The smell of their joining was thick in the air, like one of the foulest perfumes he had ever had the misfortune to sniff. It was the scent of betrayal. He shook his head, feeling the sadness well up inside of him – mixed with self-righteous anger. That was –his- lover in bed with his Sire. She was supposed to be loyal to him, no matter what. No matter what she thought of him she wasn’t supposed to go running to the arms of his –Sire-!

It was, in effect, Dru all over again.

Spike took out a cigarette from his pack, shoving the remainder back into his pocket as he glared at the door to the bedroom. His Sire was still in there, undoubtedly asleep. How could he have done this to him? The blonde shook his head, inhaling deeply off of the lit stick of tobacco. Angel of all people should have been able to see that he wasn’t –just- using Red.

His face shifted and he raised one hand to open the door, stopping himself barely in time. Did he really want to walk in there and see –his- mate in the arms of his bloody Sire? He eased open the door, bracing himself for what he was about to see.

Her hair was spilling over the crisp whiteness of the pillow, her eyes shut tight against the slim ray of light pouring in from the hallway. He could see one of her rosy nipples laid bare in the air, the sheet wrapped around her like a toga. Even through the anger he was feeling his body reacted to hers, wanting to throw her down and ravage her. To make her realize that she was his and no other’s.

Then there was his Sire – laying on his side, arm thrown casually across the covered stomach of the woman the blonde has chosen as his own. The older vampire’s hair was tousseled, having come out of its perfect peaks no doubt during his tryst with the red head beside him. Spike snorted, inhaling again off of the cigarette. His demon wailed, wanting to hurt Angel while at the same time ravage him in the same way it wanted Willow. The brief moments he had shared with him in the hotel had ignited something deep within the blonde that he had hoped to never feel again.

But he was.

He had –hoped- to come back to the apartment, try to talk some sense into Red, then see what he could do to start some sort of relationship with the Souled one. He just didn’t see that happening in the near future, though.

“Spike…”

The blonde’s eyes focused on the red head, calling out his name in her sleep. He could feel their bond straining – pulling them together across the short distance separating them. But he wouldn’t go to her. No. Not after what had happened while he was gone.

“Childe…”

Tearing his eyes from his red haired goddess, the bleached blonde looked into the wide open eyes of his Sire. He growled softly, wanting to rip the throat out of the man who had dared to sleep with his –mate-.

Angel ignored the sounds of his Childe’s growling, slipping from the bed quietly so as not to disturb Willow. He leaned over, eyes never leaving the irate blonde across the room, and grabbed his silk boxers. Slipping the thin fabric on, he stalked past his still growling Childe and into the living room. He sat on the couch, waiting for Spike to join him.

“Spike…” The dark haired vampire sighed. Though he didn’t regret what he had done with the witch, he did regret the effect it was having on his Childe. He had known all along that this would hurt the blonde but had been too caught up in passion and bonds older than man to stop himself.

“Was it good, -Sire-?” The blonde growled, dropping into a chair across from Angel. He uttered the older vampire’s title with utter distaste. Despite his best efforts he couldn’t hold onto the rage he was feeling. It was replaced by sadness and longing quicker than he thought possible. “Did you enjoy stealing yet another woman from me?”

“I didn’t have to steal her from you, Spike. She was never –yours- to begin with. Not in –her- mind anyway. You tricked her into this whole situation. She didn’t ask for it in any way, shape or form. You don’t care about…”

“Don’t tell me that I don’t care about her!” Spike roared, jumping from his chair to glare down at his Sire. He glanced towards the bedroom door, hoping he hadn’t disturbed his sleeping witch. Through all the anger he felt towards her she was still his mate and she didn’t need to walk out here in the middle of a fight between him and the Poof. “I would have thought that after all the bloody time we have known each other than you would be able to tell when I –do- care for anyone.”

Angel snorted. “How the hell would I be able to tell, Spike? You keep your emotions all bottled up inside of you and only give the world anger and contempt.” The brunette swallowed hard, remembering the brief moments of cuddling he had shared with his petulant Childe at the hotel the night before. “After all, I thought you cared about me once…” He whispered finally, letting the words hang in the silence setting between them.

The blonde stood rock still, watching the play of emotions over the dark features of his Sire. He knew what the older vampire was thinking, could see it in every pain filled crease of his face. Deep in his mind his demon roared, aching to recapture the bond he had once had with the creature sitting before him. Here was his Sire, offering his heart up on a platter like the bloody Poof he was.

Spike just couldn’t let it go that easy.

“This isn’t about me and you, wanker.” He sighed, sitting as far away from Angel as the small couch would allow and trying desperately to avoid the conversation his Sire wanted to have. “This is about what happened between you and my Red.”

