Chapter 11
They were back down in the main room. Cordelia was leaned up against the wall. God, she wanted to scream. Scream in fear, anger and frustrations.
She wanted Angel. Cordelia looked up at the mocking smiling face of Angelus, she closed her eyes and her urge to scream became even more pronounced.
The urge became a reality when the pain suddenly over took her, her brain erupting in fire, and the flashes of a vision parading through her mind. She fell to the floor screaming.
Angelus moved, kneeling down and waited. Finally, Cordelia’s yells decreased in volume, becoming small whimpers. “I guess, the Powers hadn’t heard the news, uh.” He leaned towards her. She winced, moving away, her hands going to her head, pressing at her eyes, low moans continuing.
“Um, Cordy, this is where you are supposed to say you’re fine.”
Cordelia shook her head; tears falling rapidly down her face. “It was never fine you bastard, it doesn’t go away.” She curled into a ball, holding her body close. Cordelia didn’t care if Angelus saw her hurting, he wasn’t Angel that would feel guilty, and he wasn’t Angel that would care and brood about it. He couldn’t make the pain lessen.
Angelus knelt on his heels. “What do you mean? You always told the wimp that you were fine.”
“Well, get this you idiot, I lied.” She yelled, wincing at the sound of her own voice.
“If you keep moaning like that, I’m going to have to knock you out, it’s annoying. Well, it is when I’m not causing it.”
“I’d be grateful,” she gasped, rocking her body.
Angelus leaned further back. He didn’t like this. “Where are your pills?”
Cordelia looked at him, her eyes red and filled with tears. “You’re kidding, right?”
Angelus growled. Who would have thought to grab painkillers? It’s not like he was planning to stop her pain, well at least the pain he caused, but this was just not fun to watch.
“No, you would have these little fits, Angel would hug and do oh are you okay bit, go fight the bad guys and come back and you would be fine. So, why aren’t you fine?”
“And you call me and Angel stupid. How about, no hugging from Angel, no going to fight the evil in my vision, how about no relief from the pain, because the evil is still out there.” She rubbed harshly at her temples. “Weren’t you going to knock me out?”
“So, if I go kill the whatever in your vision, you’ll stop wriggling around moaning like a dying fish.”
“I hate you.” She gasped.
“I know, but answer the question.”
“Yes.”
“Fine, where and what.”
“You’re going to go?”
“I’m not going to let the powers ruin my fun. You’re useless like this. Tell me.”
Cordelia bit down her retort. All that mattered was that Angelus was going to go. He was going to save the helpless, it didn’t matter what the reason. So she told.
Angelus shook his head and yelled for Clyde.
Clyde came running.
“Watch her, no one touch her, get her water or something.” Angelus stormed out.
Clyde looked at the frail human, moaning on the floor. He shrugged and went to get some water.
Chapter 12
“Lorne, are you sure it’s safe here?” Wesley asked again.
Lorne came over from the bar and bottle of Scotch in his hand, placing it on the table before he sat. “This is just great, the big lug is the big evil lug and he has the princess, this is just great.” He poured a drink.
“Lorne?”
“Yes. The club is still closed to the public; the three flighty delights have fixed the spell. I also gave them the heads up in the Angelus direction, so they’re taking a mini vacation, so he can’t find them, if he wanted to. And they also rescinded the human ban on violence, temporarily,” he added for Gunn’s benefit.
“I apologized.”
“Yeah, you did.” Lorne took another swallow. “So, leader what’s the plan?”
“We go after Angelus, we dust him, and save Cordy, what else.” Gunn said.
“Gunn, no. The research I’ve done indicates that if find the Auferote within the next 72 hours and kill it, and then the effects of the black ooze will be negated. And Angel’s soul will return.” Wesley shook his head in self-incrimination.
“We should have killed it then, the black ooze was only able to take hold because we left the demon alive. I should have listened to Cordelia’s unease about not knowing the identification of the demon before we left. If we had only known then.”
“Wesley, everyone agreed that getting to that couple was more important, even Cordy. You couldn’t known.” Fred said.
