Repercussions

Title: Repercussions
Author: Helen
Posted: 10/03
Rating: R/N-17
Email
Category: Angst, smut
Content: C/A
Summary: This is the final sequel to ‘Aftershocks’ & ‘Aftermath’ and likewise is set during Epiphany – changed it a bit as Wes is still in hospital.
Spoilers: AU. S2 beige- Epiphany
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes:
Thanks/Dedication: Thank you to Cali for being the bestest beta in the world.
Feedback: Yeah feed me!

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Their relationship quickly developed a life of its own within just a few short days and nights. Cordelia’s life ran to a pattern of going to the office, and when Gunn was there waiting until five in the evening to shut up shop – earlier if he was away, and then running in to visit Wesley in the hospital. The nights she spent with Angel.

That would change she knew when Wesley was released. Which would not be long, now. And while a part of her was dreading that, another saner part looked to that day as being the day that saved her from a dreadful mistake.

For some reason, she just couldn’t make the decision on her own to stop seeing him. Maybe Wesley would be able to help her – convince her to leave Angel. She knew she was treading on thin ice with him. There was darkness inside him that no amount of light could brighten. Compared to now, the broody guy she used to know was Santa Claus and all the elves rolled into one. He frightened her sometimes and he knew it too.

Wesley was getting better; he could feel some strength returning and with it his wits. There was something troubling Cordelia and today wasn’t the first time he’d noticed it. Over the last few days as they were talking, she would become silent. A reason for worry in itself with the talkative young woman; then suddenly she would take a breath, open her mouth to speak only to falter and stop, shaking her head and smiling at him too brightly.

He’d had enough of waiting for her to spit it out, “Tell me what’s bothering you, Cordelia? Please”. He spoke quietly, interrupting her silent brooding and making her hazel eyes dart up to his, a flush staining her cheeks.

“Don’t tell me ‘nothing’. I know you better than that” Wesley’s blue gaze seemed to bore through her. She felt his concern and affection and without really wanting them too, her defences start to crumble a little.

“Gunn’s worried about you too you know. He tells me you come in later and later every morning and looking more tired each day – are you in trouble of some kind? We can’t help you if you don’t confide in us you know”. His voice was so gentle and compassionate that Cordelia felt herself well up.

“It’s Angel” Cordelia whispered and that was the start of the dam falling completely. Wesley felt a pain deep in his chest that had nothing to do with his gunshot wound.

“What has he done now”? Dread filled him as he waited for her to tell him, each second of waiting nerve-wracking. “Has he hurt you”? He prompted unable to bear the silence when she didn’t reply immediately.

“No – no, nothing like that really”, Cordelia looked down at her lap and when she looked up there was a strange, embarrassed look on her face, “I’m sleeping with him”.

If there was one thing more guaranteed to shock Wesley, he couldn’t think of it. Horrified he stared at her, when he spoke his voice was hoarse. “Are you insane – you know what the possible repercussions of that could be? Do you want to die”?

“If course I don’t” She hissed back at him, standing up to pace the miniscule space between the bed and the wall. “I know better than any of you about the risks of Angelus. I’ve met him remember, up close and personal too”.

“So why risk being his first meal, followed by thousands when you free him”? Snapped Wesley. Still reeling from the knowledge that Cordelia had risked everything they stood for. When he’d thought of the possible problems she might be having – this surpassed them all and then some.

“Stop worrying, Wesley. Angelus isn’t a risk”.

“How can you say that – you know what happened the last time” replied Wesley, incredulous that she would even think that, never mind say it.

“Yes I do, but it’s not the same. He isn’t in love with me and I certainly don’t make him happy”. Cordelia told him with a sad little smile and turned to look out of the window, hiding her watering eyes. Get a grip; you want him happy like you need a hole in the head.

“Nevertheless, feelings grow and before you know it, you’re dead or worse”. Wesley left that sentence hanging. “You must stop seeing him at once. Do you understand me, Cordelia”?

Cordelia nodded her head, still looking out of the window at the bright sunny day. It was nothing she hadn’t already told herself a hundred times a day. Only coming from a friend she trusted; it sounded much, much worse.

