Other Lives Lived.




"Have you ever wondered how you got to a certain place in life?" the young seeming man asked the young acolyte in front of him.

"Yes. Then I realized I made a shitty decision that has both enhanced and ruined my life." He looked up at the chains on his wrists then at that guy. "But enough about me. Why did you have them capture me?"

"Because I find you interesting." He smirked. "Don't I deserve to talk to interesting people?"

"Maybe. Doesn't mean I'm that interesting though."

"I think you are. You could channel our God."

"I could probably destroy him too. Not the first." The man laughed, shaking his head with a smile. "Seriously. Want references?" The older man slapped him hard. Xander stared at him. "That's not going to get me to cooperate."

"We don't need you healthy for that. We only need you living."

"Well, no. By your rites you need me to be a pure human and I'm not any longer. See, I've been exposed to demon blood." The older man flinched back, staring at him in horror. "Also, yeah, I could channel him but I'd be doing it for my benefit, not yours. It'd just be added to the slayer legacy really. Even though they'll never hear of any of this."

The man came back to hit him again so Xander kicked him across the room, then kicked up to get his wrists free of the hook the chain was on. "You're worse at this than Sanda's people were. And he was a super powerful being. An original line warrior mage from the demon owning times and you think you're better than his people were? You don't even have minions."

"I do, Harris. I have many minions and acolytes. They'll rip you apart for me."

Xander grinned. "If I don't make them mine you mean?" The man stared, mouth open. "I could use a few good minions. They just need to be able to help me with the baby slayers." The man shrieked and attacked him. Xander fought him off, breaking his face with the chains still on his wrists. "Really?" He grinned. "Wow. So damn weak. And you want to be a god? Really?"

He found the keys to unlock himself, then found the guy's wine goblet, sniffing before drinking from it. "The hellsbane formula will nicely do tonight to let me have some fun with those *acolytes*." The man whined and reached for him but Xander just kicked him in the face, killing him. "Pity." He finished that drugged wine and walked off looking casually pleased. That potion and poison did funny things thanks to the demon blood in his veins.

It made him super horny, very open to spirits, and even a bit cruel. It did not make him able to put up with aggressive minions. So when he walked into the ritual room he got a few with his mini crossbow he had hidden on him before going to the portal and breaking it. The acolytes wailed. "Yeah, shut up. The only way he'll be summoned is if I do it myself."

He strolled off, going to the club out front. He could at least get some fun stress relief. There were a whole lot of succuba out there. That god had supposedly had a large harem of them to keep himself satisfied so they had summoned some for him to contain and control later on.

Which to Xander meant he had premature ejaculation and no stamina. So instead, Xander got to have some fun. They all stared at him as he walked past, finding one he knew to kiss deeply and dip her backwards. "I'm back, bitch." He grinned. "Did you miss me?"

"Xander," she moaned. "Oh, Goddess of the Dark. You're potioned."

"Yes but it's only hellsbane." He winked at another one. "It just makes me horny. You up for some fun?"

"We need to be here for the summoning."

"Yeah, they wanted me to summon him and I declined. Pity." She stared then kissed him desperately. "Yeah, I saved your pretty buns too." He winked at a few incubi, who came over to help him have some fun. The few normal people in the club mostly fled as the orgy got started. That was fine. He didn't need more to worship his stamina problem tonight. He hadn't in many years.

***

A different Xander, one from a past time, the fifth incarnation of Xander, looked up to shake his head at his current incarnation's stupid moments. "Succuba, really?" he muttered. He mixed the proper potions and made sure his marks were correct. His lover, who expected him to be doing all this for him, was going to interfere. Pity but he was expendable now.

He got himself ready for the ritual to call back a past life. Or a future life really would work if he had to. Either would do this time. Maybe they'd just switch places. The priests who guarded him watched him bathe and relax to soak for a bit. One sent for their master because it looked like the spell was tonight. It was suspicious timing.

***

Xander was in the park when the spell hit. He closed his eyes and sighed, but nodded. "Great, bitch. Just what we needed." He felt the spell going strong, but a bit tilted. "I'm not going back there. I do not want to go back there," he told himself. A vampire stopped trying to sneak up on him to eat him when he heard that. "Not you." He staked him.

"A past self." He found a sturdy stick and drew himself a protection circle. He'd had memories of that Xander for years now. The hyena had brought them up. He finished the diagram and stepped into it, nodding as it lit up. "Not bad for an on the fly spell circle."

He looked at the staring vampire, which was one he knew. "Another me in another time and place is calling." He grinned and waved. "It's either this or I have to go help him with the ones who think he's a warrior slave."

The vampire shook his head. "What?"

"Weird Xander shit," he explained in a simpler tone. "Don't worry about it. Just another me coming to visit."

The vampire stared at him oddly. "That is very weird but impossible."

Xander grinned. "Nothing's impossible." He waved a hand and a ball of magic lit up on it. "Hmm. Sure, you can come here. I'm not going to take your place though," he told the ball. It changed colors to a sunny blue. He shook his head, putting it between his feet. He felt a witch from the local coven come running and waved. "Weird Xander shit," he called. "Stay."

"Who's trying to sacrifice you, boy?" she demanded, pulling out herbs.

"It's another me coming to visit, Valerie. Calm down! Really!" He grinned as the calling happened, yanking hard to get that him out of that very drafty old tower. And the lap of luxury that one lived in. With it came the other past hims. All five of them. He stepped up to absorb them and moaned as it hit.

"Fuck me," he muttered. "Though not literally. I don't need that tonight." He sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "Sure, that's who we were. Now we're not." He concentrated and the magic eased off slowly, leaving him mostly a normal Xander. Maybe a bit twisted. Maybe a lot twisted. He looked up and called up the magic then let it ease again.

"Yeah. We can do that." He kicked the ball up gently and caught it, using it to undo the circle. Then he walked off carrying it, smiling at the confused looking witch. "A past me needed an escape plan." He shrugged. "He had people who thought his butthole gave out wishes." He strolled around her. "Going back to my place."

"Willow will be very upset."

"That's why you don't tell her. Let her figure it out on her own," he quipped, glaring at her. She shivered at that touch of magic but he grinned. "She hasn't seen the real me in years, Valerie. For all she knows I'm not actually still alive." He grinned. "So relax, let it all out. I'm going to have some fun. If you run into the priests that used to guard me, let me know. I'm escaping them. They could be here by spring."

He strolled off humming, playing with his magic ball. The spirit of his ancestor, or past life, was pretty neat but complaining about all the people who wanted to use him for his ass and his skills but didn't really care about his well being. Which figured. Xander had seen a few of those himself. Some of them had even left him things when they had died from it.

Valerie looked at the vampire, who shook his head. "Not a chance I'm telling the girls. I like my unlife the way it is, even though I am taking Buffy shopping tomorrow." He walked off, going to hide from everyone.

Valerie sighed but went to talk to Rupert. He'd know how to tell Willow to make sure she didn't lose her temper and attack the poor, possessed boy.

***

Back in that time zone, the master of the tower came stomping in to figure out what had happened. He was a higher level mage, but Xander had some specific skills that he didn't and needed. A priest found a letter addressed to him and handed it over so he read it, smirking at that. "So, his next life? Really?" He looked around. "Gather things. He'll need a few of them to do the spell when we catch up with him." He walked off seething but amused. Xander was always amusing.

The priests shared a look before moving to pack things quickly. Then they'd be escaping the tower because that Master would have them killed. Horribly killed.

***

Xander meditated on the past lives, and they were happy to show him happy things. Not always the best happy things but the nicer things. How they all connected to that same souls. That 'master of the tower'. But Xander didn't really want him. The him in this current realm, place, and time was dead. He recognized him as someone who had tried to summon something big and had died for it.

Twice actually since that spirit had tried to inhabit his body and had to be taken out too. That second time he was gotten by a slayer he was working with. The past lives all pouted at that. Most of them thought they were probably soulmates or destined somehow to be together. Him, he just thought he had been an asshole in his way and causing him work.

They showed him why they decided he was connected. It was a very dark night. A ritual night. A ritual circle drawn on a stone floor. A stone room that looked like a tower area, with arches to capture power and hold it in the room by the marking on them. They were both naked and they each had a dagger in hand.

They had painted on marks. Xander looked at that fourth version of himself, who was a redheaded warrior sort, and sighed mentally. Well, that guy was a whole lot less bulky than he was. The guy brought him out of his thoughts with a finger snap, getting an irritated look back but the guy just smiled.

"It's time."

That Xander nodded once. "I suppose it is." He palmed the dagger again then nodded, looking over his lover's marks. None were quite what he expected, what were the right ones. So he had to draw the right one. Just the one. A perfect one. That guy would demand it be perfectly drawn. All the things that had drawn his soul to this guy, they were really irritating. He was a picky perfectionist, magical sort.

He was demanding, loud, and annoying. Some of his soul loved that guy, or a former version of him, but this version of him hated this guy's guts this time. The last time he had drawn something other than a bonding mark so apparently that bled into this life's distaste of him. Or made him into something he hated this time.

Or he could free himself of all this. Draw the mark on himself maybe? But that was not done with this spell active. It'd lead to a huge fight and one of them dying. He had some options here about what to draw, where to draw it, how to draw it in a few cases. He'd been learning one specific one and had practiced it repeatedly to make sure he got it correct.

It wasn't the one he wanted to use. The one he wanted to use, he ached to use, was a more ancient one. One that sang to him when he saw it. He sighed and leaned forward to use the sharp dagger to draw his mark. But he just...couldn't. His hand hesitated and he sat up, staring at the marks he already had. Something wasn't right. He felt something wasn't right. He knew what it was.

"You've been practicing," his lover noted patiently.

The Xander then stared at him. "Yes but I have a choice here and the one I've been practicing doesn't feel right. In magic, that does matter, doesn't it?"

"Very much so. Why are you hesitating to draw the one you want then?"

"The fight later." He stared at him then felt whatever was wrong snapping the bond. So he was free. The magic was still building but he was free. He blinked a few times and that mark, the one he craved, it was for him. Not the other. That one got whatever he wanted to gift to him. That one he had practiced would be a nice present. So would two others. And the magic hummed at that thought.

So he closed his eyes then sat up to draw on his lover's arms, the marks he wanted to give him. All three of them. It wasn't usually done but his lover was pleased he was gifting him with extra. He spread the spilled blood over them, mumbling the incantation to set them. His 'other half' saw the first one and then he screamed. The Xander back then drew the one that he craved using the guy's dagger, putting it on his leg. Then he sighed in pleasure.

It was ended.

He was free of the cycle.

"I'm done," he said, then stood up. His other half stood up and attacked him. "One of us always sends the other to the afterlife with the daggers," he noted calmly and quietly. "Will it be you this time or me?"

"I am your master, boy!"

"No you're not. I'm free now." Xander stabbed him and the dagger sank into his body, being sucked in magically. It was the duty of that dagger to show up with the next incarnation. To be summoned forth. He watched him fall and crafted the magic whipping around them from the release into a spell to send him off. Anywhere but here. He did not want another go-round. He closed his eyes as the magic left him and he sighed in pleasure.

"It's done," he said quietly. He picked up the other dagger, looking at it. "Yes, we'll make sure you don't have to join that one again if we can." He kissed it and dropped it into the waiting box, then locked it tightly and handed it to one of the priests as he walked out. "Bury that. It may not come to light again." He put on robes as he walked, feeling lighter now. Now he could go do whatever he wanted.

