The gang was all seated around Giles' table, sifting through stacks of books.

"What are we looking for, again?" Buffy blinked up at the ex- Watcher, boredom clear on her face.

Giles sighed. "For the eleventh time, we are researching any references to the Cimmerii, seeing as the prophecy Tara found this morning vaguely alludes to their involvement in an upcoming demonic ritual.

"Oh. Right." She shrugged. "Sorry, I forgot."

Giles began to massage his temples wearily. //Oh, lord. Why me?// He tried to ignore the sound of Riley's pacing, knowing that snapping at him would do absolutely no good.

"Hey, Giles, think I've got something." Holding up her book, the Slayer grinned. "It says that these Cimmerii things are 'a mythical people purported to live in eternal darkness.' And, um..." she flipped a few pages, then back again. "Actually, I guess that's about it."

"Well, I must say that sounds depressingly like vampires." Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them. "Not terribly informative, but it helps. Keep looking."

The room was quiet but for the rustle of pages and the occasional cough or sneeze as a dusty tome was opened and searched. After long minutes, a squeal broke the silence.

"Oh! I may have found another prophecy!!" Willow traced her finger over the passage she'd come across. "It's in Latin. 'Ecce! Cimmerii vectora luminis adorientur et cooperient. Et os Infernis effringebitur.'"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ok. And for those of us who failed miserably in our foreign language class...this means what?"

"Loosely translated? Um, gimme a sec." Willow furrowed her brow in thought, then said, "Oh. Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh? What uh-oh?" Buffy sat up stiffly.

"Um, it...seems to be another apocalypsey type of prophecy. It goes, 'Behold! The Cimmerii shall rise up and envelop the bearers of light. And the mouth of Hell shall be broken open.'" She glanced up at Giles for confirmation.

He nodded. "That does seem to sum it up nicely, yes."

"Oh. So...what? We up the patrols and do some major slayage? I mean, we've been through this whole 'evil vampire taking over the Hellmouth' deal before. What's the diff?" Buffy really couldn't see anything to get worked up about. Same old, same old.

"Because...these 'Cimmerii' may not be your typical type of vampire. The usual methods might not be enough to defeat them. As a matter of fact, it's entirely possible that the text isn't referring to vampires at all. The prophecy isn't too terribly clear."

"Whatever. I can take 'em, no worries."

"Be that as it may, it would behoove us to keep looking for more information."

Buffy groaned, then went back to her books.

Tara, who'd kept pretty much to herself the entire evening, looked around the room. In a quiet voice, she asked Willow, "Hey, where do you think Xander is?"

Buffy overheard. "He's probably goofing off. He hates these research fests."

Willow frowned. "I don't know. He usually calls if he can't come, and I haven't heard from him since the other night. I hope he's not sick or anything."

"I'm sure he's fine. He's a big boy, Willow. He can take care of himself." Buffy waved her hand dismissively.

"I know. I just worry sometimes." She started leafing through her manuscripts again. A moment later, she looked up once more. "You know, Spike hasn't been around since that night either. You don't think maybe...he did something to Xander, do you?"

Riley scoffed. "He's neutered, he can't hurt anyone. He's probably off somewhere licking his wounds. Figuratively speaking. It might be kind of difficult to achieve literally, considering their placement."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. I think I'll call Xander tomorrow, though. You know, just in case."

