Xander questioned Spike as they sped through downtown Dallas. “Where are we going, Spike?”

“Club I visited a while back called Club Clearview. It’s in Deep Ellum.”

Xander pondered for a moment. “I’ve heard of Deep Ellum. All clubs and stuff, right?”

Spike smiled. “Yeah, pet. Old warehouses turned into shops, clubs, restaurants... Saw Steve Vai down here a few years back. Tall bloke, good music.”

Spike turned onto a street filled with old warehouses. He parked in the first spot he could find. “Here we are, love.” He climbed out of the car and lit a cigarette, waiting for Xander to join him.

They walked down the street while Xander stared in awe at the walls around him. The shops were decorated with graffiti and he could see people and lights in high lofts over the crowded street.

As they passed a shop called Monica’s Aca y Alla, Xander’s stomach growled loudly. Spike turned and looked at him. “Hungry, pet? C’mon.” He walked into the restaurant that was clearly getting ready to close.

“Any food left? My mate here is hungry.” Spike spoke with the manager quietly as a wait staff led Xander to a small table next to the window. He was pleased to see that they weren’t the only ones in the restaurant.

“He’s bringing you something. Forgot that you haven’t eaten today.” Spike blew a stream of smoke at the ceiling. Their waitress arrived with a platter of Mexican food for Xander. His mouth filled with saliva as he looked at the plate.

The plate was full of enchiladas, burritos, fajita meat, cheese, beans, sour cream, guacamole, a side of some kind of soup that had tortillas and avocado floating in it. There was some broken up meat, sausage maybe, and lots of other things that he didn’t recognize. The waitress sat down a plastic tub next to him.

“Sir, put out the cigarillo, por favor.” Spike immediately crushed out his smoke on the bottom of his shoe and wrapped the butt in a napkin.

“Sorry. Forgot you all passed all those laws.” The waitress smiled, clearly expecting more of a fight from the intimidating blond man.

“Is everything alright?” Xander nodded vigorously and tried to decide where to start. Spike had apparently told the manager that he hadn’t eaten all day, because his plate was full to overflowing.

“No, pet. That’s how they eat down here.” Crap. He’s said that out loud. Oh well. Xander dug into his place while Spike told him the names of the food he didn’t recognize.

“Chorizo.” He indicated the chunks of sausage. “Haven’t had any of that in quite a while, good stuff that, fill a tortilla with eggs, cheese and chorizo…” Spike smacked his lips. “Tortilla caldo, Carnitas, wrap that in a tortilla too, pet. Habanera, careful with that one love.” Their waitress interrupted him.

“Margaritas only fifty centavos tonight. Would you like one?” She placed a glass of water and a beer in front of each man. Spike nodded, as did Xander and she left again.

“Shit!” Xander started guzzling his beer. He grabbed Spike’s out of his hand and drank it too, before moving on to both glasses of water. Spike rolled his eyes and went to the bar, returning with a glass full of white liquid.

“I told you to be careful with that one.” Spike handed the glass of milk to Xander who drank it down and sighed in relief.

“What the fuck is this, Spike?” Xander held up a yellowish pepper that had teeth marks barely breaking its skin.

“A Habanera pepper, love.” Spike reached out and took the pepper from Xander. He bit into it, chewed and swallowed. “Good, yeah?”

Xander groaned and went back to studying his food. “Anything else I shouldn’t touch?”

Spike snorted. “You live in southern California and don’t know how to eat Mexican food? Thanks, luv.” Spike accepted the two margaritas from the waitress, setting one in front of Xander.

“I’ve had Mexican food! Just nothing that looked like this.” He tentatively took a bite of something that was smothered in a white sauce. After rolling the taste around in his mouth, he started cramming more in, reveling in the flavor of the food.

“God, this is good. Why can’t we get food like this at home?” His words were filtered through his mouth full of chicken and tortilla.

“Texans have their own outlook on Mexican food, pet. Like it?”

Xander moaned happily and continued to fill his mouth. He decided that Spike really didn’t need an answer and didn’t speak again until the platter was completely clean, save for a few scraps of peppers that Xander thought looked suspicious.

“That was incredible. Thank you.” He smiled at the waitress as she cleared the table.

Spike laid a bill on the table under the check and asked, “Ready?”

