CHAPTER 29

Angel quickly dealt with the necessary signatures and directed the deliverymen to the back of the house. Intensely curious that he was not headed toward the stairs, the little group of humans followed him as well. Behind the kitchen was a rather spacious pantry and behind that was an item none of them had ever suspected the old mansion contained.

An elevator...

The older vampire smiled at the looks on his friends' faces before opening the old-fashioned cage door. The elevator was rather large, it could easily hold several people as well as one of the rugs. Angel took the first load up-stairs which consisted of the three deliverymen and one huge carpet.

Once the elevator returned from the third floor, William and Riley wrestled the next rug into it then beckoned to the four girls. A broad grin lit the blonde vampire's face, "C'mon pets, let's give them a bit of a hand with this. Lord knows if we wait for them to return it could take all day."

Buffy shared a look with Riley, they had explored all of the bedroom suite and hadn't noticed an elevator door anywhere in it. Maybe it opened into the still locked room on the other side of the upper hallway.

Angel was waiting when the elevator arrived, his dark features lit with a rueful smile. He just knew they wouldn't be able to wait for them to return. Although he had hoped for a better unveiling of his last surprise, this would have to do.

Buffy stepped out of the elevator first, peering around the dimly lit room. It was so dark in there, she could barely make out any shape other than the one of her beloved mate. Angel drew her into his arms for a kiss before whispering to her. "I'll turn the lights on once the others are gone..."

The rug was carried away by the three deliverymen, they hefted it easily onto their shoulders and disappeared through the open doorway. Will and Riley took the elevator back down to the ground floor to obtain the last of the rugs while the girls carefully explored the unfamiliar room.

Willow found her way to one wall and touched a cold, smooth surface. "Buffy..."

"Yeah, Wills?" Her booted feet echoed on the hardwood floor as Buffy made her way over to the redheaded witch. The other two girls trailed after her, intensely curious about the large empty space they stood in.

"This wall, it's a mirror. No wonder Angel doesn't want to turn on the lights."

Buffy nodded, running her hand lightly along the surface. The entire wall turned out to be one huge mirror and there was a wooden bar that dissected it at just above waist level for her. A memory of early ballet lesson came back to her as she recognized its purpose. They must be standing in a dance studio.

The elevator returned with the last of the rugs and the deliverymen were sent on their way very quickly. Once they were gone, Angel turned on the lights as promised. The room was huge, it ran the length of the entire house and was broken up by several columns supporting the roof. The floors were softly glowing hardwood and one wall had four huge windows with tightly drawn drapes. There were mats on the floor in one corner, a punching bag suspended from a roof-beam and a vaulting horse. It was the perfect workout room for the Slayer and her mates.

They oohed and ahhed for several minutes while Angel glowed with quiet pride. He was so happy that everyone approved of his surprise. Finally the group came to a stop in front of the mirrored wall. Even though they all knew the two vampires did not cast a reflection, it was still a little eerie to be standing there next to them and not be able to see them in the mirror.

Especially when Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and ducked his head down to kiss her neck. All they could see reflected was her rising on her tiptoes and tilting her head to one side, a soft smile lighting her face. His disembodied voice floated over them, giving each of the girls a little chill. "So do you like it, alainn?"

"Angel, I love it..." She turned in his arms and pulled his head down for a soft kiss. That was even weirder to watch...

There was a sound of slight scuffling behind them and the three girls directed their attention to the other side of the mirror. But the only thing they could see there was Riley's back. When they turned to look, the young soldier grinned and released Will who touched his hand to his mouth, giving them all a bemused smile.

Angel caught that look and laughed aloud. Willow gave him a startled glance as she had never heard him sound so happy... His laughter was infectious and soon all of them were joining in.

********

The rest of the day passed almost without incident. The three men laid out the rugs in the bedroom suite as Buffy gave Willow, Tara and Anya a tour of the rooms. As the girls walked around, Buffy's boxes were gathered up from the living room and brought upstairs by Riley while Angel and Will packed up the older vampire's belongings in preparation for them being moved to the third floor as well.

The blonde vampire avoided physical contact with his sire as they moved around in the ground floor bedroom. Even though he had warned Angel to take a shower, Will could still smell the combined sexual signatures on his skin. And that scent was driving him crazy.