Wesley relaxed a fraction; Cordelia was an intelligent and brave woman and he knew she would do the right thing, for all their sakes.
***

CARITAS

Angel sat back in a chair with one leather clad arm laid flat on the wooden table in front of him, waiting for Cordelia to show up. His eyes were staring unseeingly at the table next to his. His blank continuous stare seriously unnerving the occupants, until at last they moved away. He hadn’t been looking at them and never even noticed them scuttle off.

He’d gotten Cordelia’s message when he returned from the fiasco at Wolfram & Hart and the damn worthless ring. He’d been bone deep tired and aching all over his body from the fall of several floors, clutching the fucking thing like it was the entrance to heaven, or more truthfully- hell. He’d been wrong, he was already there.

Or at least he’d thought he was but then he’d gotten back to the hotel and there it was, blinking at him with screaming insistence he listen to it; a message on the answerphone. Not exactly the first time but he’d ignored the others. Only this time he had listened to it, because he’d hoped it was Cordelia. The thought of hearing her voice had drawn him to it.

Angel, it’s me, Cordelia. I need to speak to you about something important.

Just by the tone of her voice he’d known deep in his gut, what it was she wanted to tell him. It was the way she always used to sound when she knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say- hesitant to hurt him. He’d been frozen in place, literally.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been expecting this, he had. No, what ripped through him was realising that he’d hoped to be able to have her for a little longer. Maybe even long enough to thaw him out. After the nightmare of the ring and Holland’s little surprise the only thing that had comforted him was thinking about her.

Her voice continued even as he stood blank-faced and frozen, unable to move from the crushing disappointment.

Not at the hotel though. Meet me at (sigh), how about Caritas at 1 am? Let me know if that isn’t good for you OK- save me a wasted trip.

He smiled mirthlessly in remembrance; she didn’t want to meet at the hotel I wonder why that is? The smile became a humourless chuckle and he raised the glass of blood to his lips and drank deeply, his eyes still staring unseeingly, while his mind wandered.

After the message he’d gone up to his rooms only to find Darla there, waiting for him and wanting the ring. He’d gladly let the stupid bitch have it. Not even bothering to try and persuade her it was useless, he hadn’t cared enough. He didn’t care about anything anymore and never would ever again- he’d make sure of it.

“Yeah well, it’ not like I have much of a choice”, his own voice drew him back to the present and he glanced around, his face unreadable but his dark brown, almost black eyes flickered with a restless, unfocused anger.

“Where the hell is she”? He growled to himself and then sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. He thought about just leaving but that would only delay the inevitable and make his own mood worse. Better to get to over with now and then get back on with doing … nothing.

“Hi”. Said a voice next to his shoulder and he looked up to her face and simply pulled out a chair next to him.

He watched her sit down and almost absently noted the unusually subdued outfit of jeans and sweatshirt, she needn’t have bothered to dress down, he knew what lay underneath far too intimately to be put off by it being covered up, but it was yet another sign that he wasn’t wrong about the reason behind this ‘talk’.

“What’s this about, Cordelia”?

He didn’t want pleasantries, and he saw her slight flinch at his cold abrupt tone. Too bad, Sweetheart. The coldness was creeping back and he welcomed it with open arms. He’d let her make him believe he could feel something again, draw away from the cold. Now he was paying the price but at least he knew the coldness would then go bone deep, unreachable.

“We should stop seeing each other”. She told him bluntly and her expressive face was serious and direct, Cordelia at her no-nonsense best.

She’d rehearsed this so many times since she’d left the message for them to meet. Should she demand, ask, talk around the subject and then introduce it or what? But nothing had seemed right so in the end she opted for bluntness and hoped he’d just accept her decision.

Her eyes never left his but her breathing seemed to get stuck in her throat when he just stared at her face, his own unreadable and incredibly distant. Never breaking her gaze he leaned forward making her jump a little, to rest his crossed arms on the table. He looked away for a second as if checking out who was nearby.

When he turned back she felt an arrow of something akin to fear prickle inside her belly. “You only just figured that out”? Angel allowed a slight smirk to cross his face and raised mocking brows in question.

