Chapter 31: Meeting the Parents
Stepping out of the Corvette, Cordelia didn’t even bother to lock the doors. Though the security gate was in place, truthfully, it was the last thing on her mind.
Unlocking the front door, Cordelia paused before turning the handle remembering the last time she stepped into the house to find her parents gawking at her clothes. Somehow, her wrinkled grass-stained skirt and blouse were far more embarrassing to her than the leather corset and garters.
Cordelia hated to feel like she had to hide, but this wasn’t something she wanted to talk to her parents about. They knew nothing about Angel or how much he meant to her as a friend. That feeling had been so new, still growing from that silly crush into a friendship that was real, deeper and more meaningful than before. She didn’t want the first thing they learned about the vampire to be the fact that he nearly raped her.
Especially without really understanding why the encounter with Angel happened in the first place. Cordelia had to admit attraction. Pfft! That had been there before she even knew Angelus existed. Now, for some strange reason, Angel suddenly imagined that he was in love with her. Wanted her beyond reason and told her exactly how he was going to prove it.
While disgust for what he’d done welled up inside her, Cordelia turned that emotion back on herself. Despite many protests, his intimate touch elicited such undeniable pleasure. I can’t believe that I responded that way.
It didn’t matter that Angel possessed masterful hands or a skillful tongue. That his hard body matched the one so familiar to her, one whose every nook, cranny and sculpted curve she knew by touch. It only took looking into his eyes to know the difference. His every touch was telling and uniquely his own.
Only the timely arrival of the Dork Patrol had saved her. It hadn’t been the first time Xander Harris had come charging in. Though comparing the threat of being chopped up by student scientists as part of their freaky zombie creation weighed differently in her mind than interrupting what Angel was doing. Except that right now, the vampire seemed to be just as crazy as those Frankenstein groupies.
Stalking me, obsessing, fighting. Taking what he wants. Taunting me. Whispering wicked temptations in my ear. Telling me how he’ll touch me. How I’ll touch him. All of him. Cordelia closed her eyes for a second, the memories so fresh in her mind that it almost felt like he was holding her against his aroused body. I’m sure that I licked his fangs.
That intimate act was in no way forced, Cordelia realized, responding to Angel’s kiss by not only invading his mouth, but in a way that was designed to turn him on. That part of his mouth was super sensitive. Kissing him back that way was the one thing Cordelia couldn’t get over, not the fact that he’d forced her into a powerful orgasm. It was that willing caress before parting.
Says he’s playing to win. The reminder that this was some kind of game to him renewed Cordelia’s irritation. So not happening, Angel. Mister Psycho Vamp. See if you can win when I’m skiing down the Matterhorn and you’re stuck in Sunnydale.
Gripping the door handle, Cordelia gave it a turn and started to walk inside only to stop upon hearing her mother’s hysterical voice calling out to her father. “Daniel— Daniel don’t you dare do this. I-I can’t let you do this!”
Cordelia didn’t bother shutting the door. She ran toward the living room only to stop just outside the open doorway as she caught sight of Angelus standing next to the couch where her father was now sitting with his legs propped up. Her mother was on her knees next to the couch.
“Daddy?” She called out to him, questioning his ashen appearance.
Angelus had already noticed her arrival, a somber expression coating his handsome features. That same pensive broody look that Angel used to wear on such a frequent basis, Cordelia noted with a frown. Some days, the two vampires were so much alike it was scary considering that they were opposite ends of the spectrum. Except that she hadn’t really seen that look on Angel’s face for a while now.
The thought bothered Cordelia for a second until her father signaled for her to enter the room. “Come here, princess.”
At his use of that childhood endearment, Cordelia suffered a misstep, but managed to stop herself from falling or looking like a fool in front of Angelus. “You look— pale. Is something wrong?”
Glaring up at Angelus almost accusingly, she wondered for a moment if he too had gone on a biting binge. Surely her mate had no reason for attacking her father.
“Your father had a shock,” Angelus admitted while moistening his lips and tasting the scents on the air with his tongue. Giving her a hard stare, he decided to wait for a private moment to confront Cordelia about what he was sensing. “I’m afraid he’s a little muddled.”
Cordelia stalked over to her father’s side, tucking a finger into his shirt collar. No signs of punctures on his neck. Glancing furtively up at Angelus who was now clearly angry, she apologized to him for suspecting it. “I shouldn’t have checked. I knew you wouldn’t bite him.”
