"Admit it. You wanna shag the poof."
"No, I don't." Faith growled, taking a puff of her cigarette.
"Faith, you can't lie or hide it from me. I've got a sixth sense about these things. Besides, I saw you checking out his arse."
"I wasn't checking out his ass! I'm not even interested in his. . .parts. I'm just grateful to Angel for sponsoring me and that's it!" Her voice got a little hysterical at the end.
"I think you're in denial."
"Yeah? And where did you pick up a word like that?"
Spike rolled his yes. "Oprah. That's one smart chit."
"You watch Oprah? My respect for you just took a nosedive, blondie. God, what's next for you? Soap Operas?"
"Shut your gob!" How dare she insult Timmy?
Faith threw back her head and laughed. "Which one do you watch? General Hospital? Days of our Unlives?"
"Passions. And it's a bloody good show!" Spike turned her. "Least I'm not a poof-shagger. Oh, excuse me, wanna-be-poof-shagger."
********
"Where did you learn to do that?" Dawn leaned into Angel's touch as he gently manipulated her neck muscles. The vampire had always been evasive on the topic. He often massaged her muscles after he trained with her. "You could be a massage therapist."
"I'll keep that in mind as a retirement job." Angel joked. "Actually, I learned this from Darla."
"Darla, the vampire? You're sire?"
"Yes. Sometimes, after a. . .hunt she'd be restless. She taught me how to rub her body in just the right way. Sometimes, it would go on for hours, fueled by blood and--" Angel's voice was scratchy but still soft and his eyes took on a misty expression. They'd had spent many dark, decadent nights together doing things that would stun an innocent like Dawn. "Other things." Dawn's eyes grew wide as Angel's continued to speak. "I know just how to touch all the right places." His little Slayer was definitely outgunned.
"Oh, that's where you learned." The visual that gave her, was disturbing to say the least. Dawn's hands tightened on the wheel. Previous to this, Angel's touch had always been friendly, professional. Now, it was sensual. His large hands were rubbing her skin in smooth circles. She didn't know what to do with herself. Concentrate on the road, Dawn! This is Angel. You asked for his help to win Spike, he wouldn't try to molest you in a car. Or would he? And would that be so bad? Dawn hit a bump in the road. "Sorry, got a little distracted."
Angel smiled. "No problem." He resumed his massage. So he still had the touch, huh? Not that he was truly interested in Dawn. Yes, he found her attractive and. . .to some extent desirable. But he wouldn't be comfortable with her close connection to Buffy. This was being done for Dawn's own sake. She had to know what it was like to be involved with a vampire. And Spike was a real vampire, he was a demon unrestrained by a soul. He would give Dawn a safe taste of that, make sure she could make an informed decision before she got in over her head. Well, that. . .and the added bonus of pissing Spike off. For some reason, he never got tired of that.
"Are we almost there, Angel?"
"Almost, princess. Just follow the signs for Catalina, alright? It should be about 10 more minutes."
"Okay." She sighed deeply. She hadn't felt this relaxed in years.
*******
"Keep your hands to yourself, poof!" Spike shouted.
"You do realize that he can't hear you, right?"
"I know that! But -- look at him! Hands all over her, breathing down her neck. And I know what he's thinking. . . because I'm thinking it! She's mine, dammit!"
"Why don't we let D. decide that, okay?" She knew that this was merely an act but Faith was trying to stifle the painful mix of emotions that was arising at seeing the dark vampire touch her daughter. Anger for touching her daughter, she was too young for this! A twinge of jealousy that would not be examined. Curiosity about how his hands really felt. . .
"You are not helping!"
"Well, calm down. He's just rubbing her neck."
"Don't give me that! You know what he's up to, you've been around the block a few times–"
"Hey!" Faith balled her fist. "You want me to kick your ass around the block a few times?"
"Alright, alright. I didn't mean anything by it. Just that, y'know, a girl like you knows what's what. People can't fool around with you, is all." He hunched his shoulders.
"Don't worry about it, blondie. He's probably trying to teach her to meditate or something." Faith rolled her eyes. "Or he's trying to make sure she doesn't get nervous and wreck his baby. You know how he is about that car."
