Part 10
CORDELIA
The kitchen was cold most of the time, but especially just before dawn and the floor tiles almost unbearably so on bare feet. Wishing she’d thought to put on socks or something to cover her vulnerable toes, Cordelia almost hopped between tiptoes on the smooth surface.
The mansion was thankfully quiet with both vampires asleep and Willow presumably with Spike. “Don’t start that again” Cordelia hissed to herself. So what if Willow could sleep as deep as a baby lying next to a vamp that didn’t love her. She’d thought she could do the same; or at least she’d been convinced he did love her- until he’d refused to say it.
“Jerk can’t even lie to save himself. Geez what happened to vamps being such smooth and ‘charming’ liars. Hah- obviously he left the room when they were handing out the charm”? She derided irritably fully aware how nonsensical she sounded and honestly not giving a crap. In the darkness of predawn, she slowly made her way around the familiar shadows of the table and chairs to absently pull open the refrigerator.
“Not that I want the asshole to lie about it- it’s just, God! Even your average horny spotty-faced teen knows to at least try“.
The harsh glare from inside the large family sized refrigerator lighted every sullen line on her face, from the frowning creases between painstakingly plucked brows, down to the sulky pout on rosy, still swollen lips.
With one hand holding tight to the door, she stared sightlessly at the average contents; well average except for the large quantities of plastic containers filled with blood, nestling among the bread, butter, cheese and milk. Too miserable to care, even if she hadn’t already got used to such a sight, Cordelia continued to brood; despite having gotten out of bed to distract herself from doing exactly that.
She’d woken hours ago and then lain there with his big cool body wrapped around hers; trying not to think about how dumb she’d been to let him off the hook. “Hormones have a lot to answer for is all I can say” she growled, saying it out-loud now she could.
“Men have it way too easy already without lust addling your brain and turning you into a … mindless moron”. She protested to the oblivious appliance.
“As for love. There should be a cosmic law or something that you don’t feel it unless it’s reciprocated”. That seemed fair; unfortunately the cosmos didn’t appear to be listening just then. Typical!
Frustration had her yanking out the opened container of milk, thinking filling her mouth would at least stop it from yabbering on about stuff she couldn’t change. The little notebook fell to the floor next to her feet, having come lose and fallen from its perch beside the milk with her furious pull.
Cordelia stared at it, her hair was tumbled around her shoulders and with her head cocked to one side she considered it lying there innocently on the floor. “Okay, that’s weird”, leaving the milk on the counter she leaned down to swipe it up.
“We’re keeping recipe books in the refrigerator now”? A half smile curved her full lips, only Willow with her half brilliant half simple logic would do something like that, she thought ruefully.
A quick scan of the first page proved her wrong and she nodded as the rueful smile spread, it was Willow’s diary. Tossing it on the table, Cordelia turned back to the counter to fetch her drink.
Not that she was particularly thirsty but it’d been her excuse to leave the bed. That being the case, she didn’t want to get caught out if he prowled after her.
Especially since after telling the abruptly wakeful vampire why she was trying to sneak off, he’d been determined to fetch it for her until she’d had to insist she needed to stretch her legs. Hence the hasty leaving and no socks- asshole!
At least he’d gone back to sleep, typical guy, she sneered mutely, knowing she was taking pot shots for the sake of it. Any other time, and if she hadn’t been seriously smarting from his total deficiency in the declarations department, she might have appreciated his trust in her.
The milk was thrust back into its place with every bit as much frustrated fervour as before, making her wince and glad it was plastic and not glass. Heaving a sigh and flopping into a chair, she stared moodily at the diary, lying flat and deceptively small on the moon washed tabletop.
Her hazel gaze went thoughtful. “Why put a diary in a refrigerator”? It didn’t make sense, Willow was always so careful with it. The memory of being found by Angel and Spike and Willow diving back for it came to mind. “Okay, that’s beyond weird”.
Cordelia had always been too busy with doing stuff to feel the need to record it, convinced she’d remember anything important without needing notes to jog a memory. Not Willow though, and they’d spent a few hours giggling over Willow’s diary.
Cordelia had envied her that ability to write bad stuff in a funny way, it had made things easier, as if they’d need the outlet, no matter how small.