He briefly considered throwing himself on Angel but remembered Riley's earlier possessive warning. So instead he worked quickly, not wanting to spend too much time alone with him lest his baser nature take control. If Angelus had been the one beside him, there would have been no question of how he would have reacted. William knew he would have been face down on the bed with his sire's cock buried in his ass within two minutes of leaving the company of the others.

The ensouled vampire caught the look of need on his childe's face more than once but knew Will would just have to wait until their guests were gone. Since Riley had put his foot down about sexual activity between Angel and Will, it would have to be Angelus who took his childe in hand. And if the girls caught even a glimpse of that particular demon, all hell could break loose.

The truce between he and the Scooby Gang was still too fragile for that bit of knowledge to escape. Both Harris and Giles would show up on his doorstep with freshly made stakes if they suspected that Angelus was any conscious part of the mated equation.

So the two worked in silence until all the things were packed. As Will leaned over to lift one of the boxes, Angel took a selfish moment to admire the lines of his lean body. The younger vampire could feel the intensity of that stare as he turned to face Angel. The look of sexual hunger that greeted him caused him to drop the box and pull his sire to him.

The two vampires shared a long deep kiss that left both of them shaking with need. Will tried to unbutton Angel's shirt but was stopped by a clearing of a human throat behind him. Riley stood in the doorway with an unreadable expression on his face. The young man moved easily into the room, pulled his mate into his arms and kissed him thoroughly, marking him with his scent yet again.

Then he turned to Will with one raised eyebrow. "What did I tell you about Angel?"

"Off limits... I know..." He sighed, wondering just how much he would be allowed in this relationship. It was wonderful to be part of a vampiric family again but he was not sure if he could tolerate all the restrictions being imposed on him. At this point he was only allowed the most passive of roles and that rankled.

"Not exactly off limits, Will. Just only under very controlled circumstances..." Both Will and Riley turned toward the older vampire. They were not surprised to find themselves face to face with Angelus. "Soul-boy does lust after you, darling Will. But his heart belongs to our mates and he will not go against their dictates."

He took a moment to kiss Riley before continuing. "And my lover here is an Alpha male in every sense of the word. And sharing is not natural to an alpha male, something I understand all too well. Since he is forced to share so much due to the arrangement of our bonding, there has to be something that is totally his in this relationship. And that something is Angel, or at least a rather specific part of Angel..."

A wicked gleam lit his dark eyes as Angelus drew his childe into his embrace for a kiss as well. "Trust me, Will, there is a place for you here. Where you and I are concerned, there are almost no limits. But for the moment there are people in our home who would not understand my roaming about the place... So we must wait until later..."

Will nodded and asked in a very quiet voice, "How much later, sire?"

"Until the young ladies leave, then we will talk..." With that said, Angelus ceded control back to Angel and the three of them proceeded to move the boxed items to the elevator.

*********

Between their combined efforts, the girls had Buffy's clothes unpacked and hung in the closet in record time. She stood there for a moment contemplating all the remaining empty space when Angel walked in. He noted that her clothes only took up a very small portion of the room and decided a shopping spree would be order for her sometime later in the week.

It would please him greatly to be able to give a little something back to her in recompense for all the love she had lavished on him over the years.

He kissed the top of her head and murmured softly into her hair. "Have I told you how much I love you, alainn?"

Buffy giggled, remembering exactly how he had last told her that and where they had been as well as what they had been doing. A faint blush colored her skin as she leaned back into his comfortingly solid form. "Not within the last few minutes..."

"Well, I do. With all my heart." He placed a soft kiss on her throat and Angelus spoke to her through their bond. *As do I, little Slayer, as do I.*

*****

The remaining deliveries arrived without a hitch and soon the bedroom suite was completely furnished. Willow and Tara exclaimed over the exquisite antiques that had been recovered out of storage including an exceptionally fine black walnut roll-top desk. The little redhead ran her hands over the rich wood, admiring the soft sheen, which spoke of years of care.

She wanted to ask Angel about its history but she had caught a hint of sadness in his eyes when it was unloaded. Deciding her questions could wait until a much later time, she turned to look at the rest of the room. It spoke to her of a man with a refined eye and exquisite taste. All the pieces matched one another, even the absolutely huge four-poster bed, which took up a good portion of the north wall.

