Double or Nothing

Author: Lysa Whitmore

Parts: 41 - 45

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~Part: 41~

Giles stood behind the counter in the library attempting to get a little work done despite the sudden appearance of his visitor. He’d had to glance at his watch to confirm the time was actually just after two in the afternoon. Whatever was bothering the vampire, it did not seem to concern him that he was strolling about during the day. Not that the sun had stopped his previous incarnations from getting into trouble, the Watcher considered the fact.

“Are you going to get to the point of your visit or are you simply demonstrating the latest pacing technique?” Giles asked him as Angel followed an invisible trail back and forth in front of the desk.

“I’m upset,” growled Angel with an economy of words. Stopping short in front of the Watcher, he put his hands on the countertop gripping the edge as if it might come off if he put any more effort into it.

“No need to take it out on school property,” Giles raised an eyebrow and nodded in the direction of his hands.

Angel shoved his hands in his pants pockets.

“Should I guess why you’re here in the middle of the day or are you planning to tell me?”

Sarcasm…Angel hated it when the Watcher used that tone with him. There was no use in arguing about it. That was the problem. He’d had arguments up to his eyeballs lately and it was starting to get to him. Through clenched white teeth, Angel revealed his problem, “Cordelia.”

“Ah.” No surprise there. Giles fought off the urge to roll his eyes in true Cordelia fashion. The vampire would think Cordelia was his most immediate problem, but Giles had another opinion. “You lack focus, Angel.”

Questioning Giles’ meaning, Angel’s eyes closed into narrow slits of suspicion. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Rup?”

Ignoring the hated nickname, Giles set aside his task of stamping return dates on library books and gave Angel his full attention. “As the Moirae’s new champion, you lack a certain focus on your work. Frankly, Xander has more discipline than you have shown the past two weeks. All of your attention is elsewhere.”

“Cordelia,” nodded Angel without apologizing for the fact. As far as he was concerned, that was where his focus should be.

“Yes,” Giles agreed that Cordelia was a major distraction. The brunette was obviously still mourning the loss of her mate while Angel’s frustration with the matter grew by leaps and bounds. All Giles could do was counsel the vampire to be patient and to try to focus on fighting the forces of darkness here in Sunnydale.

Noting the tight clenching of the muscles of Angel’s jaw, Giles opted for the easier topic of conversation. “Buffy reported your activities during patrol last night.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Angel inquired with an irritable look on his face. He was not here to discuss Buffy Summers or the routine patrol through Restfield Cemetery.

“Obviously, I am referring to your lack of initiative in stopping those two vampires last night,” Giles looked flummoxed at the idea.

Two vampires? Angel thought back to the previous night. Patrol had been boring— very. The appearance of two young vampires strolling along the sidewalk hand in hand was a bit of a distraction. Buffy had started after them only to have Angel stop her.

“They were just scrawny kids,” Angel commented with a dismissive shrug. “Hardly worth the effort.”

Giles glared harshly. “Those kids made their way to the Bronze. If Buffy had not trailed after them, they might have been successful in killing someone. She informed me that you decided patrol was boring and went back to the mansion to be with Cordelia.”

Making no apologies for prioritizing his time the way he saw fit, Angel reminded Giles, “Cordelia is the reason I’m here. If you want me to focus on killing demons and helping Buffy protect the Hellmouth then I suggest you help me.”

With a deep sigh, the Watcher realized he wasn’t getting out of this one. He had tried his best to stay out of Angel and Cordelia’s personal business. Unfortunately, it now seemed to be interfering with Angel’s duties. That worried Giles more than he wanted to admit to himself. Everyday in the back of his mind, he reviewed what the Moirae revealed about their champion.

What plagued him the most was the fact that Angel could easily slide from fighting the Good Fight to following a darker path bound to the evil side of his nature. Somehow, the Moirae had made Cordelia a key to Angel successfully navigating one path versus the other. Each passing day added further doubts in Giles’ mind that Angel was currently on the path he needed to be for it seemed that the longer Cordelia rejected his suit the more disinterested Angel became with taking up the mantle of a champion of justice.

“How may I help you, Angel?”

“Call Cordelia out of class. Bring her here. I want to talk to her,” Angel certainly looked determined to do so.

“Why?”

“Because I want to see her,” Angel answered as he started up with the pacing again. “I was asleep when she left for school this morning. There are— issues I need to talk to her about.”

Giles hesitated to ask. “Issues?”

“Yes, dammit,” Angel certainly wasn’t going into all of the details with the Watcher. “Issues. The primary one being that the Ice Queen turns into a raging harpy whenever we’re together.”

“And yet I’m supposed to pull her out of class so she can do so right here in my library?” Giles seriously doubted that was a good idea, adding, “Surely harpy is a rather harsh description.”

Angel paused and turned to him with a meaningful stare. “You obviously haven’t had to live with her for the past couple of weeks.”

To be perfectly honest, Giles had witnessed some of the behavior that Angel referred to and had to agree that Cordelia was less than pleasant. When that cool veneer cracked, it did so with a vengeance. He tried to find something positive to tell the vampire.

“Cordelia is trying to help you acclimate yourself,” Giles commented. “She brought you here and introduced you to everyone.”

Reminding him, Angel countered with, “You called the Scooby meeting and made the introductions.”

“Oh, well, perhaps so,” Giles admitted reluctantly, “but she stayed with you instead of leaving. Cordelia certainly could have done that as there is nothing officially tying her to the mansion except for her place within the Order of Aurelius.”

The low rumble in Angel’s chest suggested that was probably not the best thing to remind the vampire about. “You think she’s getting used to me? Accepting me?”

Giles could almost hear the implied pfft accompanying his expression.

“One afternoon— it was that second day— I went down to the kitchen to warm some blood,” Angel explained. “I was hungry. Cordelia arrived home from school and saw that I was using Angelus’ coffee mug.”

“His mug?”

“She went wild,” Angel’s face showed a flash of the horror he felt. “Screamed at me like a banshee and stormed out of the house.”

“Perhaps it’s only natural for her to be protective of the things that belonged to her mate, especially something so familiar.” Giles felt his heart go out to Cordelia. “Obviously, she returned. Probably just needed some time to cool down and consider how unimportant it was in the larger scheme of things.”

Angel leaned up against the counter. “Cordelia went shopping. For three hours. She came back with every basic necessity known to man and vampire including several mismatched mugs and seven pairs of pajamas.”

“Perhaps Cordy was trying to make up for yelling at you,” came the innocent suggestion, “by buying you presents.”

“I don’t wear pajamas,” deadpanned Angel.

“Oh.”

This was exactly why Giles didn’t want to put his nose into their personal business. All topics no matter how remote and unrelated, such as a simple mug, always seemed to lead straight back to the bedroom. In a moment they’d be discussing Angel’s preference for not wearing pajamas to bed and the fact that Cordelia was uncomfortable with that situation hence that addition to the shopping spree.

“We negotiated,” Angel admitted the fact to the Watcher.

“So she let you keep Angelus’ mug?” Giles thought that was a bit of progress.

The vampire shook his head. “No. She took both of them, including my favorite— the one she gave me when mine broke.”

“Yours?”

Irritated that he had to make a differentiation between himself and Angel, he clarified, “Angel’s special mug. Cordelia took both of them and threw them in the trash.”

Giles mulled over the outcome. “So Cordelia would rather have you naked than drink from Angel or Angelus’ mugs?”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way,” Angel suddenly smirked at the idea. Maybe he’d won that argument after all, especially considering the fact that during the night Cordelia curled her luscious body around his sharing her warmth as she snuggled against him in her sleep.

Not that awakening with their limbs entwined and his morning erection pressed between them had provided such peaceful contentment. Cordelia’s clock radio was signaling time for her to get up and get ready for school. With a mumbled complaint, Cordelia was still caught between sleep and wakefulness as she snuggled even closer to the vampire in her arms.

Her lips opened up under his as Angel kissed her awake. It was then that the Ice Queen returned staring up at him from their lip-locked position with that patented glare. Angel chose to ignore the look, merely telling her good morning and placing another brief kiss on her soft lips before letting her systematically detach herself from his arms.

“Have you made any effort to—uh, break the ice so to speak?” asked Giles. “Cordelia is not likely to pick things up where they left off with Angelus no matter how much you’d like that to happen.”

“It could if Cor would just see the truth and accept it,” Angel dragged his thoughts out of their bed and back to the present.

Giles sighed. “This isn’t as simple or easy to understand from her point of view. What have you done to make this transition easier?”

“What have I done?” Angel couldn’t believe that he was the one expected to make things easier. After a moment of staring at the Watcher in silent irritation, he confessed, “I’ve tried every damn thing I can think of to give Cordelia all of the space and patience I can allow. My patience is wearing a little thin at the moment.”

“Well, I know that Cordelia was concerned about your continued…attentions,” Giles was trying to phrase it delicately. The sexual tension between the pair was only escalating to the point that it was noticeable whenever they were together. He had to admire Angel’s self-restraint considering his vampiric nature and admitted to some surprise that he had not forced the issue long before now.

Angel let out a dark laugh at the Englishman’s stammering over that particular topic. “If Cordelia was around more, I might have more opportunity to attend to her. She has been avoiding me like the plague. Uses every excuse she can think of to stay away from me and only comes back home once the sun has set.”

No wonder the vampire was aggravated, thought Giles sympathetically. It was one thing for Cordelia to avoid intimacy, but she didn’t need to avoid all contact with the Moirae’s champion. Socially isolating him could actually create the situations that pushed Angel toward his darker tendencies.

“So she’s yours from dusk until dawn,” Giles murmured.

“Don’t make it sound like a bloody Tarantino movie,” Angel growled at him despite the fact that Angelus had adored that particular horror film. It was not something comparable to his relationship with his mate. Not that she was his mate at the moment— that was the problem. “Cordelia is back at the mansion after dark, but as for being mine…pfft! Don’t get me started.”

“Go home, Angel,” Giles encouraged. “Cordelia is in class and we shouldn’t interrupt her for something that is likely to turn into brouhaha. Focus on what you’ll do tonight. Why don’t you try to be helpful? Offer to assist with her homework.”

The vampire only laughed as if the idea itself was akin to evil itself. “Help Cordelia with her homework? You think I haven’t tried that one during the last two weeks? Let’s just say she refused my help.”

“What was the subject? Perhaps it was something she thought you might not understand.” Giles figured there were few subjects on Cordelia Chase’s schedule of which the vampire was not knowledgeable, but it was best to leave that possibility open.

“World history,” Angel returned smoothly, his eyes black with inner rage at the memory of his own interest in helping her followed by Cordelia’s quick retort. What did she care if the subject was Europe in the 1800s? Did it matter if he was there when his perspective was that of a vampire?

Angel reminded her that the perspective in question was that of Angelus. Did she want to know that? Upon revealing this to Giles, he saw the Watcher flinch in reaction echoing Cordelia’s initial response. “I shouldn’t have mentioned Angelus.”

“No,” agreed Giles quickly. “Perhaps you should refrain from mentioning Angelus until Cordelia comes to terms with the idea that you have his memories.”

“They’re my memories, Rupert. All of them. Mine. I’m tired of pussyfooting around allowing Cordelia to pretend that I’m a total stranger.”

Oh, dear. Giles figured the vampire’s sudden appearance in the middle of the school day did not bode well for maintaining the peace. “If offering your help has been taken the wrong way, perhaps you are making too much of an effort to please her. Women can be a bit contrary that way.”

“I know women, Rup,” Angel forestalled his advice bringing his hand down hard on the counter. “That’s why I’m here. So I suggest you call Cordelia out of class before I start looking for her.”

“T-That’s not a very good idea, Angel,” Giles rushed to convince him. “Nothing can be done to change Cordelia’s mind about your relationship that wouldn’t better be done at home. In private surroundings.”

Angel’s mouth twisted into a smirk. “What did you think I was planning? Seduction in the hallway? Sex in the bookstands? Borrowing Snyder’s desk— or yours.”

“Lord, I hope not.” Giles had the decency to blush when he realized the vampire was only joking. “You should try to focus on the future, Angel. On the simple everyday things. She can’t find fault with that.”

“What about last Tuesday?” Angel asked him referring to their research session right here in the library.

“Good point,” Giles muttered suddenly feeling that the vampire wasn’t being given much of a change to make good.

Cordelia and Angel were researching the latest threat when it so happened that they both needed to browse through the Navlix Compendium of Demonology at the same time. The ensuing stare-off quickly resulted in a battle of verbal ping-pong. At its conclusion, Angel and Cordelia were separated by the table and gazing hotly into each other’s eyes, while the Compendium lay in two parts between them.

“Fortunately that was only a copy and not the original,” Giles gritted his teeth and tried not to show his anger over the incident. “Can’t you just let Cordelia have her way for a while? Be the mature one. Treat her with kindness.”

What the hell did Rupert Giles think he was doing if not giving Cordelia her way? “Yesterday, for example,” Angel pointed out to him, “I brought her breakfast in bed.”

“That’s nice,” Giles smiled at the vampire’s decision. “Good thinking.”

Angel leaned across the space of the counter. “She threw it at me.”

His smile faded as Giles gaped in return. “Threw it at you?”

“Cordy actually accused me of trying to win her affections with my cooking, said she was not hungry and threw the pancakes at me,” Angel’s eyes narrowed at the memory.

“You didn’t do anything else to set her off? It just seems a bit much even for Cordelia.”

“I kissed her good morning like I always do,” Angel shrugged. “Hardly enough to merit having her breakfast thrown in my face.”

Angel had shoved the breakfast tray onto the end of the bed as he climbed in next to her. His fury was enough to send Cordelia diving for an escape route on the opposite side of the bed, but he caught her half way there tossing her onto her back and towering above her as his knees dug into the mattress.

“What the hell are you playing at, Cordelia?” Angel remembered demanding an explanation.

“Get away from me, Angel. Stop trying to make me feel something that I don’t,” she spat the words at him. Breathing fast, her lush breasts heaved against the cotton tank top she wore that night, one half of her touch-me-not pajamas that provoked quite the opposite feelings and reactions from the vampire as the clinging cotton drifted up to bare her taut midriff.

“Your heart is racing, sweetheart,” Angel told her. “It’s not in fear. Shall I guess at what you’re feeling or will you tell me?”

“Anger.”

“What else?” The vampire wasn’t going to deny her anger. It was there beneath the surface of that Ice Queen exterior, the face she put on for him each day and presented to the world as Queen C. He knew better. Knew what lay under that icy expression. Angel knew the fire that existed inside her and would rather have it than nothing at all.

Cordelia glared hotly, her skin flushed and her pulse racing in her ears. “That’s all there is, Angel.

He watched her shiver under the weight of his stare, heard her pulse quicken, and sensed her arousal despite the vehement denial on her lips. “Stop lying to yourself, Cordelia. I’m not buying it. Neither should you.”

“There’s nothing else,” Cordelia sucked in a deep breath at the utter calm that came over the vampire above her. Like the eye of a dangerous hurricane providing a false sense of security, Angel made no move as Cordelia inched further away.

“Going somewhere?” Angel raised an eyebrow and contemplated all the things he wanted to do to Cordelia Chase before allowing her to leave his bed.

Not about to be intimidated, Cordelia narrowed her gaze into slits of fury. “School.”

“I think I deserve an apology before you go anywhere,” Angel told her as he barely contained the urge to paddle her bare ass until his hand was as hot and red as the flesh beneath it. He vaguely recalled suggesting the idea to her as an alternative.

“Never!” Cordelia spontaneously grabbed for the nearest weapon within reach.

Angel stared down at the bottle of Mrs. Butterworth syrup pointed in his direction. “You wouldn’t dare—”

SQUIRT

The sticky syrup dripped from Angel’s jaw down to his bare chest exposed beneath his gaping robe. Fascinated horror flashed in Cordelia’s gaze as it followed the trail of syrup slowly making its way down toward the dip of Angel’s navel. The vampire was too busy watching her subconsciously lick at her lips to care.

In the next moment he stormed her mouth with a kiss of such intensity that Cordelia only shuddered beneath him in response. Pulling up slightly, Angel met her gaze noting with satisfaction that lustful surprise had replaced the look of horror at what she had done. A smear of syrup now covered her chin; Angel lapped it up with a sweep of his cool tongue.

Then her hands were on his shoulders, the nails curling into his skin, but only to pull him closer. Angel let out a deep rumble at the sensation wanting more. Sliding his hand beneath her back, Angel pulled her up long enough to whip her cotton tank top over her head. Without giving her a chance to protest, he returned his mouth to hers meeting her suddenly hungry lips kiss for kiss.

Her breasts pressed firm and hot into his chest, the deep cleavage marked with the dark sticky syrup that had tasted so sweet on her skin. As Angel’s mouth left Cordelia’s, she let out a soft moan of protest soon followed by altering gasps and sighs as he worked his way down her throat to her rose-tipped breasts. Those hard little nipples begged for his mouth.

Cordelia rolled her head back on the mattress as Angel’s hands curled around her bare flesh. Those long skillful fingers playing their soft strokes across sensitive territory teasing and stoking her arousal to a fever pitch. Angel reveled in her response as he curled his tongue along the traces of syrup, whispered softly across the beauty of her lush curves and closed his mouth over one pebbled nipple teasing it with his teeth and tongue.

The boxers he had put on before going downstairs were tented with the hard proof of his arousal. It made itself known to the woman in Angel’s arms eagerly calling her attention to itself by pressing into her thighs. Before he could acknowledge the move, Angel felt Cordelia’s legs wrap around him as his erection was cradled against her through the thin layers of their clothes.

The connection even through that barrier served as a wake up call for Cordelia who gave a shriek and suddenly started to protest what was happening. “Angel! Get off of me. Now.”

Slowly, Angel lifted up to meet her panicked gaze. The fear was certainly showing now, but it wasn’t directed at him. Cordelia was scared of her own reaction. “You want me, baby. There’s no need to be afraid of it. Not of me. Not of this.”

Then he kissed her again, softly slanting his mouth across hers. Sliding his lips open and taking her bottom lip between his encouraging her to open up to him. Then his name formed on her lips and Cordelia spoke to him between kisses, “Angel.”

Her hands left his shoulders and her legs tightened around him as he rocked his hips into hers moaning at the sensation of his hard cock as it pressed closer to her heated core.

“Angel,” curling her fingers into his hair Cordelia alternately kissed and issued her protest at the same time, “I,” kiss, “want you,” kiss, “to stop.” Then she was kissing the hell out of him tangling her tongue with his as her fingernails dug into the back of his head.

Cordelia was hot and wet with arousal. Her hazel eyes glittered with it despite her voicing a demand to stop. Somehow, through his own haze of lust, Angel understood the meaning of her words if not the reason for them. “Let me make love to you, Cordelia,” the deep timbre of his voice dripped with sensual vibes as thick as the syrup clinging to their skin.

Then Angel recalled saying something that must have scared her. I want to be inside you, baby. My cock stroking into you. Deep inside. My fangs— the way you lick them makes me even harder. I want to taste you, sink into that warm tender flesh. Make you mine.”

Caught up in his fantasy, Angel didn’t see the look of fear flash across her face until it was too late. He bent down to claim her lips again only to feel Cordelia’s teeth latch onto his lower lip with a hard chomp. The pain combined with his lust to cause a reaction that only made things worse. His human visage vanished behind the face and form of his demon as the vampire appeared gazing lustfully upon his once and future mate.

“Oh dear God,” Giles gasped in horror wondering what Angel had done to Cordelia in return.

Angel realized suddenly, that he had been talking to Giles all along. The red flush across the Watcher’s cheeks suggested he had not been sparing of the details. “She bit me. Do you have any idea how difficult it was not to bite back?”

Relief poured from every nerve as Giles reacted to the news that Cordelia somehow managed to avoid the vampire’s bite. Considering the passion between the two, Giles doubted that she also escaped consummation of their relationship. It was something he saw as inevitable. The only question was whether Cordelia was going to be a willing participant or if the vampire would claim her without her permission. Her actions to steer his own. Her decisions to guide him onto a path of Good or Evil. Naturally, that had more to it than sex, he presumed, but certainly that was part of it.

Trying to subdue his own embarrassment, Giles inquired, “Did anything else happen?”

Angel gave him a wry look. “I let her go. Cordelia climbed out of bed and ran into the bathroom to get ready for school.”

“You let her go?” Giles was still stuck on that piece of information. Either the vampire had extraordinary control or he loved the girl beyond anything a vampire could ever normally experience. Stopping when he did must have taken an extreme act of will.

Now the vampire stood before him with gold rimming his dark brown eyes. “I won’t let it happen again, Rup.”

The words came out as a vow, but the Watcher remained confused. What wouldn’t Angel let happen again? “The food fight or Cordelia biting you?”

“Letting her go,” Angel clarified starkly.

“And this happened yesterday?” No wonder the vampire had been distracted on patrol last night.

Nodding his confirmation, Angel’s thought were already roving ahead to meeting up with Cordelia.

“What happened between then and now?” Giles’ curiosity overruled his own sense of minding his own business. He was so deep into their personal affairs that it no longer mattered whether that was appropriate or even sensible.