Of course, he ran into a problem outside. That just how things went. He stared up at the demon that had bound them together the first time, shrugging. "Not into him or you. Move."

"I will not."

"You will."

"I will never leave you alone, boy."

The then Xander smiled. "You sure of that?" He cast something, a final strike spell, and that demon died with a scream as Xander himself faded out. Now he was fully free.

The present Xander woke up, blinking hard at his body. "Well, huh, older me," he muttered. "Nice one! And that demon's already dead. Faith took it out last year." The older hims all cheered at that. "That other guy? Yeah, not going there." He felt the thoughts of the tower show up and sighed. "Or there. No, I'm not a princess or a priest."

They all relaxed. "So let's go handle things before they show up here. Too many can find me here." He looked at his leg, seeing the scar now on it. He nodded once. "Okay, sure. I'll have that colored on." He got up, going to handle the needs for leaving the town again. It wasn't that hard, he did it really often. He went back to the Council center to check in. "I'm going on rotation."

Rupert Giles stared up at him. "What the fucking bloody hell did you do, boy?"

"Well, apparently I talked to my former selves," he said dryly. "Who were escaping an abusive guy in a tower who wanted me to summon a higher power to possess him." He shrugged. "Oh, are we talking about the cult to Gregoros? Because yeah I took down the high priest and some of the acolytes because they had me hostage for a few hours.

"Drank some hellsbane to do it, which just makes me super horny so the succuba were really nice to celebrate us all being free with that." He stared at him. "Or what are you talking about?" he asked at the horrified look.

"Valerie noted you were in the middle of a spell circle last night. She announced you're possessed and not normal."

"Yeah, that was a past me coming to visit. Apparently I've had five past lives and they're all evading some guy in a tower who wants me to summon his god to possess him. And some other supposed soulmate guy." He shrugged. "Won't happen here. That mage is the one that I had to get with Sandra, who she had to get the demon in him so she got him last."

Giles blinked a few times. "What?" he demanded.

"Um...huh. Didn't read that report?" He walked out. "Let me get it from the storage room." He came back with that year's book of reports and let him see it. "That guy? He had a tower with the last version of me." He let him see it. "That him wasn't trying to summon that demon but wanted Sybat instead. He was going to use me to summon it.

"That me *then* destroyed his hopes by using that magic built up to send him to his next life, me. So I drew that circle and let him come visit. Found out about the guy in the tower and the one that *thought* he was a soulmate and wasn't. They showed me last night how I got rid of *that* one."

Giles blinked a few times. "I want a full report."

"I'd like to not be easily found by that second guy at the moment. He's around here somewhere and I'm not taking his ass back. So I'm going on rotation."

Giles blinked a few times. "Write it out first." Xander sighed but took his computer to do that. He read it at the end and stared at him oddly. "What the hell was that?"

"Have you been in the scotch already this morning?" he asked dryly. "What did it look like?"

Giles glared. "Boy," he warned.

Xander stared at him. "It wasn't a possession by more than my past lives showing up. We knew I had one. The hyena showed me that when I was sent to meditate with her." Giles winced at that. "Yeah! Native healers, Giles." He smirked. "We knew we had 'em. They just had to come visiting to save that one from the guy in the tower."

He frowned at him then out a window. "Go back to sleep!" he ordered. The mini slayer pouted but went back upstairs. He looked at his boss and mentor again. "Did you want me to leave my past self vulnerable? Or have them summon me there? I mean, I could probably handle being spoiled by the priests and stuff but I'm still not going to summon Sybat for him. And the sex was horrible so...." He shrugged but stared at him.

"Fucking hell, boy."

"You are clearly drunk," Xander said dryly. "So please erase that before the other watchers get hopeful I'm going to let them use me to do the same stupid things?"

"They wouldn't."

"Bullshit. Two have thought about calling higher powers and their plan was to call me to do it. Though they both probably wanted to sacrifice me during it, but I'm the only medium around here." He rubbed over that mark. "Sorry, new scar's itching."

Giles looked and winced. "That's not a good mark."

"I drew it on myself during that freeing myself from the supposed soulmate thing." He stared at him. "I'll have it colored sometime soon. It meant I was free of that supposed soulmate and owner."

"Breaking that sort of run is dangerous to you and others."

"Or we might not have been soulmates," Xander said dryly, smirking a bit. "Because you're not supposed to be able to harm your soulmate, right?"

"Well, no," he admitted, calming himself down. "You should not be able to."

"And yet, I did. And hated him too I might add. Absolutely loathed that Xander owner." He stared at him. "Had my dagger go with him into the afterlife and mine's hidden somewhere on that realm by the priests he had."

"It'll come to you."

"I can always use a new knife but it doesn't mean I'm taking that weak ass in."

Giles huffed. He destroyed that report and stared at him again. "Where are you going?"

"Fuck if I care mostly. Please don't send me to be diplomatic though. All my other incarnations were more slim, magic using Xanders for some reason. I'm the only barbarian warrior type."

Giles stared at him. "Yes, you certainly are."

Xander smirked. "You say some of the sweetest things while drunk, Giles."

He huffed. "That dagger ritual is as old as time. Comes from a few off-realm areas."

"I know. I knew that then." He nodded at that. "Doesn't mean I wanted that particular being to do it with me. I had tried to get free the life before then and did manage it that time. Then the last one that guy in the tower managed to capture me for a bit longer than average." He shifted his weight. "So I've got two I'm avoiding."

"That soulmate may show up."

"Maybe. Not like I'm gonna go on my back for him. I'm pretty much over screwing bad lovers unless I *really* need weapons."

Giles cleared his throat. "I do not want to know."

"Then next time send me more than a sword when I need an army."

Giles scowled. "We will not go into that."

Xander stared at him. "You know, that one does owe me a wish." Giles glared harder. Xander grinned. "At least tower guy is gone."

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah. I took him out because I realize he was bad shit and summoning something. The thing he was summoning showed up and Sandra took them out."

"Oh." He sucked in a breath then nodded. "All right. We should get you gone before Willow hears."

He snorted. "With the past lives having magic I've been wondering about a few things."

"Do not," he warned, holding up a finger. "That level of magic here would be a very bad idea."

Xander grinned. "Because it's not earth magic?"

"Yes!"

"I realize it's sorcery level, Giles. Calm down? Before you have a heart attack and I have to take out Willow?"

"Well, yes, not a bad idea," he sighed. He stared at him. "Could you cast that?"

"I've always been able to cast that. That's part of what makes me a medium."

"Oh, fucking hell." He tossed down something he had picked up. "That figures. I had not thought of that but it really does figure that's why you're so open."

Xander grinned and nodded. "That plus the demon blood I've been splashed by or been exposed to? The guy last night had poisoned hellsbane potion and it just makes me horny. So I had fun with the succuba. And a few incubus."

Giles stared at him. "I don't need to know, Xander."

Xander grinned. "You'll probably have someone complaining. You can tell them I was drugged."

"You're clearly still drugged."

"Not hardly. The ancient ones coming to visit cured that."

Giles groaned. "Yes, that would." He huffed again. "All right. You get to tell Willow."

"I told Valerie what was going on and she was confused."

"So am I."

Xander blew a kiss. "You say some of the sweetest things."

"Go tell Willow." He pointed.

Xander opened the door. "Rosenburg! Office!" He slammed the door in the face of a mini slayer. She stomped in a minute later. "Valerie still complaining that an ancient version of me came to visit last night?"

"Yes! What was that!"

"That was the past life coming to visit. We knew I had one, the time I spent working on the hyena showed that. He just needed to get away from some mage in a tower who wanted me to summon his demon lord of choice. But that guy's dead here anyway." He stared at her. She laughed so he bopped her magically.

She tried to fight back. He held her off with a casual shield, making her shriek in anger until she stomped off. "Have a better week," he called with a wave after her. "I'm going on rotation to get the hell away from you." He shut the door again, grinning at Giles. "There. Better?"

"That shield is very...weird."

Xander looked at it then uncast it. "Doing it on past memories." He shrugged. "Not like I've fully studied it here. The only ones I've been studying here have been combative magics."

Giles blinked a few times. "Why would you?" he demanded.

"Um, what do I do most of the time?" he asked dryly then pointed. "Like in battles and things?"

"Well, I hadn't thought on that. Crafting perhaps."

"Yeah, maybe. I like crafting." He nodded a bit. "Doesn't help me much in daily life." Valerie and a few other members of the coven showed up. "Ladies," he said with a nod. "I *told* you it was the past selves coming to visit," he told Valerie. "Yeah, they had some magic. That's how they got away from a douchebag who had a tower.

"Willow will calm down later and decide I'm weird and wrong and try to solve me or depossess me and then she'll fail and have to recover from the magic sucking it'll cause. She's done that before and forgot about that apparently. Did you guys forget about that?" One of them went pale and shook her head slowly.

He grinned and nodded. "Yeah, that wasn't possessed. That was the former Xanders had sorcerer level magic. I've been studying combat magics when I can get my hands on books. Frankly, I'm tired of her doing that. We might need her for something magically and that's going to suck when she's down with that recovery." He grinned at them. "So yeah, I knew they'd show up sometime. Working on the hyena thing showed they were around."

The witches all groaned. "But that doesn't happen to normal people," one of the older bidides complained.

"You guys are the only ones who think I'm *normal*," Xander said dryly, smirking at her. "And I'm pretty sure that's an infection of eau de'Rosenburg."

"Fuck," Giles muttered, casting a spell cleansing on the room. The witches did their own version. Xander did his and they all stared at him. Giles stood up and stared at him. "Bloody hell, Xander."

"What? Did it backfire?"

"No." He stared at him. "You are a bit powerful."

"Yeah, there's some who're betting on who I vow to and I haven't yet. They all think I will but I'm really not into demonic overlords or gods. Or even goddesses. Though some of them have been really nice in bed." Giles moaned, rubbing over his face. Xander grinned. "Did you want me to vow to a higher being?"

"NO!" got growled.

"Then yeah, sex is always better than aligning myself permanently." He grinned. "And I really did need the sex." He shrugged but grinned. "It was mostly even happy sex."

Giles glared. "Shut up. Just....shut the bloody hell up before I have mental images I do not want."

"Sorry." He grinned at the witches, who all moaned at that. Willow came back to try to depossess him. "You tried that before, Willow. Do you not remember that headache?" She growled and cast it at him. He let it hit, showing that he wasn't possessed, then he turned it back on her and like last time it leeched magic from her.

Which he nicely created into a ball of energy in his hand. Until Willow screamed and fell down in a faint. Then he let her go and handed the head witch the ball of power with a grin. "Here, in case you need her magically before the headache ends this time."

Buffy stomped in. "What did you do this time, Xander?"

"My past life came to visit. It panicked Witch Valerie." He waved a hand at her. "Then Giles realized he's been clouded for years that I have magic."

"You do?" she demanded.

"Yeah, Buffy. Actually, I'm going on rotation again because there's some mage who thinks I'm his soulmate and I don't want his skanky ass. So I'm escaping him showing up here soon." Buffy looked confused. "He tried to claim soulmate status and I loathed that guy. So I stabbed him in the chest and sent the special, mystical dagger with him. So he'll show up sometime and I'd rather not have that fight here."