Angel nodded, pushing aside the cold hard lump of sadness in his chest. He knew he was stupid to think he could repair the relationship he had given up so long ago with his Childe, but something in him always made him want to try. “You know how the bond works Spike…as your Sire it pulled her to me and me to her. She wanted to make you hurt for what you’ve done.”

“Well it worked.”

The dark haired vampire’s eyes roamed over the pain-etched features of the blonde. “Yeah. I can see that…” He groaned, leaning back into the soft leather of the couch. Only now could he see that Spike really did care for the fragile human sleeping in the next room. Only through the betrayal he had helped to reap could he see that the bleached blonde had finally found someone to replace Drusilla. Someone to care for and love in the only way Spike knew how. “For what its worth. I’m sorry.”

The blonde watched his Sire’s handsome features for a few moments before answering. “Sorry is a good place to start, mate, but it doesn’t help me get Red back. I know her though. She didn’t sleep with you just for the bond or just to hurt me. Its just not her nature. She wants you. Just like Dru did.” It was clear he was in pain when his crystal blue eyes met those of his Sire. “Why do they all go to you eventually?”

“She may care about me…” Angel began slowly. “I’ll give you that at least. But she didn’t ‘come to me’. She’s not Dru. I’m not taking her from you. As much as I may like it to be so, we’re not going to be one big happy threesome.” His eyes went round as he realized what he had just admitted to. “Fuck…”

Despite the seriousness of the situation.

Despite the gravity of what had occurred only hours before.

Spike laughed.

“One helluva Fruedian slip you’ve got there, Poof.” The blonde chortled, his head bent down in laughter. He laughed, covering up the thoughts racing through his mind. His Sire wanted him again. Didn’t want to take Red away. He wanted them to be one big happy family.

“Laugh it up, Blondie.” Angel smirked, glad his Childe hadn’t gotten positively infuriated over the entire situation. When the laughter subsided and the blonde raised his head, the older vampire found himself seeing something he wasn’t sure he’d ever see from him again.

Acceptance.

“So…” Spike drawled, inching a little closer to his Sire. “You miss me, Peaches?”

“Like the plague, Childe.” The older vampire purred, falling into a routine of banter that went back to before the vampire next to him had even discovered bleach. Before he knew it he had leaned forward, capturing the blonde’s lips with his own. He lost himself in the taste of his Childe, enjoying the sensations he had been deprived of for so long. Their tongues twined, dueling for dominance within the cool confines of their mouths. Angel could feel his cock – hard and ready for the blonde should they decide to take that step.

“Oh my god!”

The vampires scrambled back from each other, both slipping into game face as they regarded the female standing in the door. Cordelia looked from one to the other, ignoring the growling coming from the blonde. She placed her purse on the table near the door and rolled her eyes. This was certainly the last thing she expected to see when getting back from the nightclub. “I don’t want to know.” She shook her head slightly, walking past them towards her own bedroom door. Pausing for a moment, she turned back to them. “I don’t know what this means for Willow. The two of you getting together or whatever the hell it is you’re doing. But don’t hurt her or I will stake both your undead asses.”

Angel winced as the door to her room shut, the click echoing through the quiet house. Cordelia was right, they didn’t need to hurt Willow more than she had already been hurt by the entire situation. It all needed to be dealt with and quickly. There was an almost imperceptible rustle of cloth in the next room and he knew Willow had finally woken. “You should take her somewhere and talk to her…”

Spike nodded. “Hope she’ll at least bloody well listen to me this time.” He glanced over at his Sire, eyes traveling the length of the older vampire’s body. He could see the bulge still firm in his crotch and licked his lips. “I think I might need your help, though, Peaches. To make her understand…”

Grinning, Angel stood and walked to the guest room door, opening it before Willow could. He watched her about to slip on a nightgown and shook his head. “Get dressed. We’re going somewhere.”

The red head’s startled eyes flew to the blonde sitting in the living room. “With him? I don’t think so.”

The dark haired vampire smirked. “For once, little one. I’m not giving you a choice. There are some things that need to be discussed and you are going to hear them.” He lowered his voice, making his next threat clear. “One way – or another. You chose. The hard way or the easy way.”

Willow opened her mouth once, twice, then closed it with a snap. She threw a glare at the vampires before stalking over to her suitcase to grab a change of clothes. She didn’t even care that their eyes were watching every movement she made as she slipped on the slip dress and her sandals. Her voice was cold “There. Ready?”

Spike grinned as the red head made her way out to the car, leaving the two vampires staring after her. “Way to go, wanker. Now she’s mad at the both of us.”

Angel laughed, thinking of all the ways they could make it up to her after they got her to calm down and see their side of things. “She’ll get over it, my boy.”