The Next Connection

Author: Lysa

Parts: 21 - 25 (End)

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Part 21

 “Good morning, Harry,” Wesley projected a cheerful smile at the curly-headed blonde.

The former Mrs. Doyle was still in her bathrobe. “Hello, Wesley. Come on in. It’s your apartment now.”

“Just temporarily,” he assured her as he entered. Didn’t want her to think he couldn’t afford any better. Then again, her ex-husband did live here prior to his death. “Did I return too early? I thought I would grab a change of clothes and a shave before heading back to the office.”

“Go ahead.”

Wesley didn’t budge. “Have you made much progress?”

“Yes,” Harry told him. “Quite a bit. I stayed up late and got most of it done. Separated everything into piles and boxes. What I want to keep, what can be donated and a few things that belong to your friends.”

Puzzled by the words, Wes parroted, “My friends. Angel and Cordelia?”

Nodding, the attractive blonde pointed in the direction of the box on the kitchen counter. “That’s all of it. Not certain why Francis would have— well, lets just say he had some personal belongings that need to be returned.”

Wandering over to the countertop, Wesley pulled down the box and carried it over to a nearby chair. He sat down placing the box on the floor so he could sift through. The first item was a riding crop.

“Cordelia used to have horses in Sunnydale,” he told Harry who was watching him with interest. Then noting some clothing in the box he commented, “This is probably part of her riding habit.”

“Mmm hmm!”

Harry knew exactly what kind of riding would be done in that habit. At least she could imagine that she did. The look on Wesley’s face when he yanked out the black corset was priceless.

“O-Oh dear!” Wes wondered what else he would find. Looking, he saw a tiny little black skirt and boots with dangerously high heels. And there was something else at the bottom of the box. Reaching for it, he asked Harry, “Are you certain this belongs to Cordelia?”

With a shrug, Harry pointed out, “I got that feeling when I saw her name on the box. It was hidden in the closet.”

Glancing down, he noted that one side of the box had her name scrawled on it. “I suppose it must, then. Perhaps it’s a Halloween costume.”

“You don’t think Cordelia is the type to wear it just for fun?”

“Certainly not! Cordelia Chase is really a very sensible girl when it comes down to what’s important.” Wesley reacted with affront. Then he looked down at the photo frame in his hands instantly dropping it to the ground upon seeing the subjects.

On impact, the frame broke shattering glass across the floor.

Harry met Wesley’s horrified gaze. “You were saying?”

***
Cordelia whispered against his mouth, “Angel.”

The vampire had her head spinning in reaction to his spoken desire. Something deep in the staring amber of his eyes, something in the growl of his voice had Cordelia closing her eyes in shuttering submission. Then her head lolled back tilting to the side as her body made an instinctive reaction to the presence of its mate by offering her neck to his fangs.

Angel licked at his lips as he saw her exposed throat, the vessels pulsing with his love’s lifeblood. Bending over her, Angel brushed his lips against the spot that was once marked as his. The pulse there leapt against his touch. Then his arms wound around her, holding her as he nuzzled closer.

Moaning in want, Cordelia felt the brush of his mouth turn to soft wet kisses followed by the tingling flat of his tongue. He sucked her skin into his mouth, holding it there to let the blood well up beneath her skin. Then he kissed the spot again before lifting his head away.

She shuddered clutching him close, but Angel turned her chin facing front. “Open your eyes.”

The command elicited the desired response and Cordelia found him staring at her with his fangs bared to her gaze. “Still want to stop?”

Silent uncertainty was his only answer.

“Do you trust me, Cordelia?”

The answer was an instant whisper, “Yes.”

“You know that I love you,” Angel stroked her cheek. “That I’d never let anything harm you— including myself if I can avoid it.”

Cordelia felt her throat closing up with a growing panic. He was going to stop this, she knew. Wasn’t that what she wanted? He knew the dangers all too well. She could only give a tiny nod.

“I-I love you too, Angel.”

He pressed a soft kiss on her mouth soaking up the love spoken there. “Then trust me to do this right. Trust me to keep you safe.”

She was clutching his waist with both hands, looking anywhere now except his eyes. She didn’t want to stop. Didn’t want to play it safe. What were the chances of finding perfect happiness on the first try anyway? Considering his past experience with that one, Cordy figured that the odds were all in the curse’s favor.

“So is perfect happiness not an issue?” Cordelia wondered where he was taking this. “Do you think I can’t create a little bliss?”

“You are my happiness,” Angel told her smilingly. “I have no doubt that we will float on a sea of bliss when you’re done having your wicked way with me, but I want you to know the curse— no, it’s not an issue.”

“Huh?”

“Just trust me.”

“Are you only telling me this so you can—?”

Cutting in, “Trust me.”

Cordelia fell silent for a thoughtful moment. “Just answer me one question, Angel. I’ll decide then.”

There was a hesitant look in his eye as he agreed to her terms. “O-Okay.”

“I know that you’ve been hiding something from me— something about Angelus. He— you said some things that made me realize that I can’t remember everything about what happened in Sunnydale.”

Angel looked a little scared. “What’s your question?”

“Is it true that I’m not a virgin?”

Rubbing his forehead across hers, Angel suppressed a laugh. Then he looked into her eyes, stroked her cheek with his hand and told her the truth. “Yes, baby. You’re not.”

Cordelia stared back and a look of strange satisfaction came across her face. “That’s what I thought.”

Moving her hands up from Angel’s waist, she wrapped her arms around his neck leaning in to kiss the skin just in front of his ear. “You can explain later. Just make love to me, Angel. Make me yours— again.”

A shudder passed through his vampire body as Angel beat back a sudden animal urge to toss Cordelia onto the bed. He tugged her back so he could see her face. The light of her love shone from her eyes carrying with it a spark of her soul. Subconsciously, he felt their connection and let the last shred of doubt slip away.

“Someone here has a lot more clothes on than I do,” Angel leered playfully.

Cordelia laughed in response suddenly not so shy knowing that she wasn’t a virgin— even if she couldn’t remember when or how it happened. All she knew was that it was Angel or his soulless alter ego. For some reason, that didn’t seem to matter as long as it was him.

“Planning to do something about that?” She let her hands fall down to play with the short folds of her skirt and sending him a doe-eyed expression.

Angel glanced down at the red silk blouse now crumpled and stained with his saliva. He knew what he wanted to do. But that could wait. “In a minute.”

Then he latched back on to her mouth, inflaming them both with kisses. To Cordy it seemed like he kissed her forever, each one different than the last. Angel’s hands touched her atop the barrier of her clothes rousing a hunger that left her moaning and rubbing her body against his.

She did her share of touching too, but the vampire in her arms refused to let her explore any further south than his waist. He kept pulling her hands back up to his chest or neck until finally Cordelia shoved at his shoulders. “Let me touch you!”

Her insignificant push didn’t budge the vampire, but he grinned at her effort. Angel told her once again, “In a minute.”

Grmph!

Reaching down with crossed arms, Cordelia grabbed the edge of her shirt jerking it over her head. As her long chestnut hair settled around her shoulders, she flung the top to the floor. Angel gazed lustfully at the nearly translucent covering of her red bra. It left little to the imagination, except that he wondered how she would taste through the thin layer of silk.

Angel bent her back over one of his strong arms giving his mouth access to her breasts. Through the silky barrier, he tongued first one nipple then the other until they were hard points again now chaffing against the wet fabric. Then his hand shifted along the flat of her abdomen, fingers dipping down to her center.

Letting out a cry, Cordelia held onto Angel’s shoulders as she felt him touch her most intimate flesh with the briefest contact. Just enough to drive her wild. To find that she was moist and ready. Enough to make her want more just as he removed his hand and righted her so that she knelt before him again eye to eye.

Angel curled his fingers into the straps of her red bra, his thumbs momentarily stroking the upper curve of her breasts as he tugged her close then let the straps fall down her arms.

He cupped her shoulders before running a hand down her right arm— holding her hand. As he lifted it to his mouth, pressing a kiss into its palm before holding it to his chest. “Touch me, Cordy.”

Finally given permission, Cordelia didn’t know what to touch first. So her hands went everywhere just feeling little bits of Angel flesh until he guided her hand to the tumescent
proof of his arousal.

“You’re so hard,” she gasped letting him show her how he liked to be stroked.

Winking at her, “That actually comes in handy later.”

Then he was moaning at her touch, his hands now rushing to remove the rest of her clothes. They soon joined her discarded top on the ground leaving Cordelia nude and beautiful before his eyes.

Angel gently lowered Cordelia onto the bed covering her with his body as she opened the cradle of her hips to him. Her legs wound around him as she called out in need. “Angel. Please, now.”

“Yes, now,” Angel agreed thrusting slowly into the tightness of her core until he was completely enveloped.

They lay in silent tandem staring into each other’s eyes as their bodies moved as one. Reaching for a nearby summit, ever closer with each thrust and retreat and each unspoken invitation. The peak was drawing closer still when Cordelia reached up to stroke her thumbs across his handsome face.

“Angel,” she gasped his name aloud, the first sound other than her ragged breathing in minutes. “Now, now.”

Looming above her, the vampire knew what she wanted. Knew the plea in her eyes and the hitch in her voice. She wanted to be taken in every way he could claim her and Angel knew too that he would not deny Cordelia anything. Her hands were still on his face as he let the change come over his features now ridged and fanged.

“Are you mine, Cordelia?” He needed an answer. “Tell me, baby. Are you mine?”

“Angel! Yes, yes, yes!” She flung her head to the side and pulled him down to her throat.

Biting down, Angel heard her pain almost instantly give way to pleasure as her orgasm washed over her. He followed her over the edge as he tasted her blood for the first time in almost a year. Shuddering in pleasure, Angel let it pool in his mouth before swallowing her essence. Then he was lapping at the wounds, closing them even as he continued to bring Cordelia through the wake of her pleasure.

She wrapped her arms around him holding close as he rocked her body until finally she lifted her gaze to his. “Mmm! That was— wow!”

“Always,” Angel kissed her nose. “You inspire me.”

Arching a brow, Cordelia queried, “Happy?”

“Blissful.”

“Too bad,” she smacked him on the shoulder as she scooted for the edge of the mattress. Joking, “Now I’ll have to stake you.”

“Where are you going?” Angel asked as she grabbed the sheet from the bed to wrap it around herself.

Cordelia reminded him that she was supposed to be working today. He countered with, “Come back to bed. I have a little pull with the boss.”

Heading for the bathroom, she paused remembering her shower this morning where it seemed that Angel’s hands were soaping and caressing her skin. Mmm! Wet Angel. Looking over her shoulder, she gave him and inviting look. “Showering now. Wanna come?”

“With you around, that’s a highly likely possibility,” Angel darted out of the bed and reached the door before she did. Winding her out of the sheet, he told her, “This stays here.”

Cordelia was humming along with a song on the radio when Wesley Wyndam-Price arrived back at Angel Investigations. He was dragging his feet, looking crumpled and wrinkled in the same suit he had one when he left at nine o’clock. The far-away look in Cordelia’s eyes finally focused upon him and her lazy smile turned into a warm grin.

“How was lunch?”

“Uh— never had it.”

That was a surprise. “Harry turn you down?”

Wes was sounding a little muddled. “Forgot to ask.”

“Chickened out, you mean.”

“No. Just forgot. Other things on my mind,” Wesley explained. “Just a bit distracted.”

Cordelia had to laugh at him as he made his way over to the couch, reaching out to touch the cushion as if he wasn’t certain it was there. “What is it, Wes? You look like you’ve encountered dimension-hopping demons again.”

The idea actually seemed to perk him up. “Another dimension? Yes, that would be a comfort. Hadn’t thought of that.”

Walking over to the Englishman, Cordelia bent over to look for head wounds. “Did you hit your head while you were out?”

“No.” The question seemed out of line. Wesley was about to chime in with a few more timely queries of his own when he noticed that Cordelia was dressed differently than she was this morning.

“Weren’t you wearing— red?”

“I was.”

Cordelia now had on one of Angel’s large white shirts, the ends tied at her waist. Loose black sweat pants covered her long legs, but her feet were bare.

Then his eagle eye spotted the small bandage on her neck. “What’s that?”

“Vampire bite.”

“Oh. Angelus?” He couldn’t recall her being bitten the other day, nor seeing the bandage before now.

“Guess again.”

Wesley didn’t want to guess again. He already knew. The startling evidence found in the pictures at Francis Doyle’s apartment suggested that Angel and Cordelia had been deeply involved for a lot longer than he first suspected. Strange, but they had given nothing away to suggest that was the case. Wesley certainly didn’t know about any such affair taking place, especially in light of the entire Slayer/Vampire fiasco.

“You’re sleeping with Angel,” Wesley muttered knowing she would wait until he *did* voice a second guess.

Cordelia grinned joyfully and swayed to the music.

“You’re both playing a very dangerous game.” Wesley warned her as he got to his feet.

