The Chemicals Between Us

AUTHORS: Salustra and Myst

Parts: 6 - 9

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 

~Part: 6~

"Well you would, wouldn't you? Evil vampire. I swear." He chuckles, and sits back once he's watched the second set of cuts close.

Spike pushes up to a sitting position facing Liam. "I am, you know. Evil. Terribly evil." He grins again, and then a thoughtful look crosses his face. "It's just suddenly occurred to me that you haven't eaten yet. You want breakfast? I can cook."

Liam looks a little surprised, then grins. "All this and you can cook too? Umm, will you marry me?" Liam asks, feigning all sincerity, then laughing. His laugh is mellow and smooth, and warm. "Yeah, I guess I am getting hungry. That little meal aside, of course," He says, gesturing to Spike's chest then laying back and leaning up on his elbows.

Spike chuckles. "Yes, of course I'll marry you." He laughs. "I'd love to see the look on Captain Giles' face when you ask him for leave time for the honeymoon." He crawls to the edge of the bed and slides his feet down onto the floor, looking coyly back over his shoulder. "You coming to the kitchen or you want breakfast in bed?"

Now that is an offer Liam really likes. He lays back, tucking his hands under his head, and smiling. "Breakfast in bed, dear," He chuckles, his eyes dark but carrying a playful spark to them, as he admires the view of Spike's backside as he walks from the room.

It's not long before Spike comes back into the room carrying a tray. "Breakfast in bed. I made enough for two. I don't *need* food but I like eating anyway. Hope you like omelets." He sets down the tray. There is a massive omelet, fit for two, coffee, juice, toast, and all the fixings.

Liam sits up, grinning. "Oh hell yeah. I love omelets." Watching as Spike sets the tray down, he licks his lips. "Man that looks good." Liam scoots himself up to the top of the bed, and props pillows up so they can both sit up comfortably, to eat. He sits back on his pillows and pulls the tray to the center of the bed so Spike can climb in with him. "Oh, I'm glad you like to eat. I was wondering. Would have felt weird eating with you just sitting there watching."

Spike crawls in carefully, gracefully, managing not to disturb the tray in the least. "I fed Sunny and let her out while I was up. She's a very well-behaved dog." He pours a cup of coffee, looking over at Liam. "How do you take yours?"

"Oh thanks, I'm sure she was about to bust. I've usually let her out before now. She's a good girl.” Liam smiles with pride. "Umm...sugar, no cream please."

Spike spoons sugar into the coffee, watching for Liam's indication of when it was enough, and then stirring it and handing it to him. He makes a cup for himself, adding cream and sugar, lots of it. He spreads some orange marmalade on a piece of toast and bites into it. "I'm impressed, you keep decent marmalade instead of jelly," He says between bites.

Liam sips his coffee and sighs with a relaxed smile. "Oh, umm...well Da' always insisted on it. Got used to it as a kid, and well..." Liam says, tipping his head and shrugging slightly. Setting the coffee down, he takes a fork and cuts into the omelet, taking a bite and groaning in pleasure, his eyes closed. "Oh yeah, that's it we're getting married. Captain can kiss my ass. That is probably the best omelet I've ever tasted," He says, as he takes another greedy bite. "You made this in my kitchen?" He wolfs between chewing the bite he just took.

Spike chuckles. "Yes. Good to know you can be had for the price of an omelet." He grabs a fork and steals a bite himself. "I should be good at them. Studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris and they're very strict." He watches as Liam eats, savoring his enjoyment of the food.

Liam stops mid-bite. "You what? You studied at the Cordon Bleu, and you're here being a cop? Well, can't be for the money." Liam chuckles shaking his head, and taking the bite, just as good as the last, he groans again. "Well for the price of a gourmet's cooking I suppose," he mused. "Hell, it's more than I got from the last one I asked," he says absently, chewing and savoring his food.

Spike laughs. "No, not for the money. I'm the last of the Aurelius line, and over a hundred and twenty years old. I've got all the money and property the line has ever acquired, plus what I've been able to generate on my own. I'm what they call filthy rich, Liam. I'm a cop because I want to be." Then the last part of the remark sinks in. "I take it your ex wasn't a good cook?"

Liam looks up from his food, then picks up his coffee and takes a sip. "Cook, oh hell no. She was awful. Awful at most things domestic," Liam says, taking another drink. "So filthy rich and a cop because you want to be. Are vampires susceptible to insanity? I mean a hundred and twenty, that old enough to get some kind of vamp Alzheimer’s or something?" Liam chuckles, setting his coffee aside again, and taking a piece of toast, also taking just a bare spread of marmalade.

Spike laughs out loud. "No, definitely not old enough for that. I'm a cop for a lot of reasons, Liam. Because our kind need people on this side of the law, for one. For another...well, I'm a bit of an idealist. Want to fight the good fight. Want to drag our kind into the modern world and get them out from under the thumb of those evil old-guard traditionalists...like the ones at the social."

Liam nods. "I get that. Yeah those types are the ones that make people afraid, and mistrust your kind. I don't know, can't pretend to understand what it would be like. But I get your reasons, even if I think you are crazy." Liam pauses, and quirks a brow. "And you call yourself evil?" He laughs, taking another bite of toast.

Spike chuckles. "Relatively speaking, yes. I mean, my recreational activities alone tend to put me over the moral line for most people. But as far as my kind goes, I'm almost sickeningly good. Especially considering my heritage. The Aurelius line is known for having quite the history of evil."

Liam takes up his coffee again, looking very interested. "Really? Tell me about this line of yours. I assume it's like our heritage. Like a lineage kind of thing. Do you inherit things from your umm...family?" Liam asks, taking a drink and setting aside again, to have just another bite of omelet.

Spike takes a sip of his coffee and another bite of toast. "Well, as you heard when I talked to the Captain, our line goes back to Marcus Aurelius. It's generally a Warrior line. I'm an anomaly, having turned out to be a Seducer. My Grandsire was a Seducer too, though, so it wasn't *completely* unprecedented. Powers tend to run in lines, though most of the old lines have at one time or another had each of the three powers represented. My Sire was one of the most powerful Warriors the line ever produced. He taught me, so I'm a better fighter than most with my power. He was taken out by a Slayer. Well, to be more accurate, a Slayer and three sorcerers. He was infamous, even among our kind. Used to massacre entire villages when the mood took him." Spike's eyes are clouded and unfocused as he speaks.

Liam is taken in as much by the history as the look on Spike's face. "You, miss him, don't you?" Liam says, finally, looking down at his breakfast, picking the plate with his fork.

Spike shakes himself and focuses on Liam again. "Yes, I do. And I don't. I loved him, desperately, but he wouldn't have approved of how I live now, of the things I fight for. I don't think he would have survived long in the world of the Accords. He would have never accepted any restrictions on his behavior or his desires." He looks intently at Liam. "He's been dead a long time."

Liam looks up, laying his fork down, he strokes Spike's cheek. Something in what he's said touches him, even if he is speaking about what sounds like a bloodthirsty killer. "Hard to lose someone you love. No matter what you might think of them later," he says, giving his face a little squeeze, then letting his hand just rest on his shoulder. "Can't say I'm sorry he's gone though..." Liam says quietly, almost drowning the words in his coffee cup, as he picks it up taking down the last of it.

Spike purrs and rubs his head against the hand on his shoulder. "Same here. For lots of reasons, including a very handsome one sitting right across from me."

Liam smiles, and nods, setting the cup aside. "Good. Cause I don't even want to think what that must be like between Sire and childe? Plus, well...yeah guess you wouldn't be out looking for stunningly handsome brutes like me either." He sighs, stretching out on the pillows at his back.

Spike picks up the tray and sets it on the floor, then lies down next to Liam. "Mmmm. Probably would have still noticed you, you stunningly handsome brute." He chuckles. "But there's no way we'd be here right now, like this."

Liam rolls onto his elbow, and lays his hand over Spike's chest. "Well, good thing he's not around then isn't it?" Looking down on him, his eyes sparkle and shine, as he smiles. "Or else I guess we would have one hell of a problem, huh?" He chuckles softly.

Spike's eyes twinkle merrily back at Liam. "Yes we would." He strokes his hand over the back of Liam's hand as it rests on his chest. "We most definitely would."

"And whatever that means...I don't know," Liam says, leaning closer to Spike, his lips just inches from his. "I am guessing there would be major consequences for any of the things on that little menu you gave me earlier too then huh?" Liam asks, staring into bright blue eyes.

Spike smiles and licks his lips. "Oh yes. Speaking of which....have you made your next selection?"

Liam laughs. "Straight to business then? No time for pillow talk." Shaking his head. "Well, been thinking a lot about that wicked tongue of yours. You may not really be evil, but the way you talk sometimes, really should be a damn sin.." Liam traces the nipple he'd been latched on to earlier, watching it peak and respond, the skin only slightly colored for his efforts on it, and the cut all but gone. "Sooo, how about you show me what else that mouth of yours can do?"

Spike chuckles and moans all at once, as Liam teases his nipple. "The way I talk *is* a sin. You're sinking into damnation even listening to me, you know. Not to mention what I'm about to do. Definitely a sin." He slides down Liam's body, and starts kissing up Liam's calves, then pauses to kiss and lick in the hollow under one knee, even as his hands slide up Liam's thighs, kneading the corded muscles.

"Oh damn." Liam groans. His brow furrows, as he watches Spike. "Well anything starts off with you doing that, yeah thinking I'm going to hell in a flaming handbasket." Liam sighs, with a short little laugh.

Spike chuckles as he lifts his mouth from Liam's knee and then starts working slowly up the inside of his thigh, kissing and licking. "No flames, please. Vampire and all." His hands slide up along the top of Liam's thighs and up onto his hips. His fingers seek out Liam's hipbones and stroke along them, tracing them, pressing slightly back and forth over and around them.

Liam's laugh was shaken with a soft murmur. "No, no flames. Ohh...I think your hands could definitely be right up there with one of the big sins." Liam's hips lift slightly at Spike's stroking over them, as other parts of him start to definitely take notice.

Spike's tongue moves up into the tender fold of his inner thigh, pressing up and down it, then up onto his shaft, licking like an ice cream cone along and around it in wicked patterns. His hands never pause as they continue to stroke his hipbones.

"Ohhh damn...hell yeah..." Liam groans, as Spike's tongue works over him, tasting him, then on to his length. His legs tighten and bring his hips up, under Spike's hands stroking over them. He raises his hand, and touches the back of Spike's neck, gently, just touching, wanting more contact with him.

Spike hums happily at Liam's obvious enjoyment. This is a talent he particularly enjoys displaying. It's deliciously submissive, down between a lover's legs, servicing him, and yet there is also a subtle sense of power, of having a cock between your teeth, of being able to drive someone else mad with pleasure. He savors the taste of Liam's skin, the warm masculine musky taste of it, and the feel of velvet skin over rapidly hardening flesh. He makes one last pass up the side of the shaft and then in one move engulfs the sensitive head, sucking down hard and flicking his tongue in rapid random touches all over it.

Liam hisses, and the hand on Spike's neck clenches, but he makes very sure it's not too hard, even as his head rolls back and a groan leaves him. His cock jumps and fills harder, immediately. Spike's mouth, his tongue taking him in, flicking and writhing around him. "Oh god, yessss," Liam moans. "More...yeah want more of that," he demands.

Spike purrs, letting the vibrations transfer onto Liam's skin as his tongue continues to play over it. Then he begins to lower his mouth, taking more and more of his shaft in, rapidly pressing until it hits the back of his throat, his tongue working around it all the while. Then without pausing, he opens his throat and swallows, pushing til his nose is pressing against Liam's belly.

"Fuck...oh god," Liam cries out, surprised by the sudden swallow. Feeling himself pulled down Spike's throat, it takes everything he has not to grab his head and follow it in. He takes his hand from Spike's neck and instead clutches at the bed linens. His hips tighten and push up with the strain. "Yessss," He hisses, in a harsh breath.

Spike holds his position much longer than a human could have managed. No need to breathe, no pesky gag reflex. Then he pulls back and starts bobbing up and down, his tongue still working furiously, and his purring growing ever louder. After several passes he pushes down and swallows again, holding it, then begins to move again.

Liam doesn't even bother lifting his head anymore. He lays back and focuses on not taking platinum blonde hair in his hands. Spike’s mouth vibrating and taking him in and out very quickly works a white-hot flame up and over his groin and into his belly, where each and every pass works it a little higher, and a little tighter. Then swallowing, holding, "fu-cking h-ell Sp-ike...", his breath letting the words past his lips in halting rasps. That devious mouth and tongue on his can't help making his hips buck, and groans against this too, feeling his control slip.

Spike feels those hips buck, pushing him up. He smiles inwardly, knowing it's only a matter of time before Liam loses control completely. He continues, alternating moving up and down with swallowing and holding, as one hand slides down off Liam's hip and between his thighs. His slender fingers start stroking and gently rolling and playing with his sack.

Liam does raise his head at those fingers playing with his sack. "E-vil.." he croaks, and pants. His hips starting move more and more of their own volition. Each swallowing is pulling him further, and further out of himself, and more and more toward that thing that's sooo wanting to fuck the hell out of the devilish mouth. His hand comes back to the spot on Spike's neck, feeling the movement, coupled with the sight of his motions takes him that one step further. "Faster," He growls.

Spike feels that hand on his neck and moans, even as he complies with Liam's command and starts to move faster. Meanwhile, one slender finger moves off Liam's sack and snakes down to stroke firmly across Liam's perineum.

Liam moans at his demand being met, his head lolls until he feels that forging finger. His head shoots up, and he stares down at Spike, his ass clenches, but he manages not to say a word. He just watches, feeling what Spike is actually doing. His hand on his neck stills it constant rub and sits still, a warm paw just resting on him.

Spike keeps stroking with that finger across the taut bit of flesh, pushing no further, having felt Liam tighten up. He hadn't intended more than to do this, but Liam evidently is worried he is. He continues sliding his head up and down, moving faster, sucking harder, making his mouth into a wet tight channel.

The tickling, sharp tingle Spike's playing finger sends over him is incredible and perfectly matches his mouth’s deliciously devious dives up and down on his cock. He can feel Spike isn't trying to do more, to touch him anywhere he isn't ready for. And that, he isn't sure he'll ever be ready for. That little worry fading, the repetition of motion felt on his cock, under his hand and boiling up through his gut, has him arching before he even realizes it. And then that hand, the one that has been so good, is pulling, just a little but still pulling. Liam doesn't speak, he grunts, and moans, as Spike pleasures him.

Spike purrs again as he can sense Liam relax. He's glad Liam realizes he's not going to push any further. Spike knows only too well his role as a bottom, and it doesn't involve taking liberties in *that* particular area. He moves faster still, sucking and licking wickedly, swallowing again, then moving. He can taste, as he comes up to the head and licks across the slit, the wonderful taste of the drops slowly welling there. His other hand moves from Liam's hips to stroke across his abs, feeling the muscles there, pressing into the curves.

Liam looks down, Spike's lips around him, Spike's hand between his legs, the other on his belly, his motions. His own hand tightens and this time doesn't leave that long slender neck, it moves with it urging it on, faster and harder. Liam licks his lips, and finally just lets go...biting his bottom lip as the tight white hot coil twining itself up inside him go. Sending waves of shooting fire through him, and then out of him as he releases deep down Spike's throat, his hand clasped holding him there down on him in a spasmed grip. His own throat clenched and tight, making voicing anything over a sharp rasp impossible.

Spike feels that hand tighten on him with joy. He loves it, that feeling of command. Then Liam holds him down, and he can feel the hot seed shoot into his mouth and throat, and he swallows as quickly as he can. His only regret is not being able to really taste Liam as he swallows. He can feel Liam spasm and throb in his mouth, and then stop. He licks his clean and waits for Liam's grip to loosen. He has no urgent need to rise...no need to breathe. He can just rest there, Liam's slowly softening length in his mouth.

Liam finally breathes, and realizing he is holding Spike down, he moves his hand. He rolls his head from side to side, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry...God that was...fucking hell Spike...if that's going to hell, I'll drive the bus," Liam says with a breathy laugh. Every nerve ending still seems to be alive, even as Liam pulls back, and is quickly more himself. Even his skin sings the mind-blowing release.

Spike chuckles, then lifts and stretches, rolling his neck to release the tension, and crawls up over Liam's body, settling against him. "Good. Then we'll be damned together." Spike purrs as he rests against Liam's body, luxuriating in the heat and scent and feel of his skin.

Liam chuckles, and wraps his arms around Spike. "Yeah I suppose we will," He says, as if this had been settled years ago, and he is simply reaffirming an old sentiment. He really is relaxed. If what he says bothers him, it doesn't show. His body is lax and comfortable.

Spike rubs and squirms a bit against Liam, enjoying the feel of those arms around him. Even more, he enjoys the tone of Liam's response. Liam had fought so hard against feeling anything, but once he had opened up, he really seemed to have opened up. Unusual for a human, but it simply reaffirms his high opinion of Liam, and his conviction that they belong together. He sighs happily. "So I take it you enjoyed your selection?"

Liam raises his brows and rolls his eyes as if considering. "Weellll...." Then he laughs. "Umm, you could say that." Holding this man, this vampire, Liam is for the moment content. Things have been set between them, at least for the time being, and even though this is far from where he expected his next relationship to come from, well here it is. His strong hands run over Spike's back as he looks up him.

Spike lifts a finger to run along Liam's jaw. "Good. Because I intend to spend a lot of time pleasing you." His voice is a silken caress, full of intimation and promises.

Liam tips his head slightly to the lift of Spike's finger, his eyes never him leaving him. "That so? What did I hit the sex drive lottery or something?" He says smiling, but looking intently at Spike.

Spike chuckles. "Something like that. What? Don't you like the idea?" His blue eyes stay locked with Liam's dark ones.

Liam looks up at the ceiling musing. "Do I like that? Hmm? Waking up to phenomenal sex, getting to behave like a total animal, breakfast in bed, and a blow job not to be believed...all before lunch...Is there something I need to sign? ‘Cause I think I'm pretty much sold," Liam says, rolling his eyes back to look at Spike with a smile, taking one hand and running it through Spike's hair, turning his face just a touch serious as he looks into cool blue eyes.

Spike licks his lips and rubs against Liam's hand. "Oh, of course, there's the standard sell-your-soul contract to be signed...in blood, of course." Spike chuckles. "But I think we can skip that and just keep enjoying each other."

