Part 20
Wesley saw Faith reach down to remove her knife from her boot, his brain not registering what her actions meant until a few moments later. Once it had clicked inside of his mind, her movements were suddenly taking place in slow motion. He watched, horrified, as his slayer backed up a few feet, then took a running jump onto the stage her knife held out in front of her.
“Faith No!!” Wesley cried out, eventually finding his voice, as she confidently thrust her blade into Styjasimok’s chest, angling it up towards his heart.
Faith was only dimly aware of Wesley’s dismayed cry as her knife slid smoothly into the magician’s torso. Her aim was spot on and she felt his heart falter when the point of the blade pierced his right atrium. Faith immediately twisted the knife for good measure; she wanted to make sure that the magician was well and truly dead and there was no chance of him surviving her attack. Her sacrifice would all be for nought if that happened.
The slayer watched in morbid fascination as the blood poured from the gaping wound in Styjasimok’s chest, and ran down the length of the blade towards her fingers. Her first instinct was to jerk her hand away from the knife, but she found that she couldn’t; something – the orb, she realised – was holding on tight and preventing her from letting go.
Faith gasped in horror as the warm liquid came into contact with her skin, and sparks of electricity shot through her as the orb transferred itself from the dying magician into the warm and alive slayer. Her body began to spasm in pain as the evil seeped into every cell, but she couldn’t let go of the knife that was still deeply embedded in Styjasimok’s torso. Faith felt herself turning cold as her determined mind tried to fight off the encroaching plague.
It’s too strong. Faith thought desperately as her vision turned to grey. Oh my God! I’m not gonna be able to fight this.
That was the slayer’s last thought before her world faded to black.
“Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.” Angel could hear Cordelia mumbling over and over under her breath as the two of them watched, horror-struck, as their friend convulsed violently during the orb’s infection of her body and mind.
It finally all became too much for Cordelia who turned and buried her face in Angel’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably. The vampire gathered his girlfriend closer in his arms, his eyes still fixated on the horrible events in front of him. He saw Faith go still moments later, her head hanging down so that her long dark hair was obscuring her face.
The magician and the slayer remained frozen in that morbid embrace until Styjasimok’s body slowly slid off the knife and dropped like a lead weight onto the stage. The magician’s eyes were wide open and unseeing – he was dead.
Faith toppled backwards off the dais and landed on her back, with a dull thud, close to where Buffy was just starting to come round. The brunette slayer’s eyes were closed and her face deathly pale.
Buffy groaned; her whole head was throbbing painfully and she could feel the warm sticky blood seeping from the cut in the back of her skull. The wooden floor vibrated as something hit the ground a few metres away, and she turned her head to see what it was.
Faith’s unconscious form lay in a crumpled heap on the floor next to her. “Oh God!” Buffy exclaimed and struggled to her feet, intent on going to her fellow slayer’s aid.
“Buffy stop! Don’t touch her!” Giles’s voice rang out sharply.
Buffy stopped in her tracks at his tone. “But she’s hurt.”
“She’s infected.” Giles told his slayer as he reached her side.
Buffy’s eyes widened in alarm as she took in Styjasimok’s corpse, the bloody knife and Faith’s still body. Giles caught hold of her arm to steady her as she swayed slightly in reaction to what she saw. The rest of her friends were approaching and Buffy was relieved to find that no-one else was seriously hurt.
“Is she dead?” Wesley asked Angel, as they all stood in a circle around the injured slayer; his voice was shaking and his face drained of all colour.
The vampire shook his head. “No, her heart’s still beating, but it sounds really sluggish. She’s badly hurt.”
Wesley nodded, closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath; he knew what had to be done, but that didn’t mean he liked it. The watcher’s tear-filled blue eyes opened again and he turned to Willow. “The spell. Do it.”
The witch shook her head. “Isn’t there some way we could …?” she broke off and gestured at Faith.
“Faith knew the risks.” Wesley cut in. “She allowed herself to get infected by the orb because she knew, if it didn’t kill her, it would render her unconscious. I believe she did it to enable us to use the binding spell on her. We have to honour her decision.”
“We can’t give up Wes!” Cordelia cried out, tears pouring down her cheeks. “We have to help her! Angel?” She turned and appealed to her boyfriend.
Angel reached out, wrapped a hand round the back of Cordelia’s head and drew her close. He pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead. “Wes is right, Cordy. We have to use the spell, or we’ll have to kill her. She’s too much of a danger to others to leave like this for any length of time.”
“I’m not giving up on her, Cordelia; I promise. At least this way she’s still alive. I will find a way to help her, I swear.” Wesley vowed, his expression agonised by the awful decision that they were being forced to make. He looked at Willow again. “Do it.”
Willow nodded, and reached into her pocket for the two bottles she’d brought with her in case it came to this. The young witch shook out the purple powder from one container in a wide circle around Faith’s prone form. She then stepped inside the ring and scattered the clear liquid from the other bottle over the slayer, before retreating to stand outside of the protective circle.
The actual spell was short, only three lines:
Evil from the earth, I bind thee.
