Standing the Test of Time

Author: Erin-Starlight

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters nor am I making money off this. This is just for fun.

Summary: When captured in the aftermath of a battle Spike finds himself at the mercy of his old rival--Count Dracula. Will he be saved before it’s too late or will he be lulled into something even more dangerous than the Counts’ wrath?

Warning: This is slash. It will have some Spike/Dracula and Spike/Angel in it. This is a challenge I took up to do a Dracula slash fic with the guys. I'm not usually a slash writer but I did it for this challenge, where I had to set in up some in my last fic.

Authors Note: This story takes place after my one shot “William Restored.”

Spoilers: For the Peter David IDW comics Spike vs. Dracula 1-5.

"I wish Wes was here. He'd know how to handle this."

Diplomatic matters were not Faiths' forte. Give her a pointy stick in a room full of fangy demons and she was good to go. She knew the basic math that equaled trouble for them. Teaming up with the king of the undead against this Mihai guy might save the Council, it could put them up against a new big bad if it went sour. Of course Dracula didn't want to surrender Spike without a fight. That was a no-go with their current rescue mission. If they teamed up with Mihai to save Spike the treaty would go down the toilet. What was the right choice to make? Normally she could rely on her vampire sponsor for a little guidance but Angel had his head too far up his ass to see straight.

All Faith knew was that she was supposed to stop something bad from going down. How would Wes do it? Research followed by british snark with a good servicing of underhandedness. He would have gotten both sides of the story before he proceeded. Would he of sacrificed Spike for the mission? That was the watcher rule. Nothing got in the way of the job not even lives.

The current Council wasn't that much better at walking the line than the last in her opinion. Most of these arrangements with demons weren't about saving the day but politics. Getting more power, a footing into places they couldn't follow. There was only so much Will could do with magic. Since Spike left their connection to the demon world wasn't that great. Finding reliable badass agents less so.

The treaty was the only thing that Faith could get behind. It wasn't like B or anyone else had made it a point to stick their noses into Draculas' business before. As horrible as it was their thoughts never strayed to the out of the way location where a vampire was in command and chopping down on peasants for centuries. Unless there was a hellmouth or a visible big bad they never bothered to look into the nitty gritty. Now they would at least have an ally that could add something valuable to the mix. With Dracula they would at least know what to expect.

Blue girl hadn't added anything to Faiths' very loud one way conversation once she bored of it. Spike could have added his two cents in if they had been allowed to see him. "Think we'll see Spike soon? That was the reason we came over here in the first place. Not going to let them hurt your doggy are ya blue?"

She sort of liked the idea of Spike being Illyrias' pet. That was a role that felt perfect for him, guy even had the right name for it. The boys claimed it wasn't the kinky sort of deal which made it all the more cute. If they all made it through this Faith was going to give her a little collar for him just for shits and giggles.

"None will dare to harm Spike." The demon revealed haughtily.

Illyria was perched rigidly on the edge of trunk at the foot of the bed trying to mirror the pose she had seen her companion take earlier. Her back was too straight and her legs were to stiff to splay at the same ease. Faith was a little amused by her alien nature. These quirks had endeared the god-king to her more than she had thought possible. This must have been why Spike had become so fond of her though the creature had taken the life of a dear friend. She was almost as much as a victim herself. Too human to rule like she once had and too much of a demon to fit in properly. A misfit like them.

"Let me guess, their too afraid of your wrath, right? Too bad. I'd like to see you put your boot up their asses." The girl would likely do it, literally, which Faith would have loved to have witnessed.

"That is correct." Illyria looked like she was pouting for a brief second at the thought of not being able to inflict damage herself. Sounded like Faiths' kind of girl. Maybe they could go slaying together later. Was nice having someone who was honest about how good a fight felt. "My displeasure is not what the king wishes if he wants to continue mating with my pet."

For a full minute the slayer did not catch her meaning at all. Much like Spike nicknames were given to all of them, her being slayer, Connor usually being some variation of spawn. Angel had been called the fallen king. Made sense that Illyria would know about the vamps screwing. It didn't however, fit within the context of their conversation. What did fit made her head spin. Damn she usually picked up on this stuff.

"Spike and Dracula? No shit?" Spike had bonked two male vampire hotties? Boy had gotten his freak on, Faith was impressed. Well, impressed and horny.