Wondering idly why anyone would need such a big bed, Willow walked over to place a small hand on the wonderfully soft comforter that Riley and Buffy had just laid on it. It was then that she noticed the bed was rather high off the ground, the upper edge of it hit her at mid-stomach level. Wouldn't that make it rather difficult for Buffy to climb in at night?

That question was reflected in her eyes when she turned to look at Tara. The blonde girl smiled softly, understanding her question immediately and pointed to the little stepstool tucked under the end of the bed. Then she raised an eyebrow at her lover because Angel and Riley had just tossed Buffy into the center of the mattress.

*Oh Goddess. Just look where the edge of the bed hits the two of them... It's the perfect height for...* Willow gasped and colored in a furious blush. The elevated bed was indeed the perfect height for the series of sexual acrobatics that were racing through her vivid imagination.

And the size suddenly made sense as well. Although Buffy was dwarfed by its immensity, once you added the rather large frames of her mates, there was a little bit of room left. Maybe they had a tendency to sprawl in their sleep...

*Or maybe...* She glanced over at Will who was watching the mated trio's antics with a small smile and deep blue eyes full of hunger. The sexual tension rising off the blonde vampire was palpable, changing the play going on between the three from innocent fun to a prelude for lascivious delights. Maybe it was time for them to go...

Anya returned from her trip to the bathroom where she had stopped to admire the gorgeous tile and indulged in a fantasy involving lots of bubble bath and her Xander in the huge marble tub. She smiled broadly when she noted all the people gathered around the huge bed. Now this could prove to be interesting.

Grinning to herself, she took note of the strong posts and wondered about all the possibilities they could present. This colonial style of furniture could be used for such delightful games, especially if one were an expert with ropes. She just knew that Buffy's tall and glowery vampire had to have some experience with them. Even with his soul permanent, all those years spent refining torture techniques probably left him as a fine connoisseur of sensual excess.

She felt a brief flash of envy, it had been a long time since she indulged in a good old-fashioned round of bondage. An image of a very naked Xander tied to her bed flashed before her, his soft brown eyes alight with almost fearful anticipation as she crept up along his body, stopping to lay kisses in very sensitive spots...

It was time to go home and definitely time for Xander to learn something new...

********

"Do you think it was something we said?" Buffy was a little worried about how quickly her friends had left.

Maybe her mates throwing her on the bed had offended them. She tended to forget that no one else could hear their internal conversations. Their action had been prompted by her memory of jumping on her parent's big bed when she was a little girl. Angel and Riley had thrown her up there with a quiet joke about testing the springs...

Buffy had giggled loudly, turning to beckon her friends into joining her up on the bed to join in the ritual bouncing. But Willow had blushed and babbled something about a paper being due, which didn't make sense since it was still spring break. Tara nodded, then slipped an arm around her stammering lover to quietly steer her to the elevator. Anya had smirked, her eyes alight with mischief as she ran a hand down one of the bedposts before making her excuses as well.

The group took the elevator down to the ground floor and the girls gave each other a flurry of hugs. Standing in the open doorway, Buffy and Riley watched her friends pile into the big SUV. The three girls gave them a happy wave before the car pulled out of the driveway.

Riley placed a reassuring kiss on the top of Buffy's head and murmured softly in her ear. "It wasn't anything you said, Buff. It's the bond, they can't hear what we hear so they draw the wrong conclusions from our actions. Just realize it'll take time for them to get used to the idea of it all. We've been living within the mated bond for over a week but to them, it's still brand-new..."

They stood there in the open doorway, quietly enjoying the last rays of the setting sun. Riley was behind her, his strong arms wrapped around her little body. He was content to just hold her up against him, to listen to the sounds of the approaching night. This was a rare moment of utter peace, something that had been missing in their lives for quite some time.

Angel and Will waited patiently for the remaining daylight to fade away before they joined the two humans. The older vampire tilted his head to one side, giving his mates a warm smile that bespoke volumes about his domestic contentment.

Riley freed one arm to pull his vampiric mate into a close hug. His warm fingers played with the nape of Angel's neck, lightly stroking the soft, pale skin. A purr rose up from the ensouled vampire as he lost himself in the tenderness of that simple touch. Angel was quietly amazed at the depth of feeling he had for this young man, it was rapidly becoming just as strong as his love for Buffy.

