Chapter 15
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you all have been sufficiently relaxed. Each of you will now take the next hour relearning your partner’s bodies. Each of you will receive and give the other a massage, 1/2 hour for each. Enjoy.” Elliot’s voice came through the speakers.
Cordelia stared wide-eyed at Angel. ‘A massage’ she mouthed. No way, she thought. There was no way, she was going to lie down and let Angel run his hands all over her body. And god forbid, she couldn’t touch his body.
It was one thing to tease him about being a cuddly bear, it was one thing to touch his bare chest briefly as she bandaged him, it was another thing to love him and lust for the vampire from across a room, she could handle all that.
But this, Cordelia knew she couldn’t handle. Just the thought of being able to touch his bare skin, feel the muscles under her fingers made her nerves tingle in anticipationn and her mind scream in panic. Cordelia shook her head trying to dampen the warmth growing in her belly.
“Angel, why don’t we skip this part. We should go up and check the computer for any messages from Wesley. Yep, that’s what we should do.” Cordelia tried to keep her growing desire and hysteria from breaking through to her voice.
Angel heard Cordelia’s rapid heart beat and increased breathing. He sensed that his seer was both scared and excited about the Elliot’s instructions. Angel felt is own desire responding to her burgeoning arousal. His demon was reacting to her scent. Angel automatically went to force down his demon when he realized that it was not Angelus he was struggling against but just his vampire lust.
Angelus was gone; that was what was different within him. Angel was still a vampire, but his soul was permanent. Angel had no idea how his soul became bound, he just knew that it was. Angel studied his nervous seer. He wanted her. The vampire’s instinct was screaming for him to take her and make Cordelia his.
And now he could, he could touch and taste every part of the woman he loved. Angel smiled as he realized that it was true, he did love his beautiful, caring, frustrating best friend. He moved towards Cordelia.
The vampire stopped as he felt her fear again, the beautiful girl maybe aroused, but she was also scared. But what Angel didn’t know was whether Cordelia was sacred of Angelus or him. Cordelia had always accepted Angel with out question, but did she accept him enough to love a ‘grr’ guy?
No, Angel thought letting his lust control, vamping out and taking his seer would not be the best route to take with the nervous girl. Angel had to know if she could actually love a vampire.
Angel turned from Cordelia and went to the side of the massage bed. “Cordelia, it has been only a half hour since we last checked. I think we can spare an hour. Anyway, you said this room was relaxing, why not take advantage?”
“Relax?” she squeaked. “Angel, are you sure that you are okay? You just went all ‘grry’ don’t you think we ought to find out why?”
“The scent is gone. We could go searching for the aroma of sweet incense, but I think that would not be really effective. So, why don’t we just enjoy the next hour.”
“Enjoy?” Cordelia squeaked again.
Angel smiled and patted the massage table. “Come on, Cordelia.”
Cordelia’s mind was at war with her desire. Jumping up on that table would probably not be the smartest thing to do. Letting Angel touch her body could do nothing but torture her. But, she countered it would probably be the only chance she would ever have to feel Angel’s touch.
“Okay.” Hoping that she made the right decision.
Cordelia lay on the table her hands clenched around the side of the bed.
“Relax,” Angel said pulling her robe down past her shoulders.
“Angel,” she gulped. Cordelia jerked up her hands still grasped on the bed.
“Well, that helps a little bit,” he smiled as he was able to pull the robe further down. “But, if you want me to do this right you are going to have to let go. Just for a minute.” He teased.
“Angel are you sure you are alright?”
“Yes, Cordelia I am fine. Now, please,” he asked moving his hand along her raised arm down to her clenched fist. Cordelia nervously nodded and settled back on the table releasing her hold. Angel quickly removed the robe from her arms and pulled the material down to her waist.
“Cold?” he asked gently as he noticed her shiver. Cordelia shook her head, which she had cradled in her crossed arms. Cordelia didn’t trust her voice to speak.
“Oil or lotion?”
Cordelia shook her head again. If this was actually happening and not some dream, she was going to be damned if she would let anything come between his skin and her skin, even lotion.
Angel placed his fingertips along her shoulders. Cordelia shivered and jumped slightly.
“Cordelia, I can warm the oil, if my hands are too cool.” Angel lifted his hands from her back. Cordelia shook her head vigorously.
“Are you sure?”
“Angel, please, I am fine,” she grumbled in frustration at the loss of his touch.
