Part 30
“It looks kind of purple,” Fred looked worriedly at the plastic gloves she just tossed on the sink.
“Yeah,” Cordelia refusing to the let the sight upset her. “It doesn’t look like that on the hair, I hope,” she winced slightly. “Moment of truth,” she shrugged to Fred.
“I’ve got more, just in case.” Fred smiled encouragingly.
“Out.” Cordy pushed Fred from the bathroom. “Oh, Fred.”
Her friend turned. “Pray and thanks.” Cordelia beamed.
“Any time, though, you’ll be beautiful. I mean you are, but more.” Fred nodded rocking on her heels smiling back.
***
Cordelia stared in the mirror the old picture up next to her face. The color wasn’t perfect but it was close enough to do wonders to her confidence levels.
It wasn’t that she actually thought she was smarter or never wrong with her natural color it was just that she felt like more like her old self, the one that had confidence galore- the girl that had known what she wanted and how to get it. She had talked big over the last year as an increasingly blonde person, but she had been wrong in almost all of her recent choices; the important ones anyway.
Cordelia peered in closer to her image. Brunette or blonde, what did Angel see in her that made him trust so. She squinted hoping to see a big heart appear on the glass. She stared at the pretty young woman and her new store bought ‘French Roast’ hair color that stared back.
This was stupid. Even if she hadn’t dyed her hair blonde she wouldn’t have said no to ‘false’ Skip. Why had she done it? Did she really think she deserved to be a higher power; did she even want to be? What did she want?
Her head jerked towards the sounds coming from down stairs. She beamed back at her reflection. She knew what she wanted and it really wasn’t that different from what she told little evil Polly and she would do whatever she had to keep it, now that she had it. She brushed back her new dark hair and ran downstairs.
Fred’s head shot towards the running figure. “I love it.” She jumped up and down pointing to Cordy’s new hair color.
“It does look good, doesn’t it,” Cordelia patted at her head.
“Yeah,” Fred smugly swung back on her heels. “Told you ‘French Roast’.”
“Yeah, you did.” Cordy smiled running to the door of the basement where Fred was poised teetering on whether to go down or not.
“They got her.” Cordy acknowledged the sounds and curses coming from below.
“Yeah, she sure is loud.”
“Most bitches are. Come on, the guys may just be stupid enough to think that boys can’t slug a girl.”
“I did once already,” Fred raised her tiny fist. “I’ll to do it again, I don’t like her, a lot.”
Fred and Cordelia entered into a tense stand off. Angel had Justine pressed against the wall, his strength keeping her still, but the woman was cursing and spewing venom from her lips.
Gunn was standing by rubbing his swelling jaw and looking a little lost.
“Shut her up.” Cordelia glared to Gunn.
“She won’t. Angel keeps hitting her, but…he doesn’t want to kill her or knock her out until we get the answers so she keeps yelling. But, I think the vamp is about to burst.”
Cordelia studied the struggling woman and the vampire that was fighting his urge not to kill. She stepped up.
“Angel,” She gently touched his arm, beckoning him away.
Angel glanced up his vampire visage plain to see, his elbow up against Justine’s throat.
“Angel,” Cordelia nodded.
The vampire growled and threw Justine to the floor moving away.
Cordelia shot a quick smile then turned with the sword she had picked up before entering the basement. “Stay down.” She said the tip of the blade to Justine’s throat.
Justine glanced at Cordelia and scooted back against the wall, the blade followed.
“We haven’t been introduced properly. My name is Cordelia, Cordelia Chase; you already know Angel, Gunn and Fred. Fred here would like to go a couple rounds with you and don’t fooled by her delicate appearance, she’s a hell cat when her loved ones are threatened.”
Fred stepped up. She wasn’t sure what Cordelia was up too, but she would play along even if it meant physically fighting Justine. Fred braced her shoulders and remembered that Justine was the one that sliced Wesley’s throat and manipulated Connor to hurt Angel. She could do it.
“But,” Cordelia continued on. “She’s not the real danger.”