"Umm, well already kinda did the blood thing haven't we?" Liam says, smiling. "Oh, about that. When do you need to umm, well eat I guess? I mean you said that was just a taste. So when will you need to do the real thing?" He asks. A little laughing shiver as the very fond memory of earlier exploits colors his voice.

Spike licks his lips again. "Didn't feed last night because I was with you, so I would usually feed tonight." He grins mischievously at Liam. "But if you prefer I could just take some bagged blood..."

Liam really considers this. The little taste Spike had taken was amazing, and well feeding from him had been even more so. But, what would him actually feeding from him be like? His eyes move up and look at Spike more carefully. His eyes narrow, and then he smiles. "Well, wouldn't hardly be fair would it? You cook me breakfast in bed. A fucking excellent breakfast in bed, and I make you take a bagged lunch? Makes me sound like some kinda ass don't you think?" He quirks a brow, but grins genuinely settling with the thought that *he* would be replacing said bagged lunch. Whatever that was going to mean.

Spike chuckles warmly, his eyes roaming over Liam appreciatively. "Well, I'm all for fairness. But maybe we should save it for a little later this week. Don't have to do everything in one day. Though we certainly seem to be trying."

Liam sighs, laughing. "Yeah, well...I guess I'm just a greedy beast." His eyes shine with mischief, and something that could only be called devilish. "Want it all, and more. When a good thing crosses my path."

Spike's eyes glow warmly back. "Well you can have it. Whatever you desire. Whatever you can dream of."

Liam pulls his head back a little to look more closely at Spike, his brow furrowed. "You know, you make quiet a tempting offer. I still can't help thinking this ...well this can't be real. I mean, strong as hell bad ass vampire, whose fucking beautiful and the best fuck I've ever had, and yeah well I'm no slouch, but damn. Still makes a guy wonder. Makes me wonder. A lot," Liam says, brushing stray locks from Spike's forehead as he speaks, his face framed in actual calm thought.

Spike keeps his eyes intently on Liam as he ponders. "I can see how you'd wonder. *I* did, when my Sire chose me. I mean, he was a force of nature, a powerful creature who could have anyone he chose. Why would he want me? But he did, and I do. I want you. More than anyone I've met since my Sire."

"That is an incredible thing to say isn't it? I mean, I don't know anything about this Sire and childe thing, but it is isn't it? It's a huge thing. And you feel that way about me. That would be a hell of a thing to say even if you were human." Liam sighs, and stretches, "Guess I am over thinking it. You don't know why, so you can't tell me. It's the way you feel. That's going to have to be enough isn't it?" Liam asks, moving to wrap his arms again around his waist.

Spike nods. "It is. I mean, I've already told you most of the reasons I can name." Spike sighs. "I guess you don't really have any good reason to trust me. I honestly can't think of anything else I can do so you will believe me."

Liam lifts his head and rubs his face over Spike's cheek. "I'm sorry." Sighs. "I...well hell Spike. I get shot at for a living. I look for the bad guys at every turn. It's what I do. I guess it's just not something I turn off that easily." Liam kisses Spike's lips softly. "Besides you are evil...by your own admission." He says in all seriousness, laying his head back on the pillows to look up at Spike.

Spike give a half-smile at that. "Yes, yes I am. Terribly evil. Of course, a nice guy would still be trying to get your attention, I think, instead of lying in bed with you. I don't think you really *want* someone completely nice."

Liam just stares into deep blue eyes. "No...I guess I don't," he says finally.

Spike's smile disappears. "Should I stop talking that way? Wait until you've made a decision, one way or the other?"

Liam blinks, and shakes his head. "Umm, no...ah." His expression shifts, thinking, then he smiles. "Spike. I've asked to you change your entire existence for me, in ohhh...about the last several hours. You agreed and I threw my own blood into the mix, as well as taking yours." Liam pulls Spike in closer. "Lots of earth shattering things happening here. But rather than pushing you away or putting the breaks on any of it. Hell ..I want more." Liam's words are just a hair's breadth from Spike's lips. "I think it's safe to say...a pretty clear decision has been made. I may not have some sense to tell me it's right. I just know I want you."

Spike purrs and kisses Liam-- softly at first, then more firmly and passionately. His voice is touched by obvious relief. "So glad to hear it. I'm no damn good at holding back, Liam. No damn good at all."

Liam returns his kisses, with just as much intensity, breaking the kiss he pants softly. "You've been holding back?" Liam chuckles. "Oh, I'm a dead man for sure." He sighs, in a faux swoon, pulling Spike down, and rolling on top of him laughing. "That's it-- trying to kill me. I knew it."

Spike laughs gleefully as Liam rolls him under him. "Ah yes, you've uncovered my evil plan. Curses, foiled again!"

Liam dives in nuzzling and nipping at Spike's shoulder and neck. "Ahh, see, I knew it. No, you evil vampire. You won't get me," Liam says, with a forced bravado, before kissing Spike hard and with a wild abandon.

Spike moans as Liam nips at him, and then wraps his arms around Liam's neck as they kiss. "No, you've gotten me," he purrs.

Liam laughs, and gives Spike's throat a little nip. "Mine," he growls playful as a big wolf cub.

"Yours," Spike replies, his voice bright, even as his unbeating heart is thrilled by Liam's playful claim. Liam couldn't know, of course, that, if he had been a vampire, he essentially just claimed Spike. But the exchange excites him deeply all the same.

Liam smiles, looking very satisfied. "You know.. I don't think I've laughed this much, or had this much fun in ...well...forever," Liam says smiling down on Spike.

Spike beams back. "Same here. It's been a long time for me, too." Spike reflects on this for just a moment. It really has been a while since he was this loose and free with anyone. He's usually busy playing to everyone's expectations of the sexy vampire Seducer. To be playful and silly like this would break their little fantasies. But he feels comfortable with Liam.

"So. What now?" He turns to look at the clock. "Ahh, it's 11:30. You still need to eat, and well bad as I hate to say it in a little while we'll need a nap, before work." Liam sighs, letting his weight rest a little heavier on Spike.

Spike purrs and wriggles against Liam. "Mmmm. I can eat on the way to work. I have a cooler in the car. But napping sounds good. Need to keep our energy up." He gives an evil grin.

Liam chuckles, "yeah have the feeling that I'm definitely going to need it." Liam rolls off Spike to his side, pulling him close, wrapping his arms around his waist. "So up for a clingy man nap then?"

Spike sighs happily and snuggles in against Liam, settling comfortably. "Yes. Most definitely."

Liam nuzzles into Spike's neck pulling him in close, wrapping his heavy body around Spike. "Good," He murmurs, already feeling the relax slip over his body.

Spike purrs and lets himself slip into slumber. They both sleep until a scratching at the door and a whining breaks into their consciousness. Spike stirs. "Sunny," he murmurs. "Think she's wanting out."

"Hmm...oh," Liam mutters, his eyes still closed, "yeah...yeah...ok.." Liam snorts, and unfurls himself from around Spike. "Yeah ..one sec, be right back." Liam climbs out of bed his motions stilted for being sleep-touched, but no less efficient. He's up in no more than a second, opening the door, his face instantly lights up seeing his baby girl. "Hello Sunny. Oh, there's my good girl. Haven't seen Daddy today have you? Miss me baby.. aww...come on let's let you out." Liam coos, and strokes the very happily panting dog, her little doggie smile shining in big brown eyes. Liam smiling, his eyes still drawn and narrowed, he lets the dog out, watching her run the yard, do her thing and dutifully return. "Oh you're a good girl. Yes you are." Liam praises, going to one knee to stroke her soft golden fur. "You know.. Daddy has a new umm *friend* baby.. What do you think about that my girl? " Liam says, speaking to the dog every bit like a small child, ignoring her being of the canine variety completely. Sunny gives a warm short little bark, wiggling her whole body to match her very happy tail. Liam laughs, and pats her head softly. "Well...guess it sits about as well with you, as it does with me huh, little girl?" Chuckling, he stands up and goes back to the bedroom.

Spike is sitting up in bed when Liam returns. Sunny pushes her way past Liam's legs and lifts her front paws onto the bed near Spike, pushing her head against him for attention. Spike grins and pets her, stroking her head and ruffling the fur on her neck. "Good to see you too, Sunny," he says. "Sorry I've been keeping Daddy so busy today."

Liam laughs, even as he stifles a little zing that goes through him at hearing that particular name from Spike's lips. He shakes his head, and sighs. God was he sick or what, he thinks, as he crawls back onto the bed. "Yeah think she likes you. Good sign. Guess she's my little detector." Liam laughs, as he runs his fingers through the dog's coat. "Hated my ex. Yes you did. Hated her guts didn't you pretty girl? And well Daddy should have listened. Yesss...Yes he should have huh?" Liam babbles to the dog's smiling face.

Sunny barks back at Liam. Spike chuckles, both at her reaction and Liam's obvious doting and love for his dog. "Good for me that Sunny has good taste, then. Although I recall you accusing me of having 'mojoed' your dog a few days ago."

"Yeah well...that was a few days ago," Liam dismisses with a short little frown. "Umm, you ready to get up, we have a few hours before work. Showers, dinner, your dinner, and then we're off I guess. Plenty of time if you wanted to lay here a little longer," Liam says, looking up from Sunny's sweet little face and back at Spike.

Spike's eyes twinkle. "Showers and dinner sound good. We could, of course, save some time by showering together." He gives a wicked little grin.

Liam smiles, and stands up holding his hand out to Spike. "Weeell no sense wasting water is there?" He laughs. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Spike takes his hand and stands up along with Liam. "Mmmm. I was hoping you'd see it that way," He purrs. The two of them head off for the bathroom. Spike begins poking around, laying out towels and looking over Liam's bath products.

Liam turns on the water, and watches Spike, crossing his arms and grinning. "Not finding what you wanted?" He asks. "Don't keep much more than soap and shaving stuff."

Spike looks back at Liam. "I can see that. Well, I shall just have to suffer," he says with an exaggerated sigh. "We'll have to stop by my place and let me pack some things before we come back." He stops, and seems to realize what he has just said. "Assuming you want me back here tonight, of course."

Liam turns back from checking the water. "Umm...Yeah, we'll have to go get whatever you need. Plus your cat must miss you by now," Liam says, shaking the water from his hand. "Hope you like your showers hot, cause I take them damn near hot enough to peel the skin off," Liam comments, just before he steps into the stream of water.

Spike steps in after him, giving a near-orgasmic sigh as the hot water hits him. "Ohhhh you have no idea. Love the heat." He lets the water run over him a moment before he starts soaping up a washcloth, and then starts scrubbing Liam's chest.

Liam wraps his arms loosely around Spike's waist, watching him as he washed his chest. "Yeah well. Me being hot and all. Guess that works out then doesn't it?" Liam says grinning.

Spike's eyes sparkle merrily as he looks up at Liam. "Well, you certainly are *hot*." He licks his lips and looks up and down Liam. "Yes, definitely hot." He leans forward so he can scrub Liam's back, and their chests rub together.

"Hmmm...not so bad yourself." Liam murmurs, his arms tightening around Spike's waist his hands moving over the curves of his back, and shoulders.

Spike starts purring as Liam caresses his back. There's just something delicious about rubbing together like this, slicked with soap and water. He also really likes the fact the Liam can no more seem to keep his hands off Spike than Spike can off him. He moves up to kiss Liam's neck before he slides down Liam, kneeling to wash his legs.

Liam looks down at the vision at his feet. "Damn, you do know how to feed a guy’s ego," He breathes. His eyes start to dilate just at the sight. He runs his fingers through Spike's wet hair, looking into sweet blue eyes.

Spike chuckles and works his way up Liam's legs in smooth long strokes. "Just washing you," he says. He reaches the tops of his thighs and grins wickedly at Liam before moving the washcloth onto his crotch, starting to wash with small movement as he continues to look into Liam's eyes.

Liam's breath catches, and he smiles. "Fuck. Yeah, sure you are." He sighs. "And Sunny's a swimsuit model. "I don't think a nice clean or quick shower was at all what you had in mind was it?" Liam asks, his hand moving down to cradle the back of Spike' neck.

Spike hand stills and he looks up with an innocent expression on his face, blinking wide blue eyes. "I can stop if you want."

Liam nearly growls. "Don't you dare," He says, his hand gripping Spike's neck just slightly. "And...umm...the innocent act sooo not working." Liam grins, his voice deeper and lightly husked.

Spike chuckles and starts moving his hand again. "Just wanted to make sure. And the innocent act works on *lots* of people, I'll have you know."

"Not ones who have watched you suck them off." Liam groans. "Would think it tends to take something off the impression, don't you?" Looking down at Spike as he moves that deliciously devious hand of his.

Spike laughs. "Well you might have a point there." Never stopping the movement of his hand, he raises up off his knees and faces Liam. "In that case," he says, eyes gleaming, "What part of me would you really prefer around that magnificent cock of yours?"

Liam's brows raise, his breath catching again. "Well. Shame you're so shy, isn't it?" Liam's laugh comes out in a ragged little rail. Taking Spike's offer, he nods. "Well your mouth was fucking fantastic, but...umm... Oh hell your ass. I mean, damn." Liam sighs, pulling Spike against his soap-slicked body, his strong hands holding him tight, one hand snaking down, and cupping one cheek.

Spike moans and rubs against Liam as Liam pulls him in and grabs his ass. His one hand is still stroking, soaping up Liam's length, and his other hand moves to Liam's chest and his fingers play around one nipple. "Mmm. I like your choice. Verrrrrry much."

Liam groans, his hand pulling at the cheek in his hand, parting his asscheeks, letting the water run between them. Then letting them fall back together, repeating this, as he massages and feels the firm curve under his hand. "Thought you might." His voice lower still, as he leans over pulling, his other hand sliding up his back and forcing his shoulders in tighter, as he kisses, licks, and then nips the side of Spike's neck.

Spike continues to moan as Liam caresses and kneads his ass and then gives a little cry when Liam bites his neck. He wraps his free arm around Liam's neck, pulling himself closer still, his normally cool skin heated by the water running over them both. He revels in the feel of their bodies rubbing together and the strong arm holding him close. He nips at Liam's earlobe and whispers into his ear. "I love the way you master me."

Liam's cock immediately says hello to that little comment. Spike has apparently hit on one of Liam's weaknesses, words. Word games, and play, they shoot through him with more effect sometimes than actual touch. Liam groans, his eyes rolling up, as they close, then snap open again. The hand at his back moves to the other side of Spike's ass grabbing him up hard, pushing him against the wall, his body falling against him pinning him under its weight, placing a bite over the nip to his neck.

Spike groans and hardens as Liam forces him against the wall, hands on his cheeks. He arches his neck to Liam's mouth, giving him better access to roam and bite as he pleased. He squirms a bit, feeling Liam's shaft slip between his thighs and brush against him.

Liam laves a long hard lick over the spot he bit, rocking against Spike. One hand slides down a slicked thigh and pulls his leg up by the knee, wrapping it around his hip as he leans in harder. Feeling Spike's hardness rub against his belly and his squirming, he smiles, then he bites that spot again, setting his teeth against pale tight skin.

Spike groans loudly as Liam bites him again. He uses the leverage of that lifted leg to pull his crotch harder against Liam, rubbing himself against him.

Theirs lengths slide against each other, slicked and warm from the stream of hot water. Liam's hand moves from his knee back to the curve of his ass, until he reaches that spot. That sweet little dimpled pucker, Liam's finger circles and pushes against it softly, making smooth motions. His tongue swirls and laves, the skin pulled up and between his teeth.

Spike gasps as Liam's finger finds its mark, and then lets out a long ragged moan at the feel of his flesh between Liam's teeth. One hand circles to Liam's back, his fingernails scraping lightly over the skin of his back. "Oh god, Liam," he moans.

Spike's words as much as his reactions spur Liam on. Feeling enough resistance to give him pause as he probed around Spike entrance. A thought flashes, and without breaking his sucking and devouring of Spike's neck, he slides that hand back and runs it through the soap on his own cock with a loud groan around his mouthful of skin. His hand slicked, he comes back to Spike’s ass, circling and working his now super-slicked fingers around the object of his attention at the moment. Circles and turns, and light pressing and it's not long til he can push his two fingers in.

Spike whimpers and mewls and presses back against Liam's fingers as best he can without struggling too much. "Fu-u-u-ck," he breathes out slowly. For someone who never did this before yesterday Liam certainly seems to have taken to it well, his fingers moving surely and confidently, driving Spike quickly to distraction. He cries out as Liam brushes against his prostate and arches hard against him, his fingernails digging into the Liam's back.

Liam smiles, and pulls back from his attack on Spike's neck to look at him. "I really like that spot." He says, as he pushes against it again, and again. Watching Spike writhe and cry out.. "Oh god Spike. Fuck...so hot.." Liam moans, licking his neck, and pushing those fingers in again, soon adding a third.

Spike whimpers and mewls as Liam hits that sweet spot over and over. "Ohgod ohgod Liam oh you're evil. Pushing that button just to make me wriggle for you."

"Just to see you, hear you... God you sound..." Liam trials off, his mouth tasting and licking over Spike's shoulder, his fingers stretching him against his own weight held between Liam's hands and the wall. Feeling the easier slide of his hand, and the sway of his rock hard cock as he moves, he groans against Spike's skin. "Fuck...want you, now."

Spike moans loudly, scratching across his back and rubbing hard against Liam. "Then take me, please god Liam, take me."

The scratches over his back feed more and more into Liam's want. He takes a second to think of what he wants. He takes his fingers out of Spike, reaching under his thighs he lifts him, and takes just a step closer. Lifting him just over his cock, but letting him stay pinned to the wall. He lowers him, down, down, down, first feeling the still tight ring open for him, and then the second as it spasms, and gives into to his assault. Liam groans, his eyes closing and his head falling against Spike's shoulder.

Spike whimpers and lets out little cries as Liam oh so slowly lowers him onto his cock, feeling that massive shaft slowly impaling him. He scratches his hand again across his back, and then he moves his mouth to Liam's neck, biting over the sensitive mark with blunt teeth.

"Oh fuck..." Liam groans, using his strong grip on Spike's legs he starting moving him, up and down driving his length further and further into him. The bite of bright pain on his back like a spur makes him want to move that much harder, be that much deeper. The bite, over that one spot, forcing him to cry out, and buck one good hard time, pushing himself all the way in.

Spike cries out. "FUCK!" As he is fully seated on Liam's shaft. He curls his fingers into Liam's hair with one hand, pulling closer, as he licks and sucks over the mark. He arches against Liam, molding himself to him skin to skin, rubbing against him.

