Chapter 51
Gunn couldn’t help but give the blonde vampire a smug ‘I told you so’ look.
“Why aren’t you’ll doing something. Gimme a cross bow.” Cordelia glared.
“Darlin, the target ain’t cooperating. This is Angel’s battle.” Spike moved closer. He wasn’t happy. There was nothing more he could do. The chit was safe and would remain so. If Angel lost? Spike turned to Wesley. “If this goes down any other way, you will get her out of here.”
Wesley blinked and then nodded, understanding immediately that the blonde vampire would stay and they would retreat. Wesley glanced at Cordelia, her body ringing with tension. Wesley could do it if Angel lost.
Then it would be easy, even if they had to knock her out.
***
Cordelia just stared not resisting Spike’s tight hold on her. Cordelia had seen Angel in so many different ways that spelled vampire.
She fed him, warming his blood, she patched his cool skin, felt the non-beating of his heart. Cordelia had seen his coldness, his rage. Cordelia remembered his demon face above hers as he pinned her to the sewer wall as he thrust without thought. She saw him fight vampires and demons.
But Cordelia never saw this.
Cordelia stepped back. If she closed her eyes she could see a long time ago place, before man, where carnivores and predators were the only inhabitants of the earth. Where to fight meant to survive, to protect, to live was the goal minute to minute.
Beast on beast- a battle where weapons were a luxury, something not invented yet, where the wining was done by tooth and nail, and flesh and blood. She screamed out for her dorky Angel, the demon that wanted to be human.
This wasn’t him. This wasn’t even her champion. This was more than the vampires that they met and killed. This was more than Angelus. This was primal, without thought or reason. This was Angel. Cordelia bit her lip and moved further away.
Spike turned. “Chit.”
“You were right.” She blinked unshed tears and ran.
Spike hunched, not even knowing why he was disappointed in the chit. His anger he would place at the feet at the battle above.
Cordelia slumped to the ground as soon as the fresh air hit her. She had to figure out what to do. Angel was going to win. It was in the air, in the blood and violence that was bombarding that room.
“Miss.”
Cordelia looked up at the concerned servant of Dracula. “You would be smart to leave, Dracula is dead.” She smiled.
“I do see the tide swinging that way. My concern is for you.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it is just a memory of a feeling that I once had. Why are you out here? You were so sure before.”
Cordelia’s teeth dug into her lower lip. “I still am.” She smiled.
“I don’t understand.”
Cordelia studied the servant for a moment. “Why? How did you stay with him?”
“I had no choice.”
Cordelia’s smile could not hide the sympathy in her eyes. “That’s really sad. What will you do now?”
“Die, I hope.”
Cordelia shrugged. “Before that happens, go take a walk down Rodeo Drive, or see a good movie, or go watch the children in the park. Hell, go to Starbucks. You’re alive now, you may see that you want to remain that way.”
“Miss, do you love the vampire?”
Cordelia blinked slowly up at the English gentleman. “Oh, yes.”
“Then…” He gestured to the fight inside.
Cordelia shrugged. “He’ll win and then he’ll need me, but not right now.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you.”
Cordelia laughed. “Hey, Morty, if you’re in the neighbor again stop by.” Cordelia got up and decided that it was long enough.
Chapter 52
Cordelia glanced at the scene before her. In the scattered dust, she saw the smirking grin and the fondling hands. She looked at the standing dark vampire trying to reign in his instincts.
Angel jerked his demon face in her direction, jerking as quickly away. Cordelia had no doubt at that moment that she hadn’t been wrong to leave.
But it hadn’t been soon enough or long enough, Cordelia smiled. She walked to Wesley, Gunn and Spike. “Go. We’ll meet you at home.”
“Cheerleader.”
“Ouch, no chit or love.” Cordelia’s eyes twinkled. “Go, Spike. No ribbing or rubbing. He’ll be fine.”
“I…” Spike was unsure. The young woman had so many different faces. Which one was the truth?