And boy did she need a distraction now. “Willow won’t mind” she justified to herself and gingerly picked it up to browse. She guiltily flicked through most of it, even with the history of sharing it felt wrong to do this without Willow beside her.
It was mostly domestic stuff with a few interesting side notes but nothing they hadn’t already talked about. Uncomfortable Cordelia was about to give up, when something impossible caught her eye.
Convinced she’d read it wrong, she stared at the page. Angel and Spike seduced me today….
She stood up so abruptly the chair wobbled on its back legs but thankfully didn’t crash to the floor. Then storming over to the light switch she flicked it on and stared back at the offending page. No, she hadn’t been seeing things; it really did say that.
The notebook trembled in her tight grip as a wrenching pain exploded in her heart. Quickly followed by a bone deep betrayal so stunning she was overwhelmed by it.
“It can’t be true” She didn’t want to believe it. “This is just so not true” her voice was whisper thin and her face paper white. She spun around to face the window and feverishly stared out of it, with her hand fisted achingly hard to the horrible pressure in her chest, as if pressing it would ease it.
The book seemed to burn into her hand. She flipped it up and quickly scanned a few more pages. There was no other mention of Angel but relief didn’t come. The earlier words were burned into her minds eye, mocking her attempts to deny it.
He hadn’t been able to tell her he loved her. Without conscious thought, she whipped back her arm and sent the book flying across the room to smack against the wall.
“She thinks I might be upset, is she fucking kidding me”? Lucky for her it came out so hoarse it didn’t have half the volume it could have done. “So he’s been boning her has he”? Hazel eyes widened in pure shock, Oh my god, they all had- together!
Her fraught face flushed with fury. “One big happy family and now they think I’m going to… what? Join in too? I don’t think so,” she snarled, feeding the anger to dull the pain and…. God, the utter humiliation.
So he’d been initiating her, or thought he was. “Bastard”! Or maybe she’d just been a mercy fuck, which in a way was worse. Her skin crawled with shame and mortification just at the thought.
Cordelia paced in agitation, filled with a restless energy that screamed for an outlet, violence, yelling anything to get this pressure out of her head.
“How could he do this to me? Dammit, Angel how could you do that to me? “I thought…” her voice was little more than a dry sob and hurriedly Cordelia sucked in a deep breath through her nose, filling her lungs and closing her burning eyes to ward off the incipient hysteria.
She could still feel the after-effects of his …lovemaking? She laughed mirthlessly at that. Lovemaking meant something- fucking didn’t. She hated that, she wanted it gone, she didn’t want to feel the throbbing ache in her loins or the still sensitive skin where he’d caressed her with his hands and mouth.
“I hate him, hate him…he’s never going to touch me again– ever”!
She was still standing in the middle of the lighted kitchen, breathing deeply and refusing to give into the need to cry. “I thought you were different…boy, was I wrong or what”? Bitterness laced and stung.
“Well you got it wrong too didn’t you, cos you’re so smart- Not! Well this is one girl you seriously underestimated”. The words shook with repressed savagery as she strangled the emotions that wanted to weaken her.
“I’m gonna stake your undead, perverted, sicko ass and then we’ll see…” Her fists clenched tight as if she could feel the sharp, slim wood in her palms.
But while she railed another part of her mind was coolly assessing the consequences of storming in there and telling the rat-faced bastard exactly what she thought of him. She’d tried to hurt him before and got nowhere- fast, and despite everything, she still believed he wouldn’t let her go. For whatever sick reason in that perverted head of his, he thought he owned her!
It was difficult to accept but if she followed her instincts to confront him and take her revenge, she was doomed to stay here. She couldn’t fight him and he’d just proved how ruthless and unconscionable he could really be.
Pain and disillusionment fought with the rage and lost big-time. She’d worry about the pain after she’d got as far away from here as possible. Dawn streaked across the sky in a blaze of glory that seemed to reach in and squeeze her embattled heart even more. Burning hazel surveyed the horizon, searching-thinking, planning.
She didn’t have to be here to take her revenge. He’d gone berserk when she’d run off the last time and that was after he’d captured her again. So… how would he feel when he failed miserably to even find her again?
“You’ll never find me and I hope you realise you just lost what could have been, the best thing in your whole- goddamn useless existence”.
