"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world." -Ephesians 6:12

Twice Lucky

Boca Del Inferno

Chapter 4:

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The water was hot; not so hot that it burned his flesh, but hot enough that he could feel it scraping away the dirt.

He wasn't dirty in the physical sense of the word, more metaphorically. He'd been touched, and felt the need to clean it off, by the demon who was once a human, a vampire. He despised himself for being in contact with Angelus, as he hated - hated - the dark ensouled creature.

He let the water run through his hair, down his back and onto the shower floor; he poured soap onto his hands and began scrubbing once again. Steam filled the small room, so much so that he could barely see anything.

He rinsed and turned the shower off, the cold air leaching in like the very darkness he fought against; the hairs on his body rising to the challenge.

Xander stepped out and noticed the steam rising off him. Native Americans believed that when the body died, the steam was the soul reaching for the heavens. Xander smiled grimly. With the things he was going to do, his soul would probably be reaching downwards to join the abomination known as the First in the very pits of Hell. Xander was certain that she had a special place just for him.

Angel, aka Angelus, aka Liam. Xander wondered what would happen if he staked him right in the heart. No hesitation, no remorse would it be the same as taking an innocent life? A human life?

Perhaps…

He'd been pretty close to doing it the first night he'd seen Angel; the urge had been overwhelming. What he'd done to Buffy, the torment he'd put her through, Willow, and even their life-long teacher and friend, Giles. A smile passed over his lips. He had plans for Ms. Calendar, and that meant she had to live. He was going to be having words with the Kalderash clan. They should have prepared Angel better for the trials that lie ahead. Maybe if he'd known what he knows now, they could've avoided all that trouble before.

Xander sighed.

So much to plan and do, and so little time.

He smiled.

That had been the whole idea of coming back in time; so that he could have the time to make these preparations. But, Xander knew that was not real-world thinking. He had started Willow and Jessie down what, he had hoped, was the right course, and, with any luck, his friends would survive the trials and tribulations they would all go through. Jesse wouldn't be turned and Xander wouldn't have to ram a stake into his heart.

That was what Buffy hadn't, couldn't understand. The minute he'd turned his friend into dust, it had become his fight, whether she liked it or not. Whether she wanted it or not.

Xander thought about idle things as he dried himself off, the room no longer cold as his body began to adapt to the temperature. He looked at his face in the fogged mirror and smiled. He was handsome - not a stud, but he was getting there. The exercise meant that he was starting to form a nice six-pack, his arm and leg muscles coming along nicely as well.

His eyes, both his eyes, blinked slowly in the mirror. He was going to make Caleb pay for that, the pain he'd suffered as Caleb's thumb punched in and ripped his eye out. He grimaced at the memory, not realising how bad he'd been until Willow had adapted his memories, made them better.

Thinking of Willow… he had to get ready. Xander dried off completely, walked into his room and began performing his warm-up exercises. He was used to doing them naked; working with the Indian tribes meant he'd had to get over himself pretty damn quick.

He got dressed once he felt the familiar ache in his joints. He moved quietly through the house and down the stairs to the front door. Naturally, Willow was there, bang on five o'clock. Jessie was there today as well, although he looked like shit. Willow seemed to have some fountain of energy that never died out; how she did it, he never knew, even with two lifetimes of experience.

"Morning, Xan."

Xander put on his face and grinned. "Morning guys, ready?"

Jessie grunted and they got moving.

He soon lightened up as they got a pace moving, doing a block and a half before Jessie started to sweat heavily. They went back around and Xander thought he saw Angel, at least once, in the bushes, but didn't comment.

It was then that it happened…

It was so quick, Xander barely had time to register what was going on. A flash of movement caught his eye, and he blinked as a fist landed squarely on his jaw. He felt it bruise and landed on his ass.

"See, told ya we shoulda stuck around for a last snack before bedtime." Xander looked up to see a man and a woman. Two vampires, he was certain. They were clumsy, but strong. He would have no hope of outrunning them.

The female chuckled. "Seen this one jogging in the early mornings for some time now. Must admit, he looks tasty."

He looked up and saw a blonde female with large breasts. She had blue eyes and a square jaw. Eternal youth… Xander grimaced as the dead, soulless eyes raked over his body.

"And a virgin to boot, three of 'em in fact."

The male of the group, wearing jeans and a blue T-shirt, chortled. His green eyes looked the three of them over. Willow was favouring her arm and Jessie was kneeling over his stomach. The woman fanged her face and Willow squeaked.

There was another flash and the male looked down, in surprise, as a stake found itself imbedded in his heart. He groaned and flashed into fiery dust. The woman put up more of a fight as the man, dressed in leather, whirled around in a dizzying array of moves. Angel was good, but needed direction. It wasn't enough pointing him at the Slayer and saying 'Heel'; he needed to be taught.

Boy was Xander going to bitch-slap Whistler when he saw him…

The woman finally succumbed as Angel staked her. He twirled the wooden stake in his hands and put it in his pocket.

The two made eye contact… Xander shook his head, ever so slightly, so that only Angel saw it.

"What were those things?"

"Vampires," Angel answered instantly, "Like me."

Willow paled and stepped back…

Angel sighed, morphed his face and then put it back again. He held out his hand in an open gesture. "I promise not to bite."

Xander helped Jessie up and the four of them went to Xander's house. On the way, Angel made conversation by explaining who he was, what he had done and what he was now. He told Willow many tips and tricks on how to avoid vampires, and survive an encounter. "Many of the old myths are true: crosses, Holy Water and garlic. They're also highly allergic to silver."

Xander could see her mind working a mile a minute, faster than any jog she would ever do. "Could we weaponise any of these?"

Xander was struck with a sudden thought. "If vampires exist, what else does?" He waved a hand, "I mean, next minute, you're gonna tell me there's magic."

Angel blinked his brown eyes in surprise and looked at Xander with a lopsided grin. "Now that you mention it…"

Willow's eyes bugged out when she heard what Angel had to say about the world, and the demons in it.

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"Wow, wow and, like, wow."

Jessie had gone home and had phoned in sick. Xander hadn't really blamed him, being punched in the gut like that by a vampire hurt like hell.

Xander looked up over his lunch at the redhead as she sat down next to him. "I went to the library and got books on magic, they have hundreds of them."

She placed the heavy tome down on the table that had 'magik' written on it. "Isn't that a typo?"

She looked at him oddly and shook her head. "No, it's apparently a different form, magic and magik are two different things: Magic is slight of hand, while magik is the real thing."

Xander nodded thoughtfully. "Can you do any of it yet?"

"No, but it's only a matter of time," she smiled and pointed at her face, "Concentration face. See, I'm concentrating."

Xander rolled his eyes and sighed. The day went better, his grades were improving all the time and with summer on its way, he had a lot to look forward to. He was planning on exploring with Angel, earning money and getting some extra courses in.

All in all, not a bad month…