They stood and walked back out into the night. Xander glanced down the street, a flash of neon catching his eye. “What’s that?” They walked down to the store, glancing in the plate glass windows. In the back of the room, they could see a college-aged girl getting something tattooed on the small of her back, on the right, they saw a young man getting his nipples pierced. Xander’s breathing sped up and Spike was hit with a wave of pheromones.

“Ever think about getting your nipples pierced, love?” Spike looked at Xander through his eyelashes, gauging the other man’s unconscious responses.

“No. I haven’t, but it doesn’t look too bad.” Xander turned and continued walking in the direction Spike had been leading him. Spike stayed where he was. The whelp had been telling the truth, he hadn’t ever considered it, but now he was.

Spike ran after Xander, catching his arm and turning him towards a door. “Here we are.” Spike steered him into the club to a closed door at the end of the hallway and opened it, letting out the sultry sounds of music and laughter.

“This is the VIP lounge. The other parts of the club aren’t open on Wednesdays.” A bikini-clad brunette came out behind the bar to find out what Spike and Xander wanted to drink.

“Bottle of Jack.” Spike slipped a bill into the woman’s hand. “Be right back, pet.”

Spike walked over to a jukebox that sat in the corner of the room. Another man, who was flipping through the choices, glanced up and shifted a bit when Spike arrived to allow the blond space to read.

“Hey, man.” The dirty blond man lifted an eyebrow at Spike as he greeted him.

“Hey.” Spike’s greeting was succinct as he flipped through the available CDs. “They used to have better music in this bloody machine.”

“Yeah, I know.” The other man scowled at the jukebox.

Spike glanced at the other man. He was average height, maybe a little taller, broad with rough, calloused hands. They reminded him of Xander’s. He had glasses covering his bright blue eyes and his hair was relaxed into huge, sandy curls. The man threw up his hands in disgust and walked over to the table next to Spike and Xander’s, sitting next to a tall, leggy blonde. He immediately wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

Spike turned his thoughts back to the music and finally chose an old Zeppelin CD before he stomped back over to Xander. He collapsed into his chair, accidentally bumping into the leggy blonde.

He turned slightly and apologized under his breath, causing Xander to beam at him. “Did you just apologize to that girl?” The girl in question turned in her seat and smiled at the men.

Xander smiled back, the woman’s innocent gaze making him feel protective of her at first sight. He leaned back in his chair and slowly drank from the glass that Spike had put in front of him.

“So what are we doing here, Spike?” Xander glanced at the blond who had his eyes closed and was swaying to the music.

Electric blue eyes looked back at him. “Just wanted to get out a bit, pet. That ok?” Xander smiled and nodded, both men falling into a comfortable silence, watching the people around them.

Shortly before two am, the two blondes at the table next to them rose and walked out the door. Spike stood and stretched, reaching out a hand to Xander. “We should go, too.”

Xander stood and stretched, since Spike had looked so good doing it, and grabbed the proffered hand. They started walking back down to their car, talking and laughing as they people watched. As they passed the tattoo parlor again, Xander looked longingly at the piercing station.

“I’ll pay if you want to have it done.”

Xander looked at Spike and flushed. “Not today.”

They continued walking towards their car. Suddenly they heard a scream. Spike shot off and ran down a nearby alleyway. Xander followed as quickly as he could, patting his pockets and cursing himself for coming out unprepared.

When he reached the alley, he saw Spike fighting two vampires and the couple from the club crouching against the wall, the man holding the woman tightly against his chest.

Xander ran past them, searching the ground for a weapon. He finally saw a wooden crate and attacked it with fury, breaking off a piece. “Spike!”

Spike spun, kicking his opponent in the face, and looked at the brunette. “Catch!” Spike reached out a hand a snagged the bit of wood. He quickly shoved it into one vamp’s chest, waving away the dust that tried to get into his eyes. The other vampire attacked and Spike slid into game face, ready to brawl.

“Knock it off, Spike. Just dust him.” Spike snarled at Xander, but plunged the makeshift stake into the cool chest and dropped the wood, brushing dust from his duster.

Spike glanced down at the couple huddled on the ground. He could smell blood, but didn’t see a wound. Xander pointed at his face and Spike shook off his vampiric visage, his eyes shifting from gold to blue.

Xander held out a hand to the woman. “You ok?” She looked at him with big eyes and shook her hair over her shoulder. Spike could see the blood’s origin now. A single scratch on her neck, no longer freely bleeding.

