***
A couple of quiet hours later, fed and bundled up Cordelia sullenly followed the leather coated figure up the steps of the courtyard and out to the surrounding woods. He bounded ahead with his head swivelling around to check out every crevice for danger, then satisfied there was none he gestured her out of cover
“I can’t see a damn thing” she complained but did so anyway, cramming her hands deep in the pockets of the borrowed coat which should have been hip length but fell to her knees. It was warm though so she hadn’t complained about that– much anyway.
“You’ll get used to it. The moons out” he replied shortly and carried on walking just a little ahead of her. With a dark glower at his total insensitivity, just for a change, she thought sourly; she trudged along behind him, happy to not keep up. “Don’t lag” his voice carried to her clearly enough.
She ignored him. “Unless you want to get eaten by a stray Uralugg demon” he continued. Cordelia picked up her pace and accused. “You just made that up”. She didn’t see his smirk and now it was his turn to happily ignore her.
A while later he stopped so suddenly she almost ploughed into his back. “Geeze you had to wear black didn’t you” she snapped and jerked back from touching him. “Shut the hell up” he hissed at her giving a sideways snarl that she couldn’t see. “You’ll scare them off”.
“Me- that’s a hoot I’m not the big scary monster” she shot back snidely and pulled the lapels of the coat closer together to fight of the chill of the night. This was such a bad idea.
“I don’t eat little animals- only annoying little girls” was the growling response. Cordelia shut up.
“Stay there and don’t move a muscle” he whispered and then he was gone. Cordelia blinked her eyes and searched the surrounding trees and bushes, but couldn’t find him anywhere. The rough tightly woven bag was clutched in one hand with the strap over her shoulder. It felt scratchy to her suddenly over-sensitive skin.
I’m alone. He’s off god knows where. Run. She tensed her legs but stood frozen. Run where and what about Willow? The wind gave a big gust, blowing through the foliage to strike at her with chill whips along her exposed face and hands. The coat kept her warm though and she couldn’t help but feel the absence of gnawing hunger in her belly. Oh God, what are you saying- you want to stay now.
Is that so bad. Where the hell has pride and independence gotten me uptill now- almost dead is where. It was different when you have no choice. Then its just a case of survive as long as you can and don’t think about tomorrow. Only now she had a tomorrow and all she had to do was- obey him.
“Open the bag” came his voice right beside her startling the beejezus out of her. “Stop daydreaming and open the bag” he repeated exasperation clear in his tone and his face. She could see him now and lowered her eyes before opening the bag as fast as her numb fingers would let her.
He dropped some heavy lumps into the bag and she swallowed hard. “Are they still alive”? She asked him with a creeped out note in her subdued voice.
Angel sighed heavily, “No”. He’d snapped their necks the moment he’d caught them. He hadn’t gone far, not wanting to leave her alone in the dark and exposed to anything passing by that he couldn’t sense. He hated the feeling of insecurity he got when he couldn’t see her but accepted it as one of those things he couldn’t change.
The attack happened in a blur, appearing with sharp piercing terror and nothing more than a whirl of speed and ferocious sound. Cordelia found herself pushed to the ground and out of the way before she’d even registered the threat beyond the first micro-second of primal fear.
She looked up to stare open mouthed at the huge hulking shape that was nothing more than bulging bumps of rippling fur-covered muscle, huge clawed hands and snapping slathering teeth. It was too dark to try and tell what it was and she winced when the vampire landed with a thud and a groan on the dirt packed earth.
Angel shook his head and rolled to the side to avoid a stamping naked, clawed foot and jumped to his feet before the demon could follow it up with another attempt. Damn the thing was big. He reached behind his back and tugged the machete out of its sheath on his back. It came free with the scrape of Velcro and the moon reflected off the sharp blade, blinding the demon for an instant.
It roared and came at him again, its massive shoulders hunched over and arms outstretched ready to pierce, grab, lift and shake as soon as it could get close enough. Angel had no intention of letting it get close enough. He whipped the machete up in a double-handed grip from his hip to his shoulder, slicing through flesh and bone. The demon gave a high pitched squeal of pain and stumbled as one of its arms went sailing through the air to land next to Cordelia, who immediately scooted back away from it with a grimace of disgust.
