Chapter 3
Angel studied the man in the ticket booth and shook his head. “In my day….”
Cordelia nudged at Fred. ‘Told you’, she mouthed to the other woman.
“Angel, just how much was a tavern wench?” asked Fred.
“Two…” Angel stopped at the raised brows of both Cordelia and Fred. “Nevermind.” Shoving the cash through the opening in glass and grabbing at the tickets.
“Big spender.” Cordelia rolled her eyes. She then placed a hand on the vampire’s arm smiling to take the sting out of her words. “Thanks.”
Angel couldn’t help but smile in return. The high price of the tickets suddenly became unimportant. Cordelia was happy. And that was a beautiful thing to behold.
“Cotton candy.” Fred went running to a booth full of pink spun sugar, her slight body dodging in and out of the crowd in between.
Wesley and Gunn looked at each other then at Cordelia and Angel. “There’s probably pizza.” Both men started to hurry after Fred.
“Of course.” Wesley and Gunn either ignored or were oblivious to Cordy’s amused expression at their lame excuse to go running after the young physicist.
“Come on.” Cordelia pulled at Angel. “They’ll be fine, fighting over who gets to buy her cotton candy.”
“Where?” Angel stood firm. There were people everywhere. He didn’t see a spot that wasn’t swarming with human bodies. He didn’t want to move in any way into the throng. The carnival was as dirty and crowed as he had thought. Angel didn’t feel at all comfortable.
“Angel.”
There was that sigh again. Angel started to move his feet. He moved quicker not caring where Cordelia led him. The smile had returned. Angel really did enjoy seeing Cordy smile. The vampire didn’t even wince as a group of children pushed into him.
Angel stopped as he noticed where Cordelia had pulled him. “A roller coaster? Cordy that looks as old as I am.”
“Please, like they had roller coasters in the ‘old days’. Come on.” Cordelia pushed him into the line. “Really, Angel, you’re a big bad ‘grr’ guy, I can’t believe that you’re scared of a harmless ride.” Shaking her head at his hesitation.
Angel glanced up at the fast moving carts, winding and jerking as they rode along the wooden, OLD rails. People were screaming, their voices loud and terrified. “They don’t think it’s safe.”
“Angel, they’re screaming in FUN. Lets go, fraidy vamp.”
“I’m not afraid.” Angel pushed ahead in the line. Cordelia was right he was a vampire. He was not scared of anything. He looked up again at the wooden ride. Angel could have sworn he saw a piece of the equipment vibrate and fall.
Angel contemplated how he was actually going to convince Cordy that getting into that death trap was not a good idea. It was just possible that a wooden plank would work itself loose and go flying into his chest. Then what? He’d be dust. “Cordy…”
Angel stopped as he realized that he had followed Cordelia into the small metal cart. He didn’t have time to say anything else before the steel beam came down, locking them in the tight space.
“Hold on.” Cordelia laughed, her hand moving from under the bar to clasp at Angel’s. Angel tensed as the motor started and the cart started to build speed.
Cordelia let out a loud yell as the cart made its first stomach hurling dip. Angel gulped, his knuckles clenched around the bar. He managed to look down, Cordelia had let go of his hand. Her fingers had somehow moved to encircle his thigh in a tight grip. Angel stopped noticing the many turns and drops, even forgot about the possibility of lethal flying parts as Cordelia’s body pounded into his as the ride’s velocity became greater.
Both of her hands took hold of him wrapping themselves around his thigh, her breasts pressing against his side at each wild turn. Angel stared at his seer, she was screaming and laughing at the same time. It was an amazing thing to see, she looked so alive.
Cordelia pressed into Angel again, this time releasing his thighs. “It’s the loopy loop. Hold me.” Her arms shot straight up in the air.
Angel thought quickly, he moved his hands from the bar onto Cordy’s thighs pulling her tight into his body until her side was mashed up against his. Cordelia’s screams of laughter pierced through the air as they zoomed upside down in a large circle. Slowly the ride started to slow, jerking along until it finally came to a halt right where they started. The bar immediately came up. It took a little longer for Angel to move Cordelia’s pressed body away from his.