“So tell me Cordelia, why the sudden change of heart”? So what if he’d guessed right, that didn’t mean he had to make it easier for her. He ignored the last of the receding pain and concentrated on the numbness.

“This has nothing to do with my heart” snapped Cordelia goaded by that smirk and the mocking look on his coldly handsome face.

“Sex sharing then or fucking, whatever you want to call it. Why call a halt? It seemed to suit you yesterday. Just think not about having to bother with all the messy romancing from some klutz”.

“Ya think? I happen to want romancing thank you and since your cold dead heart can’t cope with that, I’m gonna look elsewhere”. So much for being civilised, the claws were out already and she didn’t regret it. It just strengthened her resolve to end it.

His eyes narrowed dangerously at her barb and he almost vamped out when that comment managed to pierce through his newest shield and made him feel a renewed surge of pain at losing her. None of it showed on the outside as he toyed with the delicate glass in his hand and pursed his lips as if in contemplation of something, his white teeth pressing on his sculpted lower lip.

“Got a replacement in mind already huh”? He asked nonchalantly, hiding his reaction as he waited for her answer.

“Maybe or maybe not but it makes no difference, Angel. We’re finished”. The second time she said it was easier and she started to relax and sat back to let him say his piece and then get ready to leave.

“Wesley been preaching in your ear? Good ole Wes, I’ll have to go visit and say Hi”. He didn’t bother to hide another smirk when she gasped and narrowed her eyes at him threateningly.

“You leave Wesley out of this, Angel. He’s sick and can’t deal with you right now”. She’d slapped a hand on the table and her face was only inches from his. “I mean it”.

He let his eyes roam over her angry features, still beautiful, maybe even more so with fire shooting out of her hazel eyes. He was on target again, Wesley had gotten to her or she wouldn’t have reacted so hotly to the ideas of him confronting the injured man.

“Deal with what? I was only thinking of visiting an old friend and saying Hi, catching up on old times”. Plus ‘thank’ him for his interference in something he should have kept his nose out of. He let the sentence hang, knowing she wouldn’t let it go.

Yeah right. She ran through all the threats she could muster but they were too lame and he’d just shrug them off or laugh at her. Refusing to give in she simply repeated her demand, “Stay away from Wesley” she spaced each work out for emphasis and glared into his face.

“OK, no need to get so bent out of shape about it, Cordelia”. He was deliberately being as obnoxious as he could, knowing it would rile her up.

She sat back again and angrily bent to pick up her purse, stopping short when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up. “I’ll keep out of your lives, Wesley and you. On one condition and it’s non-negotiable”. She tugged on her captured wrist but he didn’t release her.

“Which is what”? She snapped, to an outsider she looked unafraid, but inside her heart was beating hard and heavy at the slightly cruel look he wasn’t bothering to hide. Her belly sank to the floor when his lips kicked up at the corners in a wholly satisfied smile.

He could feel her pulse flutter under his fingers and was fiercely glad she was unnerved, good. He let the silence lengthen until she was starting to fidget and her temper rise. “I want one more night”. She’d just known he was going to say that but she jerked back anyway.

“What? no way Angel. Forget it, not gonna happen.”

“Non-negotiable remember. I can make life pretty awkward if I wanted”. He left her to decide what he meant by awkward. He was tense; she had no idea how tense, while he waited for her answer. He didn’t know what he’d do if she refused.

Angrily she yanked at his hold and after a second, he let her go. “I’m not afraid of you, Angel”. She told him defiantly and rubbed her wrist.

“Then what’s the problem”? He shot back.

“Me, I’m not the one with the problem here. I just don’t want you anymore. Get the picture”? She told him sharply. “Geeze, could you get any more lame?” She was praying she could anger him enough to change his mind. She couldn’t let this happen, if she did there was a definite possibility she’d be right back where she started.

“I can change your mind. Not like I haven’t done that before”. She struck the nerve she’d intended to with that harsh statement, but he didn’t let his reaction show. He’d save that for later.

She hesitated, it was true. Things only got this far because she’d let him persuade her to carry on seeing him. She shivered at the recollection of just how persuasive he could be.

Then there was Wesley and Gunn, could she trust her own instincts that told her he was bluffing? Maybe, but then if someone had told her 4 months ago that he’d fire them and go postal, she would have scoffed in disbelief.