“I told you— we know what we’re doing.”

“Do— What is that around your neck?” The ex-Watcher caught sight of her crystal necklace.

“Geez, you ask a lot of questions,” Cordy complained as she lifted the crystal to his view. “Angel gave it to me.”

The white crystal was streaked with thin black lines. He touched it noting its size shape and texture finding it to be just as he expected. “Cordelia. Th-that crystal—”

“It’s an old family heirloom,” sounded Angel’s voice from the shadows.

The look on the vampire’s face challenged Wesley to defy his words. “H-How nice that you have given it to Cordelia.”

“I like it,” she commented, letting it drop back down to her cleavage.

“Was there something you wanted to say, Wes?” Angel asked looming close and placing a protective arm around Cordelia’s shoulder.

With a determined look, Wesley answered, “Yes. I am concerned about you two.”

“Don’t be,” Angel answered. “I don’t *want* you— concerned. If you’re worried about the curse, I’ll tell you what I told Cordelia. It’s not an issue for us.”

Sighing, Wesley threw up his hands in defeat. “Very well. You’re both adults. Just don’t blame me if I keep a few extra stakes around the office.”

“Pfft!” Cordelia rolled her eyes.

Angel let out a laugh.

Walking back over to the door, Wesley turned back with a pause. “Don’t laugh. There is no place in this office for perfect happiness. Just remember— I’ll be watching.”

“Geez, I hope not,” Cordelia quipped. “Are you leaving now?”

“Oh, I’ll be back,” Wes promised. “I just— remembered something I forgot at home.”

Part 22

 The circle of power grows. Another warrior enters the sphere of our sight. The Fighter: his predestined path now merges with that of our Champion, his Seer and their Watcher. He shall become one with our cause.
 

Wesley and Cordelia observed their client, David Nabbit, as he wrote out a check. “Ah, this should take care of your expenses to date.”

He held the check out, Cordy grabbing it even though it was closer to Wesley’s hand. “I’m in charge of the—,” looking down at the amount she let out a gasp and showed it to her co-worker.

“Good Lord. There must be some mistake,” Wesley stared at the zeros behind the first figure.

Cordelia couldn’t believe that Wes said that. This was their first— and possibly only— billionaire client and Wesley was trying to turn down the money? In a sing-song voice, “I’m certain that Mr. Nabbit knows how to write a check.”

The wealthy software developer assured them, “No. There is no mistake. I just— believe in rewarding good work.”

“This is amazingly generous, Mr. Nabbit, but we are really not finished with the job. Angel is following up on a lead as we speak.”

***
Coming up behind his quarry, Angel put a hand on the large man’s shoulder and whirled him around so that he landed against the side of his car.

“What do you want?” the guy demanded.

Having been to Madam Dorian’s demon brothel, Angel discovered where to find Lenny Edwards. Lenny was blackmailing David Nabbit with graphic photos taken during his visits there. Naturally, the billionaire wanted the pictures back and his name kept out of the news.

Angel answered Lenny’s question with a casual spread of his hands in the air. “What do I want? Big question. Love— family— a place on this planet I can call my own. Working on it. You know what?”

“What?” Lenny looked nervous as the strong-armed stranger gave him a dark look.

“Unless the next few minutes go exactly the way I want them, *you’ll* never have any of those things. Or whatever it is blackmailing scum think they want.”

Angel demanded to know, “Where are the pictures of David Nabbit?”

“Never heard of him.”

Giving him a look that suggested he could have done better, Angel suggested he come up with a different answer. “Oh-ho, you only get one lie. I probably should have mentioned that first.”

Standing up straight, Lenny was actually taller than the 6’2” vampire. He patted Angel’s shoulder. “Look pal, you obviously not from around here. Trust me— you do *not* want to see my bad side.”

Observing from the shadows two young black street-fighters listened in. This was their territory and anything that went down here was their business.

“You show me yours,” Angel reacted to the threat by vamping out, “I’ll show you mine.”

Grabbing Lenny, the vampire pushed him up against the car. “Okay, so *now* I’m from around here. In fact, I’m moving in. Taking over, you understand me? I will dog you every night for the rest of your very short life until you bring me what I want.”

Angel shook him a bit for good measure. “Are we clear?”

Nodding frantically, Lenny indicated. Clear as crystal.

“See you tomorrow.” Angel let him go with a final shove.

By the time Lenny unlocked his car and looked back, the vampire was gone. In the dark alley sheltered by a barrier of wood and wire, the two youths looked grim in their discovery.

“Vampire is moving in, huh?”

Charles Gunn stared into the distance where the demon had vanished. “Yeah. Well, he ain’t gonna stay too long.”

***
Wesley sat at Angel’s desk in the inner office. It was covered in texts from the vampire’s collection and a few he had brought from home. Angel’s books had some rudimentary information on mysticism and magicks. Wesley’s contained information on the vampire himself.

He’d been in here for the past two hours researching for any sign of information on the crystal. If it was truly an heirloom as Angel indicated, there should be some mention of it. However, Wesley had a feeling that description was just a ruse. There was something very strange going on here at Angel Investigations. Whatever it was started in back in Sunnydale. Started there and continued here. Something that was affecting his own memory.

“Find what you’re looking for?” Cordelia sauntered in, wearing a curious smile.

“No, obviously,” Wes replied. “If I had found it, I would no longer be looking.”

Peering at the books on the desk, Cordy read off a few titles.

“The Power of Crystals and Colors, Healing Gems and Crystals, Torvod’s Guide to Crystals and Minerals, Compendium of Earth Magick.”

Wesley sighed as he closed the book he was reading. “I am looking for information on your crystal necklace. Angel said it was an heirloom. I was simply curious about where he acquired it.”

“Is this part of your former-Watcher weirdness?” Cordelia put her hands on her hips. “I think it’s about time you stopped treating Angel like a research specimen and started treating him like a friend.”

Offended, Wesley stood up from the desk and began to gather the books into orderly piles. “I am not studying Angel. I’m looking for information on the crystal.”

“Just ask him, doofus!”

“No,” Wes was quick to wave off that idea. Angel had already indicated that he didn’t want him to be ‘concerned’ with his relationship with Cordelia. Nosing in on this little crystal might also be considered as crossing the line. Vampires were so territorial and possessive one had to be careful— especially with this one.

Then he considered the idea, “But *you* might ask Angel about the crystal, Cordelia. I’m certain that it has magick properties.”

Shaking her head, Cordelia refused. “He’ll tell me when he’s ready. That’s the deal.”

“Oh.”

“But,” a flash of conspiratorial glee lit her hazel eyes, “you could ask Willow about it. If there is magick involved, she’s probably got the 411.”

***
Wesley had everything put back in its proper place by the time Angel returned from his mission. The vampire was certain to notice that had had been in the office, but that could easily be explained. “How did it go at Madam Dorian’s?”

“Good. I tracked down Lenny Edwards and encouraged him to cooperate,” Angel gave the short version of the story. “We’ll have the pictures tomorrow night.”

“Hmm.” Wesley doubted that it was that simple. “Good. Good. Well, then. I’m off for home. See you tomorrow.”

“Wes,” Angel held the door open since the Englishman was carting several files and a backpack. “I’ve noticed that you’ve been avoiding me, lately. Ever since the Angelus thing.”

That wasn’t what Wesley called Angel’s little trip to Happyville, but it was close enough. Besides, Angel had just given him a good excuse. “I’m not— well, maybe I am avoiding you a bit. After all, I still have a few bruises in some tender places. Avoidance is just a self-defense mechanism, you know.”

“You made some good moves,” Angel tried to make up for what he had said to Wes at the time. “Knocked me down the elevator shaft. Trust me. You managed to do what most people never did— survive their first encounter with Angelus.”

Wesley felt a little taller on his way out the door. Closing it behind him, Angel turned the lock before heading down to the apartment.

Upon reaching the kitchen, he saw Cordelia’s denim-covered bottom turned up in the air as she bent low to look under the table for a fallen earring. The view was too tempting to resist as he crept up behind her. Reaching out with both hands, Angel palmed both cheeks of her buttocks.

“Wesley! I told you—,” Cordelia was spun up and around into his arms. She laughed merrily at the look on his face and then placed a smooch on his mouth. “I knew it was you, silly vamp.”

“Scared me for a second,” he grinned back at her. “What with your history of kissing every man and demon that walks into the office, I had to worry.”

After smacking his arm, Cordy put her arm around his neck and let him know there was no one else she wanted to kiss. Up close, she noticed, “Uh? You smell like— woodsmoke and, and— cheap perfume.”

With a groan, Angel moved her to a safer distance. “I was at Madam Dorian’s demon brothel, remember? Investigating.”

“How much investigating?” Cordelia gave him a teasing look. “Information gathering or investigating the skanky demons themselves?”

Angel knew she wasn’t that serious, so played along. “Oh, there might have been one curvaceous little trollop that had me in her clutches for a minute. Alluring, really, in a feathered demonic sort of way.”

“Uh huh.” Crossing her arms, Cordelia got the sense that this was actually a real demon he was describing. Not just a made up one.

“And what a tail!” Angel let out a whoop as he turned to take of his jacket and put it on the chair.

“Excuse me?” There was an icy tone in her voice replacing amusement.

The vampire suppressed his laughter before facing her again. Waggling his eyebrows, “Prehensile.”

Cordelia’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t talking about her butt, she realized. This demon slut actually *had* a tail. “And exactly how did you discover this prehensile tail?”

“Oh, I think it’s safe to say that it did the exploring.”

Mouth agape, Cordelia glanced toward the stairs as if ready to charge out the door. Angel was not certain if it would be to storm Madam Dorian’s in search of the flirtatious demon or to head home to her apartment for the night. Though the first option might be amusing, he definitely did not want to chance the second.

“She thought I was a client,” Angel explained. “I corrected her.”

“Hmm.” Cordelia grabbed him by the hand leading him directly into the bathroom. “You smell like a demon brothel. No more kissing until you’re clean all over.”

“Planning to help?”

“Mmm. What do you think?” There was that impish sparkle in her eyes again.

Angel kicked off his shoes. “Then come here and take off the rest.”

She was still a little shy about undressing him, but that usually lasted about five seconds. Once she touched him there was nothing more she wanted to do, until he started touching her and that usually led to total loss of inhibition. Cordy didn’t quite understand how it came to be that way so quickly. It was as if they fed off each other’s desires. That he read her needs so completely.

The thought made her smile. Right now she just wanted to touch him. Run her hands all over that body as she stripped off his clothes. And do it again in the shower— when his skin was slick and warm from the water. That would mean she would be in there of course— helping.

“It’s a dirty job considering the demon perfume,” she sighed, “but I suppose someone has to do it.”

By the time Cordelia removed the last of his clothes, Angel was struggling not to rip her own away. She had touched, stroked and titillated most of his skin during the process— with the exception of the one place he wanted her hands. No, she purposefully ignored his rising erection.

Now on her knees having removed his socks, pants and boxers, Cordelia moved slowly to a standing position letting her hands trail along the hard muscle of his thighs. When she reached his groin her head turned outward so that the long strands of her silken hair rasped over his sensitive flesh.

Angel let out a moan, taking Cordelia by the shoulders and pulling her up the rest of the way. “I think you’ve finished. My turn.”

Impatient hands moved quickly to divest Cordelia of her outer clothes. While Angel did not tear them away, they were certainly not folded or placed in a neat pile.

“I love your underthings,” Angel told her staring lustfully. Today she wore apricot lace.

Cordelia let out a giggle. “Amazing how my bra and panty budget skyrocketed when I started dating you.”

The vampire paused with his hands cupping her now bare breasts. Gazing down into her eyes, he asked, “Is that what we’re doing? Dating?”

“I—,” Cordelia’s heart pounded a little faster.

“Shh,” Angel pressed her lips closed with a kiss. “Don’t answer that, baby. It wasn’t a fair question.”

Still confused, she simply reacted to the sensation of his trailing kisses from her neck down to her navel. There, he seemed to stay forever, teasing her with his tongue. God, she was ticklish there. It felt so good.

Angel’s hands slid down from her waist to the edge of her lacy panties. She watched in a haze of yearning as his head came close, breathing in her arousal. Then his mouth moved over the lace. Cordelia’s hand nearly reached out for his head, but she stopped herself. His turn, she reminded herself. Theirs would come soon enough.

With a gentle tug, Angel pulled the lacy panties from her hips sliding them down the long expanse of her smooth legs. Touching her ankles one at a time, she indicated that she should step out. The panties were tossed to the side, but his hands instantly returned to her flesh, moving back up her silken thighs to hold her curving buttocks.

Catching her eyes with a glance, Angel made certain she was looking as he moved forward again, this time to hold a kiss in the midst of the curling triangle between her thighs. With a gasp, she forgot about not touching. Cordelia clutched at his shoulders, calling out his name with a quiver, “A-Angel.”

Rising to his feet, he tempered her need with a soft kiss against her temple. “I’m right here.”