“The Ice Queen returned after her away game,” Angel reminded Giles the Razorbacks were playing the Palmdale Fighting Falcons for the last time that season. “The game ran into overtime. Bus was late in returning everyone to Sunnydale. Cordelia stayed late with the other cheerleaders. I was back from patrol before she arrived home.”

Giles didn’t really follow the football schedule. “I suppose she was tired coming home after such an exciting game.”

“There’s no need to make excuses for Cordelia,” Angel suppressed a growl of discontent. “She’s determined to hold me at arms length. This morning, I thought I’d try that one for myself.”

Seemed like a strange theory. How would holding Cordelia at arms length benefit Angel? Whatever happened this morning must have continued to bother the vampire, bringing him here this afternoon just to talk to Cordelia. His further inquiry brought only a mute stare from the vampire who eventually commented, “I think you’re stalling. Bring Cordy here or tell me where to find her.”

Angel’s patience appeared to be at an end. While Giles had to admit that this was not his business and that the vampire had dragged him into it, he could not do as Angel wanted without offering up some advice.

“Cordelia may be mature for her age, Angel. Certain life experiences have given her a different outlook on life compared to other seventeen year olds, but she is still only a teenager,” Giles gave him a harsh stare. “You have to be the mature one here. She is essentially a young woman dealing with the loss of her beloved mate.”

“Dammit, Rup, she hasn’t lost anything or anyone. I’m here,” Angel shoved a finger at his own chest.

The Watcher knew what he meant, but pointed out, “Cordelia cannot or will not accept that at the moment. No matter that Angelus is part of you or that you possess his form and memories, she knows you are also new to her. Perhaps that is something you also have to accept.”

“I know that, Rupert. Cordelia already knows it, but won’t admit the truth.” He felt the frustration rise up within him. “She can’t accept the change and is hiding behind the pain she’s refusing to let go.”

Giles sighed, removing his glasses only to put them on again immediately afterward as he preferred to keep Angel within sharp focus in front of him. No telling how the vampire might react to this discussion. “Because of the physical separation of Angelus and Angel, Cordelia came to know and love you as two unique beings.”

He paused, waiting for Angel to assimilate that information and accept it as fact. Those dark eyes stared back and silence fell between them. Giles continued when he was certain Angel was listening. “That did not happen overnight, Angel. It has only been two weeks. As Angelus, you brought Cordelia into a very complex adult relationship. Now you’re dealing with the fallout.”

Angel growled deep within his chest causing the hairs to raise on the back of Giles’ neck. He told the Watcher, “I didn’t come here for the I-told-you-so lecture.”

“I can’t stop you from doing what you want,” Giles told him. “Just remember that there are consequences. The Moirae have set you on a course with a divided path. Make certain you choose the right one, Angel.”

“Save the threats, Rup,” Angel responded as he met the Watcher’s sharp gaze. “Where is Cordelia?”

After a moment of contemplation, Giles decided to reveal Cordelia’s classroom location. It would only cause problems to deny the vampire the information easily picturing Angel traveling from room to room in search of the cheerleader. Snyder would be upon them in a matter of minutes.

“This is the fifth period,” Giles commented as he glanced at his watch. “Cordelia will be in her Literature class. Room 207. They’re studying—”

“King Lear,” Angel finished off as he swept out of the library with his coat billowing behind him.

The fact that Rupert Giles had Cordelia’s class schedule memorized did not really come as a surprise. Angel imagined the Watcher had pulled them out of class for Slayer-related projects on a number of occasions.

Avoiding the patches of direct sunlight pouring into the main hall, Angel headed up to the second floor in search of Room 207. This morning had been far worse than yesterday, he thought as he bounded up the stairs in the deserted hall. Yesterday, he had touched and tasted and all but taken what was his. Today had been about denying Cordelia something she didn’t even know she craved, thought her reaction to those syrupy kisses might have acted as a clue.

Inside Room 207, Cordelia was lost in thought again, her mind far from Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. All day long, she had been thinking about Angel. About the way she had kissed him yesterday morning and her body’s passionate reaction to his touch. He had been so determined to have her, yet he let her go.

Cordelia thought about what he might have done while she was locked in the bathroom to get all that aggressive sexual tension under control. Had he touched himself? Wrapped a hand around that hard tower of flesh and brought himself to a climax she had denied him? Or had he employed that iron will and simply forced himself to ignore his body’s needs?

He wasn’t even in the room when Cordelia had emerged from her shower to get ready for school. Relieved, she figured he had gone down to Angel’s old room to use the other shower. That had only cause thoughts of licking up that sticky syrup from his chest and dipping her tongue into the well of his navel and slurping up what had gathered there.

Was it any wonder that she’d been distracted at the game that night? Daydreaming about hot, sticky sex with a vampire she still thought of as a stranger— mostly. She’d been so angry at herself for thinking those things. So mad that she practically ignored Angel upon her return to the mansion.

Claiming to be tired, she had showered and dressed in a pair of her comfy cotton pajamas before climbing into bed. What surprised Cordelia the most was that she actually went to sleep not long after turning out the light. She had no clue when Angel came to bed, but found herself back in that familiar entwined position the next morning when her radio alarm musically signaled that it was time to get out of bed.

As always, Cordelia had continued to snooze lightly as the music played, her eyes closed and waiting for the vampire in her arms to stir. Angel always awakened her with kisses. It was an annoying habit considering that she didn’t want him touching her. Very annoying.

Only this morning, the vampire stayed asleep. He didn’t budge when the alarm went off and it was some time before Cordelia realized he wasn’t going to move. There was not going to be a wake up kiss this morning. Opening her eyes just enough to peek at him, she saw nothing on his handsome face to suggest he was not in a deep dreamless sleep. Hard to tell with vampires considering the not needing to breathe.

Slowly untangling herself from Angel’s arms, Cordelia slipped her leg out from between his pausing when she thought he was about to wake up. The vampire only shifted onto his back, the sheet falling down to his hips as his hand slipped down his taut belly.

Seeing him like this with his eyes closed made it so easy to imagine that it was Angelus at her side. That gorgeous face and hard male body within kissing distance. Only, Cordy knew that it was not her mate, nor was it Angel despite the fact that she called him by that name.

If I know it, why do I want his touch? His morning kisses? Cordelia lay upon her side watching Angel as he slept. Tempted, she was so tempted to lean over and press her mouth to his just for an instant. Just to claim the kiss she was now used to getting from him every day.

A flash of anger burst within her chest as Cordelia realized what she was thinking. What she nearly did of her own free will. Slipping out of bed with a speed that nearly caused her to lose her balance, she darted into the bathroom to get ready for school.

Irritated at herself, Cordelia had mumbled under her breath through getting dressed and putting on her makeup. The vampire continued to sleep through it all despite the fact that near the end she had purposefully started to make enough noise to wake the dead. Finally, it was time for her to go downstairs. She had fiddled around so long that there was no longer any time to stop for breakfast and she would have to hightail it to school in order to make the first bell.

Grabbing her purse, Cordelia slung it over her shoulder and trudged toward the door. She paused on the threshold, glancing over her shoulder at her still sleeping bedmate. It was back again— that damn temptation. Cordelia walked back to the edge of the bed standing there staring down at Angel and nibbling on her lower lip. All she had to do was lean over and brush her lips against his. No big.

Only Cordelia felt her pulse racing at the thought of initiating a kiss. Even one that he would never know she gave him. Her lips were tingling in anticipation as they hovered close to his.

Then sanity struck hard making Cordelia realize she shouldn’t be thinking of kissing the vampire who was the Moirae’s replacement for Angelus and Angel. Fleeing the bedroom, Cordelia had slammed the front door behind her on her way out of the mansion.

Driving to school like a maniac on wheels had not been fast enough to escape her own sense of betrayal or the realization that she enjoyed Angel’s kisses. The entire day had been a waste of time. She was so out of it that there was no interest in any new gossip much less learning something from her teachers.

Giles had passed the word around the teachers’ lounge that there had been a recent ‘death’ in Cordelia Chase’s family. They were all cutting her a little slack at the moment, but even Mrs. Petersen, literature and drama teacher, reacted in surprise as the door to her classroom swung open to reveal the tall young man in black. His eyes swept the room to find Cordelia who looked up at him in seeming shock at his presence.

“I need to speak with Cordelia,” Angel informed the teacher. “Family emergency.”

“Oh! Of course,” Mrs. Petersen rushed to comply with the request. “Go ahead, Cordelia. One of the other students will take notes for you.”

Willow raised her hand to volunteer, “I will.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Angel turned his gaze toward the redhead. He nodded in her direction simply acknowledging her presence as he waited for Cordelia to join him in the hall. There was a look of confusion and concern on her face as she emerged from the classroom, shutting the door behind her.

“What is it? My parents—?”

“Baby, no!” Angel rushed to reassure her. “They’re fine. I needed to see you. To get you out of class for a minute or two.”

Cordelia let out a sigh of relief, but quickly brought up her guard. “What is it, Angel?”

“You left today without something that belongs to you,” he told her.

Raising a hand to her throat, Cordelia felt cool metal of her golden choker. It was the only thing she could think of that Angel could be talking about.

Angel noted the direction of her thoughts, but continued by saying, “I wanted you to have it if you still want it.”

The fingers caressing her face curled to allow his thumb to brush along her lower lip hinting at the direction of his conversation. With a slow dawning, Cordelia realized he was referring to her missed morning kiss and then her heart was bounding in response. “You came here to kiss me?”

“That depends on whether you want it, sweetheart.” Angels stood close, but not quite touching as he moved his hand to the wall behind her. God knows he wanted it more than he should. Enough to come after her.

Cordelia knew she should be saying no. How hard could it be? No. No. No. Piece of cake. Easy as pie. Sticky as syrup.

She lifted a hand between them, planning to push at his chest, but found her hand curling into the lapel of his coat instead. Gazing up into those questing eyes, Cordelia whispered, “Good morning, Angel.”

“Sweetheart,” Angel covered her mouth with his kiss as he pulled her close into his arms. Neither one cared that it was no longer morning.

~Part: 42~

“No, I'll not weep:
I have full cause of weeping; but this heart
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws,
Or ere I'll weep. O fool, I shall go mad!”

Those words slammed full force into Cordelia’s heart as if meant specifically for her. Standing in the doorway of room 207, she glared at the burly football player whose stilted delivery of the lines to the rest of the class seemed to be the result of reading her mind rather than a passage from King Lear.

“Thank you, Larry,” Mrs. Petersen instructed her student to resume his seat though her gaze was full of concern and focused, like most of her students, entirely upon Cordelia Chase.

The brunette avoided further eye contact with her classmates, returning to her own seat. Answering her teacher’s query about the possibility of needing to go home with a simple shake of her head, Cordelia stemmed off any detailed questioning. The girl’s flushed appearance might be attributed to the emergent nature of the news given her by the tall man in black, the teacher presumed while moving ahead with the lesson plan. It might be forgiven that Cordelia’s attention wandered, her thoughts obviously not on the task at hand.

O fool, I shall go mad. Cordelia thought about that last line with disdain.

Surely she was the fool for kissing Angel that way. Giving in to desires that had no business existing. He left immediately afterward, not giving her time to think about what had happened. The vampire had kissed her until her body quaked with wanting more and then disappeared while her head was still reeling.

Omigod, how I wanted that kiss, Cordelia realized woefully that she had not only accepted that kiss, but reached out to take it.

Willow was dying with curiosity, but unfortunately was at the opposite side of the room from Cordelia whose seat was in the aisle nearest the windows. What in the world had brought Angelus here at this time of day? He actually dragged Cordelia out of class for all of ten minutes on the grounds of a family emergency. What family? There were Cordy’s parents, she supposed, suddenly growing more concerned.

Glancing at Cordelia over her shoulder, Willow tried to gauge the severity of the news given to the other teenager. Whatever it was, Cordelia appeared to be in a state of shock. Not much different than her appearance before Angelus showed up, only now her face was flushed instead of looking mannequin perfect.

There had not been much opportunity to talk to Cordelia during the last two weeks. Willow figured that the brunette was purposefully avoiding the rest of the gang. She obviously didn’t want to talk about Angelus and Angel merging into a single being. What Willow had observed from the few research sessions that Cordelia had deigned to attend suggested that the vampire and the cheerleader had a long, rocky road ahead of them if they were ever to develop the kind of relationship they had before.

Cordelia noticed Willow’s continued attention and did her best to ignore it. Could she guess the reason Angel had come to the school? Hope not. She didn’t want any of the Scoobies to know that she’d given in so easily. Outraged by her behavior, the sudden realization that she might want more frightened Cordelia to the core. Angel’s kisses were compelling and unique despite the recognizable feel of his mouth on hers.

Touching her still tingling lips, Cordelia knew that this attraction had nothing to do with Angel being her mate’s look-alike. There was just something compelling about him. Yes, there was a familiarity, but as much as she tried to push him away, she found herself aching in need. Wanting to be closer.

It’s not right. Cordelia stared out the window blindly watching the breeze as it rustled the leaves of the trees shading the courtyard below. I can’t do this.

The moment the bell rang, Cordelia was out of her seat and striding to the door. She had already blocked out the path to her car in her head planning to avoid all contact with Mr. Snyder who roamed the halls in the afternoons or with well-meaning friends who couldn’t seem to leave her alone.

Speaking of…

“Cordelia?” The redhead blocked her way out of the room having executed a swift move around linebacker Larry to get to the opening before she did.

“Not now, Willow.”

“Cordy,” whined Willow with pleading eyes. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“I have to go home,” Cordelia told her distractedly.

Willow let out a concerned gasp. “Did Angelus bring you bad news?”

Cordelia winced visibly at the use of her mate’s name in reference to the Moirae’s champion. She’d gotten used to calling him Angel, but using the formal version of his name was still off-limits as far as Cordelia was concerned. Snapping at the redhead, “No. He came to kiss me good morning.”

As her jaw fell open, Willow wondered if Cordelia was trying to hide the truth from her. Besides, “It’s already afternoon.”

“So what? I’m going home, Willow. I need him,” Cordelia’s hurried words tumbled out of her mouth as she pushed passed the witch.

Willow followed as fast as her shorter legs would carry her. “C-Cordelia, do you think it’s really a good idea to ditch school just to— to…well, you know— with Angelus?”

Coming to a halt in the middle of the hall, Cordelia turned to face Willow whose face was almost as flaming red as her hair. “What?”

“I said—”

“I heard you the first time, Will,” Cordelia’s cool response sounded. “Whatever gave you the idea that I was going home just to have sex? With him?”

Thinking over the brunette’s words, Willow didn’t see how she could be mistaken. “You said so.”

“Did not.”

“You said you needed him,” Willow pointed out.

Cordelia had no recollection of saying that. “I need to talk to him, just talk. Do you get that?”

Nodding vehemently despite not believing a word of it, Willow babbled, “T.A.L.K. Talking, as in producing an exchange of information, conversation, chatting, speaking, verbal intercourse— eep!”

That last word wasn’t quite what Willow intended to come out of her mouth, so she let out an embarrassed peep and clamped it shut.

Stalking over to her locker, Cordelia twisted the dial on the lock and yanked the door open. Tossing her haggard copy of King Lear inside, she pulled out her purse and her brown leather jacket. “Think what you want, Will. I’m going home. That vampire of mi— Angel and I have things to discuss.”

Cordelia felt Willow’s curious eyes on her all the way to the exit. Managing to drive off the school grounds without getting caught by that nosey troll Snyder was akin to a miracle. She tried not to speed, to give herself time to think about what happened and how she was going to tell Angel that it couldn’t happen again.

The idea itself caused her heart to ache, but Cordelia simply wasn’t prepared to let her head in on the secret that her body already understood.

Assuming that staying through the remainder of class and driving home slowly had given Angel plenty of time to get back to the mansion, Cordelia expected to find him inside. Proving her right, the sound of the television cut off abruptly as soon as she shut the door behind her and the clickety-clack of her heels echoed across the foyer floor. Pausing to toss her keys on the table, Cordelia removed her jacket and set it down as well.

Angel was already expectantly looking in the direction of the living room doorway when Cordelia appeared. She lifted her hands and held onto the doorframe as if needing steady support. The move only managed to accentuate the curves beneath the brown cashmere sweater and Angel found her too tempting a picture as his suddenly hot gaze trailed down the length of her perfect form.

“You’re home early,” Angel commented distractedly. She certainly hadn’t waited until after dark to return. “Is school even over for the day?”

“No. I left,” Cordelia admitted without apology. Nor was she about to come right out and tell him that the reason she was here was because of him. No, Angel might get a case of those crazy Willow thoughts. Need him? Who was she kidding? Pfft!

The look on Angel’s face suggested his thoughts were already there and then some. “Come here, Cordelia.”

There were times when Cordelia would swear to the fact that the vampire had a thrall. Something about the sound of his voice just wrapped itself around her and made her want to do the same to him— curling her limbs around that muscular frame. Dragging her gaze away from his, Cordelia’s eyes swept over the living room looking for any excuse to avoid responding to his compelling instruction.

“Geez, this place is a mess,” Cordelia noticed soda cans, used plates and magazines scattered across the room. Puzzled, she realized that this was the first time she’d ever seen the mansion looking less than immaculate with the exceptions of vampire wrestling and Fate summoning aftereffects.

Angel suppressed a smile. Took you long enough to notice. “It’s your mess.”

“Mine?” Cordelia dropped her hands from the door frame and clasped them behind her back as she stepped into the room to examine the evidence. Cosmo. Several old copies. Nail polish. Two different shades. A pair of shoes she’d taken off and left here instead of bringing them upstairs. The soda cans and plates from the snacks she’d eaten here instead of sitting down for a real meal with Angel. “That pile of papers is so not mine.”

“It’s today’s newspaper, Cordelia,” he commented wryly.

“Oh.”

“Like I said, babe,” Angel stretched out his legs and propped them on the coffee table, “it’s your mess. I’m not cleaning it up.”

Crossing her arms rebelliously, Cordelia suggested, “My Angel would.”

“As you keep pointing out, sweetheart,” the vampire returned smoothly, “your Angel isn’t here. Any obsessive-compulsive urges to clean are being overruled by my better sense of justice. I’m willing to share household duties, Cordelia, but I’m not going to live with a slob.”

“Then don’t,” she snapped defensively. “The Fates never said you had to stay in Sunnydale. Take a trip. Take a hike. Take a flying leap off the nearest cliff while you’re at it.”

Angel latched onto her wrist as she swept past the couch and before Cordelia could react, she found herself hauled into his lap. With her legs dangling over the side of the couch and his arm supporting her back, she was in a rather vulnerable position, but it provided a perfect view of the glittering amusement in his eyes.

“Are you laughing at me?” Cordelia demanded with a gasp of outrage. Her hand gave a hard slap to his firm pectoral muscle— not that she’d noticed the firmness of any of his body parts. Nope.

“Maybe.” That twitch at the left corner of his mouth gave way to a wide grin that left her motionless under its impact. Cordelia melted under that smile, her stiff posture relaxing. There was just something about that gorgeous smile, its rarity perhaps, which drew her to him.

Managing to ignore the nearly irresistible urge to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him closer, Cordelia reminded herself she had come home with an agenda that did not included more Angel kissage. Squirming in his lap, Cordelia tried to extract herself from the awkward position only managing to turn herself over in the process so that she lay prone.

As one large male hand lightly squeezed her bottom through the barrier of her skirt, Cordelia figured the move was a bad mistake. Especially when the vampire dared to chuckle, “You trying to tell me something?”

Glaring over her shoulder in embarrassment, Cordelia answered, “Not anything along the lines of what you’re thinking.”

Cordelia scrambled to move off of Angel’s lap with a scurried twist of elbows and knees that nearly unmanned him in the process. “Careful,” he lifted her back into a sitting position only this time straddled across the lap she had been trying to escape. Those capable hands were looped casually around her waist, holding her in place yet not forcing her to stay there.

The strange thing was that Cordelia didn’t want to move despite the intimate place on his lap. It felt almost natural being there even with her legs splayed open and her knees hugging close to his hips. Once again there was a silent battle going on in her head where logic warred against emotion, only now she was no longer certain which part was telling her it was okay to enjoy the feel of Angel’s hard body beneath her.

With that one thought, Cordelia’s defenses slammed into place again. The hands that had found their way to his shoulders dropped to curl around his forearms with just enough pressure to hint that she wanted him to move. He did, but not how she had expected as Angel moved both hands down to palm her rounded bottom pulling her deeper into his lap.

Cordelia’s hazel eyes dilated as he settled her over his thighs. The soft perfume of her awakening arousal subtly scented the air, but the words tumbling from her lush mouth denied what his vampiric senses told him to be true. “Paws off, Angel. I don’t want you touching me like this.”

“Holding you?” Amber flashed in his eyes at his query. Such rejection in light of her responsive kisses earlier today felt like his tenuous grasp on forward progress had come loose. His eyes swept over her body noting the way it responded to his touch and their intimate position. “You’re turned on, baby. Don’t think I can’t tell.”

Bastard. It wasn’t fair that he was so observant and had enhanced senses detecting things no human would easily notice. “Today— you shouldn’t have come to the school.”