“Remember, when you tell Connor, Angel gets the credit for being the hero.” She stuck her tongue out at the blonde vampire as she walked to the motionless dark vampire.
Spike nodded amazed, realizing then that every single strange facet of the young woman was real. He left his grandsire to the woman that truly loved him.
***
“I love you.” Cordelia stared at the broad back of the dark vampire. She let her body go limp as it was swooped up and pressed up against the wall.
“Mine,” the low growl vibrated against the skin of her neck.
Cordelia squirmed and held, moving and smiling. “I think I should be mad. Where are these stupid doubts coming from?” She nuzzled bring her hips closer.
The instinct was still present, the killing lust gone as the last snap of Dracula’s vertebrae ended with his dust on the floor, but the need to claim the body in his arms was still overwhelming, filling Angel’s senses. But as strong, not quite, but almost was the urge to smile.
Cordelia was in his arms, her tone all knowing, so quietly authoritative. It made him pull back. Angel relaxed a bit. She hadn’t been there. She didn’t know.
Cordelia cupped quickly, pulling Angel’s face to her. “I saw. I left, but I saw.”
Angel pulled back further, his face clouding over in a hidden darkness.
Cordelia ignored it. “ I didn’t leave because of some stupid order that you gave or because I was seeing something unforgivable or un-understandable, but because I realized Wesley, Gunn and even Spike would weird out even more if I stayed. What exactly did you say to them? Would you believe that I had to actually threaten physical violence? They were scared of me.” Cordelia beamed.
Angel stared. The urge to smile was pushing forward, but not yet beating the urge to just take. He needed her, then he would take the luxury to smile, he first needed to make sure and to live.
Angel stole her lips, stopping any more words. Cordelia leaned in pushing her hips forward.
“Angel,” she gasped, whispering against his dark head. “If you need my permission, then you have it. ” Cordelia pushed his head further against the skin and the sharp fangs that were pressed against it.
Angel almost did it. Her words, his instincts it was to be done. Except. Angel leaned up, his rage fleeing quickly, because the willing body in his arms was the one that he loved. Angel moved away from the delicate skin. “You saw?” His voice tentative.
Cordelia tried to budge Angel’s head closer, but he was being all vamp obstinate. “Yeah, but not the end, does that help.” She tugged harder.
“Cordy,. I…” Angel refused to let her pull him to her flesh.
“If you have the balls to say that you were acting all vampire and then apologize, I’ll be so very pissed.” She smacked him across the head. “What, a little show and tell of violence will clue me into the not so secret- secret that you’re a vampire. Duh. Secret, I already knew, five years and running”
“But…”
“Damn you. Okay. Primal blood lust is a bit scary, but since it was for me and not against me, I’m a little biased. Your vamp instincts say mark me, then mark me. Do it. I want it. I want to belong to you, to love every friggin part of you, no hidden areas, if you can’t deal- then find someone else, go looking for a blonde as gorgeous, frustrating, and knows the exact temperature to heat your blood, I dare you.”
Angel stood, rage gone, joy and laughter threatening to emerge. And he was feeling just a little bit cocky. Cordelia loved him still. “Okay. It shouldn’t be that hard, I mean how hard is it to find a blonde in LA that can work a microwave.” Angel smiled.
“Angel, while we both know that you are dead, we also know that you still have feelings in you lower regions. In fact, wasn’t it you that screamed that you weren’t a eunuch.”
“Umm, Cordy.” Angel winced as Cordelia’s gentle caress turned into a hard grip.
“Yes.” She smiled and squeezed harder. Cordelia laughed and relented as the vicious dangerous vampire that destroyed Dracula whimpered in relief.
“Make love to me now.” She tugged at his leather coat.
“A funeral home?” A split second later. “Okay.”
“Oh, you’re right, sewers are ‘our place’ come on.” Cordelia pulled at his hand.
Chapter 53
Angel’s smile dimmed as his eyes grazed the young woman tugging at him. He had dressed Cordy before she left the hotel.