Angel smiled in relief; he didn’t want anything between his fingers and her skin. He placed his hands back on her shoulders. His large thumbs pressed into her shoulder blades making small circular motions into her tense muscles. Cordelia sighed relaxing a little.
“That’s better,” he soothed, spreading his strong hands on her back. His fingers kneaded at her skin. Angel moved his strong hands along the small of her back rubbing and pushing at her skin. The tactile sensations that the vampire was experiencing were igniting a fire in his loins. Angel took a unneeded deep breath and stroked at her sides. Cordelia’s breathing became more ragged. Angel caressed along her sides stopping to fondle and push into the soft flesh of her breasts pressed into the table.
“Angel,” she murmured as her body squirmed against the table. Angel slid his hands lightly down her back. Cordelia instinctively arched her back trying to push her flesh back into his firm touch.
“Sh, Cordy,” he said lowly running his fingers down to the curve of her buttocks. Angel leaned into her body drinking in the sweet and spicy scent of her skin and increasing arousal. Angel bit his lips trying to keep his tongue and mouth from tasting and kissing her flesh.
“Cordy?” he growled.
“Mmmmm?” Cordelia struggled to form words. She had never felt so relaxed and aroused. Angel’s touch was soothing her muscles while inflaming sparks of desire. Cordelia could feel the warm moisture pooling in her center.
“Cordy, could you ever love a ‘grr’ guy?”
Cordelia tried to concentrate on Angel’s words, but it was too hard. “Uh?” she moaned into the bed. Angel lifted his hands from her body. Cordelia whimpered at the loss. “Angel, please,” she pleaded.
Angel knelt down at the bed by Cordelia’s head. “Cordelia, look at me,” he growled gently pushing her hair away from her face. She raised her desire-laden eyes to his yellow demon eyes. “Cordelia, do you want me?” he growled.
The young girl bit her lips and nodded slowly. She was too aroused to even try to lie to the vampire. Angel leaned in reverting to his handsome human face, his lips softly pressing into her. He applied more pressure as his tongue begged entry to her mouth. Cordelia sighed parting her mouth, her lips and tongue meeting his eagerly. She moaned into his mouth her fingers entwining into his dark hair.
“Angel,” she whimpered as she pulled away to take a breath, her hands trailing down his face. Her wide eyes were questioning as she stared in Angel’s passion filled ones.
“Cordy, do you trust me?”
Cordelia nodded.
Angel stood and gently pulled Cordelia up until she was on her knees; her robe fell to the table. Angel’s hands splayed out over her shoulders moving briefly down to her full breast his thumbs caressing her erect nipples, then back up to her shoulders.
“Angel? How? When?” she asked softly her hands reaching up to caress his handsome face. Angel leaned into her soft touch his hands stroking up towards her face. The vampire shook his head shrugging.
“I don’t know, but it’s true. Angelus is gone.”
A wide smile of wonder grew on her beautiful face. “And you want me?” she whispered.
“No, I love you,” he smiled tracing his fingers along her lips. “You grew on me, like some sort of fungus, I guess,” Angel teased gently.
“Jerk.” Cordelia pulled the vampire to her. “I love you,” she said softly right before her lips captured his.
Angel returned the kiss with passion relishing the taste of Cordelia. His large hands traveled down her sides until they reached her hips and with a gentle tug he urged her body closer to his. Cordelia gasped as her breast made contact with his chest. Her exploration of his mouth became more demanding as the heat in her belly spread through out her body.
Cordelia’s hands fervently reached for the tie at Angel’s robe. Once the robe was open her hands slid around to the vampire’s back. Angel groaned a he felt the small trail of fire follow her touch up and down his broad back. He tugged again at her lower body lifting it off the massage table. Cordelia wrapped her long legs around his waist, bringing her moist center in direct contact with his groin. Angel growled in almost painful pleasure as the heat from her moisture seared into his skin.
Cordelia tightened her legs around him as Angel moved them away from the table. Cordelia turned her lips away from his mouth, resting her lips against his cheek as she gulped in much needed air.
“I love you,” she whispered again, planting small kisses along the vampire’s jawline up to the sensitive area behind his ears. Angel with a low growl separated their bodies as he lay her on the plush floor cushions. Cordelia gazed up at him, her eyes and arms pleading with him to join her. Angel quickly knelt down beside the flushed young girl. Angel stopped her eager hands from pulling him towards her.
“No, not yet,” he growled. “I have to relearn, correction, I have to learn my partner’s body,” Angel growled repeating the supposed goal of this particular session.
