Chapter 12
Cordelia checked their e-mail when they got to the room. She clicked on to the new message from Wesley. “Two of the couples on the list we sent live in LA. Wesley and Gunn have gone to talk to them. And he also forwarded some information about the symbol.”
Angel got on the bed sitting behind Cordelia to read over her shoulder. Cordelia paused in her reading, as she felt his weight on the bed. She took a deep breath and counted to 10 to get the tingling in her stomach under control.
“The symbol refers to an ancient sect of ‘Eros’ worshippers, the greek god of love and desire.”
Angel tried to concentrate on the screen, but found the view of Cordelia’s neck too appealing and if he slid his eyes just a bit lower he could see the hint of her breast through the gap in her robe. Angel wondered if his seer would scream ‘personal bubble’ if he just rested his chin on her shoulder and continued to gaze at the soft curves peeking through her robe.
The vampire took a deep breath capturing her scent. He wondered what she would do if he just kissed and licked at the delicate exposed skin, tasting her flavor.
Cordelia shivered as Angel’s unneeded breath tickled at the nap of her neck. Part of her just wanted to lean into the vampire’s broad chest and force him to acknowledge her love for him. The other part just wanted to run away and not take the risk of finding out if he was responsive or unresponsive to her feelings. Cordelia decided on a compromise and sat perfectly still and continued to read out loud.
Angel felt Cordelia shiver, then stiffen. He moved away slightly deciding that he was just torturing himself with the unanswerable questions.
“The priest of the order were tattooed with this symbol. The priest would conduct a yearly ceremony where he would offer a sacrifice to Eros.”
“A sacrifice?”
“Yeah, but not your standard stab and kill type, more like a sanctified, blessed live sex show. A young couple with pure hearts, pure love, etc. Do it, under the watchful eyes of the priest and worshippers. The act of ‘love’ is the offering to their god. And if the couple are truly soul mates and blah, blah, blah, the god will bless the followers with continued happiness, love, wealth, you know what everyone wants. That doesn’t sound at all evil does it? Sure, it smacks of major peeping tomism and well, ewww, but it’s not evil. Why would the PTB want us to stop an ancient type love in?”
“I don’t know?” Angel agreed.
“Angel, did you get a good look at Elliot’s tattoo?”
“Pretty good.”
Cordelia scrolled back to the picture of the symbol. “Angel, in my vision the symbol was not quite the same as this. I mean, it was off a bit, maybe upside down, the lines a little darker.”
“I don’t know about upside, but the markings on Elliot were thicker than this.” Angel gestured to the screen. “Cordelia ask Wesley to search for variations of the symbol. There maybe offshoots of the original sect. And send Elliot’s name. Do we know anything more about him?”
Cordelia shook her head. “Check the brochure, most places like this brag about their ‘highly educated and esteemed’ feel good cast.”
Angel got off the bed to get the brochure. “Not much, just some flowery filler. He doesn’t even have a last name,” the vampire said critically.
“Geez, Angel, just who does he think he is Cher, Madonna, You.” Cordelia rolled her eyes at the vampire. “Let me have it. I will type it in. Maybe Wesley can use something in it.”
Angel handed the pamphlet to Cordelia wishing that it wasn’t beneath his dignity to stick his tongue out at the beautiful smart ass girl.
They both started at hearing a knock on the door to the suite. Angel motioned for Cordelia to stay where she was.
“Angel,” greeted Elliot.
“I didn’t hear any bells,” commented Angel.
“No, the next formal session hasn’t started yet. No, I wanted to take this time to talk to each participant of the program separately. I will be talking to everybody individually during the next two days. Is the lovely Cordelia here or has she gone out for some fresh air?”
“I am here.” Cordelia came out of the bedroom. Angel shot her a scolding look. That was another thing he should have added to his list, Cordelia almost never listened to him.
“Good, well, I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you before the next session.”
“More questions on my likes and dislikes?” asked Cordelia moving up close to Angel’s side.
