Part 10<\/b><\/p>\n
Angel entered the building where he had tracked Bane the night before, the scent of his past companion indicating he had been there only a short time earlier. Angel started to make his way up the stairs when he caught another scent. This one human but also strangely familiar.<\/p>\n
What is this reunion week? Damn, if I get a whiff of Darla, I\u2019m taking Cordy and leaving LA.<\/i><\/p>\n
Dreading who the latest visitor from his past may be, Angel followed the trail to the upper level. Through the open spaces of the boarded front window, he spied the motorcycle parked across the street. Turning back toward the stairwell Angel peered at the shadowed figure aiming a crossbow at his chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello Angel.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slipping his hands into his pockets, Angel relaxed as he leaned against the stair railing taking in the mousy, leather clad watcher he remembered from Sunnydale. \u201cWesley.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI wager you thought you\u2019d never see me again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo tell you the truth I hadn\u2019t given it much thought one way or the other. What are you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHup-up-up! I\u2019m the one asking the questions here.\u201d Wesley interrupted, his shaky hand still pointing the crossbow at Angel\u2019s chest. \u201cI think it only fair to warn you, any sudden movement and I\u2019ll be forced to\u2026\u201d Angel casually swatted the crossbow out of the watcher\u2019s unsteady grip. After directing a somber gaze at the crossbow as it landed across the room, Wesley took in and released a deep breath before returning his attention to the vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026Right. You had a question?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel suppressed a smirk and walked a predator\u2019s circle around the nervous and fidgeting watcher. \u201cInteresting look for you. The Watchers Council trying out a new image?\u201d<\/p>\n
Trying to steel his nerves and put distance between him and the vampire, Wesley walked further into the room. \u201cIn point of fact I no longer work for the Council. I came to the conclusion that I was of greater value to the cause working autonomously.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey fired you.\u201d The matter of fact statement offered no hint of an inquisitive tone as Angel took in the ex-watcher\u2019s fake bravado.<\/p>\n
“Harddd…ly.” Angel watched with mild amusement as Wesley stumbled over something apparently invisible to the naked eye, barely catching himself before falling on his face. \u201cWith Buffy unwilling to follow Council orders there was simply no opportunity to function as watcher. And that\u2019s why I became a rogue demon hunter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a demon hunter?\u201d Angel questioned the watcher\u2019s assertion with obvious doubt.<\/p>\n
\u201cRogue demon hunter! And I\u2019m on the trail of a particularly nasty bugger right now. So, I suggest you stay out of my way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEasy tiger. I think you\u2019re about to make a fatal mistake. If we\u2019re talking about the same demon, you\u2019re pretty much out of your league.”<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s left a trail of mutilated corpses, human I might add. The fiend has cut a swath across half the continent. I almost caught up with him in Phoenix. Got a pretty fair look too. Did a little reading and it seems there were two vampires that enjoyed this particular modus operandi in the mid 1800\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn your reading Wes, did you come across the names of these two vampires?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a matter of fact I did. One was called Darcy Bane and the other was known as\u2026 Angelus.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you did your homework Wes, then you know that should you confront Bane or Angelus, you\u2019ll be drained and dead before the arrow leaves your crossbow. Why don\u2019t you come back to the office with me? Cordy will be there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have Miss Chase? Is she all right?\u201d Wesley squashed down his erupting fear at the thought of the beautiful, young woman at the mercy of the vampire. \u201cIf you\u2019ve hurt\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you will let me finish. Cordy will be coming to the office soon. She works for\u2026 we work together now. We have a small private investigating firm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWork together? I see.\u201d Though their infatuation had been brief to say the least, Wesley was relieved by Angel\u2019s confirmation of the young woman\u2019s good health. \u201cVery well Angel. My bike is parked across the street. I shall follow you to your office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaylight Wesley, I used the sewer tunnels.\u201d Pulling one of his business cards from his coat pocket, Angel handed it to Wesley. \u201cThe address is on my card.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, it\u2019s a\u2026\u201d Perplexed, Wesley studied the odd drawing on Angel\u2019s card. \u201cIt\u2019s a\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an angel. Cordy designed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, an angel. Yes, I see it now.\u201d He keeps referring to her as Cordy. She only allowed that Harris brat to call her that while they were dating. Good Lord, surely Cordelia would not be on intimate terms with a vampire. Besides Angel\u2019s heart, such as it is, belongs to the slayer. Quite a snotty girl really.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cWhat a sense of humor that Miss Chase has. I rather look forward to seeing Cordelia again. Shall we go?\u201d<\/p>\n
What does he mean again? Probably only knew her from research meetings in the library. That has to be it. Cordy would never go for a guy like that.<\/i>\u201cI\u2019ll meet you there. Wait for me upstairs should you get there first.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel ran through the sewers at full vamp speed. He didn\u2019t think Cordelia would be at the office yet but wasn\u2019t going to take any chances that Wesley would arrive ahead of him and be alone with Cordelia. Entering his apartment from the sewer access, Angel immediately knew he was the first to arrive. The lingering aroma of his night with Cordelia invaded his senses eliciting a possessive growl. Hearing Wesley at the outer office door, Angel grudgingly headed up the stairs to let him in.<\/p>\n
