Part 27
Connor remained blissfully asleep as Willow padded quietly down the hall and stood expectantly at the door of her hosts. She smiled at the tableau they presented, two beautiful male bodies as one in their repose, entirely relaxed, intertwined, the epitome of longtime lovers.
Spike stirred first as always, kept the link quiet as he frowned a little at the intruder to their sleeping quarters, then followed her to the kitchen. En route he noted the tense shoulders and fists clenching the edges of her oversized t-shirt come nightgown.
“’Sup Red?”
Willow stepped close to the vampire. “I think I know why they want Connor.”
“What …? Oh? OK… An’ here’s me thinkin’ y’ just paid us a visit t’ see me gorgeous self minus me daily attire.”
“So..??” Spike leant idly against the pantry wall as Willow moved to set the electric kettle and make tea. She kept her hands busy for a moment then stilled. This was too important.
The next part came out all at once. “I-think-that-they-want-to-breed-from-him!!”
Spike turned on her instantly in game face though uncannily calm. “They were goin’ to what?”
Despite her power, experience and friendship with the vampire Willow squeaked a little before breathing hard and repeating the message. “They are intending to breed from him…. Oh Godess Spike…. I suspected and then when I …. Spike there are plans… a farm of sorts… a harem…. drugs to keep all the subjects ‘pliant’…. stimulants that would assist the ‘follow-up’ sessions…. They even have four slayers on their list of ‘prospective mothers’! And Dawn….”
Spike was immediately in game face, yet Willow still saw the flash of pain and worry fly across the vampire’s features. Despite the predator’s fangs and threatening snarl, Spike looked like a worried parent and tired spouse. The vampire stilled for a moment and lost a little control over the link. Angel stirred as a result and headed for his mate, though thankfully Connor simply rolled restlessly in his bed and remained asleep.
Willow was in the middle of pouring a chai tea for both herself and her favorite blonde when Angel emerged at the door. The larger vampire snaked a loving arm around his mate, pressed his entire body against Spike’s, then nuzzled the neck of his mate with an affectionate purr. Spike’s lack of response was all telling. Scenting his mate’s extreme distress and detecting Willow’s accelerated heartbeat, Angel stepped back from his ministrations, spun his partner and demanded in a more formal tone than was usual, “Childe?”… He noted the distress on Spike and Willow’s faces, “Hmm, it is our full blood son no doubt. What is amiss?.... Spike?”
The fact that this was truly a ‘family’ matter did not escape Willow, nor did the deference the blonde gave his mate under such strained circumstances, “They, bloody Wolfram and Hart, they… are planning on breedin’ from Connor, Sire.”
Angel stared from the witch to his mate and back. “The legend of the day-walkers…. Idiots!! They have *that* wrong for a start!.... Oh….” Angel turned to welcome their wiccan friend, “F’iaid…. Apologies… I’m sure we woke you?”
“I am honored to be included…. And I wake when my partner is absent.”
Willow smiled then took her F’Iaid’s hand to kiss it, “There is a way forward. But before I recommend it I need to… ummm… is Connor still asleep?” Both Angel and Spike checked through their link and more traditional ‘heartbeat’ methods. The two nodded in unison.
“Connor’s situation is unique… Wolfram and Hart are oblivious of your continuing existence, by all accounts, so their assessment of Connor is independent of any contact he has had with you and I must say, the information they have on him is historical mostly and the recent material is rudimentary at best.”
“Channeling your inner Giles, Red?” Spike’s attempt to lighten the mood fell rather flat, but Willow’s “Indeed,” accompanied by a cheeky grin, before returning to her previous serious demeanor gave him the impression that at least one person had appreciated the effort.
“He needs to be paired…. And paired with someone strong enough to….” Willow faltered and fell silent, taking refuge in her partner’s arms for a moment.
“Strong enough for what, Witch? What haven’t you told us?!” Spike was suddenly *very* serious and not only his eyes burnt amber but also Angel’s.
Surprisingly, it was the older vampire who fielded the question. Angel’s voice was almost a full purr, “He must take a consort strong enough and worthy of carrying the pure Aurelian line.”