“You can let go now.” Cordelia beamed another one of her bright smiles. Angel looked at his hands, somehow they had managed to defy the confines of the bar and had not only lay claim to her thigh but her waist as well. Angel gulped again and released her.
“That was fun, wasn’t that fun, tell me you didn’t just love it.”
Angel looked at his hands and then at his seer. “It…it was fun.”
“Told you.” Cordy jumped out of the cart, then putting out her hand for Angel. Angel clasped it, but remained sitting. Cordy grunted and pulled harder. That time Angel let himself be moved. Cordelia jerked back, Angel had no choice but to encircle her waist to keep her from falling or that was at least what he told himself.
“You were right.” Angel settled both of his hands around her slim waist and set her right on her feet.
“Always am.” Cordy laughed.
Angel stood still watching his seer bound off to find another attraction. He thought about it. She had been right. It had been fun. Angel just wasn’t so sure what was so fun about it. It hadn’t been the plunging to the earth, but Cordy clutching at him and laughing had been fun.
Strange and very disconcerting. Angel followed her.
Chapter 4
“Angel, Cordy.”
The couple stopped as Fred came running up to them. The pink fluffy stick of sugar bounced up and down as she neared. Gunn and Wesley puffed up behind her.
“Want some?” Fred pushed the cotton candy towards Cordelia and Angel. “It’s great. I’ve already had one so take as much as you want.”
“No thanks.” Both Cordy and Angel said in unison.
“Amazing. The engineering that enables such a delicate swirl of air and sugar- what a feat. Whoever invented this got the noble peace prize, I hope.” Fred snatched some more of the candy and sucked it in between her lips, smacking. “Mmm. Where have you been?” Licking her lips.
“The Rocket.” Cordy pointed to the wooden roller coaster. “It was fun wasn’t it Angel?”
“Yes.”
The newcomers’ brows shot up.
“Angel, you liked it, you had fun?” Fred asked.
The vampire nodded.
“Told you.” Cordelia bounced on her heels.
“That doesn’t look very safe.” Wesley studied the ride.
“Pooh.” Cordelia shook her head.
“I want to go on it.”
Before Wesley could open his mouth again Gunn grabbed the cotton candy from Fred. “Here English, you hold this. Come on girl let’s rocket.”
“Really? Okay. Thanks, Wesley.” Fred smiled at the scowling former watcher, the half eaten confectionary tilting in his hand.
“Lost that one.” Cordelia laughed at the look Wesley shot her. “Oh, don’t worry, there more rides, but next time don’t take time out to do a safety inspection.” Looking around.
“Come on, Angel. Hey, Wesley do you want to go with us or wait for them? Geez, nevermind, of course you want to wait. Meet you at the Bumper Cars.” Pointing to the ride across the walkway.
Wesley didn’t even acknowledge their leaving. His gaze was fixed on the roller coaster cart holding Fred and Gunn.
“Cordy, where are we going?” Angel followed as his seer dragged him away from the ride she had motioned to.
“We’ve got time. Wesley the ‘cautious’ will want to prove to Fred that he can face the loopty loop. I want to get my picture done.”
Angel stood at small kiosk that had emerged through the break in the throng of people. There was a man at an easel sketching someone sitting in a chair. Fifteen dollars. Fifteen dollars for a chalk drawing? What was the world coming to? “Cordy, if you want a portrait, I can do one.”
“Cheapsake.”
“No. I can do one.” It wasn’t the money, not really. Angel had many sketches of Cordelia already. He could just give her one, or do another one. For free. Angel thought about it. Okay, he would have to do another one. Cordelia didn’t know about the ones that already existed and maybe, probably she wouldn’t understand the few, okay the tons of sketches that Angel had done of her without her knowledge.
Then again, Angel didn’t really understand. Except that Cordelia did make an excellent subject. She was beautiful, easy to draw.
“Oh, yeah that’s right, you’re Mr. Artist old guy. Just exactly what do you sketch up there in that dark broodville room of yours? You never show anyone. What’s up with that? What kind of pictures are they? Or don’t I want to know? Hmmm.” Cordelia smirked and looked speculative at the same time. “I know they’re etchings aren’t they, erotic drawings to lure the unexpecting women, x-rated uh…”Cordelia scrunched up her face.
