Title: HEARTBEAT – Chapter 27
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace
EMAIL: rosewood@inreach.com
FEEDBACK: I save it, honest to God... It make me happy to know someone is reading what I write
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the characters at all. They belong to Joss Whedon et al. And although I love what they do with them, I sometimes like to play with them myself... Please don't sue – Writing is one of the few joys in my existence that doesn't cost money, just time... Makes my kitty happy because he sits on my lap while I type...
RATING: NC-17 m/m warning
PAIRINGS: R/A with a little something else on the side
SPOILERS: The I in Team and Goodbye Iowa
SUMMARY: This story takes place in my universe, not Joss'. The mated bond is complete, can there be such a thing as domestic bliss for our mated trio?
DISTRIBUTION: FINNactics, FINNSmut, Jen, it's yours... anyone else, just ask.
EXPLANATION: Anything within ** denotes internal thought. For non-Gaelic speakers, there is a translation at the end of the text.
DEDICATION: To Amy, you asked for it, you got it. But Chapter 28 may have to wait until after mid-terms.
&nsbp;

CHAPTER 27

It was early. Buffy wasn't exactly how early in the morning but she knew it was early. The bed was so nice and warm, she was loathe to leave it. However there were some biological imperatives she just couldn't ignore and several of them were making themselves known right now...

She tried to move and found that she was pinned in place by at least two large bodies. As her eyes slowly opened, she recognized Riley's tanned arm lying on her chest with one breast cupped in his hand. Another much paler arm rested on her smooth stomach, the large hand splayed over the mound of her sex. Angel's head was on her shoulder, his soft hair tickling her chin while Riley's rested above hers on a shared pillow.

Buffy sighed, she really didn't want to move from her soft haven. But she had to go to the bathroom and her stomach was growling fiercely. The sound was so loud that it woke Angel from his light slumber. His fingers tightened reflexively as he lifted his head. She bit back a moan as the tip of his index finger touched her clit.

*You okay, alainn?* That finger moved again, reprising the earlier caress with a little more force. She shuddered as a small wave of sensual pleasure pushed aside her other needs for a moment. But that moment was short-lived, she really had to go.

*Mmmm-hmmm... Bathroom, shower, breakfast... Not necessarily in that order…*

*Sure you won't stay here? I could make it worth your while...* A second finger joined the first and she was very tempted to forget about her almost painfully full bladder. Very tempted... Angel noted a flash of discomfort on her face and ceased his exploration. *On second thought, I would much rather you not be in pain...*

Angel removed his arm, carefully lifting Riley's as well so she could scoot down to the end of the bed unimpeded by their much larger bodies. The loss of her from between them almost roused Riley out of his exhausted sleep. He rolled over until his back was toward Angel who enfolded him into his embrace, laying a cool kiss on the nape of his neck as Riley snuggled up against him with a happy sigh.

None of their movements disturbed Will who was lying on his back on the other side of Riley. The blonde vampire looked absolutely trashed. He collapsed after making love with the two humans and had to be carried to bed. In fact he was still lying in the exact same position where they had left him when they all crawled under the covers bed together a few hours earlier.

Buffy watched her mates' tender interaction as she picked up a shirt from the floor. It was Angel's and much too big for her but all her clothes were still in the living room. Even though all the occupants of this house had seen her naked, she was still uncomfortable with the idea of wandering around in that state.

Her vampiric lover lifted his head from the pillow and gave her a sleepy smile. *There should be some orange juice in the fridge for you... We'll be up soon...*

Buffy smiled at him as he laid another gentle kiss on the back of Riley's neck. *I'll just bet you'll be up very soon... And by the way, why in the world would you have O.J. in your fridge?*

He chuckled silently, merriment dancing in his sleep-filled eyes. *I'm just full of surprises, my love...* Those chocolate brown eyes shut slowly as he moved even closer to his sleeping mate, enjoying the sensation of warmth all the way down the length of his body.

She giggled, noting how cramped the three men looked in what she had always thought of as a really big bed. If Will was going to continue sleeping with them, they were going to need a much bigger one. Glancing around the room as she wandered toward the door, she decided they would actually need a much bigger room as well.

Angel's sleepy inner voice followed her into the hallway. *Take a look at the third floor, ceisd mo cridhe. Let me know if it will meet our needs.*

*There's a third floor? I've never even seen the second one...*

*Second one's a little boring, but the third has real possibilities.... Enjoy your shower, my love...*

*I will. You enjoy your snuggle-fest.*

Angel smiled as he drifted back into a restful sleep. *I will... Believe me, I will...*

***************

Half an hour later, Buffy was freshly showered and redressed in last night's clothes. She made a mental note to call Willow about gathering up her things later in the day. Her stomach growled again but the tiny blonde was much too curious about the mysterious third floor to pay it any attention.

The stairs were at the end of the bedroom hallway and led up to the second floor. Angel was almost right about that level. It was a little boring right now but Buffy could just imagine a brightly lit nursery in one of the currently empty rooms and that large open area at the back of the house would be just perfect for a children's playroom.

She stood there for a very long time, just imaging a group of sweet-faced little hazel-eyed blondes rolling around on the floor. Riley and Angel would be right there in the middle, giving piggyback rides and reading bedtime stories. It was a wonderful thought about their combined future, one that had her humming in delight as she located the next set of stairs.

