Part 3
CHASING ANGELS
“What the hell were you doing- napping”?
“Well now you mention it” replied Spike with a trace of sheepishness underneath the habitual snark. “Don’t blame it all on me- you’re the one who had to go and get fixated on a girl who doesn’t know when she’s bloody well caught”.
They were travelling through the woods surrounding the mansion, one on either side of the overgrown pathway. Both black clothed figures blended in with the darkness of the gnarled trees and underbrush with their tall supple bodies revealed only in the occasional flash of cold silvery moonlight.
“I am not fixated” bit out Angel irritably tossing a dark look towards the opposite side before ducking underneath a low hanging branch that sprung out from an old oak tree.
“If you say so Mate” disbelief was threaded through the absent reply before Spike stopped to stand utterly still – his face lifted up to the sky as he delicately took in the scents around them.
Angel stopped too and instantly joined the blonde vampire. Both of them filtered out the natural scent of trees and damp mossy undergrowth, searching for the elusive smell of human musk tinged with fear. “Lucky for us our little flyin’ birdies are so pungent eh”?
***
CORDY AND WILLOW
Back in the smelly, damp tunnels they called home. Cordy collapsed onto the lumpy home made pallet she’d snagged as her own over four months ago. She leaned back and winced when her shoulder blades dug into the cold concrete wall. Then promptly forgot the discomfort, becoming preoccupied again with her strangely heavy heart.Get over it, Chase. You’d think she was sorry to have escaped or something, a totally ridiculous idea. I mean- could you get a closer brush with death – she didn’t think so.
Willow started to rummage around their things the minute they got home, saying she was organising- but more likely trying distracting herself and getting her mind off their recent adventures. She stopped though when she saw Cordelia’s miserable expression. Instantly dropping everything she came over to sit down beside the brunette concern written over her small face.
Cordelia had been quiet all the way home and not the usual careful quiet but a distracted quiet, which was something new. After a moment spent struggling to think of what to say and how to say it, she finally decided to just try a hug, feeling a need to ease the absorbed unhappy expression on Cordy’s face. So she put her arms around her and gave a hesitant squeeze. Cordelia gave her a distracted smile and then promptly returned to her mental gymnastics.
Willow frowned and nearly gave up, pushing and prodding was not exactly on her list of fun-things to do. But needing to know what was causing the uncharacteristic moroseness, she took a deep breath and prepared to do some prying.
“Are you sorry that we left”? Willow asked softly. Cordelia’s eyes immediately widened in horrified rejection and she shot up to stand with her hands on her hips to glare at the redhead with a look of amazement on her dirt streaked face.
“Are you crazy”? Oh my God – am I that transparent? She hated even the thought of her dark secret being so obvious. Then seeing Willows look of red hot embarrassment she tried to calm down. Troubled- a thoughtful frown crossed her pale and drawn face. Was Willow sorry they’d escaped?
Cordelia sucked in a deep calming breath that puffing out her cheeks and then let it out slowly. “I’m sorry for snapping but Willow- why would you ask me something like that”? Incredulous and defensive she waited with a sinking belly for the red-head to tell her what was going on in that super smart and yet twisty brain of hers.
“Well they didn’t seem like your normal chow-down killer vamps did they? What I mean is- they did save us from the others and then you from that demon”. Willow replied a little defensively and blushing even harder, hoped that Cordelia’s sometimes too sharp perceptiveness couldn’t tell there was another reason too.
“So what- colour me not impressed, wouldn’t you have done the same if someone had tried to waltz off with your Big Mac at the drive-in”? Cordelia snapped back, and then couldn’t help but think dreamily of fast food; and then winced as she was forced to press a hand to her gnawingly empty stomach. Oh yeah Cor, great idea thinking of hot meaty food- geeze, she’d kill for a burger right now.
Willow gave her a sickly smile back and looked down at her hands “Me- I’d probably have let them take it”. It was yet another thing she hated about herself. All her life before now she’d been pretty much a doormat; even knowing that people were using her she’d never been able to say no.