***
ANGEL
Angel woke to an empty bed. His internal clock and the brightness outside the thick curtains told him it was at least mid-day. Disoriented for just an instant, he turned to lie flat on his back with an arm raised to cover his face from the dimmed light.
Cordy, the next second found him sitting bolt upright, sharp dark eyes searching the room for signs of the missing brunette.
Her bed was empty and he relaxed a fraction, relieved from thinking she’d sought the sanctuary of her own bed rather than sleep with him. “Cordelia” he called her name, a slight frown marring his face as he cocked his head to listen for her heartbeat or anything to help him locate her.
Nothing. Filled with a nameless alarm, he flung back the sheet and padded naked over the chair to drag on his pants, before leaving the room barefoot and shirtless. He didn’t notice the lack of clothing, having all of his supernatural senses fully tuned to search mode.
“Where the hell are you”? Angel asked the empty living room, his voice whisper soft and filled with confusion. The alarm of earlier wanted to go into full panic but he tamped it down. Knowing Cordelia she’d go ballistic if he overreacted and embarrassed her. Dammit, she had to be somewhere.
He closed his eyes and deliberately took in a deep slow breath of air, filtering the smells he didn’t need with his sensitive nostrils, zeroing in on the faint scent that sent an electric frisson through him.
“Got you” the satisfaction didn’t last even as long as took to walk into the kitchen. The elusive scent was too faint for her to still be there. But it was a start and it was at times like these he really appreciated being a vampire.
Ten minutes later, or as long as it took to convince him she wasn’t in, or around the house, the panic had gone from bubbling to overpowering; and Spike got the brunt of it. The bedroom door came practically off the hinges before crashing back against the wall. Now it was the blonde vampire’s turn to sit bolt upright, while a groggy Willow peered blearily over the covers next to him.
Defensive aggression speedily followed that abrupt awakening and scowling heavily, Spike was swift to snarl out. “What the …for fucks sake, Angel. Mind the bloody door will you. What’s the big rush, just knock a hole the wall next time will you- save some precious time”. The blonde retorted with dripping sarcasm.
“Cordelia’s been taken” announced Angel harshly without preamble and strode into the room, still only in the pants. His already spiky dark hair was even more tousled as if he’d been raking his hands through it in agitation. Not exactly hard to deduce since he was pacing fast enough to make Willows head spin.
“Whaddya mean taken? Who’d ‘ave taken ‘er? You’re talking through your arse, mate,” snapped Spike still pissed off at being woken during the goddam day for chrissake and by the bloody door being crashed open by his crazed grandsire. “You’ve lost it you ‘ave” he finished yanking back the sheet to bound of the bed, taut fury in every line.
“I’m not crazy, she’s gone. Somebody must have taken her” Angel’s voice was ragged with worry and the pacing didn’t let up even to take offence at Spike’s furious insults.
“I mean there’s no other explanation. She wouldn’t just walk out”, he stopped to fix Spike with a starkly bewildered look. “She knows the dangers better than anyone”.
Spike stopped with the furious pulling on of clothes and heaved a sigh; dammit this was real then. Bloody hell, now he’d have to apologise for being such a dickhead. Then he thought about it. Nah, Angel was used to him by now, thank God. He hated apologising.
“You know, if this was a few months ago I’d definitely vote for run off. So tell me…have you two had a go around”? Spike asked with much milder sarcasm this time.
Angel pierced him with a dark glower out of narrowed dark eyes, making the blonde defensive.
“Just checkin’ before we both have to lose sleep. I mean bloody hell, it’s the middle of the day. What the hell are we gonna do? Fryin to a crisps out- unless you’ve gone all psycho on me”. Angel ignored the insult in favour of appreciating not even having to ask Spike to help him look.
“Cordelia’s gone”? Asked Willow sounding dazed as she fought the covers to sit up and not expose her breasts at the same time.
Spike rolled his eyes and said without heat. “Not exactly quick on the uptake first thing, are you, Pet. But yes, she’s gone apparently”. Black T-shirt on and socks now covering cold toes he stood up to fetch his boots.
“Where? I mean who?” Willow didn’t bother finishing the question. That wasn’t important at least not as important. “How are you going to find her”? A myriad of horrible images and memories shot to the surface of her mind causing Willow’s green eyes to widen in horror.