That stairway led into a wide hall with three doors on one side and a single door on the other. All of them were locked except the middle door of the right side of the hall. That unlocked door led into a narrower corridor ending in yet another door. She was becoming more interested by the second as she wound her way through the layers of this architectural puzzle. When she opened the last door, a gasp of delight escaped from her lips.

For behind it was the largest master bedroom suite she had ever seen anywhere. It was immediately obvious to Buffy that Angel had been planning on moving them up there ever since he decided to return to Sunnydale. The room showed all the signs of a very recent renovation.

The walls were freshly painted, in fact the paint was so fresh some of the fumes still lingered in the air. There were heavily draped windows, which sparkled from a thorough cleaning, and the hardwood floor gleamed with a new coat of wax. It was ready for immediate occupancy, the only thing missing up here was furniture.

Her boots echoed on the floor as she paced around the main room. It was just huge, easily taking up at least a fourth of this floor. Buffy walked slowly around the room, taking note of every detail, the delicate plasterwork on the vaulted ceiling, the rich walnut window casements and the doors that must lead into other rooms.

Turning back toward the still open entrance, she found two more doors on the same wall, one on either side of the main entry. Behind the first one was a huge walk-in closet complete with a myriad of shelves, racks and rods set at various levels for hanging different lengths of clothes.

Behind the closet was another empty room with a door at the far end. She undid the lock on that door and found it opened into the original hallway by the stairs. Here was one of the locked door mysteries solved.

This room was spacious and would be perfect as her own private retreat from the world. Buffy could just imagine a nice little day bed by the window where she could take a post slayage nap. A desk would fit by the now unlocked hallway door, she could set up her computer there and do her homework. The other corner could hold a little dressing table where she could polish her nails and do her makeup just right so she would always be the only woman either of her mates ever dreamed of looking at...

She returned to the master bedroom and tried the door on the other side of the main entry. It led into another closet, this one larger than the first and so obviously meant for a man with the perfect set-up for hanging suits. Shoe racks, belt racks and tie holders abounded in its depths. At the end of that closet was a door to yet another room.

A room that could only be meant for use as a private library. There were row upon row of empty bookshelves and a massive walnut desk by a large heavily draped picture window. She could just imagine Angel behind that desk while Riley poured over demonology texts spread out on the huge mahogany table in the center of the room.

There was a fireplace in front of which she could easily see all of them sitting in matching chairs as they discussed cases together. And at the far end of the room was another locked door, which led back to the original hallway. Two locked doors down, one to go...

Buffy skipped out of the library, hugging herself to keep from bursting into joyful dancing as she exited the closet. She was so happy that Angel had thought of moving them up into this wonderful space. It was just perfect for the three of them.

Will could have Angel's old room downstairs for his bedroom. It would be so much better that that crypt he had been living in for the past few months. Even though Buffy knew he would end up sleeping in their bed more often than not, it was a wise idea for him to have his own space.

They were all be getting along great right now but the blonde vampire had a tendency to speak and act before thinking which was a very annoying habit. Angelus loved Will deeply but Buffy wasn't sure exactly how long she, Riley, or Angel would be able to tolerate him if they all continued to share the same room.

On the east wall was a massive fireplace that matched the one in the living room. Two more doors flanked it and behind each of those was a huge bathroom with several windows apiece overlooking the back of the house. One of them had a gigantic shower stall with a showerhead at each end. Her lips quirked up into a lascivious smile as she thought of all the wonderful sensual opportunities provided by such a spacious place to get clean.

In the other bathroom was a sunken tub, which could easily hold at least three people. She ran her hands over the marble surface, her mind's eye filling the room with soft candlelight, a bubble bath and her beloved mates washing her from head to toe. This would definitely work for her...

The only thing she had a real question about was the second toilet in this bathroom. It didn't look like any toilet she had ever seen before. It was low to the ground and had some odd handles that seemed to fit no purpose she could think of at the moment. Buffy shrugged and placed it on the list of things to ask Angel about.

At the south end of the room was a set of French doors, covered by a set of rich burgundy velvet drapes. Once she deciphered the intricacies of the old-fashioned lock, Buffy opened the doors and stepped out onto a wide balcony. Surprised at herself for never noticing this feature of the house before, she stared down the hillside to where the entire town of Sunnydale spread out below her.

There were immense trees shading the entire length of its walkway, providing a cool haven from the morning sun. After a moment's study Buffy determined that their overhanging branches must completely shield the balcony from the street. That explained why she had never seen it in the past. From up here she could see all of Sunnydale and none of Sunnydale could see her. The balcony suddenly held a world of possibilities as well.

Buffy turned back to stare at what was to be her new home. All it need was some furniture to make it absolutely perfect. She spotted a really big space on the north wall between a set of windows where they could fit a huge bed. It was right under that strange looking part of the vaulted ceiling.

There were some kind of tiles up there that didn't match the rest of the ceiling at all. Buffy wondered what they covered up. Maybe the switches by the fireplace could help shed enough light on the subject for her to figure it out.

The first switch turned on the chandelier by the fireplace, bathing the room in a soft romantic glow. The second switch didn't do anything, it must tie into one of the wall plugs so one could turn a table lamp on and off with it. The last switch started some sort of machinery on the roof and that weird spot changed. The tiles folded in on themselves and bright sunlight streamed into the room from the now revealed skylight.

Making a mental note to make sure that switch was always turned off when they went to sleep, Buffy sat down on the gleaming floor. She could just imagine the three of them making love under the gentle glow of moonlight. Her arms wrapped tightly around her knees as she giggled in absolute delight. Angel was right, the third floor had real possibilities...