“The vampire, he won’t kill me.”
“He won’t?” Cordelia stood back her sword pointing to the floor.
“No, he doesn’t kill humans right. Isn’t that his banner of his so-called redemption -I’ve a soul” she laughed harshly.
Cordelia narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer to the woman. “If you believe that- then you may have just signed your death warrant. If you believe that Angel has his soul -won’t kill humans yet you led Connor to believe that he could kill Holtz anyway then I will kill you, don’t worry about the vampire. I wanted to feel sorry for you, think that the Powers had us save you for some reason. But I can’t think of one. Don’t fear the vampire, fear me.” Cordelia reached up her fist in the air, the skin turning gold as the air around glimmered and brightened.
“What are you? What do you want?” Justine tried to scramble even further back against the wall away from Cordy’s glowing fist.
“I’m not really sure, except that I’m a demon, mad and pretty powerful. What I want- other than you dead is the truth.” Cordelia said coldly.
Angel leaned back against the wall and whispered to no one in particular. “Cordy would’ve made a helluva of a vampire. Did she do something to her hair?”
“Uh,” Gunn shot a look at Angel then to Fred,” did you hear that.”
“I think he meant it has a compliment, you have to admit Cordy’s a bit scary right now and doesn’t she look pretty, new hair color or really close to old, ‘French Roast’ I picked it out.”
“Uh,” Gunn said again.
Angel bent around Gunn to face Fred. “Good choice almost looks like it should.” He nodded. “Oh, don’t tell her I didn’t like it blonde, I did, but this is just better.” Angel glanced back at Cordelia hovering over Justine a sword in one hand and a glowing fist poised over the woman.
Part of Angel wanted to just rip Justine’s throat out, but the other was quite impressed by the picture Cordelia made and he did like her hair better brunette, maybe next she’d grow it back out.
“I won’t tell.” Fred beamed.
“Shouldn’t we stop Cordy, she seems too be glowing all over now.” Gunn interrupted trying to direct his companions to his original concern.
Fred and Angel shrugged. “I kind of want to see what she’s planning.” “I’m with Fred, god, Cordy’s amazing. I mean, just look at her. Beautiful.” Angel added in admiration.
“You guys.” Gunn urged.
“Oh, look too late.” Fred shook her head.
Cordelia had leaned in grabbing Justine by the throat; the glow of her fist began to encompass both bodies.
“Holy shit.” Gunn stepped back.
“Wow.” Fred said.
Angel waited.
Cordelia released Justine, starting to stagger. Angel was behind her in an instant steadying her body against his. Angel growled, it wasn’t amazing anymore, not if Cordy’s actions brought her pain.
Justine huddled against the wall crying gasping tears. “I…”
Cordelia pushed away from Angel, her voice now gentle. “Don’t dwell now, the hatred and anger are gone, don’t dwell on the guilt, just tell us the truth of how Holtz died.”
Justine blinked up, her eyes full with tears. She pushed herself up against the wall, her stare never leaving Cordelia. “You think that I’ll help you because what -you took away my anger and pain?” Justine continued to shake her head.
“It was never about anger or hatred. It was about conviction and belief. I kill vampires because they need to be killed they’re evil. And his soul,” Justine cocked her head towards Angel, “I don’t believe it exists, or if does, it doesn’t change what he is or what he did. So, as far as guilt goes, I’ve none.”
“You…I felt it, you were riddled with it that and rage.” Cordelia momentarily cofused. Cordelia knew what she felt when she embraced the woman. The woman was supposed to be purged of all those damaging feelings. Cordelia stared.
The woman was no longer crying or yelling, the tension gone from her body, but the hate…Cordelia looked again. The determination in her eyes wasn’t hate, what was it? Could it be belief, faith that her actions were right?
Pity washed through Cordy over a faith that could be so strong so warped do to so much evil and damage.
Justine crawled up the wall. “You felt the guilt and rage of not being able to save my sister and for failing Holtz. Angelus should still be at the bottom of the ocean, suffering for all the evil he’s done. I won’t help you, I won’t fail Holtz again. I would rather die.”
