***
The door to the mansion opened to admit Willow who greeted the minion with a smile. Her voice was eager, “Hi! It’s me. I’m here to see Cordelia. She’s expecting me.”
“My mistress awaits you in the study,” the vampire waved her inside.
Racking her brain, Willow just couldn’t remember if this was Mel or Keanu. “Which one are you again?”
Dropping his formal tone, the vampire leaned in, “I’m Mel, tasty bit.”
Eep! Mel was looking at her like she was good for an afternoon snack. Suddenly, Jude appeared from the study and issued a warning to the other vamp. “Willow is not for you, Mel. Keep you hands and fangs to yourself.”
Scurrying over to Jude’s side, Willow added her agreement with a stern nod. “What he said. No snacking.”
Mel laughed and walked back into the living room where some of the other minions were watching television. Over his shoulder, he winked at Willow. “See you later, pet.”
“Jerk,” mumbled Willow as she followed along behind Jude.
“Best to stay away from Mel unless someone else is around,” Jude suggested. “Mistress Cordy hasn’t yet whipped the fight out of him. He occasionally tries to think for himself.”
Whipped? “Y-you mean that figuratively, right.”
Jude gave her a surprised look, but answered, “Riiight!”
The redhead suddenly forgot all about Mel as she hovered at the door of the large study. There were boxes and boxes of computer components— a hacker’s dream. She couldn’t wait to dig in and find out the details of the project.
Catching movement out of the corner of her right eye, Willow saw that Cordelia was in the corner with Angel and in the process of being rather thoroughly kissed. Her leg was high on his hip while the vampire’s hand was curled around her leather-garbed butt cheek. A soft gasp left her throat, almost too quiet to be heard by her own ears.
Then she changed her mind about what she was seeing. Maybe it was Angel who was being thoroughly kissed, because Cordelia certainly seemed to be playing an equally intense role. Willow found it hard to tear her eyes away even when Jude nudged at her arm. She looked up to see him lift a finger of silence to his lips and then nod toward the large L-shaped mahogany desk.
They were supposed to work— now?
Come in Willow. Come to me.
Jude tried to stop the girl from interrupting, but Willow ignored him and walked right up to Cordelia and Angel. Yanking on the vampire’s shirt sleeve, she commented dryly, “I wouldn’t barge in like this normally, but you vamps might not come up for air anytime soon since you don’t need to breathe.”
“Willow,” the sound of frustration in Angel’s voice was obvious as Cordelia returned her leg to the floor and stepped away. “I thought I told you to stay away.”
“Don’t be mean,” Cordelia poked him in the chest. “I invited Willow. I told you why she’s here.”
“You gave me one reason,” Angel lifted a dark brow telling his mate that he knew she was up to something. Willow and Cordelia had never been friends. This seemed like a strange time to strike up a relationship with a girl who now fit into the category of prey.
Looking down at the redhead, Cordelia sent her a bright smile. “Ignore him. He’s just being his usual growly self. Why don’t you start unpacking the boxes? Jude will help. I think my Angel need some more attention. Your little interruption left him as hard as steel.”
“Cordelia,” protested Angel as her hand came down to cup the bulge in his pants. Jerking her hand away might have been a mistake, because now Willow had a direct line of sight. Her green eyes darted up to his and Angel noted the faster pace of her heart and heavier breathing.
“It’s just Willow, silly vamp,” Cordy nibbled at his ear even as Angel tried to push her away. Her mouth brushed across his cheek. “Just a little longer. I need your kiss.”
Angel gave in deciding that it wasn’t any worse than a couple making out at a public park except that he knew someone was watching. Besides, she was so damn addictive. Like a drug in his system, she kept him wanting more. Willow was close, still hovering around at their side despite Cordelia’s suggestion to start unpacking the computers. The scent of her increasing arousal was mixing with the air and that simply seemed to make Cordelia all the more eager.
See something you like, pet?
“Yes,” Willow whispered her answer obediently.
Cordelia plastered kisses over Angel’s face and neck until he suddenly pulled her up to take her plush mouth with his own. Their kisses were earth-shattering and sensual and far sexier than anything Willow had ever seen. They were moaning against each other’s lips and it was all she could do not to echo the sound. Cordy’s lips were wide and soft as they smooched at his.
