Family Bonds
by
Kimalis
61
The remainder of Xander’s week had gone smoothly. No sign of Tony, and he’d even managed to put his father out of his mind for a time. When things were quiet though, Xander dwelled on it: something his father couldn’t, or wouldn’t, tell him; the weirdness of Tony Harris talking about demons; the almost unthinkable occurrence of him asking after his son’s welfare. No matter what he told Spike, it niggled at him, and he knew that Spike was fully aware of his thoughts.
The thing that got to him the most, was that Xander’s father had never asked if he was happy. Not once. And then there was his ‘don’t care if you’re gay’ attitude. Xander had expected fireworks, and had gotten a lit match. There must be something enormous eating away at his father if he was prepared to overlook that little detail so easily.
When these thought came up, Xander let them run their course, then promised himself he would follow up next week. This week was for him and his friends; for him and Spike.
Since Tony’s appearance at the Lion, Spike had been especially possessive and attentive with Xander. Not that Xander minded in the slightest. He got a warm buzz when Spike growled after the girls had gotten closer than he liked. He’d laughed when Giles had patted his shoulder on patrol and Spike had snarled and pulled Xander away. At home it meant that Spike was always close by. Far from being stifling, Xander loved that he felt safe and protected and had someone who cared that much.
~*~*~*~*~
Saturday night came around faster than Xander expected. One blink and it was here. Spike had picked what he wanted Xander to wear, and not surprisingly, Xander ended up in some well-fitting black pants and a dark red shirt.
“You look a treat, love,” Spike told him as they drove downtown.
Xander smiled and then took in his vampire behind the wheel. Spike had bought new black jeans and T-shirt, and, at Xander’s request, still wore his same boots and duster. If it ain’t broke, Xander had told him earlier, and proceeded to show Spike just exactly how much he liked the look.
Xander reached a hand out and ran it up Spike’s thigh, kneading the muscle as he went. “Thanks, Bleachie, I’m kinda liking what I see here, too.”
“If you don’t move that hand, I’ll have to take you back home.” Spike leered at him. “You want to explain that to your girls? Sorry, bints, missed my own bloody party, had to go home and get shagged silly by the better half, cause I couldn’t keep my hands off the goods.”
“It would be your fault for looking like that.” Xander laughed and pulled his hand back. “I’m going to have a hard time at this party, cause tonight, you are eminently touchable and every time I look at you, you’ll know exactly what I’m thinking of doing to you.”
“You git, that is not helping any.” Spike scowled and pulled at the front of his jeans, then steered the car into a parking space near the shop.
A mischievous glint appeared in Xander’s eye. “I’m half hard now, Spike, imagine what it will be like by the end of the night; After I’ve spent a few hours just looking at you, watching you move, brushing up against you. Maybe I’ll be able to sneak you out the back door into the alley, get on my knees-.”
“Out! You’re a bloody tease, you are, Harris.” Spike threw open the door and got out of the car, meeting Xander on the sidewalk. “Honestly, mate, I love you to death but if you don’t stop, I will kick your arse then shag it right here on the bonnet.”
“Hood,” Xander said and grabbed him by the collar of his duster. “I love you too. And it’s my birthday, I will do as I please and you will put up and shut up.” Xander smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. “Just think how many birthdays we’ll have together, and I can do whatever I want on every single one.”
“And you’ll bloody get away with it too. I’ve spoiled you, consort.”
Xander leaned in and spoke against Spike’s lips, one hand dropping to cup the front of his jeans. “I’m not spoiled. You’re a good master. I love my master.”
Spike groaned and pulled Xander’s head in kissing him hard and fast. “One more word, consort. That’s all it will take and I will throw you over the car.”
Xander grinned and pointed to the shop front. He stuck his hands deep in his pockets, stretching the fabric of his pants across his ass, then crossed the street, deliberately exaggerating the sway of his hips. He laughed as he heard the snarl and felt the heated lust that Spike shot at him.
Spike watched Xander crossing the street, then hurried over to join him at the door, slapping his behind. As they went in, laughing together, neither noticed the car that slowly cruised along the street, paused outside the Magic Box, then stopped a block away.
~*~*~*~*~
The girls had transformed the training room. Most of the weapons had been shifted out of the way or locked in a cupboard for the evening. Balloons hung at intervals on the walls, and a long table with bowls and plates of assorted fat and sugar-laden foods, took pride of place along the back wall. Compilation CDs were on rotation in the player and Xander drifted between eating, dancing with Willow, eating, and dancing with Buffy.
Interspersed with that, Xander amused himself with heated, suggestive looks and body language, ‘accidental’ touches that bordered on blatantly intentional gropes, and double entendres galore. Xander took full advantage of Spike’s unusually tolerant mood and kept up the steady stream of teasing he’d promised.
Anya and Simon sat with Giles, who was glad of another male to speak to- one who was not an irritable demon, or a hyperactive consort. Tara chatted with Bilarl, who had been ecstatic and excessively grateful to have been invited. Nathan, Xander’s boss had dropped by for a short while, but begged off early, citing family commitments. Xander had made sure that Nathan met Spike, but was now wondering if he would regret the introduction. Nate had left with a sly smile and a parting shot, about how he now understood why Xander was ‘mooning around’ at work these days, and often looked like he hadn’t slept for a week. Xander knew there would be fall-out, good natured though it would be.
~*~*~*~*~
Later, while Bilarl and Simon were being entertained with anecdotes of spells gone wrong, Xander excused himself. Snatching a surprised Spike by the coat, Xander hauled him out the door and into the back alley.
“Having a good party, love?” Spike asked, as he was dragged a distance from the back door.
Xander backed Spike into the wall and pressed against him. “Yep! Even better now.”
“Don’t you go starting something you’ll be too shy to follow through on, mate,” Spike warned.
“I’m not shy. And yeah, I’m starting something, Bleachie,” Xander told him, sliding his hands into the back pockets of Spike’s jeans. “And I’m continuing it later, but I’m not finishing it till we get home.” Xander kneaded at Spike’s ass, while he leaned in and licked long lines over Spike’s neck.
“You’re picking up some evil tendencies.” Spike made a small sound of pleasure as Xander sucked at his claim. “You’ve been around me far too long.”
Xander pulled back and looked seriously at Spike. “It’s not too long. It’s never going to be too long and, most likely, it will never be long enough.”
Spike smiled. “Feeling a little needy tonight, love?” He wrapped his arms around Xander’s waist, with that expression on his face that told Xander Spike was trying to gauge his mood through the bond.
“No. Yes. No.” Xander sighed and rested his forehead against Spike’s. “Just been wondering where I’ll be for next year’s birthday, and all the ones after that. I’ve been trying to imagine what my birthdays will be like when they’re not all here anymore to share it with me.”
“Wherever it is, I’ll be there with you, I’ll make sure you get your bloody birthday Twinkles.”
“Twinkies.” He gave a soft laugh. “Maybe you do spoil me, Bleachie, but I’m not complaining.” Xander stared directly into Spike’s eyes, letting everything he felt show in his. “You’re gonna be mine for a long time aren’t you?”
“Too bloody right I am, love,” Spike said with certainty. “Too late to get rid of me now.”
“Last thing I would want to do,” Xander said softly.
Then Spike was kissing him, and Xander forgot all about teasing, and drawing this night out, and only knew that this was his forever. He gave himself over to Spike completely. Almost able to control the bond, he opened himself as much as he could to Spike, and felt the connection between them as though it were fire. It was in him, around him and Xander was aware of nothing but Spike. Not the separate parts- Spike’s mouth, Spike’s hands, Spike’s body- but just Spike, almost a part of himself.
There was a party waiting for him inside, and right now, it was the last place he wanted to be. He might have forever for this, but he’d been right earlier, forever wasn’t going to be enough.
~*~*~*~*~
It could have been seconds, minutes or hours; Xander couldn’t have said how long they stayed like that, how long they would have stayed like that, if a number of things hadn’t happened all at once and pulled him back to the here and now.