Cordelia had to be sure. She lunged back the glow once again encompassing both women. Cordelia jerked back. “You’re right.” Cordy said coldly, her pity gone, anger taking its place.
The woman was truly damaged goods; there was an emptiness in her that was frightening. Justine was like every other fanatic and zealot, so limited by their own sense of righteousness that they committed evil under the absolute surety of doing the right thing.
Cordy wondered if the woman would ever see the effects of her beliefs in the light of the bigger picture. But Cordy also knew she wasn’t going to be the one to convert Justine. Whatever reasons the Powers had to send her the vision of Justine in danger wasn’t her concern. They had already saved her once and without a big old sign from the Powers Cordelia wasn’t about to waste her time or her family’s on the woman again.
“Well, if you’d rather die, then – Angel, kill her.” Cordelia demanded. “Give her the death she fears most, drain every friggin fanatical blood cell out of her body.”
Angel moved forward at Cordelia’s order, but hesitated in lunging at the scowling female prisoner. He knew he wanted to kill Justine, but he wasn’t so sure that was what Cordelia really wanted. Then again, she had surprised him before when she had nonchalantly brushed off the possibility of his killing Holtz with a Pfft, wave of her hand and a quick ‘kill him, he stole Connor’s childhood’.
He believed then that he could’ve killed the human with no fear from reprisals or recriminations from Cordy. She hadn’t cared about Holtz just Angel and Connor. Angel again was reminded that Cordelia would’ve made a helluva a vampire worthy of Angelus. Angel hid the wince at his thought, Angelus and Cordelia were not something that ever should be recognized in the same breath except as a warning for Angel to remember and heed.
Angel stilled waiting for another sign from Cordelia. If she told him again to kill Justine, he would and enjoy it.
“I don’t fear death. I’ve nothing on my conscience, no reason to fear it, no matter the manner.” Justine said echoing Cordelia coldness.
“Really,” Cordelia narrowed her eyes, placing a hand on Angel’s chest stalling him, even though he hadn’t moved an inch. “You don’t fear death, how about your soul’s damnation then.”
Justine pressed against the wall moving as far as she could from Cordelia, her eyes widening a little in fear and incomprehension.
Cordelia smiled silkily, her manner condescending. “Oh, did that trigger a little something. I think it did. Angel, don’t kill her, turn her, take her soul-damn it.”
Angel didn’t even move a muscle, he knew he didn’t want to do that- with his soul, he’d struggled with various of his demon’s darker instincts but that wasn’t one of them. He already had a family he didn’t need to make one up.
Hell, even if he had that desire, Justine wouldn’t be a choice- his choice would always be the glorious woman directing him. He just wanted Justine dead. Angel knew that Cordelia wouldn’t want him too turn Justine either.
He tried to ignore the frustration that had suddenly sprung up. Cordy wasn’t going to let him kill the woman, he hadn’t even realized how much he wanted to until that moment, he swallowed his growl, his Cordy had a plan.
“NO.” Justine scrambled back along the wall.
Cordelia’s sword shot out halting any further movements. “Why not? What’s the problem Justine? Don’t want to become a soulless evil creature, does that wreak havoc to your convictions, your self-righteousness. It won’t, really- once you’re turned – you’ll forget everything except the lust to kill and feed off of humans, too bad your sister’s not alive so you could be the vampire that kills her, but hey, there are plenty of innocents out there, walking talking happy meals.”
“You….”
“Angel will do it- you’d be his childe. You never met Drusilla. I don’t even think Holtz did- not the right time period, you turned her after Holtz?” Cordelia looked to Angel for confirmation.
Angel nodded, his face still remaining passive accepting that he would just have to wait for whatever part Cordy wanted him to play next, though he was fairly certain he wouldn’t like it. Then again, the fear level in the woman against the wall was finally rising to an enjoyable degree. Cordelia hit on the woman’s weakness.
God she was good.