"You don't have magic." He lit up a hand light. "Oh, you do have magic. Are you possessed?"

"No," the head of the coven said dryly as she walked in. "He's always had magic, Slayer Summers. He's always been a sorcerer." She stared at him.

He grinned and nodded. "Working with the holy men and healers about the hyena showed me them. They came to visit last night."

"I figured with what Valerie complained about and you said." She stared at him. "He'll show up. He was said to be a possessive sort."

"The soulmate wannabe? I figured. That's why I'm going on rotation."

"I was talking about the one in the tower."

"No, him we took out earlier. He was the guy that Sandra and I fought. The one that she took him out after he had been possessed."

"That's nice but he could come around again too. He's got reciprocating immortality. He'll just turn into his son or grandson probably. Maybe a granddaughter."

"Yeah, not into towers and priests who treat me like I'm a sacrificial princess."

The elder witch snorted, staring at him. "You may not be able to do that."

"Last time I used that magic to flee that life to this one."

She blinked a few times. "That's what...." He grinned and nodded. "Oh, hell. Yes, he'll be showing up."

"I'm going on rotation. That way the minis don't have to giggle over bad lovers being pouty."

"Good idea. They'll get the wrong idea about men anyway. Who are you going to vow to?"

"Myself. I *am* mythical."

She snorted, staring at him. "Won't work."

"Someday I may change that. Right now I'm mythical enough to get people vowing to me. Some of the succuba before that visit did. Because of the hellsbane potion I'm pretty sure I received prayers."

"That's poisonous."

"Demon blood exposure?" he said with a grin.

"Oh, frilly hell, boy."

"Yeah. It's just super happy and horny making so I freed the succuba that guy wanting that one Gregoros to come be his had waiting. We had fun. Then I went to the park."

She blinked a few times. "You had sex with succuba, multiple succuba, and could still do magic?"

"They can't feed from me. They can take hellmouth taint, and I've had a few do that on purpose after Willow's cliffside thing, but they can't feed on my personal energy." He grinned and shrugged a bit. "So they're just for fun and weeding out energy exposures."

She blinked a few times. "That's why you saw that succuba after Sunnydale fell down."

"Yeah! I had radiation sickness. Dawn and I both so I had one of them suck at her energy without touching her sexually due to her age. It cured the hellmouth radiation problem we both had."

"Huh. Hadn't thought about that use." She nodded, making herself a note on a pad from Giles' desk. "I need to ask them about that." She looked at him. "Where are you headed?"

"I haven't heard yet. Giles was in the scotch and swore at me. I did ask for somewhere I don't have to be diplomatic. Because we all know I'm not."

"You're going to the London house," Giles said.

"Okay. Sure, I can study over there. I'll have access to a lot more magical texts so maybe I'll up my combat magic skills." He grinned. "Thanks, Giles!" He grinned. "I'll tell Kennedy I'm coming myself so she can swear at me and find me an apartment." Giles growled. "Did you want me to live in the house with the girls? Really?"

"No," he complained. "You and Kennedy do rather fight, Xander." He pointed at Willow. "I'm aware." He sighed. "I could assign you upcountry in one of the former watchers' residences. Though most of them had their title stripped. Not sure if the house goes with it."

Xander cleared his throat. "I could go build my own."

Giles stared at him. "Excuse me?"

He grinned. "What?"

"You could build your own what, boy?"

"Lordship's house?" He grinned.

"How?"

"Ummmm." Xander got into a file on his phone and let Giles have that report. Giles read it over then looked up that link on his computer, eyes going wide. Xander grinned and nodded. "So yeah, I could."

"When..." He cleared his throat and took off his glasses to stare at him. "How did you do that?"

"You're the one who sent me to clean up that building. I spent a few days sightseeing?" Giles groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Found the demon holding the House of Commons hostage. Talked to him and made him very confused so he stomped off in anger. Blew him up once he was away from all the targets to free them, as you taught me." He smiled at the staring witches. "Talked two spirits he had called into being into going back to sleep."

Giles held up a hand. "That's not a knighthood that report stated."

"No. I had one of those already from something else and then MI-whatever-they-are showed up to nag me right after that." He grinned. "They were waiting outside the private, quiet knighting to ask me what I had done to be firing off artillery in London. So I told them about that demon and all that. The Queen was not amused. She gave me that look that showed not amused. Yeah, that same look you're giving me."

He grinned. "They told her about everything because that knighting was for those two spirits. So yeah, she decided this way I could take it out of London. Please take it out of London and have all of them out there. So now if I hear of something going on in London I do try to have them go out to wherever I'm at outside the city. Kennedy knows that. That MI-whatever guy told her. She was there for the knighting too to complain. I had her help me find a nice suit. She choked through the whole knighting thing."

Giles sucked in a breath then nodded. "Yes, you can go to your estate, boy. Set up the house. Find some other magical texts to read through and ignore."

"I don't ignore them."

"Then why did you build a shield that way?"

"That's how they instinctively form. I haven't read that book yet."

"Oh. Yes, do read that. Tell Ethan to lend it to you," he said dryly, staring at him.

"The last time I saw Ethan he was complaining I was like a kid between you and him. Again." Giles burst out laughing but nodded at that. He also drank some more scotch. "But yeah, I can go ask him to bum some of his books. Any other commands, Giles?"

"Yes. Do not let the girls hear about that. They may try to depend on you for things you won't survive to handle."

"Don't know about that," he muttered. "Buffy told them I'm normal too often. Half of them don't even respect me in battles."

Giles nodded. "Point. Go. Have fun."

"Thanks! I'll have the stuff in the apartment packed up later this week once I figure out where the house is." He skipped off, driving to the airport. He did call Kennedy. "It's me, your head watcher in charge from up country. I'll be there tonight." He hung up. She would warn others in the peaceful community and probably some agents he was on his way back.

***

In England, Kennedy hung up and sighed, going to find her boyfriend. "Xander's being put on as our watcher in charge from up country, probably wherever that house of his is. I'm sure he'll want a map."

"I'll let the higher ups know. Don't think there's a house there though."

"Knowing Xander, he'll put up a camper for a bit and build one." She walked off sighing. "Ladies, Giles sent Xander to annoy us as our head watcher," she announced. They all groaned. "Let the locals hear that. Before they all panic that it's an attack." The older girls went to spread the news to the peaceful community.

***

In the office, Giles was staring at the head of the coven. "We all did spell cleanings."

"I felt. His was stronger. That boy reminds me of a more fun version of Ethan at times. Thankfully Janus won't accept that boy." She gathered her witches to go make tea for them. They'd need some for Willow's headache when she woke up.

Giles went to talk to the other watchers, who were huddled in the library with some of the mini slayers they favored to go on. "We found out Xander had past selves." They all stared at him oddly. "Last night, one escaped to come to him."

"So he's possessed?"

"No." They all groaned. "But I also was not aware he had sorcery." A few nodded slowly.

"Why didn't you realize it? The boy glows in dim rooms," one said dryly. "I handed him a book on shielding and he went to find a succuba again."

"I've heard about that this morning as well. He's going to England to his estate."

"Which one did you give him?"

"His own. He was awarded one." They all whined at that. That meant Harris had status on the level of theirs. "He also said he's escaping whatever past wanter who kept him in a tower that might be showing up."

"Oh, dear. Which tower?"

"Something about the one that Sandra and he took out?" He let them see that report.

"Oh, that one. Yes, his new life is in Brazil." That one grimaced. "We've been tracking him because he has good plans to summon something strong. It figures he'd use a medium to do that and Harris is the most open as he's not vowed."

"He said he's mythical enough to vow to himself," Giles complained.

"Yes, he rather is," the head librarian said dryly with a smirk for him. "A few of us have as well." They nodded at that. "Mostly to calm down the younger slayers."

"I told him to go to Rayne to get some books to help himself learn more things." He walked off. "Willow of course tried to depossess him. She's knocked out. We did a spell cleansing as well."

"Wonderful. We need to all do one," the head librarian agreed. They went to let the witches do that for them. It did help clear their minds and they still hated Harris and his ways.

***

The one with the tower was not amused. He had felt his prey, his minion, his magical other half getting free of the past tower and was now with his new life. He had an idea who that life was, though he had tried to prove it and couldn't. That one was still locked in a large crystal ball of magic. Which was annoying as he didn't have access to that power at the moment. He'd release him but that would let him tell others. He didn't need that at this moment.

His lower priests came in to leave him food and wine then left again, staying silent. He knew he was pouty and angry. The lower priests were annoyed with him probably but he couldn't help it. He had to do this during the upcoming convergence night or he'd have to wait for over a hundred years and this body wasn't immortal yet. He didn't want to wait too long for that spell but this summoning had to take precedent.

He settled himself down in his permanent magical circle. It kept his magic from flashing out and bringing curious witches to see what was going on. He did so hate to remove their memories and send them into the rainforest to be eaten. He cleared himself and sent out a search to see if he could find who the new life was.

He found a vampire of all things. That was very weird. His magical other half was turned into a vampire? How did he still have magic? Well, that one did have magic apparently. Was he really the reincarnation of his helper? He felt of him. Not of the spirit though. "How very odd," he mumbled. He searched farther. That one probably had contact with the one who was the new life.

He searched farther in that city. It was a nice looking small city, with a portal problem. He frowned at that thing. How very annoying. He worked his way around it. That sense got sucked into the portal so he sighed. He searched around the area, not there. He felt a few traces of him here and there, but they were all old. How could he not be on the earth?

He had to find that new life and bring him home, where he belonged. To do as he said, to be spoiled by the lower priests, to be his again.

***

A few months later, Xander looked up from dealing with the current demon menace, shrugging at the two slayers and one priest staring at him. "What? Did you want to kill it for me? It tried to date me."

"No," the slayers said in unison, shaking their heads. "Not a bit."

Xander smirked at them. "Little smartasses." He finished beheading and stood up, brushing the dirt off his legs. "There, better." He looked at the priest. "Are you bored?" he demanded sarcastically. The girls stared at him like they had just noticed him.

"Our master said you have knowledge of a being he wants to find, Hunter," the priest said.

"I don't deal with minions and I doubt I'd ever tell anyone where someone is. I'm not Google maps either."

The priest scowled. "He thinks you know of his beloved and minion."

"Hmm. Yeah, someone like that I'd never talk about for their own safety." He looked at the slayers. "Want to take pictures for the others so you can teach them? The look on Kennedy's face is often very funny." They grinned, coming over to take notes and pictures for the other slayers. "Shoo," he told the priest, enforcing it with magic.

The guy wandered off muttering. Xander rolled his eyes. The girls smirked at him. "Yeah, that's protective. I don't give over abuse victims, potential or actual." They nodded at that. They could understand that decision. Weird magic users were dangerous to them too.

***

Xander had another nightmare about the time in the tower. The priests were fussing over him. He didn't want them to but they were presently forcing a bath on him like he was a kid who couldn't scrub his own ass. He was fighting back but the mage came in and stunned him so they could do that one part of the ritual.

Xander's third past life huffed and had to let them because he couldn't move, but he didn't have to like it. And they'd all hear about it later when he beat them. Then he realized they were going to try to sacrifice him this time. He shook off the magic and got out of the tub, dragging a few of the priests into the water when they tried to grab him. "That won't work."

