Spike appeared silently at the doorway of the smoking room where the rescue team were all gathered. Petros the only other one absent from the assault team, as his injuries had taken precedence over any victory celebrations. Spike noted that all in the room were back in original form and belatedly marked that Willow and Kerryn were most likely an ‘item’ (their hand holding and shared personal space giving their status away).
All eyes went to the silent, and very serious, vampire. Spike acknowledged the group with a nod then addressed the Immortal. “Need a moment in private, mate.”
Anton stood, excused himself from his guests with a quiet nod and moved gracefully past Spike, ushering him with a kind hand into the foyer of the villa and out of earshot of the group.
Spike was brief, “Boy’s been violated.”
Anton was briefer, “We suspected.”
“Need to address it.”
“Understood.”
“By who?” Spike looked skeptical.
“All present.”
Spike paused for a moment taking in the meaning of the carefully chosen words, “Still have a soul.”
“So did the guilty parties…”
“I’m still part demon.”
“Something your friends and all present appreciate. The guilty have no such excuse”
“Won’t touch the boys that watched.”
“They will be punished in other ways.”
“Good”
Spike stared intently and with hope after the exchange with his somewhat taciturn host, but understood the lack of dialogue… He simply added a heartfelt “Thank you…”
Anton replied by leaning forward and near growling, “You will be just, William…. We trust you,” then dropped his tone further, “And we trust your demon.”
Anton pointed the way to the old cellar grasped Spike’s arm, handed him a set of ancient keys, squeezed his understanding then returned to the celebrations.
Spike stalked toward the various ‘holding cells’, each one suspected guilty of the violation of his consort. He had been careful with his attire, removing the heat suit and donning the darkest items in his wardrobe. Always better for hiding blood stains. His hair was pulled back and tied off but a stray curl still fell over his forehead.
He unlocked the first door, noted that the gags had been removed from the six men but not the cuffs or the blindfolds. They were all sitting in a close group, cross legged and mute as he entered. He knew by the smell of ammonia that at least one young soldier had urinated sometime earlier. With the silence only afforded predators and preternatural creatures, he moved past each man in turn. The scents on Xander had been specific and were clear memories.
None of the men had Xander’s scent on them, but he recognized one soldier and pulled off the blindfold. Chambers gasped with shock and squinted in the sudden brightness.
Spike quickly shifted to William mode, “Well well! If it isn’t our peeping Tom. Still, seems like you only look on, that it?”
Chambers looked utterly stunned. “I… we… no!”
Spike gave a smile which did not reach his eyes, “Have a mind to fix that little habit of yours on a permanent basis.” With a move that had the terrified man yelp, Spike had Chambers’ head in a firm hold. Without changing face and with deadly calm, he scraped an elongated and very sharp vampire nail across the now slightly whimpering soldier’s eyelid.
“Please….Please! It wasn’t… I didn’t….. Oh G..hh… Please!”
“Ah pet, always love it when they beg. But I need a promise. See my partner and I have paid dearly for your little caper. And I think we’re owed some recompense don’t you? Then perhaps you can just leave us alone… You think we can find an accord on that?”
Held in the vice like grip, it was all Chambers could do to nod a little and whisper “Sure… sure”.
He tensed waiting for the crippling puncture, then relaxed slightly when the pressure on his eye was withdrawn, only to feel a fiery pain as the talon sliced deep into his right cheek. The soldier cried out, Spike released him. It was enough to leave a reminder but was not debilitating… there were others more important for that.
Spike pushed the blindfold back into place and exited the room to investigate the next room. He unlocked the door and stalked past the unseeing captives. Of the eight present obviously three were the Initiative scientists.
Spike could not detect any hint of Xander on the soldiers, so gave them a pass, but whipped off the blindfolds of the three who were part of the tortuous memory of his one time at the hands of their Sunnydale ‘colleagues’. He grinned maliciously and changed face. The soldiers heard the terrified screams as Spike systematically bit and drank from all three, then licked the wound closed, marking them permanently as a vampire’s property.
“Since I ain’t inclined to take ya’ I reckon another of my kind will be well inclined…. Can smell the marked from miles away… like a bitch on heat…”
Refastening their blindfolds, Spike noted that the bite marks on the men’s necks were already healed, but the scars obvious. The scent of ‘vampire magnet’ was unmistakable.