Conversation pretty much died off at that point, as they all settled back down into their researching.

~~~~~~~~~~

The sounds and smells permeating the room assailed him. Through the pulsing waves of fury that washed over him, Spike dimly heard what the man hunched over his human was saying.

"Yeah, boy. Look at you, waiting here for me. Just beggin' for me. You want me, don't you? Always comin' back for more. Gonna fuck you, boy. Gonna fuck you raw." He fairly drooled at the sight of the battered, cringing boy who was frozen in fear beneath him. His fingers began to work at the buttons on his shirt. A low growl sounded in the room, and he paused.

Spike stalked closer, his growls and snarls becoming louder until they echoed in the basement. The one hurting his human twisted around, blanching when he saw what was drawing near. Spike didn't even stop to think about his actions, he immediately pounced. Snatching the man by his neck, he flung him across the room, sending him crashing into a set of shelves by the opposite wall. Ignoring the pain that immediately started in his head, he followed, wrenching the man's head up and slamming it down onto the floor.

As the body went limp, Spike fell back, clutching at his own head. He rolled on the floor in agony, whimpering as what felt like a jolt of lightening lanced through his brain. He pounded his fist against the floor, grunting as his body writhed and twisted. He barely noticed when his back slammed up against something unyielding, but the timid hand lightly stroking his neck pulled him back to awareness.

Through bleary eyes, he looked up into the tear-streaked face of his human. Xander lay trembling on his bed, panting harshly as he stared at the vampire with wide eyes. "s-s-spike...i-i-i..." He worked his mouth, trying to speak but unable to calm down enough to do so.

Immediately, Spike surged up, fighting off the lingering effects of the chip. He gathered Xander close, holding him carefully as he began to rock. "Hush, pet. It's ok. Shh." He rubbed the boy's clammy arms, trying to soothe his shaking form.

"Is...is h-h-he d-d-d--"

"Shhh." He sniffed the air, glaring over at the unmoving person huddled on the floor. Listening closely, he detected a faint but steady heartbeat. "No, he's not dead, luv, but he won't be waking up anytime soon."

Xander nodded jerkily, still sending off an acrid scent of fear as he stared at his long-time abuser.

Spike sighed. "Xander, we gotta leave. I don't care what you say 'bout it, we're *not* stayin' here!" He clenched his jaw in determination.

Xander's eyes fluttered shut as he sank back down into the bed, inching his way closer into Spike's protective embrace. Weakly, he nodded.

Relief coursed through the vampire. He would have taken the boy away no matter what, but at least this way, he knew he wouldn't have to waste energy fighting.

Wrapping a blanket around the now-shivering human, he picked him up easily and carried him up the stairs, coming to a halt in the middle of the kitchen. //Shit! No car!// He thought frantically, then glanced out the window at the vehicle in the driveway. He grinned humorlessly. //It'll do.//

Instead of taking Xander out of the house and leaving straightaway, Spike detoured into the living room. He set the boy down on the sofa, gazing worriedly into glassy eyes. "Xan? I just got a few things to take care of, an' I'll be right back, ok?" The near- catatonic human just sat there, not responding.

He chewed on his lip, leaving the room reluctantly. Back down in the basement, he dragged Xander's father into the middle of the floor, then proceeded to tie him up with some fishing line that had been stored down there for some reason. //Won't hold up long, but should keep him from interrupting my little...shopping spree.// Nodding in satisfaction, he barely restrained himself from giving the man a few more kicks, wishing he could get rid of the chip and show this human exactly how he'd earned the name of 'Spike'.

Once he had the man safely trussed up, he searched the room and found a rather worn duffel bag. Going through Xander's things, he stuffed in some of the less repulsive clothes. He then went around the room grabbing up anything he thought Xander might want or need from this place, since he had every intention of making sure his human *never* returned here.

Haivng finished with that room, he carried his spoils up the stairs and out the door. Fortunately, the car was unlocked, so Spike just pitched his load into the back seat. In the house again, he rummaged through the rooms, piling up anything useful he'd found onto a blanket that he had spread out on the rug in the living room.

Each time he added something, he took a second to check on Xander. The boy just lay there, huddled in on himself as much as possible, very obviously withdrawing from his surroundings. //Fuck! Gotta get outta here quick!//

He sprinted upstairs into the master bedroom. The sour stench of Xander's father filled this room, and the vampire had a sudden urge to retch. Shaking himself, he pawed tough the dresser, grabbing a wallet and a set of keys, along with a few bits of jewelry that might prove valuable enough to hock.