He’s mine.
In fact, the redhead realized that she didn’t have a problem with fact that for some reason. Willow’s finger crept up to her own mouth running its tip along the moist inner curve of her lower lip. “Okay.”
Somewhere in the back of his lust-filled mind, Angel recognized the fact that Willow was conversing with herself and not Jude who quietly leaned up against the desk. Yes. Okay. Was it a voyeur’s encouragement to watching him kiss Cordelia up close and personal? Yes. Okay. Then it suddenly clicked— he knew what was happening. Yes. Okay. They were responses to his mate’s mental cues.
Pushing Cordelia away from him so that she tumbled to the floor, Angel let out a growl. “What the hell are you playing at, Cordy?”
As she licked her kiss-swollen lips, Cordelia simply smiled. Her eyes swept over his body noting that he was still hard. “I know you want me.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” the vampire returned towering over her. Grabbing the still-hovering Willow by the arm, he yanked her close. She slapped at his hand, but he ignored it. “It’s Willow. I know what you were doing, Cordelia and it’s pissing me off.”
“She wasn’t doing anything except kissing you, stupid vamp,” Willow tried to force him to release her, but her arms was encased in his iron grip. The girl’s attitude was different than usual, noted Angel as she told him threateningly, “You shouldn’t touch me.”
“Why is that Willow?” Angel turned his dark gaze upon her.
Hush, pet.
Willow paused in thought as if she knew the answer, but couldn’t put it into words. “I-I— don’t think I can say.”
“Then get to work,” Angel suggested darkly, “while I take Cordelia upstairs and paddle some sense into her.”
Cordelia let Angel lift her to her feet. On the way out the door, she asked eagerly, “Are you really going to spank me?”
“No. You’d enjoy that.”
Pouting, Cordelia followed him up the stairs to their bedroom. “Then why are we here?”
“You’re going to tell me what you’ve got up your sleeve. Willow is an innocent despite all that she has seen at the Slayer’s side.” Angel warned her again that he would be her protector if necessary.
“What will you do, Angel?” Cordelia trounced over to the bed and sat down. “Stake me?”
Frankly, he didn’t know how he would react. He wasn’t a fool to think that Cordelia and her minions were suddenly going to take on a diet of pig’s blood. As long as they were here in Sunnydale, people were going to die. “Willow has seen enough death. I don’t want her to be the victim.”
“Victim? For helping me with my computers?”
“Enough of that bull! Give me a straight answer. I don’t know all your tricks, tigress, but I do know that your abilities include projecting your thoughts. Turning the will of another to your own.” Angel moved closer with a lethal gaze in his dark eyes. “If vampires are susceptible to your suggestion, I assume that humans are easy prey for enthrallment.”
Cordelia’s lips curled into a smile, the tip of her tongue peeking out from between her white teeth as her eyes flashed mischievously. “Willow has been part of my life since the sandbox at kindergarten. Is it so wrong to keep her around?”
“You were her nemesis, Cordelia,” reminded Angel. “She had every right to be jealous of you, especially when you allowed yourself to be claimed as Harris’ girlfriend.”
“Claimed? That’s an exaggeration. Xander didn’t get much past the kissing stage,” Cordy told him.
“I remember,” Angel recalled exactly how Cordelia had described it to him on the night that Angelus turned her. “The boy is lucky he lived as long as he did.”
Smirking at him, Cordelia relished the fact that his demon drew so near to the surface at times like these. “Xander never gave Willow any reason to think that he would want her. Not as a lover.”
“Not that you know of, Cordy.”
Oh. She hadn’t thought about it that way. “Willow will tell me if I ask her.”
“Then ask her. Don’t yank the information from her mind,” Angel doubted that she knew of the risks involved. “There are dangers for you as well as Willow if you keep up with this little game of yours.”
Pfft! Dangers? She had been perfecting her abilities for the last year. Nothing strange had happened. The only results seemed to be her growing financial status and the cherry red Corvette on the front driveway. “Such as what?”
“Your gift is rare, Cordelia,” he admitted. Now he knew the result of allowing a turning childe giving her that much blood, though it had to combine with something innate in her own being— some predisposition. She possessed something even more powerful than her sire. It was something he could not control unless he bent her to his will alone.