“Don’t even think it” snarled Angel catching the look and correctly guessing her morbid thoughts. “She’s okay and we’ll find her, and whoever’s taken her is going to pay“. Of that there was no doubt in his mind and his hands clenched into bloodless fists, aching to pound into something.
He was going to get her back.
***
SEARCHING
Angel, Spike and Willow finished combing the house for clues before gathering in the living room. The sun was still up and searching the grounds was out for the two vampires leaving Willow as the only option. So with both of vampires keeping a careful watch from the shadows, she gingerly picked her way through the undergrowth.
“Nothing, there’s nothing here. No clue or tracks or anything I can see” wailed Willow from the courtyard after a full circuit of the building. Then to emphasise the miserable point she raised her arms in abject frustration and helplessness.
Another dead end. “This is just…” Losing it for an instant, Angel slammed a fist into the nearest wall and couldn’t care less about cracked plaster except to shake off the ground white powder from his throbbing knuckles.
Then hauling back on the reigns of his temper, he whirled around and stalked back into the house to roughly swipe his coat off the rack beside the door. “I can’t stay here, doing nothing while Cordy could be in danger”.
Willow said nothing as she entered, overhearing his anguished statement; she ducked her head and clutched her hands around the notebook in her deep pocket. It only just fit but she didn’t dare let it out of her sight. Oh god, oh god- please! It just can’t be. How could fate be so…, her thoughts were chaotic, bouncing from one scenario to the next, constantly wondering and not knowing for sure.
“Angel don’t be so… sod… er stupid. Who could have taken her? Without you hearing her fight and leaving no clue or evidence of … well.. anything”. For Spike that was quite a sensitive and cautious statement but then it didn’t take a genius to know his insinuations wouldn’t be welcome.
“What the hell are you saying, Spike” Thundered Angel his face twisted into a snarl of boiling frustration. “That she’d just walk out like that? Huh is that what you’re saying? Why- tell me why?
The questions were virtually spat out of bloodless, snarling lips. The vampires faced off, Angel taut with worry and temper, while Spike was strangely hesitant to push now he’d obviously hit a nerve.
Willow gulped and backed away, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to block the two of them from her sight. Her conscience poked and prodded at her.
Spike shrugged and dropped his eyes before crossing his arms to signal he wasn’t up for swapping blows to prove a point. Far from satisfied Angel blinked and pushed out a deep breath, trying to find some calm to think.
“I’m taking the sewers as far as I can”. His hard voice and stiff posture brooked no refusal.
“We’ve already checked them” argued Spike uselessly.
“Not thoroughly enough”. Shot back Angel as he strode away. Only enough to check for any type of trail; that kind of lead would have to wait until sundown, for now he needed to do something.
Four hours later it was sundown and Angel was back. Willow took an instinctive step back when he suddenly appeared from the basement. His face was a picture of barely held together misery, frantic worry and explosive frustration.
The dark haired vampire barely acknowledged her other than to curtly ask for Spike and within minutes they were both gone; out of the door into the gardens, trying for a trail that couldn’t be less then half a day old and likely a helluva lot more.
Alone again, the diary weighed heavily in the baggy overalls pocket, like it was made of lead or something. As soon as she was sure they were out of sight, she took it out and with damp, shaking hands opened it to the damning page. She’d found it on the floor in the kitchen while Spike and Angel where busy scouring other parts of the house.
Willow suppressed a sob and straightened her spine. If they came back with nothing, she’d have to confess what she knew or at least thought she knew. Her eyes closed and she wanted to sink to the floor and wail like a baby.
It was nearly dawn again when the two vampires returned. Willow had fallen into a fitful sleep while waiting for some news, exhausted from worrying about Cordy and fretting about her imminent confession. The door creaked and she woke with a start, jerking upright from her slump on the couch. Wide awake she stared at their pale, dirt streaked and bloodied faces.
“No news”? She had to ask, even though it was obvious there wasn’t. Despite having sunk to her belly at their expressions, her heart was beating thick and heavy with dread.
“No” answered Spike while a mute Angel sank to the floor on his haunches with his back to the painted wall, his head cupped in badly grazed hands. Willow watched the blood streaked knuckles turn white as he dug his hands into his scalp and she winced for him.
