Chapter 2<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m bored.\u201d The tall dark vampire draped his long leg over the plush velvet armrest. \u201cMORTIMOR, I said, I AM BORED.\u201d<\/p>\n
A thin distinguished human walked into the great hall, his age anywhere between 40 and 60. His bony frame wrapped in an old styled black butler uniform. \u201cI heard, Master.\u201d Bowing at that figure lounging in antique chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, what are you going to do about it?\u201d Long well manicured fingers tapped firmly on a sinewy muscled thigh.<\/p>\n
Mortimer studied the dark vampire. His hair was pure black hanging straight and heavy down to his shoulders. The vampire\u2019s unnaturally pale face showed no evidence of his true years. The features were angular and aristocratic, striking in their youth and beauty. The eyes were as black as the hair, the full lips pulling down in a frown reflecting the vampire\u2019s ennui.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have a suggestion, Master?\u201d<\/p>\n
Count Dracula swung his leg back to the floor, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers tapping together underneath his chin. The vampire\u2019s eyes narrowed, his gaze cutting into the human. \u201cIf I did I wouldn\u2019t be bored or have to ask, now would I? Do you want to die, Mortimer?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTruthfully, Master, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula leaned back up resting his back against the chair. \u201cYou wound me, Mortimer. You do not find your service to me satisfying?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mortimer\u2019s gray eyes remained steady. \u201cAs satisfying as decades of torture and mental anguish can allow, Master.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMortimer, Mortimer, I haven\u2019t had to torture you in years. Has it been too long? You still haven\u2019t forgiven me for killing your wife and enslaving you, have you? Mortimer, that was a hundred years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c97, Master. And living beyond my natural life span has become tiring.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re tired? What about me? I have been alive a lot longer.\u201d Dracula jumped up from the chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaster, is it your desire for me to stake you to end your misery? I\u2019d be happy too.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula laughed, slapping the human on his back. \u201cSee, you still have your sense of humor. British dry wit, a must in a loyal servant. No, Mortimer, just find me something to do that will end this hateful tedium.\u201d Dracula sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s your birthday isn\u2019t it? That\u2019s what has gotten you in this mood.\u201d Mortimer sighed. Someday soon, maybe his master would just kill him, but it didn\u2019t look like it would be today.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, another year of boredom under my belt.\u201d Dracula went to the heavily draped window, peering out into the black night. \u201cTell me again why I came back here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the land of your birth, your eternal life, the soil beckons to you, the blood of your vassals flows through your veins calling you home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, really, why? It\u2019s boring here. And my VASSALS worship McDonald\u2019s more than me. Where has the fear gone, I ask you? I\u2019ll tell you, Big Macs, DVD players and Coca Cola. Disgraceful.\u201d Dracula turned on his servant. \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you remind me how boring it was here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe it was because your last attempt to find some excitement ended with you be driven out of the Hellmouth by the slayer. I agreed that it was best that you leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDRIVEN OUT, I was not driven out by that child. I left. The appeal of slayers has been way overrated. She was boring.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, Master.\u201d Mortimer bowed again. There had been a moment there in the end that Mortimer actually thought that the Slayer would succeed in killing the vampire. But it was not to be. Mortimer should have known, his good fortune seemed to have left him 97 years ago, when he announced the dark Count\u2019s presence at the ball given by his then employer, the Baroness Rothschild.<\/p>\n