If Liam had simply been told how sensitive the skin would be after having a vampire bite you, he would not have believed it. Now with Spike writhing and bucking on his cock, you would think all his attention would have been on fucking the hell out of him. You'd be wrong. That mark, that tiny little patch of skin. It is like magma, boiling with each stroke Spike gives it, each bite more intense than the last. Grunts of roiling animal need start in his throat, as he bucks up harder and harder, taking Spike. Wanting more and more of him. His hands lowering him to match the force of his hips.

Spike moans and emits muffled cries, the vibrations transferring onto Liam's throat. He's rarely been taken like this, so rough and forceful. He loves it, craves it. He thrusts back against Liam, pushing, wanting him deeper and harder in him.

Liam's eyes open, dilated and black, his jaw clenches and his hands move faster, and with more force. His legs screaming from the strain already are commanded to move that much harder, faster. The vibrations over Spike's mark on him almost unbearable, setting his guts tight as bow strings with each touch. He grunts with his increased efforts, his breathing uneven and fast, catching and panting with need and exertion.

Spike's untended cock is being rubbed hard between them, and between that and the hard fast taking, he is fast approaching climax. He groans, long and loud, and bites again on the mark.

Liam cries out at yet another bite, the sensations mounting to they're peak. "Spiiike. Cum...now," He says, his hips and legs jerk and convulse as his release is shot from him with the speed of an arrow, the boiling lava growing in his belly erupting inside Spike, his vision blurs, and his breaths refuse to come, his chest shuddering from trying.

Spike throws his head back and shouts, "LIAM!" as he cums hard, his body writing and spasming against Liam, the sweet explosion of joy firing inside him as Liam commands him to cum. He tightens his grip as he shudders and bucks against Liam.

Spike's spasms and quivering around him are just too much. Spent, his cock is on fire with aftershocks. His knees falter slightly, he takes a deep breath and rest Spike more firmly against the wall, watching him, as best he can through the explosions behind his eyes. Once his shivering starts to quieten, he carefully with shaking arms lifts him and lowers him down. Holding him closely, pressing they're bodies tightly together, he rests his head on Spike's shoulder, trying very hard to catch his breath, his face a pale shade of red. "Oh...god Spike...for fuck's sake..." Liam gasps, and then looks up at Spike, his eyes starting to regain some of their less lust-filled-beast appearance. "What the fuck *was* that? Oh god too good.....just tooo...damn good."

Spike strokes his hand through Liam's hair, trying to come back to himself. He hears Liam's question and focuses on him, then licks just a tiny lick across the mark. "You mean *this*?"

Liam shudders, and nearly loses his footing, that devilish lick hitting him just right, intensifying his aftershocks, making his knees feel more like jello than anything someone should be standing on. "Fuck, yeah. What the hell *is * that?" He pants, finally opening his eyes again.

Spike purrs and chuckles. "The skin where I bite you is going to be sensitive for a while after each bite. Aftereffects of the chemicals that make the bite feel so good. I know it's terribly naughty of me to abuse that little spot so much but I just simply can't help myself."

Liam gives him the most steady look he can manage, and sighs. "Well...little warning...um before turning me to a raving beast, turned jello man, would have been...umm...nice?" Liam says, taking another deep breath, pulling himself back together. He gives Spike a serious stare, then kisses him deeply, his arms locked around his slender waist. Breaking the kiss, he rests his head against Spike's, "it was fucking amazing though." His voice quiet and deep.

Spike chuckles. "I *told* you the spot would be sensitive. You just didn't know *how* sensitive." But then he looks chastened and drops his eyes, with a sweetly submissive voice. "But I promise to warn you next time."

Liam smiles, and kisses him again. "You do that," He says, in a smooth tone. "Well now, I think we need to see to getting you and me actually clean. Still need to get you and me dinner before reporting in," Liam says, between kissing Spike again, and again.

Spike grins as Liam kisses him. "So do you want me to wash you again or do you think that will be too distracting?" He chuckles evilly.

Liam smiles, and nips Spike's lip. "Fun, distracting...yes...impractical and a sure way to keep me from ever leaving this shower...well hell yeah. But....there is this pesky killer on the loose. So might want to make sure we go take care of that." Liam says, then as an after thought, "but then there is always tomorrow isn't there?" Licking Spike's lips, and smiling.

Spike chuckles and purrs. "Oh, yes. Always tomorrow." He soaps up a washcloth and starts scrubbing himself, with a little wistful sigh. "Really enjoyed the shower so far, though."

Liam watches Spike as he washes himself. The picture of it making him groan, and shake his head. "The fucking devil I swear." Liam breathes. "Yeah, enjoying the shower, that's umm, yeah. I can see that." His eyes fixed on the sight of soapy wet naked Spike, washing his long lean, entirely to graceful to be real body. He slaps a wet hand over his face, and swipes at his eyes. "Soo going to hell." He says, chuckling.

Spike laughs. "Should I get behind you? Would that make it easier for you? I'm being good, just washing myself, not even doing anything naughty, like, say, *this*." Spike reaches down and starts soaping his cock in long strokes, then takes his hand away and goes back to washing the rest of him.

Liam fixes Spike in a very intense stare. Then grabs another cloth, taking the soap and washing over his broad chest, his tight well-defined abs, strong arms. Washing each part and ignoring the evil vampire standing across the shower from him.

Spike grins, but watches Liam as he washes. He loves the sight of him, those sculpted beautiful muscles, the water rushing over his skin. He moans softly as he finishes washing, rinsing off.

Liam smiles inwardly, but doesn't look up, he washes his own cock, in careful strokes still sensitive and the vision that kept playing in his head doesn't help. He washes the rest of himself, and rinses. Finally looking at Spike, and giving a little grin, before stepping out taking a towel and slowly, drying his well-muscled, very male form, seeming to pay very little attention to Spike's reaction.

Spike follows, toweling himself off and watching Liam's every move. He sighs. He could watch this all day. He leans over, just almost touching Liam's back, and draws in his scent, all warm clean skin and soap from the shower. One of the great weaknesses of vampires, one they seldom admitted, is what slaves they were to their senses. Everything was so acute, so bright, so vivid...it was all too easy to get lost, admiring something beautiful or stimulating for hours. And Liam was a thing of rugged masculine beauty.

Liam stands up done toweling and bumps Spike slightly, he smiles, and tips his head. "Umm...what were you doing?" He asks, letting go of his little sulk, and game. Spike had the expression of someone being caught at something, but Liam couldn't imagine what. He's just been trying to show Spike he isn't the only one who could inspire a little distraction, but now that very unlikely look of being caught off guard intrigues him.

Spike looks down, a little sheepish at Liam's question. "Watching you. Smelling you." He blushes a bit, actually embarrassed at being caught.

Liam looks puzzled, touching Spike's chin. "Smelling me? That's a vampire thing right?" He asks, dipping his head to look in Spike's eyes. That look of embarrassment, and oh god that blush, sending absolute waves of happy over him. His dark eyes sparkle with it, and his face seems to light up.

Spike forces his eyes to meet Liam's. He nods slightly. "Y-yes. Our senses are really acute. Like in the club, when I sang, I could pick out the smell of your arousal, out of everyone and everything in the club."

Liam's eyes widen at that thought. "You...you could smell the effect you had on me? In public...umm in a crowded room." Liam suddenly felt like he had been naked in that club, and that was an unsettling perspective. He blinks, and shakes that thought off. Then another strikes him, and makes him laugh. "Well that's just cheating. Not really fair if I can't hide anything from you, now is it?"

Spike laughs at that. "Mmmm. Never claimed to play fair," he purrs. "I'm *evil*, remember?" He looks at Liam with a brilliant smile.

"I see...whole new ballgame.." Liam sighs. Just another thing about this perplexing situation he finds himself in. Another thing to file and remember. Even if this new turn in his life is unexpected, it sure as hell isn't boring. Looking at Spike he doubts anything will ever be boring again.

~Part: 7~

One of those new things to adjust to occurs to him.  "Umm, you said you had blood in your car?  Did you want to *eat* before we go?  I mean there is stuff here I can eat  Or we can still go out."  Liam asks, unsure of any of the etiquette that might go along with any of this.

Spike smiles.  "It will only take me a minute to feed.  As for dinner...we can do whichever you want.  I'd like to go out but if you'd prefer to eat here..."

Liam shakes his head.  "Noo...no...we can go out.  I'd like to take you out.  Umm, any food preference?"  Liam asks, running several restaurant possibilities through his head.

Spike's smile gets even bigger, glad that Liam doesn't mind being seen with him in public.  "Italian, maybe.  Or steaks.  Anything really.  I like all kinds."

Liam thinks for a second then snaps his fingers.  "Steaks.  Great steak place, not far from here.  Marylin's.  It's not fancy, but the food is excellent."  Liam says, planning more than he is thinking.  The consideration of them in public is not really occurring to him, as *them* in public.   They've been happily secluded alone for most of his revelations and coming to terms with things.  Going out, and what that means has not really occurred to him.  Right now he is content to get ready and take Spike to a great steak dinner.  Then off to work.

Spike smiles and nods.  "Sounds wonderful."  He heads off to the bedroom ahead of Liam, and then gets dressed quickly.  "I'll just go take care of feeding while you finish getting dressed and feed Sunny."  He goes out to his car, taking out the cooler and removing the bag of blood, downing it quickly and neatly in the car so Liam wouldn't have to watch him feed, and then goes back into the house.

Liam dresses, and feeds his little girl, petting her contentedly for a minute, then letting her out before they had to go.  While watching her, he starts to wonder why Spike had not come back, when Spike does come in.  He looks just that little bit different, more refreshed, brighter, even slightly more pinked.  Liam turns back to call Sunny in, deciding Spike has his reasons to keep some things to himself.  He won't push him.  His mind made up, he pats Sunny as she makes her return appearance, and smiles down at her.  "Ok pretty girl. Daddy and Uncle Spike have to go to work now. We'll be back in a little while.  You be a good girl, now ok? "  Ruffling her fur and laughing Liam stands up and looks at Spike.  "All ready then?"  He asks.

"All ready.  Can't wait to get back into that lovely muscle car of yours again."  Spike grins as he stands in front of Liam.  "Love that car.  It's *sooo* you."

Liam chuckles.  "Well...I like it," He confides. "All right then, dinner, and...umm.  Oh do we need to go feed your cat before work?  Or can she wait til after?  When we go pick up your stuff?"  Liam asks as they walk out into the growing harmless dusked light of early evening.

"There's a neighbor that feeds her for me when I'm away.  We can wait to get my things until after the shift."  He bites his lip, not sure if he should ask, but he goes ahead.  "Mind if I bring her back here?  I...I have the feeling I'm not going to spend much time at home for a while."

Liam settles into the driver's seat with a little pause, turning that one over in his head for a second.  He looks back at Spike.  Considering.  "Well...I know I don't want you to go.....so yeah...bring the cat," Liam says, as he turns on the engine, letting Spike get settled and then heading off to the steak house.

Spike smiles and settles down with a tiny purr, rubbing against the leather seats as they drive.  They arrive at the steak house and Spike gets out, moving up next to Liam as they walk towards the entrance.

Liam opens the door for Spike, and they go inside.  The restaurant is just as Liam says, not fancy but it looks warm and inviting.  Heavy wood tables.  Dark oak floors, ceiling fans, and tons of odd road memorabilia on the walls, and ceiling.  A squat little waitress comes over, her hair in a ponytail but her dress and demeanor were more dress casual.  "Hello and welcome to Marylin's.  Smoking or non?"  She asks, getting menus, and place settings out for them both.

Spike smiles.  "Non, please."  The waitress looks over, as if mildly surprised that Spike was the one to answer, and starts moving off.  "This way, please," she says, and takes them back to a booth for two.  Spike slides in as the waitress sets down the menus and place settings.

Liam takes his seat, and his menu, and the little waitress smiles at them both. "What would you like to drink?"  They order their drinks, and Liam takes up takes up the menu as she goes to get them.  He looks over his at Spike.  "Umm...dunno what you *like* to eat, but well all the steaks are phenomenal.  And they have seafood, and chicken too.  It's  all good.  But I'm getting the ribeye, salad and a bake potato...loaded," He adds with a grin.  "I think I worked up quite an appetite for some reason," He muses.

Spike grins.  "Oh really?"  He chuckles.  "Glad to hear it."  He looks over the menu.  "Mmm.  The filet looks good, medium rare, and a salad and sautéed mushrooms.  Love a good piece of meat," he says, eyes glittering.

Liam groans as the little waitress comes back, and gives Spike a knowing smile.  Then he orders for them both.  Ordering just what Spike had asked for, and his own meal.  The chubby little waitress smiles at them both, and goes to place their order.

It's not long before their food starts coming, and they talk quietly together, laughing, joking, making innuendoes to watch the other react.  A couple walks by on the way to their table just as Spike makes one of his innuendoes.  He looks over at the table and mutters under his breath, "Fucking fags."

It takes a full second for Liam to realize that little comment is directed at them.  Taking his usual reaction to any comment of the kind, he's getting up from the table his eyes firmly fixed on the man, and about to rain down hell.  "Fucking fags.  Who the fuck are you calling fucking fags?"  Liam snarls, taking a step toward the couple’s table.

Spike scrambles up quickly behind Liam, putting a restraining hand on his arm, even as the man looks over at the two of them, a little intimidated by the sight of an infuriated Liam.  "Nothin'.  Didn't say a thing.  You must be imagining things."

Liam looks at Spike as he touches his arm, his eyes blaze like hellfire, his lips curled in a snarl, his face stone deadly.  He looks the very picture of Irish temper embodied.

Spike looks at that angry face.  With a sinking feeling, he realizes it hasn't occurred to Liam what being out in public with Spike would mean.  That being a couple in public could draw those sort of comments.  He keeps his voice soft and calm.  "He's not worth it, Liam.  Can't beat up a civilian, even off duty, and you know it.  No matter how ignorant and stupid he is."

Liam blinks, and comes back to himself a little.  Duty, off duty cop.  He can't beat someone up.  Not for this.  He shrugs Spike's hand off, goes to the table, throws down the money for their meals and a tip.  And stalks toward the door, his mind clouded, and his thoughts running over what had just happened.

Spike follows closely on his heels, sliding into the car, glancing over in Liam's direction.  Too soon.  They went out in public too soon, before Liam had adjusted to the idea and the ramifications of what their relationship would mean.  Vampires don't worry about these stupid social distinctions and taboos...at least, not for long after they are turned.  Spike berates himself for not taking Liam's sensibilities into account.

Liam huffs as he starts the car and pull out.  His reaction to the idiot had been more a conditioned response.  Macho guy, nobody calls me a fag, kind of thing.  Immediate and quick retribution to follow for the merest suggestion.  That he thinks about long and hard.  Suggestion.  The man hadn't said it out of the blue.  He and Spike had been practically cuddled up, laughing, joking, coming on to each other pretty damn hard.  His face slacks and he gives Spike a short look, then back to the road.  "S'what we are isn't it?" He asks, his eyes fixed on the distance as he drives, his voice tight.

Spike nods.  "To narrow human perceptions of that sort of thing, yes.  Yes we are."  His voice is soft and gentle as he speaks.

Liam nods, his eyes never leaving the road.  "Never thought about it," He says, in a short clipped voice.  His hands grip the steering wheel, and blanch as he steers.  Fag.  Faggot.  Gay.  Sissy Mary.  Cocksucker.  All these epithets and more ring out in Liam's mind, each and every one eliciting a hard growling inward groan.  He is in complete turmoil internally, but his face is like something made of stone.  He chances snatched glimpses of Spike as he drives.  He is a male.  Another guy.  Liam can't help but snort at that.  Well yeah, I had noticed Liam thinks, blinking and letting his face grow softer.  Coming to a stoplight he turns and really looks at Spike.  He is gay.  He looks Spike from head to toe and almost instantly feels his body's vote make itself known, very clearly against the zipper of his pants.  Does it matter?  This is something Liam doesn't usually even think twice about.  He doesn't give a shit what most people think of him.  Why should this be any different?  "Narrow human perceptions huh?” Liam says, pressing a smile where he is having trouble feeling anything but confused.  He doesn't know why this is different, but it is.  A lot different.

Spike smiles a little, watching Liam.  "Yes.  Vampires don't care about that sort of thing, not long after they are turned anyway.  You're attracted to who you are, male or female doesn't matter.  I don't know if I was gay or not when I was human.  Never had sex.  So all I know is how I feel now.  My last lover was female.  I fall for the person, not the parts.  Humans insist on labeling everything."  He stops for a moment and sighs.  "But you're human, not a vampire, and I can understand that the words hurt.  The perception hurts.  And if it's too much, I'll understand."  His voice is sad as he utters the last words.

Liam's mind grapples as he considers both his conventional attachment to *human* perceptions, and with what Spike has just said.  The little race for importance is pretty quickly won, with that touch of sadness in Spike's voice.  Liam can't stand it.  Almost instinctively he touches Spike's face, stroking his cheek.  "No...I'm sorry.  It just, caught me off guard.  I was blindsided...and I don't like that.  Hadn't considered it.  What people would think, or say."  Liam ignores the light, and just stares at Spike, and the outlines his fingers trace over one severe cheekbone.  "I let my built-in responses get to me.  Hell...they’re the only things I've ever known.  It's not that I don't want to be with you.  I just need the time to get used to it I guess. Need to go out, see what people say and do.  Then see what I think about it.  But no matter if I beat they're skulls in for saying stupid shit like that, or go off and sulk thinking way too much about it.  It doesn't mean I don't want you," Liam says, his eyes locking with Spike's for a second, then he kisses him, even as the drivers behind them sound their disapproval at the mid-traffic lovers’ hold up.

Spike returns the kiss, and strokes the side of Liam's face.  "Better drive,"  he says, grinning.  When Liam has started driving again, Spike starts speaking.  "That's all I need to know, then.  As long as you still want me.  As far as everyone else goes...I'll leave the pace of that up to you.  I don't care who knows about us, but I know you may have some preference, and I'll follow your lead there.  As in all things."  He smiles and that and chuckles quietly.

"Yeah, that might be best.  Just kind of wait and see."  Liam nods, setting his eyes back on his driving again, letting Spike's suggestive and not unappealing comments lie.  "And while we're figuring all this out.  What did you want to do about work?   I mean, you now if they know we're ummm, well together.   They'll separate us.  Claim it as a conflict of interest.  I know what you said, but does that go for work too?"  Liam says, letting his tone and manner fall more matter of fact, and professional, as they draw with in a block of the station.