“You kissed me because you wanted it, not because I demanded it,” Angel reminded with a vein of tempered fury sounding in his voice. Though the vampire wasn’t certain what would have happened if she’d said no.

“I didn’t want to cause a fuss at school,” Cordelia lied with as much skill as she could muster. “I don’t want your kisses.”

A dark laugh emanated from deep in his chest. “You expect me to believe that?”

“Absolutely,” she answered stubbornly while refusing to follow the urge to look away.

“I could have you melting in my arms inside a minute,” Angel countered smugly. It was no boast, realized Cordelia as she remembered yesterday’s sticky romp with the syrup and the pure need evoked by today’s simple kiss. Only it hadn’t been one kiss, but a series of mind-numbing, soul-stirring caresses.

Cordelia gave him a cold look that wiped out his arrogant air in the space of a single heartbeat. “You have skills— so what? Doesn’t mean I should try them out. It’s too soon for me to go around kissing another man.”

“I’m not just another man, Cordy.”

“Pfft! Manpire,” she corrected with a roll of her eyes.

Angel fumed, “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“I just need time,” Cordelia stressed as her heart drummed in a panic. “Maybe after six months or a year—”

“We’ve already wasted enough time,” Angel cut her off. “You can drop the weeping widow act— there’s no need for it.”

She stormed, “It’s not an act,” while shoving her hands against his rock-solid chest in a move of pure anger.

“It’s an unnecessary frame of mind that boils down to denial, Cordelia. You’re lying to yourself and me. I won’t have that,” he caught her hands adeptly twisting them behind her back and pulling her closer.

“Watch out,” her glaring warning came with a reminder, “I bite.”

That vibrating rumble sounded in his chest stimulating her already aching nipples as they pressed up against him. Angel’s mouth curled into that trademark smirk, “So do I.”

Cordelia squirmed under his hold infuriated by the fact that he dared to restrain her. It took only one of his powerful hands to clutch her wrists in a grip that was just shy of bruising. Her struggles and furious, “Grmph!” resulted only in Angel using his free hand to cup her bottom again.

“Get your hand off my ass,” she fumed squirming even more.

“Then stop struggling,” Angel barked back with a groan now that her movements had awakened more than his fury.

“Oh!” Cordelia felt the hard ridge burgeoning directly beneath her. Instantly stilling, she stared down into his amber-rimmed eyes like a deer sensing the danger of a predator. His name fell from her gasping lips, her body tensing with instantaneous reaction as liquid heat pooled between her parted thighs, “Angel.”

Releasing her wrists, his hand joined its mate in curling around the firm globes of her bottom trapped beneath the thin layer of her skirt now bunched up at her hips. Angel rotated his own hips upward eliciting a lusty moan from the brunette, her response automatic despite her determination. Her hazel eyes fluttered closed at the intensity of the escalating sensations created by that simple friction at her loins.

Angel’s hand shifted to gently knead her upper thigh, his thumb circling closer to the edge of her panties. Lost to sensation, Cordelia’s vocal response filled his ears as her breathy sighs alternated with moans of pleasure. As her head tilted back the exposed column of her throat was too much of a temptation to ignore as the vampire’s mouth moved over her warm, pulsing flesh with a series of wandering kisses.

His thumb now circled atop her silk panties teasing closer to the bundled nerves that kept angling with each movement of her hips to rub against his rigid erection. Errant thoughts caused Angel to wonder if Cordelia’s arousal was meant for him or if it was simply random lust. With her beautiful eyes closed, it was impossible to tell, so Angel issued a gruff demand to see them.

“Look at me, baby.”

The command in his voice kindled a spark of defiance, but Cordelia focused her gaze on his knowing that there was no hiding her arousal. She was clutching at Angel’s shoulders, both hands full of his shirt as her hips rocked against him in counter circles. It was only when Cordelia realized he was no longer guiding her movements that she recognized the extent of her own response.

The hand on her bottom had moved to trail fingers up and down her spine leaving warm tingles spreading across her whole body. His other hand continued to slowly circle her silk-covered mound even as she forced herself to stop shifting against him.

Fiery color swept across her cheeks. “I— you—this shouldn’t have happened. That was all your fault. Let me go, Angel.”

Her body screamed in denial as she demanded it. Wet and throbbing and aching for release, her sudden arousal had built up so quickly that Cordelia wanted to sob with frustration at her own efforts to stop. His tempting mouth was only inches away and her lips burned to taste him. All she needed to do was lean in just a little…except the urge died as her anger flamed again with his next words.

“You’re going nowhere until you hear me out,” Angel growled, equally frustrated as his erection strained against the taut fabric of his pants. “It’s decision time for you, sweetheart. This is your one chance to have a say in what comes next.”

“Don’t you dare threaten me,” Cordelia glowered at him recognizing that Angel was completely serious in the delivery of that warning.

Angel reached up and cupped the nape of her neck. “It’s a plea, not a threat. We’re going to be together, Cordelia, but I’ve been patient long enough. The way I see it, you have two choices: let me into your life willingly or learn to obey my lead without question.”

Apprehension clouded her desire as Cordelia realized there would be no negotiation in this matter. This ultimatum was about giving him everything or forcing him to take what he wanted. The vampire saw nothing in shades of grey in between or a middle ground to give her more time to adjust. There was only now.

“Angel—,” she started to protest.

Cutting short her response, as if knowing the words she was about to speak, Angel pressed his thumb over her parting lips removing it only when he’d had his say. “Let me into that caged heart of yours, Cordelia. Just a little, baby. Enough for me to feel something that means you might give a damn.”

Hadn’t she already done that by kissing him today— let him in? Then, with the more obvious display of lap-dancing lust, she’d given away far too much. More than she should. Tears scorched her eyes, but Cordelia refused to shed them. He wanted more than sex, more than her passion. Angel wanted her love and that knowledge left her screaming inwardly in denial.

“I can’t.”

She waited for the vampire’s howl, the forcible show of his rage, but there was only a wall of dark shadows descending over his visible emotions until there was nothing to be seen except the impenetrable surface of a stony expression. That sliver of fear increased tenfold, as Cordelia waited for a response that did not come. Wondering what he was feeling, she cursed her curiosity and convinced herself that emotions were better left out of the equation.

Not that Angel seemed to have any one way or the other at the moment. None that she could tell by looking, but Cordelia instinctively knew this wasn’t the prelude to a brooding session. It was the projection of total control over anything that remotely resembled a feeling.

The phone started ringing in the background before Cordelia could make a comment. Ignoring it, she touched her fingers to his chest at the open vee of his shirt and made her query with the soft utterance of his name. “Angel?”

All that came was a silent move as Angel lifted her to her feet and nudged her in the direction of the still ringing telephone. Cordelia grabbed it from its cradle. Pressing the TALK button, she automatically lifted the phone to her ear, but her attention was fully focused on Angel who had backed out of the room. The vampire now regarded her from his distant position in the hallway.

Cordelia met his midnight stare barely containing the urge to follow him beyond the threshold of the living room. She waited, frozen to the spot, sensing he was seconds away from charging back into the room. Her breath caught in her throat, anticipation crowding out her confusion.

Then a voice suddenly sounded in her ear. “Hello! Cordelia? Angelus? Hello!”

Blinking, Cordelia remembered that she was holding the telephone. Recognizing the voice, she gasped, “Mother?”

When she looked up again, Angel was walking away in the direction of the basement stairs. Nearly half an hour passed before Cordelia hung up the phone. Not by choice. Getting her mother off the phone any sooner short of cutting her off would’ve been a miracle. A look of sheer panic fell across Cordelia’s features in response to that call. This was a day of too many surprises, not all of them good.

Crap! This is so not good. Why? Why! Someone please tell me what I’ve done to deserve this? Glancing at the messy room with the realization that Angel was right about one thing— she was turning into a slob. Cordelia knew this would never pass muster considering the news that had just come her way.

Reaching for the soda cans and dirty plates, Cordelia piled everything up and darted toward the kitchen. Skidding across the floor, she nearly dropped everything just as she reached the sink. Stupid heels. Kicking them off, Cordelia realized she was going to have to tell Angel about her mother’s call.

Maybe he’d had time to cool down— or warm up— or whichever thing he needed to do to understand the decision she had made. Better now than never. Not that now was a good time, but Cordelia didn’t see that she had any choice in the matter.

Leaving the kitchen, Cordelia padded down the hall in her bare feet pausing only briefly at the door leading to the basement training room. Even from here she could hear the rhythmic connection of fist to leather as Angel worked out his anger at her on the punching bag. She felt a wave of guilt that he was down there instead of in her arms, but Cordelia knew she’d feel even worse if she gave in so easily to those tempting kisses.

Anger is good, she told herself as she looked down the stairs. At least it’s an emotion. He’s feeling— something.

Taking in a deep breath of resolve, Cordelia walked down the steps pausing half way as she caught sight of the vampire. He’d taken off everything he had on upstairs and replaced it only with a pair of grey sweatpants. Silently, she watched the muscles of his back and powerful arms flex and extend as his fists pounded into the bag. A light sheen covered the pale skin of his warrior body suggesting that Angel hadn’t stopped moving since he got started, for Cordelia knew that it took prolonged activity for a vampire to break a sweat.

It didn’t take much to make the jump to thinking about Angelus and their marathon lovemaking sessions or the times they’d left tenderness behind and simply had hot, sweaty sex. Her body shuddered at the memory, flushing hot and tingling with need. Every erogenous zone she possessed seemed to be shrieking in response to the hard muscled male standing below.

Angel grabbed onto the punching bag stopping its rebounding sway as he caught the sound of Cordelia’s approach. The soft footfalls were accompanied by the rapid rate of her heart, nervous heaving breaths and a hint of honeyed arousal in the air.

“Go back upstairs,” Angel snarled at her without bothering to turn around.

Stepping closer onto the thick blue mat at his feet, Cordelia watched him rest his forehead against the black leather surface. Impatience filled his voice, irritation at her presence here in his personal territory. Even with Angelus, she’d rarely come down to watch him workout since he always claimed it distracted him— in a good way.

“I need to talk to you,” she began. Licking at her lips, she decided there was no use in delaying the news. Better to throw it out there and see how he’d react. “That was my mother on the phone.”

“Yes, I heard that much,” Angel revealed still keeping his back to her. She had no damn clue how lucky it was that Emelia Chase was the one on the other end of the line. If it had been anyone else, Angel was certain he would have reentered that room, tossed the phone into the fish tank and proven Cordelia a liar. “It’s the wrong time of day to be calling you.”

Rolling her eyes, Cordelia should have known Angel would pick up on that. “Snyder called her and wanted to know if my ‘family emergency’ was going to keep me away from school for the rest of the week. Told her next time she sends someone to get me to contact the Principle’s office first.”

“Should’ve thought of that,” a huff emerged from Angel’s throat. “Principle Snyder, I need to see one of your students. She missed out on her morning kiss.”

Cordelia wasn’t about to admit to Angel how romantic she thought it was that he came to school that way and that his kisses had left her wanting more in spite of all her feelings to the contrary. “I don’t suggest you try that. Snyder may be a troll, but his instincts are sharp, hence the calling of my mother.”

“I take it that she covered for you,” Angel presumed. “Did she call to check on you or was there something else?”

Edging closer, Cordelia put a hand on the other side of the large punching bag and stared anxiously at his profile. “She asked— well, it was really more of telling than asking— if she could come over…with my father, of course.”

“Now?”

“That would be easy,” Cordelia tittered uneasily. “I could tell them no. They want to come over for Thanksgiving Dinner.”

Angel lifted his head and looked at her with only the smallest measure of surprise. “I think it’s about time they decided to show up, even if they had to use a holiday as an excuse to see their own daughter.”

“You think it’s an excuse?” Cordelia frowned at his response to the news when she’d been hoping for blatant refusal.

“They’re your parents and no matter what deal Daniel Chase made to save his ass, he’s still your father,” Angel ground out the words. His thoughts flashed to his own— Liam’s— father and the fact that the time for second chances was long past. “Your parents screwed up when they decided to distance themselves from you. Maybe it was done to protect you, but it wasn’t right.”

It felt strange hearing that from him, knowing that this vampire had never met her parents; that he was only drawing upon memories that were not his own. “No, it wasn’t, but I used to have a good relationship with them— when I was little.”

“I got that hint…Princess,” Angel’s mouth quirked at one corner. “Maybe this is their way of trying to get back into your life again.”

“How do you feel about that?” Cordelia wasn’t certain why it was important to her to know the answer to that question, but she found herself holding her breath waiting for Angel to speak.

Trailing a finger along one long tress of dark chestnut hair that fell in a wave over her shoulder, Angel tugged lightly on the end as he reminded her, “Your family is mine. They come into my protection through your link to the Order of Aurelius. I welcome their visit and their involvement with you as long as they respect your place here with me.”

A sudden realization hit and Cordelia’s hazel eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she reacted in shock. “Omigod, Angel! No, this is bad.”

Angel watched Cordelia start to pace across the floor mat. “What exactly?” Knowing Cordelia, it could be anything from turkey basting to family feuds.

“They think you’re Angelus,” she rubbed at her temples.

Shrugging, Angel commented, “I am. So what’s the problem?”

“They think you’re my Angelus,” Cordelia panicked. “They’ll expect—”

When Cordelia’s throat closed up against the words, he only nodded in understanding of her fears. Irrational fears, to his mind. “You worry that they think I’m your mate and they’ll expect to see a certain amount of intimacy between us. Cordelia, I see no reason to inform them otherwise.”

Cordelia started to protest when Angel added confidently, “We both know it’s already true in everything but deed.”

Gaping, Cordelia found she couldn’t argue that point right now. No sidetracking. She needed to focus. Thanksgiving was only a few days away— next Thursday to be exact. Her parents would expect the whole shebang, with decorations and holiday fare not take out from the local Home Town Buffet.

“This is serious,” Cordelia wrapped both hands around one bicep and shook his arm as if forcing him to think sensibly. “Daddy wants to meet Angel and thank him for the money.”

“He can thank me if he must,” Angel didn’t see the problem.

“Yeah,” Cordelia’s panic suddenly had her thinking of all kinds of scenarios. “We’ll tell him that Angelus is out of town on an important mission. You’ll be Angel…cos that’s what I call you. Daddy won’t know the difference and can thank you instead.”

Plainly retorting, “I’m not lying to your father.”

“But my parents know Angelus had a twin,” Cordelia dropped her hands, clutching her arms across her stomach.

Angel was adamant, “Tell them the truth.”

“But—”

“There’s no ‘but’ to it, Cordy,” he countered.

A flare of anger sparked in her eyes just before Cordelia blew her top. “Why can’t you play along? Do me one favor.”

“Because it’s not a game, dammit,” Angel answered turning fully toward her so that they faced off eye to eye. Her sharp little chin was raised defiantly as her hazel eyes blazed with fire. “This is us, Cor. You and me. I’m not meeting your parents only to lie to their faces about who I am or why we’re together.”

“There is no you and me,” Cordelia harped at him. “I already told you—”

Angel inched closer, his gaze turning dark and predatory, and his chest moving with the respirations that somehow kept his anger in check. “Don’t say it, baby. Don’t repeat what will only force me to prove you wrong. Past and future, Cor. They’re one and the same.”

Shaking her head, Cordelia moved back only to have him follow her step for step as she sought a little breathing space. “Stop crowding me!”

Angel didn’t budge and now Cordelia was trapped between the weight machine and the hard wall of his chest. “Your father knows me as Angelus D’Aurelius. That’s what he’ll continue to call me.”

“No,” she pleaded. “Don’t let him think that. I can’t— don’t want to hear that.”

“It’s who I am, Cordelia, whether you want to accept it or not. Your mate is a part of me and I bear his name.” Angel tried not to lean so close sensing that it was making her nervous, but it was difficult enough to keep his hands to himself. “Your loyalty is striking, sweetheart, but it’s me you’re fighting.”

“It’s not! You’re just a body with someone else’s memories,” Cordelia pushed hard at his chest and darted back to the middle of the mat while he gave her a tiny opening.

“They’re the same memories I had before,” Angel argued. “Liam. Angelus. Angel. All the same memories existing before the Fates split me in two.”

Cordelia didn’t deny that he possessed the memories of those three separate parts. The Angel of old existed with all three. “I don’t care about before. I care about what happened when I had them both— those are the memories that count.”

Challenging darkly, “Is that what’s really bothering you, baby? That you never had a chance to finish what you started with Angel? Too bad Willow’s pink potion knocked you out or you might have had a chance to fuck them both.”

Flying across the mat with claws unfurled, Cordelia launched herself at the vampire knocking him against the wall. She got in one good scrape of her nails along his right shoulder before he grasped her waist, lifted her and spun her around so that Cordelia was the one pinned there. “Bastard!”

“Was that harsh?” Angel leaned close enough to feel every inch of her luscious frame mold into his own, her body pliant where her mind was not. “Or was I just too close to the truth?”

Breathing hard, Cordelia tried not to notice the way he held her with such controlled strength. Licking at her suddenly dry lips, she rolled her head against the wall in the form of a negative shake. “I loved Angelus.”

After a pause, Angel let her stand on her feet again, but only because he needed to free up his hands to roam across the soft surface of her sweater. The backs of his fingers wandered over the hills and valleys between her shoulders and hips teasing at the curves beneath the cashmere. His velvet voice returned, “I know that, baby.”

“I loved Angel, too,” Cordelia admitted softly as her breathing slowed from a rapid pant to a series of long sighs, “differently.”

Knowingly, the vampire said what she did not. “You wanted him.”

Looking down at some invisible spot between them, Cordelia’s long lashes shaded her eyes. Then glancing up, she admitted to him, “Wanting was never the problem, Angel. I already had a mate. Vampires may not play by the same rulebook, but that means something to me.”

“Angelus knew how you felt,” he surprised her with that noting with some demonic satisfaction that the words brought a twinge of pain, “long before Rup came up with his little Alone Time theory.”

“That’s not true,” she denied vehemently.

“Yes, it is. You’re just surprised he didn’t call you on it any sooner. Cordy, you have to know that Angelus understood the source of your feelings. He never blamed you for it. Though it’s true that he’d never share you,” Angel found it odd to continue to refer to himself in the third person and switched, “as I’ll never share you.”

“I’m not yours to share,” Cordelia commented stubbornly despite the fact that her mouth automatically parted when his hovered near.

Angel bypassed that temptation focusing on her scent. Through the whole discussion, the speedy thread of her pulse and the continuous bombardment of his senses with her scent had him stone hard again. He’d be fooling himself to think he didn’t care that it was thoughts of Angelus or Angel that brought her to that state. This wouldn’t be the first time he’d experienced a case of self-inflicted jealousy when it came right down to it.

“What’s it going to be? What version of the truth are you planning to tell Daniel and Emelia?” His question caused a moment of confusion as Cordelia refocused on their original conversation. Trying to ignore the fact that Angel’s fingers were exploring the curves of her breast even though his gaze never left her eyes, she found that concentrating was difficult.

As long as he was content playing touchy-feely vamp, Cordelia figured it was best not to make the situation more strained than it was by complaining, especially when his touch felt so damn good. Her nipples perked up against her thin bra and soft sweater, not so obviously visible thanks to the dark fabric, but they hadn’t gone unnoticed either. Angel’s thumb swept close a time or two as he was lazily roaming along the full under-curve of her breast.

“The truth is something they won’t understand,” Cordelia fired back with a flash of annoyance, reacting to his touch as well as his words. Her hand left its safe haven on the wall to wrap around his wrist attempting to stall the efforts of his roving fingers.

“Give them some credit,” Angel raised a dark brow at her vehement response. “They accepted the fact that I’m a vampire without too much heartache.”

That wasn’t how Cordelia interpreted it at all. “No, Angel. They accepted that my mate was a vampire— not that I share my bed with a stranger.”

Angel’s chest rumbled with discord. “I’m no stranger, sweetheart.”

Swift denial flared and faded under that penetrating gaze. Fact or fantasy, Cordelia wanted those words to be true. That realization blossomed in her eyes, a budding hope that she’d somehow been wrong. Unfurling her hold around his wrist, Cordelia threaded her fingers through his leaving their hands clasped together.

A challenge sounded on her lips underscored by the faintest hint of fear. “Prove it.”

Smothering her protest with a masterful kiss, Angel slanted his lips over hers and proceeded to tantalize her senses until conscious thought lost itself to passion. A moue of want tumbled from her throat with the altering tempo of his lips: firm and demanding, soft and exploring. Cordelia curled her arms around his neck responding with an answering fire.

Her plush mouth bowed beneath his, parting in sensual delight when those protests failed to find focus. Cordelia breathed into his mouth on a sigh; there was so little room between them. Tasting the unique flavors of his tongue as it teased along the inner seam of her lower lip darting across that tender flesh only to move deeper as pure hunger took over.

Cordelia’s fingers dug in to those muscled shoulders feeling her way across his broad back. Touching him felt so familiar, so right, so good, but that was what made those tempting kisses smack of betrayal. No, wanting was never the problem. Resisting the urge to give in— that was quite another issue.