Granted, Angel had no idea what clothes he grabbed from the floor. But he knew without a doubt it wasn’t Gunn’s jean jacket or the worn, dirty blanket that now wrapped Cordelia’s body. Angel stopped, jerking Cordelia back to him. In game face, he took in the scents flowing around her, ignoring for the moment Cordelia’s.
Gunn’s from the jacket, god only knows what and everything from the blanket that must have been in Gunn’s truck from the beginning of time, and Dracula. Angel growled. It was there- faint, but there, the other vampire had touched her. Angel thought past the blinding instincts that he had welcomed when he entered the funeral home. Dimly, beneath that memory, Angel saw Cordelia slumped, naked being held by Dracula.
“Angel?”
Angel opened the collar of the jacket, pushing the shoulders down her arms. Cordelia stilled, knowing that lovemaking wasn’t the vampire’s motivation. She waited as the demon flashed again over Angel’s countenance. Bye, bye happy Angel. Cordelia shrugged; she’d get him back in a minute. That’s all she would give Angel to be all freaked.
Angel’s hands brushed the discolored skin around Cordelia’s neck, Dracula’s fingerprints quickly forming in the purple bruises. His hand wandered down to the similar evidence on the flesh of her upper arm. Angel’s growl vibrated throughout his chest. Cordelia could swear she saw his body tremble with its force.
This was ridiculous. “Angel, he’s already dead. You can’t kill him again. AND I’m fine.”
Angel growled sharply, knowing Cordelia was right. But, with every fiber of his dead body he wished the battle with Dracula had taken longer, had been bloodier, had had the time for torture. Angel wanted another moment with the vampire, to kill him again and again.
“Angel, this stupid. Sewers, ‘our’ place, make love not war. Really stupid, to re-fight the war, when it’s already been fought and won.”
Angel didn’t listen, his hands just stroked, alternating between soft and hard. His lips descended, brushing and kissing trying to find a way to make the marks of Dracula’s existence go away.
Cordelia purred into his touch and kisses, this freaking she could stand. In fact she welcomed it, needed it. Her hands reached to Angel’s chest, moving up and around, only to jerk back suddenly.
“Angel.” She snapped, quickly but gently pulling the sides of his coat back to get a better look at the torn and tattered material obscured by the leather flaps. “Angel.” Her eyes blinked up, then down again at the tears of the shirt coated with blood. Cordelia’s eyes flashed. “Stupid vampire, come on,” tugging and pulling for Angel to follow.
“Sewer, love not war?” Angel said, hopefully.
“Idiot, You’ve been hurt. We’re going home, so I can get a better look. Geez, Angel were you going to say anything? No. Remembered what happened the last time you forgot to mention to me that you were hurt.”
Angel thought back and considered. If he remembered correctly, it resulted in Cordelia kneeling before him swallowing him whole with delicious moist precision. Was that supposed to be a threat? Angel hoped so. He followed quickly.
Chapter 54
Gunn was grumbling. “Stop.” He knocked the blonde vampire’s hand away from the truck’s stereo.
Spike rolled his eyes and took out his cigarettes.
“Don’t smoke in here, dawg.”
“Oh, please, like I’ll ruin the pristine condition of the vinyl.” Spike rolled his eyes and threw the cigarette out the window.
“Don’t like it ride with Wes.”
“Bloody hell, I’m not riding clutching on to English wanker’s waist wearing a pink helmet. What self-respecting vampire would wear such a pansy ass thing? Not me,” Spike’s hand reaching for the stereo again. “Hey,” Spike started to move in the seat, yanking the volume up. Spike smacked at Gunn’s approaching hand, thumbing his fist on the dashboard starting to sing with the words emerging from the contagious beat.
Buddy you’re a young boy make a big noise
Playin’ in the streets gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo’ face
You big disgrace
Kickin’ your can all over the place singin’
We will we will Rock you
We will we will Rock you
Gunn clinched his hands tighter around the steering wheel to stop his traitorous fingers from tapping. “Shut up,” glaring at Spike’s jabbing finger in the air.
Spike ignored the black man picking the words back up as they began again.