Spike thinks for a moment.  "Better keep it a secret for now.  *We* are still figuring things out ourselves...and this case, at least, is too tricky for them to be bringing in new people.  Besides...I don't want to be separated from you."  His eyes glow as he looks at Liam.

Liam chuckles. As he parks, he turns to look at Spike putting one hand on his knee, and kissing him softly.  He looks into those oddly colored eyes. "Me either," he sighs, and then moves to get out of the car.  Waiting the beat it takes Spike to get out and come up to his side.  They walk in a very comfortable silence into the station, and up to their department.

Gunn greets Liam as he walks up the stairs.  "Hope you and Dracula had a nice couple of days off.  The rest of us been working our tails off up here.  Captain wants to see you both in his office."

Liam's eyes narrow at the name, but the fact the Captain wanted to see them put him on the job.  He shoots Gunn a look, then nods and turns to go to Captain Giles' office, waiting a second for Spike to follow.

Giles looks up as the two of them enter his office and close the door.  "Sit down.  I take it from the fact you two are both here and not snarling at each other that you've resolved your differences with Spike, here, Liam.  Not still wanting to resign?"

Liam stops and looks at the Captain, brows raised, then looks at Spike.  Oh hell, he thinks.  He lets the uh-oh face drop away and smiles.  "Yeah, I think I'll be sticking around.  We've come to an understanding."  Liam says, running his hand through his hair.

Giles nods.  "Excellent.  Because we need you two back on the case.  We've been trying to track your girl and she simply doesn't seem to exist.  No record of her anywhere.  We've put an APB out on her with no sightings at all.  Oh, Spike, and someone called Andrew Mair who says he's with the Watcher's Council has left maybe a dozen messages for you here.  He said he tried your home and cell for the past two days with no answer."

Spike nods.  "Thanks, yes, we should probably start by checking with him.  I've been away from the house the past couple of days, staying with a friend.  Turned my cell off and forgot about it."  He very carefully does not look in Liam's direction as he answers this question.

Giles nods.  "Good, do that.  You two get started.  Do what you need but *find* this killer before she strikes again.  The Mayor has been crawling all over my arse on this one and we need a break soon."

Liam remembers the little Watcher, with a little thought to his persistence, and supposes he must have something for them.  Liam also avoids looking at Spike for the duration of the conversation with the Captain.  Liam nods. "All right Captain, we're on it. Liam turns, and finally looks at Spike. "Let's go," he says keeping his face neutral and relaxed.

Spike nods and gets up, following Liam out of the office and back down to the car.  They get in and start driving towards Andrew's apartment.  Spike turns to look at Liam.  "So you wanted to resign?"

Liam doesn't look at Spike.  He did know this was coming.  "Yeah, didn't want to work with you.  Captain didn't give me a choice.  And well...I told him I'd quit," Liam says, his voice tight, and clipped.   "I didn't know you Spike.  All I knew was what you were.  And even that I really didn't know much about apparently..."  Liam offers in apology.

Spike shakes his head.  "No need to apologize.  I pushed you really hard at the social.  I don't blame you for resenting me."  He reaches up and strokes the side of Liam's face.  "Luckily we managed to work things out."

Liam smiles, eased some by Spike, and even more by his touch.  It had been more difficult than he thought, just to not touch him.  Acting like they were nothing to each other.  The touch was just what he needed.  He glances at Spike, then back at the road.  "Yeah. Pretty damn lucky."

Spike purrs and settles back in his seat, dropping his hand down to rest lightly on Liam's thigh as they continued towards Andrew's apartment.  It's not long before they arrive and get out, going to his door and knocking.
Andrew opens the door and sees Spike.  His eyes light up and he throws his arms around him, kissing him passionately.

Shock would be a nice way to put the immediate reaction to Andrew's greeting of Spike.  "What the fuck?" Being growled is the exact verbal expression of said shock, especially as it is fast leaving shock and barreling straight into red hot anger.  The more physical expression, the fact that Liam shoves the little Watcher, and hard off Spike, stepping up and between them as he does.

Andrew falls backward onto the floor and looks up at Liam, blinking in alarm and surprise.  "Oh, Spike, your partner is here with you.  Sorry.  I thought it was another social visit.  I wasn't attacking your partner, Liam, just saying hello."  He gets up off the floor and straightens his clothes.  "Come in please, officers," he says, putting on his best Watcher faux-formality.

Spike firmly suppresses the urge to smile at Liam's caveman-possessive reaction.  He should have known the little Watcher would be dreadfully indiscreet, but quite frankly he had all but put out of his mind their little interlude of a few days past.

Liam looks from Andrew to Spike, realization smacking him like a ton of bricks.  Distractions.  Spike and the Watcher.  Oh hell, not good.  "Saying hello?"  Liam murmurs, as he steps into the apartment, trying very hard to keep utter disdain and disbelief out of his voice.  He looks back at Andrew. "Sorry," he says in a short tone, no apology in it, just the simple offer of it from behind eyes that want to burn holes right though him.

Andrew nods back at Liam.  "No problem, officer."  He looks somewhat puzzled at Liam, unable to figure out the hostility still radiating from him.  "Can I offer either of you something to drink?"

Spike settles into a chair.  "Nothing for me, Andrew," he says.

"No. Nothing for me," Liam says, watching Andrew closely, stepping next to Spike's chair but not taking a seat himself, crossing his arms.

Andrew settles into his own chair and looks across at them.  "Well, I may have some information on...on the currently active Slayer."  He swallows and looks down.

Spike raises an eyebrow.  "I thought you said the Slayer line was defunct."

Andrew shrugs.  "That's what I thought.  That's what all the Watchers except those directly involved with the Slayers and the potentials were told.  But there still is one.  The only reason I'm allowed to tell you any of this is that apparently she's gone rogue."

Liam's expression shift's quickly getting in the game, he takes note of what they're being told.  "Rogue?  What the hell does that mean?"  Liam barks.

Andrew sighs.  "She's killed her Watcher and gone underground.  We don't know her whereabouts.  We've been looking for her quietly for about a year now, but she must have some kind of mystical protection against detection."

The already firmly set anger in Liam's belly blossoms that much more.  "What? You mean to tell us, you're people have known about a killer on the loose for a year?  A fucking year?"  Liam's voice steadily approaches something less cop, more outraged mob.

Andrew cringes at Liam's tone.  "Hey, *I* didn't know anything.  The Council has their own ways of dealing with things, and I'm not privileged enough to know their reasons. They generally don't involve law enforcement in Slayer matters."

Spike sighs.  "So what can you tell us about her, Andrew?"

Andrew looks gratefully over at Spike.  "Her name is Buffy Anne Summers.  She's about 5'8", tanned, blonde, with hazel eyes.  Her watcher, Gwendolyn Post, was newly assigned to her after her previous Watcher had been dismissed for being too 'friendly' with her, and overlooking certain indiscretions."

Spike looks over at Liam, nodding, as the description fits the young woman they had seen at the social.  "What 'indiscretions'?"

"Well...Slayers now are only supposed to go after vamps that law enforcement can't handle, the ones breaking the Accords.  But she wasn't restricting herself to those.  She was killing vamps wherever she pleased, wandering around so that she wouldn't get caught.  Her Watcher was covering for her.  When it was discovered, he got dismissed and another Watcher assigned."

"What was this Watcher's name?  Where would we find him?"  Liam asks, jumping along to the next logical point of interest.  Maybe the old Watcher could shed a light on this rogue Slayer.  Liam backtracks a little at that assumption.  "And...what type of relationship did they have exactly?  I mean hiding murders, I'd say they were close, but what type of intimacy are we talking about here?"  Liam asks, wrinkling his nose, but staring straight at Andrew.

Andrew sighs.  "His name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, and he's here is Los Angeles.  He felt kind of like her father, from what I understand.  He raised her for most of her life.  I have his address here.  I sort of figured you'd want to speak to him."  Andrew is still kind of cringing as he speaks to Liam, but straightens a little.

Liam maintains his hard stare routine, and nods.  "Yeah we'll definitely be needing that.  Any other contacts the girl might have?  Others she might go to for help?"  Liam asks in a sharp curt tone.

Andrew shakes his head.  "N-no, not that we know of.  I mean, a rogue Slayer doesn't exactly have a lot of places to turn.  But *someone* must be helping her.  It takes a lot of power to hide from the Council's sorcerers."  Andrew looks over to Spike, as if for help in dealing with Liam, and Spike shakes his head slightly.  Andrew curls more in on himself, looking pitiful.

Liam finally lifts his hard worn gaze off Andrew and turns to Spike.  Something flickers in the back of his mind, but not something he wants to discuss in present company, he shoves it aside.  "I think you had an idea about that."  Turning a sidelong glance back at Andrew, "I'm sure we're only going to get so much out of this one.  Watchers being selectively cooperative and all.  So I think it's about time for us to be leaving."  Liam's voice is touched with disdain, and certainty that he would rather be anywhere but here.

Spike nods.  "Liam, do you mind if I speak to Andrew privately for just a moment?  I'll be right out."

Andrew looks almost pathetically grateful.

Liam turns that hardened gaze back to Spike like a shot.  "Umm, excuse me?"  Liam says, raising his brow.

Spike looks steadily back at Liam.  "I need to explain a thing or two to Andrew before we go."

Liam sighs, and looks between Spike and Andrew, finally lowering his eyes, and rubbing them.  He looks up and nods to Spike. "All right.  Fine," he says and goes to the door, looking back he gave Spike a look that clearly says, this is not over by a long shot, and then ducks out the door, without so much as a look in Andrew's direction.

A few minutes later Spike comes out the door, shutting it behind him.  "There, all taken care of," he says to Liam.  "Ready to go.  I have the address for that ex-Watcher."

Liam is leaning against the wall, arms crossed with the look of a very quietly ticking time bomb.  When Spike leaves the apartment, Liam's expression nearly explodes, but for the fact Spike came out alone, and within a reasonable amount of time.  No 'goodbye' kiss, Liam notes with approval.  He'd left Spike in there with a man who very clearly had his ideas about Spike, ideas that were very likely bad for his health.   He'd left him because he asked, and because he really deep down did believe Spike wanted to be with him.  And well if he really wanted to be with Spike he would at some point have to learn to trust him.  Might as well start with a little shit he could beat the holy fuck out of as any to build up that trust factor.  Even with such rational reasoning, it is clear that Liam is glad to be out and leaving Andrew behind.  "So.  You going to tell me what the fuck that was, or just let me make my own conclusions?" Liam barks.

Spike looks back over at Liam.  "I told you there were 'distractions' before.  He was one of them.  I went to him the night after the social.  I told him in no uncertain terms that there would be no repeat of that night and that he would need to keep his hands to himself, that I was committed elsewhere.  He didn't take it well, poor thing, but he won't be trying to give me a hello kiss again."

Liam nods at the ‘no uncertain terms’ remark, then his brow furrows. "Umm...you did him?  I mean you thought he would be a distraction?  From me?  Him?"  Liam asks, just a little affronted, that Andrew would even be a pale flicker next to his own image of himself. Ego bruised, but firmly intact, he stops and looks at Spike, meeting his eyes.

Spike smiles.  "I wanted someone who would in *no* way remind me of you.  And he certainly fills the bill.  I think you would agree that he is pretty much the exact opposite of you."

Liam's face brightens at this appraisal, and he actually smiles for the first time since entering the apartment building.  "Well.  Yeah that's a fair assessment."  Liam says, as they make it back out and into the car.  Liam sitting in the driver's seat, looks over at Spike. "No uncertain terms?"  Liam questions, but then smiles and drives them off into the night.

They arrive a while later at the address Andrew gave them.  It is a loft in a seedy part of town.  Spike raises an eyebrow at the surroundings.  "It seems this Watcher has come down in the world a bit."

Liam nods, narrowing his eyes, and surveying the area.  "I'd have to agree.  From what I've seen the Watcher types aren't given to the underbelly scene."  Liam looks from the darkened alleys and dirty streets at Spike, a growing concern working its way over him.  People made so desperate, and unprepared for it are twice as likely to be dangerous as those that have lived with it all their lives.  Liam sets that thought as his reminder to be ready for anything.  And to make sure the Watcher never had the chance to get at one more vamp.  Liam parks, and looks up at the looming dark and ill-kept lofts.

The two of them make their way through the dim maze-like hallway on the third floor, finally finding room 309.  There is a dirty gray floormat with the words "GO AWAY" spray-painted over it in red.  Spike knocks at the door.  A voice comes from behind the door.  "Didn't you see the mat?  Go away!  I don't want whatever you're selling."

Liam sighs, and put on the cop.  "Mr. Pryce.  It's the police.  We would like to speak to you if we could," He says, his voice low and carrying a heavy note of well-placed authority.  Liam looks at Spike again, considering, then moves to place himself just in front of Spike.

There is a heavy sigh from behind the door, and the unclicking of locks and the sliding of chains.  The door opens slightly.  A slender man with blue eyes and short brownish-blond hair peeks out from behind the door.  His eyes are narrowed and his face drawn.  "Badges, please,"  he says in a tone of quiet insistence.

Liam draws out his badge, and looks to Spike to do the same, refusing to allow more than a step of open space between the man and Spike.  He looks back at the ex-Watcher.  "Mr. Pryce.  We were wondering if we might have a word with you. "  Liam repeats his request, keeping his gaze firm and steady.

The man nods.  "Come in."  He steps back and lets them in.  As Liam and Spike walk in they can see a shotgun hanging on a rack near the door.  The man turns around, seeing their gaze.  "Bad neighborhood," he says, locking back the door behind them.  "Have a seat."  The inside of the apartment is tidy but seedy, the furnishings shabby and worn, the walls bare wood, the ceiling black with exposed pipes and beams.  A wheezing air conditioner struggles to cool the room.  The man settles down in a chair, picking up a bottle of scotch and pouring himself a glass and sipping from it.  "I'd offer you some but you're obviously on duty.  It's Wes, by the way."

Liam watches the man warily, and decides to remain standing.  "We wanted to speak to you about the recent vampire murders.  Are you familiar with them?

Wes looks back and forth between the two of them.  "So when did they start letting vampires be cops?"  He says, looking at Spike.  He fixes his eyes back on Liam.  "Did you know your partner there is an infamous killer?  He's been a good boy since the Accords, but before that he killed large numbers of people, including a Slayer.  And you're troubled about a few stakings?  They're all killers, you know."

Liam very pointedly shoves that little discussion off and out of his mind before it even gets started.  He isn't going to let the man rattle him, or distract him.  He nods, looking at Spike, then back at Wes.  "We're concerned with now.  Right now.  The Accords are in place, and the Slayers are allowed to handle the vamps that break them.  In return crimes against them are being pursued just as they would be for humans.  Vampires have been murdered, and we believe you know the murderer quite well."  Liam explains, keeping his voice as neutral and professional as his temper was going to allow.

Wes sighs.  "So my little girl has surfaced again?  Told the Council she would.  Slayers are built to slay, not serve as lap dogs for law enforcement.  At least when she was with me she only went after inconspicuous targets, monsters no one would miss."

Liam's stone veneer begins to crack.  A few days ago maybe he could see Wes' point.  Maybe even agree.  He didn't see vamps as people after a fashion.  Spike had changed that.  Shown him they still deserved what humans had.  A right to live, and to love. Without worrying about becoming dust for no good reason.  No different than humans, well except the dusting.  As long as they kept to the laws, Liam would protect and serve, just like it said on his badge.  And have very little time, patience, or mercy for those that stood in his way.  "Mr...ah...Wes.  Your *girl*, has killed law-abiding citizens.  Committed murder.  And well, even if the deaths of vampires are of no concern to you, then maybe a human death is.  She killed her Watcher.  The one that took your place."

Wes sighs.  "Damn.  I told those wankers, I told them about her problem, and they probably sent some hard-liner who thought they could control her just by snapping their fingers.  She...she was capturing vamps.  Drinking their blood before she dusted them.  She wanted an edge so she could go after the really old vamps, the Masters of the old Lines.  Like your partner there."

Liam gave a very definite look of interest that was more than just the cop in him.  "Drinking from them?  She was drinking from them?"  Liam says, his voice shaking a little of the sharp professional edge, as he rolls that around in his head.  He looks down at Spike, considering.  He knows he feels stronger, feels better, his hand cups his neck over his shirt.

Wes looks at the motion and nods.  "Ah.  Let your partner have a little taste then?  Yes, drinking from them.  Totally unnatural for a Slayer.  Told her it would make her no better than them, but she wouldn't listen."

Spike's eyes open.  "So *that's* what she's doing.  She's using them, Liam.  Using them so she can get close enough to have a shot at them."

Liam looks back at Wes, for his little assessment of his absent gesture, then back at Spike.  "Shit.  So she's getting a little taste before killing them.  How strong will it maker her?  And for how long?"

Spike sighs.  "I don't know.  Depends on how much she's getting, and how often.  But if she's been involved with them for over a year..."  Spike shudders.

Wes shakes his head.  "Foolish, foolish girl.  It's no good fighting the monsters if you become one yourself."

Liam looks at Wes. "What do you mean?"  Looking back at Spike. "Supposed to make human a little healthier, heal faster, a little stronger?   What more would long term use have?"   Liam asks, keeping any tone of personal interest out of his voice.

"Well Karl and his buddies are ancients...they're a lot older than I am, their blood a lot more powerful.  And combined with a Slayer's power...I don't know.  I can tell you that a Slayer's blood pumps up a vampire's power almost unbelievably.  I took out a Slayer when I was twenty, and afterwards I could easily beat other vamps much much older, and my Seducer power was increased to that of a vamp much older than I.  I imagine it would work much the same for a Slayer."

Wes nods in agreement with Spike's assessment.  "Yes, exactly.  And as for your question," he says, turning back to Liam, "Slayers shouldn't make deals with monsters.  They should kill them."

Liam sighs, and closes his eyes organizing what he's being told.  He pinches his nose, and then opens his eyes, looking at the both of them.  "We have a super-charged killer on the lose.  Who is being helped along by old vampires, which as I understand it makes that little tidbit that much worse.  And does anyone know why?  I mean she's not just killing randoms.  She's clearly got some motive.  Something we're not seeing."  Looking at both men, his hands extended as in a "come on" gesture.

Spike nods.  "Yeah, well, all the people she killed had political connections on some level.  The last three, in particular, were allies of mine.  Active in the vampire rights movement.  The old guard would like things to go back to the way they were.  So maybe they're using her to take out their opponents."

