Part 8
Once Cordelia reached Angel’s suite, away from prying eyes, she took a real pain killer. It had been days since her last vision but the harsh glare of the sun aggravated the headache that never quite left her anymore. She slowly stripped out of her clothes.
Her aching back reminding her why she should never go rollerblading again, it probably wouldn’t have been so bad if she’d been capable of standing upright with skates on. It hadn’t sounded complicated when Brian first suggested it. After all, it was the kind of activity people her age did all the time.
Her hand dipped into the hot foamy water, testing its temperature. “Mmm perfect.” She stepped into the tub and eased into it with a hiss. She rested her head against the steamy tile, letting her eyes drift.
It wasn’t as comfortable as her bath tub and there was no Dennis to add just the right amount of bubble bath, but it would do. She adjusted her position, wishing she’d remembered to bring her bath pillow in with her. Dennis would have gotten it for her.
“Cordelia?”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to go out tonight? I mean umm go out with all of us?”
“I told you I’ll be fine. I AM going dancing with Brian.”
“I meant out to dinner. We thought you might like to try that French restaurant.”
“Really?”
“Yes”
“Who’s buying?”
“I am.”
Cordelia sat up. “What have you done wrong now?”
“I haven’t done anything. I thought it might be nice if we all did something together. You know since the male bonding didn’t go so well.”
“Oh. OK. We can go as soon as the sun sets.”
“Great.”
“Angel?”
“Yes”
“Can you bring me my bath pillow?”
“Your what?”
“My bath pillow, it’s in my red suitcase under the bed.”
“You want me to bring it in there?”
“No. I want you to stand on the other side of the door and just hold it. Yes I want you to bring it in here.”
“But aren’t you… naked?”
She lowered her body under the water and rearranged the bubbles, making sure she was covered. “It’s okay. I’m taking a bubble bath.” Her eyebrow arched at what sounded like a groan. “Did you find it?”
“I’ll go get.”
She waited impatiently. She knew it was the only thing still left in her bag. Everything else had been unpacked. He couldn’t possibly miss it. “Angel?” The water sloshed at her jump as the door suddenly creaked open.
“I thought you got lost.” She reached out for the pillow. Her skin flushed pink from more than just the heat of the water. Angel’s intense gaze sent shivers down her spine. Her voice came out almost as a whisper. “Can I have my pillow?”
Angel knew he was staring but was unable to stop. Soft sun-kissed skin peeked out at him. Only her knees, one arm and everything above her shoulders were visible and it was the most erotic sight imaginable. His hands itched to slip beneath the bubbly surface to discover the beauty so temptingly hidden.
“You’re letting all the hot air out.” She meant her voice to sound annoyed but it came out husky instead.
He kicked the door shut behind him, shutting out logic and reason. All he was aware of was Cordelia lying naked in a bubble bath only two feet away from him.
Cordelia felt so vulnerable. It was almost as frightening as it was exhilarating, but neither emotion was something she was prepared to acknowledge. “You can hand me my pillow any time now.” The amusement of their situation finally catching up with her, “Or aren’t you finished staring yet?”
“Not yet.” He shook his head. “I mean I…” He saw the laughter dancing behind her eyes. Angel wanted the darkened desire he’d seen a flash of only moments ago back. He stepped closer and dropped to his knees. He watched in satisfaction as her eyes darkened and her tongue sensuously licked her lips. “Lift your head.”
She gulped. Unable to speak, she lifted her head.
Angel slipped the pillow into place. “There you go.” He tucked a lock of damp hair behind her ear. “Are you feeling any better?”
Still unable to speak, she slowly nodded, her eyes glued to his.
His gaze dropped to study the disappearing bubbles. “How’s the water.” He heard the sharp intake of air when he dipped his hand into the tub. “It’s nice and hot. That should help loosen up your muscles.”
“Uh huh.” His index finger traced a shiver up her arm, causing her breath to deepen and her pulse to race faster. “Angel?”
“Hmm?”
