•••

“It’s cold.”

Angel frowned slightly and rolled over.

“And dark.”

The older vampire sighed. “You’re a vampire, Wil; cold doesn’t bother you and you can see very well in the dark.”

Wil flopped over on his back, letting one chilled arm strike against Angel’s side. “I still feel cold, and it’s still dark. And if it’s bothering me, think of how the others feel.”

That statement garnered another long-suffering sigh from the brunette. The power had been out for more than a day now, ever since the worst Arctic blast in a century had swept through town. For Angel and Wil, the inconvenience was minimal. Actually, the only thing that bothered them was that they were trapped in Indianapolis. The group was supposed to be moving to another city that weekend. Instead, they were stuck, literally, in the house, with no electricity—and no heat. The breathing, have-a-body-temperature contingent of their group was upstairs, huddled around a single fireplace in the kitchen. Angel and Wil stayed in the basement, ostensibly because they didn’t need the warmth, but mostly because the small kitchen was pretty crowded with six people in it.

“Angel…” Wil whined. Well, it was dark and cold, even if he wasn’t supposed to care about such things.

Angel turned over so that he was facing the blonde. He knew that Wil’s petulant antics were just a cover. The blonde was anxious because of their weather-induced delay. They’d been in Indianapolis three years now, and all of them knew their welcome was at an end. A house full of demons and werewolves couldn’t stay anonymous forever, and even their best efforts at hiding couldn’t prevent savvy computer experts from figuring out that an interesting number of tips and exposés originated in a plain Midwestern town. It was time to move on. That decision made, they were all antsy and ready to get on with it.

Besides, with a new city came a new phase in their plans. The time spent in Indianapolis had been fruitful; thanks in large part to their efforts Wolfram & Hart had lost more than ninety percent of their hold on elected and appointed officials. The biggest part of that loss had come during a massive, multi-agency raid that had occurred last winter. Cordelia had planned their efforts towards uncovering tainted officials at getting them noticed by controlling agencies. None of them could have predicted, however, that the information they disseminated could have brought down so many people. Apparently the FBI, among other agencies, had taken that information as a starting point, ferreting out more corrupt officials, including many in their own ranks, than had ever been found in the past. Of course, all that uproar caused chaos nationwide, as emergency elections had to be held for hundreds of offices. Fortunately, however, the furor caused an almost paranoid fear of corruption, and everyone who ran was run through the wringer. Oh, there were still corrupt officials, but they were much less blatant.

That victory boosted morale among the gang a great deal; the stresses of living together in a single dwelling, alone and apart from their friends in California, was taking its toll. Pack dynamics did much to keep the werewolves stable; Oz was a master at making sure that his charges didn’t suffer and communicated with him when they were troubled.

That didn’t mean that everything was rosy, though. Wesley occasionally argued with the alpha wolf because of Fred’s position as omega. The faun had a very good intellectual grasp of werewolf pack dynamics, but that didn’t transfer well to his own life, as the mate of the pack’s omega. The other wolves, Cordelia and Gunn, didn’t treat Fred poorly, but it bothered Wesley that Fred was the least powerful and influential member of the pack. Oz and the faun butted heads several times, until Angel had stepped in and had a talk with Wesley.

The vampire explained to the faun that he had no right to take Oz to task over his management of the pack; while Fred hadn’t chosen to be a werewolf, she had willingly chosen to be a part of Oz’s pack, for several good reasons. Despite her low status, the pack gave Fred a lot of social support, especially Cordelia. They helped her through the sometimes messy and anxious aftermath of her rape and gave her a strong framework in which to recover. Angel also helped Wesley see how part of the faun’s problems were rooted in the fact that he was a bit jealous of Fred’s reliance on the others—while he was consciously grateful for their help in bringing back the Fred he knew, it pained him that she needed someone else’s guidance to get there.