A hand followed the curved course of her spine, as fingers spread out across her buttocks and were joined there by the other hand as it adeptly dealt with the zipper of her skirt. The sound of it caused Cordelia to pull away from the compellingly skillful kisses that left her sensitive lips burning for his cool caress. Through the haze of her own ardor, Cordelia felt Angel’s hands dip beneath the material of her skirt pushing it down over her hips. The soft fabric swept down her legs as gravity pulled it to pool around her feet.

“Angel—,” a husky strain sounded in her voice as Cordelia found the focus to speak.

“Let it happen,” Angel urged as his hands now moved along the bare flesh exposed by her thong panties. His mouth swept across hers lingering just long enough to draw a response leaving her lips pursed and swollen. “It’s going to happen, baby. Just let it.”

Cordelia knew it and accepted it as fact seeing the determination in Angel’s eyes and knowing that somehow she’d pushed him past the point of further reckoning. Though it was too soon by her account, a part of her knew this was meant to happen. The Moirae said as much hinting she belonged to Angel whether by choice or destiny, but she’d be damned if it would happen so submissively.

“Don’t think to master me with that hypno-vamp voice,” Cordelia put her palms flat upon his firm chest and gave an ineffective push that somehow got the hint across. Angel dropped his hands and stepped back, suddenly curious as to what she would say or do next. She kicked the skirt aside and pressed her hands against her hips in a form of defiant surrender. “It’ll take more than words to make me yours.”

“Who needs words?” Angel’s mouth curled into a smile of pure seduction as he took that up as a challenge.

Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as Cordelia was caught up by his powerful unblinking stare. There was passion and that familiar possessive gleam in the look he gave, but the hint of playfulness also glinting beneath the surface made it clear that Angel intended to do more than just take her— he planned to have fun with this too.

A wave of heat suffused her chest as Cordelia recognized his intent. Her thoughts ran wild at the possibilities. Good going, Cor. Don’t just issue an open invitation to a vampire. Double-dog-dare him while you’re at it.

Their eyes locked in silent understanding as Angel held her captive with his predatory gaze. Cordelia stood still and speechless under the weight of his stare trying to guess at whether he would pounce or play before things got down to business. No doubt he would assure them both pleasure; Cordelia was instinctively certain of his skills, but she was just as certain in her belief that he could not touch her heart.

With the slow pace of a panther on the hunt, Angel walked toward Cordelia coming within arms reach, but not touching her. As he circled to the back, she held still, her nerves singing as she sensed his approach behind her. Out of sight, Angel held the power to do as he wished without giving her an opportunity to anticipate his move.

Cordelia closed her eyes. Waiting. She refused to turn around just to satisfy Angel’s sense of power over her. If she turned, it would make him think that she had to see him and follow that hypnotizing gaze.

His fingers trailed along her arms as he stepped close and gently pulled her into the hard frame of his chest. She held herself in ramrod fashion awaiting what came next as she felt the steel of his arousal against the crease of her buttocks. With only the string of her thong and the thin cotton of his sweats separating them, Cordelia felt every hard inch of him. Her hips bucked back against him answered by a countering thrust and the encircling hand that came around to the exposed patch of flat belly between the edge of her cashmere sweater and her silky panties.

Held close, there was only the softest caress against her hair as he drew her scent into his lungs, his mouth pressing a kiss onto her temple and cheek whispering softly across hers. Turning her face at that gentle touch, Cordelia glanced up seeking his mouth with her own.

Those sculpted male lips pressed a brief teasing kiss at the corner of her mouth and pulled back to run a trail of them across her jaw and along her neck. The sweet distraction of his mouth combined with skillful hands stoking the fires of her arousal. Cordelia leaned back against that broad chest as his hands continued to tantalize the smooth skin beneath the edge of her sweater. A moan sounded— one of her own— as Cordelia leaned her head back against his shoulder, reaching up to pull his mouth back to hers.

The hand that was not lazing its way in a circle around the dip of her navel slid down between her thighs cupping her through the silk. He palmed her firmly and held his hand there soaking up her warmth until the slow motion of Cordelia’s hips drew his attention to her rapidly escalating need. Dampness clung to his fingers, the honeyed moisture gathering along her petaled folds as he caressed her through the silk.

His bare foot moved to her instep leading with its slight pressure as Cordelia followed the vampire’s silent cue by spreading her thighs. Given easy access, Angel’s fingers moved beneath the gossamer thin barrier eliciting a sharp cry of need as they came into contact with her hot flesh. She held on to whatever part of him she could reach, her head tilted into the crook of his shoulder as his fingers slid along her slick folds.

The slightly calloused fingers teased her sex even as Angel’s mouth continued to press heated kisses along the curve of her face. Her hips bucked against his fingers wanting more and feeling the means of sating her desire pressing against her from behind. Cordelia bit down on her lip determined not to ask for anything. It was one thing to let Angel take her, but begging him to do so was simply not something she was willing to do.

Coherent thought dissipated into a stream of throaty cries as Cordelia soon came in his arms. Angel’s knowing touch left her shuddering with pleasure. His hand slipped from her panties, meeting the other one at the edge of her sweater to peel it from her still thrumming body. She watched with an almost detached curiosity as the brown cashmere was tossed with unerring accuracy on top of her discarded skirt.

Though she expected the hasty removal of her bra and panties, he straightened her into a standing position again only to trail one hand down her spine stroking the exposed skin of her tattoo. After the brief touch of his mouth on her shoulder, Angel was gone again circling back to the front where he stood in silent observance from a short distance.

Despite the pleasure wrought by his fingers, Cordelia’s desire was inflamed rather than sated. She felt certain he could read that in her eyes and wondered if he also knew how much she wanted to touch him in return. Standing still was driving her nuts and he knew it. Cordelia never liked playing the submissive role— unless she got her turn, but she had no intention of giving this vampire everything she freely gave to her mate.

Just keep telling yourself that, Cor. Keep believing it makes a difference. And stop staring at his mouth like you want to devour him. Censuring herself failed to dampen her desires. Her eyes wandered hotly over Angel’s exposed torso imagining her hands exploring the sculpted angles of his chest and belly, the tempting bulges of his biceps and hidden marvels of his sex.

Angel lifted one hand and crooked a finger in her direction, beckoning her to his side. Amusement instantly appeared on Cordelia’s face her eyebrows arched. “Like that’s supposed to work?”

Again, the vampire said nothing, which only caused a burst of ire to light inside her. Angel was sticking with his Silent Game. The look he returned only stoked the flames even higher and Cordelia took the first step toward him expecting to see triumph appear in those darkened orbs. Instead, there was only desire, pure passion drawing her closer as her body demanded she answer its needs.

Finding herself in front of him, Cordelia swallowed down her own surprise at how quickly she had given in to the teasing waggle of his finger. Answering her own question, she thought wryly, Guess it does work.

When he reached out a hand to touch her, Cordelia took one step back holding him off with her eyes as she moved to echo his own pattern. She started in a slow circle moving around to his back. Lifting one finger, she traced it up one arm to the dense muscle of his shoulder and down the other never pausing in her course to complete the circle.

Cordelia’s wandering finger reached his left wrist and with lightning speed her hand was captured as Angel spun her back into his arms. He settled her hand on his chest tugging it down an inch subtly hinting at the direction he wanted her to go. Her fingers were already slipping downward as his mouth covered hers with soft velvet kisses that tempted her into opening up to him.

Moaning into his mouth as Angel explored the texture of her tongue with his own, Cordelia felt her hand drop to the waistband of his sweats. Her other hand lay flat along his side just holding on as her body leaned in to his larger frame. Then her fingers connected with the edge of his sweats toying with the tie that held them firmly in place around his taut waist.

Sensing her hesitation, Angel lifted his mouth from hers silently waiting to see what she would do. Cordelia recognized the tension in his shoulders instinctively knowing that he was testing her to see how far she planned to participate. To see if she would turn tail and run before things went too far assuming they already hadn’t gone far beyond the point of no return.

Cordelia figured she’d passed it as soon as she came downstairs and wondered now at the reason for her urgency in telling Angel about her parent’s plan to come over for Thanksgiving dinner. It would have been more sensible to wait until the vampire had time to come to terms with their conversation. Except— he had already done so. Angel’s decision on the course of their relationship was perfectly clear.

Clear as crystal.

Winding the string of his sweats around her index finger, Cordelia tugged until it hung loose, but she stepped back choosing to let him follow through with the rest. Though the idea of undressing him sent shivers of want down her spine, Cordelia couldn’t do that. Instead, she stood apart from him eating him up with her hungry eyes as Angel stepped out of the stretchy cotton pants tossing them into the growing pile of their discarded garments.

Suddenly realizing that she was shaking like a leaf, Cordelia wasn’t certain if it was lust or fear that had her quivering. His body was anything but unfamiliar and new to her. She knew every angle on that big manly frame, every sinewy muscle, except in the respect that the vampire within was her bedmate and now lover rather than her mate. He’d held her through the night in those strong arms gently enclosed around her in sleep, their limbs entwined.

Just now, Cordelia could not deny her own arousal. Her earlier orgasm and the way her body reacted to his with this constant ache made it clear that she responded to Angel’s physical being. It was all she could do to hold back from leaping into those powerful arms and whispering her desires into his ear knowing he’d fulfill every one of them.

Would he? She asked herself suddenly even while inching toward him again. It was something Angelus would do without hesitation— give her what she wanted. She would guess that his brother would have been the same given the opportunity, but this was neither Angelus nor Angel despite his memories. Did she really know how he would respond? How he would take her body with his own?

There was no time for contemplation, for Angel had her back in his arms. Cordelia melted against him, her arms curling up around his waist to explore the strength of his back. He wound his big arms around her, holding her close, his kisses no longer quite so gentle, but filled with a thundering passion that sounded in her ears.

His mouth left hers eliciting a gasp of complaint as her swollen lips felt bereft without his touch, but the distraction of Angel’s hands kept her from complaining. Mindful of his Silent Game, Cordelia attempted to follow suit, but it was no use. His teasing lips followed the cord of her throat and the line of her collar bone until coming to the barrier of her bra strap.

A finger hooked beneath it, pulling it aside and letting it fall down her arm. His hand touched her there, one hand sneaking beneath the loose cup of her bra to skim over her breast and its hard nipple. Cordelia bit down on her lip trying to stop herself from crying out as his cool thumb moved over her heated flesh, the nipple almost painfully erect.

“Kiss me,” Cordelia demanded suddenly breaking silence again to direct him down to her aching breast.

Smiling against her ear as he sucked her soft lobe into his mouth, Angel tugged it gently with his teeth completely ignoring her request. She let out a little moue of protest only to find it swallowed up by his lips as they returned to her mouth with a voracious kiss that plundered its depths. Returning those hot, wet kisses, Cordelia barely noticed that he’d pulled down the other strap of her bra.

Pulling his mouth away again, Angel gazed down at the sight exposed by the falling silk. Rapt fascination seemed to hold him in its sway as his curled knuckles brushed gently over her sensitive nipples. Cordelia gasped at that touch while her gaze never left his face which seemed to be in a state of grace like the eye of a storm, marveling at her beauty. Angel’s hands turned over, his long fingers trailing down the outer curves until he held the full weight of her breasts in both hands.

Cordelia saw the hunger welling in the dark pools of his eyes and wondered if her own reflected that self same need; if it was as apparent as the desire showing on that handsome face. He turned those eyes on her even as his tireless fingers kept on stimulating the silken flesh beneath his thumbs as they circled softly. Then his gaze dipped to the vee of her throat above her breastbone and his mouth followed that path to kiss her there.

The kiss acted as the precursor to those that came afterward as Angel’s kisses found their way to the sensitive curves he continued to caress. Somewhere in the midst of the endless stream of stimulation, Cordelia forgot that intimate touches weren’t in her plans for the vampire. Her hands started roaming over the muscular planes of his gorgeous body touching every erogenous zone within reach that she knew gave him pleasure.

As her fingers finally curled around his length, Angel sounded out her name in a moan of broken silence. The sound brought a triumphant gleam to Cordelia’s hazel eyes even before realizing the nature of her caress as if that low cry was a prize to be won. He stood erect and watching her with that unblinking gaze full of passion; his hands now moving along her curves from ribs to hip with the same slow rhythm as her hand moved upon him.

“Angel—.” Sounding out his name on a breathy plea of desire, she realized in that same instant what she was about to ask for: him…inside her.

“Hush, baby,” Angel murmured against her mouth. “We’re not there yet.”

A little growl of impatience sounded as Cordelia dropped her hand away from him to wind her arms around his neck. She curled her hands into his hair lifting her mouth to take his. Angel filled hands with her long silken hair, echoing her moves and eating up every spontaneous caress like it was ambrosia.

Cordelia felt her bra come undone and drop away as Angel’s skillful hands divested her of that scrap of silk. Cupping her face, Angel separated them and Cordelia was left panting for breath as she gazed longingly at his lips. Geez, he knew just how to kiss her.

Then she realized they had moved and were now positioned directly in front of the bench press. Cordelia stared at it with a moment’s confusion until a dawning light came over her features and Angel took her hand in his own guiding her down into a supine position there. As he knelt between her thighs at the bottom of the bench, Angel took hold of her calves and tugged her closer.

His molten gaze told her that this pleasure was as much for him as for her and signaled a caution against any protest. Cordelia recognized that possessive gleam in his eyes, though couldn’t care less about addressing it as the tingling heat of pure anticipation curled low in her belly.

Her hands wandered in the space between her breasts and navel trying to stop from reaching down to rip off her own panties. Angel beat her to it, hooking his fingers into the elastic on both sides and— instead giving it a sharp snap. Cordelia let out a surprised yelp at the unexpected sting and automatically curled her legs upward. Glaring at him down the length of her body, she saw a slow smirk appear.

“Take them off,” Cordelia all but commanded, her skin flushed and aching for his touch.

Naturally, the vampire chose to do just the opposite. He left her thong panties in place moving his attention to her legs. With a smooth move, Angel captured her left ankle in his hand lifting it to his mouth and sliding his tongue over the tiny pulse there. Cordelia watched as Angel kissed and caressed his way up the length of her leg, pausing at the sensitive area of her knee before moving on to her inner thigh.

Flopping back on the bench, Cordelia simply couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore as her body put its entire focus on the sensations below. His teasing kisses had Cordelia squirming, her hips moving in anticipation of his intimate attention where she craved it most. Of its own accord, her hand crept down to the edge of her panties where she tucked her fingers beneath so that her fingertips delved into the soft curls covering her mound.

As her fingers went lower, Cordelia forced her eyes open again to stare down at what she couldn’t seem to stop herself from doing. Angel lifted his gaze long enough to let her know her actions only turned him on. While Cordelia’s fingers dipped even lower finding sensitive folds slick with her body’s own natural lubricant, her right leg curled up and around Angel’s back as he bent low to taste the soft inner skin of her thigh. His mouth hovered high near the apex of thigh and groin where the steady beat of her femoral pulse sounded in his ears.

Angel sucked her flesh into his mouth, nipping gently with his rounded teeth, but making no move to hide his interests in that particular spot. With a strangled sound, he turned his head away to focus on the actions of Cordelia’s hand moving steadily beneath the hidden cover of her tiny silk undergarment.

“Don’t stop,” his voiced sounded its deep timbre as she paused under the weight of his gaze. Angel simply moved to pull her panties away, tempted to simply rip them from her, but he’d been patient this long. Cordelia maneuvered her hips and legs accordingly all the while holding her hand in place as she touched her lust-swollen clitoris.

Then his fingers joined hers in exploring her silken folds and his mouth eagerly came down for a taste. Cordelia felt his flat tongue brush over her sex and her sticky fingers before moving back to plunge deeply into her core. She bucked against his fingers as they delved inside sliding back and forth stimulating and searching in unerring fashion for the slight rise of inner flesh that marked her g-spot.

The triple stimulation of their combined fingers and his tongue had Cordelia all but chanting his name and begging him to fuck her brains out. She wasn’t quite that desperate. Not quite. Not yet.

Pulling her hand away, Cordelia rocked her hips against Angel’s face as he moved to latch on to her little nub with his mouth alternating strong sucks with fluttering flicks of his tongue. Her juices coated her folds and his fingers and Angel insatiably lapped up every delicious drop of her tangy essence. Thrashing her head against the cushion of the bench press, Cordelia’s hair flew wildly around her head and shoulders.

So close! So close! But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. Cordelia grabbed onto the short strands of his hair with two fistfuls and yanked hard moving to sit up as she did so.

The vampire growled in momentary annoyance at the interruption of his task until he saw her barely restrained passion. Then amber lights threaded his eyes; Angel rose up on his knees, his unnecessary breathing coming in rhythmic pants matching her own. Holding each other’s gaze for endless seconds, they pounced upon each other at the same time falling to the mats in a tangle of limbs.

Cordelia opened to his possessive kiss, slanting her mouth to his and parting her lips as his tongue sought entry. He tasted of her and that only made her respond all the more. Pressing up to him as they tumbled, she felt the velvet steel of his tumescent cock rubbing against her belly as it was trapped between them. They rolled to a stop with Angel above her sharing more wild kisses that left Cordelia’s head spinning in their wake.

She wanted his head spinning just the same and knew she could kiss him senseless if she made an effort, her plan to acquiesce rather than participate long forgotten. Cordelia’s passionate kisses left Angel moaning into her mouth and she snatched the opportunity to sweep her hot tongue along the housing of his fangs. Braced above her, Angel’s body shook loose its tentative grip on his human features. Before Cordelia’s widening eyes she watched his fangs extend and the bony ridges appear across his face.

Far from frightened by this change, Cordelia palmed his face moving again to kiss him fangs and all. Angel pulled away pinning her down on the mat, his hands moving from her upper arms down to loosely grasp her wrists. “Do you want me, baby?”

Redundant question, but— hey! Cordelia tried to escape his grasp needing to feel her hands on him. To explore the subtle changes of his body that occurred in the switch to his demonic form. Blazing with desire and a hint of irritation, Cordelia could only sound her answer out with the accompaniment of a throaty moan.

“Want you so much,” she admitted without hesitation.

Angel captured her lush lips with his ravenous mouth. Skillfully, he avoided slicing her lips or tongue with his fangs, but the tiny pinprick marks welled up just the same. He sucked gently on those spots lapping up the tiny traces of blood. Cordelia never noticed, simply responding to the power of his kiss; her hips writhing against him and feeling his hard shaft pressing into her thighs.

Releasing her wrists, Angel lifted his torso rising above her in his bent-kneed position and gazing down like a dark god. Cordelia gazed lustfully at his gorgeous body, her hungry eyes dropping down to his rampant erection. A soft grunt sounded from her throat, pure need, as she reached out with her hands grasping air and silently calling him closer. Taking her calves in hand, he pushed her legs open wider settling them around his hips bringing his body back down toward her.

Nudging her with his broad tip, Angel entered her with a steady thrust of his hips. He spoke to her in husky tones, telling her how tightly she surrounded him and speaking of things that made her body hum in tandem with each slow stroke of his thick cock. That even pace rapidly changed as Cordelia responded by running her nails down his back to graze his flexing buttocks and demanding more.

Her mouth moved over his skin now warm to her touch pressing heated kisses where she could reach and sounding out frenzied cries of desperation as his pacing rhythm increased. Cordelia nipped at his earlobe then kept her gasping mouth close to tell him how he filled her and that he made her feel so hot.

Then words failed them as Angel’s hard thrusts brought them both to a point where conscious thought was swallowed by a tide of instinct. Cordelia clasped him closely, her flat palms rubbing along his arching back, her hips rising to meet the unyielding rhythm of his loins as their bodies merged and retreated.

Cordelia sensed it coming, a distant tsunami gathering its power signaling an orgasm of such intensity she cried out at its approach. Then her tongue tangled with Angel’s as the vampire in her arms tasted the pinnacle of her need, the muscles of his broad shoulders bunching under her touch as his own release neared.

Screaming his name, Cordelia turned her face into his shoulder unconsciously baring her throat even as his mouth moved to latch on to the thrumming pulse point of her jugular vein. Instinct alone guided his fangs to the spot as they sank into her tender flesh. A cry of pain sounded in Angel’s ears, but its nature signaled an answering sound like none Cordelia had ever heard.

It pulsed through her body and that instantaneous pain was swept away by pleasure as the dual sensations of his lapping tongue and thrusting shaft pushed her over the edge. She clung to him riding out the waves of pleasure as Angel continued to surge within her, his thrusting cock stimulating her clitoris as his heavy sac slapped against the sensitive folds stretched around him.

His climax followed close behind hers as Angel continued to draw small amounts of her endorphin rich blood into his mouth. Swallowing it down, his rumbled purrs were sounding in her ears as Cordelia felt him tense above her with his powerful release. Opening her eyes, she watched his head rear back, his shoulders and the muscles of his neck straining as he thrust deeply pouring his male essence into the font of her womb.

Cordelia slowly came down from that pinnacle as she saw a wave of relaxation come over Angel. A blissful expression appeared on his face even as she recognized for the first time that there was now a dull pain at the side of her throat.

Speechless and still reeling with pleasure, Cordelia held tight as Angel rolled them onto their sides. He tucked her hair behind her ear giving him a better view of her throat, which she had no doubt now bore his mark. His permanent claim.