Strong fingers began massaging her shoulder. Cordelia found her body moving, twisting so her back was against the side of the tub. His other hand joined its twin in turning her into a trembling mass of quivering flesh. Her mind couldn’t quite catch up with what was happening. She should object. She should tell him to get out.
The situation went beyond a friendly gesture. This was intimate. Hints of what might follow whispered in her ear. He urged her forward, pressing her chest to her knees, as his hands kneaded lower.
Angel couldn’t make his hands stop even if he wanted to. The sight of his shirt sleeves disappearing beneath the surface of the water didn’t upset him. Rolling them up meant stopping, something he could not do. He felt corded muscles loosen and grow smooth under his fingertips.
She bit back a groan of disappointment when his hands stopped their gradual descent. A soft moan did escape as the muscles of her lower back turned supple. The image of a lump of clay being molded by expert hands into something beautiful flashed through her mind.
Angel’s eyes tracked the winding path a drop of water took as it rolled down her back, desperately wanting to retrace it with his tongue. His hands moved up. He savored the way she arched into his touch. His fingers wrapped around her ribcage so close to the plump flesh of her breasts as his thumbs worked their magic along her spine. Her back arched further and a low moan escaped her lips sending sparks straight to his groin.
“How.. how is your back now?” Eyes almost black with desire peeked over her shoulder at him.
“All better.” Her hungry gaze dropped to his lips. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
He smiled, despite how tight his pants had become. “A husband should take care of his wife.”
Husband. The word hit her like a bucket of ice water. Who he was, who she was, their situation, their past together and separate came flooding back, and it forced her to remember why nothing could happen. Casual sex would cement their bond forever. A small voice whispered it meant more to her but the voice was promptly squashed silencing it.
“I think you better leave now. I have to finish my bath and my bubbles are disappearing.”
“Cor..”
She averted her eyes. “Please?”
He didn’t want to leave but he wouldn’t refuse her pleading tone. “OK.”
She waited until the door closed to uncurl and lie back in the tub. She tried to block out her speeding thoughts and the aching need humming through her veins. This was Angel, Buffy’s Angel, Darla’s Angel, the world’s champion.
He was NOT hers, never hers. It was simply a sexy situation devoid of any real emotion. It’d been a very long time since a man touched her in such an intimate way. It had been even longer for Angel. His soul was permanent now but as far as she knew, he hadn’t taken advantage of his non-eunuch status yet. The raw hunger she’d seen in his eyes wasn’t really about her.
It was about him. For some unknown reason the realization failed to comfort her.
Angel paced in front of the closed bathroom door. Kicking the door open, picking up a wet naked Cordelia and throwing her on the bed would NOT be a good idea. Wesley advised him not to push Cordelia too fast, although he was sure this wasn’t the type of situation the new boss of Angel Investigations had been referring to.
Lorne advised him to show Cordelia why he was the better man for her. Neither of his advisors would approve of his instinct. He gripped the doorframe, his knuckles turning white. He would NOT do anything stupid. He would NOT do anything that might ruin their truce. Forcing his dead lungs to take in air, he willed his tense muscles to relax, all of them.
Cordelia tried to regain control of her thoughts without much success. Images of Angel breaking down the door to get to her, to take her, to devour her.. in a non-vampire way floated through her mind. Her pulse refused to slow. Her breathing only grew deeper as the images changed. Angel tossing her on the bed, filling her, thrusting wildly while whispering words in her ear, beautiful, need, feel, good, hard, hot… and love.
She shook her head willing the unwanted thoughts away. She had a nice guy in her life. Brian was perfect for her. She enjoyed his company. Hell she had gone rollerblading to make him happy. Brian was who she wanted to be with. He was the one who should be throwing her down on the bed, not Angel.
Her hand slipped beneath the water, fingers parting slick folds. A gasp caught in the back of her throat. Her imagined lover’s hand teased the engorged nub, stroking and pinching. The water rippled, waves gently lapping against porcelain.
Her lover increased his sweet torment. Imaginary yet insistent fingers were replaced by lips and a skilled tongue. Her legs trembled and shook, water splashing. The cruel teasing mouth was soon replaced by something wonderfully hard and thick. Her back arched, lungs gasping.
