Disclaimer: Don't own the characters nor make any money from stories etc, and bow down to their original creators Joss, et al., plus all the wonderful online writers who continue to give the Buffy/Angel verse characters life.
Dedicated to tempestsreach who inspired the story and deserves all the hugs that one could provide.
PART 11
Spike fed and pleasured Xander three more times before the young vampire came to full awareness around midday the following day. He had left his Childe sleeping, sated once more and moved to yet again replenish his own blood levels. He had just finished a second feeding glove full when he heard a rather tentative voice. "Spike? Where…? Holy s&! Spike? Please I need... um… Oh…"
Spike flew to his side and pulled him up into a tight, reassuring embrace, "Sssshhh Luv, no need for panic." Spike stroked Xander's hair rhythmically and began to purr. Xander's demon responded instantly and he calmed.
"Oh Spike… I didn't mean to fight with you that day, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… and you still came for me. It was you, wasn't it? 'Cause it … well it was all so muddled, and there was so much pain and I thought… Oh Spike!" Xander buried his face in Spike's neck and without thought began to lick over the healing wound he found there. It was an instinctive and comforting act, as Spike's quiet baritone rumbled through his chest, soothing him almost as much as the purring had while he listened to the account of his rescue.
When Spike came to the part about Jaquin and the removal of the newly hatched spiders, Xander began to shake violently. Had it not been for Spike's strong embrace, he would have given in to the urge to scream and sob with the remembered pain and fear.
Spike was on the edge of tears himself as he continued in a soft, what he hoped loving tone. "But it was too late Xan – even with The Powers and Illyria, we were still too late. I'm so sorry sweetheart… I was so weak… so we were too late. But I couldn't lose you, never you… then they promised… and they said you'd keep your soul, so I um… Oh Xan… I um…"
Xander stilled instantly, pulled out of the embrace enough to give a wide eyed stare of realization into Spike's rather tearful azure gaze, before whispering, "You…turned me?" It was not so much a question as a statement. Spike simply nodded and allowed single tear to track down his cheek.
Xander said "Oh." before returning to the hug to contemplate what that meant, how he felt about it. His felt his demon, quiet and content as the fledgling sat wrapped in his Sire's arms. His soul was anchored, he knew that too somehow. But he was still a vampire, still one of the undead. They had never spoken about his wounded charge turning him, but what else could Spike have done? What would he have done if their roles had been reversed? And the Powers that Be had all but forced Spike's hand with the promise of the soul. He had already been effectively dead, now he had Spike until they were both dust… Sire until they were both dust … and he realized his demon instincts had corrected the name for him… He was in the arms of Sire…
Spike worried as the tense silence extended, but then he felt Xander beginning to nuzzle at his neck again in full gameface. Spike felt the sting, then the pull and let him take a mouthful before allowing his own face shift and reciprocating – completing the blood circle and letting Xander feel the truth of family through the red liquid.
Both vampires groaned and began to sense their mutual arousal. Spike almost came as Xander pulled off his neck and lovingly sighed "Sire" into Spike's right ear. He too finished drawing blood, and claimed Xander's mouth in a kiss that began fiercely possessive, and ended many minutes later with a passion that saw them both completing without touching their nether regions. Spike in his jeans and the nude Xander in the sheets that were still tangled around his lower half.
Coming down from their mutual high, Xander whispered, "I love you Sire", and received "And I you Childe" in return.
They lay down together feeling sated and relaxed, and continued gently stroking each other, while they began to contemplate their unlife together.
"Guess I'll have to give up that dream of being that well tanned professional life guard huh…" Xander turned to Spike and grinned.
"Dunno Pet, all those night surfers need protecting too… be a whole new dimension to the service… course I guess you'd have to be officially called an 'unlife guard'." Spike flashed Xander a wicked smirk then became quite serious. "Bloody hell, Pet, we'll have to sort some funding – I'd bet my last rahzou that the bastards in that law firm have declared you deceased and frozen your assets."
The loud buzzing of the phone interrupted the conversation as the panicked voice of Jason began to leave a message. Spike all but flew to the phone and picked up.
……………………..
Jaquin had set the trap in the wee hours of the following day.
Wendy Malkowitz arrived for work early as usual, kicked off her shoes and started up her computer ready to check Emails and review Ms Morgan's schedule. She had learned the hard way that being under prepared for Ms Morgan meant serious consequences under anesthetic.
Lilah waltzed into the building around an hour and a half later. She had requested no meetings be scheduled for that day and was quietly confident that her stupid little PA would have made certain that her instructions were followed to the letter – especially after her permanent reminder of the consequences a fortnight or so ago. Lilah mused smugly for a moment. The doctors in the lab were becoming more and more expert at the limb transfers. It was lucky she could find them so many 'volunteers'. Without a doubt the money made from selling the extra parts and performing the human transplants direct was a masterstroke when trying to cover the expense of the more innovative experiments in the Special Projects division.
