Spoiled & Rotten
Chapter Seven
Xander raced to catch up with Angel, the older
man's lengthy stride eating up ground quickly. He called out after Angel. "Hey,
give a guy a chance to catch up!"
Angel stopped and turned suddenly and Xander
crashed right into him, knocking them both over. Xander landed on top of Angel
with a heavy thud. Xander looked down at him with a lopsided grin. "'K. I just
wanted you to slow down. Stopping wasn't really on the agenda."
Angel couldn't take his eyes off Xander's
mouth. That smile, the simple unguarded one he rarely saw, never failed to affect
him. There was just something about those full lips, the way they curved upwards,
the corners just slightly crooked, that mesmerized him.
Xander's gaze darkened as he realized to where
Angel's attention had drifted. He inched his head lower, wondering idly if there
was any difference in the way Angel kissed when he had a soul. His grin widened
as watched Angel lick his lips in anticipation.
"Well, isn't this cozy." A sardonic voice
drawled from above the pair.
Angel and Xander turned to glance up at the
new arrival.
"Spike." Angel said grimly.
"Miss me, did you, Peaches? What else would
bring you back to Sunnyhell?"
Xander and Angel quickly sought to extricate
themselves from one another. They jumped to their feet and Angel turned to face
his errant childe.
"Yeah, Spike, because a visit back to the
old stomping grounds just wouldn't be the same without running into you." Angel
stepped closer to Spike, menacingly. "You know, I never did get the opportunity
to thank you for your visit to Los Angeles."
Spike was confused. This was Angel standing
in front of him, there was no question about that. Yet, he seemed different
somehow. There was a power and command to his stance that Spike wasn't used
to seeing. He definitely wasn't the Slayer's lap dog. On the other hand, he
wasn't quite the soulless demon either.
Add in what he had seen transpire moments
ago between Angel and Xander and it left Spike...unhinged. "Well, I-"
Angel took another step closer and grabbed
Spike by the throat. "It's almost sad, Spike. No matter how many times this
town kicks your ass, you always have to come back for more. You're a masochist.
Oh wait, I already knew that."
Spike just gaped at him in stunned amazement.
Then he felt a warm hand on his chest as Xander moved between the two of them,
separating them. "Look, Deadboy, as much as I'd love to sit and watch you grind
Junior here into talcum powder, we don't have time for this."
Angel looked at Xander, suspiciously. "Oh
and why would you enjoy that? I thought you two were so close."
Xander was at a loss for words. He knew this
entire situation was his own fault. He let Angel believe that he and Spike had
had a relationship. Now he was going to pay the price for trying to invoke Angel's
jealousy.
Unfortunately, he was going to have to admit
to his foolishness in front of two vampires, who were both eyeing him with great
interest.
"Fine, I lied. Giles needed someone to put
Spike up while a friend of his was in town. Nothing ever happened. Can we please
go now and find a nice roomy crypt for Buffy and Faith before the men with the
guns show up?" Xander turned and headed off across the cemetery, his face flaming
with mortification.
Angel grinned down at Spike before tossing
him against a headstone. "Good to see you, boy." He turned and went after Xander.
Spike sat on the cold ground for a moment,
replaying the scene he'd just been an unwilling participant in. "Bloody hell.
Like I'm going to miss this. This is better than 'Passions'." He scrambled to
his feet and raced after the pair.
Angel fell into step alongside Xander. They
walked in silence for a moment before Angel ventured, "Why did you let me think
that you and Spike-"
"You're over two centuries old, Angel. Figure
it out." Xander spit out the words, furious with himself.
Angel spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully.
"I tried that. The only thing I can come up with is that you were trying to
make me jealous."
"Now why would you be jealous if the Anchovy
Kid here and I got horizontal?"
Xander groaned as Spike joined the conversation.
"I knew I should have let you stake yourself."
"You tried to stake yourself?" Angel looked
at Spike in concern.
"Yeah, Wills and I walked in on him before
he could do the deed. Then she wouldn't leave him alone in case he tried it
again."
Angel's expression was serious. "Spike, I
can't believe that you were going to kill yourself. You know, you didn't have
to go to such drastic measures. You could have called me. I would have been
happy to do it for you."
Xander chuckled as Spike sputtered indignantly.
"That's pretty much what I said to him." Xander stopped and pointed to a large
stone mausoleum at the top of the path. "There it is. The MacDougal crypt."
"You two shacking up?" Spike asked. "Lovely
choice. Especially the large stained glass panel on the rear wall." He turned
to Xander. "Hope you brought a broom for the Nancy Boy here."
"Damn! I forgot about that." Xander turned
to Angel. "We're going to have to keep looking then. But it's not going to be
easy to find one enough to house two hospital beds."
Angel looked a Spike, a speculative gleam
in his eyes. "Spike can help us." He quickly filled the younger vampire in on
the situation and then glowered at him as Spike began to laugh uproariously.
"They're trying to kill their own Slayers?
Bloody Hell! They should have sold tickets. Demons'd be lining up 'round the
block to see that." He leaned against a headstone as his laughter slowly faded.
"And why would I help them?"
Angel took a menacing step towards him. "Because
I'm telling you to."
Xander muttered under his breath. "Yeah, like
that's going to work." He reached out and placed a restraining hand on Angel's
arm. "C'mon, Angel. We don't have to time for this. Why would Spike want to
help us? It's not like it's in his best interest or anything. I'm sure when
the next Slayer is activated, she'll be very sympathetic to his plight."
Angel immediately understood Xander's game.
He nodded and moved away. "Of course, Slayers being known for their compassion."
"Yeah. I mean 'poor, impotent William the
Bloody.' Her heart will go out to him."
Spike watched for a moment as they walked
off before calling out after them, "The Petersen Crypt. It's big, no sunlight
and there's a sewer access grate right outside the door."
Xander and Angel exchanged an amused glance
before Xander gestured grandly, "Lead the way, Billy Idol."
Spike lit a cigarette and shoved the pack
roughly into the pocket of his duster. He strode past them muttering furiously.
"Fuck me."
Xander snorted, "You wish."
Angel lifted a brow in surprise and Xander
grinned at him.
"Hey, I'm moist and delicious."