Cordelia tilted her head and studied Justine. “So then you haven’t heard about her. A piece of work, Dru -crazy as a loon and very evil. Loved her sire, though. Would’ve done anything and everything for him, come to think of it, she did and some of the things she did, they did -together- it makes a girl blush to think about it. She was his crazy little pet. Don’t fret- she loved it. So, will you once your undead.”
“You wouldn’t…”
“I thought that was covered- I would, Angel would, we’re demons you know how we are- evil, right? Isn’t that your belief.”
Justine shot a look at Gunn and Fred. Cordelia smirked. “Yeah, they’re humans but they don’t like you. You’ve caused us a lot of problems.” Cordy shrugged. “You would be much less of a problem as a vampire, they know that and I like I said they don’t like you at all.”
“I would…”
“Try to kill us.” Cordelia laughed. “You couldn’t. Angel wouldn’t let you and you couldn’t even fight him because he’d be your sire. Now, you could try maybe, but then he’d have to punish you. Then again, from what I heard, you’d like being punished by your sire. Sick, I know but it’s the way of vampires. Holtz didn’t tell you everything about Angelus, like I said it would make you blush. Whatcha think Angel? Want a new evil eternal plaything?” She turned to the vampire.
“I don’t know, Cordy.” This time Angel did move closer, he didn’t like it but it was the dichotomy of his being that he made him begin to enjoy the situation and it was what Cordelia wanted him to do. Angel’s hand shot out in a flash pinning Justine to the wall by her neck, his other hand traveled lecherously down her body.
He leaned in a sexy leer transforming his handsome face into a charming dangerous thing. “She’s not really my type.” He growled lowly. “But then again, it could be fun for a while. Can you be fun, Justine? Even a little? Come on, it’ll be fun.” The hand that wasn’t holding her neck, squeezed at her breast.
“What do you want?” Justine screamed, struggling against the vampire.
Angel quickly released the woman, sensing her break; he stepped back behind Cordelia, wiping the hand that had fondled the woman discreetly but harshly against the material of his pants.
“I told you, didn’t I? The truth and we want you to tell Connor, that’s all. Just the truth.” Cordelia said softly. “But,” her voice slowly transforming back into cold steel. “If we can’t have that then we’ll settle for less- revenge. You pissed us off. The truth or eternal evil unlife as Angel’s crazy pet, it’s really just up to you.”
Justine stared at Angel trying to determine if the vampire really would do it. Angelus was evil, all vampires were, but Justine also knew that Angel had claimed to have a soul and he hadn’t killed her before when he had the chance, in fact he had saved her.
Angel winked, the dangerous leer back on his face.
Justine blanched, starting to speak quickly. “I…I killed Holtz at his command. He wanted to set Angelus up for his death, make it so Connor never would forgive Angelus- that the son would kill the father. He told me how to use an ice pick to make it look like a vampire bit him. Connor came after it happened, it was even better than we originally planned- Connor seeing the body right after it was done. I told Connor that Angelus had done it, that I saw it all and that’s when Connor devised the plan to make Angelus pay.”
Justine told everything she knew, she wouldn’t take the risk that she would become one of the evil things that she swore to always destroy and so what if they knew the truth, Connor was the one that couldn’t know not them.
“You’ll tell that to Connor.” Cordelia said.
“I can’t. I don’t know where he is.” Justine said some of her earlier bravado returning.
Cordelia gave her slow smile in return. “Don’t worry. We do. And until you tell him the truth you’ll stay here, Gunn take her to one of the rooms, watch her.” Cordelia turned and walked up the stairs.
Gunn shrugged trying to get over his unease at Cordy’s performance and his disgust at the truth Justine told. “Come on.” He dragged Justine up by the elbow.
Fred let a whoosh of loud air that she had been holding in for the last few minutes. “That was a little terrifying, but effective.”
Angel just nodded and went after Cordelia.
Part 31
Gunn kept a tight grip on Justine, but Cordy’s show in the basement seemed to wipe the fight out of the woman. Gunn imagined that his arm was the only thing from keeping the woman from falling to the floor.