********

Saving the last locked door for later, Buffy practically skipped down the two flights of stairs. She paused at the bedroom door, wondering if she should go bouncing in with all her plans for the third floor. But she remembered how tired Angel was when she got up and besides she was still hungry. Her plans could wait until she had a chance to put some food in her stomach.

She located Angel's cell phone on the couch and called Willow as she threaded her way through the other hallway to the kitchen. "Hey, Wills..."

"Buffy... How are you? Is everything okay?" Willow sounded happy, a little breathless but happy.

"Yeah, Wills... I'm just great... I need some clothes though. I thought I'd drop by and pick some of them up today..."

"Welll..." In an instant her best friend's voice had changed. Buffy knew by the tone that Willow was stalling, trying to hide something from her. A frown creased the little blonde's forehead as she pushed open the double doors leading into the kitchen. She wanted to know what was wrong.

"What's up?" Buffy stopped short as she stared at the kitchen. This was another room in the mansion she had never seen. Like everything else in the house, it was absolutely huge.

There was a large center island covered in cool marble that held two sinks, a dishwasher, trash compactor and an ice machine. In one corner of the counter sat a very modern microwave. One wall consisted of two large refrigerators and a stand-up freezer. There were tons of cupboards and two ovens as well as a counter-top stove. This room was meant for making meals for hundreds instead of serving as a blood bank for one lone vampire...

"Well, I couldn't sleep last night so..."

"So?" Buffy smiled to herself. Willow was acting all shy which meant she did have something to hide. After that kiss between the two young witches last night, she was sure she knew exactly what was causing this behavior. "Wills, you know you can tell me anything. Did you and Tara have a good time last night and she's still there? Is that why you don't want me to drop by? You know I don't have any problems with Tara, don't you?"

"No, it's not that... I-I knew you would need your clothes so I-I packed them for you."

"Oh Wills, that's so sweet of you... I guess I could get Riley and come over to pick them up..." Buffy sat down at the large table in the breakfast nook, her eyes misting over at how nice her best friend was being about all of this. She was a little sad to no longer be rooming with Willow but there was just no way she was willing to sleep alone...

"Oh no, don't bother. Anya offered to come get me and we were going to surprise you with them in about... An hour?"

"An hour sounds great, Wills. It'll give me some time to get some food and get the boys out of bed."

"They're still in bed? It's nine o'clock in the morning and they're still in bed?"

"Rough night, Wills... The Scooby Gang was just the first stop for us. We had to deal with Spike too..."

There was a cry of alarm on the other end of the phone line, which was followed by a torrent of words. "Oh Goddess! Is everybody okay? No missing limbs or-or dust to clean up? I mean, is Spike okay with the whole Riley being mated to Angel and all? Cause you know he and Angelus go way back and I've seen the way he looks at Angel sometimes, it's like he's hungry for something and I'm pretty sure it's not blood. What with vampires being basically bi-sexual, they could have been lovers for years and years and years. And old lovers can be really jealous when somebody new comes along so if anybody from Angel's past is going to have a problem with the whole Riley thing it would be Spike. And Spike having a problem could be a very bad thing, even though he has the chip and all. He could really hurt somebody or he could get hurt... And I'm babbling right now, aren't I?"

Buffy laughed quietly as she reassured her kind-hearted friend. "Don't worry, Willow. Nobody got dusted last night. If fact, everybody's just great. We worked everything out..."

She could just see the big grin on Willow's face. The little redhead had become rather fond of Spike over the past few months so Buffy knew the news that he was all right would cheer her up. "That's wonderful, Buffy! We'll see you soon..."

"K." Buffy set the phone down on the counter-top and went to one of the upper cupboards to get a glass. Angel has said something about there being orange juice in the fridge. That would be a good start in helping ease the hunger pangs in her stomach.

She stood there for a moment, her mouth wide open in absolute shock. The cupboard she had opened was stocked to the ceiling with canned goods, boxes of cereal, rice mixes, spices... food, tons and tons of food. Another cupboard held pastas, cookies, crackers, bags of chips and box after box of microwave popcorn.

The freezer was completely packed with bags of frozen veggies, tubs of ice cream and meat. Lots and lots of meat, enough meat to keep a beef-raised Iowa boy perfectly happy. And the fridge... there was fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, every fruit juice imaginable, milk, soda, everything she had ever drunk or eaten in front of Angel was resting within the first refrigerator. The second one held eggs, cheese, packages of sausage and bacon, butter, salad dressing... everything except what she expected in Angel's fridge...

Where was his blood supply?

There was one shelf in the second fridge that she hadn't opened yet. When she did, the mystery was solved as she found bag upon bag of blood neatly stacked in the specially designed compartment. It was chilled to the perfect temperature needed to store the substance that sustained his immortal life.

Buffy poured herself a glass of orange juice, got down a cereal bowl and filled it with milk and cheerios. She sliced up a banana on top of the cereal before moving everything to the table. As she ate her breakfast, she laughed to herself about her beloved vampire mate. *Guess he is full of surprises. When did he find time to shop for all of this stuff ?*

Angel's voice sounded in her head, this time he was fully awake. *Didn't shop for it, love. I called the caretakers of the house and had it delivered yesterday before Will got here...*

Buffy jumped a little, she really wasn't used to hearing him chime in like that, from out of the blue. She swallowed some of her juice, willing her racing heart to calm down. *Caretakers? You have caretakers?*

Angel laughed, amused by the fact she thought the house took care of itself. *A big place like this needs caretakers, my love. They look over the grounds, keep the weeds back, fix any broken windows... mainly maintenance stuff. And they will pick up groceries when I ask.*

*Huh.... Like I said you are just full of surprises today. First the third floor, which I love by the way. Who did all the work up there, was that the caretakers too?* Buffy took a bite of her cereal while they continued to converse.