As soon as Angel opened the door, he heard Cordelia\u2019s breathy, panicked gasps as she ran toward the office. \u201cAngel! Oh my God, Angel, I\u2019m so glad you\u2019re here. I was so scared. I didn\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel ran into the hallway and wrapped his arms around the trembling girl, almost sweeping her into the office. \u201cCordy, what is it? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe called me, Angel. He knows my number. He knows where I live. How does he know Angel? Why would he call me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho Cordy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCameron Crowe, you idiot! Who do you think Angel?\u201d Cordelia Chase was the only person Angel had ever known that could leap from immense fear to outright cynicism without ever coming up for air.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vampire in my vision Angel. The vampire that\u2019s killing those prostitutes. The psycho-vamp that thinks I\u2019m a prostitute and wants to chop me up next.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCalm down baby. You\u2019re safe. That\u2019s all that matters. Wait, why didn\u2019t you call me? You should never have left your apartment. Bane might know where you live but he couldn\u2019t have gotten inside without an invitation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell excuse me Angel for not thinking clearly while I\u2019m running for my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel is right Cordelia. It is during those stressful times that we must train ourselves to reason with the most clarity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWesley?\u201d Her attention drawn to the unnoticed guest, Cordelia pulled away from Angel and slowly walked toward Wesley.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia, hearing that you were in LA was certainly a nice\u2026ummm\u2026\u201d His words were cut short when Cordelia reached up and planted her lips on his. Enjoying her rather friendly hello, Wesley pulled her close, returning the kiss until Cordelia abruptly ended their reunion and stepped away. \u201c\u2026surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Disappointed with the pointless kiss, Cordelia shakes her head, oblivious to Angel\u2019s angry and jealous growls. \u201cIt didn\u2019t work!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo? Hmm\u2026I thought it went considerably better than last time.\u201d Wesley weakly challenged as he absently slid a finger across his lips savoring the too brief moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it was just a kind of experiment. I was trying to\u2026\u201d Cordelia really looked at Wesley this time, taking in his uncharacteristic attire. \u201c\u2026Wesley? What are you doing here? Are you working with Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA lone wolf, such as myself, never works with anyone. I\u2019m merely allowing Angel to assist me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, wow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a rogue demon hunter now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, wow. What\u2019s a rogue demon?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo not a rogue\u2026never mind.\u201d Wesley flinched as he sat down on the sofa. \u201cAhh.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia noticing the grimace of pain settling over his face stepped toward him again. \u201cAre you alright, Wesley?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. These pants, they tend to chafe one\u2019s\u2026legs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAhum\u2026well hazards of the trade I guess. Whatcha gonna do?\u201d Bored with the whiny man\u2019s skin irritation, Cordelia walks away from the watcher and steers the conversation back to her problem. \u201cAngel, what are we going to do now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst\u2026you stop kissing every man within arm\u2019s reach.\u201d Angel almost hissed as he directed another low growl at their unwelcome intruder. \u201cSecond\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want it out of me Angel!\u201d Cordelia almost yelled her insistence. \u201cAnd if kissing is the only way to get rid of it I will smooch every damn frog in this kingdom!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll set that aside to discuss later. Right after we have discussed that dress you were planning to wear tonight. Now second\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot was planning\u2026am planning\u2026and what is wrong with this dress\u2026being careful how you answer that.\u201d Cordelia warned wagging her finger in Angel\u2019s face.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not going to any party tonight Cordy.\u201d Angel leaned closer to her face, lowering his voice to a whisper. \u201cNow hush.\u201d Forcing himself to remember stopping Bane should be his priority Angel turned his attention to the unwanted but temporarily needed assistant. \u201cWesley can you invoke an uninvite spell here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think so Angel. Those spells are designed to protect one\u2019s private dwelling. I don\u2019t think it would work efficiently for a public place such as an office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have an apartment downstairs. Will the spell protect that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps. Do you have any texts on protection spells?\u201d<\/p>\n
The primal instinct to punish his girl for her flamboyant behavior barely contained, Angel directed his attention to the task at hand. \u201cCordy, you have options; three actually. You can go downstairs using the elevator, you can go downstairs using the stairs or\u2026\u201d Angel tapped his right shoulder, his lips curving into a sly grin. \u201c\u2026I can carry you downstairs. Which will it be?\u201d<\/p>\n
With her fists planted firmly on her hips, Cordelia stalled avoiding an argument she knew she wouldn\u2019t win. \u201cYour choice sweetheart but you\u2019re running out of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it Angel, you can\u2019t tell me what to do.\u201d The impatient tapping of her foot morphed into a loud, hard stomp before she spins on her heels and heads for the elevator.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be down in a minute. The book Wesley needs might be in my office.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTake your time. Not like I was gonna be using my heart for anything special anyway.\u201d Her face scrunched and twisted with frustration, Cordelia sticks her tongue out at the overbearing vampire.<\/p>\n
Once the elevator started its descent Angel moved swiftly across the room towering over the ex-watcher\u2019s seated form. \u201cSo Wes, that kiss was better than last time. How many kisses have you shared with Cordy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Wesley\u2019s throat bobbled and gurgled as he gulped trying to regain his ability to speak. \u201cI believe it was just the two.\u201d Wesley croaked against the vampire\u2019s hovering, angry face.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now I have more urgent matters so I\u2019ll make this quick and simple Pryce\u2026 there will never be a third. Got that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d Wesley cleared his throat hoping to rid his voice of its squeaking pitch. \u201cI\u2019m quite sure I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. That\u2019s settled. Let\u2019s get downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s Wyndam-Pryce.\u201d Wesley called out to the departing vampire heading toward the stairs. Well, guess the vampire\u2019s heart doesn\u2019t belong to that snotty slayer after all. Wish I could have seen her face when she received that bit of news.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cAngel, what about the book and can we please take the lift? I was quite serious about the chafing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe book\u2019s downstairs and you don\u2019t know Cordelia Chase at all; do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI rather think our time in Sunny\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy didn\u2019t get her way and she\u2019s pissed. Wesley, *I*<\/b> will die of old age before Cordy sends the elevator back up. We\u2019re taking the stairs. Concentrate on the un-invite spell, it\u2019ll take your mind off your\u2026 \u2026thighs.\u201d<\/p>\n