“Nothing” Angel’s voice was colourless, detached and so at odds with his demeanour it was unnerving to hear.
Willow felt sick and swallowed back the bile that threatened to choke her. I should have said something sooner. Tears burned at the back of her eyes but she blinked them back and then rubbing her sweaty hands, sat forward on the couch, trying to gear herself up.
“This is all my fault”. It came out high, quavering and with an edge of hysteria. Her bottom lip quivered and a few tears spilled past her lashes despite her best effort to keep them at bay. “I’m so sorry”. Willow scrubbed at the tears and gazed at Spike. She couldn’t bear to look at Angel.
“What are you blathering on about, woman” snapped an instantly scowling Spike as Angel’s dark head rose slowly but surely to pin burning dark eyes on the distraught girl.
“We don’t need girly fucking hysteria. We need facts so shut yer mouth”. Spike added, it was harsh and he could see the words hit her hard. Green eyes shot to warning, slitted blue.
So she didn’t like that? Too bad, while she was in his bed she was under his protection. He wanted to swear and shake his head, stupid bleedin’ humans with their guilt complexes and need to ‘confess’. Couldn’t she see Angel was at the end of his rope? It would take almost nothing to tip him over the edge. So shutting her down was for her own protection.
“No” the hard tone was low in pitch as a suddenly menacing Angel, smoothly straightened up from his crouch to stand ramrod straight. His whole attention intently focussed on the cringing redhead.
“I want to hear this. Go on, Willow”. That deep timbre was as smooth as warm honey and a hard smile curved his full lips.
Insidious panic crept up Willows spine when that dark, charming face loomed closer as Angel walked over in a loose hipped and measured prowl. She shivered and Spike cursed under his breath, moving so he stood beside the seated, cringing redhead- facing Angel.
“Jesus, Angel don’t go crediting any shit she comes out with. Half the time even I can’t make any sense of what she says”. It was partially true and Spike was banking on Angel remembering that to halt the brewing storm. Unfortunately his interference had the opposite affect to the one he’d been aiming for.
“Sounds like plain English to me, Spike. So shut your own mouth and let..her..finish”. Angel’s teeth were gritted as he forcefully bit out each word. The forced calm dropped like it had never been.
They had no leads, a trail that included only a single set of footprints and a demon population that even after a beating swore they hadn’t heard a whisper of a rumour about humans living at the mansion. That excluded outside interference, leaving only the mansion occupants, like Willow.
Willow found herself pinned by that mesmerising gaze again. Dark eyes bored into hers, scaring her with the coldness blazing inside. Dimly she heard Spike give up and growl. “Spill it Willow”.
Immeasurably grateful for the tension filled figure of Spike next to her she reached into her pocket with trembling hands. Angel watched her every move, his eyes never leaving her sickly pale face. Sweat was beaded along her brow and hairline and he could smell her fear. It only hardened the icy ball in his chest.
Sometime during the night, it had hit him. Spike was right! How could she have been forcefully taken without him hearing it? The perimeter of the mansion was riddled with traps that only the occupants knew the location of, including Cordelia.
He hadn’t wanted to believe she would just leave like that, not after everything… he’d believed her when she’d told him she loved him. For his own sanity he’d pushed logic away and just carried on searching. Telling himself he’d worry about how this had happened once she was safe again. Meanwhile his emotions had become so turbulent; the next demons they’d interrogated didn’t survive the experience.
“I found this on the kitchen floor after you woke us” Willow said and sucked in a deep breath, her belly clenched and her throat closed over with shame. Right then, she had no idea how she’d have ever been motivated to dream it, never mind record it.
“I’d hidden it from Spike in refrigerator but …” she swallowed to speak over the lump. “Maybe she found it”. She showed her diary to the dark looming shadow and felt it be snatched from her hand.
“It’s my diary” Willow admitted hoarsely and wanted to sink into the cushions. “It’s at the top of that page”.
There was a long moment of silence and she rushed to defend herself. “She must not have read the previous page- the start of the entry and so…” she felt Angel stiffen in disbelief and risking a look up, saw the diary handed over to Spike. Misery engulfed her and she ducked her head again, keeping her eyes glued to the stone floor under her feet.
