There's Always a Sneer in Vegas (78/?)

[stillrose]

Title: There’s Always a Sneer in Vegas (78/?)
Fandom: BTVS; Spike/Xander
Warnings: Slash,AU, Post Apocalyptic, violence,non-con, slavery, tentacles,
Rating: NC-17
Summary: It’s been seven years since Angelus killed Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Seven years after Angelus opened a portal to hell on Earth. Humans are food, slaves or on the run. There’s hope only in small band of resistance fighters. However, that’s a hope Xander Harris no longer has. It’s been six months since he was taken in a raid. At first Xander thought he was lucky the demons didn’t know who he was; but then that was before he became property to an Azora demon.

As always: Feedback makes my heart go pitter-patter.

UNBETAED

Previous parts here.

Wow...really wanted to get this out sooner. Been at war with myself. Yes, had a busy weekend..but had time to write. Had time to write earlier in the week..and all that writing time dissembled and delayed. I think the closer I get to finishing..the harder it is to force myself to write. However, onward! Here ya go! More nummy plot!

***********************
“Oh Goddess, I’ve missed you so much, Xander!” she cried in happy mix of tears and laughter. “I never thought I’d see you again. I...didn’t know how I could face all this post-apocalyptic Mad Max world without you!”

“Wills!” Xander croaked as he hugged her back.

“I mean..I never actually even saw Mad Max..and I fell asleep during Thunderdome!”

“Will..oow!”

“And vampires are kinda like terminators but I’m not exactly Sarah Conner...”

“Air!” Xander squeaked.

Willow laughed and loosened her hug. Xander drew in a big breath. She grinned at him. He grinned back as the color returned to his cheeks.

“I love you, Xander,” she said.

“I love you, Wills,” he said. “I love you too.”

***********************

Spike prowled around the camp. As soon as the sun had set low enough in the sky to cast shadows deep enough to give him cover he was out of the truck. First he checked on Xander. He snorted when he found his pet laughing and in the embrace of the witch.

Both humans turned to stare at him alerted by his non-verbal commentary. Xander’s eyes were bright, clear and expectant. They waited for Spike. The demon inside him almost purred contentedly despite how restless the vampire felt. Xander was still his.

“Oi…hope this means ya two worked it all out,” Spike said. “No more wastin’ time on threatenin’ me.”

“Yeah, I think we can say we are done wasting our time on vain threats,” Willow said with a smirk.

“Righhh…you implin’ sumthin’, Red?” Spike growled.

Xander and Willow looked at Spike’s hair and just giggled.

“You are..ya daft bird!”

“Now Master, Willow didn’t say…”

Spike just cocked an eyebrow. Xander couldn’t help it. He knew Spike would probably punish him later, and truthfully some part of him hoped he would, but it felt good to tease the vampire with Willow. It felt almost like old times.

The soul was pleased.  Xander seemed to have found peace with his old friend. It kept the demon’s natural possessiveness at bay and refocused its attention toward more immediate priorities.

“Right..yer both gone stalkers,” he said peeling off he duster and tossing it toward Xander.  “Guess that’ll be Percy and Wanker Boy’s problem ‘til I get back.”

“Wanker Boy?” Willow asked in confusion.

“B..back?” Xander asked fumbling his way out from under the coat which had landed on his head. “Ma..Spike..where are you going?”

“Hungry,” he said rolling his shoulders back causing his black t-shirt to pull tight across his chest. “Can’t get all I need off you, pet and still expect ya ta be able ta have all the scintillating conversational skills of a twelve year old.”

“Hey! I resemble..resent that!”

Spike winked at him.

“Wanker Boy?” Willow repeated.

“Larry,” both vampire and Xander replied in unison.

“Oh,” Willow said then smiled. Larry was loyal, but she knew he could still be a bit of a jerk.

“So..what you’re just going to go wander off in the forest looking for little bunny foo-foo?” Xander asked standing up and gently laying Spike’s precious coat to the side.

“Precious bunny foo-who?” Spike asked.

“Not important. What is important is you..wandering off..by yourself,” Xander replied.

“Uh..pet…Big Bad…Vampire here.”

“Yeah..on the run from an even  bigg…”

Spike gave a warning growl. Xander rolled his eyes.

“…an even crazier vampire.”

“Be that as it may, luv,” Spike argued simmering back to down to a smirk. “Don’t think Peaches is out there lurking in the forest.”

Then the vampire grinned. He stepped within arm’s reach to Xander, reached out a hand and then slowly brushed his cheek with a fingertip.

“Nice ta know ya care though, pet.  Nice ta know ya worry...about me,” Spike said his voice dropping into a low seductive growl.