His beloved Slayer turned her little body toward him, moving just enough so she could place her head on Angel's broad shoulder. She stood between her two mates, reveling in the sold support afforded by their huge frames. The two of them made her feel so tiny, so very cherished and fragile.

Buffy knew that feeling was an illusion but a girl could have dreams couldn't she? Her birthright as the Slayer meant she was much stronger than the two of her mates combined, but it was nice to feel this way for a moment. Their unshakable love and devotion made her feel the way she had always wanted to... like a normal girl.

A soft cough beside them reminded the mated trio of the other occupant of their home. All eyes shifted to where William stood leaning with his back against the doorjamb. He was trying to look cocky and nonchalant about his exclusion from their tight little group. But Buffy caught the underlying yearning shining in his beautiful sad eyes.

She gave him a warm, welcoming smile as she opened her arms to him. Without a single second of hesitation, the younger vampire moved into her sweet embrace. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes as the delicate blonde who pressed her little body up against him placed a soft kiss on one cheek. The combined scents of her two mates still clung to her skin, filling his senses with the sexual signatures of his three lovers.

The beautiful girl who owned his sire's heart smelled like vanilla and sin. That heady combination soon had him hard, eager to experience the surcease William knew he could find within her precious body. Unbidden, his mouth found its way to the curve of her neck. He placed soft kisses along the tender flesh, moaning as her knee slid between his. It would be so easy to give in to the sweet temptation, to forget his sire's earlier warning about her, to just lose himself in the comfort of her warm, living flesh.

Angel broke out of the deep kiss he was enjoying with his male mate when he caught the unmistakable scent of his childe's arousal. He could feel through their bond that Buffy was melting under the seductive power of William's touch and he couldn't place any blame on her for feeling that way. His sweet childe's touch was something he knew could push even the most faithful individual into unknown territory. Angelus had trained him after all and William had managed to keep that demon happy for over a century.

What chance could a girl just turned from innocence have against his tender onslaught? None at all...

But William was treading on dangerous ground here. Buffy was well and truly owned by her mates, each of whom were very possessive creatures who would only share with one another. It would be best to put a stop to this as soon as possible to avoid any possible conflict.

Taking the most tactful approach, Angel cleared his throat softly. "Buffy, are you hungry?"

"Mmm..." Her fingers were tangled in William's soft hair, holding his head in place in the hollow of her throat. There was a husky quality to her voice that had both her mates as hard and wanting as the vampire currently in her arms. "I'm starved..."

"Me too, pet..." Will licked her earlobe and pressed his body a little closer. "Just famished..."

A frown crossed Riley's face as he felt the rising hunger in both of his mates. Buffy was on fire, her little body just trembling with sexual excitement. And Angel was reacting to her, the kisses he was now placing on Riley's neck were harder than usual. He felt the tip of a fang scrape his skin, the sensation of which almost caused his knees to buckle.

His possessive nature was at war with him. Riley knew in his heart of hearts that he was being too harsh, too restrictive on what he allowed William in their relationship. But Buffy was the love of his life and Angel... Angel was an exotic creature, something that had sprung out from the pages of fantasy and turned his life upside down. It was so hard to share these precious things with the younger vampire, especially since the only thing that kept him from turning back into a cold-blooded killer was a chip no bigger than the tip of an eraser.

If that chip ever failed, if William ever returning to his killing ways... Riley would have to dust him to protect the innocent. It was his duty; even though he was leaving the Initiative, it was still his duty to keep the dark at bay.

That was the reason he was keeping his distance from Angelus' childe, more so even than the fact that he didn't love him. Will could be very easy to love, so very easy to take into his expanding heart as he had his vampiric mate. But Angel had his soul which kept him from reverting. And Angelus had his love for Buffy and for Riley that would prevent him from taking lives. What would stop William if the artificial barrier were ever removed?

And if he got more involved with him, if he let that beautiful creature inside his heart, how could he ever be able to kill him if the need arose? As it was, he was fairly certain Buffy would not be able to do it. And the guilt it would cause in Angel would cripple him for years. Riley knew Angelus would only kill William if he threatened his two mates, otherwise he would release him into the world. So the duty fell to his shoulders...

In order to keep that duty firm in his mind, he had to keep some distance. In order for Buffy not to hate him for doing his duty, he had to make sure she kept some distance as well. And what was going on right now wouldn't help her do that.

