Chapter 26: The Bronze
Two hours of sleep was usually enough for the Slayer. If she’d gotten two hours in, but she had not. Buffy yawned her way through most of her first period class. She’d come in late after spending extra time in the bathroom trying to disguise the dark circles under her eyes. They were even more noticeable because her complexion was abnormally pale today.
“Late night?” whispered Willow from the desk next to her own. Obviously, she was thinking that Buffy and Angel had been out all night on their date. The redhead had that dreamy expression that suggested she was coming up with all kinds of scenarios in her busy little brain.
Buffy squirmed in her chair. The date had been cut short, but she kept replaying the events of the night over and over in her head. “Stuff kept me awake.”
“Stuff,” Willow snorted thinking that sex with Angel was enough to keep anyone awake. Not that she ever thought of Angel that way. After all, he was Buffy’s Angel and she had Oz. “Just don’t fall asleep at the Bronze tonight.”
The teacher called for their attention and Willow dutifully gave her all. Buffy was not quite as quick to focus on schoolwork. Her mind was still back on the beach. Fighting the demon. Not the reptile creature with the long tail. Angel. The more she thought about it, the more their…lovemaking?…seemed like a fight.
Angel was right, she realized with a sick churn of her stomach. It wasn’t lovemaking. He’d fucked her and she demanded he do it. That realization nauseated Buffy, but looking back it was not a decision she would have changed at the time. They battled each other for dominance, trying to gain control. What happened between them last night was nothing like their first time making love with heartfelt tenderness. Wholly different, this was dark, brutal and dangerous.
Part of her loved it. That’s what scared Buffy the most. It was primal, instinctive and called to something within her that made her want to show Angel what it would be like if she really played to win. Except that he’d bitten her. Placed his fangs on her throat, pierced her neck and sucked down her blood like it was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
“Sleep?” Buffy murmured. She doubted sleep would come anytime soon.
After the first period ended, Buffy and Willow separated to go to their next classes. They planned to meet up again for lunch in the cafeteria. She managed to avoid Cordelia all morning long. Somehow, Buffy knew that talking with Cor would not be a pleasant activity. She felt certain that Angel wouldn’t tell anyone he lost it like that, but explaining the band-aid on her neck was going to be difficult without going into details.
“Hi, Buffy,” Cordelia caught her coming around the corner. Her smile faltered a bit when she took in the Slayer’s appearance. Neat and tidy clothes, but her face looked haggard and pale. Normally, Cordy would have to make a snarky remark just to point out that Buffy could do better, but knowing what happened made her hold back on any cutting remarks.
Cordelia’s simple greeting was lost on Buffy as she stared at the brunette. She didn’t realize until coming face-to-face with the cheerleader the extent of her jealousy. The fact that Angel hadn’t shut up about Cordelia all evening long hinted at things that no girlfriend wanted to acknowledge. During her night of wakefulness, Buffy had convinced herself that these feelings stemmed from Cordelia’s close relationship with Angelus. That whatever it was that made it so easy for them to connect seemed to be a mystery to her.
Connecting with Angel on any level other than the physical wasn’t happening. Even that wasn’t right anymore.
“Buffy?” Waving her hand in front of the blonde’s face, Cordelia gave her a worried look. “Earth to Buffy. Come in Buffy.”
“Wha—?” Buffy had completely tuned Cordelia out. “Sorry, Cor.”
Trying not to stare at the flesh-colored band-aid on Buffy’s neck, Cordelia held a tight reign on her tongue. She wanted to ask the girl so many questions about last night. First, to see if she was okay. Other than looking like death slightly warmed over, Buffy was apparently physically fine. Despite what Angel told Cordy about the bite, he had not been specific about the type of bite.
She knew that Angel dipped into a deeper, darker place. Otherwise, he would never have touched Buffy in that way. He just gave in to his vampire instincts long enough to take something he wanted. The fact that his bite hadn’t been a sign of love had nothing to do with the fact that it might have been a claim. Cordy wanted to know if Angel’s bite meant that he officially claimed Buffy.
Should’ve asked Angel. He would tell me. Cordelia wasn’t so certain that Buffy would tell her even if it was true. So she decided to wait until later and ask Angel himself about the claiming part. Doesn’t mean I can’t ask whether she liked it.
Cordelia opened her mouth and was about to question Buffy when Harmony strolled up. The blonde let out an exasperated sound. “Can you believe Mr. Perkins assigned homework on a Friday night? Doesn’t he understand it’s the weekend? I have stuff to do.”
