Part 13
Angel opened his bedroom door to a truly welcome sight. A very naked Cordelia was lying on their bed. There were only two things missing from the beautiful picture. He should be next to her and she should be awake.
He moved to correct one of the flaws. He quietly stripped out of his clothes and slipped into bed, being careful not to disturb his sleeping beauty.
Cordelia rolled toward Angel’s cool body. She threw an arm across his chest. “Did you apologize to Spike for being mean to him?”
“Yes” He kissed her forehead. “Go to sleep.”
“I don’t wanna.”
“You’ve barely slept in two weeks. You need to rest.”
“I took a nap this afternoon.” She tried to stifle a yawn. “You just got home.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Maybe I’ll close my eyes for a few minutes.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “You too. No staring all night.”
“I’ll sleep.” He let the sound of her steady heartbeat lull him to sleep.
***
Angel woke up delightfully warm. His arms tightened around the source.
“You’re squishing me.”
“Sorry”
“Is our family downstairs?”
Angel listened for a moment. “Yes”
Cordelia rolled onto her back and stretched her limbs with feline grace, oblivious to Angel’s hungry stare. “I guess we should get down there. The office is a total mess.”
“We could do that.” He gripped her hip and turned her to face him. “Or we can stay right here.” His hand slowly inched up her body with feather-like touches.
Her breath hitched. “What will we do up here?”
“What ever you want.” He leaned in. His tongue darted out and circled a nipple.
Cordelia felt a gush of wetness in response to his careful ministrations. “We could talk.”
His teeth released the trapped nipple. “We could do that.” He pushed her onto her back to lavish her other breast with the same attention.
The pull of his lips sent sparks straight to her womb. “We could call Willow about the spell to move Dennis.”
Angel trailed kisses toward her neck. “We could do that.” His hand slid down over her hip then back up the inside of her thigh.
Her legs drifted apart to accommodate his wandering hand. “We could..mmm..go see if Lorne is back.”
His fingers continued their gentle thrusting. “We could do that.” His mouth latched onto his mark.
Cordelia gripped his biceps as her muscles began to tense. “Oh god..or we could make love.”
“We could definitely do that.” His fingers slipped from her body. He shifted his weight to cover her trembling form.
She reached down and took his weeping cock in a firm grasp. She began stroking him.
“Please Cor. I need to be inside you.”
Her leg hooked around his hip, pulling him closer. Her hand guided him to her center. “Now”
He entered her in one fluid thrust until he filled her completely. His groan was lost in the cavern of her mouth. He stilled, savoring their connection.
Cordelia clutched his back. Her hips bucked spurring him into motion. She wrapped her legs around him. Her feet rubbed the straining muscles of his thighs.
His hands cupped her, lifting her pelvis to meet each slide of his cock. He increased his pace.
“So good” Her nails scored red trails down his back. She’d been on the edge before he even entered her. “Harder”
Angel felt like he was being consumed by her fire. His rhythm grew harsh as pounded into her. They needed release from this sweet torment. His hand snaked between their bodies, pinching and teasing her clit.
Her mouth opened in a silent wail. She felt the world shatter as her orgasm ripped through her body.
Her vaginal walls contracted around him. He vamped at the scent of the blood her nails had drawn. The promise he made to Gunn flashed in his mind.
Cordelia looked into his yellow eyes. “I love you, Angel.” She pulled his head down for a kiss. His fangs cut her tongue, giving him a taste of her blood.
He roared into her mouth as he spilled his seed into her welcoming body. He continued devouring her mouth. His hips shuddered to a halt.
The need for air forced her to break the kiss. She panted for the needed oxygen. Tears wetting her face startled her. “Angel?”
Yellow eyes locked with warm hazel ones. “How can you love me?”
A smile stretched across her face. “It’s as easy as breathing.” Her thumb wiped away a tear. “Actually it’s easier. Kissing you makes air seem like a luxury I can live without.” His laughter sent wonderful vibrations through her body.
“I don’t deserve you.”
“That’s true. What mere mortal could possibly deserve the likes of me? But then you’re not mortal so that doesn’t apply to you. ‘Course you are a lower being. I know the other higher beings are going to totally razz me about this.” She sighed dramatically. “It’s a little to late now. You already have me. I guess we’re stuck.”
His hips twitched reminding them of their still joined bodies. “Being stuck like this wouldn’t be too bad.”
She giggled. “It would make helping the helpless a little complicated.”
“Fighting would be difficult too. Does this mean we should get up?”