“You wrote that?” snarled Angel while inside he was howling. He wanted to pick her up and just heave her out of his sight. His muscles bunched as he forcefully held himself back.
“What the hell were you thinking“? He roared, every cord his face and neck stood out in relief at the effort to keep his darker impulses in check.
“Obviously she weren’t, mate. Who’d be confused between me and you” Spike remarked lightly while cautiously keeping himself between his grandsire and the mortified redhead. He tossed the diary back in her lap.
“Leave her alone, Angel” he finished softy in warning. “It wasn’t meant to hurt no one”. Any other time he’d ‘ave thought it as funny as fuck. Wisely he kept that to himself. Willow shoved the diary back in her pocket and out of sight.
“Maybe not, but she could have said something sooner” was the snarled reply, the rage muted but still vibratingly obvious to all of them.
Angel raked a hand through his hair for the hundredth time that day and spun on his heel to stalk away a few paces. He stopped to stand with his back to them; every line of his powerful frame frighteningly taut and impossibly wide shoulders stiff with tension.
“I don’t get it. How could she have … believed that”? The question was torn from him as his mind raced furiously with the implications of what they now knew. Neither Spike nor Willow replied. It was a question only the absent Cordelia could answer.
“Maybe she’ll cool off and come back” offered Willow tentatively, looking hopefully at Spike while sitting with her legs demurely crossed like a schoolgirl, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. Spike just raised his brows doubtfully and then shrugged.
Angel shot her a disgusted look. “Get her out of my sight” he growled coldly to Spike. He turned away without seeing them go. Fury like a living thing twisted inside him as his fixed, staring gaze turned amber. Oh she’d come back alright. But on his terms- not hers.
***
BEST LAID PLANS
After a sleepless day spent restlessly wandering the downstairs of the mansion, unable to settle or sleep in the room they’d shared. Angel’s temper was still simmering, barely concealed under the surface of his still, brooding expression.
Spike for obvious reasons had kept Willow out of the way, safely ensconced in their room. Other than fetching provisions for Willow; Jesus; humans needed a lot of watering. He kept out of Angel’s way. He knew the older vampire well enough to know when to leave well enough alone.
Angel hadn’t given a rat’s ass about being left alone. Distractions only aggravated him as he brooded endlessly over the tiny details now filtering into a cohesive plan. Searching her out wouldn’t be easy. She was smart and imaginative, both of which he’d admired about her. His lips twisted wryly and his nostrils flared as if he’d cornered her scent already.
No matter how smart she was; there was one thing she’d either forgotten or ignored. Sunnydale was only so big with limited hideaways and he had all the time in the world to locate and ransack them all if he had too.
As for Cordelia; she was stuck behind the barriers the same as everyone else. Only the others didn’t have a furiously determined, century’s experienced vampire dogging their heels, with a very personal grudge driving them on.
When the white blacked out van pulled up outside the front of the mansion, Angel was sitting staring contemplatively into the flickering flames of the fire; his body sprawled in an armchair, long legs stretched out in a deceptively negligent pose.
His head lifted at the sound of an approaching engine. Instantly alert, he listened with frowning concentration. It wasn’t even dusk yet and surprise visits at this time of day didn’t bode well. He smiled mirthlessly when he heard Darla’s voice. Obviously this time she hadn’t come alone.
The door burst open to admit a stiff, yet exultantly malicious blonde vampires in a voluminous cloak. Finding Angel seated looking at her with a hard smirk curving his lips and not a whit of surprise on his face, was deflating and instantly raised her ire. Icy blue eyes narrowed on his face, as the blazing satisfaction drained from her pale features.
Something was definitely not right here. Where was the alarm, the protective defiance? She whipped the cloak off and handed it to one of the four young and malleable pitbulls, she’d brought with her.
Recovering some of her previous poise, Darla sauntered over, hips swaying in a long cotton skirt to stand in front of his still and infuriatingly relaxed form. The four burly vampires arrayed themselves behind her in a semi circle, feral eyes watchful. The firelight played over their ridges faces, revealing the blazing anticipation in those topaz depths.