There were two more rooms. Spike knew that Riley was in the last one… but still had not decided what he wished to do with him. A swift death seemed just too easy.
As he unlocked the third door he was assaulted by an unmistakable odor. There were three in here that had touched his boy, and he knew immediately who had taken him.
Leaving Mac for last, he hauled the two others who had touched his lover to their feet, growling “Present” and pushing them side by side, face into the wall of their cell. He then tore their fatigues from their bodies in one action, pulled out his own belt and brought it down on their buttocks in three swift, extremely hard arcs, each strike accurately placed, drawing blood and leaving a permanent reminder of their misdemeanor.
Spike was in full game face though none present could see. The growl was worthy of any angry lion, one of the soldiers against the wall collapsed. Spike grabbed the hair of the now kneeling soldier. He growled out, “You hurt what is mine. Now no one will help you. I don’t like little boys who hurt what’s mine.” The man began to whimper, but said nothing coherent. Spike was assaulted by the foul breath from the individual so pushed him down until his forehead was on the floor, at the same time whispering, “Be nice to see you two shag each other… but you’d no doubt enjoy it too much so I’ll leave ya to figure out why you’re now sportin’ the signs of having your ugly backsides whooped.”
Spike stroked over the stripes on the kneeling man’s buttocks causing him to jump, then rose to press his fangs against the other soldier’s ear. “You’d just love a proper spanking wouldn’t you pet…” He grabbed the flaccid member of the ‘spanker’, squeezed it hard, ”Be careful what you wish for.” then bit down on the ear, piercing it at the tip then spitting the blood on the ground. “Foul intent makes for foul blood.” He let go, the man joined his comrade on the floor and Spike promptly departed.
The vampire paused for a moment before entering the last room. He lit a cigarette, took several slow drafts then blew the final flume to the ceiling and stubbed out the glow against the stone wall. He knew what to do.
Entering the final cell, Spike noted that the gag had been left in place. He tore it off and removed the blindfold, knowing it would make the rest so much easier.
Spike waited patiently while Riley made a point of ‘coming to’, dramatically shaking his head and looking up to his captor. He was not so good at covering his surprise, but attempted to appear nonplussed. Spike knew the game.
“Well… gidday mate…. Figured you for a piss-weak player, but seems you’re still with us…. So… what’s new… Shagged any slayers lately or are you strictly a man’s man these days?”
“*Spike!*” If a word could have held more venom, it would have. Riley’s jaw muscles clenched but internally he made some calculated decisions. He already knew Buffy was involved, no doubt why Spike was here (although their own intel had him dusted in Sunnydale…. He shrugged that off). Riley knew they’d taken Xander, and though they had not apprehended his ‘little friend in Rome’, it was now confirmed that Xander still had a connection to the Watcher’s Council.
“So what, they send the defanged to assault me with harsh words now… Hostile 17!”
Spike paused for an unnecessary breath… “Nahhh. See you folks really just don’t get it… And I figure tellin’ you ain’t gonna assist me boy any…. I take it you were the one sanctioning the giggle-fest and associated X-rated show at the lad’s expense.”
“So it *was* you in the photos….. Should have picked the pretty curls. Know one or two of my boys enjoyed the donut boy… but Geeez Spike! Thought you would be able to pull better… What … evil undead not willing these days?!”
Spike was done with talking. Before Riley registered the face change or the movement, he had fangs at his neck burying deep and bringing out a response he had long forgotten. He was instantly hard, made worse as Spike’s hand stroked the length while the mouth continued to pull precious fluid from him. An old addiction was addressed and Riley moaned the pleasure.
Spike felt the man’s heartbeat struggle then flutter a little. He continued to draw form the artery and stroke the excited shaft as he lifted his other wrist, bit down and dripped barely a mouthful of his own blood into the dying man. As he took the master vampire’s blood Riley shuddered, came copiously…. Then died.
Riley would be a vampire. But a minion at best…. Limited in thought process, craving his master’s blood and re-borne to obey. The perfect subject for an Initiative study were they ever to reform.
Spike dropped the body as the heart beat for the last time. Perhaps Riley would appreciate some time with his own scientists; perhaps Stephano could use another servant in his house; or perhaps one of the Slayers might just enjoy a little practice before using the dust buster.
He stood, turned and shut the door behind him.
His consort was waiting.