Spike reacted as expected, “Oh brilliant!!.... What are we?..... The princess and the bloody pea???! Well sod that….. and sod the Grimm brothers…” He pointed directly at Willow and F’Iaid, “And sod every other bloody fiction writer, and every bloody wiccan and seer while we’re at it …. Anyway… how soon?! And where the *hell* does *any of this* leave our lad here?!” The blonde vampire moved to throw an arm around his Sire spelling support, camaraderie and familial connection in the simple move, “ ‘Cause our boy ain’t deservin’ of any purgatory! He’s not a ‘test case’ for any humans, or a bloody ‘golden child’ for the demon world to play with! We can’t marry ‘im off to some unknown blue blooded bint like some royal marriage of convenience… We’d be no better than the other lot!!!” Spike continued staring sightlessly in an act of open appeal to the bathroom ceiling as though it might provide the answer. “We owe nothing! Connor certainly owes *noone* C’mon Willow… F’Iaid…. How…??”
“Nothing will be forced. But Connor *must* partner.”
“Oh bugger that! What?” Spike stared at Willow and F’Iaid gold rimmed eyes. “Ol’ Da and me here need to start advertising? ‘C’mon down if you would like to marry, BYO demon dowry?”
“He had already partnered.” Angel’s look of distress seemed to span well beyond their current conversation, then whispered quietly to Spike, “Cordy.”
Spike felt an overwhelming sense of anguish and grief through the link and gasped at the ferocity of the emotions. Despite his rapid improvement of health, Spike knew his Sire was far from fully recovered and carrying the grief of losing all but two of the people he had ever cared for in the last battle and the year preceding it bore heavily
“Cordy died pet. We both know that…. She said goodbye to you…”
F’Iaid was not so conciliatory, “Her pairing with Connor was an aberration, initially from the desperation of two lost people in the midst of an apocalypse, but utterly driven by the opportunist other world entity she carried… the one that killed her and drove your son to ….”
Angel was on his feet in game face, pain obvious even in the feral features and tears beginning to run from amber eyes. His partner matched his state of distress, finally rising to confront his two wiccan friends … Willow in particular, “Back off!.... Enough with the past, witch!... You’re upsettin’ now it’s me ol’ sire….. What is it the lad has to do!? ‘Cause I for one am *not* playin’ matchmaker!”
“There is no need.” F’Iaid was calm as ever but squeezed her redheaded friends’ hand as she noted high anxiety around the room.
“Waddya mean no bloody need!?? You just said yourself the lad, needs marryin’ off or some sod from a law firm is gonna show up to do it for us!”
“What’s going on? Dad?
Willow?” Connor was standing at the door looking decidedly disheveled and rather
puzzled.
Willow took a deep breath then stepped back into the foray grabbing Angel’s right hand and Spike’s left she gave them both a squeeze and looking across to their young friend quietly stated, “Can I have a moment with Connor please? I think this will work out…..” Angel and Spike nodded reluctantly.
Willow was more than aware of the serious task at hand, and of the waves of anxiety now rolling from the young man whose hand she grasped. Tugging Connor she led him out of the apartment and onto the lawn below their balcony. She stopped just before a large oak and pulled Connor to sit beside her on the gentle slope. Willow watched with more than a degree of empathy as the now worried and rather miserable young man slumped beside her.
She squeezed his already tense hand as a sign of support as soon as they began to relax onto the grassy spot, then waited.
Connor’s voice was strained, far huskier and higher than usual, as he addressed the wiccan.
“So I heard the last part… Willow I’m just a guy… with some… unusual parents… Ahhh Geeez! What am I? Some sort of prize bull for the demon world?!”
Willow quickly grabbed the young man’s hands then pulled him into a warm hug. She kissed his hair and whispered… “Oh Sweetie! Nothing like that! No!.... But…”
At the last statement Connor pulled from her grasp scrambling backwards in an attempt to escape and deny the words. Willow simply reacted as she might with a frightened child, remaining on the ground and speaking in quiet, consoling terms.
“No honey….. No! But you may have to choose a partner who also has a magical or demon heritage. Just to be on the safe side… but you knew that already, didn’t you.” Willow leveled a knowing stare at the youth.
“Um… well yeah… I guess. Kind of hard to get with the whole my real Dad’s a vampire gig without that and… um… Listen… I *do not* want a girlfriend with scales or a tale! Geez!!!” Connor spun and leveled decidedly golden eyes on the elder wiccan.