“Like going to the Bronze tonight,” Cordelia nodded in understanding. She looked at Buffy who was inching away. There was no way Cordy was going to talk family stuff in front of Harmony. “You’ll be there tonight too, right Buff?”
“Yeah. Tonight. Gotta run. I’m meeting Willow and Xander for lunch,” Buffy told her.
Harmony, your timing sucks, thought Cordelia as she watched the Slayer walk away.
“So, Cor,” Harmony sidled up closer. “Will they be there too?”
“Angel and Angelus?”
“Duh! I wasn’t talking about the Geek Patrol,” Harmony rolled her eyes. “I wanna see Double Trouble. The hunk and the hottie. Tall, dark and delicious times two.”
Hands on her hips, Cordelia sent her friend an irate stare. “I didn’t realize you could multiply, Harm.”
Harmony looked confused. “I can add. Especially when it comes to adding up totally gorgeous men.”
“Well add up somebody else’s men. Leave mine alone,” Cordelia snarled at her. She didn’t care if Harmony was just teasing. It just seemed important to let the other girl know they were off limits.
“Geez! Didn’t know you were so greedy, Cor. Now you’re hogging Angel, too?” With a laugh, Harmony sauntered off toward the cafeteria leaving Cordelia with a wide-eyed expression on her face as she leaned up against the lockers.
Did I say MINE?
***
From the corner of the hall, Rupert Giles watched the brief exchange between Buffy and Cordelia. Having expected Buffy to come talk to him, the Watcher’s concerns only grew with her failure to do so. After Angelus’ revelation, it was all the vampire could do to hold Giles back when his first instinct had been to find Angel and stake the bastard for daring to bite the Chosen One…his Slayer.
Buffy was more than just his charge. To Giles, it was almost like being told his own daughter had nearly been drained by a vampire. Only one thing stopped Giles from following his urge to take Angel out. Not even Angelus could have prevented that without physically restraining him. It was the fact that Giles knew Angel was only following instincts while following the narrow path the Fates set out for him.
Now, I must find the root of the problem and its cure, Giles told himself. Before something else happens. Before someone dies.
Turning into the library, Giles went into his office to continue research. He had several borrowed texts that might have leads. Burying himself in his work, the Watcher had no idea what amount of time passed before the interruption came.
“Giles?” The sound of Buffy’s voice called out from the doorway.
Thank God! She came after all. “In here, Buffy.”
Glancing at the clock told Giles that his Slayer was skipping class, but at this point he really didn’t care. They needed to talk about what happened to her last night. Even if it was difficult and a subject that might be uncomfortable for them both. It was too early to tell her everything, but she had to be prepared for something if the worst came to pass.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?” Giles asked by way of a conversation opener.
Nodding, Buffy admitted, “Yes, but I need to talk to you. It’s about Angel.”
Giles encouraged her to speak, trying to gently elicit her response rather than bulldozing his way into asking for details. “What is it?”
“I’m worried about him,” Buffy told him as she entered the office and sank down into a chair. “Something happened last night that’s never happened before and it scared me. I don’t think Angel is acting like himself.”
“Can you give me some examples?”
Buffy took a deep breath and then blurted, “He bit me.”
Deciding not to reveal that he already knew the information, Giles found that he did not have to pretend that he was angry or surprised about it. The sudden way Buffy gave him the information caused him to sit back sharply in his chair. There must have been something in his expression to tell her that he was not happy about the fact that she had been bitten by a vampire, especially when that vampire was Angel.
“We were on a date when it happened.”
It didn’t take much for Giles to interpret that correctly. He wasn’t blind when it came to Buffy’s relationship with Angel. After all, intimacy had to be one of the primary reasons the vampire sought to secure his soul in the first place.
“I see.”
Yes, he did, realized Buffy. Well, she wasn’t going into details. She came here with one purpose and hoped that her Watcher would supply her with the truth. Giles did not always tell her everything.
“Giles, do you remember the day that Angel first brought Angelus to the library?”
“Yes, of course.” Only an amnesiac would forget that.
Buffy asked directly, “What was it Angel told you that day in your office?”
Oh, bloody hell. She asked the one question I can’t answer.
“Angel explained that he had made a deal with the Moirae…the Fates…to secure his soul. By doing so, it necessitated giving Angelus his own existence.”
There had to be more. Buffy hounded Giles with questions until the Watcher had no recourse left, but to tell her, “This deal is highly dangerous, a risk that Angel should never have taken. While Angel’s soul may be secure in its own separate physical form, both he and Angelus are vulnerable to the psychological effects of being separated.”
Wide-eyed, Buffy stared at Giles. “Are you suggesting that Angel is going crazy?”