"It will work." He looked at him. "It has in the past. That's why you're here now."

"It. Will. Not. Work," he repeated. "I'm not the right sacrifice."

"You're just scared," he said with a smile.

Xander hit him with a ball of magic. "Like fucking hell! At least then I'd be free of *you* but I'm still not the right sacrifice."

"I can fix all the things you don't have. Including that lack of virginity."

Xander shook his head. "Renewed won't work. It has to be pure. First time pure. Not remade." He walked over to get the book to show him. "See, someone else tried that and it destroyed half the world." He shoved it at him. "So you're fucked in the head." He walked off again, summoning something to wear as he stomped off.

The priests ran after him to stop him at their master's hand wave while he read that part over again. "Oh, he's right." The priests came back without him and pouting because they knew the price for failure.

Xander's past life had disappeared to a whole new area and was going to find a way to get a real life without that guy in the tower again. Or his minions. Even if he had to do magic tricks on a corner for a bit to make money. Though at least he was dressed. Even if it was a fancy dress robe. He sighed and changed it as he walked through a gateway, nodding at the guards there. "I'm not here."

"I don't see a thing," someone said dryly, rolling his eyes. Three days later that one got attacked by minions looking for a magic user and yup, he had no idea where the guy was. Thankfully. Those drooling beasts the magic users had on leashes were nasty and stunk.

Xander sat up as he woke up, panting hard. He stared at the beast staring at him and shooed it off, banishing it back to the nether realm. He sighed, looking around his room to make sure there weren't any more of them. Not yet but he'd have to deal with that too. That mage was an idiot in his life and he did not need that right now.

He had a battle in a few days and needed some rest. He laid back down. The dog came back to curl up next to him and snuggled in to snore in his ear. Xander looked at it and sighed. Then he flipped onto his side and went back to sleep. The dog wouldn't summon anyone. Probably.

It was nicely warm to sleep beside even though it was a bed hog.

***

Xander frowned when the dagger reappeared in his life. He was at an auction for Giles to look for things that the Council had lost. The dagger's box was up for auction. He was not bidding on that. He was sitting on his hands to make sure he didn't accidentally bid on that. A few people were looking at him so he quit humming again. The ones in there who realized who he was with were a bit worried about what that dagger meant.

Someone bid on it and won it easily. Xander was happy the museum had gotten it. Hopefully they'd keep it safe. Safely away from him at least. The last thing on his list was up next and he bid, getting it fairly easily. Only that museum wanted it and they were pouty but they didn't need another demon possessed item. They had plenty already.

Xander sent a message to Giles, who sent in money for that one as well. They'd mail them to the main Council house so he didn't have to deal with it. The last item up for bid made Xander stare but shake his head. He didn't want to deal with that.

Someone stared at him and he looked at them, shaking his head again. They bid and won it, but weren't looking happy. At the end, Xander went to make sure Giles had handled things, getting agreement so he left to go do his own thing. The museum person walked over to him. "Having a problem with all the possessed things the museum has?"

"We do?"

"Yes. They're loud and you have a lot."

"Oh. I say, that's not good news. The dagger, you looked upset, Watcher Harris."

"It's part of a set for a specific ritual." The man looked interested. "It's an ancient bonding ritual that's not from this realm at all.

"Demonic?"

"No. Could be done by anyone who thinks they have a soulmate. It'll permanently bond the souls together." The man shivered. "It's led to a lot of problems and I know about this because there's hints that some being that possessed me once did that. It's a blood magic ritual. If the other one shows up, it'll probably be stolen. At the end of the ritual one of the two usually dies by the other's hand and the dagger goes with them into the next life. And it's repeated every single time."

"So romantic but deadly."

"Tragic, it's not romantic. A lot of time it's used to bond someone to you that may not want it. There has to be some consent but it's not total and there's often a power imbalance there as well."

"Do we have any books on that?"

"Yes. There's a few in the current Council's library. If you ask Giles, he can have stuff copied or let someone over there copy it for you if you talked to the local museum people in Cleveland."

"That's not a bad idea. Thank you." He shook his hand and left him to sulk that night.

Xander looked at the other magic user there, shrugging a bit. "Have fun with that library."

"You could've used it."

"I don't think it's something I could use." He grinned. "But have some fun with it."

"Fine, Harris. Are you still Council?"

"Unfortunately. But it does pay the bills. Especially the hospital bills." He grimaced but grinned. "I've got books coming from another source."

"Good. You could use the training."

"I've been doing a lot of that. I didn't have full access before."

"Hmm. What about that ritual dagger?"

"It's from a ritual bonding set." The guy shuddered. "Yeah, not touching that. I've been possessed by someone who went through that. No thank you."

"The museum will have fun I guess." He walked off shaking his head. Xander went back to his new house that night, having some fun.

***

The mage in the tower was dreaming about his soulmate, and saw his past lives. That one made him wince. Of course his apprentice/mate/minion wouldn't come to him if he had a real soulmate! He got up to look that being up. He was a powerful mage, who had wanted that one for his gifts of course. He was said to be not returned at this time.

He thought about summoning him to possess him. The both of them combined would surely draw this new life to him. He started to summon the spirit and then time seemed to ...fold a bit. He looked around, blinking at the woman standing there. "A vengeance demon?" he demanded. "Why are you defiling my tower?"

"Because someone was granted a wish to stop that because it nearly destroyed humanity," she said with a smirk. "You nearly ended up being an open portal to have the earth invaded by that one's realm." The mage shuddered. "Exactly. I'm being nice by telling you this so you don't try the stupid thing again. Please?" She gave him a pointed look before disappearing.

He huffed, putting that summoning aside. Apparently that spirit was stronger than he was at the moment so he had lost the battle of wills to stay in control. He could plan that one more carefully. The summoning spell went up in flames so apparently he shouldn't do that either. He did so hate doing the bidding of demons. Higher gods, yes, fine. Wanted even. Demons, no.

***

Xander looked up and around the poker hall. "Thank whoever ended that for everyone," he called.

"It was a baby slayer in Brazil," someone called back. "In two years during the fighting to regain some of humanity."

"Great."

"Can't you end him, Harris?" He looked over.

Xander stared back. "Was that the guy in the tower or the other one?"

"The one in the tower trying to summon the other one."

"Yeah, if I run into him I'm ending him." He grinned. "Gotta be up here though."

"Point," he complained. "Well, if you go to Brazil or he travels...."

"Let me know. I don't want that douchebag." The demons who knew what they were talking about grinned at that. "Or the other one."

"We heard rumors of a bonding dagger?" a vampire asked, staring at him.

Xander grinned. "Yeah. It's in the magical part of the natural history museum. They won it at auction." The vampire moaned. "If the second one shows up, run from it. Really. The guy who was using that set was a super powerful, kinda evil cunt of magic. Worse than Rosenburg on a rip and he wanted to be a god."

The vampire just nodded. "Sure, we'll warn you if it shows up so you can avoid it."

"Thank you." He went back to the game. He ended up losing a pint of blood but that was fine. It would confuse the mage in the tower from trying to find him again.

***

Xander was back to dreaming, with that hellhound curled up next to him again. That soulmate asshole this time though. The soulmate guy usually rescued him from the mage guy, and he still didn't want him. But this time it was about their second life.

He had a slim, almost elfin, non gendered body that time. Well, he had a gender he just hid it completely under a spell. And this guy was annoying him greatly. There was a good way to break the spells binding them, and he knew how. He just had to wait on the right moment. Thankfully, the stuff he had told the mage about was being used.

The mage's group was on the outskirts of that encampment that held Xander's past life hostage right now. He pulled out a vial to open and spread it magically, watching what it'd do. Xander had said it was to take down a full encampment or a standing field battle. He was amused as it seemed to make them...grab each other and fall down to screw immediately. He blinked a few times.

"Well, I wonder where he found that. I'm thankful he did though." It let his group sneak through most of the camp. The only place it didn't reach he could lust spell so they were the same. That left one guard not affected, because lust spells wouldn't harm one who was vowed against sex. They stabbed him and walked into the tent the lesser mage was in, making him look up. "Where did you find that whatever-it-was?"

"Here and there. It's fairly common on some realms." He rattled the wrist chains. "Would you mind?" They undid those then the ankle chains and the waist chains they all attached to. The collar was last and he rolled his head around with a moan. "That's good. Let me get dressed."

He looked at himself then used the backed up magic he had to pack everything in the tent except a shirt and pants, plus his boots. He kicked the bed over. "Grab one of the parts. If we leave it here, they'll be able to put together the demon. The last part's on its way here."

The minions nodded, taking one part with them to go destroy it. "I do mean fully burn it," he called. "If anyone can recover it, it can be put back together." He looked at his master, pulling on the shirt finally and then grabbing the pack he had used. "C'mon. I need to go steal a horse probably. I haven't heard my mare in hours."

"She's on the line with the others." He followed him. "What was that?"

"A flower spore." He grinned. "It's doing this so it has stuff to plant itself in. Some day this whole area will be known for promoting fertility." The senior mage shuddered but nodded. "It'll also keep them for days by what I've seen so we could literally walk back before they got done." He smirked at his horse, who nuzzled him. "Hey, Pretty. You ready to get out of here?" He looked at the nearest stallion, unhitching him with a nod. "We'll take him, Pretty One. He'll make you have pretty, strong babies."

His mate sighed, shaking his head. "Great." They got near the boundary of the camp and the new horse seemed to stumble. "It looks like they're using an anti-theft spell."

Xander looked and fixed the shoe by taking it off. Then the nail out of the frog. Then he undid the spell to ease the pulling. "It shortened his muscle there. He'll be walkable and he can still breed her. We can work on that." He healed it and the horse nudged him with a nose. "I know, you're beautiful." He petted him. "You'll give my mare some pretty foals, dear." The senior mage sighed again. "What? She's a good mare with great training." He walked the horses past the two minions. "Guys, burn it."

"We cannot. It will not burn."

"Okay. Move." He let go of the horses. "Hellsbane!" he cast, burning the demon part with hellfire. He leaned on his mare's side, getting nudged by the other one. "I know, sweetheart. We'll figure it the fuck out." He climbed up on his mare and led the other one, who was happy with that. The others mounted and they went back to their present village to rest and fix the new horse. He was a good breeder for his mare.

***

Late the next night, that mage showed up in their shared suite. "How do you find those flowers?"

"They're silver, there's not many on this realm, so I went to Johnny." He grinned. "They're not that hard to find."

"I see. Can they be used in other ways? Such as a fertility ritual?"

"Yes. They can." He nodded, pulling out his spare vial to check over then nodded. He got up to dust some across his lover's lips, making him moan as the spores started to work. It made him suggestable too. "Summon Divena," he said in his ear. "Earn a blessing." The mage went to do that while that version of Xander got the guards to find a few women who'd want to carry a kid for their master.

He negated two for having illnesses and paid them for it. The other two showed up to help him. The other mage, the senior mage's former student and lover, was summoned already and complaining so he dusted them all. Then he cast a blessing on them. Divena glared at him. "He needed a blessing and so did you."

"If I carry, it will rob me of my gifts," she said firmly.

"That's only if you deliver and there's ways around that. Aren't you that clever?" The mage cast the spell to promote the blessing and pulled her to him. The spores started to work on them and Xander left, going to get a few minions to move his stuff to his former room. They did that and Xander nicely gifted them with a time stop to the room.

