Part 12<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia entered the graveyard. Damn\u2019t, Buffy said she was going patrolling tonight before going to the Bronze. Why wasn\u2019t she here doing this?<\/p>\n
Right, because the visions came to Cordy-vision girl. Cordelia was getting mad. The Powers had to know she didn\u2019t have her warrior to tell the vision too, so why bother. For higher beings, they sucked.<\/p>\n
Cordelia silenced her angry sigh and continued walking scanning the area for her victims.<\/p>\n
She paused, seeing the two kids, grouping like there was no tomorrow. Then again maybe they knew something she didn\u2019t. \u201cGet the hell out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia Chase?\u201d The young girl blinked. \u201cYou\u2019re Cordelia Chase.\u201d The girl said with some awe.<\/p>\n
Great. That\u2019s all Cordelia needed-Freshmen. \u201cGo on, get out. Necking should be done in the back seat of a car, not a graveyard. Don\u2019t you\u2019ll know anything? Now go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut they\u2019re our dinner.\u201d A voice drifted through the night.<\/p>\n
Cordelia swirled as two vampires appeared from behind a larger monuments built to honor one of the town\u2019s founding fathers.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet a pizza.\u201d Cordelia placed herself between the young couple and the vampires. She was relieved when she heard the girl scream and the sound of pounding feet leaving the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, are you the delivery person? I\u2019m okay with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPfft.\u201d Cordelia turned, trying to keep the vamp that had remained silent in her line of sight as he started to creep around.<\/p>\n
Cordelia felt the air swoosh and then felt strong arms grab her. She spun, using the kick Angel had taught her. The vampire fell back as the other one decided to shut up and charge.<\/p>\n
Cordelia swung with her fist, yanking out her spritzers, stinging the vampire in the eyes with the holy water. She quickly pulled her stake from the back of her pants and lunged.<\/p>\n
She had less than a second to congratulate herself on the dust pile, when she was tackled. Cordelia squirmed, trying to keep her neck from the vampire.<\/p>\n
The vampire yanked at Cordelia\u2019s collar, fangs preparing to plunge when he jerked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been marked.\u201d The vamp sniffed. His yellow eyes\u2019 widened. \u201cShit, Sorry. Please don\u2019t tell, okay. I\u2019ll just be going.\u201d The vampire got up immediately, pulling Cordelia to her feet, brushing at her jacket in an apologetic manner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no reason to mention this, it was an honest mistake, word\u2019s not out on you. Didn\u2019t know he claimed a mortal. If I had known you belonged to him, I wouldn\u2019t ever have tried to bite you. No way. Don\u2019t tell, please. You might want to tell him though to make his mark a little bigger, you know more apparent, or let us know, get the word out, you know, or at least maybe you could wear lower cut shirts, just so we know right at the get go, just some suggestions to avoid this type of thing happening in the future, you know. I\u2019m very sorry, please don\u2019t tell,\u201d the vampire nodded backing up.<\/p>\n
Cordelia swung and kicked, \u201cAnd the word\u2019s not getting out on me, you dead moron, you know,” she added as her stake plunged into his chest.<\/p>\n
Well that was very interesting. Angelus moved out from behind the trees staring at the young woman, stuffing her weapon back in her pocket, and then pulling at the collar of her shirt and jacket. Not only could Cordelia Chase fight much better than she let on, she was hiding a vampire\u2019s mark, not a bite, but a mark.<\/p>\n
Angelus thought about what he knew about the Xander-ass\u2019s girlfriend, she hated all that was vampire, yet, she let her self be marked. He couldn\u2019t believe that, some vampire must have just taken her.<\/p>\n
Angelus narrowed his eyes. Whose mark could\u2019ve scared that vamp off so quickly? Angelus was the only one that could scare the heebie jeebies out of the idiot dead of this town. If there was a new player snacking about Angelus needed to know. He moved quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia\u201d he drew her name out in a mocking tone,\u201d full of little nasty secrets aren\u2019t you?\u201d Angelus grinned as the girl stilled, fear erupting through her blood. His eyes narrowed again as the fear was shoved down and the teenager stared him straight in the eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAngelus, full of shit, aren\u2019t you? Go fuck with your blonde obsession\u2019s head, be a dear and go, I\u2019ve had a bad night.\u201d Cordelia smirked. And as soon as her words left her mouth, she cringed. Damn, she should\u2019ve screamed and not talked.<\/p>\n
Angelus studied the girl, remaining rooted to his spot, too interested at the woman\u2019s increase of fear, to anger, to fear and now back to anger but this time the anger seemed to be directed inward rather at him.<\/p>\n
Okay. Cordelia could fix this. She yelled to the high heavens and took off running.<\/p>\n
Angelus started. He took off catching the girl before she got ten feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was worth a shot.\u201d She glared, her tongue refusing to follow the plan of her brain. \u201cDo I have to remind you that I am not worth killing? Buffy wouldn\u2019t shed a tear, we aren\u2019t really friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been hiding yourself, haven\u2019t you Cordelia. Stronger than you act, less disgusted by my kind. You’ve been fibbing all this time, let’s see who’s had a taste.\u201d Angelus\u2019 free hand went to the collar of her shirt.<\/p>\n