Lilah hardly even looked at her secretary, but noted that the girl's shoes were off, so dispensed with greetings and simply commented in a haughty tone that dripped venom, "If you need to flaunt your new extremities, I will assign you to a place in the building you can display your assets fully for the viewer's pleasure."
Wendy gulped, swiftly shoved her paws into the uncomfortable shoes.
She dropped her eyes as she handed Lilah the mail for the day. It was a neat pile already categorized and color coded with a confirmation note on the front to say that there were no meetings scheduled. Her only reward was a "Humpf." Wendy hoped that it would be good enough to get her out of being one of the 'features exhibits' at the demon strip club provided for some particular clients in Basement 3 of the building.
The young PA was so tired of being frightened every day, that, when a call came from someone in the Filing and Data Entry division to say she was being moved – effective immediately - she simply cleared her desk into small storage box resignedly, and struggled into the lift, pushing the button for floor B1.
…………………
Rodney had struggled into the office looking decidedly drained. Stacy had had a very bad night.
The new structure of her back and legs was simply not designed to carry the upper body of a human, so he had, yet again, spent most of the night administering painkillers, massaging the cramping muscles, and holding her while she cried. They needed new furniture at home, he had decided.
She was unable to sit on the lounge suite unless on the very edge or even lie comfortably unless facing the back. He had spent some time on the bus to work designing something that would bring her both relief and comfort… a seat not a perch. He was sure that a good part of her current distress was due to having to stand all day.
He had kissed her tenderly, then rung in sick for her. It was the third time in the past month – soon she would be risking her job due to absence – and then what!
His own legs were less problematic, and though his joints ached, often, at least they were designed for a larger animal, not a bird.
He looked at the pile of memos on his desk and sighed then noted the top one.
"Transfer of staff:
Who: Wendy Malkowitz from Lilah Morgan's office to Filing and Data Processing When: Effective immediately Action: Make Ms Malkowitz comfortable and assign tasks as appropriate Special Note: She has been part of the Special Projects' volunteer program so may need a modified work station.
Regards T Jaquin HR Dept"
Rodney had no idea who the particular HR person was, but knew enough that the poor girl had suffered as his darling Stacy had done. He fisted the paper in anger, then had to straighten it out again. He was determined, 'Wendy Malkowitz' would be made felt very welcome and appreciated by their division.
He hurried out to arrange an office space for her on the floor.
Two hours later, the girl in question struggled from the lift and was met by friendly greetings and kind words.
She noticed that a number of the individuals had 'altered' forms. Apparently her now former boss had more than one grudge to satisfy. So when Rod finished the introductions, showed her to her desk, then gave her an encouraging, "We all really do know what you are going through." She almost burst into tears, but instead, smiled and kicked off her shoes. She knew for a fact that no one in this division at least, would mind!
…………………
There was noone in the corridor as Jaquin 'did his rounds'. It seemed that the executives in the other offices on the floor were all extremely busy.
The structure of the floor meant that Lilah had almost an entire side of the building to herself. She had her enormous office, a large meeting room plus two smaller ones for negotiations, bathroom and food preparation area, storage room and her PA's diminutive office.
The old one walked into the PA's office. He knew that the camera for that corridor would show him entering the office of the young assistant, but also that he could disable the camera from a panel in the office itself. He did so swiftly, and held it disabled for around a minute before replacing it. Anyone watching would merely assume a 'glitch' and that he had spent his designated ten or so seconds then left via the the unmonitored emergency exit as was his custom. At the same time he pushed the 'Record Only' button for the cameras in Lilah's rooms. It was a precautionary measure installed to protect some of her less 'savory' characters from the eyes of underlings. Unless Lilah hit the 'Save', the video images taken would not be preserved. And even then it was password access only, for her, the CEO, and the Senior Partners.
He knocked quietly on Lilah's door then let himself in without invitation.
"What!" Lilah didn't even bother turning her chair to face the door, instead simply snarled, "I have told you, so this better be good Wendy, or it's tails-r-us for you, got it!"
Lilah turned just in time to see the form of the security guard split down the centre and unfold, much as a mature cocoon might, revealing an enormous pray mantis. Initially too stunned to move, she missed the opportunity to alert other security staff as she was plucked from her seat by the lightening strike of front attacking arms, the a speed and accuracy typical of his species – even his tiny cousins on earth.
She was suspended by barbed legs that held her arms fast and surrounded her torso completely. Her feet were no longer touching the ground and she faced the visage of a vicious insect predator whose feelers were bent over against the ceiling, despite the particularly high architecture. Though she was held fast she refused to scream. There was no point, all the offices were sound proofed. Her only hope was the cameras.