Buddy you’re a young man hard man
Shoutin’ in the streets gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo’ face
You big disgrace
Waivin’ your banner all over the place
We will we will rock you
Gunn was just grateful that the vampire didn’t look over as the young black man belted out in accompaniment.
We will we will rock you
Gunn tried to stop, but he had to admit the song made a body move. He started bouncing in the seat, taking over the next set of words.
Buddy you’re an old man poor man
Pleadin’ with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day
You got mud on your face
You big disgrace
Somebody better you put you back into your place
Both Gunn and Spike looked at each and grinned, their fists beating in time with the music, singing loudly together.
We will we will rock you
Singin
We will we will rock you
We will we will rock you
“We rocked Drac’s fuckin ass,” Spike slammed his fist on the dashboard.
“Rocked his dead ass dead.” Gunn banged his hand down on the steering wheel.
They both looked at each other. “Shit, we helped.” Spike and Gunn said together. The pickup truck bouncing and jerking along the road as the two men, one human, the other demon started singing again – we will we will rock you, as loud as they could.
***
Fred and Wesley stood up as Gunn and Spike entered the lobby. Neither Gunn nor Spike paid attention, they were to intent on their heated argument. Fred scrunched up her face, pushing up her glasses.
She got that she had trouble understanding the blonde vampire sometimes, but Charles? He was sort of her boyfriend. What was so L.L Cool about being Notoriously big? And why was Charles shaking his fist in the vampire’s face yelling for William to get in the millennium.
“Ain’t. Ramones.”
“Hell and George Clinton! He’s like old, man. Is he even alive?”
“He IS the funk master. This techno, gansta rap, is not music.” Spike shook his head.
“And the Punk crap is. Shit.”
Spike threw up his hands.
Fred turned to Wesley, grateful that the man was pushing and shoving at his glasses in confusion, also. He smiled weakly at Fred and shrugged back to Spike and Gunn. “Angel and Cordy?”
“Left them, like the chit said.” Spike wandered around. “Hey, where’s the squirt?”
“Asleep.”
“Oh.” Spike shrugged at the coat around his body, he couldn’t decide if he liked it or not. It gave better kick room, but was it has cool as black leather swooshing around his ankles? “Hey, pet, do you like this coat or mine better,” turning.
“That’s Angels.”
“I know that.” Spike shook his head. Useless. “Danger over. I’m going to grab a cup of blood and…any bars around? What about the green queen’s?”
“It’s open, still.”
“Good, I need a drink. Anybody else,” His eyes going from tired human to the other. “Nevermind, pansies. See ya.” Spike turned meeting Gunn’s eyes. “Hey, We ROCKED.”
“Damn straight.” Gunn shot up his fist smacking the blonde vampire’s.
Wesley coughed, slightly perturbed that Gunn was doing that hand-smacking handshake with Spike. “I see, Gunn, that you and Spike have reached an compatible understanding.”
“Uh.” Gunn swirled, the grin dropping from his face. “Uh, hell no.”
Chapter 55
Cordelia dragged Angel into a darkened lobby. “Gee, did they or didn’t they want to know if I was safe.” Her face scowled at the absence of fanfare.
Angel searched the hotel. “Gunn and Wesley are back. I imagine they told Fred that you were safe.” Angel sensed again. Spike was gone. Angel frowned he didn’t want the blonde vampire to have left yet. Angel looked at the hand that was tugging at him. He smiled. Spike could wait.
“Come on, out of your clothes, I want to see you naked.”
“I would’ve obliged earlier.”
“Get upstairs, I want to see your injuries, smart ass. Though, it is very cute ass.” Cordelia smiled.
Angel turned to look behind him, he wasn’t sure what constituted a cute ass in Cordelia’s world, he was just glad he had one. He looked again at the young woman tugging him.
He had two choices. Angel could let Cordelia boss him around in her loving dominatrix mode or he could just throw her on the floor. The scent of desire building in the young woman’s body told him he could do the later without any guilt. But, then again, if he chose the first, she would be all dominatrixy, loving and teasing on his body and then he could throw her on the bed.