*Yes and no. They arranged for the cleaning crew and the painters. I haven't had a chance to go back up there yet. How does it look?*

*Just perfect, Angel... Like I said, first the third floor and now groceries. Do you have any more surprises up your sleeve today?*

*Still naked, my love. No sleeves to hide anything in...*

*Very funny. You know what I mean.*

*A few... The rugs are being delivered somewhere around noon. The hardwood floors up there should be waxed by now but they can be a little cold at night so I ordered a few pieces for the main areas...* Buffy could feel him stirring in their bed as he prepared to rise for the day. Angel needed far less sleep than either she or Riley. He could be perfectly content with one or two hours whereas they usually needed at least six to replenish their human bodies.

*I'm so glad you liked it, Buffy. Angelus fell in love with it when he bought the place and so did I when I first saw it. The only thing it's really been lacking is you, alainn...* Blushing at the warmth reflected in his internal voice, she finished her breakfast in silence. Her little body was humming with anticipation, she knew Angel would join her in the kitchen soon and she was so looking forward to seeing him even though she had left their bed not more than an hour ago.

Angel stretched and she felt every kink in his muscles straighten out with that almost feline movement. His rich voice quietly filled her head as he recited the rest of the delivery schedules *The furniture should be here by three and the computer people are due tomorrow. Do you think I could get Willow to help set up the network system with Cordy in L.A.?*

*Yeah. She'd love to do that... What furniture?*

*I ordered the biggest bed I could find. Something called a California King? The dealer assured me it could sleep at least five adults comfortably... These queen sizes are just not big enough. And there are some things in storage that belong to Angelus.*

Buffy picked up her dishes and rinsed them in the sink before loading the dishwasher. *Really? What kinda things?*

*Antiques mainly... I haven't wanted to look at any of it for years. Too many bad memories... Oh God...* Angel's voice changed, growing deeper and rougher as the last two words came echoing to her. It wasn't the usual melancholy tone that he lapsed into whenever he was dealing with one of his guilt-ridden memories.

No, this was caused by something much more physical, something visceral.

Buffy went instantly on the alert, every slayer sense tingling as she slid automatically into defense mode, suddenly afraid that he was under attack. Her heart raced as adrenaline shot through her system, she was halfway out of the kitchen in the space of a single breath.

*Angel, what's wrong? Are you okay?* Buffy turned the corner into the living room.

*I'm okay, Buffy. Don't worry... Riley just woke up.* The amused tone in his inner voice calmed her enough so she was able to tune into the mated bond clearly. Buffy stopped dead in her tracks as she felt what caused his earlier outburst. Riley was not only awake but he was pulling Angel's cock into his mouth, surrounding his cool shaft with warm lips and an ardent tongue.

She halted in her headlong flight back to the bedroom. No one was in danger, her men were just enjoying each other's company. Even though she was eager to see both of them, Buffy could understand their need for a little private bonding session. After all, Riley had sex with Will several times last night and he even made love to her after they crawled into bed together but he hadn't been with Angel. And she had been with Angel and Angelus last night but neither of them had been with Riley...

And besides, even though she was the Slayer and had super-human recuperative powers, her body was still a little sore from all of last night's lascivious exercise. So she settled into the couch, fully prepared to be entertained in a vicarious fashion.

*********

Angel's hands clenched in his lover's hair as his big mate swirled his talented tongue over the head of his cock. Sleepy hazel eyes meet his dark gaze before shuttering slowly as his head descended. A warm tongue swirled around the length of his shaft, vibrating along the underside while Riley hummed softly to himself. Pale hips lifted from the bed to meet him halfway in his descent, his vampiric mate's moans filling his ears when his lips reach the base of that long cool instrument of sensual delight.

After several long moments of selfish pleasure, Angel pushed insistently on Riley's shoulders. The young man lifted his head up while keeping the tip of his mate's cock in his mouth. *Hmm. Morning, lover. What can I do for you?*

*Move a little... I need to taste you.* Riley released his hold on Angel in order to swing his body into place. With knees slightly bent so his feet rested on the headboard, he was able to place his own hard shaft by his lover's head. Immediate coolness surrounded him and the two of them segued smoothly into a languorous mutual rhythm of hands and mouths on each other.

Will slept peacefully through all of this, not even stirring a muscle until Riley pulled his cock away from Angel's mouth. The moan the older vampire made at the loss of contact roused his somnolent childe from his stupor. He stretched slowly, enjoying the novelty of lying on clean sheets and in a soft bed as the bodies next to him shifted yet again.

A long frame was laid next to his and Will's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of pillows being moved into position, presumably underneath a set of masculine hips. He drew in a surreptitious breath, ascertaining through his acute sense of smell that Buffy was no longer in the room. Therefore the only possible occupants of the bed were his sire and his other mate.