Oh Willow can you just do this; Willow you are such a peach- Willow do this you’re so much smarter, Willow can do it- she’s a soft touch, she’s like lassie so eager to please. Memories of High School and the pleading looks of her fellow students, followed by harsh laughter and cool brush-offs filled her mind. Off course most of them were dead now and strangely enough that thought was even more depressing- none of them had deserved to die, selfishness was just a part of human nature after all.
Uh oh, thought Cordelia, I can see where this is going. If they let themselves get all depressed now what would it be like in a few weeks, months or years? Time for some pep talk or they might as well just roll over and die- not gonna happen.
“Urgh Willow c’mon you have to stop with this constant putting yourself down- you are way braver than you give yourself credit for and this is coming from me remember. I’m not exactly Ms Comforting-Lie now am I? I tell it like I see it”. She plopped back down on the makeshift bed and gave Willow a stern look as if to say don’t you dare contradict me, making Willow smile at that understatement of the decade.
“If they tried it now I’d certainly have something to say about it” she chirped up with a grin thinking how they’d both changed a great deal. Then her stomach gave up a huge gurgling growl causing both girls to grimace at the reminder that they really needed to talk about something else.
“So what are going to do we have no food and the traps are always empty no matter where we put them”. It was true; although Willow had followed old Max out to the woods and learnt to set traps; ever since the old man had gotten ambushed and killed, leaving the two girls to fend for themselves they’d run out of luck with Mother Nature.
“Yeah well; I guess were back on the vegetarian diet – gross and yucky as that is”.
Just the thought of the hard, stringy roots and dry bitter berries they lived on was enough to send them both back into depressed silence. It was the need for something more substantial that’d finally driven them out of hiding and into town to search- and what a disaster that turned out to be.
“Look it’s…nearly a bright shiny day. As soon we can, we go berry picking and tomorrow can worry about itself. We’re gonna be OK on our own in fact better than OK or I’m not Cordelia Chase.” There that was definite enough wasn’t it, she kept the bright smile on her face and was rewarded when Willow gave a small smile back in appreciation of the rallying speech Cordy style.
“Especially since we’re too skinny to be any demons idea of a fatted calf”. The last came out with such a hard edge of sarcastic bitterness that Willow couldn’t help but give her a questioning look.
“Never mind- don’t ask you don’t wanna know” Cordelia assured her in reply to the look and then a shiver passed down her body. “Its cold- how come it feel so cold in here”? She asked Willow, wondering if her lips were as blue as they felt.
“It was warm in that house and you can get used to that pretty quick” she agreed tentatively not wanting to set the brunette off again with too much talk about their ex-prison.
“Yeah for the home of bloodsucking fiends it was cosy as could be. Of course you have to be alive to appreciate that fact”. She didn’t want to discuss that place or him again. Just thinking about him was enough and as for regretting leaving- pfft NOT!
“Do you think they’ve realised were gone yet” asked Willow with a twinge of discomfort and nervous tension.
“Why do you think I’m standing ere- for the good of me ‘ealth, Pet” came a horrifyingly familiar voice from the direction of the entrance.
Cordelia and Willow both froze, muscles locked with eyes wide and trained with sick panic at the dark shadowed archway where he lounged, his bright blonde head a beacon against the blackness of the access tunnel. He smirked at them and then closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath. “Hmmmm, don’t stop that smells so good”.
Those words were enough to galvanise them into frantic action. They dived for the other side of the round shaped room towards a second exit and around the bend to lean against the wall with their hearts banging away in their chests, making each breath a labour and hearing practically impossible over the pounding in their ears.
“He can’t get in can he? I mean not without an invitation”? Asked Willow hoping it was a whisper but not sure over the roaring in her ears.
“No he can’t which is good but we need to find out where…” she hesitated to even say his name as a feeling of dread crept up inside. She hugged her arms around her body to still the convulsive trembling that threatened to break out. Dammit now was no time to panic. She ducked her head around the bend to see if he was still there- he was.
“Angel is?” finished Willow for her in a harsh whisper, making her jump like a scalded cat. “Yeah”.