Its momentum carried it onwards though, forcing Angel to back up to take another swing, this time at its midsection. He brought the bloodied blade slashing back down and then ducked past its side and back towards Cordelia. He spared her a quick assessing glance and reassured turned back to the now struggling demon.
It had fallen to its knees and used its remaining arm to clutch at the slippery innards that had escaped the slice in its belly. Angel walked over to it, almost deafened by its harsh breathing. He couldn’t leave it alive even he wanted to. It knew her smell now and if it recovered would come looking for her hideout- his home.
It didn’t look at him as he raised the blade high over his head and brought it stabbing down into the back of its neck- killing it instantly.
Silence fell and Cordelia edged back towards him, her eyes darting around the surrounding darkness looking for another one. She stopped and yelped when her feet touched his boots and wide terror-filled hazel were caught by amused brown as he hunkered down in front of her.
“It’s okay- your safe now” he told her and her eyes dropped to the gory blade held casually in one hand so that it was facing away from her. She swallowed hard and then did it again- refusing to throw up in front of him twice in one day, or night. Still feeling queasy she searched his face, looking for a distraction and somehow finding the sight of that hard face inexplicably reassuring just then.
“You have a mole just under your eye” she told him abruptly not caring if it sounded stupid. It was such a common thing and one she could relate with. He must have thought so too, because he just smiled at her and raising one finger pointed at her own. “So do you” he said and his eyes crinkled at the corners with a soft sort of amusement that took her breath away.
“I hate it- I thought about having it removed” she admitted then blushed at how vain that sounded.
“Don’t bother its not like it would do you any good” he offered with sham sympathy and she gasped and hit him on the shoulder. “Hey” she said in a warning tone.
“I’ll have you know I was Prom Queen and the hottest girl in high school bar none”. She was so engrossed in her defence she accepted his hand up without thought.
“I’ll bet” he said cheekily making her stamp her foot before she caught the smirk- she stopped and glared at him. He was kidding her- right? “Are you trying to distract me from being scared shitless”?
“Hey- language. Remember I can still find that soap ya know” he said and turned to walk home. She followed at his side this time. “Yes- Dad”. That abruptly ended his humour and for a second she was sorry.
“So how come you know so much about hunting then” she asked searching for another conversational gambit. Plus now she was sorta happy with him she could give free reign to her curiosity about him.
“I lived in 17th Century Ireland and had nothing better to do than hunt” he didn’t add that animals was only a part of his hunting activities back in those days.
“Oh really so not such a big change for you then”.
He frowned and gave her a searching look only to find her expression free from the usual sarcasm. He quirked a brow and admitted a little ruefully. “Now that you mention it- not so much, no”.
***
They got back to the mansion without further trouble, to find an anxiously pacing Willow waiting for them. She relaxed and stopped wringing her hands when she saw neither of them looking like murder was about to happen or had happened.
“Hi guys” she said nervously and gave a little wave. “How’d it go- did you catch anything”?
“He caught- I bagged” quipped Cordelia with a jerk of her dark head at the vampire next to her and wiggling the bag in one hand.
Angel gave her a sardonic look for suggesting she’d been so actively involved and smiled at the nervous red-head, wondering how the other girl had stayed alive with such a nervous disposition and not had a heart-attack by now. “Where’s Spike”? He asked her looking around the empty living room.
“Oh I don’t know around I think”. Willow replied uncertainly and then flushed when his penetrating eyes came back to her with the brows lowered in annoyance. She sighed in relief when his next words dispelled any worry that he was angry at her.
“He left you alone”? He barked stalking over to the stairs and lifting his head searched for the scent of the other vampire. Finding it he relaxed and absently instructed the two girls to hook up the catch in the kitchen, then climbed the stairs in search of the absent Spike.
“So you two didn’t argue then” asked Willow as Cordelia dropped the bag on the kitchen table with a meaty thump. Then absently started to empty out the contents while the brunette sat down and put her chin in two cupped hands.