“If I agree to this you’d leave us alone from now on”? She asked quietly, the sadness behind the words surprising her. He didn’t hear it, too intent on getting what he wanted.

The words rang hollow in her heart. Despite all that had happened over the last couple of months; she still found it still impossible to reconcile this cold stranger to the friend she’d come to love. Until Darla had appeared, ruining everything with her poison;, and ably assisted by the law firm from hell.

“Did Darla mean so much to you, Angel”? She couldn’t help asking and hated the weakness inside herself that wanted to understand why he’d turned on them, on her!

“Leave Darla out of this” he snapped at her and then crowded her back in her chair with his arms caging her in, one on the table and one on the back of her chair. “What’s it gonna be”? He self-control was pushed to the limits and he’d be damned if he’d let her change the subject and try and wiggle out of it.

“When”? She turned her head and found his lips were only centimetres from hers, his brown eyes full of dark purpose and focused entirely on her. I am insane, no question about that.

“Now” he told her, determined that she wouldn’t have the time or opportunity to change her mind or get reinforcements. He kept the leap of victory out of his face, keeping it expressionless in case she changed her mind again.

***

At his insistence she left her car at Caritas and sat beside him in the Plymouth for the short drive to the hotel, accomplished in uncomfortable silence while she hugged her arms around her chilled body. When they got there she didn’t give him time to open the door for her, but got out and stood awkwardly on the sidewalk that led from the parking area to the back of the hotel.

Angel pocketed the car keys in the inside pocket of his coat to make them less accessible in case she decided to make a run for it and then ushered her inside. Not stopping until they were inside his rooms and he’d shut the door behind him. He stayed in front of the door and watched her with a predatory look on his face, as she walked away from him and towards the centre of the living area.

She was incredibly nervous and hated that. It was as if every noise was exaggerated and that was making her jumpy. She decided seeing where he was, and what he was doing was much preferable to guessing, so she turned to face him with her head held up and chin high.

“So now what” she damned with a haughty toss of her hair.

“After the past week you still need instructions?” he asked her, well growled at her. That alone caused her to look more warily at him. The vibes coming off him had changed in a heartbeat and suddenly Cordelia felt lost at sea. “What’s your problem”?

His problem? Simple. All the emotions that he’d kept so deeply buried back in Caritas were coming tumbling loose now he had her here, alone. His back was still pressed to the only exit from the room, apart from the balcony, useless unless you could survive a hell of a drop. He walked towards her with deliberate grace, the stride smooth and with hands loose at his sides.

It looked more like a stalk to her but she held her ground and tilted her head up as he got closer. “The problem is that you’re still dressed, need help with that or can you manage that on your own”. He said challengingly but without the usual smirk, which worried her because she would have preferred that to the intent almost angry look he wore now.

“So are you, fairs fair, Angel”. If there was one thing she’d learned about this vampire was never back down or he’d walk all over you.

That went double since she’d started sleeping with him. He hated docility and preferred her to give him back what he dished out and so far she’d no trouble with that, and didn’t intend to start now. She started to yank at her sweatshirt and swiftly pulled it over her hand and dropped on the floor. He shrugged out of his coat and threw it in the far corner without taking his eyes of her.

As they unzipped and peeled down, he carried on herding her backwards and with his unnatural speed, was finished before she was. He didn’t wait but picked her up under the arms and tossed her on the bed behind them. She bounced and watched him prowl the last few feet, unashamedly naked, to climb on the bed with her.

He pulled the rest of her clothes off her and then throwing one hard muscular leg over her, straddled her hips. Cordelia took a deep gasping breath as she felt his familiar weight settle over her. Her skin sizzled where his touched her and she felt again that strange sensation where her body got hotter as if to counteract the coolness of his.

He was all hard heavy muscle, surrounding and covering, taking and giving all at the same time. Instinctively her body softened to accommodate his hardness and she felt the prodding of his thick erection at the apex of her thighs. Immediately liquid heat pooled into her sex and looking up into his face she knew he was aware of her body’s response.

“I thought you didn’t want me”, he said his voice tight with satisfaction. “You think I don’t smell that”?

