Author's Note: This chapter's a little longer than usual, but I don't think that really matters to you guys. Um, I kinda stole Starcat's name from Nick Brendon's character in Psycho Beach Party, but that's pretty much where the resemblance ends. A lot of this chapter deals with vampire customs, and the one thing that you really need to know is that honour is a HUGE thing with my vampires. That's about it. Enjoy! -DM
Chapter Five
Xander couldn't see how life could get any better. He and Spike had left the Bronze after their dance and walked back to the lair. Xander could sense Fox, Aiden, and Ella not far behind, but the demonic trio respectfully kept their distance. He leaned against Spike as they walked, the vampire's arm wrapped possessively around his waist.
"Having a good birthday, luv?" Spike asked as they approached the nest's entrance. The blonde had kept quiet about the Claiming ritual, but he had hinted at it back at the Bronze. Excited as he was, Xander couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Performance anxiety, he thought dryly.
"The best," Xander replied, pressing a kiss to Spike's temple. "If the ritual involves chocolate in any way, I will die a very happy man." Hah! See, I can make with the innuendo too! came the hysterical thought from the back of his mind.
Spike chuckled. "It doesn't, but I'm sure we could improvise something," he purred.
Flanked by the three vampire warriors, the couple strode into the lair. At Dalton's signal, every vampire present knelt as Spike and Xander walked by. Every vamp, that is, except Damien.
A low growl came from deep in the hot-headed fledgling's throat. "I will not submit to a human!" Damien snarled, his face shifting back and forth between human and demonic features as he fought to control his rage. "His kind are weak; they are our natural prey! Have all of you gone mad? We should be feasting on this, this boy, not submitting to him!" he shouted.
Starcat, a young vampire known for his strength rather than for his intelligence, snarled and viciously backhanded Damien, sending the slender fledge crashing to the ground. "You dare to bring our Master's honour into question?" he roared. "You should be grovelling at his feet! He is the one who saved you from the torments of a mortal life, and yet you insult his honour?" Starcat grabbed Damien by the throat and hauled the smaller male off the floor. "Master Spike has shown an amazing amount of patience when it comes to you, fledge. You're damned lucky to have one such as he for a Sire," he hissed, slamming Damien against the wall of the lair.
Spike watched all of this impassively, making no move to help his headstrong Childe. He didn't seem too surprised at Starcat's actions and Xander didn't blame him. The giant vampire was Ben's Childe and was subsequently incredibly loyal to Spike, just as his Sire was.
The Brit released Xander's hand and touched Starcat's arm. "Put the whelp down, mate," he said. "I'll deal w'him after the ritual. Then 'e can pay 'is respects proper." Spike smiled faintly. "Though, I 'ave to admit, Damien 'ere does bring up a good point."
Xander looked up, shocked at what Spike had said. Fear gripped him in its icy claws. Was the Master planning on not going through with the ritual? Xander felt Ella's arm go around him and he leaned against the vampiress, grateful for her support.
"By the laws of our Order, it wouldn't be proper for me to make this human cub my Consort," Spike announced. He looked around the room, meeting the eyes of every vampire present. Xander thought he was going to be sick. "I can't make this man my Consort," Spike continued, "because I love him."
Stunned silence followed Spike's announcement. Xander lifted his gaze to meet Spike's, who was smiling faintly. The vampire walked up to Xander and took his hands. "Alexander LaVelle Harris," he said slowly, using Xander's full name. "I would be honoured to have you as my lifemate, if you choose to accept my offer."
Xander gave the vampire one of his trademark lopsided grins and kissed him softly. "I'd be honoured, Master Spike," he said quietly.
"No more 'Master,' luv. My rank is yours now," Spike purred. With one swift move, he swung the young telepath over one shoulder and headed toward his quarters, leaving behind a stunned pack of demons.
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Xander woke up slowly, a feeling of utter contentment running through his body. Spike was still soundly asleep next to him, one pale arm wrapped possessively around the big man's waist, holding him close. With a yawn, Xander stretched languidly and rolled over to face his lover.
His lover. Spike was his lover. For once in Xander's life, they were truly equal, not Master and subordinate. Gingerly, Xander touched the bite mark at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Overnight, it had faded to a silvery scar, but it was still tender to the touch.