“Not exactly,” her Watcher responded while pushing his glasses down to pinch the bridge of his nose. “He is more likely to be influenced by his vampiric instincts.”
Shaking her head in denial, Buffy suggested. “It should be the opposite. Without Angelus in his head, he should be more human. More like he was before Angelus was ever part of him.”
“I’m afraid it hasn’t worked out that way,” Giles gave her a sympathetic look. “Look at Angelus. Being soulless, he has only the mystic controls placed upon him to shape his behavior and prevent him from following those same instincts. How often have you witnessed those controls being required?”
“Just once,” admitted Buffy thoughtfully. “It was at the football game when some jerk made comments about Cordelia.”
“Far less that one would imagine.”
“Yes.” Buffy had thought she’d be forced to reign Angelus in on a daily basis, but he had completely surprised her.
Giles let out a deep breath, trying to relax into his chair. This entire situation made him tense. Seeing Buffy physically damaged, even though he knew that her Slayer healing abilities would quickly restore her, left him angry and looking at the bigger picture. His fears were coming to fruition. What affected Buffy also affected the safety of Sunnydale and the stability of the Hellmouth. If things got worse and Angel lost all control, only the Fates themselves knew what trouble lay ahead.
“Whatever the Moirae have done,” Giles explained, “it could be deadly. To Angel. To Angelus. To you or anyone else involved if the wrong set of circumstances come into play.”
Deadly. That was what Angel had told her from the beginning and Buffy hadn’t really given it much thought since then. Not since Angelus arrived. “I thought the dangers were only during their separation. Angel will be okay, won’t he?”
“I don’t know. I’m conducting some research. In the meantime, I suggest that you be careful about your interactions with Angel. Further intimacy could lead to another loss of control,” Giles cautioned her.
Blushing at the fact that Giles had referred to her having sex with Angel, even in his roundabout way, Buffy assured him. “It won’t be a problem.”
She was out of her chair in a flash and headed toward the door before Giles had an opportunity to make his point again.
***
“Where is that vamp? He promised me he was coming. I am so gonna kick his ass if he doesn’t show,” Cordelia paced in front of Angelus who watched her with a frown on his handsome face.
His reasons for concern were far different from Cordelia’s. It didn’t bode well that Angel had skulked off on his own immediately after sunset. Having spent most of the day in his rooms or down in the training room beating the hell out of the punching bag, Angel hadn’t been in the mood to talk about anything. So he’d let it go meaning to catch him before they headed out to the Bronze with the girls.
What the hell is he doing out there on his own? Even as the question formed in his head, Angelus was hit with a sudden sense of irony. This was the same concern the Slayer and her Scooby Gang had shown about him after his first day back in town with his own existence.
“Oh, he’ll be here,” Buffy assured Cordelia. [i]You’re here, aren’t you?
Angel was the only one missing from the group. Sitting up next to Oz on the couch, Willow was also sitting next to Xander who slunk down low on the couch cushion positioned with his feet up on the table. He chuckled at Cordelia’s determination that her little Bronze outing was going to go as planned. “Dead Boy just doesn’t want you to force him to dance.”
“Grmph!” Cordelia stopped pacing and glared at Xander. “Buffy will have to dance with you and that’s not much of an improvement.”
Xander glanced over at Buffy. “Looks like you’re being foisted off on me.”
She flashed him a grin, “It may not be pretty, but dancing with you is always fun.”
As she spoke to Xander, the turn of her throat revealed the flesh-colored band-aid plastered there. Leaning up against a pillar, Angelus couldn’t help but tease the Slayer about it. “What’s that you’re hiding, Buff? Angel give you a hickey?”
Xander sat up to defend Buffy as if Angelus’ hickey accusation was horrible and defiling. “A hickey? Not! Just something she got in a demon brawl last night.”
So that was the spin the Slayer was putting on it, Angelus mused. “That was some brawl. What kind of a demon was that again?”
Inwardly seething at the idea that Angelus was making fun of her, it was apparent that the vampire knew all about the wound on her neck. Glancing over at Cordelia who was unusually quiet, Buffy wondered whether she knew about Angel biting her as well.
Looking at the band-aid again, Cordelia felt her tension escalate. She already knew the answer to Angelus’ mocking question. A vampire put that mark on her throat. One of my vampires. Angel.
The thought unsettled Cordy who immediately moved to Angelus’ side. Tucking her head against his shoulder, she sidled up against him. Putting his arm around her, Angelus held her close wondering at this sudden need to touch him.
Willow scoffed at Angelus’ hickey theory. “Girls use makeup to cover hickeys, not band-aids.”