Turning on the shower, Angel had Cordelia check the temperature of the water. They liked it hot, but he wanted to be careful not to scald her skin. As soon as they were under the spray, Cordelia and Angel were wound together in each other’s arms. Kissing with a passion that left her gasping, but wanting more.

Between pants, Cordy reminded him. “No. More. Kissing.”

Angel had forgotten all about the demon perfume excuse she used to get them in the shower. During their time together in Sunnydale and so far here in LA, he had made love to Cordelia in some interesting places. But her favorites seemed to involve water.

They proceeded with the washing, but it was not at all perfunctory. They made it fun and full of feeling. By the time they were completely clean both of them had reached separate climaxes using their hands and mouths to bring the other release.

“You’re still hard,” Cordelia noted gratefully just as a voice in her head made a stray comment on vampire stamina.

Angel lifted her wrapping her legs around his waist and bracing himself against the shower floor. Entering her in one smooth stroke, he let out a deep sound and heard her answering whimper. They clung close, holding tight. Then started a frantic rhythm, an uncoordinated rush that at first brought only growing need and increasing frustration.

Thrusting out of her, Angel pushed open the shower stall door, leading her down onto the fluffy bathroom mat on the floor. She was on her back panting and reaching for him with slick hands. He cupped her moist face, leaning down to kiss her mouth as he entered her again below.

Warm water from the open shower stall splashed across the floor bathing them in mist as it spritzed back into the air. Cordelia felt it coming, knew Angel would get them there. Oh! The increasing rhythm, the texture of him— just the look in his eyes. Then it started. The deep inner cry. More than just desire. Need. The need to have his fangs inside her.

“Angel!” Cordelia recognized it with surprise. Knew what she wanted, but still had to have it. Asking. Begging to be taken. “Please, please.”

At the turn of her throat, Angel pressed his mouth to her recent scar. Kissing the pulse there. “Not tonight, baby. Not every time.”

Cordelia let out a strangled sound, like he was denying her something vital, but Angel feared that they could quickly reach the same point when he forced himself to leave Sunnydale. Turning her head so that she could see him, Angel whispered words of reassurance even as he kept up the hard rhythm that was bringing them to the edge.

“Just this, love,” Angel told her. “You and me— the old fashioned way.”

Though Cordy found she could barely speak without crying out her pleasure, she managed to let out snort and roll her eyes. Soon they were calling out each other’s names as their mutual climax came like rapids thundering over a cliff.

Angel was still inside her, pressing soft kisses along her jaw when Cordelia returned to her own sense of the here and now. Her breathing and heart rate slowing to normal. She felt the warm splash of water from beneath and the lighter mist on her face. Glancing up, Cordelia curled her mouth into a grin.

Laughing aloud, she told the vampire, “You are so cleaning this up.”

***
“Tonight’s the night,” Angel told Wesley and Cordelia the next day. Cordy and Wesley were both on the couch while Angel stood in the doorway to his private office. “Lenny had better come up with those photos. I’ll be leaving shortly for—”

Wesley’s cell phone rang in his back pocket. As he reached for the phone, he apologized for the interruption. “Sorry.”

Then answering, “Wyndam-Price here.”

A sharp click sounded on the other end of the phone. “Well, I do say. That was rude. The party simply hung up.”

“It was a wrong number,” Cordelia rolled her eyes at Wesley. “Not Miss Manners on the other end of the line.”

Putting his phone down on the coffee table, Wesley turned his attention back to his boss. “I suppose Cordelia showed you Mr. Nabbit’s check?”

With a wry smile Angel informed him that he had seen the check several times. Then he joked, “It was only when she wanted to bring it to bed that I told her to put it away.”

Cordy stuck her tongue out.

Reminded that they were *sharing* a bed these days, Wesley really didn’t want to talk about it. He was decidedly grateful when a ringing sound came from the general vicinity of Cordelia’s desk. “My agent! He always calls me on my cell phone.”

Reaching down into her purse in the left-hand drawer of her desk, Cordelia flipped open the small silver phone. “Hello! Hello?”

A strangled gasp sounded. Click.

“Hey! That was rude. I even heard breathing on the other end.” Cordelia walked back over to the couch and tossed her phone into her lap.

“Obscene caller?” Angel asked with a frown.

Cordelia never had a chance to answer because a ringing started from inside Angel’s office. It was coming from the cell phone in his jacket pocket. Striding over, he pulled out the phone and barked, “Don’t hang up!”

“A-Angel?” A timid voice sounded in response on the other end. “It’s Willow.”

Startled, Angel stared down at the phone for a second and then glanced back to where Cordy and Wes were peeking through the window. “Hang on. I have something to say to you.”

Before the onlookers could inquire who was calling, Angel firmly shut the office door. “Sorry about that. Why didn’t you just use the main office number?”

“Oh. Well— I didn’t want to chance having Cordelia answer the phone or have to leave a message on the office voice mail. So I found all of the cell phones listed for AI and called them.”

“Found the numbers?” Angel asked.

Willow gave a little laugh on the other end of the line. “After a little surfing and hacking, maybe. They were just lying around.”

“Why the need for such secrecy?”

“I had to tell you what happened last night.” Willow gulped loudly. “Wesley called me to ask about the memory crystal. I-I didn’t know that he was working for you.”

What?! Angel began to pace. “Wes called you in Sunnydale?”

Willow nodded answering, “Yes.”

“He suspects something, obviously,” Angel growled at the thought and knew the former Watcher was not likely to let go of the issue until he found some answers.

“More than just suspects, Angel. I think he *remembers* things,” Willow warned. “He knew that I tweaked the curse when I brought you back. He knew that you and Cordelia share a connection— that you’re soulmates, but he didn’t seem to know anything that happened after that.”

Angel glowered in silence, trying to figure out how he was going to explain this to Wes without it getting back to Cordelia.

Willow couldn’t stand the silence. She asked, “How did he know about the crystal?”

“Cordelia is wearing it— as a necklace,” Angel sighed.

“Wh—,” Willow found that her brain had frozen up for a second. Then she started talking all at once. “So you found it? I’m off the hook? The Oracles gave it to you?”

After a beat, Angel asked her, “How do *you* know about the Oracles?”

“Oh. Did I say Oracles?” Willow backpedaled, but there was no escaping the question. “I guess I did.”

“And?”

“They wanted the crystal,” she gave a little whine pleading understanding. “To protect it— even from you. Wanted to keep the memories hidden.”

Angel rubbed the back of his head, leaving the hair in a spiky mess. “Why? They gave it to me knowing what I intended— to break it.”

A gasp sounded from Willow. “Oh. But you didn’t?”

“No. I didn’t.”

Obviously not, thought Willow. There would be a storm in Sunnydale called Hurricane Buffy when that happened.

“I made a deal with the Oracles,” Angel explained. “They took it. Gave me what I asked for.”

“Wow. They were pretty adamant about keeping it away from you. Must have been some deal,” Willow had awe in her voice. “They were scared. If higher beings can get scared that’s what they were. For things to work out according to plan, Cordelia needed to become the person that she’s supposed to be.”

“My seer.”

Willow indicated that he had it right. “Yeah. Has it happened?”

“Yeah.”

“So what are you gonna do with Wesley?”

The hushed question made Angel let out a brief laugh. “Thought I’d start with branding irons and work my way up from there.”

“Angel?” Willow gasped. “Was that a joke?”

Completing his call with Willow, Angel put on his jacket, tucked his cell phone into his pocket and stepped into the outer office. Wesley and Cordelia were waiting expectantly for the details, but the vampire had a dark look on his face. Early brood mode, recognized Cordelia.

“Spill it, Broody Boy.”

Angel would not bring this up in front of Cordelia. When he talked to Wesley it would be one on one. “Wrong number.”

“Long conversation for a wrong number,” she pointed out.

“It was— a prankster. Gave him a lecture,” explained the vampire sternly. “Won’t bother anyone again.”

“Huh.”

It was a lame excuse, but the only one he could come up with at the time. “It’s time for me to meet Lenny about those pictures.”

Angel promptly departed.

Wesley commented, “I feel that we’ve just been bushwhacked. Too bad we can’t tell who called.”

“We can and we will,” Cordelia told him. Picking up her cell phone, she punched in a code that activated the number from the last incoming call.

“Rosenberg/Summers Residence. Willow speaking.”

Grmph! Cordelia immediately knew what had Angel being so secretive. The Slayer was making secret calls to *her* boyfriend.

“Let me talk to Buffy.”

Now recognizing the voice on the other end, Willow let out a nervous sound. “Cordelia?”

“Yes,” she answered. “Let me talk to Buffy. Now.”

That seemed to be a strange request, Willow thought. After the spell took effect, those two never called each other. “She’s not here, Cordy. Can I— take a message?”

Cordelia huffed in disbelief. “I know that she’s there. She just called Angel.”

“Eep!”

The little sound clued her in. “Wait. It was you?”

“Guilty.”

“Why are you being so sneaky about calling Angel? You know the main number.”

Willow fell back on her oldest defense mechanism. She started babbling. “Oh! Just the usual Sunnydale Update. You know! How’re classes. Who’s the latest Big Bad. Spike’s helping the Scoobies out. Oh! And I’m a lesbian now. My girlfriend’s name is Tara.”

“Uh— congratulations?” Cordelia’s head was spinning.

“Yeah. Well— hey, look at the time! Gotta go. Emergency Scooby meeting tonight.”

Then Willow hung up the phone.

Cordelia stares down at the phone, feeling like she just took a non-stop ride on a merry-go-round. “Spike is helping Buffy and pals. What is the world coming to?”

Suddenly, Cordy had to close her eyes as the room seemed to sway. Coming back into focus, she noticed that she was on the Summers’ front porch back in Sunnydale. Spike was inches from her face and his hands palmed her bare breasts beneath her shirt.

Screaming aloud, Cordelia fell off the couch she was so startled by the image in her head. Wesley crouched down on the floor, tending to her. “Is it a vision?”

“I-I don’t think so. I hope that’s not the future.” Cordy allowed him to help her back up to the couch. “Wes, I’ve been having these dreams. Some of them more than once. Always the same. It happens when I’m awake, too.”

Recurring dreams? Visions? Hallucinations? Wesley suspected that whatever this was it was related to the crystal. He didn’t want to scare Cordelia. Certainly not before he had collected enough data to support his hypothesis.

“Cordelia, I have a few ideas. I promise you, we’ll get to the bottom of this.”

***
“You brought the photographs?” Angel questioned Lenny Edwards who was waiting for him in the same spot as the night before.

Holding up a manila envelope, Lenny revealed, “Of course I brought them— and a little something extra.”

Then a gray skinned demon was standing at Angel’s side, hitting him with such force that he flew backwards to the other side of the street.

Lenny loved it. He watched the vampire and the demon fight, confident that his hired muscle would do the trick. The demon was easily a match for the vampire’s strength, even if the guy was rather muscle-bound himself.

“What ever Nabbit’s paying you, it isn’t enough!” Lenny hackled from the sideline.

Angel crashed into Lenny as the demon made another swipe at him. The blackmailer dropped the envelope to the ground and the vampire instantly took advantage of the fact. Angel used his speed to snatch up the envelope and place it in his coat. But the demon was on him again, pounding Angel into the ground.

Jumping back to his feet, Angel moved swiftly and swung himself around a lightpost to kick the demon in the chest. It buckled back, giving Angel the advantage. Finally, he broke its neck. Lenny instantly ran off.

Watching him run, Angel figured it was just as well. Had he stuck around the big goon might have managed to beat him. That demon took a lot out of him and Angel was still on the street, coughing and trying to recover from the fight.

Without warning, a stake catapulted through the air impaling Angel in the left shoulder. Reaching to pull in out, the vampire caught sight of a pickup truck with a mounted stake-launching mechanism built in. On the defensive, Angel had no choice but to run. He yanked out the stake and dropped it to the ground.

“Get him!” Charles Gunn let out a battle cry.

The deeper into the neighborhood, the more trouble Angel found. It quickly came to him that this was an organized attack. He was the target. Considering Lenny’s confidence in his hired demon, Angel doubted that this was his plan. No, these guys were experienced in chasing down vampires— to a point.

They drove him onward until the only option left was to seek safety in an adjacent building, but Angel quickly discovered it to be a maze of boobytraps. Only his own self-awareness, his speed and skill allowed him to dodge the devices designed to kill him.

Surviving the maze, Angel found himself surrounded— by teenagers. Only swift reflexes and an unselfish act saved him. They let him go. Curiosity as well as concern made Angel determined to learn more about them.

The rest of the day was an enlightening one for Angel who discovered that their leader, Charles Gunn, was a street-wise, smart-mouthed vampire hunter. Every kid in the gang had reason to hate his kind. Everyone of them lost to the streets where Gunn provided a small hope of revenge. It was a fight he started alone, helped by his sister Alonna. Others joined the cause.