“More questions, but of another nature. Angel, if you don’t mind, I would like to talk to Cordelia. Perhaps, you could leave us. Or not,” Elliot added as he saw that Angel had not left the young girl’s side or acknowledged his request in any manner. “Perhaps you could just wait in the next room.”
“Angel,” Cordelia whispered.
Angel reluctantly nodded and moved into the bedroom and closed the door. Once in the room, he pulled up a chair by the door after retrieving his sword from the wardrobe. Angel sat and listened.
“Your questions?” Cordelia motioned to Elliot to set in the chair closer to the bedroom door.
“I am puzzled, Cordelia. Why are you and Angel here? I sense that the bond of love, respect and passion is strong between you two. This program is for those who have a need to rebuild their failing relationships. It is designed for those that need to rediscover each other, not for those that are secure in their love.”
“Secure in our love, our passion, us?” Cordelia exclaimed wide-eyed at the guru’s assumption. “I think that your senses are out of whack.”
“Really, why?”
Cordelia paused, she couldn’t tell him that he was wrong because they didn’t love each other, or more accurately, Cordelia was madly in love with the vampire and he didn’t love her. Or that her overwhelming feelings of desire for Angel would never be reciprocated.
Hell, even if under some major weirdness, Angel did love her, her desire would still be unreciprocated because of the stupid curse. Secure in Angel’s love and passion for her, Ha, the new age possible victim or bad guy, couldn’t be further from the truth. But she couldn’t tell him that.
“Angel and I have been going through a lot of stuff, stuff that put a strain on our relationship. And we have been fighting, fighting a lot. But we realized that we didn’t want to loose our relationship, so here we are.” That was not far from the truth, she thought, remembering all the trouble that the bitch Darla had caused and the subsequent strain it had but on her relationship with Angel, as well as his relationship with Wesley and Gunn. Thank god, Angel had come back to his senses and realized that he needed them.
Cordelia smiled at Elliot, hoping that she had explained enough. She must have because the older guru nodded in acceptance of her answer.
“Well, the Eros Center can help you, though, I think you two would have found your own way back together on your own. In fact, I imagine you already have. But if it is just a matter of cementing your bond and teaching to you to remember why you can not let external pressures damage what you have, then you will find benefit in our sessions.”
“Is that all?” Cordelia asked hopefully.
“No, you said something downstairs that intrigued me, you said that you wished that Angel believed in his goodness, as much as you did.”
“Yeah,” she said cautiously.
“Cordelia would you risk your life for Angel?”
“Uh,” she gulped at the sudden change of subject. Cordelia looked nervously from Elliot, the bedroom door, then back to Elliot. But the man had not moved a muscle in the chair.
“Cordelia, would you?”
“Yes.”
“You are sure about that,” he asked again.
“Yes.”
“And would he risk his life for you?”
“Yes,” Cordelia said immediately, picturing all the times that Angel had saved her since he had known her.
“Cordelia do you believe that everybody has a soul?”
Cordelia looked again nervously at the bedroom door. Cordelia was sure that she did not like this line of questioning. Cordelia moved her hand discreetly down into the cushions of the couch. Her fingers stilled as she felt one of the wooden stakes she had hidden around the room.
“Cordelia does the concept of souls make you uncomfortable?”
“No,” she answered, except of course if we are talking about Angel loosing his, she thought.
“So, you do believe?”
“Yes.”
The man nodded seemingly pleased with her answer. “We here at the Eros Center believe that the soul holds the true power of the individual. It allows the person to live and to love. Do you believe that?”
“Yes.” Angel’s soul was definite proof of that.
“Would you agree that the gift of someone’s soul to another is the greatest gift there is? That to be willing to give up your soul for the one you love is the ultimate sacrifice? Would you be willing to sacrifice your soul for Angel?”
“Are you asking me to?” She asked calmly as she gripped the stake tighter in her hand.
“No, of course not, I am just asking if you are willing to.”
“Yes,” Cordelia answered without hesitation.