Vessel for this wrong, I enchant thee.
So two become one, I combine thee.
The air around Faith glowed a soft blue and her body levitated a few centimetres off the ground. The light was absorbed into the slayer, then she dropped to the floor once again.
“It’s done.” Willow said quietly, her face sad. “I can still feel the evil within her, but it’s contained now.”
“We should get her to a hospital.” Giles said. “Buffy and Cordelia need to be checked out by a doctor too.”
Angel released Cordelia and stepped towards his friend. He bent down, lifted her up off the floor, then straightened turning towards the others with the stricken slayer cradled in his arms. “Let’s go.”
***
Angel shifted uncomfortably on the plastic chair in the hospital waiting room. He sat next to a straight-backed Wesley, one arm around Cordelia, who was huddled up against his side with the material of his shirt clutched in the fist of her uninjured hand. She wore a hospital gown with his leather duster over it, and her other hand was bound tightly in bandages.
Angel could feel Cordelia trembling, which concerned him because it meant that she was probably going into shock. The cheerleader hadn’t said two words to him since they’d left the school several hours ago. He lifted his hand to stroke his fingers soothingly through her hair, and turned his face to press a kiss against her temple in an attempt to comfort her.
“Okay, we’ve got sandwiches of all kinds; take your pick.” Xander and Oz re-entered the waiting room, and dropped the packets onto the low table near the seats that they all occupied.
“Cordy – you hungry?” Angel asked his girlfriend; her only response was a slight shake of her head which only exacerbated his disquiet. He turned to the watcher beside him. “Wes?”
“No, I’m fine.” Wesley replied; the watcher’s voice was flat and detached as he stared off into space, not really aware of the activity going on around him.
“Any news?” They all turned to see Buffy approaching, supported by a worried Giles.
“No, nothing. You going to be all right?” Willow asked from where she was sitting cross-legged on the floor.
“Killer headache and this great fashion accessory.” Buffy replied, touching her fingers to the white bandage that was taped over the wound on the back of her head. “Otherwise, I’m fine. Be good as new in no time.”
The blond slayer lowered herself carefully into one of the chairs, and they all fell silent each of them lost in their own thoughts about their fallen comrade.
“What’s taking so long?” Buffy burst out after a few minutes. “It’s been forever.”
“The doctors know what they are doing, Buffy.” Giles consoled the slayer. “I’m sure they are doing all they can to help Faith right now.”
Just then the waiting room door opened, and they looked up to see a white-coated doctor enter the brightly lit room. “Faith’s family and friends?” he queried, as he approached them.
“Yes.” Wesley replied, standing up. “How is she?”
“Are you her next-of-kin?”
“Umm – well yeah, I guess I am.”
“Faith is in a coma.” The doctor told them. “We’ve done a CAT scan and can’t seem to see anything particularly wrong, apart from some slight swelling of the brain which does suggest some sort of head injury. Her blood-work is somewhat strange, but again we cannot find anything specifically wrong with her.”
“So she’ll be all right then, she’ll come round?” Angel asked, squinting against the fluorescent lights; they were giving him a headache because his eyes weren’t accustomed to so much bright light.
“That I cannot say, she’s in a deep coma state.” The doctor lowered his voice sympathetically. “I have to warn you – the chances of her waking up are not good.”
Wesley lowered his face into his hands at this; Angel reached out to pat his friend soothingly on the back, not knowing what else to do. “Can we see her?” he asked.
“We’re transferring her to the intensive care unit over at Springdale Hospital; they have better facilities to care for patients such as Faith there. It’ll be a few hours before she’s settled, so I suggest you all go home and get some rest. Go to the hospital in the morning and you should be able to see her then. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more; it’s just a case of wait and see, I’m afraid.” With that the doctor left the room.
Wesley squared his shoulders and turned to Angel. “I’m going to the hospital now; I want to see her as soon as I can. You and Cordelia should go home; it’ll be dawn in a few hours and she should be in bed.” The watcher nodded towards Angel’s white-faced and shaking girlfriend.
Angel nodded. “All right, but call me if there is any change, or if you need anything.”
“I will.” The watcher promised.
Angel gave his friend a brief hug, then crossed the room to gather Cordelia up into his arms. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” he said, before walking slowly down the hospital corridor towards the exit doors.
***
Buffy sat on the clothes chest that was positioned under her bedroom window and gazed out into the starry night. Her body was exhausted from the night’s events, but her still active mind would not let her sleep.
“Come in.” she said quietly at the soft knock on the door.
The door opened; Giles entered the room and crossed to sit opposite her. “You should be getting some rest.”
Buffy looked back out of the window. “I can’t – I keep thinking it should have been me. I mean, if I didn’t die that time with the Master, another slayer wouldn’t have been called and Kendra, then Faith …” She trailed off and turned her sad blue eyes on her watcher. “It should have been me.”
Giles reached out and took her hands in his. “You can’t think like that Buffy.” he told her. “Kendra and Faith were always potential slayers. You died and they were activated – that’s just the way things are. Two slayers are a good thing; the world would be a very different place, right now, if that hadn’t have been the case tonight. Angel was powerless to help in this particular instance.”