Even with her hair now tangled from being outside in the wind and wearing a black coat that was simply huge on her, she looked beautiful though the other girl wistfully and ducked her head ashamed as a tiny dart of envy pierced through her.
“Its no big deal Willow- being attacked by some horrible big demony thing didn’t leave much room for arguments if you know what I mean”. Cordelia dismissed Willows amazement, not wanting to get into details of how their little trip out had gone. It felt too weird now that she was back safe and sound under his roof.
Successfully distracted Willow dropped the subject and latched onto the near death experience- or not as it turned out to be. Once Willow had prised every last lurid detail from her the redhead sat back and gave a huge grin. “Sounds like it was a good thing you were with him” she said with a dreamy look in her eyes.
“Ya think- get a grip, Wills he ain’t no knight in shining armour”. Far from it she thought and shivered as a few dozen tingles snaked up and down her spine.
Feeling restless and needing to move, Cordelia stood up and went over to the sink, ostensibly to get a mug of water. While really just trying to get away from the look of dreamy admiration on her friends face- why it made her so uncomfortable she didn’t know. It just did.
“I would have thought that romantic streak of yours would have been long gone by now”. She added the last without thinking and winced at the bitchy sting even she could detect. Great going, Cor.
Sipping from the mug she turned to lean back against the counter, eyeing the uncomfortable girl over the rim. “So what do you think of Spike” she asked to change the subject and then watched fascinated as yet another blush climbed with amazing heat up Willows face and neck.
Oh yeah- she thinks he’s hot and so he is if you go for the British punk-rocker look. A bit passé but…. She gave a mental shrug. Much happier now she smiled at Willow and opened her mouth to playfully demand an answer or at least have a little more fun. Just as the vampire under discussion waltzed in.
Cordelia shook her head and raised her eyes to the ceiling. He never just walked in anywhere. He either prowled, stalked or stormed everywhere. If you could tap into his energy it would have you hopping for decades she thought.
“Hi Spike” she said chirpily and earned herself a darkly suspicious look out of impossibly blue eyes.
“What are you up to”? He asked and opening the refrigerator, unstoppered a flask of blood to chug some back. While his back was turned, Willow frantically signalled for silence by twisting a key in her mouth, accompanied by a desperate look in her bright green eyes.
“Me nothing, how about you”? She smiled naughtily at Willow not noticing the entrance of Angel into the room. He’d heard the whole exchange and witnessed both her and Willow’s antics. Confused and strangely aggravated he shut the door with a bang, making both girls jump.
“Sorry to interrupt your flirting, but we have business- so both of you out” ignoring Spike’s look of puzzlement he opened the door and raising his brows waited for them to leave the room. Which they did; reluctantly on Cordelia’s part, her interest having been piqued by the ‘business’ part of the description.
“I thought we’d sorted every thing out? Unless your willing to admit your insane and drop the whole thing” Spike added and swinging a chair around sat astride it, still swigging from the thick cold blood.
“We have discussed it and no- I haven’t changed my mind” snapped Angel fetching himself some blood in a mug. Then moodily sat down at the table to contemplate the dark red swirling depths of his dinner. He felt Spike’s amused gaze on his face and finally looked up to salute with his mug. “Just don’t like to eat with an audience” he offered the flimsy excuse with a smoothly lying face.
Then switching topics with practised ease. “Don’t forget what I said about the demon”. He reminded the blonde vampire- his mind turning back to the business at hand.
“Allright, allright- no need to go on I ain’t bloody stupid ya know”. Irritated at the unneeded prompting as much as the errand itself; Spike stood up and swung his leg off the chair with a flourish. “Unlike some” he muttered pulling on his own leather coat.
Angel gave him a twisted smile, acknowledging the dig and then grinned when annoyed that the insult had been shrugged off, Spike slammed the back door shut behind him.
Without turning his head or raising his voice he said out-loud. “You can come back in now Cordelia”. He heard the sharp intake of breath from the other side of the door and scraping back his chair he opened it before the horrified girl could scarper. “You do know that curiosity killed the cat don’t you”? He asked conversationally and wrapping long fingers around a slim wrist yanked her into the room again.