"Buffy..."

She looked up at him, instantly recognizing the disapproval in his tone. Her eyes flashed for a minute as her fabled temper rose to the fore. What William was doing with his tongue on her now bare shoulder felt really good and she was not inclined for it to stop anytime soon. But Riley's look froze her in place, his eyes were filled with not only a possessive gleam but concern as well.

*What's wrong?* She moved out of Will's embrace, causing the younger vampire to murmur a small protest. The protest died in his throat as he took in the very serious expressions on the faces of the three who surrounded him. Something was very wrong, more wrong that it should be...

*We all need to talk... and soon...* Angel looked first into Buffy's eyes, then Riley's. He knew what had been going on in Riley's head for the past few minutes. Although the boy was getting better at blocking his thoughts from Buffy, to Angel he was still very much an open book.

Riley's stomach chose that precise moment to growl and Angel breathed a sigh of relief. Dinner and its preparations could provide a good format for the discussion that needed to take place between all four of them... *Don't you mean all five of us, Angel? Remember, I know Will the best.*

*Agreed, Angelus... All five of us then...* He nodded his head before speaking aloud. "Riley, Buffy, you two need to eat and then we'll talk..."

Riley grinned, relieved that Angel had taken the lead here. "Buff, why don't you go grab a shower while Angel and I take care of the manly duties around here?"

"Manly duties?" His grin was infectious, Buffy couldn't suppress a smile as she look up at him. "Just exactly what are manly duties?"

"You know... Cooking, setting the table... All that stuff you really hate to do. Your job is the slaying, we'll take care of the rest." He leaned down to kiss her and breathed in her scent. The bidet had managed to clean the essential spots but so much of Angel and himself still clung to her skin.

No wonder Will was so on edge...

Riley patted her bottom, turning her so she was headed into the house. "Off with you, woman... Make yourself perfect for us while we slaughter something for dinner..."

Angel grimaced, fully in appreciation of the unconscious blood reference just made by his mate. An amused chuckle rose up from within him as he slung his arm around William's shoulders. "Will, why don't you go out and have a smoke while we take care of the human things..."

The younger vampire shrugged, tamping down his frustration as he nodded. "I can do that... Never was any good in the kitchen anyway... Unless you count shagging someone over a counter."

His sire laughed and kissed him as that memory came back. They had fucked for hours over a kitchen counter somewhere in Milan a few years before the curse took him away. Will had the most inventive uses for all the little implements scattered across its broad surface. It took days before all the bruises and cuts healed from that particular foray into their darker desires...

Buffy decided that a shower probably was in order so she gave all three of them soft little kisses before heading off to do just that. Angel and Riley left Will by the front door where he leaned casually against the jamb, lighting up a smoke with still trembling fingers. His frustration level was rising rapidly, he knew if something didn't give soon he was going to go insane.

Will raked his hands through his hair before gazing up at the starry sky. He wanted them, all three... all four of them. His sire was in his blood, singing to him whenever he caught even the slightest whiff of his distinctive scent. Buffy's kisses were so intoxicating, he craved them more than any of his other vices combined. He wanted to hold Angel down and fuck him until his soft brown eyes rolled up in his head...

And soldier boy...

After the dominance games of the previous night and this morning, he was that young man's devoted slave. If Riley snapped his fingers, Will would be on his knees in front of him, feeding that wonderful warm cock down his throat without a second of hesitation. And loving every minute of it.

But there were too many limits, too many brick walls. Will wanted to stay with them, he wanted to be part of their little family but he knew it would break down eventually and he would be alone again. He was so bloody tired of being alone.

*******

Riley opened the refrigerator door and pulled out several thick steaks. Angel had laid them out earlier during lunch in preparation for dinner and Riley truly appreciated the thoughtfulness. His energy reserves were a little depleted after so much physical activity, a good shot of pure protein would help right now.

He adjusted the rack in the lower oven and fired up the broiler function. Buffy's steak would go in first, she liked her meat well done. His would go in much later as Riley was a `walk the cow through a warm kitchen' kind of guy. He liked his beef very rare, a preference which had made for an interesting evening out the one night they had left the apartment in L.A.