He heard a rummaging in a drawer, then the subtle sound of a bottle being opened and oil being poured onto skin. An appreciative moan he recognized as his sire's filled his ears, causing his cock to slowly rise under the covers. From the sounds of it, soldier boy was being prepared for a bit of buggering by Angelus. That was something Will was looking forward to watching, especially after last night.

Casually, he rolled from his back to his side, hoping the other two would assume he was still asleep. More weight shifted in the bed and Will heard an indrawn hiss of breath followed by a groan of absolute delight. Riley's husky voice filled the room, his words shocking the blonde vampire into full wakefulness. "Oh God. Oh sweet God! Feels so good to be inside you..."

Will's eyes snapped open to a sight he never imagined in his wildest fantasies. He had fully expected to find Riley face down on the bed with Angelus driving that big cock of his deep into the boy's beautiful ass. But instead of a set of lust-glazed hazel eyes staring at him, Will found himself nose-to-nose with his sire. Blue eyes met very amused brown.

The older vampire was lying next to him on the bed with his head propped up on his arms and a wide smile on his lips. His hips were raised up on two thick pillows while his big mate slid into him from behind. Will's mouth dropped open as Riley's hands tightened on his lover's sides and his voice hissed through clenched teeth. "I love the feel of your incredible ass..."

Angel's eyes closed slowly as Riley pushed all the way forward. He felt nothing but absolute pleasure at this very moment. His beloved mate's glorious cock was stroking slowly against his prostate, a warm pair of hands trailed along his ribs, warm balls lightly slapped against his own cool ones with every gentle thrust and his beloved's generous mouth was tracing the outline of his tattoo with tender kisses. The only thing that could make this instant in time any better would be to have his darling Buffy lying underneath him right now, to have his cock inside her warmth instead of moving by itself in the soft pillows.

Will was in shock, total and complete shock. It never occurred to him that Angelus would allow this type of coupling. His sire was not a passive individual, this couldn't really be happening, could it? His voice was very small and tentative as he called out to him. "A-Angelus?"

Angel shook his head and thrust his hips backward into the cradle of his lover's slowly moving pelvis. That movement caused Riley to laugh, he knew what his mate was silently begging for...

He wanted more...

Angelus had told him that Angel liked it hard, deep and rough. The young man had experienced some problems in handling the ensouled version of his mate in such a harsh fashion but after the session with Spike last night, he felt he was finally up to the challenge.

Riley's fingers dug into Angel's ribs and he gave him exactly what he wanted. His thrusts were hard, fast and deep, causing his vampiric lover to moan, to thrash underneath him, to shudder with delight as he came closer and closer to exploding without the benefit of hand or mouth on his aching cock. Angel ground his hips further into the pillows, trying to get the friction he craved while his mate drove into him in absolute silence.

Sweat beaded on his forehead then ran into Riley's eyes as he continued moving at that furious pace. It dampened his hair and dripped off his chin to land in the hollow of his lover's back. Will was staring at them, his mouth still open when the young man finally decided to answer his earlier question. "Not Angelus, Will. He won't let me take him like this. But Aingeal loves it... Don't you, leannen?"

Angel's head lifted from where it had been hidden in the cradle of his arms. The smile he gave Will was brilliant, all white teeth and still human countenance. His brown eyes were simmering with sexual pleasure, half-lidded and dreamy as he responded to Riley's words with a hard backward shove. The young man muttered a curse, gripped his lover even tighter and increased his speed.

Will bit his lip, his already hard cock growing even harder as he contemplated the sight of his sire's body being used so roughly. *Cor, just look at his face. He really does love it. Wouldn't mind getting myself a piece of that...*

The thought of switching places with the big marine became immediately paramount in his mind. It turned him on so much he was willing to beg for the chance which shocked him even more. *Big problem with that, Will, my boy. That's Peaches lying there getting so royally fucked. I hate Peaches, don't I?*

He gulped, his eyes wandering over the magnificent sweep of muscle which was his sire's back, focusing on the gorgeous tattoo that Angelus explained to him was a family crest belonging to the mortal named Liam. The mark had been put on his body before he was turned, it was one of the reasons he had been ejected from his mortal home.

Apparently only one of the many reasons if what soldier boy said was true. Will remembered that homosexual behavior was very much frowned upon during the mid-eighteenth century and Angel definitely seemed to have a taste for it….. *Wonder how many stable hands he dropped his breeches for? Probably just as many as there were tavern wenches with his cock up in them... Might be Soul-boy in control right now, but that's my sire's body. I wonder if Riley would let me have a crack at him?*

His eyes raised from the study of his sire's back to the young man riding him with such fervent passion. He reeled a little as he realized Riley was staring at him very intently. Angelus' mate read the unspoken question in his eyes and shook his head. "No, Will... Angel's mine... Nobody, but nobody gets to have this but me. You got that?"

The blonde vampire considered protesting that statement for a long moment but remembered just how efficiently the young soldier put him to the ground earlier. He didn't stand much of a chance of over-ruling him in a physical confrontation. His eyes sought out Angel's for confirmation of Riley's flat declaration of ownership and much to his dismay found the other vampire to be in complete agreement.

Will shrugged his shoulders, admitting defeat with a sad little nod. That movement made Riley realize just how harsh his instinctive rejection of the younger vampire's obvious desire seemed. Even though he considered Angel to be solely his and Buffy's lover, Riley knew Angelus wanted his childe to feel welcome in their midst and as his mate, he wasn't being very hospitable.

His possessive nature warred with his generous heart for a long moment before he relented just a little. Riley bent over his mate's back, kissing the nape of his neck as they communed through the bond.