A loud, resounding crack split the air and echoed around the alley; a small pinprick of light appeared and slowly grew, spiralling from a centre point; heavy footsteps pounded, and a panicked voice shouted Xander’s name.
“Xander!” Tony Harris charged down the alley.
Spike immediately fell into his demon face and stood in front of Xander. At the same time, the back door was thrown open and Buffy emerged, followed closely by Giles. The others soon pushed their way out into the dark.
The small, spiralling, bluish light grew slowly but steadily, now the size of a hand. A rush of buzzing air pushed out in front of the light and formed a barrier; tiny gold sparks flickered through it, giving away its location. Willow and Tara, with their hands out in front of them, inched their way forwards, but pulled their hands quickly away from the charged wall of air, as though they’d been burned.
Tony stopped in front of Xander. “Son, it’s time to go, you need to come with me.” He tried to step around Spike but was met with a fierce snarl that would have stopped even the best of men.
“You’ll keep your hands off my consort, father or not,” Spike said in a cold voice.
“The boy is coming with me, you've done enough damage, demon,” Tony told him, flinching at the vicious growl but not backing off.
“Dad, enough! What the hell is going on? And don’t give me any more of your crap about not telling me.” Xander tried to move beside Spike, but every step he took, Spike matched and stayed in front of him. Xander pointed to the swirling light. “What is that? Did you do that?” he asked his father.
“Xan, it’s a portal. He’s opened a portal,” Willow called.
Xander’s face screwed up in confusion. It was one thing for his father to be aware of demons, but for him to be able to open a portal, to even know what a portal was? No, that was just too much. Xander glanced over to the light that was now more than a foot across.
“Son, we have to go now, it’s going to be too late soon. Come on, boy, move, trust me.”
Xander couldn’t help the bark of laughter that came from him. He slammed his hand across his mouth, typical that he would laugh at so inappropriate a moment. “Trust you? Are you kidding?”
Tony tried to circle around Spike. “Xander, please, boy, there’s not much time. I’ve been trying for so long to get this right, don’t mess it up for me now with your stubbornness.”
Quicker than anyone could see, Spike shot out a hand and grabbed Tony by the shirt, lifting him almost off his feet. “My consort is not going anywhere with you. You back the fuck off now.” He flung Tony backwards, not enough to hurt him, not in front of Xander, just enough to make him stumble.
Buffy and Giles tried to reach Tony, to get him away from Xander but they were met with the solid wall that neither could penetrate. The sparking, humming barrier had expanded from the light source, stretched across the alley and effectively cut Xander, Spike and Tony off from the others.
“Willow, Tara, can you break through this?” Giles asked.
The girls linked hands and began a chant. The words died on their lips, however, and they had to duck, as a series of crackling bolts of energy shot from the barrier towards them.
“That’s a no, Giles, sorry,” Willow said and turned her worried eyes to Xander.
Anya and Bilarl carefully followed the edges of the barrier, but both shook their heads. “No way around,” Anya said.
The spiral of light was now spinning faster but, while it looked like a whirlwind, the alley was strangely still and silent.
Spike took Xander’s hand and together they tried to find a way through the barrier; it was just as solid as it appeared from the other side, and they were forced to remain on their side, with Tony.
Spike snarled and pounced on Tony, knocking him back against a stake of crates. “What have you done?”
“I didn’t do this. I just came for Xander,” Tony rasped as Spike squeezed his throat.
“He’s mine, he goes nowhere.”
“He’s not yours, he can’t be.”
Xander stood next to Spike and looked at his father with disgust. “Whatever it is you think you’re doing, it’s just not going to work. I won’t go anywhere with you, I belong to Spike. You can’t change that. And I can’t understand why you’re trying.”
“Son, you don’t belong to him, you belong to the Forwaan demons,” Tony croaked.
A cloak of icy cold descended over Xander, and he looked fearfully at Spike. “Let him go, Spike. Please.”
Spike searched Xander’s face, feeling his intentions. Apparently satisfied, he let go of Tony’s throat and shoved him to the ground.
Xander took a deep breath then looked down at his father. “You need to explain yourself, because suddenly, a lot of things about my life just fell in to place.”
“Xander you’ve been-.” As Tony spoke and tried to get back to his feet, a sudden babble of voices behind them cut him off.
They turned, and Spike again placed himself in front of Xander. The swirl of blue light had reached the size of around ten feet and, as they watched, a man emerged from the centre, took a few steps and smiled at Spike, Xander and Tony.
~*~*~*~*~
Such an ordinary looking man. Big cheerful smile, curly brown hair, jeans, sweater, work boots- at first glance, just a normal guy. Expect for the fact that he’d stepped from a portal. Even more disconcerting was the blankness behind the cheerful façade. A closer look at his eyes showed something almost feral, and spoke of a man who was keeping something very dangerous reined in very tightly. He smiled, but it was reflected nowhere else on his face; just a movement of muscles, technically perfect, but stone cold.
“Evening folks!” As the man stepped away from the portal, the charged air that was forming a barrier bent with him, the gold sparks increasing in intensity as he muttered a few words under his breath, then lessening as he stopped and moved forwards. Just the odd spark appeared, showing a portion of the barrier moving with him, shielding him.
Spike’s growl could be heard by everyone as he shoved Xander behind him and turned his golden eyes onto the man now walking towards them.
The man pulled a sheet of paper from inside his jacket and studied it with a small frown. “Okay, umm, let’s see. Alexander Lavelle- Lavelle?- Alexander Harris, time to hit the road, buddy.” He looked around, checking each face against a smaller piece of paper. “Now which one are you? It’s been what,” he looked at his watch, “twenty years for you?” His eyes stopped on Tony. “Oh man, looky here, I know you. You didn’t weather so well at all, did you now, buddy?”
Tony, still on the ground, scrambled backwards, away from the incongruously cold face that loomed over him.
“Come on, you remember me don’t you, big guy? I’m Kirk. We had a great time didn’t we?” He looked Tony over with a critical eye. “You used to be a handsome man. Huh! Funny, how the better part of a lifetime has passed for you, but me? Well, I’ve had me a couple of meals, a good sleep, a couple of good women and look, I’m still pretty.”
“You can’t do this. Not now.”
The man snatched Tony by the shirt front and hauled him in close. “I can and I am, pal.” Kirk spoke with a vicious edge to his voice, low and hard. Then he smiled and dropped Tony on the ground. “You signed him away, remember?” he said pleasantly, and waved a piece of paper in the air. “Contract.”
Behind Spike, Xander struggled to find words. Signed away? His life had been given away; and by his father? He must have misheard. His father was a drunken loser, but who gives away their child? People don’t do that. Do they?
Spike snarled and Tony was again lifted off his feet. “What the fuck have you done?” Spike’s control slipped and Tony found himself staring into the face of Xander’s demon. “Out with it! What have you done to your son?”
Xander stepped up next to Spike. “Dad?”
Kirk laughed. “Oh, this is priceless. The dad, the kid, and it looks like a vampire in the mix too.” He turned to Xander. “You don’t know do you? He never had the guts to tell you what he did. Oh, I love these ones.” A broad, manic smile stretched across his face. “Wait! Let me get cosy here, oh these are the best collection jobs.” He pulled up a crate and sat on the edge, rubbing his hands together.
Spike threw Tony away from him and turned on Kirk with a loud growl. His fist shot out, heading for the man’s face, but deflected to the side in a shower of gold sparks when it hit the charged air in front of him. Spike rubbed his hand and let out a frustrated snarl in Kirk’s direction.
“You think I’d do this job without a little protection? Come on now,” Kirk chided. “Look how many spectators we have. Now, I could be wrong, but I’m guessing if you’re a vampire, then those folk over there aren’t just your average band of citizens, are they? Lucky they’re out there, and we’re in here, huh?”
Willow began calling out to Xander, and Buffy threw some empty threats at Kirk, but Kirk merely dug in his pocket and pulled out a pouch. He tipped a fine powder in his hand and flung it at the barrier. Immediately their voices were muffled.