Both Cordelia and Elliot started as a crashing sound came from the bedroom.
“Angel is clumsy,” Cordelia responded to Elliot’s questioning look.
Elliot nodded. “Cordelia, do you believe that Angel would risk his soul for you?”
Again without hesitation she answered, only this time her answer was a firm no. Again, they heard a loud noise from the closed room.
“He is very clumsy,” Cordelia shrugged in explanation.
“Cordelia, you honestly believe that Angel wouldn’t sacrifice his soul for you?”
“I know he wouldn’t, he can’t?”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“Bother me?” Cordelia asked genuinely confused by the question.
“That he doesn’t love you enough to make the ultimate sacrifice, where as you love him enough to.”
“Love isn’t the issue, the issue is Angel’s soul. Angel can not lose his soul, it is too important to…it is just too important. Angel can never lose his soul and he won’t not while I am alive to protect it.”
“Thank you, Cordelia.”
Chapter 13
Cordelia watched the gray haired man leave the room. She hadn’t liked Elliot’s questions , at all. Cordelia just moved the tall thin guru from the possible victim category to the probable sinister villain category.
“Angel, I think Elliot the enlightened one, is definite bad news material. Did you hear his questions, of course you did. What was the clumsy bit about anyway? Angel?” She called to the back of the frozen vampire. Cordelia walked up to him. “Angel?” The vampire still hadn’t moved.
Cordelia glanced at the room. “Angel?” she called this time in concern as she noticed that the top of one of the dresser’s had been pulverized. “Angel?” Cordelia lightly touched his shoulder.
At Cordelia’s touch the vampire sprung to life, swinging around grasping Cordelia’s wrist in an iron fist, his handsome face expressionless, except for his eyes.
His dark brown eyes blazed in fierce anger. “Angel, let me go,” she whispered as she felt the vampire’s rage.
Angel wasn’t hurting her but she couldn’t break the steel grip that encased her wrist. Angel retained his clasp pulling her closer until their bodies touched, his eyes never leaving her questioning ones. Cordelia wasn’t scared, but she was concerned.
“Angel? What’s wrong?” she said softly bringing her other hand up to his chest. Angel continued to stare at her in silence, so she waited. Slowly, Cordelia felt his rage lessen and the fury in Angel’s eyes turn to…fear, she realized.
Finally, Angel spoke his voice a low growl. “You will never under any circumstances, ever put my life or my soul before your own. Understand, never.”
“Angel,” she started to reason.
“No,” the vampire growled. “Promise me.”
Cordelia sighed, she should have realized that he would react like this, sometimes the vampire was just to noble for his own good. Cordelia slowly nodded. “Promise.”
Cordelia hated to make promises that she knew she wouldn’t keep, in fact she never did. Except to Angel. So like her false promise that she could stake Angelus if he ever returned, Cordelia promised the vampire that she would never sacrifice her life or her soul for him. Angel continued to stare at his seer trying to decide if she was telling the truth.
Suddenly, the room was filled with a loud chiming sound. Angel released the young girl.
“Saved by the bell,” she grumbled to herself.
“Cordelia, I mean it.”
“So, did I ‘grr’ guy,” she lied rubbing her freed wrist.
Angel’s hand went to her wrist this time holding the wrist gently and caressing it with his other hand. “Oh god, Cordy, I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Angel fearfully examined the wrist for any redness or bruising.
“No, of course not.” Cordelia thrust up the hand that he held to his concerned gaze. “Now come on, let me go,” she gently chided. “I want to email Wesley to concentrate on Elliot. I definitely didn’t like the questions he asked about your soul.”
“Cordelia, he was asking about yours, too.”
“Whatever.”
“Cordelia.” Angel glared at the girl retaining his hold on her wrist.
“I said I promised, didn’t I? Now, let me send the message to Wesley, geez,” she
***
Elliot and Gerard were sitting in Elliot’s office. “Well?” asked Gerard.
“Cordelia and Angel are the chosen.”