Which was fine by Gunn, he just as soon be as far away from the woman as arm reach and the small confines of the elevator would allow.
Gunn would admit that Cordy and Angel’s tag team questioning bit had unnerved him. Cordy with the glowing, cold voice and matter of fact way she ordered Angel to first kill Justine then turn her made his blood run cold and Angel’s easy obedience and slip into a creature that would and could do what Cordy demanded showed him a glimpse of the vampire that he didn’t particularly ever want to see again.
It reminded him too much of what Angel really was. He had told Angel before that he would never forget what Angel was, but sometimes you couldn’t help to forget because believe it or not the vampire was a helluva a friend.
But, whatever nervousness Cordy and Angel encouraged, Justine had effected him more- she sickened him and Gunn wasn’t so un-self aware to realize that his reaction may be akin to an ex-smoker disapproving the hell out of a smoker- his realization though didn’t lessen his feelings towards her.
Gunn knew that he had been on Justine’s path after his sister was killed.
Gunn could appreciate her need to kill vampires, he had had the same conviction in spades, and he even could understand her unwillingness to accept that Angel had a soul or to let that matter in her hatred- but Angel did have a soul and understanding it or not, Gunn knew now it did matter. And to take it one step further and kill Holtz in such a manner just to set Angel up was something he couldn’t understand or condone, just like he couldn’t accept Justine’s willingness to kill Wesley at Holtz’s order.
It was more than seeing things in simple black and white, it was fanaticism and Gunn had learned in his time with Angel Investigation, things weren’t that easy. There was a lot of gray out in the world and to ignore that are not believe it could cause more evil than what one was trying to fight against.
“Come on, girl.” Gunn tugged the woman out of the elevator pushing her to one of the empty rooms. Gunn moved to the window testing it. He grunted the window was swollen shut. He studied the drop to the ground. He grunted again in satisfaction, she wouldn’t be getting out that way. Gunn faced Justine. “Am I going to have to tie you up?”
Justine glared. “I know that you hate vampires.” She finally spoke, her voice full of condemnation.
“Your point.”
“How can you work with him, them- her- you would’ve stood by a let them turn me, make another vampire. I don’t understand you.”
“Well, I do understand you- and girl, you ain’t righteous, just damaged.” Gunn shook his head. “If you try to escape, Cordy may just change her mind and decide that you’re too much of a problem, remember that.”
“You’re not human.”
Gunn shook his head, shutting the door and locking it. He wanted to get as far away from her and his memories as possible.
***
“Okay, Kitten, what did I miss,” Lorne came in the hotel lobby towards Fred. “The tension in here could put the LA smog to shame.”
“Angel and Charles found Justine. She’s upstairs.” Fred gestured to the steps.
“Oh, the lethal vindictive miss is in the house. That would explain the lack of clean air to breathe. So, did she regale you with the tales of the not so little munchkins misconceptions about dear old daddykins.”
“Justine killed Holtz, he wanted her to, used an ice pick to make it look like a vampire- Angel- had bitten him,” the distaste clear in the young woman’s voice.
“What one will do in the name of love, hatred and revenge. Niiiicce. ” Lorne looked up as Gunn came back down the stairs.
Fred ran up. “Should’ve you have left her alone. Cordy said to watch her.”
“Yeah, don’t want to be getting on her bad side.” Gunn grumbled to the floor, then looking up. “Hell, girl, Justine’s fine and locked up, she ain’t going nowhere.”
Lorne puzzled at Gunn’s mumbled comment. “And how is Daddykins taking this bit of news.” Lorne glanced around the lobby. ” And just where are the dynamic love-duo?”
Fred again nodded to the stairs. “Angel seemed to be fine. I guess it was all kind of expected, sort of, we knew he hadn’t killed Holtz.”
“We did?”
“Charles, he told us that.”
“Right.” Gunn slumped down on the edge of the desk. The whole thing had sucked the life right out of him. Cordy, Angel, Justine -all of them.