“72 hours? In 72 hours, the evil vamp could kill Cordy. She could already be dead. We have to kill Angelus.” Gunn interrupted harshly.
“No. Gunn. The Auferote was wounded fairly badly. It likes dark damp places and avoids the sunlight. It couldn’t have gotten that far from where we fought it. It will be easier to find than to find Angelus in 72 hours. If we find it, kill it, we will be doing more for Cordelia and Angel than if we waste time looking for Angelus, 72 hours may pass and then the black ooze’s effect will be permanent and Cordelia will definitely be dead. This way they both have a chance.”
“We have to kill him now. Cordy is who needs to be saved not the vampire.”
“Gunn, we have no idea where Angelus took her. He knows the sewers and the city better than we do. Angelus could be anywhere. We have an idea where the demon is, though- and the quicker we go find it, the better everyone will be. Once, the demon is dead, Angel will return and he will make sure that Cordelia is safe.”
“Fine? Damn you’re naïve.”
“No, I’m not. I’ve met Angelus, you haven’t. Cordelia has experienced him before. I know what I’m suggesting could do to her. But, I also know this is what she would want us to do. Angel, though, I’m sure would agree with you.”
“He will kill her.”
Wesley took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead. “Not yet. Angelus likes to terrorize and torture. He’ll keep her alive for a while. That’s why we need to hurry and find the demon.”
“Torture?” Fred squeaked. “Angel wouldn’t…It’s not Angel, right.” Fred hid her head in her hands. “I just left her with him.”
“Fred, you couldn’t know. If Cordy didn’t then there was no way you could’ve.” Wesley patted the young girl on the shoulder, trying to reassure her as she had done for him.
He got up. “Gunn, are you coming?”
“If he kills her, cured or not, he’s dust.”
Wesley shook his head. “If Angelus kills her and Angel is cured, I don’t think you will have to worry about that.” Wesley turned to Fred. “Do not leave here under any circumstances. If Angel calls you, do no believe that it is him, not until we have confirmed it, understood?”
Fred nodded.
“Lorne?”
“I’ll make sure the kitten is safe, now go. Save the Princess and the dark knight. The alternative is unpalatable.”
Chapter 13
The pain began to lessen in Cordelia’s head. Which could only mean that the danger in her vision had been stopped. She took a deep breath of relief.
“Hey, here.” Clyde shoved some water at her.
“Go away.”
“The master said to give you some water. So take it.”
“I said go away, you vamp toady.” She knocked the water out of his hand.
“Listen bitch,” Clyde stopped Cassandra from hitting Cordelia.
“Cass, remember.” He pointed to the various piles of dust still scattered on the floor. “Don’t. Just leave her alone, maybe she’ll shut up then.”
Cassandra grumbled and flashed Cordelia her game face. “When the master’s tired of you, I will so kill you.”
“When Angelus is tired of me, I’m sure all already be dead, you stupid bitch.” Cordelia rolled her eyes. She looked to the door as Angelus strode in. She got up and then slumped back down as she saw what he was carrying.
“What have you done?”
“What?” Angelus said to Cordelia as he threw the victim of her vision to the other vampires. “I killed the demon, saved Joe Blow, here. What? Did you think I would just let him go? Hell, this is food. Those visions of yours could come in handy.” He smiled.
“I’m going to be sick.” Cordelia swallowed her bile as she saw the other vampires feasting on the victim that was supposed to be alive and healthy after the demon in her vision was killed.
“Well, I’m not cleaning it up, so don’t. Let’s go and see what your room looks like.” Angelus grabbed her and swung her up in his arms. “Oh, don’t be sour, your headache is gone right? Can’t use that excuse for what I’ve got planned. Can you?” He smirked.
Cordelia closed her eyes. Her headache was gone, now only thing left was a sharp pain in her heart and nausea. How stupid could she be that she thought that Angelus would actually do the right thing? He wasn’t Angel.