Angel frowned. “Cordelia, I’m fine.”
“Oh, the heroic, denial mode still, Hmmph. Come on.” She pulled. Angel shrugged and followed wondering how long he would last before he just took her. It could be very fun trying to find out.
***
“Angel.” Cordelia bit her lip as she gently wiped away the dried blood on his side and back.
“I’m okay, Cordy.” Angel said softly. Angel inwardly cursed. Cordelia’s arousal dipped to an almost negligible level as soon as she saw the first injury, anxiety and worry quickly replacing the more enjoyable scent.
Cordelia’s eyes clouded, her fingers lightly tracing the gashes on Angel’s back. Wounds made without weapons, a strong dead hand with so much force caused the deep bloody parallel scratch marks. Cordelia’s eyes blinked back the tears as her gaze rested on the gapping bite mark on Angel’s shoulder.
It truly had been a fight between two beasts. Cordelia briefly laid her face against the vampire’s back, grateful that Angel had been the stronger, the more violent. If he had died…. Cordelia couldn’t complete the thought.
Angel shifted, beginning to worry as he felt her weight leave the bed. Angel didn’t need to see his injuries to know what they evidenced. They were proof of the brutality of his battle with Dracula, confirmation of Angel’s own violent instinctive nature. Something, he had always wanted to keep hidden from Cordelia, something he knew had failed to do when he wanted to mark her in the sewer and something he was still failing at.
But, Angel knew that he couldn’t have fought Dracula any other way and truthfully he hadn’t wanted to. Angel was again wondering how Cordelia could love him. When would she say she had enough of the darkness of his demon?
Angel shifted again, wanting to run away from the young woman’s gaze that was once again centered on his wounds. He breathed in her scent as he felt her gentle touch bandaging the tears in his dead flesh.
“Angel,” Cordelia whispered, moving again, this time around his body, pressing hers against his. She gently nudged his head towards her certain eyes. Cordelia scrunched her face as guilt and doubt flashed in the brown eyes that now held hers. She closed her eyes turning away. When would Angel learn to trust her? Would he always doubt her love? If it didn’t make her so sad, it would make her angry, very angry.
Cordelia shrugged off the blanket that was still wrapped around her. She leaned back on the bed, pulling at the vampire’s hand that she grabbed. “Angel.” She beckoned.
Angel hesitated. “Angel,” Cordelia called again, her voice tinged slightly with growing annoyance.
Angel blinked, looking at the beautiful woman laid out before him. He leaned down, unable to resist the beauty offered. His hands and eyes gently caressed the deep hazel eyes that held so much love, the lips that could smile such a smile bringing laughter and light into his dark existence.
Cordelia reached up to stroke Angel’s forearm down to the hand that was touching her neck. “Angel, I meant it. If it’s my permission you need, then I give it. Mark me as yours.”
Angel slowly shook his head, his eyes leaving Cordelia’s. The young woman’s complete acceptance of him continued to amaze him.
“Damn’t, Angel.” Cordelia lifted her other hand, jerking his face back. “If marking me will get rid of your stupid doubts about me, then do it.”
“I don’t doubt you.” Angel said softly.
“Yes, you do. You don’t think I can love you completely, the whole you, the ‘grr’ guy and accompanying instincts. Well, I can and I do. Mark me and prove it to yourself.”
Angel was silent, moving her hand from his face bringing it to his lips. He leaned in further, pushing his pant-covered leg between Cordelia’s thighs trapping her center by the hard muscles of his thigh. Angel dropped her fingers, placing his hand possessively around the slim delicate column of her neck. He moved in closer until his chiseled chest was plush against her soft one. The fingers on her neck began to fondle upward, tracing the line of Cordelia’s jaw up to her lips. “Its not doubts, Cordelia.” Whispering as Angel’s mouth followed his fingers.
“Angel.” Cordelia argued, just as softly, her breaths coming in small little gasps.