“Why are you in an emotional gumbo?” Lorne asked Gunn.
“Charles, what’s wrong?” Fred shot a concerned look to her boyfriend.
Gunn ignored Lorne and answered Fred. “You don’t have a problem with what happened down there.”
Fred pushed at her glasses. “No. It worked.”
“What, what happened down where?” Lorne looked at both of them.
Fred shrugged. “Nothing, Justine was in the basement. Cordy and Angel questioned her- she answered.”
“Nothing? Cordy turned into Madam Terror and Angel- her evil vamp sidekick.”
“Charles, you’re being silly, they were just trying to scare her into talking, it isn’t like hitting her was working. ” Fred pointed to the bruise that had formed on Gunn’s jaw. “Cordy was great and what she did worked.”
“Okay, darlings kiddies, what did our lovely Cordelia do?”
Fred shrugged at the big deal everyone was making about it. “Glowed a little, then scared her told her that Angel would turn her if she didn’t start talking, that’s all.”
“That’s all. We’re we in the same place?”
“So, she exaggerated a little on the descriptive bit and was slightly scary. But it worked.” Fred repeated again getting frustrated at Gunn’s inability to focus on the important issue.
“A little…slightly….she told Angel to turn Justine into his eternal evil plaything and he was going to do it, you saw him.”
“Now, you’re really being silly. Cordy would never let Angel make another woman into his eternal plaything- Cordy’s his girlfriend. I wouldn’t let you have a plaything and Cordy wouldn’t let Angel. Geez.”
“You’re missing the point.” Gunn shook his head.
Fred narrowed her eyes. “No, Charles, you are. They did what they had to do, it was a bluff and you know it. They have a lot riding on what the woman had to say. We all do and if it meant beating her up or scaring her into talking so what. It got done. We know the truth and Connor will too.” Fred turned with a glare and went to her desk burying herself back into her computer.
“What? She doesn’t get it.”
“Gunn, I think you’re the one that doesn’t get it. That kitten has steel running through her. Five years in my lovely home dimension can do that to the sweetest of the sweet. She knows what her priorities are and Justine’s well-being isn’t on the list.”
“It ain’t on mine either, man. But, Angel and…”
“I thought you got over your indecision about Angel’s demoness.”
“That ain’t something you get over, just accept, until he turns evil. But Cordy’s….” Gunn shook his head.
Lorne shrugged. “The lovely lady was granted some mighty big powers, but don’t be so sure that what you saw had anything to do with her new founded demoness, that beautiful lady can be very determined when her mind is made up. Both of our beauties are very strong women. And a strong woman can be a very scary thing to us mere males. So, what’s the next step in the plan.”
Fred looked up over her shoulder. “We get Connor back and Wesley comes home, of course.”
“Not to mention lacking on the details of things.” Lorne rolled his red eyes to Gunn.
Part 32
Angel stood in the doorway staring at the young woman laid out on his bed, Cordelia’s back and head rested against the backboard.
“That wasn’t fun.” She acknowledged his presence with a scowl.
Angel remained where he was not sure how to respond. If he was to be completely honest with Cordelia and himself he would have to admit that there were definite ‘fun’ portions of Justine’s break down and confession.
Justine’s apprehension changing to terror as Cordelia found her fears and exploited them had been exhilarating to the demon in him; much more so than the impact of his swinging fist against the soft flesh. Her pain was only a slight consolation to his demon. The woman had shown no fear at his beatings.
It had frustrated him, urging him to rip her head off along with her smirk. But, then Cordy came taking over causing Justine’s scent to spike with fear drenching the woman and the air around her. It had been magnificent.
Angel hadn’t been exaggerating when he said that Cordelia would make a helluva a vampire. The moment Cordelia recognized Justine’s fear and used it with such precision, Angel’s demon recognized Cordelia’s skill. She knew Justine’s buttons and Cordy used Angel to push them and rather than be angry the demon in him reveled in being the instrument of Cordy’s torture of Justine.