“They are a lovely couple.”
“Yes, ‘HE’ will be pleased by their beauty and bond. Their love and need for each other is strong. I believe that even without the spell they are soul mates,” commented Elliot.
“But, you are going to do the spell?”
“Of course, the need is too great to risk, their soul’s will be bound.” Elliot reassured the little man.
“Have you decided which will be the sacrifice? Angel seems to have a certain strength about him.”
“Yes, that young man does seem exude power, doesn’t he. Yet, I believe he is the weak link in their relationship. Initially, when observing the young couple, I too assumed that the girl was the weakest. Cordelia’s love and need for Angel are obvious to the trained eye. One knows that without a doubt, she would be devastated if he was gone, possibly she would never fully recover, for I do believe they are soul mates, yet…”
“Yet?” questioned Gerard.
“It’s a matter of balance. They both love and need each other. But Cordelia needs Angel, because she loves him. Where as, Angel needs her even more that he loves her, which I sense means Angel needs her to live. Angel and Cordelia said that they don’t know when they fell in love. But I am sure that Angel knows when he realized that he needed Cordelia and I wager it was long before he ever acknowledged his love for her. The young girl has no doubts in Angel’s goodness or the importance of his soul. It is the young girl’s certainty that allows Angel to believe in himself…”
“So, if Cordelia dies, Angel will be destroyed.”
“Yes, his soul will be in such agony that he would not recover. No, Angel shall be the sacrifice. ‘HE’ will accept Cordelia’s death as a proper tribute, but it will be the slow destruction and torture of Angel’s soul which ‘HE’ will crave and for which we will be rewarded.”
Elliot looked at the clock on the wall. “It is time.”
Chapter 14
Gerard stopped Cordelia and Angel from going into the main room. “Cordelia, Angel, this way please.”
“I thought we were suppose to go in.” Angel automatically moved in between the small man and Cordelia.
“Well, actually that was just where everyone was to meet to get the next set of instructions. You both are late.”
“Sorry, my fault,” Cordelia said.
“Well, you are here now, that’s all that matters. This is the mediation room. Your next session will occur in here.” Gerard motioned them in a small room.
The room was dimly lit, in one corner there was a Japanese rock garden equipped with sand, Bos Jun trees, and a soft rippling water fountain. In the middle of the room was a massage table; by the table on a counter were various lotions and oils. Large, lush pillows were scattered on the thickly carpeted floor.
Two large speakers blended into the pale green colored walls. And up against the far wall there was a series of shelves filled completely with various sized candles.
“To get the optimum benefit out of the next session you must first relax, so we want you to sit here and ‘veg’ as the young kids say.” Gerard walked towards the candles with a long match in hand.
“Whoa, Gerard, those candles wouldn’t be your version of aroma therapy, would they?” Cordelia asked.
“Why, yes. Cordelia, have you enjoyed this type of mediation before?”
“Uh, yeah. But can we skip it? Angel is allergic.” Angel glanced questioningly at Cordelia.
“You thought my perfume was distracting,” she whispered to the vampire. “Your overly sensitive vamp noggin will probably be smelling rosemary and lilacs for the next week.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes at Angel’s still clueless expression. “Remember, that little itty-bitty cinnamon scented candle I lit in the lobby at Christmas,” she whispered.
Angel winced at the memory. At first it hadn’t been that bad, pleasant even when the candle was in the lobby and he had been upstairs behind the closed door of his suite. But later when he went downstairs, all Angel could smell was cinnamon.
It quickly became overwhelming obnoxious. For the next few days everything he came across, even the slime demon smelled of the irritating spice.
“Well, think lots of them in a smaller place,” Cordelia whispered in response to his grimace.
“I am allergic,” Angel said to Elliot. “Definitely, allergic.”
“Oh dear, well, then no aroma therapy then, just soothing sounds of the sea and soft lights. Relax, you will receive the next set of instructions over the speakers in 15 minutes.” Gerard went to leave stopping at the door to light the two waist high freestanding thick candles.
