Lilah smiled softly, glad that Wolfram & Hart had paid for her deportment lessons. After years of them, she was able to hold that same frozen smile even through the most gruesome of demonic rituals. Few things cracked her resolve; one of them was Angel. Another was the three men who'd assaulted her in her apartment. The icy lawyer wasn't about to let the Vraiyl join that very short list.

It was taking a lot of effort, though. The Vraiyl were some of the most unpleasant creatures she'd ever encountered. The worst part was that she couldn't even pin down what it was about them that made them so disturbing. Yes, they were ugly, but not nearly as bad as other demons. Slime was kept to a minimum, they didn't smell that bad, or make odd noises. They just... felt bad. Being in their presence was disquieting. She swore she could *feel* their evilness. Yes, she was an evil lawyer who did evil things. But they...radiated it. Or something; she wasn't one to ruminate on stuff like that. Wesley and his fuck-buddies were going to pay.

"What do you want?" One Vraiyl asked curtly.

Lilah smirked. These demons weren't very good at remembering who was in charge. "A simple task, really. Three men, dead."

"Who?" The demon murmured. She handed over a file containing a set of photographs. "Three humans?"

Lilah stared at the demon, not really agreeing or disagreeing. She wasn't going to get into who they were; if she did the Vraiyl would balk and ask for more money. "Tonight. Their address is in the file."

The demons nodded and shuffled away. Lilah was not unhappy to see them go.

...

Xander studiously ignored Cordelia's death-glare as he dug into his second flaky biscuit. The threesome was huddled together, munching on leftovers, while Cordelia and Angel tried to kill them with evil glances and stares. Xander wanted to tell them it wasn't working, but his mouth was full.

"How could you?" Cordelia spat. "In his *bed*?"

Xander shrugged and swallowed. "It's a nice bed," He commented. "And clean."

Angel growled. "You did it to get to me," He accused.

"Yeah," Xander admitted. "We did. And it worked, didn't it?"

The dark vampire advanced on the boy. "Do you *want* me to hurt you?"

Xander's face hardened. "No, I think you've hurt us enough," He hissed. "Lay off, Angel. We're here because you asked us to come."

"Stay out of my room," He threatened.

"Can we have the lube back?" Spike asked lightly. "Otherwise..." His voice faded as he and Wesley turned to Xander. The boy looked dazed, and although Angel and Cordelia couldn't see it, his eyes were hazy. Only Wesley and Spike could see the subtle changes in those odd globes. The three men shared what Xander saw in his mind. The Vraiyl were out in the city again. And they weren't far away.

"What?" Angel pressed, noticing how the atmosphere of the room changed.

"Where are Gunn, Fred and Connor?" Wesley asked, ignoring Angel's question.

"Out shaking down contacts," Angel replied. "They'll be here in half an hour, maybe. Why?"

"Call them here, now," Wesley insisted.

Angel frowned. He did not take orders from Wesley. "Do it, Angel," Xander ordered. "The Vraiyl are coming here. You don't need loose ends floating around."

"And you *want* everyone here to get hurt?" Cordelia screeched.

"No, we want to know where all the vulnerable people are," Wesley retorted. "Unless Angel wants to leave and be no part of a fight that will occur in his own home."

"We're helping," Angel stated flatly. He reached for the phone, dialing up Fred. He didn't like admitting that he agreed with the threesome, but he did. Yes, they were the ones fighting the Vraiyl. However, Angel wasn't leaving while they did it, and he needed to keep up with his friends. Wolfram & Hart weren't above using the Vraiyl as a distraction to get at someone else.

Wesley led Spike and Xander out to their car. The three men withdrew their favored weapons, blades all. While they didn't have to use such things to fight, at this point in their training they found them comforting.

Once they returned to the hotel, they, Angel and Cordelia waited tensely until Fred and the others arrived. Angel and Xander filled them in on the details and they too joined the wait. This fight would come to them, so there was no reason to venture out.

...

Angel watched as six black-robed figures swept into the hotel lobby. The Vraiyl had arrived, without fanfare. To his surprise, one of the demons stepped up to him and began to speak.