Before she’d been changed, Fred had been a somewhat solitary creature, enjoying spending time alone or with just a few others. Now that she had the pack, she liked doing things with them—practicing, running, and generally hanging out. Actually, the fact that Oz liked doing those things surprised Angel until he remembered that much of Oz’s previous isolation had been due to his status as the only werewolf. Ever since Cordelia had changed, he’d been far more social.

Wesley eventually came to accept Fred’s role in the pack, and the pack’s role in her life. Once he did that, he more fully appreciated how much she’d recovered, and how far she’d come. Now, three years later, Fred showed no obvious symptoms, even when faced with things that used to trigger panic attacks, like large crowds and gangs of thugs.

Perhaps the person who had surprised Angel the most, however, was Gunn. The vampire hunter turned werewolf had struggled only briefly with the change, mostly because he’d chosen it willingly. He and Oz had had a very typical power struggle, which was really only a token effort on Gunn’s part to prove his worth to the pack. As Cordelia’s mate his place was assured, and he made a concerted effort to hone the new skills he’d gained with the change. Angel had expected more conflict from the young man, who despite his eventual acceptance of the others had never been completely comfortable with nonhumans. The fact that he’d done so well spoke volumes about his maturity, and Angel was very glad that he’d underestimated the man.

It pleased Angel to see the group still a single, working entity after three long, difficult years. However, despite the time they’d spent away, and the various big and little aggravations of house-disasters and degrading work situations, they were antsy to get going on their real job—taking a chunk out of Wolfram & Hart. They wanted to target their financial holdings, and they wanted to do it closer to the east coast banking cities.

But for now they were snowbound. Angel shook off his work-related thoughts and studied his childe. Perhaps Wil would appreciate a distraction from his worries. With that in mind, the dark vampire reached out, stroking a gentle hand down Wil’s arm.

“Angel? That you?” Wil asked, smiling into the darkness.

“No, it’s that other vampire in bed with you,” Angel retorted. Wil turned onto his side so that he could look at Angel.

“Hah, hah,” Wil muttered. Angel moved quickly, pulling the smaller man hard against him. Wil jerked in surprise, and then relaxed slightly. Angel tugged at Wil’s shirt and slipped his hand underneath it to reach the smooth skin of the blonde’s back. He stroked that silky flesh with quick, broad sweeps of his hand, purposefully creating a bit of friction. Soon Wil’s back was warm to the touch and the blonde was draped over Angel’s body, purring contentedly.

“Better?” Angel asked softly, continuing to warm his childe.

“Mmm,” Wil murmured into Angel’s neck. The blonde ran his tongue down Angel’s neck, more out of contentment than arousal. Well, at least until Angel arched into the caress, growling. Wil repeated the gesture, pressing down on Angel’s jugular.

Angel abruptly rolled Wil over, pressing the younger vampire down into the mattress as he devoured his mouth. Wil moaned and opened under the assault, nipping at Angel’s lips. Blood welled up from the tiny cuts, staining both men’s mouths deep red. Wil licked at the fluid, chasing the taste of his Sire. Angel played with him, dodging Wil’s attempts and distracting him with his hands.

Wil growled and pushed off the bed, sending Angel off the side and onto the floor. The dark vampire landed with a thump and a glare, which was totally lost on his unrepentant childe. Angel moved to stand, only to find himself suddenly inundated with a lapful of Wil…a Wil who was significantly less clothed than he had been just a moment before.

Before Angel could do anything about his newfound wealth, Wil pushed the older man down onto the floor and attacked. Angel felt his clothes sliding off, even as merciless fingers found all his ticklish spots. He howled in laughter as Wil ran his hands down the back of Angel’s knees, then shrieked when the blonde flipped him over and worked down his back. Wil kept at it, despite Angel’s attempts to get away, until the dark vampire managed to capture one of his wrists and reversed their positions.

“You want to play, then?” Angel hissed as he ran one finger down Wil’s side, watching gleefully as the blonde twisted and giggled. He knew Wil’s body as well as the blonde knew his Sire’s, and he knew just where to touch… Soon it was Wil screaming loud enough to crack plaster as Angel teased him unmercifully.