“Where’s Angel”? Yelled Willow loud enough to make herself heard, making Cordy yelp and clap a hand over the red-heads mouth. “Will you just stop- he might hear us” she hissed, meaning Angel. Forget not panicking it was too late for that. “Are you trying to gimme a heart-attack” she complained in a high-pitched voice.
Spike grinned widely hearing every word and turning his back to the wall he looked up and adopted a jeering tone. “Daft Ponce went back towards town – told ‘im you wasn’t that bleedin’ stupid but would he listen to me”? He said derisively and then went silent to hear how they took the news.
Good that means were clear thought Cordy refusing to acknowledge a vague feeling of disappointment. Who knew from looking at him that he was as dumb as a post; okay that put a serious dent in his hotness factor. Cordelia grinned as her heart lightened
“Go away, Spike. You can’t get in so just go away” this was shouted by Willow again, and Cordy’s brows rose at the redhead’s easy use of the vampires name. Spike- what kind of a name was that? Her musing where interrupted by the drawling response from the blonde vamp.
“Now why would I do that Love, I’m bloody hungry and you’re the closest thing to fish’n’chips within 5 miles, I can wait until you have to come out”.
Cordelia nodded her head towards yet another tunnel, the one that led to the escape route. Humans had learned early on never to set up home where they could be trapped like rats in a cage. Willow returned the nod, but then clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. “My diary” she wailed and before Cordelia could stop her, dived back inside the room and ignoring Spike snatched up the precious book and ran back out again.
Spike heard the muted scuffle of their retreating footsteps and unhurriedly walked off back the way he’d come in. Why rush and to be honest he didn’t want to be there when they ran straight into a vengeful Angel. He’d grown quite fond of Red and in all honesty he hadn’t so much fun in ages. Damn, that meant he owed them one; he stopped and thought about that for a second before cursing under his breath, he picked up his pace.
Cordy and Willow silently had to feel their way along the wall of the tunnel. It was pitch black now and even if they could have they didn’t dare run full out; one the vampire would hear them and two they could do themselves some real harm in here.
Finally after a terror filled minute where they constantly expected to feel hard hands grab them from behind they spotted a lighter shade of grey ahead. It was the escape exit, forgetting caution in their eagerness to escape the suffocating darkness they started to jog. Cordelia reached it first.
It was small and overgrown with shrubbery so much so that Cordelia had to force her way out with Willow close behind. She poked her head out and after a quick check forced the rest of her body through the gap. She’d just turned to help Willow out when there was a whooshing sound and in the next instant a hard body slammed into her, taking her down.
“Well, well, look what got flushed out”. The taunting words washed over Cordelia and hearing that hard deep timbre all she could think was that at least now she’d have a reason to be sorry she’d escaped.
She was lying flat on the hard densely packed earth with her hands pinned down on either side of her head with his hard thighs straddling her hips. She looked up into the dark shadowy face that loomed over her but could see nothing other than the outline of his head and the gleam of silver moonlight on dark strands of hair. She flexed her arms and legs involuntarily and then gasped when he retaliated with punishing force, tightening his grip on her hands and legs.
“Do not move” he commanded, and the harsh tone helped to clear the shock induced fog. It wasn’t a nightmare- it was real. He’d found them again.
Then Willow appeared like a banshee out of nowhere and attacked him in a fury. She pounced on his back and tried to use her slight weight to topple him and free Cordelia but he hardly budged. Using his thighs to control Cordelia. He reached around his back with one hand and dragged the maddened red-head off before literally throwing her away from him.
Willow landed in a sprawl a few feet away but like many quiet people, she was difficult to arouse but once angry she stayed that way. She got straight back up intending to try again but froze when he wrapped long fingers around Cordelia’s throat and growled out “back off or I snap her neck”.
Cordelia stopped her own struggles the instant she felt those cool fingers wrap around the warm column of her throat and give a warning squeeze. Her free hand dropped back down to the leaf-strewn ground, stopping her useless pounding on that rock hard chest. Frozen with terror now she gulped and felt his fingers flex on her skin. This was it she was going to die; she squeezed her eyes shut not wanting to see him when he killed her.