There was a cat-that-ate-the-cream expression on his handsome face, totally smug about the fact he had bitten her. Cordelia silently admitted that Angelus had been right all along when telling her that her pleasure would be exponentially multiplied if that claim was done correctly. She could only assume the vampire got A-plus marks for making his mark considering her reaction.

Lying in his arms, still communicating with those eyes, a hint of betrayal flashed in their hazel depths. Thoughts of Angelus only compounded the feeling and when Angel suddenly leaned in to kiss away what he probably thought was discomfort, Cordelia released a scream of fury.

“Why did you do it?” Cordelia demanded. There was no need to be specific. Angel knew precisely to what she referred. “I never gave you permission to do that.”

Angel sucked in a sharp breath. His plan to take her up to their bedroom to continue making love to her suddenly seemed like a distant possibility. “You bared your throat to me. That was permission enough.”

“No, it wasn’t!” Cordelia pushed at his shoulders, rolling away and scrambling to her feet so fast she felt a little dizzy. “Hello! Blood loss.”

The vampire rose to his feet in one elegant motion, prowling toward her with all the confidence in the world. “Doesn’t matter that it wasn’t planned. It— just happened. Now you’re mine in every way that counts.”

Snapping back, “I’ll never be yours.”

“Baby, you’ll always be mine,” Angel tilted her chin up with his curled index finger. “It’s about time you realized that.”

This wasn’t the time to tell Cordelia that claiming her was a totally spontaneous act. That he hadn’t planned to claim her just now. He had wanted it to be her decision, not something he forced on her or convinced her to accept. It was too late for saying sorry because this was something Angel couldn’t take back.

Not that he wanted to.

“It means nothing,” Cordelia stormed at him completely ignoring the fact that they were both naked. “Nothing! It’s just a wound. It will heal.”

Angel pointed out with a dangerously soft tone, “My mark will always be there.”

“Pfft! I can have it removed,” Cordelia threatened with a smirk.

Stepping closer, Angel’s chest rumbled with sound and his hands clenched at his side. “I’d think twice before doing that.”

Not to be put off by that warning, Cordelia crossed her arms in front of her— a move which only called attention to her lush breasts— and threw down her trump card. “If it was Angelus here instead of you, he would never have bitten me without asking.”

His top lip curled into a silent snarl before barking back, “You’re forgetting who the real Angelus was, sweetheart. In his pure form without the Moirae’s leash or the ties to Angel’s soul, do you really think that vampire would have stopped with only a claim?”

That’s not my point, Cordelia wanted to say, but was too caught up in the dark images circling in her head. A reminder of her meeting in the graveyard with Angelus where he had held her on the ground and pressed his body close to hers telling her all the wild and wicked things he planned to do before turning her into a vampire.

“That wasn’t my Angelus,” she countered in defense of her mate. “He loved me and I loved him more I can say.”

“Just who was it that you loved?” Angel’s question confused her into staring blankly.

“Huh?”

“I asked who was it you were in love with,” Angel repeated before adding, “Angelus? It wasn’t really him, was it? Not the demon in his purely unfettered soulless form. From the moment he returned to Sunnydale courtesy of the Fates, he was already leashed, already touched by the effects of the link between him and the soul.”

Cordelia eyed Angel warily, suddenly afraid of where he was taking this point. She kept up her defiant cross-armed stance in spite of the cooler basement air wafting across her skin.

The vampire asked her, “Was it Angel with his bleeding heart so full of the Slayer that he couldn’t see the treasure he could have had in you— until it was too late? Positioned on his moral high ground until he heard his demon nature calling?”

Opening her mouth to defend the Angel of old, she clamped it shut again. He did have a point on that one, she conceded. Comprehension slowly settled in as she started to realize what he was getting at. It wasn’t until the Moirae started messing around with Angelus and Angel— until their personalities began to change— that her own feelings for them deepened into love.

“You don’t want them as they were, Cordelia. You want the middle ground between the demon’s darkness and the light of the soul. The essence of them both,” stressed Angel as his hand crept up to her neck, his thumb stroking softly near the raw flesh of his mark. “That’s what the Moirae have given you, Cordelia. What I give you.”

Cordelia’s chest ached with too much feeling. Pinpricks of unshed tears glistened in her eyes.

“Sweetheart, in my eyes and the eyes of the world, you are now my mate,” Angel’s voice carried the depths of his own emotions. “You own my heart if you will have it."

~Part: 43~

Angel’s words echoed in Cordelia’s head signaling a ripple effect of electric shock waves coursing through her body. Sweetheart, in my eyes and the eyes of the world, you are now my mate. You own my heart if you will have it.

Her voice didn’t seem to work, Cordelia noticed as her wide hazel eyes took in the sight of the nude vampire standing before her. A hot breath of air whooshed out of her lungs at the way he held his hand out to her in silent supplication. Passion was still more than just a memory, so recent that the physical afterglow stayed with her almost as though she could feel his touch and his presence within her.

It wasn’t just his knowing hands on her heated skin or the rhythmic thrusts of his body, but the sharp sting of his fangs sinking into her neck and the soft suckling of her blood. Actions all born of desire where pleasure and pain and life and love were entwined into instinct and ritual. Despite the unintentional use of his fangs, Angel made no apology for it and Cordelia could read in his amber-tinted gaze that deep down he was glad that it happened.

My mate. You are now my mate.

“No,” the strangled sound left her throat almost before the thought grounded itself in her head.

Despite the vulnerable position Angel left himself in by revealing the depths of his feelings and opening himself up to further rejection, it was a risk he had chosen to take. One Cordelia inwardly acknowledged with the speedy cadence of her heartbeat.

You own my heart. My heart. My heart. You own my heart if you will have it. His words replayed even as she caught his almost imperceptible response to her single syllable denial. Hope’s light dimmed in his eyes and Cordelia found herself reacting defensively to her own burst of anxiety at its loss.

With a practiced flip of her dark chestnut hair, Cordelia stood regally despite her own nudity. Outwardly, there was nothing to hide. She felt his intent stare at the exposed turn of her throat where the twin wounds throbbed. Tendrils of pleasure curled in her belly as if she could still feel Angel’s mouth on her, a craving for his embrace nearly shattering her resolve.

“I’m not your mate, Angel,” she found denial difficult, but necessary for her sanity. Despite the way they came together with such blind passion, Cordelia was not yet prepared to accept more. “That takes more than just a mark of ownership— a visible claim. It takes my consent.”

“Which you aren’t giving,” the deep timbre of his words sounded steady in her ears betraying no emotions.

Cordelia raged at his cool response and her own conflicted feelings instantly bubbled to the surface. “Maybe it’s as simple as 1, 2, 3 for you— want me, claim me, love me, but I can’t skip ahead so fast. I’m still trying to understand who you are, Angel.”

“I’m not Santa Claus or the Energizer Bunny, baby,” his mouth twisted into a smirk. “Though I promise you I can keep going and going and going if that’s what it takes to convince you.”

Damn commercials. Cordelia’s cheeks flamed at the silken promise in Angel’s voice. Watching television had definitely been Angelus’ acquired hobby and it was his ribald humor that sounded in her ears.

Then he tacked on with all seriousness, “What does it take, Cordelia?”

“More than just incredible sex,” she answered swiftly despite the rush of arousal that left her rosy nipples visibly perky.

Missing none of her reaction, Angel slowly closed the distance between them to mere inches. That confident leer toyed with the corners of his tempting male mouth while focusing directly on her description. “Incredible?”

“Egomaniac,” Cordelia muttered. That hadn’t changed a bit despite the Moirae’s little manipulations. “You know it was perfect. I’m not denying that.”

“Even this?” Angel trailed a finger along the edges of his mark, his nostrils flaring as the move brought their combined scents to the fore.

The sight of his fangs appearing and then disappearing with that momentary lapse of concentration only increased his appeal. Combined with his touch, her body reacted instinctively. Cordelia’s eyes fluttered closed and her head tilted away subconsciously bringing her throat and Angel’s mark fully into his view.

“And yet you still say I’m a stranger,” Angel’s anger finally rumbled to the surface at her body’s silent plea.

Cordelia’s eyes snapped open at the realization of what she had done. Stepping back in alarm, she still had to admit, “No— not a stranger, Angel. Not that. You’ve proved it in the way you touch me. I can sense that it’s more than just their memories.”

Tempted to snatch her close again, Angel curled his hands closed at his sides. “If you can see that much, Cordelia, why deny me? You know that Angelus is a part of who I am, yet you continue to push me away.”

“I’m through pushing,” she admitted knowing that resisting his touch was no longer an option, “but I’m not ready for that kind of commitment again. Maybe I know what the Moirae have done— in my head I understand it, but my heart is still hurting.”

The muscles at Angel’s jaw clenched tightly. Cordelia wasn’t the only one with mixed emotions. Not the only one confused by what was going on between them. Memories conflicted with the present. Every moment with her was new despite familiarity. Still, Angel wasn’t about to let her return to her shell of denial.

“Now that I’ve had you, there is no going back, Cordelia,” he captured her gaze and held a finger along her jaw to hold her attention. “We’ve gone beyond a hands-off relationship.”

Her eyebrows arched reflexively. “We had one? Pfft! When did you ever keep your hands off?”

Got me on that one, sweetheart, Angel admitted silently even as Cordelia’s lips pursed making him want to taste the smug curve of her mouth. “Don’t expect me to start now.”

Snapping at the rumble accompanying his response, Cordelia ignored the soft pull of his fingers threading possessively through the soft waves of her hair. “Don’t snarl at me. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her words suggested that Cordelia believed that going anywhere might be an option. Angel lifted a handful of her dark tresses to his cheek, turning his face into it to scent the hint of her strawberry shampoo. Telling Cordelia, “The only place you’re going is straight to my bed.”

“Our bed,” she stressed mindfully refusing to let it sound like she had no part in a decision to be there.

Desire filled his gaze, but there was also more to it. Something that Cordelia couldn’t quite fathom until he summoned up a sound that pulsed through her. Canceling out her response, Angel countered swiftly, “Mine. Everything in this place belongs to me. Including you, Cordelia since that’s the way you want to play it.”

Outrage warred with pure hunger at the possessive gleam in his eyes. Cordelia’s hands crept up to the solid angles of his chest seeking him out and tempted to push him away simultaneously. Adrenalin rushed through her veins, her hands trembling in a visible state of uncontrolled fury.

“This isn’t a game, Dorkula,” Cordelia turned his earlier words against him. “Playing Possesso-Vamp must come naturally, but my heart isn’t a prize to be won. You can’t claim it as easily as you did the rest of me.”

The defensive name calling only brought down the scrutiny of Angel’s full attention. Her words only sounded as a challenge in his ears and there was no hiding from his senses. “You don’t love me, but you do want me.”

Cordelia fumed, even angrier at her own response than him calling her on it. “So what if I do? I’m not denying it.”

Dropping his hands to his side, Angel leaned in closer feeling the touch of her fingers upon his chest. Cordelia’s turgid nipples brushed against his cool flesh as the position of her arms pillowed the spheres of her breasts between them. Lifting his gaze back to her eyes from that momentary distraction, Angel decided that she had made her choice and would now have to live with her decision. His previously issued terms were no different now than they were before their lovemaking.

“Fine,” Angel responded decisively. “Want me and you’ll have me, Cordelia. You’ll have me by more ways and means than you can count.”

His sensual promise came with provisions. Cordelia knew it by his tone even before Angel added, “But you’ll have me by my want and whim.”

Defying the electric thrill that shot down her spine at his words, Cordelia’s hazel eyes sparked with defiance. “Is that supposed to scare me?”

“Let’s see how you like being a vampire’s mistress,” Angel suggested while reaching around to cup her bottom with both hands, “since you refuse to be my mate.”

“Don’t make it sound so sordid.” Cordelia glared back, squirming against him until he let her go.

“That’s what you’ve made it, baby,” Angel countered with a tilt of his dark head. “Learn to live with it because your doubts and denials won’t change the fact that you want me.”

With an angry, “Grmph!” she twirled around turning her back on him. Then crossing her arms defiantly, Cordelia swished her mane of hair until the curling ends tickled at the colorful edge of her tattoo. When Angel’s curled fingers deftly circled the sun, she shuddered as her body yearned for more, but glared at him over her shoulder. “Don’t touch me.”

A deep-throated chuckle sounded in her ear. “You should give that luscious mouth a rest and listen to your instincts.”

“Conceited jerk!” Cordelia reacted instantly, her elbow connecting sharply with Angel’s rippled abdomen. She was already trudging across the blue mats toward the stairs when a hand curled around her arm and hauled her back. Swinging Cordelia around to face him, Angel fumed, “Why the hell did you do that?”

“I was listening to my instincts,” she quipped, narrowing her angry gaze upon him.

He sucked in an unneeded breath and let it out as a slow sigh trying to calm his fury. Angel found the technique wasn’t working. “It doesn’t have to be this way, Cordelia.”

“Maybe it does,” she snapped defiantly. Fury kept those scarier tender emotions at bay. She could deal with his anger and desire. Those she could give back in spades. It was heart that needed protecting. “I can only give you so much.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Angel palmed her face with both hands as he dared her to defy him. “Don’t expect me to settle for scraps, Cor. Just having your eyes on me, your lips, your accidental caresses— those are only teasers. I want it all. I’ll have it all.”

Angel’s lips swiped voraciously over hers devouring her mouth in a kiss designed for domination. His body shouted aggression, his arms moving to sweep her closer into his strong embrace. No clinging vine, Cordelia responded to his fiery kisses with an equal determination to give him nothing more than her heart would allow.

Apparently that included tongue-tangling kisses.

“Don’t think I’ll let you have it easy,” she panted heavily as he finally let her up for air.

Seeing the fire in her eyes, Angel smirked in the face of her defiance. “Go ahead and fight it. I don’t want you too submissive, sweetheart.”

“Lucky for you,” Cordelia smirked right back, “that won’t be a problem.”

“Didn’t think so.”

He was angry, Cordelia knew. All that barely controlled fury. His feelings twisted up inside him. She knew it, but couldn’t hold back her own feelings of betrayal. They plagued her still.

Maybe Angelus and Angel existed within this vampire, but still Cordelia knew he was not her mate. The claim didn’t make it so. That would happen only when she could freely give him her heart.

And that wasn’t happening. Wishing it for his sake didn’t make it so. Her heart was still tied up in the memory of Angelus.

Cordelia recognized the emotions mixed in with his lust and anger. Fury died under the heat of his gaze and a softness returned to her voice as it sounded out its plea for understanding. “Give me time, Angel. Love isn’t something I can promise you. Sorry if that hurts you, but I can’t turn it on like a light switch.”

“Keep your pity, Cordelia,” Angel returned harshly. The firm line of his mouth gave away nothing even though he said, “My heart is yours regardless.”

Hers was thumping madly in her chest. “Stop saying that.”

“You know how I feel. I lo—”

Panicking, Cordelia knew that an outright confession of love would be too much for her to handle right now. “Wait! Don’t say that.”

Clamping her hand over his mouth, Cordelia’s confusion showed in her eyes as she watched his silent response and felt his hands drop away. Her heart was breaking in two. Conflicting feelings warred within her. To want someone so much, to know that he loves you, to know that somehow you should love him, but are held back by the love you once held dear— that response was ingrained too deeply to be easily dislodged or replaced by other feelings.

“Don’t pressure me by saying those words,” Cordelia begged for mercy wondering all the while if it wasn’t too late.

Her hand slipped away from his mouth following a slow trail of descent back to the relatively safe harbor of his massive chest. She licked nervously at her lips waiting for his response. Finally, Angel summoned up a query, “Which words are those?”

The sudden turn from his fury to the teasing tone made Cordelia react with a vein of suspicion. God, he could put a spin on his emotions that kept her dizzy in a way that neither Angelus nor Angel ever could. “You know. Those words. Those three little words.”

Nodding knowingly, Angel’s mouth quirked at one corner. “Come to bed.”

“Not those words,” Cordelia rolled her eyes in exasperation. Then she thought about it for a few seconds. “Unless you— Was that a suggestion?”

Waggling his eyebrows suggestively, Angel’s mouth softened into the semblance of a smile. It tugged gingerly at his lips until Cordelia’s scrutiny opened it up into a wide grin.

“Are you laughing at me again?” Cordelia demanded suspiciously.

“About this? Never,” Angel answered sincerely and then placed a lingering kiss upon her forehead.

Cordelia closed her eyes briefly, her hands exploring the contours of his chest with a mind of their own. “Just checking.”

A little moan of need escaped her throat just before Angel started to explore the soft shape of her mouth with his own. Cordelia curled her arms around him clasping him closer with both hands roaming along the bunched muscles of his back. A renewed lust lit Angel’s eyes, his body stirring and hinting at his desires in ways that Cordelia could not ignore.

Nor did she want to.

Maybe it was a suggestion, Cordelia thought distractedly as his mouth moved to nip softly along the curve of her shoulder. One suggestion that certainly had an undeniable appeal, she also realized while giving in to her own desires. As her hands tangled in his hair, her mouth pressed close to Angel’s ear as she asked, “Want to?”

Angel simply swept her into his arms and headed up the stairs, gazing at Cordelia with a silent promise of pleasure. Winding her arms around his neck, she held on as they ascended to the main level. “Guess that’s a yes,” she couldn’t help the quiver in her voice as anticipation continued to build.

Carrying her as if she was a featherweight, Angel moved surely and steadily up the main staircase. Meeting her gaze briefly, the vampire decided that Cordelia shouldn’t go any further without realizing just what she was getting. What happened down in the basement was only a taste of his desire. “Just so you know, Cor. Don’t expect me to separate my feelings. The soul that loves you and the demon who wants you are one and the same.”

Latching on to that one word, Cordelia grumbled, “I told you not to say that. You just used more words.”

“I could say that in reverse and have it be just as true,” Angel pointed out. “Do you understand me?”

“You love me,” Cordelia sounded out the words that she’d been hiding from as Angel suggested his feelings for her had as much to do with his demon nature as it did the presence of his soul. The thought brought up flashes of memory of close encounters with the vampire’s demonic side.

Not strictly his, but as Angelus and Angel.

“You get all of me, baby,” Angel issued his warning. “That’s what you want; to know all of me. Keep in mind that knowing who I am comes with some dark and deadly truths, Cordelia. Things that Angelus never wanted you to know.”

“I’m not afraid.” Cordelia answered with a soft, “Pfft.”

Angel paused at the top of the second floor landing, setting her down on the carpet. Standing close, Cordelia couldn’t understand his need to tell her this when she was simply eager to get upstairs to their bed. His fingers trailed along the curve of her face as she gazed up in confusion.

“It’s been a while since you faced my demon. Don’t make the mistake of forgetting what Angelus told you in the graveyard that night, what Angel told you at Harmony’s house, or what I told you the day of my first awakening and again today.”

A flash of understanding swept through her as Cordelia remembered each of those instances and the underlying meaning behind them. A trickle of fear curled in her breast, but not because of him or even the because she knew that his demonic side always talked to her in terms of possession and forever. It was a reaction to her own contradictory feelings of elation and acceptance of those terms.

“You’ll always be mine, Cordelia,” his words came out as an oath singeing across her flesh as invisible flames of truth. She swore the mark on her throat throbbed with a responsive need that underscored his claim. “Willing or not. In love or hate. Standing freely by my side or bound there. One way or the other. I’ll never give you up, baby. Never.”

Angel looked as if he expected another well-timed elbow, but Cordelia found that his words didn’t rile her as expected. She blinked up at him with the growing realization that his words applied to him as well. She wasn’t ready to love him. To give him her heart as freely as he wanted, but he loved her. He’d said it in more ways than one.

Maybe she couldn’t love him yet, but he belonged to her and Cordelia wasn’t about to let him go just because her heart could not fully commit to loving him. She didn’t want to deny that and the possessive wave rising in her chest— that scared her.

Despite the gleam of want in her eyes, Angel’s senses dug deeper as he searched for a response to his message. What he found chilled him, drawing up his defenses and lighting another spark amongst the glowing embers of his anger. “You’re afraid of me.”

“No.”

Her quick denial wasn’t unexpected. Avoidance was one of Cordelia’s best tactics. “I can smell it on you underlying the scent of your arousal.”

Flustered by his discovery, Cordelia raised another shield. Glaring, she pointed out, “That is so— eew!”

“I’m a vampire,” Angel spoke as if she needed another reminder. “That’s what I do. Detect those subtle weaknesses and exploit them to my advantage.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” She returned firmly, meaning it. Dumbass.

Catching on, Angel ignored the glowering stare that would have felled a lesser vamp at a hundred yards. “Maybe not me. Fear of yourself, then. Your own desires. Afraid of wanting me too much. Afraid that the cage you’ve built around your heart might not be strong enough to keep me out.”

Cordelia lunged past him with an infuriated ‘grmph’ reverberating in the air. Moving directly for the stairs to the upper floor, she found her progress halted by Angel’s iron grip. “This is getting to be a bad habit,” she grumbled as she was hauled up against his chest.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Obvious, much?”

