CHAPTER 16<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia Chase was curled up into the huge bed, the girl snoring beside her. From where she was laying on her back staring up at the ceiling, she could see the kaleidoscope of colors from her little nightlight dance there.<\/p>\n
The innocent memories of her own room and the childhood she\u2019d spent in her own silk sheets of raven in her wrought iron bed. It was the pinks and fluffs of Harmony\u2019s room that wouldn\u2019t let her sleep, Cordelia concluded.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t just Harmony\u2019s snores.<\/p>\n
Then she heard a grunt. Blinking at the still lump in her bed she frowned. That didn\u2019t sound much like her bedmate.<\/p>\n
\u201cAwo! Fuck!\u201d<\/p>\n
Her spine straightened as she automatically sat up in the bed at the familiar voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cArgh! Shit!\u201d<\/p>\n
She nearly went tripping out of bed as she hurried to the sliding window of the balcony beyond. Her hair went tumbling out of the loose bun she\u2019d tied at her nape as she gaped over the white railing and down at the trellis lining the balcony.<\/p>\n
For a minute she couldn\u2019t believe what she was seeing. A dark hulking man was slowly making his way up the white trellis trying to avoid the thorns of the rose bushes that grew around it.<\/p>\n
When the spiky head tipped back, Cordelia stared down into the dark eyes incredulously. \u201cAngelus!\u201d She hissed softly. \u201cWhat are you doing!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does it fucking look like Chase?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShhh!\u201d She held a finger over her mouth and glared daggers at him. \u201cGo away! I have nothing to say to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a few words to say to you woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pitch of his voice didn\u2019t go down a bit and Cordelia darted one glance behind her to make sure Harmony was sleeping.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngelus you are,\u201d turning mid sentence she froze, his nose nearly brushing hers, \u201cfast.\u201d She finished breathlessly.<\/p>\n
Holding the railing with both hands, Angelus resisted the urge to kiss the living daylights out of her until she succumbed and promised not to go to LA. \u201cForget me. What the hell are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Eyes widening at the irate growl she grabbed him, one hand curling around his mouth. \u201cStop!\u201d Her eyes turned pleading for an instant. \u201cIf you wake her, she\u2019ll be so more than either of us can handle right now Fang.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more than a breath, Cordelia stood there, her gaze locked with his, the railing digging into her stomach and her hand warming on his mouth. When his eyes swept low deliberately, Cordelia\u2019s own followed their path to stare at the very low neck of her silk nightgown. Cursing Harmony for talking her into wearing it, she fixed the full beam of her glare on Angelus mentally willing him to raise his gaze.<\/p>\n
She could almost feel the smile behind her hand as an eyebrow quirked before his dancing chocolate eyes lifted up to her face. And then he licked her hand.<\/p>\n
A startled yelp preceded her involuntary reaction of shoving him away.<\/p>\n
And it was then when she remembered he was about twenty feet up in the air as he lost his balance.<\/p>\n
\u201cCHASE!\u201d He hissed.<\/p>\n
Before Angelus could reach out to grab anything, he felt a\u00a0soft pair of arms wrap around his chest tightly and he was yanked back against the railing, the strumming heartbeat of his seer escalating into a mad crescendo as she let out shuttered breath against his neck.<\/p>\n
With his hand free to slide through her hair, Angelus let her hold him tightly, his feet instinctively relocating footholds as he returned her embrace.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh my god you almost\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNice catch.\u201d His gratitude was a soft murmur into her hair and it was the misplaced tenderness from the usually crude vampire that shook her out of her frightened haze.<\/p>\n
Lifting her head from under his chin, where she realized it fit perfectly, Cordelia looked up at him with a mixture of beseeching and relief. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want me to answer that while I\u2019m in the position to break my neck in case you don\u2019t like the answer?\u201d He leered. \u201cDoesn\u2019t the Florence Nightingale in you want me out of danger and my feet on solid ground first?\u201d<\/p>\n
She winced at his correct deduction. Every instinct in her had been screaming to first catch him and pull him to safety, and that intrinsic need alone had Cordelia shaking with fear. \u201cI have half a mind to drop you where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the other half is rearing to tangle tongues?\u201d<\/p>\n
With a groan at his arrogance and his choice was words, she stepped away far enough for him to climb over the railing and land on his feet neatly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d She held up a hand between them to keep him away. \u201cJust stop for a second.\u201d She\u2019d been caught off guard by his arrival and had reacted out of her need to be near him.<\/p>\n
When she\u2019d called Giles about the vision so he could relay the information to Angelus, it had taken every ounce of her strength and will to keep from running out and helping him when he got back from kicking demon butt.<\/p>\n
And now that she was calmer and she was assured that he was in one piece Cordelia let her anger cloud her raw emotions gladly. \u201cThere is nothing you can say that would change my mind. I\u2019m not coming back to Giles\u2019 house and I\u2019m not spending Christmas with the scoobies and I\u2019m certainly not \u2013 what are you doing!!?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHold still Chase,\u201d he growled when she tried to push him off. \u201cI\u2019m just going to kiss you dammit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if I don\u2019t want you to kiss me dumbass?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen say: Get your hands off me Angelus.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGet your\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
That was as far as she got before he cut her off as his lips hungrily, not nearly as patient as his voice had been, descended on hers. The arms that held her tightened possessively, lips that stole her breath, had her parting her own lips to ask for more.<\/p>\n
And her mouth was invaded by his quick and clever tongue.<\/p>\n
It was like being swallowed, Cordelia thought hazily. Like being eaten alive with a greed that incited greed. Her heart beating like a wild animal against the cage of her ribs. Racing, wild. Dangerously fast.<\/p>\n
And she wondered if they continued to ride this current, at this speed, how soon one or both would fly headlong off a very high cliff and come out with broken arms. Or worse. Broken hearts.<\/p>\n