“Oh that’s better. Women huh? Much better with their mouths full, they ain’t half so irritating that way.” Kirk laughed and waggled his fingers at Buffy. “She a feisty one isn’t she. Perky.” The wide smiled dropped from his face in an instant, and he turned back to Xander. “You know what I want to do to her?” He pulled a short-bladed knife from the back of his belt and stared longingly at it. “Oh, where are my manners?” He shook his head and laughed. “Here am I, getting all sidetracked by that tight little blonde, when you boys have got some great entertainment lined up for me.”
Xander looked from his father to Kirk. “Who are you?” He turned to Spike with pleading eyes. “Spike, what the hell is happening?”
“Oh pick me, pick me!” Kirk laughed again. “Hi, I’m Kirk, originally from Salt Lake City, currently the longest surviving human working for the Forwaan demons. And you’re being collected, Alexander Lavelle Harris. Your daddy here, he signed you away to my bosses. Ain’t family just grand?”
Spike was immediately at his side. “It’s okay, mate. You’re not going anywhere, I told you that before didn’t I?”
“Actually, Dracula, he is going somewhere, but first we get the fun stuff out of the way.” He waved the blade at Tony. “Go on, Daddy, tell your little boy what you did.”
Tony shook his head. “No. I can’t.”
Kirk was off his crate and in Tony’s face before they realised he’d moved. “You will tell your son what you did.” He held the blade against Tony’s throat, pressing the point in and breaking the skin. A small trickle of blood ran down Tony’s neck. “Hey Drac, look, appetiser.” He kicked Tony. “You made me get blood on my knife. Now, don’t ruin my evening by holding out the good stuff. I want the whole Springer show.”
Tony looked at Xander, and again, shook his head.
Kirk held the knife in front of Tony’s eyes. “Daddy, if you make me get blood on my hands, then, hoo boy, will I ever be pissed with you.”
Xander stared, horrified, at the thin trickle of blood running down Tony’s neck. “Dad, will you just tell me now what you’ve done? You gave me away?” Xander clutched at Spike’s hand and his voice cracked. “He’s lying right? Cause, I know you weren’t the greatest father, but parents don’t do that, do they? Do you hate me so much that you gave me away? What did I do wrong?”
Tony Harris saw the hurt and betrayal in his son’s face and his legs gave out. He crumpled to the ground and sobbed.
62
Tony crouched on the ground, his head in his hands, shoulders heaving, and Xander felt nothing for him. He pushed aside the painful feelings of his father’s betrayal, and was left with disgust for the man at his feet, and anger from so many directions.
He was at a loss as to how to deal with this. Though he could see them still trying, Willow and Tara were not able to have any effect on the barrier. And Buffy, one of the strongest people he knew, was standing a mere twenty feet away, powerless and tear-streaked. He welcomed the anger. It held him together. What was his other option? Crack, like his father had done? No, there was nothing about Tony Harris that Xander wanted to emulate.
“Aw, look at that. Your daddy’s all broken. I think he’s gonna need to a minute to collect himself,” Kirk laughed, then turned his cold eyes to Xander. “Alexander, tonight you will be coming with me. The Forwaan own you now, buddy. Oh, and ain’t they gonna enjoy you, yes sir. I saw them cleaning up the exhibit just for you. Well, when I say ‘cleaning’, I mean they dragged the body of the last guy out and sorta hosed out the enclosure. But don’t you worry none, Alexander Lavelle Harris, you won’t smell none of that blood, once you get in there. Okay, maybe you will, a little- oh, who am I kidding? The whole exhibit stinks of blood and then some; those Forwaan, they’re kinky motherfuckers. Ha! Literally too.”
If anyone had asked Xander how he thought he might react, when he finally found out who was responsible for the spell, he probably would have said he’d be too busy fighting or too shocked to take it in. Right now, he wished that were the case. But, no. Everything was in painful, stark relief. There was the sound of Kirk’s voice, and the cutting brutality of his words. There was the faint smell of ozone from the portal and the barrier- it made his nose itch. There was an icy cold shiver running through him, which Xander knew had nothing to do with the temperature. There was his father’s wracking sobs and heaving breaths, that Xander would never have thought to be immune to. And he was hyper-aware of Spike’s feelings, but strove to keep them separate from his own. Spike’s rage stemmed from a different place, from possessiveness and blood lust; the intensity of it could easily push Xander over the edge if he gave in to it.
Spike was again diving for Kirk, and again, he was beaten by the barrier around him. He snarled and swung a piece of broken crate at the man’s head; it, too, was repelled. Kirk laughed, long and loud.
“Spike, he can’t be human,” Xander said, knowing he was wrong, but holding out the faintest hope that another human couldn’t be like this.
“He’s human; I can smell him. But he’s filthy, tainted.”
“Hey!” Kirk looked wounded and clutched at his chest. “Words can hurt, you know?” He jumped down off the crate he’d been perched on and grabbed Tony by the back of his collar, shaking him. “You back with us yet, Daddy? Your baby boy here, he’s waiting for some answers.”
“Go to hell,” Tony spat at him, his voice hoarse and raw.
Kirk’s face changed in an instant. Gone was the faux cheer; in its place was a face so dark and twisted that Xander thought Spike had to have been wrong. How could a human change so quickly?
“Go to hell? Daddy, I live there. I’ll die there. I know hell. Hell pays a pretty penny and costs you just as much.” And just as quickly, the cheerful salesman’s face was back. “Now, Mr. Harris, your son is waiting. So am I. I miss Springer; the Forwaan dimension doesn’t have cable. Now, I’m not saying I want you to go ripping and tearing at each other’s clothes or nothing, but I want some of that shouting and hollering that those folks get up to. That’s some good quality TV right there.”
“No,” Tony rasped. “You can’t make me tell him those things. He can’t do anything about it now anyway.”
“Oh, now, Daddy, that’s where you’re wrong. Well, hold on a second, he can’t do nothing about it now, you’re right there. But guess what? I can make you tell him everything.”
“I won’t say it,” Tony shouted defiantly.
“Bet you will.” Kirk held up a finger. “Oh, wait, you’re a betting man, ain’t you, Daddy?”
“Not any more.”
“Well I’m taking a gamble for both of us here okay?” Kirk rummaged around the pockets of his jacket, pulling out a handful of small metal vials. “Now, one of these will kill you. One of them will send you to some hell or other. I know there’s one here that will strip you of that pesky free will; let’s hope it’s this one, huh?” Kirk grinned as he jerked Tony’s head back and forced the vial into his mouth. “Drink up, Daddy, I know how you like a shot or two.” Kirk held the vial fast, as Tony twisted and thrashed to rid himself of it. Kirk laughed, tossed away the empty vial and covered Tony’s mouth and nose with his hand. “Come on now, down the hatch.” He waved his knife in front of Tony’s eyes. “Or do you need a spoonful of sugar?”
Xander was almost disgusted with himself. He should have been torn between helping his father and wanting the answers, but he found he had no desire to help the man. That was what tore at him. Had he turned into someone who would let a human suffer? Could what was happening to Tony compare with what he had done to his son? Xander found the desire for answers outweighed any paternal obligations he should have felt.
Xander kept his eyes fixed on his father. He could see him fighting against whatever Kirk had poured in his mouth, could see the struggle and the eventual surrender as he was forced to swallow the liquid.
“There you go. That wasn’t so bad was it?” Kirk turned to Xander. “Now, let’s all pull up a crate and have us a sit down. I think your daddy here has something he wants to tell you.”
Tony hauled himself to his feet. “No! I will not make him listen to that.”
“Yeah, so you’ve said. But any second now, soon as that weirdass brewski the Forwaan gave me hits your innards, you’re gonna spill faster than a fifteen year old boy with a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. NOW, SIT!”
Tony instantly dropped down onto a crate, a look of horror passing over his features.