“Oh god! Angel!” Eyes flew open as she sat up, the water sloshing at the sudden movement. Panting, “oh god. No. Please no.” She glanced at the door, silently praying Angel wasn’t out there, secretly praying he was.
Angel lifted his forehead off the wooden barrier. Instead of doing what every fiber of his being was screaming at him to do, he stiffly fled his suite. He hurried to another room, quickly stripped from his clothes, stepped into the shower and turned the cold water on full blast.
He stood under the frigid spray groaning. He couldn’t allow himself to grab Cordelia and throw her down on the bed. She was better than that. She was better than Darla.
He could no longer deny the truth. His jealousy, his need for her was fueled by more than just his fear of losing her. He was in love with Cordelia Chase, his seer, his best friend, his wife. Lorne was right. Childish comments and a petulant attitude would not win her heart. Pushing down his feelings of inadequacy, he decided to fight for her. His fist slammed into the shower wall.
“Cordelia will be mine.” He knew she desired him at the very least. That knowledge boosted his confidence somewhat.
“Oh god. No. Please no.”
She may desire him but he also knew that she wasn’t happy about it. He had a hard road ahead of him. His gaze lowering, he groaned, “Very hard.”
***
Cordelia was pretty proud of herself. She managed not to turn beet red when Angel returned. Her hands nervously smoothed out imaginary wrinkles in her new outfit. Realization struck. She was wearing Angel’s bribery clothes. She could feel her cheeks start to burn.
“You look beautiful.”
Her face burned brighter. “Thank you.” She forced herself to make eye contact. “Why is your hair wet?”
His hand unconsciously flew to his head. “Oh. I uh I took a shower in one of the other rooms. I umm didn’t want to rush you.”
She knew her face must have gone past red and turned purple. “Well I’ll give you some privacy so you can change.”
He glanced down at his clothes. He’d been in too great of a rush to remember to bring a change of clothes. “Thanks.”
Her hand paused on the handle of the French door, happy for the distraction. “What happened to the old set of doors?”
His stomach clenched. “What?”
“These doors are almost identical. I didn’t even notice they were different at first. When did you replace them? What happened to the other set?”
The memory of his night with Darla replayed in his head. He sat down on the bed, the same bed he shared with Darla, the same bed he now shared with Cordelia. “I… The night… I threw someone, someone evil, through the glass doors. I took those from another suite.”
“I take it this fight happened during the I’m-an-asshole phase?”
He couldn’t quite meet her eyes. “Yes.”
“It wasn’t a lawyer, was it?”
“No.”
“Someone non-human?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I take it you won since you’re, you know, sitting there and all.”
“I… I learned a valuable lesson that night.”
“What..”
“I really should get dressed if we’re going out to dinner.”
She forced a plastic smile onto her face. “Yeah we have to get back before Brian comes to pick me up.”
His self-loathing surged through him, his lies still fresh on his tongue challenging his new resolve. “You could invite him to join us.”
“Really? You wouldn’t mind?” Words that should have pleased her made her plastic smile even more brittle.
“You seem to like him. Maybe it’s time we got to know him.” His heart ached but without a doubt she deserved better than a lying worthless vampire.
“Thanks but I think we’ll save that particular joy for another time. Besides it will be nice for the four of us to do something together. I’ll go check on Wes and Gunn. They’re probably fighting over who gets to sit shotgun.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes to help referee.”
“There’s no need. I can settle it in one sentence. They’re both sitting in the backseat.”
Angel watched her walk through the French doors, through the outer room and out the door. “I really am a bastard.”
***
Angel’s gaze kept straying from the road. He kept glancing over at Cordelia. The sound of Wesley and Gunn’s bickering drifted forward from the backseat.
“That doesn’t count. I was much too intoxicated for that game to be considered a proper rematch.”
“You’re only sayin’ that because you lost.”
“If you hadn’t cheated by encouraging me to drink, I would have won. Again.”
“Cheated? I don’t think so, English. I don’t remember pourin’ beer down your throat. I don’t remember forcing you to slam shots either.”