The higher being Divena prayed to added on a time speeding up when that one was done because he appeared to personally bless that child into being. Though she'd be having twins thanks to that. Xander's former incarnation knew that there was a prophecy about his master having three daughters being the end of his reign. So now he would.

He went to work with the guards on things. They had no idea he had skills beyond magic and some limited animal healing.

***

Xander woke up, grimacing. "Well, that was probably fun for him. He got to play with gods and drink their sperm out of his girlfriend's body. Yeah." He nodded. The hellhound licked him. He looked at him. "Thanks, puppy." He petted him, shaking his head as he checked the time and tried to get some more sleep. It might not work so he got a book to read through. Not a magic book, he didn't bring those to bed. Not since the day he had woken up sleeping on one he was absorbing. He read the Stephen King book to the hellhound, making him a happy dog. And hey, he hated clowns anyway.

***

Xander looked at the battle in front of him and sighed. "Crap." They had one major demon left. He tried to call up hellsfire. No go. He tried it again after connecting to the local magic. Nope. He tried it a third time, connecting like the past lives showed him. Hell no. Unfortunately.

"Fuck this shit," he decided, connecting like he felt he should. This time he had power. "Hellsbane!" he cast at the demon, burning it to a crisp. "Hey!" He grinned and felt really dizzy suddenly. "Ooh, I hate that feeling." He held his head, leaning on the slayer next to him. "Shit."

"Is that like you drained yourself?" Kennedy demanded while holding him up.

"No, head rush from the energy flowing out. It's like the dizzy you get when you puke up all the alcohol in the club's bathroom." She groaned but made him stand on his own. He was still holding his head. "Wow. Okay. Clean up the mess?" he suggested to her.

She looked. "You're explaining that a lot, Xander."

"I have magic. Always have had magic." She moaned. "I'm actually a sorcerer. I'm just expanding on what I know thanks to the past lives." He shrugged but grinned. "Willow hates it."

"I guess I know why." She got the girls to finish the cleaning up and stared at him. "You're telling Giles."

"Fine." He called on a video call. "Look what we did!" He showed the demon. "I had to call fire. This dizziness sucks and I can't link in like the books say." He hung up. "There. All reported." He grinned, stumbling off to go home to shower, eat something, and lay down. He really could use a good nap.

Kennedy glared. "I'm going to beat his ass," she told herself as she headed for the clean up fire. "Anyone else want to beat Xander?" The girls all nodded. "Good, someone find a map so we can drive up to his house to beat him."

"I'm not letting you drive at all," her boyfriend said as he dragged over another demon body. "None of us have a death wish, Kennedy." She glared but he kissed her. "More fire, dear."

"Fine." They finished cleaning up the mess and let the agents standing there handle the rest. Then they'd go call Giles to talk to him about Xander. The agents wanted to talk to Xander about his magic too. It'd be a long few days of trying to talk to him.

Especially since that mage in the tower in Brazil showed up to capture Kennedy because Xander had leaked magic on her during the battle. Xander's new canine friend got her free and back to the slayers before Xander had to show up to do it himself. The agents were not amused! They had no idea who this one was or why a hellhound had shown up.

One of the slayers looked at the dog. "Thank you, Puppy! You're a good boy." She petted it.

"It's a hellhound," Kennedy complained. "We are not keeping it as a pet."

"It's Xander's friend."

"That *so* figures," she muttered, walking off shaking her head. "Who was that guy?" She looked up. "Xander Fucking Harris, call me right the fuck now!" she ordered. She did it to her girlfriend at times and she called. No call from Xander. She sent a note with the dog, who brought a better explanation back. "Okay. That guy is a mage in a tower in Brazil who wants to capture Xander to make him summon Sybat. What the hell?"

The agents took it to look over. It had a lot of information on him and why Xander as avoiding him. That made some sense and they could put him under special arrest to make sure he didn't escape. Even if his minions helped him get free. They could also dose him with a tracking chip. Today's technology did sometimes overrule magic.

***

Xander looked up as he walked into his kitchen the next morning. "Morning, Ethan."

"How did you call hellfire, boy?"

"Not that easily this time. A past life used to be able to but the way the books talk about connecting to magical streams just doesn't work well for me. That's why I struggled." He made himself some instant coffee, staring at the senior sorcerer staring at the dog. "I know but he's very comforting. The guy from Brazil sent him to track me and he hasn't left to tell him where I am yet. He's nice to sleep beside too."

Ethan stared at him. "Connect to the local magic, boy." Xander concentrated and did. Ethan moaned. "That's ass backwards."

"Well, it works for me." He shrugged. "Could be that all I've done has twisted it? I mean, that possession during Halloween and all...." He smirked at him. "Two other sorcerers in the high school ended up magicless thanks to that."

"That figures." He tested him and his connection. "Well, that figures about why things are weird around you. Yes, it's the demon taint. Plus the openness."

"Not like I can cure that."

"You could vow."

"I'm only vowing to myself because I'm mythical."

"You're a mess."

"Slightly, but hey, still at least mostly human, right?" He grinned. "Nothing else would've ended that demon."

"No, nothing else would have," he agreed dryly. He stared at him. "Try to connect like the books I leant you said." Xander released his other one and tried that. "Now try it with your own connection." That one worked. "Shite."

"Sometimes? We're all a bit shitty though sometimes." He made himself more coffee to gulp. He got a ham slice from the fridge for the dog, who settled in to eat it happily.

"That's a new way to feed them dead flesh."

"It's dead."

"True. I hadn't thought of that being that way. Interesting." He looked at the boy again. "We'll work on refining that for you before that idiotic mage shows back up. He tried for Kennedy."

"I heard. Asked the dog to go save her."

He just nodded at that. "That figures. That way he can't find you?"

"Basically. I don't want him or the guy who decided I was his soulmate when I'm not. Thankfully I broke that cycle."

Ethan stared at him. "Which version?"

"Daggers and runes." He put the coffee cup down at the growl. "We always ended up dying somehow. Usually me but the last time I sent him off." He shrugged. "I was trying to break it and I did. I didn't want him and he wasn't my equal or soulmate. I really loathed that guy." He considered it then nodded. "Yeah, still really loathe that guy." He stared at Ethan. "I broke one cycle of his by having him breed under spores." He grinned. "I need more of those spores."

Ethan sighed loudly, rubbing his forehead. "How much coffee does it take for you to not be weird and offputting?"

"Don't know. Though you're telling me the same things Dracula did when he showed up so don't make me eat bugs, okay? Done enough of that." He walked around him to start cooking breakfast. "Am I making you an egg sandwich?"

"No, boy. I ate already." He stared at him. "What happened after you cast?"

"Dizziness." He looked at him. "Like post-drinking and puking dizziness."

"That shows your body used magic without preparation."

"Yeah, I don't usually have it pulled up."

"You should. He could trap you that way."

"And I can get free, Ethan. We are not a one-trick pony. Remember, I can use a few weapons too." He grinned. "My other lives were all elfin and slim warrior sorts. I have no idea why this body is so bulky." He looked at himself then sighed, going back to making his breakfast.

Ethan shook his head. "I've heard about your past lives."

"All five?"

"Probably. Rupert was most peeved."

"Yeah. He was drunk that morning too." He grinned at him. "I'm his third favorite reason to drink." He buttered his done toast and slid the egg on top of it then added a slice of cheese and put things back where they needed to be in the fridge, then turned off the stove so he could sit down and eat. He did get up to make more instant coffee before sitting down. Ethan sat across from him. "I reported after the battle."

"I heard. He's still drunk."

"Oops?" He shrugged. "Seemed like the thing to do."

Ethan stared at him. "Hellfire is dangerous, boy."

"I know that. I can't summon a lot or a hellfire imp." He ate a bite, staring at him. Ethan sighed in relief. "It's not like the time that life tried to summon dragon fire either." Ethan moaned again. "Yeah, I did a lot of that for days on end after wearing myself out and nearly killing myself but it had to be killed by dragon fire." He shrugged, eating again. "I've been working with them to list all the spells I used to know. The animal healing came in handy."

Ethan nodded. "It probably did, yes." He stared at him. "What of this new book?" Xander took his sandwich to get his journal and brought it back down for him to read through. He flipped through casually, frowning at the dream notes and the other things. "You used the spores on a battle encampment?"

"Fuck or die," Xander quipped. "Literally. And I told him to do that. He did. It saved me from being used to summon Gregoros' little brother in that life."

Ethan kept reading and sighed at the end, staring at him. "Nothing lower level?"

"I think I'm going backwards."

"What's your final strike?" he asked quietly.

"Depends on what I'm facing. A demon it's probably an extensive fire spell of some kind. It used to be." Ethan nodded at that. "Facing the problem mage? I think that would cause problems. So probably something like a void spell?"

"I saw that. It's out of whack."

"It's a final strike option."

"Point." He put the book down on the table, staring at him. "We will be working on this, boy."

"You can use my name."

"I know I can." He gave him a smug look. "I shall probably yell it someday soon." Xander grinned back. "Get ready, we're going to test your reserves."

"Fairly low after yesterday."

"I know that. That's why I'm doing it today. Before you destroy the world."

"I never had that sort of power. Higher leveled sorcerer, *maybe* lower level mage but not destroy the world sort. Which is why both of those assholes wanted me. They were both more powerful but I had things they didn't."

Ethan nodded. "I'd just like to strangle you."

"I'm not into breathplay, Ethan. A few lovers have tried," he said blandly. "They lost and I inherited stuff from them but a few have tried."

Ethan nodded. "I'm sure you did." He got up. "Let's go hit your garden area."

"I haven't done much with it yet beyond a few bushes." He put his dishes in the dishwasher, got a bottle of gatorade from the fridge, and followed. The dog came out to sit in the shade to watch them.

Ethan looked at the dog then at Xander, who shrugged. "He's a good dog."

"Fine. Don't try to play stupid either."

"I don't usually have to play to be stupid." He smirked and got to work on exposing his magic once he had reconnected. Ethan walked around him to see what he was doing. Xander settled into that meditative spot in his mind to hold it for a bit.

Ethan shook his head. "You're incredibly twisted magically, boy."

"Yup."

"Damn. I can see why Janus' spells worked so well on you."

"The deaging candy didn't."

"That's probably a good thing since that was your actual age." He considered it. "Create a small ball of magic instead. One to test things." Xander looked confused but tried. "From the orange book, boy," he sighed.

"I can't do that." He tried and Ethan got him through that exercise. That way he could test that bit of magic. The dog was taking mental notes but that was fine. Even if he told his master about Xander, they'd deal with him. They'd have to deal with him eventually.

***

Xander kept seeing the image of one of his former outfits. His favorite battle outfit. His former daily uniform. Or at least the jacket. And for some reason he yearned to have it back. Of course, you couldn't find that in any stores at the moment. He tried to draw it out but couldn't.

So he'd ask a poker contact to see if he could make a picture from his mind's image. It didn't look great but it was a great jacket. He decided to go play poker that night so he could get that done. He looked at one guy in the poker hall. "I keep seeing an outfit and I can't draw it. Can I imagine it and have you put up a pictures so I can take a photo?"

"That's not that hard." Xander imagined it and the demon put up a picture. Xander changed a few things and that worked nicer. He took pictures with his phone. "That's weird, Harris."

