going to be soon. I have enemies who will come after anyone tied to me and de boy. Devon knows dis an� understands... do you?�

Rich was silent for a moment. He wasn�t stupid at all. He knew what the vampire was telling him. Nikolas had claimed Devon and now they were tied together in a way that the two quasi-mortals could never hope to be. Even with Devon�s special ability to share their thoughts and emotions, the young adult, mutant rap-star knew there was something special between Devon and Nikolas that he could never hope to have or share.

//Yeah.//

�Bien, Rich, I�m sorry. I can only imagine how much you love him because I know how much *I do*. I don�t want him hurt or unhappy. If something happens to you because of him, he would be.� The vampire�s voice was full of compassion and concern and deep affection. He had liked the young man from the moment he met him, having sensed how strong his feelings toward Devon were. He could trust the young mutant to keep his lil dragon-prince happy and safe to the best of his ability while Nikolas was staying away. He told Richard that, letting him know how much he valued him as a human and friend. But he also made it clear that despite Rich�s mutant ability to manipulate sound waves into a physical and devastating force, he was no match for the forces that would come after him because of the vampire and Devon.

//What do I do? Damn it, Nikolas, I love him!//

�I know y� do, ch�r, ya do whatever Devon asks ya to. Ya know he�s gonna ask ya ta let him go for your own safety. He loves ya too, boy, don� make it harder for him than it has ta be.�

Rich sighed. //Yeah, I know. I will and I won�t.//

�Merci.�

//Yeah, thank you, too, Nikolas.//

�Riot?�

//Yeah, dude?//

�Ya keep ya�self safe, ya hear me, an� if ya need help, any kind at all, ya call Remy and Logan... they�re good men, I trust them and they will help ya, homme.�

//I�ll keep that in mind, thanks. Don�t tell Devon?//

�Non, ya call �im back later. You two talk, an� member, no matter what he may say, he does love you... enough to walk away so you stay alive.�

//Okay, yeah, thanks again, Niko. Uh, dude, be safe ya hear? Take care of him for me...//

�Always ch�r, always.�

*****