“This is not about that sweetie,” Willow looked as the innocent Willow of high school for a moment, but there was a feel of magical power that accompanied her presence and Connor’s real nature responded to it. His eyes turned yellow as he growled… “So what is it about exactly?”
Part 28
“Have you dated before?”
“Before what? The memory wipe thing… well yeah even *you* must know that… Oh geez!” Connor sank to his knees, took a deep breath and stared up at the ceiling, “It wasn’t like… um… Cordy and I.. we were both scared and confused and…”
The young man jumped to his feet stomping away, then whirled to level the witch with a yellow infuriated gaze and growled in a tone worthy of any Master Vampire, “We were being played… I mean she was *Dad’s* girlfriend but they had that chance ripped away… and I was… We thought we were going to die!” At the final statement, the aggressive front suddenly dropped and Willow was faced with a vulnerable young man.
Connor continued quietly the sense of mourning, as yet unresolved, quite evident in the tone. “She was *so* nice and warm and… and then it all went to hell.” A blood tinged tear tracked down his pained features as his voice dropped to a near whisper. The pain through the link was escalating even though the vampires had tried to let Willow deal with the young man.
“That’s me isn’t it… I’m not *in* hell, I *cause* it! I *embody* it! F#%&!!! I never saw it before! Is that why Mom is sick? Did I do that too? Will I do it to everyone around me? …..I can’t do this, I just can’t… Where’s Angel or Spike… They can drain me, finish it, return the family blood and then…”
Angel and Spike near flew from the balcony above, landing on the ground near the tree simultaneously just as Connor began to escape from Willow’s discussion point. He was in full flight as he hit his father in the chest, but luckily the weight of Spike behind the elder vampire meant the impact became an all embracing hug and grounding move for the distraught young man. Connor’s instinct took over as tears began to flow anew. He nuzzled his father’s neck and Spike, who was still behind his Sire in an embrace, saw the small fangs drop. Knowing Angel’s continuing recovery was still at risk with too much blood letting, he pushed his wrist at the young man and winced as the full blood bit down hard and drew desperate drafts.
Safe in his father’s embrace, and placated by the blood of family, though apparently only semi aware of his surroundings, Connor gradually relaxed. Spike withdrew his wrist and licked the wound closed. He reached around his Sire with the unwounded arm and petted them both in turn. Angel leaned back, licking over his wonderful partner’s ear with gentle affection, whispering “I love you more every day… Thank you.” The kick of adoration through the link added to Connor’s calm.
Oblivious to the male trio, Willow had retreated to the quiet attentions of her new partner.
“Can
we find someone for him?
“I know not dear lady”
“What are the parameters… C’mon F’Iaid … we need to help… who are we looking for?”
“Gender is important.”
“What?”
“For
procreation, gender is an issue.”
“Oh…. So procreation is the aim of the coupling… Goddess that is *so* unfair! I mean… us and Angel and Spike and… what if he doesn’t… F’Iaid… what if he doesn’t ‘swing that way’?”
“Then he must take a female consort and a male lover. The imperative is… the continuation of the line. The Aurelian, ensouled line…. It is unique, a thousand years since the last pure blood at least, but the sharing with an ensouled father and mate… never. He *must* have children.” F’iaid kissed her friend gently on the forehead.
“But now Connor has fangs… surely he can..?” Willow looked genuinely puzzled.
“He could make a childe and will probably do so many times over, but the prophesy demands a natural pregnancy. A child of a full blood master, carried and born, not made.”
“So who? C’mon F’Iaid… I know you know!” Willow’s resolve face was leveled at her partner.
“It cannot be a slayer, and without another pure blood female… a vampire is impossible. It must be a human with some connection to magic, of your wiccan group? There may be one or two still of age and orientation…. But there is another… the one known as the Key.”
Willow pulled away from her friend in horror, pacing toward the apartment building and back again, her agitation obvious. “We can’t!! We can’t do that to Dawnie… marry her off like some chattel. Goddess, we don’t have that right and we certainly won’t get her permission! She’s been studying in Italy, she’s wants to come back to study magic after that, we can’t ask her to give it up to become a bride for breeding!”