*Aingael?*

*Seadh, daor caraid?* Riley smiled, Angel always reverted to Gaelic whenever his emotions ran too high. He had read the situation correctly. Although his ensouled vampiric mate had confirmed his right of ownership, Angel was disappointed. If fact, he sounded almost as disappointed as Will looked.

*Would you like to have Will?* Kisses laid along the center of his back, hips once again moving in a slow pattern meant to tantalize rather than culminate.

*Cionnas?* Angel lifted his head, his dark eyes full of question and a spark of hope.

Riley leaned around his shoulder to give him a deep kiss, tongues meeting in sweet union. *Here. In your mouth... Would you like that?*

Angel drew in a startled breath as he broke out of their kiss, his body shuddering all over. The response was immediate and very loud, a shout ringing in his ears as his vampiric mate answered aloud. "SEADH! O DIA, SEADH!"

William watched the two of them in utter fascination. He didn't understand the words which erupted from Angel's mouth but the expression of absolute joy on his handsome face had him intrigued. Will's interest was further piqued when both pairs of eyes focused on him and Angel spoke again in that oddly accented language. "Tha mi acrach. Uilleam, ludhiag mi taitinn thu."

He still didn't understand a single word but the look on Angel's face gave him hope. "Wot? Peaches, wot did you just say?"

Riley kissed Angel's shoulder. "Aingael, speak English, please."

The older vampire laughed apologetically. "Sorry... Didn't realize I wasn't. Will, come here. Let me please you."

"H-how?"

Riley laughed now. "Easy enough. Let's just shift a little." He wrapped his arm around Angel's shoulders and rolled until both of them rested on their sides facing William. Riley's hand moved down his mate's body until he reached his aching cock and started to slowly stroke him. Angel moaned deeply and titled his head back just a little, exposing the long column of his throat. He gave William a questioning look before reaching for him.

In the space of a few human breaths, Will found himself on his knees in front of Angel with his cock being slowly fed into his exquisite mouth. Riley nodded in approval before returning to his earlier pattern of hard, fast, deep strokes. His vampiric mate moaned around the cool column filling his throat and pushed his head down further until Will was buried to the full extent of his length.

Will bit his lower lip, unbelievably excited by the tableau presented by his sire's body being shagged so hard by his human mate while Angel sucked on him fiercely. The tongue lashing around his cock was driving the younger vampire out of his mind. He felt a long, elegant finger tease the rim of his slightly sore opening and that last bit of sensation was enough for him to toss all his reservations about being so intimate with Angel out the proverbial window.

With a keening cry, Will pulled out of Angel's mouth just long enough to lay down beside him. He pushed away Riley's hand, grabbed his sire's beautiful cock and swallowed it all the way down to its base. In that self-same instant he felt Angel take him back into that deliciously cool cavern and the dance began again.

No longer content to just see things through her mates' eyes, Buffy moved from the couch. She padded silently down the hallway and slowly opened the door to their bedroom. The sight that greeted her was enough to make her knees go weak. Riley had one leg slid between Angel's, his nicely rounded butt moving in an ever-increasing rhythm that normally heralded the beginning of his own climax.

Will's head was bobbing in a matching pattern to Riley's. With every forward thrust of the young man's hips, his mouth slid down until it reached the base of Angel's cock and every withdrawal was matched with his own up-stroke.

Angel was purring so loudly the bed was shaking with its force. His mouth and hands were moving at an incredible speed, eyes tightly shut until he sensed her presence in the room. At that instant, they flew open and locked with hers over the curve of Will's hip.

The passion he saw reflected in her hazel gaze was the final impetus that threw him over the edge into orgasm. One of his hands dropped down to clutch the back of Will's head as he filled his mouth with jet after jet of cool semen. Angel's eyes never left hers, even while his body continued to jerk with the intensity of his culmination.

The taste of come in his mouth sent Will into sensual over-load as well. His body tensed, his back arched, his fingers dug into his lover's skin hard enough to leave bruises. Angel watched Buffy, swallowing every drop of William's ejaculate without wavering for one instant in his regard of his mate.

Behind him, Riley kissed the back of his neck as he felt every pulse of Angel's climax and shared Will's taste through the bond. The finality of his own release was upon him, he gripped his mate's hips in a tight hold, muttering beside his ear. "Oh God, feels so good to fuck you... Angel, I love you so damned much... Angel... Angel... I'm coming... I'm coming."

His tightly shut eyes opened slowly as he came, his face suffused with sexual pleasure. Riley smiled as he caught sight of Buffy where she stood at the end of the bed, he was happy to know she was right there with them. She gave him one of her brilliant smiles as the force of his orgasm echoed through the bond to her.

Her eyes grew wide when her body reacted in kind, in that very instant she came without benefit of even one single touch. Just the intensity of her mates' release and the look of utter adoration on both of their faces as they watched her was enough...

********

Buffy was in the living room when there was a small knock on the door. Her mates were still in the shower and probably would be there awhile since they had gotten really sweaty during their wake-up session. She bounded over to the door and opened it wide, glad she didn't have to worry about Angel being caught in the light that streamed in from outside.

Willow stood on the other side with Tara and Anya, a smile pile of boxes at their feet. The girls all hugged each other before picking up their cargo and trailing into the big room. The little redhead looked around for a place to put down her box. "Where do you want all this stuff, Buffy?"