“Will you two shut up already? You’re both dart-throwing masters of the universe, okay?”
Gunn nudged Wesley. “Barbie called me master of the universe.”
“I believe her comment referred to both of us.”
“Yeah but she..”
“Shut up!” She turned in her seat, pinning them with her glare. “Don’t make me tell Angel to pull this car over.” She grinned at their muttered apologies. “That’s better. If you’re really good tonight, you may both have dessert.”
“What did you have in mind?” Gunn leered at her.
“You’re such a perv.” Her smile widened, belying her words.
Angel gripped the steering wheel tighter. Knowing if the conversation going on around him continued, he might have to replace another cracked steering wheel. “If all of you are finished, we’re here.” He parked along the street.
The four filed out of the car. “Wes, as the boss, it’s your job to go find the owner and get us a table.”
“It looks rather crowded.”
“Be firm. We saved the guy’s daughter.”
“I realize that, Cordelia. Might I remind you, he paid us for that.”
“Pfft. We’re not asking for a free dinner. We just want a table. Now scoot.”
“Very well.”
“I’ll go with ya, English. I’ll stand there and look menacing.”
The duo went into the restaurant leaving an awkward silence behind.
Angel’s gaze kept being drawn to her nearly bare shoulders. He cursed himself for his choices. The long skirt had a slit that went up about mid-thigh and the matching top had thin straps that crisscrossed in the back. It left her arms, shoulders and a large portion of her back uncovered. His lips and fingers itched to worship the exposed skin. He noticed goosebumps suddenly prickled her soft smooth skin.
“You’re staring,” came out in a whisper. She turned her back to him.
“Are you cold?”
Cool hands rested on bare arms, sliding up and down to create friction. Heat rose but not in the way he intended. Slowly she leaned back against his chest, her eyes closing. “I’m fine.” Lips whispered at her ear.
“Are you sure?”
Head slowly turning, eyes locking on soft lips slightly curled into a smile, she swallowed hard. She needed to run, escape, scream. The strange day she’d been having only seemed to be getting more confusing. His behavior made no sense. Was it all an elaborate scheme to get her forgiveness? She declared a truce. It wasn’t necessary to play with her heart.
This wasn’t love. It couldn’t be. He would never have hurt her so badly if he loved her. He wouldn’t have pushed her away, fired her, abandoned her, abandoned their mission. The remembrance sparked her fury. She shrugged his hands off and stepped away. “I said I’m fine. Are you suffering from some forgetful bug? What’s with the lack of personal bubble today?”
He reared back at her cold tone like he’d been slapped. “I’m sorry. I thought…”
“You thought what? If I was cold, I would have waited inside the restaurant.”
Angel wasn’t sure what to say. The anger in her voice was increasing with each word. Her posture became more defensive, arms folded across her chest. He wanted the warmth back. He wanted her soft and willing in his arms, desire laden eyes staring hungrily at his lips. The spell had been broken and he had no idea what he’d done wrong.
“Our table is ready,” Wesley stated quite proudly, oblivious to the tense atmosphere. “Mr. Fareaux was very pleased we decided to try his restaurant.”
They silently followed him in. Cordelia sat beside Gunn. Angel started towards the chair next to her but Wesley beat him to. He silently sat across from her. Her eyes looked everywhere but at him.
“This place is quite nice. So many restaurants in LA situate their tables too close together. I tend to feel like I’m dining with strangers.”
“Did you take a look at the menu? What freaky ass person eats snails?”
“They’re a delicacy, Gunn.”
“They’re snails, Wes.”
Cordelia studied her menu with unseeing eyes. She should have had dinner with Brian. Everything was much less confusing with him. He was so sweet and nice. Being in his arms didn’t terrify her. She didn’t have to guard her walls at all times when near him.
“Cordelia, are you alright?”
“Hmm?”
“I asked if you’re alright.” Wesley smiled apologetically at the waiter. “I was ordering a bottle a wine for our table. Do you have a preference?”
“Oh. Don’t mind me. Water is fine with me.” Her doctor strictly forbade her from mixing alcohol with her pain medication but she couldn’t tell them that. “I’m still going out with Brian later. I don’t want to be tipsy.”