Angel was impressed despite some of the foolish stunts that these kids would try. A nest of vampires in the area was their target, but the kids ended up in a trap. Gunn’s sister was vamped and he was forced to stake her. Only Angel’s timely arrival, having tracked the kids back to the nest, saved the rest of them.

High on a rooftop overlooking downtown LA, Angel found Gunn staring out at the glittering city lights. From up here, things looked serene and simple. Not like the streets. Things looked bright from above, not dark or dangerous. Not deadly.

“What are you doing here?” Gunn demanded.

“Skulking,” Angel told him, “professionally.”

The last thing Gunn needed was a lecture from a vampire. “Look, I’m glad for what you did today, okay? But I don’t need no Guardian Angel, and I don’t need no talking to. It’s not gonna change the way things are down here, man.”

Angel listened.

Gunn went on, “They’re gonna keep coming and we’re gonna keep fighting.”

“I know,” the vampire acknowledged his words as the truth.

“That’s it?” Gunn reacted with surprise. He was expecting more. “You ain’t gonna talk *at* me, be all daddy-figure?”

Quietly, Angel asked, “What am I going to tell you that you haven’t already learned?”

“I killed her,” Gunn’s throat tightened at the words.

“You didn’t.” He had killed the demon, not his sister.

Gunn ground out, “Near enough. She was the reason, man. The reason that I fight this fight. How come you do it? How come you’re out here?”

“What else are we gonna do?” Angel shrugged. Telling him, “I’ll be around.”

“I don’t need no help,” Gunn rejected the idea.

Angel met his determined stare. “I might.”
 

The Powers above give warning, Lower Beings, as the end draws near. Another test must our Champion make, another battle to win. Neither beast nor demon nor those who bend man’s law shall be his foe. The past itself shall rise up against him as troubles draw nigh and the shroud of hidden memory becomes the thinnest veil.

Part 23

 The Powers above give warning, lower beings, as the end draws near. Another test must our Champion make, another battle to win. Neither beast nor demon nor those who bend man’s law shall be his foe. The past itself shall rise up against him as troubles draw nigh and the shroud of hidden memory becomes the thinnest veil.
 

At her apartment, Cordelia spoke with Dennis as she packed some clothes into a suitcase. “I’m just bringing a few things over to Angel’s.”

The drawer she had been emptying slammed shut.

“Hey! That’s not a very nice thing to say.” Cordy’s fists curled up onto her hips defiantly. “I love Angel. We’re together— a lot— and I sleep over most times. A girl has to have her stuff.”

Then she frowned, “Are you feeling neglected?”

Dennis caused the lights to flicker.

“Oh. Sorry about that,” Cordy nibbled at her lower lip. “Want me to ask Wesley to stay with you?”

The toilet flushed from the adjoining bathroom.

“Don’t be like that. Wes loves board games,” Cordelia tried to tempt the ghost into the idea. Lately, she felt like she was abandoning her friend— one who couldn’t leave his house to come out and play. “He’s still living at Doyle’s crappy apartment. You’d be doing him a huge favor if he could stay over on the nights I’m not here.”

After a moment, the dresser drawer opened and under Dennis’ ghostly power he began to move clothes into Cordelia’s suitcase. Grinning at his apparent agreement, she told him, “Thanks. You get the rest of the clothes in that drawer while I grab stuff from the closet.”

Cordelia opened the door to her closet and was struck by the sight of a room filled with clothes of every style and color. Shoes were stacked on built-in racks along with rows of purses. Was this a vision? Another hallucination? Why did it seem so familiar?

Then Angel’s voice sounded behind her causing Cordelia to whirl around. “Come here, Cordy.”

She was drawn to him, walking out of the closet and into a bedroom that was decorated in a way that made her feel at home. Touching his chest, Cordelia met the desire in his eyes with her own.

“I’m here, Angel,” Cordy curled her fingers into the buttoned edge of his shirt. “What do you want with me?”

Touching her cheek, he pressed his thumb down to the fullness of her mouth stirring her own feelings of need. Cordelia knew what he wanted and his words only confirmed it.

Angel purred, “That is a dangerous thing to say to a horny vampire.”

Then a movement behind Angel’s shoulder caused Cordelia’s eyes to flicker away from the intensity of his gaze. She realized suddenly that they were not alone. There was a person lying on the bed. Not just any person— it was Buffy.

No!

Cordelia glanced back up at Angel who kept staring lustfully in her direction. What was this? Other thoughts collected from the many strange images she previously experienced flashed again in her mind. Most came in a new wave of shock as the seer realized these were not visions, not hallucinations, but memories.

An empty mansion. Boxes packed with Angel’s belongings. Buffy kissing them both at the Bronze. Hot, wild wonderful sex with Angel. And Buffy? A decision— her decision. Her mate. Angel was her mate. Her soulmate. Then there was Angelus— oh, it was him in all his evil, soulless glory. Plotting to destroy the world. Angelus arguing with Joyce about not letting him in. Spike wanting a joy ride. Angelus— behind the bleachers— in the library— and with Willow?! Staying at the Summers’ house. The long night of Buffy’s birthday. Angel. Angelus.

The images came so fast, Cordelia staggered back against her closet door. Then Cordelia felt herself reeling in pleasure despite the pain that edged at the periphery of her feelings. Fangs were lodged in her throat. Her back was up against the hard surface of her own Corvette. Angelus was inside her.

Overwhelmed by sensations, Cordelia felt a white haze pull her away from the realm of consciousness.

***

Angel kicked open the door to Cordelia’s apartment, not bothering to wait for Dennis to open the door or use the key. Calling out her name, there was panic in the vampire’s voice.

“Cordy? Cordy!” He swept into the bedroom, finding it empty.

There was no sign of her in the apartment at all. Angel whirled around and bellowed for Dennis to tell him what was wrong. “I got your message, Dennis.”

Angel had returned to the office, finding that Cordelia was not at her desk. He had been out on a case. Chances were that she was at the apartment since he did not sense her presence close by. That was something else renewed by their coming together again—knowing when she was near. Cordy had said something about picking up a few things to keep at his place.

As far as he was concerned, she could bring it all.

The answering machine was beeping loudly from Cordelia’s desk. A glance indicated twenty-three calls. “What’s this? A sign of another apocalypse?”

The phone rang even as his finger reached toward the play button on the machine. Angel picked up the handset. “Angel Investi—”

Loud music blared in his ear.

“Arrgh!” The vampire’s super-sensitive hearing caused him to react in pain. He shoved the phone back down.

Rubbing his ear, Angel was about to reach for the message button again when the phone started ringing. Glaring at it, he let it ring a couple of times before picking it up. Holding it to his other ear, Angel spoke into the phone, “Ang—”

More music was accompanied by the sound of a loud television.

Angel hung up the phone cursing at the prankster. Who the hell would be doing this? It came to him abruptly. Who used nonsensical sounds to communicate? Dennis. The ghost was trying to tell him that there was something wrong. Wrong with the apartment, wrong with himself or wrong with Cordelia.

With a growing sense of dread, Angel leapt into his Plymouth convertible and sped in the direction of Cordelia’s apartment. Now he was there and finding it empty. No sign of any problem. No sign of Cordelia.

“Dennis?”

A note fluttered from the direction of the refrigerator.

Plucking it out of the air, Angel read it. Two words stared at him from the paper. Just two short words that left him confused and somewhat fearful.

Going home.

Then something else was floating in front of the vampire’s face. Angel realized what the note meant as he held the crystal necklace in his hand. The formerly white crystal was now completely black, its power broken and the memories contained within released.

Angel knew— Cordelia had left him.

“Angel?” It was Wesley, entering through the broken door carrying a cardboard box. “What happened here?”

The vampire scowled at the Watcher. “She’s gone.”

“Cordelia?”

Nodding, Angel held out the crystal. “It’s over. The spell is broken.”

“Ah ha! I knew there was a spell,” Wesley sounded triumphant. Then he realized there were repercussions to this event that had serious circumstances. “I have the evidence that proves Cordelia’s memories were tampered with. I suspect that mine were as well.”

“Evidence?” Angel wondered what he was talking about.

Wesley placed the box down on the coffee table. “Have a look.”

“This is Cordelia’s ‘slutwear’.”

“What?!” Wesley was still hoping that it was a Halloween costume.

Angel’s mouth quirked at the memory. “That’s what she called it. Lost a bet.”

“Oh.” Wesley was glad to hear it. “That’s a relief.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw her wearing it,” Angel returned. “This is evidence of nothing more than Doyle’s desire to see Cordy— bathed in leather. It’s got nothing to do with the crystal.”

Reaching deeper into the box, Wesley pulled out a small tissue-wrapped object. “I’m betting this does.”

Taking it, Angel moved the tissue paper aside. Photographs— all too familiar. Himself and Cordelia. The two of them with Buffy on the day they dragged him to the shopping mall for the first and last time. “New frame?”

“I-I broke it, accidentally,” Wes confessed. “Dropped it as soon as I saw the pictures. It gave me a shock seeing something that contradicted my memories. Then— just an hour ago— I started to remember more about my time in Sunnydale. Things about you and Cordelia, but apparently there was a lot more going on that I know nothing about.”

“Where did you get this?” As far as Angel was concerned, the pictures were still at the bottom of his sock drawer. Obviously not.

Wesley explained, “Harry found it whilst cleaning out Doyle’s apartment.”

“I can’t see Doyle rummaging through my sock drawer.”

“Well *I* certainly didn’t do it,” Wesley frowned.

After a pause, Angel knew who the culprit was. “Spike. He went through everything looking for the Gem of Amarra. Probably left this lying around and Doyle found it when he began *his* search for the ring.”

Then Wesley asked, “Why didn’t he confront you about the pictures?”

“Because I told him what was going on, Wes. He didn’t skulk behind my back and bring them to Cordelia before I had a chance to explain,” Angel retorted with a clenched jaw.

“Yes, you have a point,” Wesley felt a bit guilty about that one, “but Doyle wasn’t the victim of memory-wiping magick. I had a right to be suspicious.”

Angel figured that Wesley had a right to the truth. “Sit down, Wes. You’re getting the short version because you deserve to hear something, but I have places to go.”

By the time the vampire finished his tale, Wesley was agog. Even after seeing the four small pictures of Angel, Cordelia and Buffy that revealed so much, hearing about it was a little overwhelming.

“Have you considered if Cordelia doesn’t stake you for this, Buffy certainly will?” Wes tried to make a joke of it, but the truth of it was that neither woman could be very happy about the choice Angel had made for them.

“It was for their own good,” Angel countered using his standby excuse. “For Cordelia’s safety.”

“What changed, Angel? You two are back together— and obviously intimate again. I know that you have taken her blood.”

Then vampire reminded him, “She’s mine.”

“But is she yours— alone?” Wesley heard that there had been some kind of confrontation here in LA between Angel and Buffy, but he wondered if things were truly resolved between the former lovers. “Until this crystal failed, Cordelia remembered nothing of that shared past. What will she think now?”

“I’m going to find out,” the determined edge to Angel’s voice was reflected in his dark gaze. “I’m not waiting around here to do it.”

Meaning that he was leaving to go after his mate, Wesley figured that was coming. “You said Cordelia was gone, Angel. Gone where?”

“Home.”

That confused the Watcher. “Home— to Sunnydale? I thought her parent’s estate had been taken by the IRS.”

“Not that place, Wes. Home to the mansion. To the home we made for ourselves for almost a year.”

“When are you leaving?”

“Now. Hold down the fort while we’re gone.” Angel instructed already halfway out the door. Then he noticed that it was hanging on its hinges. “Hey, Dennis— sorry about the door. Wes—”

“Go, Angel. I’ll handle it.”

***

“Bloody hell, Slayer,” Spike stormed after her. “What the hell are you gabbing about? I didn’t have a damn thing to do with it.”

Buffy Summers stalked away at a power walk from the cemetery. “Maybe not, but you obviously knew something was going on. Was it amusing for you— keeping it a secret from me?”

“Never kept anything secret,” Spike scoffed. “Just didn’t wanna talk about you shagging Peaches, that’s all. It’s not like I got anything out of it. Not like the first time when you shagged out his soul and brought back Angelus.”

“Thought that was fun, did you?” Buffy stopped abruptly and whirled to face the leather-garbed vampire.

“I did until Angelus went of his rocker. Got all obsessive about that cheerleader chit and decided to end the world.” Spike figured his grandsire’s plan to have Acathla suck the world into hell would have been very effective. Only Spike wasn’t done having fun with the world just yet.

Fisting her hands into tight balls, Buffy felt like hitting something. “Cordelia Chase! That is just crazy. Angel and me— and Cordelia Chase?!”

“Actually, I thought it was more Angel and Cordelia— and then you. She’s his mate, not some bimbo who doesn’t know when to give up.” Spike’s hands were on his slim hips, his arms pushing his leather duster back to show a hard expanse of the tight red t-shirt covering his chest.