F’Iaid remained infuriatingly calm as the red witch wound herself into a fury and did another lap of the garden. “It’s just not *fair*. Connor is suffering and I know how much Dawn has endured… they’ve both been screwed over so many times by the powers!” She stomped off again muttering wildly.
F’Iaid stopped the third lap with a warm embrace and quiet words. “Connor must study magic to exploit the power he has inherited. We can bring Dawn here for her studies also. The wards around our coven will keep them from harm and we will simply let… well we will see. It may well be that intervention is unnecessary beyond that.”
“Connor is sort of Dawn’s type I guess… but hey! Don’t get me started. We can’t drag her from Italy to here now!”
“I believe we can, and we must. She may only need to be here for a short time, there are others in the coven who may be eligible, and Connor…” F’Iaid took her friend’s hand and they both turned to where Connor was being comforted by his fathers, “Connor deserves some happiness. I believe this will bring at least the peace to be able to explore that as an option.”
…………………..
The night ended quietly. Hot chocolate, small talk and warm blood for those who needed it, before the witches departed, and Connor all but fell into bed in ‘his room’ as the vampires retired for the night.
Spike felt his partner’s exhaustion as they tumbled into bed. Both had heard at least part of the witches’ discussion, Spike more than Angel. His love for Connor and fondness for his ‘Little Bit’ left him confused and worried, something he could no longer hide from Angel as the link let it flow.
Angel felt Spike’s attempt to shut the link down, and vetoed it by pulling him across until the smaller vampire was lying across his chest. He tugged until Spike’s mouth was at his Sire’s neck, “Come dear heart… enough worry for one night… What do you need?” He felt rather than heard the groan then a cool tongue began to gently lave the length of his jugular in time with soft undulations of groin against groin… both actions seemed for reasons of emotional connection rather than sexual gratification, nevertheless Angel felt his own shift from comfort to definite arousal and Spike’s reciprocation. Spike shifted to game face and tore away his mate’s boxers, continuing to grind both shafts together. The licks to the proffered neck were now perfectly timed with the pace he set to stroke their erections, hardness against hardness, together.
“My Will… Please!... need to feel you….”
Spike pulled up from his Sire,, now mate stared wonderingly into the chocolate eyes and asked for confirmation… “Are you sure you’re happy with this?”
“I am Will…. mo rún… you know I am…”
Spike paused for a moment. It was rare for his Sire to use Will these days, even in private, but the Gaelic terms spoke of long time adoration and a deep affection that was the stuff of a mature partnership. If his heart had been beating, it would have skipped as joy and love flooded the link. He smiled with all his being as he lovingly prepared his Sire, slicking himself in the process then lined himself up. They were face to face so they could kiss and drink with ease… and viewed each other’s faces on the brink of ecstasy. Entry, though tight, was welcomed by a channel waiting for its mate. Angel’s head rolled back as he arched into the attentions of the younger vampire and lifting his knees, spreading even wider to increase the penetration.
Spike certainly began gently, kissing passionately and rocking until a consistent rhythm was established. His pace began to speed up as he buried an already changed face into his Sire’s neck and bit down.
Angel felt Spike’s climax approach as the thrusts became ever more enthusiastic and erratic, and his mate’s cool hand wound around his own erection. He matched the pace as best he could, pressing up to meet the thrusts and biting down hard, fangs penetrating easily. The worry of the last few days was forgotten as the circle of blood was complete and an all encompassing climax took over both vampires.
…………………….
Some time in the wee hours of morning, Connor crawled into bed with his fathers. He gradually wheedled his way in and ended up embraced from both sides by loving, bed warmed arms. He knew there was an electric blanket on low assisting the vampires’ temperature but still smiled as both older men embraced him sleepily, then snuggled toward the human warmth and scent of family. He could smell their lovemaking but it simply made him feel safe and comfortable, which should have seemed odd, but simply didn’t. He was still aware enough to consider… If only all other aspects of his life were so calm, right and easily assimilated… things might be easier.
He snuggled down also and drifted into a dreamless sleep.
PART 29
Two months had passed since the cathartic night and Connor still came to stay with his fathers once or twice a week. Willow’s hacking/negotiations had borne dividends, assuring the young man’s place close to home and happily Connor’s adoptive mother continued to improve.