Kirk laughed. “Hey, Alexander Lavelle, you too, Drac, watch this. Tony, stand up.” Tony stood. “Simon says, sit down again.” Tony sat. “Wave your hands. Go on, give them a big old flap around.” Tony gritted his teeth against it, his muscles visibly trembled, but his hands reached up high and, as Kirk had ordered, flapped in the air. Kirk howled with laughter. “Oh, you’ll love this too, pay attention now. Daddy, you go on and slap your face. Hard.” Tony’s left hand dealt a stinging blow. Xander flinched. “Now you make a big fist and give yourself a shiner.” Tony’s hand flew at his eye and he yelled in pain. Kirk’s eyes widened as he looked at Spike and Xander. “Fun, huh?”
“Yeah, bloody amusing. Now how about you just shove off, and leave the boy and his father here to sort things out themselves, yeah? You’re not getting him, so what about you just sod off, mate?”
Kirk threw back his head and laughed. “Of course I’m taking him, Drac. Who’s going to stop me? You? Go on, try.” Kirk walked up to Spike and stopped a foot in front of him. Spike’s yellow eyes flashed dangerously, but he was just as powerless as Buffy. Kirk reached out and flicked the end of Spike’s nose, laughing as Spike was again repelled when he tried to grab Kirk’s hand. “Now where were we? Oh, right. Daddy here was giving himself a good seeing to. Watch closely now, son.” The smile vanished. “Tony, hold your breath.”
Tony’s panicked eyes turned to Kirk, and he made a tiny begging sound, but didn’t inhale. Xander waited for his father to start breathing, but when he saw Tony’s face turning red, his throat convulsing and his chest heaving, he knew that Kirk had complete control.
“Dad, breathe!” When there was no reaction from Tony, Xander rounded on Kirk. “Stop it!” he shouted. “Let him breathe.”
Kirk considered Xander with mild amusement, while Tony collapsed to the ground. “Oh, seeing as you asked me so nicely. Breathe, Tony.”
Almost unconscious, Tony took great gasping breaths and gradually came around. Xander rushed over and helped his father to his feet, avoiding his eyes.
“Thankyou, son,” he panted.
Xander sat his father on the crate then quickly moved away back to Spike’s side. “Don’t thank me. I didn’t do it for you. You still owe me an explanation.”
Kirk pumped his fist in the air. “Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!” he chanted. “Oh, this is gonna be good. Take a seat, guys. Go on, you’ll be more comfy.”
Spike and Xander both looked at him with revulsion and stayed where they were. Spike put one hand on Xander’s back, and Xander leaned into his support and took what little comfort he could.
“I’m actually a nice guy you know? I could have just taken Alexander Lavelle here off through the portal straight up, no questions. But here I am, letting Daddy spill the beans, so his little boy has the whole story.” Kirk gave a mock frown. “You boys wanna be a bit nicer to me, or I might just put this here knife in Daddy’s hand and tell him to scratch his balls with it, get my drift? Yeah, sure you do.”
Xander shook his head. “Just get on with it. Let him speak, let him get it over with.”
“What say, Tony? You wanna tell your boy all?”
“No.”
“Alrighty then, I’ll take that as a yes,” Kirk said, laughing. “Tony, tell Alexander here, exactly how he came to be earmarked as a museum exhibit by my warped and twisted, but obscenely well-paying, bosses, the Forwaan. And speak up nice and loud, those folks can still hear every word.” Kirk jerked his head towards Giles and the girls.
Tony’s face reddened. The veins in his forehead swelled, and his throat spasmed with the effort of holding back the words. The battle only lasted a minute, no more, then the words gushed from Tony, his eyes dropping in shame.
“I lost you in a poker game with Kirk, twenty years ago.”
Xander’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to find words.
Spike, however, found his much faster. He snarled and dove for Tony, grabbing the man by the shirt and slamming him into a wall. “You gambled your son? You pathetic, fucking-.”
“Whoa, Nelly! Back off there, Dracula.” Kirk took Spike by the back of his coat and dragged him off Tony, throwing him some distance and revealing much more strength than either Spike or Xander had expected.
Kirk saw the shock on Xander’s face and grinned. “Yeah, pretty cool huh? Those demons, they gave me a few enhancements, it’s a bit of a spell they do. It’ll happen to you too, Alexander, just as soon as we get you into your new home.”
Resisting the urge to tell the unpredictable Kirk he no longer had the Forwaan’s bonding spell, Xander shook off the surprise, then helped Spike to his feet, holding on to his arms with a hard, desperate grip. “What the hell is happening, Spike?” Xander whispered. “How can we stop him if no one can touch him?”
Spike sighed heavily and held Xander’s face in his hands. “I don’t know, love. But I’ll be damned again if I let him touch you.”
“Uh, oh, Tony. Looks like somebody’s gonna be marching in the pride parade.” Kirk’s smile vanished for a moment and was replaced with a curled lip and a look of contempt for Xander. “Not much to be proud of, if you ask me. But times they are a changing.” Kirk sat himself back down again. “But listen to me, yammering away, when it should be Daddy here, airing out the family linen. Now, Tony. I’m gonna ask you one more time. You tell your boy here everything, every last little detail, you got me? You start at the beginning and you don’t leave out one bit.”
Tony took a deep breath and concentrated, pain from the effort of defying Kirk was etched on his face “I told him already goddamn it!” Tony shouted. “He doesn’t need any more.”
“NO! You told him squat. Now unless you want me to have you run head first into that wall over there, you start talking, buddy, and you make it good. Damn good.”
Tony sagged. He’d taken all his energy to resist the first order and had none left. He had no choice but to comply and so fell to the crate, hung his head and revealed the other side of his life, hidden for twenty years.
“It was your second birthday, and your grandparents were all coming over later to see you for your party. Everyone was so proud of you. I was so proud of you, but your mom most of all. She couldn’t have any more after you, so you were special for us. She didn’t want me to go, but my college buddy, Steve, was in town and I hadn’t seen him for so long. I kissed her- god she was a beauty- I kissed you, I promised it would be two beers, then home for the party. I promised, so she said it was okay. I would never break a promise to my Jess.
“There was a new bar just opened, and we had one beer and a lot of laughs; then this guy comes up, gives us a couple of free shots and says there’s a game starting out the back, low stakes, were we interested in playing a quick round? Of course we were, that’s how we’d gotten through college- beer and poker. So we went with him.”
“That was me!” Kirk said, jerking a thumb towards his chest. “I’m in this story.”
“We followed him into the back room. There were four other guys already there, they already had drinks. I don’t know what they were drinking, but I remember the awful smell, and they looked like some weird cocktail. We should have gone then, but we didn’t. Steve and I sat down, they gave us more shots and we stayed. I told them-.”
“You said, ‘Half an hour, it’s my baby boy’s birthday’. And we said, ‘Sure, Tony, gotta be there for the family’. That’s what we said, ain’t it, Tony?”
“Yeah, you did. So we played for a while and they kept the shots coming, and the money piled up, and the stakes were raised, but we just didn’t think about leaving. Steve was winning too, and I guess we were just too caught up in it.”
Xander was trying to listen and wait till Tony had finished, but the revelations were too much for him. “So you got drunk and played poker and left me and Mom at home waiting? Not much changes in twenty years does it?”
“Son, I didn’t want to be there, but I just couldn’t leave.” Tony shook his head. “We played for a while, I don’t know how long, but then it all changed. The piles of money got smaller, the shots came faster and it was all just a blur. There was this guy sitting in the corner, and I thought he must have been wasted, cause he just sat there chanting some nonsense all night.”
“But see, he was a Forwaan right? One of their magic guys,” Kirk said. “Oops, don’t want to give anything away. You tell it, Tony. You’re just gonna love the next bit, Alexander.”
“That last hand, the others guys were all in and I had no more cash on the table, but I had a damn good hand, I thought it was a winner, so I threw my wallet in and told them ‘take whatever’s in it, it’s yours’. One of them flipped through it, showed it to the other guys and they agreed it was okay. He asked me if I was sure that’s what I wanted to bet, I said yes. They showed their hands. I lost.”