Angel smiled and shook his head. “It’s pure wonderment,” his thumb caressing her cheek. “And, I will always be amazed by your heart and love for me. Marking you won’t change that.”
“But, you’re vamp instincts?” Cordelia tried to keep the annoyance in her voice, but it was hard when Angel’s hands were turning her body into a liquid swirling electric mush. “You wanted to.”
“Yes,” Angel nuzzled against the crook of Cordelia’s neck.
“So, do it,” pulling his head closer.
Angel allowed her to press him closer to her flesh, continuing with his soft kisses.
“Angel.” Cordelia pushed him away or at least tried to. “Why not?” Cordelia gave up and just clutched his head closer, whispering in his hair.
Angel leaned up, brushing her hair gently away, adjusting his thigh closer into the warmth of her center. “Cordy, those times I was reacting on pure instinct, not seeing you as a person, but something that I had to claim -to prove to myself, to you and to anybody else that you belonged to me. The need was real brought on by the threat of Dracula. But even before that threat was gone, I promised that I would never touch you like that again. I never want to touch you or make love to you without seeing YOU.
You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met or seen; you have the most extraordinary heart and courage. Loving and seeing you like this right now gives me more pleasure, more joy than marking you ever could. Biting you is an act of a vampire and you allow me too be so much more, you give me the hope for a real future- a real life with you and Connor.”
Cordelia bit her lip getting lost once again in the deepness of Angel’s eyes. The vampire was telling the truth. She should’ve realized it. Cordelia smiled and she thought she was so smart and all knowing about Angel.
She remembered his guilt in the sewers and in the funeral home. Cordelia thought she could alleviate it for him, but he didn’t want it gone. “Angel, you aren’t really loving me right now, you’re just talking- a lot, too much,” whispering, reaching her hands down his chest towards the waistband of his pants.
Angel laughed, helping her fumbling hand to get rid of his offending pants. He pushed Cordelia back on the bed.
Cordelia pushed back up. Angel groaned. This had been her idea. Okay, it was his to. But she was the one tugging at his pants, now she was pushing him away. Angel was getting serious groin ache. “What?”
“Your injuries, maybe we should wait?” Cordelia’s light touch twittered over the bandages at Angel’s side. Cordelia had to be clear headed about this she couldn’t let her desire ignore Angel’s need to rest. Someone had to be responsible.
“Cordy,” Angel said clearly, forcing the frustrated growl down his throat, “If it is my welfare that you are concerned with then waiting will hurt a helluva a lot more than these stupid little injuries.”
Cordelia was about to argue that the injuries were not little, but Angel’s hand had replaced his thigh, doing very distracting things to her logical and responsible thinking. “Oh, I don’t want you to be in any pain.” She squirmed capturing his exploring fingers with her thighs, her hand coming up to embrace Angel’s hair, pulling him down.
“That’s very considerate of you. You’re very sweet.” He murmured, “So very sweet,” tasting every inch of skin available. This was another one of those times that having vampire instincts was a good thing. Angel breathed in the scent he tasted; the sound of the soft whimpers trapped in Cordelia’s chest along with her faster heartbeat was an intoxicant. Angel knew then without a doubt, he was right. He could never imagine just the instinctual taking of the beautiful young woman. This is what Angel craved, her responsiveness and her love.
God, he needed Cordelia, love was too tame of a word. Angel growled moving his head from the apex of Cordelia’s thighs, traveling quickly to her lips. He had to get completely lost in all of her. Angel thrust as his lips captured Cordelia’s. Angel didn’t stop his thrusts as he felt the salt laden tears trailing to their joined lips and searching tongues. The continuous whimpers of his name echoing in his ears told him that the tears weren’t ones of pain or sadness. Angel was sinking into Cordelia’s depths. Warm hot walls seized him urging him to do more. Angel was lost in love, pleasure and heat. His hands moved, clutching between the clefts of the sweet mounds of Cordelia’s buttocks. Angel paused only momentarily, feeling the firmness and softness.
Angel groaned a chuckle. Cordelia hadn’t appreciated that small stopping. She bucked grabbing at his hips, slamming into his groan. “Angel,” she chastised.