“Open you’re eyes, Cordelia” was growled low over her head and they immediately shot open again. “Did you really think getting away would be so easy or that I wouldn’t find you again”? Well now that he mentioned it.
Did that mean he wasn’t going to kill her then? A fine trembling shook her body as relief drained away the terror. Finally able to think clearly, her agile mind latched onto something that made her eyes narrow thoughtfully. “You wouldn’t kill me”. She didn’t know how she was so sure, she just was and that was enough for her.
“Why not- I’m a monster aren’t I”? The growling rumble seemed to vibrate through the blackness hanging in the air between them.
Was that bitterness she heard? She wished she could see his face- or anything for that matter but the darkness was absolute and meant she had to rely on her other senses, all heightened by sightlessness and adrenaline. With the terror gone she could feel him hard and heavy on her lower body and the skin underneath seemed to burn and tingle where he touched her; even under the fingers that were still wrapped around her neck, looser now though almost cupping. Her pulse throbbed and she wondered dazedly if he could feel it.
Spike burst into the clearing then and came to a skidding halt that sprayed earth in every direction. Angel didn’t even look up or acknowledge his presence in any way. That and seeing the predatory stillness of his body, poised over the vulnerable girl trapped and spread underneath him was enough to warn Spike to tread carefully- or maybe not. He burst out laughing.
Angel’s head slowly swivelled to look up at him with dark eyes that reflected the moonlight with cold ferocity. Willows head travelled between them but like Cordelia could see nothing except two large outlines. Spike could see perfectly though and he whistled at the cruel look on his grandsires face.
“Talk about a family reunion” he strolled forward and pressed a hand to his chest- miming joy “it warms the cockles of me ‘eart to see you acting all ‘Angelusy’ like this. So does this mean the souls gone for a bye-bye”? He was all innocent enquiry and only needed to hold his hands on his back and rock back and forth with a coy smile to complete picture. Bloody hell next time he had a thought in the acting noble direction he was going to knock himself out- he was making himself sick.
Angel’s eyes flickered and some of the tension drained away. He looked back down at Cordelia and reluctantly removed his hand from where it had been resting over that irresistibly throbbing pulse. Spike couldn’t have said anything more likely to douse him with cold water than compare him to his evil soulless alter ego. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly between taut lips before sitting back up and resting his hands on his knees.
She didn’t move an inch but continued to stare up at him with her hazel eyes unfocused. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each shallow breathe and he could smell the fear that was still present but fading. Briefly considering releasing her he thought about the numerous times before he’d believed he’d got her under control only to find out he’d underestimated her.
Bad idea, his temper was still far too close to the surface to risk her trying another flight and setting it off again. At least like this she couldn’t do a thing and if having a living woman between his thighs was making him hard- tough he wasn’t a eunuch so she’d just have to put up with it.
“We need to get a move on, dawns not far off” warned Spike and going over to a still frozen Willow grasped her arm and pulled her out of the clearing and back towards the mansion.
Cordelia went from being nervous and fearful to furious in an instant. Fuck- all they’d had to do was wait an hour or two and then they could have got clean away. But no she’d had to let them get spooked and tricked into making a run for it while it was still dark. If she could’ve she’d have kicked her own ass.
Angel felt her change of change of mood and guessed what was behind it – but he was in no mood to put up with any more of her tantrums. Vaulting up he dragged her with him while keeping a strong hold of her elbows. Cordelia tried to pull back and angrily he shook her hard enough to rattle her teeth. “That’s enough” he snarled in frustration and only just resisted the urge to put her over his knee and wallop her ass until she begged for mercy. “One more trick like that and I swear I’m gonna lose it”.
Hot words bubbled up inside Cordelia, he was going to lose it- hah what about her. But a hard earned sense of prudence kept her lips sealed, and with no other choice she let him drag her off in the other vampire’s wake, her wrist manacled by his hand.