Cordelia just reacted. She kicked the vampire in the balls.<\/p>\n
Angelus staggered back, growling into his knees. Damn that hurt. He was going to kill her.<\/p>\n
Angelus caught the running girl again, slamming her up against a cement mausoleum. \u201cDo that again you\u2019re dead. I just want to ask you a question.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia snorted. She stared at the vampire, his brutal strength squeezing her shoulders, his presence unmovable. She smirked. Angel taught her this. She swung bending her elbows, snapping the side of her palms against Angelus\u2019 throat. She grunted in satisfaction as the vampire fell.<\/p>\n
She turned hearing her name shouted. Christ. She looked down at the vampire staggering to get to his feet. \u201cGet out of here or your girlfriend is going to kill you. Damn\u2019t, Angel, get up and run.\u201d She begged, pulling at the vampire\u2019s heavy weight.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy? Oh god, Angelus has her.\u201d Xander\u2019s yell floated in the air.<\/p>\n
\u201cXander, it\u2019s okay,\u201d Buffy at full speed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said it would give me 3 seconds, it\u2019s been at least five. Get up, throw me across the goddamn graveyard and run.\u201d Cordelia turned to the stunned vampire.<\/p>\n
\u201cDumb ass.\u201d Cordelia said lowly, then turned and screamed. \u201cHelp me, Xander. Angelus tried to kill me.\u201d She wailed at the top of her lungs. \u201cGet out of here, you asshole,\u201d she whispered to the vampire and turned, \u201cBuffy, thank god,” Cordelia grabbed onto Buffy blocking her path to Angelus.<\/p>\n
Angelus jumped. He didn\u2019t know what was going on, but whatever it was he didn\u2019t feel up to fighting Buffy just then.<\/p>\n
Buffy disentangled herself from Cordelia, “Damn it get off me. Where\u2019d he go?\u201d she shouted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat way. Didn\u2019t you see him? Geez, some great slayer sense you got there.\u201d Cordelia turned as Xander ran up.<\/p>\n
\u201cXander.\u201d She wailed throwing herself in his arms. \u201cI almost died.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShush, Cordy, it\u2019s okay, Buffy\u2019s here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight, the great little Miss Slayette let him go again.\u201d She blinked at the blonde that was canvassing the area trying to find the vampire.<\/p>\n
Buffy swirled. \u201cI could’ve gotten him if you hadn’t thrown yourself in my way. What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia gulped. \u201cI was feeling better and wanted to meet Xander at the Bronze, if it\u2019s any of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLike that? Here?\u201d Buffy pointed to Cordelia\u2019s casual way too casual outfit.<\/p>\n
\u201cFashion is a ever changing thing, know it, learn it Summers and you just might be presentable.\u201d Cordelia hmmphed and turned. \u201cShould I even ask you to walk me back to my car.\u201d She pouted to Xander, pulling her hair down from its ponytail spreading the long locks, hiding the skin that her collars didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Xander looked from the fuming slayer and to his waiting girlfriend. God, Cordy had gotten even better at doing that pouty seductive look.<\/p>\n
Angelus growled as watched from the tree branches above. His golden eyes focused on the brunette that latched her self onto the moron, acting helpless. She was a fake. He licked his lips as her dark hair tumbled past her shoulders, further securing the marks on her neck from view.<\/p>\n
Fool the moron, but couldn\u2019t fool him. Buffy and her gang of little fighters didn\u2019t have a clue who Cordelia really was. Angelus didn\u2019t either, but he thought maybe it was time for him to find out.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy?\u201d Xander asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you all right? That was Angelus.\u201d Xander whispered anxiously.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d Cordelia leaned up against her car, her eye watching the corners of the darkness for sight of the vampire. Damn. She\u2019d screwed up. The only thing she could hope was that Angelus\u2019 obsession with Buffy would distract him from any interest in the scene he witnessed earlier.<\/p>\n
Right and she was buying the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia turned to her teenage old boyfriend, gently cupping his face. \u201cThank you for saving me, you\u2019re really a wonderful person for a dork.\u201d She gently kissed him on the lips.<\/p>\n
Xander stood motionlessly as Cordy\u2019s car drove off. He\u2019d hoped for some major tongue gratitude and instead he got a sweet caring kiss that rocked him too his toes. He closed his eyes, his finger touching his lips. He could love that girl that just left him.<\/p>\n
He turned as Buffy and Willow ran up to him. Xander smiled at his best friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe just left?\u201d<\/p>\n
Xander nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe yelled at you, didn\u2019t she? Damn her, what was she doing out here in the first place?\u201d Buffy grouched. \u201cDid you see what she was wearing?\u201d<\/p>\n
Xander blinked. \u201cShe didn\u2019t yell, Cordy thanked me.\u201d He gave another dazed smile and walked away from the cemetery.<\/p>\n