“I thought so,” she smirked.
“Rare, but it’s not unique,” Angel wiped her smile away. “I have seen the like over the past two and a half centuries. Continued contact with the vampire creates a dependence upon the part of the human. A need they cannot understand. It can lead to madness if it’s not managed right.”
“…”
Angel continued, “The vampire is also at risk to a lesser degree. It may start out as simple enthrallment. Forcing a human to answer to your wishes. Keeping them near— a pet.”
He’d noticed her shoulders stiffen. “Does that word bother you, Cordelia?”
Then Cordelia looked a little defiant. Angel wasn’t going to talk her out of her plans for Willow Rosenberg. Just imagine Buffy Summer’s face when Willow dumped her best friend for the sake of being near Cordelia instead.
“I’ve never had a pet. My parents wouldn’t allow it. Willow is smart and funny even if her sense of style needs a change, but that is right up my alley.”
“Dressing Willow might sound like fun,” Angel’s eyes narrowed slightly at the thought, “but it rarely stops with sharing thoughts. Soon it’s about sampling blood. Later comes something that I warned you I will not allow.”
Cordelia stood up abruptly which put her within inches of his hard body. “Thanks for the warning, sire. I’ll try to be a good girl, but just so you know— I’m keeping her.”
Taking hold of her waist, Angel knew that he could not stop her once her mind was made up. This was probably going to piss Buffy off more than he could imagine. “Just keep your minions away from Willow.”
“They know the score.”
***
Jude assisted Willow with the placement of the heavier computer parts though most were sleek and streamlined. It looked like Cordelia had bought the best. Or acquired the best.
After half an hour, Willow kept glancing at the door every couple of minutes before she asked the vampire, “When is Cordelia coming?”
He laughed with a sparkle in his eyes. “Mistress Cordy is probably cumming right now.”
Blushing, she clarified herself, “I meant arriving here.”
“I know that,” he told her he was just teasing. “Despite the soul, I think my sire is pleased with finding her mate again. It is certain that they find pleasure together.”
“Uh— well, I don’t need to know about that,” Willow muttered. “None of my business.”
Jude looked at her slyly. The little redhead was completely clueless. Mistress Cordy had warned them to be careful around Willow. The vampiress had informed them that Willow was smarter than most humans, could bulldoze you into bewilderment in ten seconds flat, and was not only a computer whiz, but a fledgling witch. While his brethren were curious as to the reason their sire did not simply turn the girl, it would be interesting to have her around.
“Cordelia would want you to feel at home, Willow,” he told her. “Everything that goes on here at the mansion is your business now. Do you want to know what I hear when I listen to this place?”
Since it seemed like she would not get to talk to Cordelia anytime soon, it was as good as anything for killing time. “Okay.”
Shifting in her seat, Willow thought it a little strange that a vampire was being so nice to her. Then again, Cordelia would not let her fledglings harm her. Jude told her so himself. She did feel a little curious about Angel and Cordelia, but that was only natural. It wasn’t her own curiosity that concerned her, but the flare of arousal that made her loins ache as Jude turned his attention toward the other parts of the mansion. His voice was deep and sensual as he described what he was hearing.
“The television is loud in the living room. My brethren are watching— uh, the Romance Channel.”
Willow snorted, turning redder. “I can hear that part myself. It’s not the Romance Channel.”
“Okay, so it’s cable porn. We haven’t gotten out much while planning this move,” Jude admitted with a laugh. Then he returned to his descriptions as Willow’s eyes became a dark circle of green in a sea of white. “I hear the slap of skin on skin, but it’s not coming from the television.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t be shocked, Willow,” warned Jude. “We are vampires. Things are different than in the human world. The other vamps will not hurt you, but they will certainly heckle you if you show any sign of fear at what you see here.”
“Angel—,” she started to say that Angel would not allow heckling, but knew he wouldn’t be around all of the time. Willow did not even realize what she was thinking. It was just a natural acceptance that she would be spending a lot of time here at the mansion.
“Mistress Cordy’s sire is powerful and dangerous. Though he is bound by the weakness of a soul, they rightfully fear him. Angelus is the master of the Order of Aurelius— that is our line of descent and to the extent that we do not betray our sire’s wishes, we must answer to him.”
