Chapter 32: Back at the Mansion
Padding barefoot from the bathroom, Cordelia cast her gaze toward the large walk-in closet and then back at the bed still occupied by Angelus’ sleeping form.
According to the clock, it was already noon, long past time for her to be up and doing something. She was almost certain there was some kind of homework she was still supposed to finish before tomorrow.
Get dressed and do homework or crawl back into bed? The question popped up and wouldn’t go away until Cordelia weighed her options. Pfft! As if that was really a tough decision.
Cordelia dropped her robe onto the floor in its usual spot. Except that the matching nightgown was still tucked away in her closet having never been on in the first place last night. No matter that she had been mad at Angelus or that she still felt guilty about what had happened between her and Angel, the news that Giles had given her wiped out all of that. Whatever Angelus was feeling, he too seemed to push it aside.
The thought that she might lose Angelus because of this insane deal with the Fates, the same deal that had given him to her in the first place, dissolved all doubts in her mind as to where she wanted and needed to be. They hadn’t said a word to each other on the way back to the mansion last night. Cordelia was too caught up in her own thoughts and the drive went by before she realized the journey home was over.
That was where her silence ended. They barely made it in the door before Cordelia grabbed onto his jacket lapels and pulled him close. Wrapping her arms around his neck Cordelia lifted herself up to capture his mouth with a steamy demanding kiss. She needed to taste him, to touch him, to reaffirm that he was real and here and hers.
Angelus was a little surprised by his mate’s sudden move, but not so distracted by it that he didn’t realize why it was happening. If not for Giles frightening revelations, it would be far different. No doubt Cordelia would still be at her parents’ house holding a grudge against him for spanking her out of anger.
They’d still be working through their feelings about what happened between her and Angel.
There was a lot to be said for words and attaining forgiveness, but there were times when words simply hampered what needed to be said.
Pulling back, out of breath, Cordelia knew she needed more. Panting at him in short huffs of air baring the urgency behind her need, she pleaded, “Kiss me, Angelus. Kiss me until I can’t think of anything else, but you.”
Mere seconds passed as Angelus recognized that fear pervaded the lust in Cordelia’s hazel orbs. Fear of losing him. That was something the vampire was determined not to let happen. Not by his choice. Not as long as he had the will and the right to keep them together.
Lifting his hands to cup her face, his thumbs brushing along her cheekbones in a soft caress, Angelus descended to cover Cordelia’s mouth with the barest butterfly touch. Her eyelids fluttered closed as a tiny moue of contentment left her throat. Those soft almost teasing touches of his sculpted lips held the promise of more. Relaxing into him, Cordelia kept one hand on the back of his neck, the other moving down to his shoulder to slide under his jacket. Her lips tingled and plumped beneath those kisses as his mouth took her to that spiraling place of pure emotion.
The butterfly-soft caresses altered as Angelus swiped the tip of his tongue along the parted slant of Cordelia’s mouth. Her lips trembled opening wider, but the vampire merely pressed his lips over that same spot sucking it with a gentle tug. Lathing it again, moving to caress the sensitive inner flesh of her lip before giving it a little nip with his smooth teeth, Angelus released her head to let his hands slide down her back pulling her closer.
Lifting her eyelids despite the seemingly heavy weight of the lashes to find Angelus gazing back, Cordelia saw a smile hinting at the edges of his lips as came back to her mouth for more. Needing to taste him too, Cordy couldn’t be idle. The plump curves of her lips curled over his echoing the same pattern, but adding a harder nip near his chin knowing he loved to have her teeth on him.
The hard surface of the door suddenly butted up against her back as Angelus pushed her against it, leaning his marbled frame into her crushing her breasts with his chest and pinning her hips with his own. His hand was at her jaw, opening her mouth to the welcome intrusion of his tongue. Cordelia’s fingernails dug into the leather of his coat as she held him as close as she could get through the barrier of their clothes. Their kisses became heated, mouths melting into one another and entangling into a deep, wet parallel of what they both knew lay ahead.