The vampire’s attention was not only focused on Mortimer\u2019s lovely employer, but on him. It seemed that Dracula was impressed by his skills as a butler. It seemed his last human servant had gone completely insane at the Count\u2019s torture and manipulations and ended up in an asylum where he did nothing but eat flies, spiders and birds. After several weeks of delicate and dark seduction the Baroness ended up as a vampire and after torture and mind manipulation, Mortimer as Renfield\u2019s replacement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy have you disturbed me, Mortimer, if it is not to relieve my weariness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve received a fax from the Baroness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula rolled his eyes. \u201cDisappointing childe. I\u2019d hoped that her aristocratic breeding would follow onto her undead life. But, no. She\u2019s become just as common as the rest of the world. But, at least I found you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor that I am eternally grateful, Master.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally, Mortimer, sarcasm? I expect better from you. What does my childe want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wishes to hold a gala for your birthday. It seems that Hollywood is once again attempting to tell your legend. The Baroness feels that it\u2019s premiere would be an excellent time to prepare a magnificent tribute in your honor. She has all the preparations planned, all she waits for is your permission.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnother one.\u201d Dracula went back to his chair. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Mortimer, they\u2019re always so disappointing. They never capture the true me and I always end up dead. Bela Lugosi, do I look like Bela Lugosi, do I?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaster, you did allow Stoker to change your appearance and you did give approval on the death scene.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cApproval? I let that drunken Irishman convince me that the book would be better received if good triumphed over evil. I hate the Irish. Never met one that was not uncouth. There was this vampire, Irish. Arrogant, rude. Never gave me the proper respect. And he had such a lovely sire, beautiful childe- a bit insane, but beautiful. Never understood their loyalty to him or to the other one. What was his name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Irish vampire?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, the other one. It was a silly common name, Pole, Post, Nail\u2026No. Spike, that\u2019s it. Seems he liked to impale his victims with railroad spikes. Vulgar. Impaling victims was d\u00e9class\u00e9 by the 16th century. He still owes me money. Oh well, with their violent and insolent behavior, I imagine they\u2019ve been long dust.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t kill them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe? Spike wasn\u2019t worthy of my time or energy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Irish one?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula narrowed his eyes at Mortimer. \u201cAngelus\u2026It was enough that I ran him out of London. Arrogant nobody. Born in a barn, I am sure. All brawn no brain, probably could not even read.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngelus? I\u2019ve heard of him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula scowled. \u201cYes, he may have gotten a small reputation. Scourge or something or another of Europe. He had no style or class. A peasant. Reveled in the blood. I imagine the numbers of his kills were exaggerated. He was an arrogant bastard. Very disrespectful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAgain, you didn\u2019t kill him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dracula eyes became hooded and his voice cold. \u201cI explained it was enough for him to go running from London. Don\u2019t question me, Mortimer. I give you latitude, but always remember what you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mortimer bowed. The Count still had some issues with the other vampire. Mortimer had never seen that before. Was it merely that Angelus was uncouth and a disgrace or was it because Dracula couldn\u2019t defeat him, not completely? The answer would remain unknown.<\/p>\n
Mortimer had heard of Angelus, he also heard that Angelus had disappeared from the vampire community in the later part of the 19th century or was it the early part of 20th. Either way, the Irish vampire\u2019s dust must\u2019ve been scattered to the four winds; that was the only explanation for the sudden disappearance of the Scourge of Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaster, your answer to the Baroness?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, anything is better than here. We\u2019ll go, make the arrangements.\u201d Dracula fell back into his chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Master.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter 3<\/b><\/p>\n
Angel stopped in the doorway of his suite. Cordelia was curled up sleeping in the chair by Connor\u2019s bassinet.<\/p>\n
