Backfire - Spander Files

“That one was free, boy. Just the return favor. The next one, you’ll be
expecting…and needing. I’ll kill you then. Unless, of course, you’d rather I kill you
now. Would be quick and easy, if you want death now. And all you have to do…,“
Xander’s body shivered as Angel’s tongue stroked his ear, “…is ask for it.“
Xander sucked in a large breath of air and choked on it, coughing into the sheets.
He turned his head so that he was looking into Angel’s cold heavy brown eyes.
“Angel,” Xander began, his voice more steady than he expected, “within twentyfour
hours, one of us will be dead. I honestly don’t know which one. But I can
guarantee you one thing. If it’s me…it won’t be you who does it. You won’t hear
me asking for it. Ever.”
“We’ll see.” Angel grabbed Xander’s left hand briefly, then he was gone.
Xander’s body gave up on him. He slipped from the bed and crumpled onto the
floor. Noticing his hand was closed in a fist, he opened it and found a small silver
key pressed into his palm.
Then, without giving much thought to anything else, Xander passed out.
18
Sacrifice
When Xander woke up, nothing had changed. He was still crumpled on the dirty
floor. A key was still held in his hand. And a pool of blood had spread out beneath
him, coating his right hip. The pain scorched his body like smoldering coals and he
smelled of blood and semen and death.
His stomach lurched a warning just once, then he was throwing up vodka and fruit
punch and cake. After several long minutes, Xander made an attempt to stand up,