“I’m supposed to die first though.” Buffy insisted. “But Kendra is gone and Faith … well, I don’t know what Faith is.”
“She’s a slayer.” Giles stated, his voice firm. “I have to admit I had my doubts over her, even though Wesley seemed to have confidence in her abilities. She was always strong and a good fighter, but I wasn’t sure whether she’d have what it takes, to deal with being a slayer beyond the day to day stuff.” Giles squeezed Buffy’s hands. “Faith proved herself tonight though – she did what had to be done despite the consequences to herself; that’s the mark of a true slayer.”
Buffy nodded. “What happens now? If she wakes up I mean?”
Giles sighed. “Then we will try to help her, but if that fails, then you will do what has to be done like you always have.”
“You mean kill her.” Buffy said flatly.
Giles didn’t answer, just drew the slayer into his arms for a comforting hug.
***
Angel knelt worriedly in front of Cordelia who sat on the bed; she was still totally unresponsive to his attempts to bring her out of herself. He reached up and placed the back of his hand against her clammy forehead. Her skin felt lukewarm to his touch which meant that she was cold.
And dirty, Angel thought, noting the smudges of dirt on her cheeks and the scent of her stale sweat in the air. He couldn’t put her to bed in this state – he had to get her clean and warm first.
The vampire stood, picked Cordelia up, then moved down the corridor towards the bathroom. He sat his catatonic girlfriend on the closed toilet seat while he turned on the shower and stripped himself of his clothes, leaving them in a heap in the corner. Angel knelt down in front of her and removed her shoes, then took hold of Cordelia’s hands and pulled her gently to her feet. He pushed his jacket off her shoulders, then swiftly removed the blue hospital gown she still wore, together with her panties.
Once she was undressed, Angel guided Cordy into the shower, stepping in after her and closing the shower screen behind them. The cheerleader stood docilely under the spray, while the vampire washed and rinsed her hair.
Angel picked up a soft sponge, squeezed some shower gel onto it, and ran it in long broad strokes down her back, over her buttocks and along the backs of her legs. When he’d finished washing the back of her body, he stepped closer to her and lifted her arms, in turn, to bathe them as well.
To his intense relief, Angel could feel Cordelia slowly relaxing under his gentle ministrations, and her skin felt much warmer to his touch now. His groin involuntarily stirred when he moved the soapy sponge over her full breasts and across her belly, but he immediately tamped down his instinctive arousal to her luscious curves; this wasn’t the time.
Finally when he’d washed and rinsed Cordelia clean of soap suds, Angel reached around her to shut off the shower. Cordy turned to face him, lifting her sad eyes to his concerned ones. Glad that she was now acknowledging his presence, Angel cupped her face in his hands and softly kissed her, before taking her hand and leading her out of the shower stall.
The vampire wrapped her in a big fluffy towel and tucked a smaller one around his own waist. Cordelia was responsive enough now to dry herself off, as well as pull on the robe he handed to her. She allowed him to re-bandage her hand, with clean and dry dressings from the first aid box and then they walked, hand in hand, back to their bedroom.
Angel sat Cordelia at the dresser and dried her hair for her, since he hadn’t yet had time to move the mirror from her bedroom to his. Afterwards, they seated themselves, one behind the other, on the bed while he pulled a brush through her long dark hair, gently removing the tangles.
After a few minutes, Cordelia reached up to still his movements with one hand, then got to her knees turning round to face him. “What if she doesn’t wake up?” she whispered, her eyes full of tears that were threatening to overflow.
Angel sighed and lay back on the mattress drawing Cordelia down with him. He held her tightly in his arms, stroking her hair as she cried for her friend; he shed a few tears of his own for the slayer at the same time. Cordelia eventually quietened in his embrace and Angel felt her warm lips moving slowly against his neck.
“Cordy?”
The pretty brunette raised her head and looked up into his eyes. “Make love to me Angel. Please?”
Angel sat up, pushed her back down on to the bed, and reached out to untie her robe. Cordelia lifted her body so that he could toss the garment to one side, then lay back down on the mattress. The vampire settled himself over her, and looked down into the depths of her hazel eyes for a long moment, before lowering his mouth to hers.
They lay skin to skin up the full length of their bodies, and their hands moved slowly over each other’s smooth flesh, while they exchanged deep drugging kisses, their tongues sliding sensually over each other.
Angel reluctantly tore his mouth from hers, allowing her to breath, and proceeded to descend the length of her body pressing sweet kisses to every inch of bare skin that was exposed to his touch. As his tongue darted out to circle her navel, Cordelia closed her eyes and surrendered to the sheer sensuality of his loving caresses.
Angel moved lower, and she separated her legs slightly willing giving him access to her sex. Cordelia drew in a deep breath and expelled it with a long low moan, as his tongue lapped gently at the creamy essence that was flowing freely from her centre.