***
MANSION
They arrived back at the mansion together having caught up with the other two in the woods. Dawn was just streaking the sky as they stepped into the shadowy reception hall and dashing Cordelia’s fantasy that the sun would arrive in time to get him out of her life for good. An image of him bursting into pain filled screams had sustained her at least half the journey and now she was loath to let it go.
Even more dirty and bedraggled than before Cordelia glared at him and twisted her wrist out of his grip. He let her go and she stumbled and fell on her ass with a hiss of rage. Getting back to her feet, Cordelia made a big show of rubbing her abused rear before putting her nose on the air and crossing her arms over her chest. “So now what”? She snapped with a venomous look in her hazel eyes.
Ignoring her for the moment Angel looked at Spike and said “They stink, we each take one and get them hosed down. I’ll do her” he jerked his head at Cordelia, “and you do the other one”. He’d been deliberately offensive, a sop to his ego after the roasting she’d put it through with her antics.
If looks could kill he’d be dust. “I do not stink and even if I did so would you after being dragged halfway to LA and back you Asshole”. She took a breath and raged on “and another thing- I have a name and it isn’t ‘her’ okay, it’s Co-r-de-li-a or is that too many syllables for a total loser like you”?
She finally noticed that both vampires were looking at her like she was some weird creature they’d never come across before. “What”? She asked bewildered and instinctively checked her hair. Her mouth opened and shut in shock before a blush climbed up her neck. “Oh my God- anyone got a hairbrush it’s kinda an emergency”?
It was stupid and all- but seeing the look on their faces and the pure embarrassment on Cordelia’s face made Willow want to have a seriously good giggle. It was more than likely just a tension release but damn- it was too funny and sweet too to see the old Cordelia poke her head up at such an odd moment. Almost like old times she thought and decided to let herself enjoy the rare warm feeling in her stomach before dreary reality came back to spoil it.
“Leave you to it mate, but I reckon I got the better deal, c’mon Red time for a soaking”. Used to it by now Willow expected him to take her arm and meekly followed him up the stairs.
“Spike” Angel raised his voice in warning, taking his eyes of the mutinous brunette for a moment. Spike’s voice floated back down the stairs. “Yeah, yeah I know- no biting I got it, keep your ‘air on”.
Dark brown clashed with hazel in a battle of wills and the air seemed to crackle with tension in the two ft that separated them. Angel gestured towards the bedroom she’d been locked in earlier “After you”.
Cordelia really wanted that shower- but no way with him around. She lifted her chin and tucked her hands behind her back to keep them out of his way. “I’ll take a shower but not with a pervert like you around leching so you can just….”
He didn’t wait for her to finish but simply latched onto her waist and lifting her up threw her over his shoulder. She stiffened and gasping started yelling hoarsely in outrage- no surprise there. Jesus did the girl ever give her lungs a rest?
Cordelia was fed up- she’d had this asshole up to here! She wasn’t putting up with a single second more of this and so let loose with a screech high enough in pitch to shatter glass then proceeded to wriggle and kick like madwoman. That was until a large flat palm swatted her ass hard enough to bring tears to her eyes. She growled with frustration but stopped struggling.
“I’m gonna stake you if it’s the last thing I do and if you think I don’t mean it- you don’t know me at all”. She spat at his back, bouncing slightly when he opened the door into the bedroom.
“I don’t know you at all and I’m sure you mean it- I just don’t give a flying fuck” was the calm reply and the next second she was being dropped into a shower cubicle, clothes and all. “Take a deep breath,” he advised her without any emotion not even smugness just before the water was set on full and she was instantly left drenched and spluttering.
“You bastard” she got out between coughs. “I’m so gonna get you back for this”.
“You’re repeating yourself and I did warn you. One more thing if you don’t clean up your language I’m gonna clean out your mouth”. He warned in a hard voice, releasing his grip on her to roll up the sleeves of his black knit shirt.
“Me- what about you- you said the F-word” she said accusingly daggers shooting with hot hazel fire right at his face; dripping with water and all.