Lilah quelled her natural terror and began to use her most seductive voice, despite an initial waver, "I'm very … ahh pleased to make your acquaintance…. But I'm sorry, my PA must have missed noting our appointment… and you would be?"
Jaquin mustered his best his best 'human' voice, at least one that might be heard. He understood the current language, it was primitive and simplistic, so he translated his message in the same terms. "You have hurt an Old One's Pet, and violated a former champion of the Powers. It is also evident that you are disrespectful of the beings that are your co-workers, loyal to a fault to the Senior Partners until your decisions to 'alter' them. The Senior Partners are complicit in this venture as they too work to find balance in this realm, something you seem determined to destroy for your own advancement, by manipulation or viciousness. You have chosen to violate the balance. I am the deliverer of their retribution…"
Lilah attempted to spit her answer out, before being permanently beheaded by the mantis, but Jaquin did not do as expected. Instead he delicately nipped off her hands and feet, then scalped her, dropped her bleeding form and consumed the parts, as she watched. She passed out by the time a second appendage, her own left foot, was crushed and consumed by the deadly jaws.
She came to, but had no idea of when. Despite her disorientation, she registered his almost subsonic voice.
"Your agenda has not served the purpose of the Senior Partners, or the Powers. We have all worked so hard to seek balance. We old ones have slept for over many hundreds of millennia, and yet it is in the last few that we are most disappointed, and in the last decade that that disappointment has evolved into a power struggle.
"The human race is flawed, strident, unreasonably confident and mercenary. It truly is the ooze that eats itself.
"And to prey on, and violate, so many creatures, so exquisite in the making and so fair in their form? Exactly how long did you expect that to last? And now you combine species against their will – or at least the physical manifestation thereof – or feed one to another as humans so gleefully do with their 'pets'… because you can?..."
"You are an amateur, about to be reprimanded for your arrogance, dear lady, and, before your care to mention? The Senior Partners do endorse your 'service to date' but are... tired of your antics."
Lilah already bore the evidence of a beheading from years ago, but this was different. That the Senior Partners might abandon her had never been considered. She was the favorite!
It was apparent that her status had slipped, and she was aware enough to register the large being carrying her to somewhere in the bowels of her own building, along a corridor she recognized with a measure of dread, then into… She passed out again.
She came too, plastered, nude, against the sticky web that had been the final fate of so many 'uncooperative' clients of hers, and a few employees, just for her good measure!
She was light headed, though a little puzzled that her attacker seemed to have tended her wounds and certainly stemmed the blood flow. The realization as to why was merely seconds in coming. Her body reacted instinctively and she released her waste just before she was swiftly wrapped by the enormous spider that she was so happy to feed others to.
But Jaquin was not finished.
He communicated with the magnificent arachnid.
She and her still to hatch - babies were to be transported back to his insect realm to live their lives, revered and in safety, provided she disposed of Lilah slowly.
The spider merely nodded at the suggestion. And before Jaquin called up the portal she had agreed and swiftly grabbed the wrapped prize and then deposited a full lay of eggs inside the abdomen of the body, the bound, appendage free and scalped, Lilah.
The former Wolfram and Hart pariah was aware for the first part of the impregnation, but would no doubt be more concerned as she awoke. She would have been even more concerned, two days later, to feel the movement of small bodies, and powerless to stop the consumption of her internal organs. In the mean time, she was conscious enough to know that the large spider was lifting her precious load, Lilah, the feed body, into the portal. She knew she was doomed.
Jaquin was done with the realm of the human. The Wolf, the Ram and the Hart were working on an agenda that was ageless, but sometimes their agenda's did, indeed, need questioning. His gracious, other dimensional nod to the Higher Powers did not go without notice.
His reign would be long and fruitful, just not on Earth.
Jaquin tore the heads off two hapless Wolfram and Hart clients consuming the bodies swiftly as he exited the building. His transition to his own nether world was to be an easy one.
He was a day early, but looked forward to greeting his spider friend into his own realm, as promised. The human husk that traveled with them was irrelevant – and his friend's babies would be admirable assassins! The Powers acknowledged his right and honored their pact.
…………………….
Spike answered the phone with trepidation.
"Hi… Hi …. Hang on … There you go!... Sorry Jas… um… Yeah found Xan… and oh Ghahhh Jas... thanks for the time but… um… Are you free tonight? Cause I'd really like to … We'd... I guess like to… Ahhh geez … Just come if you can OK?"
"Is he OK? C'mon Will? What's the deal? OKOKOK! We'll be there, what time?"
"Just come over around seven … and Jas?"
"Yeah?"
"You're a bloody gem mate… and so's that boy of yours!"
"Ummmm? Yeah yeah ... Glad you found him OK... Just... see you soon, alright?"
Spike rang off.
His 'Spider sense' told him that Jaquin had finished his task.
His new Childe slept on, and he hoped that their friends would endure, even after their soon to be revelation.