How right Lorne was. Angel couldn\u2019t deny it anymore. Angel loved her and he had absolutely nothing to offer her. Angel had started to tell Cordelia about the new direction of his feelings, but he had been interrupted by the appearance of Groo. And afterwards, he couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
His courage was gone and the hopelessness of his feelings became paramount. Cordelia had made it clear that she didn\u2019t think of Angel has nothing but a friend. Even when she came to the conclusion that Groo was not who she loved, her attitude towards the vampire remained the same.<\/p>\n
Well. Sort of. She had started bringing up Angelus more. Cordelia\u2019s every word about his soulless self brought up even more of a barrier to Angel\u2019s desire to express his feelings for the young woman. There was some part of Angel that wondered if she was doing it on purpose, reminding them both without acknowledging or saying the words that a relationship other than that of friends would be impossible between the vampire and his seer.<\/p>\n
Angel almost wished he could believe that, because that would mean Cordelia had at least thought of the possibility, but Angel didn\u2019t believe it. Cordelia had been so adamant that they forget everything that happened at the Ballet. She had Pfft it away as nothing.<\/p>\n
But it had been something, not them, but still them together, kissing, feeling. Angel sighed and picked up Cordelia placing her on his bed. She stirred as he pulled her shoes off and tucked a blanket around her. \u201cAngel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young woman moved more trying to sit up. \u201cI fell asleep.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe never woke up. Since when has Connor slept through the night?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe does that when\u2026well when you are here with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t get my Blurslurp.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen go back to sleep, I\u2019m sure he will oblige in the morning.\u201d Angel settled into the chair next to the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d she patted the empty side of the bed. \u201cI won\u2019t bite, promise.\u201d She smiled as she closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into the bed.<\/p>\n
Angel knew he shouldn\u2019t but they had fallen asleep before together on his bed, granted Connor was present between them. But that had been wonderful. Angel remembered waking, relishing the heart beats and warmth of the most important humans ever in his life or undead life lying next to him.<\/p>\n
Cordelia had just awakened mumbling something about morning breath and Angel needing a bigger bed or Connor would get smooshed the next time.<\/p>\n
Angel had ignored everything, but the words the \u2018next time\u2019. He had started to look for a new bed soon after. But then Groo. Angel never got a bigger bed.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Cordelia stretched and looked up. \u201cHe\u2019s awake.\u201d She fumbled for her shoes, her hands reaching for the baby in Angel\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want\u2026\u201d Cordelia giggled as Connor made a small noise and sucked his lips at her, his tiny fingers grabbing for her hair as she cradled him to her chest. \u201cGood morning sweetheart, my big tiny guy\u201d she murmured against the soft down of Connor\u2019s head. Cordelia looked up beaming at Angel. \u201cAnd good morning to you, my other big guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s smiled wishing her words were true.<\/p>\n
Chapter 4<\/b><\/p>\n
A week later:<\/p>\n
Angel looked up from his desk. He scooted back in his chair; he looked to the empty space behind Cordelia. If he was really quick, he could be out of the lobby in an instant.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t even think it.\u201d Cordelia sat on the corner of the desk.<\/p>\n
Angel moved further away, but stayed in his chair. He didn\u2019t like her look. It was the one that foretold her asking him to do something he just didn\u2019t want to do for her. Cordelia had the same look when she asked him to help her have sex with Groo.<\/p>\n
He still couldn\u2019t understand that one. Angel was very proud of the fact that he hadn\u2019t taken her then, marking her as his and then killing Groo. For a brief moment, every demon instinct in his dead body cried for that. But he hadn\u2019t. Angel just stammered and stumbled over his words.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t even know what he had said; the red blaze of rage and the blackness of fear so clouded his mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to.\u201d Angel felt somewhat safe with that statement. Groo was gone, so she couldn\u2019t be asking him about finding her sex with someone else. Could she?<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t even know what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that look. And I don\u2019t want to. So just don\u2019t ask. We\u2019ll both be happier.