After a brief taste, the vampire moved back up the length of her body to kiss her again. He pressed her urgently into the mattress with the weight of his body, as his hands tunnelled through her hair. Cordelia opened her legs under him in response and allowed him to settle into the cradle of her thighs.
Angel let out a deep moan as his hardened sex came into contact with her soft, wet core, and he lifted his head to gaze down into her loving eyes. “I love you.”
Cordelia smiled and ran a warm hand down the side of his handsome face. “I love you too.”
His eyes never leaving hers, Angel reached down and guided himself to her entrance. Cordelia let out a soft breathy moan as he slowly slid inside of her, filling her body to the brim with his throbbing sex. “Oh Angel.”
She closed her eyes in reaction to the sensation, but opened them again at Angel’s quiet “Look at me baby.”
Lost in each other’s eyes, they rocked slowly together, Angel pushing inside of Cordelia’s tight body with shallow, barely there, movements. They kept up this leisurely pace for a long time, his pubic bone pressing against her clit with each slow thrust.
Their bodies became slick with sweat and Cordelia’s breathing started to come in soft gasps with the overwhelming intensity of it all. This wasn’t about passion or physical release, she realised; this was just love, in its purest and most simple form.
When Angel finally reached down and stroked his thumb gently over her throbbing clit, Cordelia came in slow shuddering waves, moaning quietly and clinging onto his sweat-covered back as she arched her head back and pressed her hips up into his in reaction, her heels digging into the mattress to steady herself.
Angel rested his forehead on the pillow by her head and groaned, his hips pumping slowly between her spread legs as he released his cool seed inside her in long drawn-out spurts. “Oh God. I love you so much.” he gasped into her ear when his body stilled and he sank down on top of her.
“I love you too.” Cordelia murmured in response, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck; he could feel the salty tears dripping onto his skin as the tragic events of the night overcame her again.
Angel lifted himself off his girlfriend and rolled over onto his back, never once allowing her to leave the shelter of his arms. He reached down and pulled the covers up over the two of them, as Cordelia snuggled down with her head resting on his chest and one hand on his hipbone.
Angel traced his fingers up and down the golden skin of her back, and listened as her breathing lengthened and became rhythmic as she finally succumbed to sleep.
***
Wesley gazed out of the hospital room window as dawn broke over the horizon. He looked back at the bed where Faith lay hooked up to every medical machine conceivable. Her eyes were closed and her skin a pasty white. The only sound in the room was the swishing noise of the ventilator and the steady blip of the heart monitor.
Wesley headed back across the room to sit in the chair that stood by the bed. He lifted Faith’s limp, cold hand and curled his fingers around her’s. The medical professionals here at Springdale had repeated the Sunnydale doctor’s grim prognosis; they didn’t think Faith would wake up. Wesley wasn’t so sure about that though; they didn’t know what had put her into this coma in the first place. The watcher was certain that the orb would find some way to awaken her sooner or later.
Wesley swallowed and tightened his grip on his slayer’s hand. He was almost hoping that Faith wouldn’t come out of her comatose state; the orb may be trapped inside of her now but, if she was awake, it could still use the slayer to do its bidding. The watcher was well aware of what the council’s orders would be in those circumstances, and he didn’t think he had the strength to carry them out.
He closed his eyes, steadied his resolve and vowed that he, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, would find some way to rid Faith of this infection, if it was the last thing he did. That would probably mean resigning from the council and going it alone, he realised, but if that’s what it took then he’d do it. This woman was his best friend and he refused to give up on her.
Utterly drained, both emotionally and physically, Wesley lay his head on the bed next to Faith’s hip, closed his eyes and let the rhythmic sounds of the machines lull him to sleep.
Part 21
“Cordelia Chase.”
Cordelia started in her seat when her name was called out; she hadn’t been paying proper attention to the proceedings, her mind far away. The former cheerleader got to her feet, moved past Harmony and the rest of the ex-Cordettes, and walked down the centre aisle to collect her High School Diploma.
As a result of the earthquake that had torn the earth asunder a few weeks earlier, Sunnydale High School had been condemned as structurally unsound, so was soon to be demolished. The Graduation Ceremony was being held, on a bright and sunny day, in an unaffected part of the grounds.
Cordelia accepted her certificate and turned around to look down on the sea of faces before her – pupils, dressed in the maroon gowns of graduation, were joined by their parents who were seated in the rows of chairs directly behind the Class of 1999.
Cordelia’s hazel eyes met Wesley’s blue ones and he shot her a quick smile and a brief thumbs up. She returned his smile, but it faded when her gaze fell on the empty chair besides him. She’d asked Faith and Wesley to be her ‘parents’ at her graduation a couple of months ago, knowing that Angel would be unable to attend.
Her friend, however, still lay in her coma and showed no signs of waking up. Faith had been transferred to a small unit for coma patients that was situated a few miles out of Sunnydale. Angel and Cordelia visited her every few days, sitting with her during the evening and telling her about their day-to-day lives, not knowing whether she could hear them or not. The nursing staff did not understand why the young couple always visited their friend at night, but chose not to question them about it.