On a whim, Spike dropped to his knees, peering under the bed. A shadowy object lurked in the far corner by the wall, and he reached under to pull it out. Hefting the heavy lock-box, he shook it. Even though he couldn't hear any rattling that might indicate money or jewelry, he decided to take it anyway. //Never know what people keep in these things. Could be something good, and I can always pitch it out.// A last look around the room revealed nothing else he might find worth the effort of stealing, so Spike hurried back down to the living room.

He placed the lock-box in the center of his pile, then folded the edges of the blanket up around it. Hefting it onto his back, he staggered out to the car, using the keys he'd retained to open the trunk and letting the contents of the makeshift bag spill into the compartment. He slammed it shut, then ran back inside.

There were still no sounds from the basement, no signs that Xander's father was waking up. So Spike took his time about coaxing Xander back into his arms, taking a few moments to simply run his fingers through the boy's soft hair in what he hoped was a calming manner. "Luv, we're gonna go now. I'll just pick you up again, ok? Then we're out of this dump."

Doing his best not to startle Xander and send him into panic mode, the vampire moved slowly and smoothly to slip his arms under the boy and lift him. Something flickered inside him as Xander instinctively nuzzled closer, somehow recognizing a source of safety. //Not love. This is *not* love. I'm just...taking care of what's mine.// He spoke firmly to himself, determined not to succumb.

He settled Xander into the car, then got behind the wheel. He shifted so the boy's head was in his lap, then resumed petting the silky strands of hair under his fingertips. Starting the engine, he pealed out of the driveway, tires squealing loudly.

As they drove farther away from the house, Spike felt as if a burden had been lifted off him. He sighed, looking down at the brunette head pillowed in his lap. //Not love. This is *definitely* not love.//

*****
Part 15:

Spike parked outside of the rather upscale-looking hotel, glancing down at the boy whose head was resting in his lap. "Xander? We're here, luv."

Xander opened his eyes, blinking disinterestedly.

"I'm gonna go get us a room, ok? I'll be right back." He shifted the boy's head onto the seat, then exited the car, making sure to lock the doors behind him.

Once inside the hotel lobby, he strode briskly to the front desk, ringing the bell loudly. A cheerful, perky-looking young man quickly arrived, and Spike booked a room for him and Xander on the bottom floor. He paid the man, ignoring the not so subtle come-ons directed at him, then took his key cards, hurrying back out to the car.

Shortly, he'd gotten the car pulled pulled around the lot to park just outside their room. Using the card, he opened the door, then went back to retrieve his human. Xander was quickly carried inside and placed on the large bed, and Spike went out to retrieve his spoils from the trunk of the vehicle.

Leaving the majority of the stuff in an untidy heap by the door, he carried the duffel bag with him, unzipping it and rifling through its contents. He extracted the two orange bottles of pills, sighing as he rattled them quietly.

//Well, least we ain't gotta worry about these for a while. Good thing I managed to get Numm--Xan to take 'em before I went shopping// He felt around the duffel bag again, his hand closing around something smooth, which he pulled out.

//Fuck. Almost forgot...//

Spike set the pill bottles down on the bedside table, chewing his lip as he contemplated the innocuous little tube. He chanced a look at the boy curled up on the bed, then stared again at the tube clutched in his fist.

Steeling himself, he sat down next to Xander, reaching over to tap his shoulder lightly. Luminous brown eyes turned up to meet his, fairly screaming vulnerability. "Xan? The, uh, the doc gave me this medicine. To...put on you." He held up the tube.

Xander gave the tube a dispassionate glance, then sort of half- shrugged.

Spike cleared his throat. "It, um...it goes...it goes in-inside you."

The eyes became confused, then suddenly blossomed with terror. Spike could hear the human's heartbeat speed up, as harsh panting filled the room.

Cursing himself, Spike dropped the tube and reached out for the trembling boy, crooning softly. Gathering him close, he whispered assurances to the panic-stricken human. The words eventually died of into a rumbling purr, Spike's chest vibrating with the sound as he continued to gently stroke Xander's hair. "Luv, I don't wanna do anythin' you don't want, but the doc says we have to use the cream so you don't get an infection and get sick. I won't hurt you. Never wanna hurt you. Trust me pet, please?"

Residual tremors still raced through the pale form in his arms, but after long minutes, Xander gave a shaky nod. He then burrowed closer to the vampire, breath hitching a bit.

Spike gave a thankful sigh, then eased Xander onto his side. This earned him more shaking, and he let his hand lay still on Xander's hip, not moving, not threatening. When he felt some of the tension release, he began to move his hand in a circular pattern, doing his best to keep the motion calm and soothing.