Wes narrows his eyes.  "That would almost make sense.  I mean, cause enough outcry in the vamp community that they're not being protected, take away political leaders, and you could maybe start a war.  Something big enough to threaten the Accords."

Liam stares between the two of them.  "You have got to be shitting me. Fucking hell."  Liam sighs.  "Ok, so much worse now.  All right.  Good theories all around...but there is this little thing.  Proof.  We can draw these conclusions, but how can we prove little miss killing machine, has been drinking the house red with the social elite?   And more important we have to prove why."

Spike groans.  "I don't know if we can, short of catching her drinking from them.  And it's not illegal for her to do it if they're giving blood voluntarily.  The only way we can prove it is to capture her."

Liam runs a hand over his face, and sighs. "All right.  Yeah you're right.  None of what they are doing is illegal.  What she is doing is only illegal for the murders.  And here we are back at ground zero.  So we know why... maybe... and how more than likely... and what probably... but we're still fucking hung up and where the hell she is, and when her next attack might be."  Liam looks down, suddenly very interested in the flooring, kicking one foot lightly against it as he thinks, his brow furrowed in agitated thought.

Wes sighs.  "I can help you find her."

Liam blinks, taking a second before he looks up at the man.  "You know where she is?  And just telling us now...." shakes his head sighing heavily. "Once a Watcher always a Watcher  secretive bastards," he mutters, taking a breath, he glares at Wes.  "So spill, where the hell is she?"

"Didn't say I knew where she was.  I said I could help you find her.  I have a sample of her blood, mystically preserved.  Doesn't matter *what* kind of protections she's gotten, she can't protect herself from a spell that uses her own blood."

Liam looks at Spike. "S'what he says true?  We can use her blood to track her.  Find her?" He asks, with a gesture to Wes.

Spike nods.  "From what I know of blood magick, he's right."  He looks at Wes, eyes narrowed.  "You'd be willing to do that for us?"

Wes nods, his expression grim.  "Yes.  If what you say is true, she's dangerously close to the point of no return.  Maybe past it.  She needs to be gotten away from those monsters before they irrevocably corrupt her."

Liam nods. "Ok.  So when can we make with the mojo?  Find little girl lost?"  He asks, settling into what needed to be done.

Wes sighs.  "I'm going to have to go get some supplies, some of them fairly rare.  Tomorrow at the earliest.  Give me your number and I'll call you."

Liam looks a little disgusted by the delay, and the thought of being at the mercy of this man's tentative and unstable loyalties.  It was clear he cared for the girl, other than that it was hard to discern more than that he hated vampires, and wasn't particularly upset about more of them dying.  Liam gives Wes a card with his number on it, and fixes him in a cold stare.  "Tomorrow.  You'll call or we'll come *calling*, you got me?"  Liam says, keeping his eyes firmly set, and his voice even.

Wes smiles and nods.  "I'm assuming I shouldn't call til near sundown, though, right?  So you and your 'partner' can both come?"

Spike stares down Wes.  "Yes, sundown will be fine.  We work the night shift anyway."

Liam nods, and presses a hard-set smile.  "Good, then we're all settled.  We'll be seeing you at sundown, I'm sure..."  Liam says, taking the steps to make their exit.  He waits for Spike to follow suit.  "Thank you for your cooperation," Liam says in his best ‘officer of the law’ voice.

"No problem, officer,"  Wes replies in his crispest Watcher voice, then mutters under his voice, "monster lover."

Liam stops, his hands clench, and his eyes close, his neck tightens.  The posture holding, until he finally turns his head and shrugs it out of his shoulders.  He's pathetic Liam, he's only of any use for this, even his own people think so.  Don't fuck this up.  What are you, five on the playground? Liam, let it go, just let it the fuck go.  Liam talks himself down in those few seconds, with a great deal of obvious effort, knowing this man is probably their greatest link to finding the killer.  Self restraint being a slim thing with him, he does turn, pulling a smile that would chill marrow in the bones, his eyes peeling the man's skin away in grand sheets.  "Please let my *partner* or I know if *we* can be of assistance," Liam says, conveying menace and promise with his tone, more clearly than if he had actually held a gun to the man's head.

Wes' hard face actually blanches just a little under the obvious threat emanating from Liam, and he gives a tight little nod.  "I'll do that."

Spike taps Liam on the shoulder, trying to get his attention and get him out of there before Wes did or said something that would *actually* get him beat up.  He could tell Liam's temper was holding on only by a hair.

Liam, feeling the touch to his shoulder, turns, his eyes sliding to a more amiable tone, as he leads them to the door of the little loft apartment, taking their exit in heavy silence. They made their way out of the building, and into the car.

~Part: 8~

Liam takes the driver's seat, only then lets the rest of the hard held tension roll out of his neck and shoulders.  Sighing heavily, he gives Spike a little smile as he starts the car.  How quickly he has come to his newfound feelings, and very enlightened tone of thought.  Fun thing, love.  Love?  Liam thinks that through for a minute.  Could it...Liam rolls that around in his head, and decided he has to be insane, that is a path to most certainly losing the more intimate company of the vampire sitting next to him, he thinks.  Shaking his head of the thought rattling around there, he heads back out on to the street.  "So, nothing we can do til dark and brooding there calls us right?"  He says, almost absently.

Spike smiles.  "Not really.  We can go back and fill out our reports, but that's about it."

Liam groans at that thought.  Then nods.  "Yeah, we should get the paperwork done, and over with, since we don't know what tomorrow night is going to be."  Liam drives them back to the station, and leads them up to the offices of their department.

They walk into the homicide unit, and Spike's desk has been 'decorated', for lack of a better word.  A large wooden cross lays across the desk and another propped up in his chair.  There is a banner across the one on his chair saying, "Welcome Dracula".

Spike raises an eyebrow.  "Oh, how terribly clever," he says in a cool, almost bored voice.

Liam does not look amused.  He looks like a nuclear weapon set on about zero. He snatches up the two crosses, holding them up and honestly laughing.  But a happy sound, it most certainly is not.  A sound of thunder and damnation come to pay a visit, a more apt description by far.  "Children, children...how nice of you to welcome my new partner."  Looking at the cross in each hand, then around the room again.  "I am sure he appreciates the heartfelt thought to his religious needs, but I do not.  You want to play come find me.  Otherwise back the hell off," Liam says, pointedly tossing the crosses on his own desk, leaving the mutterings and other rebuttals to die ignored as he looks up at Spike.  "I'm sorry."  He mutters, the look on his face of utter disdain for his fellow *humans.*

Spike nods.  "No worries, Liam.  I expected *much* worse by now.  But thank you."  He keeps his voice low, so that it carries only to the two of them.  Raising his voice a little, "Guess we should get started on that paperwork, then?"

Liam nods, and does just that, getting his work done.  So they could be the hell out of there. Occasionally glancing up and around at the officers that came and went, every now and again catching a glimpse of Spike across from him.  Smiling unknown to himself with each glimpse.  Finally finished, he stretches.  "How much more you have to do?"  He asks, filing his papers into the pre-requisite files, readying to leave.

"Just...about...done," Spike says, finishing signing a form and starting to file as well.  In a few minutes, they've both finished up their paperwork and are ready to go.  They move downstairs and back into Liam's car.  "So," Spike says.  "Over to my apartment so I can get my things now?"

Liam nods. The events of the night settled, and off duty again, he finds an indescribable need to hold Spike, to touch him, to be with him.  He'd pushed all those thoughts aside all night long, and now they are all he can think about.  "Yeah.  Then home," Liam says, getting into the car, waiting for Spike to follow, and driving them to Spike's apartment.

Spike slides over on the seat as they drive and rests against Liam, once they are out sight of the station.  It's been a long night having to pretend to be professional.  They arrive at the apartment and go upstairs to Spike's apartment.  He opens the door and Delilah comes out, winding in and around Spike's feet until he bends down and picks her up, petting her.  She rubs her head against his face.  "Hello, darling," he coos to the cat.  "Yes, I'm home.  Such a sweet baby."  He steps inside the apartment and holds the door for Liam to come in.

Liam steps in, closing the door behind him.  He smiles at Spike with his cat, it's adorable really.  He groans then thinking of what Spike had asked him before.  The cat.  Oh this should be fun, Liam grins, Sunny may never forgive me.  Ahh, yeah she will, Liam comforts himself.  "Looks like she missed her daddy too."  Liam muses, stepping closer to Spike, and finger kneading the big cat’s fuzzy head.  "Y'missed yer Da'.  Didn't ya lassie?  Oh such a pretty wee lass.  Yes y'are."  Liam's voice slips into a soft mellow brogue, warm as whiskey, as he coos to the cat in Spike's arms.

Delilah turns her head to look at Liam with big blue eyes and purrs.  Spike chuckles.  "Ohhh, she *likes* you,"  Spike says.

Then a female voice comes from down the hallway.  "Spike?  I fed Delilah this evening and thought I'd come to keep you company."  A lingerie-clad figure stalks down the hallway, and stops short.  "Oh.  You *have* company.  How embarrassing. Well, perhaps we can share."

Spike closes his eyes and groans softly.  "Hello, Lirith.  No, we can't share.  I'm not even staying tonight.  So perhaps you should go get dressed and leave so I can pack."

Lirith pouts.  "Why should I get dressed?  What am I, human?"  She stalks out the door and slams it behind her.

Liam's eyes cut a slow sharp turn toward Spike.  "Umm, what...ahh, *who* the fucking hell was that?"  Liam says, carefully enunciating each syllable of the last part of his statement, pointing at the door.

Spike sighs heavily.  "My neighbor, Lirith.  She's one of the ones who feeds Delilah when I don't come home on time.  We have, on occasion, slept together."

Liam blinks, then his jaw falls open slightly, then snaps shut, as it clenches tight.  "I see.  A cat sitter with benefits."  Liam grinds out tight-lipped.  "Well, don't get the idea that ladies are anymore on the menu than men,"  Liam says, his voice hard and commanding.  "That," pointing at the door, "had better be in the past."

Spike nods.  "It is.  I'll call her tomorrow after she's cooled off and explain things to her.  I just haven't been here to talk to her or anyone else about my change in status."  He hands Delilah over towards Liam.  "Want to hold her while I pack?"

Liam takes the cat, tucking her under one arm, absently stroking her furry head. "Anyone else?  Spike.  How many lovers do you have?"  Liam sounds more than a little irritated, and not at all pleased.

Spike shakes his head.  "You *really* don't want to know, Liam.  I'm with you now and *not* with any of them, and they never meant anything more to me than sex and occasional companionship."

Liam steps closer to Spike, and touches his shoulder turning him toward him.  He carefully considers his new love...lover.  He sets in his mind firmly.  "And what do I mean to you?  How long til you need more?  Need something different Spike?"  Liam asks, setting his jaw, the revelation of the sheer number of Spike's lovers pissing him off by leaps and bounds, but also marking a very clear problem for Liam.  Making him wonder how Spike intended to adjust, to keep his promises.  His experience being with humans, his thoughts along those lines, and he himself being one.  Naturally how fickle they can be and usually are was glaringly emblazoned on his mind.  Offered all that Spike had. Hot sex with numerous partners with no repercussions, and at the drop of a hat no less.  Not many men, or women that would readily turn that down.

Spike turns to Liam and moves forward, looking into his eyes.  "I made a vow to you.  It wasn't made lightly.  You're the only person in my whole existence I've ever even considered worthy of turning.  That I have wanted to spend forever with.  Vampires have a lot of sex, Liam, but sex is not an indication of where our hearts lie.  I have sex with lots of people because I don't want to give them the impression that it means more to me that it does.  I try never to lie to people about what they mean to me."

Liam strokes one of those amazing cheekbones, cupping Spike's face, and running his thumb over it.  A monster.  People called him a monster.  Liam inwardly mused.  If they had seen the things Liam saw humans do to each other, not to mention the experiences with what humans passed off as love.  And then heard what this *monster* just offered, just assured.  He wondered how many of them could do it.  Could be as *human* as they claim to be.  "I won't ask again.  I promise.  I believe you Spike.  I.."  Liam trails off just as the cat squirms, and wriggles under his arm.  "I...um, think you should finish so I can get you home," Liam says, stilling the cat, and resuming petting her little head, with a smile.  "Think our wee lassie is getting a little antsy."

Spike chuckles and heads off down the hallway.  "Back in a minute,"  he says.  "I just need to pack a few things."  He comes back in a few minutes with a garment bag and a small soft-sided suitcase.  Then he gets out a duffel and packs it with food and Delilah's food bowls, and litter and a litter pan.  Then he gets a leash and clips it to Delilah's collar.  "Ready.  Can you help me with the bags?  I'll need an arm free to walk Delilah."

Liam lets the cat down, and takes up the duffel, slinging it over his shoulder by the strap, picking up the suitcase with the same hand, and grabs the garment bag with the other hand slinging over his shoulder.  "Yeah," he smiles warmly, "I can do that."  He moves toward the door and waits for Spike to open it for him.

Spike smiles and opens the door, letting Liam go out in the hallway before following, Delilah trotting along on her leash.  He locks the door behind him and they head back to Liam's car.  Spike gathers Delilah in his arms as they climb into the car.  "She's very well-behaved when traveling," Spike says.  "But I'll hold on to her just the same.  I know you don't want to chance any claw-marks in your leather upholstery."

Liam smiles, and taps the cat on the tip of her little nose, playfully.  "No, not on the leather, and not on my couches either.  You just keep those little claws to yourself lass, and we'll keep getting along just fine."  He cautions the cat sitting in Spike's lap.  He starts the car, and drives them back to his house.  Once there, he takes Spike's things out of the car, and leaves him to attend to Delilah.  Looking back at them as he makes his way in.  "Ok, so how do you want to do this?  Just let her down and see what happens, or...." As Liam fumbles and opens the door, Sunny's warm smiling face pops through it, barking a short happy hello, then backing away, as Liam pushes into the house.  "All right baby, it's all right girl.  Missed daddy didn't you?  Aww that's my girl."  Liam croons.

Spike gets up, picking up Delilah, and walks into the house.  She looks at Spike with an sharp, inquisitive meow, and Sunny looks up from where Liam is petting her.  Spike smiles.  "Well, they've noticed each other.  Shall we see what happens if I put her down?  We're close enough to the door I can always scoop her up and duck out if needed."

Liam nods, setting the bags down.  "May as well.  No where to sequester her, and...umm...you are not going home.  Not tonight," Liam says, his voice set, not ever...he wanted to add, but didn't.  He stands away from Sunny, and watches as Spike sets the cat down.

Spike sets Delilah down, unclipping her leash.  Delilah rubs around Spike's ankles a few times and then stalks over past Sunny, giving her a disdainful glance and swiping her tail across Sunny's front legs as she passes.

Sunny watches the cat, her bright dog smile dropping to a worried little whimper.  The cat’s swipe makes her look up at Liam, with a ‘what is this daddy?’ look.  Liam chuckles, and shrugs. "Sorry girl.  She's a cat.  And well she's uncle Spike's soo...she's family girl...go on say hello."  Liam tells the pretty dark brown eyes.  To which Sunny responds in dog like fashion.  She rushes over to the cat, sniffs her from tail to head in hard little rutting bumps of her nose, and then tops it off with a long hard lick across to top of her little kitty head.  Sunny's tail wags and she looks completely thrilled with herself.

Delilah whips around and bats Sunny across her nose with one soft paw, clothes safely sheathed.  Spike looks down and scolds.  "Now, Delilah, behave."  Delilah looks up with perfect innocence and meows, and then starts padding off towards the living room, sniffing the furniture and marking it with swipes of her face.  Spike starts setting out Delilah’s things, filling her water bowl and food bowl and littler pan before going to the living room

Liam chuckles, and watches the exchange.  Sunny took the bat with a playful wag of her tail, no whimpering, so no claws evidently.  She follows the new fur ball into the living room, and around to each point she brushes against, sniffing it for all it's worth.  Her tail wagging and pausing as she moves.  Finally she turns to her daddy, looking up, tipping her furry little head.  "I know...I know...move right in, don't they?"  Liam says, smiling, and moving to put an arm around Spike's waist pulling him close.  "Move in and make things their own."  Liam sighs content, and with more meaning than he probably realizes.

Spike chuckles and settles against Liam, purring happily himself.  "That they do," he says, looking up at Liam.  Then, with a wicked little gleam in his eye, he rubs his face against Liam's chest, using the same little motions as Delilah was currently using on the furniture.

Liam laughs, and runs his fingers through Spike's hair.  "Marking your territory there boy?"  He says, his eyes gleaming with a bright little light.

Spike chuckles again and kisses along Liam's jaw.  "Something like that," he murmurs between kisses, and then reaches his lips, planting a light nibbling kiss on them.  At the same time, Delilah starts winding around their feet and marking both of them.

Liam smiles, and then looks down at the cat at their feet.  "Well seems I've got more claims on me than I thought.  I must be pretty special huh?"  Liam says more down to Delilah, than anyone.  Sunny adds her short little bark to the mix, which makes Liam laugh and look at her.  "Oh and you too my girl.  My sweet girl...Well ...that settles it.  I am the shit."  Liam smiles, with a dramatized pride, chest thrust out and all.

Spike laughs and wraps his arms around Liam.  "You are indeed. Well, I guess I *have* to share you with them.  But no one else, right?"

Liam blinks, and looks into Spike's eyes.  "Well I asked it of you.  I'd be a complete bastard not expect that you would want the same.  Not to mention," Liam says with a little kiss. "You're the only one I want," he whispers, wrapping Spike up in his arms, for a bear's tight embrace.

If Spike's heart still beat, it would have skipped at Liam's words.  He surrenders himself to the bearhug, letting those strong arms crush him tightly against Liam's chest.  Then he looks up at Liam, eyes glittering.  "Would this be a good time to perhaps head off to the bedroom?"

Liam smiles, then laughs very softly, his eyes growing soft.  "Well ..did you have something in mind?"  He asks, his voice lower, and smooth, his arms holding Spike but releasing the crush from his embrace.

"Mmmm.  Nothing specific.  I thought perhaps we could remove our clothes and rub together and see where things went from there." Spike smiles wickedly.

Liam tips his head thinking, or appearing to, then takes Spike's hand and pulls him to the bedroom.  Once inside, he closes the door on both dog and cat.  He stalks up to Spike, with a smile that would peel panties...or underwear as the case maybe at a hundred yards.  "I kind of like the way your mind works," He says.

Spike purrs and reaches up to Liam's neck, stroking it, and then starting to unbutton his shirt.  He rubs against Liam as he does so, letting Liam feel his growing arousal, and purring softly.  He's been dying to touch Liam all evening, to feel him, to smell the cinnamon musk of his skin up close.