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to make you happy, Angelus remember? So, listen up. I won two tickets to a premiere of a new movie. I was the fifth caller with the right answer. It\u2019s at the Commodore, that old theater they been working on for like forever near the Boulevard. Supposedly, quite swanky with old style charm. Whatever. But, the movie premier and the grand opening are at the same time. And I want you to go with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel\u2019s thoughts stumbled over the happy- Angelus thought and tried to concentrate on what Cordelia was asking. A movie? That wasn\u2019t so bad.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? Great. I thought you would be all growly and hard to convince.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI like movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrue. But, you seem to have a problem with Dracula. And that\u2019s the movie. Great, pick me up at 7:00 and wear your tux, there\u2019s a party afterwards. It\u2019s dress up.\u201d She ran out of the room.<\/p>\n
Chapter 5<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are the odds, Dennis?\u201d Cordelia gnawed on her lip as she contemplated the red long gown, its price tag still firmly attached.<\/p>\n
The formal dress Cordelia wore to the ballet floated in the air, the absence of the price tag obvious.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was just a fluke, a weirdness\u2026oh, who am I kidding. Flukiness and weirdness are my life.\u201d Cordelia slumped on the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, Dennis, I checked out the Commodore. No history of mysterious supernatural happenings, no tormented lovers vanishing or dying. So, the odds are in my favor that there won\u2019t be a repeat of the ballet. So, the odds are that this dress.\u201d Cordelia held up the red strapless gown. \u201cCan be returned tomorrow. Right? I mean, it\u2019s a movie premiere, who can we possibly end up having to fight. Don\u2019t answer that.\u201d Cordelia slumped down on the bed.<\/p>\n
Dennis floated up the new garment\u2019s price tag. \u201cI know. It\u2019s even more expensive. But, Dennis, I can\u2019t wear that one.\u201d Pointing to the dress the ghost was still bobbing in the air. \u201cAngel\u2019s already seen me in it.\u201d Cordelia scrunched up her face. \u201cAnd out of it.\u201d Mumbling to herself.<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t wear that dress. Angel in his tux looking gorgeously the same as he had at the ballet. Her looking the same. It would be like begging for something similar to happen and that wasn\u2019t ever going to happen again. And that dress had been pretty easy to get off.<\/p>\n
The red one might look like it, but the back was attached by tiny little buttons, it would take forever to get undone and the bodice may look like it may fall at anytime but actually it was pretty secure with a built in bra that locked the dress in place. That dress wouldn\u2019t be doing anything that night but staying up and on.<\/p>\n
Cordelia looked at the red dress on the bed. \u201cI\u2019ll risk it. I may not be able to afford food for the next year, but I\u2019ll risk it. You gotta have hope, Dennis or what’s the point.”<\/p>\n
The difficult decision made, Cordelia walked barefoot to the bathroom. Cordelia didn\u2019t even pause as the phone rang for the fifth time. She turned on the faucet of the tub drowning out Angel\u2019s voice coming through the answering machine.<\/p>\n
She had stopped bothering to listen to his constant messages after the second one. The first had been waiting for her when she got home.<\/p>\n
The first had been demanding, telling her that neither she nor he was going to the movie premiere. The second was still authoritative, but with an added whine for her to pick up. The rest of the messages Cordelia hadn\u2019t bothered with.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Cordelia fluffed up the curls that framed her face with quick fingers. She glanced behind her watching the buttons of the dress close. \u201cThanks, Dennis.\u201d Cordelia finished applying her lipstick.<\/p>\n
The last message from Angel came at exactly 6:30pm. He had said- his voice firm that he wouldn\u2019t be there to pick her up that he wasn\u2019t going to a stupid movie about an asshole vampire. Cordelia was just going to have to deal with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cNecklace or no.\u201d She said to her reflection. The lid of her jewelry box closed. \u201cNo, then.\u201d She looked at the clock. It was 6:59 pm. \u201cAll, I can say is, Angel better just appreciate that I\u2019m early.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia went to the door as it knocked exactly one minute later.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t answer your phone or call me back.\u201d Angel strode past her.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo reason to, you made your position clear. By the way, you look very nice. I see you got the drool off.\u201d Angel did look nice. More than nice. Wow. Drool worthy all over again.<\/p>\n