Buffy stared at that chest for a second knowing just what she’d like to do with her stake. Grinding her perfect teeth, she glared at him. “What did you just call me?”

As he grinned in her direction, Spike’s tongue appeared between his teeth as a sign that his thoughts were turning more graphic than simple speech would allow. “You heard me.”

“Watch your mouth!” Buffy gave him a warning. “I’m in no mood to play nice with the Fangless Wonder tonight.”

“Hey!”

“You just called *me* a bimbo.”

Spike kicked his boot at the turf. “Not like I wouldn’t jump at the chance to switch places with Peaches. A hot-blooded cheerleader and a vampire Slayer— who wouldn’t want to be the meat in that sandwich?”

Not to mention the fact that lately he seemed to have a perpetual hard-on for the Slayer despite the fact he was bedding his own blonde bimbo on a regular basis. Harmony was a ditz, but she filled the void in his bed left by Drusilla.

One thought had Buffy saying, “Gross, much?”

The other thoughts filling her head were resurfacing memories of the year she spent with Angel and Cordelia. Love and friendship. Secrets and lies. Pleasure— and lots of it. With a price. Never Angel alone. Couldn’t happen because of the curse. Cordelia’s claim on the vampire could not be denied. Would not be denied. Not by Cordelia or Angel.

Now Buffy had two sets of memories.

One where she was beloved of a vampire. Though cursed, his heart was hers alone. Though he left her, there had always been hope. Until recently. Until her trip to LA when she discovered Angel’s secret journey to Sunnydale and the fact that the Boss/Secretary relationship between Angel and Cordelia seemed to be something more than friendship.

Now a rush of memories had returned, overlaying the others. Memories of an altered spell that made Angel and Cordelia soulmates. Discovering Cordelia had been claimed by Angelus as his mate. That the two shared an unbreakable bond despite the fact that Angel still loved her.

Buffy’s eyes were wide with sadness as she stared up at Spike. “He loved me.”

“Loved you? Kept you,” suggested the blond vampire. “Needed the cheerleader. Wanted her. Lusted after her. What happened, Slayer? I know Angelus claimed her. How did he convince her to let you into their bed?”

Her skin was flushed a bright red hue making Spike lick his lips as he stared at her throat. “It was Cordy’s idea.”

“Yeah.” Spike let out a huff of disbelief. “More like it was the only way she thought she could keep him, what with the way you two supposedly carried on. What’s Red say? Oh, yeah— star-crossed lovers. Bollocks!”

“We were in love!”

Spike leaned up close so that his body was only inches from hers. “Emphasis on *were* and you’ll be a helluva lot closer.”

That did it! Buffy lunged at Spike knocking him to the ground. He was up so close that he couldn’t avoid the move and suddenly found himself straddled by a pair of powerful Slayer thighs.

Buffy’s fists crashed into Spike’s face after each word spoken. “Take— that— back!”

***

Angel was halfway to Sunnydale before he thought about calling Willow. Holding onto the steering wheel, he reached into his coat pocket pulling out his cell phone. He pressed the power button, waiting impatiently for it to turn itself on. Upon dialing the number, the phone was picked up almost immediately.

“Angel?” asked the voice on the other end even before he could identify himself. Willow sounded out of breath and anxious.

“It’s me,” he confirmed.

“Where have you been?” Willow demanded. “You turned your cell phone off. I called the office a gazillion times.”

Oh. Willow had called too. Angel thought it was just Dennis. “You called?”

“You mean you *didn’t* get my messages?” There was a gulping sound on the other end.

“No,” Angel told her. “I was calling to talk to you about Cordelia— and the crystal.”

The redhead wasn’t surprised. “Same here, except that I needed to talk to you about Buffy.”

Angel was steering the car one-handed at breakneck speed. “What about Buffy?”

“She remembers everything,” Willow told him. “They *all* remember everything.”

“I figured as much. The crystal is completely black. Something happened to it recently and I think its lattice broke.”

“Buffy is pissed,” Willow could not express that enough. “I mean— really, really ticked off at you right now. She is planning to go to LA on the first bus in the morning.”

“I won’t be there.”

Letting out a surprised gasp, Willow seemed confused, but had to agree with his decision. “Yeah. You probably should leave town. Ever thought about seeing Europe again?”

“Willow,” the vampire sounded exasperated. “I’m on my way to Sunnydale.”

“You’re coming here? So not a good idea, Angel. People here—”

“Cordelia is there.”

“In Sunnydale?”

“At the mansion.”

“Oh.” That stumped Willow. “When did she get here?”

“Not long,” he figured, “maybe half an hour— an hour at the most?”

Willow offered to go to the mansion to wait with Cordelia, but Angel refused. “I don’t want to chance her running off before I can get there.”

Then Angel made Willow promise to talk to Buffy. To tell the Slayer to stay put and that he was coming to town. That he would call her after talking to Cordelia.”

“Are you sure you want me to tell her that?” Willow sounded hesitant.

“Willow—”

The witch told him. “I don’t know if I can find her. Buffy said something about needing to kick Spike’s ass before she left for LA.”

What the hell did his grandchilde have to do with this? Angel knew it was just like Spike to stir up trouble. “He probably deserves it, but why is she so mad at him?”

“Dunno. According to Buffy, Spike’s ass is always in need of attention.”

“What?!” Angel looked down at the phone for a second.

“I think that came out wrong,” Willow certainly had not meant it the way it sounded. “I meant to say that even with his control chip, Spike seems to cause havoc.”

“Find her, Willow.” Angel knew this needed to be resolved once and for all. In the end it was going to have to be all of them hashing this out. First, he wanted to have time alone with Cordelia. “Stay at her house if necessary. I’ll contact you there.”

“Mrs. Summers is home,” warned Willow. “I doubt she’ll be happy about you calling her house right now.”

Angel understood. “Has a thing about vampires being around her daughter.”

“No. It’s just you,” Willow told him not mentioning the fact that most mothers wouldn’t have good feelings about vampire’s taking their daughter’s virginity and then dumping her for the head cheerleader before trying to end the world. “She *likes* Spike.”

Glowering at the thought, Angel instructed Willow, “Stick by the phone after you find her. I’ll call when I can.”

As the line clicked off, Willow let out a heavy sigh. Did Angel honestly think that Buffy Summers was going to sit by a phone if she knew Angel and Cordelia were back at the mansion? Yup. He did. Poor deluded vampire.

***

“Xander? It’s late.” Rupert Giles was already dressed in his pajamas, wearing a robe and slippers as he answered the door.

“I’m going to LA,” Xander explained. “I need to borrow your crossbow.”

“What’s in LA?” Giles’ eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Then he realized that he was not the only one to experience memory restoration. “Ah. Angel.”

Walking over to the weapon’s chest, Xander opened it to take out the crossbow and a few other items. “I let him get away with it, Giles. Angelus practically raped Cordelia in front of my house and none of us did a damn thing about it.”

“That isn’t how Cordelia tells it,” the former Watcher reminded. “Willow’s magick was a part of it. Angelus claimed her, but Cordelia did not resist. Later on, they became soul mates and out of necessity remained together because of the blood-bond they shared.”

“Only necessity?” Xander’s voice sounded thick and harsh. He remembered the year that Angel and Cordelia became so close following Willow’s tweaking of the soul restoration spell. Though for a while Xander thought something might develop between himself and his redheaded best friend, his thoughts were still caught up between Buffy and Cordelia.

The thought of Angel and Cordelia made him jealous. Okay— maybe even crazy kind of jealous. Stake and crossbow kind of jealous. Then he had to admit to himself that they seemed happy together— most of the time. Except that he would often catch Angel and Buffy with goo-goo-eyed stares. Little whispers and touches suggested that the vampire was cheating or that Buffy simply refused to let go.

Cordelia would watch the two of them, he noticed, whenever the group was gathered together. The looks she sent their way confused him. Sometimes she appeared to want to stomp all over Buffy for standing next to the vampire, much less casually touching him. Xander also noticed times when she wore a secret smile on her face as she looked at them. Most times, he just figured that was the secret urge to start chopping body parts if Buffy moved any closer. Others, Xander had to wonder.

“Giles, I remember two versions of everything that happened from that big blue arm in the box to graduation,” Xander complained. “This Angelus/Angel thing with Cordy and at the same time that Angel had eyes only for Buffy. Am I losing my mind or is there some kind of demon out there playing with reality?”

Putting the kettle on to boil for tea, Giles told him, “No— and yes.”

“There’s a demon playing with reality?” Xander looked muddled and dropped his armful of weapons back in the antique chest.

“In a way.” Giles suspected that a certain vampire— and a witch— were behind this. It made perfect sense considering the conversation he had with Angel in Willow’s presence right before the vampire’s departure from Sunnydale.

***

Lights were shining from the windows of the old mansion as Angel pulled up outside. He turned off the ignition and hurried inside. Sounds of a radio playing were coming from the second floor and so he took the stairs two at a time. Angel found her in the bedroom adjoining the master suite, the one that Angelus had arranged specifically for her use.

Cordelia had her back to him as she stood by the bed unpacking her suitcase. He watched her for a full minute trying to think of something to say that expressed his feelings, but could not think of a single word. Having discarded countless speeches as he drove from LA to Sunnydale, Angel was at a loss.

He wanted to go to her. Pull her into his arms. Tell her that she was his. That he loved her and would never let her go.

Somehow, Angel sensed that Cordelia would not take kindly to that without hashing this out in a verbal and physical free-for-all. Then, there would be Buffy. She had a right to face him— and Cordelia— knowing what had happened before and learning what was between them now.

“What took you so long?” Cordelia’s curious voice questioned startling Angel out of his private musings. Still facing the other direction, she had simply sensed his presence in the room.

“You knew I would come,” Angel figured. “That’s why you left the note.”

Walking to her side, Angel curled his hand around her arm turning Cordelia to look down at her face. She was beautiful, he thought, but the light in her hazel eyes seemed dim. “I needed some time to think about things. That’s why I took the bus. I knew you’d follow me— I wanted you too.”

“Why come here, baby?”

“This is where it started, Angel,” Cordelia told him. “I wanted to see things. Touch them. Know that they were real.”

The vampire could understand that. “It must seem like a dream.”

Cordelia let out a distraught laugh. “No. It’s a nightmare.”

Explaining, “I remember it both ways, Angel. The things we did before— I’m not that person anymore. At least, I don’t think so. I need time to find out who I am again.”

Part 24

 Lower beings, do you see the dangers now approaching? We Oracles recognize them. Even the Powers that Be sit in trepidation awaiting the outcome. Free choice has a far greater impact on their plans than may be known.

“This is where it started, Angel,” Cordelia told him. “I wanted to see things. Touch them. Know that they were real.”

The vampire could understand that. “It must seem like a dream.”

Cordelia let out a distraught laugh. “No. It’s a nightmare.”

Explaining, “I remember it both ways, Angel. The things we did before— I’m not that person anymore. At least, I don’t think so. I need time to find out who I am again.”

“How *much* time, Cordy?”

“A day or two,” her words eased his fears until Cordelia tagged on, “a week, a month, forever. I don’t know, Angel. As long as it takes.”
 

Two paths of memory have merged. The Vampire with a Soul and his mate vie for understanding, but there are others with an equal right to seek resolution. Too many. Far too many variables that could alter our restored path. Not only for our Champion and his seer their City of Angels, but for the Chosen One and the Hellmouth itself.
 

Buffy stepped up to her front door, and then paused upon hearing the sound of soft snoring coming from a dark corner. Peering into the shadows, she saw the outline of a small human curled up in one of the chairs.

“Willow?”

“Nngh— huh?” Waking up, Willow massaged her neck which had been tilted at an odd angle while she slept. “Buffy! I fell asleep?”

“The snoring kind of suggests that,” Buffy walked over to the railing next to her chair. “I have to wonder why your trip to Snoresville isn’t taking place in your bed rather than on my porch.”

Having waited nearly two hours for Buffy to return, Willow wasn’t going to wait a minute more to discuss what she came here for. “Angel followed Cordelia back to town. He wants you to wait here for him to contact you.”

Stunned, Buffy processed the information for a few seconds before speaking. “Angel is here in Sunnydale?”

“By now,” Willow nodded. “So there’s no need to go to LA. Just wait for him to call.”

“Angel called you?” That seemed a little strange.

Willow climbed out of the chair, stretching her arms above her head. “Uh— no one else was home. You were out kicking Spike’s ass, remember?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Then the witch asked, “How is Spike’s ass?”

Buffy’s lips curled just a bit. “Intact— for the most part. He had nothing to do with this memory thing, so he says. Just told me to ask Angel and look closer to home for answers. Cryptic, much?”

“Not really,” groaned Willow. She was hoping to avoid this conversation until she had a big strong vampire present to back her up. “Spike is telling you the truth. He had nothing to do with it.”

“How do *you* know that?”

With a hesitant moan, Willow confessed, “Because I had everything to do with it. Angel and I.”