Spike walked over and pulled the man to his feet. He felt a strange, grudging respect. “’M Spike.”

“Colin.” The man looked at the vampire and both men cocked their heads. “You’re a vampire.”

“Yeah.” Spike eyed the man warily, he didn’t smell of fear.

Colin lifted an eyebrow above the rim of one lens. “Cool.” His deep baritone voice vibrated through the alley. “Come on.” He pulled the woman up against him and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Thanks, man.” He shook Spike’s hand and led the woman from the alley.

“Ok. That was just weird.” Xander looked down the alley after the couple.

Spike agreed. “Bloody hell was. He was fighting them off with a pocketknife when I got here. Didn’t seem interested in his own safety at all, just hers.” Spike paused. “I know how he feels.” He looked directly into Xander’s eyes. He prowled towards the taller man, pressing him up against the wall.

Xander’s heart rate increased, adding fuel to Spike’s fire. Spike kissed Xander roughly, biting at his lips as he devoured his mouth. Xander responded, giving the vampire access to everything he had.

Xander pressed his groin against Spike’s, rubbing their erections together. Spike groaned and released Xander’s mouth, running his lips down his strong neck. He laved the pulse point; longing to taste the elixir he could feel running through Xander’s veins. He allowed his hands to run down the other man’s chest, rubbing the cool silk shirt over Xander’s warm, hard nipples.

“Oh, love, you burn me,” Spike’s words were whispered into Xander’s neck. Xander moaned and drew his hands up to cover Spike’s. He used his fingers to manipulate Spike’s and, in turn, his nipples. He moaned and captured Spike’s mouth again, rubbing their groins together.

A light flashed over their joined silhouette. “Break it up and move on!” An amplified voice echoed through the alleyway. Spike stepped away from Xander and grabbed his hand, walking past the police car at the end of the alley.

They quickly walked back to the car, still looking around at the stores that they passed. One storefront caught Spike’s attention and he made a mental note to make an appointment for their return trip.

They returned to the car and started driving back towards the airport. Xander glanced over at Spike, watching as the streetlights flashed over his pale skin.

“Hey, Spike…” Xander looked back down at his hands before taking a deep breath and continuing. “What’s going on? I mean with you and me… with us.” Spike exited at the next ramp and pulled over to the side of the axis road. He parked the car and turned in his seat to face Xander.

“What do you mean, pet?” Xander flushed and studied the center console of their borrowed car.

“Xan, I like you. A lot. I want to touch you and kiss you. I want you to touch me. I’ve told you all of that. What do you want?”

Xander looked up at Spike and thought about the question. “I’ve never been with another man before, Spike. I’ve never… I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. I loved Anya, I still do, but what I feel for you… I don’t know, Spike. I want to touch you, kiss you… but I’m scared. I’m…” Spike reached out and took Xander’s hand. He stroked the long, calloused fingers, and thought about what had been said, or not said.

“Xander, it’s ok to be scared. I’m a vampire. I can be an arse and I am possessive. If you give yourself to me, I will take you and I will keep you. I will make you mine and you will belong to me. Me. A soulless, chipless, Master Vampire. If you don’t want this, then tell me. Right now I can stop, but that won’t last much longer. Your touch burns me.” Spike drew the hand he was holding up to his face, dragging their joined hands over his lips. “Your kisses set a fire loose in my body. I’ve not felt this way about anyone in a long time. The choice is yours right now, Xander, but soon, it will be mine.”

Spike pulled his hand free and pulled the car back out onto the road, looking for an entrance ramp. He got onto to highway and drove a very quiet Xander back to the hotel.

When they got back to their suite, Spike went out on the balcony, breathing in the night and staring at the stars. Xander washed up and climbed into bed, soothed by the sounds of Giles’ snores filtering through the walls.

*****

Four hours later found Spike sleeping on the couch in the living area of the suite. Giles walked out of his room, surprised to find that the vampire wasn’t sleeping with Xander. He wondered what had happened between the two while they were out the night before.

He strode into the kitchen and looked through the cabinets, searching for something to eat. Finding nothing, he went over to the couch and perched on the arm while he called room service.

“Yes, this is… Ah, thank you. Well, I would like some coffee, tea if you have it. Yes, yes, that would be quite good, thank you. Also, I would like four full breakfasts, toast, bacon… yes, yes, that would be fine. Thank you. No, nothing else. Goodbye.”