Angel pulled at his tux jacket and finally looked at her. His jaw dropped. Angel had thought she looked gorgeous the night of the ballet, but she hadn\u2019t not really, this night she was glorious. His eyes grazed over her, not knowing where to stop.<\/p>\n
The dress was a deep red, the bodice snuggly wrapped around her perfect breast. Angel could say that. He had seen them and touched and tasted them. They were perfect. The dress fell straight down hugging the swell of her hips only to flare out at the hem. Delicate bright red toes peeked out from the confines of strappy red sandals. His eyes raced back up to her face. Her hair was full, framing her beautiful face with wild curls. Angel gulped. He wanted to run his fingers through them.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes your silence mean you approve or disapprove?\u201d Cordelia turned for him.<\/p>\n
Buttons, a lot of tiny little buttons graced the back of the dress. Angel liked buttons. He had always had fun undoing them.<\/p>\n
Fangs were good for things other than feeding. Angelus had gotten the skill down to a science. Darla had hated to have the tiny pearl buttons of her dresses replaced. He never tore them unless he wanted to. And Angel knew that like all of his other skills developed as Angelus that one remained. As did the appeal of the tiny objects, especially when they hinted at the promise of Cordelia\u2019s hidden flesh.<\/p>\n
His eyes reached back to her face as Cordelia completed her slow full circle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell? Pretty, gorgeous, sexy, at least not a disgrace?\u201d<\/p>\n
Angel gulped. \u201cUm\u2026.all of them?\u201d Angel had to get his thoughts straight. He couldn\u2019t have his coat draped over his groin the entire night. Then he saw Cordelia move again. He wished she would stop doing that.<\/p>\n
Cordelia clutched at the shawl Dennis gently draped over her bare shoulders. \u201cThanks, Dennis.\u201d She brightly smiled to Angel. \u201cReady?\u201d Reaching to crook her arm with his, completely oblivious to Angel\u2019s awkward step in her direction.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Cordelia pulled Angel away from the direction of his car. \u201cThere.\u201d She pointed to a black limousine.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy car is over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes and it will be fine there. The radio station called- ticket winners get a limo to take them to the theater and VIP entertainment. I answered that call.\u201d Cordelia smiled and laughed. \u201cCome on, Angel. No driving. Just sitting back and relaxing. It will be fun. It has a sunroof and a bar. I asked for details.\u201d Cordelia pulled the vampire to the stretched out car.<\/p>\n
Angel looked back at his convertible. He hated just leaving it. But nothing had ever happened to it yet when left outside Cordelia\u2019s apartment. He glanced at his seer. Angel thought or rather hoped it had been just the dress, but it wasn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
And he knew that- in sweats, dirty covered with slime, laughing, crying, mainly just by being, Cordelia was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his 250 years. It was her, her spirit. It pushed her beyond the label of just being beautiful; it made it almost painful to look at her. Lorne had been right. Cordelia had become the most extraordinary woman.<\/p>\n
Champion, she may be, but she was also so damn human, so full of life.<\/p>\n
Angel sighed and nodded, leading her to the long black car that she had pointed too. He had already given in. Hell. Angel had given in as he yelled for her and left those messages. Angel had called and told her that he wasn\u2019t coming, but that first call had been made from the dry cleaners where he picked up his tuxedo. Angel had called from Caritas as he begged Lorne to watch Connor for the night.<\/p>\n
He had called again, while Fred and Gunn waited patiently as he finished telling them again when Lorne would be over and Connor\u2019s night schedule. Angel called one more time as he waited outside Cordelia\u2019s apartment until 7:00 pm.<\/p>\n
Angel had known that he would go as soon as Cordelia had left the hotel, but he had to keep trying. It was the principle of the thing. Angel wasn\u2019t sure what principle, but it sounded good. All Angel really knew was that he couldn\u2019t let Cordelia go alone or with someone else or have her sit waiting for him.<\/p>\n
So, when she didn\u2019t answer any of his calls, Angel went- like he knew he would from the beginning, but he had tried, sort of.<\/p>\n
It could\u2019ve worked.<\/p>\n