“What?!” The initial shock faded almost instantly as Buffy remembered the conversation she had with Angel prior to his leaving for LA— the *real* conversation. The big break up. His wanting her to have a normal life. “I thought Cordelia was putting him up to it, and that she wanted me out of their lives, but it was Angel— he left us both.”

“A-Angel had his reasons, Buffy.”

The blonde was trying to control her anger. She couldn’t believe that Willow had been a part of this scheme. “What were *your* reasons? I take it that magick had something to do with this tangled mess in my head.”

Looking a little defiant, Willow told her, “I cast the spell. Angel may have asked for it to be done, but I’m the one who did it. Just remember to spread the blame around.”

“Oh, I will,” Buffy assured her, “if it needs spreading. We’re going to find that out. Right now.”

Grasping Willow around the wrist, Buffy led her down the porch steps. “I see you came in your mom’s car— didn’t notice it a minute ago. Get in. You’re taking us to Angel’s place.”

“He wanted us to wait until he called,” Willow reminded her.

“Yeah? Well we don’t always get what we want,” countered Buffy. “Do we?”
 

The players gather. Our Champion and his mate, the Seer. The Chosen One and the Witch. And now, the hand of chaos will enter the mix again to stir things to the boiling point.
 

“Blondie Bear!” Harmony gasped at the sight of bruises on Spike’s face. “What happened to you?”

Slamming shut the crypt door, Spike growled at her, “Just the usual. Buffy, Buffy, Buffy! Everywhere I turn, she’s there in front of me. With that nasty little face, that— bouncing shampoo-commercial hair. That sodding holier-than-thou attitude.”

Harmony twirled a strand of her blond hair around one finger. Another complaint session about the Slayer. Sigh! “Well, aren’t we kind unholy, by the—”

Cutting her off, Spike told her, “She follows me, you know, tracks me down. I’m her pet project. Drive Spike round the bend. Blame him for every bloody problem. Makes every day a fresh bout of torture.”

Grabbing one of the annoyingly cute decorations Harmony had added to the crypt, Spike smashed it against the wall.

“Spike!”

Then he was grabbing her by the shoulders, looking fierce— almost desperate. Harmony started feeling a little scared. Spike wasn’t usually violent unless they wanted it that way.

“You don’t understand, Harm,” he shook her by the shoulders. “I can’t get rid of her. It’s like she’s everywhere. She’s haunting me.”

Seeing the fearful expression, Spike slowly calmed down. “This has got to end. Maybe now the Slayer has her memories back, she’ll pick on Peaches for a change.”

Harmony saw Spike’s eyes turn dark as he said the words. Before she could ask him why that wasn’t a good thing, there was a knock at the crypt door. Spike let Harmony answer the door.

“Clem,” her voice conveyed the displeasure Harmony felt at seeing the demon. She hated Spike’s gambling buddies. They took his attention away from her.

“Spike around?”

“In here,” the vampire called out as he draped his coat over the back of a chair.

“Hey, buddy! I had to stop by to give you the news.”

“News?”

“I was down at Willies tonight. There’s talk about lights up at the old mansion. Looks like Angel is back in town,” Clem revealed. “Thought you’d want to know.”

“Oh, bloody hell!” Spike picked up the leather duster he had just removed.
 

There is a moment of calm before the gathering storm hits. Though figurative in nature it has been brewing from the first. From the moment the memory crystal was created to contain the secrets of the past. Now its power is broken. Now the memories are free and our Champion must face the consequences of his actions.
 

“I know that you’re responsible for this,” Cordelia told Angel point blank. “You had the crystal. You knew that we had a past together. Just waited too long to tell me the truth.”

This was precisely what he had been trying to avoid, but Angel realized that by keeping things to himself he had made it worse. “Baby, I—”

Cordy interrupted, “Don’t call me ‘baby’ when I’m mad at you.”

“I suppose you have a right to be angry.”

“You bet I do!”

Pulling away from his touch, Cordelia grabbed the last of her clothes from the suitcase. She crossed over to the dresser and dumped the items in the drawer, slamming it shut.

“Well?” As she returned to the bedside and zipped up the suitcase, Cordy demanded, “Are you going to stand there like a gaping fish or do I get to hear what was going on in that broody brain of yours when you came up with this lame scheme?”

When the words did not immediately pour out of his mouth, Cordelia let out a frustrated growl. She grabbed the empty suitcase from the bed, stalked over to the closet door and threw it inside. The door shut with a bang. Whirling around, she stalked back to Angel’s side and poked a finger at his chest.

“Talk to me, Angel,” Cordelia demanded. “You came all this way to find me. Surely you have something to say.”

Taking her hand, the vampire held it against his chest. “Everything that happened was for love of you.”

“— and Buffy.” Cordelia interjected.

“Yes,” Angel did not deny it. “Everything I loved, I left behind here in Sunnydale.”

“Why? If you didn’t want us anymore, why the spell? Why not just leave?” Cordelia was confused at the reason for such a drastic measure.

Angel’s chest rumbled beneath her hand. “Not want you?”

How could she ever think that? Brushing a finger along the bare curve of her collarbone, he let out an emotion-filled confession. “I *always* want you, Cordelia. That was part of the problem back then. Your presence keeps my soul secure, but it brings Angelus closer to the surface.”

“How is that? Lately, except for your happy pill episode, I haven’t seen it.”

That was difficult, because Angel was not certain of the reason. “I think it has something to do with exchanging blood. Back here in Sunnydale, our bloodplay kept escalating to levels that were dangerous to you. Escalating to the point where I always had a part of you inside me— and wanted more.”

Cordelia remembered the night she ended up in the hospital. She had blamed herself for that one having teased him until she had worked the vampire into a frenzy of lust. Then at the moment of their climax, he bit deeper than usual. He wasn’t so careful or gentle and for an instant, Cordelia thought he planned to turn her.

Suddenly realizing that was Angel’s fear as well, Cordy’s voice was a hushed whisper as she asked, “Do you want me to be a vampire?”

“No!” He was quick to answer, but there was a flash in his eyes that told her part of him would always want that. “It wouldn’t be the same. I want you human.”

“Good answer,” Cordelia gave him a brief smile. “I like me human.”

“So do I.” Angel pressed his lips against her forehead.

He was tempted to pull her into his arms and keep kissing her, but knew that it would be only a distraction. This needed saying.

Cordelia’s head buzzed a little at the touch of his lips against her skin. It never took much to have her wanting him. Stupid hormones! “So that’s what you were so scared of? That you would lose control? Turn me into a vampire?”

“Yes, Cordy. The danger was very real.” Angel admitted. “You don’t know how many times I had to fight back the urge to take you that way.”

“Buffy would never let you do that, Angel,” Cordelia told him. “She used to be there when you would drink from me.”

“She wasn’t there every time. I always thought that Buffy’s presence— the Slayer’s presence— in our bed tempered my demon. Kept me in line. Kept me from taking things too far.”

“Yeah?” Cordelia wasn’t certain she liked that line of thinking. “What are you saying? It’s only safe for us to be together if Buffy is around? I thought it was the other way around.”

Angel let out a laugh of dark irony. “Is that how it is? You secure my soul and she keeps my demon in check?”

“We were happy here in Sunnydale.” Cordelia understood his fear, but not the secrecy behind it. “Why couldn’t you tell me, Angel? I thought we had moved past the stage of keeping stuff from each other.”

“Because I knew that you would refuse. That you wouldn’t let me leave,” Angel knew that with certainty.

“Got that right.”

“Thought so. I had it out with Rupert when Willow found out about the three of us. The things we talked about just confirmed what I already knew. So I asked Willow to cast the spell. It was the only thing I knew that could prevent you following me. Our blood ties at that time were too strong.”

Cordelia thought back to her last days in Sunnydale. Discovering her parents had fled the country. Being destitute and alone. Forcing herself to put on a smile whenever anyone else was around. The horrible empty feeling that literally turned her into a weeping mess once she got back to her crappy motel room each night.

“What happened in LA?” She asked him. “Was it a coincidence seeing you at that party?”

Angel had thought about that moment too often. “It was fate, Cordy. The Powers that Be had a plan for us. Champion and Seer. Willow’s magick may have altered the way we got to this point, but not that outcome. Not our mission.”

“So— we were never meant to be lovers?”

The hurt in her eyes scared him. “Maybe not so soon, but I can’t believe that we would be together without that happening. I wanted you long before Willow’s spells started playing with our emotions.”

That brought a smile to her face.

“When you showed up here in LA, I wanted you to be safe, but I couldn’t let you go, Cordelia. Not again.”

“I feel like such a fool. Avoiding you. Flirting with you. Oh, God! Thinking I was still a virgin. You had a good laugh about that one— at least as Angelus.”

“I think it was closer to frustration. Every time we seemed to be getting ahead, we’d get thrown for a loop.”

“Yeah. Well you started this rollercoaster, Angel.”

“What else do you want me to say, Cordy? I asked Willow to perform the spell because it was the only way I thought I could protect you and let Buffy have a normal life. Maybe that was unrealistic, but I did it because I loved you.”

“Both of us,” she clarified. “You loved us both.”

Angel couldn’t deny it. “What do you expect? The three of us were together for a year. You invited Buffy into our bed, not me.”

“Are you denying that you wanted her?”

“No. Things were different. I’ve always wanted you, Cordelia. Back then it was all about lust. About Angelus’ claim and the blood ties between us. Not to mention Willow’s spell tweaking when returning my soul. I can’t deny that I wanted Buffy, nor that I took great pleasure in having her with us. I loved her the only way I knew how. The only way that was possible.”

“My big mouth did it again in LA. Buffy came to see you— to be with you. And I chased her away.”

“She has her mission here on the Hellmouth. We have ours in LA.”

“Do you really think it’s that simple?”

“With us, nothing ever is. You know I love you, baby. I’ve loved you for so long. Before I left Sunnydale. Finding you in LA, I just couldn’t let you leave. No matter the danger.”

“Is there danger? Are you still afraid that you’ll turn me?”

“The urge is always there, somewhere in the back of my mind. That’s why I’ve been so careful about biting you. About not letting you bite me.”

Cordelia thought about that. She used to get the worst cravings as though she *needed* to bite him back. “It’s the blood. The connection between us.”

“Giles says that it’s my demon instincts. He’s right, I suppose. Angelus always intended to make you a vampire— his demon mate. He just wanted you human for a while.”

“I always thought Angelus was you without the ability to keep your mouth shut. You told me you wanted me human, but is that *really* the truth? Do you want your mate to be a vampire?”

From behind them, Spike cut in, “He answers anything other than ‘yes’ to that and he’s a liar.”

“Stay out of this, Spike.” Angel glared across the room. “What are you doing here?”

“Heard rumor you were in town. Thought I’d stop by to see the family.”

As the blond vampire sauntered closer, Cordelia noticed that he was covered in bruises. “Looks like you’ve been run over by a steam-roller.”

“Slayer. Thought I had something to do with Peaches’ little memory spell.”

“You always remembered,” Cordy realized that all of the hints and confusion between them indicted that he knew the truth all of the time. “How come you weren’t affected?”

“Out of town. Went after Dru.”

Then he came back looking for the Gem of Amarra, went to LA and ended up back in Sunnydale. “Then the Initiative shoved this behavioral control chip in my head and now I’m drinking pig’s blood— just like Peaches. Can’t even have a little bite for fun much less kill anyone. It’s not fair. Now the Slayer’s trying to turn me into her lapdog.”

“What?”

“Stop laughing,” Spike glared at Cordelia. “It’s not funny.”

“Maybe not from your perspective.”

“You’re just mad because you don’t have Peaches to yourself anymore. At least in that pretty little head of yours. The Slayer is in there too, isn’t she?”

“Spike,” Angel sounded a warning.

“She needs to deal with it,” Spike pointed out. “Not box it all up and get all broody about it like some people.”

Cordelia admitted, “Spike is right. I’m here to deal, not shy away from this. I need to see Buffy.”

“Well luv, if you ever want to round out the numbers— give me a call,” Spike leered.

Cordelia stood her ground, refusing to let the vampire rile her. “Have to have Angel’s permission. That’s how it works.”

“Peaches?”

“Get out, Spike.”

“Knew you’d say that,” he commented while still managing to look disappointed. “I’m going.”

“Not so fast, Spike.” Buffy’s voice came from the doorway. “I thought you knew nothing about this.”

“He doesn’t,” Cordelia told her noticing that Willow was hovering in the doorway.

“I was talking to Spike,” Buffy sent her a glare. Addressing the blond vampire, she demanded, “What are you doing here?”

“None of your business, Slayer.”

“It is too my business. Angel and Cordy are my business. You’re my business— former Big Bad and all. Gotta keep an eye on you. Wasn’t one reminder tonight enough?”

“I’m bloody tired of you running your mouth, Slayer. Unless you’re going to put it to better use, I suggest you keep it shut.”