Spike opened one eye and peered at the watcher. “Oi, nephew, blood.” He shut the eye again.

“Oi, uncle, get your own bloody blood.” Giles returned to his bedroom, searching for the book he had been reading when he fell asleep. Spike groaned and lifted himself from the sofa, searching for the packets of blood that Anya had packed for him.

“Where’d that bint put ‘em?” He dug through the refrigerator, hoping that Giles or Tara had thought to put up the packets last night. He didn’t find them, so he went into Giles’ room, ignoring the objections of the watcher, and dug through the box of books and Giles’ suitcase before he found the collapsible ice chest that Tara had bewitched to stay cold without ice.

He pulled out several bags, remembering that he had forgotten to feed last night, and went into the kitchen to heat them up. As he passed the main door of the suite, someone knocked. He tossed the blood across the room, onto the counter of the kitchen, and opened the door to admit their breakfast.

The cart that was rolled in was piled high with a variety of fruits, breads, meats, eggs and drinks. “Will this be all?” Spike nodded at the man and shut the door behind him. Xander stumbled out of the bedroom, honing in on the smell of food.

“Bloody hell, Harris! Didn’t you get enough to eat last night?” Xander gave Spike his best snarl and pulled a plate off of the tray, filling it with sausage, bacon, eggs and croissant.

He staggered towards the couch, gingerly setting his plate on the arm before shoving a sausage in his mouth and coming back for coffee and juice. Spike walked into the kitchen and tossed all the bags into the microwave and began banging around in the cabinets, searching for a mug.

After his blood was heated and most of it gone, Spike went out and sat beside Xander on the couch. Xander avoided looking at Spike, focusing instead on his meal.

“So that’s it then?” Spike sighed. “Fine, Whelp. Works for me.” He stood and stormed into the bedroom, gathering up some clothes and going into the bathroom for a long shower.

Xander flinched when the door slammed and tears threatened to fill his eyes. He relished the burning sensation and continued shoving food into his mouth. He nodded at Giles when the older man came out to get some tea and toast. Giles sat down across from Xander, concentrating on his reading. Both men jumped slightly at a bang from the room Spike was in.

Xander continued to eat, well aware that he wasn’t really hungry. He had come out of the bedroom as soon as he had realized that Spike wasn’t in bed with him. Worried, he had searched for the vamp, relieved when he saw that he was ok.

Spike’s revelation last night had scared him. He had never been attracted to another man before and now all he wanted was everything that Spike had offered. He wanted to be Spike’s. Knowing that he would belong to the blond thrilled him and he had had to bite his cheek to keep from begging the other man to take him right then and there, traffic around them be damned.

When they had come back into the hotel, Spike had been quiet, so Xander had gone to bed, thinking that Spike would join him as soon as he was ready. His entire body had trembled at the thought of finally belonging to someone. Once he realized what his body was telling him, Xander had panicked.

What in the hell was he thinking? He had spent the rest of the night trying to convince himself that he did not want to belong to the Big Bad. Not at all. He had fallen asleep somewhere in the middle of his argument with himself and had forgotten the entire thing until he had seen Spike that morning.

Now, he shoveled food into his mouth, unaware of what he was actually eating. He had been too afraid to contradict Spike, to tell him that he wanted him. He had blown his one chance to belong to someone, to Spike. Now he didn’t know what to do.

Giles looked up when Tara’s door opened. He smiled at the blonde, waving her towards the cart full of food before burying his nose back in his book. Tara prepared a plate and a glass of juice before sitting down next to Xander.

She studied the brunette for a moment. She realized that he didn’t even know that he was putting in his mouth. Frowning, the Wicca placed her plate on the coffee table and cleared her mind, focusing on seeing Xander’s aura. She gasped when she peeked at him, pain filling her senses. Xander turned when he heard her intake of breath.

“Tara! You ok?” He dropped his plate on the table and reached out an arm to hold her steady. Giles looked up at the pair and frowned.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” She heard Spike singing in the shower, too loud, obviously putting on a show for the rest of them. She looked at Xander and put two and two together. “Could you help me to my room? I think I need to lie down.” Giles stood to assist her, but she waved him away, leaning heavily on Xander.

Once they reached the relative privacy of her room, Tara stood up straight, taking all of her weight off of Xander. “What is going on, Xander?”

THE TRIANGLE 13