“They started laughing then, and Steve and I just thought they were sore winners, you know? One of the other guys, he picked up my wallet and I thought he was just going to take the money out and give the wallet back.”
Kirk clapped excitedly as Tony’s voice started to waver and his eyes grew red.
“He didn’t though. He called over the guy in the corner, the one we thought had had a few too many and was just singing all night. They gave my wallet to him and he opened it up and I thought he must be the one taking my money, but he flipped it open and took out a photo.”
Tony’s voice broke and again, tears flowed freely down his face. “‘We’re taking this’ he said, and I didn’t know what he meant. I lost too much for them just to take a photo, and Steve, he was getting nervous but he’d folded in that round, and wasn’t losing anything. And I said to the guy, I said, ‘what the fuck,’ you know? ‘What do you want with the photo?’ And he laughed, he just laughed and said, ‘Not the photo’. The other guys, they started laughing too, but Steve, he was backing away, trying to get to the door. So I turned around to see what had spooked him and it was the guy in the corner, I thought he must have put on some kind of monster mask. But I think Steve must have seen it wasn’t a mask and he ran.”
“Forwaan, see?” Kirk said. “The magic guy can do that weird, face changing thing, you know like the silver Terminator in the second movie? Yeah, just like that.”
“The demon and Kirk were laughing and looking at the photo. And then I got it, they didn’t want the photo, they wanted what was in the photo and I just said no, no way and I tried to get the photo back off them, but that demon, he just reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. It was old, and all yellow and when I looked at it I saw it was probably not even paper, I think it might have been skin, and so he handed it to me, you know?”
Tony still couldn’t bring himself to look at Xander. Xander was thankful.
“I didn’t want to take it, but my hand just kind of took it all on its own. It had my name on it, and down the bottom, there was the words I’d said. ‘Take whatever’s in my wallet. It’s yours’. Just next to the words was a copy of the picture they’d taken out of my wallet. And as I read it, my thumb rubbed along the edge of the paper all by itself, and there was blood, there was my blood soaking into those words. The blood was still coming out of my thumb, and it was soaking into the picture too.”
Finally Tony looked up and met Xander’s eyes. His were red and wet and lines of tears streaked his face. “It was you, son, it was the picture of you I had in my wallet. My baby boy. They were taking my baby boy.” Tony broke down, crying out his son’s name between sobs.
“That’s the stuff, right there,” Kirk said. “Springer couldn’t do it any better.” Kirk sat back and happily watched Tony for a short while.
Xander stood frozen. His father hadn’t been lying, he’d actually lost him in a poker game. Whether he’d meant to or not made little difference at this point.
“Yeah, that’s enough now, Daddy. SHUT UP!” Kirk yelled. Tony stopped crying and was instantly silent. “You ain’t finished your tale yet. Finish it now.”
Without a pause, Tony continued, but his voice told of the strain. “One of them snatched the paper away from me and gave it back to that demon. He was so fast, I couldn’t grab it. Someone handed me another shot and I couldn’t stop myself from drinking it. It was bitter, and as soon as it hit my stomach, I was stone cold sober, but when I tried to tell them what they could do with their magic paper, I couldn’t speak, the sounds just wouldn’t come out.”
“Same stuff I used to mute your friends there,” Kirk said with pride. “Those Forwaan, they know their magic, yes sir, they do. Isn’t it great? That first shot had him agreeing to the game. The next lot meant Daddy here couldn’t leave. Then, we gave him one that made him bet the lot. Ha! He was dumb enough to toss in the whole wallet and a wide open statement like that. You know what, Daddy? We could have taken a lot more than just the baby. You had some pictures of a mighty pretty lady, a couple of old folks- maybe your parents huh? We could have taken them all. You gave us an open invitation to anything in there, buddy.”
“I meant the money! You were meant to just take the money,” Tony bellowed. “I would never give away my boy. I love my boy.”
“Aw. Yeah well you lie down with dogs- something like that- or when in Rome. Oh hell. You were hustled, Tony. Good and proper. You had no chance after you had that first shot. Go on, tell the rest.”
“One of the other guys, he hadn’t said much but he came over and slapped my face and said ‘The Forwaan demons got themselves a pretty new showpiece for their human collection’. He said something like, the specimen was too small for them yet, too much hard work, they’d be back. ‘Twenty years for you,’ he says, ‘twenty years to the day, only two days for us’ and I didn’t know what he meant. But the demon he had the photo and he was making those noises again, and he sprinkled this powder on it and set a match to the picture. I wanted to yell and tell him that he can’t burn that, that’s my baby, but the powder just burned away and the picture was okay, it had these gold sparks coming off it though. He put it in this leather pouch and then in his pocket.”
“Holding spell. That’s what that was, the gold stuff Tony saw. Yeah, those demons put it on you so they could claim you later on. Good bit of magic that.” Kirk’s eyes widened as a thought hit him. “Wait till you see how they claim you tonight. You’re just gonna love that. No, wait. Most guys usually scream. A lot. Hmm.”
Xander bit his tongue. He looked around him, at Spike in his demon face, gold swirling in his furious eyes; at Buffy, Tara and Willow, who were leaning against Giles’ side, crying; at Anya, standing with Simon, clutching his hands. At Bilarl, who was running back and forth along the barrier, pounding it with his fists, falling back in obvious pain and beginning his assault again. Such heart wrenching reactions from everyone; then why was he so numb?
Tony was speaking again, Xander forced himself to turn back and listen to yet more of his father’s stabbing words.
“I was trying to yell, trying to scream, and told them I meant the cash, they could take the cash or even my credit cards, they couldn’t have my little boy, but then they were just gone. There was this light, it spun and they were just gone. Steve was long gone too, it was just me. I ran back out to the bar, but I still couldn’t speak, the guy behind the bar, he just laughed, he thought I was smashed. I tried to get him to give me something to write on, but he just had some guys come and throw me out.
“I couldn’t get back in, there was no back door. They wouldn’t let me in, those guys, they just stood there and I had to go. It was all dark when I got home, the clock in the living room said it was one in the morning but I didn’t think that could be right. The clock in the kitchen and my watch all said the same thing though. There were still balloons and streamers around the place and half a birthday cake on the table. Jess was asleep, you were in your crib.
“I slept on the couch that night. How could I face Jessie and tell her what I’d lost? I slept there the next night too, and most nights after that. She didn’t know why. It was too easy to start drinking. But it wasn’t enough to make me forget. Sometimes I went out and looked for them, Kirk and the others, but I never found them again. My own wife started to hate me. I couldn’t look at her without my heart breaking again. God it was even harder to watch you grow up, Xander. I was so stupid. I thought if you hated me it would be easier when they came to take you.”
“So, Daddy, is it easier? Look at your boy. I think he might hate you. Is it any easier now?”
Tony ignored Kirk and spoke directly to Xander. Xander didn’t fail to notice he hadn’t been ordered to speak this time.
“The last few months, I’ve been looking everywhere for them; every bar in Sunnydale and every bar in every town I ever went to. See, I’ve been getting money together, I have some money and if I can pay them back, then maybe they’ll let you go. I didn’t know what else to do. But I couldn’t find them.” Tony’s voice broke again as a fresh stream of tears poured from his eyes. “Son, I’m so sorry, I couldn’t find them. I looked so many places, asked so many people. I spoke to creatures I never even knew existed, but nobody could tell me where to find them. Twenty years, son, twenty years I’ve done nothing but hate myself for what happened. And look what happened to your mother. She was so beautiful and I broke her. I’m sorry, son. I’m so sorry.”
Kirk stood up from his crate and clapped. “Oh Jerry Springer, eat your heart out. The man couldn’t have done it better.” Kirk looked at Xander and shook his head. “Your father really wasn’t to blame, you know. Nobody could have found us; we just weren’t here. And he never bet you. But hey. I work for demons and they demand new specimens, so I did what I do.” He burst into peals of laughter. “But oh, boy, didn’t it turn out a treat? We got a new body for the exhibit, and by the luck of the draw, Alexander, it was you. Could just have easily been your Mom, or Grandpa- the Forwaan aren’t fussy. I got me a nice evening of entertainment and a family is in pieces. Colour me satisfied.”