Wil was so caught up in Angel’s lighthearted torment that he almost didn’t miss how Angel changed what he was doing, from tickling to caressing. The dark vampire ran a flat, soothing hand where he had once scratched and pressed, making Wil moan instead of giggle and scream. The blonde arched into the touch, wanting more of whatever Angel had in mind.

Angel smiled in the darkness and lifted Wil as he stood. The floor was just fine for playing around, but he had no real desire to make either of them suffer rug burns, even if they went away quickly thanks to vampire physiology. Wil murmured happily as Angel laid him back on the bed, letting his childe’s sensitive skin slide sensuously across flannel sheets. He’d always figured Wil preferred satin—and the blonde did, most of the time. However, Wil had discovered the joy that was warm, fuzzy flannel and had insisted on having a set. Angel wasn’t about to argue, not when Wil would lie there, rubbing himself across the fabric whilst begging Angel to join him. Many things he was, but one thing he wasn’t was a fool.

Wil watched Angel as the dark vampire searched their mostly empty room for some lube. After a few minutes Wil decided to show a bit of mercy and reached between the mattress and box springs, locating the tube he’d stashed there. He set it beside him on the bed and waited for Angel to glance his way again, as he did every minute or so. Angel saw the tube soon enough and rolled his eyes even as he joined Wil back on the bed.

“Just how many of these do you have hidden around here?” Angel asked as he set the tube out of the way.

Wil pretended to think. “Dunno, love. At least four down here and two in the shower... Although those are technically community property, since Xander uses them too.”

Angel decided not to think about sharing lube with the Raphe and his lover. Instead he grinned at his childe’s slightly off-kilter sense of humor and covered the blonde’s body with his own. Wil happily accepted Angel’s mouth on his for a kiss remarkably similar to one they’d shared earlier. Angel saw the resemblance too, and pulled away briefly. “You didn’t do all that just to get our clothes off, did you?” He asked the blonde.

Wil smirked and lowered his hands to Angel’s waist, pressing the dark vampire harder against him. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. Not important now anyway,” He murmured, thrusting up slightly.

“Why’s that?” Angel asked, running his mouth along Wil’s collarbones, tracing the sharp lines just covered by ivory skin.

One slender hand reached further down, cupping Angel’s ass and squeezing. “Cause now that we’re naked you can fuck me, and who cares how we got that way anyway?”

“Ah,” Angel hummed, enjoying the fact that he could discombobulate his very articulate childe’s speech. He rubbed himself against Wil, testing the blonde’s hardness against his stomach. A minute later he stopped and sat up, pushing his legs apart to spread Wil’s. The blonde pulled his knees up onto his chest, opening himself for Angel’s touch.

The dark vampire picked up the lube and grinned, although his face was turned so that Wil couldn’t see him. The lube was cold, almost frozen, which would be rather… shocking for the blonde. Angel didn’t bother trying to muffle Wil’s squeal of surprise when one very cold finger slid into his body, pushing icy lubricant inside him. “Angel!” Wil groaned, trembling at the unexpected coldness.

“Hmm?” Angel murmured as he inserted another finger. He twisted them quickly, stretching Wil wide open. The blonde shuddered and pushed back on his hand, clearly urgently aroused. Angel tossed the lube aside and positioned himself, twining Wil’s legs around his waist. When Wil stilled, Angel pressed inside, letting the unexpected warmth of his cock further shock the other vampire. While he was preparing Wil, Angel had used his free hand and a bit of friction to raise the temperature of his skin to something approaching blood heat. He knew the effect on Wil would be striking.

“Angel!” Wil shouted, arching up onto his shoulders. The blonde reached for Angel, pulling him down until they were flush. Wil pushed down desperately, taking in more of the searing, stretching heat, even as Angel pulled out and thrust again. The dark vampire ran one hand down Wil’s chest, pulling sharply on a distended nippled. Wil quaked and trembled, writhing under his Sire’s assault. Angel thrust again, harder, making Wil choke on another shout.