"No shit?" The god-king repeated testing out the phrase with confusion coloring her unnaturally blue eyes.

"Yeah, I mean are you for real? That's insane. Boys' got a better game than he gets credit for."

The demon in Freds' body blinked. "Yes I am "for real". The vampires have exchanged fluids. That is why the one called Dracula does not wish to part with Spike. He has grown attached."

"I'll say."

"The bond makes him weak. Why would any wish to be inflected with such a plague?" The question was directed over Faiths' head. Turning on the spot she felt the familiar tingle she got when in the presence of vampires. The sensation she had been ignoring since they parked in the capital for vamps. No one was there but the door had been cracked open. Faith had a really bad feeling about this.

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Peter wouldn't stop pestering Spike all morning. The kid knew something had changed with the relationship between his friend and the master of the manor. Feeling well enough he had been sent as a messenger between the two much to Elsas' displeasure. In his room Spike already had a growing collection of flowers sent from days before. Pinks roses of grace, red poppies of pleasure, oak leaves simplifying strength. The lime blossoms made Spike feel hot, equally embarrassed and pleased by the reminder. Simple white clovers spoke of a promise that could only be the vow to win him.

Each delivery Peter gave had a new message for him alone to understand. None of them had any meaning of love for which he was grateful. Partly. Vlad had been careful to never say nor imply that this was more than what it was. Spike feared seeing such a decoration just as much as he felt saddened when it wasn't given. No one had said those words to him. Not with any real meaning to it.

Leaning against the vampire more than a human should Peter happily scribbled down his thoughts to converse with his friend. Spike answered the inquires the best he could given the complex nature of his supposed courtship with Dracula. And given the boys' innocence he carefully removed the more adult tidbits. Running his fingers through Peters' dark bangs he wondered if he could be what the boy wanted him to be. A sort of father figure. He had liked being family to Connor but he had never been the man of the house. Darla had been too stubborn to allow him to be in the days after Angelus had left them.

Having a family of his own, that had been a great ambition of his life following him into his death. Kiddies of his own, that wasn't possible for his kind. Not unless you had the powers that screw you over pulling the strings. A jab to his side drew Spikes' attention back to the little mite who brought his notepad to his attention.

"Will you stay?" It read.

Gulping Spike readied himself for the standard spiel he had been giving the lad. Peter saw it coming pulling himself out of the embrace. Skimming through the papers he found the page he wanted shoving it under the vampires' nose.

"Spike,

You have been well aware of my regard for you. If you would let me have a sign of yours, a token to give me insight of your heart.

Vlad"

Did this mean that he wanted Spike to confess a deeper affection before he did? Uncertainty made him begin to doubt whether this was an elaborate ruse to enact some revenge on him after all these years. Then again what was to be gained if Vlad was rejected? He had signed it "yours", did that mean more than a simple way to end the letter?

"Alright small fry, I get it. Let's decide wot t' say t' the big man."

Smiling brightly Peter extended his hand leading Spike to the garden as soon as the hands clasped. The green houses were an impressive assortment of plants from all over the globe. Finding a suitable reply shouldn't have been hard in theory. The problem was that Spike didn't know what he wanted to say. Going the visually pleasing he found himself in the carnation section. There were many types of flowers that he could have played safe with. What ever he chose he knew would be a factor in Draculas' next move.

Carnations had a good amount of choices though pink was instantly ruled out for the female connotation it presented. Three kinds were rejection, yellow was disappointment, striped was a refusal and the cruelest was white, disdain. Purple was a bit of a cheat, not truly saying what he felt. Unpredictability wasn't a virtue in these things. Taking his time searching for the right one Spike found the one he wanted plucking it off and handing it to Peter before he can change his mind. Slipping it into a small thin box the lad seemed to have gotten the memo not to let there be a change in heart rushing off with his small delivery.

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"Are you alright?"

Grunting in reply Angel glared at the butler offering the goblets full of human blood. Connor didn't understand why his dad was in such a sour mood. They found Spike, that should have been good news. All the brunet vampire had done since they had all gathered downstairs was to stare at Spike. He wasn't the only one who noticed this.

"Wot?!"

"You've been drinking human blood Spike, fall off the wagon already?"