Angelus dropped from the trees. Okay. That was sickening. What did he know about Cordelia Chase? And why hadn\u2019t he ever noticed that she had legs that went on forever and a body that made men cry\u2026.and thick dark rich hair, that begged to have fingers entangled in its mass.<\/p>\n
Angelus frowned. He didn\u2019t like brunettes, did he? That question was washed away with the need to know what vampire touched and claimed her.<\/p>\n
Part 13<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordelia leaned on her bed. She\u2019d bet dollars to doughnuts and the end of the world that she messed up earlier with Angelus.<\/p>\n
She incapacitated him and then saved him. But she couldn\u2019t let him see the marks and she couldn\u2019t take the chance that Buffy would kill him, either. Whether he remembers who she was or not, she was noticed and that wasn\u2019t a good thing.<\/p>\n
Cordelia groaned. She was beginning to think the best thing to do was just leave Sunnydale. Once out of sight, Angelus\u2019 momentary notice would be focused back on Buffy. And history could go on. Cordelia could hide out in LA for the next couple of years, then go to Margo\u2019s party, and \u2018run\u2019 into Angel.<\/p>\n
There wasn\u2019t much that she had done to help or save anyone in her last years of high school. And she could avoid the literally painful break up with Xander. That hadn’t seemed to effect Xander all that much, so what would it hurt to miss out on that little drama and well, she wasn’t the only student that helped blow up the school.<\/p>\n
Sure, Cordelia guessed that she had driven the Scoobies around alot. But if that were all it was, she’d leave Xander her car. He could be the Scooby chauffer.<\/p>\n
Her parents, shoot, she could just call them and tell them that she wanted to finish school in LA or somewhere. They wouldn\u2019t care and the money would run out soon enough. She would be alone. So what? She wouldn\u2019t be once the time came to meet up with Angel.<\/p>\n
Granted, she did not want to live through Doyle\u2019s death, the everlasting vision trip, Dennis\u2019 mom, the demon babies, and etc. again, but she could because in the end she would be with Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Fred and Lorne, wouldn\u2019t she?<\/p>\n
She startled at the sharp tap at her window. Against Cordelia’s better judgment she stood, pushing aside the curtains and opening the window. \u201cWhat do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus perched on the railing of the non-functional ornamental balcony. \u201cYou don\u2019t seem that surprised to see me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared coldly at the vampire, clutching her robe closer to her neck. \u201cThat\u2019s not really answering my question now is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus hopped down, standing on the narrow ledge provided. \u201cYou\u2019re not scared of me, why? Who protects you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia stared at the handsome face then started to laugh, tears falling as the gasps left her throat. \u201cScared of you? Yeah, reassure yourself- I am. Who protects me? Oh god that one\u2019s priceless.\u201d She laughed, brushing away the tears, trying to calm herself.<\/p>\n
Angelus growled. \u201cYou are marked, who did it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia gulped, the laugher dripping once again from her lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia coughed, brushing her hand against her eyes. \u201cSorry, that just is really\u2026funny\u2026and ironic coming from you.\u201d Cordelia shook her head regaining her composure. \u201cDid you want something or are you just here to make my night.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia started to laugh again raising her hand as she tried to calm herself again. \u201cMore with the funnies and the ironic stuff. You got to stop pushing my buttons or I\u2019ll pee in my pants.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus showed his demon.<\/p>\n
\u201cOooh scary, be even scarier if you could get to me. But, oh well, eek,\u201d Cordelia wiped the last of her laugher away, she didn\u2019t care anymore, she had decided, she would run and catch up with Angel later.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou aren\u2019t what you seem. I saw you. You can fight. That little trick to the neck is only known by vampire hunters.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOr vampires that have been hunted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one that marked you, who? Who is in my town? Who took you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTook me?\u201d Cordelia repeated indignantly. \u201cNo one \u2018took\u2019 me. I gave myself. Met a dangerously sexy vampire, blew me away. Really not much choice, just had to have him, he felt the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d Angelus growled leaning up as far as he good before the invisible barrier stopped him.<\/p>\n
Cordelia leaned close, licking her lips. \u201cA magnificent vampire that is capable of extraordinary acts, beautiful, mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angelus leaned back. \u201c I will know your secrets.\u201d He growled jumping.<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked out into the darkness. \u201cYou already do, just as I know yours. God, I hate you so much Angelus, will you ever just leave us in peace to be happy\u201d her sad voice choking finally in the sobs she had wanted to cry.<\/p>\n
Angelus stood as the teenagers crying words floated down. He really didn\u2019t understand, but he would.<\/p>\n