The issue of a partner had not departed, however, and weighed heavily on the vampires and the witches but had not been brought up again in Connor’s presence. Instead the vampires focused all their attention on training their young charge. His hunting skills, learned in the harsh ‘school’ of Quortoth had been given a boost by his newly acquired senses, but there was still much to learn from the former Angelus and William the Bloody. Spike, and the now fully recovered Angel, found the hunting, sparring and lessons given in vampiric law consolidated their own partnership and allowing them to extend themselves also. Well fed and in peak condition, the hunts became harder, faster and more challenging each time, the sparring more complex and vicious, more often than not the latter following the hunt. All three reveled in the violence.
Inevitably the hunts turned ‘real’. Local demons of the ‘not so nice’ variety were targeted. Occasionally they would come across humans ‘worth the effort’ though Connor announced fairly early in their first month that the human wrong doers were simply not challenging enough. There were exceptions.
In the early hours of Friday some eight weeks into the process of training, he stumbled across a gang of six large men apparently mid way through beating up a homeless youth near the water front. With stealth worthy of any big cat, Connor launched his silent, adrenalin driven attack. He knocked three assailants unconscious with a round house kick and upper cuts at speeds no human could match, then downed two more with a swift left jab and heel of his right hand.
By the time the two vampires were within sight of the scene, the last man had moved from his victim, yelling expletives as he spotted his two friends falling at the hands of the unknown dervish. The bloodied victim on the ground had a long black coat and army boots immediately reminding Connor of his fathers’ hunting attire. Spike saw the glint of a long knife in the man’s hand, and both he and Angel watched in horror as Connor’s distraction caused his first delayed attempt at disarming the man, only to be met by a surprisingly adept counter attack. But what occurred next changed everything.
With the deep slice to his forearm bleeding profusely, Connor kicked his opponent in the chest hard enough to force the knife wielder backwards, causing him to trip over one of his fallen comrades. Connor kicked away the knife, and the older vampires watched as his fangs dropped as he pounced on the man. He bit down hard into the thick neck, drawing blood but primarily cutting the air supply. The body under him gave a gurgled cry, thrashed a little then stilled.
Angel and Spike sped forward to assist but were stopped in their approach by a definite warning growl from their young ‘destroyer’. Connor was still golden eyed and with his teeth embedded, he seemed unable to establish what to do next. Both vampires knew enough of predators and their kill to drop to their knees. Spike moved forward to within touching distance. He tore open his own wrist and with eyes averted, pushed it under the young man’s nose. He gave a soft rumbling purr as Angel also moved closer. Connor released his prize and took the wrist. After two hefty drafts he suddenly seemed to regain his bearings and reeled back from the body and his fathers in horror.
He was about to run but Angel was faster, all but diving across Spike to reach his son. Pulling Connor away from the scene, he threw his cell phone to Spike, trusting him to tie up the unconscious individuals and tend to the young victim until the police arrived. As a patrol car arrived a short time later, Spike melted into the trees and followed the trail of his Sire.
He found them concealed behind a thicket of low bushes, Connor seated, Angel laving the arm wound gently as he repeatedly petted and shot worried glances at his son’s fanged features, faint glow of magic and shallow breathing. Spike sat down on the opposite side of the boy to his Sire and wriggled forward in silence until their bodies were touching. He sent love and calm through their link, hoping the proximity would increase the intensity of the message. He felt a kick through the link as Angel did the same.
It was almost half an hour before the demon features faded and Connor finally ground out in a hoarse whisper. “Did I kill him? The one I bit…. Did I kill him?”
“No Pet, None dead, six heartbeats still there when the coppers arrived. Lad you saved was hurt bad, but still there too… he’ll recover. You saved ‘im pet.”
Angel was rubbing small soothing circles over his son’s shoulder blades. “What was different tonight dear heart? You don’t usually….”
“I…. I don’t even know what happened… I mean, the guy on the ground was… he had a duster and jackboots and….. then the bastard attacked and I smelt blood, then it…. well it was like something else took over… Not like usual… just um…” Angel stroked his son’s face and turned it to look at him.