“Time to ante up, Angel. I’ve come for the girl”. Blue eyes raked his charcoal pants and plain black knitted sweater in rank distaste, not exactly surprising since she’d always been one to gild the lily.
Darla’s lips split into a wide smile as she saw the dark eyes of her childe assess the strength of the guard she’d brought with her. More of her natural arrogance returned as her resolve was boosted. Whatever game he thought he was playing now didn’t matter. The outcome was assured. Or so she thought.
“You’re too late” Angel quirked a brow and rubbing a finger over his smiling bottom lip as he gave her the ‘bad’ news. “She ran off yesterday and so far- no luck in finding her”. Knowing he’d stunned her, he shrugged heavily and then crossed his fingers over his taut abdomen to wait for Darla to snap her jaw closed.
“You’re lying” refuted Darla harshly. Her soft voice, grating with furious denial. Behind her the four vamps shifted restlessly and the aggression level rose. Angel’s keen, battle honed senses tingled in awareness of just how badly his announcement had been received. Hmm, Darla must have offered added incentives for this little adventure.
The ice in his chest became an instant inferno of savagery at that deduction but his hard won control kept his face expressionless and body utterly still.
“‘Fraid not, Darla” he replied, mockingly apologetic, “guess you made a wasted trip, guys”. The obvious mockery, added to the complete lack of reaction, either anger or fear was a red flag to the vamps and they surged forward as one. Darla turned a glare on them and they stilled immediately.
“Tsk, tsk, Darla. Need to keep a leash on those dogs of yours” Angel warned softly, a gleam in the depths of his eyes. It occurred to him that he now had a valid target to vent some of his more… wrathful feelings on. Anticipation zinged through his system at the promise this little get-together offered.
“Don’t tell me what to do, Angelus. Not long ago you danced to my tune” snarled Darla as she walked to stand beside his chair; the flickering flames in the hearth bathed her body from behind, highlighting her lush female figure through the thin pale blue cotton.
Perfect! “You do realise that standing there means your as good as naked- right”? Angel asked silkily and grinned when her eyes shot to his and then to their shuffling audience.
“Of course you do, how could I forget how vain you are”? Darla hissed at the insult, Angel raised his voice but didn’t look away from his simmering sire. “Look your fill guys, don’t want to disappoint the lady and since she leaves me cold…” he shrugged again.
There was a stunned moment where everyone except Angel froze. But before her guards could leap to defend her ‘honour’ Darla spat out an order to search the house, warning harshly that they’d better leave no stone unturned; there was a clear threat hovering over what would happen if they were sloppy.
“That was stupid and reckless, Dearest. What’s the matter, the girl got you all tied up in knots and now you need an outlet- is that it”? The sweet purr was filled with false compassion.
Knowing what was coming; Angel tensed imperceptivity but kept his nonchalant tip-tilted smile in place. What had he expected, she did know him too well after-all; at least the more violent side of him anyway.
Darla’s eyes were freezing over a ‘cat got the cream’ smile. She’d seen the flash of temper in his eyes and satisfaction flared. Still all sweetness she flopped in the opposite chair and crossing her legs gracefully, cocked her head in sympathy. It was all the warning he got.
“So tell me what happened, Angel. Did it turn out you weren’t the vampire of her dreams after-all”? She made a moue with her full lips and her eyes gleamed with secret knowledge. “And after you made such sweet lurve to her too”.
Angel froze and almost black eyes swept over her in disgust. “Playing voyeur again, Darla”?
Darla waved a dismissive hand. “Answer the question, Angel. What made the little human run”? There was an avid gleam in her eyes that made his belly clench in revulsion.
“Honestly- I have no idea” He lied smoothly and stood up. “When I find out I’ll be sure to let you know”.
He had to shove his hands into his pockets to stop from reaching out and just snapping her neck. She’d probably like that, he thought. Remembering all the times when they’d been lovers that she’d deliberately provoke him to violence just so he’d hurt her.
Darla stood up too, and before he knew it they were so close her breasts almost brushed his middle. Angel immediately stepped back and crossed his arms, not even hiding the reason why he did so and quirked a brow. “Are we finished here? Cos I have a runaway to find”.
“Do you realise I could take you back in chains for even losing her, Angel. Remember the deal? It didn’t include carelessly misplacing one of the humans we generously let you keep to play with”. Darla was smarting from his mute, repeated rejection of her charms and it made her doubly poisonous.
