Fandom- Criminal minds
Rating- T
Pairing- Hotch/Reid
Author's note- Hey first just heads up I have taken poetic licence with the amount of seats in the jet, I know from scenes there is more than enough seats for the team and friends, I am working with the idea there is only 6 for the purposes of pushing Aaron and Spencer apart. Anyway I would just like to say how blown away I am with the positive reviews and people following this story it is truly appreciated as I never thought people would be interested in a vampire Au like I am, anyway thanks and reviews as ever are greatly received and treasured.
Word count- 1,737
Chapter 4
The case is in Garcia's words 'an icky one'. The fires had first started a week ago; in three 'isolated events'. There had been two deserted barns and a stable on the outskirts of Hooper, which had been set alight with various chemical accelerants, and burnt entirely to the ground. At the time it had been explained away by the local constabulary as 'teenage delinquents going a step too far' and they had bought in a few of the most prolific trouble makers in for questioning. But the crimes had escalated exponentially, and four houses had been burnt to the ground in the course of six nights, with all single male occupants, perishing along with their properties. The kids were let go as it was soon realised that this was a lot more serious than first thought, and they couldn't possibly responsible. The police could find no connection between the victims apart from the fact that they were all in their late twenties, and were seemingly single. With panic beginning to sweep the very small town, the local police had no choice but to call in the BAU for assistance.
The flight from Virginia to Hooper, Alaska is seven hours long, which gives the team plenty of time to learn all they can about the case before they land and this gives Aaron more than enough time to brood. There had only been two seats left when he and his mate had boarded the jet. So Spencer is sitting next to Morgan, while Aaron is opposite Rossi. Aaron has chosen to ignore the elder agent in favour of angling his seat so he can still have Spencer in his line of sight. He watches the younger agent pour over a local map trying to talk through his preliminary but quite detailed (because it's Spencer and he can never do anything simply) geographic profile with Derek. Spencer is gesticulating so widely that he almost drops his mug of coffee all over the table; Morgan and himself. Aaron would find the scene adorable, if he wasn't putting all his energy into trying to quash the green eyed vampire within, who hates the way Morgan's shoulder keeps brushing against Spencer's, and the little voice in his head that is saying that Derek is doing it on purpose.
"You will have to let go of the reigns at some point, Aaron" Dave muses, his head still focused on the tablet, which is currently displaying photos from the crime scene.
"Excuse me? What are you talking about?" Aaron asks, giving Rossi the minimum amount of attention.
"Don't pretend to be clueless, it doesn't suit you. You do know that Spencer is more than capable of looking after himself, he has for all tense and purpose been doing it since the age of ten and doesn't need your constant supervision" Rossi gives weight to his statement by placing the tablet on the table, and levelling a rather meaningful stare at his former protégée.
"He is my mate; it is different, you wouldn't understand" Aaron retorts, dismissing Rossi's statement, as he feels his fangs graze the bottom lip, a clear sign that Rossi has hit a nerve. He knows he is being overly harsh to his team mate but he finds it hard to maintain a rational perspective where Spencer is concerned.
"Well after the three hour mandatory Vampire awareness seminar Strauss made us all attend, I feel that I do in fact understand about the whole mate thing. But I am not talking to a vampire; I am talking to my friend, Aaron, and I am just letting him know, that Spencer is a big boy, and I think that you can cool your over protective mum routine; he isn't going to break or run into the arms of another man, especially after you staked your claim on his neck"
Aaron can't help himself, as a predatory smile graces his lips
Yes, he is ours.
"I am assuming there is a point for this little chit chat Dave?" Aaron asks, and Rossi manages to smile at this, though he does shake his head, even in situations like this Aaron can see a ploy from a mile off.
"Morgan and I have decided to split you and Juliet up for this case. You will be with JJ, coordinating with the local police force, and setting up a preliminary profile at the field office. The weather forecast is for sun in Hooper; though hopefully with some luck you will be out and about tomorrow, as it looks like heavy cloud and fog". Dave pulls the tablet back in front of him, flipping through weather information on it with a move of his finger. It still astounds many of the team that Rossi; who is perilously close to sixty years closed is a lot more adapt at technology than Spencer, who does not have age as an excuse.