"I hope you're not 'aving second thoughts, luv. That mark won't go away," Spike mumbled sleepily, his fingers running up and down Xander's arm.
"I'm not," Xander replied. "It still doesn't seem real. I feel like I'm just going to wake up sooner or later."
Before Xander could blink, he found himself flat on his back with Spike on top of him. The vampire licked and nipped a fiery trail along Xander's jaw line before kissing the young man deeply. "Trust me, luv," Spike mumbled huskily against Xander's lips. "It's real."
Xander grinned at him and returned the kiss forcefully, battling Spike for dominance. "Mine!" he sent as he nipped sharply at the vampire's lower lip.
Spike bucked against him, hissing softly. "Yours, pet," he gasped. "All yours." Purring, the Brit kissed a path down Xander's neck, pausing over the Claim mark.
Xander laughed as Spike laid tiny, kitten-like licks around the bite, then yelped in surprise and pleasure as the vampire placed a suckling kiss on the sensitive mark. "Fuck," the telepath hissed, bucking his hips up to meet Spike's. "Spike, what the fuck was that?" he gasped as the wave of pleasure passed over him.
The older man chuckled. "Nice l'il side effect of my Claiming you, luv. The mark stays that sensitive." Spike slid himself up Xander's body and pressed a quick kiss to the young man's lips. "I've got an idea; wait 'ere," he said before hopping off the bed and walking stiffly over to the refrigerator.
Before Xander could probe his lover's mind for an explanation, Spike returned to the bed and kissed the telepath roughly. "Remember how you said that you would die a happy man if the ritual involved chocolate?" Xander nodded. Spike gave him a wolfish grin and held up a pint of Ben and Jerry's Death By Chocolate ice cream. "Told you I could improvise something," he purred.
Xander looked at Spike, then at the ice cream, and then back again. A slow smile appeared on his youthful features. "Giddy up, then," he said.
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Damien was being far too silent for Dalton's liking. The fledgling stood at the far end of the main chamber, throwing knives at a target on the wall. He was up to something, Dalton was sure of that. What he was up to, however, remained a mystery. The young vampire hadn't even gone out to hunt; he simply stole a younger male's kill instead and devoured it himself, not bothering to clean up the gory mess afterward.
Dalton rose and stretched, trying to get the knots of tension out of his back. Giving Damien a wide berth, he walked down the dimly lit passageway to Ella and her lover, Cooper's, room. Ella had been in the Order since the early 1900's and Cooper was turned in the famed Stonewall Rebellion in 1969. Both females were often the voices of reason in the Order of Aurelius, preventing the impulsive Spike from doing anything too rash. Dalton hoped that they would be able to help him with Damien.
Both women listened to his story, occasionally exchanging glances that Dalton couldn't read. "I certainly wouldn't put it past Damien to try to sabotage the Master's plan, even this late," Ella said, looking to her lover for confirmation.
Cooper nodded in agreement. "I'd let Master Spike know as soon as he's available," the young vampiress advised. "We'll keep an eye on the little shit for now."
Dalton checked his watch and rose to his feet. "Thank you both," he said sincerely. "I can only hope that things will work out for the best."
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A gentle touch to his shoulder roused Spike from his sleep. He curled into the touch, a subsonic purr emerging from deep in his chest.
"You're like an over-grown kitten," came the amused comment.
Spike opened his eyes and increased the volume of his purr. "Sign of a utterly content vamp, mate," he responded sleepily, bringing Xander's hand to his lips and kissing the telepath's knuckles.
"We should get up," Xander said reluctantly, dropping a kiss to Spike's shoulder blade. "The sun's almost set."
The Englishman yawned, a sharp twinge in his stomach reminding him that there was one part of his body that wasn't satisfied yet. "We could 'ead over to the cinema an' grab a quick supper," he suggested, watching his lover dress. "Get you somethin' at that nasty fast food place you like, an' then see a film?"
Xander tossed Spike a pair of jeans and a shirt, then pulled on his own tie-dyed shirt, ignoring Spike's snort of disgust. "Sure," the whiskey-eyed man agreed. "Maybe I'll actually get you to try a Doublemeat Medley this time," he added with a smirk as he tied a tan bandana around his head, keeping his long hair out of his eyes.