"We wish only to...speak with your friends," The demon hissed, gesturing to Xander, Wesley and Spike. The threesome had their faces averted, hiding their eyes. They were masking their true selves, so that the Vraiyl didn't know who they were. It was obvious that the demons hadn't been informed of the nature of their targets; otherwise they would've shown up with an army of thousands, not six.

"Go right on ahead," Angel said lightly. "They're the chatty type." The demon nodded and his compatriots swarmed--towards not just the threesome but everyone in the room. Connor and Angel were the first to be struck, both men flying backwards as one demon hit them hard.

Wesley grinned as a demon approached them from behind. "You were looking for us?" He hissed, letting just a touch of his power slip. As one, they turned around. The expression on the demon's face was priceless.

"Altenalium!" The demon said harshly, gasping. The other Vraiyl in the room froze momentarily. The three men took advantage of the pause to make their first strike. Wesley swung his sword in a wide arc, channeling raw energy down it. The blade crackled with an unearthly blue-green light as it sliced through the demon's body, burning flesh as it passed.

The death of one of their own forced the Vraiyl, as well as everyone else, into motion. The demons wisely chose to use the others in the room as cover, knowing that the Altenalium would not kill innocents to get at the Vraiyl. Cordelia and Fred worked to escape the demons holding them, biting and kicking with all their might. Cordelia even began her glowy tricks, but they were useless against the stronger demons. Angel and Connor were also having problems, although Angel did manage to do some damage to the two teaming up on him.

Gunn was down for the count, having been brutally punched by one demon. He was being held up like a shield as a Vraiyl tried to make the door.

"No," Wesley said firmly at the demon trying to get away with Gunn. The demon paused very briefly, but it was enough. Xander jumped over the demon and Gunn, dragging a long knife down the demon's back as he landed. Spike and Wesley came closer; reaching for Gunn as Xander shoved the knife into the demon's back, pouring energy into it as he did so. It fell to the ground with a solid thud, leaving a pool of viscous blood on the floor.

Angel strained against the arms holding him. The Vraiyl laughed and twisted his hands, breaking both of Angel's forearms in the process. The vampire bit back a scream as bone snapped and pierced his skin. The Vraiyl were incredibly strong, agile opponents. He couldn't see Connor moving at all; one demon had knocked the boy unconscious by ramming his head into the floor.

Spike heard the bones in Angel's arms snap and growled. He threw his sword to one side, carelessly stabbing a Vraiyl in the shoulder with it, and reached for the one hurting Angel. The Vraiyl never knew what hit him. Spike fought with all the power of the Altenalium inside him, but with the ruthless ferocity of a master vampire. An eerie pink-orange light flashed here and there as the demon flew over Spike's shoulders in small, bloody pieces. He didn't stop until Xander and Wesley flanked him and directed his attention towards the three remaining demons.

Two of them were hovered over Fred and Cordelia, threatening the women with daggers. The three men rushed them, knocking the Vraiyl back several feet. The demons put up a good fight, using their incredible strength to try to separate the men. The Altenalium countered by penning the two together and pulverizing them with energy.

While the threesome was focused on Cordelia and Fred's attackers, the last Vraiyl dropped Connor and fled the building. Angel watched him go but was unable to stop him because of the overwhelming pain in his arms.

Spike stared down at the lumpy puddle at his feet. Perhaps they'd been a bit enthusiastic in their efforts to kill the demons. That was a truly disgusting mess. ::We need to help them,:: Xander told the others. ::Angel's in a lot of pain.::

::And everyone else is unconscious,:: Wesley added. Angel was their first priority, and Spike took care of him quickly by straightening his bones and forcing him to sit down on the stairs. Then the three men turned their attention to the others. Cordelia and Fred gained consciousness rather quickly and joined Angel on his perch, all three looking beaten and worn but very much alive.

Gunn and Connor took longer to wake and rather obviously had concussions. Wesley and Xander carried them upstairs, while Spike assisted a complaining Angel. Cordelia managed to get some blood for Angel, with Fred's assistance.

"So that's the Vraiyl," Angel murmured as Wesley and Xander joined Spike in the dark vampire's bedroom. The place still reeked of sex.

"Yeah," Xander murmured. "Ah, thanks for helping out." The vampire and the others had done some good, distracting the Vraiyl for a time. Unfortunately, they'd gotten hurt while doing it. That was why the Altenalium most often fought alone. Yes, assistance was nice, but the Vraiyl were wily and knew to use innocents to protect themselves.