Cordelia shook herself out of her reverie and descended the steps of the makeshift dais, returning to her seat amidst a smattering of applause. She looked down at the certificate in her hands; her childhood was essentially over and it was now time to make her way through the minefield of the adult world. She supposed she was meant to feel a sense of moving on, but for Cordelia that had really happened a few months earlier, when a certain vampire had rescued her from a humiliating experience in the back of her car and changed her life beyond all recognition.
Cordelia smiled to herself as she thought of Angel; the two of them would be leaving for a new life in LA in a few days time. They had thought about staying on in Sunnydale after what had happened to Faith, but Wesley had pointed out that no-one knew when or if the slayer would wake up. Their friend wouldn’t have wanted them to put their lives on hold because of her, so they were going ahead with their plans for the future. LA was only a few hours drive away from Sunnydale after all.
Wesley would be leaving for the UK on the same day. He had decided to return and gather all the information he could from the council’s resources, before resigning his post as watcher and continuing on with his quest to help Faith alone. He hated leaving his slayer behind, but he had no other option. Angel and Cordelia, along with the Scoobies, had promised to keep him informed of her condition, and let him know immediately if she showed any signs of improvement.
The Graduation Ceremony drew to a close and the crowd began to disperse so Cordelia went to join Wesley, who was talking quietly to Giles whilst Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz posed nearby for a photo that was being taken by Joyce Summers.
“Hello Cordelia, congratulations. Why don’t you join in the picture?” Buffy’s mom suggested.
Cordelia hesitated, shaking her head. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“Come on Cordy.” Willow called out in a friendly tone. “We should mark the occasion properly.”
Cordelia threw a questioning look at Buffy, who nodded, giving her consent with a slight smile. The blond slayer seemed to have finally accepted that Angel had moved on and Cordelia was grateful for that. The two girls were not exactly friends, but they managed to be civil to one another, united in some ways by the loss of Faith. Cordelia joined the little group and smiled for the camera along with everyone else.
“Just one more.” Joyce called out. “I think it’s about time for you to toss your mortar boards, don’t you?”
Cordelia looked up into the bright blue sky as her hat sailed high over her head. High School was finally over.
***
Wesley had been surprised when Cordelia requested that they go and see Faith after the ceremony, rather than heading straight back to the mansion.
“I was thinking of her and I want to see her – that’s okay, isn’t it?”
“Of course.” Wesley replied. “I was going later myself anyway; you should give Angel a call though and let him know you won’t be back for a while.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes at this. “He’s such a worrywart sometimes.”
“It’s hardly surprising considering the events of the last few months.” Wesley told her reasonably. “He just doesn’t want anything to happen to you. I think you’re going to have to get used to that; vampires are notoriously possessive creatures.”
“So is a woman with Mr Tall, Dark and Mysterious for a boyfriend.” Cordelia replied with a grin. “Any skanky ho who sets her sights on my man is asking for big trouble.”
Wesley laughed. “I can imagine.”
An hour or so later, Cordelia sat next to Faith on the bed, her friend’s hand held loosely in her own; Wesley had tactfully left her alone with the slayer, muttering something about needing a cup of bad coffee.
Cordelia reached out to brush a strand of Faith’s dark hair out of her eyes. “It was graduation today and guess what? I was actually invited to have my photo taken with the Scooby Gang! Wesley was there, but Angel had to stay home because of the bursting into flames thing.” The pretty brunette sighed. “I wish you’d been there too, Faith.”
Cordelia moved to sit in the chair by the bed. “Angel is planning a surprise for me. He thinks I don’t know – men eh? For someone who is usually Mr Stealth Guy, the dumbass vamp can be so transparent sometimes. I’ve not tried to find out what it is; I don’t want to spoil it for him. Just as long as he’s not planning to invite Buffy around for a threesome or something, then I’ll be happy.”
Cordelia paused and ran her finger down the scar on her palm. “That magician guy said that I was a seer. I thought he was mad, but my blood made that spell work. What does that mean? Will I go crazy like Drusilla? I know I should tell Angel what happened, but every time I try the words stick in my throat. He gets so angry when my kidnapping is mentioned, and it’s not like he’d be able to do anything anyway. Nothing strange has happened; I still feel like me. I’m scared though Faith.”
Cordelia looked at her unresponsive friend and her eyes suddenly filled with tears; she angrily wiped them away, and changed the subject. “We’re leaving for LA on Monday which means we won’t be able to come and see you so frequently, but I promise we will visit as often as we can. Moving away from Sunnyhell is kind of frightening – we’ve got to find somewhere to live when we get there and some way of making a living. Angel says he’s got enough money and to not worry so much, but I can’t help it. What if I don’t make it as an actress – what will I do then?”
There was a quiet tap on the door and Wesley poked his head around. “It’s getting kind of late Cordelia – we should be getting back. Angel is expec … well, he’ll be wondering where you are.”
“They both so subtle, aren’t they?” Cordelia whispered in Faith’s ear as she bent to kiss her friend’s forehead. “I guess it’s time to go and find about what my surprise is. I’ll see you again soon.”
