Part 67
Duncan paused a moment outside Angel’s door. The immortal didn’t want to disturb Cordelia if the young woman was sleeping.
But, he did need to talk to her and now that the vampire was gone, it would probably be the only opportunity to get her alone. His decision was made a he heard Cordelia cry out.
“Cordy,” Duncan moved quickly to the bed, trying to gently wake her from whatever dream that made her scream.
Cordelia thrashed on the bed, making small gasping breaths, and tears squeezed out of her closed eyes.
“Cordy,” Duncan said louder, his touch on her shoulder more firm.
Cordelia blinked, confused by the presence of the Immortal sitting on the bed.
“Where’s Angel?”
“He had an errand. He’ll be back. You’re were dreaming?”
Cordelia shook her head. “It was nothing.”
“You screamed.”
“Oh.” She rubbed her forehead. “Don’t remember it.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes. “I’m fine.”
“Cordy, you aren’t fine. I saw what those visions did to you.”
Cordelia bit down her annoyance. Duncan was her friend and concerned. But, she didn’t like the way he said the word visions., has if the visions were a bad thing. Duncan knew how much losing them had upset her.
Moreover, he’d wanted some sort of explanation and she didn’t want to talk to anybody about what happened after the Quickening, not yet. She’d already told Angel.
She hadn’t even wanted to really tell him, but he deserved to know. They were his visions, his missions that she failed to see. It didn’t’ matter that he hadn’t been there. His need to grieve for Buffy was a far cry from his deliberate cutting himself off from the mission because of his obsession with Darla.
Angel had left expecting that she would continue with the mission and she had failed him, her family, the victims, everyone. Cordelia didn’t want to talk about it. It hurt too much.
“Mac, I get that you’re worried, but I am fine. The dream was nothing but a mini replay. No pain, just video. Okay.”
“Cordy, you’re crying.” Duncan brushed at the telling tears with his thumb.
Cordelia wiped roughly at her tears and Duncan’s hand. “I’m fine. Really.” Leave me alone, go away, she wanted to shout at the top of her lungs; instead Cordelia took a deep breath. “Duncan, it wasn’t anything I hadn’t felt before only this time with the benefit of being Immortal, I don’t have any lingering pain hangover. It’s gone. I feel great.”
“Why are you ignoring what happened to you?”
“Believe me, I’m not ignoring it. The days of ignoring my visions are over, thank god.” Cordelia hugged her knees into her chest, gently rocking back and forth.
“You shouldn’t even have them, you heard what Methos said- Immortals and the Powers don’t mix. The Powers’ don’t use Immortals.”
“Duh,” She pointed to her head. “Wrong. The Powers didn’t take the visions away, Gabriel some how did.”
“Well, they should. You can’t waste your life, keep going through that pain tying yourself to a vampire. Cordy, you’re young you have your whole life to live. Angel can’t enjoy it with you. He’s got this mission. He can’t take you to San Francisco, Paris; he can’t even take you for ice cream during the day. What kind of life is this? You deserve so much more.”
Angel stood in the open door, the truth of what Duncan was saying sliced through his rage at the Immortal’s words. He waited to hear Cordy’s response. Knowing that whatever she wanted, he would do, even if it meant tearing up his own dead heart.
Cordelia was flabbergasted. Her mouth opening and closing. Finally she blinked. “You act as if I had a decision to make. I don’t, Duncan. This is my life no matter how long it lasts. I’m not leaving LA. I never wanted to leave. The only reason I considered it was because I thought Gabriel was Angel’s seer and that he wouldn’t need me anymore. But he does…”
“Because of the visions.”
Cordelia shook her head vehemently. “I used to believe that but the visions are just after market extras.”
“A car? You’re comparing yourself to a car?”
“A nice one of course, Pleeaase.” She rolled her eyes.
Angel relaxed a bit as he continued to listen.
“Cordy, I can take you away from all this.”
“Ah,” Cordelia coughed. “If I wanted to leave, I could do it myself. Geez. I don’t want to leave, I can’t. This is where I belong.”
“Cordy…”
“Duncan, you don’t seem to understand. The visions are a part of me, they are needed for Angel’s mission, but even if I didn’t have them, I would stay. Angel needs me, I need him, I love him, and he loves me. I’m not going anywhere.”