Something hot and fierce rolled through Xander.  He wanted to wrap his arms around Spike. He wanted to taste the vampire’s lips. He wanted to bare his neck and offer the vampire a better feast than anything he might find out in the woods. In short, he wanted Spike.

Still, though, he couldn’t. Willow was right there. She was right there watching and some part of him which had just reconnected to the man he used to be didn’t want to play by the new rules right now. It didn’t want the people from his old life to witness the wants and needs of his new life.

“Of course I do, Spike,” Xander ground out trying for the light snark that was so often between them. “You get yourself dusted; Xan-man gets a check out call too.”

Spike’s finger froze. Gold flecked in his eyes for a moment as he stared at Xander. The demon roared and the soul flinched.  Human world; human rules, he thought as he let his hand fall just before he turned and marched away.

“Sp..” Xander started to cry suddenly panicked and regretting what he said.

“Later,” Spike said as disappeared into the darkness.

“Xander?” Willow asked as she stood and carefully placed her hand in to that of his. Xander remained quiet and motionless for several long moments just staring out at the dark woods.

                                                                     ***

“And you just let him go?” Faith asked as she tucked another knife on the inside of her boot.  Wesley watched her with a hint of concern.  His slayer and the group had only been back a few minutes and she was already reading herself to go after the vampire; a vampire who had only been gone for about an hour or so.

“There wasn’t any letting about it,” Xander countered. “Spike wanted to go and so…”

“You couldn’t do a spell to stop him?” Faith said tucking her pant leg back down over her boot before standing up to look at Willow. Dark circles were starting to form under the slayer’s eyes. She, Tara and Oz and pushed hard to reach Sunnydale, scout it and be back but while the others had rested on the drive back she hadn’t. Her only concession was to bring the second vehicle they had pilfered outside the forest to use to drive to Sunnydale back to camp instead of ditching it as she might have normally done. Now she was gearing up to go look for Spike.

“We’d just finally reached a peace…I didn’t want to start up with all the fangs and curses again,” Willow said. Tara gave the redhead another squeeze. She hadn’t left Willow’s side since they had returned.

“Didn’t even call me,” Larry interjected.

“And what would you have done?” Xander snapped. “Offered to have your face introduce itself to his fist again?”

“Well I wouldn’t have just let him waltz out of here to potentially compromise us, Harris!”

“Spike isn’t compromising us..he’s hunting!”

“Hunting what?”

“Deer…from the smell of it,” Oz said quietly nodding his head to the right.

“Don’t have ta worry about getting’ lost with you lot around here,” Spike said stepping out of the shadows and into the ring of light cast from the campfire and lanterns. “Just gotta listen for all the yappin’ and banging on about shite. Lead me right back to ya nutters.”

There was blood ringed around the vampire’s mouth. His shirt was stained dark and clung to him.

“Sp..master,” Xander couldn’t help but whisper and moved quickly to the vampire’s side. Oz stared at Spike for a moment. The vampire returned his gaze.

“Don’t worry, wolf, ain’t gonna be a problem fer yer pack ta hunt tonight,” Spike said. Oz gave a terse nod then let out a howl and a short yip. Howls and more yips bounced around from all directions in the woods then quieted. Oz gave Spike another brief look then turned back to his friends.

“Probably best everyone stay close to the camp tonight,” Oz said. “Pack is restless and not everyone’s control is as good as mine this close to the full moon. “

Spike moved past Xander and headed for the truck.

“Where you going?” Larry barked.

“Going ta get a clean shirt…unless yer gonna do my dry cleanin?”                          

Larry gave Spike the single fingered salute. The vampire shook his head.

“Ain’t interested. Probably couldn’t even get a good price for ya in the arenas,” he said as he ducked into the back of the truck.

Xander stood silently. He tried to hide the hurt. Spike hadn’t even acknowledged him.

What did I expect? Xander thought. Maybe I deserve it.

Willow stared at Oz as did Wesley. There was something in the silent exchange between Oz and Spike she didn’t understand.

“Oz?” she asked quietly.

Oz turned and gave her a half grin. Even though it had been a long time since they had been lovers they still could reach each other. A word or a gesture could communicate so much between them.

“Not used to hunting with another ..demon around is all, Willow. It’s a demon thing.”

Wesley’s eyes narrowed and he glanced at Faith. She glanced back and gave a slight nod of assurance then looked toward the truck. Her slayer’s senses were good. Nothing was “tingling” out of the ordinary. She wasn’t infallible and she wasn’t a hundred percent accurate at sensing vampires but like all slayers she had the innate ability to detect the bloodsuckers. Angelus’s hell on earth had given her ample opportunity to hone those senses.