***
Angel looked around the room; he was ridiculously excited and couldn’t wait to see her reaction. Everything was ready so now all he needed was the guest of honour. Where was she? Wes had said he would bring her back by 6pm and it was five past now.
Angel jumped when he heard her key in the lock and rushed to the door to intercept her entry. “Close your eyes.” he instructed, a happy grin plastered across his handsome face.
Cordelia smiled; he looked like a little boy on Christmas morning waiting to see what Santa had brought him. “Why?” she asked.
“Just because.” Her boyfriend replied cryptically.
“Okay.” she said and obediently closed her eyes.
Angel reached out, took hold of her hands and drew her into the room. He took her cap and gown from her and tossed them onto a nearby chair, then put his big hands over her eyes and manoeuvred her into the centre of the living space. “Ready?”
“I think so.”
“Happy Graduation.” Angel whispered as he removed his hands from her face and placed them on her shoulders.
Cordelia gasped. “Angel.” The whole room was lit with twinkling fairy lights and candles. A lot of their furniture had been put into storage ready for the move to LA, but Angel had found a small table and moved it into the middle of the room. It was set for a romantic dinner for two, with an ornate silver candlestick standing in between the two place settings.
“You like?” Angel asked, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck.
Cordelia turned around, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him firmly on the mouth. “I like.” she replied; her nostrils picked up the delicious aromas emanating from the kitchen. “What time’s dinner?”
“About an hour. Why don’t you go and get ready? Wear your red dress.”
“Red dress?” Cordelia looked at him blankly.
“The one you wore when we went to Lunar.”
“Oh that one.” Cordelia nodded with a smile. “Why?” she asked curiously.
“Because you look so fucking sexy in it, that’s why.” was the vampire’s blatantly honest reply.
Cordelia giggled. “Okay then – seeing as you like it so much.”
“I bought you something to go with it; it’s on the bed.” Angel called after her as she retreated up the stairs to their bedroom.
Cordelia opened the door and went into the room – downstairs wasn’t the only place to be lit by candles. Her insides clenched as her body reacted to what that meant. Cordelia shook her head and laughed at herself; it wasn’t like they hadn’t made love for ages, she thought, remembering their romp in the shower that very morning.
Cordy was getting much more comfortable with her sexuality now and taking a more active role in their lovemaking, much to Angel’s obvious delight. The vampire never made her feel inadequate because of her inexperience and was letting her take her journey of sexual discovery at her own pace, which only served to increase Cordelia’s confidence.
She moved over to the bed and picked up the small wrapped package that lay on the red comforter. Ripping open the silver paper, she pulled out a pair of red silk thong panties that were the same hue as her dress. The small triangle of red material had the word ‘ANGEL’ embroidered in silver thread across the front.
Cordelia laughed; she knew Angel meant the little gift as a joke, but she was not oblivious to the more serious message behind it – namely the vampires need to claim her as his in some way. She supposed it should bother her, but to Cordy it was just something that was part of Angel, part of the vampire that he was. Like she’d said to Wesley, as long as it worked both ways then she was all right with it.
Cordelia hummed a happy little tune to herself as she strolled down the corridor to the bathroom; this was going to be so much better than a dumbass graduation party.
***
Angel reluctantly pulled away from his beautiful girlfriend, took her hand and drew her across to the couch. “I have something for you.”
“Something else?” Cordelia was flushed with happiness; she’d just eaten the most divine meal of her entire life. Cooked by the hottest guy around no less, she thought as she eyed the simple leather pants and white shirt that Angel was wearing.
And then there had been the dancing – as well as plenty of smooching – and now? Angel placed an oblong velvet box into her hands.
Cordelia carefully opened the box to reveal a white-gold heart pendant, studded with tiny rubies and diamonds. “Oh Angel, it’s beautiful.”
“You’re worth it.” The vampire said as he reached into the box to remove the necklace. Cordelia turned around and raised her hair so that he could secure it around her neck. Angel pressed a cool kiss between her bare shoulder blades once he’d fastened the clasp.
Cordelia turned back to face him. “Thank you.” she whispered, tears sparkling in her eyes, as she leaned in to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she did so.
“So.” she said when they finally broke apart, her voice low and enticing. “I look fucking sexy in this dress, do I?”
Angel gave her a slow smile and dropped a quick kiss on the end of her nose. “Definitely the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my very long life.”
“So how about you show me how sexy I really am?” Cordelia said coyly, looking up at him from beneath her long dark lashes.
“Baby, I thought you’d never ask.” Angel said, as he swept her up into his strong arms and headed for the stairs.
A few minutes later, Cordelia sat on the centre of their bed, shivering at the predatory look the vampire was directing at her as he crossed the room towards her. “Wait!” she said, holding up her hand.
Angel stopped a few metres from the bed. “What’s the matter?”
“Strip.”
Angel raised one dark eyebrow. “You want to watch me undress do you honey?”
“Uh-huh, that’s right, so get on with it broody boy.”