Wil reached for Angel again, trying to gain a little control. Angel denied him even that, using his body to drive Wil insane. The blonde felt like he was burning up; the hot friction of Angel inside him, barely lubricated and artificially warmed, was matched by the heat brought on by him twisting and scraping on the bedding under him. The formerly cold room felt like a furnace, like a fire had been set all around them.

Angel increased both the force and speed of his thrusts, watching with relish as Wil’s mouth dropped open and a continuous stream of moans and screams fell from pale lips. The brunette bent his head to Wil’s neck, teasing him with his tongue, before biting down sharply. Spicy blood flowed into his mouth, forcefully reminding his body of how close he was to his own orgasm. A thrumming rush of noise flooded his mind as he lost his rhythm and pushed mindlessly into Wil, only dully aware of his childe’s screams as the blonde writhed under him, spilling cool seed between their bodies.

Wil felt Angel’s fangs slide into him and lost his mind. He screamed and arched, clamping down hard on Angel’s cock as climax ripped through his body over and over. He convulsed under his Sire, still in thrall to the dark vampire’s bite. The searing pleasure continued to burn through him as Angel drew out the bite, as his hard body continued to rub over Wil’s prostate. Wil felt the fluid rush of Angel’s seed as the older man came, shuddering and moaning into the blonde’s throat. Still the intense pleasure radiated through Wil’s body as he twitched and shifted on the bed, held down by his lover.

Angel slid his fangs from Wil’s neck even as he gingerly rolled of his childe’s body, slipping out of his lover. He gathered Wil against him and pulled up the comforter, waiting for the blonde to recover. Angel himself was almost asleep when he sensed someone approaching.

“Cordelia?” Angel murmured. A figure hovering on the stairs stilled.

“Angel?” Cordelia whispered. “Please tell me that noise was from you two doing the nasty, and not some snow demon who got in the house and tortured you.”

Wil giggled against Angel’s neck. “Er…No snow demons,” Angel replied sheepishly. He’d forgotten that his six closest friends were trying to sleep above them in the kitchen.

“Oh, well… ok, then,” Cordelia replied. “But it’s not fair that you two get to have fun and we don’t, just because you don’t have to stay warm!”

Wil growled and lifted his head. He loved Cordelia to death, but she was ruining his afterglow. “Delia, you’re up there with your pack. I mean, you sniff each others’ asses when you’re out in the woods, and have seen each other stark naked more than once. Don’t come down here bitching at us because you haven’t looked up the definition of orgy in the dictionary, hmm?”

Angel winced at the resulting squeak that Cordelia let out and waited nervously for the explosion. It didn’t come. After a long moment, Cordelia simply turned around and walked quietly up the stairs. “Don’t say a word,” Wil muttered. “Just hold me.”

“Hmm,” Angel murmured, doing as he was told and not speaking. They lay there, not quite sleeping, until the sun rose, calling them into a day’s rest.

Angel was almost asleep—again—when a keening wail roused him. “Wil?”

“Erm?” Wil grumbled from his nest under the covers.

“Did you hear that?” Angel asked.

“Hear what?” Wil asked.

The sound repeated. “That,” Angel said. The noise was soon joined by others in a litany of howls, growls, and moans…peppered with the occasional scream and shout.

“Xander,” Wil muttered. “And Fred, and Cordelia, and Oz, and Wesley and Gunn,” The blonde supplied helpfully.

Angel’s eyes widened. “Doing what?”

“Making use of a fine suggestion, I hope,” Wil commented sleepily. “That or faking it very well. Either way they’re having fun.” When Angel didn’t relax, Wil hit him softly in the shoulder. “Look, they’re fine, Angel. Just let them do whatever they’re doing. Regardless, we can sleep through it.”

Angel murmured his agreement and buried back under the covers with Wil. Yeah, they could sleep through the noise. Angel wasn’t completely sure, though, that he could banish the image of four werewolves, a faun and a Raphe writhing in front of the kitchen fireplace.