Riley had ordered a thick porterhouse steak which had come to the table literally oozing blood. The look of unabashed hunger on his vampiric mate's face when he saw the condition of the meat sent a jolt of desire through both humans. Angel wasn't a big eater where human food was concerned, but he had relished the little bits of bread Buffy and Riley had fed him soaked in that blood.

The vampire had devoured those little scraps, his cool tongue licking their fingers as he took the food offered by both of them. His aroused bloodlust went singing through the bond to his mates and the two humans could not finish their meals fast enough. The mated trio left the restaurant in such a state of fevered excitement, none of them were willing to wait through the 45 minute drive back to the basement apartment.

Angel chose instead to take the car up into the Hollywood Hills. Upon finding a secluded lookout spot, a blanket was thrown hastily over the still-warm hood and Buffy laid down upon it. With very few preliminaries, Riley sank into her warmth while Angel took him from behind. The three of them made love under the stars for hours.

The bloodlust emanating from their vampiric mate drove them to sexual excesses neither human would ever have contemplated in an outdoor setting. Angel waited until his mates were fully sated before taking long draughts of their blood thereby sealing the evening with the ultimate act of vampiric intimacy. Buffy had climaxed instantly when Angel's fangs pierced her throat as had Riley when his turn came...

The memory of that ecstasy had Riley now hard and almost shaking with need. It was funny how the smallest thing could set him off where sex was concerned. Some of his mate's vampiric drives must be transferring to him.

Through the enforced intimacy of the mated bond Riley had learned that not only Angelus' but also Angel's sex drives were off the scale. It was impossible for him to comprehend how the ensouled vampire had managed to remain celibate for almost one hundred years. He leaned forward over the kitchen counter trying to catch his breath when Angel's hand brushed along his hip.

A soft voice whispered in his ear. "Leannen?"

That single word, that minute contact was enough to snap his control of the situation. Riley spun around and grabbed his lover. In an instant their bodies were locked together, arms entwined, mouths firmly enmeshed in a soul-deep kiss while their hips moved subtly against one another.

The young marine growled as he pushed Angel up against the counter. His sexual victories from the night with William before plus his gentle dominance of Angel in their bed that morning had him wanting more. The need for food was forgotten in this haze of possessive lust. Riley wanted to take Angel, take him hard and fast over the kitchen counter just as William had mentioned earlier.

Angel was more than willing to follow through with the images being sent to him through the bond but Angelus had other ideas. He had given his human mate free reign during the past 24 hours, allowing him to explore his dominant nature. And the boy had done very well, he had confirmed all of Angelus' suspicions about his innate abilities as a top.

However, Riley had forgotten one vital point. He wasn't the true alpha male in this domestic arrangement and he needed a reminder of that fact. With Buffy in the shower and Will outside having a smoke, now was the probably the best time for that lesson. He could put his mate in his place without damaging his standing with the others.

After a moment of quiet argument with the demon, Angel realized the validity of his argument. There could be only one boss in this house. Both Buffy and Riley lacked the maturity to be the leader while Angel himself was too gentle and guilt-ridden to assume full leadership. So that left Angelus.

When their kiss broke, Riley found himself face-to-face with the demonic aspect of his bonded mate. Golden eyes flashed as Angelus purred at him. "Not this time, lover... This time you will bend to my will."

For a few seconds, Riley seriously considered putting up a fight but he knew Angelus was more than a match for him. Besides he had been missing this aspect of their relationship. He loved both Buffy and Angel to distraction but Angelus owned him. He leaned his head back in supplication, baring his throat to his mate.

So in a matter of a very short time, Riley was bent over the kitchen counter with his pants and boxers down around his ankles. Angelus took long enough to coat his cock with some cooking oil before sliding it into his lover. The two of them moaned together as their bodies became conjoined.

Will was just coming in from his protracted walk around the outer grounds when he met Buffy in the living room. She knew what was going on in the kitchen because she had felt it through the bond. The tiny blonde was just a little miffed at being excluded, they could have at least waited until she finished her shower.

"What's going on, pet? Why the brassed off look?" He caught the glance she shot at the kitchen door. Will's superior hearing had already caught the sounds coming from that room. His sire and soldier boy were at it again leaving the slayer as odd man out. And with that girl's temper, such an action was not a good idea. *Uh-oh, trouble in paradise, I see.*

She shrugged and smiled, trying to push away the tiny flare of jealousy she felt. Angel and Riley had bonded more completely then she had ever expected. Although their obvious affection for one another fit into her desire to keep both of them as her lovers, Buffy couldn't help but feel a little left out right at the moment.