Angel knelt down picking up each of Cordelia’s feet; he rubbed at her soles, then slowly caressed upwards until his hands encircled her slim ankles. He pushed her feet further apart as he leaned in between her long limbs. Angel stroked both of Cordelia’s firm calves as he alternated kissing and tasting each leg. Cordelia’s slight whimpers became gasps as she felt his mouth on the inside of her thigh.
Angel took his time, savoring each inch of Cordelia’s skin as his hands caressed and fondled her hips. The vampire growled lowly as he reached the apex of Cordelia’s thighs. Angel gazed at Cordelia’s center soaking in the scent of her arousal. Her fragrance was intoxicating to him; he blew gently on her dark curls, his thumbs tracing the line where her curls began.
Cordelia’s breath caught in her throat as the pressure of her need intensified. She jerked her hips forward. “Angel,” she pleaded in a broken whisper, her hands clutching at his broad shoulders.
The vampire growled again, taking in another deep whiff of her scent, forcing himself to ignore his longing to bury his mouth into the source of the inebriating aroma. Cordelia moaned in frustration, her small fist hitting his back as Angel’s lips moved further up her body. The vampire’s tongue swirled in and around her belly button as his large hands reached for her breast. Cordelia wrapped her legs around trapping the vampire and pushing her center into his chest. Angel released her breast and moved his hands back down to her hips urging her to relax her grip while his mouth continued tasting the taunt skin of her belly.
With a whimper of frustration, Cordelia relented and slightly loosened her hold allowing the vampire to continue the upward ascent of his body and mouth. The young girl’s hands flew to Angel’s head as the vampire lips captured an erect nipple, his hand molding and fondling the other breast. Cordelia moaned and pressed him closer as his teeth scraped the sensitive bud. Angel switched his lips to her other nipple, his strong fingers taking over teasing and tweaking of the abandoned nipple. Cordelia’s fingers kneaded and tugged at the vampire’s hair.
Angel moved his head to the crook of Cordelia’s neck, nuzzling and licking at her pulse point. Angel thought he was going to explode, as he smelt her heated blood. The vampire struggled against his own needs as he placed tiny kisses up along Cordelia’s chin and cheek.
With a sharp tug of her hands, Cordelia brought Angel’s eyes to hers. “Angel,” she moaned. Angel captured her lips his tongue gaining immediate entry. Their tongues exploring and tasting the other’s mouth. Cordelia tightened her legs around Angel’s hips as she felt his hard member on her body. She frantically rubbed her wet heat against the vampire, begging for him.
Angel growled at the sensation as he pulled away from Cordelia leaning up on his arms.
“Angel, please,” Cordelia moaned. The ache in her belly was unbearable.
“Not yet,” he growled. The vampire saw his seer’s bottom lip start to quiver.
“Angel,” she whined.
Angel ran his tongue over her trembling lip and looked uuup. “Pouting won’t work,” he said with a smile.
Cordelia bit his lip in annoyance and frustration. Her mind couldn’t think of any other retort. All words or the ability to make coherent phrases had left Cordelia. The only thing she could think of was her desperate need to have the vampire inside her.
Again, Angel pulled away, this time he moved down her body and positioned himself back between her thighs. Without preamble, his mouth descended on her wet cente. Cordelia gasped out loud, her hands swinging out to her sides clutching wildly at the pillows as her hips thrust forward.
Angel’s tongue and teeth teased at the small bud in her folds. He drank in as much of her uniquely flavored juices as he could. The vampire’s ministrations became more frenzied as his own hunger to be sheathed in Cordelia’s heat became painful.
He forced himself to focus only on the writhing girl’s engorged clit. Angel tugged and scrapped the bud with his teeth. Cordelia’s ragged breath caught in her throat as every nerve in her body exploded. Angel pressed in further as Cordelia screamed her release. The vampire gentled his mouth tenderly kissing and licking at her center as his large hands soothingly ran over Cordelia’s trembling body.
Angel leaned back over Cordelia. Her eyes were closed; small tears were pooled in the corner of her lids.
“Cordy.” The strain of his own need was apparent in Angel’s growl and face. Cordelia opened her wide hazel eyes into his. She smiled as her small hands reached for the vampire’s shoulders and her hips moved upwards to meet his fluid thrust.
Angel stilled in wonder at the feel of his hard shaft fully embedded in Cordelia’s heat. Cordelia smiled in acknowledgement and in agreement at his wonder. She tensed her inner muscles making her tight channel even tighter around his member. Her action spurred on Angel’s aching need, he started to move against her body forcefully. Angel growled as his body tensed and his balls tightened as each plunge carried him deeper into Cordelia’s warmth.