Willow’s voice stuttered as she repeated the name he used. “A-Angelus?”
Waving his hand in the air, Jude brushed away the distinction. “Angel— if you are more comfortable with that. It’s the same thing. He is the same vampire. At least that is what he spent last night convincing my mistress to accept. That he is her sire and mate.”
“You eavesdrop a lot, don’t you, Jude?”
Amused at her expression, Jude shrugged. It made things more interesting. The others were content to sit in front of the glowing orb that was the television all day. Jude much preferred computers, but as they were not set up yet he kept himself otherwise occupied.
“Last night wasn’t my fault. I returned from walking you home only to find my mistress and her sire naked on the couch. At first, I watched to ensure that he was not hurting her, but it quickly became apparent that it was pleasure rather than pain.”
“I thought vampires liked pain,” Willow commented then clapped her mouth shut. So not the right direction to take this conversation. Not that she should even be having anything to do with this naughty talk with Jude. This wasn’t like talking about a movie where the actors had a love scene. It was people— vampires— that she knew.
“We do,” he grinned as he leaned over the desk, “under the right circumstances. Depends on who you’re with and if the purpose is pain alone or if it culminates into pleasure.”
“Oh.” More blushing followed and the vampire’s eyes wandered over her skin.
Distracting himself, Jude let out a sigh at the memory of seeing Cordelia and her sire together. It had been so easy to picture himself there with her rather than the master vampire. Not that it was going to happen since it was made extremely clear that Cordy was not going to let them touch her in a sexual way, though she did not seem to mind if they brought home a victim or two now and then.
“My mistress is so beautiful,” he had a far away look in his yellowing eyes that made Willow a little wary.
Still, she had to agree, “Yes.”
“As is Angelus,” Jude added without any sign of jealousy. He said it with equal interest as he did in describing his mistress. “They were quite mesmerizing together. I must have watched them for ten minutes before either of them realized I was there.”
Willow let out a little gasp, surprised that Jude wasn’t a huge pile of dust on the floor. Her imagination was filling in quite well for her lack of experience and she wondered exactly what the vampire had seen. Unfortunately, when she asked, “What happened?” He misunderstood her.
“Nothing,” Jude shrugged. “They preferred to be alone. So I returned to my room and took care of the— problem that had developed.”
“Problem?” Willow asked with her wide green eyes full of ingenuous ignorance even though she knew what he was referring to. She had the sudden urge to hear him say it. Gosh! How naughty was that?
“My mistress may be mad at me for corrupting you,” Jude moved back to sit upright on the edge of the desk as he ignored her question.
Silence filled the void as Jude sat in stillness and Willow fiddled with the computer. After five minutes, she asked, “What else do you hear?”
With his back to her, Jude smiled. “I hear the flutter of your heartbeat. The quickening of your breath. Upstairs, I hear water sloshing against the side of the bathtub. They are there together, my mistress and her sire.”
“Washing?”
“No.” The girl wasn’t that innocent. If so, she would have already run screaming from the mansion and he would have been left to explain the reason to his sire. “Perhaps that is a part of the reason they are there, but if Cordelia’s keening cries suggest anything to you I think something else is going on.”
Willow was squirming in her seat again, only this time it wasn’t from embarrassment. It was because her panties were sticking to her in a way that wasn’t quite comfortable and because moving around just a tiny bit helped ease the tension there. She let out a little moan as she pressed herself hard into the seat of her chair and rotated her hips against it.
It wasn’t as if Jude could see her. His back was turned. “I think it is time for you to leave, Willow.”
“But Cordy—,” Willow protested that once again she had gotten to spend just minutes with Cordelia when it was her invitation that brought her to the mansion in the first place.
“Our mistress is still with her sire,” Jude turned suddenly and placed his hands upon the desk. His eyes were pure gold as he stared at her from his vampiric face. There was anger in his voice and a sound that signaled he was reaching the limit of his control. “You need to learn to wait your turn, pet.”
“Jude?”
“Go home, Willow. Now, before you regret coming.” He looked like a beast on the edge. “You know vampires. It’s not just our hearing that is enhanced. I can scent your arousal, hear the shifting of your skin against your skirt and the slight squeak of the chair. See the blood flushing your skin.”