Right now the only vampire she detected was the shirtless one climbing down out of the truck. As his feet settled on the ground, he looked at her.  He arched an eyebrow.

“Th..thought you were changing your shirt?” Tara said.

“Wanna go get cleaned up first, ducks,” Spike said.

“Don’t do it on my account,” Dawn said with a wink.

“Dawnie!” Xander screeched snapping out of his hurt reverie to stare at her.

Spike grinned. He really was beginning to like the Nibblet.

“Well..don’t wanna be too much of a distraction when we all sit down for a meet, yeah? I sit around here with my kit half off pet will be pawin’ and slobberin’ all over me the whole yack session, not to mention the rest of you birds and the Slayer there. While I won’t mind..don’t think it’ll accomplish much.”

Dawn giggled. Faith snorted. Tara and Willow smirked. Larry rolled his eyes. Oz shrugged and Wesley sighed. Xander stared at Spike with hungry and hopeful eyes.  Spike looked back at him. His gaze was guarded and yet, there was something warm there.

Then Spike headed off toward the woods once more.

“Master?” Xander called after him. Spike stopped and turned.

“Heard what the wolf said, pet. Too dangerous fer ya to be out wombling about right now.  Stay here. I’m heading off fer a quick wash. When I get back, we can sit down and hear all about Glinda and the Slayer’s day, yeah?”

Then Spike disappeared for the second time that evening.

                                                         ***

The vampire returned cleaned and fully dressed while the others were sitting around the fire eating reconstituted chicken ala king. Both Oz and Faith looked up from the fire at the same time noting his return. When Xander saw him, he put down his bowl, stood up and held out Spike’s coat like an offering.

“Ta, pet,” Spike said taking the duster and shimmying into it before taking a seat beside Xander. “Down..finish yer din, yeah?”

Xander smiled and happily did as he was told.

“So, ready for the four one-one?” Faith asked.

“Now that we don’t have to wait on his highness,” Larry grumbled.

“Master will do,” Spike said. Xander shook his head and shoveled in the last scoop of pale goop.

“Spike, please do not bait Larry,” Wesley instructed.

“He makes it so easy,” Spike purred.

“You know, there are plenty of ways to neutralize you without killing you,” Larry shot back.

“Think, I’ve heard that threat from you before, mate.”

“I’m not your mate! Thought that was Xande…”

“Haven’t we already wasted enough time?” Willow’s voice suddenly cut through the firelight and the darkness. “I mean…I know we could sit around and trade insults and barbs all night..and maybe it might even feel good..normal to do it..but we don’t have time for this.”

“It..it is the night of the ninth,” Tara said.

“And we don’t even have a plan,” Dawn continued.

“I…” Larry’s mouth popped open for a moment then snapped shut. He nodded.

Spike took an unneeded breath then said, “Listenin’, luv.”

Willow blushed a little then looked to Faith, Oz and Tara.

“So? What did you find?”

“Well,” the slayer began. “It’s a mix of terrain until you get close to town. We went through the forested side for cover. The road leading in and out is jammed with rubble, abandoned cars and lumps of concrete on both the north and south sides of a town.  According to Tara, there are wards all around the lake, but didn’t appear to be any wards on the lake itself.  Only two surprises.”

“Surprises?”  Wesley asked.       

“A boathouse and dock for one,” Oz said. “Who knew Angelus was the lake retreat kinda guy?”

Spike snorted.

“And the other?” Willow asked.

“Horses,” Faith said. “We saw a heard of wild horses grazing near the lake.”

“Horses?” many asked as Faith recounted that bit of their tale.

“That paints a rather unexpected idyllic picture,” Wesley observed.

“But..but possibly an opportunity,” Tara said.

“Why?” Xander asked.

“Well…the wards are…different where they are..they..well..I mean they have to be or I think the horses would be killed or something would have been summoned to eat them or something. They feel..redone like…”

“Maybe they were over written?” Willow offered.

“I don’t know,” Tara shrugged. “All I know..is that where the horses are the wards..they’re different. They’ve been reset..it’s like the wards are used to them are something. They don’t go off.”

“Maybe who ever set the wards got tired of coming out to deal with horses,” Faith asked.

“Yeah..like one too many false alarms,” said Dawn.

“I wonder,” Wesley murmured.

“Whoa..hey…they are not going to like me,” Oz said already thinking a step ahead of the watcher.

“Can’t say they’ll be that fond of me,” Spike chimed in, “though I at least do know how ta ride. What about the rest of you lot?”

Everyone but Faith and Wesley shook their heads.

“The slayer knows how to ride?” Spike snorted in surprise.

