Spike had been correct: the Angel that left him had not been the one that returned.
When Angel had gone the night before, leaving Spike sitting in a pool of dark sheets like a male Venus rising from the sea, he had thought he was ready to take out Darla and Drusilla. Inside of him, his demon and soul had waged a war against one another. Both had wanted to deal with the vampiresses in their own way -- the soul had wanted to stake them quickly, the demon had wanted to join their side.
Because of that fight inside of him, when Angel had seen Darla and Dru, he had realized he hadn't been ready to face them. It hadn't been until later that night, after he'd secluded himself in total darkness and brought a third player into his internal battle, that he had truly become prepared.
The soul and the demon had been silenced.
The man had won.
Darla had never met the man, nor had Drusilla, nor any of his former employees. Only Spike knew who the man was, and the man only needed Spike.
The man was dark, shrouded in shadows that had built over generations. The darkness had been pointed out by The First, then by the demon torturing Spike, and finally by the soul that admitted to it. The man got off on dominating Spike, but had a conscience. He knew right from wrong, but wasn't going to let others dictate it to him. He was not a puppet for the Powers That Be like his soul had been, nor for Wolfram and Hart like they'd hoped his demon would be. He was his own man.
And he had been pissed.
Darla and Dru had received a brief glimpse of the man. "Angel?" Darla had said, thinking guilt on his behalf would prevent her demise. "Angelus?" she had questioned with hope when she realized the soul wasn't there. "I don't know who he is," she had said with fear when she realized the demon wasn't there, either.
He had been indifferent to their screams.
Wesley had ventured down to the basement earlier to say that he, Cordelia, and Gunn would be keeping Angel Investigations in business, with or without Angel. Angel had said nothing, because he didn't care. He was no longer their puppet, either.
He was Angel, Sire and Master of Spike, and Master of himself.
Angel glanced over at his boy, who was sitting in a corner of the basement playing with a Chinese Puzzle Box. A small frown furrowed the blond's brows as he tried to solve the puzzle. One side of Angel's mouth curved up. Sometimes Spike was all man; other times he was nothing more than an overgrown child.
Eyes still on his half-dressed boy, Angel flicked the knife in his hand at the circular target board hanging on the wall. It imbedded solidly in the very center of the target.
Spike had known immediately that the Angel who had returned to him was not someone he should fear. Angel had watched with amusement as Spike had transformed from a wary master vampire prepared to fight into a content, subservient boy that was glad his Master had returned. Of course, the blond vampire had acted like an insolent snot to try and hide his relief, but Angel hadn't been fooled. They had been through many ups and downs, had forged and re-forged their Dom/sub relationship over the past year and a half, and there was little Spike could conceal from his sire.
Angel's gym-shoes were silent on concrete basement floor as he crossed the newly created workout room. The dark-haired vampire pulled at his black track pants as he crouched in front of Spike. The material strained at the crotch, clearly outlining the thick bulge beneath. "How are you doing?" Angel asked softly.
Spike shot him a disgusted look. "You did this on purpose."
"Did what?" Angel said, hiding his smile.
"Made this bloody thing impossible," Spike griped as he shook the puzzle box in frustration. The furrow between his brows had grown into a full-blown frown, and his lips were pursed in consternation. He tried to force a piece to move and growled when he couldn't do it. "Damn it!"
Angel plucked the puzzle box out of Spike's hands and set it on the floor. "Here," Angel said, pressing the blond's hand against the hardness hidden beneath the black track pants. "I think this puzzle will be much easier for you to solve."
Spike rolled his eyes, but grinned. "That was awful, Sire."
"It was, huh?" Angel straightened and pulled Spike with him. The younger man's unfastened jeans drooped on his hips, and Angel helped further their downward decent until Spike stepped out of them.
Angel took a step back and surveyed his nude childe from head to toe. Spike manhood pulsed and swelled under the older man's scrutiny, rising from the tufts of dark curls surrounding it. Spike's pale, hard body glistened with a faint sheen of sweat from sitting beside the hotel's furnace.