Xander shuddered, then relaxed, melting back bonelessly. His eyes drifted shut as he let the feeling of being cherished wash over him. He drew in a quick breath when fingers slipped under the waistband of his sweatpants, tugging a little. Hesitantly, he lifted up enough for Spike to move the material down around his thighs, and he felt his cheeks heat up with shame as the hand brushed across his bottom. It didn't stay there, but moved down to push at his legs, coaxing them up until he lay in a fetal position.

Spike gulped, then reached for the tube again, twisting the cap off and breaking the little metal seal. He squirted a small amount out onto his index finger, then tossed the tub up to the head of the bed. Taking a deep breath, he parted Xander's nether cheeks, bringing the violated orifice into view. He hissed at the condition of the boy's anus, the flesh there raw and swollen. Pushing down a wave of rage, he reached his lubricated finger down to the hole.

Xander sucked in a sobbing breath as the cool digit touched him...there. He couldn't keep from beginning to tremble again as silent tears dripped down onto the bed.

//Damnit!// Spike could smell Xander's misery, and wished he didn't have to do this...not with the boy so fragile. But the only thing he could do was finish as quickly as possible to end the boy's torment. He pressed his finger into the abused flesh, wincing as he heard a soft, choked-off cry. Being as gentle as possible, he advanced into the tender opening, twisting his finger to search for the spot.

There. He growled softly as he felt the length of the tear, but changed it back to a soothing purr when he detected a rise in the scent of fear Xander was putting off. Taking care, he managed to get some the ointment spread along the length of the wound, then slipped his finger back out. Quickly, he pulled Xander's pants back up around his hips, the settled himself close behind him, not quite touching, but able to feel the body heat given off by the human.

Spike raised the intensity of his purring, once more taking a chance on stroking Xander's hair. Gradually, he felt the tremors ease, and eventually Xander drifted off into a light sleep.

Carefully, Spike crept out of the bed, recapping the tube and setting it down next to the pills. Taking care not to make much noise, he picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Gr'thek? Spike here, mate. Look, got another prezzie for you." "No, I am *not* going into the business, it's a...special case." "Yeah." "Uh-huh." "Well, could you come get this one?" "Fine. I'm at the big hotel over by 5th and Main." "Yeah, that's the one." "Great. Oh, and could you do me a bit of a favor? My ride got a flat and I had to leave it. Could you get one of your mates to go with you, maybe change the tire and bring the car up here?" "Yeah, yeah, I'll owe you." He gave the location of his DeSoto, then added, "Oh, by the by, I left a minion, name of Thomas, watching it. Just tell 'im I sent you for it and he's free to go back to his fun." "Thanks, mate."

Spike hung up the phone. He checked on Xander, noting the barely perceptible shivering. Frowning at his thoughtlessness, he carefully moved the boy and pulled the covers down, tucking the boy under them. Xander murmured a little, then settled into a deeper sleep.

Spike looked at him, resisting the urge to begin petting him once more. Full of nervous energy, he began pacing the room, waiting for the Hk'mel demon to arrive.

*****
Part 16:

Spike's head jerked up, the knocking on the door wrenching him away from his contemplation of the sleeping human.

"'Bout bloody time," he muttered as he stalked over and jerked the door open. He raised an eyebrow at the blue-scaled demon. "Took you long enough, mate."

Gr'thek snorted. "Your 'Thomas' wouldn't stop his whining and it took me forever to...convince him that you sent me for the car. Kept whimpering about chains and sunlight." He rolled his eyes. "Fledglings."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Hey, be a pal an' help me bring in the stuff from the trunk."

Gr'thek nodded, following Spike back out to the DeSoto. Between them, they made short work of the assorted groceries that had been stored there hours before. Spike was glad he'd found a decent place to stay that came equipped with a mini-fridge to keep his blood. No microwave, but he'd figure something out.

Gr'thek looked around the room curiously, eyes lingering over the pile of goodies still heaped in the middle of the room before eventually settling on the restlessly sleeping figure in the bed. "So...that your human?"

Spike nodded tersely, quickly checking to make sure Xander wasn't waking up.

The demon frowned slightly, sniffing. "I thought you said you claimed him? He hasn't--"

"Hey, look. I'll do things my way, ok? Things are...hectic right now." He glared at Gr'thek until the demon shrugged, holding his hands up defensively.

"Just wondering, no need to get violent." He bent closer to Xander. "He smells like pain and fear." He glanced up at Spike. "What happened?"