"Been injured you stupid git, needed it to heal didn't I?" Keen dislike shone through Spikes' expressive face. They hadn't been together more than a day and already the two were at each others' throats again.

"When were you thinking of easing off of it? The craving is going to drive you crazy if you don't have a cut off point before you go cold turkey again. So excuse me if I don't like the idea of you having uncontrollable bloodlust around...," my son wasn't said instead Angel said "...humans."

Scowling Spike slumped back in his seat muttering, "We both know which one of us is more in control, don't we mate?"

Angel laughed coldly. "Yeah you're the one that comes to mind when people think of control. You're the most reckless person I've ever known. Patience is a foreign concept to you."

"At this I'll always beat you, prat!"

"Fine, name me one time when you could control the urge. One time." He challenged.

"With Cordelia." Spike stated obviously pleased with himself. "Taste tested her to see if she was evil. Didn't have a drop afterwards. Take that you pansy little wanker!" Triumphed he gave the other man a two fingered salute.

"Hey, I'm not little! And that doesn't count!" At the raised eyebrow Angel went on jabbing his finger into his annoying counterparts chest. "She was an astra projection!"

"She 'ad blood, it bloody well counts!" About to argue the point further Spike halted at the appearance of their host with a slight nod he beckoned the youngest vampire towards him. Swallowing hard he followed ignoring the heat of Angels' gaze all the while.

"What was THAT about?" Connor had to ask utterly bewildered at the change from kind of shy acceptance to this frosty reception.

"Same thing it always is. His recklessness."

On the balcony Vlad stood holding the box Peter had placed the flower in. The man didn't seem overly thrilled with what Spikes' feelings were. "I have received the token you sent."

Knowing he couldn't be seen Spike nodded anyway. "Yeah, can see that."

"I must admit that this did not occur to me. Not at this stage." Lip curling in half snarl half smile Vlad took pity on the other man opening the box distractedly. Inside lie the striped carnation.

"I--"

"When I saw your refusal I must confess that I took it poorly." Wind blew his dark hair obscuring his face from the younger mans' view. "Halfway through cursing your very existence and calling your mother quite a few colorful and indeed creative remarks--"

"OI!" Spike interjected loudly.

"I found a curious detail. Caught on this tidbit I called Peter back to me. Doing my bidding the boy returned with what he assured me was the truth of the matter." Holding the stem between thumb and forefinger Vlad brought the petals to Spikes' cheek. "I naturally have my own thoughts on the matter. I desire for this to be confirmed so if you will, tell me..."

From his cloak Vlad drew forth another carnation of a scarlet hue. "...which one of these did you tell Peter to send back?" Was this a test? A scheme to give Spike another chance to answer, to back out of the hasty reply he had made?

"Wot's this 'bout? Why--?"

"Tell me."

Paying no mind to the demand Spike felt quite annoyed with these foolish mind trips. Didn't matter if they were bints or bloke always the same. "You know bloody well which it was you over inflated prissy son of a bitch!"

"Answer me at once! I command it!" Giving up on pretense the Count advanced bringing the two up close and personal. The smaller of the pair simply refused to retreat.

"Command it?! Stop playing these ruddy mind games! You know damn well that I sent the red one you selfish prick!" No sooner did he get the words out than his lips were sealed with a frenzied kiss. Not one too be silenced he still managed to make his feelings known between nibbles. "Stupid. Git."

"Forgive me. I knew but this deception has sent me into such a furious state where reason can not exist. Not when it concerns you. I am...overwhelmed with your answer." Carelessly disregarding the striped flower the dark vampire had lost none of his fierceness. "Yet, you have been with another man, another vampire before, have you not?"

Voice chipped matching his icy glare Spike could barely retreat when his biceps were seized into a painful grip. "With Angel."

A dizziness spiraled in Spikes' stomach accompanying the sense of deja vu he was experiencing. The dripping contempt was nothing new the path the scorn was being pointed towards was. No one was supposed to know about them. Spike had been a mistake that Angel had thought best forgotten. Yet here they were on that topic like it made any connection to the present.

"You wonder how I know this, yes? He was kind enough to leave his scent when he switched your gift to substitute it with his own response. One must wonder what sort of man would do such a thing?"

Yes, one did have to wonder.