“He’s a vampire.”
“And…yeah…so what?”
“So what? Cordy,” Duncan asked in shock.
“Oh, right, the no sun, the dead thing, well, so what. That creepiness got comforting a long time ago. I love him. He’s got his issues sure, won’t dance, miser from Dickens, bad jokes, moody, goes from stuttering to growling in an blink of an eye, clueless on so many things, still lame on pop culture after the disco era, can I just say eww to that…”
Angel cleared his throat drawing attention to his presence. He heard enough, in fact he heard way too much.
“Angel,” Cordy shot up. “Where’d you go?”
“I had an errand to do. Why are you awake? I left you asleep.”
“I had a dream.”
“A nightmare,” Duncan corrected, glaring at the vampire. “A nightmare of your visions, of your life here.”
Cordelia blew out a breath of air. “It was nothing, I told you…just…just go now. I’m fine.”
“MacLeod, you heard Cordy, go.” Angel stood at the door, pushing back his need to throw the Immortal around the room a few times before he kicked him down the stairs, maybe through a window or two.
Duncan looked once more at Cordelia.
“I am tired. I’ll talk to you later. Bye. And thank you for your concern.” She smiled.
Duncan nodded and went towards the door. “I want a minute of your time.” He said lowly to the vampire.
Angel nodded and followed the Immortal out of the bedroom, shutting the door behind. “Something on your mind?”
“These visions, she can’t have them.”
“She does.”
“She shouldn’t.”
“I don’t disagree but she does and she wants them.”
“For you. God, how selfish are you? I saw what they do to her.”
“You saw once that makes you an expert. I have been with her since she first received them. I watched her accept them and the pain. I watched her grow to embrace the mission with more heart than anyone in this whole hotel. I saw what they meant to her, just like I saw what they did to her. Regardless, she doesn’t want to give them up and they won’t just go away. Believe me, if they could, I would’ve made it happen long before now. But they won’t. “
“You could just leave her or tell her to leave, if she doesn’t have a champion, there is no need for her to be a seer to one.”
“I left one woman that I had loved because it was the ‘best’ for her. She died without me being there; she was a champion, a woman full of life, and a responsibility that would bury most. She died saving the world. I wasn’t there. But, that was okay, because I did make the right decision, here-now, it wouldn’t be. I won’t leave Cordy, I won’t let her go.”
“You’re selfish.”
Angel narrowed his gaze at the Immortal’s response. He had been as honest with the man as he could. Buffy’s death was still a heartache he would have to live with. But, he had explained that Cordelia was different that he couldn’t, wouldn’t give her up, especially not when the woman fully accepted him and didn’t want to go.
Angel’s voice got cold. “I’m a vampire, selfishness is in my nature. Try to get Cordy to leave again- I will kill you. But maybe you should listen to her answer. She loves me and I love her. Evil has yet to separate us, a good intention friend, well, good luck.” Angel shook his head and entered the bedroom.
Duncan wanted to grab his sword and go after the vampire but the voices that reached him before the wooden door shut him out made him stay still.
“So, are you going to tell me where you’ve been or do I have to use all my energy pouting, pleading, browbeating, and guilting you?”
“Seducing might work.”
Duncan cringed before the locked door, still listening.
“Hey, you want to pillow fight? Okay.” Angel’s voice was light’ so different from the threat in the hallway.
“Jerk,”
Duncan left at the sound of Cordelia’s laughter.
***
“Duncan isn’t going to get her to try to leave again is he?’ Fred asked the Immortal sitting next to her on the couch.
“Probably.”
“He shouldn’t do that. Cordy belongs here. She and Angel love each other.”
“Do you think she’ll go?”
“No way.”
“Then there is nothing to worry about,” Methos’ finger ran over the wrinkles Fred’s frown made.
Fred gulped at the tender, teasing gesture. “Um…well…it won’t make. Angel will be mad.”
“They’re all grown ups and Mac, while past behavior might dispute, is a very honorable good person with common sense. He’ll back off when he’s satisfied that Cordy will be safe.”