“That’s very sensible of you.” Wesley waved the waiter away.
“Yeah. I’ve seen you drunk. We’d have to tag along on your date just to make sure the accountant didn’t get any ideas.”
“Hey! I’m not that bad.”
“Girl, every time you came back from the bar you ended up sitting on some demon’s lap because you “forgot where your chair was”.” Gunn added finger quotes to emphasize his point.
“That only happened one night.” She continued at his skeptical expression. “OK. It happened four times that one night.”
“You’re just lucky Lorne managed to sneak us out while his bouncer got us a taxi. The whole violence free thing only exists inside the club and you had to go and pick the most dangerous demons in the club to get revved up.”
“I wasn’t… It was NOT my fault.” The doctor didn’t tell me I had to wait at least 24 hours after taking any pills before drinking, she silently added, as if being underage made the warning unnecessary. Now with her new medication she wasn’t allowed any alcohol at all. “It was your idea to go out drinking in the first place. You said you would be the big manly man and protect me.”
“I didn’t expect you to be such a lightweight. You didn’t act like that any other time we went out and you had a lot less to drink that night too.”
“How often did you take her drinking? And why in the hell would you let her get that drunk in a demon bar? Do you have any idea the way demons talk about her? It was reckless, stupid and dangerous. She is underage in case you forgot.”
“She does have a name and SHE is sitting right here. Don’t yell at Gunn. I am responsible for my own actions. If you’d been around…” Cordelia glanced around at the nearby tables, catching the eyes of those staring at their display. “Let’s not do this right now. Nothing happened. I haven’t had any alcohol since that night, okay?”
Angel forced his fists to unclench. “OK.” Beating Gunn to a bloody pulp wouldn’t change anything. Cordelia hadn’t been hurt. Their story did however shed some light on the fight he’d had with a pair of demons.
Now he knew why the two were arguing which of them Cordelia had wanted more. Both had acknowledged before the end of the night that she had no interest in either of them therefore they needn’t go near her EVER. If he hadn’t come across them…
The waiter returned with their wine, pouring only three glasses. He quickly took their orders. He was leery of the man in the black leather coat. He could almost hear the man grinding his teeth. The woman seemed to be the only other person to notice the man’s anger or the tense atmosphere. He rushed off to kitchen, wishing he hadn’t decided to work a double shift.
With no menu to hide behind, Cordelia took a gulp of water. “So what did you guys do today while I was in the park?”
“I continued to research the marriage ceremony. I discovered another couple who attempted to annul their marriage. It seems they were tricked into it, not totally dissimilar to what happened to you. They believed they were attending a friend’s wedding only to discover themselves married instead.”
“You said they attempted an annulment.”
“Yes.” Wesley blushed. “It seems they had secretly been in love with each other all along. The text included a few private journal entries from before and after the ceremony. They only lasted ten days in the same bed before they.. umm… At any rate, there was nothing useful to your situation.”
“Why were they tricked?” Angel fidgeted when all eyes turned to him. “I was just wondering why their friends tricked them into marriage.”
“This took place quite some time ago in Europe. It seems the young woman’s father was about to grant his daughter’s hand in marriage to another. She refused to disobey her father’s wishes so her friends did it for her. The demon clan she belonged to was nomadic in nature but the man she’d fallen in love with belonged to a different clan, one that had settled in a mountainous region away from humans. Staying married to him meant she might never see her family again. It was quite the epic tale.”
“You’re such a softy, Wes.” Cordelia winked at him making his blush deepen.
“As I was saying, there wasn’t any useful information I’m afraid. I must admit though. This annulment process has benefited your relationship. It’s brought you closer.”
It was her turn to blush. Everywhere Angel’s hands had touched her tingled in remembrance.
“I knew Cordelia would do what was best for the mission but I never expected her to declare a truce so soon. I would say you’re well on your way to becoming good friends again.”
He tried to smile. Wesley had no idea Angel had somehow managed to screw things up with Cordelia. He suspected his waffling may have had something to do with it. He’d decided to fight for her only to be reminded that their tentative reconciliation was based on a lie. She would never want him if she knew what he’d done, what he’d risked.