"We were just in the way," Angel said softly. "They used us."

"That they did," Spike grumbled, not quite looking his Sire in the eye. "That's what they do."

"And that's why you don't want help," Angel commented. "Because they just use everyone against you."

The three men nodded. That truth was so fundamental to the Altenalium that avoiding 'assistance' had become nearly instinct. This time was an exception, made because the three men knew that Angel would not abide them fighting in his hotel without him there. But they all felt odd having others around when they fought. Not only did the Vraiyl use weaker people against them, but the Altenalium could not use its powers to their fullest. If they did, they ran a serious risk of hurting those innocents.

"One escaped," Wesley said absently.

"The Vraiyl know we're here," Spike added.

::That a good thing or a bad thing?:: Xander asked his lovers.

::Both,:: Wesley replied. ::Good because now the Vraiyl will stop playing around with Wolfram & Hart. Bad because they might try to disperse, spread themselves out. It will be harder to track them down.::

::If they don't come after us,:: Xander commented.

::They won't,:: Spike said firmly. ::Not in their nature.::

"Uh, am I missing something?" Angel whined. His arms hurt and he felt bad and the three men in front of him seemed to be having some sort of silent conversation.

"Go to sleep, Angel," Wesley muttered. "They won't be back any time soon." He led Spike and Xander out of the room. Spike grabbed now-collected tubes of lube on the way out.

::Got a room picked out for us?:: Xander asked Wesley as they paced in the hallway.

::No,:: Wesley replied. ::Perhaps we should change our strategy. As upset as I am with Angel over this and other matters, it is not right that they should get hurt because of us.::

::We know,:: Spike murmured. ::You want us to follow the path more completely.::

Wesley nodded. They were currently struggling to straddle their old worlds and the new one of the Altenalium, holding fast to a life of work and earthly responsibilities while at the same time being an entity that needed none of that. If they followed the Altenalium's ways more, and their old ways less, they would leave behind the stress and anxiety of trying to maintain their lives here in this world. They would also be less likely to lead people like Angel and his friends into danger.

But to do that they had to return to the dimension where they'd encountered Thraid Alel, the place where the Altenalium was at home. When they'd first become the Altenalium the idea of staying in that place was so unsavory that they'd completely dropped the idea, not even considering it. Even when they'd started to realize how difficult it would be to stay in their own world, they had not really considered going back. But now it was beginning to look like the better option. They would be better able to track the Vraiyl, with less to distract them. They didn't have to worry as much about hurting others, or about the messy details of day to day life such as paying bills.

The idea was tearing Xander apart. If they retreated into the world of the Altenalium, to the dimension of Thraid Alel, their skills at wielding their power would only increase. And yes, they would risk less, both of themselves and of others. But they would be isolated, alone in that dimension.

::We make it what we want,:: Spike reminded Xander. ::That's why it's there.::

::But...:: Xander began. ::What if we lose our ties to here?::

::Do you really think you'll do that any time soon?:: Wesley asked Xander. ::Within any of your friends' lifetimes?::

::No,:: Xander said slowly. ::But no biscuits,:: He moaned. ::We don't eat when we're there.::

::But we can shag,:: Spike pointed out. ::And we'll know whenever anything happens here, or if anyone's trying to reach us.::

::I dunno,:: Xander murmured. ::Can we do a 'wait and see'?::

Wesley and Spike silently agreed. Making rash decisions in any direction was a bad idea. ::Can we get on with this, then?:: Spike asked, holding up the bag. ::Peaches might be down for the count, but I'm not.::

Xander grinned. Yeah, they were all a bit hyped from the fight. A bit of...sport might be just what they needed. ::Where are we going to go, though? Angel's got the nice bed again.::

Wesley smiled. ::I know of one that's in fairly good shape,:: He mentioned. ::And that butts up against Angel's room.::

*****
Part 16:

Angel slid into a kitchen chair, wincing slightly. He felt like hell, or at least like what he'd felt like when he'd done time in hell. Connor looked no better, nursing a glass of water and holding a bag of frozen peas to the back of his head. Sleeping it off just wasn't working for the young man. Spike watched the two men groan and mutter with a wide grin on his face. "Not feeling all lovely today, are we?"