Tony faced Kirk. “I have money. I can give you money.” He dug in his coat and pulled out a heavy sack. “Here, I’ve been collecting it for ten years, let me pay back my debt and keep my boy.” Tony held out the bag.
Kirk snorted, long and loud. “Daddy, you couldn’t collect in a hundred years what those freaks pay me in one night. Keep your money and I’m keeping the boy.”
“No. No you can’t, you have to take it. Take the money, he’s no good to you any more. He’s already claimed.”
Kirk’s face fell into a new mask, hard as steel. His eyes glinted, his jaw clenched and he slowly turned from Tony to Xander.
Xander felt his stomach drop. Funny, no roller coaster in sight, but that was exactly how it felt. He picked up a burst of worry from Spike, and inched closer to his vampire, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him tight.
Spike’s arm went around his shoulders and squeezed. He whispered quietly to Xander, “I think your dad just fucked things up even more, love. Stay with me, yeah? Don’t let go.”
Xander nodded. He didn’t care what Kirk said. He wasn’t going anywhere.
63
Xander stood by Spike’s side, his fingers digging into muscle as he clutched at Spike’s waist and waited for the fallout from his father’s outburst. At that moment, Kirk was still. No, not completely still. Xander could see that Kirk was holding himself so rigid, that his entire body was trembling. Tendons in his jaw tensed but did not relax. His chest heaved with his deep breaths. The only parts of Kirk that moved more than a miniscule amount were his fists. Kirk’s hands were clenched at his sides, his fingers curling and uncurling into fists; his knuckles were white.
Spike’s fingers tightened on Xander’s shoulder, and he was grateful for the strength he felt there in Spike’s hand. Xander watched Kirk carefully, knowing that there was little to nothing he could do if Kirk decided to attack.
Kirk’s fingers unfolded one last time, then, with no change in his expression, he lunged and grabbed Xander’s shirt, pulling it away from his neck. His eyes on the scar, Kirk snarled and roughly pushed Xander away from him. Xander let out a cry of surprise and stumbled back few steps, his arms flailing. With a frustrated growl directed at Kirk, Spike was there, catching Xander before he hit the ground.
Kirk spun away from them, snatched up a wooden crate and pounded it violently into a wall until it was nothing more than a pile of splinters. He said nothing, just uttered a low unbroken snarl, and methodically smashed the crate, stomping the smallest pieces into the ground. When there was nothing left to destroy, Kirk again faced them. Gone was any pretence of joviality or cheer.
“Dracula, you don’t know what you’ve done.” Kirk’s voice was steady but had an edge to it that showed how tenuous his control was. “That boy belonged to the Forwaan and now he’s useless.” He ended on a long screech, his eyes bulging.
Tony again held out the sack of money. “Here, take this. If he’s no good to you anymore, you take this and just forget about him then. Okay? It’s all okay then, right? You get some money and Xander can stay, you don’t need him anymore.”
Kirk spun around and let fly at Tony with his fist. Tony flew through the air and landed against a wall in a crumpled heap, the money bag he’d been holding fell to the ground.
“I DON’T WANT YOUR FUCKING MONEY, DADDY. I WANT THE EXHIBIT.” He started after Tony again, rage now marring his features.
“You bloody well can’t have the exhibit, you stupid wanker,” Spike shouted, stopping Kirk in his tracks. “You bonded someone on a Hellmouth. What did you think was going to happen? Do you have any idea how many times he might have been claimed since you left him? Your soddin’ Forwaan were too slow, mate. I got there first.”
“No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no.” Kirk grabbed handfuls of his hair. “You didn’t really do it did you? You haven’t claimed him, this is all just a trick to get me to leave him here. I know what you’re doing, Drac.” Kirk’s face was now alternating between rage and his faux good humour. It was a horrifying mix and clearly demonstrated Kirk’s fragile hold on sanity. “YOU CAN’T TRICK ME! I’M THE ONE WHO DOES THE TRICKS HERE. ME!”
“You’ve lost this one, mate. Take that bag of cash and cut your losses. Maybe if you’re fast enough, your boss won’t know what you’ve done.” Spike moved to pick up the sack but stopped, hands up, when Kirk, raised a fist and took a step towards Xander.
“No, you’re tricking, I know it, and I can prove it.” He laughed. “The jig is up, Drac.” Kirk dug in his pockets again and came up with a handful of small pouches. He glanced quickly at each one, discarding some immediately and tossing them on the ground, muttering to himself over others. Eventually, he settled on a tiny, nondescript brown bag, no bigger than a matchbox. He gave a triumphant bark. “Ha! You can’t trick me, not Kirk, no sir.”
“No one’s trying to trick you, mate,” Spike said slowly, as he tightened his grip on Xander, keeping him close. “This one is already claimed and that can’t be undone.”
“So you keep telling me, but I can find out.” Kirk waved the bag at Spike. “My boss guys, they make sure I have everything I need right here. This’ll call your bluff. Come here, Alexander Lavelle,” Kirk beckoned with an unsteady smile.
“No.” Xander held on to Spike with a death grip.
“Goddamn you, you won’t make this easy for me will you?” With two long strides, Kirk had Xander by the throat with one hand and was emptying the bag of power over his head with the other.
Spike was trying to grab Kirk, to push him away, but he was again repelled by the barrier. Spike howled in rage at his inability to help Xander.
Kirk laughed, his original persona at the fore for the moment. “There we go, Alexander. Any minute now, there’s gonna be a right pretty show. You like fireworks? Gold ones? That spell the Forwaan used on you, it’s gonna show up any second now.”
Kirk stepped back and watched Xander expectantly. When Kirk made no objections to the movement, Spike returned to Xander’s side, checking him over frantically.
Spike shifted to his human face, which was full of pain and concern. “Are you okay, love? If he’s hurt you-.” Spike’s hands ran gently over Xander’s neck.
“I’m okay, Spike, I’m fine.”
“Aw, now isn’t that just sweet enough to make me vomit. Yes sir, it sure is.” Kirk’s lip curled up as he spoke. “You might want to step back a little there, Dracula. This boy’s gonna go off. Oh, now don’t go growling at me again, it won’t hurt him none.” Kirk looked at the bag in his hand, checking the symbols, then looked back at Xander with a small frown. “Should be working by now.”
Xander held himself tall and tried to keep his voice steady as he spoke to Kirk. “We told you, the spell is gone. I belong to him now. I’m not going with you.” Xander held tight to Spike’s hand, knowing that Spike was the only one who could tell how scared he was.
Kirk’s smile faltered. “It should have worked by now. I know you were just tricking me, playing a game with Kirk. Just playing right?” A manic, stuttering stream of giggles poured from Kirk. “It was just a game!” he screamed.
“No it’s not,” Xander said, faking as much calm as he could. “It’s real. I’m claimed, you’ve lost.”
“NO!” Kirk shrieked, his eyes flickered between Xander and Spike. He pointed an accusing finger at Spike. “Oh, you’re gonna be sorry. You’re gonna wish you-. No.”
Kirk backed away not just from Xander and Spike, but, strangely, the portal too. As they both followed his eyeline, Xander saw that the portal was again active, spinning. Kirk was becoming more agitated by the second. His fingers twisted the pouch in his hand, then suddenly his face was lit with a look of dawning comprehension. He held the pouch up before his eyes and examined the symbol closely.
“Oh. Oh, god no. NO!” Kirk howled and scrambled on the ground checking and discarding the other pouches. “No, no no. Wrong bag, wrong powder.” He pointed accusingly at Spike and Xander and held out the bag. “You made me use the wrong one. This is the summoning powder. Oh god, no, they’re coming.”