“I have a better idea,” Angel responded smoothly.

Cordelia didn’t think her idea to lock herself in the bathroom until she could keep her emotions to herself had anything to do with what he was thinking. “Oh?”

“It’s time to rattle your cage a little,” he told her while leading her down the second floor corridor.

There was only one place he could be taking her, Cordelia realized with a growing sense of panic. Neither one of them had gone there in the past two weeks: Angel because he felt that Angelus’ territory was more important as it also belonged to her; Cordelia for so many other reasons.

“Not in there!” Cordelia pulled futilely against his lead.

It seemed more sacrosanct a spot in Cordelia’s mind than the bedroom upstairs. The place where Angelus first made love to her. The bed that Angel slept in every night and fantasized of her. The forbidden space where her simple presence evoked hidden desire. The room where she discovered Angelus wanted her as his mate. Too many memories filled with them.

Turning back to her, Angel again swept her into his arms and kept walking until he reached the bedroom. Tossing Cordelia down on the soft surface of the comforter, Angel followed right behind. “What will it be, baby? Sweet and vanilla— or something more in tune with the demon you’re determined to know?”

Determined not to give him any sense of victory over her, Cordelia locked her arms around his neck plundering his mouth before he could make another move. Leaning back on her elbows with a triumphant look in her hazel eyes, Cordelia wasn’t about to give him an inch. The challenge in her gaze only stoked the fire between them.

“Surprise me,” Cordelia quipped hoping that Angel paid no attention to the telltale tempo of her heart.

~Part: 44~

Tangled in the bed sheets, Cordelia moved fretfully as the telltale sign of rapid eye movement flickered along her eyelids. Images raced across her mind’s eye, sensory perceptions both familiar and strange. Curiosity turned cautious as a dread feeling held her in its sudden grip.

Something awaited her in the shadows just ahead. Its silent call drew her close and closer still, and yet the distance to discovery only expanded exponentially.

The gloomy haze of the dreamscape shrouded what lay beyond— something vital she could not identify. Driven by a growing desperation, Cordelia fought to close the gap. Urgency followed failure. Fear reached the panic point and in that moment one clear thought came to her in the midst of that dark nightmare.

Bolting into an upright position, Cordelia’s cry pierced the night. “ANGEL!”

Within seconds the vampire burst from the adjacent bathroom with his game face on— and little else. Still warm and damp from his post-patrol shower, Angel was clasping the edge of the towel wrapped around his hips. There was no sign of danger, he noted upon scanning the room, just the quaking figure in the middle of their huge bed.

“Cordy?” Angel’s features morphed fluidly back to his human form as he came closer. Guessing the problem seemed obvious— a nightmare. The rapid beat of her heart and her stilted breathing were accompanied by the sharp scent of fear. The last time this happened it followed a vampire attack. He readily remembered Angelus and Cordelia battling the out-of-towners and the cry that brought Angel to her side while her mate was away.

Simple post-traumatic stress working its way out in the form of a nightmare, but no such thing was to blame now, Angel reasoned. Then reconsidering tautly, Unless there are issues closer to home.

When soothing words to help her forget may have been more appropriate, Angel had to ask for the details. Knowing suddenly seemed necessary. “What is it?”

Still reeling, Cordelia pulled her knees up to her chest hugging her arms around them. Her nerves continued to leap despite the last vestiges of sleep falling away. Combined with the awful sensation of fear was a sensation of déjà vu. Why was that? Angel running into my room half naked. Check.

Turning her face to hide the wet proof of her tears, she muttered, “Bad dream.”

The effort hid nothing as Angel scented her salty tears. Sitting down on the bed next to her, Angel reached out to comfort Cordelia only to have her flinch at his touch. Stung, his hand dropped away from her face, but only to sweep down the length of her covered leg.

Wondering if this was just the after-effects of the nightmare or something to do with him, Angel tried again. “Tell me about it.”

“I can’t.”

Angel frowned at her response, now worrying that he was somehow responsible for her unwillingness to share her feelings with him. Blatant honesty was more along the lines of Cordelia’s usual comebacks. He didn’t like being kept in the dark especially after sensing her terror.

Countering swiftly, he assured her, “You can tell me anything.”

Cordelia’s eyes darted to his. The words carried with them the same sincerity that the other Angel had once promised. “There is nothing to tell. I can’t remember what it was about— just that it scared me.”

Admitting, “I thought it might be because of something I did,” Angel’s fingers traced up one golden arm to cup her bare shoulder.

Lifting her head, Cordelia swiped at her damp cheeks with one hand. Her expression was one of confusion. “What’s this— early brood mode? I haven’t seen that in a while.”

Considering the fact that Cordelia seemed to sidestep the issue, the evidence looked to point in the direction that her nightmare was somehow his fault. The last thing he wanted was to have Cordelia afraid of him. Angel could easily think of several things he’d done recently that might earn him a place on Cordelia’s list of things that went bump in the night.

Especially considering his unrelenting determination to have her accept everything familiar and unique about him whether it was his demon’s need to taste her blood or the all too human interest of playing dangerous games in public places. To push her limits. To rattle that cage around her heart just enough to let him in.

“Tonight, for instance,” Angel hinted somewhat cautiously.

Rolling her eyes, Cordelia glowered at him. “Don’t bother to bring it up if you can’t talk about it.”

“I didn’t want to upset you.”

Cordelia set her jaw firmly before responding, “Too late. You don’t have to look Giles in the eye at school tomorrow like I do. Today, actually,” she corrected herself as she glanced at the clock on her bed stand. It was already after two in the morning.

“How was I to know he would need a book from that section of the library?”

The confounded look on Angel’s face drove away the last remnants of fear replacing them with entwining threads of embarrassment, amusement and arousal. Just the memory of what they had done caused a curling heat in her belly.

A smile twitched at the corners of her mouth. It was impossible to stay mad at him for something she had enjoyed with such intense passion at the time.

The change in her mood did not go unnoticed by Angel as Cordelia plopped back on her pillows, one arm curled alongside her head and her hair now cascading around her shoulders. Her breasts shifted with the movement calling his attention to the firm mounds with their succulent tips pressing up against the silk of her nightgown.

“You know the hardest thing?” Cordelia queried now forgetting all about her dream.

Angel’s brow shot up as his thoughts descended to his stirring loins. “I have a pretty good idea.”

Giggling, Cordelia kicked at his hip through the covers. “Perv! I meant difficult as in staying quiet.”

As he moved to recline next to her in a sideways position, Angel propped his head on one hand while his free hand traveled to the concave valley of her abdomen to twirl a finger around her silk-covered navel. That fact that her vampire bedmate couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of her was not lost on Cordelia who felt her body tremble at his touch wanting more.

“I thought your nightmare might have had something to do with the library,” Angel admitted quietly searching her face for clues.

“Giles finding us getting dressed again was nightmarish enough,” she sent him a grin. The look on the Watcher’s face when he realized what they had done in his precious library was both mortifying and hilarious. “It was a good thing that no one else was there yet because Giles certainly made enough noise for the both of us.”

Cordelia recalled the moment with utter clarity.

“Oh, dear God!” The Watcher let out a plea to the heavens as he rounded the corner of the stacks. Giles’ eyes bugged out behind the lenses of his glasses as he clasped a hand to his chest in seeming distress at the sight before him.

With vampiric speed, Angel pulled his half-dressed companion behind the solid barrier of his body, hiding Cordelia from view. Her muttering curses were only whispers, but were as clear as a bell to both men. Still staring, unable to close his eyes due to the simple shock of it all, Giles noted that Angel was standing in only a pair of blue boxers and navy socks.

Any hysterical laughter that resounded in his head at the sight died fleetingly under the vampire’s ominous gaze. Angel’s instinctive reaction to protect the woman he’d claimed brought his demon to the surface and the human visage slipping away.

“Giles?” Buffy’s concerned voice called out from a distance. “You okay?”

“Answer her,” a low growl sounded in Angel’s voice demanding that the Watcher say nothing to give them away. His pale, powerful body exuded barely restrained control as his muscles flexed and tensed fighting the urge to ensure the Englishman’s silence by clamping off the blood-flow to his brain.

Loosening his tie a little, Giles felt the vampire’s stare closing in on his throat. This was simply an embarrassing interruption— not that he wouldn’t have a few choice words to say to the both of them later on— but nothing worth threatening his life over. Angel’s reaction was instinctive, a vampire protecting his mate, Giles realized in the few seconds that passed.

He managed to squeak out a, “Yes,” to Buffy before drawing further attention to any of them.

“Now get out, Rupert,” barked Angel as softly as his sudden anger would allow. It did not matter that this man was a friend, only that he had barged in unwanted.

Cordelia poked Angel in the ribs, whispering furiously, “Don’t be an ass. At least he didn’t come back here five minutes ago.”

The deserted school library had proved too much for them as Angel and Cordelia awaited the others. Their early arrival left them sitting across the research table staring into each others eyes until their silent flirtation slowly turned to looks of lust and unspoken desire. Cordelia had tried to behave, but she couldn’t seem to stop wanting him. All of the time.

Angel was an addiction that she couldn’t fight, but was damned well going to try as long as she could. Wanting him didn’t mean she loved him, she kept telling herself. So what if she couldn’t keep her hands off? He was a hottie. Only natural to want to strip him naked and taste every inch of that gorgeous body. Even now. Right here in the library.

Fighting off the ideas creeping into her head, Cordelia darted out of her chair and tried pacing to release some of that pent up energy. It only drew Angel’s attention to her curves and the way she walked as he followed her every move with those deep, dark impenetrable eyes. Saying nothing, Cordelia flashed him a mysterious smile and disappeared into the connecting section where the bulk of the library’s books were stacked in deep rows of shelving.

The naughty fantasy running through her head just wouldn’t let go its hold on her brain. She needed distraction. Something to take her mind off of Angel and thoughts of what he could do to make her scream his name until she was hoarse with it. Two minutes after staring at a random row of books, Cordelia sensed Angel’s presence behind her.

He made no noise; she just knew he was there. Every cell of her being shouted out with recognition at his approach. Then Angel’s arms came up beside her shoulders blocking out any route of escape. Not that she was going anywhere.

Cordelia let the book on Historic Hotels and their Legends drop back into place.

“We shouldn’t,” was all she uttered hoping that it was enough to convince Angel that it was a bad idea to follow through with their mutual feelings. Bad time. Bad place.

A flush of heat suffused her body settling into a tight throb at her loins as Angel sounded out her name accompanied by a low vampiric sound. Turning, Cordelia’s thoughts of why they should not instantly altered to why not. The library was empty, after all, with the others on early patrol. They might not come back for hours. This was a far better way to pass the time than reading stuffy old books.

Angel and Cordelia reached for each other at the same time, coming together in a clash of grasping arms and parting lips. A scurry of movement and discarded clothing followed leaving them mostly naked with only one goal rattling around in their heads. Cordelia’s naughty fantasy was swiftly turning into reality as she splayed her hands along Angel’s bare chest moving them up to wrap around his neck as he lifted her up against a column between the bookshelves.

“Wrap your legs around me,” Angel moaned against her mouth, both hands full of the soft curves of her bottom as he pulled her intimately closer.

The instruction was hardly a necessity as Cordelia’s golden thighs closed around his hips, her calves crossing and ankles locking in place behind him. There would be no escape for this manpire, came the mischievous thought. Reaching between them to stroke his erection, Cordelia delighted at the sounds of pleasure emerging from his throat.

“That’s it, baby,” Angel nibbled at her ear while his hands gave her the support and leverage she needed to reach him. “Put me inside you.”

Cordelia let out a cry as the broad tip stretched her slick opening. Bringing her hips down hard as Angel thrust forward brought them together in such a way that she shuddered around him. Neither meant to go so fast and now Cordelia was reeling at the sudden pressure of having him inside her.

Softly, he whispered words of reassurance holding her steady while freeing up one hand to map her curves from hip to breast. Pressing butterfly kisses along her face until he sensed a shift inside her as her body relaxed into his hold. The hazel eyes now boring into his were hot with need as Angel moved experimentally retreating just a fraction and thrusting back.

“Mmm.” Just a tiny murmur of delight, but one that brought a brilliant grin to her face as Cordelia reestablished her grip on his shoulders. “You feel so good inside me. Ah— yes! Mmm, faster, Angel.”

They fell into an eager rhythm, muttering encouragement and lusty little responses between heated wet kisses. In the middle of a tongue-tangling kiss, their soft moans and breathy pants were suddenly drowned out by the noisy entrance of the Scoobies and Rupert Giles into the main part of the library.

Angel and Cordelia froze into a pair of interlocking statues. Leaning up against the wall, still grasping onto each other’s sweat-slicked skin, their lips still grazing as their eyes met in instant understanding of their situation.

“We’re naked,” Cordelia felt her entire body flush.

Angel’s dark eyes sparkled at her look of fury. “We’re a little more than just naked.” His mouth twisted into a smirk while his hips thrust forward just enough to remind her that it wasn’t only a strip show they might be caught at.

A gasp left Cordelia’s throat as she heard Buffy and Giles discussing the events of patrol. Xander and Willow were yammering on about the latest hit at the theaters, some stupid plot point that no one really cared about. Their mention of the movie only brought thoughts of Angelus to mind. Just him and her and an empty theater.

This was no empty theater, but a library crawling with Scoobies, a Slayer and one soon-to-be-pissed-off Watcher. Strangely, thoughts of Angelus did not cause her to balk nor did the fact that the stakes had just been raised as a challenge sparkled in Angel’s eyes. “Think you can stay quiet?”

Cordelia’s fingers traced the angles of his face as she accepted recognition of that dark playful glint. She heard him rumble as her inner muscles tightened purposefully around his rampant erection. “How about you? Think you can?”

Whispering in provocation, Cordelia knew this could be dangerous. Games of Silence were never her forte. The safe thing to do would be to stop now, get dressed and pretend they’d been conducting research on…on…on whatever subject Angel could come up with because— “Oh!”— she couldn’t really think straight right now.

Curling her fingers into the short strands of Angel’s hair, Cordelia smothered her own cry against Angel’s lips. Thoughts of what she really wanted to say colored her kiss as her tongue snaked into his mouth tasting him. Pulling back, she licked her lips to savor the tingling sensation left behind as she whispered, “Don’t stop.”

The soft plea was followed by a much louder cry as Cordelia reacted to the resuming rhythm as Angel’s shallow thrusts deepened. Sounds of friendly laughter and familiar debating voices filled her ears as she buried her head against Angel’s shoulder and rocked her hips against him. Her body tingled with a strange excitement at the idea of Angel making her come within hearing distance of Buffy Summers.

Bad thought. Cordelia’s excitement turned to a moment of panic as her climax neared, her hips bucking down to meet his every thrust. There was no way she could keep quiet. Even now it was a struggle.

“Omigod,” she gasped sending Angel a look of pure fear. Her hands slid along his shoulders seeking the leverage to push herself away. Warning him with a strained, soft undertone, “I’m gonna come.”

A husky chuckle sounded in her ear as Angel fucked her, “That’s the point, Cor.”

Sending him a dark look, she huffed, “I’ll scream.” It was no threat, just a truth that neither one of them doubted in the least.

Angel captured her mouth with a fiery kiss sensing his own body spiraling to its own climax. Breathing hard simply because his body reacted instinctively to do so, he growled softy, “Bite me, Cordelia. Bite me when you come.”

Hello, vampire. You do the biting.

Dazed eyes stared in confusion, but only for the instant before Cordelia felt her body fly apart with his next thrust, her inner muscles clenching and releasing in fluttering spasms around his hard shaft. Opening her mouth to release the simultaneous cry announcing her pleasure to the world— and the Scoobies— Cordelia found a single moment of clarity and bit down on the muscular cord of Angel’s neck stifling her cry against him.

Her blunt teeth clamped down hard, breaking the skin and drawing a hint of blood to the surface. How Angel managed to remain quiet was a miracle of control for the only thing she heard was a purr of pleasure rumbling through the wall of his chest.

Cordelia raised her eyes to his, riding out the final waves of her orgasm, watching her manpire in rapt fascination as he came inside her. “Cordy,” the soft sound of her name on his lips left her shuddering as she clasped him closer. His hands soothed her with long strokes as he reluctantly separated himself from her body.

Wobbling as Angel set her down, Cordelia grasped his shoulders again to steady herself. Now that their moment of combined pleasure and terror was over, naughty glee lit up her features, an almost shy smile curving her lips. Angel brushed the back of his fingers along her cheek, his attention focused on her pink tongue as it licked away the tiny trace of his blood clinging to her upper lip.

Both hands cupped her face just before Angel swooped down to press his mouth over hers. A single close-mouthed kiss conveying pure emotion. They sighed against each others lips as the kiss broke. That the vampire wanted her again went without saying and Cordelia would have been a liar if she denied her own wish to curl up in his arms and stay there.

Wanting and having were not possible at the moment after the risk they’d already taken. Pressing their luck any longer might change it for the worst.

Scrambling for their scattered clothing, the two reached for the first items at hand. Both held up each other’s underwear. Cordelia sent Angel a mischievous look as she realized the vampire was standing there wearing only his socks. Stifling her giggles, she thrust the blue boxers in his direction.

Angel snatched them away only to stretch her silk thong like a sling-shot. “Yours, I believe,” he mouthed while sending it hurtling toward her.

Rebounding off of her chest, Cordelia caught the panties mid-air and noticed that he watched her every move as she stepped back into the tiny underwear. He put his boxers on with a rush of vampiric speed, hopping on one leg and nearly falling over when Cordelia turned her back giving him a perfect view of her rounded bottom as she bent over to grab her pants.

Another grin appeared as she shimmied into them one leg at a time. Then Angel’s hands swept around her hips brushing her hands aside and pulling her back against his chest.

“Let me do that,” he muttered closely as his mouth brushed against her soft, dark tresses.

Cordelia let her hands fall to her sides as Angel zipped and buttoned her pants just for the sake of touching her. Those fingers weren’t content to stop there. Trailing up her torso, Angel cupped her breasts, testing their weight in his palms and covering them with a gentle possessive hold. He made her feel so safe in his arms, Cordelia realized as she turned her face to look up at him.

Her hand lifted to his face as her voice sounded out a breathy whisper only he could possibly hear, “Angel, I think I—”

“Oh, dear God!”

A giant sucking sound was heard from the end of the row as Rupert Giles rounded the corner in search of a book on historic Sunnydale. He’d needed it for some research they were conducting tonight. Only— he clasped his chest at the shocking sight of Angel holding Cordelia’s naked breasts— it appeared there were other things going on in his library besides research.

Before Giles could do more than blink, Cordelia was safely hidden away behind the vampire’s muscular frame. “Crap! All that and we get caught when it’s over. Damn nosey Watcher.” Muttering, her curses were only whispers, but were as clear as a bell to both men.

Still staring, unable to close his eyes due to the simple shock of it all, Giles noted that Angel was standing in only a pair of blue boxers and a pair of navy socks. Any hysterical laughter that resounded in his head at the sight died fleetingly under the vampire’s ominous gaze. Angel’s instinctive reaction to protect the woman he’d claimed brought his demon to the surface and the human visage slipping away.

“Giles?” Buffy’s concerned voice called out from a distance. “You okay?”

“Answer her,” a low growl sounded in Angel’s voice demanding that the Watcher say nothing to give them away. His pale, powerful body exuded barely restrained control as his muscles flexed and tensed fighting the urge to ensure the Englishman’s silence by clamping off the blood-flow to his brain.

Loosening his tie a little, Giles felt the vampire’s stare closing in on his throat. This was simply an embarrassing interruption— not that he wouldn’t have a few choice words to say to the both of them later on— but nothing worth threatening his life over. Angel’s reaction was instinctive, a vampire protecting his mate, Giles realized in the few seconds that passed.

He managed to squeak out a, “Yes,” to Buffy before drawing further attention to any of them.

“Now get out, Rupert,” barked Angel as softly as his sudden anger would allow. It did not matter that this man was a friend, only that he had barged in unwanted.

Cordelia poked Angel in the ribs, whispering furiously, “Don’t be an ass. At least he didn’t come back here five minutes ago.”

“WHAT DO—,” realizing he was shouting, Giles lowered his voice to a furious whisper as he whipped off his glasses to give them a good rubbing over. “What do you two think you’re doing? This is a school. A library. MY library.”

“I think your imagination is good enough to fill in a few blanks,” Angel wasn’t about to back down or look sheepish in front of the Watcher. His voice might be hushed, but the tone got his point across. What they did was none of Giles’ business.

He ignored the fact that he was still dressed only in his boxers and socks, stepping forward menacingly enough to get the Watcher to lift his chin in defiant refusal to back away. Cordelia had no patience for testosterone challenges. She whacked Angel on the arm and reminded him she needed her clothing trying to urge him to end this little spat.

Angel heard something about clothing and spied Cordelia’s sweater on the floor. He automatically bent over to pick it up for her, assuming that was what she was trying to get him to do. The moment he lowered his upper body, Cordelia let out a gasp, slapping her hands over her bare breasts.