Liam shivers at the touch to his neck, just a touch and he feels his knees weaken. He laughs at himself, and kisses Spike, deeply, dying in that contact, having wanted it more then he realized the hours they had been gone.  His own hands working on Spike's shirt and clothes, as he is able between kisses and Spike's work on his shirt.

It's not long before they've managed to undress each other and they are standing naked.  Spike flows against Liam, his body molding against the larger man's physique, already hard just from this little bit on contact and the sheer anticipation of what was to come.  He licks and kisses along the hollow of Liam's throat, his cheek just barely brushing the mark on Liam's neck.

Liam groans, and his hands come up and over Spike's back, pressing them together.  "Oh god.  Spike, that damned spot.."  He moans, even as he turns his head offering more his throat to Spike.

Spike purrs and moves his mouth, licking and sucking gently over that sensitive patch of skin. It is an intimate gesture from a vampire, even if Liam doesn't know it. Nursing the spot of multiple bites...biting in the same spot more than once...it is a sign of favor and a more-than-casual interest.

Liam's body instant reacts to the attention to that odd patch of skin. It tingles and that grows into something so buzzing it covers him in sensations in no more than a beat of his heart. He gasps softly, his eyes close and his face draws up. "Oh yes. That feels so damn good. God how can that feel so good?" He asks, no answer needed, just a wonderment at the pleasure he is being given. Strong hands and arms hold Spike tight against him, stroking him, treating him as something precious, something he couldn't bear not to touch.

Spike purrs even louder as Liam strokes him. He loves how Liam can be both gentle and rough by turns. His own hands slide down Liam's sides and onto his hips, his thumbs finding Liam's hipbones and gently caressing up and down them.

That touch wandering over his hips made another groan rise, which Liam utters into Spike's shoulder as he kisses it, then licks it, teasing, his mouth opening more and more until he finally tempts the skin with his teeth, soft little scrapes along from his neck to his arm. One hand snaking up and into the hair at the nape of Spike's neck, curling into it and releasing. Just this touch, the feeling of Spike's attentions to his neck, that's all it takes. Liam is hard, and wanting already. Wanting more of anything he can get from Spike. All of it is too damn good.

Spike feels Liam hard against him, and he moans as Liam's teeth touch his skin. The feeling is so delicious that he grinds his hips against Liam, wanting more contact with him. He lifts his mouth and whispers hoarsely, "Shall we move to the bed?"

Liam pulls himself back, and nods, his hands sliding up to Spike's shoulders taking them in hard firm hands, and walking him backwards to the bed. Once there he lays him down, and crawls up over him, laying down between his spread legs, but supporting himself on his arms enough to look down into beautiful blue eyes. He smiles, a warmth emanating from him. Something more than lust. He shifts and raises one hand to stroke Spike's hair, then his cheek, then the curve of his neck, one finger tracing the center of his chest, all the while staring into beautiful clear blue eyes.

Spike stares back, looking into those whiskey-colored eyes. Liam is so open in this moment. Spike sees love in those eyes, and he realizes in that moment that he loves this man. An emotion that hasn't touched his heart in a hundred years. He raises a hand and cups the side of Liam's face with his slender pale cool fingers. The words are pressing at him, begging him to say them.

Liam's eyes close as he leans his head into Spike's touch. The cool seeming to soothe him, it does nothing to touch the fire steadily growing in his belly, but it is something he wants just as much as that pyre wants to consume this vampire in lust. In that moment Liam thinks he wants nothing else, just that touch, the feel of him beneath him, just touching, just rubbing, just being. Liam lowers himself, letting the whole of his body cover Spike, then curls around him, his arms wrapping him in warmth, his face nuzzling into that delicious curve of slender pale neck. He kisses and licks and nudges his skin, as his body seems to protect his prize.

Spike lifts his legs to rub up and down Liam's hips and legs before wrapping them around his waist, hooking at the ankles and pulling them even closer. He moans as Liam works over his neck, and he arches to give him better access. One hand is still on Liam's cheek, gently stroking, and the other moves to the nape of his neck, rubbing, fingers curling into his hair. He feels exquisitely possessed, Liam surrounding him in warm muscled flesh.

Liam's breath catches, his desire growing, his want for more. His hand slides down Spike's sleek back, finding the curve of his buttock, and curling over it, running up his thigh and down again. The other hand still refuses to let him so much as breathe, it holds him so tightly. Feeling Spike return his embrace with just as much all-encompassing want, it makes something he thinks rise again inside his mind. He licks Spike's neck again, then bites him again proclaiming, "Mine," in a hoarse growl, following his bite with licks, and hungry sounds. His length pressing into Spike's hip as their bodies seem to melt one into the other, under Liam's possessive grasp.

Spike gives out a mewled cry as Liam bites him. "Yours," he gasps. Liam has staked a claim again, and Spike welcomes it, wants it. He writhes under Liam, rubbing his body against him. His hardness brushes Liam's as he moves, and he cries out again at the electric contact. "Ohhhh, god, Liam, ohgod so good," He moans.

Liam feeling Spike's body under him, moving against him, it sets every inch of skin on fire with increasing sensitivity, and ache to be the next one touched by this vampire. Liam's fingers are still working on the curve of Spike's ass slide and he begins to trace the cleft, reaching under him, pulling their bodies together at one more point. He teases and feels down and around Spike's entrance, and the feel of it under his fingers forces another growl from his lips, as he bites into tender skin, suckling at it.

Spike lets out a long, rolling purr-growl at Liam's movements, at the fingers playing around that delicate pucker. And then the bite. Spike's fingers tighten in Liam's hair as he lets out an animal yowl, his whole body singing in response to those teeth. He wishes, idly, that Liam had fangs right now to bite him for real.

Liam has to pause.  The feel of Spike's ass under his fingers is driving him insane with desire, and the animal in him is rising fast, but he wants to be gentle. He reluctantly pulls back. Blinking, he looks at the bedside table, snatching his hand from Spike, he paws heavily at the little tube there. With hard but deft fingers he is able to flip the cap and even manage to slick his fingers without losing his strong hold on Spike's body. His fingers, slick and warm, slide back to their place between those luscious round firm cheeks, teasing, sliding over that little dimple, edging gently worrying the edges, pulling and dipping just inside. Satisfied with the feel of it, the pure tactile pleasure of the touch, he settles in against him again, and kisses his lips softly. Then his chin, sliding on a warm flat tongue, down and down, reaching that bruised soft skin, still warmed by his mouth, latching on, pulling it in again.

Spike emits a long ragged growling moan as Liam dips those fingers into him, and he grinds against Liam again. It feels so wonderful, those fingers, those hands. And then the licking and sucking on that tender patch of skin. It's driving him simply mad with desire. He wants more of it, wants Liam to devour him, own him.

Liam's fingers slide a little further, Spike's reaction definitely urging him, but he moved more from just the simple act of it. Wanting to feel more, but not rushing to do it. His hand is gentle, and very slow, as it begins to truly penetrate him, feeling every ripple of the muscle surrounding his two pressed and slick fingers. He groans, and releases the skin beneath his lips, resting his head against Spike's for just a second, almost panting, letting the simple sensations consume him. The feeling of their pressed bodies, the touch of that quivering ring of muscle, the taste of his skin and the feel of it on his lips. White lights flash behind his lids as he allows himself the time to feel all of it. He opens his eyes, moving his head he stares once more into pools of deepest blue.

Spike gasps and moans and clutches at Liam like a man drowning. He is drowning, submerged in Liam, the borders of his body fading away. It's slow and gentle and almost unbearably delicious. He looks into Liam's eyes and those words are pressing again, and he knows it won't be long before he has to say them. But not quite yet. He kisses Liam, letting his lips press softly onto Liam's, then more hungrily, his tongue flicking against Liam's lips, teasing and calling for a response. His hand moves from Liam's cheek down onto his neck, just ghosting across the mark.

Liam's mouth responds as taking Spike's tongue in, his mouth opening tasting yet another part of him he just could not get enough of. Slick cool, sliding over warmth, slipping and pushing, tasting, teasing, his teeth catching his lips between the licks, and penetrations of his tongue. His fingers slide further, and this time he makes the press longer, just as slow, but he lets it part those tissues, until he feels it completely surround his fingers. Holding them inside Spike, another ragged pant escapes his lips, as they take his lover’s in another kiss.

Liam's mouth is nectar to Spike, the warmth, the taste, as Spike's tongue explores. Then the nipping of his lips, the devouring. It is like Liam wants to consume him, and Spike is only too happy to be consumed. Then those fingers, pressing into him, and a gasp as they push in deep enough to slide across that sweet spot, and he arches against Liam. He moans and purrs into the kiss, his whole body thrumming with the force of the purring.

Another sensation, another thing to add to the overwhelming list of things that are Spike. Liam's mind tries for coherent thought, tries not to scream words that are just behind his teeth, as he moans and again bites Spike's lip. That vibration, that indescribable sound, and the feeling of it. It touches him all along his body, and seems to encase his hardened length in its place pressing into Spike's hip. He bucks, and pushes against him harder for it. His fingers turn and scissor as slowly as he can manage, his hold on the control allowing the culmination of those sensations rapidly becoming thin.

Spike moans and thrusts his hips against Liam, using his legs to pull and rubs against him, his shaft feeling the delightful friction between their tight-pressed bodies.  Those fingers working slowly in him are sooo good, and he continues to moan and purr as he kisses Liam back.  One hand slides from Liam's cheek down onto his chest, fingers splayed, stroking the skin and rubbing the palm in circles over his nipple.

Liam groans, moving his head slightly. He looks down at Spike, his eyes roving, dark and searching.  He pants, and his hips move to their own rhythm.  He never wants any of this to end. Another thing.  Another touch.  His tentative hold slipping further, as his fingers slide in and out of Spike in long strokes, growing in speed and intensity.  The hand braced over his back claws, and grips him harder, just barely managing to keep his nails in check, he grunts, his hips bucking again.

Spike cries out as Liam's hand grabs him harder, and those fingers slide in and out of him.  He rolls his hips against Liam, making their shafts brush, velvet electric as they touch over and over.

Spike's cry to Liam's ears is nearly as good as his touch.  The sound of that voice in pleasured calling, it sends a chill over Liam.  He shivers, and it makes that growing fire roll that much higher.  The brush of their cocks against each other sends shocks to meet the burning fires.  He can't hold much longer, he wants to keep this, this moment of being lost in Spike, lost in him completely, but his desire is fast slithering out of his control.  His fingers are joined by a third stretching Spike further, just to feel it, and now to hear it as well.  His mouth wanting to taste, to take, leads down to his nipple, taking it between his lips, pulling it, licking it, just needing to feel Spike over his sensitive lips and tongue.

Spike moans out, "Ohhhhhh god Liam, ohhh god," as Liam slips in that third finger.  His whole body is trembling in eagerness now.  Then Liam's mouth moves to his nipple and he arches, pressing it more into his mouth.  The hand on the back of his neck grips tighter into his hair, and his other hand moves over to Liam's side and starts stroking and massaging down the muscles there.

Liam's quiet groaned response is muffled by his hold on Spike's peaked and taut nipple.  He licks it, and worries it, then he sets his teeth lightly against it.  Feeling Spike's hands on him, he loves it.  Loves...that word again, he holds it turns it over, and then embraces it.  He finally raises his head looking up at Spike, without saying a word, he shows his thoughts plainly, things he wants to say. He slides his fingers from Spike gently, and with just a shift replaces them with his hardness.  He sets up against Spike's opening with just a cursory glance, and then back to his eyes, as he slowly and loudly slides himself inside that velvet deep.

Spike moans and tilts his hips, giving Liam better access to him, and pressing back against him, taking him deeper.  His hand moves to the small of Liam's back, resting just above the curve of his ass, pulling them even closer together, as he continues to look in Liam's eyes.

Liam gaze never falters as he seats himself. He pauses, taking in the exquisite feeling of being completely inside Spike.  Those twin pools of blue taking him just as fully, he wants to fall into them and drown.  He pulls his hips, and seats himself again.  His hands move up and grip Spike shoulders, firmly, but far from the bruising strength he is capable of.  He rolls his hips again, and groans, but his eyes are steady, fixed and unwavering.

Spike moans as Liam grips him, licking and biting his lips. The sensation of Liam deep in him is just too good. His hand strokes Liam's hair and he looks back at Liam, sinking deeper and deeper into him. He rubs his lower back and pulls tight against him.

Liam moves hard, trying to keep his pace even, slowing as he feels himself want to speed up, trying to move in long fluid but deep strokes, each one hitting just that perfect spot deep inside Spike's body, adding powerfully to the last stroke. Liam's breaths become fast and rasping as he is overcome, again and again, barely able to bring himself back each time. His hands pull on Spike's shoulders, holding him, being strong and firm but gentle with each passing stroke. The fire fueled to inferno fills him, covers him in a fine sheen of sweat, his eyes so dark, so black, they more than anything else are the binding force, the thing fixing and holding Spike in place. They smolder and burn with that primal desire the roiled inside him to be free.

Spike completely surrenders himself to Liam's motions, moving and pushing in time with each stroke, moaning and crying out as he hits the perfect spot each and every time. The only thing keeping him from going over the edge is Liam's iron resolve. He doesn't want to end this fantastic dance of bodies, and the pleasure is so intense, so perfect.

Liam moves a little faster, giving in to his animal, letting the tight rein he held on it to slip. His breaths are heavy grunting sounds from his willed resolve, and internal war to make this last. He groans, and his hips thrust just that much harder, and again. He feels it coming, that overtaking he has stilled and quieted, just to have this. And now here it is, the pinnacle, burning for the wait and the build-up. His body moves with a bestial growl, bucking, thrusting in long drawn out paces that end with his body pounding into Spike's. His grip slides down Spike's arms, extending them to his sides he wraps his hands around them, bearing his weight on to his grip as he needs to push in just that much deeper. His eyes close every few seconds, still grasping faster and faster fleeting sensations, but opening they glare only at Spike's own eyes.

Spike is overwhelmed, taken, possessed, pounded over and over while held in Liam's firm grasp. The friction is bringing him closer and closer to the point of no return, and he cries out with each hard thrust into him. Finally he can take it no longer. "Please, Liam, please..."

The sound of Spike begging sends shockwaves over Liam. The more he hears it, the more he wants to hear it. Has to hear it. He takes one hand from Spike's arm and slides it between them, curling around Spike's cock, watching his face all the while, stroking it in a firm hand in time with their motions. "Louder..." Liam pants, his eyes shining with the devilish desire he is indulging.

Spike shivers, with sweet submissive feelings running over him as Liam makes his demands, and moans as his hand grips his cock. He repeats, louder, almost screaming, "OHGOD LIAM PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"

Liam's own release pivoted on that very sound, Spike's voice screaming his need. It finishes him, "Cum NOW!!!" Liam roars, as his release spills from him in white-hot ropes shooting deep inside Spike's body, filling the wet velvet channel surrounding him.

Spike tips over the edge at Liam's voice gives him the words he needs. He shudders and shakes and bucks, pulling hard against Liam, as he shoots cool seed over their bellies, rubbing slickly between them.

Liam, feeling Spike's release between them, gently takes his hand away, laying down heavily on top of Spike, his breaths harsh and catching, his body growing almost instantly boneless, as he engulfs Spike in the heat and sweat-slicked skin of his larger frame. He groans into Spike's shoulder, giving it delicate little kisses, between his huffing breaths, as he tries to regain the power of speech.

Spike relaxes and purrs, feeling that delicious weight on him. He moans a bit at the little kisses on his shoulder. He licks along the collarbone and tastes him, scents him, taking him in. He feels the wonderful heat radiating from Liam, soaking into him. All this adds to every lovely floating feeling of afterglow.

Liam sighs at the lick to his collar, and looks down at Spike, raising himself off him slightly. He strokes Spike's cheek, cupping his jaw with a tenderness. His beast well sated, he is so content to touch once more. To have this vampire. Vampire. It is strange how that word had changed so much in so little time. Once being something he gave little thought to, and when he did it was just this much beyond being disgust. Now...now it means something very different. For whatever else, it means his love. He loves a vampire. Liam knows it, feels it. And now....shit. How to say it. He kisses Spike, gently, with time and attention, letting it be something more than just a passing peck, holding the lust out of it, seeing how much of what he wants to say he can cram into that single gesture.

Spike rubs against Liam's hand and looks up at him again, eyes shining. He feels the kiss, so tender and yearning, and he returns it. It's not like any kiss that Liam has given him before, and he wonders what it means. He knows now, for certain, that he is in love with Liam. But he's pushed Liam so far, so fast. How can he tell him this now?

Liam pulls away from the kiss, following it with lighter ones, until he is no longer touching Spike. He thinks again of how to tell him. How to even begin to tell him how he feels. He sighs, his mouth dry as the Sahara at the thought of speaking anything like I love you. He tries for an even smile. Knowing he needs a drink, and needs just a minute to think, or try to. He lifts a hand and strokes Spike's hair, looking into his eyes. "Sorry my mouth is dry,” he says, smacking his lips slightly. "Think I need a drink. Would you like me to bring you anything?" He asks, his voice hoarse and a little tight, even as he is moving carefully, pulling off of Spike, and then off the bed.

"Some juice would be nice," Spike says, his own voice husky, watching Liam's body as he rises from the bed. God, what a magnificent creature he is, Spike thinks.

Liam leans over and kisses him again just lightly, and then goes to the kitchen. Speaking softly to Sunny, and then to Delilah as they both seem intent on greeting him. And while the cat is a little ruffled, she seems intact and so is the rest of the house. So World War Three had not broken out. Liam smiles. He takes out two glasses, and sets them down. Delilah having not been satisfied with her greeting leaps up on the counter, Sunny not to be outdone noses her, and tries to knock her off. Liam turns from the refrigerator in time to watch both glasses fall to the floor. He sets the juice down with a sigh, and sets to picking up the glass, and making sure both animals are unhurt. "You two. Damn. Jealousy is not attractive ladies," Liam scolds. Not paying enough attention, he grabs one piece the wrong way and makes a very deep cut through the thick pad of the base of his thumb. "DAMN IT!!" He yells, surprised.

Spike hears Liam curse and leaps from the bed, running to the kitchen. He sees the glass, see the cut, sees the blood. He walks over to Liam. "Here. I can close that up for you if you want."