Cordelia had to believe that Wesley had discovered the identity of the demon that affected Angel, understood the implications and their disappearance from the hotel and was at this minute working on a cure. She just had to believe.
And she had to keep Angelus preoccupied so that he wouldn’t go out and kill anyone else, and she had to keep his torturing of her to a minimum or Angel would never forgive himself when he returned. She just had no clue how to do that.
Angelus liked to cause fear and pain. Well the fear was easy. Cordelia was scared. Pain, she didn’t want. And Angel would be very broody, if Angelus really hurt her. So, she would just have to let him really scare her, maybe that would be enough for the time being.
And like she said, being frightened of Angelus was easy.
***
“So, what do you think? It turned out pretty good.” Angelus threw her on the big bed.
Cordelia glanced around at the formerly empty room. Heavy brocade curtains of a rich Burgundy were hanging on the dirty walls, a heavy ornate wardrobe was in the corner. She looked down on the bed, the very large four-post bed she was lying on. She blinked – sheets and a comforter? Cordelia stared at the vampire.
He was seriously asking her what she thought. Angelus was crazy. Angel never mentioned that Angelus was crazy, just psychotic and evil.
Angelus jumped on the bed beside her; he captured her as she tried to scoot away. “I asked- what do you think?”
“I was thinking, you’re nuts. Certifiably nuts. This is a dark, dirty warehouse that you have me trapped in, planning to do gods know what to me, and you think I give a shit about curtains.”
Angelus laughed and pulled her down on the bed, on arm clapping her to his side as the other waved about. “Yes, but isn’t it homey.”
Cordelia struggled against the vampire. Angelus tightened his hold and threw a heavy leg over her body, stilling her movement. “Sure it could use some more work, but for a start, it’s not bad.”
Cordelia closed her eyes. “Don’t you want to go suck the world into hell or something?”
“Tried it, been there, wasn’t fun. No, this time, I’ll start with the little pleasures,” He swung his body over hers. “But, you won’t be only a little pleasurable will you?”
His mouth attacked her throat, not biting, just licking and tasting. Angelus leaned up and licked his lips. “Sweet, salty and spicy, very tasty.”
“Eww, I’m all stinky and dirty.” She pushed away at the vampire. “And I have to go to the bathroom.”
Angelus looked up. “Uh.”
“Bathroom, you idiot. Human- bathroom. Get the picture or do you want me to show you as I wet your nice new bed.” She grumbled. God. Angelus was dense, stupid and crazy. And unfortunately still very dangerous.
“Oh. Human’s are a pain.”
“Then let me go or just kill me.”
“I told you I’m not ready to kill you just yet, but if you keep annoying me, I just maybe.”
“I don’t care.” Cordelia took a deep breath. So much for her plan to stall Angelus from hurting her, why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut and just whimper in terror?
It’s not like she wasn’t scared. “I have to go to the bathroom.” Her mouth refused to listen to her brain.
“Fine.” Angelus pulled her up and dragged her to the other side of the room, pushing her into a small room. Cordelia looked around, she turned back to the vampire. “I’m not going in there its gross. Look.”
It was a bathroom; a bathroom that hadn’t been used in what seemed like a hundred years, dirt, rust and rat droppings littered the floor. The tub was a broken nasty looking thing and the toilet. Cordelia didn’t even want to look.
Angelus kept a hold of her hand and turned the faucets. Brown water poured out. “It’s got running water. See.”
“It’s gross. See,” she pointed to the slime that pounded into the sink.
“It’s clearing up. See.” Angelus pointed to the water. Cordelia scrunched up her face. Sure enough the slime was turning yellow, then finally clear.
“There’s probably no hot water. It looks like my first apartment when I got to LA.”
Angelus stared at the young woman. Angel had never seen her first apartment. Cordelia Chase, Queen C, lived in a place that had a bathroom like this. Angelus would have loved to have seen it. “Well, then you should be comfortable in there then. “ He pushed her to the toilet.
“There’s no toilet paper and your not watching.”