Angel removed his boots and socks, then slowly unbuttoned his shirt until it hung loose from his shoulders. He turned around, shrugged the garment off and let it drop to the floor, exposing the broad expanse of his muscular back to his girlfriend’s hot gaze.
The vampire smiled in satisfaction when he heard Cordy’s sharp intake of breath, and detected the spicy scent of feminine arousal in the air. Angel turned back around and moved closer to the bed. “Is this making you wet baby?” he asked seductively.
Cordelia felt her cheeks grow hot at his question. How did he know that?
“I can smell you.” Angel answered her unspoken query, as his hands went to unbuckle his belt. “Vampire senses.”
Oh my God! Cordelia’s face was flaming. That meant he knew when she …
“Got turned on at breakfast a couple of days ago.” Angel finished her thought for her. “When I handed you your eggs and toast if I recall correctly.”
“Angel!”
“Don’t worry Cor; you make me hard all the time.” Angel laughed at her embarrassment. “Like now for instance.” he added, glancing down at the very visible bulge in his pants.
He watched as her gaze dropped to his crotch and her pupils dilated. “I do believe you told me to strip – shall I continue?”
Cordelia just nodded, her hands clutching the comforter, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. Angel released the button on his pants and slowly slid the zipper down, sighing as the pressure on his erection was lifted. He tucked his hands into the sides of his pants and pushed them down to his knees, before sitting on the chair near the bed to remove them completely.
The vampire stood up again, turned his back to the transfixed girl, and pushed his boxers down over his hips so that they dropped to the floor; he was now completely naked in front of her.
“You have a nice ass.” Cordelia commented in a conversational tone, breaking the tension in the room.
Angel looked back over his shoulder at her with a quick grin. “You think?”
“Oh yeah.” Cordelia nodded, with a cat-that-got-the-cream smile on her full lips. “Turn around.”
“Yes ma’am.” Angel slowly did as she asked until he stood facing her, his hardened sex standing out straight and proud from the cradle of his thighs, bobbing slightly with his movements.
“Full frontal’s not so bad either.” Cordelia added with a wicked giggle and a raised eyebrow.
Angel laughed at that and rolled his eyes. “I think I’ve created a monster. A monster that’s significantly overdressed.” he added pointedly.
“I thought you liked my dress.”
“I’d like you much better out of it.” Angel declared.
Cordelia put her hands under her and lifted herself up onto her feet, then stood up straight, separating her legs slightly to keep her balance on the springy mattress. She reached behind her neck to unclasp the wine-coloured dress, let it drop to her feet and kicked it quickly away.
“Fuck!” Angel couldn’t help it; Cordy stood in all her naked glory, clad only in the necklace he’d just given her and a pair of red panties with his name emblazoned across the front of them. “Come here.” he growled, raw lust evident in his hoarse voice.
Cordelia stepped closer to him and he reached out to clasp the twin globes of her bottom in his palms. He bent and buried his face between her thighs, breathing in the scent of her arousal. Cordy whimpered as his tongue darted out to tease her through the silk of her underwear. “Oh God!”
Angel pulled away, slipped his fingers into the waistband of her panties and drew them down her legs, holding the underwear for her as she stepped out of it. He tossed the damp panties to one side and hooked his hands under her arms to lift her down from the bed so that she stood in front of him on the carpeted floor.
The vampire ran his cool hands down the sides of her curvy form until they settled on the tops of her hips. Cordelia moved her own hands to rest over his, and met his mouth halfway as it descended to catch her lips in a passionate open-mouthed kiss. Angel backed Cordelia towards the bed as their tongues fought a battle to claim dominance of the embrace.
When the backs of her thighs bumped against the edge of the bed, Cordelia sank to the mattress pulling Angel down on top of her. Their mouths remained fused together as they continued to exchange frenzied kisses until Angel was finally forced to lift his mouth from hers so that she could breathe.
He cupped one full breast in his palm and lightly pinched the sensitive nipple, drawing a gasp from the young woman sprawled beneath him. “Angel!”
“You like that do you baby?” The vampire murmured, gently squeezing her soft flesh in between his fingers.
With significant effort, Cordelia firmly removed his hand from her breast. “You’re cheating.”
Angel propped his head up on his palm and looked down at her with a quizzical expression on his handsome face. “What?”
“I’m supposed to be in charge.”
Angel felt a broad grin spread across his facial features at that. “Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.” Cordelia nodded emphatically. “So lie on your back and behave, or you’re not gonna get any.”
“Okay, I guess I’m up for that.” Angel replied, intrigued as to where she was going to take this.
“So I see.” Cordelia joked, reaching out and running her fingers playfully up his hard length, provoking a hiss of pleasure from the aroused vampire, who had just willingly placed himself at her mercy.
Cordelia raised her eyebrow at his response to her light touch and moved to confidently straddle his lower abdomen. Angel could feel her damp arousal against his skin and immediately reached up and cupped her breasts in his hands, brushing his thumbs lightly over the dusky pink tips. Closing her eyes, Cordelia leaned into his touch for a few moments, before taking his hands and pressing them down on the mattress by his sides. “No touching unless I say so.” she instructed.