Spike shuddered at the memory of the grease-filled "burgers" served at the infamous Doublemeat Palace. "I'll pass on that one, luv," he replied, reluctantly pulling on his clothes. "They've got too many florescent lights, an' you know that a lot of nasty demons love those." He picked his duster off the floor, taking a moment to lovingly run his fingertips against the worn leather before putting it on and tying his Doc Martens.
"Where's my other Birk?"
The vampire looked around, located the errant sandal, and tossed it to his lover. He ran his hands through his tousled blonde hair, which was sticking up in random tufts, and contemplated whether or not he should attempt to return some semblance of order to it.
"Leave it," Xander said, responding to his unspoken thought. "It looks cute."
Spike scowled at him, but left his hair alone. "I am not cute," he mock-growled. "I'm the Big Bad; I can't be 'cute.'" Xander pouted, but said nothing. The vampire rolled his eyes and gave a theatrical sigh. "Git. C'mere," he said, pulling the telepath close and softly kissing him.
"I love you," Xander whispered, brushing his hand against Spike's cheek.
Spike's unbeating heart twisted a bit at his lover's words and he smiled, his inner demon berating him the entire time. Wanker. Turnin' into a giant poof, you are, a little voice in the back of his mind grumbled. Spike pushed the thought down, for fear that Xander would pick it up. He pressed his forehead against the taller male's.
"Love you too, Xan."
They stood that was for several long seconds, then Spike pulled away, taking Xander's hand in his own. "Come on, then. Time to see what sort o'damage those tossers 'ave done to the nest."
The two males emerged from Spike's quarters and as soon as they were noticed, Ben knelt at their feet. "Hail!" the loyal vampire announced to the rest of the Order. "Hail to our new Master! May he bring honour to our Order for as long as he lives. All hail Alexander the Master!"
Spike felt his heart fill with pride as he saw the entire Order of Aurelius kneeling at his love's feet. He opened his mouth to make a speech, but he was abruptly cut off by a cry from the back of the room.
"Wait! I have an announcement!"
Everyone turned to look at Damien as the young fledge escaped from Cooper's grasp and shoved his way to where Spike and Xander stood. Spike recognised the dangerous gleam in his Childe's eye and stepped in front of his mate, growling a warning.
Damien, however, made no move to come any closer. "Alexander Harris, I refuse to submit to your authority, and I'm Challenging your right to bond with my Sire!"
Xander glared at the hated vampire and Spike suddenly realised with a sick feeling what Damien was about to do. He lunged at his Childe, viciously backhanding the younger male. "No!" he roared.
Damien stood and ignored Spike, instead facing Xander. "In the name of Angelus, the greatest Master of our Order, I call the Blood Rite Challenge on you!"
Spike whirled around, horrified at Damien's words. "You can't! He's not a vampire!"
"By life-bonding with him, you made him one of us, Spike," Damien said coldly. "He is now bound by the same laws as any vampire in the Order."
Helplessly, the Brit turned to Dalton. "There must be something!" he said desperately, not caring how weak he must look. "As a Master, can't I overrule it?"
Dalton shook his head sadly. "Not by the rules of the Blood Rite. If Damien had called it in your name, you could've. Unfortunately, he called it in the name of your Grandsire, who is no longer with us." He thought for a moment. "As one of the Challengers, though, Xander can refuse the Challenge, as he is of a higher rank than Damien."
All eyes turned to Xander, whose gaze had never left Damien's. Spike stood in front of his lover, cupping the dark-haired man's cheek, knowing the physical contact would allow Xander to feel the full effect of Spike's fear. "Please, luv," he whispered. "You have to refuse. You can't win a Challenge, an' you'll die if you lose!"
Xander nuzzled the vampire's palm. "I can't refuse with honour, Spike, you know that. You and Dalton have both taught me to always act with honour, and I'm not going to ignore that now," he said quietly. Spike felt his heart rend as Xander gave him a forced smile and kissed him gently. As he let the young telepath go, the vampire could taste a salty liquid on his lips.
"Damien Merquise," Xander announced. "I accept your Challenge."