Spike gently sat on the edge of the bed, brushing a lock of Xander's hair away from his face. He sighed. "His 'father' happened. And I can't fucking *do* anything to him!"

"You want I should get some of my boys together, arrange a little...accident?"

The vampire seriously considered this for a minute, but then shook his head. "I want the pleasure of killing him myself. He's *mine*. " He grinned. "Tell you what, though. You do what you can to make his life a living hell, just make sure you don't kill him."

Gr'thek responded with a toothy grin of his own. "Deal."

"The bastard's name and address should be on the papers in his car out there."

A low chuckle sounded. "That's *his* car? Spike, you...demon you!" Then he got serious, settling down to business. "It's a piece of junk, Spike. I'd be doing you a favor to take it for free."

"It's yours, mate. I don't want the damned thing." He pulled out a cigarette, about to light it when he glanced down at Xander again. Sighing, he merely rolled the cylinder between his fingers.

Gr'thek was shocked. His jaw gaped slightly as he stared unblinking at the blonde. He swallowed hard. "Um, Spike? You just...*gave* me the car."

"Yeah, so?"

"Woah. This is *really* affecting you if you aren't even trying to get a few buck out of me." He tilted his head to the side. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Fine," he replied shortly. "Why wouldn't I be?" His hand again strayed to the human's head, sifting through the fine strands of hair.

Looking around the hotel room, Gr'thek hissed softly. "This is a pretty nice room, Spike. You got enough money to stay here?"

Spike gestured toward the pile of stuff. "Got some things in there I could hock for a few quid. We'll manage."

"If you're sure." He was about to say more when a muffled moan caught their attention. Spike shushed him with a waved hand, bending over the boy.

Xander's eyes popped open as he gasped loudly, frantically searching the room. When he saw Spike, he visibly relaxed, only to tense again once he noticed the other inhabitant of the room. He shrank back, his breathing becoming erratic.

Frowning, Spike edged closer to the human. "It's ok, Xan. He's a friend of mine. He won't do nothing to you." He slowly reached out a hand, and when Xander made no move to avoid it, gently brushed it along his arm. "What happened, luv? Bad dream?"

Xander nodded shakily, still glancing warily at Gr'thek. He curled up, wrapping his arms around his torso as he started rocking slightly, never moving his wide eyes from the other demon.

Spike got up, walking over to the Hk'mel. "Think you should go, mate. He don't seem to be too comfortable with you being here."

Gr'thek squinted at the vampire, then allowed a tiny grin to cross his face. Gesturing for Spike to follow him, he made his way over to the door. "You know what you're getting into with him? It won't be easy."

"Like that's ever stopped me."

"You should claim him, you know. Officially. He needs all the protection he can get."

"I will. When he's ready for it." Spike looked over his shoulder at Xander. "He's not exactly in the best of shape right now."

Nodding in agreement, Gr'thek continued. "You should tell him, too. About the claim. He might find it reassuring."

Spike shrugged. "Dunno 'bout that."

"Spike. As a friend, listen to me. Don't try to keep your claim a secret from him; it will only hurt you both when he eventually finds out."

The vampire's eyes flashed yellow for a brief second, then Spike let out a heavy sigh. "I know. And I *will*. Just...later."

Gr'thek examined him closely, finally grunting in acceptance. Turning, he started toward his newest acquisition.

"Gr'thek."

The soft call halted him, and he turned.

Spike shoved his hands into his pockets, staring at the ground crossly. Scuffling his feet, he lifted his head. "Thanks mate," he said quietly.

White teeth gleamed in the moonlight as Gr'thek grinned widely. "No problem, Spike. Just...don't let it get around, would you? Don't want my reputation shot to hell."

Spike smiled, watching as the demon got into the car and drove off. Closing the door, he crept back to the bed. "Xan?" He could tell by the human's breathing and heartbeat that he wasn't asleep, but his eyes were now screwed tightly shut.

The blonde thought a moment, then pulled back the covers and slid in behind the boy. Again a hand went out to pet warm skin, soothing the human, trying to banish the smell of fear that had abruptly returned. "He's gone now, pet. Just you and me. Go to sleep, Xan. I'll watch out for you."

Xander quivered, and Spike felt the tension leak out of him. He was surprised to feel the boy's body scoot back until it barely made contact with his own, but set his hand on Xander's hip. He chanced a brief, feather-light kiss to the nape of Xander's neck, resolutely ignoring the angry red bite mark that was so obvious there. Grateful that there was no negative reaction to his touch, he started purring again, hoping the sound would lull the battered human back to sleep.

Feeling oddly safe and protected, Xander barely noticed when his feigned slumber quickly became real as the comforting sound of purring surrounded him.

*****