Giles let out a shriek, shutting his eyes despite the pleasant view. He backed up at an angle falling against the closest stack of books. When he opened his eyes again, the Watcher was faced with a lacy bra dangling in his face as it hung from the shelf.

Though it was hardly the last thing Giles should have expected to see considering the events so far, another loud shriek sounded, this one noticed by all occupants of the library. Several concerned voices rang out from the main room.

“What was that?”

“Giles?”

“Let’s go!”

Realizing that his reaction had garnered unwanted attention, Giles backed away, swiftly moving toward the Scoobies’ gathering spot. Heading off Buffy who was already on the way investigate, Giles grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along with him.

“What the hell is going on?” Buffy demanded. “Why were you yelling like that?”

“It was nothing.”

Xander snarked, “Sounded like something to me.”

Giles pushed his glasses up and glared at the boy, “I saw a rat.”

“Must’ve been a big rat,” Xander muttered as he glanced over his shoulder toward the stacks. Shrugging, he followed the others back to the table.

There was no playing with their clothing now as Angel and Cordelia dressed at a frantic pace. Sneaking out of a back entrance, they ran all of the way to the car. Once inside, Cordelia couldn’t seem to stop laughing. Angel wasn’t certain if she was truly amused by getting caught or simply in a state of mild hysteria.

Scooting close, Cordelia leaned over and placed a quick kiss on his startled mouth. “Take me home,” she grinned at him just before the giggles returned.

Thinking back, Angel figured his worries about the library were unfounded. Yes, they may have gotten caught. Yes, Cordelia would have to face Giles before he did, but she certainly enjoyed the thrill of it too. That meant there was another reason for her nightmares. Something else that he might have done to stir up negative feelings.

Leaning over, Angel pressed a lingering kiss to her bare shoulder. “What about the other night?”

Cordelia’s hand trailed up the back of his arm as she turned toward him in bed. He didn’t have to clarify which night he meant. It was all too clear he referred to the night he carried her off to the second floor bedroom. The memory of that night was enough to make her flush with heat. “What about it?”

“I scared you,” Angel concluded swiftly, directing the blame to himself. “It was too rough. I let it go on too long.”

Cordelia’s plush lips formed a circle of astonishment as he linked her dream to their day— and night— of wild exhausting sex. Her own fear now forgotten, she found herself caught between comforting him over her nightmare and remembering that everything she experienced that night started out as a lesson.

Directly meeting his gaze, Cordelia pointed out, “There was a lot of screaming.”

A flash of gold lit those dark eyes in response. Angel’s nostrils flared, taking in an unnecessary breath of indignation at the implication. Even as her eyebrows arched in the form of a silent challenge, all but daring him to deny it, he commented drolly in agreement, “You didn’t have much of a voice the next day.”

So he was playing along now, Cordelia realized, noting the smoky look in his eyes was full of remembrance. Despite his show of power and control wielded with the simple restraint of her hands, Cordelia countered with the one freedom he allowed her— her throaty cries, lustful pleas and heated demands.

Sending Cordelia a confident smirk, Angel buried his concerns deep. His hand skated up from her belly to skim one rounded breast, his thumb teasing the hardening tip. Hearing the soft sigh emerge from her throat at his touch, Angel recalled every one of her responses that night. Like her, he couldn’t come up with a reaction that signaled anything other than passion.

“Screams of ‘fuck me harder’, ‘now, Angel, now’, and ‘do that again’ don’t count, Cor.”

While letting loose with her smile, Cordelia felt a shockwave of heat unfurl within her at the memory. Her hand crept up to cover his roving fingers, wanting the weight of his palm against her breast. “They got me what I wanted. I’d say that counts for something.”

The hint of her arousal in the air suggested he’d been anxious for no reason, but Angel wanted to hear a confirmation of it from her lips. Leading her into a response, he asked, “So the nightmare had nothing to do with it?”

Cordelia could barely recall her initial reaction to the dream. It had all been so hazy. Just feelings really that were now forgotten. “What happened between us— what I felt with you— that had nothing to do with fear, Angel.”

I would’ve sensed it, Angel realized suddenly feeling relieved. Then fishing for more details, nudging her cheek with his own to gain access to the soft spot on her neck between her earlobe and his mark, he asked, “So what did you feel, exactly?”

“What do you think?” Answering his question with a question, Cordelia left her response vague. She knew what he hoped to hear. That was something she was just not prepared to discuss.

By way of distraction, she tucked her hand beneath the loose towel around his waist. It wasn’t difficult to find her target as she wrapped her hand around his sex. With a naughty grin, she commented, “What I felt was a lot harder than this, actually.”

Angel made a sound low in his throat as his body automatically stirred in response to Cordelia’s touch, her warm fingers teasing his burgeoning flesh. “Keep doing that and you won’t get much sleep tonight,” he warned huskily.

Tangling his fingers in her wavy hair, Angel leaned in close, capturing her mouth with his and moaning into it as she continued her slow torture. Cordelia opened up to the firm pressure of his kiss tasting him as his tongue danced along hers with the same tantalizing slow pace. Sleep was not her big interest at the moment; her whole body seemed awake, alert and focused entirely upon him.

What did she feel? His question echoed in the back of her mind. Thoughts of their time in that second story bedroom brought her to a single conclusion. What she felt was— surprise. Considering she’d asked for it, Cordelia should have been prepared, but there wasn’t a moment that went by leaving her with a single conflicted emotion about being with him.

No matter that Angel’s actions verged on domination, he remained focused on pleasuring her, eking out every response her body could handle. Until then, Cordelia had never realized the extent to which Angelus had reigned in his sexual drive— or how much her manpire had been fettered by the mystical restraints of the Moirae.

There was no doubt in Cordelia Chase’s mind that the surprise was indeed all hers. As she lay with her legs still curled around him and her thoughts coalescing in to a meaningful pattern, she asked breathlessly, “How many times was that?”

A lazy smile of satisfaction curled her lips as Angel watched. Then he laughed along with that rare, beautiful smile that always captured her attention. “You lost count?”

Pushed to the brink and beyond of so many climaxes, Cordelia wasn’t certain of anything except that they had come together in a hot and alarming way. There was no tender awakening to pleasure, only a nearly overwhelming wash of passion.

Angelus had dosed out a small measure of such mind-numbing madness, always conscious of being held back. No such limitations fettered Angel as he took Cordelia on a wild rollercoaster ride without end.

Danger hinted with his expert touch, his deep stare and the steely determination underlying his every move. Taking what he wanted, controlling her responses and attaining or giving pleasure on the tenuous edge of control. Angel seemed to know what buttons to push and when to curtail his own instinctive drive. Then he’d do something only Angelus would know or conversely something totally new— and then she’d want him all over again.

The fingers curled around her wrists flexed open and closed again, pressing her down in to the soft surface of the rumpled bed covers. Freedom came only in brief snatches when his hands were occupied elsewhere; stolen moments Cordelia greedily used to caress, grope and stimulate what parts of him she could reach. Though she exulted in his strength, even in the way he could take control, the physical restraint denied her the right to explore and pleasure him with equal fervor.

“Let me touch you,” Cordelia demanded on a husky note. If it was bad to want someone this way without claiming to love them, then there was truly no rest for the wicked this night. Angel gave her no quarter.

Cordelia raised her head to get closer to the tempting male mouth hovering over hers, her lips softly swollen and inviting. Instead of taking what she offered, Angel bent his head to nibble at the nape of her neck. She let out a tiny moan of frustration and dropped her head back onto the pillow only to find him looking down at her again. Defiantly, she shut her eyes away from his probing gaze.

Leaning down, Angel touched the tip of his nose to hers rubbing gently in the form of an Eskimo kiss. Cordelia clamped her eyes even tighter, knowing he liked her hot hazel gaze on him. That soft, silly caress continued until laughter started to bubble up inside her. Eyes still closed, she mumbled, “Stop that.”

“Make me,” Angel now alternated Eskimo kisses with soft smooches on the tip of her nose.

Summoning up a spark of energy, Cordelia pounced at the first opportunity, finding his mouth with her own. Kissing him with a hunger that left her breathless again, she noted the warmth of his lips— heat borrowed from her now returning in the form of hot, melting kisses.

Angel quickly took over the kiss, his primal urges swelling to a new level, devouring Cordelia’s wanton moans and tasting arousal on the wet warmth of her tongue. His kisses wandered down her cheek to the smooth skin of her jaw. Licking at the tender flesh beneath, he caused a wave of sensuous tremors to ripple across her flesh.

Those hazel eyes were trained on him again, watching every move. Pulling against the restraint of his grip was a use of needed energy, so Cordelia focused on using the rest of her body, touching him where she could. The legs wrapped around him stretched out as Cordelia skimmed her feet down his muscular thighs and calves and then returning again. Arching her back rubbed her aching breasts against his hard chest. Her undulating hips brought her heated center into direct contact with Angel’s rigid sex.

A moue of triumph left her lips as Angel’s hips shifted back against hers. His chest vibrated with a deep growl as he released one wrist to trail his fingertips along her arm, the nails softly raising the tiny hairs and stimulating a wave of pleasure through Cordelia’s already hot-wired body. The press of his lips on the slope of her neck was followed by the nip of his teeth just shy of bruising.

He’d do that often. Follow the gentlest caress with one designed to stir her blood to boiling. Then he’d counter it again, keeping her guessing, pushing her to the edge of her limits with sensory pleasures found between orgasmic peaks that came hard, fast and frequently.

Capturing her wrist again, Angel scraped his fangs along the surface drawing beads of blood onto his tongue. Fascinated by the look of ecstasy on his face, Cordelia never thought to protest the move, especially when he sealed the superficial wound moments later and pressed a kiss over the heated pulse point at her wrist.

Angel left her shuddering, but it was not in fear. His shaft felt hard and thick against her. After all they had done, Cordelia didn’t know how it was possible to want him again, but she did. When Angel rose to his knees, he pushed her legs further apart exposing the glossy folds of her sex to his gaze, his hands on her inner thighs.

Without waiting for him to make another move, Cordelia reached between them to trace her fingers along the smooth ridges of his cock. A rumble of encouragement sounded from his throat as Angel arched his hips thrusting himself into her hand. She gripped him hard— the way he liked— and used the pads of her fingers and the half-moon curls of her nails to tease his most sensitive areas.

Then Angel’s thick fingers came down to her heated center, still wet and sensitive to the touch. Almost too sensitive. Cordelia cried out as he penetrated her with two of those long digits and used his other hand to stimulate her tender folds and the hard nub of her clitoris. Thought the view below left Cordelia gasping in time to Angel’s steady finger-thrusts, she couldn’t take her eyes off of his.

Those sinful dark eyes held such passion and promise, Cordelia felt mesmerized by it. The power of that gaze was just as potent as the throbbing proof of his hard sex filling her hand. There were emotions in those eyes that left her shaking with a need that even those magic fingers couldn’t match.

Angel did not voice those three little words, mindful of garnering disdain, but they came through clearly enough in that silent stare of desire. Cordelia trembled with need, getting close now, bucking against his hands. “I want you so much.”

“Do you?” Angel slowly removed his fingers from her dripping center and then put one hand over hers as it stalled its own actions. “You make me so hard.”

Licking at her lips, Cordelia quipped, “So I see.”

Covering her mouth in a brief, fiery kiss, Angel pulled her hands away from his cock. “I need to be inside you.”

The intense look in his eyes matched her own. “Now, Angel. Now!”

“Deep inside,” Angel growled in need.

Tossing her back on the bed, Angel pulled Cordelia’s hips up at an angle. He spared her one hot stare full of lustful intent before joining their bodies together. They both sounded out their reactions as Angel’s hard cock thrust slowly into her tight passage until the full length was buried inside her.

Cordelia stared to spasm around him, her sensitive passage already stimulated even before he started to move. With a deep groan, Angel retreated from her pulsing depths to plunge forward again. Each heavy thrust was met with an answering push of her hips. The rhythm escalating, their bodies tangled and pounded together.

Clasping her arms and legs around him, Cordelia fought against his every retreat, wanting him inside; so deep that he might never leave. Her glossy nails curled into the dense muscle of his shoulder as she bade him to do it harder, feeling his instantaneous response. He growled her name and fucked her with an intensity that sent her body down into the mattress.

They’d had all the tender give and take in the hours before. Now all that was left was raw passion, pure need, a drive to reach the summit of perfection. It came just as Angel’s mouth closed over his newly-formed mark, the pulse bounding strongly beneath its tender flesh. A slight sting caught Cordelia’s attention, but it drowned in the overpowering drive that sent them both into orgasm.

When the world came into focus again, Cordelia felt Angel still planted deep within her, thrusting with infinite slowness now. His mouth remained at her throat, though his fangs no longer penetrated, as he slowly suckled her sweet blood into his mouth. Soft purrs sounded in his chest, vibrating against her as she held him close.

The feelings invoked by that act closed in on her heart, the very thought of which caused that organ to beat faster. Such intimacy and tenderness, such love in the way Angel touched her, suckling at her throat as if worshipping each precious drop. Savoring the taste of her only to sweep his tongue over her mark and seal it away under a thin layer that left their scents combined.

Cordelia never felt him leave her, never heard the words on his lips or saw the swift transition of conflicted emotions cross his face at the sight of her. Exhaustion finally claimed her, sending Cordelia into an instantaneous sleep with the tears of her own emotional response still glistening upon her flushed cheeks.

Leaning in, Angel kissed away the tears tasting their salty bitterness and feeling the harsh twist of regret pulling at his insides. Amongst the soft moans and lusty cries of passion never once had she uttered any feelings except desire.

So he kept his own feelings shut down tight, showing her, but never once saying the words that bloomed in his heart each time he looked her way. At least not while she was awake to hear them.

“I love you,” he whispered into her chestnut tresses simultaneously drinking in her scent and wrapping his arms around her.

~Part: 45~

“Tell me again why I invited the Scoobies over for Thanksgiving Dinner,” prompted Cordelia nibbling on her lower lip while staring at the clock. Only a few hours to go before the mansion would turn into a three-ring circus.

Coming to stand behind her, Angel wrapped his arms around her waist providing a modicum of support. He’d warned her against being ambitious for their first official get-together, but Cordelia obviously had considerations of her own. Primarily, Angel assumed, that meant distracting the Chases from asking too many uncomfortable questions.

Wryly suggesting, “A moment of insanity?” Angel couldn’t stop the dark chuckle that rose into his throat at the thought of the evening ahead.

“Yeah,” Cordelia sounded out a deep sigh of agreement as she leaned back against the hard wall of his chest, answering, “Putting my parents at the same table with Xander Harris might be the biggest social faux pax of the season. Maybe— ever.”

Angel scowled at the mention of the boy, releasing Cordelia from his arms and stalking over to the counter where he attempted not to grit his teeth at the notion he was letting her ex-boyfriend into the house again. It didn’t matter how much water was under the bridge when it came to that relationship. Angel just didn’t like the kid. He knew the feeling was mutual.

“I’m sure Harris can handle it,” Angel crossed his arms over his chest.

“My parents, on the other hand, may not,” commented Cordelia as she noted that his expression wavering between a vampiric scowl and a sexy pout.

“They’ll be fine, Cor,” he reassured her despite a few doubts of his own. “Considering everything else they’ve had to deal with and what we’ll be telling them tonight, I doubt even the distraction that is Xander Harris will phase them.”

It still irked Cordelia that Angel wouldn’t back down on his decision to speak to her parents about their current circumstances. She didn’t want to talk about it at all. The subject was too personal even for them. Opting for diversionary tactics, Cordelia had issued her invitations figuring a full house might do the trick. Unfortunately, she had not thought about the Scoobies inflaming the situation.

Strolling toward him, hands clasped behind her back, “There’s a big diff between avoiding the IRS and avoiding Xander’s attempts at polite conversation,” Cordelia pointed out. “He’s much better at using his hands and keeping his mouth shut.”

“Cor—,” the vampire started to protest the image that popped into his head only to be interrupted.

“What?” Realizing that Angel was getting all grumbly over Xander, Cordelia felt a hint of retribution over recent events. While he focused on introducing her to every facet of his personality, it was comforting to see that some things never changed. Though Angel and Xander turning into best buds might have been too much for anyone to handle, she smirked. “It’s the truth.”

“No doubt. Just don’t give me reminders that he’s had his hands on you. It’s not good for his health,” Angel told her as the scowl deepened despite the sparkle that crept into his eyes.

Seeing that Angel was only half joking, it was difficult to tell whether the serious or the funny was winning out. Cordelia wasn’t certain what part pleased or perturbed her most. That he actually cracked a joke or that he really meant it. Normally, she could read Angel like a book— okay, maybe he read more like a complex volume of hieroglyphic-based demonology texts, but there was usually a clue if she looked hard enough.

“Jealous? “ Cordelia arched an eyebrow as she scrutinized him head to toe.

Angel’s voice sounded calm and steady as he responded, “No— just territorial.”

The perturbed side seemed to be winning her personal tug-of-war. “At least you have the nerve to admit it. Possessive much, Angel?”

“Absolutely!” Answering so quickly, there was no doubt he meant it despite knowing it irked her to hear it, “Especially where you’re concerned.”

With an eye roll, Cordelia let out a trademark, “Pfft! You and your caveman tactics.”

“Vampire instincts,” he corrected smoothly. “That’s just the way it is.”

“I suppose flirting with that blonde bimbo at the grocery store was just instinct, too,” Cordelia rattled out before she could stop herself. Damn! She’d told herself to forget that.

Looking clueless, Angel stared at her with those dark chocolate eyes melting into hers. “Flirting? Was not.”

“Was too,” snapped Cordelia refusing to get caught up in that stare.

“Was—”

“Too!” Stepping closer to Angel, she put her hands on her hips presenting herself in a mock-hero stance with an equally mocking psuedo-Angel voice, “Here I am to save the day, Miss Bimbo. Yes, my turkey baster is a large one. Let me show you.”

Angel stood agape realizing that Cordelia was completely serious about thinking that he flirted with the blond woman in the grocery store. He now understood why she’d gone to the car and refused to talk to him all the way home. “Cor— it wasn’t like that— I-I mean— really, y-you can’t think that I was actually— actually coming onto her. She just saw the turkey baster in our basket and wanted to know which aisle we found it in.”

Her vampire was starting to sound like Giles on a bad day. “Y’know, I’m starting to believe you. No one could be guilty and look like that much of a dufus.”

Rapidly grabbing the reprieve, Angel changed the subject, “I bought you something.”

“Oh. So you are guilty.”

“What? No.”

Eyeing him with a vein of suspicion, Cordelia asked, “Then why buy me a gift?”

“Because I wanted too?” Suddenly, Angel didn’t sound so certain. Hers was obviously a trick question.

“Hmm. Does this present come in a blue box?”

Meaning of the jewelry store variety? “Um— no. I bought it at the grocery store after you stormed off to the car.”

“See. Guilt.” Cordelia tried to keep a straight face, but her wide mouth twitched in amusement at the thought that she was getting to him. The mock dripping sarcasm intermixed with a snark or two. “You bought me something at the grocery store. No mistaking you for a big spender.”

Opening a cabinet, Angel dragged out a decorative gift bag stuffed with colorful tissue paper. Sidling up to him, Cordelia set her gift on the countertop to open it. Before she could pull any of the tissue paper out of the bag, Angel commented, “It’s for today.”

“Parent repellent?” Cordelia laughed as she started to wade through the sheets of tissue. “I could use that. How about Scooby restraints?”

“That might be fun,” Angel smirked, “but I don’t think Joyce or Giles would take kindly to the idea.”

She’d extended the invitation to Mrs. Summers, not wanting the divorcee to spend the holiday alone. As for Giles— “Maybe not. After all it took just to get that man to accept my invitation, I’m not planning to chase him away.”

Cordelia had a difficult enough time getting Giles to talk to her considering recent events in the library. He’d gotten over his anger, but the man still couldn’t look her straight in the eye. In fact, when they’d spoken, he seemed to focus his gaze at the top of her head. Safe territory, apparently.

While Giles made a visible effort not to look at anything that might remind him of the incident, much less discuss it with her, Cordy knew he had not been quite so evasive with Angel. No, he’d gotten the full lecture. After the Watcher let off a little steam by telling the vampire he didn’t care what he got up too with Cordelia as long as it was not in his library, Giles was stunned to receive the invitation to Thanksgiving Day at the Crawford Street mansion.

Recalling his prompt refusal, Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Not his holiday…pfft! As if I’d let him get away with that lame excuse. Besides, with Mrs. Summers there, it rounds out my numbers at the dinner table.”

Angel gave her an odd look at that comment causing Cordelia to let out a long groan. “Sheesh! I’m starting to sound like a Carol Brady clone. Domestic much? Somebody stake me now.”

Deciding that silence was his best response, Angel nudged the gift bag hinting that Cordelia should forget about her worries of domesticity and just open her gift. With a grin, Cordelia reached the bottom of the bag, grabbed onto the items at the bottom and pulled them out with gusto.

“Angel!” A soft laugh followed as she unfolded the cloth to find a large apron with Kiss-the-Cook emblazoned on the front and a floppy chef’s hat. “Are you sure these aren’t really for you?”