"What is Spencer going to be doing?"
Rossi has to sigh at the single mindedness of Hotch lately. It doesn't matter that he both he and Spencer had promised, no, they had sworn that this relationship wouldn't affect the team, Rossi and Morgan seem to spend half their time second guessing Hotch's reaction to their decisions, whether it be as former SSA Hotchner, or Spencer's Vampire mate.
"Are you asking as a member of the BAU, or Spencer's lover?" Rossi, asks, his voice taking on a sharp tone that is a silent reprimand to Hotch.
Aaron takes a long deep breath, and finally manages to push back the vampire who seems to have control over his emotions since he claimed Spencer's neck. Rossi is right, which Aaron is at pains to admit, but has to, this one time.
"Okay, Dave, I get the point, I am out of line. You are within your rights to officially reprimand me-"
"-Apology accepted" Dave intervenes; now smiling once more. "Now we are done with all that, shall we focus on the case at hand?"
They spend the rest of the flight confirming a course of action upon entering Hooper. Morgan and Rossi let the rest of the team know that While JJ and Hotch remain at the field office; Rossi and Prentiss will go to the last crime scene, and Morgan and Reid will go and interview the friends and family of the victims.
Aaron can tell from the din in conversation, that the team are watching both Spencer and Aaron carefully to gauge their reaction at being separated, as this will be the first time that they have not been paired up since they came out to the team. In all truth Aaron can see the ridiculousness in the situation, it is not as if Spencer is going to another, country, or even another state; it is just a few hours, and if this was a 'normal' human relationship, he and Spencer would not even be allowed on the same team, let alone being teamed together.
Yet Aaron only has eyes for Spencer as, he watches his lover digest the information, his eyes focus upon Aaron, when he realises that are to be separated. Aaron nods slightly at him, communicating that it is indeed alright, his vampire is extremely pleased that Spencer is already defaulting to Aaron, subconsciously giving the vampire the dominance, and power in the relationship.
As it should be; He is ours, mine, that mark on his neck shows who he belongs to . . .
He tries to remain stoic, but Aaron zero's his attention in on the mark, and his gaze becomes a lot more predatory, causing Spencer to blush. Rossi must catch the interaction though, and throws the pair a bone as he states loudly, that Morgan "should give the pair a break, and at least let them sit together, as they have to spend the best part of a day apart and I don't know how they will ever cope!"
Aaron wants to bite at the jibe, but satisfies himself with sliding into Morgan's seat when he finally vacates with only a few good natured grumbles, and Aaron lays an arm on the back of Spencer's chair, and whispers "How beautiful my mark looks on your neck" into his ear, loving how even such a small gesture can make his lover blush. The rest of the flight is almost enjoyable until a loud bleep sounds from Aaron's pocket, he groans lightly, knowing with all eyes in the jet on him, he cannot easily ignore it.
"Strauss does have good intentions." Spencer states, grasping Aaron's hands quickly, before letting it go, as Aaron turns off the offensive sound without looking at the reminder, as he already knows what it will say.
"Ha, Strauss doing something that benefits others, that would be a first" Morgan replies, but Aaron knows he would be the first to complain if Aaron ever ignored one of his 'mandatory eight hour feeds' that were part of his agreement on remaining to the team.
Apparently the public would be a lot more accepting if their Vampire operative was regularly fed, so less likely to snack on any unsuspecting victims. Even though Aaron hates the forced nature of this part of his life, he sighs in resignation, and goes to the small fridge in the kitchenette for a glass of O negative, shuddering at the cold tanginess of the liquid as it slide easily down his throat. Though it is cold on the way down, when it hits his stomach it causes his body to tingle with warmth, and he will admit that the eight hours feeds, do help a lot with concentration, and make him feel rather ironically more human; his skin temperature even heats up a few degrees for a an hour and twenty minutes after regular feeds; yes Spencer timed it. Smiling at the eagerness of his lover to find out everything he can about Aaron's condition, he drains the cup before rinsing the mug and placing it next to the others, getting a sick thrill knowing that the team is unaware that Aaron dispenses his blood into their mugs; if they only knew. . .