Stealing glances, Cordelia saw lust in Angelus’ sinfully dark eyes matching her own, but it was the love behind it that told her everything she needed to know. God, she couldn’t get enough of his mouth. Those firm, sensual lips could drive her to the edge just by kissing her. Arousal churned deep in her belly, flooding her body with tingling need. She moaned into his mouth again as his hands roamed up and down her curves eliciting reactions that left her in flames.
Through the layers of his clothing, Cordelia followed suit, running her hands over his hard body with just as much need as her kisses. One hand slid between them to find the bulge that had been pressing into her. She moved her fingers down across that hard length with a firm hand and simultaneously licked at the roof of his mouth over the housing for his fangs.
Angelus body shuddered with pleasure at the dual stimulation. He ripped off his coat thrusting it to the ground, wanting her touch and no longer being content to have it through the barriers separating them. An almost feral smile appeared on Cordelia’s face as her thoughts echoed his. With both hands, she reached for his shirt pulling at the two halves until the buttons popped away far too impatient to wait.
He chuckled at her eager action, kissing Cordelia again as her warm hands wandered over the sculpted contours of his chest. Pulling her tight knit top over her head with a smooth sweep temporarily lifted Cordelia’s arms pressing her lush breasts into his chest, their sensitive tips poking up for attention through her lacy bra. Angelus held her wrists above her head on the door while his other hand curled around one lace-covered breast.
Their foreheads touched as Angelus told her, “Baby, you’re so beautiful.”
Distracted from his original plan to strip them both, Angelus found himself kissing her again. Cordelia felt those enticing lips brush softly against her face. His teeth tugged gently at her earlobe, the tip of his tongue rasping along the curve of her ear. As he pushed aside her hair with his cheek, one moist smooch landed along the cord of her neck at that sensitive joining spot behind her ear.
Closing his eyes, Angelus let his other senses take over as he breathed her in filling his lungs with air and drowning in her scent. He tasted the skin along the pulse of her throat, running his tongue along that thin blue line he so wanted to sink his fangs into. Just the hum of her blood made his body sing with lust even as it made him scream inwardly at its denial.
Those tender kisses on her throat brought tears to Cordelia’s eyes knowing what her mate wanted and couldn’t have. Her fingers threaded through his hair as Angelus used his rounded human teeth to nip gently at her throat. Scenting her tears, the vampire pulled back to gaze down at her in consternation. Then pressed his mouth against her cheek wiping them away.
“Don’t be sorry for it,” Angelus realized the reason for those salty tears. “We have so much, Cordelia. For as long as we can hold onto it.”
“Angelus,” she cried out his name, her hands becoming frantic as they pushed off his shirt and reached between them to the buckle of his belt. “Oh, God, just touch me. I need you now. I want you inside me.”
With a speed that left Cordelia a little dizzy, Angelus had them both naked with piles of discarded clothing scattered around the foyer floor. Then he was on his knees with his dark head between her thighs testing her readiness to take him. Angelus let his fingers gather up her tangy nectar as he leaned forward tasting her petaled folds, but Cordelia had her hands in his hair pulling at him.
“No.” There was a little tone of panic to her voice. Angelus realized why. It was what Angel had done to her.
A growl sounded in his throat. Damned if he’d let his brother into the middle of this, he rose up on his bare feet standing before Cordelia his sinewy muscles taut with his contained rage. Not at her, but Angel. Cordelia barely noticed. Her arm wrapped around his shoulder to pull him close again while her free hand immediately went to his hard cock.
Cordelia loved the feel of that velvet steel in her fingers, the way she couldn’t quite get her fingers around its girth and that it took both of her hands to span his length.
Despite Cordelia’s limited experience with the male body, it was all too obvious that Angelus fit into a category outside the norm. Every single part of him was gorgeous and extraordinary. Seeing him this way always amazed Cordelia that they actually fit together.
Cupping her bare bottom in his hands, Angelus lifted her up. Her back was to the door, but Cordelia was careless of it. Her focus was entirely on the vampire as she felt his erection insistently pressing against her. Helping, she guided him into her even while lifting her legs to wrap around his hips. Cordelia let out a gasp of pure need as he started to stretch her open. She wanted more. Wanted all of it. Here and now.