"Shut up, Spike," Angel growled. He didn't want to listen to his former childe's prattle now. "Aren't you supposed to fighting the Vraiyl?"

"They're not here right now," Xander said as he prowled through the refrigerator.

"Then why don't you go out and find them?" Angel grated out. He wished someone would give him a baggie of blood from the fridge, but none of the three men looked willing to feed him.

"Doesn't work that way," Spike muttered. "Nothing to track yet."

Angel scowled in frustration. He wanted these demons gone, out of his city and his world. These three men were the only way it was going to happen, and he knew he had to accept that. Waiting was something he only did well when it was on his own terms.

"Leave them alone, *Dad*," Connor murmured, accepting another bag of frozen vegetables from Wesley, who put the now-soggy peas back into the freezer.

::Think we should leave them for their father-son bonding moment?:: Xander asked his lovers.

::Maybe, yeah,:: Spike agreed. ::Much as I like to see Angel get strips of hide ripped off his ample posterior...::

::You'd rather give Connor the space to do it properly?:: Wesley surmised. ::Why don't we retreat to the relative safety of anywhere else?::

"Am I missing something?" Angel whined, watching the three men communicate silently. He hated being out of the loop. When they simply turned and left, he growled.

"What's your problem, *Dad*?" Connor snarled. "Can't you leave them alone? They're just doing their jobs, you know."

Wesley winced at Angel's curt reply. The kitchen could be considered a war zone now. He'd be surprised if nothing hit the walls, including Connor. ::Perhaps a walk is in order,:: He suggested, gesturing towards the door.

::Get some fresh air?:: Xander asked. ::Sounds like a plan.::

The three men walked down the street, Wesley and Xander flanking Spike in their usual arrangement. The former vampire still marveled at being outside during the day, taking great delight in seeing things he could never experience as a nocturnal creature. "Can we go in there?" He asked, pointing to a curio shop. Wesley and Xander silently agreed and Spike led them into the cool, dim interior.

::You are *not* getting a Precious Moments statue for my apartment,:: Xander swore as Spike studied the figurines. ::They're... ugh.::

::Was thinking more along the lines of Lladro,:: Spike admitted, turning to look at the glossy clowns and birds. Elegant ladies and children flowed like cream, all smooth and perfect.

::Sure,:: Xander conceded. Something tickled his senses. The statuary in front of him blurred, and then righted itself. The Vraiyl were back.

::That was fast,:: Spike muttered as he reached out to steady Xander. Wesley walked them out of the shop, where fewer things could be broken if something happened.

::Where are they?:: Wesley asked Xander. The younger man blinked a few times, clearing his vision. ::Lilah's got company coming.::

::Let 'em have her,:: Spike growled, holding Xander close.

::The Vraiyl will be there,:: Wesley reminded the redhead. ::It's a fine opportunity to...::

::How do we get there?:: Xander inquired. ::The car's back at the hotel.::

Wesley considered how far they were from the car. ::Perhaps it is time to see how well we travel as the Altenalium is want to do.::

Xander gulped but nodded, as did Spike. They followed Wesley into an alley, where they would draw less attention to themselves. ::So how does this work?:: Xander inquired. ::According to what I remember, we just sort of decide where we want to be, all together and--::

...

Lilah was just about to answer the knock on her door when it flew open, lock breaking under the force of a mighty blow. Her eyes widened comically as several dozen Vraiyl marched into her living room, all looking extremely menacing. "Excuse me," She said, voice shaking. "But what do you think you're doing? I didn't call for you, and I'm not paying you for uncommissioned jobs."

"You lied to us," The leader hissed, claws coming dangerously close to her face. "They were the Altenalium."

"Oh, that?" Lilah said with false lightness. "It must have slipped my mind."

"On purpose, you sent us to face the Altenalium," The Vraiyl leader continued. "Kill her," He said to his compatriots.

"Wait!" Lilah said desperately, stumbling backwards. "It was just a mistake. I'm sure we can--

Her words were cut off as one Vraiyl struck her across the throat, smashing her windpipe. The last thing Lilah saw was her own liver, dangling off the razor-like claws of the Vraiyl leader who was licking at it.