Xander and Spike watched the portal, no sign yet of anyone coming through.
“I didn’t know!” he shouted at the swirling vortex. “How was I supposed to know another demon would get him. It’s not my fault. It’s not my fault, I didn’t know.” Kirk kept backing up, trying to put distance between himself and the portal. With his eyes fixed on the spiralling light, he didn’t notice the mound behind him and fell, sprawled over Tony Harris’ inert form.
“You! What kind of daddy lets his boy get bitten by Dracula? You didn’t look after him, Daddy, and he got bitten, and now look what’s happened. Look, Daddy.” Kirk kicked at Tony as he tried to get back to his feet. “Wake up you stupid man.” The panic in Kirk’s voice was evident, as he yelled and screamed at Tony, pummelling him with fists and hands.
Xander wanted to stop him. Tony appeared to be coming around, but was taking a beating. He would have run over and tried to do something, anything, to stop Kirk, but Spike held him fast.
“Love, you can’t do anything, you can’t touch him. He’s insane, he’ll turn on you if you go over there now, yeah?”
Xander saw Tony stirring and trying to stand. No matter what the man had done, Xander couldn’t stand by and watch this happen. Family was still family. “No! Get off him,” he yelled at Kirk. “Stop hitting him.”
“Xander, no,” Spike said with a harsh edge to his voice. “If you start something with him, I can’t stop him, mate.”
Kirk’s hands and feet stilled and he turned on Xander. “You! You let him claim you when you weren’t his for the taking.”
Xander braced himself for the attack, but it never came. Kirk had taken two steps and frozen, a look of horror on his face as he stared at the portal.
If Kirk was this scared, Xander knew he didn’t want to look, but it was the car wreck you couldn’t help craning to catch a glimpse of, and his head turned.
Through the swirling colour, Xander could see a body taking form and walking from the light. As it grew closer, it became more distinct. Not tall, but solid. No overly-obvious, bulging muscles, but it radiated a strength that Xander could almost feel. It wore loose flowing purple robes over a coarse, black, tight-fitting body suit. A richly embroidered skull cap covered its almost-human head; almost human but for the subtle distortion of facial features, that twisted an otherwise normal looking face into something horrific.
“KIRK!” the demon bellowed, its voice rumbled through the alley, and Xander felt it as a rippling through his body.
Kirk’s reaction was even more terrifying than the coming of the creature itself. He was prostrating himself, inching forward on his hands and knees, a low keening sound coming from him. For Xander, the turnabout in Kirk’s attitude spoke volumes about these demons, and his heart pounded in his chest when he thought of what they had planned for him.
As Kirk drew closer to the demon’s feet, his words became clearer. “I didn’t know, I’m sorry, I didn’t know, it’s not my fault, I didn’t know, it’s not my fault.” He stopped in front of the demon and pressed his forehead to its bare, clawed feet. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sor-.”
As Kirk made contact with the demon, Xander could see the charged air around both of them arcing with gold flecks as the barrier surrounding them merged. He knew that these two were both untouchable.
Kirk’s words were cut off as the demon kicked out at him, sending him rolling away. Quickly, he stopped himself and crawled back to the demon, again pressing his forehead down. He clutched the demon’s robes in his hands and continued his mumbled litany through the streams of blood running from gashes in his cheek.
The demon looked down on him contemptuously and spoke with a smooth, deep voice that held a hint of an unidentifiable accent. “You were charged with a simple task. Collect a bonded human, bring it to the holding bay. I assume from your greeting, you have failed, haven’t you, Kirk?”
Kirk snivelled against the demon’s robes. “I didn’t know, I didn’t know, I didn’t know.”
“You are incompetent, human.” The demon stepped back and pulled the fabric of his hem from Kirk’s hands. “Explain yourself.”
Kirk lifted his head and looked at the demon. “I’m sor-.” He grunted as the demon put its foot on his head and slammed it into the pavement.
“Do not put your eyes on me, you are worse than filth. You summon me to a collection that you should be capable of executing. It is apparent to me that you have not fulfilled your duty. Why should I not just crush your head now, Kirk?”
“No!” Kirk shrieked. “I didn’t mean to summon you, it was them, they made me confused. I meant to check the bond spell, but they made me-.”
“You would blame others, simple humans, for your own careless errors?” The demon increased the pressure on Kirk’s head, smiling as he screamed in pain.
“No,” Kirk cried. “They aren’t humans, one is a vampire and the boy, he’s been claimed already. Ah, stop, please, my head. My head.”
“Enough, human.” The Forwaan demon stared down at Kirk.
Kirk was immediately quiet and lay on the ground, unmoving. The demon did not remove its foot, but Xander could see Kirk’s relief as it took some pressure off his head.
Behind him, a groan caught his attention. Looking around, Xander noticed his father sitting himself upright against a wall, dabbing at the blood seeping from a wound on his head and cut on his mouth. He appeared relatively uninjured. Xander was not so surprised to feel relief that his father was okay. There were things they would need to work through when this was over. Maybe they would never have a normal father-son relationship, but given the circumstances of twenty years ago, Xander knew he needed to give some time to understanding his father.
Xander felt Spike’s grip on him tighten and looked back. The Forwaan was eyeing him steadily, its naturally twisted features giving no hint as to its thoughts.
“You are the bonded one?” it asked Xander.
“He’s bloody well not bonded to you. I’ve claimed him,” Spike said defiantly. “So you can just sod off and take that thing with you.” He indicated Kirk still lying under the demon’s foot.
The Forwaan sized up Spike then looked at Xander. “You let yourself be claimed by this vampire? You were bonded to the Forwaan and you let another demon have you?”
“He didn’t know,” Tony called, his words slightly impeded by his split lips. “I never told him what happened.” Tony looked up at the demon and met its eyes. “It was you wasn’t it? That night. You were the one with the magic.”
“Do not look at me, human. You are as weak as this one.” He increased the pressure on Kirk’s head briefly, smiling at the scream. “You gave your offspring to the Forwaan exhibit so many years ago, and you did not see fit to tell him of his good fortune?”
Tony kept his eyes down but yelled in frustration, “I didn’t give him, you stole him.”
“Minor details that have no bearing on the outcome.” The demon impatiently waved away Tony’s words. “You no longer interest me. Your offspring, however, is now useless to us, and this is a problem. You,” it said, pointing at Xander, “you were ours. You allowed another demon to claim that which belonged to the Forwaan. There are consequences”
“You can’t touch my claimed,” Spike said, moving in front of Xander. “This one belongs to me. You took too long to return for him and you’ve lost out.”
“Vampire, I can touch your claimed. I can kill your claimed. He has disrespected the Forwaan bond and there will be a penalty.”
Spike’s face rippled and the demon came to the fore. “He did not know about your fucking bond.”
“That is of no consequence,” the demon said dismissively. “He will pay for such an act with his life. You will see, the Forwaan are not a forgiving race.”
The demon lifted its foot from Kirk’s head and spoke harshly to him. “You, human, were more than useless. You accepted our payments and our hospitality yet you did not perform your duties.”
“I did, I did, I’m sorry, I won’t do it again. I can do it better next time. I’m sorry.”
Ignoring Kirk’s frantic, babbled apologies, the demon placed its foot back on Kirk’s head and slowly lowered it with mounting pressure. Kirk’s words gave way to screams. The demon smiled and increased the pressure. There was a sickening crack and a moist spatter and Kirk’s voice was cut off. The Forwaan raised its eyes to Spike and Xander and spoke slowly as it extricated its foot from Kirk’s head and wiped it on his sweater. “There are consequences for disrespecting the Forwaan. A life must be given.”
Spike shoved Xander behind him and the demon laughed cruelly. “What do you hope to achieve? You are aware that you can’t touch me, how do you hope to protect your claimed? You can’t, vampire. You may be strong and powerful in this world, but now you have nothing. What can you do vampire? How will you save your claimed? A life must be given.”