Cordelia urged her hips forward meeting everyone one of his powerful thrusts. With every movement, she could feel her body spiraling out of control. Angel marveled at Cordelia’s fervent responses, as she encouraged and accepted his body into hers. His desire and hunger became intolerable as his need for release approached.
Angel fought to retain his human visage. Cordelia grabbed at either side face of his face seeing his struggle. “I love you, all of you,” she whispered. Cordelia gazed lovingly into his now lust filled demon eyes. Angel growled as she pulled his head to her neck. Cordelia’s inner walls began to contract fiercely around his shaft. With her love and permission, Angel gently pierced the delicate skin on her neck. Cordelia moaned at the sensation, her orgasm intensifying as Angel took small sips of her blood.
“Angel,” she cried as the vampire growled. Both lovers reaching their releases simultaneously. Angel, never withdrawing from Cordelia’s warmth rolled onto his side taking the shaking girl with him. He licked and kissed at the small puncture wound as his broad hands soothed Cordelia’s trembles, the growls emitting from his throat sounding more like soft purrs.
“Oh my,” Cordelia said in wonder.
“Oh my, indeed,” Angel agreed. Angel held the young beautiful girl tighter, amazed at the feelings within him that his seer inspired. He had thought that with Buffy, he had reached the pinnacle of love and joy.
But now, after making love to Cordelia, holding her, and knowing that she loved and accepted all of him, the vampire knew the what he had with Buffy was just a pale reflection of real love. Real love didn’t just come from the heart, it came from the soul and Angel knew without a doubt that his heart and soul belonged to Cordelia, just as hers belonged to him.
Cordelia stirred against him moving to sit up. She sat hugging her knees to her chest staring at the vampire. “This is real, isn’t?” she said in soft amazement.
“Very. I love you, Cordelia Chase.” Angel reached out to tenderly brush aside a dark strand of silky hair that had fallen over her face.
A large happy smile exploded on her beautiful face as she laughingly lunged back on the vampire. She enthusiastically planted small wet kisses all over Angel’s grinning face. Just at the moment loud bells sounded through the speakers on the wall.
“No, no, no,” Cordelia whined. “Not fair, I haven’t had my turn.” Angel brought them both up to their feet, smiling at Cordelia’s pout.
“Your turn?”
“Yes, I didn’t get my turn to learn your body,” she huffed pointing to the massage table.
Angel laughed. “Cordelia, there is no need to get all pouty. I don’t need to be convinced to give you your turn. Just later.”
“Ummp.”
Angel smiled as he got her robe and put it on her. He sighed and gazed one last time at his seer’s lush body before he tied the belt, knotting it tightly.
“Angel?” Cordelia looked questioningly at the triple knot.
“I have wanted do that all morning. I am taking no chances, that robe stays closed until I take it off.” Angel growled possessively.
“Oh,” she said happily watching the vampire put on his robe. “When?”
“Soon, I hope, real soon, but first we do need to check in with Wesley.”
“Wesley?” Cordelia said puzzled. “Oh, Wesley, right.” Cordelia had totally forgotten about the former watcher, her vision and why they were even at the Eros center.
“Right, Wesley. We better go.” Cordelia pulled the vampire out of the room.
Chapter 16
Angel pushed Cordelia behind him as he sensed Elliot and Gerard coming down the hallway.
“Angel, Cordelia, I hope you found the session beneficial?” the gray haired guru asked pleasantly.
“Umm, Yes…,” Cordelia stuttered blushing.
“Wonderful. Well as there will be no more sessions this evening, I hope you will take advantage of the many pleasures at the Center.”
“Right,” she nodded from behind Angel’s back. “Bye.” Cordelia hit the vampire on his shoulder urging him to go forward.
Elliot nodded and with Gerard moved on past the couple.
Angel turned back and watched as Elliot turned the corner.
“Angel, what is it?”
“The sweet incense I smelled before. It is all over Elliot.”
“What do you think it means?” Cordelia scrunched up her face.
“I have no idea,” Angel said puzzled.
“Do you want to follow them or go check for messages?”
“You go up to the room and wait for me.”
“Angel.”
“Go, Cordelia, I won’t be long.”
“I don’t want to. What if you need another distraction?” She complained.
“Cordelia, go, and don’t let anyone into the room. The full moon is tonight.” Angel said unequivocally.