"Yeah, you're probably right." He gave a little chuckle. "Poof like that, he's probably thinking I'm too bad of a person to be a perverted old man." Spike tossed his pack of smokes to Faith, who promptly lit them two more. "Oh, woe is me, I killed people and now I can't have sex!"
Faith laughed. "Poor old man."
"Poor you!" Spike got a worried look on his face. "Look, I know I was teasing you about shagging him before, but if you do want to, please don't! Or give me a heads up so me and Nibblet can get the hell out of Dodge."
"I thought he was your sire. Don't you want him restored to his former glory?"
"NO!" Spike looked chagrined. "I mean, no. I don't. And let me tell you why. It all started with a little practical joke and an iron pipe. Oh, and a pissed off Slayer . . ."
*******
Do I really want to risk pissing off a slayer? Angel paused to rethink what he was about to do. Well, it's not like she can stake me. She had both hands on the wheel. And the stake is in the glove box. And she can't kick me, she's got to keep her feet on the peddles.
Angel leaned even closer to Dawn. He brushed his lips against her jugular. She jumped three feet. "What are you doing?"
"Relax. Spike is watching." He murmured. "Besides, you should get used to this. Vampires generally tend to be really in to the necking part of these things."
"Why is that?"
"Because it's dangerous. It's tempting to bite. Which leaves you with a trust issue. If he gets this close, will her or won't he?" Angel smirked. That should shake her up a bit. What slayer could stand the thought of being bitten by a vamp?
"Actually, the real question is, do I want him to or not? That might not be all that bad." Dawn smirked as she steered around a curve. Teach him to try and shock me.
Angel first reaction was to sit back and lecture her about the dangers of letting a demon bite her. Then he guessed her game. He used to watch her do this to Buffy. It was a classic Dawn maneuver. Say something naughty, avoid a lecture. Lots of fun. He curled his fingers around the back of her neck, stroking her hairline. "Have you ever been bitten?"
"Yes, lots of times–"
"No, not by a minion. Have you ever been bitten by a master vampire? Where the intention is more than a midnight snack?" He turned slightly in the seat, sliding a hand over her knee. She tensed.
"N-no." She tried to elaborate, but strangely, no sound was coming out of her mouth.
"Minions, they kind of gnaw on their victims. It's gross, really." He smiled. "But a master, a master is different. They have the power to take their time, draw it out, savor the experience." His face turned darker. "For most of them, that means terrifying their victims for hours on end. The fear is a real turn on." He idly traced paths on her neck with his fingertip. She shivered. "Makes the blood pump faster." He placed tiny kisses on the veins below her Jawline. "Downright . . .irresistible." He gave her a moment to register his last comment, then swooped down, his mouth returning to her jugular, sucking at the pulse to bring the blood to the surface of her skin, but not enough to break the tender barrier.
Dawn nearly had a heart-attack. She tried to concentrate on the wheel, and the road, but this was incredible. She had never felt like this before, the strange fluttering as the muscles in her stomach contracted of their own volition. The catch in her breath, the heat rising through her. His fingers were still massaging the soft area behind her ears, and his hand had moved higher on her thigh.
Angel finally broke the contact, his breathing, unnecessary as it was, was a little harsh. Her skin tasted so sweet and clean, and the smell of her blood, just below his lips was calling to the demon inside of him. The power of the Slayer plus the purity of the Key was almost too much. What are you doing? This is Dawn! His soul was yelling at him to get away from her, to not touch her anymore. He nuzzled her neck. He had left a small mark. He tried to be ashamed of it. But he wasn't. It was always fun to let Angelus out for a little while. As long as there was no body count. He looked over at Dawn. She no longer looked dazed. He suddenly felt a new sensation in the pit of his stomach.
It was fear.
"Dawnie?"
*******
"Did he just bite her? He just bit her!" Faith grabbed her stake.
"Bloody hell! And they say I can't stay away from Slayers! We're going to have to by it a muzzle!" Spike glared through the windshield at his sire. If looks could stake. "Or have him neutered. Wonder if Cap'n Cardboard still has friends in the demon- chipping business."