With a wolfish smile, Angel collected the towel hanging over the stair rail and spread it over a padded exercise bench. His white tank was balled up and put at the head of the bench. Then he straddled the bench, untied his track pants, and pushed them down his thighs.
Angel watched Spike watch him as he grasped his freed cock and pumped it several times. Spike's penis jumped in anticipation, and his blue eyes glowed hungrily. Angel spread the pre-cum that oozed from his slit over his hard length, slightly lubricating it, before he laid down on the bench with his legs on either side of it.
"Come here and ride me, boy," Angel instructed in a soft, but firm, tone.
"But...," Spike swallowed at the glare he got, but continued, "...what about lubricant?"
Angel grinned evilly. "It's in the puzzle box."
Spike looked down at the box, then back at Angel. "Not fair," he whined.
"It's not my fault you can't solve the puzzle." Angel crooked his finger, beckoning his childe over. "Now, come here."
The blond stalked over to Angel, a pout on his face. When he was within reach, Angel abruptly sat up, grabbed him, yanked him face down across the bench, and spanked him hard. Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Spike yelped and squirmed, but Angel had a firm hold on him. Smack! Smack! Smack! "That's for making me tell you to come over here twice," Angel said, watching as his boy's backside turned rosy. The redness would fade within minutes, but until then... Smack! Smack! Smacksmacksmack... SMACK!
Cock throbbing with the need for release, Angel sucked two fingers into his mouth, coating them with saliva, then none-too-gently worked them into Spike's wrinkled hole. "Sii-errr," the blond sniveled, still wiggling against the older man's grip.
SMACK! Smack! Smack! Smacksmacksmack! Smack! SMACK!
Smack-smack-smack-smack-smack-SMACK-SMACK!
"Shave and a haircut, my sore arse," Spike muttered.
Angel laughed and hauled Spike up over him as he laid back on the bench. Spike's legs dropped to either side of the bench, his bare feet flat on the floor, stopping him from sitting. With a smirk, Angel grabbed his childe's tender cheeks and pulled them apart. "Position me," he ordered.
Spike lifted himself and placed the tip of Angel's hard shaft against the spit-slicked opening. Angel adjusted his grip on Spike's hips and, without warning, pulled the blond down as he thrust up, impaling Spike on his steely shaft. The younger man hissed in pain at the semi-dry entry and Angel clucked his tongue.
"Spike, you're such a baby," the dark-haired vampire chided.
"Am not!" Spike protested.
"I used to have to chain you up in order to fuck you." Angel set Spike rocking atop of him. "Now, all I have to do is whistle, and you're on your back with your legs spread wide."
Spike scowled at him. "Yeah, well, just you wait until I shove my fist up your arse, and we'll see how fast you're on your knees."
Angel lifted a brow. "Is that a challenge?"
"What if it is?" Spike said as he continued to move against Angel.
"I'll chain you to that hook over there and beat you into unconsciousness."
"Ha, I'd like to see you try--iike!" Spike squeaked when, as fast as lightning, Angel's hand clasped the blond's hard length. Angel smiled lazily and firmed up his grip, forming a tight tunnel. His other hand slid around Spike's backside, cupping the still-warm cheek.
"Come on, boy," Angel urged, coaxing Spike into rocking again. "Ride me like the slut I know you are."
Spike glared at him, but not for long. The older vampire watched through half-slitted eyes as Spike found a rhythm, thrusting into Angel's hand and back onto Angel's cock. The blond licked his lips and his head rolled back as a moan of pleasure was pulled from him.
So beautiful, Angel thought, relishing the way Spike started to pant, his lean chest rising and falling. Angel could watch his boy ride him like this all day. He had complete control over Spike without having to do a thing but enjoy the feel of Spike's velvety channel grasping his shaft.