Her inner muscles squeezed him. “Up is always good.”
“Vixen”
***
“Do you think they’re ever going to come down?”
“I think they’re makin’ up for lost time, Pet. It may take a while.”
“Lorne’s in his room. I think we should make Angel sing for him sooner rather than later. Barbie’s been through enough.”
“Charles, Angel’s demon isn’t something Cordy needs to be afraid of. It can wait.”
“Fine but I don’t want you to be alone with Angel until he sings. I know you remember what he was like the last time he had human blood.”
“He didn’t hurt me. Those demons were the ones who suffered.” She shivered at the memory. “It was pretty intense the way he tore them apart.”
Spike moved until the counter was between he and Gunn. He knew the chip was gone but it had been a while since he’d fought a human. Holding back his strength so as not to hurt the slayer was a far cry from a normal human.
He didn’t want to hurt him. “Don’t go stake happy on me but you don’t have to worry. I’ve tasted Cordelia’s blood. It won’t make him any more aggressive than he normally is.”
Gunn grabbed a stake out of the weapon’s cabinet. He pushed Fred behind him. “You bit Cordy?”
He held his hands out. “No. She cut her finger and stuck it in my mouth before I knew what was happenin’. She was just tryin’ to prove a point.”
“Put the stake away, Gunn. He’s telling the truth. I was there. Cordelia did it to defend her decision to allow Angelus to bite her during..to allow him to bite her. It was reckless but this is Cordy we’re talking about. She’s made her decision.”
“And you’re okay with it?”
“I didn’t say that. I’m a former watcher. A human accepting a vampire’s claim most certainly goes against my instincts but they are my friends. I want them to be happy. Angel’s soul is secure. The decision is theirs. I believe Angel and Spike’s assessment of Cordelia’s blood. She is unlike anyone I’ve ever known or read about. She’s a higher being living on this plane. That doesn’t mean I won’t ask Lorne to read him, just to be sure.”
“This is too weird.”
“I ate an omelet prepared by the Scourge of Europe and so did you I might add. Weird seems to get redefined almost daily. Just go with it.”
Gunn tossed the stake in the cabinet. “I need a vacation.”
***
Cordelia lay there panting for breath. “Wow”
“Wow yourself”
“My legs feel like jello. No wonder Buffy stopped staking vamps.”
Angel started laughing. “Why do you say that?”
“Vampire stamina. Her drunken confessions make so much sense now.”
Suddenly insecure, “Does this mean you were less than satisfied with my performance without a soul?”
“I wouldn’t say that. The sex was great but it was kinda limited, what with you being chained up.”
“What about after I got loose?”
“That was pretty great but..”
“I bit you.”
“Exactly”
“Well what about when I first got back or when we woke up this morn..afternoon.”
“You claiming me again was pretty amazing.”
His thumb stroked his mark. “I would agree with that.”
“This last time was just different. It was more..athletic.”
He grinned. “Definitely”
“You know you never did explain about the chains.”
“We should get dressed. I’m surprised nobody’s come looking for us yet. I know how much Spike enjoys interrupting us.”
“When did you have the chains enchanted and why was Wes the only one who knew?”
“Cor..”
“I want some answers, Mister. I’ve cut you a lot of slack. Don’t think I forgot about you calling me a bitch.”
“I was evil.”
“You’re stalling.”
“Does it really matter now?”
“Yes”
“It doesn’t..I don’t..” He sighed. “I had them made after Billy.”
“Why?”
“Do you remember how I told you that his touch didn’t affect me?”
“Yes”
“That wasn’t entirely true.”
“What? You lied to me?”
“Not exactly. I believed what I told you when I told you.”
“Huh?”
“His touch took longer to work on me. I felt the rage slowly rising within. At first I thought it was just normal urges.”
“What happened?”
“The rage became intense. I know a guy that makes custom restraints. He chained me up and then performed a spell specifically designed for me so I couldn’t get loose. I stayed there until it wore off.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Billy was gone. I didn’t want to worry you for no reason.”
“Angel”
“I didn’t want you to be afraid of me. I’d already told you I was immune. You said it was comforting.”
“Why did you tell Wes?”
“After you asked me to let Wesley come back, he and I had a little chat about his betrayal. I told him about the chains just in case I ever started acting strange again. So he could chain me up rather than..”
“I understand. Did you hurt anyone?”
“I reacted differently than the others. I wasn’t feeling the need to hurt women. I just wanted to kill. I released some anger by cleaning out a vamp nest.”