“Couldn’t,” Angelus stressed through his clenched teeth. “There’s a difference, babe.”
Now she felt worse. Her mind had been so focused on Angel’s threats…his promise to bite and claim her that she momentarily forgot Angelus couldn’t harm humans. Not without setting off that painful mystic reaction courtesy of the Moirae. Then Cordelia caught up with his addendum. “Meaning you tried? Why?”
“Your father told me about taking you away. That you were leaving the country.” The sullen look returned as he explained it to her, but changed again just as quickly to one of determination and resolve.
“I am,” Cordelia confirmed despite the dark gleam in his eye. The decision was made as far as she was concerned. Made and wouldn’t be altered. Time away from Angelus and Angel was something she needed. Though seeing the look in his eyes, Cordelia recognized the fact that part of her remained reluctant to go. Arching her eyebrows, she issued a silent challenge, Try and stop me.
Emelia Chase looked up at her daughter sympathetically. “I’m sorry, my dear. We weren’t here when all this happened. When you and this…man started going out. Now it’s too late. Daniel has made up his mind. You know your father. Stubborn.”
“Made up his mind?” Cordelia propped her hands on her hips. Since when had not being here in Sunnydale ever been a problem for her mother? “Too late for what?”
Angelus answered for her. “You’re coming home with me.”
The bald statement left little room for denial. Cordelia took what little she could get. Hot hazel eyes flashed her refusal. “I am not.”
“Are too.”
“Not.”
“Cordelia,” growled Angelus realizing they were getting into one of those ping pong arguments she always had with his brother. “They’re not taking you anywhere. In fact, your parents aren’t leaving Sunnydale.”
Confused, Cordelia looked back and forth between her parents and her mate. “What happened to the desperate need to visit the Swiss Alps this winter?”
Daniel Chase struggled into a sitting position. He hated feeling weak. Admitting his failures to his daughter was not something he had ever intended to do. “Sit down everyone. This may take some time and I’m tired of craning my neck.”
Rising to the couch, Emelia sat down next to her husband. Cordelia watched her mother take her father’s hand in her own, again finding it confusing. Such a public act of affection or support between them was not something she was used to seeing. Sitting in one of the two armchairs, Cordelia was unsurprised when the vampire sat down on the armrest rather than taking a chair of his own. He was so close and she knew that he could scent the evening’s activities on her. Angel’s scent had to be all over her skin, not to mention the other obvious signs. So far, Angelus kept silent on the issue.
Where was his angry stare? His outright fury? It had to be simmering right now just below the surface. Cordelia figured Angelus was waiting for his chance to strike.
“What is it Daddy?” Knowing this subject was likely to turn into a fight between her and Angelus, Cordelia forced those thoughts out of her mind.
A laugh sounded from Daniel Chase’s throat, full of self-loathing. “There was a time in your life when you thought I could walk on water, princess. The ironic thing is that until recently, I thought so too.”
Cordelia listened, her brow furrowed. What little girl didn’t think of her Daddy that way? For her it was only until she was old enough to find that her indulgent parents kept secrets from her. That while they traveled all over the world on expensive vacations, there was always business involved. Just until she was old enough to remain at home under Rosaria’s minimal supervision. Until they began to grow distant as the trips increased in number and duration.
“I’ve had some business dealings that aren’t quite legal, Cordelia,” her father stated, forcing himself to meet her curious gaze. “The IRS knows something has been going on. They’ve been trying to trace the money. I-I haven’t got it. It’s not that accessible from inside the U.S. without drawing their scrutiny. Now they’ve come up with some trumped up charges of Tax Evasion just to reel me in.”
“Y-You could go to jail?” Cordelia sat horrified by the idea.
Emelia’s lower lip trembled as she told her daughter, “We could lose everything.”
Angelus reached up to run his fingers along her dark tresses. With a soft promise he vowed to stop it. “No, baby. I won’t let that happen.”
Looking over at his daughter and the large figure of her lover looming behind her, Daniel closed his eyes for what felt like an eternity. Just the image of that face in front of him, the demonic countenance that was Angelus D’Aurelius true identity, made him understand the source of his power.
The Chase family was one of the oldest in Sunnydale. Daniel had been aware of the nature of his hometown and its many dangers since childhood. His grandfather had told him stories of vampires and demons. Growing up, the tales and their basis in reality were more of an annoyance. Daniel was more concerned about maintaining the family fortune. Talking to his only child about the realities of Sunnydale after sunset was out of the question. It hadn’t even occurred to him that Cordelia was at an age where that might present a danger to her.