Buffy slugged him and Spike flew across the room landing on his back at his grandsire’s feet. Angel dragged him to his feet. “Leave Spike out of this, Buffy. If you have a fight, I think it’s with me.”

“Maybe it is.”

“Then you have to fight me too,” Willow stepped up beside them. “This is as much my fault as Angel’s.”

The vampire ran a hand down Willow’s red hair, cupping her shoulder with his hand. “I convinced Willow to do the spell. Gave her no choice, really. Spike— I want you to take Willow home.”

“Hey!” Willow protested.

“Sure you want me to do that, Peaches? Break up your nice little collection?”

Willow gave little shake of her head and glared angrily at the vampire.

“What collection?” Angel looked puzzled.

“Your blonde, brunette and redhead collection of course. I’ll take one or two of them off your hands if you can’t keep up.”

“Spike, you are so getting your ass kicked again for suggesting that,” Buffy crossed her arms over her chest.

“As if you needed to find another excuse,” scoffed Spike.

Cordelia glanced up at Angel. “Is he hinting at what happened with Angelus in the library or something else?”

Eep! “N-nothing. It was nothing.” Willow hurried to say. “Besides— gay now. I told you about Tara.”

“Sweet succulent witch,” Spike’s lips twisted as he thought of Willow’s girlfriend. “Soft, shy and oh so curvaceous.”

“Shut up!” Willow grumbled. “Don’t you talk about Tara.”

“Human men just don’t do it for Red anymore— if they ever did. Not after a little taste-o-vamp. Isn’t that right, Strawberry Tart?”

With her cheeks blazing, Willow wasn’t certain if Spike was alluding to his own drunken advances at the warehouse or something about Angel. Either way, she was not prepared to go into details with Cordelia and Buffy present.

“Spike—,” Angel started to protest only to be cut off by Willow.

“No, Angel. Spike and I are going to have this out— but not here.” Willow latched onto Spike’s leather coat and pulled in the direction of the door. “Come on, Big Bad. You’re coming with me.”

“If you insist,” Spike commented with a husky chuckle. “I’d come with you any time.”

“Do you have to turn *everything* into sexual innuendo?”

“Doesn’t have to be innuendo.”

“Ugh! Just go get in the car.”

Willow turned one last time to look at Angel, Cordelia and Buffy. They were standing together in a close group staring at her with a mixture of surprise and admiration. “Call me later?”

“Do me a favor,” Buffy asked her, not even bothering to deny the fact that she was going to be here a while. “Warn Giles. Have him keep Xander under control until I can talk to him.”

“Sure thing.”

Then Willow headed for the stairs.
 

Now we are left with this triad of power. What happens next, lower beings, could break the ties that bind them, bring them together or alter the pairing that exists. One outcome alone will keep this world safe from the destructive forces that will otherwise reign free. We, the Oracles to the Powers that Be, watch and wait. For even we have no choice in the matter.
 

Cordelia filled the silent void that suddenly descended into the bedroom. “Looks like that leaves just us.”

Part 25

 Now we are left with this triad of power: our Champion, his Seer and the Chosen One. Lower beings, what happens next could break the ties that bind, bring them together or alter the pairing that exists. Only one outcome alone will keep this world safe from the destructive forces that will otherwise reign free. We, the Oracles to the Powers that Be, watch and wait. For even we have no other choice in the matter.
 

Cordelia filled the silent void that suddenly descended into the bedroom. “Looks like that leaves just us.”

“Looks like it,” Buffy concurred as she stared back and forth between Angel and Cordy. They were looking just as nervous as she was. This was awkward having two sets of conflicting memories floating around in your head.

“Buffy, I wasn’t expecting you so soon.” Cordelia commented. “Now that you’re here, I think you deserve the same explanation I got. Lame excuse or not, you should still get to hear why Angel left us behind in Sunnydale.”

The blonde Slayer shoved her hands in the back pockets of her pants. Telling Cordelia, “I already know that. He told me before he left.”

“Angel told you he was going to leave?” Cordelia slowly looked up at Angel with a sense of renewed anger. The vampire had talked to Buffy. Told her his plans, but not her. Never said a word to her about leaving. “I didn’t deserve the same courtesy?”

“I couldn’t do it, Cordelia,” he pleaded understanding. “I couldn’t take the chance that I would change my mind. That I would decide not to leave.”

Buffy sounded off, “So I *couldn’t* change your mind? Obviously not if it was okay to stomp all over my feelings.”

“You weren’t supposed to remember anything,” Angel pointed out. “And I didn’t stomp.”

“Says you.”

Cordelia asks, “Did you know what he was planning with the memory spell?”

“No!” Buffy told her that she didn’t have a clue about that. “Only that he was going to leave town after the Mayor’s ascension.”

Angel started to repeat his reasoning to Buffy, but Cordelia jumped in with, “Mr. Broody Vamp was just too happy. Had to search for something to sulk over. Has to give Buffy a normal life. Gotta keep Cordy safe from his big, bad vampire instincts. Blah, blah, blah! Doesn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth.”

“I do trust you—,” Angel started out, but then Buffy was interrupting.

The blonde was furious. “You don’t tell someone you love them and wipe out the best part of their life.”

“Don’t think I haven’t paid for it, Buffy.”

She gazed up at him, noting the dark expression and the heavy weight he seemed to bear on his broad shoulders. Buffy wanted to wrap her arms around him, comfort him despite her anger. How had he paid for such deceit? There was only one thing Buffy could see that had happened and that looked more like a reward— or cheating. “But you two still have each other.”

Angel glanced over at Cordelia sounding a little doubtful, “I hope so.”

As she watched Cordelia reach out to touch Angel reassuringly, Buffy felt her heart was being ripped apart. Her conflicting memories made this too painful.

“Don’t you see, Angel?” Buffy heard the quiver in her voice. “The spell didn’t just wipe out the memory of you and Cordy and me, it left the two of us together. As a couple. We were more than friends, even if we couldn’t be together physically. We found ways. We tried. We were good together— until you left me.”

“I didn’t know, Buffy. The specifics of the spell weren’t that detailed,” Angel confessed. Her description made him feel even worse about this.

Buffy’s inner pain showed in her eyes as she asked him, “Why does it always come down to you leaving me? Choosing her?”

Frowning, Angel realized it must seem that way. “What I told you in LA, Buffy. Separate lives. Separate missions.”

“Then why did you come back here?” Buffy turned her fury on Cordelia. “Why Cordy? I know that you came back first. Angel followed you. Why come at all? To throw it in my face? Show me how happy you are?”

“Buffy—,” Cordelia tried to speak.

But the Slayer was too infuriated to let her get a word in. “You bitch! You’ve always been after Angel. You got him thanks to Willow. It took magick to do it. To steal him from me.”

Now Angel tried to calm her down, “Buffy—”

“No, it’s true.”

Grasping her shoulders, Angel warned her, “Don’t delude yourself into thinking I never cared for Cordelia. Don’t get the crystal’s false memories mixed up with the real thing.”

There were tears in her eyes as Buffy asked him, “How can I tell, Angel? It’s so muddled. Nothing seems real.”

Even though his hands fell away, Buffy stepped closer, so close that her body brushed against his. “Make it real, Angel.”

“I— can’t.”

“Won’t.” Buffy remembered the original deal between them. “Not without permission.”

Cordelia saw two sets of eyes staring in her direction. What emotions were they trying to convey. Want? Need? Curiosity? Defiance? She realized that she was the one who kept them apart in LA. Standing up to Buffy, refusing to let her stay to get her hooks into her vampire. Would Angel have kept Buffy there had it been his choice alone?

Whatever Buffy saw in Cordelia’s face, she decided to act before the other woman could say a thing. She leapt at Angel, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and her legs about his waist. The force of her move staggered him, nearly causing him to fall onto the bed behind them. With her fingers curled into his short spiky hair, Buffy devoured Angel with a kiss that carried with it all the love and fury she possessed.

Watching in stunned silence, Cordelia found she could not move. Though she felt an urge to yank the Slayer out of Angel’s arms, she was also morbidly curious to find out just how far the vampire was going to let this go.

Buffy pulled away from Angel’s lips, her voice sounding out of breath and husky. “We can be together again. Cordy can stay, if that’s what it takes.”

She was kissing him again and Angel cursed himself for responding, but his body just seemed to react instinctively recognizing her as its lover. “Buffy—”

“Shh!” Then she was sliding her lithe body down to the floor pressing against his hard torso and the growing proof of his arousal. “Mmm. What have we here?”

Cordelia flashed a look of irritation at Angel who turned to meet her gaze. Again, he said nothing. Even as Buffy manipulated the zipper on his pants. The look in his eyes carried a challenge, but what did it mean? Did he want her to give her permission or put this to a stop? Hesitation cost her precious seconds.

Now Buffy was sinking to her knees and letting out a lustful moan as she took Angel’s erect penis in hand. She closed her eyes almost worshipfully as her cheek brushed across its length. Then she opened her mouth taking him inside, rolling her tongue across the sensitive head.

Angel shuddered in response to the hot cavern of her mouth. Then he felt Cordelia’s hand on his face and her lips against his ear. “I’m sorry.”

He forced himself to open his eyes, but Cordelia was already looking away. He held onto her with one hand while the other gripped the bedpost. As he watched, Cordy was slowly stroking fingers through Buffy’s silken blond hair as her head bobbed at his groin.

“Sorry?” He managed to croak out the question.

Cordelia’s hand tightened, yanking at Buffy’s hair with a force that pulled her away from Angel. Then she shoved the Slayer to the floor. “That’s more than enough. I didn’t come to Sunnydale to pick up where we left off, Buffy. I came here to put things behind us.”

Confused, Buffy couldn’t move from her position now lying on her back on her elbows. “Angel still wants me.”

“And this is the evidence?” Cordelia motioned toward the vampire’s erection. Angel had an intense look on his face, but she could hardly blame him for that. He was busy tucking himself back into his pants. “Buffy, you attacked him. Kissed him. Then you started with the slut routine.”

“Nothing we haven’t done before— together,” Buffy reminded her with a naughty grin.

Angel zipped up his pants, trying to ignore the ache in his groin. “What is it you’re trying to say, Cordelia?”

Darting her gaze back to his, Cordelia’s hazel eyes were blazing. “You know what I’m saying, Angel.”

“Then let me hear it.”

“Are you mine?” She asked him first.

“Always.”

Buffy flipped herself to her feet. “No! Don’t say it. Don’t deny what we had together. I have to have something. Cordy?”

The plea in Buffy’s voice called to some of the same feelings that her memory told her were the reasons she allowed Buffy into their bed in the first place. She had a history with Angel— heartfelt and true, but star-crossed and lovelorn as any tragic pair throughout the centuries. As the tears gathered in the huge woeful eyes pleading with her, Cordelia knew that she was in trouble.

The dreaded Cry Buffy had turned those impossible-to-resist tears upon her.

Buffy leaned in close, whispering, “Let me be with you. Don’t turn me away.”

Then Cordelia felt the soft fullness of Buffy’s feminine lips press against her own. The kiss tasted of salty tears and loneliness. Just as Cordelia started to return the soft caress, Buffy was extracted from the circle of her arms. She looked up in surprise as Angel’s hands gently moved her away.

“Angel?”

“Just as Cordelia can give permission, Buffy. So can I— or not give it.” Angel revealed. “I don’t take kindly to other people kissing my mate.”

“Even me?”

If the gnawing jealous feeling that hit him as he watched meant anything, “Apparently.”

Buffy turned back to Cordelia. Her tears had dried up and now she simply looked hurt. “I suppose you feel the same way.”

“I love Angel.” Cordelia figured it was that simple.

“So this is it? You don’t want me? Won’t take me back?” Buffy’s shoulders were straight and her head still held high. She gazed at them almost defiantly, daring them to deny the past they shared.

Angel brushed his fingers along the curve of her cheek. “I shouldn’t have kept you in the first place. Just selfish in my vampire way. Wanted it all.”

“Yeah. Selfish,” Buffy agreed. “What about you, Cordy. I loved you too for a while— as my friend.”

The edges of Cordelia’s mouth quirked into a sad smiled. That friendship was lost now, she figured. A friendship lost to the distance of time, false memories and the very real rivalry that happened somewhere in between.

“I’ll miss that friendship, Buffy.” Cordelia could not give her any hope that they could strike it up again. Not without putting Angel back in the middle of it all. “When Angel first told me that as his mate, I had the right to decide whether you could be with him, I didn’t really believe it. I was too worried about never getting to touch him again.”

Angel started to remind her, “But I told you— mmph!”

Holding her fingers over his mouth, she couldn’t take an interruption. “It was Angelus who claimed me, not Angel. It was Willow who took away my fear of vampires, I did not overcome that myself. Then she created the connection that made us soulmates.”

“Soulmates,” Buffy sounded out the word with a sigh. Willow and her good intentions— just led to trouble.