“Except you can’t lure, you’re a eunuch. So, no eroticism, are they vampy gross?”
Angel gulped, choked, and stuttered, then shouted. “I’M NOT AN EUNUCH.”
“Geez, got it. And so did all of LA..” Cordelia rolled her eyes and moved to get in line for the artist.
“They’re not gross.” Angel gulped and cleared his throat. Cordelia was never gross. Erotic? Angel thought a minute, picturing his sketches of his seer. Okay, maybe, probably, definitely.
No. He would just have to draw another one that Cordelia could actually see. Why in the hell was he drawing erotic pictures of Cordelia? When Angel finally got home, he would have to have a long and serious brood session.
Something was not right.
“I’m not an eunuch.” Angel mumbled.
“Of course you’re not, you just can’t have sex.” Cordelia said matter factually.
“I can too. I can.” Angel pleaded to the strange woman in line that had been listening attentively to their conversation.
“I’m glad to hear it.” The woman smiled adding her two cents.
Cordelia’s choked laugher brought Angel up short.
“Hey, what business is it of yours.” He growled at the strange woman.
“Ignore him,” Cordelia pulled Angel back towards her and away from the now startled woman. “He has issues. Angel.” Cordelia tsked towards the agitated vampire.
“She was listening.”
“You were yelling.”
“I was not.”
“Was too, Geez.”
“I can too have sex, look at…”
“If you even think that you can mention the ‘D’ word, you WILL be a eunuch.” Cordelia glared, sighed, and raised her eyebrows.
Angel gulped. What? He shouldn’t have to gulp. He was a vampire. So why did he seem to do it constantly when he was with his seer. Cordelia had made him develop some sort of weird nervous habit, just like she made him draw erotic sketches of her.
Seer or not, there was just something not right about the way she made him do things. He’d have to be careful around her.
“I said I was sorry.” Angel couldn’t help it. He lost Cordelia’s smile.
“Hmmph.”
Angel looked at his feet his hand going immediately to his pocket searching until he felt the paper he had hidden earlier. He wished that ‘Hmmph’ had been included in Bob’s article. Cordelia did it a lot. And Angel still wasn’t sure what it meant.
Was it like fine, or like that’s okay or did it have it’s own sinister meaning or was it just a ‘Hmmph.’ He didn’t know and he hated not knowing, especially now that he suspected that it had to mean something.
“That will be fifteen dollars.” An unknown voice broke through his thoughts.
“Angel.’
He didn’t have a choice. Angel handed the artist the cash.
At least the smile was back. But Angel had to know, did she or didn’t she forgive him about the whole Darla thing. Cordelia said she had. But how could Angel be sure with all those mysterious ‘Hmmphs’.
Angel wished he never broke down and told Cordelia about Darla. But then if she had found out somehow other than him, especially when he had first told her nothing happened he would be dead- “Hmmph’ and sarcasm was better than dust or alone.
Again a strange voice broke through his thoughts. Then Cordelia’s. Angel started to listen again.
“Sorry.”
“Stay still.” The strange voice said.
“Okay, one second. Angel, stop broodying, I told you I wasn’t mad anymore. Geez. Hmmph.”
Angel looked around. Cordelia was seated in the chair, the artist already starting to sketch.
He started to pay more attention. Angel moved to where the artist was sitting. The artist’s chalk was going fast, too fast.
Angel’s hand shot out on its own volition.
“Excuse me.” The young man said, smacking away the interfering hand.
“Cordy’s neck. It’s slimmer. It’s not like that.” Angel studied the emerging portrait, his hand still reaching out.
“Angel, leave him alone.”
For the first time in forever, Angel ignored the voice of his seer. “Slimmer more delicate. And that’s not her nose.” Angel’s hand moved the artist face and jerked it towards Cordelia. “Would you look? Geez.” Angel rolled his eyes.
“Angel.” Cordelia started to get up.
“SIT.” Both the artist and Angel yelled.
Cordelia scowled but sat back.
Angel stood back studying for a second. His hand shot out again. “What are you doing?”
“Buddy, I’m drawing her eyes.”