Spike howled in impotent rage, and Xander knew the Forwaan was right. There was no way for Spike to protect him, not if he couldn’t get through the barrier. They could duck and dodge, and in the end it would only prolong the outcome. There was no way out of the alley; there was no way for Buffy or Giles to get through to them.
Xander tried not to look at Kirk. He looked over at the back of the shop, at Willow; no, he couldn’t look at Willow, not his Willow crumpled into Tara’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. He tried to look at Anya, but the pain of seeing such a strong woman breaking down and sagging against Simon was too much. Next to her, Buffy and Giles supported each other. Xander had hoped never to see such an expression on Giles. A complete lack of control, his face distorted in despair. Buffy leaned against him, her pain clearly evident. Behind him, there was his father, picking himself up off the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. He was heaving as he caught sight of Kirk’s damaged head.
It was easier for Xander to look at Kirk. At the trickles of blood drying at the corners of his eyes and his ears. At the odd foot-shaped indent in his skull. At the tiny pinkish grey pieces spattered around his head, like a broken halo.
Xander wondered numbly if he would panic and scream as Kirk had done. No, he couldn’t do that, not with his friends still able to hear. Not with his father there. His father had been a coward, and Xander would show him that he had not grown up in Tony Harris’ image. No. He was a consort of William the Bloody, a consort of the Aurelian line, and would not go like a snivelling coward. He would be strong, he would make Spike proud.
He prepared himself for the inevitable end, realising that the long happy life he had expected was ending here and now. It helped to keep focused on Kirk. Xander couldn’t look at his friends again and he didn’t dare try to look at Spike. He didn’t need to look to know how Spike was feeling. The rage and fury seeped through the bond, even though Spike made an obvious attempt to block it.
Spike’s snarling voice snapped him from his reverie. “You want a death as payment? Then you take me. I claimed him, I will pay your fucking consequence.”
Xander’s stomach lurched, he couldn’t have heard that right; but he could feel the love and resolve from Spike, the link between them was opening again as Spike tried to calm himself and Xander. “No. Spike, no.”
“The Forwaan are unforgiving but not unreasonable,” the demon said. “Your offer of payment is considered appropriate and is accepted.”
Xander grabbed Spike by the shoulders. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Xander, I can’t do anything else to help you here, this is it.”
Xander scanned his demon’s face and saw the determination. His heart both raced and broke at the same time. “No! I won’t let you do that.”
“Love, I’m not going to stand by and let this thing kill you. What kind of master would do that? What kind of man?”
“Spike, no. We have forever remember? I have so many birthdays to annoy you with, this isn’t the last one.” Xander shook him. “This is not when we end.”
“It is for one of us, love, and I will not let it be you. I’m doing this Xander. There’s no two ways about it. How can I say I love you and then let you die for something I did?”
“We did. We did it together Spike.” Xander turned to the Forwaan. “Take both of us then. We claimed each other, it’s my fault as much as his.”
“I do not need two lives. The vampire’s sacrifice is sufficient to compensate the loss of our exhibit.”
“No! Spike please, don’t do this.” Xander wracked his brain trying to think of reasons, valid reasons, to make Spike change his mind. He came up with only one. “If you do this then I die too, I’m your consort. But if you let me go, then you’ll be okay. There. You can’t do this,” he said triumphantly.
“You’ll go to Angel, love. Rupert will get you there and you’ll be okay.” Spike looked over at Giles and was satisfied with the small nod of acceptance he received from the watcher.
Xander looked at him in horror. “Angel? Goddamn you, Spike, no.” Tears of anger or tears of heartbreak, Xander wasn’t sure which, but they burned his eyes and fell down his face. “Don’t do this to me, Spike. You said you wouldn’t leave me, you said we would fight them together.”
“I won’t let you die. Not if I have a say, not if there is anything I can do about it. We can’t touch them, love. We can’t touch them. That thing is going to kill one of us tonight and it will not be you. I told you I would do everything to keep you safe. This is the only thing I can do for you.”
Xander looked from Spike to the Forwaan and made a split decision. Pushing Spike aside, he launched himself at the demon, his hands reaching out for its neck. He never reached his target, but instead, felt himself pulled roughly from his path and held tight against Spike’s body.
“Come on now, love,” Spike whispered in his ear. “Don’t make this so hard for me.”
Over Spike’s shoulder, Xander could see the Forwaan smiling at his attempted attack, and began struggling in Spike’s arms, trying to reach the smirking demon.
“Spike, let me go, let me go.” Spike held him fast as Xander twisted and pulled, and he knew that even with his consort strength he was no match. So close to Spike, Xander easily felt the emotions his vampire was radiating. It was the sadness and resignation that finally got through to Xander, and he stilled, leaning into Spike.
“I’m sorry, love, but I refuse to let you die. I’m doing this.”
“I can’t let you go.” Xander’s voice broke and he buried his face in Spike’s neck, holding on for grim death.
“Vampire, will you waste more of my time on these entertaining displays of frailty? Perhaps then I will take your claimed instead.”
Spike growled at the demon. “We made a deal, you won’t touch him.”
“Then let us end this now, my patience wavers.”
Spike nodded once at the demon, then took Xander’s tear streaked face in his hands. “You go to Angel. Promise me now, love. You don’t have to stay there, but you go, let him help you, then you can come back here and let your friends look after you, yeah? You do that for me, love.”
Xander looked pleadingly at him but knew it would be no good. Spike had made a choice and as much as he hated it, and as much as it might tear him to pieces, he had to respect his master, his lover. Xander nodded. “Promise,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against Spike’s. “I don’t know if can do this.”
“You’re strong, Xander. It’s why I love you so bloody much. You make me proud yeah? You’re strong enough for this. You’re my consort.”
“No matter what Angel has to do, I’m your consort. I don’t want to be anything else.”
Spike smiled and kissed him. “That’s my boy. You give the poof hell for me.”
Xander gave a tiny smile. “Promise.”
“Vampire, I am tiring of this,” the Forwaan called.
Xander’s smile disappeared and he clutched at Spike, his voice breaking as fresh tears poured down his face. “I love you, Spike. You know I love you, right? I didn’t tell you enough, I should have told you more. But you know right?”
“I know, mate. You told me more than enough. You showed me.” Spike kissed him again, soft and sad, and Xander knew it was the last time. He felt it in Spike’s touch and it in the finality of the determined way Spike stepped back from him.
“You,” Spike said, pointing to Tony. “He needs his family now. Be the father he should have had. Help him through this.”
Tony Harris gave Spike a brief nod of acknowledgment and looked awkwardly at his son.
Xander wanted nothing more than to hold on to Spike, to keep him there until maybe the Forwaan lost patience and killed them both. Surely that would be an easier way than this. Easier, than watching Spike walk away from him forever. But it would not make Spike proud and Xander had promised. So he stood tall, let all the love and pride in his vampire flood him and pour through their bond. He knew it had reached Spike when it was returned to him ten-fold. Later he would fall apart, later he would allow every ounce of grief, loss and hatred for the Forwaan, break and consume him. Now he would be strong for Spike.
“This is why we collect humans,” the Forwaan said, with obvious pleasure in its voice. “The emotions they wallow in make for interesting exhibits. Despair is highly entertaining.”
“Just get this done yeah?” Spike faced the demon.
As the demon raised its hand to Spike, Xander forced himself to keep his eyes on the scene. It would have been too simple to look away, wait till it was over, but witnessing this was the only thing he could do for Spike, a small way to be with him until the end.
It was happening so slowly, the demon reached out for Spike, its hand wrapped around his neck. It must have been mere seconds, if that. Spike’s eyes were closed and he faced away from Xander; the link between them now still as Spike shut him out of the final pain. The demon began to lift Spike from the ground, by his neck.
“Wait! Wait! Please,” Tony Harris shouted. “Don’t kill him.”
Xander, so keenly focused on Spike, hadn’t noticed his father move. But there he was, on the ground in front of the demon, pressing his head against its feet as Kirk had done. The demon considered Tony for a moment, then slowly lowered Spike to the ground again.
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