Putting the halter-style apron over her head, Angel tied it in place. “Just so you know you’re not getting out of helping me in the kitchen today.”

Still laughing, Cordelia couldn’t get over the idiot grin that spread across his face as he put the hat on her head adjusting it just so. “Did I ever tell you that you’re really sexy when you’re being a goofball?”

“You’re still not getting out of it.”

“Hmph.” Worth a try. Arching on eyebrow, she mocked, “This could get messy. Even dangerous.”

“That’s what Champions are for— handling dangerous messes and willful brunettes,” Angel commented playing right along with her little game and poking fun at his own Moirae-assigned status.

He knew Cordelia was going to try to squirm out of doing her share in the kitchen. Cooking omelets for her was one thing was one thing. A holiday meal for ten was quite another. “Besides, I also bought cookbooks.”

Cordelia only hoped she wouldn’t have to run out to McDonald’s for emergency take-out burgers when this was all over. Glancing down at her apron, she lifted her eyes to his with a serious-toned query, “Just how good you are at following instructions when you read them?”

He was about to assure her that he could read a recipe when the gleam in her eye made him realize she wasn’t talking turkey. “Kiss the cook? I think I can handle that.”

Cordelia’s hand curled into the loose material of his shirt at his waist as Angel leaned in close for a kiss that started with a smile and ended with hot, gasping desire.

~*~

Hours later…

Glancing at the four adults gathered near the aquarium, Xander scratched his head with his pool cue while pondering the situation. “Does anyone else feel like you’ve been stuck at the kiddie table at a grown-up party?” he asked his friends.

“We could join them,” Oz suggested from his spot leaning against the wall. He had been planning to do that anyway. Watching Xander and Willow face off at the pool table was an amusing diversion, but his curiosity had him wondering what Cordelia’s parents were like.

Daniel and Emelia Chase, decked out in dressy holiday attire, were speaking to the two other adults in the room having greeted the rest of them, but not really giving the teenagers more than the odd glance or two. They were surprised to find other guests in the mansion, but were hiding it with their practiced social charm.

“To make grown-up talk?” Willow gave her boyfriend a knowing glance. He was more interested in listening in than participating in the conversation.

Oz never had a chance to answer as Buffy let out a strangled gasp. A scowl appeared on her face as she stared at her mother from across the room. “Did you see that? My mom is laughing.”

“It’s a conspiracy,” Xander quipped. “Obviously a joke-telling demon has broken into the mansion.”

Whacking him on the arm, Buffy ignored his yelp of pain not realizing that she hit him a little harder than intended. “I’m serious. Look! Mom and Giles. She’s leaning. He’s leaning. They’re—”

“Talking?” Xander didn’t get the reason for the twisted expression on the blonde’s face.

Glancing that way, Willow saw Mrs. Summers clasp Giles’s arm as she peeled with laughter. “Maybe he said something funny.”

An unblinking blue stare followed soon joined by the raising of a couple pairs of dark eyebrows. Willow glanced from Buffy to Xander to Oz and thought about her words.

Giles being jokey? Gulp. Not under any circumstances she could recall.

Considering whom she was talking about, she peeped, “Oh. Maybe he’s telling her his theories on the latest prophesy. That was kinda funny.”

With a snort of annoyance, Buffy was not amused. “God— maybe they’re talking about me. What else do they have in common?”

She received three matched shrugs.

“This isn’t parent-teacher night! There’s vibiness,” Buffy whined ruefully. “I sense vibiness. It’s— I think— ugh!— I think they’re flirting.”

“Eew!” Xander’s nose scrunched up at the idea. He instantly understood why Buffy was crawling with the wiggins. “That’s your mom. That’s Giles. That’s just so—”

“Wrong,” Buffy finished as her stomach churned.

Cordelia breezed back in just as the blond Slayer was about to figure out which of the two adults needed saving from the other’s clutches. “Wrong? The only wrongness here is there is no mingling. Be mingly, people.”

“Some of us are already too mingly,” muttered Buffy as she continued to glare.

Taking a peek toward Giles and Mrs. Summers, Cordelia gave herself a mental pat on the back. Go me!

“Something wrong, Buffy?” she queried with a knowing lilt.

With a dawning realization, the blond Slayer turned to her hostess with a death-glare in her eyes. “Cor—”

“Dinner’s ready,” Cordelia announced before Buffy could gripe about matchmaking her mother with her Watcher.

Willow felt her boyfriend’s arm slip around her shoulder squeezing her closer. They shared a smile before following behind Cordelia as she led the whole group into the dining room. Both had felt a little underdressed, not that Oz cared, when seeing Mr. and Mrs. Chase. Cordelia looked stunning in a form-fitting blue dress and wispy scarf which was more middle-of-the-road attire despite its designer appearance.

The witch and her werewolf both wondered if the Chases knew Cordelia’s scarf was functional rather than simply decorative. Buffy had blown a gasket, initially worrying that Angel was going psycho again. She’d approached Cordelia about the scarf and what obviously lay beneath it only to receive a blunt assurance that the vampire bite had nothing to do with an attempt at killing her.

“This is beautiful, darling,” Emelia Chase proclaimed upon seeing the elaborately decorated table. Tapered candles flickered in the midst of an evergreen centerpiece. Elegant cream-colored china bowls were filled with colorful holiday fare. The entire table was perfect right down to the small name placards denoting where everyone was to sit.

Miss Manners couldn’t have done it better, thought Cordelia smugly as she watched her mother’s discerning glance sweep over the room.

Carrying a platter with a large golden brown turkey, Angel entered the room to the applause of the hungry guests. There was one large open space at the end of the table, which he placed the platter. He was still wearing the Kiss-the-Cook apron and chef’s hat that Cordelia had convinced him really needed to be worn by the one in charge of the turkey. The floppy hat was sitting at an odd angle on his head and Angel accepted the soft giggles from Buffy and Willow without comment.

Xander was too busy staring at the impressive meal laid out for them to make fun of the vampire’s attire. Obviously surprised by what he was seeing, Xander patted his stomach, “That actually looks good enough to eat. It all does.”

Considering their initial delay in getting the cooking started and the chaos that reigned in the kitchen while they argued over who was going to do what, Angel was pleased with the outcome. No need to tell Harris that. Hell, he was proud of all that Cordelia had done to make things perfect— even if it was mainly done just to prove something to her mother.

“Just a few things Cordy and I threw together,” Angel’s eyes glinted in amusement as he met Cordelia’s hazel gaze. She stood next to him at the head of the table now practically glowing at everyone’s positive response.

“I think it’s safe to take these off,” Cordelia pulled the tie to the apron. It suited him much better than her, she figured mischievously. Removing the hat, she combed her fingers through the soft strands of his spiky hair.

An electric current ran through her body just by touching him, drawing her entire focus to his handsome face. Cordelia’s fingers trailed slowly down the contours of his cheek and jaw. Dropping down, her hand took hold of the front part of the apron, planning to pull it over his head, but seemingly stuck in a moment where she could do nothing except meet the intensity of his gaze.

So beautiful, Angel found himself mesmerized by the megawatt grin on her gorgeous face. Neither her parents nor the Scoobies had seen Cordelia as he did only a few hours before, her skin flushed and rosy, her silky hair tangled after his fingers had threaded through her tresses. Now she was again a picture of perfection except for one small flaw.

A tiny red smear of the cranberry relish she’d tasted was clinging to the corner of her mouth calling to him in a way that could not be denied. Cupping her cheek, Angel leaned in to kiss it away finding her tasting of cranberries, cinnamon and lip-gloss.

“Ahem,” someone cleared their throat loudly when the display went on more than a few seconds.

“Angelus, I’m sure my Cordelia gives you a lot to be thankful for,” Daniel sent him a hard stare never minding that his words had little tack, “but I think we’re here to eat and not to watch the show.”

Emelia poked her husband in the side with a sculpted nail. “Hush. They’re in love.”

Standing flushed and wide-eyed after that confident statement, Cordelia gripped the back of the chair for support. What did her mother mean— in love? Did their little kiss say so much? It was only Monday that Cordelia figured she’d need an Oscar-worthy performance to get through this party. Funny how kissing Angel felt nothing like acting even if it had occurred to her to try.

Glancing suspiciously at the table, she found no indignant gasping over the fact that her mother was jumping to conclusions. After all, she supposed almost everyone had witnessed their increasing closeness over the past few days. Some more than others. Cordelia’s brilliant smile wavered, her hazel eyes darting to look at Angel after flitting over the faces of her guests.

Sensing the tension now pouring off of Cordelia in waves, Angel settled his hand at the small of her back moving his thumb in a soothing circle along her spine. “You’re right, Daniel. I do have a lot to be thankful for and Cordelia is the most important part of that.”

“Then why does my daughter suddenly look like a bug-eyed blowfish?” Daniel wasn’t the type to let observations go without saying something. He’d caught onto the vibe soon after their arrival, but Cordelia had been so busy hostessing the opportunity to ask her about it wasn’t there.

The rest of the table was caught up in a sudden rush of activity as napkins were placed on laps, sips of water taken or a detailed study made of the cracking plaster pattern along the ceiling around the chandelier.

“Daddy,” moaned Cordelia in embarrassment. Bad enough to actually look like that in front of the Scoobies, much less have it pointed out by one’s own father. Striding down to her end of the table, she took her seat and cast another wide grin— this one not quite reaching her eyes. “Food’s getting cold. Let’s eat.”

Cordelia had made the seating arrangements so that everyone sat in alternating boy-girl fashion around the table. Willow, Daniel, Emelia and Xander were to her right with Oz, Joyce, Giles and Buffy to her left. Placing Xander next to her mother might not have been the wisest choice, but it was probably less stressful than seating him next to Angel.

“Aren’t we missing someone?” Daniel asked his host. Maybe Emelia was interested in talking about interior decorators and the potential for bridal gowns, but he had his own agenda. That included thanking the vampire’s brother for getting him out of debt.

Oh crap! Cordelia cast a look of panic toward Angel. This was the only true bone of contention left between them about today. No matter what she did to try and convince him, Angel refused to back down on his decision to give her parents the details. Just say no and leave it at that. Please, please, please.

Catching the brunette’s silent plea, Angel simply answered, “We’re all here.”

“What about your twin, Angelus?” Now it was Emelia’s turn to sound confused and curious. “I thought he was here. Wasn’t that him I saw meeting some of the others at the door earlier? I heard them say his name— Angel, right?”

Cordelia grabbed for the nearest dish and shoved it in front of Xander. “Sweet potatoes?”

“Umm. Sure,” Xander dutifully took the bowl and heaped out a serving of the marshmallow-topped casserole onto his plate.

When he turned to hand the bowl over to the person seated next to him, Xander found himself stuck because Emelia Chase was far too distracted to care about the food. He sent a grateful look to Buffy when she reached across the table to take it from him.

Giles cleared his throat nervously as he realized that neither Angel nor Cordelia had told the Chases about recent events. A holiday meal hardly seemed the appropriate time or place to discuss the fact that a trio of higher beings had been manipulating Angel’s existence, but it seemed there was no avoiding the subject now.

“That was me at the door. I am Angel,” the vampire revealed to Cordelia’s parents while cautiously watching for her reaction, “but I am also Angelus. There is only one of me. Things have happened since we last spoke that may confuse you. Explanations can wait until after dinner.”

“Damned if they will,” gruffed Daniel stubbornly as he cross his arms over his chest. Looking at the others gathered at the table, he got the feeling that Emelia and he were the only ones in the dark. “What the hell is going on?”

Emelia cautioned her husband, “Maybe we should discuss this later. This is family business, after all.”

“We’re all family here,” Angel pointed out, “in one way or another. These people know everything there is to know about me.”

She let out a little gasp of surprise clasping her hand to her throat. “They— they know that you’re a—”

When her voice trailed off, Angel finished her sentence, “A vampire. Yes, Emelia. They all know who and what I am. Better than most. We are all a part of the same fight.”

“The Good Fight,” plugged in Xander, no longer able to hold his mouth shut. The tension was killing him.

“You’re not a vampire too, are you?” Emelia eyed the young man sitting next to her with a discerning glance.

Several snorts and giggles sounded from around the table. Turning pale at the idea, Xander barked, “No! I’m human— I’m no Deadboy! Totally alive and fully functioning here.”

Emelia’s mouth curled up at the boy’s vehement response. Now that she had come to accept the fact that her daughter’s fiancé was a vampire— even if she envisioned a romantic b-movie version— Emelia found herself to be genuinely curious. It was part of the reason she invited herself and her husband to dinner. Finding out more about Angelus D’Aurelius was a priority, not to mention ensuring that Cordelia was safe, secure and living in a style to which she was accustomed.

As a mother, Emelia admitted to herself that she had not been there for Cordelia during a crucial period of her life. Now it was time to try to make up for that— even if it meant believing in vampires.

“It doesn’t surprise me that your friends know,” Daniel acknowledged. What were friends for if not to keep your secrets as long as they didn’t betray you? With a nod in the direction of Joyce and Giles, he asked, “What about them— a librarian and an art dealer? What brings them to this Good Fight?”

Buffy piped up, “I do.”

Daniel eyed the petite blonde. Physically, she looked about as ready for a fight as a toddler entering the ring with Iron Mike, but there was a glint in her blue eyes that echoed a hidden strength. What’s her name again? Daffy? Daphne? Bunny? Huh. That doesn’t sound right.

“You?”

“Buffy is the Slayer,” Giles revealed suddenly deciding that truth was far better than any attempt at deception, “the one girl in all the world chosen to rid the world of darkness. To slay vampires.”

Emelia glanced nervously at her prospective son-in-law. “Yet you invited her to dinner?”

“Angel and I go way back,” Buffy waved a hand like it was nothing, but couldn’t hide the flash of hurt in her eyes.

She felt a lump of discord growing in her throat. Here she was at Angel’s mansion celebrating Thanksgiving Day with him and Cordelia. Everyone was gathered at the table— one big not-so-happy-family. Except that Angel was trying. Look at what he’d done. Put on that apron and dorky chef’s hat, cooked turkey and played host to a bunch of humans when she knew he’d rather be off in a dark corner somewhere.

At least that’s what my Angel would’ve preferred. This shiny new Moirae-enhanced vampire was obviously different. Buffy couldn’t prevent the flash of jealousy from bursting inside her, especially when she guessed that Angel’s actions had less to do with the Moirae’s manipulations and more to do with his feelings for Cordelia herself.

Was it possible to have a normal relationship when you were a vampire or a Slayer? Cordy and Angel seemed to be trying. While that still hurt to the depths of her soul, Buffy knew it was time to forgive and forget. Nothing she could do would ever revive that relationship even if she wanted it.

What do I want? she asked herself. What do I have to be thankful for?

Glancing around Giles to her daughter, Joyce Summers heard the slight waver in Buffy’s voice. Being here wasn’t easy for either of them. Buffy came because she was invited and because it would have looked bad not to come. Joyce was here strictly to support her daughter, being uncertain what to expect.

The names of Cordelia Chase and Angel were not generally invoked at their house. Especially these days. Joyce did not have all of the details, but knew that something had happened to Angel recently that changed his whole relationship with Buffy.

Xander jumped in with his own opinion seeing that Buffy looked a little down after witnessing Deadboy’s smooching of Cordelia. “The Buffster is a real superhero, an eradicator of evil and—” Seeing Joyce Summer’s slightly green complexion at his description, Xander broke off. He slumped down in his chair a bit and darted his eyes in Buffy’s direction, “— and is that green bean casserole? I think I need some.”

The Slayer picked up the bowl and handed it over, a smile curling at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes brightened at the pick-me-up he’d given her.

“So Angelus is a vampire,” Emelia recounted, “Buffy is a— Slayer. You’re human.”

“Chief sidekick and rabble-rouser,” Xander cleared his throat as he handed over the bowl of beans.

Willow let out a laugh. “I thought I was the chief sidekick.”

“Nah! You’re the resident witch,” he corrected.

Daniel and Emelia shared a surprised look. “Did you say witch? As in Glenda the Good Witch?”

“I’m wicca,” Willow explained with a gentle smile. “I’m no Glenda, but I’m not the Wicked Witch of the West, either.”

Looking intrigued, Emelia was about to ask more questions when Xander thrust the next dish under her nose. “Here ya go, Mrs. C.”

“Thank you, Xander,” responded the socialite with a sigh. To think that Cordelia used to date this boy. Not that the news had come from her daughter.

“What about you?” Daniel nodded in Oz’ direction noting his black-tipped red hair.

“Werewolf guitar player.”

Cordelia’s father glanced up at Angel who was busy carving the turkey. “Just where does my daughter fit in with your little band of do-gooders?”

She’s mine, came the first thought popping into Angel’s head. Before he could summon up something less inflammatory, Cordelia looked her father in the eye. “I’m Bait Girl. Y’know— I provoke the demon thingy and lead it into a trap so the others can kill it.”

“WHAT!”

“Actually, I haven’t even been doing that lately,” Cordelia gave him an exasperated look. “Mr. Dark Ages over there won’t let me patrol with the others anymore. Says I need official training first and that only takes…like— forever.”

His eyebrows arched as Daniel tamped down the horror rising in his chest. His little Princess was not only living with a vampire, but used to put herself in the position of being bait for their demon-hunting patrols. A flash of guilt washed over him again at the thought of what he’d done, but remembering the kiss the vampire had bestowed upon Cordelia it seemed all too clear that Emelia was right about them being in love.

“What kind of training?” Daniel wasn’t certain that he liked that idea either, though he was conscious of the fact that his interest in Cordelia’s safety was hypocritical at this stage of her life having all but ignored her for the past few years.

Angel continued to carve up and distribute the turkey as he answered the question, “Daniel, I won’t pretend that being with me gives Cordelia a normal life. Sometimes, it can get dangerous. Because of that, it’s necessary to teach her to defend herself.”

He left off the part where that sometimes involved the use of sharp weapons. Daniel probably wouldn’t want to hear it, but considering the way that he stared at the carving knife in Angel’s hand, it seemed clear that he’d gotten that impression.

“This is all a little shocking.” Daniel turned to look at his daughter, “Is this what you want? Being a vampire’s— mate?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Cordelia answered so quickly she surprised herself. Her eyes darted to Angel who had stopped his turkey carving and now stood in statue-stillness while he searched her expression for the true meaning of her words, obviously doubting them for being the simplest form of truth.

She’d denied him that claim, that binding link. Refuted that his bite meant anything to her except him tasting her blood. Angel’s campaign to break down the barriers she built up around her heart had an impact that Cordelia couldn’t deny. Her body recognized its mated match even if that knowledge had no impact on the protected feelings shrouded deep inside her.

Wanting Angel was never in doubt. Being with him seemed a necessity. Just looking at him made her heart flutter a little— he was a hottie, after all— and her body tingled at the thought of what his touch could do to her.

Cordelia’s thoughts of training suddenly had nothing to do with swords, kick-boxing or ju-jitsu techniques. With her parents at the table, those thoughts seemed rather out of place. A slow burn flushed her cheeks despite her determination to ignore her instantaneous reaction.

“Good,” commented Daniel as he glanced back and forth between his daughter and the vampire. D’Aurelius would never let Cordelia go even if he demanded it, Daniel knew. It appeared that it wouldn’t be an issue.

The discussion closed, the Chases apparently satisfied for the moment that Cordelia knew what she wanted. Indulging her had always been a habit and this would be no exception. They accepted Angel’s brief explanation of the mystic turn of fate that led to his separation and reincorporation without prying for details.

“Does this mean we can eat now?” asked Xander gazing hopefully at his plate full of food.

His grin broke the tension that had built up around the table. Cordelia instantly went back into hostess mode encouraging everyone to enjoy their holiday meal.

Finished with the turkey dishing, Angel assumed his seat only to find Emelia Chase watching his every move. There was a question burning in her curious gaze. “What is it, Emelia?”

“I thought vampires only— ‘drank wine’,” she stared down at his plate of food. It had more of the softer solids rather than some of the other selections at the table, but it certainly wasn’t blood pudding or something that screamed ‘vampire cuisine’.

Barely hearing Angel’s response, Emelia’s thoughts were happily situated on planning the society wedding of the year. After all, it was a good thing to see her prospective son-in-law eating a regular meal. It would look a little strange if the bridegroom only drank at the wedding reception. Her daughter would be eighteen in May, so maybe a summer wedding— in the evening of course.

Hello! Vampire son-in-law. Allergic to the sun. Sending Cordelia a smile, Emelia made plans to talk to her in private before the night was over. This was part of the reason she invited herself over tonight. It was never too early to start planning.

As dinner progressed, those who knew him were surprised to find Angel in a talkative mood as he comfortably discussed Europe, its history and art drawing both the Chases and Joyce Summers out of their deeper thoughts and into conversation.

“You big smoothy,” Cordelia cornered Angel in the kitchen as they prepared the dessert. “You have them eating out of your hand.”

“I had to make up for telling them that being with me puts you in danger,” he admitted with a soft laugh.

“This is Sunnydale,” Cordelia reminded him. “Waking up in the morning puts me in danger. I’d just rather wake up next to you.”

Angel captured her wrist and reeled her closer. “Careful, baby, I’m beginning to think you might care.”

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