It certainly never occurred to Daniel Chase that Cordelia would fall for a vampire. Then again, who would? Daniel tried to envision the circumstances that would lead to such a relationship, but found he couldn’t. He always imagined matching up his little girl with one of his corporate connections. The CEO of a Fortune 500 company or certainly one of their sons, he’d figured, not some creature of the night with an attitude and a sharp pair of fangs.
After the initial scare, with Daniel crouching on the floor and Angelus growling in pain, both of them had reassessed the situation. Even then, the vampire had the obvious advantage. In addition to being scared out of his wits, Daniel had to come to terms with the fact that he had invited the creature into his home, not to mention that the said creature was his daughter’s lover.
Considering some of those vampire tales, Daniel found himself thinking, Suddenly, the leather corset is making sense.
Seeing the questions in his eyes and his temporary inability to form coherent words, Angelus provided him with some basic information on how he came to meet and fall in love with Cordelia. That his daughter actually returned the vampire’s feelings. That they were officially mated and Cordelia was part of his vampire family, the Order of Aurelius.
Guess the name isn’t French after all.
“The facts are these, Mr. Chase,” Angelus had informed him. “I am in love with your daughter. She is mine as I am hers. Cordelia is not going to Europe or anywhere that takes her away from me.”
“I think that is Cordelia’s decision,” Daniel put forth.
The dark eyes narrowed upon him. “No. I can make it yours.”
Daniel was quick to answer. “Then I’m taking her with me. Away from you and your twisted influence.”
“Listen to what I have to tell you before you make that choice,” Angelus suggested.
So he did.
Afterward, Angelus decided that Daniel Chase needed to lie down. He wasn’t looking so good all of a sudden. Taking him out to the living room, he stretched him out on the couch and that was when Mrs. Chase strolled into the room. Between the two of them, they explained the situation to Emelia who knew nothing about vampires or demons except that she didn’t like the sound of her daughter being in love with one.
The revelation that her— as Daniel put it— new son-in-law, was actually a vampire came as a shock. The fact that Cordelia already knew he was not human came as a surprise she still didn’t quite grasp, but learning of her husband’s decision drove her into a state of near hysteria.
Clasping his wife’s hand a little tighter, Daniel met his daughter’s concerned gaze as he explained his acceptance of Angelus’ offer and the terms of their negotiation. As expected, the thought of being caught in the middle of this was not a pleasant one for Cordelia.
“You offered him money?” Launching herself out of the chair, Cordelia turned on her mate with a fury.
Angelus wasn’t going to apologize for it. “It solves your parents’ problem and mine at the same time.”
“You have no clue how much of a problem you have, Angelus,” fumed Cordelia. “This is too much like buying me. You can’t buy my forgiveness or affections. You cannot buy love.”
The vampire only smiled back at her. “That’s what I told your father.”
Pfft! Cordelia wasn’t about to question Daniel Chase’s motives. They were obvious. It wasn’t pleasant to think that he would be willing to sell her off to the highest bidder, but he seemed to have no issue about it. Except that he didn’t look happy or healthy at the moment.
Pacing back and forth, Cordelia paused to poke a finger at Angelus’ chest. “Since when do you have money to give away? Angel rations it out like you were a ten-year old with an allowance.”
“He may have control, but Angel will fork over the money. It belongs to the Order and that means it is used for the benefit of those who are part of it. Meaning you. Besides, if it gets you back to the mansion, he’ll agree fast enough.” Angelus had no doubts about that, answering confidently as he watched his mate’s anger grow.
Cordelia scoffed, “I’m not touching his money.”
“We’ll talk about Angel later,” Angelus told her. That was not a conversation to have in front of her parents. “The decision is already made, Cor. They no longer have the need to flee the country once their debts are paid.”
“You want to help— fine, but that has nothing to do with you and me.”
As she moved to poke at him again, Angelus made a swift move and took her hand in his own threading his fingers through hers. Cordelia glanced down at the joining of their hands surprised that he would want to touch her right now.
“Your father has accepted the fact that you are my mate, my family and that you live with me.”
Emelia Chase grumbled under her breath, receiving a nudge from her husband in response. “Whatever you want, darling.”
For a moment, Cordelia wasn’t certain if her mother was speaking to her or to her husband. Turning back to face her, Cordy noted that Emelia’s hazel eyes remained fixed on her. “If you mean that, then I want to stay here. I-I can’t go back to the mansion.”