Cordelia continued. “I knew that there was still something between us. What happened after Angel’s return from that hell dimension proved it, but I knew he still loved you, Buffy. I didn’t think I had any choice, but to give my permission.”

“But you did,” Buffy stressed, “and we were happy.”

“I got used to the idea. It was fun, but I never really wanted it. I was just too scared to say no— thought I’d lose Angel.”

A kiss pressed against the fingers still covering the vampire’s mouth, causing Cordelia to meet his gaze. She let her fingers drop away as she soaked up the love in his eyes. As she finished talking to Buffy, Cordelia’s attention was focused entirely on him. “It’s different now. Things are different. I fell in love with Angel all over again. I know he loves me.”

Cordelia was pulled closer into Angel’s arms as he pressed a kiss against her temple and nuzzled her soft hair.

Buffy sounded far away, but she was standing close again with that plea in he voice as she spoke. “Angel? I still love you.”

“Its the memory of love, Buffy. Something from the past that may always be there in some form or fashion. But it’s never going to be that way again.”

Thinking back to their first kiss, Buffy muttered, “Too much water under the bridge, over the bridge, over the dam.”

Angel cupped her cheek, leaning over to press a brief kiss on her lips. “I’m sorry, Buffy. I don’t mean to hurt you, but I’ve found my life in LA with Cordelia. I want you free to find yours.”

“Don’t touch me. I don’t need your pity. Maybe I have been fooling myself. I don’t want to share anymore than you do.” Buffy glared at both of them slowly backing away. “It was a stupid game. A way to get what we wanted without playing by the rules.”

“It was more than that,” Angel told her. “It was real.”

“I just have to keep reminding myself that no matter what— false memory or forgotten reality— that you chose to leave me, Angel. That you still ended up with Cordelia. That this was simply meant to be.”

Meant to be? Angel thought of the Oracles and their talk of destiny. “That is more true that you know, Buffy.”

Still backing away, Buffy pointed out that maybe they were too different to make it work even if they wanted too. “You’re a vampire. I’m a Slayer. Like vinegar and oil. The two don’t easily mix. No more vampires for Buffy.”

Angel couldn’t let her go without asking, “Then why do you smell like Spike?”

“What?” Buffy started coughing in surprise. “You can *smell* Spike?”

“Vampire senses,” Angel justified. “Just asking. He says you’ve taken to beating him up and forcing him to do your bidding.”

“Have not.”

Cordelia pointed out, “He looked bruised tonight.”

“Not much.” Buffy pouted. “He heals fast.”

“Just be careful,” Angel cautioned her. “I don’t know much about this control chip he’s talking about, but he is still a vampire without a soul. It wasn’t that long ago that he was in LA trying to gut me in order to get the Gem of Amarra.”

“I know what I’m doing!” Buffy sounded incensed that Angel would poke his nose into her business with Spike— Slayer business of course.

“What happened to Riley Finn?”

Pausing at the threshold of the room, Buffy’s shoulders drooped a bit at the mention of his name. “He was part of the group that put the chip in Spike’s head. A secret military operation called the Initiative. They’re gone now. We shut them down.”

“What happened to him?” Angel asked again.

“Riley? He left me too.”

“Oh.” Now Angel and Cordelia were feeling really sorry about this entire conversation. It seemed certain that any happiness Buffy had found after Angel’s sudden departure from Sunnydale was now just a memory. Their own return, even if it was to sort things out, did not make anything better.

Agape, Cordelia tried to make peace. “Buffy, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t bother.” Buffy stepped back through the open door. “I’m going now.”
 

Now two remain. Our Champion and his Seer. The fates have been kind to the Powers this day for a word or action altered from the course they followed may have swayed the decision to a different path.
 

“Did we do the right thing?” Cordelia asked Angel as they stood together by the bed still arm in arm.

“The only thing we could,” Angel answered softly. “The only thing that was right.”

“Did you mean it— what you did?”

Angel was absently running his finger over her collarbone. “What did I do?”

“You picked me over Buffy. Was that your decision or were you just following up on mine?”

“Don’t you get it, Cordy?” Her words were so similar to the ones she spoke on their lost day at Santa Monica. “I always pick you.”

“Mmm!” She kissed him thoroughly. “That’s a good thing.”

“So are you done with this soul-searching of yours? You wanted to touch things and see if they were real.” Angel wanted to get her home again before she changed her mind.

“No, I’m not done,” she told him frankly.

“No?” He sounded a little panicked.

Then Cordelia’s mouth curled into a smile. “There is a lot more touching to be done here. Definitely lots.”

“I’m intrigued,” Angel answered with a lustful gleam. “Care to demonstrate?”

With an offended gasp, Cordelia told him. “Certainly not. I’m not letting you off that easily. Someone has some serious making up to do.”

“What do you want, baby?”

“You.”

Angel started to unbutton his shirt giving her a tantalizing view of his muscular chest along the way. She started to walk forward, planning to help him, but changed her mind. Choosing to watch instead, Cordy had one had on her hip and the other at her mouth where she nibbled on the tip of her finger.

His shirt fell completely open, but he did not remove it. Simply lifted a hand to his chest and felt his way down across its hard expanse ringing his navel and brushing against the compact muscles of his abdomen. Cordelia inserted her finger a little farther, sucking at it with her tongue, certain it would keep her from drooling as he removed his belt. She let out a little moan as Angel dropped it to the floor.

“Still want to watch?” He paused as his hands reached for the button on his pants.

After a thoughtful moment, Cordelia nodded.

The button was unbuttoned. The zipper came next with its unique accompaniment of sound that caused a shiver to rocket down her spine ending in tingling sensations all over her body and centering at the apex of her thighs.

When Angel kicked off his shoes, Cordy gave a little pout. His socks followed. Not that she didn’t find all of him sexy, but there were other parts she wanted to see naked too.

“Tease,” she winked at him.

“I think you’re the tease, my sweet Cordelia. Come here. Touch me,” Angel dared her to follow through with what she was obviously thinking. The look in her eyes gave it away.

“Not yet.”

Angel yanked off his shirt and dropped it to the floor on top of his belt. The anticipation of removing Cordelia’s clothes now hastened his actions, but he slowed down just long enough to tease her again. His hand dipped into the waistband of his boxers, touching the renewed erection. Bringing it out to her view, he stroked his length.

“Is this what you want?”

“I want it all,” Cordelia absently splayed her fingers across her lower abdomen, edging close to the center of her need. She continued to stand her ground refusing to give in to the urge to take him in her own hand.

Releasing the hold on his penis, Angel removed his pants and boxers in one movement and swiftly stepped out of them. Stalking toward her, the vampire scented Cordelia’s arousal wafting around her like a cloud of apples and cinnamon. He would love to drown in that scent.

Cordelia was surprised when he did not immediately pull her into his arms. Instead, he moved around behind her standing a hairsbreadth away to whisper in her ear. “Do you have any idea what you do to me? Just looking at you, scenting you, having you near? Just having your eyes on me makes me want you.”

She let out a groan as Angel reached around her waist, his fingers finding their way under the fabric of her top. Cordelia’s head tilted back against his shoulder as his cool fingers made their way across her skin. Panting now, “I want you too!”

“Not yet. You had your fun— watching. Now it’s my turn.”

“Mmm.”

Angel cupped her breasts feeling their fullness beneath the silk covering of her bra. What color, he wondered. Could be anything considering she was dressed in black. She filled his hands and her nipples poked up hard against his tweaking thumb and fingers. Soon, he would have them in him mouth; taste them on his tongue, but not yet.

Squirming, Cordy was getting frustrated. He was touching her, teasing her and he had not yet removed a single article of clothing. What’s more, his position behind her prevented her from easily touching him. Finally, Angel removed her top. Brushing her hair over her shoulder, he pressed soft smooching kisses along her shoulders and spine. Divesting her of her bra, Angel let his hands curl around to the front again, palming her breasts for just a moment before his hands slipped down to her waist.

“Angel,” she cried out his name at the loss of his touch when he knelt down behind her.

He made quick work of her shoes, tossing them aside. Then he reached around to open the button and zipper of her pants. Angel started to slip them down, but paused as her sun tattoo came into view.

“My favorite form of sunshine,” Angel grinned as he kissed the spot at the base of her spine.

Holding her hips, he continued to pay homage to the sun with his lips and tongue evoking a series of moans erupting from Cordelia’s throat. Angel curled his fingers into her pants and panties pulling them down to her ankles without breaking contact with her skin. Not bothering to have her step out of them, his attention was far too focused on the temptation of her bare skin.

Cordelia was writhing at his touch as Angel dipped his fingers between her thighs. She was wet, so wet and welcoming. “Angel, please!”

Lifting one foot out of the prison of her pants, she kicked both them and her panties away with the other. Spreading her thighs, she gave Angel fuller access to her core. The things he did with his fingers had her babbling his name and begging to have him inside her. He bit down gently on the globe of her ass with his blunt teeth as his fingers curled into the spot inside her that always drove her wild.

Cordelia collapsed in front of him, her legs no longer able to support her as her orgasm swept through. Turning over, slowly she found Angel kneeling before her. Then he swept her up into his arms depositing her on the bed. He stood there staring at her with such a combination of love and lust that Cordelia writhed under his gaze.

“I love you, Angel.”

Joining her on the bed, the vampire rolled onto his side next to her. “Love you too, baby.”

“My turn to touch,” Cordelia breathed against his cheek as she turned to kiss him. Angel let out a groan, commenting, “Hell, yes. Feels like I’ve been waiting forever.”

Cordy added, “You can touch me too.”

“Oh, baby, I think that’s a given.” He reached over to take her head in his hands leading his mouth in for another kiss. Angel could never get enough of her kisses. Tasty, soft, hot, wet kisses that always left him wanting more.

Cordelia explored Angel’s body kissing, caressing and nipping her way across his smooth flesh until she reached the jutting erection that captured her interest. Taking hold of him, Cordy stroked his length before curling her tongue around the engorged head. She kissed the tip, and then opened her mouth to tease him with her teeth and tongue.

A deep groan sounded from the vampire’s chest. Cordelia’s mouth was naturally wide enough to take him in farther than many humans ever could. The heat of her against his flesh caused him to growl out instructions that she did not need.

Falling back against the mattress after a minute of watching Cordelia’s lush mouth move over him, Angel gave a lusty moan, “Just like that, baby.”

Her hand fisted around the part of him she could not swallow keeping a rhythm with the bobbing movements of her head. Cordelia felt a rush as Angel began to spurt his cool essence inside her. She swallowed it down, licking away the last remnants of it before she released him from her mouth.

Crawling back up the length of his body, Cordelia lay down atop Angel’s body stretching out so that the met chest to chest and groin to groin. Her slight weight was insignificant, but the feel of her against his skin was enough to stir his lust again.

“Mmm. Vampire stamina. Gotta love it,” Cordy grinned as she felt his penis jerk beneath her hardening fast.

“Let’s just hope you have enough,” Angel rolled them over so that she lay beneath him. “I have plans to keep you up all night.”

“Talk, talk, talk,” Cordelia ran a hand along his spine until she cupped one firm cheek of his buttocks.

“I’ve decided that talk can be good,” Angel told her while kissing his way across her shoulder.

“Oh, really, Broody Boy?”

“I’ve bottled too much of myself inside, hiding the truth from you,” he admitted. “Almost lost you because of it.”

Meeting his gaze, Cordelia told him, “You’d never lose me. Not of my own accord. Wipe out my memory— and I still manage to find you.”

“I think that I found you,” Angel corrected with a smile.

“Pfft! Same thing. We’re meant to be together,” Cordy said and then gasped as he joined his body to hers in one long stroke. “I was talking figuratively, but— hey! That works for me too.”

“Cordy,” he reached down with his mouth kissing her again.

Their bodies entwined pulling each other closer, moving intently toward the same goal. “I love you, baby,” Angel kept her focused on his gaze. “You are everything to me.”

“Everything?” She writhed beneath him, her hips thrusting up to meet his rhythm.

Angel knew it to be true. He just wanted to make certain that Cordelia knew it as well. “You’re— my demon’s mate— my soul’s match— my heart’s desire.”

Then Cordelia was shuddering with pleasure, caught up by his words and the sensations that his body created. Angel continued to make love to her— as promised throughout the rest of the night until the sunrise peaked at the edges of the closed curtains. Both fell back against the mattress still tangled in each other’s arms.

Cordelia muttered happily against his chest, “Take me home, Angel.”

“Sun’s up,” her mate reminded. Not that he could move right now anyway.

“Not now, dumbass!” Cordy giggled, and then gave a deep sigh as she fell asleep in his arms.
 

And so the lovers have mended their broken fences planning to return to the City of Angels where their mission awaits their return. But joy and happiness may be countered by suffering and despair. Our auguries reveal impending danger as the forces of Chaos design cruelties to sever the eternal connection between our Champion and his Seer and thus his link the Powers that Be. For now, however, our Champion and mate have the envy of the Oracles and all higher beings who recognize the power of love.

End.

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