Helpless to stop herself Cordelia stumbled in, minus the coat now and only wearing a vest top and the rolled up sweatpants of earlier, and found herself pressed back against the swiftly closed door. Blowing her hair of her face she grinned helplessly at him, knowing she was well and truly caught out. “I did yeah, and so far it hasn’t stopped me”.
Mesmerised by the sparkle in her eyes he dimly wished he’d left her to just wander off when she got bored. Now he felt trapped. The smile faded from Cordelia’s lips and her breathing deepened without her noticing. She did notice the fluttering in her belly though and she frowned and looked at him in confusion. “I think I’m hungry again” she said and wondered why his eyes widened.
Angel could smell the faint scent of aroused female and his body immediately hardened to a painful degree. Alarmed he hastily backed off and swiping his mug off the table, ran it under the tap. “Go and run me a bath” he demanded abruptly, not exactly an inspired choice – but dammit, he couldn’t think of anything else just then that would get her out of the room – now.
“Fine” she said after a few stunned seconds in a manufactured ‘whatever’ tone of voice and flounced out of the room in high dudgeon. He sighed with relief as the tension flooding his body started to drain away now her scent was fading. Christ, how innocent is she? He shook his head and ruefully adjusted his pants, willing the erection to subside.
“I think I’m hungry” he mimicked and gave a strained laugh. Had he ever been that innocent? Not that he could remember and if he had it’d been a world and several centuries ago. Dropping his head to the counter he gripped the edge with both hands and banged his head down as if trying to knock some sense into himself.
“What the fuck have I let myself in for now”? He groaned, and willed Spike to hurry up before he lost it.
***
LATER ON
Spike was back within two hours and letting himself in the front he skidded to a halt and seeing the two girls where sitting drying their hair in front of the fire restrained the urge to knock his grand-sires teeth out simply to release some tension.
Angel finished his page and darting a look at the two girls, slowly raised his eyes to the agitated blonde, currently simmering at a standstill. He stilled the anticipation and excitement that sizzled through his body and forced himself to remain still and relaxed. “How’d it go”? He asked casually.
“How’d ya think. Ere’s you’re damn demon” snarled Spike and threw a large hacked off portion of demon on the coffee table, next to Angel’s boots, from behind his back. It landed with a thump and slid to the floor with a bloody splat. Cordelia and Willow both sat still and silent wearing identical expression of horror and looking at the thing like it was going to start crawling towards them.
“What about the rest” he asked still casually, watching Cordelia out of the corner of his eye, wondering idly if she’d recognise it was the one from earlier on.
“It’s all going ahead you bloody fat headed idiot..” Spike started to vent his frustration not giving a crap that Angel didn’t want the girls alarmed.
“Shut up, Spike” snarled Angel vaulting up and then shooting a fulminating look at the other vampire, bent to pick up the demons carcass. Worried and infuriated, Spike vamped out with a snarl and jumped Angel. Only to stagger back when he found himself suddenly holding the demons body again. Angel grabbed his shoulders and shook him. “Stick to the plan and it’ll all work out”.
Angel stepped back and ducking his head for a second lifted it in full vamp face. Willow and Cordelia having no idea what the hell was going on both backed themselves into a corner, watching with wide frightened eyes the two vampires who looked like they were about to explode into action at any second.
“What is this? Some kinda freaky vamp… greeting ritual or… something”? Snarked Cordelia her voice full of outrage. Dammit was this safe haven not so safe after all.
“Be quiet, Cordelia” Angel didn’t turn his head from Spike and when she opened her mouth to argue, he simply growled long and low- she shut it again. “Trust me Spike and just put the damn thing on the fire”.
Both sets of demonic topaz eyes locked until with a last annoyed snarl the blonde tossed the heavy lump directly on the smouldering fire, scattering embers and sparks all over the floor where the two girls had been sitting before.
Whirling to pace off and hardly noticing the two human girls still cowering against the far wall, Spike eventually threw himself into a chair. “They’ll be here before Midnight- which gives us about… hmm half an hour- tops”. His face melted back to human and pulling a tin can out of his inside pocket he expertly rolled a cigarette. His face now serene looking in the lamplight- surreal after the last few tension filled minutes.