Even Buffy managed to generate enough curiosity to ask, “How would you know, Will?”
“Uh…I-I read.”
Oz sat there quietly, not saying a word, but a close observer could detect the slight upward curve of his mouth at the corners.
“Uh huh.”
Angelus didn’t care about the antics of the witch and her werewolf. He was too busy toying with the Slayer. “Looks like Cordelia wasn’t the only one to have a run in with a vampire last night.”
Pulling away from Angelus’ shoulder, Cordelia nudged his side with an elbow. “Stop goading her. Play nice.”
Xander slowly connected the dots. Staring at Buffy and the covered area of her neck, he realized that it was no hickey. “You were with Angel last night. On a date. He— bit you?!”
Furiously, Xander flew off the couch and stomped over to check out the band-aided area on her throat. “Don’t be so naive,” he heard Cor’s voice behind him defending Angel’s actions. “Hello! Vampire.”
“That’s no excuse,” Xander fumed. “He shouldn’t snack on his girlfriend.”
Willow looked agog with the news. Buffy had lied to her. Well, maybe not directly, but she certainly hadn’t given her that juicy, if scary, detail. “Angel bit you? I’ve read vampires claim their mates with a bite. Don’t they? Unless they— uh…can’t.”
Staring at Angelus, the redhead found herself blushing. It didn’t seem right to talk about biting when it was something that could be so intimate to vampires. Even if it was something they did everyday for food. When it was their partner, biting was wholly different. According to the books, anyway. Not that Angel or Angelus were in any position to go around biting people for food. Still, the fact that Angel had bitten Buffy for any reason came as a surprise.
“Let’s see it, Buff,” challenged Angelus. “It’s mostly healed by now, I would imagine. Show everyone so they’ll know you’ll live unscarred.”
Buffy didn’t know what Angelus was getting at, but she followed through with his suggestion. Xander and Willow weren’t going to be satisfied until they knew Angel hadn’t scarred her for life. Reluctantly, she pulled off the band-aid only to see an angst-filled acknowledgement pass over Angelus’ face.
“What is it?”
Angelus muttered as he looked at the appearance of the bite which proved to him exactly what his brother had in mind the moment he set fangs to throat, “Nothing, Slayer. Nothing you want to hear.”
Abandoning Xander’s attention, Buffy walked forward until she stood in front of the vampire. Totally aware of Cordelia’s scrutiny as she stood beside him, Buffy ignored it as she demanded, “Tell me.”
Those firm male lips twisted into his trademark smirk as Angelus gazed down at the Slayer. Lifting his hand, he brushed the fingertips along the smooth strands of her silken hair. Then he grasped her jaw, turning her head to expose her throat to his gaze. “I always thought it would be me, Buff. Though I promise you I would have finished the job, not just taken a taste.”
Buffy instantly pushed him back against the pillar, stepping out of his reach and glaring at him with a fury edging close to dangerous. She balled her hands into fists and held them at her side, determined that she would somehow let this pass without resorting to a fight in the middle of the Bronze.
“Angelus!” Cordelia couldn’t believe that her mate had said that. Not about Angelus’ admission that he thought he would be the one to kill her. That was old news. “Stop implying Angel would purposefully hurt Buffy. You know that isn’t true.”
“You don’t have all the facts,” Angelus responded gruffly at the way his mate came to his brother’s defense. “I think he can defend himself if necessary, Cor.”
“He’s not here,” she countered vehemently.
Watching the exchange, Buffy realized that Cordelia was being protective of Angel to the extent that even Angelus noticed. She thought about the little bondage game at the mall and the way Cordelia had responded to Angel tying her up. It hadn’t been a response to the bonds alone, but to the one who was holding her captive. Angelus had come in and Cordelia was so into him that it was difficult to believe what Buffy thought she saw was real in the first place.
Maybe she was still imagining it, Buffy thought as jealousy warred with confusion.
Cordelia suddenly changed the subject, directing everyone’s thoughts away from the vampire with a soul. “We’re supposed to be here for a good time, people. I want fun and I want it now.”
“Dancing?” Willow liked the idea. All of this talk about biting gave her the wiggins.
Holding her hand out to Oz, he took it and rose from the couch. They made their way onto the dance floor just as a new set was starting.
“C’mon, Bad Boy,” Cordelia nodded in that direction. “Let’s show ’em all how you can strut your stuff with style.”
“After you.” Chuckling, Angelus followed behind Cordelia watching her hips sway to the beat of the music.
Xander glanced over at Buffy who was staring after the vampire. “I guess that leaves us, Buffster. Wanna dance?”
“Sure.”