Angel resumed his previous actions, sensing that the tightness in Cordelia’s body was about to explode; he wanted to be there when it did. Angel groaned seizing Cordelia’s cries as her heat melted around him in short hard long burst. Angel shuddered against the warm cushion surrounding him. He moved quickly, ignoring Cordelia cry of loss. His lips descended again. Angel had to taste the evidence of their love. Cordelia’s hips jerked at the contact, the burst beginning again. Cordelia blinked wondering, lights flashed under her eyelids, breaking through the blackness that was overcoming her mind.
Cordelia fought the encroaching unconsciousness wanting to feel all of the next amazing feeling, only it wasn’t just one but a continuous bombardment. Torture was easier than this. But, damn, it was beautiful, she gasped as her body went limp.
Angel moved and pulled Cordelia’s body into his, cradling it, stroking and licking the sweat covered skin. This was perfect; he curled into her body, nuzzling further into the flesh. “Angel,” Cordelia whispered.
“Mmm,”
“Wow?”
“Wow, is right.” He chuckled turning to kiss the beautiful swollen lips that had settled in a small-pleased smile.
***
“Uh, Angel, is that you?” Fred rubbed at her eyes reaching for her glasses.
“Sorry, Fred. I just wanted to get Connor.”
“Oh, of course. Angel, is Cordy okay? The guys said she was, but is she, really?”
“Cordy is fine.”
Fred blinked, pushing at her glasses. Either that was the biggest, goofiest grin she ever saw or she needed new glasses.
“Good night.” Angel left with his son cradled in his arms.
***
“Where did you go?” Cordelia yawned rubbing her eyes, and then opening them wide at the gurgling sound coming from Angel’s arms. “Connor.” She jumped up. “Oh. Shoot.”
Angel watched the grin still wide on his face as Cordelia scrambled around trying to find a shirt or something on the floor that wasn’t torn or bloodied. Finally, she stood up with a triumphant yell.
“My coat?”
“Damn’t,” throwing the leather jacket to the ground. Cordelia ran to Angel’s closet, yanking the first shirt she could lay her hands on.
“Gimme.” Cordelia held out her arms, the sleeves of Angel’s shirt covering her flexing fingers.
“Honey, come on, let’s all sleep together, you, me and daddy, maybe in the morning we’ll convince the cheap sake to get a bigger bed. Wouldn’t that be fun,” nuzzling into Connor’s chubby cheek.
“I’m working on it, I’ve narrowed it down to two.”
“Two? I better look.” She smiled getting back into the bed, slapping the empty side next to her and Connor. “Come on, Angel, join Connor and Auntie Cordy.”
Angel paused, his knee barely on the bed. “Auntie Cordy?”
“Yeah, I’m family.” Cordy hugged the baby, her tone almost defensive.
“You’re not Aunt Cordy.”
“I am, too. Why not?” Cordelia’s tone was definitely rising. She turned quickly to the baby in her arms. “Shh, honey, Daddy is being stupid.”
“No, Connor, Mommy is being stupid.”
“What?!” Cordelia blinked adjusting her grip on the baby she almost dropped on the bed. “What?” she whispered.
“Mommy, you.” Angel proceeded in his descent seizing hold of both of his miracles.
“You want me to be Connor’s mother?” Wide hazel blinked and widened into a large questioning stare.
“That’s what you’ve been since he came. That’s what you are to me and to him. See,” Angel pointed to his son, who was happily grabbing and ‘blurslurping’ at Cordelia’s hair.
Cordelia gulped and took a deep breath. Connor’s mother. She could do it, she wanted to, but. “You can never take that back, never, ever, ever.” Cordelia glared a warning. “Never”, she said again with emphasis.
“Okay,” Angel making the easiest promise of his life. He snuggled both beings closer savoring their scents and heart beats.
“Watch it, daddy. Smooched baby alert,” Cordelia pushing one of Angel’s hands down to her waist and pulling the other to rest on Connor’s belly with hers.