William gave her a little smile, knowing exactly how she felt. "Shall we leave them to their own devices or should we join them?"

*You should join us...* Angel's gentle voice sounded in Buffy's head. She smiled at the tenderness contained in his simple words as they assuaged her feelings of isolation. Angel would never purposely exclude her from anything.

She tilted her head to look up at William and smiled before pushing open the kitchen door. The sight of her two big mates so intimately engaged had its usual effect on her. They were both so damned gorgeous, Buffy felt her knees go weak.

Riley's eyes were closed with a look of absolute bliss on his face. He was braced over the kitchen counter and Angelus' pale body covered his as his vampiric mate was slowly grinding into him. Both men looked up at her, eyes hooded with passion, identical smiles on their faces. Buffy felt all of her earlier anger dissipate swiftly when she realized just how happy the two of them were to see her.

She hopped up on the counter and leaned over to give first Riley then Angelus a sweet greeting kiss. Then she raised one little brow before teasing them gently. "So this is how you make dinner?"

Angelus laughed, "It's how we make dinner in this house..."

"Hmmm, looks like I'll be existing on take-out food at this rate." She tried to pout but couldn't hide the smile. The obvious love and tenderness flowing between the two of them was infectious.

"Dinner won't take that long, Buff. I've got the broiler pre-heating now." Riley smiled up at her, his hazel eye full of love for the beautiful girl sitting next to him. She ran one hand through his hair, enjoying the sensation being fed to her through the bond.

Angelus was being gentle again, slowly possessing his mate while keeping him pinned to the counter. But there were echoes of his dominance in the way he was pressing the young man down, not allowing him very much movement, completely controlling every nuance of this coupling.

Will was impressed, he hadn't seen Angelus use this technique in years. In fact he hadn't known him to use it with anyone other than himself. Every movement bespoke of his sire's love for the young man beneath him, it was evident through his very gentleness just how deeply Angelus was involved with his mate. This was not the way his sire normally approached sex, the demon was usually a rough and tumble sort.

It would have been easier to take if his sire had been going at hammer and tongs instead of this. He knew that Angelus was exerting his dominance over the young man but the way he was doing it was so subtle, so skillfully done that a less observant person would not have noticed it. This display reminded William once again of his place in the scheme of things.

Which was on the outside looking in...

Buffy caught the wistful expression on his face and felt her heart go out to the younger vampire. He was looking at Angelus with such longing, such need that she could not let him feel so left out. She gave him a sweet smile before unbelting her robe.

"Will? Are you still hungry?" Her voice held such a seductive little purr Will was immediately pulled out of his reflective thoughts. He glanced over at her and swallowed.

She was lying back on the kitchen counter with her robe fully open. The little blonde slayer was naked under that silken robe, her tanned skin positively glowed in contrast to its dark material. He could smell the sweet musk of her arousal and was drawn down into it.

William looked over at his sire, silently asking permission which was granted with by a graceful incline of Angelus' head. The older vampire watched as his childe lowered his head until his mouth touched the rounded curve of her belly. Cool lips trailed down her skin, placing little kisses until he reached the downy softness of her nest of dark blonde curls.

Once there, his tongue darted out to taste her and she hissed in appreciation as he gently parted the outer lips with his fingers. William drew in a breath, then blew gently sending a chill over her as that small puff of air set her nerves to tingling. Buffy's eyes closed as his mouth opened over her, his tongue slowly mapping out every fold, every single inch of her sex.

She looked down at him and the smoldering passion in his blue eyes made her flush all over. William's entire attention had shifted from his sire to the girl he was currently pleasuring with his mouth. If this were all he was going to be allowed, he would make it so damned memorable for her that she would wake up at night longing for him.

He slid first one then two and finally a third finger inside her tight channel, slowly spreading them in order to imitate the feeling of his cock within her. Buffy moaned deep in her throat and her mates shivered as they shared in her delight.

Angelus purred, approving of how well his Will was making his beloved feel. His earlier reservations about sharing her so intimately with his childe were starting to fade. Given time he might actually allow him full access to her...