Her actions ignited a desire and want to lay claim to Cordelia as a worthy partner and use her body to extend its pleasure.
It…Angel had to stop that, if he was to be truly honest. His demon wasn’t an it- it was he. Angel was the one that wanted to bury himself in Cordelia and gloat with their bodies at Justine’s loss of will to fear not some alternate personality of Angel or some separate little demon hidden inside his body. Angel was his demon.
His soul didn’t change that. It….his soul wasn’t an it either it was also him. Angel had another epiphany standing watching Cordelia.
Truthfully, he’d known it all along- his soul made him one fucked up demon. Conscious versus instinct, a constant battle at times more difficult than others but always there and there were times when he had given in to the instincts for various reasons -some merely out of need others for reasons he wasn’t proud of, but it wouldn’t happen now.
Because while he was a demon, he wasn’t Angelus, his soul did change that. And to do what his instinct craved and embed himself in Cordy’s body would destroy something precious. Unfortunately, that piece of knowledge didn’t curb his desire for the woman any. But then again, did he really think it would, as far as Angel could tell nothing would destroy his desire and love for Cordelia.
Everyday he experienced her it just grew stronger.
“Yoo-hoo, Angel,” Cordelia waved her hand in the air.
Angel blinked. “What?”
“Wow, the statue speaks.” Cordelia leaned up from the headboard to sit cross-legged on the bed. “You do realize that you’ve been standing there staring for like forever. I was beginning to think we’d have to put you in the garden under a shady tree. Can’t have the pigeons setting up house inside.”
Angel came as he close to he ever would to actually sticking his tongue out at the woman and he was grateful. His desire to laugh went a long way to temper is need rip at her clothes. “I was thinking.”
“Angel, that wasn’t thinking that was brooding. Thinking causes little wheels to turn in your head, you know signs of animation, brooding on the other hand turns you into a gloomy statue that birds will crap on if you don’t at least blink every once in awhile.”
Angel rolled his eyes and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Angel, you’re not mad are you.” Cordy scooted up beside him. “You know about me saying all that stuff about you turning Justine. I know you don’t like being reminded about all the icky stuff you did when you were Angelus.”
“Icky? I don’t think I’ve ever quite heard it described like that.” Angel smiled pulling Cordy’s hand to his lap.
“Well, if that’s not it why you were brooding?”
“I told you I was thinking.” Angel repeated sternly.
“Okay, why were you thinking your self into a lawn decoration.”
Angel smiled giving up. “I was thinking. I was thinking, Cordy that you would’ve made a great vampire -got the torture think down just right.” Angel was only half teasing.
“Angel, eww.” Cordy jerked back. “You make it sound like it was fun or something. It wasn’t.”
“No, it wasn’t for you was it.”
“Oh, but for you it was?”
Angel shrugged. “Maybe a little.” Again, he was only half teasing but he wasn’t completely comfortable sharing his darker instincts with the young woman he loved.
Who was he kidding, he may not want to share but he did want to show her. Angel’s dark gaze settled on the young woman, his eye’s taking in the peaceful setting of Cordelia, beautiful and desirable, sitting and waiting for him.
He wanted to interrupt the quiet with cries of lust, broken furniture and naked flesh coming together in a violent union. He wanted her up against the wall, on the floor and everywhere- he just wanted to be in her. Angel buried his growl. Cordelia already carried the burden of his heart and soul. Angel wouldn’t give her the responsibility of confronting his instincts- that was his responsibility and problem.
“What.” Cordelia poked him in the stomach. “Those ‘grr’ instinct get some jollies down there. Here I thought I upset you, but I should’ve been worrying about you going wildly ‘grr’ and actually turning Justine.” Clasping her hands dramatically to her chest. Cordelia latched on the half teasing tone of Angel and responded with her own.
“Eww.”
Cordy stared dropping her hands in amazement. “Angel, you just ewwed.”
“Well, turning Justine into a eternal plaything is a lot to eww about.”
“That’s right, she’s not your type- not blonde.”