He didn’t wait for an answer she couldn’t give, but ducked his head and forced her chin aside, then bit at the soft skin of her neck before sucking, open mouthed and strong on the sensitive skin. She shivered and goose-bumps rose all over her body as the sucking motion of his mouth at her neck continued.

Her hands came up to his shoulders and her nails dug into his skin, he shrugged them irritably and bit her again, not hard enough to break the skin, but threatening anyway. So in retaliation she scored her nails down between his shoulder blades as far as she could reach, not breaking the skin but making him growl, rear back and snatch her hands away.

He pinned them next to her head and glared down at her, the mutinous look in her eyes making his arousal harder and with a snarl he crushed her mouth with his. But what started out as a punishing kiss soon, despite his worst intentions, became a sensual exploration.

His lips softened and his tongue slid inside to tangle and curl with hers. Freeing a hand he grasped her jaw and opened her mouth wider so he could go deeper, angling his head to fuse their mouths in kiss that heated and heated until she was moaning into him. She speared her fingers through his short dark hair and pressed him closer wanting more.

She lifted her head and evading his, thrust her tongue inside his mouth, sliding over his teeth and then tongue with teasingly darting caresses, exploring and tasting him. When she went to retreat he stopped her by sucking on her tongue, the rhythmic motion of his lips a deliberate imitation of penetrative sex. It was such an erotic feeling that she writhed under him, rubbing his abdomen with her damp pubic hair.

The hot spicy scent of her arousal saturated the air around them on the bed and his head started to swim with the dizzying strength of his hunger. He pushed a hand between their bodies and forced two fingers between her clenched thighs. His fingers threaded through the damp curls to find her already hot and wet. He parted the soft folds, and using his index finger pushed inside the source of that honeyed scent.

He was big all over and she gasped at the feel of that thick impaling finger and undulated against his fist, rubbing her clitoris against him as the heat increased and she drenched his finger as it rubbed and thrust inside her tight passage. He leaned up one arm and thrust harder with the other hand, watching her face as the flush of arousal deepened.

She saw his taut face and glitteringly intent eyes watching her every nuance of expression. Helplessly her own eyes flickered as the sensations built and tightened to an unbearable degree. He found her g-spot and pushed against it ruthlessly; then hooking his finger he ground down on it, nearly bringing her hips of the bed, as the resulting electric currents of hot pleasure that speared out from her core.

The hot centre of her loins already slick and wet was drenched now and satisfied he withdrew from that hot clenching of her inner muscles and ignoring her cry of dismay, brought them to her breast, spreading the fluid onto the nipple before fastening his lips there and greedily sucking it off. Cordelia watched him as he lathed the tight bud of her nipple with his tongue and her loins jolted in aroused response at the erotic sight.

He circled the achingly tight nipple with the tip of his tongue, before his eyes closed in hungry enjoyment as he caught the turgid flesh between his teeth and started to suckle, drawing strongly on the sweet flesh and tugging with his teeth at the same time. The hot pressure of his mouth made her hiss and arch up into his pelvis with hers, trying to press her throbbing sex against him, desperate for some release from the incredible tension that was almost painful.

He reached down and dipped inside the honeyed depths of her again, repeating the torment of before until she was almost ready to come. He felt her clamping down on his fingers and withdrew them to smear her other breast. Cupping the soft mound in his hand, he tormented that one too, using all of his centuries of skill to raise her passion higher.

Aggravated at being denied and provoked to beyond boiling point she latched onto his bulging biceps, and used them to help free herself, and scooted down under him and between his legs. Angel snarled infuriated and tightened his legs, trapping and stopping her descent. Wild anger flooded him thinking she’d been trying to get away and he hauled her back up and fisting his hand in her hair, forcefully plunged inside her mouth again.

Feral joy pierced Cordelia, at the knowledge that she’d pushed him past his limit with her antics and met his marauding tongue with hers in a wilful duel for dominance. He kissed her until she was dizzy with lack of air and then leaned up to stare down in carnal satisfaction at her swollen lips and dazed eyes.