“Yeah well- you pissed me off” he admitted and grinned when she spluttered in fury all over again. He snagged the shower gel from the stand and told her to strip.
Cordelia went utterly still and crowded back into the dubious safety of the stall. Delicate long fingered hands gripped the clothes like they were a second skin and she looked up at his hard handsome face with wide frightened eyes.
“I don’t want to” she told him.
Angel stared at her for a long moment with his head tilted to one side considering. If she’d said it without the fear or with any of the provocative mutiny she’d shown so far he’d have ignored her resistance and ripped the clothes off her himself if he had too.
But she was afraid and there was a pleading look in her eyes. He hesitated strangely torn; he twisted his lips wryly at his own need to give into her, but every time he’d shown her any leniency she’d spat it back in his face. Not again – if anything it would at least teach her a lesson on doing what she was told.
“Get undressed, Cordelia” he said it softly but there was no flexibility in that steel laced voice. Cordelia swallowed hard and dropped her eyes before he could see the furious tears with the hard sting of defeat in them. The breath wheezed in chest as it passed through her clogged throat.
“Fine- whatever” she said dully and pulled her jacket off.
He took it from her nerveless fingers and dropped into the corner. Her stained short sleeved tee-shirt was soaked through and she wrestled with the wet fabric to get it over her ribcage and bra covered breasts. Refusing to look at him she finally tossed it in the corner herself and moved to unclip her bra.
Angel’s mouth had gone dry the instant she’d taken the jacket off and now it felt like a desert. At least until he got an eyeful of the dusky coloured nipples which had been hidden by the lace, then he had to swallow hard as moisture pooled inside. They were the perfect topping to perfectly rounded- full breasts and his palms itched to test their weight and then do so much more.
She was trembling hard now, despite the heat from the water and steam forming in the air all around them. Finally unable to bear the tension anymore she looked up at him. Her eyes travelled up his chest but before she reached his face he turned his back on her and snarled over his shoulder.
“Take the rest off and hurry up or I will do it myself”. He sounded so mad that she decided to just get it done. Her jeans, socks and trainers joined the pile. When she’d finished and without looking at her once he snatched them up and then slammed the bathroom door behind him.
Dumbstruck, Cordy looked at the closed door then thanks to her suddenly jelly like knees, grabbed the stall frame. He’d left her to shower by herself. Then it really sank in and she gasped with the pleasure of it. Oh Wow, a real shower with hot water and soap. Then her ecstatic eyes lit on the shampoo beside where the shower gel had stood and she nearly fainted with sheer joy. Clean hair!
Angel stood on the other side of the door, taking in deep un-needed breaths and counting to ten- finished he shook his dark head and growled- then started again as the pulsing hardness in his pants was still refusing to obey the demands of his mind and calm down. He literally ached with a hunger so strong it put his memories of last time to shame.
“Shit- this is such a bad idea” but it was too late to change his mind now and if he was going to be brutally honest, he didn’t want to. Disgusted with himself he dropped the clothes in a pile for burning and opening his closet dug around for something for her to wear.
Cordelia stayed in the shower so long her skin started to pucker and even then she didn’t want to get out from under the warm spray and a huge grin slit her uplifted face. It was only the hard banging on the door and the command to ‘get her ass outta there’ that eventually forced her out. Terrified that he was going to lose all patience and barge in before she got covered she skidded over the towel rack to wrap herself in a sinfully fluffy huge white bath-towel.
With another wrapped around her hair she eased out of the door and stood barefoot on the cold floor of the bedroom. She was pink all over, including her toes and her cheeks were flushed with pleasure- a match for the sparkling eyes. Impatience instantly drained away like so much mist and he couldn’t help but stare at the picture she made.
Cordelia blushed when she saw him lounging back in that big leather chair of his that he obviously liked so much. Well duh- it was in his room so of course he liked it. One arm was draped over the thick brown leather covered arm while the fingers of his other hand rubbed thoughtfully at his chin. Eyes the colour of dark chocolate surveyed her from head to foot and made her feel so nervous she wanted to jump back into the bathroom and hide.