Angelus growled. If he didn’t have such plans for her he would kill her right then and there. Angelus stormed out of the bathroom. He stopped at her next words. She was hungry.
Angelus was going to kill her. He took a deep breath and continued out of the room. Yelling for Clyde.
***
“I told you to get food.”
“We did,” he started to point to the body on the floor and then stopped. “Oh, you mean for your pet. Dan.” He called to the other male vampire.
Dan hurried over with a brown bag.
Angelus looked in the bag. It would do. Angelus looked at Clyde as he pulled out toilet paper and paper towels.
“Um, I got those, I’ve only been a vampire for a little while, I figured she would want them. Human’s like stuff like that.” Dan shuffled at the older vampires’ glares.
Except for Angelus, Angelus wasn’t glaring he was nodding. “Well done, Dan.” Now maybe Cordelia would stop bitching and he could get on with his plans for her.
Angelus looked around at the room. “If this is to be home for awhile, it needs to be cleaned up a bit, made more comfortable. Do it and then we can sit down and I will tell you how we will grow and become more prosperous.”
The three vampires looked at each other and then at Angelus. They nodded and started to pick up the trash surrounding the floor.
They all had eaten more in the last few hours in Angelus’ company than they had in the last week. Angelus wanted clean. Angelus would get clean.
Chapter 14
Cordelia was still standing in the bathroom when he returned. “Well.” She glared her hands on her hips.
Angelus just stared. She was making him do things for her, she expected him to do it. He would do this, but then Angelus would remind her quite thoroughly he wasn’t the souled wimp that she could order around. He threw the toilet paper at her.
Cordelia caught it and then slammed the door.
***
“Come out now.” She was taking forever. Angelus was losing all patience.
“I’m trying to get clean.” Cordelia stood at the sink, running her hands under the water trying to wet her arms and face. She wasn’t about to step foot in that tub.
Angelus yanked the door from its hinges. Cordelia turned and glared her arms crossing over her naked torso. “Get out.”
Angelus left, but came back immediately with a shirt taken from the wardrobe.
“I said…” Angelus shoved a torn bit of the shirt into her mouth, effectively gagging her and quickly tied her swinging hands together. “If you don’t stop moving, I’ll do more than tie you up.” Cordelia glared but stilled. “That’s better. You want to be clean. Fine.”
Angelus wet the remaining piece of material and roughly started to wash Cordelia’s torso. The roughness changes to teasing as he realized that his plans could start. Cordelia was gagged, no more nagging and she was in front of him, almost nude. His hand went to her pants and yanked. Cordelia’s body lurched forward as he ripped the pants down her hips.
Angelus smiled as he knelt in front of her, one hand clenched tightly on her hips, squeezing painfully every time she moved. He kept squeezing until she finally stilled. With the cloth in the other hand, he rubbed around her stomach, the cloth drifting down between her thighs. A bruise was already starting to form where his fingers clenched tighter forcing her once again to remain still at the cloths movements. Low grunts of protest came from her gagged mouth.
Angelus stood and smiled at the tears of anger and fear flowed from her eyes. He went to brush at the tears, he laughed as Cordelia jerked her head back.
Angelus pulled at her bound wrists dragging her towards the wardrobe. Cordelia tripped and fell as her feet got tangled in the pants that were down around her legs.
Angelus just laughed as she fell and groan of pain sounded through the gag as Cordelia scraped her thigh on the rough floor. Angelus took what he needed from the wardrobe and pulled her back up and hoisting her in his arms. He strode over to the bed and threw Cordelia on it.
He landed on top of her his weight holding her down as he untied her hands and retied each to a bedpost. Angelus got up and removed her shoes and her pants, tying each foot to a bedpost. Angelus got up. “Now, it begins.” He laughed, pulling his clothes off.
Cordelia struggled tugging at the restraints, her tears falling. Angelus leaned over her, taking the gag out of her mouth. “You can scream all you want now. In fact, I insist.” Angelus bit down on her breast and drank.
Cordelia choked on her scream, she would not give him the satisfaction.