The tiny blonde though about it for a minute. The third floor rooms wouldn't be ready until probably tonight and when she last looked in their current bedroom, William was passed out on the bed yet again. Explaining why he was there at all would take more effort than she had energy for right at the moment so she waved at the far corner of the living room. "Why don't you just pile them up over there and I'll take care of them later, okay?"

Willow nodded, putting her box down before going back for more. It took the four young women several trips before Anya's big SUV was unloaded. Buffy gave her a questioning look about her choice of a car but the ex-demoness just shrugged. "Some of my vengeance work was off the beaten path so this was the most practical thing I could find. Plus it has a CD player..."

Buffy bit her lip and asked the other question she had been wondering about. "How's Xander?"

Anya shrugged again. "It'll took him some time to get used to the idea but eventually he came around. Plus it's so much fun to drive."

"I meant about Angel and Riley."

"Oh, that... Same as with the car, it'll just take him a little time to get used to the idea. I gave him some reading material last night that should open his eyes."

"Reading material? What kind of reading material?"

"Just some of the classics... Some of the works by Sapphos, one or two of the scholarly treatises written by the Spartans... Giles gave me a great book about vampire sexuality that had him cowering in the back of the closet this morning. I took that one away from him before it scared him any more..." Buffy was laughing out loud, tears sparkling in her eyes while she led the trio back to the kitchen. The very thought of Xander cowering in the closet had sent her into gales of delighted laughter.

Willow chimed in at that point as they all took seats at the kitchen table. "There's some sites on the Internet I going to send him to once he gets through all of Anya's books... Give me a couple of weeks and he'll be ready to turn bi-sexual..."

More giggles from Buffy, she tried to hide them behind her hand and couldn't. Soon all four of them were laughing hysterically at the thought of Xander Harris changing his orientation. None of them could take it seriously but it was a really funny thought.

Once they calmed down, Tara glanced around the room. "This is a great kitchen..."

Buffy grinned. "Yeah, it is and you should see what Angel arranged for before he got here..."

She jumped up and led them through a tour of the cupboards as well as the freezer and both refrigerators. The girls made yuck faces at the blood storage area but each of them were suitably impressed by how thorough Angel had been on stocking the house.

"Is anybody hungry? I could make some lunch..."

At that moment, Angel walked into the room, dressed to the nines in a dark blue silk shirt, black wool slacks and boots. His hair was freshly gelled and combed. Buffy admitted to herself that he looked like a million bucks right now. "Why don't you let me take care of our guests, alainn? You had a bit of a hard night after all..."

His dark brown eyes sparkled with barely concealed amusement as a faint blush pinked her cheeks. Angel stopped in front of her and drew her in for a long, deep kiss that left no doubt in anyone's mind exactly how he felt about her. With his hand resting in the hollow of her back, he gave her a gentle push toward the table before he greeted their guests. "Sieleach, you look radiant this morning."

He gave Willow a soft kiss on one cheek. His brown eyes rested fondly on her little face. "Tapadh leat, Ruadh."

"Thank you for what, Aingeal?"

"Mo anam, mo gaol, mo leannen." The last word caused the redheaded witch to blush all the way to the tips of her ears. Her friend had just thanked her for restoring his soul, his love and his lover...

"You're welcome, Aingeal."

He gave Tara a warm smile then turned to Anya with one lifted brow. "Anya, so good to see you. How's Harris this morning?"

"A little embarrassed by his earlier behavior, but he'll get over it." She smiled, remembering how she had finally got him to shut up about the whole subject. The results of that kiss took hours to finish and Xander had fallen asleep with a big smile on his face.

"I hope so... I'd hate to have to talk to him myself about all this..."Angel nodded, walking into the main kitchen area as the young women sat down in the chairs surrounding the table. He pulled out two blood-bags and laid them in the microwave. After setting the cooking time, he got down two mugs, cocked his head for a moment with his eyes unfocused then poured a big glass of milk and set it on the middle island.

"I don't think that'll be necessary. He promised that he wouldn't make anymore fusses about it." Anya wondered why the vampire had just poured himself a glass of milk. She didn't think he indulged in the imbibing of that particular form of liquid refreshment.

Her question was answered almost immediately when Riley walked into the kitchen, clad in a black silk shirt that looked suspiciously like one of Angel's and a really nice pair of black jeans, also looking a lot like Angel's. Not noticing they had guests, the young man picked up the glass of milk and downed it in a matter of seconds. He set the glass back down before giving his vampiric mate a passionate kiss that had their three guests staring in absolute amazement.

Buffy looked at her dumb-founded friends and giggled. That sound drew Riley's attention, he broke away from Angel who gave his butt a fond pat before turning around to remove the makings of lunch from the refrigerator.

The young man started to stammer an apology, then shrugged and walked over to where Buffy sat. He proceeded to give her an equally thorough kiss that resulted in curled toes, a small moan from Angel as well as three young ladies wishing they were elsewhere. But none of them were willing to move out of their seats for fear of missing anything.

After a few moments, Riley lifted his head and smiled down into Buffy's simmering hazel eyes. He knew he would pay dearly for teasing her with such an overt display of public affection. To tell the truth, he was looking forward to it.

"Ladies... Nice to see all of you again so soon." He gave each of their guests a devilish grin before rejoining Angel by the kitchen counter. Riley picked up a knife and started slicing up the fresh vegetables that his mate had just washed. The two of them worked in silence, preparing lunch for their lover and friends.