“Ridings one of my specialties,” Faith said with a wicked grin and a wink towards Xander. Spike growled. Xander blushed and laid a hand on Spike’s arm.

“Master..the rides closed,”  he said.

“Wot?” Spike said whipping his head to look at Xander.

“Must be undead at least one-hundred and fifty years and have Billy Idol hair to ride this ride,” Xander intoned. Spike stared at him in confusion for a moment before shaking his head and laughing.

“Nutters. Always get stuck with the balmy ones.”

Xander squeezed his arm and looked back Faith. She grinned back at him then said, “But maybe we don’t have to ride them..or least maybe not all of us.”

“Huh?” Larry said.

“Well if we can lure them from the lake to the forest edge then maybe we can walk back with them to the lake. Use them for cover. I mean, it’s more practical anyway. They’re wild. They’ve probably never been ridden and  we don’t have time to break them in if we want to get them and to the island and do the ritual before dark.”

“Ah…about that,” Wesley interjected.

“Don’t tell me,” Xander began.

“..we have to wait until dark,” Dawn finished.

“I am afraid so,” Wesley said.

“Demons,” Xander and Dawn said together.

“It is the nature of dark rituals,” Willow offered.

“Can we do it at sunset at least?” Dawn asked.

Wesley shook his head sadly.

“Of course not,” Xander said.

“We..we don’t make the rules,” Tara offered. “And not all magic has to be done at night. I..know a l..lovely  spell to make bread rise. You can do it at dawn or noon.”

“That’s great, ducks,” Spike said, “but I don’t think we’re going ta be baking Angelus some bread.”

“More like’s he’s going to be baking some, with our bones,  if we do not get back on track,” Wesley warned.

“Yeah…marrow always did add a bit of flavor,” Spike said with a sly smile.

“Eww..you know there are some things I really don’t want to know, Spike,” Xander said. Especially if I’m ever going to kiss you again, he thought.

“Right, so we may have a way around the wards,” Willow said trying to regain control over the Scoobie meeting. “Still..how do we get to the island?”

“There is the boat house,” Tara said.

“No,” Faith said. “Not trusting anything in there. That’s way too obvious.”

“Well then we’ll have to bring our own,” Dawn said. “I mean surely we can find a boat or boats somewhere?”

“There are a few campgrounds nearby, Lake Success,” Oz said. “I can send some of the pack out tonight while they are hunting to scout and secure some canoes. Those should be easy enough to port once we get into hiking distance of old Sunnydale.”

“That could work,” Willow said.

“We still don’t know what’s on the island,” Faith replied.

“Probably won’t until we get there,” Spike said. “Which is why Pet and I won’t be going until night.”

“What?” everyone else asked in unison.

“Look, maybe ya can port me in one of those canoes all trussed up under a tarp or something, but I ain’t stepping a foot onto Angelus private little playground until its dark. I ain’t gonna lie under a bleedin’ blanket listening ta ya face whatever goody Peaches’ has stashed over there and I’m certainly not letting Xander face it without me either.”

“Our best bet is to attack during the da…” Wes began to argue.

“Is it?” Spike countered. “You’ll be one fighter down. One who knows Angelus..not just read about him in some musty journal.  I’ve fought him..and I’ve fought beside him.”

The camp was silent for a moment.

“He has a point,” Faith finally said.

“That is what troubles me,” Wesley replied.

“Spike making of the sense…always leads to confusion,” Xander agreed. Spike gave Xander a quick swat on the butt.

“Hey!” he mouthed quietly at his vampire. Spike only cocked an eyebrow.

“I won’t be able to take the pack onto the island,” Oz said. “I…I think I’ll be ok..but..”

“They can cover us,” Willow said. “If…”

“The horses may not like it,” Oz grinned.

“How will we see? I mean to steer or..row the canoes?”  Tara asked.

“Spike can see in the dark and we have lanterns,” Willow said.

“Plus, I’ll be able to ‘smell’ shore,” Oz said.

“Hey…we’re heroes,” Faith grinned. “We’ll manage.”

“So…then that’s the plan?” Dawn said. “We hike in with some canoes and at sunset get the horses to walk us to the lake..then head to the island and then…what..hope we can take down what’s ever there, do the ritual at midnight and save the world?”

“Better than some of our previous plans,” Xander said grinning at Willow.

“Better than Spike’s plans,” Faith teased.

“Oi! Twat!”

The slayer blew him a kiss.

They all looked at each other. Whether they were ready or not, whether they liked it or not, this was it.  Tomorrow, they would make their move to end Angelus’ reign.

TBC

Author’s Notes:

Bunny Foo Foo – is a popular children’s song in the states.

Lake Success is just outside the Sequoia National Park