“Dammit, Cordelia,” spouted Angelus as he whipped around back around to meet his gaze, “am I still so evil that you can’t come back to me? Was it so awful that I don’t want anyone else to touch you? Call it possessiveness if you will, but I doubt any human husband would act any differently.”
“No,” came her soft agreement. His words had already brought the questioning stare of her parents, hinting at her own part in betraying his trust. Eluding to the fact that someone else had touched her and that was just about yesterday.
The way Cordelia was feeling, betrayal wasn’t strong enough a word and her guilt weighed heavily upon her shoulders. Angelus wasn’t faultless, but he certainly had cause. This deal with her father was another example of unreasonable possessive behavior that she found difficult to assimilate. She understood her father’s desperate need to accept the offer, but Angelus’ ulterior motives seemed quite clear.
Cordelia told him point blank, “I don’t like the feeling that I’m bought and paid for.”
Groaning, Angelus figured he should have known Cordelia would see it that way. He glanced at her parents who were watching with bated breath and decided that it was past time to take this conversation into a private setting. “Where’s your room?”
“What?” Cordy had her hands on her hips demanding clarification. “You paid for the goods and now you want a sample? I don’t think so, Bad Boy.”
Emelia Chase let out a gasp behind them, but said nothing under her husband’s meaningful glare. It was clear that Daniel didn’t want to chance the vampire going back on his word to give them the money they needed to clear the family name and to keep him out of jail.
“I think it would be better if we had some privacy,” Angelus commented while on the edge of his patience. She knew how to push his buttons so well. “There are things we need to discuss and my agreement with your father is only one of them.”
Glancing over at her parents, Cordelia saw that neither one was protesting the idea that she take Angelus up to her bedroom for this little chat. Stomping off, she left Angelus to follow as she climbed the stairs to her second-story bedroom suite. He barely took more than a few seconds to glance around at the place, noting the still unmade bed and discarded clothes on the floor.
“Let’s have it,” Cordelia demanded, one hand on her hip and the other motioning for him to state his excuses.
“No matter what it seems, I didn’t offer your father the money to force you to come back to me,” Angelus explained. “This is a family issue. I figured it was a way to gain your parent’s understanding that I am invested in your future through them.”
Cordelia gave an unladylike snort at his choice of words. “Yeah, invested.”
“Invested in the only way your father understands, Cordelia,” he confirmed. “Money talks. That’s what he’s focused on. He needs it. I have it. If by coincidence it brings you back where you belong…with me…then all the better.”
“So you didn’t come here with the purpose of buying him off?” Cordelia had to ask.
“I came here for you,” Angelus made clear his priorities. “When your father invited me in, it was an opportunity to meet him and to assess the situation. I knew about his problems going in, Cordy.”
“You didn’t tell me?”
“I had suspicions after I called in a few favors. When we discussed meeting your parents, I was curious. Asked some questions and didn’t like the answers I was getting,” her mate revealed grimly. “Willow did a little hacking earlier today as a favor to me. Found the confirmation about the plans to incarcerate your father for tax evasion. Our little chat was quite interesting until he opened his mouth about taking you out of the country.”
Cordelia could imagine the reaction. “I believe you, Angelus. It’s just that— I can’t go back to the mansion.”
“Why not?” Angelus growled at her refusal.
“Just accept the fact that I can’t.”
“This has something to do with Angel and whatever happened tonight,” the vampire realized and felt a renewal of his anger. “I can smell him on you. All over you, Cordy. He’s touched you…everywhere. Tasted your mouth, your skin and made you come for him.”
Shuddering, Cordelia barked at him, “It wasn’t my choice. Your brother went psycho. He stalked me all day and followed me to Harmony’s house. If it wasn’t for Xander and Willow showing up, Angel would have— you know.”
“Raped you?” Angelus ground out the words, his eyes yellowing and narrowing all in the same moment. “Apparently, I didn’t knock enough sense into him last night. He’s running on instincts, Cordelia. Right now, I’m afraid they’re all trained on you.”
“So you see why I can’t go back there,” Cordelia figured he would understand. “Can’t we stay here with my parents? There’s plenty of room. We’d have one whole wing to ourselves.”
Angelus palmed her cheek, gazing down at her hopeful eyes with a twinge of regret. “I can’t do that.”
Even as Cordelia leaned into his touch, her hazel eyes sharpened upon him. “Why not?”