“Whose eyes? Cordy’s are bigger, more. Oh give it.” Angel grabbed the chalk and started drawing.
“Hey, dude.” The artist grabbed back at the chalk.
“Angel.” Cordelia yelled before the growl left the vampire’s throat. “I don’t know what your damage is, but stop.”
Angel held back his second growl and let the artist have the chalk.
“Geez. Sorry. Amateur artist.” Cordelia gave a quick smile to the ‘professional’ artist and slumped back into the chair.
Angel couldn’t help his next act. The man was not drawing Cordelia. Angel didn’t know who he was drawing, but it wasn’t his seer. Cordelia was more beautiful, more special, more full of life, just more. He grabbed the chalk. “This is brown.”
“Her eyes are brown.” The artist tried to grab at the colored chalk. This time Angel’s growl left his throat.
“Angel.” Cordelia shot up from her chair.
“Cordy, this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing. I think he’s blind. You’re eyes aren’t brown.”
“Of course they are.”
“No.” Angel forcefully pushed the artist’s face towards Cordelia’s now flashing eyes. “See, gold. See, the flecks of gold. That’s not just brown.”
The artist started to squirm and whimper.
“Angel. If I do have ‘gold’ in my BROWN eyes, it’s there because I’m getting angry…very angry. So, let the nice man go, before I go GOLD all over. Please.” Cordelia’s jaw was clenched into a tight line.
Angel looked at the head that he had crushed in between his hands and then at the flashing eyes of his seer. He quickly released his grip. “Sorry.” Angel pulled the whimpering artist to his feet, brushing imaginary dirt off his clothes.
“I think I’ll pass on the portrait. Keep the money.” Cordelia rolled her eyes and left.
“Her eyes are brown with gold flecks, they are warm and alive, her neck is delicate, her nose cute and aristocratic, her complexion glowing. Just be glad that you hadn’t tried to butcher her mouth and lips yet.” Angel’s growl was low and menacing.
He suddenly released the artist. “And smile.” Angel smiled at the trembling young man that was taking quick steps away. “I said smile.” Angel growled again. The artist’s terrified face broke into a wide grin. Angel smiled back.
“Angel.” A demanding voice yelled.
“Coming.” Angel turned back to the retreating young man. “Keep smiling.”
“Angel, WHAT is your problem?” Angel stood at Cordelia’s side.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You had that poor guy almost pissing in his pants.”
“Don’t be silly, look he’s smiling. He’s fine,” pointing to the artist and the idiotic grin plastered on his face.
Cordelia scowled and shook her head. “When did you become vamp artist back seat driver?”
“Cordy, he wasn’t any good.”
“Oh, right, Mr. Van Gogh. Fine.”
Angel winced.
“You’re so good? You draw me, and I get to see it. Hmmph.”
Angel shrugged. That’s what he said in the first place. He ran to keep up with his seer.
Chapter 5
“Ready for the Bumper Cars?” Cordelia said to the group, but cocked a brow at Wesley’s green face.
“I wanta go back on the Rocket.” Fred bounced. Wesley paled. “Fred, the bumper cars can be fun, too.”
“I don’t know, I liked the Rocket. Come on Cordy, we can go on it again. You liked it.” Angel smiled encouragingly at Cordelia, trying to get her to smile at him again.
“Hmmph. Come on. Girls against boys.” Cordelia scowled at Angel and moved towards the line.
“Angel,” Wesley tugged at the vampire’s arm. Gunn was close beside them. “I know that Bob didn’t explain ‘Hmmph’ but I’m pretty sure it’s not good.”
“Yeah, what did you do now to piss the princess off? This is it. Boys against girls. The plot. We’re dead.”
“I….I didn’t do anything….Anyway, Cordy wanted to go on the Bumper Cars before I…I didn’t do anything.” The vampire shook off Wesley’s arm and moved towards Cordelia.
“He did something.” Gunn shrugged towards Wesley.
“Obliviously, I suggest after this ride, we get Fred away from Cordelia. Angel obviously can’t do this right, and the more he makes Cordy mad….”
“The more likely that Fred will get mad. Gotcha. It’s a plan.” Both men slapped hands in the air to seal their bargain.