...

Suddenly the three men found themselves in the hallway in front of Lilah's apartment. Spike immediately bent over and experienced for the first time in over a hundred years the sensation of vomiting.

::This sucks,:: Xander moaned as he too lost his breakfast. ::Don't tell me we need Dramamine just to move around!::

::Perhaps a bit of practice would be advisable,:: Wesley replied, managing somehow to keep himself from joining the others.

::Just go ahead and spew, Wes. You'll feel better,:: Xander ordered. When Wesley hesitated, Xander recalled every memory of the high school cafeteria he could find. By the time he hit Friday's mystery meat, Wesley was blowing chunks all over the carpet.

::As much as I'm not enjoying this, perhaps we should deal with the demons currently invading Lilah's apartment?:: Spike said dryly.

They burst into the apartment, stumbling over something in their path. ::I think we're a bit late,:: Xander murmured. The thing they'd tripped on was one of Lilah's legs. The rest of the woman was scattered around the room. Her head was sitting on the coffee table, sans nose.

The Vraiyl turned as a group towards the men. "Altenalium!" They hissed, closing in on the threesome.

Wesley and Spike moved closer to Xander, protecting the open door. The first wave of Vraiyl attacked and the three men drew on their energies to deflect them, pushing the demons back against the row behind them. The demons furthest back, however, began to hurl knives at the men, distracting them as they tried to dodge the blades.

Two demons managed to close in on Spike, bringing him down to his knees. "Stop!" Wesley screamed, freezing the Vraiyl. Spike slipped out of their grasp, slicing their throats open with one of their own daggers. By that point, though, more demons had come forward, intent on separating the men. They were at a distinct disadvantage; these Vraiyl obviously understood how the Altenalium worked and had experience fighting it. So did the threesome, but all their knowledge was inherited; they hadn't had time yet to actually try out all their new abilities in combat. Also, they'd actually avoided some of them, trying hard to live in a world of denial. So long as they ignored certain facets of their abilities, they retained some of their previous humanity. Now, though, that urge to stay normal was hurting them.

Xander clawed his way through four demons, ripping them to pieces in an Altenalium-fueled blood rage. Wesley watched in horror as several Vraiyl circled around Xander, cutting him off. ::Spike!:: Wesley shouted, already throwing off a demon to reach for Xander. He dimly felt a blade sink into his side, ripping through tender flesh and bone. His vision began to fade as Xander was dragged farther away. They needed to be just a little closer in order to work together.

Spike swallowed his pain and beheaded one demon bare-handed before grabbing onto Xander's arm. He knew if he tried to speak now, nothing would come out. Wesley was simply too far away. And that meant that Wesley could no longer see or hear--two very bad things. Xander helped him fling demons out of the way, blasting them with sharp jabs of heated energy, as they got nearer to Wesley.

::At least I can see again,:: Wesley told himself as his vision began to clear. He couldn't see much, since his left eye was a mass of blood and gore, but what did that matter?

::Think safe thoughts, Wes,:: Xander ordered. ::We're outta here.::

Wesley nodded and followed both Xander and Spike's mental lead, focusing solely on *safety*.:: Regardless of where they ended up, it would be better than where they were now.

...

Safe. They were definitely safe. Spike knew they were out of danger because that horrible, crawly feeling the Vraiyl gave him was gone. Now, if he could just cure the pulled muscles, torn ligaments and broken bones he had. ::Dark in here. Xander, where are you?::

::Right next to you, so it's not that. Besides, the pain I'm feeling ain't because you two aren't close by,:: Xander replied. ::I'm thinking that 'safe' happens to be in a dark place.::

::I think we're in Thraid Alel's dimension,:: Wesley said. ::The Altenalium's dimension.::

::Fuck,:: Xander swore. ::There's nothing here but a cave.::

Spike frowned. That wasn't right. The Altenalium existed in something... well, their memories were all blurred in regards to that. But if it was where the Altenalium was safe, then it should be good for them too. He concentrated harder, blocking the agony of his shattered leg and fractured ribs. There had to be something in their memories.