Slowly, Angelus lowered Cordelia at a controlled pace down the full length of his erection. He groaned into her ear at the sensation of her pulsing core as he pushed his way past the natural resistance of her inner muscles. They held him tightly as if trying to deny him entry, but once there kept holding as if refusing to let him go. Her moist heat was almost enough to make Angelus lose the last vestiges of his control, but he maintained it by refusing to move his hips until he could do so without letting loose and pounding into her.
That wasn’t going to happen…yet. He wanted to savor every second of this night.
Cordelia’s eyes were heavy-lidded as she stared down open-mouthed and breathing hard. She could feel every inch of him inside her. Angelus wasn’t moving; seemingly content to nibble at her neck again. That felt so good, but she wanted more. Wanted him to take her, imprint himself upon her, and claim her all over again.
Telling him so brought that rumbling growl to his chest, but Angelus seemed even more determined to go slowly. He started a shallow thrust that rasped his cock along her inner walls moving at a pace that had her hips squirming for leverage as he pinned her to the door. Angelus was content to play, holding her still and teasing her while kissing his way down to her luscious breasts.
The angle was difficult and Cordelia curled her hands around her own warm globes giving Angelus’ eager mouth access as he nipped and laved at the sensitive flesh. Pulling one nipple into his mouth, he tugged at its pebbled surface with his teeth and then sucked at her darker areola. He lavished equal attention to her other breast and then started to thrust deeper, faster, harder as he did so.
“That’s it,” Cordelia called out her encouragement adding her usual lustful little cries that entreated more of the same. “You feel so—”
Angelus didn’t give her a chance to finish the sentence. His mouth lifted up to cover hers in another tongue-tangling kiss. Moaning her pleasure into his mouth, Cordelia pulled her upper body closer and clasped her hands flat against the rippling muscles of his strong back. Breaking away, she tucked her head into his shoulder now only able to focus on the rhythmic sensations as his cock thrust within her feeling the way her body quivered around him.
A soft sheen covered Cordelia’s golden skin, strands of her hair clinging to it as heat radiated from her body. Angelus soaked it up, his own flesh warm under her fingers. She was getting close, he sensed, knowing her responses and lifted her to a slightly different angle so that every thrust nudged him against a spot that drove her wild.
Verbal as always, Cordelia screamed out his name as the pleasure built to an almost unbearable level. Her juices flowed between them scenting the air with tangy nectar and adding a new sensual sound to accompany her cries. She knew he could go all night if he wanted, bring her orgasm after orgasm if that was what he planned, but Cordelia needed him now. She wasn’t looking that far ahead.
The future was suddenly a scary place and Cordelia decided that the here and now with Angelus was the only important thing.
“Come with me,” her husky voice pleaded as Cordelia nibbled at the cord of his neck as the next deep thrust brought her to the peak.
Angelus let go needing it as much as she did, flooding her core with his cool seed as her muscles clenched and fluttered around him. An ecstatic cry left his throat as his mate bit down on his neck, clamping her teeth around his flesh.
A smile curled Cordelia’s lips at the memory of it as she slid into bed again, rolling back into her usual spot at his side. Angelus had fulfilled her every request and then some…and then some more. Although after that first time, he carried her up to the privacy of their third floor bedroom before they made love again. He was insatiable as was she last night as if they were both trying to give everything they had to the other. Taking all of it in like it was vital for survival.
Maybe it was, the sudden thought scared her.
Cordelia felt a sharp pain tear at her heart at the idea that Angelus might not survive this. Giles’ revelations were too much to take in all at once. She felt angry that they hid this from her, all three of them, but it was just a brief flash before Cordelia let it dissipate. Anger wasn’t something she had time to focus on right now.
Looking down at Angelus whose angelically handsome face remained locked in the tranquility of sleep, her thoughts drifted to his double’s desperate situation. Not that Angel even seemed to care that he was losing himself to his demon instincts. Giles obviously thought this was all part of some psychological impairment brought on by his separation from Angelus.