She settled back into his arms. “You should have told me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“C’mon. Let’s get ready. You have some singing to do.”
***
“Has Angelcakes made his grand appearance yet?”
“Nope”
“Gee and I thought I’d be the last one up.”
“You could always go upstairs and check on them.”
Lorne stared at Gunn like he’d suddenly sprouted horns and forked tail. “Do I look like I have a death wish?”
“They gotta come up for air eventually. Why don’t you go up, Blondie?”
“Sorry mate. It was only fun to interrupt back when they couldn’t shag. Angelus never like interruptions and somehow I doubt Angel’s any better. They’ve got a lot of unresolved tension to work off.”
“I think Cordelia is just trying to get out of helping.” Wesley dropped another box on the counter. “Will someone please tell me why we moved so many things to the apartment?”
“‘Cause Cordy said we weren’t allowed to return to the hotel until it was safe.”
“Well that was the last box. I vote we take a break. I’m hungry. C’mon girl. I’m even willing to have Mexican.”
“Mmmm Tacos”
“Very well. I suppose we could unpack later. Perhaps after Cordelia decides to grace us with her presence.”
“I heard that.”
“Cordelia, I..”
“Save it. We’re here so you can quit your bitchin’.”
“We weren’t…”
“I think you guys forgot about vampire hearing.”
Wesley risked making eye contact with Cordelia. He could detect amusement in them. He released the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “We decided to order Mexican.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“It’s good to see you, Angelcakes. You’re positively glowing. I hear you have a song for me.”
“Why don’t you two go into the office for some privacy?”
“Why?”
“Angel, honey, you know I love you but I really don’t want to hear you sing.”
“Hey!”
“I love that pouty lip too.” She pulled him in for a kiss. “Now be a good boy and go sing for Lorne. Remember no bitey sex until you get in touch with your inner Barry.”
“Right. Come on Lorne.” Angel grabbed the green demon by the arm and dragged him into the office.
“Cordy, can I..ask you a question?”
“Shoot”
“Doesn’t it hurt..you know..when Angel bites you?”
“It hurts for like a second then…it’s like every cell in my body liquefies and then explodes in pleasure. Think of the strongest orgasm you’ve ever experienced and then multiply it by a factor of ten.”
“Wow”
“Very wow” She winked at the starry-eyed Texan.
“Fear not everyone. Angel is fine. Looks like Miss Demony Britches has some extremely rare blood.”
“I told you. It’s like vampire chocolate.”
“Actually that would be slayer’s blood. Yours is more like vampire Prozac. It soothes the savage beast. No offense, Crumbcake.”
“So is everyone satisfied?”
“Yeah. Just no more talk about your orgasms, okay?”
“Pfft. Someone who got down and dirty on the desk in the office and takes his girlfriend to a brothel every now and then, shouldn’t be so squeamish.”
“You had sex on my desk?!”
“Your desk? Wes, you’re not the boss anymore.”
“Angel, honey, about that.” Cordelia sauntered over to Angel and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Umm..I kinda..sorta put Wesley in charge.”
“What?! You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’m back now so you can just undo it.”
“We could do that,” she looked up with pleading eyes, “but we’re not going to.”
“You can’t be serious. After what he did, you think he can be trusted to run things?”
“Angel, he’s not going to make the same mistake. He now knows that he should put his trust in his family before a musty scroll or book. He’s the best person for the job.”
“What about me..or Gunn..or Fred?”
“Well Gunn used to lead his gang but his number one priority is Fred and he tends to act rashly. Fred is brilliant but she gets flustered and doesn’t really like the pressure that comes with the job.” Cordelia glanced at the people in question. “I don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
They both shrugged. “S’okay”
“Angel, you’re not exactly the most level headed person. You’re not very good at delegating responsibilities and your people skills could use some work.”
“Is that all?”
“You don’t really have a head for business either.”
“What about you? You were in charge before all this happened.”
“I didn’t really like being in charge.”
“Cor, I don’t know if I can do this.”
“You can. Besides it’s not like any of us follow orders. You only listen when it suits you and nobody’s ever really the boss of me. You of all people should understand second chances. This time I’ll be here, watching over him. I trust Wesley.”
Angel rested his forehead on hers. “OK”
“That’s settled then.”
“I’m just going to ignore the fact that Angelcakes didn’t suggest me.”
“Lorne, you know we love you but your green skin and horns might scare some of our clients.” She turned in Angel’s arms. “Did someone mention Mexican ’cause I’m starving.”