When her foot came down hard on his toe, Angelus let out a muted yelp and jumped away from her with a glare. \u201cChrist Chase what the hell is wrong with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAir\u2026\u201d she gasped, grasping the edge of the railing as she tried to catch her breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yeah.\u201d Slightly chastised Angelus chuckled, \u201cSorry, forgot you were human for a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain.\u201d She grunted. \u201cYou were gulping me down like two quarts of prime whiskey.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got the tendency to be as potent,\u201d he purred.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do?\u201d She blinked at him in surprise.<\/p>\n
The stunned female response got his borrowed blood pumping again and he grinned. \u201cDo you really want me to come over\u00a0there and reassure you? Better yet; let me.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reached for her again and she slapped his hands away with mild irritation. \u201cCome on baby, you make it seem like you don\u2019t want my hands on you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d she snapped angrily. Angrier with the lie she knew he could see right through. \u201cI just need for you to open your ears and stop playing deaf for a change. Go away!\u201d She hissed, hoping their loud whispers hadn\u2019t woken Harmony to witness this scene.<\/p>\n
\u201cDance with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s eyes widened as his arm wrapped around her waist and she was yanked against him in the pretense of a waltz. \u201cAre you insane!?\u201d She hissed, struggling in his hold, but his arm stayed around her, his hand holding hers as tight as possible without breaking bones.<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn, I love your eyes Cheerleader.\u201d<\/p>\n
Exasperated at the capricious vampire, Cordelia let out a frustrated sigh, still struggling slightly. \u201cAngelus, stop it, okay? It won\u2019t work. I\u2019m not changing my mind. No mind changing happening here. See?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey remind me of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stilled in his arms, her curiosity piqued. \u201cAngel?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus tried his best to keep the triumphant smile at bay. \u201cYeah baby, they go all glossy like when he broods. And when you\u2019re happy, they glisten like golden emeralds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no such thing. Is there?\u201d she asked, not really noticing that he was slowly moving her in the slow motions of a waltz. The vampire grinned, inwardly charmed by her insatiable curiosity.<\/p>\n
It was one of the things that drew him to her. It was her curiosity that had made her venture into the alley. Curiosity and generosity. Something most people didn\u2019t accuse Cordelia Chase of.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw one a long time ago,\u201d he answered with a rakish grin.<\/p>\n
\u201cPfft! As if!\u201d Her hands involuntarily slipped up his arms as her feet fell in rhythm with his.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou show such little faith in your champion Hazel.\u201d He grinned. \u201cA Baroness. Happier days while we were in France. Darla was hungry for jewels and I was just plain hungry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean horny,\u201d she glared at the reference of his sire. Her eyes narrowed. \u201cAre you drunk?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet.\u201d Silently swaying to a silent beat, he continued to hold her against him. \u201cBut then I was always hungry,\u201d Angelus delighted in the jealous twinkle in her eyes, purposefully ignoring her statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember a similar occasion of climbing into a balcony. It took a while but I finally coaxed the damned woman out of her bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeduced you mean.\u201d She asked as she suddenly realized where they were still twirling to nonexistent music, his body pressing intimately against hers. \u201cAngelus? What are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDancing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want\u2013\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t you the least bit curious where it went?\u201d He winked and tightened his arms around her as she tried to wriggle away.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo! I don\u2019t care for rocks anymore, get your hands off my \u2013\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI fed it to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou what?!?\u201d she squawked; breath caught in indignation, disgust and the fear of discovery. She completely forgot her objection and stared up at him with gruesome wonder.<\/p>\n
\u201cStuck it right down her throat. Safe to say Darla didn\u2019t want it afterwards.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEyow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had a similar reaction,\u201d the vampire laughed softly, a deep rumbling in his chest that seemed to calm her nerves, \u201cafter she threw me out of the window. Either way, the emerald was buried with the dead woman.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou killed her.\u201d Cordelia shook her head. \u201cI\u2019m SO flattered that my eyes remind you of that gory story. Much thanks,\u201d she said dryly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly when you’re glaring,\u201d he reminded her. \u201cThe rest of the time, they’re absolutely breathtaking.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the tender compliment, she held his gaze. \u201cBut you don\u2019t breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI do. When you\u2019re around.\u201d He pulled her hand over his chest, the steady rise and fall mirroring her own. \u201cDon\u2019t you get it Chase. You\u2019re my damned Soul, only I can\u2019t get you out of my head.\u201d<\/p>\n
When her pupils filled with unshed tears, Angelus pulled her tightly against him, his feet stilling on the balcony floor. \u201cDon\u2019t. I hate it when you women cry. Drives me absolutely crazy Chase.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know what you\u2019re saying.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah sweetheart, I do. I\u2019m not much for tragic love stories like the soul. Our story\u2019s going to be a fucking satire. The world doesn\u2019t define what we are.\u201d He ran the pads of his finger down one bronzed cheek.<\/p>\n
She seems to radiate the sun even though it is in the middle of the friggin night. \u201cAnd there\u2019s no way in hell I\u2019m letting you pick up your sexy little butt and take it to LA. So I\u2019m giving you a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou spend whatever time you have left, dying. Or you spend it living…. With me.\u201d
\n<\/i><\/p>\n