“Fine- that’s good we have just enough time” replied Angel still in vamp face. Shit- better get moving. Typical of Darla to speed things along; she must be pissed.
Cordelia had been engrossed in trying to figure out what the hell was happening, all the while wondering if they should just make a dash for it when just as quickly as it happened- the storm blew over like so much mist. NOT. “Er hey- I hate to interrupt your testosterone trip or… whatever the hell that was but I’d like some answers”.
Angel squatted down in front of her and she instinctively reared back from him. Silence fell as she ran her eyes over the changes the demon made to his face. Angel didn’t wait for her to decide whether she should panic or not. Fear right now was good- so long as it made her to what she was told without her incessant questions.
“Forget answers. Just get your stuff, all of it and follow Spike down to the basement”. The tone he used brooked no argument but since when did that stop her.
“Why”? She gasped as her lifted her bodily up and dragged her off to the room they still shared. Not his bed though, she had one of her own now. It was small and cramped and literally crammed into the room; but it was hers and beat a cold floor.
“Just do it Cordelia. Christ can you for once just do what your told without arguing all the time”.
He herded her into the room still arguing and rushed her through gathering the small amount of possessions she’d pilfered over the last few days. Then still refusing to answer her anxious queries dragged her back to the main room; where a subdued Willow stood nervously with a hand over her mouth, beside a bored looking Spike and a big gaping hole in the floor.
Cordelia, simmering in fuming silence now refused to look at him other than to cough violently as the smell of the slowly roasting demon overwhelmed her senses, making her eyes water and lungs seize in disgust. “What is up with you? Have you gone mental? Ewww that is so GROSS”. She coughed again and didn’t try and resist when Spike pushed her and Willow down the stairs to the hidden basement.
Angel followed only to hand over the girl’s belongings and then walking slowly back up closed the doors, sealing them and replaced the removable tiles with extra care. Removing all traces of their hiding place.
Then giving the place a final scan he opened the doors so that the truly awful smell could penetrate every room, blocking out the scent of humanity with the stinking odour of the dead demon. Satisfied he’d done what needed to be done. He settled down to wait.
He didn’t have long before he heard their approach. Right on the money, he thought and stayed seated, watching the blackened body burn in his grate while his body hummed with pleasurable tension.
They didn’t knock but just burst right in. Five vampires all of them big and brutish and salivating at what they expected to find. They were going to very disappointed. Angel stood up as they approached. Each one looking around them with gleaming eyes and flaring nostrils- only to gag and balk at the smell invading his home.
Frustrated in one respect they turned on him. “Hello, Angel remember me” said the leader a Hispanic vampire with tattoos over every inch of arms and neck.
“Not really no” Angel replied then cocked his head to one side. “Should I”? Not being considered memorable was one of the few insults that was guaranteed to send a vampire into a rage- just like now. He almost grinned but it would spoil the effect.
They converged on him, a snarling pack of demonic wolves. “Where are the humans your hoarding”? Smash- a fist in the face sent him reeling backwards only to be caught in the grip of another.
Before the second vamp could get him in a headlock he slammed an elbow into its face, needing to be free and vocal long enough to put them off the scent. “Humans your kidding right- you smell any humans”?
“You think your so clever don’t you soul-trash. Do you think I’m stupid” the leader roared at him.
“Well since you ask” he winked along with it, an incendiary touch that wasn’t lost on the group. That was it, all hell broke loose and Angel just gave himself up to it. The fight didn’t last long, he wanted them gone and they needed him still undead. He didn’t resist much- just enough to satisfy his demon and them into leaving.
A little later and after a fruitless search that yielded nothing the ‘victorious’ vamps converged in a huddle to work out a strategy that would save their hides when they came back with no fresh humans. Angel watched them out of bruised eyes and stayed down- listening. Finally after a lot of bickering they decided on a course of action that suited them.
“We’ve someone anxious to have a chat with you” said another vampire, a lackey this time with an accent not so different from Spike’s. Amused by that, Angel smiled out of split lips. Let the games begin.