Wesley scooted closer to where he thought Xander was and gingerly felt the wound in his side. He was losing blood, a lot of it, but oddly enough didn't feel that woozy. ::Perhaps...:: He thought for a moment. ::This place is a reflection of the Altenalium, correct?::

::Yeah,:: Xander muttered. ::In all it's cavy glory.::

::It certainly does fit Thraid Alel, does it not?:: Wesley continued, ignoring Xander's barb. ::She was not... this place suited her.::

Spike and Xander caught on at the same time. ::We can change this place, to fit us!:: Xander immediately began envisioning huge, fluffy beds and deep bathtubs, piles of blankets and food everywhere. Himself, Spike and Wesley, naked and lounging in a steamy bath.

"Aiee!" Wesley screamed as his wounds were suddenly submerged in hot water. He opened his eyes to find Spike and Xander in a similar situation, sitting on a ledge in an enormous sunken tub. They were in a huge, well-lit room that reminded Wesley distinctly of romanticized pictures of Middle Eastern palaces.

Xander winced. ::Maybe we should patch ourselves up first?::

::You think?:: Spike muttered. He focused on his broken leg, finding that the only thing preventing him from repairing it was the pain. It distracted him, making it difficult to concentrate.

::Here,:: Wesley murmured, reaching out to help Spike. Xander joined in and they fused the crushed bone back together, working until the redhead's leg was back to normal. Then they kept going, fixing tears and strains, breaks and bruises. By the time they were finished, Spike was purring happily in the water, completely relaxed.

::You next,:: Xander told Wesley. He could sense the damage done by the knife that had ripped through the man's body. Spike pushed aside his own lethargy and helped the others heal themselves, cursing when he realized the extent of the damage done to Wesley's internal organs by the knife. Only the fact that the Altenalium had turned them into some rare species of demon had saved the man from death; had he been human he'd have died instantly. The knife's blade had pierced a lung and punctured his liver.

::I'm fine now, Spike,:: Wesley assured the former vampire. Spike just gathered the man close, letting Xander do the same to him. They'd almost been killed, and it was their own fault. All this time they'd been 'practicing'... It had been nothing, really. They'd been tapping into just the barest hints of their abilities.

::Then we'll kick ourselves in the ass and get better at it,:: Xander said sharply. ::But a little later, ok? The Vraiyl aren't doing anything right now.:: Spike knew that was true; even in their safe haven he could easily reach out and sense what the demons were doing. And Xander was correct, right now the demons were simply gathering themselves together. They would need time to decide how to ruin this dimension--something Spike was sure they wanted to do.

"Stop," Wesley said in a no-nonsense voice. "Worrying is not doing us any good, Spike."

Xander tightened his hold on the redhead. ::Not when we can think ourselves up some lube and try out that huge bed I thought up for us.:: Wesley closed his eyes and grinned. Perhaps being permanently connected to a hormonal youth was a good thing. Xander reached over to thwap the British man on the head. ::I heard that.::

::I intended for you to,:: Wesley countered.

::Where's the lube?:: Spike muttered, rubbing his hands over Wesley's groin. He wanted Wesley inside him, filling his body and driving away the lingering traces of panic he still felt. Xander produced a container of something slippery and handed it to Wesley. Then Xander turned Spike in his arms, until both men were lying flat against the wide ledge they'd been sitting on. The young man wrapped his legs around Spike's and spread them wide, exposing the redhead to Wesley.

::Is this what you wanted?:: Wesley asked Spike as he thrust two fingers roughly inside the man's hole. Spike cried out and arched against Xander's body, muscles straining. He pushed against Wesley's hand, needing the brutal treatment, the harshness that would tie them back together. He felt Xander's cock grinding against his ass even as Wesley finished preparing him, smearing the thick lubricant over his hole before lining his cock up.

Xander watched Wesley's face as he pushed into Spike, feeling the exquisite burn as he(Spike) was split wide open, loving the way Spike's body took in his(Wesley's) cock. He wanted to be there, inside with Wesley, inside Wesley, thrusting, being thrust inside.

::Then do it,:: Wesley ordered as he shoved himself inside Spike. ::Fuck me.::

Xander wasted no time in worming his way out from under Spike, who was nothing more than a puddle of unresisting flesh in Wesley's hands. He reached for the lube, but Wesley stopped him.