Liam looks up at him, holding his hand, blood running between his fingers. He chuckles, looking at the two ladies, who did manage to look slightly embarrassed in a doggie and kitty way. "It doesn't really hurt. Just surprised me. Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." Liam offers, his smile bright and his eyes warm and inviting.

Spike kneels down and takes his hand, first licking up the excess blood and then onto the wound itself, gently licking it closed. He relishes this little taste of Liam, and takes it into him. Then something hits him, something in the tang of the blood, and he knows. He looks up at Liam and cups his face with one slender hand. "I love you," he says. "I love you, Liam."

Liam's eyes go wide, his breath that he is just now regaining control over goes wild once more. "Wha?" Liam clears his throat, swallows and tries again, "What? Did you just say what I think you said? " Demanding to be absolutely sure he heard right. He looks at Spike with those open pleading dark eyes. He couldn't. Could he? Love me? Liam's heart begins to race, quickening with the pace of his breaths. He feels a little light, anxiously he stares at this blonde, blue-eyed vision, that he now really desperately hopes he has heard correctly.

Spike smiles a reassuring smile. "If you thought I said I love you, then yes, I just said what you think I said." He looks into those wonderful whiskey-colored eyes, seeing everything in them, knowing what he tasted in the blood was true.

Liam grabs Spike up around the waist, a heady laugh on his lips. He kisses Spike over and over again, smiling more brightly than a child with a new toy. "I love you. I love you. I love you." Liam says, intensity and volume growing with each kissed proclamation. He holds Spike in a crushing grip, never wanting to let him go. After several seconds, he laughs again, and lets his arms go slightly, letting Spike slide back to the floor. "Ooops. Got a little carried away didn't I?" He laughs.

Spike chuckles from his sprawled position on the floor. "Just a little. But I like it. Seems like neither of us are any good at taking it slow." He looks over at Sunny and Delilah, who are watching the two of them from across the room, with slightly puzzled expressions on their faces, and chuckles again. "We seem to have confused the girls, though."

Liam looks at the dog and the cat each in turn. And laughs. "Well there fault I guess. Who knew me getting a little cut would inspire you to tell me that? Glad it did, I mean I was tossing it around trying to decide how to tell you, and then well as always...you were a little ahead of me." Liam smiles, stooping to get the rest of the glass this time stopping to use a broom and dustpan, making sure there were no more pieces.

Spike purrs. "I could taste it, in your blood. How you felt. I've been wanting to tell you too, and I was afraid."

Liam puts the things away, and looks back at Spike, for a second looking perplexed, then remembering.  A look of dawning knowledge changes his expression. "Oh, the tasting thing. You knew." Shakes his head, "well that's appropriate isn't it? My blood telling you I love you." He smiles, then that falls away slightly. "Why were you afraid?" He asks, he knew why he was afraid, but he couldn't imagine why this wonderful, beautiful creature would be afraid.

"I was afraid I was pushing too far, too fast. That I'd frighten you away. And I just couldn't bear that." Spike looks down and away slightly.

Liam touches Spike’s chin, drawing him to look into those blue eyes. "I felt the same. I mean hell, been a few days and I don't want you to ever leave. Don't want to be without you. Pretty extreme. For a human," pointing to himself, "*or* a vampire," he says touching Spike's chest. He looks into those eyes once more, and then kisses him.

Spike melts into the kiss, tasting Liam, breathing him in. He doesn't ever want to forget this moment. "Yes, a little extreme. I've never really felt like this before. But I'm glad you don't want me to leave. I want to be with you...always."

Liam pulls back a little breathless, and looks at Spike smiling. "Umm, ok. So how long would it take to pack your apartment? Or umm, did you want to get a house together?" He chuckles. Knowing how ridiculous he sounds, but not really caring at the moment. His brain also missing the very vampiric and very serious tone to what Spike has said.

Spike gazes back up at Liam. "Mmmm. Something to think about. Probably we'd need to get a house together, if for nothing else than I need lots of closet space. I'm quite a clothes horse." He chuckles. He touches Liam's face gently. "You want me to move in with you, then, I take it?"

"Yeah. I think I do. Don't want you to be away from me. And well...I don't really like the idea of lingerie models tramping in and out of your apartment, even if they are just friends." Liam says laughing at himself. Then turning quickly serious, his smile still in place but his eyes intent. "Would you like to move in? Stay with me?" Sunny adds her two cents worth in a happy short little bark, followed by immediately licking a very disgusted looking cat from head to tail in one long swipe. Liam chuckles. "Stay with us," Liam says, that lighter spark returning to his face.

Spike's eyes sparkle. "Yes, I want to stay with you. Especially since by vampire terms we're practically engaged." He chuckles.

Liam's brow furrows lightly, his smile never faltering. "How's that?" He asks. If the thought of this affected him, no one would have been able to tell, except there is just the tiniest little skip of his heart, and well...vampire boyfriend. A poker face is no good with someone who can hear your heartbeat.

Spike chuckles again. "Don't panic. It's just that thing you do...biting my neck and then saying, 'Mine'...in vampire terms, it's called a claiming. If you were a vampire and gave me a specific bite and said that, you would be claiming me as your own. Being human, of course, I don't hold you to it. But I like it very much all the same. Very much." His voice drops low and caressing on the last two words.

Liam thinks about this for a second. "Umm, well...what is exactly involved? I mean what does that mean? What are you not holding me to?" Liam asks, a little taken aback at what he sees as a dismissal on Spike's part.

"The claiming means you have taken that being as your own, your very own, and that you will protect them with your life if needed. And the one accepting the claim puts themselves under the rule of the claimer. That I've already done. But you didn't know what that gesture meant when you did it."

Liam looks down a second, thinking this through. "You don't think I could do that? I know I didn't know it meant something specific to you. I do know it meant just what I said to me. Meant you were mine. You are mine," He says, as he pulls Spike in tight around the waist, looking at him with a fierce intensity. He holds the gaze for a full minute. His resolve set, he loves this vampire. He loves how he feels with him, he hasn't been this happy in years. He's smiled more in the days since he met him than he had in longer than he could even put memory to. He kisses Spike, hard. Pulling his lips away, he nudges Spike's face to one side with his own, bringing his mouth over Spike's bared neck. He licks one spot at the bend of his neck and shoulder, breathing over it, anticipation of what he is about to do making his breath ragged. "Mine," he growls into that slender pale expanse of perfect skin, and sinks his blunt human teeth into Spike's neck biting him, just enough to make a mark but not to break the perfect skin under his teeth. His tongue laves the skin caught there, as he suckles gently over it.

Spike shivers hard in Liam's arms, feeling the momentous intent of this action. With full knowledge, Liam, a human, is claiming a Master of House Aurelius, and Spike is burningly eager to be claimed. He moans loudly as he is bitten, and then pulls himself together to reply, in a sultry voice, "Yours. Oh, yes, Liam, yours, all yours."

Liam releases the skin between his teeth, his tongue making long flat passes over the spot, massaging it. Looking at it between licks, he watches the bruise that begins to blossom with some odd note of satisfaction. Finally kissing the spot, he pulls back and looks at Spike. "I can do that. I can be what you need me to be." Liam assures, his voice quiet and smooth.

Spike looks back up at Liam, his eyes clear and soft. "I believe you." He touches Liam's face. "It's very serious, the claiming. The only thing more intimate is mating, which is the equivalent of marriage. But I believe you when you say you mean it. I have been claimed by you, belong to you, and I will be with no other but you."

Liam sighs, and smiles looking like the cat that ate the canary. "That's all I want. Just want you. I've done this much. I can do whatever we need to do. I just...well. Damn. You make me happy. I mean...happier than I can remember being in ...oh hell who knows how long. Been so long I didn't even remember I missed it. And now...now. I can't even think of going back to what I was. I won't." Liam says, his voice completely matching his face.

Spike purrs and moves even closer to Liam, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing his face against Liam. "I love you, I love you. And I've not been this happy myself in a hundred years." He stops and looks up at Liam's face, smiling. "Well, since we are in the kitchen, want something to eat? Or want to go back to the bedroom?"

~Part: 9~

Liam reaches up and brushes a hair away from Spike face, placing it with the other unruly messed curls. "That must be your kitty cat version of claiming me, huh?" He chuckles softly, letting his hand cup the nape of Spike's neck. "Well, not really hungry. Least not for food." He smiles deviously, but turns to the cupboard, stepping from Spike just enough to reach into it, retrieving another set of glasses, looking at the two ladies, and smiling. "Let's see if I can do this without help this time." He says as he pours them both a bright reddish juice. Liam smiles, and looks up at Spike. "Um ...cranberry apple," he shrugs, putting the bottle away. He hands a glass to Spike, taking his other hand he pulls him to the living room. Going to the stereo, and setting it to a station he hopes they can both agree on. He leads Spike into the bedroom. The speakers set in the room start to spill music in over them, like a warm stream. Both having had some of the drinks in their hands, he takes Spike's and his own, setting them on the bedside table.

“You keep sending me all these things
I'm learning how to smile
You keep sending me all these things
I think I'll stay awhile”

The lyrics roll in and the music flows behind, the stream becomes as smooth as the ocean's waves, as Liam sits on the bed, and pulls Spike to him, kissing his belly, rubbing his head against him, then pulling him down on to the bed, rolling on top of him, looking down at him, saying nothing, while his eyes speak volumes...

“Hold on
You opened my eyes today
Hold on
Another surprise”

Spike purrs, looking back up at Liam, letting his eyes speak back as well, letting the music touch him as Liam evidently meant it to. He rolls just a little from side to side, caressing Liam with his body, skin to skin. Then he lifts his lips to Liam's in a tender, almost delicate kiss.

Liam takes the kiss, and gives one in return. He strokes Spike's hair, and then his face, his fingers smooth but hard, trace every line, and crease, his fingers dip lightly over each eye, his hand cupping his chin, turns his head gently from side to side, he leans and licks each ear, caressing the shell. His fingers alight on his neck, stroking it, feeling its smooth give, its unbelievable erotic undertone, tracing his *mark.* He smiles, and leans to give it just a soft gentle kiss.

“You keep giving me all these things
I see them in your smile
You keep giving me all these things
I think I'll stay a while”

Spike relaxes and lets Liam trace him, map him, claim him inch by inch. He moves his hands to Liam's hair, lightly stroking it as Liam moves over him. And when Liam kisses the 'mark', he moans softly. This is an almost unbearably tender moment, and his eyes close, for just a second, holding the feeling in his brain, the exact feeling, so he can treasure it forever.

Liam smiles at Spike's reaction.  He kisses again, his lips caressing the skin, his smile lighting on it as he hears Spike's response.  He slides next to Spike, and curls him into his arms, pulling the blankets up and over them, he looks into those twin pools of blue that he knows he has fallen headfirst into, and knows he never wants to come out of.

“You keep giving me all these things
I see them in your smile
You keep giving me all these things
I think I'll stay a while
I guess I'll stay a while”

"I love you Spike," Liam says, as the music fades, and is replaced by something else, that neither of them notice.  Laying there holding Spike, he can feel sleep begin to creep up and demand to be heard.  His heavy lids flutter and droop.

Spike snuggles in against Liam.  "I love you too," he whispers.  He burrows against him, into his warmth, and purrs very softly, almost inaudibly, as he too slowly drifts off into sleep.

Liam's eyes open blinking he clears them of sleep.  In his mind he can't reason that it has been hours, he drifted for just a second, missed that face for just a minute.  Spike laying still and cool, in his arms, just as they had drifted off.  He smiles to himself.  Obsessed much Liam? He chides.  He doesn't move though, just looks.  Watches.   Wonders.

Spike is still sleeping, dreaming happily of the man in whose arms he is lying.  He smiles, and moans softly.  "Liam," he murmurs, and then burrows more tightly against Liam's chest.

Liam chuckles softly, and kisses Spike's shoulder, letting him burrow as tightly against him as he wants.  That definitely won him as much cuddling time as he could stand.  Whispering a man's name in your sleep...is definitely a stroke to the ego that even Liam could appreciate.

Spike stirs a bit when Liam kisses his shoulder and slowly opens his eyes half-lidded, looking sleepily up at him.  "That's a nice way to wake up," he says.

"Yeah, well if you kept saying my name like that, your wake-up might have been a little less restrained."  Liam chuckles, kissing Spike softly.

Spike chuckles and smiles sheepishly.  "I said your name out loud?"  He asks.

Liam smiles, and runs his fingers through Spike's hair, watching the curls disappear between his fingers.  "Yeah, you did.  It was very nice.  What were you dreaming?"

Spike looks downright embarrassed now.  "Oh...Do I really have to tell you that?"

Liam cups his chin and directs his head up to meet his eyes, giving him an appraising look.  "Yes.  I think you do."  He says, his tone warmly directive.

Spike sighs.  "I was dreaming we were dancing.  All dressed up, at Charite, on a big band night.  Gliding around the dance floor together."  He looks down again, and if he could blush, he surely would have.  "Can you *think* of anything more corny than that?"

Liam smiles, and then chuckles, shaking his head.  "Umm not corny at all.  Here...let me show you something."  Liam gets out of bed, and goes to his closet his smile playing over his lips, a playful gleam in his eyes.  He takes out a pair of well-worn, and old, men's dance shoes.  He looks over at Spike as he brings them to the bed.  "Da' said a man should know how to show a lass a good time."  Sighing, he rolls his eyes heavenward, "sorry Da', have you'll just have to get used to a lad."  Liam looks back at Spike, his smile untouched by his sentiment.

Spike smiles.  "So you know how to dance, then.  Mmm.  We'll have to do that sometime."  Then a thought crosses his mind.  Family.  A mortal family.  He looks intently at Liam, his face getting suddenly serious.  "Do you have any family alive, Liam?  And how are they going to take us being together?"

Liam smiles, setting the shoes aside and touching Spike’s obviously anxious face.  "A sister.  Just one.  No one else. And she'll probably think it's cool or something.  She's young, and not particularly judgmental.  Hell last time she visited she had so much black on I almost thought *she* was a vampire.”  Liam chuckles thinking of his sometimes sweet little sister.

Spike chuckles and his face eases back into a smile.  "Good.  Just hadn't even thought about family before now."  He rubs against Liam's hand, purring.  "So," He looks back up with a gleam in his eyes.  "What shall we do until sundown?"

Liam is fast becoming addicted to that purr.  To having that affect on Spike.  He strokes his cheek again just to hear that little trill and feel it on his fingers.  Touch.  "Well, we should shower, I really should eat something, and, " he stops thinking, and smiles. "You said you didn't need to feed tonight, but I would like for you to eat with me," Liam says, a little glimmer in his eyes, as he speaks, not like he would object if Spike needed to feed.  Hell how long would it be ?  Tomorrow night?  He thinks.  Then laughs inwardly at himself.  Craving a vampire’s bite?  Wanting the living dead to drink your blood.  Deviant doesn't even cover it.  And truth be told he really could care less.  "Other than that...the evening is free until we go in tonight."

"Mmmm.  Eating.  You want me to cook for you?"  Spike asks.  "And a shower is very definitely in order. Of course, that might take a while..." He grins evilly.

Liam returns Spike's intent with a grin of his own, raising a hand to scrub the stubble growing on his chin, as he considers just how long that shower might take.  "Yeah, well...we have time," he says, the sultry velvet pouring out in his voice, as he leans over and kisses Spike's neck.  For a second he laments that his *mark* is gone, but remembering that it would be by now.

Spike moans and presses his neck against Liam's mouth.  "Well, then," He says, getting up and moving towards the door, swaying his ass in an exaggerated fashion and looking back over his shoulder.  "What are we waiting for?"

Liam brightens, and standing aside to watch the view stroll by.  "Not a thing...after you..." He says, gesturing with a flourish.

They head off into the shower, and it does indeed take a *very* long time.  When they come out Sunny and Delilah are both sitting outside the door, looking up expectantly.  Spike chuckles.  "I think *someone* is hinting for dinner."

Liam nods. "Yeah, I'll feed them, if you'll cook for us?"  He asks with a sly little grin, but knowing full well if he cooked they'd probably be dining out.

Spike laughs.  "Yeah, I'll cook.  Assuming you actually *have* anything in the refrigerator to cook."  He pads off naked towards the kitchen, grabbing an apron off the wall and slipping it on.

Liam looks down at the two pets, then back at Spike naked in an apron.  He shakes his head, and scrubs his hand over his face.  "The devil," he breathes, and turns to start preparing first Sunny's bowl, which she wolfs into without invitation.  Then to Delilah, he pauses, looking at the food.  "She eats one can of this stuff?"  Liam asks, looking at the cans, and things.

Spike nods.  "Yes, one can for dinner.  She eats dry the rest of the day."  He bends over, looking through the refrigerator, taking things out and setting them on the counter.

Liam opens the can, and plops the food out on into the little bowl with a wince at the smell and the consistency.  "Well that is just gross, Delilah," He comments.   Leaving the cat to lap daintily at what appeared to be road kill.  Liam goes to the sink next to Spike to wash his hands.  Once washed, he grins, and steps up rubbing against Spike, one still wet hand tapping his bare ass lightly.

Spike groans at the wet hand on his ass.  "You keep that up and I'll never get dinner cooked."  He chuckles.  "Of course, that might not be such a bad thing..."

Liam rests his head on Spike's shoulder watching his hands move and work. He wraps his arms around his waist as much as he can, but does pause to give his ass one more wet smack, laughing warmly next to his ear.

Spike moans and leans back against Liam.  "*This* is an interesting way to cook," He says, as he starts chopping and preparing the food.  "I think I could get used to it, though.  You like beef stroganoff?"

Liam makes a yummy noise nipping Spike's shoulder.  "Yes, I do.  Sounds good."  He moves as Spike needs him to, but won't relent his perch watching Spike's motions, commenting on the spices, and things he's managed to scrape up out of his refrigerator.  Then Spike actually has to cook the food, and Liam moves back taking a kitchen chair and sitting just behind him, taking in the view as it were.

Spike enjoys it, warm arms around him as he works.  And then an appreciative audience as he gets to cooking.  He moves deftly, his hands sure, with movements perfected by long practice.  It's not long before he is serving up dinner for the two of them.  He shakes his head.  "Nothing for salad.  You need to eat healthier."

Liam laughs. "Salad?  Me eat something green?  Well, prepare something green." He murmurs.  "Sorry, eat the stuff when I go out, not much of a cook, and not real fond of them made well, let alone the way I make them."  Liam explains in apology.  His eyes wide as he sniffs the plate set before him.  "Oh man that smells good."  He groans.