Cordelia figured those were just fancy words for saying Angel was going crazy. She had to wonder about Angel’s actions yesterday evening. Did he know what he was doing? Could he have stopped it sooner? Who am I kidding? Angel hadn’t planned to stop at all, but can I blame him for something hemight not have control over?
Giles was working on the problem, she knew. He had identified it, diagnosed it, but found nothing in his two months of research to tell him exactly why it was happening or how to fix it. With Angel turning into major Psycho Vamp, it was apparent that it wasn’t going to take another two weeks, much less two months for things to get even worse. The Watcher warned her that as Angel’s condition degraded, so would that of Angelus.
So not gonna happen, thought Cordelia defiantly. Don’t know if the Moirae caused this. If they did it on purpose. Don’t know if it’s just weird side effects from being split apart. Don’t care. Giles, I’m not gonna wait around until you decide to spill more secrets.
Waiting patiently was not an option. Pfft! The Watcher would be lucky if she wasn’t in his face everyday. Screw school. If there was research to be done, she was going to help. What’s more, she knew there was more than one way to find answers, though Cordelia was puzzled as to why Giles hadn’t done it himself.
Grabbing the phone from the bedside, Cordelia punched in the speed-dial code to the Rosenberg residence. What Willow couldn’t find out with her hacking skills, she could more than make up for with magick. Damn! The line is busy.
Pressing the button to disconnect, Cordelia decided that someone else needed to be aware of the situation. Maybe Buffy Summers was not going to be happy hearing from her so soon after the big breakup with Angel, but the Slayer still had a right to know there was a reason for his behavior.
Buffy’s line was also busy, suggesting that she was the one calling Willow. They’ll talk forever. No use trying that again for a while.
Putting down the phone, Cordelia turned back toward Angelus now looking at him from the edge of the large bed. From this perspective it was difficult not to get distracted. In fact, Cordelia found that looking at her mate was extremely distracting as she was overcome with the need to touch him again. To affirm that he was still real and hers and not going to become someone she couldn’t recognize.
Last night, Angelus’ love making ranged from ultra-tender to practically feral. These side effects hadn’t changed the way he touched her, Cordelia realized while rising up to her hands and knees on the mattress. If anything, he made her want him more.
Watching him now, a slow, sensual smile washed away the angst of her concerns as she focused only on her mate. Turning predatory with lust, her hazel eyes dilated into deep pools as they soaked in the image of Angelus stretched out on the huge bed.
Still taking up a sizable area with his broad shoulders and his muscular length, the vampire remained locked in sleep. A rumpled blue sheet barely covered him, leaving most of his smooth skin bare to Cordelia’s appreciative view as it draped over his hips and right leg. While his right hand rested on the muscled abdomen, his left arm was flung up on the pillow still leaving her snuggle spot open.
It wasn’t snuggling Cordelia had in mind as she stalked across the bed closing in and planning her next move at the same time. Wondering how far she could get without waking him up, Cordelia traced a finger at a snail’s pace down the center of Angelus’ body starting with his forehead, down the bridge of his nose, whispering across the sculpted plane of his lips, down his chin, neck and torso. Upon reaching the barrier of the bundled sheet, she lifted the finger away while darting her eyes up to his face.
There was no indication that the vampire was awake, nothing obvious to tell her so, but Cordelia sensed a shift in his presence telling her that Angelus knew exactly what she was doing. Narrowing her gaze, Cordelia was about to call him on it when she changed her mind. Let’s see how far you’ll let me go, Bad Boy.
Not a flicker of an eyelash gave him away as Angelus realized Cordelia was touching him. She thought he was asleep. No breathing or racing heartbeat to give him away, so he figured to play along. Wondering, Baby, how far do you plan to take this? I can only hope it involves more than one finger.