Jude stared down at her with lust in his eyes. He could practically taste her on his lips— the blood and sweet essence of her. What a scrumptious little treat Willow would make if only she wasn’t off limits. So much for warning her about Mel, he thought with a leer.
Staggering to her feet, Willow edged toward the door. “I-I think I’m going now. It’s still light outside.”
Jude called out to her as she reached the door and asked knowingly, “I’ll see you again tomorrow?”
Cordy would want her to be there. The network wasn’t finished yet. “Yeah. Tomorrow.”
***
“Where have you been?” Buffy demanded as Willow strolled up with a lost look on her face.
“I told you.” Willow shrugged, adding a sigh of frustration. “At the mansion.”
Grabbing her narrow wrist, Buffy ordered her, “Come here.”
Willow found herself dragged onto her own front porch as Buffy lifted her red hair away from her throat. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for bite marks.”
“Nobody has been biting me,” Willow pushed Buffy’s hand away. “Why would you even think that?”
Buffy crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve been in a vampire lair for the past couple of hours.”
Protesting, “I was at Angel’s house.”
“Which had vampires in it.”
Willow shrugged, “Angel is a vampire. That only makes sense.”
“Does it make sense for you to be there?”
“I was working on the computers.”
“Huh. No doubt Cordelia gave you an earful about me while you were there. Bragging about stealing Angel away?” Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.
Tucking her hair behind her ears, Willow stalled for time. “Uh— no. Cordelia didn’t even mention you.”
That surprised Buffy who continued to question her, “And Angel? What did he say?”
“Your name didn’t come up, okay?” Willow heaved a sigh and grabbed for the doorknob. “I didn’t even get to see Cordy for more than a couple of minutes.”
“Oh?” Buffy’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “In the middle of the day? Where was she?”
“Busy.”
“Doing what? Filing her claws into sharp points? Flossing her fangs?”
“Geez! Stop pestering me.” Willow was getting rattled. “She was with Angel. What do you think she was doing?”
Willow didn’t bother to wait for Buffy’s answer. She let herself into her house and shut the door behind her.
***
“Eternity looks beautiful on you, my dear,” Richard Wilkins held out both hands to Cordelia in greeting. “Welcome to my home. Please come in.”
“Tell me that in a hundred years or so,” Cordy laughed. She had dressed more demurely tonight since the mayoral candidate disapproved of showing too much skin.
“Should I invite your friends in?” He looked over the three muscular guys wearing suits and ties.
Glancing back at Mel, Brad and Tom, she flashed them a smile. “No, I think not. Better that they remain outside and keep an eye out.”
They chatted for a while catching up on things since they last met in Los Angeles. Then the discussion finally turned to business. “Things are going quite according to my plan,” Wilkins told her with a satisfied smile. “Your help in my election campaign will be very valuable. Between my natural charm and your— persuasive skills, the voters will have me in office by a landslide.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes as if her part was miniscule. “Richard, I told you that Sunnydale could be yours. The Hellmouth is exactly what you needed.”
“My Ascension will follow soon after the election. There are still a few pieces that need to fall into place.”
“For me as well,” Cordy nodded. “Although things seem to be running smoothly for the moment if my sire doesn’t dig too deep.”
“Ah! Mr. Trick explained that Angelus has returned.”
“Yes,” she did not bother to correct him on the name. Cordelia figured that he didn’t need to know the fearsome Scourge of Europe was bogged down by a soul. Let Trick tell him if he was that interested.
“Does he know of your plans?”
“Not all of them and I’d like to keep it that way.”
Raising an eyebrow, Wilkins gave her a little lecture on keeping secrets from one’s lover. “That never ends well, my dear.”
“He’ll know soon enough,” Cordelia responded with a curl of her lips. If he doesn’t dust me for it afterward, things will be just fine.
“Are you certain you won’t change your mind about remaining in Sunnydale after the Ascension?” He was offering her more power in the demonic rule that would follow. “I can set you up with a little something.”
Cordelia had no interest in his offer or in Sunnydale for that matter. No, he could have the town. She would hand it to him on a platter and let him lord over the Hellmouth if that is what he desired. “Thanks, but no. As long as my own interests remain safe and secure while this goes down, Sunnydale is yours.”