Spike began to rock faster, his pre-cum slicking Angel's palm. His hands clawed unconsciously into Angel's bare chest as he used his sire to speed up his pace. "Sire," he rasped, panting steadily now. "Please, may I come?"
Pleased that Spike had remembered his place, but in a tormenting mood, Angel responded, "Only after me."
Spike groaned and rolled his head on his shoulders, his face twisted in concentration. He thrust back harder onto Angel's cock, the bench screeching as the metal legs were jolted against the cement floor. He suddenly gasped, knocked Angel's hand away, and tightly grasped the base of his cock.
Angel came then, at Spike's willful -- and painful -- obedience. He grabbed his boy's hips and thrust upwards, spilling himself deep inside Spike's body. Angel shuddered hard, a pleasure-filled moan tearing from him as his orgasm washed over him.
"Now? Now? Now? Now? Now? Now? Now? Now?"
The tensely repeated question caused Angel to open his eyes to see Spike hovering on the brink. The dark-haired vampire stroked his hands over his childe's flanks and gave permission. "Yes, now."
Spike stroked himself six times in rapid succession and came without a sound. Milky-white semen shot onto Angel's chest, the ropy strands creating slick paths along his skin. Angel watched his boy's culmination of pleasure with a faint smile on his lips, until the blond finally slumped in post-orgasm lethargy.
"Feel better?" Angel asked, caressing Spike's thighs.
"Hm-hmm," Spike murmured, raising his arms high above his head and stretching.
"Good," Angel lightly smacked him. "Put your jeans on and bring me the puzzle box."
Spike wiggled on Angel's lap, grin on his face, before he climbed off. Angel used the towel beneath him to wipe himself clean, and then fixed his track pants. Spike returned with the puzzle box and handed it to Angel.
"Watch," Angel said, expertly sliding the blocks into the correct positions. When the last one was in place, he handed the box back to Spike. "Open it."
Spike perched on the edge of the bench, and a surprised look appeared on his face as a block on the side of the box slid out. "Neat," he commented, pushing it back in and then sliding it back out again. He looked inside the small, hollow block and his scarred brow crept up. "This doesn't look like lube."
The blond pulled out a silver chain-link bracelet with two charms hanging from it, a silver spike and a fallen angel. He gave Angel a confused look. Angel took the bracelet from him, and said, "Hold out your left wrist."
"You're giving me jewelry," Spike said flatly.
"Yes." Angel hooked the bracelet on his boy's wrist. It fit just like he'd expected it to. "Don't ever take it off." He stared hard into Spike's disbelieving eyes. "Ever," Angel emphasized. "Understand?"
"Yeah, I get it," Spike replied sullenly. He shook his hand, and the charms winked in the basement light. "Not like I can get it off my left wrist without breaking it, anyhow."
"Good." Angel grasped the back of his childe's head, kissed him hard on the forehead, then let go. "Why don't you go up and start the shower in your room. I'll be up in a few."
Angel watched as Spike headed out of the basement, puzzle box in hand, muttering to himself about nonces who gave gifts of jewelry. When the dark-haired vampire heard the door at the top of the stairs close, he quickly crossed the basement to where he'd thrown his coat, and removed a slightly larger-than-palm-sized electronic box from the inside pocket.
He thumbed the switch on the side of the box. Green lights flashed in a circular pattern along a compass circle, then a single red light in the center lit up. It was a GST device -- a Global Satellite Tracking device, and its frequency was linked to a tiny transmitter located inside the spike charm on Spike's new bracelet.
Angel wasn't planning on making any friends in the near future, and he wanted his one possession to be secure. Spike was the only one who knew the man Angel was, and that meant he'd be in danger. With the GST device, he could find Spike anywhere within a hundred mile radius.
Angel needed Spike, for he was the light that cast out the shadows that surrounded Angel, keeping him from descending into total darkness. Because of this, Angel would do everything in his power to keep his boy safe from harm.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.
End