Angelus felt the bed shift slightly as her body bent toward him. The warm whisper of her breath hovered over his mouth. Just when he could almost taste her soft sweet lips, nothing happened. At least not the kiss he was expecting. Cordelia’s long hair fell over her shoulder tickling across the surface of his chest as it whispered over his skin.
Holding her breath, Cordelia watched as Angelus’ hand shifted from its resting-place on his abdomen up to brush away the source of the annoyance before returning to its original position. Faker! I know you’re awake, Angelus. You’re also ticklish. Who knew!
Temporarily delaying her plan to kiss every inch of him, Cordelia decided that a little torture might just do the trick to get Angelus to open those gorgeous brown eyes. It would take a lot of control to resist responding, something he normally seemed to have in spades. Gathering up her hair, she held it so that the curling tips hung loose beneath her hand. Starting with the tip of his nose, she let the soft strands barely touch as she moved them over his face.
His nose twitched involuntarily as Cordelia watched nearly causing her to burst out with laughter. So much for complete control. Holding it in, she didn’t want to make too much noise. That would give up the game.
Drifting down to his neck, she blew air over the fine strands of her hair, which danced across his sensitive skin. Angelus held still feeling that light caress teasing at his flesh. He felt something twitch in response, but it wasn’t his nose.
Dammit, Cor! She’s hardly touching me. She’s not touching me. How the hell can I be turned on? Angelus suppressed a growl along with the desire to yank Cordelia beneath him. Just her scent alone was driving him insane as her inner heat carried with it the tempting aroma of awakening arousal.
The tickling tips of those curling strands dusted over Angelus’ chest paying special attention to the small dark nipples. Again, the vampire made no noticeable move, but his body did respond as Cordelia leaned forward to dart the flat of her tongue over one nipple before pulling back to continue her descending path.
Angelus managed to contain his need to grab her and plunge his own tongue into that hot mouth, but the demon in him wasn’t about to give in so easily. This was hardly the worst torture he’d ever been through. Just consider what Darla did to him back in the day. No, the real torture here was trying to hold back because all he wanted was take over and do things to Cordelia’s luscious body having nothing to do with torture and everything to do with the fact that he couldn’t get enough of her.
The vampire felt a rush of air along his groin as Cordelia tossed the sheet aside. For what seemed like the longest time, nothing happened. No tickling, no teasing, and certainly no kissing or licking. He had to resist peeking, because he wondered what she was up too. Something else was obviously up, so Angelus figured that might be the cause of the distraction.
As his hand rested on his abdomen, Angelus ignored the urge just to reach down and touch himself. Cordelia was taking too long to do it, purposefully waiting this out. Did she know he was awake? Nah! He’d done nothing to give it away.
Maybe he is asleep, Cordelia glanced up at his handsome face again, the eyes still closed in the gentle appearance of slumber.
She’d been staring in fascination at Angelus’ body and the utterly gorgeous way he was put together. Seeing him like this was never enough and Cordelia hadn’t taken an opportunity to really look at him without Angelus being awake. He was all hard angles and smooth planes of pale flesh and hard muscle. Shifting lower on the bed, Cordelia positioned herself next to his hips and giving herself a direct view of his stirring erection.
An impish expression came across her face, her tongue appearing between her teeth and lights dancing in her eyes. Cordelia swept the silken strands of her hair across Angelus’ loins watching the vampire’s thighs tense in instantaneous reaction as his erect penis dropped heavily against his abdomen.
Dropping her hold on her hair, Cordelia straddled Angelus’ muscular thighs hovering over him rather than settling her buttocks down. If there was a slight chance that he really was asleep she didn’t want the pressure of her weight on him.
The temptation of his gorgeous cock was too much to resist. She’d planned to tease him with her mouth starting at his lips and working her way down, but Cordelia could not wait. Sliding her body further down the bed, she moved to straddle one leg and pushed his other one so that it was slightly parted. As expected, Angelus made no effort to respond.
Closing her fingers over him, Cordelia licked her lips in anticipation of tasting him. He was such a beautiful man and giving him pleasure this way was more than a sensual chore. Besides, she liked the fact that her vampire was totally at her mercy. See if you sleep through this.