Knowing she was in no state to try anything else he let go and returned to her breast, rougher now, the pleasure bordering on pain. A distinction that made the throbbing in her loins tighten even more as her body lost the ability to feel the difference and her sex clamped down emptily in frantic need and lust, flooding her again with fresh spicy heat. He gentled after a few seconds and kissed the reddened tip before going on a nibbling journey down her ribcage and stomach.

He held her hips tightly as he worked his way down her quivering, gleaming body. Her skin was salty with musk and perspiration, glowing with life and passion and his chest ached with a pressure he couldn’t identify as he worshipped every delicious inch of her.

Her chest heaving and heart pounding with rising passion she raised her hips in his hands, and grabbed a fistful of his hair, pushing him down towards her navel, needing him there before she went mad. Strands of hair clung damply to her neck and face and she bowed back when he gave her what she needed.

He buried his face in the hot wet fragrance of her sex, nuzzling hard and parting the soft folds of her labia with his tongue, licked hard up to her clitoris where he flicked it sharply. A hoarse cry of approval broke free from her throat and she dug her heels into the bed, her thighs trembled and tremored as the pleasure streaked up and down her body, draining and inciting her at the same time.

Angel pulled back and lifted her thighs to drape them over his shoulders, stopping her from retreating if the pleasure got too intense, and then using his fingers he pulled back the folds of her labia to expose her fully to him. Slowly and delicately he traced the engorged begging little nub of her clitoris, circling and flicking then driving down to dip inside the drenched entrance to her vagina. He lapped hungrily at the liquid heat, feeling it warm and sweet on his tongue and inside his tingling mouth.

His fangs itched to elongate and started to, before he forcefully retracted them and then carried on feeding, and sipping at the nectar nature had designed to drive males wild. Cordelia’s head whipped from side to side, with incoherent chants that he go stronger, faster harder, falling from her open mouth.

Finally he gave in and latched onto the bundle of nerves, making her scream at the force he applied with his tongue, flickering around and over it so fast her vision blurred and she literally saw stars. He thrust two fingers straight up inside her, twisting them hard and pushing deep, stretching her and scraping along the sensitive inner walls.

Unconsciously her legs pushed at his shoulders as the tension tightened to snapping point, hot spirals of pleasure whipped along her nerve endings as she started to come apart. The chant had become wordless cries and her tongue came out to lick at her parched swollen lips before biting down as the orgasm ripped through her.

The instant he felt it start he straightened but kept her legs up high on his shoulders, keeping her there with his hands on her thighs. Without a single hesitation he thrust straight into her convulsing depths making her scream as the orgasm reached another level mid-flow.

Again she arched off the bed but could do little in the position she was held, he thrust heavily into her, piercing her core again and again, faster and faster; riding her through the orgasm until she lay limp in front of him, but still he didn’t stop. He lifted her higher and she felt his thighs nudge her bottom as he glided in and out of her slick heat.

The stretching fullness of him inside her was indescribable and she dug her hands in the coverlet underneath as if to try and anchor herself as her body accepted him with rapturous difficulty, the need to stretch to accommodate him satisfying rather than painful. A relentless tide of throbbing pleasure made her ache as she felt it build again.

Angel was forced to grit his teeth as she started to come, the milking grasp of her tight passage tearing at his willpower not to. Until finally, left with no other choice he pulled out of her. Before she could complain he flipped her onto her front and lifted her bodily up again, sitting back himself so that she was sitting in front of him.

Her pulled her until her legs were between his and bending her forward he thrust inside again with a single powerful flex of his hips. Then he straightened them both, her back flush to his chest with him still inside her. He pulled both of her arms away from her body and pressed them to the wall over the headboard.

“Do not move them”, he growled low in her ear, making her shiver.

He gripped her hips and started to thrust up into her, the position making it shallow but constantly rubbing and nudging her g-spot. She groaned and tossed back her head, her hair falling down her back in a glossy tumble. “Brace yourself harder”, he demanded and let go of her hips. She pushed at the hard, cold wall and felt his hands wrap around her body to cup her breasts, kneading the soft mounds with ruthless thoroughness. He squeezed the sensitive tips between finger and thumb, making her squirm at the darting hot licks of fire that shot from breasts to loins.