Resting her palms flat against his chest, Cordelia leant forward and nuzzled the underside of his chin, trailing wet kisses down the column of his throat and over his adam’s apple. Angel gripped the bed sheets tightly as she lightly pinched at his flat nipples with her thumb and forefingers and her warm lips traced a path over his chest. He was itching to touch her, but knew that she possessed the capacity to carry out her threat to withhold herself if he didn’t behave, so he reluctantly kept his hands by his sides.
Cordelia’s mouth continued downwards and the soft flesh of her round bottom brushed against Angel’s throbbing erection as she shifted lower to gain better access to his firm muscular body. The vampire let out a deep throaty moan at the stimulating sensation. “Oh Jesus Cordy!”
Cordelia lifted her lips from his cool skin and looked up at him with a wicked twinkle in her hazel eyes. “You like that do you baby?” she said, echoing his earlier comment as she carefully lifted herself over his hardened sex and settled back down on his lower thighs. She bent and pressed her lips to his lower abs before dropping a tentative kiss on the end of his penis.
Cordelia hesitated, her confidence faltering slightly as she moved into unknown territory. Angel lifted his hands and stroked his fingers through her silky hair. “You don’t have to do this.” he told her seriously, even though the thought of her mouth around him had raised his arousal to new heights.
Cordelia nodded, her gaze locking with his. “I know. I want too.” she said, before lowering her head and closing her lips around the head of his sex, sucking lightly.
Angel drew in an unneeded breath, closed his eyes and moaned at the feel of her warm wet mouth around his hard shaft. Cordelia experimentally ran her tongue along the underside of his penis, eliciting a loud groan from the highly aroused vampire. “Oh yeah! That feels so good baby.” He wound his fingers through the dark strands of her hair, but didn’t attempt to control her movements.
Encouraged and stimulated by Angel’s positive response to her actions, Cordelia took as much of him into her mouth as she could, before increasing the suction and dragging her lips back up his length until just the tip of his sex remained in her mouth. She set up a slow steady rhythm that sent Angel into orbit; it was exquisite torture, and it didn’t take long before he had to push her head away to stop himself from losing it and erupting into the hot cavern of her mouth.
“Did I do something wrong?” Cordelia asked, a worried frown marring her pretty features, not understanding why he had pulled so abruptly away from her.
“No, it was fantastic.” Angel reached out to smooth the worry lines on her forehead with one gentle finger. “I just would’ve come if you’d carried on for much longer and, tonight, I want to be inside you when that happens.” he explained, cupping her cheek in his hand and drawing her face down to his for a slow and tender kiss.
When their kiss ended, Cordelia graced him with her wide sunny smile as she straddled his lap again. “Okay, but I’m still in control.” she agreed, placing her fingers on his chest and pushing him firmly back down onto the mattress.
“Your every wish is my command.” Angel quipped, as he obediently lay back on the bed.
Impatient to have him inside her, Cordelia lifted herself onto her knees, then lowered her body down over his with a soft sigh of pleasure. She leant back and rested her hands on his upper thighs. “You can touch me now.” she told him, closing her eyes in reaction to the feel of his thick length embedded deep within her body, her face contorting with ecstasy at the sensation.
“Touch you where?” Angel asked as he watched, transfixed, while his beautiful girlfriend moved agilely atop of him, her cheeks flushed and her head thrown back in total abandonment.
“Use your imagination.” was the breathless reply to his question.
Angel closed his hands over her breasts, kneading them gently and teasing her nipples to hard erect peaks. A light sheen of sweat broke out over Cordelia’s body in response to his ministrations and she began to gasp out soft cries of encouragement. “Oh Angel! Yes! Like that! Oh God!”
Angel ran his fingers teasingly down the length of her torso, smiling as the muscles of her lower abdomen twitched under his feather light caresses. Her pace atop of him quickened and she began to ride him hard, her cries of passion increasing in volume as she lost herself in the pleasure invoked by his erotic touch. Gripping her waist tightly, Angel began to thrust his hips upwards, ramming himself forcibly into her hot wet core as the demands of his body overwhelmed him.
When he sensed his orgasm approaching, Angel reached down and pressed Cordelia’s sensitised clit firmly against the joining of their bodies, causing her to immediately crash over the edge with a loud yell of his name. “Angel!”
Angel followed her into oblivion mere moments later. “Oh God Cordy, Yes!” he cried out, arching his head back as her inner muscles tightened around him like a vice, milking him of his essence.
Still breathing heavily, Cordelia lifted herself off the sated vampire before collapsing against his chest. She tucked her head under his chin and covered his body with hers, wrapping herself around him like a warm blanket. Angel enfolded her soft curvy form in the circle of his arms and kissed the top of her head.
“I love you.” Cordelia murmured drowsily against his neck; there was a brief pause, then she spoke again. “That was fun – can we do it again?”
Angel chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Raging nympho” he affectionately teased her, his groin already starting to stir with renewed arousal.
“I’m in control this time though.” he added. “Turnabout is fair play after all.”