He reached underneath Riley to take his cock in his hands and gently stroked him. The young man moaned, turning his head to bare his throat to his lover. The unconscious sign of submission inflamed Angelus. He started moving faster, pushing himself deeper into the boy's tight ass. Riley responded in kind, pushing his hips back until his mate was fully embedded in him.

Will finally drew Buffy's clit into his mouth, sucking on it fiercely as his fingers pistoned in and out of her. The girl was incredibly vocal as her climax washed over her. The scream she gave echoed through the house and the younger vampire found his mouth being filled by the luscious moisture from deep within her.

The sound, taste and smell of her at climax drove him over the edge. The frustrations which had been building up all day finally over-powered his sense of self-preservation. Throwing caution to the wind, Will reached down with his free hand and unbuttoned his jeans to free his aching cock with trembling fingers.

While Buffy laid there gasping for breath, he pulled her to the edge of the counter. Will removed his fingers from her still clenching core, placed the head of his cock just inside her silken lips and thrust forward. Just as he started to penetrate her, a very deep growl arrested his movements.

The younger vampire froze, turning his head to look over at the source of the noise. His sire's golden eyes met his, Angelus was in deep game face as he snarled at his impudent childe. Beneath him, Riley's eyes were blazing as well. In one voice the bonded males raised their protest. "No!"

Fury rose off of him in waves, Angelus couldn't believe that his Will, his sweet Will would disobey him in such a flagrant fashion. He forgot his earlier musing about allowing him the privilege of unlimited access to his beloved slayer. Sharp fangs flashed as Angelus reminded his childe of his folly. "I told you that you could have her only once, Will. She is mine..."

Will looked down into the simmering hazel eyes of the Slayer. He could read the same frustration in them as he currently felt, Buffy was getting really irritated at their high-handed tactics. She looked just about ready to explode at them.

After all, the two of them had decided to start something without her. How dare they stop William, it wasn't like he was taking her against her will. Had that been the case he would have been thrown halfway across the room by now and would probably be nothing but dust particles.

But Angelus was very, very angry right now.

This would not be the time to buck the system.

Buffy shot a frustrated look over at her mates, her voice carried the same tone as that look. "If you won't allow him this, what will you allow?"

Angelus thought about it for a moment, slowly stroking his free hand down Riley's back. *He can have either your mouth or mine...*

*Or mine...* Riley looked up at Buffy, accurately reading the expression on her face. He knew they were skating on thin ice where she was concerned but he wasn't willing to give in on this point. Buffy gave her heart very quickly. If she slept with Will too often, there would be hell to pay if the chip failed and he had to be dusted. Riley wanted to prevent her from experiencing that heartbreak.

Will hung his head, he wasn't really paying attention to the silent conversation going on between the mated trio. Tears were forming in his eyes as he realized his place was not with them. There was just too much to overcome, their bond was too strong and there was no true place for him here. It would be best if he just left.

He leaned over and gave Buffy a quick, brutal kiss that left her gasping for air. A cocky smile hid his tears as he buttoned up his pants. "Don't worry about it, pet... I can find other entertainment for myself this evenin'. Why don't I leave the three of you to it then?"

Angelus withdrew from Riley, following his childe out of the room. He caught him at the door and laid one hand on his shoulder. "Where are you going, Will? We still need to talk..."

The brittleness that he associated with Spike was back. Blue eyes glared at him as the younger vampire donned his duster. "Angelus... Sire, I love you. I'll always love you. But even I can see how badly I'm cockin' up the works here. You have your mates and I'm... Well, let's just say I'm a bit too much."

The older vampire considered ordering his childe to stay but right now he could see how much close to the edge he was running. He pulled William into his arms for a quick kiss and whispered against his mouth. "Promise me you'll come back before dawn..."

The younger vampire stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, his anger bleeding away in the succor of his sire's embrace. The tears were back in his eyes as he leaned his forehead against Angelus'. "I can't... I just can't do this."

"Promise me, Will." Cool lips were on his throat now, reminding William of all the years they had spent apart.

He sighed, wiped the tears out of his eyes and nodded. "Yeah, mate... I promise. I'll be home before dawn..."

"Good... I love you Will..."

"I love you, Angelus..." With that and another quick kiss, he stalked out of the house. Angelus watched him go before turning back toward the kitchen. Buffy and Riley were standing the doorway watching him, they melted into his embrace as tears flowed down his cheeks.

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