“It’s fine Connor. You were more powerful tonight than I have ever seen before…. We can work with the bloodlust, hone it. This was the first time you felt it fully and you didn’t kill, you simply subdued.”
The barely audible reply came, “But I could have killed him.”
“Yes you could. And you would have to protect your own, as would we all.”
“But the fangs…” Connor’s gaze returned to stare forlornly at the ground near his knees.
“Now you know they’re not just for suckin’ me and your ol Da here…. Jus’ means you’ve always got a weapon on hand pet … brilliant!” With that, both vampires slipped into game face and grinned around their fangs, giving dual hearty growls of approval. Connor felt a rush of excitement with the sound and his own change came unconsciously as he gave a reciprocal growl.
Connor brightened a little as he considered the advantages, then lifted a hopeful gaze to meet Spike’s sparkling azure eyes. “Can you train me? You know, to use the fangs…. Can you two train me?”
“No problem pet, have ‘em sharp an’ deadly on command in no time…. Now let’s bloody well get home before we fry our arses with sunrise!”
……………………………………….
Willow had arranged for Dawn to travel to San Fransisco during her summer break to take up some magical studies under the tutelage of F’Iaid and Willow, and working with a young guy called Connor. It was something that the young woman was thrilled about, but that left Willow distressed. She had withheld the primary reason for the invitation and had worried ever since that the young woman might simply leave again if she ever found out. She prayed hard to her Goddess for strength as she cheerfully collected the Dawn from the airport.
Two days later around dusk, Willow, F’Iaid and Dawn stood outside the vampires’ apartment, Dawn all but bouncing. She had been told they were going to meet her new ‘study buddy’ for the first time at his fathers’ apartment. Her eyebrows raised a little at the implications of the ‘fathers’, but decided that obviously it was either a wiccan thing or a San Fran thing, either way she wondered if the son was also gay. According to Willow, he was slim, handsome and had some awesome powers that needed training.
Willow rang the bell.
A sleep tousled Blonde vampire greeted them, only to be stunned as the former Key launched herself enthusiastically at him.
“What????....Spike???!!!!” The young woman squealed, hugged the blonde then promptly slapped him hard across the left cheek. “You… bastard!”
“Oi!!...
“You died and then…. Oh God *Spike*!” She hit him once more, hard, then collapsed into the vampire’s arms for a firm hug as tears caused black mascara to streak the young woman’s cheeks. She finally released him enough to stare at him, wide smile fixed firmly in place.
“Here witch I thought you would have….?” Spike looked across to Willow and trailed off as he felt sleepy affection push through the link, and saw his Sire wander into the entrance hall still pulling a black sweater over his head.
Angel smiled at Spike as he noted the younger Summers was ever so slightly taller than his mate and mused that she must tower over her ‘big sister’. He nodded at the witches “Willow… F’Iaid…” Dawn turned to greet the owner of the voice while wiping the black tear trails from her face, only to squeal for a second time.
“Oh My God!.... Oh My God!!! You’re Angel right?! Oh My God… But you’re dead too…. Well obviously… but you got really dead…. Oh you know what I mean! And so….” Dawn’s eyes suddenly went very wide… “So you two are…. Oh….”
“Together pet. Mated. Until we’re dust” Spike and Angel waited while the young woman processed the information.
“Far out! And so Connor’s….?”
“My son… our son… ” Spike stepped away from her hug to snake a loving arm around his mate, and squeezed a thank you for the public acknowledgment of their shared parenting.
“Far out…. Oh Wow…. Far *Out*! Wait ‘til Buffy hears about this!”
Two panicked males blurted out “No!” in unison.
“You can’t tell her Luv. We’ll do it in our own good time.” Dawn looked a little crestfallen, it was rare that she was privy to such an incredible piece of information before Buffy. Spike shifted the conversation a little, “Is she… you know, OK?”
“Sure. Still dating the Immortal. He’s pretty dreamy… Oh….You knew she was with him right?”
Angel answered, barely suppressing a growl, “Yeah we knew.”
“Cool, so we’re all caught up… when do I get to meet Connor?”
Angel looked quizzically at Spike who answered for them both, “He’s out on the patio studying or some such. Said ‘e had one more final before the hols ‘pparently. Come on through.”