“Angel will always keep her safe.”
Methos shrugged and peered into the young woman’s eyes. “Winifred Burkle, would you care to join me for a late dinner tonight.”
“Sure, I’ll go get…”
“I was asking you.” Methos grabbed at the woman who jumped.
“Me? Alone?” Fred squeaked.
“Yes, you and not Caritas.”
“A REAL restaurant? I can’t. I have to…” she looked at her jeans and blouse. “Cordy…”
“You look very pretty and we’ll go casual. Come on, you can tell me the dynamics of your lethal toaster.”
“You really want to know?”
“I’m five thousand years old, I wouldn’t asked if I didn’t want your company or learn the secrets of the deadly appliance.”
“Oh.” Fred blinked. “A real restaurant?”
“How about that Mexican joint that I’ve seen you longingly gaze at through the window, just down the block.”
Fred’s eyes widened. “They’re menu boasts of the best white sauce in LA.”
“Shall we test them?”
Fred debated white sauce, salsa, tacos, and burritos against major aloneness with handsome man nervousness. “Okay.” She nodded firmly.
“I lost to the food, didn’t I?” Methos chuckled as he led the woman out.
“Uh?”
Part 68
Angel was on the bed before Cordelia could throw the pillow that was in her hands. He grabbed at it and threw it to the floor.
“Not fair.” Cordelia pouted.
“My bed, my rules.” Angel sat up smugly.
“I could just leave.”
“Nope, not possible,” Angel pulled the playfully slapping woman underneath him.
“Bully.”
Angel leaned up, pushing back the tangle of hair that had resulted from their brief pillow fight. “I will let you go if you want to leave.” He said seriously.
Cordelia scrunched her face and slid up under his body to sit up. “Do you want me to?”
“That’s not the question, I heard Duncan, and he was right in a lot of things. You’re Immortal now, you could do anything you wanted, Paris, San Francisco, where ever.”
“The visions?”
Angel twirled a strand of the brown silk in his fingers. “You aren’t bound to my redemption, you got the visions from Doyle, now you are Immortal, if you leave and if what Methos’ says is true the Powers won’t expect you to stay my seer.”
“They…”
“We won’t ever really know and that’s not what’s important right now. I want you to stay, I want you right here in my bed, beside me forever, with or without the visions -preferably without. But, Cordelia what do you want? Is it just the visions?”
“I thought you said you with your vampy creepy hearing heard.”
“I don’t want you to stay if you don’t want to, I especially don’t want you to if it’s out of a misguided sense of duty to me. I won’t hold you to your promise, I will understand if you leave. You’ve fulfilled that first promise more ways than what was even hoped for. You’ve always been there for me.”
“That was pretty lame ass.”
“Cordy?”
“Oh, this is your lame ass attempt to let me leave for my own good. Angel, it would work better if you’d stopped touching me as you remind me why I should go.” She looked down at the strong hands caressing her hip and her breast.
Angel jerked pulling up his hands. Shit, he hadn’t even realized.
Cordelia laughed, pushing the hands back to their original positions. “I’m not so tired and I’m not leaving you.”
“Cordy,” Angel sat up his hands leaving her at her laughing tone.
“Sense of humor, Angel. Geez, will you ever maintain one? Get these flashes than poof, gone.” She scrunched up her face, relenting at the puzzled expression on Angel’s face.
“I love you. YOU. Vampire, champion, dork, silly, brave, strong, stupid, idiot….” Cordelia was forced to stop as Angel’s hand covered her mouth.
“Nevermind.” Angel swept in capturing Cordelia’s lips. Cordy sighed into the embrace, moving her mouth in contrast with Angel’s taking on his tongue in a magical duel.
Thrust, parry, swirl, and turn. Cordelia’s body melted more into Angel’s as their lips fought, comforted, teased, and pleasured.
Cordy jerked up. “Off.” She pushed at the vampire that was nuzzling her neck.
“Uh?’ Angel was sure that everything was going very well, very very well.
Cordelia leaned into the vampire, staring into his confused desire filled eyes. “You believe in promises, vows.”
“Yeah,” Angel answered tentatively.