The microwave dinged, Angel removed the two packets, cut them open with a pair of kitchen shears and poured them into the mugs. He picked up one mug, turned away politely to drain it before rinsing it out in the sink. The other mug he left on the counter as he turned back to put the finishing touches on the sandwiches and salad Riley was working on.

The two men brought the food to the table and set plates in front of each of the ladies. Buffy moved her chair so Riley could slide in behind her to take an empty chair. Angel gave him a plate of food as well, then leaned back against the center island while everyone enjoyed their lunch.

The girls were too polite to ask about the other mug of blood that still sat on the counter. They wondered why Angel had used two mugs in the first place but figured he would explain eventually...

None of them expected the explanation to wander in wearing Angel's bathrobe.

A bathrobe that was much too big for him.

Spike stumbled into the kitchen, following the rich smell of warm blood. It had woken him from a deep sleep and luckily he remembered to pull on a robe just in case some of the Slayer's little pals had shown up while he was resting.

Willow covered her mouth, trying to stifle a gasp as she took in his condition. Buffy had told her that Spike was unharmed but now she wasn't so sure about the truth of that statement.

The younger vampire looked like hell. His normally smoothly combed hair was sticking out in all directions, his eyes were bleary and he wasn't walking very straight. He downed the mug of blood in one big gulp before turning around to face them.

Spike didn't register that there was anyone else in the room, he just stood there swaying a little. Angel took pity on him and moved over to where he stood. "Would you like more, Will?"

Blue eyes, slightly unfocused peered up at him and he nodded slowly, handing over his empty mug. "Yeah, that'd be lovely, Peaches..."

"Why don't you go sit down and I'll heat up some more for you..." Angel steered him toward the table. Spike's eyes lit up when it registered in his sleep-addled brain that the little blonde sitting at the table was Buffy. He wandered over to her, his fingers lifting up her chin as he stared down into her hazel eyes.

"Morning, luv." His blonde head dipped down to meet hers while he gave her a very warm kiss.

The girls all gasped, fully expecting their friend to deck the disoriented vampire. But instead Buffy just kissed him back, her little fingers stroking his face tenderly. Riley rose from his seat and again they expected to see Spike go flying. However all the young soldier did was move a chair into place behind Spike, pushing him gently down until he was seated.

The usually caustic Brit gave him an uncharacteristically mild look before murmuring. "Thanks, pet. Didn't know how much longer my knees would hold out anyway..."

Buffy glanced at her open-mouthed friends and stifled a giggle behind one hand. Riley tried desperately to keep a straight face but he gave into the urge to laugh as well. The sound startled Spike who peered around the room, attempting to discern what in the world was so funny. His eyes widened when it dawned on him that there were three more people sitting at the table, each of them looking like they'd been hit with a poleax.

He glanced down his front to see if he had dribbled some blood on himself and to make sure the robe was securely fastened. Willow ventured a quiet question, still so shocked by his ragged appearance that she needed to make sure he wasn't hurt or anything. "Spike, are you okay?"

"Uh-huh... Why is everybody starin' at me? Do I have somethin' on my face?"

Angel set the refilled mug in front of him, casually ruffling his already disarrayed hair. "There's nothing on your face but a smile, Will. Here, let me show you..." He then dropped the final bomb on the assembled Slayerettes by giving the other vampire a tender kiss. Spike's fingers gripped his shoulders for a moment then relaxed as he gave in to the sensation of receiving a public kiss from the en-souled version of his sire.

They broke apart, both pair of eyes gleaming with promises for later in the day and Spike picked up his mug. He gave Angel a slightly shy smile, which broadened into his characteristically cocky grin as he saluted the other vampire with his drink. "Thanks, Peaches. I needed that... The blood I mean..."

The girls continued to stare at him, their food untouched as he drank down the contents of the mug. He sat up a little straighter, ran his hands down through his hair to smooth it down then fixed each of them with a now bright-eyed glare. "Wot's the matter, ducks? Haven't you ever seen anyone after they've been shagged rotten? All night long, I might add..."

The girls gasped while Riley, Angel and Buffy all chuckled. Trust Will to be the one to completely spill the beans about his part in their current household arrangement. As if the earlier kisses hadn't already tipped their hand, his bald statement certainly clarified any questions that might still linger in their minds.

Buffy transfixed him with an attempt at a disapproving glare... It failed miserably even though she added her favorite phrase about his crass behavior. "Spike, you're a pig."

"That's why you love me so much... Just admit you find me irresistible, sweet Slayer and we'll all do better for it." Still laughing, Buffy smacked him on the back of the head with one hand before taking her empty plate back to the sink.

Angel rinsed it, placed it in the dishwasher and pulled her into his embrace as they watched Riley tease Spike into full alertness. The young marine soon had all the girls snickering at his severely edited version of last night's events while Spike joined in with a few choice comments of his own that increased the gales of happy laughter floating through the room. The younger vampire's faux pas was soon forgotten...

************

Gaelic translations – not perfect

ceisd mo cridhe Darling of my heart
alainn Beautiful
Seadh Yes
Aingeal Angel
leannen lover
Seadh, daor caraid Yes, dear friend
Cionnas? How?
O Dia Oh God
Tha mi acrach. I'm hungry
Uilleam William
Ludhiag mi taitinn thu Allow me to pleasure you
Sieleach Willow
Tapadh leat Thank You
Ruadh Red
Mo aman My soul
Mo gaol My love
Mo leannen My lover