One wandered down her body and pressed into her belly, pushing her back against him even more. They were literally skin on skin and every thrust he gave, rubbed her bottom and back against his hard thighs and chest. She felt the muscles jump against her as he moved with fluid powerful strokes and leant her head against his shoulder.

It was an invitation he couldn’t resist and he bit down on the cord of her shoulder and neck, she moaned and pressed his head closer with her hand next to his ear on the other side. He complied with her unspoken demand and started to suck strongly on the sensitive spot.

His hand left her belly and found her clitoris again, hidden by the soft curls. He rubbed over it with skilful fingers, the skin slick with her own juice. She moaned harder and felt his growl at her neck and then the fangs that pierced her skin.

She tried to wrench herself away but he held her fast to him and sucked at the blood oozing from the shallow wounds he’d made. Cordelia wailed when she felt the drawing sensation and suddenly it was too much. The combined thrusting, sucking, kneading and caressing splintering her control as another orgasm hit.

He twisted them both so that she fell on to the bed and then started to pound into her, his lips still fastened with hungry ferocity at the bleeding wounds. Her blood filled his mouth and dripped like honey down his throat, shivers of pleasure became a merciless crescendo of pulsing ecstasy and he shuddered and ground deeper with every thrust, not driving for orgasm but to brand, stake his claim, mark her his.

Not to the outside world but to her, so that she would know she belonged to him and only him. Dimly he heard her scream his name and felt her convulse, squeezing his cock like a wet fist. He jerked as the orgasm hit, his powerful body arching into her as he came, but still he wouldn’t let go.

Afterwards, before he let himself relax, he closed the wounds and pulled her to him, spooning around her. Cordelia, lay with him behind her and drifted in a daze, one heavy arm was draped over her middle and she held onto it like it was a lifeline. Dizzily she wondered if she would survive the night.

He let her rest and doze for a while before waking her again with him already inside her. “This time you’re gonna scream harder”. That was the start of it again and when she got dry he would wet her himself with his tongue, until finally she was too sore to take him even one more time. Then he let her sleep.

Cordelia awoke at dawn, exhausted and tender, sitting up she winced and looked down at the sleeping figure of the vampire next to her. She was so tired she could feel her arms and legs shake as she got dressed, fumbling with the fasteners of the jeans and fractiously pulled at the hem of the sweatshirt when it got stuck on her head.

Tears stung her eyes as she walked slowly to the door and opened it with her heart in her mouth, expecting him to appear before her to stop her escape. But he didn’t, he lay listening to her, awake but still. Once she’d reached the point where she couldn’t take him anymore he’d watched her sleep and gradually he’d come to realise that he had to let her go.

How could she be his without her willingness, he couldn’t force her or he would truly become the kind of monster he despised. So he just listened to her leave him without moving a muscle to prevent it, despite the pain that was twisting his insides into knots.

Cordelia was in the lobby when the vision hit her, only this time she sank to the floor without falling. Images rushed through her brain almost too fast for her to follow but it was enough to make her almost gag with bile.

It was the future- hers, his and the others too. Pain and betrayal, and a nameless something that wanted to take them over from the inside out. She saw Angel disintegrate with bitter loneliness and the pain of that alone almost made her faint. “Oh God”.

She swallowed hard and got up off the floor in a daze to sit on the chair nearest to her. This vision had been different from all of the others, as if it had come from another source, but whatever it was it couldn’t be ignored. She stayed there for almost half an hour, until making her decision she got up and marched determinedly up the stairs and back to his room.

He still didn’t move as she approached the bed in the pre dawn darkness. She sat down next to him and reaching out a hand pushed him over onto his back. She looked into his alert brown eyes, and found them wet with tears, tracks down his sculpted face, testified to the fact that many had already fallen.

“I’m not going to leave you, Angel” She pressed a kiss to his wet cheeks.

“But you have to change, do you hear me. If we’re going to be together, you have to come back from the darkness, are you listening”? She demanded with firm compassion.

He didn’t say anything just curled an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, to bury his face into her lap. She let him cry and soothed him with gentle hands running through his short dark hair.

Somewhere, in another dimension an enraged scream rang out as plans crumbled, hopes where quashed and there was only the permanent darkness to hear and understand.

The End

Helen