“Candles, Gerard,” Cordelia reminded.
“These are unscented, dear, just some added atmosphere.” Cordelia nodded.
Once the candles were lit, Gerard left the tranquil room. As soon as the door was closed, soft sounds of waves crashing on the sand filtered into the room. Angel went to the door and opened it. “We are not locked in.”
“Other than Elliot’s overly spookish interest in our soul’s, nothing wicked our way has come. So, I say we relax.” Cordelia flopped down on one of the floor cushions.
Angel’s eyes watched Cordelia’s fluid movement. God, she was gorgeous, he thought as he drank in the vision of her lying against the pillow. Her rich dark hair and the white of the robe were in direct contrast to the jade cushion. Cordelia’s long beautifully formed bare legs spilled out from the hem of her robe.
Her knees were slightly bent causing the split in the garment to open wider allowing his eyes access to the smooth curve of one thigh. The V neckline of the robe exposed all of Cordelia’s delicate neck, the silky skin surrounding her collarbone and the hint of cleavage. Just a tug on the belt, Angel inwardly groaned, and his eyes could feast on all of her glorious body.
“Angel, come on relax,” Cordelia called flipping over on the floor to her stomach hugging the large pillow to her chest, to get a better look at the vampire. Relax. Not damn likely, Angel thought as his body responded to the sight of his seer.
Cordelia visually took in the full length of the tall vampire hesitating before her. The white robe did nothing to diminish the powerful essence of the dark handsome vampire. When Cordelia first knew Angel, she would have sworn that it was the vampire’s all black attire and the billowing coat that gave him that ‘oh’ so dangerous appearance.
But it wasn’t the clothes, not really. The clothes only made him seem more detached, mysterious. The potential of danger as well as his awesome strength flowed directly from his very being. Angel radiated power, compassion and confidence. Cordelia smiled. Confidence, she thought, he always gave her confidence when she saw him, when Cordelia was with him, she knew she would be safe. Cordelia smiled wider.
“What’s so amusing?” Angel smiled.
“Nothing, I am still getting use to you in the robe.”
“What, you still think I look silly?”
“I never said you looked silly, you just don’t look all broody and mysterious.”
“And not sexy?”
“Did I say that? Actually, you look more cuddly, than anything.” Cordelia giggled at Angel’s aghast expression.
“Cuddly? Vampires don’t look cuddly.”
“Ummp, well, ‘grr’ guy, you do.” She laughed. “A big old, really old, cuddly bear with fangs.”
“Scoot over.” Angel smiled sitting down on the other pillow. The need to be near Cordelia was like a drug, especially when she was smiling. Angel just knew that if he was near her long enough, some of Cordelia’s joy of life would infect him.
“A lot like the big old stuffed bear, I had when I was a little girl.”
“And tell me Cordelia, did you cuddle with the big old bear.”
“Every night, until it’s arms fell off.”
“I promise that my arms won’t fall off.”
“I don’t know, I cuddle pretty tightly.” Cordelia didn’t understand it, but she felt comfortable, truly comfortable teasing the vampire. It wasn’t as if she never felt at ease in his presence before, but somehow now it seemed different. Angel seemed different, he was actually teasing her back.
“It might be worth…” Angel stopped as a sudden unfamiliar warmness shot through his body. The vampire jumped up.
“Angel, what is it?”
“Sh,” he said in game face. Angel shook his head. “I smelled something sweet, like some sort of incense.”
“Angel, look at the candles.” The yellow flames had turned blue making black smoke, then went out. Angel went to the door; nobody was in the hall.
“Cordelia, do you feel alright.”
“Yeah, actually I have never felt better. Why, do you not feel okay?”
“I thought…no, I feel fine.” Angel did feel fine in fact he felt wonderful, the aching loneliness that he always felt was gone. Angel stared at Cordelia. He saw her concerned look. “I am..”
Angel was interrupted by Elliot’s voice.