He grinned. "One of my past lives really liked that jacket for some reason. I have no idea if I'm having it remade though." He shrugged. "Thanks, Paully."

"Welcome, Harris." He shook his head quickly. It looked like something a video game character would wear. Harris was so weird sometimes.

***

Xander looked at his options for his jacket. The leather binders on the forearms he could find from a kink shop. Just made in a more supple leather than usual so he had movement. The jacket, which was a trench coat style but the front was built like a buckling underbust corset/waist cincher. Navy blue of course in that life.

The metal cuffs were going to be a problem. Those were mystical. A gift for taking out a huge problem. But they were built to follow him from life to life. He'd summoned them in one other life, but they hadn't lasted very long. Of course, they probably wouldn't fit this life. Those two lives had been skinny assholes and he was a bulky asshole.

Two of the cuffs appeared in front of him. He tested them and then put one on. It didn't lock, quite, but it had been his former arm cuffs instead of the wrist cuffs. It felt good though. He put on the other one and of course they were drawn together to lock. He pushed the unlocking spell. Nothing. He shifted his wrists around so he could reach the rune on one side and unlock it then got the other one off. He put them on the table and sighed.

"It'd be nice if you didn't do that." No answer, which was a really nice change at times. He pushed the cuffs back together and they of course chained themselves again. "I'm not into handcuffs. I'm going to put you over the arm binders, dear." Still chained together. He sighed, going to put them into a box.

The other sets he summoned, because he had three sets in that life, were also hooking together. He touched them. "Okay, kids." They went mute as he put them into the box. The jacket was going to be specially made. The leather worked for the gauntlets, which he was going to get from arm binders, went underneath the cuffs but over the jacket's arms.

It was his formal version of his look. Though he wasn't sure if he could go back to dress pants looking pants and a loose shirt. It was a bit not his current life. Maybe jeans and a t-shirt? He wasn't really fashionable and dress pants sucked for fighting in. He'd had to do that to his single suit he used to own.

***

After waking up from another night of memories of bad fucks given, Xander rubbed his face. "People, we need better lovers," he decided. "My current ones aren't that great either." He had a feeling and got up to look up the rituals for those summonings and how to change them. Subtly change them. Doing a missing mark would mean nothing worked.

Changing it too bluntly would mean that mage in the tower that wanted him back would realize it. Probably. Doing other things....he found a way and nodded, going over that rite until he had it memorized. It wouldn't summon anyone but it'd send the mage to the demon. Which may work just fine for his needs.

If the guy got pushy, Xander could summon the demon and shrug about that one wanting him. Not like he was a fit sacrifice. He had proven that and made sure this time to keep down people who wanted to sacrifice him for the hellmouth taint. Sacrificing him for any reason was not going to work. So yeah, if that demon showed up, the mage was a better sacrifice anyway.

He grinned to himself. Then he looked at the dog. "I guess being a manwhore was a good idea." The dog barked. "Exactly." He went to make them both breakfast and get back to magic practice. He had woken up new spells he had to make note of and then practice.

The dog stared at the secondary master. He was very weird to him. That was not how magic went as far as he knew, though he was clearly doing magic things. And it was working. Xander had summoned an imp who brought him dinner from his favorite restaurant in Cleveland so that was nice.

***

Xander had his new jacket, the arm binder gauntlets, and the rings overtop of them. He did the rite to activate and bind them to him again, making them glow brightly then go silent. Then Xander hid his outfit. He checked himself the nodded with a grin, going to the poker hall. The bartender stared at him oddly. "What?"

"Why do you feel like magic?"

"Because I have magic? I always have." He grinned. "The redheaded one really hates that."

He nodded. "You're not a male witch."

"No, I'm not." He beamed as he went to play at his usual table, which held Kennedy too. "Bad night at home so you're escaping or need help?" he guessed as he sat down.

She looked at him. "Aren't you supposed to be doing watcher things for us like take reports?"

"I have been if you send them to me."

"Watcher Carliss said he didn't get any."

"Yeah, he ignores all my reports. And everything else I send in. Including visions." Kennedy winced but nodded. "Giles does the same thing. Thankfully I put them on other areas." He got back to his new hand of cards. "Thank you for reminding me I owe you ten bucks, Carl."

"What is that hidden area?" the dealer demanded. "I will make sure you do not cheat, Harris." Xander made his jacket manifest and the demon stared at his arms. "What are they?"

Xander grinned. "I won them in a past life. This is how I wore them then. Though my last version of my jacket was dark blue. I wore a lot of blue in that life." He let him see the rings. Kennedy leaned over to look too. "They showed up recently because they're entailed to me. So no hidden area. I was just hiding the jacket." He hid it again. "We all know I don't cheat," he said firmly, staring at the dealer, who winced but nodded.

"There are those who would want to take those from you," the dealer said. "They would like to sacrifice you for that."

Xander leaned on the table with a grin. "How would they do that?"

"You have some purity left."

"Only for things like not screwing dragons."

The dealer frowned. "You have not a male lover."

"He's had tons of male lovers," Kennedy said dryly, shaking her head. "Mostly to relieve battle stress and to get weapons." Xander smiled and nodded. "Willow said they can't suck the hellmouth taint out of you." Xander shook his head with a smirk for her. "Are there any open ways they can use?"

"Not really. Outside the never screwed animals level, there's not a lot open options for that." He grinned again. "Even the more illegal things. I didn't have sex with a minor but when I was about fourteen I was groping with another fourteen-year-old. Which would count for that." She slumped, staring at him. "So yeah, I'm pretty safe from everything."

Kennedy shook her head. "That's so weird."

"We were at a carnival thing and bored senseless since the teacher wanted us to go on the little kid rides and neither of us fit under the height requirement. Which got us yelled at so we went to hang out by the other rides and the games.

"We didn't have the money to do anything so we ended up groping like some of the teenagers were to see what they were getting out of it. It was fun but nothing he wanted to do later and I didn't really get that happy either. Or with the girl that tried to join us. She was a year older though."

Kennedy shook her head with a moan. "Is that normal?"

"No clue. Since when was Sunnydale normal, Kennedy?"

"Point I guess." She frowned, going back to her cards. He checked his then anted in and won that hand, paying the one demon his ten bucks before anteing in again. Kennedy's mind was still stuck. "Did Rayne find you?"

"And was amused because all the stuff I've done and been through warped the normal layers of magic he expected me to use." He smirked. "He threatened to choke me for that."

The dealer nodded. "Many of us feel that about you, Harris."

Xander blew a kiss. "Thanks, dear."

Kennedy looked at him. "Have you slept with a demon?"

"Succuba and incubi count," he told her. "So would Anya since she had been one. They can't feed from me but it's fun sometimes. The night the past life showed up I had a few succuba in the club that had been trapped to serve the demon they wanted me to call up so I freed them."

"Does Willow know about that?"

"Why would I tell her about that? Or anything?" He stared at her.

"But she should know."

"I told Giles. The witches heard after she knocked herself out trying to suck my magic from me again. She didn't learn that the first time a few months before then."

Kennedy moaned, shaking her head. "Oh, that's what happened to her." Xander nodded with a grin. "Is she okay?"

"She knocks herself out by the way she sucks at my energy. It turns it around on her and sucks from her instead. I let the witches gather her energy from me though. That way she could have it back if they needed her help."

"Thanks, Harris."

"Welcome."

"Boy," some demon yelled. "What the hell are you wearing?"

"A jacket I'm hiding," he called back. "Get over it. It used to be my favorite look a few lives back." He made it appear and a few demons flinched but came to check that out. No hidden areas except the sealed pockets and they'd know if he had opened them. The rings got a look over too and ignored as gimmicky magical artifacts. They'd be seen that way until he had to use them some day soon.

One demon leaned down to look at him. "Those lawyers wish to sacrifice you," he said with a smile. "I can offer you a better position as my minion."

Xander kissed him on the cheek. "They don't have a method to do more than try to kill me, dear." He grinned.

"You have not had a male lover."

"I've had *tons* of male lovers. I've had twice as many male lovers as I have female ones." He grinned. The demon looked so confused so Xander smiled. "Like that guy in Guyana? Yeah, totally not innocent in most ways outside the animal sex ones. And them trying to kill me probably won't work either unless they use a sniper."

"But...you have not have many lovers. True lovers."

"I've had a ton of sex, dude. This is the longest I've ever been without sex in years. Since I took up with Anya. It's been a few weeks." He shrugged but grinned. "Xander is not that innocent."

"You have not spilled human blood."

Xander laughed, putting his cards down to laugh. "Dude, I lost that blood innocence at six stabbing someone who tried to snatch Willow. I didn't draw a lot of blood but I got him with a fork on the thigh."

The demon frowned. "No one can tell that."

"Can they tell I shot a few Initiative guys?"

"They cannot tell anything."

Xander grinned. "That's great to know. Thanks for telling me I somehow have a shield over that." The demon nodded, walking off telling others about that. Xander picked back up his cards and antied in again so they could get back to the game.

Kennedy was making notes for Giles because she was a bit of a nark but that happened.

***

Xander had let himself be captured, a tiny bit. They couldn't do anything. They couldn't even tie him down because the ropes fell away every single time. So they were trying to summon a demon to sacrifice him to it while he sat there looking amused.

The demon appeared with a roar and looked at the guy then at them. "You bring me a very flawed sacrifice."

Xander waved a hand. "They're stupid that way. They think I'm innocent for some reason, dude. I'm told there's something shielding me."

The demon stared, frowning at him. "How dare you talk to me, Human!"

"I'm Xander Fucking Harris." He smirked. "Pleasure to meet you." He made flirty eyes at him. "Go ahead and try."

The demon tested him. "You are not an innocent in the ways I could use." He glared at the lawyers, attacking them. Which Xander allowed and then he took out the demon himself with a light fire spell. Then he went to loot the lawyers and the demon's remaining body. He'd get a good price for the demon body parts.

Guards came in to try to stop him so he hummed as he took them out too. And harvested their things. Only one had been a mostly human guard and Xander had seriously injured him then blew a kiss. "They should really listen to gossip." He walked off with his haul to sell it then took the money to the slayer house, handing it to one of the younger girls with a wink. "House party night, ladies."

"They were going to sacrifice you!"

"Yeah but they can't. They think I'm a nice guy and I'm not." He smirked. "So they lost. And the demon had horns that sell really hard." She squealed, taking the money to order them chinese tonight. The girls all liked that. Plus pastries from the shop up the street and Xander let them get sodas too. Kennedy stomped in and slammed the door, letting the mini slayer bounce around to tell her about the house party.

Kennedy moaned. Xander grinned at her from his seat. "They tried to summon Kyle and didn't manage it and then went to his brother-in-law. Those horns of his are really expensive." He grinned. "But he did eat most of the London office of Wolfram and Hart for bringing him such a flawed sacrifice. Then I took him out. So house party." He grinned.

Kennedy stared at him. "How did you do that?"

"Not that hard really. Then I looted and harvested so you ladies can have a house party tonight."

Kennedy just nodded, going to check the order to make sure her favorite was gotten too. Xander sat there looking happy they were happy girls. Kennedy warned Giles, who groaned back. That figured.

***

Willow huffed when Kennedy told her. "I did that so he'd be safer from those things that wanted to take him out for all that!" she complained loudly.

Giles walked into his office. "What's happened now?"

