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.
Other Lives Lived.