“Ummph. Okay, but be careful,” she warned.
Angel kissed her cradling her face in his large hands. Cordelia leaned into his embrace, her hands clutching on to the vampire’s shoulders responding enthusiastically to his kiss.
Angel broke away trailing a finger along her swollen lips. “I won’t be long,” he said moving down the hallway.
Cordelia stood there touching her mouth trying to recapture the feel of Angel’s lips.
Angel stopped sensing that Cordelia hadn’t moved. “Go, Cordelia.”
“Right,” the lovely brunette said coming out of her daze and running in the opposite direction.
***
Wow, wow, wow, was all Cordelia thought as she ran into the bedroom and threw herself on the bed. She couldn’t believe it.
Angel loved her. Wow, she thought, hugging a pillow close to her. Cordelia squeezed harder as she recalled every kiss, every loving caress that Angel had placed on her body. Cordelia didn’t know that it could be possible to be this happy. Her far away gaze landed on the laptop computer.
Oh damn, she thought, getting up. Cordelia really needed to get her mind focused on the mission at hand. Her eyes widened as she read Wesley’s e-mail. This was not good, Cordelia thought, reading the message intently.
The dark haired girl jumped as she heard the suite door close. Cordelia quickly reached for the stake under the mattress. She stalled in her movement when she sensed that it was Angel in the other room.
How did she know that, she wondered. Cordelia had been getting better at sensing him when the vampy snuck into a room, but she had never been able to sense him when he was totally in another room.
“So, what were the enlightened duo up to?” she asked as Angel walked into the bedroom.
“I am not sure. But they went down onto one of the lower floors. It looks like they are setting up for some sort of ceremony.”
“Well, I don’t think it is a love-in type get together,” she responded turning the computer screen towards the vampire.
“Wesley found out something?”
Cordelia nodded scooting over as the vampire sat on the bed behind her. Angel leaned in and rested his head on her shoulder, taking a moment to breathe in his seer’s scent and glance down her gaping robe. Angel sighed and reached around Cordelia and closed the robe tighter around her neck.
“Angel?”
“Distracting,” he said almost wistfully. “What does Wesley have say?”
Cordelia sighed in return and leaned into the vampire’s chest wiggling her bottom closer to him.
“Stop,” Angel growled but didn’t move away.
“Ummp, former watcher guy extraordinaire and the street vamp hunter with an attitude found the two couples.” Cordelia scrolled up to the beginning of the message.
“The first couple, the Macdonald’s had been married for 5 years before they came to the Eros Center and took Elliot’s program. The other couple was unmarried, but had been together for over a year. But as ‘coincidence’ would have it, one of each of the couple’s died shortly after the last night of the seminar, a full moon night in January.” Cordelia paused and scrolled down farther.
“Betty Macdonald was found dead 3 days after in the woods about 10 miles away from here. The exact time and cause of death were undeterminable, because her body had been burnt. The police questioned everyone at the Center and actually held the husband for awhile as a suspect. But they found nothing to link the Center or John, that was the husband. At the time, John swore he didn’t remember anything after they entered the Center up until some campers found him wandering in the woods.”
“Does he remember anything now?”
“Don’t know. He is dead. Killed himself six months later. Bill, a part of the second couple supposedly died in a car accident just a mile down the road. Joanne, the girlfriend was supposedly thrown from the wreckage. Like Betty, Bill’s body was burnt to a crisp and like John, Joanne didn’t remember anything after entering the Center.”
“Did Wesley talk to the girlfriend?”
“They tried but Joanne has been completely loony tunes and in the mental institute pretty much since the ‘accident’. Our intrepid investigators did manage to talk to some family members of both couples.” Cordelia paused again.
“And?”
“It seems that the two couples had a several things in common.”
“What?” the vampire asked.
“First, they were fairly young, 20’s-30’s, considered to be very attractive, they were as all would describe madly and wildly in love, but experiencing some difficulties in their relationship. So, they came to the Center. And they both came back a partner dead and some majorly important gaps in the survivor’s memory. The family members of John and Betty described John as literally wasting away after her death.
They said it was horrible to watch the pain he was in. They all agreed that the tragedy of Betty’s death was too much for him and he ended his life, as they said, and Wesley quotes,’so their souls could be together’.” Cordelia stopped speaking and pulled Angel’s arms tighter around her. She took a deep breath and continued.