Angel was well past caring about that. He leaned in to say with soft, seriousness. “Try it, and I’ll rip your toyboy’s heads off and then.., well then it’s your turn, only not so quick. Know what I mean”?
Darla blinked and stared into the dark pitilessness of his eyes and a thrill flew with swift wings over every nervecell. If she’d have been breathing it would have lodged in her chest. She hadn’t seen him like this since he’d gotten that cursed soul of his. A wild crazy hope staggered her. Could this be the start of his decline back into the murderous and revered vampire he’d once been?
Behind them Spike and Willow came down the stairs, escorted by the four vampires. “That’s the wrong girl, you idiots” snapped Darla but with only half the heat of earlier.
With difficulty she dragged her eyes off Angel’s face and turned towards a stiffly rebellious Spike and wary Willow. “I’m surprised you didn’t dive in uselessly with your fists, Spike. What’s wrong, domesticity taming you too”? She taunted.
“Do me a favour, grandma; just waiting to see if it’s necessary first”.
Spike met Angels pointed look and stiffened even more. He recognised that itching for a fight look and a familiar rising flood of excitement warmed him from his toes to his eyebrows. “I’m hoping your little posse of wanker’s don’t disappoint me” he finished cockily.
That was the final spark needed for a conflagration and the whole room seemed to go off at once. Spike took the time to shove Willow out of harms way under a side table and then followed Angel into the fray with pounding fists and an exuberant yell.
Not known for stupidity, Darla edged towards the wall, out of the way of the flying furniture, numerous sharp wooden stakes, powerful arcing kicks and slamming fists. Blood spattered the walls from broken noses and jaws; bones crunched and snapped as two of the most notoriously despised and feared vampires in the New World laid waste to four fresh vampires, who’d had no inkling of what they were walking into.
In short order Darla was facing the heaving chests and exultant faces of her childe and grandchilde and for the first time in too long she felt a frisson of fear. Angel felt it like a shot of pure energy, and spoke with careful deliberation.
“Here’s the deal Darla, you get your ass outta my place and you live. Afterwards when I’m finished with her, then you get Cordelia.” Saying it made his fangs tingle and roughly he finished what he had to say. “Just like we agreed in the first place”.
He was sweaty and panting from the fight, not because of the need for air so much as the howls and growls of battle fury he’d been letting off, and simply because it felt damn good after a fight. Darla met his eyes and another shiver of delight coursed through her. “It’s a deal” she agreed without hesitation.
Inside she was quivering with recognition of her true childe. Oh gods, he’s coming back. Angelus my boy. My dear, dear boy.
Darla left with a single backward glance that held enough yearning to raise a tear, thought Angel hiding a smirk of wicked satisfaction. Adrenaline still pumped through his system and his patience level was at an all time low. Willow picked a bad time to take umbrage with him about his newest deal with Darla.
She crawled out from under the table and before she’d even straightened she launched a scathing attack. “What the heck was that all about huh? You’re just gonna hand Cordy over like a … lamb to the slaughter” her voice was high-pitched in indignation and red blood burst under the skin of her cheeks in a deep emotional flush.
“Careful, Pet. You’re going to give yerself a ‘earttack and me deafness going on like that” interrupted Spike sardonically as he too struggled to come down from a killing high.
“Gotta admit though, Angel me old mate. You had me dumbstruck too” he added before Willow could work past the temper clogging her vocal cords. They both turned to look at the hard, starkly brooding face of the dark vampire.
Angel returned their look for a moment before turning away with freezing detachment. “I’m going out. I’ll be back when I’m back so don’t wait up”, he informed them without any inflection in his deep voice, and grabbing his duster off the rack, shrugged into it.
“Angel” insisted Willow with an edge of desperation.
“Mind your own business”. He whirled to stalk towards the inflamed red-head, so fast she was forced to backup instinctively. Angel towered over the human girl and then stabbed a finger towards his chest as his face contorted with fury.
“Cordelia’s mine to do whatever I goddamn please with- something she seems to have forgotten. Don’t make the same mistake”. Before Willow could recover or Spike protest, the door slammed closed behind his leather coated figure.