Angelus looked up. “So brave, so silly to think you can fight me. You will scream in pain and pleasure when I’m done with you. You will be begging me to take you and then to kill you.”
“I’ve been begging you to kill me since I got here, stupid bastard.” She spit.
Angelus rested his chin on her bloody wound. “True, but this time you’ll mean it.” He returned his mouth to her wound, licking the surrounding blood, moving to the expanse of her waist and stomach. His hand alternating between harsh groping and tender caresses.
Cordelia closed her eyes trying to block out what was happening to her. She wouldn’t break; she wouldn’t let this destroy her or her love for Angel. This was not Angel. She bit her lips, focusing on the pain she was inflicting upon herself, attempting to ignore the pain and pleasure that Angelus lips and hands were afflicting on her body.
She gasped as she felt the heavy cold weight shift over her body. Her eyes flew open into Angelus mocking ones. “Trying to remind yourself that I’m not Angel. That I’m the evil twin, the one you hate, not the one you love. You are stupid, Cordelia Chase. You who think you know Angel so well. I’m Angel, just not with a soul.
I’m only doing what he wants to do to you, but won’t allow himself because of the soul thing. I’m him. He’s me. I just do what I want, when I want.” Angelus laughed flashing his game face.
“Cordy, love, let me introduce you to the real Angel, not the wimp the soul and you have made him become.” He plunged his fangs into her neck as his hand thrust her thighs wider apart.
Chapter 15
“Now what?’ Gunn said over the dead body of the Auferote.
“We go back and wait for Angel to bring Cordelia home.”
“You better be right.”
Wesley looked at Gunn, his eyes unreadable. “I am, I just hope that we were in time to prevent Angelus from doing too much damage.”
***
Cordelia gasped, her body tense waiting for Angelus to forcefully enter her. She waited but it never came.
She felt his body lift off hers; she felt her hands being untied. Cordelia sat up her eyes opened looking questioningly at Angelus. The vampire just sat at the end of the bed, his body slumped.
She moved slightly. The vampire’s head shot up. She stilled waiting for whatever game he was playing now. Cordelia’s eyes widened, she wasn’t looking at the mocking eyes of Angelus.
Angelus never looked guilty, never looked heartbroken.
She closed her eyes as a surge of relief went through her body; she shot towards the vampire, her arms wrapping around him. “Angel.” She murmured, smiling and crying at the same time, holding him tight. The vampire didn’t respond.
“Angel?” Cordelia leaned back.
Angel nodded, but wouldn’t look at her. He got off the bed untying her feet.
“Angel. Look at me.” She ran to him, her hands going to his face.
Angel moved her hands away, still not looking at her. “Get dressed. I have to take you home.”
Cordelia stepped back. “Okay,” she stammered. She leaned down to pick up her torn pants. “Um. “ She held the ruined clothes.
Angel saw and turned away. He pointed to the wardrobe. Cordelia shrugged and went to cabinet. Cordelia opened the doors and stared. There were tons of clothes, nice clothes. All women’s clothes. She turned to Angel, but Angel wasn’t looking at her.
He was finishing dressing, pulling on his black duster. “Stay here, until I come back.” He said never turning, going to the door.
Yeah right. Cordelia hurried and pulled out some clothes. She ran to the door, stopping by the brown bag resting there. Curiosity killed the cat, but Cordelia had just avoided rape and death, so she felt brave.
She looked in and pulled out food, tons of human food. Food that she liked. When had Angelus gone shopping, she didn’t remember seeing him ever come in with a bag of food. Or did he give a list to one of those stupid vampires down stairs. She dropped the bag and went for the door.
Angel was going to fight those vampires. Cordelia needed to help.
Okay, maybe she didn’t. Cordelia watched from the bottom of the stairs as Angel dusted all of the vampires, quickly and easily without a word. Then she watched his whole frame slump as he stared down at the body of the victim in her visions.
He straightened as he heard her move into the room. “Angel?”
“I told you to wait.” Angel shook his head, but still wouldn’t look at her. “Come on.” He waited until she was close then he moved.