“It’s impossible,” he revealed. “One of the stipulations of our agreement with the Moirae. Angel and I have to share the same roof.”
Cordelia realized that she didn’t want to be without him. Despite all of her plans to run off to Europe with her parents, it seemed clear to her that had been a rash decision. That she would never have stayed away from Angelus longer than it took to take a return flight back to California. Being honest, she told him, “I don’t want to be in the same house as Angel. He has it in his head that he’s master of the Order and has some medieval right to claim me.”
“I won’t let that happen, Cor,” promised Angelus. The thought itself infuriated him, but it wasn’t as if he had been blindsided by it. Something was going to happened sooner or later. He hadn’t known if it would be him or Angel or both of them. He did not know what signs to look for. Not until the night Angel bit the Slayer. “If I can keep you both under the same roof, at least I’ll know he’s not stalking after you.”
“Why is this happening? Angel is so different. More different than he was even a few days ago. Suddenly he’s all dark and demented. Some of the things he said to me, Angelus, reminded me of—,” Cordelia broke off deciding that she didn’t want to go there.
“Reminded you of me,” Angelus filled in the blank as his nostrils flared in anger. Not at her, but at the situation itself.
Nodding, Cordelia admitted that was the case. “Like you were the first time when Angel lost his soul. Before this split.”
With a harsh laugh of irony, Angelus told her, “Our agreement with the Moirae was supposed to give us what we wanted. It gave Angel his permanent soul and me my own existence. With a few constraints to keep me in line.”
“I already know that,” Cordelia pointed out. “That doesn’t explain why Angel is even scarier than you when you were him without the soul.”
“Angel wanted to protect you from the truth. Actually, no, it was Buffy he wanted to protect,” he corrected. “There are things you don’t know about this deal, Cordelia. I think it’s time that changed.”
“Damn skippy,” Cordelia was a little miffed that keeping the truth from her was all about protecting Buffy. Can’t have the Slayer upset now, can we?“So tell me.”
“No. There is only one person who can give you the whole picture without my biases getting in the way. He’s been researching the problem night and day.”
Cordelia’s eyes widened with understanding. “Giles.”
“Yes.”
Remembering the secret discussion between Giles and Angel in the library on the day the vampire surprised them by showing up with his doppelganger in tow, Cordelia realized that Buffy had never given her the scoop on her promised interrogation of the Watcher. Obviously, she had never gotten around to asking or else Buffy would have been up in arms if she knew something might go wrong. It explained Rupert Giles’ ashen look after he had come out of the office.
“If I drive fast, we can get there in less than ten minutes,” Cordelia was already headed to the door.
Angelus cleared his throat causing Cordelia to pause along the way. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
Suddenly, Cordelia remembered the state of her clothing. Not to mention the fact that she wasn’t wearing any panties. Going to Giles’ house without panties was just so not right. Could Angelus tell? Maybe it was the grass stains or just the fact that she was still covered in Angel’s scent. “I’ll take a quick shower and get changed.”
“I’ll pretend to be completely uninterested in your stuff, but nose around anyway,” he told her.
Giving him a half-hearted smile, Cordelia warned him. “Just make sure you don’t touch my diary if you find it. It’s been a while since I’ve written anything in there, but trust me when I say that major staking will occur. Got it?”
“I’ll consider myself warned.” Angelus grinned and walked forward to cover her mouth with a deep emotion-filled kiss.
“H-How can you kiss me now? How can you touch me with Angel’s scent all over me knowing what happened?”
“What exactly did happen, baby?” The question came as a soft whisper, supportive and questing for information at the same time.
Cordelia looked down at the floor until Angelus tilted her chin up, encouraging her to look into his eyes. No condemnation showed as if he understood that she wasn’t actively seeking out Angel’s attentions. What he didn’t know was the extent of his brother’s actions or the extent to which Cordelia responded to him. Not wanting any lies between them, Cordelia found herself telling Angelus everything from yesterday when she walked into the kitchen in her silk robe up to climbing into the Corvette with Willow and Xander tonight.
“You know I’d kill him with my bare hands for touching you if we weren’t linked this way,” Angelus pulled her fully into his arms and held her tight against him.
“Linked?” Cordelia supposed that he meant the same connection Angel meant when informing them that staking one vampire would also result in the other’s death.
Angelus realized he was giving away information that would better come from Giles. “That’s another question for the Watcher. I have to tell you that Angel’s behavior is not entirely his fault. I’m afraid that it’s partly mine. Whatever is going on here is affecting me as well.”