Spike chuckles.  "Hope it tastes good.  You did 'supervise' the whole process."  He takes off the apron and sits down at the table across from Liam, watching him expectantly.

Liam dives into his plate with abandon, his manners in place, but bent enough to make Miss Manners cringe.  He eyes close, then roll up as they open, with a sound of utter culinary ecstasy.  "Oh, my god...you made that out of my refrigerator?  I mean are you sure?  Didn't use some vamp mojo or something?"  Liam queries, taking another bite.

Spike purrs happily.  "Yes, right out of your refrigerator.  It's a simple enough dish, and you've got decent basic spices and so forth.  Nice to have someone to appreciate my cooking."  He beams as he starts eating from his own plate.  Delilah comes into the dining room, trilling her own purr, and rubbing around Spike's feet.  Spike chuckles.  "Little beggar," he chides softly.  "You're absolutely shameless."

"Well, if we weren't already engaged, I might just have to ask you to marry me again, and again, and again, and maybe at every meal til we did that, what did you call it? ....Mating?  thing."  Liam says chuckling, and taking yet another hungry bite.

Spike laughs out loud at this.  "Ah, so the secret is out now.  You *really* love me for my cooking."

"Well...that and other things..." Liam murmurs, looking every bit as seductive as Spike ever had, with just a tip of his head, and looking under long dark lashes.

Spike melts under that look, and moans softly.  "Ummmm... do we have time after dinner before we have to go to work?  I'm thinking I'm not going to make it another eight hours without touching you."

Liam gives Spike a calm and collected look, smiling, but not champing at the bit.  He crosses his arms, pausing in his dinner. "And what my boy did you have in mind?"  Liam asks mildly, but with a growing interest.

Spike bats his eyes innocently.  "Weeeeellll...I was thinking there was at least one item on my initial menu we hadn't tried yet.  But that's just a suggestion..."

Liam appears to actually think this over for a moment, tipping his head.  "Well, after careful consideration, I think we should try to hurry the main course, and maybe head for dessert."

Spike smiles back and nods in agreement, and they set down to the business of finishing dinner and head back into the bedroom.  Sunny and Delilah insist on following and have to be petted and then firmly moved outside.  Allowing petting of quite another nature to start... leading to the need for yet another shower, this one quick and not as much fun as the first, before getting dressed.  As they get ready for work, the phone rings.

Liam, laughing at something or other Spike had alluded to for the tenth time in an hour, making him seriously considering calling out.  He looks at the caller ID his smile quickly runs cold, and a solid serious glare replaces it.  He answers.  "Detective O'Donnell speaking."  His voice is chilled and hard.

"Wes here.  I've got the materials ready for the spell.  Do you and your 'partner'," his voice sour on that word, "want to come over so I can cast it?"

"Yeah, give us half an hour and we'll be at your door."  Liam replies, looking at Spike, and ignoring the man's tone.  "See you then."  Liam finishes, hanging up the phone.  "Time to go to work," He sighs. "Seems Mr. Pryce is requesting the honor mine and my *partners* presence,” He says, his lighter tone turning dark.  "You watch him.  Don't go any closer than you have.  I don't like him.  Don't like we have to rely on him.  If something doesn't smell right, you let me know.  Right?"  Liam demands, his tone directive and taking nothing but, 'yes Liam,' for an answer.

Spike smiles and nods.  "Yes, Liam," he says in a sweetly submissive tone.  His eyes sparkle at Liam's protective and commanding voice.  He thinks, not for the first time, what an utterly magnificent vampire Liam would make.

Liam nods, giving him a smile that does not touch his eyes.  "Ok. Let's get to it then."  He says, leading them out to the car.  They call their location, and general intent into the station, and avoid the check-in, on the way.  Soon they are pulling up once more to the seedy little lofts, where one Wes Wyndam-Pryce resides.

They walk up the stairs again and back through the maze of hallways, knocking on the door.  Wes answers.  "Come in, officers," he says.  He is dressed in a long black robe encrusted with sigils, walking barefoot across the wooden floor.

Liam's expression guarded at the sight of the man. Knowing next to nothing of magick and having been a skeptic most of his life, he is wary of this set-up.  He gives Spike a sharp look telling him to stay close.  Then returns his gaze to Wes, watching his every move as they enter the apartment.

Wes locks the door behind them and they walk in.  The living room furniture has been pushed back and there is an elaborate circle with mystical symbols painted onto the floor, and an altar set with objects.  Wes turns around.  "So which of you in drinking the blood?"

Liam's brow raises and he glares at Wes.  "Excuse me?"  He asks pointedly, taking in the sight laid out before them, and careful to avoiding touching any and all of it.

Wes chuckles humorlessly.  "One of you has to drink the blood as the link for the spell, so you can track her.  So which is it going to be?"

Liam looks at Spike and shakes his head, fixing him with a stern gaze.  "I'll do it," He says, stepping closer, keeping himself between Spike and Wes.

Wes raises an eyebrow with an amused smile.  "Not going to let the vampire drink the blood?  Well, take off your shoes and step into the circle.  Don't touch any of the sigils when you do."  He turns back to the altar, pulling out a small glass vial etched with symbols, and hands it to Liam.  "Here's the blood.  Don't drink it til I tell you to."

Liam keeps his eyes set cautiously on every move Wes makes. Taking the vial and slipping out of his shoes and socks, he does as he was asked, and carefully steps into the circle, letting his eyes slip to Spike, checking his proximity and then back to Wes.

Spike glances back and forth between Wes and Liam as Wes starts dropping herbs and incense on a brazier and begins incanting.  As he chants, the blood in the vial starts to glow with a sickly green light, getting stronger and stronger.  Finally Wes reaches the climax of the incantation, and there is a flash of green light that fills the room.  Wes' voice follows in the moment of partial blindness that follows while the flash clears.  "Drink it now."

Liam uncaps the vial and drinks it down in a gulp.  Wincing from the taste, he swallows again and again.  Trying to get it out.  Nothing like Spike, nothing at all like blood he'd tasted.   It is bitter, and he can feel it clinging to the back of his throat.   He is allowed that unpleasantness long enough to get hit with another.  Suddenly going to one knee, he grips his stomach and groans.  Something akin to having his guts rearranged would have only begun to describe the moment of pain.  Anger boils at the thought that Wes had done some double cross, his eyes shoot up at the man, his teeth bared, his hands clutching at his stomach.

Wes looks down at him.  "Problem, officer?"  He asks.  Spike looks at Liam in alarm and starts to move towards Wes.

Liam bites back another groan, and gets to his feet.  The twisting in his gut starting to abate, he is able to stand, wobble and regain his composure.  The knotting and rending that he felt settles second by second while he stares breathless at Wes, unable for scant minutes to move.  Finally there is only a dull tug, a deep instinctive knot, pulling at him.  His hands fall away from his belly, and he does move.  Moves with a calm peaceful face until he is within inches of Wes.  Then he's not so serene.  Grabbing the man by the collar of the ridiculous garb, he slams him against the wall.  Holding him easily, Liam looks back at Spike.  Then at the man.  "I can feel it, feel her I guess.  Follow the twisting guts, that it?"  He nearly snarls into his face.

Wes smiles calmly.  "Exactly, officer.  I did what you asked.  Is there some reason you feel compelled to pointless violence?"

Liam edges in closer shaking him, then dropping him to the floor.  "Probably the same reason you didn't see a reason to give me a little warning I'd bet." Liam says as he moves to put his shoes and socks back on, "There anything else you might feel compelled to share about this little spell of yours?"  Glaring at him as he makes the simple moves it takes to accomplish his task, and stand ready to make their exit.

"Yes.  It will only last about twenty-four hours, so best make the most of it.  I don't have any more of her blood." Wes pulls himself together and gets up off the floor.  "Pleasure helping out the police."

Liam nods, as they go out the door. "Thank you for your cooperation," he says with as much professional disdain as he can muster.  Once in the hall, Liam takes a moment, and gathers himself.  Taking a hard breath, then moving again.

Spike follows along as they climb into the car.  "Do you want me to drive?"  He asks Liam.  "I don't know how painful the pull is.  Will it interfere with your driving?"

Liam shakes his head, and closes his eyes, taking another breath, he can feel the tug, north.  He starts the car, and looks back at Spike.  "No...it's not painful now.   Not like that."  He assures Spike, taking his hand squeezing it, then heading them out into the city.

It takes a while, and some trial and error, to find the building, since streets don't always conveniently go exactly the direction of the tug.  But eventually they end up near an old closed-down chemical plant.  The padlock on the gate has been broken and the gate is hanging open.  "Well," Spike says, turning to Liam.  "This looks promising."

“Yeah, I think so," Liam agrees.  The two of them enter the opened gate, careful not to make noise, or disturb the gate anymore than they have to. Liam takes the lead, and guides them through around the plant, and inside via what was probably the same route whoever had broken that lock had taken, which isn't the best idea, but there are no other points of entry that look in anyway promising.  They quietly enter, careful not to let the door make any noise. They slide inside, covering each other as they go.

They have not gotten far inside before they pass into a reception room with doors heading off to the left and right.  "Which way?"  Spike asks, and then there is a rasping noise as a steel wall slides down between them, cutting them off from each other.  "Liam!"  Spike yells, and waits for a response.  He hears nothing.

Liam looks up and around, and down the wall that came out of nowhere.  He leans on it, and yells, "SPIKE!!!'  To no answer, he pounds the wall hard, seeing no way around it, over it, or through it, Liam feels the tug digging into him.  His immediate rage is dipped lightly in fear.  Insane vampire killer, loose and he can't get to Spike.  "Damn it!!"  He swears.  Maybe if he gets to her first… the idea is a long shot, considering, but the only shot he has.  He reluctantly heads toward the tug, the hallways like a maze.  He goes this way and that, at the whims of the pull on his guts.

Spike likewise pounds on the wall with all his inhuman strength, but it makes not even a dent.  He sighs and stops to think, and then smells something.  He whirls just in time to see two vampires coming at him, firing steel crossbow bolts at him.  They hit, penetrating his skin, and then he charges at one of the vamps.  He makes it only a few steps before a burning seizes his muscles and locks them, and he crumples to the ground.

He awakens some time later, and feels cool stone against his upper torso.  His shirt has been removed, and as he tries to move he finds he has been chained and gagged.  He pulls, hard, and there is no give as the manacles cut into his wrists.  A blonde female head leans over his face.  "Naughty, naughty," She scolds.  "Stay still like a good little sacrifice."  She turns his head to the side and holds it there with inhuman strength as she clamps it into place.  She takes a long, sharp, slim knife and cuts his neck open.  His blood runs out, and into a channel funneling the blood to a large bowl.
"You should be happy," she says.  "I'm going to use your blood to let me kill all those old nasty vampires you don't like.  What better cause could you die in?"

Liam wanders deeper and deeper into the plant. Finally hearing voices, he stops and gets to one side, peering further and then inching to the corner he hears voices.  He chances a spare glance around the corner, pulling back instantly as he notes two guards, and from the look of wrinkled foreheads and teeth, vampires.  He swears at himself silently, and looks for something he can use as a weapon, his gun would be next to useless.  Up on a wall a few paces away he sees something he can use.  Retrieving it and a bit of wood from a broken box crate, he comes back to the corner, slowing his breathing, and readying himself.

The two vampires are busily chatting.  "Wonder what she wanted with that vampire cop?"  One says.  The other replies, "Who knows?  Whoever heard of a vampire cop, anyway?  All we're supposed to do is follow her orders and report on her activities to the boss."

Liam, hearing the conversation, is set.  He first pulls the pin on the extinguisher, and angles the nozzle under his finger so he can pull the trigger and use it with one hand.  The other holds the stake tight.  In a flurry of white smoke-like clouds, and the whooshing of compressed air, Liam makes his move.  He rushes the temporarily blinded vamps, hitting one with the stake right off, reducing him quickly to dusty memory.  The second he smacks with the butt end of the extinguisher, and follows with another, and another wailing smack, until the vamp collapses.  He straddles the vampire, knees on his arms, and stake to his chest, digging into it just enough to make sure he has his attention, and that any move he makes will only set the wood deeper.  "Now then, where is he?"  Liam growls leaning just a little more on the stake, panting and chancing a quick sweep, knowing if anyone heard he had little time to fool around.

"Behind that door there," The vamp says quickly, his eyes wide.

Liam looks up seeing the direction, and the tug sickeningly confirmed that if Spike was there, he wasn't alone.  "Thank you for your cooperation," Liam mutters, shoving the stake and finding himself over a pile of dust.  He gets up, brushing off, and moving closer to the door.  He listens, trying to get any scrap of what is on the other side of that door.  Thinking a million miles a minute.  He needs to get in there, but doing that blind is not something that he thinks is going to go over well.

Buffy dips in a cup and starts drinking the blood that is running into the bowl.  She makes a face.  "Nasty!  I don't understand how you vamps do this all the time and like it.  And I'm going to have to drink all of it.  Yechh.  Gonna need a lot of breath mints afterward.  Don't want to go visiting my 'friends' with blood breath, now do I?"

Blood.  She is drinking Spike's blood.  Bad idea or not, stealth is probably not going to get this job done.  Steeled by the thought of her even touching Spike, he sets himself, drawing his weapon but holding it low.  Surprise in the absence of anything else would have to work.  Liam draws back and slams into the door.  Hitting it full force at just the right angle, the lock smashes and the door flies open.  Liam slides in and takes a place on the wall just inside the doorway, crouching, his gun out in front, his eyes coolly whip over the scene.

Buffy's head jerks around in Liam's direction.  "Damn incompetent vampires!"  She shouts as she comes running at Liam full tilt, with unnatural speed.

Liam aims and fires. Instinctive and accurate.  The shot unfurls and rings out in the warehouse-like room, catching the small blonde body in the ribcage, splattering blood, with the sound of cracking bone unheard above the reverberating din of the weapons discharge.

The force of the gunshot jerks her back and onto the ground.  She struggles for breath, wheezing, one side of her chest not expanding as it should.  She looks up with glassy eyes.  "You're human," she whispers.  "How could you?"

Liam looks down at the girl, noting how tiny and harmless she appears.  Then he looks, setting his sights on Spike.  His eyes narrow, and as he moves toward him, his hands shake and his gut twist into hard knots both from the girl's proximity and from the sight before him.  He ignores the girl’s question, ignores her wheezing and gurgled breathing, heading straight for Spike.

As he approaches he can see the cut across Spike's neck, the steady flow of blood down into the bowl, the cruel gag cutting into his mouth.  There is a set of keys hanging nearby, and Liam can also see that Spike is, even for a vampire, unnaturally pale.

Spike struggles and turns his eyes up to look at Liam as best he can with his head clamped in place.  He is almost overcome with joy, even in his greatly weakened state.  Much longer and there wouldn't have been anyone to save.

Liam immediately is at his side, taking the keys, he unchains him, unclamps his head, and takes him down into his arms.  Going to his knees, he lays Spike against him, seeing the blood and how much he's already lost and how badly he is still bleeding, he hopes, remembering how he'd closed wounds before. "Can I close it?  Will it work like before on a cut this deep?"  Liam asks, shoving the panic away, setting on what needs to be done.  First stop the bleeding, then replace the blood.  He turns Spike's head gently, looking into his eyes.

Spike shakes his head just slightly.  "No.  Get me some of her blood," he croaks.  Slayer blood is powerful enough, it would heal him, close the wounds, even a small amount of it.

Liam nods.  Some of her blood.  He'd have all she had if it would help undo what she'd done to him.  Liam very carefully lays Spike down, and gets to his feet.  Stalking over to the wounded but still barely breathing bitch lying on the floor.  The pool beneath her shows she is losing a precious commodity to Liam at the moment.  He grabs one wrist and drags her to Spike.  Pulling that same wrist to his mouth, he helps Spike, getting into a position so he can hold him, and keep a firm grasp on her wrist.

She gasps weakly, her eyes fluttering.  "Fucking...vamps..." She whispers, barely audible.

Spike slides into full gameface, too weak for fine control, and bites into her wrist, sucking the heady powerful Slayer's blood into himself.  He feels the wounds on his throat close, and is sorely tempted to keep on drinking.  Drain her dry.  But then, as he reminds himself, he is not a monster, even if she is.  He stops and licks her wrist closed.  "Call an ambulance, Liam," He gasps.  "We need her alive."

Liam is almost surprised, for a moment, but then he is proud.  Spike was a better man than he could ever be.  He'd have killed the bitch.  Liam sighs and although he gives serious thought to urging him to just finish her, he knows what he has to do.  He makes the call, shoving the girl away with his foot. He pulls Spike further into his lap, cradling him, soothing him.  "Love you," He says in a hushed voice, only now letting any of the fear he'd felt touch him, he rocks gently, as they sit waiting for the sirens’ cries.

Spike relaxes into Liam's arms, letting him hold him, rock him.  "I love you too," He says, lifting one hand weakly to stroke his face.  "You saved me.  I knew you would."

One finger traces the side of Spike's neck.  "Mine," he says his voice heavy with the love and devotion that word held for him.

"Yours," Spike responds.  His face shines with adoration as he looks up at Liam.  Just then the sound of sirens becomes audible.  Spike sighs.  "You'd better sit me up on my own, unless you want the paramedics and the other officers to see us like this."

Liam pauses, thinks about that for a minute.  Then shrugs, "fuck 'em," He grins, and leans to kiss Spike just as the first of the officers and medics flooded the room with noise, and panic.

~~ Epilogue:  In Captain Giles' office ~~

Captain Giles looks at Liam and Spike as they sit in his office.  "Well, you two did well.  The murderer captured, and under sorcerous interrogation she's turned evidence on a number of the old Line Masters for involvement in her little murder scheme.  But given their resources in this town, the edict has come down from upstairs that you two are to take some vacation time, and get out of town."

Liam blinks, and looks at Spike.  Thinking this sounded more permanent than perhaps the Captain was intent on letting on to, he sighs. "I think I need a vacation."  He relents.  Didn't matter, wherever he went or had to go, Spike would be with him, and everything else could go to hell.  It just didn't matter.  Seeing the one you love strung up and nearly bled to death, well it does tend to give more than a little perspective.  And from Liam's new found out look the rest of the world stood in the shadow of the one blonde vampire.  A vampire.  Who'd have thought?

Spike smiles over at him.  "A vacation sounds wonderful."

Giles nods.  "Go on the, you two.  Get out of here."  He smiles at them both.
Spike and Liam get up and leave, shutting the door behind them, and heading down the stairs.  Spike's hand slips into Liam's, and they walk out together into the night.

The End

back