“Joanne’s sister describes pretty much of the same thing, except that Joanne didn’t kill herself; she just went completely bonkers. The sister says that Joanne just sits in the crazy bin, medicated to the gills, otherwise she would just scream continuously in agony at the loss of her ‘other half’. It’s so sad,” she whispered leaning closer into Angel.
Angel squeezed Cordelia tighter. “Is there more,” he asked softly.
Cordelia sighed. “Yes, Wesley also found the tattoo, the right tattoo. It is an offshoot of the original Eros cult. Like the original it believes that true love is a powerful force worthy of worship. But where, the original could was satisfied by the ‘live sex show’ between the chosen soul mates, the other version believed that Eros need more as a proper tribute. They believed that the agony of a lost love or soulmate was a more powerful tribute to their god.
The worshippers believed that sacrificing one’s soul was the ultimate gift to Eros. Then in a never-ending conquest to find the perfect gift,they figured that splitting apart soul mates would be the gift to end all gifts. They would give one soul to the god immediately during a sacred ceremony, then let the other soul slowly implode, you know sort of like a sacrifice on a delayed timer. If Wesley, is right, then Elliot is really a priest of a less than loving love god. His so-called seminars are just away to find the appropriate coupled lambs for the slaughter.” Cordelia sighed sadly.
“Which means Betty Macdonald and Bill were probably killed here in that nice little ceremonial room you saw downstairs, but then moved and their death’s made to look like an accident. While John and Joanne suffered their loss, thereby giving the ‘god’ a continual sacrificial high,” Cordelia added in contempt.
“Cordelia did Wesley say how they picked the one that would be killed?” Angel asked thoughtfully.
Cordelia scrolled back up the screen. “No, just that the real gift was the soul mate’s agony. Maybe they just flipped and coin,” she shrugged.
“No,” Angel thought out loud becoming slowly becoming anxious. “They would want the soul which would suffer the most to remain alive as long as possible for their god…” Angel paused. “Does Wesley say how they know that the chosen couples were actually soul mates,” the vampire asked with an almost desperate harshness.
Puzzled at the increased tension in the vampire’s body, she answered. “Well, Wesley said that once a couple is chosen, both versions of the cult, perform a soul binding spell to guarantee that the couple’s souls were one, so the gift would have more potency.”
Angel jumped off the bed. “Cordelia get dressed,” he ordered. Angel grabbed for the cell phone in the dresser.
“Angel?”
“Just do it,” he growled.
Cordelia looked questioningly at the vampire as he violently jabbed at the numbers on the phone.
“Wes, yes we got it. I want you and Gunn to get out here. Yes. No, but I want you to take Cordelia away from here. I’ll explain when you get here, now go,” Angel growled into the phone pulling out his black pants and shirt.
“Angel?” Cordelia asked fully dressed.
“Cordelia, the incense, my soul being permanent…”
“The spell Wesley was talking about? Our soul’s are bound?”
Angel nodded yanking the shirt over his head.
“Oh,” she exclaimed her eyes wide. “So, that means we are the couple in love.”
“Yes, come on, I am getting you out of here. We will wait for Wesley and Gunn down the road.” Angel put on his duster throwing his weapons in his bag.
“Then what?” Cordelia asked not moving.
“Then, I will come back. Move it, Cordelia,” he ordered the dark haired girl.
“Angel, no. For the sacrifice to happen one has to die and one has to live. And I am NOT going to go and leave you here and wait to be the long drawn out broken souled sacrifice to some stupid warped ‘love’ god. I am NOT,” she yelled. “We both leave or we both stay,” Cordelia said determinedly.
“Cordelia,” Angel growled losing his patience with his seer. “They don’t want to kill me, they want to kill you. If you stay you could very well end up dead and your death reported as some freakish accident, while I wander around with gaps in my memory and the broken soul.”
“Uh?”
“Cordelia, I am the ‘delayed’ sacrifice. Hell, I am probably a better sacrifice than they ever imagined.”
“Angel?”
“Cordelia, Elliot knows. You told him.”
“What?”
Angel grabbed Cordelia’s face. “Cordelia, you told him that you would die and risk your soul for me. You told him that you wished that I would believe in myself as much as you believed in me.”
“But..”
“Cordelia, he knows what I know, that without you I lose my belief in my soul. I lose my will to be a part of this life. Without you, their god gets his agonized soul a thousandth fold or Angelus,” he added sardonically. “Now move it,” the vampire growled fiercely.
Cordelia stunned at the force of the vampire’s emotions moved awkwardly gathering her things.