That last sentence cause a cold chill along her spine. She started to ask him what he meant, but stopped. “Don’t tell me…that’s another question for Giles.”
***
The vampire picked up the phone after the fifth ring, “Hello?”
A female voice spoke in a hushed whisper. “Angelus?”
“Willow, is that you?”
“Yes.” As she started in on the reason for her call, Willow paused realizing that the two vampires would probably sound the same over the phone. Asking, “This is Angelus, right?”
Obviously, Willow had something of some importance to say. Angel figured that it had to do with his encounter with Cordelia. Responding smoothly, “That’s right.”
Sounding a sigh of relief, Willow burst into a babbling stream of information. The girl was saying something about clothing and packing and pictures. The only words that really stuck out in Angel’s mind were, “Cordelia…leaving…country.”
Click.
“Hello?” Willow heard the noise on the other end of the line. “Hello, Angelus? Hmm. That’s funny. We got cut off.”
***
Angel leapt into the open-topped convertible, put the key into the ignition and sped down the mansion driveway. He headed straight for Cordelia’s parents’ house while considering new ways to get through the gate. This time, he was not going to be denied entry. Not by a gate, not by a door and not by an invisible energy barrier.
The vampire didn’t know how he was going to get into the Chase family mansion to see Cordelia, but he was damn well going to do it this time. “She’s not leaving. Even if I have to drag her back to the mansion and tie her to the bed.”
Mine, of course.
By the time Angel was only half a mile away, he noticed the approach of oncoming headlights. There was plenty of room in the road. He planned to speed on by. Only he recognized its outline in the darkness as a Corvette. Angel shoved his foot onto the brake bringing the Plymouth to a screeching halt.
The driver of the Corvette immediately did the same and suddenly he was face to face with Angelus who sat in the driver’s seat of the red car. Cordelia watched him from the passenger side, her hazel eyes mixed with emotions the souled vampire wanted to explore. All of that angst, hatred and guilty desire burning from within was just for him.
“Angel,” his double barely kept the growl from his throat. “Going somewhere?”
“Where do you think?” Angel could do without the taunting. Obviously, Angelus had not only gotten to the Chase mansion first, he successfully managed to get Cordelia to come with him.
How’d he get an invitation? Angel wondered knowing that Cordelia hadn’t been pleased with her mate when she stormed out of the mansion last night. He figured it wasn’t so much the spanking, but that Angelus had done it out of anger and in front of him.
Since his brother didn’t bother to respond to the rhetorical question, Angel wanted to know, “Are things resolved? You’re taking Cordelia back home?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?” Angel demanded details. “It’s where she belongs. With us.”
Brusquely, Angelus corrected him, “With me. You just happen to live there.”
There was a flash of amber in Angel’s heated gaze. Shifting it over to Cordelia, he had to ask, “What do you think about that?”
“Pfft! What do I think? You have the nerve to ask me that question? I’m not even sure I’m coming back to stay.”
Looking at Angelus again, just to make certain that his brother wasn’t being duped, “You do know that Cordelia had plans to leave Sunnydale.”
“It’s no longer an issue,” Angelus replied. “Angel, you are the reason that Cordelia is hesitant to come home again.”
“Me?” Angel’s face was pure innocence.
Warning him, “Don’t fuck with me. I know exactly what you’ve been doing. What’s more, I know why.”
“You always were a know-it-all, bro. Yapping in my head. Telling me what to do and generally pissing me off.”
“Yeah? Well now it seems to be your turn. I’d say I’m pretty pissed off right now.” He told Angel with a look that suggested trouble. “You’re responsible for most of it.”
Cordelia sensed their words were carrying the two vampires down a path that would lead to more violence. Good thing they were both sitting in cars and not standing in a face-off.
Catching Angel’s eye, she told him, “We’re going to Giles’ house for some questions and answers. You’ve suddenly turned into Psycho Vamp and I wanna know why. There is something so not right with your head, Angel.”
“No there’s not,” he cut in with a quick denial.
Angelus gave him a pointed look. “You know and I know that this has to do with our agreement with the Fates. I want Cordelia to hear everything from the Watcher. If you want to be there when the truth comes out, you’d better follow us over there.”
Before Angel could respond, his brother pressed down on the gas and drove off. Let Rupert Giles convince Cordelia of this so-called truth? Not without me being there