"Something tried to sacrifice Xander." He sighed but nodded. "Apparently that shield I put over him to make him muted to them made them think he was too innocent!" She went back to pacing. "Not like they couldn't do it anyway. I mean, he's got a lot of innocences left."

Giles took his glasses off to clean. "No he doesn't, Willow."

"Yes he does!"

"Willow, he's had enough sex to invalidate him from most rites." He stared at her.

"That was only with Anya." She waved a hand. "There's others."

"Yes, which he covered with lovers through the years." She looked horrified, backing away from him. "He's had multiple male lovers. And female lovers. And had some sort of relation with a same-age cohort when they were both younger teenagers. According to him, he's invalidated everything but sleeping with a dragon or an animal."

"But.... No!" she said loudly. "He hasn't!"

"Succuba and incubi both would count against demonic forces. I know he's dallied a few times for that. The night his past lives came to visit he had six succuba to free them." She shuddered and gagged. "He's had multiple male lovers over the last few years. Both for fun and stress relief and because they had something he needed to help his girls down there.

"He's had sex while drunk, while sober, and probably under some pressure thanks to that sort of person." He stared at her. "I would've worried about his blood innocence but he did shoot a few Initiative soldiers during the second raid." She shrank down and ended up sitting against his desk.

"There's really no good way for anything to sacrifice him. I checked to make sure just in case. I didn't want him harmed in case something tried to get him to hurt the girls." She slumped, shaking her head. "That shield you put around him is probably a bit dangerous and I doubt he asked you to do that for him?"

"No," she sulked.

"Then perhaps you should remove all the spells you have on him, Willow. It's really most abusive of you."

"I was helping him!"

"No, you decided he was vulnerable and you knew better than he did about his own life." He stared at her. "That's abusive. You're not his mother. Also, he's an adult who can take care of himself, Willow. So just let the boy be. Tonight I want you to remove all the spells you have on him. If he wants any of them back he can ask."

"I... He's all the way over there."

Giles stared at her. "Tonight, Willow. Now, get out of my office." She huffed off to complain to the coven members and Buffy. Giles sent Xander an email to see what had happened. Xander sent back a report for him.

Faith looked at Willow when she was complaining. "Rosenburg, we were each other's first time back in high school. He had lovers before Anya." She shuddered, looking disgusted again. "And probably had a guy before then. I never asked but he wasn't clueless about a body. He was pretty damn good for that ten minutes."

Buffy looked at her. "Really?"

"I kicked him out and he went to save you guys from the bomb in the basement that night."

Buffy winced. "Wow. So legal by Cali standards for the age stuff?"

"Yeah. I may've been his first woman but he wasn't that new. He's really not now."

Buffy nodded. "That's good. It means he's safer." She looked at Willow. "I had sex that same year. You didn't get all huffy about that."

"No one's tried to sacrifice you and they will him."

"I kinda doubt that," Faith quipped. "Kennedy said he fought off one earlier because the demon decided he was too flawed. Took out a bunch'a lawyers."

Buffy grimaced. "Gross."

"The demon paid them back."

"Still gross."

"Xander ended the demon, took the horns to sell, and then looted a bit according to what he told Kennedy."

Buffy nodded. "Okay then. That sounds like Xander."

Faith smirked. "They're having a happy house night."

"Awww. We need more of those."

"It takes billions of pennies to get us all chinese," Faith joked. "Even for just the two of us."

"Yeah. That's why we go to the buffet place." She looked at Willow again. "I have no idea why you think Xander's an innocent guy. I mean, Anya was kinky and shared about how kinky she was, Willow. I'm sure you heard some of that since I did and had some nightmares after I looked up something she mentioned to see what it was." Faith snickered, shaking her head.

Buffy smirked at her. "You should've heard some of that." She looked at Willow again. "He's not innocent. I may worry about him getting hurt but it sounds like your shield thingy was making sure it'd happen. Is that really what you were going for?"

"I can't remove it with him all the way over there," she sulked.

"Didn't you put them on a statue or something? You did that a few times."

"He's still too far away."

"We can ask him to come back."

Willow slumped. "I was trying to help."

"Well, not all that helpy I guess. At least this time." She hugged her. "Just do what you can and remove the rest when he's closer." She walked off, leaving her to sulk in private. She did not want pulled into that discussion.

Willow sat there and sulked, trying to avoid the order Giles had given her. Unfortunately Giles told the witches at the house about it as well and they 'helped' her remove those 'protections' she had put on Xander. When Xander called in to talk to the witches about the 'protections' on him showing a lot more on him, they had to make her remove everything she had put on him.

He video called with one of the witches so she could see what he found. That got Willow into trouble with the witches because they found a whole lot of curses in his aura. One actually went to be there with him so she could report on what she saw. He kept notes on it for her, grinning up as he copied it for her to hand to Giles. She sighed, going back there to let Giles talk to the young woman he had tutored in magic.

It left one curse that came from that guy in the tower in Brazil but they could end that one easily enough. He had no subtle sense of magic. Neither did Xander, but he at least knew the basics of how earth magic worked as well. The witch freed the hellhound that was hanging around too when some of the magic led her to its napping spot in the kitchen.

***

Xander, newly free, decided to go have some fun on the town. He wasn't getting a lot of feedback from the former lives at night anymore so maybe he had gotten most of the memories integrated. His magic was okay. Though he could use a few weeks of practice to get some things down.

It'd cause problems if anyone caught him casting those spells to practice so maybe there'd be an emergency he'd practice during instead. That may work very well for him and keep him out of view. He wasn't sure about one of them not drawing that mage but maybe others knew about that spell on this realm. He'd have to research it.

So of course his night off was interrupted by arms dealers. One he knew. He smiled as he spotted them, waving a tiny bit but going back to dancing. He found himself surrounded by minions. He stared at them. "Really, guys?" One backed up. They led him over.

"How dare you acknowledge me," the man sneered.

"Sure, next time I won't give you a blow job for a semi-working weapon for the slayers, Bradley."

The man flinched back. "Xander?"

"Yeah!" He smirked and waved. "Hey!" He walked off. "I'm having a night off. Have fun since you're not here to take me out for some fun."

"No, I had no idea you were in England."

"Have been for a while since I'm officially the watcher in charge of the house." He shot him a smirk. "Have a good night, Bradley."

"You too," he said, sounding weak. "This could be very bad," he muttered. "The one we're meeting could be upset at him being here."

"We can ask Xander to move clubs," one of the minions said. He went to do that, smiling at Xander. "The boss is meeting someone here who may not like you a lot," he said in his ear. "Can we get you to protect yourself?"

"No other good club in this area of town." He grimaced. "I can stay over here out of sight."

"Let me talk to the boss. Maybe we'll distract you for the other guy." He went back to talk to him, getting a nod. They went to distract Xander on the other side of the floor so no one came near them.

The other arms dealer got there, sneering as he looked around. He spotted Xander being distracted and walked over to Bradley. "I see he's here."

"He's the local watcher in charge. I had no idea but he said it's his night off so I'm having him distracted. It's the only club in the area."

"It is," he agreed, settling at a table with him to go over their current deal. The waitress came over to see if they needed drinks, which they ordered but wouldn't drink just in case. She came back carrying it with her game face on. They blinked. "We know Harris," the second guy said. "Is that supposed to be sexy or scary?"

The waitress smiled. "It's a warning since we weren't sure you knew you were in a demon club." She walked off with their tips and the fees.

"I had no idea," the second arms dealer said. "That's very odd though."

"There's some in each city." Bradley looked around then at him. "The DJ is going to break soon."

"They can keep Xander over there?"

"I hope so. There's a bar even though he doesn't drink and they're not allowed since they're on duty." He wouldn't apologize for this location, the other guy had picked it. They finished up the tiny details before the DJ took a break and the ones distracting Xander had to take him to the bar. Where Xander had to stake something that tried him.

Xander looked at the one he had staked. "Really? On my night off?" The demon whined but got up and limped off. "Have a better night," he called with a smile and a wave at their back. He got a lemonade without alcohol and poured the anti-toxin into it, sipping it as he walked off shaking his head.

The minions were confused but they had that feeling a lot about Xander. He was a bit weird to them. They had no idea why he did things or how he did things. Or how he remembered the various demons. They followed to keep him out of contact with the arms dealers. Neither one wanted to gift him tonight.

Someone started to wail. Xander looked at that one. "Dude, it's my night off," he called. "Watch me find some Mountain Dew and candy!" The demon shut up quickly and ran off. "Thank you for not making me work on my night off!" He grinned and waved at the guy's back. "Have a happy takeover attempt next month instead!" A few of the demons in there giggled at that but they were happy Xander wasn't attacking anything tonight.

The arms dealers decided they were done with this deal and went back to their respective places of living for the night. They could arrange delivery times tomorrow over brunch. Where Xander wouldn't be drawing chaos.

Xander left with a grin on his face, deciding to walk back to the slayer house. He saw a bookstore and sighed, going in there. He could tell it was special somehow. He also knew that name of the bookstore from a book. He looked up and shored up the magic, grinning at the man behind the desk. "You're glowing other realm magics outside. Didn't think you wanted that?"

"No, thank you, sir. May I help you find something?"

"Do you have Grangates book on hellmouths?"

"Well, no, there's only six copies of that available translated and they're all in the hands of the Council."

"Good!" He grinned. "I hate that book with an everliving hatred since next time our invasion up the street will be coming that way." He stared at the guy then grinned. "I'm Xander, the local head watcher over the local slayers, sir. Do you have Sympathica?"

"I do have a copy but it's in latin. Why were you looking for that bit of evil?"

"I need the potion to stop the invasion. That one plus the honeydew and nightshade potion mixed together will take out those demons."

"Oh!" He smiled. "Yes, it's over here." He led him to it and gave him some paper so he could write it down. "Any other resources you need today?" He stared at him. "You're not demonic."

"No, I'm a hellmouth baby." He grinned. "The only one alive as far as I know since the one in Cleveland died recently."

"Oh, dear."

"Yeah, but at least I'm a training guy." He grinned. "It means I do get a whole lot of sword time. Or axe time." He stared at him. "Since I know who you are, you are more than allowed to show up to look in my reference library since I've got some off-realm books and some swords if you need one."

"Oh, that's kind of you but I can just...."

Xander summoned his axe, holding it up. The angel moaned but nodded. "If you need it, call on me. Not like I don't handle apocalypse battles all too often." He put the axe on his back. "And tell your other side that he's neat but to please quit picking on Kennedy's second-in-command. It's driving her to drink and drunk slayers are dangerously stupid. I hate having to rescue the girls. They hate it even more and then I get nagged. I hate the nagging."

The angel smiled, patting him on the arm. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Thanks, dude." He took his notes and looked at one book. "That's a copy so it's incomplete. The ink in it prevents copying faithfully. The library in Cleveland had another of those that's copied. By hand and it's still wrong. The main building has their copy but it's in a subrealm in the old library and we can't get in there to get to it thanks to Homer, the huge demon that had been trapped in a crystal. Our version, not yours."

"Homer?"

"Well, he told them to call him that. I'm fairly certain it's Thoraganata." The angel flinched but winced. "Yeah, why we can't get into that library. If you can, let me know? I need a few of the books in there to send to Giles in Cleveland. He's in charge."

"Rupert?"

"Yeah." He grinned and nodded. "They reformed the Council around him when the old farts got exploded by the First Evil."