"Just do it, Xander," The British man ordered as he pounded into Spike. Xander shook his head and clenched his teeth, trying to banish the feel of Wesley hitting his(Spike's) prostate almost continuously.

Xander covered his erection with lube and moved to stretch Wesley. After only a minute, however, he gave up on preparations and simply pushed inside that warm cavern. Finally assured that he wasn't hurting Wesley. No, the pleasured scream that reverberated off the walls told him it didn't hurt at all. The nearly orgasmic sensations flooding his system were another clue.

::Please,:: Spike begged, eyes wide but unseeing. He needed more, had to feel Wesley and Xander, crawling up inside him. Wesley drilled into him, bruising his newly healed back on hard marble. Xander gave no quarter, letting his mind go to flood the two men with everything he was feeling, every urge he had. Spike saw what Xander was fantasizing about, how the boy wanted to feel himself and Wesley inside Spike at the same time, stretching the redhead open with both of their cocks. He saw Xander on his knees, mouth full of Spike and while Wesley pounded into his ass. Then he saw himself in the same position, begging for Xander's cum as Wesley fucked him for his own pleasure.

Xander screamed and thrust once more, striking Wesley's prostate in the process. He couldn't withstand the force of Spike's orgasm washing through his mind. Wesley was there, too, clawing his pleasure from Spike's(his) body, mouth wide open but silent.

Spike let the two men on top of him weigh him down for several minutes before beginning to protest. They were really quite heavy. Xander reluctantly slipped out of Wesley's body and pushed himself back to let the older man move off Spike. ::So...that's one thing out of the way. Any takers for the bed idea?::

::Can't you turn the sodding tub into a bed?:: Spike asked. ::I'm a bit tired here.::

Spike soon found himself buried in a mountain of down comforters, Xander and Wesley surrounding him. ::Vraiyl can wait five minutes, right?:: Xander asked tiredly.

::They bloody well better,:: Wesley swore as he slipped off into sleep.

*****
Epilogue

::I guess we should get back to the Vraiyl-fighting scene, huh?:: Xander asked his lovers. They were lounging around the bedroom Spike had created for them, drinking honey mead. The former vampire hadn't really liked Xander's taste in decoration, so after a few days of lounging around in the boy's idea of decadence, the redhead had changed it. The current scene was black. Everything was black, except the parts that were black. Candles, also black, cast shadow-laden light over obsidian floors and walls. Black silk and velvet was draped over every surface. Xander found the room a bit... severe. Lush, but severe.

::Yes,:: Wesley agreed silently. ::After all, fighting them *is* our purpose.:: They'd spent the last week chasing down the vicious demons, perfecting their battle skills. As it turned out, spending their off-time in their own dimension helped; the longer they stayed there the stronger and more stable their connection became. Of course, retreating to their private world also gave them time to heal, rest, and simply be, without any distractions.

::And we can stop by Sunnyhell to say goodbye,:: Spike snapped. He didn't like it that Xander was still so attached to Buffy, Willow and Giles. They hadn't been back to see anyone in Sunnydale since leaving, and Xander was desperate to see his old friends.

Wesley glared at Spike. ::Unlike you and I, Xander is actually appreciated by his colleagues,:: The former Watcher muttered. ::And they do miss him as well.::

::So we go back,:: Spike said again. ::And then we find a few Vraiyl and eviscerate them.::

Xander grinned despite his frustration with Spike's snarkiness. Spike seemed to really love his job. Xander didn't really like the violence, but the side benefits were nice.

::Yeah, you just like getting to shag Wes,:: Spike accused the younger man.

::And this is a bad thing why?:: Xander inquired haughtily.

::I certainly don't mind,:: Wesley added. ::Although I must say that Spike is an equally satisfying bedmate.::

::Damned straight,:: Xander confirmed.

::Not exactly,:: Spike retorted. A huge, soft pillow hit his face.

::You are such a jackass,:: Xander told the redhead.

::Oh? And what, then, are you?:: Wesley asked Xander.

::I'm just a fine piece of ass,:: Xander declared. ::The finest in this entire dimension.::

::Right,:: Spike hissed, pouncing on the boy. Wesley shook his head and joined in the fray, ostensibly to separate the two.

It was some time before they made it to Sunnydale.

-The End-