He got up with inhuman speed and she did jump then, but managed to steady herself and only the convulsive clutch on the towel gave her away. He approached the bed and lifted up the clothes he’d laid out for her. Her mouth formed an ‘oh’ of surprise when she saw he was holding up a silk shirt and boxer shorts.
“Put them on- in here. I’ll turn my back” he ordered and raised his brows when she automatically went to argue. Cordelia shut her mouth, feeling too warm and relaxed to want to go another round with him. So she just nodded and took them from his hands, then waited for him to what he’d promised and turn around. With a last stern look he did so and placed his hands on his hips.
When the rustle of clothing being donned was finished he turned back to find her dressed in his shirt and shorts both of which dwarfed her. The towel was still wrapped around her head though and he frowned. Realising the direction he was looking she touched the towel on her head and admitted. “It’s wet”.
Expressionlessly he reached over to a wooden set of tall cupboards to retrieve a comb and tossed it to her. She caught it and after a few minutes of hard rubbing dropped the wet towel and set to work on de-tangling the dark tresses. It was hard going after so many weeks had passed since she’d lost the one she’d hoarded for months.
But no matter how important grooming was she was instantly distracted when a plate of bread and glass of mil appeared in front of her. Her mouth dropped open in amazement and her eyes immediately sought his. “Is this for me” she asked then realising what a stupid question it was waved her hand to dismiss the words. “Thanks” she offered hesitantly, uncomfortable with saying it after all that had happened between then.
He just shrugged and held his hand out for the comb, wondering what he was up to now she handed it over and took a piece of bread trying not to give into the urge to stuff it into her mouth whole. She jerked back and to the side when the comb started to thread through her hair and she shot him a look filled with wary confusion and met unfathomable brown eyes. Then giving a light shrug of her own, settled back.
Finally tangle free and with a full belly she thankfully got back to her feet and feeling good about herself and him for now, she grinned at him and shyly said ‘”Thanks”. It came much easier this time.
Dubious he nodded then pointed at the bed. “Climb in” he demanded and stiffened waiting for the inevitable explosion.
“Why – it’s daytime”? Said Cordelia edging towards the door as all the wariness returned at double the force “and I’m really not sleepy at all” a big lie since she’d nearly nodded off a few times while he’d steadily combed her hair.
His eyes narrowed on her face, the resolute expression on his face halting her retreat. “You had no sleep last night and I sleep during the day. You’ll sleep here for now at least until I can find an alternative that doesn’t include you making another escape. Don’t argue with me, Cordelia it’s non-negotiable”.
“I won’t try and escape- promise,” she offered uselessly, knowing he would never accept her word.
He didn’t.
“Forget it,” he snapped and simply too tired and irritable to pamper her anymore, lost patience and advanced on her. She swallowed hard but held her ground, what good would running do? He’d only get mad again. She looked up into his face and waited for the manhandling to start- she was not going to get on that bed willingly. He was going to have to force her. What difference that would make she didn’t know or care but at least she’d keep her pride intact.
“Don’t worry about it Cordelia – too skinny remember”. Before she could take umbrage about that insult he picked up one of her hands and snapped a handcuff around her wrist. He’d known she’d balk at sharing a bed with him and so he’d come prepared- in fact he trusted her so little he’d have used them even if she’d hopped in enthusiastically.
Shocked Cordelia started at the offending item and rattled the chain. Then before she could but some serious effort into resisting he dragged her under protest over to the bed. There he attached the other end to the brass post. “Just so you don’t get any ideas” he said and smirked at her look of pure outrage.
“I do not believe you – you are so sick, what’s with the handcuffs huh? Have to tie em up do you..” Angel clapped a hand over her mouth and moved in to stand too close.
“I need sleep and you are going to stay put- but if you give me any more trouble I might just start thinking you want my attentions after all”. He quirked a brow in question and the only thing that separated his lips from hers was his hand. As threats go that one was a doozy.
He lifted his hand from her mouth and waited for a reply, she said nothing just stared at him. Satisfied she was going to remain silent Angel turned away and started to strip off his own clothes.