"Oh, that's what that was." He sighed but nodded. "I'll pass that along."

"Thanks, man. Have a happy and let me know if you need me or the girls. I read that book you came from." He winked before walking out. That duo had been displaced. The bookstore quit glowing so he strolled back to the slayer house. He handed Kennedy the potion. "That plus the honeydew and nightshade potion mixed together, by someone competent who can cook and measure, which is not your girlfriend, will take out the next invasion in a few weeks."

"Good. Thank you! Where did you find that?"

"Specialty bookstore that got displaced. Their higher ups are really upset with them for stopping their plans." He grinned. "And I've asked one of them to please tell the other to quit picking on Britty." He headed home since his car was outside.

She went to email that to the witches. And that information about the bookstore. Apparently they needed to protect that area too. She was not liking things like this but at least it wasn't a heaven versus hell battle here like her book said, right?

In that bookstore, that angel was looking at his demon counterpart, who was shaking his snake head quickly. "This is most weird in this world. I have them as a book series based on a tv show."

The snake looked at him, then went to sit somewhere warm. He could handle that problem and leave that slayer alone he supposed. She was annoying but oh well. Better that guy handle it than him. Though it did give him an idea on how to get them home. There was a portal in that building if they could find it. They'd get home where things were less weird but a bit more twisted.

***

Xander looked at the demon staring at him the next morning, shaking his head. "You know very well I only feed you ham, dog." It barked. "I only have the one piece of chicken and it's cooked, not raw." He let him have a tiny piece, getting a huff for it. "Then go hunt down a mugger. There's plenty in London. Go eat an actual bad guy if you want something that fresh that's not ham." The dog huffed again but disappeared to do that.

Two hours later he got a call from a frantic minion that his former arms dealer boyfriend had been eaten. "Oh, a hellhound? Yeah, I've seen a few of those. One's been watching me too but I think it was sent by a mage in Brazil who seems to want into my jeans with me for some reason, Homer. Oh, sorry, Bradlin. I never remember names, you know that."

He sipped his coffee, staring at the dog who had reappeared full and happy. Then he listened again. "Yeah, I'm sure it won't go after the rest of you. A hellhound can only eat one soul a week and then the rest it needs raw meat. No, I'm feeding the one that mage sent at me to keep it happy. It's actually curled up beside me a few times to nap." He sipped his coffee.

"No, I think this one's a girl, not sure. Did it have the pointed tail or the more rounded one? Yeah, that's a boy." He nodded as he took another drink. "I can't get him out of the dog poop, Bradlin. Point. Well, I'd protect you and the other upper level assistants and minions really.

"Because I'm pretty sure some agent somewhere is going to realize it because they track such reports and show up to see what he's got on hand. Yeah, that stuff. I'd run back there to pack up and hide those you can and want to protect. That one guy...oh, that's his little brother. Sorry." He nodded as he listened.

"Sure, good luck and if you see the hellhound, toss food at it. Raw meat sort of food. Though some will eat cookies. One of the slayers adopted a young hellhound via Grandma's cookies." He finished his coffee. "Yeah. Have some fun and be safe in retirement if you don't find another boss soon, Bradlin.

"Thanks for letting me know and I'll let the slayers know so they can watch out for it. Maybe they can tame it since they're all bitches." The guy snorted but hung up. Xander sighed, looking at the dog. "No politicians that evil today?" The dog belched and curled up on his side. "Fine. That means I don't have to grocery shop tonight I guess." He went back to the book he was reading.

He'd be upset but that guy hated to be seen with him so he wasn't more than a temporary hookup. Not one he was expecting to benefit from dying. He wrote out a note and handed it to the dog. "Go get petted by the younger slayers? They're all pet happy and they love dogs." The dog took it and went to do that. He did like being petted. Xander sent a text message to Giles' phone just in case he overreacted. Then to one of the tiny slayers.

A slayer saw the dog appear. "Hellhound," she called with a point. "With a message, Giles!"

Another mini read her new message. "Xander sent it to get petted, ladies!" They squealed pouncing it to pet and coo over. It stunk a bit but it was a nice dog to bring that message. Giles took the message to look at and sighed but let the girls have their petting time. Xander's note had reminded him the girls needed more fun in their lives.

It also noted it was full from eating an arms dealer Xander used to know so it was in pet me mode. He walked off shaking his head. The bigger slayers came in to pet the dog too once the first one found out and told them. It was good for the girls to play with the dog. Even if it did eat souls on occasion.

***

The time had finally come and he was not happy. Xander was being hunted by the mage from Brazil. He wasn't going to win but he was trying awfully hard. Xander had a few extra skills these days and in this life. So he was having coffee in a small park in London when he felt the guy show up. He had felt him tracking him for the last few days and had sent the hellhound back to the girls to protect it, with a note to protect it this time.

He glanced up as the guy appeared, shaking his head as he finished his coffee and the page he was reading. He put the book into his jacket pocket, looking relaxed as the guy sneered at him. "Go the fuck home. You're not wanted in England. They do have immigration laws."

"You're mine."

"No. You used me before. It won't happen this time." He stared at him. "I'm not going to help anyone summon anything unless it's the fate of the world and since I'm a Watcher now, I'd know if it was the fate of the world. Especially with the visions I get."

The mage glared. "You do not."

"Yeah, I'm fairly known for it." He waved a hand. "Ask around, dude."

"You can still be made pure for the sacrifice."

"Didn't we go over this in our third life or something? You can't make someone pure for it. They have to already be pure." He stared. "Also, not the same sort of magic this life. Sorry!" The mage launched an attack but Xander had a shield up with a handwave. The mage stared at it oddly then tried again but the shield absorbed it.

Xander stood up and shifted his clothes to the hidden outfit and the magical gauntlet rings. "So." The man stared at him. Xander smirked. "Yeah, they came to visit. I remember *everything*. Including how pathetic you are in bed." The mage attacked again. Xander attacked back and the guy screamed as the spell hit him. "Did you think I'd be sweet to you because of the past history?" he sneered.

"You'll still fall in line."

"Doubt it. I didn't the last time either." He flicked a hand in the air, bringing his axe. The mage laughed at that but Xander was pretty good with it and did beat that idiot into the dirt. The guy wasn't the best at physical fighting and couldn't keep his concentration during it for magic. Xander stepped back, leaning on his axe, staring at the groaning man. He looked around and nodded at a staring officer. "He showed up from Brazil to supposedly sacrifice me," he called. "He's pathetic. You want him or do you want to get an agent?"

"Already called one, sir. Are you a known sorcerer?"

Xander grinned with a wave of his axe. "I'm your watcher."

"Oh!" He nodded. "All right. We don't have to call the house then. The girls will appreciate that."

"Probably. They do hate to get messy." He looked at the person running his way. "Do not," he warned the paramedic. "He's coated in magic and it's probably dangerous to normal people. He's a lower level mage who wanted to sacrifice me to summon some higher demon to give him power." The mage moaned and canceled the magic. Xander tested. "He put down the shields, but I'd make sure you don't touch anything and if you feel weird, get some help later."

The paramedic nodded. "Who're you?"

"Xander Harris. Your watcher."

"Oh." He nodded. "Demon born?"

"No, idiot born. He thinks I'm *pure* and he can sacrifice me."

"That figures with some magical using people." He checked his patient and called in for some backup for the magic guy. "Can we stop him using the magic?"

"Yes, but I doubt you want me to behead him. I wouldn't mind that so I don't have to deal with him later but I know you guys frown on that."

"We'd rather you not," the officer agreed, coming closer. "If he gets up...."

"I'm going to behead him," Xander promised. "Like I would a demon." He grinned at the guy staring at him from the ground. "What? I do it all the time. I handle battles." He shrugged but smirked and let the clothes fade back out of view. An agent came running over. "Hey."

"Harris. Who's this?"

"The mage from Brazil I warned about." He looked at him. "He thought I'd be a good sacrifice."

"Bull. You've had more sex and spilled more blood than some soldiers." Xander grinned and nodded. The mage moaned but thumped his head back down. "The jacket?"

"I had a great visit from my former lives one night." He grinned. "They were getting away from this guy in the last life so came to get free. That was their favorite outfit."

"Ah." He nodded once, looking amused. "Why?"

"Because it got them away from the sacrificing idiot over there. It sent them to this life for a bit." He shrugged but smiled. "Not the weirdest I've seen or handled."

"Point. You guys handle weird things daily." They got the guy into the UK's anti-magic system that they had created. The paramedic got him stabilized for transport. They'd handle this and clean up the mess so normal people weren't bothered. Normal people didn't want to deal with this stuff. Xander went back to reading and being amused. The guy's priests showed up to rescue him but the agent had enough of that and handled them easily enough. Xander did hold out a sword for him but he didn't need it.

One of the lower priests tried to beg Xander. "Please! You can help him!"

"I'll help him die. I'm not going to be sacrificed for any reason short of saving humanity."

"It will. He can once he has more power!"

Xander snorted. "Regular people save the world daily. He could do it already. He chooses not to and be selfish. I'm not going to sacrifice myself." He stared at him. "For that matter, I made that mess." The priest whined but let himself be taken off. "Bye!" He waved his fingers. "Have fun!" He went back to reading.

Kennedy was huffing up the pathway. "What the heck? Xander?"

He looked at her. "The guy from Brazil."

"Did he send that hellhound at you?"

"Yeah. It was taking notes but didn't get to give him any." He smiled. "He's being protected by the minis."

"Ah." She nodded. "I'm sure they're thrilled with the dog." She watched the mess being cleaned up. "You get to tell Giles."

"Of course. I made the mess." He grinned at her. "Not like you were here to see it."

"Good point." She looked around then at him. "I'm going for tea since you've got it."

"I need more coffee but I'll get up in a few minutes." She nodded, going to do that and skip out on the work. Xander looked at the staring agent. He smiled and went back to his book. Maybe this was the end of that problem? He could hope it was the end of this problem. The hellhound appeared with a whine so he petted him.

"The girls being bitches? They do that to me too." He let the dog rest against his side. "We should take a few people and go loot his mage's tower." The dog barked happily, his tail wagging. "Yeah, let me call someone to do that." He put his book back in his pocket and called a few watchers to go with him. They had magic too. They could probably use the library.

Xander got sent by the coven, who was huffy but agreed they couldn't leave the mess. The other watchers appeared. "Welcome to Brazil and that mage's tower. Be careful. He was a dick. Well, he's still alive so he is a dick." They nodded, staring at the dog. He looked then smiled at them. "He sent it at me so I adopted."

"That figures," one said quietly. "Library?" Xander waved a hand so they went to loot the tower of all the artifacts, books, everything they could. That way no one else could use them. Especially not Harris. Who was floating in midair to gather a few things. That worried them but they had heard he had magic. Which creeped them out.

They had to deal with it now. It wasn't going to stop happening. You couldn't turn off magic. Especially not when Xander was wearing magical artifacts on his arms. They had seen pictures of those rings and the jacket on a former magic user. They looked him up and yup, they were creeped out by Xander.

Xander grinned at that one, who shuddered. "The past lives all visited one night. They were getting away from this guy. Frankly, this is my vacation life." They nodded and got back to cleaning up the magical things so Xander couldn't use them later on. They didn't want to see what he'd do with it the next time the girls nagged him.

The End.