Angel tugged at Cordy’s hair. “You better hope that’s not the reason- you’re not blonde anymore. By the way I really love it.” He showed her the dark strain.
Cordelia knocked his hand away reclaiming her hair. “I’m surprised you even noticed I went blonde in the first place. You can be pretty dense about that sort of thing. You do?” She added very pleased at the look of appreciation on Angel’s face.
“Yes, I do and Cordy I do notice everything about you. I notice when you change perfumes, when you change lotions, when you change shampoos….” Angel spoke softly tracing his finger from the exposed skin around Cordy’s collarbone back up to her hair. Angel could allow himself this, which was a good thing, because he didn’t think he could stop it.
Cordy knocked Angel’s hand away again. “You mean- you smell me.”
“All the time, every chance I get,” his finger going immediately back to its previous path.
“Angel, that just sounds gross, you smelling me.”
“I can’t help it,” he tapped his nose, “vampire. Anyway, you are definitely one of the more pleasant things in this life to smell.”
“You’re giving me the squigglies, now I’m going to be self-conscious all the time. I can’t train with you anymore, I’ll be stinky.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Cordy, perspiration gives the flesh flavor, accentuates the scent…,” his lips brushed the nap of her neck.
Cordy pulled back, wiggling a bit trying to ignore the shivers that were trickling up and down her spine. “Angel, we’re talking about sweat here.”
“I’m talking about your sweat, your scent, your flesh, your hair, your body- it will never be gross to me, you will always be beautiful.” Angel leaned back into her neck nuzzling against the skin, his body edging Cordy down on the bed.
Cordy gasped as his lips nipped and his tongue made small patches of moisture along her neck and the skin under her chin. It was harder to ignore the shivers this time, mainly because the tingling had spread through out her body. But Cordy tried anyway, she had a point to make. “What about when I’ve been dosed with slime demon goo?”
Angel lifted his head. “You win, that would be gross. Now, can I get back to what I was doing without any more interruptions?” Angel leaned back in at Cordelia’s smile only to come back up at the sound of a loud cough and a startled ‘whoops’ from the door.
Cordelia pushed up and looked at Gunn and Fred standing in the doorway of the bedroom. Gunn was studying his shoes and Fred was waving her fingers and wearing an apologetic smile.
Cordelia turned to Angel. “The answer to your question would be no.”
“I can see that.” Angel grunted his growl.
“Sorry, we just wanted to know when and how we were getting Connor.” Fred’s fingers clutching each other together in front of her in a nervous fashion, the apologetic smile still on her face.
“I’ll call Wesley tonight. Then tomorrow night.”
Fred swung around satisfied with Angel’s answer. “Come on,” she nudged at Gunn. “And you were thinking Angel didn’t have a plan.”
“Still lacking in the details, girl.” Gunn whispered remaining in the doorway.
“Pooh,” Fred whispered back. “Come on, can’t you tell they want to be alone.”
“You’re okay with that.” Gunn had moved with Fred a few feet away from the door that Fred closed in his face.
“That they want to be alone?”
“That they were making out like they weren’t just downstairs scaring the living life out of someone. Like it turned them on or something.”
Fred shook her head. “Why are you being so silly? They just want to be alone. They got the answers we needed and it will all be over soon. They’re happy and don’t worry Cordy won’t let Angel get perfectly happy.” She pulled at Gunn’s arm.
“Uh,” Gunn pivoted back towards the door -that hadn’t been his worry until now. “They shouldn’t be in there- alone.”
“Charles.” Fred pulled harder. “Trust ’em.”
“Trust ’em.” Gunn questioned. “Girl, they just reenacted a vampire’s wet dream downstairs and now they’re are up here preparing to do the bump and grind.”
“Charles, that was crude,” Fred snapped. “We’re leaving them alone. Come on. Don’t you have weapons are something to gather.”
“Sure, but I’m starting with the tranqs,” Gunn moved his feet, but his eyes went back to the closed bedroom door.
“Yeah.”