“Well, I vowed that I would touch, taste, own you like you did to me, so on your back vampire.” Cordelia pulled and pushed the stunned vampire against the bed.
“Cor” Angel begged as she teased down his thighs, separating them fitting her kneeling body in between his bent knees.
“What, this was only your trick.”
“You’re playing with a man’s patience. We don’t have any, we’re pathetic that way,” Angel tried to sit up.
Cordy laid a gentle but firm hand on the vampire’s chest. “Suffer.” Her lips mumbled as her head deftly dove, nuzzling, kissing, nipping, tonguing the cool skin under Angel’s chin and down his throat and further.
Cordelia slapped and flicked at Angel’s hips as they jumped when her tongue and teeth wet and grazed along his chest, resting teasingly on his nipples.
Cordelia giggled and leaned her chin on his stomach. “I think I finally realize why guys like nipples so much, they’re fun, watch.” She licked and teased at the hard bud. Angel’s hips jerked again.
Angel brought his hands to her shoulders, his voice rough and raspy. “I don’t need to watch, I’m a guy, dead, but I know.” Angel caught the growl in his throat. His hips were jumping off the bed.
Cordelia rode the movement and clapped down with her thighs when Angel’s hips hit the bed. Her head dove back into Angel’s chest, licking down, reaching the trail of dark hair leading the way. Cordelia giggled as she nuzzled and her hand met her mouth meeting at the swollen sacks hiding behind the erect organ.
“Damn you.” Angel groaned, grabbing for Cordelia’s thick hair. Cordy licked her lips and peeked up. “You’ve got a problem?”
“Big one, beautiful one, teasing one, evil one,” he moved jerking pulling Cordelia up and under him diving into the warmth that was waiting.
Cordelia clenched her eyes closed. She thrust up as Angel pushed down.
Angel stopped for a second. “God.” He whispered as the heat that encased him made him feel alive.
“Hmmph.” Cordy caressed gently on his jaw contradictory to her scowl.
Angel looked down. “Yes?”
“It was my turn.” She pouted. “I was going to make you squirm at the pleasure.”
“Christ, Cordy, you won that battle a long time ago.” Angel groaned the truest admission in his life as he thrust.
Cordelia had barely a minute to think about it, before the tingling started in her toes and move upward just as quickly. She did complete one thought. Win, or lose, Cordelia would get her turn it was only fair. That thought and any other was lost in the movements and the feelings that were flowing through her body.
God. It was happening again, it wasn’t an apparition; her nerves were straining against her skin. Cordelia held on to the strong body. Lord. The feelings that Angel was causing had to be forever, otherwise life was really not fair.
Part 69
Gunn came out of the bathroom, still vigorously wiping a paper towel over his hands. “Hey, where’s Methos going with Fred?”
Wesley stood staring at the retreating couple a frown settled on his brow. “Dinner.”
“Hold on, I’m hungry why’d didn’t they wait.”
“We weren’t invited.”
“Why not. We gotta eat too.”
“I think it was a date.”
Gunn stood stunned. “Fred doesn’t date. She barely leaves the hotel.”
Wesley turned his frown to the other man. “You know she’s gotten a lot more confident over the last few months.”
“But, a date? I would’ve taken her to dinner if she wanted to go out.” Gunn grumbled.
Wesley shook his head, not sure why the idea of Fred going out with Methos bothered him. Wesley studied his friend. Gunn didn’t seem to like the idea either. Wesley’s brow cleared as the logical conclusion came to mind.
Obviously, both he and Gunn had become protective over the young woman. It really hadn’t been that long since she returned unsettled and timid from Pylea.
“You said you were hungry.”
“Yeah.”
“Feel like Mexican.”
Gunn raised his brows considering Wesley’s question. “Where did they go?”
“La Tacta’s.”
Gunn nodded. “Hey man, it’s a free world, we’re hungry and in need some of their white sauce. I’m with ya.”
***
The lobby was empty. Duncan would’ve liked to seen Methos and tell him it was time to pack their bags. Cordelia wasn’t going anywhere. Angel’s threat hadn’t convinced Duncan to stop trying to get Cordelia to leave. It was the woman herself. She really did love the vampire and was dedicated to him and his mission.
He needed a drink.