Gunn glanced around the table. He didn’t like how quiet Cordelia was. Silence on her part was never a good thing. “Are you still mad about last night? I apologized to the vam.. to Angel for acting like an ass at the bar. So did Wes. You would’ve been proud.”
Cordelia reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I’m glad.” She smiled at Wesley as well. “We’re acting like someone died. We came here to have some fun so that’s what we’re going to do.” Her eyes locked with Angel’s. “Agreed?”
He nodded. Her smile widened easing the ache in his heart. Slightly.
***
The four members of Angel Investigations walked into the Hyperion laughing. They managed to reminisce about the past without recriminations.
Cordelia collapsed on the red couch. She rested her head on Angel’s shoulder the moment he sat down beside her.
Wesley glanced at the clock. “Brian should be here shortly to pick you up. Are you sure you’re up for dancing?”
“My back is fine. I’m twenty not eighty.”
“Yes but you look tired.”
“Thanks a lot, you big jerk,” she grumbled.
“You look beautiful as you always do but you also look tired.”
She lifted her head off Angel’s shoulder and straightened her back in defiance. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m raring to go. I used to go dancing all the time. I’d be out until three or four in the morning.”
“How could I possibly forget? I had the pleasure of dealing with your grumpy self in the morning.”
“Pfft. I’m always pleasant.” She glared at the three snickering men. “I am! I can show you grumpy if you want me to.”
The men were spared their response by Brian’s entrance. Cordelia crossed the room to greet him.
Angel clenched his hands into fists at the sight of his wife kissing another man.
“You look absolutely beautiful, Cordy.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you ready to go?”
“I just need to run upstairs for a moment then I’ll be ready.” She made it halfway up the stairs when the familiar blinding pain struck. “Arhhhhh!”
Angel moved with preternatural speed and caught her. He gathered her flailing arms, holding her tight against him while whispering soothing gibberish in her ear.
Wesley and Gunn moved quickly, knowing their duties all too well. They waited for the vision to pass, Wesley holding pain killers and Gunn holding a bottle of water.
Brian stood in mute horror, not knowing what was happening yet unable to ask.
Angel’s harsh glare silenced Wesley before he could speak. He tried to soothe the amazing woman in his arms. He desperately wanted to spare her the pain and the horror, but he was powerless.
“So much for going dancing.” A shaky hand reached for the pills she knew wouldn’t help and the cold water that made her teeth ache. She swallowed both with a grimace but offered a small smile to the two hovering men in gratitude. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the vision, blocking out the cool hands still trying to soothe her.
“A group of teenagers decided it would be cool to summon a demon. The thing was big but nothing you three couldn’t handle. Watch its tail, it has spikes. If you leave now, you may be able to stop the ritual. They’re under the freeway by that factory that burned down a couple of weeks ago. You know the one on..”
“I know which one you mean.” Gunn rushed to the weapons’ cabinet, Wesley close behind. “Teenagers today. They won’t listen to nobody and you can’t kill ’em.”
Cordelia met Angel’s concerned gaze. “You need to hurry.”
“But what about you?” It wasn’t right that he was expected to leave her when she was in so much pain.
Brian finally managed to move. He rushed to Cordelia’s side. “I’ll take care of her.” He was too busy studying her trembling form to notice the flash of yellow in Angel’s eyes. “So that was a vision?”
“Yeah. They’re a lot less fun than they look.” She managed a weak smile. “Sorry about tonight.”
“I’ll take a rain check.” Brian finally looked at Angel, who still held Cordelia in his arms. “Shouldn’t you be leaving to save those kids?”
“He should. Go Angel.” Cordelia weakly shoved him. “Go!”
He reluctantly released her and accepted a broadsword from Wesley. “I’ll be back soon.” The last thing he saw before leaving was Brian lifting Cordelia in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. The urge to kill surged through him.
The thought of stopping the ritual before the demon was summoned no longer appealed to him. He had to kill something. If he couldn’t kill Brian, a demon would do.